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Big Finish: Monthly Range #81
Doctor Who: The Kingmaker
Dr Who encounters one of the most notorious characters from the past, as he journeys through time to solve the great Historical Mysteries...
Not surprisingly the Doctor becomes mixed up with Richard the third himself, as he tries to unravel the perplexing problem of who exactly killed the Princes in the Tower.
Peri and Erimem also encounter a suspicious time traveller. Someone from the Doctor's own past. Someone who shouldn't really be there at all.
So who did murder the Princes in the Tower? Perhaps it's best not to ask a question like that.
You might not like the answer...
Chronological Placement
This story takes place between the television adventures Planet of Fire and The Caves of Androzani.
Not surprisingly the Doctor becomes mixed up with Richard the third himself, as he tries to unravel the perplexing problem of who exactly killed the Princes in the Tower.
Peri and Erimem also encounter a suspicious time traveller. Someone from the Doctor's own past. Someone who shouldn't really be there at all.
So who did murder the Princes in the Tower? Perhaps it's best not to ask a question like that.
You might not like the answer...
Chronological Placement
This story takes place between the television adventures Planet of Fire and The Caves of Androzani.
Audio Play
First published April 1, 2006
3 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Nev Fountain
52 books45 followersNev Fountain, born Steven John Fountain, is an English writer, best known for his comedy work with writing partner Tom Jamieson on the radio and television programme 'Dead Ringers'.
He is currently writing for Dead Ringers and the satirical magazine 'Private Eye'.
He has written three humorous murder-mystery novels, collectively called 'The Mervyn Stone Mysteries', and a serious thriller called 'Painkiller'.
His latest book, 'The Fan Who Knew Too Much' was released in July this year.
Nev was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire and now resides in Surrey.
He is currently writing for Dead Ringers and the satirical magazine 'Private Eye'.
He has written three humorous murder-mystery novels, collectively called 'The Mervyn Stone Mysteries', and a serious thriller called 'Painkiller'.
His latest book, 'The Fan Who Knew Too Much' was released in July this year.
Nev was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire and now resides in Surrey.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
September 7, 2021
A very humorous complex story focusing on the mystery around the Princes in the Tower.
The main bulk of the story is told with The Doctor in 1485, whilst Peri and Erimem are stranded in the same location two years previously.
The constant jumps between the two time periods worked perfectly, I especially liked the scene where the Doctor is trying to contact them through a series of letters!
I knew this was going to be a fun story from the opening episode as a robot that demands authors to finish their manuscripts is demanding The Doctor to complete his series of children’s books.
It’s a great reference to the ‘Doctor Who Explains...’ series of the 70’s.
Jon Culshaw as the Fourth Doctor was a welcome treat!
But it’s Stephen Beckett as King Richard III who’s the standout performer of this story!
Though he did remind me of the Ninth Doctor on occasions...
The main bulk of the story is told with The Doctor in 1485, whilst Peri and Erimem are stranded in the same location two years previously.
The constant jumps between the two time periods worked perfectly, I especially liked the scene where the Doctor is trying to contact them through a series of letters!
I knew this was going to be a fun story from the opening episode as a robot that demands authors to finish their manuscripts is demanding The Doctor to complete his series of children’s books.
It’s a great reference to the ‘Doctor Who Explains...’ series of the 70’s.
Jon Culshaw as the Fourth Doctor was a welcome treat!
But it’s Stephen Beckett as King Richard III who’s the standout performer of this story!
Though he did remind me of the Ninth Doctor on occasions...
February 6, 2023
"Have you ever tried to get a writer to keep a deadline? I would say that laser canons are a minimum requirement."
June 26, 2017
Yes, this is a comedy, and, while it's not really a straight historical, it doesn't have any proper monsters in it, either, so it might not be what everyone wants from Doctor Who. But it is funny, and has quite a good plot, told from a number of different perspectives. It's a good change of pace, and makes use of the fact that Davison is a skilled comic actor, to deliver something that's basically an enormous amount of fun. And a completely bonkers explanation of what, exactly, happened to the Princes in the Tower.
May 4, 2021
Eh, it got better in the end but not something I would recommend.
