Audio Drama Review — ‘Doctor Who: Halloween — Doctor Doctor Doctor And Other Stories’
by Rachel Bellwoar
Doctor Who‘s fate may still be in limbo on TV but Big Finish aren’t letting Halloween pass them by with these four stories featuring 3, 5, 7, and UNIT, respectively.
“Doctor, Doctor, Doctor”
Directed by Samuel Clemens
Written by Stewart Pringle and Lauren Mooney
Starring Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor)
Bloody Mary. Candyman. All names you famously don’t want to say into a mirror three times. Given Doctor Who’s longstanding fascination with trying to figure out the Doctor’s real name, it does feel correct that saying “Doctor” three times would be enough to set off the mirror in this story. Being a Doctor-lite episode, however, it takes a long time for him to appear; and could’ve been any of the Doctors rather than a part that feels tailor written or intended for Seven. Instead the episode revolves around the four physicist students who found the haunted mirror at their college. Without a recognizable companion around either, it’s a lot to ask of new characters and their interpersonal drama feels too convenient, especially when it’s revealed who has a crush on who.
“The Song of the Reed Man“
Directed by Barnaby Edwards
Written by Katherine White
Starring Tim Treloar (The Doctor) and Katy Manning (Jo Jones)
One of the strongest episodes in this collection (and a great showcase for Three and Jo), the TARDIS was supposed to be bringing them to see William Shakespeare, not dropping them in England during the witch hunts. After coming to the aid of one of the young women accused of witchcraft, the Doctor and Jo are taken to meet the rest of her coven. The trust Godith (Maya Sondhi) shows in them isn’t shared by her coven leader, however. Could it be that Mother Ada (Jane Asher) realises that with the Doctor around people might start to question what she’s been telling them about the Reed Man, the alleged source of the coven’s magic?
A lot of Doctor Who stories like to split Jo and the Doctor up but one of the joys of this adventure is getting to see Jo insist they stick together and the Doctor listens to her. This respect feels especially poignant given when this story is set and the reminder of how much a woman being allowed to speak her mind was seen as shocking. Other highlights of this episode include the sonic screwdriver playing an important role and an actually good twist on the classic “bigger on the inside” line that the show has to tout out every once in a while. This story does well by its secondary characters, too, especially Godith whose fear of being a disappointment is very sympathetic.
“Office Space“
Directed by Samuel Clemens
Written by Georgia Cook and Fio Trethewey
If “Doctor Doctor Doctor” was a Doctor-lite episode than “Office Space,” as a UNIT episode with no Doctor or familiar face like the Brigadier or Kate around should face an even bigger challenge and yet … maybe it’s the trauma bonding of recognizing a very stressful first shift at a new job but this single location thriller really works. The moral dilemmas that Max (Oliver James Parkins) immediately faces at the call center are extremely compelling. Basically Max’s job is to screen calls for UNIT and determine who really needs help but, with that, the stakes couldn’t be higher, so it’s like a mix of the classic horror trope of the prank caller with the very real fear that it’s not a prank and they might actually need assistance.
As mentioned, this whole story takes place over the course of one shift, yet Cook and Trethaway realise the value in making time to include a few lines that give some background on who each of these characters are off the clock. Without coming out and saying Max is trans, Cook and Trethaway make sure that’s canon and not just a conclusion listeners can come to because he’s voiced by a trans actor. Being an audio-only medium, it’s a way of making sure that representation isn’t lost but is shared organically — much in the same way that Max’s coworker Shelly (Esther Hall) brings up her wife.
“Overworked“
Directed by Ken Bentley
Written by Hannah Kennedy
Starring Peter Davison (The Doctor) and Sarah Sutton (Nyssa)
For the last horror tale in this collection, the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa are drawn to a hospital where the only staff on duty appear to be two cleaners. One of them — Sophie (Zara Malik-Ryan) — is brand new to the job, much like Max in “Office Space”. This is a story that does a great job of unpacking everything a hospital can mean to people, as a place of both joy and tragedy. The messaging and meaning behind the title “Overworked” hits hard as well. The Fifth Doctor era is one of my blind spots as a Doctor Who fan but Nyssa’s compassion comes across particularly strongly in this episode, too.
Doctor Who: Halloween – Doctor Doctor Doctor and Other Stories is available to purchase from Big Finish.
