Doctor Who review: David Collings is a dark and disturbing Doctor in Full Fathom Five
By James Aggas
Full Fathom Five is a rather unusual Doctor Who audio – one that stars David Collings as a rather unusual Doctor…
Earlier this year, character actor David Collings passed away, aged 79. Collings had appeared in many films and TV series, including Doctor Who, where he played three different characters. On top of that, Collings had also acted in several audios for Big Finish Productions. We will get to hear his final performance later this month in spinoff box set The Robots 2, where he reprises the character of Poul from the classic serial The Robots of Death.
We thought it was worth looking back on his audio work this month, starting with Full Fathom Five. To say he gets to play a significant role in this story is putting it mildly. Because this time, David Collings isn’t just playing a guest character in a Doctor Who story. In Full Fathom Five, he is the Doctor.
Released back in 2003, Full Fathom Five was part of Doctor Who: Unbound – a series of “what if?” stories, featuring brand new Doctors. Some of these stories asked clear and obvious questions. What if the Doctor had never left Gallifrey? What if the Doctor had never become UNIT’s scientific advisor? What if the Valeyard had won in The Trial of a Time Lord?
Full Fathom Five is different from all of these. When it begins, the “what if?” isn’t made immediately clear. It’s something of a puzzle box story, one that gradually gives us the pieces as the story unfolds.
Many “what if?” Doctors have been explored in Doctor Who Unbound, including David Warner’s in Sympathy for the Devil. But David Collings’s Doctor might be the darkest of them all…
Image Courtesy Big Finish Productions.
What you should know
I’m going to be honest: Full Fathom Five is somewhat tricky to review, mainly because it’s best to go into it completely cold. When listening to this story, it’s better to have almost no idea of what to expect.
I say “almost” because it’s certainly worth pointing out that this was made with a more mature audience in mind, with plenty of swearing and horrific moments included. So that much is definitely worth knowing before letting the kids listen to this one.
However, if you haven’t checked this out yet, then I have to say stop reading now. I won’t even be mentioning heavy spoilers, but it really is better not to know anything about this story when listening to it. What I will say is this: it’s good. Really good.
David Collings is the Doctor
So how is David Collings as the Doctor? In some ways, he’s very recognizable. When the story begins, he seems to have a companion of his own in the form of Ruth. Ruth is someone who’s known him for many years and she’s eager to join him as he embarks on a dangerous mission. The Doctor is dead set against her joining him, of course.
This isn’t anything new in terms of who the Doctor is. He’s often been keen to keep his companions out of danger, especially if he’s heading directly into it. One thing that’s noticeable is that Collings is noticeably less eccentric than some of the other incarnations, but he’s still recognizable as the Doctor.
So what’s different? What makes Full Fathom Five an Unbound story? Could it have worked as a an adventure with one of the canon Doctors? The answer is definitely not. Full Fathom Five is a rather disturbing story – primarily because of how it depicts the Doctor.
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The darkest Doctor?
We’ve had many different “dark” versions of the Doctor, ranging from the War Doctor where he tried to deny who he was, to the Valeyard, which is his dark side given physical form. Even the Seventh Doctor did some terrible things, especially in the expanded universe.
However, it has to be said: even Seven wouldn’t have what Collings’s Doctor does in Full Fathom Five. This depiction goes further than any other. What makes this depiction particularly disturbing is that he’s not too far removed from the Doctor we know. He’s not suddenly evil for no good reason.
But the actions he takes in this story shows us what happens when the Doctor is exhausted from playing by the rules. This depiction reminds us why it’s utterly important for the Doctor to retain their strong sense of morality, at any cost.
David Bishop’s story is a fantastic one to listen to. It’s extremely grim and incredibly disturbing at times, especially for a Doctor Who audio. But it’s also a highly recommended listen for many Doctor Who fans. Especially for David Collings’s performance, who gives us such a deliciously dark take on our favorite Time Lord. And just wait until you hear that ending…
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Have you listened to Full Fathom Five? Did you enjoy its unusual exploration of the Doctor’s darker side? Do you think it could have worked with a regular Doctor? Let us know in the comments below.