The Tsuranga Conundrum

"It won't eat us, but it will eat the ship we're on."

Writer: Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 3rd November 2018
Series: 11.05

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

Injured and stranded in the wilds of a far-flung galaxy, the Doctor, Yaz, Graham and Ryan must band together with a group of strangers to survive against one of the universe's most deadly and unusual creatures...

Verdict

The Tsuranaga Conundrum was another good episode in the eleventh series of Doctor Who. The Thirteenth Doctor maintains her solid start as we reach the halfway point of her first series and we got her first complete adventure on a spaceship! This was probably the weakest episode so far and I was quite surprised to see that Chris Chibnall was writing once again and I feel that we need someone refreshing now for the next few episodes. That's not to say that this wasn't good though! I liked the tension and the atmosphere was very good and the Doctor did genuinely seem stuck at some points in the episode which isn't something we're used to seeing. My favourite thing about this story was probably the amount we got to see of Yaz again. Ryan and Graham were put on the back-burner a little here which was absolutely fine as she got to shine. The Pting was a very intriguing and unexpected menace to the ship and I thought it was super cute whilst also having a presence of evil. It was just so small! The fact that it wasn't carnivorous was good and I liked the idea of it feeding on energy. It didn't need oxygen and could easily survive in a vacuum so it was pretty durable! It did seem more and more likely as the episode progressed that there was no way of dealing with its threat. I liked that its being drawn to energy was concealed and took the Doctor a little while to work it out. Jodie Whittaker was wonderful once again and I really am enjoying her as the Doctor. Mabli was a very good character and I liked how unfazed she was when she realised that Astos was dead and she was the only medic on board. I loved the moment the Doctor was told she was being selfish and she fully accepted it, almost embarrassingly. That was quite powerful and a really great moment. The emotional story behind Eve's illness and her concealment from her brother was a nice addition and I also found Ryan telling Yaz about his mum dying quite a strong moment. He and Graham baring witness and playing quite a big role in a man giving birth was quite something but I loved how Ryan talked him into keeping the baby. The resolution to the bomb being detonated was quite simple but really effective and that seems to be a common theme of this series so far. Whilst the quality has been good, we're halfway now and I think a few more risks should be taken rather than playing it safe and not over-complicating things. We need a big villain! But anyway, as a whole I thought this episode still worked very well and it was another good continuation of the series.

Rating: 7/10

The Good Doctor

"A stranger and her friends. Come to save us all."

Writer: Juno Dawson
Format: Novel
Released: 25th October 2018
Series: NSA 63

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

"To distort the purity of the Good Doctor is an abomination!"

On the planet of Lobos, the Doctor hails a violent war between the native Loba and human colonists. The TARDIS crew departs - only for Ryan to discover he's left his phone behind. Again.

Upon returning, the Doctor finds that the TARDIS has slipped hundreds of years into the future - and something has gone badly wrong. The Loba are now slaves, serving human zealots who worship a figure known as The Good Doctor.

It's time for the Doctor to face up to the consequences of her last visit. With Lobos on the brink of catastrophe, will she be able to make things right?

Verdict

The Good Doctor was a very good novel and a great start to the format for the Thirteenth Doctor and her friends! It was a really decent book and I was glad that the novels accompanying the television series started strongly. I thought the novel took a little time to get into the full swing of things after a hasty first chapter but once the TARDIS landed on Lobos for the second time, at the wrong period, the story really kicked into gear. I thought the writing of all four members of Team TARDIS was excellent and I was particularly impressed with how well Jodie Whittaker's likeness was captured on the page. The characterisation of the Thirteenth Doctor was really impressive. I thought the relationship with Yaz was lovely here and the reaction of the Doctor when the mine was blown up showed just how much her friends meant to her. Graham was superb in this book and him being mistakenly worshipped as the Good Doctor was quite intriguing. I was initially sceptical of the decision for Graham to be the one that Lobos had come to see as their religion's figurehead but it actually was great writing and the text that followed really went to undermine those who didn't think the Doctor should be a woman. What was so bad about women? Why should they be inferior? That being the stance at this point in the history of Lobos was good and I loved the Doctor's reaction to that. It'll be interesting to see, as alluded to here, if her change in gender will cause any problems during her travels, particularly into the past on Earth. Mykados was an excellent character and his absolute devotion to the cause of the Good Doctor was extraordinary. I'm an Atheist and I found the absolute ridiculing of religion here just wonderful. Surely religious people could see similarities to their religion here? Anyway, Tempika and Jaya's relationship was a terrific highlight of the story and I liked how iconic and symbolic their relationship was at the novel's conclusion. They would lead the new Labos into peace and harmony and more importantly, equality. Graham finding the true history documents and the original peace treaty that the Doctor and co helped broker on their first visit was very good. I wasn't sure about Ryan forgetting his phone being the reason why the TARDIS returned to Labos but I enjoyed the vague resemblance to The Ark. Trolos was another interesting character and the Doctor's absolute refusal to fight with a weapon in the trial by combat was perfect of her personality. I really liked that and she seemed to stay alive quite easily with her words. Mykados killing himself instead of living in the new world was unexpected but just showed how devoted he was to his religion, even if it was one he had constructed, at least in some part. Graham's adoption of the Good Doctor was very humorous throughout and I also loved the reference to Bradley Walsh's role as presenter of The Chase. That was very clever writing. Pry was a good character too and Yaz stalling his bringing down of the Temple was great. The role the Eyes played in the resolution was really good and I liked how the Doctor and her companions all came together at perfect timing. Even the TARDIS did as she was told! The epilogue was really wonderful and a lovely little summary of just who the Doctor is and what she stands for. She should be believed in. Overall, a very good novel!

Rating: 8/10

The Prisoner of Peladon

"Seeing phantoms of the past walking in the present..."

Writers: Cavan Scott & Mark Wright
Format: Audio
Released: September 2009
Series: Companion Chronicles 4.03

Featuring: Third Doctor

Synopsis

"Tonight, I am going tell you the story of the Prisoner of Peladon, and of the time when a friend and protector returned to our planet. A man called... the Doctor."

The planet Peladon has joined the Galactic Federation, and has undergone a painful period of change. Still eager to embrace alien culture, King Peladon has welcomed refugee Ice Warriors to his world - innocent creatures that are fleeing the New Martian Republic.

But, as an old friend returns to the capitol, there is murder in the refugee camps. Could the truth lie in an ancient legend?

Verdict

The Prisoner of Peladon was an excellent audio story! It really was a fantastic Companion Chronicle and I liked the little shift in having a familiar character, rather than an actual companion, tell the tale of an unseen adventure for the Doctor. King Peladon being in the title role was terrific and David Troughton brought the character back to life very well. I thought the setting of five years after the events of The Curse of Peladon was very good and it worked extremely well with the joining of the Galactic Federation still very much being fresh in the minds and everyday lives of the Pels. Adding a Martian Civil War into the mix was a superb ingredient and I liked how King Peladon was more than willing to offer refuge for those who were fleeing from the New Martian Republic. Axlaar made a great villain and I thought the deception of the Ice Warriors was excellent. They were back to their very best and this was a branch of the Martain race I was very supportive of appearing in Doctor Who. The Ice Warriors are at their best when they're evil and that's exactly what they were here. The arrival of the Third Doctor to Peladon was done nicely and I thought the writing of the Third Doctor himself was actually very good. Some of the little dialogue traits and the mentioning of him touching the back of his neck was fantastic. It's the little things that are appreciated and they were more than present here which was delightful. The return of Alpha Centauri and Grun was an unexpected pleasure and their roles in the story were quite surprising. The latter unexpectedly died and showed you that there were no limits in an audio story featuring only partially familiar characters. The former, however, was key to the plot and she had used the legend of the Prisoner of Peladon wonderfully well to conceal a Martian princess. She was the treasure that Axlaar was seeking to put an end to the doubts that surrounded the current claim to the Martian throne. Something that did surprise me was the defiance of King Peladon once the accidental death of the Martians had occurred and he just bellowed at the Doctor's nature of how he treated the whole thing as a game. I was quite taken aback by that and the Doctor's silent reply was incredibly powerful. He had no defence and his methods had been questioned. Peladon was safe, but the Doctor just went away quite quickly after that. The feeling of Jo's departure was very much felt in this story which was brilliant and as a whole, I thought this was a fantastic audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth

"This is the tale of three newcomers."

Writer: Nick Abadzis
Format: Comic Strip
Released: March-April
Printed in: The Tenth Doctor #3.3-4

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Gabby, Cindy

Synopsis

The Doctor, Cindy, Gabby, and Noobis fought the battle of their lives to escape from a terrifying dreamworld, one in which their every secret desire seemed to be catered for... but at a terrible cost...! The culprit behind this nightmare was none other than an entity... which had disguised itself as a red TARDIS! Displeased that its captives had escaped, it reached out and grabbed Cindy, dragging her into the Time Vortex!

Verdict

Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth was an outstanding comic strip adventure! It really was quite brilliant and I liked that it continued immediately where Breakfast at Tyranny's left off. It was full of action and intrigue and I thought the setting of Ancient China worked wonderfully. I was a huge fan of that and the method of the story being told as a story by Wu Wei to his son Li was sublime. I was a huge fan of that and it made for quite a telling tale. I loved how the latter wanted a dragon and a princess and in a way, he actually got it! It really was striking and quite just marvellous. I particularly enjoyed it when Cindy, the real one, was referred to as a princess as it came relatively late into the story and Li must have been getting restless and the non-appearance of a princess up to that point. I thought Gabby was terrific in this one and I liked how she used her vortex butterflies, with a little help from Anubis, to get over the completely wrong Great Wall that had come to be built. I thought it was intriguing that the Doctor recognised that it was completely natural material but the time period and location was obviously wrong. The characterisation of the Tenth Doctor was very good in this story with David Tennant's likeness being excellently captured on the page. That was particularly present in the numerous speeches that the Doctor gave, particularly defending life. The Para-Nestene was a superb villain and I loved that is what it was revealed to be. The idea of the Nestene Consciousness from another universe making its presence felt was fantastic and I liked the difference of it not being concerned with plastic, but rather the organic. The multiple versions of Cindy were very intriguing and I liked how No-Name was not part of the crowd in just adhering to orders mindlessly. Anubis played an interesting role in the story and it was quite different seeing him with his human disguise. I'm sure Cindy approved! The real Cindy being found by Gabby was great and I liked the Doctor's reaction when he saw all the versions of Cindy. The red TARDIS was a really good aspect of the story and I loved how the Doctor reversed the polarity when it came to that using the Doctor's TARDIS for its own means. It would actually bring about its downfall in quite a spectacular way. The Para-Nestene knew it was defeated before it was too late and that was quite something to see. Overall, a sensational comic strip!

Rating: 10/10

The Memory Feast

"They foresaw their own end..."

Writer: George Mann

Format: Comic Strip
Released: June-July 2017

Printed in: The Eleventh Doctor #3.6-7

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Alice, Sapling

Synopsis

When the Sapling's mysterious vision leads the TARDIS to a luxury space cruise liner orbiting a black hole, the Doctor was shocked to discover over a dozen Ood still enslaved onboard, who had turned on their masters! Further investigations revealed that they had been disconnected from the Ood Song due to the black hole, and the Doctor was able to free them, and return them to the Song, and their planet.

Now, the journey continues... 

Verdict

The Memory Feast was a very good continuation of the third year of Eleventh Doctor comic strip adventures! It does seem quite a while now since I read Time of the Ood and I admittedly acknowledge that my reading of most of Titan's releases has been hampered by the shocking decision from BBC's Tales from the TARDIS comic to become a tri-monthly release. Thankfully, the superb Libraries West service has enabled me to pick up the graphic novels and continue my reading of the Eleventh Doctor's adventures at a far more favourable pace. I was delighted to see that George Mann was back penning a comic strip and I thought his characterisation of the Eleventh Doctor was pretty good with a decent likeness of Matt Smith captured on the page. I thought the acknowledging of Alice being a good companion and taking the initiative when it came to running away from the Thrake was terrific and as an enemy, I thought they were decent. I liked the concept behind the Xerxes and the prospect of them having died out before Time Lord civilisation had even begun showed the scale of just how long the memory ark had been floating around in space. I thought that was a good setting and the whole theme of memory and projection was fantastic. It was intriguing to see the memories of just one of the Xerxes but the most fascinating memories were those of the Doctor's. The little nod to An Unearthly Child with the image of 76 Totter's Lane was wonderful and I liked the fear factor of Skaro getting a mention too. The Sapling was really great in this story and I've been a bit sceptical about its presence but the sacrifice it was willing to make to save its progenitors was really quite something. The echo of the Xerxes never being forgotten and surviving its sacrifice was really good as well. The imagery of this comic strip was quite brilliant and I liked how it turned out to be one big chase. The Doctor being shown the way to defeating the Thrake by the Xerxes was good and I liked the simplicity of him providing the means to overload their greedy desires. The reference to The Tragical History Tour by the Doctor towards the Sapling and the hopes for a chat were good and I do hope that gets further explored in the next story in the run. For now though, this was a great little comic strip adventure!

Rating: 8/10

No More Lies

"Give me your time!"

Writer: Paul Sutton
Format: Audio
Released: June 2007
Series: EDA 1.06

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

What links a disintegrating spaceship to a posh garden party, where a wealthy couple are celebrating their love for each other in style? Gatecrashers the Doctor and Lucie think they know the answer. But they're not the only uninvited guests - ferocious alien warriors riding pterodactyl-like Vortisaurs are about to make their entrance!

Verdict

No More Lies was sadly another quite average audio adventure to continue the first series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures which was a real shame. I had really high hopes prior to starting this range but I've felt a little down so far with half of the releases actually proving to be not that great. It's actually surprised me a great deal because I'd heard great things about the Eighth Doctor and Lucie together and I thought that would be replicated in their stories. Don't get me wrong, this story wasn't atrocious or awful by any stretch of the imagination but it definitely could have been a lot better. I wasn't a huge fan of how things were already in flow full once the story began and it really did feel like I was listening to a part three of a story without having listened/watched the first two parts. It just seemed we were joining halfway through proceedings and I wasn't a fan of that approach. Coming back to my earlier comments about the Eighth Doctor and Lucie, I should mention that I actually thought they were terrific together and they're slowly blossoming into a fantastic pairing in the TARDIS. The comments from the companion where she claimed the Doctor was always looking at her bum were magnificent. His reaction to that was wonderful! He seemed genuinely perplexed as well as actually quite guilty. The premise of this story was pretty interesting but I do think the problem of joining into the story halfway through proceedings hurt things. I liked the return of the Vortisaurs and it made sense that they were attracted to the time loop. Zimmerman knowing his wife was dying must have been incredibly painful but the fact that he'd created a time loop so he could spend an eternal night with his Rachel was extremely touching. I wasn't a big fan of the Tar-Modowk and I thought they sounded a bit too much like a silly monster. I'm a huge fan of the Super Mario game series and they'd be much better suited somewhere like there. I thought the ending was done pretty well and I liked the heartbreak of the Doctor having to destroy the time loop to ensure the Vortisaurs didn't get what they wanted. The concept of the past coming back to haunt oneself was intriguing and really got me thinking. The Headhunter finally catching up with Lucie was a good way to end the story and set up the finale, something I am very excited for! Overall though, an average audio adventure that had a lot of room to improve.

Rating: 6/10

Victims

"A smidgen of style never hurt anyone."

Writer: Dan Abnett
Format: Comic Strip
Released: April-June 1994
Printed in: DWM 212-214

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II

Synopsis

Kolpasha is the fashion capital of the Human Empire. The Doctor and Romana have come to enjoy the new season's shows and re-outfit the TARDIS's tired, old wardrobe. However, they soon discover that someone is up to something deadly and they end up as the prime suspects in a murder case...

Verdict

Victims was a decent comic strip adventure and a good start to the Land of the Blind graphic novel! I must, once again, place my thanks to Libraries West for having this terrific collection of comic strip stories in their catalogue and it is a release I have been excited about since its announcement! I wasn't actually aware that DWM had produced comic strips with incarnations of the Doctor other than the Seventh Doctor so learning of this was a real treat. Starting with the Fourth Doctor and Romana II was fantastic and I thought their relationship was pretty well captured on the page. The fashion theme was certainly a unique one and I liked its originality. It definitely suited the Fourth Doctor with his outrageous fashion sense. Well, mostly the scarf is the reason for that. I thought the panels where the Doctor was trying on new clothes was quite humorous and I can clearly imagine how frustrating that must have been for Romana. I loved how the Doctor wasn't aware that he was being difficult though. I was a big fan of that. The Kolpasha setting was very good and I was quite surprised to find that copyright was treated as a more serious crime than murder. The latter was an unfortunate circumstance but copyright theft was just unthinkable! That showed the kind of society the TARDIS had landed in. It was like one great big fashion industry. The Doctor meeting an old friend in the form of Racheem was good and I liked how he ended up working well with Romana. She was investigating the chemical bonds of the new Vitality that was due to hit stories and it was quite extraordinary. The concept of a spray that reversed age was great and it would understandably be quite popular! However, its true intention was a plan of the Quoll. He was a deranged and grotesque alien that was hungry and was attempting to turn the human population into something edible. It was a gross and evil plan but the Doctor wasn't having any of it. I liked his lengthy speech towards the story's conclusion and I thought the resolution with Vitality itself being used on the Quoll to destory it was simply but effective. The final comments about the Doctor wanting and needing a new hat and scarf were terrific and as a whole, this was a pretty good comic strip adventure!

Rating: 7/10

Arachnids in the UK

"Something's happening with the spiders... they're out of control."

Writer: Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 28th October 2018
Series: 11.04

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

The Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Graham and Ryan find their way back to Yorkshire - and Yaz's family - only to find that something is stirring amidst the eight-legged arachnid population of Sheffield. What links Yaz's mum and the hotel she works out? Spiders really shouldn't be this big...

Verdict

Arachnids in the UK was a very good episode to continue the strong start to the Thirteenth Doctor's era. I really liked that things returned to the present day and the setting being just half an hour after the team departed in The Woman Who Fell to Earth was terrific. I thought the portrayal of the Time Vortex, with the different entry points to numerous tunnels, was really interesting and a nice addition to the story. I was very glad that we got to meet Yaz's family as she was the character that needed some more depth and the timing came perfectly. We know all about Ryan and Graham and their troubled relationship following the loss of Grace and now we got to meet some of Yaz's loved ones. Her mum, Najia, was terrific and I just loved how highly the Doctor thought of her. She congratulated her for creating a great human being and was just perfectly socially awkward. Jodie Whittaker really was wonderful once again and I think she's becoming a truly fantastic Doctor. I loved how she didn't want to say goodbye to her new friends and jumped at the chance to have a cuppa at Yaz's. Graham was lovely in this episode and it was quite sad seeing him try to come to terms with the loss of Grace now he was back home. Grief was catching up with him, but his mind was soon sidetracked by the discovery of a giant spider carcass. The use of spiders as a threat has been done before in Doctor Who, most notably Planet of the Spiders, but there was no alien menace here. These were just spiders that had gotten out of control. They were capturing humans because they were confused. They had grown beyond normality and they didn't quite know what to do. But they were scary and I thought the atmosphere of this episode was brilliant. Robertson was a very good character and I liked how pompous he was being the big American businessman who was running for President of the USA in 2020. The Doctor wasn't having that though, not if he fired Yaz's mum! The comical scene where the Doctor thought he was Ed Sheeran was absolutely hilarious and a real shining moment of the episode. Jodie was marvellous. The threat of the spiders was good and I liked seeing just how scared Graham and Ryan were of them. Their size was obviously the crucial element of the fear factor. The hotel serving as the main setting and site of the problem was good and the use of a landfill mixed with old coal mines underneath a paradise hotel was terrific. Jade McIntyre was a strong character and her knowledge on arachnids really aided the Doctor which was wonderful. She deduced that the chemicals and spider carcasses had led to a change in pheromones and the toxicity had a deadly effect on the spider population of Sheffield. They were lured into the panic room through some horrific music of Ryan's but I thought there just needed to be a bit more clarity as to how that meant they were dealt with. It was left a little ambiguous and unanswered which was a shame because I thought this could have had an even higher rating. The politics in the episode was a surprise and I thought the comments about guns wouldn't have gone down well with some American fans. The killing of the Spider Mother was really emotional, especially once it was known she'd gotten too big to breath effectively and she was dying anyway. The scene I haven't mentioned yet that also made me laugh rather a lot was where the Doctor wasn't sure if she and Yaz were 'seeing' each other. She had no idea what it meant and I thought that was magnificent. The ending with Yaz, Ryan and Graham wanting to continue their travels with the Doctor was terrific and I really can't wait for more episodes with Team TARDIS. I really like them. Overall, a great episode!

Rating: 8/10

Battlefield

"Where Merlin was, so would Arthur be."

Writer: Marc Platt
Format: Novel
Released: July 1991
Series: Target 152

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Brigadier

Synopsis

'How do you do?' the Doctor said. 'This is Ace, and I am...' 'Merlin!' cried the Black Knight. His smile broadened in wonder and recognition. 'Merlin, against all hope!'

A UNIT nuclear convoy, stranded on the shores of Lake Vortigern, becomes the focus of an incursion by knights from a parallel reality. In this other world, technology and magic exist side by side, and the legends of King Arthur are fact. Close to the lake, the sinister Mordred battles against his enemy Ancelyn and summons his mother, the powerful witch Morgaine.

Is the Doctor really Merlin? And will he discover what actually happened to King Arthur? But time is running out for everyone as Morgaine takes control of the nuclear weapons and summons the Destroyer - Lord of Darkness and Eater of Worlds...

Verdict

Battlefield was a great novelisation of the televised story of the same name! It definitely brought a different perspective than that which was offered on TV and I found it quite interesting that it was so long. For a Target novelisation, and I fully appreciate that this was the BBC reprint, going over the 200 page mark is actually quite unheard of and I was rather surprised when I came to read it. However, I liked that it was clearly split into the four parts but I wasn't a fan of the chapter numbers restarting with each part. That just seemed a bit silly to me. Reuniting the Doctor with the Brigadier was a wonderful idea and on the page, their relationship was well captured. With his old friend once again having a new face, I liked how the Brigadier and the Seventh Doctor met with the former recognising the latter with ease. Who else could he be? The initial Brigadier of Banbera was a decent character but there's simply no replacing Lethbridge-Stewart. I found his relationship with Ace a really intriguing element of the story as they didn't really seem to get on at first. However, by the time the story was up, they seemed to bond over their dual liking of explosives. I thought Ace had a good story and the fact that the Doctor knew all about her explosives, and Ace knew he knew whilst he may have thought she didn't (that's a mouthful!), was terrific. Their relationship was really well captured in prose. The prospect of the Doctor being Merlin was mightily intriguing and I liked the paradox of him knowing that he would become Merlin, in the past of the alternate dimension, at some point in his future. It put him in a very tricky situation which made for a lot of interest. Morgaine was an excellent villain and her ancient desperation to kill Arthur was made very good when it was discovered that he had been dead all along. The note from the future version of the Doctor was a great touch. I thought the Destroyer could have been portrayed as something more deserving of the name but I was more surprised by how little the beast actually featured. The use of silver was a good theme throughout the novelisation too and I liked how the Brigadier used silver bullets to destroy the mighty Destroyer. It was done rather well, after he knocked the Doctor out cold so he wouldn't risk his life! The ancient battle between Mordred and Ancelyn playing out was terrific and I thought the modern day setting of this was delightful. The Brigadier coming out of retirement was just splendid and I loved that we got to meet Doris in quite considerable detail. Overall, a really good novelisation!

Rating: 8/10

Heralds of Destruction

"Appearances can be deceptive."

Writer: Paul Cornell
Format: Comic Strip
Released: September 2016-February 2017
Printed in: The Third Doctor #1-5

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo, Brigadier

Synopsis

How could you ever win against a deadly hive mind robotic intelligence, capable of creating itself infinite bodies out of thin air? Join forces with the Third Doctor, the infamous U.N.I.T, and a host of staggering guest stars to find out! Twists and turns ensure as the Doctor, the Brigadier, and the Master continue their struggle - and a surprisingly familiar face returns!

Verdict

Heralds of Destruction was simply marvellous! Paul Cornell rarely fails to deliver when it comes to a Doctor Who story and this comic strip was certainly no different! It was right up there with the very best that has been published by Titan Comics and it was a perfect representation of the Third Doctor's era. The characterisation of this incarnation of the Doctor was superb with Jon Pertwee's likeness easily captured on the page. It was a real joy to read, especially when the characterisations of the other main characters like Jo, the Master and the Brigadier, were so strong as well. It really did make for a delightful read and I seemed to fly through the five parts! This graphic novel is another great usage of the Libraries West service by myself and I'm quite grateful because I hadn't even came across this collection in any shops. I'm quite glad that was the case now though! The apparent return of the Second Doctor was an unexpected pleasure and I found the placing of the story being so soon after The Three Doctors terrific. The Third Doctor was having difficulties coming to terms with leaving his friends and going off in the TARDIS again but I also thought the little hint at Yates and his character development heading towards Invasion of the Dinosaurs was fantastic. Those little hints and nods really do make a story even better. The revelation that the Second Doctor wasn't actually present and it was the return of Salamander was wonderful and seeing him back visually was a real treat. Cornell nailed the writing of him too and his maniacal scheme this time was to gain time travel, go back in time and then place himself as a prominent leader. The explanation of his survival following The End of the World was really well done and I liked how we got a lengthy flashback of how he asserted himself into the world of modern day Earth (at the time of the Third Doctor). The Master's intentions in this story were really intriguing and I liked how he didn't want a human potentially taking over the world before him. The little prelude of his famed address in Logopolis was a lovely touch. The scenes in Parliament in 1868 with Disraeli were terrific and I liked the scale of the story a great deal. The mini mind-bots were good and I liked how they were under Salamander's control, and I just loved how he seemed to get madder as the villain with each page! It was excellent stuff. I loved the ending with him escaping his prison cell too, seemingly into another time. I like the prospect of him returning to do more damage but for now, this was a sublime comic strip story!

Rating: 10/10

Slaver's Song

"I stowed away on the Doctor's ship and now I'm being crushed by living water."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: January-March 2017
Printed in: The Ninth Doctor #9-10

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack

Synopsis

The Iara have long been thought a Brazilian myth, but when these unearthly mer-creatures prove to be aquatic aliens making an unscheduled stop on planet Earth, the TARDIS team must establish their intentions and broker peace across the water barrier...

Verdict

Slaver's Song was a decent continuation of the Ninth Doctor's comic strip run from Titan and a good conclusion to the Official Secrets graphic novel collection. I need to thank Libraries West once again for their incredible service in allowing me to access these stories free of charge and although I was once a big fan and advocate of collecting, I realise with the amount of content out there that the likelihood of me revisiting stories is not great so I will definitely be making the most of the library service here in Bristol. It's sublime. This story wasn't quite up to the standard of that work but I liked the dynamic that Tara brought to the well-established TARDIS team of the Ninth Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack. Rose seemed quite jealous at the smiles that she evoked in the Doctor and she went off with Captain Jack who had quite an intriguing story to say the least. Despite the whole Jack secret base aspect of the plot being the sub-story, it was definitely the most interesting and I found the revelation that he had executed Zloy Volk not much of a surprise to be honest. Jack developed in such a great and groomed character in Torchwood and we learned a lot of his past and the extents he would go to so learning that he'd executed someone on the orders of the Time Agency seemed quite in line with his character. However, I can completely understand why Rose reacted how she did and Jack wasn't the man that she thought he was. I later learned that Zloy Volk was Russian for Bad Wolf which I thought was impressive writing. Yiara was a lovely character and I liked how the Doctor wanted to help when she was hurt and Tara was more than willing. She wasn't much of a fan of Francisco and the Doctor's reaction to learning that he was conversing with a slaver was fantastic. I actually thought the characterisation of the Ninth Doctor was really good in this story which was a big positive! Lpupiara was another interesting character but I felt we needed a bit more background. Intergalactic slavers coming to Earth during a time of slavery, or at least a location where it was present, was a great concept but the enactment, whilst good, definitely could have been improved. I thought the conclusion was a bit abrupt but I loved the irony of the slavers becoming the slaves. That seemed deserved and was nicely done. The cliffhanger ending with the Ninth Doctor being captured at the hands of the Judoon was hugely shocking and I can't wait to see why he's been accused of murdering Tara! I have already placed a reservation for the next volume so I'm very eager to learn what has happened. Overall though, a good story!

Rating: 7/10

Phobos

"100% natural thrills and spills."

Writer: Eddie Robson
Format: Audio
Released: May 2007
Series: EDA 1.05

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands on Phobos, moon of Mars - where extreme sports nuts of the future indulge their passion for gravity-boarding and wormhole-jumping. But there's something lurking in the shadows, something infinitely old and infinitely dangerous. It's not for nothing that "Phobos" is the ancient word for "fear"...

Verdict

Phobos was a pretty average continuation of the Eighth Doctor Adventures and sadly it seems that this first series is a bit of a mixed bag and really struggling with consistency. This story had its moments and I thought the premise was actually good. I really liked the idea of a futuristic setting where daredevils came for their adrenaline rushes. Wormhole jumping certainly sounded quite thrilling but final delivery of its role in the story just didn't work. It wasn't a bad story, but it wasn't necessarily a great one either. It just needed some more action and an oomph factor rather than just plodding along. I really liked Lucie once again though and I think she's turning into a terrific companion. There's a lot of potential there and I'm liking her relationship with the Eighth Doctor very much. Paul McGann was decent as always and I liked that the Doctor had to use his fears to defeat the deity from another reality but I thought it was a bit of a cheat to the listener for those fears not to be mentioned or elaborated upon. The Entity of Fear didn't seem all that frightening considering its name and place of origin but I liked that it used the loved ones of some of the main characters in this story to communicate. Kai was an intriguing character and his association with the Entity was certainly an interesting one. It was quite disturbing in a way. Amy and Farl were lovely characters and I thought they made a good couple. The idea of their relationship being frowned upon and hunted because the latter's species wanted a pure gene pool was quite horrifying but hardly surprising if history has anything to tell us. It seems that lessons won't be learned by the future. Lucie's reaction to seeing Mars was probably the highlight of the story and I should also mention that Drew and Hayd's relationship was another very good aspect of the audio. The revelation that the latter was in love with the former was an unexpected turn of events but once it was mentioned it seemed so obvious which was a unique feeling I must say. The ending needed expanding and some more clarity. The continuing arc with the tracking of Lucie Miller was interesting and I look forward to hearing how that's resolved. Overall though, an audio that had its moments but could have been improved upon.

Rating: 6/10

Rosa

"All roads lead to Rosa Parks."

Writers: Malorie Blackman & Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 21st October 2018
Series: 11.03

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

Montgomery, Alabama. 1955. The Doctor and her friends find themselves in the Deep South of America. As they encounter a seamstress by the name of Rosa Parks, they begin to wonder whether someone is attempting to change history...

Verdict

Rosa was a phenomenal episode of Doctor Who! Wow. This was easily the best episode of the Thirteenth Doctor's run yet and I think it is going to take something special to beat it. It was right up there with the very best historicals the show has ever offered and the power behind it was something else. It really was on another level. I liked the idea of the Doctor not quite yet having control over her TARDIS but I still have to say that the TARDIS interior hasn't quite grown on me yet. The setting of Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 was superb and having the Doctor and co meet Rosa Parks was wonderful. It really was quite magnificent and I loved the reactions of every one of the main cast when they found out who they had met. It was a beautiful moment. Ryan getting assaulted by a white man for merely returning his wife's glove set the racist scene of the episode perfectly and it was just such a shock to see it unfold so quickly. It really was striking and I liked the direction of that moment. Krasko was a decent enemy and his meddling with history was good. I did have my suspicions early on that he may be a modern incarnation of the Monk but instead he was just a criminal who had spent time imprisoned at Stormcage. The neural inhibitor in his head that prevented him from killing or injuring put the Doctor in a position of superiority which I loved and I thought Jodie Whittaker was really good once again. I liked that the Doctor and Graham got acquainted together a bit more in this episode and the scene where their hotel room was inspected by a policeman and the latter's story being that he was an inventor called Steve Jobs was quite hilarious. Ryan and Yaz had a lot to deal with in this episode given their skin colour and race and it was hugely powerful. You could see just how helpless the Doctor was and there was nothing she could do. Seeing Ryan sitting at the back of the bus was so powerful but it showed how times have changed in a major way. Ryan dealing with Krasko was good and the desperation of Yaz to get Rosa on the bus on time mixed with the Doctor, Graham and Ryan's attempts to get the bus full was excellent. The realisation that they had to stay on the bus was incredible though and the delivery of Rosa's refusal to give up her seat for a white passenger, along with the arrest, was sublime. The emotion in the reactions of Graham and the Doctor particularly were startling and will resonate with me for a long time. It was so powerful and I loved the reflective ending in the TARDIS where Rosa's achievements were celebrated. Overall, a stunning episode!

Rating: 10/10 

The Warmonger Part 1

"Why is this city in such a state?"

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 18th October 2018
Printed in: DWM 531

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

The Thirteenth Doctor has taken her friends to the City of Radiant Stone on Gatan. She was aiming for the party era but something went wrong. They arrive in the aftermath of what has clearly been a war, and a city ravaged with destruction. Why is Tondi so afraid of the soldiers?

Verdict

The Warmonger started the comic strip era of the Thirteenth Doctor in great style! I thought it was a really strong and intriguing beginning of which I will discuss more of shortly. Now, to the magazine itself and it's always an exciting issue in the midst of a series being broadcast. I've had a quick glimpse at the magazine and I was delighted to see that my thoughts about The Woman Who Fell to Earth made it into Galaxy Forum (second one in for anyone looking). It kept up my 100% print rate which I was very happy about and I can't wait to read the thoughts of everyone else. I'm sure Jodie Whittaker will have been welcomed very warmly and I can't wait to read the previews of the next four episodes, particularly tomorrow's offering of Rosa. The previews have been quite different to recent years as they don't really reveal much at all and are usually just someone's thoughts on the episode and its making. I'm interested to see the reviews of the first two episodes as well and I think the interview with Bradley Walsh should be fantastic as he's a humorous and likeable man. I'm really not a fan of the Time Team discussing pop songs concerning Doctor Who this issue - surely that's not relevant? I'm also still not liking the Cosplay feature and I maintain that it will only appeal to a very small section of the readership. John Levene being interviewed should be very good as well as he's an interesting and famed name of the show. It looks set to be another action-packed issue and one I cannot wait to divulge into. The previews of the Thirteenth Doctor books are also something I can't wait for! Back to the comic strip itself and after only two episodes, it was really interesting to be doing a story with the Thirteenth Doctor in a different format. I thought the characterisation was absolutely superb though! That goes for all four of the regular cast. I really liked how Ryan and Graham's relationship was captured on the page and I thought the artwork was also hugely impressive. The Gatan setting was good and I liked how the Doctor was aware that something was wrong. Tondi was a lovely little character and I loved how Yaz consoled her. The arrival of the Soldiers was a good cliffhanger and I'm really looking forward to finding out more about their intentions and just who they are. Will the Thirteenth Doctor be able to get out of this one intact? I look forward to finding out. Overall, a very good start to the story and a brand new era of comic strip adventures.

Official Secrets

"When kids with special powers can't find their parents... they tear the world apart."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: October-December 2016
Printed in: The Ninth Doctor #6-8

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack, Brigadier, Harry

Synopsis

Welcome back to the 70s (or is it the 80s?)! The Doctor becomes entangled once more with the forces of UNIT when a cache of potentially devastating top secret material is leaked to the media. But does the UNIT whistleblower have a point? Alien invasion and internecine intrigue combine in an explosive new story!

Verdict

Official Secrets was a delightful comic strip adventure! It's always a great occasion when the Brigadier gets to meet a new incarnation of the Doctor and there's just something even more special when it's one from the modern era. We've seen the Tenth Doctor encounter his old chum in The Warkeeper's Crown and now was the turn of the Ninth Doctor! It was just brilliant to see and I liked that the initial meeting was delayed a little and we had to make do with the Ninth Doctor encountering his former companion in Harry Sullivan. He was quite different to how we last saw him in Terror of the Zygons and he even went as far as punching a minister in the face! I thought that was a little out of character for him but I have to say I was very impressed with the writing of his actual speech. The essence of his capture was wonderfully captured on the page which made for terrific reading. I thought the characterisation of the Ninth Doctor was decent and I also thought the writing of Rose was very good and definitely in line with how she was in Series One. She went through a lot with the Tenth Doctor and I think we come to think of her more generally alongside that incarnation of the Doctor, but here she was extremely caring (not that she wasn't in future) and really wanted to see that Dean didn't get hurt and didn't have to be caged up. Captain Jack's continued story arc of losing his memories was intriguing and with little snippets of information being offered, this time in the form of a photo in the UNIT archives, I am very interested to see what will come of it. Tara was a wonderful character and her role in bringing about the downfall of Albion Defense was outstanding. I really did love that and it was quite a twist as I was genuinely expecting her to expose UNIT. Benton was very good in this story and had a good relationship with Captain Jack and I liked his confusion at hearing UNIT referred to as the Unified Intelligence Taskforce rather than the first line being United Nations. The play on the UNIT dating controversy is getting a bit old now but I knew it was going to make an appearance. Rose played a crucial role in getting the information about Albion's true intentions out and I liked how the Brigadier picked up on the change in the demeanour of the Doctor. He didn't usually let his companions go into the field of battle while he watched. Seeing the Doctor almost like the Brigadier now was an incredible thought. The ending was unexpected with Tara inviting herself on the TARDIS and I am intrigued to see the direction from here. Overall though, a fantastic comic strip!

