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The Tenth Doctor Adventures #2.2
Doctor Who: The Sword of the Chevalier
1791 and the Doctor and Rose get to meet one of the most enigmatic, thrilling and important people in history: The Chevalier d’Eon. She used to be known as a spy, but then she used to be known as a lot of things. If there’s one thing the Doctor knows it’s that identity is what you make it. Choose a life for yourself and be proud. Mind you, if the Consortium of the Obsidian Asp get their way, all lives may soon be over...
23 pages, Audio CD
First published November 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 20, 2021
”Who cares about gender anyway, it’s an archaic concept”- The Tenth Doctor 🖤
The Big Finish audio dramas bring me a lot of joy. These adventures are SO much fun.
David Tennant and Billie Piper have SUCH good chemistry as the Tenth Doctor and Rose. That era of Doctor Who makes me nostalgic for being 10/11 years old again when Series 2 aired.
In this story, Ten is his cheeky self and very playful. I love David Tennant’s enthusiasm towards the role - it is as strong a performance during an audio drama as it is on the television.
I find I can concentrate on Big Finish stories more when I am outside than inside. Nice to have Ten and Rose’s company in my ears when am going about my daily business! I’d say they are a must for any Doctor Who fan.
The Big Finish audio dramas bring me a lot of joy. These adventures are SO much fun.
David Tennant and Billie Piper have SUCH good chemistry as the Tenth Doctor and Rose. That era of Doctor Who makes me nostalgic for being 10/11 years old again when Series 2 aired.
In this story, Ten is his cheeky self and very playful. I love David Tennant’s enthusiasm towards the role - it is as strong a performance during an audio drama as it is on the television.
I find I can concentrate on Big Finish stories more when I am outside than inside. Nice to have Ten and Rose’s company in my ears when am going about my daily business! I’d say they are a must for any Doctor Who fan.
November 11, 2025
This is a passagiers adventure of the 10th Doctor as played by David Tennant, Rose as played by Billie Piper. In this adventure in the early 17th century they meet chevalier D'Eon an historic character worthy of a Google search.
In essence a somewhat boring stories in which the Doctor saves humanity from slavery and destruction. And he fancies himself a great fencer.
But Tennant is always capabele of delivering an entertaining story, with Piper and him being fun.
It is not a good story but a passable story, which probably means that I have to buy my own icecream.
In essence a somewhat boring stories in which the Doctor saves humanity from slavery and destruction. And he fancies himself a great fencer.
But Tennant is always capabele of delivering an entertaining story, with Piper and him being fun.
It is not a good story but a passable story, which probably means that I have to buy my own icecream.
July 25, 2025
"Who cares about gender anyway it's an archaic concept." - The Tenth Doctor
December 14, 2017
It's always nice to hear these folks together again.
May 3, 2021
Pretty enjoyable story
November 28, 2017
Secondo episodio per la seconda serie con il decimo Dottore e Rose Tyler.
Siamo a fine '700 e incontriamo il mitico (per il Dottore) Chevalier d’Eon, una spia francese, grande combattente, uomo di corte e donna dalle doti eccezionali.
Nickolas Grace, storico Sceriffo di Nottingham nella serie tv Robin of Sherwood, interpreta questo ambiguo personaggio al meglio e duetta con i due protagonisti principali con ironia e carattere.
La storia è più intrigante della prima, anche qui troviamo una piccola denuncia sociale e un gruppo di cattivi che non stonerebbero nella versione tv.
Siamo decisamente in salita.
Siamo a fine '700 e incontriamo il mitico (per il Dottore) Chevalier d’Eon, una spia francese, grande combattente, uomo di corte e donna dalle doti eccezionali.
Nickolas Grace, storico Sceriffo di Nottingham nella serie tv Robin of Sherwood, interpreta questo ambiguo personaggio al meglio e duetta con i due protagonisti principali con ironia e carattere.
La storia è più intrigante della prima, anche qui troviamo una piccola denuncia sociale e un gruppo di cattivi che non stonerebbero nella versione tv.
Siamo decisamente in salita.
June 25, 2021
The second adventure in this volume, this was a fantastic little story with the tenth doctor and rose, with all the nostalgia and love of the show. I adore these big finishes as they are so entertaining!
Great to listen to and greatly acted as well. They feel like a perfect little series filler, as it never seems like enough episodes with some of your favourite doctors! We’ll never fear, because there’s a big finish for that!
I loved this story and with the Chevalier like an added companion. The regency vibes were great and there was plenty of fun, action and timelord madness involved as always. Can’t wait to listen to the next one!
Great to listen to and greatly acted as well. They feel like a perfect little series filler, as it never seems like enough episodes with some of your favourite doctors! We’ll never fear, because there’s a big finish for that!
I loved this story and with the Chevalier like an added companion. The regency vibes were great and there was plenty of fun, action and timelord madness involved as always. Can’t wait to listen to the next one!
September 21, 2018
That was kinda weird. Not my favourite Doctor Who audio adventure.
January 15, 2021
The Tenth Doあらすじ
1791年のヨーロッパに降り立ったドクターとローズ。フランスの謎めいたスパイとしてシェヴァリエ・デオンを見つけ大興奮のドクター。男性としても、女性としても知られるが、腕利きの剣士であり、その彼女が余興で剣闘の相手を募っているのを見て、ローズはドクターを出場させる。シェヴァリエにすっかり気に入られるドクターとローズ。そんな中。宇宙海賊の船の存在に気がついたドクター。ローズと二人で捜査を開始する。
感想
ドクターとローズ本領大発揮！！2人が幸せに旅していたころの物語。ドクターのミーハーぶりは剣でのバトル。仮想パーディに、サイキック・ペーパーのせいでパーティ会場で歌うハメになるドクター。ローズとドクターの軽妙なやりとりも健在。聴いていて顔がついつい綻んでしまう幸せな一品。
ドクターの歌が聴けなくて残念！
1791年のヨーロッパに降り立ったドクターとローズ。フランスの謎めいたスパイとしてシェヴァリエ・デオンを見つけ大興奮のドクター。男性としても、女性としても知られるが、腕利きの剣士であり、その彼女が余興で剣闘の相手を募っているのを見て、ローズはドクターを出場させる。シェヴァリエにすっかり気に入られるドクターとローズ。そんな中。宇宙海賊の船の存在に気がついたドクター。ローズと二人で捜査を開始する。
感想
ドクターとローズ本領大発揮！！2人が幸せに旅していたころの物語。ドクターのミーハーぶりは剣でのバトル。仮想パーディに、サイキック・ペーパーのせいでパーティ会場で歌うハメになるドクター。ローズとドクターの軽妙なやりとりも健在。聴いていて顔がついつい綻んでしまう幸せな一品。
ドクターの歌が聴けなくて残念！
July 24, 2020
This story is set in a fascinating period in Earths history, with an interesting historical figure at the centre of things. What a riot does well captures the era and the fine chemistry between the Doctor and Rose. The script has some elements of Hartnell era historicals, particularly The Romans, which is great fun. The alien threat part feels a bit convoluted though. The plot also doesn't develop as much as I hoped it would. It feels like this never goes off properly and the story doesn't even utilize the Chevalier very well. The solution is a bit too convenient for my liking.
David Tennant and Billie Piper feel more like their TV versions here than in the first story of the volume. The big winner is Nickolas Grace, who plays the man gone woman known as the Chevalier. He plays the part with total conviction and is nothing short of great.
The Doctor is his eager self while visiting a hysterical period, so that's accurate to the show. He boasts and stays a few steps before everybody else, just like we'd expect him to.
Rose is pretty much like you'd expect her to be, even though she gets separates from the Doctor as has to find a way to get out of trouble.
The aliens here are slave traders able to clone people, so not overtly original within the mythos of the franchise. They get slightly more interesting towards the end but never turn out to be a very palpable threat.
The production is pretty stripped-down, not doing much in the way of connecting the late 1700s setting.
