Doctor Who review: Susan’s War: Susan and Ian are reunited in Sphere of Influence
By James Aggas
The brand new Doctor Who spin-off box set Susan’s War begins with the Doctor’s granddaughter reuniting with a very old friend…
After deciding to join the Time War at the end of the short Doctor Who story All Hands on Deck, Susan is practically thrown into the middle of it almost immediately. The Time Lords are in trouble, and Susan knows just the race who can help. But to convince the Sensorites to join the Time War, she will need help from a very old friend…
The first episode of Susan’s War – the brand new Doctor Who spin-off box set focusing on the Doctor’s granddaughter in the Time War – features a real clash of eras. Even in terms of pure style, Sphere of Influence feels as much as it belongs to the First Doctor’s era in terms of storytelling as it does to the modern series.
What immediately leaps out is the fact that Susan isn’t the only First Doctor companion that features in this episode. Several decades after they had parted ways, (at least, in their personal history,) Susan is reunited with her old friend and former schoolteacher Ian Chesterton.
Susan (Carole Ann Ford) and her fellow companion Ian (William Russell): reunited at last!
Image Courtesy Big Finish Productions
Reunion
Ian is brought into this story quite naturally, and it’s an absolute delight to hear these two together once more. While there have been other Big Finish stories that have featured Carole Ann Ford and William Russell together thanks to The Companion Chronicles, The Early Adventures and The Lost Stories, this is the first story to feature both characters set firmly after their original TV adventures. So their reunion packs a wonderfully emotional punch as they catch up on old times.
More than that: while both characters have matured a great deal since their time traveling together, hearing the two reunited instantly adds a feeling of distinct Sixties nostalgia. Especially considering that this story sees them meeting a race from one of their previous adventures: the Sensorites.
A race that only appeared in the first-ever season of Doctor Who back in 1964, The Sensorites gave us more of a three-dimensional race than a typical “monster”. It was a rather slow-paced story with relatively small threats, but it provided a fascinating glimpse of a race that felt fleshed out and real if a little sedate. It also featured a strong atmosphere of paranoia, especially during its early episodes.
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A natural sequel
For Sphere of Influence, Eddie Robson has written a story that feels like a natural extension of the original serial. The story is keen to explore the Sense Sphere (located in the same star system as the Ood Sphere), and delves deeper into the telepathic abilities of the alien race. But this time, there’s an even stronger sense of paranoia and mistrust.
But while Robson captures the Sixties nostalgia well with his story, he never forgets exactly when it’s set. Not only does the Time War drive the story, with the Time Lords desperate for the Sensorites’ help against a major threat. But it also allows for plenty of great little moments of eras clashing, like Ian learning far more about the Time Lords than he had ever learned on-screen, or discovering what happens when the Sensorites face the Daleks.
Overall, Sphere of Influence is a strong opening episode. Hearing Susan and Ian meeting each other for the first time in decades is an absolute joy, and revisiting a barely seen alien race is handled extremely well. It’s a strong start to the series and establishes Susan’s War straight away as being something very different to numerous other Time War releases.
Next. Retrospective review: The War Doctor: Only the Monstrous. dark
Are you a fan of the original TARDIS team? Are you excited to hear Susan and Ian reunited, or even the return of the Sensorites? Let us know in the comments below.