In the 1960s, the British sci-fi classic series Doctor Who featured a unique mix of time and space travel. Anything could happen in a Doctor Who episode in this era, at least within the budget and the logistics of a series that aired 40-plus black-and-white episodes per year, mostly shot on soundstages, and with as limited a number of retakes as possible.
The series produced some great sci-fi epics, but some great storylines were rejected, and many were far too ambitious for 1960s television. One of these was a story written by famed British TV director Douglas Camfield (along with Robert Kitts) at a time when the series starred Patrick Troughton as the Doctor.
In 2024, the British audio drama company Big Finish recorded and released this story as a licensed audio drama, with second Doctor Patrick Troughton’s son, Michael Troughton, playing his father’s Doctor. He was joined by his father’s co-stars Frazier Hines and Wendy Padbury, reprising their roles as the Doctor’s young companions, 18th Century Scotsman Jamie McCrimmon, and late 21st century science whiz Zoe Herriot. The story was adapted to audio by Jonathan Morris.
The Plot:
The Doctor plans to take his friend to Normandy in 1066 but makes a slight miscalculation, instead landing in 1944. The TARDIS crew find themselves in a confused melee as they run into occupying Nazi forces and resistance fighters, and the Doctor is confused for a British operative who the Nazis are somehow aware of and plan to capture.
The Doctor says that they haven’t landed in the middle of Occupied France in World War II. They have landed on June 4, 1944, with less than two days until the ground they are standing on becomes one of the bloodiest battlefields in history.
Worse yet, Nazi scientists have a secret plan to turn the tide of the war with new teleportation and brainwashing technology. The teleportation part of the plan is given a huge boost when the Doctor is forced to help them. Can the Doctor and his friends thwart the Nazis and get history back on the right track?
Review:
The story itself is a wild mix of science fiction and history, with no alien race involved in the Nazi plot. It’s a compelling combination of reality and the fantastic. I also like how the script explores the idea of British Nazi sympathizers before the War taking their own covert action in support of Berlin. I also liked the idea of “The Doctor” actually being the codename for the British operative.
Operation Werewolf captures the spirit of the 1960s series while still being a fantastic adventure full of twists and turns throughout its three hour runtime. It features a large cast, much larger than a typical Big Finish story, to capture all the roles that would have been in the original television storyline. There were doubtless some tweaks to the storyline, particularly with the presence of Zoe, who hadn’t become a companion until a year after the original story was submitted, and was different than prior female companions. Still, the adaptation feels quite seamless.
As the Doctor, Michael Troughton captures the energy of his father’s Doctor. He plays the idea of the Doctor looking hapless but being quite cunning as he manages to play his foes against each other. As usual, Hines and Padbury slip back into the characters they played five decades ago and possess the vocal dexterity to make it believable and seamless. The rest of the supporting cast fits right into making this a believable period piece.
This is further supported by great sound design and music, which manage to create the audio illusion of a story set in the 1940s, being told in the 1960s.
There are minor points I’d critique with the story. The Nazis’ plan is very complex and one aspect of it is built up as a horrible threat (indeed it’s the basis for the name of the story) but it’s rather easily overcome in a way that didn’t quite feel earned. In my opinion, it would be better to have a simpler Nazi plan than to have one that has elements resolved in a way that feels cheap. In addition, a character turns out to be distantly related to Jamie, although they conclude that Jamie likely isn’t a direct ancestor. There doesn’t seem to be much point to this plot element.
Still, these are minor complaints for a story that is a really fantastic 1960s science fiction adventure story that’s chock-full of action and intrigue.
In addition, the release also includes an extras section where the cast is interviewed. The best part is where Hines and Padbury share their lovely memories of working with Camfield as a director. It also includes a music suite by Jamie Robertson which is evocative of the 1960s.
All in all, Operation Werewolf is a great listen for fans of classic Doctor Who, but I also think if you like classic science fiction adventure, this a story you can enjoy without knowing very much at all about Doctor Who.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Operation Werewolf is available for purchase at BigFinish.com
