Balloon Debate

"I know the Doctor always had a special affection for me."

Writer: Simon A. Forward

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 16

Featuring: Sarah Jane, K9, Susan, Ian, Barbara, Vicki, Steven, Dodo, Polly, Ben, Jamie, Victoria, Zoe, Liz, Jo, Harry, Leela, Romana I, Romana II, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough, Kamelion, Peri, Mel, Ace

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

Balloon Debate a great little story to continue my reading of the Companions edition of Short Trips! This was perhaps the most unique of the stories in the collection and that was really fun stuff. The concept of all of the Classic era companions meeting in one ago is delicious and whilst the TARDIS did get a little crowded at times, it was such good fun. I’m a big fan of companions and Doctors meeting those from other eras and I got that in abundance here! I was delighted to see the names of so many companions on the opening page and K9 being the one to take the lead and let everyone know what the situation was made for a fun dynamic. Having Ben speak up and exclaim that everyone ought to listen to the robot dog was a fun moment. I think the frostiness between the companions of the Fifth Doctor namely Tegan, Turlough and Adric was tremendous. Nyssa really does seem to be the odd one out amongst that era’s set of companions! I like the idea of a balloon debate and with so many companions present, each had to put forward their cases for survival as the TARDIS interior only had room for six within the hour. That was pretty daunting prospect and whilst it was nice for all of the Doctors to leave their companions in safety as they fought a pan-dimensional being, it doesn’t quite add up. Are there multiple versions of all of the Doctors fighting the same being? That’s the only explanation within this story when it comes to all of the companions being present. I say all, but where were Katarina and Sara? They felt like glaring omissions, but there really is so much room! I rather enjoyed the dynamic between certain companions and now I really would love an extended meeting between Jamie and Leela. Their desire for going out with a blast and a fight was marvellous. I don’t think some companions were done justice and whilst I did like that Susan was challenged on if she actually was the Doctor’s granddaughter with Romana not knowing of him having any relatives, Vicki admitting herself that she was just a granddaughter replacement didn’t sit well with me. She really is so much more! Peri putting her case forward as being young and having her whole life ahead of her also felt a little out of character, but Ace threatening to baseball bat anyone who got in her way and tried to throw her out into the Vortex was terrific. She wasn’t having any of it. I liked the admiration Ian had for Barbara and whilst she wanted to stand up for herself independently, she really appreciated that he wouldn’t leave without her and would follow where she went. Ben felt the same about Polly which was nice. I liked the idea of Liz and Sarah getting along too as that’s definitely a relationship I could see blossoming. The dynamic between the two Romana incarnations was fun and them actually using the Roman numeral as an indicator of who should go first in the debate was hilarious. Would they really consider themselves by number? Jo using her special connection and being held in affinity wasn’t met well as they could all try that claim, and Harry was becoming a tad annoying with his posh and too nice personality. The fact all of the companions had a collective distain for Mel was hilarious though as she tried to stay active and positive, so they just locked her away in a cupboard! That felt pretty harsh. I thought the six selected to survive was a bit of a surprise and it’s a fun game to think which six I’d choose. I’d personally select Romana II, Zoe, Susan, Polly, Liz and Nyssa, but that’s just me and going mostly on intelligence! I just can’t select Adric despite his TARDIS knowledge! I trust I’ve got enough with two Time Lords in the list. Of course, six would remain too many quite quickly after the length of the debate and that quickly saw us whittled down to Sarah Jane and Victoria. The twist at the end with Victoria actually shimmering into Kamelion was not something I saw coming! I completely forgot about him and I’m still not sure I consider him a companion, but how else was he going to win the debate? The idea of Sarah Jane knowing him was something I didn’t understand, but that soon changed when it was revealed the entire story was fiction within fiction and a story written by Sarah Jane herself! And there she was putting herself in the top two! Just how she has knowledge of the companions post-The Deadly Assassin I’m not sure, but it was still pretty darn fun. Sure, it’s not the greatest story ever but the closing line of reading it again for a little chuckle is definitely something I would do. It certainly made me smile and it was just tremendous to depict so many companions meeting one another. I was well on board. Overall, a really amusing and fun adventure! A great little read. 

Rating: 8/10

Love Me Not

"He's making the robot into his wife."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: December 2019

Series: The Robots 1.03

Featuring: Liv, Tula

Synopsis

A widower goes to extreme lengths to keep the memories of his dead wife alive.

Verdict

Love Me Not was a great episode to conclude the first series of The Robots! This has been a stellar introduction to the spinoff series set on Kaldor with Liv Chenka at the helm on her break from the TARDIS during the events of Ravenous, and I really like that there's a wider arc going on with the story set to continue. I thought the use of robots here was fascinating and pretty sad actually when it came to Volar. He was obviously grieving of the death of his wife as we'd seen depicted in The Robots of Life but things got very crazy quite quickly. The idea of a Robot that was a specialist in bereavement was always going to end one way when it came to dealign with the death of a wife, and it got disturbing quickly. It was also just sad and the line at the end about having to lose the one you love all over again was so true. Volar was accessing the systems of the memories from the sea remotely and working on SV39 so much that she wasn't even a Robot anymore. She was basically his wife reborn and that was freaky stuff! Tula realising that her voice wasn't the one being used for the bereavement specialist was good stuff and I enjoyed that things seemed to quickly spiral. Skellen not quite believing Liv and Tula at the start was fun because when he saw what Volar was like in person, he thought it was stupid. That was probably a bit unfair because grief affects everyone in different ways, but he clearly needed help. I liked the use of the Robot nature in being what they are in having the bereavement specialist interpret code in a very unique way. She just simply became his wife in everything but physical form. I thought the revelation that Skellen was actually having an affair with Jasdar before her death was unexpected but it added some more emotional depth to an already heavy episode. That was tough to hear but I liked that Volar refused to accept that things were bad between he and his wife before her passing. What SV39 was acting like now wasn't how they were at the end. Skellen blurting that out before the truth was revealed was a big moment, and you could hear the impact it had on Volar. He was slowly accepting that he was living a fabrication and his grief must have been incredible for him to get to the stage where he didn't even acknowledge that his version of Jasdar now was a Robot. Especially when he had programmed and worked on it to become a version of his dead wife! It was really strong stuff and almost a little uncomfortable at times because of how much he was impacted by the loss. And that's completely understandable! It was just hard to listen to at times and that is firmly the point which really put things into perspective. The way SV39 even had to be convinced of realising the inner programming to explain what it was and the code it had interpreted was fascinating. There's a lot going on with the use of the Robots in these three episodes and I really like how Liv is putting that together. She knows there's something afoot and I quite enjoy that this comes from her experience with the Doctor. I'm really excited to explore what's to come and getting that link back to The Robots of Death with the emergence of Toos was good, although it wasn't much of a surprise after the mention at the end of the first episode! But I'm very intrigued to hear where things move forward now and I'm well on board with more exploration of Robots and their nature. Overall, a fine finale to a really strong series! 

Rating: 8/10

The Sentient

"Kaldor is a loveless planet."

Writer: Robert Whitelock

Format: Audio

Released: December 2019

Series: The Robots 1.02

Featuring: Liv, Tula

Synopsis

Vissey is a young child – the sort of perfect young girl any parents would want to adopt. She is also artificial, and she sees the world in a very different way to humans.

