Closing Time

"I didn't know there was going to be an invasion of Cybermen."

Writer: Gareth Roberts

Format: TV

Broadcast: 24 September 2011

Series: 6.12

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

Craig Owens is having enough trouble trying to care for his child. The last thing he needed was the return of his old friend the Doctor. And it looks like he's not alone as trouble seems to have followed him into Colchester, bearing a familiar silvery shine.

Verdict

Closing Time was an excellent episode as we reach the final moments of Series 6 in our modern era rewatch! I must admit this was a story I didn't remember all that well as I feel like from this point forward I have perhaps only rewatched the episodes once since broadcast so I'm very excited moving ahead now as things won't be wholly familiar. I'm always a fan of the Cybermen getting involved but to my surprise they didn't actually feature a great deal here. There were definitely hallmarks to Army of Ghosts in how hidden the Cybermen were with that episode having them behind some building works and here they were down below the shop. There's something about a shop setting that just works and the big threat within its grounds was actually the Cybermat. The moment the Doctor stopped and smiled after hearing about the 'silver rat' was terrific. I liked pondering on him dealing with Amy and Rory having been left behind and it was both nice and really emotional for the Doctor to see them in the store. They'd moved on with their lives and Amy even had a perfume out for the girl who waited. That was terrific! I do question how the Doctor failed to see the massive advertisement hanging in the shop if he worked there, but I won't let that get in the way of a poignant moment. The reunion of the Doctor and Craig was brilliant and the continuity from The Lodger was strong. Craig had a baby now which was a really fun dynamic and the Doctor being able to speak baby was hilarious. Watching this for the first time since having a child provided a completely different perspective, and the Doctor's shushing ability would have been most welcomed! The moment he used it on Craig too after describing how it worked on life forms with not fully developed brains was magnificent. The Doctor revealing some fun information about baby Alfie was delightful and the silliness of him actually believing himself to be called Stormageddon was marvellous. Also referring to Craig as not Mum was both comical and a little harsh! I liked that he became Dad by the end of the episode. The Doctor and Craig being in the lift and questioning the means of a Cyber teleport was superb as it was always going to be that in a shopping store. Craig not noticing the surroundings changing as the Doctor proclaimed his love for him was just sensational and I refuse to believe Matt Smith and James Corden got through that in one take. It was comedy at its finest. I loved it. Craig being selected as intelligent and to become the new leader of the Cybermen was intriguing and the image of him going into the Cyber helmet is quite chilling in an otherwise lighthearted episode. It's impressive for that to be a feeling in a Cyberman episode where they weren't reduced to humour. The Cybermat design is not an upgrade on what we saw in The Tomb of the Cybermen and Revenge of the Cybermen in my opinion as it felt a little too robotic and manufactured, but its role was good. Craig coming face to face with one whilst the Doctor locked himself out of his house and was on the phone to warn his mate was terrific. The love Craig had for Alfie being able to defeat the Cybermen is a little cheesy, but I understand it. It's a nice moment, as is the Doctor coming to face with his fate of death at Lake Silencio and using his final moments to get the house in order for Craig and prove that he could do it on his own. Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

The God Complex

"There's a room here for everyone."

Writer: Toby Whithouse 

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 17th September 2011

Series: 6.11

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory 

Synopsis 

The Doctor, Amy and Rory get trapped in what appears to be a 1980s hotel. But there, a Minotaur roams and he feasts on those who become subjected to their biggest fear, which lies behind one of the hotel room doors. 

Verdict 

The God Complex was a strong episode to continue the Series 6 rewatch of the modern era! An eery 1980s hotel that's actually alien is a fine place for a Doctor Who episode and I like the twist of each room containing your biggest fear. And of course there was a room for everyone, including the Doctor. I think it's a shame that we don't get to see what is inside the Doctor's room and it's also left a little ambiguous regarding whether the Weeping Angels were for Amy which is both fun and annoying. Rory seeing the exit because he didn't have any faith was a nice revelation when the Doctor came to working out what was actually happening at the alien hotel, and I also loved how it was Amy's faith in the Doctor that was keeping the Minotaur well fed. It was hunting for that and the Doctor had mistakenly ensured that Amy was only thinking of her belief in the Doctor. It was an emotional episode for sure and I loved the pictures on the wall depicting past victims befalling to the Minotaur. A Sontaran's biggest fear being defeat was magnificent, but also what was with the Silurian in a suit? I'm not sure that's an image on the wall I've noticed before and it was just a little odd to be honest! It was fun to see numerous species we've encountered before though. I thought Rita was a superb character and it was no surprise the Doctor took a shine to her and her intelligence. The fact she had to sacrifice herself at the end was a really emotional moment and the Doctor was genuinely upset. She deserved better. I thought the Minotaur as the means for being praised and the heart of the hotel was interesting for sure. It's a strange choice but I did love that we got a mention of them being related to the Nimon. That's the sort of continuity I'm after! There was a good sense of anticipation throughout the episode but that was broken nicely by the fears behind the door. Howie was a good little character and I thought his fear being a number of girls mocking him was a little harsh and sad. I thought the Doctor dealt with that nicely and with respect. The Doctor's relationship with the Tivolian was intriguing and I really didn't remember him being so harsh! David Walliams played the role very well and with a good sense of humour, and their entire concept of being a species that welcomed and even thrived on being conquered was just weird. But in a good way. The Doctor was less than impressed when he let the Minotaur ravage though. That was a strong Doctor moment. Speaking of Doctor moments though, the highlight of the entire episode for both Gemma and I was the hilarity in which the Doctor instantly takes a shining to Rita and tells Amy that she is fired! That was such good comedic value and happened so quick. Talk about an arrival! The true fate of the Minotaur and it just needing to be let go and not have anything to feed on was good and when he was all out of supply, the hotel vanished and all was put back. The Doctor would offer everyone a way home in the TARDIS to round things out nicely. The ending with the Doctor saving Amy and Rory and going off by himself is a little out of nowhere, but I do think this kind of thing would have been a fitting sendoff for them. Of course they'll be back for the finale though! Overall, a strong episode! 

Rating: 8/10

The Girl Who Waited

"Their kindness will kill you."

Writer: Tom MacRae

Format: TV

Broadcast: 10 September 2011

Series: 6.10

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Doctor, Amy and Rory land on a paradise planet... in the middle of the one day plague. Amy is left behind and for her time is running at a different speed. Can the Doctor break through the walls of time to prevent her ageing before their very eyes?

Verdict

The Girl Who Waited was an excellent and emotionally draining episode to continue our way through the Series 6 rewatch as we embark on the modern era. It's getting close to crunch time this series which is very exciting, but boy this episode really does pull at the heartstrings. This is the first time I have watched this episode whilst being in a relationship and whilst Gemma and I aren't married like Rory and Amy are here, we're as good as! We've been together for seven years (tomorrow!), have a child and own a house together so we have that connection. So the idea of me seeing her aged thirty-five years and thinking I'd abandoned her is rather frightening! I've always thought that the Doctor's actions at the end of the episode were ruthless and pretty brutal in not allowing the older Amy to come with them in the TARDIS, but when Gemma asked me which version of her I'd pick I absolutely understood. The Doctor chose the younger Amy out of consideration for the causal nexus and the web of time, but Rory was focused on her purely because she's the version he knew. I said to Gemma I'd pick the younger version because that's the person I know, which I think is a very fair answer, but I could absolutely relate to Rory still showing his love for the older Amy. Amy was Amy and that's the woman he loved. I would have liked some sort of acknowledgement of Rory waiting for two thousand years during the events of The Big Bang, but that's not a big issue. It just seems an obvious comparison! The setting itself was very good and I loved the entire concept behind Two Streams Facility. It was somehow both horrifying and comforting. I couldn't imagine having a loved one on the other side of that glass to watch them die, but I did appreciate the retort from the Doctor that you'd actually watch them live. Time being sped up differently was good and fun to explore, and Amy being the one to get separated was terrific. The dynamic of the Doctor and Rory together is good fun but things really did get serious here. Amy was at the heart of the episode and it was stunning to see how much she had matured and developed when we caught up with the older version. The Handbots are a fun threat and I like how she acknowledged learning the trick of them shorting each other out on her first day. The Doctor being sensitive to the disease running rampant given his position as a time sensitive was strong and that allowed him solace in the TARDIS, before a very tough decision was made. The moment he locks eyes with the older version of Amy as she fights off threat after threat to get the younger Rory with the knocked out Amy in his arms to the safety of the TARDIS is incredible. We know the decision before it's shown, but it doesn't make the sudden impact of the TARDIS door closing any less shocking. I must also say that the makeup job on Karen Gillan is superb here. To go from the young woman she is to a battle hardened woman in her fifties is really impressive. Kudos to her for the dual performance as well. It's stellar stuff! Overall, a really emotional tale and a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Night Terrors

"Please save me from the monsters."

