In Review: Big Finish: Doctor Who: Death Match

It was lovely that Leela got a departure scenario and love story that offered Louise Jameson more to work with than she got with Leela’s canon exit.
by April 17, 2015
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Synopsis: The Death-Match is under new management. The Hunt Master’s Champion has been installed. All regular players are welcomed back to the Pursuit Lounge to observe the contest in luxurious surroundings. Privacy is assured. For this reason we ask our elite guests to abide by the strict security protocols. Please note, the house has no limits.

In the Gallery, your combatants can be observed on the orbiting Quarry Station. A purpose-built environment filled with deadly traps and hidden dangers. Prizes are offered for every kill, with bonuses for rogue elements. Only an elite hunter can survive the End-Game. Do you have a worthy champion? Kill or be killed: the only rule of the Death-Match…

Review: This outing concluded the narrative set up in “Requiem for the Rocket Men.” I have mixed feelings about this story. On one hand, it was lovely that Leela got a departure scenario and love story that offered Louise Jameson more to work with than she got with Leela’s canon exit. On the other hand, though, because I knew this wasn’t truly her exit, there was absolutely no suspense. The whole thing was an extremely well-acted double-edged sword.

Fortunately, Tom Baker and Geoffrey Beevers offered considerable compensation with their marvelous double act. I also loved that the Master referenced the ancient Gallifreyan death matches. The dark cherry on the sundae, however, was listening to Beevers’ decaying incarnation of the Master channel the Roger Delgado iteration, as he smooth talked the “executions only on every other Tuesday” despot Kastrella. It made me nostalgic.

Written By: Matt Fitton

Directed By: Nicholas Briggs

Cast

Tom Baker (The Doctor), Louise Jameson (Leela), John Leeson (K9), Geoffrey Beevers (The Master), Susan Brown (Kastrella), Andy Secombe (Vargrave)

Producer David Richardson

Script Editor John Dorney

Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs

9.3
Big Finish: Doctor Who: Death Match
  • Performances, Script
  • No suspense
  • Story
    8
  • Performances
    10
  • Audio Production
    10
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by Ian Cullen - Apr 17, 2015

by Ian Cullen - Apr 17, 2015

Raissa Devereux became a life-long genre fan at the age of four when she first saw The Wizard of Oz at a screening at Arizona State University. Years later, she graduated from A.S.U. as an English major, History minor, Whovian, and Trekkie. Now a Florida transplant, she loves the opportunity Sci-Fi Pulse has given her to further explore space travel, time travel, masked heroes, gothic castles, and good yarns.
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