No Place Like Home: Doppelgängers

"There is no cure for a substance that is not known to exist."

Writer: Ken Bentley

Format: Audio

Released: December 2024

Series: Paternoster Gang 2.07

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

After being imprisoned by a shapeshifting foe, Jenny has escaped through the London sewers and returned to Paternoster Row. Meanwhile, her captor (now disguised as Doppel-Jenny) infiltrates Paternoster Row with murderous intent! 

Verdict

Doppelgängers was an outstanding start to the No Place Like Home seventh boxset of adventures from the Paternoster Gang! This was a sensational start to the series and the third instalment of Trespassers looks set to be tremendous. With a story as is titled within the ongoing series umbrella title, this hits the nail on the head and follows up nicely from where The Gentlemen Thieves left off with the reveal that Jenny wasn't herself for quite some time. The humour in this episode was just off the charts and the doppelgänger element was just a sheer delight. Jenny worked best as the subject of impersonation for much of the episode and the confusion that caused throughout was incredible. Strax is hilarious at the best of times, but here was honestly another level altogether. The craziness of them reacting to Jenny returning from her slumber was magnificent and I thought the running gag of her smelling like shit was glorious. I mean, she had an excellent excuse in the fact that she had escaped through the sewers but it was getting commented everywhere and anytime somebody new interacted with her, much to her annoyance. The safe word of satsuma was intriguing and the comic value it provided with the doppleganger Jenny being there when they came up with it was great. I think something even funnier was Strax's ridiculously named apparatus that could revert any shapeshifter back to their normal form. It was quite the adaptation from detecting the Rutan Host! He was just on top form. And now I get to one of my all time favourite moments from anywhere and when in the Whoniverse. Vastra and the doppleganger Jenny getting it on was an unexpected moment in the story especially to hear in such detail and enjoyment, but Strax walking in and almost exclaiming glee at the fact the pair were 'wrestling' was sensational. And then he asked to join in! Well, I was completely buckled. A sensational Strax moment that is one to live long in my memory. The significance of the safe word was unexpected at the end though as Eastbourne was revealed to be that word for Vastra and Jenny's own 'wrestling' activities. Strax was confused as to why they had their own private safe word, but this was quite explicit in revealing what the pair get up to! In the Victorian era no less! I thought it was brilliant though and a very realistic way to find out which Jenny was the true version. Vastra being injected with the deadly poison for Silurian not of this Earth was a strong moment of terror and the effects it is having on her are still not realised. The concept of there not being a cure because it was supposed to be mythical seems hard to combat but I look forward to hearing how that plays out moving forward. I'm sure Fonipodio will have something in his shop of curiosities to help. Or might that be where the Second Doctor comes into play later in the boxset? I'm very intrigued to hear where he fits in. The gag of the doppleganger trying to get the poison into Vastra was overplayed wonderfully well and her annoyance at constantly being thwarted by Strax and Jenny was marvellous, especially when nobody was sure which Jenny was which! The Trespasser got there in the end though, and hearing how they took on the form of both Strax and Vastra too was impressive. The cliffhanger finish with them going to Reg Adams and hoping to resurrect his criminal empire was interesting and I can't wait to hear where things move forward from here. This was just tremendous listening from start to finish! Overall, a sublime opener! 

Rating: 10/10

Echoes Through Eternity: In Search of Lost Time

"You never know the difference you might make."

Writer: Una McCormack

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: Short Trips: Gallifrey 1.03

Featuring: Ace

Synopsis

Old Time Agents never die – they just lose their memories. Back on Earth after her involvement in the Time War, Ace is having trouble fitting in – and coincidence seems to be following her...

Verdict

In Search of Lost Time was another great little story to continue my way through the Gallifreyan collection of Short Trips! This was a stark change in tone from the first two adventures within the release and that's massively down to being set on Earth. That makes sense when it comes to Ace and I love the proximity of the story being within the events of the Time War. This was at a time where Ace had lost her memories thanks to Braxiatel which was strong continuity and I enjoyed hearing her distain for his actions, especially considering he'd featured in The Questing Beast as the previous episode in the release. The concept behind the story was fun and it was good for Ace to be experiencing a number of coincidences. I liked her addressing the reader in the form of narration and I think it absolutely works best for the narration to be in character. When you only have one actor or actress performing a story that features the companion they played, it becomes difficult to hear any other voices. So for Ace to be the narrator worked brilliantly and I thought she was a lot of fun to be honest! One coincidence in London wasn't exactly a huge shock. I think it's more than feasible for someone to run into another from their old school. It was some good natured humour that came from Ace being addressed as Dorothy McShane as well. That's not a name she is awfully fond of but she couldn't get too annoyed by it considering this was a former school associate. That's what she would be referred to on the school register and such. I appreciated Ace's comments about small talk because I am absolutely in agreement with her thoughts. The actual idea of engaging with strangers on the likes of public transport such as the tube in London is not at all appealing to me, but to be fair I am not a fan of London itself in the slightest. When it came to the final coincidence I was stunned by what I was hearing to be honest. I am often found reading when on public transport whether that's going to work or on a voyage to an airport or holiday, so to hear how Ace had her book physically tugged at by someone trying to engage in conversation was honestly abhorrent. I wouldn't take that in the slightest! I thought the posh interaction was also pretty fun in having Ace be remembered as a legend in Perivale for blowing up the art room, although the nature of the man didn't seem like that would be something he was impressed by! I thought Sophie Aldred did a really strong job in presenting the characters Ace interacted with and she did a good job in jumping around them in terms of age. From young to middle class to the elderly, she really did a stellar job in nailing it all. I was so impressed with her. I don't think Ace is the most predictable of characters to have in a release like this, but the connection to the Time War was really good. The idiocy of the Time Lords sometimes is baffling as in a way to extract information from Ace, they went about using coded words of her history hence the coincidences with people knowing her but she not them. She was suspicious of that as you'd expect, but then her neighbour as the person she was telling the story to happened to be from Gallifrey all along! That was a fun twist but Ace knew all along. She knew and the memory inhibitor moment of all of her memories coming back was nicely done. It was a powerful moment as she retrieved her own knowledge and had the coordinates that Gallifrey required in the Time War. I wonder if she'll now have any further involvement in the Gallifrey series moving forward? It's nice to know it's possible. Overall, a great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Heart of Stone

"Whatever that thing touches turns to moon rock."

Writer: Trevor Baxendale

Format: Audio

Released: February 2011

Series: 2in1 1b

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

A single touch could turn you to stone... forever!

The Doctor, Amy and Rory are surprised to discover moonrocks scattered around a farm. But things get even stranger when they discover where the moon rock is coming from – a Rock Man is turning everything he touches to stone! Can the Doctor, Amy and Rory find out what the creature wants before it's too late?

Verdict

Heart of Stone was an excellent story to conclude my reading of the first 2in1 novel during the Eleventh Doctor era! After a really solid start in the form of Death Riders, turning the book over meant for an even better read which was just terrific. I really liked the sense of mystery that came from this story and I think being set on a farm and predominantly at night really helped create an enigmatic atmosphere. It was just enthralling and the pace was frantic. This couldn't really be more different than the first release in how it had thirty-two chapters! The pages absolutely flew by which is a compliment to my enjoyment of the story, but it did feel like we were building things up and getting ready for more cliffhangers with very quick succession. The characterisation for Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor in particular was excellent and I loved the dynamic captured with Amy and Rory as well. The banter was there and I loved how even Rory introduced he and his wife as Mr and Mrs Pond. He's finally getting it! I thought the Rock Man, or Athrocite as he later came to be known, was an intriguing element of the story and I really liked the concept of everything he touched becoming moon rock. That's quite the ability and at first it seemed accidental which was interesting, but by the end of the book he was on a rampage to try and speed up the instability he had and make the process faster. The threat it provided was terrific though and that was seen with Ralph Conway being turned to stone. The emotional torment that his daughter Jessica went through was extreme, especially when her partner Chris left up and ran away. The Doctor could tell right from his discussion about moon rock and the impossibility of everything that he knew more than he was letting on, but he was actually luring the Rock Man away from his fiancee. I thought his scientific background was good and it was fun to see him come up against the Doctor when it came to professional knowledge. He was certainly qualified! His experimentation with fragments of rock from the moon was certainly interesting stuff and the ultraviolet exposure had woken up an alien bacteria that was nearly four billion years old. That really was quite something! I liked the explanation and the UV light having woke up the bacteria really worked well. It was a lengthy passage of time to stay dormant but now the alien bacteria had awoken. The connection to the meteorite was good and whilst I won't pretend to have any kind of credence when it comes to scientific knowledge, it all seemed very logical! It also provided a really simple resolution by the end. I thought the Rock Man growing in confidence and almost swagger was good and the chapter cliffhanger of the Doctor being turned to rock was sensational! I thought it was brilliant to touch upon how dangerous this was and the potential for him to literally break into pieces was sublime. Would that be feasible for a regeneration? Of course, that is redundant in this incarnation but at the time of release we weren't aware of the War Doctor's existence so it's something fun to think about. I thought Ralph gaining some sort of movement was good and the way he turned Hoggett to stone for purely being annoying was magnificent. He was tiresome by the end which was absolutely the point of his character. I liked the resolution in how simple it was with the Doctor and Rory taking the meteorite back to the moon broke the connection and everything moon rock reverted back to normal. I was impressed the TARDIS key still worked when that was moon rock! It was also fun for the sonic to be rendered useless with that happening too. Rory had a strong relationship with Jess which was nice and I liked how she knew Amy was lucky whilst getting her own relationship back on track. Chris was more welcomed now by Ralph and he'd agreed to move to the farm rather than get involved with the tricky questions back in his science lab with what had happened. I was worried at the start that this would feel like a cheap imitation of the Weeping Angels, but thankfully this was a rather brilliant read with no such occurrence. Overall, just excellent! 

Rating: 9/10

Rearguard

"You will die for Sontar."

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Short Trips 11.01

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

Trooper Stron has been given a great honour by Sontar. He's been chosen as the rearguard on Ubreus, protecting that world against anyone who would try to pry it from Sontaran control. The problem is, no one's coming to claim Ubreus, and that means there's no one for Stron to fight...

Verdict

Rearguard was an excellent start to the eleventh series of Short Trips! This is a range that has really grown on me and getting six releases in one is terrific. I do kind of wish we had the monthly releases as we did prior to Covid, but some is better than none and it's time for me to get catching up. Starting with a Sontaran story is no bad thing in my eyes as they are one of my all time favourite monsters, and Stron was a fantastic trooper to lead the story. I loved that this story had more than one actor and we actually got Jacob Dudman in as the Eleventh Doctor alongside the terrific Dan Starkey. I mean, if we are having a Sontaran story then Starkey is the perfect actor to lead it because he instantly can bring so many different voices to the numerous Sontarans! His take on Stron here was fantastic and hearing the log of his self-appointed defence of Ubreus was terrific. It did go on a bit though as far as the character was concerned and it was clear that he was getting a tad bored. He daren't admit that though because he believed he was acting of the love of Sontar in defending the planet. Except, there was no one to defend it against. He'd convinced himself that there were hoards of Rutan Host hiding in the wings which was great and the arrival of the Doctor sparked his interest. That was hardly surprising given he'd been there for over one hundred days! His interaction with the Doctor at the start was intriguing stuff but when he realised that the blue box meant the Doctor's TARDIS and that the man was the Doctor himself well his report log took on a whole new lease of life. The Doctor was deemed a coward for not returning and that was a delight to hear. Stron was quite proud of himself for seemingly sending the Doctor packing, so his arrival some years later was met with surprise. The Doctor explaining to him the situation was actually something that sparked a bit of sympathy towards the Sontaran from myself. He'd been left behind! He was thought dead and so he had come up with his own tactical and logical explanation for why. He provided himself with a purpose which was actually really impressive, but the Doctor brought his world crashing down with the truth. It was a bit of a shame to be honest! There definitely felt like some similarities between Stron and Strax so it was no surprise for the Doctor to reference his friend and how he fights with honour in the way he helps those in need. That does sound very un-Sontaran like and Stron didn't take the Doctor up on his offer of coming with him. Even when he was returned to Sontar and exiled. He'd failed to take the Doctor. He hadn't died for the glory of Sontar by virtue of being alive. It was a rather harsh sentence I felt! Especially being deemed a waste of clone matter. That sounded pretty darn severe even for the Sontarans! I thought this was a strong outing for Jacob Dudman as the Eleventh Doctor and it's just wonderful for us to get a pure Sontaran story for this incarnation. With the humour that Strax provided, it's not something we ever really got so I'm delighted that this audio puts that right. Stron accepting his fate willingly was a bit of sour pill at the end, but it says something that I was so emotionally pulled in for just one Sontaran. An impressive story. And I absolutely loved that there was no narration! This didn't feel like a typical Short Trip and that really helps with the ease of listening. It just flows. Overall, a terrific start to the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Nightmares: Less Majesty

"Who wouldn't want to be Queen?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Torchwood One 4.03

Featuring: Yvonne, Ianto

Synopsis

Yvonne Hartman wakes up in a reasonably nice hotel room next to a dead member of the royal family. Awkward.

Verdict

Less Majesty was another strong episode to conclude the Nightmares fourth series of Torchwood One! This has been a really consistent boxset and I quite like that the series took on the approach of just going with single episodes and no overlapping story arc. That isn't needed each and every time and the nightmarish theme worked well. It was interpreted in different ways by each of the writers which was great as nothing felt repetitive. These were no repeat nightmares! The way this episode started was pretty amusing in having Yvonne wake up in bed next a member of the Royal Family. Except it was a dead member of the Royal Family now. One who was due to give a speech that was supposedly going to revolutionise and save the world. Alignment was on the cards but now that he was dead, that obviously wasn't going to be possible. Given her positioning within Torchwood One, I think it's quite fun for Ianto to be her first port of call when she realised the gravity of her situation, and his reaction upon arrival didn't exactly do much to quench her fears. The hotel room setting was excellent and it's quite crazy to think that this is where the entire episode takes place. There's not a lot of room to venture there but it never felt restricted or claustrophobic which was impressive. I thought they would almost certainly have to venture out for the episode to last an hour but alas I was completely wrong! They were more worried about people getting in which was a delight to hear. Before we got to the humorous ways of hiding the dead body and the unscheduled guests from the likes of room service and housekeeping, Tommy's arrival was not what I expected at all. I wasn't surprised to find that Ianto had told him about the situation, but his shock and comment at seeing the dead royal in the bed was incredible. He had him on a tea towel! I was nearly howling there. Now, my feelings towards the Royal Family are not positive but some of my family would definitely have merchandise for the kitchen like this, but they're not at all like Tommy! I just couldn't picture him in his kitchen with a princely tea towel. I thought they did a good job at not making too much of a gag out of not naming the royal in question, although Yvonne's insinuation of him not being one of the Queen's favourites doesn't leave a huge amount to the imagination. Tommy suspecting it was actually Yvonne who had done the killing of the prince in a bid to become Queen was a whacky theory but one I loved! Ianto coming under the influence in the hotel room and almost convincing himself by Tommy's story was amusing as well. There was a great deal of subtle comedy in the episode which I liked. The chemistry between the trio was superb and the innuendo regarding the dagger when Ianto and Tommy had to squash together hiding in close proximity was fantastic. It wasn't too much and was just the right amount of banter. The reveal of the Unity and their efforts to lure all of Torchwood to the hotel room and then bomb them to oblivion was quite something, but I think it just came a tad too late. It made a big impact, but all of a sudden they were basically defeated and fell victim to their own drug and laughed at the fact they were being blown up. The way the precision of the knife in the Prince was deduced as being manufactured was nicely done and quite impressive really. It all tied together pretty nicely in the end for what was a really strong finale! Whacky in places, but a really entertaining listen for sure. Give me more Torchwood One! 

