Big Finish Main Range
Two halves—black disk, white disk. Can be listened to in any order. Okay overall, though a bit confusing, if you listen to the white disk first, actually. It’s all very circular, the events. President Bailey is killed in on past and the planet is destroyed. President Bailey isn’t killed on another past and the planet’s taken over by the propaganda machine that is the Slithergee. Any way it happens, there’s no future for this planet and its people. Reminds me of Creatures of Beauty, where the Doctor is at both ends of the disaster, circular cause and effect. No matter what happens, the past is affected, as is the future.
In one story, the Doctor says that history can take care of itself. In another, one change and history unravels like a cardigan. This one, black disk. The Doctor’s all confused at first and does a “try to prevent an assassination” moment and in doing so, cause the secretary to be killed, which is as it happened. The biggest question I have about all of this is that the Doctor isn’t aware of or even sensitive to the time paradox that’s created by his own presence. Wouldn’t it be noticeable? Guess that’s my biggest issue, though it just gets boring as the same thing gets explained twice. It’s a great and interesting concept but it just doesn’t really work that well for me. Fascinating conceptually but not amazing overall, so a 3 jelloid adventure. Borderline 4 but eh, not THAT great.
Sylvester McCoy and Bonnie Langford
Writer: Jonathan Morris
Director: G-Russell
Release: July 2003