Not a Creature was Stirring

"Does Chalstone Manor have any ghosts?"

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Printed in: Ten Days of Christmas 03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

Return to the incredible days of Ten this Christmas...

For the Tenth Doctor, the festive season always brought adventure.

In fact, he's saved Christmas across space and time more times than we ever knew...

Join the Doctor (and Donna and Martha and Rose, and other friends old and new) for incredible tales of daring and danger. From Daleks plotting to save humanity to Sycorax working to exploit it... from star-narwhals massing on the Moon to a toy factory in space.

Because even in the jolliest of seasons there's a world or two to save.

Verdict

Not a Creature was Stirring was another great story to continue my way through the Ten Days of Christmas collection! These short stories have started pretty well and after some solo outings for both the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors, it was nice to have Donna join as a companion here. I liked that for her it was somewhere early in her run as a companion, presumably right after The Doctor’s Daughter given the way things flow in those first five stories of Series 4? I can’t think of where there would be room to have it otherwise as I doubt this would come before her first visit to an alien world in the shape of the Ood Sphere. I could be wrong though! I liked how it was Christmas quite clearly from the decorations on show at Chalstone Manor, and the way Donna deduced that it was a National Trust building was very humorous. Even the chairs and what have you had tinsel decorated across them meaning you couldn’t even sit down. That was a severe level of protection. I thought the manor made for a strong setting and I must admit I thought the assumed rodent was going to be a Cyberman at first. Especially with the grey description and knowing what we do about the little metallic mites! Sadly, that didn’t turn out to be the case but the actual answer of the separated Surveyor and Jarcon was absolutely fine. I really enjoyed the Doctor’s reaction to Surveyor announcing its name because he too had a title. He liked that and it was a fine example of good writing for the Tenth Doctor. This certainly felt of the era which is a big compliment in my eyes. Celia was a good character as the head of the manor and the psychic paper revealing the Doctor as pest control was fun, but he wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity to be assumed as a person wanted and of power! He’d certainly have some unique methods of pest control with the sonic screwdriver, but this was no ordinary pest. I think the shift to have Donna go back in time was terrific and the humour that came from her being accused of a witch was tremendous. She was less than impressed as you might expect and didn’t hold back about her comments despite the sensitivity of the time. The legend of the ghost was intriguing and with it talking of the Skinny Man the Doctor soon had a good idea of where and when Donna had gotten to! The Doctor ending up back at the first sitting in 1340 was good stuff and that far back is not a time we often visit so I appreciated that even if it was a fleeting visit. Donna being a quarter of a millennium in the future was perfect for her and the way the Doctor saved her from her ducking was nicely done. Molto bene indeed! The reunion between Surveyor and Jarcon was simple and a neat way to tidy that element up, and I did like that Celia was able to get a glimpse of the TARDIS dematerialising. I think the highlight of the story for me though was Donna’s memories of Christmas and recalling how Wilf wore his cracker paper hat for the entire Christmas holidays and played silly games. Of course, she now had different memories thanks to The Runaway Bride, but that original memory for her was lovely to read. Overall, a fine story!

Rating: 8/10

Saviour

"No wonder we keep our skeletons hidden."

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Printed in: Ten Days of Christmas 02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

Return to the incredible days of Ten this Christmas...

For the Tenth Doctor, the festive season always brought adventure.

In fact, he's saved Christmas across space and time more times than we ever knew...

Join the Doctor (and Donna and Martha and Rose, and other friends old and new) for incredible tales of daring and danger. From Daleks plotting to save humanity to Sycorax working to exploit it... from star-narwhals massing on the Moon to a toy factory in space.

Because even in the jolliest of seasons there's a world or two to save.

Verdict

Saviour was a really strong story to continue my reading of the Ten Days of Christmas collection! This didn’t have too much of a Christmas theme which I was a fan of which is quite ironic given the title and expected content of the book along with the time of year in which I am reading, but there really are so many Christmas adventures out there. This one touched upon ancient Gallifreyan conflict which I thought was tremendous and I loved the idea of the Doctor coming up against a Vampire. It was fun stuff to explore that history and whilst it wasn’t overbearing or the main focus, it was clear that the Vampires had a big part to play in the history of the Doctor’s people. The duration of their life was explored well and I really liked how the Vampires were simply shown to be adhering to their natural biology. Was it really wrong for them to obtain the sustenance they required to live? That’s quite the dilemma for the Doctor as even though they’re not exactly acting evil, they’re not being too pleasant either. But they needed blood to survive so if the Doctor prevented them from getting that, he’d be condemning them to death. Tackling with that is fun stuff. I liked the style of the story in being split between the narration and perspective of Alessandro and a Vampire. The former was very protective of Jess but she had been chosen as the lifeblood of Agon. Exploring the concept of a Vampire being linked to one human for their blood was a new and intriguing take on the Vampire species which I thoroughly enjoyed! It was different and the idea of Vampires making a human fall in love with them from that first blood feed was great stuff. It was chilling and somehow realistic. Vampires don’t quite feel like aliens or villains so the means to relate to them is surprisingly close. Maybe it’s the normalisation of Twilight? I’m not sure but there’s just something there. I liked how the Vampire was telling their part of the story to the Doctor and they didn’t hold back about their feelings or history. It was a strong account and didn’t hold back in mentioning any details. The Doctor was good at selling the threat of the Vampires but I also really enjoyed how he had a plan. He’d tracked the ship that wasn’t actually a shooting star and knew what it contained. So he’d stop them. I was a little less sure about the means of achieving that through talking and convincing, but alas I wasn’t overly against it. I’m not sure how feasible it is for one Vampire to accept that they didn’t have to be evil. By linking with the Doctor, which was never going to go well, they had been granted the gift of not needing to bond with just one human. They could feast on them all now, but the Doctor hoped they would actually use that differently and have all the other Vampires feed off them! That was strange and quite a bold attempt from the Doctor, but it seemed to work. It felt slightly anticlimactic in a way and a somewhat sombre ending, but that’s not a bad things I just think a bit more action could have turned this into a short story classic. Regardless, it was still a really strong read and a fine way to get the Tenth Doctor stories in the collection off to a start! Overall, a great little read. 

Rating: 8/10

Vengeance on Varos

"Your story is far from over."

Writer: Pete McTighe

Format: Webcast

Broadcast: 01 November 2023

Series: Tales of the TARDIS 1.03

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The Doctor and Peri meet to remember their first conflict with Sil on the planet Varos.

Verdict

Vengeance on Varos was another lovely episode to continue my way through the Tales of the TARDIS! This one felt a little different than the first two which is great as keeping things fresh is definitely a good idea. Having the central story as Vengeance on Varos initially doesn’t seem like the most obvious choice for the Sixth Doctor, but by the end I thought it absolutely was the correct one because of where Peri is now in her life. The initial moment between the Doctor and Peri was just wonderful and I was so delighted with the acting from both Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. Both have obviously aged since we last saw them in The Trial of a Time Lord, and that was addressed for each character in very different ways! For Peri, she was now a Warrior Queen after marrying King Yrcanos and it was really nice for the Doctor to have caught wind of the songs sung about her. She was revered and had a stunning reputation which was quite incredible. That’s a big level of maturity and development from the Peri we got to see on television. I’m a big fan of that character evolution. I won’t touch too much on the omnibus version on Varos for this episode as I’m much more interested in the two scenes that bookend it - and I’ve blogged it before in both television and novelisation formats! - but it was fun to revisit the level of violence in this era. It absolutely works and I think I even enjoyed the story at hand more on this viewing. It’s a brilliant one and a fine example of the more distant and enigmatic early version of the Sixth Doctor. It’s very different to the one we meet inside the Memory TARDIS! I liked how different this meeting felt as it certainly had the impression that Peri arrived to the Doctor rather than the Time Lord joining her there too. He was well aware of the remembered TARDIS element and what it meant which was intriguing. Perhaps a memory of his visit to tell the story of Earthshock with Tegan? That would certainly make sense. The Doctor acknowledging his changed appearance of being both older and bigger was quite amusing although I’m not sure the latter was necessary! It was just wonderful to see new content with the Sixth Doctor after so long. The way he led into the events on Varos and how that shaped Peri into the character she was and her own destiny was a really nice touch. It made sense to go with it and was fun to explore. The moment after the omnibus was also lovely as it seemed that the Doctor and Peri as they were here would now move on to have adventures of their own! I’m not sure how Peri would know what buttons to press to pilot this TARDIS, but seeing them set off together again was really nice. Peri wanting to honour Yrcanos with an annual memorial visit was nicely included as well. As a whole, this was another delightful meeting that may not be the last for them! That’s fun to think about. Overall, a terrific episode. 