January 18, 2019
I adore Big Finish. When asking about Doctor Who for the modern era, they define it for me. I'm not trashing NuWho by any means, I love Jodie!, but Big Finish is very often my Who Happy Place.
That said, it is very rare to run into a Big Finish story that crawls to the absolute top of a Doctor's stories. Almost always there's one in the television run that I would consider that Doctor's story. The one. (Ok, maybe we can talk about Six, but let's not quibble.)
Here's the amazing thing, I believe that at least TWO of The Fifth Doctor's Big Finish stories are better than anything during Davison's TV run.
The first is the rightfully touted "Spare Parts" which is the best Doctor Who story in probably 30 years.
The second is this story, "The Kingmaker", a loopy thought experiment about Shakespeare and his relationship to Richard III and what actually happened to those two children in the Tower.
Astonishing performances all around, particularly Stephen Beckett's Richard, give this already riveting story a depth that is surprising and even a little raw.
Treading gingerly on a line that could just cross over into farce, it never does. It remains funny while staying deeply grave. And the twists, of which there are quite a few, never fail to surprise.
An absolute delight and certainly ranks amongst the best Doctor Who stories in any medium.
That said, it is very rare to run into a Big Finish story that crawls to the absolute top of a Doctor's stories. Almost always there's one in the television run that I would consider that Doctor's story. The one. (Ok, maybe we can talk about Six, but let's not quibble.)
Here's the amazing thing, I believe that at least TWO of The Fifth Doctor's Big Finish stories are better than anything during Davison's TV run.
The first is the rightfully touted "Spare Parts" which is the best Doctor Who story in probably 30 years.
The second is this story, "The Kingmaker", a loopy thought experiment about Shakespeare and his relationship to Richard III and what actually happened to those two children in the Tower.
Astonishing performances all around, particularly Stephen Beckett's Richard, give this already riveting story a depth that is surprising and even a little raw.
Treading gingerly on a line that could just cross over into farce, it never does. It remains funny while staying deeply grave. And the twists, of which there are quite a few, never fail to surprise.
An absolute delight and certainly ranks amongst the best Doctor Who stories in any medium.
June 13, 2008
Fantastic. *grin* Very very funny, although some familiarity with the story of Richard III (both the Shakespeare version and the revisionist one) would be helpful to get some of the jokes. I particularly like twists at the end - what really happened to the princes, and... well, I don't want to spoil it for anyone else who might listen to this book! Suffice to say I laughed myself sick, which is not a good look when one is driving!
March 29, 2015
Absolutely brilliant.
Hands down my favourite Fifth Doctor audio yet and probably in my top 5 BF Who audios.
I think the Princes in the Tower explanation given here will be my "canon" from now on. :)
Hands down my favourite Fifth Doctor audio yet and probably in my top 5 BF Who audios.
I think the Princes in the Tower explanation given here will be my "canon" from now on. :)
January 12, 2021
Full of anachronistic dialogue and it's not exactly serious. If this is considered canon, oh boy.. Probably retconned by later stories anyway. Funny though. And Richard sounded so much like Christopher Eccleston it's weird.
February 14, 2024
A wonderful tour de force: a cross between The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Blackadder, combining comedy-based science fiction with comedy-based historical fiction. At no point does it attempt real history, yet it manages to be easily the best historical Doctor Who serial since City of Death.
And the allusions to Douglas Adams are not misplaced: this is one of the very few Big Finish productions written by a professional scriptwriter, in this case the excellent Nev Fountain, known for his comic scripts for the BBC's Dead Ringers series. And the first professional comedy writer since Douglas Adams to attempt Doctor Who as humour.
This is an extremely sophisticated comedy, written as undergraduate humour. Meaning, literally, humour written by someone with an undergraduate-level comprehension of medieval history. It's teeming with historical and literary allusions, especially Shakespearian allusions, that will pass clear over the head of the average science fiction fan. I've noticed some negative reviews of the serial, and understandably so, because this is an extremely clever script, which clearly was beyond the comprehension of whoever posted those reviews, which was why they didn't enjoy it.
