The Holy Terror [AUDIO/2000.11.?]

★★★★★

  Ask anyone who's listened to The Holy Terror and they'll tell you that there's nothing quite like The Holy Terror. It's a common thing with Robert Shearman scripts; he has such a strong grasp on his own flavour, his special mix of black humor, satire, horror and magic realism. It works so well with Doctor Who, and I've loved every contribution he's made for Doctor Who yet. The Holy Terror's about as perfect an introduction to Shearman's style as you can get... and it's one that still lives close to my heart after all these years.

  The central mystery is cleverly disguised (never once do you question the nature of the castle itself, because the nearby goings-on are too ridiculous not to be distracted by them). The characters are literally meant to be one-note caricatures, but are given so much more depth in typical Shearman style. Even the big talking bird Frobisher, straight from DWM comics, gets presented with a moral dilemma of either exerting his will to set people free or choosing to let them live the way they want to. This whole play's a piece on religion, but it's so much more than that — it's a terrific outing for Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor and Robert Jezek's Frobisher (I so wish Jezek would return to Big Finish one day, his portrayal of the Whifferdill added a new layer to the comic-book companion), and it's a gut-wrenching tale of murder and repentance. Plus, in true Shearman fashion again, grotesque violence and deaths are aplenty.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  Bold, creative, terrifying and touching... plus, between these lines, incredibly witty and fun. There's a reason The Holy Terror is cited among many as one of Big Finish's best, and you're seriously missing out if you haven't given it a go yet. My final word on it is that even after 22 years, it's one of the most stimulating experiences you're likely to get in all of Doctor Who.

(Artwork by alda-rana on Tumblr)