In Their Nature

"It is in my nature to try to find solutions - the needless loss of life... it tortures me."

Writers: Scott & David Tipton 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: May 2013

Series: Prisoners of Time 05

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis 

Our yearlong celebration of Doctor Who's 50th anniversary continues! Brave heart, Whovians, for the Fifth Doctor takes the spotlight in this issue of a 12-part epic adventure featuring all 11 incarnations of the Doctor!

Verdict 

In Their Nature was a brilliant comic strip adventure and it continued Prisoners of Time in excellent fashion! So far, it was the best of the five stories so far and was ever so close to securing that all important first perfect rating. I'm sure I'll have one by the time I've read all twelve adventures in a week or so and the story as a whole will undoubtedly secure a perfect rating, even though I'm judging them as separate stories (because they are!). I absolutely loved the name of the story after reading it because it was so perfectly suited to the villains that appeared but I still think Unnatural Selection has the best story name so far. But this one certainly ran it close! I liked that, in an epic adventure celebrating fifty years of Doctor Who, we saw the Sontarans and Rutan Host play their part by getting a worthy appearance in the anniversary. The Zarbi, Ice Warriors and Judoon have all featured thus far so I was very pleased to particularly see the Sontarans appearing. I really love them as enemies and I think they're overdue a return in the new series but at least they did make a recent outing against the Twelfth Doctor in the Instruments of War comic strip. It's a rare occasion that we actually get a story to feature both the Sontarans and Rutan Host but that was the case in the aforementioned comic strip and it was fantastic to see it again here. I think it happened in its most depth in The Infinity Doctors novel which really expanded on the war that has been going on for millennia. The First Sontarans also touched upon it very well and I think it's only right that the war took centre stage in one of the twelve adventures featuring every incarnation of the Doctor. I'm glad they decided to place the Doctor involved as one that didn't meet the Sontarans on screen so it was brilliant to now have a visual source for a Fifth Doctor and Sontarans story. I have read an encounter between the pair previously with the Lords of the Storm novel and although I favour novels over comic strips (the content on the blog might make that difficult to believe) but there is nothing quite like the visuals of a comic strip, especially one in colour! As far as I can remember, the only Fifth Doctor comic strip that I have previously blogged is On the Planet Isopterus which isn't much experience of him in this format at all with it being from a Doctor Who Annual. I do own The Tides of Time graphic novel which I will be getting through very shortly after finishing this epic adventure so I'll soon be clued up on his DWM exploits. The overarching story of the umbrella title really became intriguing in this story with the Doctor actually remembering his companions being taken in previous incarnations. It would seem that the endings of each story may not end in the same way after all. I think that's a good thing as eleven stories with the same ending but with different people would have gotten really boring but I'm very intrigued now and I'm glad they have kept things interesting with the companion kidnappings. The story actually opened with us seeing the cloaked figure's face and I was very intrigued that it wasn't recognisable. I have no clue who he is and I'm now even more intrigued to lesrn his reasoning for trying to rid the Doctor of his companions through time. It would appear his power is wearing thin though which again intrigues because we're not yet halfway through the incarnations of the Doctor. But anyway, I'm sure there will be more clues and hints along the way and I look forward to learning all about it as it happens. I thought the artwork was a little questionable in this story with the depictions of the TARDIS foursome a little too youthful. I know this particular TARDIS team was young but they seemed to be almost drawn as children which was a little disappointing and contributed to my reasoning for not being able to award full marks. I really wanted to but I just couldn't and there was another reason why. We had superb references to Horror of Fang Rock, The Time Warrior and The Invasion of Time but I couldn't award the perfect rating to a story that had Sontarans helping the Doctor. I loved the way the Doctor talked them into doing it and almost talked them out of a glorious death altogether but the way Commander Strock glossed over the Doctor's reputation amongst his brethren was a little contradictory. It was a shame because there weren't many other errors at all and I loved that the story was full of action. Adric, Nyssa and Tegan didn't have much to do other than ask questions and get captured but after a wonderful story with two brilliant enemies returning, the overlapping story has firmly taken stage and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Rating: 9/10

A Rare Gem

"Some say you can see infinite complexity in the facets of the jewel."

Writers: Scott & David Tipton

Format: Comic Strip

Released: April 2013

Series: Prisoners of Time 04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela, K9

Synopsis 

Our yearlong celebration of Doctor Who's 50th anniversary continues! Put on your scarves and munch on some jelly babies, as the fan-favourite Fourth Doctor takes the spotlight in this issue of a 12-part epic adventure featuring all 11 incarnations of the Doctor!

Verdict 

A Rare Gem was another very good story to nicely continue along the Prisoners of Time epic adventure! We're a third of the way in now and we're still no nearer to knowing who this cloaked figure is that keeps popping up at the end of stories to take away the Doctor's companions leaving the Time Lord to be left alone, something the figure seemed very determined to do when we first saw him in Unnatural Selection. It's unclear if there's any kind of motive this person has against the Doctor but with him targeting every incarnation and jumping across space and time to do it, I very much doubt this is another case of an evil villain. I mean, it might be in the form of one we have seen before and I wouldn't bet against the figure being some form of Time Lord. I'm very much looking forward to the big reveal though which I assume will have to wait until the twelfth story so I've got some time to wait yet! I'll be continuing this graphic novel right the way through though so I guess I will still see companions disappearing and me waiting for some answers. As long as I get them, I don't mind waiting at all. I just hope it's all worth the wait! At least by waiting three years for a UK release of this story, I don't have to wait eleven months for this story to unfold and instead I'll complete it in twelve days which will be really nice. The story wasn't really a gem which may sound harsh but it really wasn't. That's not me knocking it by any means but I think to describe a story as a gem it needs to have something extra special. I would consider The War Games, The Night of the Doctor and Hunters of the Burning Stone as gems. Those kinds of stories. However, this comic strip was very rare by being, to the best of my knowledge, the first time a monster from post-revival has appeared in a Classic era story. It's obviously happened numerous times vice versa but that's natural with it going chronologically. I'm looking very forward to the upcoming New Monsters, Classic Doctors audio range in which this format will become more familiar. I'm no stranger to the Fourth Doctor in the comic strip format thanks to limited DWM comic strips and a few Doctor Who Annuals, but I don't believe I had ever read a colourised comic strip featuring this incarnation of the Doctor so that was a nice first time experience. I wasn't surprised by the choice of companion in Leela as I envisaged that the writers would want to also include K9 in getting captured to have as many 'prisoners of time' as possible. That meant that Leela was the idea candidate because if either incarnation of Romana had been taken then her intelligence as a Time Lord might have compromised the whole prisoners of time label. Considering the whole umbrella title is that, it's best not compromising it's credibility. I was very surprised to see the Judoon make an appearance in this story for a number of reasons. Firstly, the Judoon didn't appear on screen until Smith and Jones with the Tenth Doctor so to see them battling the Fourth Doctor really was something. The imagery really was fantastic I must say and it again highlighted the beauty of the comic strip format. You can do absolutely anything and this story proves it. The other reason I was surprised the Judoon appeared was because I have never thought of them as 'bad guys' because they're just not evil. They're the intergalactic police and although my reading of Revenge of the Judoon might change my thoughts a little, I maintain that they aren't enemies despite the means they go to in achieving justice. They tend to gloss over the injustice they carry out in getting that. The plot of this story was decent though patchy in places and was just enough to secure the same rating as In With the Tide. I'm glad it wasn't lower! The ending was similar with the cloaked figure coming to take Leela and K9 and the Doctor clearly seeing them and the figure even talking to him. There are still seven more Doctors to have companions taken from so I think it will be some time before I get answers. Overall though, a good story and a great mix of eras. 

Rating: 8/10

In With the Tide

"They won't stop until the oceans rise above the very trees!"

Writers: Scott & David Tipton 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: March 2013

Series: Prisoners of Time 03

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah, Liz, Brigadier

Synopsis 

Our yearlong celebration of Doctor Who's 50th anniversary continues! "Now listen to me!" It's time to fire up Bessie, as the Third Doctor takes the spotlight in this issue of a 12-part epic adventure featuring all 11 incarnations of the Doctor! 

Verdict 

In With the Tide was another very good story to continue along the Prisoners of Time epic. It wasn't quite up to the standard of Unnatural Selection and Bazaar Adventures mainly because of the ending which I'll come to shortly, but as my rating shows, I still very much enjoyed what I read! I was not surprised that Sarah Jane was the chosen companion for the Third Doctor but I must admit I was pleasantly shocked to see that Liz would also be in the story! It was so great to see her reunited with the Third Doctor after her abrupt departure in which we didn't even get to see her goodbye moment. Of course, the Companion Chronicles range has established meetings between the Third Doctor and Liz after the events of Inferno, her last televised appearance, and although they were wonderful there's nothing quite like a visual story when it comes to reunions of this kind. Seeing both Liz and Sarah alongside the Third Doctor was a real treat I must say. However, I must be a little harsh and criticise the artwork for Liz. She didn't look an awful lot like Caroline John which I thought was a shame but the other three main characters were drawn to perfection, capturing the era in which this story was set with absolute ease. The characterisation of Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor was magnificent and I must I really was impressed with its consistency throughout the adventure. The characterisation of the Brigadier was also superb with Nicholas Courtney's likeness from the Third Doctor era captured with effortless ease. Although Sarah didn't have an awful lot to do, Lis Sladen's likeness was also captured very well and I thought the artwork for her was fantastic. The plot of the story was an interesting one and after appearances in the first two stories of this interconnected arc from the Zarbi and the Ice Warriors, you could forgive me for thinking we were going to be getting a Sea Devils story. That wasn't to be so I guess my ongoing reading of Clara Oswald and the School of Death will have to suffice for that. Agent Paul was a bit of a menacing character but I guess that comes naturally considering he's a member of the CIA. The American influence in the story was quite heavy but I thought the announcement from Nixon was quite humorous and didn't make an awful lot of sense. The Remoraxians posed a threat and were changing the weather across the globe but did that really mean that the whole of Great Britain needed to be nuked? I really don't think so. It seemed way too far a measure. The plan of the Remoraxians was actually very good with them wanting to make the entire planet into a water world. They excellently acknowledged that it wasn't all that far off but there was still a good 30% or so that was covered with land so something needed to be done about that. They had infected UNIT which was a very impressive feat and the Brigadier ordering the Tower of London to be flooded obviously was out of the norm! The appearance of the Whomobile was quite a surprise, especially with Bessie getting a mention in the synopsis. I didn't think it was the one of the best things introduced to Doctor Who but given its lack of appearances it was nice to see it again in this adventure. The major problem I had with this story was the ending. It was just rubbish to be honest. The Remoraxians simply packed up and left the entire planet on the threat from the USA. Why kind of enemies are they? Nobody ever leaves from a threat and they certainly don't go down without a fight! What was even more surprising to me was the fact the Doctor simply just let them go on their way without any repercussions. That seemed awfully strange and was something I didn't really agree with. The scene on the last page was very good though with the mysterious cloaked figure actually coming to take the three companions of the Doctor. In the previous two stories they had just simply disappeared but here we saw the cloaked figure once again and the Doctor actually saw his companions get taken but there was nothing he could do to stop it. I'm intrigued to see where things go from here now. Overall, another very good story but a weak ending. 

Rating: 8/10

Bazaar Adventures

"Dozens and dozens of police boxes!"

Writers: Scott & David Tipton

Format: Comic Strip

Released: February 2013

Series: Prisoners of Time 02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis 

Our yearlong celebration of Doctor Who's 50th anniversary continues! Oh my giddy aunt! It's time to break out the recorders, as the Second Doctor takes the spotlight in this issue of a 12-part epic adventure featuring all 11 incarnations of the Doctor! 

Verdict 

Bazaar Adventures was an excellent continuation of the Prisoners of Time epic and was, as the story name indicates, a rather bizarre adventure! It has been far too long since I've done a story of any kind solely featuring the Second Doctor with the last actually being the Little Doctors audio that I blogged nearly six months ago now. I think that's far too long for me to not experience an incarnation of the Doctor and although he did appear in The Eight Doctors novel, this was like a breath of fresh air to me. The characterisation of Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor was sublime I must say. The writers really captured his likeness which made the comic an absolute breeze to read. Both companions were also presented wonderfully well which just made this a dream in terms of the TARDIS team. This trio really is one of the dream teams that have been at the helm in the TARDIS and the contrasting nature between the companions just makes them brilliant. Zoe is super intelligent and Jamie is well, a bit of a buffoon but I think the thing that makes this trio work so well is that the Doctor is a mix of both! He is an intelligent buffoon in this second incarnation and that was made abundantly clear in this story which I loved. I'm not a huge fan of the story name but it does deliver exactly what it says on the tin. The Frenko Bazaar setting was really good and I loved the opening image of the TARDIS materialising amongst countless other police boxes. That's where my opening quote comes from and it was just magnificent to see the Second Doctor's TARDIS arrive in between two police boxes that looked suspiciously like the version of police box that the Eleventh and Fourth Doctors respectively travelled through time and space in. The setting didn't really seem to fit in with the style of adventure this trio had during Season 6 but it was nice to see them brought into a more modern and colourful world. Unnatural Selection was quite dark and gloomy with the London Underground setting but it was still great to see the First Doctor and co in colour and that feeling was shared here. The availability of 1960s comic strips is currently scarce so seeing these first two Doctors in colour is a real treat. The Voraxx served as a very good enemy and I liked how efficient they were in their actions. As criminals involved in the intergalactic slave trade they really needed to be. Their scanner accidentally registering Jamie as a rare antique was excellent and they would soon be swiping him from out of nowhere to sell on. Brilliantly, the Doctor had already anticipated that and was actually waiting for it to happen. He'd placed a tracker on Jamie and that would lead him to put a stop to the whole scheme. With the help of some recently awoken Ice Warriors, the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe soon put the slave trade operation into shut down. Up to this point, I thought the comic strip was on full course for full marks but sadly it just fell short. I have had my qualms with the Ice Warriors being used for good ever since The Curse of Peladon but one thing I was really against was the Doctor claiming that they weren't actually called Ice Warriors! Considering this story was written over four decades since their debut and countless returns, that was a real flaw in my eyes. I get that they're Martians and these weren't acting evilly, but for the Doctor to say that really struck a chord with me. That was a shame because we had an excellent plot, superb characterisation and great references to The Ice Warriors and The Seeds of Death. Overall though, still an excellent comic strip and the ending seems like it's going to become very familiar with the companions disappearing. I'm intrigued to see who is behind these abductions but it looks like I've got some way to go yet! 

Rating: 9/10 

Unnatural Selection

"The Doctor is never alone. I'm going to have to change that."

Writers: Scott & David Tipton

Format: Comic Strip

Released: January 2013

Series: Prisoners of Time 01

Featuring: First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki

Synopsis 

November 23, 1963: A day that changed the world forever. That day saw the broadcast debut of Doctor Who, which was to become the longest-running science-fiction series on television. And now 50 years later, we pay tribute to one of the greatest pop-culture heroes of all time with this special series, which tells an epic adventure featuring all 11 incarnations of the intrepid traveller through time and space known simply as... the Doctor.

Verdict 

Unnatural Selection was an excellent comic strip adventure and a superb way to kick off what is bound to be an absolutely epic Prisoners of Time. I will be blogging each story over the next twelve days so it's going to be intriguing to jump from consecutive Doctors but with all the stories being connected it really does have all the ingredients to be simply sublime. I really can't see it not delivering if this opening story is anything to go by because it was a sequel to The Web Planet! Now I've made it no secret that the story isn't a favourite of mine but I must admit I was delighted to see the returns of the Animus and the Zarbi. I didn't expect to find them on Earth in 1868 though! The name of the adventure is absolutely wonderful as it sees the TARDIS foursome attend a lecture from Thomas Huxley who was of course a biologist supportive of the theories of Charles Darwin. Ian and Barbara seemed to adore the lecture for very different reasons due to their academic interests but Vicki was less than impressed with the ideas put forward which I thought was great. She didn't have much to do in the comic strip but I liked how she was once again affected by the presence of the Animus. The Animus finding home in the London Underground was an intriguing setting and it obviously helped with its destruction. It just seemed the right place for the creature to be - hidden in the gloom and dark beneath a large city. The Zarbi were pretty harmless once the Animus had been obliterated but I thought they worked well in the comic strip format. This was actually my first comic strip to feature the First Doctor so that was something new for me and I thought the characterisation was pretty good but it definitely could have been better. The likeness of Ian, Barbara and Vicki as companions though was captured magnificently. I was really impressed with that. I imagine this story took place not too long after the Doctor's first meeting with the Animus as there were only two televised stories that followed before Ian and Barbara departed as companions in The Chase. It's interesting that they encountered the Animus again so quickly but I would think that a quick turnaround would only be beneficial to the Doctor. Prior to reading, knowing what an occasion this story was kicking off I naturally assumed that the story would feature Susan as companion but my opening quote soon confirmed to me that she wouldn't be appearing. Obviously, if you're going to do a sequel to The Web Planet then she can't appear because she had already left in The Dalek Invasion of Earth but with the ending seeing the Doctor's companions all disappear, having Susan's intelligence as a Time Lord might not be best suited for whatever is to come in the future. The cloaked figure is mightily intriguing because he knows all about the Doctor and his companions. We saw a capture from The Movie and the inclusion of the household gods plaque from The Fires of Pompeii which I thought was magical. Just what this figure has against the Doctor I'm not sure but I do think we will find out in due course! The reference to The Aztecs was brilliant and I liked Barbara's ironic comment about the Doctor wanting to help find the missing students. He was hardly going to do anything other than help though. Ian annihilating the Animus with a train was quite a sight and it just perfectly highlighted the beauty of the comic format because there's an unlimited budget and just about anything can be done. It was a destructive but efficient way to get rid of the Animus once and for all. But the Doctor realised things were not as they seemed and that there was something else at work. The Animus had too much power but now his companions were missing. They disappeared in an instant and it seems the cloaked figure, whoever he may be, is holding good on his promise. Overall, a brilliant start to the umbrella title collection! A sequel, great setting and a wonderful name. 

Rating: 9/10

The Beautiful People

"You're a terribly orange lady..."

Writer: Jonathan Morris 

Format: Audio

Released: January 2007

Series: Companion Chronicles 1.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis 

Put all your worries behind you.

Situated in 50 acres of relaxing, sculpted gardens, the Vita Novus Health Spa offers a sanctuary from the stresses and strains of 32nd century life. Our exclusive programme of weight loss therapy is celebrated throughout the galaxy for its ease, simplicity and 100 per cent success rate. No matter how full-figured you may be, we can make you slimmer, healthier - and happier.

In fact, you will leave Vita Novus feeling like an entirely new person. And that's guaranteed.

We cater for all endoskeletal carbon-based life-forms. All major credit cards accepted. Parties welcome.

Verdict 

The Beautiful People was an excellent audio adventure and it was my first Companion Chronicles story for what felt like quite some time. It's a range I do very much enjoy and I have blogged numerous of the stories from the range since I started my blog back in late 2013 and although I've jumped from series to series, which isn't really a problem at all with this range, this audio finally saw me complete a whole series from the range! I think it's rather fitting that it was the first series and I think that was always a contender to get that honour because The Blue Tooth was my first adventure from the range and it is also one of the shortest runs at just four stories. The success of the range would obviously mean more stories in a series but it's these first audios that set the tone for the surge of popularity. I was very excited to purchase this audio adventure off eBay for a steal of a price at just over £3 including postage because Lalla Ward was performing the story which will instantly catch my attention. Romana II is one of my all time favourite companions (she may even be my favourite) and this story just once again confirmed that for me because I thought she was absolutely tremendous. I was shocked to learn that this audio is over nine years old now because it really did seem very modern but I guess with Classic era stories being released during the run of the modern era that is going to happen. The setting of the Vita Novus Health Spa was excellent and I liked how Jonathan Morris captured the likeness of Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor in audio through the sheer silliness of him wanting doughnuts. The supply from the TARDIS food machine wasn't the same according to the Doctor and he wanted to get the very best. Through his desire to get doughnuts strawberry jam had even ended up getting into K9's circuits! That was so typical of the Fourth Doctor. The story was set after Nightmare of Eden, a serial that was neatly referenced, and it really did have a feel of being a part of Season 17 which I think is very important. There was an excellent comedic inclusion with the Doctor and K9's absence in parts two and three being explained by the former enjoying the gift shop. But that comedic nature seems to come natural to stories that include the Fourth Doctor and Romana II. They are so delightful together and I really must delve into the fifth season of Fourth Doctor Adventures in which they reunite. Karna served as a brilliant villain for the piece although her quest to rid the universe of obesity was a little harsh. As was mentioned in the story, it doesn't arrive in some people as easily as some might think and there are actual proper excuses for why a person might be obese and I think her simply dismissing that might have caused controversy for some viewers. I'll be amazed if Big Finish didn't receive a few calls or emails about that particular line. Sibella was another wonderful character and I was impressed by how easily Lalla Ward switched between characters. She performed the whole story really well to be fair to her. I'm not struck about a story that's only just over an hour long being split into four parts as was the case here but I must say I thought all of the cliffhangers were really good. Even in audios where I tend to do them in one sitting, I think the cliffhangers are vital because they were such an integral part of the Classic era. The resolutions were also equally as good which was nice to listen to. Karna going to the lengths she did to get rid of obesity ultimate cost her her own life as Romana used her genius to reverse the regenerative circuits of the fat reducer machines so that everybody outside of them would be made into nothing. That's exactly what happened and the spa would soon became a place of enjoyment rather than fitness freaks. Overall, an excellent audio adventure performed by a wonderful actress! 

Rating: 9/10

 

The Fires of Pompeii

"We're in Pompeii... and it's volcano day."

Writer: James Moran

Format: TV

Broadcast: 12th April 2008

Series: 4.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis 

Psychic powers and stone beasts run riot in old Pompeii, but can Donna dare the Doctor to change established history? There's a devastating choice to be made, and it's one that will change the Doctor and Donna forever...

Verdict 

The Fires of Pompeii is a simply sublime episode of Doctor Who! I can't put it in more simple terms. It was truly excellent. I loved the story from start to finish and the episode just seemed to fly by as a result! This was the first time I have watched the episode since Peter Capaldi debuted as the Twelfth Doctor and although I have since watched Torchwood: Children of Earth, it seemed very strange but wonderful to see him appear as the brilliant Caecilius. The character was of course excellent and Capaldi played him so well but it was just so good to see him there with the TARDIS and the Tenth Doctor knowing what would come six years later. Ironically, Capaldi would not be the only actor in the episode to play a major role in the show's future. The episode also saw Karen Gillan make her Doctor Who debut and my oh my she looked absolutely phenomenal as the Soothsayer! She really was stunningly spectacular, as were most of the sisterhood to be honest. The whole episode was stunning. The setting of Pompeii on volcano day is always going to be a hit and it worked wonderfully well previously with The Fires of Vulcan audio but it worked even better on television for the Tenth Doctor. This Doctor and Donna work so well together and I loved how after the humour in Partners in Crime, their first voyage in the TARDIS together becomes an extremely emotional one. The emotion was so strong and I think it's a major reason of why I awarded this episode the perfect rating. The setting was a lot to do with it and I loved the prelude to the opening titles with the Doctor realising where and when he was. Donna had worked it out as well but the Doctor just confirmed things. My opening quote sums it up quickly and efficiently. As if the setting wasn't enough, we had an alien menace thrown in with the Pyrovile. I thought the adult Pyroviles looked mightily impressive and their ability to pass psychic powers to the Sisterhood to see through time was magnificent. I loved the explanation for them not being able to see that Vesuvius was going to erupt because, well, it wasn't. To the Doctor and Donna, Mount Vesuvius erupting was an established part of history but to the sisterhood things were in flux. Speaking of which, this episode was very important in establishing in the modern series that some points in time cannot be rewritten. There are fixed points in time that must not be altered and the Doctor has to ensure that they don't get altered. It's his moral duty as the last surviving Time Lord. Donna wanting to change history was her natural instinct and it was great to see immediately how she was travelling with the Doctor not only to be amazed by the sights she would see but also because she wanted to help save people. Although I think she was there to help the Doctor because even during The Runaway Bride she knew that he needed someone with him for times like this. The Doctor having to make the choice between Pompeii and the world must have been awful but there was of course only one answer. It just must have been horrible for the Doctor to know that he was the one to cause the eruption. The Pyrovile were planning on using the power from the volcano to build their own empire and that also involved boiling the waters on the planet. Quite a destructive plan! The Doctor being aided by a plastic water pistol was so brilliantly the Tenth Doctor and Donna's reaction to that was just as good. The foreshadowing of Turn Left and The Stolen Earth/Journey's End were magnificent and I loved the Doctor's reaction when was named as being from Gallifrey. Donna being referred to as a daughter of London also made her pretty frightened by the accuracy. It was spot on. The Pyrovile Priestess was pretty disgusting with her embracing being turned to stone but the purpose she served in the sisterhood was excellent. Her reaction to the Doctor challenging the alien inside her to name itself was also fantastic. The ending was extremely emotional but I thought it was a saving grace that Donna persuaded the Doctor to at least save someone. The Caecilius family being spared was a very nice gesture and although the volcano erupting was a fixed point, the Doctor could still change a little. I liked how he acknowledged that it was right thing to do and that he needed Donna. Overall, an outstanding episode that was very well paced, full of emotion and just a superb plot! 

Rating: 10/10

The Smugglers

"This is Deadman's secret key. Kingwood, Smallbeer and Gurney."

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released: February 1993

Series: Target 133

Featuring: First Doctor, Polly, Ben

Synopsis 

A 17th century Cornish town - villainous pirates roam the seas searching for treasure while the townspeople have turned to smuggling, wheeling and dealing in contraband.

Into this wild and remote place the TARDIS materialises and the Doctor and his companions find themselves caught up in the dubious activities of the locals.

When the Doctor is unwittingly given a clue to the whereabouts of the treasure the pirates are determined to extract the information - whatever the cost...

Verdict 

The Smugglers was an excellent read and absolutely brilliant novelisation of the long lost televised story of the same name. It's such a shame that early episodes of Doctor Who are missing from the BBC archives and I imagine that it's one of the biggest regrets the company has. I think the fact Doctor Who has missing episodes, and so many of them, just adds that little bit to the legendary status of the programme and you can really see just how long this glorious thing has been on our screens for, albeit not consistently. Where episodes are missing though, Target novelisations step in and go some way to filling the gaps. I have of course already blogged the TV version of this story and so it joins a rather elite club of episodes by having both the TV and novelisation versions blogged. There aren't many that I have done that for and I guess it's only natural as my memories will still be relatively fresh and I'll want to broaden my knowledge. I loved the little recap to The War Machines at the beginning of the novel and I often forget how good that respective story is. It was one of my earliest Classics and the first ones I watched always seem to hold a special place in my heart, as is often the case with many fans. The Doctor's reaction to Polly and Ben intruding on the TARDIS brought back my memory of the TV recons I watched of this story and it put a smile on my face whilst I was on the train back home. This will be the last blogged story that I have completed on the train for a while now as all further journeys will be in a car and then I'll be home for the summer! Time has certainly flown by. Speaking of time, I loved the Doctor having to explain with a slight sorrow that he had no control over where the TARDIS would land. He didn't seem proud of that but the pride he had in his time machine was clear to see which was wonderful. I thought the characterisation of the First Doctor was excellent with Terrance Dicks capturing William Hartnell's likeness very well. To be fair, I wouldn't expect anything less as he really is the master of novelisations. There definitely isn't anybody better and I think that's proven by the sheer volume of stories that he novelised. His characterisation of both Polly and Ben was also superb and in the novelised format I noticed for the first time just how quickly the pair were thrown into the thick of the action that came with being companions of the Doctor. Ben was rather sceptical about travelling backwards in time to the seventeenth century but Polly found everything so exciting which I just loved. She is one of my all time favourite companions and I think it's a great shame that a large quantity of her episodes are lost. Thankfully we have the novelisations and audios to experience more of her but there's nothing quite like the televised format and that's where she absolutely shines. She's terrific and the way she just accepts being called a boy or lad in this story is brilliant. How anyone could look at somebody like Polly and not see the beauty she possesses in abundance is beyond me but it did add some humour to a rather serious story. It was a pure historical which I really liked and I think we definitely need more of them nowadays. Stories like The Aztecs and The Reign of Terror are fine examples alongside this story of how the type of story absolutely works. Cornwall in the seventeenth century is a great setting and thrown in smugglers looking for the treasure of Captain Avery and immediately you have a superb basis for a story. The connections to The Curse of the Black Spot are pretty minimal but wonderful at the same time. Each story impacting the other with the distances between broadcast is just magnificent. The death of the churchwarden at the hands of Cherub was quite brutal but the early timing of it was key in setting up the story. The Doctor had acquired vital information from the warden just in time and he wasn't going to give it up lightly. Captain Pike was a good villain and I liked the amount of double crossing and differences of opinion there were amongst the smugglers. Even the Squire was heavily involved in the smuggling which I thought was very good. The plot was an excellent one and I liked the bloody but action packed ending very much. One highlight of the story for me was the Doctor acquiring an obligation to not just leave but to put things right before doing so. Overall, a great setting, exciting plot and some good characters. 

Rating: 9/10

Claws of the Macra

"Something impossible, awful - a giant creature, the size of a family car, covered in a thick shell, a pair of huge, snapping pincers rearing above it like the stings of a scorpion."

Writer: Trevor Baxendale

Format: Novel

Released: April 2010

Series: DYD 01

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy

Synopsis 

Danger and adventure await you on a school trip to a gas refinery infested by giant alien crustaceans! Only you can help the Doctor and Amy put a stop to the Macra's plans and save Earth!

Verdict 

Claws of the Macra was a very intriguing but surprisingly quick read. This was my first foray into the Decide Your Destiny novels and I must say I was extremely sceptical about the format and had actually been putting off the novel for some time but today I decided to put my fears to rest and I was actually rather impressed by the results. Considering the novel was relatively thick and had over 140 story marks, I was amazed by how quickly I came to a point that had 'The End' at the bottom. It can't have been more than twenty minutes before I came to the end of my particular adventure which really surprised me and the end just seemed so sudden. I appreciate that these types of novel must be incredibly difficult to write and ensure that all possible routes not only make sense but are also entertaining and that is reflected in my slightly generous rating. However, it just appears that my particular choices in deciding the destiny of the adventure made it a very quick one! The idea of setting a Doctor Who story during a school trip to a refinery is actually superb and when you throw the Macra in with that it takes things to a completely different level! I didn't think the Macra were overly great in their debut in The Macra Terror but when they made a comeback in Gridlock, I thought they were much better in a more limited role as they weren't central to the plot but they played a big part. With the route I film in this story, that was a similar scenario here and it worked just as well. I'm not sure if I'm in favour of the Macra acting out of evil, as the Ice Warriors did on many occasions following The Curse of Peladon, but I must admit I did find the idea of the Macra helping out the environment rather amusing. If an alien monster is going to be put to good use then why not have it contribute to reducing global warming? It's certainly a newsworthy topic and with this novel primarily aimed at a younger audience it could certainly get them thinking about ways they could reduce their own carbon footprint. It may not seem much but I thought it was an excellent inclusion. The idea of the reader playing a role in a story is magnificent and even though the character that the reader took on the role of was a schoolchild, it was just brilliant to be referred to as 'you' and have the Doctor and Amy talk to you rather than to each other. Being involved in the story and having some interaction with our heroes was wonderful and I imagine that's the direction the upcoming 'Decide the Future' Twelfth Doctor novels will go in. I can't see anything else with a tag line like that but I'm really not sure I'll be willing to pay full price for them. I actually received this novel from the free book shop back home which sadly shut around two years ago now so it's clear to see how long I've been putting it off! I thought the characterisation of Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor was excellent and a real highlight and Karen Gillan's likeness was also captured extremely well in the novel. That always makes such a difference because without visual aid it has to be believable that the characters stated to be in novel are described as close to their likeness as possible. The plot was pretty good and fast paced and the limited interaction I got between the Doctor and the Macra was a good way to end. It's intriguing to think of a company using the Macra to aid their environmental impact but it does make sense. My destiny meant that it was a sudden ending but I refuse to go back and alter the way I read it as I think that would spoil things. Overall, a most intriguing read!

