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The Lost Stories #3.1
Doctor Who: The Elite
The Doctor offers Tegan and Nyssa a trip to the paradise world of Florana, but instead the TARDIS takes them to a domed city on a planet scarred by warfare. A world where everyone is young, and fighting for the glory of the Elite...
Hidden away in The Cathedral of Power, the High Priest is watching. It knows the Doctor, and his arrival changes everything...
Hidden away in The Cathedral of Power, the High Priest is watching. It knows the Doctor, and his arrival changes everything...
Audio CD
First published October 31, 2011
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About the author
Barbara Clegg
12 books2 followersBarbara Diana Clegg was a British actress and scriptwriter for television and radio.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 4, 2018
Dorney’s writing here as a commentary and play on how people in general can become fanatical zombies under the influence of organized religion and church and, shamefully, points the finger at Christianity for the attack.
In good literature or play, there is naturally an allowance for discussion or dialogue on the matter and the usual goal of a decent playwright and writer to bring those to question.
But John Dorney has taken the other route, personal vendetta mode minus any tolerance or ability for readers to think or discuss. The Elite (is his writing/adaptation supreme under an alleged Lost Story mantle), and is strictly an exercise in condemnation, invalidation and outright hate towards religion, specific religions and a knock towards those have faith.
The analogy is simple and direct for Dorney: Nazism equals religion/Christianity and those who participate or accept it are deceived unintelligent zombies.
But Dorney and a group of his fellow writers are so ignorant that almost everything they write is totally distorted historically and politically, and this fact, the evidence are the plays, dialogue and themes themselves that any educated person in history, journalism and writing can plainly see. It’s sickness and this audioplay “loose adaptation” off an original unaired concept is a prime example. Total hypocrisy with compliments from this ‘elite’ exclusive group of Big Finish writers who have subverted intentionally the platform for wicked purposes and by the exact processes that the Nazis and Joseph Goebbels employed in their propaganda films, frankly EVEN WORSE.
The proof is explicit in story. Intolerant, hate-filled agenda written by an “Elitist.”
Yet another example of hate, radical writing agenda by yet another Big Finish writer. Examine the people, it all becomes clear of their intent.
This not Doctor Who, it’s hateful propaganda and designed as such. The story and concept, all clearly conveyed from first episode: Nazism (Elite) equals Church/high priest, who is revealed at close of episode to be (and one I actually thought due to unoriginal Nazi theme).. da da dah… a Dalek. A Dalek (alien) who, as revealed in the second episode, who drops down on this “alien” (faux) planet bringing the word of God. And the planet of course quickly adopts a Third Reich modus operandi cultivating and elite race from children and disposing of the rest.
Highly implausible plot and setup, the absurdism is something words here can hardly explicate. All this conveyed in the first 25 minutes.
Absolutely ridiculous and unoriginal and shows the low intelligence and tactless ignorance by writer with not only a hateful agenda and politic (not a universal simple commentary but a moronic attack against Christianity co-relating it to Nazism, which is absurd), simplifying to a grossly irresponsible extent any historical truth, metaphor or complexity. The real historical facts and philosophy: Adolf Hitler was an atheist and Atheism was the Nazi idealogy.. The assault against Christians as unintelligent or unempathic, as absolutely designed here, is preposterous and “hate speech” (to borrow contemporary terminology likely popular with Dorney and his ilk) hypocrisy.
Is this original author Barbara Clegg or John Dorney or both? Well from Barbara Clegg’s existent story ‘Enlightenment’ for Doctor Who and its plot I have my suspicions whether she is too blame for the explicit or metaphorical setup here. Based on what I reading regarding Big Finish writers working off of broad outlines or remaining fragments of story concepts, plus the guilty nature of some other writers on the same roster espousing subversive and selfish, classless attacks (including Dorney on the historically distorted The Wrath of the Iceni), I will have to place the blame on John Dorney..
This is a disgraceful adaptation Dorney uses to attack organized religion aligned with other instances of agenda of fellow writers in spreading their ideals and subversive propaganda of globalist politic agenda, one interest to belittle and attack Christianity, specifically.
