Doctor Who: The War Doctor - Only the Monstrous Review

Back when Big Finish first gained the rights to Doctor Who content post-2005, one of the most headline grabbing projects was The War Doctor series. After "Day of the Doctor", I think most Doctor Who fans would never have expected the late John Hurt to return to the role even on TV, never mind in the spin-off audio dramas created by Big Finish Productions. However, we got just that, and Big Finish produced four box-sets for the character, before Hurt sadly passed away from cancer in early 2017. The first of these, "Only the Monstrous" set the stall for everything that was to come, with a gripping portrayal of a universe at war, high stakes, compelling characters, and some of the finest sound design and post-production work Big Finish has ever committed to shiny CD.

Told across three hour-long episodes, this box-set forms one complete story that feels less like a season of Doctor Who on TV, and more like a big-screen, blockbuster film. The first episode, "The Innocent" is a subdued character piece, but is vital for establishing the character of the War Doctor, and the ongoing story that runs throughout the set. One thing that is instantly clear is how well writer Nicholas Briggs understands the War Doctor. Unlike the other Doctors, this is the version of the character with the rulebook taken off the table: the usual morality of the Doctor simply doesn't stand in the time of the Time War. However, Briggs doesn't just turn the Doctor into a cold-hearted killer. Like George Mann before him, Briggs has a Doctor who is trying so hard to convince himself that he's not the Doctor that, often, he ends up doing things that just convince those around him (and the listener) that he is the Doctor more than ever. This, to me, captures the spirit of what this Doctor is about. This first episode allows us to probe this, as the Doctor recovers from a devastating attack on the Daleks, and is helped by the character of Rejoice, who, over the course of the story, forms a connection with him. There's lots of long scenes in this story, which allow us to really dig deep into what makes the War Doctor tick: one, in particular, which not only explores the War Doctor's guilt and anguish, but also explores the nature of the Time War, the causes of it, and, ultimately, the futility of it. That theme runs throughout the boxset, as the stories touch heavily upon why the Time War is being fought, and indeed, whether it should be fought. While there is a plot to this episode, it's mostly hints at what's to come in later episodes, and acts more as a springboard for the great character work than anything else. "The Innocent" sets the stage well for the later episodes, and brings the War Doctor to audio with a contemplative story that's far more satisfying than huge space battles and mass Dalek slaughter.

The second episode, "The Thousand Worlds", properly brings the main story into play, sending us on a "Where Eagles Dare" style mission behind enemy lines. While more exposition heavy than episode 1, this provides a fantastic contrast with that part's character-led drama. We get to go back to the setting of "The Innocent", only to find it, and the characters we met there, vastly changed. The Daleks also play a much greater role in this episode, and their plan is as vastly overcomplicated and single-mindedly brutal as it usually is. Nicholas Briggs has always understood the Daleks: right from the days of the Dalek Empire spin-off and his earliest voice work for Big Finish, and all that experience means we're on safe ground here. Like the Dalek Empire series and "Lucie Miller/To the Death", "The Thousand Worlds" is heavily inspired by "The Dalek Invasion of Earth", to the point where it would be pretty easy to call it derivative. However, I think the context of the Time War shakes this format up, and Briggs does consciously try to make this different from his earlier stories along these lines. The idea of sending the War Doctor on a commando mission is an interesting one , as it highlights how, despite all his protestations about being a warrior, he still won't play ball with the Time Lords and Cardinal Ollistra. Immediately, the "Where Eagles Dare"-template falls down with the War Doctor, because, as Briggs says in the behind-the-scenes documentary, he won't be pushed around by the Time Lords and fall in with the team structure. We also get to meet a character from the first episode again, at a different point in her life, and we get to see how deeply the war has affected someone we grew to care about over the course of the first story. And, of course, we get a cliffhanger that turns the story on its head and makes us question everything we've learnt up to this point. "The Thousand Worlds" then, is a good solid episode that builds up the tension and stakes, while adding to the ongoing storyline.

