Masters of Time: One Way or Another

"Up until now, it's been prologue."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: UNIT: Nemesis 4.01

Featuring: Kate, Osgood

Synopsis

Kate leads an attack on a Vulpreen prison camp, unaware that UNIT friends are being held there. As paths converge, Kate and Osgood have different perspectives on the attack and specific dangers to overcome.

Verdict

One Way or Another was a decent episode to kick off my listening of the Masters of Time fourth and final series of UNIT: Nemesis! After a very strong cliffhanger finish to conclude Time of the Vulpreen last time out, I can't help but feel like there was a feeling of being underwhelmed by this story. It wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination and even when a little shorter at forty-five minutes or so it maintained its quality, but it just felt like filler. I don't think that is the best way to start a series, especially the final boxset of an epic saga! Even Kate herself with her narration mentions everything up until this point had been prologue before we move on into the boxset! That felt a tad disrespectful to the listener. Other than the line and reaction of Kate realising that Missy was now partnering with Varliss and not the Eleven, I don't feel like much advanced at all. It was still entertaining action and it was good to basically have two sets of UNIT operatives. They had been split up by everything that had happened with the Vulpreen in control of the planet and that was actually a situation that seemed to have been in place for six months or so now. That's a considerable amount of time! But the Vulpreen with the aid of Missy were in control. The concept behind the super arches was decent and I like how only one was needed at the origin of the journey intend and not the destination, but it was the use of freezing time here that was really exciting. I am very much looking forward to that being utilised moving forward. We've already seen it on screen with Missy in Dark Water and now she's here to cause chaos once again. I really do think given how much she was referenced that she should have featured in this episode, but I guess it does just keep me full of anticipation for her impending arrival. It's going to be a delicious reunion with Kate and Osgood. I thought it was nice to have Harry and Naomi feature a little more in this episode as I think they've been somewhat underutilised in this spinoff range and I'm not entirely sure why! They have a lot to offer as former companions of the Doctor but it just feels like they're relegated to the backbenches for some reason. Granted I'm not quite listening to Naomi's stories in release order, but a recent Seventh Doctor sale at Big Finish will see me catch up somewhat! I still don't know too much about her and that feels a shame as a companion now at UNIT. The way the story ended with a bomb going off was pretty explosive but it never felt possible that any of the UNIT regulars would actually perish. Varliss didn't quite have the same authoritative feeling and that might be testament to Kate for knocking him down a peg. Information was gathered and all sights look set to be headed for the Black Archive which is exciting because pretty much anything could be there and that means almost anything can happen! Kate seems angry and that's rather dangerous as we move forward with the series. Overall, a good little start but now I'm keen to get stuck into business.   

Rating: 7/10

The Decayed Master Part One

"You're not daddy, you're a monster!"

Writers: Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle

Format: Audio

Released: July 2026

Series: Dark Gallifrey 6.01

Featuring: The Master

Synopsis

Christimas 1896 at the beautiful and secluded Longmoss House. Diana Blount has lived here all her life – but since her father died, Longmoss has lost its magic. 

Now the money's running out, and Mother says Diana must prepare to marry. This will be her last Christmas at Longmoss, running wild with visiting cousin Charlotte and evading the watchful eye of the one remaining servant, matriarchal housemaid Niamh, 

Then one day, in the shut-up East Wing, Charlotte and Diana's games and ghost stories begin to get out of hand. The veil is thin at Longmoss, and something is trying to get through – something with a Master to serve.

Verdict

The Decayed Master started in fine fashion with this really intriguing and quite delicious opening part! This is definitely the right way to go about things and felt like a big world building exercise for what is to come in the next two parts that will complete this adventure. That works perfectly with the Master as he loves a long game and despite being in a decayed state here in his final incarnation, he still has enormous patience and that usually makes the payoff all the sweeter. He didn't feature much at all in this part but his presence was alluded to just enough to remind us that he will be coming. Just knowing the story is what it is was sufficient as everything that was happening at Longmoss felt like the Master was ripe to take advantage. I thought the relationship between Diana and Charlotte was really nice and that familial bond was nice to experience even if they weren't wholly familiar with one another thanks to the distance they were apart. The Victorian era was captured really well as they discussed arranged marriages and the money that came with having a husband, but these two women were somewhat progressive and modern in not just blindly accepting that. The idea of marriage at seventeen didn't exactly seem exciting! Even if Mother had gotten married herself when she was just eighteen. It really is a whole different time. I thought Longmoss House itself was really good and I just like the image that comes from a family home in the Victorian era. It feels big and somehow I can just picture the family in their traditional Victorian attire. That gives the story a historic feel and definitely brings the atmosphere to life. I mean, the arrival of the Master at the cliffhanger also instantly makes things darker and I just love the idea of him being on the hunt. Niamh as a housemaid eventually revealing she was so much more was excellent and I love that she's a Time Lord on the run from the Master. She's actually called Naada and I can't wait to learn more about her and why precisely the Master desires capturing her so much. The concept of the skiproads is also intriguing as I do enjoy the potential of tears in time and reality. Naada coming through made a very slight and easily controlled tear, but the Master followed her through without any similar kind of care and gentleness. That feels like it's going to play a bigger role moving forward and I'm very excited to hear it. I do expect to hear more of the Master himself now moving forward and the prospect of him being on the hunt in this incarnation is exciting and potentially something that could be literal! Who knows how much of a desperate state he is in at this point in this incarnation? The East Wing being home to time disruption was also good and Naada warning about that in her housemaid guise was great. She was really protective and I liked that. Even being on the run and hiding in the Victorian era, she was still trying to do good and ensure safety. It was her job after all so it's nice that she was taking it seriously I like the tension that built to the cliffhanger and the Master emerging to find Naada which is a lovely setup for the next part. I can't wait to hear where things move from here as the story moves into its next chapter! Overall, a fine start to the story and a great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

London, 1965

"It's like an orgy!"

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: January 2022

Series: Beyond the Doctor 03

Featuring: Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

It's Spring 1965, and at last two time travellers have returned home after many adventures with the Doctor. Yet the world has moved on in their absence, and settling back in proves harder than expected. 

For Barbara, salvation appears in the form of kindly Angela Leamann, who offers Miss Wright a roof over her head in return for a series of 'psychical sessions'. 

Ian, meanwhile, discovers a hidden talent and joins London's growing literary science fiction scene. He sees no harm in drawing upon his experiences with the Doctor – even when his ideas are picked up by a bigshot in television. 

Unsuspectingly, the ex-schoolteachers are being drawn into an invisible web...

