Big Finish has long been known for breathing new life into classic sci-fi properties, already in 2025 they have done just that, and successfully so, with V UK, and their latest venture, Irwin Allen’s The Time Tunnel: The Nightmare Begins, is an ambitious and intriguing attempt to reimagine the beloved 1960s series for a new generation. While the original Time Tunnel followed two scientists lost in history, this updated audio drama shifts the focus to a new team in the year 2025, who must reactivate the long-dormant Time Tunnel to undo a catastrophic shift in history. It’s a bold and sweeping narrative that mixes nostalgia with fresh ideas, creating an engaging, if sometimes uneven, return to the world of The Time Tunnel.
A New Future, A Fractured Past
The three-part set opens with The Shudder by Gary Russell, which sets the stage for this new iteration of The Time Tunnel. It’s 2025, and the once-mighty Project Tic-Toc has been shut down for decades, abandoned as a lost cause. But the past is never truly buried, and a group of determined individuals—Captain Lewis Haworth (Seán Carlsen), Clare MacGregor (Rachel Handshaw), MB (Safiyya Ingar), and Cole Smith (Jay Reum)—secretly reopens the Time Tunnel to correct a devastating historical alteration. The world is now ruled by the Rakervians, a mysterious force that has taken control of history itself. Their only hope lies in finding the long-missing Tony Newman and Doug Phillips, whose actions in the past may have inadvertently triggered this new dystopian reality.
Russell’s script is packed with exposition, but it never feels overwhelming. Instead, it efficiently establishes this new timeline, the team’s motivations, and the stakes of their mission. The sense of urgency is palpable, as the new crew must navigate both the scientific unknown and the looming threat of those who would seek to stop them. Carlsen, Handshaw, and Ingar bring strong performances, quickly establishing the dynamic of a group thrown together by circumstance but bound by a shared purpose. While the episode is primarily concerned with setup, it successfully rekindles the Time Tunnel concept in a way that feels fresh yet familiar.
History in Motion
The second story, Too Close to the Sun by Marc Platt, transports us to wartime Britain in 1941, where pioneering aviator Amy Johnson (Helen Bang) is about to meet her fate. It’s a striking departure from the sci-fi-heavy opening, instead offering a more grounded, emotionally resonant historical drama. Platt’s writing shines in its ability to weave genuine historical details with speculative twists, and Bang delivers a standout performance as the trailblazing Johnson.
This episode embraces the classic Time Tunnel formula—an attempt to change (or preserve) history while contending with unforeseen complications. It’s an intriguing meditation on fate, as the team grapples with whether they should interfere in Johnson’s destiny. While the pacing slows somewhat compared to The Shudder, the shift to a character-driven narrative is welcome, allowing for more nuanced exploration of time travel’s ethical dilemmas.
War, Chaos, and Consequence
The final installment, The World, the Flesh and the Devil by Martin Day, plunges MB and Lewis into the bloody aftermath of the English Civil War. Set in December 1645, it places them on opposite sides of a country in turmoil. The battle of Naseby has ended, but England remains fractured, and the future of the monarchy—and democracy—hangs in the balance.
This episode is a standout, capturing the brutality and confusion of war while tying into the overarching plot of the altered timeline. Day’s script excels at immersing listeners in the grit and uncertainty of the period, and the performances—particularly from Glen McCready as Sir Alfred Hynde—bring an air of authenticity to the drama. MB and Lewis’ conflicting positions add depth to their characters, as they must decide whether to follow their instincts or their mission directive. The episode also offers some of the strongest action sequences in the set, heightened by Jamie Robertson’s atmospheric sound design.
A Promising Beginning with Room to Grow
As a whole, The Nightmare Begins is a thrilling, if occasionally uneven, launch for The Time Tunnel’s audio revival. The production values are top-notch, with immersive soundscapes and a cinematic score by Joe Kraemer that captures both the wonder and danger of time travel. The performances are strong across the board, particularly from the central cast, who quickly establish themselves as worthy successors to the original Time Tunnel heroes.
However, the set is not without its challenges. While the overarching plot of the Rakervians and the altered timeline is intriguing, it remains somewhat underdeveloped in these opening episodes. There are hints of a greater mystery at play, but the series would benefit from spending more time exploring the antagonists and their motives. Additionally, while Too Close to the Sun and The World, the Flesh and the Devil both tell compelling self-contained stories, they don’t always feel directly connected to the larger narrative, leaving the overall structure feeling a bit fragmented.
Final Verdict
Big Finish’s The Time Tunnel: The Nightmare Begins is an ambitious and mostly successful attempt to bring this classic series into the modern era. It combines thrilling historical adventure with a new mystery-driven arc, balancing nostalgia with innovation. While it has some room for refinement—particularly in weaving its individual stories into a more cohesive whole—it lays a solid foundation for what could become a compelling new Time Tunnel saga.
For fans of the original series, this set offers an exciting opportunity to revisit a beloved concept with a fresh perspective. For newcomers, it serves as a thrilling introduction to a world where time is both a playground and a battlefield. If Big Finish continues to build on the potential shown here, The Time Tunnel could well become one of their standout sci-fi revivals.
Irwin Allen’s The Time Tunnel: The Nightmare Begins is exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 March 2025, and on general sale after this date.
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