It is more than apparent Dorney has wielded dialogue to attack. After listening to this first couple episodes alone, I am wondering if there is even any more story in the second half rather than the obvious reveal to the idiotic Elites and subsequent invasion or cult brainwash of some sort.
As far as presenting an intriguing alien planet, there is absolutely zero world-building. You would think for an audioplay and for Doctor Who, this would a natural priority for the storytelling. But it was not because Dorney and friends are more concerned with exploiting old scripts for their fascist propaganda and sorry personal politic, nevermind the source.
Nor is it clear how the high priest Dalek could be disguised in human form, deceiving the humans, skin suit?
Around 60% in, I could envision minor glimpses of this story’s outline being an episode in 1981 or perhaps the general concept Clegg might have had in correlation, notably the section when Nyssa is becomes brainwashed, but then the shady and subversive dialogue by Dorney to break any 4th wall, irritates and irradiates his overt metaphor that seems more aligned with a contemporary and direct hate agenda (rather than a subtle and more universal, non-targeted commentary or initiation towards real dialogue).
The problem does not revolve around the actual story outline or concept of blind faith, but in Dorney’s employed instances of dialogue and language that are subversively designed to attack, again, Christianity – this is inarguable as evidence of multiple repeated quotations.
The production and acting is top-notch, but ultimately the most important element here is the story and its adaptation to represent the era and series – this does not, a classic Doctor Who TV episode would have never adopted such an agenda.
There are glimpses of lost story script potential but that is natural to the simple story idea and due to the actors who of course do fit and in this case still at least adequately represent the era or what could have been.
Scriptwise in adaptation: Very poor and bigoted, lacking all tact or integrity of a truly vintage story or faithful adaptation.
The ultimate problem with the story overlooking the aforementioned: firstly how dumb (as opposed to elite in basic intelligence), gullible and naive the characters on the planet really are, and secondly just how simplistic over-the-top and implausible the story is due to one Dalek.
I suppose Dorney thinks he is clever with an allusion to Hitler is this sense, but that would only rest in accordance with a juvenile’s ignorance, not an informed or educated one. This not the first-time I’ve seen grown men from Big Finish demonstrate their lack of intelligence, any complex or accurate comprehension of history, but wallow in their own self-righteous own sense of elitism, hypocrisy and literary bigotry.
Writers like this (and other Big Finish writers) should just stop attempting to write stories or adaptations based on political story lines, it is painfully clear after dozens of releases they lack the intelligence and writing skills to produce anything in a meaningful form.
This was 1/5.
Director:
Ken Bentley
Source: Barbara Clegg (loose script/story material)
Writer: John Dorney (actual adaptation/writing)
In good literature or play, there is naturally an allowance for discussion or dialogue on the matter and the usual goal of a decent playwright and writer to bring those to question.
But John Dorney has taken the other route, personal vendetta mode minus any tolerance or ability for readers to think or discuss. The Elite (is his writing/adaptation supreme under an alleged Lost Story mantle), and is strictly an exercise in condemnation, invalidation and outright hate towards religion, specific religions and a knock towards those have faith.
The analogy is simple and direct for Dorney: Nazism equals religion/Christianity and those who participate or accept it are deceived unintelligent zombies.
But Dorney and a group of his fellow writers are so ignorant that almost everything they write is totally distorted historically and politically, and this fact, the evidence are the plays, dialogue and themes themselves that any educated person in history, journalism and writing can plainly see. It’s sickness and this audioplay “loose adaptation” off an original unaired concept is a prime example. Total hypocrisy with compliments from this ‘elite’ exclusive group of Big Finish writers who have subverted intentionally the platform for wicked purposes and by the exact processes that the Nazis and Joseph Goebbels employed in their propaganda films, frankly EVEN WORSE.
The proof is explicit in story. Intolerant, hate-filled agenda written by an “Elitist.”
Yet another example of hate, radical writing agenda by yet another Big Finish writer. Examine the people, it all becomes clear of their intent.
This not Doctor Who, it’s hateful propaganda and designed as such. The story and concept, all clearly conveyed from first episode: Nazism (Elite) equals Church/high priest, who is revealed at close of episode to be (and one I actually thought due to unoriginal Nazi theme).. da da dah… a Dalek. A Dalek (alien) who, as revealed in the second episode, who drops down on this “alien” (faux) planet bringing the word of God. And the planet of course quickly adopts a Third Reich modus operandi cultivating and elite race from children and disposing of the rest.
Highly implausible plot and setup, the absurdism is something words here can hardly explicate. All this conveyed in the first 25 minutes.
Absolutely ridiculous and unoriginal and shows the low intelligence and tactless ignorance by writer with not only a hateful agenda and politic (not a universal simple commentary but a moronic attack against Christianity co-relating it to Nazism, which is absurd), simplifying to a grossly irresponsible extent any historical truth, metaphor or complexity. The real historical facts and philosophy: Adolf Hitler was an atheist and Atheism was the Nazi idealogy.. The assault against Christians as unintelligent or unempathic, as absolutely designed here, is preposterous and “hate speech” (to borrow contemporary terminology likely popular with Dorney and his ilk) hypocrisy.
Is this original author Barbara Clegg or John Dorney or both? Well from Barbara Clegg’s existent story ‘Enlightenment’ for Doctor Who and its plot I have my suspicions whether she is too blame for the explicit or metaphorical setup here. Based on what I reading regarding Big Finish writers working off of broad outlines or remaining fragments of story concepts, plus the guilty nature of some other writers on the same roster espousing subversive and selfish, classless attacks (including Dorney on the historically distorted The Wrath of the Iceni), I will have to place the blame on John Dorney..
This is a disgraceful adaptation Dorney uses to attack organized religion aligned with other instances of agenda of fellow writers in spreading their ideals and subversive propaganda of globalist politic agenda, one interest to belittle and attack Christianity, specifically.
It is more than apparent Dorney has wielded dialogue to attack. After listening to this first couple episodes alone, I am wondering if there is even any more story in the second half rather than the obvious reveal to the idiotic Elites and subsequent invasion or cult brainwash of some sort.
As far as presenting an intriguing alien planet, there is absolutely zero world-building. You would think for an audioplay and for Doctor Who, this would a natural priority for the storytelling. But it was not because Dorney and friends are more concerned with exploiting old scripts for their fascist propaganda and sorry personal politic, nevermind the source.
Nor is it clear how the high priest Dalek could be disguised in human form, deceiving the humans, skin suit?
Around 60% in, I could envision minor glimpses of this story’s outline being an episode in 1981 or perhaps the general concept Clegg might have had in correlation, notably the section when Nyssa is becomes brainwashed, but then the shady and subversive dialogue by Dorney to break any 4th wall, irritates and irradiates his overt metaphor that seems more aligned with a contemporary and direct hate agenda (rather than a subtle and more universal, non-targeted commentary or initiation towards real dialogue).
The problem does not revolve around the actual story outline or concept of blind faith, but in Dorney’s employed instances of dialogue and language that are subversively designed to attack, again, Christianity – this is inarguable as evidence of multiple repeated quotations.
The production and acting is top-notch, but ultimately the most important element here is the story and its adaptation to represent the era and series – this does not, a classic Doctor Who TV episode would have never adopted such an agenda.
There are glimpses of lost story script potential but that is natural to the simple story idea and due to the actors who of course do fit and in this case still at least adequately represent the era or what could have been.
Scriptwise in adaptation: Very poor and bigoted, lacking all tact or integrity of a truly vintage story or faithful adaptation.
The ultimate problem with the story overlooking the aforementioned: firstly how dumb (as opposed to elite in basic intelligence), gullible and naive the characters on the planet really are, and secondly just how simplistic over-the-top and implausible the story is due to one Dalek.
I suppose Dorney thinks he is clever with an allusion to Hitler is this sense, but that would only rest in accordance with a juvenile’s ignorance, not an informed or educated one. This not the first-time I’ve seen grown men from Big Finish demonstrate their lack of intelligence, any complex or accurate comprehension of history, but wallow in their own self-righteous own sense of elitism, hypocrisy and literary bigotry.