Verdict

London, 1965 was an excellent story to continue my way through the Beyond the Doctor miniseries from BBC Audio! This has been one I have been dying to listen to ever since it was released. The title is obviously a play on that triumphant moment at the end of The Chase when Ian and Barbara used the Dalek time machine to return somewhat home, and this does a really a good job in picking up the pieces and following them as they try and settle back into normal life after nearly two years away and thought missing. That really is difficult to try and comprehend as imagine just trying to reintegrate yourself into society and not really being able to explain where you have been and what you have experienced for two years! Was it maybe even longer for them? Who knows how long in their own personal timeline that they were on board the TARDIS. The title is also a fun nod to a Twitch marathon of Classic Who back in 2018 where it became something of a social media meme for quite a while. I think that's good fun and I just love the idea of people binging this show for the first time truly from the very start. Ian and Barbara are rare companions from the black and white era where not too much of their run is marred by missing episodes. So you do basically get a complete run of their experience in then TARDIS and they're the first true companions so their departure should be a huge moment. It's also important to remember that despite them becoming good friends with the Doctor and Susan, and then Vicki, they didn't choose to travel the universe. Even though she was under Leamann's spell when she said, Barbara's remark about being kidnapped by the Doctor was incredible! There really isn't any arguing with that though. Just go and watch An Unearthly Child for confirmation! I really like the simplicity of the title too as whilst there's no exclamation mark that Ian says the line with as they return, this story is basically Ian and Barbara living their life soon after in London, 1965. I think that just works brilliantly and is good fun. The idea of them becoming distant after everything they experienced together just feels impossible but Leamann was good in her role. She was tapping into things with Barbara and the idea of her adventures in the TARDIS actually being past lives was a wonderful concept. A fun allusion was made to The Aztecs and her being a goddess whilst her uncanny recollection of the French Revolution was a lovely nod to The Reign of Terror. I really enjoyed how Leamann and even Harmer with Ian were trying to tap into their TARDIS trips for information about the Doctor. That followed up Bessie Come Home rather nicely and the mention of Penumbra was intriguing because I have looked ahead and know the title of the final release in the series. I'm enjoying that continuity already and look forward to hearing it develop further. It's working for me at the moment. I wasn't expecting the resolution being linked to The Web Planet and thanking the Animus with them being in the mind of Barbara and leaving untapped psychic powers within, but they came to great use here! Ian was right, his experiences over the last two years or so would certainly make a tremendous television show. The idea of him writing scripts was lovely and I was surprised Barbara was at odds with him over that. Hell, his scripts might even have potential for numerous spinoffs across who knows how many different formats. Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Harmer with Ian

Rating: 9/10

The Warren Legacy

"They turn up periodically and try to kill my family."

Writer: Julian Richards

Format: Audio

Released: September 2018

Series: Short Trips: Rarities 3.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana I

Synopsis

On a dark and stormy night, the Governor of a colony has some mysterious visitors. The Quell can make a particular problem go away, and all they ask in return is something that didn't exist in the first place. 

On a dark and stormy night, Lord Samuel Warren has some mysterious visitors. The Doctor and Romana can make a particular problem go away. 

That's if the Quell doesn't kill them all first...

Verdict

The Warren Legacy was a great audio adventure! These hidden gems that are the Rarities within the Short Trips range continue to be of high quality and this was another terrific listen. The thirty-five minutes were an absolute breeze to get through and I think a large part of that is down to the narration/performance of Stephen Critchlow. He was absolutely tremendous with his impression of the Fourth Doctor being particularly good. He nailed the mannerisms and intonations that make this incarnation instantly recognisable and it's just great to have something that feels authentic without the indomitable presence of Tom Baker. This works really well and whilst the concept doesn't feel unique, it's nice to do it in a slightly different way with different characters. Getting to blog a story with the first incarnation of Romana feels something of a rarity in itself to me personally as I really couldn't tell you when the last time I covered a story in which she was present. She's not my favourite incarnation of Romana by any means but it was nice to revisit her here. It's been a long time as I say! The description of her famed white coat was really good in capturing the scene. The span of this episode was really good as well as we covered the Warren family all the way from Medieval period up to some of their members being on a colony world! That is a considerable number of generations for the story and history surrounding the Quell and how the family were saved by the Doctor and Romana was passed down to be told through! So I guess it's testament to the trust that was put in each family member who passed it down their family tree. I think that's really nice and I kind of wish I had something like that in my family. The closest we probably have is a photo album now in my own possession that was started when I was born by my wonderful Nan who kept it prominently in her home before moving out recently as maintenance got a bit too much. The Quell felt a little bit like the Trickster in Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? in how they came and offered something to ensure that history was changed. This was similar in that Lord Warren wanted the thorn in his side for all of his life to have never existed. The only thing the Quell wanted in return was his first born. That seemed like a good deal considering that didn't yet exist and it seemed Warren made plans right there to end the family legacy. If the first born would be taken then it was just easy to be selfish and disregard the family past and future for your own benefit. I thought the way the older Warren knew all along that the Doctor and Romana were the very article from their family story was great and made them both seem a little silly as they listened to what they ought to have already known and experienced. Except time doesn't quite work like that! That worked out really well and concluded things neatly as the Quell were, pardon the pun, quelled. Samuel Warren might see out the family line after all. Overall, a great episode! 

Rating: 8/10

Adversary of the Daleks

"You have no idea what I'm running from."

Writers: Dulce Montoya & Dan Watters

Format: Comic Strip

Released: July 2026

Printed in: Circuit Breaker #1

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor is sent across time and space into her deadliest conflict yet – her first encounter with the Daleks!

The Doctor arrives in Thessaloniki in Ancient Greece where she discovers that even the gods fear strange visitors from across the universe.

Verdict

Adversary of the Daleks was an excellent comic strip to really kick off the main meal offerings that make up the Circuit Breaker multimedia event! This is actually a pretty monumental comic story because it depicts the earliest chronological meeting between the Doctor and the Daleks. That feels like a ludicrous statement but it's true! It's part of the whole basis behind the entire story arc with the Fugitive Doctor being the earliest known incarnation so she's the most likely to not have interacted with the strange and mysterious artefacts that need returning to their own time. The throwbacks to Calling the Doctor were good but I thought the comic strip did an impressive job in setting the scene for any readers who hadn't yet found their way to the UNIT website for the first story in the event. It's pretty simple but it just works. It's also really good to expand upon the character and personality of the Fugitive Doctor and she definitely isn't quite the version we would know. That was touched upon very nicely by both Osgood and Andrew as she didn't match the files at all. I was intrigued with how open they were to the Doctor herself about that because they were basically telling her what she was like in the future. I feel like we may have some early character development over the course of this event by the time we get to the Big Finish conclusions. That's my prediction and it feels very exciting. The concept of the Doctor not knowing the Daleks feels almost incomprehensible at this point in fandom but if the Fugitive Doctor truly does predate the First Doctor then the events of The Daleks are yet to come. So here she is encountering them for the first time which is brilliant. The silhouette of her encountering the Dalek in the Greek setting was wonderful. I thought the design of the red Dalek here was also magnificent and definitely felt retro which fits with the implied setting and timeline. I must say, I was reading this comic strip as a Kindle version because my local Forbidden Planet didn't have the physical version in stock and I just couldn't wait! Maybe being a digital version made this all the better, but I thought the artwork was absolutely astounding here. It was so vibrant and the colour just shone off the page. The new design variant for the Fugitive Doctor's costume is also wonderful and she just suits the comic strip format perfectly! I thought the Mitikili were quite fun as the alien race impersonating gods but they were just there as refugees from the Daleks. The Doctor making them apologise was a bit of a shock and a stark reminder of how different this incarnation is. She isn't the buttered up version Osgood and Andrew knew about and she was keen to imprint that on them. Osgood's reaction of shock that the Doctor yelled at the Greeks after witnessing a genocide was powerful stuff but I actually sided with the Doctor here. It really wasn't her fault and if they just followed instructions the whole trojan Dalek might have worked! That was a terrific image. The Doctor disposing of the Dalek exterminator arm was good in returning that somewhere close to the right time and species, and there's certainly tension in the air amongst her and the Black Archive staff. Continuing to explore that going forward is exciting stuff. Overall, a brilliant read! 

Rating: 9/10

Fixers: Much Ado About Racing

"Heartbreak sustains me."

Writer: Fio Tretheway

Format: Audio

Released: July 2026

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 9.03

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ray

Synopsis

When the TARDIS arrives at the start of the Intergalactic Championship Rally, the Doctor and Ray are caught between two rival racers. And for Ray, long-buried feelings resurface. Something is at work here: something feeding on heartache and regret. And love among the race-crafts isn't all that's at stake...

