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The Companion Chronicles #11
Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles: The First Doctor, Volume 2
Four new stories from the First Doctor's era...
1. Fields of Terror by John Pritchard
The TARDIS has brought the Doctor back to Revolutionary France, a place that's always fascinated him. But this time he, along with Steven and Vicki, are drawn into a devastated land, caught between the soldiers who are burning all before them and a monstrous shape that follows in their wake.
2. Across the Darkened City by David Bartlett
On the planet Shade, The Chaons, an invading race of strange, amorphous creatures that ravenously absorb energy, have reduced the city there to a desolate ruin. Separated from the Doctor and Vicki, Steven has to join forces with an unexpected ally to find his way back to the TARDIS. Ahead, lies a nightmare journey through the dark - a test of endurance and trust.
3. The Bonfires of the Vanities by Una McCormack
When the Doctor, Polly, and Ben arrive in Lewes in the late 1950s, they’re just in time to celebrate Guy Fawkes’ Night. But there’s no fun on the streets tonight – the town is in the grip of fear. There are imps on the loose in Lewes, the Bonfire Boys are on the march, and nobody is safe from the fire.
4. The Plague of Dreams by Guy Adams
"Pray welcome, one and all, to this, a fantasy in two acts, presented, most humbly, for your pleasure. We bring you drama and magic, angels and demons, a tale of mysterious plague... of nightmares made flesh... of a war fought both in this world and those immeasurably distant. A war, in fact, fought through the mists of time itself. It will make you gasp! It will make you weep! It may even make some of you wake-up..."
Written By: John Pritchard, David Bartlett, Una McCormack, Guy Adams
Directed By: Lisa Bowerman, Helen Goldwyn
Cast
Maureen O'Brien (Vicki), Peter Purves (Steven Taylor), Anneke Wills (Polly), Elliot Chapman (Ben Jackson / The Player), Robert Hands (Lagrange), Helen Goldwyn (The Chaons) and Nicholas Briggs as the Daleks
Producer Ian Atkins
Script Editor Jacqueline Rayner
Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
1. Fields of Terror by John Pritchard
The TARDIS has brought the Doctor back to Revolutionary France, a place that's always fascinated him. But this time he, along with Steven and Vicki, are drawn into a devastated land, caught between the soldiers who are burning all before them and a monstrous shape that follows in their wake.
2. Across the Darkened City by David Bartlett
On the planet Shade, The Chaons, an invading race of strange, amorphous creatures that ravenously absorb energy, have reduced the city there to a desolate ruin. Separated from the Doctor and Vicki, Steven has to join forces with an unexpected ally to find his way back to the TARDIS. Ahead, lies a nightmare journey through the dark - a test of endurance and trust.
3. The Bonfires of the Vanities by Una McCormack
When the Doctor, Polly, and Ben arrive in Lewes in the late 1950s, they’re just in time to celebrate Guy Fawkes’ Night. But there’s no fun on the streets tonight – the town is in the grip of fear. There are imps on the loose in Lewes, the Bonfire Boys are on the march, and nobody is safe from the fire.
4. The Plague of Dreams by Guy Adams
"Pray welcome, one and all, to this, a fantasy in two acts, presented, most humbly, for your pleasure. We bring you drama and magic, angels and demons, a tale of mysterious plague... of nightmares made flesh... of a war fought both in this world and those immeasurably distant. A war, in fact, fought through the mists of time itself. It will make you gasp! It will make you weep! It may even make some of you wake-up..."
Written By: John Pritchard, David Bartlett, Una McCormack, Guy Adams
Directed By: Lisa Bowerman, Helen Goldwyn
Cast
Maureen O'Brien (Vicki), Peter Purves (Steven Taylor), Anneke Wills (Polly), Elliot Chapman (Ben Jackson / The Player), Robert Hands (Lagrange), Helen Goldwyn (The Chaons) and Nicholas Briggs as the Daleks
Producer Ian Atkins
Script Editor Jacqueline Rayner
Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
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Audiobook
First published June 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 8, 2021
Across the darkened city:
The companion chronicles work so well as it gives us a chance to really focus on our main characters and make them shine. Here having Steven and the Daleks be the only character, the writer really embraces and structures his story so all the key elements work. Both the characters go on an incredibly interesting journey and build up on an interesting relationship. The world building here is just Incredibly dark, with both the soundscape and the incredible music score, the story just feels like a perfect hour of an adventure.
