MR 140: A Death in the Family

Are we in agreement on two things in one day?

If I had to choose a single best Big Finish story, this would be it. The conclusion reminds me of the bit at the end of Survival and if this had been the last story Big Finish ever told I would have called it a fitting way to conclude things.

I think I stopped following Hex's stories at this point because it was such a good conclusion. We could have leapt into Nightshade straight afterward and been none the wiser.

I think my expectations were way too high for this story. I thought it was very good but not the best story ever and personally I am glad that Hex is continuing after this (although the next story with Hex was one of the weakest & it's the last I've heard so far)


If there was more Evelyn and Hex I might have been more satisfied. They are two of my favorite companions and I would have loved more interaction between them (frankly I wish the other female character wasn't there) That's what I was expecting so I was disappointed. I ended up liking Ace's storyline best of all. And the villain of this story is always a good one.


I would say this was the Citizen Kane of Big Finish. Maybe if I didn't know people considered it one if not the best Big Finish release I would have enjoyed it more. But unfortunately you can't get rid of expectations.

I'm glad there's more Hex after this story. I like Hex.

The momentous week 7 of the Hex listen through!

notthebigfinishforum.freeforums.net/thread/4463/oh-god-hex-listen

As far as main storylines go, this is a pretty good jumping off point.

This is the big one. So many threads to address and returning characters, all handled brilliantly. There's not one weak link.

The structure of the story is narratively unusual. Until the last episode, all the Word Lord stuff is confined to the first episode. The Doctor makes the ultimate sacrifice, and episodes two and three focus on Hex and Ace respectively dealing with this other baggage. Hex finally gets closure over his mother, thanks to Evelyn and decides to continue travelling with the Doctor and Ace when that situation is cleared up. It pays off because we get all the amazing character material (Ace breaking down after being told there's no way to bring the Doctor back makes you want to give her a hug), and an insanely clever plot with a memorable villain.

The characters. The Doctor is felt most keenly by his absence (how very New Adventures). Ace's story is about her trying to bring him back, and Hex's story is about the Doctor, post-mortem, trying to make amends. Even when he's resurrected he's not the focus and still largely in the dark about what happened while he was dead.

This is the perfect look at where Ace is now as a character. She has the chance at her own life, with a good job and loving partner (played brilliantly by dorney), yet she gives it all up when the Doctor comes back. Even when he erases Ace's goodbye to Henry (he's not aware that what was on the Tablet, he's preventing anachronistic information getting out), Ace isn't emotional about it. She has the Doctor back, that's all that matters to her.

And Evelyn, wonderful Evelyn. She's still fighting and investigating, looking into the time ship even though the church is trying to stop her from doing this. Her maternal instincts kick in when she finds Hex and helps give him the closest he's had to normal since he went to work that fateful birthday. Evelyn still tells the Doctor the unvarnished truth of her opinion, and she goes out on her own terms, bringing an end to the Word Lord's revenge. Her final words, recalling her best friend are simply beautiful.

The scope of the future Doctor's plan, and how it comes together is simply ingenious. Steven Hall is planting Chekhov's guns all over the place. The TG Tablet, the thought lock, the stamp, even sending Hex to Pellachan has a practical purpose beyond healing Hex mentally, as does getting Ace to encounter Henry.

Its the best example of how dependent Ace has become on the Doctor. It's this or Perivale, and it's pointed out in another story that this is all Ace has known. For all her arguments with the Doctor, she chooses to stay with him, unless it's so bad she has no choice but to leave like in Love and War.

Hello everyone!

Here's my review on 'A Death In The Family' - bradleybasement.wordpress.com/sci-fi/doctor-who/doctor-who-timelines/the-doctors-timelines-index/the-seventh-doctors-timeline/a-death-in-the-family-audio/

Enjoy!

Tim.