Primeval

"Evil is relative."

Writer: Lance Parkin

Format: Audio

Released: November 2001

Series: Main Range 26

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

Nyssa will die at dawn, and the Doctor doesn't even know why.

To save her life, he must make a desperate journey to the only place in the universe where a cure might exist to heal her. 

When even that fails, the Doctor has a choice - let Nyssa die, or make a deal with the devil. 

After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions...

Verdict 

Primeval was a very good audio story and I really liked how it explored the history of Traken, a well known planet in the Whoniverse. Famous for the Master gaining a new body from there, for it being Nyssa's home planet and for it being destroyed. I liked the start of the audio with Nyssa on death's door, that's not what you expect just seconds into the story! The setting of Traken was wonderful and even more so with it being set in the past, as it had to be obviously, sometime before the events of The Keeper of Traken. The exploration of the Traken Union was really good and I just liked the knowledge that was fed to us about the history of the 'perfect' planet. I admired how the Doctor refused to believe the society was perfect as it had the death penalty and that perfection should just be something strived for, never achieved. Nyssa was great as always and the more audios I listen to her in the more I'm liking her (not that I didn't like her in the first place, I think she's terrific!). I've noticed with the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa pairings that the atmosphere always seems to be similar, which is a good thing. I found it not too dissimilar to that of The Land of the Dead and Winter for the Adept. Kwundaar was a really intriguing figure! I didn't like his voice as at times it was a little difficult to hear what he was fully saying, but overall I did like the character. The way his followers worshipped him unquestionable was particularly intriguing! Does religion exist in a perfect society? Are there really gods? I would argue not. Shayla was a good character also and I liked her a lot. The other guest cast were great also with Anona and Sabian standing out. I found it particularly intriguing that Traken had a space port! The history of the source was a magnificent part of the story and I liked the revelation regarding how it was Kwundaar who created the source and was then overpowered from it. The simplicity in how he tricked the Doctor into blacking out Traken's sun was brilliant! The reference to Nyssa's attire after swimming was quite comical and I thought it was hilarious that the Doctor still managed to keep on his attire. It's quite rare that we'll see the Doctor out of familiar clothing! The way the Doctor defeated Kwundaar was very clever and the climax was great. I was intrigued to have a setting on Traken with no Keeper, but I think it's quite fitting that the Doctor was there when the first Keeper was established! I was quite surprised by the Doctor when he seemed to be edging towards leaving Nyssa behind to remain on her home planet, but she declined. She was moving forward not going back and I admired that. 

Rating: 8/10

The Savages

"Do you not realise that all progress is based on exploitation?"

Writer: Ian Stuart Black

Format: Audio

Broadcast: 28th May - 18th June 1966

Season: 3.09

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis 

The TARDIS has arrived on a far-distant and seemingly idyllic world. Yet the Doctor, Steven and Dodo learn it hides a terrible secret: the apparently civilised Elders maintain their advanced soviet by draining and transferring to themselves the life-force of the defenceless savages. 

Verdict 

The Savages was a brilliant serial and served as a fantastic farewell to Steven! Significant for it being the first TV story to acquire an umbrella title on screen for all the episodes contributing to a story, I'm surprised it took them nearly three years to do so. The beginning of the first episode, after the lead in from The Gunfighters, was very intriguing. The Doctor was utterly convinced that the TARDIS had landed in an age of peace and prosperity in the far future. But upon arrival it was reminiscent of An Unearthly Child with humans seen in animal skins and using weapons such as spears. Could this really be the future? The arrival of the city guards confirmed that the Doctor was right and from the get go I was delved into the story with mighty intrigue. If the Doctor was right, which seemed so, about them being in a peaceful future then why were there savages? As the story unfolded the awful truth was revealed. But before that I really liked how the Doctor was honoured by the city elders. I loved the fact that they had tracked the TARDIS through time and space for many a year and had even estimated his arrival! This was definitely an advanced society, which made the nearby savages all the more questionable. Dodo was terrific in this story and after an edgy start she's more than at home as companion and her relationship with Steven has made her run fantastic so far! The guest cast in this serial were very good. Chal, Jano and Nanina particularly stood out for me. The scenes in episode three where it seemed momentarily that Jano had mentally switched places with the Doctor were very good! I was pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed by such an occurrence. However, the fact that Jano had just absorbed some of the Doctor's thinking which provided the story's resolution was still superb! Avon and Flower, two very clever names, were magnificent characters and the aura they brought really was unique! The conflict between the Elders & city natives and the savages was a great focal point for the story and naturally the TARDIS trio sided with the savages. Their treatment was horrific! The elders using them simply as a source of energy for themselves and scientific advancement was just awful. The horror displayed by the Doctor was terrific and so brilliantly typical of our hero. Outrage is an understatement! I admired how the Doctor, when prompted by Dodo to return to the TARDIS and leave safely, refused to leave the savages to be continually undermined. And so he took on a plan and with the help of Jano the influence and machinery that was the source of power was demolished. The Doctor took great pleasure in destroying something evil which was very good to see! The farewell to Steven was a lovely moment. He would stay to be a mediator between the savages and elders and restore the planet to democracy and equality. I really liked how the Doctor took pride in Steven's decision to stay. He'd come a long way on his travels with the Doctor. A brilliant companion who will be missed! 

Rating: 9/10

The Gunfighters

"You can't walk into the middle of a western town and say you're from outer space!"

Writer: Donald Cotton

Format: TV

Broadcast: 30th April - 21st May 1966

Season: 3.08

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo 

Synopsis 

Arriving in the town of Tombstone, the Doctor, Steven and Dodo find themselves involved with the gunmen out to kill Doc Holliday...

Verdict 

Ahh so I've come to The Gunfighters. My least favourite classic serial ever and after this viewing my opinion has not changed. For the majority of the story it was pretty boring. The plot isn't disastrous and actually kind of works well but it just didn't entertain me at all. I didn't like the follow on from the ending of The Celestial Toymaker with the deadly thought of the Doctor suffering from the sweet from the Toymaker's domain but in fact it was just toothace. Ridiculous. The fact that the Doctor had no means of relieving the pain of toothache was something that I refused to believe was true! I think, or at least I've convinced myself, that it was the curiosity of the Time Lord to explore is why we got to see scenes outside of the TARDIS. The setting was dire. I really don't see the appeal of the Wild West. Cowboys and violence and no abidance to law? What's so good about that? I think the Wild West  is a big reason why I so disliked this story along with Back to the Future III. The guest cast were actually very good and I really liked Doc Holliday. A saviour of some sorts. The Clanton brothers were not favourites of mine but then I did like Charley the barman. The cliffhangers were really mixed with episode two's making up for the poor endings of episodes one and three. Overall, this serial was difficult to get through after the halfway point. The first two parts were okay with some humour and kind of decent outlays of a plot. The song did my head in. 'The ballad of the last chance saloon' is a song I never ever want to hear again! It drove me nuts throughout the serial and it was used way too much. There's overkill and then there's what occurred here. For every brief interval or major scene location change, the song was played! I think we knew what was happening and didn't need a terrible song's lyrics telling us. Johnny Ringo wasn't the best historical figure ever to have. For the first American set Doctor Who story I think there's plenty of better figures to base a story around, and even name after, than Johnny Ringo. The 'Doctor Who' name reference throw in was a brilliant few seconds. Effortlessly and subtly ignored yet referenced by the Doctor. I thought Steven was pretty poor in this serial which was a let down as he's been very good since entering the fray in The Chase. A changing accent and being pretty useless. However, Dodo was again very good here! I really liked how she stood up for herself against Doc Holliday and threatened him at gunpoint to return her to Tombstone. The sheriff was good but again, the plot just didn't work for me. It all lead to an anti climax with a poor gunfight ending that should have been more action packed and dramatic. The hasty departure of the Doctor and co just showed that this serial wasn't great at all. The low viewing figures and audience appreciation scores don't lie. A big let down sadly. I now look very forward to what I hope is a big improvement with The Savages which was lead into very intriguingly and not too dissimilar to the very first cliffhanger, way back in An Unearthly Child. It has to be better than this serial, which I feel I have awarded generously too. 

