Curriculum Vitae

"Today she was saving our lives."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 11

Featuring: Polly

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

Curriculum Vitae was an excellent little story to continue my way through the Companions edition of Short Trips! I wasn’t sure what to expect from this adventure, especially after seeing in the contents page that it was only going to be six pages long, but it was tremendous! I mean it barely took more than five minutes to read and writing this blog will certainly take longer than the actual story, but it was fantastic! I initially thought that the interview was going to be for Barbara when the name Ms Wright was called and I’m fascinated that this is my default for that surname as a companion because Polly is one of my all time favourites! She’s just tremendous. I love getting to know her a little in the 1990s and it’s intriguing to think that she’s thirty years on from The Faceless Ones and departing the TARDIS. It’s no secret that she was an instant attractive hit back in The War Machines as a young twenty-three year old, but now here she was battling for jobs with women much younger and subjectively more attractive than her. It’s quite sad to think that for a personal assistant job Polly believes she has to look good. Despite the title of the story, the irony is that it’s doubtful her CV would mean anything. Maurice as the interviewer was showing a little interest in her, but he was much more interested in the younger Australian who was a former stewardess. I thought that was a really fun note to think that Tegan was also applying for the job! And she was trying hard to get it. She’d even unbuttoned her blouse after Polly’s interview, but by then she’d made her mark and he was interested in her now. It was a little sad to hear how Polly was struggling with coming from the TARDIS and dealing with everyday things like income tax and gas bills. How do you go back to that after travelling in time and space? I thought Polly getting into something of an outburst when she got the hint that she wasn’t getting the job due to being too qualified was tremendous. She didn’t hesitate in referencing The Moonbase with her visiting the moon and I found it humorous that Maurice’s reply was asking if she took LSD back in the sixties. It was hard to blame him! I thought Maurice actually having an experience with the Doctor was also a delightful little anecdote and the excitement that Polly had when she heard of a Scotsman and a teenager being on hand to put right something mysterious and dodgy was excellent. She thought that was her Second Doctor and Jamie, but alas it turned out to actually be the Seventh Doctor and Ace. Glorious stuff! Little things like that are just excellent and it’s fun to think how the Whoniverse is all intertwined. Why wouldn’t it be with the use of time travel? Overall, a brilliant read and a fine way to fill six pages. 

Rating: 9/10

Qualia

"Today she was saving our lives."

Writer: Stephen Fewell

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 10

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough, Kamelion

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

Qualia was a decent story to continue my way through the Companions edition of Short Trips! This was a very unique story and I must admit for the first half of the adventure I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening. I was intrigued though and certainly wanted to know more which is obviously a big positive. I initially thought we were going to get a journey across each regeneration from something of a companion perspective as we did see the aftermath of The Tenth Planet with the Doctor reacting to his new appearance and then also seeing the moments briefly before Spearhead From Space with the Third Doctor. I thought jumping around from different perspectives in what turned out to be the viewpoint of Kamelion was a little strange, but again I couldn’t help but be engrossed for whatever reason. I liked that it was Tegan who wanted to use Kamelion to show Turlough the version of the Doctor she first met in Logopolis, but he was only able to show the first three incarnations. I thought a bit more of a reaction from Tegan in seeing those faces would have been welcomed, and more frustration at not showcasing the Fourth Doctor would have felt more in character. I liked how well the bitter relationship between Tegan and Turlough was presented and it’s safe to say that without Nyssa around, this dynamic is rather frosty. The Doctor is almost oblivious but his interpretation of Qualia was good. He knew that something was up with Kamelion and I think it’s fun for this story to potentially address his absence between The King’s Demons and Planet of Fire. It is a little silly for the robot companion to just be locked away in a cupboard, but at least we got something of an explanation if that was the case! That was at least my interpretation. I think it’s quite fun to have a Kamelion story in this collection as he’s almost something of a forgotten companion. Admittedly, he’s no K9 replacement but honestly without a television story I think there’s some good potential there. The abilities are endless and it’s just exciting to see something new. Tapping into memories and even explaining how that happened was good. I liked the question from the Doctor to Tegan about specific details of her family when it came to grey hairs or seeing height in exact feet and inches. The memory would never be perfectly exact, but the Qualia that Kamelion was processing was explained pretty well. It didn’t feel overly scientific which I liked. There wasn’t actually a huge amount going on once the revelation regarding what had happened with Kamelion was revealed, and at fourteen pages long there really is only so much that can be told! I think the concept of the story is sound although there was certainly a lack of clarity at the start. I think if we’d known right away what was happening it would have worked better, as whilst the reveal was interesting it wasn’t exactly shocking or impactful. Turlough was just a bit annoying throughout the story which is impressive considering how little he featured, but that kind of is his character. Overall, this was a really solid tale with a unique character focus. Tegan’s reaction to the Doctor explaining that Kamelion didn’t feel pain was great as that didn’t sit well with her. A fine companion moment in what was a good little read. 

Rating: 7/10

The Dalmation Terrain

"Who would have guessed that fish and chips would save the day?"

Writer: Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2024

Printed in: Fifteen Doctors 15 Stories

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

Discover the latest edition of this much-loved anthology, with a bonus story featuring the Fourteenth Doctor, as well as a brand-new story featuring the Fifteenth Doctor! 

Fifteen wonderful tales of adventure, science, magic, monsters and time travel – featuring all fifteen Doctors – are waiting for you in this very special Doctor Who volume.

Verdict

The Dalmation Terrain was unfortunately not the greatest of stories to conclude my reading of the Fifteen Doctors 15 Stories collection. I am grateful to my local library for ensuring I didn't have to fork out a small fortune for the only wholly new story in this collection and I love that I am keeping up with everything there is from the current era (and yes, I have the Titan Comics collection on pre-order!), but this story was my least favourite thing from the Fifteenth Doctor era so far. For whatever reason, I just couldn't get on it with for the most part. I don't think the characterisation for this Doctor was all that great which is a shame because I thought the author actually did a good job with how Ruby was presented. I like the idea of the pair being in Brighton, although the fear factor of the seagulls just felt a little childish. Especially ending with it as if they were being watched by an almighty predator from the sky. I mean, I hate seagulls at the beach like the best of us, but this seemed slightly farfetched. I also wasn't entirely sold on the whole fish and chips new meaning of something bad and a warning. I did appreciate the Doctor utilising an F and C setting on the sonic screwdriver though as a means of code towards Ruby to ensure the Dame was trapped in a sonic cage. That was nicely done, although then the resolution was for her just to be sent back to where she was and for the Doctor to send a strongly worded message to the Shadow Proclamation. Would that really suffice? And how is it possible that just the one planet was not able to time travel on or within? There were a lot of coincidences in this story and I think you can get away with one or two, but then we also had the fact the Doctor was just happening to be trialling a new sonic setting and the TARDIS just happened to not be able to translate space dog. I wasn't sure about the editing either as there were a few blaring errors punctually, with none worse than the word labradors being used in the plural sense but using an apostrophe! That sticks out like a sore thumb so I'm stunned that this doesn't get picked up. It's a shame as it just creates such a feeling of negativity for me as I'm not sure things have been taken seriously, so it's difficult for me to take the story seriously then. That continued with Ruby wanting an alias and using the name Amethyst Monday, but then the Doctor called her by her true name twice in front of the Dame and she didn't react at all! Surely that would spark something? Why was she lied to? It was strange and deeply annoying. It's a great shame to talk negatively about this one because I actually thought the Dame had the potential to be a superb villain. She was confident and brash despite being imprisoned on a planet and she fancied a trip in the TARDIS. The Doctor agreeing whilst having his own plan in mind was good and I loved Ruby's shock reaction when he did adhere to her terms. I thought the whole dalmation focus was a little naff to be honest and maybe that's just because I'm really not a dog person? Who knows. I just wasn't sure about the whole living on the planet of the Dalmatians and one being sent to Earth. It described the pup's attire at least as it was cobbled together tech to try and find a way off the planet for the Dame. It also didn't sit right with me that she needlessly kicked one of the Dalmations and despite showcase their shock horror, I would have expected more action from the Doctor and Ruby. Overall, a really strong villain but not the greatest of adventures to conclude the set. 

Rating: 5/10

Fleeting Faces

"A man like Davros respects strength."

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2024

Printed in: Fifteen Doctors 15 Stories

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor

Synopsis

Discover the latest edition of this much-loved anthology, with a bonus story featuring the Fourteenth Doctor, as well as a brand-new story featuring the Fifteenth Doctor! 

Fifteen wonderful tales of adventure, science, magic, monsters and time travel – featuring all fifteen Doctors – are waiting for you in this very special Doctor Who volume.

Verdict

Fleeting Faces was a strong way to kick off my reading of the Fifteen Doctors 15 Stories collection! I think it’s pretty cheeky that this is the fourth edition of this collection of short stories now as it is quite steep to ask fans to purchase a whole new book for two new stories here with the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors, but thankfully my local library has a copy and I was quick to pounce on it! I’m keen to keep up with everything possible regarding the current era, but I couldn’t miss out on a new (ish) story for the Fourteenth Doctor also! He’s going to become quite the unique and rarified incarnation as years go by so to get a novelisation of Destination: Skaro here as the first part of the story was absolutely delightful. I think that’s where the main focus of this blog entry will focus because I also think it’s a little sneaky to basically rehash the Under Control/Into Control two-parter from the Ten Days of Christmas collection last year and the 2024 Doctor Who Annual. I’m really not sure it warrants being in three separate publications! But alas here we are and at least there was a good link from the Fourteenth Doctor encountering the Dalek and linking straight in. I thought the second part was pretty rubbish I’m not going to lie with Alfredo the pig humorously becoming a companion (sort of), whereas part three with the Sycorax Queen was outstanding. But I’ve blogged these before during last year’s festive period so please do use the search function for my thoughts on these. Skaro is where the focus should be and I actually read this story 366 days after first watching the televised version from my hotel room in Yerevan, Armenia. It was different surroundings this time at home post workout at 6.30am. I think the story is brilliant and I liked how it didn’t quite feel as much of a spoof in prose. I love seeing Davros at the earliest point we’ve ever seen him on screen, although the insinuations here regarding Genesis of the Daleks felt wrong. We cannot possibly be rewriting the history of the Dalek creator here as his entire background relates to the Kaled-Thal war and how he was reduced to a survival machine. This isn’t a wheelchair and in no way represents disabled people so I do hope the next time we see Davros he is back in his traditional travel machine. The little inclusion of Nyder was marvellous though and I think the failed anagrams in naming what would become the Dalek almost went too far. Thankfully they didn’t, although some of those names were atrocious! Dalek was the clear winner and it’s tremendous to think that it’s the Doctor who provides that name. But it doesn’t stop there as he mentions the word exterminate and also coins the iconic title of the genesis of the Daleks. Castavillian was a fun character here and his reaction to the content provided from the Doctor was something he could eat right up! I was a big fan. The Doctor’s reaction to releasing where and more importantly when he was worked so well and I like the little details. This takes place just over an hour after the conclusion to The Power of the Doctor and in between we had Liberation of the Daleks as well which was neatly referenced. I thought the ending of the entire story to alluding to lead into The Star Beast was good stuff as well. Whilst it’s a shame we didn’t get anything new for the Fourteenth Doctor, this is an eventful short story involving Davros, the first Dalek and a returning Sycorax. The continuity with The Christmas Invasion is strong and I like that the Doctor puts a plunger in place of the killer claw. And somehow Davros approved! Overall, a strong bit of prose and I look forward to reading how the collection concludes. But can we also get a War and Fugitive Doctor story to really complete things? 

Rating: 8/10

The Morning of the Day of the Doctor

"The Doctor was chaos."

Writer: Ingrid Oliver

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2024

Printed in: The Adventures Before 08

Featuring: Osgood, Curator

Synopsis

Discover what happened before...

What did Osgood do the morning of The Day of the Doctor?

What happened to Tegan before Arc of Infinity, and why does it involve strange sentient lights in the Australian outback?

What was the Tenth Doctor doing in a hall of mirrors, right before Planet of the Dead?

Answers to all these questions lie in an incredible collection of new Doctor Who short stories that give a glimpse into the moments just before we saw the Doctor step on screen.

From Skaro to Apalapucia, from a shop front drained of colour to Rassilon's tomb, join a host of incredible adventures across the universe with Doctors, companions, friends and foes.

Verdict

The Morning of the Day of the Doctor was an excellent way to conclude my reading of The Adventures Before prequel collection! Deciding to do a prequel to The Day of the Doctor is a bit of a no brainer because there really are so many directions to go in, but having Ingrid Oliver write her own Osgood story is just wonderful! It was clear right from the off that she absolutely nailed the character. It was so obviously written with the voice of Osgood and that made it immediately interesting. The title is also absolutely what it says on the tin and I liked the way things were set up for what we would see on screen. We get to see Kate and UNIT going into the National Gallery and seeing those giant paintings of the Tenth Doctor alongside Queen Elizabeth I. We see that there are mysteries going on with paintings and figures seemingly departing them. And from that we see just why Kate made the rather unique and strange call to bring the TARDIS in, much to the chagrin of the Eleventh Doctor who was inside! But for me, the highlight was getting an extended sequence with the Curator. He is such a fascinating character and I love how Oliver captured how powerful that voice is. Even when I watched the story again earlier this year for the first time in a decade or so, that moment where we hear Tom Baker before actually seeing him was just stunning. So it was good that Osgood had something of a similar moment. I thought she wrote the Curator ever so well and it sounded exactly like he did on screen. She absolutely nailed the voices of the characters in the story and that's a delight to be able to say. I loved the little nod from the Curator to the knitwear that Osgood was wearing which was of course reminiscent of the Fourth Doctor's famous long scarf, and it was nice for him to find out that he thought the scarf actually found her rather than the other way around. He could see that there was something special in Osgood and that's why she would be tasked with finding the TARDIS. I liked how nervous Osgood was at the proposition of finally meeting the Doctor and she quickly did find the TARDIS near Billericay. It was good that she was nervous at meeting a man she described as very chaotic. She had read and studied all of the files almost from day one in the job, but now it was suddenly getting very real that she would meet the real article. I thought Kate alluding to the future and the Thirteenth Doctor with a female incarnation of the Doctor to come was intriguing, but it was definitely right for Osgood to question why he stayed male almost exclusively. I thought getting to know a little of Osgood's personal life was nice as well and we even interacted with her sister Nova. That was good stuff although she got a little too involved when it came to McGillop. I liked that he was present in the story and him wanting to get Nova's phone number from Osgood put the scientific advisor in a tricky position. She didn't want to admit that despite her actions on the outside regarding him, she actually quite liked him and didn't enjoy the idea of her sister dating him. It was her worst nightmare. But she would be spared the answer in fun style with the ringtone of the TARDIS dematerialisation saving her blushes. Saved by the Doctor as always. A really fun way to end what was a terrific read! 

Rating: 9/10

Eden Rebellion

"Environment is a forgotten casualty of war."

Writer: Abi Falase

Format: Novel

Released: November 2024

Series: NSA 68

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

On the crystalline planet of Yewa, the Gardens of Kubuntu are a true Eden, said to be the most peaceful destination in the universe. At least, until the Doctor and Ruby arrive.

Ancient rivalries between Yewa and its more prosperous sister world of Bia are being stirred by forces unknown, threatening to plunge its people into anarchy. With Ruby swept up in the fire of the Yewan rebellion, the Doctor finds dark secrets buried deep in the planet's ancient history – and his hopes for a lasting peace hanging by a thread. For sinister guardians stalk the Gardens of Kubuntu, while an impeccable enemy plots in the shadows – and in plain sight...

Verdict

Eden Rebellion was a very strong novel to continue the prose adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby! I'm not entirely sure why there was such a gap between the release of this book and the previous Ruby Red and Caged instalments a few months before close to the broadcast of the series, but it serves as a nice little bonus and some current era content ahead of the upcoming Christmas special. This felt very different to what we saw on screen with the planet of Yewa being rather unique. I liked that in the acknowledgments the author alluded to indigenous peoples being her inspiration for the story as that is certainly something that came through on the page. The conflict between the peoples of Yewa and Bia was a fascinating read and there was some seriously impressive world building going on at times. I actually think there was almost too much at times which is a shame as the history of the last two hundred years in particular was strife with interest and intrigue! I initially had a theory that the entire history was only two hundred years long, but alas I was proven wrong. I thought the truth was actually very good and I liked how the whole makeup of the species in being connected came into play. They didn't want to believe the events that caused the end of the Ijoa ceremonies that bound the species of Yewans and Bia together and so they didn't. They almost couldn't. It was really fun to experience through the Doctor and Ruby just how different this world was. Through consuming their liquids they were almost experience a recreational moment in literally feeling all of their emotions. Far more than five to go with them! That was good and I liked bow it almost had the Doctor forgetting to try and reunite with Ruby. Those distractions came into play very nicely at the end with the reveal of Fran and the emergence of Empire. I thought it was a strong villain and the connection it had going back two hundred years and blocking the prayer of the Bia and trying to take the Gardens of Kubuntu for itself was excellent. I thought the relationship between Mya and Nazari was really good and the little wink of the Doctor when explaining how their love would destroy Empire was fantastic. I can perfectly picture Ncuti Gatwa giving that nod to bring about the end, and it was a rather sudden and emphatic end for Empire as the light that emerged from the pair proclaiming their love together again after being kept and pushed apart consumed the Dark Wraith that was Empire. I thought the Wraiths throughout were strong elements in the story and they definitely injected an eery feel into the book which was very good. I thought the atmosphere throughout was quite dark despite all of the descriptions of a supposed Eden, and I think the book cover has something to do with that too. It's actually a really important element in setting the tone for the story. I was impressed with the characterisation of both the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby and it was probably the best of the three books released for the current era so far. Just simple things like babes and Rubes really does help the voice of the characters. The close relationship the Doctor and his companion was also presented very well. I do think the book perhaps went slightly long in the middle with more focus on the build than the action that would follow, but I did enjoy the tension as the day of the Ijoa loomed. The suggestion from Mya of calling it off was met with dismay but it made sense given the threat. The concept of the Yewans in essentially being their own ancestors is incredible and I love it with the crystalline going into the planet and that's how what they decay into! Shared DNA in abundance. The story of the beginnings of the Chimandra Galaxy was strong and I liked that things weren't all as they seemed with the twins. There were connections everywhere and that actually got in the way of the Doctor on more than one occasion. So many voices. But in the end, love prevailed as always. Ruby didn't quite get the holiday she was anticipating, but the Doctor making references to the likes of Orphan 55, Paradise Towers and Midnight at the end as examples of his attempted holidaying going wrong was a nice touch of continuity. As was the brief moment of him tapping into the Doctor of War. It's difficult to imagine this incarnation with that sentiment. Overall though, a really solid book! 

Rating: 8/10

Sting of the Sasquatch

"So you're looking for Bigfoot?"

Writer: Darren Jones

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: NSA Audio 33

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

In a National Park in North-West America, the Doctor and Ruby are pursued by large, ape-like creatures who seem to literally disappear into the trees. When Ruby falls ill after apparently being stung, the Doctor believes the infection is extra-terrestrial in origin.

They meet Dixie and Greg, two Bigfoot hunters determined to track down the mythical Sasquatch. Standing in their way is Ranger Peone, who's adamant that the forest is too dangerous to explore. Dozens of people have vanished, or reappeared with no memory, in the last month alone.

Then the ape creatures kidnap Ruby, and the Doctor is determined to both save her life and solve the mystery of the Sasquatch.

Verdict

Sting of the Sasquatch was a great audio adventure to continue my way through the New Series Adventures from the current series! Following quickly on from On Ghost Beach, this had a very different feel and I like that. It’s good to get variation and it was just lovely to take the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby somewhere unique on Earth. The television series hasn’t had a huge amount of chance to do that just yet so I’m all down for audios like this one providing opportunity for some more depth in their TARDIS travels. I’m thankful to my lovely (and very pregnant!) partner for gifting me one of her Audible credits to be able to listen to this story today right after the first as I really am trying to ensure I keep up with everything from the current era. Especially with a little girl on the way this Christmas! Doctor Who dealing with the mythical legend that is Bigfoot seems like a no brainer and I’m honestly baffled that it hasn’t been done before. This is not meant as a slight on the range or format, but that coming in the BBC Audio range feels a tad strange. Of course, I don’t think this is going to get in the way of anything should the television series choose to go down this route, but it’s fun that we got here first with this one. The Doctor mention the Yeti was a nice touch when it came to previous legends he had encountered but there was nothing better than his Terror of the Zygons reference in name dropping the Loch Ness Monster. Even Ruby reacted with surprise! That was a fun moment. I thought Dixie and Greg were quite good characters and the initial meeting they had with the Doctor and Ruby was strong. They weren’t too thrilled to be meeting rivals when it came to the hunt for Bigfoot. I wasn’t sure I bought the simple explanation of what the TARDIS was but it was fun to hear the Doctor scramble for an answer. The emergence of the Sasquatch was good and of course it makes sense that Bigfoot is an alien. The apparent explanation of his varied and inconsistent sightings being because of the Sasquatch literally vanishing without a trace temporarily was a nice touch, although focusing more on why the legend has been in place so long would have been welcomed. I thought the narration from Genesys Lynea was fine but she didn’t try much at all in presenting an impression of the Doctor or Ruby which was a shame. There’s only so much the author can do! I do like that we have someone from the series that aired this year though in that narrator role. I thought the national park setting was brilliant and things definitely felt vast and open which is a big compliment. I liked the tension that arises from Ruby being stung and the gradual build to the effects was expected but still good! The Sasquatch having a connection with the Sleekers was intriguing stuff and the explanation of them essentially conjoining into worms just felt gross and uneasy which was terrific. That was exactly as it should be. I did think the way the psychic link was broken came slightly early but it was good to hear just how happy Ruby was that all those missing people would be freed and okay. Onto further travels now! Overall, another really good audio adventure! Hopefully we get more next year. 

