I have been remiss in talking about the Big Finish sets I preordered as birthday presents for myself

[grassangel]

So, my thoughts on the River Song & Master box set, and the shiny brand new Missy set:

The River Song set is a lot of fun. The Missy & Crispy stories are the MOST FUN with quite a bit of jealousy and catty sniping at one another about their relationships with the Doctor. (Missy's makes me wish for the impossible: Whittaker, Gomez & Kingston together on TV 😊🤞)

The Roberts & Jacobi stories are let down a little by the fact you know they're in them, but they are perhaps better foils in general for River. Their interactions tell you a bit more about both of them: how they're the same and how they differ from each other.

The Missy boxset? Unlike with the River Song release there is sort of an arc, and as such there is some nice character development. Like... delicious, "this has consequnces and I want to talk about it, so please go get it" development. (I don't need reasons for Missy to be the way she is, as I've read some amazing meta on her, but if you want some from the broad reach of the DWEU, Big Finish does have you covered 😉)

First half of the set is heavy on prime Missy antics, the latter half less so. But that is also the more plotty half, so it balances out.

Most fun? Divorced, Beheaded, Regnerated. The one I'll be listening to over and over again for the story/plot? The Broken Clock

Rufus Hound is great fun as the Monk, and it's a shame he's appeared so recently in the TV series as a different character. (Though... it'd be super easy to retcon that appearance.)

The end (& the beginning!) of the box set does leave things open for more, which I hope we'll get, even if it's only once every 12-18 months, or as often as Michelle's schedule allows.

Still unsure of the chronology, but that's not terribly important to me. Could be early in her timeline, could be around Apprentice/Familiar. There's a bit in The Broken Clock that feels the same sort of reflective as Extremis onwards, but it's a very light touch and I don't think BF quite want to hem themselves in that close to the 'end' of her timeline.

Even if we know the Master always survives, I don't think Big Finish would want to step on Chibnall's toes and anything he may have planned for the Master by attempting to do a story set after TDF with Missy. The most I think we'd get is maybe some reference to a blonde Doctor, or one with a long coat, or one with suspenders or one with the stupid trousers. Something that can apply to more than one Doctor. (Same with any Thirteen comics or books that might be tempted to have Missy in the background. They can do enough to be a nice little easter egg, but not much more than that until Chibnall creates some holes to fill.)