Dust Breeding
Story 21
Written by Mike Tucker
Released June 2001
Deuchamp 331, a planet where swirling dusts constantly whips throughout the landscape, the deafening howl of the wind broken only by a horrifying scream, is an unlikely location for an art gallery. Nevertheless the eccentric Madame Salvadori is engaging an exclusive art show where, according to the Doctor's diary, Edward Munch's the Scream went missing. Deep inside the TARDIS, the Doctor has the most deluxe gallery of 'lost' masterpieces, saved from the disasters of history. Seeking to 'rescue' another painting, the Doctor and Ace arrive to find that an old friend Bev Tarrent is already on Deuchamp 331 looking for a new outlet for her merchandise. Another old friend of the Doctor's is also on hand, but his intentions are both insidious and insane.
Dust Breeding is a clever and traditional-style adventure in the murder mystery turned mad scientist/monster style. I quite like the genre mix and have enjoyed the televised attempts at this kind of thing. Mike Tucker clearly understands the trapping of Classic Doctor Who as all the trappings are there; the strange setting of a screaming planet joined with the absurdly contemporary art snobs, the masked villain, the mysterious deaths, and of course a deadly ravenous monster.
The voice acting cast is superb and deliver an impressive job when faced with so many over the top characters I strained my eyes checking and re-checking that Caroline John (Liz Shaw from Doctor Who in 1970) as the cartoonish German accented Madame Salvadori. Of course the real star is Geoffrey Beavers as the mysterious masked man Mr. Seta.
Dust Breeding isn't a game-changing story or an over-ambitious adventure that challenges the restraints of what Doctor Who can do. In fact, it's actually a celebration of a typical Doctor Who story and is all the better for it. McCoy revels in his part once more as the charismatic traveler, long before he became the cosmic trickster. I appreciate the many facets of the 7th Doctor, one of the few (perhaps the only one, actually) of the classic Doctors to develop and change over his three-year period. But if given a choice, I prefer the more stripped down traveler/adventurer from McCoy's first two years on the program.
Mike Tucker's script is paced quite well and feels just like a traditional radio drama, utilizing the audio landscape well to tell a cohesive story without losing the audience. From time to time, the Big Finish audios can dissolve into screams and explosions, making it impossible for the listener to understand quite what is going on. Luckily, that's not the cae here. There are some dodgey moments as McCoy's stilted accent gets away from him and Aldred's voice cracks as she screams in shock and anger (something that sadly happened on screen from time to time). McCoy and Aldred are limited in their acting range, it has to be said, but that doesn't stop them from being vastly entertaining thanks to their genuine chemistry and personal quirks. The Seventh Doctor and Ace remain one of the best pairings in Doctor Who and they continue that relationship in the audio format.
Without giving too much away, Dust Breeding does challenge the canon of the established (if dubious) continuity with the 'surprise' return of a long departed foe. I'm unaware of the inconsistencies myself (I read the Virgin New Adventures when they first came out and stopped just short of New Frontier) and I'm just grateful for the return of a much loved character from the classic program. I hope that we get to see (hear?) him again.
Doctor Who – Dust Breeding can be purchased at local retailers such as Mike's Comics and online from Big Finish.
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