The Monthly Adventures #023 - "Project: Twilight" by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright

Some people call Big Finish convoluted. Some people say that the Main Range is full of random references, interwoven stories, important scenes in entirely unrelated episodes and constant tie-ins with their other series. Some people say the Monthly Adventures can be hard to navigate. Those people are all correct. Project: Twilight is the beginning of the infamous Forge Arc, an odd, convoluted and often melodramatic series of stories that all begin here, in a bleak crime story with vampires and genetic experiments. We’re about to be on the trail of Nimrod and Cassie Schofield for a very, very long time, so strap in.

In 1915, shadowy organisation the Forge carried out genetic experiments of prisoners and soldiers from around the Isles. 86 years later, and the Doctor and Evelyn become embroiled in the disturbing going-ons in The Dusk, a London casino with the strangest of owners.

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

Project: Twilight is truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen in Doctor Who. Even on a relisten, I am shocked that this is a story in the Main Range and not an oddball, supernatural take on True Detective. This is not a script in which our characters belong; the Doctor in his technicolour dreamcoat or Evelyn Smythe, professor of history and enjoyer of cocoa should be running around the universe, fighting off big robots and lizardmen. Instead our villains this time are just real, nasty people. We are in a dingy little casino and we are unsafe, people can be killed just like that, and never in nice ways. Everybody is a monster or a wreck and it is miserable in the best possible way. This is a bloody, fascinating crime thriller that somehow made it into the family friendly prime time TV show Doctor Who’s expanded media, and I for one love it. I have a weird soft spot for vampire stories, I think that done well they can be some of the most versatile movie monsters; tragic, scary and fun is a rare combo and vampires usually check all three boxes, Project: Twilight being no exception. Cassie’s transformation hits close to the mark, Nimrod is terrific, fun character with an incredible vocal performance and Amelia and Reggie make for two of the most real, gritty, vile antagonists the show has ever seen, real bottom of the barrel scum, true human (well, not quite human) evil in their own despicable little ways. Everything here just clicks for me, it’s dark with a point, we are meant to feel out of our comfort zone, it’s not just needless violence (most of the time). The characters are interesting and the world is fleshed out, you feel real stakes and real horror as what the hell these people are planning is revealed to you. Adrenaline pumping action with some genuine care and nuance put into it, this is not a style Scott and Wright will give us again, instead opting for more B-movie notes and melodrama, so I’d savour it whilst you can.

However, the story can go too far. There are some moments that are unnecessary cruelty, which can be expected from a story like this, the line it walks on is razor thin. I think the main bit that just made me feel sick for little reason is when Reggie mutilates Cassie for snooping on him. I already am scared of Reggie, Cassie heals soon after because of the vampire mutation, we didn’t need any more reason to hate this guy or give any more reason for Cassie to kill him later on, this is just sickening and pointless. Also, as many others have noted, the Doctor and Evelyn both act really strangely throughout this audio, they hardly ever react to what’s going on around them, despite how horrifying it is. You can not convince me that 60-year-old history professor Evelyn Smythe, who gives her students chocolate cake and knitted jumpers, will see a man explode, be covered in his viscera and just go “oh blast, looks like I’m covered in blood, what an inconvenience”. Also, pretty much every character is covered in blood from this moment on and then they never address it again. There is no space of time for them to go and change but nobody ever acknowledges that they’re covered in a man’s insides.

I think Project: Twilight is brilliant. Horrific and gritty genius that pushes the characters and the listener out of their comfort zone and into unexplored realms, forced to confront the dredges of society through the lens of a vampire story. It teeters on edginess but just saves itself for me, easily a personal favourite.

8/10

Pros:

+ A truly unique story: grim, bleak and ugly

+ Amelia and especially Reggie made for absolutely vile villains

+ Nimrod is an incredibly entertaining character and performance

+ Cassie was easily likeable and a good, grounded character in this madhouse of a story

+ Gripping story with a twisting plot

Cons:

- Needlessly cruel at points

- The Doctor and Evelyn both feel strangely out of character and unreactive

- A couple annoying but ultimately minor plot holes

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I didn't see the vampire twist coming, and thought the Forge teases for this arc were perfectly set up. I am SO intrigued how this arc is going to continue in future stories. I also enjoyed the dynamic between the Doctor and Evelyn being a bit more strained than usual, I love when companions stand up to him and don't take his nonsense.

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

"Project: Twilight – A Dark, Eerie Thriller with Rich Performances"

Project: Twilight weaves an eerie and sinister tale right from the start, immersing the audience in its unsettling world as the Doctor and Evelyn Smythe stumble into a web of mystery and danger. The story begins with tantalizing glimpses of horrifying acts and sinister characters, creating an unsettling atmosphere that tightens as the narrative progresses.