Very enjoyable by anyone who liked Hitch-Hiker or City of Death or Blackadder. But no monsters. It's a comedy, squarely aimed at the audience which revelled in the works of Douglas Adams, but with much more in it for those who enjoy undergraduate humour generally. And every scene advances the plot. No running up and down corridors to pad out a thin tale here! So no monsters, and a complex plot; but a lot of jokes.
Like Blackadder, a good deal of the historical detail is fictitious, so don't take it too literally, but quite possibly the best-ever script produced by Big Finish.
And the allusions to Douglas Adams are not misplaced: this is one of the very few Big Finish productions written by a professional scriptwriter, in this case the excellent Nev Fountain, known for his comic scripts for the BBC's Dead Ringers series. And the first professional comedy writer since Douglas Adams to attempt Doctor Who as humour.
This is an extremely sophisticated comedy, written as undergraduate humour. Meaning, literally, humour written by someone with an undergraduate-level comprehension of medieval history. It's teeming with historical and literary allusions, especially Shakespearian allusions, that will pass clear over the head of the average science fiction fan. I've noticed some negative reviews of the serial, and understandably so, because this is an extremely clever script, which clearly was beyond the comprehension of whoever posted those reviews, which was why they didn't enjoy it.
Very enjoyable by anyone who liked Hitch-Hiker or City of Death or Blackadder. But no monsters. It's a comedy, squarely aimed at the audience which revelled in the works of Douglas Adams, but with much more in it for those who enjoy undergraduate humour generally. And every scene advances the plot. No running up and down corridors to pad out a thin tale here! So no monsters, and a complex plot; but a lot of jokes.
Like Blackadder, a good deal of the historical detail is fictitious, so don't take it too literally, but quite possibly the best-ever script produced by Big Finish.
March 7, 2024
This might be the funniest thing Big Finish have done since the Frobisher days. This feels like something Douglas Adams would’ve liked.
So, Peri and Erimem are two years further back in time compared to the Doctor, they send him letters but how can he send letters back? Easy the fourth Doctor will be around in a couple of years so the Fifth Doctor will give the letters to the Fourth Doctor in which turn he can give them to the barkeeper fella who will give them to Peri and Erimem.
This is Bill and Ted time travel logic; I’ve wanted Doctor Who to use Bill and Ted time travel logic since the day I watched it.
Never heard off Erimem before, she really grew in me in such a short amount of time. It’s nice to give Peri a friend.
Peter Davidson is really suited to comedy; he feels so perfect here.
Okay so King Richard III he’s played brilliantly by his actor but dear lord he sounds like the exact same as Chrisopher Eccleston, this sounds so weird but he’s like 90% the same. So, so weird.
I do have to put that this might be one of the few big finish stories that I listened with a a lot of breaks in between cause I was leaving work go home and shower eat and other things but it didn’t detract things at all, like I could still follow the plot and all, which is really a testament to how strong this script is.
The teasing of the Master being in the story only to end up not being in it was perhaps the funniest thing the story could’ve done.
As much as I love the nightmarish dark experimental stories this was such a breath of fresh air.
That ending was the biggest tease that ever teased, when will Doctor Who finally solve that mystery? Please just do it already.
So, Peri and Erimem are two years further back in time compared to the Doctor, they send him letters but how can he send letters back? Easy the fourth Doctor will be around in a couple of years so the Fifth Doctor will give the letters to the Fourth Doctor in which turn he can give them to the barkeeper fella who will give them to Peri and Erimem.
This is Bill and Ted time travel logic; I’ve wanted Doctor Who to use Bill and Ted time travel logic since the day I watched it.
Never heard off Erimem before, she really grew in me in such a short amount of time. It’s nice to give Peri a friend.
Peter Davidson is really suited to comedy; he feels so perfect here.
Okay so King Richard III he’s played brilliantly by his actor but dear lord he sounds like the exact same as Chrisopher Eccleston, this sounds so weird but he’s like 90% the same. So, so weird.
I do have to put that this might be one of the few big finish stories that I listened with a a lot of breaks in between cause I was leaving work go home and shower eat and other things but it didn’t detract things at all, like I could still follow the plot and all, which is really a testament to how strong this script is.
The teasing of the Master being in the story only to end up not being in it was perhaps the funniest thing the story could’ve done.
