THE YEAR OF BIG FINISH
Day 7: The Genocide Machine
A long, long time ago, there was a little boy called Nick. This little boy had a great liking for a lot of wonderful shows and adventures on the television. And not the mind rotting ones, oh no. But the ones that engrossed your imagination, and took you on far flung adventures to far off planets and sinister villages. As the years passed, his love for these stories never faltered, and for one in particular, the chance of telling a story within its world for the amusement of others was all he ever dreamed of. Be it creating the world, or performing as the wandering traveller. And one day, he decided to do so. And he became so good at it that the people who made the show he loved so much as a child wanted him to make some more stories. And so he did. But he still wanted to perform in these new tales. The only thing was that thy already had people in to play the hero. So, he then decided to try the other end... he decided to perform as the villain... This is the story of the first time that little boy did so, at least for the entertainment of us wider populace... And I think you might already know how this story ends...
Kar-Charrat is a damp and dreary place that no-one ever goes to. At least, not unless they know the secret hidden there. And the secret of Kar-Charrat is precisely why the Doctor and Ace have found themselves here. To visit the infamous hidden library of knowledge and learning. For the librarians have discovered a new way of archiving data. A way that, in the wrong hands, could be turned into a powerful weapon. And some creatures in the universe have learned of it, and want it for themselves, to continue their conquest of the universe. Creatures The Doctor knows only too well...
There is a rite of passage for everyone involved with Doctor Who, be it those that watch it, or those that make it. That rite of passage has been prevalent since 1964, and marks the moment that your interest, or commitment, is cemented forever. That is your first Dalek story. And for their first one, Big Finish show that they are very capable hand. Like Sirens, Mike Tucker's tale of the maniacal pepperpots is not perfect, but it shows a great understanding of the history and ideology of the Daleks. Not to mention, it highlights something very few of the TV stories actually have. The Daleks are not just synonymous with the Doctor. They have motivations and drives of their own, and aren't just linked to mad schemes to kill this one person. That is properly showcased here with their intention of obtaining the secret of the library to use, not just against the Doctor, but also against the armies and resistances that fight back against the genocidal mutants. It's something small in the grand scheme of things, but it's something that makes this story good...
Another thing that makes this story good is the effort made by the cast and crew. Alongside a brilliant take by McCoy, and a perfect double role for Aldred, the small but very capable cast of Daniel Gabriel, Louise Faulkner, and Bruce Montague all bring their best to their roles, not to mention Alistair Lock giving us some pretty unique Dalek voices, but perfectly capturing the maniacal, stacato tone. But the true and proper highlight.... The whole works of the grand Impresario, Nicholas Briggs. Not only does he hold everything perfectly together as a director, and expertly crafting a gorgeous and terrifyingly sounding world as sound designer, and his little cameo comedic takes as a constantly interrupted librarian... BUT HIS DALEK VOICES!!! There is a reason the BBC hired him to do the voice, there is a reason why he is instantly recognisable as the new defector voice of the screaming tanks, and that is because he, as the voice of the Daleks, is absolutely PERFECT! A take that properly encapsulates every memorable take, from Hawkins, to Graham, to Skelton, to Wisher, and yet, still managed to be unique from all of them. There is a reason why he has returned to the role time and time again, and that is because that whilst the rest of them may have given memorable voices, he has mastered it.
With this release, Big Finish have now finished their baptism of fire, by proving they can take on all genres of the show, be engaging in all of them, creating new and wonderful additions to the canon, and succeed with taking on the second most famous aspect of the series. With a good script, great cast, and excellent director/sound designer/madman with a voice modulator, Big Finish have not only proved they could handle the Daleks, but also marked out the beginnings of something big for them...
Doctor Who: The Genocide Machine, is available on Download for £/$/€2.99 on the Big Finish Website, and on limited CD, Cassette and Download from other stockists.
TOMORROW: Justin Richards ressssurectsssss ssssome old foessssss from their ssssslumber....
Kar-Charrat is a damp and dreary place that no-one ever goes to. At least, not unless they know the secret hidden there. And the secret of Kar-Charrat is precisely why the Doctor and Ace have found themselves here. To visit the infamous hidden library of knowledge and learning. For the librarians have discovered a new way of archiving data. A way that, in the wrong hands, could be turned into a powerful weapon. And some creatures in the universe have learned of it, and want it for themselves, to continue their conquest of the universe. Creatures The Doctor knows only too well...
There is a rite of passage for everyone involved with Doctor Who, be it those that watch it, or those that make it. That rite of passage has been prevalent since 1964, and marks the moment that your interest, or commitment, is cemented forever. That is your first Dalek story. And for their first one, Big Finish show that they are very capable hand. Like Sirens, Mike Tucker's tale of the maniacal pepperpots is not perfect, but it shows a great understanding of the history and ideology of the Daleks. Not to mention, it highlights something very few of the TV stories actually have. The Daleks are not just synonymous with the Doctor. They have motivations and drives of their own, and aren't just linked to mad schemes to kill this one person. That is properly showcased here with their intention of obtaining the secret of the library to use, not just against the Doctor, but also against the armies and resistances that fight back against the genocidal mutants. It's something small in the grand scheme of things, but it's something that makes this story good...
Another thing that makes this story good is the effort made by the cast and crew. Alongside a brilliant take by McCoy, and a perfect double role for Aldred, the small but very capable cast of Daniel Gabriel, Louise Faulkner, and Bruce Montague all bring their best to their roles, not to mention Alistair Lock giving us some pretty unique Dalek voices, but perfectly capturing the maniacal, stacato tone. But the true and proper highlight.... The whole works of the grand Impresario, Nicholas Briggs. Not only does he hold everything perfectly together as a director, and expertly crafting a gorgeous and terrifyingly sounding world as sound designer, and his little cameo comedic takes as a constantly interrupted librarian... BUT HIS DALEK VOICES!!! There is a reason the BBC hired him to do the voice, there is a reason why he is instantly recognisable as the new defector voice of the screaming tanks, and that is because he, as the voice of the Daleks, is absolutely PERFECT! A take that properly encapsulates every memorable take, from Hawkins, to Graham, to Skelton, to Wisher, and yet, still managed to be unique from all of them. There is a reason why he has returned to the role time and time again, and that is because that whilst the rest of them may have given memorable voices, he has mastered it.
With this release, Big Finish have now finished their baptism of fire, by proving they can take on all genres of the show, be engaging in all of them, creating new and wonderful additions to the canon, and succeed with taking on the second most famous aspect of the series. With a good script, great cast, and excellent director/sound designer/madman with a voice modulator, Big Finish have not only proved they could handle the Daleks, but also marked out the beginnings of something big for them...
Doctor Who: The Genocide Machine, is available on Download for £/$/€2.99 on the Big Finish Website, and on limited CD, Cassette and Download from other stockists.
TOMORROW: Justin Richards ressssurectsssss ssssome old foessssss from their ssssslumber....
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