Doctor Who review: Plight of the Pimpernel explores the idea of heroes
By James Aggas
Doctor Who audio Plight of the Pimpernel initially seems like an exciting and fun adventure for the Sixth Doctor and Peri. But there are dark hidden depths to this story…
Last week, Big Finish released not one but two exciting new Doctor Who adventures. One of these stories, The Grey Man of the Mountain, reunites the Seventh Doctor and Ace with the Brigadier. We’re excited to listen to this one, but first, we took a look at the Sixth Doctor’s and Peri’s latest adventure, Plight of the Pimpernel.
As you can probably guess from the title, this story sees the TARDIS duo meet the legendary hero the Scarlet Pimpernel, ready to rescue French aristocrats from a swift execution at the hands of Madame Guillotine. However, there’s just one problem: the Scarlet Pimpernel is a fictional character. Isn’t he…?
The first half of this story is an extremely fun historical adventure. It’s not just the audience that has fun, either: the Doctor is very happy to play the part of the Pimpernel, while the real masked hero, Sir Percy Blakeney, is recovering from a vicious attack. The Doctor clearly enjoys the chance to perform some cosplay, (seriously, the opening scene is just so much fun to listen to). But it’s not long before the story gets darker and more complex…
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Hidden depths
For the second half of the story, writer Chris Chapman really shakes things up. Plight of the Pimpernel takes a lot of twists and turns, and it gradually changes from a fun sci-fi historical adventure into a deep exploration of morality.
At one point, the Doctor is forced to ask himself a question: how far can someone go before they’re beyond worth saving? When does a person become truly irredeemable? The moral complexity certainly helps to keep the story fresh and adds a new dimension to it.
On top of that, Chris Chapman handles the Sixth Doctor and Peri extremely well. They’ve not always had the easiest of friendships, to say the least. (It doesn’t help that at the start of this incarnation, he actually strangled his companion due to post-regenerative trauma.)
But it’s a friendship that’s grown a great deal over the years, both on and off-screen, and Chapman highlights that beautifully. As well as showing just how strong the Sixth Doctor’s sense of morality has truly become by this point, he also reveals just how much both he and Peri care about each other. There are a lot of sweet moments that really help to sell this memorable TARDIS team.
Overall, Plight of the Pimpernel is an extremely enjoyable audio. It’s a fresh take on the “celebrity historical” story, (especially since the “celebrity” in this case is a fictional one,) and packs in a lot of twists and turns during its running time while also exploring many interesting themes. A solid audio adventure that’s a lot of fun to listen to.
Next. Time Lord Victorious – The major questions answered. dark
Are you a fan of The Scarlet Pimpernel and his many adventures? Should the Thirteenth Doctor meet the Pimpernel or other famous fictional characters? Let us know in the comments below.