Friday 10 November 2017

30 Discs Hath November #10: Retrieval


UNIT: The New Series: Assembled #3
Retrieval
written by Guy Adams

So we come to the “its not all just fanservice, honest guv” entry of the set with no members of the old UNIT family around and our modern heroes taking front and centre as their retired counterparts take very, very slow bus journeys towards the Tower of London and the epic conclusion.

That isn't to do this episode down as filler, in fact it does a very good job if showcasing what the modern UNIT cast bring to the table. As a bevy of Silurian sea monsters make their way very slowly towards the UK, Kate and Osgood make a detour to a Silurian research base UNIT has identified off the Greek coast to see if there's anything there that can help with the fight. Choosing the two scientific minds on the cast, the two main characters in fact, does a lot to show how the new science led UNIT works as opposed to the more military brand of the old days. They go in with equipment, investigate, note that they dont have much context for what they're finding and make the requisite mistakes.

Not that it's all dry investigative stuff. This story sees the return of Lt. Sam Bishop, UNIT's international man of mystery and adventure as he squares off against the Silurian Tiska who has been sent to investigate the same research base. I like Sam and I want to say I'd love to hear more from the character but I honestly think he works better like this: swooping in for one or two episodes every series to save the day.

For all that I enjoyed it, I don't find myself with much more to say about the story, in all honesty. I won't condemn it as exactly filler but it is a significantly lighter story than the two that precede it. That's not necessarily a problem, if the set were four hours of pure adrenaline it would be a bit draining, it just doesn't leave me with much to talk about.

So, on to the epic conclusion it is.

I mean, I could probably get some mileage from Osgood's delusions of “naked caveman Sam” but I ship her more with Kate anyway, as cute as that was. 

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