Who is no Stranger when it comes to Stories seen as universally beloved or universally disliked. While everybody heavily disliked Story has its fans and every heavily liked Story has the People who don’t like it or aren’t too massive on it. There is no denying that there are Stories with a certain Reputation to their Name.
But why I am even talking about this here? Well Jubilee is one of the few that has a certain Fan reputation, that being heavily beloved and with any Stories with such strong Reputation, I am always taking my Time before I get around to them. Because while I try to have my Expectations trimmed, Part of me can’t help to have Doubts or the Fear that it can’t live up to all the Hype.

Well, do I feel stupid for doubting Shearman. This Story delivers and can be described (in my eyes at least) as perfect Doctor Who. And while giving out the Word “Perfect” is bold, since really there is no perfect Story truly, for me at least it tickles all the right corners to be considered perfect. And that while (at least so far, it might change the more Time I have to sit on it) not being a Top 20 Personal Favorite!

What can I even say what hasn’t been said? Its Commentary is biting and powerful. The Humorous Moments work brilliantly, and some of which can be read as some nice Commentary about Dalekmania in the 60s. But of course the Humor is only a small Part of it. What really makes this Story standout is how it portrays Fascism, which is done in such a superb yet unpleased Way.

The Performances as well shine here, especially Colin. Of course, all the others from Maggie to the Side Casts to even Briggs give some stellar Performances.

Honestly, what is more to say with this one, what hasn’t been said? A clever, yet horrifying Story about Fascism filled with the right amount of dark humor.

As far as Adaptions, while I prefer this one over Dalek, I find the latter hardly an adaption and at best only borrows certain few Traits of this Story. Both are very different in their Purpose, so while Comparison would be bound to happen, I don’t necessarily think they are fair, especially since both Story very much fit in their Corner of the World of Who. One uses its Freedom of being a Wilderness Years Tale to its full extent and offers some horrifying and at times brutal Moments. While the other works well as an Important Character Piece in its Series of NuWho. Both have their very own Thing going for them, but then again I can’t blame people for comparing them, since Dalek often gets coined as an Adaption, when it’s really at best only “inspired” by Jubilee.

Jubilee is frequently front and centre of any recommendations for newer listeners, mostly due to vague elements of Jubilee being repackaged in a certain episode of Series 1 of Modern Who written by the same writer. Though I should emphasise that Jubilee and Dalek are two very different stories conveying very different meanings.

Jubilee sees the Doctor and Evelyn land in an alternate timeline where the Daleks attempted to invade in 1903 but were defeated by the Doctor and Evelyn in an adjacent timeline. In doing so they unwittingly created a darker world of 2003 where the British Empire used the remains of the Dalek technology to fully conquer the world and now rule it with similar ideals to the Daleks. The last Dalek alive has been locked away in the Tower of London and regularly tortured, for the 100^th anniversary of the English Empire’s formation the Dalek is due to be executed with the Doctor as the guest of honour.

As I said, Jubilee does have familiar elements that were later used in Dalek, such as a single damaged and slightly insane Dalek being held prisoner and tortured to try and make it talk, the scene where the Doctor and the Dalek first meet which is almost line for line, the Dalek forming an attachment to the companion and even a similar and clever ending that I won’t spoil as it’s not quite the same as in Dalek. If you love Dalek, then you’ll love this just as much if not more. Dalek was more of an action thriller whereas Jubilee is more complex and psychological, it employs meta-commentary for how the Daleks, a race of fearsome killing machines have become a top merchandise seller and absorbed into pop culture, the same way the Daleks have in reality, while also drawing parallels to how the Nazis were treated in a similar fashion after their defeat. Going from a powerful and feared force to being the butt of many war jokes and parodies, the token villains of war films and spy novels. The story even opens with an over-the-top Hollywood Dalek movie trailer where the Doctor’s remembered as an action hero. It delves into how the winning side in history glorifies themselves and belittles their enemies while being unaware of how corrupt they in turn may become.

Now something to warn new listeners about, in Big Finish’s early days they had free reign to put whatever they wanted in their stories as they weren’t constrained by audience restrictions. As a result, a lot of their early stories contained inappropriate elements like swearing or sex or grotesque violence. Sometimes it’s handled well, and I like Doctor Who with a bit of meat on it, but it can come as a bit of a shock to newer listeners and Jubilee in particular is a bit messed up in places!! Especially in part three where we learn some of the darker secrets of this alternate fascist England. It’s awesome but messed up and you’ve been warned.

Nicholas Briggs at this point had been voicing the Daleks for a couple of years and it was his work in Big Finish that got him noticed by regular listener Russell T. Davies and hired to voice the Daleks on TV, Everyone knows that Briggs is the voice of the Daleks through and through and there’s not been a better voice, in this story he gives what I consider his best performance as the Daleks. Particularly playing this single broken down Dalek that is similar to the one from Series 1 but has its own story and dilemma, it’s the true highlight of the story and has so many spectacular scenes with the Doctor and Evelyn.

There’s a good reason why Jubilee is often the first Big Finish audio many listeners, including myself, experience. It is every bit the masterpiece it’s been hyped up as and should be at the top of every fan’s list of must listen stories.

