Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious news: Two brand new Master stories are out now!
By James Aggas
Released today, two new short stories have been released by Big Finish as part of multi-platform event Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious – featuring two classic incarnations of the Master!
Today sees the first audio release from Big Finish that’s firmly a part of the huge event Time Lord Victorious. While it’s not a full-cast drama (we have to wait until next week for the first of four Eighth Doctor stories), it’s still something rather special. Not just because it’s two stories in one. But because it also features two equally brilliant versions of one iconic Doctor Who villain: the Master!
While Big Finish has given us many stories featuring the Master, very, very few of them have focused on the incarnations originally played by Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley. While it’s understandable, especially considering the original actors are no longer with us, it is surprising that it’s so rarely happened, even in short story form.
So to see two brand new Short Trips released focusing on them is a joy to see. Written by Sophie Iles and Simon Guerrier, both Master Thief and Lesser Evils explore the Master in different ways, as director Lisa Bowerman reveals.
"The two Master Short Trips look into the very specific sides of the Master as portrayed by Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley. Both propose different possibilities as to what would put the Master on the back foot, and key into emotions and actions he cannot understand."
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Two Masters, one voice
Not only is it great to see fresh sides to these particular Masters, but even better is who’s narrating these stories. Actor and impressionist Jon Culshaw – who’s voiced many roles for Big Finish already, most notably the legendary Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart – performs each story, and gets to show off his impressions of Delgado and Ainley. Unsurprisingly, Culshaw is extremely excited about narrating these stories.
"These were such compelling and fascinating stories and a joy to record. They are tantalizing glimpses into unseen chapters of the Master; the chilling, hypnotic, foreboding of the Delgado Master and the elegant, duplicitous shimmer of the Ainley Master!"
How well does Culshaw capture each of these truly iconic Masters? And how well does each story explore them? Expect our reviews on each of them later this week, or you can find out for yourself by downloading Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: Short Trips: Master Thief / Lesser Evils right now from Big Finish’s website.
Next. Tom Baker stars in Time Lord Victorious: Genetics of the Daleks!. dark
Do you think the Masters originally defined by Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley should be explored more often by Big Finish? If so, should they remain in purely narrated stories, or could they in fact be recast for full-cast audio drama? Let us know in the comments below.