Sync

"Would you have voted for me if you knew I was an alien?"

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: May 2019

Series: Torchwood Monthly 27

Featuring: Suzie

Synopsis

Margaret Blaine is the Mayor of Cardiff. She's also an alien who'll do anything to get off the planet Earth. When a spaceship crashes outside Cardiff, it seems like the answer to her prayers. But she's not the only person at the crash site.

Suzie Costello works for Torchwood, but strictly to her own agenda. When a spaceship crashes outside Cardiff, it seems like the answer to her prayers. But she's not the only person at the crash site.

Bonded by an alien device, Margaret and Suzie find themselves on the run from Torchwood, the police, and six warp missiles that'll destroy them, Cardiff, and most of the Western Hemisphere.

Verdict

Sync was a very fun audio to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly adventures from Big Finish! With this current run of audios mixing Torchwood with some famous monsters from Doctor Who, the Slitheen were a tremendous choice but I don't think I was expecting the tie in with the Series 1 timeline and what we would later know of Torchwood at this time. The utilisation of Suzie was brilliant and knowing what we know from Everything Changes and her true intensions in using Torchwood for her own benefit, it was fun to hear her running away from the organisation in which she was employed. She was part of Torchwood but very much had her own motives and research interests. Having her meet Margaret Blaine was such an unexpected and fun pairing with the two of them ending up getting on tremendously well despite the common threat of killing the other. I liked how their relationship developed over the course of the hour and the maniacal laughter was uncomfortably excellent. Admittedly, it got a bit strange at times and I think more could have been made of the fact that Margaret was a Slitheen and inside of a human body. In saying that, I was glad the passing of gas was kept to a minimal as that could have been disastrous for the audio format! The spaceship crash provided a good basis for the interests of Suzie and Margaret. Margaret was in a conflict in wanting to get off the Earth despite her political position, but she couldn't get home for reasons we know from Doctor Who. She would not exactly be welcome! The pair getting liked together was a fun moment and the realisation that the child lock settings were activated in keeping parental controls was tremendous. I thought that was a story highlight as they both were in hysterics! Hearing them enjoy laughing like that was good and a nice sense of relief for characters not exactly associated with happiness. The inclination of Suzie and Owen having some kind of relationship was nice and it's always fun to visit Torchwood prior to the events of Series 1. The political references were fun and Suzie admitting that she hadn't even voted for Margaret was good stuff. It was all a bit tongue and cheek. The threat from the pilot and Cardiff's imminent destruction was exciting and I liked how the pair came together to actually save the Welsh capital. It was a unique approach in having the Torchwood character actually pair up with the Doctor Who monster rather than the former try and stop the latter, so I commend that approach. It worked really well and the timelines linking up was impressive writing. Cardiff being the saved and the pair admitting they were glad that was the case despite them not really having strong feelings about the city was a nice moment. The discussion about names was a comical scene with Suzie's reaction to Blon's full name and the planet she came from a highlight, and it was also amusing that Blon thought Suzie to be a UFO collector before realising she'd orchestrated the whole pilot crash fiasco. Overall, another great audio!

Rating: 8/10

Erasure

"Let's talk about your favourite Time Lord."

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Audio

Released: April 2018

Series: Short Trips 8.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Adric, Narvin

Synopsis

The Celestial Intervention Agency, a shadow, unspoken part of the Time Lord hierarchy. Beloved and loathed in equal measure by various Presidents and High Councils the millennias over. But they serve a very important function: they keep the time lines safe and clear – they do the darker, dirtier jobs that most Time Lords would prefer not to know even need doing.

CIA Sub-Coordinator Narvin has always taken his oath to uphold the Worshipful Laws of Gallifrey very seriously. But when he is sent on a mission to investigate the planet Bellascon, even he hasn't reckoned with the force of nature that is the Fourth Doctor, who has – one might say – his own way of dealing with things, and his own views on people like Narvin. But somehow the two must overcome their instincts and work together to stop the web of time being erased forever...

Verdict

Erasure was a very good little Short Trips audio! On a rare commute to the office in these days of remote working, this filled my journey in a splendid way as we had a rare clash of ranges. I thought it was a really strong idea to give us an account of Narvin meeting the Doctor and whilst it would have been so much better if Tom Baker actually featured, it was still delightful to just have them meet. I think the choice of the fourth incarnation was brilliant as the Fourth Doctor is probably the strongest personality of any Doctor and with Narvin having a strong stance on things too, they were always going to clash. The Doctor didn't seem too pleased by Narvin's arrival on Bellascon and recognised him straight away as CIA. I thought it was fun to return to the early days of Narvin at a time where he hadn't yet become Coordinator after Vansell. The format of the adventure in essentially being a shorter and one-actor Companion Chronicle worked well and with him recalling his meeting with the Doctor to an unconscious Leela, I wonder if that will tie in to her fate at the end of The Devil You Know. Is this where Narvin found Leela after she was thrown from the War Master's TARDIS and into the Vortex? Or is it completely unconnected? Whatever the answer, it was a fun thing to ponder on. The setting of Bellascon was really good and I liked how they had developed rudimentary time travel there. It wasn't taking long for the Time Lords to try and assert their authority over the use of time travel and that didn't go down well on the planet. Narvin's reaction to realising that the Doctor was present was amusing and having him in a rare adventure alone with Adric was lovely. We don't get a lot of that so I was glad to have their time together expanded on here. Adric didn't have a huge amount to do, but he was inquisitive and crucial to the plot with him being taken out of time! History had been changed at the cruise liner with Adric and the connections to his ancestors was very intriguing. I wasn't expecting to explore something along those lines, although from the title I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised! The Doctor's reaction to what had happened to his companion was glorious and I thought Sean Carsen did a tremendous job as the Fourth Doctor there. I could sense the rage and that was also testament to the writing of the character as well. Narvin detecting the moment where Adric was removed from time was good use of his CIA background and what he was trained to detect in time, and I thought his comment about time really ought not to need healing was excellent. This was quite a serious predicament but I think the short format and only having one actor meant that threat wasn't sold as well as it could have been, but I still appreciated what was being done and it was just great for Narvin and the Doctor to meet. The truth of the conclusion and the extent to which Narvin, signed off by Romana in a lovely surprise cameo, was really well done and I liked how it was kept hidden from Leela because she wouldn't accept the atrocities committed. Overall, a great listen!

Rating: 8/10

The Green Life

"This is a bug hunt."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: April 2019

Series: Torchwood Monthly 26

Featuring: Captain Jack, Jo

Synopsis

Many years ago Jo Grant met Professor Clifford Jones, fell in love and saved the world. It all happened in the idyllic Welsh community of Llanfairfach. 

Josephine Jones has come back to Llanfairfach and she finds it a bustling place with a thriving economy. The little town is now at the spearhead of a healthy-eating revolution. And yet, something's missing. It feels like the heart has gone out of the place.

She falls in with a dashing stranger and realises that although the past was a lot simpler, not everything's changed. There's still something nasty in the mine, and it's been waiting for Jo for a very long time.

Verdict

The Green Life was a very fun story to continue my way through the Torchwood Monthly adventures from Big Finish! I have been waiting a very long time to get to this particular run of stories as I love the idea of Torchwood tackling old enemies and villains from Doctor Who. It started off incredibly with Night of the Fendahl and following that up with a sequel to The Green Death is no bad way to go about things! I thought it was so much fun to pair up Captain Jack with Jo and whilst the latter was quite a way removed from the companion we knew who travelled with the Third Doctor, she was still the woman we loved and saw in The Death of the Doctor. Jo is so likeable and that was evident right from the off as she wanted to be careful about the maggots and wanted Jack to shoe them away gently instead of his more aggressive method typical of Torchwood. I liked how the relationship between UNIT and Torchwood was touched upon here with both organisations having different morals and methods, so the pair clashed well in that regard. Returning to Llanfairfach is a brilliant idea and it was lovely to revisit that setting as it had such a profound impact on the Third Doctor's era with it being the scene of Jo's emotional departure. Jo touching upon that and thinking that her decision to stay with Cliff would have broken his hearts was great and the perfect response to Jack's namedropping of how other companion stopped travelling with the Doctor. She was no Sarah Jane being dropped off in the middle of nowhere or Rose being lost in another universe, it was all her. That was a fun moment and Jack referring to his own enforced departure and being left behind because he got scary was very nicely done. I liked how this was a direct sequel to the aforementioned Third Doctor tale and even getting a return of BOSS was not something I anticipated! That was a really strong moment and the way Jo reacted to being referred to as Miss Grant was tremendous. That was a shining moment for Katy Manning. I enjoyed the chemistry and conflict she had with Jack as he didn't seem too keen on her being an environmentalist, but they gelled well by the end. The return of the maggots was excellent and whilst they were much different and unable to have the same impact without visual aid, the idea of them communicating and just being more intelligent was brilliant. For a Torchwood monthly story, this didn't half feel more like Doctor Who and that was absolutely fine from where I was sitting but it was fun for Jo to take the lead. I'm glad that happened as she was the one with the experience and she could easily see what had changed at Llanfairfach. The fate of BOSS after all of the time waiting for Jo was slightly underwhelming, but I did appreciate the way it wound down and fell into nothingness. This one had a lot to live up to for the serial it was a sequel for, but it did a really good job and paid homage to the original in a really nice way. Overall, a great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Army of Death

"How do you kill the dead?"

Writer: Jason Arnopp

Format: Audio

Released: December 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 155

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Mary Shelley

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and Mary Shelley to the continent of Zelonia, on the frontier world Draxine – where, many moons ago, the twin city-states of Garrak and Stronghaven bore testament to mankind's colonial spirit. 

That was before the sinister death cult of Garret's President Harmon took hold – and Garrak annihilated itself, utterly, in an apocalyptic explosion. Before the bones of Garrak's dead come back to life, and its skeletal citizens began marching, marching, marching on Stronghaven. 

But what do they want, this army of death? And can anything stop them? In search of answers, the Doctor and Mary must journey into the dead heart of a dead city to face a terrifying adversary, whose ambitions transcend the stuff of life itself.

Verdict

Army of Death was a great story to conclude this trilogy of Eighth Doctor and Mary Shelley adventures! For a Monthly Adventures trilogy, something of the norm for where I am in my current run, this was a really strong set and an intriguing glimpse into the travels of the Doctor with a famous figure from history. Whilst I have enjoyed Mary Shelley travelling in the TARDIS, I'm glad that she hasn't stayed for too long as that might have been slightly unbelievable when it came to the rest of her life post-teenage years and writing Frankenstein. It's quite fitting that she would see an army of the dead in her last TARDIS trip and the entire concept of that was tremendous. Just hearing Harmon as the dead President was glorious and really fitting for a typical bad guy. The question that posed my opening quote was a lot of fun and whilst the dead are not new when it comes to Doctor Who, the question of defeating them when killing is not an option is always fun to tackle. Mary being from the past and a more religious and traditionalist time meant that she reacted in a fun way to the dead and seemed to be slightly on the side of caution which was more than understandable! The relationship between her and the Doctor took an unexpended twist when he mentioned her missing Percy, only for her to retort that every time she thought of her husband he was soon replaced by the Doctor, even in her heart! A building romance, perhaps? It's a shame that Mary did seem to depart for that to not get expanded upon as I wonder if the Eighth Doctor would have acted upon it. If there was any incarnation of the Doctor to do so, it might be this one! One thing I have forgotten to mention in my blog entries for the previous two stories in the trilogy is how much I absolutely love the take on the traditional Doctor Who theme. It's almost like a rock version and I think it's glorious. It really makes an impact which I love. The setting of Zelonia amidst the conflict between Garrak and Stronghaven was brilliant and I loved the idea of war between the two following a presidential assassination of a fanatic. The politics was very much already in the past, but it worked well as the backdrop and the Doctor using his own experience of being framed in The Deadly Assassin was very well done. He had sympathy for Nia as the media-labelled assassin, but she was innocent! Her position as going in and out of jail didn't seem to be the most likely background for a friend of the Doctor, but they blossomed a fine relationship by the end! The sacrifice made at the end was stunning and I loved how Mary realised the Doctor was willing to do the same for people he didn't even know. That was admirable. That was the Doctor. I thought Karnex made for a good enemy of the whole piece and just having an entire army of the dead was fantastic as a means at one's disposal. There was a lot of political turmoil in the background, and it was fun to not refer to those taken out as dead because that wouldn't be permanent. The post-credits scene with Mary writing in her new journal after returning from the TARDIS was nicely done and rounded out her little trilogy in a great way! Overall, a really good audio!

Rating: 8/10

The Witch From the Well

"Sinners cannot go unpunished."

Writer: Rick Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: November 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 154

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Mary Shelley

Synopsis

A shrieking, killing nightmare erupts from an overgrown well, hidden in the grounds of an old house, Tranchard's Folly – and Mary Shelley, the Doctor's latest travelling companion, rescues teenage twins Finicia and Lucern from the clutches of the monster.

But a TARDIS trip in search of the origin of the horror goes terribly wrong when the Doctor, Mary and their two new friends find themselves stuck in the middle of a seventeenth-century witch scare.

While the Doctor investigates the strange lights at Vetter's Tor, and the twins go in search of an artefact from the Hecatrix Dimension, Mary confronts the secrets of her past... and her future. The truth will out: Master Kincaid, the terrible Witch-Pricker himself, commands it!

Verdict

The Witch From the Well was a good story to continue this Eighth Doctor and Mary Shelley trilogy of Monthly Adventures from Big Finish! I like the idea of the Doctor travelling with a famed author before she would go onto write Frankenstein, a story that has such a cultural impact throughout history, so the threat of getting her back to be able to pen that book is a fun concept. Of course, we know that Frankenstein isn't going to be unwritten in the Doctor Who universe so that threat isn't always quite believable, but it does work well when trying to think of the story in isolation. Paul McGann is tremendous as always but I do think that the story started a bit too quickly in how the twins of Lucern and Finicia were saved by Mary and quickly given salvation in the TARDIS. It was slightly rushed for me without too much backstory and it was obvious from the start that they weren't going to be as innocent as they appeared. In saying that, the moment where their turn was revealed in the TARDIS and the cliffhanger of them dematerialising with Mary on the inside but the Doctor not was excellent. I've mentioned it several times before but I'm a massive fan of the vulnerability that comes with the Doctor being separated from his trusty time and space machine. The idea of him being stranded is terrific. I thought the setting of this one worked pretty well and I liked how the history of Trenchard's Folly was explained on more than one occasion and how it was also linked as Trenchard's Fell. I liked the proximity of the well and the idea of it containing a witch was fantastic. I thought it was fun for the Doctor to ridicule the idea of magic and witchcraft, unless it came from the witch-filled Hecatrix Dimension. Who'd have thought there would actually be a dimension for witches! That was a very fun idea and I'd love for that to be expanded upon in the future. There was a lot of potential there, especially with the Odic energy and potential. I liked the concept of that being contained in all beings and it being unstable in this dimension provided a good threat. The Witch-Picker was a strong character and the prospect of the Doctor and company being tried for being witches was very well done. Agnes Bates was a wonderful character and the fear she had in being tried for witchcraft was very evident in her voice. The relationship she built with the Doctor was great as well and a real story highlight. The twins not being all they seemed and actually torturing a witch was hard to stomach and Agnes failing to accept they had been replaced because she'd literally helped bring them into the world was a fine use of a character from that time. Claude was a fun and posh character too and I couldn't help but think he sounded like the Fifth Doctor! That didn't leave me as the story carried on. The use of the lokig containment web in the conclusion was strong and I thought it was fun that Agnes didn't actually end up trapped down the well. I was slightly underwhelmed by the reunion between the Doctor and Mary as I thought that could have been more impactful, but it was nice for her to realise the significance of him supposedly changing history. Overall, a very decent listen! 

Rating: 7/10

The Silver Turk

"Machines don't have secrets."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: October 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 153

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Mary Shelley

Synopsis

Roll up! Roll up! To the great Viennese Exposition, where shaman Stahlbaum will show you his most wonderful creation, the Silver Turk – a mechanical marvel that will not only play for you the fortepiano, the spinet and the flute, it will play you at the gaming table too!

But when the Doctor brings his new travelling companion Mary Shelley to nineteenth-century Vienna, he soon identifies the incredible Turk as one of his deadliest enemies – a part-machine Cyberman.

And that's not even the worst of the horrors at large in the city...

Verdict

The Silver Turk was an excellent Monthly Adventures audio from Big Finish! It seems a little strange for the Eighth Doctor to be featured in this range but having him here for a brand new trilogy of adventures alongside Mary Shelley as the companion is incredibly exciting! It followed on from where Mary's Story concluded in this incarnation's last Monthly Adventure of The Company of Friends, and just having her react and interact with the near future was tremendous. I loved the humour that came from the Doctor's claim to have only moved in space, but it turned out they were quite a few years off from 1816 in Vienna. It was 1873 and Mary was in shock that her husband was dead, and that she was nearly 76! Her excitement at the setting of Vienna was lovely and I was a big fan of it myself. I am yet to be lucky enough to visit the city but it's high on my bucket list. Having a famous figure of history in a companion role is a bold move but it works well here and the suggestion of a Cyberman being the inspiration for Frankenstein was delightful, and it's no surprise that something similar occurred on television in The Haunting of Villa Diodati. Unless there is some kind of retcon, there's a blaring continuity error there but I'm more than happy to let it slide. The concept of a Cyberman being the Turk was great and I liked how it was an actual historical fact. The image of a Cyberman playing chess was utilised in Nightmare in Silver fantastically and this sounded on equal footing. The Doctor describing this version of the Cybermen as a Mondasian original was brilliant and I love that we get a mesh of eras with the eighth incarnation coming up against the Cybermen's first. His reference to Spare Parts and witnessing the Cybermen's origins was delightful. I thought the threat of the Cybermen was actually surprisingly minimal for a lot of the story and it was more sold by the Doctor's experience of them in the past. He knew they were up to something and that their survival instincts would be kicking in, but he couldn't quite work out what. The fact the Cybermen thought they were on Monday was an element I adored and actually hearing pain in the emotionless Cybermen was chilling. The timeline issues of the Mondasian Cybermen being here before they should have been developed was really well tackled and it was good for the Doctor to mention that. Shelley having sympathy for the Cybermen was lovely too and really highlighted this as her first adventure. I thought it was fun that she rejected the notion the Doctor had kept her promise of showing her the stars. That would have to wait! The Cyber Puppets were a great part of the story and the eeriness of their performances was brilliantly done. They just sounded creepy, as ought to have been the case. Johan Drossel was a tremendous villain and was probably even more threatening than the Cyberman in his efforts for control. The foreign accent just accentuated the evilness too which was perfect on audio. Having the Cybermen named as Bremm and Gramm was a startling reminder of how close to humanity they were and the two factions of enemies essentially wiping each other out as the Doctor was able to burn down the puppets was a neat conclusion! Mary Shelley wanting to stay on despite the fear experienced in the adventure was lovely and as a whole I thought this was a very strong adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

The Shadow People

"They watch us, and then they become us."

Writer: Scott Handcock 

Format: Audio

Released: October 2009

Series: SJA Audio 05

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde, Rani

Synopsis

A camping trip spells trouble for Sarah Jane and friends...

When both the school bus and Sarah Jane's car break down in Snowdonia, the gang find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Exploring by a lake, Rani sees a shadowy figure that looks exactly like her. Then Sarah Jane hears a voice asking for help, and sees a mysterious figure outside her tent. Who is watching them, and why? How can Rani be in two places at once? And what secret does a nearby cave hold?

Verdict

The Shadow People was another really strong audio from the Sarah Jane Adventures! Thanks to a little hiccup on the Audible collection of the SJA audios from BBC, I'm now six stories in and I have to say that as a whole I've been pleasantly surprised by the consistency and quality of this collection. This was another fine adventure and it was refreshing to venture far from Ealing. It's always a little too coincidental that so much alien activity happens in the area so having the gang venture off to Snowdonia was very exciting! As a Welshman, I thought the way the beauty of Wales was sold was actually delightful and whilst the local knowledge was a little off (you don't get too many valleys en route to Snowdonia from London), it was really nice and appreciated to take the spinoff range to my wonderful nation. The idea of a school to Snowdonia to study rock formations seemed a bit surprising for a school in Ealing, London but they couldn't pick a better location! Clyde and Luke having missed the bus because of a shapeshifting kitten was amusing, but I did think there could have been a better reason to involve Sarah Jane than that! Keeping things simple like oversleeping would have been more effective I think. It worked well that both the school bus and Sarah's car stopped working in the same place and that showed that there was something going on in the surrounding vicinity. I really enjoyed the continuity with The Mark of the Berserker and the sat-nav to track Rani's phone as a means to reach the bus, and I think more of that would be good in linking with the televised series. I thought they made good use of the Snowdonia setting and the threat of it getting dark soon became a very serious one. Splitting everyone up was good and making use of the light to put up the tents was so simple but I liked the realism. Haresh featuring was fun and I liked how his interaction with Sarah Jane was presented. They have a fun relationship and them being the adults amongst a gang of schoolchildren was terrific. I thought the Shedagen were an intriguing element as the titular Shadow People and their ability to replicate was very fun. The image of two versions of Luke and then Sarah was brilliant and I always like the creepiness of looking at one's self. The build up to the sacrifice of Sarah's doppelgänger when it came to the feelings felt towards Luke was done very well and it was just fun to have multiple versions of characters. It probably would have had more of an impact if we had an extra actor, but Elisabeth Sladen did a tremendous job in the narration. It's so lovely from a personal perspective to get extra content with her leading the way as she is just tremendous and a Doctor Who icon. It was fun that Sarah Jane only stayed the one night as promised and getting a glimpse of her doppelgänger alongside the gang of Rani, Luke and Clyde was a nice touch to show all of the good they did and stood for. Overall, a fantastic adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Time War: Desperate Measures

"How long can Gallifrey resist the inevitable?"

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: February 2018

Series: Gallifrey 9.04

Featuring: Romana II, Narvin

Synopsis

The Dalek Emperor attacks a vital Time Lord outpost. Victory would be a devastating blow to Gallifrey.

Romana is caught in the machinations of a President who sees control slipping away. Is it time to bargain with the War Council, or perhaps to parlay with even more dangerous parties?

The Time War has barely begun, and for Gallifrey, desperate times are already here...

Verdict

Desperate Measures was a very good adventure to conclude the Time War ninth series of Gallifrey! I thought this did a brilliant job as a finale whilst setting up the future of the Time War from a Gallifreyan perspective in a very exciting way! It does appear that the fates of Ace and Leela are sealed which is extraordinary and something I would definitely be on board with, but with the temporal nature of this series there is always the potential for time to be rewritten. I liked the focus on the Time War here and just hearing Romana in conversation with the Dalek Emperor was incredible. I wouldn't have expected that from the CIA Coordinator and her efforts at diplomacy soon came back to bite her in an extraordinary way. The continuation from the early days of the Monthly Adventures with Romana referred to as Agent 117 was terrific and I liked her plea and offer to let the Daleks go on expanding their Empire if it meant they would stop the War and not destroy the Web of Time. When that message was relayed at the final speeches of the Presidential election then it was clear there was only one victor. Livia standing down as President was unexpected and it was clear that she was up to something more than just protecting her reputation amidst being a wartime leader, and when that came into fruition I was very excited! Karla actually being a double agent for the President was very good and she was a fun character alongside Narvin as they headed to try and protect Project Revenant. The concept of the Daleks trying to capture that and the dead Time Lords was superb and the potential if they obtained it was off the charts. It was a little easy for the self destruct to see them off, but this episode really wasn't about the Daleks. It was very political amidst the backdrop of war which I enjoyed. Gallifreyan politics is so interesting and almost archaic at times with the President naming a successor, this time in the form of Valerian who was a soldier of the House of Rassilon. During war, a warrior was needed as President at that seemed to resonate with the Time Lord electorate. Romana being willing to regenerate to become President again showed how much she desired it, but the War Council were one step ahead at all times. The election was already won and a much bigger game was in play. Once the Rod and Sash of Rassilon were accepted, the link with the Matrix for Valerian became quite a struggle. It was torment and the power being drained was unparalleled. Karla was using the core of the Revenant project to splice the data and take the resurrections to the extreme. The Doctor had refused to help and now the Master was gone too. There was only one President that could lead the Time Lords into war against the Daleks now, and going that far back in the Matrix meant a genetic match was needed. Rassilon was resurrected in a tremendous cliffhanger and the prospect of future boxsets with the First Lord President in charge is so exciting! Overall, a really good political episode with fine Dalek involvement in the background that sets us nicely for the future! 

Rating: 8/10

Time War: The Devil You Know

"We need a renegade."

Writer: Scott Handcock 

Format: Audio

Released: February 2018

Series: Gallifrey 9.03

Featuring: Leela, War Master

Synopsis

The Time War has begun in earnest, and Romana must think the unthinkable. For a most dangerous mission, she selects the most dangerous warrior – the Master. 

But he will not be alone. Leela accompanies her old enemy as they begin an unusual interrogation. 

What does Finnian Valentine know? And can Leela and the Master ever truly be on the same side?

Verdict

The Devil You Know was an excellent episode to continue the Time War ninth series of Gallifrey! This has been a really great volume so far and we're not done yet, but I'm so glad that we get an adventure with the War Master. I'm excited to continue with this series as I look to return to the War Master's own spinoff range, but having him paired with Leela was such a fun dynamic. Whilst Leela never got to meet the Master on screen, she's encountered the emaciated incarnation a couple of times in the Fourth Doctor Adventures and referencing that history was magnificent. I thought it was fun for Leela to continue to refer to that incarnation as the injured one and she actually preferred that form. Derek Jacobi gave a masterful performance in the role with his devious personality shining through. He initially wasn't interested in the offer from Romana to seek out Finnian Valentine and the knowledge of his weapon, but when the diamond of anywhere and anywhen in space was on offer he was quick to accept. He also seemed thrilled by the prospect of being paired with Leela for the mission which was excellent. Finnian was a fascinating character and the significance of the weapon was established very early on when two iterations of him were present. The Master took no time in stunning them in order to try and get the answers, but he always felt one step ahead which was brilliant. He's the biggest character to appear in this spinoff range and it really did feel impactful. He was also a fresh enemy from the Daleks and I've been impressed with how the Time War saga hasn't actually been dominated by the natives of Skaro. It was a solid backdrop for this adventure and splitting Leela and the Master with a separate version of Valentine was really good. Finnian wasn't the nicest of people as demonstrated with the pretty grotesque moment he spat in Leela's face after getting her to swear that she wouldn't repeat the knowledge he'd tell. That really surprised me and unleashed the inner savage in her which was no surprise! I thought the history of Finnian and his family being killed by the Time Lords was understandable for him to react that way, but she was a woman and that was a step too far. The Master's intricacies of noticing the subtle reactions of each version was excellent. I liked how he used that on Leela too when it came to the mention of Arcking as the location of the power source. The possibility cannon was a fun concept as a woman and I liked how this seemed to lead into Only the Good as far as the War Master was concerned in a fine example of rounding out continuity. The fate of Leela was an unexpected moment as the Master simply ejected her into the Time Vortex! Might this have been the second successive episode in which we've lost a former companion of the Doctor? That would be an incredible way to sell the threat of the Time War, but I have a feeling Leela will end up somewhere else in time and space. But still, it showed the depths this version of the Master would go to and he was still incredibly callous. Regardless, this leaves Gallifrey in a bad way as we setup for the finale. Overall, a brilliant audio! 

Rating: 9/10

Time War: Soldier Obscura

"Even a half dead Dalek can do a whole lot of damage."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: February 2018

Series: Gallifrey 9.02

Featuring: Ace, Braxiatel

Synopsis

Braxiatel has always planned for contingencies. As hostilities escalate, he takes Ace into a deadly region of spacetime – The Obscura – to locate an ancient research station.

But Ace is about to learn more about Irving Braxiatel than anyone should know. 

Some soldiers are ready for this fight, but some will not make it through the first round.

Verdict

Soldier Obscura was an outstanding episode to continue the Time War saga and ninth series of Gallifrey! I think I mentioned in my blogging of Enemy Lines that Ace felt a little out of place in the Gallifrey series, but with her being here since Intervention Earth I think I'm getting more comfortable with her being a part of the Time Lord spinoff and pairing her here with Braxiatel was fantastic. The dynamic was excellent and they really did have two different perspectives on morals during wartime. Braxiatel wasn't exactly a team player and was out to protect himself no matter the cost, whilst Ace would undoubtedly have made the shot that could have wiped out the Dalek fleet and put an end to the Time War at such an early stage. I'd love for the Doctor to interact with Braxiatel at some point regarding this as it would have saved him a whole lot of bother! I really liked the setting of the Obscura and it fitted in really well with the Time War given all of its temporal complexities and paradoxical makeup. It was so damaged from a temporal war in the Dark Times that one couldn't even look at it which was a fun concept, so Ace was not welcomed in trying to repair Braxiatel's scanner in the TARDIS. I was impressed with how developed Ace seemed technologically and using her skills on Gallifreyan tech was no issue for her which said a lot of how far she has come since the Doctor sent her to his own planet on outpost. Might the looming Time War have been the reason for her being sent there? She seemed to indicate that it could have been. I thought it was great that the Daleks featured and the eery way in which they were first heard at the Obscura was tremendous. Daleks were trying any means necessary to get to the Obscura and navigate their way to the weapon and the image of some of them actually having wings was incredible. That's just dying to have a figure created! As if the Daleks needed any enhancement. I thought Ace's comment about this going against their purity was brilliant in selling how much the Time War meant and even at this early stage showed the depths in which they would go for victory. Hearing the damaged Dalek recite the Three Blind Mice nursery rhyme was absolutely brilliant and was incredibly uncomfortable. It was really well done by Nicholas Briggs in bringing further mystery to the performance of the Daleks. Danna was a superb character and I loved her connection to Braxiatel as his mentor. Ace cottoned onto that relationship and whilst it was clear that the significance of the blind one shot would come into play later, Danna actually being the weapon was not something I anticipated. That was a sublime revelation and the callousness of Braxiatel when he realised that his old mentor had simply grown old and weak now was horrific. It was ruthlessness that we hadn't heard in Braxiatel before and he exterminated her. There could be no weak links. Having her return in his mind haunting him was fantastic and I love how Ace had overheard that internal conversation after repairing the scanner. She knew that Braxiatel had given up the chance to take the shot that would wipe out the Daleks because it would also take him and Ace out. He didn't appreciate being called a coward and made mental contact with Ace to show her just what the life of a 'coward' was like. Ace thought he was worse than the Daleks, but it would be one of her last thoughts as she became another casualty of the Time War. I have my doubts as to whether this will actually be her ultimate demise, but I'm not a fan of retconning deaths so I think this would be fitting! Romana's reaction to Narvin giving his report of the casualties and invasion being imminent was glorious, as with the Doctor refusing to get involved there was only one alternative renegade. Hearing Romana wanting the Master brought to her was just excellent and a delicious setup for the next episode! Overall, a spectacular listen. 

Rating: 10/10

Time War: Celestial Intervention

"They let themselves get wiped out."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: February 2018

Series: Gallifrey 9.01

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, Narvin

Synopsis

The Temporal Powers are under threat. It is only a matter of time before the Daleks attack.

Now CIA Coordinator, Romana must protect the interests of Gallifrey, while dealing with demands from President Livia and an increasingly powerful War Council. 

As allies are whittled away, the Time Lords are drawn into a conflict they can no longer avoid...

Verdict

Celestial Intervention was a great story to kick off the Time War saga and ninth series of Gallifrey! At long last, Gallifrey enters the Time War and I must admit that despite the logic, I was not expecting the opening episode to depict the moments where Gallifrey actually declared war on the Daleks. It's nice to get a firm beginning and hinting at the involvement of the Doctor being required was good as all Time Lords would be necessary for the war effort. After eight long series of scheming and Gallifreyan politics with heavy Dalek involvement, the Time War has finally arrived. I'm so excited by the potential of this series and this served as a fine introduction. There was strong continuity with Enemy Lines which I appreciated as Romana was now CIA Coordinator and Narvin still wasn't used to only being the Deputy. Livia was still Lord President despite a regeneration following an assassination which was a fun throwaway line to explain the change of actress, and I liked how she was even cautious of the War Council. That council was excellent and I love the secretive nature of their role on Gallifrey. The conditions they applied to taking in the 5,000 survivors of Phaidon's description meant that their activities would become even more hidden which was fun, but there was simply no choice. The Daleks didn't actually feature in the episode but their presence was more than felt with the destruction they'd caused to the Warpwrights. Of a planet with a population of nine billion, they were nearly completely wiped out and that news was felt hard on Gallifrey. With a Temporal Power destroyed like that, the only option for Gallifrey was to finally declare war on the Daleks. The War Council had been preparing for this and their secretive operations were infiltrated by Leela through Narvin's aid but the overwrite codes were soon detected. I thought the scheming on Gallifrey was hardly a display of a united front, but the War Council through Nave were up to something very exciting from a listener's point of view! Romana's comment of Time Lord caskets was very intriguing and I loved that the War Council were trying to raise the finest warriors of the Time Lord dead for the Time War ahead. With the War Master featuring on the boxset's artwork, I wonder if this will depict that in a future episode. I sure hope so! Leela's reaction to learning that the dead would be raised was wonderful as she thought they should stay resting and I do hope she gets to confront one that will be resurrected. Livia not punishing Romana, Leela and Narvin for their actions and interference was nicely done though as she wanted Gallifrey to display a united front and would just have them go back to the CIA, much to Trave's dismay. Despite his frailties, Beglis had got his people a form of salvation despite the talk and debates over citizenship and resources with war looming. The ending with Ace and Braxiatel being sent on a mission worse than one of suicide was good and sets up the next episode very nicely, although what could be worse than the trail leading to the Death Zone here! I look forward to hearing. Overall, a really good start to the series.

Rating: 8/10

Excelis Decays

"Your technology has advanced, but your society has not."

Writer: Craig Hinton

Format: Audio

Released: June 2002

Series: Excelis 03

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

When the Doctor last visited the city of Excelis, its citizens were about to enter an age of enlightenment and reason. But some centuries later, he discovers a vicious totalitarian regime at war with the rest of Artaris, living off the efforts of a drugged and broken underclass.

Who is the mysterious Lord Sutton, and what hold does he have over the ruling classes? What are the Meat Puppets, and what role do they play in the eternal war? And why is the Doctor's arrival the final piece in a plan that has been centuries in the making?

Throughout his lives, the Doctor has fought legends. But some legends refuse to die.

Verdict

Excelis Decays was a great story and a really strong conclusion to the Excelis saga! Now, I am aware that Excelis also features in a Bernice Summerfield story but I'm not sure when I will ever get to that range so as far as I am concerned this finished the trilogy off very nicely and for some reason, the eery and dark nature of the adventure really suited the Seventh Doctor. As was the case in Excelis Rising, the Excelis presented here was much different from our previous visit to the city and whilst Artaris as a whole didn't seem to be as important here, the fact that Excelis was at war was not what the Doctor expected given how he last departed. I thought a little more explanation as to how Grayvorn was actually able to survive being consumed by the Relic would have been beneficial, but I did like his comments about nobody actually dying on Excelis for the previous 1300 years. Quite the haul of souls there! The reaction of Grayvorn, now in the guise of Lord Sutton, to the Doctor's arrival was brilliant and I really liked that he had a feeling of the outside almost immediately. The TARDIS interior scenes were terrific and I liked the proximity to The Movie with the Doctor mentioning how he'd recently given her an entirely new TARDIS console. That was fun and it's nice to get a timeline on that with events going beyond those we saw on television. The politics and society of Excelis had been stalled and the Doctor seemed to find the reason when comparing the recent history with the official version hidden away. At strategic points, the natural course of events had been tampered with and that meant that Excelis was wholly reliant on the war from an economic perspective. A war that was almost entirely manufactured. That was a strong basis for the story and it came to a big surprise to the likes of Major Brant. The way he was deemed insignificant by Sutton and the Doctor was very harsh but it showed that there were bigger fish to fry. The continuation of the silly handbag being the relic was good and I found it humorous that it was even a little mouldy now. Some exterior for the souls of the perished! Jancis was a lovely character in almost filling the companion role and the way she was able tot talk the Doctor through the recent history of her people and their treatment on Excelis was very good. Her relationship with the Commissar was also really well presented and was a very important injection of realism in a society that was moving backwards despite the technological advancement of war. The conclusion was really well done to finally put an end to Grayvorn and his many forms after twice surviving death. His link to the Relic was pivotal in finally putting him to rest and was a good explanation for how he had survived the previous two audios in the saga. The Doctor's dilemma at the end over whether he could save Grayvorn was excellent and brought things to a fine finale! Overall, another great adventure to a fascinating and intriguing saga so early on during Big Finish's Doctor Who tenure. 

Rating: 8/10

Excelis Rises

"Dead men tell no tales."

Writer: David A. McIntee

Format: Audio

Released: April 2002

Series: Excelis 02

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

A thousand years after his first visit to the planet Artaris, the Sixth Doctor returns. As the city of Excelis spreads her Empire throughout the globe, death follows a mysterious Relic through the halls of the Imperial Museum.

As the Doctor helps there Curator and the local authorities with this mystery, he finds himself crossing paths with a familiar face from Excelis' history – but no-one lives for a thousand years, do they?

Verdict

Excelis Rises was an excellent audio to continue the Excelis saga! I thought this was a brilliant story and a fine continuation of events started in Excelis Decays. This was a much different Excelis than what the Fifth Doctor visited and considering that these events occurred a millennium after them, that's no great surprise. I really enjoyed the new take on Excelis and the planet Artaris as a whole. It was still recognisable but they had experienced a number of technological advancements and revolutions since the time of Grayvorn. I thought the return of the warlord in the form of the Reeve was fun stuff and I loved how he existed as one with the Mother Superior. The Relic was obviously having an impact and had been for a thousand years, so much so that the Reeve had not slept. That would take its toll mentally and having that combined with the internal presence of the Mother Superior was really good stuff. I loved how the events at the end of Decays had now grown into folklore as a myth. It seems that after the tussle and fall, there were no bodies found and only the handbag Relic in the swamps below. Having the Sisters be the ones to find that was good and I enjoyed how Grayvorn was said to only return at a time of Excelis and its greatest need. Is that perhaps foreshadowing the finale of this saga? I enjoyed the politics of Excelis now and the Curator in particular was a very fun character. The arrival of the TARDIS had raised a lot of questions in the Imperial Museum as there was no feasible way it could have gotten in, and Grayvorn recognised it as the TARDIS it was but wasn't fully clued up on its significance. That didn't last too long though and he soon realised that despite appearances, he was face to face with the same man of a millennium prior. Despite having some form of immortality, Grayvorn wanted to know all about the Doctor's ability to live as long and transform his shape. He got the wrong end of the stick though and didn't grasp the natural ability of regeneration, and believed it was by a much more scientific process that he wished to obtain. That was a good realisation and it's good to present supposed immortals as still wanting more in life. The Inquisitor was a good character and was a timely title given the Doctor referencing the trouble he'd been in recently during The Trial of a Time Lord. The focus on the burglary attempt was great and it was fun to hear the Reeve try and justify his investigation as harmless and not more than met the eye. Except the Curator already knew the truth about him. Speaking to the spirits after death through the Relic to reveal that it was the Reeve who committed the murder was good, and I thought the conclusion was fitting as he literally went into the beyond. I was glad that not much was made of the silliness of the artefact being a handbag, but it was nice to acknowledge it would have been considerably more fashionable and in better condition a millennium before. The lack of narration for this adventure was also beneficial I think and just allowed Colin Baker to shine as the Sixth Doctor. Overall, this was a really strong audio and sets us up nicely to conclude the saga! 

Rating: 9/10

Excelis Dawns

"I will accept that unique destiny which is coming to me."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: February 2002

Series: Excelis 01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Iris

Synopsis

That terrible old reprobate and transdimensional adventuress Iris Wildthyme has gone and locked herself up in a nunnery on the savage world of Artaris. Here she is discovered by the Doctor and the reasonably brutal warlord Grayvorn. Together – with a peculiar nun they pick up en route – they must travel the forests and swamps of this ghastly world in Iris's double decker bus in order to tussle – to the death – with a horde of flesh-eating zombies for a mysterious and holy relic of unfathomable value and questionable pedigree. 

But what is the Mother Superior's part in all this?

Verdict

Excelis Dawns was a really good adventure to kick off the Excelis saga! I have been really intrigued by this collection of stories for quite some time and here I am twenty years later finally listening to it. I like the idea of a recurring theme and visiting at different points in time with a different incarnation of the Doctor, so starting here with the Fifth Doctor was really strong. I loved the dynamic of having Iris Wildythme with him in essentially the role of companion and it was a stellar debut performance from Katy Manning in a role very different from her usual one of Jo Grant. The hints at the relationship between them in the past were just so much fun and it's delightfully unique to hint at something of love for a Classic Doctor. Peter Davison and Katy Manning gelled brilliantly together and the Doctor-companion dynamic was present in an extremely fun way. It was a little odd for the Doctor to have affection to someone wanting gin on their shopping list and always wondering where her cigarettes were. That brought a decent sense of realism but she just seems so far away from being Gallifrey. Her double decker bus TARDIS was terrific and the Doctor helping repair it and just have a little sideways hop into the Vortex was really good. I enjoyed the setting of Artaris and the prominence of Excelis as the mountain was intriguing. I was not actually expecting it to not be the main focus of the setting, but Artaris sufficed well. It was quite poignant to take Grayvorn into the future by a millennium and see Excelis reduced to nothing, and I was a little surprised by the Doctor's actions in believing that this future could still be changed. That seemed a shift in the usual tactics. Jolene was a strong character and her being a fellow sister worked well. The Doctor's reaction to hearing Iris was in the guise of a nun was magnificent, but his stunned one to her claims of being there at events such as The Web Planet, The Three Doctors and The Invasion of Time was brilliant. I'd love a bit more backstory to her claims there as that has a great potential for a fun alternate adventure. I'm also going to have get reading Iris's adventures too as the idea of her and seven incarnations in the Death Zone at the hands of Morbius sounded magnificent! Grayvorn was a strong character and I enjoyed the narrative style of him and the Doctor leading it, but the narration didn't persist which helped. The search for the relic that was the Beloved was really good and I loved the idea of it being concerned with the afterlife. This story taking place during the events of Frontios for the Doctor was fun and the impact of Earthshock still being felt by the Doctor following Adric's death was really well done. At this point, he was at least willing to listen to the concept of afterlife. I thought it was a bit cheesy that the Beloved turned out to be a handbag that belonged to Iris that literally contained Heaven and Hell and an artefact she'd misplaced a long time ago, but it did spark a fun reaction from the Doctor. The tussle at the end resulting in death and the artefact long gone once again was an intriguing move, especially with the reveal at the end that Grayvorn and Jolene were far from dead. The enigmatic nature of Mother Superior worked well as well and I hope that gets expanded upon as the saga rolls on. Overall, a great audio! 

Rating: 8/10

The Stuff of Nightmares: If I Should Die Before I Wake

"Stories don't really end, you just stop telling them."

Writer: John Dorney (From a story by Jacqueline Rayner)

Format: Audio

Released: July 2022

Series: Classic Doctors, New Monsters 3.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

The Eighth Doctor and Charley are lost – in a labyrinth of monsters. And somewhere, lurking, are the Dream Crabs...

From the Sphinx to Gorgons, Cerberus and Pegasus, the Greek myths are alive and threatening the TARDIS duo with death at every turn. How long until their Fates unravel, and the truth is revealed?

Verdict

If I Should Die Before I Wake was an excellent story to conclude The Stuff of Nightmares third volume of Classic Doctors, New Monsters! This was probably my favourite story of the entire set and was a brilliant use of utilising both eras and probably the best use of the Dream Crabs in the three stories in which they have featured in Doctor Who. It's no surprise that I enjoyed this adventure as Jacqueline Rayner and John Dorney are two of my absolute favourite writers, so having the latter write a story from the latter is a dream combination. I was a little sceptical when this boxset was announced regarding the Dream Crabs getting two episodes, but I thought both worked well and were actually very different. With the Eighth Doctor appearing in Together in Eclectic Dreams, I was expecting this one to tie in with that but that was far from the case. In hindsight, I'm glad this approach happened and it was wonderful to get a new outing for the Eighth Doctor and Charley. Their relationship picked up like it had never been away and the idea of the pair writing and acting out a story was a fantastic approach. That worked so well and I was glad that the Dream Crabs weren't referenced until at least a third of the way through. This was so much fun, especially before the threat of the Kantrofarri was fully revealed. The Doctor and Charley almost challenging each other with the fiction they were writing out and acting before themselves was brilliant and a little reminiscent of The Mind Robber. Charley didn't take things too seriously, much to the Doctor's chagrin, and the way she didn't allow for the Doctor to get any kind of flow in telling the story was hilarious. This was Charley at her best and she was always able to rely on her trusty string to get her out of so many sticky situations! That gag ran throughout the episode and was just wonderful. I am a big fan of Charley and I do hope she continues to crop up in boxsets like this. Her story has been told, but little inserts like this are a delight and I'm absolutely all for it. Something that was really impressive with this story was that it was just the Doctor and Charley, and I don't think I actually realised that until it was over. India Fisher provided a fun performance with the three different ages of Charley in disguise and the twist of it actually being the Doctor who was asleep was fantastic. The stories aiming to end with Charley dying in an effort to bring her true self back to life through instinct was a little dark and manipulative of Charley's trust in the Doctor. She had taken initiative though to find her way into the Doctor's dream which was great and I admired her efforts to drop hints about the truth. It was a fascinating play out over the 55 minutes and when analysing deeper this was a pretty psychological adventure, something I thought was a brilliant use of the Kantrofarri. The ending was a little simple for the Dream Crabs but that was a good thing in my opinion as things can get very complicated with dreams within dreams and all that. The Doctor realised it was him asleep and was able to wake up with some help of the sonic, and the way the pair concluded their own story was a superb way to bring the story full circle. Overall, an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

The White Wolf

"How much of your life do you remember?"

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Audio

Released: October 2009

Series: SJA Audio 06

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde, Rani

Synopsis

When Sarah Jane receives a strange letter from Eddison Clough, her curiosity is aroused. For Eddison possesses a photograph proving he was once close friends with her Aunt Lavinia – but he has no memory of ever having met her.

Intrigued, Sarah Jane and Luke go to visit him and, with Clyde, and Rani, they explore the village of Wolfenden. The locals seem strange and secretive – especially the Hendricks, a deathly pale family with white hair and white eyes.

What is lurking in the underground caves? What is the significance of the white wolf carved on the hillside? And what does it all have to do with alien abduction?

Verdict

The White Wolf was an excellent Sarah Jane Adventures audio! For some reason, it appears that the Audible collection of the SJA audios is in the wrong order as on the app this came after The Ghost House despite being two stories removed from it, but I'm sure that won't be much of an issue when it comes to continuity. I thought this was a really strong audio and I liked the approach of telling a point at the start pre-credits that we would then reach after reverting back. That came nicely with Rani bursting out into the meeting claiming to have been a victim of alien abduction, but she didn't actually feature that much and the same could be said of Clyde. I liked how it was more of a Sarah and Luke story and the latter was definitely growing up as he was no longer too interested in getting kisses off his mother. It was nice to explore their maternal relationship and despite his growing up, the affection he had for his mother was still clearly evident. That was especially noticeable when Ben was staring at Sarah Jane and Luke tried to block the view in both ways. Ben was a mysterious character and Sarah Jane felt uncomfortable by his presence and thinking him as wrong, with Luke seeing that he didn't fit into the world and also knew it. The realisation that the Hendricks were aliens was fun and I liked the way that was paced. The Hendricks as a whole were a mysterious bunch and that fitted in really well with the Wolfenden setting. I loved the history of the village and the chalked wolves made it feel really ominous which worked well. The idea of Eddison having a huge bulk of his life missing from his memories was intruding and the connection with Sarah Jane and her aunt Lavinia was delightful. I really enjoyed having Sarah explore the memories of her aunt who of course goes way back in Doctor Who folklore! Drawing parallels between the relationship of Sarah and Lavinia to that of Colin and his son was very well done. Mrs Hendrick made for a strong villain and the reveal that they were serving sentence and were actually preventing their own species from finding them every fifty years was a nice surprise. The relationship between Colin and his wife was fascinating and he was a little strange in wanting to continue that family mission and get them home, and go with them, except she was fighting for the opposite and had been for numerous generations of Colin and his ancestors. It was fun for Rani to try and infiltrate and her coded message about the cave and Clyde was well done, but she went a little far and the game was up. An admirable effort though! Luke's position as a perfect human and being able to read the memories rather than have his used as substance was excellent and that sparked a horrifying realisation that the aliens could have gone home at any times with the likes of Sycorax or Uvodni having the ability to transfer them home. That didn't go down well! Mrs Hendrick being arrested was a fitting touch for her crimes and with the offspring being partly human, they were not guilty of anything so could return home or find a new one. Eddison wanting to create new memories was lovely and I thought it was a wonderful comment for Sarah to say that she was very happy to have a new photo of her aunt. Overall, a brilliant listen!

Rating: 9/10

Into the Stars: Break the Ice

"A little blast of jingle bells."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 2.06

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

On a chilly space station, the Doctor meets a group of scientists experimenting with cryogenics. 

But when one subject returns from extreme sub-zero temperatures, he does not return alone. A creature awakens that can freeze the soul with icy fingers – Jack Frost.

Verdict

Break the Ice was a really good story to conclude this Into the Stars sixth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures! At long last, a Christmas story for the Ninth Doctor and it comes... in August? The timing on this one is a little strange given that the next batch of audios in this range is scheduled for November, but I guess it won't fit whatever the umbrella title there is. It's not a problem of course as getting a Christmas themed story for this incarnation is most welcomed, and Jack Frost being the villain was superb! I was a big fan of him being the enemy and having him described as a Winter God was excellent. I thought there was a lot of potential there and even using the timing of the Universe cooling down after the Big Bang as a point to date them was incredible. That was godly in every sense of the word, although this was not their usual dimension. It was a little too hot. It was nice for the Winter Gods to be the basis for most planets having a concept of winter and just the use of cold as a weapon worked very well. Frost taking over Kenton worked well and kudos must go to Pip Torrens for a chilling performance as Jack. I liked the namedrop of Ribos when it came to an adventure focused on cold and Jack Frost going by different names was tremendous. I was hoping for a little more of a strong interaction between the Doctor and Frost, and it seemed a little simple as to how the Winter God deduced he was the last of the Time Lords. However, Frost's reaction to realising he was now the last of the Winter Gods was brilliant and was a shining moment for the Doctor. The space station setting worked well and was beneficial to provide a threat of nearing Venus and heating up to be rid of Frost. I thought some of the characters were lovely with Lenni the clear standout. Her relationship with the System was good and having given it the voice of her wife provided some fun humour, as well as the Doctor namedropping Alexa which just wouldn't have been possible if this was released at contemporary times for the Ninth Doctor! That's always fun with these releases. Pal was another strong character and his insistence on representing company interests despite the danger at hand was well done. His death had a strong impact too with Lenni having to watch it right in front of her. The use of sulphuric acid and using water against Frost was clever and neat to send Frost back to where he came from in a pretty painful manner. The highlight came at the end though with the Doctor using the TARDIS to drop Lenni back home and to her wife and child, a child in need of the exposure from the nervous star that his mum had been researching and hoped to one day reach. The TARDIS would provide a shortcut in a really lovely moment to conclude the episode and series as a whole. Overall, a strong episode! 

Rating: 8/10

Into the Stars: Last of the Zetacene

"You can afford losses."

Writer: James Kettle

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 2.05

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The rich and the criminal rub shoulders on Stage Three spaceport – and play high-stakes games for valuable prizes.

The Doctor is always interested in endangered species, and the Zetacene is more endangered than most...

Verdict

Last of the Zetacene was not the greatest of stories to continue Into the Stars and the sixth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures. I thought this one had its strong points as my rating reflects, but as a whole I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. I didn't think the Zetacene was overly exciting and I'm not sure enough was really done to try and sell its importance. The fact it was referred to constantly as a swine didn't do a lot for it as the only thing I could compare it to was a pig and that just doesn't feel important, even with the Doctor mentioning how there used to be millions only for there now to be just one left. He was shocked to hear that this was the case, but I think we needed more from the actual creature given the name of the episode and the supposed importance on it. One of the highlights for me actually came from Nel who I thought was a really nice character. It was clear that her purpose was to fill the companion role that is missing in the Ninth Doctor Adventures at this point in the chronology given that these stories predate Rose, and she developed a strong relationship with the Doctor in quick fashion. I loved her little quirk of mentioning different characters and asking if the Doctor knew them. She was often perplexed when he claimed not to! Whilst I did really enjoy her presence and could definitely see the companion material there for her, I was actually a little disappointed that the Doctor seemed to offer her that chance. The story of the Doctor and Rose is such a strong one and this felt like it might tamper with that a little if he was wanting someone else to travel with before Rose changed his war torn mind. The roles of the rich and famous in this adventure was fun though and I liked the pomposity of hearing a lot of those laid with money playing games with high stakes. I don't mind a little tinker or gamble here and there, but the scale of bets being placed here with them simply affording to lose was almost enviable. Selo as the main woman at the games was a decent character and the way she viewed money and considered others was good. She didn't care much for anything other than profit and she didn't care much for the condition of the Zetacene. She was pretty selfish and that worked well for her character. I was not a fan of Succeeding in the slightest and I think the intended humour from his name and the confusion garnered there was just too forced and not funny. It just got tedious by the end which was a shame. The Zetacene being let loose and Selo doing the bidding because she couldn't control it and not wanting that to be seen was a little odd I must say, but her reaction to that being revealed was pretty good. I thought the conclusion was slightly underwhelming from there though with Nel offering to go with the Zetacene after the confusion of her not actually wanting to go with the Doctor instead. It was all over a little quickly and just felt like more of an impact was needed. Overall, not my favourite audio for the Ninth Doctor sadly. 

Rating: 6/10

Into the Stars: Salvation Nine

"Why would anyone want to save the Sontarans?"

Writer: Timothy X Atack

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 2.04

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor happens upon an unusual outpost – and discovers it is about to be annihilated. 

To save Salvation Nine, he must rally a people for whom war is an alien concept and protect the future of the Sontaran race!

Verdict

Salvation Nine was an excellent start to the Into the Stars sixth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I am absolutely delighted to get a Sontaran story with the Ninth Doctor and just hearing them opposite Christopher Eccleston was a delight and the best way to start a new boxset. However, here we had Sontarans of a very different kind! So much so that the entire plot focused on a race against time to ensure that the Field Marshall actually renounced them as Sontaran kind and they were almost their own entirely new species. That was really fun. Eccleston delighted at the start as he was caught by Lobbs and rather than be threatened to death and proclaimed for the glory of Sontar, the Sontaran warned the Doctor of the path ahead! His reaction to that was incredible and the humour that came from Lobbs also putting his hands in the air was tremendous. The Doctor was laughing in disbelief and this played out well in a flashback as to why these Sontarans needed saving. That seemed a bit of a surprise at the start with Navarch after a comic reaction from the Doctor after running down an incredibly long (and intentionally cliche) corridor. I thought her position as also having honour was fun to match against the Sontarans, but those present on this outpost were far from ordinary Sontarans. The Doctor had his confirmation that it was no trap (it was way too complex to be one for the Sontarans!) and that meant he had to save them which was lovely. The very idea of peaceful Sontarans is fun to play with and I don't think it has been presented on a scale such as this adventure. The batch of them was fun and even having a female version in the form of Gaznak was brilliant. The way she and Lobbs were used to try and trick a Field Marshall and get their form of the species renounced was brilliant and was just a very fun mission. The excuse for Gaznak's female voice being a wound to the larynx was brilliant and Henk (I won't list all of his credentials!) didn't want an apology for a war wound. The rehearsal of announcing the capture of the Doctor and his TARDIS was really well done and I loved how the only description needed of the time machine was that it was blue. The simplicity of the Sontarans never ceases to amaze me but that's why they can work so well. It was nice to not really have any Rutan involvement and having the Doctor explain the lengths the Sontarans went to just to power their cloning system by using whole planets was fantastic. I liked the reaction of Lobbs and Gaznak in not really understanding why their ancestors acted as such. The birthing fields on the outpost were very different and I appreciated the Doctor's stunned silence reaction to them. These were very different Sontarans indeed. The Niners were a strong element in the story and it was good to just have the Doctor fighting against them to save Sontarans from being wiped out. The use of the Field Marshall there was brilliant and the reluctant reaction of Navarch to not destroy them in the end was very good. The suggestion of Sontarans becoming female with old age was really intriguing too and a fun concept to play with. Gaznak was a fine representation of that ancient side of the Sontarans, and it just showed how many fell in battle! Overall, a fantastic audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Masters of Luxor

"The TARDIS was dead."

Writer: Anthony Coburn (Adapted by Nigel Robinson)

Format: Audio

Released: August 2012

Series: Lost Stories 3.07

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis

The TARDIS is drawn to a mysterious signal emanating from a seemingly dead world. Trapped within a crystalline structure, the Doctor and his friends inadvertently wake a vast army of robots that have lain dormant for many, many years. Waiting... for the Masters of Luxor. 

The Perfect One wants to become more than just a mockery of a man, and will stop at nothing to achieve it. But will the cost prove too great?

The travellers are about to uncover a horrifying tragedy. A tragedy that threatens to engulf them all.

Verdict

The Masters of Luxor was a really good Lost Stories audio adventure! It's quite incredible to think that was conceived by Anthony Coburn as the second serial and it beggars belief how the life of Doctor Who might have been altered had this story made it to screen in place of The Daleks. Thankfully, that didn't happen but it was fascinating to listen with that in mind. I thought this was a really solid tale that would definitely have worked as part of the first season and whilst it's clear that it has been altered slightly to fit in with the Lost Stories continuity for this TARDIS quartet, it was very much of those early days and that's lovely to hear. I'm a big fan of ensuring continuity so the references to The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance and Farewell, Great Macedon were terrific, especially in establishing that the events of the latter were only the previous day. At over three-and-a-quarter hours, this was a mammoth listen and I was worried that with only three actors that time may feel like an awful lot. However, that was far from the case and the switching from dialogue and narration by Carole Ann Ford and William Russell was really well done. The transitions to Susan, Barbara, Ian and the Doctor were effortless and it was nice to hear Russell's take on the First Doctor. It's a brilliant job. I thought the characterisation of the first incarnation was strong and the idea of him taking Ian and Barbara back to their own time never felt believable. At least on this occasion it wasn't his fault as they got caught up in the signal dragging them to Luxor. The introduction of the Perfect One was intriguing and I thought the entire history and backdrop of his character was excellent. Playing with the idea of robots becoming human and not the other way around was very interesting. I particularly enjoyed Ian's reaction to that being a man of science, but it was his reaction to what the Masters of Luxor had done to women that provided his strongest moment. The revelation that they saw women as bearers and not much more so experimented on them was shocking and caused an outrage, so I was a little surprised that the Doctor didn't back Ian more and actually challenged what humanity had done for the advancement of science regarding other life. The Derivatrons were a fun bunch of robots despite what they stood for and their inability to accept anything they regarded as illogical as being able to happen was a challenge. A lot didn't compute with the presence of the TARDIS team. My favourite aspect of the adventure was the TARDIS being drained of its power, and then that power being used by their new environment. I always like the threat posed by the helplessness of no TARDIS and that seems even more pertinent in the early days. Tabon was a strong character and the emotion that was revealed over the course of the six parts was really well done. He initially seemed like an evil creator of the Perfect One but it soon transpired that it was against his will and he'd gone into sleep for seven years instead of face death as a coward because of what he'd done. His sacrifice and aiding of the Doctor to get power back to the TARDIS was fantastic. I loved the desperation heard in the TARDIS with them wanting the time rotor to begin motioning, and having that mirrors with Tabon holding the Perfect One in his arms as the planet collapsed was very powerful. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10