On 28th December 1974, Tom Baker MBE made his debut as the Fourth Doctor in the opening Season 12 serial Robot. Exactly 50 years later, in 2024, Big Finish released a special audio story to commemorate this incarnation’s golden milestone. The Curse of Time — a traditional four-parter written by Jonathan Morris, set between Revenge of the Cybermen and Terror of the Zygons.
Responding to the Brigadier’s distress call, in the TARDIS, the Doctor and his two companions Sarah Jane Smith (Sadie Miller) and Harry Sullivan (Christopher Naylor) are taken off course and arrive in what appears to be England during the Middle Ages. They encounter magician Faustus Black (Angus Dunican) and his travelling troupe, along with the Brotherhood of anti-science monks and the mysterious scientist Zaphiel Ixon (Terence Wilton, who appeared onscreen in Invasion of the Dinosaurs).
You may think that it’s a pseudo-historical story (even I initially thought so), but no. It’s actually set on Earth in the far future, many years after The Sontaran Experiment, dealing with the consequences of the solar flares which began in a certain arc in space, i.e. Nerva Beacon. And the truth lies inside a cave called the Forbidden Forest, where things go from bad to worse. It’s an intriguing way to interpret Earth’s societal collapse, almost as if humanity had already started a new cycle with limited (but sophisticated) technology.
After producing three Lost Stories, all based on early versions of the TV serials, it feels refreshing to finally have an original Season 12 audio as part of the Fourth Doctor Adventures range. I had hoped for a series of boxsets with this TARDIS team to celebrate this incarnation’s 50th anniversary, right until Big Finish first announced The Curse of Time as a standalone release. Maybe we’ll get some in the future, hopefully after the forthcoming series with Leela as the companion.
Morris’ script faithfully captures the essences of the Season 12 era, whilst linking all the way back to The Ark in Space; ideal, considering that he previously adapted John Lucarotti’s original drafts. While it worked out well in four parts, I wouldn’t have minded it being a six-parter, like Genesis of the Daleks, to conclude Season 12 with an extended finale.
Tom Baker may already be in his early nineties, but his portrayal of the Fourth Doctor on audio never fails to amaze me. His iconic multicoloured scarf, his love for jelly babies (my personal favourite character trait), his eccentric personality… they’re all still there! Every time I hear Sadie and Christopher voicing Sarah and Harry, I can easily visualise Tom with the late Elisabeth Sladen (Sadie’s mum) and Ian Marter doing The Curse of Time together, as if it were produced for television in the 1970s.

Like how I pointed out in my review for The Ark (Lost Stories), the alternative cover of The Curse of Time (magnificently done by Sean Longmore) has the same font issue as the former story and Daleks! Genesis of Terror; alongside incorporating the new variant of the diamond logo, first featured on Storm of the Sea Devils. Why didn’t they use Futura Extra Bold for all Season 12 audio releases, like with Return of the Cybermen? I guess we’ll never know the reasons behind it.
Overall, I consider The Curse of Time to be a perfect story to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor. Despite being a standalone release, it’s also the definite article of a starting point for anyone new to Big Finish. But I would, of course, recommend watching the entirety of Season 12 beforehand.
The Curse of Time is available now from Big Finish.