Well, here we are, the midpoint in the first series of the Thirteenth Doctor Adventures, and what should be the first of many milestones to come. For the series’ landmark sixth instalment, The Doctor’s and Yaz’s adventures see them finally catch up with the mysterious Tourist as well as a sinister corporation known as the Aegis Protectorate.

The Doctor and Yaz must infiltrate the Aegis Protectorate interplanetary defence expo in search of someone who has been dogging their travels.

As the Doctor digs into the company’s main export – the sinister Trojan Program, Yaz faces a battle of her own. Will they finally uncover the truth about the Tourist?

Big Finish Synopsis

Written by the series producer, Aegis is a story that promises answers and a healthy helping of a more confrontational version of The Doctor. Set in an intergalactic arms convention with some of the worst warmongers imaginable, these promises shouldn’t be too difficult to achieve, or at least you’d think so. Despite its best efforts, Aegis, throughout its runtime, really struggles to deliver on either.

As I sit, thinking about this adventure, there are no easy solutions to the problems it faces. Unfortunately, they are numerous and come from all different directions. For starters, the story suffers from inconsistent focus. It flitters back and forth from different sets of locations all the time. The weapons convention, Prospero’s mansion, and The Doctor commanding a load of TYPHON soldiers – not to mention all the things that go on with The Tourist. It moves around constantly, and you’re never allowed to get comfortable with any one location. This is compounded by the few settled moments we do get in the story being overly detailed, slowing everything down to a screeching halt. It’s a strange mix that leaves the pacing both incredibly busy and dull at the same time, which may sound like an oxymoron, but it’s the only way to explain how this story feels like it’s trying to do everything in the world but actually does little at all. Additionally, the adventure also has issues in the character department. The Doctor, Yaz and The Tourist are the main character focuses here, and unfortunately, no one else gets much of a look-in, leaving most of the side cast one-note and paper-thin.

Aside from the main story, The Tourist’s reveal, too, faces its own uphill battle. Unlike the main bulk of the story, however, there is a silver lining that distinguishes itself apart from the rest of the plot, which is all to do with Yaz’s characterisation and actions when confronted with The Tourist. In an attempt to escape the Aegis Protectorate’s iron grip, The Tourist’s B plot revolves around her less-than-peaceful intentions to take over Yaz’s mind and usurp her place as The Doctor’s companion. Despite these clearly hostile actions, it doesn’t change Yaz’s decisions to save The Tourist towards the climax, such are her character’s strong convictions towards helping people and why she originally became a police officer. It’s just a shame that this is ultimately undercut by The Tourist’s overarching mystery never quite having the built-up momentum needed to make any of these drastic actions feel like they matter.