Children of Steel

"A Victorian robot!"

Writer: Martin Day
Format: Audio
Released: November 2011
Series: SJA Audio 09

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Clyde, Rani, Sky

Synopsis

Sarah Jane is thrilled when she successfully bids for a Victorian brass head in an antiques auction. On taking the metal model home, Mr Smith informs her that it contains a research probe from the future.

Sarah Jane speculates that the probe was used as the 'brain' that powered the 'Difference Golem', a mechanical servant built by eccentric inventor Sir Joseph Montague. She suggests destroying it, to prevent such an advanced technology from falling into the wrong hands, but Rani persuades her that this would be wrong, as the golem could have been sentient. So she, Rani, Sky and Clyde travel to Holcote House, the former residence of Sir Joseph, in search of its body. But they are soon to discover that meddling with artificial intelligence can have dangerous consequences...

Verdict

Children of Steel was a very good story that served as my first ever audio adventure from The Sarah Jane Adventures! I've actually had this CD in storage for a considerable amount of time but as I have only recently watched the fifth series of the SJA, I have been putting it off and when it came to uncovering some sources for my research into 1960s Dalekmania, I came across my copy and I just had to get it listened to quickly while the memory of Sky was fresh in my mind. She didn't actually feature too much in this story I thought but I did quite enjoy the little quirks she added to the story. I thought Daniel Anthony read the story excellently and his impressions of Sarah Jane and Rani were very good. I thought some credit for that should also go to Martin Day for the way he wrote the characters and captured their likeness very well in their dialogue. Hearing Sarah Jane at an auction was intriguing and I enjoyed how she was dragged into a bidding war when she initially looked like she had won the metallic human head anatomy for a mere tenner. It ended up being 13 times that price but after a battle with a mysterious woman, she got her reward. The research that followed was interesting and I liked how Mr Smith was recognising it as something quite sentient. I was very intrigued by the revelation that this head came from the Victorian era but was also from the future. Just how that made sense confused me but it soon was explained brilliantly. The analogy of scientists of the future sending the Golem, once the head was reunited with its body, as a probe before landing on the Moon was superb and the idea was something I very much liked. Having the Victorian era brought into a present day story with the machinery and the links to industrialisation was very good and I very much enjoyed the concept of the story. It was paced pretty well and whilst I thought the climax was a tad muddled, everything tied together very nicely for quite a nice ending. James Montague's history was explored very nicely and how he linked to the robots was terrific. The mysterious woman at the auction being revealed as an android was great and I like how the scientists are unable to send living people into the past and they're now tidying up their tracks. Overall, a very decent audiobook!

Rating: 8/10

Daleks: The Secret Invasion

"By dawn there'll not be a single person left."

Writer: Terry Nation
Format: Short Story
Released: October 1979
Printed in: Terry Nation's Dalek Special

Featuring: Daleks

Synopsis

The Daleks have invaded Earth without anybody knowing but four children uncover the plans when a train station is suddenly deserted. They encounter the natives of Skaro and aid the government in tackling the Dalek demands...

Verdict

Daleks: The Secret Invasion was a decent little story that I rather enjoyed. I am in the middle of a university research project for my Sixties module in my History degree and this is the last assignment I have before completing my dissertation. It has taken me three years and twelve modules but I have finally been able to talk about Doctor Who in the academic sense. I was given free reign to pick a question once I decided that my topic from the 1960s would be Doctor Who (was I going to choose anything else?) and I have decided on 'How important was Dalekmania to the success of Doctor Who in the 1960s?' It's a very exciting project and having a great amount of knowledge on the subject already has proved hugely beneficial but I have very much enjoyed going through the books and looking back on old magazines to gain some sources and enhance my research. The story that this book was printed in, Terry Nation's Dalek Special, was something I didn't know existed prior to looking for source potential and I quickly snapped up a copy on eBay and I have to say it arrived in pristine condition and all for only a mere £4. As well as providing me with some excellent quotes I can use in my research project, I get the bonus of a story! And from Terry Nation himself. My research has shown me just how extraordinary Dalekmania was and the riches Nation gained were considerable but I'm glad that by the late '70s he was able to write another story and this time in prose. I like the idea of a Doctor-less story with the Daleks and there are many of those but nowadays they are rather rare to get your hands on so this was a joy to read. It was quite fun and well-paced which was positive and I liked how the Daleks were using four children to communicate with the British authorities. The concept of the Dalek metal-plate having their message encoded was interesting and new which was good but one thing that I was surprised about throughout this story was how the Daleks were common knowledge. This was obviously set quite some time before the events of The Dalek Invasion of Earth and unless everybody in this story was on top of the Empire State Building during the events of The Chase, I'd love to know how they know all about the Daleks. What that did bring though was fear of the threat posed and I liked how this was shown through the government accepting that they'd have to lose two children's lives in order to destroy the Daleks. However, David and his cousins had the genius idea of using the bombs that the Daleks intended to dismantle London with to destroy their own ship. It was a slightly recycled idea but I quite liked it. I thought the four children worked well together and I particularly liked their relationship with Trent. Overall, a pretty good little story!

Rating: 7/10

Only the Good: The Heavenly Paradigm

"I doubt everything but myself."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: 14th December 2017

Series: The War Master 1.04

Featuring: War Master, Cole

Synopsis

With his plans approaching fruition, the Master travels to Stamford Bridge in the 1970s: a location he believes might hold the key to his success. But what terrible secret lurks under the stairs of No. 24 Marigold Lane? And what sacrifices will the Master make in the name of ultimate victory?

Verdict

The Heavenly Paradigm concluded the Only the Good boxset in wonderful style! It really was an outstanding conclusion to this little trip into the world of the War Master and I have to say it was pretty much perfect from start to finish. It was everything I had hoped for from this spin-off series and I definitely thought it was Derek Jacobi's best performance yet as the Master. His incarnation has been different to those that we have witnessed on screen and with the elderly slant and changed personality, I was delighted to see the traits of the villainous character I love so much. After seemingly doing everything in his power to save Cole in The Sky Man, it was revealed that the Master had a plan all along - something that pleased me greatly! He had been waiting patiently for a way to end the Time War and he believed he got it with Cole. The paradox had its uses and that was multiplied exponentially when he turned a community of farmers into a race of killers. The Master realised that the paradox who created a paradox was an infinite source of temporal power and was going to use him to power the Heavenly Paradigm. This was not quite the weapon that ended the Time War like the Moment in The Day of the Doctor, but its potential was quite extraordinary. Its origins were particularly interesting with it being intended to go back and rewrite the timeline of the Daleks and ensuring that there would be peace on Skaro between the Thals and the Kaleds. I loved that idea but the Master being the Master, he wanted to use it to rewrite the entire universe. He casually saw that Cole ceased to exist to power his monstrosity but it was overloading. He had a little battle of words with Tandeeka and I loved how a scene was left with him just having a cup of tea and her aiming a staser at his hearts yet he was the one who was in control just a few minutes later. This really was the Master of old. The Daleks didn't feature in the episode which was fine and I really liked the setting of Stamford Bridge in 1976. Earth seems a great place for a Time Lord vault of deadly weapons and the subconscious defence system was brilliant. The Master though, got more than he bargained for and instead of making the entire universe better, it became even more chaotic. He influenced the Time War in a big way and it saw a crucial victory for the Dalek Emperor at the Cruciform, something that frightened him greatly. Seeing the Master scared was quite unique and it really showed just how deadly the Time War had become. I didn't actually expect the boxset to finish with the perfect setup for how we saw the Master in Utopia, but we actually got it! We got to hear the Master turn himself human and shun his TARDIS into departure. He was helpless now but the narration was wonderful because the Master was supremely confident that the winning side would come calling. That wouldn't quite turn out to be the case but this Master would return for battle with the Tenth Doctor, and I think the way this linked with the television appearance of Derek Jacobi was superb. Overall, an astounding conclusion to the series!

Rating: 10/10

Only the Good: The Sky Man

"I came to save this world..."

Writer: James Goss
Format: Audio
Released: 14th December 2017
Series: The War Master 1.03

Featuring: War Master, Cole

Synopsis

When his new companion decides to save a planet, the Master indulges the most futile of requests. Materialising on a primitive, agrarian world, both the strangers quickly find their place in it... until fallout from the war invades their happy paradise.

Verdict

The Sky Man was an interesting continuation of Only the Good but I think it was in need of some vats improvements. I really can't comprehend why in a boxset that is entirely devoted to the War Master he barely features in this episode. I had hoped that the series would explore how the Master dealt with the horrors of the Time War and how that would effect his deviousness and wish to conquer the universe but here he's just laying back and developing wine? I didn't like it. It seems that thus far the development of the Master for Derek Jacobi's incarnation has been very uncharacteristic of the norm and whilst the argument could be made that the Time War is making him this way, there is no evidence of that. The Master was willing to let Cole, who he had already saved, save a planet and whilst I liked that he would only allow one doomed planet to be saved with the rest perishing, the Master would not go out of his way to help others. I thought Cole was a pretty good character in The Good Master but I'm hardly sure that warranted a story of his own so soon. I do enjoy the idea of the Master having a companion and someone like Lucy Saxon worked well in his personal future of The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords but here Cole wasn't evil and wanted to save people from the Time War. I struggle to believe that the Master would be willing to do that. I was expecting the Time War to send the Master even more insane but instead it seems to have given him the urge to help and I don't recognise that in my favourite villain which is a great shame. The story itself wasn't disastrous by any means and whilst it may have been a little slow, the relationship between Cole and Elidh was wonderful. He had fallen in love and the Master didn't seem surprised in the slightest which was odd. I wonder if he has ever loved anyone. Cole wanting to save a planet from the ravages of the Time War was good but he soon realised that he was helpless. The Master knew that all along but I couldn't quite see him as the patient kind of Time Lord. Cole being referred to as the 'sky man' was quite good and his efforts to help were excellent as he seemed to create a suit that made its wearer almost something of a Cyberman. There were many resemblances and I had hoped for a subtle reference but that wasn't to be the case. Elidh being shocked at what Cole did and realising that the kiss before she entered the suit was their last was an emotional moment, as was when she discovered that her father had died. Cole was helpless and with his own hateful creations hunting him down, the Master came to save him. I'm still not sure I like it and I do hope that the concluding story offers some sort of explanation as to why he's been good but for now, this was an average story sadly. I do like the theme of paradoxes and what it means for a paradox being created by a paradox is yet to be seen but I remain hopeful of an explosive finale.

Rating: 6/10

Only the Good: The Good Master

"I never expected to be a doctor..."

Writer: Janine H. Jones
Format: Audio
Released: 14th December 2017
Series: The War Master 1.02

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

The Time War rages around Arcking - a planet serving as a sanctuary for the sick and injured. But Arcking is protected by a mysterious, powerful force: a force the Master will stop at nothing to harness... even if time itself is against him.

Verdict

The Good Master was another excellent story in the Only the Good boxset of War Master audios. I got so wrapped up in my blogging of Beneath the Viscoid that I failed to mention some general aspects about the series in general. I love the idea so much and one thing I particularly want to mention is how good the theme music is for this spinoff! I really do love it and whilst its familiarity and connection to Doctor Who is obvious, as should be the case, there is a distinctly different feel to it and it fits the Master perfectly. It's about time he had a series all to himself. However, he was acting quite unlike the rogue Time Lord we know so well, as the title might suggest. Arcking was a very good setting and I loved the idea of it being a sanctuary planet that was not involved in the Time War. It was just there as a galactic medical facility for the inevitable casualties but as you might expect, with the Master's presence the War soon found its way there. The continuity from the previous episode's conclusion was a little lacking and I had hoped to hear the Master on Gallifrey but unfortunately that was not to be the case. He had been sent here by the Time Lords though and I liked the idea that they might have been sending him for his own good, rather than that of the war effort. The ambiguity there was excellent. The Master was once again going by the term of 'doctor' but this time he was not impersonating his arch nemesis and had adorned the familiar guise of Dr. Keller. That was a brilliant nod to The Mind of Evil which I fully appreciated. The reference to Genesis of the Daleks was also superb and I do love the idea that it was a story set as far back as the Fourth Doctor era that sparked the Time War - something we mostly associate with the post-2005 era of the series. Cole was a good character in this story but I have to say that I'm not the biggest fan of Jonny Green appearing in a major role in the midst of Aliens Among Us being released for Torchwood. When all you are hearing is voices, it's quite difficult to separate them from a character you already know really well. That didn't have any effect on the story though so no real problems there. He seemed to end up becoming a sort of companion for the Master and I imagine he must not be best pleased with how similar to the Doctor he was acting in this story. His intentions of harnessing the Heart of Arcking were good and I liked that he knew all along that the planet's destruction was a fixed point but I was hoping for something similar to his ruthlessness at the end of the previous audio. But without it, I am very intrigued by the developments for Derek Jacobi's incarnation and I do wonder just how good he will become. The Daleks targeting him is fantastic and I love the idea of those two monsters doing battle so I look forward to things concluding. The evil of the Master was evident in how he shrugged off the planet's demise and simply referred to it as a pawn sacrifice. Overall, another terrific story!

Rating: 9/10

Only the Good: Beneath the Viscoid

"The Daleks have already beaten us... there is no hope."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs
Format: Audio
Released: 14th December 2017
Series: The War Master 1.01

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

On the ocean planet Gardezza, deep beneath the Viscoid, a mysterious capsule is recovered from the Time War, and an equally mysterious stranger found within.

The Doctor's reputation precedes him, even here... but can he be trusted?

Verdict

Beneath the Viscoid was an excellent start to a brand new spinoff series featuring the War Master! I was very excited when this boxset was announced and the first episode certainly lived up to my expectations. The Master is my favourite villain and I've always wondered what drove him to run away from the Time War and become human, ending up as the human Professor Yana that we saw in the brilliant Utopia. I do hope that this series will tell us but hearing Derek Jacobi reprise the role as the Master was a joy to behold. He brings a new and somewhat elderly slant to the devious role and I like how his performance can obviously draw comparisons from John Hurt's War Doctor. It is clear that the Time War had some sort of effect on both Time Lords and now we get to hear what the Master got up to in this temporal conflict. The Gardezza setting was really good and I quite liked the idea of an ocean planet. The Master getting to know some of the Gardezzans was also good and I rather enjoyed how he was impersonating the Doctor. He was trying his very best to keep up the facade and we know that if there's one thing the Master is good at then it's a disguise! The Daleks didn't feature too greatly in this story which was a bonus I think as the threat that they posed was more than enough. We knew they were looming and that's all that was needed. The flashbacks of the bargain struck between the Master and the Daleks were excellent and I loved how the former was always going to fail to hold his end of the deal whilst the latter knew they couldn't trust the rogue Time Lord. It really was a match made in heaven. I was quite surprised at just how much the Master was helping the Gardezzans but it was clear that he had an alternative motive. His failure to reveal that his TARDIS was what Osen wanted to use to destroy the Daleks was quite humorous. The Master is no Time Lord loyalist and that was clear in this episode and I think that's perfect for the character. We know that he was exiled at some point so his relationship with Gallifrey's superiors must always have been somewhat sketchy. He did actually save Gardezza from destruction here which didn't seem right but it was clear that his goals were for his independent gain. Just when it seemed like he would save someone, a call from Gallifrey intrigued him and the Master was back to his ruthless self by initiating a ruthless death inside his TARDIS, something he seemed to have planned all along. As if the Time War wasn't chaotic enough already, the concept of the Master being on Gallifrey during the conflict excites me very much and I cannot wait to listen to the next instalment of the series. Overall, a brilliant start!

Rating: 9/10

Star Tigers

"An enemy of the Daleks is a friend of mine!"

Writer: Steve Moore
Format: Comic Strip
Released: April-May, September-November 1980
Printed in: DWM 27-30, 44-46

Featuring: Abslom Daak

Synopsis

The 26th century... a time of peace and prosperity for the Draconian Empire. The Frontier War with Earth has been fought and settled. Standing aloof from the long-drawn conflict between Earth and the ever-expanding empire of the Daleks, a fleeing space-yacht has now brought Abslom Daak to Draconia... which can only mean trouble!

Verdict

Star Tigers concluded my reading of the Nemesis of the Daleks graphic novel in a very good way! I don't think I have ever blogged this amount of comic strips in succession as I have for the past week or so and despite the good quality of stories and interest in following the solo adventures of the Seventh Doctor, I am very much looking forward to getting on with a different format tomorrow. Now, I know that I have skipped Abslom Daak... Dalek-Killer from the pages of this magazine but that is because I have already blogged that particular comic strip two years ago as I own a copy of a comic strip reprint collection from the 1980s. I didn't feel it was necessary to reread the story as I aim to consume as much new content as possible from the world of Doctor Who. That story was nicely referenced here and I was actually quite surprised with how long this story was. To devote 28 pages to a character that had, at this point in chronology, never actually met the Doctor was quite a gamble but there were a lot of familiar elements which I liked. Obviously, wherever Abslom Daak goes the Daleks don't seem to be far behind and despite them playing a pivotal role in the comic strip adventure, they didn't actually appear too much which was intriguing and probably a positive for the story. What we did get to see in abundance was the political happenings of Draconia and with that a welcomed return of the Draconians! I really liked them in Frontier in Space and I liked how their speech was taken into account with the writing of the dialogue for this story. Salander was terrific and his relationship with Daak blossomed very nicely. I quite liked the idea of the pair assembling a team and their first point of call being an Ice Warrior was quite unexpected! I love the Ice Warriors and to see one was making a living by killing people who voluntarily wanted to be killed was quite humorous. I liked that he still had Martian honour and wanted to respect his contract. Mercurius wasa another good character and I enjoyed how he and Daak had a history that wasn't always pleasant. They did realise that a partnership could be beneficial though and they certainly aided each other when it came to the destruction of the Kill-Mechs. I wasn't too sure about them and I also thought naming the ship the Kill-Wagon was a little poor but as a whole, I thought this story was quite a lot of fun and it was great to get an insight into what was happening on Draconia. Axiron was a good character and I'd like to know more about what happened to him with his vague claims to the Emperor but as a whole, a positive finish to the graphic novel!

Rating: 8/10

Doctor Conkerer!

"Brilliant game, conkers. Wonder who first came up with it!"

Writer: Ian Rimmer
Format: Comic Strip
Released: July 1990
Printed in: DWM 162

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

The Seventh Doctor suddenly fancies a game of conkers - his "opponent" being his umbrella, which is hung on the hatstand with a conker tied to its large red question mark-shaped handle. Having run out of conkers, the Doctor lands the TARDIS in 5th century Britain to collect some more and tries his luck with some unfriendly Vikings...

Verdict

Doctor Conkerer! was a great little comic strip to continue my reading of the Nemesis of the Daleks graphic novel! It was a very fun story and I was not overly surprised to find out that it was intended to be printed in The Incredible Hulk Presents. It certainly had a similar feel but I did like how it was edited to fit in with the picture of the current run that Doctor Who Magazine was undergoing. I love the idea of the Doctor finding his 500-Year Diary once again and that really is a terrific little nod to the past - something I think the comic strips in this collection that featured in the pages of DWM has done very well. The setting was excellent and I am a big fan of when a Doctor Who story takes us back to an era where nothing much of historical significance took place. I say significance in the appeal to a casual reader of history. I like the idea of mankind not being overly developed and whilst it was far from the human race that we saw in An Unearthly Child, they would not be as civilised as what we saw in The King's Demons for example. The Doctor talking of the past adventure in his rediscovered diary was great and I liked how he was questioning why Sarah Jane did not want to accompany him back in the TARDIS following the events of Train-Flight. It gave that story a little more closure which I was definitely a fan of happening. The characterisation of the Seventh Doctor was really good in this comic with the likeness of Sylvester McCoy being nicely captured. It really does make it all the more pleasant to read when the personality of the specific incarnation of the Doctor shines through on the page. The inclusions of Vikings in the story was good and I liked how the Doctor was not scared at all to toy with them. He knew he could easily outwit them and I thought that was really good. The young lad that the Doctor quickly acquainted himself with was a good character and I liked how he demonstrated how dangerous the Vikings could be with his fear evident. The Doctor though just wanted to find some conkers and enjoy a game and he saw fit to find an opponent. He initially seemed like he was just going to leave but realised that he could liberate a few people from evil and saw that he stayed. However, he seemed to be defeating them simply with a game of conkers. The Doctor was impressed with his little game and then he saw that the Vikings were going to play a game of their own. Who invented this game, I wonder? I loved the little comment at the end from the Doctor which really put a smile on my face. Overall, a great little comic strip story!

Rating: 8/10

Train-Flight

"This ship is nothing but a glorified slaughter house!"

Writers: Andrew Donkin & Graham S. Brand 
Format: Comic Strip
Released: April-June 190
Printed in: DWM 159-161

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

On his way to a jazz concert with former companion Sarah Jane Smith, the Doctor has been transported aboard a strange space ship orbiting the Earth... and it seems to have quite the desire to eat London transport, of which the Doctor and Sarah are on board!

Verdict

Train-Flight was a decent comic strip that continued along my reading of the Nemesis of the Daleks graphic novel but I can't help but feel a tad underwhelmed. For something as monumental as the Seventh Doctor and Sarah Jane sharing a story, I was hoping for a little bit better and I have to say that I think I've even been a little bit generous with my rating. After I seemed to have finished the content from The Incredible Hulk Presents on such a high with Nineveh! I was actually quite glad to be back doing stories from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine and when I saw Sarah Jane on the very first page, I had very high hopes. Sadly it soon became clear that these would not quite be reached. Now, I have sounded very negative so far but that is far from a fair reflection of the story as a whole. I quite liked how Sarah Jane seems to have moved on from her life with the Doctor and she didn't actually seem all that happy that he had come to visit her. It wasn't clear how long after she had departed the TARDIS this story was but judging from her appearance it can't have been long after A Girl's Best Friend. I really liked the reference to that story and I also very much enjoyed the moments the Doctor and Sarah Jane shared talking about her hasty departure in The Hand of Fear. She wasn't all too happy about that and who could blame her but at least she had the knowledge that the Doctor put things right when he became President which we of course saw in The Invasion of Time. Sarah not wanting to travel in the TARDIS was intriguing and far different from what we saw of her in School Reunion. Now, this comic strip doesn't really fit in with that TV episode but who cares? This was lots of fun. The Kalik weren't the best of enemies and when I first caught a glimpse of their appearance I was hopeful that they were Zarbi. Despite the similarities, there was nothing reminiscent of The Web Planet. However, we did get an excellent reference to Planet of Giants which was terrific when Sarah Jane suggested they might have shrunk. The train being transported into Earth orbit for what seemed to be consumption was interesting but I was half expecting a similar story to Time-Flight given the title. What we got wasn't outstanding and I thought the actual delivery of the story had a lot of room for improvement. Some of the dialogue was questionable and the Doctor seemed to know and solve things awfully easily. The ambiguous ending was very good though but I would have liked to see the Seventh Doctor bid farewell to his companion of old. With the mention of Ace being in the Cretaceous period though, I do wonder when or if she'll join him on his travels once again. At least we have an explanation for her whereabouts. Overall, a decent story!

Rating: 7/10

Nineveh!

"Let the heavens cast their spray of light across the sky; 'twill not touch the dark of Nineveh - where Gallifreyans go to die!"

Writer: John Tomlinson
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 
Printed in: The Incredible Hulk Presents 12

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

The TARDIS takes the Seventh Doctor to Nineveh, the ancient graveyard of the Time Lords. He soon finds himself amongst a TARDIS junkyard and encountering the mysterious Watcher of Nineveh, whom wants the Doctor to adorn the latest gravestone on the planet...

Verdict

Nineveh! was an incredible comic strip adventure! It was the last story from the pages of The Incredible Hulk Presents to be printed in the Nemesis of the Daleks graphic novel collection and I have to say that they saved the best until last! It really was sublime and showed that a quality story is more than possible with a limited number of pages. I think a reason why I enjoyed this comic strip so much was because of its obvious resemblances to The Doctor's Wife. I am not sure what the likelihood of Neil Gaiman being influenced by this particular story is but I'd like to think that he read this story at some point in his life. There were plenty of similarities and the moment that my picture shows of the Seventh Doctor discovering that he was surrounded by dead TARDISes immediately had me thinking of the aforementioned TV episode with the Eleventh Doctor. It wasn't just that though that made this a stellar story. I loved the legend behind Nineveh and the concept alone is excellent. Gallifreyans are obviously renowned for the ability to regenerate and I was quite surprised that we got a mention of the Doctor triggering his seventh regeneration here. With Doctor Who off the air at the time this comic strip was printed, it was not beyond the realms of possibilities that the Doctor could once again change his face. The Watcher of Nineveh was a brilliant character and I loved how he concluded the rhyme of Nineveh being the place where Gallifreyans go to die. I had to use that as my quote for the story because it's just marvellous. The Doctor soon saw that he was not meant to be here though as he was far from the end of his life as he pointed out. He was rather healthy and was barely half-way through his regenerative cycle. There was still plenty of life left in the Time Lord yet. However, that would not stop the Watcher from wanting to claim another Gallifreyan life but the life-force of the Doctor was too strong. He managed to outrun the Watcher and urge the TARDIS to escape to freedom, seemingly with some help of a partial regeneration. That's quite astounding when you think about it. The continuation of the legend and rhymes surrounding Nineveh were terrific and I really would love to hear this story, or at least some aspects of it, get mentioned again. It's surely too good and eventful not to? Overall, a wonderful little comic adventure - I never thought I would give full marks to a five-page story!

Rating: 10/10

Slimmer!

"Your pain - our gain!"

Writers: Mike Collins & Tim Robins
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 16th December 1989
Printed in: The Incredible Hulk Presents 11

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

When the Seventh Doctor goes to a health club in space that has murmurings of disappearances, he encounters the universe's biggest glutton - who threatens to eat him alive!

Verdict

Slimmer! was a pretty decent comic strip to continue my reading of the Nemesis of the Daleks graphic novel but as my rating suggests, there was room for improvement. Now, it wasn't bad but it wasn't great at the same time either and whilst I did find some of the story's elements quite humorous, that seemed to be a bit of a substitute for quality. Sadly, in just five pages it is difficult to get both quality and comedy into a comic adventure and whilst I appreciate that this story was more devoted to being funny, it didn't quite work for me. I thought the characterisation of the Seventh Doctor was actually pretty good with Sylvester McCoy's likeness being well captured - especially in the workout panels where he was undergoing a physical assessment at Weight-A-Way. That was a good name for a weight-loss institution but having a Doctor Who story based around weight loss is perhaps a little surprising. It can be a sensitive issue for some people but the story did nothing to harm any sector of society so that's a positive as there was the possibility that offence could be caused. The Doctor wanting to investigate was typical of the character and I liked how instead of him speaking to himself with the lack of companion, we got to read what he was thinking. I'm still not quite sure why the Seventh Doctor is travelling alone and at this point there is no explanation for the whereabouts of Ace. Just what would have happened to her since the ending of Survival? If I was reading these stories at the time I know for sure that I would want to know where she had got to. Big Finish and the Virgin novels seem to have provided an explanation for that though but I am quite some way off discovering what happened to her character. Anyway, back to the story and it wasn't long before the Doctor came face-to-face with the Gromungus. He looked quite imposing and was rather large to say the least! The text of 'I ate the world (twice)' adorning him was quite funny and I can see why people would have enjoyed that but as seems to be a common occurrence in the stories from The Incredible Hulk Presents, the resolution was far too easy. The Doctor easily tricked the Gromungus into consuming delicacies from all of time and space and he, as expected, consumed too much and exploded into nothingness. Just how the Doctor decided what he consumed was ambiguous but I did like how the Gromungus ended the story as a black hole and would consume things for the rest of eternity. Overall, room for improvement but quite a funny story!

Rating: 6/10

The Enlightenment of Ly-Chee the Wise

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

Writer: Simon Jowett
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 9th December 1989
Printed in: The Incredible Hulk Presents 10

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

Whilst walking alone on the slopes of Mount Kabuki on the serene planet of Tora, the Seventh Doctor is beset by bandits. A hermit living on the mountain by the name of Ly-Chee swoops in to help. After the vandals are dispatched, Ly-Chee offers the Doctor some soothing nettle tea and a place to rest. The pair will soon begin their path of enlightenment...

Verdict

The Enlightenment of Ly-Chee the Wise was a great comic strip adventure and a very good continuation of the Nemesis of the Daleks graphic novel! It has been a little while since I've read a story from this collection but it appears that I'm on something of a comic strip run at the minute and after finishing the fundamentals of a research project for university this afternoon, a little read was definitely required. I quite liked the only real sign of danger in this story came at its beginnings with the bandits that intended on attacking the Doctor as he exited the TARDIS. However, he would come to no harm as Ly-Chee arrived on the scene and dismantled the group before they had even known what hit them. The Doctor held his own though and resembled his third incarnation with the usage of Venusian Aikido. I really liked that and I was also quite intrigued by the fact that he offered his saviour a jelly baby. That's something usually, but not exclusive, his fourth incarnation so there were plenty of nods to the past in this comic strip and that's something I tend to enjoy. Ly-Chee was a very intriguing character and I loved how he remained sceptical of the Doctor despite saving him from what would presumably have been a beating and robbery. He wanted to know what the Doctor was after and I liked that we got to read some of his thoughts during the adventure. The relationship between the pair was quite interesting and the Doctor solving Ly-Chee's life's work in a matter of moments really was rather Doctor-ish and I loved it. He's just so much more intelligent than pretty much everyone he meets and that can often bring disappointment to those with whom he is acquainted. The Doctor giving Ly-Chee a puzzle to solve put the story in a very interesting direction but I was not expecting it to be something so simple like asking the question of why the chicken crossed the road. Ly-Chee was wrecking his brains for a week trying to discover the answer and the Doctor finally told him and he renounced himself as a wise man because the answer was so obvious. The Doctor offered a lift through the TARDIS which did not seem to go as planned and judging from one panel in the comic, the pair seemed to have quite a few adventures together! I do wonder what that was like but I suspect we'll never get to know. Overall, a very good comic strip story!

Rating: 8/10

The Tragical History Tour Part 1

"They're who my past selves have all been running from."

Writer: Alex Paknadel
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 22nd February 2018
Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 21

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Alice

Synopsis

The Doctor and Alice were attacked by a rogue Silent - the Scream - whose aim was to steal the Doctor's vast swathe of memories in order to finally be remembered... The Scream captured a Sapling, a creature whose purpose is to wipe out planets and replace with new a new form of life - a power the Scream wanted to exploit, to plant himself in the memories of an entire species. Luckily, the Doctor and Alice were able to foil the plan and escape, thanks to the timely intervention of their old friend Jones. But there's just one snag - they now have a Sapling child aboard the TARDIS, and... while they can remember that an entity known as The Scream is after them, they can't... quite... remember what it looks like...

Verdict

The Tragical History Tour kicked off in a good way with this great opening part of the story! The third year of adventures for the Eleventh Doctor and Alice has started off interestingly and I thought this was a very decent continuation. I thought the characterisation of the Doctor was superb in this story and while the content from Doctor Who Comic has perhaps not been the best in terms of capturing the feel of the Eleventh Doctor era, Matt Smith's likeness was outstanding here and that really helped capture the essence of 2010-2013. Alice was good too and I liked how put off she was by everything that was the Sapling. The concept of a being that had half of Alice's and half of the Doctor's memories is superb and while its origin story could have been improved, I am looking forward to seeing how his presence changes the dynamic of this TARDIS pairing. Speaking of the TARDIS, I absolutely loved the little snippet of the early outside model and the changing face of the TARDIS getting addressed is actually quite a rarity. It was a terrific little moment and provided me with a smile which was really nice. Alice wanting to go home was not the most surprising thing in the world and she is still having trouble getting over the death of her mother. She had forgotten what her eyes looked like and that was killing her - she needed to see a photo so back they went to the twenty-first century. Kushak was an intriguing character and his arrival into the story really made you realise that things had gotten weird. He wasn't at all freaked out by the presence of the Sapling or the Doctor (the latter is a bit understandable) and Alice was not impressed with that! She wanted to know what was going on. The idea that caused the trouble in this story was pretty fantastic and whilst it's one that is a little difficult to comprehend, space becoming time is just excellent. The Earth was basically a squiggle and that was going to provide its difficulties for the TARDIS. The Sapling stopped the Doctor from losing his old girl forever but the Doctor's intended journey to the swinging sixties to solve things would prove more difficult without his time machine. The Sixty-Eighters were an intriguing bunch and the concept of them going from decade to decade and taking what they pleased was brilliant. I really did like this opening part and it concluded very well as well which was a big positive. Whilst it was a little obvious that Alice going back to get a photo of her mum was going to bring danger as she was separated from the Doctor, the emergence of the Scream and the way that, once turned around, Alice was unaware of the danger was terrific. Overall, a very good start to the story!

Breakfast at Tyranny's Part 1

"This has happened before."

Writer: Nick Abadzis
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 22nd February 2018
Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 21

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Gabby, Cindy

Synopsis

After saving the entire universe and prevailing against Osiran god Sutekh's impossible power, the Doctor, Gabby, Cindy, and even an amnesiac 'Noobis' are ready to set off on brand new adventures through time and space! But something is amiss... and the world is no longer as they knew it!

Verdict

Breakfast at Tyranny's started the third year of Tenth Doctor comics in very intriguing fashion! I must admit that I'm a little disappointed that the story didn't have much of a new year feel and things seem to be very much continuing where the second year and Old Girl concluded with the story arc surrounding Anubis. The idea of the Doctor, Gabby and Cindy all forgetting who and where they are is a good one and provides a lot of exploration. It is particularly good when it comes to the Doctor as he is the one who is supposed to know everything and step up and save the day when things go wrong. He was unable to do that here when the wraiths devoured Claremont. They looked particularly daunting but I loved that the Doctor's instincts of wanting to save a man in danger were still there despite him not knowing who he was. The fact that he was referred to as 'Smithy' was good but the revelation that he had been out cold for a few days was quite a shock. Something terrible must have happened to the Doctor, or had it? Gabby's part in this story was very good and I liked its obvious nod back to Revolutions of Terror. She mentioned the Pranavores and she was remembering that all of this was quite familiar. Her sketchbook wasn't quite how we know it but the brilliance of this companion was that even when she didn't quite know what she was doing, she was giving herself clues to solve the problem. Blanca was obviously part of this as she always intervened when Gabby was getting close to remembering what she had been made to forget and the focus seemed to concern the imposing department store. The Doctor had seen that this was important and quite daunting too so it seems like they're at least within the same illusion. Just how that is possible is yet to be seen. Cindy was excellent here and her apparently newfound relationship with Cleo was rather unexpected. Her missing dog 'Noobis' was intriguing but from the resembling appearance I knew that the story with Anubis was far from over. I do hope that there is more worth telling as the first two years were good but I can't help but want something different. Anubis speaking to Cindy was good and the way she was able to break free of the illusion was great. Just what this means for the rest of the story, and year, remains to be seen but the fact that there are other bodies of Cindy's really intrigues me. The cliffhanger was superb and while it seemed that the Doctor was in imminent danger at the mouths of the wraiths, he looked to find his sonic screwdriver to derail them. However, instead of it being in his jacket pocket, it was found in his hand! The Doctor resembled something of an Auton and that really excites me. Overall, a very good start to the year!

Beneath the Waves Part 2

"They're the reason for your coma patients."

Writer: George Mann
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 22nd February 2018
Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 21

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Hattie

Synopsis

Return to the thrilling cliffhanger that saw the Doctor and Hattie attacked by enormous seaweed husk creatures! If the Doctor survives their sea-mottled grasp, could Hattie's troubled dreams of the creatures provide the answers to their plight?

Verdict

Beneath the Waves continued in good fashion with this very intriguing second part of the story. I have to say though, it's felt like an absolute eternity since I blogged part one (three-and-a-half months now!) and I really cannot understand why Doctor Who Comic persists with only being released every three months. When the majority of the stories are split into different parts and contain numerous story arcs across the three Doctors, I really think it is alienating its readership as not having to go and pick up a copy each month is a real shame. I miss the monthly content, I really do. Mostly that's because the stories are so good! The quality is terrific and I have to say that the artwork continues to be very impressive. I am very much warming to the pairing of the Twelfth Doctor and Hattie now and I like how they're growing to enjoy more than just having a jam. Danger was evident with the emergence of the Shamblers and I absolutely loved how Mavis just whacked the creature we saw at part one's cliffhanger over the head with her walking stick. The courage of the elderly is something quite brilliant. I am still very interested in the appearance of the Shamblers as they really do look like the aqua versions of the Yeti! I like it and I am very much looking forward to the finale and learning who their leader might be. I do hope it's somebody I recognise. Hattie having the vivid black and white dreams again was good and the inclusion of the word 'prison' in those dreams leads me to believe that the Doctor may have a history with these intriguing creatures, or at least the person or thing controlling them. The way the Doctor just went and made a cup of tea in the midst of a crisis and was rather characteristic of this incarnation's personality which was very good. I actually thought the likeness of Peter Capaldi was captured pretty well throughout this second part. The revelation that there was on overspill of comatose patients in the area was fascinating and I do wonder why so many people were put into such a state. Hattie's relationship with the Shamblers and their psychic abilities was good and I liked the explanation for why she was seeing things that weren't in colour. Her brain wasn't quite compatible with what they were trying to say. It seemed the Doctor was behind their sudden mass emergence and instead of running he let them take him way. Beneath the waves. It was an excellent cliffhanger and with the Doctor clearly demonstrating some knowledge of the situation, I can hardly wait to read part three. It's just a shame I'll have to wait until the end of May! Overall though, a very good continuation.

The Phantom Piper Part 5

"We're far from the end."

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 8th March 2018
Printed in: DWM 523

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

With the Phantom Piper taking Chiyoko and using her to ravage war across Athenia, the Doctor and Alan Turing have a plan of their own. Will they be able to put into fruition before every war in history brings disaster?

Verdict

The Phantom Piper concluded in superb fashion with a fantastic fifth and final part! Firstly though, this looks set to be another great issue of DWM and I have to say I'm a big fan of the new look with the new logo being a part of the pages for the first time. An interview with Michelle Gomez is always something to look forward to as I think she's just fabulous and I'd love to read her thoughts about the Thirteenth Doctor. The Daleks in Milwaukee feature looks extremely intriguing and I am very interested in anything to do with the famed foes at the moment as I will be doing a research project on how they helped Doctor Who's popularity during the 1960s. The Logo-Polis (great name!) feature looks excellent and it's intriguing to see just how much a logo can represent an era. That has been clearly evident in the past and I do like the new one so a run through of the past logos will be good to read. The Season Survey results getting revealed is always something I look forward to and I'm bound to read the Fact of Fiction this month as it covers The Doctor's Wife - one of my all time favourite stories. I am also excited to hear from Chris Chibnall once again as the new series comes ever closer. I'm not a big fan of there being another cosplay article however, I hope that doesn't become a common theme in the magazine. Now, back to the comic and this has been quite a lengthy story and was the longest comic strip to adorn the pages of Doctor Who Magazine in quite some time. I thought the story improved with each and every part and I must say that it was great. The concept behind the Phantom Piper was terrific as I do love any delving into the Dreamspace and I liked the connections with the messaged that had been engraved on the TARDIS for the past few stories. The Piper was using Chiyoko to bring every war in history to Athenia and with the potentiality of the brewing war between the Humans and Galateans, the Phantom Piper would have many a nightmare to feast upon. The way he was defeated was brilliant and I loved that the Doctor and Turing had unknowingly worked on the resolution and worked brilliantly as a team. They goaded the Phantom Piper into shooting at a fake Turing made via the block transfer computation and with that DNA the genius could decode and break the Phantom Piper. It provided the same suffering that Tommy felt and just when it seemed like we would get a happy ending with Alan and Ranesh getting engaged, Fey returned! It's been quite a while since I read a story with her and whilst I haven't yet completed her comic strip run with the Eighth Doctor, I am very intrigued by both her return and her comments. Overall, a fantastic story!

Rating: 9/10

The Man Who Never Was

"I am the most amazing man you've ever seen."

Writer: Gareth Roberts
Format: TV
Broadcast: 17th-18th October 2011
Series: SJA 5.03

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde, Rani, Sky

Synopsis

Joseph Serf has launched his new SerfBoard, the must-have computer that one can resist owning. Everyone wants the brand new device - and why not? What could be so dangerous about a computer?

Verdict

The Man Who Never Was was an excellent story and a great way to conclude the fifth and final series of the Sarah Jane Adventures. After a shaky opening two adventures to the series, I was delighted that the farewell story was a great one. It's such a shame that the Sarah Jane Adventures ended in impromptu fashion following the tragic death of Elisabeth Sladen. She was a wonderful companion during the 1970s and following her return in School Reunion, she got her spinoff series and it really was terrific. The way the series finished was brilliant and I really liked the idea behind this story. The concept of an alien slave trade was really intriguing and I thought Harrison was a good villain. He really was heartless and he got to come into his own during the second episode. Joseph Serf was fantastic and I must commend Mark Aiken on a tremendous performance. I thought he was quite superb when it came to the glitching, especially during the launch speech where Luke and Sky were in control of Serf. The Skullion being enslaved was good and really did bring a lot of exploration for the story to look at. They looked almost like an ugly version of Davros which was quite an interesting direction to take with the appearance. Sky meeting Luke for the first time was an important milestone and considering this was the last ever story of the series, it's a happy accident that the whole team was back together for the final adventure. Sky being nervous at meeting her older brother was good but after they ended up working well together, their relationship soon blossomed and it's a shame that things could not be explored further. Clyde and Rani were terrific together and I liked how they were dubbed as Clani. That was pretty humorous. The reference to The Gift was very good and I liked how K9's absence was briefly explained with some comedy from Mr Smith. Sarah Jane's final adventure featuring a heavy theme of journalism was great and I liked how we got to meet her editor from her time before The Time Warrior. Clyde mentioning to Rani what happened with Ellie in The Curse of Clyde Langer was intriguing and I do wish that their relationship had time to be further developed. Sarah Jane calling upon the Skullion home world to retrieve the enslaved was good and she really was the hero of her final story. The concluding montage was quite emotional and seeing all the great moments she has provided during the five series was wonderful. She really has been terrific and the fact that her superb series ended in such tragic fashion is a real shame. So long, Sarah Jane. Her family have been great and it's excellent that her final story was a brilliant one. Overall, a fitting finale.

Rating: 9/10

The Curse of Clyde Langer

"I don't want to ever hear his name again."

Writer: Phil Ford
Format: TV
Broadcast: 10th-11th October 2011
Series: SJA 5.02

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Clyde, Rani, Sky

Synopsis

It's raining fish from the skies! Sarah Jane's investigation leads the gang to the Museum of Culture, where the ancient god Hetocumtek may offer answers. Clyde soon finds himself alone and abandoned on the streets of London with the legendary Night Dragon looming. Why do Sarah Jane and Rani suddenly hate Clyde?

Verdict

The Curse of Clyde Langer was a decent continuation of the fifth and final series of the Sarah Jane Adventures and whilst the story was a good one, I am quite surprised that it won an award for best children's script. It was far from bad but there were certain elements of the adventure that didn't quite sit well with me. I thought the idea of Clyde being cursed was good and with any mention of his name causing his friends or family to instantly hate him, there was a lot of potential. His name was everywhere with the amount of artwork he did so it soon became clear that everyone who was close to him suddenly hated him. Sarah Jane had an uncharacteristic outburst about his comments regarding Luke and Rani instantly hated his guts once she spoke his name which led to her dad expelling him from school. Mr Smith recognised that something was wrong but wasn't really in a position to do anything about it. However, Sky was able to take centre stage in her first official story since being adopted by Sarah Jane and joining the team. As she was an alien, she was immune (presumably) from the curse that accompanied Clyde's name and with her learning and lack of understanding some human pastimes and culture, what had happened with Clyde really didn't make sense to her. I liked how she was eager to learn and whilst I don't think she's a bad character, she seems a little too young for the team and I'm not sure whether I'm a fan of her having joined the team. There could also be the issue of watching in hindsight as she seems rushed with there only being one more story left of the entire series. But hey ho, she was good here and allowed for Clyde to be saved. He had gained solace in the form of Ellie, a homeless girl he had given money to earlier in the story, and she was quickly smitten with him. He liked her too and the pair shared a kiss which is quite uncommon for a children's show. I like that Clyde was getting feelings for a girl though as that is what you'd expect of a seventeen year old. The homeless theme was explored beautifully and was undoubtedly the highlight of the adventure. The realisation that Ellie was not her real name and that the Night Dragon was actually a form of hitching a lift to a new beginning was brilliant but very emotional. The way the curse was lifted was a little too easy for my liking and after the struggle between Sarah Jane and Rani to say Clyde's name, things seemed a little anti-climatic. The legend of Hetocumtek was pretty good but I felt that the pole could have played a more prominent role in the story. Overall though, it was still decent and I like how Clyde got some serious character development.

Rating: 7/10

Sky

"An alien baby? I need help."

Writer: Phil Ford
Format: TV
Broadcast: 3rd-4th October 2011
Series: SJA 5.01

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Clyde, Rani

Synopsis

Sarah Jane, Clyde and Rani try to figure out why a baby abandoned on Sarah's doorstep is undergoing rapid maturation, and how she's connected to a war between the Metalkind and the Fleshkind. With impending doom, the only way to secure peace lies with a baby...

Verdict

Sky was a decent start to the fifth series of the Sarah Jane Adventures but I was hoping that it would be a little better. This was my first ever viewing of the story and to see brand new content with Sarah Jane was quite a treat but the story was not void of faults. I got the sense that the series was heading in a direction of accommodating for the children who watched the show with the introduction of Sky to the team. Sadly, it won't last too long as there are only two more stories of the spinoff left but the intention is good to see. I think it's a decent idea but from a personal viewpoint, I wasn't a fan of her in this adventure. I realise she is only twelve but she seemed to be a little too childish for my liking. Her lack of knowledge for some words seemed inconsistent which was a shame and I was also a little put off that Mr Smith was scared to come out when Sky was present. Sarah Jane opening her door to a baby on her doorstep was quite a surprise and I liked how she quickly called upon Rani and Clyde for some help. With Luke gone, Sarah Jane may have a void in her life and Sky seems like she's going to fill it for what remains of the show. Miss Myers was a pretty good character but I was hoping that she would be a little more ruthless. The concept of the war between the Fleshkind and Metalkind was actually excellent and getting a snippet of it was good but I do think that it could have been a whole lot more. The Metalkind looked actually quite reminiscent of the creature from The Shape of Water which was comically mentioned by my girlfriend with whom I have been watching the SJAs with since series four which was intriguing. The resemblance really was quite striking. I thought Rani was very good in this story and she has more than established herself as a strong character which is crucial. The humour that came from Gita and Haresh was brilliant and the moment the TV and blender malfunctioned was terrific. The revelation that Sky was a bomb linked to the Metalkind was good but I thought the way she was diffused was a little easy. Everything was saved and then the Metalkind just teleported back to the war-torn planets with the last burst of energy. It was a little convenient for my liking. The story finishing with the reveal that the Captain had returned to give Sky a home was a nice touch. I really liked the reference to Invasion of the Bane but as a whole, I was just hoping for a little more to get a better rating. I probably have been a tad generous with the rating but the story wasn't bad at all - it was actually decent! Overall, still a positive beginning to series five.

Rating: 7/10

Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith

"You're not in charge anymore."

Writers: Clayton Hickman & Gareth Roberts
Format: TV
Broadcast: 15th-16th November 2010
Series: SJA 4.06

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde, Rani, K9

Synopsis

Sarah Jane has begun developing a form of dementia, and she realises that her ability to defend the Earth is diminishing. She must now hand over the task to surer hands. A seemingly suitable replacement, Ruby White, has arrived on Bannerman Road, but can she be trusted?

Verdict

Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith was a brilliant story and a great way to conclude what has turned out to be a fantastic fourth series of the Sarah Jane Adventures! It's an excellent spinoff series and it really is quite a shame that I only have three stories left before it comes to its abrupt conclusion. This is the last of the stories from the show that I have seen on broadcast as series five will be brand new to me which I am rather excited about. Anyway, onto the story and the idea of Sarah Jane having a form of dementia was intriguing and it did come as quite a shock when she managed to forget the sonic lipstick in a crucial situation before forgetting the name of the Doctor. She referenced The Time Warrior wonderfully which I enjoyed but her reaction to forgetting his name was great. She knew something was wrong and the medical scan of Mr Smith confirmed her assumption. Her brain tissue was deteriorating and there was no cure. It seemed that Sarah Jane was no longer fit to defend Earth. The arrival of Ruby White to the story was terrific and I loved how she was playing the long game and sat deep to gain the trust of Sarah Jane, Clyde and Rani. The latter two didn't suspect anything, not until Sarah Jane had gone missing with only a video message to confirm her departure. Sarah Jane had inadvertently handed over control of Mr Smith and her sonic lipstick to Ruby and that would prove disastrous. She was going to continue Sarah Jane's work of tracking aliens from the attic but she would be aiding them to takeover the planet. That needed to be stopped. This meant there was a triumphant return for Luke and he wasn't impressed that his mum had vanished. Teaming up again with Rani and Clyde, along with the aid of K9 via a video link, they were able to work out the resolution and plan on putting it into action. The plan was actually very clever and after it was revealed how Ruby escaped from her Qetesh prison, Mr White could be stopped. The humorous relationship between K9 and Mr Smith continued which was good and I liked how they acknowledged that both were required to defeat Ruby. Seeing the team together saving Sarah Jane from the Qetesh stomach was very good and I liked how it was clear that this assembly were no amateurs. The references to Invasion of the Bane, Prisoner of the Judoon, Secrets of the Stars and The Gift were all reminders of that. For a series finale, this was more than fitting. Overall, a brilliant story!

Rating: 9/10

Lost in Time

"History can be a dangerous place."

Writer: Rupert Laight
Format: TV
Broadcast: 8th-9th November 2010
Series: SJA 4.05

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Clyde, Rani

Synopsis

A harmless investigation turns into an epic quest across time and space. Sarah and the gang are separated by the enigmatic Shopkeeper to find themselves in three different time-zones throughout history - doing battle against ghost hunters, Nazis, Tudors and a mysterious parrot called Captain!

Verdict

Lost in Time was a brilliant story! It really was an excellent penultimate adventure in the fourth series of the Sarah Jane Adventures as I was interested pretty much from start to finish. The concept was magnificent and I liked how there was no messing around and we just immediately got into the full flow of the story. The Shopkeeper was a terrific character and the humour that came his way with the Captain (a parrot) was great. The idea was fantastic and we had Sarah Jane, Clyde and Rani all visiting different points in history to retrieve pieces of the enigmatic chronosteel. It was just marvellous and I thought it was good that the series got to deal with a story about time travel rather than an impending invasion. It was a nice change of pace and we got to see some wonderful moments. Rani had gone back to the time of the Tudors and she had arrived on quite a historic day! It was the ninth day in the reign of Lady Jane Grey who famously only sat on the throne for a mere nine days. The monarch quickly developed a relationship with Rani which I thought was good and I liked how Rani grew to wanting to do more than just stop the course of history from changing. She knew that Lady Jane needed a friend with the impending doom that accompanied Mary's arrival to London and she was willing to be that person. Clyde had found himself in the midst of World War Two and the unthinkable was happening with Nazis on British soil. They had a new device that would destroy the British radar signals which meant that the country would be a sitting duck prone for German invasion. Sarah Jane had arrived at a rather less historic event and was simply in the company of an Emily Morris in a haunted house in 1889. It was a little bit more than that though as rather than the ghosts being echoes of the past, what was being heard here was actually the echoes of the future. I loved that and what the pair learned soon became quite emotive. Two children were locked in their bedroom and playing with candles had resulted in a fire being started. The pair needed saving and Emily's fear linked her to the future which meant she could retrieve the key and save the children from dying. This key would be Sarah's piece of the chronosteel. Clyde had found 'Thor's hammer' thanks to some ingenuity with George and defeating some Nazis (of which included an intriguing face of Jaqen H'ghar) and following a foiled attempted murder by Matilda, Rani prevented Lady Jane from dying early. The reasoning behind that intended death for her to die a martyr was quite intriguing though. I do wonder how history would have unfolded if she had died that way. The last minute fumbling for the pieces, involving the ancestor of Emily returning the key, was terrific and I liked the ambiguity behind the Shopkeeper just vanishing without explanation. Overall, a superb story!

Rating: 10/10

The Empty Planet

"Everybody's gone..."

Writer: Gareth Roberts
Format: TV
Broadcast: 1st-2nd November 2010
Series: SJA 4.04

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Clyde, Rani

Synopsis

Clyde and Rani are apparently the only survivors of the human race. The whole of Earth is empty - even Sarah Jane has vanished. A deserted London holds terrors of its own, mainly in the form of two mysterious and menacing robots...

