In Review: Big Finish: Doctor Who: Blood on Santa’s Claw and Other Stories

Synopsis: The Doctor and Peri have a Tardis Blue Christmas in four brand new stories.

Review: Doctor Who: Blood on Santa’s Claw and Other Stories is one of those lovely mini box sets that Big Finish puts out every so often. It’s comprised of four interlinked half-hour-long stories with a Christmas theme — a decidedly gothic Christmas that is.

In “Blood on Santa’s Claw” by Alan Terigo, The Doctor, Peri, and her new boyfriend Joe find themselves far in the future. Terrans are going through a very eccentric phase that made this lit geek giddy with delight. Terigo does some wonderful world-building here that the other authors carry through the remaining stories. I also really appreciated the commentary on companion dynamics as a murder mystery unfolds.

In “The Baby Awakes” by Susan Dennom, listeners get a bittersweet character piece in which Peri contemplates motherhood. Dennom doesn’t shy away from raw emotions, both positive and negative. Throughout, Peri and Joe face unforeseen hurdles.

“I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day/Brightly Shone The Moon That Night” by Andrew Lias and Nev Fountain conclude the four-episode story with an epic, Hinchcliffean blow-out that ties everything together. Throughout, Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, and Luke Allen-Gale give marvelous performances, never letting the audience forget that Christmas is work for the Doctor.

• You can purchase Doctor Who: Blood on Santa’s Claw and Other Stories here. 

Cast

Colin Baker (The Doctor), Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown), Luke Allen-Gale (Joe Carnaby), Heather Bleasdale (Cordelia / Fecunda / President), Cliff Chapman (Iago / Kren / Paul / Robot Attendant), Steven Elder (Lord Lycaon / Rudolph), Louise Kempton (Selene), Dawn Murphy (Cordeline / Dorrit / Ratty), Roger Parrott (Balan / Toad), Becky Wright (Shreela / Jana / Pip / Mole / Witch / Janey)

Production Credits

Written by Alan Terigo, Susan Dennom, Andrew Lias, Nev Fountain

Cover Artist Tom Webster

Director John Ainsworth

Executive Producer Jason Haigh-Ellery, Nicholas Briggs

Music Simon Power

Producer John Ainsworth

Script Editor John Ainsworth

Sound Design Simon Power

Senior Producer David Richardson