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"The Sirens of Time Redux: A Fresh Spin on a Flawed Classic"

To mark 25 years of Doctor Who audios, Big Finish has re-released their debut Main Range adventure, The Sirens of Time, with a re-edited version that breathes new life into the story.

This revamped edit smartly interweaves the adventures of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors throughout the first three parts, giving it a stronger multi-Doctor feel and reinforcing the connections between their separate narratives. The parallels between their experiences are much clearer, creating a more cohesive story.

The new structure begins directly with the Fifth Doctor on the German U-boat, followed by the Seventh Doctor on the alien planet, and eventually introduces the Sixth Doctor after the Gallifrey scenes. This reshuffling makes for a more dynamic and engaging narrative flow, addressing some of the pacing issues in the original.

The cliffhangers have also been reworked to better effect. The Part 1 cliffhanger now serves as an introduction to both the Sixth Doctor and the mysterious Temperon, while Part 2 also features Six, giving him a bigger presence early on. However, Part 3’s cliffhanger doesn’t quite match the impact of the first two.

That said, while the new edit improves pacing and cohesion, it can’t entirely fix the inherent flaws in the writing. The story retains its occasional confusion and moments of emptiness, leaving some scenes feeling underdeveloped.

Part 3 ramps up the tension effectively across all three timelines but remains somewhat chaotic in its execution. Meanwhile, Part 4 is largely unchanged from the original, featuring the three Doctors uniting against the titular Sirens of Time. Unfortunately, this final instalment still suffers from an overlong and cluttered script.

On the bright side, the audio effects for the Temperon and the Sirens have been noticeably improved, lending a more polished feel to their dialogue.

📝Verdict: 6/10

Ultimately, The Sirens of Time Redux succeeds in giving this landmark story a fresh coat of paint, improving its structure and accessibility. While it doesn’t overcome all the original’s weaknesses, it’s a worthwhile revisit for fans and an intriguing showcase of how far Big Finish has come in 25 years.