This is an awkward release to cover as “Project: Lazarus” was released as a single story made of two halves but the issue I always ran into was that the first half, which is a self-contained Sixth Doctor story, has a major companion departure (pretty much anyway) whereas this second half, a self-contained Seventh Doctor story (featuring the Sixth Doctor, sort-of) isn’t really that important. So to give the Sixth Doctor story its rightful spotlight I’ve broke it up into two reviews, with the first half appearing next year (hopefully!) when I cover all the Evelyn Smythe stories here and there. So let’s take a look at the second story in Project: Lazarus, itself a sort of second story in a loose trilogy…
Much like all the “Project: Name” stories it’s focused on The Forge, a secret government branch that acquires alien technology and artefacts for use in protecting the UK “for King and Country”. The Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) arrives at the Forge after getting some worrying readings concerning the Huldrans, an alien race that his previous self had dealings with when they crashed in Norway and were captured by Nimrod (Stephen Chance) and his Forge soldiers. The Doctor is soon taken down to the Forge facility by Sergeant Frith (Adam Woodroffe) and meets Nimrod and his top scientist Dr. Crumpton (Ingrid Evans), all of whom The Doctor met in his previous body (in other words the first half of this release!) What really takes our titular Time Lord by surprise is being introduced to the Forge’s new scientific advisor: The Doctor (Colin Baker), who is happily assisting them in their experiments. The older Doctor is disgusted and confused as he has no memory of this but goes along with it assuming his previous self is playing along for some secret plan.
The blue coat version of the Sixth Doctor and the TV Movie version of the Seventh. There’s a rarely seen double whammy!
The Doctor is shown to a special chamber where Crumpton is experimenting with Huldran portal technology and she confidently turns it on, Nimrod proudly proclaiming how they can capture more Huldrans and use their natural defensive ink as a powerful weapon but the normally peaceful species attack instead and during the scuffle the Sixth Doctor has one of his arms torn off. The Seventh Doctor remarks that he’d definitely remember THAT and that it should’ve caused a shock-induced regeneration, so this “Doctor” clearly isn’t all that he seems…
For an hour long story it’s good fun as McCoy and Baker play off each other really well, plus it has some more mature and horrific moments and themes that you just don’t get from Big Finish post 2005 TV series relaunch.
The Continuity:
There were actually optional covers for each half but since this still says “with Maggie Stables as Evelyn” it doesn’t really work…
As mentioned this is part of the loose Forge trilogy, with Sixth Doctor audio “Project: Twilight” and Seventh Doctor audio “Project: Destiny” either side of this one (plus the first half of this release, obviously!) That’s about it though, most of the juicy continuity comes from Part 1, again the reason I wanted to separate them.
Overall Thoughts:
Hooray, we’ve gone far enough back in time for the audios to have Doctor Who Magazine illustrations. Wish they still did these…
This half of “Project: Lazarus” is a good story full of horror and drama as well as action. It’s a good reminder of some of the more adult and experimental stories Big Finish were doing before the BBC got more strict with the license later on. Not perfect, but for one hour, pretty damn good.
As The Doctor does some poking about we find out that the Sixth Doctor is actually a clone Nimrod and Crumpton have created in an attempt to find out the trick to regeneration (the titular “Project: Lazarus”), and not the first. Instead the clones only last a day or two so they’re constantly cloning, with many half-baked Doctors left in vats crying out to be killed, something The Doctor finds out himself. Horrified, but not surprised, at all these things The Doctor goes back to the portal to sort out the Huldrens while his cloned past self, now aware of the horror that is his existence, uses his unique cloned ability to mimic Nimrod’s voice to set the Forge to explode, hoping to take him, his clones and whatever genetic material of his they still had with it.
As the countdown commences The Doctor manages to free captured Huldrens and open the portal, telling them all to leave and never come anywhere near Earth again before making a dramatic last-second escape, with Sgt. Frith sacrificing himself to get the Doctor out while Nimrod kills the rogue Sixth Doctor clone with his deadly bowgun out of spite. The Forge goes up and The Doctor solemnly wonders if its time he headed back home…
Hogan Reviews 