As much as I love the nightmarish dark experimental stories this was such a breath of fresh air.
That ending was the biggest tease that ever teased, when will Doctor Who finally solve that mystery? Please just do it already.
January 29, 2025
History is littered with mysteries. Who was Jack the Ripper? What happened to the Marie Celeste? Here, the fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) investigates the murder of the princes in the Tower.
This is a very self aware story. Richard knew his future reputation. The Doctor gets involved by finishing the Fourth Doctor's series 'Doctor Who Discovers...' I wasn't keen on the self awareness when I first listened to this story, this time I found it charming.
The characters who pop up are unexpected, strange, and very much like a clichéd soap with all the improbabilities we have to accept.
Added to this, there's a two year gap between the Doctor and assistants Peri and Erimem. Seeing the girls survive the 15th century was fun.
When I first heard this audio play I wasn't keen on it. Today I found it very interesting. 9/10
Scoring: 0 bad; 1-3 poor; 4-6 average; 7-9 good; 10 excellent.
This is a very self aware story. Richard knew his future reputation. The Doctor gets involved by finishing the Fourth Doctor's series 'Doctor Who Discovers...' I wasn't keen on the self awareness when I first listened to this story, this time I found it charming.
The characters who pop up are unexpected, strange, and very much like a clichéd soap with all the improbabilities we have to accept.
Added to this, there's a two year gap between the Doctor and assistants Peri and Erimem. Seeing the girls survive the 15th century was fun.
When I first heard this audio play I wasn't keen on it. Today I found it very interesting. 9/10
Scoring: 0 bad; 1-3 poor; 4-6 average; 7-9 good; 10 excellent.
March 4, 2018
A time traveller dressed as an Edwardian Cricketer, an American College student, and a deposed Egyptian Pharaoh, having seen the Richard III play in the Elizabethian era have a visit from a robot from the future travel to 15th century Britain to discover what happened to the Princes in the tower to finish a book to find a mysterious "Mr Satan" is influencing Richard III.
If it was anything else other than Doctor Who this would have been too ridiculous to even try Nev Fountain has written something that Douglas Adams would have and it is a great script not quite a historical but definitely a comedy/farce. Its funny got an excellent plot and an excellent cast. A really good audio drama and one I will come back to again and again.
If it was anything else other than Doctor Who this would have been too ridiculous to even try Nev Fountain has written something that Douglas Adams would have and it is a great script not quite a historical but definitely a comedy/farce. Its funny got an excellent plot and an excellent cast. A really good audio drama and one I will come back to again and again.
August 7, 2019
This story is a comedic romp with an actual historical event lurking in the background. For most of the story, the impression is given that the Master is the villain of the story. But, that is just misdirection. The villain is....William Shakespeare. There is a cameo of the 4th Doctor. But, he is not portrayed by John Culshaw and not Tom Baker. Culshaw has a lot of experience portraying the 4th Doctor on Dead Ringers. This was before Baker agreed to do audio adventures. There is also an in joke about the Doctor being called Dr. Who. This story is not for casual dr who fans. You need to have some grounding in the series to enjoy this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2020
This wasn't as funny as I was expecting. I'd recommend something like The Holy Terror if you're looking for something hilarious. There were funny moments here and there, such as Dr. Who becoming The Doctor's name on book titles due to an editor's mistake. And it's interesting hearing a mention of Jack the Ripper at the end and knowing that the Eleventh Doctor encounters him in the comics.
November 24, 2023
On paper this should have worked for me but sadly not so much. It certainly has its moments and by no means a bad listen but it dragged for me. I also didn't vibe with the characterizations of some historical figures and how much Richard III sounded like the Ninth Doctor/Christopher Eccleston was distracting and I couldn't get over it.
December 19, 2017
Just brillant, very funny and Mr Fountain, manages to pull off a ludicious plot that wonderfully hangs together as an alternative history. Definitely recommend.
April 4, 2018
If only could have learned history like this. As it said not a book book but still heckova lot of fun to listen to, funny and somewhat educational, worth the download, or but in cd if u feel so bold
August 13, 2018
I really enjoyed the story telling technique employed in this adventure!