Rating: 9/10

Immortal Beloved

"Let us die together."

Writer: Jonathan Clements
Format: Audio
Released: April 2007
Series: EDA 1.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

'Theosophy? Ha! Surely you mean theophany? Because we're not talking about real gods here, are we? We're talking about the appearance of gods. Your heavenly powers are a little too mechanical for my liking. And, if I may be so bold, Lord Zeus, your demeanour is not very godlike.'

Verdict

Immortal Beloved was a brilliant audio story and a great continuation of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! After a bit of a blip with Horror of Glam Rock, I was delighted to hear things back on a very high level with what was a fantastic story. I thought this was Lucie's best story yet as new companion as we got to see a lot of her personality come out and Sheridan Smith was just terrific. I like the new dynamic she brings to the TARDIS and Lucie's relationship with the Doctor is a very good one. They started off a bit shaky, and that's in terms of the story not quality, but now they're getting quite acquainted with each other and it's wonderful to hear. Paul McGann was once again very good as the Eighth Doctor and I just like how new and modern this feels. I adore the Classic era of Doctor Who but there's just something unique about this period of the Doctor's life because everything isn't quite Classic but it's not quite New Who either. It has its own feel and I think that's awesome. The TARDIS arriving at the moment Sararti and Kalkin were going to throw themselves from a cliff and kill themselves was quite a shocker. That's some introduction for the Doctor and Lucie! I liked that the Doctor wouldn't just let them kill themselves, that should never be the answer, but little did he know what he was preventing from occurring. Zeus was a very good villain and the whole concept of the heir and spare being literal in terms of closing and mind transfer was superb! It was disturbingly evil but that's what made it a good point of the plot. It was disturbing and the lack of remorse Zeus had for the clones just made him an even better enemy. His love story with Hera was atrocious as well really, considering that they went off with other people once they got to a certain level of old age. Zeus's advance on Lucie was quite shocking but I thought she handled it brilliantly. She felt like a very modern companion in this story which was a big bonus. Sararti pretending to be Hera when the lover of Zeus had suffered a sudden heart attack was great but I didn't expect the trick to be repeated so soon with Kalkin and Zeus. I liked that as they could live happily ever after and in power and the Doctor had put an end to the mind transfer machine. Lucie knew that they might be tempted but the Doctor was going to risk it. Hopefully one life time of happiness together would be another. Overall, a very intriguing, unique and just fantastic audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

The Boy With the Displaced Smile

"The Devil's own work served with a smile."

Writer: James Peaty
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 26th April 2017
Printed in: The Twelfth Doctor #3.04

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

Under attack, the Twelfth Doctor flashes back to a dangerous incident from his travels alone. Can he break a small town free from the curse... of the boy with the displaced smile?

Verdict

The Boy With the Displaced Smile was a very decent continuation of the Twelfth Doctor's third year of comic strip adventures and after recently concluding his era on television for a second time, I was more than happy to be delving back into his comic strip run! I'm not too sure about the whole interlude thing that happened with this release coming part way between Beneath the Waves, but I was very happy to find this comic strip in the graphic novel titled of the aforementioned story. The local library service in Bristol is superb with access to over 150 libraries free of charge so getting this has been a real help in terms of expenditure! The Doctor travelling was quite unusual but he soon found a friendly character in the form of Penny. She was a really great character and there were definitely signs of a companion in her. I had thought that Hattie was going to join the Twelfth Doctor but I did have my suspicions that we were getting a new companion here. Alas, it was not to be. The Sweet Haven setting was excellent and the image of a grin in the sky was quite something! It definitely made me smile and I also thought the artwork was fantastic. A very colourful story which always makes for pleasant reading. The Doctor and Penny's frantic escapes indoors from the locals was exciting and I liked how the men were actually terrified of what they were hiding from. The Doctor deducing that they had no food left was really good and I liked that he wanted to go straight to where the problem arose. The Saprophytes were an intriguing enemy but the Doctor knew all about them and their reality-warping emo-parasitic nature. I thought they could have had a little more time to express themselves but they were actually really creepy with them having taken the form of a child. That always seems to make things scarier but the Doctor didn't seem flustered at all. I thought the characterisation of the Twelfth Doctor was pretty decent throughout which was a positive. Duane and Decker were interesting characters and I thought the idea of taking things into their own hands and gaining control by committing suicide was an awful idea. Luckily, the Doctor had given Penny his sonic sunglasses and he transported them to eye of the storm where the Saprophytes were easily defeated by gunshot. Penny telling the Doctor to be happy was a lovely way to finish but I was little confused as to how the possessed child's smile saw the grin disappear and deserve the name of the story. Overall though, a very good comic strip!

Rating: 8/10

The Ghost Monument

"How can a planet be in the wrong place?"

Writer: Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 14th October 2018
Series: 11.02

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yasmin, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

Still reeling from their first encounter, the Doctor and her new friends fight to stay alive long enough, in a hostile alien environment, to solve the mystery of Desolation; the mystery of Angstrom and Epzo and their incredible race...

Verdict

The Ghost Monument was a decent continuation of the new series of Doctor Who and whilst I very much enjoyed it, I couldn't help but feel that it was just missing something. Not much, but something was preventing it from getting a higher rating sadly. The immediate continuation from The Woman Who Fell to Earth was good and I liked how it was done from the perspective of a companion in Ryan. Him being stuck with Graham was good and I liked the development of their relationship. I think it was important to keep Grace's memory alive and I thought Graham's way of coping was terrific. They were on an alien planet! The Doctor and Yasmin were very good together but I can't help but feel the latter doesn't quite get enough screen time. If she wasn't around, I don't think it would make much of a difference and I think that's a great shame as I do really like her. I'm sure she'll grow into her role throughout the series though. Jodie Whittaker was full of energy in this episode and I'm really liking her vibe as the Doctor. There's the usual manner of authority and firmness but she's also a lot of fun and is prone to those usual Doctor-ish comments like seeing Pythagoras with a hangover. I think it's important to maintain that and Chris Chibnall has written his Doctor very well so far. I thought the actual plot of the story was pretty good but with the scale of the race, the final mission seemed a little too easy for a race of such enormity. I do appreciate that the Doctor's involvement in finding the tunnel system eased things, but it had a sense of being underwhelming. It was exciting though and I have to take time to mention the cinematography. It really is on another level this series and looks hugely impressive. I also have to mention the incredible new arrangement of the theme music! It's absolutely sublime. The credits themselves are good too which is a bonus. This era has a very distinct feel now. Angstrom and Epzo were both really strong characters and I liked the brash ignorance of him. He worked well and I thought it was good how he got shot. I wasn't keen on the scene with Ryan just going off shooting referencing Call of Duty. I think the Doctor needed to be firm there on her stance with guns but instead she used a bit of humour to teach Ryan his lesson which was still decent. Desolation was an intriguing setting and I was quite surprised by how unsurprised I was that the Stenza were responsible for wiping out life here. I also thought the Remnants were really intriguing. Their knowledge of the Doctor being a 'timeless child' really intrigued me and I hope there's some story development there but I didn't understand why they waited so long to devour the Doctor and co when they were just talking to distract them. It just gave them time to save themselves and I wasn't sure of the explanation as to how a cigar could literally explode. I understand that it was to do with the thin air and the gassy atmosphere but I felt that needed to be clearer. Right, I've sounded a bit negative so far which is a shame because I did think this was good. I really enjoyed the episode and I was absolutely thrilled that the Thirteenth Doctor finally got her TARDIS moment. The delight when the TARDIS appeared and the run, along with the TARDIS opening itself for her was magnificent. I had hoped that at least one of the companions would have mentioned it being bigger on the inside but that sadly wasn't to be. Let's hope they were just stunned. Now, the new TARDIS interior. Well, I hate it. It's not going to effect future episodes or anything but I really don't like it. It's just horrible and not recognisable as a TARDIS interior. It just seems a jumble of gems and stones scattered everywhere and I don't understand the design at all. The previous model was so good and I really wish that was kept. The custard creams though! I can get on board with them. Overall, a very solid episode!

Rating: 7/10

Doctor Who and the Web of Fear

"It was like a glowing mist made solid, and anyone who entered it was never seen again."

Writer: Terrance Dicks
Format: Novel
Released: August 1976
Series: Target 72

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis

'With a sudden, shattering roar the Yeti smashed down its arm in s savage blow...'

The TARDIS is engulfed by a mysterious web-like substance in space. Breaking free, the Doctor and his companions Jamie and Victoria land in the London Underground system. But a spreading killer mist has meant that London has been evacuated. The Great Intelligence is back - and its robot Yeti are roaming the streets and the underground tunnels.

The Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria team up with an army unit working with their old friend Professor Travers to combat the menace. They soon realise, however, that someone in the group must be working for the Intelligence. With time running out, the Doctor and his friends realise they can trust no one...

Verdict 

Doctor Who and the Web of Fear was a very good novelisation of what is quite a renowned story from the era of the Second Doctor. It is significant for the return of the Great Intelligence and the Yeti following their debut in The Abominable Snowmen and it also sees the first appearance of Lethbridge-Stewart with hints at the beginnings of UNIT at the story's end. I thought the book was very good from start to finish and one thing I noticed about the prose format for this adventure was that the pace was very fast which made for a good read. Terrance Dicks never seems to fail with his novelisations and he captured the atmosphere of the era and the story very well. One thing that is difficult to put onto the page though was doing the London Underground justice. It wasn't a bad depiction by any means but there was just something special about the televised story that wasn't quite in place here. I thought the characterisation of the Second Doctor was excellent and I loved the scenes in the TARDIS where he thought Jamie and Victoria were having a joke on him when the TARDIS was suspended in the web in space. The return of the Yeti was handled brilliantly and I liked how Travers had been working on getting the sphere and oversaw its return to functionality which gave the Intelligence something to cling onto and reestablish itself into something threatening. The meeting between the Doctor and Lethbridge-Stewart was wonderful but I wasn't too sure about the reference and footnote to Doctor Who and the Android Invasion. Was it really necessary to forecast future events? Evans was a very good character and I really liked the positive comments about the Welsh, even if some of the dialogue was a little stereotypical some of the time. The guessing game of who was being controlled by the Great Intelligence was very good and I loved how it turned out to be Arnold when it had been hinted at being Chorley for quite some time. Anne Travers was a very good character and her initial scepticism towards the Doctor was completely understandable but I liked how her father was quick to defend his old friend. The prospect of the Doctor giving himself willingly to the Great Intelligence was horrifying but it was brilliant that Jamie seemingly saved the day. After the Doctor and Anne had worked hard to gain control of a sphere and thus a Yeti, Jamie ordered it to attack the other Yetis and destroy the Great Intelligence's pyramid of form but what shocked me was the Doctor's reaction. He was disappointed as whilst the link with Earth was severed, the Intelligence still survived. I guess that was very useful for the return in The Snowmen but I also liked how the Doctor calmed himself once he realised that nobody else knew of his plan to actually drain the Intelligence after he reversed the helmet controls. Overall though, a great read!

Rating: 8/10

The Bride of Peladon

"I grow impatient for your blood."

Writer: Barnaby Edwards
Format: Audio
Released: January 2008
Series: Main Range 104

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Peri, Erimem

Synopsis

Peladon will bathe in oceans of blood!

A mysterious voice, a missing girl and a murdered queen. The Royal House of Peladon is once more plunged into intrigue, terror and death. The Doctor, Peri and Erimem must find their way through a treacherous labyrinth of lies if they are to distinguish friend from foe before it is too late.

For deep beneath the Citadel of Peladon, something infinitely ancient and immeasurably powerful is stirring...

Verdict

The Bride of Peladon was a very good audio adventure and a quick personal return to Peladon for myself. I thought it was a little different to the televsion stories, as you might expect with the audio format, and it was clearly distinct from those with the setting being a century following the Doctor’s last visit in The Monster of Peladon. I found the politics of Peladon to be interesting once again and I was quite glad that they weren’t the story’s main focus. It was an eventful adventure and there was a lot going on so it was good that the TARDIS team split up and got acquainted with some intriguing personalities. I really liked Zixlyr and whilst he wasn’t an evil Ice Warrior, the aggression of his race was more than evident. This was especially true in the cliffhanger to part two where he attempted to kill Peri after she badmouthed his sister. She was the previous ambassador for Mars on Peladon but had mysteriously died. Zixlyr had found her final report recording and wasn’t thrilled with what he found. Peri wasn’t convinced by everything though which was good and I liked that she was inquisitive and not taking everything on face value. She had a really strong story. Erimem was terrific too and I loved how her status as the last Pharaoh was used to eventually defeat Sekhmet. Her reveal at the end of part three was quite unexpected but one I most definitely welcomed. I was quite shocked but she was a little useless being encaged for all that she appeared in. The concept of the blood locks was excellent though and I liked how female blood of royalty was required to free each of the four locks. Pelleas was understandably devastated when he found out his mother had been used for this purpose. He was a decent character as King of Peladon and his proposed marriage of convenience to Pandora was an interesting part of the story. The return of Alpha Centauri was great and I liked how she accepted the Doctor’s appearance but I had hoped for more continuity with the voice. She was so obviously a different actress. The Fifth Doctor was pretty good in this audio and I liked his reaction to knowing he was on Peladon. However, Peter Davison was nowhere near the level of Jon Pertwee when it came to the Venusian lullaby though! I did think he was quite poor. I liked that it was used again though on Aggedor, who actually was a female and daughter of the beast that perished during the Doctor’s previous visit. The way that Zixlyr sacrificed himself to ensure that Sekhmet died, after some interesting trickery and sacrifice by Erimem, was fantastic and I thought the emotion behind it was decent. The story concluded with the somewhat sudden decision from Erimem to depart the TARDIS and stay on Peladon and take the hand of Pelleas in marriage. Peri’s reaction to this was heartfelt and emotional but I liked how the Doctor understood, especially following the events of Son of the Dragon. I’m quite sad to see Erimem depart and I have really enjoyed her as companion alongside the Fifth Doctor and Peri. It’s been a really good run but sadly it seems that’s at an end now. The foreshadowing of Peri’s departure in The Trial of a Time Lord with her saying she won’t leave to marry an alien king was very nicely done too. Overall, a very good audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

The Monster of Peladon

"There is evil here."

Writer: Brian Hayles
Format: TV
Broadcast: 23rd March - 27th April 1974
Season: 11.04

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands 50 years after its first visit to Peladon, the Doctor and Sarah discover a troubled planet ruled by the late King's daughter. Peladon is at the centre of war - and the Galactic Federation desperately needs a mineral found in the mines. But why is the ghost of Aggedor killing miners and why can't everyone be trusted? Queen Thalira needs the Doctor's help to find out...

