Tales from the Vortex: Emerald Isle

"This is all some family history lesson?"

Writer: Christian Markham

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Short Trips 13.05

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

Family and friendship are at stake on the Caribbean island of Montserrat as ghosts of the past come for Ace and her childhood friend. What is the tangled web that connects them both, and will they be able to find a way home?

Verdict

Emerald Isle was a pretty average story to continue my way through the Tales from the Vortex thirteenth series of Short Trips! I think an inquiry is required though as does this really meet the standards of the range? I'm saying this in jest because the story is the longest in the set at forty-eight minutes long which I would argue is not all that short! It's longer than quite a few stories in the likes of the Ninth and Thirteenth Doctor Adventures ranges that have been released in the last year! I'm not bothered in the slightest as in terms of production and acting it feels like more value for money, but it's just a shame that a little bit more couldn't have been done with the time. I was fascinated prior to listening to discover what this story would be about and I was convinced the setting was going to be in Ireland given the title, but we actually ended up in the Caribbean! I must say that was a little discomforting right from the off but I do understand the name in hindsight given the familial connection and incorporating the McShane name in a big way. This no disrespect intended to Kaye Brown as the narrator, but I don't think she was the best choice for this story. It feels more authentic to have either Sylvester McCoy or Sophie Aldred in that role given that the characters they made famous feature. It takes away a little for me as I didn't find that she had any connection with the Seventh Doctor! It's just little things like that in stories like these that can help. In saying that, I do think a Montserrat setting is incredibly unique and I like the originality there. I think the likelihood of Ace catching up with an old friend felt a little too coincidental but I liked how things tied back to her family. That's a touchy subject for Ace and I think pushing her a little more there could have been beneficial. I wasn't overly encouraged by the characterisation of both the Seventh Doctor and Ace but that's probably because the focus wasn't on them. Ace having the possibility of interfering with her ancestors was good and I loved the concept of past, present and future all merging and converging into one because that just feels like an impossibility. How can they mix and blend when time is constantly flowing and the present is constant? Try to think about it too much and my head might fall off! It's really fun though but it seems to get a little too complicated where Ace is involved. Her beginning to life in the TARDIS in Dragonfire and the later revelations in The Curse of Fenric make touching into her history a difficult subject. I thought it was tackled decently well here but it never felt like the right stage for such a thing. Pondering on witchcraft from the locals was a fun element of the episode and the Doctor seemed to be smiling at that. He definitely felt like things were early on for the Doctor and Ace here which is good as he still oozed that twinkle in his eye. He hadn't quite got dark yet. Overall, a tangled web potential is very good but I think a little more clarity and an injection of action would have helped. Despite what was being said I never got that feeling of fear and trepidation. Overall though, some strong ideas. Not bad in the slightest.

Rating: 6/10

Star Death

"Welcome to the birth of a legend!"

Writer: Alan Moore

Format: Comic Strip

Released: November 1980

Printed in: DWM 47

Featuring: Rassilon, Omega

Synopsis

On the order of the Grand Master of the Prydonian Chapter, Rassilon, Lord Griffen and Lady Jodelex await the collapse of the dying star Qqaba. Fenris, also known as the Hell-Bringer, a mercenary from the future, travels back in time to sabotage the experiment and change Time Lord history forever.

Verdict

Star Death was an incredibly fascinating and terrific little comic strip adventure to continue my reading of the Black Sun Rising graphic novel! This second volume of collected back-up tales from Doctor Who Magazine continues to impress and this might be one of the most important stories to ever grace the Whoniverse. I'm honestly stunned at what was depicted here and it only being told over four pages because it's such a significant event! It's essentially a loose prequel to The Three Doctors in showcasing how Omega got trapped in the black hole that would send him to the universe of anti-matter, but also how Rassilon was able to utilise the black hole to build the foundation that Time Lord society would be built upon. I also didn't realise until after reading but with this comic strip actually pre-dating the broadcast of The Five Doctors by three years, this is the first appearance of Rassilon in any medium! That's staggering and whilst appearances have been rare, I think it's a wonderful move that we still didn't get a full look and got a stern glimpse. It was almost like this served as the influence for the Twelfth Doctor's surprise cameo in The Day of the Doctor which was just incredible. I am a sucker for exploring the early years of Time Lord and Gallifreyan history so this is right up my alley. I love history and even though this is fictional, I love the idea of getting a glimpse at what is quite literally the stuff of legend. I have been rather critical of the current comic strip format in DWM because I don't think six pages is enough each month, but yet so much was done here without the Doctor even in present with only four pages! I really liked the science behind the Gallifreyan technology to harness the power of the black hole and not be drawn in by its forces, and the titular death of the star Qqaba was presented really well. It just felt like a big moment and I think the artwork matched that which is important in this kind of format. Even in black and white the atmosphere felt dark and that's impressive to present. I like the mysterious and enigmatic feel of this time because a universe where Gallifrey hadn't even developed Time Lords yet is almost difficult to comprehend! I thought the threat of Fenris as someone who was trying to ambush the past and thwart the creation of the Time Lords at its very genesis was decent, and it's ironic that his intentions actually brought them into being! In terms of having directional control over time that is in what became a rather fun little paradox. Is it to be that time travel itself and the fact it was created in the future with a remote control mode coming to the past the reason that Rassilon was able to build the foundations of Gallifrey? That's ironic and just good fun. It shouldn't be possible with the whole bootstrap paradox occurrence, but the impossibility of it makes it all the more fascinating to me. How can an idea or an event not have an origin? How can something cause itself? I love it. Rassilon's emergence to thwart Fenris was a significant moment oozing with power and control which I thought was great. He cowered in sensational style and didn't last long. Rassilon picking up his device to work out what was what when it came to controlling time travel was great, and Fenris being the one to trap Omega really was something spectacular to see happen! Overall, a superb comic strip adventure! My main qualm is I wanted more. 

Rating: 9/10

And You Will Obey Me

"I'm as mortal as you."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: April 2016

Series: Monthly Adventures 211

Featuring: Fifth Doctor

Synopsis

The Master: wanted for crimes without number, across five galaxies.

The Master: escaped his pursuers. Last known location: rural Hexford, England, Earth.

The Master: dead and buried in an unmourned grave, in a lonely churchyard. 

Apparently.

Verdict

And You Will Obey Me a great audio to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures range! I think a Master trilogy is a wonderful idea and whilst I’m excited for the final instalment in particular, the idea of the Fifth Doctor taking on the Decayed Master is just marvellous! If possible in this incarnation, I thought the cover art actually showed the incarnation looking a tad more spritely than we saw on screen. That was good because I think it helps establish that the Master was in this horrifying decayed incarnation for a considerable amount of time. It makes sense given the deterioration of his appearance but I do think it’s a somewhat strange decision to essentially wait until part three for him to fully appear in the story. When he did though he oozed charisma and stole the show which is fantastic for this familiar villain. I thought the setting of Hexford was good and I enjoyed the unexpected continuity with The Awakening with the Fifth Doctor having immediately come from those events and leaving his companions behind temporarily. It’s good fun for the Doctor to be travelling alone like that and him being on a mission in picking up the distress signal from the Master’s TARDIS was fascinating. I thought it was interesting that he was so focused on what the Master was up to and hearing the local stories about Masterson and the horror description matching his decayed appearance made sense, but could he really think his old Academy friend could be reformed? The Master seemed to have stayed put for thirty years so I guess it was possible, but would he really not be that patient in another scheme? The Master’s grave having been tampered with was intriguing but I must admit I was a little confused with the Doctor thinking his adversary will have regenerated. He even references at the end when the Master escaped that he knows the fate of this incarnation as we saw in The Keeper of Traken, so why was he concerned he might not now know what he looked like? That was a little strange to me but it didn’t stop the encounter being great. I love Doctors encountering different versions of enemies they didn’t face on screen when the timelines get a little whacky. But this was intentional from the Master as he knew the Doctor had been in the location extremely recently. I’m a big fan of that coming into play with an attempted lure. The Master’s TARDIS in the form of the grandfather clock is iconic and the idea of it being up for auction was glorious! Oh to have that piece. I love having the action figure version as it is. Annie was a really lovely character and I enjoyed the relationship that was built with the Doctor. She kind of filled that companion role for the episode which was good. I do think she sounded a little too similar to Janine though which in audio was a tad disconcerting. Michael as the grandson of the Master in name was excellent and though and him and Helen having the ability to hypnotise people into obeying them was really strong. I thought that was strong to play with and I love the idea of the Master passing that ability on. I think that’s something I’d like to see more of to be honest! It works well and is genuinely scary. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Dragonhunter species and found their involvement a little underwhelming, but thankfully they disappeared for parts two and three for the most part. The Master having offered his ‘children’ their heart’s desire but then the Doctor utilising that and the renegade’s failure to provide it as a way to make them free of his will was a strong and emotional need to the story. It was really good to explore the Master in a natural human environment. Overall, a great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

