The Box set format, with four 50 minutes stories, has worked really well for good old Sixie. The stories rocket along at a frenetic pace but manage to throw in a number of unexpected twists and turns along the way. High adventure and low humour abound in the stories and the relationship between the Doctor and the older Peri, now several years after her ordeal on Thorus Beta, works beautifully. This is the TARDIS team the TV show couldn’t get right but once again Big Finish shows how it should be done.
The four authors have all found the voice of the leads perfectly. It is great having Jacqueline Rayner writing a new story, as she always manages to find the heart of a subject and her take on the power of social media with the second story “Like” manages to both make you laugh and yet see the very real danger of a society that only acts by likes and not what is right. She manages to hold a mirror up to society without being preachy.
The other standout story for me was “Conflict Theory”. The Freudian puns and psychology jokes come thick and fast and writer Nev Fountain, actress Nicola Bryant’s real life partner, spoils Peri with witty dialogue and some great action.
Four great stories. Here’s hoping that there are many more boxsets like this to come.
Grab a copy of The Sixth Doctor And Peri: Volume One directly from the Big Finish website.
Philip Edney
