In what could be called an ambitious attempt to present all of its possible assets, Big Finish debuts its most well-known range of audio dramas with a largely entertaining, if flawed, production.

Story: 6

In an ambitious project to unite three Doctors and a plot to destroy Gallifrey, Big Finish Production's first Doctor Who audio drama is just a scratch on the surface in terms of what the company is capable of.

The first three episodes are largely standalone, meant to introduce the Seventh, Fifth and Sixth Doctors before making them all appear together in the fourth episode. This means that there's a very little build-up for the final episode after the introduction and the end of Episode 3. The cliffhangers aren't even resolved properly. The last episode packs a lot of action and twists, though, and also wraps everything up nicely, which is wonderful.

The dialogue is clunkier than in later productions, mostly because the actors have to tell us what they're doing, which doesn't sound so natural. That being said, there's plenty of good humour, particular in Episode 3.

I can't help but feel that instead of trying to present one streamlined storyline, the script throws in alien planets, historical settings and different Doctors to serve as a bit of a teaser about exactly what kind of adventures the Doctor could be having. Some parts of the story are somewhat confusing to follow.

Acting: 10

The voice acting is fine. Of the Doctors, Peter Davison and Colin Baker do a great job capturing their onscreen personas, while Sylvester McCoy isn't quite as convincing.

Maggie Stables as Ruthley sounds particularly terrifying. It's also great to hear future Who writer and actor Mark Gatiss playing a German captain. Sarah Mowat does a good job capturing the three variations of the same character, joining the different incarnations of the Doctor.

The Doctor: 9

The Doctors are all on their own adventures, getting into troubles that aren't resolved before being thrown into the same adventure at the end. Baker, in particular, puts a wonderful spin on his Doctor.

It's always great to see old Doctors interact with each other and Episode 4 makes all of them work together.

The Companions: 7

No TV companions appear here, but the female characters joining the Doctor's do a good job capturing the setting of each era and allow the Doctor to carry the plot forward. They're all different versions of the same person, making her a bit of a Clara Oswald-type of character.

The Monster/Villain: 7

Vansell comes across as a very different Time Lord villain from what we've usually seen - not a renegade, a time meddle or megalomaniac, just someone convinced that the Doctor is going to destroy Gallifrey and intent on stopping him.

Then we have the Knights of Velyshaa, who seem powerful but remain somewhat underdeveloped.

Production: 7

The soundscapes do their job capturing the setting and the world around the characters, if not as effectively as in the company's later work.

The editing works well and the usage of familiar music and sounds will surely excite any fan.

Pacing: 6

The first three episodes do flow quite nicely, even though very little important happens in them, apart from a couple of events related to the main plot.

The final episode is rushed since it's forced to explain and resolve the plot at the same time.

Atmosphere: 7

There's a true sense of excitement and danger to the situations the Doctor fins himself in as well as the fact that the Time Lords seemingly want the Doctor dead.

The last episode is exciting and action-packed in its own right, carried expertly by the three leads. The story has a lively Classic Who vibe to it.

Impact: 10

This story shows what Big Finish is capable of in terms of production, storytelling and scope.

Replay Value: 6

This isn't the greatest story to listen to again mostly due to its uneven story progression. But its status as the first Big Finish Doctor Who adventure makes it legendary.

Random Observations:

The Sixth Doctor references, in a throwaway line, his visit in the Himalayas during Marco Polo (1964).

The Doctors form a psychic link similar to the one in The Three Doctors (1972-1973).

Score: 75/120 ( )

Until the conclusion (which is good), the three stories of the three Doctors are only loosely tied together. I had a hard time identifying each of the three Doctors by voice, since I'm less familiar with classic Doctor Who. ( )

featuring Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy. Four episodes, one with each Doctor and the last with them all together, sorting out the latest threat to Gallifrey. The plot isn't much, but I did like the execution - the first and third episodes, set respectively on a planet where a political prisoner is living out a lifelong exile, and on a spaceship where all the crew disappear except the android pilot and a member of the catering staff, both reminded me rather of the original Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The second episode, set on a first world war U-Boat, was very atmospheric. You know where the resolution is going as soon as you hear the very first scene (Time Lords under threat, again...) but it was reasonably good fun. ( )