The Angel of Scutari

"There are some things even God cannot forgive."

Writer: Paul Sutton

Format: Audio

Released: June 2009

Series: Monthly Adventures 122

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Hex

Synopsis 

October 1854: As the British Army charges into catastrophe in the Crimea, the Minister for War sends Miss Florence Nightingale to take charge of the field hospital at Scutari. 

But there's already an angel of mercy working with the wounded at Scutari. A first-rate fellow who's turned up out of the blue. Goes by the name of Schofield: Thomas Hector Schofield...

With the Doctor and Ace lost in the siege of Sebastopol, Hex has rediscovered his calling. But there's cannon to the left of him, cannon to the right of him – and a deranged spycatcher-in-chief on his case.

Verdict

The Angel of Scutari was an excellent continuation of the Monthly Adventures from Big Finish! It served as a great conclusion to what has been a semi-trilogy of stories with the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex and might just go down as the best of the bunch. I really liked the historical setting of this story and how it was placed in Crimea, and the mini history lesson the Doctor gave to Ace regarding their location within the Ottoman Empire and the contentious feelings between Britain and Russia was magnificent. The timey-wimey nature of the audio was also really well done and whilst it was a pure historical, that made it feel more than it actually was. It was a different take to have Ace and the Doctor arriving without Hex, only for him to get a mention as a miraculous doctor that pretty much came from the sky. It was a lot of fun to hear Ace and Tolstoy together and I liked how the latter was absolutely convinced that she was a British spy. He didn't want to bother with the show of her feigning that position which was good. The revelation that the TARDIS was lost within the Black Sea was excellent and I loved how that was coupled with the displacement of the Doctor and Ace. Throwing Hex into that on a slightly different timeline was very well done and his reaction when the blue shell of the TARDIS was found was tremendous. He was so confident in the machine but when the axe started damaging the exterior, all hope was lost for him of being reunited with the Doctor and Ace. It was really nice for him to get to meet Florence Nightingale especially when he admitted that she was his inspiration for becoming a nurse. I thought that was a really nice companion moment. There should be no shame in admitting that. The way the TARDIS was also utilised for Ace in realising that she was speaking Russian was fantastic as she knew that the translation circuits were working so it couldn't be too far away. The way the story's title came into play with Hex being described as the angel that descended from the sky instead of Nightingale was fantastic and their relationship really was a story highlight. The historical characters in this one were very good indeed with Tsar Nicholas and Brigadier Kitchen particularly standing out. The historical feel was definitely there and the characters are pivotal to that. There really were some standout performances. I thought the cliffhangers were very strong in this adventure which is always good and the pace was almost perfect. For a four-parter, it certainly went by quick which is a telltale sign of a great story. Ace almost accepting that the Doctor was manipulating her and events before even landing was a good thing and whilst I have never been her biggest fan, she is certainly growing on me at the moment in the Monthly Adventures. The continuation from Enemy of the Daleks was another highlight and I liked how events there were still troubling Hex. The way this one finished on a cliffhanger with Hex being shot after being thought a spy after admitting he arrived with the Doctor and Ace was unexpected and it seemed that towards the end, he had passed before anything could be done. However, I doubt the Doctor will be giving up and all sights look set for St Gart's Brookside Hospital for the next Monthly Adventure featuring this trio. I look forwarding to hearing what happens next, but for now this was a brilliant audio!

Rating: 9/10