The Tivolian Who Knew Too Much

Classic Doctors New Monsters #3.2

Released: 28 July 2022

Listened: 8/4/22

Like the previous CDNM3 story, the “monster” in this one is more of a friendly alien we’ve seen before, in this case the Tivolians from “The God Complex” and “Before the Flood.” They’re the folks who like to be conquered, to a degree that’s nearly disturbing. The title is a reference to The Man Who Knew Too Much, but it doesn’t have much in common with the Jimmy Stewart film except for a tourist who becomes unwittingly involved in a greater plot. Our poor Tivolian protagonist is trying to have a restful holiday in Rome, 1977 (Tivolians apparently look human enough to pass, in Rome), when he gets caught up in a web of organized crime and blackmail where almost nobody is what they say they are. Writer Rob Valentine apparently couldn’t resist the idea of Tivolians in actual Tivoli, hence the Italian setting. The translation circuits also get a workout, with lots of Italian phrases dropped in, as well as every figure of speech involving “Rome” that you can imagine. Unfortunately, Big Finish was unlikely to get David Walliams or Paul Kaye to reprise their Tivolian roles, but the ones we got work just fine. There are a few moments in this where Tom Baker and Louise Jameson sound closer than usual to their actual ages, but it isn’t too much of a distraction. On the whole, it’s a lighter story, and everyone involved seems to be having a good time.