Doctor Who: Dare You

The Ninth Doctor Adventures #4.3

by Lisa McMullin, Christopher Eccleston (Narrator ), Billie Piper (Narrator )

Something or someone is playing truth or dare with the people on the Powell Estate. And it's dangerous to play games with a Time Lord. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can REALLY hurt you.

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Time Travel

Audio CD

First published December 4, 2025

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The new Doctor and Rose installment on the Powell estate where a mischievous entity preys on the minds of people and they act on the darkest desires or thoughts because their mental brake is taken away.
And now this creature tries to take away the Doctor his inhibitions, the last Timelord, well there is a good idea for you.

the story starts gently but gets dark soon. It starts funny, becomes uncomfortable and when this Hellion tries to bent the Doctors defenses he is playing with realiteit and time as we know.

The Doctor and Rose continue their run from the tv series and are really an advertisement for BF and its audiobooks. Russel T Davies relaunched the TV show with these two and the incredible Jackie as in Rose's mum.
This series is worth your time and you wordt feel cheated at all.

[Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother-daughter conflicts, the Doctor's buried rage, and sympathy for monsters...oh, RTD era stories, how I adore you.

[Emilija · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 2025 52 Book Challenge - December Mini Challenge - 1) Feels Like Home

I am loving this Ninth Doctor and Rose series, I just think it's fantastic and I've enjoyed every one so far. That being said, I don't think that this story was as strong as previous installments in the actual plot and the "Call of the Void" stuff.

However, I did really like seeing the Doctor's darker side, which was something that I appreciated about the Ninth Doctor back in 2005, so I did really like the character development in this "episode".

[Plingsben · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time listening to Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler content on Audio and it's strange. Christopher Eccleston had a very short go as the Doctor and it doesn't feel like the story has any leeway to fit filler stories in. This a good story if you don't think too hard about when it happened

[Seb Hasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third installment in the new series of 9th Doctor and Rose stories is certainly an interesting one, diving almost head first into the fantasy genre. On paper the Doctor and Rose chasing a goblin for a bit doesn’t sound exciting, but that really isn’t the sum of the story; with the almost philosophical or possibly psychological aspects being the highlight. This story really did feel like slipping back into my childhood, as I was immediately enraptured by Rose and the Doctor, with the same comedy they had on television and the same dramatic performances. I’m loving the Powell Estate series arc and I do hope more is coming as it is a fantastic idea that really keeps the story to the earthbound nature; replicating the creative style of series one. The villain in this one is quite fun, and his evil shenanigans do make for some vivid imagery and plenty of dread.

Funnily enough I never actually knew that ineffable urge to jump was named ‘call of the void’ so I was truly delighted to find that even after all these years Dr Who is teaching me things I never knew. The story doesn’t have such powerful performances as Last Days of the Powell Estate, but I’m not complaining as this one didn’t slow down for a second. It’s a magical experience that your mind doesn’t get a chance to slow down, creating this feeling of connection to the Doctor as he never slows down trying to defeat the evil goblin dude. I don’t really think Jackie was crucial here, but I did appreciate her in the respect of set dressing; especially considering everyone else in the story bar our protagonists are effectively just cannon fodder. I’m really loving this range and safe to say any fan who grew up in this era really will not have any complaints about the authenticity of this one.

[Daniel Cork · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back at the Powell Estate for more adventures Nine and Rose. I enjoyed the previous two stories so I’ve been looking forward to this one.

Something is making the residents of the Powell Estate giving in to their deepest compulsions, things they wouldn’t otherwise do. The Doctor and Rose arrive to find a naughty little gremlin in a pawnshop is playing a childish game with the people who enter the new shop. It loves daring people but it might have bitten off more than it can chew with The Doctor.

Lisa McMullin has written an incredible script that is fun, tense, dramatic with a really simple idea that takes on a bigger scale. It’s very much a character driven kind of story that really takes Nine, Rose and Jackie to places they’ve never been before.

Overall: An outstanding story I loved from start to finish. 10/10

[MrColdStream · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dare You wraps up the Powell Estate trilogy with an eerie, emotionally cruel premise that weaponises honesty itself. While the neighbours remain thinly sketched and the central concept feels familiar, the Hellion is a strong, mischievous antagonist brought vividly to life by Harry Myers. Eccleston and Piper continue to excel, with Rose once again central to the resolution; the story’s real strength lies in its bleak tone, its exploration of the Ninth Doctor’s buried darkness, and its quiet, affecting focus on the unspoken truths between Rose and Jackie.

✅74/100

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This starts off as just another little wacky adventure in the Powell Estates. Literally, just some twee one-off and then we’ll move on to something interesting. But then the ramifications set in. And then the characters really take over the control of the narrative. The whole story morphs into something you were not expecting and we really get to see (well hear) the actors digging into their roles. Absolutely BRILLIANT! There’s a fascinating new wrinkle to The (Ninth) Doctor’s personality. There’s a new depth to Rose Tyler. And, best of all, there’s a new appreciation for Jackie Tyler. This is exactly why I LOVE Doctor Who from Big Finish!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic story to this latest collection of Ninth Doctor audio dramas! Big Finish pulled out the big guns for this series in reuniting Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, and so far they have not disappointed!

While this story's creepy factor doesn't reach the heights of The Last Days of the Powell Estate, the psychological aspects of it make it just as interesting. People are born with filters, with self-restraint, for a reason, and this story illustrates why perfectly. Being impulsive can cause a lot pain and suffering for any human being, so how much worse can it be if the Doctor himself loses his self-restraint?

Great story!

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully creepy at times, this audiobook briefly delves into Rose and Jackie's relationship and how we don't say the things we mean or mean the things we say. I have to say... I am REALLY enjoying the work of the female writers Big Finish has been employing of late. I am connecting to BF's audiodramas more than ever before.