The story sees Steven be a prisoner of the Daleks and after cashing a ship has to team up with a surviving Dalek called variant 201 and drag him across the city to get to a transporter to escape to their own time/places.
Steven was perfect for this storys idea/theme, he's very abrasive and determined to fight to the end and survive no matter what. He paralleled very well through the Dalek in this story. But of course he's got that one thing that the Dalek lacks. Human compassion and trust. He goes an interesting journey here, in the beginning he attacks the Dalek ship and brings it crashing down and as he begins to pull the Dalek across the city in its darkness, he starts to feel a weird friendship for it. Hoping it's changing and understanding the importance of team work. There's an interesting scene as the city rains and the Dalek is struck with lighting and it seems dead. Steven desperately tries to save it as it's only way of his own survival. Considering at the end the Dr gives him the codes to return back to him, it's almost as if Steven is scared of the idea of being alone on this planet.
There is also many times he sees the true horror of a Dalek, as they journey through the dark city they became aware of creatures called the Chaons that the Daleks failed to destroy, to not be seen by them they must have no light, the Dalek navigates Steven to help him see/move in the darkness. He suddenly realizes that he is walking through a mass graveyard of past slaves/victims of the Daleks. It's incredibly horrific hearing Steven stand on/around there body's and mention the horrific smell of them.
is also quite an odd image of Steven carrying a Mutant with him once the casing is too damaged. The end act sees Steven reach the transport and save the Dalek mutant as they are just about to escape from the Chaons/the city. Steven feeling sorry for this dying Dalek uses an empty casing to save it. We're it ultimately start attacking him back.
What makes this Dalek, Dalek variant 201 so interesting in this story is the final reveal/plan that has been occurring during this story. This is actually an origin story of the Dalek Emperor seen in "The evil of the Daleks". I loved the idea that special mutations had to go through a test to prove there existence and worth in the Dalek race. It reminded me of the early 60s comics about how the Dalek Emperor has to go on many missions to prove its worth as an emperor.
Of course from the start you always believe the Dalek would eventually turn evil, or at times stay good. But what works about this story is revealing how this Dalek becomes the Emperor through a mission of survival and exploiting other races. It's through Steven it learns the importance of the human factor and how important it is to a victory. It's an incredibly interesting idea and works as the arc.
We see how many times the Dalek was manipulating Steven. At the start of the story we see the Dalek kill the other Daleks to save Steven to use him as help for the journey. Later we see how it protects him against the creatures and it's quite a scary and clever way of getting the audience to not realize until the very end that it was all a plan to gain trust. This is what makes the Daleks scary. I actually appreciate it didn't go fully good Dalek/moral talking Dalek because it would give the game away alittle too soon.
I loved the final arc here too, as Steven and the Dalek get to the transport machine, he begins to save it as it's in too much pain to be able to give him the codes to escape too. You do feel for the Mutant here however later we get a great scene that really shows how nasty they are. Steven forces the Dalek to give him the codes once it turns on him, however the Dr reveals there wrong. its a great little moment that adds to the nastiness of the Daleks.
Overall this story is just Incredibly good, it's dark, it's got great character arcs and is just a great journey of a story. It's an excellent setup to the Emperor and a companion chronicles I'd massively recommend.
Rating 4/5 8/10
The companion chronicles work so well as it gives us a chance to really focus on our main characters and make them shine. Here having Steven and the Daleks be the only character, the writer really embraces and structures his story so all the key elements work. Both the characters go on an incredibly interesting journey and build up on an interesting relationship. The world building here is just Incredibly dark, with both the soundscape and the incredible music score, the story just feels like a perfect hour of an adventure.
