The Butler Did It [AUDIO/2023.8.3]
★★★☆☆
How nice it is to have former television writer James Moran take a stab at writing for the Ninth Doctor in a Big Finish play. I don't know if it's thanks to the fact that Moran was a Russell T Davies era regular back in the day, but Christopher Eccleston sounds even more fired up than ever for this little whodunit. He's having such a time of it making new acquaintances and slagging off rude superiors that it's hard not to derive some sort of enjoyment out of this compact little adventure. It also helps that there's a personal connection this time around, as two last remaining members of an almost-extinct race (both of whom are friends of the Doctor) is on the verge of being killed, and as the fresh-out-of-the-Time-War Doctor may be expected to act, he's not having any of it. 'Strong performances' is a praise that can be thrown to everyone across the board with this one; Emma Swan, Louise Falkner, Andrew French and Paul Thornley all excel as their characters, with some being endearing and others not being quite as so. It's so clear that everybody's having a great time in the recording booth, and main man Eccleston rounds it off by reveling in his comfort zone, a confident and amicable Ninth Doctor. Are the rumours true that he asked for a less angsty Nine on audio? I may never know the answer, but I will say that after listening to quite a few of his Big Finish ventures, the Ninth Doctor on audio doesn't stray too far away from the battle-scarred but cheery (if a bit forced by design) incarnation we saw in Rose. Clever whodunit that doesn't take itself too seriously (lots of lampshading here) -- that's what you're getting for The Butler Did It, and it's such a fun time. One of the most memorable Dr. Who title drops in ages as well.
How nice it is to have former television writer James Moran take a stab at writing for the Ninth Doctor in a Big Finish play. I don't know if it's thanks to the fact that Moran was a Russell T Davies era regular back in the day, but Christopher Eccleston sounds even more fired up than ever for this little whodunit. He's having such a time of it making new acquaintances and slagging off rude superiors that it's hard not to derive some sort of enjoyment out of this compact little adventure. It also helps that there's a personal connection this time around, as two last remaining members of an almost-extinct race (both of whom are friends of the Doctor) is on the verge of being killed, and as the fresh-out-of-the-Time-War Doctor may be expected to act, he's not having any of it. 'Strong performances' is a praise that can be thrown to everyone across the board with this one; Emma Swan, Louise Falkner, Andrew French and Paul Thornley all excel as their characters, with some being endearing and others not being quite as so. It's so clear that everybody's having a great time in the recording booth, and main man Eccleston rounds it off by reveling in his comfort zone, a confident and amicable Ninth Doctor. Are the rumours true that he asked for a less angsty Nine on audio? I may never know the answer, but I will say that after listening to quite a few of his Big Finish ventures, the Ninth Doctor on audio doesn't stray too far away from the battle-scarred but cheery (if a bit forced by design) incarnation we saw in Rose. Clever whodunit that doesn't take itself too seriously (lots of lampshading here) -- that's what you're getting for The Butler Did It, and it's such a fun time. One of the most memorable Dr. Who title drops in ages as well.
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