‘VIRGIN LANDS’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

LaMort with the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Benny

This story is by Sarah Groenewegan and it features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Benny. I’ve not come across Sarah Groenewegan as a ‘Doctor Who’ writer before. She has contributed two more Short Trips in ‘Doctor Who’ and she’s written some short stories for the ‘Lethbridge-Stewart’ series.

I wish I can say this story was pretty enjoyable, especially with the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Benny dealing with a woman called LaMort who has a party at her house in Sydney, Australia during the late 20th century before she’s about to commit suicide. But I didn’t find the story’s ending satisfying.

The story does have a Seventh Doctor atmosphere about it, especially when Ace and Benny are doing active jobs to infiltrate LaMort and her house whilst the Doctor’s in the house, observing LaMort and condemning her for the action she’s about to do. It echoes the ‘Virgin New Adventures’.

Speaking of which, I’m not sure if LaMort is connected to a character in one of the books of the ‘Virgin New Adventures’ called ‘Timewyrm: Revelation’ since her name happens to be the French for ‘death’. I haven’t read many ‘Virgin New Adventures’ and have not read ‘Timewyrm: Revelation’ yet.

I also didn’t register that Benny couldn’t see LaMort but hear her voice whilst LaMort couldn’t see Benny but hear her voice whilst the Doctor with Ace confronted her. The story’s ending felt rather rushed and I’m not sure if LaMort agreed to not commit suicide when dropping pills out of her hand.

‘Virgin Lands’ rating – 5/10