Out of Time

"How can you travel fifty years in half an hour?"

Writer: Catherine Tregenna 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 17 December 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.10

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

When a plane from 1953 makes an unexpected landing in present-day Cardiff after travelling through a rift in time, there are painful consequent for all involved...

Verdict

Out of Time was an excellent episode to continue our way through the first series of Torchwood! I remembered this one being good and I wasn't let down. There's something of a feeling of a reset in the series at this point following Random Shoes and I get the sense of there being some sort of calm before the storm that's coming at the end of the series. I think that's a good move and I liked how there were no aliens involved here or any puzzle to solve. Obviously, keeping everyone interested in a whole episode where there's no imminent threat is no easy task so the way it was achieved here with pure emotional storytelling was excellent. There was a lot going on and whilst Tosh barely featured, the remainder of the Torchwood team had a lot to do and played significant roles. The arrival of Diane, Emma and John from 1953 was a great pre-credits scene and the idea of this trio coming over five decades into the future was very good indeed. Ianto taking them shopping to the locals Asda was terrific and their reaction to the likes of bananas, DVDs, and raunchy magazines was amusing and I loved how John mentioned the supermarket being incredible with him not long having come off rations back in his own time. That was a good way to firmly establish the changes they would experience in modern day Cardiff. Jack being paired off with John was good and I liked how the 1950s man was struggling with his new surroundings. He wasn't impressed with Torchwood giving them new names as that was all they had now, and then he went to see his son who was very old now and suffering from dementia. John clearly being a football fan was fantastic though and I loved his memories of being able to watch the FA Cup Final. That was really nice. Gwen being paired with Emma worked well and her continuing to cover things up from Rhys meant there was a lot of dissension within that relationship. Emma seeing Rhys when he was naked was amusing and I also liked how she was enjoying singing with the other young girls in the shared accommodation. The highlight of the episode though was undoubtedly Diane. She was a phenomenal character and there's just something special about her that can't quite be pinpointed. For Owen to admit that he loved her after such a short amount of time together was evidence of that. Gemma found the intimate sex scenes and discussion a little off-putting which made me laugh. I was a little sorry for Owen by how she left things without much of an explanation which was a shame for him. John's fate ending in him committing suicide alongside Jack in the car was incredibly powerful but at least he didn't have to die alone. Emma moving off to London after securing a new job was good and I liked Gwen having to explain the new sexually aware society she was now a part of. I can imagine it was quite the culture shock for a young girl like her! Overall, this is a really emotional, powerful and just great episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Random Shoes

"Am I dead?"

Writer: Jacquetta May

Format: TV

Broadcast: 12 December 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.09

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

When Eugene wakes to find himself dead in the middle of the road after being hit by a car, as well as finding himself invisible, he knows only Gwen Cooper can help him...

Verdict

Random Shoes was not the greatest of episodes to continue the first series rewatch of Torchwood. I have to be honest and say that I wasn't entirely looking forward to revisiting this episode and I was actually surprised to see how high I rated it last time out back in 2013. It really isn't all that good. It just seems so far off from the rest of the series and seems out of place. It's reminiscent of Love and Monsters from the second series of Doctor Who and that's not a good thing in my eyes. That's one of my very least favourite episodes and whilst we didn't have something as obscure and just silly as the Absorbaloff, we did have someone as equally annoying as Elton in the form of Eugene here. He's not a good character and I'm baffled as to why there was no previous appearance from him in the series up to this point. It would have made so much more of an impact if we already knew Eugene. I just don't understand the point of us being told that he was always trying to get hold of Torchwood when we never saw that for ourselves. It's a little harsh to say but I just did not care about Eugene. The mystery of the eye was somewhat intriguing and Jack having knowledge of the sale was fun and I'd have liked it if he actually got involved in the bidding. The lack of Owen and Tosh was a bit of a shame and I think there now needs to be some sort of build on the Gwen and Owen relationship now as nothing has been mentioned for a couple of episodes. One of my favourite things about watching the episode was getting a glimpse into the past with the Blockbuster movie store and the quick catch of a petrol station in the background with prices well under £1 a litre. The very thought! The episode title going to play is a bit naff rather than clever, but it was phone to see an old phone that Gemma had when she was young. Learning of Eugene's past was just a bit boring and I found his funeral even worse. I was honestly stunned to be hearing his dad sing in a such a way. Gosh, it was just filling time really. Gwen was able to shine as the lead character and it was nice for her to get a feeling that there was something more to Eugene's death. The alien eye being the reason why Eugene was able to live on (sort of) after death was logical and the highlight of the entire episode was definitely the acting. I thought it was brilliantly done for the likes of Eve Myles and company to act as if Eugene wasn't there. It must have been really difficult to do that so that was definitely a saving grace of the episode. I liked the excitement of the conclusion despite its cheesiness with Gwen getting saved from the car from Eugene who arrived for a final hurrah before literally ascending to the heavens. That was quite something and I'm not sure it was in the best way or even the best idea. Overall, this was very average at best and comfortably my least favourite episode of Torchwood. 

Rating: 5/10

They Keep Killing Suzie

"Ordinary people ripped apart with your name written in their own blood."

Writers: Paul Tomalin & Dan McCulloch

Format: TV

Broadcast: 3 December 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.08

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

When the word 'Torchwood' is daubed in blood at several murder scenes, the investigation leads to the use of the Resurrection Glove, and back to a familiar face.

Verdict

They Keep Killing Suzie was another very good episode of Torchwood to continue my way through the first series rewatch! I like the continuity this brings to the series thus far and the little recap of Everything Changes is certainly helpful when it comes to what occurs in the episode. Of course, the title itself is a bit of a giveaway that Suzie is returning from the dead, but I try not to let that impact upon my viewing. The idea of deaths happening in brutal fashion and them being a message for Torchwood is great and the image of 'Torchwood' being written in blood is certainly an eye catcher! Jack was more than clear that they had their attention now which was a good way to lead into the opening titles. This was a goo little insight into what Torchwood was like prior to Gwen's arrival which is in when we as a viewer came on board to proceedings, particularly with Suzie's relationships with the other team members. She didn't have a lot to say about Ianto, but we learned that Suzie was quite a quiet person and someone who kept herself to herself. Tosh didn't want to look Suzie in the eye when she was revived which was telling for their relationship and Suzie's demise, but the highlight was definitely Suzie's interaction with Owen. She taunted him which was fun and I liked that he admitted he was frightened of her. I mean, given what she did in her final days and her obsession with the glove along with the fact that she was being revived, who could blame him! This was a very strong episode for Gwen and I enjoyed how she was able to use the resurrection gauntlet glove to bring back those victims sending a message to Torchwood. The connection that ensued between Gwen and Suzie was excellent and I love the way Ianto delivers the line revealing that Suzie is still alive. He was a delight in this episode to be honest! The risen mitten comment was magnificent. I thought the fun had by the regular cops when Torchwood had to ring and ask for help when Suzie locked them down in the Hub was fun, although I wasn't a massive fan of the ISBN being the way to reboot the system. That dragged slightly. Suzie's spitefulness in wanting to see her father only to kill him and bring him to the darkness made her a strong villain, as well as seeing her revel in replacing Gwen as she drained her of life. The chase by Jack to get to them before they departed on a ferry was exciting, but the glaring production error is such a shame. How it can pass that it goes from the middle of the night to clear daylight is beyond me and it really is a big shame. It's so off-putting. I also don't quite understand why Suzie waits when Gwen collapses, although her asking if she had gone was a hilarious moment. Gemma and I enjoyed that one together very much. Jack killing her many times and her refusal to die was good and I would love to have known what he was thinking about the possibility of someone else sharing immortality. Tosh shooting the glove to bits to break the connection was good, and Ianto's comment at the end about gloves coming in pairs was sublime and up there with his stopwatch humour throughout the episode. Overall, a very good adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Greeks Bearing Gifts

"With this you can read people's minds."

