Doctor Who Review: ‘The Natural History of Fear’ (Audio)

A dystopian society, where nothing is as it seems, in ‘The Natural History of Fear’. Read on for the review of a classic science fiction template given a Doctor Who spin.

From one extreme to the next, and then back again. That’s the best way to describe the Divergent Universe arc so far. ‘Scherzo’ was a great story that was also, with just its two leads comprising the whole cast, highly experimental. ‘The Creed of the Kromon’ by comparison felt not only far too traditional, but also rather weak. And now we come to ‘The Natural History of Fear’. Another story that feels experimental, but in a completely different way to ‘Scherzo’.

In some ways, this is a hard story to review. Especially as this isn’t my first listen. You see, this is one of those releases where you think you’re getting one story. Then you find out that the story you’re listening to is almost completely different to what you thought it was. This is something that’s very difficult to pull off. The audience could feel cheated if it isn’t done exactly right.

Thankfully, there are no such problems with ‘The Natural History of Fear’. It’s a story that works very well on both initial and subsequent listens. It’s also a rather immersive dystopian drama.

Considering Doctor Who’s long history as a science-fiction series, this wouldn’t be the first story to take place in a dystopian setting. However, what makes ‘Natural History’ stand out is the way the dystopian system is examined.

From the ordinary citizens to the highest power, this society is looked at from many different levels. It feels fleshed out, real, and therefore, all too horrifying. It is a bleak world from which there is no escape.

Last week, I finally watched the 1984 adaptation of 1984, with John Hurt. It was a brilliantly well made film, and clearly faithful to the original book. It also made me think about how difficult it is to do a dystopian science-fiction story without using the word “Orwellian” to describe it.

With ‘The Natural History of Fear’, there’s no question that the word applies. However, it’s also an Orwellian story that’s been made very, very well in its own right.

What makes it work as a Doctor Who story however is how it examines the impact the Doctor and his friends can have. Even the smallest of actions can have huge consequences for a society as controlling as this one. Seeing the effect of those consequences – as well as finding out what the cause is – is another crucial part of the story.

Next: Steven Moffat Hints At The Regeneration In The New Season

‘The Natural History of Fear’ is another wonderful example of the Divergent Universe arc working at its very best. It’s a fantastic piece of drama. It’s highly experimental in its storytelling. It raises a lot of interesting questions. And it presents a very different look at our heroes. A very strong release indeed.