The Eye of the Jungle

"We are designing warriors."

Writer: Darren Jones

Format: Audio

Released: July 2011

Series: NSA 13

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Amazon Rainforest, 1827. The Doctor, Amy and Rory arrive in the jungle near a hurriedly abandoned campsite, where they are surrounded by hungry black caiman – huge lizards. Only the arrival of a man with a rifle sees off the giant beasts. Oliver Blazington has come to the forest to bag big game, and his companion Garrett is a naturalist, collecting exotic creatures for London Zoo. But the Doctor soon discovers that another very different hunter is stalking the Amazon. Animals and people have been disappearing without trace, and local villagers speak darkly of "the Eye of the Jungle". Amy senses that the all-seeing Eye is watching them – but she and Rory are powerless to intervene when it sets its sights on the Doctor...

Verdict

The Eye of the Jungle was an excellent New Series Adventures audio! I really enjoyed this listen from the get go which I was delighted by as these kind of stories, particularly the format, can sometimes be a bit of a struggle. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit trepidatious about doing a two-part story of this nature, but I needn't have been because it was quite brilliant! I was a very big fan. I think David Troughton's narration had a lot to do with that because he was a fantastic narrator. Even though his take on Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor wasn't overly great, I think that was because of the nature of who the actor is and he had that familiar Troughton twang that made a lot of the Doctor moments seem like they were featuring the Second Doctor instead! That was quite fun. I did enjoy his impersonations of both Amy and Rory though. He delivered them in a very decent way which helped. I was a big fan of the 19th century Amazon Rainforest setting as it's not a traditional kind of location for a Doctor Who adventure and this is where audio can come in and reap the benefits. The natural threat of the caiman was good and I liked how it being so real and natural made them all the more difficult to combat. Blazington arrived to save them with his gun in an entertaining pre-titles sequence. Finding out that the story was specifically set in 1827 was very good and the idea of this being where some of the animals gathered as a collection for the opening of London Zoo the next year was brilliant. I liked how it showed that the British were not all good whilst encompassing something historical. Garrett was a good character alongside Blazington and I liked how they worked together. The threat in the audio being extended by the revelation that people had been going missing was intriguing and set things up very nicely for what was to come, mostly in part two. Marta was a lovely little character and I really liked her relationship with Amy. The addition of the TARDIS going missing only added to the danger in the story which was really good. The cliff-hanger in the middle of the adventure was a very good one with the Doctor being shot and I enjoyed the resolution being that it was just a teleport beam. There was definitely a different feeling in part two and it felt more energetic which was a good shift. The story developed naturally and we got to learn of the war between the Nadurni and Prokarian which was terrific. I really enjoyed that and how it served as the focus for the story. The Nadurni were searching for specimens to manipulate their genes and create warriors for the war effort. That was intriguing and I liked how that was the true purpose of the connection with gathering a collection of species. It almost shifted into an alien zoo which was pretty neat. They, in similar vain to the Krillitanes, had gone a bit too far with their splicing on themselves though and needed others now. Of course, they were eventually led to discovering the Doctor's DNA and they were simply awestruck. I loved their marvelling at what the Doctor's DNA contained, particularly when it came to the cellular regenerative capabilities. One moment that had me laughing was with Amy and Rory and how they joked "we haven't had one of those today" when referring to their last minute gamble. That was an excellent inclusion. The concept of Blazington becoming the ultimate warrior was very good, but the Doctor was able to see that this would not be the case. He was able to utilise the Eye of the Jungle that had been threaded throughout much of the second part and was the source of the disappearances by relaying it and basically send the alien zoo back home and un-splice them, reverting back to normality and into their original singular species. It was pretty good going as far as the Doctor was concerned there! The full circle of the prized jaguars going missing and the Doctor having some involvement there was also a really nice way to finish. It worked very well. Overall, a fantastic audio! 

Rating: 9/10

The Drowned World

"Sara Kingdom is now at peace."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: July 2009

Series: Companion Chronicles 4.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Sara

Synopsis

Space Security Agent Sara Kingdom is dead, her ashes strewn on the planet Kembel. But, in an old house in Ely, Sara Kingdom lives on...

To the Elders of this ruined world, Sara is a ghost, a phantom that must be excised. She must prove her right to exist, and she does so with stories. Stories of a time when she travelled the universe with an ancient Doctor and his heroic companion Steven inside a magical space/time ship called the TARDIS. 

And one story in particular could make a difference. The one about their trip to a world covered in water, where a human expedition is being wiped out. It's a battle to survive, as the travellers face the horrors of the drowned world...

Verdict

The Drowned World was a very good Companion Chronicles audio! I am always fascinated with anything featuring Sara that isn't The Daleks' Master Plan because it just really shouldn't be possible seeing as that's the story she both debuted as a companion and then died. Of course, there is a lot of wiggle room for adventures featuring her as the companion as the novelisation of Mission to the Unknown displayed with the way it ended. There were obvious references to that epic First Doctor serial with the likes of the Time Destructor taranium and the look back onto Sara killing her own brother Bret as part of orders given to her within the SSS. I really liked that Sara respected her duty as a security agent and used those instincts to try and save the miners once we got into the story details that were being retold. Of course, there isn't just a simple story to rehash from the companion's perspective when it comes to Sara as was first told in Home Truths. It was good to have Robert back to hear Sara's story and explore the possibility of her very existence. Her connection with house is intriguing and I really liked how it is used to keep an essence of her alive and able to tell untold adventures between her, the Doctor and Steven. Although it didn't feature too often as it wasn't needed for what the story was, I really liked Jean Marsh's take on the First Doctor. It was very impressive and had all of the traits of Hartnell's incarnation which was magnificent. The TARDIS sinking into deadly water shortly after the trio arrived was excellent and it happened very suddenly which made for a good impact. The miners that the Doctor and co met were good but they actually thought they were being saved by the newcomers! That wasn't exactly why the trio were there. They had arrived in the middle of a dangerous situation with just an hour or so of oxygen left amidst a location where the water was deadly. I'm a big fan of the threat in the story being something natural. Water was the issue at hand here and I liked how it's quite difficult to defend against. I think that's the appeal of natural threats. The tendrils within the water didn't become more than that and it was great that they didn't become the main focus as an enemy. The cliffhanger was intriguing and even though the situation with the water was pretty perilous, the cliffhanger itself actually came from the perspective of Sara telling the story and Robert wishing her to disperse. I thought that was unexpected and a good move to be unique. His coming back to the house in part two with a diseased daughter was a very good way to develop things and showed how cynical he was in wanting Sara when she could offer him something with her wish granting abilities. That was a bit sad for Sara and it really hit home at the end of the audio when her loneliness was evidence. She just wanted people to come and see her which was admirable. I could understand her frustrations at the Doctor not even coming to visit her, but how could he possibly know that the option was there? The eventful retelling of the events in part two was good and I liked how Sara scarified herself to save some of the miners. The links between Sara and the house in order to save her were very interesting and I look forward to potentially more Sara chronicles told from this perspective. Overall, this was a really solid and enjoyable tale! 

Rating: 8/10

The Widow on the Moor

"The prison knows we're trying to get out."

Writer: Una McCormack 

Format: Audio

Released: May 2017

Series: Ninth Doctor Chronicles 1.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

Emily and her sisters once told each other fables of warring kingdoms: wicked princes, noble dukes, and their battling armies. Now she wanders the moors of her childhood alone, remembering those tales. The TARDIS arrives amid a strange civil war, with prisons made of glass and cities stalked by terrifying beasts. As windows open between worlds, stories and storyteller meet, and Rose comes face to face with Emily Bronte. 

Verdict

The Widow on the Moor was another decent story to continue along my listening of the Ninth Doctor Chronicles! In saying that though, I can't help but feel like I wanted a little bit more. As my rating reflects, this was a very solid adventure and at this stage I'm really glad to just get anything new with Christopher Eccleston's incarnation of the Doctor. However, I think the lack of familiar actors hurt this story a little bit and with both Adam and Jackie to come, I think it would have been better to have one of them here rather than having them back to back at the end of the boxset. But hey, maybe that's just me. I was glad to have the Ninth Doctor reunited with Rose and getting an extra story with purely that pairing was terrific, especially as she wasn't featured in The Bleeding Heart as it was set prior to her debut in Rose. I have to say, I wasn't thrilled with Nicholas Briggs' attempted impression of the companion and he sadly just made her sound like a generic chav which was a big shame. I was very glad that we did get some Rose, but I just felt he didn't do her justice. It would have been much better to just say Rose's dialogue in the same way he was narrating. Despite that, I think the Nicholas Briggs take on the Ninth Doctor is growing on me in a big way and I really was quite impressed with his impression here. It definitely like the Ninth Doctor which was very important. I also commend Una McCormack on the feel of the story and how it seemed to fit seamlessly into the Series 1 era. It was very well suited. Emily Bronte appearing was a very good inclusion, although I think she would have been better suited in a pure historical. It didn't quite feel right to have her on an alien planet, even if it did perhaps links with Wuthering Heights. The humour at the end in the TARDIS with Rose mentioning the film rather than the book was terrific. I loved the idea of a glass prison that was perhaps sentient and the whole concept behind the glass in the story was very good. I enjoyed the character of Julius for the most part, but I do think there could have been quite a bit more about the civil war. We only really got a line or two background and that wasn't enough to fully gauge my interest. The war between Julius and Drake was good and I liked how it was concluded, but I think the audio would have been more effective if the civil war the Doctor and Rose landed in the midst of was more familiar, historical or not. Ada was another good character and her likeness to Emily was an intriguing element of the story. I liked the use of the windows being a way from the planet to Earth during the time of Bronte, but I didn't feel like they were used to their fullest potential. There definitely seemed like there was more that could have been done with them. Considering this was set during a civil war, I think a few more action scenes would have added to the excitement of the adventure. The characterisation of the Ninth Doctor was good and his bemoaning the fact that Rose wasn't staying where he wanted her to was great. That really doesn't ever get old. I also loved the line where the Doctor asks, "hey, who turned out the lights?" which is surely a nod to Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. Some coincidental foreshadowing perhaps? That's the benefit of writing for a past Doctor when you can have fun like that. Overall, this was a decent adventure but it just felt like it could have been ever better.

Rating: 7/10

Fear is a Superpower

"Somewhere along the way he forgot to be scared."

Writer: James Peaty

Format: Webcast

Released: 20 May 2020

Series: #DoctorWhoLockdown

Featuring: Danny

Synopsis

Danny Pink is scared. But what's wrong with scared? Scared is a superpower. It's your superpower!

Verdict

Fear is a Superpower was a unique little webcast to wrap up the #FearIsASuperpower watch-along of Listen. Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy this webcast as it didn't really seem to be anything new and that kind of defeats the object of the bonus content to go alongside the watch-alongs in my opinion. Of course, I shouldn't start negatively and I have to acknowledge the incredible effort made my all involved to produce this little webcast and I am definitely glad to have watched it. The artwork was quirky and I liked how it was trying to do something new amidst the current climate. We have had a lot of short stories and narrated adventures, so it was nice to get something in between here. I think a lot of why I didn't enjoy this one so much was because I am not a big fan of Danny Pink. When the whole story centres on his run in Series 8 and his life, I am not going to think it is a great one! I just never really did like his character and it's pretty much as simple as that. The first part of the webcast literally just recaps the event of the episode that everyone would have just watched which I thought was a bit of a shame. Even Gemma, who I took a lot of convincing to watch this one with me because she is not a fan of comic strips or animation in the slightest, said at the end that it was literally just a recap of his life. I would have expected at least something new! Maybe if it was Danny who narrated it? I think that would have improved things for sure. I thought the narration we did get was fine, but I was confused as to why they didn't just include a voiceover of the Twelfth Doctor's comment about fear and being scared rather than a somewhat average impression of Peter Capaldi. It was all just a bit strange if I'm being honest. The only 'new' thing we got was an image of Danny on the road after being hit by the car with Clara's image on the phone. Despite the harrowing moment that occurred at the start of Dark Water, that was a powerful image and a reminder of what happened to him. I'm still not sure how Orson came to be if this was his fate, even if he did go on to become a Cyberman as we were reminded, and that's a tad annoying. The tie in with the comic strip element of the story in having Danny's superpower being scared was admirable, but I think the name of the adventure itself should be changed! Scared is a little different to fear in my opinion and a distinction would have been better. I fully appreciated that it was tying in with the hashtag of the tweet-along, but it just didn't sit right with me. There's not a great deal more to say about this webcast, other than that it serves as a reminder of Danny Pink's story in Doctor Who and that essentially, he was a scared man. He became Dan the Soldier Man but that wasn't enough. It made him more scared. He cared for Clara and was scared of rejection, but that was never seriously on the cards if we're being honest. Overall, an impressive story from a visual perspective and big props for doing something different to go alongside the Doctor Who Lockdown, but I think my dislike of Danny meant I was never going to really enjoy this one which is a bit of a shame.

Rating: 5/10

Listen

"What if no one is ever really alone?"

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 13 September 2014

Series: 8.04

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

The Doctor has been pondering a question: have people ever been truly alone? Does something lurk unseen beside us all? With Clara at his side, the Time Lord will find himself delving into familiar pasts and eerie futures. Just where does the answer to the old man's unanswerable question lie? Will he find the answers he's been searching for, or will his quest cost him his life this time?

Verdict

Listen was an excellent episode to serve as the latest watch-along organised by the brilliant Emily Cook! Now, lockdown has allowed me to get quite ahead with my blog entries so the date of post is obviously deceiving but I really enjoyed being able to take part in the #FearIsASuperpower watch-along. It was a great deal of fun and Steven Moffat was on top form. The episode is a brilliant one and seems to be a divisive one in my head as this is now the third time I have watched and blogged it, and now it has three different ratings! Regardless, it is definitely a very good episode and it is the first time I have ever watched a Twelfth Doctor story out of order which was a lot of fun from a personal perspective. I was delighted to be watching Clara again and whilst I wasn't a huge fan of her relationship with Danny Pink, I thought she was marvellous in this episode. The Doctor being in her bedroom in case her date went well was typical Doctor-ish humour and I liked reading that it was one of Moffat's favourite things to write for the Time Lord. Speaking of things Moffat writes, the little poem prelude that was released an hour or so before we were all to press play was very good and set the tone for what is a dark and intriguing episode. I had no idea when watching Series 8, or even in my re-watch, that this was considered to be the cheap one of the series. That's testament to how good the acting is from Capaldi and Coleman in particular, Moffat's writing and of course Douglas Mackinnon who was also magnificent with his tweets. I loved how he kept things simple and it was brilliant for him to point out that little blur under the blanket that is visible for just a second in Rupert's bedroom. Prior to the watch-along, Steven Moffat tweeted out an incredible photo of the gift he received from Peter Capaldi after they both departed the show and it included part of the script from this episode. It was beautiful. The concept of this story in trying to deal with the thing under your bed that you are scared of as a child is brilliant and perfect for Doctor Who. I was very intrigued to find that he didn't know where the episode would end when he started writing, but it's only right that we ended up under the Doctor's bed. That revelation takes the episode to an entirely different level and I love how it all comes full circle. It's extraordinary to see the Doctor as a child and I thought it was magnificent that Mackinnon based the boy Doctor's hair from a young photo of William Hartnell. That really is majestic. The Doctor's curiosity to answer the unanswerable is great and literally takes him to the end of the universe! Some elements I didn't enjoy with the episode was how Orson Pink is able to exist when Danny will die at the end of the series in Dark Water, and I also think it's quite poor for the Sanctuary Base 6 logo to be so obviously prominent on the spacesuit. It just doesn't make sense and isn't acknowledged! The way things circle back to fear makes companions of us all is wonderful though and a lovely throwback to An Unearthly Child and ties the Doctor's whole story together in a really neat and just fantastic way. Clara's speech when she realises where the TARDIS landed and what she had done to the Doctor as a child was terrific, but I'm not sure the Doctor would so easily agree to just departing. The links back to the barn and The Day of the Doctor with the War Doctor are brilliant as well. Overall, this is a brilliant episode and I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it.