Verdict

The Sentient was another excellent episode to continue my way through the first series of The Robots! This follows on nicely from the terrific The Robots of Life opener and continued to explore the world of Kaldor magnificently. I thought this was a really important episode not just for the world of Kaldor but for our current real world right now. AI has become something of a phenomenon in the last few years and it's actually pretty scary where the artificial world is going. It seems to have experienced a huge and sudden boom where it really feels like it's taking over. My girlfriend has lost a job twice to its impact which is pretty saddening and it's incredible to think that this episode was released in 2019 and the difference in AI from then until now is striking. I thought Vissey as the subject for the AI was magnificent and I was listening very early on in the morning which just seemed to add to the uneasy feeling I had. I'm a little cautious when it comes to AI and sentience with the film Megan not being one I was comfortable with! It just makes me uncomfortable in a way I almost can't describe. It's not scary, it just really is awkward and eery in tone. I don't like even seeing an AI figure so I was grateful for the audio format here! Professor Rork as the one that was researching with Vissey was a fascinating character and by the end I felt pretty sorry for her. She was not reporting the unusual behaviour of Vissey and that was crazy considering she was rewiring her own code! She was even hiding her thoughts which just sounds impossible as an artificial intelligence, but here she was essentially shaping herself. It's a scary prospect where the machine becomes the master. Her focus on the word genocide was incredible stuff and it was hard to argue with her logic of wanting to kill everybody on Kaldor so she could have the riches. Money was all that mattered she had deduced which was almost a little sad. She couldn't understand why the rich were enjoying the best treatment where the poor just got poorer. Kelov as the senior coder for Vissey was another fun character and his concern was clear to hear. He was disturbed by what Vissey was doing and rightly so! Liv being shocked at their being no failsafe was good too and I liked how Vissey objected to being removed from study. I thought the way she even tricked Rork was extraordinary as she had anticipated human action and emotion to an incredible degree! She had played with her feelings in order to concoct her escape which I must admit was impressive and something I didn't see coming! She said things so matter of factly as you would expect of an artificial intelligence, and that just made her all the more scary. That chirpy and happy light voice was perfect for making her feel even more uncomfortable. The paradoxical statement she used against the VOC Robots was good fun and it really is amusing to think that the next statement is false being the previous statement was true. It's a mind bender that's for sure! I thought the ending was powerful stuff and just where it appeared Rork wasn't going to let Vissey be captured and shutdown, she used the potential of an embrace to sedate her. She beat Vissey to it and the AI almost seemed impressed before she shut down. I wonder if we have seen the last of her? It'll be a fun return to explore if she does come back as I don't think the theme of AI is going anywhere in a series with a title like this! Overall, another fantastic episode to continue the series! 

Rating: 9/10

The Robots of Life

"It's company policy to take dead memories and mementos."

Writer: Roland Moore

Format: Audio

Released: December 2019

Series: The Robots 1.01

Featuring: Liv, Tula

Synopsis

Settling into life back on Kalor, Liv investigates a medical centre where the patients are dying.

Verdict

The Robots of Life was an excellent start to the first series of The Robots! I have heard so many good things about this boxset without much at all in terms of spoilers and I am very grateful for that because if this is an indication of how things will go, then I'm very excited! This catches us up on the year Liv spent away from the TARDIS during the events of Escape from Kaldor amidst the Ravenous series of Eighth Doctor Adventures, and it's just a wonderful idea for a spinoff. Liv is more than able to hold her own as a lead and she's slowly growing into one of my very favourite companions, but having the setting of Kaldor just adds an entirely new dimension. It's a planet rife for its own series and the fact there are six of the boxsets to explore makes me very excited. I was a little surprised that we even jumped a week ahead of Liv leaving the Doctor behind and whilst it was good to mention him leaving her, I liked her confidence in believing that he would come back. She really had no doubt and that was nice to hear. I think the episode title is just tremendous and it's ironic then that it actually focuses on quite a few unexplained deaths. At least to the public eye that is. Liv's history with Varren was good to explore and I like that he was her mentor, but the mentee seems to have surpassed him now. She could diagnose that he was suffering from tremors and despite his hesitation she thought they could be life threatening if they were left untreated. The way the episode slowly built into revealing there was much more going on was brilliant and I liked learning that Varren was hiding his own mistakes. But even in that hiding there was something deeper going on. Liv doing her research into Varren and his partnership with the S57 Robot was tremendous and she soon discovered that he was using the robot as an excuse for his own surgical errors. Five people had died because of it and he thought it was somewhat harmless for S57 to just have its memories wiped. If he was the one punished then he would lose his job! So much for the sanctity of life. Liv challenging her old mentor on his actions was great and despite only being back a week, she was getting her name known again on Kaldor. I thought the relationship with Tula was fascinating and she was hardly grateful for her sister orchestrating her getting a job back at the hospital despite the necessary qualifications having expired. I like the mystery of what's happening at the company as even when Liv presented what Varren had been doing, Skellen as the boss hardly seemed surprised. Instead of disciplinary action he was gifted a nice retirement package! There's clearly more than meets the eye going on here and I like how that ties in with S57 having some semblance of sentience. The use of the wise man and the hat colour riddle to show that S57 was more than just a mere robot was excellent and I must admit I didn't have a clue what the answer was! Tula being the one to get punished because of her using Skellen's authorisation codes after Liv encouraged her to look into the grave marker business was really well done and I'm enjoying the mystery of just what is happening. The very concept of harnessing memories of the dead is wonderfully disturbing and definitely something I would love to explore further. It seems that will be the case judging by the way things ended with a semi-cliffhanger and a link back to The Robots of Death with the mention of Toos as the first person to retrieve dead memories. Just what is the company aim? I look forward to finding out, especially with the Robots abound because it's so difficult to know if they truly are what they seem. And that's part of their charm. Overall, an excellent start to the series and it's lovely to hear Liv in her home environment. I can't wait for more.

Rating: 9/10

Once Upon a Time

"Too many of their children were not coming home."

Writer: Tom Macrae

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2006

Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2007

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

In a quiet village where children are going missing, a story is being told. And stories are important here. But what is a village with no children. Who will tell the stories?

Verdict

Once Upon a Time was a great short story to continue my way through the 2007 Doctor Who Storybook! I was intrigued that given the placement of the story at the time of release within Series 2 that I found the Tenth Doctor travelling alone. Reading when I am now in 2025 that's no surprise and nothing new following the Christmas Specials between television series and then of course the run of 2009 Specials, but at the time of release the absence of Rose is a little surprising. She wasn't even referenced which was fascinating but it's fair to say she wasn't missed. The Doctor travelling alone was more than sufficient to make up the story and it was a very solid one at that. I was a little annoyed at the start to find the style being in the first person as that's traditionally something I don't usually enjoy, but it was actually fine here! It was a little weird in not knowing who exactly was telling the story until the end, but by the time we reached that point in proceedings there really was only going to be one answer! I thought the concept for the adventure was really strong and I liked how only the children could hear the music that was haunting the village. The eeriness and just horror of schoolchildren going missing on a daily basis one at a time was disturbing on so many levels. If this was released elsewhere or in a different format with the ability to have darker tones then this could have had a special kind of Stephen King feeling. The atmosphere was still impressive, and the sense of unease was certainly there. Brynn and Lissa being the last remaining children was good and them having a love interest added to the emotions, even if they were children. Since having children, I find any kind of story involving them a little difficult to read when it's anything negative. Thankfully, those who all went missing here were preserved and whilst it's obviously not a good thing that they were taken in the first place, the reason was strangely beautiful. The concept behind the Mountain was strong and I love the use of stories. It does seem pretty unique for the mountain that was actually a ship to be deemed a mountain when it was metallic, but I liked that in a story about stories it had become part of the village's historical story. Brynn encountering the Doctor was good and whilst I did enjoy the interactions, I wasn't a big fan of him referring to him simply as Doctor without the prefix! One word on the illustrations that accompanied this adventure and I don't mean to be negative in a story I have rated as highly as I have, but they were pretty naff. I just can't get on with this type of illustration as it just feels blocky and not anywhere near the level of the more traditional style that has been present in Cuckoo-Spit and The Cat Came Back. The likeness of the Doctor just feels off, but thankfully the content for this one was excellent and more than made up for things. The Doctor checking things off and ensuring that Brynn got to be the one to finish the story as he made his own way up the mountain to save Lissa was decent and I admired his efforts. It didn't feel very much like a children's story when he wrote it into existence that he woke everyone else up that had been missing by kissing his beloved, but who's to blame him? Bringing things full circle and revealing that it was Brynn telling the adventure's events once more to Lissa in their married olden days was a nice touch and a good feeling to finish on. Overall, a great little short story! 

Rating: 8/10

Dead or Alive: Hereafter

"What do they want with the dead?"

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: July 2025

Series: Fugitive Doctor Adventures 2.03

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor

Synopsis

Cosmo has finally captured the Doctor! But they're stranded together on a planet thanks to an unusual psychic forcefield grounding her ship. Tracing its source, they find a settlement that's preparing for a festival in honour of their 'queen' in the mountain. When Cosmo is captured, the Doctor must decide whether to help her captor... especially now she's discovered, thanks to local woman Herma, that the queen and her minions are vampires!

Verdict

Hereafter was a great conclusion to the Dead or Alive second series of Fugitive Doctor Adventures! It remains unconfirmed at the time of writing two days after release date whether this will be the last of the Fugitive Doctor at Big Finish, but I suspect there's still a lot more to come. It almost feels inevitable that this range will continue and I really hope that is the case because there is still so much untapped potential when it comes to this mysterious and hidden incarnation of the Doctor. The story arc with Cosmo has been really strong running through the two series so far and it seemed far from finished with how things concluded here! Division will not be happy, but all of the traits of the Doctor that we know and cherish here were realised. I just cannot see the Fugitive Doctor as pre-Hartnell. It doesn't fit the character and I mean the TARDIS is literally a police box which doesn't happen until An Unearthly Child. I thought it was slightly underwhelming to just start the episode with the Doctor already captured by Cosmo, especially after she gave her the slip in this series two other episodes! It seemed random but the toll taken also had an effect on Cosmo with some sort of time ram to the extreme. What I wasn't expecting to be so prevalent in this story was the theme of fatherhood. We got an incredible backstory to Cosmo which was welcomed in a big way as we learned of her past relationship with her father. He was a Time Lord that seemed to echo sentiments the Doctor as we know would be proud of with his desire to travel off world. He had stolen artefacts and relics from other worlds including something of the Drahvins which was intriguing! What are the Time Lords doing with something from them? I'd love a firm Gallifrey or Time Lord spin-off series  exploring the early days of their history because this certainly felt like it in the flashbacks. Cosmo's father couldn't comprehend why the Time Lords contained themselves to one planet when they had all of time a space at their fingertips! It was something I'd agree with for sure. Herma was another good character that was also having spotlight on her paternal relationship and the parallels between her and Cosmo were good to explore. It's a shame we didn't get the Doctor involved there but I guess the broken memory is a good excuse for that! I liked touching upon the ancient history between the Time Lords and Vampires with the Queen Verdilla a very intriguing character as a part of the latter. She already knew what the Doctor was from scent alone and I really enjoyed that becoming a thing. She challenged on if she wanted to prove she had no reflection which was good and whilst the pace for this one was something I'd describe as measured, that was almost better with the historical exploration. It didn't need to be all guns blazing which was a nice change in still having that finale feeling. I thought it was nice for the Doctor's actions to be acknowledged by Cosmo as after saving her with the psychic field, she let the Doctor get a head start on escaping from Division. That psychic field was a strong element of the episode and its connection with the Queen was very good. It seems like Cosmo will be back on the hunt and Herma sacrificing herself was an incredible moment. The return of the dead was quite something as well! I liked the mythical tones of the episode and exploring folklore and history of the Time Lords, but this still keeps me wanting more and that's exactly what you want. Exploring forbidden relics is always going to be good in my eyes and I want all the details! It's fun that even in this incarnation the Doctor had knowledge of them that she shouldn't, but one actually playing into ensuring Cosmo was safe was a nice touch. Overall, a fine episode to conclude the series and I hope this isn't the last of Jo Martin! A magnificent and consistent series. 

Rating: 8/10

Dead or Alive: The Junkyard Loop

"Trapped in their memories while they died."

Writer: Aaron Douglas

Format: Audio

Released: July 2025

Series: Fugitive Doctor Adventures 2.02

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor, pursued as ever by Cosmogon, crash-lands the TARDIS on an off-grid junk planet littered with the remains of time machines from a thousand civilisations. After being saved from the indigenous Time-Frost Parasites by Sodalis, an old companion long-marooned, the Doctor must come up with a plan to save them both. But a sinister Division commander has tracked our heroes, and not even Cosmogon can stand between him and his desire to unlock the Doctor's memory and obtain the secrets within.

Verdict

The Jukyard Loop was another strong episode to continue my way through the Dead or Alive second series of Fugitive Doctor Adventures! This has a very different feel to the Flying Solo opener and that was always going to be the case in taking the story to the stars. After the Doctor was cut free in the previous episode, I was almost a tad disappointed in how easy Cosmogon seemed to track down the Doctor. I almost feel like the hunt from Division has consumed things a tad too much this series where this adventure in particular could have benefitted from having the Fugitive Doctor firmly on the run and in hiding. I don't think Cosmo was really needed here and things could have worked just as fine with the Division Agent out to get the Doctor. I'm intrigued that there seem divisions within Division and I am very intrigued as to how far things go with this Gallifreyan arm so expanding on them a little here is most welcomed. I thought the Terra Abiecta setting worked very well and whilst it did feel like it was stealing a little from The Doctor's Wife in having the junk and remains of TARDISes and other time capsules, I liked it. It did feel different and it's not something that has been repeated often so it works here, especially with the Fugitive Doctor. I do fin it ironic though that the Doctor was drawn to the place by a hypercube! It's almost bordering copyright with that aforementioned Eleventh Doctor episode! I like how the Doctor is still tackling with not having all of her memories and I really do get the feeling from her actions and what she has misplaced in her mind that this Doctor is not pre-First Doctor. I thought the Doctor's history with Sodalis was intriguing and she was a really likeable character. It really did feel like she was a former companion which presented a fun dynamic as they were reunited, and she didn't even seem to think that this was her Doctor. That was a fascinating point but I must admit I was hardly surprised when she was in on the get to trap the Doctor. That seemed like it was always going to be the case with the mystery behind Division and what they've done to the Doctor. I liked how the Division Agent was much moire boisterous and villainous when it came to getting the job done. Sodalis then turning back on Division and aiding the Doctor in her escape was again expected but that didn't make it bad. I think the Agent's desire for the Doctor's memories is fascinating as that certainly feels like more of a personal mission given Cosmogon is already on the hunt for the Doctor. The way the Agent had to then be told about the situation at the end in losing both the Doctor and Cosmo was amusing. He was far from happy and you could almost hear the consequences before they were there. I like the Doctor working towards something in trying to rediscover who she is, but I'm intrigued to hear how the finale goes because I'm not sure if there are further boxsets and I'm not sure how much of an endgame this incarnation is allowed to have in Big Finish, especially after appearing in The Story & the Engine. But for now, this was another stellar episode to continue a great little series. Jo Martin is shining, and I hope we get a more substantial finale feeling episode to end on. Overall, a very good listen!

