Synopsis: The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Steven and Vicki to the Italian city of Ravenna in the year 540 – besieged by the army of the celebrated Byzantine general Belisarius. Caught up in the fighting, Steven ends up on a boat bound for Constantinople, the heart of the Roman Empire.
Rescuing Steven, however, is the least of the Doctor’s problems – because he shouldn’t be mixed up in this particular adventure at all. Someone has sabotaged his own personal timeline, putting him in the place of his First incarnation… but who, and why? The truth is about to be revealed – but at what cost to all of the Doctors, and to the whole future history of the planet Earth?
Review: This was the final installment of the “Locum Doctors” trilogy, and it was my favorite of the three adventures individually. I loved meeting Steven and Vicki again in the context of an old school Doctor Who historical. The period atmosphere was wonderful, as was the way writer Eddie Robson used history to inform the fantastical elements of the plot. My one issue with the story, however, was The Monk, whose presence was a double edged sword. On the one hand, he was the perfect antagonist given his history with Steven and Vicki. On the other hand, his motivation isn’t tied to television continuity, but to Big Finish continuity. That’s fine as a marketing tool to get some to listen to previous audios (which I’m sure is the point), but it means this trilogy isn’t a good starting place for those new to Big Finish’s Main Range.
You can purchase “The Secret History” here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-secret-history-872
Written By: Eddie Robson
Directed By: Barnaby Edwards
Cast
Peter Davison (The Doctor), Maureen O’Brien (Vicki), Peter Purves (Steven), Lysette Anthony (Sophia), Sarah Woodward (Theodora), Tony Millan (Procopius, Yazid), Giles Watling (Belisarius), Tim Wallers (Justinian)
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- Story, Acting
- Not a good entry point for new newbies
- Story9
- Performances10
- Sound Production10
