‘NETTLES’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

On Valdamar IV with Lady Bazima and the Eighth Doctor

This story is by Kelly Hale, and it features the Eighth Doctor. The story has the Doctor reuniting with a woman called Lady Bazima, who is fashion ‘genegineer’. Apparently, Bazima plotted to alter the DNA of her people over the generations so that they could overthrow the Gati occupying her planet.

As I understand it, Bazima gets angry with the Doctor, since the experiments she has conducted have cost her life. I’m afraid I found this a rather uninspiring short story to check out in the ‘Short Trips: Transmissions’ collection. There’s not much action and dialogue happening between the characters.

Upon revisiting the short story in 2022, it was better than I remembered it, especially since I had foreknowledge that Lady Bazima would return in ‘Transmission Ends’, the last story of the ‘Short Trips: Transmissions’ collection. Sadly, I still don’t find this ‘Doctor Who’ short story very impressive.

There’s not much to go on in terms of why the Gati were a threat for Lady Bazima and her people to deal with. I imagine they’re like Nazi stormtroopers or something. Also, I didn’t feel the connection between the Eighth Doctor and Bazima, as they seemed to know each other from before this story. 🙁

Apparently, there is a Habriu version of Superman on the planet Valdamar IV, and it happens to be the Chifflin King. I wish the Chifflin King made an appearance in the story, as it would have made it more interesting. It’s ironic and interesting that ‘Nettles’ is a story that links into ‘Transmission Ends’.

‘Nettles’ rating – 3/10