Big Finish Reviews: 13th Doctor Adventures 001-002

 

““Let's get this party started!” For context my affection of the Jodie Whittaker era is incredibly deep: she is my first Doctor and my introduction to the show. Maybe in a future post I will go into more detail but suffice it to say, she ranks high in my standing of Doctors and has a special place in my heart. So, when Big Finish announced a new range set Pre Flux, my heart skipped a beat. At the time of writing her first two stories have been on release for several months with a third scheduled for November. Given 13 is one of if not my favourite Doctor, these two releases are a perfect starting point. Now onto the meat (maybe not the best subject around vampires) and potatoes of the review.

Vampire Weekend, written by Tim Foley, was released July 3rd, 2025. One of the selling points of Whittaker’s onscreen tenure is the unique (for some divisive) tone of her stories. Within her three seasons, the tone of each is drastically different. Season 11 is utterly individual with its ethereal tone, especially juxtaposed next to the big colourful Season 12 and the kinetic “throw everything we have got” explosion that was Flux. It is understandable therefore (if not slightly disappointing given my undying love for Season 11) that Big Finish wanted a new tone for this new range. Don’t get me wrong, Whittaker brings the zingy, doctorish energy only she has from the screen straight into the recording booth so effortlessly, I had no trouble imagining the visuals of the story. But without the immersive and atmospheric soundscape of Segun Akinola and with Foley’s slasher/murder mystery format, this audio story made it clear to me that this series isn’t trying to recapture the magic of the Whittaker era. Rather it is taking the base components and making something delightful new for fans and newcomers alike.

I have already touched on Whittaker’s acting, which is needless to say superb, but I was very impressed by Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan. Yasmin’s time onscreen showed a character who was ready to get stuck in with her adventures in time and space but held a tension within herself as she navigates the unrequited love she feels for her best friend. Critics have called Yaz one of the more undeveloped characters from her time onscreen and while I wouldn’t say that this is as true to the extent some fans claim, I can’t deny I couldn’t wait to see the Big Finish writing team give Gill further material to develop her portrayal of Yaz in this new medium. And this is certainly true, Yaz is put right at the heart of this story, as we follow her and her band of friends from the opening minute. Foley uses the narrative conventions of the slasher format to bring out her police officer roots: investigating the suspects as the monstrous Truth Vampire works its way through her friends and family. Her interactions with the Doctor are hilarious; the promotion interview from around the story's release proves their bond is just as strong off the page as it is on. They are on fire together and are absolutely bubbling with chemistry throughout the audio!

13 and Yaz make a great detective team, but the script doesn’t prioritize this over character development. Yaz’s confession of how she struggles to connect with the Doctor without the rest of the fam is a great little monologue delivered wonderfully by Gill and fills in the gap nicely between Revolution of the Daleks and Flux. I particularly enjoyed the conflict of the Truth Vampire's ability for its victims to divulge their secrets post feeding. The window into each of the characters' thoughts made everyone feel real and connected to their friends around them. I was on the edge of my seat hoping for a Thasmin line here, but sadly nothing. The script as a whole isn’t the most tense, maybe underselling the threat of the monster, but the mystery of the Vampires identity is good enough to keep me listening. I did find the ending relatively dull with the Vampire just sort of dying after teasing the season arc and Yaz blacking out, before waking up problems all solved. Still though on the whole it is a fun romp with a host of great supporting characters (shout out to Gin’s mum) and expert tease of what the range has in store with our impeccable regulars.

The Return of the Doctor, written by Rory Thomas-Howes, was released September 9th, 2025. A new writer to Big Finish, Thomas-Howes surprised me with a competent and character-based story that I loved on first listen. Whittaker continues to bring her A game but again Mandip Gill’s Yaz is the highlight of the story. Manipulated by the Whisper and her own doubts about the Doctor, Yaz has to choose whether to side with the Doctor or betray her. For anyone feeling 13’s companion relationships aren’t fleshed out, this is the story for you. Up until this point Yaz hadn’t come into conflict or questioned the Doctor over the mortality of her decisions. So, it is a breath of fresh air to hear this playout on audio. Listening to bonus interviews for this you can tell Gill in particular was very, very keen to explore this side of their relationship and flex her acting ability. Yaz is superb in this story, bringing something new to the tried and tested “companion is possessed” cliché.

Unfortunately, I do feel the plotting and worldbuilding could have been stronger. The striking cover of the armadillo alien is great imagery but paired with a fairly sparse and unengaging soundscape I was left confused on what the Zaarian’s desert world looked or elt like. Most of the plot was contained in tunnels, underground temples, cells or a derelict warship. But I couldn’t picture what these places looked like or felt like with so little to grab hold of. Vampire Weekend doesn’t suffer from this problem. The audience is already intimately familiar with the modern-day earth setting so the sound design isn’t doing much heavy lifting when it comes to world building. Say all you will about Dreamtime (shiver in horror) but at least the endless didgeridoo soundtrack communicates the setting of an alien aboriginal city. Meanwhile Return of the Doctor lacks an ambitious soundscape and as consequence, lacks a lived in world, making it feel more like Planet Zog then a location I can fully savour.

In terms of the plot, the story opens with the defeat of an invading alien force which the Doctor, Yaz and alien friend Talpa help foil. Then after a brief interlude in the TARDIS and a time skip, the duo returns to find the planet changed with the peaceful population of armadillo’s out for the Doctor’s blood. Overall, the standard Rebels vs Establishment run around is benefited by the sympathetic Zaarian rebel characters, but I couldn’t help feeling the story as a whole could be slightly longer. Maybe an improved version of this script could have started with the Doctor and Yaz arriving for the first time: giving the characters time to fleshing out their relationships pre timeskip and develop the worldbuilding of this peaceful planet. Then post time skip there would be more opportunity to show the scale of the Whisper’s influence. The Hartnell Serial, The Ark wouldn’t work in Parts Three and Four if Parts One and Two didn’t take the time to establish the setting and set up the Monoids for that amazing twist. I feel Return of the Doctor would have benefitted from a similar approach to its story structure. Thankfully, the supporting characters are well established and make up for the lack of world building, communicating the kind and trusting nature of the Zaarian through their back story. 

I would love to see Rory Thomas-Howes return again to write for this range. He creates a compelling and emotive plot, with depth to explore this TARDIS duo's relationship in some of the most detailed we have ever seen and taking them into new, uncharted waters. The dialogue sings and the cast clearly relish the script. While its world building and narrative structure could have benefitted from a longer runtime and more ambitious soundscape, there is much to enjoy here!