Quicksilver

Main Range #220

Released: 13 December 2016

Listened: 9/3/20

This one is somewhat twisty, with Constance going home at the very beginning, which gives us an unusual companion departure scene at the start of the story, not rushed before the closing credits. But it doesn’t quite work out that way, as there are aliens in 1944 who need the Doctor’s help, and there’s more to learn about Constance’s husband. We end up with two groups of warring aliens in 1948 Vienna (complete with Ferris Wheel), and Constance’s husband who’s gone deep cover and fallen for another woman. On top of which, one of the groups of aliens has kidnapped Flip from her wedding in 2012 and brought her to 1948 to use as leverage. This leads to a rather impressive scene where Constance believes Flip to be the other woman for a bit. The two of them soon get along like a house on fire, though, and the Doctor almost finds himself crowded out of the story. With all that going on, there’s not a lot of room for the aliens, although giant praying mantises made of glass would certainly have been something to see. The relationships are the key thing, which often happens in Matt Fitton stories, and they’re done quite well here. Everybody has a valid motivation, and there aren’t any clear bad guys. This one ends with both Constance and Flip in the Doctor’s company, and a sense that he’s in trouble now.