Doctor Who - Circular Time (Big Finish) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Doctor Who happens to be my favourite thing on TV at the moment, and I love the orignal series too. But I must say that in my opinion, the Big Finish range of audio stories are some of the best stories ever. And if i were to choose a story to show how brilliant and diverse the range is, then !Circular Time" would have to be it.

This disc of four one episode stories is brilliantly written. And each episode is distinctly different.

"SDpring" is a good start to the disc, with a good take on the actions of a rogue time lord called Zero. Quite a few other "other" time lord influenced stories are rather starined, but this is not one of them.

"Summer" is really good. I think David Warner makes this episode with his brilliant performance. The whole story being really based on a two pound coin is brilliant, and not at all stupid. I first expected this episode to be silly when i read the synopsis, but it isnt in the slightest.

"Autumn" is my very favourite part of this story. I think Sarah Sutton really shines in this episode. A wonderful romantic without being over the top sweet story. A rare treat.

"Winter" ends the stories with a believable plot by the Master to trap the doctor, but of course it doesnt succeed. The doctor being married even if its only a dream, is a neat twist too.

So overall, a thoruoghly enjoyable play that is worthy of listening to again and again. Masterful storytelling.

As has already been noted, Circular Time is not a single four-part story, but four half-hour plays, featuring the 5th Doctor and Nyssa, loosely linked by a common theme.

The common theme is that there is a kind of time that is circular, that things do not necessarily move lineally from birth to death, but that events can be cyclical, returning to the beginning and repeating themselves rather like the seasons. This is not entirely clear in the first two stories, but is more explicit in the final two.

The writers have tried to give us 4 different types of Doctor Who story: 'alien planet, pure historical, social realism and shameless fan service'.

"Spring" features a renegade Time Lord trying to create an avian empire. It has a clever plot, but doesn't really resolve anything by the end.

"Summer" is a pure historical, set in the 17th century, in which Isaac Newton extrapolates the future history of the Earth from a handful of coins that Nyssa has handed over. A new spin on an historical character that we thought we knew.

"Autumn" returns us to Stockbridge, where the fifth Doctor's comic strip adventures were set (as featured in "Doctor Who Monthly" and now collected as "Doctor Who Graphic Novel #3 - The Tides of Time"). The Doctor's fifth incarnation returns here every few years, just to play cricket with the village team. A charming tale with no monsters and no sci-fi elements at all, but a romantic encounter for Nyssa.

By contrast "Winter" is for the nerds amongst us. Where the earlier stories featured Nyssa and the Doctor whilst they were travelling together somewhere between series 19 & 20 ("Time Flight" and "Arc Of Infinity") this one features an older Nyssa whose dreams are being invaded by the Doctor as he subconsciously seeks the support of his former companions before regenerating. Full of zero rooms, technobabble and symbolism. Definitely one for the fans.

An eclectic mix, stylishly presented and entertaining.

An interesting depature for the big finish range in that instead of this being one long doctor who story in four parts, the four parts here are all self contained stories. Although they do form a whole in the end that justifies the title.

All are roughly thirty minutes long, and benefit from decent pacing as a result. Something that has been a problem with a few big finishes that have been too long for their own good.

The first part involves the fifth doctor and nyssa visiting an alien race on a very alien world where a renegade time lord has gone native. They are there to try and find out what he's up to. The world is stunningly well realised via sound and the actors performances. There are some harsh laws among the aliens, and whilst nyssa wants to change things the doctor can't interfere as much as she'd like. Yes, it's rather like star trek, and the prime directive.

The end of this one is quite clever as things become apparent in regards to what the renegade is up to, but it does feel a little rushed and lacking in ultimate effect.

In the second part, the doctor and nyssa are in medieval london, and get on the wrong side of sir isaac newton. Will science or magic or faith be what's required to make him let them go?

This one contains an amazingly good performance from david warner as sir isaac. he just grabs you from the start and never lets go. It's a shame that the rest of the supporting cast come over as if they think they're in a carry on film, but it does allow for a couple of funny moments. And it resolves itself well.

In the third story the doctor and nyssa are staying in a small village, whilst the doctor plays for their cricket team, who are in danger of being relegated. Nyssa is trying to write a novel. And then she gets involved with a handsome stranger.

Theres no big threats in this one, just character drama. It's not till about halfway through the episode that nyssa's relationship becomes believable, and whilst there's very little consequence to the story, it's a nice character drama for the tardis crew.

In the final part, set a long time after nyssa left the doctor, both are living idyllic domestic lives. But would the doctor do that? Strange dreams prompt nyssa to investigate.

The inlay promises shameless fan service in this part, and it delivers exactly that, as the ultimate explanation ties in very cleverly to certain events that happened in a particular tv story. Although it's well done, I'm of mixed feelings about such stories as they don't really need to be told. A surprise appearance that you expect doesn't happen, and it would have been more effective than the rather unnecessary one that does. But there's a beautiful ending which reminds us how great a character the doctor is and why we love the show.

So all in all a very good little collection of tales. I hope they use the single part format sparingly in future as this could become too much of a good thing, but this one is well worth a listen