Rating: 8/10

Dead or Alive: Flying Solo

"You can't conquer time."

Writer: Tajinder Singh Hayer

Format: Audio

Released: July 2025

Series: Fugitive Doctor Adventures 2.01

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor

Synopsis

Pilot Officer Mohinder Singh Johal is an RAF pilot on a sortie during World War Two. Following a close encounter with a flying blue telephone box, his Spitfire vanishes! The Doctor, whose TARDIS is out of control following a blast from a time disruptor, should be keeping a low profile, but with Mohinder lost in time and space, she has to help bring him home.

Verdict

Flying Solo was a great start to kick off the Dead or Alive second series of Fugitive Doctor Adventures! I think it’s fair to say that the anticipation for this second release didn’t match the first and I was actually taken by surprise when I saw the notification pop up on social media that it was released, but I couldn’t help but plan to do it right away on release day! Don’t let the date entry of this blog fool you as I’m working ahead and it was a delight to delve back into the mysterious world of the Fugitive Doctor. I really enjoy Jo Martin as the Doctor and after making such an impression on screen from Fugitive of the Judoon onwards, it’s a delight to continue to expand her adventures. It’s quite intriguing that we still don’t have a definitive answer regarding the placement in the Doctor’s life for this incarnation, but that’s part of the appeal for this range to me. Is she pre-First Doctor? I more lean towards her being between the Second and Third Doctors despite what’s happening in the ongoing Second Doctor Adventures and the depiction of regeneration in The War Games in Colour, but I quite like that we don’t know. Of course, I would love to know but hopefully one day we’ll get the pay off. This followed on nicely from where the first boxset finished in having Cosmo on the trail of the Doctor. She wasn’t having it though and was on the run which is where the Doctor will always be. The state of the TARDIS in having chronon leakage was a good setup for trouble, and that’s exactly the fate that befell Mohinder. He was a terrific little character as an Indian member of the British Air Force and it’s so easy to forget that in 1941, India had yet to declare independence from the UK. That just doesn’t sound correct but history doesn’t lie! The way he was being suspected just by virtue of his race and some pro-Indian books in his collection was a fine example of the prejudice at the time, but he was still doing his bit for the war effort. The fact he was swallowed up by the chronon cloud and expelled through time and space was fascinating and I liked how he ended up going on a journey through time and history of what felt like home to him. From the Punjab of over three hundreds ago BC to as recent as 1919, he was exploring pivotal historical events. I think he accepted the concept of Time Lords and time travel a little too easily, but his desire to make change was admirable. Even the Doctor didn’t think there was anything wrong with him wanting to change the past, she just had to ensure that he couldn’t. I thought Cosmo even getting involved in the political affairs of 1941 was fun and I liked how she even thought it was ridiculous that being Indian made Mohinder suspicious. Even the Doctor was mistaken for Indian when she was pretending to be an emissary for Alexander the Great! Racism is rife and having a black female Doctor is important in exploring that. I so hope we get more sets with the Fugitive Doctor. Mohinder suffering from chronon disease effecting his mind was actually a tad sad to hear as his condition deteriorated over the course of the episode. Cosmo having a trap for the Doctor and distracting her simply by letting her talk was pretty fun and I appreciated the tactics! She was locked onto the TARDIS now but she’d still allow the Doctor to save Mohinder as he looked to go out in a blaze of glory in a history he already knew and couldn’t change. She did just that and I loved how he turned his spitfire into a blade to ensure the Doctor was cut free of Cosmo and free to escape once more! That was nice and whilst I question just how much fuel the plane had, it was good that he didn’t want his friend to be in chains. The rescue was reciprocated and that was a nice touch. Overall, a great start to the series! 

Rating: 8/10

The Three Monkeys

"How am I still alive?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: October 2020

Series: Torchwood Monthly 43

Featuring: Owen, Andy

Synopsis

Andy Davidson's been ordered to watch over a local businessman. Everything's always gone right for him, and Andy's long wondered why.

Owen joins him on the stakeout. He knows something – the businessman's attracted Torchwood's attention, and tonight, the two of them are going to take him down. But will luck be on their side?

Verdict

The Three Monkeys was an excellent edition of the monthly Torchwood range from Big Finish! It's been a while since I've been able to delve into this range but I was delighted to pick things back up after a recent sale. The pairing of Andy and Owen just works well because they're such contrasting figures. Owen is brash and arrogant even at this point in his life where he's actually dead, whereas Andy despite being a police officer is still somewhat shy and not exactly exuding confidence. That dynamic was explored brilliantly here and to have Andy take the initiative and put things into his own hands was marvellous as he just locked Owen in the police car whilst he went and dealt with the problem. It was quite extraordinary! I thought the premise of the episode was strong and I really enjoyed just how mundane life was explored. Here Andy was just on a stakeout for potential lead theft at a wealthy businessman's property. It wasn't exactly exciting, but with Owen arriving on the scene there would clearly be more than met the eye. I really appreciated the local knowledge that came from author James Goss here as we explored a decent amount of South Wales and the wider Cardiff area. Llandaf is essentially just a part of Cardiff so it makes sense for Andy to be placed there, but stretching his family history up to Maerdy was terrific. It's not a million miles from Aberdare so Owen's despair at not being there was fun and it was also great to get mentions of Tonypandy and the A470! I felt like I was at home and that's part of why Torchwood appeals to me so much. Big Finish has expanded the world of Torchwood so much which is marvellous but I quite liked how this was ingrained in the latter stages of Series 2. Owen was somewhat at home with his predicament now and Andy challenging him on why he was still in Cardiff was really powerful. I thought the concept behind the lucky monkey artefact was amusing and I think the image of it was really good. I like the idea of a luck field and that could be taken in a bad way if it fell into the wrong hands, as was the case with the businessman. He had escaped all sorts of fraud and investigations just by having the monkey locked up in his basement. It was some way to get people to look the other way! The concept of the knife bats was fascinating and I'd have liked more time actually encountering them. They sounded frightening! Owen getting questioned by Dennis as another policeman investigating the alarms was a hilarious moment as things really didn't look good for the Torchwood medic! Andy and Owen communicating via bluetooth was amusing as they often forgot the other could hear. The boiled sweet gag was terrific also. I liked how Andy had worked out that you could only be traced with the monkey if you weren't actually in contact with it any longer, but having escaped the kebab shop in a police car their appearance wasn't exactly conspicuous! The Chief Constable being in on it was really played well also and I liked how simple it became when Owen contacted Torchwood. They had given Ianto and Tosh enough time to ensure Jack could take down the businessman when he was vulnerable without the monkey in his premises. It was all a long ploy which was quite fun, as was the ending as the house and extension Andy was supposed to be staking out had their lead stolen whilst he wasn't watching! Poor old Andy. Overall, a fantastic audio adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

The Canvey Angels

"The doors to Heaven slammed shut."

Writer: David Bailey

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 15

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

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

The Canvey Angels was a pretty average adventure to continue my way through the Companions edition of Short Trips! This was not a good one for me with its stark religious theme and references and whilst sympathy was clearly intended for Father Hemmings after everything he went through, I couldn’t help but feel he was just a bit stupid for believing God would target him so personally. I thought the way things started was pretty darn gruesome with Marjory Kennedy being killed. The description was graphic in detail and that really set a tone of being uncomfortable. It felt like the entire story took place at night which was good in terms of atmosphere and feel, but getting full detail about the way Marjory was killed along with her unborn baby was devastating. I think anything that involves babies or young children now really haunts me after having two children myself in the last four years. I just felt sad! And that’s completely correct but that’s some way to open a short story. Learning more about why that happened felt very real and I think with a bigger duration this could have been extended and really flushed out in terms of anticipation and mystery. Tragedy sells and I could see this kind of thing working as a murder mystery, but the way Walter Seacombe admitted he’d killed Marjory felt a little strange. He did tell Peri that he would reveal everything if she came with him, but then he just went a bit crazy in telling her everything without much of a prompt. He was incredibly jealous of Father Hemmings in having an affair with his Marjory and he couldn’t accept that she’d fallen pregnant and the child wasn’t his. She didn’t think much of him as father material and obviously that would be tough to take when you’re in love with the woman, but denying her the rest of her life and ensuring that the child wasn’t born is just abhorrent. This felt very dark for a Fifth Doctor story and whilst it was good to get more of him alongside Peri, it seemed this incarnation was purely chosen for the stick of celery on his attire. That’s no bad thing, but this would definitely have suited a darker incarnation such as the seventh. Hemmings believing the alien corpses that he was bringing into the crypt from the beach were angels was disturbing and whilst I did understand his religious beliefs and being exposed to the radiation impacting his thoughts, it was just crazy. He was also riddled with grief after losing his lover and future child so he was practically begging for forgiveness. He was seeing things that weren’t there in the place of the ‘angels’, but he did seem to calm down very easily once the Doctor and Peri revealed themselves as he brought in a fourth corpse. I think it was a bit convenient that the saltwater of the sea was taming the radiation, but at least there was something to prevent the threat. It was just a bit strange for the Doctor and Peri to seemingly then be prepared to throw the corpses back into the sea and Hemmings going along with that. Peri provided him with the forgiveness he craved, but I question would that be enough? It’s not like he knew her extensively and she was a newcomer to the place. It also felt weird that Seacombe was annoyed at the talk of the town being that he killed Marjory when he literally did? Overall, some intriguing elements and a good atmosphere, but there was a lot to be desired. The ending felt off.

Rating: 5/10

Master! Part One

"He opened our eyes to everything."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: July 2025

Series: Dark Gallifrey 4.01

Featuring: The Master

Synopsis

In a psychic forest the Master begins a sinister experiment... but is it for the benefit of Gallifrey or does it serve a darker purpose?

Several years ago, the Master, disguised as a tutor, took a group of Time Lord Academy students with promising futures on a field trip that went disastrously wrong. Now in the present, they all turn up dead.

Gamara is the last survivor – but to save herself, she will nee to reveal the truth about the monstrous experiment the Master made them conduct all those years ago.

Verdict

Master! started off in great style to begin the fourth series and story of the Dark Gallifrey saga! It doesn't seem like a few days since the first part of Morbius was released and here we are starting the final story of the range for the year! How time flies. The Master in his The Movie incarnation is a fine character to base an extended story around and whilst he has his own spinoff range, there's something of a special kind of feeling attached to this series. Anything that delves into or explores Gallifreyan lore and history is right up my alley and this incarnation of the Master just feels perfect for it. Eric Roberts gives a tremendous performance and I love how much he makes an impact even when just as a hologram. The Master steals the show and that's wonderful to hear. I thought the premise of the adventure was really strong and I loved the idea behind an expedition of young Time Lords. Of course, the Master had orchestrated events to ensure they were all part of his own dangerous experiment and as the story goes on for the next two months, I can't wait to explore further details of what exactly he's up to. It seems to be important! And why wouldn't it be? This Master is not one to waste time. Gamara was a very strong character and I think she more than fulfilled the role of semi-lead. She was really interesting and I liked the format of having her after the events try and recall what happened to her and her classmates. She was understandably surprised to find that she was the sole survivor, but she just couldn't remember how that came to be the case. Trying to access her memories was an intriguing element of the story, although having to go through twelve phases to do so seems a bit overkill! Olzel being the one to try and extract those memories was good and she was another very interest character. I think this definitely had the feeling of being an opening instalment which was great and has certainly got me excited for the rest of the adventure! So it's mission achieved there. The Master being in the role of the Vector was really good and I always enjoy him being in disguise! He wasn't afraid to share his identity here though which was a little surprising, especially when the Doctor was referenced pretty heavily. I suspected he would get some involvement, although I think the message of 'The Doctor' said backwards was a tad strange. There's still plenty of time to delve deeper into the meaning behind that, but it was a tad odd. I did really enjoy the Master having a TARDIS within a TARDIS to keep himself safe and it's just fascinating to hear his experiment at its beginnings. It seems somewhat under the radar at the moment and not having far-reaching impact, but judging by his line at the cliffhanger that is certainly not the case! The experiment taking place where it does and tricking the students into thinking they were on Gallifrey is fantastic and I love the Master taunting them about that. He oozed control. The significance is yet to be determined, but the potential for it saving the future of the Time Lords is really intriguing! Is one of these students someone we will know by a different name? I look forward to finding out. As a start to a story goes, this was fantastic in setting the scene, introducing the main characters and throwing the Master into thick of the action. He's terrific and I can't wait to hear him get a little more sinister in the next two parts as the story deepens. I'm invested! Overall, a fine start to what looks set to be a great adventure in a superb range. 

Rating: 8/10

Planet of the Rani

"Oblivion would be better than watching the world destroy itself."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Monthly Adventures 205

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Constance

Synopsis

Miasimia Goria was a quiet planet, an ancient world of bucolic tranquility... until the Rani arrived with ideas of her own.

She planned to create a race of new gods... gods that she could keep on her leash, but those plans went horribly wrong.

Now, she languishes in the high security of Teccaurora Penitentiary, consigned there by her arch enemy and old student colleague, the Doctor.

But the Rani, always resourceful, ever calculating, knows things about the Doctor's past that he would rather forget. She wants revenge, even if it takes a hundred years... and then she has other unfinished business.

The ruins of Miasimia Goria await...

Verdict

Planet of the Rani was a decent story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures! Seventy to go now! It's exciting times as I look to complete this epic range that I started way back in 2013. This was an intriguing follow up to The Rani Elite with it essentially being a sequel as far as the Doctor and his old classmate were concerned. I quite liked how there was no messing around when it came to getting the Rani involve and the Doctor being late to a parol hearing for the Rani was a fun basis to start things. This was a good story for Constance after her recent arrival in Criss-Cross and I like the underlying factor of her wanting to utilise the TARDIS time travel capabilities to reunite with her lost husband. That's going to be really intriguing to explore and I have no idea how long that's going to last! It's certainly something I'm looking forward to finding out and going on that journey. The Rani having been waiting ninety-seven years for the Doctor to show up just shows what kind of long game the Time Lords can play. Especially when she claimed she could have left at any time and was merely waiting for the Doctor's arrival! She had no TARDIS but that didn't stop her from being ever so resourceful! I thought it was pretty amusing that in less than a century she had installed herself as the governor and was so revered on the planet now that she was essentially worshipped. That was also the case on Miasimia Goria which was delightful to visit after its mentions in The Mark of the Rani so visiting a planet where the Rani ruled was excellent. I thought the way she got there was decent in using the lives of the nine hundred other criminals that inhabited the Teccaurora Penitentiary and their combined mental strength along with the Doctor as the pathfinder, and I honestly thought that would be the end for whoever filled that position! Exploring the history between the Doctor and the Rani was good and I liked how she almost mocked him for a particular concoction he'd created in the Academy days. That was the ablative and its use to reduce people to almost a vegetative state. I think it's a tad coincidental and unbelievable that the Rani had been waiting all this time to utilise the one vial of its supply she happened to steal away, but it added to the emotional context between the pair. It became personal. Unfortunately, I don't think Siobhan Redmond embodied everything required of the Rani in this adventure which is a shame because I really liked her debut. It might be recency bias and the fact the Rani appeared on screen as the magnificent Archie Panjabi in Wish World/The Reality War, but she just didn't feel the same here. Maybe it's because as the Doctor pointed out her experiments ventured away from being biological and became a little more technologically inclined. Constance ending up with the Rani on the journey to Miasimia Goria was good but it did seem a bit silly when she was basically in a cockroach suit. Raj Kahnu was a decent character and I like the idea of him being the Rani's favourite experiment – probably because he works where so many others had failed! Having him think of the Rani as his mother was unsettling and the whole dynamic on the planet reacting to the Rani's return was intriguing. They'd moved on in the sixteen years she had been gone which was a little later than she had anticipated thanks to some subtle Doctor interference. I was a little miffed by the ending and Kahnu literally handing the Rani an escape pod from the TARDIS after all she'd done, but he was so angered by her that he wanted her off the planet. The Doctor was unhappy though at not bringing her back to Gallifrey for justice. He should have had that right after finding the antidote after all! Overall though, a decent tale and some fun throwbacks an exploration of the Doctor's relationship with the Rani. It's nice that things are left open for a rematch, but with this incarnation we are yet to have it which is a shame. I hope we get more as the potential is certainly there! A decent listen! 

Rating: 7/10

Best Year Ever

"This is the future the world was supposed to have."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania, Andy

Synopsis

What happens if the world is actually fixed? There are times when even the Doctor cannot help.

And whatever the outcome, Liv and Tania have a decision to make.

Verdict

Best Year Ever was a solid episode to conclude what has been an epic Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! It's been one hell of a ride for the Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania and Andy, and I'm quite sad that it is all over. It really was something of an epilogue considering the timeline was reset in The Keys of Baker Street last time out which was absolutely fine. It was also quite ironic for the Doctor to be stuck for the best part of the year as the true timeline and reality sat in and took control once again. One final episode of him being stranded. The irony wasn't lost on me. I was intrigued to hear how the coronavirus was very prominent in the storytelling but not referred to by name. I mean it doesn't really need to be name dropped – especially with a 2022 release date! – but we all knew what was being talked about. It was certainly our normal and nobody will be forgetting that year if you lived through it. I quite liked that there was no real threat here and the populace were just dealing with echoes of other timelines seeping through. People had two memories of the same events or people which was pretty fun to play around. Liv and Tania had established their relationship in the broken timeline so them being together was actually a byproduct of something that never was. I thought more could have been done to play with the potential of them staying together being a risk to causality but it never felt that way. The Doctor was surprisingly confident in saying that Liv sticking around into 2021 would just about be okay, but I'm not sure I would risk that! I'm glad we didn't dwell on the time the TARDIS team had to stick around until the end of the year, and even the Doctor had enough of the pandemic and being confined to four walls so he just spent the months in the TARDIS! Surely he had a sneaky trip off! He must have been tempted that's for sure. Andy was pretty saddened by everything that was happening as whilst he knew the day was coming, he wasn't sure his friends would actually leave. He knew that for the Doctor, but he seemed to think Helen and Liv would stay. I never had any worries regarding the former as whilst this was her world, it was not her time. She had to move on. Liv deciding to return to travelling because she could help out in the universe was admirable but I must admit I expected her to be staying with Tania. So she basically pulled a Ravenous situation again where she left for a year and then came back immediately! I like that we don't know how long she had been travelling with the Doctor and Helen or what they had experienced, but I'm looking forward to finding out! I haven't been the biggest Tania fan (not that I dislike her either!) as I want to know more about her in Torchwood and think there's potential there for her character in the future, but it does seem right that Liv will end up with her and settle down. It was a nice way to finish. I thought the whole infiltration from within of Divine Intervention was a little bit on the unbelievable side in terms of timescale but the idea of Andy being a CEO was quite fun! It just wouldn't happen in any kind of business, but at least they tried to provide an answer for the institution not becoming what it was in the alternate timeline! Overall, a really nice episode to finish and round out what was a complicated and very rewarding four boxsets to make up this series. A great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Keys of Baker Street

"Time will find a way."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania, Andy

Synopsis

Homing in on the root of the problem, the Doctor attempts a risky solution – and disaster strikes. Soon, 107 Baker Street is all that's left of reality, as the residents climb the floors to face their destiny.

Verdict

The Keys of Baker Street was another great episode to continue my way through the fourth and final Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This really does seem to have tied things up very nicely after an eventful fifteen episodes of the series and that fascinates me considering we have the finale to come! I wonder if that will have more of an epilogue kind of feel? I don't mind either way as I like the logic that came in this episode, as much as can be when we're dealing with paradoxical timelines and all the echoes created from the multiverse blended into one! I thought the effort from the Doctor in trying to prevent Robin from ever having moved to 107 Baker Street was intriguing and it's fun to see him getting to break the rules. The Laws of Time meant nothing with how shattered the Web of Time was after the TARDIS arriving in 2020 in the state it was in following Day of the Master, but if timelines were reset then the TARDIS would be fully restored! I'm glad we'll get a solid explanation as to how that will be returned to normality. It's been a long time without a fully functioning time and space machine for the Doctor! It was good to have Andy back as part of the team in full fashion and I liked how Liv proclaimed her love for Tania. I'm really not sure why it was such a shock to Helen to hear that. Perhaps because she's from the 1960s? Liv having used her qualities though on Robin's father was terrific, especially when she wasn't trying in the slightest! But her reaction to Andy bluntly stating that Ken actually fancied her and never went on the blind date with who would become Robin's mum was marvellous. Now that's a timeline! I enjoyed exploring other timelines that have been episodes in the series so far and harking back to UNIT Dating and Baker Street Irregulars was a nice touch. What I really liked was something of an explanation of the Curator's being. Exploring him as a future Doctor and referring to himself as the Curator instead was fascinating and I like the concept of him well into the future finally deciding to take a step back and referring to himself as an echo in much the same way Mr Bird was for Robin was really intriguing. So he's from an alternate timeline? I could buy into that for sure. Just having the Doctor and Curator interact was tremendous and it was great for the latter to surprise the former by explaining he was actually from his future. The Curator becoming his namesake as far as the Baker Street residence was concerned was fun as he talked of his history of dishing out keys for would-be residents, and the importance of them being originals was great. I loved the way time windows were utilised as a means of escape when the doors were not an option and just being stuck in the house as a remnant from another timeline worked well. This almost felt like a conclusion for the Curator as a character which was really done well and it also felt like the end of being stranded. I'm very intrigued to hear what the finale brings as I loved the way things ended here with the timeline reset and them arriving in 2020 to be met with concern about them being out and not wearing masks! There was a lockdown on of course. That was genius and whilst that obviously can't have been the intention when this series started, it was a brilliant way to really show that they had arrived in the true timeline and things were back to how they should be. A great way to incorporate real world events. Overall, a bit too on the nose with the keys but another terrific audio! 

Rating: 8/10

Get Andy

"Have you just rescued me or have you taken me hostage?"

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Andy

Synopsis

The Doctor resolves to make a difference and save one life in particular. But someone else is making a beeline for Sergeant Andy Davidson.

Mr Bird has something to prove, and he will go to any extreme to do it...

Verdict

Get Andy was a strong episode to continue my way through the fourth Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was an eventful fifty minutes to say the least and it follows up the conclusion (that happened at the beginning!) of What Just Happened in sending the Doctor to pop out to save Andy. He of course was blown up with the spaceship and just about the rest of the human race in this awful version of the future partly thanks to Divine Intervention, but here we really did exploit the use of the time streams being intertwined and woven amongst each other. I think that's becoming fun to explore and take advantage of in terms of storytelling, but at the same time I'm quite glad that there's clearly a limited run as the series begins to wind to a conclusion. I think it's so typically Doctor Who that in a story that attempts to resolve his death, Andy just casually knocks on the door at Baker Street right after the Doctor departs in the TARDIS to try and retrieve him. He thought he had found the exact moment (ish) that would make him able to save Andy and not impact the timelines too much with them already being severely damaged, but the humour of him arriving and Andy not being there was fantastic! He couldn't quite believe it and that was intriguing to hear as he desperately hoped to find him. He only had seconds left before the ship exploded and hearing how causal he was with the countdown in those final seconds was baffling! It seemed to take him until there were only three or four seconds remaining until impact before realising that he himself was actually in danger! The way his speech just cut off was really good in selling the impact of the explosion and there really wasn't a way out. The fact he was clinging on to essentially debris after the explosion with the TARDIS gone as well painted quite the picture. I thought Helen and Liv initially phoning the TARDIS was fun and that was especially the case with the number being saved as 'The Missus'. The relationship between the Doctor and the TARDIS is always a great way to inject some emotion and humorous discussion. The Doctor finding the strength though to return the call at what he thought were his last moments was superb stuff and a defining moment for the Eighth Doctor in my opinion. The way they reminisced on everything that has happened to them since Doom Coalition onwards with the likes of Ravenous, the Nine, the Eleven and the multiple Masters getting mentioned before everything that went down whilst stranded was delightful. The Eighth Doctor really has had an extraordinary journey with Big Finish and that's been wonderful to listen to so this felt like a really strong moment. It honestly would have been fitting of regeneration and maybe if we stuck around with the alternate future longer that would have happened. With Mr Bird being the one to save Andy, using his dodgy device to get back to the ship at the moment of the Doctor's arrival and have Andy not go with Bird but the Doctor instead was clever. Helen being the one to do it after some hesitation by Andy made sense and I really did understand the positions of all parties involved. Andy had been saved and would be risking death all over again if he went back. But of course he would. His reaction though when time was being rewritten and this version of him just died again anyway as the alternate version took assertion was quite amusing. Poor old Andy! I do like how there seems to be a mission statement now in beginning to put the timelines right in ensuring that Mr Bird never comes to be as far as Robin's future is concerned, and I like that. It's a mission of intent. Overall, a strong episode to continue the series and it's good to have Andy back!

Rating: 8/10

Crossed Lines

"Tricky business, time travel."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania

Synopsis

The Doctor interrupts a pivotal journey for young Robin, while Tania and Helen are caught up in events past and present.

As the timeline dissolves and the Void encroaches, the Doctor's friends ask the Curator for help. But he is not the man he was...

Verdict

Crossed Lines was an excellent episode to kick off the fourth and final Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was so close to getting a perfect rating from myself and for whatever reason it doesn't quite get there, but it was an excellent listen and a divine way to set things up for the series ahead. There was a lot going on in this hour and I'm not really sure where to start! I thought the revelation of Mr Bird's identity was unexpected but dating things back to Must-See TV and his disappearance was tremendous. I must admit I didn't tie together the link of the names but it made so much sense for him to be Robin! That was a fun revelation and the emotional journey for his character actually put some sympathy on the character which I didn't anticipate coming. I liked the paradoxical nature of the timelines and Mr Bird actually orchestrating things to ensure that young Robin would become the millennia old version that he was now was very intriguing. I like playing around with time and the use of the Curator to set the stage and how things were possible was a nice touch. I think it was great fun to incorporate a new aspect of the Curator and having the older Sixth Doctor version here added a new tone and dimension to an already mysterious character. I was fascinated by his comments about there firmly only being one Curator and his line about only having one heart just makes me more and more interested by the character! Just what is he to tie in with the Doctor? I don't really want the answer as I love the ambiguity and mystery. The way the childhood story for the Doctor was retold by both he and the Eighth Doctor in different moments to different companions was a stunning moment as they recalled the Hermit saving the Shimmerlings and returning them through the Untempered Schism. Liv having no hesitation in believing that the story was true was wonderful and I really liked her trust in the Doctor. After everything they've been through, she still knew he was a good man. She was more concerned with Tania though and that was understandable after everything that happened as she saw a future her die in her arms. She couldn't let that happen again. I do think the way What Just Happened? chose for its format style really hindered the way things started here because it was almost forgettable what happened to him and the entire human race because of that happening backwards and therefore at the start of that episode. Tania not quite knowing everything that happened to her fellow Torchwood operative was very good and keeps the anticipation building of rescuing him. I loved the explanation from the Curator about the Web of Time and what happened with the TARDIS following Day of the Master seeing it splinter the web rather than weave around it. That was really good and it gives a way out of this paradoxical timeline because this 2020 is a dying timeline. Ever since they've arrived it's gone wrong and hasn't been true which is fascinating! The Doctor has been wasting time standing idle and I like how much that has angered him. The multiple versions of Helen were fun and I liked the use of Tania in having her memories altered as past events changed. The use of the sleeper train to Edinburgh was very fun and not something I expected to be so strong! Alternating versions  of different characters all on the same journey and that becoming too much for the time zone was a fascinating concept! Having the Void in physical form was not something I anticipated but I like the idea even if it was a little strange! This has really set things up nicely for the series to conclude and I like that we're on our way there now. There's an endgame in sight and this set things up very nicely. Strong emotional pull and fascinating ideas. A terrific opener!

Rating: 9/10

Hidden Talent

"I'm prepared to make the sacrifice to become a star."

Writer: Andrew Spokes

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 14

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

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

Hidden Talent was a very good story to continue my reading of the Companions edition of Short Trips! After over six months off work on paternity leave, my weekly commute has seen me return to this terrific little collection of short stories. And this was a fine adventure to come back to reading. I really liked that Jo was the companion present here and whilst the focus of this collection has tended to not be on the Doctor, this felt like a very balanced approach between Doctor and companion. I thought the way the 1970s era was captured was very well done and impressive to get it done so well on the page. I really like the unique setting of a talent show and that’s a fine place to do a Doctor Who adventure. The concept of those who are eliminated from the competition going missing was very exciting, so for Jo to get involved in the competition was pretty intriguing! The Doctor essentially using her as bait and a way in to start his investigations was good and I was actually surprised that we didn’t have any UNIT involvement! A Brigadier line about talent shows could have been glorious. I liked how Jo was getting to know some of her fellow contestants and Chris in particular was the front runner to win. He’d garnered some huge popularity amongst the young female contingent of the viewers and people like Lucy were out to be famous. She wanted the money. I couldn’t blame her! I thought Chris feeling like the competition was rigged in his favour with the more popular songs was fun and it all just seemed a bit barmy. What could anybody gain from rigging a talent show? I must admit I wasn’t expecting the Master to be the one behind things but his appearance was a delight. I loved that because I didn’t see it coming at all. I thought the humour behind the talent show being named Make a Star and the Master using that as basically another disguise for his involvement was glorious. The way he was trying to goad the Doctor about that and I’m not too sure I believe him when he says he doesn’t actually care for the Doctor and Jo. How couldn’t he? His delight almost at Jo being a part of the show as a contestant was basically an invitation for the Doctor to try and stop him. His method of gaining control of Earth was audacious to say the least in getting the performers to sing songs that had yet to be written. Fame being performed in the 1970s is an amusing prospect, although the Master utilising the tissue compression eliminator on those voted out was deadly. The other contestants seeing them as mass produced dolls was pretty sad considering they were the actual people! The Master alluding back to Terror of the Autons and the plastics factories was great and I also really enjoyed Jo and the Doctor looking back on Planet of the Daleks with Latep. The Doctor remembering the fate of Jamie and Zoe when it came to them losing their memories in The War Games was a somber moment as Jo realised she might leave soon. She was so appreciative of her travels with the Doctor despite enjoying a little bit of time on Earth again. The way the Doctor stopped the Master by altering the output and ensuring future songs weren’t broadcast was pretty simple, and it was amusing for the renegade Time Lord to just run away in his disguised TARDIS! The Doctor didn’t get the chance to rub his nose in it which was a shame. Overall though, a terrific little adventure!

Rating: 8/10

A Feast of Steven: The Doctor's Gambit

"We are playing games."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Audio

Released: June 2025

Series: Short Trips Special 1.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

On an alien world, the Doctor, Steven and Dodo are drawn into a mysterious contest. With lives at stake and a hidden enemy in control, every move could be their last in the deadly game.

Verdict

The Doctor's Gambit was a good little story to conclude my listening of the A Feast of Steven bonus Short Trips special release! It's still such a treat to get this batch of adventures free of charge to celebrate sixty years of the wonderful Steven Taylor and hearing Peter Purves reprise his role all this time later remains a privilege. He really is ageless and he still seamlessly steps back into the role which is tremendous. This was a different TARDIS trio to the opener in the release and I think that was a good thing to keep things fresh. We never got enough of Dodo on screen so I'm really appreciative of the work Big Finish are doing in expanding her character's adventures. Her relationship with Steven was captured well here and I liked how a lot of that came from a continued fear of the possibility of still being in the Celestial Toyroom. I like to think this adventure follows on from the events of The Celestial Toymaker for the TARDIS trio as the references were rife. It very much felt like that was an extremely recent experience for them all. Steven deducing the chequerboard as them being chess pieces was great and it painted some quite stellar imagery. It wasn't quite the way of being playthings of a god, but the mystery of the game was still also pretty interesting. The chess analogies continued and were very strong and it's a really good game to incorporate into a Doctor Who story. The use of it as the basis for a battle between two opposing sides when it literally got physical. The Doctor turning out to be a King piece from almost behind the scenes was a fun moment and it was almost comical that Dodo was just a pawn. Steven as a knight made sense and the foreshadowing of events to come for him in alluding to his fate in The Savages in becoming a King was nicely done. It almost feels a little bit like cheating when we get foreshadowing like this but I love it. It's a great use of the time a story is written and does things that just couldn't happen on screen or have meaning on television. I thought it was nice for Steven to reflect on these he's lost in the likes of Sara, Brett, Katarina and Oliver, and it was powerful stuff for him to contemplate killing. It was good that he was worried what the Doctor might think of him had he gone through with that brief desire. He had to act before in defence, but never as a thirst for blood. That was intriguing and I'd have actually liked more on that. It was a powerful concept. The way Dodo brought the game of chess into play and turned herself into a Queen as a pawn can by reaching the other side of the board was good fun although I had to chuckle at the in-humour admittance that the resolution was convoluted! It didn't seem to make much sense with all the science goo ga, but that was fine in a story like this. The fact it was laughed about within the episode actually made it more acceptable for me! I did appreciate the link to A Forest of All Seasons at the end with Steven making a conscious decision to look towards the future now and not dwell on the past or what might have been. That was good to set him back on his adventures in time and space. Overall, a decent way to conclude a very welcomed release! 

Rating: 7/10

The Cat Came Back

"You are my plaything."

Writer: Gareth Roberts

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2006

Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2007

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

A cat named Mitzi is deemed the First Pioneer on the road to helping humanity travel by hyperspace. Thought dead, Mitzi has been enacting her revenge on mankind...

Verdict

The Cat Came Back was a good little story to continue my reading through the 2007 Doctor Who Storybook! This was another unique tale and I must admit my prejudice regarding the name continued here as was the case with the Cuckoo-Spit opener in the collection. I try not to judge things just from a name alone but these short stories can vary dramatically in terms of content and quality so it's a little difficult not to go in with expectations for a title like this! Thankfully it was a very solid read and was a nice addition to the Series 2 era of the Tenth Doctor and Rose. I thought for the most part the illustrations that accompanied this story were very strong, although the editing could have been improved as the image I have chosen to represent this blog entry was on a separate page to the events being described. That felt like a bit of a big mistake and could so easily have been avoided with some proper text placement. I don't think it's asking a lot for the illustrations to be on the same page as the events in which they are depicted! Also, the drawings of Rose felt very off in capturing the likeness of Billie Piper. I don't think that was good at all which was a bit of a shame. It didn't take away too much for the story though thankfully. I enjoyed the concept at the heart of this story and venturing into the future of humanity was fun at a time where hyperspace travel had recently been achieved. That's a big step forward for space travel and the Doctor's description of it being a motorway in spatial terms was appreciated. It seems baffling that you have to puncture a hole in space to get there as surely that causes structural damage to the fabric of the universe, but who am I to judge futuristic science? Encountering Mitzi was fun and as an owner of two tuxedo cats myself (Polly and Pirate if anyone is wondering – and yes the former is named after the Doctor Who companion!), the idea of them talking is quite frightening. Let alone them bringing humans into their servitude. As if we're not already though! Mitzi actually starting the story with her internal thoughts as she was sent as the very First Pioneer as a hyperspace travel test run was good, especially when the passage ended with her developing speech. I'm not sure how that works physically with a cat's mouth but that's probably overthinking things slightly! Mitzi didn't have much mercy for all of humankind which was intriguing and meant bad news for Rose. She was impressed by the Doctor's internal makeup as a Time Lord and she had no quarrel with his kind, it was just humans she was out to get. Jonah being on hand to warn the Doctor and Rose of using the word cat was actually decent in providing a fear factor, although I did find it difficult at times to take her seriously as a threat. I mean, she hadn't grown in size or anything! And that image of the cat launching itself at the Doctor was terrific. I appreciated the New Earth referencing given this TARDIS pairing and their previous encounter with cats of the future, but this was quite different! The way Rose did something clever to sever the energy link that expanded the cat's horizons and abilities was pretty simple and I'd have appreciated some more clarity on what and why it had happened, but it was still a fun little adventure. A good glimpse to the future, although finding out that Mitzi was actually Rose's cat who would live for another five years was a bit strange! I didn't see that it added much to the story at all and was more than a little coincidental. Overall though, a decent read! 

Rating: 7/10