Retro Review: Storm Warning

With interest in Paul McGann’s eighth Doctor still riding high after November’s release of Night Of The Doctor, fans both old and new have been finding their way to his adventures off the television screen and particularly those on audio from Big Finish Productions. Released thirteen years ago this month, McGann’s Big Finish debut Storm Warning has been the place many have started from and that’s not without good reason.

If nothing else, this story proves that McGann had the potential to be a fantastic Doctor. Beginning with the story’s opening minutes, in which McGann is by himself plus sound effects, McGann is effectively reintroduced in the role and really makes it his own. It’s hard to imagine another one of the audio Doctors being able to successfully do the opening scene for example which gives McGann an opportunity to show off his acting skills in the audio medium quite well. If one ever needed a single moment for proof that McGann is a fine Doctor look no farther then the speech he gives to Charley and Frayling early in Part Three. In that one speech alone lies one of the finest performance moments you’re ever going to find in Doctor Who, regardless of the medium. McGann also shares some wonderful chemistry with his fellow cast members as well especially India Fisher as Charley. McGann’s potential as the Doctor is put to full use here and it makes for a fantastic new beginning for the eighth Doctor.

Storm Warning is also blessed with a fine supporting cast as well. First off there’s India Fisher as Charley Pollard, a young “Edwardian adventuress” who will soon become companion to the eighth Doctor. Fisher plays Charley as a young woman full of a sense of adventure who finds herself caught up in an adventure bigger then she could ever imagine and it that, coupled with Fisher’s incredible chemistry with McGann, that makes Charley a fantastic companion. Also joining the supporting cast is actor Gareth Thomas (better known to science fiction fans as the title character in the BBC’s Blake’s 7) as Lord Tamworth, Britain’s Minister of the Air and he comes across as a believable, if too much of his time, man who is trying to do the right thing for his King and country. The cast is rounded off by nice performances from some of Big Finish’s repertory company including Nicholas Pegg, Barnaby Edwards, Hylton Collins and Helen Goldwyn as the alien Triskelies. All round it’s a nice supporting cast giving fine performances especially from Fisher and Thomas.

Storm Warning also has some nice post-production work going in its favor as well. The sound design by Alistair Lock is a fantastic piece of work and helps to give the story an epic feeling. Of special mention is is Lock’s score which has a really strong orchestral feel like the score to a major Hollywood movie. There is also the version of the Doctor Who theme arranged by noted film composer David Arnold which, while perhaps not the best arrangement of the theme ever done, is still an interesting take on a classic theme. While the story has fine performances, it is the sound design that really sells the story and this stands as a fine achievement for Alistair Lock.

Then there’s the script by Alan Barnes. Barnes, who after all had supervised the first eighth Doctor comic stories for Doctor Who Magazine, proved to be a fine choice for scripting the first audio adventure of the eighth Doctor. Barnes script takes of Doctor Who‘s traditions for using historical events as a jumping off point for a story and uses it to great effect. By basing the story almost entirely on the famed airship the R101 and infuses that tragic tale with a nice science fiction twist. By framing the story around the R101 the story has a ticking clock as well as the hour to the airship’s eventual fate gets closer and closer the listener is left to wonder just how things will end. The story also acts as the set-up to a major arc that would throughout many of the eighth Doctor audio stories starting with from the story’s finale onwards. Barnes script gives the audio adventures a fantastic start both as a one off adventure story and setting up a major story arc as well.

Storm Warning has proven to be a fine beginning for the audio adventures of the eighth Doctor. With Paul McGann’s triumphant return to the role the introduction of India Fisher’s Charley, fine performances from the supporting cast, the post-production work of Alistair Lock and a fine script by Alan Barnes it is hard not to enjoy this story not only a fine Doctor Who adventure but as the return of a Doctor who was thought to be just a one time performance. To quote the TV movie tag line “he’s back and it’s about time,” and this time he was here to stay.

Released as a part of Big Finish Productions monthly range as the 16th release of the range in January 2001.

The story was recorded on 18 May 2000 at The Moat studio, London.