Rating: 9/10

The Giggle

"Every single human being thinks they're right.

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 09 December 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary Special 03

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna, Mel, Fifteenth Doctor

Synopsis

When the human race is driven to insanity by the giggle of a mysterious puppet, the Doctor finds himself caught in ancient foe's deadly games.

Verdict

The Giggle was an extraordinary episode of Doctor Who to conclude the sixtieth anniversary run! These Specials have come and gone in a flash but crikey have they contained a lot. And this was easily the best of the bunch. This was enthralling for an hour with just so much going on. We knew from the cliffhanger at the end of Wild Blue Yonder that things were going to get straight into the action but it really didn’t stop did it? This was full throttle mayhem in the absolute best way. The Doctor being captured by UNIT because they were desperate was excellent and the fact that Kate gave him a massive embrace because they didn’t know how to fight the human race really sold the level of the threat. The concept of every single human being thinking they are right is brilliant and as if modern society isn’t bad enough anyway in believing that, the carnage that came from literally everyone not caring about the consequences was excellent. The Toymaker revelling in that chaos was sublime and his return was so emphatic. It honestly was extraordinary and gave a whole new emphasis on the level of power he had as a villain. I sincerely hope it’s not the last time we see him because Neil Patrick Harris must go down as one of the finest performances for a villain in the show’s history. The way he switched from the German and English accent and from fun to serious was exemplary. It was a chilling and comical performance at the same time with the absolute perfect balance. The moment where the Doctor recognises the Toymaker was also stunning with the little flashback to the original incarnations of both. The way the change of appearance was described was sublime as well and I loved the explanation of the Doctor playing a game with the Not-Things at the end of the universe in the previous episode was how he’d gotten into reality. Great stuff. The Toymaker being out for revenge after the Doctor won the trilogic game was magnificent and what he’d done to goad the Doctor was sublime. The puppet show of events that had happened to companions post Donna was an incredible scene. His reaction to the Doctor’s qualifying comments when it came to the deaths of Amy, Clara and Bill in screeching ‘well that’s alright!’ just oozed evil. I loved every second. Even the Flux was mentioned again in a big way! It was perfection. Speaking of which, the moment the Toymaker entered UNIT HQ with the Spice Girls number was just too good. It was up there with the Master’s Rasputin performance in The Power of the Doctor. So good. The return of Mel was a wonderful moment that almost goes forgotten in an episode as packed as this. Tennant sells it so well and the moment they do get a brief catch up is just lovely. Hearing how she stuck with Sabalom Glitz until he was 101 was quite something! And the Zingo humour was tremendous too. I thought the Doctor losjng to the Toymaker at high or low was a bit of a shock but then he was goaded into a best of three of such a long duration! But he’d played the old Doctor, he’d played this Doctor, so it was only right he played the next Doctor for this final encounter. That was so emphatic and having him use the galvanic beam was a fitting end to the Fourteenth Doctor. Or so we thought. The regeneration sequence was wonderful and I loved the final words for this incarnation, but then we had something new. A bi-generation as the Fifteenth Doctor was literally pulled out of the Fourteenth. I suspect this element of the story isn’t over yet as we head into the new series, and I’m still not quite sure how I feel about it. I thought it took a little bit away from that feeling of loss for the Fourteenth Doctor departing, except he hasn’t. It’s a bit weird but I’m willing to give it time and see if anything more comes of it moving forward. It was a unique way to introduce the new Doctor that’s for sure! He claims to only be okay now because the Fourteenth did settle down and enjoy his family with Donna, so does that mean the Fifteenth Doctor has all of the memories of his predecessor that are yet to come? It’s all a bit up in the air at the moment. I’ll leave Russell T Davies and his comments on the commentary alone because I’m not buying that every regeneration prior to this also resulted in a bi-generation as that just doesn’t make since, and thankfully it wasn’t seen on screen. That’s a bit far.  But for now having the Fifteenth Doctor join forces with the Fourteenth was brilliant. Catch was a simple way to defeat the Toymaker but he abode by the rules of play and the Doctor’s prize was for him to cease existing. The Toymaker having defeated the Master and put him in his gold tooth which survived and was picked up by another red-nailed woman was a fun way to honour Last of the Time Lords and point towards the future, as well as the Toymaker’s ominous warning of not playing games with The One Who Waits. That was intriguing and leaves me wanting more moving forward, especially with him mentioning that his legions were coming before falling into the box destined for UNIT’s vaults. I haven’t even mentioned the titular plot of the puppet that was the first character on television. That was tremendous. Overall though, plenty of questions and just an extraordinary episode! 

Rating: 10/10

Untitled

"Those aren't Starks and Targaryens... they're Normans and Saxons!"

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 07 December 2023

Printed in: DWM 598

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donn

Synopsis

With the console of the Doctor's TARDIS on fire, the Fourteenth Doctor reconfirms to Donna Noble that the ship is completely out of control. However, he realises he can materialise it briefly setting the scene for four intriguing encounters with history.

Verdict

This was a fun little comic strip adventure to continue the adventures of the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna! I’m a massive fan of the Doctor Who Magazine comic adventures being in sync with the television stories, but I tell you what I’m bloody annoyed that this comic strip in particular doesn’t have a title! I can’t understand that. It does my head in to be honest. I know it’s a little thing but crikey having a blog entry that’s just ‘untitled’ and referring to this as the comic strip is strange. Obviously, it has no bearing on my enjoyment of what was a very fun little adventure, but I just don’t comprehend the reasoning. Surely any sort of name could have been included? Right, enough of my rant about that. Onto the comic strip itself and I must say it’s glorious to have this feature in DWM back up to eight pages. I sincerely hope that’s something we stick to as we head into the Fifteenth Doctor’s comic strip run because I do think that in the last couple of years six pages just hasn’t been enough. I was also a big fan of the format here with four widespread double pages spread across the magazine. It was good and succinct which made it quite fun. This comic strip bridging the gap between The Star Beast and Wild Blue Yonder is magnificent and whilst it’s a shame the magazine wasn’t out a week earlier, it’s a welcomed addition. The TARDIS malfunctioning from a simple coffee spill still seems to be a bit much as far as the extent of the damage and erratic nature of what’s happening. However, it did allow for some fun interactions across history as Donna hoped to get some air from a very smoky TARDIS interior. I wasn’t aware of the historical significance of a couple of characters like the Baron, but it was still fun to see the TARDIS in the line of aerial fire. Mentions of the Bermuda Triangle were fun and I wonder if the theme here and with the whole ‘mavity’ debacle with Isaac Newton last week will play any part in The Giggle with history changing. My particular favourite was the landing in 1066 and the Battle of Hastings with the Doctor and Donna seemingly aiding King Harold in his survival! That was very fun and seeing the imagery of the TARDIS on the Bayeux Tapestry was terrific. It looked stunning. The artwork for the whole comic strip looked great throughout to be honest. I thought the final panel was good stuff as we caught a glimpse of Donna as a child at a nativity scene and she once again was getting angered at Nerys. Even all this time back! That was a fun humorous moment and it was a nice touch that for the Christmas issue of DWM we got a little fleeting visit to that time of year, even if the Doctor and Donna didn’t interact. The whole involvement of the Squid was intriguing and quite fun, but nothing that could be taken too seriously. Donna’s reaction when they realised that issue wasn’t resolved was hilarious though and everything you’d expect of the companion. Overall, a really good little story (that should have a name!) and I do suspect that all of the history changing moments will make a little more sense after the final Special. For now though, a welcomed addition!

Rating: 8/10

Into Control

"Only a fool cares for honour."

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Printed in: Ten Days of Christmas 10

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor

Synopsis

Return to the incredible days of Ten this Christmas...

For the Tenth Doctor, the festive season always brought adventure.

In fact, he's saved Christmas across space and time more times than we ever knew...

Join the Doctor (and Donna and Martha and Rose, and other friends old and new) for incredible tales of daring and danger. From Daleks plotting to save humanity to Sycorax working to exploit it... from star-narwhals massing on the Moon to a toy factory in space.

Because even in the jolliest of seasons there's a world or two to save.

Verdict

Into Control was a great story to conclude the Ten Days of Christmas short story collection! For me, this is just getting started though and with it supposedly being festive tales with the Tenth Doctor, this saw me conclude a two-part tale with the Fourteenth which is rather fun. I was quite underwhelmed by the opening instalment of Under Control but this was a big improvement. It was better almost immediately as the old foes of the Sycorax made a triumphant return and it’s really fun for them to be doing battle with this Doctor in particular. He’d come a very long way since the events of The Christmas Invasion and getting what was essentially a sequel to that Christmas Special was rather delightful. It’s definitely one ripe for a follow on and the Queen of the Sycorax was a massively enjoyable villain. I thought that hierarchy within the Sycorax ranks was very good to explore, although I do think it was a little odd for her to disregard honour so easily. That’s something I remember defining the Sycorax. The fact they tried to use blood control against the Doctor was excellent and obtaining it from the very sword that swiped his hand by the former Leader was tremendous. I was a massive fan of that and thought it was tremendous continuity. It was a sound plan, but as a Time Lord the Doctor wasn’t all that susceptible. Especially in a completely different incarnation, despite what appearances would suggest. I thought it was really good to explore the Doctor in this incarnation pondering on his Tenth self and him referring to it as a second chance was fascinating. Now back in this body, he really won’t want to go when the final sixtieth anniversary special comes around! I thought it was clever that the Sycorax thought they’d used the blood control to bring the Doctor to them, but that was far from the case. A little residual blood effect might have led the TARDIS to deciding to come, but the Sycorax were not in control as they thought. I liked how the Doctor referred to them performing yet another Christmas invasion and ignoring his past statement of Earth being defended after he defeated the Sycorax Leader. He wouldn’t back down from the Queen now who was described very interestingly. She made for a good villain. I quite liked that the board of Sycorax were actually holographic rather than being physically present and I do wonder if that’s a play on the old special effects of that 2005 Special. Either way, I was a fan. A good use of intimidation. The references to Torchwood were good and it was nice for the Doctor to try and clear his name of shooting down the ship after the Sycprax left upholding the terms of their Leader’s defeat to the Doctor. It was Torchwood who did that under orders, but the Queen only saw that it was him. Her idea of trying to use blood control on him to do the things that humanity couldn’t go so far to do because of the morals he lived by and genuinely not putting himself first was extraordinary. Talk about evil! I do think things ended slightly easily and the ambiguity of the Sycorax still surviving felt a little lacking in a finish, but I guess this Doctor does give second chances now. And he had more important things to find out such as his new but old appearance. Overall, a strong read! 

Rating: 8/10

Under Control

"We travel to the place of offering."

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Printed in: Ten Days of Christmas 01

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor

Synopsis

Return to the incredible days of Ten this Christmas...

For the Tenth Doctor, the festive season always brought adventure.

In fact, he's saved Christmas across space and time more times than we ever knew...

Join the Doctor (and Donna and Martha and Rose, and other friends old and new) for incredible tales of daring and danger. From Daleks plotting to save humanity to Sycorax working to exploit it... from star-narwhals massing on the Moon to a toy factory in space.

Because even in the jolliest of seasons there's a world or two to save.

Verdict

Under Control was unfortunately not the greatest of starts to the Ten Days of Christmas short story collection! I’ve been very excited about this release as it’s one of the first times I’ve delved into reading an ebook and saving the money by buying through Kindle which is a rather new experience for me, but one I’m finding I enjoy! I’ve been putting off making the digital switch for quite some time now but it only feels right now to move with the world. I still love a physical book don’t get me wrong, but the prices can be quite expensive these days! An Amazon voucher also helped and this seemed like the perfect read ahead of Christmas. Unfortunately, this opener didn’t feel very Christmassy and I think it has just been a little over complicated with it being a reprint of a story also published in the 2024 Doctor Who Annual. I’m not entirely sure if it’s reprinted in the exact same format, but something just felt off about it. I find it weird that we’re bookending the book with two connected stories and I think I’m now going to make the decision to jump right ahead tomorrow and complete the final story in the collection. I don’t know why they couldn’t just be combined to make one adventure! Or at least follow each other in the publication. It’s also a little confusing that this story is actually featuring the Fourteenth Doctor rather than the Tenth as the subtitle of the book suggests! I mean, any reader without knowledge of the Annual would be none the wiser regarding this as there’s no indication of which incarnation features, so I guess it could be a blend and fun situation where it works as a story for either incarnation. It would actually be better if they embraced that potential idea though. I thought the Doctor getting friendly with the pig Alfredo was amusing but I can’t say I find an animal as the best use of a potential companion. That just doesn’t feel right and I’m not really sure what a pig can offer! I felt the story didn’t really do much and only the final page of two felt like it was building towards something which would be the next story. I just didn’t care about the assembly of Stromboks, Vega Raptons and Sarnsquids. Any revelation that came of the Doctor realising something about them and how that related to the current situation just wasn’t all that interesting. If they were species we were familiar with then it could have worked, but I just felt like some emotional investment was missing. It would have helped a lot in my opinion. I’m hoping that this one didn’t feel as good because it’s setting up a better sequel in the second story that concludes the book, and that’s why I don’t understand just combining them under one title didn’t happen. Regardless, it’s nice to finally get started on the collection and any more adventures with the Fourteenth Doctor is most welcomed by way! But as a whole, this was just a story I couldn’t get fully invested in and didn’t wholly enjoy. Overall, I’m left with a missing feeling. 

Rating: 5/10

The Mind Robber

"What they did to us was unforgivable."

Writer: Pete McTighe

Format: Webcast

Broadcast: 01 November 2023

Series: Tales of the TARDIS 1.02

Featuring: Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

Jamie and Zoe meet again and remember their encounter with robots, clockwork soldiers and Medusa in a Land of Fiction governed by a mysterious master.

