Antidote to Oblivion

Main Range #182

Released: 14 January 2014

Listened: 8/14/20

This story is rather longer than the previous Main Range entries, and is also more sedately paced, rather in line with its 1984 roots. It’s written by Phillip Martin, and is a sequel to his previous stories “Mindwarp” and the Lost Story “Mission to Magnus,” both of which feature Sil, who crops up here again. The daughter of Crozier from “Mindwarp” wants revenge on the Doctor, and the Time Lord Anzor from “Magnus” is here as well, but mercifully has little to say. Sil’s corporation has taken over the Earth, or at least the UK, but that’s not enough of a threat, so there are sentient microbes who want to take advantage of the situation. There’s also a fair dose of body horror, which is a theme in Martin’s work. There’s a young-ish couple who are reminiscent of the couple from “Vengeance on Varos,” and they drive a lot of the plot. In fact, the Doctor and Flip don’t really do much to resolve the situation, just spend their time trying not to get killed. Lots of bad guys end up dead or presumed dead, and the Doctor doesn’t seem to care all that much; this doesn’t seem like the same Doctor who was trying to save the Wirrn just a few stories ago. Because of the “Mindwarp” references, the Doctor is reminded of Peri for the first time in a while, and that’s going to run through the next few stories. Maybe it’s because I don’t like Sil all that much, but this story seems a regression for the Doctor. It probably would have been a better fit with the Lost Stories.