Daniel Mansfield and George Hewitt look back on the best of Big Finish‘s output in 2023
It’s New Year’s Eve, and you know what that means…
It’s time for Who Review‘s countdown of the top 10 Big Finish releases of the year! Did your favourite make the list? Read on to find out!
Honourable Mentions
As always, we like to give a shoutout to the releases that just missed out on making the top 10.
- Rogue Encounters, a collection of four standalone tales for The War Master including a face-off with Murray Melvin‘s Bilis Manger and a touching look at the life of Professor Yana
- Sigil – a bittersweet final appearance in the Torchwood range for Murray Melvin
- The Martian Invasion of Planetoid 50, which brings together David Tennant and Michelle Gomez to celebrate Doctor Who‘s 60th anniversary
- A Genius for War – a long-awaited rematch between the Seventh Doctor and Davros… in the Time War!
10. The Seventh Doctor Adventures: Far From Home
With a creative return for the Vashta Nerada, meaty roles for Harry and Naomi, and a beautifully-written Interlude from Katharine Armitage, Far from Home comes in at number 10 on our list. While the first Seventh Doctor, Harry and Naomi set was a little uneven, this one proves just what a great TARDIS team they make, leaving me excited for (hopefully) more in 2024. DM
9. The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles: Everywhere and Anywhere
The Doctor and Valarie are taken to another level in the penultimate boxset of their adventures, and every moment is pure gold. These stories range from topical and prescient to spooky and anxiety-inducing, but the quality never dips. Truly top-tier Who. GH
8. Torchwood: Odyssey
The first instalment of Torchwood’s Ood trilogy was really an exploration of the relationship between Ida Scott and her father, Odysseus. Building such depth of character in just an hour is an incredible feat, and the story has buckets of emotional drive. It’s always a joy to have what was originally a minor character explored in such detail. GH
7. Torchwood: Among Us 3
Torchwood Series 7 wraps up with a boxset about AI, social media, and the dangers of being chronically online. This boxset is highly prescient and doesn’t hold back, ending an already incredible series on a massive high. James Goss, Tim Foley, and Ash Darby have crafted a very special series here and one that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. GH
6. Rani Takes on the World: Beyond Bannerman Road
The return of Rani Chandra and Clyde Langer to the Whoniverse, Beyond Bannerman Road is a nostalgic, emotional sequel to The Sarah Jane Adventures. After the show was cancelled, I spent years wondering what happened next and, thanks to the team at Big Finish, now I have an answer. The story goes on… forever. DM
5. The War Master: Solitary Confinement
This set is the best War Master release in years, seeing the titular character trapped in an asylum recalling some of his most diabolical schemes yet. Derek Jacobi is as deliciously evil as ever, and at his most manipulative, ruining the lives of character after character on his quest for universal domination. Every story here puts a different twist on the Master, even giving us an ill-fated love story for him. Strong stuff indeed. DM
4. Torchwood: Oracle
What would you do if you could learn your own future? That’s the question Oracle asks as Torchwood’s Danny Bartock (Ronny Jhutti) and a team of investigators discover a crashed spaceship full of forbidden knowledge. Full of well-rounded characters and thought-provoking philosophical dilemmas, as well as giving Danny’s role as Torchwood’s ethicist some much-needed fleshing out, Oracle is a gripping listen from start to finish and the finest hour in this year’s Torchwood Monthly Range. DM
Check out George’s review of this release here
3. The Fifth Doctor Adventures: In the Night
This is without a doubt one of the strongest Doctor Who releases of 2023, giving us two solid stories full of excellent performances and thought-provoking discussions. Come for the sublime Pursuit of the Nightjar, an electrifying tale about legacy and heroism, but be sure to stay for Resistor, a historical exploring the struggle of being queer in the Eastern Bloc. DM
2. The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles: Broken Hearts
Lisa McMullin‘s last-minute addition to the ongoing Chronicles of the Eleventh Doctor and Valarie Lockwood provides a much-needed dive into the relationship between the pair, and delivers on all fronts. Safiyya Ingar and Jacob Dudman excel as Valarie and the Doctor, and this story feels like a definitive character piece for the pair. GH
1. The Diary of River Song: Friend of the Family
A period drama, a mystery, a love story and a ghost story rolled into one, Friend of the Family is an absolute triumph and, dare I say, Tim Foley‘s magnum opus. There are no histrionics, no chases or explosions, no crammed-in returning elements: just four hours of beautiful, character-driven story led by one of the best casts Big Finish has ever assembled. Not only do I highly recommend this story, I urge you to pick it up. Flawless, and without a doubt Big Finish‘s finest hour (or four!) in 2023. DM
Thank you to everyone who has supported Who Review through 2023, our biggest year yet! Stay tuned for more in 2024. Happy New Year!
All of the releases mentioned in this article are available from http://www.bigfinish.com
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