Doctor Who review: The Robots: A Matter of Conscience
By James Aggas
Volume 3 of Doctor Who spin-off series The Robots ends with some major developments and revelations in the episode A Matter of Conscience.
In the aftermath of a major attack by the Sons of Kaldor, Liv and her sister Tula decide to work together and finally get some answers. But when they start looking into the survivors of Storm Mine 4 (i.e. the survivors of the classic Doctor Who serial The Robots of Death), even they will be shocked by the answers they find.
The final episode of The Robots: Volume 3, A Matter of Conscience, is unsurprisingly another key turning point for the series. It’s strange to think that we’re already three-quarters of the way through the spin-off already, with just three episodes left before Liv is finally reunited with the Doctor (as already depicted at the end of Ravenous 2 episode Escape from Kaldor).
There’s a lot of focus on Liv and Tula together in this episode. When Tula was introduced back in Ravenous 2, it’s very easy to see why Claire Rushbrook was cast. The very natural chemistry she shares with Nicola Walker makes it very easy to believe them as sisters. On top of that, their different viewpoints on robots and the society they live in makes many of their discussions and even little chats interesting to listen to.
Louise Jameson directs Claire Rushbrook and Nicola Walker in The Robots, Vol. 3
Image credit: Big Finish. Image courtesy of Big Finish.
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Building towards the end
It’s not just the Chenka sisters who are focused on in this episode, though. We also get to find out more about the Sons of Kaldor, and see things from their perspective. Anyone who’s listened to Fourth Doctor audio The Sons of Kaldor knows just how important this dangerous organization is going to be and where it’s all leading to, so it’s great to find out the buildup to that point from their perspective.
One more rather crucial character in this episode is the mysterious Vash Sorkov. Introduced in The Mystery of Sector 13, we get to find out a lot more about him in this episode. And there’s one secret he’s been keeping that’s definitely going to be a major shock for fans…
A Matter of Conscience pushes The Robots forward in several ways, but it’s also another extremely strong story in its own right. A solid way of rounding off this volume, while also leaving listeners eager to hear the fourth and final box set in Jun 2021…
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Have you been following The Robots so far? Are you excited to see how the spin-off will end? Let us know in the comments below.