Rating: 5/10

Smith and Jones

"Have you seen? There are these... things. These... great, big space rhino things! I mean rhinos from space! And we're on the moon! Great big space rhinos, with guns, on the moon!

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: Audio

Broadcast: 31st March 2007

Series: 3.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis 

Just when it seemed it would be yet another chaotic day managing her family's disputes, Martha Jones finds trouble waiting for her at work. Trapped on the Moon with space rhinos looking for a criminal and the air running out, she will have to come to trust a seemingly mad stranger calling himself the Doctor. But can the man who claims to be an alien save the day before the air runs out?

Verdict 

Welcome aboard Martha Jones! Smith and Jones was a tremendous debut for the new, beautiful companion. Not that I'm complaining with RTD, but he sure does pick staggeringly beautiful women to fill the companion role. First we had the stunning Billie Piper and now we have the lovely Freema Agyeman. Smart, sexy and sophisticated. What more do you want from your new companion? Her arrival was extremely clever as within the first couple of minutes, all at once, we were introduced to Martha's entire immediate family. Her split up parents and her two siblings. I admired the simple brilliance and effectiveness of it. The hospital setting, let alone what was on the outside, was fantastic! The Doctor admitting himself in was tremendous and David Tennant was at his very best here. Quirky, funny and flirtatious. The scene where he'd absorbed the radiation into his shoe didn't seem necessary but the comedic value was very much welcomed. The early relationship between the Doctor and Martha was excellent throughout, as one might expect from the episode title. I thought the Judoon were superb and the idea of galactic policemen is so simple yet so good! Although I was surprised to find out they looked like rhinos. The assimilation and scanning process was intriguing and I liked the danger it posed to the Doctor. The Judoon were looking for a non human and that was bad news for the Doctor! He wasn't the criminal of course, that was the Plasmavore in human, internally, disguise. An old lady as the antagonist might fail miserably on paper but placing her alongside the Slabs and giving her the straw accessory made it succeed very well! My only problem with the episode was the fact that the Judoon didn't have their scaners on the highest possible setting. If you took the effort to use a H2O scoop to transport a hospital to the moon, surely you'd put your scanners to maximum effectiveness? Anyway, there was still plenty of good to overshadow the one negative. The scene in the MRI room where the Doctor acted dumb and as human was just staggeringly good! Sublime from Tennant. And so Doctor in giving his life to ensure the Plasmavore didn't register as human. After the kiss that meant 'nothing', Martha was on a role in saving the day and ultimately sentencing the Plasmavore to her execution. She rescued the Doctor's life and without his sonic screwdriver, adding to the humour, he still managed to save the Earth. The fact that it was raining on the moon at the end was lovely, all was well. I particularly liked how the Doctor wanted to reward Martha for helping him. Still clearly missing Rose, he promised his new associate one trip. But, would that ever work? He'd immediately grown fond of Martha in the hospital, gave her a hell of a kiss and then travelled through time to thank her. It seems she'll be sticking around a lot longer. The birth of a terrific TARDIS pairing in a great episode to open series three! 

Rating: 9/10

Father's Day

"I'm so useless I couldn't even die properly."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: TV

Broadcast: 14th May 2005

Series: 1.08

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis 

Peter Alan Tyler, the father of Rose and husband of Jackie, died on November 7th 1987, the day of Stuart Hoskins and Sarah Clark's wedding. Rose was just a bang at the time, Jackie told the young Rose that nobody was there for Pete when he died and that the hit-and-run driver was never found...

Now grown up, Rose asks the Doctor to take her to see him alive, but on a whim, ends up changing his fate, not realising the consequences of such a paradox. After all, the Doctor has saved so many lives... what could the real consequences be over a man alive in the world who wasn't alive before?

Verdict 

Like much of Doctor Who's first season following the revival, Father's Day is a bit of a mixed bag. There's plenty of good things and sadly, there're some negatives which being its rating down to the mark I have awarded. The idea is brilliant on paper but it wasn't executed as brilliantly as it could have been. I loved how the Doctor granted Rose her wish of seeing Pete, her father whom she had no memory of, on the day he died. He was more than happy to help Rose gain her wish of not letting her Dad die alone. But she was, understandably, letting emotions get in her way. She just stood and watched her father die first time around and I was very surprised the Doctor gave her another chance to rectify the situation, in turn cancelling out his past self. The fact that there were two sets of the TARDIS pairing was very intriguing and I'd have loved for them to just meet for a brief conversation. I don't see any reason why that couldn't have been thrown in. The anger of the Doctor at Rose's actions was staggeringly good and showed Christopher Eccleston at his highest heights of brilliance as the Ninth Doctor. A scorned look. He'd seen his planet decimated but the one person he'd trusted the most had gone against his number one rule. History cannot be changed. The concept of the Reapers was very good, consuming everything in sight where time had gone wrong. But I really didn't approve of how they weren't referenced by name in the episode. How can you not name the enemies of a story?! A big no. I also disliked how they were obviously prancing about the sky preying for their victims, yet seemed to go unnoticed. Upon their arrival, they were pretty darn hard to miss! The highlight of the episode was obviously the relationship between Rose and Pete. I loved how he immediately trusted his daughter, all grown up, despite not knowing the truth and inadvertently hitting on her. Rose's reaction to that was particularly amusing. Jackie was terrific in this episode and despite the production team failing to make her look 18 years younger, the relationship between her and Pete was nothing like Rose had imagined. Bickering, conflict and argument. That's certainly not the recipe for a successful relationship! Once all was made up though the emotional forgiveness was lovely. I liked the idea of an older building being stronger than anything built new but I didn't quite buy into the fact that the 'unstoppable' Reapers could be thwarted by a church. It would only be a maximum of 1,000 years old and for the Reapers, is that really a lot? The scene where the Doctor entered the TARDIS to find it was just an ordinary telephone box was terrific. Imagine the horror he was thinking! His previous TARDIS was just a box. The Reaper engulfment of the Doctor was a big shock which is always good. Just how would things be resolved with the Doctor no more? Pete knew the answer. He'd worked it out. He had to die. I was surprised that the Doctor was planning on fixing the time distortion of the Reapers by ridding them yet keeping history changed. It was clear the Time War had a massive burden on his back and Rose was the shining light he'd needed. He was so pleased to have a friend like her, and although that wasn't explicitly stated/referenced, it was wonderful to see it shine through. The climax was good with Pete dying after running out in front of the car. The production error of the car coming from one direction at the beginning of the episode and then another at the end was obviously disappointing. But I liked how Rose went to him at his death. The Doctor was back and everything was restored. History remained. 

