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The Fourth Doctor Adventures #13B
Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures, Series 13: Metamorphosis
2.1 Matryoshka by Aurora Fearnley - When a strange force drags the TARDIS to Earth, it’s clear that the Doctor, Harry and Naomi are up against an incredibly powerful being. And when they encounter Lord Pearson, inventor of games and toys, searching for his vanished daughter… it becomes clear exactly who that being might be. Hide and seek is one of the simplest games devised by man… but in the hands of The Toymaker… it may also become the deadliest.
2.2 The Caged Assassin by Matthew Sweet - It’s very unusual to find a tiger in the TARDIS. But it’s even more unusual to find one heavily dosed in radiation. But this is far from the most unusual occurrence the Doctor, Naomi and Harry are going to encounter today. Because they are about to meet Charles Jamrach, supplier of exotic animals to the rich and royal, who is unaware that his famous menagerie conceals a deadly terror. A strange creature out for blood.
2.3 Metamorphosis by Lisa McMullin - The people of the planet Jaxus are vanishing. When the Doctor and his friends land, Naomi is snatched away by a mysterious fog and taken to a prison run by a very old foe of the Doctor’s. The Master is here and he has, as ever, a sinister scheme underway… but neither Naomi nor Harry know who he is… Can the Doctor stop his plans and rescue the prisoners? Or will his companions inadvertently aid his enemy’s plans?
2.2 The Caged Assassin by Matthew Sweet - It’s very unusual to find a tiger in the TARDIS. But it’s even more unusual to find one heavily dosed in radiation. But this is far from the most unusual occurrence the Doctor, Naomi and Harry are going to encounter today. Because they are about to meet Charles Jamrach, supplier of exotic animals to the rich and royal, who is unaware that his famous menagerie conceals a deadly terror. A strange creature out for blood.
2.3 Metamorphosis by Lisa McMullin - The people of the planet Jaxus are vanishing. When the Doctor and his friends land, Naomi is snatched away by a mysterious fog and taken to a prison run by a very old foe of the Doctor’s. The Master is here and he has, as ever, a sinister scheme underway… but neither Naomi nor Harry know who he is… Can the Doctor stop his plans and rescue the prisoners? Or will his companions inadvertently aid his enemy’s plans?
- GenresDoctor Who
Audio CD
First published June 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 29, 2024
"I've buried a wife, and now I've buried a wombat." 😂 3.5
March 24, 2026
Three unconnected hour-long stories featuring the Fourth Doctor with Harry and audio-only companion Naomi.
Matryoshka
The first story is a somewhat surreal offering, with the Doctor arriving at a house from which a young girl has mysteriously gone missing. It starts out as a typical investigatory tale, with the inclusion of a French spirit medium and a Ouija board. However, the messages received via the board lead to a series of bizarre events throughout the house as Harry and Naomi try to follow their lead. The Doctor tries to tackle the entity at source, and suffice it to say, it’s not too long before we find out what it is and what it’s after – the initial missing girl being almost an afterthought in terms of the plot. I can’t help but comment on the bad French accent, which I suspect is partly due to the same actor voicing the (non-French) antagonist, which she does far better, lending a suitable air of menace and successfully implying that a masculine entity is speaking through a woman’s lips. It’s all very strange, but that’s rather the point, and there are some inventive ideas in here that fit with the theme. 4 stars.
The Caged Assassin
The Doctor encounters the famous wombat-fancier Dante Gabriel Rossetti – perhaps better known as a Pre-Raphaelite painter and poet. This leads fairly rapidly to a rather absurd story about murderous wombats and a radioactive tiger. It seems to be intended as a comedy, but unfortunately leans rather heavily on the idea that wombats are inherently funny, without there being much humour beyond this. Which, if you do indeed find the idea of armed wombats with squeaky voices to be amusing, may well be all you need. There is also little room, in a story this short that has to fit in two companions, to explore the real-world historical figures that feature in it – the owner of an exotic animal shop, and one of Rossetti’s muses, in addition to the man himself (who comes out of it rather badly). As so often with comedies, it can depend on the sense of humour of the listener, and I’m afraid this one didn’t work for me. 3 stars.
Metamorphosis
After the unusual tones of the first two stories, this last one is relatively straightforward. The Doctor arrives on a world where people are being mysteriously kidnapped, and has to foil the schemes of the villain behind it all – whose identity is obvious from the cover. Since, like the others, it’s a two-parter, there’s a limit to the depth it can explore, although the solitary cliffhanger is a good one. Both Harry and Naomi get a few things to do, and, while we may never see anything of the alien planet’s culture or society, the story manages to make us sympathetic to their plight. It’s less original than the others, although the villain’s plan isn’t any more complicated than in the previous episode, but it feels more suited to the Fourth Doctor’s TV era, with the right mix of humour and peril. 4 stars.
Matryoshka
The first story is a somewhat surreal offering, with the Doctor arriving at a house from which a young girl has mysteriously gone missing. It starts out as a typical investigatory tale, with the inclusion of a French spirit medium and a Ouija board. However, the messages received via the board lead to a series of bizarre events throughout the house as Harry and Naomi try to follow their lead. The Doctor tries to tackle the entity at source, and suffice it to say, it’s not too long before we find out what it is and what it’s after – the initial missing girl being almost an afterthought in terms of the plot. I can’t help but comment on the bad French accent, which I suspect is partly due to the same actor voicing the (non-French) antagonist, which she does far better, lending a suitable air of menace and successfully implying that a masculine entity is speaking through a woman’s lips. It’s all very strange, but that’s rather the point, and there are some inventive ideas in here that fit with the theme. 4 stars.
