The Mutant Phase

"Victory for the Mutant creatures will mean the end of history."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs
Format: Audio
Released: December 2000
Series: Main Range 15

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

In the 22nd century, the Daleks have occupied planet Earth. By the 43rd century, only a handful of humans survive. Still further into the distant future, a Thal scientist must choose whether to betray his heritage, or see the universe destroyed.

When the Doctor and Nyssa find themselves trapped in this deadly chain of events, they must decide who their real enemies are. What is certain, however, is that no matter where the Doctor turns... his arch enemies, the Daleks, will be waiting for him.

What could possibly be worse than that? The Mutant Phase...

Verdict

The Mutant Phase was an absolute joy and pleasure to listen to. My favourite audio adventure yet! I just loved everything about it; the plot, the guest cast and the setting! I adored the fact that part of the adventure, and the reason for the rest of it, was heavily based on events that would be concluded in The Dalek Invasion of Earth. The fact that the Daleks didn't recognise the Doctor and seemed confused by the word 'TARDIS' was just outstanding. The Doctor knew who the Daleks were, of course, but they'd no idea of who he was. They hadn't met the Doctor prior to their return in the TV series, chronologically that is, and it was a wonderful concept. The usage of the wasp, to both sting Nyssa and ultimately cause the devastating Mutant Phase was extremely clever! There were a lot of shocking moments in the story; you had a Thal working for the Daleks, the Doctor contemplating helping his arch enemies and a point blank extermination of Delores prompting the surrender of the Doctor. Hearing a Roboman once again was just wonderful, even if it was brief. And then came my favourite Dalek - the Emperor! A great little reference to The Evil of the Daleks, I just adore the Dalek Emperor in Classic Who. We didn't get a lot of TV adventures (just the one that I can recall) with the Emperor during the original run but the audios with Classic Doctors allows numerous returns. The superb villain appeared in The Genocide Machine but here he was dominant. He had an incredible plan as well! Using the mind of Ganatus, implanting his own into him to ensure the Doctor carried out his orders was brilliant. The confusion it provided for the first generation Daleks was excellent. He told them, in human form, that he was the Emperor and he was the one who ordered the invasion. He told them their own plans of replacing the Earth's core in Bedfordshire, and that the Doctor would stop him. I loved here how the Daleks referred to time travel as impossible which was just great - although they weren't far from mastering it themselves as the TV run would soon show. Nyssa was a tremendous companion here and her referencing to Earthshock and Adric's death was saddening, as she didn't understand why the Doctor could now change history to prevent the Daleks from mutating into the Mutant Phase. The comical reference to The Land of the Dead was also good. The climax was fantastic and it must've hurt the Doctor though. Yes, he'd defeated the Mutant Phase but would have to depart in the TARDIS leaving the Daleks as occupants of Earth - something he'd defeat four bodies earlier and 9 years later.

Rating: 10/10

The Holy Terror

"All hail Frobisher. All hail the big talking bird!"

Writer: Robert Shearman
Format: Audio
Released: November 2000
Series: Main Range 14

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Frobisher

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands in a forbidding castle in a time of religious upheaval. The old god has been otherthrown, and all heretics are to be slaughtered. Obviously, it isn't the sort of thing which would happen there every day - just every few years or so.

Soon after the Doctor ad Frobisher are hailed as messengers from heaven, they become vital to opposing factions in their struggle for power. But will they be merely the acolytes of the new order - or will they be made god themselves?

Evil is growing deep with the crypt. And the pair soon find out that they will be lucky to escape their new immortality with their lives.

Verdict

Well, The Holy Terror was a great audio story but I am not in favour of Big Finish's brief 'side step' audios, exploring characters and TARDIS combinations of other mediums. To me, this takes away the familiarity you expect from a companion and can dampen an adventure. Now, I've not read any of the comic strips in which Frobisher is companion, but on first impression, I really dislike the idea of a shape-shifting penguin as a companion. It's just silly. And throughout this audio, I just didn't like Frobisher. Sole male companions never go down well in my eyes, and the lack of female in the TARDIS certainly affected this story. However, talking of the adventure itself - the story was good! The very religion centred society was unique and the way the castle inhabitants simply obeyed and bowed down to tradition was incredible! People had no care in the world for their children, and once your post was void and passed down to your heir, the new holder of the post would insult, mock and physically abuse their own relatives! And the person being abused welcomed it! The assassination attempts and High Priest turning on the new God being expected was again incredible. The society was unique! The cliffhangers were all good and I really liked the guest cast. Childeric and Pepin VII were particular standouts, as well as Clovis. The Boy was an outstanding character and the eeriness and mystery around him was very good. Looking for his father - so confused. The voice was so chilling! The Doctor working out that he was actually a Torture Machine and that the Castle itself was all fictitious was unexpected and really tied things up! The climax was emotionally fantastic! Overall, a good story but I hope that's the first and last 'side step' audio. Keep things familiar, or introduce new companions for the first time - like with Evelyn - give them an introductory story!

Rating: 8/10

The Dalek Invasion of Earth

"During all the years I've been taking care of you, you in return have been taking care of me. You are still my grandchild and always will be. But now, you're a women too. I want you to belong somewhere, to have roots of your own. With David you will be able to find those roots and live normally like any women should do. Believe me, my dear, your future lies with David and not with a silly old buffer like me. One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine. Goodbye, Susan. Goodbye, my dear."

Writer: Terry Nation
Format: TV
Broadcast: 21st November - 26th December 1964
Season: 2.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

Arriving in a devastated London in the middle of the 22nd century, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan discover that the Daleks have invaded Earth. Will the human race be enslaved by the evil Daleks, or can the Doctor stop their audacious plans and save mankind from extermination...?

