Doctor Who: The Land of the Dead (2000)
Stephen Cole
Big Finish Audio Play #4
Starring: Peter Davison & Sarah Sutton
Landing in Alaska, the Fifth Doctor and his companion Nyssa, are attacked by an unusual creature. Fleeing it they arrive at an unusual house where they are greeting by a man who represents billionaire Shaun Brett – this is not a home, but a shrine to a dead father, only an ancient evil is being awoken as its land is destroyed.
Immediately we have a story that could never have been made in the television days of Doctor Who. The budget could not have allowed for filming in the Arctic Circle, nor of the building of all the different rooms that are in this shrine, each of which is being modelled by artist Monica Lewis with different natural elements. Lewis, deftly played by Lucy Campbell, will play a significant role in helping defeat the Permians, creatures that have existed on earth longer than man.
This is the first appearance of Nyssa in the range, and I always enjoyed this native of Traken. Sarah Sutton’s reprisal of her famous character is just as fun as she was in the show. She plays off Peter Davison’s Doctor will panache.
This is another strong story from Big Finish, with perhaps only the repetition of the cliff-hangers marring its fun: the Doctor is threatened, the Doctor is threatened… we know he won’t die, so why not threaten someone who might? The production values are again of a high standard: we can feel that Alaskan wind, the chill, and in one particularly brilliant set piece, we feel we are in the water with the Doctor, Monica Lewis and a Permian monster hunting them.
These stories may just be science fiction, but the Big Finish range is proving admirably brilliant. I look forward to my ten mile walks just to have the chance to listen to another: what higher praise can a series get?
