The Twelfth Doctor Adventures 1.1: The Lost Sailor (fan audio review)

(A quick preface before we begin: a big part of this review and a big USP for this series is that the new companion, Antonia Perkins, is trans. Your humble blogger here is cis and I just want to put that out there so readers know specifically where I'm coming from in reviewing this character and how she is written. Antonia identifies as female and she/her pronouns are used to describe her in the series' website copy. Any language mistakes contained in this post are most likely mine, are not mean as any form of disrespect and will be corrected accordingly when pointed out.)

SPOILERS: specific details of plot and how the story resolves are absent from this review but its impossible to discuss Antonia without some plot stuff, mainly things that happen in the first half of the episode.

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor Adventures

episode one: The Lost Sailor

written by Janine Rivers

starring Paul Cabria as the Doctor

and Michelle Coats as Antonia

Its been a long time since I dipped my toe into the world of unofficial fan produced Doctor Who content (official fan produced content encompassing rather a lot including the TV series itself these days) and I'm old enough to remember the days of “not Doctor Who, honest guv” audio series like The Stranger, The Professor & Ace and The Wanderer. This series, being completely free and thus not for profit in any way, gets to call itself Doctor Who and use all the bells and whistles from the show it wants.

For one thing there's the Twelfth Doctor, played with uncanny precision of impersonation by Paul Cabria. I know its traditional in these circumstances to say you were fooled but I really do mean it is uncanny how similar the voice is. This isn't the audio equivalent of Richard Hurndall in a wig, this isn't even just a really good soundalike performance like Tim Treloar's Big Finish Third Doctor, this is a spot on impression of Capaldi's every verbal mannerism. The performance is helped by the writing, including the Doctor affirming respect for Antonia's gender identity in a speech very reminiscent of his assurance to Bill that she's safe in the TARDIS and always will be in The Pilot.

I guess now is about as good a time as any to address Antonia Perkins. How well or how sensitively her identity is handled is definitely better left to other writers with more stake in the issue than my cis ass but what I will say is that her treatment is interesting.

For one thing she does have to explain what being trans means to the Doctor which takes a moment but the Doctor does get it very quickly, reiterating that the Time Lords don't really have much of a concept of gender. On the other hand, by the time the subject comes up the pair are in 1985 and how this change will effect Antonia's personal safety flat out does not occur to the Doctor. Whilst I'm trying to comment as little as possible on Antonia's more trans-specific issues and experiences I have to say, as someone of an age with Antonia who resides elsewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum there is a certain very immediate terror to the idea of finding myself back in Thatcher's Britain. Its an idea that has enough broad resonance for people across the spectrum and even the densest of straight allies that it can have the maximum impact on the broadest cross section of the audience whilst still being very specifically tied to her particular identity.

Antonia's other unique selling point is that she's an aspiring writer lacking inspiration. Several early segments of the story have her narrating her work in progress and giving up in frustration. Again, this is a trait with broad appeal as I think everyone who has ever tried to write anything can relate. Other than that her main claim to fame amongst modern companions is that she has a decent relationship with both her parents which I'm glad of because, oh boy, could we do with the plague of bad parental figures Doctor Who has been dropping in since RTD not continuing with the first (albeit unofficial) trans companion. That isn't to say such a storyline would be without merit just that I think its something that can be done without especially so hot on the heals of Moira and Bill's relationship.

A queer character having two accepting parents is a subversion of expectations in itself and I'm glad to see it for once.

A large part of the early story, the getting to know you phase, is spent with the Doctor directing Antonia by phone as she searches for the TARDIS. The two talk about a lot of things, the Doctor slowly letting her in on just what a weird situation he's dragging her into and bonding over both shared and different experiences. One of the similar experiences they bond over, in fact, is the idea of choosing one's own name. As with many a modern companion introduction the story starts off with her and is moderated mainly from her point of view and, let's face it, that's a format that works.

I am absolutely on board with seeing where these two travel next.

Details

The series will be twelve episodes long, each running about the length of a typical modern TV episode and will be released weekly on Saturdays from the series' website here. Download is free and the series is not for profit and unaffiliated with the BBC.

30 Discs Hath November #26: Cold Vengeance

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures 2.3:

Cold Vengeance

written by Matt Fitton

Well, this is a wishlisty one, isn't it? The Ice Warriors, the one big classic monster RTD never really got around to, versus the Tenth Doctor and Rose. Also, its set on a space station that's a massive freezer centre which is nostalgic for me because Dragonfire was one of the first Doctor Who stories I ever watched and I maintain a nostalgia for it that borders on denial of its actual quality to this day.