Verdict

The Dalek Invasion of Earth is just sublime. Absolutely tremendous from start to finish. Terry Nation really pulls off a masterpiece which sees the much anticipated return of the Daleks and an emotional farewell to Susan. Throughout the serial it's clear that the Daleks have absolutely annihilated Earth. Silence reigns throughout London as the TARDIS crew arrive there, and to worsen things the TARDIS is in an unreachable position, trapped under a collapsed bridge. The cliffhanger at the end of episode one is just wonderful with the Dalek rising out of the Thames. Pure beauty. With many references to The Daleks, it's clear that what happened in that serial was some time in the Dalek's future and things were different now. They'd invaded Earth taking advantage of meteor strikes. The crew are soon split up and this allows the introduction of some outstanding guest cast. We have Jenny, Tyler and Dortmun who are all courageous and just great! Larry has an emotional story behind him. He stows aboard the Dalek saucer with Ian to get to the now completely devastated and mine-sight of Bedfordshire. And he finds him, but he's been transformed into a chilling Roboman. Larry's death was extremely emotional as he freed his brother of Dalek control but killed his brother - and himself - in doing so. The Robomen were eery throughout, heartless, callous and emotionless. The idea of authoritative ranks for the Daleks was brilliant and the Black Dalek, obviously the one in command, had a terrific design. All of the cliffhangers in this serial were outstanding in my view and really wanted me to make me watch the next episode right away - which is what I look for in a cliffhanger. The aim of the Daleks in the serial was just incredible and indescribable! The Daleks wanted to remove the molten core of Earth, replace it with power of their own so they could pilot the planet through space! An incredibly brave aim! And it certainly made the Daleks fearful - just to even conjure up a plan of that kind! However, the Daleks were thwarted largely by some good thinking from Barbara, orders from the Doctor and a lot of luck! David, who was fantastic throughout and developed a lovely relationship with Susan, put the Daleks out of action by breaking up radio waves and communication with some bombs! And Barbara and the Doctor gave the Daleks' henchman, the Robomen, new orders from within the Dalek saucer! The Robomen smashed the Daleks and all the slaves were freed and a revolution had occurred. Earth was safe, and the planet could now be rebuilt. After hints throughout the serial, Susan longed to belong to a time of her own and she got that wish, not by her own choice but by the Doctor himself. It was very hard for him to say goodbye and holding a broken shoe of Susan's, that seemed to be his farewell relic for his granddaughter. He double-locked the TARDIS doors and gave an incredible farewell speech to Susan. It was emotionally packed but now Susan had departed the TARDIS and would stay on Earth, 200 years in the future of the broadcast audience, with her new lover David. A frightening plan of the Daleks, brilliant plot, cliffhangers and resolutions and a beautiful farewell! This serial has always been an all time favourite of mine and it always will be!

Rating: 10/10

The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance

"Logically I should hate to go back to my world and yet I love Earth, I love its beauty and its ugliness, its golden heart and its insanity. Away from it I find that I love and miss everything about it. I mean you should see England, bright and shining one day, musty, damp and foreboding the next. I can't help it Rhythm, my world is an inferior one to yours and yet I still yearn for it, so I must go back."

Writer: Moris Farhi (adapted by Nigel Robinson)
Format: Audio
Released: November 2010
Series: Lost Stories 2.01b

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

Fragrance is a paradise world - a utopia that the travellers are loathe to leave after a relaxing stay. But the way of life is different here.

And so is the way of love - as Barbara discovers when the Fragile Yellow Arc is broken...

Verdict

The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance is a thing of beauty. I was intrigued that the story began with the TARDIS team ready to leave the planet of Fragrance. It was obvious that the four members had been on this planet for a long time prior to the beginning of the story, somewhat similar to The Romans, and the relationships that had been developed with the planet's inhabitants and the TARDIS members was clearly in great amount; none more than Rhythm's affection for Barbara. The concept of love on the planet was undoubtedly unique and quite beautiful. Once the person reaches maturity - exiting childhood - he/she falls in love thanks to barriers being built. If these were to fall, then the person who'd been left alone would get in a boat, sail, and ultimately become comet-like and ride straight to the sun. To death. Love is a one time thing according to the fundamentals of Fragrance. And before it was established that this was the case, it was interesting why Harmony and Melody were so desperate to see Barbara stay on the planet. Once everything was understood, even Susan wanted Barbara to stay on the planet! The colourful description of Fragrance was stunning but an even more so quote was Barbara describing her love of Earth! We all know that nothing beats home, no matter how good the places you visit are. And Barbara described that perfectly. I really loved the Doctor in this story - so clearly his first incarnation and for once, he showed people his TARDIS. He invited Rhyme and Iamb in and described in great deal how his time machine worked. And it was brilliant how he continued to impress, gleaming with a grin I imagined. The Doctor also seemed to have gained an element that would fix the navigation of the TARDIS, but as we know from numerous (and there's a lot!) of future stories - it seems the Doctor will never quite fix the navigation system of the TARDIS. But would we want it any other way? With Barbara almost being forced to stay, the TARDIS foursome had made their way into the ship unaccompanied but Barbara was told of what would happen to Rhythm if she left. And it seemed for a moment like she wanted to stay. For the first time there was a sign that Ian had feelings for Barbara. He seemed gutted that Barbara was even thinking of staying and even happy that she didn't love Rhythm! However, the Doctor wasn't going to allow her to make a hasty decision and dematerialised which was very typical of the first incarnation. Obviously, he'd made the right call. Barbara though was saddened and as the TARDIS drifted away from Fragrance - she witnessed Rhythm ascend to the sun. And somehow, he told her he loved her. A heartfelt ending to a beautiful Lost Story.

Rating: 9/10

The Transit of Venus

"What use is knowledge, if there are no men to share it?"

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner
Format: Audio
Released: January 2009
Series: Companion Chronicles 3.07

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

The year is 1770, and daring explorer Captain James Cook and his crew on the Endeavour are navigating the Pacific Ocean.

Into their midst come strangers: the First Doctor and Ian Chesterton, who are believed to have come from Venus. But the TARDIS is lost to them - along with both Susan and Barbara - and Ian makes an enemy of the ship's chief scientist, Joseph Banks.

Why is Banks acting strangely? Could it be that the travellers are not the only visitors from the stars?

Verdict

The Transit of Venus is a magnificent audio adventure and probably the best Companion Chronicle I have listened to yet. I was really looking forward to William Russell's performance and he certainly did not disappoint providing a wonderful narration and a great trip back to the past in rekindling his days of being Ian Chesterton. I also liked his impersonation of the First Doctor. It wasn't accurate, which is a lot to ask, but all the classic traits of William Hartnell were present. The plot was excellent and I really liked the ship setting at sea. When Ian regained consciousness after being knocked out, I didn't quite understand how the place he remembered was Venus, and that led him to claiming he was from there under grogginess, but other than that the story was sensational. Following on directly from The Sensorites, so a little behind in regards to my TV run, but that was no bother at all. The Doctor was determined to leave Ian and Barbara behind wherever they next landed and he did just that as the climax of the TV adventure showed. But with Ian groggy, we were receiving the story from his perspective and that was brilliant. Barbara was gone, and feared dead. But the Doctor had mysteriously boarded the ship, despite his best wishes, and the only thing he recalled was the TARDIS being thrown overboard! Susan was safely on board, but she couldn't survive on her own with a ship of that magnitude! And the mystery and unknowing whether Barbara was safe was fantastic. I really loved the character of Joseph Banks and how, as we'd later learned from Susan's telepathic doing, was telling of things that hadn't even been created or discovered yet! The length of the story (from the story perspective, not length of the CD) was interesting that it was so long, lasting a considerable amount of weeks. With no TARDIS, Susan or Barbara. The many references to superstition at sea of the 1700s was particularly enjoyable. I also was fond of the numerous references to the TARDIS foursome's adventures of Season One up to the point of The Sensorites. Susan still having some kind of telepathic ability following on from her happenings on the Sense Sphere was brilliant. Jacqueline Rayner, a long time favourite writer of mine, produced a script that had a wonderful plot and certainly the First Season feel! A pleasure to listen to.

