Part one in the Legacy Of Time release.

Other than to mark 20 years of Big Finish, I wasn’t really sure what this was about, but with most celebration stories it features lots of stuff past and present.

This starts with River Song breaking into a tomb only to find Benny Summerfield has got there first. The two know each other as River was Bennys student, and there is a little rivalry there.

River has really met her match here and the interaction is great, both are great characters and have had their own share of adventures.

When the Eighth Doctor arrives with a new companion, who seems to be more or a parody, you do wonder if this is the real Doctor, as he doesn’t seem that interested in Benny or River.

The place seems to be whats left of a planet thats been spit out by the time war and an aliens want it for its mineral wealth.

The Eighth Doctor is avoiding the time war here. With that and the mixture of old and new it does feel like they used the same idea for the Once and Future series in 2023, only this is perhaps better.

There is a musical due from the tv series which is really nice if you recognise it - this is a celebration after all. There is some mystery, and twists.

Its interesting that The Doctor himself is more of a secondary character, and his rage in the second half comes a little out of nowhere. There’s no build up, at least not in this audio, to make it justified, though it does demonstrate the Doctors emotions.

If there is an overall arc to this series its not immediately apparent as to what it is but I’m eager for the next episode.

A good start.