This was an excellent story in what is one of Big Finish's strongest ranges. The entire atmosphere of a weird castle all dedicated to clocks was really cool. It was a bit close to The House on the Edge of Chaos, but the story was realized expertly. The most surprising part is when it turns out to be a rare 'the Doctor fails' story with the Doctor horrified to find all the 'humans' were simply droids themselves, trapped in an eternal loop. The denouement with Mel comforting the Doctor that he saved them from torment is not something we get to see in every story.

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“The Queen of Clocks: Ticking Into Experimental Territory"

An ambitious prequel to The Girl in the Fireplace, filled with chaotic energy and eerie atmospheres.

The Clockwork Droids Return

The Clockwork Droids were an instant hit when they debuted in The Girl in the Fireplace, so the idea of a Sixth Doctor prequel exploring his first encounter with these sinister automatons is immediately intriguing. However, The Queen of Clocks takes a very different approach to their narrative, plunging listeners into a surreal and almost overwhelming world that contrasts sharply with the quiet elegance of the Droids’ original story.

A Chaotic Opening

The story bursts out of the gates with a frenetic pace, throwing the Doctor, Mel, and the audience into a whirlwind of events and a richly constructed world that feels deliberately disorienting. The titular clockwork castle is a triumph of eerie sound design, its grinding gears and ticking mechanisms creating a haunting atmosphere. However, the story’s experimental nature means it’s packed with so much detail and activity that it can be difficult to follow without a relisten.

For those who enjoy layered, non-linear storytelling, this will be a treat. For others, the initial confusion may detract from the experience.

Performances Anchor the Chaos

Colin Baker is, as always, a commanding presence as the Sixth Doctor, and he shines in this story’s more chaotic, larger-than-life moments. His natural gravitas helps ground the narrative, while Bonnie Langford’s Mel brings warmth and enthusiasm, contrasting nicely with the clockwork horrors surrounding them.

The guest cast is equally strong, particularly the characterisation of the Queen of Clocks herself, whose chilling voice and motives add to the story’s sense of unease. Together, the performances help make the surreal and chaotic storyscape feel tangible.

Evocative Sound Design

The sound design is perhaps the story’s most outstanding feature. The ticking of clocks, grinding gears, and mechanical whirrs evoke a living, breathing castle that feels like a character in its own right. The haunting score complements the atmosphere, drawing listeners into the strange and unsettling world of the Clockwork Droids.

A Story That Demands Patience

While the worldbuilding and performances are impressive, the story itself feels uneven. The sheer volume of ideas and rapid pace can make it difficult to visualise or fully grasp on a first listen. For those willing to relisten and unpack its layers, there is likely much to appreciate. However, it may frustrate listeners looking for a more straightforward narrative or a deeper exploration of the Clockwork Droids’ origins.

Verdict: A Mechanical Marvel with a Chaotic Heart

The Queen of Clocks is an ambitious, experimental story that builds an evocative and unsettling world around the Clockwork Droids. While its chaotic opening and dense narrative may not appeal to everyone, the strong performances and atmospheric sound design make it a worthwhile listen for fans of surreal Doctor Who adventures.

📝74/100

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

Previous Story: Business Unusual

Classic Doctors, New Monsters is just banger after banger huh. This story is absolutely brilliant, you'd think it wouldn't work given how heavily linked the Clockwork Droids are to The Girl in the Fireplace and then they manage to make a story 10 times better than that one.

The whole story is really weird, I was sat there wondering for a whole hour why this story had the reputation it did. And then the reveal hit, and all the pieces just fell into place like clockwork (pun intended). I'd go as far to say that it was one of my top 10 twists in all of Doctor Who, up there with Heaven Sent (which this story reminds me of in quite a few ways).

I genuinely urge anyone who is even remotely interested in any of the things in this story to listen to it because I can 100% guarantee that you will NOT be disappointed.

Next Story: The One Doctor

What a beautiful story honestly Colin and Bonnie ate this story up it gave me monthly range vibes throughout I think this story then leads straight into terror of the vervoids too tempted to watch that now haha

I really, really enjoyed this one - more than I was expecting.

It has similar elements to the Clockwork Droids first appearances, and giving them voices can be a little silly, but necessary for an audio story.

Colin and Bonnie are wonderful together, I love listening to them two. "I've got two hearts" "They need twice the workout!"

A great blend of New Mel and Classic Mel!

It's one of those stories where you can see the twist coming, but once it gets there, it pays off so well. A really weighty ending, and really elevated the whole production. Love!