Rating: 9/10

The Shadow of the Scourge

"And now, here I am. Just when you've got victory in your grasp. Wondering about in front of you without a care in the universe. Obviously I have something up my sleeve. Obviously you're unaware of the trap I've lured you into. I'm what monsters like you are afraid of. So tell me, are you getting scared yet?"

Writer: Paul Cornell
Format: Audio
Released: October 2000
Series: Main Range 13

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Bernice

Synopsis

The Pinehill Crest Hotel in Kent is host to three very different events: a cross-stitch convention, an experiment in time travel and... the summoning of the Scourge.

The Seventh Doctor, Bernice and Ace find themselves dealing with a dead body that has come back to life, a mystical symbol that possesses its host, and a threat from another universe that is ready for every trick the Doctors' got up his sleeve.

This time, has the Doctor gone too far?

Verdict

The Shadow of the Scourge was a very good audio adventure and definitely one that I enjoyed. This was significant from a personal point of view as it was my first every Bernice Summerfield story and before listening I was unsure how she'd be portrayed. I knew quite a bit about the companion from reading about her but I've never read a Virgin New Adventure novel so I didn't know any traits of her. But I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked her and in this was far superior to Ace! I would've liked a little introduction as to who she was, I mean it was her audio debut and not everybody would've known who she was, but it allowed the story to kick into action right away I guess. The plot was very good, despite being a little difficult to follow at small moments, and things were always changing. The Scourge were good villains and the power they had, forcing humans to do as they said just by the power of their voice was excellent. I loved the comparison of how humans, dealing with 4 dimensions, could do as they wished to a world of one dimensional circles. The Scourge dealt in 8 dimensions, so what power did they hold over the humans and Earth? They were coming from a superior universe and could walk the entity of this one in a single move. It was scary how big their power was and that was really good. However, I didn't like their Zarbi-like appearance/description. I've never been a fan of insects in Doctor Who and that can be seen with my low(ish) ratings of The Web Planet and The Ark in Space. The cliffhangers in this audio were fantastic and each one really did work against the TARDIS trio. The relationship between Bernice and Ace was actually very good but in regards to the latter, this audio is a perfect example of why I dislike Ace's character. I was never a fan during her TV run and her aggressive and boyish style just doesn't work for me. The ridiculousness of her encouraging Michael Penbroke to punch her ears, making her deaf, was poor. Yes, it was great in giving her immunity from the Scourge's control, but if your ear drums were burst/broke or what have you, you wouldn't be alright to fight aliens in such a short space of time (literally seconds) now would you? The best part of the audio was by far the moments set inside the Doctor's mind. The description from Bernice, played fantastically by Lisa Bowerman, was outstanding and humorous. But so Doctor. I was particularly intrigued by Bernice's liking of the Eighth Doctor's appearance. With another hint regarding Bernice's liking to this audio's Doctor's future incarnation, it seems a new adventure with that Doctor is on the way. The climax of this story was fantastic and the speeches by both the Doctor and Bernice, in defeating the Scourge by will and convincing those taken over by the aliens to remember what is to be human, to feel hope and love was sensational. The quote I've used at the start of the entry is one I adored. Sylvester McCoy put in a great performance here and showed the emotion of battling for control over your own mind and body marvellously. Overall, a good audio but Ace wasn't great and I disliked how the Scourge took over the human bodies. But the climax and invasion of the Doctor's mind, and most of the plot in general, more than made up for that.

Rating: 8/10

House of Cards

"The Game of Life is my centrepiece attraction."

Writer: Steve Lyons
Format: Audio
Released: February 2013
Series: Companion Chronicles 7.08

Featuring: Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie

Synopsis

The TARDIS has landed in a futuristic space casino, where the Doctor, Ben, Polly and Jamie find fun, games... and monsters everywhere. There are vicious robot dogs, snake-headed gangsters from the Sidewinder Syndicate and a mysterious masked women called Hope.

In this place, time travellers are to be tracked down and arrested. Yet, as events spiral out of control, time may be Polly's only ally...

Verdict

House of Cards was an extremely enjoyable audio adventure! This was packed full of action, fun and a brilliant plot! This story was rather 'Doctor-lite' but that didn't take anything away from it all. Anneke Wills, along with Frazier Hines, put in a majestic performance. She not only revisited her days in the TARDIS as Polly, but her impersonation of Ben was fantastic! Jamie's role was limited compared to that of Polly, but Hines was again excellent - but I expected nothing less. He always puts in a great performance as Jamie. I really liked the setting of a futuristic casino and the Sidewinder Syndicate were slithering and superb. Their voices were like robotic snake slurps and that was really good, it added a cautiousness to them and it was obvious that other species wanted to avoid them. The robotic dogs were interesting and there was a humorous moment with Jamie pulling out an eye from one of the 'metal beasties.' I thought the mystery behind Hope, who turned out to be the actual time travelling culprit hidden in a mask was excellent. But Polly was undoubtedly the stand out character and the things she went through were just sensational! Taken by the Sidewinder Syndicate to the boss, Fortune, she was in trouble. And with the eeriness of Fortune she was very uncomfortable. Faced with the horrific dilemma at the cliffhanger, having to press a button at random which would either save Ben and kill a cowboy she'd recently been acquainted with. In a clever resolution, Polly instead pressed the button of a time dangle and travelled back in time to her recent past and it wonderfully tied everything up. She prevented Ben from borrowing chips on the casino which lead him to being part of the Game of Life. I also loved the reference by Polly in referring to an action of the Doctor, of course in his second incarnation, 'like the old Doctor used to do.' A nice touch to William Hartnell's Doctor. I also loved the Marco Polo reference! Overall, this audio was lots of fun with a great plot and wonderful impersonations of Ben and the Doctor by the amazing Anneke Wills.

Rating: 9/10

Helicon Prime

"I want to tell you about the Doctor and about travelling in the TARDIS. I want to tell you about Mindy Voir, and about Helicon Prime."

Writer: Jake Elliot

Format: Audio

Released: November 2007

Series: Companion Chronicles 2.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie

Synopsis

It's been a long time since Jamie McCrimmon remembered anything about his travels with the Doctor, but his visit to Helicon Prime just won't stay hidden... but why remember their murder investigation now?

Verdict

Helicon Prime was an enjoyable Companion Chronicle but thanks to Frazier Hines' immaculate impersonation of the late Patrick Troughton, it felt like the Second Doctor was back and it was a late '60s adventure! The story itself was good and the murder investigation was filled with some good twists. The comical relationship between the Doctor and Jamie was brilliant throughout and I loved how the Doctor taught his companion to play table-tennis but refused to play once Jamie had got the hang of it and was in winning ways! That was brilliantly typical of the second incarnation of the Time Lord. The reference to Victoria being absent was cleverly done, though it wasn't exactly needed. The story could easily be set before The Evil of the Daleks, but I did like the reference nonetheless. The description of Helicon Prime itself was good and the goings on of the Doctor were humorous. I really liked the character of Mindy and her relationship in the story with Jamie was fantastic. The cliffhanger was really well done but the resolution wasn't exactly difficult to predict. The Ambassador was good and overall so was the story! I look forward to more masterful impressions of Troughton by Hines himself! It really added to the quality of the audio!

Rating: 8/10

Lords of the Storm

"Really? Do you tell the toaster what sort of spread you're going to put on the toast? More or less everything the Sontarans do is with an eye to defeating the Rutan. They've been at war for longer than mankind has been standing upright, and they don't take any prisoners."

Writer: David A. McIntee
Format: Novel
Released: 7th December 1995
Series: Virgin Missing Adventures 17

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Turlough

Synopsis

The war between the Sontarans and the Rutans has been raging for millennia. Billions have died and the whole star systems have been obliterated in the conflict. Now, finally, one side may have victory within its grasp.

The human colony world of Rhagi is crucial to that victory. When the Doctor and Turlough arrive there, they find a seemingly stable society ruled by a strict caste system. But all is not as it seems. Members of the lower caste are being struck down by a mysterious illness. People are vanishing in their hundreds. And strange objects have been observed orbiting the sun.

Why is Raghi so important to the feuding alien empires? And how high a price will the galaxy pay if the conflict comes to an end?

Verdict

Overall, Lords of the Storm was a very good book and from a personal point, at time of reading of course, brought the Sontarans back to their evil roots which was great to read! Now, I can't say I dislike Strax accompanying the Eleventh Doctor, quite the opposite actually. But it's been a while since a story featuring the Sontarans as villains appeared on television and not only did we get them back to their best, but we had a great taste of action of the endless war between the Sontar natives and the Rutan Host!

After a slow start, some four chapters plus an irrelevant prologue, the novel finally kicked into action as the plot threads sunk through, the Doctor and Turlough arrived, and Nur got into her stride. Nur was by far my favourite character in the novel! She was just awesome and I loved her throughout. Isn't it just great when a story specific character lights up a book? The main criticism I would have with the novel, other than the style of language from David A. McIntee, was the time it took for the Sontarans to enter the story. From the cover as you can see above, plus the synopsis, we know for a fact that the Sontarans are featuring, so why not throw them into the deep end straight away? I think it would've made the start of the novel more exciting and overall would improve my final rating.

I really liked the plot however, once it got going, and how the story was set directly after Resurrection of the Daleks and the Doctor was visibly upset at losing Tegan as companion. But he had other things to deal with as the plan of the Sontarans was devious, evil and just brilliant! Using planets and scientist to destroy the Rutans! Genius. It's rather difficult to explain in detail as there are many twists and a lot of information to handle, but once you get the grasp of it, it really is great. I loved the many references to The Invasion of Time and adored the shock reference to The Dalek Invasion of Earth. It was great to have another story featuring the Rutan, who'd only appeared in Horror of Fang Rock and their description was really great! I really was against the ridiculousness of just calling the main Rutan Host 'Fred' though, that spoilt the reappearance of them I thought. Chapter 7 was by far my favourite part of the book as it had a tremendous action scene that had Nur show her strengths and the Doctor in danger of his life! Not for the first time of course. The climax was very entertaining and it was a great twist to discover that Major Starne was a disguised Rutan! But it begs the question, if the Rutan can camouflage as Sontarans, surely they'd have won the war by now? The ranking system of the Sontarans was excellent throughout and definitely helped gain some information about the magnificent villains. The unexpected reference to Leela was also good! Turlough wasn't great however, he just seemed to be in the way most of the time but that provided humour so it wasn't all bad. The plot thread regarding the TARDIS being taken was also fantastic! Overall, some minor issues - but very good nonetheless!

Rating: 8/10

The Monsters Inside

"The sitting around, the pacing, the endless waiting were over. Now Rose sat in a shuttle cabin identical to the one she'd arrived in, only this time her mood was one of cautious optimism. On her journey to Justice Beta, only the unknown had awaited her. Now, the Doctor was waiting at the other end of the journey, and together the two of them might just stand a chance of striking out for the TARDIS-"

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Novel

Released: 19th May 2005

Series: NSA1.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Rose to a destination in deep space - Justicia, a prison camp stretched over seven planets, where Earth colonies deal with their criminals.

While Rose finds herself locked up in a teenage borstal, the Doctor is trapped in a scientific labour camp. Each is determined to find the other, and soon both Rose and the Doctor are risking life and limb to escape in their distinctive styles.

But their dangerous plans are complicated by some old enemies. Are these creatures fellow prisoners as they claim, or staging a takeover for their own sinister purposes?

Verdict

A strong book that was an enjoyable read. I really liked how this story was the first visit to an alien planet for Rose and her reactions were great. She was extremely thrilled. And there was a sense of modesty from the Doctor, he was making his companion happy. After all, he deserves to give happiness to the ones he cares for after the Time War. The twists in this novel were great and I loved the surprise appearance of the Slitheen! They worked really cleverly in novel form and allowed for some unknown twists. The debut of the Blathereen, who turned out to be the actual villains, was fantastic. I really liked the continuity of the book in line with Series 1 with the reference to 'Bad Wolf' in a quite subtle but excellent fashion. The Justicia setting was excellent and the fact that Rose and the Doctor were separated and ended up on different planets really gave the plot some great danger! The characters in the book were all mostly good, particularly Dram, Ermenshrew and Ecktosca. Dennel's relationship with Rose was a nice touch but one that almost caused her to never reunite with the Doctor when he stopped her prison ship, heading for the Doctor, to leave. The tricks the Doctor used to get Rose the right answers in her scientific analysis was genius and extremely typical of Eccleston's Doctor. However, I didn't really like Kazta's character all that much, she was too annoying in some ways. The philosophy behind the globs was great but I just couldn't buy the premise of the Slitheen taking their skin and impersonating the small species. It just didn't work for me. On the other hand, the pages with the Doctor and Flowers escaping were quite comical! An enjoyable climax to a good book! 