Rating: 7/10

Winner Takes All

"Just because it was the Doctor's time machine, that didn't mean she had to play entirely by his rules."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Novel

Released: 19th May 2005

Series: NSA 03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Mickey

Synopsis 

Rose and the Doctor return to present-day Earth, and become intrigued by the latest craze - the video game, Death to Mantodeans. Is it as harmless as it seems? And why are so many local people going on holiday and never returning?

Meanwhile, on another world, an alien war is raging. The Quevvils need to find a new means of attacking the ruthless Mantodeans. Searching the galaxy for cunning, warlike but gullible allies, they find the ideal soldiers - on Earth. 

Will Rose be able to save her family and friends from the alien threat? And can the Doctor play the game to the end - and win? 

Verdict 

Jacqueline Rayner has pulled off the best New Series Adventures novel yet (chronological release date) with the gem that is Winner Takes All. She effortlessly provided the Ninth Doctor and Rose with a quite brilliant concept and tied it in with modern society fantastically. The concept of a games console that was actually real was frightening and with the surge of modern technology and the height of gaming in 2005, it was definitely the right time and period for a story of its kind to take place. The relationship between the Ninth Doctor and Rose in this novel was at its greatest height so far. Still in their early days together in The Clockwise Man and The Monsters Inside, it wasn't so noticeable there. But here, it was in abundance. And it was wonderful. The Doctor actually talked to others of how great Rose was and how she was more than just his 'assistant'. I thought that was really nice, especially with it coming from the more sinister Ninth Doctor. The Quevvils were a gruesome species and despite their technological advancements, I liked how they couldn't physically enter the Mantodean stronghold so recruited the perfect slaves. Humans. I was particularly intrigued how the Quevvils developed the games console to comply with 'carriers'. The amount of work they must have put in to develop the game, link it to humans on Toop and set up the whole scratch card prize game in which they gained their victims. I really liked how Mickey played a prominent role in the story and saving the day. He didn't really join the whole save the day agenda until School Reunion with the Tenth Doctor so for him to be of great help to the Ninth Doctor instead. I liked the banter the Doctor shared with Mickey, particularly about the high score on Death to Mantodeans. Once all was revealed about the truth of the game the way the Doctor was horrified was brilliant. His anger and frustration at the fact that humans were being controlled. Darren Pye was a good, nasty character. He's basically the perfect character of a human being I despise. A typical, thick bully thinking he can get what he wants through violence. I loved how Rose stood up to him and actually challenged him physically! She was just wonderful throughout the novel. And somehow, in words, she became even more beautiful. Her dismay towards Darren for beating her mother, Jackie, was fantastic and I actually liked how she secretly relished in what she thought was his death on Toop. The description of the Quivvels reminded me somewhat of the Quarks and I like to think the two are robotic cousins. The references to The Unquiet Dead and Aliens of London were excellent and I adored the inclusion of the Bad Wolf season arc! You wouldn't think anything of it if you read in 2005 but now reading back the reference is lovely placed. Robert, who's thoughts were marvellous throughout the novel, was a terrific character. I loved how he immediately fell in love with Rose upon first sight. She is rather beautiful. The way the Doctor saved the day was very clever. Atomising the Quevvils in the middle of their teleportation just as they thought they'd defeated the Mantodeans and thwarted the stronghold. His controlling of Rose was beautifully depicted and the threat and danger of it was just excitingly good! Game over=death. It doesn't get more extreme than that! The closing scenes when Robert was reunited with his mother, who he apparently hated (don't we all at some point?) was a wonderful scene. Overall, a fantastic novel by a tremendous writer. A great read.

Rating: 9/10

The Professor, the Queen and the Bookshop

"It can travel into the pages of any book ever written! We could be in any story, anywhere in the universe of imagination!"

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: 16th December 2010

Printed in: DWM 429

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Amy present C.S. Lewis with a book, The Professor, the Queen and the Bookshop, not unlike a piece of his future works..

Verdict 

The Professor, the Queen and the Bookshop was a massively fun and intriguing comic strip! Full of irony, hints and references it really was entertaining! Even in the comic strips, just how good is the Eleventh Doctor?! Staggeringly wonderful. Quirkiness, seriousness and intelligence in abundance. Do you need more from our Time Lord hero? I loved how this story was released a full year before the TV story The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe and although based on the same classic story, both were completely different! The irony of this comic strip was magnificent and I like to think that the Doctor of a parallel universe is like the one we saw here. Instead of a police box, the Doctor's TARDIS was a bookshop. But not just any old library of books. Any page you opened from any book would be the destination. A quite wonderful concept! The play on the TARDIS housing books of lost or incomplete Doctor Who stories was really terrific with Shada notably standing out as the destination. The White Queen was a wonderful villain and I do like to think that she was the Rani in disguise - there certainly was a resemblance in looks! The Gallifreyan link was particularly pleasing as we haven't had that much in the revived who with the exception of The End of Time and The Time of the Doctor. The visuals of what would be Shada were really frightening. A dead planet. A tremendous description of Douglas Adams' long and incomplete serial. I really liked the idea of the Doctor having an adventure with the young Amelia and Rory, and although I've never read the comic strip, it reminded me of The Klepton Parasites with the Doctor having children as his companions. I really liked the simplicity and unoriginal idea of what is written down occurs. It's been used tiresomely in hundreds of stories in a whole range of genres and now it's found its way into Doctor Who and resurrected the Doctor himself! Young Amelia was magnificent and I thought the humour of young Rory was excellent, he so obviously fancied her even at a young age! Overall, a fantastic comic strip! The bookshop TARDIS interior was very clever and the revelation at the end that the comic strip was just the visual of a story written by C.S. Lewis was brilliant as the story could never be considered canonical, but now it can! Could the enemy be a cross between the Rani and a Weeping Angel? And would the Doctor openly call himself the Professor? I can't see it! But it certainly made for lovely reading. 

Rating: 9/10

The First Sontarans

"Do you intend the genocide of the Sontaran race?"

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: July 2012

Series: Lost Stories 3.06

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis 

1872. After finding a strange signalling device on the moon, the Doctor and Peri travel to the depths of the English countryside to track down the source if its transmissions. But they're not the first aliens to arrive on the scene. 

Old enemies of the Doctor are drawing their battle lines in the forest and the local humans will be lucky to escape the conflagration unscathed.  

