Day 12: The Fires Of Vulcan

THE YEAR OF BIG FINISH

Day 12: The Fires Of Vulcan

I'm a bot surprised that it took Doctor Who this long to get to this idea. I mean, rarely in history do you get as big an ecological and cataclysmic a disaster as Pompeii, and here you have a TV show where you can just about go anywhere and do anything. But as always, better late than never. And Steve Lyons takes on the task of giving us the doomed city in the world of Doctor Who. How does he fare?

Pompeii. A doomed city etched into the tapestry of history. Every day, more and more discoveries of old Roman life are being discovered thanks to this snapshot of history. Of course, the Doctor and Mel, if so desired, can go to it back when it was prosperous, and thriving. And so, they do just that. Only, Pompeii is the last place the Doctor wants to be right now. For he knows what UNIT finds in the ashen ruins in 1980... something whose knowledge has haunted him since he learned about it... for today, the Doctor has learnt how it ends... He is about to become a permanent part of history, and this time, there is no escaping...

Cole does something good with this story. Rather than go the route that James Moran would take eight years later, Cole makes Fires Of Vulcan a strictly historical piece. So that with it, Vesuvius, and by extension, history itself become the big looming monster. And it works so well, giving us an engaging, unique, and informative version of Pompeii that feels brimming with life and energy, despite the ever looming menace that will soon encase it all.... Not to mention every character Cole crafts be them ally or antagonist, friend or foe, all feel real and either so brimming with life that you cry at the inevitable, or so despicable that you beg Vesuvius to hurry up!

And bringing that roster of characters to life is a superb and magnificent cast. With Gary Russell once more under directorial duties, he assists a grand group of actors and actresses, from Gemma Bissix, to Anthony Keetch, from Karen Henson to Robert Curbishley, from Andy Coleman and Nicky Goldie, to Steven Wickham, Lisa Hollander and Toby Longworth, and helps all of them give the performances of their lives (slightly ironically), and there is not one single weak link. But proper credit must go to Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor, giving the Doctor some emotional depth at the prospect of nearly being completely powerless to stop his own destruction; and Bonnie Langford, returning to the character of Mel for the first time in about thirteen years. And not only does it feel like she's never left, but with the stereotype of the screaming girl now completely removed from her character, Bonnie gives a performance of a proper lifetime here!

With Alistair Lock's sensational sound design and excellent score enhancing every scene, The Fires Of Vulcan, along with Marian Conspiracy, is further proof that the purely-historical genre of the show is not something to be forgotten. Sometimes, it can lead to some of the most thought-provoking, emotional and engaging episodes and stories in the history of the canon. And showcasing the healing power that Big Finish has, with the return of Mel and the removal of the negatives the show had lumbered onto her, this is a story that, if you skip because TV's already done it... you are doing yourself, and a talented cast and crew, a great disservice.....

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

TOMORROW: It's just a time jump to the left... and a side-step to the ri-i-i-ayyyy-ight.... as Professor Bernice Summerfield hops on board to help out The Doctor And Ace in a "new adventure"!!!

That joke was waiting to be used. Don't judge me....