Rating: 8/10

Attack of the Cybermen

"They intend to prevent Mondas from being destroyed!"

Writer: Paula Moore

Format: TV

Broadcast: 5th-12th January 1985

Series: 22.01

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis 

The TARDIS is lured to Earth, London, 1985 by an alien distress signal. Investigating, the Doctor and Peri stumble upon an attempted bank robbery staged through the London sewers by a familiar foe - ex-Dalek agent, Lytton. But who is he working for this time?

For they soon discover there is something far nastier lurking in the sewers - Cybermen. 

Why do the silver giants need a time machine? What is their devastating plan of attack? And what does it have to do with a catastrophic event that happened long ago in the Doctor's past?

Verdict 

Attack of the Cybermen is an outstanding serial and after rewatching here it definitely maintains its place as my favourite televised Sixth Doctor adventure. It kicks off the season so well and serves as a brilliant story to introduce the new format of 45 minute episodes. I'm not sure the timing on it was particularly right but I like how with a new Doctor and a new direction for the show, the producers were keen to try something new. It obviously must have had some sort of impact as the new episodes are all 45 minutes long so the potential must have been seen there and whether they were popular or not at the time, they've impacted on the future of the show which I think is great. It hasn't been long at all since I watched The Twin Dilemma so I thought it would be good to watch this story pretty soon after and things continued in much the same way. The Doctor did seem at least compassionate in this story and where he tried to strangle Peri in the last story, he assured her here that she would not get hurt at his hands. The Doctor attempting to fix the chameleon circuit is something I think should never happen and although it was interesting to see the TARDIS alter forms from the iconic police box, I'm very glad the fix was just temporary. It just wouldn't be Doctor Who if the Doctor wasn't travelling through time and space in a police box. I like though how this represents the challenging nature of the Sixth Doctor as he wanted to tamper with something so sacred. The relationship between the Doctor and Peri was actually very good I thought and they got along just as well as any other TARDIS pairing. Peri's attire was rather questionable before she exited onto Telos with it being a clear indication to attract male viewers. That's my opinion anyway. I thought she looked much better in the red outfit that she wore after arriving on the alien planet. The return of Lytton after Resurrection of the Daleks was perhaps a little surprising but I thought he was actually brilliant and his role was quite a contrast from his dealings with the Daleks. Originally, it seemed that he was now helping the Cybermen but in a most intriguing twist that was not the case! Instead he was helping the Cryons, the original inhabitants of Telos. There was a lot of Cyberman nostalgia in this story which I think is why it's my favourite Sixth Doctor serial. The main plot is just phenomenal and I think it's quite amazing that nineteen years after the broadcast of The Tenth Planet, its events are central to the plot of a story kicking off the twenty-second season. That's quite amazing. It was a genius move to have the Cybermen on Earth in 1985, a year before Mondas was due to be destroyed. I loved every bit of it. The Doctor's reaction to the Cybermen wanting to change history was one of horror which was marvellous but he seemed even more horrified when he realised that the Time Lords were behind his being involved in the encounter. He was still being used by them when it suited their needs. The Cybermen returned in splendid style and I must say their design is absolutely fantastic in this story. I really do like it. We even had the return of the Cyber Controller who seems to have undergone a bit of an upgrade after what occurred in The Tomb of the Cybermen, which was neatly referenced, and it was good to have a Controller on Telos and a Leader on Earth. It worked excellently. The question of the Doctor still being unstable after his regeneration was good and I liked how it allowed some nice name dropping of past companions such as Tegan, Zoe, Susan and Jamie. That's always a nice moment. The Cryons and Lytton sacrificing themselves to prevent the Cybermen leaving Telos was valiant and I liked the Doctor's frustration at not being able to save Lytton. Overall, a wonderful plot, a great return for the Cybermen and nothing really to complain about! 

Rating: 10/10

The Traitor

"My name is Dr Who. I'd be pleased if you could explain all this to me."

Writer: Paul Crompton

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 1977

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1978

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah

Synopsis 

The Fourth Doctor has taken Sarah to the edge of the Siginund Galaxy, the best vantage point from which she can observe the aurora arctialis, a stunning display of lights caused by the interaction of the three suns in the galaxy. But there is a traitor at work on a planet where a spaceship crashes...

Verdict 

The Traitor was an intriguing little comic strip from the 1978 Doctor Who Annual, a prized piece of my collection as it is now nearly forty years old! I think that's quite a phenomenal fear and although a number of the Target novelisations I have date back to around the same time, some are actually older, there's just something wonderfully special about having a Classic Doctor Who Annual in my collection. In comparison to most diehard fans' collections I imagine that mine probably isn't that large but in the grand scheme of things I would like to think that it is. Moving out of my home because of university has sort of scattered my collection a bit this past year with me wanting to have some things close by but others back at home, and I've even let my cousin borrow a number of items as he's becoming a bigger fan each and every day, but I think the old Annuals are just so retro and that's something I really do like. I currently only own three of the pre-revival era Annuals (1980 and 1982) are the others and I was amazed at how cheap I managed to purchase them. For the three combined I think it was around £8 which is just an absolute steal in my opinion. They add to any collection and although they're not my priority at the minute, I am actively looking to add a few more to the collection if I can find them cheap enough. The Annuals themselves are so much better than the modern ones we get as they're not solely aimed at an audience of children. I really don't understand why they still persist with going in that direction nowadays and surely they'd only have to take one look at the Classic Annuals to see that a mixed audience is the way forward. Anyway, to the story at hand and it wasn't bad at all. The artwork was extremely questionable which I thought was a shame as although they're never quite up to the standard of Doctor Who Magazine was at this time, they're still usually better than what we got. Sarah's depiction was really bad and although some argue that it shouldn't, it really did take away from the quality of the story. I'm not at all sure why she was in the comic strip at all though to be honest as the Annual was released nearly a year after her departure in The Hand of Fear. It was strange that the story didn't include Leela and to be honest the artwork probably looked more like her! The story was pretty good with the Doctor and Sarah arriving on a crashed planet but the truth of the planet would surprise them. As is often the case with comic strip stories from Doctor Who Annuals, there were significant gaps between some of the key events and although sometimes it doesn't effect proceedings, it did here. Zemos was a great character though and the way he was so normal in gaining the help of the Doctor was excellent. We would soon see what his original form was, as you can see in the above picture, and it was significantly different to what we saw on the planet's surface! The Lokans were an interesting race and I liked the Doctor's reaction when he realised he had helped the wrong people. Prior to reading, I did not expect the story's title to refer to the Doctor. My opening quote is unusual and generic but I chose because I can't remember an example in anything I've done that the Doctor openly refers to himself as Dr Who. It seems so strange now but it just caught my attention and it was something that I liked. Zemos returning to help the Doctor was unexpected and he ended up just getting trapped on the planet once more. The Doctor had betrayed him but it was for the right reason. Overall, pretty good but more than room for improvement! 

