Jo Martin’s incarnation of the Doctor kicks off her own series of audio adventures.
The Fugitive Doctor materialised in a head-spinning revelation as part of the Thirteenth Doctor’s arc. At the end of her debut tale, she flew off for her own adventures leaving us befuddled but wanting more.
This rogue incarnation then reoccurred throughout the remainder of Jodie Whittaker’s run, in various forms, but definite answers remained in short supply.
Now, audio producers Big Finish are giving this incarnation of the Doctor her own series. We enjoyed a taste in last year’s Doctor Who: Once and Future – Coda: The Final Act, where she was pitted against the War Doctor. However, in Most Wanted, she’s not sharing the limelight with anyone else… except herself.
Fast Times
The Doctor is on the run from the dubious Time Lord group Division, after one of her team attempts to take her down. With holes in her memory, even she doesn’t know what she’s supposed to have done! Captured by a robotic bounty hunter, she’s incarcerated in a maximum-security prison. However, a natural attractor of trouble, she’s soon caught up in a prison break…
With the Time Lord agent Cosmogon (Alice Krige) on her tale, the story spins off into a chase. Incurring the attention of the Daleks – a foe who recognise her while she doesn’t know them – Robert Valentine’s story plays out in appealing comic book style.
There are clever temporal shenanigans with the Daleks and, despite presenting as a little rougher and tougher around the edges, the Doctor always does the right thing. In this case, it means helping fellow prisoner Fade (Leah Harvey) complete her mission.
The Legend of Baba Yaga
The second tale, from writer Rochana Patel, takes us deep into Slavic folklore. The Doctor comes in search of the mythical crone, armed with suspicions and a knowledge of the tales, and hoping to find an ally.
At the same time, a young woman named Vasilisa (Sophie Shad) is despatched by her stepmother to beg for the Baba Yaga’s assistance and she and the Doctor become allies.
Jacqueline King, best known to fans as Donna Noble’s mother Sylvia, threatens to steal the show as the titular Baba Yaga. She’s a formidable witch who’s able to open locks and summon spectral horsemen at will.
Cleverly balancing a rich mythical background with science fiction, and the Doctor’s practical demeanour, this is a terrific story.
The Dimension of Lost Things
The final tale, from writer Lisa McMullin, sees the Doctor pull a temporal handbrake turn and end up in a pocket dimension. She finds herself in a place where lost souls end up, like the presumed dead Everest explorer Sandy Irving (Matt Wycliffe) and the futuristic Athelia (Nneka Okoye).
Interestingly, the Doctor also meets another version of herself here. Not another incarnation, but another Fugitive Doctor who’s been trapped much longer…
There’s a lot going on in this other dimension – perhaps too much? To be honest, the discontinuity of the Fugitive Doctor meeting herself fell a little flat as we don’t know her well enough. That said, this is a Doctor who’s already met two other incarnations – one onscreen and another on audio.
The central idea is great though. It called to mind Douglas Adams’ planet of the missing Biros, or Neil Hannon’s ‘Lost Property’, but for people rather than things.
In Summary
With minimal screen time as the Doctor on television, The Fugitive Doctor Adventures has a clean slate. She was a mysterious figure already and this box set serves to deepen those mysteries, rather than offering any answers. To be honest, it’s a pretty appealing prospect to have a Doctor freed from continuity and able to go anywhere.
Jo Martin’s delivery is direct and forthright, but there’s room for development and it begins here. Despite her protestations, she can’t stop herself from getting involved and helping others.
Each tale provides potential companions, but like the Ninth and the War Doctors, this incarnation prefers to travel alone. That said, there’s the beginning of an interesting relationship (of sorts) with her pursuer Cosmogon.
Most Wanted is a terrific start for a new Doctor, with ‘The Legend of Baba Yaga’ a particular treat.
Doctor Who – The Fugitive Doctor: Most Wanted is out now. It’s already sold out on Collector’s Edition CD, but remains available on download from Big Finish.
The Fugitive Doctor Adventures: Dead or Alive
Hot on the heels of this release, Big Finish have confirmed details for volume 2. Titled Dead or Alive, it promises three more stories…
Still on the run from her old employers, the sinister Time Lord agency known as the Division, the Fugitive Doctor embarks upon three thrilling new adventures across time and space in the forthcoming box set Dead or Alive.
>Along the way, she’ll come to the aid of a Spitfire pilot lost in the vortex, crash into a junkyard of dead time machines, and face off against a vampire queen. But what will she do when her dogged pursuer Cosmogon finally catches up with her?
Doctor Who – The Fugitive Doctor: Dead or Alive is out in July 2025. It’s available to pre order on Collector’s Edition CD and download from Big Finish.