DOCTOR WHO: THE BAD PENNY [2018]

"STAY BACK!  I . . . . HAVE . . . . LUGGAGE!"

"THE BAD PENNY" is the 2nd story in the 4 disc Big Finish box set "THE FOURTH DOCTOR ADVENTURES SERIES 7:  VOLUME 2".  The story is written by Dan Starkey (who viewers of the modern DOCTOR WHO series will recognise as the Sontaran Strax from the Tennant, Smith & Capaldi series) and directed by Nicholas Briggs (voice of the modern Daleks and head honcho of Big Finish Productions).  From the CD blurb:  "In the 1970s, hotelier Ron Tulip is having a difficult time. Many of his customers seem to be absconding without payment. The few who remain complain of strange noises and terrible sleep. And to top it all he’s just been summoned to the VIP suite... which is something of a problem as he didn’t even realise the hotel had one. When turbulence in time takes the TARDIS off course, the Doctor and Leela find themselves visiting the same establishment and in the middle of a temporal paradox and a terrible plan. Because that’s the thing about the Cross-Keys hotel. You can check in... but you can never leave."    . . . . this rather light-hearted adventure is something like a cross between DOCTOR WHO and FAWLTY TOWERS.  

Once in a while, Tom Baker can sound a little tired (but for a man his age this is totally acceptable); however in "THE BAD PENNY" he sounds like a man half his age and performs his lines with a vigor that makes me think he has a REAL Tardis and has travelled from the 1970's to record this Big Finish adventure!  In fact, the chemistry between Baker and Louise Jameson as Leela is absolutely brilliant with them playing off one another like dear, long-time friends (which, of course, they are).  It doesn't hurt that the script is full of one-liners including the one up there at the top of this post which Leela speaks as she tries to wield the overly-heavy suitcase of a time-tossed woman who is on her way to 'Michelle's hen party'.  Leela comes back with a typical Leela line:  "I do not know Michelle . . . or her hen!"  In another scene, when the Doctor is mistaken for a jazz musician due to his garb, Tom Baker gleefully says, "Ohhh, thank you!  Well, I have been known to tinkle the ivories now and then.  Da da da da da DAH!  BOOM!  But mostly I play the fool!"

All this witty dialogue aside, "THE BAD PENNY" is not a comedy but has a straight-ahead timey-wimey story that includes a nasty monster and genuine consequences while still managing to include some smiles.  The characters who are thrown together from many different time periods are eccentric in that most British way.  But most of all the joy of a fun and entertaining script gives us one of the best Tom Baker/Louise Jameson double acts we've heard yet!