For hidden within this village is a deadly secret - a secret that could destroy the entire Sontaran race.. and reveal the terrible mystery of their creation. 

Verdict 

Wow! The First Sontarans was a mightily impressive Lost Story audio adventure. This was wonderful from starr to finish and with each episode the brilliance and scale of the story just escalated. I've always massively adored the TARDIS pairing of the Sixth Doctor and Peri and here they were at their very best. The scenes at the start with the Doctor showing Peri a wonder of the universe on the moon in the 19th century were just pleasantry. I really admired the banter and how Peri jokingly almost persuaded the Doctor to have them create footsteps where the Apollo would land a century later. The transmission device found on the moon particularly intrigued me with it being 1872. Judging by the title of the story, I presumed it was the Sontarans' doing. But with a message of 'we are here' I wasn't so sure. With an extremely bold title, you'd expect the Sontarans to be the highlight of this audio - it is their origin story after all! - but in actual fact it was the Kaveetch. Roath and Leandra were undoubtedly the stars, a divorced couple still on extremely good terms but the revelation of their history had my jaw dropped. When it was revealed that the Kaveetch's home planet was Sontar I was very shocked as I couldn't envisage the Sontarans co-existing with any species. But then the major bombshell was dropped. The Kaveetch were there first! Sontar was there world and the Sontarans took it from them. I loved the approach of an origin story here, I was expecting something similar to Genesis of the Daleks with the Doctor actually there at the Sontarans' creation. Instead, we had a full adventure dealing with the aftermath of their creation and the huge impact on its creator. I was mightily stunned to discover how the Sontaran-Rutan war had began. There were mentions of it in Lords of the Storm and The Infinity Doctors but nothing was definitive. Here, it was announced that the Rutan attacked Sontar, before the Sontarans were created, and Roach needed to be victorious. So he made a prototype cloned species absolutely bread for war and nothing else. That's the Sontarans. That's how they were created and that's how the war began with the Rutan. The Sontarans literally took the place of the Kaveetch in all matters of the term. The planet, the war opposition and expunged their very existence! A quite staggering origin story. The story was full of references and I liked the ones towards The Chase and The Time Warrior. The Sontaran cellular collapse gun was very impressive and it was obvious the Rutan would want something of the sort! The appearance of the Rutan Host was an unexpected delight as I've not done anything performed featuring them since watching Horror of Fang Rock quite some time ago. The character of the Gentleman was very fearsome and frightful. A terrific bonus. The relationship between Roach and Leandra was wonderful to see and using it allowed the wrath of the Sontarans to be escalated beautifully. Thanks to the Sontarans, the Kaveetch had nearly been wiped out and the children of the divorced couple were killed. How could Leandra ever forgive her husband for leaving them behind? But as the destruction in the adventure continued and the love between the pair was shown, the climax was very heartwarming. Leandra was on the brink of death but using the zero room of the TARDIS the Doctor saved her. It was lovely seeing the softer side of the Sixth Doctor, and along with Peri, Colin Baker is definitely my favourite audio Doctor! Overall, just magnificent. A sublime story, some memorable moments and revelations and outstanding emotion. Perfect.

Rating: 10/10

The Celestial Toymaker

"The beings who call here have no minds, and so they become my toys. But you will become my perpetual opponent. We shall play endless games together, your brain against mine."

Writer: Brian Hayles

Format: TV

Broadcast: 2nd-23rd April 1966

Season: 3.07

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

The travellers arrive in a strange domain presided over by the Celestial Toymaker - an enigmatic, immortal entity who forces them to play a series of games, failure at which will render them his playthings for all eternity.

Verdict 

The Celestial Toymaker was a good, uniquely weird serial! I loved the concept from the get go due it's potential and simplicity. Make the regulars play rigged games, if they win then the bad guy is destroyed but should they lose then the TARDIS is lost forever. The problem with this kind of script though is its predictability. At no point are Steven and Dodo not going to win their games, but I greatly appreciated Hayles' attempts to keep the viewer's interest and he did excellently. With the absence of the Doctor for most of the serial, this was almost like a TV Companion Chronicle for Steven and Dodo. They were the ones saving the day and ultimately the Doctor. As I mentioned in my blog of The Ark, I wasn't all that keen on Dodo and I commented my wishes for my opinion to change. And boy has it ever! I loved Dodo in this serial and thought her attire change was very favourable and with her speaking correct English she was wonderful! A breath of fresh air after her abrupt arrival and first story. The Toymaker proved to be a very good villain and I really liked the presence Michael Gough portrayed in his role. All the demanding tone that you'd expect from an immortal. I thought his power was incredible and I enjoyed how despite this, the Doctor could still outwit him. I was particularly intrigued that the Doctor, in his first incarnation, had previously encountered the Toymaker before. I'd love for that meeting to be shown in audio or novel format. The continuation at the start of the serial from The Ark was terrific with the references to the Refusians and the Doctor's invisibility. The references and visuals of The Daleks' Master Plan and The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve deployed by the Toymaker was a pleasant moment. I love any mention of continuity! Each part being home to a different game was a clever concept and I liked the games a lot, especially with the added humour. Blind man's buff, the chair game, the dancing game and the 3D board game were all brilliant and I liked the characters of the playing cards and Cyril as big highlights. The way Steven and Dodo managed to be victorious with the odds stacked against them was fantastic! The Doctor playing the trilogic game for most of the serial was particularly intriguing as I think he actually enjoyed the challenge! 1,023 moves to return the blocks to the correct position as when started. Upon research, I was intrigued to discover that this serial at one point was considered to see William Hartnell written out of the series. Had he left in this fashion, I think the arrival of the new Doctor would have been a momentous occassion but for Hartnell it wouldn't quite have been the sendoff he'd deserve. The use of the riddles at the end of each episode was something I really thought fondly of and at times they had me thinking! The unravelling of each one in the following episode was fantastic. I liked the climax with Cyril killing himself by his own gagged plans and then the Doctor discovered what the Toymaker was up to. If the Doctor made the 1,023rd move then the game would be complete but the Toymaker's world would be destroyed, including everything inside it. The Toymaker, immortal, would just create a new world to play with but the Doctor would be defeated. The imitation of the Toymaker's voice to defeat him wasn't a great resolution in my eyes, it was too easy. The Doctor couldn't impersonate his nemesis that easy! Overall, a weak climax but a tremendous serial! 

Rating: 8/10

The Golden Ones

"Of course! How could I be so stupid?! The tonic increases the number of links between neurons - and what are the links between neurons called? Axons!"

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 18th August 2010

Printed in: DWM 425-428

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy

Synopsis 

In Japan, children are addicted to the new drink and TV show Goruda. A drink that makes them telepathic... and strangely golden!

