1.4 - Last Chance

The story opens with the Doctor inviting Lady Christina to jump on the back of a Black Rhino he's riding and hoping to protect from extinction. However, it's not the Russian poacher who tried to shoot it, but an alien monarch determined to collect the last specimen of species who are going extinct, kill them, and use them for his own purposes.

The story is good. It has a somewhat moralistic tone and the narrator takes a bigger role than I've heard in any similar Chronicle series, but it works. Guy Adams' narration lines are witty and often quite fun, plus Jake Dudman as the narrator is just lovely to listen to.

I love the idea of the Doctor turning the TARDIS into a sort of Noah's Ark to save all these species. This story adds another dimension to Lady Christina, giving her a bit more heart underneath the cold exterior, as well as a hint of why she is the way she is. There are also some nice dramatic moments around the Doctor's impending death.

Overall, a very strong conclusion to a delightful box set.

Last Chance, the final story of the Tenth Doctor Chronicles is a strong, emotional adventure for the Jacob Dudman-helmed stories. Dudman is a strong presence throughout the story; he refuses to settle for simply giving a strong impression, and showcases a surprisingly broad range in his acting, showcasing the Tenth Doctor’s more crazy, wild moments and the quieter, more somber moments that make the character so strong. Michelle Ryan is similarly strong as Lady Christina, giving an emotionally broad performance as well, though she is a delight in nearly every scene she’s part of, regardless of what emotions she’s conveying. Guy Adams crafts a story with a message that he’s clearly passionate about, and manages to create a story rife with strong symbolism and great emotional connections, while still managing to tell an enjoyable, rompy adventure. The larger-than-life villain, at times, risks devolving firmly into the over-the-top, camp category, but Adams is able to successfully reign it in by the end. He’s able to deliver a strong tale for any Doctor’s era and, with the help of the cast, makes a really great story for the Tenth Doctor and Lady Christina.