Writer: Mark Gatiss

Format: TV

Broadcast: 03 September 2011

Series: 6.09

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Doctor receives a distress call, bringing him, Amy and Rory to 21st century Earth. George is a young boy terrorised by the monsters in his cupboard... and those monsters may just be real.

Verdict

Night Terrors was a decent episode to continue our way through the modern era rewatch as we get close to the end of Series 6 now! I do feel like following on from the epic mid-season finale of A Good Man Goes to War and the hints at what's to come in the future with Let's Kill Hitler that things feel a little standalone at the moment, but that's not a bad thing and definitely leaves us ready for an emphatic finale. This is probably the episode I rank as my least favourite of the Eleventh Doctor era which is saying something because it's far from bad as my rating reflects, but it just feels a little insignificant compared to much of what is otherwise an excellent era. There's so much quality here and one has to be bottom of my list, and I think this is it. There's a strong fear factor in the episode and there is absolutely no denying how scary the Peg Soldiers can be. Especially when we see Amy transform into one temporarily! But for me I think the focus on a child's fears is a little extreme and even though he turns out to not be human, I'm still not sure how much I buy that his message I have taken for my quote could reach the psychic paper in the Doctor's pocket mid flight in the TARDIS. That seems a little far fetched, but I did like how the Doctor tried to come down to George's level. He understood that the scariest place in the universe would be a child's bedroom and any fear of monsters is going to be a relevant one there. I thought it was good that anything George considered scary was locked away in his wardrobe, but realistically how safe are those wooden doors? The Doctor's reaction when he read the readings from the sonic screwdriver were tremendous as he suddenly realised that the wardrobe was beyond frightening. Amy and Rory were fun in this episode with he former looking spectacular whilst the latter wasn't exactly believable as being from social services. The landlord was a horrible character which is the sole intention and having last watched this episode before the joys of renting as a tenant, I have a new appreciation for Alex in communicating their financial problems. The moment where he screams to the Doctor that Claire can't have kids is something I've been waiting to hear for months because it's the moment my partner Gemma remembers most about this episode. She doesn't think it's the worst of the era by any stretch and enjoys this twist very much. It's here or there for me. What gives this episode a high rating for me is the chemistry and humour between the Doctor and Alex. The sequence that leads to them remembering that Claire can't have children was so good and they just couldn't decide on whether to open the wardrobe or not. The Doctor refusing to leave and being intent on making his cuppa when Alex wants him to leave is also tremendous. He's going nowhere. I thought Rory's reaction both before and afterwards to seeing his wife become a real life sized doll was amusing and definitely his highlight of the episode! The way things finish is pretty emotional as George just wants to be loved and all the talk of being taken to a therapist or doctor for treatment of his heightened phobias meant he was feeling abandoned. He just wanted to be loved and confirmation of that from Alex at the end reverted the dollhouse to normality. Overall, a more than decent episode! 

Rating: 7/10

Let's Kill Hitler

"I believe you just saved my life."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 27 August 2011

Series: 6.08

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, River

Synopsis

Berlin, 1938. Hitler rules Germany. The TARDIS crash lands into his office and the greatest hero in space and time comes face to face with the worst humanity has ever offered. What will happen when these two incredible personalities meet? Well, one ends up locked in a cupboard...

Verdict

Let's Kill Hitler was an excellent episode to kick off the second half of Series 6! I don't think this story has a particularly good reputation amongst fandom and whilst I am just generous by nature, I thought this was a delightful forty-five minutes or so. The rating has increased from my last viewing and blog entry back in 2019 where I was watching in isolation, but I think having watched the episodes in order has really helped. This is quite the introduction, chronologically speaking, for River Song and the fact she doesn't even know her name here is good fun. There's something quite poignant about the fact that the first time River met the Doctor she saved his life, albeit she was the one that was killing him with the poison! I thought following up from A Good Man Goes to War and the story arc of the first half of the series with River bred to kill the Doctor was terrific. I also like the explanation of the cliffhanger at the end of Day of the Moon with the little girl regenerating and we now know that would be into the girl known as Mels. The name is a bit of a giveaway and I honestly can't remember if I suspected the truth on broadcast, but seeing that Mels was shot by Hitler to cause her to regenerate is quite extraordinary! The little flashback sequences seen to catch us up on the relationship Mels had with Amy and Rory throughout their childhood was good and fun, although she seemed far too much of a badass for those two! It was a lovely thought that they did actually get to raise their daughter, just in very unconventional means! River really embraces her new body with the hair and her 'hello Benjamin' reactions being tremendous. The little crime scene sequence of the Doctor knowing River was coming and preparing the Nazi office to prevent her getting her hands on a gun was terrific, and the chemistry between Matt Smith and Alex Kingston was sensational! For the love they have and will have for each other, the humour they also produce is spectacular. I'm a huge fan of theirs! Rory getting to knock out a Nazi is always something good and Amy gives him that fun look of approval. She definitely likes. River getting to escape and run wild in Berlin of 1938 is quite something and the Doctor is stuck in a place of admiration and caution. He had prepared for her arrival, but what about after that? She's a wild woman and he didn't anticipate the poison from her lips. That's an amateur mistake on his behalf considering how well he knows her by this point, but it leads to a strong conclusion where River knows she must sacrifice her remaining regenerations to save the Doctor. She learns he's worth it by the end. I am torn a little on how the comment about regeneration being disabled is taken in wider continuity with The Time of the Doctor given that this is the Doctor's last body in this regeneration cycle, but I think it just about holds true and could easily be taken as not just a consequence of the poison. The Doctor enjoying his last half an hour of life is marvellous and Smith plays the cramps and spasms in the legs really well, I think the episode really is just a great deal of fun, even from the silly car directions to spell out Doctor and get his attention in the newspaper. The hunt for Melody isn't over despite knowing who she will become, and I wonder how long Hitler was stuck in that cupboard for? Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

A Good Man Goes to War

"The Doctor is trying to make fools of us."

Writer: Steven Moffat 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 04 June 2011

Series: 6.07

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, River

Synopsis

As the conflict between the miners and their Gangers escalates, the Doctor has to deal with Amy's distrust of his Ganger, while Rory still tries to help the ever increasingly mysterious Jennifer...

