Empty Vessels.

Audio  
Back in the world of stand-alone Eighth Doctor adventures. Like the previous couple of boxsets from this era released back in 2022, there isn't an underlying arc playing through these releases other than the ongoing expectation that at some point, Liv is going to leave the TARDIS to go be with Tania in post-pandemic London (it's wild that COVID-19 has become part of the events of the Whoniverse to the point that it has its own incredibly detailed  TARDIS Wiki entry). This doesn't make them feel less essential: it's refreshing to have the Doctor, Liv, and Helen just along for the ride without being on some mission for the Time Lords or having some existential threat to the universe to cope with.

Eos Falling

In the first story, we meet Jankar, who is characterised as an emergency service for hire—a soldier of fortune, if you will. She listens out for distress signals from populations in need, then rocks up and offers to help the poor unfortunates for a price. She is looked upon with disdain by the TARDIS Team—who, as the next story illustrates, essentially do the same thing pro bono—with Liv describing her as an ambulance chaser, and her portrayal is not sympathetic for the most part. She even threatens to abandon the job because the destruction of the world means she's unlikely to be paid. However, she is also an expression of similar services in the UK and around the world where private ownership of vital services has led to similar outcomes.

Lure of the Zygons

Non-binary actor Maddison Bulleyment plays the similarly non-binary character Wren, and also the Zygon who attempts to copy them, Vorgol. They are a great example of a character who is so fascinating they almost overpower the rest of the story. Roy Gill has clearly enjoyed writing them, as they very much become the fourth companion, gifted agency in a way that isn't often the case in these audios. There are scenes in which Wren and Vorgol must find common ground, which is achieved by their shared experience of having multiple identities. For Zygons, this includes both shapeshifting into other species and, as described in some stories, the way they are born feminine and then become masculine later in life.

No comments: