Muse of Fire written by Paul Magrs and directed by Jamie Anderson

What’s it about: Oooh la la! It's been a long time coming, but the Doctor is about to be reunited with Iris Wildthyme! They're both in 1920s Paris and everyone's flocking to Iris's salon. But wait...! What's that noise..? Thud thud thud...! It's the soft, approaching feet of a small and acerbic Art Critic Panda...!

The Real McCoy: Why is it that most writers forget that one of the joys of Doctor Who is the main man and his friends simply materialising somewhere wonderful and basking in the atmosphere of it all? It’s something that has been curiously forgotten in recent years when bucket loads of angst is the order of the day. Thank goodness we have Paul Magrs around to remind us what a thrilling adventure being a time traveller can be and how delightful to just soak in the atmosphere of somewhere fabulous. I had a greater feeling of immediate joy after the first few minutes of this story than I have in any main range adventure this year. Ace immediately suspects the Doctor of foul play but he insists that Paris sets his heart racing and he has nothing but simple relaxation on the agenda. It’s worth listening to this story just to hear Sylvester McCoy attempt to get his mouth around ‘there’s a kerfuffle at the Metro.’ When the Doctor says there’s’ nothing like a really messy bookshop I couldn’t possibly agree with him more. How fabulous that the Doctor gets to lock horns with a bad reviewer and try and convince them to see more merit in the work he is roasting. Talk about breaking down the fourth wall. Or the fourth wall in the sound booth. It’s a pity he couldn’t have a chat with all those season 11 naysayers. Whereas all the other Doctors put up with her cheeky lifestyle, the seventh considers her an Agent of Chaos. Of course, he does, given that he has primped himself up as the one who acts as Time’s Champion. Anybody who creates chaos in his universe of order would probably be seen s the enemy. There’s a certain arrogance to the Doctor’s comments, like he is responsible for her. He doesn’t think she is evil, just a meddler. Iris mentions the desert planet Hyspero, accidentally letting the Doctor know a little of his future. Isn’t it wonderful when the Doctor gets on his high horse (and McCoy starts garbling his dialogue) that Iris just laughs in his face? Exactly what I would do. She had forgotten what a gloomy old soul he was in this incarnation. Iris’ melodramatics makes him feel queasy. There was a marvellous moment when Panda stepped into the TARDIS and I thought it would be lovely for him to hop off on a trilogy of adventures with the Doctor. The fact that they had a number of offscreen adventures here fills me with hope. I love the fact that the Doctor got everything so spectacularly wrong simply because of his preconceptions about Iris. That’ll learn him.

Oh Wicked: Ace came to Paris on a school trip once but she never even got to see to the top of the Eifel Tower. Known as the rowdy one. When Panda threatened to punch Ace on the hooter, I could not have been in love with him anymore. It’s something I have longed to do for many years. When Ace threatens to start shouting, as she has an irritating propensity to do in these audios Hex reminds her that she isn’t at a football match. God, I love this script. Iris asks if Ace is the Doctor’s guard dog.

Sexy Scouse: Hex! That luscious, silky voiced nurse from Liverpool is back and plenty of time has passed for this to feel like something special. Don’t get me wrong I still think that the Hex/Hector arc ran on endlessly past its sell by date but the idea of dipping into the timelines of the Big Finish original companions whilst they were travelling in the TARDIS is a wonderful idea. I’m pleased to see Eight and Lucie and Six and Charley are also being revisited too. As Tom Baker said in Day of the Doctor ‘just the old favourites…’ If that was the case then if Maggie Stables were still with us, Evelyn would be top of the list. However, at his height Hex was a bright, engaging and sympathetic protagonist and it is wonderful to catch another glimpse of his adventures with the seventh Doctor and Ace before everything went sour. Hex is more than capable of standing up for himself and when Ace makes jibes at somebody taking an interest in him he reacts rather forcefully (there always was something tangible between this pair, you know). Why is it always Hex who gets caught in the crossfire? Or with his clothes off? Lucky us, I guess.

Aunty Iris: God bless Katy Manning and her continuing devotion to Doctor Who. I’m not just talking about her convention appearances, fabulous though they are but also her commentaries, her appearances on SJA and in countless Big Finish productions but also her expression of love for the show both in the past and present. She’s an excellent ambassador for the show and somebody it is impossible not to like. Add to that list the sexy French accent she adopts in the opening instalment of Muse of Fire. Trust Iris to notice immediately that Hex has quite a physique on him. A woman after my own heart. Iris’ salon is full of hangers on and sycophants. A bit like Bianca’s then. She’s living in a grand old mansion in Paris, 1922, and surrounding herself with wonderful writers and artists and intellectuals and gorgeous young men. Sounds divine, sign me up. She’s got quite a name for herself in gay old Paris. Her bus is mysteriously smaller on the inside but then she did always like to be facetious. It’s a wonder she doesn’t do herself a mischief flying around in an ancient death trap. Mind you, you could say that about the Doctor and TARDIS too. Panda lives up to his reputation of being a sarcastic, critical, scathing little Panda and you can see precisely why Iris keeps him around. He keeps her real. And he out camps her 2/1.

Standout Performance: Katy Manning gives her usual exuberant turn as Iris but it’s David Benson as Panda making his Doctor Who debut that most impressed me. Every single line that comes out of Benson’s mouth made me laugh. Every. Single. One. It’s worth remembering that McCoy, Aldred and Oliver have fantastic chemistry, unmatched in the seventh Doctor line since.

Sparkling Dialogue: ‘You shouldn’t let critics put you off!’ I loved that line!
‘Absinthe make the heart grow fonder’ Anyone who can affectionately poke at Pip’n’Jane is doing something right in my book.
‘Your reviews have caused untold damage to the Web of Time!’ ‘Good! I’m jolly glad to hear it! Don’t slam the door on the way out.’ Oh my, this practically pisses all over the Charley arc.
‘The Grand chess master playing his cosmic games…all while he’s togged up like a little tramp.’ I almost choked with laughter at that line.
‘Doctor, I spy Gertrude Stein! She’s doing the Charleston with Salvador Dali!’

Great Ideas: Is this the only Doctor Who story to allude to an enormous pair of breasts on it’s cover. Actually, the cover is quite an ugly thing, which is shame because what it is advertising a story with much beauty within. Have you ever noticed how the Doctor and his companions have an erring ability to land in history and immediately fall into contact with the most famous people of the time? Hex is in Paris in 1920s and who happens to be the second person ne talks to – Salvador Dali! Things have been altered and reality has been re-written. Imagine being able to see a map of souls with a distinctive timeline for each person. Imagine the power you would have with that information. A woman who is a living Picasso, a cubist nightmare, an aberration of smeared human features. What a terrifically macabre idea. Paris between the wars is swarming with time travellers, it’s a very popular destination for people of that ilk. An alien that feasts on the mind of geniuses to survive. Iris wasn’t kidnapping Dora, she was pursuing her. The Queen of Bracht summoned her and asked to go after her. Dora Muse is a monster, a brain vampire.

