The Cradle

"You feel what it wants you to feel."

Writer: Tasha Suri

Format: Novel

Released: October 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary 02

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

It is London, 1978, and tensions are high. Seema and her family are struggling, but she has learnt to keep her head down, not create trouble.

That is until she and her two friends, Terrance and Inderjit, decide to join an anti-National Front protest in the East End. 

And when trouble does inevitably find them, the friends are saved by the appearance of a mysterious, seemingly broken-down bus.

But inside this bus it is like nothing any of them have ever seen. It is a journey through the most wonderful landscapes, where visions of hopes and dreams envelop the lost group. 

Who – or what – is this strange place? The tall, grumpy man with white hair might know the answers, but then he seems jus as scared as they are...

Verdict

The Cradle was a bit of an average read as I continue my way through The Decades Collection to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who! It's going to take a lot to live up to the standard set by Imaginary Friends and I felt this one was almost a bit like a take it or leave it. It wasn't too exciting and didn't really feel much of a celebratory tale for the 1970s. It felt wrong that this decade was represented by the Twelfth Doctor and throughout much of the book I didn't feel the Doctor was necessary. That's probably why his presence was dwindling at best which was a shame. I'm never a huge fan of books that take a long time to introduce the lead characters as whilst it is important to establish the setting and characters, it's also worth remembering what we came for. Seema was a decent little character and she worked well as the narrator with the book annoyingly being in the first person! She had a lot going on in her life after losing her dad in a racist attack three months ago and tensions were building between her mother and sister. Anjali as the latter was a strong character who was part of the protest revolution aiming for change. The racial tensions in this book were interesting to explore and I must admit it's a historical event that I wasn't aware of, but it was a bit on the nose. Some of the representation almost felt forced which was a shame as I really enjoyed the togetherness of Terrance, Inderjit and Seema on the bus but for them all to be minorities with multiple characteristics seen as not the norm was slightly on the nose. That probably is a little harsh but I felt the message could have been conveyed purely going down the race route which seemed to be the focus and the main form of educational value here. It was good to explore Seema's inner thoughts though and the struggle of her revealing that she liked girls. Her perfect girl in her head of Jaya manifesting itself in the Cradle with the alien others was good and she really was blushing. It felt a bit of a let down that she didn't actually come to stay on Earth! I thought the Doctor was a little bit too much of a background character in the book and honestly if he didn't feature I don't think things would have changed too much. The space bus was a little weird and whilst I initially liked the connection to Seema's travels to primary school on a special bus, the fact it stayed disguised as that vehicle felt a little silly. Some of the sci-fi elements were a little lacking here in my estimation. The titular reveal of the Cradle was decent and the moment that shone for me was when it represented itself as someone the looker loved, but we never even got a hint as to who the Doctor was seeing! That was a big shame as even an ambiguous tease would have meant so much. My instinct says it would be Susan. The Cradle having an effect on physiology as well as creating illusions in the mind was good but something not used enough. I thought the callousness of the Cradle not giving the children a choice was decent, but the way it was convinced to change otherwise was a little quick. Considering the title of the book and the build up, the Cradle didn't stick around for much more than a chapter which was a shame as it had a lot of potential if explored deeper. Overall, a decent tale in parts and some important history, but it was missing something. 

Rating: 6/10

Underground

"There's something inside him."

Writer: Chris Cornwell

Format: Audio

Released: September 2023

Series: Redacted 2.03

Featuring: Shawna, Abby, Cleo

Synopsis

To save Apex's life, Cleo must venture deep into the alien underground beneath London. But dark secrets are lurking down there. Meanwhile, Abby and Shawna are hunted in a library by a shape-shifting monster.

Verdict

Underground was a pretty average episode to continue my way through the second series of the Redacted podcast. There wasn’t exactly an awful lot wrong or bad about the story, but it just felt a bit bland and quite eventful until the end. A frying pan isn’t exactly a normal or even logical way out of a cliffhanger, but it is somewhat suited to Cleo when it comes to that kind of desperation. I must say, my thoughts throughout the episode were centred on how much I wasn’t enjoying Apex as a character and I just couldn’t buy into him alongside Cleo. I wasn’t much interested in his story and for him to have been such a focus of the first three episodes is a surprise and not quite up to the standard of the first series. Of course, that’s slightly harsh now that Abby, Shawna and Cleo are established characters as the mains, but I find myself wanting a reason to care. His injection of trionic radiation was good and the emergence of Honour Bray at the end was superb as she wouldn’t give him the cure serum. At least not yet. I don’t think Apex will die because she has a fascinating mission for him which was an intriguing cliffhanger. I’ve suspected Apex wasn’t all he seemed almost from the off, especially with how interested in the Doctor he was, but I wasn’t expecting the task to be centred on finding a TARDIS! That was very fun. It wasn’t solely related to finding the Doctor. But finding them was a sure fire way to obtaining a time machine. Honour knowing of Apex’s numerous ploys and hearing that he’d pretend to be a Time Agent or even a Time Lord to lure people in was terrific. At last something I could sink my teeth into regarding him. Cleo not understanding and being supportive of him was fun as she claimed if anything he was her piece on the side and not the other way around. Regardless, I’m still much more interested in Abby and Shawna’s hunt for Torchwood. They found a HQ site but it seemed to have been ravaged of any evidence that could be deemed useful. That’s a shame, but the alien threat continuation there was very well done. There was an emotional moment between the pair as it seemed that Shawna would die when she realised it wasn’t Abby holding her hand. That was chilling. The repeat of using a high pitched and loud noise was a little less exciting, and I did think their half of the episode was a little messy. More time would have been beneficial to expand on the threat as I think imitating Cleo was a strong move and definitely something to inject the fear factor. It was realistic whereas I thought the shift to Abby was not. She was literally on the phone with the real version so of course it was a fake! That seemed a little random to me and took me out of it. The truth coming out about moving to Glasgow and not being perfect was a nice moment to bring them even closer now in their relationship which was great after just being friends for so long. Overall, some good parts to move us forward but it was just a bit clunky whilst not being incredible. 

Rating: 6/10

Daleks Among Us

"Everything I remember is wrong."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: September 2013

Series: Monthly Adventures 177

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Klein, Will

Synopsis

AZIMUTH DEPARÊMENT OF RE-EDUCATION

REMINDER: TO ALL CITIZENS

There are no Daleks on Azimuth. There have never been Daleks on Azimuth. 

Twenty years ago, the Daleks did not invade Azimuth. There was no war. There were no death camps. A man named 'the Doctor' did not help liberate Azimuth. 

There are no such things as Daleks. They do not exist. There are no Daleks among us.

UPDATE: TO ALL CITIZENS

A strange blue box has not appeared in Monument Plaza. Off-worlders named 'the Doctor', 'Elizabeth Klein' and 'Will Arrowsmith' are not at large in the city. For your own safety, should you not see any of the above, report at once to the Department of Re-education, Azimuth Central. 

NEVER REMEMBER

Verdict

Daleks Among Us was a really strong audio to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures range and conclude this excellent Seventh Doctor trilogy alongside Elizabeth Klein and Will Arrowsmith. This new trio is a fun dynamic in the TARDIS and after an eventful two stories in Persuasion and Starlight Robbery, things rounded out very nicely here. I mean, there was an awful lot going on and at times there was almost too much! There were a lot of unanswered questions that we got answered to and most of that centred around Klein. I wasn't expecting her to be the template for the persuasion machine but it was a fine revelation! The way she was able to hijack the TARDIS and go back in time to learn the truth of her connection to Kurt Schalk was magnificent and it was nice to inject some vulnerability into her character. The way she challenged the Doctor on if he just saw her as a Nazi was brilliant and I really liked the struggle she had knowing that she couldn't hold herself as a baby. The ramifications would be huge and she was certainly pushed into doing so, but she resisted. Her resemblance to Elisabeth Volkenrath was intriguing and settled the mystery of how she was recognised back at the start of the trilogy, but I do think the swapped identity at the conclusion was a little predictable. That's not to say it was bad by any means! But surely the accent was a giveaway? I really enjoyed the concept of the Daleks forcing the population of Azimuth to deny or even remember that they existed. It became the law to not remember and that's quite striking. Having Davros installed as the father the religion on the planet was magnificent and that was just a perfect way to fool him into being a Dalek prisoner. He doesn't half get one-upped by his own creations. His relationship with Falkus was really good stuff and I liked his position as the would-be Kaled heir. Davros didn't seem overly struck on that idea, but it was firmly in play by the Daleks. The very idea of Daleks still being among Azimuth was really well done and I loved the secretive nature. It was very Dalek. Will's reaction to seeing the Daleks in person after recalling the UNIT tapes of Day of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks was unlike any companion before him (or after!) which was just marvellous. He ought to have been exterminated on the spot! He exhibited some fine skills to showcase he could be a field agent after all though which was good. And his time in the TARDIS doesn't seem like it's up just yet either! The fact that Volkenrath took the power of the persuasion machine was good and she used the Daleks' own efforts against them as this would no propaganda machine. They wanted their enemies to be persuaded to stop. Literally. Their hearts. So she just reverted it and all clone matter was stopped along with the Daleks themselves. The Doctor drawing the line at Davros was interesting to say the least, and I wonder does the Doctor almost feel sorry for him given that he doesn't hold much sway with the Daleks anymore? The continuity from Skaro's destruction was very good there. Klein's reaction when the Doctor and Will finally came to rescue her after she was left behind from the TARDIS fast return switch was good and sets up nicely for further adventures to come. Overall, a great story where there was probably slightly too much going on. 

Rating: 8/10

Everywhere and Anywhere: Sins of the Flesh

"How can a mutation be clever?"

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: December 2023

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 5.03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie

Synopsis

Is your child exhibiting sinful behaviour? Have they set themselves on the road of eternal damnation? Has everything you tried failed? Feel like you're out of options?

Don't worry. We can help. Bring them to the Rebirth Organisation today. Bring them to be converted

Verdict

Sins of the Flesh was an excellent conclusion to the Everywhere and Anywhere fifth series of Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! This really has been a magnificent boxset to what is turning out to be quite an incredible run of adventures for the Eleventh Doctor and Valarie. It's so sad that time is running out with only one more boxset to come, but that has allowed for a fully fleshed out story arc across the four boxsets since the new companion joined and the story quality is reaping the benefits. This does feel like a lost series from the modern era and it's pretty darn fantastic. I'm a huge fan of Valarie as the companion and it only feels right that with her not being fully organic, she encounters the Cybermen. It's always great for them to return and they're befitting of the finale. I liked that Valarie had studied the Cybermen back at university and countless modules on them would be very exciting! Give me the history of the Cybermen for a term all day long. She had knowledge on the different models which was fun and the Doctor's comment about the evolution of his old enemies seeing them become less and less human was fantastic. We have had countless Cyber stories in the past so I was really impressed in how this episode gave us something new. It's quite a challenge to tell a new Cyberman story but this one did it tremendously! The concept of the Cyberman being a redemption suit in a religious cult like the Rebirth Organisation was sensational and something I was a huge fan of hearing. It was audacious but just so good. The very fact that the Cyber Leader was going by the name of Alexander was marvellous! These Cybermen had emotions, and the rate of the conversion being masked as a miracle was brilliant. Lilly was a really food character and the way she stood up to her father after almost being made into a Cyberman purely because she had fallen for someone of her same sex was great stuff. It was a powerful moment, but Carmen wouldn't befall the same luxury. She became a Cyberman and having her converted but retaining her voice and partially her personality was disturbing. I mean, a Cyberman on a morning breakfast show? It was all very strange but it worked very well. Macintosh was made to feel a bit of a fool by the end of the episode with how he had welcomed the Cybermen, but I couldn't help feel it wasn't all his fault. The Cybermen can be very convincing! I thought the moment the charade was up for them could have been a little more impactful as it felt a bit sudden, and the triumphant moment from the Doctor and Valarie as they told the Cybermen how they were defeated felt a bit too scripted, but otherwise this was absolutely stellar. I liked how the focus wasn't on All's Fair regarding the fate of Valarie until the end with the companion not wanting the Doctor to look at her thinking of that. The mystery of the phone caller continues and it seems the TARDIS now has a trace, leading us nicely into the next boxset and potentially back to 1893 and Valarie's death. The Doctor's description of always winning but lately losing when it comes to his friends was an emotional moment in what was an outstanding performance from Jacob Dudman as the eleventh incarnation. He absolutely nails it! Overall, a gripping episode that was the right level of dark. Very close to a perfect rating! 

    

Rating: 9/10

Everywhere and Anywhere: All's Fair

"How can a mutation be clever?"

Writer: Max Kashevsky

Format: Audio

Released: December 2023

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 5.02

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie

Synopsis

Chicago's World's Fair, 1893. An ideal date for a pair of loved-up engineers.

However, there are certain things you don't want to happen on a date. An impossible reunion derailing things. Abominations stalking the streets. Your date dying at the end...

Verdict

All's Fair was an excellent episode to continue my listening of the Everywhere and Anywhere fifth series of Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! By the end of the story, I wasn't considering things to be at all fair and I think that was part of the humour in the title. This was a fast paced episode that really covered a lot of ground, some of it rather unexpectedly! The idea of the episode giving us the death of Valarie when she was older is incredible. This companion really doesn't get a break! It's just one thing after the other for our favourite part-cyborg. She's going through a lot but that doesn't stop her having a great first date with Roanna. I thought it was lovely that she finally got to meet up with her and get that date. It certainly went well but the emotional torment both would experience as the episode unfolded was quite horrifying! I really enjoyed the continuity with The Inheritance dating back to Geronimo! in having the Fulcrum Corporation return with Hendricks fully in command. I like that we get a returning villain who was hinting at a lot to come in the next boxset, that is going by the name and the cover art. We've still got Cybermen to come in this finale, but all signs point towards another meeting with the Daleks. Hendricks taunting the Doctor on the outcome of the Time War was superb. She claimed he'd killed all of his own species for nothing because Daleks still survived, and let's be frank she was correct. The idea of her wanting to wipe out the Daleks properly is exciting because in theory why would the Doctor oppose that? He had his chance at their genesis, but now a new mutation was being developed. A mutation that would make people immune to extermination! That's incredible and I can't wait for it to unfold in the future. Roanna being patient zero for the Surge that would ravage Chicago was really well done and having Frank come back in time and try to kill her was fantastic. Not what you want on a first date! I thought that disease was good and the Doctor naming it was a fun moment. I was a big fan of meeting Hayden has Valarie's husband was a good character and the way he introduced himself to his wife in her own past and her first date was a big shock! This was a lot for Roanna to take in and I liked that she ended up helping Hayden as he struggled to cope with everything that happened. Maria was a magnificent villain as the Fulcrum representative and her callousness in shooting Roanna and wanting to cause double torment on Valarie was magnificent. The Doctor's reaction to finding out that the Valarie that dies was the real article and not a projection, robot or version from an alternate universe was excellent! He was very angry. But Valarie wasn't and knew that she wanted a life worth living, even if it was on borrowed time. Travelling with the Doctor in the TARDIS, who would want to be anywhere else? She also convinced Roanna to go along with the relationship even though they knew it wouldn't last. That made the proclamation of love even more special. Overall, an emotional and really strong episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Everywhere and Anywhere: Spirit of the Season

"My name's Clara and I'm going to kill you."

Writer: Georgia Cook

Format: Audio

Released: December 2023

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 5.01

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie, 

Synopsis

It's a Christmas miracle! The Doctor and Valarie have finally found another Clara. Shame she wants to kill them both.

Verdict

Spirit of the Season was a very strong start to the Everywhere and Anywhere fifth series of Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! It's been an eventful time of late for the pairing of the Eleventh Doctor and Valarie and after a really strong and beneficial bonus episode in the form of Broken Hearts to fill the gap between The Curiosity Shop and this story, it seems we're getting somewhere close to normal again for them. There's a long way to go though and the emotional torment just keeps on coming for Valarie Lockwood. She has to go through losing her own mother again here, as if her experience in The Inheritance wasn't bad enough! I like how she isn't afraid in the slightest to challenge the Doctor and the Laws of Time, partly because she has faith in him that whatever did go wrong he could put it right. Her blunt reply of simply 'so' when the Doctor said taking her mother with them at this point in her past would bring the universe crashing down was extraordinary. It was so brash! I liked the Christmas theme of the episode and it's a shame I'm a couple of weeks late to the party in listening, but with the festive season still very much fresh in my memory it was nice for the Doctor to want to take Valarie to Lapland. Even if she had no idea what it was. But the mysterious phone call came and sent them on a completely different course! I'm a fan of this direction and I like the intrigue and story arc. The prospect of the Eleventh Doctor finding a version of Clara between the events of The Snowmen and The Bells of Saint John is fantastic and the version here was not exactly an Oswald. She was a killer child! The introduction of this Clara was rather amusing and the way the story developed as we found out she was actually an Arkheion was nicely done. I thought the premise of a small bubble universe made up of the fears of those now inhabiting was very good, although more of an explanation as to how the TARDIS was breached would have been beneficial. I liked the quartet of the Doctor, Valarie, Edmund and Harpreet a lot and it worked well to delve into their own personal fears. Harpreet had lost her sister who went missing which I almost think could be worse than death. The not knowing would just be horrific and a different kind of torment because it really is the hope that gets you. Her being from 1995 contrasting with Edmund being a sixteenth century monk was very good, and they'd been in the universe longer so had a good understanding of each other. The Doctor's fears showing a shark in the sky from A Christmas Carol was an unexpected choice I must say, but it was good to showcase something. It fit with the Christmas theme for sure! The highlight of the story though was Valarie once again wrestling with losing her mother and the torment she went through made me feel so sorry for her. Just a normal trip for her I beg! Clara shooting her mother point blank was horrifying but it was that moment that made Valarie realise this wasn't her true mother as she didn't die. Clara taunting the Doctor only for him to laugh was magnificent and despite the names of former companions now dead hurting him, it was the thought of the incredible lives they'd lived that he held onto. That was a touching moment. Clara being defeated by her own nature and the words from the Doctor was neat and tidy. Overall, a really strong opener! 

Rating: 8/10

Imaginary Friends

"November 1963 would live long in the minds of people."

Writer: Jacquline Rayner

Format: Novel

Released: October 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary 01

Featuring: Third Doctor, Ian

Synopsis

It's Christmas, 1963, when nine-year-old Gerald starts dreaming of strange worlds and monsters.

His parents think it's harmless at first. But Gerald is convinced it's real – his dreams of Daleks and cavemen and insects as big as a person.

Desperate for help, what Gerald's family really need, right now, is a Doctor.

Verdict

Imaginary Friends was a wonderful book to kick off the Decades Collection celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who! It's taken me a little longer than I would have liked to get stuck into these celebratory stories, but alas better late than never! It's a shame that the releases of these adventures weren't a little more spread out in the build up to the anniversary, but it is what it is. I think they'd sell better and provide a bit more anticipation, but that is not the approach taken which is absolutely fine. This is the only book in the collection I knew a little bit about but I couldn't have imagined it to go as far as it did! It was sublime and whilst Jacqueline Rayner has long been a favourite prose writer of mine in the Whoniverse, this might just be her best work yet. In her Acknowledgements she described the book as a love letter to Doctor Who and that is absolutely what it was. It was tremendous. The idea of a little boy dreaming the Doctor's adventures starting with An Unearthly Child and essentially experiencing things real time was outstanding. It was so good. The book staying with young Gerry and his family for the bulk was a bold move but it absolutely payed off. Whilst the Doctor doesn't feature until the very end and he isn't around for long, the story is all about Doctor Who which makes it so readable. I have watched every story possible from the 1960s, many on more than one occasion and several also in a novelisation format, so the references here were a dream to me. I adored reading how Gerry reacted to events such as The Edge of Destruction and The Reign of Terror. They're quite niche stories in how they're appreciated but he didn't hold back with the comments. He was less than favourable about the latter in particular which is particularly harsh. His waking up screaming because of Susan leaving in The Dalek Invasion of Earth was something I could relate to, but he was soon okay once he experienced The Rescue and Vicki came along. We stayed quite consistent time wise until Ian and Barbara would depart, but even then the events of The Chase had upset Gerry as the two teacher companions departed. The real world implications for the family were fascinating to explore as Ray got sick and became almost existing just to work which then had a detrimental impact on his relationship with Claire. The other children didn't offer too much but that was absolutely fine as the focus should have been on Gerry. I almost envied him as imagine going to bed and having adventures with the Doctor? How good would that be! Gerry's reaction to the Doctor changing in The Tenth Planet was quite fun and I was wondering how he'd feel about Doctor Bear from that point. The importance of that teddy was extraordinary and the reaction of horror when his dad punished him by taking it away was scary! Gerry was inundated with it. I felt so sorry for him when the burglary occurred just to take away the young lad's book where he jotted down the Doctor's travels. Ray being a chemical engineer meant his description of Planet of Giants was misinterpreted which was quite amusing, insecticide be damned! Gerry actually getting a letter from UNIT for an invite to meet the Doctor was a lovely touch and the use of his special pound note from Grandad Campbell was a very strong moment. Meeting the Doctor at last would be a very special moment indeed. The Doctor finding out about the call to Gatwick Airport as Gerry believed the events of The Faceless Ones were unfolding in real time was terrific, and it all made sense as he met him. Gerry took to believing that the velvet coat wearing man was the Doctor, changed again, and that was quite touching. He got to meet his hero at last. The explanation regarding what had happened with the Doctor experimenting with telepathic circuits of the TARDIS but having to leave quickly because of Ian and Barbara forcing their way in was tremendous. I thought that was excellent and actually was logical! The TARDIS had been linked with Gerry and now it could show him what it saw when he was dreaming. An appearance from Ian too was a lovely treat and Gerry being delighted at finding out that he had got home in the Dalek Time Machine was glorious. The Doctor's speech when it came to severing the TARDIS link was just beautiful and I loved that he replaced Doctor Bear. I couldn't believe it had been destroyed in the first place! Each regeneration sparking a new letter and a change of clothes for the bear was a lovely touch, going right up to the unseen Fifteenth Doctor at the time of release! A real treat. Overall, a bold idea that absolutely pays off. A fan's dream. 

Rating: 10/10

Cats and Dogs

"My cat started talking to me."

Writer: Tom MacRae

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2007

Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2008

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

When a cat owner is startled to find their feline friend talking to them, it opens up a whole ordeal between talking and psychic cats and dogs. War-like species are ready to wage battle on a new planet in their unlikely new bodies...

Verdict

Cats and Dogs was a pretty decent little story to kick off my reading of the 2008 Doctor Who Storybook, but it was let down by quite a serious continuity error which really impacted my enjoyment of the story at the end. It's a shame as whilst I must admit that the title of this adventure didn't have me too excited, it was turning into a pretty decent tale! Having a Doctor Who take on the eternal and humorous battle between cats and dogs is pretty fun and definitely worked on this small scale kind of story, but I must admit it isn't something I would like to see in any longer or more mainstream format. I was also a little surprised that the first story in this collection was a solo outing for the Tenth Doctor. I was almost half expecting the narrator to be Martha until the illustration of the hands holding the note to self and sonic screwdriver were hairy, white, and quite clearly male. It still took me by surprise that it turned out to be the Doctor! It made sense for storyline purposes and the explanation was strong regarding his involvement in delivering a verdict on whether Species 7 and Species 29 could return to inhabiting physical bodies. It's just such a shame that Biggles the cat didn't recognise its owner considering the research on the computer literally showed the Doctor as being the Tenth! That's such a glaring error and the illustrator has got it massively wrong. Judging from the Doctor's explanation and recap of the regeneration events in The Parting of the Ways, the image on the computer really ought to have shown the Ninth Doctor. That would have been much better but instead it just didn't make much sense for Biggles to not react when seeing its owner when searching for the Doctor on the internet! I couldn't get past that to be honest and that's a big reason why the story rating drops considerably for me. If that didn't happen, I think it would be much higher. The illustration quality itself was excellent which makes it even more annoying as they certainly add to the text. It's not an ordinary prose adventure and that really helps. I thought the humour in Biggles talking with Sampson was good and it soon turned from just ordinary cat and dog matters to raging war and how glorious it was. It was all very Sontaran and Rutan like with them which was fun. It was a little to take seriously though thinking that cats and dogs were just speaking in English! They were almost a little too descriptive and full in conversation for my liking. The theme of the two weeks was good and explained a lot as we delved into the story more. The narrator having a note to self and it containing the words 'you are the Doctor' was fun stuff and I liked how he knew when it was time. It just was. It was akin to Human Nature in that regard but not quite going to the species level, just memories. It was a fun plan of the Doctor to essentially put in a trial to test whether Species 7 and Species 29 had good intentions or if they would abolish the peace and return to war. The Doctor had his answer and the Ageless arrived to see them return to their non-physical form and maintain the peace. Overall, a decent tale but a glaring continuity error in the illustrations really hurts it.

Rating: 6/10

The Beast on Scar Hill

"You all need to get out of sight."

Writer: Mark Wright

Format: Audio

Released: September 2023

Series: BBC Audio 18

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

High on the summit of a bleak Yorkshire moor, the Scar Hill Hotel is used to bad weather. Yet, on a dark afternoon in January, the ferocious snowstorm that engulfs the hotel surprises even its managers, Mike and Jess. 

Also caught off guard are the handful of paying guests, all now stranded until rescue teams can get through. When Mike doesn't return from a recce, and two new arrivals introduce themselves as the Doctor and Rose, a night of terror begins. 

Something is out there in the snow, hunting. Old Wiggins believes it's the fabled Beast of Scar Hill, the same creature that's done for his sheep. The Doctor's keeping an open mind, as he and Rose fight a losing battle to keep everyone safe. 

Someone knows the truth behind the attacks, and the secret that lies out on the moor. But who?

Verdict

The Beast of Scar Hill was was a somewhat average story for the Ninth Doctor and Rose from BBC Audio. I think my rating for this one honestly might be a little generous too which is a shame as I’m a massive fan of getting more material with this pairing. I would absolutely love for Billie Piper to do some Big Finish alongside Christopher Eccleston for some authentic Ninth Doctor Adventures, and I do think that will happen in the future, but for now the BBC Audios filling in the gap for further adventures during Series 1 is all good with me. I was quietly optimistic to see that Mina Anwar was the narrator for this story as I think she’s a really underrated talent in the Whoniverse. She’s quirky and just injects some energy and fun whenever she performs. So it was a big disappointment to find that this particular episode was incredibly slow paced. In that regard she wasn’t the right fit. There was a severe lack of incidental music and atmosphere which was weird and a shame considering the image and setting that was created in the pre-titles. I enjoyed the concept of a group of people being snowed in, even if it seems somewhat improbable in this day and age. At least one of their phones would have worked I’d imagine! I wasn’t buying that but I could let it pass for the purpose of the story. The arrival of the Doctor and Rose felt a little too late as well. I’d have appreciated a little TARDIS scene at the start to establish the episode instead of a bit of character overload with all those we would come to know. Mike and Jess were good as the hotel operators and the latter had to take the limelight when Mike didn’t return from his little recce and the death started. That did inject some seriousness into the story which was needed. I just felt the true intentions of the story came a bit late. I liked that Trevor was not all that he seemed but his revelation as actually being Tarvin didn’t mean much to me. There weren’t any stakes and he wasn’t a returning villain or anything so it meant very little. It was difficult to care in that regard. Darno investigating him was a good way to tie things up at the conclusion, but more focus on the teardrop of perpetuity which he was being hunted for in the first place would have been better. I enjoyed exploring the mythical nature of the Scar Hill beast, especially when it came to the claim that only its eyes had been seen. That’s a very unique and specific body part to see! It painted a decent horror picture which was great. I thought the narrator did a fine job in differentiating the characters for the most part but her task was made more difficult by so many of them featuring. I think in this range when you know there’s only going to be one actor performing the story, it works best to keep characters to a minimal. The less the better and more intimacy allows the narrator to really shine and dive into the characters. But there were just too many at the hotel here. Jess was the highlight. Rose not being startled by aliens was good and whilst I appreciated the references and continuity to the likes of The End of the World, Aliens of London/World War Three and Dalek, it did go a bit far. She obviously doesn’t have the Moxx of Balhoon on speed dial! That line felt a little forced and just silly. Overall, some good ideas, a great narrator and fine setting but there was just a bit too much going on with the stakes at the conclusion coming too late.

Rating: 6/10

Apex

"There's something inside him."

Writer: Juno Dawson

Format: Audio

Released: September 2023

Series: Redacted 2.02

Featuring: Shawna, Abby, Cleo

Synopsis

Attacked by giant rats, Cleo's expecting the Doctor to turn up – but instead she encounters a different enigmatic alien. Apex Costa explains he needs Cleo's help – the Doctor's missing. Meanwhile Abby and Shawna investigate a mysterious organisation called Torchwood.

Verdict

Apex was a decent little episode to continue my way through the second series of the Redacted podcast series! After a strong opener and good cliffhanger with Cleo on the verge of being ravaged or even consumed by giant rats, she was saved in quick style. But unfortunately it wasn’t the Doctor. I feel a little harsh in my negativity here but the titular character of Apex felt a little less then. That’s a huge shame as I think in isolation there’s some potential there with him being a part of the Intergalactic Central Bureau Agency. It sounded like a funky organisation and my early prediction for the series is this is where Cleo ends up. Apex looks set to stick around at least for a little while and with Abby and Shawna all loved up it makes sense for her to go off and do something akin to travelling with the Doctor. That’s the problem here though slightly is that because Cleo wants to find the Doctor so desperately and is constantly leaving messages and searching for trouble where he or she may turn up, anyone else that appears almost by default becomes a disappointment. It’s a big shame. The story itself as my rating shows is a very decent one even if it does perhaps fall into the range of filler. But filler is important and this moves things along nicely. As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog of the series opener, I’m much more interested in Abby and Shawna’s investigation into Torchwood than I am with whatever Cleo is up to in London. Her talk with Apex about the Doctor was great though and I loved the idea of the Time Lords being considered an endangered species. That was tremendous. I thought the idea of Apex being from the Origin was intriguing but a little big picture and just unfathomable for a podcast series. Claiming that this is where all Time came from and began is bold! Especially without the Doctor around. Cleo referring to the Doctor’s gender change during regeneration as a transition was fun tongue in cheek and I also enjoyed how the rats incident was detailed as being similar to the Arachnids in the UK situation. I do love the continuity in this series. Abby and Shawna finding Archie in hospital was a shame as I’d have loved for them to have a conversation, but he was in a bad way with an alien creature literally escaping from inside of him! That painted a pretty gruesome picture. The prospect of it being on the loose in Glasgow was fun for the future but the podcast pair were more interested in the sound studio that Archie had pointed them in the direction of its keys. The description of the large T on the wall was glorious and I love the idea of investigating deeper into an unfamiliar Torchwood location. The archive would be extensive, but files relating to the Doctor were gone. The cliffhanger was pretty good as a drone voice came booming upon Cleo and Alex with the latter clearly not quite being what he seems. I sense an ulterior motive for gathering information on the Doctor instead of just a routine centenary species catalogue. This creature is out to protect the truth, and I do wonder what Apex is after! Overall, a good listen.

Rating: 7/10

Regrets

"I think the blue box is our guardian angel."

Writer: Juno Dawson

Format: Audio

Released: September 2023

Series: Redacted 2.01

Featuring: Shawna, Abby, Cleo, Rani

Synopsis

Cleo Proctor is officially over it. Her life is a mess and her best friends – Abby and Shawna are lost in a lesbian love-in. Life sucks. She's lonely. She wants the Doctor to take her away from all this, but they're not returning her calls. Then Cleo discovers reports of mutant rats in London Docklands and things... get interesting.

Verdict

Regrets was a great start to the second series of the Redacted podcast series! I haven't wasted much time at all in getting stuck into the second batch of episodes for this hidden gem of a series in the Whoniverse. I really liked how the legacy of the first series was still very much felt, but the name almost feels a little redundant now as the redacted virus was dealt with by the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of the previous series, but here we are with more! It's all very exciting. The continuity was very strong and I think it's an interesting move for only Cleo to remember the events of the whole redacted virus and meeting the Doctor. That puts her in an interesting position in a series where the dynamic of our Blue Box Files podcast hosts has changed drastically now that Abby and Shawna are in a relationship. Whilst it isn't the intention, there were moments where Cleo couldn't escape being a third wheel which was a bit of a shame and I certainly did feel sorry for her on more than one occasion. She was even living alone now with Jordan off in Bali and she was longing for the Doctor. That was almost a little sad as she had actually been rejected as a companion in Salvation and now the Doctor wasn't even returning her calls. That stung a little but saving all of time and space didn't provide much free time! Cleo providing updates to the Doctor of what she was investigating regarding the giant rats swamping around London was decent, but I was much more interested by Abby and Shawna investigating Torchwood. That was very exciting and having them actually venture to Torchwood House was magnificent. The loose references to Tooth and Claw with the legend of the Werewolf was nicely done and I also enjoyed the links to The Torchwood Archive with Archie! Abby and Shawna would need to find him if they wanted some answers about Torchwood and its connection to the blue box. I am very intrigued to hear where things go from there regarding this. I'd love an appearance from a Torchwood team member! I also liked that we had references to the Rani Takes on the World podcast tying in very nicely with her Big Finish series. It was just lovely to hear Rani again and having her admit she was a big fan of the Blue Box Files podcast was very nice. The blend of continuity there was strong. Cleo having to convince Abby and Shawna of their meeting with the Doctor was good and I get a sense there will be a lot more frustration to come as the series continues, that is assuming that she survives the fate of the cliffhanger! Her investigation at the toxic Docklands led her to find a creature that all indications pointing towards it being the giant rat that had mauled Esther's dog, and it seemed to be getting the upper hand as Cleo was struggling as the closing titles arrived. Cleo doesn't strike me as someone who would cope well physically and she wasn't in the best state of mind after her failed Shakespeare monologue audition. The representation issues were handled well there. Overall, an intriguing start to the series that really does set us up for a whole new series ahead! It's one I'm very excited for. A very good listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Sweet Flower of Uthe

"The enemy no longer exists."

Writer: Unknown

Format: Short Story

Released: September 1980

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1981

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

When the Doctor, Romana and K9 get caught as hostages on an abandoned world that has recovered from war, it's up to the Time Lords to prove that there is peace on the surface...

Verdict

Sweet Flower of Uthe was an excellent story to conclude my reading of the 1981 Doctor Who Annual! This has largely been a consistently enjoyable read over the last couple of months or so but they may have saved the best until last! These Annual stories always have the potential to be hit or miss, but this one really does a stellar job with the limited text it has! The artwork that accompanies it is certainly useful but I maintain that here and for most of the stories in particular printed in Annuals, they don't go far enough in exploring the story's imagery. We have six distinct illustrations to accompany this adventure but they don't do a huge amount in presenting visuals. Of course, one of the major problems there is the lack of likeness for Romana II with the character depicted here not looking anything like Lalla Ward! That really does take away from the story's authenticity a little bit, but at least we do have a Tom Baker-looking Fourth Doctor. I thought the characterisation of the fourth incarnation here was actually superb and definitely the best that his likeness has been captured in the prose that appear in this collection. It absolutely nails the comedy dynamic with Romana and K9 which is always fun. It's a sublime trio and I'm delighted it was captured in print here. The Doctor sending K9 off to find the Uthian Scatterbud was fun as initially it seemed like he was doing so almost as a punishment for the robot dog correcting him on which number of the Uthe planets they were on. The Doctor claimed it was 4 but K9 pointed out it was actually 3. And that's where the scatterbud flourished and grew. The timing of K9's return to the commander as it appeared the Doctor and Romana would be killed was terrific and I could easily see the smile of the Fourth Doctor there as it happened. He knew all would be well. Once he was captured, the humour that came from him trying to change the strategy and point out its weaknesses was excellent and it was a nice way to include the often heavy-handed nature of this Doctor into print. He tried to own the room, but his referring to war as a game didn't sit well here. The reveal of the war computer was nicely done and I liked that with it only being programmed for war, it didn't understand peace so manufactured its own war on the planet despite it being 80% destroyed and now at peace. The Uthe originals were none the wiser which was a shame, especially considering over a century had passed since peace was declared! From there it rounded out into a pretty neat and simple conclusion as life would resume on Uthe and more flowers would flourish. As a whole, a really strong story! 

Rating: 9/10

Dark Waters

"Something so beautiful can come from something so deadly."

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Printed in: Ten Days of Christmas 09