The story sees Steven be a prisoner of the Daleks and after cashing a ship has to team up with a surviving Dalek called variant 201 and drag him across the city to get to a transporter to escape to their own time/places.
Steven was perfect for this storys idea/theme, he's very abrasive and determined to fight to the end and survive no matter what. He paralleled very well through the Dalek in this story. But of course he's got that one thing that the Dalek lacks. Human compassion and trust. He goes an interesting journey here, in the beginning he attacks the Dalek ship and brings it crashing down and as he begins to pull the Dalek across the city in its darkness, he starts to feel a weird friendship for it. Hoping it's changing and understanding the importance of team work. There's an interesting scene as the city rains and the Dalek is struck with lighting and it seems dead. Steven desperately tries to save it as it's only way of his own survival. Considering at the end the Dr gives him the codes to return back to him, it's almost as if Steven is scared of the idea of being alone on this planet.
There is also many times he sees the true horror of a Dalek, as they journey through the dark city they became aware of creatures called the Chaons that the Daleks failed to destroy, to not be seen by them they must have no light, the Dalek navigates Steven to help him see/move in the darkness. He suddenly realizes that he is walking through a mass graveyard of past slaves/victims of the Daleks. It's incredibly horrific hearing Steven stand on/around there body's and mention the horrific smell of them.
is also quite an odd image of Steven carrying a Mutant with him once the casing is too damaged. The end act sees Steven reach the transport and save the Dalek mutant as they are just about to escape from the Chaons/the city. Steven feeling sorry for this dying Dalek uses an empty casing to save it. We're it ultimately start attacking him back.
What makes this Dalek, Dalek variant 201 so interesting in this story is the final reveal/plan that has been occurring during this story. This is actually an origin story of the Dalek Emperor seen in "The evil of the Daleks". I loved the idea that special mutations had to go through a test to prove there existence and worth in the Dalek race. It reminded me of the early 60s comics about how the Dalek Emperor has to go on many missions to prove its worth as an emperor.
Of course from the start you always believe the Dalek would eventually turn evil, or at times stay good. But what works about this story is revealing how this Dalek becomes the Emperor through a mission of survival and exploiting other races. It's through Steven it learns the importance of the human factor and how important it is to a victory. It's an incredibly interesting idea and works as the arc.
We see how many times the Dalek was manipulating Steven. At the start of the story we see the Dalek kill the other Daleks to save Steven to use him as help for the journey. Later we see how it protects him against the creatures and it's quite a scary and clever way of getting the audience to not realize until the very end that it was all a plan to gain trust. This is what makes the Daleks scary. I actually appreciate it didn't go fully good Dalek/moral talking Dalek because it would give the game away alittle too soon.
I loved the final arc here too, as Steven and the Dalek get to the transport machine, he begins to save it as it's in too much pain to be able to give him the codes to escape too. You do feel for the Mutant here however later we get a great scene that really shows how nasty they are. Steven forces the Dalek to give him the codes once it turns on him, however the Dr reveals there wrong. its a great little moment that adds to the nastiness of the Daleks.
Overall this story is just Incredibly good, it's dark, it's got great character arcs and is just a great journey of a story. It's an excellent setup to the Emperor and a companion chronicles I'd massively recommend.
