Fear Her

"It takes the when they're playing."

Writer: Matthew Graham

Format: TV

Broadcast: 24 June 2006

Series: 2.11

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands in 2012, the Doctor plans to show Rose the London Olympics, but on a nearby housing estate a desperate mother is hiding her daughter's unearthly powers. Can the Doctor defeat the danger nestling at the heart of an ordinary British household?

Verdict

Fear Her was just a bit rubbish to be honest. Let's be clear, this episode isn't very good. It's as simple as that really. Unfortunately, I enjoyed this even less than the last time I watched it and I really will endeavour to never watch it again! I really don't like it and I suppose that's no surprise that it got the lowest ever rating I have given to a televised story. I think it might actually be the joint-lowest rating I have ever given! I just don't enjoy the premise and I think everything is just a bit rubbish. The shining light is the Doctor with his reaction to finding out that the scribble creature is purely graphite, but the very idea of a scribble creature is just ludicrous. I don't like it and the scene where he rubs it out with a HP pencil is just silly. It really is laughable! Rose is good in her detective mindset similar to that at the start of The Idiot's Lantern where here she immediately cottons on to the missing children posters. I don't think the atmosphere on the street was quite reflective of the situation as even though there was quiet and unease, surely there would be more panic and attempts to actually try and find missing children? And if that was happening, surely you wouldn't be letting your children outside unsupervised! That's a little farfetched for me. I thought the drawings were somewhat interesting, but it's a little obvious from the start that Chloe Webber is the culprit for the missing children. Everything is just a bit predictable. The Doctor putting Chloe to sleep and talking to the entity using her body in the form of the Isolus was interesting but I didn't much care for the story of their species and the makeup of how they required their billions of sisters and brothers. I mean, it was an emotional tale but that being the reason for why Chloe Webber was drawing the children outside to try and keep the other drawings company. Chloe claimed to be alone and yet the Isolus was within her and the one needing company? It didn't make much sense to me. Chloe was getting angry when the drawings weren't appreciative of the company they were added which was just strange. The Isolus required company in the form of billions and I couldn't understand why it took the Doctor arriving for it to realise the scale of company it needed. Surely it could have just drawn the Earth straight off rather than going by a singular fashion? It was all a bit rubbish. The council tarmac humour was enjoyable but the ease and speed in which Rose found the small Isolus ship was just baffling. Surely he'd have noticed that when smoothing it over? The drawing of Chloe's father in the wardrobe wasn't the best of threats and I also thought so much more should have been made of the Doctor and the TARDIS being taken by Chloe. I'd have liked more explanation on how the Isolus had its power but by the time things were ending I was just glad. I thought the Doctor taking Rose to the London 2012 Olympics was a nice touch but I wasn't a fan of him picking up the Olympic torch and that being the heat source required for the Isolus to go home. Rose throwing that in hope was a bit of a reach and the sudden way the Isolus is happy to leave Chloe Webber despite loving her is just rubbish. Ugh, I was glad for it to end and the foreshadowing at the end for the finale was great stuff. Overall though, this is comfortably my least favourite televised episode. 

Rating: 3/10

Love and Monsters

"His name is the Doctor... that's all anyone knows."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 17 June 2006

Series: 2.10

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

An ordinary man called Elton becomes obsessed with the Doctor and Rose and their mysterious blue box. When his investigations lead him to the attentions of the enigmatic Victor Kennedy, this harmless hobby suddenly plunges Elton into a world of living nightmares.

Verdict

Love and Monsters was not a very good episode in all honesty. I was not looking forward to rewatching this episode and whilst that negative thoughts prior to revisiting it probably didn't help, this one is just a bit rubbish, isn't it? Even Gemma agreed with me and we share our thoughts on the rating which is actually a pretty rare occurrence as I can sometimes be a little more complimentary than her. But this one just isn't for us. The obvious issue is the absence of the Doctor and Rose and whilst they have a lot of fun at the start with the scene chasing the Hoix and the good decision in directing with the corridor running, their absence after this is felt so much. I'm not a fan of Elton in the slightest so the whole episode being his story and the video footage from his perspective was not something I enjoyed to say the least. I mentioned to Gemma as we watched that I think this episode could actually work well if the central character was actually someone we know and had an emotional attachment to, or at least prior knowledge. I suggested that Clive from Rose would have been good because he was an intriguing character in that series opener, but with Elton I just did not care about him. The recreation of the events of Rose, Aliens of London and The Christmas Invasion were good but the constant shifting back to the video camera was frankly annoying. It's a shame really because I think the idea of an episode about the Doctor rather than featuring him is good and could work well, but the elements combining here just didn't work. I wasn't a fan of LINDA and I think the abbreviation and what it stands for is just naff to be honest. Learning of how that organisation grew and their knowledge of the Doctor was decent, but then they just shifted to having a laugh and singing the Electrical Light Orchestra which just didn't bother me at all. I mean, I have nothing against that but it had no place in a Doctor Who episode for me! I didn't think Ursula was a very good character and with Elton I couldn't help but find her annoying as well. Not exactly what you want from a lead character for the episode! I'm going to skip ahead to the ending now as I had never clocked something Gemma mentioned to be halfway through and that's the implication of oral sex between Ursula and Elton! I couldn't remember any implication but when Gemma pointed out the blowjob inference that comes at the end I was mightily intrigued and I couldn't actually believe that it happened! It was so bad that it had me laughing. The same could be said of the Abzorbaloff because I thought Victor Kennedy actually made a decent villain with his nature, but then you see what he really is and it's just ridiculous. I mean, I know the design was from a child as part of a Blue Peter competition but it just isn't good. The concept could work but the faces are just weird and the attempted humour of talking whilst being sat on and absorbed in the creature's behind was just bad. And don't get me started on Ursula still having glasses! Madness. Jackie is definitely the highlight of the episode as she is a lot of fun and the way she enacted the four-points of getting ingratiated into life was wonderful. You can't help but feel sorry for her by the end and Rose coming to have a go at Elton despite the green blob standing there was very good. The ending with the Linda members pulling him apart is comical and as a whole I was just glad it was over! Overall, not my favourite episode to say the least. 

Rating: 4/10

The Satan Pit

"This is the darkness. This is my domain."

Writer: Matt Jones

Format: TV

Broadcast: 10 June 2006

Series: 2.09

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor faces an impossible enemy, but can he save the entire universe from the Beast? His beliefs will be questioned and his compassion for Rose will be tested to the limits. And with the TARDIS lost, the Ood possessed, and oxygen running out, will this be one battle he doesn't walk away from victorious?

Verdict

The Satan Pit was an excellent episode and a great way to conclude the story already started with The Impossible Planet! I was a really big fan of the opening episode for this two-part adventure and this concluding half certainly didn't let me down. I do think things normalise a little too easily after the cliffhanger with the planet returning to orbit and the Ood not providing much of a threat other than their presence, but from there what we have is really tense and exciting. It really is a jam-packed and action-full forty-five minutes. I like how we have an entire episode with the Doctor and Rose separated and that really allows the latter as the companion to display her qualities. She's clearly experienced enough by now in life with the Doctor and everything that entails so her demonstration of her ability to think logically and calmly when under pressure was really good. It was an impressive performance for Billie Piper I felt and it perhaps goes unnoticed. To all intents and purposes, the Doctor and Rose believe they have lost each other on at least one occasion during the episode, whether that be from the cable snapping or the Doctor seeing the rocket take off. The acceptance of that was difficult for both and the scene where the Doctor descends into the pit and can't tell Ida that he loves Rose as what are potentially his parting words is a powerful moment and it's rare to see him vulnerable like this. It's a scene my girlfriend Gemma, an unapologetically lover of Rose (in fact, she explicitly said she was in love with her as we watched the episode), felt was so sad given how perfect she finds their relationship. It's just here or there for me in the overall story arc, with the most intriguing element of that for me being the mentioning of the Torchwood Archive. I thought the deaths that occurred throughout the episode did well to sell the predicament the Doctor and Rose faced and the peril that this impossible planet was in. Jefferson's is perhaps the most difficult as he was too slow to reach the door as Zach fed the air through to the others escaping. He went out with honours and that final request to speed up the removal of oxygen was quite something! Toby has a strong episode and I was so fascinated that the fact he was a virgin was brought up in a derogatory way as that would never fly nowadays, especially in a show watched by children! Gemma and I have a child on the way and I can't imagine explaining that term fully and why it was used to belittle him. The reveal that he was still possessed by the Beast was excellent as she ordered the Ood and then Rose eventually sees him killed by sending him plummeting into the black hole. The theme of belief in the episode was brilliant and I loved how the Doctor had the urge to descend the pit. I was stunned that he initially wanted to retreat! Very uncharacteristic. His encounter with the Beast and realising that this creature, supposedly spawned before the universe, was the origin of Satan, the Devil etc was fantastic. I like how this provides an explanation for religion. His mind being elsewhere from the physical form was really good and the Doctor destroying the Beast despite what it would mean for himself and sacrificing Rose, because he believed in her was wonderful. A really powerful moment. That scene where he falls back into the TARDIS is so good and just full of triumph. I'm a massive fan. Overall, a really strong episode!

Rating: 9/10

The Impossible Planet

"Welcome to Hell."

Writer: Matt Jones

Format: TV

Broadcast: 3 June 2006

Series: 2.08

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

Rose finds herself on a desolate world, in the orbit of a black hole. Trapped with an Earth expedition and the mysterious Ood, the time-travellers face an even greater danger, as something ancient beneath the planet's surface begins to awake.

Verdict

The Impossible Planet was another superb episode to continue my way through the modern era of Doctor Who once again! Series 2 for the most part is of a really high standard and if the ratings I have given for the seven previous episodes are anything to go by then this absolutely continues the trend. It's a fantastic opener for the two-part adventure midway through the series and the tone of what's to come is set as early as the pre-titles. I love the idea of the TARDIS not being able to translate the ancient lettering that adorned the grim statement welcoming the Doctor and Rose to Hell and the impossible nature of that fact was excellent. I like how much of a mystery that is straight away for the Doctor and then the arrival of the Ood makes things threatening straight away as they must feed. The comical nature of the resolution with interference in their systems is a lot of fun and I think it's an impressive debut for the popular aliens. Their appearance is fantastic and certainly memorable as it's just a bit freaky and that's exactly what you want from Doctor Who. The setting of the Sanctuary Base is fantastic and I love how it's centred in orbit around a black hole which is of course utterly impossible. The Doctor's reaction to that is outstanding but when he has to accept it despite it defying the laws of physics, his reaction of a hug to express how amazing he believes humanity to be was wonderful. They came and explored simply because it was there. The team were really strong characters and I like the subtle transformation in Toby when he gets possessed by the ancient transcripts of the Beast. The image of him outside the airlock as he causes the death of Scooti in pretty emphatic fashion. The reaction of everyone when they see that she's floating towards the black hole is a very powerful moment. The imagery of the black hole itself worked really well throughout the episode and I thought it was good to not have a story set on any kind of Earth. It gave an eery feel which I really enjoyed. The TARDIS being lost to the earthquake was a very good move and the idea of the Doctor and Rose being stuck on a planet orbiting a black hole was pretty grim. Their speculating on what would come next if they were able to get out alive and have that lift home was a really nice moment as they had to face their future and shimmy about discussing if that was together. That was a really nice touch. I liked how the Doctor was offering his services up when the drilling had stopped to explore the power source that was impossibly keeping the planet in orbit and providing the gravity funnel because he needed to be useful. It was clear he felt guilty for the predicament he'd got Rose into and now he was doing something to action it. The ancient civilisation looked incredible and I liked the dynamic of the Doctor and Rose being separated and quite the distance away from each other. Inevitably, things went wrong for Rose with Toby revealing his possessed nature and that transferring to the Ood as they started to advance and do their work as the Legion of the Beast. That coinciding with the massive sealed door opening and the planet losing its orbit made for a stellar cliffhanger! There was a lot going on and a lot of it was impossible. That's a great combination to lead into the concluding episode. Overall, this was brilliant!

Rating: 10/10S

The Idiot's Lantern

"Are you sitting comfortably?"

Writer: Mark Gatiss

Format: TV

Broadcast: 27 May 2006

Series: 2.07

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

It's 1953 and Great Britain huddles round its television sets to witness the great event of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, but beneath the celebrations, there are rumours of monsters on the streets, and the tormented Mr Magpie is hiding a strange and alien secret.

Verdict

The Idiot's Lantern was an excellent episode to continue my rewatch of the second series of the modern era of Doctor Who! I think this is the first episode that I've actually revised my rating for and this ended up getting an improvement because I was really impressed with this one. I thought it was great to see the Doctor and Rose just having a lot of fun together after their recent ventures and the idea of them getting to enjoy seeing Elvis in New York was magnificent. Of course, it didn't quite turn out that way as the TARDIS actually landed in London during 1953 and the way the time period was presented was superb. I really loved how of its time this story felt with the likes of the television sets, the costumes and even the music a real standout. That was a hugely impressive element of the episode in my opinion and something that might go unnoticed. The looks of the Doctor and Rose as well are just great and the former having his hair slicked back just adds to the amusement. Rose immediately spotting that the entire street had television aerials was brilliant and shows how valued she is as a companion because she recalled the story of her family and how everyone was huddled into one house because of how expensive they were. The cheap availability of the television sets from Magpie Electricals was intriguing and I love how there is extended continuity that I was able to spill to Gemma during our watching. The return in Loose Wire and also the First Doctor buying materials from Magpie Electricals in Hunters of Earth have been really nice touches so I was delighted to spread some useless knowledge! Eddie Connolly made for a fantastic character and kudos must go to the actor as well because I thought he was outstanding. He seemed like such a stereotypical war servant of the time and the masculinity of him was interesting. The relationship he had with Rita was quite shocking in parts with how controlling he was so it was a sheer delight when the Doctor and Rose arrived impersonating as Royal representatives. The way the Doctor goads Eddie into putting up the Union Flags as evidence of their patriotism by using the Queen to disprove his thoughts on women and housework was superb. I loved that and Rose getting in on the act as well with the Union Jack comment was terrific. The Wire makes for a brilliant enemy and the fact that this episode takes place in the 1950s with the classic television sets made her an even better antagonist. It just worked really well with those classic retro designs. The Doctor's reaction to finding that Rose was a victim of the Wire and became faceless was outstanding and I liked how angry he was and showed that there would be nothing that could stop him now. He obviously cares for Rose a great deal but this was just further evidence. A sublime performance from David Tennant. Magpie himself was a good character and I liked how the Wire had him under her fingers. The threat of using the Royal Coronation and all of the eyes that would be on that to feed the Wire and allow her to gain corporeal form was excellent. I thought the tension of the conclusion with the mast climb was exciting and the way the Doctor trapped the Wire on her portable device was very good and his plan to tape over it was a lot of fun. Overall, a fantastic episode!

Rating: 9/10

The Age of Steel

"They suffer in their skin."

Writer: Tom Macrae

Format: TV

Broadcast: 20 May 2006

Series: 2.06

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose, Mickey

Synopsis

The Cybermen take control of London and start converting the populace. While Jackie falls under the control of John Lumic, the Doctor, Rose and Mickey are reduced to fugitives in a world of terror. A last, desperate attack on the Cyber factory is their only chance of survival.

Verdict

The Age of Steel was an excellent conclusion to the story already started in Rise of the Cybermen! This really is another superb episode to wrap up a magnificent two-part story that brings back the Cybermen in an alternative and impressive way, whilst also setting us up for quite the series finale. My only slight qualm about the episode is the way the cliffhanger is resolved by the Doctor using the TARDIS component to destroy the Cybermen who threatened their deletion despite surrender, but even that isn't enough to take away any marks from my final rating. I mean, if it's recharging I think it would need more than four hours before essentially resurrecting the TARDIS, but apart from that what we have is tremendous. The pace of the action is off the charts and it's a little crazy to realise that the Cybermen don't actually do a great deal. Their primary gain is to just upgrade the humanity of London into their own kind and whilst they succeed with 6,500 units, all sights are set on preventing conversation from the Battersea factory which was a really good end goal destination. The death of Ricky is a really powerful moment and the reaction of Jake has a lot to do with that. Given that he is the parallel version of Mickey, it also tells us just how deadly the Cybermen are and that look shared between the Cyber killer and Mickey either side of the fence that Ricky didn't quite get over was incredible. The absolute emotionless stare told us everything required about the Cybermen. There was zero remorse and that made them fantastic enemies. Rose harking back to Dalek was a nice touch where she remembered seeing a Cyberman head on display and the Doctor recalling there being Cybermen in their own universe was great. The story of Jackie in this one is incredibly emotional and Pete having to be told that everyone at that party would now be dead was very powerful. Rose also having to be reminded that this Jackie wasn't her mother made great use of the parallel universe setting. The Cyberman wh was formerly Jackie Tyler recognising Pete when he and Rose were pretending to have the earpods directing them was a chilling moment. I really enjoyed watching this one with Gemma and I found myself in hysterics at how easily she was scared! The apparent jump scares of the Cybermen in the tunnels and then Mrs Moore's death physically made her react much to my amusement. I thought they were great scenes but I wouldn't call them jump scares! Of course, she was very much in disagreement. Mr Crane's turn on John Lumic after he was almost subjected to the earpod signal was terrific and that sparking the upgrade and new Cyber Controller was fantastic. I thought this appearance looked sublime and the voice definitely had a distinct of being in command which was impressive. The Doctor getting captured and seeing that Rose and Pete were in the same boat was a lot of fun and Tennant was in fine form at that moment. The sequence where he aids Mickey into finding the emotional inhibitor cancellation code is tremendous and I loved the reveal that Pete was Gemini, the inside source of the Preachers. Both weren't exactly in the working relationship they expected which was just great! The action-packed sequence of the final climb to the Zeppelin and the Controller climbing after them was magnificent and full of tension and excitement, and that's exactly what you want! I thought Mickey's departure from the TARDIS was terrific and I love how he wants to stay to continue the fight against the remaining Cybermen and their factories, as well as for his gran. Overall, a superb episode!

Rating: 10/10

Rise of the Cybermen

"We're all flesh and blood, but the brain is what makes us human."

Writer: Tom Macrae

Format: TV

Broadcast: 13 May 2006

Series: 2.05

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose, Mickey

Synopsis

The TARDIS is trapped on a parallel Earth, where Rose discovers that her father is still alive, but sinister forces are at work and British society is being prepared for the Ultimate Upgrade. Meanwhile, an old enemy of the Doctor's is about to be reborn in a new and terrible shape.

Verdict

Rise of the Cybermen was an outstanding episode to continue my rewatch of the modern era with Gemma as we embark on the show together for the first time! Well, excluding the latest three series broadcast since we've been together. For some strange reason, this episode and the one that follows were the ones I was most looking forward to watching again because I know they are classics but it seems an eternity since I last watched them. It was hugely impressive and even though this has the feeling of being a part one throughout, it is sensational. It's a magnificent setup for what's to come and sets the scene for the next episode in an incredible way. The use of the parallel Earth works wonderfully well and the scene in the TARDIS with Mickey pressing the button for around half an hour after the Doctor had forgot about him was tremendous. Poor old Mickey, he's such a delight and I love how he was able to use his position to get exploring the alternate world by himself. When it came to a decision between him and Rose, who was the Doctor likely to pick? It was a no brainer. The prospect of the TARDIS dying is fantastic and I love the emphatic nature in which the Doctor announces it. There's simply nothing to fix. An alarming thought for our TARDIS crew. Mickey bragging that they've actually just ended up on Earth is great and the zeppelins are a terrific way to establish that this is Earth, but not the one Rose and Mickey are from. Rose seeing that her dad is still alive and actually very successful is excellent and the Doctor immediately knows that it's going to cause some sort of trouble. He tries to get through to her that this Pete is not her father, but of course she's going to want to pay a visit. The moment Rose gets through to the Doctor and convinces him of going to the Tyler residence is brilliant. The use of Cybus Industries is superb and I love how every company seemingly falls under their auspices. John Lumic makes for a chilling villain and head of the company and his demonstration of the Cybermen in action is fantastic. This is such a good way to introduce the new audience to the old foe and the parallel world allows us to see them created a new. It's a brilliant origin story and Lumic appealing to the President when denied permission to create a new race was chilling with him dying. The relationship between this Pete and Jackie is intriguing and I thought Camille Coduri was outstanding in this alternate role. Her reaction to Rose talking up Pete after she's learned they've secretly split up is quite something! I love the humour that comes with Rose in this universe being a dog and the Doctor's reaction just makes it funnier. Mickey getting to see that his gran is still alive in this universe is wonderful and he really is overcome with emotion. It's a heartwarming moment before the Preachers come to take him! Their mistaking him for Ricky is a lot of fun and the fact that Mickey's alternate is London's most wanted is a stark contrast to the man we know! The moment where the pair meet is also just wonderful. Noel Clarke is on point with his dual performance. Impressive stuff. Everything leading to the birthday party of Jackie is magnificent and after seeing the homeless rounded up enticed by food, the first emergence of the Cybermen crashing the party and smashing through the window panes is outstanding. The design is excellent and I think the sound effects of their stomp is really well done. Their 'delete' phrase debuting works well and is such an important selling point to the merchandise boom that occurred in this early era of the modern show. The Doctor offering his and the group's surrender but the Cybermen denying it and instead threatening deletion makes for a great cliffhanger at the end of what is an excellent episode!

Rating: 10/10

The Girl in the Fireplace

"Why are you in my fireplace?"

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 06 May 2006

Series: 2.04

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose, Mickey

Synopsis

Madame de Pompadour finds the court of Versailles under attack from sinister clockwork killers. Her only hope of salvation lies with the man who has haunted her dreams since childhood – a mysterious stranger known only as the Doctor...

Verdict

The Girl in the Fireplace was an outstanding episode to continue my rewatching of the modern era of Doctor Who! Now, this is one of very few episodes that Gemma and I have actually watched together in the past and this of course came last year as part of #DoctorWhoLockdown rewatches. It was a wonderful experience to join the tweet-alongs and it was just brilliant to revisit the episode again here because it really is magnificent. This early batch of episodes in Series 2 serves as an incredible run with the two-parter that follows this but this just might be the best of the bunch. It really is that good. The feeling right from the off is just terrific and it feels so different to any episode that preceded it since the 2005 revival. It's a fantastic first story for Mickey venturing into space and I love how he reacts to seeing space firsthand. I have maintained since the start of this rewatching with Gemma that Rose is actually quite harsh to Mickey and eighteen episodes into the run, she has finally admitted that Rose is giving mixed signals to Mickey. It's something I have picked up on for the first time as we've watched from the start again and I really do feel sorry for him after Rose has pretty much strung him along. Although she wasn't particularly thrilled at the end of School Reunion by the prospect of Mickey coming with her and the Doctor, she seemed happy to have him along and get to introduce him to life with the Doctor. He had quite the eventful start by smelling Sunday roast on a 51st century spaceship! The Doctor is magnificent once again here and his intrigue by the seventeenth century fireplace was great. I love how it leads to the gateway between centuries and time moving differently on the other side makes for such a powerful and emotional episode. The moment where the Doctor deduces that the clock has broken but there is still ticking is sensational and I love how he instantly challenges the Clockwork Droids for their interference in Madame de Pompadour's life. Of course, at this point she was just Reinette and the Doctor serving as her imaginary friend was terrific. The moment where she's an adult and sees him come back and not aged a day is superb. I loved that their relationship builds so quickly and it's clear that there are feelings on both sides. I mean, that snog will certainly do it! The Doctor playing drunk is an incredible scene and Tennant performs it ever so well. The costume design for this episode is nothing short of sublime and that's not often something I pick up on so credit must go to the team there. The Clockwork Droids look incredible and are a magnificent design for a Doctor Who enemy. Their infatuation with Madame de Pompadour was intriguing and I really love how the Doctor, Rose and Mickey don't ever get to know why they were so fascinated with her brain. Rose and Mickey not following the Doctor's orders of staying still was wonderful coupled with his reaction to seeing that they indeed disobeyed. Could he really be surprised? I love the ridiculousness of a horse being on board and the role it played in smashing through the time window and closing it for good to ensure Pompadour's safety was great stuff. Gemma and I do enjoy a bad special effects scene and that mirror smashing certainly hasn't aged well! We remembered that vividly from our lockdown viewing last year. The ending to this is very emotional and it's interesting to see Rose try and console the man she loves about him losing someone who loved him, and he might very well have felt the same way back. Overall, a magnificent episode!

Rating: 10/10

School Reunion

"We're arguing over the Doctor."

Writer: Toby Whithouse

Format: TV

Broadcast: 29 April 2006

Series: 2.03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose, Mickey, Sarah Jane, K9

Synopsis

A London school is haunted by strange, bat-like creatures at night. When the Doctor investigates, he finds an old friend, Sarah Jane Smith, already working undercover. Both must settle old scores, meanwhile, Rose discovers the true legacy of being a Time Lord's companion. 

Verdict

School Reunion was a wonderful episode to continue my rewatch of the modern era of Doctor Who with Gemma for the first time! I always enjoy revisiting this story because it's such a feel good episode and a wonderful way to link the revived series with the original run. I can imagine this being incredibly poignant back when it was broadcast and even though I wasn't aware what Doctor Who was back in 2006, I still find it difficult to believe that it's been fifteen years since this episode was broadcast! It has all of the ingredients of a tremendous episode and the image of the Doctor entering the classroom as the teacher was fantastic. He is perfect for that role and David Tennant has an outstanding performance as the Tenth Doctor here. The arrival of Sarah Jane into the school and the reaction of the Doctor is just marvellous and it says everything you need to say about their history in one look. The joy on the Doctor's face is a sight to behold and I think the directing that comes after Sarah Jane stumbles upon the TARDIS to show the Doctor standing behind her is just magnificent. I love pretty much everything about this episode to be honest. It's lovely to have Sarah Jane back and in full investigative mode and the references of her hasty departure in The Hand of Fear are excellent. She really challenges the Doctor about that which I liked and it's telling when he doesn't have an answer. Rose's reaction to Sarah Jane is magnificent and it was brilliant to watch them battle over the Doctor. The scene where they reel off a long list of their encounters with the likes of Daleks, ghosts and the Loch Ness monster is right up there as one my favourites. It's a continuity overload and that's right up my alley. The Krillitanes serve as a strong enemy for the episode and I liked how the Doctor didn't recognise them because of their amalgamation of the races they conquer. They'd changed a lot since he last saw them and I'm surprised that hasn't cropped up in a Big Finish audio yet! K9 being used to reveal that the oil is Krillitane oil is great and I love how his role is a parallel for Mickey realising he's the tin dog of the modern trio. The comedy of K9 simply stating that they're in a car when Mickey asks if the robot dog has a way in is just magnificent. There's just so much to love about the episode and Mickey is a big part of the comedy in more ways with his scream at the rats and then mentioning every man's nightmare of the mrs and the ex. The Doctor is stuck without knowing it which is a really fun dynamic. It's lovely to have K9 recognise his master and I love how the tin canine is able to provide the basis for defeating the Krillitanes by sacrificing himself to blow up the oil barrel. His 'affirmative' responses to the Doctor when calling him a good dog and then Finch when calling him a bad dog are just excellent. Finch made for a great lead of the Krillitanes and whilst the effects of the bat creatures don't exactly hold up well by today's standards, they work well and are perfect for a school setting. The Skasis Paradigm attempts is a fun concept and I like how the Doctor seems tempted, but Sarah Jane has to mention that the universe must move forward. Overall, it's a delightful episode and it was wonderful to revisit and get to mention some of the Classic references to Gemma! Just perfect. 

Rating: 10/10

Tooth and Claw

"There is a full moon tonight."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 22 April 2006

Series: 2.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor and Rose travel back to the year 1879, but an encounter in the Scottish Highlands with Queen Victoria and subsequently a band of warrior monks reveals a deadly trap, dating back centuries. Can the local legends of a werewolf really be true?

Verdict

Tooth and Claw was another very good episode to continue my rewatch through the modern era of Doctor Who with my girlfriend for the first time! For whatever reason, this always feels like it's the Tenth Doctor episode I have watched the least and one I never seem to remember a huge amount of when it comes to rewatching. Now, it's been six years since I last watched this episode but even before that it just must have been one that I unintentionally avoided during DVD marathon watches as a child. Which is strange because it's a very solid adventure and it ends up being incredibly important to the Series 2 story arc as well as the genesis of what would become a spinoff! I was surprised to find in some light research after watching that Russell T Davies write this episode very quickly as considering its standing in Torchwood's mythology, you just wouldn't have expected that! The setting of Torchwood House is really good and I like how we see the monks at the start of the episode take the house for themselves to show that they aren't to be messed with. The Doctor and Rose really are tremendous together and I love seeing them just have fun. The planned arrival in the 1970s is great and whilst the TARDIS gets the year wrong by a century, that just makes for so much more. The Doctor realising they are in Scotland and getting to put on the natural Scottish accent of actor David Tenant was terrific and I thought Rose's effort at the local tongue was hilarious. The Doctor wasn't having any of that. Rose's supposed nakedness through her 21st century clothing was a brilliant theme for comment and her endorsing that was good. I was delighted to hear the Doctor use an alias of James McCrimmon which was a lovely way to hark back to the Second Doctor companion and it was lovely for me to explain that to Gemma as that comment would have just passed her by without my input. The involvement of Queen Victoria was really good and Rose's efforts to get her to say her famous catchphrase were delightful. It was emotional to hear of how much the death of Albert was having her on and I liked that he played a role in saving her even after death. The idea of doing a werewolf story is brilliantly Doctor Who and whilst it wasn't incredible, it still works well. I have to say that the special effects certainly don't age well at all and I find it amusing that there was a hair specialist when it came to the CGI! I think it's wonderful the way the trap within the trap is revealed and switches, and the use of Victoria's diamond that she'd been holding onto for the light chamber is very good. I thought Father Angelo made a good villain and he certainly has the creepy look! I couldn't see past the actor's role in Game of Thrones though! Sir Robert and Lady Isobel's relationship was really nice and I liked how the former committed treason for his wife. I thought the ending was a nice touch in having the Doctor and Rose knighted as Sir and Dame, only to then be banished! That was quite the shock and hardly a just reward for saving the Queen's life. That actually leading to the formation of the Torchwood Institute was terrific and I liked how emphatic that was presented at the end to set the tone for the rest of the series to come. Overall, this is a very solid episode from start to finish with a good setting and atmosphere, as well as the right level of humour! 

Rating: 8/10

New Earth

"These cats have secrets."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: Audio

Broadcast: 15 April 2006

Series: 2.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The newly regenerated Doctor and Rose Tyler board the TARDIS for new adventures in time and space, but when they visit mankind's new home, far into the future, they find gruesome secrets hidden inside a luxury hospital. An enemy thought long since dead, the paper-thin Cassandra, is out for revenge.