Rating: 8/10

Nightmares: Lola

"Working for Torchwood isn't easy."

Writer: Rochana Patel

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Torchwood One 4.02

Featuring: Yvonne, Ianto

Synopsis

Ianto Jones thinks something's wrong with Torchwood. So does Yvonne Hartman. The problem is they think it's each other.

Verdict

Lola was another great episode to continue my way through the Nightmares fourth series of Torchwood One! This was a really fun story and I loved the concept in how it was just so very Torchwood. The innocuous nature of how the episode started with Yvonne being suspicious of a cup of coffee being left out showed how paranoid she was as a person as well as being a bit of a control freak when it came to cleanliness. It just wasn't fathomable that the cleaners would leave out a coffee cup so it was up to Ianto to investigate. Amazingly, there was substance quite literally in the request as Kayleigh found traces of retcon within it. I thought that was brilliant because using something like that against Torchwood is tremendous. I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner in having the basis of a story like this centred around retcon because it just makes sense. I really appreciated the realism that came from Tommy revealing how numerous Torchwood employees were semi-regular users of the stuff. In a job like Torchwood it was more than understandable why some might want to forget their day's work. I thought Yvonne being suspicious of Ianto was quite amusing and it still does take a little getting used to hearing Ianto in the position and role he is in at this point in Torchwood One. His lack of experience is often something I forget about but he pulls things off very well here. Tommy is a fascinating character too and the way he was on hand to basically pass the baton around of who the retcon suspect was worked well. I thought the revelation that numerous Torchwood One employees had been retconned was good and I loved the truth that came about when they found the note about things going to shite. That was an apt description and Yvonne's reaction to discovering that it was actually her that had ordered the mass retconning was terrific. She instantly changed tact and was incredibly trusting of her past self. There was something to be admired there. Judging from the story synopsis, I was expecting a little more focus on a conflict between Yvonne and Ianto but I don't think I really got it to be honest. Not after the first ten minutes or so. That was no bad thing as I still really enjoyed the episode. It kept me hooked with some strong pacing and the build towards the titular character of Lola was very intriguing. The way things built from that name having significance to Tommy as his lost dog's name was very interesting but things grew from there, just as Lola did. She was an amalgamation of memories and the whole presentation of swapped memories was excellent. I love the idea and just wish a little more was made of it! Kayleigh having the memory of Ianto's grandparents and being confused because she had lost hers before she could remember them was a little eery but I liked the enigmatic feel it provided. The way Ianto was on hand to help defeat Lola and use memories against her was pretty decent, but it felt a little quick and easy, especially right after Kayleigh presented herself as one of those that made up Lola. The little comedy lines at the end between Yvonne and Ianto with the coffee and a dash of retcon was a nice touch and you could sense an air of seriousness in Yvonne. She wasn't wholly pleased with the matter despite it being her idea and the logic behind mass retcon to stop Lola was sound. It just didn't quite pay off. Overall, a really strong story to continue what is shaping up to be a stellar series! 

Rating: 8/10

Nightmares: My Guest Tonight

"I'm usually the one asking the questions."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Torchwood One 4.01

Featuring: Yvonne

Synopsis

Many people have poured out their souls on Nigel Best's sofa. His guest tonight is Yvonne Hartman.

Verdict

My Guest Tonight was an excellent start to the Nightmares fourth series of Torchwood One! This is a very exciting umbrella title for the series as it looks set to delve a little darker than what we have had in the first three instalments and with Yvonne Hartman as the main character in particular, the prospects are very bright indeed. She is such a strong character and her ability to command attention is just enthralling. I'm a big fan of hers and it is actually quite incredible to think about the impact she made purely off one guest appearance in Army of Ghosts. She did her duty for Queen and country, but now we're hearing what she got up to as part of Torchwood One before meeting the Doctor. Her position in the story here was fascinating and whilst she is a really strong character, it was actually Nigel Best who stole the show. He was so intriguing and this was an outstanding acting performance from Jon Culshaw. I'm so used to him being tremendous as the Brigadier or perhaps even one of the earlier Masters, but this was a one off character and he absolutely nailed it. The entire concept of him being a talk show host was brilliant and it was such a unique presentation in the Whoniverse. I thought the expletive language was utilised very well and just made the whole thing feel very real world. That's a huge positive in my book and the ambiguity surrounding what was actually happening to Nigel after his incident with the pods as a child helped with that. It was vague, but not too vague that it felt like things went unanswered. Nigel's reaction to interviewing Yvonne and realising something was very wrong was fun because he was clearly being manipulated. She had ensured that the interview skipped to the end before Nigel could ask about Torchwood, and he was then remembering in drips. Yvonne being interviewed in a dreadfully obvious disguise was fun stuff as Nigel knew he was being played but was rather helpless to do anything about it. The way his emotional torment was presented was certainly the stuff of nightmares as Nigel was basically begging for a breakdown. I felt sorry for him by the end, especially when Yvonne essentially got bored of what she was trying to achieve with Nigel too stubborn to admit what was required. He couldn't believe that he'd gone too far and was basically beyond saving. He knew Torchwood was at play and I do wonder if there will be any kind of story arc moving forward for this series. With the theme of nightmares I'm absolutely fine if there isn't, but just how did he know about Torchwood? The prospect of Yvonne being interviewed about it on screen for a talk show was quite the image. Nigel's conversation with his driver was fun too and the little gag about the fiver for his thoughts was amusing. With inflation and what have you, they certainly cost more than a penny! As a whole, this was a terrific little audio adventure that was just fascinating throughout. I was hooked with the concept of the talk show and Yvonne taking on different forms for the guest and then really tapping into Nigel's childhood and debate of whether it was enough was really nicely done. Overall, a fantastic start to the series!

Rating: 9/10

Echoes Through Eternity: The Questing Beast

"The Vortex viewed as ancient magic."

Writers: Fio Tretheway & Georgia Cook

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: Short Trips: Gallifrey 1.02

Featuring: Braxiatel

Synopsis 

Battling the Lord Burner, Braxiatel is separated from his friends as they fall through a multitude of alternative Gallifreys. He arrives in a realm where science is magic and there is a Dragon to be slain...

Verdict

The Questing Beast was another great little episode to continue my way through the Echoes Through Eternity Gallifreyan edition of Short Trips! This idea of a release is gaining more and more approval with myself as I reach the halfway point now and it's just so fun to dip into different eras and characters from the incredible range that is Gallifrey. There's so much potential and I sincerely hope this isn't the only release. Having Braxiatel as the main character here was fascinating as he is certainly something of an enigma. He is often shrouded in mystery so it was good to catch up with him at a point where he was falling through numerous versions of Gallifrey in the hope of reaching the Axis and returning to the true version he knew best. I thought the series where we did visit a number of different Gallifreys was really strong and the concept at the heart of this alternation was fantastic! It felt very Gothic and that's perfect for a character like Braxiatel. Instead of Time Lord science having developed on Gallifrey, this was a world of magic. I thought that was tremendous and is certainly something I would love to explore in longer form. This world is certainly ripe for a revisit! The line that I took for my quote is something I absolutely adored and it's not actually all that far fetched. So many peoples and society throughout the vast array we have met in the Whoniverse would simply have stared in awe and wonder at something like the Time Vortex. It's not a big surprise that a Gallifrey in an alternate universe would see it as magic and something to gaze upon. I really enjoyed that and it was delightful to hear Braxiatel getting a little frustrated at the lack of science. It was also good for him to get mixed up with his other self and be put on a trial! His defence of being from another universe and not the true Braxiatel was never going to serve him well. It was great to listen to though! The threat in the story coming in the form of a dragon was terrific, but I must say I was not expecting the reveal that Braxiatel himself – well another version – was the mystical beast! That was a fascinating conversation to say the least as Braxiatel gazed upon himself in a rather different form. I thought the inclusion of Narvin was good and his reaction to Brax calling Leela a savage was shocking! We didn't know that in this universe the pair were actually a couple which was fun to think about, but the former companion of the Doctor had been slain by the dragon. The beastly version of Brax was hardly remorseful about that which was a shame to hear. I liked how on this version of Gallifrey that Romana was viewed upon as the Queen rather than a Lord President. That fitted in very nicely with the magical landscape and it was a title befitting the name. Queen Romana. It just has a certain ring to it that absolutely works. Hearing Braxiatel do battle against his own dragon self was quite the way to go about things and it was a direction I wasn't expecting. I really enjoyed it though and I like how with this just being an instalment in a wider story arc and Brax finding his way through numerous Gallifreys that he was now back on his merry way. He touched upon how Romana, Narvin and Leela always seemed to find each other, but now he would quite like to find them. Overall, a terrific little listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Ultimate Evil

"This is all so frightening."

Writer: Wally K Daly

Format: Audio

Released: November 2019

Series: Lost Stories 6.02

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

With the TARDIS working perfectly, the Doctor and Peri decide to take a holiday. But where? A long-forgotten piece of equipment in the TARDIS storage locker sends them to the peaceful and idyllic continent of Tranquela – home of the Doctor's old friend Ravlos.

But the land where they emerge is far from peaceful. A hate ray is regularly sweeping Tranquela, turning its inhabitants into savage beasts, and there is only one place it can originate – the planet's other continent, home of Tranquela's old enemies, the Amelierans.

Or is that the only place? Because somewhere far above the planet events are watched by the slimy super-salesman, Mordant, who has his own unscrupulous plans.

Verdict

The Ultimate Evil was an average Lost Story adventure in my opinion! I must say, I don't think we were missing too much though with this story not being made which is a shame to say. I'm very glad to have covered it and it was a worthy listen, and I'm sure one day that I will also read the novelisation which I was surprised to find existed as part of the Missing Episodes mini range, I do think I would be likely to enjoy the novelisation more because I imagine it would be truer to the television story went unproduced as it would be based more off the script rather than shifting things for the audio format. I thought the directing and sound design for this story was a little weak and as much as I hate to say it I couldn't help but feel that Colin Baker wasn't wholly invested in his Sixth Doctor performance. I'm usually such a fan of his audio work but it just felt lacking here and I think that was partly the fault of the script. The premise at its heart is actually really good and I love the idea of waves of hatred and peace being possible. There's a lot of potential there and the groundwork in which peace had been achieved between the Tranquelans and Amelierans was excellent. The punishments that came from one party of the species spying on the other and stepping foot in other territory was crucial to maintaining a peaceful relationship. Except that was on the brink of a disaster now. The whole familial makeup of the rule was interesting stuff and I enjoyed how the Second Family were out for a war to take over. Peri's relationship with Locas was built pretty well and I liked how she was able to trust him despite his admission at killing his loved one. It was something that he was distraught about and why wouldn't he be? Imagine pushing the person you loved off a cliff and knowing about it, having that memory, but not being able to control yourself from doing it. I certainly sympathised with him as the wave of hate ran over him. I thought the holiday ball that the Doctor used was a bit of a useless gadget and the continuity with The Nightmare Fair was good stuff in positioning the story in the lost run that would have been the original Season 23. Some holiday that was! But this was hardly any better. I thought Mordant was a decent enough villain and I liked that he was scheming from the shadows for much of the story, but that actually hurt things by the end in my opinion as I didn't feel like he really had his comeuppance. He was just forced into sending a peace wave across the planet to quell the tensions of both races. That was somewhat disappointing because at numerous times the Doctor was helpless which is not something we are used to hearing. He was completely ravaged by the wave of hatred and couldn't remember being so. That's very unlike him! The significant of Escoval and Abatan was presented fine in the dialogue and explanation of the story, but less so in practice. I thought the Doctor's history with Ravlos again absolutely fine but not exactly something to get excited about or all that interested in because he wasn't a familiar character. I thought it was really good to have the story splint into two parts like Season 22 was with the Sixth Doctor as that's something I prefer for sure, although it did at times feel like there were cliffhangers within each part as written. Overall, a decent world and political setup to explore but there was just something missing in the way the story was presented. 

Rating: 6/10

Death Riders

"This thing could crash at any moment."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Novel

Released: February 2011

Series: 2in1 1a

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

It's not all fun at the Galactic Fair...

The Galactic Fair has arrived on the missing asteroid of Stanalan and anticipation is building around the construction of the fair's most popular attraction – the Death Ride! But there is something sinister going on behind all the fun of the fair; people are mysteriously dying in the Off-Limits tunnels. Join the Doctor, Amy and Rory as they investigate...

Verdict

Death Riders was a great novel to kick off my long overdue reading of the 2in1 novels from the era of the Eleventh Doctor! For whatever reason, I have passed up on reading these novels because I don't think I took them seriously. But when I had this book in hand from my local library, I was delighted with the quirkiness of two stories in the same book and the way it literally flips over into the other adventure! It's really rather fun. I just feel sorry for the author whose story was placed the wrong way around on the bookshelf! The trio of the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory are presented ever so well in the adventure and I was so impressed with how well their personalities and relationships were put into prose. It was effortlessly part of the era which was terrific and really helped with the read. I thought there was some strong humour and the characterisation of the Eleventh Doctor in particular was sublime. Matt Smith's likeness was absolutely nailed by Justin Richards and that instantly helps with my reading. The concept itself was intriguing and after a humorous arrival on an asteroid, the Galactic Fair was not what I was expecting from the bleak landscape initially described. After a quick TARDIS turnaround, the adventurous look around the Fair quickly focused on one ride in particular. One that wasn't even complete yet. The concept behind the Death Ride I must say was a little far fetched, but with it being in the thirty-third century and part of a wide-travelling fair on an asteroid, I could let it slide a little. I thought Perpetual Pete was a fun character and although the comments about him smelling didn't seem all that necessary, his persistence when it came to the Off-Limits zones hinted at something more. I didn't get that sense right away though so I liked how things were paced out. I thought the build to the Death Ride itself being finished was good although I just couldn't accept that the moment it was completed that it would be deemed safe to ride! It was fun though to have a rollercoaster as the central premise for a story and it was incredibly whacky for Rory to be climbing from one carriage to the next as it was going through the mining caves. I thought the Doctor immediately cottoning on to the fact that Pete had knowledge he wasn't sharing was good and the way he challenged him was excellent. Pete didn't do a great job in hiding it once challenged and he knew the game was up against Doctor Clever. That was such a name this Doctor would take on. I thought the history behind the Drexxons was decent and the literal connection a smaller one shared with Garvo became quite the talking point in the story. Amy was aghast that the Drexxon appeared to be chained up to its master and as a slave, but I must say I called it straight away. I knew it would be the other way around and that the Drexxons were the villains! The whole story behind the Perpetuity Chamber was good and I liked how Pete had been on hand for centuries to stop it being reached. But the time had come now after using the Galactic Fair as a front to search far and wide. And here we were. The action that came in the conclusion was a little difficult to imagine with the balancing of the carriages, but I did enjoy how everything was pushed back into the Perpetuity Chamber to really seal things off. Quite literally! The Doctor calling back to The Curse of Peladon with the Venusian lullaby was a nice touch considering we had trisilicate featured in the mines as well. Overall, a really strong story to kick off the series! Intrigue, fun, action and some superb characterisation. A terrific read! 

Rating: 8/10

Echoes Through Eternity: Damned If You Do

"Alteration is not an option."

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: Short Trips: Gallifrey 1.01

Featuring: Narvin

Synopsis

CIA Coordinator Narvin is unwillingly called upon to find some lost students – aliens admitted to the hallowed Academy. But when Narvin and Cadet Kransa enter the Catacombs, nothing will be the same...

Verdict

Damned If You Do was a really strong start to the Echoes Through Eternity edition of Short Trips! I love the idea of the Short Trips doing spinoffs and a collection of short stories from across the history of the Gallfirey spinoff range is such a tremendous idea! There is so much potential there as it's a series vast with exploration and just superb storytelling. We went back towards the start here and it was so fun to hear Narvin talk of Romana with something akin to distain. That's a very different approach to the Narvin of the current era of Gallifrey during the Time War. His feelings towards Leela and Romana have grown exponentially and he cares for them a great deal, but here he was at a point where he wasn't exactly becoming to outsiders, not really a fan of anyone on Gallifrey who wasn't from a noble house, and was trying to save his entire planet and people from its own Lord President! It's quite the place we find Narvin in at this point in time and it was just a delight to step back into that era. The story itself was a pretty simple one whilst being incredibly intriguing. I really liked how for Narvin this was almost something of an exploratory episode as we looked ahead to his character and the significance that he will bring to the future. His interactions with the Time Shade were fascinating and I liked how he knew of them as myths from the Dark Times. There is definitely something more to come with the way Narvin adventures of similar names are bookending this Short Trips release. I liked the way Narvin saw a flash forward of everything to come and the significance of the burning planet in particular was nicely done. His importance in setting alight the Time War was touched upon nicely and I like how once his time with the Shade was over, he could only think of Krasta when remembering blurs of that burning planet. She as a cadet was an interesting little character and I suspect she will become more significant in the finale. Before we got there though it was good to hear her inquisitive nature. Narvin showing distain towards Romana was amusing and I liked how he was not all too pleased by the Free Time movement. His reaction to hearing how some of the aliens had actually looked upon the Untempered Schism. That was quite a surprise for him and he wasn't impressed with that. It wasn't just for anyone to look upon it! He was somewhat boastful when it came to his nature as being time sensitive and being exposed to the Schism in the past, but with the aliens not being natives the potential trouble was there. He also wasn't a fan in general of just being sent on the lookout for a number of missing students. He didn't think they should be on Gallifrey in the first place so for them to go missing didn't sound all that bad as far as he was concerned! That wasn't something Kastra agreed with and Narvin having to stop himself on a couple of occasions was fun to hear. He wasn't quite put in his place but he knew that he was speaking out of turn in terms of being politically correct. The way things ended with the memory distortion was good and Narvin seeking to stop the President, whilst also touching upon Kastra's memory. A fine start to the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Hearts of Stone

"No one ever cares what I want."

Writer: Steve Lyons 

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 08

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Adric

Synopsis

Adventures in time and space are no fun if there's no one to share them. the Doctor has taken along many people on his travels – humans, aliens and robots. Did he really care for any of them? What in their previous life fitted them for the role of companion – and how did they cope after they left the TARDIS?

These seventeen stories look at the Doctor's trusty companions, before, during and after their travels with the eccentric Time Lord. Discover the truth about Romana's regeneration, find out what happened when Zoe encountered the Doctor again, and learn which of his companions the Doctor cared for the most...

Verdict

Hearts of Stone was an intriguing little adventure to continue my way through the Companions edition of Short Trips! It was nice to get a story featuring the full TARDIS team including the Doctor whilst keeping the focus firmly on one companion in the form of Adric here. That worked well and it’s quite fun to think that there’s another Adric-focused story in this collection considering his status as a companion amongst fandom. I don’t think he has the most favourable reputation but he is undoubtedly an interesting character. That was evident here even if he was his typically annoying self! I like that he is free to speak his mind and doesn’t have any qualms in challenging the Doctor. He seems to think there is favouritism from the Time Lord towards Tegan and Nyssa rather than himself which is probably a little difficult to argue with! He wanted to see explore a collapsing star and whilst knowing that it wasn’t going to become a black hole for at least three weeks, he was denied because it wouldn’t interest Nyssa and Tegan. And yet here they were lounging about relaxing and playing board games. Adric’s comments towards Nyssa about their games of chess were incredibly harsh and it was sad to hear what he thought of Tegan as a mere human. Sure, they have a pretty testy relationship but he was rather derogatory towards her behind her back which was a shame. I thought having a story on an unnamed planet was good and there was a lot of potential there. It’s the complete unknown and Adric was being sucked in to the charades of statues. Could you make the case that these might be some version of the Weeping Angels given that the planet existed outside of time? It’s a fun thing to ponder on in hindsight and I could see it working. The imagery was strong and I liked how there were descriptions of the people who were trapped within not actually arriving yet whilst those leaving were entrapped for eternity. It was an exciting prospect and it was good to explore the potential! The voice talking to Adric from within was terrific and I thought it was baffling that he wanted to become one of the statues. What benefit would he have there? What science could he explore? Would he really be happy? I’m not sure he could really blame the Doctor for taking that choice away from him and whilst Nyssa understood wanting to decide for himself, she knew he would change his mind once given time to think about it. She knew him, and that was a nice touch. Finishing with her beating him at chess was good too as Adric’s mind was elsewhere. I just thought his desires were a little misplaced and I couldn’t help but think of him as a bit of a brat. His attitude was quite appalling and that is why he’s not the most likeable of companions. I was impressed in how that was presented on the page though as it was strong characterisation for him. This was authentically Adric, even going so far as to say he preferred the Fourth Doctor to the Fifth. The Doctor really did have his hands full with this trio of companions! Overall though, a strong story to continue my way through the collection. 

Rating: 7/10

New Recruit: Rivers of Light

"Why do you have a planet in a box?"

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: October 2021

Series: The Diary of River Song 9.04

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz, Brigadier, River

Synopsis

In a Yorkshire mining town, strange temporal distortions and rivers of light crossing forests are enough to get the Brigadier's attention, and UNIT is mobilised.

But the Doctor is back, and he wants to know who's been messing around in his laboratory. River's reasons for being on Earth are about to be revealed...

Verdict

Rivers of Light was a really fun story to conclude what has been a thoroughly enjoyable New Recruit ninth series of The Diary of River Song! It's been a sheer delight to hear River as part of the UNIT team of Season 7 and whilst I think a little more of the Brigadier would have been welcomed in the middle two episodes in the series, getting him back here was fantastic. Jon Culshaw is scarily good in his impression and the good impersonations come with Tim Treloar getting to shine in this finale. It makes sense that the final episode will be where River encounters the Third Doctor for the first time chronologically, but his return is not actually something she was anticipating or even wanting! The prospect of the Third Doctor being off on a wild Silurian goose chase was very amusing and I love how absurdly random that is. Unfortunately, we won't be getting a Third Doctor sequel to The Sensorites at this point but perhaps one day it will happen. It's definitely something I'd love to hear! Learning of the truth regarding River's presence was really interesting and it's quite intriguing that she actually wanted the Doctor out of the way. Her reaction when she heard him returning whilst she was fiddling about inside his TARDIS was terrific. I thought her comment about him being harder to deal with and more angry in his younger days was marvellous and it's quite fun to think that the elderly incarnations of the First and Third Doctors are actually some of the youngest despite their frostiness. River claiming to be from the Celestial Intervention Agency was actually a pretty darn good cover story given the Doctor's position in exile as it explained her presence as checking in on him and also helped give credence to her technical knowledge involving the TARDIS. The Doctor's reaction to her actually reinstalling the console was brilliant. He was outraged at what she was doing! I thought Liz was naturally a little quieter in this adventure which was a slight shame but that's always going to happen when the Doctor is around and River fills in that companion role. Her involvement with the rivers of light from the title was not something I was really expecting, nor finding out who she had been employed by! I thought the concept of a planet in a box and a collapsing sun was quite mad and I'm not entirely sure of the science behind it all, but I did understand the threat that was evident if that box collapsed in and the sun was left to consume the Earth. The use of the rivers to control things was decent, but it was all about the Master being the one behind it. He'd employed River for the mission and the image of her alongside the Delgado incarnation of the Master was superb. Another incarnation of the Doctor's arch nemesis for her to add to the list after Series 5 of this very range. I think it's excellent to think that the Master was present and plotting even prior to Terror of the Autons, but River was on hand to double cross him and see him sent to Gallifrey to answer for his many crimes. I really appreciated that there was something of an attempt to explain the UNIT dating controversy as well in this story as it was actually quite pivotal to the plot with the instability. It was really fun to address that in a meaningful way rather than the 'seventies or eighties' throwaway lines we've had in more recent times. Overall, this was a really strong listen and the plot was almost secondary to the interactions between the Third Doctor and River. The use of a memory wiping wine was a unique way to keep intact the timeline of Silence in the Library and beyond, and I liked how it didn't become a big thing. A fantastic little series concludes very well. 

Rating: 8/10

New Recruit: Never Alone

"What are you doing in my dream?"

Writer: Helen Godwyn

Format: Audio

Released: October 2021

Series: The Diary of River Song 9.03

Featuring: River, Liz

Synopsis

River believes Intertraxia is ahead of its time, but it's already shipping innovations in entertainment and computing around the world.

When a dead man is found with alien technology implants, UNIT investigates. Liz and River are about to discover that those connected to the network are never alone...

Verdict

Never Alone was another good episode to continue my way through the New Recruit ninth series of The Diary of River Song! I thought this was another solid outing for River and Liz who have become a terrific little pairing and it's nice to hear them getting on, although I must admit I think the placement of this series is a little off as this definitely should have been swapped with Terror of the Suburbs in my opinion. I mentioned that in my blog entry yesterday and I couldn't help but think it as I was listening here. It would have flowed better, but I did try to think of the episode in isolation and it was still a very enjoyable listen as my rating reflects! I thought the Intertraxia technology company was a good front for taking the minds of promising students, and hearing in the early 1970s how there were prototypes set for global scale that were basically early versions of a portable music player and phone was quite amazing! River knew they were far beyond their time and it is just great having her around with all of her foreknowledge. I thought Pippa was an annoyingly fun character as my goodness didn't she just talk and talk! She was oblivious to some small mockery by River which was harmless and I am honestly astounded after listening to find that she was not voiced by Mina Amwar! I am honestly stunned. The first image that popped into my head when I heard her talking was of Gita in The Sarah Jane Adventures! The likeness was honestly uncanny. Her relationship with Marco was intriguing stuff and I thought it was quite fun for her to proclaim that he was her boyfriend, he just didn't know it yet. River's reaction to that said everything really! I thought the demeanour of Marco was a little strange as he was part of the Higher Power and the focus on technology there was almost reminding me of the Cybermen! I also suspected the Wire was present at some point too which wouldn't be a huge stretch given the setting's proximity to The Idiot's Lantern. Alas, the Higher Power was just that and I was almost disappointed that Professor Allen was working with it. It was just so predictable as it basically followed the same pattern of the previous episode which was a bit of a shame. I thought the death of Ian was a good threat to include in the episode with six others missing from the university, but Marco being another and just working for Intertraxia felt odd. I liked that it was explained Ian resisted the technological fusion we heard Pippa become subjected to, and the after effects of that were quite fun. The invasion of dreams and thinking and conversing via inner thoughts was interesting stuff and River's slow reaction and realising why she had invaded Marco's dream was excellent. It was almost like they were all tripping! So of course it was left to somebody sensible like Liz to set things right from the outside and the brief moment where it was feared River was too far in was a nice bit of trepidation at the end of the episode. She would be too much for the Higher Power to handle in the end. I must admit I wasn't all that fussed by the voicing for the Higher Power as it just felt a bit generic and that overbearing and loud booming type is something I've heard before and almost never enjoyed. It's just not threatening for me. I thought River's comment at the end about not wanting to live her afterlife in a computer was a little sad given her fate in Forest of the Dead, but that's the beauty of these audios and jumping around the timelines. Overall, a good story! Now onto the finale which I cannot wait for.

Rating: 7/10

New Recruit: Terror of the Suburbs

"I hate this town."

Writer: James Kettle

Format: Audio

Released: October 2021

Series: The Diary of River Song 9.02

Featuring: River, Liz

Synopsis

Liz has moved house. It seems she's found a suburban utopia – until River Song arrives.

There is more to Fetter Bailey than manicured lawns and endless soirees. Dangerous creatures prowl the hedgerows, and something lurks in the freezers...

Verdict

Terror of the Suburbs was a decent episode to continue my way through the New Recruit ninth series of The Diary of River Song! This was an intriguing tale and I liked the dystopian feel of things as we jump into the suburban utopia type setting. This was all very Downsizing and WandaVision feeling which was good and that entire concept feels very 1970s. I wouldn't say this quite felt like a sitcom, but it was certainly close! And that's a good thing. I am a little bit confused regarding the placing of this episode as it doesn't feel right that so soon after joining the team on a temporary basis, Liz is taken somewhere where she was no memory of River. I would have liked some more reflection on The Blood Woods and take the pair into another dilemma to solve together. This was more a case of River saving Liz which was good, I just think it may have worked better in the next episode instead. Of course, there could be an underlying reason leading into the finale why that isn't the case and I hope that is the case. As you can see from the rating, this was no bad thing! I think the dynamic between River and Liz is excellent and you would struggle to find two companions of the Doctor's further apart on the spectrum. They're wildly different. Liz is almost posh whereas River just exudes and flaunts living vicariously. But it just absolutely works! River can tease Liz a little and we get to hear her open up. I thought it was good to explore the world of Fetter Bailey because it was far from what it seemed. Where did the petrol come to mow the grass? Why was everything perfect? No frozen aisles in the shop? River being on hand to help break the illusion was good and the pace in which that happened was nicely done. I thought the revelation that the suburb was actually in the Sahara was a tad odd and not entirely significant, and I'd love to know how they made it back to UNIT HQ in London! I thought some of the other inhabitants in the suburb were pretty annoying but I appreciated that because it was very much the intention. I must admit I'm not much of a people person so I couldn't deal with the friendliness and camaraderie that was on show. It just isn't me and I would get so annoyed. Maybe that's why my interest in the episode wained slightly as things went on and I think the reveal of the Presidium perhaps came a little late. I thought the concept behind them was a little predictable but it worked fine with them feeding on the very things their utopia created in its people. Lucy and Yvonne were fine and I think the way the Presidium revealed their plan could have had a tad more impact. For whatever reason they didn't seem all that threatening. I liked how River and Liz came together to help see them off, although I did have something of a feeling of incompleteness at the end. Things seemed to conclude very quickly and suddenly so it certainly had a big impact on me! I think more on how River came to be there would be good and a little more playing with Liz not remembering her would be terrific. I do feel that would have had more of an impact if they'd had more than one adventure together where Liz wasn't all that accommodating of the archaeologist! Regardless, this was still a fun little episode and I look forward to hearing what's next!  

Rating: 7/10

New Recruit: The Blood Woods

"I'm your new assistant!"

Writer: Lizbeth Myles

Format: Audio 

Released: October 2021

Series: Diary of River Song 9.01

Featuring: River, Liz, Brigadier

Synopsis

With the Doctor indisposed, Liz is a little put out to find that the Brigadier has brought in another scientific advisor to take his place.

But when Liz and River investigate otherworldly goings-on in an English village, they soon find themselves relying on each other to survive.

