The Lie of the Land

"The Monks are our friends."

Writer: Toby Whithouse
Format: TV
Broadcast: 3rd June 2017
Series: 10.08

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

The Monks have ruled the world since humanity took its very first baby steps towards the Sun. One problem... they haven't always been there. Only Bill Potts sees the truth. But even then she isn't sure that she once travelled with the Doctor. Where is he? How can Bill make the rest of the world see the facts?

Verdict

The Lie of the Land was a very good conclusion to the Monk trilogy of stories that has taken up the middle of this tenth series. It moved things in a noticeably different direction from the two previous episodes in which they appeared and now they already ruled the planet. This was thanks to Bill's consent and she seemed to be fully aware that she was responsible. However, she was questioning whether what she knew as the truth was actually real. Could it be possible for the Monks to have always been on Earth? She knew it wasn't true but she still had doubts. The imagery of the Monks alongside the likes of Einstein, Churchill and being there for the Moon-landing was quite spectacular and the fact that it was the Doctor who was orating the propaganda made things even more extraordinary. He must have had a plan though, right? Bill was convinced that he was just biding his time and I liked her confidence in him. The reunion of her and Nardole following six months apart was wonderful and I really do like the pair's relationship. Bill's meeting with the Doctor was good and I liked that the Doctor was testing that she wasn't under the Monks' control. However, I have to say that I wasn't happy with Bill shooting the Doctor. Obviously, the bullets were blank and the Doctor was never in danger but she was not to believe that. She seemed a little too easily convinced that the Doctor had joined the Monks but even so, I don't think it's quite rational for her first instinct to solve the problem being to shoot him. That didn't resonate well with me. Anyway, the rest of the episode was excellent and I thought the statues were terrific. The fact that they were used as a way to boost the power from Bill's psychic link was good and I really liked that the Doctor had to go for Missy for help in defeating them. She provided the answer following some humorous hot and cold iterations and it was simple. Kill Bill. The prospect of Missy having battled the Monks before was very intriguing to me though and I'm fascinated to see her development in trying to become good. She was remembering her victims which was quite extraordinary but she was learning. The way the Monks were defeated through Bill's pure and untouched memory of her mum was decent and I liked how it seemed that she was going to die. Gemma thought she actually might which was terrific but she's still taking some warming to the series! She wants more fun. Instead, we got emotion here and the Monks simply ran away once their hold on power was let go. Overall, a very good episode but not quite as good as I remembered on broadcast!

Rating: 8/10

The Pyramid at the End of the World

"Life on Earth will cease at humanity's own hand."

Writers: Peter Harness & Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 27th May 2017
Series: 10.07

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

At a war zone in Turmezistan where America, Chinese and Russian armies are about to meet, a 5,000-year-old pyramid stands. It's very strange, but one thing raises the suspicions of the United Nations: it just appeared overnight. The aliens inside claim that humans would cause the death of all life on Earth. Soon, the Doctor, Bill and Nardole are facing an invasion the likes of which they have never seen before. Before they invade, the Monks need to be invited...

Verdict

The Pyramid at the End of the World was an excellent episode and it continued the Monk story arc very nicely. After witnessing a simulation they had run in Extremis, we now got to see them in the real world and whilst the Doctor continued to have problems actually seeing them, given his continued blindness, they had arrived. They did so in quite unique style as they plonked a five-millennia old pyramid smack bang in the middle of a war zone. That was rather bold and it seemed that their intention was to provoke World War Three with the area of Turmezistan being occupied in territories by the Chinese, Russians and Americans. However, some expert help was needed and it was deemed that the Doctor was required. He was the President of Earth after all. I liked how that wasn't made too much out of but I did find it quite funny when the Doctor emerged from the TARDIS with it being inside an aircraft. He had no choice in the matter. He was required. The way he tried to hide his blindness from Bill for another episode was good although I do question why she didn't push Nardole into explaining why he was telling the Doctor what he should have been able to see when he approached the pyramid. I thought the Monks were brilliant enemies in this episode which says a lot because they didn't actually do that much. They anticipated being attacked in quite horrific style and the image of them in the plane was quite haunting I have to say. I'm a big fan of their appearance as it's so grotesque and just horrible. It really works but it made the prospect of them being invited to save mankind all the more unlikely. The fact that they needed the consent to take the planet to be pure was really intriguing but it did seem a little harsh that if it came from strategy or fear, then you died. That did sell their evil intentions though which was good. Erica was a wonderful character and her role in the episode seemed a little confusing until the later stages. The Doctor had deduced that the military tension was merely a distraction and the reason for the doomsday clock countdown was happening elsewhere. The ingenuity of the Doctor to discover which lab the problem was at was superb and I thought Peter Capaldi was fantastic throughout. I particularly liked the Doctor's relationship with Nardole in this one. His helping of Erica was really good and he found the solution to preventing the deadly biochemical from getting into the atmosphere but his blindness would give the Monks the planet. He needed to enter the security code to get out of the air-locked lab but he couldn't see the panel to enter the numbers. This was where Bill came in and once she knew the Monks would give the Doctor his sight back, she would give them the planet. Her consent came out of love and love was pure. The planet was in the hands of the Monks, but humanity had a fighting chance with the Doctor's sight returned. Things have been set up very nicely and this was a very strong episode!

Rating: 9/10

Extremis

"Only in darkness are we revealed."

Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 20th May 2017
Series: 10.06

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

The Vatican asks the Twelfth Doctor to investigate a mysterious book called the Veritas. All who read it immediately kill themselves. When a translation of the Veritas is leaked online, the Doctor must face up to the inevitable truth...

Verdict

Extremis was a very good continuation of the tenth series of Doctor Who. It had a very intriguing challenge with the Doctor being blind but I thought that was dealt with very well and it was good how that didn't become the focus of the episode. That seemed to be fully maintained on the Veritas, a mysterious book from the Catholic past that was of such significance that the Doctor was demanded and needed by the Pope himself. That was quite a surprise and seeing him just appear in Bill's house when she was on a date was rather amusing, if not a little silly. The secret of the vault was also revealed as it was confirmed that Missy was within. The Fatality Index were an interesting group and their desire to see Missy killed, by another Time Lord at that, was very interesting. Obviously they must have known of the evil she had committed but now it was hinted that she wanted to do good. It seemed like the Doctor was helping her too as once the contraction that was designed to inhibit regeneration did its work, she was still very much alive. The Doctor took an oath to guard her body for 1,000 years and it seemed that was exactly what he was doing. To what end remains to be seen, but Missy is very much alive and the Doctor has stated that given his current condition, he may well need her help. Now that's a precarious position for the Doctor but one that is very exciting. I thought the main story of this episode was very strong too and I liked how the Doctor, Bill and Nardole got to go into the hidden library of the Vatican. One thing I could have done without was the apparently amazing thing it is to say 'arse'. Nardole gave quite a powerful speech about how River Song had given him permission kick the Doctor's arse and I just thought that was stupid. The Doctor even said it earlier in the episode and it just seems forced to see how much they can get away with when it comes to some kind of expletive. I didn't approve as it just didn't add anything to the episode. The concept of the Veritas causing people to commit suicide was excellent and I liked how the Doctor was tasked with reading it. Of course, he was blind so that proved quite difficult. He did find the audio function of a laptop towards the episode's end which was good. We got a fleeting glimpse of the Monks here and they look grotesque which I like. They were running a simulation to see how they would invade the Earth and they even had a shadow Doctor, knowing that he would be tough to defeat. He seemed to get the better of them here though as he knew everything had been a simulation and sent the file to the real Doctor and sonic sunglasses. The reaction of the 'real' Doctor was great and he knew something was coming. He told Bill to call Penny which I thought was nice. Overall, a very intriguing and very good episode!

Rating: 8/10

Oxygen

"So how does space kill you?"

Writer: Jamie Mathieson
Format: TV
Broadcast: 13th May 2017
Series: 10.05

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

The Twelfth Doctor, Bill and Nardole investigate a strange space station, but are interrupted by walking dead spacesuits... will they make it out live? And they'll soon discover just how much oxygen actually costs...

Verdict

Oxygen was a superb episode and was definitely the best of Series 10 thus far. I'm pretty sure I thought the same thing back on broadcast but I couldn't help but repeat my praise and admiration for it here. Jamie Mathieson is a favoured writer of mine and he delivered another stellar script here. He not only took capitalism to space, but he made space scary. I'd argue that's something that actually hasn't really happened before in Doctor Who since Katarina's death in The Daleks' Master Plan. At least, nothing on the scale that was seen here. Our TARDIS heroes were in genuine danger and that was brilliant to see. It was gripping and that's exactly what you want. I thought the obvious anti-capitalism themes were very good and it provided the basis for an excellent episode. The concept of oxygen only being granted in credits is quite horrifying but given the things you have to pay for nowadays, it's hardly surprising to see this depicted in the future. I really liked the Doctor's thoughts about a distress call and the way he goaded Nardole into joining them on the trip to space was terrific. I loved how he was the one that gave Nardole strict instructions to see that he stayed on Earth and guarded the vault but now he was letting them off. The scene with the fluid link was wonderful with it being a nice little nod to the past as well as a scene of comic value. Matt Lucas has had a fleeting role thus far in the series but here he gets his proper chance to shine and he's quite brilliant. Bill's reaction to first seeing space was fantastic and I thought she had a really great episode. I've really liked her and it's quite nice to be able to watch her without the feeling of her being new. It certainly offers a new perspective which is nice. The suits were rather scary, especially with the deceased's bodies still in them, and that head tilt really was rather frightening. It was something I definitely approved of and I was quite glad that a scene made Gemma jump! She's still taking some convincing when it comes to Peter Capaldi and this era though which is a bit of a shame. The scene where Bill's helmet is removed by her suit with the imminent exposure to a vacuum looming was incredible. I thought the directing was magnificent and we didn't fully know what was happening, or at least to what extent. Bill couldn't hold her breath or she'd die and to her credit she didn't. She found a helmet from somewhere and of course, it was the Doctor who sacrificed himself for her. The effects were obvious as he was blinded and the scene where he gloated about his circumstances and said how unbearable he'd be was one of my very favourite moments for the Twelfth Doctor. Him being able to save the day whilst blind was great and I loved how he made his and the crew's imminent deaths expensive. They were kept alive because it made financial sense. I really liked that. The episode's unexpected ending with the Doctor proclaiming he was still blind was very good and I really liked that Gemma was shocked by it too. Overall, a brilliant episode!

Rating: 9/10

Knock Knock

"This house is eating people."

Writer: Mike Bartlett
Format: TV
Broadcast: 6th May 2017
Series: 10.04

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

Bill and her friends rent an old house to live in, but the floorboards and the walls are creaking, and there's a creepy Landlord lurking around. Can the Twelfth Doctor save the day as creatures come crawling out of the wood?

Verdict

Knock Knock was another very good episode in what is turning out to be an extremely consistent start to the tenth series of modern Doctor Who. This one sadly was not quite as great as I remembered it being on broadcast but it still remained very, very good. I think the main difference I noticed from my memory of the episode was that it wasn't quite as scary as I thought it was. Now, that may be down to me picking up an urge to watch a large number of horror movies between the occasions I watched this episode but even Gemma, who gets scared very easily, didn't think it was scary at all. I found that a bit of a shame. I think it was definitely more eery than scary which was absolutely fine and you had a terrifically intriguing character in the shape of the Landlord. He was played wonderfully and I loved how he just crept about the house and appeared as if from out of nowhere. Bill using the Doctor and the TARDIS to move her stuff into her new rented accommodation was amusing but I did think she could have been a little more polite. I appreciate that she didn't want him getting involved with her friends but they all knew him anyway from the university. The humour surrounding her stating that he was her grandad was brilliant though. I thought Peter Capaldi was excellent as the Doctor and it was clear right from the off that he wasn't going anywhere once he caught the slightest sense of something not quite being right. The concept of a house that eats people was good and I thought the image of Pavel being stuck between being digested was grotesque. The fact that his eyes moved was brilliant and riveting. Paul having a thing for Bill was good and definitely felt like something you'd expect from a mixed group at university. I lived in mixed accommodation for each of my three years as an undergrad and I was very impressed with how well university life was captured in this episode. Harry was a fantastic character and I really liked how he found the tenancy agreements that led the Doctor to discovering just what was going on. The history of the house and the Landlord was very good and quite emotional when we found out that he was actually Eliza's son. The Doctor deducing how he found the alien insects was brilliant and I loved childlike the Landlord became once the truth about his mother was revealed. She was less pleased knowing that all of the children the house has devoured over the years was merely to keep her alive. But what life did she have when she was literally stiff wood? It was time to stop and she fully accepted that. The image of Eliza and her elderly son hugging and being taken into the floor of the house was emotional and it led to a momentarily exciting exit from the house. It was no more and I do feel for the students who won't be getting their deposits back! The late scene with the vault was intriguing and develops that story more which was a bonus. Overall, another very good episode!

Rating: 8/10

Thin Ice

"Tell me how many people you've seen die."

Writer: Sarah Dollard
Format: TV
Broadcast: 29th April 2017
Series: 10.03

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

Trying to get back to the university before Nardole notices he broke his oath, the Doctor accidentally lands himself and Bill in the past, at the final frost fair in 1814. He decides to enjoy the unexpected trip.

However, something sinister is lurking below the frozen Thames.

Verdict

Thin Ice was another solid episode to continue my rewatching of the tenth series. The standard has definitely been consistent which is a big positive and I liked that we now got to see Bill go into the past. With the setting being 1814 in London at the last frost fair, she was very concerned by her skin colour but something I really loved was that she noticed that the city was actually a bit more black than she had anticipated. The Doctor's comment in reply about Jesus was wonderful and I really did think Peter Capaldi was on top form as the Twelfth Doctor in this episode. I do think it was his best episode of the series thus far but one thing I wasn't too fond of, and my main problem with the adventure was the lack of concern shown by the Doctor when it came to dying. I can fully appreciate that he has seen so much death and Bill challenging him on the number of people he's seen die was good but for the Doctor to be more concerned about his sonic screwdriver on two occasions was a little off-putting. It didn't quite sit right with the character of the Doctor and whilst the Twelfth Doctor isn't the norm, he's still the same man. I really liked the frost fair setting and the Doctor and Bill getting conned by the young children and having the sonic screwdriver stolen was terrific. It didn't take long for him to get it back though and following Spider's death, the children were more than happy to help the Doctor discover the mystery of the lights beneath the ice. I thought the concept of a creature beneath the frozen Thames was very good and I liked that the Doctor wasn't convinced that it was alien. The scale of the creature was quite enormous though and the fact that it seemed to have shaped the iconic bending Thames of Central London was a nice touch. I do wonder what kind of chains could have kept it down though! Kitty was a very good little character and I liked that she seemed to lead the youngsters and they knew all about the man with the tattoo. His connection wasn't as strong as I thought it might be but I did think that Sutcliffe made a decent villain. He was driven on money and didn't have an ounce of compassion in him. All he wanted was profit and with the creature's excrement burning a thousand times longer than coal, even underwater, the profits could have been enormous. The Doctor quite easily put a stop to him though by reverting his planned explosion of the Thames into freeing the creature from its chains. It was quite a contrast to what he had planned and I loved the way it connected with the real life events that Bill later read online. I particularly liked how it was the Doctor who gave the young children the heirloom of the Sutcliffe fortune. That was a very nice touch. Nardole wasn't impressed with the Doctor which was quite humorous and we got our first proper development of the vault. Overall, a terrific little episode.

Rating: 8/10

Smile

"They're designed to make you happy."

Writer: Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Format: TV
Broadcast: 22nd April 2017
Series: 10.02

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

After shaking off Nardole, the Doctor asks where Bill Potts wishes to travel in time. She asks to see the future. Complying, he takes her to see one of Earth's first space colonies, where it's been stated the inhabitants have cracked the secret of perpetual happiness. However, they soon discover that the cause of this 'happiness' has a very deadly punishment for not following along...

Verdict

Smile was a very good episode to continue my rewatching of the tenth series of modern Doctor Who and I was delighted that it was better than I remembered. Based on my ratings for the series on its initial broadcast, I had this as the worst of the series but I was actually interested in the story right from the get go. I really liked how excited Bill was in the TARDIS that she was getting a proper adventure following The Pilot and I loved that once she was on the colony, she was extremely appreciative of the Doctor bringing her. She loved where she was and was just happy. That was actually rather important for this episode with the smile theme being extremely prominent. If you weren't smiling, you were as good as dead. We saw a horrifying example of this play out early on in the episode with a quite graphic killing with bones just collapsing to the floor. The moment the Doctor learned that the fertiliser for barley was human in origin was frightening and Bill's sense of adventure evaporated from her face. Pearl Mackie is a terrific actress and I thought it quite humorous that Gemma (my girlfriend who's watching the series with me) really liked her top. She looked good and modern and she seemed right at home on her first trip in the TARDIS. Her questioning of the chairs being too far away from the TARDIS console was really good and I just thought she had a really strong episode. The Emojibots were intriguing and they definitely didn't seem as cheesy as they did on the original broadcast. The Doctor saw that they actually did have a life but they were acting so literally and somewhat stupidly that they had nearly caused the end of the human race. The way that they defined happiness as the opposite of grief, which was the first way someone died on the support team sent ahead of the colony ship, was intriguing and the resolution from there was quite quick and simple. That was okay because it was logical. I did think the colonists appeared for too little a time but then again I'm not sure they were really needed for longer. The Doctor and Bill more than carried the episode before their awakening. Peter Capaldi was good as the Doctor and I liked how his Scottishness was questioned in the story. The Vardy were a great element and the scenes of the microbots just coming from being the wall was actually quite scary. They were so quick and it was pretty interesting that they were the whole place rather than just being part of it. The Doctor and Bill being in the original spaceship was very good and I loved how the Doctor had memorised the map with Bill then taking too long to realise she could just photograph it. He was maintaining his tutor stance. I liked that the Doctor couldn't resist breaking his oath of protecting the vault and ventured off world but he couldn't quite return to the same place. The ending leading into the next episode is always something I like and as a whole, this was a very good episode!

Rating: 8/10

The Pilot

"This is the gateway to everything that ever was, or ever can be."

Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 15th April 2017
Series: 10.01

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

The Doctor agrees to tutor Bill, a would-be university student, but a strange puddle and the mysterious disappearance of Bill's friend interrupt the tuition. Will the Doctor, Bill and Nardole get to the bottom of things? Will the Doctor gain a new companion? And what is the Doctor hiding in the vault?

Verdict

The Pilot was a great start to the tenth series of modern Doctor Who but sadly it wasn't quite the phenomenal hit I remembered it being on broadcast. Don't get me wrong, it was still very good and I thoroughly enjoyed but I just couldn't give it the maximum rating I awarded last year on its original airing. With the arrival of the Thirteenth Doctor imminent, I thought I'd better be quick with my annual rewatching of the previous series and this time around I have company in the form of my girlfriend, Gemma. She's a huge fan of the show when Rose Tyler is around and Matt Smith is her favourite Doctor so we have that in common but she never quite got around to watching Peter Capaldi's run so I thought this was a good jumping on point for her. She did like what she watched but sadly she wasn't overly fussed but I do hope her opinion will change as the series unfolds. I think this is a very strong introduction for Bill and there's no messing about when it comes to her meeting the Doctor. They hit it off instantly and I loved the questions she was asking. I do think Moffat went a little overboard with the whole 'she asks questions nobody else ever has' thing but it was still good to see and it often injected a nice bit of humour which is always good. The mystery of the puddle was intriguing and I loved how the Doctor knew that Heather saw what was wrong instantly because of her eye. It was mimicking rather than reflecting. Whatever was inside took over Heather as its pilot but the last conscious thought of her promising not to go to Bill provided an emotional crush story. They weren't in love or anything, they just liked what they saw which was a refreshing take on things. Nardole was great and Matt Lucas really does work well in this story with his quirky and squeamish personality. He's a terrific addition to the TARDIS team. The cameo of the Movellans was superb although I do question the design of the Dalek with it not really being concurrent with Destiny of the Daleks. The idea of the Doctor having Heather and its pilot trawl through the deadliest fire in the universe was good but it was of no use really. It was the scene of where Bill understood what was happening and she had the offer of seeing the universe, but she couldn't accept it. She had found out everything there was to know about the Doctor though but she didn't discover what was in the mysterious vault. The Doctor, thanks to some mocking encouragement from photos of River Song and Susan, would show her the stars despite his duty and promises. He just couldn't resist which was brilliant. The pair worked well already and they were off on their own exploration of the universe. Overall, a very decent start to the series!

Rating: 8/10

Hunter's Moon

"It's kill or be killed on Gorgoror."

Writer: Paul Finch
Format: Novel
Released: April 2011
Series: NSA 45

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

'There's no end to the horror in this place - it's like hell, and there are devils round every corner.'

On Leisure Platform 9 gamblers and villains mix with socialites and celebrities. It's a place where you won't want to win the wrong game.

With Rory kidnapped by a brutal crime lord, the Doctor and Amy infiltrate a deadly contest where fugitives become the hunted. But how long before they realise the Doctor isn't a vicious mercenary and discover what Amy is up to? It's a game that can only end in death, and time for everyone is running out.

Verdict

Hunter's Moon was a decent novel but I can't help but feel it should have been better. Considering the rating I have given, which is probably a tad generous (but I tend to be anyway), this blog may sound a little negative but sadly this was comfortably the worst Eleventh Doctor novel I have read. It just wasn't overly strong and whilst I can't quite pinpoint things I wasn't happy with or just didn't like, the simple fact of it is that the story wasn't strong enough in my opinion. I'm sure it has its fans and I hope that is the case but it just wasn't quite for me when it came to a high rating (or at least what I consider to be high, something with an 8/10 or above). I felt the writing of Matt Smith's Doctor was decent and I also liked the way Amy was written but I wasn't too sure that the characterisation of Rory was much good. I remain unconvinced that he would gamble the TARDIS, especially on a losing streak of nine. That wasn't quite believable for me. I thought the setting of LP9 was quite good but I wasn't the biggest fan of the Torodon. I found it intriguing that they had a previous war with the Tereleptils though. That was a neat little inclusion. The Doctor visiting his old friend Chief Zalu had a lot of promise but the fact that he was not welcomed made it a bit of a let down to be honest. There was the usual mention of the Doctor changing bodies but apart from that, the conversation between the pair was quite bland. I did like the Doctor's determination to get his friends back though but he was quite aghast that Zalu wouldn't do anything even when he witnessed what was so obviously a crime being committed. Krauzzen made a good main villain and I thought the concept of the chase was pretty good. I liked how the Doctor talked his way into the latest hunt and his confidence was oozing which was good to see. The Obliterator, actually just a transport hidden as a gun, was good and I liked that the Doctor only had three uses. The final one being fired on Harry, not by the Doctor funnily enough, was probably the highlight reveal of the book. The story of Harry, Dora and Sophie was nice and I liked how the family were reunited following the eventful experiences of this novel. They'd be closer than ever now. Xaaael had a good relationship with Amy given that she was under capture and I thought the role of Pangborne was a nice addition to the conclusion. The climax was actually excellent and probably the best of the novel as it was exciting and saw a horrific demise for Krauzzen that the Doctor had no other option to take. The final bet was good but I didn't like how the Doctor stated at the end that he didn't want to go back and save the lives of others before this time simply because Krauzzen was alive. When would that have stopped the Doctor? Surely an explanation about interfering and altering history would have sufficed. Overall though, a decent read!

Rating: 7/10

Vengeance on Varos

"They love to shout and applaud as fools like us walk towards certain death."

Writer: Philip Martin
Format: Novel
Released: June 1988
Series: Target 106

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

'Bad shifted his camera into a big close-up that brought the Doctor's waxen face so close that it filled the screen. Not a muscle twitched nor was a tremor of breath evident. 'He's dead, sir.''

In need of Zeiton-7 to repair the TARDIS, the Doctor and Peri travel to the planet Varos. A former prison for the criminally insane, Varos is now ruled by the descendants of the guards. The population is kept in check and entertained by broadcasts of torture and execution from the Punishment Dome - where the TARDIS lands.

Soon the Doctor and Peri, together with rebel fugitives Jander and Areta, find themselves trying to escape the Dome's traps and challenges - all on live television.

Can the Doctor and Peri escape the Punishment Dome, and help the Governor ensure the people of Varos get a fair deal for their Zeiton-7?

Verdict

Vengeance on Varos was a terrific little read! I have once again been making full use of the library resources at my disposal and this has been a Target novelisation I have been wanting to read for quite some time. It's not because I love the story (I am a fan, though) but because I wanted to see if it seemed as violent in prose as it appeared on television. I do think the reactions towards this serial are somewhat overboard and whilst it did test the boundaries, it was something different and I liked that. It still had the same feel here but one thing I did notice was that the quality of Sil couldn't quite be demonstrated in the novel without actually hearing that maniacal laughter. I thought the characterisation of the Sixth Doctor was excellent with Colin Baker's likeness well captured and I also thought the writing of Peri was very good as well. The pair worked well together here and despite the Doctor's recent regeneration still causing some qualms, it wasn't on the level of the preceding stories. The setting of Varos was great and I thought the concept of people being forced to watch television in which people fled for the lives and were sometimes executed was horrifying. It's really no wonder that this was a former prison planet. I liked that the inhabitants were now the descendants of the former guards a lot and I thought Etta and Arak were superb stars of the story with them just simply watching events unfold. That provided an intriguing perspective into the lives of the Varosians and it was humorous when they disagreed on the votes concerning the Governor. The development of his character was good to see and I liked how he ended up being the good guy and wanted to see Varos turned into a libertarian state. The Doctor approved of that but the likes of Quillam and the Chief Officer would have to meet their horrendous demise before that would be the case. The myth of the Safe Zone was intriguing and it was good that it actually led to the outside and a jungle of poison ivy, or something along those lines that the Doctor didn't quite want to explain. Peri's reaction to witnessing what she thought was the Doctor's corpse was good and frightening and I really liked how it seemed that he was dead. Death on Varos was entertainment and that's a disturbing concept but it worked well in selling how bad this place really was. The Governor, along with Maldak, saw that things would change though in an entertaining climatic chase and I thought it was superb that Etta and Arak didn't really know what to do now that they had freedom. It was like nothing they had before but it signalled change on Varos. The TARDIS was replenished with the Zeiton-7 it needed and Sil was left at the mercy of Lord Kiv, a character we'd come to meet in the future which was a neat addition to the story. Overall, a great novelisation!

Rating: 8/10

The Transformed

"They turn into monsters!"

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: August-September 2016
Printed in: The Ninth Doctor #4-5

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack, Mickey

Synopsis

The Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack, bouncing back from their most recent adventure with a destructive doppelganger, run into a most unexpected face! As the Doctor struggles to keep Rose apart from an element of her future she cannot know, Jack discovers another twist on his missing past that complicates his present!

Verdict

The Transformed was a brilliant comic strip adventure! It concluded my reading of the Doctormania graphic novel and I have to say, I have very much enjoyed my little stint with the trio of the Ninth Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack. It's been a collection of very high quality and I have already placed a reservation at the library for the next collection in the series. This one though had a familiar face alongside the TARDIS trio in the form of Mickey Smith. Except, this wasn't the Mickey from the time of the Ninth Doctor but rather the one married to Martha Jones. This was Mickey following the events of The End of Time and everything with the Tenth Doctor. I was stunned, in a hugely good way, when this was the case and the idea of Mickey in 2016 meeting the Ninth Doctor is just superb. I loved it and it was utilised very well. I thought the inclusion of a transformed Martha was intriguing and a good way to protect the Doctor from meeting his future companion. I was a little surprised that the Doctor didn't ask more questions but the relationship between him and Mickey was perfectly portrayed on the page and just superbly in line with the era in which it was set. Captain Jack took a little bit of a backseat in this story and it was Rose who took centre stage for the subplot as she developed special powers which saved her from imminent death after a nasty fall. She developed a nice relationship with Dean and I liked how Jack saw how cute he was for the both of them. The concept behind the Gargoyles was very good and I thought it was great that Mickey and Martha thought they could deal with them alone. Martha went ahead first but she'd stayed too long and was suffering the effects now. The inclusion of the Bad Wolf wording was very subtly done with it appearing on the side of the bus and I also thought Glom was a humorous character. The punchway was a good concept and I liked how Rose was following in the footsteps of the Doctor in making things up as she went along when leading those with the 'gift'. It was pretty cool that the Forge got a mention by Mickey alongside the more expected and obvious names of UNIT and Torchwood. The cliffhanger was very good and I thought the overall pace of the story was excellent. Once everything was solved with the punchway collapsing beneath its own weight just as everyone was saved, the image of Mickey clutching Martha tight to him, with Rose just nearby, was extremely powerful. It told us a lot without saying anything and I can't imagine Rose's reaction at this point in her timeline. The cliffhanger with Dean arriving in the 1970s/80s with Harry and UNIT was intriguing and I really do hope this means a Ninth Doctor and Classic UNIT story - I can certainly get on board with that! But for now, this was a terrific comic strip!

Rating: 9/10

Doctormania

"What the hell is Doctor Who?"

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: April-June 2016
Series: The Ninth Doctor #1-3

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack

Synopsis

A stunning new clue to Captain Jack Harkness's missing memories and mysterious past is uncovered! The thrilling race is on for Rose, Captain Jack and the Doctor to escape the clutches of a familiar foe... and a whole planet of the Doctor's biggest fans?!

Verdict

Doctormania was a great story to kick things rolling with the Ninth Doctor comics from Titan! Now, this is obviously not the first of the Ninth Doctor stories from them as we had the epic Weapons of Past Destruction but now we have a continuous run and that's very exciting to get a collection of stories with the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack. It didn't take me long at all to get affiliated with the library in my new hometown of Bristol and of all the comics from Titan, this was the one I was after most. It is obviously not the only story to feature but as its the titular story, I feel now was the best place to talk about it. I was quite intrigued to see that the Slitheen returned to battle the Ninth Doctor in a story set before Boom Town. The Ninth Doctor had already battled them in Aliens of London/World War Three and The Monsters Inside so they certainly seem to have become the go-to villain for this incarnation of the Doctor. These weren't the Slitheen we had met already though as they were far more advanced. I guess that came with the 38th century setting. It was interesting though to see that they could now fit into skin suits that weren't so fat and they also didn't need to have murdered those they were impersonating. All they needed was an image and the Doctor gave them one when he let the galaxy know that his brain was up for sale. The idea of Doctor Who, the show itself, appearing within a story is not unique but it's something I love. The whole concept of the Doctor stating my used quite is just wonderful. Yani was a lovely character and I loved that the Doctor Who Appreciation Society got a namedrop with her as its president. The Doctor being dismissive of her initially was well in line with the personality of this Doctor but I really loved how he sent her his own private message and told her to be something great and not worship him. That was brilliant. I thought Rose was superb in this comic strip and I really liked the development of her relationship with Slist. The fake Chumblies were very amusing and I loved how angry the Doctor got at them being continuously referred to as something they weren't. The Raxas Alliance was decent and I thought it was good that the Jinglatheen wanted to benefit from the Doctor and co and take back control of the Alliance. That wasn't to be though and we had quite a good and exciting climax. The brief cameo of a past Jack, before his memory loss, was intriguing and I'm sure there'll be considerable story development to come yet. Also, the cliffhanger ending was good with Mickey returning. I'm not sure how that will fit in with Boom Town but I can't wait to read it! Overall, a very good comic strip adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Hacked

"Everyone died. And I'm not a fan of stories that end like that."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: May 2016
Printed in: Free Comic Book Day 2016

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack

Synopsis

The Doctor, Rose and Jack encounter a rogue and wanted artist who has been defacing planets in the images of many a people. There's another element of the Time War present and the history stretches back to the Time Lords themselves. The Eye of Orion was not what the Doctor remembered...

Verdict

Hacked was a superb little story as part of the 2016 Free Comic Book Day! Considering this was only six pages long, it was absolutely brilliant and I was thoroughly impressed with what I read. It saw us return to the adventures of the Ninth Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack, a sublime trio, which is fantastic as we get to see more of their adventures that clearly took place prior to Jack's sudden departure in The Parting of the Ways. There's so much potential for this trio and even by the time of Boom Town, it's clear that they have enjoyed a number of adventures together so it's hugely exciting to read what they got up to here. There are three novels which depict those stories but there's just something special about visuals. It's also somewhat of a rarity to get extra material for the Ninth Doctor so that's a big plus too. I thought the characterisation of this incarnation was very well done for this adventure as Christopher Eccleston's likeness was neatly captured on the page. I thought the Eye of Orion setting may have been wasted at the start as it was only going to feature in a six page story but boy was I proven wrong! It didn't turn out to be the Eye as the Doctor remembered it which was good but I definitely could have done without the slight insult to my home nation of Wales. The Taggani was an intriguing villain and I liked how Jack used the vortex manipulator to decipher who he was. The Doctor was surprisingly thrilled at the result and told Rose of just what his kind did. They were geo hackers which was rather interesting and I thought it was very humorous that Jack now had his face engraved on the side of a moon! He was unsurprisingly delighted. Rose didn't have too much involvement in this comic strip but that wasn't a bad thing, especially with the six page limit. The Aesirian world-shaper was a good device to deface the planets and I thought the flashback to the likes of Daemons and Osirans battling to get their hands on it was excellent. It showed its worth perfectly. The Doctor using his mind to hack through the Taggani's true identity and broadcast was great and I liked how things were left with Jack boasting about his face still being on the side of a moon. Things could definitely be worse! Overall, a terrific little story to reignite the comics of the Ninth Doctor!

Rating: 9/10

The Pirate Loop

"These lot don't die when you kill them."

Writer: Simon Guerrier
Format: Novel
Released: December 2007
Series: NSA 20

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

The Doctor's been everywhere and everywhen in the whole of the universe and seems to know all the answers. But ask him what happened to the Starship Brilliant and he hasn't the first idea. Did it fall into a sun or black hole? Was it shot down in the first moments of the galactic war? And what's this about a secret experimental drive?

The Doctor is skittish, but if Martha is so keen to find out he'll land the TARDIS on the Brilliant, a few days before it vanishes. Then they can see for themselves...

Soon the Doctor learns the awful truth. And Martha learns that you need to be careful what you wish for. She certainly wasn't hoping for mayhem, death, and badger-faced space pirates.

Verdict

The Pirate Loop was a pretty decent and rather unique novel! It was unlike anything I've ever read before and was certainly a wacky story. It had badger-faced pirates and people who just rolled their eyes when they died. It was pretty bonkers but one thing I have to give it credit for is its pace. It was full throttle and we even read the end of an interesting sounding adventure for the Doctor and Martha in Milky-Pink City. Sadly, we did not get to know the full details of what happened there but it led to Martha wanting to know all about the Starship Brilliant and she pushed the Doctor, against his best wishes, into going there to see what happened. The challenge of not changing history was very prominent in this novel and I really liked how Martha realised she had asked too much of the Doctor when it seemed like they would not be able to escape their predicament. I thought the initial three badger pirates who invaded the Brilliant were terrific and whilst I wasn't the biggest fan to begin with, I really loved how they came around to the Doctor's way of thinking. Martha helped a lot with that as she tried to get one of them drunk but her reaction to Archie's apparent demise at the hands of Florence was shock horror. Thankfully, the loop was still in place and he wasn't gone for good. The whole concept of the loop was a little confusing with the break it had in it but it meant that dying and coming back to life was a common occurrence. Martha would be one to experience it in a fantastic chapter ending and reading her thoughts of remembering dying was quite emotional. I did hope that was followed up on more but once her scar was gone, it was kind of forgotten about. She also seemed to forgive her murderer a little too easily for my liking. I thought the writing of the Tenth Doctor was pretty good in this novel with a decent capturing of David Tennant's likeness but it also could have been improved upon. I really loved the reference to Wishing Well and I also liked how Martha applied her thoughts of Shakespeare from The Shakespeare Code into where she was visiting and how she would be viewed. The Monoids getting a mention was also lovely. This story had a lot going on but with the loop, there was a danger of repetition and with some chapters not taking place simultaneously with the Doctor and Martha, not everything was as coherent as it perhaps should have been. Mrs Wingsworth was a humorous character but as a whole I thought the book was relying on silliness a tad too much. The analogies were actually wonderful but I was not a fan of the whole scrambled egg naming of the stuff in the cracks of time. Overall though, still a good read!

Rating: 7/10

Blood of the Daleks Part 2

"They are not the future. They are the end of everything."

Writer: Steve Lyons
Format: Audio
Released: February 2007
Series: EDA 1.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

"The crashed ship. The one Tom Cardwell saw all those years ago. And you borrowed its technology, didn't you? Maybe even found a Dalek or two in the wreckage. Dead, but intact. And you began to turn human beings into creatures like them. You did that? I'm right, aren't I?"

Verdict

Blood of the Daleks concluded in excellent style with this terrific second part of the story! The Eighth Doctor Adventures have definitely started in impressive fashion and I'm now very excited to see where things go from here. The relationship between the Doctor and Lucie is intriguing as neither seems totally happy travelling with the other but I did like that there were signs in the audio that they would get on and that they shared a sense of compassion. The way the Doctor averted imminent extermination was maybe a little cheap with him being a hologram but Martez being impressed with him using his own method was very good. I thought their dialogue in this part was very good indeed. We got another little mention of Asha but she was sadly quite forgotten now with Martez using her body to continue his atrocious development of his human-blooded Daleks. The pure Daleks didn't find this a good thing as they had fallen off the path of Dalek purity and despite sharing the basic fundamentals, these were not true Daleks in origin and as they were different, they had to be exterminated. Learning of the true intentions of the Daleks and their history with Red Rocket Rising was quite saddening, especially with Tom Cardwell knowing the truth, but it was hardly surprising given their horrific ideologies. The Doctor feeling the need to eradicate the pure Daleks was perhaps a little bit of a shock given his good-natured personality but his echoing of his regret at the decision he made in Genesis of the Daleks was wonderful. I really loved that and I think it's a decision he will continue to regret for many more of his lives yet. I thought Lucie was excellent once again and I loved how she couldn't quite grasp how the Doctor had defeated the Daleks in the past if they were still here. He was quite taken aback by that but proudly stated his existence showed they hadn't defeated him. The mentions of the Mechanoids, Movellans and numerous civil wars that the Daleks have contested was great and I thought the use of a high frequency wave was a pretty good way to defeat the Daleks on this occasion. The emotional journey that Klint went on in this adventure was quite extraordinary and just when all seemed saved, it appears that the latest species to save her kind come from Telos. Cybermen. I'm intrigued to see where things go with that but for now this was all about the Daleks. Their blood was everywhere and in the end they were quite decimated, but the experiments of Martez were firmly stopped and Daleks created from humans were no more. Overall, a stunning start to the series!

Rating: 9/10

Blood of the Daleks Part 1

"The Daleks are coming to save us!"

Writer: Steve Lyons
Format: Audio
Released: January 2007
Series: EDA 1.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

"People of Red Rocket Rising, my fellow citizens. Our long night is over. I've been contacted by a benevolent people. They too have known great trials, but they have overcome them and made it their mission to help others do the same. They have offered us refuge, and passage to the nearest human worlds. They have the resources, and the patience and compassion, to evacuate every one of us. My fellow citizens, my friends, rescue is at hand!"