Rating 4/5 8/10
March 25, 2024
Fields of Terror - This time with Vicki & Steven, the Doctor returns to the era of French history known as the Reign of Terror, but now it’s not merely the historical events that are troubling the Doctor and his companions. But who or what exactly are the monsters here? The soldiers or the strange hulking shapes. Nothing particularly special here, and this one didn’t grab me. It’s very atmospheric, but at least for me, not very engaging. (2/5)
Across the Darkened City - This feels a bit like a Doctor Who version of Enemy Mine, but the problem I have is it’s really a Steven story, not exactly a Doctor Who story. It’s fine, but wasn’t what I was hoping for I suppose. (3/5)
The Bonfires of the Vanities - Enjoyed the connections to Guy Fawkes and the Fifth of November. Lots of creepy stuff going on. But it didn’t really grab me. (3/5)
The Plague of Dreams - This one starts out a bit wonky, but turns into something interesting and a bit surreal. And then it goes all meta and breaking the fourth wall, sort of, and we get … well, that would be a spoiler. Very interesting but still a bit weak at the beginning. (3/5)
Across the Darkened City - This feels a bit like a Doctor Who version of Enemy Mine, but the problem I have is it’s really a Steven story, not exactly a Doctor Who story. It’s fine, but wasn’t what I was hoping for I suppose. (3/5)
The Bonfires of the Vanities - Enjoyed the connections to Guy Fawkes and the Fifth of November. Lots of creepy stuff going on. But it didn’t really grab me. (3/5)
The Plague of Dreams - This one starts out a bit wonky, but turns into something interesting and a bit surreal. And then it goes all meta and breaking the fourth wall, sort of, and we get … well, that would be a spoiler. Very interesting but still a bit weak at the beginning. (3/5)
September 7, 2025
• Fields of Terror: 2/5
I did not gel with this story. It felt very hypocritical in a way that was unintentional by the writer. The Doctor sings the praises of the French Revolution whilst the French officer of the story does everything in his power to not live up to the ideals of the Revolution. There was no poignancy in this, nothing clever was done.
• Across the Darkened City: 4/5
A clever twist on a Dalek story by making the Dalek unable to, well, be a Dalek. A story about adversity and attempting to overcome bitter rivalry for the greater good
• The Bonfires of the Vanities: 3/5
Kind of like a typical Doctor Who story, which is no bad thing at all. It was alright, had an interesting idea surrounding Bonfire Night
• The Plague of Dreams: 5/5
Both a really interesting premise and a great execution. Telling a companion chronicle the way of a play was really fun. The characters being taken out of the story due to constraints of the stage was good fun. The ending was fantastic as well.
I did not gel with this story. It felt very hypocritical in a way that was unintentional by the writer. The Doctor sings the praises of the French Revolution whilst the French officer of the story does everything in his power to not live up to the ideals of the Revolution. There was no poignancy in this, nothing clever was done.
• Across the Darkened City: 4/5
A clever twist on a Dalek story by making the Dalek unable to, well, be a Dalek. A story about adversity and attempting to overcome bitter rivalry for the greater good
• The Bonfires of the Vanities: 3/5
Kind of like a typical Doctor Who story, which is no bad thing at all. It was alright, had an interesting idea surrounding Bonfire Night
• The Plague of Dreams: 5/5
Both a really interesting premise and a great execution. Telling a companion chronicle the way of a play was really fun. The characters being taken out of the story due to constraints of the stage was good fun. The ending was fantastic as well.
April 23, 2023
It’s pretty amazing the way some of this connects to NuWho. There are attacks on The Doctor’s timeline as a result of the Time War, which is never mentioned by name, of course. The penultimate story has him prevented from going to the South Pole, and then the final story Plague of Dreams (the most fun of this set, with its Shakespearean motifs) alludes to The Tenth Planet being the First Doctor’s final adventure. What’s funny though is this came out a few month before Twice Upon a Time, where we find out the First Doctor actually has one more adventure with Twelve before regenerating. Can’t blame Big Finish for not knowing. It’s just kind of hilarious how close the timing was.
October 10, 2017
The 1st Doctor and companions travel around in time and space.
June 18, 2022
My favorite in this volume is The Bonfires of the Vanities. It's never a bad story when the Doctor defends a library!
