Lies in Ruins [AUDIO/2019.7.17]

★★★★☆

  The Eighth Doctor has had his fair share of horrific ordeals over the centuries: frequent amnesia, infection of a creature of anti-time and subsequent banishment from the universe, having someone remove one of his hearts, you name it. Yet, it is in this initially unassuming first installment of Big Finish's 20th anniversary boxset that we see possibly this incarnation's darkest hour, Eight as a byproduct of countless psychological damage and insurmountable grief. Let that remark sink in for a moment. At the tail end of his lifespan, we see the Doctor as a broken man, one that acts normally enough at the beginning but would pursue more reckless, dangerous endeavors than ever and abandon his morals in a heartbeat for a sliver of hope. He travels around with an android of his making, the "perfect companion" who's programmed specifically to lift his spirits because he can't find another way. Christ, this is bleak. What's worse is that Paul McGann gives a performance for the ages, one of his finest turns as the Doctor (and I do not write this lightly). As his voice betrays a newfound sense of glee as he uses the power of the Matrix to bend reality around him for his own dreams of bringing his home back, you suddenly believe that the Doctor is very real, and a soul so close to the brink looking down at darkness.

  It's actually incredible that this superb aspect overshadows Lies in Ruins' most prevalent selling point, the final meeting-up of space archaeologists Bernice Summerfield and River Song — it goes to show how much a good job James Goss has done. Rest assured, though, Benny and River get along like a house on fire; their chemistry is one for the books. I especially love the little touch that River only attended Benny's classes because she knew of Professor Summerfield's involvement with her own husband. Both of them provide the moral anchor and emotional support for this troubled incarnation, adding so much to the drama of the piece.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  Opening The Legacy of Time with this whopper was a really smart move from Big Finish. They're telling everyone that they're not joking around, that the time of average openers is over. They're stepping out of the line, doing new things and making impossible character pairings while they're at it — it's so fitting that this 20th anniversary celebration feels more like a kick on the gears, bringing the creative energy back. Character drama wise, Lies in Ruins is likely a standout amongst so many Big Finish audios. The final scene with the Sirens of Time made me audibly gasp on initial listening.