Time Lord Victorious: Short Trip - Master Thief/Lesser Evils Review

Master Thief Review:

First time listening to a Short Trip and I was slightly confused to start of with. Sound effects are of the same from the audio dramas except this is more like an audio book. An audio book with folly. Once I got into it the experience was a fine one overall.

Jon Culshaw does a great job with what he’s given and his Master impression is definitely fitting for a portrayal of the classic incarnations, this extends to the next story as well.

It’s at this point where I’m starting to question the actual purpose of this event. Yes, the main story is apparent to me now thanks to the novel however the deep dive into morality itself, along with the bizarrely mature moments, is something that I never expected to see in Doctor Who so explicitly.

Much like the Tenth Doctor’s battle with morality, this small story takes the Master through a similar tale however the cause is far more different. It’s one I like for a smaller story but the concept seems slightly short lived, even if that is the point of this story.

The narrative was an enjoyable dive into the classic Master’s psyche whilst answering a question that didn’t really need one but surprisingly worked.

Yeah, I had fun with this under-an-hour tale and as a thematically connected story it was a great time.

9/10

Lesser Evils Review:

An oddly belated close up at the Kotturuh, this tale is an interesting look at their mindset however it feels almost too much like a near hour long conversation.

Hearing them for the first time is a great moment however the conversation fails to be too exciting as it’s an argument that has been placed forward before.

The older and wavering Master is a delight to listen to as he’s face to face with a depiction of Death itself. This is especially fun when the Master is the one defending a life form for a change.

If you’re into debates about why life matters then this is a great listen however it should be noted that this adds very little of value with the deep dive only proving to be exactly what was on show in the pre-existing novel.

A fine enough addition to this small collection however.

7/10