dwst06x_foreverfallen_1417Sometimes the smallest changes are the most important…

Just occasionally you find a new writer who absolutely nails the distinctive traits of one of your favourite characters, and puts them in a new situation where those traits can be demonstrated without the reader or listener feeling like they’re being given a primer on what makes the character tick. Joshua Wanisko does that with the Seventh Doctor in this final Big Finish release of 2016, the winner of the Paul Spragg Memorial Opportunity.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about this, because it’s a story that if you’re a Doctor Who fan of that era – whether on TV or in print or audio form – you’re going to want to devote 38 minutes listening to, and you don’t want it spoiled. Suffice it to say that Wanisko’s script is built around three characters (and one more on the periphery) and by the end of it you feel as if you know all of them. Almost as a side issue, there’s a discussion of a concept that’s become central to the new series that explains it better than I’ve seen for a long time…

Nicholas Briggs reads the story, adopting a suitably Scottish accent for McCoy’s Doctor and a bright voice for his companion, allowing the tale to breathe where it needs to. Neil Gardner’s sound design, direction and music all likewise reinforce the strengths of Wanisko’s script.

Verdict: An excellent way to end 2016 for Big Finish. 10/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to download Forever Fallen free from Big Finish