Doctor Who Review: ‘The Tenth Doctor Adventures: Cold Vengeance’ (Audio)
By James Aggas
In ‘Cold Vengeance’, the Tenth Doctor and Rose encounter some very old and very dangerous enemies: the Ice Warriors!
The Ice Warriors have always been one of my favorite monsters in Doctor Who. Because they have a code of honor, and because their race has evolved so much over the centuries, they’re one of the few races the Doctor encounters that have as much chance of being a friend as much as an enemy. As far as Doctor Who races go, they’re one of the more complex ones.
So it’s strange to think they haven’t met many Doctors on television. Even in the Classic Series, Two and Three were the only Doctors to encounter them. They were finally brought back in 2013. This was close to four decades since their last appearance! Since then, they’ve encountered both the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors.
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Sadly, Tennant missed out on meeting them. However, through Big Finish, that’s finally changed. In Cold Vengeance, the Tenth Doctor and Rose meet the Ice Warriors!
Return of the Martians
The episode is a rather fast paced one. There’s no slow build-up to the unveiling of the Martians – they’re revealed right from the start! It not only allows the plot to kick off instantly. It also matches the fast pace of the early episodes of series two.
The reason for why the Ice Warriors are so angry is gradually given throughout Cold Vengeance. Through the Doctor and other characters, we learn some more of the history of the wars fought between Earth and Mars. I liked this approach of only getting information one piece at a time. Especially how well it was used during the climax, where what really happened becomes incredibly crucial.
Cold Vengeance also explores the Ice Warriors’s code of honour. This is especially focused on with Lord Hasskor. Vengeance is his absolute goal, but what is he prepared to do to achieve it? And can the Doctor stop him from becoming more of a monster?
Pirates and recycling
Along with the Ice Warriors, we also have regular human characters in this episode. Well, almost regular: two of them are space pirates. Brona Volta and her son Callum are an interesting pair. The family dynamic is a refreshing take on the usual “space pirates” idea. It also adds both comedy and drama to the story.
There’s also Lorna, who really is ordinary. She’s literally only there for the recycling. Her character forms a quick friendship with Rose though, and has some great development throughout the episode.
Cold Vengeance must’ve been a tricky episode for Matt Fitton to write. It had to tell an Ice Warrior story that did them justice. But it also had to match the tone of the rest of the set: early series two, with a fast pace and a light tone, overall.
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