Writers like this (and other Big Finish writers) should just stop attempting to write stories or adaptations based on political story lines, it is painfully clear after dozens of releases they lack the intelligence and writing skills to produce anything in a meaningful form.
This was 1/5.
Director:
Ken Bentley
Source: Barbara Clegg (loose script/story material)
Writer: John Dorney (actual adaptation/writing)
January 30, 2023
I was wracking my brain over whether or not I’d heard this story since I hadn’t logged it on Goodreads. The opening showing it’s shortly after Tegan’s return didn’t sound familiar to me. But then once the villain reveal happened, I felt like I had listened to this, perhaps back on November 28, 2022 if I had to guess. I kind of think the story would’ve been stronger without these villains. It was already doing so well as a story about how religious institutions shouldn’t be believed blindly.
March 18, 2026
I'm not usually a Fifth Doctor gal — he's fine! but there are others I gravitate to more often — but John Dorney wrote this, so I needn't have wondered if this was a good one. The Doctor is crankier with Tegan than normal, and it's interesting.
August 19, 2022
Lovely little tale. Wish it was actually made in the 1980s.
January 18, 2026
This is the “seventh” Lost Stories audio I’ve listened to and so far, none of them have left an impact on me, in fact, one of them is one of the worse Big Finish Audios I’ve listened to. I keep getting pulled in over and over again and every time, I’m disappointed by what I got for one reason or another. This was no different, I’m not going to deny that it is quite unique for when it was written and if it was an episode, it might have been one of the best of the Classic era. But overall, it’s just another stock Doctor Who story with nothing outside of the High Priest idea, to offer.
Again, the premise was quite ambitious for when it was written and would later be done with stories like Dalek and Jubilee. And the idea of a single Dalek turning a peaceful society into an evil religious sect, was a really good idea. But, there was just a lot of nothing wraped round it with out anything new in terms of setting or characters. It was just another futuristic society at war and running down corridors, like so meany other stories from the Davidson era. The Dalek itself was so misused in this story and at first, you would assume that it would be introduced in the part one cliffhanger with the Doctor meeting it for the first time. But that didn’t happen until the middle of episode three and by the end of that one, the Dalek is already dead. I never would have guest that the Daleks were in this one if I hadn’t read about this story before hand so I think it would have been better if the Dalek was only revealed at the end of episode 2. But you could potentially swop out the Dalek with any other generic alien baddy and it wouldn’t change anything overall. I liked the plot point of all the adults and anyone under a certain age being killed so the city is made up of young people, cuz they are easier to manipulate, like a sci-fi version of Children of the Corn. Also, there was a plot twist where you think that they didn’t land on the planet they were intending to land on but then at the end it turns out that it “was” the planet after all which I just don’t understand. It doesn’t add anything, and it would have been way easier to just say that from the beginning.
This was also unique as the original idea was written by a woman “Barbara Clegg” who also wrote the season 20 episode “Enlightenment” and also wrote another Lost Stories one “Point of Entry”. I haven’t seen Enlightenment as of writing this and seeing as how I didn’t care much for either of her Lost Stories, I can’t say I’m very eager to see it. I think this was better than the two stories from the start of series 20 that “were” used, Arc of Infinity and Snakedance, but if it was made, I can only really see it as a novelty rather than as a great piece of writing.
I really wanted to like this one and while it was by no means awful, considering its premise, it needed to be a lot better. If I was rewriting this, I would probably use aspects of the Trial of the Time Lord segment “The Mysterious Planet” and the audio “Order of the Daleks” and have it take place in a medieval world like the one from Face of Evil. I would like to see this one get made into an episode of the New Series but not as it is.