Verdict

The Empty Planet was a brilliant story and a really great continuation of the fourth series of the Sarah Jane Adventures! If it wasn't for the astounding Death of the Doctor, this adventure really would have stood out as the best of the series in my opinion. However, I am getting a little ahead of myself as I haven't watched the remaining two stories since they first broadcast back in 2010 so it is a little early to judge. The idea behind this story was excellent and for much of the story I was hoping for a legitimate reason as to why just Clyde and Rani would have been left behind with the rest of humanity having vanished from the face of the Earth. Thankfully, I got a brilliant one with a wonderful link and flashback to Prisoner of the Judoon. I really liked that explanation and after some nervous conversation about the prospect of just Clyde and Rani being left on Earth, the pair worked brilliantly together to save the world. I think it's testament to how good these two characters are as Sarah Jane wasn't really missed that much. She wasn't needed which is quite a shock given how great she is. The deserted town was intriguing and I think it really would be quite daunting to see the streets empty in the middle of the day. The arrival of the robots brought a good cliffhanger and I liked how Clyde showed them a newspaper so they could develop the language and communicate. At first it appeared like they were threatening and demanding the sun and air of the planet but Rani brilliantly worked out that was not actually the case. They were referring to the son and heir of their alien planet and that meant that Gavin still being on Earth was now explained. There was a bit more to his childhood than his father simply running of and abandoning him. He was actually an alien king and now it appeared that he died and the robots needed a new monarch. Once Gavin realised this, he was thrilled to oblige and was quick to command his new multicoloured subjects. He set off back to the alien planet from which his dad ruled and saw that humanity was restored on Earth. Not too shabby for a kid who was scared of pretty much anything at the start of the story. Haresh being concerned about Rani was good and I loved how Sarah Jane was quick to give a normal explanation for how an hour and a half simply advanced without trace. Clyde and Rani being dubbed Lord and Lady was a nice touch and I liked how grateful they were to Sarah Jane for everything that she has shown them. The two also admitted that they always had each other which was rather nice. Overall, an excellent adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Death of the Doctor

"Echoes of the Doctor all over the world. With friends like us, he's never going to die."

Writer: Russell T Davies
Format: TV
Broadcast: 25th-26th October 2010
Series: SJA 4.03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Sarah Jane, Clyde, Rani, Jo

Synopsis

When the Doctor is declared dead, old companions Sarah Jane Smith and Jo Grant meet for the first time and join forces to discover the truth. As an interstellar conspiracy gathers around UNIT HQ, Clyde finds he holds the fate of the Time Lord in his hand - quite literally!

Verdict

Death of the Doctor was an absolutely wonderful story! It really was beautiful and will probably go down as my all time favourite story of the Sarah Jane Adventures. We really were given a dream of a story as far as I'm concerned as not only did Sarah Jane get to meet the Eleventh Doctor, but Jo Grant was also back! Well, Jo Jones following the events after The Green Death but that just provided some fantastic dialogue. The idea of the Doctor being dead has been explored before but I thought it was put to excellent use here. Hasty arrangements meant that it was just Jo and Sarah Jane that were the past companions attending the funeral and I loved how they got to the reminisce on their time in the TARDIS. There were so many mentions of Classic era stories with the likes of The Time Warrior and The Masque of Mandragora getting a little mention. The moment that Sarah and Jo talked about their travels to Peladon was also a magnificent moment. There really was just so much nostalgia here. It was a fanboy's dream. We saw flashbacks of the first four Doctors which was great and I also liked how this adventure had links with The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith which is where Clyde and Rani got to first meet the Doctor. Amy and Rory were on their honeymoon so the Eleventh Doctor was on his own here and the image of him with Jo and Sarah really was mesmerising. Matt Smith was phenomenal as per usual and I thought it was brilliant that Russell T Davies got to write for the Eleventh Doctor. He did so fantastically. The Shansheeth were intriguing villains and their plan to get control of the TARDIS and eradicate death was quite disturbing. They were going to use Sarah and Jo's memories and a memory weave to reproduce the TARDIS key which I thought was terrific. The Doctor managed to save the world from behind a locked door which was really great. A moment that was touching was Jo's reaction to Sarah revealing that she had been reunited with the Doctor following School Reunion. She was even more shook when she realised it wasn't the time that the Doctor had come to see Sarah Jane. The idea of the Tenth Doctor going back and seeing all of his ex-companions at the time of his death in The End of Time is really quite staggering but one I absolutely adore. Sarah Jane had been doing research and name-dropped some brilliant former companions and one thing I really liked was the idea of Ian and Barbara never having aged since the '60s following their departure in The Chase. I'm not quite sure when that happened but I'm all for it. A 'Dorothy something' having a charity called A Charitable Earth was also very, very clever. I loved pretty much everything about this story and I really could go on and on but I fear I wouldn't be able to stop. Overall, an outstanding adventure! The very best of the SJAs.

Rating: 10/10

The Vault of Secrets

"The other side of this door is not a place you want to be."

Writer: Phil Ford
Format: TV
Broadcast: 18th-19th October 2010
Series: SJA 4.02

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Clyde, Rani

Synopsis

When an old enemy, Androvax the Veil returns to Earth asking for help, the gang face a dilemma - should they trust him? Or does the legendary Vault hold an even greater terror? A second threat arises, when android guardians threaten to destroy anyone who uncovers their secrets. As the battle between Sarah, Androvax and the androids reaches its climax, Rani has to save her mother from being caught in the crossfire. The Vault opens and the destiny of the entire Veil species is at stake. Is it too late to save them?

Verdict

The Vault of Secrets was a decent story to continue the fourth series of the Sarah Jane Adventures. It was the first of what is somewhat a new era for the show following the departures of Luke and K9 and it wasn't a bad start at all. I liked the idea of Androvax returning following his appearance in Prisoner of the Judoon and this time it appeared that the Men in Black had taken on the role of hunting him down instead of the more familiar Judoon. There were a few flashbacks to that story which were good but things didn't quite match up to Androvax's first appearance. The concept of BURPSS was a bit silly, even for a children's show, and the puns were actually quite painful at times. There was a great use of humour from Clyde though as he referred to Mr Dread's gun as 'handy'. I did enjoy that, I'll admit. Gita had a strong story and she had dragged Haresh along to what was basically an alien support group. He wasn't too pleased with being dragged along but then Gita spotted Androvax in Sarah Jane's front garden and things escalated from there. His continued use of taking over people's bodies was interesting and I do like the concept behind the Veil species. It's a great name but Androvax was weak and was dying from poison inflicted in him on the prison planet the Judoon had sentenced him to. He'd managed to escape but was dying and he was asking for Sarah Jane's help. That was immediately strange and it seemed obvious that he would double cross them once he got the chance. The fact that he needed two dials to open the Vault and rescue his species from cryogenic sleep was intriguing, especially once the revelation came that it would mean the destruction of Earth because of hyperspace instability. Ocean and Minty were quite humorous characters and the former having dealt with the Men in Black before was good, especially when it was revealed that she was in possession of the second dial required to open the Vault. In the body of Clyde, Androvax wasted no time in taking what he needed. Mr Dread was a good character and his lack of wanting to be comedic was great. However, he was defeated a little easily for my liking by the gang but did end up saving the day. What I didn't like about this story was the fact that Clyde and Rani didn't recognise Androvax had taken the form of Sarah Jane when it came to opening the Vault. She was also taken over far too easily for my liking as well. For someone like Sarah Jane, I wouldn't expect her to let her guard down like that. I did enjoy the little nod to Pyramids of Mars and seeing her with a hand was a nice reminder of The Hand of Fear but sadly that wasn't enough to secure a higher rating. Androvax being allowed to resurrect his race in space seemed a bit of an underwhelming finish which was a shame. Overall, a decent story but not without its flaws.

Rating: 7/10