BFDW099 Son of the Dragon

[paniq 1]

Doctor who meets Dracula (Vlad the Impaler)

 

5th Doc time with Peri & Erimem. Quite a good story that takes part in different 'locations' at first they are in the Turks camp and then in Vlad's capital city, before finally his castle retreat. The regulars get split up and so each follows a story arc that allows Peri and Erimem's viewpoints to shown as drastically different.

 

Carolyn Morris plays Erimem very well in this story, she saves Vlad and then is taken back as an honoured guest. The fundamental differences between Peri and Erimem, especially cultural ones are well exploited, for instance Peri incredulously acts, “A man is dead and you think it’s good?” where upon Erimem pragmatically replies: “It is for him, his suffering is at an end”. The view points of duty, honour, and station in life are similarly shown when Peri is flabbergasted at Erimems agreement to marrying Vlad even though she has been tricked into it so that Peri may be shown clemency. 

 

Over the story it seems that this will be Erimem's last voyage, and this is believable especially given that Big Finish seem to be ending some of the new companions - they've already announced their intention to write out Charley and C’rizz, and Evelyn’s final fate is already wrapped up in ‘Thicker Than Water’. Whether it is or not only works for the first listen, mind you I've only listened to the story once so far.

 

[Potato 2]

I agree that it works nicely to highlight the differences in worldview of the companions, but I listened to it in context with the 5th Doctor releases and Erimem is starting to annoy the hell out of me.  Possibly if I was listening in release order and not in Chronological this would not be the case.  As it is she's giving Peri a run for her money in the most annoying companion stakes.

[StitchInTime 2]

I like Erimem, but I suppose that too will end soon.  I thought the timing on the exit of Doctor Seven's current companions was just right.