Doctor Who review: Ravenous: Whisper gives us a great mix of drama and standalone horror
By James Aggas
The TARDIS crew are hunted by a creature that stalks through sound, in the opening episode of the fourth and final volume of Doctor Who: Ravenous…
The latest Doctor Who box set from Big Finish, Ravenous 4, begins immediately after where the previous volume left off. The Eighth Doctor, Liv and Helen have seemingly defeated the Ravenous, with the help of their old enemy, the Eleven. Claiming to be cured of his condition – that of having all ten of his previous personalities trapped in his head – the Doctor wants to trust him. But is the same true of Liv and Helen?
That’s the key question that’s explored in the opening episode to Ravenous 4, Whisper. Matt Fitton begins the final volume of the current arc in The Eighth Doctor Adventures with a simple standalone story. The central idea – of a monster hunting by sound – is pretty straightforward, and in last month’s issue of Vortex magazine, Fitton even admits that the story was influenced by A Quiet Place.
But it still works extremely well. Not in spite of its simplicity, but because of it. The threat is instant and effective, and the monster of the story is brought vividly to life. It puts the characters in a state of high jeopardy virtually from the beginning, giving us a very effective Doctor Who horror story.
Following on from Ravenous 3, the Eleven is still a companion of the Eighth Doctor’s crew. But how long can that continue?
(Image credit: Doctor Who/Big Finish Productions.
Image obtained from: Big Finish Productions.)
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Increasing tensions
But it’s the focus on the main characters that really make Whisper so effective. The story itself is essentially standalone – especially when compared to the following three episodes. But the drama is based on tensions that have been building up for quite some time.
Liv finds it very difficult to trust the Eleven. Perhaps impossible. And we can’t exactly blame her. The Eleven has proven himself – time and time again – to be a complete psychopath. Liv believes that the Doctor is wrong to trust him, leading to an extremely difficult relationship between the two.
The highlight of the episode is an extremely tense moment involving three of the four major characters. One of them seems ready to make a decision that will change everything. How far are they willing to go to protect everyone else?
Whisper is a great opening episode for Ravenous 4 that gives us a bit of a breather from the main arc, while also providing us with a strong horror story and plenty of drama. A perfect audio for Halloween season.
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What’s your favorite scary Doctor Who story? With Halloween coming up, are there any great stories you’re planning to watch or listen to again? Let us know in the comments below.