Starring Colin Baker, Lynda Bellingham & Michael Jayston
Written by Alan Barnes & Mike Maddox
Directed by Barnaby Edwards
There is some evil in all of us - even the Doctor. Transported aboard the Time Lords' orbiting courtroom, the Doctor once again encounters the Valeyard, an amalgamation of the darker sides of his nature. This time, however, the Doctor isn't in the dock. This time, the Valeyard is the defendant, accused of a crime so terrible that the presiding Inquisitor is forbidden to reveal it even to the court, nor even to his counsel for the defence...the Doctor.
If the Valeyard is found guilty, he'll be executed. Execute the Valeyard, and the secret of his origins dies with him. A secret that the Doctor is desperate to know...and which the Time Lords will stop at nothing to protect.
When this release was announced, I became increadibly excited. The Valeyard is proberbly the most interesting point in Doctor Who continuity, but one that has been wilfully neglected by the show and it's spin offs since 1986's Trial Of A Time Lord. Aside from the BBC books novel Matrix and a few other illusionary forms and veiled references, the Valeyard hasn't excactly been used well by the show as a whole. And up until December 2013, Big Finish's use of the Valeyard was limited to the Unbound audio He Jests At Scars. However, the poor use of the Valeyard ended in Trial Of The Valeyard, which has to be one of the best story told in the 50th Anniversary year. Considering it's proximity to Time Of The Doctor, this could have been completely thrown out by the events of this story, but in actual fact it ends up becoming a more intriguing view of the events surrounding that story and what actually happened in The Trial Of A Time Lord. And something else - this story is bloody brilliant.
Alan Barnes and Mike Maddox's script is something suprisingly contained, especially considering the subject that is being delt with. It's certainly reflect of the format of that twenty-third season, and it's three distinct acts are very quite different to each other. It's almost like a play in that respect and it's intresting to note that very little would proberbly needed to be changed of this were to be put onto the stage. And certainly, this calls for a more measured approach. So out goes the action and in comes the talking. But by having a much more talky plot, it builds up to the grander revelations that come about, those about The Doctor's possible future. Now while Time Of The Doctor prevents these from holding much dramatic potential, the ideas of shadow houses and a mad, final incarnation of The Doctor experimenting upon himself to survive entry into the undiscovered country of death, in doing so creating the Valeyard is absolutly fascinating. One thread that I would loved to be picked up upon, however, is the idea that Rassilon may have wanted to prevent the Time Lords from going beyond body number 13 is one that, if developed, could have some wonderful ramifications for not just Big Finish's audios, but the wider Whoniverse. But these grand ramifications aren't the be all and end all of the story.
Our three wonderful lead characters are brilliantly recreated by not just Maddox and Barnes, but also by Colin, Lynda and especially Michael Jayston. The Doctor is much more back towards his persona in the TV show, but rather than just using petty insults against the Time Lords, he actively admits to crimes he hasn't been charged with. It's very much like a Matt Smith speech, in a way, but is delivered with such gusto that only Colin can muster. Both Lynda Bellingham and Michael Jayston play there parts brilliantly too, Lynda recreating the haughtiness of Darkel before the events of the Gallifrey series, which Michael Jayston effortlessly steps back into the shoes of the Valeyard and creating something truly evil. But we do get moments of...I'd rather not use the word pity, but it seems to be the only word that fits. But at the end, he's still the same old, evil Valeyard. And with the threat of someone helping the Valeyard left open at the end of the story, it will be intresting to see if this is followed. A final three mentions must go to John Banks (as the 'Hermit' Doctor), Barnaby Edwards (the director) and Andy Hardwick (music/sound design), all of whom manage to create something intresting and engaging that captivates the audience for well beyond the hour the disc runs for.
So, Trial Of The Valeyard is something that is an absolute joy to listen to: it's well written, it has links to the wider fan world, it's acted to the highest standard and is just generally a wonderful tribute to the original Trial Of A Time Lord series, but also to the legacy of the show in the past 50 years.
TARDIS Rating - 10/10
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