Audio Landscape: Some Big Finish adventures plunge you into the atmosphere of the setting they are creating and if you close your eyes you can really imagine you are there. Muse of Fire is one such example and having been to Paris three times, I’d say I’m fairly qualified to say that.

Isn’t it Odd: You’ve got some cod French accents polluting the story but I hate to say it but that is exactly what I expect when Big Finish heads abroad with Doctor Who. Remember ‘this way laydeez and geyntelman’ from The Spectre of Lanyon Moor or that extraordinary accent that Caroline John adopted for Dust Breeding. I never did quite figure out where Madame Salvadori came from. There’s no real reason for Iris to remain so anonymous about her motives, but it does keep the mystery going for three episodes. She’s always loved a bit of theatre.

Standout Scene: The end of episode three is priceless because it ditches all the usual false jeopardy and goes for something much more enticing instead: promise. The idea of the Doctor and Iris going to war. Bring it on.

Result: ‘You truly are a living Picasso! A work of art!’ Intoxicating, a heady brew of delicious character work, terrifically funny dialogue and a far mature plot than you might think from the outset. I know this might not be everybody’s idea of Doctor Who but those people need to head to Paris, get pissed, chat to strangers, indulge in their lusty desires and wake up in the morning and wonder where the hell they are. You know, live a little. I had a pleasing vibe of The Wormery about this but only insofar as Iris is running a bar and there is a reliance on great wordplay and music but whereas that tale was a mournful affair for the sixth Doctor, Muse of Fire transpires to be a giddy explosion of colour and madness. A bit like a Salvador Dali. I really enjoy the scattershot approach to the plotting with lots seemingly random, bizarre and fun things happening and I wouldn’t put it past Paul Magrs to refuse to tie it all together for the listener (remember The Blue Angel?). He’s not that predictable a writer. On this occasion he does so, and with remarkable skill and clarity. Random patterns emerge into a rock sold plot. But on the journey we get to sample the exquisite Parisian culture, enjoy the camaraderie of the 7th Doctor, Ace and Hex combo and catch up with the inestimable Iris Wildthyme and her unforgettable companion Panda. I really love Iris, I love the fact that there is somebody out there pootling about in time and space in old bus and doing exactly what the Doctor does but in the craziest way possible. Almost like she’s designed to irritate those people who consider The Mind of Evil to be the ultimate expression of Doctor Who. Don’t get me wrong I love The Mind of Evil but I fully accept that it’s sillier, crazier, stratastrophically imaginative uglier cousin Carnival of Monsters has so much to offer too. Iris is Carnival of Monsters; colourful, insane, hilarious, creative and just a little bit drunk (‘Sundowner?’). Pitting her against the seventh Doctor offers a fresh approach to the pairing because he’s not putting up with any of her nonsense and she’s perfectly prepared to bring Time’s Egotism down a peg or two. There’s a strong comment on reviews and how they can hurt authors in there, which I found particularly arresting. It’s easy to forget that the work that people are slaving over is a labour of love, but then it’s also easy to forget that the review itself is just one person’s opinion in a sea of judgements. Any piece that makes me consider the nature of writing a review whilst writing a review is making me think in all the right ways. ‘I can make amends for all those rotten reviews!’ indeed! If you’re looking for a nuts and bolts Doctor Who adventure where spaceships go BANG BANG and robots go KILL KILL and everybody is drowning in spacebabble then head over to the 4DA range where you can drown in SF clichés. If you fancy something with some personality and charm, a literate edge and gulp of Absinthe then you’ve come to the right place. We don’t get enough Magrs to blow away all the dusty old Doctor Who clichés that clog up the main range: 9/10

The False Guardian written by Guy Adams and directed by Nicholas Briggs

What’s it About: Ann Kelso doesn’t like mysteries. Keen to investigate the trail of the Sinestrans, she sets the TARDIS on a new course... but flies into danger. Arriving on a desolate world that the Doctor finds somehow familiar, the TARDIS crew discover that something is wrong with time. The inhabitants of an unusual complex are experimenting at the command of their enigmatic director... somebody who has quite a strong grudge against the Doctor. Facing an old foe who was presumed dead, the travellers are soon trapped in a diabolical scheme. But is it just the tip of the iceberg?

Teeth and Curls: ‘Our business? Currently we’re trying not to die!’ K.9 has only been around for five minutes, he’s little more than a puppy. Whilst Ann is trying to be terribly sensible and organised, the Doctor enjoys galivanting about. Checking things is dull, that’s why he likes surprises. The TARDIS isn’t an old crystal set, one false move and they could be plunged into the sun. Only a fool lets a dog fly a spaceship. Anyone can point at a map but flying through the vortex without tearing yourself to pentaquarks takes skill and grace and years and years of experience. You just know the Doctor is in for a world of trouble when he starts boasting like that. There’s nothing wrong with boring in a controlled dose, the Doctor likes to look upon it as a vaccination against a life of tedium. You begin to understand the purpose of K.9, to deal with all of the exposition, so the Doctor can just get on with having fun. He doesn’t usually bother to set the HADS because the TARDIS has an annoying habit of popping off when it senses danger when he isn’t on board. He also has a tendency to set them thinking they are the heating controls. He’s a crumbling gothic mansion type himself. He’s stopped dropping into conversation that he is scientific advisor to UNIT (when he regenerated that all became a bit gauche) and instead now mentions that he is High President of the Time Lords. The Doctor ponders on the nature of the Time Destructor and how these things have a nasty habit of coming back to haunt him.

Bobby on the Beat: It’s bizarre that we’ve heard nothing about this obsession of Ann’s about solving the riddle of the Sinestran’s for the last couple of adventures but now it seems to be top priority. As a police woman I guess it’s in character for her to not like unresolved mysteries but I general feeling has been that she has moved on. She does find it difficult to take investigation tips from a man who spent most of the previous day trying to find a hat he was already wearing.

Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I’ve always appreciated enthusiasm, especially in death. There’s all too much apathy in the universe these days.’
‘Gallifrey? I hear its nice this time of year.’

Great Ideas: A chronon is a particle of time smaller than a Sunday afternoon but bigger than a single beautiful moment when a cup of lapsang souchon is at the perfect temperature for drinking. The Varga plants are one of the nastier extremes that Doctor Who has gone to in the name of horror and it pleases me no end that they sprung from the first Doctor’s era…but then didn’t everything worthwhile in Doctor Who? In their schemes to rule the universe the Daleks did transport Varga plants to other worlds. There’s one overwhelming piece of evidence that suggests that the Daleks aren’t here and that is that they are still alive. Kembel was perfectly place as a secure location for the clinic. It is set in grounds retro landscaped from the original fauna.

Audio Landscape: I loved the sound of the TARDIS tearing through the screaming vortex. When the Varga invades your mind, so do the screams.

