"There's only room for one gravelly, ear-gasming voice in this drama!"

Two months? It's only been two months? No wonder it only seems like yesterday we were squeeing into our collective kecks that Sir John FREAKIN' Hurt's first War Doctor box was released, and I've already said what I think of that. So I guess it's an understatement that we wished this was just as good, considering the next one isn't coming out till September...

DOCTOR WHO NEW SERIES REVIEW

THE WAR DOCTOR: VOLUME 2: INFERNAL DEVICES
BY JACK RYAN

BEWARE: THIS POST CONTAINS  SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

The Time War continues, and the Time Lords and the Daleks are being decimated on both sides. Each are hoping to find the solution that will end the stalemate, and bring their race victory. And the Time Lords have many tricks up their sleeves, thanks in part to Cardinal Olistra's wit and cunning. With an alliance with the masters of scientific-magic, the Technomancers, a weapon linked to a Dalek plan so secret, even the Emperor knows nothing of it and a device capable of twisting time back and forth sought by the two waring parties, Olistra needs every bit of help she can get from The War Doctor. The only thing is, he still has hope for peace, and that is the biggest, and deadliest, weapon of all....

Topping December's Only The Monstrous was always going to be a major challenge. I mean for starters you had the arrival of Sir John FREAKIN' Hurt as the War Doctor, Jacqueline Pearce is a role as devilishly cunning as Chessene and the entire thing written and directed by the legend that is Nick Briggs. Not only that but the last box had everything so perfectly woven and interconnected that it felt less like a three part mini-series and more like a three hour epic movie with spaces for ad-breaks. Quite simply, following the first set was a challenge of Herculean proportions. So how did they do it? Well, getting David Warner is always a good start...

The casting in this set is as sublime as last time. Returning of course are the aforementioned Hurt and Pearce, and of course Briggs as the voice of the Daleks, and joining them is David Warner, who always relishes every single Big Finish role he gets. (At least from what I've heard, I still have to get to Unbound) He plays Shadovar, leader of the Technomancers, and as the role suggests, exudes this air of authority and leadership about him which fits perfectly into the character. Joining him in the guest cast is Zoe Tapper as Collis, a Time Lord soldier who plays a very integral part in the first episode, with  Jamie Newall, Jay Griffths, Robert Hands and Tracy Wiles as some of the rest of the stellar cast this box presents.

As far as stories go, they too hit the standards set by the boxset's predecessor. Unlike last time, the three stories aren't as tightly knit with the overarching plot. It feels more like a series of Sherlock than it does a epic movie. Don't let that deter you however, because these stories are sublime. John Dorney's Legion Of The Lost is the perfect story to start off the set, delivering an epic, yet shockingly moral story. The next one, A Thing Of Guile, by Phil Mulryne (fresh from The Churchill Years) is a brilliant Doctor Who meets Mission Impossible story where, as well as the writing, the acting from all involved shines through. Finally, Matt Fitton's The Neverwhen is a fantastic finishing installment with twists and moments that will shock everyone listening as well as the characters. All three stories in fact play on the Third Act shock reveal to great effect; the plot twists presented are not simple "plot twist just because" but are integral parts of each story that will genuinely make your jaws drop in shock...

Howard Carter (and his BLOODY AWESOME THEME) returns as the composer and sound designer for the set and, once again, has outdone himself. In fact, something I'm meaning to ask is why there isn't a music suite in this set? Nick, Jason, any reasons? Ultimately, this is a brilliant boxset in its own right and a perfect successor to Only The Monstrous. But, like I said, if you're getting it, be aware that it's going to be a long seven months...

VERDICT: Um... it broke the counter thingy again... I don't think it can handle the awesomeness of Sir John Hurt... but if it was working it'd be five out of five. ;D