Review by Daniel Mansfield

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It’s been twenty years since the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler burst onto our screens and brought Doctor Who to a whole new generation. For many years, it seemed like those thirteen episodes were all we’d ever have for this iconic Doctor-companion pairing but, thanks to the magic of Big Finish, the Doctor and Rose have returned for twelve new audio adventures, to be released bimonthly over the next couple of years.

Starting us off on this brand new trip of a lifetime is Snare, by Tim Foley.

The best thing about this story is, without a doubt, hearing Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper back together as the Ninth Doctor and Rose after so many years. They pick up right where they left off, perfectly recreating their characters’ relationship of love and mutual respect for one another, as well as their ability to hold each other accountable for their mistakes. Foley recognises that these characters and their interactions were at the heart of 2005-era Who, and taps into this to give us a character-driven story that feels authentically of its time, yet brand new.

In fact, this whole story has the feeling of 2005 about it, returning us to the Powell Estate – and, of course, the wonderful Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri)– and in so doing immersing us in that domestic, character-focused atmosphere that pervaded the Ninth Doctor’s run on TV.

That’s not to say there isn’t action and adventure here – far from it. With alien rainforests, spaceships, tentacled gardeners and giant houseflies, there are definitely moments in Snare that feel like your more typical Doctor Who yarn.

Where this story really thrives, though, is where it slows down and focuses on its characters. Central to this episode is Rose’s childhood friend Kevin (Alex Austin), an art student who has returned to the Powell Estate in the wake of his father’s death. Through his character, Foley gives us a touching exploration of family, loss and mental illness that is both modern, and in keeping with the grounded tone of Series 1 on TV.

Not only does Foley draw some poignant parallels between Kevin and Rose, who at this point in the timeline has just witnessed her own father die in Father’s Day, but he also explores the quite mature subject matter of how a parent’s mental illness can impact on their child. Alex Austin excels as the grieving, slightly haunted Kevin, while Billie Piper and Camille Coduri get to show the profound sense of humanity that made their characters such a success through their compassionate interactions with their old friend.

Eccleston too is given plenty to work with, the Doctor coming to blows with Rose in a way feels authentic to their onscreen dynamic. It’s great to hear a more hardened, alien Ninth Doctor here after some more subdued outings earlier in the range. That said, Snare ends with the Doctor at his most human, performing one last act of kindness for one of the story’s characters that might just put a tear in your eye.

If there’s a weak point in the ensemble, it might be the character of Marlene (Hannah Brown), Kevin’s very middle class friend from uni who accompanies him to the Powell Estate. While her inclusion in the story leads to some pointed commentary on the class divide, as well as elitism at university, this feels separate from the main themes of the episode, and, when Marlene is unceremoniously written out of the second half of the story with little fanfare, it leaves you wondering what the point of her character was.

Aside from this, though, this is a wonderful, nostalgic introduction to this new series of adventures for the Ninth Doctor and Rose, full of warmth, heart and tantalising ideas. After this, I’m dying to hear where Big Finish take the Doctor and Rose next. It’s safe to say I’ve been well and truly Snared.

Snare is available on CD or as a download from http://www.bigfinish.com

The Ninth Doctor Adventures continue in September with The Last Days of the Powell Estate