The Monthly Adventures #015 - "The Mutant Phase" by Nicholas Briggs

Going off one of the most unique and fascinating stories I’ve ever experienced, I was not happy to see I was going into yet another instalment of the utter thrillride that is the Dalek Empire quadrilogy, now penned by Nick Briggs himself, who did just such a stand up job on his last script. I’ve listened to The Mutant Phase before and when I did, I remember liking some ideas in it, but finding the story and characters all together lacking. Listening to it again, I can say I was very, very much right the first time around, The Mutant Phase is another very dull story, although, I can certainly say it does try.

Chasing a strange fluctuation in the vortex, the Doctor and Nyssa find themselves stranded in a universe ravaged by the Mutant Phase, a genetic disease that turns Daleks into insectoid abominations

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

As is common for these Dalek Empire stories, there isn’t a whole lot to talk about with The Mutant Phase, it’s not as bog-standard as its two predecessors but it certainly doesn’t do well at filling its time. I’d actually call this the best of the quadrilogy so far because I actually quite liked what it was going for, the idea of it is genuinely really interesting. A parasitic wasp has caused a genetic fault in the Daleks that has resulted in a mutation that leaves the pepperpots as ravenous, unstoppable beasts, which has caused history to change and the universe to end. The mutant phase is a terrifying force to be reckoned with for one thing but I also like the sci-fi angle of the paradox; I always love when Doctor Who utilises its concept as a time travel show to create a conundrum. Mainly I just admire this story - The Genocide Machine and The Apocalypse Element were both so generic I could barely keep my focus up but The Mutant Phase actually has a good idea behind it, and I really can’t fault it for that. Other positives? I don't know, a lot of this story is just fine. The acting's fine. The sound design's fine. A lot of it's fine.

However, there are some major places where it slips up. The script is too long and too boring, none of the characters are memorable in any respect, the narrative is a mess. It jumps location about three times in the first two parts, changing characters along with settings and it makes the plot both jarring and underdeveloped. Eventually, all this meandering leads to an incredibly convoluted ending that feels as messy as Briggs’ previous work. So, the paradox began when the Dalek Emperor hidden in the body of a human scientist (doesn’t really make sense for a Dalek to willingly do this, given the whole superior species mantra and all plus the scientist never has a hint of acting like a Dalek, even after the reveal of his true identity, I’m off topic now) convinces the Daleks in the past to use a pesticide to kill the mutant phase, which would end up not working when, if he had left it alone, they would’ve successfully removed the parasite. This is not explained clearly enough and when the credits rolled, I was just left confused. Briggs’ strong suit is not in the exposition that’s for sure.

The Mutant Phase is one of the weird stories where I just feel like half of it was missing; I am certain more happened than I remember because I recall so little going on and it’s two hours in length, so I must be forgetting the finer details. I’m getting very tired of these dull as anything Dalek stories, even if this one entertained a good idea.

5/10

Pros:

+ The idea of the Mutant Phase is a very interesting concept

+ The paradoxical storytelling was a nice touch of sci-fi

+ Tried something new and I can admire it for that

Cons:

- Extremely forgettable sidecast

- Jumps from plot thread to plot thread too quickly

- Convoluted and overwritten ending

- The Emperor didn’t act like a dalek at any point

- Overly drawn out

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

"The Mutant Phase: A Familiar but Uneven Dalek Adventure"

The Mutant Phase, the third release in Big Finish’s Dalek Empire arc, revisits a classic era of Doctor Who with its mix of time travel, viral threats, and morally fraught decisions. As a remake of a 90s Audio Visuals story, it seeks to build on its predecessor while serving as a sequel to The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Unfortunately, it struggles to fully realise its potential, hindered by a reliance on recycled concepts and a meandering midsection.

The story begins with promise, evoking a nostalgic Dalek Invasion of Earth vibe as the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa arrive in a devastated future Earth. Nicholas Briggs crafts an intriguing mystery surrounding the Daleks’ plight, introducing the titular Mutant Phase virus, a threat that jeopardises even their own survival. This setup teases a morally complex story, where the Doctor faces a potential Genesis of the Daleks dilemma.