Rating: 8/10

Hello Children, Everywhere

"The Doctor and Donna could see that the rabbit was very cross indeed. Then, suddenly, he punched the man straight in the mouth, sending him crashing backwards into the immaculate shrubbery. 'You did a bad thing! You tried to steal!' The rabbit went off bouncing after the man."

Writer: Paul Magrs
Format: Short Story
Released: 1st August 2008
Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2009

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

It is 2025, South East London, and the Doctor and Donna are in a theme park based on the works of children's author Aunty Winnie. The Doctor had expressed his love of the works of Beatrix Potter to Donna and she responded to her childhood delight in the stories of Aunty Winner so he found this place for her. As they explore, the Doctor is amazed at the orderly queueing and good behaviour. That is, until a father sneaks a child onto a ride without paying and a giant rabbit punches him in the mouth. The Doctor steps in to help but the rabbit turns on him.

In the fairytale palace at the heart of the park, the manager, Roger, bemoans the latest disaster. He is further dismayed to find that the giant bunny was immobilised by a visitor with a sonic device. He demands that Donna and the Doctor be brought to him...

Verdict

Well, Hello Children, Everywhere was certainly an interesting read, but not in a good way. My first short story and to be honest, it was pretty awful. The plot was just a shambles right the way through. I didn't like the basis and the illustrations provided showed you just how silly this story was. It was almost like a violent nursery book, that's how bad it was. It never got going and as you can tell from my opening quote, it was somewhat strange. You had rabbits beating people up, teddy bears hurtling people through the air and pixies going around slapping people. Aunty Winnie was a 160 year old women made up of a few brain cells, a foot and a hand which was just ridiculous. And the fact that she had caused all the chaos in her own theme park so she could be left to die was poor. Roger was a clingy character, pretty useless and extremely selfish. He was keeping his aunty alive so he wouldn't be lonely. The idea behind Borace Gamnetyaac was a great one, bringing imagination to life as was done with the creation of the theme park. But the utilisation in the form of jelly wasn't good at all. The banter between the Doctor and Donna was excellent though and extremely typical of what we saw from the pair during Series 4. Brilliant humour as always, but sadly that was the only real positive from this very poor story! It was far too silly.

Rating: 3/10

The Blue Tooth

"I suppose that was one of the Doctor's most endearing qualities: the ability to make the bizarre and the terrifying seem utterly normal."

Writer: Nigel Fairs
Format: Audio
Released: January 2007
Series: Companion Chronicles 1.03

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz, Brigadier

Synopsis

When Liz Shaw's friend Jean goes missing, the Doctor and UNIT are drawn to the scene to investigate. Soon Liz discovers a potential alien invasion that will have far-reaching effects on her life... and the Doctor finds himself pitted against the Cybermen once again...

Verdict

The Blue Tooth was completely different from what I was expecting and was a mixed bag. There was more good than bad but it didn't reach the heights of greatness. The story was actually pretty good but I think the audio was hurt by being split into four parts. At only 67 minutes long, two parts would have been much better and would've allowed the audio to flow a lot more. It was great to hear Caroline John back, I really loved Liz in the TV run and to hear a new adventure with her again was fantastic. However, her attempt of impressions of both the Doctor and the Brigadier was frankly awful which was sad. I liked the idea of Cybermen being in a 1970s home. It was brilliant to finally get the Third Doctor vs Cybermen for the first time in any medium and it's only right that this great Doctor gets pitted against the excellent enemies. I would've liked a bit more action from the Cybermen but hearing them again, in the same form as The Invasion, was brilliant. The mystery behind Jean going missing was intriguing and once the Cybermen arrived the story improved and continued to do so throughout. But Caroline John wasn't the best narrator which was unfortunate and the good story was hurt in being restricted by too many parts! But nonetheless, it was enjoyable.

Rating: 7/10

From Out of the Rain

"I didn't work with them. I never knew anyone who did. They only performed in the dead of night. Anyway, it was just a tale that was around at that time. A ghost story. They came from out of the rain. That's how people described them."

Writer: Peter J. Hammond
Format: TV
Broadcast: 12th March 2008
Series: Torchwood 2.10

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


When an old cinema reopens, past horrors emerge to stalk the streets of Cardiff. As bodies are found with heartbeats but no breath, Torchwood must act fast. Who are the Night Travellers? How can Torchwood capture these mysterious breath takers?

Verdict

From Out of the Rain was a tremendous episode of Torchwood. I really loved the circus/fair theme that was going on and there was always intrigue and mystery throughout which was wonderful! I thought the Night Travellers were brilliant villains and their plan was great. To add to the villains' persona, it seemed Jack had a history with them! Or at least used to work close to them. The multiple scenes at the cinema were great but I really liked Ianto's eye for detail in discovering the slightest of difference to the tape, the exact same copy the team had watched at the cinema, when re-watching in the hub. A girl had escaped from the team, as well as an unknown man. The concept of circus freaks with a whole different agenda escaping from an old film into reality was wonderful! Once out, the way the Night Travellers took the last breath from people, keeping them alive but almost dormant, was just superb. It was almost as if they were taunting their prey. The relationship between the Ghostmaker and Pearl was intriguing and seemingly very expressive! When the Ghostmaker tried to take Owen's last breath, that was fantastic as Owen was already dead so his breath had been taken! The climax was great and the way Jack ridded Cardiff of the Night Travellers, by exposing the tape to the light, was very cleverly done! I also like how it leaves it open for a return of the circus freaks, as there may be more than one film with the same footage out there somewhere.

Rating: 9/10

Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet

"We were exactly like you once. Then our cybernetic scientists realised that our race was weakening. Our scientists and doctors invented spare parts for our bodies until we could be almost completely replaced."

Author: Gerry Davis
Format: Novel
First Released: 19th February 1976
Series: Target #64

Featuring: First Doctor, Polly, Ben

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and his friends to a space tracking base in the Antarctic - and straight into trouble. A space mission is going badly wrong, and a new planet has appeared in the sky.

