The Tribulations of Thadeus Nook

"Seeing is believing."

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: February 2021

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 10.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

It's time for the trip of a lifetime! Come along on one of Thadeus Nook's Time Tours. See history as it really was. Get to witness wars and assassinations! See barbarian warlords right up close! 

The Doctor and Leela encounter a most enterprising young gentleman – using time travel for his own financial gain. The Doctor is horrified at the irresponsibility – but it's just the tip of the iceberg. 

Because Thadeus Nook is about to learn that history is often best left in the past.

Verdict

The Tribulations of Thadeus Hook was a great adventure to kick off the second half of the tenth series of Fourth Doctor Adventures! Right from the synopsis I knew this was going to be something of a lighthearted tale and that was certainly the case. Having the pairing of the Fourth Doctor and Leela in that regard works well because they provide a lot of comic value, so they meshed well with the titular character of Thadeus Nook. He was an entertaining person and a really likeable character despite him clearly not fully being up to the task of operating a time tour. That concept in of itself is tremendous and is extraordinary to even think about. Hearing a customer who had ventured off a little from the time tourist crowd and nearly ending up with the SS as D-Day loomed was hilarious. The lack of responsibility there obviously wouldn't please the Doctor and he knew Thadeus had to be stopped. Not because he was malicious or evil, but purely because he was an amateur. He was meddling in time but mostly because he didn't understand the implications and that's where the Doctor had to step in. Flaia was a strong character and the twist of her turning into the villain was well done. I really didn't expect it even with her friend of Lem being left behind after Nook's hasty takeoff in the time ship. The significance of the pair wanting to visit Triumph Day was intriguing and the more we learned about it the more its position in history was understood. She had a plan all along to bring the thought dead Grannus Drek to the present. She didn't want to change the past other than his survival, but bring him to the future to a whole new host of acolytes. It was audacious stuff, so naturally after showing her devotion and more or less carrying out the plan as hoped for, he killed her in brutal fashion! That was another moment that surprised me and it certainly had a lasting impact. The relationship that Lem had built up with the Doctor was great and I liked how as a straggler he got to travel in the TARDIS instead to catch up with the ship. Leela's threats to Nook on the time ship when it had taken off in a rush were brilliant and I liked the restraints of it being set on its course. Her confidence in the Doctor to track them was nice though. I thought the mentions of the wooden interior of the TARDIS were very good and a nice reminder of the time the secondary console room became primary. It's still not my favourite but I do appreciate the change. It just doesn't look flamboyant enough for a TARDIS interior in my room but on audio I'm all for it appearing and its run extending. I liked the lighthearted nature of jumping around history on tours getting very serious once the true experience of Triumph Day was felt. The human casualties soon took the story into one of feeling real which was important as this definitely didn't warrant being full on humour. Jess was another really nice character and her being the partner to Thadeus made the stakes for her pretty large. She wasn't always confidence in his time travel ordeals which was fun and she just wanted him to be safe. He was aware of the issues but he was far from interested in any kind of refund offering when it came to customer dissatisfaction. His suggestion at the end of moving into the planetary business was amusing though. He was never out for the easy road! The way he worked with the Doctor to defeat Grannus Deck was good though as he used the last of his time ship to head towards the end, whilst the Doctor was on hand to catch up and just about use enough of the TARDIS shields to materialise around him and bring him home whilst Deck would stay at the end of everything. History would stay on course and he would be thought dead on Triumph Day. A pretty neat conclusion in the end! Overall, a really entertaining little story!

Rating: 8/10

The Greatest Show in the Galaxy

"Let me entertain you."

Writer: Stephen Wyatt

Format: Novel

Released: December 1989

Series: Target 144

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

'Creepy', thought Ace. You never saw the clown's real face...

But the Doctor insists on entering the talent contest at the Psychic Circus, the self-proclaimed Greatest Show in the Galaxy. 

What has reduced Segonax to an arid wasteland? Why have the happy-go-lucky circus people stayed here so long, and why are they no longer happy? And what is the sinister truth about the Ringmaster and his robot clowns?

The Doctor and Ace need all their death-defying skills in the Big Top to uncover a brooding, ancient evil that has broken the spirit of the Circus and demanded the sacrifice of so many lives. 

Verdict

The Greatest Show in the Galaxy was a very decent novelisation of the serial of the same name! This one obviously comes towards the end of the televised run for the Classic era with only four stories to come after it, but this definitely feels like something that would work in the modern era, even in prose. I like this story and a lot and isn't a huge amount of time since my last viewing during lockdown, but one thing that was clear to me after finishing the novelisation is that this story works best with visuals and audio. I think that's not too surprising given the whole circus setting and the sheer imagery and design that goes into the story. The focus on numerous circus acts is good but prose is not where that kind of thing shines. It works so much better on television which is a shame. For example, whilst they look magnificent on the cover of the book I don't think the shift of the ordinary family into the stone-like Gods of Ragnarok is as big of a moment as it should be. For me, it's a memorable design but it wasn't described too well in prose. I thought throughout that whilst the story was presented absolutely fine, the author was not really delving into the realms of expansion as is so typical with the Target novelisations. This just felt like a simple retelling of the story to readers who were familiar with the televised version. There's nothing wrong with that at all, but I think that's part of why my rating dropped from the on screen format. Now, into the story itself and I like how things start with the Doctor and Ace in the TARDIS and the junk mail advertisement luring the Doctor in. Right from the off it was clear he had something of an ulterior motive as is so common with this incarnation, and Ace just seemed to accept that. She wasn't as bothered as she would be in numerous other adventures. The stall holder was a fun character to showcase the stature of the Psychic Circus to the locals of Segonax and the irony of her business relying on passers through heading to the misfit attraction but her distain for those types of people was tremendous. So simple but really effective. Nord was a good character for Ace to stand up to and getting to know him a little before he perished in his failure to entertain the Gods was nicely done. I thought the story of Bellboy and Flowerchild was more effective in prose and definitely had an emotional attachment as they'd escaped from the Psychic Circus. The Chief Clown was out for them though and he was a sinister villain. I think that was heightened by how much fear Ace had for clowns in general. That's really intriguing considering how little actually scares her on her travels along with the tendencncy for explosives. Bellboy's sacrificing himself so there would be nobody to repair the robots was an incredibly powerful scene I must say. The Ringmaster was fun but I don't think the brilliant rhyming and song introductions for each act were as effective on the page. That's just a consequence of the format unfortunately. One thing I will say is that I don't think this was the author's greatest attribute as he was clearly not wholly comfortable with writing prose. There was a lot of repeated description which got tiresome, as did Captain Cook! Gosh he was annoying with his constant name dropping of his travels in almost every instance. Mags was the star of the show and I love how she eventually stood up to him and sided with the Doctor. Cook was incredibly selfish in using the moonlight effect to show her wolf-like true nature, but it worked well and injected some strong action. The Doctor's belief in her was wonderful to see. The ending is done well with the action and the Doctor's final performance is fun, although it does go on a bit! The Circus imploding is a pretty emphatic finale and I really enjoyed circling back to the stall owner considering how she would make a living now. Overall, a good little read! 

Rating: 7/10

Buried Threats: Ancient History

"We can't just build on top of history."

Writer: Matt Litton

Format: Audio

Released: February 2024

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 11.03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

Professor Bernice Summerfield is delving into the mystery of the Korravin, a mighty warrior horde, vanished overnight. But her expedition seems jinxed. And when a familiar blue box appears, Benny knows they're in trouble. 

As ancient history resurfaces, the Doctor wants to keep some things buried – but Benny's an expert at digging up the past.

