Released: May 2006
Range: The Main Range
Range Number: 82
Starring Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, Philip Olivier, Clive Mantle, Stephen Mansfield, Roger Parrott, Clare Cathcart, Hugh Lee, Alan Ruscoe, Ian Brooker, Steven Wickham & Simon Guerrier
Written by Simon Guerrier
Directed by Gary Russell
Sir.
Having brought the army belonging to the Parliament of England before this place to reduce it to obedience, to the end effusion of blood may be prevented, I thought fit to summon you to deliever the same into my hands to their use.
If this be refused, you will have no cause to blame me.
I expect your answer and rest your servant.
O. Cromwell.
If The Settling was to have a counterpoint in classic Doctor Who, it would most definitely be The Aztecs. It's a story that sees one of the companion's growing up, and facing a difficult lesson in history, and that changes their outlook - forever. That's one thing that The Settling does really well, managing to get the companion's perspective on the historical events. It's a great story for the whole TARDIS team, but it's Hex in particular who gets the best part of the story, because he goes through hell throughout this story. It's certainly an impressive debut for Simon Guerrier, one of Big Finish's best ever writers, particularly with regards to companions.
It's incredible to think that, up to that point, the only story which had been key to Hex's character had been The Harvest. Dreamtime, LIVE 34 & Night Thoughts never really focused upon Hex, and it's that which is remedied here. Hex is given a lion's share of the action, allowed to engage in similar debates to that which Barbara has with the Aztec civilisation in The Aztecs. He really puts pressure on Cromwell to make different decisions about how to fight, and that righteousness may not be on his side all of the time. Simon Guerrier really nails the character of Hex, and puts him in the centre of the drama. Giving Hex a chance to try to change history, and give Cromwell a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of history allows us to see that Hex really has a deep understanding of the time and how the events of Drogheda have shaped future Irish history. The Settling is also rich in historical detail, with plenty to show that Guerrier has researched this time period thoroughly. Having studied this particular part of history for my A2 exam, I understand the importance of the conflict with regards to Cromwell preventing Charles Stuart from raising an army against Parliament. By casting Hex into this maelstrom of chaos, it allows us to see him pushed to the limit. While the plot, if taken on it's own, is slight, it's really just a vessel to allow Hex to see how history operates and how it's futile to change it. It really is his story, and the use of the framing sequence allows us to see Hex's reactions after the fact, and how they have been instrumental in his experiences with Cromwell. The differing sides of Cromwell are really explored here through Ace and Hex's experiences with the man, and it's these scenes that prehaps pack the most emotional punch, because both present conflicting ideas of Cromwell. And Philip Olivier is perfect here, absolutely getting the emotional beats right, putting anger and sympathy in the right places.
Guerrier also nails Cromwell perfectly, really getting to grips with the historical debate that surrounds the character, and the differing views that historians see of him. I really like the idea that Cromwell has a virtual duel personality, and that he can flip on a nine-pence. It really seems like the character is somebody who is very dangerous, prehaps more so than any menace from outer space. This is really aided by Clive Mantle's performance, who never makes him outwardly evil, but a man who is trying to do right. He may end up doing wrong, but his intentions and outlook are ones that really show the good out of the situation. And that's one thing that really runs through all of the supporting characters: they all believe their doing the right thing, but they end up committing acts of terrible evil. Never could you say that any of the characters are one or the other, and shows that, even at this early stage, Guerrier is a master with characterisation, and creating realistic people. I was particularly impressed with Dr Goddard, who is a man trying to do his best in an utterly hopeless situation, and trying desperately to make a difference. This is aided by Roger Parrott's potrayal of a man utterly overwhelmed by events, and it's these little moments that show how much thought has been put into the story. It's clear that Big Finish could feel that they had a really strong release here, because this has a much larger cast than normal, and it really helps because it allows us to see a wide variety of people and places, much like the sweeping epics that dominated the Hartnell era such as The Crusade or Marco Polo. These variety of characters are very different, and it's that which allows the story to work. Even actors like Ian Brooker and Steven Wickham, who only have small roles in the story are perfect. As well as Philip Olivier, Sophie Aldred and Sylvester McCoy are brilliant too, really nailing the desperation that comes with this situation. McCoy, especially, gives a nuanced, tense performance that really shows that, for once, the seventh Doctor's really all out at sea here. All these good performances are brought together by Gary Russell, who manages to get some very strong performances from the cast. This is all brought together by David Darlington, who gives us one of his best scores ever. The beautiful Irish tones really throw us into it's world, and it's one of the best pieces of work he's ever conducted.
The Settling is one of the best of the early seventh Doctor/Ace/Hex audios. Simon Guerrier has a got a real feeling for this TARDIS team, but especially for Hex. He really throws the character into it, and it's a miracle he makes it out alive. We get to see the character battle with the horrors of history, and while people could argue that it's far too like The Aztecs for it's own good, I feel that The Settling does, in some ways, stand up better than the first Doctor story, because it does something that that story doesn't - it really feels like the characters are developed, and that everyone is given a view. To this day, it still stands up as one of Big Finish's best historical stories.
Rating - 8/10
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