[Boone Bluemel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn this was good. Great character drama fitting right in with Series 1. So much of the solo 9DAs were missing anything like that.

[Jurgen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.2 'Dare You' by Lisa McMullin: 4,5*

[Sara Habein · Rating 5 out of 5]

All these stories with the Ninth Doctor and Rose have been excellent, and this story is no different. I enjoy when Jackie's in the mix.

[Piper Huxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

FANTASTIC !!

4.5/5

[A Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

gotta love a classic big finish crash-bang-wallop soundscape finale

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whilst The Ninth Doctor Adventures have been very strong releases so far, they are starting to feel repetitive through how often they return to the Powell Estate. Dare You is once again another audio set within this location, and I am beginning to tire of hearing the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and Rose (Billie Piper) frequenting the same place. Still, Dare You remains a fantastic production regardless.

Dare You sees the Doctor and Rose return to a Present Day London where Jackie (Camille Coduri) and her neighbours are being menaced by the menacing voice of the mischievous entity, the Hellion (Harry Myers). The Hellion is making them give in to their various impulses, such as the desire to take the middle tin in a pyramid of baked beans in the local supermarket. Harry Myers' voice is suitably creepy and unnerving, making the Hellion seem like a significant threat for this audio. The way it uses various items in the shop like casette tapes to communicate also allows Dare You to feel like an authentic Series 1 story, perhaps with a similar placement in the series to The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances.

Alongside the creep factor, writer Lisa McMullin's script has some strong character drama, when the Hellion makes Jackie and her neighbours turn against each other. Most effective is when poor Jackie hears her neighbours badmouthing her late husband, Pete Tyler. It shows how cruel people's inner thoughts can be by removing their filter that would normally stop them saying what they really think, and works especially well given how well we as audience got to know Pete, in the TV episode. Camille Coduri plays Jackie's upset at this so well, too.

In fact, Dare You as a whole is a superb showcase for Camille Coduri. Another moment that stands out is when Rose phones her mother under the Hellion's influence and tells Jackie how much she resents the dull and predictable life that Jackie tried to push her into. You can tell through Camille Coduri's performance how much Rose's words really hurt her, and Rose and Jackie's scenes together following the phone call are moving as a result.

Dare You gets very dark into its third act, when the Doctor gives in to the 'call of the void' and causes happiness to be wiped from the universe. Of course, the Doctor does eventually fix things, but the concept of there being a literal killjoy and as a result, widespread depression across the universe, is quite a grim concept. Not only that, but there is a sequence akin to Dalek where the Doctor comes close to sending the Hellion into space without a spacesuit and subsequently killing him. This brings to mind how he nearly killed the Dalek in Dalek. As with the TV Story, Rose is the one to bring him back from the brink of doing something that goes against the Doctor's usual moral code. Lisa McMullin's approach here does an extremely effective job at showing how the hopeless nature of the Time War corrupted the Doctor, and how Rose is his guiding light to stop him from going against his own strong beliefs.

Overall, Dare You is an incredible audio instalment in The Ninth Doctor Adventures. Although the constant returns to the Powell Estate have become a tad predictable, the Hellion is a Big Finish original monster who is a firm standout alongside other fan favourites like the Scorchies, even if he shares the same name as the entirely different antagonistic race from The Interstellar Song Contest due to unfortunate timing. What truly elevates Dare You above other audios in the range, though, is its character work. Lisa McMullin digs in deep into the people who feature in Dare You, and her writing affords Camille Coduri one of her best performances to date.

[DrAshleyWho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened as part of ‘Ecclethon’, a marathon of Ninth Doctor audios and TV episodes to commemorate the 20th anniversary of New Who

This is more like a 9.5/10 but Goodreads doesn’t have the same rating versatility of Letterboxd so another full-marks because this is another sign that this recent bunch of audios has seen a real uptick and rise in consistency in a way the range hasn’t had since the first half of season two (and hopefully that momentum doesn’t get dropped any time soon!). Lisa McMullin’s Dare You initially has a playful nature to it, mixing the domesticity of the 2005 era with the more supernatural fantasy that’s come to define post-2023 Who - the main villain even hides out in a shop like the Toymaker did in The Giggle - but as it goes on it morphs into something much more psychologically darker and emotionally-driven, resulting in yet another chance for Eccleston to show off his dramatic weight as an actor, equally so for Billie Piper.

Very weird how the main villain is called the Hellion, the same name as an alien race from The Interstellar Song Contest. Probably it’s due to McMullin not being aware at the time but curious why they didn’t alter it in post-production so it didn’t invite comparison.

[Toby Sutton-Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely phenomenal story, and a stroke of sheer genius! It feels like a really nice mix of RTD1 and RTD2, with the kitchen sink drama mixing in with the supernatural. One of the best Big Finishes I've listened to. Eccleston, Piper, Coduri and McMullin all smashed it as they always do, plus a great guest cast. The words "doing the hokey cokey in class" will stay with me for a long time...

[R.H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another relistenable release with some great character moments for Camille,Chris and Billie.
This current run of 9 adventures has perked me up and i seem to look forward to the next release or i look forward to releases that i want to replay almost immediately.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was initially put off by the tone but this has surprisingly good character moments and development for a mischievous little gremlin story. Strong story for the Tyler’s with Jackie proving she is more than the comic relief and Rose keeping the Doctor in check

[Marcel Driel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out really good and then became a big incomprehensible mess. The heartfelt dialogue at the end redeemed it a bit, but this could have been so much better. 2,5 stars.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt very Doctor Who: looking at a phrase and coming up with a reason behind it. I could kind of imagine the Hellions being used for a Torchwood story, with the confessions more intense.