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“THE INHERITANCE: A THRILLING INTRODUCTION TO A NEW ERA”

Big Finish kicks off a new chapter for the Eleventh Doctor with The Inheritance, a gripping and emotionally charged audio adventure that wastes no time throwing us into the action. With a mysterious virus, a corrupt corporation, a unique new companion, and a villain who refuses to go down easily, this story delivers a powerful blend of high-stakes thrills and rich character drama.

A DYNAMIC AND IMMEDIATE START

Right from the opening moments, The Inheritance sets itself apart with an energetic and gripping introduction. Instead of the usual slow build-up, the Eleventh Doctor quite literally lands on the doorstep of Valarie Lockwood with a bomb in hand—just as a deadly virus claims the life of her friend. It’s a chaotic, fast-paced start that immediately establishes the high stakes while also making Valarie’s first encounter with the Doctor feel deeply personal.

The narrative wastes no time in pulling the pair into a larger conspiracy, with Arabella Hendricks, the enigmatic and ruthless CEO of Fulcrum Corporation, enlisting them to find a cure for the outbreak before it spreads further. Of course, things are far from what they seem, and the story takes some fascinating turns as it explores not just the origins of the virus but the corporate greed driving it.

VALARIE LOCKWOOD – A COMPELLING NEW COMPANION

Valarie Lockwood is one of Big Finish’s most engaging original companions in years. A tech-savvy, part-cybernetic woman from a futuristic world where cybernetic enhancements are commonplace, she brings a fresh dynamic to the Doctor’s world. Unlike the Cybermen’s horrific vision of forced upgrades, Valarie’s enhancements are a natural part of her life, aiding her rather than defining her.

Safiyaa Ingar immediately shines in the role, delivering a performance full of warmth, intelligence, and strength. She shares an instant and natural chemistry with Jacob Dudman’s Doctor, making their partnership feel organic from the very beginning. Valarie isn’t just another bystander swept up in the Doctor’s adventures—she’s already an active force in her own world, fighting for the safety of her mother and friends long before she even meets him.

What makes her introduction particularly effective is how the story integrates her everyday life with the unfolding sci-fi chaos. We get a genuine sense of her relationships, her motivations, and her world before everything falls apart, making her losses feel devastatingly real. The moment she loses her mother to the virus is a gut punch, and Ingar’s performance in that scene is utterly heart-wrenching.

A MONSTER WITH A MESSAGE

The creature at the heart of The Inheritance is one of the more unique and thought-provoking threats Doctor Who has tackled. A parasitic entity that thrives within money, it specifically targets the wealthy—killing those who hoard wealth while sparing those who actively spend it. This is a brilliantly sharp and satirical concept, turning economic systems into a literal life-or-death struggle.

Beyond its clever premise, the parasite also serves as a biting critique of capitalism and corporate exploitation. The story touches on inheritance scams, unethical medical testing, and the ways in which corporations create fear to manipulate people into parting with their money. Fulcrum Corporation’s scheme—exploiting a manufactured crisis to push their own products and increase their wealth—feels chillingly relevant in a world where real-life companies profit from people’s desperation.

This thematic depth makes The Inheritance more than just an action-packed adventure. It’s a story with something to say, using science fiction to explore real-world anxieties in a way that Doctor Who has always excelled at.

ARABELLA HENDRICKS – A FORMIDABLE ADVERSARY

Lara Lemon delivers a pitch-perfect performance as Arabella Hendricks, the calculating and deeply detestable CEO of Fulcrum Corporation. While on the surface she might seem like a fairly straightforward villain—manipulative, self-serving, and ruthlessly efficient—her true strength as an antagonist comes from her ability to push the Doctor to his limits.

Unlike some villains who are easily outwitted, Hendricks is always a step ahead. She doesn’t just rely on brute force or intimidation—she plays mind games, exploiting weaknesses and dangling information that she knows the Doctor desperately wants. In this case, it’s a piece of knowledge about Clara Oswald, something that nearly tempts the Doctor into making a terrible mistake.

This all leads to a tense and unsettling final confrontation. When Valarie’s life hangs in the balance and the Doctor is left to face Hendricks alone, we see a side of Eleven that isn’t often explored—one haunted by his past, filled with barely contained rage, and standing on the edge of doing something he’ll regret. The scene where he mentally tortures Hendricks into surrendering is a stark reminder of the darkness lurking beneath his manic exterior, making for an incredibly powerful moment.

And yet, Hendricks isn’t easily beaten. Even in defeat, she makes it clear that this isn’t the last the Doctor and Valarie will see of her. It’s a rare thing in Big Finish for an original villain to leave such a lasting impression, but Hendricks does just that, setting the stage for future encounters that promise to be just as compelling.

A STRONG START TO A NEW ERA

One of the best things about The Inheritance is how well it balances its responsibilities. It’s not just a gripping standalone adventure—it’s also an introduction to Valarie Lockwood, a setup for long-term themes, and a foundation for a fresh dynamic between the Doctor and his new companion. It handles all of these elements effortlessly, never feeling like an exposition dump or a box-ticking exercise.

It also sidesteps many of the usual tropes associated with companion introductions. There’s no drawn-out sequence of Valarie marvelling at the TARDIS or questioning every aspect of the Doctor’s world. Instead, the story trusts the audience to accept these elements naturally, allowing it to focus on developing Valarie as a character rather than getting bogged down in the usual “bigger on the inside” beats.

Likewise, the pacing is excellent. While the stakes are high from the very beginning, the story never feels rushed or overloaded. There’s room for quiet, character-driven moments amid the action, making the emotional beats hit even harder.

📝 VERDICT: 9/10

The Inheritance is a fantastic debut for Valarie Lockwood and a strong start to a new era of Eleventh Doctor audio adventures. It blends thrilling action, compelling character work, and sharp social commentary into a gripping, emotionally charged story.

Safiyaa Ingar and Jacob Dudman share an instant chemistry, setting up a partnership that promises great things ahead. Lara Lemon’s Arabella Hendricks is a formidable antagonist who leaves a lasting impact, and the story’s central concept—a money-based parasite that punishes greed—is both clever and thematically rich.

With high stakes, powerful performances, and a compelling new companion, The Inheritance isn’t just a great introduction—it’s a great story in its own right.