Doctor Who: All-Consuming Fire Review

There are very few true icons of British fiction. Sure, there are iconic works of literature ("Gulliver's Travels", "Wuthering Heights" and "A Christmas Carol" to name a few), iconic films ("A Clockwork Orange", "The Italian Job", "The Elephant Man"), and iconic TV shows (Blue Peter, Coronation Street, Blake's 7). However, actual icons in their own right are hard to come by. James Bond is definitely one, Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple certainly have had a long legacy, and, in modern times, Harry Potter has probably joined their ranks. But the first true icon is, without doubt, Sherlock Holmes, while Doctor Who's vast history and love all across the planet has made the character probably the most popular singular science fiction icon around the world. So, it's actually amazing that no one has ever tried to combine these two titans together more often - outside of modern Doctor Who/Sherlock fan-fic, there has only been one other attempt. One attempt that, while slightly forgotten to history in the modern era, remains one of the most notable books of its time for both characters - the Virgin New Adventures Doctor Who novel "All-Consuming Fire". And, with Big Finish adapting the most popular novels from this range for audio, as well as doing a long-running and popular range of Sherlock Holmes audio dramas, it was only a matter of time before they adapted it. And it's crazy - absolutely insane. And, guess what? I love it.

Because this story features two such huge fictional legends, this is a bit of an unusual listen in a number of ways. It's sort of a Sherlock Holmes story, which just happens to feature the Doctor, Benny and Ace; while, in another way, it's a Doctor Who story that crosses into the universe of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. As such, it feels unique to both Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes, and it helps make the whole thing feel really special and different to anything else Big Finish have done, before or since. Of course, they have had a couple of crossovers before ("The Worlds of Big Finish" box-set being probably the most notable example, as well as a couple of episodes of The Confessions of Dorian Gray), but this might be the most notable and high-profile one. Of course, something like this could very quickly dissolve into pure fan service, but original writer Andy Lane (and audio adaptor Guy Adams) makes sure to keep the focus of the story more on the Doctor and Holmes getting caught up in a plot that fits both of their modus operandi's, rather than coming together in a kind of Avengers "Endgame"-style fight with their oldest foes. And it works so much better, because it makes the team up between the pair all the sweeter and all the more interesting. This story really plays up the similarities between the two, and it's nice to see them working closely together, rather than in competition as I suspect the temptation might have been. I love the scene where Holmes tries to 'read' the Doctor, like he normally does with everyone, and finds that he is completely unable to do so. To hear the usually unflappable Holmes stumped by this mysterious figure is a treat, and it works especially well with the Seventh Doctor, who has this enigmatic quality down to a tee. I must admit, I initially found it an unusual proposition, partnering this Doctor with Holmes. In all honestly, I would have been more likely to partner the Fourth Doctor with the great detective, as they share a lot of the same intelligence, abilities and temperament. However, the Seventh Doctor and Holmes work together, and work together well. There's an enigmatic quality about Sylvester McCoy's Doctor that works well against the rational and logical Holmes, and it makes for an fantastic combination. While starting out as very much a Sherlock Holmes adventure (right down to using the theme from the Big Finish series to open the play), it isn't long before it becomes much more of a Doctor Who piece, which is where I would say the story loses a bit of steam. Sure, the ideas this story plays around with are pretty decent. But for anyone who has ever heard or seen a Seventh Doctor story before, the old 'ancient god from the dawn of time' trope does seem a little old hat now, and, sadly, doesn't really lead anywhere new or interesting. I don't think it's really a criticism, more just an observation. And, considering the first three episodes offer some interesting avenues, it's a shame to ditch them all so quickly in the final episode.

That being said, the adaptation is probably one of the finest in the range of Novel Adaptations. Guy Adams takes Andy Lane's novel, and distills all the best bits down into an action packed two-hour package that moves at a fair old pace, and doesn't let up for a moment. Sometimes, this can make the story feel compressed and compacted, but, here, it just gives the story the feeling of a fast-paced, action-packed thrill ride. It feels like a film, truth be told, and I could easily imagine this playing out on the big screen, or even in comic strip-style panels. Sure, I suspect a lot of the character detail has been lost, but a story like this shouldn't be interested in the guest characters. The production matches the adaptation beat for beat, with a confident cast full of enthusiasm for the script. The most notable cast members outside the Doctor, Ace and Benny are Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl as Holmes and Watson, and Hugh Fraser as Sherringford Holmes. Big Finish would have been justified in looking for 'big name' guest stars to play Holmes and Watson for a production like this, but I've said before that Briggs and Earl make for a fantastic Holmes and Watson, and I stand by that. I also love Hugh Fraser as Sherringford, the long-speculated about 'missing' Holmes brother. Fraser's performance is so subtly insidious, and, without giving anything away, there's a dual-sided aspect to the character that he plays to perfection. It's also lovely to hear Sylvester McCoy get to play up the lighter side of his character, without dissolving too much into pantomime, and this story gives him the chance to do both. Lisa Bowerman and Sophie Aldred don't get quite as much to do as normal (Aldred particularly), but their presence in the story is fine for what it is. Benny does have a good relationship with Watson, though, and their slightly flirtatious badinage makes for some of the story's finest scenes. All this is brought together by Scott Handcock's wonderful direction, which keeps the story barrelling along, while pulling out the smaller character details that the story needs to maintain. Finally, we have Alistair Lock's music and sound design, which completes the story. It has a wonderfully cinematic scope, and reminds me a lot of some of the early Big Finish releases (a lot of which Lock had a hand in), which can only be a good thing. Once again, the production on this story is standout, and brings a great script to life in the best way possible.

To wrap up then, "All-Consuming Fire" might be one of the craziest adventures Big Finish has ever produced in its twenty-year history. It is absolutely crazy - everything about it shouldn't really work. And yet, somehow, it does. I won't say it's perfect: the final episode is a bit of a step-down from the first three, and the ultimate resolution feels a touch underwhelming. But it more than makes up for any small failings in a crossover adventure that leaves most other crossovers in the shade with how stylish, how exciting and just how much fun it is. It isn't the deepest or most innovative story - but who cares?! This is such a fun release and a vital one for anyone who is a fan of either Doctor Who or Sherlock Holmes. The game is afoot!