Verdict

Much Ado About Nothing was a great episode to conclude the Fixers series of Seventh Doctor Adventures! This was a really intriguing and unique story which I was glad about and despite the obvious Enlightenment vibes, this really did feel different. I don't think it was perhaps the best idea for the audio format, but I certainly appreciated the sound effects that came with this episode. They were considerably different to pretty much anything we've come across from Big Finish before which was good and certainly felt refreshing for the audio format. It was good stuff and the pace was rattling along. That's a good thing because things did feel lighthearted somewhat when it came to the Intergalactic Championship Rally which is ironic given the parasite that was literally at the heart of the story. It was basically there right from the start which was good and it had consumed Ray's mental thoughts to such an extent that she thought the voices in her head were just her own. She was going through a lot emotionally in this episode which I thought was really strong. I don't think it's any secret that Delta and the Bannermen was a pretty camp serial and Ray fits in perfectly there, so to have her questioning her sexuality was unexpected. It was a bit of a shock to her too which was really powerful stuff as she started to realise she might actually like girls that way. I was kind of glad that she had that conversation with herself and not the Doctor as it was important that she came to her own internal conclusion. The actual setting of the Rally was fun and the history between Boots and Mercury added a whole other level to the dynamic of competition. Ray being told to rile up tension amongst them with their past love was good and even shocked the Doctor. I wasn't overly sure about his insistence on keeping a fixed point in time intact and honestly that element got forgotten about! I didn't even consider it until the Doctor's line at the end. It just wasn't the focus and it shouldn't have been so no issues there. I liked how it was a female-centric story focused on love. So inserting a parasite that fed on heartbreak was brutal. It's an intriguing concept and I'm surprised it hasn't happened more. It worked really well in manipulating events to cause more hurt and the race between Boots and Mercury was perfect for that. Those two realising each other was more important than victory was really nice as when one was in peril, the other wasn't interested in victory. Not dying was also a bit more important than victory which was good to make clear. I thought it was great how love came together to provide the impetus defeat and it was always going to be that way, but sometimes predictable is the way to go and the way it should be. Ray reflecting on things at the end was a really nice touch and I thoroughly enjoyed her own personal growth and reflections. It's important and was some excellent character building for a companion who I hope will be sticking around for a long time to come. Overall, a great episode to conclude a very solid series! 

Rating: 8/10

Fixers: Oil and Water

"I wouldn't enslave a species for profit."

Writer: James McDermott

Format: Audio

Released: July 2026

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 9.02

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ray

Synopsis

Visiting the Norfolk coast, the Doctor and Ray discover something very wrong with Blakeney's seals: they're bloated, mutated, and killing people! With grieving boater Anne, they investigate the cause... Is there something in the water? What does it want with the sea life? And what are its plans for humanity?

Verdict

Oil and Water was another great episode to continue my way through the Fixers series of Seventh Doctor Adventures! I'm really liking Ray and we got what seems like it's going to be the customary reference to Delta and the Bannermen which is terrific because it's a reminder of just how long now she has known the Doctor. And this Doctor in particular. She clearly made a big impression over the course of that serial's events, so much so that now at a late stage in this incarnation's life he's reunited with her. I'd still love to know how that came to be but that's a story for another day. It felt slightly odd that this incarnation would even have access to a sonic screwdriver as didn't see that on screen other than The Movie, but it's good continuity in keeping with the lateness of this incarnation's timeline. Ray wanting an adventure holiday was nice but often in the TARDIS the companion doesn't exactly get what they asked for! The Doctor claimed that his days of manipulation were over which actually feels like a pretty significant step, but he was still on hand to help where he was needed. Even Ra could smell trouble upon their arrival in Norfolk. That setting was good as it wasn't the typical London that is overused, and it was a nice shift to go into the late-2020s. We're basically living in that time period now which sounds horrible to say because that should be very much in the future! It was quite a few decades into Ray's future though which was a fun dynamic and hearing her try and navigate a conversation about the internet was good fun. I thought the environmental theme here was strong in having seals melded with litter and rubbish. That painted quite the picture but I was glad that there was also an alien involvement. The Fuel is a fantastic name for a villain in this kind of adventure and they were basically possessing the seal population. One of them had dragged Anne's wife below the surface and that obviously sent her into a severe state of grief. She was far from acting with a sound mind and the moment that she just ran one over in revenge was quite extraordinary. I can't say I blame her but the Doctor was outraged. A life for life is never the answer and I certainly understood that perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed Sylvester McCoy's performance here as he played it with genuine emotion on numerous occasions. That was really good and I don't think I've made it a secret that he would have to rank as my least favourite incarnation, but crikey Ray is bursting a whole new lease of life into him. I'm really enjoying this pairing and I'm glad that it will continue for at least one more episode yet! The threat that came from the Fuel's plan to use the literal fuel provided and it being within so much now as a means of oil and igniting that all at once was instantly a planetary wide threat of the most epic proportion. I didn't see that coming and perhaps touching upon that a little earlier would have been beneficial. It was still really good and solidified Ivy Boil as a bitchy villain. Again, if she was around longer I think that would have helped things even more. Ray being on hand to time things right with her own ignition and the help of Anne to bring things full circle was really good in the conclusion, even if there were still a lot of dead bodies and people to explain. It certainly wouldn't be good for business! Overall, a really good episode to continue the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Fixers: The Executor

"A whole TARDIS-full of memories."

Writer: Chris Chapman

Format: Audio

Released: July 2026

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 9.01

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ray

Synopsis

In a muddy field stands an old stone dovecot. Only it's a TARDIS – with a recently deceased owner. The Doctor is named Executor of the Last Will and Testament of an old friend – Pegroninagall, 'Peg'. He has a monumental task: clearing her TARDIS of keepsakes and mementos. But this Ship may also contain whatever killed Peg...

Verdict

The Executor was an excellent episode to kick off my listening of the Fixers series of Seventh Doctor Adventures! This was a really intriguing concept and I'm amazed it's not one that has been done before. I work in finance and AML so I deal with trusts on a semi-regular basis, so hearing the word executor was not exactly what I expected after finishing my shift and giving this a listen! I hadn't read the synopsis so I was anticipating the title was meaning in the form of death. But alas it wasn't! I liked that we seem to be continuing the pairing established in The Krillitane Relic with the Seventh Doctor travelling with Ray, but I would like to get some sort of origin of how they reunited. As far as I'm aware, that hasn't happened yet across a Big Finish story so just how did the Seventh Doctor remember his friend from Delta and the Banner Men and see her join up for adventures? That has to be written one day, surely? I really like her and I might be biased because I'm also Welsh, but I think she also brings a refreshing dynamic to this incarnation of the Doctor. I don't want to say that Ace and Mel have been overdone but there are a huge number of stories with these companions, so to have a familiar face but as a new companion is a nice change. I'm a big fan. I thought it was terrific for Ray to mention her nan having a house in Llantwit Major that needed clearing out as that's not a village that gets too much recognition anywhere outside of the Welsh footballing circles! I thought the Doctor being an executor for a perished Time Lord was quite daunting but it was absolutely perfect for this incarnation. It just couldn't be anyone other than the Seventh Doctor! I thought hearing about his relationship and history with Peg was fascinating and Ray pushing on that was great. She was like all of us as the listener wanting to know anything about his past. She seemed to think that Peg might be his mother! I thought it sounded more like an old flame but that somehow feels alien for the Doctor. With her mentioning Susan, might she be her mother? I think it's right to keep things ambiguous but I can't help but speculate. I thought the mystery behind Peg's death was fantastic and hearing that she had five regenerations to go just a week ago was pretty bleak. What had she done in the last week to evoke death five times? Hearing about the Jyrock is probably the only reason this story doesn't achieve full marks. Their presentation wasn't appealing to me and just felt a tad childish which was a shame. It wasn't all that bad though considering that their appearances and dialogue was limited. That was the right move so we didn't get too much of their almost inaudible speech. I did though like the sundown as a weapon that Peg had stolen from them and it was clearly deadly! It was what caused Peg to die over and over across the week period and basically did what it said on the tin. I liked how the Jyrock were sent packing to the Vortex though in utilising the executor device that the Doctor and Ray were using to go through Peg's TARDIS and belongings. That was all neat and tidy and I liked the emotion that came from the ending as Peg got to say her goodbye. We met her in hologram form through the Type-50 TARDIS which was fun and her helping with her own death is fun irony! Overall, a fantastic beginning to the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Bessie Come Home

