The Monthly Adventures #009 - "The Spectre of Lanyon Moor" by Nicholas Pegg

My journey with Big Finish started a while ago. A good few years back, I can't remember when exactly, I was gifted The Sirens of Time for my birthday. Since then, I’ve gotten a total four more audios physically and listened to none of them before discovering the first fifty free on apple music about three years ago; and then, 18 months later, I got hooked on them and never really stopped. The Spectre of Lanyon Moor is the first audio I listened to completely recreationally- before it was just the odd one on a train ride or a long car journey - and I remember, ever since sitting down to listen to it, becoming obsessed with getting more and more of these eclectic audio dramas. But, being the start of my obsession, does The Spectre of Lanyon Moor hold up on a relisten?

After finding themselves investigating a Celtic archeological site in Cornwall, the Doctor and Evelyn team up with old ally Brigadier Lethbridge-Stuart to thwart a deadly revenge plot 18,000 years in the making.

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

When I think of a great Doctor Who story I think of innovative and bold new ideas, a creative sandbox of great concepts building a tightly written narrative that introduces me to new forms of storytelling, of world building, of imagination, all whilst giving me some brilliant, strong character drama along the way. Then there are stories like The Spectre of Lanyon Moor. It’s a fun story, an incredibly fun story, no doubt, but I’d be lying if I said there was anything of substance here. Its main positive, in my opinion, is that it nails the feel of a classic story. I can imagine this being aired sometime in the 70s, it’s got the exact right balance of dark and serious moments and the Doctor prancing around a Fogou looking at funny rocks. Not only that, but the setting helps as well, being rural Cornwall littered with archeological oddities such as the “fogou” I mentioned before, a sort of underground fort the Celts made. I love this aspect of the story as not only is it a unique, interesting place to set your story that reflects some of the locales seen in Classic Who, but it also taught me something new, so all around a good setting. The story is mainly where The Spectre of Lanyon Moor drags and I’ll get to that, but there are a number of diamonds in the rough, such as Mrs Moynihan, our - tertiary, I think - antagonist who completely outperforms her two fellow foes, being a genuinely interesting and tragic character as well as a great late story reveal and her death is probably the most disturbing part of the whole audio - eaten alive by her own dogs, the only things that hadn’t abandoned her by this point. Another, quite obvious quality of this audio is one of two inclusions of Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier in the Main Range, which is a supremely wonderful addition to an already incredibly fun story. Courtney’s deep baritone is honestly just nice to listen to and, whilst I wish he had more to do, I’m never going to complain about the Brigadier being in a story.

However, despite how inoffensive it is or how many little sparks of life are present, The Spectre of Lanyon Moor still fails to impress me. It is far longer than it ought to be and it contains an obscene amount of padding. There’s a whole subplot with Evelyn getting kidnapped by a local aristocrat trying to harness the telepathic powers of the earth fallen alien - Sancreda - but not only does it just end in the fourth part, when the plot needs to move on from it, it barely contributes to the rest of the story, it’s just something for Evelyn to do whilst the rest of the narrative gets on with itself. Speaking of Sancreda, what an annoying villain. It sounds awful, I really cannot get behind that cartoonish performance, even if the whole audio’s going for this B-movie vibe, it’s just painful on the ears and it means I really can’t take Sancreda seriously.

Overall, The Spectre of Lanyon Moor is a corny, unsubtle outing for the Sixth Doctor that really reflects some of the cheesier outputs of the Classic Era, with a welcome return for the Brigadier but a drawn out plot and the sidelining of it’s companion that makes The Spectre of Lanyon Moor, for me, fall just shy of good.

6/10

Pros:

+ Particularly fun runaround, completely inoffensive

+ Mrs Moynihan was a more interesting and compelling antagonist than the two real antagonists

+ The Brigadier’s always a welcome addition to the plot and Nicholas Courtney’s a delight

+ Nice, atmospheric setting and nice inclusion is some unknown historical oddities

Cons:

- Sancreda was an incredibly annoying and underwhelming villain

- The entire plot with Sir Archibald was complete and utter padding

- Evelyn is massively sidelined, especially for her second outing

The Spectre of Lanyon Moor is a good story, with some superb acting, that sadly is a little too long. Unlike other stories that feel long, it's not because there are superfluous, 'nothing' scenes. It seems to be a little 'fat'. You could rearrange some scenes, and combine others, and it would feel a bit snappier. At over 2 hours, it could probably use with 20 minutes being cut out.

