Doctor Who: Terror Firma is a major story for both the Eighth Doctor and Davros
By James Aggas
We continue our ongoing look at the life of the major Doctor Who villain Davros with the Eighth Doctor audio Terror Firma. What makes it so special? And how well does it handle its lead villain?
Back in Aug 2005, Terror Firma was a pretty major story for Big Finish to tell, for two reasons. Firstly, it was the first time that we had ever heard Eight meet Davros. This was something that was long overdue. Even when taking into account that McGann had only been making audio dramas since 2001, it’s still shocking to think that it took over four years for this particular Doctor to meet such a major enemy.
The second reason why Terror Firma was so major was that it was McGann’s first audio as a “past Doctor”. His previous season ended with The Next Life in Dec 2004 – just three months before we said hello to a new Doctor on television.
Of course, McGann’s final audio as a “current Doctor” didn’t lead directly into the TV series, and in fact, ended on the major cliffhanger of being reunited with Davros. So Terror Firma was greatly anticipated. Did it live up to expectations?
Seventh Doctor audio Daleks Among Us didn’t explore the consequences of Remembrance of the Daleks at all. Of course, a key reason for that is that Terror Firma had already explored that considerably…
Image courtesy Big Finish Productions
Davros – How to use the character well
The first thing that leaps out about Joseph Lidster’s script is how well the scenes with Davros and the Doctor are handled. Personally, I think that this is where the story really shines. Both Paul McGann and Terry Molloy give absolutely fantastic performances during these scenes, as Davros keeps pushing the Doctor towards doing something unthinkable.
Speaking of Davros: the character is used exceptionally well in this story. Having just listened to Daleks Among Us – where the villain often felt rather unnecessary – it’s great to hear an audio where he feels absolutely essential to the plot. It’s another key reason why the scenes between him and the Doctor work so well, as they essentially drive the story.
The overall plot of Terror Firma is also a rather grim one. Not only are there serious consequences for the Doctor’s actions in Remembrance of the Daleks. But there’s a rather cruel twist that Lidster unleashes halfway through that reveals just how much Davros has stolen from the Doctor this time.
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What doesn’t quite work
So there’s a lot to enjoy about Terror Firma. However, there are some elements that don’t work quite as well. There’s a lot of focus on people celebrating a party, and while it has some payoff, it still feels somewhat out of place in a story like this. And while companion C’Rizz is given something to do in the story, I’m not convinced that he was given the right storyline, at least.
Having said that, Terror Firma is still worth checking out, especially for fans who’ve enjoyed Davros’s stories in the Classic Series. In some ways, it almost feels like a natural conclusion to his story. So how was he brought back for the Time War? That’s a question that’s only recently been answered…
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Have you listened to Terror Firma? Do you enjoy a good story that focuses heavily on the Doctor and Davros? Let us know in the comments below.