"You should have seen me in my prime."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: August 2021

Series: Beyond the Doctor 02

Featuring: Bessie

Synopsis

It's been many years since a certain yellow Edwardian roadster was a key member of personnel at UNIT. As the Doctor's personal transport, Bessie was on the spot for many of his Earthbound adventures. Those were the glory days, when Bessie stood side by side with the Doctor, the Brigadier, Captain Yates, and a parade of plucky young assistants. 

Yet Bessie's remarkable life began decades earlier, at the dawn of a new century, and it has continued beyond the UNIT years. Indomitably she lives to tell the tale, and is only too keen to do so. Thankfully her new owner, kind Mr Foreman, has time enough to listen to her story.

But a serpent lurks in the shadows of the scrapyard. Someone else would like to acquire Bessie – seemingly at any price. After all, she holds a great deal of information about the Doctor...

Verdict

Bessie Come Home was a fascinating audio adventure! I have known about this release for quite some time and even after listening I still can’t quite believe that it exists. It’s utterly ludicrous and yet it somehow works. A sentient car? I mean if there was going to be one then the only answer was Bessie. She’s such a stalwart of the Third Doctor era but I couldn’t ever imagine having what is essentially a Companion Chroncile for her! It could only come from the mind of Paul Magrs. It’s a good deal of fun and I think that’s the perfect word to describe the adventure. I thought having Bessie now decommissioned and basically hidden and started anew as far as official records go was a little sad but I love the idea of her finding a new home with Mr Foreman. Him being the apparent grandson of the same I.M. Foreman who owned 76 Totter’s Yard was terrific and that somehow felt right. It was nice to mention how that once held all sorts of oddities including a humming police box. Bessie had clearly fostered a nice relationship with Mr Foreman and that was really good to explore. She was clear though in who her favourite owner was. Could it be anyone else other than the Doctor? I thought it was really intriguing to touch upon the car’s past and I particularly had a huge smile when that daffodil yellow coated paint was mentioned. That felt like a big moment and just defined the character. That yellow really is iconic. I’m still not entirely sure how Bessie was able to communicate but I think it’s better to keep that ambiguous. The idea of the car injecting thoughts so basically communicating telepathically seemed the only viable option considering she was a car! Bessie telling stories of her life with the Doctor and at UNIT was great and it basically went all I, TARDIS in the way she recalled nearly every televised story in which she featured! Touching upon the likes of Doctor Who and the Silurians to Terror of the Autons and then to Robot and Battlefield was really nice. A change of Doctor was obviously going to impact their relationship but I think she was more irked by Invasion of the Dinosaurs and the emergence of the Whomobile! Vehicular conflict anyone? It felt very real. It was really nice I thought when discussing her encounter with the Seventh Doctor that she was also delighted to be reunited with the Brigadier too. He has a soft spot in just about everyone’s heart and that really is lovely to acknowledge. I quite enjoyed the humour that came from her not having too fond memories of The Android Invasion too. She wasn’t all that well used! I thought the threat of Mr Hamer was intriguing and him wanting to pay up to £2.5m for Bessie because of her information on the Doctor was fascinating. Clearly there’s an overall arc going on here with the prospect of him capturing other companions for information, but what could a car really tell him? I liked how Foreman overheard the true plan though and wouldn’t part with the car. How could he? She was in her prime and she quite liked this owner. Bessie knew the dangers of she was transferred again here. Overall, a really interesting and quite barmy episode to go Beyond the Doctor. There really isn’t anything they won’t do!  

Rating: 8/10

The Horror at Bletchington Station

"An overinflated sense of self."

Writer: Chris Wing

Format: Audio

Released: September 2018

Series: Short Trips: Rarities 3.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Dodo

Synopsis

The Doctor and Dodo seek shelter from a heavy storm in a rural Victorian setting, but it's not the thunder and lightning that's caused nearby railway labourers to flee in terror. Something has been disturbed, something that should have been left alone. But is that really the reason the Doctor's so distracted?

Verdict

The Horror at Bletchington Station was an excellent Short Trips rarity! This was a delightful listen and filled in a gap between The Savages and The War Machines very nicely at a time before we had the ongoing new edition of the First Doctor Adventures. I do feel like that range has lost its way recently which is a bit of a shame but this is everything it should have been. Simple adventures for the First Doctor and Dodo. That pairing in of itself is something of a rarity so I liked how that fitted neatly into the range. This really is a superb thirty-four minutes spent. I must say how impressed I was with Stephen Critchlow as the narrator because as far as impressions go, I thought he pretty much nailed his take on the First Doctor and Dodo. Of course, as a man he isn't going to get all the tones and intonations for Dodo but the northern accent really did help it feel authentic. I thought the setting of the Victorian era worked really well and it really did feel like we were in the middle of the Industrial Revolution with the train tracks being laid. It really did just feel like a working class star and that's a huge compliment. The atmosphere was impressive in capturing the evening and a night at a Victorian public house lodgings was terrific. I wonder if Jago and Litefoot would sample a taste there in the future? I liked how there was a storm to set the scene but the weather was not the worst of things to come for the Doctor and Dodo, and the rest of then local population. The new train station had brought people from all over and for the public house that meant more footfall for trade. However, the fact that every workman without fail checked into a room the previous night obviously drew questions. I liked the threat of a mysterious creature and the locals seemingly thinking it closely resembled a bear sounded like a decent threat because I've always said natural ones are the most fearsome. An alien from outer space is difficult to relate to, but a wild bear? Yeah I'd be frightened and having my running shoes on for sure. So I can't blame all of the workers for seeking shelter. The Doctor and Dodo checking in for their own lodgings was good and I loved how the Doctor was very keen on supper. That felt like really good characterisation. I was really impressed with the writing for this incarnation as it felt very well suited to Season 3. He's gone through a lot by this point and the end is very much near so it was intriguing to hear him in reflective mood here as he remembered all of his companions up to this point. That was a touching moment and the prospect of him dematerialising almost feels impossible! It felt like a strong character moment for the First Doctor which I appreciated. Finding out that the true cause of problems for the Victorian rail workforce was a timeship that went faulty was not what I was expecting but I really liked the concept. It was unmanned which made wrapping things up a little easier and allowed the Doctor to send it back to the owner. I enjoy when the First Doctor gets some Time Lord vocabulary and just hearing him explain how it was sent to scout out the Vortex was fascinating. I really enjoyed that. Overall, a fantastic listen! 

Rating: 9/10

Grave Moon

"The body we buried just walked out of the woods."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: June 2026

Series: Rutans vs Sontarans 1.03

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri, Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor and Peri track a criminal imposter to a moon sanctuary of healing ponds, only to discover the lone Rutan the Doctor has previously met trapped in a self-made web of lies.

Experiments to rejoin the Host have forged a bond with grieving pond farmer, Ooland. As their mutual obsession tightens, so Ooland's ponds grow more polluted and their farm cut off from what is really happening on the moon: a full-on Rutan invasion.

As the Doctor and Peri strive to free Melmoth and Ooland from each other, another Doctor is at work close by – with far-reaching plans of his own for the lone Rutan.

Verdict

Grave Moon was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Rutans vs Sontarans series! This followed up then story already set in Betrayal at the House of Sontar and Rendition very nicely, although I must admit just how the Sixth Doctor had recollections of the latter is a little baffling given the alternate timeline of the Second Doctor there. Perhaps he got some notes during the events of The Two Doctors? Unfortunately the two Doctors present during the course of the events here don't get to meet, but it's a very intriguing scenario to have the Eighth Doctor sneaking around and posing as farmer John in the background at the scene of a past adventure. I am very excited for what the finale of this miniseries has in store and the plan of the Eighth Doctor because this is the second time now he's been checking in on Melmoth and a previous encounter. What could it all lead to? I'm excited to find out. The story on hand here was brilliant and the setting just worked. Healing powers in the water went so far as to explain how somebody thought dead continued to live on, but it all turned out to be the Rutans. I thought the concept behind the moon here actually being essentially a Rutan hospital for soldiers injured in their eternal war with the Sontarans was great. The coincidence of Melmoth ending up there was just too much and there had to be more to it and I liked how Peri realised that. She had a really strong showing as companion here which was wonderful to hear. It was also great fun for her to have a small interaction with the Eighth Doctor! If only she knew. I mean, she has experienced regeneration first hand in The Caves of Androzani so she could easily be persuaded and the scene in the TARDIS at the end seemed to indicate the Doctor knew exactly who he was but giving him a piece of his mind would have to wait for now. He would become him! Ooland was a lovely character and she was going through a lot here. Her relationship with Yarrin was not all it seemed and the extent to which she learned that was the case throughout the episode was quite heartbreaking. Peri clearly had a vendetta against the Rutans and the extent to which she was pushing that was quite a surprise, but the Doctor knew a pragmatic approach was required to ease her into the truth. Yarrin being Melmoth was no surprise but finding out that he had taken his form from the psychic connection he shared with Ooland and created the print from her memories was fascinating. When the other Rutan Host arrived, they thought that had massive weaponry potential. Invasion through the mind! In a purely war mindset, I could understand what they were seeing there. The emotion that came from Ooland perishing was obviously something that made Melmoth distraught. Ooland hadn't initially been accepting of Yarrin's true form but when the Inspectors were all revealed to be Rutans, she was firmly against the Host. She paid for that with her life. Melmoth is not only separated from the Host but now also from the one he seemed to love. The Eighth Doctor trying to console him there was strong and leads in nicely for the finale as we continue to explore the impact of one Rutan being separated. And it's been a long time given the span of this miniseries! Overall, another fantastic episode in the range. 

Rating: 9/10

War Room: Loyalties - Eye for an Eye

"It is good to see the old customs revived."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: June 2026

Series: Gallifrey 15.04

Featuring: Narvin

Synopsis

Cardinal Ollistra must serve the will of Rassilon and see the Resistance destroyed. But the Resistance is already falling apart. 

With Leela and Rasmus missing, the General and Veklin are given a mission that neither relish. Loyalties will be tested, and vengeance will be held.

Verdict

Eye for an Eye was a decent episode to conclude the Loyalties fifteenth series overall and third instalment of Gallifrey's War Room. There wasn't anything inherently bad about this episode but despite some very strong ratings and a much welcomed level of consistency for this release, I can't help but feel slightly let down. I don't think Lalla Ward was utilised well at all and honestly I think it would have been more impactful if Romana didn't feature at all. Honestly, she pretty much may as well not have! This was not the finale I was expecting as it didn't feel like one at all, but the character development and evolution of Gallifreyan politics was much welcomed. I think Ollistra continuing her tirade was great and having two different incarnations of her at the same time was touched upon nicely for the first time in what felt like a lengthy period. Getting a cheeky mention of bigeneration in there was delicious continuity with the modern era and I really liked having it acknowledged as something of myth. That wasn't quite what Ollistra had achieved in having two of her around but it was good to expand on that ethos. I'm all for that. I thought the General stood out here as he didn't flatly follow the orders of Ollistra and it was good that he still had a conscience in not wanting to fire on the Resistance when they weren't in an attack formation. Vecklin was once again put through the emotional ringer and I liked the semblance of potential civil war that was seeded at the end as she was ready to move with him when he was. It's easy to forget that the Daleks are the true enemy in this Time War but their absence does feel a little strange. I'm not sure how you do such a lengthy and in-depth series on Gallifrey without the Daleks, but it just never felt like they were around or even posing any threat which is baffling! My thoughts here I realise are more about the overall boxset than this specific episode and that's because I've been waiting for the finale and giving things a chance. I don't think it was the right move to have none of Leela or Romana feature here and that's not a discourtesy to Narvin but they really are the stars of the show. I loved that Vecklin framed him for murder and that does seem to push our original trio back together in captivity which will be a fitting moment. I thought Cresta was excellent again here and her knowledge and technical knowhow came into fruition here very nicely. The idea of a virus that could seek out political enemies and even thoughts of dissent against Rassilon almost feels impossible, but in the Time War anything can happen and I feel like that has a lot of potential moving forward. I think more could have been made of it here but there's time for that with Rassilon in a whacky state to put it lightly. He has been a shining light of this particular boxset as everyone seeks to please him whilst he oozes an aura of petrification. Whilst I did enjoy this series, it does almost feel like we're still basically in the same position at the end as we were in the start. Four strong episodes exploring a great setting and time, but for the overall arc it feels very House of the Dragon season two in that the ending felt like we were just in the same situation as the beginning. But here's hoping it's not as lengthy a wait for the next boxset! A good listen regardless. 

Rating: 7/10

War Room: Loyalties - Hope

"Are your dead not allowed to know peace?"

Writer: Katharine Armitage

Format: Audio

Released: June 2026

Series: Gallifrey 15.03

Featuring: Romana II, Leela

Synopsis

Leela has a job to do, and she cannot do it alone, and so she enlists the most unlikely of allies for the task. Time is not on her side, and she must succeed, or else all of them are doomed.

Verdict

Hope was another very good episode to continue my way through the Loyalties fifteenth series and third instalment of Gallifrey's War Room. Things are slowly building and I'm impressed with how touchy the atmosphere is after now what is essentially three episodes of politics. Rassilon was eerily creepy here with his chessboard analogies to both Rasmus and Ollistra and he really is firmly focused on ascending as gods. That really is fascinating to see how deranged he has become despite being such a political and historical force for power. Ollistra isn't too bothered by that and I'm enjoying how she has hidden things from him with her position heading up the War Room. She's incredibly ruthless and definitely a control freak. Rasmus obtaining the Great Key to access the Matrix was really good and I liked the threat that came from the Cloister Wraiths. They're an intriguing element on Gallifrey and I thought they were presented just as eerily here as they were in Hell Bent. For Leela, it must have been very difficult to see Eris again after his emotional death in Resistance and that played very well here. I thought the reunion between Leela and Romana was tremendous and there seemed to be genuine emotion there. It's lovely to hear how these two former Fourth Doctor companions have built such a bond and their connection amidst the Time War feels even stronger. Leela having a conversation with a younger version of Narvin was really good and I liked that she knew immediately he wasn't the true article. She could see in his eyes how young he was. Touching upon Narvin's regenerative cycle again was intriguing but this story was all about Leela and Romana for me. And then it turned out this wasn't the real Romana at all! I must admit that took me by surprise but I was impressed that Rasmus knew. He'd seen in the files but him having to keep it secret from Leela to let Ollistra's diabolical test run its course was almost an act of betrayal. Especially at the moment he shot Romana dead! The description and sound effects of her not regenerating but burning up into nothing was great stuff and Leela's reaction sold everything about it. She was horrified and rightly so as you would expect seeing your long time friend who had been incarcerated in a pocket dimension essentially shot, burst into flames, and killed into nothingness. Not the regeneration you would typically expect of a Time Lord in her second incarnation. I thought the audacity of Rasmus was impressive as if he was wrong, then Romana would still have had to regenerate! Imagine if he was incorrect. Ollistra's test of a flesh avatar within the Matrix was certainly audacious and it's no surprise that she was so concerned by hearing the reports of two figures being within, especially when she knew their identity. Rasmus touching upon his past with his daughter and their strained relationship was strong emotional stuff too! That was a dark reminder of everything the Time War has taken away from him too. Romana needing a way out remaining a problem for the finale gives us direction and I do hope we get a full use of Lalla Ward there as it feels like she's been slightly wasted or underutilised so far. Plenty of time to rectify that though! Overall, a great episode! 

Rating: 8/10

War Room: Loyalties - Resistance

"Treason hides in plain sight."

Writer: Katharine Armitage

Format: Audio

Released: June 2026

Series: Gallifrey 15.02

Featuring: Leela, Narvin

Synopsis

Eris is trying to hold a crumbling Resistance together; Ollistra is trying to tear it apart. Both have audacious plans to ensure the victory of their side and everyone else has to choose where their loyalties truly lie.

Verdict

Resistance was a great episode to continue my way through the Loyalties third War Room edition and fifteenth overall series of Gallifrey! Things started to feel like they were building here as tensions rise amidst the Time War and political struggle amongst the Time Lords. It's a really great dynamic and it really allows some depth and character development for those Time Lord characters in the range we are familiar with. It was great to hear Veklin defy Ollistra at the start and it felt like a real coming of age for her until the twist towards the end where she was still thinking the Resistance were the enemy and the wrong side. It was wonderful to have Leela and Marvin reunited here and it felt like Gallifrey was throwing back to the old days of the range which I loved. Their relationship is one packed with history and both seemed to acknowledge that with the moment they laid eyes upon each other. Narvin's predicament in being unable to regenerate now (or so we believe!) was touched on very well by Eris here as he questioned what it felt like to know you were in your last incarnation. For Narvin, the circumstances there would be even more heartbreaking as he hasn't regenerated twelve times up to this point. I thought the order and just brutal nature of Ollistra here was incredible and it was pretty difficult to comprehend in some instances. How could she willingly just order the death and destruction of so many innocents? She was very much thinking selfishly but also slightly for the bigger picture, but the sacrifices made for potential victory were surely too great. Veklin barking how she didn't have to hear the screams was a standout moment for sure. It was a stark realisation of how far away those in the War Room making decisions were from the battleground on the floor. The conflict amidst the Time Lords was intriguing to explore and I hope that's something we get more of moving forward. The continuity with Transference was really good in having Narvin caring for Lenaris who was still comatose. That was another stark reminder of the history of emotional and physical torment within the Time War and how the decisions of those in the War Room were impacting their own. Discussions about how anyone could survive or even win are always intriguing with the benefit of hindsight and knowing how the Time War ends, and at this point with such a strong divide on Gallifrey I'm intrigued to hear how far this series can go in reaching the point we see on screen in The End of Time. I don't see why it couldn't! The discussions on the ring around the Resistance as a means of deception and protection was good but it never felt like something that was going to be wholly efficient. Leela didn't seem confident and she had history. Narvin wanting her to come within him away from all of this was good and I do hope they eventually settle together if possible and escape the destruction of Gallifrey, but for now they're focused on Romana. Hearing her voice seeking help at the end was a really good cliffhanger to send us into the next episode and I can't wait for that reunion. Will she confront Rassilon then at the finale? I hope so! Overall, a really good episode to continue the series. A great listen.

Rating: 8/10

War Room: Loyalties - Propaganda

"Gallifrey does not belong solely to the Time Lords."

Writer: Georgia Cook

Format: Audio

Released: June 2026

Series: Gallifrey 15.01

Featuring: Leela 

Synopsis

With unrest brewing in Low Town, Rassilon demands the immediate location and destruction of a rogue broadcast mocking his name.

With Rasmus, the General and Cresta trapped in the Drylands, and riots bubbling on the streets, Ollistra attempts to steer a course to cement her rule over the War Room.

Verdict

Propaganda was a decent start to the Loyalties third instalment of War Room and the fifteenth series of Gallifrey! Fifteen series! It's been an epic range so far and whilst I came late to the party around seven years ago, it's wonderful to be in a position where I have caught up. And this particular release has been a long time coming! The delays on this one are no secret as it should have been out around eighteen months ago, but late is better than never. I really enjoyed returning to Gallifrey and this time in its chronology is really intriguing to explore. I love anything we get from the Time War because it feels like a huge gap we never saw on screen and it bridges eras which is rather delightful. Throw in the politics of the planet and Lord Rassilon as President and the combination is an incredible setup. There's so much to keep your attention and I like how treacherous everything feels at the moment. The War Room isn't exactly being ran in a hugely successful manner at the moment as Rassilon made perfectly clear to Ollistra which was a powerful moment. I think Richard Armitage is sensational in that role and it's magnificent to see this version of such an important figure in Gallifreyan history. He really does resemble the version we see on screen in The End of Time and that crazed manner was on full display here. It's almost a shame we didn't get more. I thought the focus on Low Town was pretty good and I enjoyed going beyond the Capitol and exploring more of the planet in areas that aren't populated by Time Lords. I'm just not sure the series opener was the place for that. I do think the concept behind the Disruptor was really good and the voice modulation almost made me think he was going to be Romana at first, but it did feel like it was revealed a little too quickly in my opinion. I thought there was potential to drive Rassilon into further madness if his name was being slandered from outside the Capitol. I thought the mission from the General, Rasmus and Cresta was really good and they made a strong trio! The General is fantastic and it's staggering to think that he's still around in the same incarnation by the time Hell Bent comes around. Talk about longevity! Cresta steals the show though and she really is just fantastic as the General's niece. More of her in this series is certainly desired. I thought the uncovering of the resistance communication network was good and will certainly be useful moving forward, but the sacrifice to obtain it was drastic! Low Town was used to siphon the power needed to wipe out the power in the base which was certainly efficient, but the impact was a little more than expected and that resulted in a large number of casualties. Ollistra was not fussed in the slightest as she seemed to only care about results for Rassilon to ensure her continued political position. That makes her an enthralling character. I felt Leela was severely underused for this episode despite her situation limiting her, but surely she ought to have been the one to go to the Drylands to investigate personally. Maybe they will learn from their mistake moving forward? Overall, an interesting story to get back into the swing of things with this range but maybe a little too much political manoeuvring and not enough action? 

Rating: 7/10

The Ruins of Heaven

"Which way are all the dead people?"