Rating: 8/10

On Ghost Beach

"We both know where we are."

Writer: Neil Bushnell

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: NSA Audio 32

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives in County Durham, England, in 1958. Seaham Chemical Beach was once a scene of heavy industry, long since abandoned, but now local residents are having nightmares and seeing apparitions.

It isn't long before the Doctor and Ruby are affected by the beach's peculiar atmosphere. As they begin to forget exactly who they are, Ruby hears a distant voice calling her on.

Whose memories are filling the travellers' heads, and what is the significance of Ghost Beach, in the Sea of Despair, on the planet Farfrom?

Verdict

On Ghost Beach was an excellent return to the New Series Adventures for audio! I am so happy that this range has been revived and I suspect it is no surprise to have happened under the show runner guidance of Russell T Davies. It truly does feel like a throwback with him at the helm as now the BBC audios join the books in featuring stories with the current Doctor and companion. Of course, given how Empire of Death ended with Ruby Sunday taking a pause from travels in the TARDIS, this story will take place prior to The Legend of Ruby Sunday, but that doesn't make it any less exciting for me. I mean sure, it would have been better to have had this released during the seven weeks of broadcast, but better late than never with the promise that the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby. I thought this was one was an excellent story from start to finish as it had just about everything! I love that Susan Twist was narrating given the prominence she had in the opening series for this TARDIS pairing, although she did go a little too Scottish when it came to her impression of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor. Does he really come across that way on screen? I would argue not. I thought the humour that happened in the TARDIS was good stuff and the Doctor planning on taking Ruby to the planet of Tuesday was great. I fully agreed with her comments regarding the day of the week and how it was always in between the fun stuff, but then we actually ended up on a Wednesday. An ordinary day of the week in 1958. The year didn't seem all that important but the setting of Seaham Chemical Beach really worked well. It's good to travel to somewhere the television show doesn't take us and even with the involvement of a rift, Cardiff was off the table too. I like going somewhere random and getting some exposure. It's much more realistic as not everything would happen in capital cities! The atmosphere was incredibly eery once the pair arrived on the beach which was good and when they started talking with other people's memories my interest was immediately enhanced. I loved that because it wasn't like they were taken over or possessed, but stuff just kept slipping out. Ruby talking as if she was Lottie and the Doctor having the memories of Fink. It was tough to hear for Retch as he was hearing those he had lost but through Ruby and the Doctor. I must admit I completely understood where he was coming from as that must be tough to hear. He was a good character though and hearing how he stumbled through the rift before the Kaseef could make the trip in the opposite direction was decent stuff. I also liked how the Doctor addressed all of the obvious questions that usually go unanswered immediately after they had arrived through. It was a one way trip and that was good to establish early on. I thought it was great as well for the Doctor to promise Ruby that he wouldn't leave her alone on the planet because as soon as he said that I knew he would do so. Of course it wasn't intentional, but that promise being part of the pull to bring the Doctor back from spending eternity with the Kaseef was really good. I liked how the friendship between the Doctor and Ruby was portrayed in the story as they really are the best of friends. The concept behind the Kaseef was good and whilst I enjoyed the explanation, I thought the story actually lost a little when it came to having to give away the mystery. I sometimes like the enigma, even if that is contradictory to my main qualms with 73 Yards. It just being something trying to communicate and giving an overload of memories was good stuff, but for Retch he was already long gone. Finishing up with things heading back to Tuesday was a nice way to bring the episode full circle, and overall a fantastic listen! A welcomed return to the NSAs for sure! I'm counting the days for my next Audible credit to purchase the next release. 

Rating: 9/10

The Fall of Apalapucia

"We are content."

Writer: E.L. Norry

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2024

Printed in: The Adventures Before 07

Synopsis

Discover what happened before...

What did Osgood do the morning of The Day of the Doctor?

What happened to Tegan before Arc of Infinity, and why does it involve strange sentient lights in the Australian outback?

What was the Tenth Doctor doing in a hall of mirrors, right before Planet of the Dead?

Answers to all these questions lie in an incredible collection of new Doctor Who short stories that give a glimpse into the moments just before we saw the Doctor step on screen.

From Skaro to Apalapucia, from a shop front drained of colour to Rassilon's tomb, join a host of incredible adventures across the universe with Doctors, companions, friends and foes.

Verdict

The Fall of Apalapucia was unfortunately not the greatest of stories to continue my way through The Adventures Before collection of prequels. I think on paper this was arguably the story that made most sense in delivering a prequel as there is clearly a lot of historic world building that has taken place in The Girl Who Waited on Apalapucia. However, in reality I think the lack of familiar characters really hurt this story which is something that hasn't happened in any of the previous six stories in the book. We have either had the Doctor, a companion or a central character to the story that the adventure is a prequel to, but here there was none of that other than the setting. I don't think the story was particularly bad and I certainly could have been harsher and gone less in my rating, but I think this was just a bit boring. That's really sad to say as I do like and appreciate what the story was trying to do, but I don't think it really delved deep enough into the concept behind the two streams facility. The concept of that is excellent and the potential really is endless when it comes to two places being in the same space but experiencing time differently. I just thought it was a bit naff that it seemed the origin was for some artwork to be observed? That wasn't exactly exciting stuff! I thought the story could have featured a little more action and I think it would have been so much better to have a future incarnation of the Doctor experiencing some rather tragic events but be unable to get involved. That would have worked for either the Twelfth or Thirteenth Doctors and just would have been more interesting for me. Hell, even the Fifteenth Doctor could have featured! Seladore was a decent enough story but with no real background or knowledge of him, he just wasn't the right kind of character to carry an entire story. Especially not one that was one of the longer ones in the collection! I thought we might have got to explore a little more of Apalapucia and had more focus on the likes of the Handbots or what we saw on television. The focus on the Sublimation Process was okay and probably would have worked even better if the Doctor or a companion featured, but unfortunately it just felt meaningless. With only one episode going back to, I don't think Apalapucia was solid enough or anything close to the status required to carry the story. That's harsh I know but I think this just could have been better. It was very political and that just wasn't the vibe I was anticipating given what we saw on screen. It felt like a historic world with vibrancy to explore but that didn't quite come out on the page. The retirement and one last try was clear in what it would result in and I think that's one thing that is somewhat dangerous ground in prequels. You can't make what leads to what we see on screen too obvious. We already know where things are heading. I think the mistake of Seladore was a fine explanation of what happened, but I think ti came slightly too late and served as the finish whereas I would have liked to see what occurred immediately in the aftermath. It's a shame, and perhaps on another day I would have enjoyed this adventure more, but it just didn't have too much going for it. It was rather bland! 

Rating: 5/10

Distance

"I've seen hell."

Writer: Tara Samms

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 09

Featuring: Ian, Barbara

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

Distance was a decent little story to continue my way through the Companions edition of Short Trips! This was a bit of a somber tale I must say as whilst on the face of it I was very excited to be getting an adventure with Ian and Barbara post the events of The Chase, things got very serious and quite emotional! Starting with Barbara getting an ultrasound at the hospital initially seemed to excite me because I thought she was pregnant and that would be terrific news! She was referred to as Mrs Chesterton which is lovely and it just confirms what we always knew would happen anyway. Ian and Barbara belong together. They’re perfect together and we only saw that grow during their time in the TARDIS. Except with the descriptions of whitened hair and growing old, the likelihood was that Barbara had something wrong with her rather than being pregnant. That’s such a great shame, especially knowing that Jacqueline Hill hasn’t been with us for some time now. The actress and the character are inextricably linked in my opinion so there was an added emotional pull there. I thought Barbara being pushed by Karen Ellis into visiting her sick father in any kind of hope of helping was good although I thought she relented a little easily considering she wasn’t interested. It’s not like she had a relationship with Karen or her dad Frank. That was all Ian after working on the Hubble space telescope. I love these kinds of stories because it’s so good to catch up with companions and their lives after they have left the Doctor and seeing that Ian had put his scientific knowledge to good use was tremendous. He’d clearly made something of his skills. I thought we could have gotten a little bit more about Barbara’s career but I guess the focus was on her more for the plot and for an emotional pull. The connection she had with Karen after the touch was fascinating and whilst I’ve never taken recreational drugs, I can only imagine that this was something akin to that. Karen’s mad babble about driving the eight mile journey to death over and over again was a moment of insanity and it instantly changed the atmosphere in the hospital. It got uncomfortable but in a really appealing way as a reader. I thought her being on edge from that point was good although Ian should have picked up that things weren’t right given his experience in the TARDIS! I thought it was actually a bit of a shame that they made it a thing not to mention the Doctor in a bid to have some sense of normality in their lives, but Ian’s impression of you know who was a sheer delight. Clutching the lapels and getting the name wrong. Glorious stuff. I’m not convinced he would be close in age though! If only he knew the truth of the Doctor. I thought Barbara having a connection with Frank was interesting and the link with the unicorn nebula and Monoceros was a little odd. I think the story could have benefited from a couple more pages to just flesh things out a little as it got a little convoluted when Barbara was in her mental state, although that may have been the point. Ian being on hand to the rescue was good once Frank was dead and I liked how he found that the cause was actually a dermoid cyst containing ganglia. Nerve cells actually trying to send a message, Ian thinks to invade whilst Barbara thought to get home. I actually do think the latter was more feasible but the ambiguity was good. It didn’t really matter why! Concluding things with Barbara ready to tell Ian what was wrong with her was quite sad and honestly I’m glad we didn’t get specific details. I like to think of Barbara living on forever. She’ll never really die as far as I’m concerned. Overall, a good little read!

Rating: 7/10

Faustine

"We pass through them and create no memories."

Writer: Steve Gallagher

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 2023

Printed in: Gods & Monsters 02

Featuring: Faustine

Synopsis

Faustine is a Tharil Princess cut off from her own people and thrown into a crisis situation in modern-day Manchester. Depending on her slave engineer companion for survival, can the pair survive the perils yet to come?

Verdict

Faustine was another decent comic strip adventure to conclude this phase of Gods & Monsters! It's great to get Stephen Gallagher as the writer for Warriors' Gate in for a comic story like this and there is definitely untapped potential with the Thralils. I must admit I had absolutely no idea about anything this comic strip related to prior to reading so I was quite excited when I saw the author and the species of Faustine. She was an intriguing character and a fine lead for the adventure. I think it makes sense for her to get a whole book as she's the character we know least out of this phase, so when things do come together in the next phases and beyond, she might feel something on par to the likes of Sutekh and Omega. Or even Eldrad! The ability of the Tharils to shape time and space to their will is fantastic and it was good to explore here. I would argue it was perhaps even underutilised! But there is more to come which is exciting and good to know. I thought the engineer who seemed to be named Travis accompanying her was intriguing and whilst it didn't feel like a Doctor-companion dynamic, it certainly looked that way! The attire for Faustine was very Doctor-like and I really enjoyed that. One thing that has been consistently excellent with these Cutaway Comics releases is the quality of the artwork. It is absolutely top notch. That was evident in style when we got the flashback sequences from Travis in explaining how he came to meet Faustine and the art resembling a 1970s-style Doctor Who Annual! It noticeably dropped in brightness and tone and even the text looked retro. I thought that was terrific and a really simple yet incredibly effective story device. It works well to have the format of the story involved in what is being told. It's really rather clever and was something I massively appreciated. I wasn't sure it was necessary to split the story up into three parts but it didn't hurt things as I felt the flow was there all the way through. It was pretty fast paced and at some points I was hoping they would just slow down and explain things a little, but I can't say it wasn't exciting as a result! The role of the Gundan was decent and it looked imposing, although the blue mighty text of its speech in an unreadable tongue perhaps happened more times than was completely necessary. I liked the prospect of an enemy that couldn't be defeated and Travis being involved in engineering them worked pretty well. The use of dwarf star alloy coming into play again following on from Omega's wearing of it in Eltralla was good and I'm sure there'll be a connection there in the stories to come. It's an interesting element for sure and the six needles also being made of it was clever stuff. It was the only way to defeat the Gundan and that happened quite emphatically as Faustine stabbed it with them, paused for effect, and then pushed them right into its chest. No armour could stop that! Travis sticking with Faustine despite her species viewing humanity as nothing more than slaves was quite fun and I liked that he was building a connection with her despite her saying she didn't know why she hadn't killed him yet. The ambiguity for his ending was strong although a firm answer would have been welcomed in my opinion. I don't think he was the most amazing character ever but not knowing if he had died or found a life of happiness felt a little off for me! The cliffhanger of Faustine literally being given a hand was good as that was unseen who, and it gets me excited for what's to come next. Overall, a decent comic strip to continue the phase! I'm excited for more. The potential really is endless.

Rating: 7/10

Eltralla

"Your screams will power this ship for weeks!"

Writer: Mark Griffiths

Format: Comic Strip

Released: February 2023

Printed in: Gods & Monsters 1b

Featuring: Omega

Synopsis 

Trapped in his black-hole prison, Omega is surprised to find an unexpected arrival: the Eltralla, a phantom colony ship. For Omega, this is a way out the black hole and a means to escape. For us, it will be the beginning of the end of the universe...

Verdict

Eltralla was a strong comic strip adventure to conclude my reading of the first Gods & Monsters comic book from Cutaway Comics! I like that we had some continuity with the opener of The Heretic although I must say it was a little different from what I was expecting with the significance of the Eltralla! That's not a bad thing though in the slightest. I think it's fair to say that I'm much more interested in Omega as a character and villain than Sutekh and that's probably down to his status as a Time Lord in Gallifreyan history. We're post-The Three Doctors here as Omega is trapped in his universe of anti-matter and exploring the power of his will was very good. It feels almost strange to see him with a face resembling an ordinary man because we know he is far beyond that. He is so much more than a normal man. As he proclaims in the comic strip, he is a god! And of course he would have wings! That was a pretty fun moment but I liked it a lot. What kind of god would have limitations like that? Not a good one that's for sure. I thought Rosia was a strong character and something of a companion for the story, that was until Omega found the ultimate use for her. After saving him and asking for help with her sun in return, he was in a troubled state and needed her sustenance for survival. So that's exactly what he took. The artwork there was harrowingly good as she was essentially diminished and reduced to bones. I must admit that wasn't something I saw coming so it was something impactful that caught me off guard. I would have liked a little more elaboration or explanation on just how one body was enough to sustain Omega in his wretched state. The use of a dwarf star alloy suit to protect himself in the normal universe was good for Omega, but it would take some doing to reach it and keep the ship intact. The prospect of the Eltralla doing just that though and bringing Omega triumphantly back into N-Space is an exciting way to lead us into the next phase. It definitely works as a cliffhanger! I certainly want to purchase the next phase as far as Omega is concerned. He's such a strong character and seeing his world conjured up by his own will was intriguing stuff. Seeing how he saw himself and the Greek god theme was fun to play around with. I can certainly see why Omega would present himself that way with nobody else around to entertain. You had to pass the time somehow! Commander Ghavanak was a decent character as the one out to get Omega but I never felt like he was a threat to Omega. He is so far above so many other characters in the Whoniverse and it's so fun to explore him further in these comic strips because of the lack of limitations. I must say the imagery in the comic was excellent and I loved the colour, although I'm not sure the vibrancy met the feel of the story. Omega is a dark character so that being reflected more in the comics would be welcomed. I thought the epilogue was decent and I like the black and white colour and the feel that brings. It's only a couple of pages but it really does compliment the main story and provides just a bit more mystery to the cliffhanger and potentially linking up a number of gods and monsters. Exciting times! Overall, a decent comic strip for sure. 

