Brief Summary
This episode of The Sirens of Audio focuses on the character of the Rani in Doctor Who, specifically examining her appearances in Big Finish audio dramas. The hosts discuss the Rani's character, her portrayal by different actresses, and the strengths and weaknesses of the audio stories "The Rani Elite" and "Planet of the Rani." They also touch on the Rani's history in the TV series and other audio productions. The hosts recommend Big Finish audio dramas for those who want to explore the character of the Rani.
- The Rani's character is explored, highlighting her amoral approach to science and her differences from the Master/Missy.
- The hosts discuss the Big Finish audio dramas "The Rani Elite" and "Planet of the Rani," praising Siobhan Redmond's portrayal of the Rani.
- They recommend the Big Finish audio dramas for those who want to explore the character of the Rani.
Introduction
Sally Novette introduces the episode, warning listeners about spoilers and encouraging them to subscribe to the channel on YouTube, Rumble, and podcast platforms.
Show Opening and Introduction of the Hosts
Dwayne and Phillip introduce themselves and the show, which explores Doctor Who and other cult TV in the audio medium. Dwayne jokingly expresses his desire to be the first Aussie Boen Doctor Who. They mention the upcoming cartoon Doctor Who series and discuss the differences between Star Trek and Doctor Who cartoons in terms of target audience.
Episode Topic: The Rani on Audio
The hosts announce that they will be discussing the Rani on audio, noting her recent appearance in Doctor Who on television and her appearances in the classic series. They mention the Big Finish audio dramas "The Rani Elite" and "Planet of the Rani," as well as an earlier BBV audio drama featuring the Rani. The hosts state that they will focus on the two Big Finish Rani stories, sharing their thoughts on them after a recent re-listen.
Live Events Announcement
Phillip announces upcoming live events in Australia featuring Carolanne Ford from the new Doctor Who series and stars from Blake's 7. He mentions that scenes featuring Carolanne Ford were cut from the final episode of Doctor Who, which will be discussed at the event. Details about the events and tickets can be found at sirensofaudio.com. VIP tickets for Melbourne are nearly sold out, and Sydney is also close to selling out. A buffet is planned for the VIPs on Sunday night in Melbourne.
Down the Rabbit Hole: General Discussion About the Rani
Dwayne asks Phillip if the Rani has had more potential than has been shown on screen or if she is just a carbon copy of the Master or Missy. Phillip believes the new series avoided making her a carbon copy of Missy and maintained her intrinsic qualities. He describes the Rani as amoral, focused on science and learning without caring about the consequences, contrasting her with the Master, who is evil. Phillip enjoys "The Mark of the Rani" and thinks Ketamara is an amazing performer. He also notes that the Rani was the first strong female Time Lord, which impressed people.
Dwayne thinks Archie Punjabi was perfectly cast as the Rani in the new series and appreciates the nods to Kato Mara's portrayal. He feels that recent Doctor regenerations have lost the essence of the Doctor, unlike Matt Smith, who researched previous Doctors. Phillip adds that in "Mark of the Rani," the Rani found the Doctor and the Master to be nuisances, which should be a consistent part of her character. He suggests the Rani is a sociopath compared to the Master's psychopath.
The Rani Elite: Introduction and Facts
Dwayne introduces "The Rani Elite," Big Finish main range number 194. He reads the blurb, which describes the Doctor and Perry arriving at the College of Advanced Galactic Education, where someone is experimenting on students using advanced technology. The Rani is revealed to be behind the experiments. Phillip shares facts and trivia about the audio drama, including the writer, recording date, cast, and director. He notes that the Rani was created by Pip and Jane Baker and that Big Finish had been in discussions with Kate O'Mara to bring the Rani back before her death. Siobhan Redmond was cast as the Rani.
The Rani Elite: Discussion and Analysis
Dwayne and Phillip discuss "The Rani Elite." Dwayne expresses that it is a shame Kate O'Mara was unable to play the Rani but praises Siobhan Redmond's performance as distinctively different. He notes that this story features a future Rani meeting an earlier incarnation of the Doctor. Phillip mentions that this story is part of the older Perry trilogy, where Perry is married to Yakanos and is traveling with the Sixth Doctor again.
Dwayne notes that Perry is much older in this story and that the minds the Rani is trying to use remind him of "Time and the Rani." Phillip believes that the writers deliberately tried to maintain consistency with the character. He criticizes the new series for not looking back at what makes characters strong. Dwayne asks Phillip's opinion of Siobhan Redmond as the Rani, and Phillip praises her strong and assured performance, which complements Colin Baker's Doctor. He also appreciates the strength of the top three characters and Justin's strong characterizations.
Other Rani Audio Dramas and Siobhan Redmond's Performance
Dwayne mentions a previous Rani audio drama, "The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind" by BBV, which he did not enjoy as much. Phillip recalls that it follows the events of "Time and the Rani" and features the Tet Traps. He believes "The Rani Elite" would have been a better story for Kate O'Mara. Phillip loved Siobhan Redmond's performance, but her Scottish accent might have been compared to Missy, who also had a Scottish accent.
Overall Impression of "The Rani Elite"
Dwayne states that "The Rani Elite" is not Big Finish's greatest masterpiece, but it does a good job of keeping the story going for the characters to play off. He and Phillip agree that the three characters, the Doctor, Perry, and the Rani, make it a must-listen. Phillip notes that it is quite cheap at the moment and recommends getting a subscription to save money.
Planet of the Rani: Introduction and Facts
Dwayne introduces "Planet of the Rani," Big Finish main range number 205. He reads the blurb, which describes the Rani imprisoned in the Tekk Aurora Penitentiary, seeking revenge on the Doctor and planning to create a race of new gods. Phillip shares facts and trivia about the audio drama, including the writer, release date, cast, and director. He notes that this is the second story featuring Siobhan Redmond as the Rani and that it picks up from the previous story, with the Rani imprisoned but running the prison.
Planet of the Rani: Discussion and Analysis
Phillip mentions that in "The Rani Elite," he forgot to mention that the Rani's name, Ushas, was from the novels in the '90s. Dwayne adds that "Planet of the Rani" is a middle story in the Constance Clark trilogy. He finds Mark Platt's scripts difficult to visualize and complicated. The story is set in two parts: the prison and Maya Simeia Goria. Phillip enjoyed the first episode in the prison and the worldbuilding in the second part, but it requires effort to visualize.
Dwayne found some of the sound design irritating and had to look at the cover to understand what he was hearing. He suggests that Mark Platt might be better suited to writing novels due to his complex writing style. Phillip argues that Doctor Who should be diverse and complex at times. He praises Big Finish for getting rid of the sidebar on the cover, which obscured the creature design.
Constance Clark and the Cast
Dwayne asks Phillip how he felt about the Sixth Doctor and Mrs. Clark dynamic at the time. Phillip loved her instantly as a companion but didn't like how she was introduced in the regeneration story. He feels that Doctor Who companions are often not well-drawn out, and the audios do a better job of filling them out as characters. Phillip praises Miranda Raisen's performance as Constance Clark and notes that she also played Tula in a Dalek story from season 3.
Dwayne notes that Olivia Pulle, who played Avalon in Blake's 7, is also in the cast. He also thought Tim Bentik sounded like Paul Darrow.
Recommendation for New Listeners and Final Thoughts on the Rani
Dwayne asks if they would recommend that those who have only seen the Rani in the Disney stories go back and listen to the Rani on audio. Phillip strongly recommends it, stating that the audio Rani is much better than the television Rani. He feels that these two stories give a much better view of the Rani's potential and range. He notes that it is sad that they didn't get Kamara playing it. Dwayne mentions that there were rights issues with using the Rani beyond these stories.
Recommendations
Phillip recommends the "500 Year Diary" podcast, which is by the same guys who put out "Flight Through Entirety." He also recommends the TV show "The Residence" on Netflix, a murder mystery comedy set in the White House with Australian actors.
Dwayne recommends the short trip "Rarities Bonus," a third Doctor Liz Shaw story narrated by Steven Critow. He reflects on the performers who have returned to Big Finish, such as Elizabeth Sladen and William Russell.
Next Week's Episode and Show Closing
Dwayne announces that next week's episode will feature Ian Brooker, a voice actor who has worked on many Big Finish audio dramas. They will be discussing the eighth Doctor story "Embrace the Darkness." Dwayne thanks Phillip and the listeners and closes the show.
