Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“TERROR FIRMA – AN AMNESIAC’S HOMECOMING”

Terror Firma marks a significant turning point in the Eighth Doctor’s audio journey. Released shortly after Doctor Who's triumphant return to television in 2005, it’s the first Big Finish audio where Paul McGann officially plays a "past" Doctor. It’s also a welcome return to the regular universe for the Doctor, Charley, and C’rizz after the often divisive Divergent Universe arc—and what a way to crash back into reality. Within minutes, they’re captured by Daleks, and the story kicks off with a chilling cold open in which Davros mercilessly electrocutes an innocent woman in front of her brother. Welcome home indeed.

Writer Joseph Lidster doesn’t bother with slow reveals—within the first few minutes, Daleks are stomping about, and Davros is very much front and centre. But what unfolds is far more than a typical Dalek war story. Instead, Terror Firma becomes a layered, psychological thriller about memory, trauma, manipulation, and the cost of the Doctor’s actions.

DAVROS, THE MAN WHO WOULD BE GOD

Terry Molloy delivers a powerhouse performance as Davros, who is more deranged than ever—but also deeply manipulative. Davros here isn’t merely a megalomaniacal scientist; he’s a man who’s finally trying to transcend his limitations. His mind has been transplanted into a cloned body, granting him newfound freedom—and madness. As he plays mind games with the Doctor, he spins a web of twisted logic, insisting he wants peace while simultaneously creating human-Dalek hybrids and infecting humanity with a mutating virus.

It’s classic Davros-meets-theatre, with scenes that harken back to Genesis of the Daleks and Revelation of the Daleks. His arguments with the Doctor are less about domination and more about philosophy, destiny, and the inevitability of death. The “virus of death” idea—a meme Davros can't seem to shake—is updated here with disturbing effectiveness: humans converted into Daleks, not just in body but in mind, their loyalty absolute.

THE GRIFFINS AND THE GHOSTS OF COMPANIONS PAST

The emotional centre of the story is the Griffin family: Harriet, a seemingly daffy party hostess who’s actually the leader of an underground resistance, and her two children, Samson and the deceased Gemma. Except... Gemma isn’t dead. She’s been transformed into a human Dalek. And Samson? He was once the Doctor’s companion—alongside Gemma. These aren’t new characters; they’re memory-holed remnants of the Eighth Doctor’s past, whose presence retroactively explains why the Doctor was travelling alone at the start of Storm Warning.

The flashbacks peppered throughout each episode gradually unveil the tragic backstory, from the Doctor’s initial adventures with the Griffins to Davros’ manipulation of their memories and identities. The final pieces fall into place in Part 3, where the sheer emotional weight of what’s been lost and twisted lands with full force.

This is a bold narrative move that redefines the early Eighth Doctor era, turning the whimsical start of Storm Warning into something far darker. And it works.

THE DOCTOR, CHARLEY, AND C’RIZZ – SPLIT FOCUS BUT STRONG DYNAMICS

Paul McGann shines here, clearly relishing the meaty material. His Doctor runs the emotional gamut: joy at being back in the universe, despair at learning he enabled Davros’ conquest, fury at his old enemy, and sorrow at the fate of Samson and Gemma. The balance between his romantic idealism and buried guilt is perfectly judged.

India Fisher’s Charley is excellent as ever, but somewhat sidelined by the weight of the Davros plot. She does, however, share touching scenes with C’rizz, as they comfort and support one another. C’rizz, long a divisive character, finally gets a major standout moment when he lashes out at a Dalek in raw frustration—an explosive, cathartic moment that earns him some long-overdue character development.

Still, it’s clear that Lidster’s real interest lies with Davros, the Doctor, and the Griffins, which means Charley and especially C’rizz are pushed to the periphery for much of the story.

A DARK COMEDY BENEATH THE HORROR

Lidster laces the story with a blackly comic tone that teeters on absurd. The early scenes of Daleks casually greeting the Doctor  are hilarious, and the Earth citizens’ weird apathy to being ruled by Daleks creates a surreal tension. The humour doesn’t undercut the menace—it contrasts with it, making the later horrors hit harder. When the mask comes off and the story reveals how far Davros has gone, it’s genuinely unnerving.

But this surreal tone does fade as the story darkens, and by the end, it’s closer to Greek tragedy than satire.

CLIFFHANGERS AND REVELATIONS

Each of the three cliffhangers is a mini-masterpiece. Part 1 ends with the Daleks revealing that this new world is a future Earth. Part 2 ties directly into Storm Warning, reframing the Eighth Doctor’s audio era. Part 3 turns everything upside-down again, as the Daleks are revealed to be rebelling against Davros, not working with him. Gemma, Davros’ twisted creation, has joined their cause. And now they want C’rizz to become their new emperor.

It’s bold, layered storytelling, constantly recontextualising everything we thought we knew.

📝VERDICT: 10/10

Terror Firma is a chaotic, ambitious, and emotionally charged return to the main universe for the Eighth Doctor. While not everything lands—the sidelining of Charley and C’rizz, a few over-the-top moments, and some continuity-bending twists that might confuse casual listeners—Joseph Lidster’s script is packed with bold ideas, unforgettable scenes, and excellent performances.

This is Big Finish storytelling at its most psychologically intense and narratively ambitious. With Paul McGann and Terry Molloy at the top of their game, and a plot that connects the dots between Storm Warning and the Eighth Doctor’s unknown past, Terror Firma stands as a unique and essential chapter in the Eighth Doctor saga.