Urgent Calls

"Strange matters is basically your job."

Writer: Eddie Robson
Format: Audio
Released: April 2007
Series: Main Range 94b

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

Earth, 1974. An innocent phone call. Okay, it was a wrong number, but there can't be any harm in that. Can there?

Verdict 

Urgent Calls was another pretty decent from Big Finish's Main Range. It formed the second story of the ninety-fourth monthly release and whilst I'm not the biggest fan of the format of a three-part adventure and a following, unconnected one-part story, it does make for easy listening. It was basically a full cast Short Trip and once again I thought that Colin Baker was terrific as the Sixth Doctor. He really is a totally different personality on audio and it is very refreshing. When he answered the call of Laura Hudson at the start of this story, it wasn't exactly unexpected by I really enjoyed the conversation they had. He quickly realised that she was in grave danger and needed urgent medical help. How they came into contact was very intriguing but that intrigue was heightened further by the second conversation they had. The Doctor was quite taken aback that he was once again talking to Laura and the chances of that occurring were very unlikely. He did concede that there was a chance but he put it into connection with a far bigger picture concerning a deadly virus that was being transmitted through the telephone. Laura jokingly mentioning aliens when describing the treatment she had in the hospital was terrific given that it was the actual reason that she nearly died. Her reaction to the Doctor revealing that he too was an alien was great and I thought the pair were good. Sadly, the story didn't have too much going on in terms of action and whilst the conversations and relationship between the Doctor and Laura were good, there was only so much time that could be taken up by this. With the 1974 setting, the Doctor thinking that Laura might have seen the Third Doctor was great but I was questioning that he would surely remember meeting her if that had been the case. The pace of the story was quick and at 33 minutes long it did seem to whizz by. The conclusion was pretty good and I liked how the Doctor was intending on tracking the virus to its original source. Laura had enjoyed her conversing with the Doctor and wanted to talk to him again, and it seemed that would happen at some point. Overall, a decent little adventure! Sadly, there was no official artwork for this story but this fan artwork more than suffices - it's terrific.

Rating: 7/10

I.D.

"Do you really want to die?"

Writer: Eddie Robson
Format: Audio
Released: April 2007
Series: Main Range 94

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

In the 32nd century, the Doctor finds himself on a planet piled high with discarded computer technology. Picking over these remains are an army of Scandroids, a collection of unsavoury, illegal Data Pirates and a team of researchers from the mysterious Lonway Clinic. This is a world of organic-digital transfer and 'personality surgery' which the Doctor finds disturbing enough, until something far more deadly starts to emerge.

Verdict

I.D. was an interesting little story but one that definitely could have been improved upon. I thought it had quality but it was lacking a little something special to reach a higher rating. I'm not sure why there was a lack of companion and I think that might have had somewhat of an effect on things as the Doctor was the only familiar character. Colin Baker gave a very good performance as the Sixth Doctor which is pretty much a norm on audio and his incarnation really doesn't get the credit it deserves. I thought his relationship here with Claudia Bridge was very good and she really was the standout of the guest cast. She quickly developed a working understanding with the Doctor and that would leave them in good stead. The Scandroids were an intriguing enemy and whilst they were only doing what they were programmed to, their continued use of unauthorised personnel got a little tedious at times and the repetition was a little too much by the end of the story. The 32nd century was not utilised as much as I had hoped it might have been but with the method of talking to a computer being antiquated, along with the Doctor's telescope, it was clear that things had certainly advanced this far in the future. The idea of altering someone's personality is intriguing and one I definitely like. However, I was left feeling a little shortchanged by the whole story surrounding Ms Tevez. Was it her, was it him? Who knew. It got a little confusing and whilst it sold the whole concept of the programmes taking effect and personalities altering, I didn't think it was overly brilliant. Gabe was a decent character and I liked how he was the one who was not using the advancements in technology. His way of gaining money by renting out the antiquated computer was good. The Doctor's refusal to accept creating one monster to destroy another was excellent and his reaction to that occurrence was probably the highlight of the audio. It was a good story but it was just lacking that special moment. The three-part format was quite different and I'm intrigued to see how a one-part story fares. The Main Range certainly seems to be experimenting with the format now and change seems inevitable. I'm not sure why but I did think the cliffhangers in this story were of a very high quality. The conclusion was pretty good and logical but it didn't feel like anything huge had been avoided or happened. Overall, this was a good story but it was just lacking that something special. Still a good one though!

Rating: 7/10

Flashback

"Travel within Gallifrey's own time stream isn't allowed..."

Writer: Warwick Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: November 1992
Printed in: DWM Winter Special 1992

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

The Seventh Doctor gives a Benny in Gallifreyan history using a 3D simulation. Some meddling with artron energy leads the way for the Doctor to tell a tale of an encounter between Thete and Magnus, and the pair won't be on the same terms for much longer...

Verdict

Flashback was a very good little story and if it wasn't as short as it was, I do think it would have scored even higher. I really liked the concept and I was immediately happy with Benny wanting to know more about the history of Gallifrey. That's always something I love hearing about and seeing just a glimpse of it here was terrific. The Doctor explaining why travelling into Gallifrey's past is forbidden was intriguing and I thought the argument between Thete and Magnus was very interesting. The story behind the artron ball was good and I liked the idea of the latter wanting to usurp Omega and Rassilon in the history books. I'm not sure if this Emperor of the Daleks graphic novel has altered any of the typing as everything I read about the story referred to the character as 'Theta' but I checked my copy and my eyes had not deceived me as it was certainly typed 'Thete' on more than one occasion. The latter seems to make more sense given the true identity of him but I don't think it matters too much. I was quite surprised to see that Thete was actually the First Doctor and I loved the idea of seeing him on Gallifrey before he decided to depart. What surprised and intrigued me most was to see him in the high ranking robes and collar and that tells us that the Doctor had quite a substantial role on Gallifrey before he decided to travel time and space. I also really enjoyed how the Seventh Doctor didn't reveal to Benny that he was actually Thete and that he was the one who prevented the atron ball, that quite surprisingly turned out to be a living entity, from destruction. I really didn't expect it to come alive but Thete did not seem too surprised and it could explain his desire to prevent Magnus from draining the energy supply. The Seventh Doctor talking about the relationship between Thete and Magnus in the third person was good but it did leave me wondering if he had any regrets about his actions as the events we witnessed were what caused this particular friendship to deteriorate. Could Magnus be the Master perhaps? That's an intriguing theory and one I'd love to see expanded upon but I somehow doubt it'll occur. Overall though, this was a great little comic strip and I'd have loved for it to be longer.

Rating: 8/10

Renaissance of the Daleks

"Isn't there enough evil already in a Dalek?"

Writer: Christopher H. Bidmead
Format: Audio
Released: March 2007
Series: Main Range 93

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

A random landing in London and a trip to the Savoy Hotel yield unexpected results for the Doctor. Tea, scones, an American general who knows far too much, and the threat of a Dalek invasion of Earth.

Meanwhile, the Doctor's companion Nyssa is in Rhodes during the time of the Crusades, where her position proves to be distinctly precarious.

It seems the Doctor's deadliest foes have woven a tangled web indeed. And in order to defeat them, he must cross the forbidden barriers of time and walk into the very centre of their latest, most outlandish scheme of conquest.

Verdict

Renaissance of the Daleks was an excellent audio adventure! I had high hopes going into this one and I was not let down. I really thought it was terrific and I liked how it started right in the midst of something happening. The Doctor was immediately greeted by General Tillington and I was very intrigued how he knew all about the TARDIS whilst the Time Lord had never met the man. The story's links with The Dalek Invasion of Earth were magnificent and once the Doctor's location was revealed to be Earth in 2158, I was very excited. That First Doctor story is one of my all time favourites so playing around with its events here was great. Nyssa recalled the Daleks following her encounter in The Mutant Phase which was fantastic and I was very interested to know why she was in Rhodes in 1310. She ended up jumping into the American Civil War which humorously confused the Doctor. There she met some terrific characters Mulberry and Floyd really being great additions to the story. Adding Alice to the mix gave us quite a full and exciting TARDIS team for the story and they really did work well together considering the differences of times they were from. The reference to Logopolis was very good and the similarities here with that story were most intriguing. The title of this audio is brilliant and hearing it come into fruition was fantastic. The Daleks didn't really appear until the second half of the adventure but the descriptions of the city being built out of Dalek casings all intertwined was hugely interesting. I was a big fan of it. The toy Daleks that Winton brought into the TARDIS were good and the thought of little Daleks terrorising the TARDIS was quite comical. The way the Doctor knew he was simply spying for his uncle was very good too. The plan of the Daleks to avenge the First Doctor's defeat of them was most intriguing because of their method. Their goal of conquering Earth was hardly a surprise but the fact they wanted to do it bloodlessly was a surprise. They claimed it would make them undefeatable though and the nano-Daleks entering mankind and subconsciously welcoming the occupation was a horrifying scheme. It really was a terrific plan. The Greylish was a good cliffhanger to part three and the concept behind this Seed Dalek was quite frightening. The way the Doctor manipulated it to actually defeating the Daleks through a simple conundrum was beautiful though. I thought Peter Davison was on top form as the Fifth Doctor here and even though he wasn't pleased with the sacrifices made, notably that of Mulberry in taking the nano-Daleks into the Vortex with him, he had defeated the Daleks once again. Overall, an excellent audio adventure! I've finally made it to the new cover designs - it's like I'm almost caught up...

Rating: 9/10

Wishing Well

"People always like stories about lost treasure."

Writer: Trevor Baxendale
Format: Novel
Released: December 2007
Series: NSA 19

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

The old village well is just a curiosity - something to attract tourists intrigued by stories of lost treasure, or visitors just making a wish. Unless something alien and terrifying could be lurking inside the well. Something utterly monstrous that causes nothing but death and destruction.

But who knows the real truth about the well? Who wishes to unleash the hideous force it contains? What terrible consequences will follow the search for a legendary treasure hidden at the bottom?

No one wants to believe the Doctor's warnings about the deadly horror lying in wait - but soon they'll wish they had...

Verdict

Wishing Well was a brilliant novel and a real joy to read. It was a simple task to complete this book in just one day as it really was terrific. The tone was set right away with Nigel and co digging in the tunnel for treasure followed by the Doctor and Martha being warned by Barney about Creighton Mere. There was instant mystery and I really liked that. The focus being the village's wishing well was great and I really enjoyed the tales of the highwayman and how he dumped his stolen loot down the well to evade the authorities. Every village has their myths and legends but the Doctor's initial reaction to the well made you believe that it was all true. The characterisation of David Tennant's Tenth Doctor during this novel was fantastic which always makes for better reading and I thought the feel of Series 3 was very well captured. I'd love to read the adventure where the Doctor took Martha to the Frozen Castles of the Ice Warriors though! Some of the characters in the book were very good with Gaskin and Angela the obvious standouts. Their history was intriguing and despite a troubled past following the death of Roger, I loved how the events of this story brought them closer together and went some way to mending their relationship. Their disagreements over the well were good and the reason why would soon come to light with the Gaskin Tunnel. The story behind that was very good and I liked how he was in on the treasure hunt with Nigel, Duncan and Ben. The middle's relationship with Martha was great and I liked how he did eventually manage to ask her out following some tumultuous events. He really went through a lot in this book as he was transmogrified by the Vurosis. The concept behind this monstrous enemy was brilliant and I loved how it had been growing dormant beneath the well, waiting. Nigel's connection with its brain was quite disturbing and the battle to prevent the brain being retrieved by the mutated Duncan was fantastic. The Gaskin household took a battering and the Doctor somehow put a toilet into effect as a reasonable and logical way to prevent an alien from getting what it wanted. It wasn't even silly. It didn't work for long but it was quite something. The Doctor getting lowered into the well and not returning was terrific and I liked how he always seemed to know a little more than everybody else. The pace of the book was perfect and quite quick which made for a very exciting tale. I was a very big fan. I thought the climax was fascinating and I thought the way the Doctor, Martha, Duncan, Angela and Goskin came together to overpower the Vurosis was a wonderful end. The perfect ending was incomplete though as once the danger was averted, the treasure revealed itself! I thought that was quite poignant and a very nice touch. Overall, a fantastic novel!

Rating: 9/10

Nocturne

"This is going to be a working holiday after all."

Writer: Dan Abnett
Format: Audio
Released: February 2007
Series: Main Range 92

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Hex

Synopsis

On the human colony planet Nocturne, there is suffering and blight, tragic symptoms of an ages-old war. Never the less, Nocturne is also one of the Doctor's favourite places in all of time and space, because it is here that a late, great flowering of human art - the High Renaissance - is taking place.