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Short Story

Released: December 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Steel Skies 12

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

The Ruins of Heaven was a fascinating story to continue my reading of the Steel Skies edition of Short Trips! This really was close to feeling like I was reading an essay and on paper that doesn't sound all that enticing but I found myself rather enthralled once Peri and Yy got into a deep discussion. I have made it no secret in numerous blog entries over the past decade-plus that I am a staunch Atheist and I'm not a fan of religion in the slightest. I don't put anybody down for having faith and I do find it interesting, but when I look at history and conflict the number one cause is religion and it just seems a bit silly to argue over a man in the sky. I thought the way it was addressed here was really interesting as it seemed like all arguments were addressed. The Doctor was having my views in not being shy about ridiculing religion and whilst I wouldn't go as far as he did here, it did put a smile on my face. I just don't like when religion is shoved down our throats or others are told they're wrong. To me, they're all living in a fantasy but I can't deny the power it has in bringing salvation and a fresh start for people. Having an actual setting of Heaven here was fun and Peri's immediate response upon arriving was to know where all the dead people were. That's quite a way to go about things but she had a good point to be fair! Heaven ought to be full of people, or is that Hell? This was just an interpretation or a version of Heaven which was intriguing and the Doctor ending up becoming a tour guide from his own brashness was very amusing. This was very much Peri's story, but the characterisation of the Sixth Doctor here was really strong. I wouldn't agree that this story felt like it fitted in with the Incarceration theme of this section of the collection because despite Peri being taken prisoner in death by the Putti, it actually ended up being a ploy of theirs against Yy as the angel. I thought it was really good to pit angels against one another and the Putti being in the form of cherubs instantly gives them a feeling of evil. There's just something scary about them and that's confirmed by the fact they'd be taken on in the form of baby Weeping Angels! The dialogue between Peri and Yy as they discussed religion was just excellent in capturing my attention. I was really interested in both sides. I liked how Yy could listen to prayers and whilst he maybe went a tad far in taunting Peri on hers, getting some insight into her as a companion here was great stuff. Touching upon the events of The Caves of Androzani and how she feels guilty for him giving his life to save hers was poignant. I think more could be made of that as it's a valid emotion for sure! The continuity with Revelation of the Daleks was a nice touch too with the Doctor's watch and Peri bringing it along to repair it, and Yy answering her prayer for that was pretty cool. I thought Yy helping Peri back to her reality and existence was good and the Doctor had just been causing annoyance as a tour guide the whole time! He needed a swift getaway which was pretty fun. Overall, a really strong read! I loved the discussion and for me it was all about that lengthy Peri and Yy conversation. It was really interesting stuff on a pretty divisive topic! 

Rating: 8/10

Thirteen O'Clock

"This is not my home. Everything's wrong."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: June 2026

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 4.06

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor and Rose return once more to the Powell Estate, but now the Doctor has a dreadful suspicion about the malevolent power that keeps pulling them back. The estate is shrouded in a strange fog, most of the residents have vanished, and the sinister Mrs Crook guards the ominous Flat 13.

What's more, Saffron Windrose has arrived in search of the Doctor, because once he helped her face a nightmarish entity at a railway station called Underbridge... and it's happening again.

Verdict

Thirteen O'Clock was an excellent story to continue the ongoing fourth series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! This followed the Thirteenth Doctor Adventures in essentially having a mid-series finale and after everything that has been happening in this range and the focus on the Powell Estate, it was good to wrap things up and get an explanation. I knew from the Doctor Who Magazine preview of this story that we were going to get a return in the form of Saffron and I actually think that's a good move to ensure the continuity of the range. I still remain uncertain about such an extensive catalogue of stories for the Ninth Doctor prior to Rose, but things like this just work. It's great for this to basically be a great big sequel to Station to Station which was a sublime episode so to have the Grimminy-Grew return was quite spectacular! I must admit I didn't expect that to happen and be the big bad of the last year in this range that kept things contained to the Powell Estate, but I'm all for it. I mean, I should have seen it coming with Saffron's return and the synopsis basically telling you that's what is about to happen, but it was still a great moment. The Doctor had his suspicions throughout the episode and I really appreciated the performance of Christopher Eccleston here because he showcased a vulnerable side of his incarnation. That's not exactly new for the Ninth Doctor because he admits he's scared in The Parting of the Ways but the genuine fear that came in his voice was instantly recognisable. I thought that was tremendous and showcased to any new listeners jumping on with Rose for this fourth series that the Grimminy-Grew was not to be messed with. The continued talking in rhymes give it a unique quality that instantly provides a sense of unease and mystery. That's obviously good. The setting of the Powell Estate here that was very much not in its usual state was great with it being a complete jumble. Milton being one of the last survivors on the Estate was a decent character and sharing a past with Rose that wasn't wholly recognisable was good. The Doctor not showing too much remorse for his death and just trying to convince Rose to ensure he didn't die in vain showed the urgency of the situation and just how bad things were. I liked the use of the number thirteen as the flat number containing Mrs Crook as she was a barmy character to put it lightly! She brought chaos to an already chaotic story and the Grew being her master fitted very nicely. She wasn't afraid to taunt the Doctor or Rose and that was really good. I liked the School Reunion vibes between Rose and Saffron as after the former was initially jealous, the story concluded with her asking if the latter would join them on their travels. I'd have loved that as she's a really strong character with obvious companion qualities. The Doctor and the Grew playing a game once again but this time the stakes were up. Banishment was clearly not enough because the Grew had orchestrated all recent events at the Powell Estate and now it was a duel to the death. Rose volunteering herself to be put on the line was something that didn't go down well with the Doctor, but Saffron realising that the Grew was actually answering to die in guessing the Doctor's heart's desire was fascinating. He wanted an end and the Doctor duly provided. Overall, a fantastic episode to continue the series! How about some adventures in space now?

Rating: 9/10

Corruption of the Daleks

"Daleks don't do the can-can!"

Writer Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip 

Released: January-June 2026

Printed in: DWM 625-630

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Mel, Fey

Synopsis

The Fifteenth Doctor takes former companion and current UNIT operative Melanie Bush on a TARDIS trip to 1920s Paris, but things are afoot and everything is not what it appears. 

Daleks from another dimension kidnap Melanie and timelines cross!

Verdict

Corruption of the Daleks was a great comic strip story! It has been a long time coming to get blogging this story as I have waited for it to complete, and after seven issues of Doctor Who Magazine it concluded meaning I could finally get in on the action. I'm definitely in favour of my approach now to blog the story as a whole rather than individual parts as I used to, as it means I've now experienced the story in its entirety and not reread any elements. I think it's the best way to consume an adventure and it's a good one. Of course, the current state of Doctor Who is pretty dire as a fan as I think we all know that the Fifteenth Doctor's regeneration at the end of The Reality War was premature. The third Disney+ series was clearly meant to continue with Ncuti Gatwa in the role and some sort of story with Susan, and you would have thought by that point the Daleks would have emerged to tackle this new incarnation. Unfortunately, that never materialised and it feels like a crime that he never got to tackle the Daleks as the most formidable and famous monster. Thankfully, with the current multimedia approach to Doctor Who, the Fifteenth Doctor's adventures never truly end and so this comic is a fine place to have him take on the Daleks for the first time. It's a shame that never happened on screen, but getting the visual here was brilliant. I do think we could have had more Doctor and Dalek interaction given that they never met on screen, but just anything was welcomed in all honesty. I thought it was a fun dynamic to have the Doctor travelling with Mel too and I think that could be the way forward for the comic strip at the moment as we venture into uncharted territory for the future of the television series. It's going to be a long time until we see the show back on our screens so the comic strip is going to be about as close as we get to a current run. There's potential there to do something special and I hope they don't let the opportunity slip! Having Fey return here for her first chronological encounter with the Doctor was intriguing and it was nice to see how normalised she was here before everything that she would go through alongside the Eighth Doctor and Shayde. It was great to blend comic strip eras and a fun twist of time to have her not yet meeting the Doctor. The setting worked really well and the allusions to City of Death were great fun. I much preferred the alternate dimension version of Paris though with its deranged queen who looked like a female playing card version of Davros. I know that sounds ludicrous but that's exactly what she looked like! Some royalty that. I thought Mel being kidnapped by the Daleks was a good direction for the comic strip to take and gave a strong sense of direction. The emergence of the Daleks was terrific with the disguise and the women wearing what were essentially Dalek dresses with a familiar eye on their headband was good. Really eery stuff. Grayling was a really enigmatic character and his connection and partnership with the Daleks was really good to explore. He looked like a perfect villain and that's obviously great. I thought it was a little simple for the Doctor and Fey to break his conditioning simply by being caught in a net, and from there he was basically done which felt like a bit of a shame. The Eiffel Tower being used as the Dalek tower was quite the image and so was that of it exploding! I must say, the artwork in this comic strip was nothing short of spectacular. It brought things to life and was so vibrant. My only qualm was I would have liked more of the Daleks! The theme of gods and magic was good though given the theme of this Doctor's era. Overall, a great comic strip and that final pane is a thing of beauty. 

Rating: 8/10

Calling the Doctor

"We don't have time to chase a runaway."

Writer: Esme Jikiemi-Pearson

Format: Short Story

Released: 25 June 2026

Series: Circuit Breaker #1

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor, Osgood

Synopsis

When strange and corrupted alien artefacts begin spontaneously appearing inside UNIT's secure Black Archive, they bring with them a dangerous energy signature that tears tiny ruptures across space and time. Realising UNIT is out of its depth, a search for the Doctor begins. However, instead of an incarnation UNIT is familiar with, the connection to the mysterious and formidable Fugitive Doctor is their only hope...

Verdict

Calling the Doctor was an excellent start to the Circuit Breaker multimedia extravaganza! I think my expectations for this story arc are pretty much in the mindset of wait and see because this is the third attempt at this idea and it feels like the other two were snakebitten. The idea behind Time Lord Victorious was magnificent but it was halted by Covid and the release schedule felt all over the place. Then we had Doom's Day which felt like it was in the bin before it even took off with a large majority of the fanbase not taking the character of Doom seriously. That was a shame, but they have the winning formula here as the Fugitive Doctor in the lead role seems like an awfully exciting idea! I'm not sure a UNIT website story is the best place to start, but I can understand why that happens because it's free to read and it can get anyone interested hooked ready for every release. This did a superb job with that to be honest as the concept for the story ahead was set and it is an exciting one for sure. I think the idea of the Fugitive Doctor being conscripted by UNIT is brilliant and the prospect of her replacing lost artefacts in time from her future regenerations is glorious. I love mismatches of continuity so the prospect of her jumping into previous stories or encountering future villains is right up my alley. I think Osgood as the lead character from UNIT's perspective is going to be great too as I must admit she's been a sorely missed aspect of the organisation on screen in recent years. I thought her assistant Andrew had a pretty solid debut outing here and I'm pretty impressed that he conjured up the resistor device as a means to literally change time! That's an incredible feat but needing a Time Lord to handle it makes sense with them being no strangers to time travel. Yaz giving information to UNIT regarding the Fugitive Doctor is intriguing and I'm also jumping all over the fact it was stated that she is the earliest known incarnation of the Doctor. I think Chris Chibnall was careful to not set in stone when she places amongst Doctor chronology and numbering as I still think between The War Games and Spearhead from Space works best for me purely because the TARDIS is a police box in Fugitive of the Judoon. How could it be in that disguise if she was placed before An Unearthly Child? It's a fun mind bend and I love the mystery surrounding her incarnation. UNIT being able to contact her also seems impressive and she was pretty shocked by that communication. She didn't exactly welcome it either. I thought the format of the story with transcripts of conversations and private messages was unique and something I appreciated. Having a little bit of decoding in the story was good too even if the passwords were simple to obtain. It was just nice to have that little bit of interaction. Osgood discussing with Kate about the literal tears in time that were visible was brilliant and I loved that we got some images placed throughout the story and the simplicity of their captions containing their file codes was great. It just all felt authentic and I appreciate that. So the premise is simple. Artefacts from the likes of Sontarans and Carrionites to Daleks and Cybermen in the need of being returned to their rightful place in time to ensure the future regenerations of the Doctor are intact. The Fugitive didn't seem to think that concerned her if it was the future which was amusing and I do hope she is a little difficult to work with. From comics and audios to a novel and games, the circuit is well and truly broken. I'm ready. A fantastic start! 

Rating: 9/10

Waiting for Gadot

"Extinct? They can't be!"

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released:

Series: Short Trips: Rarities 

Featuring: Fourth Doctor

Synopsis

"A roaming alien doctor – I can smell a series in this!"

EarthCom cameraman Marsh is a man on a mission: to film some incredibly rare wildlife on a remote world. But life on this planet is both busier and quieter than expected: and it holds Marsh's future in its grasp...

Verdict

Waiting for Gadot was a good little story to continue my sporadic way around the Short Trips range of Rarities! This was another fascinating adventure that absolutely whizzed by but I guess that should come as no surprise considering the duration was barely twenty minutes! There's not a lot of time to play with there when you have such a short story but when I noticed that the author was John Dorney, I knew we were in same hands. He is such a prolific writer when it comes to the audio format and whilst there wasn't too much in terms of high profile stakes or whacky story arcs in this one, it was still a very solid tale. It's a rarity to have the Fourth Doctor travelling solo because there's so little time on screen where that could have been the case. He's never without a companion which considering he's the longest tenured Doctor is an impressive stat, but Doctor Who and the Face of Evil retconned Robot so I don't see why there couldn't be some moment where he dropped a companion off somewhere before returning later. Maybe a little line to establish that would have been beneficial here for the timeline and establishing just when in the chronology of the Fourth Doctor this adventure takes place, but it's not a big deal. If this was most other incarnations it wouldn't matter because there's ample opportunity for many of them to be travelling solo, but not the Fourth! That's why I'd have liked just something. I thought the main character of Marsh was really solid and I liked how he was a committed cameraman for EarthCom. There were some slight resemblances to Sarah Jane when it came to his character and attributing her journalistic tendencies and passion to his for capturing images and video was really strong. I admired him for his passion. I thought the Gadot sounded pretty interesting and definitely worthing of snapping an image because of the scarcity of them being in the wild. The fact Marsh actually wanted to capture them during their mating process was certainly unique! Is this subtly a story about alien porn? Of course I'm going a bit cynical and snide there but it's not far off! The rarity of a species is good to explore and the Doctor being on hand with his superior knowledge was almost a slap in the fact to Marsh. He thought this strange man was not human given the way he referred to people and him explaining how the Gadot were extinct seemed entirely impossible. And yet here the Doctor was revealing that they'd been extinct for a decade but given their scarcity in the public eye, it was not yet realised what had occurred. That's quite a sad realisation to be honest yet it somehow has a semblance of beauty attached. Marsh was understandably shocked and as the final stages of the audio went on, he grew increasingly angry at the Doctor which was a little bit of a surprise. I liked that he saw the TARDIS but his resentment for everything that had happened and his search was understandable but I think a tad misplaced. Overall, an interesting little story that probably deserved a bit more time to expand and explore! A very strong listen though.

Rating: 7/10