The latest blending of Doctor Who eras brings us the Krillitaine, the Lupari and the Monks.
Big Finish’s Classic Doctors New Monsters range returns for its fifth outing, providing more occasions for earlier Doctors to encounter creatures from the post-2005 series.
In Faithful Friends, the genetic ability acquiring Krillitaine of ‘School Reunion’ return in two linked tales. We visit the homeworld of the dog-like Lupari and the sinister Monks of that Capaldi-era are up to their tricks again.
The Krillitaine Feint & The Krillitaine Relic
Across two linked tales, writer John Dorney plays with the bat-like Krillitaine. While onscreen their scheme to harness human brain power took a back seat to Sarah Jane Smith’s return, here their unique abilities are the prize at the centre of the story.
Initially, we find them at the mercy of humans who are keen to acquire their unique powers of genetic absorption. When the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe arrive, the Doctor is horrified and points out how dangerous these experiments are. Soon, events take a horrific turn.
The story is full of clever misdirection and leads on to ‘The Krillitaine Relic’ as the action relocates to Starsis, a remote and exclusive cryogenic facility in space. There’s a similarity to the setting of ‘The Gloaming’, a recent Eighth Doctor tale, although this heads in a different direction.
The Seventh Doctor arrives with Ray, the almost companion of ‘Delta and the Bannermen,’ now enjoying some TARDIS travel. On Starsis, they find the Doctor’s former companion Zoe Herriot, or at least a woman who looks like her – although she claims not to know him and uses another name. This prompts great moments between Wendy Padbury and Sylvester McCoy, as the Doctor reflects on the memory-wiping actions of his people for which he still feels guilty.
Sheila Hancock entertains as the slightly bumbling facility manager Catherine Peacock. Unfortunately, she also voices a freighter captain and the distinction between the two was not great enough for us.
The Dying Breed
Karvanista, a member of the charmingly gruff dog-like Lupari, was one of the highlights of 2021’s Flux and we learned that his species enjoy an enduring link with humanity. This tale gives that relationship an origin story as we hear of the first meeting the two species, as told by their soothsayer, an enigmatic, heavily accented Miriam Margolyes.
When the Fourth Doctor arrives, with Leela and K-9, seeking to track down some temporal interference, they’re soon embroiled in the action. The Lord Garzan’s heir lies dying and his scheming daughter Kira (Selina Jones) is looking for someone to blame.
The story has fun with “the Lord K-9” and the gravelly Garzan (Peter Guinness), and sets up an antagonism between Leela and Kira which naturally ends in combat. Throughout, it paints the feudal Lupari civilisation in broad strokes and, as well as setting up Flux, promise many more encounters between the Doctor and the species. Let’s hope we get to hear them!
Five Hundred Ways to Leave Your Lover
Doctor Who often tackles different formats and so, for the final tale, we slide into the universe of romantic comedy. Here, we’re presented with the Doctor and his boyfriend Chris (Charlie Condou), who wants to break up with him. However, the Doctor just isn’t getting the message – he’s too busy helping them escape from Monks in saunas. And on ice.
Writer Tim Foley offers a sweet and very funny relationship drama with high stakes as the manipulative Monks play with perceptions. Scenes shift from a cloud restaurant to Floriana and beyond as Chris tries to puzzle out what is going on and who to believe.
As in their original appearance onscreen, the Monks remain background figures for the most part, but Tim Bentinck returns to voice their rasping. Meanwhile, Andrew Hayden-Smith plays Mark, the other man in Chris’s relationship.
In summary
Despite Faithful Friends being the fifth volume of these era blending adventures, director Barnaby Edwards delivers four entertaining stories. For us, in a strong set, the Lupari tale takes the crown for its expansive world building and terrific cast.
The (re)introduction of Ray was interesting too, although how it came about goes unexplained in the story. Now a mildly sarcastic middle-aged woman, rather than the naïve teenager of 1959, she’s an entertaining, if rather generic, companion to the Seventh Doctor. Hopefully further adventures, including a reintroduction story will be forthcoming to remedy that and this was out of sync preview (Big Finish have form in this regard!)
Classic Doctors New Monsters 5: Faithful Friends is out now. It’s available on collector’s edition 4-disc CD box set (+ download), or digital download only, exclusively from Big Finish.
Additionally, you can find our reviews of the previous Classic Doctors New Monsters box sets here.