1. The Sirens of Time
First steps (and a slight wobble)
New Year’s resolutions are a funny thing. Every January, we tell ourselves that this is the year we’ll get fit, learn a new language, or finally read that book that’s been on the bedside table for three years. And sure, for a little while, we might even believe it. But as the years roll by, the whole idea of a fresh start begins to feel like a polite fiction—a nice thought, but not something that actually transforms us overnight.
I started this marathon on Wednesday, New Year’s Day… and the banging New Year’s Eve that my husband and I were recovering from? Watching Sophie Ellis-Bextor on the TV sing to a group of people who looked like they were having a lovely time. I was slightly smug that I could turn Sophie off, down the dregs of my Pinot, and be in bed by 12:23 AM.
Still, I do love New Year—it’s a chance to reflect and start over. And that brings me to The Sirens of Time. This was Big Finish’s very first Doctor Who audio drama, the one that kicked off their now-enormous catalogue of stories. At the time, it was thrilling to have the chance to spend time with even one Doctor again—let alone three at once! And for a debut release, it’s certainly ambitious. Nicholas Briggs, who would later go on to shape Big Finish’s direction and, of course, become the voice of the Daleks on TV, starts with a bold concept: three separate stories featuring the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors, converging in a final showdown.
Now, a couple of months later, I’m finally sitting down to write about it.
The problem? It never quite comes together as well as it should. I remember reading at the time that this was a story with three Part Ones but only one Part Four, and that really is part of the issue. The first three episodes give each Doctor their own self-contained mini-adventure before finally bringing them together for the climax. Individually, these stories are a mixed bag. The U-boat sequence with Davison is atmospheric and tense, balancing eerie time distortions with a claustrophobic, character-driven setting. Colin Baker’s story in an intergalactic conference centre, which shouldn’t be fun, actually is—entirely due to his sheer force of personality. He barrels through the script with all the confidence and charisma that made his Doctor such a success in his subsequent Big Finish audios. The Seventh Doctor’s story, however, is the weakest. McCoy, usually so good in morally ambiguous situations, doesn’t quite click here—partly because the pacing drags, and partly because he sounds like he’s still finding his feet in this new medium.
There are some fantastic supporting performances, though. Maggie Stables, in a pre-Evelyn role as Ruthley, is brilliantly bonkers and utterly steals the show. Her death at the end of Part One is genuinely shocking, making for the best cliffhanger of the set. Meanwhile, Sarah Mowat impresses with her ability to play multiple versions of the same character, subtly shifting between different personalities as the story unfolds. It’s an early sign of Big Finish’s sharp casting instincts—both actresses would return to the range and do incredible work later on.
Then we come to Part Four, where everything needs to come together. And… it sort of does. Just about. The idea of the Sirens themselves is fascinating—time-sensitive entities manipulating history to their advantage—but they remain more of a concept than a real presence. Their threat never fully materialises, which leaves the climax feeling rushed and more like a mechanical resolution than a truly satisfying payoff. The Big Finish of the future would have the confidence to tell this story over four consecutive releases, really giving each strand room to breathe. Here, it’s functional, it works, but it lacks the elegance of what would come later.
And that’s the real takeaway from The Sirens of Time. It’s not bad. In fact, for a first attempt, it’s a solid start. But revisiting it now, in 2025, I don’t have to forgive every flaw just because it’s my only chance at new Doctor Who—because, as we all know now, it isn’t. The Sirens of Time is Big Finish taking its first baby steps, and while it wobbles, it’s still standing.
Quick Take
The Sirens of Time is where it all began for Big Finish’s Doctor Who audios—a bold, ambitious debut that doesn’t quite stick the landing. Splitting the story into three separate mini-adventures before bringing the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors together is a great idea, but the payoff feels rushed, and the villains never quite come into focus. That said, there’s still plenty to enjoy: Davison’s tense U-boat drama, Baker’s sheer force of personality elevating a middling script, and a standout turn from Maggie Stables in a pre-Evelyn role. It’s not the strongest start, but it’s fascinating to revisit knowing just how much better Big Finish would get.