Receiving a literal death
note is a fantastic premise to aa story, but a note saying the exact manner in
which you are to be killed makes it all the more terrifying. Much like James Goss’s previous effort The Time Museum, The Last Post is a story that takes an idea of a mother and
daughter writing letters to each other and adds that dark twist to the plot of
a global conspiracy. The story spans the
first three quarters of Season Seven with Liz Shaw giving calls, meetings and
letters back and forth between her and her mother about everything going on. During Spearhead
from Space a letter was found saying someone would die, and then in Doctor Who and the Silurians Masters and
Dr. Lawrence both received similar letters.
The same happened for all those who died in The Ambassadors of Death and while the Doctor is a bit preoccupied
with the repair of the TARDIS, Liz has been working with her mother to figure
out what all these men had in common and just why they’re being killed in these
manners. The premise for this story is
excellent as it takes the form of almost a murder mystery for the first half
until the cliffhanger when a letter arrives for poor Dame Emily Shaw because
she and Liz know too much. The second
half actually plays out very much like a Season Seven Doctor Who story with the
Doctor bursting in to save Emily’s life.
This is really where the villains start to make mistakes and they reveal
themselves.
Caroline John plays Liz
Shaw for the last time before her death which actually helps add to the
atmosphere. The Last Post is a story concerned very much with how death effects
people and when killing is justified. It
is Big Finish’s big character study for Liz Shaw as she introduces the audience
to her family and is portrayed wonderfully by James Goss’s script. This really makes her realize just how little
she keeps the Official Secrets Act and begins to realize just how small the
world can be overall. Liz is beginning
to have second thoughts and still wonders about why UNIT is in so much disarray
with two scientific advisors. She also
gets to be the one to defeat the villain as well as John portraying the
villain. John also portrays the Third
Doctor and plays it like the Doctor in Season Seven which is very similar to
Katy Manning’s portrayal of the Doctor.
Rowena Cooper plays Dame Emily Shaw and is excellent in the role. Cooper knows just how over the top to go
without making the performance feel silly in the slightest While she isn’t a scientist, she is very supportive
of all of her daughters, including Liz who became the one to pursue science in
the family. She and Liz share an
excellent relationship with each other, always going out, but it is revealed
she and the rest of those receiving the notes are on the same committee.
The second episode of the
story reveals that the letters are being sent by the Apocalypse Clock, a Clock
created to predict the end of the world and has been acting to prevent it by
sending out letters warning those who will cause the end of the world that
their time is nigh. It’s a terrifying
idea and only works because of a connection to The War Machines as the parts were recovered from the Post Office
Tower The Clock really gives all the
death in Season Seven a lot of deeper meaning as it seems time is in flux and
things could easily have been changed had some things gone differently. The destruction of the clock however is down
to Liz and her ingenuity as a character, and not anything anyone else is able
to do.
To summarize, like The Time Museum, The Last
Post is a perfect story to reflect on a companion for. The villains have understandable motivation
for doing what they are doing while the performances are excellent and WOTAN
makes an interesting return. 100/100.
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