Closed Loop

"It's the very last place I need to be."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: June 2021

Series: The Robots 4.01

Featuring: Toos, Poul

Synopsis

Toos needs Poul's help on a mission so sensitive she won't even tell him where they're going. Needing to escape from his demons, Poul agrees. But he finds more ghosts waiting for him at their destination. 

Landing in the desert, Poul can't help but be reminded of his time on Storm Mine 4... and soon he's hearing familiar voices.

As he and Toos start to dig, they're about to discover that some secrets can't stay buried...

Verdict

Closed Loop was an outstanding start to the fourth series of The Robots! I'm still pretty far behind on this series but all I remember as I was catching up on the Eighth Doctor's adventures leading to Liv Chenka becoming companion and taking a year out on Kaldor here was just how good this spinoff range was. And it certainly isn't disappointing five years later! The world building is just terrific and I like the shakeup in terms of format for this boxset with us getting a Toos and Poul episode right away. We've usually been keeping up with the Chenkas in the first episode of the series so that was a nice little shift. I think the relationship between Toos and Poul was explored really well here and they're two veterans of life on Kaldor. Poul is still living everyday with his robophobia and honestly I do think he deserves a bit more sympathy. Imagine a whole society slowly integrating and becoming reliant upon the very thing that you feared? It's a pretty scary prospect so getting some insight into his feelings was presented very well here. He's troubled character that's for sure but despite his frosty outer shell, Toos brings out a more reasoned and softer element of his personality which is nice. I think the big twist here was so obvious in hindsight and I was honestly kicking myself when the truth came out! So many hints and the flashback sequence as Poul realised that he was in fact a robot was magnificent! He was almost appalled and again it just added to the need for more sympathy on him. He was now the very thing he feared! It was a pretty awful thing for the Company to do as a whole in making duplicates of those not sympathetic to the cause, but Poul in particular is a strong target who wouldn't fare well. It was so clear though as he had even question Toos based on her responses and actions that she was a robot, but then he didn't have his spacesuit helmet and D84 literally told him he was programmed. Of course, I like Poul thought he was speaking metaphorically but is that even possible for a robot? I'm not so sure as they speak with pure logic so why wouldn't he be telling the truth? I thought the continuity with The Robots of Death was excellent once again and whilst that's always going to happen in this spinoff range and especially with these two characters from that serial, the impact remains profound and I'm not tired of it yet. Placing Poul back on Storm Mine 4 was bold and pretty evil to be honest and him describing it as the scariest place around really did make me feel for him. He just can't escape the Robots. Toos having an ulterior motive and wanting to find information there was intriguing and I suspect this will be something we come back to as the series and spinoff range in total continues which I'm certainly looking forward to! The emotional impact of the episode was profound and that's what really took this into the perfect rating territory for me. This was such a strong character piece for Poul and it wasn't even the flesh version! The fact there's a robot of him at all is audacious and I look forward to Toos enacting her plan as she gets more confident and almost arrogant with how dangerous she can be too. Company, watch out. Overall, a sublime listen to start the series! 

Rating: 10/10

Helana and the Beast

"There is no one in this house apart from you and me."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 11

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

Helana and the Beast was a good little story to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection! I think doing an adventure based on Beauty and the Beast is a good idea for this book and it took me back to having a Disney version of that fairytale on VHS! Crikey how the years have flown by as that must be over twenty years ago which is a terrifying thought as I'm still in my twenties. I shouldn't have memories that are this long! But it was nice to have a little bit of nostalgia even if the story was pretty simple. I thought it was absolutely fine and a more than enjoyable read, but I don't think I can give any higher of a rating due to the lack of threat or danger. Considering the word 'beast' is in the title that is rather ironic but the threat that came from the beast and his appearance was almost eradicated within an instant. That was a strange route to go down but I guess with only eighteen pages to play around with there wasn't much time to build him up just to come back down again. I enjoyed Helana as the lead character and I liked her inquisitive nature in following the footsteps of her father when he wasn't returning home or in contact for a few weeks. It was known prior that he would be away working and the finances were still going up, but that wasn't enough to convince her that her father was okay. I liked how she tracked down his place of work and found that he was basically entrapped. The fact he was hired to try and find the solution to the beast's very own beastly predicament and nature was intriguing but the technology and knowledge just wasn't there in anybody. The beast was surprisingly acceptant of that but he wouldn't allow his days to be drawn out alone. Initially he'd wanted Helana's father to join him for the rest of his days but she couldn't accept that. He was an old man now and needed to finish his life outside of captivity so she volunteered to take his place. Her father was distraught but the deal was brokered and that seemingly was that. Until an enigmatic librarian appeared on the scene. Once again, the Doctor was not named but the description of the eyebrows, his dialogue, and the illustration made it clear that this was the Twelfth Doctor. I thought that was fun and there's a lot of room for this incarnation be travelling solo and living life up as a librarian in the shadows so that was really nicely done. He played the role well and it actually ties in nicely with his role in Series 10 at St Luke's University as a professor. I like the idea of him shifting around the shadows working on the solution that the beast desired all along. I do question why he had to stay hidden if he was literally doing exactly as the beast wanted and what Helana's father was recruited for, but the Doctor works in mysterious ways. He'd eventually found the solution to the beast's condition in being caught in an apparition in time and reality to bend him forwards and backwards which really did sound pretty terrible! Helana sneaking the concoction into his drink was decent but again why not just present the antidote? It started off with an adverse effect before replacing the beastly features with those of a 'normal' person once again. The TARDIS blending into the library and then disappearing was written nicely to round out what was a solid little story. Overall, a good read to continue the collection! 

Rating: 7/10

The Doctor and Carnacki: The Institute of Forgotten Souls

"Do you believe, Doctor, that madness can ever become airborne?"

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 6.03

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

In the heart of England in 1936 there lies a home for wounded men. It is a strange, shadowed place, full of secrets.

Terrible beasts prowl the grounds, as if guarding something dreadful. Inmates are disappearing, picked off one by one, while a singular resident – a certain, now retired ghost finder – bravely staves off the darkness.

Yet tonight is the night when it's all going to end. For tonight is the night when the Doctor comes to call...

Verdict

The Institute of Forgotten Souls was a great episode to conclude The Doctor and Carnacki series of Seventh Doctor Adventures! This has been a thoroughly enjoyable series with the boxset being really consistent in terms of both quality and feel. I must admit that I barely knew anything about Carnacki before listening to this series but I now feel like I know him rather well after three different adventures spanning a large portion of his life. It's been a fascinating tale and this kind of thing was perfect for the Seventh Doctor. I was glad that the finale kept with the dark atmosphere and tone and I don't really think it had much of a choice given what was happening. The titular institute was very eery as a setting and given that we've had two episodes already with Carnacki, it makes his predicament and appearance here all the more painful. He's clearly not himself but neither is time and I thought that was great to play around with. The interwar period is a favourite of mine because the impact the Great War had on society was huge even here eighteen years after concluding, and little do the people know what's to come in just a few years with an even worse atrocity and conflict. Carnacki not being himself was intriguing but I loved his reaction to hearing that the Doctor had arrived. With the appearance confirmed, Carnacki was back in full detective mode and I thought that was good to explore. I was impressed with how this felt a little like Hide with the contained setting but with more of a darker theme. So it's quite ironic that the big surprise was the Actually as an agent of the White Guardian! Light amongst the darkness indeed. I thought that was nicely done and was definitely not something I envisaged happening. I thought the kind of continuity was good and with the taunting from the Actually it was clear that something familiar was going to be revealed, but I don't think I'd have ever guessed! The Doctor challenging it and communicating with his bravado familiar of this incarnation was wonderful stuff and I must say I don't think I've enjoyed this incarnation more than in this boxset. It really has been a sublime performance from Sylvester McCoy throughout and that very much continued in the finale. I thought the concept of the Actually being reprimanded by the White Guardian was a neat touch and showed that even on a scale as wide but as simple as good and bad, light and dark, that there are still elements that go rogue. And rogue he went! Taking Carnacki out of time and preventing his death in the First World War is a pretty big deal and definitely an example of going off perimeter for sure. I think the reprimand was very much deserved. I thought the last five minutes or so of the story felt like an epilogue and whilst I'm not always a huge fan of that, I understand why that happened given the timeframe of the series as a whole and the journey Carnacki has been on. And I mean, surviving your supposed death is a pretty big deal! He would need the Doctor to talk him through and guide him to where he will end up. Overall, an eery tale and a fine way to conclude what has been a thoroughly enjoyable trio of adventures! A great listen.  

Rating: 8/10

The Doctor and Carnacki: The House

"It's following me."

Writer: Georgia Cook

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 6.02

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

Awoken in the dead of night to assist his distraught friend Arkright, Carnacki finds himself unexpectedly thrust into a long-buried mystery from his childhood, and face-to-face with a man he hasn't seen in years: the Doctor.

But what is 'The House'? Why does everything Arkright touch transform into the same rotting furnishings and wallpaper? Can a man really be haunted by a building?

Verdict

The House was a good story to continue my way through The Doctor and Carnacki series of Seventh Doctor Adventures! This followed the feeling of The Haunter of the Shore very nicely in feeling very dark in terms of atmosphere. Everything just felt like it took place at night and I like that because it really does bring a different kind of feeling to an episode. It also helps to have the Seventh Doctor as the incarnation featured because of his enigmatic and mysterious nature. The reunion with Carnacki was a nice touch with him being older now and his reaction to the Doctor being the one to drag him out of bed at 1am in the morning! He was instantly quite okay with that even when he knew he would be dragged back into another tricky situation. And what we got was pretty different to say the least! A sentient house is not a new concept but that wasn't quite what we were dealing with here which was fascinating. What I wasn't expecting though was such a focal point on fungi! I thought that was pretty whacky in terms of the spread and whilst I did enjoy that fungi was notoriously difficult to get rid of permanently and that playing out here, it just seemed awfully random to turn people into a house! How does anyone even get the idea for that? But given the episode title I guess it shouldn't have actually turned out to be too much of a surprise? It was just strange and whilst it was perhaps a little too on the whacky side, I appreciated the absolutely ridiculous nature of it! The main appeal to me was the atmosphere and tone of the story. Arkwright played a strong role and his connection with the house was great stuff. He was clearly riddled with fear and that became quite emotional to listen to at times. His appeals were almost unheard but the house kept coming back. Having the Doctor and Carnacki on times to help meant he couldn't really be in any better company though with their problem solving capabilities. The Doctor admitting he shouldn't have left it so long before returning to see Carnacki again was a nice moment of vulnerability. Are we finally getting a softer side to the Seventh Doctor or is this eventually all part of more manipulation knowing there's another episode to come in the series finale? Either way I'm on board with it. I thought the story incorporating both a younger and older version of Carnacki again was cleverly done as we shifted between the present and the past in the flashbacks being extended. The Doctor describing how only the future could be changed didn't feel correct though as he is known to have altered the past on so many occasions, be that on purpose or not. I thought the dream-like resolution for Arkwright was good stuff even if it is a bit of a shame he will only think of the Doctor as being in his subconscious. But the toll everything took on him with the house was palpable so maybe that really is for the best. The Doctor and Carnacki seemed to think so. I liked how the detective was important in solving things and it justified him being called into action. I'm enjoying the dynamic between the Doctor and Carnacki, although I must say it is still difficult to differentiate Dan Starkey playing the older version from a Sontaran! Overall though, another really strong atmospheric episode to continue what is turning out to be a little gem of a series. A great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Doctor and Carnacki: The Haunter of the Shore

"We begin at goodbye."

Writer: AK Benedict

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 6.01

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

1897. Young Carnacki investigates a case at Edgemere Manor where the skeletons of tourists are left on the shore of the lake. Carnacki must discard everything he knows when he discovers that the estate's hermit is the Doctor, and that time is being manipulated by an unseen force.

The Doctor and Carnacki must work together if the mystery of Edgemere Manor is to be solved, the house saved, and the haunted residents find peace.

Verdict

The Haunter of the Shore was an excellent start to The Doctor and Carnacki series of Seventh Doctor Adventures! I think it's great to have a boxset with the Seventh Doctor travelling solo because there is so much potential to explore this period of time in his life as we head towards his ultimate fate in The Movie and regeneration. The look that appears on the cover artwork would suggest this is the Seventh Doctor somewhere relatively close to that point and the atmosphere presented here lends well to that placement. It's a really dark story in terms of feel which I like. That feels right for this Doctor and also for the detective nature of the episode. The premise of this series in having the Doctor encounter Carnacki is fascinating and I must admit though I had to Google search who he was. I remembered him encountering the Paternoster Gang in The Screaming Ceiling but I blogged that four years ago now so I was in need of a refresher. I would say the episode did a good job in describing to you just who he was though which was appreciated. The Seventh Doctor feels made for a detective series so I hope that's something we get here with a couple of more adventures alongside Carnacki. Encountering him in both young and old age was good stuff and I liked how he was trying to aid Lady Firle with the mysteries happening around Edgemere Manor. That worked as an excellent setting and I quite enjoyed how she wasn't all that keen for Carnacki to provide his theories. She wasn't interested in what she was experiencing to be put down to science and she was really insistent that she wasn't suffering anything because of her grief. She was a strong woman who I admired and she just wanted to be with Mark once again. Who could blame her? I can't imagine losing my partner. Why wouldn't she want to follow any avenue that could see her reunited with him? The playing around with the here was really good and the ambiguous and almost incomprehensible nature of it was perfectly suited to the Seventh Doctor. I thought Sylvester McCoy was on top form here which is great as his incarnation is often my least favourite. Imogen was a nice character to complement the cast and she felt typically Victorian which was really good to incorporate. She was rather bullish and I think that was needed when things got as technical as they did here. She wasn't following along much at all with the discussion about time. The older Carnacki was good but I must say that I can only hear a Sontaran now where Dan Starkey is concerned! The pair interacting and almost predicting the fate of the other was good stuff though and they played it well together. The younger Carnacki trying to predict the future based on what he would as his future self was logical and almost so simple it could be bypassed! Wittins as the alien who crash landed felt a tad abrupt but I liked how apologetic he was for the situation and what came of it. The Doctor explaining the difficulties of literally moving through time was good and I love how it was presented as almost a physical treacle to break through. The struggle was real! I thought the ending was nice with Lady Firle meeting her Mark one last time to really end on a high note that was full of emotion. Overall, a good mystery and a really dark and intriguing atmosphere. A superb start to the boxset! 

Rating: 9/10

The Greatest Train Robbery

"I remember how they adored her."

Writer: Karissa Hamilton-Bannis

Format: Audio

Released: September 2026

Series: Thirteenth Doctor Adventures 1.08

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz

Synopsis

The Doctor and Yaz are sent on a mission of mercy – but who or what are they supposed to be rescuing?

On board a hijacked space train, the stakes get higher as the fate of the Maelin system hangs in the balance. As the Rebel factions and Sentinel guards join battle, time is running out. Will the Doctor discover the secret of the Maelin Anomaly?

Verdict

The Greatest Train Robbery was a decent episode to continue my way through the Thirteenth Doctor Adventures! We're two-thirds of the way through which feels quite crazy but I'm loving the continued expansion of the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz's travels together. It feels strange that we barely got this on screen as they're just so natural together. Thasmin forever! I do love the pairing and it really is wonderful to have two female leads. I thought this one started off pretty fun with the Doctor and Yaz answering a call from the Tourist to help. I must admit I was a little put off by that as I figured that this story arc was finished in Aegis, but given the hint of what's to come in two months time as well it appears talk of a mid-season finale were premature! The story arc is going to run right through and I'm more than happy to give that a chance. I like that the pair were on the hunt for a woman and that seemed to connect more with them which makes sense. The comedy that came from the Doctor pouncing on the chance to get on an open door to a train going who knows where was fantastic. I thought that was strong characterisation for this incarnation and Whittaker plays it perfectly. I absolutely adore her. I liked the idea of them stowing away on a cargo train because their presence then was instantly more questionable. They dealt with that in a humorous way though as I'm not convinced Yaz claiming they were mystery shoppers was a valid reason to be on board! Especially in the carriage where live people shouldn't be. The fact they had to differentiate between live people was intriguing too and showed that things were going to get a little dodgy at the least. I thought the Maelin system was a decent setting for the train to be travelling within and it had a pretty disturbing history that we slowly learned as the episode rolled on. That was focused on the Maelin Anomaly which was a unique and emotional thing, if I can refer to it as that because it was actually a little girl. The concept behind the Anomaly was interesting in that despite her being a little girl, she wasn't the first Anomaly and therefore retained the memories and experiences of all of those that came before her. That was fascinating stuff and I found it difficult trying to wrap my head around the idea of remembering things you didn't do! It's like trying to comprehend infinity. I thought the action between the opposing sides of Rebel and Sentinels was decent but I must admit I found myself drifting out of the story towards the final third which is a shame. It started well and had a lot of promise, but I think something was lost when it came to really highlighting why I should care as the listener. That sounds harsh and I want to reiterate that this was a good episode as my rating shows, but I thought it was going to be better for the most part as I was listening! I'm not sure it really lived up to the title, although I did love the image of the Thirteenth Doctor on top of the train and catching the rogue signal where she overheard the true intentions. The selfishness of the many was evident in this story with the Maelin Anomaly being desired for power. Boz was a nice character throughout and the faking being pregnant was quite something! The audacity! Overall, a good episode to continue the series but I was hoping for perhaps a little before after forty minutes or so. 

Rating: 7/10

The Scruffy Piper

"It's all a question of finding the right frequency."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 10

Featuring: Second Doctor

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

The Scruffy Piper was an excellent short story to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection! I think this might just have taken first place as the best adventure in the book so far because this was just marvellous. I think it helps having the Doctor feature and I find it quite amusing to think that this might be a Time Lord fairytale without them ever realising that one of their own features. I mean, the Doctor is never mentioned by name but the fact he used the word 'TARDIS' at the conclusion of the story would indicate his planet of origin. I think that's fun and it almost works better for that to come at the end. It has a storyline beat as a reader who would be a young Time Lord as they find out that this mysterious and comical man is actually one of their own! I thought it was clever to not address the Doctor by his title and that just enhanced the quality of the description. From the clothes alone it was clear that the incarnation here was the Second Doctor but the noticeability didn't end there. I thought the writing of his actions was absolutely marvellous. It's no secret that Justin Richards is a fantastic writer but the way he captured the essence of the Second Doctor here was honestly sublime. From the jumping on the spot and hand clapping to his babbling and "oh my giddy aunt!", this was just superb. I loved how authentic that felt. I also really enjoyed that this story featured the Cybermen as they're the quintessential enemy of this incarnation in my opinion. They show up time and time again to do battle with him after causing the First Doctor to regenerate into him in The Tenth Planet, so I like that we get another battle here. Although, this one was more focused on the Cybermats which was great as they're a very underrated element of the Cybermen. I liked how this had similarities to The Wheel in Space and The Moonbase with the Cybermats infiltrating and just the outer space station setting. It just felt like a Second Doctor era story and that's important. I am unsure which pairing of companions were inside the TARDIS upon arrival but I struggle to believe Jamie would have accepted being told to stay put! But then if it was Polly and Ben they hadn't yet encountered the Cybermats. So where does this fit? It's fun to ponder and it's really not that important. It's just a fun quirk to think about. I thought the Doctor utilising his recorder when it came to finding the right frequency to draw the Cybermats to them was terrific in its predictable simplicity. I also must say that the illustration accompany this short story was absolutely glorious. Easily the best printed in the entire book so far. It looked reminiscent of The Tomb of the Cybermen which must have been the inspiration and having the Doctor imprinted there with almost a decorative line of Cybermen and Cybermats was just marvellous. It really added a lot to the tale which I appreciated. The Chief still not being trusting of the Doctor after thwarting the Cybermen felt a tad harsh but it was good humour to have him go into the police box and escape without being questioned and causing any further trouble. Overall, a superb little short story! A terrific little read. 

Rating: 9/10

Short Circuits: Get Rich or Die Trying

"My colleague here is looking for a new assistant."

Writer: Alex Hewitt (from a story by Natasha Siegel)

Format: Audio

Released: September 2026

Series: Circuit Breaker #12.2

Featuring: Andrew

Synopsis

Meet Andrew – a young man with a good job, a mysterious benefactor and a painful past he wouldn't wish on anybody. Following a coded message to the Jurassic Coast, where a team of palaeontologists are digging up a dinosaur skeleton, Andrew encounters a stranger who gives him a so-called time-travel device. Before he knows what's happened, Andrew is plunged back through history, all the way to the Jurassic period itself. 

Why has he been sent here? Who is his anonymous benefactor? And is he the victim of a sinister experiment? Only time will tell...

Verdict

Get Rich or Die Trying was a pretty average story to conclude the Short Circuits set of Short Trips that brings the Circuit Breaker multimedia adventure to an end. It has been a terrific ride to follow the Fugitive Doctor on her journey of exploration at UNIT and interjecting with her future as objects from who knows when in her timeline were all part of a trap laid by a unique Sontaran in the form of the Conductor. I must say, I'm all for content and Big Finish puts out so much but I really do question the necessity of this release. I don't think the timing works well at all as whilst this does have the feeling of an epilogue, it's a prequel depicting how UNIT picked up Andrew to work alongside them. I feel like we had enough of his backstory revealed in Full Circuit so I was expecting more motive here but I don't feel like I got that. I thought the premise of using time travel for financial gains was excellent though and it's always been something I am fascinated by. I think it's one of the first things I would do if time travel ability somehow found its way to me and it would just be fun to pull off some audacious bets! I work in finance though so maybe investing in stocks like was happening here would be a more subtle way to get rich. I certainly wouldn't be risking anything that might involve me dying trying as the story title suggests here. I thought Dan Starkey was fine as the narrator and he always does a good job. He's engaging, but I'm just not sure he was suited to the roles in the adventure. Omari Douglas as the voice of Andrew would have been so much better. I just want to reiterate that this doesn't mean Starkey did a bad job by any means! He always delivers. I thought the link to the Jurassic period was fun stuff though and it's a little far from 1991 indeed! The image of an undiscovered dinosaur skeleton was intriguing and I'm actually semi-well versed when it comes to dinosaurs because my little boy is absolutely obsessed with them! He's always got the latest Jurassic World movie on the television and he loves to test us on the names of different dinosaurs. He's a little genius on that topic so anytime dinosaurs play a role I'm invested. I thought Andrew going backwards in history was sold more in the synopsis than actually occurred in the story which was a tad disappointing and it was just a reminder to myself of why I try and avoid reading story details prior to listening. The mystery of the benefactor was fine but it doesn't have the same mystery given that Andrew's story is already complete and the role of the Conductor is known. It serves as a good aid to somewhat understanding his personality, but again I just question the timing of the release. It is difficult to judge this in isolation when we already know what comes of Andrew and his role in the whole arc across so many different formats. I thought the scene at the end with Osgood and Kate arriving to recruit Andrew was good and it was fun to hear Starkey's impression of them. Overall, I just don't think it was needed but it wasn't bad at all. It just failed to fully engage me which is a bit of a shame. 

Rating: 6/10

Short Circuits: Battleships

"There's no race greater than the Sontarans."

Writer: Alex Hewitt

Format: Audio

Released: September 2026

Series: Circuit Breaker #12.1

Featuring: The Conductor

Synopsis

Meet the Conductor. It's rare for a Sontaran to be unique, but this Sontaran is certainly that. Regarded as an aberration by the short-lived scientists who oversaw his clone batch, this cadaverous specimen is also a peerless tactical genius. But life is hard for a Sontaran who stands out from his fellows, and this formidable mastermind must outwit certain rivals of his own kind before settlings his sights on the true enemy of the Sontaran empire.

Verdict

Battleships was a decent start to the Short Circuits release that seems to serve as something of an epilogue to the Circuit Breaker multimedia adventure that finished this week with Full Circuit, whilst being a prequel! It's understandable why this story in particular couldn't be released until the reveal of the Conductor was provided, but considering that was actually spoiled ahead of time with the cover art of the aforementioned full cast adventure, I actually think this may have benefitted from being released prior to the explosive finale. Maybe I'm listen too soon after those events that this now feels a tad redundant? I tried to not think that way and judge the story in isolation as is always my aim, but sometimes outside factors can't help but be an influence. This is a prime example here as we hear what is basically the origin of the Conductor, and yet we already know he has been defeated. I think the timings there are a little unfortunate and it's actually a bit of a shame we didn't get more with the Conductor. His uniqueness amongst the Sontaran race is good to explore and I liked how that was done here. He was almost admiring of the Doctor in how he was the one that caused more defeats than anyone else. The moment of what must be considered blasphemy on Sontar when the Conductor was not interested in defeating the Rutan Host felt like a big one as he knew there was a bigger enemy that needed thwarting first. That obviously ties in nicely with what happened during the events of the recent overall arc but I would like more of an explanation as to how the Fugitive Doctor was specifically known. Another link back to Betrayal at the House of Sontar perhaps? I think there's potential there. I really liked Dan Starkey in his role as narrator because he really is the voice of the Sontarans now. Nobody else really comes close and he just gets them as a monster. He can be funny and absolutely excels when that is required with the likes of Strax, but no such humour was needed here and I admire how the Sontarans are taken seriously again. They're a favourite of mine so to throw the Conductor in is terrific as a kind of anomaly amongst the gene pool. The fact he was almost thrown out and regarded as an error was fun stuff too because imagine how different things would be for the Fugitive Doctor if that was the case! Hearing the Sontarans in full on attack mode with the battleships was good stuff and whilst we definitely didn't need it, it was a nice reminder that they were bred for war. Speaking of didn't need and whilst I did enjoy this adventure as my rating reflects, I'm just not really sure we needed it. Sure, it's a nice add on to the multimedia event but realising it two days after the main event just instantly makes it feel like an afterthought which is a huge shame. Overall, an intriguing little insight into the background and origins of the Conductor, but I think the timing was off to fully appreciate this story which is a shame. Hopefully the second one is a little bit of an improvement, but still a good listen here.

Rating: 7/10

The Paradise of Death

"A corpse could be good publicity."

Writer: Barry Letts

Format: Audio

Broadcast: August - September 1993

Series: BBC Radio #3

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane, Brigadier

Synopsis

When a horrific and inexplicable death occurs at Space World, a new theme park on Hampstead Heath, UNIT is called in to investigate. The Third Doctor is highly suspicious. Just who controls the Parakon Corporation, the shadowy organisation behind the running of the park? What is "Experienced Reality", and what are the limits of its awesome powers?

Verdict

The Paradise of Death was a decent audio adventure! I am delighted to have finally gotten around to listening to this story because it really has been a long time coming. I have obviously known about it for quite some time and I always thought I would come across it in a charity shop, but alas no luck. Thankfully, in this digital age in which we live an Audible free credit meant I have on hand the BBC Radio Collection boxset and this seemed like a good way to pass some time on the train journey home after a very early morning flight home from Portugal, once again watching my beloved Wales suffer defeat! This felt nostalgic and it also made me realise I have a very different perspective of the story listening for the first time in 2026. Firstly, I'm consuming the whole thing in two-and-a-half hours back to back rather than in episodic format, and the world now is very much at home with artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Considering this story was broadcast in 1993, it very much does feel like it's testing the waters and was a little ahead of its time with the whole Experienced Reality element. I thought the concept was good and it was really interesting to play around with considering when it was released. I liked the introduction between Sarah Jane Smith and the Brigadier because it's just incredibly intriguing to think that their first meeting occurs on radio! It also meant that this was set directly after The Time Warrior which was nice as Sarah still gets to grip with the Doctor. I thought his reaction to being interviewed by her was tremendous! He hadn't agreed to that. This was also a bit of a privilege to be able to be doing a full cast adventure with all of Jon Pertwee, Elisabeth Sladen, and Nicholas Courtney in the lead roles as they have all now sadly passed away. What an honour to have this extra! I am so glad that BBC Radio did audios like these during the Wilderness Years as I think we can take Big Finish for granted currently with the sheer volume of continuous content available. I thought the Space World aspect of the setting was good although I must say it seems to have shot up very quickly given its description of the skyline and us never seeing it anywhere during the events of Seasons 9 or 10. That was a tad unbelievable. I thought the Brigadier was great here as he challenged the Doctor but then also got taken out of his comfort zone with the Parakon Corporation. Oh and his reaction to the Experienced Reality and him having pink toenails was glorious! They were an interesting organisation although I thought they would have been better staying firmly focused on Earth and not taking things to an intergalactic scale. I thought Onya was a very strong character and it's actually incredible that she was played by Jane Slavin who of course has gone to play Anya Kingdom in numerous Big Finish. That's some longevity and there's no way the similarity in name/casting can be a coincidence! I thought the downfall of the Parakon Corporation was just fine and the cliffhangers were pretty solid. It's hard to imagine listening to a weekly episodic audio at a certain time on BBC Radio but it must have been a treat for those who did! The idea of death as a commodity was good but I don't think it was quite played up on enough. Overall, a pretty strong idea and just a delight to be able to tick off the list. A good listen for sure.

