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Big Finish: Monthly Range #274
Doctor Who: The Blazing Hour
The TARDIS brings the Doctor and Turlough to a high-tech scientific installation on the planet Testament in the distant future. The human race have become intergalactic buccaneers, thanks to their ability to generate vast amounts of power for long-distance travel. Testament is the source of that power – and the Doctor has never quite understood how it works.
But experiments are underway on Testament - experiments with potentially explosive and devastating consequences. And even the Doctor may be too late to stop it.
With politicians and bureaucrats getting in the way, the race is on. Not to stop a disaster - but to save as many people as possible.
But experiments are underway on Testament - experiments with potentially explosive and devastating consequences. And even the Doctor may be too late to stop it.
With politicians and bureaucrats getting in the way, the race is on. Not to stop a disaster - but to save as many people as possible.
Audio CD
First published February 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 27, 2022
This story is a really good take on criticizing capitalism, colonialism and corrupt politicians. Peter Davison and Mark Strickson as Five and Turlough are on top form, with a great dynamic going on, and it's very refreshing that all the supporting cast are poc, with several female characters in varied roles as prime ministers, politicians, scientists and activists.
+1 In stark contrast to Kerblam! (welp), this story handles the criticism of a ruthless capitalist human colony system extremely well throughout. The story also includes a fleshed-out range of greymoral politician and corporate characters ranging from the overtly corrupt, to the incompetent and careless about life, to the more honourable. Unlike Kerblam!, however, despite the existing 3D characterizations and greymorality amongst the cast, the story criticizes the more corrupt politician and corporate archetypes consistently when it's due, even though they may end up choosing a slightly less amoral and profit-exclusive action from time to time thanks to the influence of the Doctor and their own self-survival selfish mindsets.
+1 The topic of profit over human (and alien native) life is repeteadly highlighted amid the social criticism themes of this story, and colonialism and classism are also strongly featured throughout. It's very refreshing that the most honourable politician characters happen to be members of the native species of the colonized planet, and activists against the capitalist system are also given positive characterizations.
+1 The story heavily tackles how a capitalist, colonialist and classist system can often put lives at risk by prioritizing profit, and the plot revolves around a catastrophic accident in an energy plant catalized by the corporate leaders in spite of the misgivings and warnings of the lead scientist of the project. While some have interpreted this plot as an anti-nuclear energy metaphor (the story uses time energy xD, but it's a valid comparison), Mark Strickson and the cast in general have spoken in the behind the scenes tracks about environmental factors and the need for green energy, speaking favourably about nuclear power as well. This story was indeed inspired by accidents such as Chernobyl, but instead of being an anti-nuclear energy story, I personally interpret it as a criticism of how incompetent and amoral corporates in a capitalist society are quickly prone to putting lives in danger by throwing caution and safety to the bin and prioritizing profit, disregardless of the type of energy that the power plant may be using.
+1 As mentioned above, the diversity representation among the cast is excellent, with a 100% poc supporting cast and women in many different roles, from the lead scientist to the president of the colony, several politicians and a member of the activist groups opposing the capitalist system. The fact that all the supporting cast are either of black or South Asian ethnicity, and that there are so many female characters in varied roles, puts a quick end to any possibility of negative stereotypes associated to either gender or race, in regards to the role, integrity values and personality of each character. As such, we have black actresses in positive roles of a competent and intelligent scientist or a brave activist (both roles very nicely played by Lynsey Murrell), not just as a moderately incompetent prime minister (Donna Berlin) or an amoral, self-serving politician (an excellent Rakle Ayola). Women also take a clear centre stage among the supporting cast, with only two distinct male characters, incompetent corporate boss and native local leader, played by the same actor (Raj Ghatak).
+1 I also really liked the dynamic of Five and Turlough in this story. This is from the time at the end of S21 when they are having adventures alone, and you can clearly see that the bond between them has deepened, with Five being outright distraught for more than one episode when he is told that Turlough has allegedly died in the explosion caused by the accident, the inicial scene also acting as an additional stab in the feels with the reference to the companions he has formerly lost (an excellent characterization that is a refreshing change in contrast to the horrid treatment of Turlough's graphic torture and assault and the infuriating resulting emotional disconnect from the Doctor in books such as The King of Terror).
+1 Turlough's dynamic with activist Fionn is also excellent, showing a partnership between a woman and a man that is refreshingly devoid of any sexism and filled with mutual respect.
