Doctor Who - Short Trips 9.8 - #HarrySullivan - Big Finish

Tuesday, 17 September 2019 - Reviewed by Matt Tiley
#HarrySullivan (Credit: Big Finish)
Narrated by: Louise Jameson
Written by: Eddie Robson
Directed by: Lisa Bowerman
Cover Artist: Mark Plastow

En route to answer the Brigadier’s summons, the TARDIS is dragged off course. The Doctor, Sarah Jane and Harry find themselves trapped on The Zephyr, a spaceship that is going at full speed and yet is unable to move. With fuel running dangerously low, their only hope lies on Deraxas, a nearby world exclusively for the famous and celebrated.

However, Alderasea has never heard of them and has no intention of letting them land…

 

Filling a nice little gap between series (not season!) twelve and thirteen #HarrySullivan is a by the numbers little story that explores what it is like to suddenly have celebrity thrust upon you, and the perks that it can gain. Finding themselves on a ship that is caught in a trap with fuel and oxygen running out, the Doctor, Sarah and Harry must pull together with the passengers (all journalists) and create a celebrity out of a certain Mr Harry Sullivan.

Written by Eddie Robson, the story captures the characters perfectly. I always felt that Harry made a wonderful companion, but was criminally underused, so it is great to witness the return of the character as the main protagonist in this story.

Louise Jameson narrates, who I suppose IS the obvious choice after Tom Baker, and her gentle tones help the story romp along.

#HarrySullivan is an enjoyable bit of fluff, that thankfully gives the fourth Doctor’s companion, who was so wonderfully brought to the screen by the great Ian Marter, a little more airtime.

I feel that it is rather necessary to give a very positive shout out to Mark Plastow, who is behind the design of the cover art of this range since it was re-vamped back in December last year - they really do look superb, far better than a rather dour looking Doctor staring out from the cover. Nicely done sir!

#HarrySullivan is available from Big Finish HERE.


 





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