The Empty Child

"Physical injuries as plague."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast:

Series: 1.09

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack

Synopsis

Rose and the Doctor find themselves in London, in 1941 at the height of the Blitz. A mysterious cylinder is being guarded by the army, while homeless children, living on the bomb sites, are being terrorised by an unearthly child. When Rose meets the dashing Captain Jack Harkness, she wonders if she has found a hero better than the Doctor himself.

Verdict

The Empty Child is an excellent episode and an outstanding start to an instant classic of a two-parter. Steven Moffat's first script for the revived era of Doctor Who certainly isn't a let down and it goes all out in being an absolute thriller. The atmosphere is a key component of Doctor Who and it is just incredible throughout this episode. The setting of the London Blitz in 1941 certainly helps with that, but even before we knew that was when we were there was a really creepy and enigmatic feeling which I loved. Rose was terrific throughout and this might be my favourite episode for her as the companion on my rewatch of Series 1. She was just dying for the Doctor to scan for alien technology after arrival following their exciting chase of the Chula warship (ambulance) through time and space. The comments of her Union Jack t-shirt being followed by her hanging from a zeppelin as the Nazis provided a bombing onslaught was just tremendous. I thought the moment where the Doctor is talking to the cat and he hears his TARDIS phone ring was marvellous and his genuine surprise was a delight to see. Christopher Eccleston plays the role of the Doctor so well in this episode and his interaction with Nancy throughout is brilliant. She is such a good character and the warning she gives the Doctor when the phone rings before disappearing was a fantastic introduction. Her efforts in feeding the young homeless by taking advantage of the air raids was marvellous and the moment where the Doctor takes a slice of meat at the dinner table was wonderful. He was an instant hit with the other children with jokes and laughs and that was delightful to see. The best comedy though came with his quest for the warship and how he asked the punters at a club if they'd seen anything fall from the sky recently, only to see the air raid warning poster as the sirens started blaring. The way Captain Jack is introduced is also superb and right from the off he's an intriguing and really likeable character. His interaction and flirting with Rose after saving her from falling from the zeppelin was great and the humour that came with both of their honesty on the psychic paper was brilliant. Rose introducing him to the Doctor and pretending that they were both time agents was a huge amount of fun as well as Rose labelling the Doctor as Captain Spock. His reaction was priceless. The idea of injuries being passed on like a disease was a fascinating development and the Doctor's reaction when Constantine told him about that before revealing that all of those infected weren't actually dead was magnificent. As if the hospital setting wasn't creepy enough, a load of bodies that weren't corpses wearing gas masks did the trick. And then Constantine transformed himself with the sudden development of a gas mask from within his mouth! It was a perfect set up to what was an excellent cliff-hanger with the fate of the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack seeming fatal. The simplicity of the Doctor's reply when Rose asks what happens should the gas-mask wearing approachers touched them was also outstanding. It was so casual but just perfect in selling the threat posed. Of course, one of the most memorable elements of the episode is Jamie and his constant asking for his mummy, and there's something quite heartbreaking about that. Overall, this is a sensational episode and kicks off the mid-series two-parter in fantastic style. 

Rating: 10/10

Father's Day

"Can we go and see my dad when he was still alive?"

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: TV

Broadcast: 14 May 2005

Series: 1.08

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor takes Rose back to 1987 to witness the day her father died, at her own request. But when she interferes in the course of natural events, the monstrous Reapers are unleashed upon the world to repair the wound in time...

Verdict

Father's Day was a decent episode to continue my way back through Series 1, but despite its qualities I think it is definitely the worst of the Ninth Doctor run. That sounds negative but it's really not because it is very much a good little episode, I just think that it's comfortably not as good as the rest of the series. Thankfully, this was something Gemma and I agreed on as we make our way through the series together for the first time. I think the pace at the start of the episode is slightly off-putting in that it's just a lot slower than everything that has come before it and whilst it is an incredibly powerful story, it's just a bit bland and the threat doesn't seem so severe with the answer staring us in the face with every scene of the car going in and out of the wound in time. I do like the realism of Rose wanting to change the past with the TARDIS and when you haven't grown up with a father and seen your mother alone while she raises you, who could blame her? The Doctor's willingness to take Rose to the day her father died was intriguing and I really liked how understanding he was, whilst also assuring her of what she was setting out to do. He even gave her a second go to give her dad company at the end as the stories she had been told from her mother had a common theme of nobody being there for Pete at the end. That's really sad and the idea of Rose wanting to be that person is really good. Compassion at its finest. The highlight of the episode for me is undoubtedly the moment where the Doctor opens the doors of the TARDIS and there is no interior. That really is glorious as the way Christopher Eccleston sells that is outstanding. The horror of the realisation that he's lost the TARDIS is incredible and that's something really good to play with. I thought the relationship between Jackie and Pete was terrific and I really liked how the reality of them as a pairing was incredibly far removed from the stories Rose had grown up on. That was very nicely done. The Doctor having to explain to Rose that her actions in changing time were wrong was challenging and I was surprised that Rose didn't shun a reaction when the Doctor used the example of his own planet and people dying and him proposing that he'd thought of going back and chaining things. To be honest, Rose just comes across as a little selfish in this episode and I find that a bit of a shame as there's no indication of that in the first half of the series. The Doctor mentioning how the time element of the TARDIS convinced her to join in Rose was fantastic and it is good that she slowly realises she's the cause of the Reapers as the episode goes on, but I just didn't like her arrogance in taunting the Doctor and being confident that he'd come running back. Pete was definitely a brilliant character and his working out that he was not supposed to be alive was very good. The way everything comes around full circle with Pete saying an emotional goodbye to Jackie and who he knows as his grown up Rose before taking the hit from the car and seeing his life end was powerful. He was so happy to get those extra hours and see his Rose all grown up which was lovely. It was also fitting that Rose was able to end up being there for him at the end was a nice touch and probably a deserving ending. The Reapers throughout are pretty useless if they're defeated by a church, but the moment they consume the Doctor is so sudden and really impactful. Overall, a decent episode! 

Rating: 7/10

The Long Game

"Once you go to Floor 500 you never come back."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 07 May 2005

Series: 1.07

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Adam

Synopsis

Adam discovers the wonders of travelling in the TARDIS. In the far future, Satellite 5 broadcast to the entire Earth Empire, but anyone promoted to Floor 500 is never seen again, and the Doctor suspects mankind is being manipulated. Does Adam have what it takes to become the Time Lord's companion?

Verdict

The Long Game was an excellent episode of Doctor Who! This has always been something of an underrated story in my opinion and after watching again on my Series 1 rewatch, my opinion has certainly not changed. It obviously follows on from Dalek with Adam in a companion role adding something a little different to the established pairing of the Ninth Doctor and Rose, and I like how there's something more to the boy genius taken 200,000 years into his future. My newfound appreciation for just how good Christopher Eccleston is as the Ninth Doctor was extended here and I really liked how he sat back and gave Rose the moment to shine when it came to the introductions after Adam had left the TARDIS and found himself far into the future and on Satellite 5. She looked fantastic and it was fun to see how quickly their relationship actually dwindled. Adam was out to take advantage of being in the future and his efforts to send information back to his own mum's answer machine was quite hilarious. I think Satellite 5 is a really brilliant concept and the placement of the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire was also terrific. The image of Earth from above with the super cities is always something I love and it was very good once again here. The Doctor deducing that something had set humanity back at this point in history was really intriguing and the moment where he thinks the human race is ninety years behind where it should be and to find that Satellite 5 had been established for 91 years. The use of the news was really good and it showed how powerful it could be here through the subtleties. I'm a big fan and a firm believer of that and I think that could even be more of a focus for a different episode. The Editor is a character I have always adored with Simon Pegg absolutely perfect for the role. He revels in information but the excitement he gets about not knowing about the Doctor and Rose was terrific. The shift between humour and sheer callousness was superb and his moment with Suki really was outstanding. I love how she was actually a freedom fighter and that extended the mystery behind Satellite 5. Cathica's reaction to seeing Suki get promoted was magnificent and I love how devoted she is to her job as even when she's saving the day at the end, she is irked that she should have been promoted a long time ago. The mystique surrounding Floor 500 was impressive and I thought the Editor in Chief being The Mighty Jagrafess was certainly interesting! It's essentially a sharp blob with teeth and I would love to know more of its background and how it came to be ruling the human race. The way it was used through the Editor was brilliantly done though and it certainly made a fitting enemy. The Doctor's reaction to seeing that Adam has provided the Editor with who and what he is along with the TARDIS key was priceless and after all was saved, the Doctor evicting him from his travels was so much fun. The joy he and Rose had in clicking their fingers to open his head after removing the messages from the future was a real highlight. And the ending is just a classic little moment with his mum coming in and clicking her fingers before looking on in horror. But there's a little note here that I don't think I've picked up on before with the Doctor keen to get going after the Jagrafess was destroyed as he didn't like the aftermath and clearing things up. Of course, that will come back to bite him in Bad Wolf! Overall, a superb episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Dalek

"The stuff of nightmares, reduced to an exhibit."