Verdict

Blood of the Daleks kicked off in great style with this fantastic first part! It served as an excellent start to the Eighth Doctor Adventures range of audios and was also a brilliant introduction for Lucie Miller as the new companion. I have been waiting a tremendously long time to catch up with the Main Range stories so to finally be on the EDAs is very exciting for me. I was even more thrilled to find that I could listen to the entire first series for free on Spotify but this would definitely have been worth paying for! Sheridan Smith was terrific on debut and the way Lucie was introduced to the audience was intriguing and immediately got us asking questions. She was interesting right from the word go and that's very important. The prospect of the Time Lords sending her but placing a perception filter on her mind was good and I look forward to hearing how things develop with Lucie in the long term. The title of this audio has intrigued me for a long time and whilst I'll probably get more answers in part two, the role of the Daleks in this story was brilliant. I liked the history behind Professor Martez but I was not expecting her to still be alive in the form of Asha! The explanation of a brain transfer was quite impressive but something even more so was that some Daleks, which clearly sounded like they were in their infancy, recognised her as their creator. That came towards the first part's conclusion but that's something I'm very excited to hear further. Tom Cardwell was a lovely character and I really enjoyed how defensive he was of having the Daleks coming to save the inhabitants of Red Rocket Rising. The history books were clear but that didn't stop Eileen Klint from accepting their offer of salvation. The concept of the Daleks offering help to refugees is pretty preposterous so I was interested to know their motive. The relationship between the Doctor and Lucie was wonderful and I loved how she was just thrown straight into the companion role. The banter regarding where and when she came from was great and I just liked how the pair clicked almost instantly, despite her intruding in the TARDIS and not seeing too perplexed by everything. The cliffhanger of the story was decent and cliche but I couldn't help but enjoy it. The threat of the Doctor being exterminated is always good and I look forward to hearing how he dodges it. I should also mention the Dalek Supreme having to backtrack when nearly stating that the Doctor should be exterminated rather than facing trial. I liked how the Doctor was labelled a terrorist and as a whole, this was just a marvellous opening part to a brilliant first story of the series!

The Time Machine

"I've built a time machine!"

Writer: Matt Fitton
Format: Audio
Released: November 2013
Series: Destiny of the Doctor 13

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

23 November 2013. In an Oxford laboratory, graduate Alice Watson helps Professor Chivers assemble the final pieces of an impossible machine. A time machine.

The scientist and his assistant believe they are making history, little suspecting that the project's completion will threaten the existence of the entire universe. But someone has sensed danger, and when the mysterious Doctor arrives, Alice is taken on a desperate race from libraries and dreaming spires all the way to the nightmare world of Earth's future.

The monstrous Creevix are coming. They seek control of time itself and are certain that the Doctor is already too late to stop them. But can the key to saving the future lie in the Time Lord's past lives?

Verdict

The Time Machine was a fantastic audio and a fitting end to the Destiny of the Doctor series! After a little bit of a shaky patch, I'm glad that things finished on a high with this story. It's been a very good range of stories and whilst I would have preferred to stick to my initial plan of doing each story separate of the next, I have very much enjoyed the adventure. This one was intriguing though as we had Jenna Coleman narrating, quite brilliantly I may add, but no appearance of Clara. That was certainly something I didn't expect but it wasn't at all a problem. She delivered the story wonderfully well and really did make the audio an absolute breeze to listen to. She was definitely one of the very best narrators for the entire series and that really does make a difference to an adventure. Her impression of Matt Smith was perhaps lacking but the writing of the Eleventh Doctor was so good that it didn't really matter. Fitton did a stellar job in capturing the traits and mannerisms in the dialogue of this Doctor which was a real positive. I loved that the setting was 23 November and I was rather intrigued that the year was 2013 for a time machine to be invented by the human race. Obviously, it's now 2018 and there are no time travellers so things didn't seem to quite add up there but it was explained terrifically. The idea of Chivers being told by his future self how to build the time machine was an almighty paradox and how that led to the Creevix coming was very good. I thought they were great enemies and I liked how they always knew what the Doctor, or anyone else for that matter, was going to say. They knew everything so defeating them did seem rather tricky. I loved though that for the ten previous stories, we had been listening the whole time to the Eleventh Doctor's plan and how he used his past selves to save the future. There's some good irony there. Alice was a lovely character and her relationship with both Chivers and the Doctor was brilliant here. The moment the Doctor explained his involvement in the past stories of the series was sublime and I really liked hearing how certain characters contributed to thwarting the Creevix. The connection with Hunters of Earth and Chivers was really good and I also loved the Doctor's mention of Back to the Future. That's my favourite franchise ever so that was a treat. Overall, a really brilliant story to finish the series!

Rating: 9/10

Death's Deal

"It suddenly gulped and swallowed the TARDIS whole."

Writer: Darren Jones
Format: Audio
Released: October 2013
Series: Destiny of the Doctor 10

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

Responding to multiple maydays, the TARDIS lands on the planet of Death's Deal, but the distress calls are old, the final echoes of terrified lost souls. This is an exotic world of lethal creatures, nicknamed 'The Deadliest Planet in the Galaxy', and only the brave, foolhardy or greedy would ever dare to visit.

Finding themselves stranded among a motley bunch of space-tourists, the Doctor and Donna must lead a struggle for survival against the frenzied wildlife, as they slowly realise that other members of the group have very different agendas.

And soon the Doctor learns of an even bigger threat hiding on Death's Deal. Somewhere deep below the surface, is something that must never be unearthed.

Time is running out, and only an impossible survivor holds the key...

Verdict

Death's Deal was a decent little audio adventure and a good penultimate story in the Destiny of the Doctor series but that's not to say it didn't have room for improvement. It was definitely better than the last outing of Night of the Whisper, that's for sure, which actually seems like a long time ago now following a trip to Denmark for myself which saw my blogging activities cease. It's a busy time of the year now for me with yet another move on the cards and with my Masters beginning in just a fortnight, I do hope I'll be able to maintain a decent level of blogging. I've been worried in previous years but I've always been okay. I'm not sure what challenges moving in with my girlfriend will provide though! Anyway, onto the story and there were definitely no romantic relationships here as the Doctor and Donna took centre stage in this series. I thought Catherine Tate did a pretty good job as narrating but honestly, and I'm being very harsh here, I was hoping for better. She's such a good actress but she didn't seem to be bothering to try and impersonate David Tennant. It certainly wasn't on the standard of the likes of Nicola Bryant and Sophie Aldred's performances in this series! It was fantastic though to hear as Donna again and I thought it was good how the Doctor knew she would find the TARDIS when she fell and entrusted her to send him a signal. The idea of the TARDIS receiving numerous distress calls that were all outdated wasn't too dissimilar to the concept behind The Doctor's Wife but this was always going to struggle to reach that kind of level. I liked the futuristic setting and I thought Death's Deal was a good planet for events to unfold. It seems a little cliche to call a planet the deadliest in the galaxy, especially if it was included on an intergalactic tour, but this one was literally a living consumer and staying too long really would mean your death. I thought the cameo of the Eleventh Doctor was superb and I actually loved Catherine Tate's impression of Matt Smith! The writing was great and I liked how the Doctor approved of his previous self and showed that he wasn't much changed. Professor Erksine was a good character and I thought the moment that Lyric revealed she was actually his daughter was terrific. The slaughter crystals sounded horrific and the Tenth Doctor's reaction to them sold that fact. The way the Doctor prevented them from being mined was good but the highlight of the story for me was Donna hiding in Krux, quite literally. Overall, a decent story but some better narration and some more impact would have seen things even higher.

Rating: 7/10

Night of the Whisper

"When people don't do what I ask, they get paid off permanently."

Writers: Cavan Scott & Mark Wright
Format: Audio
Released: September 2013
Series: Destiny of the Doctor 09

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack

Synopsis

New Vegas, 23rd century - a sprawling city huddling beneath an artificial atmospheric bubble on a distant moon. Pleasure seekers flock there from every corner of the galaxy, to take in the shows and play the tables in the huge casinos. But beneath the glitz and glitter, organised crime rules the streets.

Whilst Rose Tyler works as a waitress in the Full Moon nightclub, Jack Harkness poses as a reporter for the Daily Galaxy. Meanwhile, the Doctor is helping the police department with their investigation into The Whisper, a strange vigilante that has been terrorising the city's underworld. But the Doctor is also on a mission of his own - to save Police Chief McNeil's life at all costs.

Verdict

Night of the Whisper was sadly not the best of audios and whilst it wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, it did not live up to the consistency that has adorned the Destiny of the Doctor series so well. I was looking forward to a new adventure with the Ninth Doctor as they're seemingly quite a rarity but I couldn't help but feel a little let down by what I listened to. Now, I must set the record straight and state that I still thought the story was pretty decent but I think my biggest qualm was Nicholas Briggs' narration. This was nothing against him but I really don't think he was the right choice to narrate a tale with the Ninth Doctor. His impression of Christopher Eccleston's Doctor was quite awful to be honest and I was quite saddened that the Doctor was heard with the most generic Northern accent. It affected the story and sadly I didn't think the impression of Rose was much better either. The impersonation of Captain Jack was a little better though thankfully but this all had an adverse effect on the audio as it didn't capture the feel of Series 1 at all. That's something I think is crucial to a story like this. You really have to show the era your story takes place in and I didn't feel that was the case here. I did though really like the New Vegas setting and thought it was good that the Doctor had to point out that it wasn't its own planet. Rose having worked as a waitress for a month was an intriguing move and I thought it was powerful that she had to know that many of her work colleagues and those she served food to had perished at the hands of the Whisper. I thought the concept behind the Whisper was actually pretty good and the concept of Lilian being a living corpse was quite horrific. The cameo of the Eleventh Doctor was interesting in this story and I liked that he gave his predecessor a mission to keep McNeil alive but I had hoped that the Doctor talked more to Rose and Jack about who the strange man was. The Doctor revealing that the enemies in the story were called Star Marshalls was good and I thought the description of them was fantastic. That's a word that was missing from this story though, at least in its enthusiastic tone. Wolfsbane was another good character and I also liked the connection with McNeil and Lilian and the despair regarding the relationship they had with their father. Overall though, this story was just missing that special something and whilst it wasn't bad, it certainly dropped below the previous standard set in this series.

Rating: 6/10

Enemy Aliens

"William Tell is the key to it all."

Writer: Alan Barnes
Format: Audio
Released: August 2013
Series: Destiny of the Doctor 08

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

1935: a message from a Time Lord in trouble sends the Eighth Doctor and Charlotte 'Charley' Pollard to the streets of London's West End, in search of a mysterious alien adversary - unaware that something monstrous is already on their trail.

They soon discover that an insidious conspiracy is indeed at work, its tentacles extending the length of the British Isles. Proving its existence won't be easy, however, after a confrontation in a music hall ends up with the Doctor under arrest and Charley on the run, suspected of murder. All their hopes rest in a musical clue and a man named Hilary - neither of which are much consolation, with the two time travellers the object of a nationwide manhunt.

And all the while, the enemy aliens are drawing closer and closer still...

Verdict

Enemy Aliens was another very good audio story in the Destiny of the Doctor series of adventures to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Doctor Who. When this series was announced some time ago now, I was very intrigued to see what they did for the Eighth Doctor release as the series wasn't really under the banner of Big Finish so to a lot of the potential audience, the Eighth Doctor had only appeared once in The Movie but this series would not see the actors to play the Doctor reprise their roles. So, would it be Grace with another adventure? Thankfully, sense was made and the decision to have India Fisher tell a new story with Charley was made. Now, the timing of my listening is probably a bit off having just listened to The Girl Who Never Was with Charley departing but it was nice to get one final adventure with the pairing as I have already listened to Solitaire. Now, onto the story itself and it was very good. I thought the 1930s setting was intriguing given Charley's connection with the R101 in Storm Warning and I liked how she was contemplating getting married to Hilary to get paperwork and possibly begin a new life when society would know her as dead. India Fisher's narration was superb, as expected, and I thought her impression of the Eighth Doctor was actually great! She managed to include all the traits and mannerisms of Paul McGann's incarnation on a pretty consistent basis and that always makes for better listening. I thought the cameo of the Eleventh Doctor occurring right at the start of the story was good and the Eighth Doctor's annoyance at the audacity of his future self including a message on the TARDIS was terrific. The story and plot surrounding William Tell was interesting but I thought one of the highlights was the confusion between the lock and key actually referring to a loch and quay in Scotland, rather than a door in London. That was very clever and when the Doctor realised the mistake, it put a smile on my face that's for sure. Hilary was a good character and villain and his double crossing for both sides was brilliant. He was uncomfortably into Charley but that fitted in well with the setting and his chauvinistic personality. The Rossini humming was another very good aspect of the story and the way Charley used it to see Hilary's demise was excellent. I wasn't sure if an actual monster was needed but the prospect of a worldwide invasion coming out of the idea of Germans being the enemy aliens was very good indeed. I'm intrigued to see how the series moves from here as the Eighth Doctor appears to have fixed the fuzz that caused trouble for the Eleventh Doctor to send messages into the past to his former selves. But we enter a new era with the series now and I'm excited for what lies ahead. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10