Verdict

The Mind Robber was another lovely Tales of the TARDIS episode! I’m such a big fan of the idea behind this series and it is filled with nostalgia from what are actually two very simple scenes that bookend a Classic serial which in this case is The Mind Robber. It’s the only choice really when it comes to the idea of feeding the Memory TARDIS stories because what would be better suited than a visit to the Land of Fiction itself? The way we got there though was just beautiful. I’ve blogged the story at the heart of this episode in both television and novelisation format so I won’t touch too much on the details in there, but I will say that the scene where the TARDIS explodes is still something I find extraordinary. Such a safe haven is completely obliterated in this mysterious world. The image of Zoe and Jamie clinging to the console remains iconic! It’s also still absolutely hilarious for the Doctor to get Jamie’s face wrong. A recast for a part is handled fantastically and fits perfectly with the story. Anyway, back to the Memory TARDIS and this was just tremendous. Jamie and Zoe being reunited after so long was so touching and wonderful. It was the perfect way to honour the Second Doctor era and I thought the moment where they find the recorder and ponder over the Doctor being out there somewhere was very touching. The Memory TARDIS returning Jamie and Zoe with their memories of their travels with the Doctor after they lost them at the end of The War Games was lovely and made the reunion even more special and poignant, although I would have liked a little more confirmation on if that was permanent once they would return to their own times. I do agree with Zoe’s line about the actions of the Time Lords in doing that being unforgivable but I think part of why the Second Doctor’s swan-song is my favourite ever story is because this doesn’t get reversed. It’s such a powerful way to see out two legendary companions. Hearing Jamie and Zoe reminisce on their adventures was lovely and it was fun for Jamie to not want to talk about the Cybermen! He’d met them plenty and didn’t want remembering of those encounters. I liked touching on the Krotons and Quarks from The Krotons and The Dominators respectively, with the memory of the latter leading into their quick escape from the volcano that would lead them to nothingness and the Land of Fiction. I thought that was very nicely done. Learning more about Zoe and Jamie in their older age was really lovely and I loved learning about Jamie’s massively extended family! Four daughters and nineteen grandchildren is quite the haul. I bet he’d be the best grandad though. That was really lovely to hear. Zoe was still hard at work and whilst she’d departed the Wheel now, she was a bloody President! That feels right for her expertise and intelligent. The little twirl she gave in her regalia was a very nice moment. The mention of the Ice Warriors was a touching moment as not only did they remember The Seeds of Death which is one of favourites, but it allowed Jamie to remember The Ice Warriors and the scream that came from Victoria upon seeing them. That provided a really wonderful moment of reflection and honour for Victoria as a companion and character. Jamie clearly cared for her a great deal and hoped she’d lived a good life. It was really touching and the right kind of nostalgic emotion. Zoe wondering at the end if all of the Doctor’s companions came to the Memory TARDIS at one point was really nice and leads us to more episodes in the future, even beyond those this series. I’m sure we’ll get a second one! Overall though, this was a wonderful episode and a fine way to celebrate the Second Doctor era. 

Rating: 9/10

Defender of the Earth: The Siege of Shackleton

"The sun would go on shining."

Writer: Una McCormack

Format: Audio

Released: November 2023

Series: Tenth Doctor Chronicles 2.04

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

The Earth is dying. Ravaged by the effects of climate change, the Doctor lands amid one of the most volatile era of Earth's history. With resources dwindling and tensions running high, the fragmented remains of humanity are poised to wipe each other out.

The Doctor wants to negotiate, but not everyone wants to listen him, and annihilation creeps ever closer...

Verdict

The Siege of Shackleton was another great little story to conclude the Defender of the Earth second series of Tenth Doctor Chronicles! This has been a very consistent boxset and the quality of the episodes individually has been strong as my repetitive rating reflects, but at the same time I can’t help but feel there’s something of a missed opportunity to give the Tenth Doctor a mini series of linked adventures in a more traditional boxset. I think bridging the gap of the 2009 Specials era in particular is rife for exploration and something could have been done there instead of the less exciting standalone stories. They weren’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, they were all actually really strong, but the stakes don’t feel overly big in a story lacking some sort of overarching arc. Anyway, I don’t want to sound too negative as I thoroughly enjoyed the finale! Visiting the Earth way into the future at a time where the planet was so ravaged by climate change that even Antarctica didn’t have snow was intriguing. That’s a very different Earth to the one we usually see the Doctor defend, and it made him quite angry. His relationship with Natalia was very strong and I thought she was a terrific little character. The humour that came from him hitching a ride with her to Shackleton was amusing as he didn’t say a word, and it was quite a drive! So much so that the Doctor was so separated from the TARDIS that the translation circuit no longer worked. The scale of Antarctica is almost unfathomable so to imagine it as something of a last refuge for humanity is a little difficult to comprehend. But I liked exploring that far into the future and the way it almost felt like a feudal society was fascinating. Humanity was at its worst as even near its end they were separated into different factions and groups battling it out for resources. The anger that came from the Doctor when Natalia relayed the decision of council that they wouldn’t help their neighbouring town was extraordinary. It was fantastic writing and just what I’d expect of this incarnation, especially at this point in his life. I’m not sure just how threatening the alien scare was and the Doctor did try to sell it, but the locals were a little incredulous to the idea of extraterrestrial involvements. Despite the amazing resources required to build airplanes, those in Shackleton were still blaming their neighbouring settlement. It was rather extraordinary. I did like the simplicity of the conclusion and it was nice that even after a strong threat and speech from the Doctor, one that quite shocked Natalia if he was willing to go that far, he quickly reverted from heading in the deadly direction and merely muddled their communications and sent them packing. No blood was shed, but it was a little iffy for a moment! Overall, this was a good story and whilst I initially feared that it was going to be a bit of a diatribe about climate change, it was touched upon well and didn’t become the focus of the episode. Simply having the Doctor ask if humanity never learned and then Natalia blaming her ancestors was a good conversation and debate. A fine finale!

Rating: 8/10

Harry Sullivan's War

"He hoped that nobody would find him."

Writer: Ian Marter

Format: Novel

Released: November 1986

Series: Target: The Companions of Doctor Who 02

Featuring: Harry, Sarah Jane, Brigadier

Synopsis

It is ten years since Harry Sullivan left UNIT and gave up his travels in the TARDIS with the Doctor and Sarah.

Since then he has been engaged in top secret work, developing antidotes to nerve toxins. But when he is transferred to Yarra in the Hebrides to work on weapons research, he has severe misgivings. For one thing, it goes against much of what he believes in. For another, someone is out to kill Harry Sullivan.

Who wants Harry safely out of the way? What significance does a painting by Van Gogh have in the affair? And can Harry's old friend, the Brigadier, really be involved in a scheme which threatens the security of the Western World?

Verdict

Harry Sullivan's War was a great little read! I didn’t know what to expect from this book but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a unique little gem of a story really and these Companion pieces in the Target range are a welcomed addition. It’s quite mad that they serve as the first original Doctor Who books and going with Harry and Turlough as the two companions may have been a questionable decision. It really is a shame they didn’t continue with any further original books at this point, but it was a more than pleasant read. Harry wouldn’t have been my first choice for a companion piece but with Ian Marter as the author you couldn’t be better placed. If anyone would know the character then it would certainly be the actor who played him! Things have moved on quite a bit for Harry since we last saw him in The Android Invasion and it was a decade on since he left UNIT. The continuity with Mawdryn Undead was welcomed when it came to the Brigadier’s involvement in the story and it was lovely to reunite the pair. It’s a shame it didn’t last for too long but the idea of Harry suspecting the Brigadier as being involved in the plot conspiracy was excellent. He couldn’t believe his old UNIT chum was involved. One of my favourite moments in the story was when Sarah Jane came to visit Harry in jail. That was a touching moment and hearing him call her old girl was tremendous. They were a wonderful companion pairing so having them back together after their travels in the TARDIS was a very nice moment. The life of Harry was fun to explore and just seeing what he was up to after moving on from UNIT was brilliant. His involvement with MI5 and their reaction to him name-dropping Davros was fantastically done. I think this story was rather unique as it felt like it could easily have just been a drama you would see on BBC or ITV. There wasn’t any major science fiction and the focus being on a deadly toxin that Harry had been experimenting on and had antidotes to was very good. It all felt very real world and I think that’s what made it relatable. I thought Samantha was a magnificent character and the way she was able to play and lure Harry in was great. She took advantage of him and he still showed concern for her. Harry having to leave her after a near fatal car incident was a powerful moment where he had to tackle with the realisation that she couldn’t be helped and he had to save himself. There really were no alternatives. The explanation to her miraculous recovery being that she actually had a twin in the form of Natasha. I’m not usually a huge fan of when that happens, but I thought it worked well here and that’s mostly because of Harry’s reaction. The way he disobeyed orders to leave the UK and use grid references was good and he would eventually do well to bring about the downfall of Brodsky and Grant. It tied things up nicely. The entire organisation of the EARACHES was excellent but crikey that name is just outrageously ridiculous. The connection with the infamous Van Gogh painting and it popping up everywhere was superb though. Overall, a really good book and I’d like to think that Harry would end up with Esther after all. They seem made for each other. A lovely read!

Rating: 8/10

Wild Blue Yonder

"The notion of shape is strange."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 02 December 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary Special 02

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

The TARDIS is out of control, abandons the Doctor and Donna on a faraway, mysterious spaceship, with deadly secrets in every corner.

Verdict

Wild Blue Yonder was another good episode to continue the sixtieth anniversary celebrations! In saying that though, and I don’t mean for this to be a negative blog post as I did enjoy the episode, but I felt slightly let down. We’ve had a lot of hype for these three specials and rightly so given how monumental they are in celebrating a diamond anniversary and ushering in the epic returns of David Tennant, now the Fourteenth Doctor, and Catherine Tate as Donna with her memories reprised. It’s a fitting pairing. However, this episode in particular has been sworn to secrecy and to be honest I don’t really know why. There was nothing that couldn’t have been shown or given anything away because the enemies were portrayed by Tennant and Tate themselves! Now, one of the biggest positives of the episode was their performance. It was exemplary. Honestly sublime from them both to play both roles that well. I do enjoy a doppelgänger kind of story and throwing that in with some twisted horror meant for some strong visuals. I liked the freaky nature of the episode as I do enjoy horror stories and sequences of the kind we saw here. I appreciated the unique nature of it and it certainly wasn’t like anything we’ve seen in the show before which is rather impressive after sixty years! I loved the continuity of the HADS coming into play and Donna’s line of there being something so scary that even the TARDIS ran away really sells the threat. The TARDIS malfunctioning and exerting fire from the interior to the extent that it did seemed a bit much considering Donna had just spilled a bit of coffee on the console. Can it not handle a little bit of liquid? I also feel this was a missed opportunity to have as the reason for the TARDIS interior changing. Although the brand new line was funny. I thought the setting at the edge of the universe was really eery and I liked the atmosphere that came with the quiet and the sporadic bang from the outside. It was tense for sure. The Doctor being without the sonic was tremendous and the moment he realised he’d lost that with the TARDIS was very daunting. I thought the conversation between the Doctor and the fake Donna was so emotionally charged. The references to the Flux and the Doctor not knowing where he’s from were most welcomed indeed. I think there’s a lot of potential to explore there and I wonder if Russell T Davies will divulge that in the future with the next Doctor. It’s crazy to think now that another new Doctor is coming next week! I thought the action in this episode was good and the mentions of Wilf were delightful. The Doctor really is desperate to see him again, and the moment at the end of the episode was very touching. Especially with it being the final acting appearance of Bernard Cribbins. A lovely moment as he warned of the world going to chaos. One element of the episode I thought was just a bit silly and pointless was the whole Isaac Newton and ‘mavity’ bit. I just didn’t find it funny and now it seems that the word has changed in the Doctor Who universe? I’m not sure if it just went over my head but I didn’t like it. I also wasn’t impressed that the Doctor picked the wrong Donna when the TARDIS made its triumphant return after the countdown was sped up and completed. The idea of him realising that Donna’s arms were 0.06mm too short just seems a bit of a stretch (sorry!) and not one I’m buying. He should have known. I honestly thought he knew he’d picked the wrong version and had a plan to expel her from the TARDIS, but it didn’t seem that way at all. He just got it wrong and whilst the suspense that Donna’s looming death has was well done, I never bought it. Regardless, it was still a good episode overall with a fine setting and some stellar acting. I think if I watch it without any hype in the future this may go up a mark, but for now despite the quality I can’t help but feel ever so slightly underwhelmed. 

Rating: 7/10

Defender of the Earth: Freedom or Death

"Desperation is a motivator."

Writer: Alice Cavender

Format: Audio

Released: November 2023

Series: Tenth Doctor Chronicles 2.03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

While awake, May campaigns as a Suffragette. However, whenever she sleeps, May dreams of a war she cannot comprehend. A war on a world full of impossible things.

May needs a doctor. Luckily for her, one's just arrived.

Verdict

Freedom or Death was another great audio to continue my way through the Defender of the Earth second series of Tenth Doctor Chronicles! This has been a very consistent series so far and whilst it is a shame there’s no kind of continuity across the stories and them all being standalone adventures, I’m very much enjoying! Jacob Dudman did another decent job in the role of the Tenth Doctor and I think his strengths with this incarnation are certainly in calmer dialogue. I do think he stretches a little more into Eleventh Doctor territory when it comes to action or requiring a raised tone, but as a whole it’s a welcomed addition to the Tenth Doctor library! There’s a lot of potential for what can happen with this Doctor travelling alone as there’s plenty of room with the Specials or even the gap between Series 3 and 4. His reaction when discovering he was in London was fun and really fitted in with the umbrella title of the series as he was delighted to be on his favourite planet. I’m surprised he’s not sick of London by now though! Having him encounter the time of the Suffragette Movement is brilliant and that’s a period in history I’m mightily interested in. It’s actually frightening to think just how much the upper echelons of society were in control of politics and therefore life with the requirements needed to vote. Women were excluded outright but as the Doctor pointed out a man still needed to own property to be eligible. I liked that. May was a superb character as the suffragette who filled the companion role and I enjoyed the relationship she built with the Doctor. The plight of women at this time of a century or so in the past is not all that long ago and I like positioning the Doctor on their side. He wouldn’t be anywhere else of course but it was a nice visual to have him wearing the pin badge. It was a simple way to show support. May was more than just a suffragette though because she had something of a telepathic link that the Doctor could feel seeping out of her. She had nightmares of a war she didn’t take part in, but they were so real that it was almost as if she was actually there which was terrific to explore. I thought the regeneration effect for her psychic wounds was intriguing although it didn’t quite feel accurate. Harold was a decent character as the man in the episode that was going to be needed with a focus on suffragettes, but he was a little deranged. The enemy being Cosmo was good and I liked the idea of a single subconscious spread across numerous hosts. It made the enemy a little more difficult to defeat, even if it was quite predictable how they would be stopped. I liked the concept behind the Symbiol in feeding on anger and the bitterness of the Suffragette Movement with the likes of gender dispute and hunger strikes meant this was a rife time in history. Feeding aplenty! So the human embrace that produced oxytocin was the way to defeat it, and that was something the Doctor could easily tap into. It was a triumphant and rather feel good ending, and I really liked May’s reaction to the TARDIS. She couldn’t believe the scale! The Doctor pondering on how she would be if he took her with him was a nice touch as well, although I’m not entirely sure she’d be the right fit as a companion. But for a one off here, this was great stuff! Overall, a really strong and important episode.  

Rating: 8/10

Ghosts

"These messages are coming from the past."

Writer: Doris V Sutherland

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: Redacted 1.08

Featuring: Shawna, Cleo

Synopsis

Cleo gets a call from her mum. After what happens to Jordan, she doesn't want to wait around and risk losing someone else. So it's time to go back to the Powell Estate where she grew up. Meanwhile, Abby and Osgood are watching the world get much, much quieter...

Verdict

Ghosts was another great episode of the Redacted podcast series! Things are certainly getting tense as we head towards the final two episodes now and after a warning from the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of Requiem, the ghosts were here in full force. We’ve seen and heard countless different versions of ghosts in the Doctor Who universe and this felt like another type entirely. It was interesting stuff and I liked how this felt like an immediate follow on from the previous episode. It was so much so that we had a reprise of its final moments and things moved on immediately with Shawna and Cleo running from the warning. Don’t touch the ghosts, we know that’ll be easier said than done. The temptation factor of the episode was very good and after such an emotional and confrontational relationship with her mother, Cleo getting a voicemail from her like it was normal and how she used to act was intriguing. That also followed in slightly less interesting circumstances with an old neighbour checking on his orange juice delivery, but Cleo still holding out hope for acceptance from her mother is quite sad. Transitioning and coming out must be tough enough, and she alluded to that in the episode about her school experience and how those on the Powell Estate didn’t really accept her, but for your own mother to basically throw you out! Shawna tried to make her realise that this wasn’t normal behaviour. The very fact that Cleo hadn’t been referred to by her own name post coming out was horrifying. But the story of the trans person on the Estate that Cleo saw when she was young made sense when describing the reaction of her mother in really not liking them. She was almost repulsed which is quite sad. Cleo coming home was a big moment and I love the wider universe connection with the Powell Estate. The call to 999 after the threat of the ghosts was excellent and felt real. The emergence of Vastra as the Requiem was certainly not something I was anticipating, but I’m all for it! Having her in the modern day rather than the Victorian era is very exciting, but I must say it is a bit of a shame that Neve McIntosh isn’t reprising her role. She’s ironic as that character and I know for sure I’d have recognised the identity from her voice immediately if it was played by the original actress. Regardless, she sent Cleo and Shawna into action to lead into the penultimate part and I’m very excited to hear what part she has to play! Requiem not being on camera certainly made sense now. But I’m definitely going to hope for some details on what she’s been up to over the last century or so, and especially how she coped with Jenny dying. Also the location of Strax! Him showing up would be magnificent. I’d also love for Vastra to meet the Thirteenth Doctor. That would be monumental. Overall, another very good listen!

Rating: 8/10

Requiem

"Everyone who has had contact with the blue box has disappeared."

Writers: Ajoke Ibironke & Juno Dawson

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Redacted 1.07

Featuring: Abby, Shawna, Cleo

Synopsis

Heartbroken by Abby's betrayal, Shawna and Cleo keep up the investigation. Going through Abby's notes leads them to something called the Requiem Group – an online support group for "those who've lost somebody." But who is the mysterious Requiem, and why won't she turn on her camera?

Verdict

Requiem was another great episode to continue my way through the Redacted podcast series! We’re getting close to the end now and this was a really good advancement after a pretty emotional and shocking end to Recruits where Abby decided to partner with UNIT instead of sticking with her friends. I’m glad that was touched upon here but it didn’t become the main focus nor get too overbearing. It took until close to the end of the episode for Shawna to fully express her feelings during the Requiem meeting on Zoom. That central concept for the story was a positive one and I liked the modern technology involved. Of course, we’re fresh off a pandemic but even if an epidemic of missing people was happening then the safest option would certainly be a virtual meet up. That also made sense with the scale of the missing people stretching far beyond London. I thought it was good that the meeting started with around twenty people but as it went on it shrunk and shrunk until it was only Cleo and Shawna left alongside the enigmatic Requiem who wouldn’t be shown on camera. She sounded like AI to be honest which would be a fun revelation, but I’m not sure if we’ll ever get an answer there. I don’t think it matters either. I am very invested in discovering what makes Cleo so special in not being affected by the missing people. She retains the memory of those who vanish and that certainly makes her important. It’s no surprise the Doctor broke through a communication to her on the Zoom link. It’s wonderful to hear Jodie Whittaker again and I hope we get a lengthy appearance from her in the finale where I’m assuming her being redacted will be resolved. Osgood partnering with Abby was great and I liked that the latter was getting in contact with Cleo. She wasn’t too interested and wanted actions to make up for being abandoned. This was one of the shorter episodes in the series at twenty minutes but the pace was frantic so it was hugely enjoyable. This series is such an easy listen and I really do wish I had come to it earlier! Thankfully I’ll be able to jump straight into the second series though. There’s a long way to go before I get there though! I do hope we get a nice reunion with Abby in the next episode as I think it’s clear they’re going to end up together. Shawna’s comments about the one she’s so in love with’s boyfriend were rather humorous. She wasn’t exactly flattering! The simple nature of the episode was terrific and I really do enjoy how uncomplicated these episodes are despite focusing on the Doctor going missing. Cleo having written down the members of the Requiem meeting only for them to have been literally torn out from his own sheets was very intriguing. Just how powerful is whatever has made the Doctor disappear along with hundreds of other people? And not just disappear but them being forgotten. We may have gotten a little closer at the end with the warning on the Requiem meeting, and I now look forward to listening to more! Overall, another great episode. 

Rating: 8/10

Broken Hearts

"You made me tear myself to pieces."

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: November 2023

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 4.04

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie

Synopsis

He took her apart, and she told him she was fine. She lied.

He saved their world, and told them they'd be safe. He was wrong.

Verdict

Broken Hearts was an excellent episode to act as a bonus story in the Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! This release took me by surprise and it does seem a long time now since the emotional finale to All of Time and Space with Curiosity Shop that really did take a big toll on the relationship between the Eleventh Doctor and Valarie. The companion was far from pleased with the actions of the Doctor in literally using her own cybernetic parts to build a weapon, luring her in by not telling her the true purpose. He’d even put her in a position where she had to sell herself off part by part and the torment and suffering both physically and mentally had come to full fruition here. Having the Eleventh Doctor as the incarnation to tackle that is an interesting choice and the dynamic presented is incredible to listen to. This Doctor is both playful but also so serious at times which was on full display in the episode. He was trying to play off what happened to Valerie with humour and have them just go off on their next trip, but she was having none of that. It was so powerful to hear her desired destination to be away from the Doctor. She’d really had enough. This episode allowed her to learn a lot about the man with whom she travelled and that coming from a statue of the Eighth Doctor was rather fun. She thought her version was actually an imposter so the Doctor was able to explain regeneration and his numerous faces. I liked how he emphatically stated this was the final face he would wear which is good continuity with The Time of the Doctor, but we know that’s not where things conclude. She also learned about the Time War and the moment where the Doctor admits to all of those who have died because of him is incredible. It’s a shining moment for Jacob Dudman in the role of the Eleventh Doctor, and I must say I think this is his best impression. It’s uncannily like Matt Smith and that makes it such an easy listen. I’m a big fan. Augustus and Lionel were fun characters as the servo robots gaining emotion and a connection verging on a relationship. That was really nice to hear them grow and it was clear they’d get to the Doctor and Valarie eventually, but the twist of the third life form being Augustus was a neat touch. He’d held on. It was an emotional end to both relationships in the episode as it was clear that a big toll had been taken out of the Doctor and Valarie. He’d opened up to her and it was nice that things finished with her getting the TARDIS key! That’s the least she deserved after her recent ordeals and it was nice to get that official companion moment after the legend on Iptheus just referred to the Doctor and a nameless companion. She was that person. The Doctor having saved this world but then letting them down was such a shame, but I adored the idea of empathic weather. That’s some weapon in the Time War! The aim of using the Daleks’ own rage against them was magnificent and it worked very well with the outrage and fluctuating mood felt by Valarie. It’s definitely a concept that should be explored further! Overall, an excellent episode. 

Rating: 9/10

The Celestial Toymaker

"I think it's time to play a few games."

Writers: Gerry Davis & Alison Bingeman

Format: Novel

Released: November 1986

Series: Target 111

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

Somewhere outside space and time there waits the Toymaker, an enigmatic being who ensnares unwary travellers in his domain to play out his dark and deadly games.

Separated from the security of the TARDIS, the Doctor is forced to play the complex trilogy game with the evil magician. Meanwhile, Dodo and Steven must enter into a series of tests with, among others, the schoolboy Cyril and the King and Queen of Hearts.

