April 21, 2010, 7:44 pm

Brian A Terranova

“Look at the size of that thing, Doctor.”

“Yes, Jamie, that is a big one.”

Yes, that’s right companion legend James Robert McCrimmon is back for three brand new adventures with the sixth Doctor Starting this month over at Big Finish. Actor Frazer Hines reprises the role he made so famous back in the sixties, along side Second Doctor Patrick Troughton, in this month’s story City of Spires.

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Taking place in the highlands of Scotland in a year which is a bit hard to lock down, the Doctor finds Jamie locked in a war with the Red Coats and an unknown enemy known as Red Cap. It seems that the land is being tapped for a “black water” and all who get in the way will be killed or enslaved. But the Doctor knows that this isn’t right, not for this era certainly. Not only that, Jamie doesn’t remember who the Doctor is. Not surprising as he has a new face and Jamie’s memory was wiped by the Time Lords, but he should remember the Doctor from their first meeting, so why doesn’t he?

I think it’s fair to say that any fan of the 60’s era of Doctor Who has been waiting for the Doctor to swoop back into Jamie and Zoe’s lives and help them regain their memories or at least fill them with new ones. So for me, being such a fan, this story has been a long time in the waiting. It’s not as cut and dry as it could be though, it seems the Doctor and Jamie have along road ahead of them. But this is OK, because Frazer Hines and Colin Baker together make you want to hear more of them, so maybe three adventures won’t be enough.

Frazer isn’t the only Doctor Who alumni to make an appearance in this story. The Doctor’s Daughter herself, Georgia Moffett, plays the Alice, a woman in search of her husband in this dark war. She is a very strong and independent woman, which always works well next to the character of Jamie.

What’s great about this story is that it’s leading somewhere big over the next two parts. Not an unusual idea, but some the way this story is handled is what makes it different. I prefer not to explain that for fear of ruining something for the listener.

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All in all, this was a wonderful tale and it felt like I was seeing an old friend again. It’s that familiarity that makes this take all the more engaging but never makes it feel like that is all it is trying to achieve. Sure it’s only part one of a three part adventure but it never lets you forget that it has a big story of it’s own to tell.

You have to listen for your self to see the size of this thing.

The full review is here.