Phantasmagoria

"Every thirty years. But where does he go? But why? Why?"

Writer: Mark Gatiss
Format: Audio
Released: 4th October 1999
Series: Main Range 02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Turlough

Synopsis

The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Turlough to the London of 1702 where a mysterious highwayman roams the streets, a local occultist has made contact with the dead and gentleman of fashion are disappearing, only to find themselves in a chamber whose walls weep blood...

The time travellers become enmeshed in the hideous plan of Sir Nikolas Valentine, a gambler at the mysterious Diabola Club who always seems to have a winning hand...

Verdict

Superb. Absolutely outstanding. This audio story was brilliant and a pleasure to listen to! A marvellous plot, TARDIS banter and a sinister villain. I really liked the plot, never a dull moment and the setting of the 1700s in London was perfect. Filled with mystery and suspense, Phantasmagoria was always interesting. The plot twist of Hannah and Major Billy Lovemore being the same person, tracking down the villainous Sir Nikolas Valentine was just brilliant. I thought Valentine was a fantastic enemy and really suited the Fifth Doctor, who played by Peter Davison seemed like he'd never stopped being the Doctor. I really liked the guest appearance of David Walliams as Ned and Quincy, he played both roles with humour and seriousness. The cliffhangers were all very good! Turlough was good also, I wasn't a huge fan during his TV run (not that he was bad), but in this he was a very enjoyable companion and did so typically of one. He got himself into the trouble. The ultimate climax was suspense filled and tied up the loose ends effortlessly! Outstanding!

Rating: 10/10

Day One

"You'd have put out the welcome banners. Now, first of all, she's no little girl. From where I'm standing, all the right curves in all the right places. But she is Torchwood. We both are. And we'd appreciate it if you'd leave us do the real work."

Writer: Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 22nd October 2006
Series: Torchwood 1.02

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Owen, Tosh, Ianto

Synopsis

Gwen's first day on her new job at Torchwood sees Cardiff's night-life at the mercy of a gaseous alien who consumes its victims during orgasm, leaving behind only dust. And it's all her fault - she let it escape a fallen meteorite. The gas is devouring its teenage host. She's fighting for control as the alien inside takes down victim after victim. Torchwood tracks the alien to a sperm bank, but too late for the patrons within. Soon, if they don't act quickly enough, it'll be too late for everyone else too...

Verdict

Day One is a brave and bold episode. It's the first story in canonical Doctor Who to, that I can remember, even reference sex let alone have an gaseous alien killing people at the point of orgasm! The fact that it's new, explicit and definitely not one for the kids, the episode was brilliant! A fantastic plot and I think it's actually great to have sex in the Whoniverse. It's a part of life and nothing can change that, so why shouldn't it occur in the Doctor Who world? I really loved the story and the shining light definitely was Gwen in her first day at her new job. She was responsible for letting the sex hungry gas out into Cardiff, so she was going to fix it and she did excellently. I really loved the trust and help the other team members gave Gwen, particularly Jack. He'd seen something special in her in Everything Changes and understood that one mistake caused by some banter with Owen wasn't going to affect her. The scenes between Gwen and Carys were certainly enjoyable! The character of Carys was fantastic and it was clear the alien inside her was challenging her for control. It was quite sad. The resolution of Jack's doing to defeat the gaseous entity, caused my a mass amount of courage from Gwen, was excellent. Overall, a great, brave plot and something new in the canonical Whoniverse!

Rating: 9/10

The Daleks

"Yes, it's certainly alien to anything on your planet. But you're wrong about one thing, Chesterfield. This isn't like anything else. The animal is solidified, certainly, but it's not crumbly stone. It's metal. Yes, it always was."

Writer: Terry Nation
Format: TV
Broadcast: 21st December 1963 - 1st February 1964
Season: 1.02

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands in an alien, petrified jungle, beyond which lies a mysterious, deserted city. The Doctor insists on exploring, but before long the TARDIS crew all begin experiencing the early effects of radiation sickness. And then they discover that the metal city isn't as deserted as they first thought...

Verdict

Fantastic. The Daleks is an outstanding story that is wonderfully paced and filled with a brilliant plot and fascinating character development. The fact that the Doctor's overwhelming curiosity, something we'll see so much of in future stories across all mediums, lead him to his first meeting with the Daleks was brilliant. The story itself was just perfect. A war between two races, both genetically mutated, over the planet. The Thals wanting peace, the Daleks wanting to conquer. The TARDIS team's intervention in the actions of the Thals was brilliant and swayed them into seeing that if the Daleks weren't going to be peaceful, then neither should they. After the ambush and killing of innocent Thals by the Daleks, the quest across the jungle to the city, in secrecy, to get their own back and take the planet for themselves was just brilliant! Barbara's relationship with Alydon was interesting to see. The development of the Doctor himself was a joy to behold. He was becoming selfless, knowing what he had done, tricking his own granddaughter and two innocent schoolteachers into going into the city, to meeting the Daleks, almost killing the TARDIS team. But it was clear now, that he didn't mind Ian and Barbara travelling with him and Susan at all. In fact they helped him in a great deal! The cliffhangers of the story were very good and the climax was outstanding. The Daleks first venture was incredible and they were utilised perfectly. Ian laid down the framework that would follow for years, "a dislike for the unlike." The resolution to allowing the Thal victory was simple but genius. The Daleks were immobilised, reliant on static electricity to move - that link was taken away. Terry Nation's first story for Doctor Who is one of his very best. The Daleks have arrived.

Rating: 10/10

Everything Changes

"They were here, and then they were gone. And look, there's nowhere to hide. They just disappeared."

Writer: Russell T Davies
Format: TV
Broadcast: 22nd October 2006
Series: Torchwood 1.01

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Owen, Tosh, Ianto

Synopsis

The Torchwood Three team arrives at the scene of a brutal murder. PC Gwen Cooper's curiosity is challenged by their attitude; their approach and their technology is at odds with everything she believes in. As she investigates them, she begins to uncover a dark, mysterious and dangerous world right in the heart of Cardiff.

Verdict

Everything Changes is a fitting title to the first episode of Torchwood. As seen in the episode, Gwen's life completely changed but now the Doctor Who viewer's life has also. Doctor Who now has a fully fledged spin off, and it's started in style. Somewhere between a crime drama and Doctor Who itself, Torchwood fits in perfectly with a more expressive and explicit style. Sexual references and bad language will occur often! This episode was great and I immediately fell in love with Gwen. Her curiosity was fantastic to see and so typical of a young, Welsh women working in the police. It was excellent to see Captain Jack return after his 'death' in The Parting of the Ways, but now he's not being told what to do by the Ninth Doctor. No. He's in charge now. He's the leader of this Torchwood team. And he's marvellous. The brave decision to introduce Suzie as a full member of the team but then make her to be the ultimate enemy and then kill her off was unexpected, but pure genius! The moment Jack rose back up after being shot point blank in the head was mesmerising. Gwen's desperate attempts to remember what she had seen with Torchwood was good, and sad at how sleep got the better of her, as was always going to be the case. The Weevils were viciously brilliant, but not evil it was seen. Just savages. The mystery and idea of the glove was incredibly good! The continuation from Doctor Who was good to see with the rift and of course Torchwood itself. The Hub was also spectacular! Overall, Everything Changes kicked off Torchwood in magnificent style. A wonderful plot with some great twists and new characters. The team are going to be fantastic!

Rating: 10/10

The Sirens of Time

"They say the first sign of madness is talking to oneself"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs
Format: Audio
Released: 4th July 1999
Series: Main Range 01

Feautring: Fifth Doctor, Sixth Doctor, Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

Gallifrey is in crisis, facing destruction at the hands of an overwhelming enemy. The Doctor is involved in three different incarnations - each caught in a deadly adventures, scattered across time and space. The web of time is threatened - and someone wants the Doctor dead!

The three incarnations of the Doctor must join to set time back on the right track - but in doing so, will they unleash a still greater threat?

Verdict

Not what I was expecting from a multi-Doctor story! Split into the usual four parts of a classic story, the three different Doctors didn't meet until the final part which was rather frustrating! The Five Doctors is a brilliant example of a multi-Doctor story which was just phenomenal. Here, each individual part giving each Doctor danger in his own little story was good and the ultimate tying up of each to become one was excellent I must say. The Knights of Velyshaa were very mysterious and cunning, absolutely brilliant villains! But, there was an even greater threat to come. The Sirens of Time. The true enemies of the story but they took a little too long to enter the fray. The fact that Elenya, Helen and Ellie all turned out to be the same person, trying to kill the Doctor, was the best part of the audio - a wonderful revelation. Once the Doctors finally met on Gallifrey, the banter between the three was a joy to listen to. The brilliant cliffhangers of each part finally being resolved was good, but somewhat overdue. The mystery of the Kurgon Wonder seemed a paradox but the selfless act of the Temperon to save the day was fantastic! I think the pace just needed to be increased somewhat.

Rating: 8/10

The Clockwise Man

"The noise inside the belfry was deafening. Rose could not begin to imagine what it would be like when Big Ben itself struck in a few seconds."

Author: Justin Richards
Format: Novel
Released: 19th May 2005
Series: NSA1.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor and Rose

Synopsis

In 1920s London the Doctor and Rose find themselves caught up in the hunt for a mysterious murderer. But not everyone or everything is what they seem. Secrets lie behind locked doors and inhuman killers roam the streets.

Who is the Painted Lady and why is she so interested in the Doctor? How can a cat return from the dead? Can anyone be trusted to tell - or even know - the truth?

With the faceless killers closing in, the Doctor and Rose must solve the mystery of the Clockwise Man before London itself is destroyed...

Verdict

The Clockwise Man is a brilliant start to the new range of Doctor Who books, the New Series Adventures. Justin Richards writes the Doctor so well and although it's clear from the book cover, it is obvious that the incarnation is Doctor number 9. And I find that impressive in a book. The Doctors, despite ultimately being the same man, are all so different so for Richards to capture Eccelston's persona perfectly is brilliant. The classic humorous banter between the Doctor and Rose is evident from the get go, especially with Rose's traditional attire. The plot is a very enjoyable one and leaves no room for disinterest. Melissa Hart is a brilliant character, a stand out in a novel filled with fantastic characters - which of course there has to be - such as Aske, Repple and the wonderful Freddie. The fact that a cat is arguably the most mysterious thing about this novel, but with it fitting into the plat excellently, just shows how good this novel. The Clockwork Robot, ultimately a Clockwork Man (robots that the Doctor would meet on TV in his next body), was just fantastic and loveable. The threats throughout were great and there never seemed to be a dull moment as twists were frequent, but not too much so. Just the right balance. Wyse was a great character but I think humour Repple brought was greater! The many references to Russian history, present to the setting of the book in 1920s, was lovely to read as I'm a big fan of history! The revelation of Shade Vallisy's identity was brilliant and the revelations between Aske and Repple was clever but also quite sad. Rose was really great in this one, considering it was one of her earlier adventures, and the events in the Clock Tower were magnificent- my favourite part of the book! Freddie being at hand was excellent and overall, a great plot filled with twists and turns!

Rating: 9/10.

An Unearthly Child

"Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanderers in the fourth dimension? Have you? To be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet, without friends or protection. But one day we shall get back. Yes, one day. One day" 

Writer: Anthony Coburn
Format: TV
Broadcast: 23rd November 1963- 14th December 1963
Season: 1.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara


Synopsis

Susan Foreman is a mystery to teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, seemingly knowing more than she should about the past... and the future. Their curiosity leads them to follow her home one night, only to find that her 'home' appears to be a deserted junkyard. In the junkyard, they discover a police telephone box and a strange old man, who claims to be Susan's grandfather, and calls himself the Doctor. The journey of a lifetime is about to begin...


Verdict

An Unearthly Child really is a joy to behold. For the first ever serial of Doctor Who, now fifty years old, it is quite a journey. I really envy those people who watched this on first broadcast as everything that was to come was unexpected and unknown. I can't imagine my reaction to Ian and Barbara barging into the TARDIS if I didn't know from beforehand that the ship itself was of course bigger on the inside. The mysterious old junkyard of 76 Totter's Lane is brilliant in the first part and the Doctor's attempts to rid away of Ian and Barbara are quite comical. The mystery of Susan is immediately intriguing and she's clearly out of her own time and too intelligent for Earth in 1963. Once the TARDIS dematerialises for the first time, the journey of a lifetime begins. The TARDIS lands in ancient Earth and to the confusion of the Doctor it remains stuck as a police box, the chameleon circuit is broken for the first time, and the viewer is immediately hooked. Not just because a police telephone box has travelled back in time 101.963 years, but because a strange figure lurks by the TARDIS. The eeriness is soon enhanced as the Doctor is missing and the encounter with the Tribe of Gum ensues. Fire is all this primitive tribe wish to create but even that isn't achievable to them. The tribe members provide brilliant characters. The battle for leadership of the tribe between Za and Kal is outstanding and a fantastic representation of what I imagine ancient primitive life was like. The enigma of the Old Mother is extremely fascinating and I was never sure what to make of her throughout. The Cave of Skulls was a big factor in the story and ultimately gives the TARDIS crew their route to escape. But the ultimate brilliance of this story lies not with the plot, although it is caused from it, but in the four travellers, during their first adventure together. Za is injured, on the brink of death and what we would consider uncharacteristic of the Doctor nowadays, he just wanted to leave and go back to the TARDIS. But his granddaughter sided with Ian, who excellently was thought of as 'Friend', Barbara, immediately showing her desire to aid and human instinct, to help. The Doctor seemed to be a selfish man at the start of this story but with the introduction of his first companions, he starts to change into the Doctor we all know and love today, and that will be seen further as the season continues. It's brilliant to watch the change now, but I imagine it would have been even more so if I was watching on first viewing, with no foreknowledge, on broadcast date. Ian and Barbara were letting the Doctor see another view of life, that ultimately he would be needed. In An Unearthly Child, Za's life was saved. How many more would be as a result of this encounter? I believe this was the starting point of the Doctor. And it is marvellous. The serial ends cleverly with the travellers using the skulls of the dead on sticks of fire, ultimately scaring the tribe long enough to allow their escape and flea back to the TARDIS. Doctor Who's first four part story was a long venture, from school in 1963 to cavemen in 100.00BC but it was a brilliant and brave beginning.

Rating: 9/10