Isn’t it Odd: Tom Baker’s time on Doctor Who was so lacking in continuity and so rich in original content that it feels an anathema to have the Great Man himself reeling off a plot synopsis on The Daleks’ Masterplan.

Standout Scene: The cliff-hanger is a terrific moment because comes completely out of left field despite the pointers that have been raised to suggest we are in some kind of prequel to The Daleks’ Masterplan. I love the reveal of Mavic Chen’s presence even more because the title seems to be playing with our expectations after the reveal. It’s a crafty twist, the sort that promises great things.

Result: What you have here is the perfectly measured pace of the opening two instalments of a four-part Doctor Who story, which due to it being spread across two releases and being given its own title I am reviewing as an entity in its own right. After spending 15 minutes looking for a story, the story suddenly snaps into focus when the Varga plants are brought out of retirement to terrify and cause of a stir of foreboding. It’s a story where Ann Kelso is being written as a positive force in the story, very active in the narrative and bantering with the Doctor instead of trying to shoot him down all the time. This is precisely how she should have been written and played from the start. I still don’t think she’s especially memorable but I certainly have no objections to her presence this time around. The scenes between Tom Baker and John Shrapnel are great but then they are both playing madmen of one kind or another. It’s no wonder they get on. Guy Adams is very good at setting up his stories and producing something a little different in doing so and The False Guardian is a slippery thing, never quite conforming to what you think it should be. For a fourth Doctor story on audio that is something of a minor miracle. There’s an element of disquiet about this story, I always felt as though I was waiting for something truly catastrophic to break. There are two cliff-hangers that rely on your knowledge of continuity and the first one has more impact than the second, but they both pivot the story in new directions. I’m apprehensive about how this is going to end because his Sutekh two parter dive bombed in the second half, but at the halfway point this is an enjoyable, if slight set up with a palpable atmosphere: 7/10

The Enchantress of Numbers written by Simon Barnard & Paul Morris and directed by Nicholas Briggs

What’s it About: The TARDIS lands in the grounds of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire, in 1850. Mistaken for a medic and his maid, the Doctor and Ann are brought to meet Ada Lovelace - the mother of computing and daughter of Lord Byron - who has recently fallen ill. But the travellers are not here by chance. Something odd is happening on Earth, and they’ve determined that this place is the centre of it. Strange figures are walking the land. Strange figures wearing bird-like masks. What do they want with Ada? And how will it change the future of humanity?

Teeth and Curls: Never let it be said that the TARDIS isn’t at least 50% more reliable than a coach. I like the idea of the Doctor and Ann being on a mission from the get-go. These 4DAs often seem to rambled on without a sense of purpose and it kicks off this story with a feeling of drive. The Doctor is beguiled by the Countess on her reputation alone. He designed a labyrinth once by mistake, it was just a doodle really. He was mistaken for a God because of it and he was suddenly, inadvertently responsible for a great legend. Or maybe he’s joking about that. Tom Baker is never better than when he has a moral crusade to deliver and his insistence in the final episode that human history is not meddled with sees him deliver some of his best work for ages.

Bobby on the Beat: Ann is curiously muted in the first episode of this story, even piping up at one point to point out who she is and if anyone cares. The Doctor usually introduces his companions so it’s a bit of an oversight. Maybe he had forgotten she was there as well. Ann’s pretty unlikable, throwing her weight around I a house where she is a guest and accusing the Countess of untoward behaviour. You aren’t an officer of the law here, love, so start treating people with a bit more respect. She never leaves home without her sandwiches, whistle and torch. She doesn’t drink wine with breakfast.

Sparkling Dialogue: ‘You may be a great inventor but you’re a lousy businessman!’
'Alls fair in love and block transfer wars.’

Great Ideas: Poetic science is the science of a civilised society. Byron’s virus spreads and replicates and infects and kills. Ada Lovelace will write the worlds first piece of computer code and her genius goes unacknowledged for almost a century. A virus that has travelled from the future and can change history, the computer age may start decades before its time. If it works all computer language in the future will be based on her code. It would mean humanity with machines at the helm. The first time I sat up and paid attention was the mention of block transfer computations. But when I thought about it for a second this is a Doctor Who story involving mathematics as a key factor. That’s probably the most predictable route you could have gone down. It does at least explain the magic that seems to be occurring elsewhere in the story. When you can play about with the building blocks of the universe, disappearing buildings are the least you can achieve. A temporal expedionary force sent by humanity to cure the machines virus.

Musical Cues: The music seems to be suggesting that this is some sort of jolly knockabout comedy set in the past but if that is the case then neither the actors nor the director have been to the same tone meeting because it’s played far more seriously than that.

Standout Scene: There’s a moment where the story treads on Inception’s toes and the landscape starts folding up. I would have loved more of that.

Result: This is the oddest of stories, one which I initially had an allergic reaction to (episode one) but then someone in second episode everything clicks into place and suddenly makes and the whole piece is singing. There’s much to commend about the story, especially the writer’s choice of Ada Lovelace to centre this story on. She is a woman of no real historical importance but it is clear that she was an extremely important mathematician at the time and someone who could have changed the course of human history if her contributions to science had been recognised at the time. A woman of repute and ability that Finty Williams brings to life with some aplomb. I felt there was a lack of energy and wit in the first half of the story, the production seemingly suggesting this was a knockabout comedy but everybody, even Tom Baker, playing their roles as though they are taking part in a sombre drama. We’re three stories into Ann Kelso’s season and I’m deeply unenthusiastic about her so far. Between Jane Slavin’s detached performance and some desperately unattractive writing (her default setting is either to have a moan or to be bossy), I’m not feeling the love for this character. The extras insist on telling me that Slavin has worked with Baker on and off for years and they have a fine rapport…well it’s a shame that none of that spills over into the audios. Like I said though the last episode bucks its ideas up considerably and suddenly witty lines are being delivered with aplomb, the pace is intense and the story has taken on a whole new dimension when the entire timeline of human history is at risk by a maths programme from the future. A story written by Barnard and Morris, directed by Nick Briggs and starring Tom Baker should be the crème de la crème of the 4DAs. This isn’t that, but it is above average, intelligent and eventually an engaging piece. Any story where a ghostly Lord Byron makes an appearance has got to be worth a listen: 7/10

Planet of the Drashigs written by Phil Mulryne and directed by Nicholas Briggs

What’s it About: When the TARDIS lands on an alien planet, the Doctor’s intentions to show Ann Kelso an advanced future society are thrown into disarray. Because they have arrived on DrashigWorld - a park where every known species of the terrifying predators has been gathered together to entertain and thrill the public. The familiar wetland Drashigs, the albino burrowing Drashigs of the desert, and deadliest of all, the tiny Emerald Drashigs of the rain forests. And it’s not the best day to have arrived. The park has been shut down due to a visitor fatality. A Galactic Attractions inspector is on site meaning everyone is extremely tense and under pressure. It’s exactly the right circumstances in which someone might make a mistake. And on Drashigworld, mistakes are deadly.