+1 And as final related notes, I also liked the fact that when Turlough's legs get injured by the explosion and Fionn gets him a wheelchair to be able to get out of the building, she asks if he has a problem with it, and he remarks that not at all, as 'some of the best people use wheelchairs', and he's rather more worried about the fact that Fionn would have to push him around among the wreckage. Having evolved from his prior self-survival priorities (stemming greatly from his background and former trauma), Turlough also criticizes the self-serving attitude of the corrupt politician and corporate characters throughout the story, and takes an active stand in trying to solve the situation.
+1 In stark contrast to Kerblam! (welp), this story handles the criticism of a ruthless capitalist human colony system extremely well throughout. The story also includes a fleshed-out range of greymoral politician and corporate characters ranging from the overtly corrupt, to the incompetent and careless about life, to the more honourable. Unlike Kerblam!, however, despite the existing 3D characterizations and greymorality amongst the cast, the story criticizes the more corrupt politician and corporate archetypes consistently when it's due, even though they may end up choosing a slightly less amoral and profit-exclusive action from time to time thanks to the influence of the Doctor and their own self-survival selfish mindsets.
+1 The topic of profit over human (and alien native) life is repeteadly highlighted amid the social criticism themes of this story, and colonialism and classism are also strongly featured throughout. It's very refreshing that the most honourable politician characters happen to be members of the native species of the colonized planet, and activists against the capitalist system are also given positive characterizations.
+1 The story heavily tackles how a capitalist, colonialist and classist system can often put lives at risk by prioritizing profit, and the plot revolves around a catastrophic accident in an energy plant catalized by the corporate leaders in spite of the misgivings and warnings of the lead scientist of the project. While some have interpreted this plot as an anti-nuclear energy metaphor (the story uses time energy xD, but it's a valid comparison), Mark Strickson and the cast in general have spoken in the behind the scenes tracks about environmental factors and the need for green energy, speaking favourably about nuclear power as well. This story was indeed inspired by accidents such as Chernobyl, but instead of being an anti-nuclear energy story, I personally interpret it as a criticism of how incompetent and amoral corporates in a capitalist society are quickly prone to putting lives in danger by throwing caution and safety to the bin and prioritizing profit, disregardless of the type of energy that the power plant may be using.
+1 As mentioned above, the diversity representation among the cast is excellent, with a 100% poc supporting cast and women in many different roles, from the lead scientist to the president of the colony, several politicians and a member of the activist groups opposing the capitalist system. The fact that all the supporting cast are either of black or South Asian ethnicity, and that there are so many female characters in varied roles, puts a quick end to any possibility of negative stereotypes associated to either gender or race, in regards to the role, integrity values and personality of each character. As such, we have black actresses in positive roles of a competent and intelligent scientist or a brave activist (both roles very nicely played by Lynsey Murrell), not just as a moderately incompetent prime minister (Donna Berlin) or an amoral, self-serving politician (an excellent Rakle Ayola). Women also take a clear centre stage among the supporting cast, with only two distinct male characters, incompetent corporate boss and native local leader, played by the same actor (Raj Ghatak).
+1 I also really liked the dynamic of Five and Turlough in this story. This is from the time at the end of S21 when they are having adventures alone, and you can clearly see that the bond between them has deepened, with Five being outright distraught for more than one episode when he is told that Turlough has allegedly died in the explosion caused by the accident, the inicial scene also acting as an additional stab in the feels with the reference to the companions he has formerly lost (an excellent characterization that is a refreshing change in contrast to the horrid treatment of Turlough's graphic torture and assault and the infuriating resulting emotional disconnect from the Doctor in books such as The King of Terror).
+1 Turlough's dynamic with activist Fionn is also excellent, showing a partnership between a woman and a man that is refreshingly devoid of any sexism and filled with mutual respect.
+1 And as final related notes, I also liked the fact that when Turlough's legs get injured by the explosion and Fionn gets him a wheelchair to be able to get out of the building, she asks if he has a problem with it, and he remarks that not at all, as 'some of the best people use wheelchairs', and he's rather more worried about the fact that Fionn would have to push him around among the wreckage. Having evolved from his prior self-survival priorities (stemming greatly from his background and former trauma), Turlough also criticizes the self-serving attitude of the corrupt politician and corporate characters throughout the story, and takes an active stand in trying to solve the situation.
March 7, 2021
I always enjoy the team of Peter Davison and Mark Strickson. They are on top firm here and the story is a pretty good one. It goes slightly off at one point but cones together for a satisfactory conclusion. Some interesting themes that wouldn't have been our if place during the pertwee era are tackled well and provides a great penultimate adventure for the Doctor Who main range
July 8, 2023
This is the final Fifth Doctor release of Big Finish's main monthly range, before he was moved to his own series (and penultimate release in the series overall). As such, it's standalone, featuring Turlough as the companion, who we haven't seen in some time.
