The Big Blue Box’s Guide to Christmas at Big Finish 2021

Here we are again folks, another year nearly over. How has 2021 flown by this fast? Whilst this year has been yet another challenging one, let’s not forget all the amazing Big Finish releases we’ve been treated to in 2021.

Of course, there are way too many to mention but just a few standout releases include the magnificent Masterful, celebrating 50 years of the Master, the bittersweet final in the much-loved monthly range: The End of the Beginning, the return of the Eighth Doctor in Stranded 2 & 3 and the wonderfully talented Sadie Miller joining Big Finish, portraying her mum’s cherished character (which Sadie does so brilliantly) Sarah Jane Smith in Return of the Cybermen and more.

We also heard the enigmatic Mr Tennant return for Dalek Universe 1-3, catapulting the Tenth Doctor back to a time before the great Time War. Trapped without his TARDIS, the Tenth Doctor is pitted in a battle for survival against Daleks, Mechonoids, Movellans… and Davros!

AND… if all of that wasn’t already a monumentally fantastic year of releases from Big Finish, someone must have wished upon every star in the constellation of Kasterborous, because they only went and accomplished the impossible, the one thing Whovians never thought they’d see… THE RETURN OF THE NINTH DOCTOR!

Yep, the one and only Christopher Eccleston has officially returned to Doctor Who this year with a whole new 12-part series. Volumes 1-3 (Ravagers, Respond to All Calls & Lost Warriors) have already been released, whereas volume 4, (Old Friends) is being released in February 2022. Whilst of course I won’t spoil anything for those who haven’t listened yet, I will say that you are in for just as much of a treat as you’d expect!

So, with all this year’s amazing releases whetting your appetite, myself, and the awesome Mr Jordan Shortman are journeying back to take a look at some of our favourite festive stories from the Big Finish catalogue.

With the nights drawing in and the weather getting frostier, grab yourself a steaming mug of hot chocolate and big ol’ slice of Plum Pudding and sit back and relax as we dive into The Big Blue Box’s guide to Christmas at Big Finish!

Better Watch Out and Fairytale of Salzburg by John Dorney

Synopsis

Better Watch Out

The Doctor hopes to take Liv’s mind off recent events by treating his companions to a traditional European Christmas. But not everybody is full of the spirit of Christmas when a wave of misery follows the Krampus as they run through the streets of Salzburg.

Fairytale of Salzburg

With the Doctor and most of the population condemned to hell, Liv and Helen race against time to discover the source of all this chaos, and to find the one man who can save the people of Salzburg from eternal damnation.

Jordan’s thoughts:

If we think of Christmas specials in Doctor Who, it’s often light and fluffy, snow and snowmen and robot Santa’s. What it rarely does is a full-on horror epic. Better Watch Out/Fairytale of Saltzburg is the sort of horror story that I love, rich in character and world-building and dripping with folklore. I think this is the first time that Doctor Who has tackled a subject like the mythological Krampus, the evil counterpart to the traditionally lovely Father Christmas and it handles the folklore of that character brilliantly.

Set during Ravenous 2, this story benefits from being a two-parter and really allows the main cast to shine and it’s clear how much everyone is having a ball. John Dorney always delivers with his scripts, but this story shows how much attention to the horror genre as well as Christmas tradition he had put in and the result is the perfect mix of fuzzy festiveness-with a twinge of Christmas chills.

Matt’s thoughts:

Better Watch Out/Fairytale of Saltzburg is an absolutely delightful listen, in my opinion, one of the best Christmas specials Doctor Who has ever produced, getting the mix between festive and horror just right. If there was a story to spark the imagination going inside your head, it’s this one. The story is so rich in Christmas tradition, folklore, and magic, it’ll certainly get you into that warm, fuzzy festive feeling we all love.

The story starts off with a bedtime story type narration from Paul McGann, fans of the Eighth Doctor will be reminded fondly of Scherzo, another fantastic story in the Eighth Doctor’s run. The standout for me in this two-parter is Helen (Hattie Morahan). Dorney really lets Helen shine in this, we already know she’s such a strong character but in this almost Doctor-lite story, Helen becomes the hero of the hour. It’s a wonderful Christmas romp that takes on the legend of Krampus and delivers brilliantly and keeps you guessing right up until the end.

Ravenous 2 is available now, priced from £19.99 on the Big Finish website.

Spare Parts by Marc Platt

Synopsis

On a dark frozen planet where no planet should be, in a doomed city with a sky of stone, the last denizens of Earth’s long-lost twin will pay any price to survive, even if the laser scalpels cost them their love and hate and humanity.

And in the mat-infested streets, around tea-time, the Doctor and Nyssa unearth a black market in second-hand body parts and run the gauntlet of augmented police and their augmented horses.

And just between the tramstop and the Picturehouse, their worst suspicions are confirmed: the Cybermen have only just begun, and the Doctor will be, just as he always has been, their saviour…

Jordan’s thoughts:

The genesis of the Cybermen story before World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls put a spin on it, Spare Parts, gives the origins of the Cybermen an even more chilling feel. Mondas is a civilisation in decline, with the streets policed by robotic men on robotic horses and the dome above them about to break, giving way to the cold of space, people are being urged and conscripted to join the force! What people don’t know is that they will lose their humanity forever and become cold and calculating Cybermen.

When the Doctor and Nyssa arrive around Christmas time, they quickly uncover the mysteries of this dark world. With fantastic performances and a masterclass script from Marc Platt, Spare Parts is rightly held as one of the best Cybermen stories ever made and makes for perfect listening, not just at the festive period but all year round.

Matt’s thoughts:

Whenever I am asked “what should I listen to first?” this absolute belter of a story come to mind every single time. It’s Christmas time on Mondas, but things are far from festive. This ‘genesis of the Cybermen’ story is a truly chilling adventure from Platt and is cemented as a Big Finish classic! This shows perfectly, just how scary the Cybermen can be when written correctly, something I feel has been somewhat lacking in the TV series for a while now.

Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton are on fire here and the rest of the cast is just as brilliant. RTD has even stated this story as an inspiration for his return of the Cybermen to the modern era in the two-parter ‘The age of Steel/Rise of the Cybermen’ (it’s no surprise really) It’s a dark, twisted masterpiece by Platt, that leaves the listener thinking, Just how far would we go to survive?

Spare Parts is available now on digital download, priced at just £2.99 on the Big Finish website.

Flip Flop by Jonathon Morris

Synopsis

Christmas Eve in the year 3060, and the planet Puxatornee is home to a prosperous human colony.

A spacecraft has arrived in orbit carrying the Slithergees, a race of obsequious alien slugs. Their homeworld has been destroyed and they are humbly requesting permission to settle on the first moon.

And if they don’t get permission, then they are humbly threatening to declare all-out war.

The future hangs in the balance. The decision rests with Bailey, the colony’s president – but she has other things on her mind.

Christmas Eve in the year 3090, and the planet Puxatornee has changed beyond all recognition.

The Doctor and Mel arrive, on a completely unrelated mission to defeat a race of terrible monsters, and soon discover that something rather confusing has been happening to history.

Jordan’s thoughts:

Looking at the cover, you wouldn’t think that this story for the Seventh Doctor and Mel took place on Christmas Eve/Day and I’ll be honest if I ever listen to it, usually, during an audio marathon, it still takes me by surprise. But what is odd about Flip-Flop is that it isn’t particularly Christmassy, despite a few mentions here and there, though it does have an interesting gimmick and as a result, makes for a surprisingly well-written script.

With one disc called Black and the other White, you can listen to the story being told from different perspectives and angles, making it a very interesting listen. Sylvester McCoy and Bonnie Langford are brilliant as always and there still aren’t enough stories with this pair.

