Forty-Five
False Gods
Coming Soon
Order of Simplicity
Order of Simplicity had the potential to be greater. As it is presented, it’ s hard to see how it could have lasted for something longer than three episodes, but as it is, it’s just too short for any depth to the plot or characters to be developed.
The idea behind it is a very good one; a scientist creates a code which can reduce the human mind until it has an IQ of 45. The Doctor gets infected with the code and has to solve it before he becomes as intelligent as Homo-Erectus (That’s ancient human for those who don’t know). A simple plot, with only two guest characters, and a small setting, it has all the cards for a claustrophobic, tense episode, which it is to a point. What it lacks however is drive. Because it is so short, it tries to pack something into 25 minutes that could last longer. It couldn’t last as a main range story without some considerable changes in the events of the story, but as it is presented here, there is enough for a two-part adventure. I could easily see it in the Fourth Doctor Adventures, as a more convincing idea. As it is so rushed, the threat isn’t fully felt, the code just being a reason for the story rather than the enemy inside it.
Where this episode does win, however, is its characters. Both guest roles are designed to be obnoxious people who the average person loves to hate. Dr Verryman is so worried about his genius being lost to the world is something he believes so much in that it makes him callous, cold and even deadly. His assistant, Mrs Crisp is a secret evil though. From the first moment you hear her voice, you know she is bad, but you don’t know why. As it progresses, you slowly get an idea of her plan, until it is fully revealed and the end is reached. Both of them are the driving force behind it, and it does work because of them. Writer, Nick Scovell’s success in this story is mainly from these two.
The idea behind it is a very good one; a scientist creates a code which can reduce the human mind until it has an IQ of 45. The Doctor gets infected with the code and has to solve it before he becomes as intelligent as Homo-Erectus (That’s ancient human for those who don’t know). A simple plot, with only two guest characters, and a small setting, it has all the cards for a claustrophobic, tense episode, which it is to a point. What it lacks however is drive. Because it is so short, it tries to pack something into 25 minutes that could last longer. It couldn’t last as a main range story without some considerable changes in the events of the story, but as it is presented here, there is enough for a two-part adventure. I could easily see it in the Fourth Doctor Adventures, as a more convincing idea. As it is so rushed, the threat isn’t fully felt, the code just being a reason for the story rather than the enemy inside it.
Where this episode does win, however, is its characters. Both guest roles are designed to be obnoxious people who the average person loves to hate. Dr Verryman is so worried about his genius being lost to the world is something he believes so much in that it makes him callous, cold and even deadly. His assistant, Mrs Crisp is a secret evil though. From the first moment you hear her voice, you know she is bad, but you don’t know why. As it progresses, you slowly get an idea of her plan, until it is fully revealed and the end is reached. Both of them are the driving force behind it, and it does work because of them. Writer, Nick Scovell’s success in this story is mainly from these two.
Casualties of War
Coming Soon...
The Word Lord
It is my belief that The Word Lord will always be a firm favourite among all the one part stories Big Finish have made. Among fans, this is a massive story told in a short time, simply because of the introduction of the titular enemy, or Nobody No-one. The episode as a whole is highly enjoyable and thoroughly recommended, but it is this villain’s introduction that really makes the piece.
For me, the sequel to this story is highly superior to the original. Ian Reddington, the man to portray Nobody in A Death in the Family, does a better job at being a murderous megalomaniac, but the sequel would be nothing without its origins. The Word Lord, being only 25 minutes long, doesn’t have the chance it deserves to get going. Paul Reynolds does a great act as the first incarnation of the Word Lord that we meet, but for me, he’s not insane enough. Listening to this four years after it was made, and having A Death in the Family stuck in my mind for it's running time does hinder the excitement of it, but this was the first time for any body involved, and I doubt they knew what they had stumbled across.
In the same way the Daleks were a bit weaker in their first story, so Nobody No-one is here. However, but that doesn’t stop him being any less brilliant. He’s the sort of villain that I could see myself acting out in the playground, had this been made on TV (and I was about 6). The world of audio does lend itself spectacularly to his domain, and I am full of praise for Steven Hall who came up with this monster. It’ so fresh, so unique, to get a character like him from something that’s been running for nearly 50 years. A man who, if mentioned by name, can do exactly what is said about him. As Ace told us in Death, if you said ‘Nobody knows where the letter is’, then he does know where it is. Steven Hall is a genius.
The plot itself is rather limited, being crammed into under half an hour. It is a shame that the first story had to be so short, but
this did pave that way for Big Finish’s best story created, and regarded even higher than that in my books. Another thing it does is answer the question of the recurring Forty Fives running through all four episodes of this release, and giving meaning to it’s name (other than the celebration of 45 years of Doctor Who), which it does it in a way that is both inspired and awesome. So, if you’ve got 99p spare, buy it now, and if you’ve got £14.99, buy the whole collection. You really cannot miss this. Nobody could argue with that.
For me, the sequel to this story is highly superior to the original. Ian Reddington, the man to portray Nobody in A Death in the Family, does a better job at being a murderous megalomaniac, but the sequel would be nothing without its origins. The Word Lord, being only 25 minutes long, doesn’t have the chance it deserves to get going. Paul Reynolds does a great act as the first incarnation of the Word Lord that we meet, but for me, he’s not insane enough. Listening to this four years after it was made, and having A Death in the Family stuck in my mind for it's running time does hinder the excitement of it, but this was the first time for any body involved, and I doubt they knew what they had stumbled across.
In the same way the Daleks were a bit weaker in their first story, so Nobody No-one is here. However, but that doesn’t stop him being any less brilliant. He’s the sort of villain that I could see myself acting out in the playground, had this been made on TV (and I was about 6). The world of audio does lend itself spectacularly to his domain, and I am full of praise for Steven Hall who came up with this monster. It’ so fresh, so unique, to get a character like him from something that’s been running for nearly 50 years. A man who, if mentioned by name, can do exactly what is said about him. As Ace told us in Death, if you said ‘Nobody knows where the letter is’, then he does know where it is. Steven Hall is a genius.
The plot itself is rather limited, being crammed into under half an hour. It is a shame that the first story had to be so short, but
this did pave that way for Big Finish’s best story created, and regarded even higher than that in my books. Another thing it does is answer the question of the recurring Forty Fives running through all four episodes of this release, and giving meaning to it’s name (other than the celebration of 45 years of Doctor Who), which it does it in a way that is both inspired and awesome. So, if you’ve got 99p spare, buy it now, and if you’ve got £14.99, buy the whole collection. You really cannot miss this. Nobody could argue with that.