Absent Friends [AUDIO/2016.9.22]

★★★★★

  I don't think enough people acknowledge the importance of Absent Friends. Late 2014 to 2017, I'd say, was a hard time for Big Finish because of rising criticisms and complaints from fans that pointed out the rigid repertoire they've trapped themselves in over the years. I remember making such judgements on Big Finish's work back in the day, and I also remember fearing the prospect that the audio company's glory days had passed. Then came Doom Coalition 3, and its opening story knocked everyone away.

  It's not easy to base a story around the premise that there are no bad guys, especially in a franchise often sporting iconic bad guys like Doctor Who does, but John Dorney makes it work. It's also not easy to create a story that elicits such strong emotions and yet stays somber without veering into melodrama; again, Dorney makes it work. At this point, it wouldn't surprise you that I consider Absent Friends one of Dorney's best works; from its effortless characterisations of the Doctor, Liv and Helen to the magnificent dialogue, this thing is the finest Doctor Who will ever be as tragedy-focused drama. Ken Bentley knocks it out of the park in general for Doom Coalition 3's direction, but this one takes the cake as the most well realised and wonderfully composed.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  There are those Doctor Who masterpieces that you find it hard to revisit too often. They leave you with such a heavy feeling, such an overwhelming sense of sadness. Absent Friends is one such masterpiece, albeit one that ends on an almost warped sense of euphoria; it's a fantastic emotional release to hear Liv's final phone call to her dad and Helen's call from her brother, and yet you'd be hard pressed to regard it as happy in any way. Sadness can be a beautiful thing sometimes, and this story is the ultimate proof. Does Absent Friends have a lot to do with the Doom Coalition canon as a whole? Probably not. Is it still a masterpiece? Undoubtedly.