The Chartwell Metamorphosis

The Churchill Years #1.4

Released: 14 January 2016

Listened: 12/28/22

The stories in the first Churchill Years boxed set went in chronological order for both Churchill and the Doctor, so this one finds him close to the end of his life, when he was retired and residing at Chartwell House. And boy, is he cranky about that. Not the house specifically, but his physical deterioration, which requires him to rely on his staff. Said staff specifically including Lily Arwell, last seen as a girl in “The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe,” and played again by Holly Earl, although that’s not obvious when the story starts. This time around, there actually is a baddie, being bad, and unfortunately, taking advantage of Churchill’s vanity and desire for youth. The Doctor actually isn’t in this one all that much, which gives Earl a chance to shine. She’s got some excellent lines, demonstrating the quickness of mind and ready sarcasm she had as a kid. Once the Doctor shows up, things tend to devolve into a runaround rather quickly. Ian McNeice doesn’t do the best Eleventh Doctor, and it’s hard to fault him for that, but there it is. Points to Ken Bentley for pulling off an energetic story with an elderly Churchill.