Neverland [AUDIO/2002.7.12]
★★★★★
This completely floored me over all those years ago and it still manages that today. Neverland is a wonderful, truly wonderful Big Finish audio drama that has all the drama, high-concept science fiction and portent of the future I look for in the best Doctor Who stories. Direction, acting, writing, music (Nicholas Briggs' score for this one is a vastly overlooked masterpiece)... this thing deserves to be remembered and revered in the same way other, more popular Big Finish audios are.
Where do I even begin with this one? The Web of Time arc is filled with creativity and wonderful performances; it would've been a shame to end the season on a low note, so Alan Barnes, Gary Russell and co. make the logical conclusion a reality and decide to be as ambitious on audio form as possible: anti-time realities, Gallifreyan time ships, acid rain, decayed TARDISes, anti-time invasions and requited love between Doctor and companion, everything is on the table. Paul McGann and India Fisher get to bring alive wonderful characterisations of their roles, with the Doctor being stoic, steadfast and emotionally vulnerable in his finest hour and Charley being piercing, contemplative and just so very adult in what could be her final moments. Her reflection on the consequences of her extended life and her relationship with the Doctor, comparing him to Peter Pan and their adventures together as journeys through Never Never Land, feels so right as a core component of this massive, explosive piece.
If episodes like The Stolen Earth and The Pandorica Opens are event television, then Neverland is event audio drama. This two-parter brings alive an entire new reality operating on different rules from ours, and the incredibly dangerous adventure against Neverpeople. The epic scale doesn't betray the deeply personal drama between the Doctor and Charley, and we are always reminded of the importance they represent for each other. They are having the time of their lives together... and so it feels especially cruel that their chapter of happiness is coming to an end. The Doctor gets to bow out with one last heroic act and everything seems to be getting wrapped up -- until a new chapter rears its cruel head. Zagreus is a vastly different, but equally insane and creative new direction. For now I delight, once again, in this epic adventure with beautiful music, direction and interactions between the Eighth Doctor and Romana II (between this and Shada, they have impeccable chemistry)... but I don't think I'm ready to dive into that emotional rollercoaster again.
This completely floored me over all those years ago and it still manages that today. Neverland is a wonderful, truly wonderful Big Finish audio drama that has all the drama, high-concept science fiction and portent of the future I look for in the best Doctor Who stories. Direction, acting, writing, music (Nicholas Briggs' score for this one is a vastly overlooked masterpiece)... this thing deserves to be remembered and revered in the same way other, more popular Big Finish audios are.
Where do I even begin with this one? The Web of Time arc is filled with creativity and wonderful performances; it would've been a shame to end the season on a low note, so Alan Barnes, Gary Russell and co. make the logical conclusion a reality and decide to be as ambitious on audio form as possible: anti-time realities, Gallifreyan time ships, acid rain, decayed TARDISes, anti-time invasions and requited love between Doctor and companion, everything is on the table. Paul McGann and India Fisher get to bring alive wonderful characterisations of their roles, with the Doctor being stoic, steadfast and emotionally vulnerable in his finest hour and Charley being piercing, contemplative and just so very adult in what could be her final moments. Her reflection on the consequences of her extended life and her relationship with the Doctor, comparing him to Peter Pan and their adventures together as journeys through Never Never Land, feels so right as a core component of this massive, explosive piece.
If episodes like The Stolen Earth and The Pandorica Opens are event television, then Neverland is event audio drama. This two-parter brings alive an entire new reality operating on different rules from ours, and the incredibly dangerous adventure against Neverpeople. The epic scale doesn't betray the deeply personal drama between the Doctor and Charley, and we are always reminded of the importance they represent for each other. They are having the time of their lives together... and so it feels especially cruel that their chapter of happiness is coming to an end. The Doctor gets to bow out with one last heroic act and everything seems to be getting wrapped up -- until a new chapter rears its cruel head. Zagreus is a vastly different, but equally insane and creative new direction. For now I delight, once again, in this epic adventure with beautiful music, direction and interactions between the Eighth Doctor and Romana II (between this and Shada, they have impeccable chemistry)... but I don't think I'm ready to dive into that emotional rollercoaster again.
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