The Hidden Realm

Would it surprise you to learn that I find your species every bit as physically repugnant as you find mine?

Overseer Zim

Synopsis

The Doctor and Jo journey to Bramfield New Town when the husband of Jo’s cousin vanishes mysteriously. As magpies circle overheard, the Doctor discovers a terrifying alien plot…

Review

The Hidden Realm is a story of body swapping and, it doesn’t really have anything new to say about the subject. What it is, however, is very enjoyable and gives the Third Doctor and Jo an Earthbound story which doesn’t feature UNIT. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, which has a gripping mystery and a satisfying conclusion.

The story starts with the disappearance of Jo’s cousin’s husband, who inexplicably vanishes whilst walking the dog. The story starts really strongly with the creepy sound effects of the magpies, who turn out to be mechanical and responsible for the portals taking the humans to Zim’s realm. The mystery of what has happened to Peter is strong enough to carry through the first two parts, especially when it transpires that he received £100,000 from a wanted criminal. When it is revealed that Peter has returned, albeit with someone else inhabiting his body, it is a decent twist. Whilst bodysnatching stories are a science fiction staple, The Hidden Realm continues to be a tense and scary story – there is something about not knowing who to trust that is inherently spooky. The story also gives a reasonable explanation as to why UNIT can’t get involved, as the risk to those the minds and humans that Zim may still be holding is too great. That gives a good way of getting around the absence of them for this story – there are only so many stories set on Earth in this era that you can get away with not having the Brigadier, Benton and Yates appear, but the logic of this story makes it work here. We are still a couple of box sets away from getting the reintroduction of the Brigadier played by Jon Culshaw, after all.

The story features two great guest performances from George Asprey as Overseer Zim and Sandra Voe as Miss Barnett. Zim is a member of an alien race called the Acridians, and is offering his services to provide criminals and the wealthy with a form of immortality. Asprey plays Zim really sinisterly, and the sound design around his character is truly creepy. As Vogel later states rather humorous, he is essentially a door-to-door salesman. Miss Barnett is his accomplice, luring newcomers to the town to be new victims of the story. Sandra Voe feels like the perfect friendly neighbour who has a dark secret, as she tricks the Doctor into Zim’s dimension. Miss Barnett gets the cruelest punishment, with Zim being destroyed along with his realm, she is left behind. She was promised immortality through being put into a younger body, but ultimately she is left elderly and alone.

Tim Treloar’s portrayal of the Third Doctor continues to develop really nicely. He has great chemistry with Katy Manning, which does really help. The Hidden Realm also allows him to do something different with the Doctor, having him possessed by a Nazi SS officer in the shape of Vogel. Treloar has, to date, done everything that has been asked of him by these stories, and tackles a darker side of interpretation of Jon Pertwee with aplomb. By the end of the second box set, Tim Treloar feels very much the Third Doctor and continues to go from strength to strength.

One of the nice things about The Hidden Realm is that it gives us some background to Jo Grant, and introduces us to another member of her family in the shape of her cousin, Steph and her husband Peter. We know that Jo has an uncle who got her the job at UNIT, but meetitng a member of the family feels like the meshing of Classic and Modern Doctor Who by Big Finish. It all makes Jo feel like a bit more of a real person. The story is also a strong one to show her independence, as the Doctor’s body does get ygtakeny over by one of Zim’s customers. She is teamed up with  Detective Sergeant Joseph, and they have quite a nice dynamic, with Alex Lanipekun and Katy Manning representing younger companions paired with older and more experienced people in the shape of Finch and the Doctor. Katie Manning shines when given an opportunity to do more and drive the story forward.

Verdict: The Hidden Realm is a great story about bodysnatching aliens, set on contemporary Earth. Tim Treloar, Katy Manning and Sandra Voe all put in good performances, whilst the story maintains a really tense atmosphere and good mystery throughout. 8/10

Cast: Tim Treloar (The Doctor), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Clare Buckfield (Stephanie Andrews), Robert Whitelock (Peter Andrews), Sandra Voe (Miss Barnett), Richard Earl (DCI Finch), Alex Lanipekun (DS Joseph) & George Asprey (Overseer Zim).

Writer: David Llewellyn

Director: Nicholas Briggs

Producer: David Richardson

Music and Sound: Nigel Fairs

Release Date: 3 November 2016

Behind the Scenes

• The story is inspired by Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Cast Notes

• Clare Buckfield has also appeared in The One Doctor, The Warehouse, Horror of Glam Rock and Dead London.
• Robert Whitelock appeared in the Eleventh Doctor story The Bells of Saint John, as well as multiple Big Finish stories, including Albie’s Angels, One Mile Down and Revolution in Space.
• Richard Earl has also appeared in multiple Big Finish stories, including The Bride of Peladon, The Company of Friends and City of Spires.
• George Asprey has appeared in multiple Big Finish stories, including Infamy of the Zaross and playing the Ravenous in the Eighth Doctor Adventures series Ravenous.

Best Quote

Everyone’s staring at us, and with considerable intensity.

Well, that’ll be your coat. There’s not many men in Bramfield who could pull off crushed velvet.

The Third Doctor and Miss Barnett

Previous Third Doctor Adventures review: The Transcendence of Ephros

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