The Caged Assassin
The Doctor encounters the famous wombat-fancier Dante Gabriel Rossetti – perhaps better known as a Pre-Raphaelite painter and poet. This leads fairly rapidly to a rather absurd story about murderous wombats and a radioactive tiger. It seems to be intended as a comedy, but unfortunately leans rather heavily on the idea that wombats are inherently funny, without there being much humour beyond this. Which, if you do indeed find the idea of armed wombats with squeaky voices to be amusing, may well be all you need. There is also little room, in a story this short that has to fit in two companions, to explore the real-world historical figures that feature in it – the owner of an exotic animal shop, and one of Rossetti’s muses, in addition to the man himself (who comes out of it rather badly). As so often with comedies, it can depend on the sense of humour of the listener, and I’m afraid this one didn’t work for me. 3 stars.
Metamorphosis
After the unusual tones of the first two stories, this last one is relatively straightforward. The Doctor arrives on a world where people are being mysteriously kidnapped, and has to foil the schemes of the villain behind it all – whose identity is obvious from the cover. Since, like the others, it’s a two-parter, there’s a limit to the depth it can explore, although the solitary cliffhanger is a good one. Both Harry and Naomi get a few things to do, and, while we may never see anything of the alien planet’s culture or society, the story manages to make us sympathetic to their plight. It’s less original than the others, although the villain’s plan isn’t any more complicated than in the previous episode, but it feels more suited to the Fourth Doctor’s TV era, with the right mix of humour and peril. 4 stars.
June 29, 2024
This was fantastic! The Master, baby!
June 4, 2026
13.3 'Matryoshka' by Aurora Fearnley: 5*
13.4 'The Caged Assassin' by Matthew Sweet: 5*
13.5 'Metamorphosis' by Lisa McMullin: 5*
13.4 'The Caged Assassin' by Matthew Sweet: 5*
13.5 'Metamorphosis' by Lisa McMullin: 5*
November 18, 2025
The 4th Doctor Adventures is a range I adore simply because of Tom Baker, it's always amazing to me we get to see more of his take on the character and he hasn't shown any signs of stopping yet. This range may not always be good or consistent, but I love it because of the cast members alone. Storm of The Sea Devils was a solid set to start the 13th series of this range, so I've been really looking to this next one with a couple of old enemies!
Matryoshka:
The Tardis has been knocked off course to a little workshop where Lord Pearson, inventor of games and toys is desperately searching for his missing daughter after she played a dangerous game of hide and seek with a spirit. The Doctor, Harry, and Naomi are soon split up. The Toymaker is back and they are not very happy with The Doctor
Aurora Fearnley is a newcomer to Big Finish and she has written a brilliant Toymaker story that is creative, imaginative, atmospheric, and at times chilling. There is some neat imagery throughout this, particularly toward the end where we witness some particularly frightening visuals come into place. It's a great story and honestly, Annette Badland is a great choice for The Toymaker, I would love to see her in the role again! 9/10
The Caged Assassin:
After a little boy is attacked by a very curious tiger covered in radiation, The Tardis crew soon investigates a supplier of exotic animals and his clients. But some of the animals here aren't who they claim to be. The Wombat Invasion of London is about to begin.
Matthew Sweet has written a script that is hilarious, action-packed, and full of charm and character. It's an amusing adventure with brilliant wit. You can tell Tom Baker loved doing this story. 9/10
Metamorphosis:
The people on the planet Jaxus are disappearing whenever a mysterious fog creeps in. In a nearby abandoned prison, The Master is plotting another one of his schemes. Harry and Naomi have arrived and they don't know who he is, which is perfect for his plan.
Lisa McMullin is a writer whose work I usually really enjoy, but honestly, this story was very mediocre. I like how this story uses The Master's art of hypnotism to some effect, and I'll admit the Tardis crew is well-characterized and The Master is suitably creepy. But it struggles with Lydia West not getting much to do, despite giving it her best, and the setting feels wasted. It's not a bad story per se, but after the last two stories, it was a disappointment. 3/10
21/30
Matryoshka:
The Tardis has been knocked off course to a little workshop where Lord Pearson, inventor of games and toys is desperately searching for his missing daughter after she played a dangerous game of hide and seek with a spirit. The Doctor, Harry, and Naomi are soon split up. The Toymaker is back and they are not very happy with The Doctor
Aurora Fearnley is a newcomer to Big Finish and she has written a brilliant Toymaker story that is creative, imaginative, atmospheric, and at times chilling. There is some neat imagery throughout this, particularly toward the end where we witness some particularly frightening visuals come into place. It's a great story and honestly, Annette Badland is a great choice for The Toymaker, I would love to see her in the role again! 9/10
The Caged Assassin:
After a little boy is attacked by a very curious tiger covered in radiation, The Tardis crew soon investigates a supplier of exotic animals and his clients. But some of the animals here aren't who they claim to be. The Wombat Invasion of London is about to begin.
Matthew Sweet has written a script that is hilarious, action-packed, and full of charm and character. It's an amusing adventure with brilliant wit. You can tell Tom Baker loved doing this story. 9/10
Metamorphosis:
The people on the planet Jaxus are disappearing whenever a mysterious fog creeps in. In a nearby abandoned prison, The Master is plotting another one of his schemes. Harry and Naomi have arrived and they don't know who he is, which is perfect for his plan.
Lisa McMullin is a writer whose work I usually really enjoy, but honestly, this story was very mediocre. I like how this story uses The Master's art of hypnotism to some effect, and I'll admit the Tardis crew is well-characterized and The Master is suitably creepy. But it struggles with Lydia West not getting much to do, despite giving it her best, and the setting feels wasted. It's not a bad story per se, but after the last two stories, it was a disappointment. 3/10
21/30
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews