Dalek Universe 3 is the final collection of audio plays in this series which features David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. Big Finish Productions continue to explore new stories with past Doctors. Ken Bentley is the director of this trilogy. This time, the Movellans are back to continue their battle campaign against the Daleks. The Doctor is accompanied by Anya Kingdom, who is still played by Jane Slavin. Terry Molloy reprises his role as Davros, which is quite a treat. The Doctor also learns that an old friend is behind the birth of the Movellans in a pretty decent plot twist.
Lizzie Hopley starts off this set with The First Son which sees the return as Alex Kingston as a Movellan that strangely resembles Professor River Song. Matthew Jacobs-Morgan, Noma Dumezweni, Paul Panting, and Nicholas Briggs make up the guest cast. This is rather an amusing take which sees the Doctor not entirely sure of River Song is actually there in some kind of undercover capacity or if she served as kind of template for a Movellan somehow. It’s pretty confusing, and Hopley does a great job of holding the audience in suspense until the big reveal. Kingston is still charming and engaging as River Song. Tennant is still compelling as his Doctor and displays his usual fun mania.
Matt Fitton writes the final two episodes entitled The Dalek Defence and The Triumph of Davros. The origin of the Movellans has a tragic but fascinating reveal. The Doctor and Davros are actually taken prisoner together and become reluctant allies for a time. Molloy remains superb as Davros. Tennant performs with his usual gusto. Anya Kingdom, with her strange and tragic family history, becomes a very likeable foil with this Doctor. Slavin has performed quite a lot with Big Finish, and she really sinks her teeth into this role.
The saga has a satisfying conclusion here. The Doctor had been separated from his TARDIS and was sent back to just before the Time War had broken out. The Movellans being reintroduced was great since we saw so little of them on the television series. The Movellans are a race of androids who were a torn in the side of Daleks. Davros at one time was found and resurrected to break a logical impasse that kept either side claiming victory in their long running war.
I didn’t struggle to stay engaged with this one. Enough old friends appeared to make this worthwhile. I hope David Tennant still finds time in his busy schedule to continue his participation in Big Finish recordings.
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