Review: Doctor Who - Prisoners of Time
"We're little more than pets to you, aren't we? The lonely alien who picks up a new human puppy when he gets bored of the last one."
It is an accusation not without some merit...
The Doctor. A time and space travelling eccentric maverick with a blithe disregard for rules and regulations. A renegade Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who flouts the strict non-interference policy of his people, consistently involving himself - and others - in all manner of disputes and disasters, always electing to intervene on the side of mercy, saving the day, saving lives, usually with a fair dash of wit and flourish.
And then leaving...
Always accompanied by one or two companions: usually human, mostly female, often fairly resourceful in their own right but never entirely 'in the loop' as to what is actually going on, invariably not privy to the Doctor's plans until the very last moment, with danger hanging over their heads pretty much from the moment they step out of the TARDIS.
It is a wonder they survive...
A saviour. A hero. Defender of Earth. Protector of the universe. Regardless of the odds, he always wins.
You'll be safe with him.
Except.... all of that is not entirely true, is it? The universe is not always so conveniently neat and tidy. Doing 'the right thing' is not always a clear and simple choice.
He cannot always save everyone. That in itself is not a moral failing; he may be a super-powered, super-intelligent alien, but he is not omnipotent. He does his best, and his best is amazing.
That's not the issue. The issue is: Why does he do what he does? Why does he meddle in everyone's problems? And why does he insist on dragging poorly-prepared, mostly-unsuspecting innocents along with him?
He always wins... but there are nearly always casualties along the way. His companions are usually in for a rough ride with him: kidnapped, attacked, tortured, injured, abandoned.... and sometimes, not often, but sometimes... killed.
Prisoners of Time by various contributors examines this fundamental question surrounding the Doctor and this flaw in his nature. The first eleven incarnations of the Doctor are stalked by a mysterious figure who snatches away his companions, taunting the Doctor in the process, carrying his prisoners away for a purpose nobody can guess.
The Doctor has made no small number of enemies during his countless escapades. Villains from every corner of space and time doubtless have cause to want to exact revenge upon him, and what better way than to threaten his precious companions?
So this just has to be one of the bad guys he has thwarted at some point in the past, right? Because the roles of hero and villain are clearly defined... aren't they?
This is a tumultuous joy ride through history - in more ways than one - as each Doctor confronts enemies old and new in a saga spanning several lifetimes. The artists delight in recreating all the familiar old faces, bringing to life characters not seen by Whovians for many years. This is nostalgic geekery at its most indulgent.
As each chapter concludes, the over-arching plot thickens. The Doctor can defeat any enemy, any monster, any evil-doer fate throws his way... but can even he fight against the ambiguity of his own choices?
Zak Webber
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