Doctor Who review: Harry Houdini’s War is a light but fun story

The Sixth Doctor meets an old friend in new Doctor Who audio Harry Houdini’s War. Harry finds himself on a mission, but when no one is what they seem, who can he trust?

After two Doctor Who stories that were a little darker and more morally complex than usual, the final story of this year’s Sixth Doctor and Peri trilogy feels noticeably lighter. Despite the setting of the First World War, Harry Houdini’s War feels less like a war story and more like a pulp spy thriller.

What helps is that, for this audio, the main point of view isn’t the Doctor, or even his companion Peri. This time, it’s the titular guest character: Harry Houdini, played by John Schwab.

As established not just in this story but in several TV mentions and even an earlier Big Finish release, this isn’t the first time that Harry’s met the Doctor. Like Churchill, the Doctor keeps bumping into him, and not necessarily in the right order.

When the Doctor asks for Harry’s help this time, it’s clear that he’s already in the middle of another adventure. At first, Harry is all too keen to help. But is there more going on than the Doctor’s telling him…?

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A story with twists and turns

Using Harry Houdini as a point of view for the story was an interesting way to tell it. It was easy to see the Doctor through Harry’s eyes, and seeing how easy it is not to trust him this time. There are a few interesting twists and turns in this one. One in particular was very subtly hinted at, which I thought was handled nicely.

It was also fun having the legendary escapologist getting caught up in a spy thriller. It gave a great excuse for writer Steve Lyons to remind us why Houdini amazed audiences back in the day, and there were a lot of fun sequences when Houdini got to show off his skills.

John Schwab also puts in a good performance in the role. Not only did he have to play such a famous historical figure, but he also had to do so while acting as the point of view for the audience. Essentially, he had to play a real life character who was extraordinary yet relatable. That’s a tricky part to play, but Schwab performs it well.

One slight criticism I have for Harry Houdini’s War is that it feels just a little too long for the story it’s telling. It’s fun, but at times, it feels like it would’ve worked better if it had been told in just one hour instead of two. It doesn’t feel too padded out, but it is noticeably lighter than it perhaps should be. Especially after the previous stories in this Sixth Doctor season.

Harry Houdini’s War isn’t one of the most memorable stories, but it’s enjoyable enough, at least. A rather light yet fun story that uses a historical figure in an interesting way.

Do you think Harry Houdini should appear in the TV series? Should we find out more about his earlier encounters with the Doctor? Which historical figure do you think should be used in a fun story? Let us know in the comments below.