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Liam Carey reviews

Doctor Who:
The Holy Terror

Distributed by
Big Finish Productions

Darker and more mischievous than your average Doctor Who yarn, be it on television or via another medium, The Holy Terror stakes a considerable claim to be among the very best productions that Big Finish released during their first three years. It may even prove, along with The Marian Conspiracy and The Chimes Of Midnight, to be an enduring classic, whatever delights should follow in the future.

Anyone looking for a reason why Colin Baker just might be edging it in the "finest BF Doctor" stakes need only sample this insanely entertaining entry in the range, written with a Douglas Adams-esque taste for offbeat and wickedly pointed satire.

The Holy Terror casts its unforgiving eye upon ancient, ritualistic religion; a topic bound to court controversy and quite possibly cause offence. There are obvious parallels between the build-'em-up, knock-'em-down swift turnover of "false Gods" in the society encountered by the Doctor, and the trends within more contemporary culture for instant, largely unwarranted deification of mere mortals.

Recently, author Shearman has mused over whether he in fact went a little too far with The Holy Terror's deeply dark overtones. Well it is pretty black in its humour, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The title, after all, hardly suggests fluffy pink bunnies and lemonade.

This was the second BF audio in a row to draw upon the DWM comic strip as opposed to the BBC TV series or the Virgin novels. It marked the vocal debut of Frobisher, a shapeshifting companion of the 6th Doctor who, thanks to some past misdemeanour, now had the appearance of a penguin. Hmmm, one can imagine what the 80s BBC team might have done with that. Yet, brought to life with infectious charm by Robert Jezek, the "big talking bird" is surprisingly effective as an audio character; thanks also in part to the BF sound-effects team, who add the subtle flip-flop noises with such expertise.

Frobisher has a central role to play in The Holy Terror, his arrival alongside the Doctor during the inauguration of unwilling new god Pepin VII prompting inevitable hysteria. For Childeric, Pepin's scheming half-brother (a typically malevolent turn by legenadary actor Peter Guiness), it's a rather inconvenient distraction from his plot to overthrow the latest godly incumbent and claim immortality for himself.

The dialogue is always sensational, aware of its preposterousness but unashamedly delighting in the absurd customs and surreal scenarios. Colin Baker is once again in his element, revelling in the quality of Shearman's writing and of the acting calibre around him. His spirited television performances in the face of creative mediocrity and penny-pinching executives occasionally offered a glimpse into how magnificent a Doctor he could be. Fifteen years later, he provides more than a glimpse.

To paraphrase a line from The Holy Terror, "all hail the Sixth Doctor!".

Review copyright © Liam Carey, 2003.

E-mail Liam Carey

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