In Review: Big Finish: Doctor Who: The Fugitive Doctor: Dead or Alive

Synopsis: Jo Martin returns as the Fugitive Doctor in three brand new adventures.

The mysterious Division tries to arrest their equally mysterious agent, the Doctor. Of course, she evades capture and heads out in search of answers. 

Predictably, trouble is never far behind.

Review: Doctor Who: The Fugitive Doctor: Dead or Alive continued this thought-provoking arc. Throughout, Big Finish gave the actors layered and challenging scripts.

Story

Additionally, the writers gave listeners tales defined through world-building and a sense of place. As a result, the three stories possessed both the intimacy and the immensity Doctor Who is known for.

“Flying Solo” by Tajinder Singh Hayer was a marvelous historical story. Listeners were taken on a journey through India’s past.

Along the way, we got commentary on patriotism and colonialism. Indeed, I thought Mohinder Johal was an excellent foil for the Doctor.

“The Junkyard Loop” by Aaron Douglas offered a particularly gut-wrenching take on time loops. In the process, listeners were introduced to a former friend and colleague of the Doctor’s.

“Hereafter” by Tim Foley was yet more proof how much the author loves Time Lord mythology. Once again, Foley pulled out all the stops for the latest chapter in the ancient saga of the vampires.

There was something even more impressive than the individual installments themselves, however. Cosmogon proved to be a remarkably dynamic character on a journey that paralleled the Doctor’s own.

Acting

The entire cast was exceptional. That said, several performances stood out. 

Raj Ghatak imbued Mohinder Johal with true depth. He excelled at conveying really esoteric concepts along with believably visceral pain.

For their parts, John Dorney and Alexander Vlahos brought old-school flair to their supporting roles. They proved that scenery chewing could still be an end unto itself.

For her part, Clare Perkins also made a meal of every syllable as Queen Verdilla. She deftly balanced performance tropes with her own spin on the character.

That said, the box set belonged to stars Jo Martin and Alice Krige. They clearly owned the soundscape from first to last.

Overall

Doctor Who: The Fugitive Doctor: Dead or Alive was an extremely satisfying blend of classic and modern Doctor Who. I can’t wait for the next box set.

You can purchase Doctor Who: The Fugitive Doctor: Dead or Alive here.