Verdict

 A Good Man Goes to War was a sensational episode to conclude the first half of Series 6 on this modern era rewatch! I really do think this is an outstanding mid-season finale and it has all the hallmarks of a usual series closer but then ends what is an incredible cliffhanger. I feel like it is at this point in the modern era that I haven't rewatched the episodes much at all and that excites me moving forward, but I was instantly taken back to my feelings on broadcast in 2011 when the identity of River Song was revealed. It's a fun tease earlier in the episode when the Doctor and Rory are gathering their army to go and get Amy that River has to decline the invitation. She knows all about the Battle of Demon's Run and how the Doctor falls after rising higher than ever before. It's the day he finds out who she is and that is so exciting! It's not exactly the answer we were expecting or perhaps even hoping for in regards to her relationship with the Doctor, but it's such a big moment. The way it happens with Lorna providing Amy with a sewn garment baring Melody's name in the language of her people is quite beautiful. It's so nice that it ties in with the Doctor's cot which looked spectacular. Amy recognising the Doctor's first stars and the Gallifreyan writing failing to translate was just tremendous. I thought Rory was a lot of fun in the episode and it's nice to know that he soon turned serious after The Almost People cliffhanger where his wife was found to be a Flesh avatar. His seriousness with the Cyber legion and the message of destruction from the Doctor was a superb combination. I thought the idea of the Doctor assembling an army was terrific and the introduction to the likes of Vastra, Jenny and Strax in particular is fascinating. They're a far cry from the Paternoster Gang we will come to know over the next couple of series, and seeing Strax in traditional Sontaran attire just feels wrong! I love that he's a nurse and the Sontarans having to care for the weak being a punishment created by the Doctor just feels correct. The Headless Monks and the entire Church coming together in a quest to show that the Doctor was just one man was incredible, and the build to the Doctor being there impersonating a Monk was excellently predictable. Amy having the faith in her boys of coming to get her was magnificent and I was impressed with how she looked as the toil of birth and having her child taken away and weaponised is clearly shown. The moment Kovarian has the upper hand by simply commenting that the Doctor must think he has won made her a strong villain and I loved the way she fooled them again with Melody being a flesh avatar. That was an incredible moment as after everything they took the baby anyway. Vastra pondering on Melody's DNA was very intriguing and the way the Doctor realised she was conceived in the TARDIS within the Vortex on the wedding night of Amy and Rory after the events of The Big Bang was just hilarious. Matt Smith was on top form with River in particular as he was so angry she hadn't shown up but then turned into a child when he found out who she was. The tease from Idris in The Doctor's Wife came to fruition as the only water in the forest was the river. Melody Pond would become River Song. She was the daughter of Amy and Rory. What a cliffhanger to send us into the second half of the series! Overall, a sublime episode.

Rating: 10/10

The Almost People

"They will melt you."

Writer: Matthew Graham

Format: TV

Broadcast: 28 May 2011

Series: 6.06

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

As the conflict between the miners and their Gangers escalates, the Doctor has to deal with Amy's distrust of his Ganger, while Rory still tries to help the ever increasingly mysterious Jennifer...

Verdict

The Almost People was another great episode and a fine way to conclude the story already started in The Rebel Flesh as I get close to reaching the halfway point of Series 6 on the modern era rewatch with my partner. This wasn't an episode we were wholly excited about getting to which is a little prejudice beforehand, but I must admit I was very excited for how it finishes and sets up the mid-series finale. It's astonishing stuff and Gemma couldn't remember exactly what happened. That shocking moment in the TARDIS where the Doctor has worked out what has happened to Amy and uses the sonic to essentially melt her into nothingness was incredible. I love how he tells her to push and breathe throughout the episode and the little comment about the sonic screwdriver detecting who was human and who was Flesh was so subtle but a really clever insertion. He had confirmation now of what the TARDIS was trying to decipher. Amy was as she thought several episodes ago in being pregnant, and she was a considerable way along! It was an emotional episode for her as Rory was showing a lot of compassion and care for another woman, but he was duped in incredible style by the Ganger Jennifer. Having two versions of her to convince him of who was who was terrific. That showed just how evil these Gangers could be. They were all about their own survival which isn't exactly something I could blame them for, but their methods were a little questionable. The Ganger version of the Doctor here is presented really well and I'm a big fan of the inner battle Amy has in accepting the Flesh version as a true one. She just doesn't see him in the same way, but he is someone she can confide in about the events of The Impossible Astronaut and how they had seen him die. He'd even invited them all and now he knew. The simplicity of the Doctors swapping shoes was brilliant and I really loved how Amy gave the Ganger version a massive hug at the end when she realised. There wasn't time for them to mess round though! The action that came from the castle being on the brink of destruction was exciting stuff and there definitely was a strong sense of tension. There was a lot going on and Cleaves was always at the centre which was good. She's such a good character and I love how she stood up to the Doctor throughout. Both versions. The comical way they were trying to get evacuated and the Ganger version knowing the password because she was the same person was very good. I do think the episode drags slightly in regards to the Ganger story and we're just hanging around for time before the evacuation and admirable sacrifice of the Ganger Doctor, but for me the highlights really are those last five minutes or so. The mystery of the eye patch lady is revealed as Amy is actually far away and the Doctor promising to find her is a lovely moment. He means it and his determination is outstanding. He doesn't mess about with Amy and almost demands Rory step away from her when she's told she's having contraptions. It's so difficult for him to step away as he just wants to keep her safe. It's an emotional moment for sure! But Amy isn't in the TARDIS. The Doctor knew something of the Flesh all along and his suspicions were now confirmed. Amy is about to give birth and it seems somebody wants the baby! That's some way to set up the mid-series finale. Overall, a terrific episode! 

Rating: 8/10

The Rebel Flesh

"It acts like life but it still needs to be controlled."

Writer: Matthew Graham

Format: TV

Broadcast: 21 May 2011

Series: 6.05

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Doctor, Amy and Rory visit an acid-mining factory. A solar storm hits and turns the workers' Gangers into self-aware individuals, and now the Doctor must meditate between the original workers and the rebellious Gangers.

Verdict

The Rebel Flesh was a great episode to continue my way through the modern era rewatch as we get into the thick of things with Series 6. I liked how things started with a chilled atmosphere in the TARDIS seeing Amy and Rory enjoying a game of darts, but I must say that the quality of their dartboard was pretty atrocious! I'm something of a big darts fan so to see them with a very generic and hard wired board was a shame. I like the idea of the married couple having fun like this in the TARDIS though, and the Doctor soon shifted the atmosphere when asking if anyone wanted fish and chips. Only he could do that as that meant he wanted Amy and Rory gone which immediately raised the suspicions of the former. She wanted to be involved in the other stuff as the Doctor was concerned about the fluctuating pregnancy scan of his companion. Before the conversation could be addressed, the TARDIS was thrust into a solar storm which was exciting action and I liked how the end result was for them to land at an isolated monastery mining acid. It was a unique setting but one I appreciated. I recognised the filming locations immediately as Caerphilly Castle which is only around a twenty-five minute drive from my house and somewhere I've been several times. It's a beautiful spot. I was also intrigued to research later that some scenes were also filmed at Neath Abbey which is the town I spent eight years growing up before university. It's a really homely episode for me! I thought the Doctor was on top form in the episode as he was leaning more towards helping Amy and assuming that she was pregnant by telling her to breath. The way he challenged Miranda Cleaves was superb and I liked that she also stood her ground. She was all about business in wanting to mine the acid regardless of the solar storm that was coming. I thought the stand off with the Doctor was terrific, but it was almost equalled when she came face to face with her own Ganger. That concept was intriguing and I liked that the Flesh was used to combat death that came with acid contact. The calm nature in which Buzzer was knocked into one of the pools was fascinating and a fine way to start the episode. I thought the Doctor's interaction and immediate interest in the Flesh was tremendous and he wasn't adhering to any safety protocols. He got stuck right in. The appearance of the Flesh when they can't wholly maintain their human form is gruesome and I agreed with my girlfriend with whom I watch all modern episodes that they looked pretty horrific. And I mean that in the most complimentary of terms. They were superb and scary. You really would just get of dodge. Rory building a relationship with the Jennifer Ganger was a really good subplot and Amy being shocked that he went off to save her as the Gangers were coming was magnificent. Amy seeing sight of Kovarian this time around was good and I'm liking the build to her true nature being revealed. The stand off that was built towards this episode's conclusion with the humans and Gangers going at it was a brilliant way to set up the second part, only topped by the cliffhanger of a Ganger version of the Doctor! He looked just wrong which is obviously the intention and it's exciting that the Gangers will also have a Doctor on their side. Overall, a fine episode to set up the conclusion to come! 

Rating: 8/10

The Doctor's Wife

"The soul of the TARDIS has just vanished."

Writer: Neil Gaiman

Format: TV

Broadcast: 11 May 2011

Series: 6.04

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Doctor is lured by a Time Lord to a junkyard outside of the universe. There, the TARDIS matrix is implanted into a woman called Idris, and for the first time the madman and his box interact. But House is at hand, and plans on continuing his feast of TARDISes...

Verdict

The Doctor's Wife was just a beautiful episode of Doctor Who. The title is eye-catching for obvious reasons and it's quite fun that it actually has nothing to do with the series finale! Of course, this is an episode many had been waiting for forever! The concept of the TARDIS being humanised and allowing some interaction with it and the Doctor is just magnificent and what we get is just glorious. There is a sub story going on with everything concerning House and the wreckage planet in the bubble universe, but for me it's just all about the Doctor and the TARDIS getting to talk. I think Idris is a fine character to have the soul of the TARDIS go into and it's obviously a big jump to go from being a massive time and space machine with an insane amount of potential to being within one small body. There are so many enjoyable lines in the episode with Idris referring to the Doctor as her thief and it's quite fun to think that the events depicted in The Name of the Doctor would actually be orchestrated by the TARDIS! She also wanted to see the universe so she needed a madman to take the box. It's a wonderful concept and just shows how perfect they were for each other. I loved how much the TARDIS liked being referred to as old girl which is a classic and the outburst of sorts between the pair regarding the reliability of the TARDIS is both hilarious and very strong! It's no secret the Doctor couldn't always get where he wanted to go, but the TARDIS always got him where he was needed! It was hard to argue that. The humour and chemistry between the pair was marvellous and Suranne Jones is tremendous casting. She plays it so role and delicately because this episode is one that could have gone very wrong. Thankfully, it's superb. The Doctor's excitement at getting mail and having the hypercube knock on the door was brilliant. Watching as always in the modern era rewatch with my girlfriend, it was lovely to throw some Classic era knowledge on her with these coming from The War Games which so happens to be my all time favourite story. It's marvellous continuity. With Time Lord business at hand, it's fun for the Doctor to send Amy and Rory back to the TARDIS. We get to see a good exploitation of the interior though! And the return of the Ninth and Tenth Doctor's console room is really fun and just looks wrong to see this TARDIS trio in those surroundings! I'm all for it though. Idris thinking Rory was the sexy one was amusing but not something I agree with considering who his wife is! I also loved the referring to the companions as strays. That was perhaps a little harsh but is tremendous comic value. The way the Doctor takes on House is outstanding and the retort he has about fearing him because he's killed all of the Time Lords is chilling. This is Matt Smith at his best. Building a junk TARDIS is magnificent and it looks really great! There's a good sense of action as the story goes on and the anger of the Doctor is clear as Idris was correct that the boxes would indeed make him angry. The hints at the future with the meaning of the word in the key and then hinting at River's true identity was nicely done. Subtle enough but also something you can really appreciate in hindsight. Amy's reaction to learning about Idris was delightful as she thought the Doctor had wished really hard and Idris bursting out at being called Sexy was hilarious. There was a really emotional end though as Idris wouldn't last in the body and returned to the TARDIS when in the normal universe. But this was the time the Doctor and the TARDIS got to talk, and that's just stunning. Overall, a sublime episode! 

Rating: 10/10

The Curse of the Black Spot

"Any mirror, any reflection, and the Siren will attack."

Writer: Steve Thompson

Format: TV

Broadcast: 7 May 2013

Series: 6.03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Doctor, Amy and Rory stumble aboard a 16th century pirate ship. But there's a mystery occurring as the enigmatic Siren hunts the wounded and diseased, the crew are getting smaller and it's not long before the Doctor has to walk the plank.

Verdict

The Curse of the Black Spot was a decent episode to continue my way through the modern era rewatch and now into the thick of things with Series 6. This definitely an episode I would describe as filler as it doesn't do much for the overall arc of the series and sadly is somewhat forgettable, but what we do have for forty-minutes is just a lot of fun! The idea of Doctor Who doing pirates is great and this works fine here. The setting of the pirate ship is really good although I do think the set and directing could have been improved slightly. Unfortunately it didn't really look like they were actually at sea which is a shame. Perhaps that's just a consequence of watching again eleven years after broadcast and special effects have moved on? I'm not entirely sure. The introduction of the Doctor, Amy and Rory to Captain Avery and his band of merry men was amusing and the Eleventh Doctor is certainly the perfect incarnation for this type of story. He revels in where the TARDIS has brought him and his companions have brought him, although I do think his reaction to Rory getting marked by the black spot was a little strange. Surely he should have been at least a little worried? Amy getting all dressed up in her pirate gear and wielding a sword was marvellous and it's no wonder that her husband said she should dress up like that more often. He was a lucky guy, so him calling the Siren the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen was a stellar moment. Amy was seeing the funny side and knew he was under the Siren's control, but would still make him jokingly feel a little bit bad about it. The threat of a simple cut meaning death was very good and really evened the playing field when it came to Amy taking on the pirates. The emergence of the Siren was good and the aura around her was impressive. I particularly liked the shift from green to red light when she didn't get her way or was challenged. That injected a good sense of evil into someone we thought was the villain. Of course, she turned out to be nothing of the sort and was actually a medical doctor existing in a different plain of existence. Any kind of cut or even the Doctor sneezing and she was concerned on how she could aid them. She wasn't killing the victims she marked, she was actually aiding them. That was a good twist but it wasn't all that exciting. The confusion coming from two different ships occupying the same space but in different plains was good and the imagery once we crossed over to the Siren's medical base was really strong. I liked seeing the pirate ship essentially out of a window and being there but not quite reachable. The threat of Rory drowning and being helped was excellent and the shining moment of the episode is undoubtedly Amy resuscitating her husband on the TARDIS floor. He had every trust in her to save him once he was disconnected and he wanted her and not the Doctor to do it because he knew she wouldn't give up. That was a powerful moment and just cemented how strong of a couple they are. It's lovely to see. I thought Avery was a good character and the reaction of his son stowing away was amusing, and that was a big contrast to his son finding out that his dad was a pirate under the flag of the Jolly Roger. It was nice that Avery stuck behind with him and captained a different kind of ship with his crew. A ship was a ship after all! Overall, a more than decent episode! 

Rating: 7/10

Day of the Moon

"Repeated memory wipes fry your brain eventually."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 30 April 2011

Series: 6.02

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, River

Synopsis

The day of the moon landing has come. After a three month undercover mission to find out all they can about the Silence, the attempts to launch a world wide revolution are put into action. Along with President Nixon's help, can the TARDIS crew defeat beings they can't remember, and who've been on Earth since the time of the wheel?

Verdict

Day of the Moon was another outstanding episode to continue the story already started in The Impossible Astronaut as an incredible way to kick off the sixth series! This really is audacious stuff from Steven Moffat in his second series at the helm as showrunner where he flipped the series format on its head. Starting with a two-parter worthy of a finale is fantastic and it absolutely works. Of course, watching in hindsight is great and you can pick up on the little hints at what is to come on this epic ride, with the first hint of Madame Kovarian an obvious aside. I remember being a little confused by her cameo appearance on broadcast and I still can’t wrap my head around the fact it was thirteen years ago now, but it seems I’ve reached a point in watching with my girlfriend Gemma where she isn’t 100% on the details which is fun for me to see her react. I pride myself on my Who knowledge so for her to not remember the fate of Amy here was brilliant. I think it’s really fun stuff to know that somewhere she was swapped and the TARDIS readings of her pregnancy being both positive and negative are exciting moving forward, but Gemma thought that meant the result just hadn’t been revealed yet. I’m excited for her to learn more as we delve back in. The moment we hear Amy talking to herself through the chip from the palm is emotional stuff and it did almost shed a tear from Gemma as she really is in love with the Amy and Rory relationship. It’s lovely to see. I think the way the Silence are tackled here with the markings on the skin is very good and I love how Canton captures each of the TARDIS team whilst hiding within the perfect prison constructed to house the Doctor. Seeing him with a beard and in a straight jacket is quite something, but it’s a clever way to get out. The emergence of President Nixon was delightful though as a moment of surprise for the soldiers looking on. Having him vouch for the Doctor after he was caught meddling with the Apollo rocket launch was terrific stuff. The moment the Silence are confronted in their own ship and the message of them orchestrating their own killing infused with the video of the moon landing that will be watched by millions upon millions and many more to come in the future is sensational stuff, and the flirting between the Doctor and River is a scene stealer. The chemistry between Matt Smith and Alex Kingston is palpable. They’re perfect together. I hope we get more of them from Big Finish one day. The scene at the end with River’s reaction to knowing that for the Doctor it was the first time they’d kiss after dropping her back at Stormcage was brilliant. For her it would be the last which just adds to the depths of their troubled and complicated relationship. I think the little shared moment between Canton and Nixon as the former reveals he wants to marry a black man is sensational. It’s so simple yet just perfect. The ending with the little girl regenerating is magnificent and I remember being stunned by that on broadcast. I was so excited. I also enjoy how Rory hears about the pregnancy and the discussions on what their baby might be like or become if conceived in the Vortex was very important even if it wasn’t presented as such. Overall, a tremendous episode!

Rating: 10/10

The Impossible Astronaut

"The Doctor's death doesn't frighten me."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 23 April 2011

Series: 6.01

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, River

Synopsis

Space 1969. The moon landing. And the Doctor is up to something. Sending four envelopes to those he holds closest, the receivers meet up in America. An impossible astronaut looms and the moment the universe has been avoiding occurs. The Doctor dies. Could it be possible?

Verdict

The Impossible Astronaut was an outstanding episode to kick off the sixth series of the modern era of Doctor Who! The rewatch continues with a bang as this is some way to kick off a series. I've obviously watched this episode quite a few times since it was broadcast some thirteen years ago now, but as I'm watching in order and going through again alongside my longtime girlfriend, this feels a bit more powerful as an opener. It does feel a bit like it did on broadcast as there really wasn't any time to breathe. It essentially starts the series with a finale and that's some way to go about things. Within the first fifteen minutes we see the Doctor shot, start to regenerate and is then shot again. Oh, and then as if the finality wasn't enough we see his corpse lit alight. The Time Lord's body was well and truly dead. So how would the Doctor be escaping this one? Watching in hindsight is great because all of the pieces are already put together as the envelopes are all sent and we know who the recipients are, but also the entire arc of the Silence, Amy announcing her pregnancy towards the cliffhanger finish and even River's foreshadowing of events to come in how she first met the Doctor. It really is good fun. The moment the older Doctor sees Amy and Rory again is magnificent and I am really impressed with how well Matt Smith plays the two differently aged versions of his Doctor. He's phenomenal and just cements his place as my favourite incarnation. River shooting his stetson off in the desert was fun stuff as well and every time she makes a return we can't help but proclaim what a woman she is. We're huge River fans on this sofa. I do think she knows a little too much about the TARDIS controls in how she helps the Doctor get it to be invisible, but the value of him walking into it when shielded was tremendous. It's just extremely funny. The Doctor parking the TARDIS inside the Oval Office of the White House is sublime and I liked that we got a little backstory on President Nixon before meeting him fully. His recruiting of Canton Everett Delaware III was nicely done and I'm a big fan of the little girl calling the President direct. The way the Doctor gained the trust of Canton was fantastic and I liked how he got his five minutes to find out where the girl was calling from. It was really clever and I liked the use of the maps. The emergence of the Silence in this episode is just superb. The concept of not remembering them when you look away is excellent in its own right, but the appearance is just a stellar design. Gemma thinks they are one of the scariest designs ever and it's hard to disagree really. It's iconic now but even back then it made such a big impact. The method of killing as demonstrated in the bathroom was also incredible. Their knowledge on the Doctor is intriguing and really sets things up moving forward, and I really like how annoyed the Doctor is by not knowing who sent River, Amy and Rory. He knows they know and he won't trust River, but he does trust Amy which is touching. The cliffhanger finish here after Amy announces the bombshell to the Doctor regarding his pregnancy is outstanding as she sees the emergence of the Astronaut that supposedly killed the Doctor and it's the girl from the phone. Amy doesn't hesitate if it means saving the Doctor's life and shoots straight at her. History unravels and she doesn't think much of the repercussions at all. It's pure drama and it's hard not to love it. Overall, an incredible opener! 

Rating: 10/10

Caged

"They took me and never even said hello."

Writer: Una McCormack

Format: Novel

Released: June 2024

Series: NSA 67

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

Are aliens ever abducted by aliens? And if they were, would anyone believe their story?

When the Doctor and Ruby arrive on Cavia, they meet a gentle local who is certain that she has been taken for study by creatures from the stars. The Doctor is concerned to find mysterious meteors appearing in the sky, while strange robotic creatures crowd the forests, watching everything and waiting for... what?

Who is interested in Cavia, and why? What is the sinister truth of the abductions? The Doctor and Ruby must discover the secrets of this mysterious world – and those who would seek to destroy it...

Verdict

Caged was another really strong book to continue the prose adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby! I must admit it does feel a little strange to have released this book a week after the Empire of Death finale, especially with it being established as being quite early on for Ruby with no references coming post-Boom, but I'll take it whenever rather than never! I think it is clear that the author only had a brief idea of what this Doctor and companion pairing would be like as I felt the characterisation of both was somewhat safe and generic. But that works! It wasn't bad at all, but I do think Ruby Red felt a little more in line with what we saw on screen over the last two months. The concept itself is an intriguing one with the tagline of aliens being abducted by aliens something that is certainly enticing. We had the expected moment of Ruby comparing the eyes looking at her to as if she was looking at a guinea pig or a rabbit. It's hard to put yourself in that position but it really isn't any different. I thought Chirracharr as the central character and the subject of that alien abduction was superb and a really likeable alien. She was just lovely and was so interested in everything. Travel, family, others. She just wanted to learn and that meant she got on rather well with the Doctor. Tixlel as the Head of Research for the Experiment was a strong character too and I appreciated his love and devotion to his life's work. Except the Experiment was much more than that. It was something that had spanned generations across a millennia. It had thought shut down but here it continued in secrecy. Until now. The idea of a protest against the Experiment because the Building Collective needed more room to house the population was really good and parallels could definitely be drawn with some of modern society. Despite an entire species and world within, that loving the Doctor named as Friends, they weren't Ixites so they didn't matter. They were manufactured and manipulated on Ix, but now the land was required. Of course, the Doctor and Ruby weren't having that. I loved how fascinated Chirracharr was when she first encountered the Doctor and Ruby, and it was also nice that she took matters into her own hands to prove that her supposed dream of the white walls and the sad eyes of Tixlel was not false. She would head to the mountains as that's where nobody went. The Doctor encouraging that adventurous spirit of her was terrific. Ruby taking things into her own hands and tackling the protestors by showing that she was an alien was impressive and pretty admirable! I liked that she wasn't interested in the idea of a fear for the others or a belief that there were no aliens beyond the Seven Systems. She wanted to defend Chirracharr and her people because she believed they had the right to exist. I thought that was really good and showed her strong companion traits. The rollers were a fun element of the story too and the Doctor quickly deducing that they were observing and machinery was good. I thought the resolution at the end was pretty simple and I liked the threat of the meteors as moon-sized to wipe out the Experiment, but then the Heritage Collection arrived to safeguard it once its depth and scaled was learned. It was an important part of Ixite heritage and would be preserved. The theme of the word hello throughout was quite beautiful. Chirracharr couldn't understand why someone wouldn't just introduce themselves. They'd be willing to share land so having the Doctor try to explain to her how some people were evil was a bit sad. She genuinely had a kind heart. It was fantastic to have Tixlel go within the Experiment at the end and see Chirracharr and her people up close and personal. Not to analyse but just to converse. That was really good. Overall, a great little read!  

Rating: 8/10

The Eternity Contract

"You died and came here."

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 07

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

Here on Earth or out in the depths of the cosmos, the Doctor and his companions are never far from adventure.

Discover things on Earth you were never meant to know. Get around the universe. Get short tripping.

Verdict

The Eternity Contract was a brilliant little adventure to continue my way through the More Short Trips book! This was a thrilling story and at twenty-eight pages, there was more than sufficient room to explore in detail and depth a rather fascinating concept. The idea of the Doctor and Nyssa arriving at a house that was a halfway point between life and death is tremendous and I thought it was presented so well. The Ferrises of Richard and Jean as the manor's hosts were really strong and whilst they appeared normal on the outside, it was clear there was something more to them. There was a strong eery feel which was fantastic and created a death-like atmosphere. But at the same time things almost felt a little upbeat despite the predicament of the guests at Carnon Manor being people who had died. That was thrilling and I liked how Patricia was our main focus as someone who ended up there. She didn't quite know why or how, but she was certain she had died. She was far too busy to have done so though which was quite fun. Her position in life as an advertising executive that was always on the go couldn't be something I would enjoy as when the end of my shift comes, I love to just switch off. I couldn't imagine her doing that but she was an enjoyable character. She had been in the Manor for three days by the time the Doctor and Nyssa arrived and she was being held hostage. There was no escape. I liked how she had a little inkling of trust in the Doctor in that he could potentially get them out, and it was nice that she had a change of heart at the end in saving the Doctor despite the offer on the table. The Doctor being subjected to mental communication with Lord Carnon was intriguing and the death of a Time Lord was something he very much wanted. So much so that the six souls he had in his Manor as an agreement with a higher power presumed to be Death could be saved if the Doctor gave himself. Of course, this is usually the kind of sacrifice the Doctor is willing to make but the means of it happening were pretty brutal! It was a powerful image to see the Doctor being strangled to death by Richard and Jean and with Nyssa already eliminated from the Manor and Patricia seemingly accepting the circumstances despite her disagreement, all seemed lost for the Doctor. It would have made an excellent cliffhanger if this story was presented in another format that's for sure! I liked Patricia showing her morals in smacking a frying pan on the Ferrises to save the Doctor, and the Time Lord battling with Carnon and breaking up his imagined Manor and dismantling the agreement he had was fitting. It was a little simple and somewhat told rather than explained which is probably why I can't award full marks to the adventure, but I'm fine with that in this kind of format. It was pacy and exciting which I can't ask for much more! I thought the pairing of the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa was really strong and I loved how the companion was questioning the former on what he feared. She had great confidence in him usually but when the Doctor shows some form of trepidation or doubt in himself, she gets scared. I liked that and could certainly understand! Nyssa seeing the Melkur and her planet of Traken when thinking of fear and what happened to her father was certainly understandable. I thought her just appearing at the end was a little strange, but I liked how everything was collapsing. Patricia being returned to life and fighting death was a nice way to bookend things. She was right back to work! Overall, a terrific read. 

Rating: 9/10

64 Carlysle Street

"We want to live here."

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 06

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

Here on Earth or out in the depths of the cosmos, the Doctor and his companions are never far from adventure.

Discover things on Earth you were never meant to know. Get around the universe. Get short tripping.

Verdict

64 Carlysle Street was a really strong story to continue my reading of the More Short Trips collection! This was very good and I liked the unique style of format. With these kind of stories I think it's good to shake things up a little and this is a perfect example. Having this adventure of sixteen pages go in the form of police reports or statements was terrific. I don't think it would work for a full length novel, but for a shorter trip like this one it was perfect. It was engaging and reading the events in chronological order for the most part worked well as each little development was from somebody else's perspective in the household of 64 Carlysle Street. I thought the actual story itself when looking from above and coherently was rather basic and that was absolutely fine. The continuity of including Quinnis as the planet mentioned in The Edge of Destruction visited by the First Doctor and Susan was wonderful. It worked well and very much in Sutekh style from Empire of Death, we found out that Roztoq had been riding the TARDIS coattails ever since. It found its way from the Fourth Universe into this one and that meant things were very unstable. On the basis, that was all very exciting and I'd love to know more about this Fourth Universe. Sure, we've had the actual audio adventure of Quinnis which is great, but there's a whole universe to explore there! I liked the varied perspectives we did get and I thought Gary Russell did a good job as author in changing up the voice of the statement depending on who was giving it. We hard Lord Greystone himself sounding quite posh and upper class, but then we shifted to a more rough Cockney sounding Emily as the kitchen maid. It was really good and kept me engaged throughout as I wanted to read who was next! I enjoyed the description of the First Doctor as being old but with young eyes and having Steven supposedly as his assistant but entering through the main door was great. That wasn't becoming of his position! He didn't have a huge amount to do in the story but I find it fascinating he was only referred to as Taylor throughout the adventure. A nice little look at the kind of class and society of the early twentieth century. I think it's more than fair to suggest that this was a time period not so well suited to Dodo. She didn't exactly embrace her position to get into the house as a servant and she had the cheek to ask for tea. That didn't go down well with the other servants who were perplexed by her comments. They couldn't believe how she saw herself! That was quite fun and actually what I would expect of our Dorothea. She didn't take kindly to the idea of being called Dottie either which was good fun. I liked Steven referencing The Gunfighters and The Massacre when it came to namedropping Tombstone and Paris as places he had visited whilst in the Doctor's accompany, and he was looked upon very kindly by some of the females in the household. The way Roztoq was defeated was pretty simple in having Annebel expel it from her mind at the encouragement of the Doctor, and I liked the description of her being a silver angel. The little passage at the end that took on a more traditional style and not in the police report/statement format was fun as it revealed that 64 Carlysle Street was actually a home for the mentally unstable. I must admit I didn't see that coming and didn't get that impression from what I had read, but it was a fun little note to finish on and certainly gave me a thought or two at the end. Overall, a really good read! 

Rating: 8/10

Seven Keys to Doomsday

"We came here to watch a show, not join in with one."

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Audio

Released: October 2008

Series: The Stageplays 02

Featuring: The Doctor, Jenny, Jimmy

Synopsis

A newly-regenerated Doctor takes his young companions, Jenny and Jimmy, to the desolate world of Karl. There they must face terrifying monsters and brave fiendish traps to locate seven crystal keys. 

If they fail in their task, the Doctor's arch enemies, the Daleks, will unleash their evil upon the entire universe!

