Day 11: The Apocalypse Element

THE YEAR OF BIG FINISH

Day 11: The Apocalypse Element

So, it's been four releases.... time to get the Daleks back! And after a good first run with Mike Tucker's Genocide Machine, Stephen Cole is brought back into the fray to pen the Sixth Doctor's next encounter with the pepper pots. And Stephen decided to make that little case of meddling in Genesis of the Daleks to finally com to a head, five years before Uncle Russell decided to do the same.... I wonder.....

The Doctor and Evelyn, in the midst of their travels, have found themselves on a delegation ship, heading to the planet of Archetryx in the hopes of achieving peace and solving its current crisis. The only problem is, there are others looking to reach Archetryx too, others who are not altogether friendly. Reuniting with his old "friend" Vansell, and learning of the current Time Lord President's involvement in the delegations, the Doctor, Evelyn and everyone else must work against the clock to stop the Dalek Empire learning the secrets of Archetryx. A secret known by the prize of both parties: the missing Time Lord President... Lady Romanadvoratrelundar....

It's safe to say that Cole knows what he's doing with a script like this. Thoroughly engaging, stakes up to the wazoo, some brilliant sparring between characters left, right and centre, and Daleks that feel like Daleks should; loud, terrifying and dangerously imminent. And although it continues on elements that start from Genocide Machine and Sirens of Time, Cole still makes the tale incredibly accessible to all listeners. As was said, Cole succeeded in this venture along with pitting the Daleks against the Time Lords a whole half decade before another such battle became a pivotal plot point in Russell T Davies revived series. Could this have inspired the infamous Time War? We may never know, but we can damn sure imagine...

Helping Cole realise his grand scale battle of Daleks V The Universe, the cast assist in every way they can! Alongside the always brilliant regulars of Baker and Stables as the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn, we are graced with the likes of Karen Henson, James Campbell, Andrea Newland, Toby Longworth, Andrew Fettes, and Neil Corry, not to mention Michael Wade and Anthony Keetch reprising their roles from Sirens, plus Alistair Lock, and director/composer/sound designer Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Daleks, all performing at a level of absolute perfection. But the highlight has to be Lalla Ward, returning as Romana for the first time in nearly twenty years, and still being as amazing as ever! Alongside some excellent sound design and an epic, tense and dramatic soundtrack from Maestro Briggs, and you have yourselves one of the greatest ever Dalek stories so far!

Of course, this is not the end for some of the players involved in this release. Plans and pieces are being moved and prepared behind the scenes... and soon all will be revealed....

Doctor Who: The Apocalypse Element, is available on Download for £/$/€2.99 on the Big Finish Website, and on limited CD, Cassette and Download from other stockists. 

TOMORROW: The Doctor and his companion arrive in Pompeii... and it's Volcano Day... the only thing? It's 2000, it's written by Steve Lyons, it has Doctor No Seven and Mel, and it's on audio!