Big Finish Productions The Rani Elite

Written by	Justin Richards
Format	Compact Disc
Released	2014

Starring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant

Synopsis: The TARDIS arrives in the College of Advanced Galactic Education, one of the most prestigious academic institutions in colonised space. The Doctor's here to receive an honorary degree in Moral Philosophy. But there's something rotten at the heart of the Medical Facility. Someone is operating on the students. Someone without a conscience. Someone with access to a Sidelian Brain Scanner - a technology that hasn't been invented yet. That someone is the ruthless Time Lord scientist known as the Rani - in her new incarnation. But will the Doctor and Peri recognise the Rani's hand before her trap is sprung?

• The Usha Elite by Noe Geric

The Usha Elite by Noe Geric 28/11/22

Wow, the Rani is back at Big Finish! Poor Kate O'Mara isn't with us anymore, so Nick Briggs and his team got the beautiful idea to replace her. Which exciting adventure will they put her in? Do you detect a hint of sarcasm? Well, of course. Big Finish doesn't bring the Rani back because they've got a good story to tell, but because they've got CDs to sell! So we ends up with one of the most unmemorable stories ever. And Siobhan Redmond's poor performance as the Rani doesn't add anything but boredom. If this story manage to get at least one point for me, that's because of Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. These two are trying their best to make this release a memorable one. And if it wasn't for the Rani, this story would be one of the most forgettable ever.

The plot is too thin for four episodes. The Rani puts old people in young bodies and double-crosses them (of course). The Doctor and Peri investigate and get from one room to another and another and another and... And that's all. Characterization is hidden somewhere between the not-bad-but-not-so-good acting, and the Rani ends up with one of her most unmemorable appearances ever. I remember most of the audios I've got in my collection. But The Rani Elite never comes to mind if I'm not looking at the CD case on my shelves. I didn't even remember I had an audio story with the Rani! Siobhan Redmond gives a flat performance. If this was played by O'Mara, at least the Rani would stand against the story. But here she's just a villain in a traditional Doctor Who story. And that's all there's to say about her.

The setting comes out of Monster University, with aliens running around the space-school and talking about trivial things. The Doctor and Peri don't do much. I actually don't know what to say about it. It's dull. There's this score that never stops to repeat and becomes more and more irritating the more you hear it. Writing for the Virgin and BBC line of books, Justin Richards proved he was capable of writing excellent stuff! But I don't remember that any of his Big Finish adventures had achieved anything like that. His golden age is over. Now we've got this run-around in a space school with the Rani.

And if I must point something I'll never forget: why do you feel the need to mention the Deca and use the name Ushas in some throwaway scene? I'm not against some continuity, but here you're challenging the fan with one of the most controversial continuity references. And even if I'm not one of these fans, peoples mostly tries to forget the existence of books such as Divided Loyalties.

Conclusion: wow, the Rani! Big Finish will probably writte an excellent and exciting story for her big come back... NO. This is one of the most uncomfortable audios of the main range. The characters are sheets of paper, the plot is like Time and the Rani rewritten, and nothing is done there. It feels like a huge filler. As if nothing was important here. The story ends, and then it's the end. The Rani Elite is only a two-hour runaround story, and that's all. Don't pay for it. Even if there's a new Rani, it doesn't deserve any money. It's just pure filler like all the Moonflesh and The Land of the Dead of the main range. 3/10