Verdict

Buried Threats was another brilliant episode to conclude what has been a fantastic Buried Threats series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! Of course, this finale was the main selling point of the entire boxset to me as I am always a fan of when Doctors and companions who didn't travel together get set for a meeting. It's an exciting prospect and it feels a little bit more important when it comes to the Ninth Doctor, especially in the days before Rose where he was travelling without a companion. He's still scarred from the events of the Time War and his role in ending it, and it was touched upon in subtle fashion here when his identity was revealed to Benny. I thought that was great and I liked how she picked up on his mention of the Time Lords in the past tense and she instantly knew that he would have some kind of involvement. The rumours and murmurings of something cataclysmic happening to history and time was very good and showed that the Time War was having ripples even now. That was really well incorporated. I liked how old school Benny seemed in this episode because she was out for good old fashioned archeological exploration and wasn't a fan of the expedition involved going the sonic and simulation route. She liked to get down and dirty which I loved. Having the Doctor pose as part of her expedition with a ridiculous cover name that I won't even try to spell here was hilarious but it is a bit sad that after everything he had been through he didn't want to catch up with an old friend. He'd been through a lot with Benny and I was glad that she confronted him on her feeling sad about that. She was there for him and always would be despite how infuriating he can be. The expedition was concerning a very powerful species though as Benny and company were out to find the mystery of the Korravin, a race the Doctor described as having an amalgamation of attributes part Dalek, Cyberman and Vulpreen! That is quite the combination so it was only natural that they would return two million years later. I thought the role of the TARDIS being buried in the excavation site was wonderful and when it was described to Benny, her question of its colour and then the words of police public call box being read provoked a stunning reaction. How typical of the Doctor! And right away she knew it was the ridiculously named professor. The Doctor using a time ring to jump two million years into the future was brilliant and I thought the whole concept of the Korravin disappearing from history because they'd come to the future was magnificent. Talk about not leaving a trace! Cantiple was a good character and I loved how she saw glory in the discovery of the Korravin time window. The TARDIS was obviously a big part of that so I'm not sure she had thought it through all the way to a sale, but it was certainly interesting to look two million years into the past and see the Korravin society for themselves. I thought it was hilarious as well that she claimed the glory for her research in the Korravin having a hierarchy when it came to the High Korravin emerging. The role of George in the conclusion was a nice surprise as the android didn't seem like it would play such a pivotal impact in the resolution, but it sacrificed itself and time soon caught up with the Korravin to wipe them out for good. Finnda was also fun in being pregnant and claiming to be a Time Lord, I'm sure there must be more than just the Time Lords in the cosmos with two hearts! But alas, apparently that was the only way of designating a species apparently. Overall though, a superb episode to conclude a really strong series. 

Rating: 9/10

Buried Threats: The Running Men

"We can't just build on top of history."

Writer: Mark Wright

Format: Audio

Released: February 2024

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 11.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor to 21st Century Halifax, alongside police Sergeant Ambika Desai, as they investigate a mysterious death. 

The trail leads to the Hebble Piazza and an unscrupulous developer, as the Doctor uncovers the town's distant past – and the infamous Halifax gibbet. The Running Men are rising from history!

Verdict

The Running Men was another excellent episode to continue my way through the Buried Threats series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I have been a big fan of this series so far and I think the theme of threats buried within was really strongly used here. I liked the real life history that was encountered and the setting of Halifax was brilliant because it was quite niche and unique. London has been exhausted as a setting when it comes to UK based adventures, so it's nice to go somewhere else! A simple town like Halifax is ripe for exploring and it fits in well with the Earth-centric era of the Ninth Doctor. Still no companion as these series are set prior to Rose, but I thought Ambika did a tremendous job in that supporting role. She was such a likeable character and I really hope that we haven't heard the last of her. There is serious companion potential for her and even here she got to go inside the TARDIS and play a big role in stopping the rise of the Running Men. Of course, the true villain of the piece was Annalise Avenley who was superb in that role. She was just a bitch and that was exactly what she would have been. The reaction she had when Annalise and the Doctor were on her property investigating a quick fly tipping report and encountered Frank Kelsey was extraordinary. She wasn't afraid of standing up to Annalise as part of the police and her thoughts on Kelsey were less than respectful. He was a really good character and it was fun for the Doctor to take an immediate liking to him, He was out to protect history and the site of Annalise's proposed piazza was, according to his lengthy research, the true site of the Halifax gibbet. The history behind that gibbet as a device of execution outlawed in the seventeenth century was terrific and I liked the suggestion of the memorial being in the wrong place. Annalise wasn't having any kind of heritage blocking her proposed development. Grayson as her heavy was very good and I liked how that just made her even more hatable. The same couldn't be said for Ambika who just shone throughout. The humour at the start with her first meeting with the Doctor was tremendous as she claimed the TARDIS was displaying unauthorised police signage and when she was presented with the psychic paper as ID, she thought he was impersonating a police officer! I thought that was just fantastic. I enjoyed the emergence of the Running Men and they injected a good bout of action into things. They were a good threat and the rip in the Vortex that brought the Doctor to Halifax being utilised in the resolution and needing to be closed was great. The trio of the Doctor, Ambika and Kelsey made for a terrific team and the use of the TARDIS and its functions to fix everything was nicely done. Ambika arresting Annalise once the threat was over and the pull on her by the Running Men was eradicated was fun, although I do wish she gave the proper reason for the arrest as it didn't seem entirely professional. Overall though, a tremendous episode doused in reality! 

Rating: 9/10

The Day of the Comet

"It is like the clouds are on fire."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: January 2021

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 10.02

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and Leela to the ruins of a once-great city racked by earthquakes, where they find a giant rocket on the side of a mountain. The planet is due to be destroyed by a comet in a year's time and this ship is the only way off world.

But is everything quite as it seems? At least one person in the city thinks the comet is going to come to obliterate the planet much sooner than people believe. 

Which would be bad enough – if there wasn't a far worse secret hidden behind the scenes...

Verdict

The Day of the Comet was a great story to conclude the first half of the tenth series of Fourth Doctor Adventures! It's a shame there appears to be no overlapping arc for this boxset at the moment and instead just serves as four solo stories in their own right which is fine, but I do think a longer arc would be beneficial and definitely more appealing! I'm a huge fan of the pairing of the Fourth Doctor and Leela but I do think we have listened to countless one off stories with them now. They do need something of a little refresh but that's just a personal preference. The story itself was a really strong one and I was engaged throughout. I never felt like it was going to be any higher than the rating I did award, but I also did know it wouldn't drop. This was just a really solid story from start to finish. I thought the setting worked very well and the threat of a comet wiping out the people and planet of Actonese was brilliant. Of course, the people thought they still had three months before any kind of impact but the reality was actually just three days. At least the people had hope, that was the argument of Tynax at least who had arranged the whole sham regarding the fake ship to take the population to safety. The ark was unfortunately incomplete and wouldn't take off, but giving that hope had prevented anarchy with someone in charge and that was something I actually agreed with. What I didn't like was how she was taking goods off people as payment for transport and also setting them to work with strict disciplinary punishments. She was using the Actonese people for her own benefit. The people themselves were very intriguing and for them to be renowned by even the Time Lords said a lot about them! The description of their immunity to almost all illnesses and essentially being immortal felt very much like an explanation about Time Lord regeneration which was good. And that's why they delved into their convenient policy of non-intervention when it came to the comet destroying the people. Those that did get off in arks vanished without a trace, and I liked the Doctor's involvement here to send them to the far future where they wouldn't be traced. His departing message to Verkuvia about not having any involvement should the Time Lords somehow come knocking was very amusing. I thought she was a lovely character as the astrologer. The arrival of Lendrik and Vengis posing as being Actonese people from the future come to save their ancestors was intriguing but they were never convincing which was amusing to hear. The Doctor was onto them in a flash! The throwing around of the TARDIS key in the story was almost extraordinary and I am not entirely sure there's ever been a story where it was more important! Perhaps Father's Day? I was a big fan of Corsha and the relationship she garnered with Leela was terrific. I was a little surprised that Massey passed away early on though as he seemed like a character set to stay for the duration. Sullerman was a strong character as well and I liked his involvement with the TARDIS key at the end and his trepidation on whether the Doctor would take him with them in the TARDIS. This was a really emotional story in parts with the fate of the Actonese people and the Doctor having to stick to established history, for the most part! The way he changed some of the small details to keep history and the Time Lords off his back was fun stuff and a nice way to conclude. Overall, a really good listen!

Rating: 8/10

No Fun at the Fair

"Coming soon: Super Slitheen Space Spectacular!"

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Short Story

Released: June 2006

Series: Doctor Who Files 03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

Enjoying a Saturday by attending the funfair, the Doctor is having the time of his life. However, a solo journey on the ghost train for Rose sees her encounter a rogue Slitheen and soon a human hunt is uncovered...

Verdict

No Fun at the Fair was a great little short story! This was a fine way to continue my reading through the Doctor Who Files released during the time of Series 2 and they're a really fun little collection. After the first two releases focusing on the Doctor and Rose, as you might expect, this was an obvious choice to go to for the first monster. The Slitheen made a big impact during Series 1 with their humorous and emphatic debut in Aliens of London/World War Three before becoming the first modern era villain to return in Boom Town at the end of that debut series. They made a big impact and with the younger audience the target with these releases, they're an obvious go to for a book like this. There's a lot of potential with the Slitheen and having one in a fairground environment was a lot of fun! That's not a setting we see enough of in Doctor Who in my opinion. They're naturally scary when isolated and there's always so much going on so the potential there is endless. Rose being on the ghost train by herself was quite amusing because she couldn't really keep up with the Doctor's ebullient energy, but when she saw a Slitheen she soon turned into serious mode. I liked that she was unable to initially reach the Slitheen because the ride was continuing on its automated route, but when she tried to get back in with her pound entry fee the ride was closing. She caused a scene which wasn't encouraged when the Doctor caught back up with her and simple patience would be the way here. I thought it was good for Rose to feel pity towards this Slitheen as it just seemed to be enjoying the fun of a fair, but when it turned out to be scouting for its own potential torture of humans she was shocked with herself for feeling such a way! That was good humour. I liked the idea of the quote I've taken with a Slitheen space spectacular sounding pretty special indeed! That is certainly something I would love to see. The idea of the Slitheen picking humanity for research of this kind is possibly a little farfetched given the history of their race on the planet, but I was all for it as it gave us the first meeting they had with the Tenth Doctor. I'm a sucker for a familiar monster meeting a new incarnation of the Doctor and that was handled very well here. Rose being part of the human hunt at the fairground was terrific and the imagery created there was sublime! It was really creative and I loved how she hoped to get in the ghost train again. How things change! The human hunt heading towards the waterslide was quite something as that's a rather unique attraction for the Slitheen to designate as the end. I'm not sure there was much logic there, but it did bring us an effective conclusion. Once Rose was sent down the waterslide first, I kind of predicted how things were going to finalise. She crashed into the water with a thump but then the smell of chips had her second guessing. The Slitheen exploding gag was fun on paper and the idea of the Doctor using vinegar from the burger van to soak the pool and send the Slitheen into chunks of goo was great. The way things ended with the Doctor having gone and purchased Rose a photo of her and a Slitheen on the ghost train was hilarious! And it was even incorporated into the pages of the story with a mashed together image of Rose and the Slitheen within a heart. That was a neat little touch which really rounded out this adventure. Sure, it was a little immature at times but on the whole this was just good fun! A nice little read. 

Rating: 8/10

The Lost Ones

"He did not like insects."

Writer: Walter Howarth

Format: Short Story

Released: September 1965

Printed in: Dr Who Annual 1966

Featuring: First Doctor

Synopsis

When the TARDIS is drawn to the mysterious planet Vortis, the Doctor encounters the Menoptera and Zarbi for the first time. But it's the presence of eight Atlanteans that are the true cause for concern...

Verdict

The Lost Ones was a tremendous short story to continue my reading through the very first Doctor Who Annual! This was another very intriguing read and I find it so strange still to have the Doctor referred to as Dr Who and the title of doctor not being capitalised when referring to our Time Lord hero. Of course, for contemporary readers of the time the Time Lords were a few years off even being revealed in The War Games and the Doctor on more than one occasion here referred to himself as being from Earth. That's amusing almost every time but I did like that one such reference had an asterisk and footnote suggesting that the Doctor was just prevaricating. It would make sense as the red headed beings he encountered here on Vortis weren't exactly typical Earthmen, and their truth was actually rather sensational! Of course, before we met them we had the Doctor's apparent first visit to Vortis pre-dating The Web Planet which is a really fun and somewhat unexpected prospect! I must admit that my memory on one of my least favourite serials ever is a little sketchy on specific dialogue regarding the Doctor actually being on Vortis and if he recognised the Menoptera and Zarbi, but the continuity seemed to work well. I liked learning again about the uprising of the Zarbi and their Queen who led them to revolt up which sent the Menoptera away from their own planet, but here they were scouting to see if they could return home. Their reaction to the Doctor was excellent and I absolutely adored the Doctor's thoughts on him being treated as a test subject by the giant butterflies. The characterisation of the First Doctor here was strong with the stubbornness and blunt nature of his personality very much evident on the page. That always makes a story better in my estimation! I really liked how he put his foot in it as well when the Menoptera asked the Doctor what his people did with butterflies and the answer of them being collected and trapped in glasses to be gassed was hilarious. He had to stop himself as he realised his own fate might be something similar now! He was flabbergasted by the idea of him being dissected and opened up to see how his organs worked, but things actually got even more disturbing when he escaped and fell into the hands of the Atlanteans. I liked how right from the off these supposed humans were instantly a little different with their appearance, but expecting them to be from the mythical lost city of Atlantis was not something I anticipated! I thought it was brilliant and even the Doctor was stunned. The way they spoke seemed to suggest that they viewed Atlantis as the entire planet and had a will to conquer the entire universe, but alas they had failed now and had been lost for a decade. The way they treated the Doctor was honestly appalling as in a bid to confirm he was man, they stripped him literally naked! I can never recall a moment where the Doctor in any incarnation has been treated like that and in such a position of vulnerability. I had to re-read to make sure that it had actually happened! There were understandably no visuals there, and I do think this adventure was a little lacking in the volume of illustrations but the artwork was really impressive. The colours were very vibrant! There was an abundance of positivity which helped with some of the disturbing content in the story, but alas the Doctor left the Atlanteans to their fate in running like he never had before to the TARDIS and not repairing their controls. He would return to Vortis and the war between Zarbi and Menoptera, but for now he just needed to get out! Overall, a superb read.

Rating: 9/10

The People's Temple

"He wants to be a god in the afterlife."

Writer: Paul Leonard

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1998

Printed in: Short Trips 14

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Sam

Synopsis

From Neolithic Earth to the furthest reaches of the universe in the far future, Short Trips brings together established Doctor Who authors and first-time writers in a collection of stories exploring the ever-changing worlds of the Doctor and his friends.

Witness the last days of the siege of Masada with the First Doctor and meet the Fourth Doctor's extraordinary 'old flame'. An evil enemy makes life difficult for the Seventh and Third Doctors, and while the Fifth Doctor is under attack on a sinister ship shrouded in fog, the Second may soon be guilty of a grave error of judgement... The Sixth Doctor's hopes of a holiday are dashed when he discovers a pleasure planet is hiding a shocking secret, and the Eighth Doctor is caught up in a deadly drama played out during the construction of Stonehenge.

And, of course, that's just the beginning...

Verdict

The People's Temple was a great little short story to conclude the first volume of Short Trips! It’s been a long time coming for me to actually complete this collection and I haven’t done it wholly in story order, but it’s been a real treat! I like that things concluded with what I believe to be the contemporary TARDIS pairing of the time of release with the Eighth Doctor and Sam, and that’s a pairing I’m always glad to revisit. I’m obviously incredibly far behind in the Eighth Doctor Adventures novels (one day I will catch up!), so getting a little bonus for them here was a nice touch. I thought the characterisation of the Eighth Doctor was strong but for me I was a big fan of how Sam was written. She’s a really strong companion and I love the idea of her wanting to visit Stonehenge but at a time when it was actually purposed as a temple. That’s a fun idea and venturing over four millennia into her past was really exciting. I thought she was really audacious in defying the Doctor when he realised they weren’t exactly in the same time he had initially thought, but she wanted to experience this. She’d heard the guttural screams and knew this wasn’t an ordinary sacrifice. She wanted to help but did promise not to interfere if it was a typical sacrifice. I have reservations about that! I was a big fan of the setting and Sam introducing herself as the Holy Mother was rather fun! Coyn and Shalin were two really strong characters and I liked the way things came full circle for them. We had them as youngsters at the start but by the end the former had killed the latter just because of some words. That was a powerful moment and a bit of a shock, and I can’t help but feel the Doctor was partly to blame with his use of the word killing. I thought the format of the adventure was great as it’s not common to get chapters and even a prologue and epilogue in a story that’s only forty-eight pages. I was all for it though and it really helped to break things up as this was one of the longer Short Trips. The fate of Dorlan was another big shock as I was really enjoying the relationship he’d built with Sam, so his death came very suddenly and was a powerful moment for sure. The effect that had on Sam was good to see as she was learning that she didn’t always know best when it came to interfering in time. She blamed herself for starting the war which isn’t easy to disagree with despite the Doctor’s best efforts to explain that events would have taken a similar course regardless. She was deeply saddened though and I couldn’t blame her. One good that did come of everything though was Coyn freeing the people of Dorlan after Sam served her punishment in preparing the bodies of the dead. That was neat and tidy in the end despite the emotional conclusion. For a religious based story, I wasn’t expecting so much death! I would have just liked something regarding Stonehenge at the end, but overall this was still a great read! 

Rating: 8/10

Buried Threats: A Theatre of Cruelty

"Let me help you."

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: February 2024

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 11.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Someone or something is manipulating the dreams of French playwright Antonin Artaud. As Artaud's nightmares are made manifest, the Doctor is compelled to intervene. Otherwise, Artaud's new idea for an immersive theatre could become a ticket to literally die for.

Verdict

A Theatre of Cruelty was was an excellent start to the Buried Threats eleventh series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I’m still a little confused on the whole series numbering element of this range as I consider this to be the eleventh boxset and therefore eleventh series, but alas this is just semantics. The story itself was fantastic from start to finish! The concept of the TARDIS having a doorbell is very fun and starting with that being rung was good, especially considering the TARDIS was mid flight! That’s obviously impossible, so the ringer actually being Antonin Arnaut was somehow unexpected. The translation circuits being off was an extra intriguing element and I liked that he realised he was trapped in the wrong era. He was from 1935 but here he was in 1599 at the sight of an execution announcement for Beatrice who’d committed patricide. The quick alternative point of view of the Doctor’s mid flight conversation with Antonin and Bernice was fascinating because as far as they were concerned they were in Italy but the TARDIS was in the Vortex! It was exciting stuff. The play that Antonin was writing turning out to be about Beatrice was a nice twist and I loved that she wanted him to speak for her and tell her story. Writing a play is some way to go about that! The way reality and dreams blended and mixed for Antonin was really good and I was impressed with how well each was differentiated in the audio format. It’s easy to do on screen, but it worked well here despite the lack of visuals. The enigmatic nature of Beatrice was terrific and I liked that the Doctor could see her where almost everyone else couldn’t. Antonin’s desire for immersive theatre was a wonderful idea for him to create and I was impressed with his vision considering when he was from. I loved the idea of getting souvenirs from his dreams but the fact he had written a play involving executions meant those sometimes included the likes of an axe! And there wasn’t much time for preparation. The Doctor going back to 1601 to verify the portrait of Beatrice was great and it turned out to not be the one in the Louvre after all! That explained a lot as the image of what Antonin thought was Beatrice was what the Astraphi had taken. It was good logic and we soon learned more about them which was good. I was very interested in why they found the Doctor’s existence as a Time Lord funny and they came from before time. Their rarity in the universe was good and I liked the explanation behind the electrical shocks being mixed with Antonin’s imagination as a means to harness his darkness and intercept his frequency to give himself form. I loved how much the Doctor admired Antonin’s immersive performance idea but with the Astraphi involvement that could have been disastrous! The idea of invading dreams was fun stuff and took some of the Doctor’s Time Lord gifts to the extreme, but it was interesting stuff! The resolution requiring the Doctor to make Antonin feel good about himself was brilliant and he needed to tune them out. That warm fuzzy feeling of goodness was really good and quite nice! The Doctor was ruthless in demanding the Astraphi return to dust and turned everything they had devoured from Antonin to turn it back on them. It was impressive stuff! Overall, a fantastic listen. 

Rating: 9/10

War Room: Allegiance: The First Days of Phaidon

"Leela is due the highest commendation."

Writer: Fio Threthewey

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Gallifrey 13.04

Featuring: Leela, Narvin

Synopsis

Phaidon was one of the first worlds destroyed in the Time War – but now it is back. Daleks and Time Lords race to the planet's new location: something has arrived which could turn the course of the war. And for Leela, an even greater shock awaits...

Verdict

The First Days of Phaidon was a great story to conclude the Allegiance instalment of War Room for Gallifrey's thirteenth series! This has been a really intriguing move for the series as we focus on the titular War Room within the Time War which is good and is a little bit of a refreshment, but it really is more of the same and that's absolutely great. Whilst Romana hasn't featured at all during the series with her being banished by Rassilon and her only surviving whilst Leela is useful as part of the War Room effort, her presence was felt throughout and none more so than here. I was a big fan of the continuity with the previous Gallifrey series as not only did we revert back to events of Celestial Intervention with Phaidon being restored, but in doing so there were some references to the Temporal Powers of the early Gallifrey series with the Warpwrights now being present! Of course, some of them were already out there and that being kept secret from Neander didn't sit too well. I liked the reaction of the Warpwrights in finding out that their planet had initially been destroyed only to then be restored by the Daleks as they hoped to obtain the Artefact. To restore an entire planet would take some power so the weapon must have an incredible use, and that was certainly the case with its potential to revert to pre-War timelines and alter the course of the Time War in an instant. Essentially it could prevent it happening and shape the course for the user which was obviously a desirable weapon. Rassilon wanted it destroyed which was a surprise as I thought he might have wanted it for the Time Lords to use, but alas that wasn't the case. It wasn't exactly destroyed as Leela once again showcased how much of an asset she is for both the cause of peace and the Time Lords in having the weapon become part of the Resistance. I thought the return of Narvin was tremendous and I am so happy that his fate at the end of the last series was not death. He's a really strong character and almost iconic for this range so it's really good to know that he survives. His embrace with Leela was lovely and it's a surprise that for him it's been around seventy years since he last saw the savage. The way he was caught up on events with Rassilon being in charge, Ollistra's past incarnation Matrix project and Romana's fate was really good and also served as a little reminder for the listener on how far we have come! I liked that the Daleks actually featured in this episode for the first time this series and I adored that Leela wasn't afraid of a singular one. She really had no fear. Narvin being in his final life and taking the decision quite literally into his own hands over which choice was the Artefact was good, but he didn't die and actually had an interesting conversation with the voices of Phaidon. Leela's conversing with them throughout the episode was good and they brought a nice chill and enigmatic nature to the atmosphere. The General's admiration for Leela was really nice to hear and the way he honoured her at the end was a nice touch. Rasmus and Ollistra didn't see that coming and I like that they don't quite know the truth regarding the fate of the Artefact. Leela not going off with Narvin as part of the resistance was a shame but he understood that she needed to return to the War Room in order to hopefully free Romana. I do hope he features in the next boxset though! I'm pretty confident he will. Overall, this was a strong conclusion to what has been a really intriguing series to continue the Time War saga. Hopefully we can get more Rassilon in the next series! A great listen. 

Rating: 8/10

War Room: Allegiance: Collateral Victim

"You can die ignorant or you can die informed."

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Gallifrey 13.03

Featuring: Leela

Synopsis

Rasmus, Leela and Veklin are despatched into dangerous territory: a place where time itself is in tatters. One TARDIS and its crew has already been lost – will the Norvis system claim another?

Verdict

Collateral Victim was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Allegiance volume of War Room to serve as Gallifrey's thirteenth series! This was definitely the best of the boxset so far and the format was right up my alley. I'm a sucker for a story involving time and the jumping around Mellacron's history was brilliant. There was a complete lack of control for much of the story which was great and I really enjoyed the unpredictable nature of what was happening. There was no knowing when they would end up! I thought it was fun to split the group up and the dynamic between Leela and Rasmus in particular here was strong stuff. It was obvious that their minds were not their own for much of the story and that led to Leela challenging Rasmus in a big way when he was willing to see the people of Mellacron destroyed. They literally were just considered as collateral damage and I adored Leela's counter to his argument that they shouldn't exist. The fact was they did exist and so they needed help! That was tremendous. I am a big fan of her compassion and that is certainly something that seems missing from the Time Lords during the Time War. The search for Bandar was a good direction for the story but the more intriguing character was certainly Sorn. The truth regarding him as Bandar's very own TARDIS that had developed a conscience was excellent but it didn't stop there. A sentient TARDIS is more than enough for entertainment in its own right, but the achievement of trapping an entire galaxy within its interior dimension was incredible! That's a sensational concept and the fact Rasmus was considering it as a means of ending the Time War was very good. I'm all for finding ways to end the Time War, but I would have appreciated getting an insight into Rassilon's thoughts on this as a means of victory. I get the sense that he would not be content with the Daleks surviving in essentially a pocket universe believing they were victorious. He would want them completely wiped out in my opinion. I really liked Ephra as a character and her connection with Bandar was terrific. They'd built quite a relationship since he'd initially arrived and the way she utilised his ability to manipulate reality was fantastic. She gave Leela the power to merge TARDIS interiors which was delightful and something she revelled in as the means just came to her. The emotion that came from the episode drawing out with Bandar losing his mind and slowly his power was sad stuff, especially with Veklin once again showing her ruthlessness in killing Ephra and using her as a shield. She's a dark horse this one! I'm a big fan of her and she is quite the asset for Ollistra to have in her arsenal. Sending the planet as a temporal bomb literally straight into the Dalek fleet was quite the fate for this planet that had experienced a lot, but this really was wartime. There were no lengths the Time Lords were seemingly willing to not go, but they did accept that the plan of trapping the Daleks within a universe inside a TARDIS interior was not feasible when accounting for the natural expansion of the universe. They would have to continually be building battle TARDISes and that wasn't entirely feasible. It was an exciting idea though and one I absolutely got behind. Overall, an excellent episode! 

Rating: 9/10

War Room: Allegiance: The Passenger

"What difference does one more madman make?"

Writer: David Llewellyn

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Gallifrey 13.02

Featuring: Leela

Synopsis

Cardinal Rasmus arrives in the War Room and vies for control with Ollistra. But first, they have a mystery to solve: a sole survivor from a Dalek attack has returned home – but is he a hero, or a threat?

Verdict

The Passenger was another really strong episode to continue my way through the Allegiance first series of War Room, serving as the thirteenth series overall of Gallifrey. We've come a long way over the course of this spinoff and this was an intriguing look into the Tine War and the depths the Time Lords would go for even a small victory. I thought the concept behind the plot was really good and it always works well to have a Time Lord thought lost returning. Even better when that Time Lord is coming back on a Dalek ship! That was really clever and I liked the mystery of his identity. It's a fun quirk on Gallifrey that given the nature of regeneration there would be no way to confirm he was who he said he was on appearance or even DNA. It needed to be the Matrix and utilising that here was really good. I thought restricting Leela to more of a cameo role was an intriguing move given the build up to the series, but it did allow for some good character development between the main characters in this story of Ollistra, the General and Rasmus. This was my first experience of the latter and he was a good character, I was a big fan of his enigmatic nature and he definitely did seem to not be on the side of Ollistra and the General. He would certainly be someone to challenge them at the very least which was terrific. His honour in meeting Leela was also a nice touch and I like how the General has started showing her some considerable respect in a way to get the best out of her. There was no longer a collar and he even demanded Ollistra show her the respect she deserved. The reveal of the passenger being Cato Kelgoth was good and the more we learned about him the better. He was the sole survivor of the Candassia which was a Time Lord ship thought lost in a pocket universe for refuge, except it was actually destroyed by the Time Lords at the behest of the General and Ollistra to wipe out the couple of hundred Daleks concerned with it. Of course, that meant two thousand Time Lords going with it. That's some sacrifice! Cato knew all about that though and he'd devised his own plan starting with using the weapon of his own devising from salvaged Dalek technology and to wipe out Area 5 and a thousand Time Lord scientists! That was bold and rather extraordinary to happen. I did think it was predictable when he was issuing the instructions for the instruments in his ship that something was going to go awry, but it was still a fun moment when it happened. The War Room was defeated and Cato showed no remorse in the slightest. I thought the discussion on his punishment was fascinating as a simple execution would not be sufficient. That was quick and easy, but the actual fate of being exiled and using the chameleon arch to turn him into a mortal human was pretty cruel! The Gorgon being used to destroy the Candassia was good but that paled in comparison to the instructions of Ollistra to Veklin to assassinate Cato was brilliant. It didn't stop there though as she went even further to erase his memory! It was funny to hear the General and the likes pondering on the name of the Time Lord that did cause Area 5 to vanish. The Death Zone setting of that was fun and I think as a whole this was a strong look into the make up of the Time Lord war effort, both past and present. Overall, a strong listen! 

Rating: 8/10

War Room: Allegiance: The Last Days of Freme

"You need to let Romana go."

Writer: Lou Morgan

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Gallifrey 13.01

Featuring: Leela

Synopsis

Leela is assigned to the War Room by Lord Rassilon himself. There, she finds an earlier incarnation of Ollistra, restored from the Matrix to oversee operations. She has a mission for Leela, and will go to any lengths to ensure compliance...