If they lose, they are condemned to become the Toymaker's playthings for all eternity. For in the malevolent wonderland that is the Celestial Toyroom, nothing is just for fun...

Verdict

The Celestial Toymaker was a pretty average novelisation of the televised story of the same name. I think it’s a bit of a shame really as I was very excited to read this book in what is absolutely preparation for the Toymaker’s return in the coming weeks as part of the sixtieth anniversary specials! It really is incredible that the villain from a First Doctor serial is making a comeback and I thought it would be a good chance to familiarise myself with the character once again before an emphatic comeback. But I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed by just how little he featured! Now, I think this blog entry will naturally lean towards the negatives but I do like most of the story. It’s a fine concept and there’s definitely so much to play with when it comes to the Toymaker and the Celestial Toyroom. Returns in other formats like Solitaire and The Nightmare Fair have proven that. But I think this story absolutely works better on screen, and that’s me saying that when only part four survives in the archive! It’s a massive shame that 75% of the story is missing so to read it here in a complete form was something I adored, but crikey it was repetitive. I thought without the limitations of filming in 1965, this book would be a blast but it didn’t really do much to expand the adventure in prose. I just felt like that it was a lot of explaining for the games that Steven and Dodo were taking part in. By the fourth one, it was difficult to care. We knew none of the middle games would provide the actual TARDIS and it wasn’t just because I’ve watched the story in its most complete form, it was just so obvious. I really did enjoy Steven’s take on the games though and he wasn’t taking any prisoners when it came to the characters that the Toymaker had devised as their opponents. From playing cards and dolls to Cyril, Steven was in it for Dodo and himself to get the TARDIS just in time for the Doctor to complete the trilogic game. That in itself is an intriguing game and certainly one suited to the Doctor with the accuracy and delicacies required to complete it perfectly in 1,023 moves. Very specific! Where I think the book could have benefitted was by actually having the Doctor feature more here. We didn’t have the limitations and absence of William Hartnell that required the Doctor to be rendered invisible and then mute. There could have been more conversation between the Doctor and the Toymaker which would have been spectacular as when we did get that it was rather tremendous! They clearly had a history and I’ll be intrigued to see if that gets expanded upon with the Fourteenth Doctor. The Toymakers (yes plural!) would be a formidable force in unison and then being immortal is something I enjoy. How do you defeat an immortal? That’s fun to play with. Dodo was a bit dumb dumb in this story as she fell for so many tricks which didn’t really shine a kind light on her too well as a companion. Describing how just the Doctor’s hand was visible seemed a little unnecessary given the potential and room to play with in a novelisation, but this really did just seem like a quick rehash of what happened on screen. Whilst that’s not a hugely bad thing, it does leave a little to be desired because the potential is there with the story. I wanted more. I think a lack of consistent characters also hurts in a prose format as those Steven and Dodo were playing against changes quickly between a couple of chapters. The ending is not something I’m a huge fan of but it didn’t seem as ridiculous here with the absence of the vocals and it being described as the tone of the Toymaker. The way things are left with the Doctor knowing that the Toymaker wasn’t truly defeated was wonderful to set things up for the future, and it’s been a long time coming! The warning that the Toymaker destroys those who destroy his worlds is some wrath. Overall a decent read but certainly room for improvement. 

Rating: 6/10

Defender of the Earth: The Opacity Factor

"I could upload myself in seconds."

Writer: Carl Rowens

Format: Audio

Released: November 2023

Series: Tenth Doctor Chronicles 2.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

The work that Director Jenel Kilum'bu and her team are doing at MoonCentre 7 could change the future. So when the Doctor somehow breaches the MoonCentre's security, she's very ken to be rid of him.

Yet, the Director's about to discover that getting rid of the Doctor isn't going to be as easy as she first thought.

Verdict

The Opacity Factor was another great story to continue my way through the Defender of the Earth second series of Tenth Doctor Chronicles! I must admit I was bracing myself for four adventures set in Earth with the Doctor defending it given a very simple interpretation of the umbrella title for this series, so to be having an adventure on the Moon was a very pleasant surprise! I think it’s a setting rife with potential and one that hasn’t been done enough despite some notable Second Doctor era efforts. I was really impressed with Jacob Dudman in this episode as he really did seem to nail his impression of David Tennant. It’s all in the mannerisms and he excelled there whilst I think the writing certainly helped as it all felt very Tenth Doctor. That’s a big bonus and exactly what you want from these Chronicles. The near future setting of the episode was nicely done and it was all very relatable whilst being just that bit more advanced than the current day. That came in with the use of super artificial intelligence which is a very fun concept. The SAIG acronym was great and I think it’s good to go beyond even the basic use of AI. In the world right now, AI is a bit of a trepidatious issue and in my own personal household the effects of it have been felt as my girlfriend lost her job over the summer as her employers went bust thanks to a surge of AI in the creatjve writing and publishing sector. Thankfully she was quick on her feet and actually got a better job and better pay within a week, but it was a scary prospect for a moment! I’m also not one to explore AI as I just find it all a bit weird and not something I want to partake. I even refuse to communicate with the AI chat on Snapchat! It’s just not for me. But it’s absolutely for Doctor Who. It has a rich history in the show and it was really nice for the Doctor to reference that by name dropping WOTAN, BOSS and Xoanon. Some fine supercomputer enemies there! I always enjoy delving into the show’s history there and the Doctor can draw on past experience. I really liked the idea of the SAIG communicating with the TARDIS and the suggestion that the Doctor was jealous of it finding a way to talk to his trusty time and space machine was extraordinarily good. He certainly yearns for that kind of contact, and it’s nice to know that he’ll get it in his next incarnation. The Doctor and the TARDIS actually working together to defeat SAIG and join it with the trusty ship before sending it to the Kodex was nicely done and a fine bit of teamwork! I mean, is there a better team in the universe? I’m stumped trying to come up with one. I thought Director Kilum’bu was a very good character and the secrets that she kept from her crew were fun because that allowed the Doctor to gain a big advantage once he found out what they didn’t know. He could reveal them in a very damaging way! He even knew she was lying when she claimed it was called in at the Moonbase regarding his supposed inspection. They were completely cut off which meant a very secret project indeed. Hence the surprise of the Doctor infiltrating. Alas, the Doctor and the TARDIS sorted things out though and the experiment was now wasted. Overall, a great episode!

Rating: 8/10

The Star Beast

"Why did this face come back?"

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 25 November 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary Special 01

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

The Doctor is caught in a fight to the death as a spaceship crash-lands in London. But as the battle wreaks havoc, destiny is converging on the Doctor's old friend, Donna Noble.

Verdict

The Star Beast was an excellent episode to kick off a brand new trio of stories to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary! After shots for this episode were filmed seemingly forever ago back in May 2022 and the hype train has been building ever since then, this one was certainly no let down. It’s always exciting to be getting a new Doctor but it seems that Doctor Who Magazine got the post-regeneration story in the form of Liberation of the Daleks because there was no sign of that usual occurrence here. With only three episodes to play with, it’s not a surprise that this direction was the one they went with and we definitely got a bit of a quirkier Fourteenth Doctor in Destination: Skaro where it was stated only an hour had passed since the end of The Power of the Doctor and the regeneration. That’s very intriguing and it allows us to get stuck right into the mystery of the Fourteenth Doctor and the return of a familiar face. I thought the way the Doctor came face to face with Donna was a hilarious start with her stumbling around with boxes and him helping out before putting them back on the unmanageable pile as he realised who she was. A tremendous moment. As if coming face to face with Donna again wasn’t enough, hearing her yell for Rose made it quite a manic few seconds for the Doctor! It was a glorious moment. I do think after what was said in the likes of Journey’s End and The End of Time that things were stretched slightly concerning Donna’s memory and her fate if she did remember, but it was good fun. The Doctor seemed to be testing those boundaries. A highlight for him was coming face to face with Sylvia once again in an almighty stride to answer the door to him. A slap wasn’t too surprising but it really was an iconic moment. I thought it was good to explore a little more of Shaun Temple and him losing the battle to the surname for Rose or even his wife taking his name was amusing. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Donna though. Discovering that she’d given away all of her lottery money was admirable even if it was a little silly despite the good intentions and her subconscious link of wanting to be like the Doctor. I really enjoyed the way they got around the whole metacrisis element by Donna having a child and that meant a shared inheritance and responsibility. That was very good and the whole tapping into her binary glitch and Rose picking it up as a trans person with non-binary was very clever indeed. The Doctor firmly established as both male and female as well as non-binary. The representation in the episode was great to see with Shirley also playing a big part as a member of UNIT with an incredibly cool wheelchair! The tech she had at her disposal there was fantastic and she had a lovely conversation with the Doctor which set the scene nicely regarding the situation with Donna and his current appearance. The rundown of incarnations between the two with this face was welcomed, although with such heavy UNIT involvement it’s a shame Kate didn’t appear. The concept of her looking after Wilf was lovely though and the somber moment where the Doctor thought he was dead was even more heartfelt considering that Bernard Cribbins has since passed away. He’ll live forever in our hearts and the Doctor proclaiming his love for that man, and even for Donna, was a nice touch and there are definitely going to be differences with this incarnation. It’s not quite the Tenth Doctor rehashed which I like a lot. The threat of the Meep in this episode was very good and it was a fine adaptation from the comic strip of the same name. I liked how faithful it was and we even had a character called Fudge! That was great stuff. The actual plot was a simple one with the Meep hoping to use London as fuel and then it being stopped thanks to the brilliance of the Doctor-Donna. The Wrarth Warriors were decent too and I liked that the Meep was arrested but left a cryptic message about the Boss. I’m assuming that will be the Toymaker, and not the super computer from The Green Death. But who knows! The sonic screwdriver being updated is good although I’m not entirely sure how much of a fan I am of it being a medley of recent designs. But it’s certainly an improvement on the last one. And that TARDIS interior! Absolutely beautiful and a huge step up from the previous era’s atrocity. It’s vast and it’s just stunning. The reaction of the Doctor was also just tremendous. The spilling of coffee to send the TARDIS who knows where was Donna at her best and I now look forward to next week! Overall, a lovely episode to see the show return and celebrate. 

Rating: 9/10

Recruits

"Everyone who has had contact with the blue box has disappeared."

Writer: Sasha Sienna

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Redacted 1.06

Featuring: Abby, Shawna, Cleo, Osgood

Synopsis

Welcome to UNIT: the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, home to the largest collection of alien artefacts in the British Isles. Under the competent leadership of Chief Scientific Officer Dr Petronella Osgood, UNIT is prepared for any and all eventualities – including this so-called 'blue box', and the mysterious 'Doctor' behind it.

Verdict

Recruits was another great episode to continue the Redacted podcast series! I continue to enjoy the series and I’m really impressed with how seamlessly each episode is advancing the story. The format works very well as having a podcast as the forefront of a podcast series is fun and it makes sense for it not to be released in physical form or even to charge for a digital copy. I mean, I’m not saying I want to pay and I’m already aware there’s a second series of this podcast which is delightful, but this is certainly to a standard I’d be more than happy to pay for. I think part of that is having the likes of the Thirteenth Doctor and Osgood feature! The latter was the main guest character in this episode and it was fun for her to show she admired the three podcast hosts. And of course she would be a listener of the Blue Box Files! That’s right up Osgood’s street and she definitely seems like the target audience. It’s a little bit of a shame that the title of the episodes in this series kind of gives away where things will head at the end, but having Abby, Shawna and Cleo as UNIT recruits is quite fun and very good use of the Doctor Who wider world. There’s a great deal to explore and where better than as part of UNIT? It would seem only one member of the podcast team would take that shot though. I think exploring the vaults of UNIT was very good and I love the idea of them having no idea how a big chunk of their catalogue appeared now that memory of the Doctor had been redacted. There would be so much to explain throughout history! The old UNIT recruitment video was fun to include but for me the absolute highlight of this story was the conversation between the Doctor and Cleo. She’s still trapped and trying to break through and I’m impressed that the mystery of what has caused the Doctor to be forgotten hasn’t gotten old yet. I want to know but strangely I’m not in a rush which is testament to the three main characters. Cleo and Shawna seem to have separated from Abby at the end of the episode though which was a powerful moment. Abby could accept that things were bigger than them with all of the missing people and the strangeness of the blue box, but Cleo and Shawna didn’t want to partner up with the very people they were against. That was a fun twist and I’m really intrigued to hear where things move from here with their relationship and the podcast dynamic. I loved the reference to the files containing 97 documents that were completely missing which was a rather unsubtle nod to the missing episodes of 1960s Doctor Who. I thought that was great though and I love the direct approach for things like that. In terms of the plot, there wasn’t much of one other than exploring the podcast hosts becoming part of UNIT, but it was still a thoroughly enjoyable listen!

Rating: 8/10

The Daleks in Colour

"A new and safe world, free from the fear of war."

Writer: Terry Nation

Format: TV

Broadcast: 23 November 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary Colourisation

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

It's time to encounter the Daleks once again, but this time in a way you've never seen them before.

Verdict

The Daleks in Colour was just wonderful. A truly spectacular way to help celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who! Sixty years strong and this incredible show and world of the Whoniverse continues to find ways to reinvent itself. This was just so much fun. I was so excited by the announcement that we would get The Daleks colourised, and whilst the traditionalist in me had hoped it would be all seven parts, getting a new seventy-five minute edit was honestly just as good. I didn’t know what to expect going in as cutting out around one hundred minutes worth of content seemed like an awful lot, but the pace of the story was just incredible! This really did feel brand new as the flow was so fast and the new musical score was the biggest treat of all. I was more impressed with that than I was the colourisation! It was unlike anything from 1960s Doctor Who, or maybe even the entire Classic era. It gave the story a whole new lease of life that was thrilling and exciting. It also added a deep layer of tension and the atmosphere in the petrified forest in particular was remarkable. I was a huge fan. On a personal note, the colourisation meant that I was able to convince my girlfriend to watch a First Doctor adventure for the very first time which was a nice treat. She wasn’t overly impressed by the design of the Daleks, but she found the whole thing fun and a lot of that was down to the music. The complete version of this serial is one I know very well and I’m very fond of as I’ve watched it at least five times and of course also read the brilliant novelisation. I did agree with her thoughts on not entirely knowing what was going on thanks to the cuts as that did cross my mind. Being so familiar with the adventure meant I always knew where we were in regard to the full story, but for her it got a little confusing. Despite that, it was still so much fun and for me seeing things like fast directorial cuts and the flashbacks was a nice injection of modern style into an old faithful classic like this one. My favourite edit was certainly the escape scene with Ian being inside the Dalek. The way that was done and sped up was genuinely exciting and just a sheer thrill. It was unlike anything we had seen with the First Doctor before. It really was marvellous. The tightness of the sets was a little more evident in colour with the hard backgrounds but the scale created for the forest and the different shots of the Dalek city in particular were a real treat. The colour really did add a whole new dimension to the story. It was also wonderful to see William Hartnell in colour as that felt so alien but a real privilege to be honest. If the mini montage at the end colourising extracts from numerous other serials is anything to go by then hopefully this isn’t the last time we get to see him in full colour! The Daleks themselves look resplendent in that retro grey and blue look which I adore. Seeing their city and the TARDIS interior in colour were particular highlights. Putting some colour on the Thals was also brilliant. I won’t get into the story itself now as I’ve already blogged it in more than one form, but for now this was a real treat and an intriguing and genuinely exciting edit! Hopefully the first of many more to come. Overall, a magnificent event to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary! 

Rating: 9/10