Verdict 

After some twitching and adjustment with a new Doctor, with The Golden Ones it seems like this Doctor's comic strip era has finally kicked off in full with this sublime adventure! I'm not going to wait to talk about the main talking point of the story, but Axos returned! For whatever reason, I didn't collect DWM back in 2010 (that has by now changed) so the return of a great classic villain had eluded me. And to add to my transparency, I somehow failed to read the blurb of my The Child of Time graphic novel collection, something I did after reading this story, which revealed the return of the Axons. I'm so grateful to my carelessness for not having found out about the return as I literally shouted 'WHAT?! NO WAY!' upon the cliffhanger of part one. I was absolutely thrilled to see the Axons return as the return of a classic villain in new who is always a special occassion, even more so when it's kept a surprise! The plan of Axos was tremendous in this story and I loved the use of Goruda in promoting the brain tonic. The way the drink, thought to be water, connected children telepathically (I didn't understand why adults weren't affected) and gave Axos a private army to help his aim in consuming Earth. He'd previously attempted before but was defeated by the Doctor and trapped in a time loop, something that was nicely referenced, even if they somehow bypassed the explanation of how the Axons escaped the time loop put on them in The Claws of Axos. The references to that TV serial were very good, and expected, with it being the enemy's first appearance since it's original story. The artwork of Axos was just majestic and brought back a memorable classic villain in superb fashion. I absolutely adored how the Doctor was working for UNIT once again and despite his usual intention not to, I loved how he took on the mission because Martha called. A new body but the same compassion for those he cherished. Just the fact that the Eleventh Doctor and Martha have had interaction is incredible and momentous, why couldn't we have seen that phone call at the start of the comic strip! Had it occurred then I think I'd have had no hesitation in giving this adventure the extra rating mark it needs. The references to Martha's remarks about the Doctor being prone to causing trouble was fully shown with the subway incident in comical fashion. I really liked the use of Axonite throughout the four parts and how it was used to animate nearly everybody if it wanted. The Axon army of children was a daunting idea and the amount of death in the story was quite surprising but it just showed how evil these aliens were, especially to the new viewers of Doctor Who who may not have explored the classic series in great depth. Chiyoko was an extremely intriguing character! So many questions about her were not answered. Just who is she? What was her relationship with Axos and Mr Kin? And how did she have the power to promise Earth to the Axons? After her prophecy of sorts at the Axon demise, I get the feeling we haven't seen the last of her. She seems innocent and to the Doctor she has the potential to be incredibly dangerous. Mr Kin was a terrific character and I liked his affiliation with Axos and how he was used to threaten the Doctor by the giant alien squid, out of his true form. I'd also like to complement Morris on throwing in lyrics from a Mika song, very clever! It put a smile on my face for sure. Now, here's where I have to talk about some negatives. I don't think it's actually to do with the blogged story but maybe the Eleventh Doctor comic era thus far. I noticed it in Supernature which I could let slide but now two stories later I'm not impressed with the apparent misrepresentation of Amy. The dialect just isn't what Karen Gillan portrays superbly on screen and I don't even think the illustrators are getting Amy's hair or clothing correct! I hope things improve in future 11th/Amy stories. The additional characters were all tremendous and I liked the contrast of Japanese and UNIT. The Tokyo setting was marvellous and it's something I don't think has been done before when it certainly should have been! The climax was enjoyable and I thought the rising of Goruda slightly resembled Last of the Time Lords. The demise of Axos was brilliantly executed by the Doctor. I can't see Axos making a comeback anytime soon after the devastating destruction here! 

Rating: 9/10

Body Snatcher

"Oh my god, Sarah! They've vanished!"

Writer: Glenn Rix

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 1976

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1977

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah, Harry

Synopsis 

The TARDIS takes a detour, a dangerous one that results in the Doctor losing his body...

Verdict 

Body Snatcher was a very entertaining comic strip! The Annual comic strips are a decent length for my liking as they can be done relatively quickly and allow for a nice amount of entertainment and still a great story. This is where the Doctor Who Adventures comic strips could do with being a few pages longer, it does make such a big difference! I love the TARDIS trio of the Fourth Doctor, Sarah and Harry and despite them not really appearing together in the story, it was great to have them reunited! The adventure is pretty much exactly what it says in the name. The Doctor had his body stolen! Rascla was a fantastic villain and I just loved the simplicity of why he brought the Doctor to Torm, to kill him! As simple as that which was terrific. I really liked the climax with the Doctor emerging from defeat and engaging in a battle of wills with Rascla who thought victory was achieved. I thought it was hilarious how the Doctor used Sarah's body to rise again! A very intriguing route of victory. The artwork of the comic strip was very intriguing and despite it being messy it somehow worked and fitted in with the story! I really liked it's effectiveness, whether it was intended or not. The absence of the companions for the majority of the story was a tad disappointing as I think they could still have offered something instead of just being hypnotised. Nonetheless, overall a really good comic strip! Short but sweet.

Rating: 8/10

The Ark

"You still fear the unknown like everyone else before you."

Writers: Paul Erickson & Lesley Scott

Format: TV

Broadcast: 5th-26th March 1966

Season: 3.06

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis 

The Doctor and his companions Steven Taylor and Dodo Chaplet arrive some ten million years into the future, on board a generation starship which is carrying the last of humanity away from an Earth that is about to fall into the Sun. However, the cold that Dodo has could prove devastating to these future humans and their servants, the Monoids.

Verdict 

The Ark was a good, consistent and very intriguing Season three story. It differed massively from its five predecessors, as should be the case, I really liked the idea, loved it in fact, of a Noar's Ark type of story but in the far, far future where the Earth is no longer habitable. Although I think the Noar's Ark myth is ridiculous (I'm a strong Atheist), the idea of putting it in space was portrayed very well. I liked how the human race was miniaturised to allow for adequate space, millions of people just waiting to be restored to full size when the Ark got to Refusis. After her abrupt arrival in The Massacre, this was Dodo's first venture in the TARDIS and to be honest I didn't like her that much. It just seems with her image that the production team were trying to recreate Susan but that just cannot happen! Susan was brilliant with her being related to the Doctor. I didn't care for Dodo's dialect and cockney accent and I do hope that the Doctor sticks by his word and texted her to use correct English! I quite liked how the serial was split into two segments (no pun intended) with the period where Dodo brought the fever and the Doctor discovered the cure, and then the after effects with the fever having mutated and a Monoid revolution having occurred. I found it impossible to believe that the statue would take 700 years to build but because of its brilliant focal point in the story I could allow it to slide. The Monoids, in the last two parts, were good villains! I really liked their appearance and their ruthlessness was outstanding. After centuries of travelling to Refusis, the Monoids were just going to leave the humans on the Ark and then blow it up! Fantastic! That's what you call a villainous plan. The guest cast were terrific in the serial with Zentos, the Commander and Manyak particular highlights. The cliffhanger of episode two is a memorable one and I love the sheer statistical improbability of it! The fact that the Doctor, Steven and Dodo became a legend on the Ark was wonderful and I also liked how it was Dodo herself who named the Ark what it was. I thought the scenes on Refusis were excellent and I really liked how easily the Doctor got on with the invisible Refusians. The voice of the mightily strong creatures was very domineering which was good and the power they possessed was also great, with them destroying the ship and then launching the statue out into space. The Monoids planting a bomb in the head of the statue was outstandingly evil which made it very good! The ease of its disposal wasn't all that brilliant but the events leading to the bomb's discovery was superb! I'd have liked to have seen this story extended to six parts with the extra two taking place between episodes 2 and 3 here and it depicting the Monoid revolution. Should that have occurred then I think the story would have got full marks! But what we got was fantastic anyway! It just seemed a little quick for the Monoids to suddenly go from servants to the masters in the space of a cliffhanger. I look forward to one day seeing/hearing/reading another story with the Monoids, namely a Bernice Summerfield audio is all I know of so far, as I'd like to see them get another go as villains. I thought the story shared resemblances with The Sensorites in some areas and I liked the references to The Romans and The Myth Makers. The use of time being measured in segments was a tremendous concept! The climax was a good one and the Monoids bringing their own downfall. Overall, a very strong and great serial! 

