When the Wolves Came

"I've moved you to outside the danger zone - a bit north of London... I think it's called Bedfordshire. You'll be safe here."

Writer: Moray Laing

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2014

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 2015

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

With Earth devastated in the 22nd century following a ruthless alien invasion, Simon can find no survivors. Running from wolves, he finds solace in the form of a blue police box...

Verdict 

When the Wolves Came was a fantastic little, and I do mean little, short story adventure from the 2015 Annual! Although not directly referenced, perhaps due to the younger child audience aim, the story being set during or prior to the events of The Dalek Invasion of Earth was just magnificent! It really did depict the devastation of the Dalek conquest incredibly well. Simon was alone in the city and he'd just found no survivors. That's how ruthless the Daleks had been. Not one survivor for Simon to join up with up. The only food he could find was a tin of baked beans, and he was being hunted by wolves. I think that just captures the scale and mass of the Dalek invasion terrifically. It wasn't just the humans that were affected, naturally. Food was short. So the Wolves were hunting, and if humans would be the supply then for them so be it. I loved how the TARDIS seemingly refused to leave the devastated 22nd century until Simon was saved and well, safe back with his parents. Alive. It was just wonderful how as he ran to the TARDIS, the doors opened wide for him and slammed shut on the Wolves. He was safe. With the Twelfth Doctor, I'd usually think that if someone just walked their way straight into the TARDIS then he'd go ballistic! But instead the Doctor thanked Simon which was a bit of a shock. Despite this, it was still Clara giving him the comforting welcome inside and helping him deal with the sheer amazement that was the TARDIS and its whole bigger on the inside malarkey. To be fair, it is quite an incomprehensible concept so going into it after being chased by Wolves must have been overwhelming! The TARDIS breaking free from whatever it was keeping it in the 22nd century was lovely, because it seemed like she wanted to save Simon. With Daleks on the loose planning to take over the planet and use it as a travelling device, Wolves would be a harsh way to go. So the Doctor took Simon to his parents in the safe area of Bedfordshire. Hmm, I'm not so sure about the Doctor's memory in regards to that! But the blend between the current series and Doctor and the early Classic era was superb. It's just a shame it was only 2 pages long! Though what we got was a wonderful little read. 

Rating: 8/10

Terrorformer Part 2

"The most powerful races in the universe formed an alliance. Led by Rassilon, Lord President of the Time Lords of Gallifrey, they declared war. A war that would extinguish the fires of Hyperios forever..."

Writer: Robbie Morrison

Format: Comic Strip

Released: November 2014

Printed in: DW12 #2

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Clara came to the ice world of Isen VI - to find it transformed into a lush jungle by terraformers in the pay of the richest man in the 25th century, Kano Dollar! But this is no holiday - the Doctor has tracked a signal of Time Lord origin to the planet. After... ingratiating himself with the terraformers, they descended to the core of the planet to discover that the terraforming machines had ruptured an ancient containment unit... and now, after millions of years in cryogenic suspension, a fearsome Hyperion is awake!

Verdict 

Terrorformer continued (and I'm almost certainly finished) tremendously well in this second part in the latest issue of the brand new series of Twelfth Doctor comic adventures by Titan from across the pond in the US. I must admit it irked me a little when 'favour' was spelt as 'favor' and it came from the Doctor's lips - surely he uses the English language properly. The British way. The correct way I may add. Woops, slight dig at Americans there! Ahh well, bless 'em, they still think 1812 was a big deal. Anyway, back to the story at hand and I really liked it! Continuing nicely on from the intriguing cliffhanger of the first part with Hyperios rising, it turned out that name was actually a planet, home of the Hyperions, and not a Time Lord as I first figured and hoped. But my slight disappointment was soon eradicated when we got the history of the Hyperions and the historical war they had with an intergalactic alliance led by the Time Lords, or more specifically Rassilon. Seeing the Alliance looked brilliant with Rassilon standing side by the side with the likes of Silurians and Sontarans! Not too shabby an alliance at all. The depiction of the War was excellent and I really liked the way the Hyperions were defeated millennia ago, after they rampaged through the universe holding on for survival as they burned up. The idea of the species really is unique - sentient sun beings with vast intelligence! Now that's quite a combination. I can see why a Time Lord led alliance was needed to defeat the species! The Doctor standing up to Ramm-Korr as it was named (I'll just stick to calling it the Hyperion) was splendid and very typical of the Twelfth Doctor in my opinion. I read every line in my head with the voice of Peter Capaldi and the dialogue really was spot on for this incarnation which is always a brilliant thing. I think The Blood Cell failed a little in that and was a reason why I didn't rate it so highly as the other two BBC New Adventure novels which nailed the persona of this current Doctor. The war of words between the Doctor and the Hyperion was excellent and I loved how since gaining an extra regeneration cycle, the Doctor is seemingly more attached to the race he ran away from all those years ago. As seen in Death in Heaven when Missy lied about Gallifrey's whereabouts he was devastated, and here he was just silent when the Hyperion worked out that he was all that was left and Gallifrey had fallen. Clara was very good in this story with the humorous references to the ski-pole and the way it came in handy at the end. I was also impressed by her combat skills against Eric! One-nil to Coal Hill indeed! The Doctor bluffing about the plans he had was oh so topically wonderfully but what he actually carried out was great. He literally froze the Hyperion and returned Isen VI to its cold and snowy state. Dollar was abandoned after the wedding went to hell and all things just about worked out for once. The Doctor had defeated the last of the Hyperions, or so he thinks. The ending was intriguing with the Neptune rising but that was some 300 years before the setting of this adventure. I do hope it was just a late prelude into what we had read because the story ending fantastically and I don't think and I do hope that this particular one is over, because if so it was marvellous! 

Rating: 9/10

Made of Steel

"They need me in order to survive, and that's the thing that drives them. Not emotions, not love or hate or ambition or greed. Survival."

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released: March 2007

Series: Quick Reads 02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis 

A deadly night attack on an army base. Vehicles are destroyed, buildings burned, soldiers killed. The attackers vanish as swiftly as they came, taking highly advanced equipment with them. 

Metal figures attack a shopping mall. But why do they only want a new games console from an ordinary electronics shop? An obscure Government Ministry is blown up - but, in the wreckage, no trace is found of the secret, state-of-the-art decoding equipment. 

When the TARDIS returns the Doctor and Martha to Earth from a distant galaxy, they try to piece together the mystery. But someone - or something - is waiting for them. An old enemy stalks the night, men no longer made of flesh...