Verdict

The Monster of Peladon was a very good story and a great return to Peladon for the Third Doctor! This time he was in the company of Sarah Jane Smith and she brought a different dynamic to what is a brilliant setting. I liked the arrival to the planet as they weren't quite in the Citadel but the Doctor had managed to get the TARDIS to take them close enough. The pace was quite gradual and it probably didn't need the six parts but that allowed for significant story development amongst the natives of Peladon or members of the Galactic Federation without the presence of the Ice Warriors who didn't arrive until the very end of part three. It was fantastic to have Alpha Centauri back again and it was intriguing to see her now following my viewing of her cameo in Empress of Mars. It's such a great link and just shows the rich history and ability of this glorious show. The little references to The Curse of Peladon were also most welcomed and it was intriguing to set this story some fifty years after those events. It was clear that King Peladon had passed but now his daughter Thalira ruled. She didn't quite have the same presence or authority as her father, and that was probably down to Ortron. He was a good character and his loyalty to Peladon whilst asserting his authority over the Queen was intriguing and a good plot-line. Gebek was a superb character and the way he was able to lead over the miners was terrific. I really liked his speech towards the story's conclusion where he convinces them that Aggedor was with them as they rebelled against the Ice Warrior's stranglehold on the planet. The Ice Warriors themselves were actually quite useless in this serial which I was surprised about but they added a humorous element and their presence was threatening so I still very much enjoyed them. Azaxyr though was an excellent villain and I really liked how he was a traitor and was actually on the side of Galaxy Five. His partnership with Eckersley was an unexpected but very good surprise that I was a big fan of indeed. They made an interesting alliance and the technician was merely hoping to get rich by becoming leader of Earth. The use of Aggedor by the Doctor was very good and I thought the role of the miners in overthrowing the Ice Warriors was great. The amount of death that occurred though was quite something and seeing the scattered bodies was quite a sight! Overall, a great little serial!

Rating: 8/10

Horror of Glam Rock

"I'm in the star business."

Writer: Paul Magrs
Format: Audio
Released: March 2007
Series: EDA 1.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

The Doctor and Lucie go glam when the TARDIS makes an unexpected landing in 1974. Slade, the Sweet and Suzi Quatro are Top of the Pops - and brother-and-sister duo the Tomorrow Twins will soon be joining them, if Arnold Korns, a starmaking Svengali, has his way. But will their dreams turn to dust at a service station somewhere on the M62, besieged by a pack of alien monsters?

Verdict

Horror of Glam Rock was a bit of a mixed back in continuing the Eighth Doctor Adventures audio series. It had its moments but I sadly don't think it maintained the quality for all of the story. I thought the relationship between the Doctor and Lucie was very good but I would have hoped for a little bit more continuation with the ending of Blood of the Daleks and the relationship of inconvenience feel. That wasn't really apparent here which I would prefer generally but there was just a lack of continuity. The 1974 setting was really good and I thought the whole Glam Rock theme worked very well. The feel of the era was captured as well as I would have imagined and I liked Lucie's reaction to the era very much. Her relationship with Pat, who actually turned out to be her auntie, was terrific and it was very clear that these were her early days in the TARDIS as she just blurted out her true identity with no worrying of the consequences. The Doctor was unaware that this had happened and I'm sure that if he found out he would definitely not have approved. Arnold was an intriguing character and it was delightful to hear Bernard Cribbins in another role in Doctor Who. His character was very much money driven as he was heading to London with the Tomorrow Twins to get them on Top of the Pops. His senselessness would cost Trisha her life though in quite horrific circumstances. With the mention of sound-waves and the Only Ones travelling on one, I was perhaps hoping for a secret return of the Vardans but it wasn't to be. They were a decent enemy but I thought their childish sound took away the intimidation factor. They just didn't quite work to their full potential for me which was a shame. Tommy was a good character and his reaction to seeing his sister die was not too surprising. I wasn't too sure about the M62 service station setting for a continued length of time as there was only so much you could do with the limited space. Would no other travellers have come in? Flo was a pretty good character but the one thing I just didn't like about this story was the overall plot. It wasn't bad but it was just lacking that special something. Thankfully, Paul McGann was on top form as the Eighth Doctor so he made things very enjoyable. Overall, a bit of a mix that definitely needed to be better.

Rating: 6/10

The Dalek Project

"War is a terrible thing."

Writer: Justin Richards
Format: Comic Strip
Released: September 2012
Series: BBC Graphic Novel 02

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

"Our invention will change the nature of warfare. It will make this conflict truly the war to end all wars. Gentlemen, our factory in France is ready to start mass production of these remote-controlled armoured vehicles. The war machine we call... the Dalek."

1917. It's the height of the Great War and Hellcombe Hall is a house full of mystery: locked doors, forbidden rooms, dustsheets covering guilty secrets, and ghostly noises frightening the servants. Most mysterious of all, the drawing room seems to open directly onto a muddy, corpse-filled trench on the Western Front...

Arriving at his stately home, the Doctor meets Lord Hellcombe, an armaments manufacturer who has a new secret weapon he believes will win the war: he calls it 'the Dalek'. Soon, the Doctor and his new friends are in a race against time to prevent the entire Western Front from becoming part of the Dalek Project.

Verdict

The Dalek Project was a great comic strip adventure and it was quite intriguing to read a concurrent graphic novel rather than a collection stories. It certainly filled the time on a train journey to watch my beloved football team away from home and I was glad that it was of high quality. It was interesting to see that the Eleventh Doctor was travelling alone but I would have liked some explanation as to why that was the case. It doesn’t seem to fall in line with his actions in The Snowmen but I guess it does fit the narrative. The idea of Dalek pieces being found as part of an archaeological expedition underground was terrific and I loved how the supposed artefacts were mistaken as being from the Bronze Age. Obviously, these were no historical items but rather weaponry from the deadliest species in the universe. The Daleks struggling on low power systems for much of this story was good and I liked how it allowed the Doctor adequate time to escape the numerous attempts at extermination. I have to say, I thought the artwork for this extended graphic novel was excellent and I liked how some pages, even doubles, were pure artwork featuring no speech. Things were actually quite beautiful and the visuals were very impressive which made telling the story very good. The characterisation of the Eleventh Doctor was brilliant throughout with Matt Smith’s likeness easily captured on the page. I found that all the more impressive given that this story was intended to originally feature the Tenth Doctor bit had to be delayed due to the similarities to Victory of the Daleks.There were obvious resemblances within the stories but I don’t think they were as similar as one might initially think. The setting of the Great War was really good and I thought the revelation that there were proto-Daleks on both the British and German sides was very good. I didn’t expect that and it saw quite a shift in the direction of the story. It turned out that the Daleks weren’t just experimenting on humanity in the First World War but they were conducting an experiment that went throughout history. They somewhat surprisingly erased their involvement from history but I wasn’t overly sure by the Daleks’ desire to learn about humanity. Surely if they thought themselves as the superior beings, then humanity wasn’t a match? I guess they were just overawed by their ability to keep on going, even when death was inevitable. That seemed to the end result of the Dalek Project but they didn’t get much time to analyse the data and act upon it as the Daleks were blanket bombed into an oblivion. That was quite an image but one positive I really liked was the Daleks just featuring in World War One. They wanted to take on all of humanity and the plan was to destroy them all but that ended up backfiring in a catastrophic way. The Doctor stating that humanity always prevailed, before they actually had, was great. I thought the prospect of the Doctor and Ted being the last men standing after the latter called in the aerial assault was fantastic but they managed to get away a little too easily for my liking. The mini story that bookended the main plot with the Doctor and Angela was good and another highlight of the story I must mention was the appearance of a Black Dalek illustrating the ranking hierarchy of the Daleks in the modern series. Overall, a very good comic strip adventure! 

Rating: 8/10