The final episode, "The Heart of the Battle", is a fantastic conclusion to the epic, that brings together all of the threads and themes that have run throughout the boxset together into a neat bow, while drawing a sharp contrast between the War Doctor and his other, more morally-clear incarnations. Once again not quite the shoot-'em-up battle that listeners will be expecting, this is a bit more subtle than that, and focuses much more on the characters at the heart of the drama. The idea of the Doctor going up against someone that, were this a 'regular' Doctor Who story, he would agree with is fascinating, and the moral discussions between the Doctor and Seratrix lay this theme bare. I love how, by putting the Doctor in this difficult position, we make it clear the difference between this Doctor and all his other incarnations: while they would be sympathetic to Seratrix's cause, the War Doctor refuses to even entertain the notion of making peace with the Daleks. He's seen too much death and destruction; too much war and devastation the Daleks have caused to even believe, for one second, that the Daleks can change. Ultimately, this is the story that draws both the biggest contrast between the War Doctor and his other selves, and the greatest similarities. Because, even though the choice he faces at the end is terrible, he still hesitates in making it. He isn't a cold-blooded killer, without compunction. He still has morals: the same morals as his other selves in fact. It's just he's willing to put them aside when the tough decisions have to be made, something the other Doctors would never do. He very much breaks the code of the Doctor that Steven Moffatt laid down in "Day of the Doctor", despite having the best of motives and no other options. Of course, the Daleks' plan isn't simply to make peace with the Time Lords (not really a spoiler, as this is a Time War story), but is, in actual fact, as overblown and convoluted as most of their other schemes. It does make sense with what we've learned across the set, and, of course, allows us the chance to face that central theme head on. If I had to pick a favourite episode from this set, then this would be it, as it combines a gripping, exciting action plot with the level of great character drama of the first episode, and it makes for a fantastic hour of audio drama.

The production on this boxset matches the high quality of the writing, and, in some ways, goes beyond it. John Hurt instantly settles back into the role like he's never been away, and he gets the chance to add more layers to his Doctor that he never got the chance to in one episode on TV. He's ably supported by Jacqueline Pearce as the wily Cardinal Ollistra. While Ollistra is kept mostly on the side-lines in this boxset, it just goes to show how great Pearce is that she can make the little role she has here really vital. I love her single-minded determination to defeat the Daleks, and Pearce makes enough of a differentiation between her and Servalan (who she played in Blake's 7). The rest of the cast are magnificent as well: from Lucy Briggs-Owen and Carolyn Seymour's wonderful take on the same character at different points in her life, to Beth Chalmers as the driven, but put upon Veklin. Alex Wyndham totally commits to Seratrix, which is exactly what that part needs, and John Banks brings the tiny role of Garv to life with just the right level of earnestness and loyalty to his people. Nicholas Briggs, of course, brings all of the raw power he usually brings to the Daleks, as well as directing the production with skill and flair. He understands the material inside and out, and he manages to get some really great performances out of the actors at his disposal. Finally, Howard Carter's music and sound design adds a final sheen and polish that takes this production into the realms of an audio movie. There's a lot of complicated sound work in this release that, in the hands of a less skilful sound designer, just wouldn't work. However, Carter has a very definite sense of place, which, when coupled with his emotive and powerful score, makes for a wonderful production. His Time War-take on the Doctor Who theme also has to be heard to be believed, as it is perfect for this era of the show, and the tone the production team are going for. The production work on this release is standout, and might go down as some of the best work anyone has ever done on a Big Finish Doctor Who release. For something that could have been incredibly complicated, this is wonderful simple and easy to follow, which, if you're telling stories in the Time War, is vital.

Overall, then, "Only the Monstrous" has to be one of the finest Big Finish boxsets in recent memory, and a fantastic start to the War Doctor's adventures on audio. A lot of thought has been put into this by all involved, and the finished product is a highly polished production that really shines with creativity. Telling stories in the time of the Time War may be a big ask, but Big Finish have shown it can be done, with a wonderful set of tales that shows the great canvas that this era can offer. This feels like an audio movie for the ages, and it stands as one of the finest, and most vital, audio adventures that Big Finish has produced to date. Stunningly good.