But the villains let the side down somewhat and despite the well-written script and the timey-whimey-ness of it, you might find yourself with a headache from trying to think about this story too hard!  However, no one can surely say that Flip-Flop isn’t quite fun to listen to.

Matt’s thoughts:

If I were wearing a hat, I’d take it off to Big Finish for this story. whilst it may not be my favourite story to date, I absolutely love the idea of having two discs that can be listened to in any order, either disc of the story (black disc or white disc) can be listened to first and will still create a coherent and logical story.

The Doctor and Mel land on Puxatornee on Christmas Eve, 3090, in search of Leptonite crystals. After immediately being arrested by security agents Reed and Stewart on suspicion of being Slithergee spies, the two are then rescued by … Reed and Stewart, just not the ones they were expecting. This tips the Doctor and Mel off that something is very wrong with time on Puxatornee so they start to investigate and are soon left with more questions than answers, for instance, why does everyone seem to know who the Doctor and Mel are?

The story then sets forth to find out what happens when you mess with your own timeline far too much and the danger of slipping back and forth between alternate timelines.

Whilst I applaud the ambition of the story, I just don’t think it hits all the right marks for me, I found the story getting a little too complex, and at times, buckling under its own weight. However, the performances from McCoy and Langford were a delight, as were the rest of the cast and the idea of the interchangeable parts is such a unique way of storytelling, I can’t help but find myself wanting to give ‘Flip-Flop’ another listen in the future!

Flip Flop is available now on digital download, priced at just £2.99 on the Big Finish website.

The One Doctor by Gareth Roberts & Clayton Hickman

Synopsis

When the evil Skelloids launch an attack upon the seventeen worlds of the Generios system, its peace-loving inhabitants face total destruction.

So it’s fortunate that the famous traveller in time and space are known only as the Doctor is in the area, and doubly lucky that, with the help of his pretty young assistant, Sally-Anne, he manages to defeat the deadly creatures and save the day.

But now it looks as though the Doctor¹s luck has run out.

Who is the mysterious, curly-haired stranger who insists on causing trouble? What role does the feisty redhead Melanie play in his scheme? And what have they to do with the sinister alien cylinder approaching Generios?

One thing is certain: for the Doctor and Sally-Anne, there¹s deadly danger ahead…

Jordan’s thoughts:

There is no denying that, for some unexplained reason, the Sixth Doctor and Mel both have their detractors, especially when paired together. But The One Doctor is one of their best audio adventures together and fans of the pair and Pantomimes should seriously check this one out.

Arriving at the “Vulgar end of time,” the Doctor and Mel find a planet with plenty of prosperity and con artists waiting to rip them off, having faked an alien invasion. It’s a clever set-up, with Mel believing that the Doctor doesn’t remember his actions on this planet because to them they haven’t happened yet, while the Doctor doesn’t believe they happened at all! Of course, he is right and is quickly paired with Christopher Biggins. Biggins puts in a good performance as the fake-Doctor actually, and there are some genuinely funny moments to be had.

Making fun of game shows like The Weakest Link, timely now that has come back, and DIY shows like DIY SOS, it also has plenty of commentary on celebrity worship and how quickly news spreads and can be misinterpreted. It even makes fun of Doctor Who and Big Finish and how people thought it wouldn’t work because they couldn’t actually see the monsters. While this is a strange outing, it’s gloriously OTT and outrageous, littered with plenty of laughs and quotable lines, The One Doctor is perfect for anyone who wants a good chuckle over the festive period!

Matt’s thoughts:

What happens when you mix together two of Britain’s most iconic staples? Answer: The One Doctor. Gareth Roberts & Clayton Hickman pen Doctor Who meets Pantomime in this truly laugh-out-loud adventure. Trust me when I say, this one has to be heard to be believed. One of the main things I love about this story is Its ability to poke fun at itself, from the Port-A-Loo ‘STARDIS’ to the ‘Psychic Screwdriver’.

Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford work brilliantly here, really showcasing what the TV series couldn’t. In the indeterminate very far future, the bombastic and ever so camp con artist, Banto Zame (Christopher Biggins) alongside his infatuated companion Sally-Anne, (Clare Buckfield) bounce from planet to planet ‘saving’ worlds and reaping the monetary rewards, all the while operating under the Doctor’s name.

Needless to say that when the ‘real’ Doctor and Mel show up, they endeavour to put a stop to their crimes, only to come face to face with an actual alien invasion. Hilarity ensues as our heroes join forces with their fake counterparts to save the day. The One Doctor is an adventure bursting with self-deprecating one-liners, slapstick inuendos and belly laughing quips and with more Panto than you can shake a fairy godmother at!

P.s. Stick around until the very end for a special Christmas message from the Doctor.

The One Doctor is available now on digital download, priced at just £2.99 on the Big Finish website.

The Chimes of Midnight by Robert Shearman

Synopsis

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…

But something must be stirring. Something hidden in the shadows. Something which kills the servants of an old Edwardian mansion in the most brutal and macabre manner possible. Exactly on the chiming of the hour, every hour, as the grandfather clock ticks on towards midnight.

Trapped and afraid, the Doctor and Charley are forced to play detective to murders with no motive, where even the victims don’t stay dead. Time is running out.

And time itself might well be the killer…

Jordan’s thoughts:

This distinctly dark story makes for perfect Christmas listening, with the lights turned off and a glass of mulled wine. Arriving in an Edwardian house in 1906, the Doctor and Charley quickly find themselves embroiled in a series of mysterious deaths, they have to play resident detectives and deduce who the killer is out of the mish-mash of strange staff members.

We’ve got the plum-pudding obsessed Mrs Badderly, the Butler – Mr Shaughnessy, a chauffeur who is always uncertain of what car he seems to drive and a maid who quickly becomes friends with Charley.

The tightly written script plays with aspects of Agatha Christie mysteries, shades of Upstairs, Downstairs and Sapphire and Steel, with time being the main villain here. It’s actually pretty hard to describe much else of the story without giving too much away, but with the sinister ticking of the grandfather clock, ticking down to more deaths, there is a sense that the Doctor and Charley might not actually make it this time!

This is definitely the ultimate Big Finish Christmas story, certainly to be enjoyed with the lights switched off, a glass of wine, mulled or not – in hand and only the twinkling of Christmas lights to keep you company. It’s a story I go back to listen to every year around the festive period!

Matt’s thoughts:

Well, well, well. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without The Chimes of Midnight. My favourite festive story from Big Finish, coincidently, the first story I ever listened to, too! For me, this is a Christmas Eve staple. I love everything about this story, the entire cast is on top form, however, the standouts for me are Mr Shaughnessy (Lennox Greaves). An incredibly talented voice actor who steals every scene he is in. Secondly, Charley Pollard (India Fisher) is an absolute Big Finish gem!

Strangely, even though her character is an Edwardian adventuress, there is something so relatable about Charley. Of course, this is partly down to the fantastic script by Robert Shearman, but also in Fisher’s outstanding performance, as she is, in pretty much every other story she’s in. As soon as the TARDIS lands in the ‘Downstairs’ of an Edwardian house in 1906, the Doctor and Charley know that things aren’t quite right and are soon wrapped up in a timey-whimey whodunnit featuring everyone from the Chrysler, or Bentley driver to the scullery maid.

Shearman has written an instant classic, constantly topping polls and getting universal praise. With laugh-out-loud humour and a dark murder mystery to boot, this story is damn near perfection.

The Chimes of Midnight is available now on digital download, priced at just £2.99 on the Big Finish website.

In closing

Was your favourite festive story mentioned? Let us know in the comments section below!

From all of us at The Doctor Who Big Blue Box Podcast, we hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!