Big Finish Box Set
The Trial of a Time Machine by Andy Lane
This story starts with a rather intriguing premise that time machines are sentient and responsible for where they land on a planet. So the TARDIS lands in a spot where another time machine is supposed to land, scattering the remnants and passengers across time. So Chris and Roz investigate the largest part of the crime scene, a millennia in the future, while the Doctor defends the TARDIS at the trial on Thrantas, in present day. The parts of the whole come back together with a bit of a “bang,” forcing the citizens of Thrantas to start over with their concept of a criminal justice system. The Doctor suggests that Chris and Roz stay to help set it up but it’s not clear whether they do or not…
Though I enjoyed the premise of this story, I didn’t love the parts. Why are people considering rebelling if this is so perfect a system? It doesn’t seem right as the punishments are extreme and cruel so yes but no? It’s a bit cloudy for me as a listener but perhaps I missed a comment or a moment in the story that would’ve made it clear.
Vanguard by Steve Jordan
The story begins with survivors of a war between two people, where robots still stalk the land to weed out the survivors and destroy them. One side has one, rather opportunistic survivor and the other a group of teenaged survivors who are rather narrow-minded in their understanding of life. So the ultimate agreement is forced on the two sides by the TARDIS team – Roz is definitely the hero of the hour in this story! It’s a tale of two tribes who almost wipe each other out in a war with nanobot technology before they can even agree to an ending to the terror. It’s good but a bit hard on Chris, ultimately.
The Jabari Countdown by Alan Flanagan
The personalities in this story got to be a little annoying at times but people start dying and there’s a mysterios Jabari “haunting” the house where everything is happening. So the Doctor, Chris, and Roz wander about while the Doctor gets to the bottom of everything. Mathematicians can fight the Jabari as their language is mathematical and they infect their victims, to take them over. The victims spout numbers in order to help everyone else survive but don’t survive themselves, at least that is the theory. Experience gives him the edge and he figures out what’s really going on, which is no real surprise. It was a fun but odd and dangerous tale, with a monster stalking everyone in the house!
The Dread of Night by Tim Foley
This is the best story of the bunch as it’s very intense and lives up to the title. There is a mysterious presence, Sandy, with claws and wings, wandering the hallways. Annabel is the key to this mystery. People are dying Nurse Hooley seems to be the best suspect, or is she? The ultimate villain isn’t revealed until close to the end of the story. And it’s a very good mystery and scary, right up to the end. There is a particularly chilling scene with Roz, as Sandy creeps up on her from behind while Chris narrates what’s going on from the balcony outside of the room. The creepy ones done well can be fantastic, as this one is.
Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Yasmin Bannerman (Roz Forrester), Travis Oliver (Chris Cwej), Liz Sutherland-Lim (Maratuk), Vikash Bhai (Sydyck), John Heffernan (Honos), Mina Anwar (Forsetti), Janine Duvitski (Alpha Wheeler), Leonie Schliesing (Zsa Zsa Straus), Franchi Webb (Eleanor Burke), Rupert Young (Binkum Fray), Silas Carson (Arbuckle), Sara Powell (Contessa), Olivia Morris (Green), Connor Calland (Blue), Jacob Dudman (Cannon), Melanie Kilburn (Hooley), Rhian Blundell (Isabel), Elaine Fellows (Annabel), Ellie Darvill (Willis). Other parts played by members of the cast.
Writers: Andy Lane, Steven Jordan, Alan Flanagan, Tim Foley
Director: Scott Handcock
Release: November 2018