Dark Gallifrey: The War Master: Parts 2 and 3 from Big Finish Review

Dark Gallifrey is a spin-off to the Gallifrey audio series from Big Finish Productions showcasing some of the planet’s most villainous Time Lords. I have always loved loved loved Derek Jacobi as The War Master so it’s a huge joy to see him become a part of the Dark Gallifrey stories.

What is Dark Gallifrey? It’s an alternative world to Gallifrey proper. Released earlier this summer, Big Finish Dark Gallifrey: The War Master Part 1 saw the 7th Doctor’s companion and 26th century archaeologist Professor Bernice “Benny” Summerfield searching and locating Dark Gallifrey. Due to the presence of a dangerous weapon called the Imbomination, it was deemed that Dark Gallifrey’s location should remain hidden so the knowledge was destroyed.

Parts 2 and 3 deal with the aftermath of Bernice’s discovery and include the War Master and Captain John Hart as the two opponents who set their sights on Bernice searching for its location.

Part 2 is a lot of fun amid the dreaming spires of Braxiatel University, Benny is lecturing but being romantically wined and dined by Captain John Hart in disguise as a bashful student with an ulterior motive. Played by James Marsters, his over-eager overtures as “John” the lovestruck student seek to flatter Bernice’s ego and she slowly starts to warm to him flattered by the attention. Captain John Hart uses his considerable charm to win her over and you get a sense Captain John would do anything to get what he wants as long as he’s enjoying himself as well.

Captain John has done his research as he knows she won’t disclose the information easily so eases her into a false sense of security that she is enough as herself. He is a rogue who uses emotional manipulation knowing her ego is probably her weak spot as he abruptly leaves and then returns. But what’s surprising is Captain John Hart is not entirely without a heart or real feelings and just every once in a while they will come out.

The War Master played by Derek Jacobi is playing the part of Provost at the university. I never really knew what a provost was but it’s a senior academic administrator. The War Master is on the staff side so able to interact with Bernice in a slightly more intellectual way as a colleague or even friend with an ulterior motive. I love the fact that we, the audience, know how devious the War Master is and he is playing the game of keeping your friends close and enemies closer with Bernice, allowing her to talk to him about her student.

I burst out laughing when Bernice asks what the chancellor would say about a student flirting with her and the Provost admits “his role is much reduced” when he hasn’t been seen in ages and I assume took a journey with the tissue compression eliminator.

I was intrigued by how the provost would know that Bernice was extensively travelled and would have held secrets from her time with the Doctor. I don’t know her character very well and whether she is the type of person to talk too much or whether he is just expertly fishing. I suppose one thing we do know about the War Master he is meticulous in his research. Bernice doesn’t strike me as a dim woman but she does seem to trust the Provost a bit too much. She is just totally human and trusting.

It seems like she doesn’t have other friendships or maybe has got a bit too distracted and comfortable with university life between her lectures and the disorganised chaos of her many cats. The Provost becomes her sounding board even after his temper tantrum that she hasn’t taken his advice over “John” to stop seeing him which I thought strange.

Of course, Captain John encounters” Uncle Twinkles” the War Master. The War Master thinks Captain John is an idiot and their word duels are so entertaining. Captain John doesn’t like the War Master’s “elderly uncle” role. James Marsters and Derek Jacobi are having a lot of fun with the dialogue as two adversaries, two rogues with the same aim. A forced partnership between the two of them is full of comic putdowns. As Bernice tries to escape and discovers the truth about Captain John Hart and The War Master she is forced to take them both to Dark Gallifrey.

The tone shifts here as we are entering what seems an empty shell of Gallifrey and it becomes quite dark. The ending of Part 2 surprised me but I liked how it ended with The War Master and Captain John trapped with the Imbomination and Benny rescued by the Doctor.

Part 3 is a lot darker than Part 2 as it’s based on Dark Gallifrey and this is where a high-concept story plays out. Initially, I wasn’t sure how much I was enjoying it so stopped for a few days and went back to it. I think the story just about pulls it off by the end. The Imbomination is an entity, a weapon, that has controlled Dark Gallifrey so the War Master and Captain John are essentially at first its puppets who it wants to feed off and drain their life force. Also puppets are the phantom Timelords who are endlessly debating and procrastinating which the War Master mocks.

Of course, The War Master wants to control everything, the phantoms, the cowardly Tardis and the Imbomination to end the Time War and create infinity ” Come Gallifrey to War” he rails the phantom Timelords but of course, it isn’t that simple. This universe has its own master the Imbomination which is a malevolent, childish type of force. I like that the War Master realises the havoc that the Imbomination could cause in the universe proper if it escapes the pocket universe. He considers self-sacrifice at one point to save the universe where both he and Captain John will die until an escape plan forms instead.

There are some really interesting ideas in part three but for the story to work you have to imagine it’s like having a bad dream where impossible strange things happen because this is Dark Gallifrey and a pocket universe. Captain John starts to become translucent on Dark Gallifrey and eventually becomes a Tardis! I’m not sure I understand why it happens. Is it the cowardly Tardis that John meets, and the War Master tries to unsuccessfully subjugate that has done that to him or the environment? However, Captain John is a Tardis in this universe and his attempts to dematerialise by huffing and puffing are quite funny.

James Marsters certainly knows how to play humour and his form enables him to rescue the Master. Benny isn’t in this part that much but her pre-planning with the help of the early War Doctor helps avert catastrophe and create their escape.

I enjoyed the wrap-up of the story as there is a brief meeting of the early War Doctor and the War Master just acknowledging their roles in the larger scheme of the Time War Saying that this set is the first time I’ve heard the early War Doctor played by Jonathon Carley which with the best John Hurt tones he uses I just imagine the actual actor John Hurt. It makes me feel a little unresolved about how that makes me feel.

There is a bit of a reset as Bernice and the War Master as Provost at the university are reunited and it seems their lives will continue for the moment as they were before the adventure in the pocket universe.

As a series of stories including the War Doctor in Dark Gallifrey part 2 is my favourite being that it was a battle between the Water Master and Captain John over Bernice’s lost knowledge. Part 3 sees the War Doctor and Captain John at the mercy of your standard temper tantrum villain and about how they escape this terrible place. It was a bit nightmarish and depressing to listen to and didn’t hold any significant new characters for me to root for. It is worth a listen.

Derek Jacobi never disappoints in his performance as the War Master and Lisa Bowerman, Derek Jacobi and James Marster all play off each other beautifully though.

Dark Gallifrey: The War Master, Part Two and Part Three are available from Big Finish, now.

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