The Galileo Trap

Doom Coalition #1.3

Released: 12 October 2015

Listened: 12/4/21

This episode is written by Mark Platt, who’s normally an excellent Big Finish writer, but this one falls a little flat. The message the Doctor received in the last story was sent by Galileo. Even though the Doctor suspects a trap, he goes to help his old friend (the First Doctor met him a long time ago). That means Helen’s first trip into the past, and she reacts as any historian would, almost giddy at the idea of seeing history first-hand, and prone to wandering off as a result. Galileo acts the way a lot of historical figures do, since the start of the new series – he’s cranky, obstinate, and spends a lot of time thinking of past glories. However, he’s got good reason; this late in his life, he’s officially exiled by the church, he’s nearly blind, and he’s being cared for by his daughter Virginia – except Galileo is well aware that she’s not what she seems. Because the whole thing is a trap to capture the Doctor. Even though it’s a historical, there’s aliens all over the place, so it doesn’t feel much like one. For whatever reason, the Eleven isn’t involved himself, and has chosen some rather incompetent (if violent) henchmen. It’s really not clear why Galileo is in this story, as most of the alien characters know little about him, and are only using him as bait. As such, it feels like a historical was shoehorned in for the sake of it. While the writing is good on a surface level, it doesn’t do much for the larger plot.