Again, the premise was quite ambitious for when it was written and would later be done with stories like Dalek and Jubilee. And the idea of a single Dalek turning a peaceful society into an evil religious sect, was a really good idea. But, there was just a lot of nothing wraped round it with out anything new in terms of setting or characters. It was just another futuristic society at war and running down corridors, like so meany other stories from the Davidson era. The Dalek itself was so misused in this story and at first, you would assume that it would be introduced in the part one cliffhanger with the Doctor meeting it for the first time. But that didn’t happen until the middle of episode three and by the end of that one, the Dalek is already dead. I never would have guest that the Daleks were in this one if I hadn’t read about this story before hand so I think it would have been better if the Dalek was only revealed at the end of episode 2. But you could potentially swop out the Dalek with any other generic alien baddy and it wouldn’t change anything overall. I liked the plot point of all the adults and anyone under a certain age being killed so the city is made up of young people, cuz they are easier to manipulate, like a sci-fi version of Children of the Corn. Also, there was a plot twist where you think that they didn’t land on the planet they were intending to land on but then at the end it turns out that it “was” the planet after all which I just don’t understand. It doesn’t add anything, and it would have been way easier to just say that from the beginning.
This was also unique as the original idea was written by a woman “Barbara Clegg” who also wrote the season 20 episode “Enlightenment” and also wrote another Lost Stories one “Point of Entry”. I haven’t seen Enlightenment as of writing this and seeing as how I didn’t care much for either of her Lost Stories, I can’t say I’m very eager to see it. I think this was better than the two stories from the start of series 20 that “were” used, Arc of Infinity and Snakedance, but if it was made, I can only really see it as a novelty rather than as a great piece of writing.
I really wanted to like this one and while it was by no means awful, considering its premise, it needed to be a lot better. If I was rewriting this, I would probably use aspects of the Trial of the Time Lord segment “The Mysterious Planet” and the audio “Order of the Daleks” and have it take place in a medieval world like the one from Face of Evil. I would like to see this one get made into an episode of the New Series but not as it is.
May 16, 2014
The first of several "lost" stories from the twentieth anniversary season of Doctor Who, "The Elite" is a story that it's easy to imagine fitting into the Peter Davison era.
Writer John Dorney takes a premise pitch from writer Barbara Clegg and expands it into something rather interesting and entertaining. The TARDIS materializes in a domed city where the young people are engaged in constant war games for the pleasure of their ruling class known as the Elite. At the center of why this is happening is a nice little in-story twist that, quite frankly, worked better than it had any right to do so (even if looking back, it should have been a bit more obvious from the cover illustration).
Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and Sarah Sutton all easily step back into their roles as the Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa and the story (shockingly) gives each character enough to do to keep the interest up and not feel like one companion is relegated to a sideline story that may or may not have an impact on the final resolution of the story. As I said before, this one could easily slot into season twenty without feeling greatly out of place, though I doubt the effects budget of the time could necessarily render it quite as well as the theater of my imagination does. It's a perfect example of what Big Finish can do extremely well -- create stories that evoke my nostalgia for a particular era of the show all while using the magic of audio to create a theater that the television screen couldn't or wouldn't necessarily be able to do.
And then there's the music that scores the story. The best soundtracks are those you notice for all the right reasons (say for example, most of the work of John Williams). And this score is one of those.
One of the more entertaining, compelling Big Finish stories I'v listened to in a while and it really gave me a lot of hope that the lost fifth Doctor stories could be something really special.
Writer John Dorney takes a premise pitch from writer Barbara Clegg and expands it into something rather interesting and entertaining. The TARDIS materializes in a domed city where the young people are engaged in constant war games for the pleasure of their ruling class known as the Elite. At the center of why this is happening is a nice little in-story twist that, quite frankly, worked better than it had any right to do so (even if looking back, it should have been a bit more obvious from the cover illustration).
Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and Sarah Sutton all easily step back into their roles as the Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa and the story (shockingly) gives each character enough to do to keep the interest up and not feel like one companion is relegated to a sideline story that may or may not have an impact on the final resolution of the story. As I said before, this one could easily slot into season twenty without feeling greatly out of place, though I doubt the effects budget of the time could necessarily render it quite as well as the theater of my imagination does. It's a perfect example of what Big Finish can do extremely well -- create stories that evoke my nostalgia for a particular era of the show all while using the magic of audio to create a theater that the television screen couldn't or wouldn't necessarily be able to do.