War Chest

"This place doesn't want you."

Writer: Rossa McPhillips

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Torchwood Monthly 61

Featuring: Tosh

Synopsis

It's the largest depositary of alien artefacts ever assembled, ready to wage war against the heavens. Of course, they called it the Antebellum. Of course, they forgot about it. 

But the Dow Cohort have rediscovered it. And tonight, they're breaking in. They have one hour and Toshiko Sato as a reluctant hostage. Can they steal Torchwood's greatest secret?

Verdict

War Chest was a very strong audio adventure to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly range! It's great for stories like this to provide a spotlight on characters like Toshiko where she can really shine by herself as the main character. I wouldn't say she ever felt lost amongst the rest of the Torchwood team, but she did let others talk over her whilst she would sit back and stay quiet. She showed her brilliance here though and it was a delight to hear. I liked the concept behind the Antebellum and it was good to know that it was owned by Torchwood. Except following the events of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday, it appears that to much of the outside world Torchwood is dead. Except of course for a small branch in Cardiff that Toshiko is still very much a part of, and that's where she was kidnapped from. I was impressed with how there was no waiting around in terms of storytelling and as we start things it initially appears like Tosh might have her own little team in the form of Vernon and Nisha. That turns out to be very far from the case and the pair were very unlikeable in a strong way. That was the intention as the villains with him being quite stuck up and trying to be imposing to Tosh simply by being an older man, and she was just a bit ditsy and felt like an influencer which isn't my cup of tea at all. She did seem to come around though towards the end when Vernon was going a bit too far with his desire to leave with anything but empty hands. I thought the concept behind the Antebellum was strong and Ed being there as a guard who supposedly didn't know what he was guarding as a contractor was amusing. Later finding out that he was UNIT Black Ops was a very good twist and I honestly wish it came earlier in the episode. I think that would have shifted the dynamic considerably, but Tosh seemed to have known for most of the story anyway! I liked how she could see that Ed had military training and also knew Vernon's surname despite it not being mentioned out loud over the course of the story's events. She's a keen eye for spotting things and that's a strong talent to have. I loved how she was able to flaunt it here without too much pressure. Despite the fact she was the one who was kidnapped, I was impressed with how Tosh always felt like she was in control. She was always one step ahead and utilised her knowledge of the Antebellum very well. I particularly loved the moment she was able to free some time from the room holding it with the clocks. That was terrific. I think Ed insisting on his name being referred to as Edward was amusing because nearly everyone was ignoring his pleas. I liked that only Tosh could get them in whilst Ed could only get them out as that meant some strong significance was placed on each of them, but I like how it was subtly a battle between Torchwood and UNIT. I really don't think we've seen anywhere near enough of that and it's something that could certainly become its own conflict series. If it's alien, who gets it? That's fun to play around with. I think the way Tosh got the upper hand on Vernon was strong and I was pleasantly surprised by her boldness in leaving him to fend for himself in the Antebellum. The Dow Cohort wouldn't be too much of a problem now, and with Tosh firmly in control in using both that organisation and UNIT for the benefit of Torcwhood, neither would Ed be after the cancellation wave was enacted to stop Edward. Overall, a terrific little listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Business as Usual

"All of me is artificial."

Writer: Alan Moore

Format: Comic Strip

Released: July 1980

Printed in: DWM 40-43

Featuring: Autons

Synopsis

When a plastics factory starts challenging its competitors in record time, the truth behind the rapid rise is more real and alien than anyone could have dreamed of, including Max Fischer.

Verdict

Business as Usual was a very fun little comic strip adventure to continue my way through the Black Sun Rising collection of backup tales! I have thoroughly enjoyed diving through this range of backups and I really do think the fans of Doctor Who Magazine back in 1980 were given a royal treat every week. The Autons and the Nestene Consciousness clearly made a huge impression on audiences with Spearhead from Space and Terror of the Autons being stalwarts of the Third Doctor era, and here they are nine years later providing the basis for a really strong comic strip adventure. As soon as I got the mention of plastic in part one, I knew what the cliffhanger was going to be but that really didn't take anything away from the reveal. I think the Autons are such a strong concept and the way they can manipulate plastic is a huge weapon to have. They don't just convert it, they literally become it. They are it. There's a lot that can happen there and I think the Whoniverse continuing to deal with the Autons in terms of factories and some sort of retail is good fun. The imagery in this adventure was excellent and I thought they dealt with the artistic freedoms very nicely in presenting the Autons. Getting a whole panel of that arm revealing the gun within the hand was terrific stuff and injected a strong sense of a threat. I liked the throwback to Spearhead with the meteor arrival and I think that's good to establish some sense of continuity. I was intrigued by the near future setting of 1989 and into 1990 and it was good to showcase a time jump as a means of explaining how Galaxy Plastics Inc came to be so successful. The rise was rapid, but even so these things still take considerable time so that was good. I'm also intrigued because given the Inc as its legal form that must naturally mean the story takes place in the United States of America. At least that's what ought to have been the case and it does seem to have been an omission as I got the sense the story was definitely in England. That's just me being very picky because I work with finance and encounter so many company names so I know where they're based immediately. From your Sarls to your SCSps, I know them all. I thought the way Winston Blunt had a rapid rise monetarily was good stuff and using the funds from what would become your competitor to then setup the business that is the competitor was really clever and some fun storytelling. I liked how this story incorporated finance and a toy business is just perfect for the Autons. The artwork for the toy soldiers in miniature form attacking Fischer was just glorious. I thought the fact that the Nestene Consciousness was basically defeated in part three with the rogue shot was a tad disappointing and premature, but I did enjoy seeing it realised in comic strip format. It certainly looked impressive! I thought part four was still strong but it did feel a little like an epilogue, although the open-ended conclusion with Fischer perishing after the car crash and being replaced by an Auton duplicate and a whole new plastics factory restarting the cycle was a nice touch. Is the company still going post-1990? It's a fun thing to think about and I love the idea of the Autons being out there somewhere making a profit. Overall, a great little comic strip! 

Rating: 8/10

Black Legacy

"Why should a civilised race faced with extinction destroy their one means of escape?"

Writer: Alan Moore

Format: Comic Strip

Released: June 1980

Printed in: DWM 35-38

Featuring: Cybermen

Synopsis

In search of the ultimate weapon on the planet Goth, the Cybermen find out just why the Deathsmiths abandoned the planet.

Verdict

Black Legacy was a good little story to continue my way through the Black Sun Rising collection of back-up comic strip tales from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine! I still maintain that this collection is an absolute delight and I would bloody love if the magazine decided to do something similar again these days, even if it was in a prose format. Expanding on the Whoniverse in any way is a positive in my book and exploring the likes of the Cybermen here when the Doctor isn't around is good fun. He can't be everywhere and when! However, I must say I do have a bit of an issue with the way the Cybermen were presented here. I thought the artwork for them was magnificent and I like how the design depicted is basically exclusive to the comic strips with a nice touch of The Wheel in Space in there. It's also way before time but it does also have early elements of the design from Real Time too so I wonder if these comic strips were an influence on that webcast? I'd like to think so as I love different continuity like that. I thought the setting of Goth was drab and that was absolutely the intention. Just the name is enough to make things sound dark and dull and there really was an element of a bleak atmosphere. I think it's fascinating to present a world from a once civilised society now in ruins and abandoned, and it is fun to ponder on what happened. I think it's magnificent that last year's No Signs of Life Fifteenth Doctor comic strip served as a prequel to this comic strip and now having read this one it definitely clears things up a little there and gives me some more appreciation. A modern era comic acting as a prequel to a backup strip! That really is stellar and just fun. The mystery surrounding the Deathsmiths was strong and they really did sound impressive in terms of their name and abilities. But why would they leave their own planet abandoned? Was it stop something coming with them? The Cybermen soon learned why and initially I was disappointed with how much emotion they were showing. For them to look upon the scene at their arrival and describe it as awesome and one even potentially thinking it frightening just really felt out of character which was a shame. I felt that there was a running theme of feelings throughout the story and while some of it can be explained by the Apocalypse Device watching them in the shadows and making a big influence, I felt like some of it came too early and was just standard conversation. I don't think the story was specific to the Cybermen in particular so any other choice of villain or monster might have improved things. Throw in the Ice Warriors or the Sontarans for example in the role of the Cybermen and I don't think anything changes, but they're free to emote. It was though very strong to tackle the idea of the Cybermen dreaming once again and being injected with the fear from the Device. It was intriguing to see that there were only limited numbers of Cybermen now and playing around with each of them being knocked off one by one was good, although things did jump to just the Cyber Leader pretty quickly which felt rushed. I know we're limited by page count but that could have been better paced in my opinion. I liked how even a Cyber Leader though recognised the threat to the universe and activated the self-destruct to keep the device on the planet. The cliffhanger with the Sontarans then arriving and everything starting again as a potential means for the device to escape was great stuff. Overall, a good little read!

Rating: 7/10

The Peterloo Massacre

"This city is about to go to war against its own people."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: March 2016

Series: Monthly Adventures 210

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

"They say there'll be thousands pouring into Manchester tomorrow. From all over the county, north and south. It'll be a piece of history. People will remember this!"

Lost in the smog of the Industrial Revolution, the TARDIS crashes four miles south of Manchester, in the grounds of Hurley Hall – a grand mansion belonging to a local factory owner, a proudly self-made man. But while Hurley dreams of growing richer still on the wealth of secret knowledge locked up in the Doctor's time and space machine, his servants hope only for a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. His young maid Cathy, for instance, whom Nyssa learns is looking forward to joining the working people's march to St Peter's Field, in the heart of the city. There'll be speeches and banners and music. It'll be like one big jamboree...

Or so she thinks. For the city's establishment have called in their own private militia, to control the crowd. One of the darkest days in Manchester's history is about to unfold – and the Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan are right in the thick of it.

Verdict

The Peterloo Massacre was an excellent story to conclude this trilogy of Fifth Doctor stories from the Monthly Adventures! This has been a really strong following on from where Arc of Infinity left off with Tegan's return to the TARDIS following the events of Time-Flight. This might just have been the best though! I do love a pure historical and this is quite the historical event to throw the TARDIS trio into. I knew about this massacre and the importance this had to the genesis of working rights, but I adored being thrown into the world of 1819. As a fan of Liverpool FC, Manchester is not my most favourite of cities but I understand its importance to the north-west of England and that was presented really well. The fact that a reporter from London arrived in the city was met with big news and they were rather glad with the recognition. I enjoyed the simplicity of the TARDIS needing a day or two for self-repair to keep the trio put in the nineteenth century and that presented a strong challenge for Tegan. She wanted to change history to prevent the massacre that was coming and I really liked the urgency shown by the Doctor when he realised the TARDIS instruments had got the year wrong. It wasn't 1816 like they read and that meant the Doctor knew what was coming. Cathy was a wonderful character and I really liked the relationship she built with Nyssa. They blossomed into a really nice pairing and the care the Trakenite had for baby Peter was admirable. I mean, it was pretty obvious from the get go though that we were going full on The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances in him actually being the son of Cathy rather than her brother. And that just made the trampling in the charge all the more heartbreaking. It was bad enough that Cathy was knocked down and injured, but for Peter to die was just horrifying. The thought was frightening. The reaction of Cathy when she came around was equally so. Mr Hurley was a very unlikeable character and I thought he played the natural villain really well. He was so consumed by making a profit and the moment he wasn't even bothered that a child worker got caught in his equipment highlighted that from the off. He was only concerned with output. Tegan pointing out how he was benefitting from slave working was great stuff and I love how her boisterous nature comes across in the past when ideals were very different indeed. William Hurley as his son was a much nicer character though and I liked how he was going to take things into his own hands when it came to his father. Settling the account indeed! The insinuation and Nyssa working out that William was actually Peter's father was just adding to the family drama and Mrs Hurley couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was a pretty pathetic character which was absolutely the intention. I thought the story dealt with familial emotion really well whilst also tackling the importance of history and the development of working rights. I was just so impressed with everything that happened and the Doctor even being tempted to put a stop to things where Hurley was concerned in learning that he orchestrated things. The Doctor and Nyssa getting caught up as the witnesses to the Riot Act being read was devastating as well. The Doctor also trying to get Thomas Tyler to report the truth and not pander to the upper class was fantastic as despite being called posh earlier in the adventure, he was a man of the working people. Overall, powerful stuff and a great listen! It's almost funny they just leave amidst family drama after the baby bombshell. 

Rating: 9/10

Infidel Places

"Real work can only be done in a man's domain."

Writer: Una McCormack

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Torchwood Monthly 60

Featuring: Queen Victoria

Synopsis

With demons on the loose and dons bursting into flames, Queen Victoria visits Cambridge on the eve of a historic vote that could change the university forever.

She finds the city a den of suspicion and devil worship. A force from beyond reality is hunting down the university's leading academics. Her Majesty enlists the help of a gifted young mathematician to save not just the university, but the universe itself.

Verdict

Infidel Places was a very strong audio adventure to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly range! Sixty releases is no small feat and yet there's still 40% of the range to go which is very exciting. It's completely prejudice of me but I can't get too excited prior to listening about a Queen Victoria-led adventure and yet every time I find myself really enjoying the story! I'm staunchly anti-royalist so that might have something to do with it but then at the same time I have a Master's in History so I'm fascinated by the role of the monarch in the past. And none made more of an impression than this one! I find it incredible that a Queen like Victoria who is so revered and oversaw an incredible British Empire is brought right back down to Earth when visiting Cambridge University at a time where they are due to host a vote on wether women can receive degrees from the institution. It's staggering really to think that even with research and sitting exams, they weren't given the recognition they deserved. I liked the idea of Queen Victoria arriving on the scene to try and sway the vote, and yet over a thousand members still voted against the idea! Victoria was not happy with the cheers that came from the men because they were celebrating keeping women down and I completely agreed with her. I'm a huge feminist and it honestly appalls me to see and research how women were treated in so many areas of society. How can they not be considered equal at any time? Victoria mentioning how women reminded men of their mothers and they didn't like feeling inferior was logical and I definitely got a strong sense of male insecurity throughout the episode which was fun with the historical setting. I thought the Cambridge University setting itself was good and the threat of people bursting into flames was very real. I was almost stunned at times at the lack of reaction that came from Victoria and Honora when they saw it happen right before their very eyes. Victoria overplayed that she has seen more than Honora could ever imagine going back to Tooth and Claw was good but definitely said too many times, whereas the secret the daughter of the Vice Chancellor was hiding was spectacular. She was the one that was in control of starting combustion and that really was brutal. Such a powerful way to go! The talk of demons was good stuff and it felt very Victorian which is complimentary to the era. I would have liked some sort of mention of Torchwood other than Victoria showcasing her capabilities to deal with the extraterrestrial in a familiar manner, but I must say I absolutely love the remix of the Torchwood opening theme and the incidental transitional music throughout. The way it feels Victorian is incredible and it really does add a lot to the listening experience in my opinion. I'm a huge fan of that. I liked how disappointed Victoria was with Sir James for basically his stance on women and the moment she relieved him of his duties was terrific. He suddenly stopped seeing her as his superior and as a mere woman. Perish the thought. Good riddance. I thought Honora going off into the stars was a little lacking as an ending and didn't feel like things were finished, but I do like the emphasis pushed on her getting her own choice. That was a strong narrative theme throughout the episode which I really enjoyed. Overall, a terrific setting and event and a really good adventure. A great listen.

Rating: 8/10

The Black Knight

"You deserve to be remembered."

Writer: Lizbeth Myles

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Torchwood Monthly 50X

Featuring: Norton

Synopsis

A brilliant scientist detects an asteroid destroying any craft entering the Earth's orbit. Is it protecting the human race or imprisoning it?

Only one person believes her. That person is from Torchwood. Norton Folgate is taking Lynne Sharman on the journey of her life.

Verdict

The Black Knight was a very good story to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly range at Big Finish. However, in saying that I can't help but feel it falls incredibly short of the planned milestone fiftieth release from the series. It's no secret that Absent Friends has become something of a lost story which is ironic within a company that literally has its own Lost Stories range for Big Finish. But it's just a massive shame that it seems we are not going to get this story released. The prospect of the Tenth Doctor getting involved in Torchwood with Captain Jack and Ianto was incredibly exciting and it feels just like the ultimate tease that the trailer is out there for us to listen to with no sign of it getting the release treatment. Surely it will come out one day, right? Like surely. Someone has the files! I just don't really see what Big Finish are gaining by not releasing this episode when they are still selling numerous other releases with John Barrowman featured. Surely it's all or none based on your feelings on his past actions? Anyway, I don't want to do a disservice to the actual story in question because it was a very good one as my rating reflects, but I can't not discuss what should have been when it comes to the fiftieth release in the series. Now, I thought Lynne Sharman was a terrific character and I recognised the voice of Safiyya Ingar immediately as the more recognisable Eleventh Doctor companion of Valerie. She is so synonymous with that role which made a massive impact in the Eleventh Doctor Chronicles range it was almost difficult to differentiate her from that character here! I think Valarie would have done well here, but of course this was about Lynne and I liked how she was challenging the scientific norms for a woman. She was adamant about her calculations and that meant there was something unaccounted for in the atmosphere. The idea of the asteroid acting as a barrier to anything trying to leave the planet – or enter it – was fascinating but I don't think Lynne was expecting to get up close and personal with what she had dubbed the Black Knight. Norton Folgate is a decent character but I'm not awfully sure he warrants such a pivotal role in the Torchwood range, but it's good to be so familiar with a character from another era of Torchwood. He was right on the go in getting them into space and Freddie was understandably sceptical about him. How could he just get the go ahead for a launch with the three of them when they weren't fully trained astronauts in the role? And yet they were on their way. I liked how the journey up to space was presented and the difficulty of the thrust speed on the human anatomy was presented fantastically. I thought the death of Freddie was powerful stuff and Lynne being adamant that they needed something to go back with because of all of the deaths that came with this mission was emotional stuff. So for her to not make the journey up was quite something. The calmness in which Norton revealed that to Lynne as he recognised she was suffering from radiation poisoning was cruel. The scream that she omitted when Norton explained to her what was happening and why she couldn't go back home despite everything she had discovered was powerful stuff. I could completely understand. Overall, doing Torchwood in space is something that needs to be done more and this was a fine example. A great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Mind Trap

"Your people don't seem to have appreciated your genius."

Writer: John Peel

Format: Audio

Released: January 2026

Series: BBC Audio 30

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

The Doctor makes a hasty landing on a satellite, only to discover that it's a one-man prison in space. Markan is in exile from his own people, banished to live out his remaining days with only his robot for company.

When the Doctor and Zoe learn of the crimes that led to Markan's sentence, they have very little sympathy. But returning to the TARDIS isn't as easy as it should be – and Markan is determined to get there first.

Verdict

The Mind Trap was a great audio adventure! I'm a big fan of the BBC Original Audio range and I really don't think it gets enough attention amongst fandom. The fact we're still getting John Peel stories in 2026 is just magnificent and it feels a little wrong that there are no Daleks present. I thought this story had strong vibes of The Mind Robber and I guess with the title that's not too much of a surprise. I think the cover art also presents that feeling which is good because that is such an intriguing serial on screen. Even the little detail of Zoe being dressed in her catsuit brought the vibes of that story to the forefront. I enjoyed the humour at the start of Jamie suffering from a cold and being quite miserable about it. Man flu is real folks. The Doctor mentioning Dastari was lovely continuity with The Two Doctors as in that serial the Second Doctor who features here clearly had a history with him already, and the prospect of him having the cure to the common cold was quite something! The very idea. With two young children in my house and an absolute merry-go-round of illnesses, that would be welcomed to this blogger. Alas, something so simple in terms of retrieval turned into quite the spectacle. I thought the TARDIS being shot at in space was exciting and not something we would see much of on screen during this era. The satellite setting that served as a one-man prison was fantastic and I liked the pace in which we learned more and more about Markan. He'd make a good Time Lord as the Tinkerer and that's a fun little nickname for a scientist. It was clear from the off that the Doctor knew he was not revealing everything about his situation and challenging him on that in subtle ways was marvellous. I was impressed with the characterisation of the Second Doctor throughout and it obviously helps to have Michael Troughton as the narrator! The son of the actor who played the real article is about as good as you're going to get. His impression of Jamie was far too camp though! Markan's thirst for knowledge but also having faith that he would find a way off the prison satellite was impressive and patience really was a virtue for him. He'd been there for seven years and could tell you the exact number of hours as well. Talk about keeping up calculations! I'd definitely miss a couple and then just give up on trying to work it out. Markan slowly getting the upper hand was handled well and his assent into a villain was great to hear. The Doctor being confused why after seven years he hadn't named the robot that accompanied him on the satellite was reasonable for sure, and he could have programmed it to communicate but even after so long he was just content with his own voice. That really did say a lot about the man. I thought the use of the titular mind control perhaps came a little late in the story but I liked how even the Doctor was succumbing to the power. Markan nearly got off in the TARDIS by making the Doctor see him as Zoe. It was just the fact the catsuit in his projection had pockets and then Jamie emerged which the prisoner could not have accounted for. I thought that was really good and whilst I never feared the Doctor would take him to freedom inadvertently, it was fun to consider the dynamic in the TARDIS when the Scotsman walked in! The reference to The Enemy of the World and the fate of Salamander was really good but the Doctor wouldn't befall that fate to Markan, he would just leave him behind to see out his sentence. Overall, a really strong story that was perhaps just waiting around ever so slightly too long. A great listen though! 

Rating: 8/10

Return to Marinus

"Have you come to save Marinus in its hour of need?"

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: January 2026

Series: First Doctor Unbound 2.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

The TARDIS has brought the Doctor and his companions back to the planet Marinus, one century after their previous visit. They are greeted as returning heroes, figures of legend. But something is amiss in the city of Millenius. Everybody lives in peace and harmony... whether they like it or not.

The explanation is obvious. Somebody has reactivated the Conscience Machine and is set on removing free will from Marinus. Somebody – or some old enemies of the Doctor...

Verdict

Return to Marinus was a wonderful story to continue the First Doctor Unbound series! I'm a huge fan of this series because it's just fun and I think some people in fandom are taking things a little too seriously when it comes to continuity. We had a welcomed recap of Knights of the Round TARDIS to bring us up to date with where the TARDIS quartet are at and that saw us dive right into the return on Marinus. I'm an enormous fan of The Keys of Marinus and whilst I don't have an official list at the moment, I would say it's in the top twenty for sure. It just feels nostalgic and it's just a damn good adventure. The planet itself is a strong setting and we really did return with something akin to a tour which was glorious. There were so many nods to the original serial with the acid seas and the ice caves which helped paint a stunning picture of proceedings. It was also good for each character to reflect on their experiences on the planet with the nature of the key hunting and them being split apart at times. They had time to catch up. I think the role o the Conscience Machine being pivotal was good again and I liked how it was suggested that the Daleks were using it to slowly take over the planet. I think the cover art for this story is simply stunning and whilst the twist makes this a surprise, I loved how the Daleks in an early era were captured. This really did feel like the Daleks of The Daleks which is just tremendous and I think it's marvellous to explore them at this point in time. Of course, the Daleks don't actually feature in the story at all which is an incredible twist as they're actually revealed to contain the Morpho and not the Dalek mutant creatures! I really didn't see that coming until the very last moment and I just love the continuity. This really is all about Marinus and Barbara in particular being shocked by their continued survival despite her smashing the jars was superb. I loved how they basically sounded like the aliens from The Simpsons and with their appearance they're actually not all that far removed from them. Radus was a fun character as an actor in the depiction of The Keys of Marinus play which was glorious and I loved the characterisation of the First Doctor in enjoying how well he was played. The four travellers being revered as the stuff of legend and even having a portrait was impressive and the ice coming into play for the return of Altos was excellent. I thought his description of the Daleks arriving and one shooting Sabetha was very emotional but hearing how he'd saved her by preserving her in the ice was lovely. He wanted to be with her forever and that meant freezing himself too. I thought Susan feeling the effects of the conscience machine was good and reminiscent of previous events on Marinus, although I'm not a massive fan of how her character is presented with the An Adventure in Space and Time cast as she certainly feels the least genuine to the original article. You can get away with that in an Unbound series though. I thought the way the Morphos were defeated was fun and the realisation that they were no longer in the Dalek casing was great. Might we get a return one day? It seems that's on ice though as the real Daleks were picking up the original distress call of their kind and that spells disaster moving forward whilst also giving us an exciting wait for the next release. I thought the use of the Voord here was fascinating as we heard them more human than ever and getting to meet the Emperor Voord was great also. I loved getting Domain of the Voord references too because that just aids all Big Finish continuity. The Doctor's reaction to being told he should wear one of their wetsuits was incredible as well! The very idea. Overall, an excellent listen to continue the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Tales from the Vortex: Ahead of Time

"The thought of never seeing her family again made her tearful."

Writer: Paul Booth

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Short Trips 13.04

Featuring; Eighth Doctor, Charley 

Synopsis

Kairon lies in ruins, its timeline destroyed by a reckless temporal Ponzi scheme. Amid the chaos, Kenz Qindi holds the secret to saving her planet. But there's worse to come. The Time Lords might eradicate Kairon from existence, unless Charley and the Doctor can help Kenz set things right. 

Verdict

Ahead of Time was a great audio adventure to continue my way through the Tales from the Vortex thirteenth series of Short Trips! I quite like how this series is almost going backwards in terms of chronology and the Doctors featured as after three opening instalments in the modern era, this episode saw us dive into the Eighth Doctor and whilst I do consider him as a Classic era Doctor, I almost feel like he's something of the crossover between eras which is good fun to think about. He does feel like the halfway point now as we await the confirmed identity of the Sixteenth Doctor on screen and pairing him up with Charley is always going to be a good option. They are a phenomenal pairing and it was good to dive back into their era with a Short Trip here. It obviously helps in having India Fisher as the narrator because she brings a strong level of authenticity to proceedings as she can perfectly capture the role of Charley, and her impression of the Eighth Doctor is just fine, especially considering she's the opposite sex! I thought the setting of Kairon was very strong and it definitely had pre-Time War vibes which was intriguing considering Charley was companion. I don't associate that conflict as anything to do with her with it being early on in the Eighth Doctor's chronology, but it had a feeling that it was coming. Something in the shadows lurking about to make itself known in devastating fashion. I think the involvement of the Time Lords there had a lot to play with that as the Doctor knew that if he didn't act quickly then they would be around and deal with things in a brutal and swift manner. I thought it was nice for the Doctor to proclaim that he would deal with things with a little more finesse. That's a pretty accurate description of his involvement in things and setting events on their proper course. I was impressed with the writing of the Eighth Doctor and even though there was no Paul McGann present, I got that excitable character that is his incarnation through the writing on quite a few occasions which is a really big positive. I loved the concept behind the Janthronite and the very concept of a paradox mineral was tremendous. It was a little bit like the Weeping Angels in non-corporeal form with just one gram throwing you into the past, and only that one singular gram again being the way back to the future. The odds were stacked against you and that explained why it had mythical status, but it was possible! I do love exploring stories about time and this was right up my alley. My main issue is that it was a little short. I mean, for a Short Trip it was actually on the longer side at forty-four minutes but if this was given a full cast Monthly Adventures kind of presentation I think this could have been an instant classic. I thought the Plasmoids were a decent threat to have involved in the story and it's always good to have something as a monster-type villain. They ticked that box very nicely here. Grandmother Issa was a lovely character too and I liked her story and the emotions that came from her history and familial connections were very strong. The discussion at the end regarding how the original mineral even came to be was fun and I just love the existence of a paradox. It should be impossible and yet here we are! Overall, a terrific story to continue the range.

Rating: 8/10

Yonder... the Yeti

"It's only a big ape."

Writer: Steve Moore

Format: Comic Strip

Released: May 1980

Printed in: DWM 31-34

Featuring: Yeti

Synopsis

Three travellers from Australia and Japan converge on the Nepalese heights of the Himalayas, in search of existence of the Yeti. They soon get more than they bargained for...

Verdict

Yonder... the Yeti was a really strong backup comic strip story to start my reading of the Black Sun Rising collection! I think it's such a wonderful idea to continue to present the backup stories from the early issues of Doctor Who Weekly at the time and it's honestly a shame that things like this aren't continuing. I thought the format here of two pages to make up a part was good because then you get an eight page story which works well. I actually think the shorter format is aided by the absence of the Doctor because you can get stuck right into things without having to establish the arrival of the TARDIS. This links back to The Abominable Snowmen very nicely but I'm not sure it entirely captures what happens in The Web of Fear as well considering that it set after the former story and before events here. I liked that it's contemporary to when the story is published and the idea of the lama passing down the knowledge through the familial generations to tackle the Great Intelligence is fantastic. I really love that idea and it's good to know that the Tibetan monastery is in safe hands and always will be! I think it's such a lovely idea to just return to this setting and I do wonder how Abominable was viewed at this time in 1980 with it being thirteen years since it broadcast. It's staggering to think that it's been the same time from then to the story being published as now is to The Bells of Saint John for example. That doesn't feel like a long time ago at all but the availability of media now is obviously much different so stories stay much more in the public eye. I thought Bruce and Angela were good characters and they were genuinely pushing n their efforts to find a Yeti. I like that the legend has lived on and the moment one appeared in a panel was fantastic. I think the design of the Yeti is quite incredible and expanding on it here was marvellous. They looked bushy but certainly more intimidating than what we got on screen in my opinion which is impressive considering how much of an iconic monster they are. I wasn't actually sure if the Great Intelligence were also going to feature but I was delighted to find that the mysterious non-physical entity found its way into the adventure. I like the idea of it laying somewhere and space and using Shiro as a physical entity to talk through, and it really did make a big impact to know that when the Intelligence was done with him he was no more. I loved seeing the Yeti used web gun as that image from Web of the London Underground being swallowed up is iconic so I liked the continuity here. Gampo as the family lama that was raised as a monk to defend from the threat of the Yeti and the Great Intelligence was a very strong character and I enjoyed hearing him announce himself. He was proud of who he was and what he stood for after learning from his uncle, who learned from a mysterious traveller in a blue box. That was really poetic and I just liked it a lot. The Intelligence was more delayed than defeated which I think is the right move especially with the Doctor nowhere to be seen, but it's good to know that the skills to banish the entity will be passed down for generations. Overall, a great little read! A very enjoyable comic strip.

Rating: 8/10

Sonny

"I am here for you."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Torchwood Monthly 59

Featuring: Rhys

Synopsis

Sonny is the answer to elderly care. Artificially intelligent robot carers placed in old peoples' homes that mimic the behaviour of their owners.

Only there are rumours that something is wrong with the Sonny units. That they're too clever. That they are learning too much. Rhys sends his mother into a home to find out. But what will it cost him?

Verdict

Sonny was a decent story to continue to my way through the monthly Torchwood range! This was an intriguing listen and I found myself almost a little disappointed that the artificial intelligence robots were actually just programmed to care. There was not anything malicious behind them and no evil plan that they were a part of which is obviously fine, but with the Torchwood influence and Gwen being the one to put Rhys and more so his mother on this mission. A care home is not the nicest of places for a setting and throwing Brenda into that was amusing. It's great continuity with Something Borrowed to have Nerys Hughes back in the role of Rhys's mother and they really do feel like mother and son which I am impressed with. They have that chemistry and relationship which worked really well. Rhys continuously forgetting to bring the red sauce for each of his visits was so relatable because my memory is so bad for things like that and it's definitely something I would do also. I thought the AI robot carers were a little freaky and I just cannot see the elderly population of pretty much anywhere in the UK being comfortable around these as a carer. Speaking from my own grandparents who are now in their late-seventies and eighties, they would not get on well with this kind of technology. They're not in need of constant care or anything like that, but they still need me to change their clocks when they go forward or back! And I mean all of them including in the car. I enjoyed hearing how Brenda slowly built a relationship with Sonny and the way she named her robot carer after the wider brand/factory was fun. Not much imagination to use there! The very logical and blunt nature of the robots made them a little freaky but I can't think of much that has been scarier anywhere in the Whoniverse than their laugh! That was so deeply uncomfortable I cannot begin to even describe it. I was taken aback when listening and perfectly understood and related to the reaction of Rhys. I really did think that Brenda accepted her mission after a while of being abrasive to Sonny and was going to essentially be undercover and lure it in to try and find out a true purpose. But she was actually getting accustomed to Sonny, mostly because he listened. That was a bit of a sad moment to be honest as she felt like the AI robot came to know her. It almost reminded me a little of my girlfriend explaining to me how there was a recent patch update to one of the AI's and it meant that many people lost what they believed were their husbands and boyfriends? Oh so very sad. But she actually challenged Rhys against Sonny and it was clear the latter knew more and just asked generally about what she was going through. Rhys was clearly guilty and it felt bad to highlight that. Prudeep as a character almost consumed by his robot Priya was something else that felt uncomfortable because of how emotionally attached he was to it. His daughter arriving to take him away meant he was completely distraught. The carer trial concluding and Rhys basically deciding that it was actually humanity that wasn't ready for the AI robots was a bit strange to be honest, it felt like a slightly underwhelming ending to what was actually a rather thought provoking episode. I just felt like there needed to be something a lot more sinister! And I was convinced I'd got it right about Brenda, but then she ends up taking all of the robots on a merry mission away and Rhys gifting her back Sonny at the end! Oh well, it was still a good little listen for sure.

Rating: 7/10

Cloud Eight

"One big holiday in the sky."

Writers: Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle

Format: Audio

Released: February 2026

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 4.04

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor and Rose travel to the 47th century, Earth's 'Second Dark Age', but when they arrive in the floating box city of High High Wycombe, it's more like a paradise. The residents live an existence of endless leisure, and at night sleep a blissful, dreamless sleep.

But cracks soon begin to show on its perfect, polished surface, and something terrible is brewing in the mind of teenage Else – something ancient and hungry – something that sounds like a nightmare.

Verdict

Cloud Eight was another very good episode to continue the fourth series of Ninth Doctor Adventures along very nicely! I was glad to get away from the present day setting of the Powell Estate because that has felt a little repetitive and lacking range as this series has started, and it's just good to take Rose somewhere that felt off world even if that wasn't quite the case. I do think New Earth was being ripped off a little with the New New York city when it came to High High Wycombe and I find that just a bit of a cheap joke, but I did like the setting very much. I was fascinated by the idea of the forty-seventh century being home to the Second Dark Age and I find it almost unfathomable to think that this could happen more than two millennia into the future! It's staggering to think how the world might be at that point in time but with the way data is harvested, stored and collected in the modern day, it seems crazy to think that an entire century could be lost to the record. Surely something would survive? More than something? But then that did pose the question of what could be so bad that it needed to be deleted from history which was fun. I'm not convinced we ever quite got back to that in full detail, but it was still good to ponder on. I enjoyed the closeness of the Doctor and Rose's relationship with the latter now making her own efforts at piloting the TARDIS! That's tremendous stuff and her intended destination being to see Jurassic Park up close and personal is marvellous. That's such a good time and place to go as a teenager when put in charge of a time machine. Of course she'd want to see dinosaurs! My four-year-old son would be very happy with her choice. I thought the floating city concept felt suitably futuristic and the relationship Rose fostered with Elsa was good. I was fascinated by the residents all being named after fictional characters from movies of over two millennia ago and Rose even predating the release of Frozen really does make me feel old. She was a very nice character though and I like how she was asking Rose for a sleepover. It would be her first one. Just like the movies. The importance of sleep in the city was interesting to explore and the idea of breaking curfew was unfathomable to the residents. It was primed so they had optimal sleeping hours so why would they stay up? Oh what I'd give to have what is deemed an optimal night's sleep being the father of two very energetic children! The Doctor knowing that something was wrong was excellent and I can understand why Rose was questioning him on if he ever just turns up and enjoys his destination. But he was trying to fix things and when he realised the locals never actually slept but were being harvested as essentially memory banks, he had to put a stop to it. It was a pretty cruel concept and the resolution did seem quite simple in the Doctor just reversing the wifi signal, but sometimes we don't need to overcomplicate things. It was an interesting look into the future and what might be, with humanity in peril. Elsa not knowing about dreams or nightmares should have been the first sign and I thought that was really well presented. Marty as her father was also a great character and Rose even forgetting much of her day was one thing, but the Doctor being impacted also really did sell the threat. Something fishy was going on indeed. Overall, a really good listen!  

Rating: 8/10

He Who Fights With Monsters: The Horror

"You plot to overthrow a god."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: December 2022

Series: The War Doctor Begins 4.03

Featuring: War Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor is missing in action. As Gallifrey and Skaro face total destruction, Time Lord and Dalek forces converge on the realm of the Barber-Surgeon. From his junkyard fortress in a lost dimension, the renegade warmonger is about to create his ultimate weapon... Who or what can possibly stop him?

Verdict

The Horror was an outstanding episode to conclude the He Who Fights With Monsters fourth series of The War Doctor Begins! This really was everything I could have asked for and more to see out what has been a very strong boxset in a terrific little series. We really are exploring the toil of the Time War now and I think that's tremendous. We know the Eighth Doctor experienced a lot of the Time War from the outside and that so much had happened to drive him to the point in The Night of the Doctor where he regenerated into the warrior. Pondering on that here with the Barber-Surgeon was fascinating and I liked the prospect of the Doctor becoming the most feared warrior in the cosmos if he put his mind to it. Slowly but surely, the War Doctor was stripping away all that he used to be up to and including the name, but the Barber-Surgeon needed to know he was still the Doctor deep down. I don't think that's ever been in doubt and this spinoff range has confirmed that to me, but it was really good to explore and think about. It was mentally stimulating for the Doctor and entering the domain of the Barber-Surgeon threw up some wonderful treats. We never truly find out who he was and I think that's right given the ambiguity and insinuations that occurred throughout the episode. This wasn't the first meeting the Barber-Surgeon had with the Doctor and the reference to Doctor Who and the Daleks and how Ian crashed a car on Barnes Common for he and Barbara to meet the Time Lord was just magnificent. It's such a niche reference but I absolutely adore it. It happened somewhere! Everything is possible, especially in the Time War. The Barber-Surgeon foreshadowing the events of The Day of the Doctor was very good and I really liked how he had come to realise that the Time War could only be ended, not won. No side of the Daleks or Time Lords was going to stand victorious, and what would they even be left with if they did? I think the suggestion of the Doctor and the Barber-Surgeon being the same was intriguing and I could certainly buy into him being some kind of warped alternative version. It would add up and can easily be explained by the referenced damage to the multiverse caused by the Time War. The Barber-Surgeon referencing The Twin Dilemma and how he strangled a companion to death was brutal stuff and I also liked how at the end there were strong feelings of Logopolis with how the moment was prepared for. It was excellent stuff. The Unforgiving Minute as the final weapon was really good in its poetry, although I read things at the end as the final weapon actually being the Doctor. I do think the demise of the Dalek Time Strategist was a bit of shock but the conflict between him and the Dalek Emperor is brilliant. I love a battle for command! Using Special Weapons Daleks to exterminate the Strategist is more great stuff. The Dalek Hunter-Killer surviving The Abyss was a bit of a surprise, but he met his final end here in style. I loved the throwbacks to An Unearthly Child and The Daleks with the use of everlasting matches and the Daleks only paralysing, and who doesn't love any sort of return to Totter's Yard? I think it's a shame that everything done by the Barber-Surgeon is undone as he unmakes himself with the aid of the Doctor, but that does at least mean the Master survives! As always. Overall, a sublime conclusion to the series! 

Rating: 10/10

He Who Fights With Monsters: The Abyss

"Rest in peace, old girl."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: December 2022

Series: The War Doctor Begins 4.02

Featuring: War Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor journeys towards his target through the ravages of the Time War, the trail leading him back into his own personal history. With the Daleks close behind and the mysterious Barber-Surgeon anticipating his every move, he comes to suspect that this is one mission he won't be coming back from.

Verdict

The Abyss was another great episode to continue my way through the He Who Fights With Monsters fourth series of The War Doctor Begins! I thought this was a terrific episode whilst very much feeling like filler as we build for the finale, but that's not a problem in the slightest because this was very good filler indeed. I'm really liking the mystery behind the Barber-Surgeon and he really does seem to be causing trouble and fear on both sides of the Time War. That says a lot about his abilities and I look forward to the Doctor confronting him. I thought the message left for him was absolutely brutal. We learned from Leela who was part of the War Council that they had entrusted the Master for the position of assassinating the Barber-Surgeon, but with no sign of him and his two handlers it was now down to the Doctor. The latter dismissed the idea of the Master joining in an alliance with the Barber-Surgeon because neither party would be interested and he was very much proven right given that the Master was found in very bad shape for the Doctor to find. Warmest regards indeed. The Doctor actually shedding a tear for his fellow Time Lord after everything he's been put through by him was touching and again just highlighted the toll of the Time War. Nobody was safe and if this was how the Master was left, the Barber-Surgeon must be very formidable indeed. Both sides wanting his weaponry technology after encountering the abominations was intriguing and there really isn't anything either side will stoop to in order to gain an advantage. I thought the Doctor encountering Spider Daleks was a fun idea and the image adorning the series boxset is quite something! That must be a pretty scary thing to come face to face with. Speaking of which, the Dalek Hunter-Killer was impressive once again and I liked how he was loyal to the Dalek Time Strategist. Defying the Dalek Emperor is risky, but the Strategist wasn't all that fussed on the chain of command amidst the Time War. I like the concept of Daleks believing they're in charge. The cyborg Dalek is really good and I like bow it's basically humanoid and gives a different perspective to the Daleks. Independent thought isn't usually something we associate with the Daleks so I have really enjoyed him. The Doctor goading him into his death at the arch by speaking the words Theta Sigma when it wasn't keyed to his voice tone meant instant destruction. That was pretty explosive and a climactic end for an impressive specimen! Narthex was a strong character as the Time Lord accompanying the Doctor on his mission here and I was also impressed with the numerous subtle references. Alluding to The Night of the Doctor with the 'physician, heal thyself' line was a lovely touch and it was also fun to hark back to An Unearthly Child with the Doctor not unfamiliar with Earth in the BC era. The hunt for the Barber-Surgeon's factory wasn't exactly a success, and the Daleks meeting him at the other side for an impressive cliffhanger was terrific. I thought the emotion in Jonathon Carley's performance here was spectacular and he really is just sick of everything now. He alluded to the fact that maybe the universe would be better off without the Time Lords and even welcomed extermination at the end. What's the point now? The extermination effects sounded brutal so I'm very intrigued to hear how he escaped this one! Overall, a really good episode to continue the series. 

Rating: 8/10

He Who Fights With Monsters: The Mission

"Hello there, little Dalek."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: December 2022

Series: The War Doctor Begins 4.01

Featuring: War Doctor

Synopsis

As the Time War takes a dark new turn, the War Doctor is tasked by the Time War Council with locating and assassinating a Gallifreyan renegade waging their own private campaign against both the Daleks and the Time Lords. Who is the mysterious Barber-Surgeon, and can the Doctor complete his mission without becoming all that he abhors?

