5.2 - An ideal World

This story is interesting in that it feels like much more of a 'hard' sci-fi story compared to most Doctor Who serials. The description of the planet is interesting, and the colonists' methods on appraising worlds suitable for settlement, as well as their serious treatment of foreign contaminants is a nice, serious touch. Maureen O'Brien and Peter Purves again do an amazing job, and I have to commend them for being able to deliver so many lines while mimicking the effect of exertion in a low-oxygen atmosphere.

However, the story does have some issues. The monster feels almost like an afterthought, and I almost rather that it didn't exist altogether. The conflict between the two main human forces was a much more interesting plot point and should've been focused on more instead. It also feels like things started to get a bit scattered towards the final act, with too many separate little plot points that don't really go anywhere. The Doctor's illness was probably used as a plot device to have him out of action during the main rising conflict in the middle of the story, but the solution to it felt kind of rushed. And the introduction of the antagonist AI element in the end also felt like it was thrown in last second. It really seems like an interesting idea that would be better served if it were explored more in-depth in its own story. The author needed to do better at consolidating the already strong story threads they had without tacking on additional unfinished ones.

But overall, I really enjoyed An Ideal World. These are exactly the types of stories that make the Early Adventures feel like they could be among the best ranges of Big Finish.