Kingdom of Lies

 Kingdom of Lies by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky

The complete opposite of the prior Season 19 trilogy, Kingdom of Lies is actually really really brilliant. It's not got much in terms of alien-runaround, instead opting towards a farcical murder mystery where no one dies, everyone's a hologram, no one likes any one, and hysterically complicated political shenanigans take place, with some really inspired guest characters that are just genuinely funny. When the story does actually unveil it's so called monster, it's so late in the game (the Part Three Cliffhanger) that you're already enrapt in the story's world and it's quality writing that a villainous figure turning up doesn't make one roll their eyes. The story is incredible across the board, with a truly inspired concept. You know those sitcom episodes where two roommates get mad at each other and draw a line across their bedroom? Well, a king and queen have decided to draw a line across their planet as they plan to A. File for Divorce, and B. By File for divorce I mean hire assassins to kill each other. This entire series of events is completely ludicrous, and uproots the classic who formula so nicely by being just high tier bonkers. One of the guest characters' only character traits is that he declares war every other line. That's the fun kind of story you're getting with Kingdom of Lies, and I can't say that I'm anything but adoring towards a story like this. It's so out of the box for Big Finish, although funnily, a story also in this trilogy, Serpent in the Silver Mask, which I reviewed prior for a Big Finish Stream, shares similarities. I'd put Kingdom over Serpent however, because Kingdom thoroughly embraces the absurdity of the scenario while the characters take everything delightfully seriously, while Serpent is more a generic murder mystery with a lot of gags. The straight-laced formula of comedy where it arises from the scenarios and not the characters is one that I thoroughly appreciate. Nyssa especially rises to the challenge in this one, being especially wonderful when she is forced to masquerade as an assassin, Nyssa The Destroyer (who doesn't kill for money, she kills because she likes it, mwhahahaha!) I also want to nominate Patsy Kensit as the best of the guest stars. She takes this ridiculous dialogue (Farewell, Losers!) wonderfully seriously, and you have to give credit to the kind of people who work absolutely magnificently as hammy who villains. We all love hammy who villains. The only thing barring this tale from a perfect score is Part Three goes on a teensy bit too long. But ultimately, that's a nitpick. Doctor Who magazine called this story "The Undeadly Assassin," and went on to say that it's a "giddy farce of misunderstandings, decoys and doppelgangers," and you know what? Once in a while I'll let the more professional reviewer say it, because they are so right. Kingdom of Lies is genuinely superb: 9/10 

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