Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Robert Valentine

RRP: £10.99 (CD) | £8.99 (Download)

Release Date: May 2023

Reviewed by: Robert Emlyn Slater for Doctor Who Online

“The Time War. The Doctor has been injured and brought to a Time Lord field hospital. His body glows with energy, but this is no regeneration into a future form – instead, the Doctor’s past faces begin to appear as he flits haphazardly between incarnations...

Staggering to his TARDIS, the Doctor sets out to solve the mystery of his ‘degeneration’. Who has done this to him? How? And why? From the Earth to the stars, across an array of familiar times and places, he follows clues to retrace his steps, encountering old friends and enemies along the way. Tumbling through his lives, the Doctor must stop his degeneration before he loses himself completely...

Settling as his Fourth incarnation, the Doctor goes in search of the Monk, with a vague memory that he had something to do with his ‘degeneration’.

On Earth, the Monk is meddling, bringing Sarah Jane Smith to the future UNIT HQ to steal a device for an alien race. The Doctor must help Kate Stewart and Osgood foil an invasion before he can confront the Monk about what he knows...”

WARNING: The following review contains spoilers. You have been warned!

Big Finish’s 60th anniversary party has officially begun! Past Lives is the first of an eight-part audio celebration of Doctor Who’s Diamond Anniversary - featuring most of the Doctors!

This month’s offering sees Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor reunite with Sarah Jane as he crosses paths with Kate Stewart, Osgood, and The Meddling Monk.

We’re thrown straight into the action as the Doctor begins degenerating on a Time War battlefield. He then runs back to his TARDIS, jumping between incarnations as he does so in a really fun sequence. There’s no messing about, we’re quite literally thrown straight into the action - something I always appreciate. 

With the Doctor temporarily stabilised in the form of his fourth incarnation, he’s immediately after the Meddling Monk. Their ensuing game of cat and mouse is a lot of fun - and Rufus Hound is brilliant. His version of the Monk is by far the most entertaining for me. 

Also in this adventure are Kate Stewart and Osgood, played by Jemma Redgrave and Ingrid Oliver. Hearing them interact with Tom Baker’s Doctor is just a delight. I wasn’t sure how UNIT, Kate, and Osgood were going to fit into this adventure, which already has a hell of a lot going on in it, but they get a lot of “screen time” and have their own time to shine. 

Unfortunately, Sarah Jane - played by Sadie Miller - does not. She feels a bit surplus to the plot here, which is a shame. The Sarah we meet in Past Lives has quite literally just been dropped off in Aberdeen by the Doctor. It might be just me, but having the Doctor and Sarah reunite so soon after her exit undercuts the emotional ending of The Hand of Fear (for Sarah at least). I didn’t really feel the emotional reunion between Sarah and the Doctor here, as a result. Sadie Miller is great in the role though, as always. It just feels like Big Finish came up with the idea of this adventure by drawing a bunch of random characters out of a hat and sticking them together (which can be a lot of fun, of course). With so much going on, one character had to pull the short straw, and it was Sarah this time.

Also, the armoured dragon warrior creatures seen on the front of the box - the Hyreth - just aren’t utilised enough to be that much of a threat here. Maybe if this drama had been longer they’d have had more time to shine, but they just feel a bit like the monster of the week unfortunately. 

Those are my only criticisms though. The rest of the adventure is a great ride and leaves me really wanting more. I enjoyed the performances of all the cast - in particular Rufus Hound’s - and really enjoyed the almost anachronistic feel of having Tom Baker’s Doctor interacting with Kate and Osgood in the 2010s. 

This definitely does feel like a part one of something much bigger - a taste of what’s to come. Robert Valentine’s script zips along at a hell of a pace, never really letting up from minute one. The hour or so truly flies by. In fact, I was a little surprised - and disappointed - it had ended so seemingly early. 

Overall, It’s a nice, fun adventure to kick off the eight-part Once And Future story and left me really looking forward to whatever comes next (Fifth Doctor, Jenny, and Colin Baker as the Curator, to be exact). Also, there are plenty many callbacks and cameos, as is fitting of an anniversary adventure. You won’t be disappointed on that front. 

It’s certainly whet my appetite for the rest of Big Finish’s 60th anniversary celebrations! 

+  1. Once And Future: Past Lives is OUT NOW, priced £10.99 (CD) | £8.99 (D/L).

+  ORDER this title from Big Finish!

Digital entertainment studio Maze Theory, in partnership with BBC Studios, is excited to reveal that cryptic ‘found-phone’ adventure game, Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins, will launch on March 19th 2021 for  iOS and Android mobile devices and Steam.     

