The Chimes of Midnight [AUDIO/2002.2.25]
★★★★★
There's a reason The Chimes of Midnight is cited again and again to be Big Finish's greatest story yet. It's one of those miraculous moments where the stars align perfectly -- Robert Shearman delivering yet another fantastic script, Paul McGann and India Fisher on top form, Barnaby Edwards directing and crafting the hell out of the material, and even the Christmas theme coming in clutch -- and create somethign special. I have no problem following popular opinion this time around and citing this as one of Big Finish's finest outputs in their long history.
Rob Shearman's always been one of my favorite writers for Who (if not the ultimate, in my eyes at least); his sense of twisted macabre humour and magical realism are right up my alley, and I can tell you right away that his works (including this one) were critical in getting me into that literary subgenre in the first place. The Chimes of Midnight has mystery, it has drama, it has horror (I mean actual horror that's capable of sending chills down your spine -- Edith's scream may be one of the scariest things Big Finish has ever recorded) and it has emotional buildup and payoff. It has everything you would ever want in a Doctor Who adventure, particularly if you're a fan of the late-90s/early-naughts extended universe and you know what the format of Who is capable of presenting. My favourite aspect of The Chimes of Midnight is that it never once doubts its own capability to push the boundaries and goes with whatever ridiculous idea Shearman puts to the table. Edward Grove is alive, and the Doctor and Charley are inside his belly! The murder mystery may have a time limit, but it's okay -- everyone dead comes back to life as the clock rewinds, just for them to be brutally murdered again in different ways!
At the heart of it all, there's a crucial character-building moment as Charley and her Doctor realise the consequences of their actions and face up to them. In a series where the main character mostly runs away from aftermaths and codas, it's refreshing to hear our heroes (voluntarily or otherwise) step up to face the music and defeat the evil haunting the house once and for all. Edith Thompson is an instantly sympathetic figure who becomes pivotal in saving the day, and it's all down to her starting to believe in her own worth and importance -- isn't that marvellous for Doctor Who to send as a message? For those who have listened to it already, isn't everything about this story marvellous? And for those who haven't, aren't you dying to check this out? The Chimes of Midnight is one of the finest examples of the brilliance Big Finish has brought to the table of Doctor Who mythos: a delicious evocative tale of intrigue, heartbreak, terror and euphoria brought to life by beautiful performances, music and sound design/direction. It's just bloody gorgeous.
There's a reason The Chimes of Midnight is cited again and again to be Big Finish's greatest story yet. It's one of those miraculous moments where the stars align perfectly -- Robert Shearman delivering yet another fantastic script, Paul McGann and India Fisher on top form, Barnaby Edwards directing and crafting the hell out of the material, and even the Christmas theme coming in clutch -- and create somethign special. I have no problem following popular opinion this time around and citing this as one of Big Finish's finest outputs in their long history.
Rob Shearman's always been one of my favorite writers for Who (if not the ultimate, in my eyes at least); his sense of twisted macabre humour and magical realism are right up my alley, and I can tell you right away that his works (including this one) were critical in getting me into that literary subgenre in the first place. The Chimes of Midnight has mystery, it has drama, it has horror (I mean actual horror that's capable of sending chills down your spine -- Edith's scream may be one of the scariest things Big Finish has ever recorded) and it has emotional buildup and payoff. It has everything you would ever want in a Doctor Who adventure, particularly if you're a fan of the late-90s/early-naughts extended universe and you know what the format of Who is capable of presenting. My favourite aspect of The Chimes of Midnight is that it never once doubts its own capability to push the boundaries and goes with whatever ridiculous idea Shearman puts to the table. Edward Grove is alive, and the Doctor and Charley are inside his belly! The murder mystery may have a time limit, but it's okay -- everyone dead comes back to life as the clock rewinds, just for them to be brutally murdered again in different ways!
At the heart of it all, there's a crucial character-building moment as Charley and her Doctor realise the consequences of their actions and face up to them. In a series where the main character mostly runs away from aftermaths and codas, it's refreshing to hear our heroes (voluntarily or otherwise) step up to face the music and defeat the evil haunting the house once and for all. Edith Thompson is an instantly sympathetic figure who becomes pivotal in saving the day, and it's all down to her starting to believe in her own worth and importance -- isn't that marvellous for Doctor Who to send as a message? For those who have listened to it already, isn't everything about this story marvellous? And for those who haven't, aren't you dying to check this out? The Chimes of Midnight is one of the finest examples of the brilliance Big Finish has brought to the table of Doctor Who mythos: a delicious evocative tale of intrigue, heartbreak, terror and euphoria brought to life by beautiful performances, music and sound design/direction. It's just bloody gorgeous.
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