However, the script falters as it progresses. The middle episodes lack momentum, bogged down by convoluted ideas and an overabundance of callbacks to earlier Dalek stories. While the Mutant Phase virus concept is compelling, it feels derivative of David Whitaker's The Evil of the Daleks, and the narrative struggles to offer a fresh perspective. The result is a story that feels like a patchwork of familiar tropes rather than a cohesive and original tale.

Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton deliver solid performances, though their dynamic as the Doctor and Nyssa remains underwhelming. Nyssa’s storyline—centred on her being stung early on—feels stretched and ultimately inconsequential, diminishing her role in the narrative.

Mark Gatiss stands out as Karl Hendryk, bringing energy and gravitas to the role despite a strong accent that may divide listeners. Nicholas Briggs impresses as the Dalek Emperor, whose human-embodied form is an intriguing if slightly absurd concept. While the Daleks’ presence remains strong throughout, their menace is undermined by the increasingly muddled plot in the later episodes.

On the technical side, the sound design effectively conveys a ravaged Earth and tense atmosphere, though the story lacks the chaotic energy of The Apocalypse Element or the emotional stakes of The Genocide Machine. The pacing falters in the second act, but the climax regains some urgency as the Doctor attempts to prevent the Dalek Emperor from rewriting history.

📝Verdict: 6/10

Ultimately, The Mutant Phase is a serviceable Dalek story with some intriguing ideas but fails to rise above its influences. While it has moments of tension and nostalgia, the uneven pacing and reliance on recycled concepts leave it feeling like a missed opportunity. For fans of the Fifth Doctor and Dalek lore, it offers some enjoyment, but it lacks the spark to make it a standout entry in the Dalek Empire arc.

Random Observations:

• This story features a Commander Ganatus and a Starship Dyoni, both named after characters from The Daleks.
• We also find references to the TARDIS jumping time tracks (The Space Museum) and activating the HADS (The Krotons; Wild Blue Yonder).

This audio had all the markings of something I wasn't going to enjoy.  It is a script by Nicholas Briggs, which usually means it is a story I'm either going to really love or really hate.  It's part of the Dalek Empire storyline which in general I haven't connected with much at all.  In fact, The Mutant Phase is the only chapter of that loose arc I've actually very much enjoyed so far.  And it is generally not very well liked among the fan community.

Yet I found myself enjoying every part of The Mutant Phase and happily following along through the adventure.  It felt like a story that very much kept the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa active and engaged with the events at hand.  I really liked how the Daleks reacted from this genetic disease of sorts spreading through them.  I thought it was well done and fun how they were panicking about this but not really willing to seek out help, either.  We don't often see these villains on the back foot like this - at a distinct disadvantage and in a fairly weak position.  It was very well done on the whole, leaving it the strongest aspect of the audio.

I mostly liked how it was all resolved through a paradox, to a degree, although that part is also where Mutant Phase is at its weakest - being an entertaining enough novelty while also being a little overblown and this still being early for Big Finish to rely this much on sound effects in resolving the plot.  Still, I did enjoy it, and would definitely recommend The Mutant Phase.

Can't say I cared for this one a great deal. Great premise and concepts, but it felt rushed at the end. This format shouldn't ever feel rushed, it's too long (I really don't like the classic who format sorry not sorry. The final part was super messy especially, the resolution felt so rushed. I loved Nyssa in this, getting to use her scientific background was good and the conflict with the Doctor / Adric mentions were fab.

I was ready to expect at best a fine story, at worst a forgettable one, but to my Surprise, I thought this one was actually excellent! While I can see why some wouldn't think much of it, to me, it clicks all the right Buttons

5 and Nyssa have such an intriguing Chemistry here, their Conversations are for me, easily the Highlight of the Story. I also quite liked what they did with the Thals here, I must admit ever since the original Daleks Story and Genesis, I don't really think much interesting has been done with the Thals, so this one was a delightful surprise to me. And while I am big Fan for the Daleks in general (I just think they are great), I appreciate it quite a lot how they handle them here, in particular when the Emperor asks 5 for his Help was something I didn't expect but quite enjoyed. Now, is that the most original Thing ever you can do with the Daleks? Of course not. But I liked it.

I will say I couldn't care less for the Mystery Aspect of this Release and I thought Episode 4 kinda lost me a bit, but I genuinely thought the first 3 Episodes were quite engaging and a pretty good Dalek Story!