Doctor Who: Year of the Pig

Big Finish: Monthly Range #90

by Matthew Sweet, Colin Baker (Narrator), Nicola Bryant (Narrator)

Ostend, 1913. War is coming. A war in which millions will die. And the guest in suite 139 of the Hotel Palace Thermae knows it. Which is odd, considering he has trotters, a snout and a lovely curly tail.

Toby the Sapient Pig is a swine on the run. Two peculiar strangers have been hunting him across Europe. The first, Miss Alice Bultitude, is an Englishwoman and collector of obscure theatrical ephemera. The second, Inspector Alphonse Chardalot, is a celebrated member of the detective police - the man who brought the trunk murderess of St Germain to justice.

This was supposed to be a reading week for the Doctor and Peri. Now they must do battle with a villain who wants to wipe every last human from the face of the earth - once he's had just another dish of truffles. And maybe a valedictory glass of fizzy lemonade.

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook, Science Fiction

Audio CD

First published December 31, 2006

About the author

Matthew Sweet is an English journalist, broadcaster, author, and cultural historian. A graduate of the University of Oxford, where he earned a doctorate on Wilkie Collins, he has contributed to The Oxford Companion to English Literature and served as a film and television critic for The Independent on Sunday.
Sweet has written extensively on British cinema, most notably in Shepperton Babylon: The Lost Worlds of British Cinema (2005), a history of Shepperton Studios and the early British film industry, which was later adapted into a television documentary. His other books include Inventing the Victorians (2001), which challenges common misconceptions about the Victorian era, and The West End Front (2011), a history of London’s grand hotels during World War II. He has also explored Cold War intrigue in Operation Chaos (2018).
A prominent broadcaster, Sweet has presented numerous BBC television and radio programmes, including Silent Britain, Checking into History, and British Film Forever. He is the host of BBC Radio 3’s Sound of Cinema, which examines film scores and composers, and has been a regular presenter on Free Thinking (formerly Night Waves). His BBC Radio 4 series The Philosopher's Arms explores philosophical themes before a live audience.
A lifelong Doctor Who fan, Sweet has written several audio dramas and short stories set in the Doctor Who universe and has presented numerous documentaries on the series, including Me, You and Doctor Who for the 50th anniversary. He has also conducted in-depth interviews with key figures from the show for its DVD and Blu-ray releases.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an odd little adventure featuring The Sixth Doctor and Peri that works so well on audio.
Clocking in at a length 2 and a half hours really sets the mood for a leisurely character piece drama as The Doctor hopes to relax with some 'reading time' at the Hotel Palace Thermae in 1913 Ostend.

The TARDIS team will encounter some intresting guests at the seaside resort, not least Toby, a Sapient Pig.

The relaxing pace certainly seems to be helping The Doctor and Peri, it's nice to hear the pair getting along so well.
This story is so perfectly suited for bith Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant.

It's the supporting cast that really helps make this such an absorbing listen.
Maureen O'Brien (who'd former companion Vicki) is brilliant as the besotted fan of Toby, whilst Adjoa Andoh is great as Nurse Albertine.

There's certainly an overindulgence with both the running time and mentions of food within the narrative.
I enjoyed it even more the second time around soaking in all the small details.

[Emilija · Rating 2 out of 5]

2025 Alphabet Challenge - The Letter Y

This story is so odd. Like, beyond bonkers. This is probably one of the more confusing entries in the Monthly / Main Range, and for the most part, I had no idea what was happening, until the last quarter of the story, at which point, I didn't particularly care for the plot and was just living through the insanity.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

After several false starts, I managed to listen to the entire story and enjoyed it immensely. Particularly liked Adjoa Andoh's portrayal of Nurse Albertine and the opening scenes with her and Toby discussing who had died recently and what was going on on the beach was great to listen to.

Possibly in my Top Ten Big Finish Doctor Who audios, and would happily listen to it again.

[Shaun Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

What starts as an absolutely bonkers mountain of possibilities slowly degrades into a middling to weak story filled with "Whua?" moments. The tale of Toby the Sapient Pig could have been an outstandingly deft fairy tale story, but by the time it's (seemingly extended running length) comes to an end, it's revealed to be a substandard mad scientist schtick that is poorly developed in order to keep us guessing for the majority of the work, doesn't really add up, and isn't satisfactorily resolved in the end. I gave it three stars for the potential. For our full reviews, visit http://travelingthevortex.com/?p=8546

[Gabriel Mero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one, though I am biased because I absolutely adore Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. I met them both at Chicago TARDIS last year and them were phenomenal, especially Nicola. She and I often tweet each other and I consider her a (distant) friend. These two together are magic. I also really sympathized with the pig men.

[Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story, I can see where people do and don't like it, It's a tale that nothing much happens but something about it, I find it intriguing of a 2-hour story that is also only have two parts

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of the ping character Toby was interesting. His voice is similar to both Winnie the Pooh and Colin Baker, which makes it sort of confusing to tell who’s speaking at points.

[Tabitha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Completely messed up, and just didn't go anywhere

[Nicholas Whyte]

Dear God, a Doctor Who story set in Belgium, featuring Marcel Proust??? Why did nobody tell me about this before????? Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant as Six and Peri check into the Hotel Palace Thermae in Ostende in the year 1913, and find other guests played by Maureen "Vicki" O'Brien, Michael "Vila" Keating, Adjoa "Martha's mum" Andoh, and most of all Paul Brookes, who I hadn't previously heard of, as Toby the Sapient Pig. The question of whether or not it is any good is contested among fans: I am in the minority who liked it, especially with all the references to Proust (who is also staying in the hotel and is assaulted by the Doctor off-stage at one point). The showdown takes place in Brussels, and I could more or less see it coming, but it is a fun ride.

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sixth Doctor and Peri, vacationing at the Hotel Palace Thermae in 1913 Ostend, encounter several mysterious guests: the eccentric Miss Alice Bultitude, the colourful Inspector Alphonse Chardalot and, last but not least, Toby the Sapient Pig. What is Toby's secret? What is the connection between the well-dressed pig and the celebrated Parisian inspector? What does Miss Bultitude know? And are there any more of those truffles left?

[Jamie Revell · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the idea of a sentient pig ensconced in a beach-front hotel in pre-WWI Belgium is an interesting setup, this doesn't really seem to go anywhere. (This would, incidentally, have been written before "Aliens of London" was broadcast, so the fact that it's a pig is a coincidence). Yes, there is a story there in the end, but there's an awful lot of padding and running around for no reason before we get to it. Not actually bad, but with not a lot to recommend it, either.

[Delta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't seen the original Doctor episodes, so this was a hard one for me to get into. I'm not familiar with the characters and the writers assume you know the characteristics of Baker's Doctor and Peri (which you probably should if you are reading this). Barring that, I enjoyed the comedic writing, the back and forth between characters, and the amazing acting of the actors. Big Finish is known for their audio dramas and it's apparent why.

[Debra Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Doctor and Peri land on a planet for a holiday. They end up in an adventure involving a pig who thinks he's a gentleman.

[Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six, Peri and a pig. Marcel Proust, so embarrassing.

[Christopher Hatch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable enough story once you accept that nothing really happens in it.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird and strange. Somewhat comic. My first Sixy Big Finish.

Gets bonus points for mentioning X-ray Spex and Marvel's Power Man & Iron Fist.

[Charles Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fun 6th Doctor and Peri story. 6 is much more palatable in Big Finish's audio stories than in his tenure on the TV show.