The Meddling Monks: Monky Nuts

"We're the two Monks, not the three bears!"

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: May 2026

Series: Dark Gallifrey 5.02a

Featuring: The Monk, The Nun

Synopsis

It's time to host the neighbours for an evening soiree. But is the Monk's fish dish a winner or will their guests prefer the Nun's baby chicken? There's only one way to find out and soon culinary battle has commenced. What could possibly go wrong?

Verdict

Monky Nuts was a very fun start to the second part of The Meddling Monks as the fifth series/story of Dark Gallifrey continues! I definitely think nuts was the correct way to describe this instalment because it was just barmy. The dynamic between the Monk and the Nun is just marvellous and the chemistry between Rufus Hound and Gemma Whelan really is a delight to behold. The comedic timing is wonderful and I just loved the interaction and pace of conversation between the pair. This was certainly the most reminiscent of a sitcom and the timing at twenty-four minutes really did give that kind of experience. We're currently on season sixteen of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia so my sitcom vibes are definitely on point. I thought the tone for the episode was set right away with a quite incredible Big Finish indent. That's usually something to skip past or just not really listen to but here it was absolutely extraordinary! I'm loving the flirtation this series is having with the fourth wall and it's gone through it, rebuilt it and then shattered it all over again before the story here even starts! There were the natural references back to Monky House and Monky Business to set the stage for where things are for the Monk and the Nun, and the return of John who apparently wasn't the same man they had met when battling to buy the house was intriguing. There is now a semblance of something bigger at play which I'm delighted by because this can only remain a sitcom for so long. It does need to get somewhat serious and explain just why the Monk and the Nun are trapped together in what appears to be an audio play. I thought the dark intonations at the end of the story when the Monk felt an urge to laugh or be funny was really good as for the first time I feel we have had a hint of the Monk realising not everything is natural or as it seems. The narrator (is that the right term?) who was concluding the story and announcing the end credits mentioning how that definitely isn't anything to consider or be thinking about is fun stuff and obviously we know that's far from the truth. I thought the discussions in the episode between the Monk and the Nun were fun as they weren't exactly sure which was the later incarnation. The general consensus being that the Nun comes second seems to make sense, but it's fun to ponder on whether that actually is the case. You'd think they would know between them though! It was also good for the Nun to call out to the Monk when he'd say things like 'If I were you' that he actually was! It's so easy to forget about that at times with the gender change, but it's good fun. The whole event of a soiree and them having the neighbours around was as whacky as it sounds and them just agreeing to order a takeaway in and claim they had cooked it was delightful. I thought them also acknowledging the narrative convenience of them having money again after the whole house business was great stuff. It's good fun to essentially mock the writing. But I really enjoyed the dark vibe that came from the final ninety seconds or so of the episode to set things up moving forward! I'm enjoying the vibe and the direction, and I can't wait to find out how this links to Dark Gallifrey itself. A great little episode to continue the series! 

Rating: 8/10

House

"They're just kids!"

Writer: Jeremy Daw

Format: Short Story

Released: December 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Steel Skies 08

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

There are many places that most of us can never see: places that are sheltered, locked away, cordoned off from the outside world. But to the Doctor, and those who travel with him in his TARDIS, there is no such thing as a locked door. Anywhere in space and time is open to them to visit – even if sometimes it might be better to leave such places well alone.

Steel Skies is a collection of stories based in enclosed and artificial environments: places constructed to keep the dangers of the universe outside, perhaps, or to keep their inhabitants locked in. It is divided into four sections, each exploring a different kind of confinement:

Section One, Flight, comprises four tales of travellers who left their homes for far-away destinations – to explore, to start a new life, or to fight for the survival of their species.

Section Two, Frontiers, explores the corridors, living quarters and ventilation shafts of four futuristic environments – designed to shelter men, women and children from harsh natural forces, or from the threat of nuclear war.

Section Three, Incarceration, tells four stories of punishment and imprisonment, from San Francisco's infamous Alcatraz, to the cage of a flightless angel in the dilapidated ruins of Heaven. 

Section Four, Isolation, deals with the loneliness and despair of being cut off from the world outside, by physical or mental incapacity, by the ravages of war, or caught between destinations aboard the TARDIS itself. 

A recurring theme in all four sections is the effect of the Doctor's arrival in these enclosed environments – sometimes positive, sometimes less so.

Verdict

House was an excellent story to continue my way through the Steel Skies edition of Short Trips! This was definitely best of the set so far as I reach the halfway point now and I was really intrigued from the off about what was happening in this adventure. It definitely did feel like it met the ongoing theme of this quarter of the book in the form of Frontiers which is obviously great. It’s obviously different for myself now reading over two decades after the story was released, but I kind of think that this story was a bit of a mashup between Space Babies and The Doctor’s Wife which on paper sounds like a funky little combination indeed! If you have read this adventure though then it’ll make sense to you with the characters that were children but physically were very much not anymore. And then they were being maintained by House who turned out to be a slightly deranged artificial intelligeiqnce. Sound familiar? It was definitely more of a feeling of derangement than intent to do wrong though and that was an intriguing little dynamic. The relationship between the Doctor and Peri here was fascinating too as the companion was questioning her status as a companion. It seems that we were in events close after The Twin Dilemma with Peri still clearly reeling from his regeneration. I’m quite surprised that she was wanting to leave at this point but it was nice for her to come around to him by the end of the story. Their experience here was pretty staggering as we caught up with the inhabitants of the titular House. Peri recognising right away that the occupants were children despite clearly not being so physically was fascinating. That’s a really strong concept and I just found myself feeling sorry for the likes of Jennifer and Roger and the others. It was immediately an air of mystery too by the fact that there should have been five of them. That seemed to be something that was forcibly forgotten by the occupants of House but little hints like an extra beanbag were telling them that things weren’t quite right. Peri picked up on it immediately and I really liked how she was sympathetic towards the situation whereas the Doctor was slightly less so. That was in line with the early personality of the sixth incarnation but surely some compassion would have been warranted? That did come later on after things had concluded with Peri in her room and feeling pretty down about the fact that they just left the occupants behind. Sure, it was technically their choice and the Doctor didn’t stop to question them on that or to explain fully why they might not want to stay. Peri couldn’t believe he let them make that choice so quickly with them clearly not in a clear mental state and I must say I agreed with her. It was difficult for her to understand the pull of home though and the Doctor touching on that was poignant. Peri realised the Doctor was missing home too and it was nice that he confided in her about the significance of what was now her room. It was initially his granddaughter Susan’s before it became home to the likes of Polly, Victoria and Nyssa to name a few. Esteemed company indeed! I thought that was really nice of the Doctor in that moment. It was still surprising though that he didn’t try and reason with House considering the people that were still in its care and the gruesome nature of the deaths and bloody scene of a few of them! Overall though, a very powerful read. A superb little short story. 

Rating: 9/10

Thirst Trap

"I've got a date!"

Writer: Tom Price

Format: Audio

Released: March 2023

Series: Torchwood Monthly 72

Featuring: Andy, Rhys

Synopsis

You have 20 minutes to find your perfect mate. Then you may never see them again. Now or Never has launched in Cardiff and something's clearly very wrong with the app. 

Not only is everyone going on dates, but everyone's on the same date. The same meals. The same hobbies. The same small talk. 

Andy Davidson would be investigating. But he's got a date.

