In Review: Big Finish: Susan’s War: Grandfather Time

Synopsis: In Grandfather Time, Gallifrey is using the skills of every Time Lord at their disposal. Cardinal Rasmus is not above bending the rules to gain an agent from the future. 

Susan is assigned alongside the War Doctor to keep him in line. If he is no longer the Doctor, though, is he still her Grandfather?

Review: Susan’s War: Grandfather Time was the latest set in my favorite Time War-related range. Susan’s presence allowed the Time War to be grave but not completely bleak.

Story

Of course, the tonal shift also impacted her Grandfather. With Susan, he remembered his past, even if he didn’t want to own it.

“The Last of the Kaleds” by David Llewellyn reshuffled the Dalek tropes in a new way. I particularly enjoyed Llewellyn’s nods to Renaissance Italy, including the twist on a pope militant.

Along the way, Susan showed the War Doctor how capable she was. His pride in her abilities was truly heartwarming.

Instead of nihilistic, the ending came off as bitter-sweet. Llewellyn struck a necessary balance not found in any other Time War range.

“The Voord Alliance” by Andrew Smith transitioned characters to a new phase in the storytelling. In the process, Smith made excellent use of the Voord.

Additionally,  he added a new layer to Cardinal Rasmus. Through that, Smith created a parallel between Rasmus and Susan that will be interesting going forward.

Moreover, Smith brought Susan and the War Doctor full circle within the larger cosmic canvas of the Time War. Listeners will appreciate the nod to an original Dalek plot.

Acting

The entire cast is to notch. That said, I must give kudos to several performances. First, Paksie Vernon was excellent as Karita. She hit all the right beats as a guest companion.

Next, Charlotte Strevens owned every scene she was in as Countess Freya. She played the joy and the sorrow with equal conviction.

While the supporting cast was excellent, the set belonged to Carole Ann Ford and Jonathon Carley. Ford performed as if she’d never left Susan, and Carley acted as if he’d always been her Grandfather.

Overall

Once again,  Susan’s War: Grandfather Time expertly bridged classic and modern Doctor Who. I can’t wait for the next installment in this range..

You can purchase  Susan’s War: Grandfather Time here.