Originally published by L.S. Media. March 27th 2012.

L. S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, Ella Kenion, Nia Roberts, Michael Rouse, Daniel Hawksford.

The latest Tom Baker/Big Finish story, The Wrath of the Iceni, finally sees the savage Leela meet her match in the form of Boudica, the legendary warrior Queen of the Iceni.  If this story is anything to go by, both the Doctor and Leela may have met their physical equal in the form of a woman who has gone down in history as a mixture of a heroine and a woman driven mad by revenge.

John Dorney’s script for The Wrath of Iceni shows much humour for Tom Baker, something that automatically makes you warm to him all over again. The thought of the Doctor playing I-Spy and verbal charades with a woman from the time of the Roman invasion of Britain is one that gladdens the heart and plays perfectly into the character of the Tom Baker and his version of the Doctor.

Like Boudica herself, Ella Kenion may divide opinion with fans on her portrayal of the warrior queen; there may be those that the constant shouting for revenge and bloodlust that even over shadows that of one of the best companions the Doctor ever had will be too much to bear. For the record, this is a woman who has seen the country invaded, her initial siding, alongside her husband, with the Roman Empire betrayed and her daughters defiled in front of her. On that evidence, John Dorney’s script hits the balance between slightly irritating and inspired characterisation just right.

There are many echoes littered throughout the hour that will please fans of the Doctor stories and the connections that have been strewn through the complex arc of nearly fifty years-worth of stories. One such echo is the idea of the Doctor trying to save just one person from certain doom. The Web of Time is a complex beast and whereas Paul McGann’s incarnation of the Doctor saved Charlie Pollard aboard the Airship 101 which led to disaster, Tom Baker was able to save the native Briton Bragnar, with no seeming ill effects to the time line at all. It’s these little touches that make the world of Doctor Who endearing and sometimes confusing, what marks one person out as special enough to warrant the Web of Time collapsing around him and in another leaves them alone, enough to be able to reflect on the precious gift the Doctor bestows upon them, namely a second chance to live. Everybody is special to the Doctor, it seems some are more special than others.

The Wrath of the Iceni is a story that really is a joy to hear but it begs the question on why it wasn’t ever considered as a template for a television version during Louise Jameson’s time in the Tardis. It also proves the old adage from the Revengers Tragedy play, that he who plans revenge had best dig two graves. As the diligent script points out, no one has found Boudica’s resting place, perhaps this tale can be a fitting historical epitaph for her.

The Wrath of the Iceni is available to buy from Worlds Apart on Lime Street, Liverpool.

Ian D. Hall