Verdict

Thirst Trap was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly range at Big Finish! The name of this one intrigued me right from the off as thirsty is certainly a word I would use to describe the younger generation of our population at the moment. It feels rife in Cardiff so it's the perfect place for this kind of story. Apps are obviously a huge part of our everyday life and there really is an app for almost anything as part of daily life. Dating apps are everywhere and thankfully I'm in a very happy relationship of over nine years now so I can't imagine being on one, but I see them advertised everywhere and I know several people who use them. The concept behind Now or Never was intriguing in that the couple on the date only had twenty minutes to fall in love. That is really interesting, although I think that really limits the number of locations you can go! Especially for food. It's basically Wetherspoons or bust. Maybe a Nando's if it's quiet. Andy going on a date with Anna was good and it was nice to think that he was potentially finding someone he could be with. It was rather sad for him to describe hating the silence at home where he was alone and the description of him having multiple chins felt a little on the nose when he declined the chicken wings to go with his pizza order, but then I realised afterwards that Tom Price himself was the writer! Suddenly that kind of description felt okay and was a lot more humorous. I thought the combination of Andy and Rhys was terrific and the guilt that came from the latter about being on the app and subsequently on a date with Becky was marvellous. But then there was something a little darker at play as he feared that Gwen would be leaving him. Surely they're inseparable! The sequence where they're both in the shop together buying new clothes was honestly incredible and just sublime humour. Leather! Loafers! Things Andy and Rhys definitely didn't need to try and impress their dates. The performances of both Price and Kai Owen were sensational and there's just no way they managed that in one take. It was brilliant to hear them tackle the horny harmonics. What a line. The concept behind the Now or Never app and the agreement the user put in place when signing up was perhaps a tad far fetched and I doubt would be legal under Welsh legislation, although supposedly getting a grant from the Senedd surprised me! Speculation on Andy's behalf there, surely? Sunil was a pretty humorous character too within the police force and him being heavily involved in the Now or Never app wasn't actually expected to considering he was partaking! The way the app got into your head quite literally with the right use of the antennas in your phone to create a sense of love was really good and I liked the use of modern technology. There's so much potential for wrongdoing with what's available nowadays and this worked well. I thought Andy finding the resolution within the app itself and using terms and conditions against him and the entire shell sham that was the company was terrific. All of the phones went on a first date for more than twenty minutes and that was against the terms, therefore all of the phones' data was erased and with it the entire customer base of Now or Never. I thought that was a neat conclusion to what was a very fun, modern and intriguing story! Overall, a fantastic listen. 

Rating: 9/10

Aegis

"It's like comic-con for war!"

Writer: Noga Flaishon

Format: Audio

Released: May 2026

Series: Thirteenth Doctor Adventures 1.06

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz

Synopsis

The Doctor and Yaz must infiltrate the Aegis Protectorate interplanetary defence expo in search of someone who has been dogging their travels. 

As the Doctor digs into the company's main export – the sinister Trojan Program, Yaz faces a battle of her own. Will they finally uncover the truth about the Tourist?

Verdict

Aegis was a decent episode to continue my way through the Thirteenth Doctor Adventures! I'm really enjoying the bimonthly release schedule with this series alternating with the equally brilliant Ninth Doctor Adventures and it feels pretty impressive and quick to have already reached the halfway point! With that comes what was built and promised as something of a mid-season finale which I think actually contributes to this being a slightly lower rating than much of the series so far. The preview in Doctor Who Magazine built up the reveal of the Tourist and the promotion has also followed a similar vain, but I don't think it quite lived up to that excitement. Maybe my expectations were too high and I am wrong to right this blog entry so soon after listening to the episode? Might I feel different after I've slept on it? Who knows. And as my rating shows, this was still good stuff and I thoroughly enjoyed the fifty-three minutes, I just wish there was something more familiar as the reveal of what is now a year-long story arc. There's still half of the series to go and judging by how things concluded here I'll be very surprised if this is the last we hear of Athena. She wasn't a likeable character and that's absolutely the appeal of her as a villain, but I almost feel like that part of her character was overshadowed by my anticipation for the Tourist reveal. I get she plays a huge part in that but the idea of her being a trans-temporal being just didn't capture me all that much I'm afraid. It's just personal preference. I thought the Mindscape scenes were intriguing but felt a little random with Yaz basically being held hostage in her own body. That's a strong concept that I think should have been the entire focus and really honed in on the Tourist. The TROJANS were another intriguing element in the story and I liked the way they were utilised in a story that was all about war. That's obviously something very close to the Doctor's hearts because of everything she went through and still lives with today. I thought Jodie Whittaker was wonderful yet again and I just love the energy and ebullience she brings to the role. She really is one of my all time favourite Doctors and I love filling the gaps for her era on screen here with an extended series where she's travelling with just Yaz. It makes perfect sense. They're a great couple together and it was clear that Yaz wasn't her normal self almost immediately and I'm glad the Doctor recognised that. The continuity with Ride or Die and having Prospero return was a nice touch and I liked how he had upgraded his appearance! No longer just a brain in a jar although that's a figure waiting to happen. The concept behind Aegis was pretty good and I do like the concept of a Protectorate but it didn't feel all that important to me. It was all about the Tourist and utilising Aegis to find a pattern of all those places the Tourist needed help and touched the Doctor and Yaz was nicely done. This still doesn't feel like the end for the Trojan Program but hearing Athena react to the Doctor putting a stop to her rather emphatically at the end was appetising. It was a lovely moment at the end too for the Tourist to be in the TARDIS and just momentarily get to live the dream of being the Doctor's companion. I thought that was pretty special and I'm sure a lot of fans could relate. What that must be like! Overall, a decent concept but perhaps too overhyped? Still, a good listen and I'm so excited for another half of the series to come. 

Rating: 7/10

The Last Love Song of Suzie Costello

"It's not your failure to fix."

Writer: Rafaella Marcus

Format: Audio

Released: February 2023

Series: Torchwood Monthly 71

Featuring: Suzie

Synopsis

An island has appeared in the North Atlantic Ocean. Suzie Costello comes to investigate and finds a crashed spaceship on the seabed. Inside the spaceship is a mystery. And also something Suzie has never dreamed of...

Verdict

The Last Love Song of Suzie Costello was another very strong episode to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly range! I have really enjoyed the opportunity that this spinoff range has provided for the character of Suzie Costella as thanks to it we have learned so much about her. She is very much a firm part of the Torchwood team in the series debut of Everything Changes but there's a big shock when she shoots Jack in the head and turns! That is still such an impactful moment but it's great here to explore her time when she was just a strong member of the team. There are still elements of that darker side to her character but that might just be her stubborn personality which came across well here which is quite ironic given this quickly became a story all about love. I thought the concept of the Orion was really intriguing and the image of Suzie descending below the sea just off the coast of Iceland as a new island was revealed was wonderful. The idea of gazing upon something untouched by civilisation is incredibly exciting and I find it interesting that she was doing this off the clock. She wanted to impress Jack and the rest of the team but she got a little more than she bargained for by the end! Anwir was a very strange character and I think that was very much part of the appeal. He had an atmosphere of eeriness associated with him right from the start and that worked very well in my opinion. The relationship that he built with Suzie wasn't actually something I was anticipating but it was actually quite nice for her lighter side to come out. I don't think we've heard enough of that so that was a welcomed change in dynamic for her character. It was clear that she was falling for him and things literally getting quite dreamy for her was excellent. It just made the moment she realised he wasn't all he seemed all the more heartbreaking and impactful as the listener. I thought the moment Suzie was playing around with Anwir and seemingly genuinely debating whether she would let him back in after he had a tear in the suit and was mere seconds away from death was terrific. I was convinced she was just going to leave him outside! And I bet she was wishing she had by the end. Anwir's claim of being from the 32nd century was good and I liked how that didn't phase Suzie one bit. Why should it after all she's been through? I thought Anwir describing the Ridge in the sea was good and it was great for Suzie to basically say they had one too in Cardiff with the Rift. A nice little play on words with the similar nature of the pair. I was quite surprised that Suzie was genuinely considering going with Anwir back to the 32nd century once they sorted things out on the Orion, but I'd be more inclined to just see the future! Imagine how different things will be a millennium from now? Of course, it was actually Orion itself that was trying to return there and Anwir being made from her own brainwaves is a funky concept that basically destroyed her emotionally. I could understand why! The image of humans in incubators was something that could have perhaps been lingered on a little more to really sell the effect. I liked the explosive nature of her utilising the self destruct and returning to shore with the suit, but the emotional toll these events had on her were clear. An early indicator of why she fell so far off the rails once Gwen arrived? Overall, a powerful and really strong episode. 

