Doctor Who Companion Chronicles 3-07 The Transit of Venus

"The year is 1770, and daring explorer Captain James Cook and his crew on the Endeavour are navigating the Pacific Ocean."

I am a huge fan of Ian Chesterton. The first great hero in Doctor Who.

It's brilliant to get new adventures with the first Doctor. I wish there was more "companion chronicles" stories featuring him. It's a shame that the actress who played Barbara passed away so young, because I would have loved to hear her alongside Ian in some audio dramas.

So, the first Doctor runs into Captain James Cook in the year 1770, whilst he is on his journey to discover Australia. I really liked the other crew members, and how Ian helped Banks, the scientist, since Ian himself was a Science teacher back in 1963. And I enjoyed Ian's speech, when he said "Banks didn't realise that there's no infinite amount of creatures in this world." Since Banks did tests without care of the creatures.

The Doctor should run into more time travellers. It's a good concept, and I don't think it's been used enough. The only time travellers I can think have met the doctor whilst traveling solo, with no relation to him- has been the brilliant Captain Jack Harkness. But the Doctor at first insists that Banks isn't a time traveler, and the poem he quoted may have been made by Banks during Cooks' journey.

This is the second time the First Doctor has joined a famous traveler and went along with them. The first being in one of my favourite first Doctor stories- "Marco Polo", and the second being this journey alongside Captain James Cook.

Ian really does take on the role of the Doctor, in the first Doctors era. He stands up for what is right, and his actions are wise, and time-lord-like. He also has great banter with the crew, like when Cook asked Ian: "What are men compared to knowledge?" and Ian replied with: "What's the use of knowledge if there are no men to share it?"

Banks really surprised me when he pushed Ian overboard. I didn't see it coming. But if this was a new series adventure, with the eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory, then it would have been the Doctor who was pushed overboard. It's strange how much can change over fifty years...

I didn't know of Joseph Banks before this audio, did he really recommend that prisoners were to be transported to Botany Bay, in Australia? I don't know. But if he did, then it looks like Doctor Who has returned to its educational objectives, just like in 1963!

The result that Barbara and Susan were speaking through Banks was a brilliant conclusion, and I really enjoyed this story. I'd recommend it to any Classic Whovian.

7/10