Audio Review: Second Doctor ‘The Early Adventures: The Night Witches’

When the Second Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie arrive in Soviet Russia in World War 2, they become far more involved in history than they bargained for when they encounter ‘The Night Witches’!

Oh, I am so happy The Early Adventures are back. I didn’t get to review them last year, but they are genuinely one of my favorite ranges from Big Finish. There’s an incredibly high standard to every story. All the releases have matched their era perfectly. Most of all, they’re just so much fun to listen to.

The new season, which focuses on the Second Doctor, begins no differently. The Night Witches is a pure historical that captures everything great about the era. At the same time, it also tells a story that feels fresh and modern.

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The TARDIS crew arrives in Russia during World War 2. Right away, we’re treated to a rather unique setting. While we’ve seen the TARDIS land in England or Germany during the Second World War many times, it’s very rare to have a story where they land in Soviet Russia.

What stands out even more is the titular group that the story features: the Night Witches. While you might be expecting spooky aliens with a name like that, the truth is far more interesting. A group of women volunteer fighter pilots in WW2, they were fighters who made the best with what they had. Even the planes they would use would be considerably outdated. Despite all of this, they still made an impact in the war against Nazi Germany.

Strong female characters

Listening to this story was incredibly fascinating. This is one era of history that has been rather overlooked, and new writer Roland Moore does a great job of exploring this unique group of women.

What I’ve always enjoyed about the historical stories at their best would be how they explored a lot of interesting history through modern eyes. Or at least, through the eyes of someone who knew as much as we did. The Night Witches is an excellent example of that, as the TARDIS crew discovers just how tough life is for all involved.

I also love that, with the exception of the regulars, the cast for this story consists entirely of women. They’re all very strong but distinctive characters, and every single one of the actresses gives a great performance.

Something else I enjoy about The Early Adventures is how much more they can give to the companions in terms of storyline and development. That’s exactly what The Night Witches does for Polly. There’s an interesting little twist in this story. It’s established fairly early on, but it’s still a twist that I won’t spoil. All I will say is that Polly becomes rapidly involved with the pilots, and the emotional stakes are raised so much higher.

And that’s what makes The Night Witches such a success. It explores this incredibly interesting and important piece of history and brings it to life. At the same time, it adds a huge amount of emotional depth to it, too. A very strong start to the new season, and a strong debut from Roland Moore for Doctor Who.

Next: The Sixth Doctor’s renaissance – how expanded media saved him

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