Doctor Who review: Deleted Scenes is a short but effective love story
By James Aggas
The short story Deleted Scenes is a very bittersweet and gloriously romantic Doctor Who audio, as well as a strong debut for new Big Finish writer Angus Dunican.
Jamie McCrimmon has to be one of the greatest companions in Doctor Who history. Brave, fiercely loyal and hilarious, the Highland rebel was a perfect companion to Patrick Troughton’s iconic Doctor. So any story that explores his more romantic side – a side hardly explored in Doctor Who – is bound to be worth a listen.
And that’s what you get with Deleted Scenes. Like many Short Trips – which often take on a purely narrated form – it’s simple and straightforward. But like the best of them, it also packs a punch.
Set in Paris in 1908, the story explores what happens when the Doctor and Jamie meet film director Céline Tessier. Céline is immediately fascinated by Jamie, and the two very quickly share a deep bond. However, as we all know, this isn’t a story that can have a happy ending, and Deleted Scenes builds to a heartbreaking choice that Jamie has to make…
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An impressive debut
It’s weird to think that this is Angus Dunican’s first story for Big Finish. This is an extremely beautiful and bittersweet story to listen to. The Short Trip packs in a lot of emotional moments. Especially its ending, which is unusual for a Doctor Who story. But at the same time, it feels exactly right.
More than that, the regular characters are explored in refreshing ways, too. Not only do we get to explore Jamie’s more romantic side, as well as how he’s coping with the recent departure of a friend. But even the Doctor is given an excellent speech on how cruel men can act as a result of love.
Narrating all of this is Frazer Hines. What really helps to draw the listener in is his excellent Troughton impression, making the banter between the Doctor and Jamie even better. But more than that, Hines is just a great narrator in his own right, making each original character clear and distinctive. On top of that, the post-production is solid, especially the music, which has just the right amount of sweetness for the story.
Overall, Deleted Scenes is a wonderfully romantic story, and an impressive writing debut from Angus Dunican for Big Finish.
Next. Spoiler review: Ascension of the Cybermen kicks off the two-part finale. dark
What’s your favorite love story in Doctor Who? Which companion do you think is worth exploring the romantic side of? Let us know in the comments below.