Doctor Who: Why you should listen to free Eighth Doctor episode The Great War
By James Aggas
Another Doctor Who story is currently completely free from Big Finish: this time, the Eighth Doctor episode Dark Eyes: The Great War. Here’s why you should check out this key audio.
It’s another week, and another Doctor Who story is currently free to download from Big Finish. And it’s a good one. Starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, The Great War kicks off a huge era for his character.
The Great War was originally released back in 2012 as part of the four-part box set Dark Eyes. Written and directed by Nicholas Briggs, Dark Eyes was a huge release for fans of Big Finish’s Eighth Doctor audios. Over a year and a half before, the previous era of the Eighth Doctor ended with the epic To The Death, which featured several members of the Doctor’s friends and even family shockingly killed off.
Dark Eyes continues directly from where that episode left off. But at the same time, it also works as a great jumping-on point. In some ways, the Eighth Doctor is in a similar place to how Nine was in his first episode, Rose. He’s damaged, broken and he needs to recover. Except Eight’s perhaps in a worse place at this point, and he’s close to reaching his breaking point.
The Great War kicks off the Dark Eyes saga, as well as revealing a new beginning for the Eighth Doctor.
Image Courtesy Big Finish Productions
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A new pair of eyes
Of course, what really makes The Great War work so well on its own terms is that you don’t need to know any of that. Like any good jumping-on point, the story is told from the perspective of the new companion – in this case, Molly O’Sullivan.
A Voluntary Aid Detachment serving in the First World War, Molly has seen many terrible things already. Even before she meets the Doctor, she’s dealing with her own problems. Or at least, trying to. She also doesn’t suffer fools gladly – so when a strange man arrives from seemingly out of nowhere, she naturally doesn’t have much patience for him. Unfortunately, it’s not long before she finds out that she’s in far greater danger than even she could have imagined…
The Great War is just the start of the Doctor’s and Molly’s journey. More than that: it’s a strong opening episode that, like War Doctor episode The Innocent, is a great jumping-on point for Big Finish’s audios, especially if you’re a fan of the New Series. And if you enjoy The Great War, you’ll be happy to know that the rest of the series is currently on sale. But hurry: both the free download and the offers expire on May 24 at 23:59 UK time.
Next. Interview: Chris McKeon, writer of The Final Game. dark
Are you keen to check out the Eighth Doctor’s many audios? Have you listened to any before? Do you think he should have had a run of his own on television? Let us know in the comments below.