Though they were intended originally to fill the gap of the Doctors that Big Finish couldn’t use, the first person narration of The Companion Chronicles has allowed for deeper exploration of many Doctor Who companion characters, giving them new depths not possible on screen-- or maybe not even attempted. John Dorney's The Rocket Men is a Companion Chronicle with such ambition, casting a light on the relationship between its narrator, Ian Chesterton, and the woman he loves, Barbara Wright.

Ian and Barbara are some of my favorite companions, and I was among those who considered them married long before Russell T Davies mentioned that in The Sarah Jane Adventures. Add in a Rocketeer-esque cover, and I was intrigued by this story. Unfortunately, I don't think The Rocket Men hits the emotional depth required to make the story work. Much of the story is designed as buildup to the (admittedly excellent, and cleverly plotted) cliffhanger to Part One, but that’s basically it for exploration of the Ian/Barbara relationship. They don't have many scenes together, and the relationship itself doesn't seem to change within the story; Ian has one (kinda overdone) speech where he expresses his feelings, and that's it. A more complex emotional plot would have helped this story say something more than "Ian sure loves Barbara," which is what it felt like at times. (There was a nice scene at the end between the Doctor and Ian about the relationship.)

You can read a longer version of this review at Unreality SF.

In John Dorney's Companion Chronicle, The Rocket Men, William Russell tells the story of how Ian Chesterton saves Barbara from certain death when space pirates with jet packs attack the holiday resort where they are staying with the Doctor and Vicki. I was a bit underwhelmed by it, to be honest; for some reason the plot was chopped between two different time lines, and would I think have worked just as well as a linear narrative; also Russell carries more than 90% of the story, which he is great at, but makes bringing in another actor to speak the villain's few lines seem rather a waste. ( )