“All hail Frobisher! All hail the big talking bird!”

Robert Shearman might have to go down as one of my all time favourite Doctor Who writers after this story, this is equally hilarious and unexpectedly devastating with some really dark themes and twists I didn’t see coming.

Colin Baker is great as Sixie while I thought he was good on TV lately after listening to more of his Big Finish work I feel like I’m starting to understand this incarnation a bit more and of course Frobisher my shapeshifter penguin GOAT is absolutely brilliant here I’m really saddened that he only has one more Big Finish appearance after this because Robert Jezek delivers a really great performance here.

The side cast are all amazing too I especially have a soft spot for the evil brother guy he had a lovely voice for a villain but his sibling and mother are also brilliant as is the high priest.

It’s hard for me to completely wrap my head around all the ideas The Holy Terror presents but I think while there’s something to be said about Faith the real meat is tradition and generational trauma, as I read it the fiction represented Eugene’s story or at least parts of it spread throughout the different characters and even though he did an heinous thing there’s nuance there in the end with The Doctor begging him to not kill himself, trying to save him and he just… can’t. Not because of any powerful threat or heroic sacrifice but just because Eugene couldn’t live with himself anymore and to me it hit hard especially to hear a character like The Doctor go through that and to hear Eugene break down it’s a lot more than I was expecting.

Funny, Fantastical, yet at the end of the day tragic, it is too good.

On numerous occasions now, I've went into Big Finish 'Golden Eras' or even releases, such as this one, expecting something of the same magnitude as the hype. Often, I'm disappointed. This release however, is rightfully hyped up. So incredible the way it balances the comedy, the harrowing and the final part is just downright devastating. I loved Sixie in this, and Frobisher! I've finally met him, and how wonderful he was in this. Honestly, I really really loved this story from start to finish, the tonal shift in the final part felt earned and it worked so well in the context of this story.

The best story of the monthly range so far. The story is very much a dark comedy with existential dread and profound philosophy. there are a lot of excellent jokes and timing that made me laugh at multiple points. This is the first Big Finish story to contain the great talking bird Frobisher and he's immediately an amazing character with his distinct voice and loads of references to his appearance. With its stellar performances, well done characters, and crazy plot twists, it earns its rating with ease

Absolutely phenomenal, perfect story. Hugely dark, with a wonderful dark comedy laced throughout, into an eerie, atmospheric, and at some points horrifying, story.

Every character is so well realised, and layered, and interplay perfectly. Of note, is Frobisher, but every member of the guest cast is wonderful. The plot is so well thought through, revealing layers, and ideas organically, until it builds into a wonderful climax. Shearman layers many themes and ideas throughout, which makes the piece fascinating, with a lot to consider.

It truly is a wonderful story, that I am excited already to revisit.