Verdict 

Made of Steel, a title I really do love especially with the relation to the story itself, was a fantastic quick read novel! I think it's brilliant that between Doomsday and The Next Doctor, the Tenth Doctor had an encounter with the Cybermen and also, so did Martha Jones for the first time! It's always great seeing Doctors or, in this case companions, getting a story against a villain they never faced on television. A long sought after encounter was the Third Doctor and the Cybermen and we finally got that in the lacklustre a The Blue Tooth. It's just magnificent and intriguing having encounters with familiar heroes or villains that we've not seen before. Lords of the Storm had that effect for me with the Fifth Doctor pitted against the Sontarans. So I think a possible reason why I loved this little book so much was because I don't associate Martha with having faced the Cybermen. Another possible reason might be the fact it was written by the terrific Terrance Dicks. I loved how the story started off in the Jurassic period with the Doctor and Martha almost being eaten by a T-Rex. But the way Dicks linked that little chapter at the start with the climax of the story was incredible! The way the Doctor and Martha came to be in the present day was good and I loved how the Doctor said it couldn't be the Cybermen causing the mysteries. Oh the irony. I really liked Martha's reaction to seeing the Cybermen once more. The numerous references to Doomsday and the Battle of Canary Wharf were superb I thought. I particularly loved the emotional reference to Adeola, the cousin Martha lost and who the Doctor technically killed. He couldn't tell her the truth. The difficulty for Dicks in bringing the Cybermen back was actually pretty large after the way they were last defeated with them all being sucked into the Void and the gateway being permanently closed. That was something the Doctor didn't like to reference as the anguish of losing Rose was still at large for him. It was very clever how Dicks brought them back though because the Cybermen that featured here hadn't actually gone anywhere since the Battle. These were Cybermen all converted using parts purely from this dimension. They didn't contain any void stuff so couldn't be sucked in! A brilliant way around them all being defeated last time around. In many ways, this was a direct sequel to Army of Ghosts/Doomsday from the Cybermen's perspective and I just loved it. Martha returning to the hospital that suffered so much during Smith and Jones was great and I liked her attempts to avoid any awkward questioning about her disappearance and relationship with the Doctor. Sheila Sarandon was a very good character and the relationship she had with the Doctor throughout was excellent. It really was typical of the Doctor I thought. The lack of distinction between the Cyber Leader and normal Cybermen was the only slight flaw I had with the story. Surely there should be the black on the helmet to represent him as Leader? Anyway, I can't complain too much. The teleportation of the Cybermen was a superb addition to the infamous foes, even if it was fluctuating in operation. The Cybermen wanting the Doctor to reopen the Void and bring back the Cybermen army was tremendous but the fact they got a T-Rex was fantastic! The Cyber Leader, by that time all that remained of the Cybermen after a brilliant battle, was gobbled up by the ferocious dinosaur. A great climax and resolution to a wonderful story! 

Rating: 9/10

The Lazarus Experiment

"There's no such thing as an ordinary human."

Writer: Stephen Greenhorn

Format: TV

Broadcast: 5th May 2007

Series: 5.06

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis 

Martha returns home, but has to save her family from the schemes of the monstrous Professor Lazarus, the man who has changed what it means to be human.  

Verdict 

The Lazarus Experiment is an interesting episode that despite the good it holds, is a bit of a mixed bag as a whole. It started off well with the Doctor dropping Martha home the morning after the night before. Just like that, it seemed Martha's travels were over. That was a little hard to believe somehow, especially with this incarnation and his offer to Donna in The Runaway Bride. But here he was, in Martha's bedroom saying goodbye after her picking up her drying underwear. It's interesting to think that if Martha hadn't turned on the TV and heard Richard Lazarus' speech, then the Doctor and Martha's time together would have been cut significantly short! It was good that the Doctor soon ran back to Martha when it'd sunk in what Lazarus had said. He was going to change what it meant to be human, so naturally the Doctor had to go and see what that was all about! The idea was good with Lazarus making himself younger, and despite my liking of the awakening of dormant genes - a path for humanity that evolution said no to, the idea just wasn't believable. Changing your DNA doesn't necessarily make you look younger, does it? I mean, in 30 years time I'll be 48 but I'll still have the same DNA structure I've got now, age and appearance isn't a factor so that was something I disagreed with from the get go. The experiment going into overload couldn't have been good and at least it went some way into explaining the horrifying creature that was human in origin. The design of the creature was slightly over the top I thought and I wasn't convinced it'd be able to speak perfect English! The way it just dissected its victims though was monstrous which made if fantastic. I loved the references to past stories in this story, it really did keep me interested, with every story previously in the series being mentioned as well as Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel with the Doctor's tux and The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances with the Doctor being present during the London blitz. The series arc really heightened here with numerous namedrops to Harold Saxon, who of course will be revealed as the Master in the final story of the series. The logo in the building matching that of the Master's ring was something I only noticed during this viewing which was a nice surprise! But the story was just lacking in consistency I felt. With the fluctuating DNA, we had a young human going into a monster every now and then. It was illogical in parts. Tish was a big highlight of the story joining up with her sister and the Doctor as a sort of sub-companion during the episode! She was saved before snogging the creature that would devour her and then she helped kill it in the cathedral! The comical references to the bible didn't strike home with me and my Atheist beliefs but I could admire the intention. The way Lazarus was dealt with wasn't as incredible as I thought it may have been. After reversing the polarity, which was wonderfully referenced to be taking too long, magical referencing to the Third Doctor, sonic waves propelled from an organ would be the cause of death. The scenes were exciting I must say but the result wasn't outstanding. At least Martha has been fully recognised by the Doctor as companion now! A great end scene to a pretty decent episode which certainly had its moments. It's enough to cure the appetite. 

Rating: 7/10

Evolution of the Daleks

"You told us to imagine, and we imagined your irrelevance."

Writer: Helen Raynor 

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 28th April 2007

Series: 3.05

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis 

As a new Dalek Empire rises in 1930s New York, the Tenth Doctor must enter an unholy alliance with the Cult of Skaro and their newly humanised leader...

Verdict 

Evolution of the Daleks was a fantastic concluding episode to the story already started in the previous episode. Long and behold, in their sixth full appearance since the series was revived in 2005, we've finally had the infamous '... of the Daleks' title! And what a good one it is! Perfect for the story. Absolutely spot on. That's what the story really was all about, the Daleks evolving. After the excellent cliffhanger of Daleks in Manhattan with Dalek Sec emerging from his case humanised, we got to see the Dalek-Human in action, in command of the Cult of Skaro, temporarily at least. That authority would soon disappear. I liked how the Doctor didn't keep his presence in the lair of the Empire State secret for much longer after seeing a new species born. The greatest enemy was identified and the explanation for why the Daleks seemed to be cowering away hidden in the previous episode was revealed. The emergency temporal shift seen in Doomsday caused a right energy and resource drain. But thankfully, the Daleks were back to their very aggressive and ruthless best. They were utterly destructive. The scenes in Hooverville were shocking which made the Daleks absolutely brilliant in my books. After tge incredible speech from Solomon likening himself and the Daleks as outcasts, the Daleks just replied in one single and familiar word, "Extermimate!" and killed him point blank on the spot. The Doctor's disgust towards his arch enemies was incredible, I really did think this was one of David Tennant's best performances as the Tenth Doctor. I just wish he'd acknowledge Martha as companion a bit more! Sec ordering the Daleks not to kill the Doctor was a bit of a shock I must say. I loved how the Doctor was liking how much more human the leader of the Cult of Skaro was becoming. At first he likened them to geniuses of war, but now he could see and feel the courage. His comments about the purpose of a Dalek being wrong was just incredibly surprising! He questioned Davros, not by name sadly, and even said that the Daleks not being the supreme beings would be a good thing. Blimey, can you get anything further away from a Dalek? I struggle to think so! The plan of the Daleks, or Sec rather, to hybridise the human shells they'd created and create a species of Human-Daleks to live on a far away world was intriguing to say the least. But of course, the rest of the Cult weren't having it and interfered, taking their leader prisoner in the process. The Doctor's efforts to get in the way of the gamma strike were fantastic! He ensured Time Lord DNA got all mixed up in the process, which in turn would save his life in superb fashion. Dalek Sec sacrificed  himself to extermination to prevent the Doctor from receiving the fate but then all hell broke lose when the hybrids questioned orders. They soon turned on Thay and Jast were destroyed and that just left Caan, the last Dalek in the universe. And he committed genocide, wiping out the hybridised Dalek-Time Lords. The Doctor was devastated, and now it was just him and Caan left. It would remain that way too, as the latter used an emergency temporal shift to get away from the Doctor. After brilliant help from Martha, Tallulah and Frank, as well as Laszlo, the Doctor finally seemed to get the better of the Daleks as a whole. Had a Dalek plan ever failed so badly before? I struggle to come with an argument disproving the theory! But overall, the two episodes as a whole were superb and gave us an extremely strong opening two-parter of the series!

Rating: 9/10

Daleks in Manhattan

"The children of Skaro must walk again."

Writer: Helen Raynor

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 21st April 2007

Series: 3.04

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis 

During the building of the Empire State Building in 1930s New York, the Cult of Skaro continues their attempts to destroy humanity and reign supreme.

Verdict 

Daleks in Manhattan was a very good opening episode to this eventful two-part story! The story is essentially what the title suggests - the Daleks are in Manhattan! After their last gasp get away at the end of Doomsday, where the Doctor lost everything, the Daleks had arrived in 1930s Manhattan and were soon involved in the building of the Empire State Building. Still in the memory banks from the Daleks' previous brief visit during The Chase? I do like to think so. I love the unusual take on the Daleks in this episode that Helen Raynor has taken. And before I explain why I like I'd just like to express my happiness of having a female writer pen a story of such significance! Why don't we have more stories from the wonderful women of Who? Anyway, the unusual take I liked was that the Cult of Skaro weren't aggressive or conquering as seen in their previous appearance, instead they were cowering in the basement and sewers letting Pig Slaves do their dirty work. The Daleks genuinely seemed frightened and suddenly aware that they were the only four of their species left in existence. Just as in The Evil of the Daleks, it seemed the Daleks were utterly jealous of the human ability to survive. They mentioned how New York was echoed and replicated across history which I thought was nice and I was quite surprised to see the Daleks apparently complimenting the human race on the architecture of the city of NYC. It really is stunning, I know from experience when I visited in 2010, and I really was blown away by the scale. It most certainly is a concrete jungle! The scene with Diagoras and the Dalek overlooking the city really captured the beauty gracefully. The start of the episode was interesting with Tallulah and Laszlo in a loved up relationship but that would soon become mysterious when the latter would go missing but still leave a flower on her table before every show. The Doctor and Martha visiting Hooverville was very good and I liked the references to the Wall Street Crash of 1929 that sent the economy into ruins. Solomon was a brilliant character throughout this episode and his reporting back to Hooverville was very good. What the papers were saying was true - people were going missing. They were being taken by Pig Slaves for the Dalek cause and their great 'Final Experiment'. Diagoras was a fantastic character for the part he played but with him voicing his loyalty towards the Daleks, it seemed he'd become the pivotal part of this experiment. For he was literally engulfed into the Dalek casing by Sec. The Daleks were evolving. The human factor 2.0 it seemed! Martha explicitly stating that she felt strong about the Doctor wasn't a great surprise but you could see the anguish she had when she told Tallulah that he didn't feel the same way. That though wasn't matched by the anguish the Doctor showed when he found who he was once again up against. His most evil adversaries. The ones he thought were gone for good. The Daleks. The brain mutant glob (that's not the technical term!) that the Doctor examined was intriguing and I liked how the Daleks almost wanted it to be found. The Doctor seemed bitter, and rightfully so, that despite losing Rose the Cult of Skaro had survived. Now, they were after New York. And they were planning something with Dalekanium and the spire of the Empire State Building itself. A gamma ray strike was incoming and the Daleks would use it for something atrocious that's for sure! But we wouldn't find out yet, because the Dalek experiment was almost at a finish. The Doctor had comically rejoined Martha and Frank after uncomfortable intelligence tests and they bore witness to the new Dalek. The human Dalek Sec. DNA has merged and Sec and Diagoras had become one in terrifying circumstances! Overall, a freaky cliffhanger to a fantastic story with great references to the two preceding stories. Martha recognising the Daleks from the Doctor's telling of the Time War at the end of Gridlock was excellent but now this was something the Doctor had never come up against in all his meetings with the arch enemies. A walking human Dalek. Just what would it be capable of? I guess we'll find out in the second part, which is where my rating for the story overall will appear. But this was a very strong start!

Attack of the 50ft Rory

"When you start playing around with an alien machine you can never be quite sure what will happen."

Writer: Colin Brake

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 2011

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 2012

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis 

The Doctor, Amy and Rory track a distress signal to a planet where animal size is way out of proportion, and when Rory soon starts meddling with alien equipment, he grows to 50ft tall...

Verdict 

Attack of the 50ft Rory was a rather bonkers comic strip! The title itself just sounds completely absurd and that's exactly what it was. I slightly disagree with the naming of the story however, because the giant Rory didn't actually attack anybody or anything. But hey, I'm not going to argue semantics! The story starting off with Rory as a giant in the streets picking up the TARDIS was like nothing before and I like how it flashbacked to the events leading up to that moment, much like the Twelfth Doctor's comic strip debut in The Eye of Torment. The events leading up to what kicked off the story were decent and definitely logical with the Doctor picking up a distress signal and heading for the source. He's been known to do that one or twice in the past has he not? I liked the banter between the TARDIS trio throughout and that's something that was nicely portrayed from the screen and into the comic strip. I particularly liked tge humour surrounding the size of Rory's nose! The Doctor leaving Amy to try and remind and convince Rory who he was and what she meant to him was a rather risky move but it certainly paid off! Amy eventually got through to the 50ft giant boyfriend of hers and he soon put her down to safety. The references to numerous stories were very much welcomed but I think there were perhaps one or two too many. Just by including a lot of continuity, it doesn't make a great story! The plea though for Rory to remember the events of The Eleventh Hour, The Vampires of Venice, The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood, The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang and A Christmas Carol were nicely thrown in, particularly the latter with Amy wanting Rory to make sure he didn't forget their honeymoon! Imagine having a week with someone who looks like Karen Gillan... Incredible thoughts! The ending was average I guess with the Doctor sonicing a diamond like object that was the power of the alteration of size. Rory came back down to normal size and everything was restored. No lasting effects. Overall, a pretty decent comic strip but I think I must say this in every blog entry of every comic strip from the Annuals - make them bloody longer! 

Rating: 7/10

The Light at the End

"Is this some kind of Doctors afterlife?"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: November 2013

Series: 50th Anniversary Special

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley, Seventh Doctor, Ace, Sixth Doctor, Peri, Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough, Fourth Doctor, Leela, Third Doctor, Jo, Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie, Zoe, First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara, Steven, Sara, Vicki

Synopsis 

November 23rd 1963 proves to be a significant day in the lives of all eight Doctors...

It is the day that Bob Dovie's life is ripped apart...

It's also the day that sets in motion a catastrophic chain of events which forces the first eight incarnations of the Doctor the fight for their very own existence. As a mysterious, insidious chaos unfolds within the TARDIS, the barriers of time break apart...

From suburban England through war-torn alien landscapes and info a deadly artificial dimension, all these Doctors and their companions must struggle against the power of an unfathomable, a alien technology. From the very beginning, it is clear that the Master is somehow involved.

By the end, for the Doctors, there may only be darkness 

Verdict 

The Light at the End was a fantastic audio story to celebrate the landmark 50th anniversary! And it's no coincidence that I've listened to this story exactly one year on from The Day of the Doctor. So, happy 51st birthday to Doctor Who and I think I've adequately celebrated with this much praised audio adventure. The plot was really good and like the numerous Christmas stories, I like how the story has an inadvertent link with the theme of the story. Here, the story was centred around the broadcast date and time of Doctor Who's very first episode, An Unearthly Child. I really liked how things were kept current with Big Finish with the latest Doctor and companion combination seemingly being the lead pairing in the story. The Eighth Doctor and Charley were brilliant throughout and I loved how they were centrefold at the start of the story. The use of the mysterious red light in the TARDIS for all eight incarnations was good and I like how the absence of the time stream and the events of this story being erased from memory meant each Doctor was seeing the light for the very first time, or so they believed. The echoes were very intriguing but they were the reason this spectacular and landmark story didn't get full marks from me. They seemed to be all over the place sadly and not explained enough. I mean we heard remnants of Ben, Polly, Sara, Tegan and Turlough but nothing was really made of it. It just seemed like they were there to get a very small part in the story. I did love Polly talking to the Doctor just shortly after his regeneration in the excellently referenced The Tenth Planet. I also loved the reference to Charley's debut in Storm Warning! The relationship between the Eighth Doctor & Charley and the Fourth Doctor & Leela was a highlight of the story. Charley's reaction to meeting the Fourth Doctor in a much different TARDIS interior to what she's used to was wonderful. The numerous tellings of regeneration to companions were terrific throughout! The relationship between the Sixth Doctor & Peri and the Seventh Doctor & Ace was brilliant too. There really was some great Doctor and companion pairing pairings (if that makes sense). The Fifth Doctor's relationship with Bob Dovie was an interesting one and I'm a tad surprised he was the Doctor chosen to walk into the TARDIS with him. Peter Davison's Doctor isn't the greatest in audio so I think having some multi-Doctor action for him would have been better served. The depiction of the TARDIS crashing into the Dovie household was pretty funny and I loved that Kevin thought it was Santa! The Master's efforts in destroying the time stream of the Doctor and causing time to bend around the TARDIS was as devious a plan as ever from the madman! Now, I'm not keen on Geoffrey Beavers' take on the Master. He doesn't seem to carry the infamous villain trait well enough. In audio, you need something that stands out and I just don't think he does. But the plan of the Master was just incredible! He wanted to make the TARDIS that the Doctor stole to never have existed. It's like Turn Left but with incredibly higher stakes! Everything the Doctor had ever done would be wiped from history. The direct references to The Dalek Invasion of Earth and The War Games as events that weren't stopped by the Doctor. The Dalek occupation long lived and the War Lord's armies raged across the galaxy. The climax was done very well I thought with all the echoes joining well. The way the first three incarnations were written out of being able to fully materialise was excellently explained and put in. It actually made sense which was much better than them just not appearing. The resolution was admirable with eight Doctors coming together against the Master. Did he stand a chance? The time streams were so mucked up now that the Doctors would go back and prevent the Master from stealing whatever weapon he did from the Vess. The use of distraction from the Fourth and Eighth Doctors was wonderful! The way Bob was prevented from imploding was cleverly done and I just loved his comments at the end after being visited by eight different versions of the Doctor to check if he was okay! Outstanding! Overall, a wonderful celebration but some slight flaws that prevent full marks. 

Rating: 9/10

The Abominable Snowmen

"There's a great deal of difference between the Highlands and the Himalayas..."

Writers: Mervyn Haisman & Henry Lincoln

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 30th September - 4th November 1968

Season: 5.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis 

Mysterious forces are at work in 1930s Tibet. The once gentle Yeti have turned savage and besieged a Buddhist monastery. The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria arrive expecting a friendly welcome from the abbot, but soon become ensnared in the plans of the extra-dimensional being known as the Great Intelligence.

Verdict 

The Abominable Snowmen was an excellent six part serial to keep up the early standard of the fifth season. It was nicely paced over the six parts and despite there being minimal action, which is something I think is necessary for a story of that length. But here, with the monastery setting and somewhat calm atmosphere, the story was elegantly told. I do like how well the TARDIS trio of the Second Doctor, Jamie and Victoria are getting along now and it seems that the latter has settled into her new life as a time traveller after arriving on the scene not too long ago in The Evil of the Daleks. The previous story, The Tomb of the Cybermen, was nicely referenced and I think that really bonded our newfound trio very nicely. Victoria seems to be settling into her own and the ice is breaking for her, we're starting to see her come out and express herself a lot more. I liked her eagerness to exit the TARDIS after the Doctor had left and told them to stay inside. She was echoing many companions that would come after her, the Doctor's instructions are rarely adhered to once he's left their presence. I loved the Tibet setting of the Himalayas, even if the production value wasn't all that convincing. But I'm more than willing to let that slide considering this was the 1960s! The effort was there and I could see what was trying to be achieved so that was more than enough for me. I liked the development of the relationship between the Doctor and Travers throughout, that was nice to see. The mystery surrounding the spheres was very good and a highlight of the story. They moved by themselves! But most importantly, they were what animated the Yeti. The idea of robotic Yeti is just excellent! It's audacious but I think it works. People talk of them as an iconic Classic Who villain and despite my liking of them, I'm not convinced I'm inclined to agree. The design is actually pretty comical but they still portray that much needed fear factor in a monster. After returning a trio of Eleventh Doctor episodes, I would say the role of an iconic villain should instead go to the Great Intelligence. A fantastic enemy, one that can't even be seen! It literally is indestructible, and despite its power being thwarted at the climax, it's questionable whether you can kill a mind. I'm not convinced. The cliffhangers were a bit of a mixed bag in this serial I felt. There were some good ones involving the Yeti but others, episode four in particularly, that didn't really fill me with shock. The guest cast were very good and despite some unfavourable names from a blogger's perspective, there were some standout characters. Perhaps most notably was the Abbot, mysteriously in link with the Yeti, or so it seemed. The use of trance during the story was both intriguing and effective, especially when Victoria fell under the spell. Padmasambhava was very enigmatic during the story and I liked how the Intelligence was speaking through him. And it seemed like it'd been doing so ever since the Doctor's previous visit three hundred years ago. I'd love a novel or audio depicting the Doctor's first visit to the monastery of Tibet. I think it'd make a great contrast using the same setting and really help put this story into context. The surprise on many faces when the Doctor brought back the sought after bell was terrific. The one little problem I have with this serial is that it's not made evidently clear what the Great Intelligence actually wants. Though it is perhaps able to be worked out, I'd still like clarification. Thonmi and Songsten were very good characters but I think my favourite guest cast star was Khrisong. I really liked him! The climax was probably the best part of the story with mass action and destruction of the Yeti control units, and then the pyramid that the Great Intelligence garnered its power from. All was well. And at the end, Travers finally found a real Yeti. His expedition was worthwhile. Overall, a terrific serial! 

Rating: 8/10 

Children of Earth: Day Five

"Sometimes the Doctor must look at this planet and turn away in shame."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 10th July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.05

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Rhys

Synopsis 

Torchwood is defenceless and Gwen Cooper stands alone. As anarchy prevails, an ordinary council estate becomes a battleground for the future of the human race. Meanwhile, Jack is faced with an impossible sacrifice. 

