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“MEDICINAL PURPOSES: A DARK DOSE OF HISTORY”

Medicinal Purposes takes us deep into the grim and murky streets of 1827 Edinburgh, where bodysnatchers William Burke and William Hare are on a murderous spree, selling fresh corpses to the enigmatic Dr Robert Knox. Against this chilling backdrop, the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn find themselves entangled in a historical tragedy that cannot be rewritten—one that soon takes a sinister turn when the Doctor realises that Knox may not be as bound by time as he first appears.

With its brooding atmosphere, historical intrigue, and an unsettling moral dilemma at its core, Medicinal Purposes delivers an eerie, if somewhat uneven, exploration of medical ethics, exploitation, and the weight of history.

AN UNEASY START IN A CITY OF SHADOWS

The story gradually sets the scene, unfolding through the drinking and debauchery of Burke and Hare, their harassment of Daft Jamie, and the shadowy dealings that fuel Edinburgh’s illicit cadaver trade. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Evelyn materialise beneath the city in its underground catacombs, slowly piecing together where—and when—they are.

Writer Robert Ross chooses to drip-feed the historical context through a series of hints and teases from the Doctor, but this ends up dragging the pacing. The Doctor’s cryptic approach to revealing the setting is more frustrating than mysterious, especially for Evelyn, who is left playing catch-up for longer than necessary. The first episode builds a foreboding atmosphere, but it culminates in a fairly weak cliffhanger, with the Doctor simply meeting Burke, Hare, and Jamie in a pub.

The first half of the story unfolds in a fairly straightforward manner—Burke and Hare work to conceal their true activities, while Dr Knox gradually makes his presence felt. It’s a grim and dirty period in history, and while the setting is well-realised, the script doesn’t always maximise its potential. The tension builds only in fits and starts, with characters often rehashing the same conversations rather than propelling the plot forward.

KNOX, TIME, AND A TWISTED EXPERIMENT

The story’s greatest strength lies in its handling of Dr Robert Knox, played with a mix of charm and menace by Leslie Phillips. Initially appearing as a historical figure conducting dubious medical research, Knox quickly emerges as something far more sinister. When it’s revealed that he owns a Type 70 TARDIS—purchased, rather than stolen—it suddenly shifts the story’s scope. This isn’t just about bodysnatchers and unethical anatomy lessons; it’s about a man from the future exploiting time itself for personal and scientific gain.

Knox’s parallels with Doctor Who’s classic villains are intriguing—his scientific ambition and disregard for human life evoke Dr Frankenstein, while his time-traveling meddling has echoes of Magnus Greel from The Talons of Weng-Chiang. He is, in essence, a historical figure warped by the possibilities of time travel, using his knowledge of future medicine to manipulate the past for his own ends.

One particularly clever moment comes when Knox subtly tests Evelyn’s knowledge by mentioning Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde—a book that wouldn’t be written for another 60 years. When she acknowledges the reference, Knox immediately realises she and the Doctor are time travellers, adding another layer of intrigue to his character.

Despite his compelling premise, Knox isn’t used to his full potential. His confrontations with the Doctor are intriguing but not as tense as they could be, and after the initial shock of his TARDIS reveal, the story struggles to escalate the threat he poses.

DAFT JAMIE – A TRAGIC STANDOUT

The most emotionally resonant figure in the story is Daft Jamie, voiced by David Tennant in his final Big Finish role before stepping into the Tenth Doctor’s shoes on television. Jamie is portrayed as a mentally and physically challenged young man, whose kindness and guilelessness make him an easy target for those around him. Tennant’s performance is committed and affecting, though modern audiences might find the characterisation somewhat outdated in its depiction of neurodiversity.

Jamie’s importance to the plot lies in his unique perspective—he notices details that others overlook, making him an invaluable source of information for the Doctor. The Doctor, in turn, treats Jamie with genuine care and respect, even briefly adopting him as a companion of sorts. Their dynamic is a highlight, with the Doctor recognising Jamie’s worth and intelligence in a way that those around him do not.

However, the final moments of Jamie’s story are devastating. Despite his crucial role in helping the Doctor, history demands that Jamie must die—murdered by Burke and Hare to ensure that his name goes down in history. The Doctor and Evelyn are forced to return him to his fate, knowing they cannot save him without rewriting a fixed point in time. It’s a chilling reminder of the limits of the Doctor’s interference, and the story’s most powerful moment.

THE DOCTOR AND EVELYN – A FRACTURED DYNAMIC

After their recent tensions, the Doctor and Evelyn are back on more stable footing here, though their dynamic feels slightly off. Evelyn, usually one of the Doctor’s sharpest companions, is written as overly inquisitive, asking constant questions and appearing a step behind for much of the story. She’s also noticeably dismissive towards Jamie, which feels out of character for someone usually so compassionate.

Meanwhile, the Doctor himself swings back towards his more brash and confrontational tendencies, after his recent mellowing. While this fits the setting—a grim period of history where injustice is rife—it does make their interactions a little more stilted than usual.

Evelyn ultimately doesn’t have a great deal to do, which is a shame given how well she usually complements the Sixth Doctor’s personality. Their partnership remains compelling, but the story doesn’t give them many moments to truly shine.

A DARK ATMOSPHERE WITH UNEVEN PACING

The production successfully creates a sense of foreboding, with ominous music and a bleak tone that underscores the horror of the real-life events being depicted. The atmosphere is strong, immersing the listener in Edinburgh’s grim underbelly.

However, the pacing is inconsistent. Much of the first half feels repetitive, with characters discussing the same information without much progression. Part 3 finally injects some much-needed urgency, particularly with the Doctor’s confrontation with Knox, but this momentum isn’t fully sustained. The climax, while thematically strong, doesn’t feel as dramatic as it could have been. Knox’s final confrontation with the Doctor fizzles out rather than delivering a truly memorable showdown.

The final gut-punch, however, comes with Jamie’s fate. Just as the Doctor and Evelyn seem to have resolved the main conflict, they are forced to return Jamie to his inevitable death—a stark reminder that history cannot always be rewritten.

📝VERDICT: 6.7/10

Medicinal Purposes has an intriguing premise and a strong atmosphere but struggles with pacing and underused elements. The historical setting is well-realised, and Knox’s reveal as a time-travelling scientist adds an interesting twist, but the story never fully capitalises on its potential.

David Tennant’s performance as Daft Jamie is both compelling and uncomfortable, adding a layer of tragic depth to the narrative. His fate provides the story’s most powerful moment, underscoring the Doctor’s limitations in the face of fixed history.

Despite its shortcomings, Medicinal Purposes remains an engaging listen, particularly for those interested in Doctor Who’s historical horror stories. It just never quite reaches the heights it aspires to.