Verdict

The Last Days of Freme was was a great start to the Allegiance instalment of War Room, serving as the thirteenth series of the incredible Gallifrey spinoff! After such an eventful run in the four series of Time War, the ending to Homecoming with Romana being exiled and Rassilon taking Leela as his prisoner was tremendous. I’m not entirely sure that the stakes in this opener matched the ending of the previous boxset, but that would be incredibly difficult to achieve and I think we’ll have a good build up as this series goes on. It’s a nice change for the Gallifrey series and it definitely feels like we’re geared towards the latter days of the Time War with Rassilon’s continued talk of ascension. It’s a staggering goal and it’s clear he’s rather deranged. I’m a big fan of this incarnation of the infamous Lord President. He’s extremely chilling and doesn’t always feel like he’s in the room which is a huge compliment. It’s a fine villain. It’s a little strange to think that the lone savage of Leela is our only protagonist for this series with no Romana or Narvin this time around. She’s much more experienced now than when she was travelling in the TARDIS and I adore that her savage routes and instinct are attempted to be harvested for the benefit of the Time Lord cause. Leela’s devotion to Romana and her aim for Gallifrey is magnificent and I like that she was playing the game. She essentially did talk the people of Freme into blowing up their own planet in an effort to thwart the Daleks. The Time Lords having a lack of respect for their own Laws of Time is intriguing during wartime as they don’t seem to have a second guess when going back in time to stop the Daleks ever being in a position to take it. The Fremians were an intriguing bunch and whilst their planet was no longer their home, I enjoyed that its symbolism was important. Leela being the point of contact there was good and the only logical thing really. I’m really enjoying the continuity of having the General in the incarnation we saw on screen in Hell Bent present, but crikey he seems so inferior to Rassilon! It does add some credibility to the series which I’m all far. I was also delighted that Rassilon had extracted an earlier incarnation of Ollistra to see over some Time Lord operations. She was the one handing out the mission here which was great. I was a big fan of her return and I’m looking forward to hearing her direction for the series ahead. I think it’s quite fun that the TARDIS chameleon circuit failed upon arriving on Freme and that provided an almost instant sense of vulnerability. Leela was firmly in control in the forestry environment there despite the horror of her being controlled by a collar! She did please Rassilon in having them part of a Time Lord alliance which was good and there were some very Doctor-like elements in the conclusion there. I was impressed with her skill and intelligence. Overall, a really strong opener that has set things up with a nice sense of intrigue moving forward. A great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Fugitive of the Daleks

"I always dreamt of one more adventure in the TARDIS."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: January 2024

Series: First Doctor Adventures 3.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Dodo, Vicki

Synopsis

Years after ending her travels with the Doctor, Vicki finds herself back in the TARDIS. The Doctor desperately needs her help, and she's only too happy to oblige. But in the process, the two of them fall into a series of perilous encounters, with the dreaded Daleks never far behind them.

What is the mysterious presence inside the TARDIS? And precisely what damage do the Daleks and their agents intend to cause to the flow of Earth's history?

The Doctor and Vicki must call upon all their guile and bravery to discover the truth and save the day.

Verdict

Fugitive of the Daleks was an outstanding story to serve as the third series of the new First Doctor Adventures! I really did think this was a sublime adventure and definitely worth the three hours plus running time. I usually do prefer for releases to have multiple stories, especially when we only get one instalment of the First Doctor Adventures each year, but this was just magnificent. It felt like the continuation of Dalek stories for the First Doctor era on screen and that's a huge compliment. There really was so much going on. We followed up the mysterious cliffhanger to The Incherton Incident with the TARDIS randomly arriving at the time of a familiar former companion. And it was unlocked! Having Vicki just saunter back into the control room was wonderful and I loved how her maturity was now presented given her old age. We've seen in The Time Meddler Tales of the TARDIS and from the cover artwork how she looks now, so that was a real treat to have her reunited with the First Doctor once again. Of course, this time around he's played by Stephen Noonan who I think did a fine job and the writing definitely helps in giving this a genuine feel. It certainly is authentic and having the Daleks involved helps with that. I loved the continuity heavy nature of the story with allusions to the Doctor wanting a sonic screwdriver and Vicki recognising that the TARDIS must have had a translation circuit. There was also a nice reference to The Doctor's Wife with the Doctor mentioning how if any room was jettisoned in the TARDIS, any lifeforms would just be deposited back in the console room. I loved how the story was essentially The Chase 2.0 in having the Doctor and Vicki for the most part jumping around from numerous destinations. Except the Doctor accompanying Vicki was actually the robot duplicate she saw in the Dalek Time Machine in that very aforementioned serial! That was honestly extraordinary and whilst I did suspect something was up when the Doctor mentioned only having memories up to waking up in the jungles of Mechanus, I didn't see that coming. It was magnificent. The Doctor's disappearance that Dodo witnessed turning out to be him skipping a time track and that was still being felt at the end so I suspect that's something we'll take further moving forward in the range. I'm certainly intrigued to hear where that element goes. I thought some of the different settings were really good and I think the opening one of Perpetuity Station in particular was really good with the robots not knowing they were robots. Anytime it was mentioned their programme quickly reasserted their story. It was also a good way of stabilising the Doctor when the listener didn't know he was also a robot! I thought the humour that came from the quick visit to Earth and the twentieth century was just tremendous as we heard the back end conversation of two workers who had been knocking down police boxes after their decommissioning. And yet here was a brand new one appearing right as their job was being inspected! The fact it had disappeared and the confusion that caused to the two council workers' superior was just wonderful. So simple but so good. The true article Doctor turning out to be within and imitating the Dalek Supreme was not expected and the links back to The Daleks' Master Plan to explain that was really good! It was on the right line of silliness in that it was just about believable. The robot Doctor aiming to self destruct himself in 1911 at the gathering of many of human history's most important scientists in a way to lure the real Doctor was intriguing and that sparked an emotional reaction from Vicki. She knew he wouldn't be coming because she'd wished for him on many occasions throughout her life. I liked that she saved the day on her extra journey in the TARDIS. The meeting she had with Dodo was really nice too and it's easy to forget they never travelled together. It was really nice for Vicki to learn of what became of Steven in The Savages and I also liked how important family was to her. She wanted to stay with the Doctor, but he and the TARDIS knew that she needed to return home to her grandchild. She was a widow now, but she still had family. The Doctor could deal with the Daleks! Having them trapped in ice was brilliant and rather ingenious of Vicki. The fate of the robot Doctor was staggeringly good as Vicki's deactivation warned off the Daleks, but then the Doctor set him off to become the Abbot of Amboise! That obviously has some rather fun implications for The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve, but it was a fitting end to what was a sensational adventure! Overall, an excellent listen. 

Rating: 10/10

Stamp of Approval

"I'm thinking of starting a collection."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Short Story

Released: June 2006

Series: Doctor Who Files 02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

After the Doctor decides to take up stamp collecting, Rose writes a letter to her mother from 1840 Bath to reflect on events and a mysterious encounter with an inky monster...

