The Fearmonger

Huh, well this was certainly an interesting listen. The Fearmonger has a lot going on; demagogues, assassinations, backstabbing's, terrorist groups, a supernatural entity which prays off people's fear and prejudices. There's some great concepts here and it seems right up my alley so going into this one I was rather excited. I did end up enjoying it a fair amount but not without reservation. To begin with it's worth mentioning that this is the first full Seventh Doctor audio and of course the return of his definitive companion, Ace. And of course they are both phenomenal here. With some of the other returning actors it's felt like it's taken them a little bit to get back into the role again, however with McCoy and Aldred they are just straight back into it like no time has passed at all. They feel exactly the same as they did on TV, which is to say utterly perfect.

Now onto the story itself, in terms of the actual characters and plot I wouldn't exactly call it the most compelling thing in the world. Harper is sadly underdeveloped, it's fine for her to be one note as that's sort of her character but even still she doesn't get much to do and isn't particularly threatening or convincing as a charismatic leader. I find the rest of the cast similarly forgettable, I often had to refer to the wiki page to remind myself who was who, and in the middle few parts the plot does move along a little too slowly for my liking. However where I find this story really has a lot of merit is on it's political commentary. This story explores the themes of fear and prejudice, where they come from and how they affect people and in turn the political landscape. This is a very interesting theme to explore and The Fearmonger is a good way to establish fear as an actual material threat. However in the last part this story cooks up a bit of a curveball; it turns out that The Fearmonger was only inhabiting the mind of people who thought they could hear it in others. This is a very clever twist as if you're perceptive you may notice that only one person at a time "hears" The Fearmonger. First Walter, then Ace. The scene where the Doctor has to convince Ace of this is fantastic. It's very reminiscent of the "I knew" scene from Curse of Fenric, it really pushes their dynamic and trust in one another and both actors put in a wonderful performance. However, while I do like this twist, I'm less thrilled with how they tried to tie it in the theme. The Doctor makes an odd point which weirdly seems to abdicate Harper's side. "Who was doing more to scare others? The one's with the speeches of the one's with the guns?" It seems like the point being made here is that it was the violent reactions of people like Walter that was stoking fear, when in reality, Harper has just as much, if not more responsibility to bear. It was her divisive and xenophobic rhetoric that lead to people getting violent in the first place right? This seems like something the story understood very well. Both sides have responsibility for the worsening situation in this case, and to me it seemed like the story was exploring this well until this odd moment at the end. I still think this is a good story, I enjoy a lot about it, especially the themes and the commentary, it just ended up leaving me a bit confused and underwhelmed. 7/10 / 3½ stars.

15.01.2022

This one is rather brilliant. A surprisingly relevant political satire, this one argues where the fear comes from, how it works and how to fight it. A marvelous character work for Ace and the Doctor, a very well-rounded cast of secondary characters, and a conclusion I first disagreed strongly with before rethinking and accepting it for a reasonable resolution it is. 5/5

That was really fun, the view to a fascist future with The Doctor struggling against it is great, especially seeing how that sort of future makes monsters out of the good intentioned rebels, and how opportunistic it makes people as well with the rebels secretly siding with those in power.

Also the character stuff with Ace and The Doctor, especially that last part with Ace having the monster inside her, but believing it’s in The Doctor, just great. Also a perfect monster for this sort of story, and a story that’s ever relevant, some things mentioned just feel so real, you could tell me this was released 24 days ago and I’d believe you, but it’s somehow 24 years??

Actually as I’m writing this, I’m upping it to a 9, originally had it as an 8 but that fact of just how it’s more relevant now than ever, and it was written nearly a quarter of a century ago, yeah it has to be a 9.

Oh. Oh no, this is just sad. There's a monster that causes fear on the loose inhabiting a fascist politician. And an assassination attempt against said politician. Rather topical in today's world, wouldn't you say?

I thought that it was going to be a deconstruction on how right wing politics cause fear and loathing of the other. Instead, it was a South Park style "both sides are bad" argument. It sets up a radio shock jock and a terrorist group in OPPOSITION to the fascists, which is not how reality works. Both of these elements are overwhelmingly right wing in nature in reality.

After having invented the threat of a left wing terrorist group, the story then proceeds to condemn both sides as causing fear and loathing in the other side. The Doctor even says to the would be assassin that he was too afraid of the fascist politician to see that maybe she wasn't a monster after all:

DOCTOR: You were already scared of Harper, even before you heard the voice, and then you were willing to kill her, to kill lots of people to get at her. If someone like that told you they were hearing voices, what would you think?

WALTER: No! It was real.

DOCTOR: You don't really want to think about being wrong, do you. If she wasn’t a monster, then you weren't justified, and maybe you’re not all right. Maybe you do need help.

The story even ends with a member of this left wing terrorist group having collaborated with a high ranking member of the fascist party. Very "both sides are bad" indeed.

It's pretty cowardly, I have to say, especially for the Seventh Doctor and Ace, revolutionaries on tv. The Doctor even goes out of his way to say that he's not going to bring down the fascist government/candidate for no real reason at all despite saying he's taken down fascist governments before. It's the type of thing that could only have been made at the time with liberal centrism as the primary ideology. Today it would be looked at as feckless and naive. And it is.

The Monthly Adventures #005 - "The Fearmonger" by Jonathan Blum

Out of all the different Doctors seen in the Monthly Adventures, I’d call Seven my favourite. His stories always seem to be interesting, his run with Hex and Ace is some of my favourite Doctor Who material ever and consistently he is given new and interesting scripts, not to mention that he’s the most thematically complex of the Doctors featured in the Main Range. And yet, I always managed to skip his first proper outing: an explosive political thriller with some stellar performances and a genius antagonist that I’d call the first truly great story of The Monthly Adventures

It’s the early 21st century and Britain is in crisis. A new, radical right leaning party is stirring up hate in the streets, and the local radio shows are loving it. With an attempted assassination fueling the media, an abstract creature of thought is pushing buttons, making the pot boil over. But the Doctor can stop it of course, that is unless he’s taken in by the fear too.

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

My main worry going into The Fearmonger, despite the glowing reviews, was that the last time McCoy had acted, in the absolute mess that was The Sirens of Time, he had the acting talents of a houseplant. I am very happy to say that my theory of somebody slipping sleeping pills into his coffee that day has been proven correct as he is magnificent here, along with the rest of the cast. Sophie Aldred begins her long audio career of flexing her acting talents by playing expertly off McCoy. In fact, it’s here where we get introduced to Big Finish’s take on Ace in general, who has, for a long time, been my favourite companion in the show’s history. A brilliant, mature well seasoned traveller who acts as the Doctor’s intellectual equal, one of the most well developed and interesting companions the show’s ever had. And what a story to introduce her. A fast paced, whip smart political shakedown that begins fast - in media res - and then doesn’t stop moving for almost two hours, keeping up a fast pace but not rushing its narrative, a feat that I’ve found to be somewhat rare in the Doctor Who. Blum also manages to avoid the common decline in pace towards the end of a story by introducing multiple incredible last act twists that keep the whole thing fresh and new. The Fearmonger itself is also just a fantastic enemy for such a biting script that acts as great symbolism for the hate fueled state of politics the script depicts; an incredibly smart way to integrate commentary into an already blindingly fun audio play.

On the political side of things, whilst I love the symbolism and mirroring of news still relevant today, I think a lot of the situations seen and political language brought up lacks the subtlety it deserves, with too many on the nose statements by politicians or talk show hosts present. I also think we could’ve done with more focus on Sherilyn Harper, as she’s our stand in for the real world politicians the audio’s referring to. She’s a big part of the story, no doubt, but I wish she had been the primary focus for the runtime as I feel more symbolism and comments could’ve been done surrounding her.

