Harry Houdini's War

Main Range #255

Released: 17 September 2019

Listened: 5/25/20

This release is part of the trilogy that came out with “Memories of a Tyrant” and “Emissary of the Daleks,” and once again features Peri, but it takes place here, for spoilery reasons. Nicola Bryant plays Peri as more than usually annoyed and frightened, but with a more strident quality, and again, there’s a reason for that. The big attraction, though, is that Harry Houdini shows up as a character. Although the Doctor has mentioned meeting Houdini many times before, he hasn’t turned up as a main character, except for “Smoke and Mirrors,” also by Steve Lyons. This time, Houdini is at the height of his abilities and fame, and has a strong urge to contribute to the U.S. efforts in World War I, because of his German background. He gets an awful lot to do, displaying many of his skills, and having his trust in the Doctor tested harshly. The German characters are played mostly as straight evil, with several actors calling them “Nazis” in the extras, although there weren’t any Nazis yet, in the 1920s. The plot has a lot to unravel, and many things aren’t what they seem, but it takes its time getting there. Overall, it’s a fine addition.