This is another surprisingly slow-paced episode, even for a historical. It's not as exciting and high-stakes as most Tennant era historicals.
The second story in a row that lacks real tension, but at least it's more fascinating and authentic to Series 2 than Infamy of the Zaross. There's also some great comedy here and fine moments for the Doctor.
As historicals go, this one doesn't do much when compared to others of the era. It allows the Tenth Doctor to show off his fencing skills and that's about it.
Not one I'd be prone to revisit anytime soon, unfortunately.
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:
The Doctor engages in a weird fight, as he did previously in The Christmas Invasion (2005). This time, however, it's completely friendly.
Score: 55/120
September 2, 2025
The Sword Of The Chevalier is an odd one. I love French history so learning about a more obscure French historical figure really did peak my interest. I listened to this more on the basis as a history lesson on the Chevalier D’Eon, but there is the usual action and drama of series 2 in there. The story is essential a history lesson with a few sword-fights here and there, and the odd, but very well done lessons on gender politics in the 18th century. Besides the villain being forgettable and the story being way too visual, there is enough to enjoy.
I really love that the Doctor just simply takes the view ‘gender is an outdated concept, just be nice to everyone’ because these days Big Finish usually likes to stop and slam you with lectures about how hard it is to be X, Y and Z genders; usually at the cost of runtime and story quality. Here, the Chevalier D’eon is the focus and we get to know them as a person and not some subject point for the deranged to use as an excuse to be unnecessarily angry at strangers.
The villain in the story really doesn’t do much in this one, besides killing a few incidental characters with about three lines each. They do have a cool visual concept but that’s really not enough to put them amongst the greatest antagonists. There’s a treacherous human but that I just sort of ignored that hackneyed old cliche.
The protagonists get the best dialogue, action sequences and carry the narrative; the villain relegated to cowering in shadows for a while and then being defeated in quite a funny way. I mean you rarely get a ‘oops, my bad, I’ll stop trying to enslave the human race’.
The main problem of this one is that it tries it’s hardest to feel like an on-screen story, that the audio aspect feels neglected. Usually dialogue is used to flesh out the plot, but here it’s mostly just the incidental sounds of sword fights, and characters fleshing out a vague narrative. Besides the plot not being anything special, it wasn’t really a story with too much merit. That’s not to say it was bad of course, just not that remarkable.
I really love that the Doctor just simply takes the view ‘gender is an outdated concept, just be nice to everyone’ because these days Big Finish usually likes to stop and slam you with lectures about how hard it is to be X, Y and Z genders; usually at the cost of runtime and story quality. Here, the Chevalier D’eon is the focus and we get to know them as a person and not some subject point for the deranged to use as an excuse to be unnecessarily angry at strangers.
The villain in the story really doesn’t do much in this one, besides killing a few incidental characters with about three lines each. They do have a cool visual concept but that’s really not enough to put them amongst the greatest antagonists. There’s a treacherous human but that I just sort of ignored that hackneyed old cliche.
The protagonists get the best dialogue, action sequences and carry the narrative; the villain relegated to cowering in shadows for a while and then being defeated in quite a funny way. I mean you rarely get a ‘oops, my bad, I’ll stop trying to enslave the human race’.
The main problem of this one is that it tries it’s hardest to feel like an on-screen story, that the audio aspect feels neglected. Usually dialogue is used to flesh out the plot, but here it’s mostly just the incidental sounds of sword fights, and characters fleshing out a vague narrative. Besides the plot not being anything special, it wasn’t really a story with too much merit. That’s not to say it was bad of course, just not that remarkable.
May 30, 2023
Quite disappointing, never got to hear David Tennant singing! We were truly robbed of something special.
It's not particularly ground breaking for Doctor Who and I do find it irritating that we ended up once again in Victorian Britain when we could be going anywhere in time and space with Big Finnish. .
What The Sword Of The Chevalier does so well is find an unknown historical figure like Chevalier D'Eon that nobody outside of a niche group knows about and making a story about them. Demons of the Punjab did this relatively well and I hope Doctor Who on the main show tries to do things like this more often. I had no idea who the Chevalier D'Eon was until I found out from listening to this so don't google her and let The Doctor explain who she is.
