Doctor Who brings back eight different incarnations of the Master in a new audio special from Big Finish. Originally introduced to the Whoniverse 50 years ago, the Master has remained one of the Doctor’s fiercest and most iconic villains. Like the Doctor, the Master has regenerated numerous times and taken many different forms. Now, eight of those iterations are uniting for a commemorative adventure.
The Master first appeared in the 1971 serial Terror of the Autons, where Robert Delgado played him. Since then, the character has appeared numerous times, concocting various villainy schemes to be thwarted by the Doctor inevitably. As a fellow Gallifreyan, the Master frequently served as a foil to the Doctor, embodying many of the hero’s iconic traits and behaviors but twisted in a much darker way. As a Time Lord themselves, the Master has been played by a wide range of actors over the course of the franchise.
Eight of those actors are now uniting for the first time. In a newly released Doctor Who audio adventure series from Big Finish past Master actors Geoffrey Beevers, Mark Gatiss, Michelle Gomez, Derek Jacobi, Alex Macqueen, Milo Parker, Eric Roberts, and John Simm. The special, titled "Masterful," is currently available for purchase by itself or as part of a 50th-anniversary box set celebrating the legacy of the Master on Doctor Who. Big Finish describes the new special as a sort of alternate timeline, where the Master has finally achieved victory.
The Master's finally done it. He's won. He summons his other selves to a celebration of his ultimate victory. And they come – from across time and dimensions. But he's forgotten to invite someone. And Missy's not happy.
Has the Master really conquered the universe? Or has something more awful been unleashed? Something that even all the Masters cannot stop?
Missy is determined to reveal the truth. Because one fact about the Master's existence never changes.
No-one can trust the Master. Not even the Master.
Though Masterful boasts a star-studded cast, it will leave out several incarnations of the Master, including past audio-exclusive versions and Sacha Dhawan’s current portrayal of the character. Rumors of Jodie Whitaker’s impending departure from Doctor Who could herald yet another Master being added to the pantheon shortly. At the moment, with the release of Doctor Who series 13 delayed due to covid-19, any opportunity for new adventures should be exciting for fans of the show or its related media.
The Big Finish Doctor Who audio adventures have become a vital part of the franchise over the years and an excellent way for fans of past eras of the series to relive their favorite Doctors. David Tennant has been rather prolific in the audio space of late, reprising his beloved Tenth Doctor. Even Christopher Eccleston has returned to voice the ninth Doctor in an upcoming release. The Master has become as central a part of the Whoniverse as any other character, and it should be exciting to see what their various versions get up to in the latest installment of Doctor Who.
Source: Big Finish