***WARNING MAJOR SPOILERS***
Black and White
‘The one with all the answers.’ That, I fear, is how Black and White will always be remembered. But it is so much more than that. Yes, it solves most of the puzzles plaguing us since the very first Seventh Doctor and Hex story, but it is so much more. It is a complicated, train-wreck of a story that had the potential to be a disaster by doing too many things at once, but is presented in such a way that even a person with only one working brain cell (and a mild history of Big Finish) can understand it. Beowulf, two TARDIS’s (TARDI?), four companions and a missing Doctor. It could have been overwhelming.
What Black and White does well is trickling all its answers slowly out over the four episodes. Having the first one set completely within the Black TARDIS means it can focus on explaining what is going on, instead of trying to send us into another adventure. Matt Fitton does an excellent job, solving the puzzles in a way that makes you shout ‘OH MY GOD’ rather than ‘FOR ****’* SAKE, THAT’S AWFUL!’ Some stories can be spent wishing that you never listened to the ending because it spoiled the suspense of the last three episodes. Not this one. Considering that this reveal has been built up to since (at least) Project: Destiny, every single part of this is a reward to the faithful listeners. Inspired. That’s what the reveal is. For most of the stories it appeared, I, like many others, believed that the Black and White TARDIS where one and the same. No one thought that Robophobia was set almost directly after Lurker’s at Sunlight’s Edge. Did you imagine that the Doctor had been fighting all these Elder Gods recently? The only link I made was thinking that he had been chasing a lot of ‘evils for the dawn of time recently’.
The only drawback of the story was even resolved by part 4. Until that episode, I had no idea of the importance of the Beowulf plot. I was going to write that they could have left him out and allow a story that could be completely about him, but his (MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD) death really changed my view. Giving a famous story a Doctor Who twist almost always works, and it is no different here. The slightly camp alien, Garundel, played by Stuart Milligan (President Nixon in new-Who) is slightly irritating, but is perfectly suited to ancient Norway because
he is so out of place there. And, being set in Nordic mythology, Black and White is the perfect chance for you-know-who to come back. While you-know-who isn’t mentioned by name, I instantly knew who he was, simply because of my love of his first story.
On a final note, a full TARDIS shouldn’t work, but it does. On TV, they struggled to give three companions the space they deserved. Fitton does his best to give each companion as much time as possible, and he does it well. The only person who I would call outshined is Aristedes, simply because she is often put down by Ace, who tries to fight her for the superior role in the TARDIS. Out of the four, Hex and Sally really shine because of their brilliant relationship together. It is so obvious what they think of each other, but they can’t because of who they are and when. In the end, if the Doctor, Ace and Hex all go their separate ways, then I hope the latter and Sally go off together.
Black and White is a brilliant story that really rewards listeners who have been with Big Finish a long time. Having four companions who have been plucked from separate stories works very well. The only draw back is that you have to buy two dozen stories before starting on this.
What Black and White does well is trickling all its answers slowly out over the four episodes. Having the first one set completely within the Black TARDIS means it can focus on explaining what is going on, instead of trying to send us into another adventure. Matt Fitton does an excellent job, solving the puzzles in a way that makes you shout ‘OH MY GOD’ rather than ‘FOR ****’* SAKE, THAT’S AWFUL!’ Some stories can be spent wishing that you never listened to the ending because it spoiled the suspense of the last three episodes. Not this one. Considering that this reveal has been built up to since (at least) Project: Destiny, every single part of this is a reward to the faithful listeners. Inspired. That’s what the reveal is. For most of the stories it appeared, I, like many others, believed that the Black and White TARDIS where one and the same. No one thought that Robophobia was set almost directly after Lurker’s at Sunlight’s Edge. Did you imagine that the Doctor had been fighting all these Elder Gods recently? The only link I made was thinking that he had been chasing a lot of ‘evils for the dawn of time recently’.
The only drawback of the story was even resolved by part 4. Until that episode, I had no idea of the importance of the Beowulf plot. I was going to write that they could have left him out and allow a story that could be completely about him, but his (MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD) death really changed my view. Giving a famous story a Doctor Who twist almost always works, and it is no different here. The slightly camp alien, Garundel, played by Stuart Milligan (President Nixon in new-Who) is slightly irritating, but is perfectly suited to ancient Norway because
he is so out of place there. And, being set in Nordic mythology, Black and White is the perfect chance for you-know-who to come back. While you-know-who isn’t mentioned by name, I instantly knew who he was, simply because of my love of his first story.
On a final note, a full TARDIS shouldn’t work, but it does. On TV, they struggled to give three companions the space they deserved. Fitton does his best to give each companion as much time as possible, and he does it well. The only person who I would call outshined is Aristedes, simply because she is often put down by Ace, who tries to fight her for the superior role in the TARDIS. Out of the four, Hex and Sally really shine because of their brilliant relationship together. It is so obvious what they think of each other, but they can’t because of who they are and when. In the end, if the Doctor, Ace and Hex all go their separate ways, then I hope the latter and Sally go off together.
Black and White is a brilliant story that really rewards listeners who have been with Big Finish a long time. Having four companions who have been plucked from separate stories works very well. The only draw back is that you have to buy two dozen stories before starting on this.