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Omega

august 2003

(4 EPISODES)

“Alright. If you’re interested I’ll tell you the story.

And this is only because you’ve asked, and only because it’s you.

It’s the story of a foolish and very powerful Time Lord who did a terrible thing,

and of the heroic Time Lord who discovered what he did to his great horror…”

The first instalment of Big Finish’s “Villains” trilogy, Nev Fountain’s play “Omega”, is an insightful look into the troubled mind of the infamous member of Gallifrey’s ancient ruling triumvirate, but it is also so much more. There are moments of classic Doctor Who horror. There is the mother of all twists. There is an underlying humour throughout which serves not only to thoroughly entertain but to comment on the nature of myths and legends, how we look at history, and how we debase it for the sake of earning a few quid.

I should start off by saying that to enjoy this story, you need know nothing of ancient Gallifreyan lore; “The Three Doctors”; or “Arc of Infinity”, though familiarity particularly with the latter story helps one better understand the plot of “Omega.” Following on directly from the events in Amsterdam in “Arc of Infinity”, this play tells the story of what Omega did after he escaped Earth in a copy of the Doctor’s body… and his mind. Like few before him, Fountain has written a story which (as he intended) truly belongs “entirely to sound.” How else could the shock revelation work of the Doctor arriving in his TARDIS at the end of Part Three to reveal that the man we thought of as the Doctor for three episodes was Omega all along?

Fascinatingly (particularly for admirers of the works of Marc Platt, for example) the story reveals much about the life of Omega – or ‘Palix’ as he was born – and of ancient Gallifrey, the time experiments, and the origins of the Hand of Omega. However, as interesting as these flashbacks are, the story itself is far more intriguing – Omega trapped in a copy of the Doctor’s body, his mind constantly battling with a copy of the Doctor’s mind for supremacy, neither truly aware of the other’s existence. Ian Collier and Peter Davison work far better together here than they did twenty years previously' so much so that the Omega character is completely unrecognisable from Stephen Thorne’s original, two-dimensional portrayal back in 1973.

The supporting cast are all excellent; the brilliance of Caroline Munro’s Sentia combined

with a rich and colourful cast of supporting characters such as Ertikus, Tarpov, and Daland results in a play that truly comes alive on audio and holds the listener from start to finish –

you really can picture that Jolly Chronolidays’ ship in your mind’s eye. The final (and much less significant) twist regarding the two hilarious old ladies is a lovely way to end the play too, their revelation that they are actually from some sort of Time Lord Historical Preservation Agency in Gallifrey’s (relative) future is a nice touch in itself but having one of them ask for the Doctor’s autograph really caps it off, a nice little acknowledgement of the Doctor’s importance to the universe…

If you are new to the world Doctor Who audio dramas and fancying trying one out, then I could not suggest a better play to start with than this one. “Omega” is certainly Big Finish’s best release since “Spare Parts” by a mile, and I have a feeling that it will remain a favourite of mine for many, many years to come. A future classic.

Copyright © E.G. Wolverson 2006

E.G. Wolverson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

This play’s blurb and production code suggest that it takes place between the television serials Arc of Infinity and Snakedance. However, it seems to take place during the closing moments of Arc of Infinity, rather than after them, while Tegan spends time with her traumatised cousin and Nyssa remains on Earth to visit a friend.

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