Bernice Summerfield review: Benny faces the Doctor’s darker side in Every Dark Thought
By James Aggas
Bernice Summerfield is reunited with her old friend the Doctor in Every Dark Thought. But why is he acting so differently? Is he really who he claims to be, or something much, much worse?
A few months ago, I reviewed the first volume of Bernice Summerfield: The Story So Far. I didn’t find the time to review the second volume, but after re-listening to and enjoying her adventures in the Unbound Universe, I thought I should review the second half of Big Finish’s big celebration of the character before checking out her latest box set, Buried Memories.
Unlike the first volume of The Story So Far, which was virtually exclusively focused on Benny’s adventures away from her best friend, the second box set delves more into the world of Doctor Who. (Interestingly, even the covers seem to acknowledge this: Volume 2 features the label of, “From the worlds of Doctor Who“, a label that’s completely missing from the previous volume.) The first episode in the set makes this explicitly clear, as Bernice is reunited with the Doctor again in Every Dark Thought. Or is she?
The story nicely focuses on Benny’s archaeological expertise. It’s something that “the Doctor” has specifically requested her help on, in fact. Benny has never met this incarnation before. While she trusts him initially, there’s something that’s different about him. Something colder and more callous. While she was close to the Seventh Doctor – arguably, one of his darkest incarnations – this one seems far worse. Could the Doctor have changed so much? Or is he something else entirely?
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A little low-key?
This is a bit of a strange one, really. Regarding Michael Jayston’s character, most fans will likely know the twist of who he’s really playing, so it’s a little odd that the audio initially dances around that. Admittedly, the idea of Bernice meeting the Doctor’s darker side is interesting, and the fact that she initially doesn’t know who he really is while the listener does definitely adds some suspense. Especially as the real Doctor isn’t there to warn her.
But the story itself just feels a little low-key, especially for something as major as this. Recently, I wrote how the Valeyard is a personal enemy for the Sixth Doctor. But I still think he could work as a major ongoing enemy for Bernice. Facing the darker side of her best friend should feel a lot bigger than what this story tells.
Every Dark Thought is an interesting idea with two major characters in the Doctor Who universe, but lacking the major story for it. A bit of a disappointing one for both Bernice and the Valeyard, really.
dark. Next. Should we have seen more of Derek Jacobi’s Master on television?
Are there any other major Doctor Who characters that you think Bernice should meet? Or should the Valeyard himself meet other major characters, such as Benny’s former student River Song? Let us know in the comments below.