Is it weird that this felt like the most “authentic” recreation of the show in 2006? Part of it is the claustrophobic setting: a mostly deserted moonbase freezer centre that would be extremely budget efficient if it were physical sets and locations. Then there's the fun selection of people on board: as well as the Ice Warriors we have a robot manager, two interstellar refuse collectors; and, a pair of space pirates trying to raid the place for caviar. It all rather reminds me of Planet of the Dead except with Rose in it and with me enjoying it.

If I had to choose a least favourite episode from the RTD run its Planet of the Dead. Great idea, dull execution.

It might sound odd after how I began reviewing this set to say that this was me favourite story in the set. It is, as I say, nostalgic and very much based on executing the formula of the 2006 series. There's even a fantastic broody confrontation between Tennant and Nicholas Briggs' Ice Lord about the morality of war and the sacrifices commanders ask their soldiers to make. Rose gets to be plucky and determined, running around with her own one-off companion. Just about the only thing that isn't pure 2006 is the fact these are clearly Moffat-era Ice Warriors but they had to be since the old style ones are a bit... basis, shall we say?

I guess I just ended up resigned to the fact that this box set wasn't going to push the characters too much. If we're being honest it was probably inevitable. One of the problems of going back to these seasons is that the characters had pretty complete arcs so what actually is there to do with Rose Tyler or the Tenth Doctor? Don't get me wrong I'd like to see Big Finish try harder to find new places to push the characters but I do understand why it might not feel like the best option. The previous Tenth Doctor Adventures set did manage to do new things with Donna but then Donna's arc wasn't as involved or, dare I say it, complete as Rose's so there was more blank space to fill.

As a nostalgia fix, I can't fault this box set, its pure RTD: a modern set story with Jackie Tyler; a celebrity historical; and, a classic monster. Its all there.

Its just a frustrating pity it all that's there. 

30 Discs Hath November #25: The Sword of the Chevalier

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures 2.1:

The Sword of the Chevalier

written by Guy Adams

I was nervous going in to this one. I mean, its a story featuring an actual, historical nonbinary person. That's pretty untested territory for Big Finish even with as good as they've been getting actually representing LGBTQ+ people every now and again.

First, a word on language. Whenever I've heard of the Chevalier D'Eon they've been discussed in terms of being nonbinary, hency my use of the term above. In this play the Chevalier is treated as a trans woman. Its a legitimate matter of debate and so I'm going to simply refer to “the Chevalier” through out rather than use gendered terms or even the singular they (recent events in US politics having taught me how gender neutral language used to refer to trans people is often meant as an act of aggression). Given the period the Chevalier lived in its not like the contemporary language is any help, either, so I am respectfully bowing out of adjudicating on this one and leaving it for other, wiser and more educated voices not belonging to a cis man.

Anyway, the Doctor has brought Rose to Slough in the year “half past Blackadder series three” or, in other words, the Regency to see William Herschel's 40-foot telescope. Rose, unimpressed, wanders off and discovers a fencing match going on involving the legendary Chevalier D'Eon.

Now, I rather like the portrayal of the Chevalier here especially in the fact that the Chevalier is... well, a bit boorish: constantly telling tall tales about people met and battles fought in. Rose, of course, finds the Doctor's exasperation with this hilarious. Being a celebrity historical, of course, the Chevalier gets some wonderful moments including a couple of sword fights which might not be that impressive on audio but you could hardly expect the story to do without them. On a more audio-friendly note, the Chevalier is getting on in years here and wondering if there's anything left to do.

The alien baddies (sorry, folks, we're still lacking a New Series pure historical) are a bunch of slavers from Consortium Of The Black Asp, a sort of loose confederation of alien gangsters. They're an interesting idea, not only in this specific case but as an idea and I hope they get used somewhere else. Doctor Who is oddly light on alien organised crime, now I think about it.

Also, not to spoil anything but this story has absolutely the best take on the psychic paper I've ever heard even if Guy Adams does slightly wuss out on the punchline. 

30 Discs Hath November #24: Infamy of the Zaross

Okay, because this came out all of a day ago I'm trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible but I do mention some plot details so anyone wanting to go into this Tenth Doctor Adventures box set totally unspoilt should look away now (and also for the next two evenings and then I'll go back to rambling about old stuff the statute of limitations has expired on).

