Cycle of Destruction [AUDIO/2021.7.14]

★★★☆☆

  Mark Seven is a fascinating character, and I've been eager for more stories that explored who he is and what he's like ever since The Destroyers (the Terry Nation Dalek spinoff's pilot episode that was recreated by Big Finish alongside Prison in Space). It's quite the luck for me that Big Finish decided to dive into Mark's past in the second Dalek Universe boxset, then, isn't it?

  Well, yes and no. Yes, it's fantastic to hear Joe Sims try out more dramatically demanding stuff while the normally scene-chewing David Tennant and Jane Slavin take the backseat for a change. No, I don't think it was as fascinating and attention-grabbing as it could have been. I suppose the crammed feeling to it was inevitable -- after all, Mark Seven's past was largely unknown up until now and Roy Gill had to introduce so many elements (Mariah Six, ALARC, the wild animals, etc.) to make it work. What happens with Cycle of Destruction, then, is that it becomes a hodgepodge of exposition and mostly functional dialogue. As you might have guessed, it's one of those Big Finish installments again... those 'I know why this exists but I don't really have a strong opinion of it in any way, positive or negative' stories.

  Hey, I'm not saying it's the worst thing ever; I'd still say it's a good chunk of Doctor Who that explores an intriguing idea and allows a companion to show depth by confronting him with a shadow of his past. Its biggest flaw, I suppose, is that it feels so much like filler, a gap episode between the preceding drama and the high stakes to come.