Teeth and Curls: This is the sort of race against time material that doesn’t allow Tom Baker to overindulge in quirkiness and forces him to drive home the severity of the danger. There’s a forcefulness to his performance in the second episode that could be taken for granted but when it’s Baker telling you things are deadly dangerous, you really pay attention. He might have tinkered about with K.9’s original spec and made a few improvements but he doesn’t like to boast. Does the TARDIS often deposit him in some mystery destination? Of course it does! That’s part of the fun! If you are going to have a companion quite this grumpy then you need to make it much funnier than this otherwise it would appear that the most irreverent of Doctors is choosing to lumber himself with an old sourpuss for no particular reason. Why would you do that? To put a constant damper on your day? Is this the only story where the Doctor admits that he is extremely tasty. This Doctor always was complimentary about human beings and so his speech at the climax about controlling instincts and being the best you can be really strikes a note. His solution is clever and humane, allowing the Drashigs to claim the world they were exploit on as their own to thrive.

Bobby on the Beat: She’s a bit grumpy, isn’t she? I can’t help but make comparisons with previous companions but I do recall Hex, Erimem and Evelyn all finding their first trip in the TARDIS quite a jolly one and that they were all very excited about where they were going to end up. Ann Kelso in comparison has a bit of a moan that they are hovering in space and like a petulant child asks why they haven’t arrived anywhere yet. The Doctor asks if she is always this pernickety because the first thing she does when she sees where they have arrived is to moan about how damp it looks. Just because you’re a police officer it doesn’t mean that you have to have a downer on the universe. I suppose travel with Ann Kelso will prepare him for his adventures with Romana I, Tegan and Peri. She asks a lot of questions but she does have a good excuse, she is a police officer.

Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Your park, Lord Braye, is complete insane!’
‘Bad idea? It’s up there with those Trojans who thought a great big wooden horse would be just the thing for the towns square!’
‘Does a Drashig have a conscience?’

Great Ideas: Big Finish have plundered so much of Doctor Who’s past in the past 15 years that we are getting to a point where no classic Doctor Who story has gone untouched. I understand the draw of nostalgia (that is after all why we watch our old DVDs over and over again) and their ability to tap into the style and tone of certain eras of Doctor Who has been transferred into a very lucrative business for the company. When it comes to something like the Drashigs I find my self in two minds about their inclusion. They are without a doubt the best feature of a brilliant Doctor Who story and in a time when wobbly dinosaurs and CSO maggots were the order of day they were a technical triumph. Not only that they were used creatively by both writer Robert Holmes and director Barry Letts in Carnival of Monsters and for once the Doctor Who disaster that bigger is better (I say disaster because of the Skarasen, the Myrka, the Creature from the Pit) works a treat. However, on audio you are losing their stunning visual impact and have only an animal roar to represent them. That’s not to say they couldn’t be used creatively on audio too, just that you are having to use your imagination to do most of the work. Like the Angels, how effective is it to feature a visually impactful monster in an aural medium? The Doctor and Ann stumbling on a landscape littered with skeletons, not a complete one among them, might encourage them to hop back to the TARDIS lickety split. The Drashigs tend to hunt in packs and dine together. What a social species. You can admire that in them whilst they are eating you alive. It’s the finest collection of Drashigs in the universe, every species brought together for the first time. Safety is paramount, every visitor has a personal energy shield and there are teleport pads at every corner.

Audio Landscape: The roar of the Drashigs is as terrifying as ever. At least they do have a great audio hook. Ambient planetary sounds that are suddenly punctuated by a screeching roar. I’m surprise more suspense wasn’t generated given the advantage this story has.

Isn’t it Odd: The cliffhanger was always going to be the Doctor and co being menaced by Drashigs. I was rather hoping that the writer would shy away from anything that obvious and go for a plot twist instead. Perhaps something about one of the guest characters abusing the creatures or experimenting on them. Something like that. Instead of ‘ROOOOAAAARRRRRRRR!’ ‘RUNNNNNNNNN!’ On audio that’s terribly unsatisfying. An intellectual approach to the pause in action would have been preferable. As soon as Vanessa was devouring her dinner in the first episode it was clear that some obvious link between her and the Drashigs was being made. It’s the sort of signposted plot twist that the TV series was keen to point out in the 70s (But Sarah Jane doesn’t like ginger pop…?).

Standout Scene: How does John Leeson manage to make K.9 such a sympathetic figure? When the Time Lord and his human companion are in danger I couldn’t really give two figs but when his metal dog is powering down after saving their asses I was sticking out my bottom lip in sympathy.

Result: Fun, with a big goofy premise. Let’s get this out of the way first: this is no Carnival of Monsters. Anybody expecting something as subversive, as original as clever and as witty as that hasn’t been paying attention to the 4DAs properly. This is Doctor Who’s Jurassic Park with Drashigs, a tourist attraction that has turned deadly. Pleasingly, Mulryne chooses to add some detail to the species by creating some sub species and having one of the characters talk about of their different abilities like the David Attenborough of outer space. Robert Holmes would have had them running amok when the park was open and munching their way through the visitors. He always had a dash of mischief about him. Instead Mulryne assembles a small group of characters and has them menaced by the slavering beasts. Where this has a huge advantage over The Sinetran Kill is its energy and pace, the built-in danger of its grisly foes and an impressive guest cast who elevate the material considerably. This is a two-part story that I wouldn’t mind giving some extra time to. Having one character have an affinity with the Drashigs is a brilliant because it manages to give the creatures a voice and it allows us to sympathise with the most fearsome of Doctor Who monsters. That’s not something I thought I would be able to write about this tale. Planet of the Drashigs could have been a much more substantial four-part adventure with more time to indulge the (interesting) guest characters and more of a chance to study the Drashigs. Even so, it manages to entertain and surprise and skips by at a fair lick. It’s certainly one of the more enjoyable of run-around 4DAs. I’m still not sure about Ann Kelso though. She’s practical in a fix but I was getting an early Tegan vibe from her, always grumbling rather than enjoying her adventures: 7/10

The Sinestran Kill written by Andrew Smith and directed by Nicholas Briggs

What’s it About: When the Doctor decides to trace an anomalous energy signature on twentieth century Earth, he stumbles into an assassination attempt. Gangland thugs are trying to murder a seemingly innocent shopkeeper, and it’s only the intervention of the Doctor and Ann Kelso – a WPC who happens to be on the scene – that prevents a tragedy. But why do the gangsters want the shopkeeper dead? And what does this have to do with alien technology? The first stages of a grand conspiracy are about to be revealed. And finding the answers will take Ann Kelso on a journey like no other.