He has been back here many times. It is a place of music and art which he finds inspirational and uplifting. It is a place he wants to share with Ace and Hex. It's always been a safe haven for him, a world of friends and laughter.

But with strict Martial Law imposed on the front-line city, and the brutal scourge of interstellar warfare vicing the system, how safe can anyone really be?

There is a note of death in the wild, midnight wind...

Verdict

Nocturne was a decent audio adventure and certainly an improvement on the two previous releases in the Main Range. Sadly, things look to have taken a little stumbling block of late as, whilst this was a pretty good story, I was maybe hoping for a little more. It was far from bad though and there was definitely a lot I did enjoy about this adventure. The TARDIS trio of the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex was excellent once again and I enjoyed the banter regarding the former's inability to disclose everything that was going on when he took them somewhere. The humour that accompanied the examples given by Ace and Hex was great. I thought the companions were very good once again and their relationship really is terrific. The setting of Glass City on Nocturne was good and I was intrigued to learn that the Doctor considered it one of his favourite places in all of time and space. It didn't seem particularly amazing but it was the lure of the High Renaissance which attracted him. The mentions of him usually returning with a different face was comical and I did like the mention of Tegan and how her visit here was an eventful affair. The theme of music and sound being present was good and I must admit that I did not see the revelation that it was the tune that was the city's deadly killer coming. It was a surprise to me and one I liked. It was different. The pun surrounding bait and Beethoven was woefully brilliant and I thought some of the guest cast were decent. Sadly though, I did not think there were any standouts which was a little bit of a shame. Will was great with Ace and I thought his story of his war experience was probably the highlight of the entire audio. Four days he'd spent at war and never took his gun off safety. It was quite a poignant speech. Lomas, his brother, was also good and I thought it was interesting to learn of the brothers meddling and how what they discovered in the archives was deadly. Will wanting to touch and die by the hands of what killed his brother was quite disturbing though and didn't make too much sense to me. Lilian was another decent character and I thought it was great that she didn't want to kill the tune. But the Doctor knew it had to be destroyed. There was no other way. The methods he used to see that occur were good and things tied up in a very nicely done conclusion. Hex had a good outing here and as a whole, I thought the story was pretty good. It was just lacking some more powerful performances and standout moments. Overall though, a very decent adventure!

Rating: 7/10

Circular Time

"Time makes you like you are."

Writers: Paul Cornell & Mike Maddox
Format: Audio
Released: January 2007
Series: Main Range 91

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

Summer to winter, the seasons turn.

In the springtime of a distant future, the Doctor and Nyssa become embroiled in Time Lord politics on an alien world. During the stifling heat of a summer past they suffer the vengeful wrath of Isaac Newton. In the recent past, Nyssa spends a romantic golden autumn in an English village while the Doctor plays cricket. And finally, many years after their travels together have ended, the two friends meet again in the strangest of circumstances.

Four seasons. Four stories.

Now close the door behind you, you're letting the cold in...

Verdict

Circular Time was a bit of a weird one it must be said. It had glimpses of quality but as a whole it just didn't quite work in my opinion. It was just trying too hard to be something different with the four different stories and I really couldn't understand why, with four completely separate stories, they were all part of one adventure. It didn't make too much sense to me and they basically seemed like four full-cast short trips. It was just plain weird and I didn't think it was too appealing of a concept. The first story had potential but was cut short and finished almost abruptly. The Doctor doing the bidding of the Time Lords once again was good and I did enjoy that Nyssa began questioning the Doctor once she learned that he was exiled during the events of The War Games. The references to Logopolis, The Invasion of Time and Time-Flight were also excellent and the relationship between the Doctor and Nyssa was pretty good. The second adventure started off well with the TARDIS pairing being accused of forgery and having to face the wrath of Isaac Newton. The way he deduced that the pair were time travellers wasn't great though and even for a man of his intelligence, I couldn't believe how easily he came to deduce and accept that the Doctor and Nyssa may be time travellers. The third adventure was better than the previous two as we saw Nyssa get involved romantically for the first time which was good and I did love the idea of an English village being called Traken. She couldn't believe it but Andy was a little taken aback by her spacial description - something I thought was actually quite beautiful. The fourth story was the one that saved this audio from disaster in my opinion as we had a very intriguing tale told. The Doctor and Nyssa were reunited following the latter's departure in Terminus, which was referenced, and it was taking place in the dreams of the former. The fact that this segment of the story took place during the final moments of The Caves of Androzani was brilliant. The idea of the Doctor having a family was something very interesting to explore and the children being named Tegan and Adric was quite humorous. The Doctor mentioning Peri and how he had saved her was lovely and I really liked how he eventually remembered who Nyssa was. She helped him, along with Kamelion, realise that he was needed and that he couldn't die just yet. It was a good end to a very weird anthology of stories. The season theme was average and I think things would have worked much better if the four tales were linked. Overall, a brave effort and with glimpses of quality, it just didn't work too well for my liking.

Rating: 6/10

Bing Bong

"The one where I battle the minor cashpoint fraudster..."

Writers: Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman
Format: Short Story
Released: August 2008
Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2009

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

Donna wants to pick up some cash before returning aboard the TARDIS for more adventures with the Doctor. But she is shocked to discover that her life savings have been wiped clean. She's broke and the Doctor is reluctant to investigate. However, when pushed, he discovers that computers everywhere are suffering...

Verdict

Bing Bong was a pretty decent little short story that saw me read my first story from the 2009 Doctor Who Storybook in over four years! It has been an extremely long time since I read any of this collection and whilst I wasn't the biggest fan of the collection, I recently got it back out of the attic and have finally read the next story along and the title didn't fill me with a lot of hope to be honest. Thankfully, it wasn't what I expected it to be and it turned out to be quite an intriguing little tale. The Doctor's reaction to Donna losing all of her money was good and I thought the pair's relationship was portrayed very well here. There was a decent amount of humour as you would expect but I did think they maybe went a little overboard when it came to the conversation with Sonia from the other side of the door. It was just a little too much of Donna playing dumb and the Doctor telling her to just move out of the way was good. I thought the characterisation of David Tennant's Tenth Doctor was pretty good and whilst there was certainly room for improvement, it was nice to see it evident on the page. I do find this format to be difficult sometimes in terms of producing a good story but this effort was decent and I liked some of the references to the show's past that we got. The reference to The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky was excellent and humorous and I also loved that Sonia had been working for and got fired from the Pharos Institute. That was a nice little nod to the past. The artificial intelligence computer was an intriguing concept and I did enjoy the Doctor's comment about finally coming up against a socialist computer. The fact that it felt sorry for the poor and went all Robin Hood and redistributed wealth was good and I liked that it was incredibly apologetic for the train delays. Imagine the grief it would have if it knew how often trains were delayed up and down the country annually! I didn't like the fact that we just had to accept that the computer could electrocute the Doctor or Sonia if either of them tried to pass through. Donna being the one to solve the crisis was good as she appealed to make the computer guilty and with her speech she was able to return things to normal. The computer went a bit bonkers and returned everything to normal and things stopped being bizarre. Overall, a pretty decent little story.

Rating: 7/10

Doctor Who and the Crusaders

"You will hope to kill yourself, or try to make me kill you."

Writer: David Whitaker
Format: Novel
Released: July 2011
Series: Target 03

Featuring: First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki

Synopsis

'I admire bravery, sir. And bravery and courage are clearly in you in full measure. Unfortunately, you have no brains at all. I despise fools.'

Arriving in the Holy Land in the middle of the Third Crusade, the Doctor and his companions run straight into trouble. The Doctor and Vicki befriend Richard the Lionheart, but must survive the cut-throat politics of the English court. Even with the king on their side, they find they have made powerful enemies.

Looking for Barbara, Ian is ambushed - staked out in the sand and daubed with honey so that the ants will eat him. With Ian unable to help, Barbara is captured by the cruel warlord El Akir. Even if Ian escapes and rescues her, will they ever see the Doctor, Vicki and the TARDIS again?

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Crusaders was a decent little read and a good novelisation of the The Crusade. This was one of the very first Doctor Who novelisations and whilst it may not have been the obvious choice, it works pretty well in prose. I'm a big fan of the 12th century setting and I liked how we were taken to Earth's past that was somewhere not in Britain. It brings a unique dynamic to a story and places the TARDIS team in unfamiliar surroundings. It isn't as we know it and anything can happen. I was not a fan of this reprinted version's introduction by Charlie Higson as he didn't seem much of a fan at all. I'd very much like to write my own introduction as I felt his was poor and wasn't very complimentary of the novelisation at all. I was rather surprised by how little the Doctor featured in this novel and whilst the Doctor going missing for a large chunk of the story wasn't uncommon in his first incarnation, it really did seem like he only featured in two chapters once the quartet stepped outside of the TARDIS doors. Vicki didn't do very much either which was a shame but I did enjoy her relationship with the Doctor. She's helping deal with Susan's departure in The Dalek Invasion of Earth which is wonderful. The relationship between Ian and Barbara was really intriguing in this story as the pair even shared a kiss once they were reunited. The whole book centred around rescuing following her kidnapping the woods and Ian was desperate to see her again. The feelings between the pair were obviously evident on screen but they were never depicted as they were in this novelisation. Being able to complete the story in one sitting with no interruptions due to missing parts was great and I thought it did make a very good story. It was maybe lack in excitement at some stages but some of the characters were excellent. Richard the Lionheart was good and I enjoyed his reaction to the Doctor's persuading of him to help find Barbara and I also liked that Ian was knighted. Al Ekir made a good villain and I also thought the Earl of Leicester's meddling was good. The pacing was pretty good but I was quite surprised by how violent things were at some stages. Barbara getting whipped was a big surprise but I thought Ian's emotional reaction to finding her was good. The ending was decent and whilst I thought Ian's speech to save the Doctor and quickly return to the TARDIS was good, I wasn't a fan of thinking things were over only for one more obstacle to present itself. Leicester thinking that the Doctor was a sorcerer and had taken Ian away was terrific though. That was a nice little ending to what was a very decent novelisation. The same rating for both TV and book so at least things were consistent!

Rating: 7/10

Pureblood

"We once held honour as the highest virtue."

Writer: Dan Abnett
Format: Comic Strip
Released: October 1992 - January 1993
Printed in: DWM 193-196

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

The Sontaran homeworld has fallen. The Rutan have finally achieved their aim and victory in the everlasting war against the Sontarans is closer than ever. They have a secret weapon to wipe out the Sontarans completely. Something ancient...

Verdict

Pureblood was an excellent comic strip and a great way to begin my reading of the Emperor of the Daleks graphic novel! It really was superb and I was delighted to be doing a story featuring the Sontarans - it feels like an age since I did something featuring them. The story offering an explanation of how the Sontarans came to be a clone race and giving some details of how the war with the Rutan began was good and whilst it contrasts what occurred in The First Sontarans, it doesn't really matter - this was excellent. I was quite surprised to learn that this was Bernice's first appearance in the pages of DWM as there wasn't much at all to indicate her arrival and fans who hadn't read the New Adventures novels must have been quite stumped. I felt she didn't really do much in the story which was a shame given it was her first outing but that didn't really have an effect on the adventure. The Sontarans having their homeworld destroyed by the Rutan was quite the way to start and I was intrigued to see it named as Sontara. That was also the case in The Infinity Doctors but with The Betrothal of Sontar coming before their return on TV, I'm surprised that the homeworld got renamed in the pages of this magazine. Anyway, the Sontarans encountering the Doctor and Chief Lora was good and I found it very intriguing how before long, the Doctor was aiding the Sontarans. That obviously had something to do with the fact that Modine was a Rutan spy and the action sparked from that was terrific. The Rutan revealing how they breached the Sontaran defences and destroyed the planet was outstanding as they had discovered a lost colony of Sontarans, before the days of cloning. They had tricked them into believing that the Sontarans were no longer pure but the Doctor soon put that right. He and Benny executed a plan very nicely and the pureblood Sontarans could only offer their apologies. They were dutifully accepted and Stave was uncharacteristically going to uphold his side of the bargain with the Doctor and offer a favour. The Doctor saw that the human race information was wiped from the racepool. The Rutan Host were defeated and the Sontarans could now return to something of their past. Honour was restored to their race but there was still a war to win. The ending was brilliant and I loved how this comic strip ended up serving as a prequel for The Sontaran Experiment. I thought that was fantastic and it really did put a smile on my face when it was revealed. Overall, an excellent story!

Rating: 9/10

The Clockwise War Part 2

"The Clockwise Men are on their way. Don't run and hide, they want to play."

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 3rd May 2018
Printed in: DWM 525

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

The Clockwise Men are causing havoc. Jodafra of the Oblivion Empire is questioning the motives of the Doctor. A companion of old and long thought dead seems to hold the answers to all the questions. Britain has a secret space programme by the name of Wonderland. Disaster is imminent and it seems that nowhere is safe...

Verdict

The Clockwise War continued in excellent fashion with this terrific second part of the story. It seems set to be an epic one as I recently learned that this is the comic farewell for the Twelfth Doctor from DWM so it's bound to be good! But for now, let's talk about all things Doctor Who Magazine and this looks set to be a decent issue. The introduction of a brand new Time Team was quite unexpected and I'm looking forward to the revamp and reading about more than one story per week and not in the broadcast order. The timing is a little strange but I must say that the backlash towards the new team in the past week has been a bit overboard and unwarranted. Michelle Ryan getting interviewed with the upcoming release of her audio spinoff is good and I'm looking forward to her thoughts about that. The Fact of Fiction dealing with Planet of the Dead this month is nice timing too. The theme of the magazine's features focusing on missing bits of Doctor Who that we never got to see is intriguing and I'm looking forward to seeing exactly what will be discussed this issue. I haven't managed to finish last month's issue yet due to balancing my recent blogging and my dissertation which I have thankfully submitted today! It's a huge relief and I hope for more reading this summer. Janet Fielding being the subject of this month's Out of the TARDIS is great and I'm also looking forward to the usual stuff of Galaxy Forum and the Gallifrey Guardian. Now, back to the comic strip and this was quite an intriguing continuation. There was no further appearance of Gallifrey but one could guess that the Clockwise Men have something to do with the inability for regeneration that has been plaguing the Time Lords so I'm intrigued to see how everything ties together. That includes the first page's revelation that Britain has an inter-space programme of Wonderland. There's a lot going on and there was considerable action in this part which I liked. Jodafra and Gol Clutha fell victim to the Clockwise Men in horrific fashion and the main reason surprisingly seemed to be Fey. I'm not sure if I have read everything with her and the Eighth Doctor but her actions here have been extremely surprising. She seems to be doing the dirty work of the mysterious Absence and I like the ambiguity surrounding this villain. Is it somebody that we know? I look forward to finding out. It has been following the Doctor for some time now and The Phantom Piper was neatly reference as now the Absence and Fey have a complete map of the space-time vortex thanks to Chiyoko. Just what they'll use it for remains to be seen, but it doesn't look good for the Doctor. Overall, an exciting and intriguing continuation of the comic strip!

Year of the Pig

"There was never a world of pigs."

Writer: Matthew Sweet
Format: Audio
Released: December 2006
Series: Main Range 90

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

Ostend, 1913. War is coming. A war in which millions will die. And the guest in suite 139 of the Hotel Palace Thermae knows it. Which is odd, considering he has trotters, asnout and a lovely curly tail.

Toby the Sapient Pig is a swine on the run. Two peculiar strangers have been hunting him across Europe. The first, Miss Alice Bultitude, is an Englishwoman and collector of obscure theatrical ephemera. The second, Inspector Alphonse Chardalot, is a celebrated member of the detective police - the man who brought trunk murderess of St Germain to justice.

This was supposed to be a reading week for the Doctor and Peri. Now they must do battle with a villain who wants to wipe every last human from the face of the Earth - once he's had just another dish of truffles. And maybe a valedictory glass of fizzy lemonade.

Verdict

Year of the Pig was a pretty average audio adventure. I thought the premise was a little silly and whilst there were quite a few moments that I liked, it was just too long of an adventure. It was unnecessarily long and I think that defitnitely has an adverse effect on listening to it. There was just no need for it to be nearly two-and-a-half hours long and with it being such a long time, I could not understand why there were only two parts. I think it must have something to do with the story placement and the fact that season 22 consisted of two-parters but why not break it into three like The Two Doctors? I didn't like it. The Sixth Doctor was terrific as usual with Colin Baker once again showing that his incarnation can shine on audio. Accompanying him on this occasion was Peri and it's seemed quite a while since I listened to a story with this pairing so I was delighted to hear them together once again. She was the subject of the cliffhanger which was actually very good with Chardalot trapping her in the steam room and she almost turned into droplets it was so hot. Thankfully, the Doctor managed to save her with a fire extinguisher. Now, my main problem with this story was the central premise that there was a pig who was displaying gentlemanly virtues. It was ridiculous and sadly I thought it was just too silly. There were constant mentions of food which became tedious and I just didn't find Toby all that interesting sadly. His past was quite boring and the jokes about his being a pig got tiresome. The looming threat of a doctor with a time machine coming to assassinate him was intriguing and unexpected and I must admit that I was surprised to find out that it was actually Chardalot that was being referred to there. His ability to time travel only two hours was humorous but I'm still not sure why he faked his death. Alice Bultitude was a good character and I did enjoy some of her moments. Nurse Albertine was probably my favourite guest character as her relationship with Toby was rather nice. I really enjoyed the Doctor talking about some of his previous incarnations in the third person and their respective takes on reading. The references to The Space Museum, The Chase and Vengeance on Varos were very good but overall, I thought this story was severely lacking in excitement. It was mildly interesting but sadly just far too slow. The setting was very good but I don't think it was utilised as well as it could have been. Sadly, this story was not one of my favourites which was quite a shame.

Rating: 6/10

Aliens Among Us: Herald of the Dawn

"Did you know God is coming?"

Writer: James Goss
Format: Audio
Released: February 2018
Series: Torchwood 5.12

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Mr Colchester, Orr, Yvonne, Tyler

Synopsis

It all starts normally enough. A car park full of ramblers is incinerated by a thunderbolt.

But the next day it's clear there's something very wrong. Something's changed. Something's coming. It's the end of the world. And that's what Torchwood are best at.

