Return of the Repressed

"Corpses don't dream."

Writer: Matthew Sweet

Format: Audio

Released: September 2013

Series: Jago & Litefoot 6.02

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis 

Henry Gordon Jagois troubled. He's having disturbing dreams and the waking hours aren't much better...

Only one man can help – renowned Austrian mental pathologist Sigmund Freud. But even Freud isn't prepared for what he will discover in the mind of an infernal investigator...

Verdict  

Return of the Repressed was another great episode to continue my way through the sixth series of Jago & Litefoot! I’m enjoying the continuation of the slightly different feel of this series and this followed on nicely where The Skeleton Quay left off. Jago was still suffering somewhat from the bad dreams and so having him visit a therapist in the form of Freud was terrific. As I expected, Jago’s reaction to talking through his dreams and what they symbolised was amusing as he wasn’t wholly bought into the whole process, but it’s also intriguing that Litefoot isn’t aware of his own memory loss. I’m looking forward to hearing how that plays out in the rest of the series. The idea of a shared dream isn’t new and it’s something that really interests me. I can’t imagine how freaky that might be and whilst I’m not exactly one to dream often at all, having a matching one would be quite a spooky experience! The link of the baboon was a little odd but the story about Litefoot’s childhood was really emotional and provided a lot of sympathy. It sounded horrific for a ten year old to have to feed a baboon rats and then force it back into confinement with a spear. That’s not ordinary for children to experience! It was also lovely to learn about Jago’s family and childhood with a fun flashback cameo of his mother. It was quite sad to think that Jago didn’t really think of his family, but getting some more background on him was delightful. I’m such a big fan. The discussions with Freud formed the basis for the story which was brilliant and it really did serve well for the hour. I feared early on that it might get stale but that was far from the case! Litefoot was clearly suffering from something of the infernal when it came to the relationship he built with the baboon from the botanical gardens zoo! He was fully in belief that he was conversing with it which was just barmy and rather amusing! It would have been the easy choice to have Jago as the one who was talking with a baboon, so it was a fun twist for Litefoot to have this role given his usual superior intelligence. I really enjoyed the focus on dreams and the revelation that Madame Anna was having the same dreams as Jago was very good. I couldn’t buy into her description of her origin but I did like the link back to the series opener with her coming from Lowestoft. That was what Litefoot suspected with the train journey, but the ending felt somewhat anticlimactic. I did appreciate that she was able to help Jago understand his dreams and being in the guise of his mother that’s no surprise, but it did feel like something of an underwhelming finish to what was a really great episode. It could have been much higher ratings wise which is saying something given the score I did give! As a whole, it was a really fun adventure and Freud being the front and centre was a fantastic approach. His giggling about the idea of a baboon conversing was terrific and I really enjoyed his reaction to Jago having gone to the zoo and blurting out all of the symbolism within his dreams. Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 8/10

The Skeleton Quay

"I thought I felt an icy chill."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: September 2013

Series: Jago & Litefoot 6.01

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis 

Henry Gordon Jago and Professor Litefoot are back in the familiar fog-shrouded streets of Victorian London, but a new calling awaits them... The Colonel, an emissary of Queen Victoria herself, reveals that their services are required by Her Majesty – and their first assignment is to investigate a series of ghostly apparitions at Shingle Cove...

Verdict  

The Skeleton Quay was an excellent episode to kick off the sixth series of Jago and Litefoot! This spinoff range really does continue to impress me and whilst we’ve had five series of what is basically a loose ongoing arc, it appears we’re moving in a slightly different direction here with the memory loss impacting our titular characters following their return to their own time at the end of The Final Act in the previous series finale. That’s an intriguing direction and I’m really looking forward to hearing that play out, and it was hinted at very nicely early on with Jago having a dream on the train to Shingle Cove. He was dreaming of the Voyage to Venus and Voyage to the New World events which was fun because they do sound rather ridiculous for Victorian men to experience! The relationship between Jago and Litefoot was brilliant here and it was a rare outing in the series without Ellie featuring. She was a noticeable absentee and it leaves the moment she reunites with Jago and Litefoot to come which will be fun given what happened last series with them meeting her in the future. I thought the Colonel was a little suspicious and with Queen Victoria being absent again at the end of the episode, I’m not convinced he does represent the Crown. That should be fun to hear throughout the series. Camilla Tevelyan was a superb villain and whilst it was clear she would have a prominent role from being on the train, I didn’t immediately suspect her as the villain! But she was brilliant and it was fun for Jago to be somewhat smitten. Her position as owning the docks and the family history of covering up her father’s actions was really good to dig into. He’d actually purchased all of the shingle which resulted in the village collapsing beneath the cliff and she wasn’t exactly showing any remorse for the families impacted. That’s exactly what you want from a villain though and her ability to disappear and have an excuse made her more than suspicious as far as Litefoot was concerned. Isaac Pawley was an intriguing character and the revelation at the end that he was actually a machine and had recorded the devastation of Shingle Cove falling into the sea was excellent! He was one and the same with the fog which was fun and I loved the imagery of the skeletons coming at the end to ensure that Tevelyan would serve justice. The line of daughters suffering the sins of her father was excellent. I thought it was fascinating that Pawley saw the world on a different light spectrum too which meant that the skeletons was how he saw others, hence them being mistaken as the ghosts of the past when it came to the recording of what had happened at Shingle Cove. It was a strong setting but it will be nice for Jago and Litefoot to return to their old stomping ground. I’m longing for them to be back home at the Red Tavern! Jago even remarked on how his pie was good quality but not up to the standards of his faithful institution. This was not what I was expecting from Jago and Litefoot’s return to their own time, but I thoroughly enjoyed it in a unique setting and having them on a mission. The way things ended with even Litefoot now forgetting their ventures with the Doctor to Venus and beyond was brilliant and sets us up very nicely for the series ahead! Overall, a superb series opener.  

Rating: 9/10

War Against the Laan

"This is a massacre."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: March 2013

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 2.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana I, K9

Synopsis 

'Just a taste of Armageddon, Romana. It's what happens when acquisitive minds are left unencumbered by conscience.'

The Doctor, Romana and newly elected President Sheridan Moorkurk take on the all-consuming powers of business tycoon Cuthbert and his vast Conglomerate. But the situation goes beyond a struggle for political power. Cuthbert is intent on revenge on creatures he feels have attacked his interests. But when his revenge looks like leading to inter-war species war, the Doctor knows the stakes couldn't be higher.

The Laan are on the move. Is it too late to prevent the destruction of all life on Earth?

Verdict  

War Against the Laan was a great story and conclusion to the adventure already started in The Sands of Life to continue my way through the second series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! It’s rather odd to be getting a five-part story over two releases, but it’s a very solid adventure. I do think it’s a little odd to basically just continue as if nothing happened and there wasn’t a break of a month between releases, as even though I only listened to the first three parts yesterday a recap would definitely have been beneficial. Instead it just picked up immediately where the previous story finished as if we were just changing discs which wasn’t the case. Anyhow, that’s not a knock on the story itself but rather the scheduling format from Big Finish. It seems a little like cheating. I think the Laan were more of a threat in the story now they were established and whilst I’m not a massive fan of their appearance from the CD cover artwork, I did like how Romana was used to communicate with them. She had a very strong outing here and whilst it’s sadly clear to hear that Mary Tamm is somewhat noticeably older with her performance, she did well with that telepathic link. It saved them from near destruction when she was able to convince them that she and the Doctor were not part of the Conglomerate that were trying to kill them. It was fun for the Doctor to cotton onto the fact that Moorkurk was new in her role as Earth President and learning that she won unexpectedly because of a surge in the protest vote against the Conglomeration was terrific. She would utilise that and show to the media that the organisation was actually being used to help combat the threat of the Laan. The telepathic link between over three hundred women on the planet was intriguing and the female connection being exploited was excellent. Cuthbert was a bit of chauvinist and didn’t buy the theatre act he thought it was. He was only interested in business and his history with the Laan was a good revelation and helped explain his irrationality. They’d prevented a previous experiment of his so he had meddled to make them think that the sands of the Sahara Desert were where they had birthed, giving him an excuse to commit genocide. The Doctor was horrified and it just made him an even stronger villain. The fact that even after the Laan were saved from destroying the Earth that nothing could really be done against Cuthbert was fantastic as he was just too powerful. Business really is politics. The Doctor and Romana pressing hard on Tallister for his defence of just following orders when he killed a member of the Laan species was really good and I just love how disgusted they were by this action and the potential result of war. I really enjoyed that one by one the elder Laan were giving birth which provided some jeopardy as we headed towards the third and final birth which would trigger disaster. The brain pattern of the Laan being similar to that of the TARDIS was intriguing and explained how Cuthbert was able to shape things up for them and have them believe that Earth was their sands of life. Cuthbert was as mentioned not really going to see justice, and that leaves things open for him to return which very much excites me! K9 being damaged is a shame but this was a strong showing for the Fourth Doctor and Romana I. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10

The Sands of Life

"Those creatures dictate what happens and when."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: February 2013

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 2.02

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana I, K9

Synopsis 

Sheridan Moorkurk has just been elected president of Earth... but the harsh realities of who really runs the planet are just beginning to dawn on her. And what's more, she's starting to hear voices.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Romana encounter a mass of aliens heading to Earth... Aliens who have already made the mistake of upsetting the infamous Cuthbert, all-powerful CEO of The Conglomerate, by destroying one of his space platforms. 

Will the Doctor and Romana be able to avert inter-species war that will destroy all life on Earth?

Verdict  

The Sands of Life was a very good Fourth Doctor Adventure! It has been a long time coming for me to get back on track with the second series of this range and staggeringly it has been nine years now since I listened to the series opener of The Auntie Matter, but I now intend on completing the series consecutively following a Scribd free trial which has all of the stories. This one fits in nicely amongst the Season 16 Key to Time arc on television with the randomiser very much in play, but I liked that it wasn’t the focus here and we could get something that felt almost isolated for Romana I. It’s no secret that I much prefer her second incarnation, but it’s nice to expand on that singular television series for Mary Tamm’s incarnation. She does well here. Tom Baker is tremendous as the Fourth Doctor and I loved the confusion in the TARDIS with him referring to Romana as Leela and K9 as Sarah. He was almost regressing! Time slippage is a fun concept and I thought it was utilised well here. The threat of the Laan was on an incredible scale and the fact there were seven-and-a-half billion of them was frightening. It’s almost an unfathomable number and the revelation at the end that they were all returning to Earth for birthing was scary. We’d seen what one birth could do with the effect on Time, but the prospect of billions meant the very fabric of Time would be on an incredible wave. I thought the Conglomerate was a very strong organisation and its CEO in the form of Cuthbert provided us with a superb villain. I was really impressed with him and it was fun to hear David Warner get to play the bad guy as I’m just used to him being the Unbound Doctor now. He played it wonderfully well and made a really big impact. He was outspoken against the newly elected President of Earth, but he still tried to exert his influence on Moorkurk. He was quick to boast the importance of his company in helping economic and social policies, pointing out that despite a new woman in charge that nothing really changed. Politics really is just business and Cuthbert was exploiting that in a big way. I thought the three part format was unique and I had no idea prior to listening that it was this kind of duration. I knew it formed a story with the next release, so the part two cliffhanger was just how I figured things ended! It’s a good job I kept on listening past the end credits. The parrot in the TARDIS was amusing and I liked that Romana was the one in contact with the Laan telepathically. That was tried to be exploited which was to her detriment, but she was determined to get information about them rather than use brute force like General Vincent was trying. I’m not sure how I feel about this story being told over two releases, especially with a three parter here, but I’m intrigued to hear where things move from here with the Laan looking to be more of a focal threat now they’re within their sands and birthing is a real danger. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10

Terminus

"She was trapped in a section of the TARDIS that was tearing itself apart."

Writer: John Lydecker

Format: Novel

Released: September 1983

Series: Target 79

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis 

When the TARDIS console is wilfully sabotaged, the Doctor's time machine becomes dimensionally unstable and begins to dissolve. The area immediately affected is the room where Nyssa is working by herself.

As the creeping instability closes in on her, the TARDIS locks onto the nearest passing spacecraft, and the process of collapse is halted – but there is no sign of Nyssa.

Hoping that she has escaped onto the strangely deserted host liner, the Doctor goes looking for her. Whether or not he finds, getting back to the TARDIS will be no easy business...

Verdict  

Terminus was a decent novelisation of the televised story of the same name! I knew beforehand that this book was rather unique in style with it having no chapters at all. I don’t think that’s unusual for just Target books, but books in general! I was intrigued to see how I would take to a format like this because it just felt wrong prior to reading. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to read it all in one sitting so that just made the lack of breaking points a real issue for me. I couldn’t really understand why that approach was taken and it actually hindered the enjoyment by the time I reached the final quarter or so. It just felt like an endless build but without those definitive chapter endings or cliffhangers, it did feel like a bit of a drag and slog by the end which is a shame because the story is one I really enjoy. I know for a fact I’d have scored this higher if it was in the more traditional style. I thought the opening quarter of the book in particular was excellent with Turlough meddling and putting a big spotlight on his relationship, or lack thereof, with Tegan. She’s very suspicious of him since his arrival in Mawdryn Undead and her feelings certainly haven’t altered. She was less than impressed in being asked to provide him with the TARDIS tour and this was all important information for Turlough in his task to kill the Doctor under the Black Guardian’s demands. It’s an interesting choice to put the Black Guardian on the cover as he only really appears in italics from the mind of Turlough, but his presence is certainly felt throughout which is good. I thought the idea of Turlough ripping the heart out of the TARDIS was strong and the chaos it caused was exciting. His trying to put the blame of Nyssa’s experiments was amusing as Tegan certainly wasn’t having that. It’s interesting to see just how the Doctor doesn’t really feel either way regarding Turlough. He just wants a bit of peace and Tegan isn’t going to provide that! The link to the Terminus was terrific and I liked the idea of time moving different there thanks to the slippage which meant the window to return to the TARDIS was short. Turlough got their first by the end and that would set up his adventures to come with his private conversation with the Doctor, but I have to say that the Black Guardian really didn’t choose well when it came to getting someone to kill the Doctor! Turlough is pretty spineless let’s be honest. I have no doubts that Tegan would eat him alive. Kari and Olvir were good characters and I really liked the relationship garnered between the latter and Nyssa. The Trakenite companion had a really solid adventure as she was in her element when it was discovered the ship was a leper one! The Lazar disease was deadly so having her infected by it was great, and the cure being radiation didn’t seem safe. And it wasn’t. It was basically random and could actually lead to many more illnesses down the line, so she felt she had a purpose now because she knew that with the facilities and medical advancement of the Terminus that she could do good. That was an admirable way for her to depart the TARDIS. The importance of the Terminus being at the centre of the known universe was good and it was intriguing to think that it caused Event One from a time chain reaction explosion that propelled it billions of years into the future of the universe it created. Good stuff. I was less of a fan of the Garm and that might just be because of the name sounding a bit ridiculous. More backstory and description on it would have been good in prose. The conclusion was exciting with the risk of catastrophe but it did seem to end very suddenly and without a whole resolution. It was acknowledged that for Nyssa there was work to do to ensure safety and whilst she is more than capable and a safe pair of hands, it felt a little like leaving on a cliffhanger. The final page heading into Enlightenment was well done, but as a whole this was a strong story in a weak format. 

