Masquerade

"You will remember the truth."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Audio

Released: June 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 187

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

France, the year 1770: by special invitation, the famous 'Doctor', friend of Voltaire, arrives at the lonely estate of the lovely Marquise de Rimdelle – once a hostess to the highest of high society, now isolated by the strange, pernicious mist that lingers round the countryside. 

But there's more in that fog than mere vapour, confesses the Marquise's strange niece to the Doctor's ward, Nyssa. She senses some uncanny machine circling the fringes of the estate, in the space between the shadows. Watching. Always watching. She's given it a name: 'The Steamroller Man'. 

Meanwhile, the man in the cellar talks to the Doctor; a dead man, trapped behind the cellar walls. The Steamroller Man is coming, he says; coming to smash the place down. It seems the Doctor has been drawn into a very dangerous liaison...

Verdict

Masquerade was a decent story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures and conclude the latest trilogy for the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa. Of course, they weren't alone this time around and after her stowaway arrival midway through Tomb Ship, Hannah Bartholomew featured throughout this adventure. She was absolutely fine in the story but I must say I'm not her biggest fan. I certainly wouldn't consider her as a companion and I'm glad that she won't be sticking around. I don't dislike her, but for some reason I just don't think she fits alongside the Doctor and Nyssa. The dynamic feels slightly off but alas she would be sticking around in Shadow Space after becoming one with the system. I thought the way things started was actually very exciting and after seeming like we were headed back to 1911 to drop Hannah off, we started abruptly in 1770. That abruption was really positive and I loved the mystery. Thoughts were being interfered with for all of our TARDIS team and when that even impacts the Doctor you know the power involved is strong. I liked the misplaced memories and being instructed to steer in a certain direction. From there though, things seemed to just get less and less mysterious and unfortunately it kind of petered out by the end in a perfectly adequate way, but I just felt this could have been more. The potential of a 1770 setting was fun and the truth of the SORDIDE Delta just didn't feel as interesting. I think I'm begging for a pure historical at this point! The threat of the Steamroller Man was decent and I liked that it was a bit of programming designed to route out anomalies within the system that everyone was contained. I liked the concept behind Shadow Space even though it wasn't exactly a new concept, and Hannah's understanding was impressive given when she was from. It was fun for someone from 1911 to have technological advantage over people. That was before their true identities returned. That was a somewhat underwhelming moment and should have happened with a bit more oomph in my opinion. It was exciting to learn more about them but things just got focused on the Maschera. They served as a strong villain and their desire to use the human race as a plague carrier was excellent. It wouldn't have any long term effects on other species and would just be used to wipe out a big chunk of humanity across the stars. The Doctor and Nyssa not being human provided a fun element into the story and the threat and ultimate fate of Hannah was all down to her being from Earth. That worked pretty well. Their posing as guardians of Shadow Space was nicely done too and I enjoyed how calm they were with everything whilst still feeling threatening. Hannah saving the day and becoming one with the system was intriguing in that she lost all emotions and obviously wouldn't be coming back in the TARDIS. It was the only way but she saved countless lives which is an impressive way to go out. I find it a bit strange that she is hidden from the credited cast as she's not exactly a big character return or anything, but this is a fine way to see her out. Overall, a decent idea that I think just needed a bit more excitement and action to get a higher rating. Still, a fine adventure and it would have been good to make more use of the era and masquerades. 

Rating: 7/10

Tomb Ship

"You won't be alone when you die."

Writers: Gordon Rennie & Emma Beeby

Format: Audio

Released: May 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 186

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and Nyssa to a vast pyramid, floating in space. A tomb ship – the last resting place of the God-King of the Arrit, an incredibly advanced and incredibly ancient civilisation, long since extinct. 

They're not alone, however. Another old dynasty walks its twisted, trap-ridden passages – a family of tomb raiders led by a fanatical matriarch, whose many sons and daughters have been tutored in tales of the God-King's lost treasure. 

But those who seek the God-King will find death in their shadow. Death from below. Death from above. Death moving them back and forward, turning their own hearts against them. 

Because only the dead will survive. 

Verdict

Tomb Ship was another great story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures and the latest trilogy for the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa! This followed on nicely from Moonflesh but I wasn't expecting the casual and seemingly throwaway line of the TARDIS door latch being stuck to become quite so significant. The return of Hannah Bartholemew was not expected in the slightest so her emergence at the end of part three was a big surprise. It does seem a bit random and I expect it will become more significant in the next story as the Doctor tries to return to 1911, much to the chagrin of Nyssa, but for now she was a fun addition I guess. I'm not really sure what she added as I don't think she made a huge impact in the previous story, but I'm not disappointed or annoyed that she is around and hope she offers more in the next adventure where she will be present from the start. The part one cliffhanger is not a new one but it's one I really enjoy as the Doctor and his companion being separated from the safety and sanctuary of the TARDIS is always exciting. It brings a heightened sense of vulnerability and walls moving making the HADS trigger was not entirely different to what would happen in Wild Blue Yonder. I liked the parallels there. The setting of the tomb in space was exciting and on paper it sounds perfect for Doctor Who. It worked well and I liked the exploring the scale of it at over a mile. That's some ship! Virna was a fascinating character and she really was consumed by the discovery of the resting place of the God-King of the Arrit. I must admit that when I saw the insect-like creature on the story's cover art I was a little worried as I'm not a massive fan of the larger insects such as the Zarbi, but they were not featuring too much and I appreciated how Virna likened the Arrit to the Wirrn in appearance. It's certainly what I thought of based on appearances. Virna's relationship with her numerous children was honestly baffling and horrifying. The fact she was willing to sacrifice two of her sons just so she and the Doctor could reach the tomb was a bit of a disgrace but it perfectly highlighted how consumed she was with the task. She had come a long way and that kind of made her fate at the end of the story all the sadder. Heff and Hisko were a good pair of characters and I liked that Nyssa was involved there too and wasn't exactly threatened at being held hostage under the instructions of their mother. She could easily fight her way out if needed. It was Jhanni that was the standout child for me as she was the daughter left behind on Virna's last voyage to the tomb. She'd been fending for herself for goodness knows how long and she wanted revenge on her mother. The way she challenged her to say her own daughter's name was terrific. She was a superb character and I must say I'd honestly rather it was her coming in the TARDIS instead of Hannah! She had a lot going for her and I definitely would love to hear more. The Doctor struggling when trying to create the mind link with the God-King was good and it's quite rare that a plan like that doesn't actually come off! Nyssa was on hand to save him and we soon delved into the true resolution of the God-King activating the self destruct and going nova with Virna alongside. It was an emotional end and she got so close, but all in all it's probably the fate she was always going to be given. Overall, a thoroughly entertaining adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Moonflesh

"I require sanctuary."

Writer: Mark Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 185

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

One wouldn't normally expect to find elephants, gorillas and rhinoceroses roaming free in Suffolk in the year 1911. One wouldn't normally expect to find an extra-dimensional police box at the same time/space location either. Two aliens, named the Doctor and Nyssa, exit said box, only to find themselves pursued by a hungry lioness – for they've landed in the private hunting grounds of the famous explorer Nathaniel Whitlock, who's brought together a motley group of friends and acquaintances for a weekend's shooting. 

But one of Whitlock's guests isn't all they seem. One of them wants the secrets of the Moonflesh, the mystic mineral looked after by the Whitlock's retainer, a Native American known as Silver Crow. Because the Moonflesh is reputed to have the power to call down spirits from another realm...

...and soon, the hunters will become the hunted.

Verdict

Moonflesh was a great story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures of Big Finish! Ninety left to go now which is still a staggering amount but I'll get there before long. This particular adventure kicks off a brand new trilogy for the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa whose time together between Time-Flight and Arc of Infinity really has been extended into a whole new lease of life with these stories. I thought this was a lot of fun and Nyssa's lack of apetite for having landed on Earth once again was good natured humour. The Doctor really does have a tendency to land on the planet and Nyssa really was keen to just return to the TARDIS and be on their way somewhere more exciting, but the Doctor was delighted to be smelling that Suffolk air. The 1911 setting worked well and I liked how Nyssa was a little out of time with some of her references and technology name drops, and it really provided a fun and pompous attitude for a number of characters. The main culprit there was obviously Nathaniel Whitlock who had a calm but engaging debate with Nyssa regarding the morals of hunting for sport. She was obviously horrified as I would have expected of her and it was good that the Doctor was somewhat on his side but also understood the opposite view. Whitlock was all about the fight of man vs nature but Nyssa's retort about not having a weapon and the animals doing it for survival meant the situation of each side were very different indeed. Silver Crow was a strong character and I loved how at one with nature he was. I suspected he might be the true villain of the piece at the start as the atmosphere always got a little darker and more mysterious when he started speaking, but alas it wasn't to be. He actually conjured a strong relationship with the Doctor which was lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed their scenes and exploration of the dreamscape. Edwin relationship with Hector was a little sad as he really didn't think a lot of his own son and so much so that he was more than willing to leave him behind when it came to paying up to £1,000 for a safe escape after being attacked. The presence of large and natural animals is a threat that I feel is always bigger and more relatable than the likes of Daleks and Cybermen purely because they're more likely to happen to the listener. I certainly wouldn't have the confidence to show no fear and try and stare out a lion! Edwin was a good character in the fact he was wholly unlikeable, whereas Phoebe was delightful. She was very much of her era and it was nice for Nyssa to try and bring her out of her shell a little as she cottoned how much she liked Hector. They really did blossom well together by the end. It was also quite hilarious for the outrage that came when the Doctor tried to introduce Vatuus when it had taken the form of Whitlock's daughter. He was disgusted! It was one thing to take the animals, but his own daughter? Unforgivable. I thought the route of the story with Vatuus claiming to be on the run from assassins was a little predictable but I liked that the being of energy waited until it was within the TARDIS to show its true colours. It had little regard for Nyssa and wanted the TARDIS to traverse time and space, but the Doctor wasn't having that with a nice helping hand from Silver Crow and the titular moon flesh. Hannah's position as a member of the Order of the Crescent Moon was great too because that was a nice idea of life and time being circular. Overall, a strong setting with a very good story at its heart. The villain was definitely strong even if the twist was slightly predictable, but as a whole this was a tremendous listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Morbius Part Two

"You had to die before they valued your life."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: May 2024

Series: Dark Gallifrey 1.02

Featuring: Morbius

Synopsis

When disaster strikes the Proteus, Captain Argento and her crew must fight for their lives and the fate of all Time Lords. 

What is out there on the ice? Who hides in the impossible temple?

As loyalties shift and secrets emerge, the cult of Morbius lies in wait to bring about the General's return...

Verdict

Morbius continued in strong style with this second part follow up to the excellent opener for the entire Dark Gallifrey range last month. I'm still not a big fan of the three episodes all being under an umbrella title as they do feel a little distinctive, but this was good stuff. The three chapter format worked well again and the follow on from finding an isle of the dead within the Vortex was excellent. There were a lot of deaths from the crash which was great and I loved the idea of the island containing the Temple of Morbius. Captain Argento was another stellar character to carry things through and I'm a big fan of hers. It was fun to tackle her continued getting to grips with no longer being a man and her look of horror at the Morbius projection when she believed it was the real article alive again was tremendous. The projection quickly pounced on her there as she proudly confirmed he was dead. That was a strong moment and really highlighted the doubt she had. Even on this lengthy and arduous journey back to Gallifrey, did Argento really believe that Morbius was dead? Learning a little more of the history of Gallifrey and the Time Lords was fantastic and I loved how her beliefs were questioned. Was it not Morbius that showcased equality amongst Gallifreyans instead of Rassilon? The founding father took from all and redistributed to those he deemed worthy whereas Morbius wanted everyone to be equal and for the Time Lords to rule across time. Two very different manifestos that I loved exploring. The pull of Rassilon even at this early point in Time Lord history is intriguing as Argento claimed to be honoured to have once been in his presence. He seems to already have become the stuff of legend. I thought the way things led into the next episode were strong as Argento realised the situation was perilous and used the Horn of Rassilon to call upon the great Time Lord. The message went across time and whilst I doubt we will actually hear from him, I suspect a certain other Time Lord on the cover art of the final part will pick up the call. That's an exciting prospect for the story's conclusion and I will be intrigued to hear how the Doctor reacts to being this deep in Gallifreyan history's affairs. The constant talk of the General's return worked well and I liked the anticipation with each chapter giving us some cliffhangers but also some story points. It breaks things up nicely. It's good that they all have a little name too and honestly I could probably have done a blog entry for each one! I liked hearing how Middlewitch talked privately with Argento and didn't want to publicly call for her stand down as he respected her too much to make a scene. But in all areas he would assume command without the need for titles and trinkets. That was nicely done, but in the second chapter he would lose his soldiers and not be captain at all. It was a shame that Rolko's role in this part seemed a little reduced as I was a big fan of her in the first part, but there were still moments to shine for Veritas and especially Gilda. Her relationship with Argento was really nice and I liked how she was on hand for support. Overall, this was another strong part of what is shaping to be a superb story as a whole exploring a period of Time Lord history I didn't think we would ever really explore! 

Rating: 8/10

The Devil in Ms Wildthyme

"I'm ready to let my inner demon loose."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Audio

Released: December 2005

Series: Iris Wildthyme 1.02

Featuring: Iris

Synopsis

Another

Another message to you from Panda:

'So in this adventure, we meet Dr Zachariah Marwick. Dear Tom finds out that he has started a special clinic for people with mysterious lumps ­ but how come he knows exactly what they are before he's even examined them? And why is he so insistent that his patients join an exclusive speed-dating club? Trans-temporal adventuress Iris Wildthyme, meanwhile, is not herself. She's scared of her own shadow, it seems. Indeed, she's even afraid to leave her wretched bus. I, naturally, am terribly worried about her ­ and about Tom as well. You see, he seems to have straw coming out of his head, like old stuffing. How can that be? And then they have the temerity to accuse me of getting all emotional about everything? Me! I ask you.

Anyway, together we three brave heroes must face demons from Iris's past, as an outrageous presence begins to assert itself over reality... one that seems to have been reading far more Dennis Wheatley than is strictly necessary.'

Verdict

The Devil in Ms Wildthyme was not the greatest of episodes to conclude the first series of the Iris Wildthyme spinoff series. I am afraid I couldn't get along with this one much at all which is such a shame as I was a big fan of the opener Wildthyme at Large but this was a severe drop in quality. I thought the dynamic just didn't work for whatever reason and it was bitterly disappointing that after the prospect of adventures for Iris, Tom and Panda, that the bus took off and then landed exactly back where it was in present day London. That's the most overused setting in the Whoniverse and there's just not much originality that can be done with the place, even in a very different spinoff range like this one. We didn't get a huge amount of Iris in the episode which just feels odd considering the nature of the spinoff, and I don't think enough has been done to establish Tom and Panda for them to be main characters in their own right just yet. I think the fact Panda's first released story was the previous episode but we don't have any background on who he is or how he comes to be animated as a stuffed bear hurt things here. The whole story was seemingly centred on an apparent switch between Tom and Panda as the former's brain was on its way to becoming entirely straw! That was just a bit weird and initially was quite exciting, but I couldn't take much of the story seriously. I wasn't all that bothered by the talk of demons and whilst the ID Bar is a decent concept, the move from the likes of a speed dating ring to a chemist just felt off. I liked the creepiness of how Tom was lured into the bar, but it just didn't add up with there being a dating ring. Tom being gay was fun as it meant Alice wasn't having very much luck at all. Her conversation with a mute attendee was hilarious and worked so much better in audio format than it would have anywhere else. She was a pretty good character but I wish there was more done regarding the lumps. Dr Marwick was a relatively strong villain and I enjoyed his position as an evil doctor with much more than met the eye. But once everything pointed towards a devil as the power behind him and who he worshipped, I just wasn't interested. The plot didn't excite me and not enough was done to establish the demonic presence. It sounded a bit silly and having a little bit of it in numerous people from when they were young and then bringing them together at a speed dating sight was just not believable. What if they weren't all single? What if they'd moved away? There was too much leeway for things to go wrong. I thought the humour of Iris got a bit over the top in the end and the diarrhoea from going through the Vortex wasn't amusing to me. The continuation with the memory crystal of Iris and her adventures was pretty good and I liked that there was a stress fracture to perhaps let some slip out, but I wasn't fussed on Iris not putting all her memories within. Would she really keep some silly ones? The whole thing of the pure virgin at the end but having some saucy memories of Iris to make it believe that Panda was no virgin was just strange. Overall, this had some moments mainly from Katy Manning and for Tom in parts, but this wasn't my favourite of audio adventures. Sadly, I won't be rushing for the second series now! 

Rating: 5/10

Wildythme at Large

"We want to hear all her secrets."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: November 2005

Series: Iris Wildthyme 1.01

Featuring: Iris

Synopsis

A message to you from Panda:

Apparently, it has been ten years since Tom's adventures aboard Iris Wildthyme's transdimensional double-decker bus. Tom has now settled into a life of writing weird and wonderful novels (his description; I call them schlocky) about his erstwhile friend in order to support himself and, of course, his best real friend, me! One small, highly intelligent and terribly sophisticated Panda. 

Then, one night at a book launch, there was a ruckus in the signing queue. Suddenly, the loud-mouthed floozy of the multiverse was back in his life, no our lives! I ask you, how rude is that? Anyway, she embarrassed him in front of his fans and caused a punch up. Before Tom even knew it, Iris had entrusted him with her most precious possession, ridden off into the night with Robin Hood, and revealed that she was being hunted by evil forces from a higher dimension. 

Of course, they both needed me to save the day. 

Verdict

Wildthyme at Large was a very entertaining start to the Iris Wildthyme spinoff series from Big Finish! I must admit I'm not entirely sure if I would have delved into this series if it hadn't been Katy Manning in the lead role as I'm a big fan of hers, but after a recent sale where the first series was on offer as a download for just over £6, I thought that was enticing enough to dip into the series and give it a go. After listening I'm really glad I did even though I'm still not wholly clued up on all of the details. I am absolutely going to need some background or an origin story for Panda as how Tom came to be living with a talking stuffed panda bear is fascinating. There has to be a good story there and I look forward to hopefully listening to it one day. For me, the timeline of Iris Wildthyme is a little confusing and convoluted given how she debuted in the Old Flames short story in the original Short Trips and has appeared in a number of short stories since then. She's showed up quite a few times in more mainstream Big Finish audios alongside the Doctor and always been a great deal of fun, so I suppose it's not a big surprise she gets her own series! It's nice for her to also get a companion in the form of Tom and whilst this was not my first exposure to him as travelling with Iris, I felt the story did a great job in establishing that backstory for first time listeners jumping on board with this series. He had been with her before and now he was back in his own time and place, he'd moved on. It had been ten years and the way he was now forging a career was as an author and using his crazy adventures with Iris as the basis for his fiction. That's the style he was writing in even though it was all actually true. That's a fantastic idea! He'd gotten so popular that Mida Silke started her own publishing company to get close to him because she knew about Iris and was after a very specific memory. That was intriguing and whilst she was playing the long game and hoping Tom would turn a particular experience into the latest book, someone else was also after a memory that Iris had. Her return to get Tom was fun and her entire memory being contained within a crystal was very interesting. I was a little surprised to find that when it was crushed by Panda at the end that it actually impacted her current memory. I wonder if that's a way to serve this story as a soft reboot for the character moving forward whilst containing and alluding to some historic references. Whilst I don't know a huge amount about the backstory of Iris before this audio, I can appreciate that. It's something I'd have liked if I did. The way things weren't wholly resolved at the end of the audio with there still being some scary sounding Head out to get Iris was good and presumably leads us up for something in the future, and this is a good way to establish some continuity and an arc moving forward. I did enjoy the more adult toned elements of the story with numerous mentions of Iris being pissed and even talking bollocks. It just feels a bit more real and Iris is a fine character for that. She wouldn't fit in at all with Torchwood, but the lighthearted approach feels brilliant and a nice welcomed addition to a more mature audience. There definitely is room for that in the Whoniverse, and this almost feels like the Classic contribution. Overall, a strong story to kickstart the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Meanwhile Turlough

"You broke the terms of your exile."

Writer: Jonathan Blum

Format: Audio

Released: April 2024

Series: Interludes 07

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

There's a crisis on Greysolon. And only the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough can stop it. Except one of them may be otherwise occupied. Turlough has managed to find a crisis of his own. A very personal one. While his friends are saving the planet... he's going to have to save himself.

Verdict

Meanwhile Turlough was a great little bonus adventure! This story served as a fine Interludes addition to The Dream Team boxset of Fifth Doctor Adventures and it was nice to have Turlough's story continue as he was absent from the titular boxset. Tegan gets a triple whammy which is a lot of fun and the dynamic between her and Turlough was explored well here. Things can get quite frisky between those two so that was fun to explore, even without the benefit of the two actors who perform the companion roles. Unusually, this story was read by an actor who wasn't one of the main TARDIS team but that was absolutely fine as I thought Dan Starkey did a terrific job! His take on Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor was pretty darn accurate and even his Tegan was recognisable. It was really impressive stuff and in a format like this with over sixty minutes of mostly prose by one actor, the way he was able to differentiate between roles was very helpful. His Turlough was absolutely spot on and I honestly wouldn't have disagreed if I didn't have the knowledge and somebody told me that Mark Strickson was the narrator. It was fun for him to reminisce on how he joined up with the Doctor back in Mawdryn Undead and this story really helped establish some of his feelings towards the Doctor and his people. He was less than complimentary about the Time Lords which audibly hurt the Doctor, but the Time Lord did understand and even acknowledged that his people were far from perfect. His talk of the punishment dished out to exclude an entire species from the universe from the start to end of time was shocking and Turlough realised that this could easily have been Trion if he got his way with events here. Splitting up the Doctor and Tegan from Turlough was good for the purposes of the story and I do wonder if we will ever get the other side of this audio. It sounded really eventful for those two to be dealing with AI and a virus, but the explanation of its resolution we got was quick and rushed. That was fine though because that wasn't the main story we had been listening to. That was all background to learning more about Turlough. I like that this is an adventure that couldn't have taken place on television because Planet of Fire and everything we learn there about Trion was yet to be revealed, but that's where the audio format and being over forty years later comes in handy. Turlough is strict to not reveal to the Doctor and Tegan too much about his origins, but him promising the Overseer the secrets of the TARDIS was a bit of a step too far for the Doctor even if his plans were for the Time Lords to take over. It was a decent idea really and I thought it was also good for Turlough to get some interaction with a fellow exile. He was far from the only one to be left in the doldrums and I think it was good for Turlough to talk about that. This really was a strong exploration to the inner workings of Turlough and his thoughts on the Doctor and Trion. I thought it was absolutely hilarious as well for the Doctor to start a sentence to his companion with 'do you know why I put up with you?' You wouldn't get that with nearly every other companion! Fantastic stuff. That rounded out the audio nicely. Overall, a great little listen and a fine addition to the Fifth Doctor Adventures. 

Rating: 8/10

In Name Only

"Their ancient foes once invaded this world."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: April 2024

Series: Sontarans vs Rutans 1.04

Featuring: War Doctor

Synopsis

In the depths of the Time War, a Rutan attack on a Time Lord facility leads to Gallifrey declaring a vicious reprisal. But not all Time Lords support the action. One thinks there's more to the situation than meets the eye. And this Time Lord... was once called the Doctor.

Verdict

In Name Only was a very strong story to conclude what has been a terrific little Sontarans vs Rutans bonus series! I was very excited by this release when it was first announced to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of The Time Warrior in having the Sontarans debut and the Rutans mentioned. So to take their conflict into the midst of the Time War was very exciting! I think things did a little clunky and complicated when it came to the whole Rutans disguised as Sontarans and vice versa following on from the excellent Born to Die, but as a whole this was definitely an episode that delivered. The way things linked up with The Battle of Giant's Causeway in particular in terms of continuity was terrific and I thought it was fun to explain that the Sontarans encountered there were casualties displaced from time, a time that nearly was wiped out. The scale of the threat within the Time War was fantastic and I like how this setting can be used to play around a little. What might ordinarily be difficult or even impossible was more than plausible in a Time War. A paradox within a paradox? No problems in pulling that off. Blaxill was a strong character as the lead Time Lord for the story so I was thrilled when her true identity was revealed. She was disguised all along! That was a fun twist but one I should have seen coming really! The return of Skole was a nice touch all these years later relatively speaking and the lack of knowledge at Sontaran High Command regarding what had happened with the Rutan-Sontaran hybrids was shocking, but the Doctor was happy to get an explanation for why the Sontarans also perished in the aforementioned series opener. They were part Rutan so of course they would be wiped out too. It was nice to tie up a lot of loose ends here whilst also providing a really strong story from start to finish. I believe this is my first full length story to hear Jonathan Carley taking on the War Doctor role and I must say I was very impressed. He really delivers that raspiness associated with the incarnation and the fact this is a younger version of the grizzly veteran we see in The Day of the Doctor is a big help. He's obviously going to sound different! A stellar job. I look forward to exploring his War Doctor range in the future. Skole's relationship with the Doctor here was admirable and I was a little saddened by his passing at the end. Things got a little crazed but he was a rare Sontaran keeping his cool and thinking logically, whereas Blaxill was intending on wiping out the Sontaran race if it meant doing the same to the Rutan Host and taking them out as well. A glorious and honourable death. I thought it was fun for the Doctor to not correct his former moniker being used to identify him as a way of him being a Rutan as well, that was a really neat touch and a good use of this incarnation refusing to take the name of Doctor. Things got action packed by the end as the Sontarans tried to enter the Time War, and the very concept of them enlisting the Time Lords to wipe the Rutans from history without the Gallifreyans even realising was audacious! I couldn't fault the plan. It was some effort! The Doctor had foreknowledge chronologically speaking though and was quick to ensure the loop was broken and set time on somethign of a normal course. He wanted accreditation for Skole at the end which was lovely, but with him now never having existed it was going to be difficult. That saddened the Doctor which was nice to see, especially in this incarnation. Overall, a really strong listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Vienna Experience

"I'm not for sale."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: February 2015

Series: Vienna 2.03

Featuring: Vienna

Synopsis

Ever wanted to experience the life of an assassin? Longed to feel the thrill of the hunt? Now is your chance to get beneath the skin of Vienna Salvatori. See what she sees. Hear what she hears. 

And pray she never finds out.

Verdict

The Vienna Experience was a tremendous episode to conclude the second series of Vienna! It turns out I was completely wrong in yesterday's blog entry of Underworld in stating that it appeared there was no story arc running through the series as within the first ten minutes of this episode, everything had been leading to this point! It all went back as far as Tabula Rasa with Vienna in the previous story not actually being herself but the Psycho Morph! That was a really fun twist and the moment where she revealed her true self as the assassin that was in her own home and had killed Kelsey was excellent. Who else would it be? The assassin for hire of course. Having two versions of Vienna is really fun to play around with and Chase Masterson absolutely revels in the role. She's magnificent and has that appeal of being flirtatious whilst downright serious. There's just something about her that draws you in and makes me want to move right onto the next series! Unfortunately, that won't be happening just yet as I don't own Series 3 just yet and it seems a physical copy is quite rare to come by! I'll no doubt listen to it at some point soon though and it appears that old Jexie is here to stay. I like the prospect of Vienna essentially having a companion figure and the fact she's a copper provides a fun dynamic. Someone who enforces the law travelling with a hired assassin? That's a really fun dynamic. I thought Carlos Van Mayer was a superb villain and his position as the owner of Crime Corp was fascinating. It turned out the Psycho Morph was a failed experiment in a bid to create super humans as police officers. That was intriguing and I liked how everything, even at this point in the future, all came down to money. Imagine Crime Corp having the potential to sell off officers that would absolutely enforce the law and couldn't be overpowered? It was definitely something that would be the envy of numerous societies. The means to get there were something Vienna was working against though and it's fun looking back at the episode to consider that the implant placed within her arm in the previous episode was actually in the Psycho Morph! That's quite funny and it's amusing that all of Van Mayer's instructions to Vienna were not to the true article. Hearing him try and sell his titular Vienna experience was a lot of fun though and it was also nice to hark back to the early days of Vienna where she prided herself on nobody knowing her name. We seem to have gotten away from that recently which is no problem but it was nice to have it mentioned. It was also a sense of pride for Van Mayer to claim knowledge and even control over the assassin. Of course, when she got into an accident and knocked out the link was lost and any buyers had grown tired. The Psycho Morph ending up killing him was a little ironic and a fitting fate really, before it had an existential breakdown when it didn't know who it was anymore to see that out. Everything was tied up very nicely in the end! I like the way things are set up moving forward with a new pairing for the next series, but for now this was a thrilling finale! Vienna at the double is all good with me. A fun twist and it was nice to know she'd been working on a plan all along showing full control. I look forward to the next one! Overall, a terrific episode. 

Rating: 9/10

Underworld

"A test subject who can't fight back."

Writer: Cavan Scott

Format: Audio

Released: February 2015

Series: Vienna 2.02

Featuring: Vienna 

Synopsis

Something bad is lurking down in the Undercity. Innocent citizens are turning on each other, baying for blood. Vienna must team up with jaded cop Lieutenant Jexie Reagan. 

She's never had a partner – but will either of them make it through the night alive?

Verdict

Underworld was a decent episode to continue my way through the second series of Vienna! It seems that this second boxset isn't taking much of a story arc approach like the first one did, and after everything that happened there that's no bad thing. It allows for a little bit of a reset for our fun assassin for hire and these standalone adventures are thoroughly entertaining. I thought Jexie returning after her appearance in the opener of Tabula Rasa was terrific and the concept of pairing her up with Vienna was fun. I was pleasantly surprised with how well they actually got along and they were working towards a common goal for the most part. It wasn't the worst of partnerships for sure! I am not a big fan of the story sharing a title with a Classic serial from the Fourth Doctor era, but I guess this range is far enough removed for that not to be a massive problem. It just feels lacking slightly in creative. Surely it could just have been called Undercity as it is referred to in the synopsis? Again, no biggie and I liked how the cover art helped establish the vibe of the setting. It really did feel futuristic and dark which was the right approach. It definitely felt dingy whilst everything felt very technologically advanced. It's a fun world for Vienna to explore and I'm a big fan of what she brings. It's very exciting. Drew Haulis was a fascinating character and he formed the central premise for the plot. He was clearly not much of a family man as he left them behind and they thought he was dead which is honestly unfathomable. I just can't imagine that happening! Sure, he was wrapped in a world of crime and dodgy dealings but he was working on something very secretive. I thought the implant was intriguing technology and Vienna recognising almost right away that she had been cut open and had something placed inside her wrist was good. She didn't know what it was but the way she utilised it to get to Drew and lure what was supposed to chase her for death to him. His own implant that offered him protection wouldn't do much good in those circumstances and that was a fun reaction. Jexie having her own issues with the inhibitor was quite something and I loved the idea of not being able to fire weaponry on others. So for her way out she was able to shoot herself in the shoulder! Talk about bravery and commitment to escape, it was all very impressive and it helped Vienna locate her which had been building nicely. It was also quite incredible and very haunting to consider her as a test subject that couldn't possibly fight back. I had to take that moment as my quote because it was quite chilling. How does one think of that scenario when offered a woman like this? It was horrifying but really woke the episode up as I do think it stalled a little. A few more characters and perhaps a little more action would have taken this episode to a higher rating as there was a lot of potential there. A strong setting and Vienna is always a tremendous character, so pairing her up with someone strong made for a decent listen. Overall, a good little story and I look forward to the finale now! 

Rating: 7/10

Tabula Rasa

"Who am I?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: February 2015

Series: Vienna 2.01

Featuring: Vienna 

Synopsis

Ever woken up and can't remember where you are? What if you couldn't remember who you are? Or why there's a dead body outside your door?

Vienna Salvatori is hunting for a killer – but can she be sure it's not herself?

Verdict

Tabula Rasa was an excellent start to the second series of the Vienna spinoff! I am delighted to be back with this particular range as Vienna is such a fun character. The shackles do feel like they're completely thrown away when it comes to her and with no Doctor or regular companion around, the potential really is endless and that makes this series very exciting. I thought the way this episode started with both Vienna and Doran Curtis waking up together in bed with no idea of who either was, nor themselves. That kind of amnesia is fun to explore and the direction of the episode was set as they hoped to remember who they were. Did they have a connection to each other? Did they sleep together? Vienna's thoughts regarding that were quite hilarious as she wasn't exactly complimentary of Doran. She was probably a little harsh in how she referred to his weight, whilst he was very happy with how good looking the woman he woke up next to was! It is difficult to argue that. I thought the journey to finding out information on where they were and what had happened was entertaining, and I really enjoyed the chemistry and banter between the pair. They worked together but they weren't exactly getting on! The emergence of Jexie into the story as a detective was good and I liked how she was able to fill in the gaps for both Vienna and Doran. There wasn't a massive amount of reaction when they found out their names again, but they were actually on a mission for Crime Corp. They had hired Vienna for her notorious methods which was a fun concept and I liked how the job she was hired to do was to defeat a Psycho Morph. The concept behind one of those was excellent and I thought a personality hotel was the perfect setting! I thought Vienna mocking the very idea of a personality hotel was a brilliant moment as Doran revealed that he and his wife had used one when she was very ill. Anything to get some semblance of normality again. Vienna actually did feel a little bad about that at least! She went through a lot in the episode to be honest ranging from some humour and lighthearted nature to very serious and being on hand to provide the resolution that would see the Psycho Morph defeated. I thought Anders was a strong character and the concept of him downgrading himself in the personality hotels because it was less stress than his normal CEO position was silly but fun. The Concierge was a fun element of the story too and I liked the addition of a little technology. An artificial intelligence can always provide a certain sense of unease and that was definitely the case here. I thought the hotel having an entire personality reset was a strong explanation of why Vienna and Doran had no idea who they were as this meant the Psycho Morph also couldn't feed if nobody knew who they were! It was pretty clever, and by the end of the episode once Vienna kicked into gear she realised the way to take out the Psycho Morph. A simple overload of all of the personalities took it out with it having too many people to siphon through. That was pretty darn good. Jexie teasing Vienna and Doran about them being married when it wasn't true was a delightful moment as well. Overall, a really strong way to set up the series with a fantastic plot, a lot of fun and Vienna stealing the show at the end as her memory was restored. A wonderful listen! 

Rating: 9/10

Mancopolis

"A night out so good you never go home."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: January-April 2024

Printed in: DWM 599-603

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

The Fifteenth Doctor takes new companion Ruby Sunday to her city four hundred years in the future, only to find it completely built over and ran by maniacal Moths. 

What has happened to Manchester?

Verdict

Mancopolis was a really strong start to the comic strip era of the Fifteenth Doctor! After the epic that was Liberation of the Daleks to take up basically the entire run of the Fourteenth Doctor stretching over the course of the year, it feels nice now to be back in a new era. We have only had The Church on Ruby Road for the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby so far, and I like that this story has completed before the broadcast of Space Babies, and this definitely had a feeling of being very near the start of Ruby's run as a companion. She was amazed by travelling to the future and the mention of aliens had her quite shocked. She was very much new to TARDIS travels and I love that this takes place in the comic strips. I really do have high hopes for the comic strip in Doctor Who Magazine moving forward with Russell T Davies at the helm, as I think it's fair to say that it felt a little disconnected in the Thirteenth Doctor era. That's down to a number of mitigating factors like the pandemic, but this felt more like the old stuff. I thought the setting of Mancopolis was strong and a very intriguing insight into the future of four hundred years. I won't pretend to know much about Manchester as it's a city I've never visited, and to be honest as an ardent Liverpool football fan I don't think it's somewhere I will be rushing to! It's clear that Millie Gibson is a Mancunian on screen and I like the idea of the Doctor taking her to her own city in the future. I would personally love to visit Cardiff four hundred years in the future to see what has changed! Having buildings named after famous people from the city was a fun idea and I really liked how the original city was protected in heritage but simply built on top of with a concrete roof. Ruby using her local knowledge was good and I like how she was still getting to grips with things regarding the Doctor. He saw something was wrong here so she simply asked if he was going to fix it as if it was a little strange. That was fun. But babes, the Doctor is magic. Of course he would! I enjoyed the characterisation of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and it definitely had a distinct feel. It was positive stuff. Mayor Mulberry made for a strong villain and the concept behind the Moth People was intriguing. I preferred them in their human form but it provided a strong cliffhanger with Ruby being captured and seemingly on the verge of being skinned. It was the silkworms that were more scary in my opinion and their role in the conclusion was tremendous as Mulberry was devoured by her own brethren. The use of the clouds that were controlling the weather based on emotion was a lot of fun and the fact they destroyed their own controlling device was a lot of fun. It was all in a flash by the Doctor and Ruby despite being almost mauled by Mulberry in her natural form! The pace of the story was rapid and I think that's necessary when each part is only six pages long. But a five-part adventure definitely feels like the right length moving forward with this page count. I did read each month but then re-read in its entirety as the final part was released. Overall, a fascinating insight into the future with an independent Mancopolis and the auditors coming to take assets but Ruby having £19.50 in a building society building compound interest into the quadrillions was a little like cheating, especially as she had taken it out, but the threat of crashing the financial network was enough to scare them off. Overall, a really fun and strong start to the Fifteenth Doctor's comic strip era! 

Rating: 8/10

Wild Blue Yonder

"Her double's widening mouth just made a bigger target."

Writer: Mark Morris

Format: Novel

Released: December 2023

Series: Target 179

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

A ship at the edge of space. A robot with a secret. A sinister presence. 

The Doctor and Donna are trapped on board a mysterious spacecraft. Fate of the crew: unknown. Fate of the universe if what's on board gets out: terminal. 

Verdict

Wild Blue Yonder was a decent novelisation of the Sixtieth Anniversary special of the same name! I did think prior to reading that this would be a tough ask to novelise given the nature of the episode and the lack of supporting characters, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I think my main issues were consistent with what I felt on screen and that relates to the whole silliness of the mavity thing and the Doctor choosing the wrong Donna just before the ship is about to explode. I know he's an all knowing Time Lord and even realised that Martha was a clone in The Poison Sky because of a strand of hair, but 0.06 millimetres of a longer arm is not going to be noticeable. Especially after everything they had just been through! I don't know, it just sits a little wrong with me that he doesn't address choosing the incorrect version. He made his decision on an answer to one small question so I think he should explain why he didn't pick the real Donna initially. I thought the prologue was fine but I find the whole changing gravity to mavity thing a little weird and frankly silly. I hope this isn't an ongoing gag that stays in Doctor Who for eternity and that there is a logical reason for it in a future storyline. That's the indication I got from reading this book as it was mentioned and highlighted on more than one occasion. There was still that wonderful shared humour moment as both the Doctor and Donna gleam in knowing that Isaac Newton will appreciate the gravity of the situation, but then Donna's own memory shifts and she doesn't understand when the Doctor says gravity on two separate occasions. It's intriguing I'll admit, but I do want an explanation or resolution. I thought the Not-Things had an understandably reduced impact in the book than on screen as they really are all about the visuals. I think the author did a good job in injecting a sense of fear into them but I do think I was helped by having seen them play out on screen. The imagery that comes from the long arms and the twisted heads was for sure felt here, but I don't think that would have been the case if I had read the novelisation first. I enjoyed exploring the mystery of the spaceship at the edge of the universe and the nod to The Christmas Invasion with the Doctor explaining that the TARDIS would be fine if tea was spilt on the console was much welcomed. I still maintain it's a slight overreaction from the TARDIS to a bit of coffee! The HADS moment is fun and I love the vulnerability of the Doctor and Donna being separated from the TARDIS, especially when it had the sonic screwdriver in the lock as well. Defenceless doesn't begin to cut it! The lack of TARDIS translation for the countdown was also good and I liked Jimbo the robot and his very slow walk to self destruct the ship. The Not-Things having no understanding of the previous captain's sacrifice was great and they were desperate for information. I also liked the prose when it came to explaining that they had taken physical form and had brains now so they were subject to the elements of the universe. They needed time to react when the Doctor initiated the explosion, but it wasn't coming. They were dealt with rather emphatically with the incineration! I do think they were strong villains though and I love the element of the unknown. Sure, it got a little dodgy in the description of multiple versions of two characters but that was always going to happen. It's difficult to avoid clunkiness like that. There was a lot of action though and I was impressed with the pace. It also helped to not go into the story with anticipation of nothing about it being announced and then for there to be no surprises. I liked how things were foreshadowed with the Doctor pondering on his feeling for invoking a superstition at the edge of the universe where the walls are thin, and that will of course play a big part in the next special. But the moment at the end where the Doctor greets Wilf is still just wonderful. I adore it. Overall, a good little read! 

Rating: 7/10

Missing, Part One: Business as Usual

"I thought going off into outer space would take me away from the mundanity of Earth."

Writers: Gary Russell

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: Short Trips 03

Featuring: Mel

Synopsis

Here on Earth or out in the depths of the cosmos, the Doctor and his companions are never far from adventure. 

Discover things on Earth you were never meant to know. Get around the universe. Get short tripping.

Verdict

Missing, Part One: Business as Usual was an intriguing little story to continue my way through the More Short Trips collection! Now, when I say little I certainly mean it as this entire adventure was only three pages long. That doesn't leave a lot to write about in terms of a blog entry so this may end up being slightly smaller than usual, but I was honestly a little saddened by what I was reading. On paper, the idea of a Mel only story set after the events of Dragonfire is all good with me and I was intrigued to read this account of how she managed to get back to Earth. Of course, reading now some twenty-five years later than the book was released mean the events have been slightly contradicted on screen in The Giggle with Mel recalling how old Sabalom Glitz got before she made it back to Earth, but it's still a fun little read and I don't take things too seriously. I like to think of the wider Whoniverse as something akin to historical interpretations otherwise the contradictions would just be too strenuous. I like the idea of the simplicity of Mel just turning up at a bar and then finding a means home, but her take on her time in the TARDIS was almost disappointing to read! I don't think it was at all in line with how she appeared on screen during The Trial of a Time Lord with the Sixth Doctor and Season 24 with the Seventh Doctor, but she failed to see much of a difference she had made on her travels. That's a darn shame because I strictly don't believe that to be true. Sure, as she did mention a lot of good people had died, but almost always that was to fight a greater evil. Bob Lines being the man to recognise was good and it worked well for her to be a friend of a friend and the daughter of another as someone he knew well. There wasn't exactly a lot of time to get to know him but he was able to offer a Mel back home and that's enough of a helping hand to make him somewhat likeable. She was also the man listening to Mel's take on her times in the TARDIS and I just can't believe that she stated she wouldn't do it again. As if! It will take a lot of convincing on my part to believe that if the Doctor showed up again in the TARDIS that she wouldn't take up the offer of one more trip. I feel like she would be chomping at the bit to get travelling again. I fully understand that at this point in her life and some years since she last saw Bill, much more than the two it had been for him, that she just wanted to go home, but to refer to her travels and everything she saw and experienced with the Doctor as just a diversion feels wrong. Now, I was a little sceptical about including this story as one or two blog entires as I notice that there is another very short part two much later in the collection, but I decided to go with two separate entries and ratings because of the fact both parts have different authors and they have two separate entires on TARDISWiki. I'm not sure if that's a foolproof resource for when it comes to deciding what makes up one entire story, but it's a tremendous pit of knowledge so I thought correct to go with it. I do hope there might be some redeeming factors for Mel as she reflects on her time in the TARDIS in that second part, but for now this was a very intriguing start. It was powerful and downright shocking, and much of the rating comes from the fact I feel very passionately about its contents. For only three pages, it has certainly shocked me! That's impressive. Overall, a good little read. 

Rating: 7/10

An Ideal World

"You're a process, madam."

Writer: Ian Potter

Format: Audio

Released: October 2018

Series: Early Adventures 5.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis 

Light years from Earth, a vast human spaceship hangs in orbit over a cloudy alien planet. The crew have been travelling in cryosleep for many years, looking for a habitable world to settle, and have at last located one with potential. 

However, they're not the only people to have arrived in this place. The TARDIS has landed on the planet's surface. The Doctor, Steven and Vicki explore and quickly find themselves separated. 

But it isn't merely the hostile environment and rogue terraforming drones they'll have to deal with. Somethign else is living on this world. Something deadly and waiting to consume. 

It's an ideal world. But ideal for whom?

Verdict

An Ideal World was a great Early Adventures story! It's been a while since I listened to the excellent series opener of The Dalek Occupation of Winter, but I love the idea of this fifth series being like a continuous series of the 1960s somewhere between Season 2 and 3. It's easy to forget that we actually only got a few on screen adventures with this TARDIS trio so to extend their journey together here was most welcomed. I thought the basis of the story was very good and I loved the disagreements at the start with Vicki being convinced that they had landed on Earth. That was far from the truth though as the Doctor pointed out they were trillions of miles away, so naturally they would encounter some colonists with claims to T19. The concept behind that planet was fascinating and how it developed from initially being one home to smaller species and the Doctor, Vicki and Steven actually causing harm to it rather than the other way round which is usually typical of Doctor Who stories, and then to being all one linked ecosystem. It was one mind and that was something Kay was keen to exploit and explore. The way the story echoed its era was fantastic as the Doctor was written out for a lot of the story with the way he was infected. That was strong stuff and much of the third part focusing on scientific experiments with both Vicki and Steven's blood to find something to fight off the infection in the Doctor's blood was terrific. I liked how it was loosely acknowledged that the Doctor's blood was different without dipping too much into Time Lord folklore that hadn't been established at this point in the era. It was delicately done and I appreciated that. Learning that both Steven and Vicki had nano machinery within their blood was really intriguing to touch upon the future of mankind, and it was fun to leave ambiguous whose blood was more advanced. Steven being willing to give his blood to help the Doctor when it was one of his technocytes that developed to fight the infection but not the Doctor himself was terrific. It was a really nice moment of potential sacrifice. Heathcote was a really strong character in the story and his determination to help save the Doctor was more than admirable! He worked extensively to find the right technocyte and I liked how the Doctor was thankful when he eventually came around, but humorously told Steven he should be more careful with how he places his blood amid the risk of infection! Glorious. The Doctor showing no remorse towards Kay for the supposed good she was doing was really good and I do wonder if there will be any conflict going into the next story after Vicki and Steven disagreed with his actions towards her. That was a fun dynamic at the end! I liked how the Doctor made a reference to The Rescue when it came to human colonists and Vicki was quick to retort back that he didn't have the full picture. Traherne was another decent character in the story and her being quick to blame Steven for the terraforming. She was important in helping save the Doctor and Vicki though as they'd found an air hole but didn't have much time left with oxygen. The Doctor using a stream to send the pair into the cave was also quite the image! Overall, a really intriguing story that was perhaps slightly too long and the cliffhangers didn't have much of an impact other than the final one with the TARDIS getting wrapped up in something, but still a terrific listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Dream Team: Dream Team

"The last place in the universe to need advertising."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: April 2024

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 7.02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adrian, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

"Welcome to Concordium! The one-stop destination for elite and effective corporate bonding."

A protected wonder of space is being exploited for 'company away days' but when the Doctor, Tegan, Nyssa and Adric land to challenge the organisers, they fall into a web of perfectly tailored nightmares. As the Doctor confronts one of the most dangerous monsters in existence, one that uses your own mind against you while it feeds, his companions fall deeper into the trap and a nasty truth is revealed – you can die in dreams.

Verdict

Dream Team was an excellent story to conclude The Dream Team series of Fifth Doctor Adventures! This was a superb follow up to the opener of The Merfolk Murders to round out what has been a quite brilliant little series! I was excited by the prospect of the Kantrofarri returning as the story had something of a Classic Doctors, New Monsters vibe to it which is absolutely in my wheelhouse. I’m a huge fan of that range. It’s a little bit ironic too as I wasn’t a massive fan of the Dream Crabs when they appeared in Last Christmas, but now I’m really enjoying what they bring with the dream states and especially when dreams overlap. I think it might have been overdone in that Christmas Special from a decade ago but here was just about the right amount of dreams within dreams. The quartet of the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Adric and Tegan works really well and usually a four strong team means there might be a little stumbling around each other, but that wasn’t a problem here as one or more could just be asleep! The modern technology mixing in with the Classic era was terrific and I loved how things started with the TARDIS being infiltrated by a commercial virus. It was unique and quite fun but Nyssa wasn’t happy at being woken up. The fact it was reverberating all around the TARDIS was good and showed just how powerful it was. The Doctor talking Nyssa out of the dream once they were out at a supposedly peaceful wonder was quite brilliant and the sequence where they were both trying to snap each other out of the dream was incredible. I nearly howled on the train at the fact the Doctor slapped Nyssa without her asking. He’d asked for it twice but the image of him just walloping her in the face as a surprise was hilarious! Nyssa’s innocence made that funnier than it probably ought to have been. The nature of the Dream Crabs meant they didn’t make a huge impact in the audio format other than the disturbing sound effects, but that was more than made up for with the incredible artwork for this series. The familiar outfits of Doctor and companions adorned with the Dream Crabs is so striking. It was an ultimate selling point for me! The mathematical sequence that the Doctor orchestrated for both Nyssa and Adric to keep them concentrated and focused on not being consumed by the dream was really good and anytime I tried to do it in my head I nearly found myself ignoring the audio to work out the answer. That wasn’t ideal! But it was a fun little teaser. I liked the emotion that consumed Tegan in hearing her mum within the dream and Adric showed some strong maturity in this story to not only convince her that she was dreaming and her mum wasn’t real, but to also give himself to the Dream Crabs later and enter the dream to save Nyssa. That was admirable stuff. I thought the conclusion was a little predictable in that the penultimate dream was where they thought they’d won but were still actually in a dream, but I did like the ambitious ending in the TARDIS with Tegan not convinced they were actually out of the dream at all! The Doctor stating that they would never really know was quite fun. Overall, an excellent story!

Rating: 9/10

The Dream Team: The Merfolk Murders

"Nothing is private when we have a mystery to solve."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: April 2024

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 7.01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adrian, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

St Andrews, Scotland, 1940. The Merfolk are a university society meeting through the summer to discuss murder mystery stories. Innocent escapism during wartime, they say. Their latest book is The Casebook of Orion Hood – whose hero is all-too-familiar to the Doctor...

When a real-life murder occurs soon after their gathering, the Doctor's friends encourage him to investigate. Is one of the Menfolk responsible? Was this crime the result of espionage or envy? The Doctor must embrace his deerstalker once more and solve this wartime mystery – before the killer can strike again! 

Verdict

The Merfolk Murders was an excellent start to The Dream Team series of Fifth Doctor Adventures! I think this range in particular is usually very strong and it's a shame we don't get some sort of ongoing story arc rather than just standalone adventures, but when the quality is strong like this one I can't be complaining too much! I do love a murder mystery and this was right up that traditional story format. It had all the hallmarks and whilst the comedy of the likes of The Unicorn and the Wasp was not really present, an intriguing plot certainly was. There was a great deal going on and whilst the flashback sequences probably don't work quite as well in the audio format, they're still a much welcomed addition to the story. They do help but I think it's impressive how well this entire story comes off without any visuals. They're usually helpful in working out the culprit so it was definitely more of a surprise when the truth about Henry was revealed. The relationship he built with Adric was really nice and it was actually a nice change of pace for him to be getting on with somebody from Earth! He's usually so intellectually superior but at a place of academia he was more at home. I think it's a good way to tug at the heartstrings of the listener in stories of the Classic era because we know how Adric's story will end in Earthshock, but here we have quite a deep conversation about what he will do once he settles down and stops travelling in the TARDIS. Of course, he'll never get to make that choice so it makes his hopes and aspirations all the more sad here. It's good to explore though! I also commend this adventure for giving us a reason as to why Tegan is always wearing her hostess attire because she knows her role and makes her feel grounded. I think that's terrific. The Doctor being in his hat and glasses that adorns the boxset artwork is good and was definitely merited given the use of them in this story. They definitely feel very in line with the murder mystery theme. Very detective like! I loved the St Andrews setting and the Doctor showing an interest in golf rather than his usual cricket was a welcomed break for his companions. Adrian and Nyssa having a lack of understanding about the precarious nature of the 1940 setting was good given its proximity to World War Two and the dangers that will bring, especially by this point in August. That allowed Tegan to shine a little which is always good. I loved that the Fourth Doctor had an illustration in the book by Sarah Jane Watson which right from the off struck a chord with me in how familiar a name it was, and alas it did turn out to be written by the former companion! That was good fun. The Doctor being recognised as an ally of Churchill was terrific and I liked how the Fifth Doctor matched just one of the records. Sebastian as the German spy was a good character and I liked how there was mathematics applied to working out who the murderer of Athena was. Tegan was a little awkward in giving the bad news to her sister but that's a difficult call for anyone to make. I thought the way things concluded with Henry being revealed was good and there wasn't really any need for a lot of pomp and circumstance. His story was one that could be understood and it was actually nice to keep things as a pure historical. That's something missing from Doctor Who these days in my opinion! Overall, an excellent listen! 