Mondas, ancient fabled twin planet of Earth, has returned. Soon its inhabitants arrive. But while they used to be just like the humans of Earth, now they are very different. Devoid of emotions, their bodies replaced with plastic and steel, the Cybermen are here.

Humanity needs all the help it can get, but the one man who seems to know what's going on is terminally ill. As the Cybermen take over, the Doctor is dying...

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet was my first ever Doctor Who book (despite the publication date) and I was highly impressed. I hardly could've picked a better one to start with though could I? I mean, a novel based on The Tenth Planet Television story is bound to be a success and boy wasn't this just! The birth of the Cyberman, new planets in the sky and the very first regeneration. This book really did have it all! The plot is pretty much the same as in the TV story but is depicted wonderfully in words on paper. The description of the first design Cybermen is brilliant and I adored the design on TV and was not disappointed by the betrayal in the novel. The plot is fantastic, full of excellent twists and danger never seems to be absent. Ben and Polly are always great, although Polly is always the better of the two in my eyes. And of course we have the First Doctor bidding his farewell. As the final part of The Tenth Planet is currently missing, and I'm yet to see the animation, I really enjoyed the closing segments of this novel and the climax was sensational. With the Doctor getting the better of the Cybermen and Mondas, pretty much by simply waiting, he was clearly drained and headed to the TARDIS. The description of the very first regeneration is marvellous and the brief appearance of the Second Doctor is superb. I really cannot wait to watch The Tenth Planet along with Power of the Daleks that follows it! But this book in its own right was astounding.

Rating: 10/10

The Fires of Vulcan

"I've seen the future Mel. I've seen what will happen, what must happen. In the year 1980, the TARDIS will be discovered, dug out of the ash that will reign upon this city tomorrow."

Writer: Steve Lyons
Format: Audio
Released: September 2000
Series: Main Range 12

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

Two thousand years ago, a cataclysmic volcanic eruption wiped the Roman city of Pompeii from the face of the Earth. It also buried the Doctor's TARDIS...

Arriving in Pompeii one day before the disaster, the Seventh Doctor and Mel find themselves separated from their ship and entangled in local politics. With time running out, they fight to escape the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. But how can they succeed when history itself is working against them?

Verdict

The Fires of Vulcan is a fantastic audio adventure and sees Mel arrive in audio for the first time. My favourite companion of the Seventh Doctor, I was looking forward to hear Bonnie Longford's performance and she was excellent! The plot was very enjoyable and the fact that history itself was going against the Doctor and Mel was just great! I really liked the Seventh Doctor recalling his time in his fifth body when his TARDIS, from the future, was found in Pompeii. He didn't want to know anything from the future, knowing that foreknowledge can be a deadly weapon. I liked how he wanted to take the future as it came. The guest cast in the audio were brilliant and I really liked the characters of Aglae, Tibernus and Murranus. The Pompeii setting was fantastic and I think the story here bettered that of The Fires of Pompeii. It's interesting to think that there were two different Doctors, each with a redhead companion, in Pompeii on the day Vesuvius erupted. Each fighting a different battle. With the Tenth Doctor battling the Pyroviles, the Seventh Doctor had to deal with his TARDIS being stolen by Eumachia which was worked out wonderfully by Mel. She was outstanding in this audio and was probably her best showing as companion thus far, for what I've watched/lsitened/read in the Doctor Who world thus far. The climax was really good and the Doctor's way of changing the future but not the events for his past incarnation was very clever and somewhat genius cheating. There was a time during part three that the story seemed to be just filling time but on the whole scale it didn't affect the story's greatness in which was a very good plot! Great audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Wings of a Butterfly

"Duotheros stared at the Doctor for a long, painful moment before slowly exhaling the breath that he suddenly realised he'd been holding during the unfolding of this fateful tale of tragic destruction."

Writer: Colin Baker
Format: Audio
Released: November 2010
Series: Short Trips Volume 1.06

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

Visiting Gallifrey to attend an academic conference, the Sixth Doctor's old friend and mentor, Duotheros, requests that he use the TARDIS to examine a temporal anomaly centred on Bixor. The planet, once thriving, appears to have mysteriously eradicated itself, substantially reducing the number of people interested in buying Duotheros' definitive history of that sector of space. Will the Doctor's investigations reveal the cause? Or does Bixor's untimely demise have something to do with a certain blue box?

Verdict

The Wings of a Butterfly was an enjoyable listen. Relatively short at 19 minutes long (I guess that's going to happen seeing as it's a Short Trip audio!), the story was great and the time slot was just about right. I really loved how Colin Baker himself wrote this story! It's very clever, somewhat humorous in places and is very typical of the Sixth Doctor. I thought Duotheros was good and I liked his optimism in getting the Doctor, in this incarnation of all, to help him with sales! Once the Doctor agreed and went back in time to Bixor, when it existed, the result was unexpected but funnily great! It was good how someone's trousers falling down, with the TARDIS' dematerialisation thrown in, ultimately lead to the destruction of a planet! So, the Doctor did what he did best. Saved lives, albeit against the Laws of Time. He went back in time and made sure his TARDIS' arrival was not a factor and also managed to prevent the trousers from falling down by altering some sewing! Once the planet was saved, history was changed and Duotheros had no recollection of asking for the Doctor's help. Only the Doctor would live with the memories of both time streams. A good, funny story.

Rating: 8/10

Planet of Giants

"We have been reduced roughly to the size of an inch!"

Writer: Louis Marks
Format: TV
Broadcast: 31st October - 14th November 1964
Season: 2.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

The TARDIS doors open while the ship is still in flight by accident. Although they have arrived back on Earth in the 1960s, a time they have been trying to return to since they all met, the travellers soon realise that something is very wrong.

The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan discover that they have all been reduced in size and the world they are now exploring has dangers at every turn...

Verdict

Planet of Giants kicked off Season 2 in a fun but dangerous style! The idea of the TARDIS, and its boarders, being reduced in size thanks to the doors opening during flight is brilliant and the result was great - it could have been better - and humorous. Somewhere in a garden, the crew are confronted by dead insects that, now the ratio difference in size has been equalled, are extremely dangerous and pose a massive threat. It was all confusing for the foursome to begin with but once the Doctor worked out what had occurred, Barbara was distressed at the ridiculousness of the situation. Paperclips were bruising, Cats could destroy you in an instant and if found by the normal-sized scientists - history would be changed forever! The danger and thought of death for Barbara as she'd touched the insecticide was bad, the crew needed to get back to normal size so the insecticide would be useless. But that was a lot harder than you'd think as the crew ended up inside a house, and with the size difference things were very different. So much so, that the cliffhanger of episode two saw that the plug of a sink was pulled and the Doctor and Susan were almost drowned! The mad dash to the TARDIS at the end was great but I didn't like how, once the TARDIS and the crew were restored to normal size, there was no real explanation. Nonetheless, still a great serial!