Verdict

The Blood Woods was a very strong start to the New Recruit ninth series of The Diary of River Song! This is a release I have been anticipating for a very long time and listening today on my birthday I was delighted to receive this as a present. It's the Big Finish release I would have picked out of all that I am yet to cover or don't have, and it started very well. I think it's a clever move to start by having River join in as part of UNIT whilst the Doctor is away on unknown business, and the dynamic she has with Liz in particular is essentially what most of the episode covers. I think the concept of just throwing River into the mix during the era of Season 7 is brilliant and the way that time was captured in audio was really impressive. It didn't just feel very 1970s, it felt very 1970 and that's a huge compliment. There's such simplicity in Liz seeing some of the technology River has to hand as being something she can't begin to fathom, and it's lovely to think that she's still very early on in her UNIT journey. I thought River being impressed with Liz and mentioning the events of Spearhead from Space as an achievement during her first week and I also liked how recognised Benny. The prospect of the Doctor's famed yellow car being named after Liz as a nickname for Elizabeth has never crossed my mind but it's something I'm all here for! River's knowledge of the Doctor is uncanny and I like how she has a little private moment with the TARDIS as she actually feels sorry for it with the Doctor currently undergoing exile on Earth. She knew that it would just want to travel, and she'd return to that one day. Liz didn't seem too complimentary of the TARDIS though which was a little surprising. I thought Jon Culshaw was extraordinarily good as the Brigadier see and it's fun to hear the dynamic he has with Liz. She wants more independence and confidence in her abilities from the Brig so she feels a little threatened by River's presence, even if she was recommended by the Doctor. That's something that really interests me for when the Third Doctor does show up in the boxset. For now though, it was up to River and Liz to head up to Shropshire and investigate a mysterious death with a 22-year-old dying of severe old age. That was fun stuff and whilst it was quite predictable that the culprit was going to be Beatrice Gray once we were introduced to her, getting there was entertaining stuff. I liked the setting and particularly the exploration in the woods with Beatrice also being in the field of archaeology. Her dig site was focused on a millennia old energy source for which she wanted to use to become powerful and that was certainly something more than Sir Edward  was bargaining for when it came to land boundaries. His demise was quite the impactful shock but it worked well. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the forests and it was great to have River and Liz work together to come up with the resolution. I was less keen on the dogs that were a part of the episode though but that may just be my severe dislike of the pets! Although they'd be a lot scarier in the wild. The Brigadier being impressed with River's work and ensuring that she would be sticking around was a fun premise to set up the rest of the boxset, and it's certainly something I am really looking forward to hearing moving forward! Overall, a strong start to what looks set to be a terrific little series! 

Rating: 8/10

Coda – The Final Act

"I'm not your Doctor."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: Once and Future 08

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor, War Doctor, Benny, Vienna

Synopsis

The Time War.

Dealing with the repercussions of degeneration, the Doctor has a limited window of time to evade capture, recruit old allies, wage a war, and find out what's really going on.

A warrior is being hunted by a mysterious stranger in a TARDIS. A rogue agent has been assigned a mission to eliminate a dangerous foe. This is a fight between a war criminal and a fugitive. A fight between Doctors.

Verdict

Coda – The Final Act was a really good story to conclude the Once and Future series, a whole year later! Well this final episode in the rather whacky series was a long time coming, but it was certainly worth the wait because we found out that we would be hearing the Big Finish debut of the Fugitive Doctor! It's a big shame that this mysterious and hidden incarnation of the Doctor didn't get the chance to really shine on television after the monumental reveal in Fugitive of the Judoon, but I think the pandemic may have had something to do with that. If that hadn't have happened, the series that became Flux would surely have been longer and allowed a little more time to delve into the lore of her incarnation. Thankfully, this is where Big Finish steps in and begins to fill the gaps. This certainly serves as a delightful little addition to the adventures of the Fugitive Doctor before we get into her own new series next year which I cannot wait for! I was intrigued by the comments of the Fugitive Doctor here as she seems to be post-Division which is exciting and it's fun that even prior to the First Doctor she was running away. It's ingrained in her DNA! I also thought it was an interesting move to use the very first theme arrangement for this story. I thought we would have gone with the War Doctor's theme but alas this was a fun and unexpected twist given the modern connotations of the two incarnations. It is a fun moment the two Doctors share late in the story as they realise they are one and the same, but two very different incarnations and somewhat removed from the Doctor as we know them. The suggestion of them being weak links though was not something I agreed with! I thought the premise of the story at the start with the Fugitive Doctor hunting the war criminal that was the War Doctor was a delight, and the after effects of degeneration being felt in much the same way as they would be post-regeneration was a nice touch. I thought some of the guest characters in the story were random but a nice surprise and it's delightful for Benny to tick another two incarnations of the Doctor off on her list. Her reactions to both were intriguing, but seeing the Doctor as a woman almost made her howl! I thought the little nod to the Unbound Doctor was tremendous when she assumed that the Fugitive Doctor was from another universe and remembered liking that. I also thought it was a delight to feature Vienna in a couple of cameo roles alongside the War Doctor, and having her set him up as the Fugitive paid more gold was magnificent! The little reference to The Shadow Heart was nice as Vienna remembered who he was and alluded to the Time War, and it was good for the Doctor to reassure her that everyone was fighting their part whether they knew it or not. What was a little more random was the inclusion of Elizabeth I! She was a little strange to be in a story like this although I did really enjoy the insinuation that she knew the Doctor travelled in time and also knew which order his faces came in. The Voord featuring too and having a history with the Fugitive Doctor was an unexpected treat, although I would have preferred them to be on the other side. But they made such an impact on me in The Keys of Marinus so I'm all for their return. I thought Shalavar as the one pitting the two Doctors against each other was fine, but it was actually bringing them together which was a highlight. As was Benny's reaction to the Fugitive's control room in the TARDIS in labelling it retro. I loved how she helped Benny see that the Fugitive was actually hunting herself too. That was fantastic and from there this Doctor really did seem to change from the bad guy to a good. Overall, a really fun start to Jo Martin's life on audio (of which I'm sure will be extensive!) and a fine way to bookend the sixtieth anniversary celebrations. 

Rating: 8/10

Joy to the World

"Christmas everywhere all at once."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 25 December 2024

Series: 2024 Christmas Special

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor

Synopsis

When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.

Verdict 

Joy to the World was a great Christmas Special! It's such a delight to be getting another festive episode following on from the series return at this time of year with The Church on Ruby Road last year, and whilst this episode was more of a standalone it was still a magnificent watch! I think the loose continuity was just about enough to have it as part of the ongoing two series run from Disney+ with the Doctor reflecting on not having companion Ruby around and her also seeing the star that Joy would become. That was neat and whilst Joy got the title billing with Nicola Coughlan in the role and the character taking part of the title, I thought it was actually Anita that stole the show! Her relationship built with the Doctor was fantastic and I loved how he just took the long way around. Of course, the whole intention was for him to be able to save Joy but how could he not have strong feelings for somebody he shared chair night with? That was actually really emotional and I enjoyed it a lot. Big Finish should absolutely have some strange goings on at the Sandringham across this year for their future Fifteenth Doctor Adventures! The main concept of the story centring on the Time Hotel was fascinating and I really like the idea. It feels perfect for Doctor Who and the Doctor himself being impressed by it was very good. His interactions with Trev were very humorous and I thought it was actually quite sweet that his consciousness came good on not letting the Doctor down when within the star itself. The whole concept of the star as a means of energy source was good and Villengard being behind it is good continuity, although I did think having a corporation as the big bad was slightly a let down. Not massively, but I just felt it would have been good for the Doctor to confront someone instead. A full on villain. I still liked it though and it works well that the Doctor has history with them, even as recently as Boom. I thought the Time Hotel showing numerous points in human history was pretty impressive and seeing all of the different entry points from a stone door to a tent on Everest was terrific. I thought it was a fun gag to play on hotel rooms having a mysterious locked door, although I must say as something of a budget traveller I can't recall too many rooms having that! And as for Joy's room being sad and reflecting on her personality, well I must say I thought it looked really impressive! I would not at all be disappointed to be staying in a hotel room like so I'm not sure what that says about me. Joy retorting to the Doctor at the fact he'd spent a year there was a nice touch and I was impressed with how she was literally able to shine at the end. The dinosaur use was quite fun but the emotion sparked by the Doctor before it in angering Joy as she revealed the horrible circumstances in which her mother passed was excellent. I obviously knew what was happening right away but I wasn't expecting the Tory parties to get referenced! That was good fun. Not so keen on the Doctor mocking the name Joy even if it was to rile her up, but he brought it back around at the end in realising of course why she would be named as such. I thought the ending was fine but not perhaps as climactic as I was hoping for. The train sequence wasn't bad but just felt a bit lacking in substance to reach the briefcase after millions of years simmering to create the star, but then with Joy it would just become one with her and detonate away from life. I liked that we got to see Joy's mum though and reunite them amongst the stars, and that actually sparked my partner into tears! She loved this episode and gave it a perfect score which surprised me but I'm glad to share these moments with her. We have our second baby's due date tomorrow so it's an emotional time in our household after a crazy Christmas with our three-year-old! He's still a little young for the programme at the minute, but he did take a little interest in the Proms yesterday! Maybe next year. But for now, a great festive special! I look forward to what's to come after that sneak peak. 

Rating: 8/10

Paper Moon

"Those trees can think. Maybe they can feel pain too."

Writer: Louie Stowell

Format: Novel

Released: March 2021

Series: Team TARDIS Diaries 01

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

The Doctor and her friends travel to a psychic forest on a distant moon where they find themselves in terrible jeopardy. 

But rampaging robots and perilous pirates will turn out to be the least of their worries...

Verdict

Paper Moon was a great story! This is actually the debut instalment of the Team TARDIS diaries double that I actually started in back to front style with Ghost Town – and even directly leads into it rather brilliantly with Graham logging in the psychic diary the same day twice – but this serves as another very good read! I think it's great to be able to get a new story featuring the Thirteenth Doctor's first TARDIS team and the name of the series certainly seems apt. The fam altogether again for a very intriguing psychic paper origin story! I think the concept behind the trees on Boda was tremendous and I love that we learn how the Doctor came to be in possession of the psychic paper. It's a fun little story of how she was gifted it after saving the planet of Boda from a barking wasp, and now we learn how she came to be in possession of the physic diary too! That was a neat touch. I thought the format was strong and I like the concept of different users and changing the perspective of the story from each of the companions, but the little sticky notes from the Doctor throughout were fantastic. Although her joke about the anti-gravity book was so bad that it was good. I could definitely see this incarnation revelling in that kind of humour. The Doctor being happy to be invited to a funeral seemed odd, but then we learned more about the trees and how they were already at peace with their own deaths because they saw their entire existence. And they knew what they became in how they were turned into psychic paper. It was really interesting stuff and not something I was expecting for a story primarily aimed at younger children so I'm delighted to have had the chance to learn about this! It's really rather fascinating and kind of poetic. Of course, something like the psychic paper would be craved from many species far and wide and that's what happened here with the invasion and the attempted thievery. The Doctor being on hand to stop that was nicely done and it explained why she was gifted the psychic diary, and having her thoughts retroactively added was a unique style. She was telling us anecdotes from the future perspective of the story. I thought the addition of the hard hat as a caveat for her being in read only mode was good and also why the user could still transfer their thoughts into the diary whilst not being impacted by the raw paper. There were definitely some things in the story that felt like they were added in editing when it came to needing an explanation, but I can't fault them for being addressed! Even if it seems slightly obvious, it's better than to not address them at all. I thought the illustrations in the story were excellent and I really loved how the Thirteenth Doctor in particular was drawn. Her depiction was so on point and just authoritative whilst seeming fun at the same time. There was a strong energy. Graham definitely seemed the least interesting of the companions when it came to the different users and I think the author agreed as his segment certainly seemed a lot smaller than those of Yaz and Ryan, and when they were reunited he just handed it back to Yaz! I thought the little glimpse at the Doctor as a user was fun as she was just far too powerful and almost overwhelmed the entire thing! I thought the diary was a good way to make subtle references to Yaz's feelings towards the Doctor as well. She thought she was beautiful and just the most amazing woman. It's not hard to see why Yaz felt this way. The way the story ended with the Producers being saved was good and I liked the TARDIS tying in with the psychic nature of the trees to save Yaz. Overall, a terrific little read! 

Rating: 8/10

The War Games in Colour

"This whole place is divided into time zones."

Writers: Terrance Dicks & Malcolm Hulke

Format: TV

Broadcast: 23 December 2024

Series: Colourisation 02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands in the horrors of World War I, the Doctor uncovers a threat spanning galaxies and history itself. But this time, saving the day might doom the Doctor forever.

Verdict

The War Games in Colour was an absolute joy to behold! I adore the idea of colourising a number of the 1960s classics because it really does bring them into the modern era and for a whole new generation to enjoy. After the success that was The Daleks in Colour for the sixtieth anniversary last year, it was a magical Christmas night to see my all time favourite story get the same treatment. I must admit I was a little sceptical going in to see just how well the story would work with around 60% of its content cut, but there's just no way we would be able to get four hours' worth of colourisation! I don't think the edit was bad in any way, but it was a stark reminder of how the ten episodes that make up this story is part of its charm. The pace here was frantic which I was expecting to appeal to a newer and more modern audience, whereas in the original serial it was more gradual and that helps tell the story. I don't think we really lost too much here other than Lady Jennifer playing a bit of a smaller role which is a shame because she is really likeable. I was watching alongside my partner Gemma whose exposure to the Classic era of Doctor Who is incredibly minimal. She had no idea about anything to expect from this which was fun as all she had to go on was that this is my favourite ever. She certainly enjoyed and said it's the best thing she's watched from the Classic era which is great! She had no idea that this story actually pre-dates the first on-screen appearance of the Master by a couple of years, so for her to confidently predict that this was who the War Chief was made for a fascinating insight, especially with the incredibly cheeky use of the Master's theme from Series 3! There's nothing confirmed, but the insinuation of the War Chief being an early incarnation of the Master is terrific. I don't wholly agree with it, but I can certainly see why this would be the case! That first look of recognition is such a powerful moment as we start to learn all about the Doctor's backstory. This is obviously a monumentally important story in the history of the Whoniverse as it reveals the Time Lords to us and explains that the Doctor got bored so left his home planet. Whereas he did it for good, the War Chief did it for other purposes like aiding the War Lord and his own horrifying people. The new special effects of that planet being essentially time locked and his being dematerialised was terrific. I thought the model work for the War Room exterior was fantastic but probably a little overdone, but one of the highlights for me was getting that glimpse of Gallifrey on the TARDIS scanner as the Doctor was brought back to his home planet. It was gone in a second but it was so impressive. The little details here were spectacular. It was so good to see Zoe in colour as we never got that during her run as companion, whereas the Second Doctor would return three more times and even Jamie returns for The Two Doctors! But the colourisation really works so well when the Doctor is on trial and he defends himself. Getting glimpses of so many Second Doctor monsters and villains in colour was such a good opportunity taken. From Quarks and Ice Warriors to Yeti and Cybermen with even a little colourised glimpse at Victoria, it was a right old celebration. The moments of the trial did seem a tad too sped up and the only thing I thought was questionable was the use of promo images of the Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Doctors when it came to the Doctor being given the choice of his appearance. As a whole, the edit was really strong the Time Lords' significance being sold once the Doctor revealed his origins was fantastic. The scale of those impacted by the War Games was sold so well and he just couldn't fix it alone. Getting glimpses of the SIDRATs in flight was also magnificent and I loved the use of new effects to sell the scale. The incidental music was also really strong and provided a strong upbeat feeling to what is actually a rather dark serial. The moment where Jamie and Zoe are essentially forced away as companions and returned to their own times still has such an emotional impact on me and it didn't hurt any less this time around. It's so incredibly sad that they have their memories wiped and only remember the events of The Highlanders and The Wheel in Space respectively when it comes to the Doctor. Even Gemma alongside me felt how powerful this was as she asked does the Doctor just go back and pick them up in the next story? She was shocked that this sealed their fates as companions. I loved that this evoked feelings like that in her even with it being her first experience of the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe. But then we come to the final two minutes of just sheer beauty. We knew from the trailer that this was going to give us the regeneration we never got on screen and my oh my it is just perfect. It could not have been any better in my opinion. That little montage flashback of the Second Doctor's time whizzes by and reminds you of everything that makes his era so memorable. And then the use of the TARDIS console is just marvellous as the regeneration is triggered and we see the Second Doctor become the Third. It is just beautiful. The use of the TARDIS scanner being unsure of if they've landed in 1970 or 1980 is a neat touch to address UNIT dating controversy and the TARDIS being forced to Earth and even finishing where Spearhead from Space picks up is magnificent. A little glimpse of the Nestene in space was terrific as well. Just spectacular. It was everything I hoped for and so much more when it came to this regeneration sequence. Absolutely the definitive version for me. Overall, a wonderful viewing experience! A sheer joy to watch. Please let there be more! 

Rating: 10/10