Following their encounter with the Tenth Doctor, the Weeping Angels were trapped in the basement of Wester Drumlins. That is, until now…Merciless as ever, the Weeping Angels are back with a vengeance. Will you be able to uncover the truth and avoid their clutches? Now that the Weeping Angels have the power to infiltrate technology, no device is safe…

Developed by the award-winning studio Kaigan Games (Sara Is Missing, SIMULACRA), Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins thrusts players into a dark mystery amidst a series of sinister events occurring at Wester Drumlins, a decrepit and supposedly uninhabited house in London. Building on the iconic Doctor Who episode ‘Blink’, all is not what it seems as ex-UNIT scientist Petronella Osgood (played by Ingrid Oliver) enlists the player’s aid in tackling a familiar and lethal foe. 

Filmed in London and Cardiff, the game sees players interacting with a mysteriously discarded phone in order to uncover its secrets and that of its former owner. Blurring the line between live-action footage and gameplay, players will need to piece together clues and work with Petronella Osgood to trace connections to the first horrific encounter within Wester Drumlins. 

Starting today, players can pre-register for access on iOS and Android devices, and pre-order or wishlist the game on Steam, with more news to follow on the Nintendo Switch version. Visit www.doctorwhothelonelyassassins.com to see how pre-registration will unlock special rewards and must-have fan content, including bonus story content, digital wallpapers and printable posters.

Watch the pre-registration trailer in the player, below:

[Source: Maze Theory]

BBC Worldwide are excited to announce that Michelle Gomez and Ingrid Oliver will be joining Peter Capaldi and Steven Moffat at the official Doctor Who Festival, which will take place at ExCeL, London, on the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th November 2015. The Festival will offer fans an exclusive and interactive glimpse into how the inimitable world of Doctor Who is created.

We are also pleased to confirm that photo opportunities* will be available with Peter Capaldi, Ingrid Oliver and Michelle Gomez, plus the opportunity to have an iconic photo taken on the set from Series 9.  

In a weekend event like no other, television fans of all ages will be invited to see how one of the UK’s most-loved television programmes is created. Ticket holders will be able to discover the inspiration behind the Doctor’s recent adversaries, the imagination required to create whole new worlds and the ingenuity that goes into designing and making the beautiful backdrops that give Doctor Who its unique look. This Festival is a must-attend event for die-hard Doctor Who fans and for those who want to learn more about television production, with many, many more exciting announcements to come!

Day Ticket Prices:

-  Standard ticket: £65
-  Standard child ticket: £30
-  Standard family ticket: £165
-  TARDIS ticket: £110 - SOLD OUT
-  TARDIS child ticket: £50 - SOLD OUT
-  TARDIS family ticket: £285 - SOLD OUT

-  THEATRE SHOWS – exclusive access to the writers and cast from the series as they talk about how to make an idea become reality on a series as big and bold as Doctor Who.
-  ON SET PHOTO – photo opportunities on one of the current filming sets.
-  WARDROBE DEPARTMENT – an exhibition of costumes and props from the series.
-  COSPLAYERS SHOWCASE - where fans can showcase their impressive Doctor Who-themed outfits.
-  THE FAN CHALLENGE! –Fans young and old can battle it out in the ultimate test of Doctor Who knowledge in order to be crowned the ultimate fan.
-  DRAMA SCHOOL - the techniques and secrets that the cast learn when filming Doctor Who.
-  OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE - the ultimate fan shopping experience.
-  PRODUCTION VILLAGE – a chance for fans to explore a day in the life of the production team and crew.
-  PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES - an opportunity for fans to purchase an individual photograph with the current cast members appearing.

The ticket price includes day entry to the Festival, access to three theatre shows, lanyard, floor planner and all of the above. TARDIS tickets to include the above plus brochure, lounge access, front block theatre show seats and a Doctor Who goody bag! Tickets, further information and monthly newsletters are available from www.doctorwhofestival.com.

Watch the promotional trailer in the player, below:
[youtube:jxRrjLmLfcs]
[Source: BBC Worldwide]

The BBC have put together an official location report video from the recent filming in London for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special.

Watch the Doctor Who location report video with Jenna-Louise Coleman, Jemma Redgrave and Ingrid Oliver, below:

[youtube:6IbgOJd-VGw]

The video confirms the as-yet unannounced casting of Ingrid Oliver.

UPDATE - Tuesday 9th April @ 1:00PM

Londoners were treated to the sight of a flying TARDIS swooping over Trafalgar Square this morning as Matt Smith and the team were in town shooting more scenes for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special.

It was an early start for Matt Smith (The Doctor), Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara), director Nick Hurran and the rest of the cast and crew but judging by the smiles it was worth it. At one point the famous blue box was suspended over Trafalgar Square with Jenna-Louise Coleman inside, peering out across the capital whilst the next moment saw another figure – looking like The Doctor – dangling from the TARDIS as it was suspended way above ground level!

The BBC have included a promotional image from today's shoot (pictured-right), and a promotional video below:

[youtube:Za6A6vh1nEk]

+  The 50th Anniversary Special is due to air on 23rd November 2013.

[Source: BBC Doctor Who website]