Teeth and Curls: ‘I just stopped by to tell you that whatever you’re planning, I’m going to stop you…’ I’m surprised it has taken Big Finish this long to team up the Doctor with an entirely original companion for a series of adventures. With the sixth Doctor it was instantaneous with sparkling results. It’s very unlike Tom Baker’s tenure to be behind on the times. Whilst I applaud using Louise Jameson, Lalla Ward and Mary Tamm (wonderful actresses all), part of the fun of the audio universe is exploring the what if nature of paths not taken by the TV series. Given how ruthlessly this range has stuck to nostalgia over innovation, perhaps it isn’t altogether surprising. What’s also nice is that this season there is a nice spread of unusual names writing across the adventures, now Briggs and Barnes have flogged Tom to death they have moved onto pastures new and handed the nursery to new hands to see what other people can do with the toys. It’s a promising start for what could be the most original series of adventures the fourth Doctor has had on audio yet. We’re used to hearing Tom babble to himself, both on screen on audio so his opening scene is hardly a surprise. The Doctor is quick to assess a scene of almost murder and to stick his oar in unapologetically. Described as extra-terrestrial, possibly extra temporal. Tom Baker still has a very odd way of exclaiming his dialogue. Listen to how he shouts ‘Run!’ in episode two. It sounds like a man who is enjoying showing off rather than a man trying to add drama to a scene.

Bobby on the Beat: A cynical hard-nosed female police officer is quite a novel idea for a companion of the fourth Doctor. She has one of the most nonchalant reactions to walking into the TARDIS, whilst still being fairly shell shocked. I’m not sure if it was the way that Jane Slavin mutedly played the moment but it didn’t feel as momentous as it always should. She doesn’t know about UNIT or aliens but her boss does so she questions if she is the only person who doesn’t know. Someone she has known for over two years turns out to be a shape-shifting alien. She wonders why she isn’t more surprised about that. To be honest, so was I. practical and open-minded Ann Kelso might be, but I still think this is the sort of revelation that would generate shock. It’s hardly the sort of disclosure that is commonplace. And to be honest the story could do with that kind of human interest. By shrugging off each twist, so do we. This is supposed to be the audience identification figure after all.

Great Ideas: The Sinestrans are criminals of the worst kind and totally ruthless. They earned their reputation through murder and extortion. They have a particular modus operandi, using empaths to take control of others who commit their crimes for them.

Audio Landscape: Have Big Finish been through the entire spectrum of modulated voices now? The Sinestran are one of the more obscured and irritating of attempts. It’s pretty unpleasant to listen to.

Isn’t it Odd: Perhaps it would have been more fun had the Doctor assumed alien involvement and made an ass out of himself suggesting the criminals were masked extra-terrestrials when in fact they genuinely were just a criminal gang? The pincers on the cover rather blow any chance of surprise in that department. I think a story without an alien threat might have been rather novel. Maybe it’s just the way these fourth Doctor Adventures are paced but it feels as though there is relatively little time to experience the story. Before the end of the first episode the Doctor is dishing out exposition about the Sinestrans because we need to understand ho they operate so the finale can kick in. But there is no attempt to allow us to experience their (admittedly terrifying) modus operandi. We’re just told everything about them in one great lump so the story can progress. It’s a very unsatisfying way for the story to unfold. Did you get a feeling of danger surrounding the Sinestrans? Because the Doctor is teamed up with the police (both of whom take everything in their stride) you don’t have anybody reacting to the threat in a way that generates fear. Imagine if Barbara has wandered through the Dalek City in a ‘seen all this before’ sort of way? Somebody here needs to be afraid. There’s a suggestion that this isn’t the last we’ve heard of the plan that the Sinestrans were part of. It doesn’t fill me with confidence for the upcoming season.

Standout Scene: Am I supposed to be surprised that the Doctor picks up a gun and shoots somebody at the cliff-hanger? Remember him straddling the D-Mat gun in Invasion of Time? Did I think he had genuinely murdered somebody? Not for an instant, and I wasn’t wrong.

Result: What’s the oddest genre that you could shove the fourth Doctor into? This is a man who strode through gothic horrors, universe spanning tragedies, comic capers and frightful murder mysteries. And yet he never touched upon the world of contemporary crime, crossing paths with the police and aiding their investigations. Tom is such a big character it is odd to have him stomping, bold as brass, through what initially appears to be a criminal investigation is a bit of an anomaly. There’s nothing colourful or crazy for him to latch onto and so he seems a little out of sync with the straight story being told. I was quite surprised by the lack of occasion in The Sinestran Kill. It’s the introduction of the fourth Doctor’s first original companion, I would have thought all the stops would have been pulled out to make this story as special as possible but this is a pretty humdrum adventure with relatively little incident, spectacle or wit. There’s very little about how Tom and Jane play their characters that makes me think that they belong together as Doctor and companion. Remember when Sixie and Evelyn met? Or the fifth Doctor and Erimem? Eight and Charley? There was that instant spark, that exciting feeling that there were arresting possibilities. It’s early days and they might develop a fine rapport but there was nothing that made me sit up and pay attention and long for more material with this pair in their debut. I enjoyed Frank Skinner’s DCI Neilson much more and it might have been a more innovative approach to have had an all-male TARDIS team. It’s a beat for beat standard 45-minute Doctor Who story. Mystery introduced, (unimpressive) banter between the Doctor and his companion, exposition, cliff-hanger, a dash of action and a climax. None of it is necessarily bad but it’s desperately uninspiring. A splash of colour in the dialogue, an unexpected twist, memorable characters, a bit more zip and pace in the production. All these things are missing. Andrew Smith has produced some clever, exciting scripts but this isn’t one of them and with John Dorney as script editor I’m surprised that they opened the season with something as ordinary as this. Nick Briggs is one of Big Finish’s most reliable directors and I’m surprised he has delivered something as unpolished as The Sinestran Kill. I’ve heard much, much better. Thank goodness this has been released as part of a set, as a standalone story it would be unforgivably unmemorable: 3/10

Resolution written by Chris Chibnall and directed by Wayne Yip

This story in a nutshell: EXTERMINATE! And for once, it actually does! 

Oh Brilliant: Precisely the sort of story that a lot of people needed to see from Jodie Whittaker, one where she gets to confront an old foe and bare all of her teeth when doing so. The most surprising thing that could be done with the least confrontational of Doctors is to force her into a situation where she is panicked, angry and intense. Whilst there is still that element of domestic about 13 in this story (protecting her ‘fam’ is what she is about), this the first female Doctor at her most desperate and improvisational. The Doctor taking her family to a cosmic fireworks display is a great opening for the team, spectacular and emotional and really drawing on the fact that they have been travelling together for some time and are drinking in each other’s company. For a story that puts three of the four major players through the wringer it is lovely to see them all smiling in awe as they are introduced. It’s a shame she had to lose the coat and scarf so early. Despite aping Tom Baker a wee bit, it was a look that really suited her. Awkwardly the Doctor has no time for Ryan’s dad and tells him in the most succinct way possible that he isn’t a great father. I wouldn’t suggest she takes up the role of counsellor. Notice how all the Doctor’s quirks drop as soon as she realises that the Daleks are involved. She wastes no time in informing her friends of the deadly danger that they are facing. Hearing her say the sort of dialogue that we are used to hearing from Eccleston and Tennant (‘It’s going to kill anyone who gets in it’s path and it’s not going to stop until it’s taken control of this planet!’) does not detract from its power. I bloody loved the invasive way the Doctor took the fight to the Dalek, tapping straight into Lin’s conscience and spitting out threats. It’s the most no-nonsense she’s ever been and it really made me sit up. Especially when she makes the contact tangible and asks the Dalek to laugh to her face. Just like The Witchfinders, there is something genuinely fresh when the Doctor’s opponent is female – the woman/woman rivalry has a real frisson about it. The whole sequence where the Doctor first confronts the Dalek is just magic. We’ve been waiting for 40 minutes for it and it doesn’t disappoint. She lays down the gauntlet by saying if the Daleks wants the planet then it has to come through her. 

