Unbound 4: He Jests at Scars...

[Anthony Williams]

He Jests at Scars...
Starring Michael Jayston and Bonnie Langford

What if... the Valeyard had won?

Well, this is the ultimate question for Doctor Who fans, isn't it? Ever since Trial of a Time Lord was broadcast, many fans have been fascinated by the darker side of the Doctor's personality as embodied by the Valeyard, and pondered what things would have been like if he had won.

Well, unfortunately, this was written by Gary "king of fanwank" Russell himself - and it really shows. The joy of Sympathy for the Devil is here a curse - while continuity was done extremely well in the former play, it's done rather badly here. Every little mention is something continuity based. There are, really far too many mentions of minute details from other Doctor Who adventures, and it comes off badly.

Likewise, Russell's attempt at writing a hardened Mel doesn't really work, and she just comes across as being excessively out of character. It's not so much Bonnie's fault, but merely the way that the character was written for this audio. I only need to cite the example of her shooting down another character - something that I just can't see Mel ever doing, no matter how much the universe has changed.

However, the main thing that's important to many - the return of Michael Jayston as the Valeyard - is just wonderful. Every line he says, is spoken in such a wonderfully malevolent and psychotic way. His scenery-chewing is wonderful. He delights at screwing with the time-line and the relish with which Jayston talks about destroying Logopolis etc. is just excellent.

Likewise, I have to give massive props for the ending. It's very Sapphire and Steel, as the Valeyard and Mel are in the TARDIS, trapped, for fear of causing further damage to the already cracked time-line. Superb.

So, overall, this is a very, very mixed audio. It has some great moments, and some utterly awful moments. I give this one 5/10.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

I really liked this story, the dark vein of it, and how it really explored the Valeyard a bit more.

But then I think the Valeyard was a brilliant idea, and one I wish we'd see explored a bit more. It's ironic that now the series trades a lot on the idea of the dark side of the Doctor.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I really liked this story, the dark vein of it, and how it really explored the Valeyard a bit more.

But then I think the Valeyard was a brilliant idea, and one I wish we'd see explored a bit more. It's ironic that now the series trades a lot on the idea of the dark side of the Doctor.

I haven't relistened to this one as part of the run yet but just to initially say that I agree that it's criminal that there haven't been any canonical audio stories featuring the Valeyard. I had the great privilege of meeting Michael Jayston again recently and I know he'd be really up for doing some more.
Further comments to follow soon.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Overall - and I've not heard them all - but I did like the idea of the Unbound series of audios over the usual audios, for their ability to play out "What If" Doctors.

Ordinarilly in Big Finish audios they have to be able to slip the adventures between what was already there, but with Unbound they could be that much bolder, which really helped the stories.

[SiHart]

I loved this one. It's a head**** of continuity, but I rather liked that. It seemed to fit the theme of the Valeyard struggling with his past and the heritage that the Doctor left behind. I love the idea of him undoing his own timeline and taking the universe with him- it seems right that he'd be undone in that way because he's hugely unstable.

Michael Jayston is fabulous! Even with the Pipnjane style dialogue he's saddled with to keep in tune with what was on TV. I love his interplay with Bonnie (who is fabulous in this one, just as she is in all her BFs and clearly relishing the chance to do something different to her normal character). The scene at the end is both horrific and touching as the TARDIS powers down around them. Eerie.

[Anthony Williams]

While I agree that there were some great ideas here - there was just something that didn't click for me. It was like it was overkill.

Plus, as I've said, I think Bonnie really gave it her all, but Darker Mel was just poorly scripted.

[SiHart]

The line "I moved the 5th Doctor's hat" is still quoted often in our house to this day.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

The line "I moved the 5th Doctor's hat" is still quoted often in our house to this day.

Hate to say it but the actual line is "I moved the First Doctor's compass and stole the Seventh Doctor's hat"...

Speaking of great lines, and there are many in HJAS my stand out when I relistened this afternoon (apart as from Mel quoting the incredible Hulk
"Don't make me angry you wouldn't like me when I'm angry!") was
"You are the Doctor whether you like it or not!"

[SiHart]

Gah! I edited it as i thought I'd got the wrong Doctor (I put 7th down first and thought it was wrong). Just see this another sign of my obsession with the 5th doctor's hat.

[Simon R]

What's the point of a good quotation if you can't change it? I remember enjoying this one. I'll add it to the must re-listen to mountain. Surely a new Valeyard story must have been considered? We should write to Vortex magazine and ask.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Surely a new Valeyard story must have been considered? We should write to Vortex magazine and ask.

We should. As I said I know that Jayston would jump at the chance of doing another one.

Speak to it though hell itself can gape and bid me hold my peace

Having had the chance to hear this play a couple of times in recent months I've realised that I do like it when taken for what it is. However the first time I listened to it 8 years ago I actually didn't like it all that much.

What I do like are the fantastic central performances by Jayston and Langford. "Down and dirty Mel" as I remember hearing Bonnie refer to her once is an extreme version of the character but Bonnie is clearly enjoying playing this darker version and that makes it great fun to listen to and therefore easy for me to overlook the inconsistency of her dramatic transformation, even allowing for the passage of 10 years whilst searching for "The Mighty One".

I do also like her scenes sparring with the new Time Lord President, Tim Preece and the return of Anthony Keetch as Vansell (a nice touch after killing him off in the real universe).

What I still don't like is that there is an overload of continuity. Gary Russell manages to work continuity referencing very well in his novels but in a 70 minute audio play the overdose of refences means that some of the better ideas get slightly stifled so that it's only on second listen one appreciates their intelligence. The worst contender is the inclusion of the character Ellie Martin from the Big Finish SJS series whose existence in this play is only really justified by the shock moment of the Valeyard killing her in front of Mel. Neither am I especially fond of spoiling what happens to Mel in "another universe" in the BBC Book Heritage which I've still not read (he does a similar trick involving "alternative versions" of the 8th Doctor in Zagreus unfortunately).

However the main problem I have with this play is that not only is it "What if the Valeyard won?" but "What if the Valeyard won and made a total mess of everything!"
I've not got a problem with the Valeyard wiping out the Time Lords, the Daleks and even the Human race (although that last was a needless bit of Big Finish continuity IMHO) but despite having the potential of the several future incarnations (as referenced in the script!) he manages to create an obvious grandfather paradox by killing his past self several times over! I just don't buy that at all I'm afraid. Yes I agree the actual ending is very spooky and the final scene between Jayston and Langford is really well played but I was disappointed they'd effectively killed off the Doctor at the end for the second release in a row. What felt clever and shocking at the end of Full Fathom Five which I personally still prefer just felt wrong here.

That said with hindsight as far as we know the Valeyard is still around in the proper universe (I'm thinking in Big Finish Pre-Time War terms here) whereas in some respect the death of Collings sinister alternative Tenth Doctor seems like a wasted opportunity for more adventures.

[Si Hunt]

I really enjoyed my re-listen of this. It was atmospheric and well-told and engrossing. The idea of the Doctor being shot as he ploughs through all his remaining lives, and of the TARDIS being lost at the bottom of the sea, was excellent. This had me intrigued as the mystery gradually unfolded and what went on was explained.

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I really enjoyed my re-listen of this. It was atmospheric and well-told and engrossing. The idea of the Doctor being shot as he ploughs through all his remaining lives, and of the TARDIS being lost at the bottom of the sea, was excellent. This had me intrigued as the mystery gradually unfolded and what went on was explained.

Si.

I think you're referring to Unbound 3: Full Fathom Five

[Si Hunt]

Oops!

Si.