Verdict

New Earth was a very good and rather fun episode to kick off Series 2 of the modern era of Doctor Who as I once again embark on a rewatch with my girlfriend Gemma as we delve through the show since the revival together for the first time. For Gemma, this is why she's really here as she absolutely adores the Tenth Doctor and Rose together and that was evident from her face as I surprised her by chucking on BBC iPlayer with our cups of tea this morning before some early viewing of the series opener. She's always loved Rose but I think coupling her with the Tenth Doctor and the romance that comes with their pairing just heightens her love and there really isn't much better than seeing her smile. It was worth the rewatch from just opening seconds! I do feel sorry for Mickey here as Rose seems to be stringing him on a little with the big kiss before she departs in the TARDIS again whilst she clearly has gained a great deal of romantic interest in the Doctor since the regeneration. We know that from Cassandra as she states after being inside Rose's head. The arrival on New Earth is terrific and it's good to see the Doctor and Rose enjoying each other's company with the jokes about the name of New New York and the apple grass. I like how the Doctor has a message for help on the psychic paper but is keen to get in some relaxation before getting to work at the hospital. The use of the robot spiders is fun and I like that we get a returning Lady Cassandra, something that wouldn't have appeared possible from her demise in The End of the World. Rose referring to those events as her and the Doctor's first date is good and I love the comment of Cassandra being repaired from the back so essentially she's talking out of her arse. The disinfectant scenes are a lot of fun and the contrast in reactions from the Doctor and Rose is fantastic. Chip is a really good character and I admire how much he has devoted himself to his mistress, so far as volunteering his life for her. The Face of Boe being the one to have sent the message to the Doctor is brilliant and I like how the story arc for Series 3 essentially starts here with the legend woven of Boe's dying message to a traveller. Terrific stuff and great story threading across the show. The Sisters of Plenitude are brilliant and seeing this episode for the first time since having a cat certainly made for a different perspective! Rose's reaction to them was excellent. I liked how they used their claws as weapons and their growing a sub-species of the human race to ensure they could cure every disease was pretty gruesome. Injecting their subjects with every disease on a regular basis to find the cure was pretty awful! Their attempts to justify that for the good of humanity were logical, but the means were atrocious and the Doctor wasn't having that. His moment where he exclaimed there was no authority was superb and fantastic for a full episode with Tennant in the Doctor role. Cassandra jumping between the bodies of Rose and the Doctor was a lot of fun and it's really good to see the Doctor clocks on straight away from that strange posh Cockney accent that Cassandra tries to pull off! Her bouncy castle comment was excellent and I love how she makes no qualms in showing off her new body. The Doctor's reaction to his getting snogged about him still having it was wonderful as well. I thought Tennant was delightful as the Doctor here and the way he played Cassandra and taunting Rose about her liking the new appearance was magnificent. The Duke of Manhattan was also a fun little character and I particularly enjoyed his secretary. The ending with the Doctor curing everybody is terrific and a great use of his name and I really liked what he does for Cassandra even after all she has done. Her acceptance of death is a powerful moment and it's nice for her to go and see her former full-bodied self. Overall, a great episode!

Rating: 8/10

Plague of the Daleks

"The Doctor and the Daleks go back a long way."

Writer: Mark Morris

Format: Audio

Released: December 2009

Series: Monthly Adventures 129

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

Stockbridge used to be such a lovely place. The loveliest village in all England, according to the guide books. But hardly anyone visits Stockbridge now: a few tourists, a couple of Trust guides, the odd beady-eyed raven.

But something is coming to Stockbridge. Something which turns village cricketers into ravening zombies – a plague such as the Earth has never seen, falling through history from a time when humanity's greatest enemy was a race known as the Daleks.

The Doctor and Nyssa visit Stockbridge for the final time, to confront the terrible secret buried at its heart. The storm clouds are gathering...

Verdict

Plague of the Daleks was an excellent audio adventure to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures of Big Finish and to conclude what shaped up to be a pretty darn good trilogy! This really worked well as the finale of the Stockbridge series of adventures and it was a pretty emphatic way to finish the village's role in Doctor Who! It has cropped up a number of times for the Fifth Doctor now across the audios and the Doctor Who Magazine comic strips and I liked how we took things way into the future of the forty-fifth century. It was good immediate continuity from where we left off in The Eternal Summer and the eery feel of the village being empty and the Green Dragon pub in particular having a sense that everyone had been taken in an instant was brilliant. The repeated dialogue of Withers behind the bar was intriguing and her continued efforts to discuss the weather was amusing. Professory Jabbery was a fun little character and his distain for the human race and their emotional and whacky ways was terrific stuff. I enjoyed him a lot but by the time he was exterminated by the Daleks, it felt about right in terms of timing. Isaac was a fantastic character and his initial reaction to the arrival of the Doctor and Nyssa to Stockbridge was very good. Of course, Stockbridge in the forty-fifth century was one of the last remaining areas unaffected by the solar flares that had caused the human race to uplift and depart the original homeworld to conquer the stars and expand. The protective bubble was good and I liked how it ended up playing a big role in the story's ending. It's a bit frustrating by now when a story that features the Daleks in the title has their arrival as a cliffhanger as it's something we've been waiting for the entire time of listening, but it was good to hear how the adventure shifted once they were involved. Their role with the plague was fantastic but I was more concerned with the fact that they'd set a trap for the Doctor around Stockbridge considering he always popped up there. I liked that a lot and discovering that the Daleks had been dormant and lying in cryogenic sleep for seventeen centuries! They were determined, I'll give them that. I thought Nyssa had a really strong story as the companion and her reaction to the Daleks being present did a great job in selling their threat and fear factor. The pace of the final two parts with the Daleks in full flow was terrific and I loved the audacity of the Daleks telling the Doctor that he would become one of them. The prospect of that is tremendous and whilst I never believed that he had succumbed to the Dalek plague and became a servitor, it was nicely done and Peter Davison played the role really well. This was a superb outing for the Fifth Doctor. The revelation that the TARDIS would provide the means for the Dalek resurrection was magnificent and I had been wondering all along when that would show up. It served a great purpose and the Doctor convincing the Daleks to take a test flight was wonderful. Lysette was a very good character and I enjoyed her relationship with Nyssa so her turn as a Dalek servitor was a lovely surprise. I didn't see it coming so I really liked that. It wasn't so much of a shock that Isaac also turned out to be one after that revelation, but it was as a whole an excellent twist. The way the Doctor appealed to him to fight the Dalek plague inside him was outstanding and a shining moment for the fifth incarnation in audio in my opinion. I really loved the proximity of the adventure with the Dalek Empire series and the Doctor mentioning how their species was wiped out was terrific. The story of Lysette's wife was very saddening and full of emotion. Lysette's role in bringing about Stockbridge's demise by destroying the protective bubble was extraordinary and even after the Doctor had brought the retrovirus into play to wipe out his greatest foes, the plague was still within her and that meant the Dalek instincts were still kicking so she was able to bring about the end of Stockbridge. Overall, an excellent adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

The Archive

"The sisters who very nearly brought an end to history."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: May 2015

Series: The Worlds of Big Finish 01

Featuring: Abby, Zara

Synopsis

From the streets of Edwardian London to the corridors of a near-infinite library in the distant future, a single book holds the key to the fate of life on Earth.

Some believe it predicts our future – and the apocalypse – with unnerving accuracy. Others will stop at nothing to destroy it, and will chase it from one side of the universe to the other; from a country house in the Roaring Twenties to the casinos of Mars, and from 221B Baker Street to the terrifying desert world of Sisyphus IX...

Featuring Abby and Zara, Sherlock Holmes, Dorian Gray, Iris Wildthyme, Vienna Salvatori and Bernice Summerfield, The Worlds of Big Finish brings together some of Big Finish's best-loved characters in an adventure spanning thousands of years!

Verdict

The Archive is a great little audio adventure to serve as the opening instalment of the rather ambitious release that is The Worlds of Big Finish! I was delighted to see that this first episode was offered for free from Big Finish as part of their Lockdownload weekly deals and releases and I was really glad that it was the Graceless sisters that kicked off this story because it was the only part of the release I am currently interested in! I'm a huge fan of Abby and Zara and I think their spinoff was terrific so it's really good to have completed their run of adventures in their entirety with this particular story. I don't know anything yet about Vienna, I know very little of Bernice on her own and Iris Wildthyme, and I've no interest in Sherlock Holmes or Dorian Gray, so this is certainly where my listening of this release will start and end. Which is why I'm glad it was released for free as I would never have been able to justify spending money on a six-parter for just the opening half an hour or so! I really liked that Abby made reference to the spinoff series and The Battle in particular where Chi prophesied that the next time the sisters met Marek it would be their deaths. I thought that was very nicely done and it meant that this adventure could slot nicely into the Graceless series and the adventures of Abby and Zara as a whole. It tied in very well. Hearing the sisters again was great from a personal perspective because I'm a big fan of both and it was also lovely to have the traditional Graceless sound effects of scene transitions. I love that. Hell, I even found myself almost dancing to the opening theme! It was just great to get to revisit them and have them returning to the Archive. It wasn't exactly how they'd left it and they got the timing off by about a millennium, but that didn't stop Romulus and Lucien knowing about them. They had garnered quite the reputation through time which I really enjoyed and it was good to later have their abilities targeted against them by a sudden turn from Lucien. Getting to know more about the Archive was really good and I loved how complicated it was for the sisters to understand. The Archive was an incredible composite of books and the humour that came with the meta-archive being the archive of the Archive was excellent. Abby and Zara's reaction to the use of universes plural was brilliant and the position of the Archive in the universe was great. The theory that the Archive contained the universe was also really fun to play around with. The Gomegon was an interesting addition to what was happening at the Archive with the archivists seemingly being murdered and I liked how Abby and Zara were initially accused of that. The truth was harder to stomach with it being told how the archivists seemingly killed themselves with poison in some sort of religious doing. Their positioning after death and holding the book was interesting to say the least. I liked the idea of different branches within the Archive pertaining to regions of the universe and it was inevitable that Earth was going to get involved in some way! The sisters leaving the book containing a portion of the history of Earth for Sherlock Holmes to find and deal with is a fun way to set up the second part and the rest of the release, and whilst I'm sure it will be entertaining and a good story, I'm more than happy to leave things here and continue catching up on my incredible backlog across a number of formats! Overall, a lovely listen.

Rating: 8/10

War of the Daleks

"You can't defeat the Daleks by becoming the Daleks!"

Writer: John Peel

Format: Novel

Released: October 1997

Series: EDA 05

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Sam

Synopsis

The Doctor is repairing the TARDIS systems once again when it is swept up by a garbage ship roving through space, the Quetzel.

When another ship approaches and takes the Quetzel by force, the Doctor discovers that he and Sam are not the only unwitting travellers on board – there is a strangely familiar survival pod in the hold. Delani, the captian of the second ship, orders the pod to be opened. The Doctor is powerless to intervene as Davros is awakened once again. 

But this is no out-and-out rescue of Davros. Delani and his crew are Thals, the sworn enemies of the Daleks. They intend to use Davros as a means to wipe out the Daleks, finally ridding then universe of the most aggressive, deadly race ever to exist. But the Doctor is still worried. For there is a signal beacon inside the pod, and even now a Dalek ship is closing in...

Verdict

War of the Daleks was an outstanding novel to continue my way through the Eighth Doctor Adventures books! This was a superb story and I have to say that after five adventures, this is shaping up to be a spectacular range with this already the third to receive full marks. There is no doubt that this is an audacious book and it impacts on the wider Dalek continuity in a very big way, but I think it absolutely works and I thoroughly enjoyed how everything was tied together in this book. It's a brilliant use of the Daleks in prose to give the Eighth Doctor his first outing against his greatest foes and I liked how Sam had heard of them already from the Doctor, only to be a little surprised by how hospitable they were! Of course, her opinion would change the more she got to know them but that initial comment was mightily interesting. I was a big fan of the format of the book with the four parts splitting things up nicely and the little interludes that came after each one were fantastic. It was really nice to explore so much Dalek continuity and the interludes taking us to the Mechanoids, Draconians and even the SSS was brilliant. The action within each was great and a welcomed addition and it was just nice to explore beyond the televised knowledge whilst referencing it. In particular I thought Faber's nod to Marc Cory was magnificent linkage to Mission to the Unknown. I loved that the Thals were featured in a big way as I think there is so much potential by pitting the natives of Skaro against each other, and their role here directly following on from the events of Planet of the Daleks and the Doctor encouraging them to fight on his behalf had led to them committing outright murder when they arrived on the Quetzel. That was very powerful. I thought Ayaka was a tremendous character and when she was ordered by Delani to then commit murder herself and terminate both the Doctor and Sam, she shot him dead in an incredible moment! It was a great twist. I thought all three cliffhangers at the end of each part were actually magnificent and it was good to give it the feel of a televised serial. Sam was a wonderful companion again in this book and I think she's slowly shaping into a really great character. Her taking a fancy to the Doctor was expanded on in a big way here as she was getting quite jealous of Chayn and how much the Doctor was admiring her. That was intriguing to explore and with the Doctor focused on the technician, Sam was left with Loran and the way she turned him down by revealing she wasn't of age was magnificent. Him and his dad both falling victim to the Thals had some sort of sick emotional irony to it which made for compelling reading. The settings of the ships were very good and I loved that we got quite a lot of Davros before the arrival of any Daleks. He's always an outstanding character and the interactions with the Doctor were excellent. The Thals hoping to obtain his services was something I didn't see coming though! That really did show how far the Thals had changed to go as far as wanting to enlist the creator of the Daleks to amend their biology and make them better killers. That was outrageous! I really enjoyed the Thal prelude in their own space and that further showcased how much they had changed when they obliterated Therakis with a planet buster all as a mere lure. They weren't afraid of innocent casualties now which was quite a contrast to the pacifist Thals we've met in the past. When the Daleks arrived, the story took a noticeable shift but I thought they were written ever so well. The speech from the Doctor to Sam earlier in the novel where he explained all about the Daleks and his history with them and what they stood for was absolutely sensational. It was a sublime passage and did so much to sell how evil and deadly the Daleks are. The Doctor accepting death at the end of part two also added to that but the twist that they were keeping him alive and he'd be looked after was unique to say the least. The Doctor getting to explain the colour hierarchy was really good and whilst I prefer the title of Emperor, the Dalek Prime still worked great. This adventure retconning the events of Remembrance of the Daleks and finding out that Skaro was not actually destroyed was audacious but the way this tied in with a huge number of other televised serials was extraordinary! The idea that the Prime, who was an original Dalek dating back to Genesis of the Daleks, had concocted an extraordinary plan based on finding the Hand of Omega information of Remembrance during the events of The Dalek Invasion of Earth, which sparked off a separate timeline (ie Day of the Daleks) and led to an incredible turn of events from Destiny of the Daleks onwards! It was complicated but it actually made sense which is testament to a very impressive tying of the threads by our author. Skaro was saved and Davros was tricked into believing he'd destroyed it when in fact it was actually Antalin. Excellent stuff. It's good to have Skaro back! I thought the action throughout was impressive and there was a lot but it worked really well which isn't always the case in novels. The conclusion with the hidden Dalek factory headed to Thal space was great and the Doctor's fiddling with the TARDIS lock was a lot of fun to have come around and cost him interference by the Daleks. Not only had they planted a bomb, but when that failed they had a lecturn chameleon Dalek there to exterminate! The imagery of a Dalek in the TARDIS was great and it worked well to have a threat after all seemed solved. Overall, an incredible novel that had so much going on. But it all worked in my view. I mean, we even had Spider Daleks and the revelation that the Movellans were Dalek creations! A new Dalek civil war was a lot of fun and the trial being a means to flesh out those not loyal was terrific. There really is so much I could write, but to sum everything up this was just pure excellence. 

Rating: 10/10

The Victorian Age

"The nineteenth century is when everything changes."

Writer: AK Benedict

Format: Audio

Released: March 2016

Series: Torchwood Monthly 07

Featuring: Captain Jack

Synopsis

London, England, the 1890s. Queen Victoria, ruler of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India, has arrived for her annual inspection of the Torchwood Institute. This year, everyone is quite determined, nothing will go wrong.