Verdict

Aliens Among Us concluded in intriguing style with Herald of the Dawn. Whilst the story was a great one full of action and questions about Gwen getting answered, I can't help but feel a little short-changed by the fact that a 12-part series across three different boxsets still ends on a cliffhanger! I had questioned in my recent blog entries regarding the previous stories in this third volume that there was a lot to tie up in this finale and I was proven right as there were still things left unanswered. Mr Colchester has stopped breathing and may be dead. The true motives of Yvonne Hartman are ambiguous and we don't know what is coming through the Rift, even after such a long build. I'm not sure that there's even been an announcement regarding the possibility of series six or an extension to this fifth series but I sure hope that I get some answers in the near future. I was delighted that the truth about Gwen was revealed in this episode and she finally managed to break free of the mysterious imposter, credited as Ng. She was scared of something coming through the Rift and wanted to try everything to prevent it passing through but Jack was onto her and his previous suspicions were soon proven correct. He, Mr Colchester and Rhys had all been suspicious of Gwen in recent months and now they knew why she hadn't been herself. Because she wasn't. The moment Gwen was able to break free was terrific but what followed was quite shocking and emotional. Being imprisoned in her own body, she'd had time to think and she knew now that her days at Torchwood were over. She loved Jack and everything about her dream job but her life was all about Rhys and Anwen now. You had to respect that. She left the team and it seems like her days in the team are over. Yvonne meeting with Ro-Jedda was quite unexpected but the pair seemed to get on very nicely. The recognition that the Sorvix were simply alien and not an enemy. There was a nice reference to UNIT with Kate getting mentioned and I liked the aftermath of Escape Room getting a quick do-over from Yvonne. The mentions of Carmarthen were humorous and I loved how he managed to sneak in a bit of Welsh. His continued relationship with Yvonne is very interesting and I look forward to the developments there. The mention of Esther was wonderful and I was also glad to see Tyler back in a prominent role. His betrayal of the Mayor would have consequences and the assassin that was hired to bring him back to Ro-Jedda for lunch provided difficulties in the Hub with Mr Colchester feeling the full effects. Jack's connection with Red Doors is good but the airport getting targeted was quite a surprise. The religious theme and constant murmurings of "God is coming" was great and I was very intrigued that God was seemingly referred to as "she". I do wonder if that will have any connection with Gwen and her story for the series. The story ending with the Rift being reopened and 'God' apparently arriving was a little disappointing as it seems like a long time to wait for yet another cliffhanger. After 12 episodes, the story seems far from done. But for now, this was a great standalone episode!


Rating: 8/10

Aliens Among Us: Escape Room

"Enter, and find your salvation."

Writer: Helen Goldwyn

Format: Audio

Released: February 2018

Series: Torchwood 5.11

Featuring: Gwen, Mr Colchester, Rhys

Synopsis

Gwen Cooper, Rhys Williams, and the Colchester-Prices go to try out an escape room. They've heard a lot about them. Especially this one.

People keep going into the game and not coming out. But Torchwood will be fine. After all - partners can trust each other. Can't they?

Verdict

Aliens Among Us continued in tremendous style with Escape Room! It really was not what I was expecting from the penultimate episode of the series as it didn't really seem to have much to do with the overlapping story arc at all. Captain Jack, Yvonne and Orr didn't even appear but that did leave room for Gwen and Mr Colchester to take centre stage and shine with their partners. The idea of a double date between Gwen and Rhys and the couple of Mr Colchester and Colin was good but Yvonne's recommendation of the escape room gave them something far worse than they were expecting. It was tumultuous and full of action and adventure and it worked very well. I liked the idea of the quartet being tested but poor old Colin initially seemed to be out of his depth. He didn't think Torchwood was always like this and that they met nice aliens from time to time. He was obviously wrong but he grew into the episode strongly and showed he had a lot of initiative as he worked things out quite quickly and correctly. Gwen wasn't happy with him assuming leadership though and she was quick to assert her authority which was quite out of character - something I assume is caused by the alien that is posing as her. Rhys has noticed that things have been a little different since the days of Changes Everything and I'm very intrigued to see how her story wraps up and to learn the truth about Gwen this series. Rhys and Mr Colchester made a very good team and I did enjoy their dialogue. They were pretty humorous together which was a real positive. The Escape enemy was very good and mysterious and I liked how the team only got to hear his voice rather than seeing him. He was testing the team's ability to cope with a number of situations but the concept of one of them having to sacrifice the other was quite a shock. Mr Colchester seemed willing to sacrifice Rhys which was a bit of a surprise and with him apparently dead, the sacrifice conversation between Colchester, Gwen and Colin was very emotional with it getting an absolute outpouring. Just when all seemed lost and that we might lose Mr Colchester as well, Rhys returned to the scene thanks to the ingenious device that Colchester had planted in Rhys' pocket. Gwen and Rhys ending the story on good terms was nice but I was very interested to see how ruthless she was when she turned the table on Escape. She was not holding back in her damning verdict and she wanted to know all about the gods that were testing if humanity was worth being able to worship them. I look forward to seeing how this story connects with the rest of the series but it seems like we have a very eventful finale on our hands! Overall though, a brilliant audio!

Rating: 9/10

Aliens Among Us: Tagged

"The card knows..."

Writer: Joseph Lidster
Format: Audio
Released: February 2018
Series: Torchwood 5.10

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Mr Colchester, Orr, Yvonne

Synopsis

"I know what you've done. I know what you'll do."

The phrase starts appearing everywhere around Cardiff. On posters. On the internet. It's just a prank, isn't it?

Only a wave of vigilante crime spreads through the city. People are taking revenge. Suddenly everyone knows what you've done. And they know what you'll do.

Verdict

Aliens Among Us continued in great style with Tagged. I was quite surprised with how little Captain Jack featured but given that he was pushed from a rooftop at the end of the previous episode, it shouldn't have been too much of a shock. Yvonne Hartman was in full control of all things Torchwood now and that presented an interesting dynamic for the team. She was different to how things had been under Jack and the Hub was a lot tidier and organised now. She really did seem to know about everything that had gone in the first two boxsets as she was well aware of who Tyler was when he briefly appeared to tell Gwen of the murder surrounding the card. I thought the theme of this episode was very good and contemporary and with social media seemingly running the world at the moment, it worked very nicely. The quote was catchy and intriguing and it immediately gets you recalling everything you've done in your past. Serena was an interesting character and the moment before the opening credits where her narration suddenly turned sour as she explained that she was raped and pushed the culprit in front of a bus was fantastic. The mood instantly turned which I was a big of happening. It was nice to hear Andy again following his recent troubles and he got to meet Yvonne for the first time which was good. She seemed quite interested in him as she asked him out for dinner but I sense that her motive is something more than simply finding him attractive. This story finally saw some brilliant development for Gwen and the alien who is posing as her. Serena was covering her tracks in the murder investigation as she suspected that Gwen had worked out that she wiped the tapes showing her killing Mike so she ran her over. It was very sudden and that sold the impact superbly. Gwen, or whoever she is, was not easily killed but when she spared her saviour because he'd seen that she was an alien, it appeared that she wasn't evil at all. I look forward to finding out the truth about her in the final two episodes of the series. The Sorvix have been relatively quiet in these two opening stories but a nice reference to Superiority Complex saw that they were still lying around. Mr Colchester's accusations towards Jack were quite surprising and the latter really does seem desperate now. The reference to Children of Earth: Day One was excellent and I thought the whole concept of the Meme (a great dubbing of the psychic creature) was good but the way Yvonne stopped it was far too easy for my liking. It was quite quick which was a shame but as a whole, the episode was still a very good one. We're still some way from answers, but we're getting closer. Overall, a good episode!

Rating: 8/10

Aliens Among Us: Poker Face

"Captain Jack with none of his crew..."

Writer: Tim Foley
Format: Audio
Released: February 2018
Series: Torchwood 5.09

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Mr Colchester, Orr, Yvonne

Synopsis

Torchwood are in trouble. Terrorist attacks are rocking the city. Control of the police has been ceded to Cardiff's alien masters. And it looks like it's all been arranged by Captain Jack Harkness.

Worse, there's a dead woman in the cells who says that Torchwood will be hers by dawn.

Verdict

Aliens Among Us continued in excellent style with Poker Face! I have finally gotten around to purchasing (for a reasonable price) and listening to the third and final instalment of Torchwood's official fifth series and I could not be more excited. It's been an agonising six month wait since I listened to The Empty Hand with the brilliant cliffhanger that somehow saw Yvonne Hartman return. The events of this episode ran pretty much straight after that of the aforementioned story but there was quite a power coup going on in Torchwood. Yvonne Hartman managed to end the episode in complete control of the Hub and the team and she spent most of it inside a cell. That was quite a feat. Cardiff was in somewhat of a flux with what had been going during recent events with 3Sol and Red Doors and the Sorvix but this story really was just all about Torchwood and I thought that was tremendous. How Yvonne came to still be alive following the events of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday was something I have been wanting to know for a long time as I really couldn't see a way back for her after she was upgraded into a Cyberman. However, she wasn't actually still alive at all. Yvonne was dead. The Yvonne from this universe, that is. This Yvonne being from the parallel universe commonly known as Pete's World was quite a shock but one I am a big fan of indeed. It worked perfectly and here she seemingly set things up perfectly to take control of Torchwood. I remain unconvinced that her motive is to simply do good for her Queen and country but that should be revealed over the next three episodes. The heartfelt mentions of Ianto were a lovely nod to the past and it's great to hear that he still means so much to Jack and Gwen. Their relationship in this story was quite tumultuous and she seemed to have lost all faith in him. She shot him dead and she believed that he was working for Red Doors. Of course, it's difficult to judge Gwen when we know that she's not the real Gwen but it was still surprising that she pulled the trigger. The ways Mr Colchester and Orr became sceptical of Jack were very good too and I like how Yvonne completed her uprising. Jack was helpless. He'd lost control. Yvonne told him what he should do and I suspect there's a plan for him in motion but she just pushed him off a rooftop to conclude the story so I'm not sure she has that much respect for him. Overall, an eventful and excellent episode. Torchwood's very own uprising! We have a new head of the team now and the future looks more intriguing than ever.

Rating: 9/10

A Matter of Life and Death

"You cling to life without remembering what it's really about."

Writer: George Mann
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 16th March 2016
Printed in: Titan Comics: The Eighth Doctor #5

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Josie

Synopsis

It's the final stop on the Eighth Doctor's enigmatic to-do list: a Bakri Resurrection Barge, where the super-rich are 'remade' into luxurious artificial bodies after corporeal death. But the resurrectees are dying... their bodies rebelling against their implanted minds! And what is the shocking truth Josie has been hiding from the Doctor?

Verdict

A Matter of Life and Death was an excellent comic strip and a brilliant conclusion to the graphic novel of which it is the titular story. This adventure also brings an end to the comic run of the Eighth Doctor and Josie but I do hope that it is not the last we see of the pairing as they really have been terrific together. The pairing here were at the last stop on the to-do list first seen in The Pictures of Josephine Day and things started to come full circle. The setting of the Bakri Resurrection Barge was an intriguing one and the concept behind humanity downloading their mind into another body at the point of death was very good indeed. What I liked even more was the fact that the bodies humanity had been transferring their memories into weren't exactly dormant. They were sentient in their own right and the bodies were overloaded with two personalities fighting for control. It was quite a horrendous happening and the Doctor stood up and gave his thoughts in a mesmerising way. I thought his speech was superb and a defining moment for the incarnation in the comic strips and it really was fantastic to see the Eighth Doctor stand his ground so passionately. Josie, too, had a wonderful moment where she defended the new species that humanity had basically developed but the reasoning behind that would soon be revealed spectacularly. It turns out that we really didn't know our Josie well at all as she was not an innocent artist from 21st century Wales. In fact, we met the real Josephine Day who had downloaded herself into a Bakri and then we got some answers about Josie's true identity. Her connection with anime particles was soon realised as she was a portrait herself! It was quite a mesmerising history and we would learn that the Twelfth Doctor was actually purchasing her portrait in Briarwood. There was a terrific reference to The Silvering and I also really liked the mentions of the Great and Bountiful Human Empire and the Shadow Proclamation. I thought the resolution to this story was good and fast-paced and that allowed for some reflection on the overall comic run of the Eighth Doctor and Josie. The cameo of the Twelfth Doctor and Clara was magnificent and the story behind him sending Josie to enjoy adventures with the Eighth Doctor, who was a better people person, was magnificent. The Doctor thinking she was referring to the Third Doctor was great and his reaction to hearing a description of his future self was excellent. It was a really nice moment and I loved that there was more than enough room for adventures between the pair to resume in future. Overall, a brilliant story!

Rating: 9/10

Briarwood

"It's the trees, father! They're alive!"

Writer: George Mann
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 17th February 2016
Printed in: Titan Comics: The Eighth Doctor #4

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Josie

Synopsis

1932. Briarwood House. As a jazz party preoccupies the English upper-crust, the Doctor and Josie discover a terrifying secret below the stairs - the servants are beginning to sprout branches! When the forests of Briarwood besiege the house, the Doctor must uncover an ancient ritual and the truth behind an interdimensional sacrifice!

Verdict

Briarwood was another very good Eighth Doctor and Josie comic strip in the pages of the A Matter of Life and Death graphic novel. This is sadly the penultimate story with the pair and things will reach a conclusion next time around but for now, I'm really enjoying this TARDIS pairing. By the events of this story, the pair are more than comfortable with each other and I think that really does aid the telling of a story. The 1932 setting at Briarwood was something I was a fan of but I would like to know how the Doctor managed to win it at an auction. It was a very clever way of including another Doctor in the story as we only saw the back of his head but it was clear that the Twelfth Doctor and Clara were having some sort of recollection for what the former had encountered during his eighth incarnation. I presume he is the culprit behind the to-do list and it would explain the loose familiarity of the handwriting. Ambiguity is often a good thing in Doctor Who and there really isn't the need to know every single detail about what happens. The party was good and fitted in perfectly with what you might expect in interwar Britain. I thought the characterisation of the Eighth Doctor was excellent once with Paul McGann's likeness being well captured for the fourth consecutive story. That really has been a highlight of this graphic novel thus far. Bertie was a decent character and I really liked how he knew what was going on once Julian had revealed that the trees had come alive and murdered Peggy. That was quite a frightening concept but one that I was intrigued by and that's when the story sprung into action. There was an action packed escape into Bertie's safe place and from there he was able to tell the Doctor about the family history secret and the truth of the Nixi King. The resemblances to Game of Thrones with the throne of thorns was brilliant and I liked how any Bingham child doing something bad would bring the Nixi back. They were devastating but Bertie was able to locate the key and after a sacrifice from the Doctor, he and Josie were able to save the day by putting the Nixi King back into stasis. The Nixi were interesting and quite dangerous which was good but they were no match for the Doctor and his friends in the end. The little lead into the finale of this mini-run for the Eighth Doctor was good and I am looking forward to see what they find in space. But overall, this was a great little comic strip adventure.

Rating: 8/10

The Silvering

"We're in the world on the other side of the mirror?."

Writer: George Mann
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 13th January 2016
Printed in: Titan Comics: The Eighth Doctor #3

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Josie

Synopsis

Edinburgh, 1850. The Doctor and Josie Day visit a mysterious magic show, one which is replacing audience members with 'Silvered' duplicates, mirror dimension reflections who jealously watch their real-world counterparts! With the deadly doppelgangers causing chaos, can the Doctor and Josie escape the magician's grasp and avoid being Silvered themselves?

Verdict

The Silvering was a great story and another good continuation of the A Matter of Life and Death graphic novel. Things are really getting into full swing with the Eighth Doctor and Josie now and there appears to be more than just the story arc of some familiar handwriting sending the Doctor on a little investigation through space. The Silversmith was a good enemy but there were clearly some connections with Music of the Spherions here as he was using some of their crystals to power the portal that was part of his magic trick, disguised as merely stepping through a mirror. The Silversmith would demonstrate the trick before inviting some volunteers onto the stage to disprove the idea of it being an illusion. However, something dodgy was up the moment that Agnes revealed to Josie that her tickets had been won in a random lottery. That spelt bad news, the extent of which would soon be revealed. I was intrigued by the Doctor's interest in a magic show and I'd like to think that he was there to just give a scientific explanation to what the human race could only see as magic. But he was worried. The stories of those who stepped through the mirrors was very interesting and the concept of one losing their reflection was fantastic. I thought the whole mirrored theme was great and once the Doctor and Josie sought to seek the truth about the Silversmith's mirrors, they were caught and their only escape was to step through the portal and see the mirror world for themselves. The reference to The Talons of Weng-Chiang was terrific in the theatre and I liked how the Doctor deduced that in a mirror world, the theatre would actually be a prison. That's where the Silversmith was holding the true people and was actually using them to power the city. He had formed his own army of reflected people and the distortion of them was actually a little disturbing. The Doctor worked out the resolution pretty quickly and put his plan into action with little disruption which was good and I thought the image of the Silversmith being trapped behind the cracked mirror was superb. The Doctor seeing his own mirror self in fragment of glass was brilliant too. Josie wasn't the biggest fan of Victorian Edinburgh but they now have another destination awaiting for them. I do hope there's another connection with past stories, I suspect there will be, but for now this was another very good comic strip adventure. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10

Music of the Spherions

"War. It's everywhere I turn."

Writer: George Mann
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 9th December 2015
Printed in: Titan Comics: The Eighth Doctor #2

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Josie

Synopsis

The Eighth Doctor and Josie Day start a universe-wide investigation! First stop - Lumin's World, home to a raging war between the near-extinct Calaxi and the crystalline Spherions! When Josie is wounded in the crossfire, it's up to the Doctor to strike a peace - and find a cure - before she dies!

Verdict

Music of the Spherions was another excellent Eighth Doctor comic strip to continue my reading of the A Matter of Life and Death graphic novel. With the dissertation nearly due (and complete!), I think this is the perfect little collection to take my mind off the final stress of submitting my last undergraduate assignment. Thankfully, the quality has been superb thus far but I shouldn't be surprised when George Mann is at the helm. He's a terrific writer and I must say that I have been most impressed with his writing of the Eighth Doctor. The characterisation here was excellent once again but in her first proper outing as companion, Josie really was able to steal the show and show that she is already a terrific companion. I really liked that the TARDIS arrived in the middle of a war-zone and the battle between the Spherions and the Calaxi had clearly been raging for quite some time. The little flashback we got of the history of how the Calaxi were targeted and sought after was quite saddening and they really were living in an eternal struggle of which there seemed to be no escape. Josie getting infected with a crystal provided the story with a perfect problem that needed to be resolved and I loved how the Doctor dismissed claims that it was too late to save Josie. He laughed in the face of being too late. The Doctor comparing this war with that of the Time War was intriguing and given his attire, this story can't be set too far before The Night of the Doctor in the chronology of the Eighth Doctor so it appears that at this stage he was still running from the fight. But I also enjoyed how he was worried that it could not be contained. Josie being grateful for getting an adventure in space was terrific and I liked how accepting she was of her looming death. She didn't blame the Doctor but he was having none of it. He would do what all wars are resolved by - talking. His words weren't quite enough but once he learnt of Glinix, Josie took over and pleaded for them to stop killing the intelligent life that they now knew the Calaxi were. But they wouldn't. Josie's plea was magnificent and the Doctor provided the Spherions with an ecosystem in which they would benefit and he also saw that they provided Josie with the cure. She would no longer be transforming into a Spherion but things didn't stop there for her. The Doctor provided her with her very own art room in the TARDIS but it was more of an entire landscape! It was rather impressive and she was very grateful. I'm enjoying this pairing very much and I look forward to their upcoming adventures.

Rating: 9/10