Rating: 7/10

Shock and Awe: March of the Colossus

"I don't need your kindness."

Writer: Alan Roland

Format: Audio

Released: September 2026

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 11.02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

On a beautiful, unspoiled world, the Doctor and Nyssa meet the Dianasa, a primitive tribe who await Arrival Day, when the giant deity that protects them will descend from the sky.

An intriguing myth. Except the Colossus is real, as a ruthless off-worlder has discovered. And he will stop at nothing to exploit this discovery for his own ends.

Verdict

March of the Colossus was a decent story to conclude the Shock and Awe series of Fifth Doctor Adventures. I thought this adventure started pretty strong but took a little bit of a downward spiral towards the end which is a shame as this remained just good instead of great. I think the pairing of the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa are great but we don't get enough of them together here. I liked the setting and going to a primitive tribe is exciting because the superiority of the Doctor and Nyssa intellectually can become frustrating for the lead characters. I wouldn't say that was the case here though and it's important to note the distinctions between what we might consider primitive on Earth and in the past compared to a different world. The Dianasa though were really fascinating and whenever you have Samuel Clemens in a role you know you're in for a treat. I never check the cast list prior to listening as to be honest it's not anything I'm really bothered by, but his voice was instantly recognisable. He wasn't quite playing a character on the level of Rassilon here but I enjoyed the presence and power he brought to Drendar as the apparent leader of the tribe. His belief was absolute but it wasn't passed down to his daughter. Arimyne was a really good character and when Nyssa was separated from the Doctor she filled the companion role alongside him rather nicely. Which begs the question though of why the separation even occurred in the first place! Nyssa was rendered a little useless in the possession of Zebek who was a pretty deranged villain. I thought he worked just fine but I can't say I was wholly excited by him and I think that's because I was just much more interested in Drendar who I thought was going to fill that role. Things moved away from deities and superstition which was a shame after setting things up in that direction at the start. He was in the midst of a pretty whacky scheme in creating the Colossus and it rather amused him when Nyssa explained how it had become worshiped by the Dianasa tribe. He didn't even know! That felt a tad too ignorant for my liking. I think the cliffhanger was pretty standard for a story like this with the title but it does the trick. It's not like anyone purchasing this boxset is hindering on the quality of the first part to see if they'll complete the second. Of course they're going to! And they'd be right to because what we got was still really good. I just know it could have been better. I thought Nyssa appealing to the Doctor through the broadcast as Zebek announced there was someone watching the sporting event illegally was quite amusing, but I do feel like this adventure was hindered by trying to do too much with the time it had to hand. Might this have benefitted from more space and padding of a four-parter? I think so. I liked the simplicity and almost ridiculousness of the Doctor needing to calm down the Colossus because it almost feels too easy. But sometimes it is just logical and I wouldn't say that it didn't work so I can't complain too much. I did love Nyssa calling out the Doctor's namedrop of Houdini because crikey is that overused when it comes to getting him out of tight situations! It was also great to touch upon the difference between magic and technology. That's a matter of perspective and time but it was strange for Arimyne to not notice the TARDIS was bigger on the inside! No companion material there then. Overall though, a decent story to conclude the boxset! 

Rating: 7/10

Shock and Awe: Lair of the Voltaxa

"Which one will kill you and claim your dead body?"

Writer: Roland Moore

Format: Audio

Released: September 2026

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 11.01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

The time travellers' plans for a break in Devon are disrupted by a report of a car 'coming to life' and attacking someone. 

The Doctor suspects a link to the 'Miri Cube' – a sentient gadget soon to be launched nationwide. Technology that is decades ahead of its time.

But the cubes contain a disturbing secret – an alien intellect is preparing its plans for conquest.

Verdict

Lair of the Voltaxa was a great start to the Shock and Awe series of Fifth Doctor Adventures! It's always great to revisit the pairing of the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa because other than the opening moments of Arc of Infinity, we didn't see that on screen. Thankfully, Big Finish have filled the gap between that serial and Time-Flight to an incredible level and sometimes it just works better having one companion. When I was growing up and discovering the Classic era, the Fifth Doctor was easily my favourite incarnation and with The Keeper of Traken being the first story I ever watched in the era, Nyssa holds a special place in my heart as a companion. Sure, there's an element of nostalgia bias there but I think she is excellent so it's great to have her utilise her strengths as the sole companion. I thought the idea of her trying cream tea was amusing and the Doctor aiming for Devon was a nice break from the typical English settings. I love the county and often holiday in the Torbay area from childhood so I can see the appeal of the Doctor wanting to show Nyssa this location! Arriving in 1984 was a nice touch in feeling contemporary to the era even though Nyssa is from Traken, but being released in 2026 meant we could take the story in a very different direction indeed. The technology on display here with voice-controlled electronics was fantastic because it was basically like Siri on an enhanced level. Especially for the mid-80s! Playing with that kind of technology here was good and I thought the Voltaxa were a decent villain. I think the story would have worked just as well with the Wire as a more familiar villain for the listener, especially considering the Doctor had past experience with them that as far as I am aware is not in a released story across any format, but they more than filled the role and did the job required. I really liked Ania as a character and she was keen to challenge her boss on the release of the Miri Cube! She saw the technology close at hand and knew it wasn't ready for commercial release. The scale of the Voltaxa threat with just Ania's retail unit having 7,000 products ready for release when there were over fifty nationwide was quite incredible! I liked the hunt for the core and that turning out to be Miranda was played out very nicely. I thought things tied up nicely and the desperation on show from the Doctor was impressive in selling the threat. I liked the scale of things whilst focusing on one location and didn't feel wholly coincidental for Miranda to be the cause of the whole network breakdown. The focus on electricity and the links there were utilised very nicely and fitted in with the theme very well. I liked the boasting of the Voltaxa when it came to their use of electricity and them needing their body hosts to actually be dead was a nice dark twist. They were a little too ebullient in reanimating the corpses though and it was brilliant to hear the Doctor describe the Time Lord gift as regeneration and not reincarnation. That's a fun contrast to compare and he was clear in affirming that he could still die. Of course, he didn't but it was good to have that possibility on the table. I enjoyed Cameron as a character and him taking the Cube for his parents before they went on sale but then it contributing to her getting ran over was pretty barmy! Thankfully she was safe but talk about AI going wrong. Overall, a great start to the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Full Circuit

"I've woven the web of my own death."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: September 2026

Series: Circuit Breaker #11

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor 

Synopsis

Strange alien artefacts begin appearing inside UNIT's Black Archive. Each object is unmistakably linked to a different regeneration of the Doctor, but they've been tampered with. A corrupted energy signature of unknown origin pulses through them, and their sudden arrival has torn tiny ruptures across time and space. 