Rating: 8/10

The Apocalypse Element

"Life from death - do you hear that Dalek? Life wins!"

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Audio

Released: August 2000

Series: Main Range 11

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Evelyn, Romana II

Synopsis

When the planet Archetryx is threatened by a Dalek assault squad, the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn become embroiled in an ever-deepening mystery. What has become of President Romana, missing for twenty years? What lurks in the vast gravity wells of Archetryx? What is the secret of the ancient element the Daleks are synthesising - and how does Gallifrey feature in their plans?

The Doctor finds that if his oldest enemies cannot conquer the universe they will watch it go up in flames...

Verdict

The Apocalypse Element is an outstanding audio adventure and my favourite Main Range story yet! The plot was just tremendous with the Daleks going all out to achieve their aim. The Etra Prime particles were tremendous and if they fell into the Daleks' hands then havoc would wreak across the universe as they get be altered to act contrary to the laws of physics. Romana II's return was wonderful and after my TV run, she was probably my favourite companion so any return for Lalla Ward I welcome with open arms. I liked the reunion between the Doctor and Romana, although it wasn't the incarnation we associate Romana II with, it was still great nonetheless. I really think Evelyn brought a new dynamic to the companion's role in a Dalek story due to her age, lack of fear and it being her first time meeting the Daleks. The reference to Warriors' Gate was great and I would have liked an explanation to how she escaped E-Space but that didn't take anything away from what was an amazing audio! The Daleks invading Gallifrey was terrific and something I like to think was the start of the Time War, although many argue that award goes to Genesis of the Daleks. The Black Dalek being the lead Dalek was outstanding and the destructive nature of the story really showed how aggressive the Daleks were and the means they would go to, to achieve their desire. Vansell being in the story was brilliant and I also thought the Monan were a wonderful addition! The climax was brilliant and overall, the story was magnificent!

Rating: 10/10

Something Borrowed

"That's what I love about Torchwood. By day, chasing the scum of the universe; come midnight, you're the wedding fairy."

Writer: Phil Ford
Format: TV
Broadcast: 5th March 2008
Series: Torchwood 2.09

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

Synopsis

Gwen Cooper is about to get married to her fiancé Rhys. Only one problem: on her hen night she is bitten by an alien and wakes on her wedding day heavily pregnant with a shape-shifter's baby. The alien mother is on the loose and searching for its offspring. The only way for the alien to get the egg is to rip open its carrier, Gwen...


Verdict

Something Borrowed was again, another unique episode of Torchwood! It was full of shocks and surprises, a little bit of silliness, but overall a good quality story! Of all the days for Gwen to be impregnated by an alien, it had to be on her hen night! Her reaction when waking up on her wedding day to the extremely far gone bump was quite hilarious and typical Gwen. But the episode, in the end, was all about Gwen and Rhys and the love they have for one another. I really liked how, despite being suddenly pregnant, Gwen was determined to marry her fiancé that day, no matter what she looked like and no matter what any of her family and friends would make of it. And it was shown how much Rhys loves his girl when he had little hesitation to marry Gwen also. Jack's reaction to the whole fiasco was great and I liked how Tosh backed Gwen in her decision. The alien hunter roaming about, always close, was tense and added some oomph to the episode. The climax was very good but the only bit I disliked was what happened regarding Rhys' mother. I thought that was a bit silly sadly. Jack retconning the whole wedding attendance so they wouldn't remember aliens and Gwen's 'pregnancy' was excellent. But the love on display as I've already said was the episode highlight and its great how slowly but surely, Rhys' role in Torchwood is increasing.

Rating: 8/10

Farewell, Great Macedon

"Seeing history unfold itself before my very eyes. I was once told one should look upon history objectively. But now, I find myself emotionally involved - and it makes me very unhappy."

Writer: Moris Farhi (adapted by Nigel Robinson)
Format: Audio
Released: November 2010
Series: Lost Stories 2.01a

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

The TARDIS materialises in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, in the year 323BC. The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan meet Alexander the Great - but their excitement is tempered by the realisation that these are the final days of Alexander's life. As the travellers become embroiled in the tragic events, the inevitability of history unfolds around them.

But can they - and should they - change it?

Verdict

Farewell, Great Macedon is a wonderful and beautiful Lost Story audio. It's a great shame that this story wasn't taken further back in the 1960s and made into an official serial as it was just brilliant! It was obvious that it would have made a great historical adventure. The emotion behind Alexander was incredibly touching and it was extremely tragic what was happening. Of all the times to meet the historical legend of Alexander the Great, the TARDIS crew had to be there at his death. The description of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was terrific and really allowed my imagination to create a spectacular setting. The cliffhangers were surprisingly intriguing and somewhat dangerous - this wasn't the kind of serial where danger was always going to be on the cards. William Russell and Carole Ann Ford did tremendous jobs telling this story and John Dorney put in an equally good and emotional performance as Alexander. I really loved the idea of an ancient historic story. Of course we had An Unearthly Child and The Aztecs, but they were prehistoric and recent historical stories respectively. I adored Barbara's knowledge of history, especially this far back and her detail in working out the year from Alexander's explanation of the calendar of 323BC, which is much different to how we know it now. The other characters were very good also; Antipater, Seleucus, Iollas and Glaucias were fantastic! The length of the serial was great, spanning around a month in all and six episodes was a good format and the pace was very well done. An emotional climax to a great audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Reign of Terror

"I can't decide whether you're a rogue, a halfwit or both!"

Writer: Dennis Spooner
Format: TV
Broadcast: 8th August - 12th September 1964
Season: 1.08

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives near Paris during the French Revolution, a time of great upheaval, bloodshed and terror. Soon, with the Doctor trapped inside a burning farmhouse, Ian imprisoned and Susan and Barbara on their way to the guillotine, it's clear this will be on of their most dangerous and exciting adventures yet...

