This was a fantastic start to the box set, Sacha Dhawan Continues to play the Master incredibly well and I cannot wait to listen to more.

After listening to this I definitely feel i understand this masters mind more like fully just wow inner demons indeed

Self-help is an excellent start to Sacha Dhawans incarnation of the Master. It serves as a lovely bridge between The Doctor Falls and Spyfall and probably one of the earliest stories in this incarnations timeline as this story is him figuring himself out. Some alone time, some therapy, and some chaos to allow him to reconnect and realise who he is. Dhawan plays the insanity and chaos of this Master perfectly and gets many lovely Master moments, getting a decent array of acting moments in this story. It is a great start to the range and I look forward to hearing much more of this Master!

For the first half of the story I wasn’t really feeling it tbh. Dhawan is of course amazing, but it was exactly what I feared: leaning more wacky and a bit extra. While I love the chaotic energy of Spymaster in the show, I hoped it’d either be toned down a bit or have more of a sinister edge like it does in the show to prevent it from purely being wacky.

But shortly after the supporting cast are introduced and we get more time with them, I started to appreciate what they were doing more and found it more and more fun. By the end I enjoyed it, but not to the same degree that it seems everyone else here has.

This all being said, I do really love Kris going mask off though, that ruled. The story did a great job setting up the fact he was being a guru but just doing it for the money, and once we saw who he really was and him and The Master's positions switch was so fun!

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

“CALL ME MASTER: SELF-HELP – A CHAOTIC BUT INTRIGUING START”

Post-regeneration stories for the Master are a rarity, making Self-Help a unique and welcome addition to the Doctor Who audio landscape. This story follows Sacha Dhawan’s freshly reborn Spy Master as he grapples with his new identity while hiding out in a remote cave, engaging in self-reflective conversations with his own inner critic. The setup is fascinating, but the execution is as erratic as the Master himself—chaotic, unpredictable, and difficult to pin down.

FROM RECLUSE TO GURU

After being picked up by a passing spaceship, the Master assumes the role of the “Great Zenith,” a self-help guru leading motivational sessions for the small crew while secretly waiting for the ship to crash. This premise provides an entertaining balance between tension and dark comedy, as the crew either embraces or distrusts the Master’s wisdom, while he, in turn, oscillates between forming genuine friendships and plotting their demise. His reflections on past selves, particularly the identity crisis experienced as Missy, add an unexpected layer of psychological depth.

SACHA DHAWAN OWNS THE ROLE

Dhawan slips effortlessly back into the role, delivering a performance that blends Missy’s eccentricity, the War Master’s menace, and Simm’s manic unpredictability. The result is a Master who is even more volatile than usual, making him compelling but sometimes exhausting to follow. His narration adds a personal touch, allowing us deeper insight into his fractured mind.

A SLOW-BURN CAST AND A SCENIC DETOUR

The supporting cast doesn’t make a strong initial impression but gradually grows on the listener, particularly as they come to terms with the Master’s true nature. Their dynamic with him becomes more engaging once they realise that survival means sticking by his side, whether they like it or not. However, the final act—featuring an expedition through an alien jungle in search of a mysterious artefact—feels like an unnecessary detour. While it adds adventure-movie flair, it slows the pacing and ultimately leads to a slightly underwhelming twist.

I did enjoy the little First Doctor reference at the end ;)

📝VERDICT: 7/10

Self-Help is an intriguing but uneven opener that thrives on its psychological exploration of the Master but struggles with its own chaotic structure. Sacha Dhawan is excellent, and the self-help guru angle is fun, but the narrative meanders, and the final stretch drags. A solid, if somewhat unfocused, start to Call Me Master.

I don't even know how to start talking about this MASTERpiece! I will write a simple review, but eventually I will rewrite with more details! Just a quick review!

I was so hyped about the arrival of this box, since Sacha is one of my favorites incarnations of the Master, his acting, little mannerisms a voice are unforgettable! And since I was so hyped, I got a little scared I could be disappointed, but that wasn't the case, indeed, I was surprised with a story even better that I could ever imagine!

The setting, the characters and the plot really got me, I thought I wouldn't care about the other crew members, but they were amazing, even with short "screen" time.

And what really got me were the sequences when the Master had monologues and started to arguing with himself, Sacha did a brilliant work on these sequences!

Overall, this was a perfect episode, and Sacha was breathtaking, if he was already amazing on the show, now he shines even more with better script!

Where to begin? I really enjoyed this story, it set the tone nicely for this spin-off and was a great reintroduction to this incarnation of the Master. I wasn't initially sure how to feel about this set exploring this incarnation immediately post-regeneration, but it worked so well and really gave some great depth to him that I wish we got from his tv intro. Specifically, regarding Missy and the situation surrounding her regeneration. The side characters in this were great, and my god I was fully expecting the Master and Christopher to have more than just the kiss, but I'm glad they did share that. This incarnation's spin-off I think has the potential to cover lots of grounds and just be chaotic, and provide a different edge to the Masterverse of spin-offs BF produce. Having him have a therapy session was just such a good idea and it worked well too, giving more of an insight into his mind. Honestly though the whole episode gives us a really good insight into where he's at right now, and despite how long this story was, it didn't really drag ! I hope we hear from this group again in another future audio within this range!