The Doll of Death

Companion Chronicles #3.3

Released: September 2008

Listened: 6/6/21

This story, released in 2008, is the first time Katy Manning returned to the character of Jo Grant, which seems odd, given how much work she’s done for Big Finish, as Jo, Iris, and other characters, but she was initially reluctant. As such, Jo gets a lot of narration and background, as well as a reminder of how “modern” Jo Jones is doing (very well, thanks). The story itself is a bit on the odd side, with what are initially thought to be ghosts, but turn out to be an entity from a universe where time runs backward. Writer Mark Platt splits the story right in the middle, with the first half uncovering the mystery, and the second winding backward to the beginning. It’s absurdly difficult to write a coherent “time runs backwards” story, and I’m not sure this one follows all the logic, but it does a good job of letting us know how Jo feels about it at the time, which is good. Likewise, “creepy doll” is a pretty good Doctor Who villain that doesn’t get used a lot. It’s not my personal favorite, and this story isn’t a standout, but it does the job. It’s a decent story, and opened the door for others to follow.