The Doctor arrives at a power facility operated by the Earth Empire in the 31st century just before something goes horribly wrong. What follows is a disaster story, partly about characters trying to escape from the burning wreckage of the facility and partly about trying to find some way of preventing the problem from becoming even worse. (There's quite an inventive explanation of how the energy supply works and why it's so obviously doomed to failure, tying in to some wider elements of the show's lore).
I suspect what will make or break this story for listeners is what they make of the guest characters - most of them female, and all of them played by non-white actors. One of them is a blithering idiot with no redeeming features, a two-dimensional cutout who is there just to be an obstacle to the others. The main guest character, however, played by Rakie Ayola (from Noughts and Crosses among other things) is much more ambiguous and played with consummate smarm. She's clearly not a very nice person, but she's also bright enough to grasp what's happening when others don't, and isn't a straight-up villain, her actual stance and motivation being unclear at times.
There's a strong anti-greed message here and a criticism of politicians that those of a particular political bent will likely find frustrating (it's hard not to see some of this as a dig at Liz Truss's premiership - until you realise it was written before that happened). In fact, it fits in perfectly well with the sort of thing that Doctor Who has always done and as much a part of its tradition as invading aliens... but if it's not an element you appreciate, then, in fairness, it can be quite blunt in this particular story. If you do, though, it's a great tilt at corporate misdeeds and uncaring bureaucracy.
I'll also note that, while Turlough gets a lot to do and plays a key role, the part could equally well have been written for most other companions and isn't directly built around his strengths or flaws. There have been some better Fifth Doctor stories than this, but it's still a good send-off for his part in this particular series. Roll on the final story...
The Doctor arrives at a power facility operated by the Earth Empire in the 31st century just before something goes horribly wrong. What follows is a disaster story, partly about characters trying to escape from the burning wreckage of the facility and partly about trying to find some way of preventing the problem from becoming even worse. (There's quite an inventive explanation of how the energy supply works and why it's so obviously doomed to failure, tying in to some wider elements of the show's lore).
I suspect what will make or break this story for listeners is what they make of the guest characters - most of them female, and all of them played by non-white actors. One of them is a blithering idiot with no redeeming features, a two-dimensional cutout who is there just to be an obstacle to the others. The main guest character, however, played by Rakie Ayola (from Noughts and Crosses among other things) is much more ambiguous and played with consummate smarm. She's clearly not a very nice person, but she's also bright enough to grasp what's happening when others don't, and isn't a straight-up villain, her actual stance and motivation being unclear at times.
There's a strong anti-greed message here and a criticism of politicians that those of a particular political bent will likely find frustrating (it's hard not to see some of this as a dig at Liz Truss's premiership - until you realise it was written before that happened). In fact, it fits in perfectly well with the sort of thing that Doctor Who has always done and as much a part of its tradition as invading aliens... but if it's not an element you appreciate, then, in fairness, it can be quite blunt in this particular story. If you do, though, it's a great tilt at corporate misdeeds and uncaring bureaucracy.
I'll also note that, while Turlough gets a lot to do and plays a key role, the part could equally well have been written for most other companions and isn't directly built around his strengths or flaws. There have been some better Fifth Doctor stories than this, but it's still a good send-off for his part in this particular series. Roll on the final story...
June 14, 2021
The Blazing Hour is an audio I have heard so many people praise to death exclaiming it as one of the bleakest monthly range audios that superbly deals with the evils of capitalism and now that I've finally gotten around to it, these are my thoughts on it!
This is by far one of the most bleakest, intelligent and clever big finish audios I have ever listened to, it's very masterfully written as well which is a surprise because James Kettle is a newcomer to the company and what a welcome surprise he is. This is a brutal story that examines the price of manipulating time without knowing what you're doing and how the control of a corporation not only ruins things for everyone but can destroy people's lives if chosen to do so.
Everyone is on fire in this release, Tolough is at his weakest with him being pushed around in a wheelchair for two episodes and The Doctor suffering from PTSD believing his friend to be dead whilst trying to resolve the ongoing situation which very well may not have a happy ending and that more destruction could lie in The Doctor's hands.
It's also by far Ken Bentley's most impressive piece of direction yet and the sound design and score are incredible as well.
Overall: One of the best monthly range audios and it's a shame the range has come to an end so soon after it started getting brilliant again! 10/10
This is by far one of the most bleakest, intelligent and clever big finish audios I have ever listened to, it's very masterfully written as well which is a surprise because James Kettle is a newcomer to the company and what a welcome surprise he is. This is a brutal story that examines the price of manipulating time without knowing what you're doing and how the control of a corporation not only ruins things for everyone but can destroy people's lives if chosen to do so.