David Tennant was brilliant has normal and this is my first time hearing Billie Piper on Big Finnish and she was amazing as always. The best performance in The Sword Of The Chevalier is that of Nickolas Grace whose performance was memorable and spectacular.
BUT WE NEVER HEARD DAVID TENANT SING
It's not particularly ground breaking for Doctor Who and I do find it irritating that we ended up once again in Victorian Britain when we could be going anywhere in time and space with Big Finnish. .
What The Sword Of The Chevalier does so well is find an unknown historical figure like Chevalier D'Eon that nobody outside of a niche group knows about and making a story about them. Demons of the Punjab did this relatively well and I hope Doctor Who on the main show tries to do things like this more often. I had no idea who the Chevalier D'Eon was until I found out from listening to this so don't google her and let The Doctor explain who she is.
David Tennant was brilliant has normal and this is my first time hearing Billie Piper on Big Finnish and she was amazing as always. The best performance in The Sword Of The Chevalier is that of Nickolas Grace whose performance was memorable and spectacular.
BUT WE NEVER HEARD DAVID TENANT SING
October 12, 2020
The second of this trilogy of 10th Doctor stories is the historical setting of the bunch, with the TARDIS landing in 18th century Slough. Here he encounters the duellist and former French spy the Chevalier d'Eon - a real historical figure who spent some of their life as a man, and some as a woman. Beyond the Doctor getting to deliver a speech about gender not being important that fact is really just background detail and their fencing skills are far more important to the story (which I'd argue is as it should be).
Of course, this being in the style of the modern TV series, we don't get a straight historical, and alien slavers soon turn up to menace Georgian high society. The use of the audio format is a little mixed; at times it's hard to follow what's going on when, for example, there are rapid scene changes, but, on the other hand, it does enable Adams to keep the connection between the two slavers secret for longer than would be possible on TV.
In many respects, it's an average DW story, but there are just enough elements of humour and witty dialogue to raise it to, well, let's say 3.5 stars. (Plus a couple of dropped references to stories from the 3rd and 5th Doctor's eras). The Chevalier, in particular, is a fun character, beautifully acted and working well alongside the two leads. On the downside, the resolution feels too easy, and is arguably a bit deus ex machina (I don't recall it being mentioned before it suddenly became relevant, but perhaps I missed it).
Of course, this being in the style of the modern TV series, we don't get a straight historical, and alien slavers soon turn up to menace Georgian high society. The use of the audio format is a little mixed; at times it's hard to follow what's going on when, for example, there are rapid scene changes, but, on the other hand, it does enable Adams to keep the connection between the two slavers secret for longer than would be possible on TV.
In many respects, it's an average DW story, but there are just enough elements of humour and witty dialogue to raise it to, well, let's say 3.5 stars. (Plus a couple of dropped references to stories from the 3rd and 5th Doctor's eras). The Chevalier, in particular, is a fun character, beautifully acted and working well alongside the two leads. On the downside, the resolution feels too easy, and is arguably a bit deus ex machina (I don't recall it being mentioned before it suddenly became relevant, but perhaps I missed it).
December 10, 2023
I must admit, I absolutely fucking *loved* this.
The ageing, razor-sharp and immensely capable Chevalier was absolutely *beautifully* written and acted. Flawed - self-aggrandising and hooked on the admiration of others, which is clearly torture for her as she’s ageing and no longer the flavour of the month - but intensely kind and immensely proud of her skill with the blade without being arrogant about it, oddly enough.
She is played by someone with a masculine name, which I can see annoying some trans listeners. But, much like the real Chevalier, we have no idea if the actor is cis, intersex, transmasc or anything else, and this is set in a time before hormone treatments. I think it’s a very effective choice; the quality of the acting and how beautifully they convey her fragile self-esteem and her pride just works stunningly well.
I also feel it handles gender and queerness well; Rose seems uninformed about gender and its complexities, but never misgenders the Chevalier after a brief but excellent explanation from the Doctor, which essentially boils down to “she is who and what she says she is”. And Rose accepts that.