Verdict

Seven Keys to Doomsday was a terrific stage play adaptation! I didn't really know what to expect from this audio but I was pleasantly surprised. It was an absolute joy to listen to right from the off. It feels a little weird to have an unfamiliar actor in the role of the Doctor for an extended story, but that didn't take long to get over. The writing was really strong in capturing the essence of the Doctor as we know him and I must say I was impressed with Trevor Martin's take on the role with this stage incarnation. I thought he felt very much like the Third Doctor which is a lot of fun and I find it fascinating that on stage back in 1974 for the original Doctor Who and the Daleks in Seven Keys to Doomsday play performance the actor was dressed to look like the then-current incarnation with a wig. A regeneration feels like a big moment usually but it was almost like a comic gag to start this adventure. Imagine a stage regeneration with a wig removal being the means of a change of appearance! It soon loses its significance in this story which is more than fine as this is just a representation of what would have been seen on stage. I think it's a marvellous idea to adapt it. I like that things have been updated a little to include Kara as the setting for the story considering that The Brain of Morbius hadn't been produced when this story was on the stage. Jenny and Jimmy make for some fun companions and I like how contemporary and real they felt. This was very much an unwanted journey and Jimmy having severe doubts about the Doctor and his outlandish claims was good fun. He wasn't even fussed about the TARDIS being bigger on the inside as he just deduced it was done with mirrors. He was close-minded but Jenny's more exuberant personality meant we had a strong companion pairing. I'd absolutely love to hear further adventures for this Doctor and these companions much in the same vain as Beyond the Ultimate Adventure, but alas it's been sixteen years since this was released now so I doubt I will get my wish. The story felt very much like a compact Key to Time which was good although the segments of the Crystal of All Power weren't as widespread in their hiding places. It didn't take the Doctor long at all to get six of the crystals, but the Daleks being close behind meant he couldn't exactly get it to the Time Lords for safekeeping as was intended. The involvement of the Dalek Emperor in the story was brilliant and I loved how he was referred to as your majesty. That felt very regal of the Daleks and I'm surprised they have a concept of royalty! Nicholas Briggs is stellar with that booming voice though. Jenny going into a Dalek very much in the vain of Ian in The Daleks was good fun and I loved the shock of her apparently being exterminated. I must admit that the lack of response confirmed to me that she wasn't inside, but Jimmy wasn't to know that. Even the Doctor had to state how she knew the risks. The plan of the Daleks to eradicate all organic life and bring a slow death to the universe with just the Daleks being immune was incredible, and almost before it's time! Was this something Russell T Davies took inspiration from for his reality bomb revelation in The Stolen Earth/Journey's End? The Doctor having time to manipulate the molecular structure of the seventh crystal in the TARDIS laboratory brought a fine resolution as it changed the entire makeup of the Crystal of All Power so no amplification of their plan would be happening. The sacrifice of Jedak at the end with the bomb was admirable, although it's a shame that Tara never got to retrieve her brother after surprisingly being the traitor within. I thought it was a lovely touch for the Doctor to come back to Jimmy and Jenny at the end to apparently set up future adventures. I'm all for hearing those at some point. But for now, this was just joyous. A tremendous listen. 

Rating: 9/10

The Rising Night

"A creature from the stars here to feed on you and your cattle."

Writer: Scott Hancock

Format: Audio

Released: July 2009

Series: NSA Audio 04

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives in an 18th Century village in the Yorkshire Moors, where livestock has been vanishing from the farmland and strange lights have been seen in the skies. Something is very wrong here, and he soon becomes involved in a nightmarish adventure, in which he is helped by a young local woman named Charity. Who is feeding on the blood of the locals, and where will the carnage stop...?

Verdict

The Rising Night was a good little New Series Adventures audio! Well, I say little but this one clocked in at close to two hours and twenty minutes which was surely a little long by the time things were completed. It was a good change to have someone like Michelle Ryan as the narrator and I found the release date's proximity to Planet of the Dead very intriguing. I think I'd have appreciated this a lot if I was listening to these kind of stories back during broadcast and the little foreshadowing of events to come for the Doctor and how things were going to come quicker than he expected was good to lead into The End of Time. I'm a big fan of cross continuity across different formats and that was also evidenced with a great little reference to The Eyeless with the Doctor on his way back from Arcopolis. The little things like that are things I really appreciate as it just makes everything feel more connected and genuine. I thought Ryan as narrator was mostly strong but for some reason, and I'm really not sure why, I couldn't find myself getting to grips fully with her style. I didn't think she was bad or anything and she was certainly engaging, but there was just something missing. Maybe it would have helped if Christina de Souza featured? I was almost half expecting that with how often we got little teases of the Doctor recognising a woman. However, that companion role was saved for Charity who was terrific. She could definitely be someone I would see joining the Doctor on his travels, but he was clearly still reeling from the events of Journey's End as mentioned with erasing Donna's memories. There would be no new companion for now. I thought the setting of Thornton Rising was pretty strong and the eery atmosphere that was created provided a sense of an enigmatic feel. I do think more use could have been made of the eighteenth century setting, but for the whole it was a good place and time to explore for the Doctor. The humour of his arrival and being caught almost immediately was good and for some reason that seems to bring a comedic value when he's travelling solo. The emergence of the Baobhan Sith was strong and I must say I find the image on the cover artwork particularly striking! It really does grab the attention. The feeding on the livestock and cattle within the village was good and whilst basic, I quite like how real that feels. For an eighteenth century village that would be a very big problem! Ryan's take on the Tenth Doctor was admirable and whilst she didn't try much in terms of an impression, I think the writing helped her in injecting that speed and energetic feel that David Tennant brought to the role. Charity being taken over was good and I liked the Doctor appealing to her. I thought the Doctor's efforts to return to the TARDIS were fun, but I did feel that once the threat was defeated in relatively simple terms with the iron overload and a particularly random feeling use of horseshoes, things dragged on with the monologue. We didn't need so much speech from Charity and the likes reflecting on the adventure. We'd just experienced it! It was all very fresh so that felt like filling time which doesn't equate considering how long the story was. Still, for the whole this was an entertaining story and I think my favourite thing about it was the chilled feeling. It was eery and that felt exactly right. Overall, a strong listen if not a little long and a somewhat questionable resolution. 

Rating: 7/10

Ghost Train

"You want to keep me here so the world ends."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: March 2011

Series: Torchwood BBC Audio 06

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Rhys

Synopsis

It's not easy being Rhys Williams. You're married to the sexiest woman in Torchwood. She saves the world for a living, you move lorries round in a timely fashion.

Suddenly, you've got a mystery of your own. Oh, it starts off being about missing fridges. But it leads to a midnight train pulling into an abandoned platform at Cardiff Station. What is the mysterious cargo that Rhys is unloading from the train? Where's it going? And what can be behind it?

Rhys Williams is going to get to the bottom of it. All by himself, thank you ver much. Soon Captain Jack is missing, his wife's dead, and it's up to Rhys to try and put everything right. And find those fridges...

Verdict

Ghost Train was an excellent audio adventure to continue my way through the Torchwood Tales release! I usually do think these can be a little on the long side with this one reaching some 139 minutes, but it was an absolute breeze to listen to. I think a lot of credit for that must go down to Kai Owen with his narration. He is such a gem as the character of Rhys and whilst initially just something of a minor character as Gwen's boyfriend, he grows to become a crucial part of the Torchwood cog. It's honestly a travesty that Rhys isn't a part of the cover artwork for this story as he's the star attraction. I mean, the entire thing is told in first person from his perspective! It really was like an extended Torchwood version of a Companion Chronicles for Rhys which was an absolute delight. I'm a really big if it wasn't obvious already! I also think it helps that a writer like James Goss is so familiar with the city of Cardiff. Getting mentions of the likes of Cardiff Queen Street and Grangetown train stations is so fun as a local to the city because they're just not usually places that are mentioned in the mainstream. Sure, the audience for a Torchwood audio adventure are going to be niche but I love the way the locale is described. Even the likes of Radyr get mentioned when Ianto had cured a plague in the area! It definitely helps being from the area and living within the region. I thought the continuity with the wider Whoniverse was brilliant in utilising Rhys's position at a haulage company and remembering the events of The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky as the ATMOS went wild. The descriptors on the satnavs here were a little on the nose too! Never did I think I'd hear an automated voice describe someone as a slut. Only in Torchwood. Getting a little mention of Derek the weatherman was a fun anecdote too to make reference to Derek Brockway, a popular Welsh weatherman. He'd be well chuffed! I liked the ridiculousness of Rhys being concerned about some missing fridges and whilst he knew there was something going on that did require Torchwood's involvement, he appreciated how mad it sounded. It was clear in this audio how much Rhys appreciated his girlfriend Gwen, along with her arse, which was really nice to hear. Sure there was banter and sexual innuendo, but he really cared for her. He missed her. When he ended up back in time and having to live without seeing her for a couple of weeks, he didn't cope too well! He couldn't wait to see her again. I thought the ghost train concept was fun and really eery. Not many trains go to Cardiff Queen Street past midnight! The numerous clones of Powell made for an intriguing image across Cardiff and I liked how zombified they sounded. It was also chilling to hear how Rhys was not required. Rhys posing as an aid to the gradual invasion was incredible and almost borderline stupendous, but it just about stayed on the right side of logic. He revelled in it though and pushed things to the line but never quite over it. The field of despair was a strong name and I really liked it as an explanation for what was happening in Cardiff. Rhys having to see the station blow up and take his wife and Jack with them was a big shock but lucky for him it sent him back in time where he could fix things under Jack's instruction. His pairing with Ianto was fantastic and I really thought they worked well together. Rhys improvising and using his own unique position in the timeline to put everything back on track was good, even if a little fortunate. That's how it should be for someone like Rhys though with all due respect. Jack turning up as the train driver was a fun way to finish things as well. From cardboard boxes to clones to an eery train station or two, this was a really enjoyable listen! 

the field of despair 

Rating: 9/10

One Bad Apple

"This place could not be Paradise."

Writer: Simon Forward

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 05

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

Here on Earth or out in the depths of the cosmos, the Doctor and his companions are never far from adventure.

Discover things on Earth you were never meant to know. Get around the universe. Get short tripping.

Verdict

One Bad Apple was a great story to continue my reading through the More Short Trips collection! This length at twenty-two pages was the perfect count for me in this kind of adventure as it was long enough not to feel rushed and to really flesh out some details whilst also being a pretty quick read at around forty minutes or so. It really was a short trip and that was appealing. I thought the writing for both the Fourth Doctor and Leela was excellent, although I would have liked the latter to use her savage sense and tribal upbringing a little more in the forest. That's a perfect setting for Leela but I don't think she was wholly utilised to her potential there. I thought the biblical connotations were quite fun and whilst I'm not fan of religion in the slightest, I could appreciate the parallels drawn. It was possibly a little on the nose to have characters named as Cain and Abel, but I get what they were trying to do. Colonel Joshua made for a good villain with his desire for Paradise. That's an exciting concept and one that is sometimes difficult to fully comprehend. Can anything possibly be considered as a paradise? Would there not be some sort of defect? I struggle to believe that it exists, but Joshua being on the hunt for it here was good stuff. It worked well and was a fun basis for the story to go in. What I wasn't expecting was so much focus on the Cybermen without them actually appearing. Sure, we had a helmet here and a gun there, but they had been wiped out here a long time ago which showed the threat that we were dealing with was a formidable one. Joshua believing that Paradise lay physically somewhere between humanity and Cyberman was fascinating and I liked how he linked back to The Tenth Planet and how Mondas wasn't meant to come back. Humanity and Cybermen should have been kept separate with Paradise split somewhere in the middle of them. That was so exciting and my only qualm was that this wasn't focused upon more because it's an incredible concept! I really enjoyed the Mithran Fusiliers as a mercenary organisation and them being a church for the lost souls of the Cyberwars was exciting. This is a strong place to set a story and it works without the need for the Cybermen to feature. I like that we see some of their lasting impact here. I thought Leela's involvement with the P'tarr was good and I loved her scrumpling with the fruit brought her an increased knowledge. It was unclear whether what information had been passed to her was the fruit, but the Doctor's reaction when she talked of refraction was a delight. He didn't seem all that thrilled with having Leela be an all knowledgable companion! That was funny stuff and this is a tremendous pairing to do that with. The comedic value is so strong. I thought the story ended in a somewhat sombre way as we learned the truth about Josh and how the fruit had broken the link between flesh and cybernetics. Where did the human start and the Cybermen end? Leela talking of how he'd come for an honourable death was fitting as a way to conclude, and despite the issues he'd presented he would no longer live. His time was up now. His paradise was actually Hell which is a bold statement to present for someone in death! But I liked the symbolism and that everything we search for isn't always how we might have pictured it. Overall, a really good read with a concept I'd love to explore in further detail in an expanded story. 

Rating: 8/10

Morbius Part 3

"Never let it be said that Morbius isn't kind."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: June 2024

Series: Dark Gallifrey 1.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor

Synopsis 

Morbius has been brought back to life on the Isle of the Dead. But a desperate Captain Argento has called for help and received an unlikely ally. Here is a stranger who knows the tyrant of old and is the only one who can put his plans on ice. But perhaps even the Doctor cannot stop the threat of Dark Gallifrey...

Verdict

Morbius concluded in strong style to round out this epic first story in the Dark Gallifrey range! This is such an exciting series and whilst we didn't get a huge amount of knowledge regarding just what Dark Gallifrey itself entails, there was enough drips and drabs of information to keep me wanting more. I mean, we've still got five more stories comprised of three releases to come so this was always going to start off small regarding the overarching reach of the series. For me, this was all about Morbius anyway and diving deep into Gallifreyan past. This wasn't quite the Dark Times but the Doctor mentioning that they were basically within its shadows was a fun anecdote of when this episode took place. The Doctor being the one dragged to answer the call of Captain Argento when she used the Horn of Rassilon was fun and I liked how he was momentarily disoriented. Of course he wasn't Rassilon! It makes sense to have the Fourth Doctor encounter Morbius once again but this is far from a rematch from The Brain of Morbius as for the tyrannical Time Lord, he had yet to encounter the Doctor. That by default meaning that the Doctor was here to exact his revenge for his defeat was a lot of fun and showed just how much Morbius thought of himself. It was good to get a bit more activity from Argento this time around and she showed just why she was worthy of being captain. Her relationship with the Doctor was lovely and it was really nice that he recognised her name straight away. She was something of a legend! Every Time Lord ought to know her name. That showed just how revered the Proteus was, although to the Doctor the tech was rather primitive which was amusing. It was good that Gilda knew of the Doctor being a future President of the Time Lords but she was almost as surprised as he was by the fact! I wonder if The Invasion of Time had happened for him yet? That was unclear but a fun thought. She was a brilliant character here though and the development she went through was quite extraordinary. The fact she got to live out the dream of Morbius was a fun play on events and having her exist in her own planet's past and see herself born was brilliant. That really is quite something and the twist with everything coming full circle as she was revealed to be the narrator all along was terrific. That was strong and a nice way to conclude her story. She stood up to Morbius well here. I thought the interaction the Doctor shared with Morbius could have been a little more tense and impactful, but it was a delight to hear them converse. The way the Doctor trapped Morbius with a distraction of simply talking was tremendous and he really did make the best use of only being a projection. That was handy when Morbius was intent on destruction! I thought it was quite clever really as a means of defeating Morbius and even having the deformed and amalgamated version projected to show him what fate awaited him was very well done. I really didn't expect that! It was a strong way though to send Morbius back packing and have him ready for the Doctor to take him on back on Karn where he belonged, and it was just a sheer joy for him to be resurrected at this point in time! I really hope we can explore more of this period in Gallifreyan history moving forward, but I get the sense that's not going to happen. However, I very much look forward to hearing what the War Master gets up to in the next instalment in this series. Overall, a fascinating and really enjoyable listen! The Doctor couldn't quite believe it. 

Rating: 8/10