Verdict

Stamp of Approval was a decent little story as I continue my adventure through the Doctor Who Files short stories! It's nearly two decades too late, but it's better late than never and I feel like now is a good chance to tick these off the blog list before my little toddler menace gets too handsy with his pens! He loves to write and draw in nearly all of his books and these seem appealing to him with their target audience being aimed towards younger fans. He's not just a fan yet as I don't see him graduating from Bluey or Dino Ranch just yet, but maybe one day we'll get there and I can pass off the books for him to enjoy. The story itself was unique and I really liked that there was a unique format in having the entire story take the form of a letter. Rose writing to her mum was really nice and I would imagine it's something Jackie would really have appreciated, but sadly we didn't get to know any kind of response. That's fine though as the letter itself was more than enough and it was just pleasant for Rose to be writing. I thought it was a fun idea for the Doctor to want to start stamp collecting and whilst that feels like something I might expect more of the Fifth or Eleventh Doctors, it was not wholly out of character for the Tenth Doctor. Of course, having a time machine helps when it comes to being able to collect stamps and it definitely seems right that the place to begin is at the start with the very first stamp. The famous penny black! I echoed Rose's comments about even I had heard of that one without having any kind of knowledge about stamps, but I do know about their value and some of it can be pretty staggering! We didn't really delve into any kind of monetary values, but the mentions of printing errors being incredibly valuable was really good and was actually something I knew about thanks to an episode of The Blacklist in its final season. That one was focused on the Sicilian Error of Colour, but here I imagine the price of an alternate version of the very first stamp would be worth an incredible amount! And here Rose was sending one to Jackie through time. I thought the characterisation of Rose could have been a little better as whilst I do understand the target audience of the stories within these books, it did sound like Rose was much more immature than her age. I know she's young, but it did feel at times like a child was writing. With the Doctor Who File focusing on Rose, it's only natural that she is the star of the show in the story in her book. With Queen Victoria adorning the stamp, I liked how Rose compared her appearance to actually meeting her in Tooth and Claw, but that was forty years into the future so of course she would look different! I thought the concept behind the Hobothies was average and probably came a little late in the story to be honest, but it was fun for the link with the ink and the mess that would make! Rose actually dealt with the Hobothy rather quickly and in emphatic fashion with a kick that was a little too conveniently timed with the press of the stamp, but it saw the psychic link broken with a bang rather suddenly. I liked the message at the end with Rose pondering on the stamp collecting and maybe even getting started herself whilst also acknowledging that it was her who saved the day. Overall, a solid little read! 

Rating: 7/10

The Children of the Future

"A gift from the Doctor. It's from the future!"

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: February 2024

Series: Sontarans vs Rutans 1.02

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane, Brigadier

Synopsis

The war between the Sontarans and the Rutans has been going on for millennia. And is likely to continue for millennia more. A terrible conflict with no care for consequences or collateral damage. Billions have died with no end in sight.

The Brigadier is used to the Doctor acting strangely, but this time there's something decidedly different about the whole affair. As he looks into the Time Lord's odd activities outside of UNIT, there's a mystery that'll take Lethbrdige-Stewart to a site very familiar to Sarah Jane Smith. 

Can the Brigadier trust his old friend? Who are his mysterious new allies? And is the future of humanity really at stake? A Sontaran threat could spell the end of their long-standing friendship... and the entire planet!

Verdict

The Children of the Future was a great episode to continue my way through the Sontarans vs Rutans celebratory series! This is a tremendous idea to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Sontarans debuting in The Time Warrior, and despite them not actually featuring in this episode I really enjoyed the links to that debut serial. I think it's wonderful that we get another Sarah Jane story linked to the Sontarans and Lindsay Castle. It's obviously an important time for her to remember as it was her first trip in the TARDIS, and I liked the little line linking back to The House That Hoxx Built in claiming she and the Doctor had just come back from the end of the world. That was really nicely done and placed things continuity wise. I'm always a fan when that happens. I also thought it was powerful for the Third Doctor her to realise that he was getting towards the end of his incarnation. He linked things back to the emotional events of Doctor Who and the Silurians when he was fresh in his current body, but with Planet of the Spiders looming it's fascinating to know that he knew his time was almost up. The pairing of the Brigadier and Sarah Jane was magnificent and I liked how they took things into their own hands when it came to investigating the mysterious actions of the Doctor over the last month or so. He was obviously up to something but it would be so much easier if they could just trust him! I do think much of the episode was predictable but that didn't make it any less fun. The Doctor claiming to be helping the Earth Defence Force of 1994 was interesting because it just didn't sound right. The remnants of people coming back through time to escape a Sontaran invasion of Earth. His plan to have them procreate with the people of the past in a bid to prevent the future was incredible, but Sarah knew that those weren't the normal actions of the Time Lord. The EDF were of course actually Rutans which was good and I like how that rounds things out for Sarah regarding this endless war in meeting both sides alongside the Third Doctor. I thought Tim Treloar was terrific once again as the third incarnation and I am so used to him in that role now. He's a delight, as are Sadie Miller and Jon Culshaw in bringing Sarah Jane and the Brigadier to life anew on audio. It's a real treat. Stanley as the little shop owner was a lovely little character and it was clear right from the off that he was a Rutan, but he was different. He just wanted peace and to live a life. He didn't react much to overhearing Sarah and the Brigadier work out what had happened and why the faces at the Cascade Project all look familiar. They had been replicated from the Herald newspaper! That was the obvious giveaway of the Rutan presence, and the Doctor trying to limit their presence on Earth with the staggered use of the time tunnel was good. Of course, the blundering in of the Brigadier and Sarah set things back a bit, but I did really enjoy the moment where the Rutans took on the form of the Doctor as well. The Brigadier was posed with the issue of having to pick between them, and the way the real Doctor revealed himself by harking back to the line where he used his full name when mad at the Brigadier was a really good touch. That brought things full circle for the episode in a very neat way! I like the ambiguous ending with the Doctor and company not knowing full well what the Rutan aim was, but I get the sense that we'll get an answer in the finale of this little series. I like that things will all tie back, or at least it feels that way, but as a whole this was a really good episode to continue the series! 

Rating: 8/10

X and the Daleks

"The Daleks offer us nothing but fear and death."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: November 2012

Series: Dark Eyes 1.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Molly

Synopsis

'Subject is called Molly O'Sullivan. An inhabitant of Earth. Born Earth year 1891. Has travelled in space and time with Time Lord known as the Doctor.'

With Straxus and his TARDIS destroyed, the Doctor and Molly have tracked the mysterious 'X' to the planet Srangor. It is here that the truth of the threat to the universe will finally be revealed. 

What is the Dalek Time Controller's ultimate plan? What exactly is the space-time projector? Who will survive this epic battle for survival?

Verdict

X and the Daleks was another fantastic episode to conclude the first series of Dark Eyes within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! Considering that there are still three more boxsets to come in this range, I was actually surprised by how much of a finality feeling there was at the end. This was really strong stuff and served as a fine conclusion to what has been a tremendously consistent set of stories and a superb story arc! I absolutely love Molly as the companion and I'm intrigued by how things were left with her here. She did seem to have something more of a scared feeling in the episode but that didn't stop her from showcasing her brash confidence. She was needed when the Doctor was taken out and she pulled her weight, quite literally, when called upon. The mystery regarding X, who we already knew as Kotris, was really strong and I enjoyed finding out more about him. The concept of a Time Lord willingly becoming part Dalek is sensational and I love the idea of looking objectively at the universe and seeing that the Time Lords were more guilty of causing death than the Daleks. That's a bold claim, but for Kotris that was what he believed and so much so that he wanted to revoke his own species. As if that was not enough, the truth regarding his origins was most unexpected as he turned out to be the next incarnation of Straxus! That was pretty amazing and I loved that Kotris was just the family name. He didn't want the name of the previous incarnation anymore. The discussion between Kotris and Straxus was really interesting stuff and the former actually stopping his future self by sacrificing himself was extraordinary! The implications for the web of time there were really interesting as for Molly, that meant her dark eyes had never become a thing because Kotris had never come into being! He had plaid an important role by saving the Dalek Time Controller, but now his life had never happened. Molly saving the Doctor and flying the TARDIS back to France so she could fulfil her role in providing care for Kitty was a lovely ending for her and really rounded out her arc for the series. The exploration into the importance of her dark eyes was excellent and I loved how defensive she was when she thought the Doctor was mocking her. She'd experienced enough of that in school which was quite sad to hear. The eyes being a result of her injection of retro-genitor particles. The idea of her being a weapon was expected, but the concept of inhibiting regeneration thanks to the radiation was really good! I thought it was wonderful for Molly to want to sacrifice herself if it meant saving people as she knew that she was infected and the key, so if she died everyone would be safe. The Doctor was having none of it, especially when she seemingly fell to her death! The Doctor wasn't dealing with that well, especially considering how much he was still reeling from Lucie's death. Nadean was a strong character too and I loved his determination to save Molly. Even if it meant the Daleks surviving. The involvement of the Time Lords in this Dalek plot is intriguing and definitely has the feeling of being a precursor to the Time War, especially when it came to the Time Lords being in control all along and knowing the effect of Molly's bonding with the Doctor would have on the particles within her. That was really nice. I'm fascinated to hear how things move forward from here with the Doctor being united again with Molly, especially when the whole Dark Eyes angle seems to have concluded! This felt final, but it's lovely to know that it is not! Overall, a fantastic listen and a fitting finale for what has been a magnificent series. 

Rating: 9/10

Tangled Web

"I got lost in the storm."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: November 2012

Series: Dark Eyes 1.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Molly

Synopsis

Something happened when Molly O'Sullivan was just two years old, and the Doctor thinks it's high time they found out exactly what it was. 

Meanwhile, the Daleks are fully activating their Temporal Chamber. And while the Doctor and Molly get closer to the terrible truth, the nature of reality itself seems to be in question.

Verdict

Tangled Web was was another excellent episode to continue my way through the first series of Dark Eyes Eighth Doctor Adventures! Whilst each individual episode has stayed just shy of a perfect rating, I can’t heap enough praise on this series so far. I’m absolutely loving the pairing of the Eighth Doctor and Molly and the mystery surrounding the importance of the new companion was put even deeper here. I liked how things started with Molly as a two-year-old who’d gone missing on her second birthday. The person who’d found her? The equally mysterious Kortis. He’s a fascinating character with him being a Time Lord on the side of the Daleks. That’s a dangerous place to be and the suggestion at the episode’s conclusion from Straxus that he was genetically modified by the Daleks was very exciting. Just what is he then if a Time Lord altered at the genetic level in favour of the Daleks? I can’t wait to find out. The Time Lords having designated him as simply X does seem a little naff, but I’m very much looking forward to finding out what role he has in wiping out the Time Lords and what sort of role Molly will have. I think she’s absolutely tremendous and her accent is to die for with how she pronounces Daleks and still refers to the TARDIS as the Tardy-box. I just love it. I think it’s really good to have her as a quite innocent woman who does believe that there could be good Daleks. Her analogy to the men of war and the German women doing what she was doing on the front was tremendous. She certainly hasn’t forgotten her routes which I love. The Doctor though, here in his eighth incarnation, refused to believe that there could be any such thing as a good Dalek. And yet here Daleks were hoping they wouldn’t get cold in a cave, laughing with children, and apparently mutating to the point that they only went in the traditional Dalek casing as a comfort point for a nap. That was extraordinary! Hearing the Doctor wish that this could be true and that there would be some non-evil Daleks was very good, as he knew it just couldn’t happen. His little reference to Davros as being a madman was glorious and I thought this was a stellar performance from Paul McGann. He evoked so much emotion and dealt with whatever was in the Doctor’s head with genuine anguish. Just when he was becoming himself, he’d be essentially comatose and that’s a dangerous place for the Doctor. It allowed Molly a chance to explore the peaceful planet of Skaro where even flowers now grew. There were no longer any petrified forests. Of course, this wasn’t reality which was kind of expected but discovering that it came from the Doctor’s mind was really fun. Does he really desire the Daleks to be good? I really liked the further exploration of Molly’s ability to pilot the TARDIS and it’s clearly just instinct. She remembered being in the TARDIS of Kortis when younger which was intriguing and her mind is certainly tangled. Overall, a really fun episode that continued the emotional development of the series in a fine way that sets us up for a fun first boxset finale! I can’t wait for more. A fantastic listen. 

Rating: 9/10

Fugitives

"Do you go in for this time travel lark all the time?"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: November 2012

Series: Dark Eyes 1.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Molly

Synopsis 

With the first objective of his mission reached, almost nothing is going to plan for the Doctor. He finds he cannot contact or return to the Time Lord's home planet, Gallifrey. And just when Molly O'Sullivan thinks she's escaped one conflict, she finds herself in the thick of another one.

What is it that connects the Doctor, the Daleks and the mysterious Ides Scientific Institute?

Verdict

Fugitives was another excellent episode to continue my way through the first series of Dark Eyes within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! After only two adventures I must say I am absolutely loving it so far. This story really gave us a fine plot that furthered the mystery of Molly O'Sullivan whilst also continuing the intrigue of what direction things will head towards as the rest of the series and beyond unfolds. Following on from the cliffhanger at the end of The Great War, Molly gets to escape with the Doctor inside the TARDIS and her familiarity with it is very interesting. I was a huge fan of Molly's already just from her opening story, but now she really is quite the enigma! Her Irish accent and being from the First World War are brilliant qualities in themselves, but now she can fly the TARDIS? The Doctor was as perplexed as this listener was. It wasn't that big of a deal initially that she could open the TARDIS doors as that's a singular control and she certainly wouldn't have been the first to replicate that, but to actually take off and dematerialise in quick time to get away from the Daleks? That required skill and immense calculations which she just did by instinct. Whilst all the information is far from being out there, it's no wonder the Daleks are after Molly too. Getting a bit more of the conversation Straxus had with the Doctor about giving him hope and providing the mission to save Molly was good, but with her on board the TARDIS the inability to contact Gallifrey was proving difficult. She'd have to stick around. I really enjoyed how Molly came out of her shell throughout the course of this episode and the Doctor was not holding back in being sympathetic to her lack of knowledge regarding time travel and when she was from. The jump to 1940 was good and Molly dealt with that somewhat well, even though she learned there was a Second World War, but the jump to 1972 was where things got really interesting. That was a bit too far in the future for her liking, but they were expected! The Ides Scientific Institute being at the Doctor's old residence of Baker Street was very good, especially when the Doctor had unknowingly sent them £1 billion for an experiment! The message coming in the top secret computer system was good fun too. I liked how the seeds were dropped on what's to come and I really do look forward to discovering how everything ties together. The Daleks didn't do an awful lot in this episode but when they were present they were rather deadly! Molly was scared to see them again so soon which sold their fear factor, not that it was required! I loved how she deduced that the Doctor had lost people to the Daleks before and that he'd been fighting them for a very long time. I also loved the Gallifrey being in Ireland line featuring again here, but this time it actually works in a non-cliche way! I absolutely adored Molly constantly referring to the TARDIS as the tardy-box and her sarcastic nature of emphasising 'the' Doctor is glorious. She's an instant hit as a companion. So what makes her so special to the Daleks and the mysterious Kotris? Getting a glimpse of him with the Daleks was intriguing and the suggestion of their actions falling everything into plan was very good. They do seem to have control which is terrific. Molly getting to grips with time travel and the potential of the TARDIS was tremendous and I really loved her bonding with the Doctor when she asked to go somewhere fun as they waited for the Time Lords to come calling. The humour of the anti-gravity waves and Molly being thrown about was just lovely. The Doctor was finally able to let his hair down for a bit, but there's still so much more to come. Overall, an excellent episode! Let's keep the dark eyes comments coming.

Rating: 9/10