The grim setting, laced with dead bodies, blood, and macabre details, immediately sets the tone. The sound design and evocative music amplify the tension, perfectly complementing the stellar performances. Colin Baker’s portrayal of the Sixth Doctor is as commanding as ever, while Maggie Stables shines as Evelyn, whose moral grounding and sharp wit create a compelling contrast to the dark events around them.

The story’s atmosphere remains deeply uneasy throughout, with sinister undertones that keep the listener on edge. Nimrod, voiced chillingly by Stephen Chance, emerges as a standout villain. His cold, calculating nature and haunting voice linger long after his scenes, while Rob Dixon’s Reggie is equally detestable, played with a menacing edge that makes his every action discomforting.

Project: Twilight takes a fresh spin on the vampire mythos, delivering a Doctor Who twist that feels both inventive and unsettling. The introduction of the Forge and its enigmatic lore adds depth to the narrative, laying the groundwork for future stories while keeping the current plot engaging.

The cliffhanger at the end of Part 2 is a standout moment, with Nimrod’s chilling reveal sending shivers down the spine. The Doctor’s shock at encountering vampires—despised by Time Lords—is a highlight, as is his fraught dynamic with Evelyn, who challenges him on ethical and moral grounds.

As the story progresses, the darkness deepens, with Part 3 delivering an unexpected and grim twist that forces the Doctor to confront the consequences of his actions. Some of the imagery is strikingly grotesque—so much so that it would likely never make it to television—adding a visceral edge to the narrative.

However, the plot becomes somewhat convoluted in Part 4, where the intricate threads of the story threaten to overwhelm the pacing. The conclusion, while serviceable, feels abrupt and slightly unsatisfying, leaving a few loose ends dangling.

📝Verdict: 8/10

Project: Twilight is a haunting and atmospheric story elevated by its performances, music, and sound design. Despite a slightly rushed ending, it introduces compelling lore and memorable villains, making it a standout entry in the Sixth Doctor’s audio adventures.

I guess I was just left weirdly indifferent to Project: Twilight, even with the surprising amount of violence.  As the start of something I know will be followed up on later and does have its fans, I certainly expected more.  It's a weird choice for Evelyn to be in a story like this and I am baffled they didn't focus on her in more historical stories.  I do like how we get into a lot of world building through this story.  I can definitely appreciate aspects of Project: Twilight through that.  There's moments I really like where Evelyn is reflecting on her travels with the Doctor but there is a certain tone and sense to the story that a person wouldn't really enjoy the experience either if this was the sort of thing they were stuck experiencing.  I suppose I'd rather Big Finish experiment with darker ideas than just do the same bland thing over and over again so even though I didn't really enjoy this story much, I can't begrudge it's stranger choices.

I can tell you it is one of those stories I want to like. I can hear the quality and effort clearly put into the production. I can appreciate it is different and Evelyn is still a joy, even here, so I am predisposed to want to like all of her stories.

But I found it long and a little self-indulgent. It reminds me a little of how the Virgin New Adventures realized they didn't have to worry about censorship but then veered hard into dark content.

I have no issue with that, specifically, but it feels like it didn't have much purpose here other than to hype up the vampires. Which I think the world building around The Forge actually did better than the violence. The graphic stuff just kind of made me depressed here.

Disclaimer: This Review features slight Spoilers for Jubilee, you have been warned!

I love Vampires, they are my favorite classical Monsters, there is so much you can do with them. I'd argue even with some of their lesser stellar Outing in the Past, be it in Novels or Films, there is still at least something to grab on it.

'Project Twilight' still has Elements I like, Ideas which are intriguing and yet.. what did I listen to?

I am somebody who argues Doctor Who can and at times *should*, if it's allowed to explore some darker themes, which you couldn't do on the TV Show and yes this Story does explore some mature Topics. But I sadly cannot emphasize on it, exploring it well.

Its graphic Imagery feels 'edgy' at times, almost trying to shock you and making you go: "Oh this is Doctor Who?" and it just doesn't work. It feels like it does all of it for the sake of it.

Let's look at a later, more grim 6 Story! 'Jubilee' has some dark Imagery as well, but with this one, despite it being at times more violent. I mean, 6 loses his legs, it never feels like Shearman does it because he can, he uses his Imagery to emphasize how this version of 6 feels lost. Can you tell me when and if this Story does that? No? We are just basically torturing a poor Woman?

It feels unnecessary cruel. Now, do I think a cruel Story can work? Oh, Absolutely!! But Cavan just writes a very cruel Story, which I argue (at least for me) lacks some Depth or the Reason to be that.

And yet I do like some of its Concept presented here, the Forge seems interesting for example. All of our Actors do a good Job at it and if it wasn't for them and giving in a solid Performances, I think I would dislike this Audio much more.

Again I mentioned it somewhere before, but I hate to be negative, but I can't hide my Disappointment, I love me a good Vampire Tale, but this just puts me off.