Doctor Who review: The Shadow of London (Fourth Doctor audio)
By James Aggas
The Fourth Doctor and Leela have arrived in London during the Second World War. But something is very wrong in the city, in the Doctor Who audio The Shadow of London!
The Shadow of London is a rather tricky Doctor Who story to review. This is due to the fact that there are many twists and turns within its clever plot, and there are a lot of surprises. And the story deserves to keep those surprises.
What can be said about it is that from the very start, it goes in directions that you may not expect. When the Fourth Doctor and Leela arrive in London during the Second World War, they notice almost immediately that something is clearly very wrong.
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Why are the people acting strangely? Why are the streets so empty? And who, or what, is killing people in the city?
Justin Richards does a fantastic job of making you work out what’s going on, without giving too much away. While some mysteries in Doctor Who can be easy to work out, The Shadow of London is refreshingly rather different.
World War Two
The Second World War setting also adds a lot to the story. Along with presenting a clear and distinct historical period as the setting, it also provides a neat direction for The Shadow of London to go in.
Additionally, there’s a rich amount of moral complexity, too. For example, there are characters who make terrible choices, but for what they believe to be the best reasons. And even those who seem innocent have their own nasty little secrets.
Like The Morton Legacy from last year, Justin Richards has once again written a historical story that wrong-foots you at every turn. Also like The Morton Legacy, it’s a very intriguing listen with very fleshed out characters. Another great Fourth Doctor story.
Next: Retro review: The Unicorn and the Wasp (Tenth Doctor)
Have you listened to The Shadow of London? Are you a fan of the World War Two setting? Do you have any favorite stories set during that time period? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.