Doctor Who Mega Review - Big Finish's July Releases

The Fourth Doctor Adventures 2.07 €“ €œThe Final Phase€

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rating: 4.5

€˜The raw power of the very fabric of reality itself. And you dare to think you can conquer it?' Cuthbert's plan for the Proxima System is reaching its final phase. The Doctor and Romana have been separated. The Doctor is aiding the Proximan fight-back. Romana and K9 are prisoners of the Daleks. And as the countdown to the opening of the Quantum Gateway begins, the Daleks reveal their true intentions.
STARRING: Tom Baker (The Doctor), Mary Tamm (Romana), John Leeson (K9), David Warner(Cuthbert), Toby Hadoke (Mr Dorrick), Dominic Mafham (Chidak), Nicholas Briggs(The Daleks), Jane Slavin (Halka), John Dorney (Security Man/Warrior) Well, when I heard part one, I said that I€™d have to wait until part two to give a proper review. I also said that there didn€™t seem to be any real possibility Cuthbert was stupid enough to really believe that he controlled the Daleks. I was wrong about one of those things. This was a very worthy follow-up to part one. While it€™s tinged with a bit of sadness, since it€™s the last time we€™ll get to hear Mary Tamm, it€™s still a very good story that €œfelt€ quite a lot like something that could have happened during 1970s Who. I also loved the way the door was left open for Cuthbert (who really did seem to believe he controlled the Daleks. Arrogance of power, I guess), to return and the intriguing way in which he departed. I feel there€™s definitely something to be followed-up on there. Of course all the actors are their usual great selves. David Warner and Tom Baker seemed to have a great deal of fun playing off on each other. And Mary Tamm was especially good, particularly during a scene where Romana thought the Doctor was dead and was surprised by her own feelings for him. I cannot recommend buying this story as a stand-alone. Really you do need the other three parts to make it work. But if you have those, you€™d be stupid not to get this.
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Chris Swanson is a freelance writer and blogger based in Phoenix, Arizona, where winter happens to other people. His blog is at wilybadger.wordpress.com