The Holy Terror

"All hail Frobisher. All hail the big talking bird!"

Writer: Robert Shearman
Format: Audio
Released: November 2000
Series: Main Range 14

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Frobisher

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands in a forbidding castle in a time of religious upheaval. The old god has been otherthrown, and all heretics are to be slaughtered. Obviously, it isn't the sort of thing which would happen there every day - just every few years or so.

Soon after the Doctor ad Frobisher are hailed as messengers from heaven, they become vital to opposing factions in their struggle for power. But will they be merely the acolytes of the new order - or will they be made god themselves?

Evil is growing deep with the crypt. And the pair soon find out that they will be lucky to escape their new immortality with their lives.

Verdict

Well, The Holy Terror was a great audio story but I am not in favour of Big Finish's brief 'side step' audios, exploring characters and TARDIS combinations of other mediums. To me, this takes away the familiarity you expect from a companion and can dampen an adventure. Now, I've not read any of the comic strips in which Frobisher is companion, but on first impression, I really dislike the idea of a shape-shifting penguin as a companion. It's just silly. And throughout this audio, I just didn't like Frobisher. Sole male companions never go down well in my eyes, and the lack of female in the TARDIS certainly affected this story. However, talking of the adventure itself - the story was good! The very religion centred society was unique and the way the castle inhabitants simply obeyed and bowed down to tradition was incredible! People had no care in the world for their children, and once your post was void and passed down to your heir, the new holder of the post would insult, mock and physically abuse their own relatives! And the person being abused welcomed it! The assassination attempts and High Priest turning on the new God being expected was again incredible. The society was unique! The cliffhangers were all good and I really liked the guest cast. Childeric and Pepin VII were particular standouts, as well as Clovis. The Boy was an outstanding character and the eeriness and mystery around him was very good. Looking for his father - so confused. The voice was so chilling! The Doctor working out that he was actually a Torture Machine and that the Castle itself was all fictitious was unexpected and really tied things up! The climax was emotionally fantastic! Overall, a good story but I hope that's the first and last 'side step' audio. Keep things familiar, or introduce new companions for the first time - like with Evelyn - give them an introductory story!

Rating: 8/10