And then there's the music that scores the story. The best soundtracks are those you notice for all the right reasons (say for example, most of the work of John Williams). And this score is one of those.
One of the more entertaining, compelling Big Finish stories I'v listened to in a while and it really gave me a lot of hope that the lost fifth Doctor stories could be something really special.
October 26, 2017
One of my all time favourite Doctor Who stories. Absolutely adore this story.
Not only do I praise The Elite but it also changed my view of the 5th Doctor. Before, I wasn't very fond of his incarnation of the Doctor. I now regret saying that and love the 5th Doctor.
The story is a fantastic bleak war/conflict story with some fantastic twists and very good characters. Without counting spin off's as Jago & Litefoot series 02 (Litefoot & Sanders mainly) is my favourite release by Big Finish. The Elite is personally my favourite Doctor Who Big Finish story. I know, it's not one you see everyday ranked as their all time favourite: Spare Parts, Chimes of Midnight, Master and Dark Eyes to name a minor few get that honour. But this is mine.
If I was ever to do a Top Ten Doctor Who stories of all time. Including TV stories, audios and books. This will be on it somewhere.
I give it a perfect rating.
Not only do I praise The Elite but it also changed my view of the 5th Doctor. Before, I wasn't very fond of his incarnation of the Doctor. I now regret saying that and love the 5th Doctor.
The story is a fantastic bleak war/conflict story with some fantastic twists and very good characters. Without counting spin off's as Jago & Litefoot series 02 (Litefoot & Sanders mainly) is my favourite release by Big Finish. The Elite is personally my favourite Doctor Who Big Finish story. I know, it's not one you see everyday ranked as their all time favourite: Spare Parts, Chimes of Midnight, Master and Dark Eyes to name a minor few get that honour. But this is mine.
If I was ever to do a Top Ten Doctor Who stories of all time. Including TV stories, audios and books. This will be on it somewhere.
I give it a perfect rating.
February 27, 2016
First of all, Big Finish did an excellent job of recreating the sound design of the 80s, from the music cues to the laser weapons. Second, it's probably a good thing this story's been done on audio, frankly, as it looks so much better in my head than it would have on screen back then. The story itself is expansive, as the travellers explore the society they encounter. On screen, it would have looked like corridors and model shots.
On the whole, while this story isn't necessarily on a par with "Snakedance", it ticks all the boxes for plot development, fully exploring its premise of fanatical religion and militarism giving rise to fascism. The characters are a bit two dimensional, but the performers do well with what they're given. It's Peter Davison as the Doctor who really shines here.
On the whole, while this story isn't necessarily on a par with "Snakedance", it ticks all the boxes for plot development, fully exploring its premise of fanatical religion and militarism giving rise to fascism. The characters are a bit two dimensional, but the performers do well with what they're given. It's Peter Davison as the Doctor who really shines here.
December 30, 2013
The Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa land on a planet in constant war. The Elite is in charge, and anybody else is treated very badly. This is a very clever storyline, and has a very nice twist that I will not spoil. I think they would not have had the budget in the 1980s to do this story justice. As always the characterisation and sound landscapes are spot on. A story that makes you think about the themes long after you have heard it. A very good listen.
October 3, 2020
This story takes place right after the story with the Doctor fighting Omega in Amsterdam on earth. With Tegan joining them again, the Doctor decides to take Tegan and Nyssa to a vacation planet. They land on a planet that is training for war with a God is a Dalek out of its shell. Can the Doctor stop a genocide from happening. This would have been wonderful to watch on screen.
April 20, 2013
I enjoyed this story. It has interesting parallels to events in our own world and shows how easily people can fall for entirely the wrong message if a leader comes across as charismatic. Also brought across very strongly just how dangerous are considering how much damage just one of them did over a period of time on this particular world.
September 22, 2014
This was the first of the Davison Lost stories I heard. I've really developed a new appreciation for 5th doctor episodes in the past month. This was a very interesting adventure. I liked the dystopian future. It felt very much like an 80s adventure. Tegan was really great in this, leading the rebellion. Nyssa becoming evil was also fun. Even Peter's doctor was amusing.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews