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Big Finish: Monthly Range #47
Doctor Who: Omega
A strange telepathic message prompts the Doctor to travel to the 'Sector of Forgotten Souls', a place where, thousands of years ago, Omega's ship vanished whilst detonating a star.
He's not the only one journeying towards it. 'Jolly Chronolidays' prides itself on giving its tourists an experience of galactic history that is far better than mere time travel.
Its motto is 'We don't go into history, we prefer to bring history to you'.
When Omega's ship suddenly materialises in front of their shuttle, and one of their employees goes insane and tries to destroy his hands…
…suddenly it's not just a motto anymore.
And Omega - and his madness - is closer than they think.
Chronological Placement
This story takes place between the television adventures, Arc of Infinity and Snakedance.
He's not the only one journeying towards it. 'Jolly Chronolidays' prides itself on giving its tourists an experience of galactic history that is far better than mere time travel.
Its motto is 'We don't go into history, we prefer to bring history to you'.
When Omega's ship suddenly materialises in front of their shuttle, and one of their employees goes insane and tries to destroy his hands…
…suddenly it's not just a motto anymore.
And Omega - and his madness - is closer than they think.
Chronological Placement
This story takes place between the television adventures, Arc of Infinity and Snakedance.
Audio Play
First published August 1, 2003
3 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Nev Fountain
53 books45 followersNev Fountain, born Steven John Fountain, is an English writer, best known for his comedy work with writing partner Tom Jamieson on the radio and television programme 'Dead Ringers'.
He is currently writing for Dead Ringers and the satirical magazine 'Private Eye'.
He has written three humorous murder-mystery novels, collectively called 'The Mervyn Stone Mysteries', and a serious thriller called 'Painkiller'.
His latest book, 'The Fan Who Knew Too Much' was released in July this year.
Nev was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire and now resides in Surrey.
He is currently writing for Dead Ringers and the satirical magazine 'Private Eye'.
He has written three humorous murder-mystery novels, collectively called 'The Mervyn Stone Mysteries', and a serious thriller called 'Painkiller'.
His latest book, 'The Fan Who Knew Too Much' was released in July this year.
Nev was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire and now resides in Surrey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 7, 2016
This is a fifth Doctor story, without a recurring companion, and is #47 in the Big Finish main range.
This is part of a sort of trilogy leading up to the controversial 50th audio in the range that picks up from the shocking conclusion of the last eighth Doctor story. Fittingly given the subject of that one, this trilogy deals with recurring villains from the classic television series that help define the Doctor by being dark reflections of him in different ways.
This one is a direct sequel to the classic story Arc of Infinity which brings back the villain Omega who first appeared in the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors.
In this a package tour spaceship visits the site of Omega's original black hole experiments and the Doctor is on board. It becomes apparent that things are not great, as the area of space they're in places significant psychic stress on visitors and some of the actors who are there to recreate the Omega story begin to experience elements of the source material including some fairly gruesome scenes. And then Omega turns up and things get very complicated because he's even more unstable than last time.
I found this to be a believable extrapolation of the Omega story we had in Arc of Infinity, and it certainly captures the feeling of pity for the character you get from both the tv episodes he was in. It also fills the remit of showing off a dark mirror of the Doctor, in a couple of surprising ways. Not including a companion gives the supporting cast more opportunity to shine, but unfortunately they mostly don't, largely because of how erratic the script calls them to be due to the psychic effects.
This is part of a sort of trilogy leading up to the controversial 50th audio in the range that picks up from the shocking conclusion of the last eighth Doctor story. Fittingly given the subject of that one, this trilogy deals with recurring villains from the classic television series that help define the Doctor by being dark reflections of him in different ways.
This one is a direct sequel to the classic story Arc of Infinity which brings back the villain Omega who first appeared in the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors.
In this a package tour spaceship visits the site of Omega's original black hole experiments and the Doctor is on board. It becomes apparent that things are not great, as the area of space they're in places significant psychic stress on visitors and some of the actors who are there to recreate the Omega story begin to experience elements of the source material including some fairly gruesome scenes. And then Omega turns up and things get very complicated because he's even more unstable than last time.
I found this to be a believable extrapolation of the Omega story we had in Arc of Infinity, and it certainly captures the feeling of pity for the character you get from both the tv episodes he was in. It also fills the remit of showing off a dark mirror of the Doctor, in a couple of surprising ways. Not including a companion gives the supporting cast more opportunity to shine, but unfortunately they mostly don't, largely because of how erratic the script calls them to be due to the psychic effects.
September 12, 2024
"Grains of truth are like grains of sand. Make anything out of them and the tide comes and washes them away."
August 19, 2020
Primo gradino della rampa di lancio che ci porterà a Doctor Who: Zagreus (dove vedremo risolto il cliffhanger che ci portiamo dietro da Doctor Who: Neverland).
In questa sorta di trilogia che vede il Dottore confrontarsi con nemici classici, ritroviamo il quinto Dottore e Omega in una sorta di continuazione di Doctor Who: Arc of Infinity.
Il solito folle Omega, che vuole tornare a casa (dopo essere rimasto imprigionato nel nostro universo, senza un corpo in cui appoggiarsi).
Un giro turistico temporale, che permette di visitare i luoghi che furono testimoni del grande esperimento di Omega.
Un buon colpo di scena e qualche flashback sul passato in Accademia di Omega e Rassilon.
Nel complesso una buona storia, con qualche caduta di ritmo e un paio di scene di contorno che potevano essere tranquillamente eliminate.
Alla fine Omega risulta anche simpatico.
Prossima fermata: il sesto Dottore e Davros.
In questa sorta di trilogia che vede il Dottore confrontarsi con nemici classici, ritroviamo il quinto Dottore e Omega in una sorta di continuazione di Doctor Who: Arc of Infinity.
Il solito folle Omega, che vuole tornare a casa (dopo essere rimasto imprigionato nel nostro universo, senza un corpo in cui appoggiarsi).
Un giro turistico temporale, che permette di visitare i luoghi che furono testimoni del grande esperimento di Omega.
Un buon colpo di scena e qualche flashback sul passato in Accademia di Omega e Rassilon.
Nel complesso una buona storia, con qualche caduta di ritmo e un paio di scene di contorno che potevano essere tranquillamente eliminate.
Alla fine Omega risulta anche simpatico.
Prossima fermata: il sesto Dottore e Davros.
October 4, 2020
Quotes:
He’s gone mad! He’s trying to kill me!
Where is he?
How should I know? I’m concentrating on being where he’s not.
Can I come out yet?
Just wait a few seconds I’m running a few tests.
Why are you waving that thing about?
Waving celery about in the air is a useful method for testing for dimensional instability.
How does that check the dimensional instability?
Well if it changes into a pineapple I know we’re in trouble.
He’s gone mad! He’s trying to kill me!
Where is he?
How should I know? I’m concentrating on being where he’s not.
Can I come out yet?
Just wait a few seconds I’m running a few tests.
Why are you waving that thing about?
Waving celery about in the air is a useful method for testing for dimensional instability.
How does that check the dimensional instability?
Well if it changes into a pineapple I know we’re in trouble.
October 16, 2017
Coming up on Big Finish's 50th story, Zagreus, the ramp up was a series of three stories featuring classic (arguably in the first case) arch villans. I decided to listen to all three before reviewing them.
These three, either by design or because that's just sorta the way you do this kind of thing now, had some common factors. They all revealed somthing about the past of the baddie that fleshed out the character (and occasionally The Doctor as well) in a way that we'd never seen before. They all had some discussion about the nature of evil (usually one on one with The Doctor). And finally, they all mentioned Zagreus in passing.
Omega - Peter Davison gets the short end of the stick this time with a "barely a villan" villan who had been a character substitution, evidently at the last minute, for The Celestial Toymaker. While it's delightful to hear the Fifth and Omega talking through their particular rebellions against Time Lord society and the story does do some interesting things with the idea of hero worship, the piece as a whole feels awfully hashed together from disparate elements.
The comedy doesn't work and the violent tonal shifts don't really either. The idea of the the actors who are doing a recreation of Omega's story for "Jolly Chronoliday" tours suddenly becoming their roles as the actual historical figures begin to actually appear, could have been a neat idea, but it just doesn't make a lot of sense.
Davison is again wonderful and his scenes with Ian Collier's Omega where they are just working and talking are worth the listen, as is the twist which truly took me by surprise, but, on the whole, the story just doesn't hold together.
These three, either by design or because that's just sorta the way you do this kind of thing now, had some common factors. They all revealed somthing about the past of the baddie that fleshed out the character (and occasionally The Doctor as well) in a way that we'd never seen before. They all had some discussion about the nature of evil (usually one on one with The Doctor). And finally, they all mentioned Zagreus in passing.
Omega - Peter Davison gets the short end of the stick this time with a "barely a villan" villan who had been a character substitution, evidently at the last minute, for The Celestial Toymaker. While it's delightful to hear the Fifth and Omega talking through their particular rebellions against Time Lord society and the story does do some interesting things with the idea of hero worship, the piece as a whole feels awfully hashed together from disparate elements.
The comedy doesn't work and the violent tonal shifts don't really either. The idea of the the actors who are doing a recreation of Omega's story for "Jolly Chronoliday" tours suddenly becoming their roles as the actual historical figures begin to actually appear, could have been a neat idea, but it just doesn't make a lot of sense.
Davison is again wonderful and his scenes with Ian Collier's Omega where they are just working and talking are worth the listen, as is the twist which truly took me by surprise, but, on the whole, the story just doesn't hold together.
May 25, 2023
Probaly was very good but not so good if you are not familiar with Omega as a charicter
March 17, 2024
Omega, the OG Timelord. A founding member who became trapped in an antimatter universe during an experiment which created the energy source for Timelord society and who came to believe that he was abandoned there by the other Timelords. A miserable kind of a character really. A scientist driven mad with rage as a result of his own experimentation.
I really enjoyed this story, it packs a few super-twists and even as they are unfolding the story continues to confuse until right near the end. It's all madness really. The story is briefly framed at the beginning but you practically forget about that until the final few moments when it resumes, although it doesn't serve much more purpose than to add some flavouring.
I've been looking forward to the upcoming audiostory titled 'Zagreus' because I expect it will expand the lore of Timelord society, so this was an unexpected delight which did the very same. There are quite a few Timelords in this one and that alone was enough to get me on board and engaged with the plot.
I really enjoyed this story, it packs a few super-twists and even as they are unfolding the story continues to confuse until right near the end. It's all madness really. The story is briefly framed at the beginning but you practically forget about that until the final few moments when it resumes, although it doesn't serve much more purpose than to add some flavouring.
I've been looking forward to the upcoming audiostory titled 'Zagreus' because I expect it will expand the lore of Timelord society, so this was an unexpected delight which did the very same. There are quite a few Timelords in this one and that alone was enough to get me on board and engaged with the plot.
November 2, 2021
Despite being focused on Omega himself, I was expecting more of some coverage on his backstory, maybe even some answers to questions about what truly happened to Omega. However, I don’t even think the script knows what it was doing, questioning Omega and his origins altogether because of still “having some of the Doctor’s personality mixed with his own” due to events in the episode, Arc of Infinity.
And it of course ended with the same formula of the Doctor sending Omega back to his Antimatter world. I just expected something more involved with Omega than what we were given.
And it of course ended with the same formula of the Doctor sending Omega back to his Antimatter world. I just expected something more involved with Omega than what we were given.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2022
Peter Davison is quite a good actor in audio. There's a few nice moments in here where The Doctor and Omega wax poetic about the importance of legends/ storytelling, how history is told, recorded, whether it's the truth that's relevant, or the parables that grow from the seeds, that teach morality, ethics to future generations. I enjoyed these bits and wished they made this more of a focal point. I'll avoid some spoilers, but for me, the story becomes a bit hard to comprehend and off the rails in episodes 3 and 4. 2hrs and 20 min running time a bit insane.
April 24, 2023
This story would not make very much sense unless you are familiar with the Doctor Who television episodes that dealt with Omega. At the same time, those who are familiar with Doctor Who will recognize the lack of originality in a plot where the Doctor is on board on tour ship visiting historic events in the past. Fountain attempts to add shocking and surprising elements to the story which ends with a twist, but it is not enough to rescue a script that is a bit of a mess. Well performed, however.
January 4, 2025
📝Verdict: 7.69/10
Big Finish celebrates 40 years of Doctor Who with a tale of twisted history, dark reflections, and a renegade Time Lord's desperate bid for freedom.
Omega is a slow-burn exploration of the titular villain’s psyche, balanced by strong character interactions and a late-game twist that revitalises the plot. While the pacing sags in parts, its introspective tone and compelling performances make it a worthy addition to Big Finish’s celebratory releases.
Full review at https://tardis.guide/reviews/story-om...
Big Finish celebrates 40 years of Doctor Who with a tale of twisted history, dark reflections, and a renegade Time Lord's desperate bid for freedom.
Omega is a slow-burn exploration of the titular villain’s psyche, balanced by strong character interactions and a late-game twist that revitalises the plot. While the pacing sags in parts, its introspective tone and compelling performances make it a worthy addition to Big Finish’s celebratory releases.
Full review at https://tardis.guide/reviews/story-om...
February 20, 2019
(This year I've decided to take Big Finish plays into account, too. I'm still not a fan of the idea: to me, listening to audio plays is a completely different sort of experience compared to reading - but I simply don't know where else to keep score. So here we are.)
It's the second time, actually, that I've listened to the play and although it hasn't become one of my favourites, it's still a strong piece of work that gives you something to think about afterwards.
It's the second time, actually, that I've listened to the play and although it hasn't become one of my favourites, it's still a strong piece of work that gives you something to think about afterwards.
March 28, 2022
The Doctor joins a group of tourists visiting the location of Omega's last experiment. It includes re-enactments of past events in Time Lord history, but some of the performers are getting far too into the spirit of things. Not at all what I expected, but good fun and it gets stranger and darker as it goes on. I especially liked the jokes from other tourists about the Eye of Orion being just grass and hills.
October 12, 2021
救難信号を受けてギャリフレイからオメガ歴史記念館（？）主催のツアーを調べるよう派遣されてきたドクター。オメガがキリオンに裏切られ、キリオンを殺すとい歴史的イベントを演じる俳優の一人が暴走し何者かに殺される。
ドクターのマトリクスでドクターの肉体を持ったオメガを作ったらドクターの意識が蘇ってきた、このドクターと、ギャリフレイから派遣されたドクター。一つの肉体に二つの意識ということが明かされてからもう一度聞き直すとだいぶわかりやすく聞き取れたけれどもなかなかわかりにくかった。
結局はオメガではなくドクターのダーク履歴をクリーンなものにして語ろうとする未来のドクター記念館が黒幕とわかるのだけれども、オメガにドクターの罪をなすりつけるってひでぇ。
ドクターのマトリクスでドクターの肉体を持ったオメガを作ったらドクターの意識が蘇ってきた、このドクターと、ギャリフレイから派遣されたドクター。一つの肉体に二つの意識ということが明かされてからもう一度聞き直すとだいぶわかりやすく聞き取れたけれどもなかなかわかりにくかった。
結局はオメガではなくドクターのダーク履歴をクリーンなものにして語ろうとする未来のドクター記念館が黒幕とわかるのだけれども、オメガにドクターの罪をなすりつけるってひでぇ。
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2022
A story involving some twists, Gallifreyan lore and a group of fun characters.
The attempted murder/murder mystery plot is probably the strongest part of this with 5 seeing ghost Omega becoming the twist that actually 5 and ghost Omega are the same character. The 5th Doctor then showing up late to the story as the part 3 cliffhanger was just so shocking and memorable.
The attempted murder/murder mystery plot is probably the strongest part of this with 5 seeing ghost Omega becoming the twist that actually 5 and ghost Omega are the same character. The 5th Doctor then showing up late to the story as the part 3 cliffhanger was just so shocking and memorable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2024
"Some TARDISes tend not to hang around if the operator departs. It's this symbiotic link. Very attached to their owners. Most TARDISes spend millennia grieving, some just jettison themselves into the Vortex never to be seen again. Somewhere, at the end of time, is an elephant graveyard of broken TARDISes. I always meant to go and have a look one day."
Fifth Doctor in Big Finish: Omega
Fifth Doctor in Big Finish: Omega
November 17, 2025
Nev Fountain is very clever with this one. From the set-up to the cyclical ending to the twist in Part 3 which takes full advantage of the audio format, there's a lot of ingenuity here.
This story also explains the origins of, both, Omega himself and the Hand of Omega weapon. The content is rich, but I think the script becomes a bit confusing and hard to follow at times.
This story also explains the origins of, both, Omega himself and the Hand of Omega weapon. The content is rich, but I think the script becomes a bit confusing and hard to follow at times.
January 6, 2024
A multi-level story that reckons with Omega as not just the eldritch exiled pioneering madman of the show, but a vital Gallifreyan historical figure with fans, biographers, and even merchandise. Can’t say I understood all the nuances of the storytelling, though.
September 30, 2017
I loved seeing the Doctor like this. Definitely a great read for a Whovian.
February 18, 2019
Of the special baddies trilogy (the others being "Master" and "Davros"), I was probably least into this one, but it was still an enjoyable enough listen with a good twist partway through.
July 23, 2019
It started out rather promisingly, and had some interesting twists as the story progressed, but overall it was fairly mediocre.
February 16, 2020
Crítica | Big Finish Mensal #47: Omega: https://www.planocritico.com/critica-...
April 14, 2020
The Fifth Doctor encounters Omega, knowing fully well the villain that he becomes. Already, I feel like I am a bit burnt out on The Doctor witnessing the backstory of some of his biggest foes.
January 14, 2021
Good, but confusing. Oh so very confusing.
May 30, 2024
This one requires some prior character knowledge, and I never care for those requirements
June 1, 2025
listened to this before watching The Reality War. Waste of time! not because this story is bad. I quite liked it. Because Omega was completely wasted.
December 12, 2025
Just feels like an unnecessary story. Production wise this is great but Omega just seems to not be very powerful and doesn't do much for the previous two appearances of the character.
February 6, 2026
An audio drama that expertly weaves horror, drama, and comedy together. One of the best Fifth Doctor stories
February 23, 2024
An odd story, but an interesting one
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April 8, 2009Omega is attempting to re-manifest in this universe. Lots of creative playing with the listener's head, culminating in a brilliant moment at the end of episode three. And an Irish time lord - Professor Ertikus, played by Patrick Duggan. Really liked it despite my lack of familiarity with Arc of Infinity. Despite the serious theme I thought it borrowed more than a few elements from Douglas Adams.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews