Night Of The Vashta Nerada.

"The piranhas of the air" was how the Doctor in his Tenth  incarnation tried to best sum up this terrifying life-form. " They are not in every shadow but they can be found in any shadow" he added just in case you were not frightened enough. The Vashta Nerada are a truly scary monster in the classic sense of the word, a detail which much befits this collection. Monster is a word the last few series of the telly show seems to shy away from using, seemingly terrified of the context used or misused. As a word it is an extremely descriptive broad blanket whose use feels awkward, bearing in mind the notion that one man's monster is another man's hero. Although it is pretty difficult to imagine anyone thinking a flesh devouring black cloud of death is something to be idolised.
           This is the first story in a quartet of tales, where older incarnations of The Doctor encounter monsters from the more recent era. Written by John Dorney this is a story which evokes much of what I liked, what I loved, about the whole Tom Baker era. It is a story which feels well suited to the first three or four seasons of this most Bohemian of our favourite Time-Lord. A strangely familiar if distant and distorted location where something very nasty lurks in the shadows and dark places. Strong characters emerge and some of those strong characters are reduced to dust and bones.
            Tom Baker sounds so on form too. That towering and yet emotive voice helps the drama move along at a thunderous pace, listen to the consternation in his voice as he is constantly frustrated by the very people he is trying to keep alive. It was such an entertaining ride I restarted it right after I finished it. Barely a breath between ending and beginning again.
             Much like The Doctor's lives I suppose.