Several minutes later a terrible creature is unleashed on the streets of London. No one knows where it comes from, hat it is, or even why it's on Earth. It's ruthless, has no morals, and is quite unstoppable. Captain Jack Harkness is on the loose, and Queen Victoria is along for the ride of her life.

Verdict

The Victorian Age was a fantastic audio adventure to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly audios from Big Finish! I think it's a wonderful idea to visit Torchwood London in the 1890s and see just what the Institute was up to in its early days with this really not being that far removed from its beginnings in Tooth and Claw. Having Captain Jack present in Victorian London is brilliant and I love that the Jack we see here is relatively young (at least compared with what we would see on television!) and still had a long way to go until he would get back to the Doctor and see his vision for Torchwood Cardiff fully realised. I love that Queen Victoria featured and I really enjoyed her character and relationship with Jack throughout. She knew a lot about alien encounters and even suspected that the whispers about Jack were true before actually seeing them confirmed first hand. Her inspecting of Torchwood London was amusing and Jack keeping calm whilst Josephine was incredibly trepidatious about the prospect of the Queen arriving and shutting them down was great. I absolutely loved the use of the violin theme arrangement and it was something that gave the audio a unique feel and more genuinely a part of Victorian London. There is so much room to explore Torchwood in the Victorian era and I really do hope that this isn't the only audio to be set there from this spinoff range. The potential is endless. The creature that was rampaging through London during this story made for a good monster and I thought the concept of it feeding from the young and burning up all of its energy at rapid pace was excellent. It even aged Jack by a good fifteen years which was intriguing, but it had the opposite effect on Queen Victoria which was a lot of fun. From just one quick touch she was rejuvenated by a few years and had a spring in her step, so the way to defeat the creature was clear. Now it was just getting close to it. I thought Victoria was great throughout the audio to be honest and it was lovely to hear her enjoying life and the fact she was getting a thrill. It's a wonder she banished the Doctor and Rose if she was having such a good time here hunting aliens! The aura of superiority she brought was brilliant and I loved that we also got to just see her in a pub and fitting the bill for everyone. That was really nice. Jack explaining a number of the times Torchwood have presented an assassination attempt on the Queen's life was good and her continued comments that she would still have to shut Torchwood London down were intriguing, as I think she was merely playing. The revelation that the creature was intended as a living youth serum for someone in Her Majesty's Government was very interesting and I liked how this played into the lighthearted comments by Victoria regarding politicians and if they are actually human. That was very subtle but very well done. I suspect this is something to do with the Committee and I'm sure we will get a reference in a future adventure, but for now I like the ambiguity there of not quite knowing. Jack being offered the job of heading Torchwood London was expected, but the Welshman in me was delighted to hear that he maintained that his place was with Torchwood Cardiff. And why wouldn't it be? It's the greatest city in the world. Overall, a fine audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Slyther of Shoreditch

"It was time to move the Hand of Omega to its final resting place."

Writer: Mike Tucker

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2019

Printed in: Target Storybook 08

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

In the middle of a Dalek civil war taking place on Earth, the Doctor sees a familiar face from his home planet. What starts as a cold beer soon develops as a mad dash through the streets of Shoreditch as a deadly Imperial faction Slyther hunts the scent of the Hand of Omega...

Verdict

The Slyther of Shoreditch was a very good little adventure to continue my reading through The Target Storybook! I thought this was a lot of fun and I love the idea of placing a mini adventure like this one during the events of Remembrance of the Daleks. That's such a pivotal serial for a large number of reasons and with there always being a lot going on with the two Dalek factions, Ace, the Counter Measures group and beyond, there's certainly enough room here for the Doctor to swan off temporarily and have an encounter with a Slyther! I think it's a really good move to bring back a Slyther and incorporate it into the Dalek civil war and I just love that it gets to return here, with some amusing illustrations at the start of the story, following the debut in The Dalek Invasion of Earth. That is such a good serial in of itself so connecting it here with Remembrance is just delightful. I was a little taken aback by the return of the Time Lord we saw instruct the Fourth Doctor to wipe out the Daleks at the beginning of Genesis of the Daleks so the encounter with the seventh incarnation here was magnificent. I think it was a missed opportunity to expand on this character and whilst we didn't necessarily need a name, a role in Time Lord society would have been welcomed. Nevertheless, there was certainly a history between him and the Doctor and the discussion of Time Lord interference in Dalek schemes and even their creation were beginning to have a retaliation. The Daleks being the ones to name the Time War was an intriguing move and something I thought was excellent. Of course, Remembrance ends with the Doctor sending Skaro supernova so that's quite a move against the Daleks on behalf of the Time Lords, but the fact that they were already planning a temporal war after learning of the Time Lord efforts to stop their creation was fantastic. The secretive nature of the seventh incarnation continuing here was good and I liked how he didn't want to reveal that the Slyther was hunting for the Hand of Omega. The Doctor questioning the Time Lord about being in the timezone and place was good and I loved how he was wondering if it had anything to do with his first incarnation and Susan who had of course recently ran away from their home planet. I thought that was a nice touch and a good reminder of the setting. I have to say that whilst it was a little bit silly to have the Doctor entering Donlevy's house to steal a pair of his long-johns, it was pretty perfect for the Seventh Doctor. It was a barmy image but one that was well suited and as they had been close to his skin, they could be used to lure the Slyther away due to their proximity with the Hand of Omega. That device being intelligent and cloaking itself to prevent it from being found was a good development as well and an idea I really enjoyed. The Time Lord having to drive a getaway from the encroaching Slyther was quite the picture and his reaction to getting involved in events was very good. It was quite an amusing little tale and the relationship between the Doctor and the enigmatic Time Lord was very well presented. The use of the electrical power from the National Grid to emphatically wipe out the Slyther was pretty decent and certainly a final end for the monster. It was nice of the Time Lord to be showing it some dignity even after its death as it wasn't its fault that it had been changed by the Daleks. Overall, a really good little story!

Rating: 8/10

The Eternal Summer

"I've been here as long as you can remember."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: November 2009

Series: Monthly Adventures 128

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

It's been a long, hot summer in Stockbridge. Longer than the villagers can remember. Summer's lease is never-ending – and all thanks to the Lord and Lady of the Manor!

One man alone knows that something's wrong: Maxwell Edison, Stockbridge's unofficial ambassador to the Universe. or 'flying saucer nut', as the locals have it. He'll need help proving it: from the local postmistress Miss Nyssa, perhaps; or the village Doctor, the fellow that's been living at the Green Dragon Inn these last 30 years.

They'd better hope that autumn never comes to Stockbridge. When autumn comes, the world is doomed...

Verdict

The Eternal Summer was an excellent audio adventure to continue along Big Finish's Monthly Adventures and the Stockbridge trilogy! This really was a superb story and a fantastic continuation of where things were left in Castle of Fear. The immediate continuation worked well and I thought the bubble timeline setting of Stockbridge worked tremendously well. The Doctor was immediately put off by his accommodation and his discussions with Alice and Harold about his always being there and even them remembering him being there on his wedding day some thirsty years previously was intriguing. I loved the idea of time happening all at once in the village of Stockbridge and when the Doctor tracked down Nyssa in the post office, the pair were given two vastly different answers of 1984 and 2009 as to what year it was. That was heightened by the fact that a number of the village's population were wearing attires from much earlier than the 1980s. The wedding of Alice and Harold occurring shortly after the Doctor heard of it from the marriage subjects was fantastic and the fact that time was moving so quickly and in a disrupted manner made for a really interesting tale. It was quite morbid for the pair's wedding and funeral to occur in the same day! Of course, that was how it was perceived in Stockbridge but with time happening all at once that wasn't quite the case. It was a really interesting plot device. The inclusion of Maxwell Edison was terrific and I love that we get continuity with the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip adventures, even referencing and providing a performed flashback of some of the events of Stars Fell on Stockbridge. That was really well done and whilst it was a little strange to hear the character with a performed actor, I like that he was featured and the way he was written and his stature in the village was excellent and exactly what I remember from his DWM comic appearances. I was a big fan. The Doctor's reaction to him was amusing and his being slightly stupid but also having that all important sixth sense proved crucial. His relationship with Lizzie was lovely and I really liked the whole concept of PIG. That anagram was amusing and tickled me in a big way, probably more than it should have for a psychic investigative group! Max being invited to be part of it was a nice moment and their relationship developed really quickly which was good to hear. I thought the cliff-hangers were very good in this audio and the reveal that the Doctor and Nyssa were the Lord and Lady of the Manor was excellent, even if it was predictable. Both Davison and Sutton put in tremendous performances in their villain role and the flashback sequence for Lady Nyssa when she remembered all of Nyssa's life including moments from the likes of Primeval and The Mutant Phase was wonderful. I'm a sucker for that and the latter remains one of my very favourite audios. The connection the Manor had with the remains of Stockbridge Castle and it being built on the remains of the Rutan ship was very good. The time bubble concept was really good and I liked how Wells Wood was the weak point. Lizzie's description of how Stockbridge just vanished into a singularity some time after World War Two was an interesting tale and I liked how there were echoes and images of what remained from time to time. The summer setting was also great and I liked how the prospect of autumn meant doom. The search for immortality from those in control was excellent and I liked how it was all a kind of game. Max's role in restoring Stockbridge to normality and ensuring that it had never gone missing in the first place was really good and I liked how things reverted back to the Doctor and Nyssa being in the gap between times as we head into another audio with a good cliffhanger! Overall, a really strong audio and a brilliant listen!

Rating: 9/10

The Unwinding World

"There's a lot to correct in human nature."

Writer: Ian Potter

Format: Audio

Released: June 2015

Series: Companion Chronicles: First Doctor 1.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki

Synopsis

Office life is tough, the commute is a grind, nothing works quite as well as you'd like. Vicki seems to remember things being better once, before the little flat. It's time she put some excitement back in her life. It's just a shame the Doctor can't help.

Verdict

The Unwinding World was an excellent Companion Chronicles audio adventure to continue my way through the first volume of the First Doctor boxsets within the range! This was such a good little story and I really appreciated the unique way in which it was told. Maureen O'Brien was delightful in reprising her role as Vicki and the way the other TARDIS crew members were incorporated into the storytelling was very clever indeed. It almost had the feel of a full cast audio drama despite the entire thing pretty much being a conversation between Vickie and Connie. The way it started with the computer voices describing the actions of Barbara, Ian and the Doctor as workers was intriguing and I thought it was a good decision to not have Vicki talking straight away so we could establish the setting. Where they had arrived was a very unique environment and the TARDIS being taken almost immediately provided us with a good plot device and my imagination run wild thinking of how the First Doctor would react to his prized ship being taken away abruptly. I can't think of any incarnation that would react worse! The role of the TARDIS for this society was fantastic and I loved how there was descriptions of the same design appearing throughout time across the galaxy where there were disruptions and revolts. The indication that the Doctor had involvement in a number of those in his personal future and across a multitude of different incarnations was terrific and the caveat of the TARDIS dimensions not always matching was delightful, given how the exterior altered from time to time in different eras. Connie being a nickname for the Controller of the work environment was fantastic and I really liked how she was named to put more of a face on things and provide some sense of normalisation. I thought that was brilliant and made a lot of sense. Hearing of how the Doctor, Ian and Barbara had provided Connie with suspicions since their arrival was great and exactly what you'd expect and the little ways they were trying to gain information or change things was very good. Barbara trying to learn more of the history with un-archived information and Ian also going out of bounds was good and I loved hearing Vicki defend their actions. The use of lip-reading to include the Doctor without the need for an impression was superb and really subtle but made for a wonderful way to include him. I did have to laugh at how Connie even read a 'hmm?' from his lips! Excellent stuff. The computer system also describing the actions of Ian and Barbara was good and the mechanical feel of the adventure was terrific. I was a big fan. The discussion of memory was something I really enjoyed and Connie describing how we alter our own memories was mightily intriguing and somewhat sad. The Doctor fasting when realising that there was a chemical in the food that altered the memories was good and it made sense for the chemical to attack the way we programme and calibrate our own memories. I was mightily interested. Vicki being able to turn that on Connie by the end was excellent and I liked how their being there for a period of months worked to the advantage of the plot resolution as Vicki had a plan in action for a lengthy period of time, and had actually managed to end up manipulating Connie into providing the information she wanted and ensuring that what she should think of as odd wasn't. And that was odd. I really liked that. Vicki had freed the population and provided them with free thought and the system was defeated to ensure that there was no more control. It was a pretty simple and neat way to conclude what was an excellent audio! It was very close to full marks, perhaps with a better cliffhanger it might have got there. Regardless, a great adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Under ODIN's Eye

"We owe everything to ODIN Industries."

Writer: Alice Cavendar

Format: Audio

Released: May 2019

Series: Short Trips 9.05

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

Sad about your local market shutting down? Don't worry about it! Come on down to ODIN Megastore, where we have everything you'll ever need. Enjoy your Hygge atmosphere. Browse stylish new ODIN wardrobes. Relax with friends on our new ODIN sofas. Friends gone missing? Meet new ones at our food-hall, where you can chill out and live happily ever after.

Welcome to ODIN Megastore, where everything is for sale. Even your planet.

Verdict

Under ODIN's Eye was a very decent little Short Trips audio adventure! I'm a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and I am actually currently making my way through the films and television shows in chronological order (currently halfway through Defenders if that's of interest!), so I was very intrigued by the story's title to see if there would be any obvious links with the Norse mythology and any parallels or connections with what we get in the MCU. Other than a few character names and the obvious connection with ODIN, that didn't come which was fine but it still meant I was interested. I thought the story synopsis was actually very good and really did hook me into wanting to listen to this story over other Sixth Doctor Short Trips. I usually plan my blogging schedule a month or so ahead and today was always pencilled in as a shorter adventure featuring this incarnation. Whilst I did enjoy the adventure, I firmly believe that the story didn't really live up to the synopsis and didn't quite correlate with what was presented. I would really have liked more exploration of ODIN and its multitude of stores and items up for sale. There was hardly any indication of a planet being for sale and whilst we have seen rumblings of that before, I think that would have been something very good and interesting to occur. I like the humour of the Doctor having visited the planet before and his old greeting was traditional custom when he last visited, but he was almost ridiculed for doing so here as it seems to have become quite antiquated! In my brief research after listening to this story, I have come across a lot of likening this one to Kerblam! which I can see, although I don't think there was a huge amount of overlap. They're both quite distinct and this one worked on more of a grounded level, despite people being sent off world. I thought Nicola Bryant did an excellent job with the narration for this one as she was really able to create a number of distinct characters with just her voice. It must be difficult to perform as a single actor with a number of roles to play but she performed in a stellar fashion here. The way she was able to separate her narration to playing the role of Peri was fantastic. I really appreciated that. I thought Sven as the store supervisor was a very good character and I liked how there was some TARDIS familiarity. The fact that we had a character called Thor was also something brilliant and I really wish the Doctor could have made more of a comment on him. Especially in this incarnation! The writing for the Sixth Doctor was good though as a whole and there were definitely elements of that irritable side of the incarnation which were great. I thought the whole plot centring on the conflict between the Borusia and the Morpatha worked pretty well and the sacrifices of Lucas and Ingram brought a stark impact to what was a relatively upbeat audio before that. There was some semblance of a dark atmosphere, but it never felt like the stakes were raised so that made for a powerful moment. As a whole, I can appreciate the idea of an intergalactic store setting but I'm still not sure that there was ever any large peril that got me fully invested into proceedings. Still, Bryant's narration was excellent and I liked the overall idea with some strong characters. Overall, a good listen!

Rating: 7/10