November 15, 2018
A batshit insane of an audio and you know what? It's actually brilliant, very smart, witty, hilarious, clever, great writing and just a down right amazing story. I give it a 10/10.
June 5, 2022
This one absolutely disregards canon and history, and for the better. Balancing anachronistic comedy with weighty themes, this was an unexpected joy to listen to.
May 30, 2023
A rollicking adventure with tons of laughs. It does not take itself too seriously.
Read
September 25, 2023I was all ready to jump on this for calling him Doctor Who. (It's ok..I won't say why)
I enjoyed this story, but I felt the voice work of King Richard was a bit flat.
I enjoyed this story, but I felt the voice work of King Richard was a bit flat.
December 26, 2023
This one was very complex and timey wimey. I prefer the Shakespeare Code
August 16, 2024
A good 'fun' one
December 17, 2025
Just a well rounded 5th Doctor story The middle dialogue drags a little but the banter and dialogue has aged well.
March 4, 2017
This wasn't a historical but rather an anachronistic comedy. It took me a little while to get into that but once I did I did really enjoy this. It had some rather superb examples of why Erimen isn't your average companion, being happy to kill children and herself and Peri for the good of the world. As well as some really sweet things she said about her friendship. It was incredibly silly in almost a Douglas Adams rather than a 5th Doctor way but it did make a nice change for those characters. Definitely the best of the recent Erimen audios I've bought.
February 10, 2017
Honestly, I should just give this thing 5 stars just for the sheer brazenness of it.
In a nutshell: the Doctor, recovering a bit from a night of drinking with William Shakespeare, is visited by a nine-foot-tall robot from the future. The robot informs the Doctor that he is long overdue with his manuscript, and that his publisher will revoke his existence unless he meets the contracted deadline for "Doctor Who Discovers Historical Mysteries."
Disabling the robot, the Doctor, along with Peri and Erimem, journey back to the time of Richard III, to determine whether Richard really killed the Princes in the Tower.
Except the time travel goes a bit awry, and Peri and Erimem end up in 1483, and the Doctor in 1485. Wacky adventures ensue, including cross-dressing, hunchback jokes, running gags, and finally Shakespeare threatening London with a Sontaran grenade.
For listeners following this sequence of stories, this is all quite unexpected. Up to this point, the 5/Peri/Erimem stories have generally been fairly dour if not altogether dark. But The Kingmaker is a frothy 'n' fun escapade that just dares you to take it seriously. This thing is so over-the-top, even the set-up about the publishing contract is a fourth-wall-breaking in-joke involving a real-life book series titled "Doctor Who Discovers . . ." (See, for example, Doctor Who Discovers Strange And Mysterious Creatures )
I've read that Peter Davison disliked comedic episodes of Doctor Who and preferred that his Doctor be a more serious incarnation. Yet, not only is this the funniest episode Peter Davison has ever done, it's one of the funniest episodes in the Big Finish line. ( The One Doctor ranks pretty high on that list as well.)
A highly-recommended episode. The only thing is that in this particular sequence of Fifth Doctor stories, it feels entirely out of place. Call it a much-needed piece of comic relief.
This story is preceded by The Council of Nicaea and followed by The Gathering for the Doctor, and The Veiled Leopard for Peri and Erimem.
The three reunite for Son of the Dragon
In a nutshell: the Doctor, recovering a bit from a night of drinking with William Shakespeare, is visited by a nine-foot-tall robot from the future. The robot informs the Doctor that he is long overdue with his manuscript, and that his publisher will revoke his existence unless he meets the contracted deadline for "Doctor Who Discovers Historical Mysteries."
Disabling the robot, the Doctor, along with Peri and Erimem, journey back to the time of Richard III, to determine whether Richard really killed the Princes in the Tower.
Except the time travel goes a bit awry, and Peri and Erimem end up in 1483, and the Doctor in 1485. Wacky adventures ensue, including cross-dressing, hunchback jokes, running gags, and finally Shakespeare threatening London with a Sontaran grenade.
