How beautifully harrowing...

The Queen of Clocks comes from a special series from Big Finish pairing Classic Doctors with monsters from Modern Who. A series that began as one of Big Finish’s earliest releases featuring Modern Who elements after they were granted the licence to use Modern Who in their production line. The premise of the series is self-explanatory, four stories featuring four different Classic Who Doctors going up against monsters that they will later encounter. The stories themselves feature a lot of what we already know about said monsters but the best stories of the series also add something new that portrays them in a more interesting light. Most fans will agree that Modern Who doesn’t have the most impressive lineup of original monsters, the only real successful ones being the Weeping Angels, but a lot of that admittedly comes from either being serviced in poor stories or not being used to their full potential. This series has certainly helped portray such underserved monsters in a more positive light. The best of the entire series being this very story where the Sixth Doctor and Mel are trapped in a colony kingdom that’s besieged by droids that run on clockwork and are having to hold out until midnight when the droids reset themselves.

As it’s her first appearance in these reviews I may as well talk about our companion of the story Melanie Bush. A companion who had a very unusual introduction. During Season 23’s Trial of a Time Lord, after witnessing the death of his companion Peri, the Doctor is then called on to deliver his defence. His evidence being an event in his own future during his travels with a companion he is yet to meet. By the end of the Season, Mel gets directly involved in the trial and helps the Doctor defeat the Valeyard before departing with him. After that, with Colin Baker’s firing, we just jumped straight into her and the Seventh Doctor meaning we never get to see how Mel first met the Doctor, or even given any proper time to settle in with this new companion who they pretty much plonk into the show after the seemingly harrowing death of Peri the previous episode. That would be bad enough, but unfortunately Mel’s negative reputation comes from the fact that most of her dialogue consists of screaming!!!

In her very brief stay on the show they have her scream so many times to the point where it practically became a bad punchline, they even tried to get her scream to match the cliff-hanger sting in one episode, and they once filmed her screaming right beside Sophie Aldred (Ace) who was suffering from a headache at the time of filming (and you can tell from her expression). Then as abruptly as she entered the show, she leaves just as suddenly and out of nowhere! She literally just says “I guess I’ll be off now” and that’s it!!! There’s no reason behind it, no build-up, no indication, she just walks off and joins space conman Sabalom Glitz much to the Doctor’s approval (not caring that Glitz had sold his entire previous crew into slavery!). Since then, she’s returned onscreen a number of times in just the last couple years alone, first in a cameo from The Power of the Doctor, then appearing for a more prominent role in The Giggle during the 60th anniversary specials (which makes her the only companion to be present in two regeneration scenes for the Doctor, barring The Stolen Earth) and more recently appearing in the two part finale to Series 14 alongside Ncuti Gatwa.

All the negativity around Mel’s original run in the show was in no way Bonnie Langford’s fault, she had the misfortune of coming in when Classic Who was its lowest point. Thankfully in the years since with Big Finish and even her recent onscreen returns, they’ve done a great job in wiping the stink away and I’ve really grown to like Mel over the years, funny how not having her scream all the time can make all the difference!

Onto the actual story itself, despite featuring clockwork droids and the cover featuring the ones from Girl in the Fireplace, they’re not necessarily like the clockwork droids from Girl in the Fireplace or even Deep Breath. The two main elements they keep from those episodes are the clockwork motif and the fact that they’ve patched bits of the colonists onto themselves while the last survivors barricade themselves inside the castle. What starts off as a usual base under siege with the Doctor and Mel trying to rescue the last remaining colonists who have a strange obsession with clocks and time, turns into quite an emotional story as the climax just hits you with this massive gut punch twist that leaves both the Doctor and Mel visibly shaken, a twist that heavily relies on the clockwork gimmick the droids have. Honestly the ending of this story is what earns it a spot in the best Sixth Doctor stories I’ve ever heard from Big Finish, the story itself up until then is solid enough but that ending just takes it to a whole other level. And it gets even better (depressing) afterwards when they track down the son of the colonist’s leader and they finally see the full picture of everything that happened whilst telling him what became of his mother. It’s a slow burner but the payoff is so sudden and so impactful that it’s well worth the listen.

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.

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

“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