Verdict

The Mission was an excellent start to the He Who Fights With Monsters fourth series of The War Doctor Begins! This looks to take different shape as a boxset in the fact that it has one writer and seems to be taking the course of basically a continuous story which is very exciting. I think more boxsets should go down this route because it really allows a writer to get to grips with a character and build something. The potential on offer with the War Doctor is exponential and I love the prospect of time locks around both Gallifrey and Skaro showing signs of cracking. That's a good way to highlight the scale of the Time War and it's fascinating that even with the War Doctor still relatively young as an incarnation, this is already labelled as the Last Great Time War. There can't and won't be another one following this and yet it will still last for a long time to come yet. That's pretty frightening to be honest! I liked how the General was on hand to foresee a time where the Time War came to an end thanks to both the Daleks and the Time Lords being wiped out, and whilst we know that is essentially correct, it wasn't the Doctor who was foreseen as bringing about that kind of end. Here that prophecy belonged to the Barber-Surgeon who without featuring much at all was a very intriguing character. He's something of a legend and the prospect of him being a Time Lord surprised even the Doctor. He knew of the Barber-Surgeon and it seems that everyone with anything to do with the Time War did too, but they didn't quite believe he was real. And yet here he was! I like the idea of building towards someone capable of ending the Time War and hearing how the Doctor will tackle that makes for a fascinating listen. I can't wait for them to encounter one another! Vellichor was a really strong character to essentially fill the companion gap for this episode and the fact that she wasn't a permanent traveller alongside the Doctor meant that she could die. That was a powerful moment and showed just how different and gruesome things can be in the Time War. It also showed how different the Doctor was because one of the first lines he says at the start of the audio is 'give me the gun'. That's very uncharacteristic even if he does immediately return it. I liked how he was willing to take on the mission of assassinating another Time Lord because whilst he wasn't exactly in good graces with the Time Lords, he seemed to trust their direction and he knew that if the Barber-Surgeon needed to be taken out, he was the only one he trusted to do it. I could understand that. Do the job yourself! The concept of the Dalek Hunter-Killer was really intriguing and gave some real humanised personality to a Dalek. The way it exterminated another Dalek to ensure the mission's secrecy was maintained was powerful stuff and I liked how it is almost playing with the Doctor in letting him get ahead whilst they followed. It's a clever tactic! The supply ship being named Bessie was a nice touch and whilst it was named after a planet, the Doctor remembered his old yellow car fondly. He needs gentle reminders like that at a time of conflict. So going back to Kembel counteracted that nicety very well. The Dalek Hunter-Killer taking things into its own hands at the end really highlighted its power amongst the Daleks and they seemed to cower in its presence which was something. The hunt for the Doctor is on and that's an exciting direction for the series moving forward. An excellent start to the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Tales From the Vortex: Rise of the Eukaryans

"I was on toast!"

Writer: Daniel Hardcastle

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Short Trips 13.03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

A busy factory owner unexpectedly finds her own face burned into her breakfast toast. As if that's not bad enough, someone's rearranged the contents of her fridge. Luckily for Jean, the Doctor's popped up to help her avert an uprising by alien yeast creatures.

Verdict

Rise of the Eukaryans was a pretty rubbish story to continue my way through the Tales From the Vortex thirteenth series of Short Trips. I knew the title of the story before I started listening but I had not read the synopsis and honestly I'm not sure if it would have been any better to go in knowing that this adventure was going to be so focused on toast. I thought it was frankly ridiculous and just childish almost to have a story centred around toast. I could probably get behind the concept of yeast creatures but it all just felt a bit amateur to be honest. I don't claim to be a writer but I just don't think everything tied together well here. The story was poor, I don't think the choice of narrator complimented the choice of the Doctor in the slightest, and that all just contributed to a pretty poor listening experience. Thirty-seven minutes of me sighing and shaking my head is not a good sign! I'm surprised I gave it as high as I did but I think one of my main appeals was the Doctor explaining how ponds were cool. There was no indication of when in the Eleventh Doctor's complicated timeline this story took place which again should be something so simple to just establish when this is because this incarnation is very different after The Big Bang when this story could feasibly take place to how he was by The Snowmen and beyond! Just a little on how his mindset might be would have helped relate to him a lot I think. I don't think the characterisation was all that great and it felt a little off to actually have him talk about the Time Lords and how they are taught to essentially invade the minds of lesser species. Considering that's not really him apparently, he's utilised that skill on a large number of occasions! I can't say I thought Jean was an inspiring character and finding out afterwards that the writer wanted to initially name this story as 'Jean's on Toast' just told me everything I needed to know. That's just ridiculous in the absolute worst way. Thank goodness that never survived! The Eukaryans themselves had potential even with them basically being a yeast rip off of what the Autons are to plastic. I liked the prospect of a civil war despite them having the same mind controller and the Doctor explaining how it was likened to having two conflicting thoughts made sense. I was really disappointed when it just turned out to be a lure for the Doctor. Sure, everyone has heard of him but now that they had him trapped as planned, they seemed to cower at his first threat. What exactly were they going to do once they had him where they wanted him? Jean's face being on toast everywhere as a sort of wanted sign as the Doctor thought was fun, and I thought that was actually better than it being a war banner. But on every piece of toast? Come on now. A smart toaster will definitely happen in the future though! We never really got a resolution to the TARDIS being engulfed and everything that came from being stabbed in the croissant and the factory being a soup factory just felt cheap. It was boring and honestly sigh worthy. I didn't like this much at all which is a shame to say as I'm usually super lenient and generous with my ratings! Overall, not one for me unfortunately. 

Rating: 4/10

The Outsider

"Enough of this superstitious rubbish."

Writer: Steve Moore

Format: Comic Strip

Released: March-April 1980

Printed in: DWM 25-26

Featuring: Sontarans

Synopsis

Skrant the Sontaran is on a mission that will last seven years, in the hopes of gaining any kind of advantage in the eternal war with the Rutans. Deminon the astrologer foresees, and things don't look good for this particular Sontaran's near future...

Verdict

The Outsider was a good little comic strip story to conclude my reading of The Return of the Daleks graphic novel collection of backup stories! I am well aware that this isn't actually the last story printed in the collection but I have already blogged Star Tigers and don't see any value in rereading it here. I've jumped around the collection and only made sure I've read stories I'm yet to blog because it does contain quite a few stories that have already featured in previous graphic novels. That's no problem and with me getting this graphic novel for just £3 as part of Black Friday, who am I to complain? I really enjoyed this one and it's always good to get more of the Sontarans. It's incredible to think that The Two Doctors hadn't even aired when this story was released so with The Invasion of Time relatively fresh in the reader's mind, this works very well for me. I thought Skrant was a fun character and was very to the point which as a Sontaran is no surprise. He's all duty and the prospect of a mission that would take seven years might seem on paper like a mammoth task, but for him it's all part of the glory of the Sontaran race. The honour! He must see it as a privilege. The idea of Skrant carrying around the genes of numerous other Sontarans was amusing and then here he was when challenged just growing twenty other Sontarans for a battle! That's quite something but shows the advantage of being a cloned race. The message was simple. Conflict! The setting of Braktalis was good and I liked how it was reminiscent of medieval Earth. Having Deminon within a society like that as an astrologer was fascinating and I loved how he made sure to highlight the differences between that practice and astronomy was fantastic. He was a good character and I liked how he seemed to have all the right answers and things to say, but just lacked a little in confidence. He was consulting his star charts to the point that he was almost entirely reliant on them, but given the situation and his position away from everyone else it was more than understandable. I liked how the stars showed him that for the Sontarans, their weakness was at the back. He deduced from Skrant's action in holding the back of his neck when he spoke the words that it meant rather literally and physically for a Sontaran. I thought the cliffhanger was pretty weak and it was clear that this was more so a continuous story over eight pages rather than a two-parter. It was good for the Sontarans to think a physical challenge against medieval-like armies was just an inconvenience rather than a challenge, but Skrant didn't take the astrologer into account! I mean, why would he when it came to physical conflict but there he was wiping him out almost instantaneously with a blow to the back of the neck. That probic vent took a battering in a swift blow. I must admit I didn't see that coming but it was a very sudden and impactful way to end the story. Would the rest of the clone batch really go down fighting? I thought that was a little strange knowing what we know about the Sontarans, but Deminon perishing in the battle and realising at the death that he was regarded as the greatest astrologer of his time gave some solace at the end. He wanted his daughter safe which was nice after she'd been fooling around on the other side, and he could see that she would be looked after now. Overall, a fun look at the Sontarans without the Doctor around and I'm all for more of this kind of thing. A good little story! 

Rating: 7/10