UNIT: Incursions

UNIT: Incursions

I've had these boxsets for over a year now and despite having an incredibly distinct opinion on them I find the UNIT boxsets incredibly hard to review due to the problems that I have with one set inevitably carrying to the next. Not to mention the early sets being four episode long stories with very little distinct about each episode to the next whatsoever. Luckily my opinion on UNIT: Incursions, like Re:Visitations, is entirely more favorable. The episodes are much simpler to review here, because they are distinct. Of course, there's also the complete lack of character for anyone that isn't named Kate Stewart (sorry Osgood, I love you, but you are basically just less characterized Tosh at this point) and yes, UNIT: Incursions, like most UNIT sets is middling where it counts, and I've been putting off reviewing it for some time, but it is at least better than three other UNIT sets I'd care to mention. I'll be honest about the reason I've delayed talking about these suckers until now: completionism. They're the only audios I own on CD I haven't given a fair good whack. So here's at it. 

This Sleep of Death by Jonathan Morris

Upon first listen to This Sleep of Death I was entirely out of favor with it: these are the Static I've heard so much about? Big whoop. But on second glance (and the entirely necessary pre-requisite of the original Static story oh my fricking god do you need it) This Sleep of Death is a superb sequel to Static, but ultimately still lacks quite a bit of the punch of it's predecessor. This Sleep of Death is not smart in that it reduces the Static to people studying them in a clinical manner, when the Static were best as unexplained-ish creatures that thrived on tension and atmosphere. The creepy atmosphere of the fog rolling in and dead people stepping out of it is gone when Osgood uses it in such a clinical manner, and yet, This Sleep of Death still holds a viseral punch in certain moments. (Even though it does the evil Osgood trope for like the fifth time what is it with big Finish and Evil Osgood it happens all the time!) Despite this, as I said. This Sleep of Death is at it's best when it examines the best parts of the original Static story and expands on it. The UNIT officer betraying UNIT and commiting suicide to be resurrected at Abbey Marsden is wonderfully disturbing for a plan, the Static are still absolutely terrifying: But it is a reduced terrifying due to the lack of time the story has to play with such a delicious monster, and the story can never really match the original tale's triumph: 6/10 

Tempest by Lisa McMullin 

On paper, this episode is utterly stupid filler. UNIT fights Climate Change, which is being influenced by aliens, but also not, but also yes. Nonetheless, it's somehow one of the best UNIT stories and I wish I was joking, I really wish I was, I just have a morbid fascination with the thing. I can legitimately not name a single idea in this that is super cool or character based or anything beyond the surface level, and yet Tempest fills me with an infectious joy that leaves caveman me thinking "ooga booga this is very good yes" and as a result? Incredible, lovely experience. As a reviewer, I legitimately find very little to praise, aside Alexandra Mathie's absolutely gorgeous absurdist turn as Mother McCracken - but as a person, I gotta say, "ooga booga fun audio 8/10" 

The Power of River Song by Guy Adams 

This should be an absolutely phenomenal story, and I couldn't tell you how, but it just comes out as okay. It's the usual UNIT fare - it's juggling an absurdly large cast of blank characters, alongside the addition of an Good River Song and an Evil River Song and ooh gee whichever one will win it's so intense 

Perhaps I'm being too harsh, but Power of River Song is somehow a base under siege story that does not put the base under siege. I can't explain that really, like that is legitimately a terrible explanation but I actually do feel it is accurate. The really cool idea of River vs UNIT is kind of gone by part two when we find out that it's fake River, and by then it just feels like a mindless runaround of yet again, usual UNIT fare, but with forgettable villains, and River occasionally saying good line and the theme music being like bWAA BwAA bWWAA BWBAAAA and honestly I am sick of this by set eight I really am. Power of River Song does to it's credit have half an idea with Kate being forced to "die" because she sees her future self dead, but while the performances almost back it up, Jemma Redgrave continues to be the best thing part of this series - It still does feel like a ginormous cop out with no stakes! I'm not saying I wanted them to actually kill Kate, that'd be impossible, but I mean, they came up with the plot! The idea of UNIT vs River Song is fun, but when it's UNIT and River Song vs Alien that occasionally looks like River Song but is otherwise forgettable, the story loses a lot of flair, and while this story does still have flair, it also has less meaty flair. And did I mention that Sam Bishop and Jacqui MacGee are here and ooh boy they do absolutely nothing but waste time with Vikings? Jacqui is by far their best original character it really is geniunely a waste to just be like "okay bye into the garbage c-plot with you" and look, it's really an action story on audio why do you have an action story on audio why why 

Part One: 6/10

Part Two: 5/10