A good political story can really land for me and The Fearmonger is no exception. Brilliant, fast and biting, it could do with a bit more subtlety in places to really boost its message but it’s definitely the best audio thus far into the Monthly Adventures.

8/10

Pros:

+ Great performances all around, especially from McCoy and Aldred

+ Ace is utterly brilliant here and it’s the first showcase of the amazing things Big Finish will do with her character

+ The Fearmonger is a brilliantly symbolic and inventive antagonist

+ Fantastic part 4 twist that changes up the pace of the story

+ Moves fast and doesn’t stop, very fun to listen to

Cons:

- Harper was underexplored as a secondary antagonist and we didn’t get to see enough of her rise and fall

- The politics lack a little subtlety, although it’s tolerable

there are a lot of things i love in this story, like ace and 7's dynamic being explored and especially the twist at the end, they are a very dynamic and angsty duo. i found the plot to be on the whole, gripping and intriguing, with again the final twist at the end shocking me! didn't see it coming at all. i will say though, i did find myself surprised that the doctor didn't stand up more to sherilyn, given their polar opposite views.

some incredible writing and performances. memorable and highly fleshed-out cast of side characters. makes GREAT use of the audio format, mick’s controversial call-in radio show is such an inventive way of playing with form. plenty of jaw-dropper plot twists, intrigue and conspiracy. realistic human darkness to rival torchwood. seven at his some of his most ethically dubious… and, of course, mildly incohesive liberal politics that amount to ‘violence is bad even against fascist agitators’, which is to be expected of The Liberal Show. even so, that’s not a flaw — it’s an inevitability.

Doctor Who – The Monthly Adventures

#005. The Fearmonger ~ 10/10

◆ An Introduction

I’ve recently returned from ComicCon Scotland NE, which was held on the outskirts of the Granite City (Aberdeen). I got to meet Sophie Aldred for the first time, and what a genuinely amazing human being she is. It was at that point I realised how much I’ve neglected the Seventh Doctor’s audio adventures, so it’s time to change that.

A right-wing political nutter is rabbiting on about how bad political correctness is, and she’s rapidly gaining attention… is this Doctor Who, or a caricature of the vile simpletons currently in power at Downing Street?

◆ Publisher’s Summary

One would-be assassin is in a mental ward. Another's on the run. Their intended victim is stirring up the mobs. Terrorists are planning a strike of their own. A talk-radio host is loving every minute of it. A Whitehall insider whispers about a mysterious UN operative, with a hidden agenda. Everyone's got someone they want to be afraid of. It'll only take a little push for the situation to erupt – and something is doing the pushing. But you can trust the Doctor to put things right. Can't you?

◆ The Seventh Doctor

Despite being one of the earliest plays he did for BigFinish, ‘The Fearmonger’ sees Sylvester McCoy on top form.

When asked what kind of moron he is by Thompson, the Doctor claims that he’s the kind that knows what to look for. He thinks that “Captain Righteous” is a very silly name; just like whacko and “Euro-nazi”. He tries his damnedest to psychoanalyse Mick Thompson, live on air… but the bigoted radio host decides to blast an advert for his new book instead! The Doctor thinks that Harper is a human-sized problem, and that humanity doesn’t need him to take care of her. He delivers this really great speech too – things do change, not completely and never all at once, but things do change. He tells Walter that human is a relative term, and that his relatives are rather odd. The Doctor has tackled many revolutions out in space, against fascists, capitalists, insects and mad computers! He’s always hated hospitals, because there are too many doctors who think they know everything. According to Ace, the Doctor is the right kind of scary.

◆ Ace

‘The Fearmonger’ features a tremendous performance from Sophie Aldred.

Ace can make sure her word is good because she’s got the Doctor’s word, and she believes in him. After hearing some of Harper’s vile policies at the rally, she wonders why they are actually trying to save her. She tries to talk Karadjic down, but it goes badly wrong… and she ends up being shot in the shoulder!