Rating: 7/10

Four to Doomsday

"No more hunger. No more wars..."

Writer: Terence Dudley

Format: TV

Broadcast: 18th-26th January 1982

Series: 19.02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis 

The Doctor has returned Tegan to 1981 - the right time, but the wrong place.

The TARDIS has landed on a massive spaceship four days away from Earth. It is the domain of Monarch, a scientific genius of almost god-like power. Monarch rules over three billion of his species, as well as a group of apparently immortal humans from Earth's history. What part has he played in Earth's past, and what are his plans for its future? Will he save humanity from itself, or be its destroyer?

It's four to doomsday, and the Doctor has no time to lose finding out.

Verdict 

Four to Doomsday is a pretty good serial and is better than I think public opinion would have you believe but it certainly does have its problems. I actually think it starts really well and the first two parts are nothing short of excellent, but as things continue in the second half of the story they seem to get very bad very quick and I think the poor resolution that accompanied it is why I had to give a rating lower than I would have liked. It was close to being one mark higher but I just couldn't find it in myself to give it. I thought Peter Davison was magnificent in his first filmed adventure as the Fifth Doctor and even though this was broadcast after Castrovalva, it was not produced in that order which I think makes Davison's performance all the more impressive. He has immediately settled into his role and it's great seeing the mix of youth and wisdom that we would also associate with the Eleventh Doctor. But it's the Fifth Doctor who sets that trend here and he does it so well. I love how authoritative he is to Tegan and Adric and this story highlighted just how much of a lack of pain Nyssa is amongst the somewhat crowded TARDIS room. I'm not sure what it is with this particular foursome but up until Earthshock that console room always seems crowded which never seemed to be the case with the First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan or Vicki and then with the Second Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie. I'm not sure if it's the dynamic of the characters but there just seems one too many companions. Maybe that's just my inner disliking of Adric at work. I've never been a fan of him and I highly doubt that I ever will be now. He just doesn't work for me and my reasons were seen clearly when he just blurted out to Monarch everything he wanted to know about the Doctor and the TARDIS. That seemed silly and just reckless and I liked how Nyssa saw that what he was doing was clumsy and wrong. She was lovely in this story, as she usually is, and I love how her intelligence shines through. Tegan was pretty pathetic in this story to be honest and I know it's still early days for her but she needed to get a grip really. I get that she was desperate to go back home after a time of turmoil with the Master but surely after seeing what the Doctor had done she could trust him. The reference to Logopolis was a quite sad one from Tegan's view but her attempts to escape in the TARDIS to Earth to warn them of the Monarch's plan was just stupid. I know I'm sounding harsh but it really was. I loved her in my listening of Hexagora last week and I was looking forward to seeing her in a televised story again but I think I'm going to have to seek her later adventures where her character has grown. I thought the Urbankans were an intriguing race and although they didn't seem to do much other than sit down, they were still somewhat effective. Monarch was obviously the head of the goings on and didn't even get out of his chair until part four but I actually thought Persuasion and Enlightenment were the best of the trio that seemed to be in control of the race. Their reverting to the drawing that Tegan made was a good cliffhanger but I think the part three cliffhanger was the best. The Urbankans having visited Earth numerous times in its past and picking up different cultural people was intriguing and what they were doing was just bonkers but that's the feeling I got from this race. The resolution at the end worked a little for me but the way the Doctor reached the TARDIS was just awful. Truly awful. Throwing a cricket ball in space and catching it to gain momentum? Nah, that wouldn't work and I wasn't buying it one bit. I thought it was really disappointing and I could let the poor special effects pass because it was broadcast over thirty years ago, but that resolution was poor which was a shame. Overall though, more than good in places but sadly some poor moments in the second half that let things down. 

Rating: 7/10

The Age of Steel

"We think the same. We are uniform."

Writer: Tom MacRae 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 20th May 2006

Series: 2.06

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose, Mickey

Synopsis 

The Cybermen take control of London and start converting the population. The Doctor, Rose and Mickey join up with the Preachers and Pete Tyler and together they plan an attack to prevent the conversion of human life into Cyber form. But the Cybermen army is strong and not everyone will make it out alive...

Verdict 

The Age of Steel was an absolutely brilliant conclusion to the story already started in Rise of the Cybermen. The opening episode really captured the beginnings of the Cybermen and led up to their big reveal at the cliffhanger but this second episode is where all the action is and overall it serves as a quite brilliant story. The resolution to the cliffhanger was very good with the Doctor using the power tool from the TARDIS to incinerate the Cybermen followed by a humorous but ridiculously slow getaway. I loved how Mrs Moore mentioned that. The scenes in the van were good and I liked how by chance a formidable team had been established. The Preachers had been joined by the TARDIS team and Pete Tyler in an awesome ensemble. They really did work well together and I like how they all split up and had their own collective objectives to put an end to the Cybermen. The Doctor's determination to put an end to the goings on that night was very good and ultimately he had done so. It was quite sad in parts how the Doctor seemed to forget Mickey but that's been seen ever since Series 1 with the Ninth Doctor. I thought Billie Piper once again looked ridiculously amazing in her catering attire and I liked how stubborn she was in joining Pete to go into Battersea power station and attempt to save Jackie. The station was obviously where the Cybermen were getting converted and the whole of London was flocking there like sheep thanks to the Cybus Industries earplugs. I liked the throwback to The Five Doctors with at least one party attacking the power station from above, below and in the middle. It worked very well and they (nearly) all just about made it in. Ricky had already died at the hands of the Cybermen in the earlier escape and Mrs Moore sadly didn't make it into the power station. Her life story whilst walking below amongst a sea of dormant Cybermen with the Doctor was quite a sad and interesting one and just as we felt a connection with the character she was deleted. That made the Cybermen wonderfully ruthless and evil. Jake and Mickey attacking from above in the zeppelin was superb and I loved how they managed to turn off the transmitter control by luring in a Cyberman to destroy it himself. That caused chaos amongst the humans as they realised where they were and what was happening. Pete and Rose were just about spared by the Cyberman that was once Jackie Tyler and the Doctor's lack of being human saw him go into the control room where they were eventually met by the new Cyber Controller. John Lumic was converted into controller and even had his own throne! I must admit I prefer the type of Controller we saw in The Tomb of the Cybermen and Attack of the Cybermen but I still thought he was superb. Speaking of past stories, I really liked the references to School Reunion, Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways and Dalek with the latter really putting a smile on my face. The way the Doctor communicated to Mickey through the camera to crack the code for the emotional inhibitor was simply stunning and really showed the Doctor at his best. It was truly brilliant and I think this story again just highlighted how well David Tennant plays the Tenth Doctor. He's not my favourite Doctor but boy is he good. The return of the Doctor's suit at the end of the story was another comedic moment. But before that there was an action packed standoff after Mickey had cracked the code for the emotional inhibitor. With the code sent to Rose, the Doctor fed it into the systems and each and every Cyberman realised what they were and the horror that had happened. They all went insane and were even driven to death through that insanity or the explosion of Battersea. The escape in the zeppelin was really good and I liked how the Cyber Controller was still determined to catch them but ultimately met his ends. He was sent crashing from the zeppelin far below. It had been an eventful stay on the parallel Earth and now Mickey had decided to stay. His gran was here and he was going to help finish off the Cybermen in the other factories around the world. Overall, an emotional rollercoaster but an outstanding story! 

Rating: 10/10 

Rise of the Cybermen

"Skin of metal and a body that will never age or die."

Writer: Tom MacRae

Format: TV

Broadcast: 13th May 2006

Series: 2.05

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose, Mickey

Synopsis 

On a parallel Earth, a deadly new version of the Doctor's old enemy is about to be reborn. John Lumic is experimenting on humans to ensure the survival of the brain... and he creates the Cybermen. With the TARDIS powerless and Mickey running into trouble, can the Doctor prevent the Cybermen from wiping out the residence party at the Tyler family home?

Verdict 

Rise of the Cybermen was an excellent episode and it really has kicked off the return of the Cybermen to the modern series in great style. The Cybermen weren't really present until the climax and lead in to the cliffhanger but they were always hinted at and I really enjoyed some of the subtle hints that I noticed more because I have seen this episode more than once before so it is familiar to me but I was just yet to give it to the blogging treatment. I've actually surprised myself with how much of the Tenth Doctor I have been watching and I think I might need to slow down a tad before I run out of stories! I will of course be watching the second episode tomorrow as I always complete a two part story over two days but after that I think my television watching needs to be restricted to the Classic era as there are so many that I am yet to give my blogged verdict on. I'm looking forward to that but there are also quite a few audios and comic strips that I'm excited about doing soon. Anyway, back to this episode and I liked how it was set on a parallel Earth. It gives a different perspective to the Cybermen and I think actually seeing the homeless people get recruited and then ultimately upgraded into Cybermen really drove home the fact that these were at one point human beings. The Classic series mentioned that but we never really saw it on screen. It has occurred more on the audios with Spare Parts and The Harvest and I particularly liked the influence that came from the former, so much so that its author got a mention in the closing credits. There were quite a few similarities but I think the fact it was set on what we recognised as modern day Earth was what made the Cybermen so effective. It's different to anything we've seen before with them and that works really well. The parallel Earth setting provided some excellent moments with the comedic arrival surrounding the zeppelins and the fact the UK had a president and not a prime minister. It was also good that we saw Pete again as in this universe not only had he survived but his drinks were a huge success. The reference to Father's Day was very good and I also liked that Tooth and Claw got a nice mention. The inclusion of the Torchwood season arc was done very cleverly and I imagine that on broadcast it wouldn't really have been picked up because it was so insignificant but watching back now I can just sit and smile at its inclusion. The relationship between Pete and Jackie was quite shaky which was a shame to see, especially with Rose seeing her parents together for the first real time as she knows them. I thought Billie Piper looked incredible as a waitress but as well as looking spectacular she was lovely in wanting her parallel parents to work things out. Jackie didn't agree and was displeased but it was at this moment that disaster was about to strike on her birthday. After the President had refused John Lumic's request to upgrade humans into Cybermen, he decided to crash the party with the very things he was forbade to create. Despite the efforts of Mickey, Ricky and the rest of the Preachers, the Cybermen had arrived. They crashed the party in epic style and I must express how much I love this design. I'm not too keen on the current design that was introduced with Silver Nemesis as I think they're just too small and I don't quite have the fear factor that is on show here. The assassination of the President showed that they meant business though and after killing many other attendees, they soon surrounded the Doctor and co. They decided they were rogue elements and incompatible. They would be deleted. Just how would a TARDISless and weaponless Doctor get out of this situation? I guess I'll find out tomorrow which is where the rating will come. 

Crime of the Century

"I always enjoy a good vault."

Writer: Andrew Cartmel

Format: Audio

Released: May 2011

Series: Lost Stories 2.04

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Raine

Synopsis 

The year is 1989. In London, safe cracker Raine Creevy breaks into a house - and finds more than the family jewels.

In the Middle East, the kingdom of Sayf Udeen is being terrorised by Soviet invaders and alien monsters. And on the Scottish border, a highly guarded facility contains an advanced alien weapon. These are all part of the Doctor's masterplan. But masterplans can go awry...

Verdict 

Crime of the Century was a very good audio adventure and as the tag line that accompanies the Lost Stories range so wonderfully states, I'm delighted that this story is found at last. I was immediately looking forward to listening after I saw that Andrew Cartmel was the writer and although it has been nearly two years since I listened to and blogged Thin Ice, the story's events were still familiar to me and it was excellent to have an immediate sequel. The events between the two stories were only separated by a day or so for the Doctor and Ace but for the returning characters there had been some twenty-two years between what occurred with the Ice Warriors in Moscow and what was happening here. I liked that dynamic although I was expecting Ace to be more widely recognised than she was even if it was a considerable time lapse. It was brilliant to hear the familiar voices of Markus Creevy and Colonel Felnikov once again and even though they were both surprised to find the Doctor had returned to their lives, they both actually played similar roles to what they did in their first story. In all honesty, as I mentioned with my blogging of Hexagora last weekend, I'm really not convinced that this adventure would have worked well on television but on audio it really did blossom into something great. I think it definitely would have helped lay down the Cartmel master plan in concrete and after reading the still relatively recent interview with him in Doctor Who Magazine, which was spread over three issues, I can clearly see where this audio fits in with things. Even though it was a Lost Story audio and I wouldn't have been overly happy with the way in which it occurred, I still maintain that Ace's departure should have been depicted in Thin Ice. It just makes sense because it was adapted from the story her original departure would have taken place had Season 27 of the Classic era occurred but sadly it didn't and then when these audios get made we don't even get Ace leaving which I just find odd. It almost seemed like Ace wasn't mean to be in this story with her quickly shifted off to Kafiristan to engage in the ongoing war in that part of the world. The Doctor of course had a plan all worked out and whilst it all did go pretty much to plan, there were some casualties along the way which horrified both he and Ace. The arrival of Raine, as an adult now of course, was rather humorous with her unlocking the Doctor out of a safe. He'd of course read her future diary entry and needed to make sure that history wasn't altered and that time remained written. I really liked her in the story even if she had a shaky relationship with her dad and I really do think she will make an excellent companion. She seems similar to Ace in some ways with her also not displaying the traditional characteristics of a female companion which I think is really good. She's adventurous, brave and doesn't appear to be shy when it comes to standing up to the Doctor. Having Ace alongside could make things difficult for the Seventh Doctor and I really am intrigued to see how the new trio will get along. I thought the Metatraxi were an intriguing enemy and whilst I wasn't a huge fan of some of their customs, I did rather enjoy Ace winning in single combat. The species laughing at their champion when it was discovered that Ace was female was magnificent and one of the highlights of the story for me. It was so simple but mightily effective. The plot worked well and we had some good cliffhangers and I did enjoy the climax. It was logical but also interesting which I think is just as important. Overall though, a really good Lost Story audio and dare I say it, I think I'm finally becoming rather fond of the Seventh Doctor and Ace together. 

Rating: 8/10

Clara Oswald and the School of Death Part 2

"Where humans once stood supreme, now rule the Sea Devils."

Writer: Robbie Morrison 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 7th April 2016

Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 05

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

Clara has taken up position as an English teacher in the mysterious Ravenscaur school following the disappearance of her friend. But things aren't what they seem with people getting bedevilled and when the Prime Minister arrives, things just get creepier.

Verdict 

Clara Oswald and the School of Death continued in brilliant fashion with this superb second part! The name of the story is one I absolutely love and you could be forgiven for thinking it to be a modern Target novelisation but it's actually turning out to be quite the comic strip adventure. I reread part one shortly before completing the latest issue of Tales from the TARDIS and I must say I was very impressed with this story. Unlike The Singer Not the Song and The Then and the Now for the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor's year two starter, this is set to be considerably longer than two parts which, given the revelation at the end, I think is certainly the right call. I won't spend time waiting to talk about the huge cliffhanger as I included it in my opening quoted and I was stunned to discover the return of the Sea Devils! We only saw them twice before in The Sea Devils and Warriors of the Deep and I'm unaware of any other appearances they may have made in novels, audios or comic strips so this was excellent to see them return in modern Doctor Who alongside the current incarnation of the Doctor. Now I must say that based on first impressions I'm not overly keen on their revamped appearance and it definitely seems to be less impressive than the modern take on the Silurians but I'll give it a chance in the future parts to see how they go. I soon realised that their return had been hinted at throughout the story with references to bedevilling and sea creatures and we even saw humans showing signs of being part Sea Devil but I didn't catch on which, considering the amount of Doctor Who I have amassed, I really should have. I have blogged over 700 entries now which I never anticipated and I just love doing it. I really enjoy looking over past entries and seeing how my style and thoughts have developed and I can't wait to continue doing it and break the 1,000 blog entries mark in around a year or so. Anyway, back to the story and I thought the characterisation of Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor was superb. I particularly enjoyed his lunacy when going into the local tavern and he certainly didn't get along with the locals! He rarely does in public places and it was a joy to see. His wearing of the eye-patch was just brilliantly bonkers! As well as capturing the Twelfth Doctor extremely well, this comic strip's characterisation of Clara was also spot on. Jenna Coleman's companion was presented wonderfully well and I really enjoyed her relationship with Jack and Lucy, the only two pupils at Ravenscaur that actually seemed normal. Clara being concerned about her friend's disappearance was natural but it seems to have landed her in some serious danger. However in saying that, I'm not sure she'd want it any other way. When she arrived at what she deduced to be a replica of prehistoric times on Earth, she owned the place exactly as the Doctor usually does. That signalled to me that this was set late into Series 9 because there she just screamed confidence and had no fear for death which is what I saw here. I'm sure she now has reason to be concerned though because she met the Sea Devils face to face in a brilliant cliffhanger. I'm not sure what to make of their return yet because they have only just arrived but I'm really looking forward to part three now! I do hope it delivers and I have every confidence that it will do. Overall, an excellent continuation of the story!

The Twin Dilemma

"Our genius has been abused..."

Writer: Anthony Steven

Format: TV

Broadcast: 22nd-30th March 1984

Season: 21.06

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis 

The Doctor has regenerated and all is not well. Confused, angry and acting strangely, the new Doctor decides to become a hermit, so takes his concerned companion Peri to a desolate asteroid where he plans to live for several centuries.

The time travellers soon uncover a plot that threatens the entire galaxy. But why has an alien Gastropod kidnapped twins and will the Doctor recover in time to find out?

Verdict 

The Twin Dilemma is a bit of an odd one isn't it. It comes off the back of an outstandingly good story in The Caves of Androzani and it has the always difficult task of debuting a brand new Doctor. However on this occasion, Colin Baker debuted as the Sixth Doctor in the final story of the season rather than at the start of his own season which was and since has been the norm. It does seem a little strange in terms of scheduling looking back now but I can see why they did it. It would bring viewers and would give people the opportunity to see the brand new incarnation of the Doctor without having to wait months on end. It gives a taste of things to come and I commend the production team for going in this direction. There's no doubt that the story could have been better but in saying that, it's one I actually quietly enjoy despite the popular opinion that it's the worst Doctor Who story of all time. I think it's far from it and that distinction still absolutely remains with The Gunfighters in my opinion. I've blogged that once and watched it on two other occasions so it's safe to say it'll be some time before I rewatch that again and have any chance of my opinion changing. Colin Baker does an excellent job as the Sixth Doctor and certainly sets the tone for his era ahead. Even in light of the post-regenerative mad spells and self obsession, the basis for the softer side of this Doctor which we have mostly seen on audio could also be seen. But I like the idea of going in a new direction with the Doctor and it was immediately seen with his disregard to his previous incarnation's personality. He wasn't sweet. He had, at least in his opinion, improved. That's up for debate and if I was asked to pick my favourite out of the Fifth and Sixth Doctors I really would struggle for an answer. This is an important story for Peri as well and I think it's where the viewers would really have jumped on board with her as companion. She'd only had two previous stories since arriving in Planet of Fire but with the Doctor changing, she would become the character that the viewers are familiar with. She does a great job in standing up to the regenerated Doctor and makes no secret to the fact she disapproves of the change. Once she had changed costumes, I thought Nicola Bryant looked incredible but when speaking of costumes I must mention that of the Doctor's. That wacky coat of the Sixth Doctor's is often used as a reason for his unpopularity which I think is just ridiculous. Colin Baker is a great actor and I just don't think most fans liked such a striking change. It was a bold move and ultimately it probably didn't pay off, but it's one I am a big fan of. As for the story itself, I think it's a solid one and whilst it may not capture the feel of a season finale it is still full of action and conflict. Granted, the costumes probably weren't the best and Mestor being a giant slug might seem somewhat comedic, but it has a good premise and I like how the twins were focal to the plot. I have the Target novelisation of this story and although it'll probably be some time now before I read it, I do think I am going to really enjoy it. Azmael was an excellent character and exploring his past with the Doctor was brilliant. His plans with Mestor were somewhat questionable but I liked how he provided an on screen Time Lord death due to having no mote regenerations available. Romulus and Remus were good and I liked their opinions on affection towards their mother. I don't share them but it certainly had me thinking! Lang wasn't the greatest of characters but he did provide a good cliffhanger to part one. I wasn't overly keen on the two other cliffhangers. But they didn't take away from the story. It's one that divides opinion and while the odds are absolutely stacked against my feelings on the serial, I think it's fantastic. It's far from perfect, but I thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, a superb story, whether you like it or not.

Rating: 8/10 

The Then and the Now Part 2

"You can't kill it because that's not what we do."

Writers: Si Spurrier & Rob Williams

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 7th April 2016

Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 05

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Alice, Squire, Abslom Daak

Synopsis 

On the run from a devastating time-monster that gives the Doctor unpleasant memories about the Time War, he is soon reunited with Abslom Daak but he's in no mood to be friendly. There is a bounty on the Doctor's head, but can he prevent creating the Malignant and save history?

Verdict 

The Then and the Now concluded in a very good way with this excellent second part! It also kicked off the second year of Eleventh Doctor comic strip adventures (in complete fashion that is) and I think it's fair to say that this year is going to be very different to what we got with year one. Although in saying that I can already see some very clear similarities between the years as it looks like the Squire and Abslom Daak are here to stay, just as Jones and ARC did last year. I'm not sure what to make of that at this point and I'll of course give them a few stories before judging but I honestly did think this second year would just be the Eleventh Doctor and Alice. It was something I was looking forward to but it seems the writers that control this Doctor's comic strip adventures are adamant on a TARDIS team of four! I like the idea of the Squire coming from the Doctor's past during the Time War and remembering all about the War Doctor but the Doctor not remembering a scooby about him. I'm sure the reasoning will be revealed before year two is out and I think possible hints about his past could be intriguing. I hope that means some more cameos for the War Doctor because I really like the idea of a future Doctor having to deal with the consequences of the incarnation of himself the Doctor so desperately wants to forget. We obviously weren't able to witness any of that on television so exploring it in these comic strips is an excellent direction to go. I get the feeling that the events of this story could form another year arc similar to what we had with SERVEYOUinc last time around as there is still the bounty on the Doctor's head and the Then and the Now wasn't really destroyed and even then the Doctor seemed to just make things worse by trying to prevent the creation of the Malignant. There's just so much unfinished business that I'll be amazed if we don't get a return to the events of this story at some point during the year two run. This was actually my first story to feature Abslom Daak as I haven't managed to purchase the Nemesis of the Daleks graphic novel yet which is where I believe all of his stories are printed but I must say he was completely bonkers. I know him as being called a Dalek hunter and he did mention that but I like how the Time War seems to have provided a shortage on Daleks available to kill. It's good that he wants to avenge the death of his wife although I'm none the wiser as to why he's carrying her around in a great big box. Maybe it's too hard for him to let her go? I really don't know. I'll have to try and get buying and reading the graphic novel but I have The Tides of Time to get through first as well as other commitments. I'll get there eventually though and I'm sure that when I do my understanding will be much better. Alice was pretty good here and she just seemed to be concerned by all the danger that was occurring. The Doctor's reaction to her asking about the Daleks was magnificent and he really seemed like he doesn't want her to meet them. I do wonder when they'll make an appearance in this comic. It's surely inevitable. The Doctor calling out odds on the identity of the great killer that the Malignant sacrifice ceremony attendees were chanting was brilliant and I thought 5/1 on the Master was a decent price! The ending was a surprise with things not completely solved but that leaves the rest of the year open. Overall, some surprises and a good start to the second year! 

Rating: 8/10