Doctor Who

I'm not really a fan of multi-Doctor stories and The Sirens of Time, Big Finish's only previous multi-Doctor story hardly got the range off to a good start. On the other hand, Cavan Scott and Mark Wright's previous two stories for Big Finish were both highly enjoyable. Additionally, Project: Lazarus is the sequel to their first Big Finish story, Project: Twilight.

As it transpired I needn't have worried about the multi-Doctor element of the story as it doesn't follow the usual "team up" format.

The story opens with the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn in Norway a couple of years after the events of Project: Twilight. The Doctor believes that he can finally cure Cassie of her affliction, but of course, the Cassie they left behind at the end of the first story isn't the Cassie they meet her. The Doctor's explanation as to exactly why he can't get the TARDIS to lock onto her when and where the left her isn't particularly satisfying, although obviously if they returned straight after leaving her they would be no story.

The Doctor and Evelyn run into Professor Harket, who initially appears to be hunting Cassie, but is actually after a mysterious creature known as the Huldran. Harket is rather annoying, largely due to his accent. Presumably his accent is genuine, but it feels overplayed. The Huldran isn't the mythical creature that Harket believes it to be, and before long, Nimrod shows up, and Cassie's true nature is revealed.

The second episode largely takes place back at The Forge, and fills in some of Cassie's background over the previous couple of years. Her scenes with Evelyn are very good, with the latter put through the wringer once again, hot on the heels of Doctor Who and the Pirates.

Meanwhile, Nimrod's plan is revealed as he tortures the Doctor until he's on the brink of regeneration. Naturally, all this is in the name of scientific progress and fits into The Forge's brief to "examine, utilise, and master the technology we have here." A bit like Torchwood without the shagging, then.

As previously mentioned, the story doesn't follow the usual multi-Doctor format. Its actual format is in some ways reminiscent of the Hartnell story The Ark, with the TARDIS leaving The Forge at the end of part two, only to return to the same location some time later. This time, however, it's the Seventh Doctor, travelling alone, who arrives at The Forge.

This means that the second half of the story gets off to a rather dodgy start as the usual problems of a solo Doctor rear their head. Having the Doctor talk to himself is bad enough, but it's even worse when Sylvester McCoy's the one doing the talking.

Fortunately things pick up when the Doctor meets some of the occupants of The Forge. Nimrod is still in charge and this time he's got a new scientific advisor, the Sixth Doctor.

Of course, it's not really the Doctor, just the product of Nimrod's obsession with his regenerative abilities. However, like Jubilee, it allows Colin Baker an opportunity to stretch his acting wings (Baker getting more to do is not the only similarity the story has with Jubilee).

Project: Lazarus ties up the storyline from Project: Twilight, as well as potentially setting up another rematch between the Doctor and Nimrod. Colin Baker and Maggie Stables impress the most on the acting front, and overall, the story offers a great take on the concept of a multi-Doctor story.

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