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“THE STORY DEMON – SIX, CONSTANCE, AND THE DALEK THAT TOLD GHOST STORIES”

The Sixth Doctor and Constance Clarke return in The Cosmos and Mrs Clarke, a three-part box set from Big Finish, and the opening story, The Story Demon, is a deliciously eerie blend of mythic mystery and Dalek deception. Set on a remote alien planet, the tale drops our TARDIS team into a quiet, snow-dusted village built from starship wreckage, surrounded by oppressive forests and lurking terrors. It’s part Norse folklore, part post-apocalyptic sci-fi, and it sets a beautifully bleak tone right from the start.

Here, the villagers live in fear of the Birnamen – terrifying, monstrous creatures that stalk the wilderness and pounce at the village walls every night. Adding to the unsettling atmosphere is the titular Story Demon: a battered Dalek shell with a speaker box attached, whose sole purpose appears to be entertaining the village children with ghost stories. Yes, a Dalek spinning bedtime tales. No, it’s clearly not as innocent as it seems.

DALEK HORROR, FABLE-FORM

The central twist – that the Story Demon is, in fact, a dormant Dalek luring in a host – is no surprise, but it’s executed with effective dread. The creeping horror of the Dalek slowly reawakening, of Wyatt being coaxed into its shell by desperation and grief, is chilling. The story draws a brilliant parallel with Revenge of the Sith's Anakin Skywalker: here, too, a frightened man is seduced by power and control in a misguided attempt to protect someone he loves.

Wyatt’s descent is believable, if tragic, and the moment he’s locked into the casing – and begins unknowingly powering up the Dalek with his emotional turmoil – is one of the story’s most intense beats. His sister Birch’s reaction, rushing to confront what’s left of him, is moving and painful, even if the scene ends a little too abruptly. Big Finish could have leaned even further into the horror here, but what we get still hits hard.

SIX, CONSTANCE, AND THE VILLAGE OF SECRETS

Colin Baker is on commanding form, and Miranda Raison continues to bring grace and steel to Constance Clarke. The story wisely splits them up for much of the runtime: while the Doctor heads out into the wilderness with Birch to uncover the truth about the Birnamen, Constance investigates the crashed Dalek ship and the dormant mutant still causing havoc. This dual structure allows for a dynamic pace and multiple revelations.

Birch, meanwhile, is a standout supporting character. Brave, resourceful, and quietly rebellious, she fits right into the Doctor’s orbit. Her dynamic with Six – especially when he explains the true nature of Daleks – is wonderful. The golden line, “A Dalek could say ‘I love you’ and all you would hear is ‘Exterminate’,” is a hauntingly poetic insight into the Dalek mind and perhaps the story’s most memorable moment.

Her brother Wyatt is a more volatile presence, his arc driven by protectiveness and fear. His mental fragility, and the way the Dalek manipulates it, adds layers to what could have been a simple victim role.

OF MONSTERS AND MEN

The Birnamen, initially positioned as the big threat, are later revealed to be protectors in a symbiotic relationship with the villagers – each linked to a single person. This is a familiar Doctor Who twist, but it works nicely here, especially when the true enemy – the Daleks – emerge and the Birnamen rise to defend their people.

Their connection to the villagers adds a tragic weight: every time one of them dies in the wilderness, so does their human counterpart inside the walls. It creates a sense of ever-present threat, even within the supposed sanctuary of the settlement.

And speaking of the settlement – the Viking-meets-Face-of-Evil aesthetic is brilliant. Snow, scrap metal, and looming wooden gates give the village a tangible, tactile sense of place. It feels ancient and futuristic at once, a world that has lost its past but still clings to old traditions and superstitions.

DALEK PATHOS AND POSTMORTEMS

One of the more fascinating elements is the exploration of Dalek identity. The idea that a Dalek mutant could feel love or sorrow, but that the casing translates all emotion into hatred and violence, is a brilliant concept. It adds a tragic edge to the monsters, suggesting that deep within every Dalek may be a shred of something else – something lost or buried. This might not be entirely in line with Dalek canon across all media, but as a thematic exploration, it’s stunning.

The final showdown – where the Dalek recognises the Doctor and explodes into a fury, only to be crushed by a charging Birnaman – is a satisfying climax. It doesn’t try to outdo the emotional weight of earlier scenes, instead giving the story a final burst of catharsis.

📝 VERDICT: 94/100

The Story Demon kicks off The Cosmos and Mrs Clarke with a powerful mix of classic Doctor Who tropes and fresh psychological horror. It’s a story about how fear erodes reason, how love can be twisted into violence, and how monsters aren’t always what they seem. With excellent performances, strong world-building, and a genuinely unsettling take on the Daleks, this is a sharp, thoughtful, and memorable opener – not quite a fairytale, but something far darker and far more satisfying.