Graham: There’s an unspoken rivalry between Graham and Aaron, in which Graham has the authority because he was the one who stood by Ryan whilst his dad let him down again and again. He’s the one who has had to pick up the pieces. For a grouchy old bus driver from Sheffield, Graham is a very wise bloke and he reminds Aaron family isn’t about who you are but what you do. It’s so bizarre that we lost Grace so early on because by continuing to get close to the people she left behind she’s become one of the most defined characters in the new series. Walsh plays the scene where he comforts Aaron beautifully, Graham offering him that wonderful gift of showing him all the things that Grace kept and hope for the future. 

Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I need you to see just how serious my face is right now.’
‘Me and a Dalek. It’s personal.’
‘What d’you call this look? Junkyard chic?’

 

The Good: It’s not the first time that Chibnall has gone for a huge beginning that feels like the beginning of epic novel. Remember at the start of Dinosaurs of a Spaceship where he gathered up all of those famous historical figures and brought them all to the same place as the Doctor. Well Resolution does something a little similar but on a much bigger scale, with some awesome action set pieces, phenomenal direction and a genuine sense that he is going for movie style storytelling. It’s almost a shame that the story has to centre so much around Sheffield after such an impressive, dynamic, globe trotting opening. This is Chibnall writing in huge broad strokes like the best of Davies and Moffat, but very unlike the much subtler approach of series 11. Frankly the return of the Daleks to the series deserves a prelude this huge. I’m one of those people that was wowed by Segun Akinola’s scores for the previous season and I found his calmer, more atmospheric approach a refreshing approach after 10 seasons of (admittedly excellent for the most part) explosive wallpaper from Murray Gold. His work in Resolution abandons his understated style from series 11 and instead he goes for something hugely energetic, percussive and in your face. It’s a startling score and it truly got me involved in the action in a very immersive way. There are only two Doctor Who scores previously that I can remember owing quite this much to rock; Mawdryn Undead and Enemy of the Daleks but this trumps both of them for style and effect. There’s nothing particularly outstanding about how the relationship between Lin and Mitch is written (it’s pleasant enough but we’ve seen this sort of coy almost romance in the show countless times now) but it’s played extremely well by both parties and I was immediately invested. Chibnall does the unthinkable to Lin, which makes the desperation of Mitch very plausible. By the end of the episode I was very happy to see them together. They had earnt it. They’re a very cute couple. The scenes of the pieces of the Dalek mutant coming together have a very ominous air about them, long before we ever discover what the ‘artefact’ is. Seeing it writhing around in a sweaty bag is the first of several uncomfortable images that this episode sports. Whilst I still have a slight problem with the pulsating pensises (in a giggle in your hand/I never grew up kind of way), the directors have really adjusted to the new console room at this point and found exciting and visually interesting ways to shoot in there. It has a feeling of safety and home to both the décor and the lighting and I always like it when the TARDIS feels that way. It is our sanctuary after all from the horrors of the universe. Lin being menaced in the sewers is back to basics good old-fashioned scare Who, truly highlighting one of the most impressively sized sets the show has ever offered up. There is something so disturbing about the disgusting, pulsating Dalek mutant riding on Lin’s back and taking control of her that the episode takes full advantage of. Possession has long been a Doctor Who staple but I cannot think of many times where it has been played quite this personally or discomfortingly. Charlotte Ritchie really is excellent as the hapless archaeologist, struggling against alien control and surrendering when it applies painful pressure. She makes a tragic victim and an intimidating villain, an impressive mix. ‘Do not struggle or your friends will die at your hands’ is an impossible situation to be put in. It really feels like a violation of everything that it is to be human. Huge kudos to Nicholas Briggs too, who gives his one millionth Doctor Who performance (across television and audio) and somehow manages to create an original and terrifying new take on the Daleks. It’s probably his most satisfying turn yet. It’s a very small thing but I love the fact that Mitch walks into the TARDIS and it immediately takes off, cutting through his reaction to the Ship. How awesome is the notion of a Dalek taking a human hostage and having her build a casing from scratch out of materials from Earth? It mirrors the Doctor building the sonic at the beginning of her tenure. The result is a fantastic Dalek creation, outwardly so odd looking and a complete one off but one that is vicious and murders crowds of people on sight. Doctor Who’s ability to make the absurd terrifying continues in a great style. It’s great how the Dalek makes its entrance Terry Nation style, blasting its way into a room with a spectacular explosion. It’s almost like it thinks it is the end of episode one and it’s time to make its mark. For once a Dalek tries to kill the Doctor from the off. I’ve never understood why they stand around with their mortal enemy and chat so much. The way the whole head piece lights up is a great bit of design, making the conversation scenes much more dramatic. A huge round of applause to director Wayne Yip for making the scenes where the Dalek takes on the army so visually exciting because what this is essentially is a handful of soldiers firing on a toy (there’s no operator inside this Dalek). Again, this is aiming for movie like action and it goes a long way to achieving that. I bet this would have looked amazing on the big screen. The rocket launcher bumps are just beyond cool. Sometimes you just want Doctor Who deliver something kick ass and this does that in spades. 

The Domestic: It’s in an episode like Resolution that you have to question whether the soap opera elements of Doctor Who are relevant. The trouble is that there are several moments where the action is slowed down considerably to allow for a heartfelt moment between Ryan and his Dad. Another problem is that some of the episodes best written exchanges are these scenes, and so squeezing them between moments of Dalek action was probably the worst place you could put them (in a position where you want them to end and get back to the exciting stuff). I believe there is definitely an episode out there where dealing with Ryan’s dad could have been the sole focus, like Rose and her dad in Father’s Day and Clyde and his dad in SJAs The Mark of the Beserker. However, it is in Resolution where their reconciliation takes place so let’s discuss the actual material, which is striking and emotional and brings out some of the best performances of Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh to date. I think Chibnall could write this sort of material in his sleep, he has a real feel for grounded domestic drama (some of his best scenes have been the non-SF moments of series 11 – Grace’s funeral, Graham returning to their flat, Ryan’s admission about his Dad in Tsuranga, Graham telling the Doctor that he is going to kill Tim Shaw) and he really lavishes a lot of time and care on the scenes between Ryan and the father that has always disappointed him. Ryan is clearly desperate for his father’s attention and approval, even when he has been so disappointed by him in the past. It feels like a very cathartic moment when he gets to drop his shields and just be honest with him. The dialogue hurts it is so raw. Speaking as somebody who has been in a very similar situation with my own father, this scene resonated very much. Aaron’s speech about making mistakes and running because you’re too ashamed to make it right also rings a lot of bells. Whilst I object to the lulls in the pace, this really is strong emotional material. Turning Aaron into a literal monster at the climax might push the metaphor a bit far but it does provide a reason for Ryan to fight for his dad and for them to reconcile. To be honest without that scene there is very little reason for the two plots to be in the same episode. 