Rating: 9/10

The Sin Eaters

"It's important you focus on the evil you want to reject."

Writer: Brian Minchin

Format: Audio

Released: June 2009

Series: Torchwood BBC Audio 04

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis

Alien larvae in a baptismal font mark the beginnings of a terrifying adventure. 

Searching for the source of a bizarre Rift reading, Gwen, Jack and Ianto find a corpse on the beach, his face covered in hundreds of tiny cuts. Watching from the shadows is a man in black...

The Reverend Hayward thinks he has found a way to take away people's sins. The trouble is, his special baptisms tend to take away their lives too. For the creatures he collects and puts in his church font are nightmarish parasites, feeding on their hosts' negative emotions before consuming. It is up to Torchwood to track them down and destroy them...

Verdict

The Sin Eaters was a good little audio to continue my way through the Torchwood Tales collection! I say little but this was far from that as it clocked in at well over two hours which I do maintain is probably a little bit long. The quality of the story has to be quite spectacular to keep the level of interest and attention required for a story like this over the duration. It's no qualm on Gareth David-Lloyd as his narration was mostly fine throughout, but I was just yearning for another voice to help him out! I do feel the story would have benefitted from a duet of sorts with either John Barrowman or Eve Myles present to fill in their parts and just give a different voice to some of the characters. In the Big Finish audios, I think David-Lloyd is tremendous but I don't think his impression of Captain Jack in particular was all that good. Considering the relationship Ianto has with Jack I just thought it would be a little better and more representative. I was impressed with Reverend Hayward as the villain for the story and I think his religious position makes him feel that little bit evil. I'm not sure if that's just my religious stance in being an atheist or what have you, but there is definitely something scary about a church and that was presented well here. There was definitely a chilly atmosphere in parts particularly centred around Hayward and his history with missing people and the swarm to come was very intriguing. The depth of the scale of missing people was somewhat disturbing dating back to the 1940s and seeing corpses protected for so long must be quite tough. I liked how Rhys featured heavily given the proximity of this story between Series 2 and 3, so he could team up with Gwen whilst Jack and Ianto were off together. That just felt right and logical. The references to Meat and even The Stolen Earth with memories of whales and Daleks was terrific. I thought the concept of an evil reverend in a more adult oriented series like Torchwood was great and there being a scientific process of extracting sins was very interesting. Ianto initially saw it as a big opportunity which was fun given what followed. He certainly wouldn't be having those feelings by the time things finished and Jack wanted to ensure Hayward's church was set into flames. The swarm itself of the larvae and what they turned into looked very Vespiform but I was definitely more interested in Hayward than what those things were that he was orchestrating life for. Gwen knew he wasn't someone innocent that had just been targeted or taken over by something alien. It was a willing choice and that disturbed her greatly. The Sea Queen was a very fun element in the story and the very idea of the Torchwood SUV turning into a boat was almost incredible! That was a fine use of the audio format as I'm not sure that would have been able to be pulled off on screen. It was very fun imagery. I thought the conclusion was pretty predictable and relatively straightforward in using light and heat against the winged creatures and the larvae, but it was certainly a way to tidy everything up and provide an emphatic resolution. Rhys using the events of the day to try and get Gwen to agree to an upsize in terms of home ownership was fun and I almost laughed at his suggestion that his wife would get a bonus for what she had gone through! That certainly wasn't going to happen. Overall, a very decent listen! 

Rating: 7/10

The Star Beast

"Strands of the cosmos, drawing together a lonely Time Lord and an amazing woman..."

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Novel

Released: November 2023

Series: Target 178

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

A life-changing encounter. A fugitive from the stars. Wrathful warriors in pursuit. 

Landing on Earth, the Doctor finds a stranded alien in need of protection – and is dragged headlong into the life of his old friend Donna Noble, knowing that if she ever remembers their time together, she will die...

Verdict

The Star Beast was an outstanding novelisation of the first televised special to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary! I was a big fan of the story we saw on television but I think this novelisation was even better. It was just sublime from start to finish. Gary Russell did a tremendous job of engaging the reader right from the off and this was a perfect example of how to expand on what we saw on screen in the books. I just was not expecting the milkman from The Stolen Earth to feature so prominently in the adventure, but I absolutely loved it. It worked so well to have him now employed as a cleaner at the steelworks where the Meep's ship crashed and he almost became a central character. It was rather impressive! I liked how the book seemed to spend more time touching upon the Doctor dealing with his new (but old) face and he constantly questioned why it had come back. The little reference to The End of Time and him not wanting to go when last in this body was good, and then of course he encounters Donna almost immediately! That meeting is just glorious, as is the first reunion with Sylvia. Both moments were written fantastically. I like how in the book it does seem a little less obvious that the Meep would turn and its twist when the Doctor summons court is a fine moment. I liked the description of the Wrarth Warriors in prose and they seemed more threatening here than they looked on screen in my opinion. I think the book also does a strong job in introducing Rose Noble to the fray as a semi regular character as Donna's daughter, and the way Donna's lines of repeating binary three times from Journey's End were inserted throughout the book as a reminder or hint of what's to come later was fantastic. It kept things going very nicely and by the end saw everything tie together quite spectacularly. Shaun Temple was just a nice guy and even in the book you can feel how much he loves his girls. Sylvia's sequence of understanding Rose's transition is good but not anything like overbearing which is exactly what it should be. A simple conversation is all that's needed. I think it's fun to include Fudge talking with Sharon in the story given the origins of this adventure in Doctor Who and the Star Beast. It really is quite baffling that this is a novelisation of a televised episode which in itself was based off a comic strip, which has already been adapted for audio! That is quite something and is the beauty of Doctor Who. Four different versions of essentially the same story. I love it. I thought the chapters were pretty long in the book with it only having seven in total which is quite small, but I like that as the writing was perfect and the pace absolutely flew by. Beep the Meep's wikipedia page entry (well, the intergalactic version) was fun and I really enjoyed getting little inserts like a text exchange or UNIT memo after each chapter. It brought a good sense of newness to a story experienced not that long ago at all. Shirley is introduced here very nicely and the discussion she has with the Doctor regarding his different faces and what's to come was terrific. Why would this face come back? That was a big theme of the book. The end sequence to prevent the Meep wiping out London to charge his ship was incredible and the emotion that comes with the Doctor not wanting to sacrifice Donna was sublime. Of course, she won't perish when she remembers the Doctor because of the shared meta crisis now she's given birth. The non-binary element of the Doctor was probably played down a little more in the novelisation, but as a whole it's a nice way of returning Donna's memories. And then there she goes back into the TARDIS for a new adventure. I thought the TARDIS having kicked the Doctor out whilst it changed to a brilliant white interior upgrade was a nice addition too. Overall, a pretty perfect novelisation of an excellent episode! A thoroughly enjoyable read. 

Rating: 10/10