Verdict 

Children of Earth: Day Five was an incredible episode to finish off this quite astounding third series of Torchwood! It really was a wonderful finish to what was a week long series, a very successful broadcasting format I would say. Showing the story across five days, both broadcast and in the series itself, was a very clever idea and to now see everything tied up was brilliant. In the aftermath of Ianto's death, what was left of Torchwood still had to fight on against the 456 and somehow stop the 35 million children being sent away. It's pretty unbelievable that the government forces of the world united in just handing over children to aliens. Surely any cover up wouldn't suffice, they just wouldn't be able to get away with it. This episode was incredibly horrific with some uncomfortable scenes that really showed just how terrible and terrifying the events that were happening were. Once midday came and the government set the operation into drive all hell was going to break loose. The scenes where the armed forces stormed the schools and literally shipped children onto buses to be taken away were horrifying. How any parent could cope with seeing that is beyond me, not that any of them were coping! Scenes were abominable. The story of John Frobisher in this episode was quite a sad one as he and his family died, at the hands of John himself. It just showed how disgraceful and selfish politicians can be. They were willing to sign away 35 million children as long as they were sure their own kids would be exempt. The inoculation project needed a social stigmas, and the cold hearted UK Prime Minister was going to use Frobisher and his children to get it. He'd pretend to inoculate his children - but then they'd be taken to a rendezvous point and be given away to the 456. That was when everything hit hard for John. He went along with millions of people losing their kids but once his own were threatened, he soon turned sour. He threatened to tell the truth on camera but he just couldn't take it. The idea of his children being subjugated to the 456, and of course if he allowed them to go he wouldn't be able to look his wife in the eye or live with himself. So he carried out something I would just find impossible. A murder-suicide. He shot dead his two daughters and his wife before blowing a hole in his own gasket. The story of John Frobisher came to an emotional end. Bridget visiting Lois in her cell was nice and I loved how her story of Frobisher being a good man overlapped with his horrendous act of murder-suicide. But of course a wonderful revelation regarding the Torchwood contact lenses would come centrefold near the episode's finish. Once all was said and done and the 456 were no more, the Prime Minister was only thinking of himself and shifting the blame onto the USA. How heartless and callous can you be. You were about to send 35 million children to goodness knows where and all he could think about was himself. A disgrace. I like how despicable the 456 became in the last two episodes of the series. They murdered Ianto and then they revealed their use of the children. They were basically drugs. Shocking and horrific is an understatement! They'd had a taste of 11 children in 1965 and now they wanted 10% of the child population and absolutely no less. Now that's what you call a monster. Gwen and Rhys's struggle with Rhiannon after breaking the news that Ianto had died was really heartfelt. Johnny's 'ten quid a kid' slogan really was a shining comedic continuation in an episode full of despair. The forces came to get those kids who stayed at home so Gwen and co went into hiding, in determination. Her comment about the Doctor was absolutely incredible. I loved her determined look when she continued to run. She's going to make an amazing mother! Speaking of mothers, the resolution of defeating the 456 might just be the most uncomfortable 'victory' ever in the Whoniverse. Jack was brought in by Johnson to work with Dekker to find a way of defeating the 456. And after Clement's death wave signal was kept on recording, they had it. Like the 456 had done over the span of the series, now Jack would reverse it and omit the deadly wavelength back to the 456. It would kill them but they needed a child host to start the signal. Steven would have to be sacrificed. One child dies to save 35 million. Did Jack really have an option? I can't sympathise with him enough when he gave the nod to use Steven. He couldn't look at his own daughter in the eye anymore, I think he knew that relationship was long gone. I was surprised Jack didn't respond to his grandson's questions right before he was hooked to the signal. Dekker's actions and comments didn't help. Then it started and it was incredibly uncomfortable watching Steven die whilst saving the world. The head shaking was horrifying. As was Alice's reactions to her dead son. Emotionally draining, that's what this series has been! And it's been absolutely phenomenal. I like how RTD gave us an end moment with Jack and Gwen saying goodbye because he wasn't sure whether there'd be a fourth series. Thankfully there was but if it ended after Children of Earth then it would have been done incredibly well. Jack departed after saying goodbye to Gwen. In some ways he was becoming like the Doctor, only thinking of those who died in helping him. But just think of all those saved! He did depart though, tying in nicely with The End of Time. But overall, this episode and the series itself has been nothing short of remarkable. 

Rating: 10/10

Children of Earth: Day Four

"The human race in defence of their children will fight to the death."

Writer: John Fay

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 8th July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.04

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Rhys

Synopsis 

Torchwood finally learns of the events of 1965. Britain is in danger of becoming a rogue state and everything pivots around John Frobisher as the ambassador of the 456 destroys its old allegiances. 

Verdict

Children of Earth: Day Four is a staggeringly good episode! What a way to set up for the finale - just astounding! This episode is full of tension, emotion and atmosphere and it's terrific to see Torchwood get the upper hand during the story's unfolding. Obviously the major and absolutely shocking talking point of this penultimate episode of the series is the death of Ianto. When watching on broadcast some five years ago I was absolutely stunned on that Thursday evening when Gwen uttered the words "there's nothing we can do". That was the confirmation. Ianto wasn't coming back. He was dead. Lost. And what an emotional death it was! Torchwood doesn't do killing off the lead characters lightly now do they! The emotion behind Owen and Tosh's departed in Exit Wounds was more than marched with Ianto's farewell here. Not only did the death once again change the landscape of Torchwood, but it showed just how powerful the 456 were. This was what the British Government was dealing with. The 456 wanted 10% of the Earth's children population which equated to 35,000,000. Obviously that was absurd and unthinkable. I was surprised that the cabinet in office were prepared to offer 6700 children as a 'haggle'. How could those responsible for deciding which children would depart live with themselves? How they devised a scheme to come up with the 10% baffled me. They used the school league tables. That's just disgusting. In my opinion, if this was the absolute last resort then the process simply has to be random. Why should those who aren't as clever be discriminated against? The 456's metaphoric laughter at the offer of 6700 was brilliant. So once again they talked through the children and in every single country the numbers equalling 10% of the child population was said. How frightening that must have been! Lois was  wonderful in this episode, she really was splendid. After being responsible for the entire filming of the cabinet conversations, Torchwood were back in command. They held all the cards. They invited Johnson and co to the abandoned warehouse they were based because they knew they couldn't do anything once everything was revealed. Rhys was ready and just waiting for a signal to make the cabinet conversations public. To show the world that they were discussing and agreeing to hand over 35 million children to aliens. Their cover up would be blown and they'd have a mass revolt on their hands. There would be chaos! It was such an unexpected pleasure to see Nicholas Briggs appear in this episode as Rick! And he was callous! A very good character. Frobisher's dealings with the 456 were intriguing but nothing was more so than seeing the cameras brought into the poison chamber and a child was seen apparently hooked up to the 456 itself. And he hadn't aged or grown since 1965. Just what did they use the children for? And why did they now want so many? Some interesting questions that'll need answering in the finale! To see the extent the 456 went to prove a point showed just how dangerous they are. They simply murdered everybody in the building they were housed to prove a point of war. They wanted their 10%, and things look pretty good for them. The method they used to kill Clement was intriguing and when he died that was an extremely emotional moment! He'd been such a good character, despite killing Jack! His relationship with Gwen has been a series highlight. But the talking point was always going to be Ianto's death. I remember the shock back in 09 and everything hit me once again now, five years later. Just an incredible penultimate episode.

Rating: 10/10

Children of Earth: Day Three

"1965 - I gave them twelve children... as a gift."

Writers: Russell T Davies & James Moran

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 8th July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.03

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Rhys

Synopsis 

The eyes of the world turn to Britain. The 455 announce they are here. A pillar of fire descends upon London and Torchwood must battle to protect their own families as the fight gets personal. Will Clement's memory destroy everything?

Verdict 

Children of Earth: Day Three was an another excellent episode to continue this high quality third season of Torchwood! After Day Two saw Torchwood stripped down to the bare bone, actually very literally in Jack's case, but here it was brilliant to see them getting back on their feet. The foursome of Jack, Gwen, Ianto and Rhys had trekked to an abandoned Torchwood One base and we're slowly building up their resources. I thought it was fantastic that Jack basically welcomed Rhys to the team, or what was left of it at least. With Owen and Tosh gone, there seemed to have been a little gap within the main characters but now I think it's clear that void has been filled. The episode itself was full of events and drama. The 456 finally arrived in frightening and freaky style and their appearance was nothing like I'd have envisaged. They weren't too far different from the Macra it seemed! Clement's relationship with Gwen was beautiful during the episode and I loved the look on his face when she came to take him out of jail and into the shelter of the semi-operating new Torchwood base. I loved how Torchwood embraced their status as being on a hit list. They were being treated like criminals so they were going to act like criminals! I guess that's fair enough. The numerous robberies of credit cards were too easy, the acquisition of the car was rather funny and Ianto bringing in the supplies and fresh clothes was terrific. The team were slowly but surely getting back on their feet. Jack was back in army-like uniform too so they must have been somewhere close to functioning. Frobisher has been absolutely brilliant during the series thus far and Peter Capaldi gave another stellar performance here. I loved how he was the spokesperson for Britain, and the human race, with the 456. How he easily convinced them to not talk of their previous visit to Earth in 1965 was frightening. The event must have been horrific, and we would soon find that to be extremely true. I loved how upset the United States were that they weren't the focal point of attention. Britain was shining, gaining publicity and attention, and the States didn't like that, as they wouldn't. Silly Americans. Anyway, the cabinet meeting was very good to see and I liked how UNIT were represented and continue to pop up in the spinoff series. The Prime Minister hasn't been greatly significant in the series to my surprise and that was just proven in this episode as it was agreed he wouldn't be allowed contact with the 456. Lois was excellent in this episode, just like the previous, and I was really fond of the high-tech lenses being used once again. They were so effective in Reset and once again they did the same here. The way Torchwood pushed and persuaded her to help them was very good, and it was nice to see she obliged. The direct reference to the Doctor was tremendous and as echoed in Last of the Time Lords, Jack is a fixed point in time. He just can't die because Rose decided he would live in The Parting of the Ways. Forever. The eeriness behind the children all stopping and pointing was outstanding! What an image. Every child on the planet all pointing towards London. Because they were coming. And they were here. Their arrival into the constructed compound was unexpected with the beam of light descending over Thames House. Alice being worried by Jack's involvement in the Cardiff Bay bombing was nice to see, despite the fact she loathed that her own father looked younger than her, she still cared for him. Of course she did. And it would result in her and her son's capture. The talking of Jack's deceased wife was really intriguing too, as Alice's parents both had undercover names. I was surprised by Ianto when he asked Jack how it felt to be blown up. What a question! It was pretty heartwarming when Jack revealed he felt it all. The impact. I liked the phone call between Jack and Frobisher and the admittance from the latter that the former was a better man than he. That much was obvious. Or at least it seemed. The revelation about what happened in 1965 during the 456's last visit was horrifying. The other names on the blank page order were explained, they were there in Scotland when the kids stepped into the light. They knew what the government didn't want anyone knowing and they paid the price. They, along with Jack, gave the 456 twelve children as a gift. But now they were back and after a much bigger gift - 10% of the children's population. A wonderful cliffhanger to an episode full of shock!

Rating: 9/10

Children of Earth: Day Two

"You know some announcements you go over in your head? This wasn't quite what I had in mind."

Writer: John Fay

Format: TV

Broadcast: 7th July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.02

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis 

The Torchwood Hub, and Jack himself, has been blown apart leaving nothing but wreckage. With Gwen and Ianto on the run from government assassins, what can they do to prevent the 456's arrival? This time, they'll have to go it alone because Jack is just found as body parts...

Verdict 

Children of Earth: Day Two was an outstanding continuation of the incredible story that was laid out in Day One (that's not the series one episode for skepticists). After the amazing cliffhanger, this episode really did seem like the beginning of the end for Torchwood. Owen and Tosh had already died and now Jack had literally exploded destroying the entire Hub into smithereens with him. The dismantlement of the Hub really was quite incredible. The devastation that remained of Cardiff Bay was almost heartbreaking with it being an area of my capital city that I really do love. Every time I'm there I always think of Torchwood, a programme I really loved. And even at one point I ranked it higher than Doctor Who itself - that's how much I love this show. So seeing everything destroyed was soul wrenching! The SUV had already been stolen in the first day and now we were left with Gwen and Ianto on the run from the government who'd hired assassins to wipe out the team, for reasons we're not completely sure. Just when were the 456 here before and what are the government so eager to hide from Torchwood in particular? The return of Andy was much welcomed, a character I've really loved over the series and almost straight away he dropped Gwen in the shit. He directed them to her house! The scenes where she told Rhys they had to go immediately were excellent humour. He didn't have a clue what was going on! Ianto meeting up with his sister was nicely done and I like how we're learning a bit more about the family history of our team members who are unknown quantities. After Something Borrowed, and even before that really, we know quite a lot about Gwen's backdrop. So seeing Alice sitting on eggshells was rather hard to watch at times. She was just waiting to hear anything from her Dad. Gwen deciding to tell Rhys she was pregnant whilst they were hitchhiking in the back of a potato lorry was a bit of a surprise! I thought she'd have chosen a more convenient time. But the comedy factor was lovely. The collection of Jack's body parts from the Hub wreckage was horrific. But incredibly, bit by bit, Jack was reforming back together. Slowly resurrecting. And when he did, before his body was anywhere close to being 100% again, the scream was just awful to bare. I can't imagine what he was going through! Johnson's utter disgust at him surviving was excellent, so what did she do? Just filled his cell with cement and formed a concrete one. But the rescue mission was on. And soon enough Ianto and Gwen would get to Jack. Lois helping Gwen and Rhys with absolutely everything was magnificent and I loved how she trusted Torchwood over her own employers, even if it was only her second day. It seemed Torchwood had an inside source into the government and more importantly perhaps to Frobisher, the perpetrator of the blank page. Peter Capaldi gave another excellent performance and his nervousness surrounding Torchwood was marvellous. Just what had the government done that was so bad involving the 456? Beings that had gotten their wish from translations. A chamber filled with poison was devised. And they were coming tomorrow. Is that enough to sell the next episode? I would think so! The climax to this one was far more heroic than the previous day! Instead of the Hub blowing into rubble, the rescue mission succeeded. After a comical goof with an undertaker, Gwen and Rhys had gotten into the complex where Jack was held. And just when it seemed their time was up, Ianto wonderfully saved the day. He then saved Jack which was great and they reunited, with Jack naked, in humorous but emotional circumstances. They'd all survived. But they had a lot on there hands. Government assassins were on their tail and the 456 were coming. Another astounding episode! This series seems like it's going to be incredible! 

Rating: 10/10

Children of Earth: Day One

"She died because she thought she was nothing."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 6th July 2009

Series: 3.01

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis 

When all children on Earth stop and start chanting "We Are Coming", the Torchwood team investigate. Could this be the start of a global panic?

Verdict

Children of Earth: Day One was an absolutely phenomenal start to this new look and new feel third season of Torchwood. To say it was packed with milestone events is an understatement! I just knew it was going to be something special when I saw that Russell T Davies was back writing for the series he created for the first time since the pilot episode. I liked how we got straight into business of what the series is obviously going to be centred around with the stopping of the children at 8.40am. I loved how the complete stoppage of children occurred right during the school run of Great Britain, and then again at 10.30 - the general break time during school. I really liked how it was mentioned that the times were all focusing on Britain, so what was so special? I look forward to finding out very much. The pre-title scene in 1965 Scotland was very intriguing and I'm sure that'll tie in nicely with Clement as the series goes on. Speaking of which, what a terrific character he was in this opening episode! Just what made him so special that he's the only adult to be in sync with the message being spoken by the children. His conversation with Gwen was somewhat uncomfortable with the sniffing but I loved how it got easier once he knew he could speak to Gwen about the aliens. That he wasn't alone. The reference to Gwen's pregnancy was also quite a shock! How the hell could he tell she was pregnant, and how long along she was? Whatever it was, I liked it and loved the look of shock from Gwen. The cameo, if you can call it that, of Rhys was a bit of a shame I thought. After the deaths of Owen and Tosh in the last episode, Exit Wounds, which concluded series two in style, I really thought Rhys's role within Torchwood might have increased. But at first it looked like Rupesh was going to be a new member of the team - before he shot Jack that was. Gwen feeling sympathy for him, before the shooting of course, was nice as she went through exactly the same thing in the referenced Everything Changes. I really liked how Jack and Ianto seem to be officially a couple now, even if they both didn't seem to be quite to grips with it yet. The humour where they dislodged the hitchhiker from the corpse was brilliant! Seeing Peter Capaldi as John Frobisher was really quite strange after seeing him star as the Twelfth Doctor very recently in the latest series finale. But it's fantastic to look back and rewatch this series, for the first time since broadcast, and see how he fared in the Whoniverse for more than just the one episode as was seen in The Fires of Pompeii. The appearance of UNIT was quite a surprise I must say but one I certainly welcomed! Will we get an organisation alliance to defeat the mysterious and thus far unexplained 456? I would love to see it. Perhaps the biggest surprise in this episode was Alice, the daughter of Jack! Now that really was a pleasant shock. I think it's staggeringly good how Jack has a child that he still cares for and despite him not ageing whilst she does, he is protecting her. I loved how he wanted a better relationship with Steven and despite the mystery surrounding the children at the time, I sensed truth and plea behind Jack's words. He was his grandson after all. Ianto's sister, Rhiannon, also being introduced was very good. I absolutely adored Gwen's comments when she was going over the Severn Bridge and into the dreaded place known as England. As a passionate Welshman myself I think I just fell in love with her all over again! The introduction of Lois was done well and I liked how it being her first day opened a lot of doors. The issue of the blank page against Jack was excellent and really give the series something to run with! The government had ordered his assassination! But he couldn't die. Would they just employ people to continuously kill him every time he resurrects? I look forward to finding out. But the cliffhanger we were given was astounding. It was one of the best ever! Rupesh was dead, and now a bomb had been implanted into Jack! I loved how it was suspected that the rift or hub was the reason for Jack's inability to die. And after congratulating Gwen on her pregnancy he got a little too close to the scanner and a bomb was detected inside him. Gwen's reaction to her pregnancy was amazing but now she and Ianto had to run. And as they got out, the Hub and Jack exploded. Goodness knows what'll happen during the second day! 

Rating: 10/10

Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday

"Snow White who has been Snowana held the Key of Nevermore, and with it she had the power to make Gallifrey fall."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2011

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 2012

Featuring: Rassilon

Synopsis 

A fairytale of Gallifrey's Old Times. Could the Matrix be wrong? Our would a girl banished to Outer Gallifrey gain the pose to bring the fall of the planet of the Time Lords?

Verdict 

Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday was a beautiful little story! It was a really pleasant read and I just love the idea of a fairytale story from the Old Times of Gallifrey! It's so rare in the revived Doctor Who to get a reference to Gallifrey, especially it's arguably greatest Time Lord, or its history. I mean, they finally made an appearance in the Tenth Doctor's sendoff in The End of Time but that's it. The Master doesn't count in my opinion because that's a historic enemy. Time Lord stories rank as my favourites, with none higher in my opinion than their debut and the Second Doctor's final story The War Games. I love how this story was referenced in Night Terrors as being one of the Doctor's favourite stories from his home world and it's easy to see why. It really was a lovely story! The picture of Rassilon was great and exactly how he appeared in the aforementioned Tenth Doctor story which cancels out any questions as to whether 'the Narrator' was Rassilon or not. I'm not sure why there are any questions to begin with as I'd say the evidence is pretty clear. The story itself is pretty short so there's not a great deal to discuss but what we got really was nice. I loved how it was an obvious resemblance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, but adjusted for the small matter of the downfall of Gallifrey. The continuation from The Invasion of Time was very nice with the Outlers who would of course become Outsiders. The way Rassilon was asking the Matrix questions like it was a magic mirror was pretty funny I thought, though I'm not sure why. Of course he'd want to know if anyone had the power to destroy Gallifrey and I'm intrigued that the Doctor wasn't mentioned. Despite him saving his home planet in The Day of the Doctor, he did have the power to bring about the destruction of Gallifrey after all, even if in the end he didn't take it. The different Keys to Doomsday were all named intriguingly and I like the idea of one being called Nevermore as the most coveted. The obvious similarities to The Keys of Marinus were tremendous and it really was the same concept, just the number of keys the difference. Snowana is a stunning name and really does sound like the name of a Time Lord, or Lady rather. Overall, a short but extremely sweet fairytale story. It really is a nice addition to the Whoniverse and it's great seeing what kind of story the Doctor likes! I just wish there was more so I could discuss things further. 

Rating: 9/10

The Eye of Torment

"Humans! Stupid, brilliant, brave, semi-sentient monkeys, some days I love you!"

Writer: Scott Gray

Format: Comic Strip

Released: August-November 2014

Printed in: DWM 477-480

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

Far in the future, the Doctor and Clara stumble across a sunship located right at the heart of the sun. But something is alive, living at the very centre, feeding on regret - and the Eye of Torment is opening, as the prophecy states it would. It's time for the Umbra to rise, and condemn the human race.

Verdict 

The Eye of Torment was a fantastic start to the comic strip adventures of Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor in the pages of the wonderful Doctor Who Magazine. I liked how they delayed the arrival of the Doctor in part one with the magazine going out two days prior to the broadcast of Deep Breath - the official debut of the Twelfth Doctor but instead keen readers like myself who pick up the magazine on the day of release were welcomed to a surprising yet brilliant cliffhanger. Before he'd even appeared on television, the new Doctor was in a comic story! Unheard of and potentially scandalous, yet I loved it. To any old Dick and Harry who will read this story on back issues or in the inevitable graphic novel, they might be surprised and somewhat disappointed by that cliffhanger, but for me it's massive! I know we got hints of our new main man in The Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor but we now knew that this was the first instalment of a brand new Twelfth Doctor adventure and it had come before his appearance on screen! I liked the way it was accounted for with a recap of events from the Doctor's perspective leading up to the cliffhanger moment. His babbling to himself without noticing Clara had gone back to get changed (and somehow looking amazing even in comics!) to accommodate the chilly temperature. At first, Clara seemed pretty accurate with her thoughts of being in the Antarctic, but instead the setting would be the complete opposite of whatever you'd expect based on the cold references. The ship was right next to the sun! The actual sun. The appearance of the Umbra was intriguing and pretty horrifying, especially at the part two cliffhanger! I'm really glad that they were given a name after being referred to a couple of times as simply 'the thing'. The ability was excellent and gave them a really intriguing scape. They sensed and pounced on regret. And that's how they got in the ship. The way they got into the ship by using psychic control and the hunt on regret to let down the defences of the Pollyanna was very good. I loved how the Doctor and Clara were split up from each other throughout the story but that allowed a brilliant climax with each of them having their own bit of the plan of defeating the Umbra. It was nice to see the Doctor and Clara on good terms in this story as on television there were many moments where the lead duo were far from being on the same page! The most obvious example being Kill the Moon. I loved the moment the Umbra tried to feast on the regret of the Doctor, and there was so much of it. The subtle references to Doomsday, Earthshock and Genesis of the Daleks were magnificent. Are they the three things he regrets most? Losing Rose, leaving Adric to die and not destroying the Daleks at birth? An outstanding little moment. I liked how this had no obvious similarities with 42 which it might have been prone to but I was glad that this was completely original. I wasn't keen on us not having a clear explanation as to how the sun wasn't frying them instantly but the brilliant backdrop to the Umbra made up for it I think! I really liked the flashback of how they ended up in the gigantic fireball. Rudy was such an annoying character which was absolutely the aim! He somehow wanted to step foot on the sun! He hired a whole team of women and really wasn't listening to advice. He thought he could reason with beings from within the Sun. Sandy was a lovely character and I liked how she got on with Clara but the best guest character for me was Alice. She had some good dialogue with the Doctor, especially once he'd arrived, and her shock of him going out into the mass Umbra gathering was terrific! Of course, along with Clara edging Rudy into the Umbra net, that was all part of the plan. One that I liked. It was obvious Rudy didn't regret anything and that destroyed the Umbra! Now, with the upmost of irony, the Doctor helped them melt on the sun. A very good climax! Overall an ironic, fantastic and well paced plot. A good start to the Twelfth Doctor comic strips!

Rating: 8/10

Return of the Daleks

"I'm working for the Daleks now and I really must get started."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: December 2006

Series: Special Release IV

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Suz, Kalendorf

Synopsis 

No one could ever know. We had to erase the past. Change everything. Start again. 

But even though it's been centuries now... In our hearts, none of us feels truly...

Safe. I think, even if our people were to survive until the end of time itself, we would still fear... The return of the Daleks.

Verdict 

Return of the Daleks was an outstanding special release audio! I love the idea of throwing the Doctor into the world of the Dalek Empire but also bringing in magnificent continuity from the classic TV series. After my recent venture into the Dalek Empire spinoff range, I'm more than familiar with the characters of Suz and Kalendorf, both whom I like really much. And adding the Seventh Doctor to the pairing in a story set during the first series of Dalek Empire really gives us a splendid story. I like how the story is set between The Human Factor and "Death to the Daleks!", that much is evident and it's a great throwback to the series with Kalendorf resenting Suz and her 'Angel of Mercy' title in which she serves the Daleks. It was brilliant that the Doctor knew all about the plan of Suz and Kalendorf as they went on a Dalek conquered planet's merry-go-round, to implant the trace of overthrowing the conquerers of the galaxy via Kalendorf's telepathic ability. It was tremendous seeing the plan unfold over the four stories of the first series and I guess the pair must be written in folklore after stopping the Dalek plan. The reference to Invasion of the Daleks was very good and not exactly unexpected but the continuity I liked best was that of Planet of the Daleks and the surprise return of Spiradon! I thought the reveal was excellent and throughout I was intrigued why the Daleks were so interested in Zaleria, but then the truth came out and all was obvious then - the abandoned Dalek army frozen in animation beneath the ice. Just like in the Third Doctor story, the Daleks were after invisibility to aid them in their conquest of the galaxy. Skerrill represented the Spiradons wonderfully and she perfectly showed the hurt and heartache and shame and embarrassment the race felt after previously working for the Daleks as slaves. They'd never forgiven themselves and were now doing everything to ensure that the Daleks wouldn't find them again. The speech at the start of the audio was an emotional one and just showed how much of an emotional scar the Daleks had left on Spiradon as they feared the day that the Daleks would possibly return for their sleeping army - and now that day had come. The Doctor's role in the story wasn't as prominent as I thought it'd have been but I guess that just shows you how well the cast of the Dalek Empire range have done. I'm now affiliated with them so only having minimal appearances from the Doctor wasn't bad at all. But when he did say something, it meant something. Now, I've been somewhat slightly critical of Sylvester McCoy's Doctor in the audios but here was one of his best performances that I've come across. It really was excellent! Without a companion, something that's new for me other than the opening snippets of The Movie, and that just allowed him to act alone without having to worry what Mel or Ace or whoever was up to. He would now be solely focused on defeating the Daleks, something he's not failed to do before. That's a statement I question. If he always defeats the Daleks then how come they've got a galaxy wide empire? And how can he just acknowledge it as the Second Great Dalek Occupation? Surely he'd want to do something about it. Instead, he went and worked for the Daleks over many years, something I found of high interest, always plotting their downfall. Instead of giving them invisibility, he returned it to the Spiradons for their natural state and instead infected the Daleks with the same deadly disease that he defeated them with in the already mentioned Planet of the Daleks. It was very interesting seeing how close the Doctor was to regeneration and it almost seemed like he didn't want to change which I thought was extremely intriguing. Overall, a fantastic special audio! Great relationships with the Doctor, Suz and Kalendorf, brilliant continuity with the Third Doctor story and a wonderful sense of pride after the Doctor heard of the Empire's falling on Yaldos. Terrific!

Rating: 9/10 

Project Infinity

"How much death can you watch before it becomes meaningless?"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: January 2002

Series: Dalek Empire 1.04

Featuring: Suz, Alby, Kalendorf

Synopsis 

The Seers of Yaldos have a sad story to tell, but Alby and Kalendorf know they must listen.

Meanwhile, the Daleks seem unconcerned by their recent defeats. They have their sights firmly fixed on Project Infinity

In the hands of the Daleks, the human race's only hope of victory could signal the destruction of the entire universe.

Verdict 

Project Infinity was a fantastic finale to what has been a brilliant and very consistent first series of the Dalek Empire range, in which Nicholas Briggs has pulled off a wonderful coup. This really is a magnificent idea and it really does feel like a sci-fi soap opera! The character development over the four stories has been marvellous and it's also been terrific to see what the Daleks get up to when the Doctor isn't interfering in their latest devious scheme. The setting of the 42nd century has been very good and it's going to be over 2,000 years before the accuracy of the audio can be questioned, and I'll be long gone by then but if anyone is scouring the outer depths of whatever the internet has become and squanders upon this blog, then comment on the accuracy! Ha! The failure of Suz to appear was a shock and added credibility to her apparent death. The revelation of the narrator, who I originally had suspected was Suz herself, was very intriguing. I liked the background to the Seer of Yaldos and the agony Alby was going through due to her connection with Suz was outstanding! It must have been emotionally challenging - and that's an understatement. The reference to The Human Factor was a heartfelt moment as across the cosmos it was revealed Suz got the message from Alby that he loved her. And she felt the same. It was interesting not having our main character star and I think the absence of female familiarity slightly hurt the story in parts but Mirana made up for what was mostly a no show. The reference to The Genocide Machine was brilliant and I love how the library on Kar-Charrat is being continuously referenced, it was such a unique thing and it should be reused no doubt! The similarities to The Mutant Phase were outstanding and I love how Mirana's mind was linked to that of the Dalek Emperor, likewise in the  mentioned story with Ganatus. The fact she'd been working towards a Dalek cause without even realising it for so long was terrific. The tying up of the series as a whole really was excellent. The reason the Daleks wanted the Veganite way back in Invasion of the Daleks was revealed nicely. Suz continuing the phrase of "Death to the Daleks!" was nicely included. The whole plan of occupying the galaxy by the Daleks not even being their main objective was quite a surprise but I thought it was great! The Daleks conquered the galaxy just to create a diversion so the Earth Alliance wouldn't notice a lone Imperial Command ship sneaking off to the other side of the galaxy for their real objective. And that was Project Infinity. It wasn't a weapon. It was a device that was wanted to be used by both the Daleks and Alliance. The idea behind it was audacious magnificence. Both factions wanted to have a sneak peak into parallel universes - one where the Alliance had found a way to defeat the Daleks and one where the Daleks were invincible, respectively. The idea was just brilliant! The fact that the Daleks took the initiative and opened a gateway to the universe where the Daleks were invincible was frightening, but then that brought the resolution! These parallel universe Daleks seemed shocked at the normal universe Daleks' actions and it seemed that conquering a galaxy was completely un-Dalek in the parallel universe. I'd like to meet that universe's Davros if that's the case! The extermination of the Imperial Command Daleks was a shocking but great climax! What a wonderful resolution and now there's a lot of questions to be asked in the second series, which has been set up in style.

Rating: 9/10