Everyone is on fire in this release, Tolough is at his weakest with him being pushed around in a wheelchair for two episodes and The Doctor suffering from PTSD believing his friend to be dead whilst trying to resolve the ongoing situation which very well may not have a happy ending and that more destruction could lie in The Doctor's hands.
It's also by far Ken Bentley's most impressive piece of direction yet and the sound design and score are incredible as well.
Overall: One of the best monthly range audios and it's a shame the range has come to an end so soon after it started getting brilliant again! 10/10
February 15, 2023
Well, I had this release as part of my monthly range subscription, but after I read some reviews, it disappeared into my backlog. I just had no real interest in this.
I now finally made myself listen to this.
Well.
It certainly was not as bad as I feared.
But,sadly, it still only gets an average rating from me- the evil capitalist card was played much too strongly and was grating on me after a while.
Yes, I understand it was meant to be satirical, but after a while, it felt more like sledgehammer satire, without any nuance or subtlety.
I do however admit I have not seen Chernobyl (and not sure I will be able to, mentally) so I do not know the source material- I only know the historical story.
I did like Turlough in this, though. The Doctor was much too much desperately trying to fight against windmills (reminded me a lot of Snakedance, so this fits the era), but with Turlough we get quite a bit of insight into his character.
I now finally made myself listen to this.
Well.
It certainly was not as bad as I feared.
But,sadly, it still only gets an average rating from me- the evil capitalist card was played much too strongly and was grating on me after a while.
Yes, I understand it was meant to be satirical, but after a while, it felt more like sledgehammer satire, without any nuance or subtlety.
I do however admit I have not seen Chernobyl (and not sure I will be able to, mentally) so I do not know the source material- I only know the historical story.
I did like Turlough in this, though. The Doctor was much too much desperately trying to fight against windmills (reminded me a lot of Snakedance, so this fits the era), but with Turlough we get quite a bit of insight into his character.
March 18, 2021
Doctor Who - The Blazing Hour: James Kettle
For the penultimate Big Finish Monthly Range story, I would say it's a very good 5th Doctor story. Not in the favorites, but certainly one I'd come back to.
The sound design especially in this one is astonishing. Bleak and a hopeless story in places: Characters with selfish motives of greed and corruption over human life, the Doctor having PTSD over the thought of Turlough being killed. And speaking on Turlough, he is bounded in a wheelchair in a world Testament on the verse of destruction with fire is awesome. Had the message on greed during the end, but the scene with Testament at the end was rushed.
8/10
For the penultimate Big Finish Monthly Range story, I would say it's a very good 5th Doctor story. Not in the favorites, but certainly one I'd come back to.
The sound design especially in this one is astonishing. Bleak and a hopeless story in places: Characters with selfish motives of greed and corruption over human life, the Doctor having PTSD over the thought of Turlough being killed. And speaking on Turlough, he is bounded in a wheelchair in a world Testament on the verse of destruction with fire is awesome. Had the message on greed during the end, but the scene with Testament at the end was rushed.
8/10
March 8, 2022
A very modern final adventure in the Monthly Main Range for Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor, this time with only Turlough for company. (An under-rated and under-developed partnership, as prickly as it is interdependent)
Energy poverty, colonialism, capitalism, and general backstabbing all combine to explosive effect, though here the edges don't seem quite as sharp as they could have been (remembering Creatures of Beauty for example, much much earlier in the Main Range). Nevertheless, a fun romp and certainly not a damp squib.
Energy poverty, colonialism, capitalism, and general backstabbing all combine to explosive effect, though here the edges don't seem quite as sharp as they could have been (remembering Creatures of Beauty for example, much much earlier in the Main Range). Nevertheless, a fun romp and certainly not a damp squib.
March 3, 2022
Thinly-veiled screed against nuclear energy, and so . . . so . . . boring. But that's to be expected when political didacticism replaces art.
Also, I don't think I've ever enjoyed any of the 5/Turlough episodes from BF. There aren't many of them anyway, but none of them have made much of an impression at all.
Also, I don't think I've ever enjoyed any of the 5/Turlough episodes from BF. There aren't many of them anyway, but none of them have made much of an impression at all.
February 23, 2021
This was alright - definitely won't make my top Big Finish Doctor Who, but it won't be in the worst either. Good cast and characters, found my attention slipping from the storyline from time to time.
March 7, 2021
I thought they didn’t have enough life boats? 3.5 rounded up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2021
The doctor and turlough try to save a planet from blowing up.
April 7, 2025
Somehow didn’t captivate me as much.
November 11, 2025
good commentary on capitalism taken to the extremes and intriguing throughout
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews