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 Who Review‘s top 5 below!
5. Circular Time
Comprised of four, half-hour stories each based on one of the four seasons, Circular Time gives the Fifth Doctor some of his most unusual, yet most creative, adventures. There’s a story about a Time Lord who’s regenerated into a bird, a battle of wits with Isaac Newton (David Warner), an emotional tale where Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) finds love in modern-day England and a trippy finale which takes place during the Fifth Doctor’s regeneration. A true classic from some of Big Finish‘s earliest days.
4. Thin Time/Madquake
With powerful development for all four lead characters, compellingly written and performed guest characters and a creative return for the villainous Slitheen, Thin Time/Madquake is a standout release in the Monthly Adventures range. Fantastic stuff.
3. Tartarus
Introducing new companion Marc (George Watkins), Tartarus kickstarts one of Big Finish‘s most successful arcs, which explores the fallout from Adric’s death in the 80s TV story Earthshock. Set in a world of Roman myths presided over by the mysterious Tartarus (Tracy Ann Oberman), this is a constantly-exciting quest story that sees the Doctor team up with none other than Cicero (Samuel Barnett). An incredibly tight production all round.
2. The Lost Resort and Other Stories
We move from the start of the Marc arc to its emotional conclusion in The Lost Resort and Other Stories. The opening story sees Adric’s death finally receive some closure after almost 40 years while the finale sees Marc leave the TARDIS behind during a nightmarish encounter with the Daleks. This, coupled with the light-hearted caper The Perils of Nellie Bly, makes The Lost Resort and Other Stories one of the Fifth Doctor’s best Big Finish releases.
1. The Diary of River Song: Series Three
While technically a River Song release, The Diary of River Song: Series Three heavily features Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, seeing him bump into River as she faces Madame Kovarian (Frances Barber) once again. There’s so much to enjoy in this set- comedy, action, farce, emotion, and even a historical story featuring Mozart- but the highlight is the way in which it gives the Fifth Doctor, and by extension Peter Davison, so many new things to do. Not only the best Fifth Doctor release, but one of the best Big Finish boxsets out there!
And there you have it: our Fifth Doctor top five! You can check out our other Fifth Doctor reviews here, and buy all the releases mentioned above at http://www.bigfinish.com
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