Following on from my revisitations of the Lost Stories S1 last year, I wanted to continue filling the downtime between new releases with another set of stories. This time, I’ve decided on another iconic Big Finish series, Classic Doctors New Monsters (CDNM), which, as the title suggests, pits classic incarnations of the Doctor against monsters that have only appeared in the modern series.

So, where better to begin this venture than to give the 5^th Doctor a run at the most recognisable villains from New Who, the Weeping Angels.

2015: When sightseers Joel and Gabby Finch encounter a strange man in Edwardian cricketing garb in the Sistine Chapel, their honeymoon suddenly takes a terrifying turn.

1511: Michelangelo is commissioned to create some very special sculptures by a mysterious sect. But as he carves, angels seem to emerge fully-formed from the rock. Almost as if they are alive…

From Michelangelo’s workshop to the catacombs of Rome, the Fifth Doctor must keep his wits about him and his eyes wide open as he confronts the Weeping Angels.

Big Finish Synopsis

Fallen Angels is the perfect opening gambit for the CDNM series. It’s a light-hearted, if at times slightly creepy, historical that follows The Doctor all the way back to 16^th-century Italy. Spotting some out-of-place newlyweds, he becomes embroiled in a scheme spanning centuries, as the Angels and their cultists set their sights on them and the infamous artist Michelangelo.

Mulryne’s storytelling strengths in this adventure come with its familiarity to the audience. Rather than mess with the formula and add complicated elements of time travel, he uses the Weeping Angels purely as a vehicle for horror. Moreover, aside from the odd addition here and there, the Weeping Angels are relatively unchanged from their original appearance. These aspects help to settle the listeners, and engagement with the material remains high because it doesn’t require extensive prerequisites.  

Additionally, the story retains its high note, thanks to a cast of authentic, likeable characters. These traits are exemplified best by newlyweds Joel and Gabby and their interactions with the Doctor. Despite this story being their one and only adventure together, there is an immediate rapport between them. Gabby, in particular, has some great moments. She has an archetypal companion feel about her, and she spends a lot of the story pushing back against what she sees as The Doctor’s ‘nonsense’. Aside from the newlyweds, there is also some fun to be had with Kelly’s portrayal of Michelangelo, as he does a great job of convincing listeners of his character’s artistic temperament.

Despite an engaging story and convincing characters, the adventure falls slightly short in explaining the Weeping Angel’s motivations. Though feeding on a victim’s potential time is an Angel’s main motivation, the story provides little evidence supporting the claim that feeding on a famous artist’s potential time is more valuable than anybody else’s.