◆ Inconsistent No.7

I remember reading somewhere that Jonathan Blum actually had a huge amount of issues writing this adventure, so much so that it got delayed and Stephen Cole had to create a filler script in less than a week (at least we know why ‘The Land of the Dead’ was so utterly dreadful).

A lot of people will probably agree with me when I say that the Seventh Doctor has had one of the most inconsistent runs with BigFinish, due to the fact he often gets lumbered with some genuinely dreadful writing, but ‘The Fearmonger’ honestly shows him at his best.

◆ The Right Wing

I’ve written that many reviews now that I worry I’m going to sound like a stuck record, but political stories can so often be dry and bland affairs. It’s nothing short of astonishing then that this twenty-three year old audio play is still politically relevant today.

The New Britannia Party is basically this franchise taking a jab at the British National Party… who are quite honestly some of the most idiotic and vile human beings in the country. I’m sure you’ve all met the kind of people who would vote for the BNP; those who believe that this country should have been on the side of the Axis in WW2, the sort of people who go into a pub on a Sunday and claim they will only drink “proper British beer in a proper British pub”. The kind of people who would probably, no definitely, kick the living daylights out of someone like me (neurodivergent, gay and a femboy). Suffice to say, the BNP and their supporters are some of the most horrific people you could ever encounter, and their disgusting views belong in the dustbin of history.

You might then think that Sherilyn Harper (played brilliantly by the late Jacqueline Pearce) is based upon said party’s leader at the time. Looking at this story from a more modern perspective though… she’s pretty much Katy Hopkins. For those of you who are completely unaware of said person, count yourselves very lucky! Google defines her as a “media personality”, but that would require her to have any sort of personality to begin with. No, Hopkins is a walking sound box who spouts right-wing garbage and often contradicts herself, thus making herself look an even bigger prat (look at the interview she did with Phil and Holly about naming your offspring after places).

Throughout ‘The Fearmonger’, Harper is just this vile career politician who is clearly out for herself – a mix of Katie Hopkins, Nick Griffiths, and Vivienne Rook from ‘Years and Years’. She’s a really effective villain because of how thoroughly unlikeable she is!

◆ Fear Itself

I’d like to move onto the titular entity in this adventure, which is a really good concept. There were rumours of an ancient alien civilisation who created several psychic entities, each one personifying an emotion such as fear, compassion, pride and anger, to incite group emotions and thus unite their people. When said civilisation collapsed, the entities all set off across the cosmos… with the Fearmonger making itself known in the volatile political climate of an early 00s United Kingdom.

With a politician like Harper stirring up the hive with all of her claims of “stolen jobs” and other right-wing rhetoric, her followers are becoming scared. Meanwhile, those who oppose her are plotting to have her assassinated! And the threat of crazed gunmen on the loose is bound to make everyone a lot more jumpy and a lot more frightened. Not only is the titular psychic entity a great idea in itself, but it’s found a perfect storm to sit in; the period right before an election… where all the political whackos come out to play!

◆ Sound Design

Alistair Lock does a tremendous job at making a contemporary audio landscape (well, contemporary for the year 2000). Political rallies and an entity roaming around the capital. This is really well done.

Crowds of New Britannia supporters cheer for Sherilyn Harper, as she makes her address at the rally. Gunfire, as Stephen attempts to assassinate her. The fizzing of the Fearmonger entity, as it closes in on Stephen. The jingle for Mick Thompson’s radio show is incredibly cheesy. A bustling London cafe, with chatting punters and clicking cutlery. Paul’s phone hacking machine bleeps away like a dial-up modem on steroids. A ticking-time bomb beneath the rally, counting down to a very large explosion! Unknown forces armed with laser weaponry fire into the crowd. The Doctor tinkers with Paul’s tools and workbench, attempting to create a forcefield. Cawing seagulls and flowing water can be heard from the Isle of Dogs. Rioting erupts all across the capital, with angry mobs shouting at the world, chucking rocks at cars and property.