The plot is an interesting piece, with little twists and turns, that has a comforting feeling like a walk across a damp moor in October. The setting was a pleasant one, all the more because of the return of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, played by Nicholas Courtney. The Brig fits well within this story. He adds another familiar presence that carries a nice chunk of the story. The continued banter between The Doctor and Evelyn really feels like a couple of good friends teasing each other.

There are some good guest actors in this one, mainly the married couple of Susan Jameson and James Bolam, who add a nice energy in their performances.

While I have issues with this one, there is still enough in here to enjoy.

Seconding what other people have said, this really is peak comfort who. Colin is in his element, Evelyn continues to be utterly delightful, and Nicholas Courtney steps so effortlessly back into the role it's like he'd never left, once the brig, always the brig.

The actual plot of this is pretty enjoyable too, but mostly it's those characters that bring this up for me, and I do love how much this setting gives everyone a chance to shine. Evelyn doing her research and talking to contacts in oxford, the Brig still kicking even in retirement, and the semi-globe-spanning nature of the story giving him a chance to call in those UNIT connections, and of course, the alien itself giving the doctor a lot to do, both with explaining the myths of the area and with the psychic abilities which gives him a chance to use his. That final scene too, character driven and oh so sweet, the sort of ending I love for these sorts of stories.

Overall a very solid 8/10 from me, and a main range story I could definitely see myself coming back to.

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

“The Spectre of Lanyon Moor: A Sinister Slice of Cornish Folklore”

The Spectre of Lanyon Moor delivers a gripping blend of local mythology, small-town intrigue, and science fiction, making it one of the stronger early Big Finish adventures. Its moody atmosphere, richly realised setting, and strong character dynamics make it a standout for fans of the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn Smythe.

The story opens with a dramatic and tragic scene of an alien being abandoned by its kin, setting the tone for the eerie events to follow. Six and Evelyn’s arrival at the idyllic yet mysterious Cornish village of Lanyon Moor immerses listeners in a world steeped in folklore. The meticulous attention to local mythology enriches the narrative, much like the approach taken in The Daemons.

The cliffhangers are well-executed, particularly the Part 1 revelation of the deadly threat and the Part 3 scene reminiscent of Azaal's summoning, which heightens tension and sets the stage for a gripping finale.

Evelyn shines throughout, with Maggie Stables showcasing her wit, intelligence, and independence. Her dynamic with the Sixth Doctor continues to be a joy, particularly as she tempers his more brusque tendencies, such as when she forces him to apologise to other characters. Evelyn’s rapport with Barnaby Edwards' Philip is also a highlight, making his betrayal all the more impactful.

The story is also notable for the return of Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier. His reunion with the Doctor is handled with understated charm, allowing him to slot seamlessly into the narrative. Courtney plays the Brigadier as older and wiser, and his pivotal role in the climax is a satisfying moment for fans of the character.

The supporting cast is strong, with James Bolam delivering a delightfully nasty performance as Sir Archibald Flint, even if his character is a somewhat generic power-hungry aristocrat. Susan Jameson adds depth and menace as Mrs. Moynihan, while Toby Longworth makes Sancreda a compelling and sinister presence in the final part.

The creatures, brought to life through evocative sound design, maintain an air of ambiguity that adds to their creepiness. However, their limited presence in the middle of the story diminishes some of the tension built earlier on.

Despite some clunky moments in the writing typical of early Big Finish, the story flows well, even with its longer-than-average episode lengths. The climax, while talk-heavy, provides a satisfying resolution that balances the Brigadier’s heroism with the Doctor’s sharp intellect.

📝Verdict: 8/10

The Spectre of Lanyon Moor combines a strong sense of place, engaging performances, and a sinister atmosphere to deliver a memorable audio drama. It stands out as a testament to the potential of Big Finish’s early efforts, successfully weaving folklore and science fiction into a compelling tale.

I flagged this as requiring a prerequisite in that I really think it pays off more meaningfully if you are more familiar with staples of the Classic era of Doctor Who than not.

This is a pretty cool audio. It was great to have The Brigadier in a Sixth Doctor story, and feels like the story pays it off reasonably well. Evelyn feels like she has a lot to do and gets a lot of pretty memorable moments here. The larger ideas of the story and the music/effects were a lot more mediocre, but were entertaining enough this wasn't a bad experience or listen. Still, I liked quite a few scenes and some of the details around the historical content in this story. It makes good use of our history professor companion, and I think this is just a nice treat for Doctor Who fans overall.