Forever Fallen review [Joshua Wanisko]

"It's my choice to do this, and in doing so I am acting by my principles. I'm sticking to what I believe and I hope you always do too." - Sean

Who are we with?: The Seventh Doctor, Ace and Sean Calvin.

Where are we?: A cafe called the Uncertain-Tea Principle on Elysium 7.

When are we?: Uncertain, but it takes place at some point after the Doctor first dons his brown suit jacket in 1963: The Assassination Games.

The Good:

• The framing device of Sean visiting the Doctor and Ace once a year is utilised far more effectively here than in A Christmas Carol, allowing us to explore Sean and his development, as well as the relationship between him and the time-travelling pair.
• The mention of the Doctor's metaphorical aunt is very funny. It's a wonder that a similar line has never been uttered by him before.
• Sean was always going to be arrested and exiled. The Doctor didn't involve himself to save Sean but to save Odessa. Because of his stopping Sean, Odessa reacts differently to her father's fate and will live a happier life of hope rather than one of resentment. This was a nice twist, injecting a bit of positivity into a sad ending.

The Bad:

• Sean is a little unbelievable at the beginning with the Leviathan and his supposed skill at robotics at a very young age. However, he quickly becomes a realistic and rounded character. 
• Nicholas Briggs could do with a little bit of work on his McCoy impression.

This Reminds Me...:

• The Doctor refers to a possibly metaphorical aunt - this is, of course, a reference to the Second Doctor's exclamation of "my giddy aunt!"
• The Doctor mentions haemovores, the monsters of The Curse of Fenric.

I'll Explain Later: Why does the Doctor say that he "possibly" has a granddaughter? Was it a reference to the belief that Susan isn't actually his granddaughter? Regardless, it feels like a missed opportunity to have a rare character moment of the Doctor thinking about Susan.

Verdict: I'll admit I had some unfounded prejudices against this story because of its being written for a competition, but soon after starting Forever Fallen that mood was dispelled and by the end I was of the belief that it would have been a crime for this not to have won. We're introduced to an unlikeable stranger as our main character who we learn about and journey with and by the end accept for his flaws and pity him for his past. Odessa being the true centrepoint of the Doctor's plans was an inspired idea. Hopefully this wasn't the last we'll see of Mr Wanisko at Big Finish. A

Short Trips

The Hesitation Deviation  |  Forever Fallen  |  The World Beyond the Trees