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

Dark Waters was an excellent story to conclude my reading of the Ten Days of Christmas collection! These short stories have been a real festive treat and it's always fun to delve back into the era of the Tenth Doctor. It's certainly not a bad way to round out the year of 2023 in terms of blogging! Finishing a book is always a nice feeling, even one that's made up of several adventures and isn't read in one go or block. They might have saved the best until last with this particular story that saw a welcomed return of Jackson Lake! I wasn't expecting that, especially not some fifty-plus years after the events of The Next Doctor had occurred. For the Doctor, it had only been a couple of months but for Jackson he now had a whole new life on the southern hemisphere after his retirement as a teacher in 1881. He'd scratched that travel itch in a big way by emigrating and his reaction when he recognised the Doctor not looking a day older than when he'd last seen him over half a century previously was golden. The Doctor didn't even recognise Jackson to start with so that moment of recognition and catching up with an old friend was touching. A quite lovely moment. Things did not stay lovely for long though as the Doctor revealed he was on the track of a Dalek time signature which instantly set the threat level to high. Jackson remembering details from the info stamp the Cybermen had stolen was good and with it momentarily making him believe he was the Doctor, he knew all about the Daleks. That's who the Cybermen had stolen the stamp from in the first place after all! I thought over fifty years after first meeting the Doctor was an awfully long time for an elderly Jackson to still be having adventures, but it was nice to be catching up. I thought the format of the story was excellent in that it was all told as a letter written by Jackson to Rosita which he'd hoped would get there in time for her Christmas. That's putting the Christmas theme very loosely on this story, but it was a really nice read and there were some genuine moments of affection and compassion there. He clearly did care about Rosita and certainly missed her. It's a shame we didn't get any reply from Rosita in this story to read her reaction to Jackson encountering the Doctor again, but his infectious enthusiasm was evident throughout the letter. Of course, it's not entirely believable that the chunks of dialogue would be included as they were, or even for Jackson to recall the exact words, but making efforts with Jackson apologising for the length of the letter was a nice attempt at realism. The Daleks did feature but not for long as the Doctor and Jackson used the equivalent of an electric fizzy drink well shaken to wipe them out, but I appreciated how fearful Jackson came across in his words. Their plan to use the geyser to eject particles into the atmosphere that would bind ions ready for the interplanetary journey Earth would take in The Stolen Earth which I thought was massively intriguing! It was almost like a prequel to that episode as far as the Daleks were concerned. That was a lot of fun. The Doctor had to let it happen because he knew what was in store a century from now, and explaining that to Jackson was nicely done. The image of them both escaping the eruption on a Dalek hovercraft was magnificent and I loved that the Doctor stayed once again for Christmas. He couldn't go breaking tradition! Overall, a terrific read to conclude what has been a very strong and consistent book. 

Rating: 9/10

The Big Store

"Put me in your police box and take me into custody!"

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Printed in: Ten Days of Christmas 08

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

The Big Store was another great adventure to continue my way through the Ten Days of Christmas short story collection! I reach the penultimate story for the Tenth Doctor in the set and it was about time we came face to face with an old enemy. The Kraals may not seem the most obvious choice for a Christmas battle in prose, but when you consider the nature of toy production in space and the potential of a festive invasion through unwrapping unintended presents it's not that much of a surprise. I maintain that the story probably would have made more sense if this was a Nestene Consciousness and Auton outing, but making more sense doesn't necessarily mean it would be better. The Kraals provided a lot of humour without doing an awful lot which meant it wasn't easy to take them seriously, but I think that was kind of the point and is in part what made this a fun little read. I liked that a timeline was established for the Tenth Doctor's travels with this encounter coming soon after the events of Voyage of the Damned in his chronology. Talk about keeping up with the festive theme! He was still pondering on the death of Astrid which was nice to include and this is a gap that isn't explored enough. It always seems that if the Tenth Doctor is travelling solo it's during the period of the 2009 Specials, so to go here was a nice change. He had hoped for a new companion and we know he'll get one soon in the form of Donna, but at this moment he was alone and somewhat feeling it. I thought the toy factory in space idea was terrific and Midwinter as the head of the Gal Galaxy action figures was a really strong character. He was enthusiastic as you would hope for when it came to sales and his introduction of Gal as the prototype action figure was terrific. She was a fun character as essentially a toy filling the companion role, but she was much more than that as an android. Unfortunately, once that was revealed it was clear that the Kraals would be showing up as their appearance was spoiled in the DWM preview for this book. That is a bit of a shame but then I was also anticipating their arrival. And boy did it come with a chuckle! Skensal and Tayaka were pretty useless in all honesty as the Doctor basically eviscerated their plan and told them exactly what it was. They peered in small intervals to claim he didn't know the whole plan, but his spiel wasn't over and by the end he'd worked it all out. The mysterious ship that had ignored the red light being a police one was fun and the whole factory being a fake was perfectly Kraal. The story certainly steals from Kerblam! which is actually good as it's not on your normal everyday delivery service but rather a Christmas craze so that's a strong differentiation. It definitely does just work well and the emergence of the Super Galactic Gal to wipe out the Kraal software from the androids that would be presents and send them packing was nicely done. Midwinter's attempts to sell off the stock actually helped here with the super variants intended to go to the lucky buyers who may now be able to get to the real ship instead of being stuck. The Doctor getting to save in excess of twenty planets from invasion and everybody living certainly was a fine Christmas present for him! Overall, a great little read.  

Skensal and Tayaka

Rating: 8/10

The Hoxteth Time Capsule

"It's time to collect your memories."

Writer: Paul Davis

Format: Audio

Released: 29 December 2023

Series: Short Trips 13.X

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

George White experienced exciting, sometimes dangerous escapades throughout his professional and personal life. Now he loves to arrange public talks to share memories and pictures from his adventures around the world. At an event in Hoxteth, he meets a colourful stranger for the very first time. 

But if George can't recall ever meeting this man before, how can it be that the Sixth Doctor clearly appears in so many of the photographs that George took more than a decade ago?

Verdict

The Hoxteth Time Capsule was a lovely little Short Trip story to serve as this year's Paul Spragg Memorial Opportunity. I fancy myself as nothing close to being a writer but I have been tempted to enter this competition on more than one occasion, even though I have no idea in my mind. I wonder which TARDIS combination I'd go for? Probably something whacky and timey-wimey with multiple companions and Doctors that would just be too much for a Short Trip story. This one though was essentially perfect for the format as there weren't too many characters and it was in a nice contained setting. It was all the ingredients for a good listen and the forty-six minutes really did fly by! I think Colin Baker's narration had a lot to do with that as well as he really was tremendous. It always helps when you have an actor that is one of the main characters in the audio and that was the case here with the Doctor himself! The sixth incarnation on audio is rather different to the one we met on screen with the softer side clearly element, and we join the Sixth Doctor at a time where he's still pondering after losing Evelyn. My opinion on Evelyn over the last decade since I started the Monthly Adventures changed quite dramatically as her story was told and I grew up so I found it really touching for the Doctor to reflect on his travels with her and how he hurt her leading to her taking an extended break from the TARDIS. A lone Sixth Doctor could be dangerous but he's out to solve a mystery here. I thought George White was a strong character and just hearing his slideshow at the intimate Hoxteth event was great stuff. He was a likeable character and his confusion when a slide randomly appeared in his show despite him having presented it over thirty times was very fun. I liked the idea of the time capsule and the emergence of Asha was nicely done. George initially lied about knowing her but the Doctor was sensing something was amiss right from the off. I thought the alien involvement was good but it didn't get too much to the forefront. This was a strong character piece for George and I liked that he was the focus rather than the extraterrestrial threat. I did like their insistence on contracts and the litigation trickery there was good with signing away rights and then every signature on a cheque book or delivery meant you were put deeper into the fine print. It was fun stuff but the Doctor was a fine defence to have against contracts like this one! The time capsule coming into play was good and some of the imagery created was impressive. For a new writer, I was impressed with the descriptive nature of the story and I would certainly want to listen to more! As a whole, this was a fine story and I liked pondering on the future generations of the alien race hopefully being nicer than and learning from their parents. Who knows if that will be the case though! Overall, a great little listen. 

Rating: 8/10

The Voton Terror

"The whole spectrum of intelligent life in the universe was present in this one room."

Writer: Unknown

Format: Short Story

Released: September 1980

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1981

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

The Doctor takes Romana and K9 to a very important event in history, the Intergalactic Federation Conference that would have a huge impact on the future of submicroscopic species, but taking the place of the Gallifreyan delegation isn't all that's straightforward.

Verdict

The Voton Terror was a somewhat average story to continue my way through the 1981 Doctor Who Annual! I think the story itself is actually pretty decent but the way it was presented unfortunately had an adverse effect on my enjoyment. The way it was formatted and the illustrations that accompanied it actually hampered it for the worse in my opinion which is a big shame. For a writer of a Doctor Who story to not know the correct spelling of the word swapped was a big issue for me that had me questioning things almost immediately, and in terms of presentation it didn't get much better. The usual issues of the illustrations were present but thankfully not for the whole story! If the likeness of Lalla Ward as Romana was not permitted to be used in this Doctor Who Annual, then she either shouldn't be featured in the artwork or not seeing her so clearly face on. The woman depicted here just looks nothing like the companion we saw on screen and one thing that has also irked me throughout the Annual is the lack of consistency in her illustration. I understand that it's out of the artist and writer's control to not have the license to draw Lalla Ward, but at least give us a consistent Romana throughout each adventure! But she looks so different throughout which is just baffling. Even that would help. I also thought the actual layout of the story was strange with the text clunky and interfering with the illustrations or leaving large gaps. It just wasn't an easy reading experience which is a shame as the content was fine. I liked the idea of the Doctor and Romana taking the place of the Gallifreyan delegation at the Intergalactic Federation Conference and the former knowing that the true Time Lord party were called back because of an emergency was good stuff. I thought he might have orchestrated the emergency but that was actually something put into play by the Voton spy. The way he took the place of the Numese mud creature worked well, but the illustration of this creature was horrific. The actual artwork itself was fine and it did look impressive, but it just wasn't anywhere close to the description provided in the story. It was stated to be seven foot tall but was smaller than the Doctor, and it was also detailed how it had a row of eyes and the image of the creature was dominated by a large singular eye! It was very bad. The suckers and tentacles didn't match either, it was disappointing. I thought the Doctor's method of talking down on the submicroscopic species to anger up the crowd and oust the Voton with his disguise fluctuating didn't make much sense at all and that was even acknowledged as unorthodox within the adventure! It was a bit strange. Thankfully, the actual imagery of the numerous species at the conference was presented very well and the Fourth Doctor was characterised very nicely. I enjoyed the humour at the end with the Doctor realising he'd missed the actual speech he came to see, but the TARDIS democracy voted against trying again with Romana and K9 set on adventures elsewhere. Overall, a decent story unfortunately impacted by the formatting and presentation. 

Rating: 6/10

Gifts from Afar

"Put me in your police box and take me into custody!"

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Printed in: Ten Days of Christmas 07

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

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

Gifts from Afar was another really strong story to continue my way through the Ten Days of Christmas collection! The big day itself has been and gone now but that's no reason to not get stuck into more festive adventures of the Tenth Doctor. This is the man who once blogged Tales of Terror over the summer so it wasn't a necessity for me to read this over Christmas, but I won't be too far removed by the time the ending comes! This was another strong story in what is turning out to be a very consistent collection. Nothing screams out as extraordinary in this book so far but it's really solid and quite clear that with the entirety of the collection by the same author, that he's bringing out all the best hits in terms of the formula of a Doctor Who story. I'll jump ahead as all of my blog entries are certainly full of spoilers, but when the truth regarding the Aviakks came out that they weren't actually evil but just trying to help I found myself smiling because I should have guessed. It was a good surprise and revelation, but it's not exactly a unique idea. That's fine though as the formula is tried and tested. It does work and did so again here as my rating reflects. It's just from a personal perspective that this was now the 'aliens aren't actually evil' story that we've seen many a time in Doctor Who stories of the past. You can't have a Tenth Doctor collection without having a story that includes Martha as companion and she was wonderful. Despite her popularity I do think she is an underrated companion so it was nice to see her shine here. She built a good relationship with Trinkin in quick fashion and when the Doctor left the two women together as he went in search of their new acquaintance's spaceship, she really did shine in a more senior role. Their discussions about Christmas were fun and fed in nicely to the festive theme of the book, probably in ways much more obvious than some of the book's other instalments. Trinkin having stolen some myrrh, frankincense and gold was pretty humorous, and the Aviakks having used the first two elements to repair her ship was great. Especially because the gold was fake! That was a fun revelation and her moment of realisation was strong, although she might not be in as much trouble now! The Doctor would help but she'd still have to answer for her attempted theft. But the Doctor was in a forgiving mood considering it was nearly Christmas on Jaslo. Martha's reaction to hearing that they still celebrated Christmas was a nice moment that brought her a little closer to home. I liked the Doctor pondering on his previous time to the planet of the pterosaur as he called it and surely it must have been the glimpse we saw with Rose in Army of Ghosts/Doomsday where she said she would stay with him forever. I'm surprised that wasn't referenced as Martha's reaction would have been a hoot! It was funny enough to have her and Trinkin paraded around by the Aviakks! They were just helping though and they'd brought the TARDIS to the height of their base because that's where they took off from so thought the ships should too. It meant the book ended quite calmly despite the threat of meteor storms, but it was still a really enjoyable read! Overall, a strong story. 

Rating: 8/10

Starlight Robbery

"The power to change the way people think sold to the highest bidder."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: August 2013

Series: Monthly Adventures 176

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Klein, Will

Synopsis

Sick of the same-old slaughter-appliances? In need of a killer new killing-machine? Then look no further than Garundel Galactic's secret arms auction. Blasters, tanks, missiles and bombs – no bang too big or micro-laser too small. If you've got the credits, Garundel's got the kill-sticks. (Cash buyers get preferential rates). 

In search of the key to a sinister alien technology, the Doctor, Klein and Will set their sights on an illicit intergalactic arms fair run by an old acquaintance – the slippery Urodelian crook, Garundel. But what are their chances of pulling off a particularly audacious heist from under the noses of Garundel and his alien clients, the ever-belligerent Sontarans...?

Verdict

Starlight Robbery was an excellent audio to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures! This story serves the middle portion of what certainly looks to be a linked trilogy with the Seventh Doctor, Klein and Will. It's a new TARDIS team which is always fun and delving deep into the time of the seventh incarnation, particularly at a time much later in his life than we saw on television, is exciting because who knows what he has in store! The continuity from Persuasion was brilliant and this was essentially a direct follow on from that story. The persuasion machine was for sale and a familiar crook was heading the auction. Having Garundel return after his stint in Black and White was brilliant and I loved how he was teasing the Doctor about his former companions from that story. He'd moved on a lot now from Ace, Hex, Sally and Aristedes now and that did haunt him a little with how McCoy played that moment of looking back, but he was looking to the future and that meant nobody should get their hands on the persuasion machine. The idea of it being sold alongside the manual which was the brain of Kurt Shalk was very good and hearing the advertisement on the intergalactic wavelengths was really fun. The idea of the Sontarans hearing and then being drawn in by an advert is hilarious but it actually made sense! Garundel's advert that is in the synopsis was actually tremendous and really was enticing. What kind of alien power wouldn't want to be purchasing some dodgy weaponry he had on offer? The Sontarans weren't the main enemy of the story which was a little surprising as that firmly fell to Garundel, but I thought they were a fantastic inclusion. They're so much fun and their plan to wipe out everyone else suspected of being a Rutan ally was great stuff. Everything centred on the glory of Sontar and the never ending war with the Rutans. I enjoyed the discussions they had with Klein regarding honour and their lack of understanding of the word suicide was a real highlight. An honourable death is all a Sontaran could hope for! Klein actually being saved by a Sontaran was fun stuff as they didn't appreciate that she had no forewarning of an attack and there would be no honour in her death. Will was a lot of fun in his first adventure as companion and he built a strong relationship with Ziv which was lovely. From the off I suspected she was more than just Garundel's assistant, and the revelation that Shalk was in a spaceship and not a secret vault was very well done. That was a fun cliffhanger with her seemingly shooting the Doctor! The fate of Ziv in being killed was a big shock though I must admit and Klein sparing Will's feelings regarding the truth of what happened to her was a nice moment of compassion. She knew he cared for her greatly so him believing that she decided to stay on rather than come in the TARDIS was good. He'd be sad but not devastated. Garundel trying to wipe out the Doctor and Sontarans in one go was nicely done but they were ahead of the game. Sure, he had all the weapons after a fun introduction to the auction that even would involve name tags, something the Sontarans didn't enjoy, but their armour could be weapon enough. Face to face combat could ensue and that was okay with the Sontarans. The Sontarans then being wiped out at the end of the story apart from Stenn was a big shock as Garundel was in league with another party - the Daleks! The whole thing had been a trap for the Doctor which was unexpected but I really like that this will now lead into the next story. That kind of continuity works well, and imagine the Daleks with the persuasion machine! Even if it was the light version. They would be unstoppable. I am really excited by the prospect of this TARDIS trio meeting the Daleks. This was a fine recipe of a superb story in its own right and setting up the future to come. A wonderful listen. 

Rating: 9/10

The Church on Ruby Road

"Have you been having any bad luck recently?"

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 25 December 2023

Series: 2023 Christmas Special

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

Long ago on Christmas Eve, a baby was abandoned in the snow. Today, Ruby Sunday meets the Doctor, stolen babies, goblins and perhaps the secret of her birth.

Verdict

The Church on Ruby Road was a really fun festive episode to firmly kick off the era of the Fifteenth Doctor! It’s been a long time coming and one thing I am delighted about with the return of Russell T Davies as showrunner is that the Christmas Specials are back. It just feels right. Doctor Who is perfect for Christmas and whilst the New Year’s Day specials of the Chibnall era were all good, they never felt the same. This is tradition and long may it continue! I didn’t think the Christmas element of the episode overshadowed it too much and whilst we did get a lot more of the Fifteenth Doctor than bargained for in The Giggle, it was nice to get his first full outing here. I really enjoyed the approach of focusing on Ruby Sunday as the new companion and I suspect there will be a lot more information regarding her birth mother and her being left outside the titular church on Ruby Road. Whilst much of the episode was lighthearted and had a festive feel, I was really impressed with how the special set things up for the series to come. I am massively interested in finding out who Ruby’s mother is and that’s surely something that will play a role. Is it just me or were those boots and three quarter trousers a little bit like the Thirteenth Doctor? Now that would be something! I am really enjoying how whilst this is a whole new era, the Doctor is still adapting to the revelations of The Timeless Children and referencing how he recently found out he was adopted. That was fun continuity and I was glad to see it included. This is no hard reset. The introduction for Ruby was beautiful and she’s instantly a very likeable character. She’s perfect companion material and it’s clear she has an eye for the Doctor right away with how he was dancing in the club. This incarnation certainly knows how to express themselves! The moment they meet again with Ruby hanging from the ladder and the Doctor conversing with her as he runs from roof to roof was amusing and a fine moment for a new pairing that I get the feeling we’re going to love. The chemistry between them was instant and honestly at one point I thought they were going to get it on. There definitely seemed like some lust there! Ruby’s mother of Carla and grandmother of Cherry were really strong characters and the humour that came from the latter in particular was just wonderful. She just wanted a bloody cup of tea! She was delightful from the comfort of her own bed. Carla as a foster mum was also incredible and the scale of the images on her fridge for her supposed family was quite touching. An incredible and giving mother. The latest addition was Lullabelle which was a fun name that of course the Doctor liked whereas Carla and Ruby thought it questionable. Ruby was tasked with one rule of not losing the baby when Carla had to pop out, so of course some Goblins would come and take it for their Goblin King to feast upon. The Goblins were a fun element of the episode if not a little silly. They didn’t get overbearing by any stretch but they were a little difficult to take seriously. The Goblin Song was a great publicity stunt for the episode and it’s certainly catchy! I did love when the Doctor and Ruby put their own words to it though and I just get the feeling they’re going to be a joyous pair. They both nailed the lyrics! The new addition of the gloves that take the weight also felt a bit like cheating and I’ve never known the Doctor to actually have any issues with hanging on, but it worked relatively well in bringing an end to the Goblin King thanks to the church spire. That was pretty emphatic! I did love the cheek of the Goblins in going back in time and taking Ruby before she was found by the church and then adopted, with the timeline in play there very different! Ruby’s moment of realisation that the Doctor could travel in time was spectacular and I absolutely loved her TARDIS moment of walking around the police box. She’s going to be tremendous! Overall, a strong start to the era. 

Rating: 8/10

The Teeth of Ice

"I live in darkness now."

Writer: Andrew Lane

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: BBC Audio 16

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

Indomitable reporter James MacFarlane has travelled to the remote MacReady Base near the South Pole, his mission to interview the famed explorer Pentius Rochdale. On arrival MacFarlane is astonished to discover that the base's new medical officer is none other than the Doctor!

MacFarlane is intrigued by rumours of strange goings-on at the Base, whilst a recent attack on a neighbouring station – by creatures unknown – attracted the Doctor's attention. The two friends focus on Rochdale's expedition to find the legendary lost continent of Mu, which he believes may lie in Antarctica. 

When a series of grisly deaths disturb the Base's calm, the Doctor's suspicions are aroused. Whatever is preying on people, it's intelligent and has deadly claws and teeth. But by the time he and MacFarlane have uncovered the truth, they are well within biting distance of the teeth of ice...

Verdict

The Teeth of Ice was another excellent BBC Audio adventure for the Eighth Doctor! This incarnation has multiple worlds of stories with Big Finish so it’s rather nice to also hear him having a lease of life here on a more reserved range. Dan Starkey returns as the narrator for the Eighth Doctor and unless we get Paul McGann himself I don’t ever want that to change. It’s not just the impression of this Doctor that Starkey does a tremendous job with but it is the entire performance. He does such a good job of differentiating each character and it really doesn’t feel like we have just one actor performing. It’s a testament to his strengths and vocal capabilities. I’ve enjoyed following the encounters James MacFarlane has had with the Doctor and after some unique experiences in Edinburgh and Cardiff respectively, this story took us to Antarctica! With it being the start of the twentieth century, that was a very niche setting that I was thoroughly excited to explore. It was perfect for a Doctor Who adventure given how remote it was and the Doctor being there as the site’s medical officer was rather fun! I thought the introduction to the site from John Shadrak as the base commander was excellent and really set the scene for James and the listener. The weather extremes are almost difficult to comprehend with even sweat being a threat if then frozen! It really is a different world so it’s no wonder the Doctor was hopeful his next medical patient wasn’t suffering from frostbite. That’s all he had to treat. He knew James was coming though which was fun and reminiscing on the events of The Scent of Blood and The Code of Flesh was terrific. I thought Rochdale was a good character that basically served as the villain and his search for the lost continent of Mu was fascinating. I must admit it was something I wasn’t aware of but I do enjoy the idea of hunting for mythical and mysterious places. The Atlantis humour was good and I also loved how when the Doctor found out that’s what Rochdale was searching for he immediately knew the location was all wrong. That was fun stuff. The link in the story to werewolves was really good and whilst the location didn’t quite feel in tune with that kind of adventure, the time in history did and James encountering that also felt apt. It just worked. It was really interesting stuff and it felt like a horror which is certainly the right kind of vibe. There was good action throughout and the threat posed from Rochdale and his wolves. As if the ice and the natural elements weren’t enough! It was really good stuff and just felt like classic gore. This could almost have come out of a pre-Victorian literature novel. It had that classic feel. The way things shifted at the end was somewhat unexpected though as despite the evils of Rochdale and the threat of the werewolves, the Doctor was less than impressed with the actions of James in not offering a chance or any kind of leniency. It seems there will be another meeting between James and the Doctor at some point in the future which is very exciting given how things were left here. James wasn’t sure if that next meeting would be as friends or enemies which is daunting! As a listener, it’s very exciting and I can’t wait to hear how things go! Overall, a terrific adventure. 

Rating: 9/10