Writer: Robert Shearman

Format: TV

Broadcast: 30 April 2005

Series: 1.06

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

Billionaire collector Henry Van Statten holds the last relic of an alien race. When the Doctor and Rose investigate, they discover that the Doctor's oldest and most deadly enemy is about to break free.

Verdict

Dalek is just an outstanding episode of Doctor Who. It really is. It is undoubtedly one of my all time favourite stories and is unquestionably my favourite Ninth Doctor episode. Everything about it is just fantastic from start to finish and it's such a perfect reintroduction for the Daleks into the modern era. What better way to showcase the threat of the Daleks than by having just one singular of the species causing absolute mayhem? Everything just works. There is so much tension and excitement and as if the destruction of a lone Dalek wasn't enough, the setting that it's let loose in is just magnificent. I love the idea of an alien museum and the Doctor's reaction to seeing an old Cyberman helmet is really superb. Unfortunately, it's the closest we ever got to the Ninth Doctor encountering the old enemies, but that image is just terrific. It's a lot of fun that we see a Cyberman before the Dalek in this episode and the fact that it was the sole living exhibit worked really well. I am a massive fan of Henry Van Statten and he really was marvellous once again here. The owner of the internet and collector of alien technology in order to scavenge and pattern it for sale. Not exactly the likeliest person for the Doctor to get along with! The moment where the pair meet and the Doctor teaches Van Statten about the musical instrument that's been acquired into his collection is a terrific scene and I love that a delicate touch is needed only for Van Statten to throw it to the side. The moment where the Doctor is introduced to the captive 'Metaltron' is a stellar scene and Christopher Eccleston is outstanding. He tells us everything we need to know about the Daleks, the threat they possess and everything endured during the Time War. We don't often see the Doctor displaying fear but he practically cowers at the site of a Dalek here which is an incredibly powerful moment. The sheer joy he has when he realises it cannot exterminate before deciding to kill it and end the war once and for all is excellent as well. Rose showing compassion towards a Dalek is marvellous and her touch providing the basis for the Dalek's regeneration and ultimate mutation is great. I really enjoyed her relationship with Adam who makes for a fun little character as a genius inundated with alien technology. The Dalek's escape through the vault is really great and I love the moment where it uses the water to exterminate in multiples within the space of a few seconds. It really is emphatic. The moment where the Doctor is told he will make a good Dalek still stands out for me as one my favourite ever moments. I just can't imagine how the Doctor would have felt internally at that moment. The moment where the Dalek exterminates Rose, as far as the Doctor is concerned, is tremendous and his reaction really does show everything. He's devastated. I also love the moment where the Dalek elevates for the first time after being mocked about defeat by stairs. As a whole, there is just nothing wrong with this episode and absolutely everything works. Everything. It's a perfect episode for me and that really can be a rarity. The fate of Van Statten is fitting and I also like how Rose feigns Adam's supposed prettiness when hoping to have him come aboard the TARDIS to see the stars. Overall, a sheer delight to revisit. Tremendous.

Rating: 10/10

World War Three

"I think you'll find the Prime Minister is an alien in disguise."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 23 April 2006

Series: 1.05

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

Downing Street announces mankind's first interplanetary war, but the real danger is much closer to home. The Doctor, Rose and Harriet Jones race against time to unmask the villainous Slitheen, but only Rose's mum and boyfriend hold the key to salvation.

Verdict

World War Three was a very good episode to continue my Series 1 rewatch! It continues the story already started in Aliens of London in great fashion and whilst it isn't quite up to the level of the first part, it's still an impressive and enjoyable episode in its own right. I think this is a case of the build being slightly better than the reveal and when the Slitheen get into action, they aren't quite as interesting as when we didn't know what was happening on Earth with the UFO crash landing. Having much of the episode inside Downing Street is magnificent and Christopher Eccleston once again shines as the Doctor. It's wonderful to see the relationship with Rose grow and even this early on into her travels, she is devoted to him and willingly would give her life if it meant saving the human race. One thing I would say about this episode though is that the cliffhanger (which was an excellent one) was resolved far too quickly. I feel that having it resolved almost instantly and before the opening credits is just far too soon, and I also think the Doctor should really show a little more compassion for the human experts who perished via electrocution by ID card. The Slitheen getting more show in their naked form is a lot of fun even when it borders on the line of silliness, but it's definitely a good one for the children which is obviously what the farting is for. Their reaction when the Doctor refers to the Slitheen as being their species was good and I liked learning that they were actually a family. The scene inside Downing Street with Rose and Harriet Jones providing characteristics of the Slitheen to narrow down their planet of origin for the Doctor to work out a solution to save Jackie and Mickey is splendid. The use of the pickled eggs and onions mix amongst other vinegar properties was good and Gemma felt pretty sick seeing the Slitheen explode! She's pregnant at the moment so she is easily repulsed which amused me. I enjoyed how the Slitheen knew when one of their brothers perished and their plan being to engage the nations of Earth into nuclear war with each other to reduce the planet to a molten crisp and sell it off as a profit. Their signal shot into space being an advertisement was really good and the Doctor's reaction to that was fantastic. I loved his relationship with Harriet Jones and it was clear that he thought she was companion material. The name ringing a bell was a nice touch and the Doctor mentioning the supposed future with her being elected for three successive terms was intriguing, because her fate in The Stolen Earth would see that changed. The anticipation surrounding the UN releasing the nuclear warhead codes was brilliant and the image of all of the Slitheen waiting anxiously for the call confirming the codes was terrific, especially when interrupted by a soldier. The Doctor's ability to guide Mickey into launching a missile was fantastic and I liked how he was honest with Jackie about not guaranteeing Rose's safety. The idea of bringing a missile on top of Downing Street whilst inside was unique to say the least but I did like how it showed the scale of the threat. Rose's intuition to try and survive the strike via a sturdy structure was good, but the fact that she, Harriet and the Doctor all survive without a scratch isn't exactly believable! I do like it and it's an emphatic way to wipe out the Slitheen, but to see the trio all fine was a bit too much to accept. Still, a very good episode!

Rating: 8/10

Aliens of London

"The nations of the world are watching the United Kingdom."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 16 April 2005

Series: 1.04

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor takes Rome home, but when a spaceship crash-lands in the Thames, London is closed off and the whole world goes on red alert. While the Doctor investigates the alien survivor, Rose discovers that her home is no longer a safe haven.

Verdict

Aliens of London was an excellent episode of Doctor Who to continue my rewatching of the first series of the modern era! As will be the case for all of the modern stories I am re-blogging, I was once again watching with Gemma and I have to admit that I did enjoy seeing her jump as the skinned body of the Prime Minister fell out of the cupboard in Downing Street. This is certainly another bold episode considering how new Doctor Who was to many viewers at the time and I am sure that a lot of the old viewers were still adjusting to the new format, so giving them a cliffhanger finish was nice and I thought the moments leading up to that conclusion were superb. It really is an excellent conclusion with the the Doctor, Rose and Jackie all in separate trouble. One thing I really did notice is how terrible the timing of the 'Next Time' trailer is because literally a few seconds after seeing the Doctor being electrocuted, we know he's going to be absolutely fine and running around next week. Now, that's no issue with the episode itself that just caught me off guard and I'd have been disappointed had I seen this on broadcast. Now, the episode starts in a fun way with the Doctor telling Rose it's only been 12 hours since she kissed Mickey goodbye and ran away with the Doctor at the end of Rose. In actuality, it had been 12 months! Jackie's reaction to seeing her daughter who she thought was dead was fantastic and the reality of this episode was hugely impressive. Jackie was magnificent and her 'stitch this' line to the Doctor followed by the slap was superb. The moment where the alien spaceship descends over London and crashes into Big Ben before plunging into the Thames was brilliant and I loved the reaction of the Doctor when he realised he was living in genuine history. I am getting a newfound love for Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor and I really do think I'm enjoying this incarnation more on this rewatch. He was absolutely revelling in the situation which was lovely to see and how much he enjoyed being escorted to Downing Street was terrific. Rose also found herself overwhelmed which was good to see and it sold the importance of the episode's events. I thought the introduction of Harriet Jones was a great deal of fun and she's such a likeable character and it works so well to have her in hiding find out the truth about the Slitheen and them literally being behind those in power in Britain following the enactment of the Emergency Protocols. The involvement of UNIT is a lovely nod to the past and Mickey picking up on the Doctor's past with them was marvellous stuff. I thought he was wonderful in this episode with him knowing exactly where Rose had gone for twelve months so when he saw the Doctor he got desperate. The banter surrounding his name being Ricky was a lot of fun! The constant farting of the Slitheen is a bit silly, but it does actually make sense from a logical standpoint with them squeezing into human skin. The sequence of the UFO crash itself coupled with all of the news reporting is sublime and I love how the Doctor is just stuck at Rose's watching history unfold on the television. I was a big fan of the subtle introduction of the character who would go onto become Tosh in Torchwood and her work on the Space Pig was fantastic. The whole concept of aliens faking an alien landing and having the world on red alert is brilliant because the Doctor's realisation of the plot being to get the world's experts together to kill them off was magnificent. It's a great cliffhanger combined with Rose and Harriet in trouble upstairs whilst Jackie is having trouble with a Slitheen policeman. Overall, a brilliant episode!

Rating: 9/10

The Unquiet Dead

"The stiffs are getting lively again."

Writer: Mark Gatiss

Format: TV

Broadcast: 9 April 2005

Series: 1.03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor takes Rose back through time to 1869, but in Victorian Cardiff the dead are walking and creatures made up of gas are on the loose. The time-travellers team up with Charles Dickens to investigate Mr Sneed, the local undertaker...

Verdict

The Unquiet Dead was an excellent episode of Doctor Who to continue my rewatch through Series 1! This is a terrific little story and a fantastic first venture back into the past for the series in the modern era. It does seem a little strange now to have an episode mid-series set during the Christmas period because of what would go onto become a tradition for over a decade with the Doctor Who Christmas Special, but it really does work well and just fits with the snowy setting. Victorian Cardiff is a magnificent setting and going back to my capital city during this period would be something I would love to do and see if there was anything recognisable whilst acknowledging all that has changed. We didn't get to see a huge amount of the city in this story, but it was more the period itself and just establishing Cardiff as the epicentre of the Rift that it is. I think this is a strong introduction to a fact that will be so crucial to a number of episodes to come along with the entire Torchwood spinoff. One element of the episode that I absolutely loved was seeing the Doctor watch Rose experience going into the past for the first time. It was obviously a huge deal and seeing how happy her excitement and anticipation made him was just superb. Billie Piper did look great in her Victorian attire and it was a little strange to have the Doctor call her beautiful with absolute honesty, only for him to reassert his character and add the caveat of considering she was human. That was a lot of fun. I was once again watching this one with Gemma and I was a little surprised to find that she usually skips this one on her rewatches as well which surprised me initially, only to remember that she is scared of almost any kind of jump or sudden moment when it comes to television so it kind of made sense in the end. She did jump at least once over the course of the episode which never fails to amuse me as the thought of finding this episode scary made me smile considering we're both grown adults! The Gelth are a fitting enemy and I really did love the moment where they had convinced the Doctor and Gwyneth to create the bridge through the Rift and allow them onto the planet to animate the corpses. The Doctor's sudden outburst to Rose about morality when she was adamant that the Gelth couldn't take over the dead. That seemed slightly unfair. The concept of the Gelth themselves was really good and gaseous creatures did look impressive with the special effects. The fire that came with them once their evil intentions were revealed was something I really enjoyed. Mr Sneed was a humorous character and his moment when the first corpse we saw came back to life and he was just annoyed by the inconvenience was hilarious. Charles Dickens as a historical character was tremendous and the scene when the Doctor discovers his identity in the horse and cart has to be up there as one of the best. Excellent stuff and it was just fantastic to see the Doctor happy and inundated with someone he was a big fan of. The ending of this episode is incredibly powerful and Gwyneth, who was such a magnificent character, sacrificing herself to take out the 'angels' with the match was so simple and yet so powerful. Rose's reaction said everything and it really was brilliant. As a whole, this was a fantastic episode to revisit with a very good plot and a hugely powerful ending. Overall, brilliant! 

Rating: 9/10

The End of the World

"This is the day the sun expands."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 2 April 2005

Series: 1.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor takes Rose on her first voyage through time, to the year five billion. The sun is about to expand and swallow the Earth. Amongst the alien races gathering to watch, 

Verdict

The End of the World was another very good episode to continue my rewatch of the modern era! I was surprised to find that Gemma hasn't watched this one since it aired way back in 2005 and although she's gone through re-watching the show a stupendous number of times, she always skipped this one based on her past opinion which I thought was mightily intriguing. Needless to say, I like things to be complete to the point of OCD almost so we wouldn't be skipping it this time around! And I am happy to report that Gemma quite enjoyed the episode and doesn't hate it so much now, rating it just a mark lower than I did. This is quite a bold move for the modern era's first journey into the future as going as far as to see the Earth obliterated is pretty bonkers! It does a very good job of seeing things through Rose's eyes and her reaction to seeing a blue alien before a whole array is marvellous stuff. The moment where she's talking to Raffalo and then suddenly realises that she's just ran away with a complete and utter stranger. That was really good from Billie Piper. The introduction of all of the aliens on Platform One coming to bare witness to the destruction of Earth was really fun and the likes of Jabe, the Moxx of Balhoon and the Face of Boe all brought back a nice feeling of nostalgia. Of course, it's Lady Cassandra who steals the show as the last human and her interaction throughout with her fellow characters is never dull. The mystery of the Doctor deepening when Jabe scanned him and named his species as Time Lord was excellent and I really enjoyed that moment. I have a new appreciation of just how good Christopher Eccleston's performance as the Ninth Doctor was here, particularly when it came to Jabe saying how sorry she was for what happened in the war. The emotion on his face was outstanding and told you everything you needed to know. The Doctor's refusal to name his planet to Rose was intriguing and the power in his performance there was also very good. The story is a fun one and the collection of aliens on show would give The Curse of Peladon a run for its money, but it's difficult to fail with a collection like this. The threat of Platform One's defences going down as the sun was obliterating Earth was really good and exciting and although some of the scenes with Rose and the sun ray defences descending and rising were slightly too long, there was a good amount of action and certainly excitement. The robot spiders were great little additions to Cassandra's plan but it's fair to say that the special effects have not aged so well! Gemma and I have a good laugh when it comes to special effects and whilst green screens are probably our favourite thing to critique, some of the effects on the spiders here was more than questionable! It was a good laugh though and it doesn't impact on the episode in the slightest. The moment where the Doctor manages to save the day but Jabe is lost after being burnt to a crisp is really powerful and the way he strolls into the main room and brings Cassandra back and lets her dry out to her death because everything has its time was excellent! Her attempts to gain compensation from the events she caused was quite something and the Doctor being stunned by that even five billion years into the future was a good image. The Doctor taking Rose back home so she could see that everything was all okay and to have some chips was a nice way to finish a really strong episode! 

Rating: 8/10

Rose

"The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 26 March 2005

Series: 1.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

When Rose Tyler meets a mysterious stranger called the Doctor, her life will never be the same again. Soon she realises that her mum, her boyfriend and the whole of Earth are in danger. The only hope for salvation lies inside a strange blue box.

Verdict

Rose was a terrific little episode to kick off a brand new era of Doctor Who! The importance of this story in the wider history of the show is unparalleled because if this went wrong, then who knows where we might be with this wonderful programme of ours that now transcends television. Changing the format to 45 minutes single episodes was a brave move that worked well and it certainly introduced my girlfriend to the show in a good way and she's the reason this and subsequent television episodes are getting re-blogged. It's been a long time now since I have watched most of the modern era and I have only watched episodes from Series 10 onwards with her so instead of constantly talking about this era of the show and having trivia and competition between us, we've finally managed to sit down and start watching the stories together which I'm excited about because we both love the show so much so to watch episodes together that we haven't seen is going to be just great. Gemma loves Rose as the companion and this is a very strong start for her as companion. Introducing the series through her eyes is such a clever move and the moment we first meet the Doctor as he grabs her hand and now infamously tells her to run is fantastic! The plot behind all of the introductions is a very solid one and having the familiarity of an old enemy that doesn't require any previous knowledge of their last outing way back in Terror of the Autons was superb. The Autons along with the Nestene Consciousness make for a brilliant enemy and I literally cannot look at a shop window dummy nowadays without thinking of this episode. The blank faces of them are so lifeless and that makes them scary which works very well. Rose wanting to know more about the Doctor is lovely considering she's only had a brief meeting,  but so much happened to her including her place of work blowing up! The scenes with Clive and his knowledge of the Doctor was really fun and having now listened to Battle Scars and Her Own Bootstraps, I can appreciate the continuity of those audio adventures so much more now having revisited this episode. Getting to explain the significance of those to Gemma was great for me. I thoroughly enjoyed. The way the TARDIS was mysteriously shown throughout before the big interior reveal was very nicely done and I must admit I loved seeing this TARDIS interior design once again as it really is tremendous. Mickey was really entertaining and seeing how he is with Rose allowed Gemma and I to draw similarities between our own relationship which was a lot of fun. Jackie also is a fun character and I noticed so clearly now that the scenes with her outdoors with the Auton attack were in Cardiff. I've noticed so many more locations now I'm back living in Wales and with football going and work, I have become so accustomed to the capital so recognising shooting sights here was a lot of fun. The moment the Doctor looks in the mirror and sees himself in this face for the first time was a strong point of discussion because Gemma knows how much I am anticipating the Ninth Doctor Adventures from Big Finish, but she can't get her head around the fact that there will be no Rose. Could he really not have looked in a mirror for so long? That's a question I agree with putting forward! As a whole, this is a really strong and exciting opener with a good enemy and a lot of action. Rose's introduction is brilliant and the way she grows and actually helps the Doctor defeat the Nestene Consciousness is really well done. Overall, a really good episode that was wonderful to revisit!

Rating: 8/10

How to Win Planets and Influence People

"The Doctor cannot be planned for."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: June 2017

Series: Short Trips 6.06

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane, Harry

Synopsis

9AM: Registration

10AM: Our Opening Guest Speaker discusses Strategic Invasion Plans, including things to look out for, Time Lords to avoid, and tips on crushing the lesser races

11AM: Biscuits and Coffee

12PM: Continuing on from his opening talk, our Guest Speaker discusses bringing the universe to its knees

1PM: Lunch

A dynamic talk with slides. The Meddling Monk has lectured widely for several centuries, and his wisdom is contained in the following bestsellers: The 7 Habits of Truly Terrible People, Who Moved My Sun?, Feel the Fear and Detonate It Anyway, The One Million Year Manager and Ice Men Are From Mars, Karate Is From Venus.

Verdict

How to Win Planets and Influence People was an incredibly unique and terrific little audio adventure! As far as Short Trips go, this was a wonderful use of the format and just a fantastic story. It was magnificent to have Rufus Hound starring as the Meddling Monk and he really did shine. I'm such a big fan of the Monk and I've loved him ever since The Time Meddler and I really have been hugely impressed by the new incarnation on audio with Big Finish to continue the character and this was another fantastic addition to his list of tales. The idea of the Monk providing a lecture and PowerPoint presentation to the Darkon Corporation on how to conquer planet Earth was just superb. I have spent enough of my life in lecture halls during my studies for my Bachelors and Masters Degrees, but I don't think I ever got one as good as what the Monk was delivering here! Who better to provide a step-by-step guide of dos and don'ts than him? Using his experience of constantly being thwarted by the Doctor was tremendously done and I loved how we got what was essentially a break down of everything that went wrong for enemies and villains alike in previous Doctor Who stories. The likes of the red button and self destruction parts were so much fun and the enthusiasm that the Monk injected into the presentation was a sheer delight. I liked the idea of the Monk having a drink at the Bar Galactica and likening everyone there to having been defeated by the Doctor was very good and a nice little mention of some good continuity. I thought the Monk delivering the presentation shortly after his being defeated by the Doctor once again was just great and the way Sarah Jane was used in the story was very well done considering how little she actually featured. Using her skills and experience as a journalist is always something I'm a big fan of as at the end of the day that's her occupation so it should be used. The Monk's plan to subtly take over the Earth was magnificent and using real estate dwellings and buying land in the past and then reaping the rewards in the future was just brilliant and a very good use of his meddling ways, even if it wasn't in the extreme circumstances of his other schemes. I analyse the risk of clients for a financial firm as my day job and we get a lot of real estate companies which is a high risk trigger, so his efforts of explaining how the land had been in his name for two millennia was wonderful. The same name passed down – even the women! That was so much fun. I also adored the Monk's reaction to Harry saying righty-o when requested from the Doctor to do something. He absolutely despised that and almost felt it alone as a worthy reason to invade the planet! The only issue I did have with the audio (and it's a small one!) is the impression of the Fourth Doctor by hound. It just seemed a bit too much and so far removed from anything close to Tom Baker. That's a minor issue though, because the Doctor's role was fantastic and the way he revelled and upsetting the Monk's meddling is almost harsh. The fact that he had himself meddled with time and the Monk's actions to actually change the Monk from being a real estate tycoon to an incredible philanthropist was just tremendous. It was so simple yet so effective. I really enjoyed it and the desperation and annoyance of the Monk's reaction to realising he had been bested again was magnificent. You couldn't plan for the Doctor and this was just yet more evidence. Overall, a fantastic little audio!

Rating: 9/10

Distant Voices

"Every castle has a ghost story."

Writer: Lizbeth Myles

Format: Audio

Released: February 2020

Series: Twelfth Doctor Chronicles 1.03

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

Cameron is haunted by strange voices. As she gets on with her job conducting tours around Rochester Castle, she hopes that they'll just go away.

Fortunately for Cameron, the Doctor has joined her tour. He hears the voices too, and he knows what they mean. Time itself is starting to fracture...

Verdict

Distant Voices was an excellent audio adventure to continue the Twelfth Doctor Chronicles! It was definitely the best episode in the boxset thus far and I think for me the primary setting of Rochester Castle might have had a lot to do with that. I'm a big fan of castles and whilst I have never visited the particular castle this adventure was centred around, I could easily appreciate the historical connotations of the surroundings. Cameron was a really good character and getting introduced to her working a tour around the castle was terrific stuff. It was a lot of fun to have the Doctor joining the guided tour and I can just imagine the Twelfth Doctor in particular not having the greatest patience when it came to walking around the site. There was more to Cameron though with the voices she could hear and bringing her together with the Doctor after his TARDIS issues that drew him in was very good. His correcting of some of the information Cameron put forward was magnificent and just terrific characterisation for what I would expect of this incarnation. His ability to see that she wasn't sleeping well was intriguing and his request for knowledge of the castle's ghosts was brilliant. The Doctor also hearing the voices was really good and I thought Cameron's reaction to knowing she wasn't alone in what she could hear was lovely. Cameron was certainly what the voices were focused on and being taken back in time to 1215 was an unexpected delight. Time was fracturing and it all centred around the locale and a young tour guide. Jacob Dudman continues to impress me with his Peter Capaldi impression which really is stellar. It was outstanding here and this really did feel like a genuine Twelfth Doctor tale which is obviously what we would want. Alex as the castle shop assistant was a decent character and his ridiculing the events to just being reenactments when it came to canon fire was a lot of fun. The Doctor and Cameron seeing King John was fantastic and I'd have loved a bit more of a reference to The King's Demons. The pair weren't quite in 1215 or 2015 but both time zones of Rochester Castle were trying to occupy the same place and the temporal explosion threat this provided was excellent. Cameron's humour when in 1215 of threatening to reveal historical events was magnificent and the Doctor's reaction was very fun indeed. The story then moving into 2815 was another unexpected development that I liked and the way Cameron handled a futuristic rifle with ease showed the Doctor that she was lying, but to herself. She wasn't really from 2015 which I thought was very well done. The fact that she was hearing echoes of a woman she knew from childhood was very good and the revelation that the Lord Protector had to be assassinated after overthrowing the Earth President was certainly interesting! There was a lot going on across three time zones which had the potential to be a cluster, but it all worked out tremendously well. Cameron being part of a future resistance suited well and the Doctor's lack of remorse for her fellow fighters having fallen seemed to fit in well for the Doctor of Series 8. There weren't really any hints of where this fitted in for the Twelfth Doctor so we'll just go with that. The use of mist worked really well for the story and I thought the atmosphere of the audio as a whole was very impressive and added a lot. The Doctor explaining how the Cameron of the 29th century was the true version was a big moment and his fixing of the time machine to return her back to the 21st century where the life she led was what she preferred was very nice. Her wanting to stay in this timezone but not be a coward of the future was a powerful thought that I really did like as a way to conclude. The Doctor revealing to her that the Lord Protector fell to his demise in a similar timeframe to King John was a terrific way to tie everything up and bring things full circle. Overall, an excellent adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Doctor Who and the Daleks

"Those machines aren't half as bad as they look, you know."

Writer: David Whittaker

Format: Novel

Released: November 1964

Series: Target 01

 

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis

'The voice was all on one level, without any expression at all, a dull monotone that sill managed to convey a terrible sense of evil...'

The mysterious Doctor and his granddaughter Susan are joined by unwilling adventurers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in an epic struggle for survival on an alien planet.

In a vast metal city they discover the survivors of a terrible nuclear war – the Daleks. Held captive in the deepest levels of the city, can the Doctor and his new companions stop the Daleks' plan to totally exterminate their mortal enemies, the peace-loving Thals? More importantly, even if they can escape from the Daleks, will Ian and Barbara ever see their home planet Earth again?

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Daleks was a really great and intriguing read! I have always been fascinated by this book's reputation and I've actually had it in my collection for a least six years so it was finally time to give it a read and I wasn't disappointed. Considering this is the first ever Doctor Who novelisation, it's certainly bold and a brave way to present the series from the start. Basing an adventure from The Daleks is not a unique thing considering we had a whole cinematic movie come shortly after this novelisation, but presenting the events of this story as the first meeting between the first TARDIS quartet was terrific if not wildly crazy. I really wasn't expecting what we got at the start with an alternative introduction to the Doctor and the TARDIS for Ian and Barbara. The meeting on the Common with a car crash involving Susan and Barbara was a very different way to introduce Ian to them and ultimately the Doctor, but I did really like how the mystery of the Doctor that was present in An Unearthly Child was depicted here. The characterisation of the early First Doctor was fantastic throughout and it really does jump off the page when he just wants to get back to the TARDIS and leave the Thals to be ambushed. The way the book told the story from Ian's perspective was magnificent in the way that it made the story feel somewhat new as we saw things through his eyes. I'm not usually a fan of this approach but considering this was Ian and it was presented as his first encounter with the Doctor and his first venture into Space, I loved it and the uniqueness is what makes Doctor Who novelisations so good. This is a terrific start to kick things off. Of course, my only major issue with this presentation was that we only saw what Ian saw and that denied us that famous first appearance of a Dalek in the form of a shadow enclosing on Barbara. I thought that could have been written well, but it wasn't to be. That's not to say the approach was bad though as I actually really liked getting to read Ian's opinions on how quickly his life changed. I thought it was good to know that he suspected the Doctor from the start about the fluid link not really being drained. The Doctor just wanted to explore the city. It was also a little strange when it came to moments where the TARDIS crew were split up and we didn't get to see what occurred to the other party that didn't join Ian. The description of the petrified jungle was fantastic and I liked how angry the Doctor was when being questioned about the TARDIS and what he knew was scientific fact. The way he came around to seeing things through Ian's eyes was marvellous though because he realised how new everything would be for him. A whole new world opened up for Ian and Barbara and the Doctor realised that now which was lovely. The Daleks themselves were actually something of a back burner for the adventure which was something I didn't expect because the story is named after them after all! It's also their first appearance so for them to not be present for a large chunk of the novel was not what I expected, but that's not a bad thing because the Daleks here are not exactly what we know them to be. They're reliant on static electricity and the presentation of the aftermath of the atomic bomb on Skaro and the war between them and the Thals was magnificent. I really did like that. Another clever element of the book was the subtle way that The Dalek Invasion of Earth and Planet of the Daleks were foreshadowed with Ian wondering what would happen if Susan ever met a man and also the Doctor mentioning visiting grandchildren of the Thals in his future. The deaths of some of the Thals en route to the Dalek city ambush were very good and powerful and I loved the way Ian tried to explain to the Thals why they should fight against the Daleks rather than accept death. Overall, a really great and mightily intriguing read! 

Rating: 8/10

The Hidden Realm

"They don't conquer or destroy worlds. They exploit them."

Writer: David Llewellyn

Format: Audio

Released: November 2016

Series: Third Doctor Adventures 2.02

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

The Doctor and Jo journey to Bramfield New Town when the husband of Jo's cousin vanishes mysteriously. As magpies circle overhead, the Doctor discovers a terrifying alien plot...

Verdict

The Hidden Realm was a very good audio adventure to conclude the second volume of Third Doctor Adventures! This was quite different to any of the three adventures that came before it in the range and having a contemporary tale for the time was great stuff, especially with the £100,000 deposit that occurred as that kind of money would have been even larger than it is by today's standards! I really liked the setting of Bramfield and having a contained setting in an unfamiliar town or village like this one is definitely something I am a fan of and it worked very well here. Jo's cousin Stephanie being engaged in a terrible happening with her husband having gone missing whilst walking the dog near the local abbey was a very good basis for the plot and us actually hearing the moments where he disappeared was great. I thought the use of the magpies was excellently done and a chilling way to show that danger was imminent. The use of the popular rhyme of what each number of magpies entailed was good and I appreciated that as I don't salute a magpie or anything like that, but Gemma is very keen on ensuring she does anytime she sets eyes on a magpie so that made me smile and think of her as I was upstairs. Tim Treloar continued to be fantastic as the Third Doctor and after my initial thoughts being more than sceptical about the role being recasted, he has more than taken the role for himself in a magnificent way. He really is uncanny and I particularly enjoyed the relationship with Jo in this one. There's something so special about the simplicity of Jo and the Doctor chattering in Bessie en route to Bramfield. I also liked the development of Jo as a character and introducing us to a family cousin was nicely done. Stephanie was a good character and I was surprised that she was still going to work despite her husband being missing! That also rose the suspicions of the two police detectives who were handling the missing case. Finch and Joseph were superb characters and they brought a lot of fun and intrigue to proceedings. Their initial dismissal of the magpies was very good and I liked the dynamic of this being one of Joseph's first cases. His promising that they would find Peter led him to getting some good advice from Finch which I admired. I thought the pace was good and the slow build of the mystery surrounding Bramfield and its history of missing persons was terrific. The idea of Liz creating an archive of strange events in Britain over the last half-century was magnificent and definitely something I could see happening. The introduction of Overseer Zim was timed right and the Doctor deducing that it was the Achrillians (sp?) responsible for strange events in the town was good, although I'm never a massive fan of the Doctor having a past with enemies new to the audience. The concept of the mind transference is always something I enjoy and it was presented in a good way here, especially with Hans Vogel being transferred and the way the large bank deposit was tied in because that seemed questionable at the start. Things definitely got fun when minds were transferred and the likes of Finch, Stephanie and even the Doctor were replaced. Joseph testing Finch on the missing persons story he told earlier in the audio was a brilliant moment as he'd supposedly never forget the girl's name, but here he clearly had no idea and was uncomfortable. The Overseer doing what he did for exploitation and payment in the form of gold was a good motive and the Doctor's reaction to that was as great as I'd expect. I thought the ending was decent enough if not a little simplistic but it worked well enough and sometimes there's no need to overcomplicate things. Barnett as the owner of the hotel was a lovely character and the nature of her speech coupled with the revelation of her being Zim's accomplice was marvellous stuff and I liked how the Doctor knew her sentence would be the worst of all as she'd spent her life contributing to her eventual transference, only now to not have long left and live in regret. Overall, a really good audio!