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures 2.1:

Infamy of the Zaross

written by John Dorney

Its bloody weird listening to this and getting a genuine nostalgia rush for 2006. If nothing else that's a measure of success in itself. The moment Jackie sighs and greets the Doctor with “Hello, trouble.” I knew this was going to at least be a comfortable, familiar listen.

Is that a criticism? It sort of sounds like one and if there's one thing that concerns me about this box set is that the writing team is practically a list of Big Finish's current old faithfuls: John Dorney, Guy Adams and Matt Fitton. To be clear, I like all these guys and I've no reason to think their stories will be anything but good however I would like to see some more experimentation. Big Finish listeners are a pretty captive audience, after all.

Anyway, plot wise we're in familiar RTD-era territory: there's an alien invasion going on with a satirical twist. Its not a twist I'm too fond of as its about “Millennial fame culture”, a subject that rather tends to get an overly critical reception. There's also what should be a touching moment of Rose telling a young woman that whatever she does she'll always be special which would be a great sentiment if it didn't come from a character who has always been presented as the best of the best as far as the Doctor and the fan base is concerned.

There's a lot to love here despite those criticisms. The alien invasion is led by a set of brilliantly observed office manager types whose every line of dialogue is comedy gold. Jackie gets a rather more sympathetic portrayal here than she did for a lot of her two series on the show though for those craving an authentic RTD nostalgia buzz I assure you there is an Awful Mother elsewhere in the story so tick that one off the list. Actually, if you thought that Jackie running around with a big gun at the end of series four was out of character then John Dorney has you covered as he perfectly works out a scenario for Jackie to do exactly that again but funnier and with more exploration of character.

You know, listening to this I think that either I underestimated Camille Codouri's skills or Russel T. Davies did because she's fantastic.

All in all its not Earth-shatteringly innovative but it is an excellent distillation of the RTD era, especially his season openers. Here's hoping that distillation continues and we get something a little more involved for the next two stories.

30 Discs Hath November #13: The Quality of Mercy

Audio Adventures in Time and Space #35

The Quality of Mercy

written by David A. McIntee

Okay, so another one of these. In this case the minor non-BBC owned aspect BBV are working with is Guy de Carnac, a Templar Knight and one-off love interest of Bernice Summerfield from the novel Sanctuary which even when this was made was five years or more out of print. I haven;t read Sanctuary in years and I'm pretty sure Guy dies at the end but, well, retcons are a thing and here we are: the further adventures if Guy de Carnac that I can't imagine anyone was clamouring for but here we are.

If I seemed down on this series yesterday its because I had fond memories of these releases that I Scream didn't live up to. Happily, The Quality of Mercy was a better production all round. It had none of the off-putting straight to listener narration or lack of ambient sound that made I Scream such a slog. In fact, it made a good impression straight off with a Gregorian chant intro, church bells and neighing horses to set the scene.

Its Crusades o'clock and Guy de Carnac is a former Templar knight wandering darkest Mummerset in search of a farrier. He comes to a town which is awaiting an inquisitor to question a strange man who fell from the sky and speaks no known language. As a well-traveled man and servant of God, Guy is asked to look in on the stranger who he judges to be neither angel nor demon but simply a man, a sailor from some strange and unknown land.

The inquisitor, when he arrives, is naturally a lot more cynical. He's no as bloodthirsty as the stereotype would have it because this is David A. McIntee writing and he does a lot of historical research. The inquisitor is still the villain of the piece and he has less than pure motivations but he doesn't start torturing people out of boredom or anything like that.

Thankfully, the debate over who or what the sailor from the sky is doesn't form the whole mystery of the story. I say thankfully because anyone paying even minimal attention can tell instantly that he's an alien and no amount of listening to Guy and the inquisitor trying to puzzle that out with their literally medieval frame of reference is going to make that carry an entire hour. Its made clear early on that Guy is no longer a Templar and the reasons for his expulsion are made a central mystery of the story even as he tries to discover the truth behind the sailor. Guy has a good line in theological debate even if it is mainly to convince people that the way he wants to do things is the way God intended. I'm also interested that Guy's complex attitude towards Christianity (though not towards God, it seems) is presented as quite morally neutral, neither a reason to condemn him or a reason to lionise him which is an unusual attitude for an author to take.

As it happens this was the sole Guy de Carnac story BBV produced before the Audio Adventures ended but it does make me want to revisit Sanctuary now I have a voice to apply to the character. 

30 Discs Hath November #12: I Scream

Audio Adventures in Time and Space #26

I Scream

written by Lance Parkin

So, back in the day before Big Finish there was BBV, a fan-run company that made independent audio dramas using whatever bits and pieces of Doctor Who they could license from non-BBC sources (monsters owned by writers, for instance) or casting familiar actors in strangely familiar but not quite copyrighted roles (such as having Sylvester McCoy playing a time traveler called “The Professor”).

Some of these releases got a little obscure.

Take this one, for instance: the I are an alien race from a single Eighth Doctor novel, Seeing I by Kate Orman and Jon Blum. I remember literally nothing about them except that they were the running the world from behind the scenes types. In the case of this story the world is Glaspar, a planet given over almost completely to ice cream production, the best ice cream in the galaxy.

Out POV character and narrator is played by Lisa Bowerman, the manager of the largest ice cream restaurant on the planet. On Galspar the company runs everything (a running theme of Doctor Who books at the time) and everyone, ultimately, works for the company. They run the media as well with a sort of Orwellian brainwashy thing called the I Screen interrupting the narration from time to time to tell you how great the company is.

Bowerman's character (who is either never named or I wasn't listening) meets a group of dropouts let by the pretty and charismatic John. She goes on an astral projecting joyride with him and his telepath friend and encounter the I.

There's a lot of pop psychology stuff about teenage rebellion and counter-culture as an aspect of culture. Its a bit dull, to be honest. The dull ice cream-themed dystopia turns out to be run by bodysnatcher-style emotionless managers, the main evidence for this conclusion being that the one we encounter speaks a bit stiltedly and doesn't get off on having picture of Bowerman's character naked. There's a nice twist where Bowerman's character thinks the dropouts are part of the system, secret police.

She's wrong, sadly, but it was a nice twist while it lasted.

After that Bowerman's character descends into complete paranoia about being watched by the I. The narration is, to be honest, a little overwrought. She finds herself in hospital after an apparent suicide attempt. Naturally, she doesn't help herself by just plainly describing her belief the world is being controlled by insect people to the doctors in the hospital. Paranoia is a hard thing to convey only in sound and I'm not sure everything Parkin does works but there are some cool moments as Bowerman's narration becomes more and more frantic.

Ultimately its a bit like one of those short 2000AD comic strips: a big high concept with an ending that has a nice punch but isn't meant to go further than it does. 

30 Discs Hath November #11: United

Once again its a bit hard to discuss this one without talking about the conclusion so this is a SPOILER one.

UNIT: The New Series: Assembled #4

United

written by Matt Fitton

One useful consequence of the last episode (and a short bit of dialogue explaining that Colonel Shindi is in Geneva, oh nostalgia) is that all the modern cast are trapped outside the UK due to dinosaur siege. This means that we start out with the retirees in the Tower Of London and Kate and company trying to find a way back to them. It is rather sweet that Mike, Benton and Jo get to take command for a little bit even if it is the most fanservice-y plot element of the series.

You know, I go into every one of these Earth Reptile stories hoping for a peaceful conclusion and, I guess, this one sort of counts. Its not perfect, the resolution is mainly bloodless but the Earth Reptiles don't agree to anything, they're essentially tricked into surrendering and returning to their hibernation chambers. Just once I'd like for the character who charges off to make peace even though everyone thinks its hopeless (its Jo again, by the way) to some real, material success instead of being shuffled off to the hostage room. There's even a second such scene with Mike and Josh meeting Jastrok under truce which ends abruptly when Mike gets one piece of information that will make attacking the Silurians easier. Okay, Jastrok isn't exactly entering into the spirit of the truce but they could have at least tried.

On the plus side, Jo and Osgood continue their epic team-up of women uplifting other women (there is nothing better) with Jo encouraging Osgood to just bloody ask one of the hunky men she works with out. I mean, I'd rather she take Kate up on one of those social events that aren't dates, honest guv, but alone time with Naked Caveman Sam would be just as good. Talking of Sam, towards the end Katy Manning plays the hell out of some “naughty granny flirting” when Sam is assigned to escort her to South America in search of new homes for plesiosaurs.

So, yeah, there's a lot of good character stuff and some nice comparisons between the UNIT family and the modern incarnation but I still find myself a little sad that once again Malcolm Hulke's startling innovation of an “alien” race with individual personalities and a sympathetic moral position were just treated as another menace to be disposed of. Disposed of in a more humane way than usual, its true though just sending them back to sleep seems a bit too... I don't want to say “concentration camp” because that's in awful taste and not accurate in the details but there is a certain element of rounding them up and locking them away that I'm not quite comfortable with. 

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. 

30 Discs Hath November #9: Tidal Wave

UNIT: The New Series: Assembled #2:

Tidal Wave

written by Guy Adams

Jo Grant. Sea Devils. A questionably useful energy project. This really is the greatest hit collection, isn't it? Not that I'm complaining, I adore Jo Grant and the story has some interesting ideas for the Sea Devils.

And, okay, it took me a while to work this out and Guy Adams had to hit me over the head with it but I now get that Osgood (at least in her Big Finish incarnation) is at least meant to have an element of “the Doctor as Katy Manning would have played them” about her. Teaming Osgood and Jo together for most of the story was absolutely the right move especially as it allows Osgood to have her frantic fangirl moment at the beginning and then redeem it by having them bond and come to a place of mutual respect by the end. Its a good arc, especially as it starts with Jo admitting she's judged Osgood exactly the same way she was always judged as the ditzy one back in the day.

Seriously, Jo has so many more admirable qualities than generally get acknowledged and here we see her classic “plucky determination” weaponised. As the compromised and controlled Captain Burmaster uses UNIT's new hydro-electric generating submarine to start a war with a hibernation colony of Sea Devils its Jo who is the one pleading for peace and putting herself in the hands of the enemy to do so. Its also interesting that Jastrop is behind the attack on the Sea Devils and not just to provoke them into conflict with the “ape primitives”, he has a concrete agenda and a plan. Again, good representation of the Earth Reptiles as people rather than a monolithic race.

The same holds true for Krellix, our traditional lone voice of peace and reason amongst the Sea Devils who is actually swung towards believing Jo's protestations of innocence because he knows Jastrop and has his own reasons for not liking the guy. Jo's pleas for humanity also have the interesting aspect of acknowledging the worst sides of our species and of Krellix's but hoping that the best wins out. Its eloquent and sweet and reflects the greater experience Jo has gained in the decades since she last encountered the Sea Devils. It also demonstrates that if you want to read Osgood towards the end as having a bit of an admiring friend crush on Jo you wouldn't be along, I'm right there with you.

Could have done without the “political correctness gone mad” joke from Jo, of all people. 

30 Discs Hath November #8: Call To Arms

UNIT: The New Series: Assembled #1

Call To Arms

written by Matt Fitton

The thing about Big Finish is that it is always fanservice, that's the nature of it. That having been said, there are levels of fanservice and the more the idea of story seems more geared towards it than having an interesting high concept, the more wary I become.

Take this box set, for example, which promises a team-up between Big Finish's modern UNIT and the surviving members of the 1970s “UNIT family”. On the plus side BF waited to do three box sets before pulling the trigger on this idea so I have at least as much of a grip on the voices and character of the new guys as the familiar old faces. Matt Fitton starts us off with a very traditional story as not only do we hve old UNIT foes the Silurians but the format of Call To Arms is the “traditional base under siege”.

In this case the base under siege is the pub run by retired UNIT sergeant John Benton the night after his retirement party. Kate, Osgood and a six pack of soldiers have been checking up on a known Silurian hibernation base in the area which turns out to be something modern UNIT does routinely to make sure the inhabitants are safe and asleep. There's even references later to other bases where the inhabitants woke up too find the world overrun by talking apes and decided just to go back to sleep and wake up later. The fact that we've never had a Silurian story with a peaceful resolution is largely down to the fact it wouldn't be that interesting but having some confirmation that it can happen helps with the idea that these are an intelligent race of individuals and not a series of interchangeable monsters.

Giving this impression through dialogue does help because the actual Silurian antagonist, a military type by the name of Jastrok, is about as stereotypical a made alien general as it gets. Osgood tries to open negotiations with him using Silurian formalities but he responds by laughing and shooting people regardless. He's not without depth but its clear he's not going to be a vehicle for intelligent and rational dialogue any time soon.

Anyway, Jastrok and his soldiers wake up and ambush the UNIT team. The soldiers cover Kate and Osgood as they escape and the two important characters take shelter in Benton's pub where Mike Yates happens to have just arrived. On the subject of Mike, its interesting to see someone who actually holds a grudge against him even if the grudge less about the whole massive betrayal thing (though it gets mentioned) and more about jealousy over a woman. Benton, of course, can't help but fall into the habit of saying “sir” and “captain” which is both sweet and a sad reminder of his undeservedly low position on the UNIT food chain of old.

The story unfolds much as you might expect with a few interesting details that lend some flavour like Kate being the only person in the pub who's armed. Osgood and Benton get to replicate the old Doctor/Benton relationship of sciency explanation followed by polite bewilderment which is nice but I do hope that later in the set we get some reminder of the fact that as baffled as he often is Benton is a smart guy.

There were also a couple of references to the wilderness years novels including calling UNIT's observation of the hibernation bases “The Earth Reptile Initiative” (the “politically correct” name the Silurians were given in the New Adventures novels that was later changed to “Indigenous Terrans”) and Benton's past as a used car salesman.

It was a fun time but, much as I don't want to play favourites, next episode has Katy Manning on the cover and I am rather looking forward to that a little more. 

30 Discs Hath November #7: Time In Office disc two

Doctor Who (Main Range) #230

Time in Office episodes 3 & 4

written by Eddie Robson

History Repeating

And we start off with yet more agency and fun for Tegan. The basic set-up of this episode is that the Doctor is making a speech at Pyrdon Academy about some reforms he wants to make and a bored Tegan accepts an offer of a drink from another Time Lord, one who intends to steal a TARDIS in imitation of the Doctor and take (kidnap) her as his companion. As with the last episode it puts Tegan in a position of knowledge for a change, the experienced traveler to the naive young Time Lord who doesn't know what he's getting in to.

The Doctor, meanwhile, contends with the lightest plot of the set so far as he's confronted by a rather incompetent student revolutionary who, it turns out, has a list of grievances the Doctor was going to tackle in his speech anyway.

Its the least biting bit of satire Time In Office has to give, especially after the last episode was all about the sins of the past and colonialism, but by Doctor Who third episode standards its far from the depths of filler that have been served up in the past even from Big Finish.

There is also a part of me that loves the idea of Tegan going on a date with a Time Lord and maybe even starting off a casual thing with them. Maybe I'm hoping too much of this sudden turn towards agency for the character but I hope that some of what Robson has been writing for the character gets built on down the line.

Architect of Destruction

In all seriousness, Eddie Robson needs to write more Tegan stories, he has such a fantastic grasp of what makes her a great character. Her desire to take no crap from anyone, even a race of immortal time travelers millions of years more advanced than her, is the sort of trait that should have made her one of the most influential companions in the classic series. As it is she was written off as unsympathetic and we didn't get a companion with as much character or agency until Ace.

On a larger scale Eddie Robson has a wonderful twist on the conspiracy that anyone listening to this would have known was going to end the story even before the end of episode reveal in the previous episode. There are also some fantastic “visuals” described as the Doctor and company tour the new Capitol. I particularly liked the idea of statues whose faces change to represent all the incarnations of the famous Time Lords they depict.

Davison continues to enjoy the chance to get up to comedy antics and I hope Big Finish take this as an indication that they can do more with the character from here on out than light exasperation. I also hope it puts to bed forever the fan myth that, to misapply a quote from Jim Cornette, “funny don't make money”, a myth that has been with the series ever since fandom hailed the departure of Douglas freakin' Adams as the best thing to ever happen to the show.

No, seriously, that happened and whilst this story was nowhere near a Douglas Adams in quality it does show that BFP can afford to have a little more fun with the license. 

30 Discs Hath November #6: Time In Office disc one

Doctor Who (Main Range) #230

Time in Office episodes 1 & 2

written by Eddie Robson

Its the annual Big Finish short story collection and this time its a comedy with the Fifth Doctor taking up the role of Lord President Of Gallifrey. Its a comedy, thank goodness, because I'm the sort of fan who finds Gallifrey painfully dull unless its either not the main focus of the story (The Three Doctors, Heaven Sent) or a vehicle for Romana and Leela to kick ass. Giving Davison, a brilliantly funny actor, a chance to stretch his comedy chops in this po-faced setting with Tegan and Leela on hand to puncture any remaining pomposity seems like as good an idea as any.

So, on to the episodes:

Period of Adjustment

The lack of Leela in The Five Doctors is something of a longstanding grudge. Apparently Louise Jameson made it known she was available for the filming but JNT decided there was no way to include her, which just goes to show either the man's lack of imagination or the weight of his inferiority complex about Philip Hinchcliffe. Finally, though the accounts are being balanced as Eddie Robson uses old friend and longtime Gallifrey resident Leela as the bridge between the Fifth Doctor and Gallifrey's bureaucracy.