The parallels between the Doctor and the Chevalier are very nicely played up too. Honestly, I really hope they see her again; I think she would make an awesome companion for Fifteen.
The ageing, razor-sharp and immensely capable Chevalier was absolutely *beautifully* written and acted. Flawed - self-aggrandising and hooked on the admiration of others, which is clearly torture for her as she’s ageing and no longer the flavour of the month - but intensely kind and immensely proud of her skill with the blade without being arrogant about it, oddly enough.
She is played by someone with a masculine name, which I can see annoying some trans listeners. But, much like the real Chevalier, we have no idea if the actor is cis, intersex, transmasc or anything else, and this is set in a time before hormone treatments. I think it’s a very effective choice; the quality of the acting and how beautifully they convey her fragile self-esteem and her pride just works stunningly well.
I also feel it handles gender and queerness well; Rose seems uninformed about gender and its complexities, but never misgenders the Chevalier after a brief but excellent explanation from the Doctor, which essentially boils down to “she is who and what she says she is”. And Rose accepts that.
The parallels between the Doctor and the Chevalier are very nicely played up too. Honestly, I really hope they see her again; I think she would make an awesome companion for Fifteen.
August 17, 2020
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Seems like Billie and David really sank back into their roles in this one. The last one was very fastpaced that you didn't get as many of the banter-ing moments. But this one really show cased how much of a married couple Ten and Rose were. 💕
Such a fun adventure! It really does feel like an actual episode.
Seems like Billie and David really sank back into their roles in this one. The last one was very fastpaced that you didn't get as many of the banter-ing moments. But this one really show cased how much of a married couple Ten and Rose were. 💕
Such a fun adventure! It really does feel like an actual episode.
August 18, 2023
Oh, I loved this one! While the plot was pretty basic, the villains were totally brilliant. Would love to see them in a tv episode. The setting was great too, and the banter between Rose, The Doctor and the Chevalier d’Eon was priceless. Also great to show that discussions about gender are as old as time.
November 28, 2017
Bitchy Rose is back!
March 6, 2018
Ahhh! A swashbuckling adventure for The 10th Doctor and Rose! Dang I miss them.
June 28, 2018
Awesome
April 29, 2020
The story was actually not the worst one. Just didn't like Rose very much while the Doctor was great. Sadly we actually didn't hear David Tennant sing. Would love to hear that.
May 19, 2022
I'm really, really enjoying this series and I'm not sure if it's because it's better - or because it features my OTP.
October 2, 2022
BBC Radio 4 Extra version.
October 3, 2022
Another enjoyable romp with Tennant and Piper on top form.
October 14, 2022
my first doctor who audiodrama!
Read
April 27, 2025David tenant ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
loved it
loved it
November 8, 2025
Another fun adventure for The (Tenth) Doctor and Rose. This one would have made an excellent TV episode as well.
September 4, 2020
3/10
Verdict: Should Skip
Some cool concepts in here that really want to get out. Unfortunately they are held back by a lot of lacklustre elements that mean this is barely passable.
Verdict: Should Skip
Some cool concepts in here that really want to get out. Unfortunately they are held back by a lot of lacklustre elements that mean this is barely passable.
April 13, 2025
I’m finding that Big Finish’s tenth doctor adventures are pretty similar to the titan comics in that they are in no way life changing or original, but are still a fun time.
November 28, 2020
Had to relisten to this twice as i fell asleep first time, oops.
Rose still doesn't do it for me and in this audio, it was quite hard to follow her character. Maybe it's because David Tennant has better lines in this story and more to do than she did.
Enjoyable story but one I don't see myself coming back to.
Rose still doesn't do it for me and in this audio, it was quite hard to follow her character. Maybe it's because David Tennant has better lines in this story and more to do than she did.
Enjoyable story but one I don't see myself coming back to.
February 11, 2018
This was wonderful! Brought me right back to the witty and funny combo of Rose and the Tenth Doctor.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews