Doctor Who: The War Doctor - Infernal Devices Review

After the huge success of "Only the Monstrous", the onus was on the second box-set to deliver something just as exciting, but something that also upped the ante and brought lots new to the table. And, while not quite the roaring success the first set was, "Infernal Devices" is a still a fantastic collection of stories that push both the War Doctor and the Time War into new directions. While not as strongly linked together as the first set, and with a more variable tone, this still has plenty of elements to enjoy, especially if you like your Doctor Who to have lots of variety.

The first story, "Legion of the Lost" explores one of the ideas surrounding the Time War that has been oft-referred to in the millennium series: resurrection of the dead. It's a potent idea, and one that makes for an interesting opening act here. Like "The Innocent" from "Only the Monstrous", this opening instalment is a subdued, contemplative piece; unlike "The Innocent", however, there is very much a whole story going on here. We are introduced to a race seemingly more powerful than the Time Lords, a race who's science is basically indistinguishable from magic and who have the ability to bring the dead back to life... I love the Technomancers: their mix of science and quisi-magic makes for a powerful mix, and distinguishes them amongst the many races that appear in these Time War stories. Sometimes, there can be a temptation to assume that only the Daleks and the Time Lords were involved in this war, and "Legion of the Lost" reminds us that there were other forces at play in the Time War, some of whom have their own agendas. What helps is that the Technomancers have a powerful on-screen presence, thanks to their leader, Shadovar, being played by the magnificent David Warner. Warner brings just the right level of power and menace to a part that isn't really a snarling villain, and it helps make this story something more interesting that it might have been, in lesser hands. Zoe Tapper is also wonderful as the War Doctor's temporary companion Collis, and both Tapper and Warner have a fantastic rapport with John Hurt. While not being the most original Doctor Who story, "Legion of the Lost" has lots of interesting ideas that are well brought together in a plot that subverts the traditional expectations of a Time War story. It's really great to see a story that doesn't just assume that the Time War always has to be a Dalek/Time Lord shoot-'em-up.

The second story, "A Thing of Guile" once again takes the action behind enemy lines, as the War Doctor and Cardinal Ollistra investigate a Dalek weapons installation so secret, even Dalek command aren't aware of its existence... After a different and rather unexpected first episode, we're on rather more safe ground for the Time War for "A Thing of Guile". In a way, its a bit of a shame, as the rest of this box set really pushes the bounds of what Time War stories can do. This is ok, perfectly standard Time War fare, but it's probably the weakest story for John Hurt's Doctor that Big Finish produced. That being said, there is still some interesting material here, especially for Jacqueline Pearce's Cardinal Ollistra. Taking the structure of "The Thousand Worlds" and "The Heart of the Battle" from "Only the Monstrous" and compressing it down to one hour does mean the story looses some of the key beats these 'guys on a mission' tales have to hit. There's also a strange flashback sequence at the beginning of the story that doesn't quite seem necessary, as most of the explanations for the events are covered by dialogue between the characters. Some of the characters are also a little unlikable (I'll get onto this later), and, as such, some of their character journeys fall a little flat. That being said, however, there are elements of "A Thing of Guile" that do work really well. The idea of rogue scientist Daleks, who are conducting experiments with Dalek purity has been done before, but never in the context of the Time War, and it gives us a chance to see how far the war is pushing not just the Time Lords, but the Daleks as well. "A Thing of Guile" may not be the most notable story that the War Doctor series has produced thus far, but it is still a decent adventure tale. It's a shame that some of the stronger ideas weren't pushed more, while pruning back some of the more stereotypical elements that we've seen before. It's decent, but not much more than that.

Thankfully, however, "The Neverwhen" brings the quality right back up to a high point - in fact, possibly the highest point this series ever reached. Flung into the heart of a living nightmare, the War Doctor finds himself fighting Ollistra in an attempt to release the people trapped there from a never-ending hell... I will say there will be some mild spoilers ahead for this episode, so, if you want to go in without any information at all, you may want to skip this. As I mentioned above, this is probably my favourite War Doctor episode Big Finish ever produced, and it isn't hard to see why. This story really takes the concept of a 'time war', and really runs with it. The idea of a weapon that causes time to be in a constant flux is something that only this series can really do, and that idea is allowed to really fly here. There's lots of opportunities here to really dig into the War Doctor's character as well, and that's something that writer Matt Fitton really goes for. Once again, like with "The Heart of the Battle" from the previous set, this story re-establishes this Doctor's modus operandi, using the situation he finds himself to do it. He wants to be able to help the people trapped in the Neverwhen, but simply isn't able to, no matter how hard he tries. The strong supporting characters help this impression: you come to like both Daylin and Thrakken, despite the hints about who they really are, and you want the Doctor to find a way to save them. Jaye Griffiths, Tim Bentinck, Tracey Wiles and Barnaby Kay all bring a realistic energy to the roles, and help to make them grounded and relatable. And the ending hits like a tone of bricks. I love "The Neverwhen": this is one phenomenal episode that hits all the right beats; provides the kind of high-concept, time-twisting narrative people want in a Time War story; and offers up some really interesting storytelling opportunities for the War Doctor. While you'd tire of stories like this if they were the default, "The Neverwhen" marks a high point of the War Doctor series, and one of Big Finish's best Time War stories to date.

Once again, the production on this box-set is of such a high quality, in all areas. The cast deliver amazing performances, some of which I have mentioned above, but the clear standouts are John Hurt and Jacqueline Pearce as the Doctor and Ollistra, respectively. Both get the chance to take their characters in new directions and areas: Pearce, especially, gets the chance to bring Ollistra out of the shadows and show just how determined she is for any advantage over the Daleks, however small. Pitting her in direct opposition to the Doctor means she never really falls into the role of a companion as such. She's more of a recurring adversary for the Doctor than anything else, and she is able to cast off the shadow of Servalan (her part from Blake's 7) here. Hurt is also able to really define his Doctor in these stories, and is able to contrast the lighter and darker moments with ease. There are a number of cast members too who cross episodes in the set, and it just helps to reinforce the interconnected nature of the storytelling. Some of the characterisation might be a little bit inconsistent between episodes for some characters, but I admire the attempt, and actors like Jamie Newall, Robert Hands and Laura Harding act as a welcome presence across the stories. These performances are backed up by direction from Nicholas Briggs, who also voices the Daleks to perfection, and he brings some wonderful performances out of the cast. He understands the material as well as his own from the first box-set, and that's a feeling shared by Howard Carter, doing the music and sound design. Carter absolutely gets the tone of these stories spot on, and he doesn't allow the complex sound design needs to overwhelm the stories. "The Neverwhen", especially, has plenty of moments like that, and Carter combines precise sound effects with cinematic music to great effect.

Even though "Infernal Devices" might not be as much of a roaring success as "Only the Monstrous", it is still a fantastic set of stories that show the real range and versatility the Time War has to offer. Having established the groundwork in the first set, this set opens things up for more experimental fare. "The Neverwhen", in particular, really pushes the bounds of Doctor Who storytelling, and stands as one of this range's greatest achievements. Make no mistake, as far as John Hurt's Doctor is concerned, this is far from the difficult second album. In fact, it's a masterful triumph.