For listeners following this sequence of stories, this is all quite unexpected. Up to this point, the 5/Peri/Erimem stories have generally been fairly dour if not altogether dark. But The Kingmaker is a frothy 'n' fun escapade that just dares you to take it seriously. This thing is so over-the-top, even the set-up about the publishing contract is a fourth-wall-breaking in-joke involving a real-life book series titled "Doctor Who Discovers . . ." (See, for example, Doctor Who Discovers Strange And Mysterious Creatures )
I've read that Peter Davison disliked comedic episodes of Doctor Who and preferred that his Doctor be a more serious incarnation. Yet, not only is this the funniest episode Peter Davison has ever done, it's one of the funniest episodes in the Big Finish line. ( The One Doctor ranks pretty high on that list as well.)
A highly-recommended episode. The only thing is that in this particular sequence of Fifth Doctor stories, it feels entirely out of place. Call it a much-needed piece of comic relief.
This story is preceded by The Council of Nicaea and followed by The Gathering for the Doctor, and The Veiled Leopard for Peri and Erimem.
The three reunite for Son of the Dragon
November 26, 2011
I started The Kingmaker a while ago, and can't think why I haven't finished it before now. I really enjoy this Team TARDIS (Five/Peri/Erimem). Big Finish has managed to revive the historical in Doctor Who in a way that the series itself hasn't quite managed yet.
I continue to be pleased with the Peri and Erimem friendship and there were a lot of great lines between them in this audio. Erimem's wildly differing views on death are intriguing, yet make total sense for her character. I wonder if Erimem's beliefs (and the friction they cause in her friendship with Peri), will ever come up again?
If I have one qualm about this audio, it's that the two separate timelines (one with the Doctor, the other with Peri and Erimem two years prior) were difficult to follow. The whole story takes place over that two year span, with the companions finally 'catching up' to the Doctor. So, what did they do for two years? Surely they couldn't have been neck deep in conspiracy the whole time? How long did they work at the tavern? How long were they prisoners in the Tower of London? A better indication of the passage of time was needed.
Despite this, I'm still giving The Kingmaker five stars. It raises a lot of good questions regarding fate and free will, and the Doctor's role as a champion of time.
I continue to be pleased with the Peri and Erimem friendship and there were a lot of great lines between them in this audio. Erimem's wildly differing views on death are intriguing, yet make total sense for her character. I wonder if Erimem's beliefs (and the friction they cause in her friendship with Peri), will ever come up again?
If I have one qualm about this audio, it's that the two separate timelines (one with the Doctor, the other with Peri and Erimem two years prior) were difficult to follow. The whole story takes place over that two year span, with the companions finally 'catching up' to the Doctor. So, what did they do for two years? Surely they couldn't have been neck deep in conspiracy the whole time? How long did they work at the tavern? How long were they prisoners in the Tower of London? A better indication of the passage of time was needed.
Despite this, I'm still giving The Kingmaker five stars. It raises a lot of good questions regarding fate and free will, and the Doctor's role as a champion of time.
May 15, 2017
Excellent! Though the actor playing Richard III sounds so much like Christopher Eccleston it was driving me bananas. Right down to the dull monotone.
Pretty good story. Though a bit goofy. There's quite a lot of imposing 21st century complaints onto the fifteen century situations that sound more like something out of HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY than Doctor Who.
Everso slightly spoilerish below:
It also has rather reaching results. Don't recall another chapter where companions get lost for 2 years. And not to give away the ending. But it surely weirds-up all those other times the Doctor meets/has met the Bard.
Pretty good story. Though a bit goofy. There's quite a lot of imposing 21st century complaints onto the fifteen century situations that sound more like something out of HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY than Doctor Who.
Everso slightly spoilerish below:
It also has rather reaching results. Don't recall another chapter where companions get lost for 2 years. And not to give away the ending. But it surely weirds-up all those other times the Doctor meets/has met the Bard.
Read
April 8, 2009This brings the Fifth Doctor, played by Peter Davison, back to the 1480s to find out what really happened to the Princes in the Tower, after a heated drunken argument with William Shakespeare. As you would expect from a production with that author and numerous comedians in the cast, it is utterly hilarious, totally subverting the expectations of the listener - are the Princes really robots? Who is the bearded time-traveller advising Richard of Gloucester? What of the true identity of the barmaids? Some might possibly think it just a bit silly, but I really enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews