The Martian Dilemma

"Any assassin taking on a fixed point mission ended up dead."

Writer: Darren Jones

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Four From Doom's Day 02

Featuring: Doom

Synopsis

Hired assassin Doom is on a mission to save her own life before Death catches up with her. If she can find the Doctor they might be able to help her – but where in Space and Time are they?

These four missions take Doom to a Mediterranean cruise ship in 1966, the planet Mars in the distant past, San Francisco in 1999, and finally desolate planet in a dying solar system. Along the way she meets former TARDIS travellers Ian and Barbara, the mighty Ice Warriors, and Brian the Ood. 

But when a mysterious stranger with silver hair and sunglasses turns up, will he be Doom's salvation?

Verdict

The Martian Dilemma was a decent story to continue my way through the Four From Doom’s Day contribution to the Doom’s Day sixtieth anniversary celebration from BBC Audio! This followed on nicely from The Steel Cascade with Doom arriving on Mars as her mission selection was told at that episode’s conclusion, and the expected encounter with the Ice Warriors. As far as releases go, starting with Doom encountering the very first pair of companions and now meeting the famed Martian warriors is some way to start! I’m enjoying her search for the Doctor more and more as I dive through the stories and going to Mars isn’t the worst place to be looking for him. I liked that she acknowledged that it was known that the Doctor had thwarted the Ice Warriors on numerous occasions, so going to their home world made sense because if he’d been there once, then who knows how many times he’d visited. He wouldn’t show up, and I was surprised we didn’t get much mention of him after the first minute or so, but what we got was entertaining and certainly fast paced. The half hour or so absolutely flew by and I thought Jaye Griffiths did a fine job in the narration. Her take on Doom didn’t quite feel in line with what we’ve heard so far, but it’s probably because the previous story was voiced by Sooz Kempner herself who is of course the face of the character. I liked that we incorporated the different classes of Martian in the story as we had Queen Kellix as the Empress and her husband Azlar as the Ice Lord. I thought it was great to be visiting Mars at a time of its first female leader and that made it no surprise for her to be the target of Doom’s assassination mission. I liked how Doom didn’t have too many details to go on but she understood once she found out who Kellix was and the significance of her in Martian history. I thought the lost city going down as a myth was terrific and it was quite sad that all of Kellix’s achievements would be lost to history. Doom suspecting she was a fixed point in time was intriguing and I really liked the discussion about assassins taking on the impossible missions. You couldn’t mess with history, not even for money. The way Doom worked out who hired her was great fun despite it being rather predictable, but the moment for Azlar when he was found out and his wife looked at him with shock and anger was magnificent. She was ready for progress but he didn’t believe his planet or people would accept her leading that. It was always the jealous husbands. I thought it was good that Doom killed her hirer instead of the culprit as that was a good way to get out of her mission with it being null and void now. However, I was less of a fan of Doom’s mission overrunning by about fifteen minutes. Whilst I thought it was brilliant jeopardy to have Doom removed from her vortex manipulator, and that really did frighten her as the prospect of getting stuck on Mars certainly didn’t appeal, I was just a little annoyed that the mission overran. We saw what happened in Extraction Point when the Ninth Doctor fiddled with the timer and added five minutes which resulted in Death getting very close to Doom, so for this to go a whole fifteen minutes extra felt like poor continuity. However, I am intrigued to hear where things move in the next story especially with Doom selecting a mission at random. Overall, still a good listen!

Rating: 7/10

The Steel Cascade

"Doom didn't have time for disappointment."

Writer: Darren Jones

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Four From Doom's Day 01

Featuring: Ian, Barbara, Doom

Synopsis

Hired assassin Doom is on a mission to save her own life before Death catches up with her. If she can find the Doctor they might be able to help her – but where in Space and Time are they?

These four missions take Doom to a Mediterranean cruise ship in 1966, the planet Mars in the distant past, San Francisco in 1999, and finally desolate planet in a dying solar system. Along the way she meets former TARDIS travellers Ian and Barbara, the mighty Ice Warriors, and Brian the Ood. 

But when a mysterious stranger with silver hair and sunglasses turns up, will he be Doom's salvation?

Verdict

The Steel Cascade was a tremendous story to kick off the Four From Doom’s Day contribution to the Doom’s Day sixtieth anniversary saga from BBC Audio! The latest batch of releases has actually snuck up on me and I only ordered this alongside the novel Extraction Point a few days ago but I’m now feeling fully into gear with the story and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. It’s so refreshing to have a continuing arc across the different formats and I’m loving that this particular episode gave us the first proper appearance from Sooz Kempner in the range. She’s obviously the face of Doom and whilst this isn’t a fully performed story with her filling the role of narrator, it’s nice for her to be featured and prominent. I must say, she did a phenomenal job. For whatever reason, her casting seems to have caused a little bit of a stir amongst fandom and whilst I fully appreciate that her appearance as Doom is less than convincing as the universe’s greatest assassin, she definitely deserves a chance. I’m excited for the Big Finish contribution in the range where I think she’ll really be able to dig her teeth into the role, but this was a fine starting point to almost test the waters. Doom’s mission taking her to 1966 was delightful and actually having her encounter Ian and Barbara was wonderful! I’m a massive fan of the original companion pair and meeting up with them not too long after their departure in The Chase was a delight. Ian had some success with bonds which meant he’d come into some money and they were enjoying a luxury cruise around the globe. That was lovely to just hear them enjoying themselves. Credit must go to Kempner as well because her take on Barbara was astoundingly accurate. The mannerisms were absolutely spot on which I must admit I wasn’t expecting. It was so well done and really added a genuine feel to the story. It was authentic in blending the Classic era with the modern. Just having Ian and Barbara talking about their days in the TARDIS was lovely and I liked how they both missed Vicki, Susan and even the Doctor. With the previous novel establishing that the version of the Doctor that Doom requires is the incarnation that Ian and Barbara travelled with, I thought it was a slightly missed opportunity to not mention the appearance of him. Doom had gotten close, but not close enough. Barbara revelled in being a part of Doom’s mission which was fun and it was great to hear her dive back into that world. Doom’s missing focusing on politics in the backdrop of the Cold War was brilliant and a strong use of the 1966 setting. Tapping into the local era is always good in my book. I thought the Red Gorgon code name was good and the Steel Cascade not being what she initially figured was a decent twist towards the end. I was a little sceptical prior to listening about having a story encompassing a single hour only lasting for thirty or so minutes, but the pace was actually really strong! It’s short admittedly, but it absolutely flew by which was so much fun. Doom had surprisingly strong chemistry with both Ian and Barbara which I loved because I wasn’t sure how they’d mesh. But they were superb and made quite the team! I really enjoyed the action at the end and even after Doom’s mission seemed compete, she would stay behind to make sure things were safe. The assassination elements of the story weren’t prominent and that was more than fine, as the story for me was all about Ian and Barbara. Doom learning of their travels in the TARDIS was magnificent and I liked that she took a liking to them and was genuinely interested in the stories! The finish to lead into the next instalment was good as we now head to Mars. Overall, a brilliant story!

Rating: 9/10

Extraction Point

"It was as though she were being inflated from the inside."

Writer: MG Harris 

Format: Novel

Released: August 2023

Series: Doom's Day

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Second Doctor, Doom

Synopsis

The finest time-travelling assassin in the cosmos is running scared. Doom's own death is coming for her in a matter of hours. And the only person in the universe who might just be able to save her is the Doctor – so long as it's the right Doctor.

But as Doom searches for aid, the hits keep coming in. Kill a crabby Kraal and his replica world! Assassinate a ghost on Satellite Five! Eliminate a living asteroid! Doom finds her talents – and patience – stretched to breaking point.

But these apparently random jobs are linked in a way Doom could never imagine. And when not one but two different Doctors get involved, on the trail of an old enemy, the ensuing fireworks might just end the lives of billions. Can Doom solve the mystery before her allotted hours are up? It's not only a planet she must save from destruction, but herself...

Verdict

Extraction Point was a really great novel to continue my way through the multimedia Doom’s Day saga! I’d love to be getting a story across multiple formats like this every year as I think there’s so much potential there, but this serves as a fun addition to the sixtieth anniversary celebrations! I really loved the format of the book in how the four hours were utilised because they all tied together and the missions were all linked with the focus on Vassta. I think it was definitely the best utilisation of the format so far and initially as I was reading the first couple of missions, I thought the book would have been better served as four short stories with their own title but they soon changed once I was done. It tied together very nicely. I’ve felt that some elements of this saga so far have been slightly rushed and whilst unfortunately I haven’t delved into the games elements so I can’t comment on them, I felt the Four Hours from Doom’s Day from Doctor Who Magazine in particular was guilty of that. However, here in the novel format we were really allowed to flesh out some details and five into the story as a whole. It was brilliant to hark back to Hour One in terms of both Terri assigning the missions and not giving Doom a huge amount of details on the target for assassination, but also to firmly establish that the elderly version of the Doctor that Doom was searching for to aid her deathly predicament was in text the First Doctor. That’s good to know as we move forward and I thought the way we found out was terrific with the Second Doctor recognising Doom from the diary writings of his previous incarnation! That was a really nice touch. I liked the opening mission on the ski resort and the way things harkened back to The Android Invasion was very well presented. Despite being an assassin, it’s intriguing that Doom is not very well acquainted with the world that follows the Doctor so her reaction when Mandra turned out to be an android was one of immense shock. The involvement of the Kraals could definitely have been more, but it was just fun to have everything there be a simulation. I mean when ice caves aren’t icy it does make sense! Doom fearing death herself as time ticked on and she surpassed the halfway point was good and I liked the focus on her missions having a temporal distortion. It was good to get more information about the missions and how they came with a fee and target, but also that some were carrying the threat of an extinction level event. That obviously added to the urgency and threat. The inclusion of the time remaining in each mission was presented well in the book and I liked how we got to know Doom more and more before the Doctor emerged. I was a big fan of the Ninth Doctor being the main incarnation for the novel as if the Slitheen are going to be involved, which other one would it be? It took a while for the Doctor to arrive but when he did he stole the show. His relationship with Doom was actually really good and I liked that she got the ‘run!’ moment as well as getting a very quick glimpse into the TARDIS. She wouldn’t get to go inside, but that brief look made a strong impression on her. She learned a lot about the Doctor here which will hopefully aid her moving forward. Although his changing of the timer meant a strong glimpse of Death which was fantastic. I was intrigued that the Ninth Doctor kept returning back to her but it was nice that he was dropping hints to her. His description of her being a peripheral from the diary was excellent and came back around very nicely. I thought returning to Satellite Five was magnificent and something that has not happened long enough. We weren’t far removed from The Long Game being in the year 200,003 which was great fun, especially with Cathica being the Director now! Floor 500 was still shrouded in death and mystery which seemed right, but Doom sending a message in the television show that was being made about her was very nicely done! I thought the whole connection being a ploy to extract the valuable abzantium was right up their alley, but I do think their reveal should have been kept a secret instead of appearing on the cover! It would have been a more impactful moment. Their plan in crashing the asteroid into the planet and tapping into the war between the Mahds and Kahds was actually fantastic if not a little convoluted. It was fun to span across the different missions, although Doom claiming kills she didn’t actually do felt a little wrong, as did an asteroid being the target. Stalgon being the first victim only to emerge from the TARDIS in the final mission was a fun twist too and I liked his character throughout. The way things finished were a little sudden but it certainly had impact, but I do think the only issue with this kind of story series is that we’re also going to be left feeling a little incomplete and wanting more. But that will come! Overall, a terrific read. 

Rating: 8/10

A Doctor in the House?

"I am easily the most Doctor to ever Who!"

Writer: Jody Houser

Format: Comic Strip

Released: June-July 2023

Printed in: Doom's Day #1-2

Featuring: Doom, Missy

Synopsis

This lonely assassin from the 51st Century is hunting for her survival, and there's only one person who can save her: the Doctor.

Using her vortex manipulator, she'll do anything to find the tempestuous time traveller, including cavorting with the maleficent Missy. 

Every hour a new adventure, every hour closer to death...

Verdict

A Doctor in the House? was a great comic strip story to continue the trans-media story from Doom’s Day! I was always looking forward to reading what the Titan Comics contribution to this intriguing concept would be as their comic stories are always more in depth than its Doctor Who Magazine counterpart. I did feel like Four Hours of Doom’s Day felt a little rushed as I just couldn’t buy into six pages being enough to fill an hour, especially when the first instalment of that release was literally two pages long! However I felt this adventure was much better and definitely felt like it could take place over four hours. I must admit I was kind of hoping for the four hours to be contained to one specific story, and whilst that wasn’t strictly not what happened, we did get a different and target on four occasion to mark the start of a new hour and a new mission for Doom. I’ve accepted that’s the format now, even if I don’t think that’s quite the best way of doing it. I think it’s a stroke of genius to include Missy during her time of atonement with the Twelfth Doctor in this series when Doom is searching for the Doctor. Just hearing her going around flaunting herself as Doctor Who is so much fun and whilst I did think some of the artwork didn’t do a stellar job in capturing the likeness of Michelle Gomez, the writing of Missy was brilliant. She’s so much fun and of course with The Master Plan she’s no stranger to Titan Comics and author Jody Houser. Getting a glimpse of the Delgado incarnation of the Master at Stormcage alongside River Song and Missy being mistaken as the Doctor was so much fun, especially when it was referenced that the Master removed her previous self from the prison. But she was the Doctor so obviously the reasons for doing so were good. The dynamic between Doom and Missy was fascinating and I liked how it was actually the latter who was chasing after the former. That wasn’t what I was expecting given Doom’s desperation to find the Doctor, although one comment that did irk me was that if Missy was actually the Doctor then Doom would have what she was looking for. Except she’s already met the Doctor? Although it was his sixth incarnation, how would she know Missy was the right one? However, she was pretty quick and insistent on the fact that Missy wasn’t who she said she was. I did think the Time Lord’s defence of her attire was a good one though! Some of the different settings here were good and I particularly enjoyed getting a New Earth convention celebrating the ways of Old Earth. Who better to know to the old ways than the Doctor? It was a logical place to find him. But alas he wasn’t there. We saw Doom at her very best when it came to being an assassin as she really didn’t let up. I thought this was her best representation by far of having her in action showcasing why she is the most feared assassin in the universe. She was brutal, swift and completely lacking in remorse. Missy was almost impressed. But of course she was good now. Having her tackle her upmost desires of evil was fun stuff when it came to their placement on the last with the planet not even having a name, but she was challenged to do something clever if she was actually the Doctor. That also meant it couldn’t involve bloodshed or stabbing. Not even a little bit. Doom having simply poisoned the three-eyed madman before Missy had even arrived was delightful. Such simplicity and she was multi-talented. The arc of the Perpetual Topaz running through the four mission was what I really liked to bring the whole story together and give it that overlapping feel that I have felt has been missing from the range thus far. An honourable mention also to Missy for giving up her guise as the Doctor because it would involve paperwork. Overall, a great read!

Rating: 8/10

An Ordinary Life

"Have you ever thought about stopping, staying in one place for a while?"

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: December 2014

Series: Early Adventures 1.04

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Sara

Synopsis

1950s London: newcomers arrive daily on British shores seeking a fresh start, new opportunities, or simply the chance o a different life. However, some are from much further afield than India or Jamaica...

After an emergency landing, the TARDIS crew must make the best of it, and look to their new neighbours for help. But the Newman family has more than the prejudices of the time to contend with. A sinister force grows in strength amid the pubs, docks and backstreets of London...

And without the Doctor, marooned in a time and place as alien as anything they've ever encountered, Steven and Sara may well face their greatest challenge yet. To live an ordinary life.

Verdict

An Ordinary Life was a great story to conclude the first series of the Early Adventures! I’ve certainly made the most of a Scribd free trial over the last couple of months but sadly this story is the last of what is available on there that I hadn’t yet blogged, but I definitely got my money’s worth! And that’s without spending a spenny. God bless the work email address. The Early Adventures are still in their infancy at this point in the run but this is a really strong adventure and it’s lovely to get more outings with Sara in the TARDIS. It’s clear that The Daleks’ Master Plan takes place over such a long time so getting sidesteps like this is brilliant and really adds legitimacy to Sara being a companion. In my mind, that was never in doubt but I do like how it’s always important to refer back to events with the Daleks chasing after them for the terrarium core. Steven taking that from the Doctor’s pocket was fun and I liked how for this range the latter was taken out of the story altogether almost immediately! He was in a bad way as Steven and Sara exited the TARDIS and the absence of the Doctor probably helped Peter Purves with his narration and take on his own character of Steven. He did a stellar job, whereas Jean Marsh still felt a little rusty as Sara but that certainly grew as the story went on. The pairing of Steven and Sara is fantastic and I think there’s definitely chemistry between them. The moment where Sara has the baby in her arms and the Doctor wonders how long he’d been frozen for was magnificent. There’s definitely potential for romance between Steven and Sara and they get on well here. The confusion over them not being married when it came to them potentially renting a room was good stuff and the whole racial atmosphere of the 1950s was superbly presented. It’s almost incomprehensible to think that such small talk was common as for the landlord to be asking Steven and Sara if they minded living above a black family. I thought Audrey was a lovely character with her uncle Joseph making a very nice pair of people to allow Sara and Steven a roof when they were in desperate need. The Doctor was obviously in a bad way too and needed the support which was appreciated. I liked how things did seem ordinary for quite a while, especially with Steven seemingly accepting his new life in the 1950s. It was fun for him to have a wage and earning currency to pay off the debts he’d incurred initially to the Newmans. I loved that with Steven and Sara both being from the future that the notion of racism was complete baffling to them. They couldn’t understand, and the Changelings also just saw them as humans which is exactly as it should be. But I’m playing that this made for a fine use of the era the setting was within. The Changelings were a fascinating enemy and I liked the use of duplicates. The TARDIS not actually being dematerialised and taken along with the Doctor in the goo substance was good and was quite a relief to Steven after that part one cliffhanger. The Doctor having been mentally awake all the time though and holding the memories of his doppelgänger was quite fun stuff! His emergence in part four was excellent and came just in time. He shone but so did Sara when it came to the heart node removal to take out the Changelings and revert everyone to normal. Pondering on an ordinary life was great to tackle and we actually got some serious glimpses of that for the companions which was unique. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10

The Gulf

"The sea screams at night."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: May 2021

Series: Third Doctor Adventures 7.02

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands on an ocean planet where the Doctor and Sarah find themselves stranded on a former rig, which has recently been converted into an artistic retreat.

But art is far from the residents' minds. A troubled member of their collective has disappeared, and the Doctor senses a sinister psychic presence. The waves are rising. And there's something in the water.

Verdict

The Gulf was a great story to conclude the seventh series of Third Doctor Adventures! It’s lovely to hear Sadie Miller in a full cast role alongside Tim Treloar as the Third Doctor, and whilst it is a shame that neither of the characters’ original actors survive, both do them justice here. Obviously, you can’t go far wrong in casting the original actor’s daughter to fill her mother’s shoes and Treloar just continues to absolutely shine in bringing Jon Pertwee’s iconic incarnation to life. I’m a huge fan of getting more adventures from that eleventh season as the pairing of the Third Doctor and Sarah Jane just didn’t have enough time. I liked the eery atmosphere this story had of being at sea and the natural threats that provides is always something I enjoy. The Doctor and Sarah arriving after Laurel had gone overboard put things in a tense position but they were soon on hand to help in any way they could. So when she came back the mystery began in a big way. Having the Doctor and Sarah separated from the TARDIS was great and is always good to tackle, especially with natural elements involved. The fact it was floating akin to The Underwater Menace was quite fun at the end. Speaking of the TARDIS, the subtle and clever allusion to Journey’s End with the Doctor hoping one day he’d be able to show Sarah the power it had to pull a planet. That was tremendous and a very nice inclusion. That’s the beauty of audios like this across different eras is that we can tap into the future. I enjoyed how immediately we knew there was something up with Laurel and the other characters didn’t seem to notice as much. Pen and Lynette were the other obvious standouts for the story and the female dynamic was really nice to explore and I was glad that nothing was made of it. It would be so easy to marvel at the female dominance of this cast but it just clicked and went unnoticed which I was delighted about, especially when set in the era of the 1970s, or 1980s? Less about the dating controversy! Either way, the views of women have come a long way since then thankfully. I thought the Gulf itself was a strong concept and the Doctor actually being within it at one point was great and provided a strong cliffhanger. It was good for him to liken it to being in the realm of Omega in a neat The Three Doctors reference. Focusing on the theme of art was really good and tapping into the pain of that was intriguing. Now, I’m no artist and I’m so far from it but I do understand the effort it takes to create artwork. The psychic nature of exploiting the pain associated with that combined well. Sarah being taunted about her aunt Lavinia was a deep cut and provided a nice chill in the episode. I do think the way things ended with the explosion to wipe out the Gulf was a little predictable, but I couldn’t deny it wasn’t empathic! If you’re going to defeat a psychic enemy, this is the way to do it in leaving no doubt of its survival. Overall, a really great listen!

Rating: 8/10

Dead Air

"What's the last record you played?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: March 2010

Series: NSA Audio 07

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

"Hello, I'm the Doctor. And, if you can hear this, then one of us is going to die."

At the bottom of the sea, in the wreck of a floating radio station, a lost recording has been discovered. After careful restoration, it is played for the first time – to reveal something incredible. It is the voice of the Doctor, broadcasting from Radio Bravo in 1966. He has travelled to Earth in search of the Hush – a terrible weapon that kills, silences and devours that makes noise – and has tracked it to a boat crewed by a team of pirate DJs. With the help of feisty Liverpudlian Layla and some groovy pop music, he must trap the Hush and destroy it – before it can escape and destroy the world...

Verdict

Dead Air was a sublime BBC Audio adventure! To my recollection I think this might be the first time I’ve awarded a perfect rating in this range of stories but I had no hesitation in doing so because this was just sensational. I thought the utilisation of the format was so impressive and it always helps when you have one of the main actors as the narrator. Of course, in these kind of stories there is no cast and we just have one main actor performing the story mixing between the characters and narration. And it doesn’t come much better than David Tennant! I thought he was magnificent and did such a good job in bringing the characters other than the Doctor to life. His Scouse accent for Layla was really impressive and the fate of her was really quite sad. It was clear that events weren’t too far removed from The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End with the Doctor mentioning Donna and not having the best of times recently with his companions. It was a struggle but I liked how he was still buoyant about his travels and always finding people. Layla had obvious companion material and her relationship with Jasper was amusing as it could be a lot more if he got rid of the beard and just washed a bit more. His proclamation of love for her when he was lost was an emotionally powerful moment too. I was impressed with the depth for these characters as that’s something we don’t often get with the absence of an actor to fill that role. I loved how this story started with the radio presenter providing some realism regarding the audio tape being found beneath the sea. The Doctor was the one who’d recorded the tape and that was such a fun format for the adventure to take, but mentioning the author of James Goss as an archivist actually within the story was superb! That was a fun blend of realism and fiction. I honestly thought it was a trailer for something else coming from the BBC when it started. It really did take me off guard! I thought the Hush was a brilliant enemy and the idea of another Time War weapon doesn’t feel overdone here because of how different of a concept it was. The idea of tackling noise feels a little different and not that deadly for a Time War, but when it was explained by the Doctor of consuming all noise it actually sounded pretty gruesome! Imagine taking the sound of the Daleks away. No wonder the weapon was developed. I thought the Doctor alluding to the Time War was good as he never fully delved into his own role, but he quickly assumed command on the ship to try and tackle the remnant of the Hush. Diving into the world of pirate radio in the 1960s was wonderful and that’s always something I love exploring. It’s a fascinating time in history and culture which served as a fine backdrop for the story, especially with the focus on sound and the Hush drawing on it. I thought the Hush having been within Layla all along was a powerful ending and they so nearly got away with getting on board the TARDIS and consuming the sounds of the universe. The Doctor trapping it on the tape that we were listening to was a brilliant ending. Overall, a magnificent audio!

Rating: 10/10

The Bounty of Ceres

"Taste that decay in the air."

Writer: Ian Potter

Format: Audio

Released: November 2014

Series: Early Adventures 1.03

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis

Ceres. A tiny, unforgiving ball of ice and rock hanging between Mars and Jupiter. It's no place to live, and it takes a special kind of person to work there.

The crew of the Cobalt Corporation mining base know exactly how deadly the world outside their complex is, but the danger isn't just outside anymore. The systems they rely on to keep them safe are failing and the planet is breaking in.

When the TARDIS strands Steven, Vicki and the Doctor on the base, they have to fight a foe they can barely comprehend to survive.

Verdict

The Bounty of Ceres was a really strong Early Adventures story! It’s quite amazing really that this is the debut for Peter Purves as the First Doctor in a full audio and he does a really good job. He certainly does justice to William Hartnell and particularly taps into that charming and lighthearted side which is often forgotten in representations of the first incarnation. It’s really nice and provides a nice dynamic, especially with Vicki who fills that granddaughter role in the TARDIS very nicely and shared a lovely relationship with the Doctor. I quite like the banter between her and Steven as well with the focus on their different times they’re from and how advanced they are. Vicki being from further in the future means she has the upper hand and she certainly doesn’t hold back in asserting her assumed superiority! It’s fun for her to be referring to our present day or times closes to it as basically the Middle Ages. I’m quite surprised the Doctor doesn’t correct her. I loved how this one started with the follow on from The Time Meddler with the Doctor fiddling with the dimensional stabiliser from the Monk’s TARDIS he took to keep him stuck in the eleventh century. That was magnificent stuff and the idea of the TARDIS interior expanding and actually having more potential to expand was excellent! I thought it was good stuff and quite fun to play with, especially when it inevitably went wrong. I liked how that brought them to Ceres which was a really strong setting as an isolated rock between Mars and Jupiter. It was good to be somewhere new in the familiar Solar System and I liked how that focused on the technological position with Vicki and Steven able to provide insight and a lack of knowledge on the creature, especially by Vicki’s time. I thought the basis of the story was decent and certainly well paced, although I do think the cliffhangers could have had a bit more impact. They seemed a little light in excitement, but that’s not to say they were bad. They just needed a bit more oomph. I really enjoyed the mystery that ensued of things going wrong and the added dimension of the oxygen going wrong thanks to the algae going rotten was very good. I liked the realism there. Moreland was a very good character and I liked how Thorn’s meddling with the computer was all down to get him killed. It was a well thought out plan but the Doctor was one step ahead of him thanks to Vicki’s reporting and graphs. I liked how she was able to be really helpful there. He was a callous man and the way things concluded with him just jumping to his own death rather than answer for his crimes was quite emphatic and a sudden conclusion. It did feel a little abrupt, but after Moreland overheard Thorn describing his actions over the years in making the voices it was a fitting end for the former to be rid of him. Qureshi was a decent character to flesh out the cast and I liked how they all blended together. The narration was good to share between Vicki and Steven and never felt like too much which is a danger in these kind of adventures. Overall though, a really great listen!

Rating: 8/10

The Riparian Ripper

"Will he strike again?"

Writer: Andrew Cartmel

Format: Audio

Released: May 2011

Series: Short Trips 3.07

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

The Doctor and Ace investigate a series of terrifying attacks along the banks of the Red River.

Verdict

The Riparian Ripper was a great Short Trips story! This was definitely one of the better adventures from the early series of this range which can often be largely forgettable and a bit rushed. Whilst still a very strong outing, I do think an extra five minutes or so here would have been hugely beneficial to really flesh things out but that’s not to say this wasn’t good. It was very much so! I thought the pace of the mere sixteen minutes for this story was actually quite good and definitely one of the better instances in the range. I was also delighted to find the writer for this story was Andrew Cartmel as he really is a defining writer of stories for the Seventh Doctor and Ace. This is a pairing that has grown on me over the years doing this blog and I must admit that when I was younger, I really didn’t enjoy them at all. I wasn’t a fan of Ace in the slightest and whilst I do think she is a little overrated, she’s still tremendous and her recent appearance in The Power of the Doctor might have something to do with that. Sophie Aldred herself was excellent in the narration role and she did a stellar job in bringing her own character of Ace to life whilst simultaneously doing a very solid job with the Seventh Doctor and the other characters that complete the story. The relationship between the Doctor and Ace was good and the way things started with the former handing the latter the newspaper with the titular headline was absolutely something I could see happening in those last two series of the Classic era. The atmosphere felt right which is always important and this definitely felt like a genuine Seventh Doctor tale. I enjoyed the concept of the Riparian Ripper and I was intrigued right away to find that all of the victims survived. This wasn’t an ordinary situation and I liked the revelation that the Ripper wasn’t trying to kill anyone at all, he was actually trying to save them. That was an unexpected twist but one which worked well. The very concept of surgical precision to repair was good and a nice twist on the whole ripper story. Herb Gorman being saved from the skill was a nice way to end, with Leonard Millroy as the local medical man being a good authority on the situation. Walter as the reporter was also a really good character to have at the start of the story and he was helpful in summing up to both the listener and the Doctor and Ace the situation at hand regarding the Ripper. It was nice and helpful as well for Ace to ask what riparian meant as I must admit I didn’t know either. I liked how Stan Gorman was angry about the treatment of his daughter which is of course understandable, but he probably did go a little too far. I liked that Ace was the one at the end to light the explosives to set the Ripper free in his spaceship, and who else would be the one to hit the detonator? It had to be Ace! Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10

The Waters of Mars

"Your death creates the future."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 15 November 2009

Series: 2009 Winter Special

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

Back on Earth, the Doctor finds a clue in the search for the origins of the degeneration weapon. In his Sixth body, he meets Jackie Tyler and Lady Christina de Souza – thrown together by fate, or something more? – in pursuit of a powerful item of jeweller.

Meanwhile, a Time Lord renegade has duped Harry Sullivan into helping him stop the Doctor's travel before they begin – and all are set on a collision course.

Verdict

The Waters of Mars is an excellent episode! As far as the 2009 Specials go, this one might be the very best. It’s incredible really that a story with this title and seeing Doctor Who visit the red planet is all about a human emotional story. This is such a powerful episode where we see the Doctor fully come off the rails in a way we never have before. It’s so good and I don’t think any other Doctor would have been better suited. The effects of the Time War linger on and the Doctor is still clearly hurt by recent events with the fate of Donna, but he wasn’t interested anymore. The Laws of Time were his and he was proclaimed as the Time Lord Victorious. That’s such fun stuff and the emotion in Tennant’s eyes as the Doctor now in charge was sublime. He plays this version of the Time Lord so well. I liked how he was a little buoyant at the start of the episode to find himself on Mars but things go terribly wrong quite quickly when he realises the date. His reaction to meeting Adelaide Brooke and the rest of the crew was great but he didn’t really hold back their fate. He was quick to point out Mia’s young age as 27 and was just in awe. It’s quite amazing to see a young Gemma Chan in the episode here knowing what she has gone on to become as a major star. Yuri is a fun character in the episode and I also liked Ed’s simplicity in being a typical middle aged man. He just took everything in his stride and he made the ultimate sacrifice in blowing up the rocket before take off. Action Five would be taken after all. Seeing the Doctor watch events unfold knowing it was a fixed point in time and that he should leave was superb because it went against every fibre in his being to not help. He knew he could and that was the worst thing. The Flood are a strong enemy and I really like the use of water as a means of fear. It always wins and with human beings consisting of 60% water, they were the perfect hosts. And that look! It’s iconic and definitely up there with one of the scariest we’ve seen. It’s excellent and sadistic. I thought the use of the news website bulletins on the fate of Adelaide and her crew, especially with the obituaries as the Doctor ticked off each crew member one by one, was really clever. It’s unique for sure and works well. It serves an important purpose. The only thing I don’t like in the episode, other than the Ice Warriors not appearing on their homeworld, is Gadget. It just looked clumsy and is a bit annoying, feeling a little bit of a cheat for the way it gets to the TARDIS. The story of Brooke’s inspiration for the future exploration of mankind is nicely done and harking back to The Stolen Earth with her seeing a Dalek that left her alone because of her death being a fixed point is terrific. Adelaide challenging the Doctor on his changing history and taking matters into her own hands by killing herself is such a powerful ending. She would still become the inspiration to her granddaughter and beyond. Overall, an excellent episode!

Rating: 9/10

Once and Future: Two's Company

"If you need me, I'll be in 1963!"

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Once and Future 04

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Harry, Jackie, Lady Christina 

Synopsis

Back on Earth, the Doctor finds a clue in the search for the origins of the degeneration weapon. In his Sixth body, he meets Jackie Tyler and Lady Christina de Souza – thrown together by fate, or something more? – in pursuit of a powerful item of jeweller.

Meanwhile, a Time Lord renegade has duped Harry Sullivan into helping him stop the Doctor's travel before they begin – and all are set on a collision course.

Verdict

Two's Company was an excellent story to continue my way through the Once and Future celebration for Doctor Who’s sixtieth anniversary! I must admit prior to listening and when the story details were announced for this one I was a little sceptical by the assembly of familiar characters as they all just felt a little all over the place. I’d figured that the Curator’s appearance in The Artist at the End of Time would be all for Colin Baker’s involvement in the series, but alas he got a good chance to shine here in his signature sixie incarnation. I thought it was good though to get a little bit of an extended cameo from the Third Doctor at the start and that really helped with Harry’s involvement. I thought it was really intriguing that UNIT were in the business of collecting items related to the Time War as there’s a whole lot of potential there, and just mentioning it around incarnations of the Doctor prior to the eighth incarnation could be deadly for the smooth passing of time. He shouldn’t know about it, but on this occasion the version we saw here was actually suffering from a weapon fired within the confines of that war. Exploring the degeneration effect further was really good and probably something that was missing from the earlier stories in the series, but at least we’re getting it now and I am a big fan. I thought the reference to Planet of the Spiders from Harry was fantastic when it came to the Third Doctor degenerating into the Sixth, as he knew what should have happened and which face came next. But that was all in the past for the Doctor at this point. I thought the 2006 setting was fun to have Jackie Tyler involved and her worrying after Rose was done well. I thought it was quite funny for her to not be impressed with the items she’d collected on her travels despite the importance of one here! Lady Christina was another great character to pair alongside and she developed a strong relationship with Jackie which was nice. The idea of ‘Melody’ aka River Song setting them up was lovely and just a fun idea. I’d have loved to have gotten that meeting between Jackie and River though. Any more of them together is most welcomed. I thought the main enemy in the form of the Renegade was superb and with this being my first experience of this Time Lord who holds onto his incarnations, I’m quite glad it was early on in his life as the Two. It’s a fascinating concept and I look forward to exploring it further, but for now it was tremendous and Michael Maloney was outstanding as a Gallifreyan villain. The building of the misperception filter was really good and I found the whole device rather interesting. The Two being worried about regenerating in the future was brilliant because we know what’s to come with him and multiple voices of past incarnations inside his head, and it was just bad enough with one at the moment. Oh what he’ll become! One of the highlights of the audio was when Lady Christina got out the side cart for her motorcycle and the Doctor having to go in it! Jackie was on the back but the Doctor being in the cart was quite the image! I thought things ended a little lightly but as a whole this was a fine adventure. A really strong celebration story!

Rating: 9/10

Travel in Hope: Run

"You better look both ways when you cross the road in politics."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 10.03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

When heinous demagogue Bellatrix Vega threatens the stability of the Galactic Federation, the Doctor convinces newly elected representative Alpha Centauri to run against her for president. 

As Vega's team mount a campaign of dirty tricks, the Doctor and Alpha must thwart a murderous conspiracy or see the galaxy's greatest democracy become a brutal dictatorship.

Verdict

Run was a great story to conclude my listening of the Travel in Hope tenth series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! This was a really fun story in having the Ninth Doctor meet a familiar character in the form of Alpha Centauri, however it was much earlier in her lifetime than when she would encounter the Third Doctor on Peladon. That was fun stuff and not something I was expecting! I loved it and it made the story even more intriguing for me. We could explore Centauri at a time before she was fully integrated into politics and the Galactic Federation, with this seemingly being her first day as a galactic delegate. Exploring what got Centauri into politics was brilliant and I just enjoyed exploring the political world of the Galactic Federation once again. Whilst Peladon wouldn’t be a part of it yet, getting that little mention in with the trisilicate order was nicely done. It would be something that was wanted at some point which might indicate how Peladon did come to be accepted as a member. I thought the relationship between the Doctor and Centauri throughout was fantastic and it’s really nice to know that he’s fully aware of what she will go onto achieve and do. I quite like that he never introduced himself and by the end when he departed in the TARDIS she didn’t know his name. That obviously kept the continuity of The Curse of Peladon and beyond intact which is important. I thought the whole political nature of the election was nicely done and the story focusing on Bellatrix Vega trying to take out her competition to run unopposed and be elected President of the Galactic Federation. The Doctor’s reaction when he found out her oppositional candidate was dead was brilliant and the simplicity of just “oh no” was terrific in selling the predicament. I thought the Cartel Boss was decent but suggesting that Vega was under someone else’s influence felt a little disappointing to me as she was a fine villain in her own right throughout. I loved how she threatened Centauri and the involvement of the Ice Warriors to warn Alpha about ambition was a neat touch. I thought they would actually feature more given the prominence on the artwork, but we quite clearly had an Ice Lord rather than an Ice Queen featuring here. That was still very good though! I thought the way things ended for Bellatrix was nicely done and the humour that came from Zzargol finding amusement in the landslide was great. I liked that she was arrested at the end and the truth of her political tendencies were outed which was good. She wouldn’t get back into politics now it was announced to the world. I thought the Doctor referring to Alpha as AC throughout was fun stuff as well and his final comment to her being that she was fantastic was a nice touch. He’d seen the future ahead for her and he knew they’d meet. Credit must go to Jane Goddard in bringing this character back to life and she does a really strong job in sounding young too which was important. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable audio!

Rating: 8/10

Travel in Hope: The Butler Did It

"You're going to unmask the killer."

Writer: James Moran

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 10.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor lands at a spaceship repair port on a dusty planet to tune up the TARDIS engines. But someone has poisoned an old friend of his, and now everyone at the station is a suspect.

It's time to round up the clues, get out the magnifying glass – or sonic screwdriver – and check the butler's alibi...

Verdict

The Butler Did It was a good little story to continue my way through the Travel in Hope tenth series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I thought this was decent throughout and whilst the idea of doing a murder mystery story isn’t new, they’re usually fun stuff and can always be different with new characters and in this case a new Doctor. The Ninth Doctor seems perfect for this kind of story as he’s very much to the point and it doesn’t take him long to take charge. I do think more could have been done of the whole murder mystery in space thing, but the setting was fine and didn’t hamper the adventure. The arrival of Sita and Kiri was decent as the last two of their species was interesting, as was the Doctor knowing them of old and it being a considerable time since they had met. I thought that was a little off as they seemed to instantly recognise this incarnation of the Doctor and I’m just not sure that adds up. I appreciate that this entire run of Ninth Doctor stories on audio is set between the end of the Time War and Rose, but that’s not the typical narrative. How long could this incarnation really have been travelling solo? The Doctor was a bit of a fanboy for these two though as the last of their species because they’d seemingly done a lot of travelling and been everywhere to meet everyone! Of course that couldn’t be literal, but it showed the scale of their voyages and adventure. They certainly seemed like the Doctor’s kind of people. So when Kiri was poisoned it set in motion the plot to come, although I must say having a murder mystery when the victim actually survived took a bit of edge off in my opinion. I’d have liked to hear the Doctor angrier at the fact he’d lost a friend. I thought Myra was a magnificent character and definitely companion material. She built a really strong relationship with the Doctor and it really is a shame in this batch of stories that no matter how good the characters filling that companion role are, they’re never going to get the full invite on board the TARDIS. I thought the Doctor quickly bursting through his investigation was good for the pace of the story and he was confident in proclaiming certain characters’ innocence, but I do think a little bit more background would have helped us as the listener. I felt we needed to know a bit more about each character, and that might just have been because of the lack of visuals. My frame of reference for this story is The Unicorn and the Wasp and I certainly felt like I knew everyone accused much more than I did here which helped my enjoyment of the episode. As my rating reflects, this was far from bad and I did enjoy the Doctor trying to bring up the cliches. He was chuffed in the end that technically the butler did do it, but Tillier was a lot more than that. His motive was quite dark in having a side job of selling rare alien DNA, and it doesn’t get rarer than the last two of the species. So I don’t get why the Doctor’s DNA as the last Time Lord didn’t come into play. That was a missed opportunity that was begging to be included! I thought Myra referring to the TARDIS interior as being inside out was marvellous and another fine example of the companion qualities she would have. It’s always fun to get a new take on the bigger on the inside moment and that being taken away from the Doctor after the anticipation was nicely done. Overall, a good listen! 

Rating: 7/10

Among Us: The Apocalypse Starts at 6PM

"Do you think the world is ending tonight?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.12

Featuring: Yvonne, Rhys, Ng, Orr, Tyler, Mr Colchester

Synopsis

Janet's Late Teatime is the TV equivalent of a cup of soup and a lapful of kittens. So when Torchwood announce the world will end on tomorrow night's show – well, what's Janet going to do?

Verdict

The Apocalypse Starts at 6PM was a really great audio to conclude the third volume of Among Us and the seventh series of Torchwood! Big Finish really have taken the spin-off range into a completely new direction since being granted official continuation status. I maintain that some more continuity regarding where Miracle Day concluded would have been beneficial, but I am a huge fan of where we are right now and the new team that started assembling way back in Aliens Among Us for Series 5. That feels like a lifetime ago now! I’m enjoying the continuity and referencing the Cardiff tsunami of God Among Us was great, with this volume of the seventh series feeling like having more of a story arc than the first two. I’ve loved the build up to Friend and the plan to take out humanity and essentially have it reset. Friend had found humanity not fit for purpose so the plan to wipe it out with the Phlobos DNA weapon was excellent. I loved how Torchwood tapped into the modern paranoia regarding vaccines and the whole 5G buzz by suggesting that nanobots and radiation were within each respectively. Real life threats and thoughts were dealt with tremendously which I thoroughly enjoyed. The idea of Friend using the internet as a weapon was really nicely done so having Tyler and Ng at the secret pipes that help run the net was fantastic. The source of the internet is always something that fascinates me. I thought Janet’s show was intriguing but one thing I think would have helped would if it was established in earlier episodes. It could have easily been in the background or a quick bulletin-type scene to showcase Janet’s Late Teatime. It didn’t quite have the same impact it could have in helping defeat Friend. The intelligence warning Janet not to mention Torchwood after the organisation’s own warnings on the show of the apocalypse starting at 6pm was really strong and Friend being in the guise of Tommie was frightening. There’s something scary about a child asserting authority and dominance. It made for a strong villain and I loved the ending setting us up for more to come with a backup being in place. Janet being kidnapped by Yvonne was hilarious but the highlight of the entire episode might have been Orr as her lawyer. That was sublime stuff and really showcased her talents. Her empathic abilities are a big strength but this was her at her comedic best. I thought Mr Colchester had a quiet episode for the series finale, but he also had some fun scenes in posing as a driver and trying to get Janet to invite Torchwood onto her show. As the episode went on, it was clear she was going to have them there. Yvonne exuding her control and authority was great stuff and her confrontation of Friend on the show was really good. She just oozed confidence and that confused Friend, but then everyone came together to show how the internet was overpowered by a big demand for streaming the apocalypse and Rhys helped from Iceland with the Deadcoin servers which tied in nicely. It seemed potentially a little easily as the power of the internet these days is almost unfathomable, but the threat was stopped and Friend basically shutting down was quite empathic, if not a little sad with the child form it had taken. Overall though, a really strong episode to conclude what was a fine boxset and series! I can’t wait for more. 

Rating: 8/10

Among Us: Heistland

"A currency just for the elite."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.11

Featuring: Yvonne, Rhys, Ng, Orr, Tyler

Synopsis

Deadcoin is an exclusive cryptocurrency used by the world's governments to do dark deals. The ultimate weapon is for sale and Yvonne Hartman decides the only thing to do is to take Deacon down.

Verdict

Heistland was another excellent episode to continue my way through the third and final volume of Among Us to conclude Torchwood’s seventh series! I’m really enjoying that this volume in particular feels more like one overarching story which wasn’t really the case in the first two volumes, but this feels like we are really building towards what should now be an exciting finale! I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of cryptocurrency and whilst I don’t really understand it and the whole mining process, or really how it has value, it’s fun to explore. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the governments of the world were dealing in some sort of elitist currency so exploring that here was terrific. I thought the name Deadcoin was brilliant and I loved that there was an impending auction from the world’s major governments on Friend’s weapon that could wipe anyone out at will. And that war would take place using Deadcoin. Yvonne was rather calm in Torchwood’s need to put a stop to it and endure no government got their hands on such technology. They had less than two days to go until the auction and the end of the world but Yvonne was quite contempt with a hotel check in and meal. Tyler was roped in with the lure of a Torchwood pension and retirement package which was fun and I really liked how Orr was still incredibly guilty for what had happened to Chris in Deadscroll last time out. What I wasn’t expecting was the pair to kiss though! Tyler was reassuring her that he wouldn’t actually leave Torchwood although his comments to Yvonne weren’t exactly complimentary of the organisation, or at least what was left of it. The Icelandic involvement in the episode with Rhys and Kristin was an unexpected treat. They were in the know on Deadcoin too and the cryptocurrency’s servers being on the Icelandic island worked well. It was remote so not exactly an expected destination. Deducing where they were because of the snow melting around the suspected area was great stuff. Kristin as the head of the Icelandic Tourism Information Centre was really well done and I loved that front for something much bigger. Kristin being on the phone to Yvonne was tremendous and I loved how the former boldly claimed she wanted to take over Torchwood! I do wonder if there will be some sort of merger by the end of the finale given the financial leverage of the ITIC now following their obtaining of the Deadcoin servers. I thought Yvonne knowing they would do that was fantastic and she was one step ahead of the game when it appeared she was very much not. That was brilliantly done as she played both Friend and the ITIC to her advantage and ensured that no government would have the super weapon. The head of Deadcoin basically being a deep fake again was fun stuff and I’m really enjoying tapping into the difficulties of establishing what or who is actually real. You can’t trust anything! Yvonne almost expecting to meet Friend was good and I’m looking forward to an all out encounter in the finale. Mr Colchester not featuring but having his presence felt in providing the blackout to allow Yvonne to break into the headquarters and the private office, but Kristin was on hand to make her realised it was a dummy office. She’d have known if she didn’t wipe out the audit files. But it was all part of Yvonne’s plan. She was in charge of Torchwood despite Kristin’s claim that there was a power struggle with Jack gone and no leader, and I do wonder if Gwen will factor in with it being her idea to have the ITIC take over Torchwood and retain the current staff. Overall, exciting stuff and a terrific listen!

Rating: 9/10

Among Us: Dreamscroll

"Enjoy living your best life."

Writer: Ash Darby 

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.10

Featuring: Mr Colchester, Ng, Orr, Tyler

Synopsis

Something is killing influencers and Torchwood have to save them. Mr Colchester discovers a whole new world and he doesn't like it one bit. Don't forget to like and subscribe.

Verdict

Dreamscroll was another excellent episode to continue my way through the third volume of Among Us for Torchwood’s seventh series! This followed on very nicely where How I Conquered the World left off and the heavy inclusion of AI as an enemy was terrific. Now I must admit, I’m not someone to be involved or bothered by the world of influencers but I really appreciated everything that went on here. I’m no avid YouTube watcher and I do spend time on social media, but that’s mostly for sport and Who content! I couldn’t care less about the likes of Kardashians and other influencers who create meaningless and boring content. It’s not my world but I’m fully aware of and tackling it in a Torchwood story was very nicely done and another fine example of the series tackling current and modern issues. The world of influencers has gone rather crazy and I must admit I found Tyler’s thoughts on veganism quite amusing as I just couldn’t live that way. Surely there’s no enjoyment in a meal there if you’re worried about milk proteins? I thought the format of the story was strong in having the four Torchwood characters of Mr Colchester, Ng, Orr and Tyler taking an influencer under their wing basically. There were a number of influencer deaths recently and with the threat left by Friend, Torchwood on the case to try and stop the next victim. They weren’t all successful though as Mr Colchester found out with Flavia. He’d actually taken a bit of a shine to her and could see the personality beyond her social timeline and presence, so when she died he was rather upset and almost guilty that it had happened. Tyler blurting out to him that his subject had died was a bit harsh, but it seems he had fallen in love with Chris who was his subject. He’d convinced him to get off People Fluid which turned out to be quite the app. The idea of automatic mode was good in ensuring that influencers could keep their content posting constantly, but that being taken as far as still posting once they were dead for both images, text and video streams was incredible. It was horrifying but also brilliant for a Torchwood story! Just having Ng and Orr walk in on the first victims and seeing the dead corpses still live streaming was quite something. The relationship conjured up between Tyler and Chris was good and I found it amusing how the latter went off his app’s schedule for when he could fit some sex in. The idea of having to redo a blowjob because of the lighting was also just barmy. Social media and the world really has gone mad. I really liked how Orr’s empathic abilities were utilised here as whilst we had the humour of her blurting out that Tyler did love Chris, she was also able to confirm whether those on the video were real or not. The deep fakes would obviously not have any emotions to emit and that came in handy! She was really good here. I thought the way things ended with Orr and Ng being at the supposed headquarters of the People Fluid company and it all not being real was fantastic, and the way Chris after dying reverted into the familiar voice of Friend was excellent. Her business is far from done and I’m very excited for the two episodes yet to come. Overall, a tremendous story!

Rating: 9/10

Among Us: How I Conquered the World

"Great things happen when we work together."

Writers: Tim Foley, Ash Darby & James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.09

Featuring: Rhys, Yvonne, Mr Colchester, Ng, Orr, Tyler

Synopsis

Hello Friend! You've probably all still got an account on Friend. Can you remember what you posted on it? Are you still using the same password? And did you ever say goodbye?

Verdict

How I Conquered the World was an excellent start to third instalment of Among Us for Torchwood’s seventh series! After a brilliant cliffhanger at the end of Pariahs for the last series, this was an intriguing start to the direction of the finale but it worked well and has really set us up nicely. The format was really strange but one I loved with Friend basically talking to us for an hour about what she had done and what her plans were. It was audacious and incredible really. I do think it might have gone a little too far in suggesting she was responsible for so much going back to Aliens Among Us and beyond, but the amount of continuity here was tremendous. The references to Army of Ghosts/Doomsday were brilliant with her knowing of the ghosts and Torchwood’s involvement as well as records showing that Yvonne Hartman was dead. That wasn’t quite the one that featured here though which was fun and provided a little confusion to the logic driven social network AI. I thought even the talk of alien Prime Ministers was fun and also mentioning the situation in Cardiff during the events of Exit Wounds was nicely done. Friend had a vast array of knowledge! I thought touching on Miracle Day was really powerful and learning of Mr Colchester’s involvement in being in a care home as that was going on was brilliant. I’m not sure if this series is building towards any kind of conclusion for Torchwood, but this felt like it would work well as a means to get there. The suggestion of God being a distraction was a little annoying though as a lot of investment was had in the first two series on audio for Torchwood focused around that, so minimising it as something of Friend’s doing felt a little off. Apart from that, it was excellent though and the childlike nature of both Friend’s voice and actions worked perfectly. The continued mentions of porn when it came to exploring data and internet usage was amusing though and it’s no surprise to see it so prominent. That’s something Torchwood can explore with its adult theme. I liked that the episode almost served as a warning for the first fifty minutes and the constant cameos from the Torchwood team with them being in discussion with Friend was nicely done, and now she’d set them up as the survivors in a crime scene that would incriminate them. Yvonne showed up at the scene to save them though which was a fun moment and the way the end credits were interrupted because of the slow and underwhelming getaway was fantastic. The continuity for this series in particular was rounded out nicely with the explanation of Veloshnik and the deadly DNA weapon. It’s all going to come into play quite nicely and having Torchwood on the run is good stuff if they can’t be centred at the Hub. My general feeling moving forward from here for the series ahead is general excitement, and with that being the case I can’t be disappointed with this series opener in the slightest! Overall, a terrific listen. 

Rating: 9/10

The Ice Kings

"There is a devil on board this ship."

Writer: Neil Bushnell

Format: Audio

Released: January 2023

Series: BBC Audio 15

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

When Professor Irene Hyde's Monday morning lecture at St Luke's University is rudely interrupted by a man named the Doctor, it's the beginning of an adventure she could never have dreamt possible.

Soon they are hurtling backwards in time to 1806, where the crew of the trading ship Favourite, led by the 'Ice King' himself, Frederic Tudor, are being picked off, one by one, by a hideous monster that lurks in the shadows.

A head frozen in ice provides a further complication to matters, as the robotic Nekkre awakes determined to vanquished all-comers. With the Doctor seriously weakened, Irene must tap into hidden reserves of courage if they are to have any hope of returning to 21st Century England...

Verdict

The Ice Kings was a really strong BBC Audio adventure! After reading the preview for this story in Doctor Who Magazine a few months back, this was one I was really looking forward to which is unusual for me in this range. That’s nothing against the range itself, but it’s safe to say that to this listener it does not have the same allure or appeal as the Big Finish audios. I think the lack of a full cast and big picture feel is the reason, but the stories are almost always more than solid! I didn’t know much at all about the history in this story but I really enjoyed what was presented. I actually really liked the slow start as I thought for the most part the adventure was really well paced and built towards the conclusion. That’s exactly what you want. I was delighted and disappointed at the same time to hear Maureen O’Brien in the narrator role because one it’s just lovely to hear her in that position and she performed admirably, but then disappointed that she wasn’t playing her familiar character of companion Vicki! I’d have loved for the Twelfth Doctor to be reunited with Vicki, but alas that wasn’t to be. She took on the role of Irene instead which was more than fine and she was an enjoyable character. She was 58 and as far as the Doctor was concerned that meant her life was just getting started. But he tried his best to offend her first though by suggesting she was in her 70s! That was a funny moment and perfect characterisation for the Twelfth Doctor. I thought O’Brien’s impression of Peter Capaldi’s incarnation was slightly odd as he sounded almost too grumpy and downbeat for much of the story, but the familiarity was there which was welcomed. The Doctor interrupting Irene’s less than popular lecture concerning the titular Ice Kings was great stuff and his intrigue in the severed head with horns or antlers was very good. His offering to take her back to 1806 and find out the truth was audacious. The continuity with Nardole not being impressed by the Doctor popping away for 26 minutes was tremendous in keeping in line with what we saw during Season 10. I quite liked how this was set earlier than when we met Bill in The Pilot though with the Doctor well into his stint as a university lecturer at St Luke’s. I thought the way Irene described the TARDIS as sounding like a fairground and the console being likened to a carousel was magnificent and right up there with one of my favourite descriptions of it. It painted a beautiful picture of what is probably my favourite TARDIS interior. The story shifted gears once we reached 1806 as the Doctor recognised the Necra as being from the planet Skad and they were an intriguing robotic race that the Doctor had encountered before. His defeating them previously by programming them to kill each other was pretty impressive really and this was just the final straddler. Combining that with the mutated Torburgia creature provided a strong threat and explanation for the strange severed head, but I must admit I think this could have been even better if it somehow stayed a pure historical! It was just fun to explore a lesser known or publicised part of history. The action to stop the energy leak was good and I liked that it was Irene who did that by removing the control nobe that caused both the creature and the Necra to just stop. They could be thrown overboard then. I thought it tied things up nicely and I really liked the Doctor offering her another trip if she wanted one in the future. Or the past! The epilogue with Irene wanting to be a Dean of the university was nicely done and I liked that she challenged why she had been denied the opportunity as a woman. She wouldn’t take it anymore. Overall, a great listen!

Rating: 8/10

The Destroyers

"The Daleks will dominate your galaxy!"

Writers: Terry Nation (Adapted by Nicholas Briggs & John Dorney) 

Format: Audio

Released: December 2010

Series: Lost Stories 2.02b

Featuring: Sara 

Synopsis

When the crew of Explorer Base One is attacked by the Daleks, Space Security Agents Sara Kingdom, Mark Seven and Jason Corey are sent to investigate. They discover a plan that threatens the future of the entire galaxy...

Verdict

The Destroyers was not the greatest of adventures to conclude my listening of the Second Doctor Boxset in the Lost Stories range. For whatever reason, I just couldn’t get into this one and it’s nothing to do with it being included in a boxset concerning the Second Doctor, when no incarnation actually features! On paper, I was really excited to listen to this story because I absolutely love The Daleks’ Master Plan which forms much of the basis for this story. On the base of it, it’s rather incredible that we do have a draft script for a pilot of ‘The Daleks’ from their creator which he intended to sell to US television back in 1966 following their massive success in Doctor Who. That’s why we got their ‘final end’ in The Evil of the Daleks to write them out, but of course they’d be back. Over and over again. And they’re better for it if this is anything to go by. That’s a little harsh, but considering this was for a pilot of a series where the Daleks are the stars, they didn’t actually feature very much! Now, I do think this would have been much better on screen and more akin to Mission to the Unknown, but I think the adaptation was much of the problem. I think it’s brilliant that we have Sara Kingdom as the main character here but for whatever reason, Jean Marsh seemed almost disinterested in her role as narrator for large chunks of the adventure. I’m not sure if she was directed to play the role that way with the Daleks looming but it just lacked excitement and energy. That’s not what we get from her in the Early Adventures and Companion Chronicles ranges so that’s a big shame. I also think the reliance on narration was a negative mood and actually impacted how much I liked the story. It was unnecessary at times and considering we did have a cast, I think it would have been much better to just let the action play out rather than overly describe what was happening. It took away from the flow of the story. I think it’s fun continuity from the early Dalek comic strips that we have Mark Seven featuring and also meeting David Kingdom was a nice touch. In that regard, it is a shame we don’t get a continuation of the series as I would definitely be interested in exploring the SSS and the family dynamic further, especially now we’ve met Mark and Anya Kingdom in the Fourth Doctor Adventures! Tying everything together could be brilliant, but given how long it has been since the release of this Lost Story I just don’t see it happening. I thought the plot of the story was slightly boring and whilst I do appreciate the ending in teasing what would have been the series to come with the cliffhanger finish of the Daleks coming, that kind of lost its impact considering we’d already had the Red Dalek featuring. If they hadn’t been around at all then that would have been better, but at the same time I think that would have damaged the story even further! I just don’t see much of a winning scenario here. The big positive for me was to have Sara Kingdom in the lead role, but as far as Dalek spin-offs are concerned I’m much more interested in Dalek Empire. Overall, it’s lovely to have this brought into existence but I’m not overly disappointed the series wasn’t made. 

Rating: 4/10