Rating: 7/10

Earth Aid

"Make it so."

Writers: Andrew Cartmel & Ben Aaronovitch

Format: Audio

Released: July 2011

Series: Lost Stories 2.06

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Raine

Synopsis 

Welcome aboard the space vessel Vancouver. Its mission: to guard a vast shipment of grain from Earth t the planet Safenesthome.

Its Captain is called Ace. She seems a little unsure of herself. In fact, some might almost think she was new to the job...

Its medical officer is called simply 'The Doctor', and he's perhaps not all he seems either.

When mysterious ships target the Vancouver, Ace and the Doctor are pushed to the limit. Meanwhile, there's something nasty in the grain containers. And it's not very happy...

Verdict  

Earth Aid was a great Lost Stories adventure to conclude the quartet of stories for the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Raine that began way back with Thin Ice, a story I listened to nine years ago. That makes me feel very old as it really doesn’t feel that long! Raine’s backstory was established there with her being a baby, and the continuity we got here with Crime of the Century was more of the focus and what worked well. Of course, at the end of Animal and by the way this story started I wasn’t sure if she would actually show up in this adventure with her wanting to take a break from the TARDIS, but that didn’t mean she would escape trouble! The cliffhanger for part one with her being the one inside the safe was excellent and a fun way for her to arrive in the adventure. I’m not entirely sure where we move from here with her as a companion because it would be a shame to have her story unfinished, but it’s been terrific having her compliment the Seventh Doctor and Ace. I was intrigued after listening to find that this story was actually intended to open Season 27 and it’s a darn shame that this never made it to screen. I think it would have worked well. The humour that came from Ace being the Captain was excellent and she was so unequipped for the role which was tremendous. Even the way she spoke was wrong with her using old cliches or just lingo not fit for being a captain. Simplicities of lines like landing instead of docking were wrong and it didn’t take long for Yanikov to cast his doubts. He was a fun character and almost immediately he was questioning Ace’s credentials in her role, and the penny finally dropped for Shepstay when she was unable to perform a landing, something all captains were qualified and trained to do. The dynamic between Ace and Yanikov throughout was certainly a highlight. I thought Ingrid Oliver as Baraki was superb and it was so fun to hear her excel in a role other than Osgood. She was so good and it’s fascinating to think this actually pre-dated her first appearance as UNIT’s scientific advisor. She was brilliant here. I thought the return of the Metatraxi was decent and I was glad they didn’t appear with their ridiculous altered translation voices. Their desire to be feared as a warlike species is amusing and they were almost shocked that anyone might view them in a way other than that. The revelation of them being the original inhabitants of the planet and being forced to live in harmony with the Grubs was most unexpected! The Grubs themselves were very amusing and I enjoyed the conversation with the Doctor initially as they were actually very thankful for the grain that was provided! The humans and Metatraxi being less appetising was a very strong line and showed they weren’t as innocent as their demeanour and voice made them out to be. The mutiny against Ace was good and whilst the ingenuity of her attracting the Metatraxi by firing their weaponry seemingly endlessly was great, she could never last in her captaincy role. The ending was somewhat calm after an exciting conclusion, and I do hope we haven’t heard the last of Raine as she was left with a story unfinished in my estimation. Regardless, this was a really fun romp! Overall, a great Lost Story and I’m intrigued to think that this concluded a quartet of adventures when it was due to be a season opener. Oh what could have been!

Rating: 8/10

Animal

"Your blood is not pure."

Writer: Andrew Cartmel

Format: Audio

Released: June 2011

Series: Lost Stories 2.05

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Raine

Synopsis 

Margrave University in 2001, and Raine Creevy is enjoying her first trip into the future.

For the Doctor, there are mysteries to solve: what are the alien creatures imprisoned in the science labs? And what are the true motives of the student Scobie and his followers?

Wit enemies on all sides, the Doctor teams up with his old friend Brigadier Bambera and the forces of UNIT in a battle for the future of the whole world.

Verdict  

Animal was a really strong Lost Stories audio! It has been such a long time since I blogged the first two stories of Thin Ice and Crime of the Century in this loose quartet of adventures that may have acted as Season 27 on screen, but at least I’m better late than never! I can’t quite believe it has been nine and seven years respectively since listening to those aforementioned stories, but I didn’t feel adversely impacted thankfully as I remembered Raine’s backstory very well as she made a very big impact with the Doctor being there at her birth and then joining as companion years later. It was a fine introduction and we also got a really strong return here in the form of Brigadier Bambera. She makes a strong return after appearing in Battlefield, but surely she would have known who Ace was? That was a little odd but it was fun for their arrival at the university in 2001 to have UNIT greet them there. In typical Seventh Doctor fashion, he’d planned ahead and Bambera was there already with fake guises and documents for Ace and Raine to go undercover and investigate. That was a fun beginning and brining Raine to the near future of 2001 was good too. The benefit of the release date was utilised well as obviously we now know exactly what 2001 was like, something that wouldn’t be possible in 1990 if this was broadcast as a televised adventure. The comments on the music were fun and so typical of people listening to the sounds not of their own time. I thought the social circles that were recruiting Ace and Raine were fun and the characters of Scobie and Willa were really strong. The former in particular was rather deranged and his discussion with Ace about being a herbivore was borderline hilarious. She had just ordered a beef burger but had to return it much to her chagrin which was amusing. She was most definitely a carnivore! Willa was more in the know and knew that Ace and Raine already knew each other despite what they were feigning. She wasn’t a saboteur and was very concerned about Scobie as well. His scientific studies were fascinating and the fact he had a massive satellite on the outside of his halls was quite the image! I didn’t get any of that at university, although mine was very much focused on humanities and arts so who knows? The Numlocks were a decent enemy and their makeup as scientists requiring an iron supplement beyond the stars was rather unique. They sounded less than threatening and I actually preferred the plant like communication earlier in the story. Their plan for pure blood consumption was decent though! It put so many in danger after they’d signed up for something they didn’t have full knowledge of putting themselves in grave danger. It’s weird, but I felt like the main plot was actually secondary to my enjoyment of the story and it was just fun to have Ace and Raine undercover. The relationship between the Doctor and Bambera was presented well but it was never going to recapture the glory of the Doctor and the original Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. It was still lovely to see her back and provided good continuity. I thought the build to the conclusion was well done and I thought the pace throughout was excellent. The Numlock weren’t revealed too early and it just flowed along very nicely. The way the Numlock were dealt with felt a little underwhelming, but the fate of Scobie at the hands of UNIT was amusing. The disappointment felt of the Doctor returning the alien threat home was understandable. Raine looking up her father on the internet and finding him dead would have been a big shock so it’s no surprise she opted to chill out for a little while before returning to her TARDIS travels. Overall, a great audio!

Rating: 8/10

The Burning Prince

"We don't have the right to wipe them out."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: September 2012

Series: Monthly Adventures 165

Featuring: Fifth Doctor

Synopsis 

The Drashani Empire – a galaxy-spanning civilisation, the glory of Rome set among the stars. But for decades now, the Royal Houses of Gadarel and Sorsha have been at war, each claiming the Imperial throne. 

The wedding of Prince Kylo and Princess Aliona was meant to change all that – a blessed union between the Houses, a new hope for the Empire. Until Aliona's wedding galley crash-landed on the planet Sharnax – and all contact was lost.

The TARDIS lands aboard the ship carrying the fiery Kylo in search of his lost princess – but with a sabre-toothed monster roaming its corridors, the Doctor soon discovers he's not the only alien presence  aboard.

Verdict  

The Burning Prince was a great Monthly Adventure audio! This has kicked off the latest trilogy in the range and this looks set to follow the format of Excelis in having a story with a different incarnation of the Doctor. That’s a refreshing approach although I do think the trilogy style has perhaps run its course now. There’s nothing wrong with a singular release! It was fun to have the Fifth Doctor travelling alone after leaving Tegan and Nyssa in Amsterdam, as it’s just so rare to get a solo outing for this incarnation. Peter Davison was excellent and I think this must rank as one of his better performances in the role on audio. Upon arrival he was immediately thought of as a stowaway spy which was fun and he had to defend himself, which he did admirably and quickly gained the trust of those around him. The political nature of the story was very strong and whilst more focus could have been made of the Drashani Empire as a whole with it supposedly being Rome amongst the stars, I really enjoyed the society and landscape that was created here amongst the stars. Having politics on a cosmic scale was really fun and presented very well here. The royal houses of Gadarel and Sorsha were due to be brought into unity thanks to the wedding between Kylo and Aliona, but the latter’s ship had crashed and she was thought last. That was good and the search for her provided a good basis for the plot to build towards. Kylo was a fascinating character and his nature as a pyrokinetic was quite something! It’s obviously where the title of the story is derived and the ability to conjure up a fire from pure thought is spectacular. It would prove useful but it being generated from stress meant there was a strong emotional effect. He was rather crazed! That presented a good dynamic. His love for Aliona was admirable and it was used against him brilliantly by the princess. When her true intentions were revealed, she was a sublime villain. She taunted Kylo for his love for her and even used it to save her own life and throw him out of the airlock! That was brutal, but somehow not as brutal as the moment where she cut off his hand in order to extract the DNA of his royal house when she admitted that a mere lock of his hair would have been sufficient for her purposes. That was incredible. The Doctor had questioned the validity of two houses at war coming together thanks to true love and it was indeed one of convenience after all. But only Aliona’s! She was deranged and it appeared that the war would be over after all. That was true, but not as she wanted with Tuvold deceptively turning on his niece after convincing her that he’d fallen in line. The message he sent out regarding ceasefire was really clever and well done. Shira sacrificing herself to save the prince from the Igris was a really powerful moment and I thought the part one cliffhanger was superb as they were crashing to a planet ravaged by the ruthless slave race in their thousands, right after just one had taken out the ship’s entire military crew! The Igris didn’t really live up to that billing, but with the focus all on Aliona I didn’t really mind. The use of burning by Kylo was good and it’s a shame that the princess did die as she had such strong potential as a villain. The sacrifice of Corwyn was a good moment too and I loved the Welsh accent in space. That made me proud. The use of the weapon focusing on DNA resulting in Tuvold killing himself to take out his niece and peace be preserved was fitting given her intentions. The Doctor was pretty horrified by what had happened here and his line at the end was powerful. Overall, a really strong audio!

Rating: 8/10

Purity Unleashed: Time-Burst

"History is not safe, Mel. Not even in the TARDIS!"

Writer: Ian Potter

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 3.03

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Mel

Synopsis 

Tracking the anomaly that erased Hebe from history, the Doctor and Mel find an instability in Sheffield, 1864. Who is Mrs Virtue, the mysterious owner of the new steelworks? And can the Doctor untwist history before a natural disaster washes them all away...?

Verdict  

Time-Burst was a very good episode to conclude the Purity Unleashed third series of Sixth Doctor Adventures! This was a solid conclusion to the story arc that was started in Purity Undreamed, and to my surprise judging from the cliffhanger that it seems the theme of purity is far from over! I liked the name of this episode a lot and even prior to listening it felt right for the finale in which it was safe to assume that Hebe would be restored. It’s great to hear how mature Mel is alongside the Sixth Doctor and getting more and more extension of their relationship and adventures together is most welcomed because we barely got that on screen. I liked the reference to The Trial of a Time Lord with Mel mentioning how she and the Doctor met in the wrong order when it came to the issues of time interference. That was also heightened by the fantastic Catch-1782 reference too when it came to potentially meeting Hebe’s ancestors. Continuity really was strong in this story as the city of Sheffield was referenced as having a strong affiliation with the Doctor thanks to his travels with Evelyn. That was a really nice comment. I enjoyed the Sheffield setting and whilst I’m not entirely convinced that it would be suitable hub for world domination and building the ammunition required to rule and maintain control from the Sheffield steel factories, it’s fun to think how things come full circle with the Thirteenth Doctor era also being focused on the city for its first two series. The concept of patrician was excellent and it was a fun word to use given Patricia McBride’s desire to change the past and build a stream of time that she could flow across herself, one she had constructed. There was a lot of potential there and she definitely seemed a little more crazy here which coupled well with the calm demeanour. It was the perfect combination for a villain. Patrick and Mary were really lovely characters and the former being encouraged by the latter to get a job at the soon to be opened factory owned by Virtue was good stuff. The story that followed as he was horrified by the wages on offer was good and that heightened the interest of Virtue. This was obviously a disguise for Patricia and it was fun continuity with Purification to have her in the same guise as the backer behind the Better Party. Patrick soon realised that he wouldn’t be able to leave the factory so it was good to have the Doctor and Mel help Mary in finding him. Colton was a good character as the muscle behind the factory and I really liked that the Doctor was slipping through time. His explanation of being in the same place twice rather than in two places at once was a fun twist on words and it proved useful to see a potential future, even if it was only a glimpse. Patricia trying to utilise the flood of the Dale Dike Dam was not something I expected and it was fun for the Doctor to have forgotten this event. It was another example of the Doctor and Mel having to ensure a catastrophic and tragic event in history stayed true, but I liked that Mel at least enquired about the possibility of saving some. That couldn’t happen though. Patricia’s exploits had soon caught up with her and the suit was impacted by the Doctor’s tracking and the constant pulling through time. Patricia had overused it and despite the Doctor’s warning when trying to reshape history, she activated one final time and was ripped apart in the Vortex. I do wish the Doctor had defeated her by more conventional means, but it was also fitting that she essentially defeated herself. Her industrialisation monopoly and pure future were no more. The Doctor and Mel heading to Hebe’s flat and being greeted by her and Ron was fun because it provided a sensational cliffhanger. They had no idea who the time travellers were and Ron was prepared to kill them, in the name of Purity! That was very exciting and sets us up nicely for the next series. Overall, a fantastic finale!

Rating: 8/10

Purity Unleashed: Purification

"We have to make sure he sails to his doom."

Writer: Chris Chapman

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 3.02

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Mel

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Mel follow the trail to a port in New Zealand, 1910. A ship is being prepared for a journey to Antarctica and the Doctor realises that this is Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition. But this is merely the beginning of an intricate scheme to rewrite the future of humanity.

Verdict  

Purification was a great story to continue my way through the Purity Unleashed third series of Sixth Doctor Adventures! This was a big improvement on the Broadway Belongs to Me! opener and there’s definitely some strong continuity regarding the search for Hebe and linking back to the Purity Undreamed series. This was much like what should have opened the series and whilst it was no secret from the artwork for the series that Patricia McBride would make a comeback, the moment she was revealed still felt triumphant. It’s easy to forget how involved she was in the last series as Hebe’s associate and it’s actually scary to think the former and now lost companion is how Patrica was introduced to the world of time travel and the Doctor. Her ideology is frightening and the way she is trying manipulate time and change history is horrifying. The very name of the political party being the Better Party immediately has negative connotations and actually getting the explanation of Hebe’s disappearance being purely that she was disabled is scary. Patricia is some villain in that regard! She genuinely believes that the world would be better off without imperfections and that’s quite terrible. Her calm nature and just shrug of the shoulders demeanour makes her even more fitting as an enemy. The fact she’s human makes it all the more shocking too. The link back to Chronomancer with her suit abilities is good continuity and her fate by the end of the episode in embracing herself as Purity itself gives credence to the series umbrella title. It’s a mad concept really to think that purity wouldn’t include disabled people as we’ve seen already from Hebe that she can offer a huge amount. She’s a big asset and I’m sure she’ll remain that way once she is found. I liked the setting here of 1910 New Zealand as it’s not very often that we venture this side of the globe, and there was an important voyage that needed to happen as history intended. Meddling was in full force though and it would seem that the Terra Nova expedition wouldn’t be going ahead as planned. I thought tackling with the idea of ensuring that it did sail despite the death it would cause was fantastic and it was some way to try and bring Hebe back. Would it actually change her fate if this was altered? Thomas Rodden was a fine character and I thought Elizabeth too was wonderful. She went onto have quite the life and the time jumping around was fun as we saw her at her Cambridge interview. She was also involved in politics as a MP which was really good stuff too. History had taken quite a shift! Patricia listening to her suit’s instructions was intriguing and just the meeting of Thomas and Martha would cause issues, and did. Jasper Woodward was another great character and the effort to introduce him to Elizabeth was fun stuff and provided some good humour for the Doctor and Mel as they kept busy. The fact Patricia killed Jasper in such a matter of fact way was astonishing and something I really didn’t see coming! It seems the suit had found another way to provide Patricia with her purification and it didn’t involve him. I thought it was a little easy that the Doctor had planted a tracker on her, but using the time and space visualiser earlier in the story was a nice throwback. Overall, an episode that addressed a lot of important points and ideologies whilst setting us up for what is bound to be an exciting finale! A great listen. 

Rating: 8/10

Purity Unleashed: Broadway Belongs to Me!

"We don't want to miss the Broadway debut of miss Melanie Bush!"

Writer: Matthew Sweet

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 3.01

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Mel

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Mel begin their search for Hebe in 1930s New York, where history is taking a dark turn all of its own. On Broadway, they discover a genuine aberration of the timestreams: Behold America! – a hot shoe show set in a future Fascist United States. Starring Melanie Bush. Opening tonight...

Verdict  

Broadway Belongs to Me! was a pretty average start to the Purity Unleashed third series of Sixth Doctor Adventures. After the huge cliffhanger at the end of Chronomancer as part of Purity Undreamed, I felt like for a series opener where the intention was to try and find her this didn’t deliver. In isolation, it’s not a bad episode by any means as my still relatively strong rating reflects but it just didn’t live up to the billing for me. I fail to see how spending five weeks rehearsing on Broadway was the way to find Hebe! It was quite fun to think that Mel would be the lead in a Broadway musical and I was so happy that my fears of this episode being wholly a musical were not realised. I’m not a fan of musicals at all so this one more being about a musical was better than I anticipated. I didn’t mind that at all and it was actually quite fun to hear some of the songs. Tackling the issue of American fascists was really good and unexpected, with some of the political issues raised not feeling too indifferent to British politics today which is a shame. All the talk of identity and nationalism. It all felt very Brexit. I’ll try not to get too political on current day but it was fun to explore the strong issue of fascism in America just prior to the Second World War. A fascist rally is not the kind of thing you hear that Madison Square Garden hosted to build its reputation! That was startling to learn and an appreciated addition to my education. I think one thing that was missing from the story was any real sense of urgency. That was severely lacking and I think that needed to be present considering one of the Doctor’s companions had vanished from time. It was good that they were tracking her, or at least attempting to, but once the Broadway involvement happened it felt like they didn’t mind if they took an age. The humour that came from Mel having to lead the show after the timey wimey nature showing her past self that she’d already be its star was decent, and the ridiculousness in which she and the Doctor helped orchestrate the broken leg of the previously intended star Lydia Putti. The revelation that the entire cast and even the audience were an ensemble alliance out for revenge against the Doctor sounds so much better on paper than the actual delivery. It was very underwhelming and whilst the moment where the Doctor thinks Julian is either the Master or the Rani was quite funny, it soon petered out into just feeling a bit drab. I’d describe the whole alliance as meh to be honest which was a big shame. I couldn’t buy that the Doctor didn’t remember any of them from a past encounter! That seemed too coincidental for all of them to then form an alliance. The use of the same cat badge being in the same time but two different versions of it to create the means to defeat the alliance was good, but I found the whole point of the musical being to get the Doctor photographed in a way that would make him look like a fascist or at least a fascist sympathiser as far too convoluted. Surely there was a better and easier way? Like surely! I do wonder if the Doctor checking in his infamous coat and having multiple versions of that will play anything into the Interlude that accompanies this release, but I guess I’ll find out later this week! Overall, the episode was decent and had some good elements but it just lacked the urgency it really needed in the search for a companion lost in time. 

Rating: 6/10

The Nemonite Invasion

"A mass of baby Nemonites twisting and thriving."

Writer: David Roden

Format: Audio

Released: February 2009

Series: NSA Audio 03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis 

When the sky rips open somewhere over Dover, two objects hurtle out of the Vortex and crash-land in the sea. One is the TARDIS, out of control and free falling – but the other, a mysterious crystalline sphere, is far more sinister.

The Doctor and Donna are rescued and taken to a secret command centre in the Dover cliffs. It's May 1940, and Vice-Admiral Ramsay is about to finalise one of the most daring plans of the Second World War: Operation Dynamo.

But something else has got inside the War Tunnels, a parasitic Nemonite from the crashed sphere. Its aim is to possess all humans and spawn millions of young. The Doctor and Donna must fight for their lives in order to save both Operation Dynamo and the world at large.

Verdict  

The Nemonite Invasion was a very decent New Series Adventure audio! I’m a big fan of expanding the wider Doctor Who universe in any way possible and getting a little addition to the Series 4 era of the Tenth Doctor and Donna here is delightful. Whilst it’s sadly not a full cast drama, we do have Catherine Tate as the performer and she provided a really entertaining reading! She’s incredibly talented and it’s going to be so exciting to see her return later this year as part of the sixtieth anniversary festivities, but for now this was a nice reminder of how good Donna is and can be. She’s the main character as you might expect given Tate is the narrator because it’s always her scenes that feel the most authentic. Her impression of the Tenth Doctor was slightly lacking but I think Tate just decided from the off that she wouldn’t try and impersonation of David Tennant. That’s an approach I have no problem with as I’m sure if she wasn’t confident in it, then why bother trying? The dialogue was good though and felt authentically Tenth Doctor which I liked. The writing was definitely good in that aspect. I thought the story perhaps went too long which sadly probably lost a rating point on my final verdict, it did become a slight slog with a feel of dragging by the end, but that also isn’t helped by the fact it’s a reading and not a dramatisation. The setting of 1940 was excellent and I really liked that we had the Doctor and Donna involved with Dunkirk. That’s a legendary bit of history so having that under threat was terrific. It was exciting because the effects that would have on the outcome of World War Two if it didn’t happen could not have been positive for anyone other than the Nazis! Ramsay was crucial in seeing that it would happen so the moment he mentions that he isn’t going ahead with Operation Dynamo because of the risk to ordinary civilian life was fantastic. I do think he was convinced to take action a little easily though. It wasn’t exactly the most convincing speech by the Doctor! The banter that came between the Doctor and Donna because of the latter’s lack of historical knowledge was hilarious and I liked that she didn’t even want to know some of the names. She knew they were in a uniform and that was all she needed to know. I’m not sure it feels right that Donna would get involved with anyone romantically, but that seemed to be the case with Fossbrook! He was a good character and the flirting that came with him was fun. Donna was always in control though as you might expect. She enjoyed flaunting her boisterous personality amongst the ranks of the Royal Navy. The Nemonite threat was pretty good although I do feel with the format and reading style it was slightly difficult to fully get across how dangerous it could be. The image on the artwork doesn’t strike me with fear either, but for the 1940s it was good and the mingling of alien meaning foreigner was fun to explore. The Doctor proved he was an alien and the shipmates’ reactions to the likes of the TARDIS and the Doctor’s age was good stuff. The emotion that came at the conclusion with Fossbrook’s sacrifice and involvement in defeating the Nemonite was good and I absolutely loved that the Doctor made sure Donna knew just how much she meant to him. The splurge of superlatives for her was a wonderful moment and just what she needed in that emotional and rough moment. Overall, a good story!

Rating: 7/10

Paradise Found

"Kangs! Always getting into mischief."

Writer: Sean Mason

Format: Comic Strip

Released: October 2021-April 2023

Printed in: Paradise Found 1-4

Featuring: Kangs

Synopsis

Years have passed since Kroagnon, the great architect, returned to wipe out the inhabitants of Paradise Towers. The inhabitants now prosper under the leadership of the magnanimous reign of General Favalan and her soldiers. The residents want for nothing. They fear nothing. After all, in paradise, what is there to fear?

The residents have been told that Paradise Promises Possibility. For Viv-2, a young Kang with a restless heart, Paradise Towers offers everything but adventure. She yearns to find some trouble to get into, but maybe trouble is looking for her as well...

Verdict

Paradise Found was a really strong comic story! I’m a huge fan of what Cutaway Comics are doing with a number of Doctor Who universe related licenses and I do hope they continue despite what appears to be a somewhat shaky schedule! For example, the first issue of this comic adventure came in September 2021 and the fourth and final issue was only delivered to me in April of this year! That’s a long time to wait for a full story so I’m very glad that I waited to read any of it until all parts had been delivered. I think it makes for smoother reading and with a story being released gradually over nearly two years, I’m definitely happy with my approach! Revisiting the world of Paradise Towers is a really strong idea and one that definitely held its own in comic strip format. It was a vibrant world and the Seventh Doctor tale really did make a big impact. The world building potential here is terrific and I thought it was utilised very well. Viv-2 was our main character as a Kang and just revisiting them as a group was tremendous. Whilst I’m not a massive fan of names such as Bin Liner or Can Opener, I think they’re a really intriguing bunch and the gradual way throughout the adventure that they take back Paradise Towers was very good. It was a good build and I thought the cliffhangers were a nice change of pace in not exactly presenting peril but more a question of what will happen next as we lead into the next issue. I don’t think that should be permanent for all stories, but it definitely worked here. Considering this is a comic strip, I have to commend the artwork for this story. I thought it was outstanding and definitely the best of the Cutaway Comics stories to date. It was tremendous. The world of the Paradise Towers offers some good potential for artists as it is so vibrant and full of colour, but even so I was massively impressed and I really appreciated what it added to the story. Whilst my focus in comic strips is on the words, the visual aspect is obviously so important and I really liked it. The revelation that apex had survived was very good and it was fun to explore this world after the Doctor had supposedly solved the problems and left it in a better place. It turned out Paradise Towers was not left as promised and Favalan was ensuring that it stayed that way. She was an evil woman in charge of keeping Paradise Towers perfect. I could understand her way of thinking in that what was the problem of everyone enjoying everything they could ever want? But Viv-2 thought that people deserved a choice and the truth. Not everyone agreed with that which was good and presented a good dynamic of conflict. The Inbetweens having gone off for war was good and I thought the little revamped design of the Cleaners was brilliant. They made such a big impact on screen the fist time around so I’m glad they appeared again here. It’s fun that the Doctor was only referred to as the traveller due to licensing restrictions and it’s fun that the Towers do return to the state that the Doctor expected them on his departure. That won’t interfere in any future appearances for the Towers which I like. The return of Kroagnon within Pex was brilliant and I liked the fear just the mentioning of his name provided. The way he was defeated was very good and the brutal way in which the inner conflict was ended with Viv-2 stabbing in the neck in the water was strong violence! I didn’t see that coming but it felt real and apt for this setting. Favalan was also killed brutally beforehand in the back. By the end, all was restored so I’m fascinated by the promise that the Kangs will return. I’m excited for it though! Overall, a really strong comic adventure in a terrific world!

Rating: 8/10

Project: Nirvana

"He looks happy to be dead."

Writers: Mark Wright & Cavan Scot

Format: Audio

Released: September 2012

Series: Companion Chronicles 7.03

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Sally, Lysandra

Synopsis 

The place is Eastern Europe. The year is 2015.

The TARDIS lands in mid-air, and Captain Lysandra Aristedes is dropped into a daring mission in her own past. There are enemies and creatures out there in the night, and the Doctor is waiting at the rendezvous point.

Because this is all the part of his bigger picture. And Aristedes is going to learn something about herself...

Verdict  

Project: Nirvana was a really strong Companion Chronicles audio adventure! I must admit I completely forgot this story existed until I found myself scrolling through my unplayed list on the Big Finish app and I saw it and it clicked in my head that I was finally in a position to listen to this story with full appreciation. Whilst the events of this Chronicle take place prior to Black and White for Sally and Lysandra, I think it was good to have listen to that and the subsequent Gods and Monsters trilogy finale to fully understand where things were here and where they would head to. The timelines can get a little jumbled and that was only heightened by us meeting an earlier version of Lysandra for the bulk of the story, but that’s also fun! It was good continuity to have the TARDIS exterior as being black, although I maintain that the colour of the police really isn’t that important! It’s still fun to picture it as something other than its iconic blue though. The trio of the Seventh Doctor, Sally and Lysandra has a lot of potential and I’d love to hear more from them, though I’m not sure that will be the case given how things were left for them. So inserting a Companion Chronicle is a nice touch to catch up on their adventures. It was tremendous to actually have Sylvester McCoy voicing the Seventh Doctor in this adventure, something rather rare for this range. It really helped in making it feel authentic. The two main leads being the actresses for Sally and Lysandra themselves was terrific too and I really enjoy their dynamic. There’s a respect between the pair and an understanding of their military rank and where that places them in the hierarchy. So having Sally encounter a younger version of Lysandra from the past when she was fully ingrained in being part of the Forge was excellent. Just revisiting a time where the Forge was very powerful was fun stuff and it provided a nice history lesson. The story arc regarding the Forge has been going on for an incredibly long period of time. I really appreciated that the title was another project and the Nirvana one here was really interesting and tied in very nicely to the Monthly Adventures story arc of Elder Gods. Derleth was another of these gods and the exploration surrounding her was very good. I found it uncomfortable when Sally was laughing too much after she was essentially consumed by Derleth and that was exactly the right feeling required. It was good stuff and provided the basis for a strong villain. Having one of the Elder Gods be female was a nice touch too. This was a strong female focused story so that was rather fitting. I was a big fan of her. The action in the story was impressive, especially for the audio format and I did enjoy the train sequence to open the first episode even if it wasn’t always clear what precisely was going on. It was exciting and it peaked my interest. Lysandra being aware of the dangers of meeting and physically interacting with her past self was good and showed just how in the know the Forge were. She couldn’t understand why she didn’t remember the encounter though given that she was literally seeing her past self experience it. I thought we’d get something akin to the multi-Doctor stories with the time differential balancing out, but we had a good explanation of Lysandra taking Delerth into her own mind and that being why she couldn’t remember the past encounter. Deep trauma meant the memories were buried and that was pretty fitting. Overall, a really strong adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Pioneers: The Beautiful Game

"This is a big day for football."

Writer: Katharine Armitage

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 3.03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis 

The Doctor decides to treat himself and attend the historic meeting which founds the football league. But he arrives a week early!

Instead, he must enlist the help of a hotel maid to battle an obsessive alien before it consumes everything that will ever be connected to the beautiful game...

Verdict  

The Beautiful Game was a decent story to conclude the Pioneers ninth boxset of Ninth Doctor Adventures! Whilst being an enjoyable episode, I felt slightly let down by how the birth of the Football League was used. I was super excited by the idea of the Doctor visiting the birth of football competition as we know it today and it was also terrific for the northern incarnation of the Doctor to be visiting Manchester at a time where the battle for football was very much in place. The perceived riches of the south wanted to keep the game amateur whilst the hard working people of the north needed it to become professional. I thought that was fun to explore and I really enjoyed the historical education on a subject I absolutely adore. I’ve actually written an essay at university on there not being enough space to play association football during the last decade of the Victorian era, and then my dissertations focused on the competition between association football and rugby in terms of popular from 1900-1950 across my Bachelors and Masters. So it’s safe to say this is a subject I know very well! I follow Wales everywhere (I’ve been to Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Qatar and Croatia in the last twelve months following the national team) and I’m a Cardiff City season ticket holder. Football is ingrained in my life so I was slightly disappointed by the villain here. The Strike didn’t feel right by name as it was obviously a link to the football theme but I wasn’t keen on the concept behind it needed to consume something it latched onto. Football was dangerous for that at this point in time given the importance of the formation of the Football League. Hearing William Sudell discuss the meeting that would establish the league and the points system was tremendous. I loved that he hadn’t even considered a draw! That was fun stuff. I enjoyed the ridiculousness of his sexist attitude but it was a timely reminder of the way women were seen in society at this time. The popularity of women’s football would lead to it being banned for half a century which is rather frightening, and he almost laughed off the idea of women entering the league. Daphne was the true pioneer in this episode in my opinion and the way she would contribute to the future of football was terrific. She was clearly a woman ahead of her time. She knew that even if women got the vote soon it wouldn’t be for women like her working in the kitchens, and amazingly she understood that this was her place. She didn’t like it but she embraced it and that was quite incredible. Daphne really was not afraid to challenge men and that was brilliant. She was certainly companion material and by the end she even knew that the Doctor was from the future! His comments about the future of women’s football were great and I liked that he felt Daphne could know. Her importance was established in the pre-titles with the Doctor earning the man of the match award in a space match after getting a late hat trick. The idea of Autons being substitutes was fun but I do wish football was taken a bit more seriously. The ending was predictable as the Strike was consuming too much and then the Doctor set it on canals. What could possibly go wrong there? It was a little underwhelming and I didn’t like that the Strike became the focus because of football being at threat, rather than exploring the origins of the Football League more. Overall, a decent adventure and a fun education!

Rating: 7/10

Among Us: Moderation

"They're trying to kill her."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.04

Featuring: Tyler, Mr Colchester 

Synopsis 

Tyler Steele has a job moderating the comments section of a website. His old friend Petra is a star reporter for the newspaper. And Tyler realises the newspaper is going to kill her.

Verdict  

Moderation was a decent story to conclude the Aliens Among Us seventh series of Torchwood. I fully appreciate that the intention with this opening boxset was to have four individual episodes and that was certainly achieved, but this did feel slightly underwhelming as a finale. It was still a good episode as my rating reflects, but this definitely felt like more of a setup for the boxsets to come which I’m not sure is right for a finale! Regardless, it was a good story and it highlighted Tyler Steele fresh off a great cameo in Beyond Bannerman Road which makes a lot more sense now with him employed at a news organisation. He was the perfect fit to be Rani’s secret source! Barry Beans was a pretty terrible person and that made him a fun character because I was anticipating his downfall throughout. He was essentially a modern Nazi with his far right views not exactly hidden. All of the employees that left his news outlet were of a diverse background and the fertility clinic was having an 86% strike rate on producing children that were blonde and blue eyed. That was pretty frightening! Almost as much as the AI technology he’d been using that called a cab when he performed the Nazi salute and heiled. Horrific. He was just a bit of knob throughout. Petra on the other hand was a really likeable character and I’d actually be in favour of her replacing Tyler in the Torchwood team. She was really good as a journalist and she wasn’t afraid to tackle the norm or reveal the truth. Big pharma didn’t like her and that meant she was probably onto something. After getting involved in the controversial subject of vaccinations, she’d been reduced to the more whacky news stories but she embraced it. The way she questioned protestors and fact checked them outside a school after they were chanting against the teaching of homosexuality was wonderful. The power of media is frightening in our digital society and this was highlighted so well here. Following the story of Charlie and the experimental science to try and bring him back to something of a functioning human seemed odd at first, but the moment where the AI interface actually started to work was triumphant and felt big. I actually felt glad so the reveal at the end that it wasn’t Charlie at all was tremendous and certainly gets me excited for the next boxset. Just what is the AI? It’s obviously going to be linked to the voice on the phone at the end of Aliens Next Door and it’ll be fun to tie everything together as the series goes on. Before we got there, Tyler would bring down Barry Beans and his organisation but I wasn’t massively in favour of him. I’ve never been a huge fan of his and that didn’t change here with his drunkenness and desire to take drugs. He just wanted to forget and not feel anything for a few hours. I’m not a fan of people who do that so I just can’t relate to him and he’s everything I’m not. I thought Mr Colchester was severely under-utilised in the episode too and it was a big shame that he was literally reduced to being a taxi driver for Tyler. That was a really lacklustre follow up to his triumphant emergence in Colin Alone, where was the follow up? I thought that was very poor. As a whole though, it was a good episode and whilst the discussions on algorithms and code were a bit beyond me it was still interesting. Overall, a decent story!

Rating: 7/10

Among Us: Misty Eyes

"Your days at Torchwood are over. It's a new life now."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.03

Featuring: Gwen, Rhys

Synopsis 

Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams have made a new life for themselves in Iceland. Away from death and aliens and horror and Torchwood. Until theres a knock on the door from the last person they want to see.

Verdict 

Misty Eyes was an outstanding episode to continue my way through the Among Us seventh series of Torchwood! This was easily the best of the series so far and must rank as one of the greatest since Torchwood’s official continuation after Miracle Day moved to audio. I really did think it was that good and it’s quite incredible that it only featured three characters. But they were three brilliant ones! It was lovely to catch up with Gwen and Rhys and they seemed to have finally found some sort of peace after the disaster that struck Cardiff. I really liked that they were still trying to support their home city with charitable efforts and relief, but it did feel like they couldn’t face going back there and that was completely understandable. They’d found themselves isolated in a little remote area of Iceland which was nice and just hearing the pair having fun was really nice. Their sexual innuendoes were a lot of fun and having to adjust them to the cold of Iceland with cardigans and woolly socks playing a part was very amusing. So with them settled in their new life, having new jobs and just enjoying themselves, the last person they wanted to see was Ng. Her arrival to their new address wasn’t greeted well and I was quite surprised by how calm Gwen was. She was more shocked than angered but that soon turned. Ng hoping to get the Torchwood team back together again was good and I really hope that Gwen will be a part of that in the future, but for now it doesn’t seem likely. Gwen politely telling Ng to get the fuck out of her life was sensational after her calm greeting and quickly saying that no she hadn’t heard from Jack. Ng using that as an excuse for her being there was good but she was actually hoping to protect Gwen. After everything Ng had done to Gwen including killing her mother, she didn’t want to hear about what she was trying to do. That was understandable, but Rhys was slightly more accommodating and at least could hear her out. I enjoyed the mystery that only Gwen could see the misty figure out from the window and that led to her own private investigation of the cliff area. Ng was there to find her and explained that her own past was coming to haunt her. I thought the idea of the misty figures all bearing the image of Ng was excellent and learning that they were all essentially the souls of those she had previously inhabited was tremendous. And now they were coming for Gwen! That was rather scary and she was in a lot of danger. The emotional conversation between Gwen and Ng on the cliffs was magnificent and really hit home just how the former felt about the latter. And yet in typical Gwen Cooper style she just went and saved the day by showing what kind of person she was in appealing to the mystery figures that denied Ng a renegotiation. The fact that Ng’s first was her own child was a big shock and her justification of not sharing the maternal bond was horrific. She had become human now and Gwen appealed to them to show that the deal was already broken. That was sensational. The emotional torment that occurred during the episode was really strong stuff and whilst it was a pretty simple adventure, it was so effective. Overall, an outstanding story!

Rating: 10/10

Among Us: Colin Alone

"Everything seems to be going wrong at once."

Writer: Una McCormack 

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.02

Featuring: Mr Colchester, Colin

Synopsis 

Colin Colchester-Price has been left behind. But he's kept calm and he's carried on. He knows his husband is out there, saving the world for Torchwood. And he'll comeback for him. One day. Soon. Surely.

Verdict 

Colin Alone was another great story to continue my way through the Among Us seventh series of Torchwood! This was a powerful story full of emotion and a reminder of just how dangerous it can be being a part of Torchwood. Mr Colchester had vanished and he’d been gone a long time which was rather uncharacteristic of him, and that had taken a big toll on Colin his husband. I was a little trepidatious prior to listening because I figured that it would be an adventure with Colin as the lead character, and I just was not sure whether his character was strong enough to hold my interest for an hour. Well I was proven wrong! This was really powerful writing in exploring what life is like for those left behind when Torchwood and the job comes first. Of course, the job is a crucial one with it often concerning the future and safety of the human race, but Colin didn’t know where his husband was and towards the end almost seemed like he’d given up hope. As a listener, I never doubted that Mr Colchester would turn up at the end to save his husband and that’s exactly what happened. But before we got to that moment poor old Colin was absolutely put through the wringer. He had been mugged and had his phone stolen, the landlord at his flat refused to fix the leak until he’d paid the surcharge which his statements appeared to show he had actually done, and then that meant that the lights were also out because of a fire hazard. The buses to work were infrequent and just not on time meaning he was often late and reduced to sorting through the recycling! He was having an awful time of it just going through everyday life and I really did feel genuinely sorry for him by the time the episode was coming to a close. Nothing at all was going right and that was becoming a little tough to listen to. I was really hoping he would catch a break. His constant interrogation by Jeff and Mira was intriguing and they were fascinating characters. I’m sure we’ll learn more about them in a future episode as Mr Colchester seemed to know who they were, or at least who they were working for. Were they special ops? The police? The Committee? We never knew and that’s a shame, so why was Colin offering up information to them? That’s a detail I think could have been beneficial. They were probing in an annoyingly friendly way but they were hardly subtle in their efforts to locate Mr Colchester. The unclear evidence pointed towards him being in Sydney for a weapon purchase and that upset Colin. Not because of the weapons but because they’d always wanted to go to Australia together! That was just another tug at the emotional heartstrings. I thought the emergence of Mr Colchester was very good and it was great to hear him once again. No matter the fate, he was always going to come to save his husband and whilst more answers will come in the future regarding where he was and who the security forces interviewing Colin were, he didn’t waste time in shooting them both. That showed just how ruthless he could be and it had Colin taken aback slightly, but he was sure they had it coming! I’m intrigued to hear where things move from here and another mention of Torchwood being scattered was good as I’m looking very forward to the inevitable reunion. But for now, a triumphant return for Mr Colchester and after this episode I do wonder if we’ll get more from Colin moving forward. Might he even join the team? He was enjoying seeing this side of his husband and that really worried Mr Colchester. Overall, a really strong story! 

Rating: 8/10

Among Us: Aliens Next Door

"Look at us, two aliens watching the lives of humans."

Writer: Ash Darby

Format: Audio

Released: May 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.03

Featuring: Ng, Orr 

Synopsis 

Mrs Betty Clerihew has an exciting in her spare room. Torchwood are hiding out there, watching the comings and goings of her estate. Apparently, monsters are living on the cul-de-sac.

Verdict 

Aliens Next Door was a fantastic episode to kick off the Among Us seventh series of Torchwood! I must admit that I’m not sure how much I can buy into this series being the official seventh of Torchwood, but rather I think of it as the third series now of something of a spin-off range. I’m still a little behind on the Torchwood monthly stories and with this one kicking off with Orr and Ng, I’m glad to find that this appears to be something of a separate continuity. Or at least you don’t need to be up to date! I think it’s good to kick off the new series with original characters from the range and this served as a fine reminder of their qualities. I thought it was important to address the elephant in the room of Captain Jack’s absence given the controversies surrounding John Barrowman at the moment. It’s a huge shame that he isn’t a part of this series or the continuation of Torchwood, but the show can certainly survive and even thrive without him. Sure, it would be better to have him around but at least they addressed his absence which made sense given the way everyone seemed to go their separate ways at the end of God Among Us. Jack could be anywhere! Torchwood was in fragments now and I liked that Cardiff was still recovering from the great flood. That was important continuity given the scale of what preceded up to now. The relationship between Orr and Ng was very good but it was clear that the latter was up to something regarding the former. Reiterating the empathic abilities of Orr was important to re-establish given the amount of time that has elapsed since the previous series. I was intrigued as to what was actually happening in the episode but as it went on, I really appreciated the slow build. Betty Clerihew was an intriguing character and she seemed like she was hiding something right from the off which was fun. The idea of Torchwood being reduced to camping out in her spare bedroom and taking stock of what was happening on the street was brilliant and showed the decline whilst also highlighting their ability to survive. Torchwood will go on! Betty knew they were special ops and Ng didn’t even hide that they were from outer space, but the old woman didn’t seem to believe them. The way racism in modern Britain was addressed here was tremendous and it’s not something Torchwood has shied away from in this audio series. I was really impressed. Hakan was a good character and I couldn’t help feel sorry him. He was being targeted as a sex offender, had his cat stoned and his home was offensively graffitied. He really did have a lot to deal with being a man of colour and a different nationality which was shocking. It really is horrifying to think that stuff like this still happens in modern society, and it was addressed really well here. I thought the history behind him was intriguing and the fact that he was trapped in his own experiment was a really good revelation of what had happened. Ng knew that was the case and she was apologetic to Orr for bringing her there. She was empathic and felt a little too much. The involvement of Betty was expected and her accusations levelled towards Ng and Orr were pretty amusing. I really liked how things ended in potentially setting us up for the future of the series and the overall story arc with the child on the phone who claimed to be a friend, but they knew now where they were. It seems Torchwood was due to come out of the shadows and that’s very exciting! Overall, an excellent start to the series. 

Rating: 9/10