For those concerned: Andred is away from the capital with the Chancellery Guard moping up the mess in the Death Zone, you can listen to this without fear of encountering the wettest man on Gallifrey. Let's face it, the romance of Leela's departure only works when you don't think too hard (or at all) about the fact she chose to stay with Andred and not the Outsiders or Rodan.

Anyway, the first episode is mostly what you'd expect: a couple members of the High Council trying to get a square peg Doctor into the round hole of the presidency and a secret Time Lord agency trying to stop him making any reforms whatsoever who he has to outsmart. More innovative and satirical is a subplot where Tegan is refused residency on Gallifrey because she's been involved in toppling alien governments, a plot point that considering the Doctor is President comes off as subtle as a brick. Sadly, Leela's suggestion that Tegan marry the Doctor to gain residency isn't pursued even though it clearly has so much more comedy potential than just the Doctor's muted horror at the idea.

There's also a rather nice framing device of a Gallifreyan political debate show, which is such a charming idea and never more so than when the host declares he has nothing against women because he used to be one a couple of regenerations ago.

Past Indiscretions

I adore Tegan Jovanka but even these days its rare for the character to get the sort of agency she deserves. She is brash, headstrong, stubborn, determined and almost always, always wrong. This episode, by contrast, has her do the heavy lifting on defusing a diplomatic situation whilst the Doctor, Leela and their babysitter/bodyguard Castellan Lowry are trapped in a very uncomfortable situation.

The Doctor and company are representing Gallifrey at a war memorial ceremony but it turns out that back in the day the Doctor and Leela killed the alien ambassador's brother when the guy was trying to conquer feudal Japan. Sadly, they couldn't stretch the budget to getting Tom Baker in for the flashbacks but its a fine story of consequences, again something we tend to give presidents and the like a pass on.

Aside from some fantastic comedy moments of running away (such as Leela speculating on weaponising a ride-on lawnmower) the best bit of this story of Tegan Jovanka 007. From impersonating a god to questioning the logic of her plausible deniability where it comes to “stealing” a TARDIS, Fielding is fantastic. There's also a wonderful moment where, having read the briefing pack, she gets to talk over the Doctor during the big infodump which sounds like a moment of profound catharsis for both actress and character.

Castellan Lowry, meanwhile, slowly reveals hidden depths as she vents her frustration about her charges and confesses to not liking time travel for some reason. I'm looking forward to seeing how that resolves but that'll have to wait for tomorrow as its almost time to post this and, given the story's format, I can do this in two parts. 

30 Discs Hath November #5: Helmstone

Doctor Who: Short Trips

Helmstone

written by Tony Jones

I love the Short Trips range. Okay, they vary hugely in quality and interest but they're the only range Big Finish does that is able to run the whole gamut of Doctor Who's history (hell, there's a pair of Meta-Crisis Doctor stories coming in the monthly range later this year) but also because the free ones like this are the only Big Finish thing that comes to me as a complete surprise. As a paid product I subscibe to, obviously, I know something about what I'm getting.

There's also the fact that, being free, these subscriber bonuses can do quieter things with their plots because you're not being asked to pay up front for a high concept.

This one's a First Doctor and Steven story aka prepare for horrible things to happen because Season Three. The TARDIS has appeared on and promptly been rendered inert on a generation ship called Not Home that's on its way to the planet New Home which actually does sound like something the 1960s writers would come up with. The Doctor and Steven are hanging out on the beach with a local woman called Cora as they wait for the TARDIS to recharge. Cora is the owner of a piece of jewelry called a helmstone. Cora and her helmstone are summoned to the big city for a ritual and the Doctor and Steven tag along.

It all goes about as you'd expect given the presence of the generation ship, the name helmstone and the fact that we're in Season Three Tragedy Town.

Its mainly a Steven story (again, very true to the era) but one in which the Doctor still gets to be right about everything. At this point in the series Steven was used to do a lot of the heavy lifting whilst William Hartnell spent a lot of time ill and written off to the side and it would be nice if now and again one of these stories portrayed Steven as being in the right. Okay, there's a moral quandary at the heart of his actions but the moment you know what the question is you know what answer the author is going to settle on.

Given how he was briefly co-leading man of the series I wish Steven had more chance to shine in the role. It made sense in the day whenever Hartnell was back on form to sweep in with the answer but there's more freedom here to have a Steven story be more about Steven and driven exclusively by his actions. 

