Last of the Zetacene

I think we’ve seriously underestimated what we’re up against.

The Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The rich and the criminal rub shoulders on Stage Three spaceport – and play high-stakes games for valuable prizes.

The Doctor is always interested in endangered species, and the Zetacene is more endangered than most…

Review

Last of the Zetacene is a little bit of a disappointment. I’ve broadly enjoyed the Ninth Doctor’s adventures on Big Finish to now, but this one did really fall flat for me. There is definitely an important message behind it, but it ultimately feels underdeveloped and rushed.

There are preservation facilities that can help with cases like this, they can extrapolate the DNA, regrow the species…

Regrow? It’s the fact that there’s only one of them that makes it so valuable.

I should have to known you weren’t in this for the ecology.

The Ninth Doctor and Selo

This is a story that struggles to make an impact and I personally struggle to remember much about it. It feels as though it is at least one draft away from being ready, but as it is, it feels like a story that we have seen done better elsewhere. The message that the story is trying to convey, that the mega rich do not care about the cost of a life and ultimately the extinction of a species, is not exactly subtle. It’s a shame as it feels as though there are the bones of a good story here but it just needs more work. James Kettle is a good writer, so it’s unclear about why this story doesn’t work. Part of the blame may be at the door of Helen Goldwyn, as this story feels like it needed a firmer hand at the directorial helm than it has.

Bringing Maureen O’Brien in to play a villain is not a bad idea – she was good in her role as the titular villain in The Union – however, this part doesn’t really have as much meat on the bones as the former. Ultimately, she feels wasted. Selo is not a great part, as none of the conglomerate are, and I struggled to distinguish her from Luton, played by Joanne Pearce. There is a suggestion that they are supposed to be humorous characters, but they feel as though there’s nothing particularly amusing about their dialogue. That does come across as a little bit tedious to me when the actors are just relying on funny voices. Whilst the villains of the piece do get their comeuppance, their demise ultimately feels hollow.

That being said, I quite liked Nel, the Ninth Doctor’s pseudo companion for this story, played by Alice Feltham. There is enough about her to make her charming  – she is a bit of a clutz, which does make her a bit more endearing. Like a lot of these one off companions, it is a shame to see her not joining the Doctor for further adventures. She does, however, go off on a far worthier cause, protecting the last of the Zetacene race as it flies through the stars. A far cry from her humble origins at the beginning of this story as an assistant for the Gyra, an arachnid race of performers. The world of the spaceport seems to be a dead end otherwise.

It cannot be said that Christopher Eccleston phones in his performance here, despite other issues with the story. He gives this his all. The Doctor has empathy with the last of the Zetacene race, seeing some similarities between himself and the creature, albeit the Zetacene takes a much more violent response to their captors. Eccleston remains compelling and charming, which helps the story keep my attention.

Verdict: Last of the Zetacene is a disappointment, and could have done with another draft. 3/10

Cast: Christopher Eccleston (The Doctor), Nicolas Colicos (Succeeding/Robot), Alice Feetham (Nel), Maureen O’Brien (Selo/First Gyra), Joanne Pearce (Luton/Second Gyra) and Martyn Ellis (The Rotter/Delius).

Writer: James Kettle

Director: Helen Goldwyn

Music: Howard Carter

Sound: Iain Meadows

Release Date: 17 August 2022

Behind the Scenes

• The Doctor refers to being mistaken for a vet. This may be a reference to the Fifth Doctor’s actor, Peter Davison, playing Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small.

Cast Notes

• Maureen O’Brien played the First Doctor’s companion, Vicki Pallister, a role which she has also reprised for Big Finish. She has also appeared in Year of the Pig and The Union.

Best Quote

I don’t know the things that Queens know.

That’s alright, Queens don’t know anything, they just get away with it because they’re Queens. If in doubt, just act haughty.

Nel and the Ninth Doctor

Previous Ninth Doctor reviews: Salvation Nine

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