Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Old Friends by David K Barnes and Roy Gill (CD review).

This new series of three adventures consist of a standalone followed by two linked episodes. Christopher Eccleston returns and slots back in to the role of the Ninth Doctor with consummate ease. There is something so optimistic about his voice that I can believe everything he says. Maybe he should move into advertising.

Fond Farewells by David K Barnes

‘There was a lot of chemistry between you.’

A funeral with a difference-the dead get to attend their own wake. The Doctor received a personal invite some months ago form a man who knew his days were numbered. The deceased, Flynn Beckett (James Doherty), does not recognise him or his personal assistant Sasha Yan (Emily Taaffe) who is distraught by his indifference.

Behind the scenes, the staff including human Winifred Whitby (Juliet Stevenson) and AI assistant Thomas (Charlie Hamblett) are having problems of their own with odd power surges. There are many of Thomas but that means there are more to go wrong.

The Doctor and his temporary assistant Sasha are keen to know why the professor has no apparent knowledge of their previous, quite swashbuckling and nearly fatal adventure. The Doctor recounts it but its obvious this Flynn is not the Errol they knew.

Things proceed to get life threatening as is the case and those spooky AI voices get a little bit spookier. I never quite recovered from ‘Robots Of Death’ and so I’ll be back on the Calms.

Way Of The Burryman by Roy Gill

‘Every planet has a Scotland.’

The annual Burryman attracts lots of tourists but the Doctor has to be educated as what it’s all about. Meanwhile, the retired Brigadier (Jon Culshaw) is on a visit to the secret vault that is doing some top secret experiments. They are being troubled by ghosts. The Brigadier doesn’t believe in those, except in special circumstances. These are very unhappy even if they are providing amazing data for local historian Fiona (Elinor Lawless).

The Doctor is intrigued and, before you know it, there are old times to be reminisced about with the Brig. The relationship is one of respect and love, it is rather touching and for those who’ve been around a while very heart-rending.

The Forth Generation

‘You will be converted.’ Cyberman

‘Not today, thank you.’ Brigadier

The Fourth Generation have emerged and the Doctor is desperate to stop their continued rise and the subjugation of the town and eventually planet Earth.

Luckily, this is not just about the rise of the metal mickey but incorporates some genuine emotion and choices. The drama reminds us that we are the sum of our passions and what we aspire to.

The inclusion of interaction between the Doctor and the Brigadier is much needed. The writer has conveyed far more about the character and his growth in the years since we’ve been unable to be with him and in very few sentences. The recreation of the Brigadier by Jon Culshaw has left me with a lump in my throat while listening to the closing conversation.

Behind The Scenes

The interviews in this involve the writers and the actors and say a lot more about the motivation and interpretation that make these dramas so worthwhile. What comes across is the genuine enthusiasm for the productions and how much the team enjoy discussing it. For them and us it feels like a debrief after all the emotion and tension expressed through the story. They are making sense of everything in their own minds. These add-ons at the end of the working day for the team are an integral part of the Big Finish offer and are much enjoyed.

This is a wrap for the Ninth Doctor for now and I need to fill in the gaps of all the adventures over the period of his joining Big Finish. There is much that is life affirming about this Doctor and his warm tones are more than welcome to return.

Sue Davies

March 2022

(pub: Big Finish, 2022. 4 CDs 244 minutes 2 stories. Price: £24.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-83868-346-7. Download: Price: £19.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-83868-347-4)

cast: Christopher Eccleston, Nicholas Briggs, Warren Brown, Alexander Cobb, Jon Culshaw, James Doherty, Amanda Drew, Sienna Guillory, Charlie Hamblett, Elinor Lawless, Martin Quinn, Juliet Stevenson and Emily Taaffe

check out website: https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-ninth-doctor-adventures-old-friends-2282