Don't Fear the Screen

[setsuled]

Is the nightmare of technology really about the technology or is it us? You can guess the stance taken by the 2016 Doctor Who audio play, "Technophobia", from its title. The first Tenth Doctor audio play, it begins with appropriate gusto and carries something of the fast paced charm of Ten's television run throughout. It benefits from featuring my favourite of Ten's companions, Donna, and maintains a good balance of humour and strangeness.

Centring on an Apple-like company in the midst of introducing some new gadget with the media fanfare that used to be typical when Steve Jobs was around, people find their love of technology rapidly turning into fear as they fail to understand it. Soon people are confounded by lifts and even pencils, leading to quite a few amusing moments. The Doctor (David Tennant) is introduced sharing in the enthusiasm for the latest product. Donna (Catherine Tate) is a bit more hesitant.

It turns out that people who are uninterested in technology are the least affected, down to a train operator who seems totally immune. Donna as a number of amusing lines in which she admires his biceps made ten times funnier by Catherine Tate's delivery. But the lines in which the Steve Jobs surrogate argues with Siri before forgetting how a pencil works are pretty funny too.

"Technophobia" is available from Big Finish.