Rating: 8/10

Wicked Sisters: The People Made of Smoke

"The smoke feeds on emotion."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: November 2020

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures: Wicked Sisters 03

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Leela, Abby, Zara

Synopsis

Abby and Zara strive to use their powers for good but it's clear they are damaging reality – and allowing monstrous creatures to bleed through from beyond. The Doctor knows he can only save the universe by destroying his friends. But just how much might he be willing to sacrifice if there's a chance to save them?

Verdict

The People Made of Smoke was an excellent conclusion to the Wicked Sisters boxset within the Fifth Doctor Adventures! This has been a hugely impressive little series reuniting the Fifth Doctor with Leela and Abby & Zara. There really was a lot going on and visiting the community of the Moon in the future where the past was unknowingly changed by the Doctor was a good way to start. The humour that came with Leela's admiration for the learning capabilities of ice cream for children was wonderful and typically brilliant of her as a companion. The Doctor admitting that he feared Abby and Zara was fantastic and I liked how he was manipulating them by keeping them together to gain their trust. The murdering of Brody was good continuity from The Garden of Storms and the fake police routine with constable Leela was brilliant stuff. Wei as Brody's husband was good and the mystery surrounding his death by electrocution despite no wiring was good and something I do wish we'd have come back to. The return of the smoke creatures was terrific and I liked how they were firmly the enemies for this adventure, getting an enhanced showing. Their being in the timeline was very good as an echo of what we heard in the first episode and they remembered killing Brody so came back here to feed again. Their being dispersed by a hairdryer was amusing though! Finding out that Brody and Wei had an argument over Zeeb's (who was now Zeet in this timeline) birthday party was again superb continuity and that ending up leading to the smoke creatures drawing on the sister's powers was very good. Zeet's dying seemed sudden but I really loved that Abby and Zara genuinely wanted to help her survive. Their use of the powers to heal her but it providing a connection for the smoke creatures was really nicely done and it was a clever way for the sisters to see the badness of their power usage. I ddi like how Abby and Zara were questioning how their powers had to be used for them to destroy themselves and this could provide the smoke creatures with even more strength. Zara admitting that being separated from Abby would be worse than death was magnificent but I did enjoy that there was another option for the sisters other than death. The smoke creatures having rage with grief worked well and their envying the living was very intriguing. It was good development for them and provided a motive which came at the right time. Their consumption of the Moon people provided some tense actions and the plan of Abby and Zara to use themselves up to save everyone was admirable. They would draw the smoke creatures like moths to a flame which I really enjoyed. The effect of the consumption on the Doctor was drastic and he had aged and wasn't in the best shape, but he still had an incredible plan up his sleeve. He was fed on hard and his agreement of the plan to separate Abby and Zara was nice. Death would never be an option in his mind. The way the Doctor deceived everyone to take the smoke creatures away with him locked inside the TARDIS was superb and the life that he gave them – quite literally! – was really intriguing. The scenes inside the TARDIS when the smoke creatures realised what was happening were outstanding and the use of the cloister bell and action to have an audio regeneration was sublime. It really was done so well and getting a brief moment of Dan Starkey as an alternative Sixth Doctor was just lovely. Really well done and something I definitely didn't see coming! The emotion there was fantastic too. The Doctor dying continuously through his regenerations before the smoke creatures would be trapped for good was a daunting prospect and Abby and Zara seeing that the Doctor died for what they created by overuse of their powers was tremendous. Quite fitting for this finale! Leela questioning if the sisters would learn before they just popped off and used their powers one last time was excellent and the Doctor being brought back without his memory of recent events was brilliant! Leela covering events by asking the Doctor as a taxi service was fun and the prospect of the Fifth Doctor and Leela having some stop off adventures on the way back to Gallifrey is something I could get behind! They make quite the good little pairing. The Doctor tracking Abby and Zara down to a spaceport was a nice way to finish as they were still very much alive, only now using their powers very sparingly to ensure the smoke creatures weren't created again. The Doctor had covered to Leela and the Time Lords regarding Abby and Zara's fate which I thought was marvellous. Overall, a brilliant audio to conclude a superb boxset!

Rating: 9/10

Wicked Sisters: The Moonrakers

"Sontarans on the moon! That is not good."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: November 2020

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures: Wicked Sisters 02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Leela, Abby, Zara

Synopsis

Life is hard for the early pioneers building the first settlements on the Moon. The laws of Earth don't apply here, and there are tussles over limited resources vital to survival. Arriving on the Moon, the Doctor and Zara discover that an aggressive alien species lies in wait. Yet there's something very strange about these particular Sontarans: they refuse to fight.

Verdict

The Moonrakers was another excellent story to continue the Wicked Sisters boxset within the Fifth Doctor Adventures! After a really strong cliffhanger at the end of The Garden of Storms, the way this one started was good with the Doctor and Zara trapped in a dark shipping container. The air release that followed and the effect that had on Zara was a strong way to start things and the reveal of the 'spaceman' actually being a Sontaran was magnificent. Bringing a familiar Doctor Who enemy into a story with the Graceless sisters was terrific and I was intrigued that they had knowledge of the warmongers. Abby and Leela being left with the smoke creatures was entertaining and the prospect of them being fed on was amusing and I really liked that Leela was able to pilot the TARDIS to escape and follow the scar left by Zara and the Doctor's teleportation. The introduction of Stent the Sontaran was wonderful and it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of the Sontar natives. They're just superb and the dynamic of Stent aiding Zara and even offering tea was quite uncanny! The comment about the milk going in last was blasphemy though because everyone knows tea should go in before the hot water. The setting being a human moonbase with a lack of humanity was fun and the introduction of Captain Riya was also very strong. Her mentioning of the leapers was really good and all they entailed followed well. The revelation of the TARDIS being jettisoned was great but I don't think we came back to that properly which was my only slight qualm with the story. Stent having an interest in the Doctor and Zara's lack of requirement for water was superb and I loved the idea of a Sontaran experiment. Considering the power of Abby as a Graceless sister, her fear of the Sontarans was an intriguing element and it did a lot to sell just how brutal the Sontarans can be. Leela's recollection of The Invasion of Time and defeating Sontarans in her past was tremendous, but I don't think I was ready for the revelation of the Sontarans gardening with moon dust! That was quite extraordinary and the idea of them having an artful distraction from war was excellent. Stent proudly showcasing the Doctor and Zara as his modified humans was great and the fact that his fellow Sontarans were impressed was wonderful. The Doctor's impression of a Sontaran was also sublime. Great humour. The situation on the Moon with the leapers and the Sontarans surrounding the food supply was very good and the latter's plan to slaughter rather than have an all out war was of peak interest. The reunion between the Doctor and Zara with Leela and Abby was unexpected as it seemed that the former pair had existed on a different time track with the TARDIS arriving later than they arrived. That was a fun little twist. It appeared that the Doctor and Zara had been experimented on and had become Sontaran soldiers which was superb stuff. The lack of spark between Abby and Zara was good and the latter's reaction to the plan for first blood was magnificent. The truth actually being that the Doctor and Zara were playing the long game of deception from within was fantastic, if not a little expected. This being the only way to avoid slaughter was nicely done, but the conversation that followed in the TARDIS after the Sontarans were defeated was outstanding. The Doctor had unknowingly changed established history because Zara chose not to interfere which was a wonderful dynamic and Leela questioning that from the wicked sister was great. The actions that followed stopped missiles from Earth wiping out the Moon with the Sontaran garden supposed to have haunted humanity with it not fitting in with Sontar character. It started to grow and the reveal that it was actually the garden from the previous episode where the Doctor and Leela first encountered Abby and Zara again was marvellous. Changing the future and the meeting place that brought them to their current scenario was fantastic and I do love a paradox! Overall, a terrific audio adventure.

Rating: 9/10

Wicked Sisters: The Garden of Storms

"They are too powerful even for the Time Lords to destroy."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: November 2020

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures: Wicked Sisters 01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Leela, Abby, Zara

Synopsis

In pursuit of Abby and Zara, Leela pilots the TARDIS to the eye of a violent storm in time. Yet she and the Doctor find themselves in an idyllic garden city, the people contented and happy. They soon discover that this bliss comes at a terrible cost, and that Abby and Zara are determined to put things right... so how can Leela and the Doctor stop them?

Verdict

The Garden of Storms was an excellent start to the Wicked Sisters collection within the Fifth Doctor Adventures! I think I have been quite lucky with my covering of the Graceless series and the Key 2 Time trilogy within the last six months or so as this meant I didn't have such a long wait between adventures for the Graceless sister tracers. The prospect of this boxset excited me more and more as I made my through the Graceless range and the way things started with Leela having recruited the Doctor was a great deal of fun. The humour that came with his continued ignorance to her message requests for help was terrific and I really enjoyed the dynamic between the Fifth Doctor and Leela. I thought they had good chemistry and it was just intriguing to hear Leela later on in life where she isn't quite the companion we knew with the Fourth Doctor. She's clearly grown and gained some wisdom which I am hearing as I make my way through the Gallifrey range, but I think that actually suited her pairing with the Fifth Doctor here. Davison and Jameson played off each other really well. Their venturing to a garden at the eye of a storm was entertaining and I liked how they were both subjects of a big feast. A feast in which they were going to be killed once they'd eaten! That was a fun way for the story to start and the introduction of Abby and Zara into events was nicely done in a simple way. There was no time for messing around which was an approach I was a big fan of and the wicked sisters still not knowing how powerful they were was an excellent dynamic. Their place at the garden was very good and the locale having a custom of killing people once they reached the age of forty was sublime. This supposedly provided an abundance of resources and coupling that with no sense of personal space made for an incredibly interesting setting. The mentioning of the theory and the attempt to change things by Abby and Zara not working was brilliant. The damage they were causing to the Web of Time were pretty darn large! Brody made for a good character and Leela sensing the smoke aura behind him was fantastic. Zeeb having a party as she was minutes away from reaching forty was terrific and the calmness in which she accepted being led away to her death was uncanny and almost uncomfortable. The Doctor's interference was wonderful and it was clear he wouldn't be able to handle himself when innocent and healthy people were being taken to die. Leela not wanting to interfere was also intriguing as she has clearly accepted her role on Gallifrey by this point in her life. The riots that ensued following the Doctor's meddling were fun and I loved how he got people to admit they didn't want to die. The Doctor and Abby being catalogued as being considerably older than forty was magnificent and the trip to the process plant was very nicely done. The idea of the dead being broken down into chemicals and distributed as needed was incredible and all part of a pretty disturbing due process. Leela's faking of an illness with Zara to get ahead of the line and a quicker death was really amusing because the character was not the greatest of actors! Her attempt to convince the guard that she had been told by him to sit down years ago and was just left ignored was wonderful stuff and thoroughly entertaining. The revelation that death was induced by death ray rather than a chemical absorption process was very good and the creatures feeding off the dust was really well done. Brody falling victim to the creatures was very sudden and impactful and the sisters' desire to go back and change events again was great fun given the Time Lord presence. Leela's efforts to ensure that Abby and Zara didn't use their powers was brilliant and the cliffhanger finish with her interfering mid-teleport ensuring that she and Abby remained behind when the Doctor and Zara set off to anywhere and anywhen. The fact that the wicked sisters are powerless unless they are together is just fantastic and I love the issue and pairings this provides for the next instalment of the series. Overall, an excellent start to the boxset!

Rating: 9/10

One Rule

"All of those alien invasions and nobody talks about it."

Writer: Jospeh Lidster

Format: Audio

Released: December 2015

Series: Torchwood Monthly 04

Featuring: Yvonne

Synopsis

It's been three weeks since the Mayor of Cardiff was killed by a shop dummy and the fight is on to see who will replace him.

Yvonne Hartman is visiting the city to retrieve an invaluable alien device. She's in charge of Torchwood One, she's saving the British Empire and she doesn't care about local politics. But she is going to find herself caught up in that fight. There's a bloodthirsty alien stalking the streets and there's a specula offer at the all-you-can-eat Chinese nugget.

It's the 26th of March 2005 and it's day that everything changes.

Verdict

One Rule was a very good continuation of the Torchwood monthly range from Big Finish! I thought this was great to give some spotlight to Yvonne Hartman who clearly shined in her role during Army of Ghosts/Doomsday so giving us an adventure in her past set shortly after the events of Rose was really enjoyable! A Torchwood adventure set before the first episode of Series 1 on television is a fantastic idea but the way it tied in with the start of the revived era of Doctor Who was just terrific. I really liked the simplicity of having Yvonne call Ianto on the phone back at Torchwood One and the mention of him fancying Lisa was also wonderful in foreshadowing Cyberwoman. Her ability to place a time lock over Torchwood Three so she could break in and look on was really interesting and set the tone for some really intriguing comments as the story rolled on. Her sighting of Jack, Suzie and Tosh all frozen in time was superb and quite the image! The way the first murder occurred at the hands of the blue beast was pretty brutal and in good Torchwood fashion with Ross ending up decapitated! That's not an everyday occurrence in the Doctor Who universe for sure. He wasn't the only individual to endure this fate with councillors standing for the office of Cardiff Mayor suffering the same horrible experience. Yvonne's mission in Cardiff being to retrieve a Drahvin scanner was an unexpected delight and a brilliant throwback to Galaxy 4! The fire that started at her hotel mid massage was humorous and her interaction with Barry centring around that was very good. His knowledge of Torchwood and the murders of councillors worked well and Yvonne believing that he caused the fire to get close to her was very good indeed. The continued references to the Auton attack was excellent and the way it was already shunned to being a terrorist attack rather than extraterrestrial in nature was great stuff. Barry also being a runner for Mayor was good and the scenes at the Chinese buffet were a lot of fun. Tracy-Ann Oberman was able to shine in her role here and the call to Julie Jones, a fellow councillor, and her turning out to also be at the buffet was great but then she died pretty quickly in similarly gruesome fashion to her fellow runners. Barry's wanting to know why Torchwood weren't there to stop the events of Rose was a very powerful comment and one I loved and the story from Yvonne that followed with Alex Hopkins as a former head of Torchwood killing his entire team on New Year's Eve 1999 because he claimed he'd seen what was coming was outstanding. I loved the analogy to children in 1938 and World War Two looming when Yvonne explained how humanity wasn't ready for alien intervention. The meeting with Helen at the pub was humorous and Yvonne was not in a comfortable environment which was tremendous. The dynamic of London versus Cardiff was lovely and a lot of fun given my proximity to the Welsh capital. I could appreciate the humour more than most I imagine. Yvonne joining forces with Barry and Helen to keep them safe was good and the sharp comment of her wondering which councillor had hired the blue monster to wipe out the competition was great! Yvonne's lack of trust towards Torchwood Three was intriguing and I hope that we get more development on that in the future. She thought they were unprofessional which will be wonderful when the different organisations encounter each other (should that happen before Aliens Among Us). The monster's killing of Helen was not unexpected and Barry's lack of remorse made him a decent villain. The importance of him becoming Mayor because of his being a part of the Committee was a fun development and the revelation of the monster being from another dimension was good, but I think a little more elaboration on it would have been good. Yvonne's use of the phrase "if it's alien, it's ours" was a lovely moment and her continued mentioning of Torchwood Three and Jack not doing it for Queen and country was delightful. Yvonne being proud of who she was and having spent years to get there was her time to shine and the way she threatened Barry on the balcony with a covered-up suicide was incredible. The desire for Torchwood to find the one 'particular alien' meaning the Doctor was pretty good and Barry being left alive to keep her posted seemed a tad strange, although the satisfaction she had in stabbing him in the leg as a reminder was a fine way to finish. Overall, a really strong audio!

Rating: 8/10

Her Own Bootstraps

"No one could ever be allowed to activate this device."

Writer: Amy Veeres

Format: Audio

Released: September 2020

Series: Short Trips 10.09

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Extracting a dangerous Time War weapon from an irresponsible scientist, the Doctor arrive on Krakatoa in 1883 to destroy it. Problematically, the scientist is also in Krakatoa to steal the weapon. This is where she found it before the Doctor stole it from her. Trapped in a paradox, the Doctor must overcome a future he cannot change.

A future that has already happened.

Verdict

Her Own Bootstraps was a fantastic Short Trips audio adventure! With the impending Ninth Doctor Adventures on their way from Big Finish in a couple of months, I was glad to catch up on what we have from them so far and this really was one of the best outings for this incarnation of the Doctor in audio form. I thought Jacob Dudman was absolutely incredible as the narrator for this one with his impression of Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor just magnificent. It was hugely impressive and made listing to the adventure such a breeze! It helps so much when the actor and impression are on point and this was certainly the case with this adventure. The placing of the story was interesting given that the Ninth Doctor is travelling alone which of course we didn't see at all on television during Series 1 after he met Rose, but setting a number of stories prior to Rose is a dangerous way to go for me because we literally see the Doctor check out his appearance clearly indicating things aren't far removed from the regeneration we would eventually see in The Day of the Doctor. Now, despite that there is a clear gap for this audio to take place given what we saw of the Ninth Doctor being at Krakatoa in his first televised episode. The aftermath of the Time War was clearly felt which I thought was a good theme to include and the Doctor having a semblance of happiness that things could soon be over for good was superb. The desperation and exhaustion in his voice was terrific. Althea Bryce made for a really fun character and her attempt to steal a weapon that was a remnant of the Time War was very good indeed. Her role as a scientist and having knowledge of a TARDIS was something I didn't expect so that brought a fun dynamic to the adventure. Her description of it as the holy grail of Time Lord technology was something I admired and that just suited the TARDIS right down to the ground. I can imagine the Doctor had a big internal smile when he heard his old girl described like that. The almost boastful way he admitted to stealing it was a wonderful line. An extra element of intrigue was that Althea knew of the Doctor as the last of the Time Lords and given the close proximity this adventure had with the Time War I thought that was very interesting. Just what kind of reputation did the Doctor have following the battle between Time Lords and Daleks? The setting of Krakatoa  was really good and the Time War weapon being an atmosphere destroyer was more than enough to show how deadly this device could be! The paradox that came with the Doctor stealing the weapon from Bryce in her future only to meet her at the site where she stole it from at a younger age and where he intended on burying it was excellent! I'm a big fan of paradoxical stories as they can be so fun and I just love messing about with time in general so this was certainly up my ally. The pair's acceptance of their locked fate was good but they were also determined to not end up trapped going round and round in circles. Althea's desire to change and not become the woman that the Doctor met in her personal future was fantastic and I loved how he wanted to know for sure that her speech was genuine. Her reaction to entering the TARDIS and experiencing transcendental dimension was very good and I thought she was just a lovely character. The Doctor visiting later in his timeline with Rose was a nice touch and a fine way to end what was a brilliant little audio! 

Rating: 9/10

At Childhood's End

"If we went back to those worlds we thought we'd saved, what would we find?"

Writer: Sophie Aldred

Format: Novel

Released: February 2020

Series: NSA 66

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham, Ace, Seventh Doctor 

Synopsis

'She lifted the jacket from its hook and slipped it on. It had been thirty years since she had last worn it but it felt like yesterday. It was time to put old demons to bed...'

Once, a girl called Ace travelled the universe with the Doctor – until, in the wake of a terrible tragedy they parted company. Decades later, she is known as Dorothy McShane, the reclusive millionaire philanthropist who heads global organisation A Charitable Earth.

And Dorothy is haunted by terrible nightmares, vivid dreams that begin just as scores of young runaways are vanishing from the dark alleyways of London. Could the disappearances be linked to sightings of sinister creatures lurking in the city shadows? Why has an alien satellite entered a secret orbit around the Moon?

Investigating the satellite with Ryan, Graham and Yaz, the Doctor is thrown together with Ace once more. Together they must unravel a malevolent plot that will cost thousands of lives. But can the Doctor atone for her past incarnation's behaviour – and how much must Ace sacrifice to win victory not only for herself, but for the Earth?

Verdict

At Childhood's End was an excellent novel! I have been waiting for far too long to read this book but just as I had it reserved from Cardiff Library which was in the vicinity of my work office, Covid struck and that was the end of that. Thankfully, I received this as a Christmas gift from my girlfriend and it's been something I've been keen to read as it completes (I believe) my blogging of everything available from the Thirteenth Doctor that is currently complete. Of course, the major selling point is reuniting Ace with the Doctor after a long time apart and bringing her into the modern series with the female incarnation was superb. I liked how we started with the focus on Ace who was now much older and going by Dorothy as the CEO of A Charitable Earth, an organisation we already knew about thanks to the Sarah Jane Adventures. The continuity there was marvellous and Sophie Aldred as author was very impressive. I thought her characterisation of Dorothy was terrific and it was fantastic to learn of what she has got up to since departing the Doctor, something in of itself that is open to interpretation. Addressing the seemingly multiple fates of Ace and how departed the Doctor was magnificent with references to the likes of Ground Zero from DWM, her fate on Gallifrey as part of the Big Finish spinoff and of course the New Adventures and what went on there with Benny. Now, I haven't actually blogged any of these yet but I will get in there good time. One reference that I thankfully was aware of was that of Illegal Alien with Ace mentioning the Cybermen in the Blitz and what the Doctor did there. Ace's memories of the Doctor being something of a mixed bag thanks to the seventh incarnation's constant scheming was really great and also quite sad because of all the good they did together. The moment where she saw the TARDIS on the UFO orbiting the Moon was a powerful moment and I absolutely loved that she encountered the companions first. Her calling for the Professor only to be greeted by the female Doctor in the TARDIS doors was wonderful stuff. The way the Doctor convinced her that she was indeed the same Doctor that travelled with Ace was excellent with a quick fact file on her former companion. Ryan's reaction to that was brilliant in claiming that she sounded awesome! I thought the interaction between the Doctor and Ace was very good and it was clear that this new incarnation felt remorse for how she'd treated her companion. Ace having to deal with the new quirky and enthusiastic personality of the Thirteenth Doctor was also an intriguing dynamic. I really enjoyed Ace's opinions on the Doctor's fam and her liking of Graham because she was also in older age was a lovely thought. One of the highlights of the book for me though was the relationship between Ace and Yaz. They both eyed each other with caution and the latter being a policewoman coupled with Ace's explosive creation was mangiciecnt. I thought that was really good and there was also a sense of jealousy on both of their behalf's. The book really was all about Ace for the much part and learning of her relationship with Will was really nice and it was good to know that she'd had a positive relationship and the pair were still on good terms. Their venture to the Moon was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the Squidget that got them there. It's ability to interact universally with controls was very beneficial! Ryan was able to shine with his relationship with Chantelle who despite being 37 he clearly fancied and flirted with unapologetically! They shared a kiss which I'm sure he would have enjoyed. Kim was a really good character as a conspiracy theorist podcast host and his hanging around the bins to catch a glimpse of the Ratts, who did actually transfer from rats, was great fun. Them being the hired mercenaries of Hologi-Kari was really good and the Doctor comparing them to the Quarks and Ogrons was some nice name-dropping. His status as an agent of Fenric was brilliant and the links the story had with Dragonfire and The Curse of Fenric was unexpected but wonderfully done. The continuity there was so good and also incorporating Ace's planet hopping from Survival was marvellous! I was a big fan. The time storm that swept Ace up in 1987 being on a bigger scale now was a good premise for the plot and the charitable nature of the Ratts taking children who felt they no longer belonged was irony at its finest. The interludes with the Seventh Doctor and Ace getting involved in the aftermath of the war between the Astinger and Wraiths was very impressive and worked well in potentially giving a confirmed farewell for Ace from the TARDIS. The letter in the Coda to close the book with Ace explaining how she would stay and sort things now that the Wraiths had realised peace was the only option after being locked away in the quantum realm was lovely and just a fitting end to her story for the moment. The Doctor challenging Hologi-Kari and taking on the time storm was also a shining moment. Overall, a terrific read!

Rating: 9/10