30 Discs Hath November #4: The True Saviour of the Universe

Doctor Who: The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield volume 4

Ruler of the Universe: The True Saviour of the Universe

written by James Goss

I feel there's something of an injustice with the Big Finish Masters. Obviously Beevers is delightful and I won't hear a word against MacQueen but Sam Kisgart's interpretation deserves more love than it gets, I feel. Of course, this is only the third time he's played the Master in nearly fifteen years but there's a lot to recommend it.

For one thing, Kisgart does a fantastic line in snobbery. His scene where he takes Benny out to tea and complains as she pours in the milk before the tea is pitched brilliantly. Later on he mistakes a Spider-Man quote (you know the one) for Machiavelli with just as straight a face (well, the tone of the straight face, you know what I mean). He spends a lot more of the story interacting with Benny than he does with the Doctor and, as it was in the last box set, there's some serious flirting going on between the two of them which is both disconcerting and entertaining.

Given the differences of the continuity, Kisgart's Master and the Doctor don't seem to have as much animosity between them as the relationship is usually played. It also helps that this time round Kisgart has the Missy version of the character to influence him, at one point dismissing a murder attempt as how he says hello.

That having been said, the story does revolve around the classic Master plot of there being a doomsday weapon and an ancient evil to be raised and all that. It plays out much as you'd expect given the Master's fantastically bad and yet incredibly consistent history with those sort of things. Kisgart also gets to do some fantastic scenery chewing during the climax after a whole story of calm, quiet and urbane seductiveness.

The whole plot of the collapsing universe continues with the Doctor unsure of whether he can make his own plan work, a sense of self-doubt only enhanced by impeachment proceedings and the influence of the Master. The Master's entry into the world of politics is explored with all the subtlety of a brick through a window right down to the obvious Kelly Ann Conway analogue doing spin for him on the news. If this is the final hurrah for the Kisgart Master its at least one that does interesting things with the character, things that probably can't be done with the “proper” Master without effectively ending the character.

And if its the end of David Warner's Doctor? Well, that's a lot less cut and dried as the ending leaves him open to return in future box sets or not depending on what Big Finish decide they want but I certainly wouldn't object to more stories where he gets to act as the Doctor on adventures rather than the Doctor trapped and confined by politics.

As a final note, the last scene gives me hope that some day soon WE'LL BLOODY FIND WHO PETER MARRIED!

NEXT EPISODE: Helmstone

30 Discs Hath November #3: Truant

Doctor Who: The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield volume 4

Ruler of the Universe: Truant

written by Guy Adams

(Okay, there's no way around it, this one is ALL SPOILERS ALL THE TIME. The only way to address anything that's interesting about this story is to talk about the high concept revelation at the centre of it and the conclusion so be thee warned...)

I think this story pretty much had to be a comedy because if it were played totally straight it would just be horrible. That said, its an idea that I've always wanted to see some sort of take on and maybe some day someone will have a chance to do it seriously but it sure as hell isn't going to be as a one hour audio story in the middle of a quite comedic box set.

You see, the big revelation of the story is that the planet the Doctor thinks is being invaded was actually invaded decades ago by shapeshifters who long ago replaced the native population and their descendants are now living perfectly normal, peaceful lives with office jobs, families and the like.

This is the story about the aftermath of an almost one hundred percent successful genocide.

Its also a comedy. The whole format of the story is the Doctor skipping through the collapsing universe looking for an enemy to fight, an invasion to stop, a war to prevent, something fun to do instead of endless meetings and politics. He storms in on potential confrontations only to be disappointed by the fact that now everyone knows who he is no one wants to take the chance of trying to fight him. When he finally does find someone who wants to lock him up he even heckles them, wondering “Whatever happened to death threats as art?” and insisting they don't deserve his A game.

Could this subject be handled seriously? Absolutely, just not here where the writers are pressed for time and don't really have the chance to go into all the messy details of the situation.

The ending is at least satisfying with the Doctor failing to bring the situation to any real resolution and Benny offering what little redemption she can to the current inhabitants of the world. It would perhaps have worked a little better if the invasion were further in the past, instead the planet's governor says these are the crimes of their “parents and grandparents” so, logically, people who are still alive to punish.

I don't mean to sound down on this one, its a lot of fun. The comedy works right up to and including the darker ending and the theme of the Doctor trying to evade his responsibilities to do something meeaningful works. Benny is, as ever, a delight as she first chases the Doctor across the universe and then ends up dragged into his little joyride.

I just can't help but wonder at what the straight version of this story would be and hope we get to find out some day.