Writer: Toby Whithouse

Format: TV

Broadcast: 26 November 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.07

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

Toshiko is befriended by a mysterious and alluring woman who gifts her a pendant that gives the wearer the ability to read thoughts, but she soon learns that it is more a curse than a blessing...

Verdict

Greeks Bearing Gifts was another excellent episode of Torchwood as I embark on a rewatch of the first series of the spinoff whilst introducing Gemma to the show for the first time. This was another intriguing one for her and it's still a little strange to think that this is set in the same universe as Doctor Who, but the adult themes really do provide a unique take and this was no different here. I liked how we started in 1812 for the first few minutes to give a sense of scale for Mary and all of her actions in the near two centuries since. Long overdue, this episode was firmly focused on Tosh and she really did shine alongside her new love interest. I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Tosh on more than one occasion throughout the episode, but by the end it was clear that she was better placed in the team. The follow on from the shock ending of Countrycide with Owen and Gwen was very good and Tosh having the ability to read people's minds couldn't have come at a worse time for her in that regard. It has been hinted at on more than one occasion in the series so far that Tosh quite fancies Owen, and that was laid down without any doubts lingering here. The photo on her fridge and the fact she had kept a Christmas card from him long after the fact showed what she felt, but it was nice for Tosh to still get out there and open up with Mary about her job. That venting led to a one night stand (I guess!) and Mary not wanting to get in the way of Tosh's feelings was nice, but she was eager to let her know that she wasn't a rebound shag. That was nice of Tosh! Ianto still feeling pain stemming from the impact of Cyberwoman was good continuity and I liked how she didn't take up his offer of a coffee. Jack had a strong episode despite not featuring overly prominently and I really love how he could tell there was personality change in Tosh. He'd heard of how she prevented a murder in the day and her questioning about Greek mythology told him that something was up. I like that he took notice. The humour concerned with Owen's autopsy was very good and Gwen revealing in the fact that he had got it all wrong was excellent. It was nice to see her having fun and settled in the team now, even if what she's doing with Owen is wrong. Mary revealing her alien self was a good moment and it was clear that there was something more to her all along. Gemma commenting that the effects were like watching PlayStation 1 aggravated me, but her comment about what she didn't want to see regarding sexual activity between Tosh and Mary and a cutting instrument was hilarious. I thought that was so funny as that's not what I expected as we were eating our chilli! The ending of the episode is so sudden for Mary but it works so well as Jack reveals that there was more to her story and past. Everything tied back to her with a history of bodies where the heart had been wrenched out which I thought was superb and I really liked the scene in the Hub with all of the team coming together, only for Jack to return Mary's way home in the form of the transporter. The only catch was he had reprogrammed it with the destination being the centre of the sun. It was so emphatic and quick which made it work really well, and Jack had no remorse in killing her after all she had done through history. Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Countrycide

"You are the harvest."

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Format: TV

Broadcast: 19 November 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.06

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

Upon entering an apparently deserted village in the Brecon Beacons, the Torchwood team is separated. Finding his people are the prey in a savage game of cat and mouse, Jack faces a family of ruthless hunters far more skilled in surviving outside the confines of the city than he is...

Verdict

Countrycide was an excellent episode to continue the first series of Torchwood! Gemma and I watched this one with dinner and it's fair to say that might not have been the best of decisions. This is an incredibly gruesome story and I like the realism of the revelation that the Torchwood team are actually dealing with human cannibals, rather than the alien creatures they expected to be behind the mysterious disappearances in the Brecon Beacons. It was a little strange seeing that location as we actually drove through it yesterday so things looked a little familiar. That pre-credits scene is excellent in establishing what is going to happen in the episode and the thought of being stranded on the Beacons at night with flat tyres and no phone signal with someone clearly hunting you is scary. The atmosphere for this episode was outstanding and I loved the unique feel this one had with it being entirely on location. Torchwood setting up camp was a lot of fun and it's great to see Ianto being integrated back into the team now following on from Cyberwoman. It was a lot of fun as well for Gwen to ask everyone when their last snog was and the range of answers provided very different emotions. It was a little sad that Tosh hadn't snogged anyone since a drunken one with Owen at Christmas, whilst Ianto was still longing after Lisa. Owen's answer of Gwen was delightful and the look on Gwen's face when she realises the answer before he speaks is magnificent. The SUV being taken was a good moment and I liked how the Torchwood team were stripped of all their resources. That didn't help them though when it came to getting sight of a number of corpses stripped of their flesh. It was a pretty graphic episode and seeing Gwen's reaction of vomiting was more than warranted. I liked the pace of this one and the steady way in which other characters were introduced. Gwen being shot was such a sudden moment and I liked how it was left to Owen to help heal her. Ianto and Tosh made for a great pairing as well and them being tied up and on the verge of being skinned was a frightening prospect. Despite all of the aliens and everything they see come through the Rift, the fact the culprits here were humans made it all the more horrifying. I think that's great. Evan was an excellent head of the cannibal household and his answer to Gwen when she demanded to talk to him to understand was chilling. It made him happy. I liked the dialogue and sometimes the lack of it was excellent with the shadowy movements. The police officer actually turning out to be Evan's nephew is a little predictable, as is Helen's turn on Tosh and Ianto, but the trio make for one hell of a family! The epic way in which they are dealt with in quick style by Jack and the directing for that sequence was really good. It was unique which meant it had an impact on my viewing experience and I really enjoyed it. It was a brilliant Captain Jack moment! The talking point at the end of the episode with Gwen consoling in Owen with more than just words was a moment I forgot happened, and it's fair to say it sparked a fun reaction for Gemma as she hasn't been overly impressed with Gwen's relationships and sexual actions thus far! Overall, a fantastic episode.

Rating: 9/10

Small Worlds

"They play games. They torment. They kill."

Writer: Peter J. Hammond

Format: TV

Broadcast: 12 November 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.05

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

Jack runs into an old friend who is looking into sightings of fairies in the local woods, and uncovers a connection between the sightings and the seemingly normal Pierce family, especially their young daughter Jasmine.

Verdict

Small Worlds was another very good episode of Torchwood! We're well into the opening series now and I thought this was a great story and a really unique and intriguing world to explore. The title works well and delving into the world of fairies is a magnificent idea. Doing so in a more adult-oriented show made for a good dynamic and the end result was very good indeed. It's a little creepy to see a sexual predator in his car stalking outside a school for young girls, but thankfully the fairies had picked their chosen one and Jasmine was safe and sound with the paedophile getting exactly what he deserved thanks to the petals suffocating him in his jail cell. Despite the uncomfortable nature of everything that was going on with him, it sparked a fun moment for myself and Gemma as we saw him head into Cardiff Market which is a favoured spot of ours when we visit the capital. There's a great secondhand book shop with a strong selection of Who books on sale, and whilst I didn't manage to see any Target novelisations which would have been a fun occurrence, it was wonderful to get a glimpse of the stall! I do love being familiar with a lot of the Torchwood setting and just hearing the Welsh accent for the majority of characters is always good. I thought the emotion in the episode displayed by Jack and his relationship with Estelle before the Second World War. It was excellent to explore the character's past because so much has clearly happened to him since The Parting of the Ways and his resurrection, so learning of what happened in Lahore even before World War One was brilliant. Drunken soldiers that he was leading had run a chosen one over and they were duly punished. Jack displaying fear in such a visible and obvious way is unusual and that did a lot to sell the fear factor of the fairies. He was urging Estelle to tell him if they were spotted again but she ended up drowning in rain that was centred on her garden. It was an emotional time and Gwen knowing straight away that the picture of Jack's father were actually him. She had a really good episode and was able to shine with it being a very quiet one for the rest of the team. Jasmine enjoying playing in her garden with her 'friends' was creepy because she didn't smile or watch television or even read a book. She wasn't exactly a normal child and that was irking Roy. He was a bit of a knob though so I can't say I was disappointed that he also fell victim to the fairies, although that happened in gruesome circumstances. Their method of petals in the victims was brilliant, but the image of them standing over and devouring throats was impressive. They had a creepy look and that's what you wanted. Ianto's continuity from Cyberwoman was good and I liked Jack's touch on his shoulder letting him know he's still valued. The ending of the episode with Jack allowing Jasmine to be taken as a chosen one, and the last one, instead of fighting to try and save her again showed the threat of the fairies but that wasn't met too well by Gwen and the rest of the team. But what choice did he have? The world or one girl? There was no alternative. Overall, a really good little episode!

Rating: 8/10

Cyberwoman

"In order to save what we love, we must risk losing it."

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Format: TV

Broadcast: 5 November 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.04

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

Ianto Jones is hiding a terrible secret beneath the Torchwood Hub, but when the situation gets out of control, Ianto is forced to come clean to the Torchwood team who must then fight for their lives...

Verdict

Cyberwoman was an excellent episode in my rewatch of Torchwood! This might just be my favourite episode of the series so far and even though in my revised ratings for the four stories thus far have all decreased (I was a massive fan back in the day and I think I've just become sterner as I've got older despite still being relatively generous), this was a thoroughly enjoyable watch. I was excited for Gemma to watch this one given its obvious links to Doctor Who and Army of Ghosts/Doomsday and I loved how much the Battle of Canary Wharf was known as an event. I'd love to know what Jack got up to during that event, but Owen showing his knowledge when having sight of the Cyber conversion unit was fantastic. The very idea of a Cyberwoman is brilliant and I think the design really works well. Lisa looks so impressive in her partially converted form and Ianto's explanation as to why it wasn't just her brain that was harvested was very good. I like that it was addressed from the off and with the Daleks running rampant, the Cybermen resorted to even using human technology to convert human stock. It's really good to learn of Ianto and Lisa's relationship and how they both worked at Torchwood One and it seems to be a bit of a fall from grace for him since joining Torchwood Three. He's nothing more than a coffee guy which I often forget about these early episodes. Jack's reaction when Owen relays the news about a Cyber presence is fantastic and I also love how he knew about the Cybermen being created on a parallel world and then supposedly being destroyed on this one. Except there was a survivor and Ianto had been housing her in the Hub! His secrecy was good and the reaction when Jack found out what he'd been doing was superb. That relationship was clearly tarnished in this episode which was fantastic to explore and I love the strains this has on future episodes. Gwen has another strong episode and she's amore than settled into the team now. Her scene with Owen when hiding from Lisa in the storage unit was fun given the sexual tension and Owen putting a last kiss on her that she wasn't doing a good job of preventing. Who could blame Owen? He got a little excited and Gwen made sure everyone knew about his excitement downstairs. Gemma was stunned to see Gwen kissing someone who wasn't Rhys yet again! I really enjoyed how this episode was contained within the Hub and having just the Torchwood team against the Cyberwoman with the addition of the doctor who was rewarded with a metallic upgrade was brilliant. Containing the threat showed just how substantial it was and I liked how Tosh was considered the last line of defence as well. Lisa transplanting herself into the pizza delivery girl made for an emotional end and I'm glad that things didn't end with the pterodactyl attack despite how impactful that was. The image of all four of the Torchwood team shooting Lisa dead after her self-inflicted surgery was brilliant and I enjoyed the different reactions of each person holding the gun. It was powerful stuff. There was so much emotion in the episode which is ironic given that we had a Cyberwoman, but as a whole this was an excellent story! 

Rating: 9/10

Ghost Machine

"They left me all on my own."

Writer: Helen Raynor

Format: TV

Broadcast: 29 October 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.03

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

Gwen ends up with an alien object which shows vision of the past to the Torchwood team. As they try to find its owner, Owen learns of a murder that happened over four decades ago, and a murderer that is still at large.

Verdict

Ghost Machine was a great episode of Torchwood to continue my rewatch through the first series! I remember this one being a little better than it was but that's part of the beauty of watching an episode again for the first time in eight years! I've changed a lot in that time and so have my preferences and thoughts which was clear with my view on this episode. One thing in particular that I will mention before I get into the positives was the pace. I thought that could have been sped up considerably to make for a more exciting episode, but I do understand that the slower style helped with the emption behind its events. This was a really strong story for Gwen and it's great to see her settled into her new role at Torchwood immediately as the episode starts as she and Owen are on the chase in the centre of Cardiff. Her determination is one of my favourite assets of hers and I was stunned to hear Gemma say that she found her annoying as I asked for her thoughts after the episode finished. I couldn't believe it. I think Gwen's great and this story was a fine example in my opinion. We see the difficulties of her trying to juggling Torchwood and her at home life with Rhys and I thought her use of the ghost machine to see a past memory of the pair having a fun moment was wonderful. That was a really nice and touching moment. It came as a nice refresh after the instances we had seen Gwen and Owen initially use it. Gwen being taken back to 1941 and seeing a little boy evacuated from London during the Second World War and him being abandoned was awful, but it didn't pale in comparison to what Owen was forced to witness at the hands of Ed Morgan. I liked that the machine didn't only allow you to see the past, but feel it. The effects that had were incredible. Owen wanted to bring Ed to justice all of these years later and I thought this research via phone book was a lot of fun. Jack was clearly in charge throughout the episode which brought a good dynamic and the sexual tension in the scene where he demonstrates to Gwen how to use the gun was excellent. Bernie was a fun character and capturing the Splott region of Cardiff was very amusing given my knowledge of the city. The way Owen found him by chance was good as well. I really liked the twist that there was a second half of the ghost machine and this one showing the future rather than the past was fantastic. Gwen seeing herself holding a knife with blood-covered hands was startling and that coming into reality with Ed Morgan plunging himself at her was a very sudden moment. Gemma audibly gasped next to me which showed me how good of a moment it was. I thought Eve Myles was outstanding in that fade out shot after reacting to what had happened right in front of her and she was completely helpless. As a whole, this was a pretty simple plot that was very effective and brought some really good character development after the previous episode established it being Gwen's first day on the job. She was settled now. Tosh's tech skills firmly being on display in the episode was terrific as well and I like how much of an important but subtle role she plays in proceedings. The ghost machine ending up in the secured Torchwood archives felt right and Ianto always brings a good deal of humour in these early episodes which is fun to see. Overall, a very good episode!

Rating: 8/10

Day One

"I know there's something living inside you."

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Format: TV

Broadcast:

Series: Torchwood 1.02

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

Gwen begins working for Torchwood, and her first day on the job proves to be a trying one as the team must track down a sex-crazed alien that has taken human farm and is wreaking havoc throughout Cardiff.

Verdict

Day One was a decent and incredibly interesting episode of Torchwood to continue my rewatch of the show from the start! I'm watching this with Gemma as she embarks on the spinoff series for the first time ever and I was keen to ensure that she went into this one blind with no knowledge because obviously it's a bit of a strange one in the Doctor Who universe! It even has more meaning now given that it was penned by Chris Chibnall and seeing him take on sex so explicitly in an episode like this was a marked contrast to the kind of issues he has highlighted in his writing as head of the Thirteenth Doctor's run on television. I was trying to be subtle in my efforts of catching Gemma's reaction to what was going on in this episode and her face at the moment where the bouncer was jerking off to the sex scene in the bathroom through the CCTV was an absolute picture. I can be sure that she wasn't expecting that! The very idea of an alien menace that killed at the point of orgasmic climax was just incredible for a huge number of reasons and it really is such a brave and bold move for the second episode of a series. I can imagine this might have been off-putting for some viewers and whilst I definitely didn't enjoy this episode as much as I previously did (probably owing to maturing considerably), it's still a good story to serve as Gwen's first day on the job. The meteor going over Cardiff was an exciting start and Gwen being called in early was excellent. I really like the interaction she has with Andy when investigating the sexual killer and her giving instructions showed she had settled in quickly, even if she wasn't quite embracing all of the Torchwood tech as her own. She was still very much a copper at heart and I loved that Jack wanted to ensure that she didn't let her new job consume to keep her human perspective. They needed it. Gwen being challenged to show Torchwood what it meant to be human with Carys and the way she pulled up all of her school reports and old photographs was wonderful. That was a touching moment. I thought Owen was a lot of fun in this episode and we obviously saw his potency to sex in Everything Changes so the image of him naked in handcuffs after letting Carys escape was great. I also enjoyed his reaction to seeing that Gwen and Carys were snogging which was quite the scene. There was a lot going on for sure. Tosh had a solid episode as well and I thought Ianto was his usual fun with offering the Chinese. I loved the way that the device Owen uses to essentially create a portable prison comes back into play at the end of the episode when Gwen entices the sex-craved creature out of Carys because she believes she would be stronger and had confidence in Jack to save her. It was really clever and well-worked writing. For a first day on the job, it was quite an eventful day for Gwen and her being the cause of the gaseous entity exiting the meter was terrific. She feels guilty and does well in coping with all of the death that went back to the fertility clinic which was another fun element. Everything ties up quite nicely and whilst the cause of death is pretty on the nose, it's still a solid episode. I can't help but laugh at the came and went comment as well. Great humour. Overall, a brave episode to keep us rolling! 

Rating: 7/10

Everything Changes

"You catch aliens for a living?"

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 22 October 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.01

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Owen, Tosh, Ianto

Synopsis

When Torchwood arrives on the scene of a brutal murder, WPC Gwen Cooper's curiosity is piqued. Torchwood's attitude, approach and technology is at odds with everything she believes in. Investigating the investigators leads her into a dark, paranoid world she never imagined existed.

Verdict

Everything Changes was a terrific episode to kick off a much overdue rewatch of Torchwood! As Gemma and I embark on the modern era of Doctor Who together for the first time, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity between Series 2 and 3 to introduce her to the brilliant spinoff series that is Torchwood. She has never seen it which I found astonishing so I was hugely excited to watch this with her as I just know she is going to enjoy it. Personally, it's been at least eight years since I watched the first couple of series so I was also really happy to be watching this episode again and embark on the journey of Torchwood. This is a fine episode to start the series and it was really intriguing to see the similarities with Rose as an introduction to Doctor Who. It was a similar approach here with Gwen and seeing Torchwood through her eyes and being introduced to the team and everything that entails through her. She's such a lovely character and I like how she is interested in the special ops immediately and doesn't take away her interest. Jack knowing that she was there looking on was fantastic and the way he almost initiates Gwen into Torchwood throughout the episode is wonderful. I thought the Weevil was a fun first alien for the series and it being used to explain the Rift and the importance of Cardiff to alien life and Torchwood Three was really good. I thought the perception filter at the Hub was so much fun and somehow I never clocked on that it was explained as a result of the TARDIS landing there in Boom Town. I thought that was really clever and I thoroughly enjoyed the continuity to wider Doctor Who in the episode with the references to The Christmas Invasion and Doomsday. Gwen explaining how Rhys had told her that it was some sort of mass hallucinogenic was great and Jack's reaction was delightful. I thought the introduction for the rest of the team was decent if not quick, with Owen, Tosh and Susie all getting on with their jobs. I like the fact that they all took a bit of alien tech home with them for very different purposes and that told us a little about each of them which was important as we await further character development. Ianto playing along as Gwen arrived with the pizza was great stuff too. I thought the use of the resurrection glove was brilliant and Gwen's reaction when seeing life brought back from the dead was superb. I like how the plot device at the heart of the episode is rather simple in the end with the glove being revealed as the latest murder motive and Gwen seeing the mocked up image at the police station to spark her memory of Torchwood after Jack heartbreakingly retconned her. I think that's a little surprising given how he was teaching her and showing her around Torchwood, but thankfully everything works out in the end and it's a clever way to show that Suzie was the murderer all along. The perception filter not working for Suzie and her sudden shooting of Jack through the head was an incredible moment that also really shocked Gemma which was good! Gwen's reaction when she thought that she had no hope of surviving was incredible and the image of Jack rising from behind Suzie before she killed herself was quite something! Susie doing the murdering for use of the glove to try and learn it and harness its power was interesting for sure and seemed really logical. I like the idea of the culprit being a member of what we thought was an established Torchwood team. Jack offering Gwen the vacancy was great and I love that she now has the job she thought was mad. Overall, a brilliant episode to start the series!

Rating: 9/10

Klein's Story

"I will never accept this reality."

Writers: John Ainsworth & Lee Mansfield

Format: Audio

Released: February 2010

Series: Monthly Adventures 131a

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Klein, Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

Elizabeth Klein is an anomaly. A renegade from an alternate future in which the Nazis won World War II. In an attempt to get to know his latest companion, the Doctor invites Klein to tell him how exactly she came to be in possession of his TARDIS and of the events that led to her trip into the past to Colditz Castle.

Verdict

Klein's Story was an excellent little adventure to get the 131st Monthly Adventure kicked off! I wasn't a big fan of the format Big Finish took around the 100 mark of this range with an abundance of releases separated into three-part and one-part stories, but I have to admit that after listening to this episode that the return to that style was most welcomed for this release. I thought this was a really helpful way to set the record straight about Elizabeth Klein and inform those listeners about who she was and her significance. She appeared in Colditz which was an excellent audio adventure, but that was way back at the beginnings of the Monthly Adventures so this little insert was a fantastic way to bring everyone up to speed, new and old listeners both. I was very much a fan of that as it has been a long time now since I listened to that early release, and I thought the format here worked well with the immediate continuity from A Thousand Tiny Wings and how the Doctor was going to take her aboard the TARDIS. We learned a lot about Klein and her inability to accept that what we know as established history was not the correct timeline is really intriguing and just hearing her describe how Hitler died in 1961 and the way the Reich was able to use laser technology to develop the nuclear weapons that saw bombing rampages on Washington and Moscow to win the Second World War was incredibly fascinating. I'm always up for some alternate timelines and when that gets meddled with history as important as the Nazis and World War Two then it's right up my ally. It was also good to establish Klein's scientific background further and I liked learning of her beliefs in the temporal theory. Her desire for the Doctor's TARDIS after learning of the significance of events at Colditz was great and I loved how it was actually the Eighth Doctor who was the man to give her its key! Of course, he was fantastically disguised as Johann Schmidt. Having an alternative Eighth Doctor was so clever and using Klein's lack of knowledge on regeneration against her was so well done. I loved the description of events that led to the Seventh Doctor's regeneration in Klein's timeline and it's fitting that it mirrored the cause of death in The Movie. The Seventh Doctor from the current point of view wanting to learn of his future self's appearance was amusing and I liked how he'd clearly realised what his alternate future self had constructed. The TARDIS had no time logs so his work regarding those was very good indeed. He was playing Klein like a fiddle in order to go back and save his life and restore history. Jonas was a very good character to play off Klein and I liked how he was horrified by her suggestion of going back in time to when the Doctor was alive in order for him to show how the TARDIS worked. That was very good. He was sceptical of Schmidt all along which was admirable. Klein's reaction to the Seventh Doctor explaining about regeneration was delightful and I loved how shocked she was to find that Schmidt was actually the Doctor. She realised she had been defeated and that was brilliant. It really has presented a new twist to what was already a hugely intriguing dynamic and prospect with this pairing together in the TARDIS. I can't wait to hear how things move forward. Overall, a fantastic little episode! 

Rating: 9/10

A Thousand Tiny Wings

"You've possibly the saddest eyes I've ever seen."

Writer: Andy Lane

Format: Audio

Released: January 2010

Series: Monthly Adventures 130

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

1950s Kenya. The Mau Mau uprising. A disparate group of women lie low in a remote house in the jungle, waiting for a resolution or for rescue. Among these British imperialists is Elizabeth Klein, a refugee from a timeline that no longer exists... thanks to the Doctor.

Reunited, the Doctor and Klein are forced to set aside their differences by terrifying circumstances. People are dying in this remote place. One by one. And there's something out there, in the jungle, accompanied only by the flutter of a thousand tiny wings...

Verdict

A Thousand Tiny Wings was a great audio adventure to kick off the latest trilogy of the Monthly Adventures as I work my way through the mammoth range! It's a little scary to think that even now the range has concluded, I am still not even halfway. But alas, we push on and here we have an intriguing tale and a fantastic return for Elizabeth Klein who is back quite a lengthy time after Colditz! I was a big  fan of that early audio in the range and hearing her return alongside the Seventh Doctor was a delight. I liked that Ace's absence was addressed and the prospect of the Doctor doing battle alone against the facist was excellent. She oozed confidence and had an impressive aura around her that made her a more than worthy adversary for the Time Lord. Her refusal to accept the Allied Victory as the 'true' course of history was terrific and I like how she is still determined to put history back on its right path as far as she is concerned. And that means a Fourth Reich. I think that's such a fun concept because of how dangerous it is and if history has taught us anything, it's that it will repeat itself. I enjoyed the unique element of the setting here as it's not often we get a historical trip to Kenya! The 1950s and the Mau Mau uprising worked well and even though it's an event I had next to no knowledge about, some of the racial comments in the story were very important to raise. The Doctor's bartering with Sylvia about her subtle ideals was great and the constant reference to the natives and how they were incapable of ruling themselves was fantastic. I was a big fan of that theme shining through. The Doctor making no efforts to hide future knowledge worked well because we knew that these women weren't a typical female group. Abraham was a decent character and even though his inability to speak hurt things slightly given the audio format, Klein seeing the potential for experimentation in him was very good. An alien with multiple joints in its limbs was a little hard to picture, but that image towards the end where the thousands of birds descended on him to join as one as the Cheylis was quite something! It was a good way to explain the scratches featured throughout the adventure. The fate of Lucy was also a powerful moment and I liked the threat of that being the fate of the entire planet if Sylvia didn't stay and guard after everything was all buried and that mission passed down amongst generations. That was a lot of confidence the Doctor was entrusting her with. Klein being infected was a good threat to have and I liked the character of Joshua Sembeke and the fear he invoked amongst the female non-natives. Him being caught signalling to his fellow Mau Mau was great! Even though it was predictable that he was a native, it was still a good moment. I didn't think the cliffhangers were anything special this time around which was a shame, but not at all a big negative. This adventure setting things up for the next batch of stories in the range with the Doctor taking Klein with him on board the TARDIS was really good and I'm intrigued to hear where we go next. The idea of Klein having access to a time machine opens up so many possibilities! It's inevitable she will go into action for herself at some point, so I look forward to that moment occurring. But for now, this was a very good audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

The Highlanders

"It takes a McCrimmon to play the pipes."

Writer: Gerry Davis

Format: Novel

Released: November 1984

Series: Target 90

Featuring: Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie

Synopsis

History books don't always tell the whole story. Certainly there is no record of an episode that occurred when the Scots, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, were defeated by the English at the Battle of Culloden in 1746...

And the presence at the time of a blue police box on the Scottish moors seems to have escaped the notice of most eye-witnesses...

The Highlanders sets the record straight. And while the incidents described may not be of great interest to historians, for Jamie McCrimmon they mark the beginning of a series of extraordinary adventures.

Verdict

The Highlanders was a decent little novelisation of the televised story sharing the same name. I was intrigued before reading as to what I might expect when going through this book because the entire televised serial is sadly missing from the BBC archives and it's fair to say that I don't have the strongest memory of the Loose Canon reconstruction that was used to blog the story back in 2014. It's obviously synonymous with being the introduction of Jamie as a companion and he would stay alongside the Second Doctor right up until The War Games. I must admit that I don't actually remember Jamie featuring so prominently in the serial so that was a refreshing element of the book. It was also good to start with just the trio of the Second Doctor, Polly and Ben because we only got to see that in The Power of the Daleks so the story starting out with them as the lead characters was magnificent. Of course, I think the writer utilised the foreknowledge and Jamie's standing in Who folklore throughout the book, especially when referring to the McCrimmon clan. I thought it was fun for Polly and Ben to think they had arrived back home because of the weather, but surely they couldn't just assume that they'd landed in their own time given the fact the TARDIS travelled in time? That was a little annoying. I know it's early days for the Second Doctor in this story, but I didn't think the characterisation was overly impressive for Patrick Troughton's incarnation. It just didn't quite feel like a traditional Second Doctor writing of the lead character and that was a little off-putting. I'm not a big fan of him dressing in drag as I don't think it offered a huge amount to the adventure and he certainly seemed to be getting from place to place in quick fashion! The chapters flowed well given there were a lot of them with a consistent page count of 8-10 which is ideal for the novelisations, but I thought they could have ended in more of a cliffhanger style at least a couple of times. Polly had an outstanding story and I loved her relationship with Kirsty. They were great together and reading how she flaunted herself confidently was a delight. She was getting the upper hand of Algernon in quite wonderful style. She was right at home. Her and Ben's confusion over why the English were the enemy was amusing and I liked the idea of a story set during the Battle of Culloden and during the eighteenth century conflict between Scotland and England. The search for Bonnie Prince Charlie was good and I liked the Doctor placing Jamie in that role. The Scot's outrage when he didn't cotton onto the fact that the Doctor was on his side when accusing him and getting out of jail was great. Solictor Grey and Perkins alongside him made for a good villainous historical figures and they fitted right in with the era. The Scots being offered life, death or slavery was quite something and showed just how different times were in this era! Ben being sentenced to death managing to survive was great, but the Doctor greeting him after his swim was a little too convenient. I liked the separation from the TARDIS, but one thing I couldn't quite grasp was what exactly the Doctor and co were sticking around for. Once they were all back together, it seemed logical that they would just find the TARDIS. I never got a huge sense of the end goal and that meant the conclusion couldn't quite be as exciting as it ought to have been. There seemed to be a lack of stakes. Despite that, it was still a very enjoyable read with a great use of historical setting and a lovely little introduction for Jamie. Overall, a good story! 

Rating: 7/10

Mindwarp

"There's nothing more enjoyable than watching people suffer."

Writer: Philip Martin

Format: TV

Broadcast: 4-25 October 1986

Season: 24b

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The Doctor is on trial for his life. Plucked out of time and space by the Time Lords, he is charged with transgressing the First Law of Time. He must defend himself against the prosecution led by the sinister Valeyard...

The Valeyard's prosecution continues as he presents damning evidence of the Doctor's interference on the planet Thoros Beta. Dangerous experiments are being carried out there that could affect the future of all life, and they must be stopped.

But why is the Doctor so determined to help his former enemy – the greedy, opportunistic Sil? And why has he turned against his companion, Peri? One thing is certain: someone will die...

Verdict

Mindwarp was a great four-parts to continue the epic that is The Trial of a Time Lord. I thought this was a solid continuation of the series as things got really tasty in the courtroom whilst we saw the Doctor's adventure immediately prior to being brought to Gallifrey to answer for his crimes. I thought that in of itself was a fun concept and the Doctor having amnesia was great because it hinted to there being something greater at work. His continued alluding to the Matrix perhaps not being as reliable as the Inquisitor might have us believe was intriguing and interference on that scale is obviously brilliantly interesting given the complexities that would go with that. I thought it was very amusing when the Doctor interrupted the evidence of the Valeyard which showed the TARDIS arriving on water on Thoros Beta because of its relevance and I almost felt like that was a mockery of the start of nearly any episode comprising a first part of an adventure. A lovely little moment. The effects for the pink water and the twin planet were really impressive in my view considering this story aired thirty-four years ago and it gave a different look and definitely felt alien which was commendable. The Doctor leading Peri on a mild wild goose chase of sorts by not telling her that the planet was the home of the species that Sil was made me laugh and seemed to be good preparation for his next incarnation! Peri's reaction to seeing the slimy villain after what occurred during Vengeance on Varos was excellent and I thought she had an outstanding adventure for her swan song. I liked the cliffhanger at the end of part seven with Peri apparently being shot and that foreshadowing her fate at the following part's conclusion was very good. I thought her relationship with Yrcanos throughout was a lot of fun with him considering her to be his queen. His desire for fighting was a lot of fun and he was pretty bonkers throughout. Lord Kiv made a great head of the Mentors and his efforts to transport his brain into another body for a good plot. Crozier was a good character as the medic trying to perfect the transference and him achieving it resulting in the interference of the Time Lords was testament to his abilities. His seeing Peri as nothing more than a specimen for his experiment showed all that was needed for him as a person. Sil was a lot of fun in the story as you might expect and him being befriended by the Doctor in particular was very well done. I thought Colin Baker was outstanding as the Sixth Doctor in this story with him feigning being a turncoat and having been impacted by the mind device, as well as in the courtroom reacting to Peri's death and being turned into the host for Lord Kiv. He couldn't accept that events unfolded as was shown during the trial and losing his friend was hard to take. As a singular story, I thought this one worked very well for the most part and whilst there were some minor issues with pace and excitement, the story at its heart was very good indeed. I think I'd have preferred it if Kiv went straight from his initial form to Peri rather than have the one that adorns the blog in between. Still, a very good story to help tell the epic that comprises Season 24!

Rating: 8/10

The Feast of the Drowned

"If all these people have gone under, where've all the bodies gone?"

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Novel

Released: April 2006

Series: NSA 08

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

When a naval cruiser sinks in mysterious circumstances in the North Sea, all aboard are lost. Rose is saddened to learn that the brother of her friend, Keisha, was among the dead. And yet he appears to them as a ghostly apparition, begging to be saved from the coming feast... the feast of the drowned.

As the dead crew haunt loved ones all over London, the Doctor and Rose are drawn into a chilling mystery. What sank the ship, and why? When the cruiser's wreckage was towed up the Thames, what sinister force came with it?

The river's dark waters are hiding an even darker secret, as preparations for the feast near their conclusion...

Verdict

The Feast of the Drowned was an excellent novel! This was a fine addition the early era of Series 2 for the Tenth Doctor and Rose and was an exciting and thrilling tale from start to finish. I liked how there was no messing around with the book and we were taken straight into an interesting start which isn't always the case in feature-length novel adventures so that was most welcomed. It worked well to have a modern day setting and Rose's proximity to events through Keisha and her brother Jay was a very good element. I really loved how impactful the events of Aliens of London and Rose's disappearance for a whole year had on the story and the relationships between a number of characters, with Rose's thirst for travelling in time and space fragmenting her relationship with Mickey and reducing it to friendship, whilst she'd also lost touch with Keish. I thought that was important and really good to read because it showed the toll being the Doctor's companion had on others. Realising the effects of those left behind and the normal world was fantastic, and it was also good for Jackie to have a prominent role in the book. The aquatic theme and everything centring on the Thames was fantastic and I loved the idea of people throwing themselves into the water after being lured by loved ones who had fallen victim to the Ascendant's sinking. That was a disturbing concept in of itself and the atmosphere of the book that this created along with the location and the description of events taking place at night was superb. I was a big fan of the feel of the story. The Doctor's introduction to Vida was a lot of fun and her playing dumb after knowing that he'd used a cleaner's entry card was excellent. She was a really good character and reading how she grew to trust him as the pages turned was terrific. She ended up giving him full access to equipment, knowledge and laboratories that he really ought not to, especially as the public weren't even fully aware of its existence. The Ascendant being returned for examination in segments was interesting and the Doctor cottoning on straight away to the fact that it couldn't have bene an accident that this happened was great. The idea of cellular involvement with hydrogen was very good and the idea of harnessing and even instruction molecules is always fun. It's hard to combat on that scale. Crayshaw made for a really good villain as the head of the Waterhive and his always wearing sunglasses provided a good explanation for him being revealed as part of the hive with his pearly filaments. I thought Rose endured a lot in this book which was a little distressing at times and her struggles to not think of Jackie and Keish when she had fallen victim to the hive were very good indeed. She went one step further though and used the desire for loved ones to get a message out warning them off. That was very clever. Mickey was a fine addition to the book and the banter he share with the Doctor about his usefulness was great as always. Keisha having lied to him about what the pair shared when Rose had gone missing was powerful as I can't imagine having to live with those lies, especially with everything that came with it after his countless police station visits. The Doctor encountering Jay after the ghostly apparition appeared in the house but for real was good and the chase through the wet and blood-soaked vaults was fantastic. Overall, this was an excellent book and I liked the simplicity of the conclusion. A great read!

Rating: 9/10

The Children of Seth

"Tradition is no longer a right."

Writers: Christopher Bailey & Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: December 2011

Series: Lost Stories 3.03

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

During one of Nyssa's experiments, the TARDIS's temporal scanner picks up a message: 'Idra'. Just one word, but enough to draw the Doctor to the Archipelago of Sirius. 

There, the Autarch is about to announce a new crusade. A mighty war against Seth, Prince of the Dark...

But who is Seth? What is the secret of Queen Anahita, Mistress of the Poisons? And what terror awaits on Level 14?

