The Scapegoat [AUDIO/2009.5.2 ~ 5.9]

★★★☆☆

  If there's anything that indicates a fun time, it's talking goat aliens thirsty for blood and violence. Pat Mills' script is filled to the brim with such fun and gloriously sickening imagery, assisted by a streak of dark comedy (Lucie Miller hamming up a Baroque production thinking it's all a ruse before she realizes it's a live theatre version of a snuff film) that never topples over to pure discomfort. I can't imagine a Doctor more fitting to this kind of story than our dear old Byronesque Eight, at this stage still very youthful and full of hope for the universe. I have said this before and I'll say it again — Paul McGann's greatest strength, and one that makes him stand out from the crowd of actors who've taken on the role of the Doctor, is the ability to emote pure joy and wide-eyed wonder towards the universe. You, the listener, feel that energy and internalise it, in turn making the entire experience that much more thrilling. The Scapegoat benefits from this ability of McGann's greatly.

  Sheridan Smith has always been the shining light of this series, and The Scapegoat is yet another great showcase of her talents. Lucie is genuinely funny, witty, and provides a contrast from the out-of-this-world proceedings of these stories with her down-to-earth attitude. I always howl with laughter whenever Lucie's on the Baroque stage; coincidentally, The Scapegoat is one of the very first Big Finish adventures I bought on CD and it's almost worn with the repeated listens I subjected it to. 

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  A tale of social outcasting and the nature of pleasure in violence, and above all a bloody good adventure (pun not indended), The Scapegoat is one Eighth Doctor adventure you do not want to miss if you like to indulge in a little giddy ultra-violence from time to time. There's nothing quite like it in terms of atmosphere... it's like watching one of the Baroques' plays, with its impressive mix of comedy, melodrama and horror. 

(original post)