The Riparian Ripper

Short Trips #3.7

Released: 11 May 2011

Listened: 11/7/20

There’s a handful of stories sandwiched in here between Season 25 and 26, in which the Doctor isn’t so much “manipulative” as “inscrutable.” This one is typical of the era, which makes sense, as it was written by Andrew Cartmel. There really isn’t a monster or an enemy here, but there is a mystery. Of course, the Doctor figures it out right away, and spends the rest of the story proving it. The vast majority of Seventh Doctor Short Trips are read by Sophie Aldred, and in this case she does it in first person as Ace. Her Seventh Doctor doesn’t sound much like Sylvester McCoy, but it isn’t too blatantly Scottish either, although she does get in some rolled R’s, but with that title, who wouldn’t? It’s a decent little mystery the first time you hear it, but after that, there’s not much point in going back to it.