It’s Peter Davison’s birthday, so what better time to look at some of the fantastic audio adventures he’s featured in from Big Finish? Check out my top 5 below!
“The Emerald Tiger” by Barnaby Edwards
Set in colonial India, The Emerald Tiger is a story full of adventure and excitement, brought to life by Howard Carter‘s stellar music and sound design and a wonderful cast. The plot combines sci-fi with fantasy, playing out almost like an Indiana Jones film, with jungles to explore, runaway trains and hidden treasures. My all-time favourite Fifth Doctor audio.
“Equilibrium” by Matt Fitton
The middle part of 2015’s E-Space audio trilogy, Equilibrium is set in a fairytale-esque kingdom where life and death must be held in perfect balance. The world of Isenfel is truly unique and, along with such authentic performances from guest stars as Annette Badland and Nickolas Grace, it comes to life like nothing else I’ve ever heard from Big Finish. An utterly enchanting story.
“The Entropy Plague” by Jonathan Morris
The Entropy Plague follows on from the previously-mentioned Equilibrium, ending off the E-Space arc with a truly unique story that’s also surprisingly emotional. Each part is narrated by a different member of the cast, giving us an unusual-but-welcome insight into each character’s thoughts and feelings. There’s a heartbreaking twist towards the end too, turning this story into something truly unmissable.
“Zaltys” by Matthew J Elliot
Zaltys is one of the most authentic Fifth Doctor stories on audio. Steve Foxon‘s music sounds like it’s come right out of the 80s, the TARDIS team are fantastically characterised and there are some great twists that elevate this release from just another sci-fi story to something more far-flung and fantastical. An excellent adventure that emulates season 19 perfectly.
“Devil in the Mist” by Cavan Scott
Devil in the Mist fills in the gap between seasons 20 and 21, giving the character of Kamelion (Jon Culshaw) both his first Big Finish appearance, and some much-needed development. Character-focused, but still full of adventure, and with fantastic sound design by Andy Hardwick, this story by Cavan Scott is true to its era, but innovative as well, making it another great pick for Fifth Doctor fans.
So there you have it, my top five Big Finish audios featuring the fabulous Fifth Doctor. They’re all available to buy on CD or as a download from http://www.bigfinish.com.
Oh, and to further celebrate Doctor number five, you’ll be able to read my thoughts on Spare Parts and The Kingmaker, some of the highest-rated Fifth Doctor audios, later this week. Stay tuned!
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