2006, Special Release V
A particularly clever way to insinuate the Doctor into a different Big Finish audio line altogether! Thought as an introduction to the Dalek Empire series, it gives away far too much information, I'll admit. It was enough for me so I don't have to actually buy the series, honestly. So it ends up being a promotional crossover and the Doctor, as he's only in half of it as a "mysterious stranger" doesn't do much but mutter darkly about Kalendorf's role in the future. Or maybe he's just muttering darkly due to a lack of a point or goal for this whole adventure...
He does end up helping Kalendorf, a Knight of Alecia (see The Sirens of Time episode for more on them), and the Angel of Mercy, Susan Mendes. Of course Gareth Thomas, from Blakes Seven, has a classic voice and he was also in another Big Finish audio drama, Storm Warning, as Lord Tamworth. But what happens to the millions upon millions of Daleks underground that are activated? The army never happens? The Doctor doesn't get to destroy them all so where do they go? So the Doctor diverts the Daleks in charge for over two years and that's converted down to two sentences of storytelling. Not so fond of that method of wrapping things up.
I did like the merging of the two audio series in one drama and the Doctor getting to do his manipulation of events thing, and the fact that the people of the planet are naturally invisible. Neat! But it just never goes anywhere. So now their bakc to being invisible. How do the Daleks use them? Instead of just trying to become invisible, couldn't they use the people to do things for them? It's never addressed. For incredible analytical masterminds, they sure are shortsighted about using their resources sometimes. Exterminate!
Sylvester McCoy, Gareth Thomas, and Sarah Mowat
writer: Nicholas Briggs
director: John Ainsworth