Rating: 8/10

Quantum Heresy

"It's easy to forget and remember, remember and forget, in the archive."

Writer: Avril Naude

Format: Audio

Released: August 2011

Series: Short Trips 4.08

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis 

In the stillness of the archives, amongst the dust and data, a creature from another reality is trying to break through...

Verdict 

Quantum Heresy was a brilliant Short Trip audio adventure! I was very intrigued by the story before even listening to it as they loved the sound of the name! India Fisher, who we all know better as the Doctor's companion Charley Pollard, read the story tremendously despite her character not appearing in the story. I'm intrigued as to when this adventure took place for the Eighth Doctor as his era is by far the most fluctuating with controversy and contradiction between the audios and novels. There've been many times where the Eighth Doctor has travelled alone, namely after The Movie and prior to The Night of the Doctor, and with India Fisher reading I like to think that it was set after she departed the TARDIS. I loved the idea of a time loop story and the shortness was absolutely perfect. Things were repetitive but for all the right reasons! The nameless women who Fisher played was magnificent and I liked how, despite not supposed to be recognising things from the past events of the loop, she did remember. The meetings and recognition with the Doctor on numerous occasions was great and I adored how the Doctor was constantly getting caught up in the time loop but landing at different points. The archive was a terrific focal point of the audio and the mystery behind the old man was enigmatic. The revelation that the time loop was actually an experiment was very good and the revelation of who the women was was terrific! I liked the idea of things trying to break through from one reality to another. At a short 15 minutes, there isn't much more to mention. I really loved India Fisher's reading and thought the story was excellent! 

Rating: 9/10

The Time Thief

"Fasten your seatbelts, everyone!"

Writer: Steve Livesey

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 1972

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1973

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis 

Verdict 

The Time Thief was a little disappointing for a 1970s annual comic strip. The idea was there and throwing the Master in was a brilliant idea especially with what was happening. World War I bomber planes destroying UN ships full of radioactive isotopes certainly had a reek of the Master in it but surely with the terrific idea of the story the format of comic strip just wasn't the place to portray it! Because everything was so rushed the way the story unfolded was just rushed, ineffective and clumsy. Things needed to be explained a whole lot better for the story to unfold with intrigue and interest. The actions of the Doctor in thwarting another plan of the Master's was good but I think his brilliance was knocked a bit by Jo's inferiority and lack of doing pretty much everything. I did like the artwork of the comic strip, it was fantastic and gave a great representation. The Ekayprians were an interesting species but again the lack of explanation of them and what they did was extremely disappointing. The Ekaypria setting was barely touched upon as there just wasn't enough time in the 5-6 pages. The climax was clever but never really climatic and was also pretty predictable. I didn't like how Jo was barely used but I thought the idea of the adventure was really good just rushed in the comic format! It was just too short for what it could have been.

Rating: 6/10

Planet Bollywood

"A strange new world! Love this bit, it's really cool, don't wander off, Pond - that's the rule! Somewhere new in time and space a thrill you can't replace! On a strange, strange new world!"

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 22nd July 2010

Printed in: DWM 424

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Amy arrive on a planet where everyone, including themselves, acts like they are in a musical...

Verdict 

Well, I'm not sure what to make of Planet Bollywood at all! Completely and utterly bonkers is about as adequate a description I can think of at the moment. It was just a lot of fun and a mightily intriguing concept! Short and sweet. It allowed so much, humour, brilliance and intrigue. This comic strip is certainly unique to me, never have I done a who story where the Doctor and his companion just exited the TARDIS and burst into sing song! I loved how despite its craziness, there was actually a really logical explanation as to why practically everybody was in a musical trance. The Muse was terrific and I really liked the ability she possessed, but as the universe has it, where her ability allowed humour others like the Shasarak wanted the power to control to be used for murder. I loved how the proposed villains were just made a mockery of due to being controlled by the musical influence, just wonderful! The Doctor's musical lyrics were brilliant and I liked Amy's enthusiasm shown here in her early days in the TARDIS. The Indian theme, even appearing in the title despite a setting far from Earth, was really good and I liked the references to Indian culture. As an Atheist, I just ignored the religious references as I really just think it's all ridiculous! Rajiv was a fantastic little character and the Maharani was a great part of the story and plot. At just one part long I don't think there's too much to mention other than that this comic strip was completely bonkers and lots of fun! 

Rating: 9/10

Thin Ice

"It's from an old family recipe but then I suppose we all are in one way or another..."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: April 2011

Series: Lost Stories 2.03

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis 

Moscow 1967. The Doctor and Ace have arrived behind the Iron Curtain, and the Soviet Union is seeking a new weapon that will give it mastery in the Cold War.

What is the secret of the Martian relics? As the legendary War Lord Sezhyr returns to life, the Doctor is faced with some of his oldest and deadliest enemies. 

The fate of Earth - and the future of Ace - are now intertwined...

Verdict 

Thin Ice was a great Lost Story adventure and was a welcomed relief to me! As you may know from my previous blog entries or comments that I'm not fond at all of stories that have the Ice Warriors as non-evil characters, that's just not what they are! They were incredibly good villains in The Ice Warriors and The Seeds of Death but then their TV representation afterwards with the Peladon tales and the bad comeback in the revived series. So I was hoping that the brilliant Martians would get a better representation in audio and sadly that didn't happen in Red Dawn but here, in the form of Sezhyr, I got my wish of evilness returning to the Ice Warriors! I adored the Warrior legend and his despising of the Ice Warriors who revived him and returned the relics. They just weren't evil anymore. They sympathised and seeked help from humans and as Sezhyr stated, that's not the Martian way at all! Prior to listening to the audio, I was fully aware that this story was based on Ice Time, a story that was never produced. So with that not being made and as I've never watched/read/listened to a story telling of Ace's departure, that's what I figured would occur here! I didn't like how the whole story was leaning towards the departure of Ace and then for it not to occur was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. However, should the original story this audio was based on have seen Ace depart in the way depicted here I wouldn't have been happy. Although the Seventh Doctor and Ace is my least favourite TARDIS pairing ever, it just wouldn't have been right for them to leave on sour terms. The whole idea of the Doctor preparing Ace for the Gallifrey academy was confusing but it was so typical of the Doctor to have not told her! How careless is our hero? Hhessh was a good Ice Warrior but as I've reiterated so many times before, I didn't like how good he was for the story. The Ice Warrior's new fondness of fish fingers was just stupidly silly. It works fantastically for the Eleventh Doctor, not for the natives of the red planet. This story epitomised to me why Sylvester McCoy is in my opinion, by some way, the worst Doctor. He just doesn't reek of authority, there's no oomph or aggression there. There's just something about the Seventh Doctor that strikes me as weak, and it was on full show here. The saving grace of this story, excluding the decent plot of course, was the wonderful guest cast! They're a major reason in why this story gets a high mark from me. I absolutely loved Raina, she really was terrific! Marcus Creevy along with her flanking his cockney accent was excellent! The relationship between the pair was wonderful and the humour regarding the revelation of Raina's pregnancy was tremendous! The accelerated birth at the hands of the Ice Lord's helmet was very good! The use of Ice helmets throughout the story was very intriguing and I imagine it'd have been superb on television! The setting of Moscow in 1967 celebrating the golden anniversary of the October Revolution (a period I have studied in depth and loved it) was just magical! I'm waiting to find a story set during 1917, the year of revolutions, Russia. The climax of the story was very good and I liked how things worked out for Creevy and Raina, and their new child Raine. I didn't like how easily Ace forgave the Doctor but I did mention I wouldn't have liked them to depart on bad terms. 

Rating: 8/10

The Human Bombs

"Prepare the Dalek invasion fleet... destination... Earth!"

Writer: Terry Nation

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 1978

Printed in: Dalek Annual 1979

Synopsis

The ADF deal with the latest Dalek plot which involved the use of radiation bombs causing devastation across the galaxy...

Verdict 

The Human Bombs was a fun and enjoyable comic strip story and I liked the idea of doing a Dalek story where the Doctor and his companions were not involved in stopping whatever horrendous plans they were up to next. The plot was relatively straightforward yet still managed to be entertaining. The thought bubbles for the Daleks were great, it's not often we ever get to know what a Dalek is thinking or how it attempts to improvise but we got that benefit in this format. The artwork of the adventure was marvellous and I thought the Daleks were depicted very well. The use of Dalek testing on Armeria was very good and as I've mentioned, it was terrific to see what the Daleks got up to in their own time whilst not battling the Doctor. The fact that we don't know what point in Dalek history this story is set allows the reader for some tremendous interpretation and arguments. The Geiga bomb concept was brilliantly Dalek and the fact that it turned some humans literally into ticking bombs was very frightening! The action packed climax was good but I was quite surprised at how weak it made the Daleks look. Their spacecraft was easily picked off by an Earth fleet and for the one surviving Dalek, a single human easily destroyed it. I'm not saying I disliked it, it was actually all quite logical, but I was just a bit surprised. Nonetheless, a great little story that I thoroughly enjoyed! 

Rating: 8/10

The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve

"And now, they're all gone. All gone. None of them could understand. Not even my little Susan. Or Vicki. And as for Barbara and Chatterton - Chesterton - they were all too impatient to get back to their own time. And now, Steven. Perhaps I should go home. Back to my own planet. But I can't... I can't..."

Writers: John Lucarotti & Donald Tosh

Format: TV

Broadcast: 5th-26th August 1966

Season: 3.05

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven

Synopsis 

The TARDIS materialises in Paris in the year 1572 and the Doctor decides to visit the famous apothecary Charles Preslin. Steven, meanwhile, is befriended by a group of Huguenots from the household of the Protestant Admiral de Coligny. Having rescued a young serving girl, Anne Chaplet, from some persuing guards, the Huguenots gain their first inkling of a heinous plan being hatched at the command of the Catholic Queen Mother, Catherine de Medici...

Verdict 

The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve was a very good serial and my thanks must go out again to Loose Cannon productions for putting together absolutely brilliant recons of the completely missing serial, which for the first time I was able to watch in full. With my love of history, I really enjoyed the 16th century French setting! With recent historicals like The Time Meddler, I was expecting the usually better pseudo-historicals but I can't say I was disappointed by the lack of extra terrestrial presence. It had been a while since a pure relatively recent historical with The Crusade a whole season earlier. But back to the story at hand and I really enjoyed the plot. I thought it was terrific how, despite the Doctor being pretty much absent for all of parts 2 and 3, the story was all about him without him being present. The double role for William Hartnell was excellent and his playing of the Abbot of Amboise was fantastic! I liked how despite the actor obviously being Hartnell, and that even appearing in the credits rather than the usual 'Dr. Who'. The guest cast were all excellent and I thought that Anne was an absolutely wonderful character. I didn't quite understand why she didn't end up as companion! She had been with Steven throughout the serial and seemed terrific. The characters of Gaston, Simon, Nicholas and Roger were all very good and I liked the different roles and positions they played. Marshall Tavannes and Admiral de Coligny were also absolutely fantastic! A very strong guest cast that certainly made up for Hartnell's lengthy absence. The cliffhangers were all good but most notably episode three's is the standout where it's intended to show that the Doctor was dead! Is there a bigger shock than the lead of a television series dying? Of course, the Doctor would return and it was revealed that it wasn't him impersonating the role of Abbot, it just wasn't him. I would have liked that expanded upon a bit more but the Doctor's return was tremendous. The reaction by Steven when believing the Doctor was dead was a big highlight! But speaking of highlights, the star scene must go to the Doctor. The scene in the TARDIS when it lands in Wimbledon and Steven intends to leave after the Doctor seemed to send Anne to her death in the massacre. The Doctor standing by his firm belief that history couldn't be changed, not one bit, was great and after Steven left we saw the emotional side of the First Doctor for one of the first times. He'd had many companions come and go but now he was left on his own. Just the Doctor. I loved how he pondered whether to return home, undoubtedly confirming that he wasn't human as some viewers might have thought. The Doctor's references to Susan, Vicki, Barbara and 'Chesterton' was really heartwarming. I really liked the references, as I did with Steven referring to The Daleks' Master Plan with his travels to Egypt. The abrupt and pacy ending was not expected with Dodo arriving on the scene entering the TARDIS, somehow not surprised by the whole bigger on the inside thing and then Steven quickly returning in humorous fashion. I thought Anne should have become companion and the implication that Dodo descended from her was a nice touch. So, a great story with a good setting. And now a new companion! Change is occuring once more. 

Rating: 8/10

The Jigsaw War

"I would never make Jamie my assassin!"

Writer: Eddie Robson

Format: Audio

Released: May 2012

Series: Companion Chronicles 6.11

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis 

A cell. Four walls, one door. Jamie McCrimmon can escape, but it means unravelling a puzzle of extraordinary complexity. 

And there are more than just two players in this game. The Doctor is there. So is his opponent Side. 

As a hero turns killer, and a rebellion becomes anarchy, the lines between good and evil are blurred. And so does the distinction between cause and effect...

Verdict 

The Jigsaw War was a fantastic audio adventure and took on a unique style for the Companion Chronicle format with the story playing out in full cast fashion with no narration. Frazier Hines was magnificent reprising his role as Jamie and his impersonation of Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor was just incredible, as I remembered from Helicon Prime. The story was very interesting and the concept was absolutely brilliant. It may sound rather confusing in my verdict but if you get the opportunity to listen to the Chronicle then you'll understand it no problem. On paper it's confusing but in audio it was fantastic. I really liked how Jamie was witnessing events in a cell in the completely wrong order and had to sequence the scenes in the order of which they should have been. The code would then open the exit door. Dominic Mafham was tremendous in accompanying the familiar actor and his parts as Moran and the devious Side were fantastic. Side was a good villain and although his agenda wasn't completely revealed, I adored how he was a five dimensional being and was at wager with the Doctor. With this story set before The War Games, which is rather obvious, I liked the references to the Doctor not being human and where he came from. Jamie's refusal to believe the Doctor stole the TARDIS was irony at its peak. I also liked that Jamie believed the Doctor built the TARDIS himself, as the First Doctor sometimes claimed. I liked how the Doctor spoke through Jamie but it was clear there was some truth in Side's comments that the Doctor didn't always tell Jamie the truth about his whereabouts or what's going on. The use of the physic plane was terrific and Jamie's absolute belief that the Doctor always wins was just excellent. His use of gaining the code in order to exit the door was superb and I liked how by asking for chalk or where the situation regarding chalk was so Jamie could see where the scene fit was clever and fantastic! The reference to The Highlanders, a story which I'm yet to watch, was lovely. The human and Unheld disagreements and babbling was very intriguing and I liked that the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe had arrived and within a short amount of time had caused havoc, something the humans couldn't achieve in 89 years! The climax was very good with Jamie winning after working out the alternative agenda and exiting the door, being reunited with the Doctor and Zoe. Overall, brilliant and with no narration the story could be told in a much easier way! The limited appearances of the Doctor and Zoe allowed Jamie's brilliance to shine, which I guess is the aim of this format! 

Rating: 9/10

Supernature

"We didn't know! There's no way we could've known that anyone who sets foot on this planet is condemned to death!"

Writer: Johnathan Morris

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 29th April 2010

Printed in: DWM 421-423

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy

Synopsis 

The Eleventh Doctor and Amy arrive on a mysterious planet inhabited by criminals. Something is infecting the criminals and now the infection has caught up with Amy. The Doctor must stand alone and fight the infection before it spreads across the galaxy...

Verdict 

Supernature was an intriguing, fun and excellent comic strip adventure! It's taken me a while to delve into the comic stories but I've finally got there and with my recent purchase of The Child of Time graphic novel, I can now read the first 9 comic stories to feature the Eleventh Doctor and Amy. And the novel started off well! I liked how Nerena opened each of the three parts setting the scene of the disaster and death that was occurring on the plague ridden planet. The Doctor and Amy's arrival was very funny, as the Doctor stated, with his 'efficiency' in getting the pair to be stood at gunpoint thirty seconds after leaving the TARDIS. The idea of a convict planet being mixed with a mass of unique nature was certainly a dynamic concept! Comic strips are well known for their colour and art but this story was certainly the most artistic, bright and colourful Doctor Who story I have done yet! I loved the concept of hybridisation and the Doctor's adoration of the 'icky' occurrence made it all the better. Finch was a terrific character and his relationship with the Doctor was quite hilarious. The cliffhangers were both very good and similar which was interesting with Amy and the Doctor both being hybridised. The reactions were terrific on both parts and the way Amy in butterfly form rescued the Doctor from being attacked was excellent! The plot itself was very good and the basis of hybridisation, with both humans and the vegetation morphing between each different species was fantastic! It allowed some marvellous visual imagery and the unexpected attacks on the convict centre was really great. I liked the Doctor's intelligence in adapting to ancient controls to reverse the hybridisation but despite its cleverness, the resolution seemed a little too easy for me. It wasn't awful by any means but I was hoping for something more dramatic! The humour with a naked Amy after returning to her human self was magnificent, could we see that scene from a different angle please? The message from Nerena at the end was wonderful as she would now be living in ecological paradise where everyone else thought the planet dead. 

Rating: 8/10

The Jade Pyramid

"Wherever we go, terrible things seem to happen." 

Writer: Martin Day

Format: Audio

Released: Martin Day

Series: NSA 3.03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy

Synopsis

Intercepting a distress call, the TARDIS is drawn to a Shinto shrine in medieval Japan, where the Doctor and Amy are met by village elder Shijo Sada. He explains that the ogre-like mannequins surrounding the holy site are harmless guardians, called Otoroshi. At the heart of the temple is an ancient Jade pyramid, so sacred that only the monks may look at it. But the Shogun, the ruler of Japan, what's to possess the pyramid and has ordered seven samurai and a band of soldiers to come to Kokan and seize it. Whilst the Doctor is tracked by a ninja assassin, Amy discovers what happens to trespassers at the shrine. Soon the secrets of the Jade pyramid - and the towering Otoroshi - will be known. 

Verdict 

The Jade Pyramid was quite a good story and is a landmark adventure of sorts from my personal perspective as it was the first new who audio I have listened to. I couldn't have asked for a better reader for my first venture into the format than Matt Smith, the Eleventh Doctor himself! He read the story superbly and somehow managed to let the reader know when it was the Doctor speaking instead of Smith himself narrating. Sometimes a difficult thing to accomplish as seen in a fee Companion Chronciles. Speaking of that audio range, this format was extremely similar but it didn't quite seem the same because usually in the Chronicles there's an accompanying actor/actress which helps and adds some variation. I think the fact that it was solely Matt Smith, despite his brilliance, hurt my take on the audio. I thought the story started off well, taking place after Cold Blood so I learned and if that was the case then surely the Doctor and Amy would still be grieving, or at the very least mention, the apparent death of Rory. I found Matt's impression of companion Amy quite funny as he sounded rather feminine but almost put in too much emphasis on the Scottish accent. I would have liked Amy to feature a bit more in the story's events but nonetheless where she did appear she was excellent. Despite my liking of Rory, during the television run I would have like some more adventures with Amy as sole companion seeing that's how she arrived. Shido Sajo was a terrific little character and I really liked Smith's take on a Japanese accent! He did a stellar job to be fair and it didn't sound like him at all. The Otoroshi were intriguing villains but I thought their concept was too similar to the Autons. Wouldn't it have been much better to just throw the Nestene and Autons, as familiar and fearsome foes, in at the deep instead of introducing a new enemy species who is almost certain not to be remembered? Nonetheless, I did like them a lot! Tanaka was a pretty good character too. The historic Japanese setting was something I really liked and thought it could have been expanded upon slightly more. The Jade Pyramid's role in the plot was clever and the appearances of Samurais was a magnificent bonus! The climax and resolution was good and typical of the Doctor, even if his quirkiness covered up the fact it was slightly unexplained. But overall, it was a good story but things could have been better! 

Rating: 7/10