Rating: 7/10

The Heretic

"I have been granted permission to save you – but not restore you."

Writer: Ian Winterton

Format: Comic Strip

Released: February 2023

Printed in: Gods & Monsters 1a

Featuring: Sutekh

Synopsis 

Rescued from oblivion, fallen God Sutekh the Destroyer leads an unlikely army of liberation to free a far flung galaxy from the clutches of evil demon Azag. But will the found adoration of billions of freed slaves be his undoing?

Verdict

The Heretic was a good start to the Gods and Monsters series of comic strip adventures from Cutaway Comics! This has been a long time coming in getting to blog this as I was actually incredibly lucky to be given access to the comic strip early with the intention of publishing a review, however a laptop failure and a lengthy process in retrieving the links meant that I had been unable to do so for the longest time. But better late than never! This was an intriguing adventure and it is made even more so by the events of the on screen adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby in having Sutekh make a triumphant return in The Legend of Ruby Sunday before unleashing havoc in Empire of Death. Of course, on screen there isn't much room for manoeuvring between the return there and his debut in Pyramids of Mars, but the likes of Big Finish have used Sutekh before so Cutaway should be no different! They have the blessing of his creator of course, and I've always found the wider media and formats to be akin to historical interpretation. I think they're all valid and just different versions of what could happen. Such as the case with Sutekh here as he was recovering from a mighty defeat and fall, rescued by his sister-wife Nephthys. She was almost the star of the show for me despite not featuring all that much but the prospect of her saving Sutekh showed what kind of power she was able to yield. I was actually a little disappointed by the epilogue and her role there because after an emphatic cliffhanger where it seemed Sutekh was being destroyed by Azag, she made claim to having already defeated him now and her wish as victor was to save her beloved sibling. I thought the dynamic between Sutekh and Azag was very good and I love the idea of pitting would-be gods against one another. Let the claims of false proclamations come! Neither were receptive of the other, but Sutekh did seem a little gullible with how quickly he had conquered the galaxy. He acknowledged this and dove in to the prospect of being in a trap, but carried on regardless. That seemed a little strange for a god, but I guess he was waiting to confront Azag. I liked his reaction to having an entire population completely devoted to him, and playing with the idea of love versus death was very good. It was that love that would surprisingly bring about something of a downfall for Sutekh as with billions devoted to him, Azag would destroy the galaxy and see how Sutekh could survive. I thought that was a good premise and a mighty fine cliffhanger. The little link at the end with the mention of the Eltralla was good given the name of the next comic strip in the book, and it seems the mystery is far from over! I thought the allusion to the Time Lords without actually naming them was excellent and there could be no doubt on who the weapons mentioned were created by. That was actually quite fun and I'm always fascinated by the world of licensing. It's amazing to me that we can get stories for characters like these from the Whoniverse, but I'm absolutely all for it. And the artwork! Well, I must say it was absolutely stunning. The colours were so vibrant and the design of Sutekh as the Destroyer was tremendous. I was so impressed with that and it definitely aided with my enjoyment of the story. With the announcement of Phase 3 coming in this series, I'm tempted to be part of the crowdfunder now given this solid start. Maybe I'll make a decision tomorrow when I complete the book! Maybe just a little bit less of Sutekh proclaiming death because that was overplayed even for him. Overall though, a solid read for sure! 

Rating: 7/10

Impossibly Glorious

"I used to be somebody else."

Writer: Steve Lyons

Format: Audio

Released: February 2016

Series: Vienna 3.03

Featuring: Vienna

Synopsis

Vienne Salvatori used to be somebody else. She used to dream that she had an impossibly glamorous life, and then one day she met someone who made her dreams true.

Now she has a new mission. She wants to help make your dreams a reality, help you become the person you always wanted to be. Even if it kills you.

Verdict

Impossibly Glorious was a decent episode to conclude what has been a solid third series of Vienna! I think it's safe to say that this was my least favourite of the three series so far, but that's not to say that it was bad by any stretch of the imagination as my ratings reflect! I have really enjoyed it but honestly, I think things might actually work better with Vienna as a solo character. I think a little of her silent assassin persona has been lost and that's a big shame because that's how she works best in my book. I loved when her name couldn't be spoken and it seems like her status and almost reputation have been downgraded since the likes of The Memory Box. She's still terrific and it's clear that Chase Masterson is part of the reason behind it because her voice is so enticing. I just want to listen to her so she certainly helps the character. I thought the little time jump at the start of the episode was unexpected and it almost felt like I was coming into the second part of a double episode without having listened to the first. That's perhaps slight exaggeration but it definitely felt like I'd missed something given how Big Society ended with all journeys focused on heading towards London. And here we were on the planet! I thought its replication of the English capital city was quite fun, especially in having an Oyster card system! That was something I wasn't anticipating but little details like that work well and that was the case here. Vienna was completely changed and not the character we have known to love over this spinoff series, but that gave Jexie a chance to take centre stage. I'm not entirely sure she grasped it with both hands, but it was nice to make her a focal point. I wouldn't say she has felt secondary to Vienna this series but she's certainly not the focus. It's almost something like the dynamic Romana had as companion in the TARDIS. She's essentially the equal but it's the Doctor who is most important. I thought the concept behind the titular look of impossibly glamorous was good and Vienna is a fine advert for that tagline. The continuity going back to Self Improvement was very good and I liked that the Good Day formula was actually being retro engineered and turned into the opposite of what it was developed for. The humour within the episode of it being labelled as Bad Day was much welcomed because it felt like self mockery. I do think it's quite lazy to have called it that but at least it was acknowledged within the story and actually a plot point. I liked the mythical status of Kensington Fox in the story and the whole commercial feel of the episode was good stuff. It certainly felt a little unique and I liked how the CD cover art for the story also added to that vibe. The gold is so striking. It's a fine way to capture what went on in the episode. Drew Mulligan was a good character too although I feel like he could have done more considering his status and position. The slow reemergence of Vienna into who she was worked well and I enjoyed the use of memory crystals again. The prospect of not being able to trust your own memories because they might be implanted is not a world I would enjoy living in! Overall, a decent finale to what has been a solid series. I'm looking forward to the next one already! A good listen. 

Rating: 7/10

Big Society

"The walls have ears."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: February 2016

Series: Vienna 3.02

Featuring: Vienna

Synopsis 

Tom McQueen is set to win The Selection and become Chairman Sweet's new business partner. Failure isn't an option. Failure is for the weak. Tom McQueen doesn't even know the mean of the word failure.

But another candidate has entered the process, a candidate by the name of Vienna Salvatori. Tom McQueen will soon learn the meeting of another word: fear!

Verdict

Big Society was a good episode to continue my way through the third series of Vienna! I am a big fan of the story arc going through the series and this followed on the opener of Self Improvement very nicely. Both Vienna and Jexie were on the case to find Jonah Hall, but I think it's safe to say that this character was completely unlike what anyone was expecting! I thought the arrival at the scene of the Selection was good and following Tom McQueen was fascinating. He was a very interesting character who had some quite unique thoughts on the world of business and failure. He didn't take failure as anything other than abhorrent and that was quite the basis for a character. He was hardly a likeable character so his plight of not getting the recognition he claimed to be deserving of for winning the Selection wasn't exactly sparking feelings of sorrow. It almost seemed fitting for a character of his like. I thought Chairman Sweet was an intriguing character and I really liked his raspy voice. The fact he was older made him instantly more unlikeable because it seemed like his days of caring and showing compassion were long gone. He was only out for himself and that makes for a strong villain. I thought the reputation of Jonah Hall was interesting and I liked how he remembered having Doctor Ludovic Glospan inside him. Yes that's right, because Jonah Hall was literally a hall. A sentient building with artificial intelligence. I didn't see that coming so I appreciated the unique nature of it, but I must admit by the end of the episode I had grown a little tired of it. It got boring quite quickly which was a shame as I just couldn't maintain interest in talking buildings. I know Jonah actually took offence within the episode to being labelled by Sweet as 'just' a building, but that's entirely how I saw him! I did think it was fun for Vienna and Jexie to get involved though and the entire concept behind the filmed footage for the television show was good. If Jexie was annoyed at them not getting a payment at the end of the last episode, Vienna ensured that their likeness was well compensated for here! Sweet couldn't believe that but that's what he got for putting monetary matters in the hands of his lawyers. Even though he hadn't used the footage for airing, Vienna had been filmed and that was enough for her to get a payout. The lawyers didn't want to risk a future lawsuit. I thought Tom being used by Sweet was good if not entirely expected and his reaction to hearing how he was actually deemed an underperforming employee was pretty amusing! He didn't take kindly to that and the Selection. It all felt like a warped version of The Apprentice which I think was actually the aim, although I definitely would have been more interested in the television show of The Real Housewives of Drahva! Imagine the Drahvins being filmed like that. Especially with their thoughts on men! That would be terrific. I thought Sweet's intentions with the Good Day formula made him a strong villain as he was selfish and quite dastardly with his scheme in the water supply. I thought the way things came about for his downfall were good and I like the mystery heading into the finale. A planet called London beckons, and Jexie isn't excited. Overall, a decent episode for sure! 

Rating: 7/10

Self Improvement

"Good Day was all in his head."

Writer: Ian Potter

Format: Audio

Released: February 2016

Series: Vienna 3.01

Featuring: Vienna

Synopsis

Doctor Ludovic Glospan has a secret. He has made a scientific discovery that could change the galaxy forever, which is why he wants to keep it out of the wrong hands.

Vienna Salvatori and Jexie Reagan have been hired to keep Glospan's secret safe. On a good day that will be an easy job, but this is anything but a good day.

Verdict

Self Improvement was a great start to the third series of Vienna! I thought this was a really strong opener and almost something of a jumping on point for those listeners that might not be familiar with the character or hadn't listened to the opening two series. Sure, there's the continuity of having Jexie join Vienna in something akin to a companion role, but I wouldn't say there was any prior listening required when listening to this story which was good and it certainly felt fresh. I really love the vibe of the Vienna series as the setting of space and the future is exciting and just has a feel of Blade Runner about it which is a huge compliment. It's also very different to other adventures in the Whoniverse and whilst there is nothing explicit or expletive, this feels a little more adult oriented. I think that's just the nature of Vienna as a hired assassin. I like how she and Jexie were out for a pay day from the missions popping up on the crystals, but Vienna's comment at the end about virtue being a good form of payment had me quite surprised. She has certainly mellowed out since the start of this spinoff range for sure! I thought the plot in this one was fascinating and the way Vienna and Jexie were tested for their security qualifications was excellent! Attempting to kill them and seeing if they survive is certainly one way to go about it! I loved it though. They dealt with the robots and got to the main event of Doctor Ludovic Glospan who was quite impressed to actually meet some of those taking on the assignment. Obviously, not many showcased they had the desired qualifications. I thought he was a fantastic character and his relationship with Constanza was a little freak and weird at times. It worked though and their dynamic was a great listen. She had given herself – literally – a long time ago to him and hearing the whole replication element was intriguing stuff. The euthanasia line was a little chilling but those replicated had given themselves to that willingly. They believed they were killed humanely and knew there were other versions of them to go on. That's a little strange, but I liked how freaky it was. It made for entertaining listening that's for sure! I thought the dynamic between Vienna and Jexie was good and the latter definitely a little less experienced which is the case but she was eager to get involved. I thought it was fun how she was genuinely a little annoyed not to get the money at the end. The whole appointment being them to protect the formula for the Good Day was interesting and it was quite something for Constanza to be the universal test subject. Surely you had to test things on more than one person, no matter how many versions there are? I liked that the formula was in Glospan's head rather than written down anywhere, so I was shocked when he died somewhat early on in the episode. It just didn't make sense to me, so it wasn't a huge surprise when he came back and found that there were multiple replicated versions of himself. I thought it was brilliant for him to have come up with the formula thanks to numerous alternates he had already replicated thus saving the issue of it being replicated once it was complete. I like how there seems to once again be a story arc going through this series as the way things ended sent us into the next episode and to someone called Jonah Hall who I do see as a character in the cast list for the series which is promising. I love when things tie together so I'm excited to hear his connection to this episode's events. Overall though, a really fun and strong start to the series! I was a big fan of the idea. I could certainly do with waking up thinking I was at my best every day!

Rating: 8/10

Dark Planet

"There doesn't seem to be any moon in the sky outside."

Writer: Davey Moore

Format: Novel

Released: October 2007

Series: Decide Your Destiny 07

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

Earth is divided. The Upsiders live in luxury while the Downsiders scavenge in the dark world below. Can you help the Doctor and Martha bring the two conflicting sides back together?

Verdict

Dark Planet was a great little read to continue my roundabout way through the Decide Your Destiny set of books from the Tenth Doctor era! I think this was definitely one of the better ones in the collection that I have blogged thus far and whilst I'm usually a little trepidatious prior to reading this kind of book because of the format and my awareness at not exactly being the prime target audience, this one took me by surprise in a very pleasant way! Despite my annoyance at these books utilising the reader as a character, I didn't think it hindered things this time around. The story also felt more fleshed out than others in the series and I think that could literally be felt in how many pages the book was. It didn't seem to take too much longer to get through than the others in the series, but the content on each page definitely seemed considerably more and that allowed for a more detailed story. The plot itself was fascinating and I really enjoyed the idea of a divided Earth. I am unsure if it was my chosen route or if it was just the nature of the story in being a little shorter, but I think a little more fleshing out on the Upsiders and Downsiders would have been good. What we did get was still decent and really good but I do think the concept could have been even better in a story that was able to develop more like a full novel. I definitely think the plot was there and it was cool to get to play a part. I think the writing for this one was quite clever in that the reader was never all that involved. Sure, we had to choose a random colour in the TARDIS at the start but then it felt more like we were influencing the story rather than being part of what was influenced. I have been quite critical of the role of the reader in these kinds of books, but I didn't feel like I was in the way almost here. That was a big positive. I thought it was definitely beneficial to also have Martha featured as having the companion meant that the Doctor was not always addressing the reader. He had someone else to bounce off of and that definitely helped the story in my view. Considering the title of the book, a little more playing on the fact the planet had gone dark would have been good considering it was only the Downsiders living in such a way, but the mixture of peoples meant that Earth had gone quite a way awry! I don't remember it being specified just when in Earth's future history this story took place, but I would love to explore further just how the planet came to be divided as such. The prospect of a singular child playing such an important role in events was intriguing but it worked well actually to find that there was just one who contained both an Upsider and a Downsider. An official and a rebel had a child and that youngster would play a crucial role in events as the blueprint for all of humanity. Staying separated as two separate peoples would spell disaster for both, but from this one child the race could rebuild again. The Doctor seemed to leave things to take their natural course here which was fine, although we didn't really deal with the threat from the start of the story in having the reader whisked away in the TARDIS because of what was happening back home. I do like the intention for younger readers to finish and think they're now a companion for who knows how long, but I can't help but feel like I was left hanging. And yet, that left me with a feeling of wanting more which isn't always the case with the Decide Your Destiny books! Overall, a really enjoyable and positive read! 

Rating: 8/10

Children of Earth: Day Five

"They're going to come and take your kids."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 10 July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.05

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen

Synopsis

Torchwood is defenceless and Gwen Cooper stands alone as the final sanction begins: as violence erupts and the world descends into anarchy, an ordinary council estate becomes a battleground, where the future of the human race will be decided.

Verdict

Day Five was a shocking conclusion to the Children of Earth third series of Torchwood. Has there ever been a more powerful resolution to an alien/monster threat in the Whoniverse? I'm really not sure. The final moments of this episode were something I was dreading since starting the series again alongside my partner Gemma because of the use of Steven in defeating the 456. It's incredibly sad and powerful and I thought it was going to be even worse this time around as I watch the series for the first time as a father. It definitely brings a different perspective but thankfully the torment that Steven suffers wasn't actually as long as I remembered it being. That didn't make it any easier though and I found myself looking away from the screen as the shots cut to him and his violent shaking and bloody nose. It's horrifying. I can't imagine Jack being in that position and having to make the decision, but choosing your grandson to die so millions of children can survive makes logical sense on paper. It doesn't make it any easier to forgive him and that's something Gemma thought very strongly about next to me on the sofa! Her opinion on Captain Jack has altered in a big way and she has said she pretty much hates him now. She used to love him but after watching this finale she is no longer a fan! She has also said she has no desire to watch the fourth series, but give her time and I'll win her around that's for sure. She needs to complete the set! She did say she gave the overall series as a 7/10 which I think is pretty respectable considering her stance towards Torchwood before we kicked off with Day One. The episode has a lot riding on it and the story of John Frobisher in particular is a harrowing one. His reaction to being told by the Prime Minister that he has been chosen to publicise the inoculations was superbly done by Peter Capaldi as he realised that it wouldn't just be pretend. His daughters would be taken to a rendezvous point like all of the others who drew the short straw. That wasn't something he would see happen, and his Requisition 31 request was terrible when his intentions were revealed. After finally getting home to his family, he carefully ordered them upstairs and shot them before shooting himself. Truly dreadful stuff. Gemma found it absurd but her reaction when she saw the gun behind his back and realised what he was doing was one truly of shock. That was fun to see but she couldn't understand why he didn't just take them into hiding. They only had to wait for twenty-four hours and the Government would have rounded up enough to send the 456 packing. The intentions of the 456 being revealed were sensational as they basically wanted the children to get high off them. The reactions of UNIT to that were fantastic. It was sheer disgust. I thought the recording of Gwen was really good and I like that with something so terrible happening we get a little mention of the Doctor and why he isn't always around. I think that's important to establish and it makes sense to include. The way the 456 are defeated by using the recording of how they killed Clem was excellent and it works logically, but the image of those children emitting the scream for the wavelength is just difficult to watch knowing what Steven is going through. Gwen meeting up with Jack six months later feels like something of an end for Torchwood and I can't remember if that was the intention, but we know there's more to come. I'm not sure when we'll get to Miracle Day but when we do I can't wait to rewatch as it has been quite a while! Overall though, an excruciatingly powerful and brilliant finale.

Rating: 10/10

Children of Earth: Day Four

"You are in every nightmare I've ever had."

Writer: John Fay

Format: TV

Broadcast: 09 July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.04

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis

Torchwood finally learns the truth about the events of 1965; Britain is in danger of becoming a rogue state and everything pivots around John Frobisher, the Ambassador of the 456 destroys its old allegiances and reveals its true intent. 

Verdict

Day Four was an outstanding piece of television to continue our way through the Children of Earth third series of Torchwood! This episode is just sensational from start to finish. So much happens and it's quite the day that is for sure! There's only one place to start and that is at the end. This is obviously hugely significant for the death of Ianto which comes chronologically so soon after the deaths of two other team members in the form of Tosh and Owen in Exit Wounds just four episodes prior. The Torchwood team has been well and truly decimated! It's such an impactful death and I was taken back fifteen years when watching to how I felt on broadcast. I was obviously anticipating it this time around so I was waiting to see how my partner would react, but she has kind of already had it spoiled that Ianto would perish. She just didn't know when. My recent visit to Ianto's shrine probably didn't help with her avoiding information on the series! I thought the politics in the episode was nothing short of extraordinary as we genuinely see the pros and cons debated on what would happen for the children requested by the 456. Even offering up 6,700 'units' was abhorrent, but it was flatly rejected. The 456 really came into their own here and after cowering in the shadows for much of the series so far, this was where they showcased that they meant business. The release of the virus was shocking stuff and the personnel within Thames House were swiftly killed in emotional scenes. That was obviously not felt anywhere more than with Ianto, but it was a fine example of how they reacted when being threatened. Torchwood took over in sensational style but it soon backfired. I thought Nicholas Briggs getting an extended role in the story as politician Yates was magnificent and there's no way that surname was an accident! I think the debate on choosing the children was a disgrace and it's scary to think just how likely something like that would happen behind closed doors. I'll give it to them, the cover story that they came up with was superb and definitely something I think would be feasibly believed by the majority of the population. The scenes dating back to 1965 were excellent too and I was surprised that Jack was so callous and calm about handing over the twelve orphans to the 456. Rhys was clearly shocked by Jack's past here and what he'd done, but unfortunately he didn't get to do too much else in the story. Although he did get to take away the recordings on the laptop of the political negotiations. The way it was built into having that revealed was outstanding and I adored Lois Habiba's step up in the middle of the Cabinet meeting. She had a standout moment here and it's a shame she never gets to take up a role in Torchwood full time. She really steps up. The reaction of Green in particular when she says Torchwood to being asked about her and who's army was magnificent. Things ramp up massively and the way the 456 also disconnect Clem as the remnant is powerful stuff. It's such an impactful death, but on the sofa opposite me Gemma was actually quite pleased as she wasn't a fan of his! Ianto finding out about Jack's family being taken hostage was good and I must say I agreed with Gemma in wanting Jack to give Ianto more as he was on his deathbed. The life of an immortal, eh? It's an incredible ending as the 456 demonstrate their threat, Ianto perishes, and the plan to give up 35 million children begins. A staggering cliffhanger and lead into the finale! A simply magnificent episode. 

Rating: 10/10