June 3, 2023
Fields of Terror: A good, if short, sequel to a classic First Doctor adventure. Loved the twist of who and what the “monster” is. Great way of doing a base under siege story while still making it feel like it belonged in the First Doctor era. 4/5 stars
Across the Darkened City: Very good. But the ending had a few too many twists for my liking. I’m not sure I understand what point the story was trying to make. Unless it was just trying to be thrilling? I mean mission accomplished but I felt like it was trying to add up to more than the sum of its parts at the end there. Oh well. 4/5 stars
Bonfire of the Vanities: Awesome build up, only ok finish. 4/5 stars
Plague of Dreams: My favorite part of this is that it ends with the Doctor being ordered to head to the South Pole by the time lords, and then there are a few more big finish audios that take place after this meaning that the doctor got that order, said “ok” and then just did whatever he wanted anyway. Very much in character, I love it. 5/5 stars
Across the Darkened City: Very good. But the ending had a few too many twists for my liking. I’m not sure I understand what point the story was trying to make. Unless it was just trying to be thrilling? I mean mission accomplished but I felt like it was trying to add up to more than the sum of its parts at the end there. Oh well. 4/5 stars
Bonfire of the Vanities: Awesome build up, only ok finish. 4/5 stars
Plague of Dreams: My favorite part of this is that it ends with the Doctor being ordered to head to the South Pole by the time lords, and then there are a few more big finish audios that take place after this meaning that the doctor got that order, said “ok” and then just did whatever he wanted anyway. Very much in character, I love it. 5/5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2025
FIELDS OF TERROR - 07/10
ACROSS THE DARKENED CITY - 09/10
THE BONFIRES OF THE VANITIES - 06/10
THE PLAGUE OF DREAMS - 07/10
ACROSS THE DARKENED CITY - 09/10
THE BONFIRES OF THE VANITIES - 06/10
THE PLAGUE OF DREAMS - 07/10
September 1, 2017
Listened to this again. Definitely my Favourite big finish this year. The Polly and Ben stories are simply the best they've ever done. I thoroughly love it!
I throughly enjoyed this! The first story by Vicki was the weakest, but it was still a nice historical about her, Steven and the first doctor during the time of the French revolution (with some added monsters).
The next story was very good indeed. I don't think I've listened to a Steven story before. But I loved this one. It was Steven pushing a disabled dalek through a ruined city and was just as atmospheric as that sounds. It was perhaps the most like the televsion show in the 60s but it was a wonderful gloomy story that was done beautifully.
The third story was a Polly and Ben adventure on Earth. Written by Una McCormick it had perhaps the greatest line ever in a Big Finish, Do you think middle aged women don't write science fiction? And if it could be any more perfect it was said by a Librarian!!! The whole thing was perfect and creepy and great!
The fourth story had Anneke and a new Time Lord, called The Player, telling a story in the style of an Elizabethan play. It was also glorious and really played to the strengths of Anneke and Elliot. It was another that was a joy to listen to!
I think this is my favourite volume of the early adventures so far. I would definitely recommend it to everyone!
I throughly enjoyed this! The first story by Vicki was the weakest, but it was still a nice historical about her, Steven and the first doctor during the time of the French revolution (with some added monsters).
The next story was very good indeed. I don't think I've listened to a Steven story before. But I loved this one. It was Steven pushing a disabled dalek through a ruined city and was just as atmospheric as that sounds. It was perhaps the most like the televsion show in the 60s but it was a wonderful gloomy story that was done beautifully.
The third story was a Polly and Ben adventure on Earth. Written by Una McCormick it had perhaps the greatest line ever in a Big Finish, Do you think middle aged women don't write science fiction? And if it could be any more perfect it was said by a Librarian!!! The whole thing was perfect and creepy and great!
The fourth story had Anneke and a new Time Lord, called The Player, telling a story in the style of an Elizabethan play. It was also glorious and really played to the strengths of Anneke and Elliot. It was another that was a joy to listen to!
I think this is my favourite volume of the early adventures so far. I would definitely recommend it to everyone!
October 16, 2018
Fields of Terror - 3/5
Across the Darkened - 3/5
The Bonfires of the Vanities - 3/5
The Plague of Dreams - 5/5
Across the Darkened - 3/5
The Bonfires of the Vanities - 3/5
The Plague of Dreams - 5/5
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews