Ruler of the Universe: The True Saviour of the Universe

"While the stars shine bright, so should we."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: September 2017

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 4.04

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny

Synopsis 

Bernice finds that time has run out for the Doctor and the universe. Is this really the end of everything? Help is on hand from an unlikely quarter.

Verdict 

The True Saviour of the Universe was an excellent episode to conclude the Ruler of the Universe fourth series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! I thought this was a really strong conclusion to what has been a rather brilliant series. I have thoroughly enjoyed Benny’s two series in the Unbound Universe and whilst it appears now that we’re leaving it behind, her adventures alongside the Unbound Doctor don’t seem to be showing any sign of letting up and I think that’s very exciting. This felt like a fitting way to round out the last two series in bringing back Mother Superior and she was the one heading up the impeachment of the Doctor. That in of itself was a fine basis for a finale and whilst he didn’t seem overly bothered to be losing his presidential duties, he was deeply concerned by his replacement. I love how this episode concludes in giving the Master exactly what he has always wanted in ruling the universe. He was now positioned as its President and in a collapsing universe that meant he was in charge. This was something he didn’t actually want and whilst he was set on taking the role away from the Doctor, that didn’t necessarily mean it was meant for him! I thought that was a neat twist and drew parallels nicely from the version of the Master we already know. The throwback to Logopolis with the Master’s speech was sublime with him asking the peoples of the universe to attend carefully. I really loved that and thought it was neat as he really was addressing this entire universe! I think Mark Gatiss plays a fun and devious Master but it is a slight shame that we never got an explanation for how he survived execution the last time we saw him in The Emporium at the End. Benny even acknowledged it and I was a little let down that it was kind of just shunned off without any real answer. The Master was amusing though in not wanting to hold his previous execution against the universal Parliament. That was really good and the Master at his best. I enjoyed the idea of the Doctor being on trial and his plea regarding the fate of the Great Collapse and if he could prevent it was terrific. He knew that he could do it, but should he? That was presented very well and was an emotional and powerful moment from the Doctor. Could they save just a part of the universe? Did they have that right whilst condemning so many others to death? That was important to deal with and I thought it was done well. The selfishness of those that would be saved was palpable as they voted the Doctor out of his presidency. He could use the equations to enact the Apocalypse Clock but wasn’t willing to. The Master was though and his ulterior motive regarding freeing those who created the Apocalypse Clock was excellent. The potential of a Great Old One who existed outside of Time returning was brilliant, but the Doctor was always in control and that was superb. Once again, the Master was one upped by the Doctor just when he thought victory was at hand. Hell, it was proclaimed that the Master had defeated the Doctor and that was quite the sentence. It’s a long time coming! It was all a plan though and the killer robot asking what it would take to vote against the Doctor was good but it was all part of the plan to build up angst against the Doctor. The way he used the power build up of the Apocalypse Clock and use it to actually break through the Gateway and fulfil his promise to Benny and get her back to her home universe was sublime. That was such a nice ending and one I didn’t expect! But he found a way and that was fantastic. A really touching moment showing that he cared for Benny and fulfilled his word. And now it seems the Unbound Doctor will be sticking around in Benny’s universe! Well, the potential there is very exciting. I look forward to the next series very much! Overall, a fantastic finale. 

Rating: 9/10

Ruler of the Universe: Truant

"He can't take our planet away from us."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: September 2017

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 4.03

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny

Synopsis 

The President of the Universe has run away. Bernice has to hunt him down, but he's too busy having fun. Evil warlords! Impossible escapes! Sinister plans! The Doctor's on an adventure.I 

Verdict 

Truant was a great story to continue my way through the Ruler of the Universe fourth series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! I’m really enjoying this series and hearing the Unbound Doctor having to deal with the pressures of being President of the Universe, but he was getting more and more flustered for a very different reason this time around. I thought the episode began in a very fun way with the Doctor showing up to thwart dangers and stop evil like we know of the version in the true universe, except when confronted by the Doctor those trying to do wrong simply shut up shop and surrendered! That was. Xx.b a very amusing and showed the reputation the Doctor had. It would be reputable enough but add that with being the President of the Universe and he was a rather formidable figure! He was getting quite angry that nobody was putting up a fight and I thought that was perfect for this Unbound incarnation of the Doctor. He’s rather grumpy and to the point despite his charm and I think that works very nicely. He was annoyed by the end of the first five minutes or so when everyone he we was encountering just keeled over. He even wanted to know if he’d be offered to be destroyed so at least he’d have something to try and avert. That wasn’t the case though as he was just continuously offered surrender. I thought it was very fun to have Benny chasing after the Doctor around the universe and despite him seemingly always being one step ahead, she had promised to get him. The way she tracked him down was good and I thought it was hilarious that she encountered some of those offering their surrender to the Doctor with their hands still up despite him being nowhere in sight. That was rather amusing. Killian being played by Catrin Stewart was a lovely surprise and it was great to hear her in another Doctor Who story even if it’s not playing her trusty Jenny. It was good for her to get the chance to do something else and she pulled it off wonderfully. The focus on the Silvan invasion was good but it seemed the Doctor was too late to stop the invasion as it had already happened! They were far too late and Benny’s readings showed that they were actually the people of Kellor which was a fun surprise! Talk about late! They were way out of their depth time wise and I was intrigued that the Doctor was blaming himself for not saving them. Benny having to explain to him that he couldn’t possibly be everywhere and stop everything was nice but he didn’t quite see it that way. He felt like he’d given up and regretted the moments where he wasn’t offering his help. That’s what he was good at! I thought the way Benny obtained the information and even bio signature of the Silvan online through her phone was amusing and the very idea of the Doctor having his own phone was terrific! Especially in this incarnation with his grumpy nature. Imagine him just browsing on the web or picking up the phone for a call. I just couldn’t envisage it. I thought the conclusion was brilliant and brought the continuity of the last two series around very nicely as we had the return of the Mother Superior! The Doctor was being arrested for neglecting his responsibilities as President of the Universe. The articles of impeachment had been put in place and it looks set to be an Unbound version of the Doctor on trial! That should be rather fun and I’m looking forward to the Master getting involved. Overall, a great episode!

Rating: 8/10

Ruler of the Universe: Asking For a Friend

"I rather like to be the mysterious one in a conversation."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: September 2017

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 4.02

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny

Synopsis 

Vast wars are raging across the stars, planets are dying, and the Doctor is sat on a psychiatrist's couch. What's it like to be the Doctor's therapist?

Verdict 

Asking For a Friend was another brilliant episode to continue my way through the Ruler of the Universe fourth series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! This has been a really impressive start to the series and I liked how this one dealt with the Doctor having to accept his position as the universe’s President. The idea of the Doctor willingly going to therapy was very amusing but to me that showed just how much he cared about his relationship with Benny because it was under her instructions that he was at the session. His therapist Guilana was a very fun character and the relationship they had was unexpectedly strong. The Doctor clearly didn’t want to be there but as the episode went on with each session, he was getting more comfortable but he didn’t actually seem fussed on gaining anything from his therapy and was instead just being nicer and nicer to Guilana. He was bringing her crisps and all sorts of confectionary as he wooed her into submission in not making him talk about his feelings constantly. She could see what he was doing and was still helpless which was rather amusing! I really liked David Warner’s grumpy take on the Unbound Doctor and it was clear that his presidential duties were catching up with him. They’d been a big spanner in the relationship between him and Benny last time out in The City and the Clock and he was at least trying to put things right here which was nice. The way he was questioned about all of those he had failed to save was a bit of a surprise and I couldn’t believe that he was being challenged about only saving thousands instead of millions. That was crazy talk! He had ensured it wasn’t millions who were dying and that was more than admirable. The Doctor admitting to Benny that he was taking liberties with the TARDIS and actually using it to ensure he could actually fulfil all of the futures in his calendar was tremendous! That was beyond cheating but this Unbound Doctor wasn’t too bothered about breaking time legalities. He went so far as to completely disregard Guilana’s wants and needs by completely rewriting her past! Her shielding she put up when she realised he was using time to stick to his calendar was good but her life was altered in the biggest way possible! That was a big surprise as the Doctor ensured that her fiancé didn’t actually die and she now had a husband and children. That sounded exciting, but now she had memories that she hadn’t loved and that was something rather shocking. I can’t imagine what that would be like! It would take such an emotional toll. It’s quite mad really that a therapy session lasted the duration of an episode but it was really enticing. The humour that came from the test of thinking about a polar bear and it being impossible not to think of one was fun stuff and even had me trying it! I knew it was impossible to not think of something when told to, but I still attempted it regardless! The background plot going around the therapy centring on Vastron was good and with all seemingly lost, I loved how the Doctor did manage to save the planet despite the Great Collapse being imminent. He simply paid the Dominar off to terraform! That’s not a usual method for the Doctor to save the day but I liked how unique that was and highlighted the differences for the Time Lord in the Unbound Universe. Overall, an excellent episode!

Rating: 9/10

Ruler of the Universe: The City and the Clock

"Nothing matters, not really."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: September 2017

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 4.01

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny

Synopsis 

Bernice is on an archaeological dig for the mythical Apocalypse Clock. Can it really be the key to saving the universe? The ghosts of the planet have other ideas.

Verdict 

The City and the Clock was an excellent episode to kick off the Ruler of the Universe fourth series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! I’m delighted that we didn’t just get one series for Benny in the Unbound Universe because it’s a place full of potential, especially when it’s dying and on the brink of collapse! With that being the situation, it’s a little surprising that the Doctor had a number of judicial duties as President of the Universe but alas he was being consumed by them. That led to something of a fractured relationship between Benny and the Doctor which was fun to explore with anger held on both sides. She was bringing him in as a matter of life and death as her archaeological dig for the Apocalypse Clock neared its end. The concept behind that was intriguing and I liked that Benny was actively trying to work on saving the universe. That’s not exactly an easy task and on paper sounds incredibly daunting, but at least she was trying! It was sustained in legend in the city of Merin and the mythical status of this race of old was good to explore. I would have liked a little more to be honest and I hope we haven’t heard the last of them in this series. Could they have been so advanced at the time in which they existed? And if they were no longer around how could they have a device that could hold back death? That latter question would form much of the plot on the city as Benny had to tackle interacting with the Dead. They wanted to hold back death and their description of barely having flesh and essentially being skull and bones led me to believe this may be an Unbound version of the Vashta Nerada! Alas, that wasn’t to be the case but it was fun to play with the idea. I thought David Warner was brilliant as the Unbound Doctor and I enjoy how his take is almost like a version of the First Doctor in his very early days with some added oomph to being annoying and getting annoyed. The paperwork was driving him nuts and he was far from pleased by the idea of travelling on shuttles in linear time. He also wasn’t impressed by missing flights and he really didn’t seem to want to stick around despite him being the one that sent Benny on the dig. The reaction when she found out he hadn’t actually read her reports and he couldn’t even remember what she was digging for was incredible. Benny was a woman scorned! I thought the conclusion worked very well regarding turning the clock off and the Doctor backed down despite what it would do! Benny had no such qualms and she shut it off despite the Doctor’s protest. She understood what was at stake. The comment at the end where she doesn’t refer to him as the Doctor as he just is not what she considers that to represent, so instead she mockingly called him Mr President which she knew he hated. Overall, a superb opener!

Rating: 9/10

Scorpio's Sting

"It's as ancient as the land itself."

Writer: James Hudnall

Format: Comic Strip

Released: May 2018

Printed in: Devil's End 01

Featuring: Olive Hawthorne

Synopsis 

Olive Hawthorne remains in Devil's End, determined to protect it from any future evil. But now a new force has emerged, one with a sting...

Verdict 

Scorpio's Sting was a very enjoyable comic strip adventure to kick off my reading of the Adventures of Olive Hawthorne! After reading Doctor Who and the Dæmons or month or two ago, I was reminded of this release from Lucky Comics and whilst I believe it was initially part of the Free Comic Book Day 2018 promotion, I purchased the combined version and I was excited by what I read! At only eight pages long, it felt a little like a Classic era comic strip from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine which is absolutely a compliment. I actually rather enjoyed the retro feel of having the comic strip be in black and white. We were obviously going to me mentioning and referencing the events of The Dæmons and I liked how it was done here. Having news reporters from the BBC visiting Devil’s End is fun nostalgia although I was questioning why they were interested in what happened in the village back in 1971. A good chunk of the events were captured on film for BBC3 so why couldn’t they just revert back to them and take a look? Maybe they were wiped from the archives. That’s certainly feasible! It was lovely to see Olive Hawthorne return and the fact she is now ninety years old is quite staggering! She made a big impression on screen and whilst I have most recently read the novelisation of the story in which she appears, it’s not a face one forgets easily so having it recreated in comic strip format here was delightful. I’m a big fan of bringing the village to contemporary times and Olive was still in the mode of village protector which was lovely. She was well aware of the power source beneath the village and the potential threat anyone tampering and hoping to harness it could bring. That’s where Scorpio came in. He was a fun character and he seemed very knowledgeable about the history of the village which was good and his attempts to reassemble Bok were incredibly exciting! Having that crazy and infamous statue creature return to life was a delightful prospect and actually seeing it happen for a brief few moments was terrific. It’s so good to explore life beyond the Doctor and just having Bok back is brilliant. I definitely feel like Scorpio’s story is far from over, at least I hope it isn’t! I’m really excited for what’s to come in an extended adventure as he showed a lot of potential in a villain in the short time we met him. I thought the format of the comic was great and really did well in balancing dialogue with narration. In a series opener, it can sometimes be too heavy on the latter but I didn’t feel that was the case at all here so that was fantastic. I liked that Hawthorne had her own education being passed on and just seeing her project herself to get to Scorpio when he was attempting to reassemble Bok was impressive! This was no mission for her protégés though. Scorpio even knowing of Azal was very good and I liked the modern aspect of the original church actually no longer standing. Times had moved on. I thought the ending to this one was decent in how Hawthorne used her magic alongside the protégés to stop Scorpio, but a little more elaboration on what she had actually done would have been nice as it wasn’t wholly clear from the art work. The art itself was tremendous though and I like how events here leave us ready for more adventures to come! I’m sure we’ll get to know the protégés more and I do hope Scorpio returns for revenge. Overall, a fine comic strip story. 

Rating: 8/10

Once and Future: Past Lives

"I'm here to rescue the Monk."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary 01

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis 

The Time War. The Doctor has been injured and brought to a Time Lord field hospital. His body glows with energy, but this is no regeneration into a future form – instead, the Doctor's past faces begin to appear as he flits haphazardly between incarnations...

Staggering to his TARDIS, the Doctor sets out to solve the mystery of his 'degeneration'. Who has done this to him? How? And why? From the Earth to the stars, across an array of familiar times and places, he follows clues to retrace his steps, encountering old friends and enemies along the way. Tumbling through his lives, the Doctor must stop his degeneration before he loses himself completely...

Setting as his Fourth incarnation, the Doctor goes in search of the Monk, with a vague memory that he had something to do with his 'degeneration'. 

On Earth, the Monk is meddling, brining Sarah Jane Smith to the future UNIT HQ to steal a device for an alien race. The Doctor must help Kate Stewart and Osgood foil an invasion before he can confront the Monk about what he knows... 

Verdict 

Past Lives was a very entertaining start to the Past and Future anthology of stories celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who! Big Finish were always going to provide something exciting for the occasion and this was a fun start. I must admit that I have more questions than answers after listening but that’s absolutely fine and I’ll look forward to the new release each month as we head towards the actual anniversary. I thought the degeneration sequence at the start of the episode was good and it was lovely to hear a brief glimpse of the first seven incarnations of the Doctor. It was a little strange to quickly run through the First and Second Doctor, and we did get a couple of minutes with the Third Doctor as he realised that one way or another the Monk was involved in proceedings. I’m a massive fan of the meddling Time Lord and he was once again up to no good here which is always a delight. The Doctor indicating that he had knowledge of the degeneration he was undergoing, and it’s a concept I find fascinating. Whilst the voice we hear here is that of Tom Baker and the appearance is that of the Fourth Doctor, this would actually appear to be the Eighth Doctor reverting back through different incarnations whilst retaining his knowledge and mind. That’s really intriguing! That played a big part when it came to Sarah Jane featuring. I’m not sure the chronology of her appearance was the best choice in hindsight as her departure in The Hand of Fear is such a strong and emotional moment so to tread on that feels a little cheeky. The reaction of Sarah when she sees the familiar incarnation of the Doctor but then learns that it’s been an awful long time since he left her was brilliant though. That was a hugely powerful moment. The additions of Kate and Osgood from UNIT was brilliant and gave us a really whacky and fun quartet to kick off the celebrations. I was a big fan of how the Doctor reacted to learning that Kate was the daughter of the Brigadier and he also took a shine to the intelligence of Osgood. They’d get on splendidly. It was fun for him to compliment her celery stick and she seemed to know the exact order in which the Doctor regenerated! She knew he ought not to have had one yet on his attire. The humour that came from Kate and Osgood regarding the detection of an unidentified aerial phenomena above Glastonbury and it being the size of the twin was terrific. It did initially sound very specific! I thought the plot specific to this episode was decent involving the Hyreth, and whilst I did like that it had history with the Doctor, Sarah Jane and the Brigadier, I think it would be beneficial if that was a story that actually existed to experience somewhere. I’m never a huge lover of unseen events but for me the main story involved the degeneration so I was pretty fine with it. I did like the Hyreth acknowledging that Kate was an honourable enemy after their encounter with the Brigadier. I thought the audacity of the Monk to kidnap Sarah Jane was humiliations and it was nice to reference How to Win Planets and Influence People with Sarah recognising her captor. Osgood admitting that she took some of her work home was fun and raised an eyebrow from Kate! The idea of her cataloguing items from the Doctor’s time as scientific advisory was wonderful and the typical nod to the UNIT dating controversy was there as she had only gotten to 1974, but who knows what artefacts were stopped there! The conclusion was really well done with the Doctor realising the Monk wouldn’t be responsible for the degeneration, at least not this incarnation, with it being in his personal future. The tease of the Doctor seeking out his daughter now for some answers was fun and he really moved on quick from disabling the nanobombs! Overall, an entertaining start to the sixtieth celebrations!

Rating: 8/10

The Ravelli Conspiracy

"The Ravellis seem to be a family of ghosts!"

Writers: Robert Khan & Tom Salinsky

Format: Audio

Released: November 2016

Series: Early Adventures 3.03

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis 

When the TARDIS lands in a house in Florence, Italy in 1514, it isn't long before the guards of Guiliano de Medici arrest Steven and Vicki. To rescue them, the Doctor has to employ the help of the house's owner – one Niccolo Machiavelli. But can he be completely trusted?

Guiliano confesses to his brother Pope Leo X that he has angered the wealthy family of Ravelli and believes the newcomers may be part of an assassination plot. But when the Doctor arrives an already tricky situation starts to spiral out of control.

As the city rings with plot and counter-plot, betrayal and lies abound. The Doctor and his friends must use all their ingenuity if they're not to be swept away by history.

This conspiracy is about to get complicated...

Verdict 

The Ravelli Conspiracy was an excellent Early Adventures story! I must admit that I’ve recently blogged the first two stories in the third series of the Early Adventures range and not wholly enjoyed what I’ve listened to, but this was a tremendous story and brilliant historical! It was fun to have the Doctor trying to get Vicki and Steven to the Olympic Games of 2784 and I liked how it was one that Steven remembered fondly. It’s an interesting dynamic in the TARDIS with this trio with both companions being from the future. That was handled well here and I loved the utilisation of actually having them arrive in 1514 which was hundreds of years before both of their times! Both companions reacted amusingly to that and the Doctor wasn’t one to blame the TARDIS. It was obviously some external wrongdoings at work. I thought the arrival in Florence was excellent and the setting was magnificent. I was a huge fan of the way it was presented and the role and importance of politics was outstanding. I was a big fan of exploring this and the legalities of the time were also fun to explore. The historical figure of Machiavelli was a brilliant character to feature and I liked that he would end up locked up with the Doctor and Steven. Guiliano was a good character too and I enjoyed his artistic take on the TARDIS. It was thought of as Greek which was very amusing! Vicki’s recital of some poetry also went down well as well which was humorous because it wasn’t exactly the best reading, but for the sixteenth century it was rather beautiful. It was a nice way to give her free roam of the house and it would prove crucial by the end in freeing the Doctor and Steven. I liked the independence she had on show in this story and that’s something we didn’t always get to see on screen. She was very interested in exploring Florence at this time though which was nice to hear and I’m sure pleased the Doctor. I really enjoyed the take of Peter Purves on the First Doctor and it most definitely felt authentic which is all one can ask for! Carla was a tremendous character and I loved her role in the cliffhanger of part three where she had the key for the TARDIS but wouldn’t hand it over to Vicki until Machiavelli was freed also, but alas she would entrap them all! The simple resolution with Vicki having obtained the keys from a hug to a guard was tremendous though. The way the emotions of the Doctor and Steven shifted so quickly was marvellous. The mystery behind the titular Ravelli family was good and initially I enjoyed the notion of them being part of the conflict amidst the ongoing politics. That worked well but it was actually brilliant for them to not exist! Machiavelli having his own plan and actually wanting his fake letter to get found out was very good and brought a nice comment at the end about the events being Machiavellian. I really appreciated that. I thought the ending was actually great with Pope Leo’s arrival and using the TARDIS dematerialisation as an example of the power he yielded! That was a really fun moment. I liked the scenes in the TARDIS once the trio were back in its confines and the fact they would never know if Machiavelli was lying or not was a nice way to end things. It worked very well. Vicki and Steven trying to goad the Doctor on him getting the arrival date wrong was good too and I loved how he feigned ignorance and pretended he couldn’t hear them before quickly moving on from the subject. Overall, a fine historical! A tremendous listen.   

Rating: 9/10

Beyond Bannerman Road: The Witching Tree

"Do I think a tree has hurt me?"

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: April 2023

Series: Rani Takes on the World 1.03

Featuring: Rani, Clyde

Synopsis 

Chasing a podcast award, encouraged by a secret source, Rani investigates a 'haunted' restaurant built around a twisted tree. The owners could be faking the spooky activity, but Rani soon realises the tree is not what it seems.

As a terrifying threat to planet Earth is revealed, Clyde and Phoenix are dragged into the fight. Rani is torn between revealing the truth, or keeping a secret too terrifying to broadcast...

Verdict 

The Witching Tree was an excellent episode to conclude the Beyond Bannerman Road first series of Rani Takes on the World! This has been a really strong start to the series that is continuing the flame of The Sarah Jane Adventures and this finale really rounded out the series very nicely! Clyde was back with a bang and he would prove crucial to the story. I was delighted that we finally got to hear Rani recording an episode of her famed podcast and as an avid podcast listener myself, I really appreciated what she was doing in telling her story and experiences. She didn’t just ponder on the past though and this story seeing her recording an episode that would last for a week was an admirable effort! Semira as her producer was good and I liked getting her and Phoenix back after strong debuts in Here Today to kick off the series. Semira was a little trepidatious about some of the content set for the podcast episode Rani was creating, whilst Phoenix was having a baby shower and slowly but surely Clyde’s life was being consumed by his future little one before she had even arrived. As the father of a toddler who is nearly two now, I can absolutely relate to one’s life being taken over! Clyde didn’t even know what was coming. Unfortunately for him, he would never get the joy of being a father. Well, at least not yet. His fate was very emotional and it all centred around the titular witching tree that was the subject of Rani’s latest supernatural podcast episode. I really liked the tree and the idea of it growing through a building was excellent! I thought it was fantastic continuity to have Tyler Steele as Rani’s source. That was something I really didn’t see coming but it made perfect sense with the links he has with the Blue Box Files podcast. He wouldn’t play a huge role, but it was terrific continuity with the wider Whoniverse and a timely reminder ahead of Torchwood’s series return later this month. Rani having her constant recordings in play was good and really allowed us to hear just what was happening to her. Not even Rani was aware! She’d lost a day without even knowing and everything kept bringing her back to Farnham and the witching tree. The legend behind it was good and some had it being there forever, whilst others knew it had only been there for two years. For Rani, it was perhaps not even there at all! I liked the idea of it being imprinted in the mind and that also going through so far as to photographs. It just kept appearing. That didn’t seem to quite add up with engravings within and when Rani added her own mark, the fact she would then wake up with that very mark basically tattooed onto her body was very intriguing. Clyde had a good suggestion in thinking that the tree might be part of a sick building syndrome, but that would turn out to be far from the case! Clyde’s secretive nature of his relationship with Rani was good and by the time the episode finished, it was clear why there had been a number of allusions to the pair ending up together in the previous episode of Destination: Wedding. I feel like the awkwardness at the end of the episode between the pair, particularly from Rani, is just a way to make us wait. I feel like Rani and Clyde ending up together in 13 Bannerman Road would be a fitting end to this spin-off range and tie things up as far as the wider Sarah Jane Adventures are concerned. The moment and build to the conclusion where Phoenix revealed her true colours was a big shock and I think it actually helped emotionally that Clyde was quite slow in realising what had happened. He would be getting no baby girl which was a big shame and the tree actually ended up sucking Phoenix within and it was all recorded live for incredible podcast content! It was eventful, shocking and full of action which was a fine way to end a really strong audio series. Overall, a brilliant listen!

Rating: 9/10

Beyond Bannerman Road: Destination: Wedding

"Why did she invite them?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: April 2023

Series: Rani Takes on the World 1.02

Featuring: Rani

Synopsis 

Rani and Gita Chandra have been invited to a dream wedding on a luxury island resort. But how did Tiff from school end up marrying a film star? And why has she asked all the worst people from her life alongside the Hollywood A-listers?

While Gita samples the canapés and criticises the flower arrangements, Rani sense something amiss... The perfect wedding comes at a rice – but who will be paying?

Verdict 

Destination: Wedding was a great story to continue my way through the Beyond Bannerman Road first series of Rani Takes on the World! I thought this was very good in calmly moving on after an eventful and frankly celebratory opener of Here Today and having a wedding was a good basis for that. It should just be a normal and happy affair, but as the episode goes on the subtle way in which details of something being wrong are revealed was fantastic. I was a big fan of the pace by the end but I must admit that after the first twenty minutes or so I was wondering was this literally going to be a story showing Rani and her mum going to a wedding! Of course, that wouldn’t be much of an adventure and that was far from what happened. Gita arrived on the scene at the end of the previous episode to reveal to Rani that the pair had been invited to old school friend Tiffany’s wedding. It was a slight surprise to Rani given their strained history but who could say no to a trip to an exotic island? Before the pair jetted off though, we had an emotional moment for Rani as she found the courage to step foot back in 13 Bannerman Road. With all of the memories and experiences there, that must have been tough. I was intrigued to find that Mr Smith seems to be broken as Rani jokingly asked after him with her also acknowledging that Sarah had always meant to get him fixed. It seems she never got around to it before sadly passing. I think it was important to establish a reason as to why Mr Smith wouldn’t be used when things are going to go wrong as will surely be the case as this series moves on. This is firmly Rani’s series with nothing more than a cameo for Clyde this time around. His presence was felt in a big way though as Rani was documenting the events of the wedding to him through her voice notes. That was a nice way of keeping him in the loop. Rani was continuously surprised by the guest list as it seemed to contain people that Tiff never got on with. As the episode rolled on, that would prove to be the very point of course. I thought the receptionist was an eery figure and it was clear from the off that he would be behind whatever was happening. I really liked the use of a perception filter to hide the fact that guests were disappearing. The island hardly did a good job in hiding that fact though with photos from each day and the guests consistently getting less and less! Rani and Gita worked well together to work that out and fight the effects of the perception. Their relationship was presented very well and I enjoyed the humour that came from Gita thinking her daughter might be married by now if she didn’t work so hard. I thought she might have been admiring of her drive instead! She would later make sure Rani knew just how proud she was which was nice. Gita taking her own initiative and questioning Kristoffay about his lovely bride. Well, he may have set the world record for the amount of times saying ‘I guess’ in a conversation. He was completely clueless about Tiffany which was fascinating. So why was the wedding happening? None of his family or friends were present and he was even on the phone to what seemed to be his partner asking to put the bins out! He was far from committed to the cause. The island itself being revealed as the enemy was unexpected but it worked well to show what was happening. It was feeding on all those people that Tiffany disliked and one by one they were disappearing. It was quite sad really that Tiffany felt her life had gone awry slightly and she felt she had to show off that she was actually living in luxury. She had the perfect Hollywood ending and whilst the celebrity guests went a little overboard, it was quite amusing in the end. I just felt sorry for Tiffany but Rani was on hand to show her how to put things right. It wasn’t exactly the best objection to the wedding, but she utilised Tiffany’s position in the contract to get what she wanted from the island. They had to provide her perfect wedding, and that would mean freeing everyone despite that being all the island was latched onto in reality. That was a very neat way of tying things up! Overall, a great audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Beyond Bannerman Road: Here Today

"You know what I did as a kid? It's happening again."

Writer: Joseph Lidster

Format: Audio

Released: April 2023

Series: Rani Takes on the World 1.01

Featuring: Rani, Clyde

Synopsis 

Years after her adventures with Sarah Jane Smith and friends, Rani Chandra is a successful journalist – she's brought down a government, and her podcast is making waves. And she's about to be surprised by a visit from her best friend, Clyde Langer – who has an announcement of his own.

But tonight Clyde isn't the only visitor to Ealing... In the skies above, a flying saucer approaches – and only one person on Earth can stop it destroying London!

Verdict 

Here Today was an outstanding story to kick off the Beyond Bannerman Road first series of Rani Takes on the World! I was hugely excited by the news that we would be getting a continuation of The Sarah Jane Adventures characters and story, with Rani almost inheriting the lead role much like she did the infamous 13 Bannerman Road house. I thought this episode did an incredible job in bringing SJA back to life but to a more mature audience given that Rani and Clyde are thirty years old here. Thirty! I feel incredibly old and I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling that way, but it was lovely for them to be catching up here. They clicked again just like old friends always do and Clyde had some very big news! I thought it was lovely that he was able to announce he and Phoenix were expecting a baby. Linking that with Clyde’s troubled relationship with his father and that brief panic where he couldn’t see himself as being a dad was excellent. But of course that would make him stronger and make him an even better dad to his future daughter. I thought the fact he was having a baby girl was wonderful and I loved that Phoenix was more than happy to name her after Sarah Jane. There could only be one name and she was absolutely fine with that. Phoenix was a really likeable character and it was nice that she got on with Rani too. I’m sure we won’t have heard the last of her as this new spinoff continues. It was quite a sad moment for Rani and Clyde to look on at their old school and see that it was now shut down. Clyde was never one for school but even he could admit that he’d enjoyed a lot of good memories there. The references to the Blathereen, evil clowns and Mr Smith were fun stuff as Phoenix and Samira re-enacted the stories they were told by Clyde and Rani respectively, and I appreciated that it was all fun and not mocking their childhood experiences. Samira was a great character with a troubled past to have as Rani’s trusted friend, and the club she owned was a good base for the story to return to once the time loop was reset. I really appreciated the continuity from Farewell, Sarah Jane and it’s quite sad to think that Rani and Clyde hadn’t been in too much contact since the funeral. I thought it was good that Sarah Jane’s name wasn’t mentioned until close to the end of the episode because we all know who is meant when referring to ‘her’ and the passing, but that moment at the end with Patricia babysitting a small Sarah Jane was tremendous. The time loop itself was fantastic and I thought the pace and number of repetitions was perfect. It didn’t get boring and the way Clyde and Rani embraced the problem was brilliant. It was good stuff to have the events of Death of the Doctor work in their favour as they were fizzing with artron energy meaning the effects of the loop weren’t working on them. They remembered everything. I’m glad at the end that it was acknowledged that the Doctor’s other companions wouldn’t be effected too but of course they would be too far from Ealing to help in time. The mention of Dodo and a camper van was spectacular though! The letter readings from Patricia that came between each reset of the loop was superb and her love story with David being the cause of the loop as his ship exploded in trying to time travel was terrific. He was a charmer and even after seeing his old flame Patricia aging sixty years, he still saw the sunlight in her eyes and wanted to whisk her off. She didn’t want to lose her life and after many attempts, they were able to avert the time quake! Following these events, Rani knew she had to stop avoiding entering 13 Bannerman Road after it was left to her even if Sarah Jane wished it all closed up. That meant Mr Smith too. It was an emotional moment where she explained the sadness she experienced every time visiting her parents across the road, but now it was time to inherit her role which sets us up nicely for the future! The continuity there with The Mad Woman in the Attic and the elderly Rani living in the houses was superb. I really appreciated that and it’s nice to confirm that Rani will end up there. It just feels right somehow. The lead into the next episode with Rani having to tackle her mother was fun and I look forward to hearing Gita back again in the next episode. Overall though, a sensational opener!

Rating: 10/10

Doctor Who and the Creature from the Pit

"No one comes out of the Pit alive."

Writer: David Fisher

Format: Novel

Released: January 1981

Series: Target 11

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis 

The planet Chloris is very fertile, but metal is in short supply, and has therefore become extremely valuable.

A huge creature, with most unusual physical properties, arrives from an alien planet which can provide Chloris with metal from its own unlimited supplies, in exchange for chlorophyll. 

However, the ruthless Lady Adrasta has been able to exploit the shortages of metal to her own advantage, and has no wish to see the situation change.

The Doctor and Romana land on Chloris just as the creature's alien masters begin to lose patience over their ambassador's long absence.

The action the aliens decide to take will have devastating consequences for Chloris, unless something is done to prevent it...

Verdict 

The Creature from the Pit was a great novelisation! I was a little trepidatious prior to reading which is probably wrong of me but this story doesn’t have the best of reputations. It’s probably harsh as from my memory the negativity is down to the special effects and not the actual story, but in the televised version it really is difficult to ignore the visuals. They’re always going to have a big impact on the viewer’s enjoyment of an adventure, but alas here there were no such issues as the prose did a really good job in presenting the Creature! It would later be revealed as a Tythonian and honestly from that point forward I think I kind of reached a ceiling when it came to my rating for this story. I was loving things in the first half when the Creature was nameless and not communicating. I know we did need to reach a point of that being the opposite, but it was fantastic to build up the Creature and the mystery behind it. I loved how well the scale and size of it was presented and it really was hard to comprehend. It also seemed obscure in shape and quite odd which just helped with the representation of it being enormous and very alien. I liked the humour that came from the Doctor and Romana in the TARDIS with the latter wanting to install a distress call device that the former had been ignoring for over a decade. He was already busy enough to answer calls and put in technology sent to him from the Time Lords! Their relationship really is staggeringly good and it was captured on the page here brilliantly. I think they have to go down as the best TARDIS pairing and having K9 there to compliment them is just a delight. It really is a dream team. The Doctor was whacky as ever here for the fourth incarnation and the moment when threatened after seeing the engineer thrown to his death and he just jumps down to the Pit is phenomenal. That’s the Doctor at his barmy best. I thought Lady Adrasta was a superb character and positioned perfectly as a villain. I liked as we learned more about her history with the Tythonians and how she was a master of politics. I was a huge fan of hers and she really didn’t mess about when it came to showing off and flaunting her control. She wasn’t phased by the Doctor and Romana and actually was quick to try and utilise their talents. The Doctor displayed knowledge of the mysterious shell structure and Romana was close with K9 who was incredibly value by being all metal. The scarcity of metal on the planet was interesting and it showed that Chloris wasn’t doing so well in terms of technological development. They just didn’t have the materials and the forest couldn’t be held back. That was evident. Madame Karela was a fantastic character too as the assistant to Adrasta and the way she took control and even killed Torvin to show she meant business was excellent. The Doctor was surprisingly violent in this book as not only did he use physical altercation on more than one occasion, but he also talked and trick Adrasta to her death at the Creature’s hands. That was presented very suddenly and it took me back as I wasn’t expecting that with still two chapters to come. Naming the Creature as Erato seemed to take away some of the mystique and allure of it which was a shame, and I do feel if the book ended slightly earlier with an alternate ending we could be looking at a higher rating! The science behind the neutron star threat was slightly far fetched, but the size of Erato was once again evident by the fact he could wrap an exploding star in aluminium. Hell, his people could build a spaceship in just over an hour! That was impressive and even surprised the Doctor. I thought the two penultimate chapters once Adrasta was dead felt a little like we were dragging the story out as despite the title, she was the main story in my eyes. Her fascination with K9 was fun and she didn’t hold Romana in much regard which was amusing, but she needed her if she wanted control of the TARDIS. She aimed to bring metal from ten past to solve their current problems which was good, but she’d never get that opportunity. I thought the ending of the lucky number gag was decent and as a whole this was a book I really enjoyed! I thought it started brilliantly and whilst I wouldn’t say it petered off, it certainly levelled out. Overall, a fine read and much improved with the imagination taking over from 1970s special effects!

Rating: 8/10

The Authentic Experience

"You've been thrown into the past."

Writer: Dan Starkey

Format: Audio

Released: January 2018

Series: Short Trips 8.01

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis 

Tired of the old 9 to 5? The daily grind getting you down? Step this way to discover a universe of possibilities! If you're fed up with looking at screens all day, we can offer the authentic experience: whether you want to be as rich as Croesus and swim in gold, or feel the dirt and sweat of honest toil we're ready for your business. Forget the "Same Old", embrace the "New Old"!

(Terms and conditions apply)

Verdict 

The Authentic Experience was not the greatest of Short Trips adventures by any stretch of the imagination. I’m usually quite generous when it comes to blogging Doctor Who stories as I just love the show and all of the different formats its stories cross, but here I just couldn’t find myself enjoying the audio. I’m not sure if it was the circumstances of listening on a painfully long rail replacement bus after watching the football and seeing Cardiff City lose, but I just couldn’t get on with it. I was intrigued by the synopsis but I just felt the story was trying to do too much. When it clocks in at forty-four minutes long, there’s a lot of potential there for a strong story as I wouldn’t consider that short as the range title suggests. I mean there have definitely been full cast stories in the Ninth Doctor Adventures for example that have gone shorter. So I was bitterly disappointed that this just felt all over the place. Granted I may not have been in an ideal listening environment, but I just felt like the first half of the story was a mess and I didn’t entirely understand what was going on. The fact things started poorly for me made it hard to try and jump back in as nothing was pulling me in terms of enjoyment. I must say that I thought Nicola Bryant did a stellar job with the narration and I’m always impressed with how easily she differentiates her role as narrator from her character of Peri. It often does feel like there are two actresses present which definitely helps with proceedings. I never felt like the story really lived up to the synopsis which w sounded exciting with the advert format, but for me I was never buying what they were selling. The titular experience never really felt authentic and it certainly wasn’t something I would be buying! I wasn’t a fan of how long we had Peri referred to as a male because things moving in the direction of someone almost playing her as a character, and whilst there’s a good idea in the potential of Peri being utilised as a virus, I’m not sure how buyable or believable that was. Peri didn’t even seem convinced herself at the end! I thought the diminished role of the Doctor didn’t help either and that’s something I’ve never quite understood with the Short Trips range from Series 5-8 where we just have a different angled and expression face of whichever Doctor features in the story, even if their role is minimal. This adventure was crying out for Peri on the cover! I thought the moment the Doctor was trying to appeal to Peri and contact her through the past was decent, but there definitely could have been more elaboration on how he was actually going to find her considering she could literally be anywhere! There’s a lot of potential in the idea of mentally travelling back in time, but it just wasn’t handled overly well here. It’s a shame to say but I think if the concepts at the heart of this story were written by a more experienced writer or definitely in a story with more of a cast, this could have been better. But for now, this was not a favourite of mine.

Rating: 4/10

The Fifth Traveller

"The surface is our enemy."

Writer: Phili Lawrence

Format: Audio

Released: October 2016

Series: Early Adventures 3.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki

Synopsis 

The Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki and Jospa land the TARDIS on the homeworld of the Arunde. Emerging into the jungle that covers the planet and encountering the strange wildlife dwelling within, the travellers are unaware that the true rulers live high above them in the trees.

The ape-like members of the tribe are in trouble. The last Matriar's nest has been lost to the surface, and the people are hungry... Maybe these strangers may be responsible. And some believe they may be salvation.

The TARDIS crew are about to find themselves in the middle of somebody else's battle. But there's more at stake than even they can know.

Verdict 

The Fifth Traveller was not the greatest of Early Adventures unfortunately. It is a big shame as I had high hopes early on and I thought the opening part was actually really strong, but as the story went on I found myself losing interest and there was not a huge amount of stuff happening that was pulling me back in. It may be a slight on me as a listener but when I decide that a story is a little disinteresting or just isn’t doing it for me, it takes a lot to pull me back in and this story just didn’t have it. I enjoyed the idea behind it with Jospa infiltrating his way into the TARDIS and becoming part of the crew. It was essentially the Early Adventures version of the Torchwood episode Adam where a similar thing happened there. The idea of memories being planted in the psyche of all of the travellers was brilliant but I thought the approach of having them forget him quite early on was flawed. It was predictable then where things were going. I don’t think early in part two was the right time for some of the TARDIS team to be forgetting him, even if it was temporary. Once he was remembered again I just didn’t find myself caring because I knew that he’d be forgotten again or the truth would at least be outed. I think a bit more could have been made when Ian was forgotten and they seemed to remember him far too quickly. There was definitely potential there to explore a TARDIS team without him. I can’t envisage Barbara travelling without him alongside her! I liked the idea of the Vervidic organic technology and the potential of being able to use it to have the Doctor communicate with the TARDIS was very good. A very iteration of the The Doctor’s Wife would be quite spectacular! It never came to that through unfortunately. The potential of Ian and Barbara being able to get home was good though and is always something I enjoy exploring. Despite the enjoyment being had and the qualities they bring as companions, they’re always intent on getting back to their lives and that’s pretty rare for companions! I like that and it’s nice that they have something to work towards rather than just being there to ask the Doctor questions. Vicki trying to deal with the prospect of losing them was good stuff and probably my favourite aspect of the adventure. She would struggle without them and that was down to her lack of relationship with Jospa. They weren’t massive friends. I wasn’t really bothered by the Arunde home planet and the story that happened there because as the title would suggest my focus was only on the mysterious new fifth traveller. It was all just background to me with the Matriar’s nest and the fear of those on the surface. Some of the descriptions of the TARDIS team were amusing though with them being described as walking on their hind legs and bringing light in the form of torches. Sharna was a good character as the one trying to provide reason to Gark’s description of the newcomers, but she wasn’t overly fussed on his feelings and trepidation. I thought the cliffhangers were a little poor in their delivery as they seemed to just be announced by the narrator when there was ample opportunity for some performance and a bit more of an impact given what was described with the likes of Ian sinking in the mud. It almost felt like the adventure didn’t believe in itself which was a shame. I’m never a huge fan of catching up on a story that’s already happened unseen or unheard, and that’s how this one started so I didn’t overly get on with it from the off. Jospa’s demise was a strong conclusion but he gave himself up a bit too easily with mentions of stuff Vicki had never revealed. I liked the idea of him being on Vortis but he was never going to be able to stand up to the Doctor in a battle of the mind. That was a good showcase of the Doctor’s strengths. I wasn’t a huge fan of the team being respectful to him at the burial given what he’d tried to do, but alas he was no more. Overall, some good ideas but not the best way of putting them into action in my opinion.  

Rating: 5/10

Gobbledegook

"Books are sacred."

Writer: Frazer Lee

Format: Audio

Released: April 2023

Series: Interludes 04

Featuring: Fifth Doctor

Synopsis 

Chief librarian Velar's beloved books are being returned with their text completely garbled at planet Batear's largest library. Batearian books are living things, organically linked via the ancient cave system where they are shelved. Unless Velar's old friend the Doctor can detect a pattern in the chaos, Batear's entire cultural history will become gobbledegook!

Verdict 

Gobbledegook was a good story to act as the opening Interlude adventure from Big Finish this year! I’m a huge fan of this new additional bonus range and getting any extra stories as part of a release or boxset is always welcomed in my book! Obviously, they’re essentially a longer version of a Short Trip adventure given their style of being narrated and only having one actor, but that’s absolutely fine! It’s a welcomed addition to the vast array of content out there and it’s an interesting one here to have the Fifth Doctor travelling solo. In terms of on screen continuity that shouldn’t really be possible but here it seems that his normal companions are off another adventure or simply enjoying a quick break. That’s not unprecedented at all and it’s nice to think that companions can have their own lives on board the TARDIS. It really is rare to get this incarnation of the Doctor alone so I enjoyed having him explore here, but I have to say that I didn’t think much of Dan Starkey’s impression. His narration for the story as a whole was very good but I couldn’t help but think his take on the Fifth Doctor sounded more representative of the Second Doctor. I could hear what Starkey was trying but the inflexions and mannerisms felt more Patrick Troughton than Peter Davison which was a shame. I felt that quite early on and from there I just couldn’t shake that in my listening of the adventure. It didn’t feel authentically Fifth Doctor which was a shame as I rather enjoyed the story! I was not expecting it to feature Velar after the significance he played in the Conflicts of Interest opener of Friendly Fire and his death. It was great continuity and it rounded out the boxset nicely for the latest batch of Fifth Doctor Adventures! It was good to know that the Doctor had met Velar before in a previous incarnation. I loved that he described the Doctor’s regeneration as shredding his skin which was a great analogy for the process! The Doctor even acknowledged that which I appreciated. I liked the focus on books and education in the story with a number of books in the library either going missing from their shelves or just being full of the wrong words. That was clearly problematic and it was where the story got its name as a number of books simply had their words in a jumble. They’d all became gobbledegook! I thought that was fun to deal with and the Thewth as the culprits were decent. They didn’t seem to provide much of a threat and I quite liked how simple the resolution to their problem was. They were a race that had lost their language so enlisting the help of Velar and his students meant that they could transcribe the Thewth’s alphabet and give them back their language and from there their memories and culture. It was quite a nice conclusion really! It was quite the virus on Show but by the end everyone went their separate ways in neat fashion and all was resolved! It was good that Velar might actually join the Doctor in the TARDIS moving forward, but I sincerely doubt that we’ll actually get any further stories featuring them! Overall, a decent story.

Rating: 7/10

The Final Act

"She's a performer. She needs an audience."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: March 2013

Series: Jago & Litefoot 5.04

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis 

It's the night of Jago's biggest show – but he isn't quite prepared for the special guest star... as the curtain falls, can Jago & Litefoot find their way home?

Verdict 

The Final Act was an outstanding story to conclude the fifth series of Jago & Litefoot! This range really is spectacular and whilst I knew it was very popular prior to me delving into it, I think it has really exceeded my expectations. Continuing with four episodes in a series is done so well and I love how there always feels like a contained arc whilst the series as a whole is one big adventure. It’s perfection. After a funky twist by having Jago and Litefoot tackle their fifth series in the 1960s, this serves as a fine sequel to The Talons of Weng-Chiang which is just delightful! The truth about Guinevere is revealed as she is carrying on the family wish of restoring the god Weng-Chiang. Of course that would refer to Magnus Greel here and having him revealed as the big bad at the end of the series is wonderful. It’s fitting that he makes a return to take on Jago and Litefoot given their encounter in on screen television during the Classic era. It’s a fitting final demise for Greel once and for all. Now, the feasibility of restoring the crystal fragments after the Doctor stomped it to pieces is probably far fetched even if it did take years to collect them up and then two lifetimes to put them back together. That’s a painstaking task and the patience required is far beyond my capabilities! I really enjoyed the pacing of this one and after the cliffhanger finish of The Bloodchild Codex with Mr Sin attacking, that felt right and was what it needed to be for a finale. I thought it was good for Detective Slacker to have a prominent role just like the series opener of The Age of Revolution and whilst I know it wouldn’t be possible for him to stick around in the range as we return to 1893 moving forward, it’s a shame he died but he went out in a strong way! Greel taking his form was excellent. I thought Slacker’s reaction to all of the time travel and precious encounters experienced by Jago and Litefoot was amusing and I absolutely adored him saying it was like a less plausible episode of Nightshade! That was such a good reference to Nightshade and one I really appreciated. Ellie had a really eventful episode and that was fitting as I imagine this will be the last we hear of her from her chronological perspective. She’s still having to deal with the pains of immortality and her sacrifice at the end when everything was coming together for Guinevere and Greel was brilliant. She had vampire qualities and that meant even throwing herself into the time cabinet and shorting out the power into Greel, Mr Sin and Guinevere all in one wasn’t enough to kill her. Any ordinary person would be dead, but she hadn’t even aged! She was almost disappointed to have survived and that was a little sad to hear. I thought it was fun that Greel planned to take his time cabinet back to 1893 and change the future as they knew it. How could they defend against reality changing around them? It was quite the plan from Greel. The way he dismissed of Guinevere was great villainous qualities and after a lifetime and more, she should be honoured he claimed. That was very good stuff. The aforementioned sacrifice from Ellie was hugely admirable, but the emotion that came from her surrounding her relationship with Jago and Litefoot was so powerful and the episode highlight for me. As far as she was concerned she’d never see her old chums again now as they departed in Greel’s time cabinet. I loved the hint of things to come for the pair as it appears that they won’t get home immediately which excites me for what might come in the next series! It was also strong stuff to know that Ellie was at Litefoot’s funeral and a stark reminder that our heroes can die. I felt sad that she didn’t get to give them a proper goodbye, and I do hope we haven’t heard the last of her from this time period. Overall, a sublime episode! 

Rating: 10/10

The Bloodchild Codex

"He just aged before my eyes."

Writer: Colin Brake

Format: Audio

Released: March 2013

Series: Jago & Litefoot 5.03

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis 

A stranger arrives at Professor Litefoot's bookshop, in search of a work called The Bloodchild Codex. Soon Jago, Litefoot and Ellie are facing an ancient book which threatens to bring a terrifying power back into the world.

Verdict 

The Bloodchild Codex was an excellent episode to continue my way through the fifth series of Jago and Litefoot! This was my favourite story of the series so far and I really liked how this continued the arc already started in the first two episodes whilst setting us up for a brilliant finale and acting as a very strong episode in its own right! I like the idea of a brain drain killer and whilst that name wasn’t exactly catchy, taking out intelligent people was intriguing and the potential of Litefoot being next was very good. Ellie had a more prominent role in this episode which was brilliant and she really is shining in this series. She knows that Jago and Litefoot will get back to their own time where she will be waiting long in her past. Hearing how she is tackling with her foreknowledge is tremendous and I love that in Litefoot’s library she had to quickly pounce to stop him seeing a book he would write sometime after their return home to 1893. That was fun stuff and a strong red herring to the titular book that was the main focus of the story. The Bloodchild Codex sounds impressive and powerful so I could certainly buy into the idea of it containing the secrets to immortality in the form of an ancestor was fascinating. Never has the dust jacket of a book been so important but when the one remaining copy of the Codex was located, just holding it proved deadly. Both Dreislav and Summer were after the book and the former actually being a former servant of Thomas Bloodchild, Summer’s ancestral relative, was great! The reemergence of Thomas from within the book when Litefoot tried to burn the copy after both Summer and Dreislav were aged to death from holding it was very interesting! I enjoyed the description of him forming semblance in smoke within the fire. He didn’t actually last long being around which was a slight shame given the build up to the importance of the book, but he sounded good and I liked that he came from the eighteenth century. He’d been asleep in the book for a very long time and he genuinely seemed excited by the new world he’d encounter in the 1960s. That hope would never be realised though. Summer’s conversation with Ellie was good stuff and I loved how shocked the former was by the latter saying she wished she could die because of all of the hurt experienced in a life lasting a century. I’ve always maintained I would snap your hand off for immortality but I can also understand how Ellie felt. The threat posed to Dr Evans as the potential next victim of the brain drain killer was intriguing and I liked how that turned out to be the case. Guinevere’s desire for the Venusian crystal that Jago had obtained during the events of Voyage to Venus was intriguing and I was never expecting that to be the key for a very familiar object in the form of Magnus Greel’s time cabinets! Having very recently listened to The Butcher of Brisbane, I wasn’t expecting that to feature and play a part so soon in a story so that was a fantastic surprise. Of course, the surprises didn’t stop there though as within was the all too familiar threat of Mr Sin! Now that really excites me and sets us up very nicely for the finale to come. I’m assuming the time cabinet is how Jago and Litefoot will get back to their own time, but getting there from this point is something I’m very excited to hear! WIgh Guinevere being deduced as the brain drain killer I’m looking forward to seeing how she’s dealt with in the finale as she’s not felt quite that threatening in an episode yet but oozes a chilling villainous quality. I hope she can shine in the finale when the truth fully comes out. Overall, a really strong episode that sets us up very nicely for the finale to come. 

Rating: 9/10

The Case of the Gluttonous Guru

"He was eaten alive by something growing inside him."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: March 2013

Series: Jago & Litefoot 5.02

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis 

There are toads on the loose on the streets of London. People are falling ill in restaurants... and Jago and Litefoot are on the case of food that eats people.

Verdict 

The Case of the Gluttonous Guru was a great story to continue my way through the fifth series of Jago and Litefoot! Following this episode there is definitely a distinctly different feeling this series with the 1968 setting and that’s not surprising in the slightest. Moving to the sixties from the Victorian era is obviously going to make that happen but it really is a stark contrast. I think it would actually feel a little more normal if Ellie wasn’t around but I’m so glad that she is. The fact that things don’t feel normal is a good thing in my mind and it’s opened up a great deal of new opportunities for the series. I’m a big fan of the direction we are heading and I’m now further intrigued by the methods in which Jago and Litefoot will return home to their own time. That being mentioned again makes me think that this will happen at the end of the series and it’ll be fun to hear the main characters interact with Ellie given that they’ll know she’ll live seemingly in perpetuity! That’s for the future though. I think it’s really fun for Ellie to have to try and look after Jago and Litefoot in the new era as despite some weeks having passed since the events of The Age of Revolution, they’re still adjusting to the new era. And who can blame them? It would be a huge culture shock. I was surprised that Litefoot had looked up his own and Jago’s death in the record books as that kind of foreknowledge is dangerous. The Doctor certainly wouldn’t approve! I wonder if that will play any part in future adventures for the infernal investigators once they return back to their own time. I look forward to finding out! Jago essentially being a celebrity is marvellous and the encounter on the bus where he was recognised but then refused entry because of the toad in his pocket was very amusing! It’s always great to hear him revel in his fame. I thought the toad element of the episode was a little odd. I really enjoyed the threat and concept of something eating its hosts from within, but that being represented in the form of frogs lost its threat and aspect of danger slightly. The Swami were an intriguing race and the religious aspect of them worshipping the parasite was pretty good. Sanjaya was a decent character to act as the mouthpiece for the race and them using Jago as a potential host was exciting. He wasn’t having much luck in the last two episodes! His confidence when it came to Guinevere was terrific and he genuinely believed he hadn’t lost his touch when it came to the ladies. She knew of him though, or at least his supposed great grandfather from the time of the Palace Theatre, and she was after something from him in the form of a crystal to power a time cabinet. That sounded oddly familiar for Jago and Litefoot and actually having mentions of Li H’sen Chang was a lovely reference to The Talons of Weng-Chiang. I was a big fan of fleshing out that history and she’s an enticing character that I want to know more about. I thought it was good for Litefoot to arrive on the scene just when it looked like Guinevere may obtain the crystal. I thought the ending was pretty spectacular and the moment where Jago regained ownership of his Palace Theatre was outstanding! It added one mark to my final rating it was that good as he returned to normality and was in complete adoration of having his theatre back. The way he reeled off the rules was delightful and it was just such a nice moment. Fair play to Ellie for arranging that! Overall, a very good adventure.  

Rating: 8/10

The Age of Revolution

"You're something of a blast from the past."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: March 2013

Series: Jago & Litefoot 5.01

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis 

Jago and Litefoot are back in London, but in the wrong century. Reunited with Ellie Hinson, they settle into new lives and investigate new cases... but the past is coming back to haunt them.

Verdict 

The Age of Revolution was an excellent story to start the fifth series of Jago & Litefoot! This followed up nicely where Voyage to the New World left off with Jago and Litefoot being brought home by the Doctor after two outings in the TARDIS in a really fun couple of adventures, but they were far from being in their own time! I was slightly surprised that we didn’t immediately pick up where that adventure left off, but we did get there in the end in a really fun flashback scene! I read the synopsis prior to listening to the story which I don’t normally do and I was intrigued that Ellie was going to feature given the 1968 setting. How has she survived or transported herself from 1893? Well, the answer was a simple one and some fine continuity as we harked back to Litefoot and Sanders when she became a vampire! That’s really fun stuff and ties in well. It’s really nice to keep her along for the ride this series and she also knows of the future. I think they revealed a little too early that Jago and Litefoot would return back to their own as that could have been a good thing to build to for the series, and whilst I’m sure that will still happen it loses its effect slightly as we know it will be successful. But at the same time I can appreciate that Jago and Litefoot would want answers to their future. Some of the comments about their take on the 1960s were very amusing and I was stunned that it was Litefoot mentioning how fond he was of the miniskirts! That felt like it had to be from the mouth of Jago so that took me aback in a fun way. The appearance and attire of women here would certainly be different to that of the late Victorian era! I thought Detective Sergeant Dave Sacker was an excellent character and he was terrific as the narrator for much of the adventure. His knowledge of Jago and Litefoot from his grandfather’s diary was nicely done and I loved how the infernal investigators teased their way into getting him to follow them. They were enlisting his help following the recent disappearance and the quartet getting embroiled in the scheme of Timothy Vee and the Victorian Values Preservation Society. Vee was an amusing character in his nature as part of the television landscape and the way that tied into the actual storytelling was fantastic. We even had the new title sequence cued up! That was a neat addition and was well done. I thought the Society was great too and was the perfect thing to take on Jago and Litefoot. They were living articles of the Victorian era and were firsthand knowledge of that era not exactly being everything that the Society was claiming and hoping to bring back to current life. Them claiming now to be the age of revolution given everything that was going on in the world with them particularly against the current western virtues in the world. That was great and Mandrake being the head of it made him a strong villain. His voice sounded chillingly calm and that added a strong quality to his nature. The use of the Venusian crystal at the conclusion by Jago was good and nice throwback to their ventures with the Doctor, and the flashback scene of their departure leaving them stranded in 1968 was good for listeners of the series who may not have heard their other voyages. I appreciated that. Ellie’s reaction to seeing her old chums present was delightful and I loved that she was now the owner of the fine red tavern establishment. Jago and Litefoot seemed genuinely impressed. The confusion at the end once Jago lifted the spell of the Society was amusing as Sacker was arresting Mandrake for something he couldn’t even remember! The use of television to try and hypnotise the nation was strong and I like how the new time setting provides something fresh for the series. Television is a fine use of that and I was a big fan of Jago’s reaction to TV when appearing on Vee’s show. The ending with Guinevere asking Jago out for a drink was intriguing and leaves me thinking that she’ll play a big part in the next episode. Overall, a terrific start to the series!

Rating: 9/10

Doctor Who and the Curse of Peladon

"The spirit of Aggedor can move mountains!"

Writer: Brian Hayles

Format: Novel

Released: January 1975

Series: Target 13

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis 

Again, the terrifying cry rang out. The Doctor quickened his pace along the gloomy tunnels of the castle. Suddenly, from the darkness lumbered the mighty Aggedor, Royal Beast and Protector of the Kingdom of Peladon!

The Doctor fumbled in his pocket. Would the device work? As he trained the spinning mirror on the eyes of Aggedor, the terrible claws came closer and closer...

What is the secret behind the killings on the Planet of Peladon? Is Aggedor seeking revenge because the King of Peladon wants the kingdom to become a member of the Galactic Federation? Will the Doctor escape the claws of Aggedor and discover the truth? 

Verdict 

Doctor Who and the Curse of Peladon was an excellent novelisation of the classic Third Doctor serial! This was a brilliant story and it’s one that has really grown on me as I’ve rewatched the serial and now read the book. It will be over a decade now since my first viewing of the televised story and I remember being bitterly disappointed by the use of the Ice Warriors and them not being the enemies. Now I’ve grown to accept that not all Ice Warriors are evil and have bad intentions, I could more appreciate their role as part of the Galactic Federation here. I think Peladon is a sublime setting and following on from the Big Finish series based on the planet last year, we really know a lot about it now and that definitely helped with my appreciation of it here. The politics that come with the planet Peladon are excellent and that started off superbly here. I’m a massive fan of a political story and with this just being the opener, it’s really fun to read this knowing what we know of Peladon’s future. King Peladon of Peladon is a fine character and I really enjoyed the relationship he built with Jo. He even proposed to her but she was less willing when the basis for that marriage would be purely political allegiance. Of course, the arrival of the Doctor and Jo was an unusual one as the TARDIS landed on the side of a mountain and fell below once Jo managed to escape! That was good and I appreciated the unique nature of the arrival, along with the predicament of the safety of the TARDIS being nonexistent in the adventure. It’s usually always there as something to fall back on but that wasn’t the case here and the climb up to the tunnels leading to some sort of civilisation was entertaining. Jo was hardly impressed to find they weren’t on Earth after the Doctor promised to get them back in time for her date with Mike Yates. Jo falling back on some of the military lingo she’d picked up at UNIT throughout the story was good fun as she took on the role of a princess of royal blood. She had to display some semblance of rank and I thought she performed admirably. The Doctor posing as the Earth official as part of the delegation for the Galactic Federation was good stuff and the TARDIS falling off the mountain helped explain why they had no credentials. Tradition on Peladon is obviously important and that being presented here was done brilliantly. I thought things were really fleshed out in prose with Hepesh in particular standing out as the High Priest of Aggedor. The spirit of Aggedor lived on in a big way through the priest and that felt slightly weird given what we saw in the form of the hairy beast. It was a ravager but didn’t seem to be on the level associated with worship and to base a society around! Hepesh tricked the Doctor into being sentenced to death thanks to the secret tunnel system that led to the sacred ground where the Doctor gazed upon the great Aggedor. King Peladon considered the Doctor a friend but his hands were tied by tradition and that was something Jo tried to appeal to him about. He was the King so why couldn’t he break with the precedents of law? I thought the other delegates were presented in a fun way and whilst I did remember that it was Arcturus as the one flanking Hepesh, it seemed obvious that we were leading that way. One thing that I found fascinating was the presentation of Alpha Centauri. I’ve always considered the character to be female so to have Centauri presented as either male or neutral was just odd. I did like thought that she was said to have changed colours as her mood altered. That was fun and I’ll be intrigued to see if that is retained in the sequel novelisation. The ending is built to very well and I thought the conclusion was pretty brilliant. Hepesh tries to take control and the Federation delegates are seriously deliberating any involvement in potential civil war, but then the Doctor is able to use his rhythmic tune to have it calm down. The fact Aggedor swipes down Hepesh to death seemed like a fitting end and I loved how upset Peladon was by the occurrence given that he was a fatherly figure. Despite everything, he just wanted Peladon to be bettered. The quick getaway by the Doctor and Jo after the real Earth delegate arrives is amusing, and it’s nice to know in the end that the Ice Warriors helped the Doctor from a death sentence and from civil war breaking out on Peladon. Overall, a fantastic novelisation!

Rating: 9/10