Excelis Dawns

Excelis Dawns is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is part of the Excelis trilogy which continues in Excelis Rising and Excelis Decays. The events are also connected to the Bernice Summerfield audio drama The Plague Herds of Excelis.[1]

Excelis Dawns
Big Finish Productions audio drama
SeriesDoctor Who
Release no.1 in Excelis series
FeaturingFifth Doctor
Iris Wildthyme
Written byPaul Magrs
Directed byGary Russell
Produced byGary Russell
Jason Haigh-Ellery
Executive producer(s)Jacqueline Rayner
Production codeEX01
Length1 hr 30 mins
Release dateFebruary 2002

Plot

The Doctor discovers Iris Wildthyme in a nunnery, on a medieval world called Artaris.

Cast

Continuity

Notes
  • Katy Manning, who plays Iris Wildthyme in this story, previously played the Third Doctor's companion, Jo Grant, for three seasons between 1971 and 1973.
  • Anthony Head played Mr Finch in the 2006 TV episode "School Reunion" and was the narrator for that year's series of Doctor Who Confidential.

Reception

Joe Ford from Doc Oho Reviews wrote that, "If you are not a fan of Paul Magrs and his work you have to at least admire his excellent grasp of whichever Doctor he is exploring," noting that "With Excelis Dawns Magrs takes a powerful look at what makes the fifth Doctor tick, he addresses some of the complaints fans make about his character and gets us to understand why that should be the case. Whilst I don't think this is the best fifth Doctor story, for his characterisation it is definitely one of his stronger tales."[4]

E.G. Wolverson from Doctor Who Reviews praised the story, writing that "Paul Magrs' “Excelis Dawns” is every bit as good as most of the regular monthly releases, and is actually quite a bit better than the vast majority of the fifth Doctor's audio outings to date." Wolverson also made special mention to the music, writing that "David Darlington's music has a very different feel compared to most of the stuff that Big Finish have used in earlier stories, and particularly when combined with Anthony Stewart Head's excellent narration it really gives “Excelis Dawns” its own distinct sound and identity."[5]

References
  1. "DiscContinuity: 'The Plague Herds of Excelis'". Tetrapyriarbus.
  2. "Excelis Dawns". Doctor Who Reference Guide.
  3. Wolverson, E.G. (February 2002). "Doctor Who – Excelis Dawns". Doctor Who Reviews. From Iris Wildthyme's point of view, these events appear to take place after the novel The Scarlet Empress (where this story suggests that she acquired the Relic), and presumably The Blue Angel and Mad Dogs and Englishmen too.
  4. Ford, Joe (16 September 2010). "Excelis Dawns written by Paul Magrs and directed by Gary Russell". Doc Oho Reviews.
  5. Wolverson, E.G. (February 2002). "Doctor Who – Excelis Dawns". Doctor Who Reviews.


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