Verdict

The Children of Seth was not the greatest of Lost Stories audio adventures. For whatever reason, I just couldn't take to liking this story for the most part which was a shame as the first two stories within the third series of the Lost Stories range were very good. Sadly the loose trilogy didn't end on a high for my liking. I actually enjoyed the start with Nyssa experimenting in the TARDIS and I really think there could have and should have been longer. She has gone through a lot recently with the events of The Elite and Hexagora so seeing her on the repair here was really nice. Unfortunately, what followed wasn't to my enjoyment as things were very slow from the off despite not fleshing out the society of the Archipelago of Sirius in any way in my opinion. With the summoning from the mysterious Idra, it felt like this was a sequel of sorts and whilst it was clear that the Doctor had been involved there previously, there wasn't enough fleshing out of that previous adventure for me. Anahita as the Queen was somewhat decent and she was a good character for the most part with her relationship with Tegan being a particular highlight. Her history with the Doctor should have been alluded to more and it was clear that the Doctor wasn't in his current incarnation when that meeting took place, so I was a little surprised that she recognised him despite the change of appearance. The religious theme in the story was average and Anahita's book didn't seem to be as important as its role made out it was. The Doctor being given one on his last visit just seemed a bit too convenient and whilst I did like that all of the other books had been burned, it being banned and burned didn't seem logical if Anahita remained Queen. The whole revelation that Seth was just an idea seemed a bit of a let down for me because everything seemed to be building towards him. I didn't understand why Byzan continued with the same name from the Queen's theory as that just seemed incredibly lazy and really was a source of frustration for me. I thought it was a good dynamic to have the Fifth Doctor and Tegan together for most of the story given their testy relationship and that also allowed Nyssa to go off on her own where she can often shine. I liked that she was subjected to a memory wipe and the dream reality, if that's what it could be called, went on too long for me and there really should have been a lot more focus on Nyssa thinking she was the Doctor. That could have been really great but we didn't get her in much action which was a shame. I also thought Tegan's ability to talk her back into remembering her true identity as Nyssa was far too easy. It just wasn't believable for me given that we had listened to two hours almost of her forgetting herself! Shamur was an okay character and I liked his role in the story for the most part, but that echoing and booming did go on a bit by the end! I didn't think the cliffhangers were overly exciting and they didn't really have me wanting to get the next part on straight away. That's a big negative in my eyes. I have certainly focused more on the negatives with this audio, but for me that rating is very low! All of the performances were to a high standard but sadly this was a story I just couldn't get behind. 

Rating: 5/10

The Book of Kells

"Someone who meddles with time."

Writer: Barnaby Edwards

Format: Audio

Released: September 2010

Series: EDA 4.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Tamsin

Synopsis

'Anyone who's prepared to kill for a book interests me.'

Ireland, 1006. Strange things have been happening at the isolated Abbey of Kells: disembodied voices, unexplained disappearances, sudden death. The monks whisper of imps and demons. Could the Lord of the Dead himself be stalking these hallowed cloisters?

The Doctor and his companion find themselves in the midst of a medieval mystery. At its heart is a book: perhaps the most important book in the world. The Great Gospel of Columkille. The Liber Columbae.

Verdict

The Book of Kells was an excellent audio adventure to continue along the fourth series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was a really strong story and probably my favourite so far of what is shaping up to be a rather excellent series. I liked the sudden impact in the way things started with the TARDIS being drawn off course in pretty abrupt fashion and this meaning that the Doctor and Tamsin were going to be stuck in their new surroundings for at least a day was good because that opened up the opportunity for exploration which the Doctor was very much a fan of. I think this pairing are growing together and their relationship is really developing well, as is Tamsin's character as a whole in the companion role. I'm impressed with her more and more and she's a good deal of fun. I love her clumsy nature accompanied by the brash confidence that isn't exactly merited yet given her lack of experience travelling alongside the Doctor. Her glee in getting to produce a jack-in-the-box moment was wonderful. She's a lot of fun and that's a fantastic attribute in a companion. I was a big fan of the setting for this episode as it isn't often we get an adventure set in 11th century Ireland! It was a famous time though and this episode actually providing the historical explanation for the disappearance of the Book of Kells was brilliant. I'm a fan of the Doctor's involvement in human history and Tamsin starting to realise what life was like as she realised she was destined to actually be involved in this historical event was magnificent. I thought it worked well in the explanation and I've actually seen the Book of Kells first hand on one of my three trips to Dublin. I remember thinking of this story when visiting because I knew of it so getting to now listen to it brought back some good memories. Of course, one of the highlights of the story is the return of the Monk in wonderful style and I love the Doctor's confusion as to who is actually his old adversary. He initially thinks it to be Brother Bernard and after reeling off a big speech about his past with the Monk referencing the likes of The Time Meddler and The Daleks' Master Plan, the reaction from this helpless monk was terrific. He had no clue. I would have suspected the Abbott was the Monk all along as that just seems a right fit but it was still a fun moment at the reveal. The Monk is one of my all time favourite villains so getting a new incarnation here is absolutely most welcomed. Him having his own sort of protege in the form of Lucianus was intriguing and the post-credits scene where he was actually revealed to be Lucie Miller was not at all expected! That was quite stunning and I'm sure we'll be coming back to that in the series at some point. The Monk falling victim to the old switch getting highlighted was fun because that's just so typical of him and him mentioning that the Doctor devised a cunning plan was humorous. The idea of his DIY time scoop was great and that explaining events of Situation Vacant and Nevermore with a Time Lord involvement was very good, if a little quick. The dead Vortisaur was an unexpected inclusion that was used well in showing that time was very much a factor in the episode. As a whole, this was a wonderful return for the Meddling Monk who was back up to his old tricks and now alongside Lucie Miller somehow! Overall, a great story.

Rating: 9/10

Nevermore

"Everyone has something to hide."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: August 2010

Series: EDA 4.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Tamsin

Synopsis

A bizzarre manifestation in the Control Room forces the TARDIS onto the Plutonian shores of the irradiated world Nevermore, whose sole inhabitant is the war criminal Morella Wendigo – a prisoner of this devastated planet. But the Doctor and his new companion aren't Morella's only visitors. Senior Prosecutor Uglosi fears the arrival of an assassin after the blood of his prize prisoner. An assassin with claws...

There's no escape from Nevermore, whose raven-like robot jailers serve to demonstrate Uglosi's macabre obsession with the works of the 19th century horror write Edgar Allan Poe. An obsession that might yet lead to the premature burial of everyone on the planet's surface – wreathed in the mist they call the Red Death!

Verdict

Nevermore was an excellent audio to continue the fourth series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! I thought this was a really strong story from start to finish and served as an impressive first venture in the TARDIS for Tamsin as the new companion. I thought she was terrific throughout the audio and she's a marked change from Lucie which brings out a different side in the Doctor which is never a bad thing. I loved the idea of him showing her around the vast TARDIS interior and the likes of the sauna room and even a mile of Margate beach were intriguing rooms to say the least! She was a lot of fun and almost enjoyed playing with him emotionally when it came to the cat in the console room. That was an image in of itself and the Doctor explaining that he had no cat and wanted his new companion to fetch a broom was hilarious. I have a cat myself so that must have just added to my amusement as they really are magnificent animals! Its role in luring the TARDIS to Nevermore was brilliant and I thought the entire concept of the planet turning out to now be a theatrical prison was very good. Morella Wendigo turned out to be an outstanding character and her being imprisoned on the planet she sought to destroy was fantastic. She was a lot of fun and oozed confidence which is always good to hear in a villain. Hearing of her past was great and I liked how she saw past the Doctor's attempt to disguise himself as Uglosi. The real senior prosecutor was another fine character and his fascination with Edgar Allan Poe was strange! I liked the enigmatic atmosphere that brought though and the links back to Mary's Story were a welcomed treat. I thought that was pretty seamless and the literary similarities there were a lot of fun. There's something about a dark story featuring authors that works well and this was another fine example. The Doctor recounting the meeting he had with Poe once in order to save Tamsin from the strange mind of Uglosi was fascinating and I loved the description of the final message in the bottle being tarnished by running ink. That was a sign of the times for sure. The ravens were an interesting element in the adventure and whilst I wasn't a huge fan of their voices, I really liked what they brought to the story and how different they felt. Berenice was a good character and hearing how she was adopted and named after one of Poe's creations told us more about the mad mind of the senior prosecutor. Uglosi was damaged that was for sure and clearly evidenced by his laughter at the conclusion which made him great! I thought the cliffhanger came a little suddenly but that isn't a major issue when it comes to an hour-long adventure. Tamsin being mistaken for a Time Lord worked well and nearly resulted in her thinking she'd been buried to death when the psychotic trauma was being implemented! The ease in which the Doctor ridded himself of that was brilliant. Paul McGann was in fine from as always as the Eighth Doctor. The links this adventure had with Situation Vacant and that mysterious time traveller were intriguing and I was a big fan of the arc continuing immediately. The Doctor ruling out the Master was good and with the clear meddling going on for Uglosi on Corinth, the prime suspect might be clear. The Doctor pondering on that was very good and I look forward to this arc continuing and getting resolved! Overall, this was a brilliant audio.

Rating: 9/10

I, Rorius

"I became the Emperor of Rome."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Audio

Released: April 2021

Series: The Lone Centurion 1.03

Featuring: Rory

Synopsis

Legend tells of the Lone Centurion – a mysterious figure dressed as a Roman soldier who stood guard over the Pandora, warning off those who would attempt to open it: a constant warrior whose story appeared in the folk history of a dozen civilisations. 

Only... he seems to have misplaced it.

Travelling to Rome in search of the Pandorica, Rory finds himself forced to perform as a gladiator in the Colosseum... where he attracts the attention of the Imperial household.

Drowning in a sea of plots and conspiracies, Rory just wants his life back. But in Ancient Rome, people don't retire, they die. And that's a bit difficult when you're immortal.

Verdict

I, Rorius was a fantastic story to conclude the first volume of The Lone Centurion! I was really looking forward to this spinoff series when it was first announced and I'm really glad that it didn't let down and I'm now looking ahead to the second volume next year which I am sure will maintain the high standard set here. This rounded out the series nicely and following on from the incredible events at the end of The Unwilling Assassin, Rory was now fully integrated in the role of unwilling Emperor. That really was so much fun and hearing his quandaries over the expectations of the Roman ruler with the likes of the sacrifices and gods was excellent. I thought it was a lovely touch for him to have his own goddess created in the form of Amelia, the goddess of ponds, and I thought the comments about the statue's legs and her proportions were magnificent. Rory was clearly very fond of his loved one's legs and whilst nobody can blame him, I thought that was a great fit for the Roman period. His delving into the possibility of an alternative timeline given that there was never actually a Roman Emperor Rory was interesting and surely goes some way to legitimising these events with what would happen over the course of The Big Bang. Rory's relationship with Anna in this adventure was delightful and hearing him event admit to his goddess that he thought she was pretty was amusing because Rory is always one to test things a little! He wouldn't be able to act on his thoughts for obvious reasons pertaining to Amy, but his pondering on the lonely centuries ahead must have made it a difficult decision because the interest was clearly mutual. That was evidence in how clearly pained he was to refuse her company at the conclusion of the audio where he left Rome after passing on the Emperorship to Hilarious which was a fun little moment. Juliana was also a really good character and I liked how she was clearly annoying Rory over the course of the episode. Although to be fair, pretty much everything was annoying him when it came to being the Emperor. He was sick of being graced and honoured and announced for every little thing he did which was terrific. I did enjoy how he revelled in the authority he did posses though when it came to having his shrine of Amelia created. Before apologising. The idea of Rory being the target of an assassination attempt was fantastic and the would-be assassins were a lot of fun and they couldn't understand how their multiple methods had so far failed. Little did they know that Rory wasn't really human anymore. A scorpion, an arrow to the shoulder and even a poisoned duck couldn't do the job. Rory housing chickens and ducks in his shrine rather than sacrificing them was magnificent and him ordering them to have supplies was wonderful. Word going around regarding the Emperor's lack of eating was also a fun element of the episode and whilst this was certainly an upbeat and amusing adventure, it was also very poignant for Rory as we saw him dwelling on his decision to guard the Pandorica for so long. It was secured now which was great to know, but being Emperor certainly had its toll for the Lone Centurion, and he has a long way to go yet. Overall, a fantastic finale to a really fun boxset!

Rating: 9/10

The Unwilling Assassin

"How about I pretend to kill you?"

Writer: Sarah Ward

Format: Audio

Released: April 2021

Series: The Lone Centurion 1.02

Featuring: Rory

Synopsis

Legend tells of the Lone Centurion – a mysterious figure dressed as a Roman soldier who stood guard over the Pandora, warning off those who would attempt to open it: a constant warrior whose story appeared in the folk history of a dozen civilisations. 

Only... he seems to have misplaced it.

Travelling to Rome in search of the Pandorica, Rory finds himself forced to perform as a gladiator in the Colosseum... where he attracts the attention of the Imperial household.

The Roman Empire has a new official assassin. Lethal, cunning, and utterly unsuited to the job. Can Rory Williams succeed at assassination without actually killing anyone?

Verdict

The Unwilling Assassin was such a fun adventure to continue the first volume of The Lone Centurion! This really was a right little romp that was full of humour, intrigue and a really solid plot at its centre. I think this was perfect for Rory and the Romana era and whilst my only qualm might have been including a mention of the Pandorica as that is why Rory continues to be in this time period, I thought everything else was brilliant. The atmosphere of the episode was excellent and following on from Gladiator was really good as we got to hear Rory in his new role as the Empress Augusta's new assassin. This wasn't a role that he embraced and the very idea of Rory being a hired mercenary for the kill is amusing in of itself, but placing him in the bloody and brutal days of the Roman age made that even better. Of course he wouldn't be getting his hands dirty and doing the Empress's bidding! The play on the mispronunciation of empress's assassin was quite fun and I was glad that there wasn't a huge amount of attention paid to the fact that a female now ruled. Given the time period that could have become a big talking point so it was good to hear Augusta revealing her new position and not being shy of giving out a command to kill. No sympathy for the wicked. The inclusion of Tacitus in the story was an unexpected delight from a personal perspective as it took me back to my university days as I actually did a joint presentation on him back in my second year! It was a rare chance for me to delve back into Ancient History as part of a module on the history of history (yes, really) so hearing him in a Doctor Who adventure was a huge amount of fun. His poems predicting the looming demise of Augusta were great and I liked how that meant that Rory had one of his victims. Decima was a wonderful character and I loved her position as Chief Spy of Augusta. That would make Rory's job, or rather his lack of carrying out, rather difficult now that his every move was being watched. That was a really fun dynamic and the relationship between the pair was brilliant. I thought it was great stuff. Augusta pitting them off against each other was very good and Rory being able to use the method of poison figs to convince the spy that he was actually carrying out the orders of the Empress was excellent. I loved his story about playing with the head of another of his supposed victims and managing to get that verified. It was a great deal of fun. I thought this was a superb use of the setting and time period and felt authentic with Rory thrust into a position he did not enjoy. Augusta taking matters into her own hands when it became clear that she was being played and couldn't even trust her Chief Spy, which she denounced in brutal fashion, was fantastic and her fate coming true as told by Tacitus was quite the ending. Rory, given his Auton tendencies, wouldn't exactly be prone to a poison fig so his testing of one followed by Augusta suffering the fate it was intended for was a fitting ending! The dying line about her assassin finally managing to kill someone was magnificent and it was impressive to put some comedy into a moment like that. The ending having Tacitus realise a new prophecy and Decima join in pronouncing Rory the new Caesar and Emperor of Rome was just terrific. This has set us up for what is set to be a great and incredibly fun finale! 

Rating: 9/10