Rating: 8/10

Circle of Memory

"You're listening to voices from the past."

Writer: Bob Ayres

Format: Audio

Released: May 2026

Series: BBC Audio 33

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

Hello, I'm the Doctor... Doctor someone... can't remember who at the moment. Hoping it will come back to me.

On a planet with twin suns, three people wake in the shadow of a crashed spaceship. They don't know who they are or where they are. All they have to go on is a photograph of themselves marked 'Amy and her boys: Rory and the Doctor'. It's obvious who Amy is – but which of them is the Doctor?

A voice recorder in one of their pockets reveals how the TARDIS materialised some days earlier in the centre of a stone circle and the travellers met blue-skinned Sunaya, apparent sole survivor of the crashed ship.

Yet Sunaya isn't who she claims to be, and she is also far from alone. She and her children have been waiting to feed on the memories and identities of the living. 

And as their own memories fade, the Doctor, Amy and Rory are in danger of being left behind for ever...

Verdict

Circle of Memory was a great story to serve as the latest release from BBC Audio! These audio originals are always welcomed and they almost feel like a version of the Past Doctor Adventures novels as it was lovely to dip back into the era of the Eleventh Doctor, Rory and Amy. They're a wonderful trio and I think their dynamic in Seres 5 is really intriguing because Amy and Rory are obviously due to be married, but there's definitely a romantic connection between the Doctor and Amy. Awkward. I thought the way that was addressed here was fun as it's clear events are still not too far removed from The Vampires of Venice as things remain new for our resident nurse. I think that's a good place to position a story, but I'm not sure it was right to be this kind of adventure. In fact, other than a little bit of humour at the start about who was Amy's fiancé out of the Doctor and Rory, I would have done this story with almost any other TARDIS trio. I just think the vibe and the whole playing with memory and reality thing feels awfully similar to what happened in Amy's Choice. And with this being early in Rory's travels it just has a feeling of sameness and I'm not sure continuity will allow for it to fit here. I liked the mystery format of the episode and having the Doctor, Amy and Rory not able to remember who they were was a fun dynamic. The Doctor being chuffed at them apparently working out that it was him that always got the date with Amy was amusing as I ca just picture that smug and cheesy look of the Eleventh Doctor. The Standing Stones were a really interesting concept and it was definitely one that I enjoyed. They reminded me of Stonehenge a little in terms of their significance but here on the twin-sunned planet they were literally storing and recording memories. I love that idea and playing around with memory in general has a lot of potential. So to have the Doctor also suffering from the loss is good and shows that things are pretty darn serious. Sunaya was a strong character and Rory being encouraged to work out what was happening with her was terrific. It felt like a strong episode for him in terms of recognition and establishing himself as more than just Amy's fiancé. Sunaya being the one to sent the distress signal from the ship crash was fun because it wasn't exactly the form of Sunaya we were expecting! I think the description of memories capturing time is rather beautiful and listening/blogging to this episode whilst on a family holiday really hit home for me as I'm making countless of them that I can't wait to look back on in many years to come. The Doctor using the sonic screwdriver because it was instinctual to do so was good fun and I thought Dan Starkey did a solid effort in bringing  this incarnation and his companions to life with his impressions. Sure, they needed work but the effort and of the accent was impressive. The whole concept of telepathic abilities being used carnivorously was honestly incredible and I aways appreciate something unique! The Standing Stones actually being on hand as the local population's answer to a backup was really clever. I thought that worked nicely and the whole recording format of the episode was strong. Some tele-recordings though! Sunaya actually being an imposter was a strong revelation and I liked how she was trying to claim her innocence almost in revealing that everything they were doing was for their children. It was a refreshing change that they were genuinely doing what was best for their race. The TARDIS pre-empting events by landing in the stones and having them shortly wake up was brilliant. A backup was made immediately! The Doctor's blue clone almost becoming too much like the Doctor because of his memories was fun as it provided the means for a resolution regarding the children. Using the TARDIS, it could feed them the memory of the old planet that would see them right for some times with the power there! Overall, a terrific little audio adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Aftercare

"A return that would never happen."

Writer: Barnaby Edwards

Format: Short Trips

Released: October 2025

Printed in: The Adventures After 07

Featuring: Brian

Synopsis

Discover what happened after...

A remarkable collection of new Doctor Who short stories that give a glimpse into the moments just after the Doctor saves the world, and the credits roll.

The Doctor has had many adventures, visited many planets and made a whole host of friends (and some enemies). 

But if you thought it was all over after the TARDIS doors closed, and the time ship dematerialised, onto the next adventure, you'd be very much mistaken.

From Earth's past, present and future, to the furthest reaches of the universe, here are eight tales that give us a glimpse into the worlds the Doctor left behind. Sometimes triumph, sometimes tragedy (and always chaos) these are stories you'll never forget.

Verdict

Aftercare was another strong short story to continue my way through The Adventures After collection! Doing a sequel to The Angels Take Manhattan is a really solid choice because so much happened in that era that would actually then wrap up a large chunk of the Eleventh Doctor era. I wouldn't actually though consider this adventure as a typical sequel or even anything of the kind really. It just followed on directly and dealt with the aftermath in a really powerful and emotional way. Brian was played for laughs on screen in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and The Power of Three as Rory's dad, but we did get a little hint of his love for his son and daughter-in-law and that's what made things here a little difficult to read at times. We all know the fate that befell Amy and Rory as the latter was zapped back in time by a Weeping Angel and the former voluntarily gave up her future years to be with him for the rest of her days. The temporal nature of trying to land in New York in the late-1930s was presented well and I liked how UNIT were very much in the know. Except, Brian was saying the same thing I've been thinking since 2012 about just going back in time to around the time that Amy and Rory were sent to but just going somewhere close to New York. Brian's suggestions of Boston or Toronto seem completely feasible and whilst I'm glad they were acknowledged because they're so glaring, it still baffles me that just one city's temporal difficulties would stop the Doctor saving two of his all time best friends. I do think the story does a good job in making an effort to provide an explanation at the end of why that didn't happen with Brian's space-time telegraph to the Doctor. He basically asked him not to because he had now heard all about their life together and he'd met his grandson Anthony too! The idea of him potentially being the only great-great-grandfather alive was a fun thought because that is some serious longevity and generational experience, but the use of the handwriting of Rory's in the book proving the credentials was a nice touch. Brian recognised the writing of his son immediately and knew all about life with the Doctor. Hell, he was now feeling guilty for pushing Amy and Rory to go with him again and now it had got them dead. Except they weren't quite dead in the traditional sense but as if grief wasn't enough, learning that you have a whole new entire family must be difficult too. It would rock your world and certainly knock you for six! I could understand completely why Brian was so emotional throughout the story and just wanted the Doctor to come and fix it. If only everything was that simple! Brian being aided by UNIT with their aftercare division was lovely and I am a big fan of the concept because it's definitely needed with everyone he has travelled with by this point! It would be a pretty sombre affair as Brian eventually did come good with Anthony even after initially claiming he might be a vampire that fed on grief! I thought the format of going through the steps of grief and coping with them was good and it meant an exiting flow for a short story whilst maintaining proper gaps which I'm a big fan of in these kinds of stories. 

Rating: 8/10

Hostile Universe: Deadstar

"We have spent eternity inside a dying fire."

Writers: Joshua Pruett & Jonathan S Powell

Format: Audio

Released: April 2026

Series: UNIT: Eras 1.04

Featuring: Mel, Kate

Synopsis

2023. The Toymaker has been vanquished and UNIT stands tall. 

But when a cutting-edge telescope is brought online, the UNIT skyscraper is plunged into lockdown. Besieged by an impossible foe, Melanie Brush and new recruit Dr Isla Ellis need all their wits to survive. Because the stars have woken up, and something is very wrong with the Vlinx. 

Verdict

Deadstar was another great episode to conclude the Hostile Universe first series of UNIT: Eras! I was very excited to see such a quick delve into the current era of Doctor Who (sort of, I mean the current status of the show on television is a bit messed up as we know Billie Piper won't actually be the Sixteenth Doctor, but Ncuti Gatwa is clearly no longer the current incarnation either!) and it feels great to sort of get an up to date adventure with UNIT. This clearly follows on very soon after The Giggle and it's a great showcase for the older and wiser Melanie Bush. She really does steal the show and showcases that she is a tremendous character. I don't think she was really done justice with the Fifteenth Doctor despite it being just glorious to see her return, so I'm glad that she leads here and showcases her qualities as a UNIT operative. The whole concept of the Skycaster was intriguing and I was absolutely hooked when there was mention of seeing stars up close and personal that came from the Big Bang. I still find the whole theory on that incomprehensible in my mind as it just doesn't compute. How can life and civilisation and the universe have started? Everything must have a beginning and it's an endless cycle that I love thinking about because it really is impossible. Something can't come from nothing, so where and how did the genesis of all things occur? I'm delving too deep there for the purposes of this episode but it was just great to ponder on and I'm not surprised at all why it was such a stargazing opportunity. It was rightly met with awe. I think it was good that Kate featured here but she was very much in the background to Mel which was a good dynamic. I liked the idea of her sending a message through time which was pretty clever in utilising her surroundings and the situation. The Cold Ones were a strong threat and I liked the mystery they came with. It's such a good name and having them wanting to steal and inhabit the warmth of flesh was pretty eery. They were also voiced well in feeling like something that could have come from such a long time ago. I enjoyed Isla Ellis as the new recruit at UNIT and who better for her to learn from than Mel? Her questioning to Mel about her travels in the TARDIS were great and it was nice to get Mel's perspective on why she left and how things still felt the same on Earth when invasions happened. Isla claiming she didn't know how it was possible for her to give it up was understandable as on paper it sounds like an incredible opportunity. I wasn't all that bothered by the Vlinx featuring but it was a unique perspective to have its consciousness removed and into Mel's phone. Talk about technology! I thought the way the Cold Ones were sent packing was pretty emotional with Isla and Mel making a fine team, although I do think the epilogue perhaps dragged a little unnecessarily. Kate's line about still finding pink petals was tremendous though as I still can't believe that Spice Girls routine happened on screen! Outstanding. Overall, a great first step into the latest era and the potential for a full UNIT spinoff of its own is more than there. But I must admit I've loved this Eras format and there's so much room to explore further with it. I hope it continues. A very strong conclusion to a terrific box set! 

Rating: 8/10

Hostile Universe: The Life and Death of Private Eddie Wise

"Everyday I go to work and I don't know if I'm coming home."

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: April 2026

Series: UNIT: Eras 1.03

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Brigadier

Synopsis

The dawn of UNIT. Aliens have invaded and Eddie Wise is far from ready. Plagued by nightmares and lying to his fiancé, the beleaguered Eddie becomes embroiled in a plot to bring his workplace to its knees. To make matters worse, there's a journalist on his tail. 

Because Sarah Jane Smith needs the scoop on UNIT, and Private Wise might just be the man she needs.

Verdict

The Life and Death of Private Eddie Wise was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Hostile Universe debut series of UNIT: Eras! This was definitely the best of the series so far and I thought it did a really good job in showcasing just how difficult life could be for the people working at UNIT. We only really got to know those in a high position of command or companions like Liz, Jo and Sarah Jane who weren't exactly engaged in a typical role of employment at the organisation! This was UNIT still in its early days which was really fun to revisit and Sarah Jane being on hand as a journalist whilst also having a relationship with both the Doctor and the Brigadier was terrific. Her editor in chief wanted a story about UNIT and that makes sense with everything that happened during the Third Doctor era prior to Sarah Jane becoming companion. A whole new organisation dedicated to the threat of the extraterrestrial and there needed to be media coverage. The taxpayer needs to know where their money goes! I can't disagree with that and it was good to explore despite the predicament it put Sarah Jane in. Enter Eddie Wise though and hearing the ordeal this Private was going through meant she was actually more than happy to provide the scoop on UNIT. Sure, they're still a relatively new organisation but their methods for helping its people on the front line to cope with everything they experience and undergo were not fit for purpose. Eddie clearly needed help as he was suffering from severe trauma from the events of The Invasion which were brought back to life in some stunning flashbacks. Talk about a first day on the job! Tackling Cybermen is difficult at the best of times, but seeing Chris die after coming into UNIT with him was something he'd never really recovered from. He had sought solace in Maggie as a fellow UNIT colleague who could understand what he was going through from a shared experience and knowledge, but that meant he was estranged from Lynn his fiancé. He was trying to protect her but not discussing anything about even the simplest elements of his job meant they grew apart and hearing that come into fruition throughout the episode was difficult to hear. He was going through too much already and clearly had too much on his plate! Eddie doing the bidding of Maggie and Barry in getting intel on UNIT employees to sell so they could escape this life was almost something akin to being used against his will or taken advantage of, especially considering he was initially doing it just to make things better at UNIT. Sarah Jane would see to that though with a damning verdict on help and the Brigadier was audibly shaken by that. Eddie sacrificing himself so an innocent man didn't die was an admirable trait and it only felt right that he went out as a hero. That's exactly what he was in my eyes as he necessitated change amongst UNIT to help people deal with the shock and trauma of seeing and experiencing death. Sarah also getting through to Barry as someone that was exposing others and their families if they sold the information was great and I thought she had a really strong showing here. No wonder she's one of the all time great companions! Overall, a superb episode to continue a really strong series.

Rating: 9/10

Hostile Universe: The Indigo Child

"Why would someone in the government kidnap a child?"

Writer: Ken Bentley

Format: Audio

Released: April 2026

Series: UNIT: Eras 1.02

Featuring: Kate, Osgood

Synopsis

2017. UNIT has been shut down, its heroes targeted.

After an attempt on her life, Kate Stewart fights from the shadows, doing what she can to protect the people of Great Britain. Reunited with Petronella Osgood, Kate goes undercover to save a child refugee with psychic powers. It's a race against time, and now a new enemy is determined to win.

Verdict

The Indigo Child was another strong episode to continue my way through the Hostile Universe first series of UNIT: Eras! This is perhaps the era I was most intrigued to explore because the state of UNIT during the events of Flux and nearly all of the Thirteenth Doctor era was one of uncertainty to say the least! Touching upon that here was really well done and I enjoyed that we got something of a more mature Osgood. The prospect of her no longer being tied to UNIT almost seems unfathomable but here she is basically on the run with Kate but still with the planet's best interests at heart. The mentions of Prentis were good continuity and I liked how even Osgood was surprised by Kate name dropping him as being far from what he appeared! UNIT was infiltrated and defunded which meant that somebody within the UK Government didn't have the country's best interests at heart. Get rid of UNIT and a strong line of defence is out of the way. I thought the dynamic between Kate and Osgood here was certainly different to what we're used to but when the latter thought the former was potentially dead or captured after her house was blown up, it's not going to be all lovey dovey! Osgood was though clearly still a little irked by Kate not reassuring her she was okay despite now getting the confirmation that she was alive and relatively well. The titular element of this episode was a good plot device and I think incorporating immigration into a story set in the 2010s is a brave choice! That has become such a huge part of politics currently to a somewhat uncomfortable level so hearing lines about the boats and dismissing that the girl had come from Syria as if it could be any other country and it didn't matter was quite startling. I liked how it felt very much of the real world though and the girl being mute or refusing to talk was good stuff because we then have Osgood showcase her qualities. She is a reassuring presence and instantly could ascertain when things were getting too stressful for the refugee. Kate and Osgood posing as members of the Home Office was fun stuff as they tried to protect the girl with Angela of Safe Haven actually getting there first with the correct authorisation. Favager as the one who initially had her safe was a bit of a knob in how he treated or viewed her. He didn't exactly treat her humanely! He barely acknowledged she was around and just saw her as a bit of an inconvenience. That was a little sad. The Woman With No Name is an interesting title for a character supposedly of the Home Office and the reaction of Favager when he told her the child was already released was terrifically hilarious. I enjoyed how this episode showcased a number of strong female characters with authority and Kate still managing to get the upper hand showed her qualities too. She was clearly hurt and damaged by recent events as she still tried to do good from a small underground association, and she was doing what she could with the limited resources she had. It was a far cry from the UNIT of the next era to come alongside the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors! I thought Kate and Osgood teaming up and particularly utilising the technological skillset of the latter to save the child was really strong stuff. It was a somewhat simple resolution and a decently straightforward plot, but it just worked. I wish a little more focus was placed on the state of UNIT and what Prentis had done, but that story can still be told. Overall, a great listen to continue my way through the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Hostile Universe: Rise of the Valiant

"A sky that should be full of stars."

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: April 2026

Series: UNIT: Eras 1.01

Featuring: Brigadier, Harry

Synopsis

2008. The Earth has been stolen and planets fill the sky.

With the Doctor otherwise engaged, it falls to UNIT's finest – Colonel Mace, Harry Sullivan, and the retired Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart – to take the fight back to the Daleks. Because deep in the Brazilian rainforest, a secret weapon with a familiar name is waiting. And it's ready to fly.

Verdict

Rise of the Valiant was a great start to the Hostile Universe debut series of UNIT: Eras! I am delighted by the announcement of this series as it's such a strong idea because the history of UNIT is vast and given how quickly and drastically eras in Doctor Who change, that is also trickled down to the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. It's a wonderful concept that has so much potential because we can easily now revise the UNIT of the Brave New World range or even touch upon the organisation as we saw it in Aliens of London/World War Three. I'm very excited and I'm quite surprised that this one is a download only. I'm more than accustomed with that arrangement now as whilst I would prefer a physical release also, I'm not going to shake my head at more content like this! I love the concept behind this one because having an episode take place concurrently during the events of The Stolen Earth is a tremendous idea! It's great to also actually get to hear the Brigadier on one of his whacky missions in a foreign country and it just seems amazing to get a story with him and Harry that's set in 2008! That feels like it shouldn't be possible as even by Battlefield the Brigadier was Bambera but twenty years later and he's still going strong despite claims of retirement. We know from Enemy of the Bane that he'll never truly stop being the Brigadier and that's part of his charm here. Although it's a terrible thing to question but given the visuals of his mobility in that Sarah Jane Adventures story, I'm not sure his mobility in this episode matches. But who am I to know, truly? The setting switching from Peru initially to Brazil was excellent as it's not often we get an adventure in South America! I think that's great and then the familiar events we saw on screen started to happen here. What a place for the Brigadier and Harry to see the Earth moved and the stars disappear to be replaced by planets. I like how despite their careers, this is still a monumental thing to occur and the Brig deduces pretty quickly that it's planet Earth that has moved rather than the planets they can see. The moment their phones start to call the familiar number of Martha Jones was magnificent too and I loved how we could envision the events of this story matching up with what we saw on screen as the Children of Time slowly assembled. I think it's magnificent how after initially seeking to exterminate the Brigadier, he was then chosen to be brought alive to the Crucible at the behest of the Supreme Dalek! He absolutely deserved his spot as he has history with the Daleks so he knows the threat provided here. Extermination was a very real possibility! I thought Colonel Mace returning after a big success in The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky was terrific and it was really strong continuity to have the Brig aware of that. The reveal of a whole new Valiant being created here was good and the fact that Zara turned out to be the traitor wasn't a big shock as that's one of the downfalls of that kind of plot device with such a small cast. There are only so many options for who it could be. It did through provide a heroic moment for the Brigadier as it appeared he was going to sacrifice himself against her and the Daleks taking the Valiant with him, but it was actually Mace who filled that role having already been fatally wounded. Some way to go out! Things weren't fixed and the Brigadier knew now that the Doctor would be involved with the Martha call, but there was still a long way to go. Time was bought, and in Brazil that's pretty much all the Brigadier could do! Overall, a very strong start to what looks to be a great series! 

Rating: 8/10

Transformation: 1974 - The Caldwell Restitution

"Just look at all this mess."

Writer: Ken Bentley

Format: Audio

Released: April 2026

Series: Zygon Century 2.03

Featuring: Third Doctor

Synopsis

Agent Caldwell has been posted to the British Embassy in Moscow and ordered to investigate a rising star of the Communist Party. But Caldwell is a shadow of his former self, plagued by nightmares of the past and misty visions of the future. 

As the Third Doctor enters the fray, human and Zygon plots collide, and Caldwell's visions threaten to endanger the world. Though neither man can remember the other, can the Doctor and Caldwell put a stop to the Zygon Century, once and for all?

Verdict

The Caldwell Restitution was a great episode to conclude the Transformation second series of Zygon Century! We are far from over as a spinoff range that much is clear and that excites me because things are really taking shape now as we venture further into the second half of the century. We're still yet to breach the final quarter but I think that will come with the final boxset, whether that's the next one or beyond is yet to be seen. I think it's great to incorporate the Third Doctor during exile into this century-long plan of the Zygons because he was trapped on the planet so it's no surprise that he would get involved and have knowledge of events here. I was really intrigued by the continuity with Double Agent as we advanced from 1957 there to 1974 here and Agent Caldwell really is a very different man. I think it's fascinating for the Third Doctor to acknowledge the parallel timeline of the ongoing Second Doctor Adventures because that's not the true article, but memories seeped through which in of itself is pretty interesting as a concept! The flashbacks to events on the island were helpful and it's just strange to think that the Third Doctor remembers things that didn't technically happen to him. Of course, I have no idea how the parallel timeline of the Second Doctor will conclude, but I guess it might merge into The War Games and things are semi-retained? Caldwell was clearly troubled in the episode and that stems back all the way to 1957 and what he experienced there. The irony of he and the Doctor having met before but neither remembering the other was good stuff and perhaps not played upon enough in my opinion! It's a pretty unique situation. I just love the idea of a Third Doctor story with the Zygons because it predates Terror of the Zygons which actually isn't a million miles off these events timeline wise. Might they end up being included as part of the century-long Zygon plan? That would be impressive if so! I just love merging eras and that kind of thing so the Zygons encountering this Doctor is good fun for me. Tim Treloar was great again in bringing the Third Doctor back to life and I'm surprised that we only had a Russian member of UNIT. This kind of thing feels ripe for the whole organisation! It was good to venture to Russia in the 1970s as that's a volatile place to be for someone from the West! I love branching off to different countries though and particularly visiting the Soviets definitely seems to give the Doctor less authority and even presence. The way he snuck up on Caldwell though as he was tracking Kovalenko was pretty humorous and far from inconspicuous! Fahrag emerging as the Zygon leading things here was good and the effort at taking over the Doctor's mind was impressive, but he obviously evaded being fully impacted. Breaking the hold they had on Caldwell was good too and that just made his death all the more powerful. I didn't see that coming I must admit so it definitely added to the threat the Zygons pose. I also really enjoyed how they likened the Doctor to themselves with how he changed face and their knowledge on him was impressive. The use of mind control was beyond them though and that's where the ending of An Incident in Death Valley comes in with the Master. Ilse Lange showing up in the epilogue confirms that and what a pairing we have! The Master giving the Zygons direction for this plan is a tantalising prospect and I can't wait to hear what direction things go in next as we continue to explore through the century. Overall, a very good episode to conclude a really intriguing and solid series! 

Rating: 8/10

Transformation: 1968 - An Incident in Death Valley

"Their bodies are caged."

Writers: Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle

Format: Audio

Released: April 2026

Series: Zygon Century 2.02

Featuring: The Master

Synopsis

Fleeing her brutal human captors, and in hiding from the Black Cadre, the Zygon Vorvoren arrives at a run-down diner in the bowels of Death Valley. There, she finds a friend in Junie, a young waitress, and a town terrorised by a ruthless cult.

But just who is their mysterious leader, 'The Arkon'? And could he really hold the key to Vorvoren's liberation and revenge?

Verdict

An Incident in Death Valley was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Transformation second series of Zygon Century! I thought this served as a nice follow up to The Miracle of Pendour Cove with the story for Vorvoren jumping from 1935 there to 1968 here which is quite a significant jump! I thought she led the story brilliantly and she's just a really strong character. I loved the way things ended here and whilst I'm unsure if that will have any kind of follow on in the series finale or the next series, but it gets me excited nonetheless! I would not have expected to find the Master getting involved in this spinoff range but the more we get of Eric Roberts as the incarnation from The Movie, the better in my opinion! He's such a strong incarnation and he really is dastardly and evil but in such a calm and chilling way. He really is measured and that makes him pretty frightening. It's also fun that with the American accent he appears here in a story set in Death Valley. That's a location I would love to one day visit and it's a far cry for Vorvoren from the Cornish coast and beyond! But it's completely reasonable for her to be there given she's on the run from the Black Cadre! She's certainly made a good effort. I think the Master interacting with her was fantastic and when he knew she was a Zygon I was just eating up the dialogue. The reference to the century-long plan was fascinating and he was clearly in the know! Hell, he was even supportive of it which is tremendous. I am sure this won't be the last we hear of the Master in this series and it's good that his foundations for being present lay in a really interesting and funky sort of disguise. The Arkon was always going to be revealed as him but even Vorvoren couldn't understand why he found himself playing cult leader on Earth. He gets bored and do you know I think that's pretty justifiable. Why wouldn't he be doing something like that? His manipulation of Junie was disturbing at times as she was actually defending him to Vorvoren (or should that be Gwendolyn?). It was serious vibes of Euphoria with Nate and Maddy! (I've just finished season one, no spoilers in the comments please!) Vorvoren obviously knew that her friend was in a tricky situation and it was nice for her to stand up to the Master. I would never have expected the episode to end in the way it did from that point! But the Master was someone she could reason with and talk about her predicament. She was on the run from the Black Cadre and the Master could actually help. Hell, he'd even take the fight to them which appealed because this really did show that on the inside, Vorvoren was still very much a Zygon. The way the Master showed her a glimpse of the future was intriguing as he had killed Krozon and that was obviously a big deal indeed! That garnered some trust and encouragement which I liked and this really does seem to be a formidable pairing! The callousness in which they denied Junie to come with them was superb and showed such a shift in character for Vorvoren. She quickly changed her feelings towards her new friend! Overall, a fantastic episode and I now can't wait for the finale and beyond! 

Rating: 9/10

Transformation: 1922 - The Black Cadre

"You overestimate your fame."

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: April 2026

Series: Zygon Century 2.01

Featuring:

Synopsis

From Munich to Dublin to an asylum in Dartmoor, the Zygons have agents everywhere, and their plans are growing in scope and ambition. 

Can Herbert Scott, that long incarcerated investigator of the occult, do anything to stop them? Is his rescuer – the German heiress, Ilse Lange – all that she seems? And why are the Black Cadre so interested in a mysterious carnival, travelling the wider reaches of the Cornish coast?

Verdict

The Black Cadre was a really strong start to the Transformation second series of Zygon Century! I knew when the Infiltration first series of this intriguing spinoff range concluded that this would be no one off as there's still so much room to cover and much of the story to tell. This took us to 1922 which is a fun year to visit as the country is in the aftermath of the First World War and it's certainly an entirely different world to the that of 1901 and The Unknowing Mirror for Herbert Scott as a returning character. I think it's a really strong idea to basically do a sequel to that episode and catch up with Herbert two decades on from the first Zygon encounter at the start of the century. He's obviously a lot older now and certainly wiser from his experience alongside Felix Cromwell. That coming into play here by having Ilse Lange purchase Cromwell's memoir and be fascinated by the word Zygon was terrific. It does feel like a lot of groundwork has been laid out here with the planting of orbs in farmland and the excuse of them helping fertilise the ground is obviously not quite the case! I would expect them to come back into play as we tackle more episodes throughout the century. I'm very excited for what's to come, especially with the potential for inner conflict amongst the Zygons with the different cadres warring against each other. You would think that with them escaping their dying home world they would want to band together on a planet like Earth, but alas that isn't the case and I would be surprised if that doesn't bring about their downfall. The focus on the island around the Cornish coast is great and I'm so glad that's continued to play a part because it just oozes a feeling of eeriness. There's something about the coast at night and that description of mist that just works. It also feels well suited to the Zygons because of their nature of literally hiding who and what they are. I thought it worked well to bring them out into the open for just enough to get a taste, but I do think part of the appeal of them and why they work so well is the anticipation and the potential knowledge that not everyone is how they seem. The test disabled for Ilse here with the effort of shock was good but she was far too conniving to just be a simple Zygon. Finding out that she suspected her husband had been taken to the island was intriguing considering she was boasting about taking a lover! She didn't seem all that committed to her marriage and in 1922 that made her something to fear I would say amongst the male population. But also a tantalising prospect. I really liked that she was trying to bargain with the Zygons and showed just what kind of a character and person she is. Overall, a really strong start to the series! 

Rating: 8/10

No Exit

"We don't know why you can't have children."

Writer: Kate Orman

Format: Short Story

Released: December 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Steel Skies 07

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

There are many places that most of us can never see: places that are sheltered, locked away, cordoned off from the outside world. But to the Doctor, and those who travel with him in his TARDIS, there is no such thing as a locked door. Anywhere in space and time is open to them to visit – even if sometimes it might be better to leave such places well alone.

Steel Skies is a collection of stories based in enclosed and artificial environments: places constructed to keep the dangers of the universe outside, perhaps, or to keep their inhabitants locked in. It is divided into four sections, each exploring a different kind of confinement:

Section One, Flight, comprises four tales of travellers who left their homes for far-away destinations – to explore, to start a new life, or to fight for the survival of their species.

Section Two, Frontiers, explores the corridors, living quarters and ventilation shafts of four futuristic environments – designed to shelter men, women and children from harsh natural forces, or from the threat of nuclear war.

Section Three, Incarceration, tells four stories of punishment and imprisonment, from San Francisco's infamous Alcatraz, to the cage of a flightless angel in the dilapidated ruins of Heaven. 

Section Four, Isolation, deals with the loneliness and despair of being cut off from the world outside, by physical or mental incapacity, by the ravages of war, or caught between destinations aboard the TARDIS itself. 

A recurring theme in all four sections is the effect of the Doctor's arrival in these enclosed environments – sometimes positive, sometimes less so.

Verdict

No Exit was an excellent adventure to continue my way through the Steel Skies edition of Short Trips! This was only eight pages long but it packed a whole lot in with some incredible world building. I thought the concept at the heart of the story was incredibly poignant as we joined in with the adventure that the Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan were having on the colony of F-four. This was an interesting place and whilst there seemed to be a fun little dig at the city of Coventry (I’ve only been to the football stadium there so I can’t comment much on the city itself!), there really wasn’t a lot to laugh about. This was a desperate colony that had been that way for a decade. A completely sterile population on the colony and there was no way off. That’s a pretty daunting prospect to think that the entire population would never be able to have children. That’s pretty devastating as a father of two myself and I’ve always wanted children so to have it written in stone that I couldn’t have them before my first born arrived would have been pretty crushing. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s a slow realisation that the population would eventually come into the position of never meeting anybody new. At some point you would get bored of the same company! Imagine never being able to make new friends and engage with new people? I’m not the most social of people but that still seems pretty frightening! No wonder the TARDIS trio were in a pretty difficult situation where they were basically being crowded and hoarded to take them away. Utilising the scientific expertise of the Doctor and Nyssa was terrific and I was glad that their knowledge was highlighted. It was quite fun that Tegan was subjected to the virus that made the colony sterile and that helped with quickening the search for information and a cure. It soon became clear though that no cure was coming and this colony would one day end, one by one. That’s an incredibly bleak situation to think that the younger members of the colony would be in a race for the death. Imagine being the last member to survive and be surrounded by the dead? I thought the characterisation of the Fifth Doctor here was really strong. The urgency in his voice was presented really well on the page which was good as it managed to portray his incarnation perfectly. Toopyar being friends with Nyssa was good and I liked that we had a focal point for the colonists. I don’t want to say he was the leader but he was definitely respected amongst the rest of the population. The threat given to Nyssa when the Doctor was clearly trying to escape with his companions in hardly a subtle way was strong. She really was in a bad way but was healed and it was nice for the Doctor to have genuine concern for a companion he’s had a pretty frosty relationship with historically! I think doing some visual magic with the TARDIS to move it slightly and have Nyssa fake that he’d used the self destruct to not let anyone off the colony and prevent such a spread of disease was a tad amusing. Nyssa and Tegan helping the colonists see that they were unfortunately completely helpless. There was no way off and there was nothing that could be done to continue the population. That was devastating to accept but they were angry at the situation, not Nyssa and the Doctor. It was good that they at least came to that realisation at the end. The planet being trapped before humanity even arrived set things in stone and the description of the virus seeping into all chromosomes and if it was removed it meant the entire genetic structure would be broken down was pretty scary! A daunting concept for sure. There really was no way off the colony and no hope. Overall, a bleak and powerful adventure! A fantastic story to continue my way through the collection.

Rating: 9/10

The Ashes of Pompeii

"You invaded my volcano.!"

Writer: Janelle McCurdy

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2025

Printed in: The Adventures After 06

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

Discover what happened after...

A remarkable collection of new Doctor Who short stories that give a glimpse into the moments just after the Doctor saves the world, and the credits roll.

The Doctor has had many adventures, visited many planets and made a whole host of friends (and some enemies). 

But if you thought it was all over after the TARDIS doors closed, and the time ship dematerialised, onto the next adventure, you'd be very much mistaken.

From Earth's past, present and future, to the furthest reaches of the universe, here are eight tales that give us a glimpse into the worlds the Doctor left behind. Sometimes triumph, sometimes tragedy (and always chaos) these are stories you'll never forget.

Verdict

The Ashes of Pompeii was a great short story to continue my way through The Adventures After collection of sequels! Following on from The Fires of Pompeii is a superb choice to do a sequel for as that episode has so much impact and immediately sets the tone for Donna of what life in the TARDIS will be like. She got a taste in The Runaway Bride and then as we saw throughout Partners in Crime she was craving it after initially rejecting the offer to become companion, but here we continue to see her feeling the full extent of when things aren't so easy sailing. I thought that was established well although I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it being an immediate sequel as in this story takes place directly after Fires. If the TARDIS hadn't fully departed I think it would have worked even better, but it does still have that emotional appeal as after everything they've just been through and the toll that takes on Donna knowing that to even pull out one family from a fixed point in time took so much persuasion and angst from the Doctor, that they immediately returned after the volcano had erupted and as the title suggests were surrounded by ash. That was a daunting thought to think that the ash could literally be the people they had interacted with just a few hours. Poor old Donna, at such an early point in her travels! I thought the concept of the Granite was pretty intriguing and getting a species as something that was literally Mother Nature was quite incredible! I loved the Granite's reaction to hearing that her place had been named as Pompeii as there really is something majestic in that name for a location that is so incredibly high on my bucket list. I've only been on Italian soil for two hours on a layover in Milan airport en route to Yerevan, Armenia and there's just so much of the country that is on my bucket list. Pompeii is incredibly high on that list and getting further Doctor Who stories there is brilliant. It was really intriguing at the end of the story to have Ava dropped off in Pompeii during the eighteenth century as I really am fascinated to think what that might have been like! A few centuries off the city being inhabitable but she admired its beauty and that's great. I thought she was a strong character who fostered a good relationship with the Doctor an Donna despite them being obviously shaken by such a swift return to a place rife with emotion. They almost couldn't believe they had to fight to save lives again in such terrible surroundings, but at least a little bit of the pressure was off in that regard because the volcano had already erupted. The Granite needing to remember itself to form the link back with Ava and tackle the last remaining Pyrovile was interesting and I didn't expect to have one survivor, but it does make sense given the situation and the nature of a volcano! I think the imagery of them as a monster is excellent and I think perhaps a tad more could have been made of them being pretty monstrous! But I guess they had lost a lot of themselves with the rest of the race going. I did disagree with the Doctor's comments about genocide to the Granite because he didn't know there was a survivor so surely letting the actions of the volcano occur meant he had done the same thing because I doubt they were part of the fixed point in time element? Regardless, matters were taken out of the Doctor's hands here and he doesn't like that. The forewarning of events to come in The Stolen Earth was excellent and really fit in nicely with then overall series arc. This slots in nicely before Planet of the Ood and I must say is one of my all time favourite story titles. So it's a good job it's a great little read! 

Rating: 8/10

Half Human

"Sometimes it's okay not to know."

Writer: Matthew Jacobs

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2026

Printed in: DWM Special Edition 73

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

This is the story of a Screenwriter commission to write a short story concerning the Doctor's supposed being half human on his mother's side...

Verdict

Half Human was an incredibly strange little short story to accompany the latest edition of Doctor Who Magazine's special edition celebrating 30 years of the Eighth Doctor! I was very excited when this release was announced as it's fitting to have a celebration of all things The Movie and Paul McGann's magnificent Eighth Doctor. This short story is actually the only feature in the magazine I have read at the time of writing, but it was far from what I expected! The prospect of a new Eighth Doctor story in prose by the same writer that wrote his debt is a tantalising prospect and was a big selling point of the magazine for me, but it was pretty disappointing I must say. I'm still not entirely sure what I read to be honest and I don't think that's really a good thing! I'm just not sure I can consider this canonical when it's a short story about the process and the steps taken to pitch the short story that I was reading, but then it didn't really do anything about the titular element of the Doctor being half human? That's an element of the Eighth Doctor that has been largely forgotten and shoved under the carpet which is fun, but I do agree with the author that it would make sense if he was half human. It would explain his love of the human race and the frequency in which he visits Earth, but The Timeless Children appears to have firmly put that to bed now even though it was flirted with again in Hell Bent for the Twelfth Doctor. I don't think it's something that we will hear the last of as it's just too tantalising and too obvious a concept. I thought the illustration of the Griffith Observatory was tremendous as that's a place I have visited and absolutely adored. It's such a cool tourist destination and really is a bucket list item I would recommend to anyone to get ticked off with the view of the Hollywood sign. It's always great to see things in print that you know in real life. That's why I like the use of so many local towns and elements in Torchwood because I live in the area. I think this must be a really nice story for the writer to basically throw himself into the Whoniverse and even meet the Eighth Doctor briefly in something that was initially deemed a hallucination. It was just all so weird and I don't really understand what was trying to be achieved. Is the title just a selling point? I don't want to say this became something of a vanity project but I can't help but feel that way a little bit. The more I write the more confused I am about what I read. So the whole story is about writing a story about a concept that was then just said it didn't matter? I do agree that sometimes it is better to not know the important details because we would lose so much of the mystery if we knew the Doctor's mother and had the backstory confirming or depicting how he was actually half human, but as fans we can't help but to want to know! The line at the end about observing Gallifrey from the Griffith Observatory was tremendous though and that's a tantalising image indeed. Overall, ever so strange. Not at all what I think anybody would have expected! 

Rating: 5/10

Light at the End of the Tunnel

"I wanted to see the universe, not get killed."

Writer: Mark Wright

Format: Short Story

Released: December 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Steel Skies 06

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

There are many places that most of us can never see: places that are sheltered, locked away, cordoned off from the outside world. But to the Doctor, and those who travel with him in his TARDIS, there is no such thing as a locked door. Anywhere in space and time is open to them to visit – even if sometimes it might be better to leave such places well alone.

Steel Skies is a collection of stories based in enclosed and artificial environments: places constructed to keep the dangers of the universe outside, perhaps, or to keep their inhabitants locked in. It is divided into four sections, each exploring a different kind of confinement:

Section One, Flight, comprises four tales of travellers who left their homes for far-away destinations – to explore, to start a new life, or to fight for the survival of their species.

Section Two, Frontiers, explores the corridors, living quarters and ventilation shafts of four futuristic environments – designed to shelter men, women and children from harsh natural forces, or from the threat of nuclear war.

Section Three, Incarceration, tells four stories of punishment and imprisonment, from San Francisco's infamous Alcatraz, to the cage of a flightless angel in the dilapidated ruins of Heaven. 

Section Four, Isolation, deals with the loneliness and despair of being cut off from the world outside, by physical or mental incapacity, by the ravages of war, or caught between destinations aboard the TARDIS itself. 

A recurring theme in all four sections is the effect of the Doctor's arrival in these enclosed environments – sometimes positive, sometimes less so.

Verdict

Light at the End of the Tunnel was a really strong story to continue my way through the Steel Skies edition of Short Trips! I was intrigued by the name of the story and I always love to extend the time spent in the TARDIS between the Fifth Doctor and Peri because they’re such an underrated and underutilised pairing. It’s a huge shame that The Caves of Androzani was the only on screen serial with the pair as the sole Doctor and companion combination because I think they work so well together. It’s probably the fact they’re both youthful in the roles and I definitely do consider them as the first precursors for the dynamic we would see in the TARDIS in the modern era. I’m not sure if this could be considered Peri’s very first journey in the TARDIS as companion following the events of Planet of Fire, but if it isn’t it’s one of the very few at the start! I think that’s good as it presents Peri in a different way to what the majority of her adventures are because she’s still new to all of this. Life in the TARDIS is not a breeze and she found that out here with the robot trying to kill her purely for her being present, but then the view she got at the end showed that some of the risks associated with travel alongside the Doctor might just be worth it. I thought that was pretty poignant and this did have a kind of mini modern era episode two vibe as Peri saw the threats that come with companion life but then had that moment of realisation that it’s absolutely where she wants to be. I’m a big fan of that and it just works here with Peri. She’s a valuable companion and definitely could be inserted into the modern era with ease so maybe that’s why it’s so relatable? I sense the irony though as I’m reading over two decades since this was published and the modern era wasn’t even around! But the formula is definitely present and that was fun to dissect. I thought the story basically being a cliche of a typical escape from a situation caused by the Doctor was good fun and I liked how much of it was within corridors. It felt very dark and I mean that purely in lighting which is an impressive thing to present in prose. Especially in a short story as well! But Mark Wright is a familiar writer in the Whoniverse so I can’t say I’m surprised. Full compliments! I really wasn’t sure about the use of spiders in this story because I couldn’t wholly buy into the concept of the Fifth Doctor being scared of a normal house spider. Sure, I can fully appreciate that he might have very bad memories of the events of Planet of the Spiders causing his regeneration which may now trigger trauma, but surely normal sized spiders are all good in his estimations? Peri was dumbfounded which I somewhat agreed with but I then did find myself not wholly disagreeing with the Doctor’s retort about being scared if you had dealt with the spiders he had. They weren’t exactly ordinary spiders though! It was really good how the spiders actually helped the Doctor and Peri though with the former realising that quite nicely as they were finding the path that was away from the gas that had been emitted. That was a good threat in their contained environment of the story and I liked how the spiders served as connective tissue between the start and end of the story. Sure, in a longer form I would love to have got the full experience of what happened with the N’tia and their slaves that sparked a revolution at the Doctor’s hands, but this is where the Short Trips come in. We just don’t have the page count for that! And that’s completely fine. At least we got the backlog and I think that’s what we needed for Peri as she came to her realisation of life in the TARDIS. The description of the beauty she saw at the end after they’d made their escape really did sound beautiful and I was rather jealous! Overall, a great little read to continue my way through the collection. 

Rating: 8/10

Double Part Two

"I've never doubted that you're not human."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: January 2023

Series: Torchwood Monthly 70

Featuring: Roberta Craven

Synopsis

A lot of people have died, and not for the first time in her life, Roberta Craven has changed sides.

Travelling the world with a dead man, she's negotiating world peace. Or is she starting a world war?

The Autons are coming. And Torchwood won't stop them...

Verdict

Double concluded in pretty strong fashion to round out what was overall a thoroughly enjoyable and intriguing two-part release to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly range at Big Finish! I do think this was sadly the weaker of the two parts and I would probably give this one a seven and part one a nine to get what is still overall a terrific rating! I love the idea of visiting Torchwood in the 1970s but this one definitely did have a feeling of having moved on a little from the first part. Given that this was released a month later than its opening half, I do kind of understand that but I'm a sucker for immediate follow ons from cliffhangers. I just feel like that should be the way things get resolved but I'm also a big fan of politics playing a role in the Whoniverse so this was definitely up my alley. Roberta Craven continued to lead the story brilliantly and I would love to hear more from her character, especially given how things ended here! Louise Jameson is just a delight playing this role and it's clear she's enjoying not just being a noble savage in the Whoniverse. Her pairing with Neal Hart again was good although this was far from the normal Neal. He was an Auton and she knew that. The whole concept behind the full copy was fascinating but I think a little more clarity on just how they were able to do that with the likes of flesh and brain waves when they're powered by plastic would have been beneficial. I do think it's good and has a lot of potential, but then what might the point be if the copy was such a good copy that it couldn't always be influenced by the Nestene Consciousness and its desires? That seems like a little bit of a flaw and dare I say a waste of resources? What use is a copy that can't be directed? The answer may have lain with the threats provided to Al_Sabah who was tortured as part of the oil negotiations with Nessoil. Seeing doubles of himself and hearing how one smothered his ill mother to bed in hospital while another did the school run for his two boys was genuinely horrifying. The fake Neal being in a position to threaten was quite something and he knew that Al_Sabah had some terms to provide because why would he have flown such a long way to simply say no to anything that was put on the table. There was some strong logic there. The audio when his bodyguard was killed in the car was deeply distressing and showed the extent to which Nessoil would go for favourable terms on the oil price. It's all about money! Everything comes down to it. even when dealing with alien infiltration. The very idea of the Nestene Consciousness being in the North Sea was amusing as an image because that's not the kind of oil supply one would expect to find there! Roberta realising that she was the Auton and not Herman Baker was a really good moment and it definitely explained a lot of what was going on in her head. He was too stupid to not be human in aligning himself with the Autons. Touching upon the difference between Autons and the Nestene was intriguing too and I would have liked a little more on that because it's fascinating. The way things concluded with Roberta basically recruiting for Torchwood as Autons was a fun thought and definitely leaves things open for some kind of future civil war? Or will they just be accepted as British citizens as the Nestene hoped initially? A little ambiguity is decent here and I enjoyed it overall. A great listen as a two-parter! 

Rating: 8/10