Oh Fandom: I love all the bedwetting a certain section of fandom have suffered over the idea of a gay character, introduced quickly, biting the dust has caused. Get a grip folks. It’s lovely the new series has embraced homosexuality so liberally but with equal rights comes equal deaths. Let’s not forget that Davies killed Jack more times than I care to remember and Moffat didn’t even give the The Fat One and The Other One names before dispatching them. It’s a token scene that serves a plot purpose where the character killed reveals a tiny bit about his life to prevent him from being a total cipher. Get over it. Also, the scene that reveals that UNIT is temporarily suspended with a coy Brexit gag is a gorgeous throwaway scene that almost seems designed to get the fans (you know the sort that declare series 11 so awful that it ‘isn’t Doctor Who’) in a tizzy is marvellous. I never thought Chibnall had it in him to bait hardcore fandom like this. More please. ‘How longs a rel?’ is the first laugh out loud Chibnall line. Before objecting too much about a Dalek being (almost) brought down by a microwave oven please remember that this is the same species that was defeated by a robot Frankenstein, disappointment (the one that self-destructs in a huff in Death to the Daleks), a bit of rubble (Genesis), despair (the one that self-destructs in Remembrance) and Donna twiddling a few knobs. Daleks are much more effective at making an appearance than they are at being defeated, and at least there is some effort on the creature’s part to struggle on.

The Shallow Bit: Nikesh Patel is an absolutely beautiful man. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.

Result: ‘Here’s my New Year’s resolution…I’m coming for you, Dalek!’ A truly impressive job of bringing back the Daleks for one of their most satisfying turns in the new series, Resolution had me on the edge of my seat on my first watch and it still grips me despite watching it several times now. Chibnall ditches his touchy feely approach to Doctor Who and goes for a dynamic, epic, emotive and exciting seasonal special with plenty of chilling scenes and riveting action. If anybody though that series 11 was too placid this is the shot of adrenalin that they needed. Everything is ratcheted up to 11; the direction is forceful, pacy and unashamedly exhilarating, the music the most in your face since the show returned in 2005, the performances of the regular cast match the severity of the threat and the Dalek itself is a brilliant makeshift design that looks absurd and murders without apology. Chibnall’s approach, bringing the Dalek together piece by piece, is inspired and in doing so he achieves the impossible: he delivers a totally original Dalek tale. That’s something I thought would be impossible at this ancient stage in the show’s history. The idea of the Recon scout Dalek, the first to reach Earth and the first to leave Skaro buried on the planet since the 9th Century and slowly bringing itself together and building a new casing is a terrific innovation. The first Moffat era Dalek story had a similarly innovative approach, except this is about ten million million times better. It’s funny because what this episode builds up to – a Dalek in its casing threatening to kill – is where a Moffat Dalek story would begin but by deferring its completion it adds so much suspense to the story. It’s a huge cast but everybody gets something to do (except Yaz, she’s just sort of there) and it’s another terrific showcase for Whittaker’s Doctor who has some seminal moments with the Dalek. Does Resolution need the domestic scenes wedged into its running time? Would it have worked as one 45-minute kick ass Dalek tale? Probably, and whilst the extended scene with Ryan in the café irritatingly kills the pace for five minutes, I cannot deny that this material is genuinely well written so I won’t be too harsh. It’s more than made up for by some unforgettable set pieces and moments where the series aspires to reach movie level production value. I love the fact that the first series of 13th Doctor adventures was so subtle for the most part that you might think that the show had gone soft with its first female Doctor and at it’s climax it delivers possibly the punchiest episode of the new series yet. It’s almost enough to make you think that Chibnall lulled his viewership into a false sense of security just to make his impact on New Years Day. Whatever the reason, this was the rarest of Doctor Who’s: one that gave me real chills: 9/10

The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos written by Chris Chibnall and directed by Jamie Childs

This Story in a Nutshell: Tim Shaw returns and Graham has murder in mind… 

Oh Brilliant: What a learning curve Whittaker has been on this year, taking on a role that nobody in a million years would have expected to (even her probably), bravely turning a bind eye to the critics and throwing herself into the part and doing it her own way. Despite the venomous backlash from a certain section of Doctor Who fandom (you know those who think that if it isn’t done their way, it’s not Doctor Who), Whittaker has shined and here at the end of the season she saunters out on a high; confident, charismatic and completely in control of the series. There is still the occasional attempt for Chibnall to make her whacky which feels forced, but overall she acquits herself beautifully here, often lifting some pretty standard material. She’s become adept at tackling technobabble (check out her first scene) and handles herself brilliantly when she steps from the TARDIS and is presented with a gun pointed at her. This is the only story where the Doctor gets to lift an entire planet up. She admits that her rules change all the time, that she has a flawed sense of morality. The last time the Doctor walked into danger with a bomb strapped to his/her back was Revenge of the Cybermen. Whittaker pulls it off as well as Tom Baker because she seems like she genuinely doesn’t care if it goes off if she doesn’t get the answers she wants. She’s sneery in the face of Tim Shaw and his plans for Godhood, just as the Doctor should be with anyone who gets ideas above their station. When the Doctor barks at Tim Shaw that he breaking every law in the universe, it’s Whittaker who is making the climax count for something. Her intensity suggests that something very serious is happening. The Doctor’s love of the TARDIS shines through at the conclusion. I’m not sure about its nickname as the Ghost Monument though. 

Graham: Graham gets one of the most powerful moments of the year when he openly admits to the Doctor that if he gets the chance he will kill Tim Shaw. I love his complete lack of ambiguity. This is how it is and I won’t change my mind. And I believed him too. It’s a charged moment between him and the Doctor because he truly stands up to her at this point, and she is as clear with him that if he goes ahead with this then she will be taking him home. I could do with more moments like this between the TARDIS crew because it really made me sit up and pay attention. Ultimately, he isn’t a warrior and he only blasts Tim Shaw in the foot, which is right for the character (especially since I want him to stick around). And ultimately Grace wouldn’t have wanted her death to turn him into a murderer.

