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.

It’s been a while since I listen to that Audio.
This one in many ways could feel from the first glance as a checkbox story (having 6 and the Brigadier properly meet) but I have to say while it’s quite standard, it’s a VERY solid standard who Story.

Colin and Maggie as Evelyn and 6 are a blast dream team as always, with Courtney, they are such a lovely trio.

The Setting is lovely and used well throughout here!
While if I were to give it a rating, which would be a high 7/10, it’s a good sign how many of the interactions I still remember it quite well. Always a good sign for the very early BF MR Stories, easily one of the best I heard as yet.

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

Previous Story: The Marian Conspiracy

Our adventures with 6 and Evelyn continue in The Spectre of Lanyon Moor. While not as fantastic as it's predecessor, it's still really great and marks the first appearance of the Brigadier in Big Finish. It's also his first and only meeting with the Sixth Doctor. Colin Baker and Nicholas Courtney immediately have great chemistry, you'd be forgiven for thinking they had met on TV. I love how the Brigadier immediately recognises the Doctor because he's met him enough times and who else would try to pull off a coat like that. Maggie Stables' Evelyn continues to be an excellent companion and a perfect foil to the Sixth Doctor.

The plot itself is alright, though nothing special. It's a fairly typical Doctor Who story set in a sleepy English town with some great alien mystery unfolding. It's got the obligatory betrayal twists and "character suddenly pulls out a gun to show they're evil" scenes that I see in just about every story. Sancreda is an interesting enough villain, with a very annoying voice. I do like that the Brigadier was the one to resolve the story, and the fact that he was willing to sacrifice his life to save the world only to then be very humble about it was a very Brigadier thing to do. It's a shame Nicholas Courtney doesn't appear in that many more stories alongside the Doctor because I really enjoy their dynamic.

Overall, a bit weaker than the last one but definitely a strong adventure that I'd be glad to relisten to.

Next Story: The Apocalypse Element

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.

16.02.2022

I love Evelyn. She's definitely making my top companion list. Brigadier is nice to hear once again.
Unfortunately, the story itself isn't as captivating. The villain is just evil and destructive. His story is comically underwhelming. The omnipotent villains in Who is an interesting concept, but quite underutilised here.
The story is fine in the moment and forgettable once it's over. 2.5/5