◆ Music

The score for ‘The Fearmonger’ is also being handled by Alistair Lock, and it’s a very tense and minimalistic piece. It works marvellously with the nail-biting atmosphere of a lot of the scenes (like when Walter is attempting to blow the New Britannia rally to kingdom come)! In some ways, the music here actually reminds me of an instrumental track David Bowie made called All Saints.

◆ Conclusion

“But we know what the problems are, and we know who they are!”

I mentioned earlier on in this review that the Seventh Doctor’s audio adventures are very hit or miss, but this is a prime example of hitting a perfect bullseye!

McCoy and Aldred both deliver top tier performances that feel like they could have been recorded during their time together on TV (they both sound so energised and ready to spring into action).

As for the story – a career politician intent on scaring the population into believing her right-wing rhetoric, and an entity with the power to amplify those feelings to the nth degree. It takes a talented writer to create a really interesting political adventure. It takes a phenomenal writer to create a political adventure that will still be relevant two decades later. It’s a real shame Jonathan Blum never wrote any more full cast adventures for BigFinish, because ‘The Fearmonger’ was excellent.

Overall, I had a great time with The Fearmonger and think it is an example of an early Big Finish story actually being pretty fantastic. I love the introduction with the Doctor interrupting the radio show. It really relies on Sylvester McCoy to pull off a scene like that and he does it phenomenally, selling me on the Seventh Doctor audio adventures and the fun of Big Finish all in one fell swoop back when I first heard it.

It's a really strong introductory episode for the Big Finish month range. I love how nakedly political it all is, which fits a franchise that has been political since the very beginning, and how well acted the audio is by all players. This is less surprising from McCoy and Sophie Aldred, who are both so great reprising their roles, but also the supporting cast. Jacqueline Pearce, Mark McDonnell, and Vince Henderson were all pretty memorable too me. The effects largely work well to give a feel of this being an adventure that could easily have come out of McCoy's original run of television episodes.

Now, leaning into that trend some of the writing can be a bit clunky, and like some of the other early Big Finish audios, the balance with sound effects isn't quite achieved - things get very crazy around the riot scenes, for example, and are a little hard to follow - but I found the story itself very easy to follow and had a lot of moments that were either entertaining or compelling. You can very easily tell the direction of this story for its final part, but that didn't make me enjoy it any less. I still had quite a bit of fun with the Fearmonger and would absolutely recommend it.

The Fearmonger is a very good Seven & Ace story. The plot moves along at a decent pace, but doesn't seem rushed. There are enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, including some surprising ones. I really like the main theme that was explored, and it was done with heaps of commentary, but it didn't let anyone off the hook. It was great to hear Sophie Aldred back behind the mic as Ace, and even having not played her for a decade, she still had the attitude and spunk that I love from her.

An excellent play. We get two tightly interwoven stories, either of which could likely stand by itself.

First, there's the science fiction plot about the titular fearmonger, an energy being that creates and feeds on people's fear. An excellent treatment of the emotional impact of dealing with such a creature raises the plot to something much more.

There are sufficient political twists and dramatic turns here that you can sometimes forget that there is anything other-worldly happening in the story. This story is the context where we get to know the guest characters best; we're granted a cast of genuinely complex individuals. No one's hands are spotless, but even the worst have moments with the listener's sympathy. There's a strong cast on hand to bring these characters to life.

These two stories explore the ambiguities and contradictions of the Seventh Doctor. He is simultaneously compassionate and callous. With the full complexity of the Doctor in play, we also get a good view of Ace's ambivalence towards her friend and mentor. Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred are at the top of their games here.

Finally, this story gives a textbook example of how a story twist should be handled. Every surprise in the story was set up well by what had gone before. In an unusual experience, I spotted the main twist at the episode three cliffhanger.

It is a strong outing that illustrates the scope of stories that Doctor Who is capable of.