To solve the mystery, UNIT calls upon a little-known incarnation of the Time Lord: the Fugitive Doctor. But how does UNIT know about her? And is she the Doctor they expect?

The Doctor, Osgood and Andrew are joined by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart. A final mysterious object is manifesting, this one at the pinnacle of UNIT Tower itself.

A Time Bomb! Which threatens a dark future for all of the Doctor's incarnations.

Only this Doctor can save herself – and her other selves – from this intricately woven scheme.

Verdict

Full Circuit was a great audio adventure to conclude the main arc of the Circuit Breaker multimedia story! This has been a really fun couple of months across numerous formats with the Fugitive Doctor and it just feels right that it would be Big Finish to wrap things up. I think this has been easily the most seamless of the multimedia outputs as Time Lord Victorious was a bit all over the place and Doom's Day was a little uninspiring with a website text story serving as the finale, but here we have ninety minutes of full cast drama! This was really exciting and whilst some elements were very predictable, this was still a really strong story. I always enjoy adding to the lore of the Fugitive Doctor and having Osgood change tune a little on this incarnation being the first known one was really intriguing. I mean, it sort of undermined the entire purpose of the arc as the whole point was to get an incarnation that hadn't interacted with any of the objects needing to be returned to their right time and place, but I do appreciate at this point that things weren't quite the same as they were at the start. The whole concept of the Doctor and UNIT making their own demise and completing their own circuit in returning the objects which was actually the trap was terrific. I mean, it wasn't a big surprise and the reveal of Andrew being a bad guy was not a shock at all. It had been alluded to quite a lot throughout the Circuit Breaker story arc and it was always sitting uncomfortably with me that he was able to create the resistor. I am though a big fan of the Sontarans being the culprits in trying to wipe out the Fugitive Doctor because despite their many strengths and their standing amongst the Whoniverse, I still think they're underrated as a villain. The reveal of the Conductor here was fascinating and whilst it is a bit of a shame that Big Finish spoiled it early with the cover reveal announcement, the design is unique to say the least! I thought the concept behind him as Sontaran strength personified into intellect was fantastic! Talk about a change to the gene pool! I also thought the continuity with Betrayal at the House of Sontar was wonderful in the Fugitive Doctor remembering her role in starting the eternal conflict between Sontarans and Rutans. I thought the immediacy of the follow on from The Kaleidoscope was strong too although as suspected the way Martha was quickly put to the side was a bit of a shame considering how prominent she has been in the last half of Circuit Breaker. I'm really liking how important The Doctor and the Three Witches has been too with the Fugitive Doctor here realising the significance of the Carrionites prophecy as it was coming true. The Time Bomb as it was dubbed was a good threat and I thought the miniaturisation of the Doctor to go in and diffuse it was a tad strange as the means to stop it. Surely there was an easier way? I thoroughly enjoyed Kate coming onto the scene and interacting with the Fugitive Doctor as another incarnation for her to tick off and that was a meeting of two very strong personalities indeed! I liked that a lot. I think the story would have worked better if Andrew was a more significant character akin to the betrayal of Mike Yates in Invasion of the Dinosaurs, and I suspect that things will tie in better after the Short Circuits in a couple of days. The significance of The Deadliest Weapon coming into prominence was brilliant as well which really alters the perspective of that. It lived up to its promise of having a later impact for sure! Andrew blaming the Doctor for the erasure of his parents and the resistor actually being a kind of prototype was good stuff and it did feel a bit like The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky with the Conductor egging Andrew on in much the same way Staal did to Luke Rattigan. The simplicity of the plot concluding with the Doctor altering the circuit's DNA target was neat and tidy, if not perhaps a little uneventful? But the line about wanting the red wire or blue wire was great, as was Kate and Osgood's discussion when they thought they might not make it back alive. Overall, a really strong conclusion to the multimedia story! A final mention goes to the Fugitive Doctor seeing all of her future (or past) incarnations as they were all impacted by the circuit. The Doctor faking her death as well to trick Andrew into revealing his betrayal was excellent. A great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Gingerbread Trap

"How could a star fall from the heavens?"

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 09

Featuring: Krillitane

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

The Gingerbread Trap was a great little adventure to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection of short stories! This was a terrific take on Hansen and Gretel and whilst it did take a little bit of time to get going which isn't always what you want in a short story format with only sixteen pages to play around with, it was worth the buildup. I really wasn't sure where things were going for the first few pages and how the Whoniverse was going to tie in, but it was done really nicely. I can't say that I am overly familiar with the real life fairytale that this story is based on, but I think knew just about enough to appreciate how that was basically merged with School Reunion to create this adventure. I think that's fun and it just works. Sure, it has a few similarities but the goal of the Krillitanes is essentially the same, just on a smaller scale. The individual Krillitane here wasn't exactly out for universal domination and control, but still we had children being fed the Krillitane oil to enhance their intelligence and solve something ordinary beyond their capabilities on a computer. I really liked that and it's good that the Krillitanes have a set method, even if past hit rates aren't entirely successful! The amalgamation of the gingerbread house and it actually being a cage to trap Malkus and Everlyne was really good and I thought they made a brilliant little sibling pairing. I could relate to the cuteness and closeness of their relationship as my own son and daughter are really starting to bond and play on a similar sort of level. My boy is five and full of energy whereas my girl is starting to come out of her shell a lot now as she is a few months off turning two. They're wonderful together and I just love watching them enjoy each other's company and that seemed to also be the case for siblings featured here. They had such a strong bond and that was just pleasant to read. They cared for one another greatly and wouldn't do anything without the other or that would jeopardise them. It was all rather sweet so it was pretty ironic for them to be trapped within a gingerbread house that was actually a cell masquerading in the perfect disguise. The pair seeing the Krillitane fluctuate between a bat and an old woman was really good and I like how the truth was seeping through in small flickers. It was just enough for Malkus and Everlyne to realise that not everything was quite as it seemed. I thought that was played out very nicely and Malkus realising the significance of the oil was good. As a reader, we've obviously seen the impact of that oil on the Krillitanes so as soon as he made that link, we knew the end was near. And I rather enjoyed how the story didn't linger from there. We knew what was coming and the siblings just got on with it when it came to the oil cans. Fried potatoes to get the job done indeed! Overall, a really good little story that paid homage to a wonderful on screen episode and turned it into a fairytale. A great read.

Rating: 8/10

Little Rose Riding Hood

"I'm sure it's all in your imagination."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 08

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

Little Rose Riding Hood was an excellent adventure to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection of short stories! Or should I start calling them fairytales? This one had more of a fairytale theme than actually being one itself which was fascinating. It's clear that this would be one that was not told to Time Lord children as a bedtime story and given the theme and what it was based upon, I was completely fine with that. This was probably the best story in the collection so far and it was just really intriguing stuff. I thought the idea of taking the premise of Little Red Riding Hood but making the titular character into a fairytale version of Rose was terrific. I do think there was perhaps a tad too much ambiguity that might have prevented the perfect rating from myself, but I actually quite liked that at the same time given the fairytale theme. There needs to be a bit of magic at times and the mystery is part of the charm. It had to be the Ninth Doctor for this story and that was great as I love getting anything extra with this incarnation. It's still baffling to me that he only did one series on screen because he made such a strong impact. In my opinion, it was clear that this adventure took place after Rose as the way then Doctor interacted with and spoke to Rose was in a way of recognition of the true article that was his companion. I thought this version of Rose being drawn from then real world version was really good as the links to Father's Day were there in abundance with her father being dead. It was also reminiscent of the first time we see Jackie Tyler on screen as well with the description of her being in her robes. A strange man in her bedroom anyone? I thought that was really cleverly done. It was almost like a fairytale-isation of a chunk of the Ninth Doctor era. And then there were Zygons! I love the idea of the Ninth Doctor encountering Zygons and I'm not sure why but that just feels like a match that absolutely works. Maybe because they're both pretty brutish? The illustrations in this collection have been a bit of nothing in my opinion which might sound harsh but I'm not sure they have added a great deal to each story, but that all changed here. The image of the Zygon in the cloak and in the familiar guise of the wolf posing as in this case Rose's grandmother was incredible! The description with the suckers and the orange gooey and organic components of the bedroom was marvellous as well. It instantly brought a feeling of discomfort and just general grossness which was great stuff. It was a fine representation of the Zygons whilst staying true to the original fiction of Red Riding Hood. The simplicity of Rose travelling in hooded attire was good in representing that titular character as well. I thought the Doctor being written as having a shed was glorious as well and the smile that was written in there really was fantastic. The Doctor getting physical with the Zygon was a bit of a surprise but I like the emphatic nature of it! Down the stairs the Zygon went and that was the end of that. I enjoyed the Zygon shimmering in and out of the grandma disguise which really completed the role of the monster here. Overall, a superb little fairytale adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday

"It is my destiny to rule."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 07

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday was another decent little adventure to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection of short stories! This is a story title that really does jump off the page and I think that's also partly because similarly to The Three Little Sontarans, this is a fairytale that the Eleventh Doctor mentions in Night Terrors as one he was read as a child. There's something quite comforting about that. I do think this story is perhaps a little rushed and serves as one of the shorter stories in the collection at barely sixteen pages long, but it does a lot with it. I think the concept of the Doomsday Machine was good and the threat posed by the King was pretty dastardly. It was dictatorship on an extreme level if that was even possible! Oppose the monarch in his ruling regime and the entire world of Winter would be eradicated. The Machine had that potential so the threat in this story is obviously a strong one, but it does seem perhaps a tad out of place to have Snow White as the protagonist for the adventure. She's actually a character I know well and surprisingly it isn't from my childhood. I don't remember ever being too interest in her story as a bit of fiction even with the Seven Dwarfs, but I found myself writing an essay during my time at university about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) as part of an interwar module during my second year of my BA in History. It was tremendous fun to watch a film that isn't far off being a century old and honestly the quality of it was superb considering when it was made. I got a first on the essay too so positives all around whenever I encounter Snow White! Putting her into the Whoniverse like this is good fun and I like that we get an explanation for her name with the Winter setting and the white of the outdoors. It made sense so that's all good. I thought her eavesdropping on Queen Salima as she looked to try and rule Winter herself was intriguing and she learned all about the potential of the Doomsday Machine from the enigmatic and unidentifiable engineer. I must admit I was expecting that character to be an incarnation of the Doctor but there would be no suggestion that was the case. When Salima's intentions were known it made it even more unlikely! Snow White knew what she needed to do though as the Machine could show where the keys needed to power it were located. They were all spread out but it was actually really clever of White to just concentrate on one key. That's all she needed to thwart the plan because without them all the Machine would not be usable. I thought the logic there was absolutely right, but it did hurt the story a little bit. I thought we could have had a full on novel in the style of The Keys of Marinus or even the entire Key to Time season, but Snow White is too clever for all that and has duped things entirely when the keys worked this way around and her aim was to prevent the use of the Doomsday Machine. She did it really well. Maybe a little more description on the actual keys themselves would have been beneficial because I'm not convinced a key is something so easily snapped in your hands! But I digress. Overall, really nice to get an in-universe story presented here and it was certainly in the style of a fairytale. 

Rating: 7/10

Jak and the Wormhole

"They want to destroy your world, like they destroyed mine."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 06

Featuring: Nimon

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

Jak and the Wormhole was a great little adventure to continue my reading through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection of short stories! This definitely felt like a sci-fi take on a fairytale classic and it was just right up my alley. Jack and the Beanstalk is a story I know extremely well and reading the faithful details of that at the start of this adventure sent my nostalgia running wild. I can't tell you how many times I will have watched a VHS version of Jack and the Beanstalk when I was about five or six years old so getting a Doctor Who version of that cult classic was tremendous. I like the simplicity of changing the name to Jak because it just instantly feels like an alien name for some reason. Who would have thought that one letter could be so important? But it really does take things away from a children's tale on Earth to a much more fantastical place. We never really get to know much at all about Jak's world or the one to which he travels, but the very nature of him selling the last family cow to keep them going for just a little longer financially made things feel rural on his world. His interaction with Councillor Jevan who was on the verge of death was emotional and it certainly peaked my interest. He was dumbfounded by Jak's claim of needing money and handed him an incredible amount of riches if he just did one thing and destroy a strange looking device. Jevan was on his deathbed because of it but Jak was desperate and needed the cash for his family. It proved impenetrable so the only option to safely dispose of it as promised was to bury it deep. That was logical when fire and physically breaking it were no success. His waking up the next morning and finding the Sun blocked out from his bedroom window was a nice touch of realism, although if that's how I woke up every morning I'd be investing in new curtains for sure! I liked the invisible nature of the wormhole that was in place of the beanstalk and there's no way I wouldn't do the same as Jak and venture through. The intrigue and curiosity would get the better of me. A chance to see another world? You'd have to be made to not take that. I thought the desolate world on the other side was really interesting and discovering that Jevan had seemingly betrayed the Nimon was excellent. They really are made for the villains of a fairytale and they fit that role very nicely here. I don't think The Horns of Nimon is anyone's favourite serial but it's always fun to have Classic era monsters showing up! Who'd have thought the Nimon had found their way into the fairytales of Gallifreyan children? But with their appearance and nature they're perfect for that. I thought the way Jak saved Jahannna was admirable and it was clear they were going to foster a strong relationship. She was a princess but he didn't think she looked like one. That coming full circle after rescuing her and returning to his world and him seeing her in his mum's old dress was lovely as he announced she did indeed look like a princess. But it was still Jahanna that was the hero in my estimation as she knew how to disable the device just before the Nimon broke through. It was a good bit of pace and action to conclude what was a really strong story to continue the collection! Overall, a great read. 

Rating: 8/10

The Three Little Sontarans

"Prepare to die, Rutan!"

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 05

Featuring: Sontarans

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

The Three Little Sontarans was another good little short story to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection! This is one I was really looking forward to because the Sontarans are an absolute favourite villain of mine and they really have reached iconic status as a monster in the Whoniverse by this point. Their story has been expanded across so many different formats and that’s been wonderful to explore. I was deeply intrigued by the Betrayal at the House of Sontar audio earlier this year where it was revealed that Division were seemingly responsible for an eternal war between the Sontarans and the Rutans. That was obviously part of the Rutans vs Sontarans range at Big Finish but given this story here was a Time Lord fairy tale, I find that very intriguing! A fairytale created from something sparked by a secret Time Lord organisation orchestrating events is pretty fun. I liked that aspect and I’m obviously benefitted from reading now in 2026 with this third edition of the collection. I must say though I thought the story was pretty generic. I’m not sure it lived up to its title which is just glorious and that’s a big shame. I think this should have gone down the comedy route and that’s especially so because of the Eleventh Doctor referencing this story during the events of Night Terrors as one he was read at bedtime. I don’t think it really had that vibe. I’m always delighted to be reading stories featuring the Sontarans and Rutans doing battle against each other and this was no different, but it could have featured somewhere else. This was just made for Sontaran comedy with the title! I thought the use of the Rutan Host was pretty decent and it was good to go deep on the descriptors of their makeup as a species. There’s something about the word squelching that feels uncomfortable and a little eery so that describing the Rutan Host and how it was hiding was impressive. I liked that the Rutan didn’t actually try to emerge from the wall but rather squeezed itself underneath it. That was an intriguing image to try and shape in my head! I thought the strength of the Sontarans was presented very well though and I liked that they tricked the Rutan here with somewhat ease. They’d anticipated everything the Rutan would believe as a trap and actually work around that to wipe it out completely. The final description of the green glow lighting for a second before going out was great stuff. This certainly didn’t place the Sontarans and the Rutan Host on an equal playing ground which was fascinating today the least! Overall, a good story but perhaps under the wrong title and collection?

Rating: 7/10

The Twins in the Wood

"You shall rule together, just as you were born together."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 04

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

The Twins in the Wood was a good little story to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection! I think this followed a similar path to Cinderella and the Magic Box in following the route of being about Time Lords rather than a fairytale to be told to them. That’s no problem at all and against I would just suggest that the marketing have been a little different prior to release. That’s pedantic though and it really doesn’t matter. I thought the story was just fine even if it was pretty predictable, but sometimes in short stories like this one there’s no room to go with a twist. And just because it’s predictable doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad! I just don’t think it’s going to get any higher of a rating from me when that happens. I thought the situation for Asher and Ella was intriguing if not unique in that their emperor father passed away and now they were the heirs. However, they were not yet of age to rule and so someone would have to fill that role. Except they barely got a chance to see how that succession route would go down as they were subjected to the obliterator module. They were officially announced as dead, but Rigel had revealed that he had tampered with it to ensure that they wouldn’t be obliterated at all. The ship crash landed on Gallifrey which was fascinating. I thought it was good to not name their location by name but the description of the orange sky was more than enough. That’s a detail that has stuck with me in picturing the landscape and beyond of Gallifrey so it still irks me that this was a missed detail in The Invasion of Time. It was still fun though to explore a different side of the Time Lord home planet because this was a wild part I don’t think has ever been explored or even mentioned. This seemed even super far removed from the wastelands we saw Leela exploring amongst the local inhabitants not lucky enough to be inside the Capitol. Rigel explaining about that in terms of directions but how far away they were was intriguing, but I must say if I was Asher or Ella and I knew he wasn’t coming back for a year to check on them I couldn’t help myself and go explore! I thought that was a little strange in that they just stayed put in their routine with the cat-dog creatures helping them with fruit and water. Surely you’d go and have a wonder even if you were happy and set? I thought Rigel coming when the twins were of age was good but it was obvious that their uncle was the one who murdered their father. The council on Levithia having posthumously pardoned the twins was good and Rigel being the one to evidence that they weren’t the killers was nice. He though for his part was sentenced to death by the now emperor and I can’t say that was much of a surprise given he was trying to reinstate the twins to their rightful place! It was bordering on Game of Thrones style stuff which was marvellous. The thirst for power! Asher and Ella agreeing to appoint Rigel as advisor on their return was a nice way to conclude things and the image of them now returning home was a good way to end. Overall, quite a nice and fantastical short story despite it going as expected. A good little read! 

Rating: 7/10

Cinderella and the Magic Box

"I don't even have a dress to wear."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

Cinderella and the Magic Box was a very good little story to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection! This short story was a fairytale of a different kind as whilst I do think the book and its contents are marketed as if they are fairytales told to Time Lords, this one is more focused on having one in particular at the forefront. That would obviously be the Doctor and why wouldn't he be taking Cinderella to the ball? Well, dropping her off at least. It seems silly in hindsight for me to think that the magic box in the title could be anything else other than the TARDIS! It just fits very nicely and is very much the stuff of fairytale. I liked how this story put the fictional life of Cinderella on an interstellar scale and it worked really well to be fair. Translating Cinderella to the stars isn't something I would have anticipated as being a good idea but it comes off very well and I think the short story format actually helps with that. We don't stick around long enough for things to get silly or venture into realms of unrealism and I appreciated that a lot. The pace was fast but not too frantic and this was just a lovely way to fill eighteen pages! I thought the Eleventh Doctor was a very strong fit for this kind of tale because I would say he is the most fairytale-like of incarnations. I mean, just look at The Snowmen and him literally living above a cloud! I know he was sulking but if that isn't the stuff of fairytales then I don't know what is. The start of the story was familiar with the traditional telling of Cinderella and her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. It really is a bit of sad state of affairs to be in the position she is but I found myself admiring her! She was nothing much more than a slave and yet she was still grateful to be in the position she was. She wasn't going to the ball that night but at least she had food and a roof over her head. That was an incredible outlook on her situation. No wonder the Doctor wanted to help her! I mean, he was also using her for his own gain but he was doing something for her at the same time. I wouldn't say his actions were manipulative but he definitely had an ulterior motive. It didn't get to the levels of the Seventh Doctor or anything like that, but it wasn't as charming as I might imagine this incarnation to be! He armed Cinderella with the sonic screwdriver and as the clock struck midnight she was called into action. Lord Darke turning out to be a vampire was pretty fun stuff and his plan for the prince and his entire people was dastardly! The whole ball was a front to get to the prince and turn him into a vampire so he could then befall that fate on his entire population. It was quite the scheme! I was intrigued that the Doctor couldn't action things himself because of artron energy being detected, but didn't Cinderella herself travel in the TARDIS to get there? The description of her bathroom and the fact it was time locked was also sublime. And the middle tap being lemonade! It truly did sound like paradise. The prince catching up with Cinderella at the end and returning her shoe was a nice touch to stay true to the origin story, but this definitely had the atmosphere of a fairytale which was lovely. Overall, a great little read to continue my way through the collection! 

Rating: 8/10