Rating: 9/10

The Switching

"In the reflection, the distinguished, bearded face of the Master stared back at him."

Writer: Simon Guerrier
Format: Audio
Released: September 2017
Series: Short Trips: Rarities 2.01

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis 

Yesterday there were two Time Lord prisoners on Earth – the Master in his cell, the Doctor in his exile.

But today, the Doctor's not quite feeling himself. Today he's seeing things from a different perspective. And today the Master's going to escape...

Verdict

The Switching was a terrific little Short Trips audio! This one has caught my eye on a number of occasions because of what are surely obvious reasons and with it being part of the recent UNIT sale from Big Finish, I just couldn't say no when it was a little over £1 to purchase! The whole premise of the adventure is just magnificent and I think the artwork above to accompany the story is nothing short of wonderful. The story perhaps doesn't always live up to its potential given the format, but it is still an awful lot of fun! The very concept of the Doctor and the Master switching bodies in any era is fantastic, but there's just something about Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor and the first televised version of the Master we see portrayed by Roger Delgado. They really are synonymous with each other and that makes for even more fun here. It sets things up for The Sea Devils quite nicely as well! The reactions of both Time Lords when they realise they are in the body of their arch nemesis is great and I particular love that for the Doctor it was when he felt the goatee that is so famous for this version of the Master that he realised what had happened. The reflection all but confirmed it. Soon after the switch, the Master had to contend with seeing Jo in a bikini which at this time I imagine was a very awkward moment despite his calm nature. The Doctor's attempt to break out of the cell, albeit in the Master's body, was very good and I found it quite humorous that he literally flooded his own cell by pulling the sink off the wall. The Master getting an insight into what knowledge the Time Lords had taken from the Doctor during his exile was really intriguing and he was quite amazed by how rudimentary the Doctor's knowledge of his own TARDIS now was. I almost felt a sense of pity. The Master being the one to reconfigure the roundel design in the TARDIS interior was a lovely touch as well. It's a wonder the Doctor didn't change them back though! The involvement of the UNIT regulars was a lot of fun and I liked how both the Brigadier and Benton noticed that the Doctor, albeit actually the Master, referred to the former as sir. That was just something he didn't do. The Doctor ending up being chained to a wall in the Master's body was great and I thought the use of the Magna Carter was good and perhaps some foreshadowing of The King's Demons. The whole thing being a trap of the Master's to try and escape was a little unexpected but I loved the audacity of this escape plan. He hoped to use the good nature of the Doctor by being in his body to get the Master a cell with a view, something that would obviously help him then escape. Instead he got an island. The Master finding the whole situation amusing was a lot of fun and I liked that to mess with the Doctor, he didn't actually leave any traps in his laboratory. That was a nice touch. I have to say that I thought Duncan Wisby's narration was excellent and he gave solid impressions of all of the main characters. Whilst it was nice to have Jo feature, it was interesting having her in a non-companion role as the story didn't really warrant that. I think it could have been fun if it did though with the idea of a Master and Jo pairing is excellent! Nonetheless, it was not to be and the Master seemed quite content with going back to his own body even if he'd heard through UNIT that it was in a much worse predicament than when he arrived. I'd have enjoyed a little anecdote with the Doctor reflecting on the experience, but we had a good development in the conclusion with Mike Yates asking Jo out to dinner and the pair kissing. That added a sense of realism to the entire era which was fantastic. Overall, a fun little audio!

Rating: 8/10

Journey Out of Terror

"We've become fiction ourselves?"

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2019

Printed in: The Target Storybook 02

Featuring: First Doctor, Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis

Escaping from the Daleks, the First Doctor, Ian and Barbara accidentally leave Vicki behind. Believing the house they just left was a place of the mind, the Doctor uses the TARDIS's telepathic circuits to transport them to a fictional world. There, they find themselves the subject of a comic strip and read how they will find Vicki. But then the story starts to change...

Verdict

Journey Out of Terror was a brilliant continuation of The Target Storybook! I really enjoyed this one and I was just glad to finally get back into the book that I have only read the first adventure within the collection. I'm not sure why I have had such a gap, but this was a wonderful return! It takes place in the middle of The Chase and I loved that it was specifically right after the episode where Vicki was left behind. Of course, she would then use stowaway the Dalek's own time machine to be reunited, but the Doctor and his companions weren't to know that. The realisation from the trio when they know they have left Vicki behind with the Daleks in what they believe to be a dreamlike land of fiction was magnificent. I thought the style of the short story was really intriguing with the alternation from both Barbara and Ian narrating in the first person. That's a unique dynamic and something I really enjoyed as it was good to get both of their perspectives on all that was going. They both felt incredibly guilty for leaving Vicki behind and not doing more to check if she was inside the TARDIS before taking off and fleeing the Dalek chase. Comparing Vicki to Susan and how she was the Doctor's way of getting over leaving his granddaughter behind in The Dalek Invasion of Earth was really good, although I did think it was a bit of unfair of Barbara in particular that she got angry when the Doctor was building a good relationship with Julia. The trio reading themselves in a comic strip was a lot of fun and I'd have loved an image of what that story might like that! Within the pages they saw them reunited with Vicki which was good, but I really loved it when the story started to change. That was a really good dynamic of fear. Speaking of dynamics, it was really great to have a rare adventure with just the First Doctor, Ian and Barbara. That really was a lot of fun and I thought the characterisation of William Hartnell's first incarnation was outstanding throughout. The Doctor using the TARDIS telepathic circuits in an attempt to get back to Vicki was terrific and I loved the Doctor's belief in belief. If you willed it long and hard enough, then it could happen. That was attempted here, and a whole world of fiction was where they ended up. They had a similar story that would make them feel good in saving Julia, but if they did they would be trapped. The loose foreshadows of The Mind Robber were brilliant and I loved the moment where the Doctor emphatically claimed to have fixed the oxygen, but actually hadn't physically done any such thing. The humour that came with Bunny the dog was fantastic and I really can't imagine the First Doctor appreciating the canine company. The Doctor wanting to take Julia with them in the TARDIS in order to save her was good and I thought it was very unfair of Barbara to suggest he was trying to quickly replace Vicki. That just didn't seem right as the very reason they were where they were was because he was trying his all to get back to her despite the faulty time mechanisation. The Doctor working out that things were actually fictitious and that Julia would be left behind was good and the TARDIS's role in that was very good. Julia would still live on and the final paragraph being from her perspective and her telling us not to turn the page so she would live on was intriguing and perhaps even a little disturbing! Overall though, a superb little short story!

Rating: 9/10

The Descendants of Pompeii

"Evelina makes me sound ancient."

Writer: James Moran

Format: Webcast

Released: 17 May 2020

Series: #DoctorWhoLockdown

Featuring: Evie, Maxine

Synopsis

"Our family had a guardian angel..."

Evie and Maxine trace back their family history to Pompeii.

Verdict

The Descendants of Pompeii was an intriguing and unexpected little sequel to The Fires of Pompeii. I was very excited by the prospect of a sequel to the episode that was the subject of the #VolcanoDay watch-along, but this really wasn't what I was expecting! Firstly, I think it's terrific to be getting more bonus content as part of the Doctor Who Lockdown and this is definitely the most unique of the extra stories that we have been generously granted from an abundance of writers to go alongside the episodes. I absolutely love the title of this one, but I really wasn't expecting things to come full circle to modern times! That was really strange and right from the start I just had a mindset of being a little bit confused as to what I was watching. The use of video chat was good and very much in line with the current societal climate so that was very familiar. It was good to see both Tracey Childs and Francesca Fowler back twelve years on after their initial appearances in the aforementioned Tenth Doctor episode. They certainly look a little different! However, they weren't quite playing the same characters which was not at all what I expected but it was still pretty good. Their discussions about family history was good and I liked that they found the peculiarities amongst their ancestors and their professions a little bit strange. It's not exactly uncommon for children to follow in the footsteps of their parents, but once we got to brief chat about grandparents and great-grandparents, I was sort of expecting a little flashback scene to Caecillius and family but sadly that never came. It would have fitted in well in my opinion. The dynamic of the modern family trying to resemble that of what we saw with Evelina and her parents and sibling was good, but surely still a bit unlikely to have occurred nearly two millennia down the gene pool passing on? I'm probably being harsh here. It was still a good little story to have as an extra and it was a nice thought that the Doctor would still be looking on for the family and acting as a guardian angel. I wonder how that story had changed as it was passed down the family line, but Evie having a folder on her desktop for Pompeii research was magnificent and I would have loved if they had a full family tree going back that far. Her mother definitely seems to have some familial memory ingrained into her genes by calling her daughter Evelina! That really is a lovely name so I was surprised that Evie didn't like it. The ancientness of it is what's great in my opinion. The music that accompanied this adventure was incredibly familiar as it was composed by Murray Gold which was a real treat. It was so vividly representative of the Tenth Doctor's era which was terrific and definitely a highlight of the webcast. Evie thanking the 'someone' that may have been out there looking on for their family through time was good and I loved the ending with her ending the video chat as host, only for an additional caller to also leave the conversation. Gemma didn't like that as it was a bit freaky and incredibly reminiscent of social media horror/thriller films, but I thought it was a nice little touch. It was certainly something I didn't see coming which is always a bonus! Overall, a decent little sequel (of sorts) that just keeps adding to our Doctor Who library! 

Rating: 7/10

The Fires of Pompeii

"This man will prevent the rise of Pompeii."

Writer: James Moran

Format: TV

Broadcast: 12 April 2009

Series: 4.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna 

Synopsis

The Doctor intends on taking new companion Donna Noble to Ancient Rome, but they end up visiting Pompeii in AD 79 on the even of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Nobody knew it was actually a volcano, and the entire city is doomed for destruction.

Verdict

The Fires of Pompeii was a wonderful episode and I was delighted to be able to revisit it for the first time in four years as part of the #VolcanoDay watch-along organised by the tremendous Emily Cook! It's always been one of my very favourite episodes from the modern era and I really do think it's an underrated gem. It's just outstanding from start to finish. It really has everything! History, humour, emotion are all in abundance along with a great twist that puts a different shift on the whole fixed point in time notion. Pompeii has to happen the way it does because of the Doctor. Well, that's a bit harsh but he needs Mount Vesuvius in order to stop the Pyrovile which is just awful. It puts The Fires of Vulcan into perspective as well, giving that a different look knowing that it was the Tenth Doctor, along with Donna, that set off the volcanic eruption. The arrival in what they thought was Ancient Rome was a lot of fun and it was terrific to see Donna on her first venture into the past. She was told all about the translation circuit and then sounded Welsh when she actually tried to speak Latin which was fantastic. Donna really did have one of her very best episodes here. It's always fun to look back on this episode because we have both Karen Gillan and Peter Capaldi making their first appearances in the show before they went on to become Amy Pond and the Twelfth Doctor respectively. Doing the watch-along with Gemma, I was delighted to be able to point out that Karen Gillan starred in the episode and literally as I revealed the fact she appeared on screen! She was really good as the Soothsayer and I thought all of the Priestesses were excellent. I was very intrigued to find through the tweets of writer James Moran that the Pyrovile name was the result of a trimming down process of his original name which was a lot more complex Pyrovillaxians. That's the beauty of the watch-alongs with writers giving insight that you just wouldn't know watching it by yourself! I think trimming down was definitely the right choice. The CGI design of the adult Pyrovile is really good, but just a general look back on 2008 and I find it amazing that I can notice how different the special effects are compared with today's abilities. It's strange and somewhat annoying for my childhood memories! One thing I have to say is that the scene where Evelina and Lucius use their sight gift to reveal their knowledge of the Doctor and Donna's secrets is absolutely incredible. It honestly might be the best of the series. The music and directing that accompanies it is just sublime and I really couldn't do justice how good it was. Superb. The tweets of the actress who played Evelina were also terrific to go alongside the episode and it was interesting to find that she wasn't solely acting ill as at the time of filming she had food poisoning! I thought the end scene in the TARDIS with Donna pleading to just save one family amongst 20,000 victims of the volcanic eruption was further brilliance and it was nice of the Doctor to admit that she was right and he needed somebody sometimes. I was quite annoyed to find that there was a scene cut with Caecillius and his family in the TARDIS cowering in the corner! That must have been great. Them looking on at Pompeii in ruins as everything and everyone they knew burnt and suffocated was such a powerful image. It was nice to end on a positive note though with them six months later in Rome and their household gods being the Doctor and Donna along with the TARDIS. At least he did get to keep some semblance of the art he thought he had purchased! That was fun. As was the earlier reference to The Romans! I am glad that was an intentional inclusion from James Moran. It was also good to get confirmation that there was in fact no word for volcano back in the first century. Did Donna Noble then invent it and enact a paradox? Something to ponder. Overall, such a good episode to revisit and the tweet-along was a great deal of fun

Rating: 10/10

Borrowed Time

"We all have a bad morning sometimes."

Writer: Naomi A. Alderman
Format: Novel
Released: June 2011
Series: NSA 48

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

"You want more time Mr Brown, of course, you do. We all want more time. Let me make you an offer..."

Andrew Brown never has enough time. No time to call his sister, or to prepare for that important presentation at the bank where he works. The train's late, the lift jams. If only he'd had just a little more time. And time is the business of Mr Symington and Mr Blenkinsop. They'll lend him some – at a very reasonable rate of interest.

Detecting a problem, the Doctor, Amy and Rory go undercover at the bank. But they have to move fast to stop Symington and Blenkinsop before they cash in their investments.

Verdict

Borrowed Time was an excellent novel! I really enjoyed this one from start to finish and I had a good feeling that would be the case from the synopsis alone. I'm a big fan of stories that deal with time and whilst Doctor Who obviously has a considerable relationship with it, there aren't that many adventures actually about time itself. That's where this came in quite wonderfully. Andrew Brown served as a good common character along with Sameera at the Lexington International Bank. I thought they worked really well together battling for the same promotion and as the story developed, it was obvious that they would get together by its conclusion. It was nice to see those elements threaded out. Mr Symington and Mr Blenkinsop were terrific characters and their persuasive manner in selling time was fantastic. The chemistry that came when those two were written on the page, particularly in the first half of the novel, was magnificent. I really enjoyed them. I thought the Doctor, Amy and Rory's beginning to the adventure being in 51st century Earth was a lot of fun and the use of the Super Lucky Romance Camera to slow down time on the outside world was really good. I wasn't expecting it to get so much use in the book! The moments where it was running out of battery just when it was needed most were very humorous. It was clear to see here just how much Amy meant to Rory as he was quite angry when his holiday was cut short, although I did think his outburst when Amy wasn't really enjoying three hours of sunset was unwarranted. The 2007 setting worked really well as it was pretty much the present from the perspective of the companions and fitted in nicely with the global economic collapse that would come just a year later. What I really loved about this adventure was the concept of borrowing time and how Symington and Blenkinsop were offering it in the form of a watch. I work in finance as a research analyst, but even I will admit that things got a little complicated when the Doctor tried to explain compound interest with a cake icing analogy. That didn't quite seem like the best example to use, but the overall message was there in that the interest was way, way more than five minutes in the hour. I really liked that Amy ended up borrowing time herself and took way more than just the initial hour she wanted so she could answer urgent calls from both the Doctor and Rory. She ended up driving to Leadworth to spend a night with her parents! That was nice to know though and it was clear she was using her extra time wisely. The Doctor instantly knowing that Amy had borrowed time was excellent and I thought the characterisation of Matt Smith's incarnation was outstanding. Some of the best ways he's been written in prose thus far. The revelation that it was actually Joyce, the PA, and not Vanessa as being the head Time Harvester didn't have too much of an impact whilst still being a good surprise. The nature of the enemy being all one organism with Symington and Blenkinsop having numerous versions was fantastic. I loved the idea of the original ones seeing Amy or Rory for example resulted in all of them seeing them because they remembered from their own past. It was a great use of the timelines. The idea of storing time was intriguing and a little challenging to comprehend, but I really enjoyed the Millennium Dome storage facility. The miniaturisation was a lot of fun with the cockroach as well! The way the Doctor ended up paying off the debts without death being the result was pretty clever and I liked that the camera bubble was used in the conclusion to destroy the time source that Joyce had relied upon from the Time Market, another fun addition to the story that perhaps deserved longer. The story with Nadia was quite emotional seeing how damaging borrowing time could be, but I did feel that the swapping of fates with an aged Sameera at the end was a bit too coincidental. Overall though, this was a thoroughly enjoyable novel!

Rating: 9/10

Vigil

"Blood turned to ancient powder in her veins."

Writer: Michael Collier
Format: Audio
Released: November 1998
Series: BBC Cassettes

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The Doctor and Peri arrive in Hastings, where Peri is reunited with her college friend Martin and his domineering fiancee Meryl. The Doctor sets off to visit his own friend, pathologist Val Menard, only to find him mourning the loss of his daughter who has been in a coma since a recent car accident. However, the Doctor soon finds out he is responsible for much worse than a coma.

Verdict

Vigil was not the greatest of listens if I'm being honest. It was a bit of a slog to get through in parts which was a shame because I was really looking forward to it given that it is quite the anomaly! I really do think that this audio adventure would be absolutely perfect for Doctor Who Magazine's new Apocrypha feature as I can't imagine a great number of fans will have gotten their hands on this. I had no idea it even existed until I found myself going through the Doctor Who content on BorrowBox and I usually gloss over the Target readings in audiobook format as I much prefer to read the prose itself. There's nothing like having the actual book! Anyway, my eye just caught a glance on the titles within the Tales from the TARDIS collection and noticed one was called Out of the Darkness. Of course, I know that isn't based off a televised story so I did some research and found that this was the only audio exclusive story on the set! I was intrigued and very much eager to get it listened to. I thought it started off quite well, even if after a really out of place and just unfamiliar opening with a loud and boisterous piano theme. That was very strange and I honestly had to check more than once that I was listening to the right story! The Doctor and Peri are a terrific pairing, but there wasn't any of their enjoyable relationship in this one. It seemed like it was trying too much to fit into Season 22 and the darker side of the Doctor. That isn't suitable for me and it just didn't work well with only Nicola Bryant narrating the story. She did that role decently well, but the tone really was lacking a lot. There needed to be a great deal more excitement in my opinion. Peri being reunited with her old college friend Martin was good and I liked that we got to meet somebody from her past. It was clear there had been a relationship on an intimate level in theist, but then we were introduced to Meryl who was a very clingy and dominant fiancee of his. Peri's reaction to finding out that Martin was engaged was heartfelt, but then after that the story just span off into boredom. That's a bit harsh, but it really didn't seem to be going anywhere thrilling. The Doctor's hate of hospitals because it was full of people not wanting to be there was good, but it wasn't really explored which I'd have liked. Martin's bedroom performances getting mentioned was just weird and out of place and didn't add anything to the audio for me. It just seemed like it was trying to be a bit more adult for the sake of it. Finding Meryl had her head smashed in and the sheets of her bed were wet with blood came quite suddenly and should have been more impactful. I'm not sure why, but the nature of this audio just seemed like it was avoiding any big moments. The Doctor working out that all of the infections were his own indirect doing from the TARDIS and it bringing time sensitive microbes was good and should have been identified so much earlier! If we knew that was the focus, I think I'd have enjoyed things much more. The emotional end was definitely the highlight of the audio in my opinion with Peri's minor outburst about how they always arrived somewhere when killing started. That was rather emotional and I just felt quite sorry for her because of all that was going on and what she had to see. I also felt sorry for the Doctor because the odds of him bringing the microbes with him were infinitesimally small and yet it happened and caused devastation. That ending definitely saved the audio from complete disaster, but for me this was a pretty poor story.

Rating: 5/10

The Zygon Isolation

"You should always trust the Doctor's advice."

Writer: Peter Harness
Format: Webcast
Released: 10 May 2020
Series: #DoctorWhoLockdown

Featuring: Osgood

Synopsis

Osgood is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: The Zygon Isolation
Time: May 10, 2020 06:30 PM London

Verdict

The Zygon Isolation was a terrific little lead in to the #TruthOrConsequences watch-along of The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion. I was very disappointed to have missed this viewing as I fully intended on being a part of it, but it just totally slipped my mind on a busy Sunday evening and when I remembered, it was already too late which is a big shame. I haven't watched a Twelfth Doctor story out of broadcast order yet so even though I still remembered this one pretty well, I was looking forward to that dynamic. However, it wasn't to be and I now just have to hope for a future re-watch featuring Peter Capaldi's incarnation of the Doctor. I'm sure it will happen! Anyway, I thought this served as a wonderful little introduction to that watch-along and it was absolutely brilliant in representing the current state of society. I am no stranger to Zoom calls given my job in finance as a research analyst so it's either been video calls on that or audios on Skype. It all looked very familiar which was definitely a bonus for the story. It wasn't long at all which worked and I was hugely impressed with the filming in having both the human and Zygon version of Osgood talking in perfectly flowing conversation. I can't imagine that would have been easy for Ingrid Oliver to have performed and would surely have taken more than a single take, but it was admirable to have her basically talking to herself. That was a lot of fun. I thought the Doctor's involvement from afar was fantastic and I liked that Osgood now knows that the Doctor is female. Having Osgood return in a future episode with the Thirteenth Doctor would be wonderful as I think the chemistry between the pair would be spectacular. The conversation between the two Osgoods was entertaining and I liked that they too were also experiencing lockdown, presumably because of the coronavirus as well. The Doctor getting a message in about how she was listening in on the conversation was great and exactly what you'd expect, especially when she interrupted the claim that she was listening in, to confirm that she wasn't which actually confirmed that she was. Good humour. It was intriguing to have the Osgood in the top video chat to reveal that she was in fact the Zygon version, but of course that actually means very little in the grand scheme of things with all that went on in the Twelfth Doctor's era. I really did love her phone cover being that of the Twelfth Doctor though! I do wonder how that incarnation would approve of his face being used in that way. He does have a soft spot for Osgood though so it may just about pass. The way the story led into watching The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion with the use of BBC iPlayer was terrific and whilst I wasn't too thrilled about The Day of the Doctor recap being included, its use as a way to keep action going and interest for the closing credits was decent. The humour that came with Osgood taking a little too long to confirm whether she had a TV license or not was excellent as well! Overall, I thought this was an impressive little webcast and I am delighted to say I am now all caught up on #DoctorWhoLockdown bonus stories to go along with the watch-alongs! It's been a thrilling ride, and I look forward to #VolcanoDay.

Rating: 8/10

The Shadow in the Mirror

"I won't say sorry."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: Webcast

Released: 24 April 2020

Series: #DoctorWhoLockdown

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor

Synopsis

Someone wants to get out. Someone thinks they should...

Verdict

The Shadow in the Mirror was a very good end to the Shadow trilogy of lockdown adventures to go alongside the watch-along of Human Nature/The Family of Blood! It was a very entertaining little five minutes that had some good animations to go alongside the audio. I thought it was great and actually quite refreshing to have Lor Wilson returning to her role as Daughter of Mine to tell the tale! I very much enjoyed the continuity from and reference to The Shadow Passes with the time the Doctor spent essentially in lockdown for around three weeks allowing her time to reflect and realise what kind of person she was now. It wasn't somebody who trapped little girls in mirrors. The Doctor was here to amend her ways which was very intriguing. This one definitely appeared to be set after Ascension of the Cybermen/The Timeless Children with the Doctor being unsure on everything bar one thing when it came to doctors and she didn't even seem to flinch when this mysterious and yet doubly referenced red-headed Doctor was mentioned. I have no idea if there ever has been an alternative incarnation of the Doctor that was red-headed, but I'd just hope it is a little joke about the Doctor's continued desire to be ginger. Would he/she finally get the wish in the final incarnation? That would be a nice and somewhat humorous thought. Daughter of Mine continuing to refuse to say she was sorry was a little surprising as it seems I definitely got the wrong feeling on her sentiments in Shadow of a Doubt. The arrival of the Thirteenth Doctor was terrific and I liked that she was coming through on her wish from the aforementioned short story that kicked off this little trilogy. Daughter of Mine seemed to have a sickness that needed curing and even when the Doctor coming to visit wasn't a rare occurrence, even if this particular incarnation had never visited before, she still asked to get out despite knowing what it was that would get her released. She had been to every mirror in the universe and scared so many children which was an interesting development as she seemed to be gloating to the Doctor of what she had achieved despite her entrapment. Despite that, the Doctor was contemplating letting her out and she would even be able to resume her life from the point it was suspended. That would be a huge win for Daughter of Mine! The Doctor's talk of mercy and it setting aside fairness was very good and I loved that she just wanted to be kind. She carried through on her wish to rethink things and smashed the mirror into a million pieces and reached out her hand to let Daughter of Mine out. She didn't accept the offering of the hand, but happily stepped out and took her freedom. I thought it was a good development in having the Doctor take her back to her own planet and I'd love for a story exploring that location and the species on it! I'd love to see them in their natural form more fully and wondering around. That would be quite something. I thought it was brilliant to have Daughter of Mine being furious at the power the Doctor held over her despite finally freeing her and taking her home. Of course, she had put her there in the first place so that anger is definitely understandable. Overall, I thought this was an impressive little story with some very good imagery and a fine performance from Lors Wilson reprising her role for the first time in thirteen years! A fantastic little bonus.

Rating: 8/10

Shadow of a Doubt

"One night in the mirror appeared a little girl with a balloon."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: Audio

Released: 24 April 2020

Series: #DoctorWhoLockdown

Featuring: Bernice

Synopsis

Someone has found something on an alien world...

Verdict

Shadow of a Doubt was a very good little audio story! This serves as an intriguing middle piece in what has turned out to be a Shadow Trilogy of lockdown adventures to coincide with the watch-along of Human Nature/The Family of Blood. That two-part story is a sensational tale and is probably my favourite Tenth Doctor adventure and I was disappointed at being unable to take part in the Tweet-along. However, I don't quite feel that I am missing out as now I am catching up on the bonus release stories to go with it which is just wonderful. I love the idea of the Thirteenth Doctor feeling guilty for what she did to Daughter of Mine at the end of the second episode by trapping her in every mirror. Having a full story, even if it was barely three minutes, with Bernice Summerfield tying in with a Tenth Doctor tale was very intriguing and I liked how characters and plot threads from different eras can be meshed together. It's a lot of fun! Bernice being on Andromeda and finding an old Earth mirror was very good and I just loved how she had been having a conversation with the strange girl within it. If I saw a young girl with a red balloon in the mirror, I think I'd start questioning my sanity rather than start speaking to her! The details of the conversation recalled by Bernice were very interesting though! She seemed to think she was being hunted which was strange given that she is literally trapped in a mirror. Daughter of Mine was always asking Bernice, who seemed to have come and gone for conversations on numerous occasions, if she was the Doctor. That wasn't exactly a shocking thought given the knowledge the Family of Blood had on the Time Lords so they were surely aware of their regenerative abilities. The talk of how 'she', presumably meaning the Thirteenth Doctor, had kept visiting was good and I liked how she was acting on her guilt we learned of in The Shadow Passes. There were apparently further visits from the likes of the Twelfth and Seventh Doctors which is intriguing, especially for the latter incarnation as he hadn't yet trapped her! There were also a number of unknown incarnations apparently visiting, a window into the future perhaps? Or after The Timeless Children, the past? I really liked the idea of Daughter of Mine continuously being asked if she was sorry for her actions. She was being punished which I think was important to remember. It was always the same question and all she had to do was say she was sorry. That seemed like an easy way out of the mirror, but she claimed she was incapable of apologising. Bernice wasn't sure if that was the case though which was a good thought to ponder. As the daughter of the family, was she perhaps just going along with the wishes of her parents and older sibling? Was she really evil? It's something we haven't really stopped and thought about. I liked the ambiguity of the ending with Bernice not letting her out and leaving the mirror back where it was on Andromeda as the place where the Doctor could find her again. It set things up quite nicely for the final instalment in this makeshift trilogy and I very much look forward to seeing how things play out! Overall, a terrific little audio that actually did an awful lot in just three minutes or so. Very impressive!

Rating: 8/10

The Shadow Passes

"I get a different perspective on what I've done."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: Short Story

Released: 15 April 2020

Series: #DoctorWhoLockdown

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

A new short story by Paul Cornell.

Verdict

The Shadow Passes was a decent little story to keep us Doctor Who fans going during lockdown, something that doesn't seem like being lifted anytime soon. At least, it doesn't here in Wales. I'm not really sure what they're playing at over the border but I am glad to be Welsh and back living in my homeland! I enjoyed this story and whilst it was a little childish and playful with the mentions of bottoms, it was largely good and a very good allegory for the current lockdown situation with all that's going on during this coronavirus outbreak. The setting of Calapia was an intriguing one as almost immediately after arriving, the fam were in danger. That's not an unusual occurrence, but the source of the danger was very much just a natural phenomenon. I think that's a big positive of these little short stories in that you can bring some normality to the Doctor's travels in the TARDIS with her companions. It doesn't all have to be fighting monsters and defeating aliens. Here, they'd arrived amidst an event that only happens every sixty-four years with the Death Moon passing over the planet. I think we should have learned a little more about it and what it could do rather than just accepting danger from the name, but it was very good to have the Doctor and her friends locked up below ground without any choice in the matter. They'd come to accept their situation pretty quickly and their efforts in playing board games was great. I am sure a number of families and households must be playing them more than ever now – I know I have been playing a few games with my girlfriend including Doctor Who Trivial Pursuit – so it was good to see something similar here. The writing of the Thirteenth Doctor was brilliant by Paul Cornell and I loved how he wrote her attempting to play board games. She was kind of out of place in being the Doctor and that worked so well. I really enjoyed that. I liked that the story was told from the perspective of Yaz as she's my favourite companion of the three alongside the Thirteenth Doctor, but with that it left very little for Ryan and Graham to do. Their game of Who Am I? was all they had to do really. That was a bit of fun with Yaz being the Doctor. I was surprised that it sparked such a deep conversation between her and the Doctor about how despite all she can, the Doctor always seems to put herself down. I think that's just modesty, but she seemed to attribute it to a bit more than that. With all the revelations recently revealed in Fugitive of the Judoon and The Timeless Children, the Doctor had a lot going on and that was clear. Her discussion about regeneration and changing personality as well as getting a new body was excellent and I loved how she thought that she needed to become someone new as a way of dealign with all of the memories. But then came an intriguing reference to Human Nature/The Family of Blood with how she once trapped a girl in the mirror. She says that isn't who she is now in this incarnation which is interesting as I'm not entirely sure that was even resemblant of the Tenth Doctor's personality. However, with this coming over a week before the watch-along of the above Tenth Doctor story, I think there has been some good planning gone on by Cornell. This seems to have just set things up for what might be to come. Overall, a decent adventure!

Rating: 7/10

Sven and the Scarf

"Seven years in space!"

Writer: Andrew Ireland
Format: Webcast
Released: 30 April 2020
Series: #DoctorWhoLockdown

Featuring: Sven

Synopsis

There's been a new arrival at Henry van Statten's museum...

Introducing alien researcher Sven, Adam Mitchell's predecessor at GeoComTex. Sven will feature in the forthcoming Dalek Target novelisation.

Verdict

Sven and the Scarf was a terrific little webcast adventure! This one served as a lovely prologue to Dalek to go along with the #TheMetaltron watch-along of what is, in my opinion, the best Ninth Doctor episode. It brings the Daleks back to the modern era in a sublime way and having all of the destruction with a singular Dalek makes the finale of Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways all the more impactful when there are literally hundreds of thousands of them. This webcast adventure took us back to the day that the Dalek was first brought to Van Statten's museum and I really do wish there could somehow be further stories within that setting. It's honestly so good and full of potential. Something like an episode in The Diary of River Song or even a second Jenny series would work absolutely perfectly. Here we were introduced to Sven who seems an intriguing character being placed as the predecessor to Adam Mitchell who would of course go on to be a very short-lived companion alongside Rose Tyler. I am very excited for the Target novelisation of this episode as anything more for the Ninth Doctor is something I am eager for and even though this won't exactly be new, it is an extension and something different which will be fantastic. I am looking forward to reading what role Sven has in the novelisation and how it ties in with the events we saw in the episode itself. The idea of having the famed scarf of the Fourth Doctor as a museum piece was magnificent and the dissection that occurred was very humorous, if not a little silly. But this is lockdown and it's all about having some fun which was definitely the case with this bonus story. There were numerous references to stories from the Fourth Doctor era which were really quite hilarious. The mocking of The Ark in Space with the bubble wrap referencing the Wirrn was a little sad, might the Doctor have now come into contact with some of the deadly wrap seen in Kerblam!? I'd like to think so. The reference to Terror of the Zygons and the part of a Zygon that was very possibly just pizza was terrific. I really liked the brief moment of "Eldrad Must Live!" which was a lovely throwback to The Hand of Fear and I also thought the use of the wires and the semi-recreation of that famed moment in Genesis of the Daleks was a good image, but slight overkill. Just how would these wires have got ingrained in the Fourth Doctor's scarf? Of course, there is something to be said about suspending belief for these lockdown stories and I fully appreciate that. My absolute favourite moment came when the cactus-like fragment was picked out of the scarf, even if for continuity purposes it was the incorrect scarf, and we had the reference to Meglos. However, it was the pun that followed about it nearly being a "mega-loss" that had me literally laughing out loud. I absolutely loved that. Really great moment and props to the writer for the comedy there. Sven initially suspecting that a green jelly baby might be an alien life form was quite funny and the moment he realised that it was in fact just a sweet was great. I thought the image of all of the different specimens in one little container and labelled was good and I was very impressed with the way this was filmed from Sven's point of view. That's quite a unique perspective which worked very well. Overall, this was a lot of fun even if it was slightly silly. That was just part of the appeal.

Rating: 8/10

The Raincloud Man

"Sometimes the stakes are just too high."

Writer: Eddie Robson
Format: Audio
Released: December 2008
Series: Main Range 116

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

Having just defeated the Krotons, the Sixth Doctor is treating Charley to a hearty English breakfast, when an intriguing mystery suddenly presents itself. And to solve it, they must plunge back into the criminal underbelly of Manchester, where an old friend is up to her neck in alien trouble.

But what seemed like a mere mystery ends up being a life or death struggle at the centre of an interplanetary war in which the stakes are so high, the Doctor or Charley must gamble and lose their identity. And throughout, the lone figure of the Raincloud Man may hold the key to success or failure.

Verdict

The Raincloud Man was a somewhat decent audio adventure, but it was sadly comfortably the worst story of the Sixth Doctor and Charley's run together. I was glad to see DI Menzies return after an impressive debut in The Condemned and going back to her along with the Manchester setting was really good continuity in the era. It was great to be back with the Sixth Doctor and Charley and whilst the mystery surrounding their out of sync relationship really came into fruition at the story's conclusion, I found it intriguing that Kelsa knew immediately that Charley was essentially a walking paradox. That came very suddenly and I was excited for where the adventure might go from there, but then he ended up dying and things petered out from there in a big way. If it wasn't for the familiarity of Menzies and her relationship with both the Doctor and Charley, I really don't think this would have scored as high as it did. This one had good elements, but on the whole it was largely a mixed bag at best which was a real shame and it didn't quite meet the high standards set with this pairing. The whole premise of the story centring on tracking down where a coin from 2012 came from was a bit shoddy and just didn't end up being that exciting. Finding out that Carmen was actually a time travelling gambler who had a thing for casinos was very intriguing, but then it turned out that she didn't even know that was who or what she was! I didn't like that revelation much at all and I think it would have been much better if she was scheming. It would have suited the concept so much better in my opinion. Brooks was a semi-decent character but when it came to the war between the Tabbalac and the Cyrox, I just didn't care. That's a bit harsh and callous, but I wasn't a fan of the actors and there just wasn't enough background information to get me fully invested. Lish did turn out to be a good character though and he was clearly the standout of the guest cast. The casino turning out to actually be hopping around was fun, but again it didn't have the same impact with Carmen not having her memory. Lish being the one who knew all about Kesla's death was good, with the moment that Charley was arrested being terrific. That brought a very new dynamic to her relationship with Menzies. The idea behind the Raincloud Man felt a bit flat to me though considering it was the story's title. It was intriguing for there to be a possibility of increasing bad luck for punters, but it came too late for me. Ideally, I would have preferred a more centred focus on the casino and using time travel to con punters. That would have worked so much better in my opinion. The best moment of the audio came towards the end with Charley having to put her memories of her relationship with the Doctor on the line in a game of what was essentially Top Trumps between the Doctor and Brooks. Why they were valued wasn't really told which was a shame, but her having to toy with giving those up and not tell the Doctor the truth of her past and his future was excellent. The scene in the TARDIS to close with the Doctor telling Charley that he doesn't believe her anymore and the weirdness of what was going on with her was why Menzies was rejected as a fellow companion. I can't wait to see where things go from here, but for now this wasn't the greatest audio.

Rating: 6/10

The Mutation of Time

"I think it's about time that some people remembered that these journeys of mine are for the purpose of scientific discovery!"

Writer: John Peel
Format: Novel
Released: October 1989
Series: Target 142

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Sara

Synopsis

The Daleks' Masterplan is well under way. With the Time Destructor, the most deadly machine ever devised, they will conquer the Universe. Only one person stands in their way – the Doctor. For he has stolen the precious Taranium core which is vital to activate the machine.

Travelling through Time and Space, the Doctor and his companions are forever on the move in case the Daleks track them down.

But after several months, to their horror, the TARDIS indicates that they are being followed...

Verdict

The Mutation of Time was an excellent continuation of Mission to the Unknown to conclude the novelisations of The Daleks' Masterplan! The story so epic it required two books and it's clear to see why. This one felt a little different its predecessor and I was very much a fan of it having a feeling of being separate and almost like a sequel. I don't think it would have been beneficial to just start where things left off without any explanation. Here, we had an interlude chapter with Sara in her room and suffering from bad dreams where she was constantly reminded of killing her brother Bret Vyon. She was a troubled character and I liked how avenging her brother's death was driving her forward. The Doctor was terrific in this one and the personality of the first incarnation was captured so well! He was incredibly flippant during some passages and I was laughing out loud when he told both Steven and Sara that he just needed one thing of them and that was to shut up. Magnificent. No other Doctor would have got away with that. I was a little surprised that close to a third of the book was devoted to The Feast of Steven, but it was such an intriguing read full of fun and humour. It's not exactly how you'd expect a Dalek novelisation to begin with the title that it had (a great one at that). Mavic Chen was good as the lead villain alongside the Daleks, but despite how good the story was I do think there was one too many instances of certain death on the cards only for Chen to pipe up and provide a rational explanation as to why someone needed to stay alive. I liked the idea and Chen playing with the Daleks and trying to flaunt his own authority, but I do question whether the Daleks would have been as patient as they were. The Black Dalek and Red Dalek were fantastic and I liked the continuation of the Dalek hierarchy. The ending of the book with regards to them and the Dalek Prime was brilliant. It left things open for what was to come with the Second Doctor. The Monk's return was terrific and I loved the continuation from The Time Meddler and the explanation as to how he managed to fix his TARDIS. The comedy that came with his fiendish methods to get revenge was marvellous and the reaction he had when confronted by a Dalek was excellent. The Doctor continuing to mess about with his old friend was tremendous and I loved how he made use of the Monk's lack of locking his TARDIS door to get the directional unit required to get back to Kembel. The Doctor having to give up the tarnaium core was a shocking moment, but I was even more surprised to find that he was the one who activated the Time Destructor! The constant jumping around setting was fun, if not perhaps a tad too reminiscent of The Chase, but encountering different locals was magnificent. There was always so much going on whilst having on overarching story going on in the background. Mavic Chen's insanity coming into full fruition was wonderful and it was really good to see how he was unable to realise the Daleks were never going to see him on equal terms. Chen's reaction when he was locked in with the other delegates was very good. Even then he still wanted to bring them the Doctor and his companions! Sara's desire for Chen to die was a brilliant thread throughout the book and when the Spar blew up, she seemed so relieved after the Doctor had battled to keep him alive to unite Earth against the Daleks. When that failed, using the Daleks' weapon against them was the only way to defeat them. The consequences were dire for Sara. That passage was extraordinary and full of emotion as the struggle for the Doctor and Sara to get back to the TARDIS through the winds of the Time Destructor ensued in devastating detail. Sara's death was detailed suddenly and very heartfelt with Steven and the Doctor looking on in the TARDIS with despair at what had happened. It was a devastating end to an epic story!

Rating: 9/10

Mission to the Unknown

"He's the ultimate power in the Solar System. What's he doing here on Kembel, with the Daleks?"

Writer: John Peel
Format: Novel
Released: September 1989
Series: Target 141

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Katarina, Sara

Synopsis

Stranded in the jungles of Kembel, the most hostile planet in the Galaxy, Space Security agent Marc Cory has stumbled across the most deadly plot ever hatched – the Daleks are about to invade and destroy the Universe. Cory has to get a warning back to Earth before it's too late – but the Daleks find him first.

Months later the Doctor and his companions arrive on Kembel and find Cory's message. But it may already be too late for Earth – the Daleks' Masterplan has already begun...

Verdict

Mission to the Unknown was an excellent novelisation of the televised episode along with the first half of the epic The Daleks' Master Plan! I was really impressed with this one and I have been looking forward to reading it ever since picking it up on eBay around Christmas 2018. It's taken longer than I would have expected to get around to it, but it's such an epic and even for a Target novel it's lengthy at 174 pages – and we're only halfway through! I thought it worked well picking up where The Myth Makers left off with Katarina coming aboard the TARDIS and Steven not in the best shape. From there we transitioned into the events of Mission to the Unknown for a couple of chapters in which the story of Marc Cory was told fantastically. I think this episode/novel may be the only story that I now have three blog entries for with all of them being different variations. Quite the feat for a standalone missing episode that the Doctor isn't even in! I really enjoyed John Peel's writing and the suddenness of the numerous deaths that occur in this book was striking. Cory doesn't wait around when it comes to killing off his fellows infected by the Varga plants and the way that Katarina's death was handled was brilliant and full of emotional, but I was stunned that it didn't even close a chapter! That was quite extraordinary. Her time as companion is obviously short-lived but for the 100 or so pages that she's around here, I think she's tremendous. Her devotion to the Doctor is lovely to see and her efforts to make sense of everything she isn't able to comprehend is terrific. Bret's annoyance at that trait of hers seemed unfair, but of course he didn't know she was from Troy until late on. He was a very good character and I really liked how determined he was to get the message back to Earth regarding the Daleks and their plans to destroy the planet. His reaction when discovering that Mavic Chen was in league with them was fantastic and was everything required to show how deadly and shocking this alliance was. The remaining members and their roles as leaders of other galaxies didn't seem as important as the Daleks and Mavic Chen which is the rightful focus. I love the idea of a Guardian of the Solar System and human development going so far that planetary government and order was now required. That fitted in well with the AD 4000 setting and it was intriguing for Steven to be in a position of role reversal with Sara compared to his relationship with Vicki. His technological knowledge was far in advance of hers, but now Sara was showcasing much greater technological expertise which was a fun dynamic. The death of Bret was so quick but the development of Sara from that point on was terrific. She was a heartless killer when we meet her but 70-odd pages later and she's a new companion! The moment she reveals that Bret was her brother is an extraordinary development. I liked how Peel explored the hierarchy of the Daleks and mentioning the Black Dalek being second in command to the Dalek Prime was really interesting. The connections with The Chase was also wonderful Target continuity in finding out that their time machine in that adventure was powered by taranium. The Doctor's kidnapping of the taranium core that the Daleks required for their Time Destructor was very humorous and served as the basis for much of the novelisation. The tense relationship between the Daleks and Mavic Chen was excellent and I really loved how this book ended with the Doctor giving the Daleks a fake core. That almost served to 'complete' the story for any readers who might not have been able to get ahold of the second part of the story and the next Target novelisation which I thought was a great thing to do. It gives a sense of satisfaction and completeness whilst also outlining that there is more to come. It also was written in a way that opened up so much room for more adventures with Sara as companion. Overall, a sublime novelisation!

Rating: 10/10

The Bleeding Heart

"I hoped that I deserved peace, just this once."

Writer: Cavan Scott

Format: Audio

Released: May 2017

Series: Ninth Doctor Chronicles 1.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Galen is a place where people come to heal. The renowned 'planet of peace' seems the ideal venue for talks between two warring races. But when death disrupts the diplomacy, Cosmic Nine news reporter Adriana Jarsdel uncovers a different story. Luckily, someone is there to help. A battle-weary veteran from another war. The Doctor has come to Galen – but is he looking for peace, or something else entirely?

Verdict

The Bleeding Heart was a decent start to the Ninth Doctor Chronicles audios from Big Finish! Ever since these were announced three years ago (which I couldn't quite believe the timeframe when I looked back on some post-listening research), I have been wanting to get these because the Ninth Doctor is probably the hardest incarnation to come by when it comes to range of stories. I am unsure whether Christopher Eccleston would ever reprise the role of the Ninth Doctor for Big Finish, but the chronicles are a good way of filling in some gaps and adding to his era. This is an intriguing start because it is chronologically placed before Rose, a section in the Doctor's chronology that has the dangers of becoming too full if there are many more stories there, and the Doctor was at a crucial point in life. It was clear that things were not far removed from the Time War for the Doctor as the very mention of war had him worried which was intriguing in of itself. I loved the continuity from The Day of the Doctor with the sonic screwdriver having a red light rather than the traditional blue we would associate with this incarnation of the Doctor. He wasn't suffering from any post-regeneration effects or trauma, and I think that is a story that is begging to be done. I'm quite amazed it hasn't occurred yet! There's so much potential there. This story was a solid opener to a boxset that doesn't follow one after the other in a traditional Big Finish way which is very good as I can split my Ninth Doctor content around which I'm delighted about. His relationship with Adriana was great and she was a very likeable character. Her seeing into the Doctor's future was good and I loved the revelation that she was psychic. The Doctor attempting to use the psychic paper on her took on a whole new meaning when that revelation occurred. Even before that, she was a very likeable character. The Horajian sentence for murder was an incredibly disturbing passage during the audio and finding out that if one was found guilty of murder, then the punishment involved the public death of their family members! That is absolutely brutal and I just can't imagine that in fruition. A horrible thought. The Administrator's desire to heal was good and I liked the concept of a planet of peace. It makes perfect sense as the location the Doctor wanted to go to so soon after the Time War, but I loved that his reason for coming was because he thought it was too good to be true. That fitted the Ninth Doctor very well in my opinion. Finding out that the story did indeed have Time War connections was a great development and I really liked the concept of the Compassionate. Around it, it was impossible to feel hatred and one could only feel empathy. The Doctor believed that the Daleks trapped it in a pocket universe for obvious reasons, but Adriana revealed that it was actually the Time Lords, and specifically Rassilon, that put it there because they feared the Daleks weaponising it. That was good and I loved that there was some Time Lord mythology in a Ninth Doctor adventure as that is quite a rarity! The Free were decent elements of the story too, but in my opinion there should have been more focus on the Compassionate. Their role in freeing it and providing a way out was good, but it ultimately came down to the Doctor's presence. I think it would have been better to play on the Time War with events being hot on its heals, but this still turned out to be a good little audio story!

Rating: 7/10