This was really lovely. I am always huge when Who does a pure Historical, especially with a Doctor that doesn’t have a televised one (then again only 1, 2 and 5 have that, so…).
Anyway I really adore this Story, my Expectations were quite low and this is by no means my first exposure to Evelyn, who is excellent. And yet… I really did love this Story.
Colin and Maggie have such an energetic chemistry already in their first outing.
The whole Conflict about this Story is just superb!
Honestly this one has so many great Moments, for example when the Doctor and Evelyn are accused of trying to poison the Queen, this whole Discourse is just exceptional! And really shows how well the Story balances humor, as well as the subject, which is rather serious.

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

"The Marian Conspiracy: A Tudor Tale with Wit and Intrigue"

Jacqueline Rayner delivers a standout entry in Big Finish's early catalogue with The Marian Conspiracy. This story blends sharp humour, Tudor politics, and the debut of Evelyn Smythe, a companion who quickly became a fan favourite.

The narrative begins with an engaging lecture by Evelyn Smythe, interrupted by the Sixth Doctor as he investigates a nexus point tied to her. This opening not only introduces Evelyn’s no-nonsense, clever persona but also establishes the mystery of her vanishing family history.

Evelyn's pragmatic reaction to the Doctor, time travel, and the TARDIS is a breath of fresh air. She refuses to let the Doctor dominate the narrative, standing as his intellectual equal. The interplay between the two, particularly during their encounter with Queen Elizabeth I, is a highlight. Their witty exchanges establish Evelyn as a perfect foil to Colin Baker's Doctor, offering a dynamic that feels both natural and refreshing.

The story transitions into a delightful pure historical setting, focusing on Tudor court politics and intrigue. Evelyn, with her bold attitude and historical expertise, ventures into trouble on her own, while the Doctor finds himself ensnared in royal schemes as the Queen’s physician. The historical backdrop is richly detailed, enhanced by an excellent soundtrack and period-appropriate dialogue that immerse listeners in the era.

Maggie Stables shines as Evelyn, embodying her intelligence and assertiveness. Her character’s modern sensibilities add a layer of humour, particularly when introducing concepts like cocoa and painkillers to astonished Tudor courtiers. Colin Baker is in peak form, and Anah Ruddin’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I brings both gravitas and warmth. The supporting cast, especially Barnaby Edwards as Francois De Noailles, clearly enjoy their roles, adding to the lively atmosphere.

While the middle parts of the story focus more on character interactions and scheming than plot progression, these moments are far from dull. They add depth to the narrative, showcasing how individual actions shape history. The final episode brings a series of clever twists and laugh-out-loud moments, revealing how the Doctor and Evelyn inadvertently influenced historical events.

📝Verdict: 9/10

Overall, The Marian Conspiracy is a charming, character-driven tale with sharp writing and a light-hearted tone. It successfully captures the essence of a 1960s-style historical while establishing Evelyn Smythe as one of Big Finish's finest original companions. A must-listen for fans of the Sixth Doctor and those who enjoy a historical adventure with wit and heart.

Well Neverrats, here's your long awaited. The Marian Conspiracy is a story I've had my eye on for awhile now as I've heard quite a bit about it. This is the first Big Finish story to feature their own original companion: Evelyn Smythe; a history professor. Now this run of stories between Six and Evelyn is really hyped up by a lot of fans. It's often talked about how well the two work together, how Six's characterisation gets improved, how good their stories are etc etc. And The Marian Conspiracy is generally considered to be an example of this; kicking off the run really well and being the first properly great story in the Main Range. But does this live up to the hype? I would say, maybe? Just about? This story is rather good. Evelyn is good, she plays off Six well and has some great moments of dialogue, she is a tad stuck up though; works well in a dynamic with Six specifically but is a little tricky on general likability. Speaking of, lets talk about Mr. Stuck Up himself, Six. They have reworked his character here and my god it is so much better. Long gone is the screaming ego maniac, here we get a character actually resembling Doctor Who. They still keep the traces of theatrics and egotism while injecting the character with the compassion, wisdom and kind nature that should always be forefront. Really happy about this and Colin of course plays it brilliantly as he always does. This story is very strong on dialogue, there's some absolutley amazing interactions here, particularly with The Doctor and on the theme of morality; I like how intention vs consequence is explored as a sort of mini theme. Outside of that though, this is story is just alright. It's a fine 60s-esque historical, has a pretty basic plot and makes ok use of the setting. I can see how this could be a springboard for a really good era and dynamic, just going foward I'm hoping for slightly more warmth between The Doctor and Evelyn, however given that this is there first story so I wouldn't expect that off the bat. Overall I would definitely say this story is kind of overhyped but it's still pretty good and it's fantastic dialogue brings it up to an 8/10 / 4 stars.

This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order.

Previous Story: The Hunting Ground

And with this, I've finally made it to the 6th Doctor and Evelyn. I've heard nothing but good things about this TARDIS team making this one of my most anticipated parts of my timeline watchthrough. While I've only listened to this first story, I can safely say that I understand the hype. For starters, Maggie Stables is fantastic as this new companion Dr Evelyn Smythe. She has excellent chemistry with Colin Baker from the moment they meet and she's the perfect counter to his obnoxious and arrogant Doctor. I love that we finally have a companion who's willing to call the Doctor out on what he does. Her being a history professor is also very unique, we haven't really had a companion knowledgable about history since Barbara.

As far as historicals go, this one is very reminiscent of the early ones in the 60s. It really takes time at the beginning to immerse you in the past, with lengthy scenes of the Doctor in the Queen's court and Evelyn at an old-fashioned English tavern. I really enjoy how modern things interact with the past in this story, Evelyn's painkillers being mistaken for poison or the historical characters being fascinated by a zip to name a few examples. It's stuff like this that really brings a story to life. I like the perspective this story has on historical figures like Queen Mary, it doesn't portray her in a black and white way like so many other historicals do when it comes to controversial figures. When you take a step back, the plot is actually quite simple. The things that really make this story so good are the character interactions and relationships. I really wish more stories were like this because it's honestly fantastic.

Let's just say I haven't been this eager to continue my timeline watchthrough since I broke out of the black and white era and began colour.

Next Story: The Spectre of Lanyon Moor

15.01.2022

Two for two for Six (24246, heh). The new companion, Evelyn Smythe, is an excellent addition and in just under two hours became one of my favorite companions in all of Who. Six is excellent here, making a great Doctor and an improvement over his depiction in the show.
The setting is great, Queen Mary is depicted as human who is wrong instead of a monster, which I love as the point of the story. The rest is a detour, which isn't really exciting, but gets the job done.
3.5/5