OMG OKAY I LOVE THIS ONE TO BITS. 5/5, one of my favourite Who stories ever - this is going to be a long one. Buckle up buttercups; we're unpacking British nationalism.

This whole audio is a truly chilling exploration of British nationalism and xenophobia, showing them as the horror they are; I am never getting over how incredible this audio is. I can very much see the later Dalek story in this - the roots are clear. I think this might even have 'Dalek' beat for me. I enjoyed the slower pace at the beginning. Also, I am tone deaf so I might be wrong hear, but, was the theme music thingy in a minor key?? Beautiful. Obsessed.

I really don't think I can say anything more than the audio said itself: we are become a culture based on hatred and humiliation. We create what we mock; we turn ourselves into monsters by mocking our fallen foes. The term 'stormtrooper' is even used - I guess we're forgoing any semblance of subtlety in the whole "Brits as Nazis" thing then. This isn't a bad thing, though - I like the heavy-handedness of it all. The free will as an alternative to power was fascinating and a very moving argument, and I feel like this story was finally asking the big questions about conquest and war and fascism and Daleks that we've all been waiting for. This is definitely the most interesting exploration of Daleks and their role in Doctor Who that I've ever seen - the return to their roots as nazis, plain and simple, was much appreciated. Go off Rob Shearman, you will always be famous.

Miriam, so desparate for a man to control her that she'd even kill her own husband - the whole audio was a very accurate portrayal of ingrained societal misogyny, especially of internal misogyny. The repeated line about needing a man who hits "hard enough to break the skin" has really stuck with me.

I really didn't think you could do anything new with people being two places at once in doctor who until I listened to this audio. The height of innovation and creativity. I think the moment that stood out to me most was when all the humans started chanting "Exterminate!". Chilling. Feels far too close to home.

Hell yeah suicidal last Dalek alive with no purpose mirroring the Time Lords/Doctor just like in 'Dalek' - Sherman was COOKING. WHERE ARE MY ORDERS. I am a Brit; tell me who to hate. I am a Time Lord so I am a Brit so I am a Dalek and as the last one left I deserve this hate, I get to commit these horrible atrocities because I am the most powerful and the only worthy; I hold the beliefs of all those who died before me. F*ck this goes hard.

I'd also like to single out two more lines - "your information is worthless" was the Daleks quite literally refusing to learn from history. Also, from my notes, "omg omg "the Daleks can only survive if they die" holy s**t" - clearly, I was very excited about the resolution! And I can see why past-me was obsessed with this ending. Fascism is unsustainable, and a self-contradiction - it collapses in on itself. It devours everything, including it's own proponents. The paradox of totalitarianism.

A wonderful focus on the 'soldierification' of companions - always one of my favourite ideas! We love traumatising our favourite companions!! And with the Dalek having empathy for the Doctor's compassionate companion who just believes in doing what's right - again, I can really see how this became 'Dalek'. Evelyn/Rose challenging the Doctor's pre-conceived notions so brilliantly... she just makes such a truly perfect foil to the Doctor.

I have to admit the whole "two times fusing together" thing wasn't the most well thought-through explanation I've heard, but the emotional and political side of this audio far make up for it. That's what's important anyway; the exploration of our colonialist society and it's misogynistic and fascist core, not the technobabble!

A wonderfully terrifying display of madness, of government, of blaming your personality on larger forces to escape the blame you fear will make you mad... I just feel like I cannot make any observations here that the audio didn't say explicitly itself. I have nothing to add. It's just such an incredibly written story. I feel like this should be required reading (or, uh, listening) for learning about democracy and fascism, right alongside things like 1984 and Animal Farm. A 5/5 story that I recommend to anyone who can take listening to Britain's descent into fascism. It is a truly horrific story that hits far, far too close to home for comfort, but that's the point. It's not supposed to be comfortable.

We can never allow ourselves to become comfortable with fascism.

Feel sick rn, need him back (Robert Shearman)

This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order.

Previous Story: The Sandman

It's an incredible challenge to make a Dalek story truly great, particularly on audio, so much so that whenever I see one coming up I typically write it off. Needless to say, Robert Shearman has made a genuinely fantastic Dalek story, maybe the best Dalek story of all time. Finally, we have an adventure where the Daleks are actually explored as characters, rather than mindless robots that only exist to make loud explosions.

From listening to this and The Holy Terror, it seems Rob Shearman likes his bizarre and absurd societies. The idea of an English Empire in which contracting words is illegal is utterly ridiculous but it makes an incredibly entertaining backdrop for this story. The President was a very fun character, Martin Jarvis really sold his absolute lunacy. The President's wife was similarly insane, but very much a different brand of it. She was also excellently played by Rosalind Ayres.

The way the characters kept flip-flopping between good and evil was fantastically written and performed. I was kept on the edge of my seat trying to guess who was secretly evil and who secretly good. Maggie Stables as Evelyn had some great moments with the lone Dalek and I love how this story actually went through with the "good Dalek" idea and didn't cheap out by having it betray Evelyn at the end. Overall, a fantastic story that definitely lives up to the hype.

Next Story: Doctor Who and the Pirates