Ryan: It’s a shame that they are interrupted by Sniperbots because the conversation between Ryan and Graham about the finer points of revenge and whether it is worth was very nicely written. It feels like it is difficult to give all three companions enough character threads and allow an episode to breathe and so each week somebody takes a backseat (often Yaz). Because of their shared connection, Ryan and Graham enjoy a number of scenes where they discuss Grace. I’d like to feel a deeper connection between them than I do at the moment, an episode where one of the other genuinely feels like they are going to lose the other wouldn’t come amiss. Ryan saying that he loves Graham, but not being able to look him in the eye doesn’t really cut it. 

Yaz: Was she there?

Sparkling Dialogue: ‘The more we learn, the less we realise we know…’ I’m starting to feel that way myself as I head towards my 40s.
‘Universe, provide for me. I’m working really hard to keep you together right now.’
‘None of know for sure what’s out there. That’s why we keep looking. Keep your faith, Travel hopefully. The universe’ll surprise you…constantly.’

Dreadful Dialogue: ‘I still remember how to take down robots, luckily for you!’ This is part of Chibnall’s problem. He writes the sort of dialogue that other people write when they are spoofing back science fiction, but for real. This kind of macho bollocks belongs in an Eric Saward script. 

The Good: Am I the only who still gets a twinge when the TARDIS lands in an atmospheric location such as a crashed spaceship? The promise of danger and excitement when they step out of the doors. Mark Addy is a character actor I have admired for many years and I’ve seen him handle drama (Game of Thrones) and comedy (The Thin Blue Line, Trollied) with equal skill. How lovely to see him finally turn up in Doctor Who. It’s not the most memorable role in the world but he acquits himself beautifully. At first he feels genuine threat but very quickly he feels part of the gang. The early scenes on the spaceship have a dark, oppressive feel to them which is mostly down to the lighting, stunning sets and direction. I’m torn about the return of Tim Shaw. Was he a villain who deserved a return visit? Probably not given that beyond his design he didn’t really stand out from the other despots that the Doctor has encountered. And yet his return feels like the series is generating a little continuity (something I confess I would like to see happening a little more), he’s treated as a serious threat with a big bold ridiculous plan (in true Doctor Who style) and his appearance prompts one of the best scenes of the season (Graham confessing that he will kill him when he sees him). The last time the crew took on this character they lost somebody important with ramifications that have bled through the season. By bringing him back it feels there is a chance that not everybody will make it out of this alive, a feeling I haven’t had since the RTD era. The edifice looming through the mist is a powerful image. It’s not just the fact that entire worlds are being held in stasis as tiny globes that brings back fond memories of The Pirate Planet, but that the Earth is the target of danger at the eleventh hour. At least this episode has a solid reason for it being the Earth rather than simply capitulating to the fact that that is one of the tropes of the show. Whilst the technobabble flew straight over my head, the pyrotechnics at the climax were very impressive. Flashing eyes, planets bursting into life, an exploding TARDIS, slow motion running. Even if I can’t be sure that something ground-breaking is going on, it at least looks as if something is. I’m not endorsing that approach to storytelling at all but you can’t blame a director for trying. Just a thought – those stasis crystals really look like the Key to Time segments. 

The Bad: When the opening scenes are reminiscent of Planet of Fire (two quasi-religious figures on a journey across a rocky plain spouting mumbo jumbo) I begin to worry. It’s exactly the approach to Doctor Who that RTD tried to avoid, characters from planet Zog gathering on a planet that nobody can get their tongue around talking about things that don’t mean anything to the audience at large. It’s science fiction of the Star Trek and Stargate variety, not at all the sort of thing that Doctor Who usually touches. Or if it does it usually does it with much more of a sense of humour to make it palatable and with the sort of stereotypes you can warm to. This is science fiction that is pitched at 15-year-old nerds, so deadly serious and without irony. The Sniperbots shooting each other down as Graham and Ryan duck is beyond hackneyed, but to be fair to Chibnall it is exactly what Moffat did with the Daleks is Day of the Doctor and that seemed to get by without comment. How nice of Tim Shaw to keep talking even after the Doctor has run away to stop his plans. It’s always helpful when a villain stands in an empty room and reveals plot points. Much like The Pirate Planet, I have absolutely no clue what happens at the climax. Unlike The Pirate Planet, it isn’t delivered to me in a way that makes me think something inexplicably clever has happened. Essentially it’s Aux + TARDIS + Stenza tech = everything is fine. What it needs is a sacrifice, to make the drama hurt. Instead everybody walks away scot free (even Tim Shaw) and so it all feels a little too tidy. 

Result: With the epic New Years Day special on the horizon and no series for another year, can this really be treated as the season finale? As a finale it is a bit of a flop, even though it does pick up elements from the season and try and do something dramatic with them. Despite the fact the fate of several worlds hang in the balance, the stakes don’t feel high enough, the situation isn’t desperate enough and ultimately the episode doesn’t lead to any startling revelations or great drama. However, as a regular episode of Doctor Who it is perfectly serviceable. With its head definitely in science fiction and jettisoning a lot of things that usually make the series palatable (humour in particular), The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos (who the fuck thought that title passed muster?) presents an intriguing mystery, some fine visuals, lovely character beats and an explosive conclusion. Had this been placed where Tsuranga was I think it would have been greeted much more favourably. However, we have become accustomed to massive revelations in our finales such as the Doctor’s regeneration, Rose’s alternative universe prison, Donna’s ‘death’, the reveal of the War Doctor and as such a perfectly functional episode of Doctor Who simply fails to cut the mustard. Those who declare this as the worst finale ever must have erased Hell Bent from their memories. I really enjoyed the doomy feeling that infused the episode. In a superbly made season this is an episode that leans heavily on atmosphere and everybody that is involved in making this piece as despairing as possible deserves a round of applause. Tim Shaw is brought back with some fanfare and his scheme is certainly audacious but how he is defeated is a little hard to swallow. Let’s just shoot all supervillains in the foot from now one and shove them in stasis. It’s Whittaker that impressed me the most; passionate, commanding and leading the way all the way through. Her little diatribe at the climax is lovely, very Hartnell-esque (‘our destiny is in the stars’). Chibnall is the weakest writer of his debut year, there’s no doubt about that. He also hasn’t really dropped the ball or produced anything truly spectacular. This is the superior end of his middling efforts, just edging towards being really rather good. With a little more focus on personal drama and a little less focus on pious science fiction and this might have been spectacular. As it is it serves as a reasonable but never truly outstanding climax to a year of Doctor Who that completely restructured the feel of the show. Whether you have enjoyed it or not is entirely down to personal taste. Ratings wise it seems to have gone down rather well, amongst fans there is a vocal majority who seem to get a sexual thrill out of tearing it down. For me? I’ve watched the run from Punjab to It Takes You Away five times since it has been aired, something I very rarely did with any of the Moffat seasons. Series 11 has problems, but it’s also doing far more things right than some people care to admit. I’m calling it a moderate success that needs to be fine tweaked and built on, with a curious but lacklustre finale: 6/10