Review by Scott Lopes

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The beginning of the Thirteenth Doctor’s era at Big Finish continues with the long-awaited return of Sacha Dhawan as the Master in Call Me Master: Inner Demons.

Inner Demons is, at its core, a journey of self-discovery for this Master. At a time when he’s not sure of who he is or if he’s really even evil anymore, he finds himself on a quest to rediscover his true self. It’s a perfect setup for this version of the character. Whether you believe he’s after the Lumiat or is the beginning of a crisis of identity that leads into what we see in his TV episodes and eventually Missy, Big Finish perfectly captures that aspect of him and gives him a fantastic arc around it.

Sacha Dhawan improves on this even further by giving one of the best Master performances in recent years, even surpassing much of his time in the show. Dhawan had already proven himself to be the best at portraying the absolute chaos and insanity that the Master can reach compared to more seemingly calm and collected earlier incarnations, and he perfectly balances that with the crisis of identity he’s exploring here. It can’t be overstated that there isn’t a single dull moment in Inner Demons, because Sacha steals every moment. 

Overall, Call Me Master: Inner Demons is an amazing introduction to Sacha Dhawan‘s Master on audio that perfectly uses what came before on both audio and TV to make the beginning a really unique arc for the character. Sacha Dhawan is only improving as the Master, and I can’t wait for his return in September. Any and all Master fans are sure to love this fantastic box set.

Inner Demons is available on CD or as a download from http://www.bigfinish.com