Despite it being one of Big Finish’s biggest new series of the past two years, Dark Gallifrey had never really interested me. An exploration of some of the darker, more villainous Time Lords to have wormed their way into the wider universe, it had, up until this point, struck me a little odd how much focus there had been on different incarnations of The Master. However, for the fifth entry into the series, they seem to have put their focus on The Master on hold for a three-part look at two adjoining incarnations of The Meddling Monk.

An enticing number all written by John Dorney, it’s an idea that I’m surprised they never thought of doing before – featuring the Meddling Monks in a sitcom.

Playing House

Starting out their comedic escapades, their sitcom of choice finds The Monk and The Nun challenging each other to buy a house and run a shop over two 30-minute segments. With not much given away about where The Monks actually are, the story instead wants us to enjoy how well The Monk and The Nun work together comedically, and the results are phenomenal.  

Going in blind to this story, nothing can really prepare you for the generational double-act routine performed by Hound and Whelan. Their snide jabs and cheap shots come thick and fast from the very beginning, and it’s hard not to crack a smile or two every couple of seconds from the sheer amount of comedic chemistry the pair share together.

While both parts are great, this chemistry and comedic styling work best during the first part, ‘Monky House’. A sitcom of misunderstandings where The Monk and The Nun attempt to buy the same house, it uses the roles of The Monk’s bumbling buffoon and The Nun’s straight man act to the greatest of effects. By the end, I can’t say that I was anything but brought to tears by the constant ‘Not Going Out’-style of innuendo between The Monk and the lonely landlady. ‘Monky Business’ has its own share of moments too, with the most memorable being The Monk selling the store’s robber all the gear he needs for a successful robbery.

Burnt Niçoise and Chicken Lollipops

As the sitcom nears its midseason, the balance between comedy and mystery begins to shift as the full scale of the danger befalling The Monk and The Nun beings to take hold.

The second part starts with the gut-bustingly funny comedy of errors, ‘Monky Nuts’. Challenged to a cook-off for some visiting neighbours, the story finds the two incarnations of the same Time Lord butting heads and failing miserably to avoid poisoning their guests. Between the burnt Niçoise fiasco and The Monk’s takeaway trip, it features some of the best parody in a Doctor Who story for quite some time.

However, faced with another member of John’s spiralling family tree and weird comedic anachronisms, brings the mystery to the forefront by the end of the first part. During the climax, both The Monk and The Nun feel that there’s something wrong with everything matching comedic timing and the fact that now and then they can hear music and an audience. These climactic moments give the listener their first glimpse at what’s going on behind the curtain and just how much sway it has on proceedings, as it quickly swallows the two of them back in for episode 4’s reset.

With things not quite as they seem, ‘Monky Magic’ serves as the shoe drop or big sitcom shock reveal. Set in a village talent show, the two Monks learn just how serious comedy can be, as being funny is the only thing stopping them from facing the dreaded cancellation order. It’s a brilliant mix of meta and parody that delves into the shortcomings of different styles of broadcast television, especially in the differences between the UK’s and the US’s treatment of new shows.  

The Invasion of Comedy

All good things must come to an end, and with sitcoms, that means special guest stars, plot twists and moments that pull on your heartstrings. With cancellation looming, the final instalment is a fourth-wall-breaking affair that brings in the 6^th Doctor as a special guest star to help the Meddling Monks out of their fatal predicament.

Featuring a villain obsessed with making everything funny, even if it kills them, this two-part finale is a love affair to the idea and genre of comedy. Figuring out that the space they inhabit is ruled under the laws of sitcoms, their escape runs through several different genre staples. From ironic setups to silent movie chases, the slew of references, actions and meta commentary communicates Dorney’s great appreciation for the genre (something which can also be seen through several of his other releases).

Plot aside, the choice of the 6^th Doctor as a special guest is also inspired. Colin is clearly in his element with this one as he puts in everything to create his version of the Doctor who is at his least naturally funny, yet who thinks he’s the perfect comedian. His unmatched knowledge of the genre and stellar wordplay quickly puts a cat amongst the pigeons where John (creature?) is concerned, unravelling the world just enough to ease their escape.