Dr Who & the Mechanoids

"We thought this planet was perfect."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Comic Strip

Released: May 2022

Printed in: DWM 578

Featuring: Dr Who, Susan

Synopsis

Trying to conduct an important experiment in TARDIS, Dr Who and Susan are soon accompanied by an unwilling companion as they embark on an encounter with the Mechanoids...

Verdict

Dr Who & the Mechanoids was a glorious comic strip adventure! The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine was very much focused on the two 1960s Doctor Who movies of Dr Who & the Daleks and Daleks' Invasion Earth - 2150 AD and with them having been restored to 4K quality recently ahead of their BluRay release, the magazine focused on them with numerous articles and this quite delightful special one-off comic strip adventure! I have to say that I think the comic strip era of the Thirteenth Doctor has been severely lacking and a large part of that is enforced given the hiatus during the peak of Covid-19 and now what appears to be a permanent reduction down to six pages. Unfortunately, that really isn't a lot of room to tell an extensive story but they managed to do so quite brilliantly with this comic strip! The idea of a special glimpse at what could have been with the Peter Cushing movie version of the Doctor and his young granddaughter Susie takin on the Mechanoids was just magnificent and it's such a fun idea. Having the Mechanoids on the big screen really would have been spectacular so to have them face to face with this iconic version of the Doctor was so much fun. I was really impressed with the artwork and I think the fact the movies were originally in colour really helps as this feels nostalgic and modern at the same time. I don't think it would work as well if we had the Hartnell version of the First Doctor in a shiny comic strip story. But this excels. I thought the dialogue was also marvellous and just the simplicity of the time travelling ship being referred to as TARDIS without a 'the' preceding it has such a profound effect and really makes it feel authentic as part of that 1960s era. It was nice for the Mechaniod sequences to feel like how they were presented in The Chase and this definitely was partly how I would imagine them being adapted for that unmade third Dalek movie. It's a shame that never got made as it would have been so much fun to see if the Mechanoid appearance was altered at all from how they were tackled on screen. I thought the artwork for their design in the comic here was tremendous. I liked the addition of Vince and how he became an unwilling traveller in the TARDIS and almost as a new companion I imagine should there be any continuation from this. The plot was always going to be a pretty simple one given that there were only six pages to play with, but having logic play a big part in a Mechanoid adventure was a nice touch. The colonists were clearly troubled by the hostilities that they had been deemed to have displayed towards the Mechanoids, but Dr Who was on hand to help! Just hearing him referred, and responding to, Dr Who feels so wrong and out of place but just added to the brilliance of the comic strip. It was so good in capturing those movies that are such a quirky piece of Doctor Who history. Susan being on hand to feed the Mechanoids the correct codes to show that they were friends was great, and I enjoyed the humour at the end with Vince. Overall, a delightful comic strip! 

Rating: 9/19

Ascension

"The Lady President is a prisoner of the Daleks!"

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: October 2013

Series: Gallifrey 6.03

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, , K9, Narvin

Synopsis

Gallifrey rises...

Romana's sacrifice sees Gallifrey restored to its former glory, but at a terrible cost.

As the Time Lords begin to reclaim their stronghold, Leela and Narvin find themselves trapped in a decaying reality... and only K9 can help them.

As old friends fight to reunite, new threats lie in wait...

Because Braxiatel was right: war is coming.

Verdict

Ascension was a brilliant adventure to conclude the sixth series of Gallifrey! This episode really did feel like it had something of a conclusion to the entire range about it and whilst I know that this is not the end, it really did tie up a lot of what has happened over these six series. It has been a humongous adventure and story arc but at long last we have Romana, Leela and Narvin firmly back home on Gallifrey and now the threat of the dogma virus has also been destroyed. There really was a lot that happened here and I thought it was amusing that we initially saw Romana once again being ushered in as Lord President of Gallifrey against her will. I'm glad she wasn't bothered about taking that position again and the series was in danger of repeating itself, but thankfully that direction wasn't fully taken. The return of Matthias was intriguing and it was a stark reminder of just how much has happened on the true Gallifrey since Romana's departure. The way to deal with the dogma virus being forced quarantine obviously wouldn't go down too well but that was what Matthias had enacted, but now Romana was back and everyone was quick to try and usher her in! They saw it as a sign and that was just good. The return of K9 to the series was most welcomed and he ended up being really useful for the overall resolution. Leela's reaction to being reunited with her old robot dog was lovely and I thought she had a strong showing in this finale. I really liked the political nature of Gallifrey and how it was presented here, especially with the vulnerability of no President being sworn in. Vulnerability was taken to a new level though when the method of treating the dogma virus once and for all was initiated in the form of restoring Gallifrey from a data backup. That idea felt a bit like it was cheating, but when it turned out to be a Dalek plot right from the very start and it was they who released the dogma virus I thought it was excellent. I really loved that idea and it did well in selling the conflict between the Daleks and the Time Lords as we head towards the Time War. It all added up well. Having the Time Lords all in comas as they awaited the data reset was the perfect time for the Daleks to emerge and try and takeover a helpless and defenceless Gallifrey. At long last, they would have the planet as part of their empire. They were ruthless towards Slyne who was their agent and didn't do too well at hiding it, and that was the Daleks at their best, offering promises and worlds they never intended on giving. Trey was much different in this episode as she realised that she was just a construct, but the message to the real Romana came in handy thanks to some K9 interpretation when he knew all about the future Romana and how she was a Matrix construct. The use of a Romana avatar to trap all of the Daleks was excellent and I loved the moments where Narvin seemed to initiate the instructions given to the Doctor in Genesis of the Daleks. That brought a lot of things full circle and really highlighted the issues between Daleks and Time Lords. I also thought it was intriguing that Narvin wanted Romana on Gallifrey and didn't think things would advance well without her. Unlike previous series, I'm not sure where the series direction will move from here and that's absolutely fine as we got a lot of answers and loose ends tied up after a very long but brilliant story arc. Overall, a fitting finale!

Rating: 9/10

Renaissance

"I've come to save the future."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: October 2013

Series: Gallifrey 6.02

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, Narvin

Synopsis

Gallifrey lies...

Returning to her original homeworld, Romana finds Gallifrey to be cold and empty... the corridors of the Capitol lie silent and the wastelands are populated only by a handful of primitive monsters.

Her only hope lies with the appearance of a strange young woman: a woman with a masterplan so devious it makes Romana's own masterplans look decidedly not-devious-at-all...

How far would Romana go to save her world? Would she risk the Web of Time? And who is the mysterious stranger watching from the shadows...?

Verdict

Renaissance was another strong episode to continue the sixth series of Gallifrey! I thought this followed on from Extermination nicely and finally saw our Gallifreyan lead trio of Romana, Leela and Narvin return home to the correct Gallifrey after quite a lengthy absence. It does seem quite some time since they all stepped foot on the true version of the planet of the Time Lords and it was great to have them back. A lot seemed to have changed as there weren't very many other Time Lords present, but one that did intercept Romana's transmat beam was of particular interest. Lady Trey served as a fascinating future incarnation of Romana which was brilliant and a fine idea as it does indeed seem that the Time War is looming. If that is the war that she referred to in coming back from the future to try and avert, then I do question how she managed to escape the time lock, but there still remain unanswered questions so I won't fully comment on that just yet. It was clear that this version of Romana was going to be a little more than she seemed as she did have that aura in her personality of not given the whole truth, but I thought there was enough of the Romana that we knew there to also keep listeners confident that she was acting for good. Narvin having issues with Romana doing a deal with her future self was fantastic and provided some good tension between the pair, and the very idea of Romana borrowing a Gallifrey from the future was terrific. I liked how the intentions were to smash down the Web of Time and essentially restart to ensure that Trey wasn't the last of her kind, even if that was a position Leela understood. The conversation between Leela and Trey regarding friendship was poignant and it was also nice that the noble savage now considered Gallifrey her home. The mystery of the stranger lurking in the shadows was very good and I liked how it was both Leela and Narvin that witnessed the figure on different occasions. Leela actually conversing with the figure without getting an audible reply back was intriguing and I do hope we get some more answers regarding that in the finale. The subtle and slow way in which the manipulation of Trey developed was magnificent as we heard Narvin inaugurating her as President before his own version of Romana was forced into exile. The fact she was going along with it all despite not really understanding why was good, and the instincts of Leela being what swayed her into accepting something was off was marvellous. For a moment, I thought we were on track for an entire new spinoff with Romana and Leela as they looked to embark on adventures in a Type-40 TARDIS which would have been fine with me! Romana recounting her own version of the famous farewell speech from the Doctor in The Dalek Invasion of Earth was sublime and another shining moment for Lalla Ward. The ending was fast paced and full of action that led us to quite the cliffhanger with our version of Romana seemingly regenerating next to the Eye of Harmony, something that would cause the destruction of Gallifrey as we knew it! Leela earlier prompting Romana into admitting that in Trey she only saw future death was excellent, and maybe now is when she will regenerate into that incarnation! Overall, a fine audio adventure. 

Rating: 8/10

Extermination

"Gallifrey shall fall to the might of the Daleks!"

Writer: Scott Handcock

Format: Audio

Released: October 2013

Series: Gallifrey 6.01

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, Narvin

Synopsis

Gallifrey fights...

Having infiltrated the Axis, the Daleks have secured access to a myriad alternative realities and, with them, countless Gallifreys... every one with secrets to be plundered. 

As her new world falls to the might of the Dalek invasion force, Romana finds herself struggling to keep her friends alive as the Capitol collapses around her.

Against all odds, there may be a way out – back to the Axis and, potentially, back home. But desperate times call for desperate measures and, ultimately, sacrifices...

Verdict

Extermination was a very strong start to the sixth series of Gallifrey! I was really excited by this one given the cliffhanger at the end of Arbitration and the arrival of the Daleks to the Gallifrey spinoff, and having them in the design familiar to the modern era of Doctor Who is brilliant. The implication that these events are shortly prior to the Time War is fantastic and I really like to think that this could be something along the lines of a precursor to those terrible events. Now, the end of this episode had the feeling that the Daleks would only be featuring in this opener which I hope isn't the case but if it is the case then their intentions here were very powerful. The idea of the Daleks not being content with just conquering one universe was fascinating and the potential of them conquering the multiverse was magnificent and I do hope that mission isn't finished here. There's so much potential there. I enjoyed the way the episode opened with the little monologues from each of Romana, Leela and Narvin about their experience and thoughts with the Daleks, which might suggest that there is an end in sight for them from the Axis after they seem to have finally got back home to their Gallifrey. Romana had an emotional episode here as she was clearly homesick no and just wanted to get back and see her own sky. Her speech regarding the Daleks was outstanding as well and really was a shining moment for Lalla Ward. I thought it was so impressive and really sold the threat of the Daleks and how sickened she was by their presence. The references to The Apocalypse Element were wonderful and I really liked playing on the idea of Romana being Dalek property. That was far from the case now. Leela recounting her own Dalek experience from Energy of the Daleks was lovely continuation, whereas this was Narvin's first experience and hearing him compare the records to the real article was great stuff. The continuity from the more recent Gallifrey series was good and I love the idea of being on an alternate Gallifrey where technology is not advanced much at all. There's a vulnerability there, but Romana still cared about this version as was clear by the fact she faked her death in the Dalek battle and closed the portal behind her in the hope that her ministers would get that version on the right track and perform in her image of politics. That was a nice touch and the recorded message was an excellent way to go about it. I thought it was fun to use the weakness of the Dalek eyestalk against them and Leela goading the Supreme Controller was a fitting end. Slyne was another good character here and it was nice to have a Welsh accent on this version of Gallifrey! Leela showing that she was really missing K9 was nice as well and I do hope we get to hear him return in the series at some point. Reinforcing the vulnerability of Narvin and his lack of regenerations was good and makes me think that he may not make it past the end of this series. There's an added threat there which isn't always present with Time Lords. However, following the return through the Axis that sets things up nicely for the return to Gallifrey and tackling the dogma virus once and for all. Overall, a terrific audio to kick off the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Goodbye Piccadilly

"All good art should speak to people."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: June 2018

Series: Torchwood Monthly 22

Featuring: Andy, Norton

Synopsis

Sgt Andy Davidson wakes up in the 1950s. He's changed to a bed, his clothes are missing and the building's on fire. Norton Folgate needs his help.

The streets of Soho are swarming with gangsters, rumours and betrayals. Somewhere out there is a mysterious alien artefact, and Andy and Norton have to get to it first. Because tonight they're going to save Torchwood.

Verdict

Goodbye Piccadilly was another fun adventure to continue along the monthly releases of Torchwood from Big Finish! This was a refreshing visit to the 1950s and Torchwood Soho as Andy and Norton Folgate were reunited for another intriguing romp. I thought the pace of this one was frantic and that really helped with the story being told, there was no messing around in the slightest. The immediate arrival of Andy saw him possessed with an alien key inside his mind just from looking at a piece of alien artwork. It was so obviously a ploy of Norton and his charismatic personality really does do well in shielding where his true interests and allegiances lie. He's a difficult character to read and that makes him exciting. His relationship with Andy here was marvellous and built well upon what was established in Ghost Machine with Folgate coming to the 2010s in a ghostly form, whereas here Andy had physically manifested himself in the 1950s. Getting a glimpse of this branch of Torchwood was brilliant and I also thought it was important to raise the difficulties of being gay at this point in time in history. It was a totally different world to what Andy was used to with the societal progress and for men to have sexual relations together, they could only really do so in dirty toilets and secret brothels with some of the police even on the pay roll. I enjoyed the meeting with Alejandro and the fact that both Andy and Norton were naked was quite the image! Norton clearly had some feelings towards the man and whilst his attempts to retrieve the alien message from Andy's head went in vain, there was definitely something more going on. Fat Kim, a quite deplorable name for a character by the way, served as a fun enemy for Norton to run away from and the moment at the end where she revealed she had been following them and wanted Andy because of what was in his head was very good. I would have perhaps liked more of the Vicar in this story given his role as Norton's boss and I'd be intrigued to learn more about the makeup of Torchwood here. Andy feigning as Norton's assessor was great stuff though and I imagine I'd get more of what I wanted in the Soho spinoff boxset. I thought the mysterious nature of the brothel and the alien dancer was good and the idea of it performing an alien sex show whilst others pleasured themselves really was quite something. This is where the adult nature of Torchwood really does shine and allows a little more realism, as that is definitely something that would happen in reality. I thought the pace of the conclusion in getting the key and message out of Andy's head was terrific and matched the feel and atmosphere of the audio as a whole which was important. Andy not getting the chance to question Norton about the true details of the circumstances he endured and whether it was his plan all along was fun, and leaves things open for more meetings in the future between the pair. That's definitely something I'd be on board with! Overall, a really strong audio! 

Rating: 8/10

The Death of the Daleks

"You wiped out their entire race."

Writer: George Mann

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Companion Chronicles: Second Doctor 3.01

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie

Synopsis

There is a creature loose on the war-torn planet of Tersimmon. It has just destroyed an entire race, and following its arrival, others are dying too. Only one person will defend this killer, this murderer, this destroyer: because Jamie McCrimmon knows the Doctor isn't himself...

Verdict

The Death of the Daleks was an outstanding start to the third volume of Companion Chronicles for the Second Doctor! This release was obviously delayed considerably throughout the Covid-19 pandemic restriction but this is certainly better late than never! This started incredibly strongly and served as a wonderful sequel to The Evil of the Daleks. I enjoyed how it seemed to take place directly after the events of that serial and the Doctor was seriously contemplating his actions which was admirable. Jamie didn't seem to understand given what the Daleks were and all they stood for, but the Doctor was not one to being referred to as a destroyer. That didn't sit well with him, and Jamie was able to assess that the Doctor just hadn't been himself since events on Skaro. It was certainly an intriguing representation of the Second Doctor here and Frazer Hines performed the role admirably, as is usually the case. I thought the setting of Tersimmon worked well and the initial reaction to seeing the scorched remains of somebody and all indications pointing towards Dalek presence was great from the Doctor and Jamie. The companion didn't seem too impressed to be encountering them again after supposedly seeing their final destruction which was very good. I was intrigued that Victoria was simply made to stay behind in the TARDIS after everything she had witnessed, but I do think she would have been a little out of place in this particular adventure. Jamie standing on a land mine was a brilliant moment that was immediately full of tension, and I liked the emergence of the other characters in coming to save him. I enjoyed the format of the Chronicle with Jamie answering questions and being tested on if it was the truth. Anya was a really strong character and I must admit that I didn't see it coming when she was revealed as the culprit responsible for the deaths on the planet. The idea and image of a Dalek grim reaper was superb and I love the concept of it going around time and space after Dalek conflicts and wiping up the mess. That's terrific, and its retort when weakness was mentioned about being the supreme beings was glorious. I liked how it initially seemed that the Doctor might be going slightly crazy with his interactions with the Dalek phantom, but it was just out of phase and you could hear he was getting through to people when it came to hearing that Dalek voice in the wind. It was there, just out of sync. It sounded creepy as well. This story was all about reflection and the timing was fantastic in allowing the Doctor to almost try and reason with Anya for her actions and try to explain that what she had done wasn't right. That was despite the actions of the Daleks. I thought everything tied up neatly in the end and we ended up with a really poignant Dalek tale and exploration of the Doctor's actions, perhaps explaining that famous moment of contemplation and hesitation in Genesis of the Daleks. Overall, a sublime audio adventure!

Rating: 10/10

Free Comic Book Day 2022

"We're not just gonna let you kidnap our toys."

Writer: Jody Houser

Format: Comic Strip

Released: April 2022

Series: Origins #0

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. A long time ago, they stole a TARDIS in a bid to explore the universe in complete freedom When near death, Time Lords have the ability to regenerate, forming a new body and personality quirks. Recently, the Doctor discovered they had lived through an unknown number of regenerations which had been wiped from their memory. This is the story of one of those forgotten lives, known as the Fugitive Doctor...

Verdict

The untitled adventure comprising the Free Comic Book Day 2022 instalment from Doctor Who Comic was a really nice teaser of what is to come from Titan this year in their comic strip adventures. I think it's really good and just exciting to be exploring more from the Fugitive Doctor now and that seems to indicate to me that her last appearance on screen would have come during the Flux Series 13 of Doctor Who. I don't envisage that Chris Chibnall and company would have given permission to allow this incarnation to be explored further if they weren't done with her, and that's also the case with the Fugitive Doctor Adventures to come at some point in the future from Big Finish. I have already pre-ordered all four issues of the upcoming Origins adventures from Titan for the Fugitive Doctor, and this was a fine little start for this incarnation in the comic strip format. She made quite the entrance here to the private club house and that wasn't initially welcomed because she was clearly over the age of thirteen. That amused me and I must say I wasn't expecting the first interaction for the Fugitive Doctor acting as part of the Division to be with some children. The 1962 setting was good and the interaction from some teenagers with the Doctor was amusingly intriguing. The fact that we had monsters and aliens threatening to strip the Earth bare and just hiding out as teddies was a little strange, but the name of the lead being Monstario the Devourer was fantastic. I thought that was such a good name so I found it a little silly to be the name of essentially an animated teddy, but it did go down the line of being so silly it was good. The children enjoying the Doctor quickly was a nice turn of face and it was a lovely touch that they actually offered her to be part of their club in the end, after serious group discussions of course and a bypass of the age limit. She wasn't able to accept, but she did appreciate the help in literally bagging Monstario and his gang. That all happened very suddenly and really eliminated any seriousness of the threat of the gang despite what they claimed they'd do, but I liked how Monstario acknowledged the Doctor as a Division agent and that seemed to carry a lot of weight. I liked the ending with the children sadly just missing the departure of the TARDIS and missing out on the spaceship, but the one year later sequence was really nice. I think it's fantastic that we got to see the moment the First Doctor and Susan arrived on Earth prior to the events of An Unearthly Child, and the Doctor having a good feeling about Earth was wonderful. He was here for a little hiding from prying eyes and it was a place where Susan could continue her studies. I'm interested to see if this means the First Doctor and Susan will play any part in the upcoming Origins series, as if they're not then I'm quite stumped as to the reason for their appearance here! Regardless, it was a nice touch and when this whole story was presented for free I can't have too many complaints. Overall, a really nice little adventure to tease an upcoming series I am very excited for.

Rating: 7/10

The Vardan Invasion of Mirth

"What use is one half of a double act?"

Writers: Paul Morris & Ian Atkins

Format: Audio

Released: September 2019

Series: Companion Chronicles: First Doctor 3.03

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven

Synopsis

The Doctor and Steven think they've arrived in London 1956, but the TARDIS disagrees. When both the Doctor and his craft are lost, it's down to Steven to solve a mystery that holds his fate in its grasp. With the help of comic Teddy Baxter, Steven's going to have to find a way into Television...

Verdict

The Vardan Invasion of Mirth was a great and unique adventure to continue my way through the third volume of Companion Chronicles for the First Doctor! This time around we had the Doctor travelling with Steven and I believe there's a lot of potential for these two as a travelling duo. The mentions of them being a comedy double act was terrific and that often does end up being the case, albeit inadvertently. I thought the arrival of the TARDIS was very interesting as all visual displays indicated an arrival on Earth, but the console readings disagreed with there being no gravity or even atmosphere outside, something that had never occurred in Earth's history. Steven departing the TARDIS and arriving in front of an audience was terrific and he was really put off by the fact that the police box behind him was nothing more than a wooden box. That really was terrific and I loved his frustration of being in 1956 and seeing a number of the police boxes in trying to find the Doctor. However, the Doctor was not around and was only able to communicate through a television which was a brilliant visual. The comment to Steven about finally working out how to turn the volume up was glorious. The mystery of Teddy Baxter was decent and him literally being a key to police boxes was amusing, and the whole when is a door not a door thing pointing towards the TARDIS was very good. The continuity here with The Idiot's Lantern was marvellous as Steven tried selling a Magpie tele-wave given then 1950s setting. Steven being from the future was utilised well here with him not quite understanding the contemporary comedy and he was quick to learn from Teddy which was good to hear. He ended up as quite the accompaniment of the double act, but we soon injected some emotion as Teddy described how his old partner Stan disappeared in front of him when he thought he'd discovered a moon of Saturn. Stan having said that he thought he was being watched by it was eery and that led Teddy to have to convince himself that his partner had run away. The reveal of the titular Vardans came a little late given they're in the title, but Steven acknowledging them was a nice throwback to The First Wave and he was fearful of their ability to travel on any wavelength. Seeing into the future on a probability wavelength and that now becoming established history was nicely done as I'm a sucker for a paradox. I didn't think much of the cliffhanger and concerns on Manchester, but Steven then encountering everybody as a comedian was a fun moment. It was all a bit alien to him given the era being presented! The Vardans having a Mediasphere and the Doctor being trapped there was brilliant and that was just the perfect name for this enemy. The Doctor arriving to get the upper hand was perhaps a little disservice to Steven given he was the focus of the entire story, as he should have been given the range, but I was kind of hoping he would be the one to free the Doctor. Regardless, the cheekiness in which the First Doctor emerged made for a fun ending! Overall, a great listen!

Rating: 8/10

Rat Trap

"Everywhere I go I seem to be looking at plague."

Writer: Tony Lee

Format: Audio

Released: May 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 148

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

1983: as the country goes to the polls, two 'Urban Explorers', together with a freelance journalist, break into the long-defunct Cadogan Tunnels, once a secret wartime facility... and later, so rumour has it, the site of an experimental laboratory with a nasty sideline in vivisection.

What they find, in its twisting underground corridors, is something the most cynical conspiracy theorist could never have imagined: a highly-evolved society of questing, intelligent creatures, living right under humanity's nose for decades.

But there's no way out of the tunnels – as the Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Turlough are about to discover when the TARDIS brings them, too, into the complex. It's a rat trap – and they've all been caught! 

Verdict

Rat Trap was another brilliant story to conclude this trilogy of Monthly Adventures for the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Turlough! I was a little sceptical going into this one because I am really not a fan of rats in the slightest, a shiver is sent through me whenever I see one on the walking trail I embark on every morning, so the cover of this one didn't appeal if I'm honest! But thankfully, we got a quite excellent story. I was intrigued at the start with Nyssa wanting to get back home with the virus cure and Turlough was still a little despondent after events of Kiss of Death which was understandable. That presented an intriguing dynamic in the TARDIS, but the Doctor couldn't deliver them to the age of chivalry and ended up in the tunnels where Operation Daylight was concocted which was fun. The dead body with wounds seemingly by a dog was an early illustration of what the titular rats would be like, and going underneath Cadogan Castle was fantastic. It was a tremendous setting. Nyssa wanting to experiment on the big rat found was good and it seemed that it had already been physically experimented with and had a bigger brain than your average rat. The tunnels being sold to English Heritage was amusing and that had led Harris and his men to investigate to ensure all was in order, but three of his men were missing within twenty-four hours which suggested not. The ability of the rats to read thoughts was scary but I enjoyed that the Doctor had a block on his mind keeping them out. The tunnel going into lockdown was really well done and I liked that it was supposed to be a bunker for the Prime Minister and other top ranking politicians. That was good and coupled well with it being Election Day. Harris getting attacked by a man that was also part-rat was a disturbing image and his letting off the grenade in a tunnel made for a strong cliffhanger. I thought the guest cast in this one were very strong with the likes of Andrews, Sally and Matthew really strong characters. Caitlin believing the TARDIS to be an unmapped part of the tunnels was very amusing. The presence of a rat king was good and I was horrified by the image of rat tails joining to link consciousness and communicate. The tunnel lockdown providing the threat of air running out was excellent and I was a big fan of Nyssa communicating with scientist 27 in rat form. He wanted to save the humans despite a history of experimentation on his species which was admirable, but he was arguing that it was okay for them to have also returned the favour and augmented the scientists. His questioning to Nyssa about wondering if the Master deserved the same treatment for all he put on her family was tremendous. The rats using the Mara in Tegan's mind against her was great but I loved that she used it against them later on to scare them in a strong way. Having rat visitors in the TARDIS was decent and I liked how the tunnel was the basis of the a plague pit from the sixteenth century. That plague was now mutated and it seemed that it could be used in germ warfare which was a frightening thought. The emergence of Wallace as the creator of these intelligent rats was interesting and he made for a strong and emotional character. Caitlin turning out to be his daughter was a lovely moment and it was sad that she had to contemplate losing him so soon after getting him back. The rat attack cliffhanger was amusing given the resolution of the Doctor's dog whistle bluff. I thought the reveal of the experiment purpose being to create rats as spies in the Cold War was superb and something I could definitely see happening. Andrews and Sally being on the side of the rats was a brilliant revelation and it was fun that her ankle was never sprained, she just wanted to slow Turlough down and keep the rats close. She was the one who let them in the TARDIS, and the small charge cliffhanger was great along with Turlough not revealing that it wouldn't work amidst the TARDIS temporal grace. The Doctor calling all the rats to their location was good stuff and the regression of the hive mind with the P punishment from Nyssa worked very well indeed. Wallace set off to take out the king and the tunnel was gone as the TARDIS escaped for a very neat ending! Overall, a brilliant audio! 

Rating: 9/10

Kiss of Death

"Let's bring these riches into the light."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Audio

Released: May 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 147

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

The TARDIS travellers take a break on the beach world of Vektris. Hot sun, cold drinks and all the time in the worlds. What could possibly go wrong?

A kidnapping, a spaceship heist and a desperate chase to a distant galaxy later, Turlough finds himself in a strange winter palace... along with a face from his past. The Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa, meanwhile, fight to escape its frozen catacombs, guarded over by a vast and deadly alien, The Morass. 

But what connects Turlough to the ancient treasure hidden somewhere in the palace? And how far will he go to acquire it?

Verdict

Kiss of Death was another excellent story to continue this Monthly Adventures trilogy for the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Turlough! I liked that after events of Heroes of Sontar, the quartet were holidaying on Vektris and the TARDIS was also having issues that required dimensional reformatting. Turlough not wanting to leave the TARDIS was intriguing and getting to learn about the Trion ploy at hand in using Turlough's childhood sweetheart Deela against him was excellent. That really set the basis and it wasn't long before he was captured by Kanch and Hoss who were working at the command of Rennol and the trio made quite the batch of enemies. Turlough was sedated whilst the public onlooking considered him drunk which was amusing, and it was nice that Deela tried to warn him off despite being hostage. The ship take off and reaching warp speed was great and I liked the threat of the back blast to the Doctor and company but they escaped in another ship and were quickly on the trail. Rennol knowing of the Turlough/Deela bubble was good and I thought it was slightly strange that he needed their kiss, but that was the key to a treasure vault after some adaptation from Turlough in the past to key their DNA to opening it. Hearing of Turlough's history was brilliant and I liked how he had a shaky relationship with Leela's father and with the pair being of the same clan, it seemed his relationship with Deela led to exile. The moment where Nyssa fell beneath the ice should have been the first cliffhanger and I liked how low gravity saved her. The history of Turlough's great-grandfather as a smuggler was terrific, as was the emergence of the Morass and essentially showing their absorption in the catacombs with cryogenics. I really enjoyed the catacomb setting and the cryogenic element added to the eery feel. The ice being used to communicate was terrific as well. Turlough trying to take the treasure for himself and Deela was admirable and he seemed to be hiding the truth of the way in. There was another circuit siphoning power from the lock because the kiss didn't initially work. Ice boiling out of the Morass was quite the description and Tegan's threat of the gravity beam was a comical moment, before the absorption cliffhanger changing directions quickly. The Morass being described as mortal clay was outstanding and I liked that the Doctor's blood was boiling around his wound which really put him out of action! The Morass speaking in the Doctor's head was great too and I enjoyed the security system getting active and having replicas attacking Hoss and co before Rennol cut ties after feigning not hearing them on the communicator. He always intended on cutting them out of the treasure anyway, but the cliffhanger to part three revealing that Deela and Rennol were together was sublime! I didn't see that coming. Turlough finding out the truth was an emotional moment with Nyssa alongside him, and they were to be married but she just seemed to be apologising after not wanting to wait too long for her dowry. The Morass being there to protect the treasure was a good basis and I loved the Junction of Worlds as a descriptor. The kiss finally working after the circuits were put in order was good and I liked that the Doctor and Tegan were below with Hoss to disrupt the feed with Leela's comms unit. The treasure being revealed and in a pulverised state really hurt Rennol but it was nice that Turlough and Leela's bubble was untouched. The bones being that of Turlough's great-grandfather was very good and it seemed that the Morass had destroyed them. The fact that Turlough and Deela were the treasure was magnificent and the aim to get off world and cause the Morass to become defunct was logical, but Rennol went another way and shot Deela dead after a taunt which was full of emotion! Turlough was devastated, and it was nice to keep continuity with Planet of Fire and not have the Doctor attain the Trion knowledge presented here. Overall, a brilliant adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Heroes of Sontar

"We die for Sontar, the death of our enemies is why we live."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: April 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 146

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

Planet Samur was once a peaceful haven. Pilgrims journeyed across the seven galaxies to meditate in the courtyards of the vast Citadel that spanned its equator. It was Samir's misfortune, however, to find itself situated on the furthermost frontier in the eternal war between the amoeboid Rutan Host and the belligerent, troll-like Sontarans...

Twenty years after detonating a bacteriological weapon over Samur, rendering it uninhabitable, the Sontarans are back: a select platoon of seven has landed here on a secret mission, carrying sealed orders given to them by Fleet Marshall Stabb.

The TARDIS has landed here, too, bringing the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa into the second great Battle of Samur. Fighting not only the Sontarans but mystical mercenaries... and a deadly, decades-old curse.

Verdict

Heroes of Sontar was a brilliant audio adventure to kick off this trilogy of stories for the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Turlough. I was very excited about this as it's the first Big Finish story to feature the Sontarans and they're absolutely one of my all time favourite villains. I thought they sounded a little weird and not quite genuine at the start, but as more Sontarans were introduced to the story I became accustomed with the Classic design and sound. I love that we get a performed story with the Sontarans taking on the Fifth Doctor and the dynamic of the current TARDIS quartet with the older Nyssa was really presented well here. Nyssa was keen to get a sample of the mysterious moss on Samur as she'd developed quite a lot in the half-century since she initially departed in Enlightenment, but this time it backfired as the moss started to grow on her and was heading towards her brain. I thought the song of the Sontarans when it came to battle was tremendous and right at home with the silliness and seriousness of them as monsters at the same time. Turlough had a pretty quiet adventure in all honesty whilst Tegan's interaction with the Sontarans was just magnificent. She didn't hold back in her comments and the sequence where she called one of them shorty and saw that mockery as an intention of war was excellent. I liked the Sontaran continuity in this story with the files of Styre being mentioned amidst a lovely The Sontaran Experiment reference that seemed to have him post his findings and mentioning of the Doctor posthumously. The praying to Linx was also lovely stuff and a great harking back to The Time Warrior. The Sontaran advance to Samur was intriguing and I enjoyed that it was their deepest penetration into Rutan space. The history of their involvement on Samur was not expected and it actually led to a temporary alliance between the Sontarans and the Doctor and his companions. That was a great dynamic and the curse placed on the Sontarans from the Witch Guards was actually fantastic. I liked that history and involvement with the Sontarans actually going back to where they reduced the people of Samur and the Guards to the moss that covered the planet now, and they were immune to it which was helpful! Field Marshall Stabb made for a good head of the Sontarans and his name was very apt! Nyssa's emotional revelation to Tegan about having a husband and a son was a fine injection of emotion into the story and I'm interested as to why she won't tell the Doctor. I get the feeling Tegan won't let that go so easily. I thought the conclusion of this adventure was pacy and exciting and a fitting sendoff for the Witch Guards with the use of the seven Sontarans. The moment where the Sontaran had to admit that there were just seven of them to fend off on that fateful day twenty years ago was glorious stuff. The use of sealed orders was really fun and the fact that there were no orders actually held within was expected, but really good. These Sontarans were expendable and not the smartest of the clone batch, but they weren't giving in early as the curse was lifted. Overall, an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

We Always Get Out Alive

"Everything looks the same in the dark."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: May 2018

Series: Torchwood Monthly 21

Featuring: Gwen, Rhys

Synopsis

Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams are on the run from a cataclysm. They're the only survivors, and they're driving away from the disaster as fast as they can. They've got to get away, they've got to warn the authorities, and they just can't be late for the babysitter again.

Dim problem. After all, they're Torchwood and they always get out alive. But this time there's something in the car with them. Isn't there?

Verdict

We Always Get Out Alive was an outstanding Monthly Adventure from Big Finish for Torchwood! This has to rank right up there at the top as far as my favourite stories go from this range and part of that was just the simplicity. This was a sublime two-hander with Gwen and Rhys and it was so much fun to just hear them talking on a car journey back home after they thought they had defeated an alien threat once again. I liked how things took them to West Wales here as it's nice to get out of Cardiff and into places like Llanelli which just aren't commonplace in the Doctor Who universe. That worked very well. I liked how that started right from the off with a really fun start as Gwen and Rhys bantered over a fake call to let the authorities know what had happened. That was terrific and just really delightful to hear them enjoying a laugh like that. The incident at the holiday camp provided a good basis of where Gwen and Rhys were departing, and it was an interesting question posed by the latter in wondering whether Gwen enjoyed the fighting and dealing with aliens too much. That was a big worry for Rhys and he genuinely wasn't sure what she'd have left if that all ended tomorrow. The issue of no phone signal wasn't unique for Wales but with the sat-nav also not working and constant missed turnings suggested something else was at work. They couldn't even remember what turnings they had or had not taken and were soon lost trying to get to Llanelli and the motorway home to Cardiff. They actually ended circling back to the camp which was amusing and Rhys was really struggling and getting frustrated with the physical map. The repetition of events but having who was driving between Gwen and Rhys changing was really well done and I liked how signs for Llanelli didn't get where was required. Rhys being blind was a brilliant issue and it was a strong performance from Kai Owen in selling that. The drama play on the radio was really good with Gwen and Rhys hearing themselves in distorted circumstances, coupled with their memory of the holiday camp events being hazy. It was fun when they realised that events were looping and could get on the case of solving the issue to get home. Gwen's description of the boxes in her mind was wonderful and I loved the impact of Rhys questioning how many people she had killed. That was one hell of a question! She clearly felt guilt for those lives she had taken. The moment where the pair were blurting out random comments as if they were both consumed by other thoughts was magnificent and stellar performances from Owen and Eve Myles. They realised they had been played and the voice of the alien was on the back seat all along, unseen but spotted in the rear view which was terrific. Rhys encouraging Gwen to fight it and the crash sealing its fate was superb and made for a really impactful conclusion! I loved the extra touch of the crackled end credits music on the radio to close what was a quite brilliant audio adventure. Overall, a fantastic listen!

Rating: 10/10

The Tactics of Defeat

"Enough of these games, I set the rules here."

Writer: Tony Jones

Format: Audio

Released: June 2018

Series: Companion Chronicles: Second Doctor 2.04

Featuring: Zoe, Ruth

Synopsis

In the rain-swept jungle of Belize, Captain Ruth Matheson and Zoe Heriot are both about to discover just what sacrifices they are prepared to make when faced with a seventeenth-century threat that might just spell death for millions of innocent people.

Does the end justify the means? Sometimes winning feels exactly like losing...

Verdict

The Tactics of Defeat was an excellent adventure to conclude the second volume of Companion Chronicles for the Second Doctor! Whilst the Second Doctor barely featured for more than a cameo in this story, this was definitely the best story of the volume! Ruth Matheson is a really strong character that has come into her own across a number of Companion Chronicles such as Tales From the Vault and Mastermind, and having her actually encounter a companion of the Doctor was terrific. The recording from the Vault containing vital information and an account from Zoe of her visit to the Belize jungle was really good and I loved how it all came full circle in the end with the TARDIS actually arriving at the cliffhanger. Deakin was an excellent villain and I really did have feelings of the Jigsaw killer from the Saw franchise with the prospect put to Ruth by him. The vial contained surviving remnants of a super plague from the seventeenth century which was intriguing and I loved that it was part of the Pepys collection. That was a lovely blend of history and sci-fi, and Ruth clearly gave away her hand too early by offering $5m for the vial. Deakin was not interested in money given his predicament and being tied down to the jungle with the alien biotech keeping him alive, so he challenged her to offer something he actually wanted. Their dialogue was superb and he was always pushing her. The pair going back and forth with the silent treatment was terrific as well. It really made the title of the audio apt as there was a lot of tactical manoeuvring. Ruth offering a device to track time machines and then having the TARDIS arrive was good stuff and I loved the cliffhanger once Zoe exited the TARDIS. It was already established fact through the tape recording that Zoe died in this jungle, so Deakin decided that it must be Ruth who did it if she wanted the vial. That was a brilliant setup for the second part and whilst I expected more of a presence for the Doctor and Jamie, they weren't actually missed. The moment where Ruth and Zoe met was tense and I loved the logical application from the latter when she was told of the situation and the threat made by Deakin. She didn't seem at all bothered by the fact she would die if it meant saving populations of countries like Belize and Guatemala. Whilst Ruth didn't essentially push Zoe to her death, she died so the deal was kept up. Zoe knew what she was looking at in the form of a teleport device that put someone a few minutes forward in time, so she took then plunge knowing it would seal the vial's safe passage to UNIT. Zoe recognising UNIT was great too. I loved how Ruth did admit that she could kill someone, if that person was Deakin. The missile being called in was very good and she wasn't bothered at all that he would have his fate sealed. As far as she was concerned, he deserved it and I couldn't really blame her! Ruth getting that glimpse of the TARDIS interior was a wonderful moment and I must admit I was quite surprised that Zoe adhered to her request of leaving quickly. Ruth was left behind which didn't seem right, but as a whole this was an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Mega

"War isn't a game."

Writer: Bill Stretton (Adapted by Simon Guerrier)

Format: Audio

Released: December 2013

Series: Lost Stories 4.04

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

"This is a warning. Your aggression cannot go unchecked. The West must disarm. We will make you disarm."

When an assassination follows the first demonstration of a deadly new weapon, it appears that an alien race has fired the opening salvo in a new war – a war... for peace.

But is that truly their intent? The Doctor is unsure. The answer lies deep in the heart of a distant country. A place where a man might be a hero or a traitor. Where a man has to face the menace... of the Mega.

Verdict

The Mega was a very decent Lost Stories adventure! I think it's quite incredible that this is the only release in the range to feature the Third Doctor as surely there must be more 'lost' scripts out there from his era, but this was a nice instalment and a story that I think would have fitted right into the early Third Doctor seasons. I liked how it was clearly placed there with the Doctor still holding a grudge against the Brigadier for the events at the end of Doctor Who and the Silurians. I must say that Katy Manning and Richard Franklin did a terrific job with the narration of this story, with the former in particular impressing with her impression of Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor really holding up well. She was fantastic and that was no easy task given the length of this adventure. I do think that a run time of over three hours did hurt this story a bit as it just didn't need to be that long, I think it could easily have fitted into the traditional 6x25 minute episode format and just dragged on a little too long by the end, but I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and story at heart. The titular Mega initially seemed like it would just be one single creature that was a clone and far from home, but a really good cliffhanger revealed that they were on Earth in abundance. Their plan to actually use the Doctor to essentially destroy Earth and then come and act as saviours to the world they had themselves doomed was very good. It was a foolproof plan actually as they'd used the Doctor's own double crossing against him to show even the Time Lords that it was him who had interfered in the development of the planet. That was impressive. I liked the use of all of the UNIT personnel in the story and the Brigadier once again being challenged on his shoot first ask questions later policy against aliens was powerful stuff. Prince Cassie emerged as a surprise villain in the piece and that was done very well as we learned that he had an army of Mega at his command. His villainous tendencies shone and I liked how he was convinced that the Doctor and Jo had resigned from UNIT to deal with the extra resources on show in the nation of Golbasto. The scale of the threat in this story was impressive and having the Prime Minister vaporised on live television was quite something! I must admit I was quite disappointed by the later revelation that it was just a double. That didn't do a lot for me. The threat of chemical weaponry was great and I really liked the ending with the Doctor turning it against the Mega and ensuring that it would only take them out instead of humanity. The Mega threat encompassing London was good stuff and a molecule ray just sounded dangerous which was good. I liked the real world exposure that this adventure had and it reminded me a lot of the news footage in The Ambassadors of Death, with something similar definitely working well here. I thought the adventure would have fitted right in during the era and it was so much fun that the Master was involved without featuring, being revealed as the architect behind the plan at hand. That was amusing given his proximity to the Third Doctor. As a whole, this was a good story that sadly just went way too long which made it a slight struggle to maintain my interest and concentration thoroughly. If it was trimmed down a little and compressed to inject a bit more pace, I think I'd have enjoyed this even more. Still, a worthwhile listen! 

Rating: 7/10

Industrial Evolution

"Someone is collecting bits of people."

Writer: Eddie Robson

Format: Audio

Released: March 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 145

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Evelyn

Synopsis

19th century Lancashire: the white heat of the Industrial Revolution burns hottest at Samuel Belfrage's brass mill, a mill plagued by more than its fair share of work-related injuries.

While Thomas Brewster struggles to secure a fair deal for Belfrage's overworked hands, fellow travellers the Doctor and Evelyn follow the Copper King to Liverpool, there to discover the unexpected truth about Belfrage's business. 

Back in Ackleton, the local MP voices the fears of many when he says that the machines are taking over. He's more right than he knows...

Verdict

Industrial Evolution was a very good story to conclude this trilogy of Monthly Adventures for the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn! It seems to round out the time for Thomas Brewster in the TARDIS and it started with him seemingly having already departed as he was at the mill with Steven and talked about losing all that he had seen whilst travelling. Clara Stretton was a terrific character as the would-be artist and she was actually there inspecting on the conditions Townsend had in place at the mill which was great. The injury to Steven was pretty gruesome for him losing fingers and that sparked the Doctor and Evelyn to reveal they hadn't left the nineteenth century and returned to help. Brewster wasn't best pleased by that and his leading of the work revolt was brilliant. I liked how it was Evelyn's idea to drop Brewster off and stay for a while to look after him and whilst there, the Doctor grew suspicious about Belfrage. That was a good step and his inspection of the mill confirmed all of the machinery was in fine working order and that put to rest Brewster's uprising. Belfrage quickly accepting the workers' terms of longer breaks and shorter hours was unexpected but Townsend seemed outraged by that. The alien device in Belfrage's office was interesting and having it turn out to be the answer for the inhibitor later in the adventure was excellent. The cliffhanger of the man with pipes was good danger and I liked the mystery of the Doran spaceship leaving with Belfrage. He was clearly more than he seemed and was guilty about something. He was actually a Cahlian and was smuggling salt which I didn't expect but that was illegal on galactic law due to Earth not being fully developed yet. Belfrage was stranded and the Doctor offered him passage which was nice, but the salt had to stay behind. Townsend not knowing about the cellar systems was interesting as there was more at play than he knew and I liked the mechanical hands emerging which became quite the picture! The catalyst device was fantastic and I liked how it used existing technology to enhance it. It was left to its own devices whilst Belfrage embarked on a Grand Tour and that meant it had developed drastically! Brewster making a deal with Belfrage was great and another example of his lack of loyalty. Gibson's fingers growing back was quite incredible and the monsters arriving for the hand and wanting fresh meat in the form of Townsend was eery. The cliffhanger of them now coming for more than just hands and fingers was marvellous. Rob Stretton accepting death due to the technology was a shock and his focus on the natural was a highlight for me. Clara had to watch on as she knew her dad would die which must have been tough, but Thomas was doing his best to tackle the monsters with fire and pushing in front of a train much to the Doctor's dismay. The monster's organic elements being human was good whilst then inorganic were just pipes and metal, quite the makeup! They were created in the cellar by the catalyst which made sense, but the desertion of Stretton's house being consumed and him surviving did not. He claimed to be saved by the land and couldn't be touched in the natural world which was great stuff. The threat of no way out of Appleton and everyone being dead was a strong final cliffhanger and I liked that the catalyst couldn't fight and hid itself away whilst building a nest for the vital control unit. Stretton's religious claims were powerful and I loved the revelation that he was robotic but still loathed technology. He'd do penance once he'd used it for what he deemed necessary, and the Doctor was less than thrilled with the inhibitor use. A Cyberman reference went a begging, but the Doctor feeling duty bound to save them if there was any ounce of sentience was lovely. He'd offered to reprogram Stretto's technological hatred and the ambiguity of the entity behind sending Stretton in the first place went unanswered which was a shame. The fate of Brewster in being left behind seemed a bit harsh, and it's also a huge shame that we'll never know how Evelyn came to depart the Sixth Doctor. Overall though, a fitting finale for both! 

Rating: 8/10

The Feast of Axos

"It relates to them, and then it absorbs them."

Writer: Mike Maddox

Format: Audio

Released: February 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 144

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Evelyn

Synopsis

"Axos calling Earth. Fuel system exhausted. Request immediate assistance."

Many years ago, the vast space parasite Axos attempted to suck the planet Earth of its energy. Now it's all but forgotten – a dried-up husk, marooned in orbit, still stuck in the time loop it was placed in by Earth's defender, the Doctor.

Forgotten, that is, except by space tourism billionaire Campbell Irons – who's hatched a plan to solve the world's energy crisis by reviving Axos, and transmitting its power back to Earth. But the crew of the spaceship Windermere aren't alone aboard the parasite. The Doctor has returned, to correct an error of decades past...

And Axos is waiting.

Verdict

The Feast of Axos was another excellent Monthly Adventure! This is shaping up to be quite the trilogy for the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn alongside Thomas Brewster and following on right where The Crimes of Thomas Brewster left off with the gun threat was excellent. Of course, the magazine was empty which was good to know and I liked how the Doctor suggested leaving Brewster to be imprisoned by DI Menzies. That never materialised though, and a new sort of ship in the form of the Windermere was on hand for space tourism. Ms Slade as an expert on Axos and its history was a superb character and hearing her give a message from the future whilst also hearing the initial landing message from The Claws of Axos was terrific! It established the time loop well and actually entering it was a bit of a surprise. The suggestion that the Third Doctor botched the time loop because of the exile and the block the Time Lords placed on the TARDIS was such a good explanation. I really appreciated that. The suiting up of the TARDIS trio and going into Axos was good stuff and I liked that even the slightest movement gave the organism energy. The threat of being pulled out into the vacuum was strong and the first cliffhanger with Axos awaking and being in the Doctor's mind was brilliant. The body replication of the Doctor was great and I was surprised by how long this version of the Doctor lasted! Axos desiring the secret of time and space travel for their feast worked well, as did the blending of Evelyn confronting Jo in Axos much to her surprise. It brought things together nicely. Brewster being confronted by the the Eye of Axos was intriguing and the offering of him stalling whilst they were weak and being given Axonite was good stuff. Brewster seemed to fluctuate on whose side he was actually on which added good confusion and constant doubt. The accepting of Campbell's offer and the feast beginning cliffhanger was strong with the threat of Africa being fed upon whilst he would blow up his own ship and crew thinking them expendable for Axon energy. The emergence of the Jules Verne ship from the Eurozone was amusing and I liked how Craig called it in and got absorbed for his efforts. They did seem to claim legal control of the vessel which was great. The Doctor considering sacrificing Brewster for the world was obviously a ploy, but Thomas overheard it and didn't react well. Evelyn warming to Brewster was nice and she wanted the Doctor to ensure he'd take him home once all was said and done. Evelyn's joy at space walking was a really nice moment and knowing her fate to come in A Death in the Family, it provides a different perspective on her adventures now. Axos cleverly shifting the sender into a receiver to get energy was very good. I thought the final cliffhanger was incredible with Evelyn inadvertently unhooking herself and drifting away. The use of Newton's third law and not being able to move without drifting further was sublime stuff. It was so emotional. She heard echoes though which was nice and the Jules Verne saved her after it seemed like it had disappeared! The use of the Doctor copy to get out of the time loop was fantastic and the threat of infecting the time stream was strong. Brewster trying to get Earth from Axos in return for his service was quite something, as was Devesham having been drained for energy! Nobody else on Earth was at threat thanks to the time displacement barrier proximity, and of course Brewster was on hand to actually aid the Doctor into tricking Axos back into a time loop which tied things up nicely and kept the continuity intact. The description of Earth at the end from the Doctor was delightful as the intended destination for Brewster now. Overall, a brilliant audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Crimes of Thomas Brewster

"You can turn people into diamonds!"

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: January 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 143

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Evelyn

Synopsis

Sent down south to assist the Metropolitan Police in their efforts to investigate the gangland kingpin known only as 'the Doctor', Detective-Inspector Patricia Menzies finds herself up to her neck in laser-armed robot mosquitoes, gun-running criminal overlords, vanishing Tube trains... and not one, but two Doctors.

Meanwhile, the real Doctor and his academic assistant Professor Evelyn Smythe have become ensnared in the machinations of an old acquaintance – time-travelling Victorian guttersnipe Thomas Brewster. But what's Brewster's connection to the rapacious robot Terravores? And can anyone contain the gathering swarm?

Verdict

The Crimes of Thomas Brewster was an excellent Monthly Adventure to kick off a new trilogy of adventures for the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn! I loved the action-packed start with the pair being chased by robotic mosquitos and the speedboat getaway was a lot of fun. The use of the Doctor's coat as an overload of visual stimulation was amusing and a great way to incorporate his attire into the adventure. The return of DI Menzies was a welcomed surprise and I loved how the Doctor had no knowledge of her as his adventures with Charley were yet to take place so it was brilliant for Menzies to know all about him. Her efforts to feign knowledge were less than impressive, but she was terrific from start to finish and a welcomed addition to the story. The idea of a 'Doctor' heading a gang was amusing as that so obviously would not be our Time Lord hero, and Menzies being on secondment from Manchester because of her past Doctor experiences was nicely done. Mr Gallagher's driver hijacking the transport of the Doctor and Evelyn was terrific and I liked how they thought the Doctor was the gang head, but misidentification was rampant in this adventure. To keep them quiet, Evelyn was tasked with doing Gallagher a favour by getting on the inside with a wire of the gang Doctor. The emergence of Thomas Brewster returning and being the gang Doctor was completely expected given the story title, but it worked well and having Evelyn believe him to be another incarnation of her Doctor was nicely done. He claimed to be a Time Lord but she name dropped the Daleks to confirm that Brewster was far from the real article. That was great stuff. Mick being killed by the Terravores was brutal and their ability to turn people into diamonds was outstanding! Quite the offer there. Menzies stepping foot in the TARDIS was really nice and her immediate question of wondering where the chairs were was magnificent. Proper Bill Potts vibes there. The Doctor detecting another time machine was good and Evelyn being chased on the Underground and actually ending up on another planet really escalated things quickly! Brewster revealing that he was trying to save this alien planet of Symbios was intriguing as this was where the Terravores were out to ravage, but they needed to eliminate the Doctor who'd stopped them and another case of misidentification ensued. The shooting cliffhanger was good action and I also enjoyed the video file of the Terravores being created thanks to an email from Andromeda by Neville! The focus of Great Portland Street as the breach was really good and I liked the continuity of the Doctor feeling like he'd been there before. Brewster taking the Doctor and Menzies was delightful with the former pretending not to know his old companion, but he knew after the escape that the Doctor was indeed around. However, Menzies quickly interrupting to claim she was the Doctor was marvellous! I was a huge fan of her and I hope this isn't the last of her. Brewster asked for the Doctor's help after the issues with the Locus who the Doctor had apparently assisted before in saving Symbios from the Drahvin! Now that's a story I want to hear. It was quite disturbing for Evelyn to have her form taken by the Locus, and the emergence of the Terravore Queen as the signal worked well. Brewster announcing the Doctor has failed was another decent cliffhanger and finding out about Thomas losing Connie was a solid injection of emotion. She was brain dead after a hit and run and wanted to retrieve his time machine and go back and save her, but that's where the Locus came in to make contact. The Doctor's comments about Symbios deserving to be saved more than Earth was a clear trick, but it was required to convince the listening Terravores and allow Brewster to close the wormhole. With the Terravore being a hive mind, the signal was lost to the Queen and their directive was closed. The cliffhanger finish with Brewster hijacking the TARDIS and demanding being taken back to his own time was brilliant as well! Overall, an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

Exit Wounds

"The only strength I have is my hatred for you."

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Format: TV

Broadcast: 4 April 2008

Series: Torchwood 2.13

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Owen, Tosh, Ianto

Synopsis

When the villainous Captain John Hart returns to abduct Captain Jack Harkness whilst unleashing a wave of destruction and terror upon an unsuspecting Cardiff, it's up to Gwen, Ianto, Owen and Tosh to save the day. Meanwhile, Captain Jack is forced to face some demons from his past...

Verdict

Exit Wounds was an outstanding episode to conclude our rewatch of the second series of Torchwood! I think this episode might just be my favourite from Torchwood with it battling out with Captain Jack Harkness for that title. This really is glorious and emotional and brings the story arc concerning Captain John to a neat close. It's fantastic stuff. Starting off with John in control and reigning over the Hub was a lot of fun and the brutality of his machine gun mowing down of Jack set the scene. John was in control. Taking Jack to Cardiff Castle for a vantage point over the city was great, although that's one hell of a stroll from Cardiff Bay and the Hub's location! John being in communication with the rest of the Torchwood team was very good and I loved how he told them all to get to the roofs of the buildings they were in as fifteen simultaneous explosions occurred across Cardiff. They were all at strategic points that wiped out access to and from the city, whilst also knocking out the Central Server Building and life-saving hospital equipment and their backup generators. The city was in turmoil. I thought Rhys was great in this one and his humour when it came to Jack being part of the Time Agency and him thinking it was in Cardiff was tremendous. The way he blurted it to Andy after bragging about knowing more secrets than the PC was wonderful too. His assurance provided to Gwen was brilliant and it was nice to see him fully involved with the Torchwood team. The truth about Gray and how it was actually him in control of John through the molecularly bonded bomb was superb, and it was a nice touch for him to give the ring to Jack when burying him alive. The embrace between Jack and Gray was full of emotion as Jack never thought he would see his brother again, and then was stabbed for letting go of his hand on the beach as we saw in Adam.The prospect of burying Jack alive and having him buried beneath Cardiff to come back to life each time with a mouthful of dirt and die all over again was quite something. That's one way to tackle the curse of immortality! Jack getting the upper hand when being rescued by Torchwood in 1901 was excellent and nice throwback to what we saw in Fragments. For me, this episode was all about Tosh and Owen though. Their deaths were extraordinarily emotional and them happening simultaneously. Tosh was shot by Gray when trying to get Owen through the steps of stopping a citywide nuclear meltdown, and she stayed alive long enough to solve the problem which was admirable. Owen using his position as King of the Weevils to get past the presence of them in Cardiff was brilliant and I liked how he took over the post and needed Tosh to talk him through. She did, but things were already critical and he was just too late after a surge resulted in an emergency lockdown. The prospect of him decomposing whilst watching was horrifying, and the discussion between them about never getting that date was so sad. I remember shedding a tear or two on broadcast and the emotion caught me again here. It was so well written. Tosh dying in Jack's arms was fitting and seeing Ianto type in their deceased status on the Torchwood files was just sad. Jack had dealt with his brother and he was frozen in the Hub, but the cost was incredible. He'd served his penance, but now they had to go on. Overall, an incredible episode!  

Rating: 10/10

Fragments

"You've seen how we deal with threats."

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Format: TV

Broadcast: 21 March 2008

Series: Torchwood 2.12

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Owen, Tosh, Ianto

Synopsis

After the gets signs of an unidentified life from, they go to investigate (minus Gwen who's running late). Searching an abandoned building, the team discover they've been trapped and the building explodes. The explosion causes the team to be trapped in various places; unable to contact each other. Gwen and Rhys arrive, and as they dig everyone out, the team's lives flash before their eyes revealing how Jack, Ianto, Owen and Tosh got recruited to Torchwood.

Verdict

Fragments was an excellent penultimate episode of the second series of Torchwood! This really was magnificent from start to finish and was the perfect way to set up what is sure to be a fantastic finale. I love the idea of showing how each Torchwood member found their way into the team and into Jack's service, and it obviously works with Gwen being the one not to be present at the explosion thanks to oversleeping as we saw her arrival in Everything Changes. It's such a fun situation to see Owen, Tosh and Ianto in life before Torchwood and they're a little different to what we might have expected, excluding Ianto. The explosion at the building that was abandoned worked well as a pre-titles scene and having the bombs giving off signatures that seemed to indicate alien life forms was brilliant stuff. The reactions of the team as they split off and found what they were faced with was terrific. A proper oops moment. I thought starting with Tosh was fun and seeing her working at the Ministry of Defence was fantastic and tied in well with the position we saw her in Aliens of London. I think a little bit more of a link to that would have been beneficial for continuity, but it didn't really matter as it was great to see Tosh's mind at work in bypassing the camera feeds and getting the access codes to fix up a sonic manipulator as her mum was being held hostage. Her being a victim of her own success was good and I liked that UNIT were on hand to burst in and save Tosh and her mother. I loved Jack's arrival and saving her from prison because of what she'd stolen, they owed him a few favours which was fun. Her reaction when offered the job was terrific. I thought Ianto referencing the events of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday was really strong and his insistence in getting a job was very amusing. I thought it was wonderful to present the capturing of the pterodactyl as well in his job advertisement. Owen getting set for a marriage is not what I would have expected for him prior to Torchwood but when an alien parasite takes over your fiancé's brain and sees her suffering from memory loss and then kills the surgeons before killing her, I guess the committed relationship life takes a dark turn. Jack needing a medic was a nice touch and he could live his life with purpose now. I thought the best of the lot though was seeing Jack join Torchwood Three relatively soon after the events of The Parting of the Ways where he was seeking the Doctor to come and fix him after several deaths where he resurrected from. He was still not used to the hangover, and the women at Torchwood Three were revelling in it. It showed how he was trying to change Torchwood as well after the needless Blowfish killing. I like that a lot. The 1999 New Year's Eve killings of his previous team was extraordinary as well. That must have been a huge shock! I thought the ending with the emergence of Captain John and showing Jack his brother was a perfect lead into the final episode, and he was going to take everything Jack had and loved so he would finally spend some time with him. Gemma said he was a petty man, and that's a fine explanation. Overall, a brilliant episode! 

Rating: 10/10