Verdict

A wonderful season finale! The Reign of Terror, as the synopsis says, was full of danger and some twists in the serial were really good! With episodes 4 and 5 sadly missing, the animation in place that completes this adventure was sensational! Brilliant likenesses and graphics and really lights up a tremendous Classic adventure. A historical as you can guess, the detail and accuracy of 18th century France was fantastic and I loved the fear that Ian and Barbara had when they found out they'd arrived during the Reign of Terror. Following on from The Sensorites, would the Doctor really leave his friends here? Of course not. And Susan was to thank for that, she was reluctant to see her teachers leave and Ian wanted a better parting than just 'goodbye'. After all, they had gone through so much! So the Doctor accompanied Ian and Barbara in search of a drink but things soon took a turn for the worse. The Doctor had arrived in his favourite period of Earth history - so seemed eager to stay. And as the story unfolded he realised he was wrong and that he needed Ian and Barbara with him. He couldn't abandon them and that was lovely to see. The First Doctor had sentiment after all. The story itself is home to my favourite Classic cliffhanger ever; at the end of part one with the Doctor down and knocked out and the barn is lit alight! I genuinely believed that was it for the Doctor (of course, I knew it wasn't, but that's the affect the cliffhanger had on me!). The guest characters were tremendous with the brilliant Rouvray, Webster and Léon. The message Ian had to find James Sterling was good and once found it seemed surprising. The jailer was tremendous throughout, full of humour and French stereotype. The Doctor was the highlight for me, and I loved how he tricked the jailer with his infamous attire acquired for the serial. Excellent twists, great plot and fantastic cliffhangers! Lots of travelling as well!

Rating: 9/10

A Day in the Death

"My name is Dr. Owen Harper, and this is my life. A life that is full of action and violence and work and wonder. Secrets and sex and love and heartbreak and death. My death. The death I survived. The death I am now living through."

Writer: Joseph Lidster
Format: TV
Broadcast: 27th February 2008
Series: Torchwood 2.08

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

Synopsis

Owen chats with a suicidal woman on a rooftop, reflecting on his adjustment to his new life. Will a mission with Torchwood assist in his salvation or bring about the end of the world?

Verdict

A Day in the Death was an intriguing episode of Torchwood. The format was very unique with basically Owen narrating the story and explaining how he's dealing with his new life, well death. I liked the way in which a story was being told involving the whole team, with the addition of Martha, whilst Owen was also explaining the massive changed that had occurred to him. Maggie was a good character but I wasn't quite sure why she would want to end her life! Suicide is one thing I just cannot comprehend. There's always another answer and if things are that bad, then surely the only way is up? I liked how Owen was showing her that she wasn't going to jump off the building, it was clear she was too scared. He obviously talked her out of it and gave her a reason to keep going forward in life. Tosh's concern for Owen was quite touching in this but he was angered as he had absolutely nothing to give her back which must've hurt them both! Martha's farewell from Torchwood was not welcomed, I wanted her to stay and remain part of the Torchwood team! But I guess it was inevitable she would return to UNIT and be ready to call upon the Tenth Doctor in The Sontaran Stratagem. But the highlight of the episode was Owen's talking with Henry and how the latter gave up his life-support machine, in turn giving him cardiac arrest. Owen tried to save him with CPR and mouth-to-mouth, but he's already dead and had no breath. Henry died. The tying up at the end of the episode with Owen meeting Maggie from the start was good and finished off a good episode!

Rating: 8/10

Dead Man Walking

"The time is 21:30. This is Dr. Martha Jones. Autopsy on Owen Harper, Caucasian, Age 27. Torchwood Officer 565. Time of death witnessed at approximately 20:30. Autopsy begins."

Writer: Matt Jones
Format: TV
Broadcast: 20th February 2008
Series: Torchwood 2.07

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


Synopsis

"I'm bringing Owen back."

Owen has died but Jack is having none of it and returns him to life for a few minutes. But a few minutes becomes more and nobody could have guessed the consequences.

Verdict

Yet another brilliant episode of Torchwood! Dead Man Walking was certainly a first in the Whoniverse. I was quite shocked after the climax of Reset with Owen being seemingly killed off, but that was not the case. As my shock enhanced when Jack went out and retrieved the other resurrection glove, the second of two in which the first had been obliterated in They keep Killing Suzie. Jack wanted to bring Owen back to life! And he did! At high consequences. I loved the reaction of Owen when he was brought back, and once time ran out... he was still somehow alive. Well, he was dead. But conscious somehow. But my oh my how Owen's life is now affected! He has all the characteristics of death. If injured, he won't heal. He can't eat, drink or sleep. He can't even get an erection! And for Owen that could prove calamitous. The plot of this episode itself was tremendous and I loved how death was actually the enemy. In the Whoniverse, death is personified! And Owen defeated him. The Weevils reactions to Jack taking the glove from them was brilliant and I liked how they were once again the enemies in a story. A shocking story with a very good plot, lots of twists and something that's going to have a major effect on Owen and future Torchwood episodes! Brilliant!

Rating: 10/10

Reset

"I'd rely on Martha if the world was ending. In fact, I did."

Writer: J.C. Wilsher
Format: TV
Broadcast: 13th February 2008
Series: Torchwood 2.06

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


Synopsis

Martha Jones arrives at Torchwood after reports of numerous deaths. A medical researcher has been injecting workers with Mayflies. The Mayflies cure all illnesses before killing the patient, and Martha has got one...

Verdict

Reset is a staggeringly good episode of Torchwood! As if the Torchwood team wasn't already good enough with the five brilliant members it has, you have former Tenth Doctor companion Martha Jones thrown into the mix! And boy is she brilliant! The plot was outstanding and the research institute provided a great start for Martha to help her old friend Jack. The references to Last of the Time Lords were fantastic and also the heartfelt reference to missing the Doctor was a nice touch. I thought the idea of the Mayfly was outstanding, being able to reset your body to its 'factory' settings so to speak. Just the thought is quite terrifying! All the scars vanished, any disease wiped out. A massively dangerous process should it ever occur. Would the human race become perfect if it could attain this ability? Well, I'm not sure. But Aaron Copley had other ideas. He was a terrific villainous character and what he was trying to achieve with his institute was unique! Martha going in under cover was tremendous but once she was found to have travelled through time and space, things weren't looking good. The banter between her and Owen about their profession suitability was great. But I really liked how it was Owen who ultimately saved the life of Martha with the singularity scalpel, something he'd failed to do, resulting in death, twice previously in this very episode! It was a tense climax as you could clearly see that Jack wasn't convinced Owen could get it right this time! But he did. However, the major talking point of the episode didn't occur until the end, where Aaron shot Owen dead! It was totally unexpected and just gobsmacking! Owen was killed. Is Martha now his replacement? I guess time will tell.

Rating: 10/10