Harry Houdini's War

 Harry Houdini's War by Steve Lyons 

Harry Houdini's War is a story that never really skyrockets over the "mm, that was enjoyable" tier. It's not got many flaws, but also isn't ever really truly engrossing. Mostly a character piece that sort of stars Harry Houdini as the main character and the Sixth Doctor as, in a rather clever way, the antagonist, without making either of them unappealing. It almost feels like a more well-done version of one of Seven's more Machiavellian plans, in that while the story fakes you out briefly, it is clear that ol' Sixie still has good in his heart all the way through. They really have something in this version of Houdini that stars in this story, and it does very nice things, by having realized that Houdini is referenced frequently in the DWU and so sets up Harry and The Doctor as two old friends, with Harry well aware of the Doctor's time travel shenanigans. This also works to the story's benefit. It's a difficult one to describe, but really it uses Harry as a sort of companion who is distrusting of what the Doctor's planning. While The Doctor, Houdini and Peri all get wonderful characterization - it's becoming more clear to me how much of a talent Nicola Bryant truly is. She shines here as a tired and slightly stranger Peri, it's wonderful characterization. Ultimately though, it's too long and not punchy enough for what it's going for - there is a VERY long plot thread involving Harry breaking out of the prison, stealing an airplane and travelling across the countryside, which ultimately ends with him in the same place he started in. Cut it and a few other superfluous scenes, you could get an extraordinary one hour piece. It doesn't truly sell itself as a two hour script. Nonetheless, Harry Houdini himself is given really monumental treatment - he's so good here I was hoping he could hop aboard the TARDIS when it was done! Celebrity Historicals can be a mixed beast, so it was nice to at least hear something different: 7/10 

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