The Memory Feast

"They foresaw their own end..."

Writer: George Mann

Format: Comic Strip
Released: June-July 2017

Printed in: The Eleventh Doctor #3.6-7

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Alice, Sapling

Synopsis

When the Sapling's mysterious vision leads the TARDIS to a luxury space cruise liner orbiting a black hole, the Doctor was shocked to discover over a dozen Ood still enslaved onboard, who had turned on their masters! Further investigations revealed that they had been disconnected from the Ood Song due to the black hole, and the Doctor was able to free them, and return them to the Song, and their planet.

Now, the journey continues... 

Verdict

The Memory Feast was a very good continuation of the third year of Eleventh Doctor comic strip adventures! It does seem quite a while now since I read Time of the Ood and I admittedly acknowledge that my reading of most of Titan's releases has been hampered by the shocking decision from BBC's Tales from the TARDIS comic to become a tri-monthly release. Thankfully, the superb Libraries West service has enabled me to pick up the graphic novels and continue my reading of the Eleventh Doctor's adventures at a far more favourable pace. I was delighted to see that George Mann was back penning a comic strip and I thought his characterisation of the Eleventh Doctor was pretty good with a decent likeness of Matt Smith captured on the page. I thought the acknowledging of Alice being a good companion and taking the initiative when it came to running away from the Thrake was terrific and as an enemy, I thought they were decent. I liked the concept behind the Xerxes and the prospect of them having died out before Time Lord civilisation had even begun showed the scale of just how long the memory ark had been floating around in space. I thought that was a good setting and the whole theme of memory and projection was fantastic. It was intriguing to see the memories of just one of the Xerxes but the most fascinating memories were those of the Doctor's. The little nod to An Unearthly Child with the image of 76 Totter's Lane was wonderful and I liked the fear factor of Skaro getting a mention too. The Sapling was really great in this story and I've been a bit sceptical about its presence but the sacrifice it was willing to make to save its progenitors was really quite something. The echo of the Xerxes never being forgotten and surviving its sacrifice was really good as well. The imagery of this comic strip was quite brilliant and I liked how it turned out to be one big chase. The Doctor being shown the way to defeating the Thrake by the Xerxes was good and I liked the simplicity of him providing the means to overload their greedy desires. The reference to The Tragical History Tour by the Doctor towards the Sapling and the hopes for a chat were good and I do hope that gets further explored in the next story in the run. For now though, this was a great little comic strip adventure!

Rating: 8/10

No More Lies

"Give me your time!"

Writer: Paul Sutton
Format: Audio
Released: June 2007
Series: EDA 1.06

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

What links a disintegrating spaceship to a posh garden party, where a wealthy couple are celebrating their love for each other in style? Gatecrashers the Doctor and Lucie think they know the answer. But they're not the only uninvited guests - ferocious alien warriors riding pterodactyl-like Vortisaurs are about to make their entrance!

Verdict

No More Lies was sadly another quite average audio adventure to continue the first series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures which was a real shame. I had really high hopes prior to starting this range but I've felt a little down so far with half of the releases actually proving to be not that great. It's actually surprised me a great deal because I'd heard great things about the Eighth Doctor and Lucie together and I thought that would be replicated in their stories. Don't get me wrong, this story wasn't atrocious or awful by any stretch of the imagination but it definitely could have been a lot better. I wasn't a huge fan of how things were already in flow full once the story began and it really did feel like I was listening to a part three of a story without having listened/watched the first two parts. It just seemed we were joining halfway through proceedings and I wasn't a fan of that approach. Coming back to my earlier comments about the Eighth Doctor and Lucie, I should mention that I actually thought they were terrific together and they're slowly blossoming into a fantastic pairing in the TARDIS. The comments from the companion where she claimed the Doctor was always looking at her bum were magnificent. His reaction to that was wonderful! He seemed genuinely perplexed as well as actually quite guilty. The premise of this story was pretty interesting but I do think the problem of joining into the story halfway through proceedings hurt things. I liked the return of the Vortisaurs and it made sense that they were attracted to the time loop. Zimmerman knowing his wife was dying must have been incredibly painful but the fact that he'd created a time loop so he could spend an eternal night with his Rachel was extremely touching. I wasn't a big fan of the Tar-Modowk and I thought they sounded a bit too much like a silly monster. I'm a huge fan of the Super Mario game series and they'd be much better suited somewhere like there. I thought the ending was done pretty well and I liked the heartbreak of the Doctor having to destroy the time loop to ensure the Vortisaurs didn't get what they wanted. The concept of the past coming back to haunt oneself was intriguing and really got me thinking. The Headhunter finally catching up with Lucie was a good way to end the story and set up the finale, something I am very excited for! Overall though, an average audio adventure that had a lot of room to improve.

Rating: 6/10

Victims

"A smidgen of style never hurt anyone."

Writer: Dan Abnett
Format: Comic Strip
Released: April-June 1994
Printed in: DWM 212-214

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II

Synopsis

Kolpasha is the fashion capital of the Human Empire. The Doctor and Romana have come to enjoy the new season's shows and re-outfit the TARDIS's tired, old wardrobe. However, they soon discover that someone is up to something deadly and they end up as the prime suspects in a murder case...

Verdict

Victims was a decent comic strip adventure and a good start to the Land of the Blind graphic novel! I must, once again, place my thanks to Libraries West for having this terrific collection of comic strip stories in their catalogue and it is a release I have been excited about since its announcement! I wasn't actually aware that DWM had produced comic strips with incarnations of the Doctor other than the Seventh Doctor so learning of this was a real treat. Starting with the Fourth Doctor and Romana II was fantastic and I thought their relationship was pretty well captured on the page. The fashion theme was certainly a unique one and I liked its originality. It definitely suited the Fourth Doctor with his outrageous fashion sense. Well, mostly the scarf is the reason for that. I thought the panels where the Doctor was trying on new clothes was quite humorous and I can clearly imagine how frustrating that must have been for Romana. I loved how the Doctor wasn't aware that he was being difficult though. I was a big fan of that. The Kolpasha setting was very good and I was quite surprised to find that copyright was treated as a more serious crime than murder. The latter was an unfortunate circumstance but copyright theft was just unthinkable! That showed the kind of society the TARDIS had landed in. It was like one great big fashion industry. The Doctor meeting an old friend in the form of Racheem was good and I liked how he ended up working well with Romana. She was investigating the chemical bonds of the new Vitality that was due to hit stories and it was quite extraordinary. The concept of a spray that reversed age was great and it would understandably be quite popular! However, its true intention was a plan of the Quoll. He was a deranged and grotesque alien that was hungry and was attempting to turn the human population into something edible. It was a gross and evil plan but the Doctor wasn't having any of it. I liked his lengthy speech towards the story's conclusion and I thought the resolution with Vitality itself being used on the Quoll to destory it was simply but effective. The final comments about the Doctor wanting and needing a new hat and scarf were terrific and as a whole, this was a pretty good comic strip adventure!

Rating: 7/10

Arachnids in the UK

"Something's happening with the spiders... they're out of control."

Writer: Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 28th October 2018
Series: 11.04

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

The Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Graham and Ryan find their way back to Yorkshire - and Yaz's family - only to find that something is stirring amidst the eight-legged arachnid population of Sheffield. What links Yaz's mum and the hotel she works out? Spiders really shouldn't be this big...

Verdict

Arachnids in the UK was a very good episode to continue the strong start to the Thirteenth Doctor's era. I really liked that things returned to the present day and the setting being just half an hour after the team departed in The Woman Who Fell to Earth was terrific. I thought the portrayal of the Time Vortex, with the different entry points to numerous tunnels, was really interesting and a nice addition to the story. I was very glad that we got to meet Yaz's family as she was the character that needed some more depth and the timing came perfectly. We know all about Ryan and Graham and their troubled relationship following the loss of Grace and now we got to meet some of Yaz's loved ones. Her mum, Najia, was terrific and I just loved how highly the Doctor thought of her. She congratulated her for creating a great human being and was just perfectly socially awkward. Jodie Whittaker really was wonderful once again and I think she's becoming a truly fantastic Doctor. I loved how she didn't want to say goodbye to her new friends and jumped at the chance to have a cuppa at Yaz's. Graham was lovely in this episode and it was quite sad seeing him try to come to terms with the loss of Grace now he was back home. Grief was catching up with him, but his mind was soon sidetracked by the discovery of a giant spider carcass. The use of spiders as a threat has been done before in Doctor Who, most notably Planet of the Spiders, but there was no alien menace here. These were just spiders that had gotten out of control. They were capturing humans because they were confused. They had grown beyond normality and they didn't quite know what to do. But they were scary and I thought the atmosphere of this episode was brilliant. Robertson was a very good character and I liked how pompous he was being the big American businessman who was running for President of the USA in 2020. The Doctor wasn't having that though, not if he fired Yaz's mum! The comical scene where the Doctor thought he was Ed Sheeran was absolutely hilarious and a real shining moment of the episode. Jodie was marvellous. The threat of the spiders was good and I liked seeing just how scared Graham and Ryan were of them. Their size was obviously the crucial element of the fear factor. The hotel serving as the main setting and site of the problem was good and the use of a landfill mixed with old coal mines underneath a paradise hotel was terrific. Jade McIntyre was a strong character and her knowledge on arachnids really aided the Doctor which was wonderful. She deduced that the chemicals and spider carcasses had led to a change in pheromones and the toxicity had a deadly effect on the spider population of Sheffield. They were lured into the panic room through some horrific music of Ryan's but I thought there just needed to be a bit more clarity as to how that meant they were dealt with. It was left a little ambiguous and unanswered which was a shame because I thought this could have had an even higher rating. The politics in the episode was a surprise and I thought the comments about guns wouldn't have gone down well with some American fans. The killing of the Spider Mother was really emotional, especially once it was known she'd gotten too big to breath effectively and she was dying anyway. The scene I haven't mentioned yet that also made me laugh rather a lot was where the Doctor wasn't sure if she and Yaz were 'seeing' each other. She had no idea what it meant and I thought that was magnificent. The ending with Yaz, Ryan and Graham wanting to continue their travels with the Doctor was terrific and I really can't wait for more episodes with Team TARDIS. I really like them. Overall, a great episode!

Rating: 8/10

Battlefield

"Where Merlin was, so would Arthur be."

Writer: Marc Platt
Format: Novel
Released: July 1991
Series: Target 152

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Brigadier

Synopsis

'How do you do?' the Doctor said. 'This is Ace, and I am...' 'Merlin!' cried the Black Knight. His smile broadened in wonder and recognition. 'Merlin, against all hope!'

A UNIT nuclear convoy, stranded on the shores of Lake Vortigern, becomes the focus of an incursion by knights from a parallel reality. In this other world, technology and magic exist side by side, and the legends of King Arthur are fact. Close to the lake, the sinister Mordred battles against his enemy Ancelyn and summons his mother, the powerful witch Morgaine.

Is the Doctor really Merlin? And will he discover what actually happened to King Arthur? But time is running out for everyone as Morgaine takes control of the nuclear weapons and summons the Destroyer - Lord of Darkness and Eater of Worlds...

Verdict

Battlefield was a great novelisation of the televised story of the same name! It definitely brought a different perspective than that which was offered on TV and I found it quite interesting that it was so long. For a Target novelisation, and I fully appreciate that this was the BBC reprint, going over the 200 page mark is actually quite unheard of and I was rather surprised when I came to read it. However, I liked that it was clearly split into the four parts but I wasn't a fan of the chapter numbers restarting with each part. That just seemed a bit silly to me. Reuniting the Doctor with the Brigadier was a wonderful idea and on the page, their relationship was well captured. With his old friend once again having a new face, I liked how the Brigadier and the Seventh Doctor met with the former recognising the latter with ease. Who else could he be? The initial Brigadier of Banbera was a decent character but there's simply no replacing Lethbridge-Stewart. I found his relationship with Ace a really intriguing element of the story as they didn't really seem to get on at first. However, by the time the story was up, they seemed to bond over their dual liking of explosives. I thought Ace had a good story and the fact that the Doctor knew all about her explosives, and Ace knew he knew whilst he may have thought she didn't (that's a mouthful!), was terrific. Their relationship was really well captured in prose. The prospect of the Doctor being Merlin was mightily intriguing and I liked the paradox of him knowing that he would become Merlin, in the past of the alternate dimension, at some point in his future. It put him in a very tricky situation which made for a lot of interest. Morgaine was an excellent villain and her ancient desperation to kill Arthur was made very good when it was discovered that he had been dead all along. The note from the future version of the Doctor was a great touch. I thought the Destroyer could have been portrayed as something more deserving of the name but I was more surprised by how little the beast actually featured. The use of silver was a good theme throughout the novelisation too and I liked how the Brigadier used silver bullets to destroy the mighty Destroyer. It was done rather well, after he knocked the Doctor out cold so he wouldn't risk his life! The ancient battle between Mordred and Ancelyn playing out was terrific and I thought the modern day setting of this was delightful. The Brigadier coming out of retirement was just splendid and I loved that we got to meet Doris in quite considerable detail. Overall, a really good novelisation!

Rating: 8/10

Heralds of Destruction

"Appearances can be deceptive."

Writer: Paul Cornell
Format: Comic Strip
Released: September 2016-February 2017
Printed in: The Third Doctor #1-5

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo, Brigadier

Synopsis

How could you ever win against a deadly hive mind robotic intelligence, capable of creating itself infinite bodies out of thin air? Join forces with the Third Doctor, the infamous U.N.I.T, and a host of staggering guest stars to find out! Twists and turns ensure as the Doctor, the Brigadier, and the Master continue their struggle - and a surprisingly familiar face returns!

Verdict

Heralds of Destruction was simply marvellous! Paul Cornell rarely fails to deliver when it comes to a Doctor Who story and this comic strip was certainly no different! It was right up there with the very best that has been published by Titan Comics and it was a perfect representation of the Third Doctor's era. The characterisation of this incarnation of the Doctor was superb with Jon Pertwee's likeness easily captured on the page. It was a real joy to read, especially when the characterisations of the other main characters like Jo, the Master and the Brigadier, were so strong as well. It really did make for a delightful read and I seemed to fly through the five parts! This graphic novel is another great usage of the Libraries West service by myself and I'm quite grateful because I hadn't even came across this collection in any shops. I'm quite glad that was the case now though! The apparent return of the Second Doctor was an unexpected pleasure and I found the placing of the story being so soon after The Three Doctors terrific. The Third Doctor was having difficulties coming to terms with leaving his friends and going off in the TARDIS again but I also thought the little hint at Yates and his character development heading towards Invasion of the Dinosaurs was fantastic. Those little hints and nods really do make a story even better. The revelation that the Second Doctor wasn't actually present and it was the return of Salamander was wonderful and seeing him back visually was a real treat. Cornell nailed the writing of him too and his maniacal scheme this time was to gain time travel, go back in time and then place himself as a prominent leader. The explanation of his survival following The End of the World was really well done and I liked how we got a lengthy flashback of how he asserted himself into the world of modern day Earth (at the time of the Third Doctor). The Master's intentions in this story were really intriguing and I liked how he didn't want a human potentially taking over the world before him. The little prelude of his famed address in Logopolis was a lovely touch. The scenes in Parliament in 1868 with Disraeli were terrific and I liked the scale of the story a great deal. The mini mind-bots were good and I liked how they were under Salamander's control, and I just loved how he seemed to get madder as the villain with each page! It was excellent stuff. I loved the ending with him escaping his prison cell too, seemingly into another time. I like the prospect of him returning to do more damage but for now, this was a sublime comic strip story!

Rating: 10/10

Slaver's Song

"I stowed away on the Doctor's ship and now I'm being crushed by living water."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: January-March 2017
Printed in: The Ninth Doctor #9-10

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack

Synopsis

The Iara have long been thought a Brazilian myth, but when these unearthly mer-creatures prove to be aquatic aliens making an unscheduled stop on planet Earth, the TARDIS team must establish their intentions and broker peace across the water barrier...

Verdict

Slaver's Song was a decent continuation of the Ninth Doctor's comic strip run from Titan and a good conclusion to the Official Secrets graphic novel collection. I need to thank Libraries West once again for their incredible service in allowing me to access these stories free of charge and although I was once a big fan and advocate of collecting, I realise with the amount of content out there that the likelihood of me revisiting stories is not great so I will definitely be making the most of the library service here in Bristol. It's sublime. This story wasn't quite up to the standard of that work but I liked the dynamic that Tara brought to the well-established TARDIS team of the Ninth Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack. Rose seemed quite jealous at the smiles that she evoked in the Doctor and she went off with Captain Jack who had quite an intriguing story to say the least. Despite the whole Jack secret base aspect of the plot being the sub-story, it was definitely the most interesting and I found the revelation that he had executed Zloy Volk not much of a surprise to be honest. Jack developed in such a great and groomed character in Torchwood and we learned a lot of his past and the extents he would go to so learning that he'd executed someone on the orders of the Time Agency seemed quite in line with his character. However, I can completely understand why Rose reacted how she did and Jack wasn't the man that she thought he was. I later learned that Zloy Volk was Russian for Bad Wolf which I thought was impressive writing. Yiara was a lovely character and I liked how the Doctor wanted to help when she was hurt and Tara was more than willing. She wasn't much of a fan of Francisco and the Doctor's reaction to learning that he was conversing with a slaver was fantastic. I actually thought the characterisation of the Ninth Doctor was really good in this story which was a big positive! Lpupiara was another interesting character but I felt we needed a bit more background. Intergalactic slavers coming to Earth during a time of slavery, or at least a location where it was present, was a great concept but the enactment, whilst good, definitely could have been improved. I thought the conclusion was a bit abrupt but I loved the irony of the slavers becoming the slaves. That seemed deserved and was nicely done. The cliffhanger ending with the Ninth Doctor being captured at the hands of the Judoon was hugely shocking and I can't wait to see why he's been accused of murdering Tara! I have already placed a reservation for the next volume so I'm very eager to learn what has happened. Overall though, a good story!

Rating: 7/10

Phobos

"100% natural thrills and spills."

Writer: Eddie Robson
Format: Audio
Released: May 2007
Series: EDA 1.05

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands on Phobos, moon of Mars - where extreme sports nuts of the future indulge their passion for gravity-boarding and wormhole-jumping. But there's something lurking in the shadows, something infinitely old and infinitely dangerous. It's not for nothing that "Phobos" is the ancient word for "fear"...

Verdict

Phobos was a pretty average continuation of the Eighth Doctor Adventures and sadly it seems that this first series is a bit of a mixed bag and really struggling with consistency. This story had its moments and I thought the premise was actually good. I really liked the idea of a futuristic setting where daredevils came for their adrenaline rushes. Wormhole jumping certainly sounded quite thrilling but final delivery of its role in the story just didn't work. It wasn't a bad story, but it wasn't necessarily a great one either. It just needed some more action and an oomph factor rather than just plodding along. I really liked Lucie once again though and I think she's turning into a terrific companion. There's a lot of potential there and I'm liking her relationship with the Eighth Doctor very much. Paul McGann was decent as always and I liked that the Doctor had to use his fears to defeat the deity from another reality but I thought it was a bit of a cheat to the listener for those fears not to be mentioned or elaborated upon. The Entity of Fear didn't seem all that frightening considering its name and place of origin but I liked that it used the loved ones of some of the main characters in this story to communicate. Kai was an intriguing character and his association with the Entity was certainly an interesting one. It was quite disturbing in a way. Amy and Farl were lovely characters and I thought they made a good couple. The idea of their relationship being frowned upon and hunted because the latter's species wanted a pure gene pool was quite horrifying but hardly surprising if history has anything to tell us. It seems that lessons won't be learned by the future. Lucie's reaction to seeing Mars was probably the highlight of the story and I should also mention that Drew and Hayd's relationship was another very good aspect of the audio. The revelation that the latter was in love with the former was an unexpected turn of events but once it was mentioned it seemed so obvious which was a unique feeling I must say. The ending needed expanding and some more clarity. The continuing arc with the tracking of Lucie Miller was interesting and I look forward to hearing how that's resolved. Overall though, an audio that had its moments but could have been improved upon.

Rating: 6/10

Rosa

"All roads lead to Rosa Parks."

Writers: Malorie Blackman & Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 21st October 2018
Series: 11.03

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

Montgomery, Alabama. 1955. The Doctor and her friends find themselves in the Deep South of America. As they encounter a seamstress by the name of Rosa Parks, they begin to wonder whether someone is attempting to change history...

Verdict

Rosa was a phenomenal episode of Doctor Who! Wow. This was easily the best episode of the Thirteenth Doctor's run yet and I think it is going to take something special to beat it. It was right up there with the very best historicals the show has ever offered and the power behind it was something else. It really was on another level. I liked the idea of the Doctor not quite yet having control over her TARDIS but I still have to say that the TARDIS interior hasn't quite grown on me yet. The setting of Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 was superb and having the Doctor and co meet Rosa Parks was wonderful. It really was quite magnificent and I loved the reactions of every one of the main cast when they found out who they had met. It was a beautiful moment. Ryan getting assaulted by a white man for merely returning his wife's glove set the racist scene of the episode perfectly and it was just such a shock to see it unfold so quickly. It really was striking and I liked the direction of that moment. Krasko was a decent enemy and his meddling with history was good. I did have my suspicions early on that he may be a modern incarnation of the Monk but instead he was just a criminal who had spent time imprisoned at Stormcage. The neural inhibitor in his head that prevented him from killing or injuring put the Doctor in a position of superiority which I loved and I thought Jodie Whittaker was really good once again. I liked that the Doctor and Graham got acquainted together a bit more in this episode and the scene where their hotel room was inspected by a policeman and the latter's story being that he was an inventor called Steve Jobs was quite hilarious. Ryan and Yaz had a lot to deal with in this episode given their skin colour and race and it was hugely powerful. You could see just how helpless the Doctor was and there was nothing she could do. Seeing Ryan sitting at the back of the bus was so powerful but it showed how times have changed in a major way. Ryan dealing with Krasko was good and the desperation of Yaz to get Rosa on the bus on time mixed with the Doctor, Graham and Ryan's attempts to get the bus full was excellent. The realisation that they had to stay on the bus was incredible though and the delivery of Rosa's refusal to give up her seat for a white passenger, along with the arrest, was sublime. The emotion in the reactions of Graham and the Doctor particularly were startling and will resonate with me for a long time. It was so powerful and I loved the reflective ending in the TARDIS where Rosa's achievements were celebrated. Overall, a stunning episode!

Rating: 10/10 

The Warmonger Part 1

"Why is this city in such a state?"

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 18th October 2018
Printed in: DWM 531

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

The Thirteenth Doctor has taken her friends to the City of Radiant Stone on Gatan. She was aiming for the party era but something went wrong. They arrive in the aftermath of what has clearly been a war, and a city ravaged with destruction. Why is Tondi so afraid of the soldiers?

Verdict

The Warmonger started the comic strip era of the Thirteenth Doctor in great style! I thought it was a really strong and intriguing beginning of which I will discuss more of shortly. Now, to the magazine itself and it's always an exciting issue in the midst of a series being broadcast. I've had a quick glimpse at the magazine and I was delighted to see that my thoughts about The Woman Who Fell to Earth made it into Galaxy Forum (second one in for anyone looking). It kept up my 100% print rate which I was very happy about and I can't wait to read the thoughts of everyone else. I'm sure Jodie Whittaker will have been welcomed very warmly and I can't wait to read the previews of the next four episodes, particularly tomorrow's offering of Rosa. The previews have been quite different to recent years as they don't really reveal much at all and are usually just someone's thoughts on the episode and its making. I'm interested to see the reviews of the first two episodes as well and I think the interview with Bradley Walsh should be fantastic as he's a humorous and likeable man. I'm really not a fan of the Time Team discussing pop songs concerning Doctor Who this issue - surely that's not relevant? I'm also still not liking the Cosplay feature and I maintain that it will only appeal to a very small section of the readership. John Levene being interviewed should be very good as well as he's an interesting and famed name of the show. It looks set to be another action-packed issue and one I cannot wait to divulge into. The previews of the Thirteenth Doctor books are also something I can't wait for! Back to the comic strip itself and after only two episodes, it was really interesting to be doing a story with the Thirteenth Doctor in a different format. I thought the characterisation was absolutely superb though! That goes for all four of the regular cast. I really liked how Ryan and Graham's relationship was captured on the page and I thought the artwork was also hugely impressive. The Gatan setting was good and I liked how the Doctor was aware that something was wrong. Tondi was a lovely little character and I loved how Yaz consoled her. The arrival of the Soldiers was a good cliffhanger and I'm really looking forward to finding out more about their intentions and just who they are. Will the Thirteenth Doctor be able to get out of this one intact? I look forward to finding out. Overall, a very good start to the story and a brand new era of comic strip adventures.

Official Secrets

"When kids with special powers can't find their parents... they tear the world apart."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: October-December 2016
Printed in: The Ninth Doctor #6-8

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack, Brigadier, Harry

Synopsis

Welcome back to the 70s (or is it the 80s?)! The Doctor becomes entangled once more with the forces of UNIT when a cache of potentially devastating top secret material is leaked to the media. But does the UNIT whistleblower have a point? Alien invasion and internecine intrigue combine in an explosive new story!

Verdict

Official Secrets was a delightful comic strip adventure! It's always a great occasion when the Brigadier gets to meet a new incarnation of the Doctor and there's just something even more special when it's one from the modern era. We've seen the Tenth Doctor encounter his old chum in The Warkeeper's Crown and now was the turn of the Ninth Doctor! It was just brilliant to see and I liked that the initial meeting was delayed a little and we had to make do with the Ninth Doctor encountering his former companion in Harry Sullivan. He was quite different to how we last saw him in Terror of the Zygons and he even went as far as punching a minister in the face! I thought that was a little out of character for him but I have to say I was very impressed with the writing of his actual speech. The essence of his capture was wonderfully captured on the page which made for terrific reading. I thought the characterisation of the Ninth Doctor was decent and I also thought the writing of Rose was very good and definitely in line with how she was in Series One. She went through a lot with the Tenth Doctor and I think we come to think of her more generally alongside that incarnation of the Doctor, but here she was extremely caring (not that she wasn't in future) and really wanted to see that Dean didn't get hurt and didn't have to be caged up. Captain Jack's continued story arc of losing his memories was intriguing and with little snippets of information being offered, this time in the form of a photo in the UNIT archives, I am very interested to see what will come of it. Tara was a wonderful character and her role in bringing about the downfall of Albion Defense was outstanding. I really did love that and it was quite a twist as I was genuinely expecting her to expose UNIT. Benton was very good in this story and had a good relationship with Captain Jack and I liked his confusion at hearing UNIT referred to as the Unified Intelligence Taskforce rather than the first line being United Nations. The play on the UNIT dating controversy is getting a bit old now but I knew it was going to make an appearance. Rose played a crucial role in getting the information about Albion's true intentions out and I liked how the Brigadier picked up on the change in the demeanour of the Doctor. He didn't usually let his companions go into the field of battle while he watched. Seeing the Doctor almost like the Brigadier now was an incredible thought. The ending was unexpected with Tara inviting herself on the TARDIS and I am intrigued to see the direction from here. Overall though, a fantastic comic strip!

Rating: 9/10

Immortal Beloved

"Let us die together."

Writer: Jonathan Clements
Format: Audio
Released: April 2007
Series: EDA 1.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

'Theosophy? Ha! Surely you mean theophany? Because we're not talking about real gods here, are we? We're talking about the appearance of gods. Your heavenly powers are a little too mechanical for my liking. And, if I may be so bold, Lord Zeus, your demeanour is not very godlike.'

Verdict

Immortal Beloved was a brilliant audio story and a great continuation of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! After a bit of a blip with Horror of Glam Rock, I was delighted to hear things back on a very high level with what was a fantastic story. I thought this was Lucie's best story yet as new companion as we got to see a lot of her personality come out and Sheridan Smith was just terrific. I like the new dynamic she brings to the TARDIS and Lucie's relationship with the Doctor is a very good one. They started off a bit shaky, and that's in terms of the story not quality, but now they're getting quite acquainted with each other and it's wonderful to hear. Paul McGann was once again very good as the Eighth Doctor and I just like how new and modern this feels. I adore the Classic era of Doctor Who but there's just something unique about this period of the Doctor's life because everything isn't quite Classic but it's not quite New Who either. It has its own feel and I think that's awesome. The TARDIS arriving at the moment Sararti and Kalkin were going to throw themselves from a cliff and kill themselves was quite a shocker. That's some introduction for the Doctor and Lucie! I liked that the Doctor wouldn't just let them kill themselves, that should never be the answer, but little did he know what he was preventing from occurring. Zeus was a very good villain and the whole concept of the heir and spare being literal in terms of closing and mind transfer was superb! It was disturbingly evil but that's what made it a good point of the plot. It was disturbing and the lack of remorse Zeus had for the clones just made him an even better enemy. His love story with Hera was atrocious as well really, considering that they went off with other people once they got to a certain level of old age. Zeus's advance on Lucie was quite shocking but I thought she handled it brilliantly. She felt like a very modern companion in this story which was a big bonus. Sararti pretending to be Hera when the lover of Zeus had suffered a sudden heart attack was great but I didn't expect the trick to be repeated so soon with Kalkin and Zeus. I liked that as they could live happily ever after and in power and the Doctor had put an end to the mind transfer machine. Lucie knew that they might be tempted but the Doctor was going to risk it. Hopefully one life time of happiness together would be another. Overall, a very intriguing, unique and just fantastic audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

The Boy With the Displaced Smile

"The Devil's own work served with a smile."

Writer: James Peaty
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 26th April 2017
Printed in: The Twelfth Doctor #3.04

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

Under attack, the Twelfth Doctor flashes back to a dangerous incident from his travels alone. Can he break a small town free from the curse... of the boy with the displaced smile?

Verdict

The Boy With the Displaced Smile was a very decent continuation of the Twelfth Doctor's third year of comic strip adventures and after recently concluding his era on television for a second time, I was more than happy to be delving back into his comic strip run! I'm not too sure about the whole interlude thing that happened with this release coming part way between Beneath the Waves, but I was very happy to find this comic strip in the graphic novel titled of the aforementioned story. The local library service in Bristol is superb with access to over 150 libraries free of charge so getting this has been a real help in terms of expenditure! The Doctor travelling was quite unusual but he soon found a friendly character in the form of Penny. She was a really great character and there were definitely signs of a companion in her. I had thought that Hattie was going to join the Twelfth Doctor but I did have my suspicions that we were getting a new companion here. Alas, it was not to be. The Sweet Haven setting was excellent and the image of a grin in the sky was quite something! It definitely made me smile and I also thought the artwork was fantastic. A very colourful story which always makes for pleasant reading. The Doctor and Penny's frantic escapes indoors from the locals was exciting and I liked how the men were actually terrified of what they were hiding from. The Doctor deducing that they had no food left was really good and I liked that he wanted to go straight to where the problem arose. The Saprophytes were an intriguing enemy but the Doctor knew all about them and their reality-warping emo-parasitic nature. I thought they could have had a little more time to express themselves but they were actually really creepy with them having taken the form of a child. That always seems to make things scarier but the Doctor didn't seem flustered at all. I thought the characterisation of the Twelfth Doctor was pretty decent throughout which was a positive. Duane and Decker were interesting characters and I thought the idea of taking things into their own hands and gaining control by committing suicide was an awful idea. Luckily, the Doctor had given Penny his sonic sunglasses and he transported them to eye of the storm where the Saprophytes were easily defeated by gunshot. Penny telling the Doctor to be happy was a lovely way to finish but I was little confused as to how the possessed child's smile saw the grin disappear and deserve the name of the story. Overall though, a very good comic strip!

Rating: 8/10

The Ghost Monument

"How can a planet be in the wrong place?"

Writer: Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 14th October 2018
Series: 11.02

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yasmin, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

Still reeling from their first encounter, the Doctor and her new friends fight to stay alive long enough, in a hostile alien environment, to solve the mystery of Desolation; the mystery of Angstrom and Epzo and their incredible race...

Verdict

The Ghost Monument was a decent continuation of the new series of Doctor Who and whilst I very much enjoyed it, I couldn't help but feel that it was just missing something. Not much, but something was preventing it from getting a higher rating sadly. The immediate continuation from The Woman Who Fell to Earth was good and I liked how it was done from the perspective of a companion in Ryan. Him being stuck with Graham was good and I liked the development of their relationship. I think it was important to keep Grace's memory alive and I thought Graham's way of coping was terrific. They were on an alien planet! The Doctor and Yasmin were very good together but I can't help but feel the latter doesn't quite get enough screen time. If she wasn't around, I don't think it would make much of a difference and I think that's a great shame as I do really like her. I'm sure she'll grow into her role throughout the series though. Jodie Whittaker was full of energy in this episode and I'm really liking her vibe as the Doctor. There's the usual manner of authority and firmness but she's also a lot of fun and is prone to those usual Doctor-ish comments like seeing Pythagoras with a hangover. I think it's important to maintain that and Chris Chibnall has written his Doctor very well so far. I thought the actual plot of the story was pretty good but with the scale of the race, the final mission seemed a little too easy for a race of such enormity. I do appreciate that the Doctor's involvement in finding the tunnel system eased things, but it had a sense of being underwhelming. It was exciting though and I have to take time to mention the cinematography. It really is on another level this series and looks hugely impressive. I also have to mention the incredible new arrangement of the theme music! It's absolutely sublime. The credits themselves are good too which is a bonus. This era has a very distinct feel now. Angstrom and Epzo were both really strong characters and I liked the brash ignorance of him. He worked well and I thought it was good how he got shot. I wasn't keen on the scene with Ryan just going off shooting referencing Call of Duty. I think the Doctor needed to be firm there on her stance with guns but instead she used a bit of humour to teach Ryan his lesson which was still decent. Desolation was an intriguing setting and I was quite surprised by how unsurprised I was that the Stenza were responsible for wiping out life here. I also thought the Remnants were really intriguing. Their knowledge of the Doctor being a 'timeless child' really intrigued me and I hope there's some story development there but I didn't understand why they waited so long to devour the Doctor and co when they were just talking to distract them. It just gave them time to save themselves and I wasn't sure of the explanation as to how a cigar could literally explode. I understand that it was to do with the thin air and the gassy atmosphere but I felt that needed to be clearer. Right, I've sounded a bit negative so far which is a shame because I did think this was good. I really enjoyed the episode and I was absolutely thrilled that the Thirteenth Doctor finally got her TARDIS moment. The delight when the TARDIS appeared and the run, along with the TARDIS opening itself for her was magnificent. I had hoped that at least one of the companions would have mentioned it being bigger on the inside but that sadly wasn't to be. Let's hope they were just stunned. Now, the new TARDIS interior. Well, I hate it. It's not going to effect future episodes or anything but I really don't like it. It's just horrible and not recognisable as a TARDIS interior. It just seems a jumble of gems and stones scattered everywhere and I don't understand the design at all. The previous model was so good and I really wish that was kept. The custard creams though! I can get on board with them. Overall, a very solid episode!

Rating: 7/10

Doctor Who and the Web of Fear

"It was like a glowing mist made solid, and anyone who entered it was never seen again."

Writer: Terrance Dicks
Format: Novel
Released: August 1976
Series: Target 72

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis

'With a sudden, shattering roar the Yeti smashed down its arm in s savage blow...'

The TARDIS is engulfed by a mysterious web-like substance in space. Breaking free, the Doctor and his companions Jamie and Victoria land in the London Underground system. But a spreading killer mist has meant that London has been evacuated. The Great Intelligence is back - and its robot Yeti are roaming the streets and the underground tunnels.

The Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria team up with an army unit working with their old friend Professor Travers to combat the menace. They soon realise, however, that someone in the group must be working for the Intelligence. With time running out, the Doctor and his friends realise they can trust no one...

Verdict 

Doctor Who and the Web of Fear was a very good novelisation of what is quite a renowned story from the era of the Second Doctor. It is significant for the return of the Great Intelligence and the Yeti following their debut in The Abominable Snowmen and it also sees the first appearance of Lethbridge-Stewart with hints at the beginnings of UNIT at the story's end. I thought the book was very good from start to finish and one thing I noticed about the prose format for this adventure was that the pace was very fast which made for a good read. Terrance Dicks never seems to fail with his novelisations and he captured the atmosphere of the era and the story very well. One thing that is difficult to put onto the page though was doing the London Underground justice. It wasn't a bad depiction by any means but there was just something special about the televised story that wasn't quite in place here. I thought the characterisation of the Second Doctor was excellent and I loved the scenes in the TARDIS where he thought Jamie and Victoria were having a joke on him when the TARDIS was suspended in the web in space. The return of the Yeti was handled brilliantly and I liked how Travers had been working on getting the sphere and oversaw its return to functionality which gave the Intelligence something to cling onto and reestablish itself into something threatening. The meeting between the Doctor and Lethbridge-Stewart was wonderful but I wasn't too sure about the reference and footnote to Doctor Who and the Android Invasion. Was it really necessary to forecast future events? Evans was a very good character and I really liked the positive comments about the Welsh, even if some of the dialogue was a little stereotypical some of the time. The guessing game of who was being controlled by the Great Intelligence was very good and I loved how it turned out to be Arnold when it had been hinted at being Chorley for quite some time. Anne Travers was a very good character and her initial scepticism towards the Doctor was completely understandable but I liked how her father was quick to defend his old friend. The prospect of the Doctor giving himself willingly to the Great Intelligence was horrifying but it was brilliant that Jamie seemingly saved the day. After the Doctor and Anne had worked hard to gain control of a sphere and thus a Yeti, Jamie ordered it to attack the other Yetis and destroy the Great Intelligence's pyramid of form but what shocked me was the Doctor's reaction. He was disappointed as whilst the link with Earth was severed, the Intelligence still survived. I guess that was very useful for the return in The Snowmen but I also liked how the Doctor calmed himself once he realised that nobody else knew of his plan to actually drain the Intelligence after he reversed the helmet controls. Overall though, a great read!

Rating: 8/10

The Bride of Peladon

"I grow impatient for your blood."

Writer: Barnaby Edwards
Format: Audio
Released: January 2008
Series: Main Range 104

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Peri, Erimem

Synopsis

Peladon will bathe in oceans of blood!

A mysterious voice, a missing girl and a murdered queen. The Royal House of Peladon is once more plunged into intrigue, terror and death. The Doctor, Peri and Erimem must find their way through a treacherous labyrinth of lies if they are to distinguish friend from foe before it is too late.

For deep beneath the Citadel of Peladon, something infinitely ancient and immeasurably powerful is stirring...

Verdict

The Bride of Peladon was a very good audio adventure and a quick personal return to Peladon for myself. I thought it was a little different to the televsion stories, as you might expect with the audio format, and it was clearly distinct from those with the setting being a century following the Doctor’s last visit in The Monster of Peladon. I found the politics of Peladon to be interesting once again and I was quite glad that they weren’t the story’s main focus. It was an eventful adventure and there was a lot going on so it was good that the TARDIS team split up and got acquainted with some intriguing personalities. I really liked Zixlyr and whilst he wasn’t an evil Ice Warrior, the aggression of his race was more than evident. This was especially true in the cliffhanger to part two where he attempted to kill Peri after she badmouthed his sister. She was the previous ambassador for Mars on Peladon but had mysteriously died. Zixlyr had found her final report recording and wasn’t thrilled with what he found. Peri wasn’t convinced by everything though which was good and I liked that she was inquisitive and not taking everything on face value. She had a really strong story. Erimem was terrific too and I loved how her status as the last Pharaoh was used to eventually defeat Sekhmet. Her reveal at the end of part three was quite unexpected but one I most definitely welcomed. I was quite shocked but she was a little useless being encaged for all that she appeared in. The concept of the blood locks was excellent though and I liked how female blood of royalty was required to free each of the four locks. Pelleas was understandably devastated when he found out his mother had been used for this purpose. He was a decent character as King of Peladon and his proposed marriage of convenience to Pandora was an interesting part of the story. The return of Alpha Centauri was great and I liked how she accepted the Doctor’s appearance but I had hoped for more continuity with the voice. She was so obviously a different actress. The Fifth Doctor was pretty good in this audio and I liked his reaction to knowing he was on Peladon. However, Peter Davison was nowhere near the level of Jon Pertwee when it came to the Venusian lullaby though! I did think he was quite poor. I liked that it was used again though on Aggedor, who actually was a female and daughter of the beast that perished during the Doctor’s previous visit. The way that Zixlyr sacrificed himself to ensure that Sekhmet died, after some interesting trickery and sacrifice by Erimem, was fantastic and I thought the emotion behind it was decent. The story concluded with the somewhat sudden decision from Erimem to depart the TARDIS and stay on Peladon and take the hand of Pelleas in marriage. Peri’s reaction to this was heartfelt and emotional but I liked how the Doctor understood, especially following the events of Son of the Dragon. I’m quite sad to see Erimem depart and I have really enjoyed her as companion alongside the Fifth Doctor and Peri. It’s been a really good run but sadly it seems that’s at an end now. The foreshadowing of Peri’s departure in The Trial of a Time Lord with her saying she won’t leave to marry an alien king was very nicely done too. Overall, a very good audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

The Monster of Peladon

"There is evil here."

Writer: Brian Hayles
Format: TV
Broadcast: 23rd March - 27th April 1974
Season: 11.04

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands 50 years after its first visit to Peladon, the Doctor and Sarah discover a troubled planet ruled by the late King's daughter. Peladon is at the centre of war - and the Galactic Federation desperately needs a mineral found in the mines. But why is the ghost of Aggedor killing miners and why can't everyone be trusted? Queen Thalira needs the Doctor's help to find out...

Verdict

The Monster of Peladon was a very good story and a great return to Peladon for the Third Doctor! This time he was in the company of Sarah Jane Smith and she brought a different dynamic to what is a brilliant setting. I liked the arrival to the planet as they weren't quite in the Citadel but the Doctor had managed to get the TARDIS to take them close enough. The pace was quite gradual and it probably didn't need the six parts but that allowed for significant story development amongst the natives of Peladon or members of the Galactic Federation without the presence of the Ice Warriors who didn't arrive until the very end of part three. It was fantastic to have Alpha Centauri back again and it was intriguing to see her now following my viewing of her cameo in Empress of Mars. It's such a great link and just shows the rich history and ability of this glorious show. The little references to The Curse of Peladon were also most welcomed and it was intriguing to set this story some fifty years after those events. It was clear that King Peladon had passed but now his daughter Thalira ruled. She didn't quite have the same presence or authority as her father, and that was probably down to Ortron. He was a good character and his loyalty to Peladon whilst asserting his authority over the Queen was intriguing and a good plot-line. Gebek was a superb character and the way he was able to lead over the miners was terrific. I really liked his speech towards the story's conclusion where he convinces them that Aggedor was with them as they rebelled against the Ice Warrior's stranglehold on the planet. The Ice Warriors themselves were actually quite useless in this serial which I was surprised about but they added a humorous element and their presence was threatening so I still very much enjoyed them. Azaxyr though was an excellent villain and I really liked how he was a traitor and was actually on the side of Galaxy Five. His partnership with Eckersley was an unexpected but very good surprise that I was a big fan of indeed. They made an interesting alliance and the technician was merely hoping to get rich by becoming leader of Earth. The use of Aggedor by the Doctor was very good and I thought the role of the miners in overthrowing the Ice Warriors was great. The amount of death that occurred though was quite something and seeing the scattered bodies was quite a sight! Overall, a great little serial!

Rating: 8/10

Horror of Glam Rock

"I'm in the star business."

Writer: Paul Magrs
Format: Audio
Released: March 2007
Series: EDA 1.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

The Doctor and Lucie go glam when the TARDIS makes an unexpected landing in 1974. Slade, the Sweet and Suzi Quatro are Top of the Pops - and brother-and-sister duo the Tomorrow Twins will soon be joining them, if Arnold Korns, a starmaking Svengali, has his way. But will their dreams turn to dust at a service station somewhere on the M62, besieged by a pack of alien monsters?

Verdict

Horror of Glam Rock was a bit of a mixed back in continuing the Eighth Doctor Adventures audio series. It had its moments but I sadly don't think it maintained the quality for all of the story. I thought the relationship between the Doctor and Lucie was very good but I would have hoped for a little bit more continuation with the ending of Blood of the Daleks and the relationship of inconvenience feel. That wasn't really apparent here which I would prefer generally but there was just a lack of continuity. The 1974 setting was really good and I thought the whole Glam Rock theme worked very well. The feel of the era was captured as well as I would have imagined and I liked Lucie's reaction to the era very much. Her relationship with Pat, who actually turned out to be her auntie, was terrific and it was very clear that these were her early days in the TARDIS as she just blurted out her true identity with no worrying of the consequences. The Doctor was unaware that this had happened and I'm sure that if he found out he would definitely not have approved. Arnold was an intriguing character and it was delightful to hear Bernard Cribbins in another role in Doctor Who. His character was very much money driven as he was heading to London with the Tomorrow Twins to get them on Top of the Pops. His senselessness would cost Trisha her life though in quite horrific circumstances. With the mention of sound-waves and the Only Ones travelling on one, I was perhaps hoping for a secret return of the Vardans but it wasn't to be. They were a decent enemy but I thought their childish sound took away the intimidation factor. They just didn't quite work to their full potential for me which was a shame. Tommy was a good character and his reaction to seeing his sister die was not too surprising. I wasn't too sure about the M62 service station setting for a continued length of time as there was only so much you could do with the limited space. Would no other travellers have come in? Flo was a pretty good character but the one thing I just didn't like about this story was the overall plot. It wasn't bad but it was just lacking that special something. Thankfully, Paul McGann was on top form as the Eighth Doctor so he made things very enjoyable. Overall, a bit of a mix that definitely needed to be better.

Rating: 6/10

The Dalek Project

"War is a terrible thing."

Writer: Justin Richards
Format: Comic Strip
Released: September 2012
Series: BBC Graphic Novel 02

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

"Our invention will change the nature of warfare. It will make this conflict truly the war to end all wars. Gentlemen, our factory in France is ready to start mass production of these remote-controlled armoured vehicles. The war machine we call... the Dalek."

1917. It's the height of the Great War and Hellcombe Hall is a house full of mystery: locked doors, forbidden rooms, dustsheets covering guilty secrets, and ghostly noises frightening the servants. Most mysterious of all, the drawing room seems to open directly onto a muddy, corpse-filled trench on the Western Front...

Arriving at his stately home, the Doctor meets Lord Hellcombe, an armaments manufacturer who has a new secret weapon he believes will win the war: he calls it 'the Dalek'. Soon, the Doctor and his new friends are in a race against time to prevent the entire Western Front from becoming part of the Dalek Project.

Verdict

The Dalek Project was a great comic strip adventure and it was quite intriguing to read a concurrent graphic novel rather than a collection stories. It certainly filled the time on a train journey to watch my beloved football team away from home and I was glad that it was of high quality. It was interesting to see that the Eleventh Doctor was travelling alone but I would have liked some explanation as to why that was the case. It doesn’t seem to fall in line with his actions in The Snowmen but I guess it does fit the narrative. The idea of Dalek pieces being found as part of an archaeological expedition underground was terrific and I loved how the supposed artefacts were mistaken as being from the Bronze Age. Obviously, these were no historical items but rather weaponry from the deadliest species in the universe. The Daleks struggling on low power systems for much of this story was good and I liked how it allowed the Doctor adequate time to escape the numerous attempts at extermination. I have to say, I thought the artwork for this extended graphic novel was excellent and I liked how some pages, even doubles, were pure artwork featuring no speech. Things were actually quite beautiful and the visuals were very impressive which made telling the story very good. The characterisation of the Eleventh Doctor was brilliant throughout with Matt Smith’s likeness easily captured on the page. I found that all the more impressive given that this story was intended to originally feature the Tenth Doctor bit had to be delayed due to the similarities to Victory of the Daleks.There were obvious resemblances within the stories but I don’t think they were as similar as one might initially think. The setting of the Great War was really good and I thought the revelation that there were proto-Daleks on both the British and German sides was very good. I didn’t expect that and it saw quite a shift in the direction of the story. It turned out that the Daleks weren’t just experimenting on humanity in the First World War but they were conducting an experiment that went throughout history. They somewhat surprisingly erased their involvement from history but I wasn’t overly sure by the Daleks’ desire to learn about humanity. Surely if they thought themselves as the superior beings, then humanity wasn’t a match? I guess they were just overawed by their ability to keep on going, even when death was inevitable. That seemed to the end result of the Dalek Project but they didn’t get much time to analyse the data and act upon it as the Daleks were blanket bombed into an oblivion. That was quite an image but one positive I really liked was the Daleks just featuring in World War One. They wanted to take on all of humanity and the plan was to destroy them all but that ended up backfiring in a catastrophic way. The Doctor stating that humanity always prevailed, before they actually had, was great. I thought the prospect of the Doctor and Ted being the last men standing after the latter called in the aerial assault was fantastic but they managed to get away a little too easily for my liking. The mini story that bookended the main plot with the Doctor and Angela was good and another highlight of the story I must mention was the appearance of a Black Dalek illustrating the ranking hierarchy of the Daleks in the modern series. Overall, a very good comic strip adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

The Woman Who Fell to Earth

"She just saved our lives."

Writer: Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 7th October 2018
Series: 11.01

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Ryan, Yasmin, Graham

Synopsis

In the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield, Ryan Sinclair, Yasmin Khan and Graham O'Brien are about to have their lives changed forever, as a mysterious woman, unable to remember her own name, falls from the night sky...

Verdict

The Woman Who Fell to Earth was a fantastic start to life with the Thirteenth Doctor! The show has certainly changed with this series opener and Chris Chibnall gave us a very neat introduction to our brand new regular cast. Jodie Whittaker burst into life as the Doctor and I have to say, I thought she was absolutely sublime! She really was wonderful, quirky and the energy she had made this a stunning start to life as the first female incarnation of our beloved Time Lord. I was incredibly impressed. The introductions of the new companions in Ryan, Yasmin and Graham were handled very nicely and I rather liked that they all had their connections to one another. Grace was an unsung hero of the episode and her demise at the story's conclusion was very emotional and quite upsetting. I loved how much she liked the whole alien thing and the twist with Ryan's opening YouTube video actually being about her was very nicely done. I'm sure her legacy will last throughout the series. The cinematography of this episode was sublime and it really did have a brand new feel to it, and that's not just because the cast has changed. It felt very real and modern and I think a lot of that had to do with the unfamiliar setting of Sheffield. That worked very well for me. I know a lot of people on social media have moaned about the accent but that's just ridiculously petty and you can't please some people. The actual plot of the episode was decent and I thought Tim Shaw was a rather intimidating villain who worked well and was exactly the kind of enemy for an introductory episode. His appearance was quite horrifying though as he took a tooth from his victims and wore it as a trophy. The Doctor being offended by that was magnificent though. The merged data-coil creature was intriguing and I liked how it was actually a weapon sent ahead by Tim Shaw to help him cheat in his quest to find the human target and takeover as leader of his race. The DNA bombs were a very good concept and Graham reminding us of them showed how scared he was which was another fine example of things being very real. I wasn't too sure about the Doctor being able to construct her own sonic screwdriver in a Sheffield warehouse, nor the design, but with her brilliance I can let it slide. The absence of the TARDIS was interesting and I liked how the Doctor used the Stenza technology to find its location. She really did like the company of Ryan, Yasmin and Graham but she needed to go and see the universe and be reunited with her beloved time and space machine. Whilst this episode had an incredible shift in direction change, I really liked the nods to the past with the mention of the Doctor previously being a white-haired Scotsmen before regenerating into a woman. The effects of the regeneration were handled excellently and I liked that it didn't become the focus of the story. The Doctor talking of her family was an unexpected bonus but I like to think of her as holding them in a special place in her hearts. I really liked that. The resolution to the problems presented by Tim Shaw was good but quick but I think its simplicity was welcomed as I don't think the series wanted to try and do too much too soon. This was a very good, simple and effective opener with Jodie Whittaker being the absolute highlight. I really, really like her and I can't wait for the rest of her adventures! Overall, a great start!

Rating: 8/10

The Clockwise War Part 7

"It's time for the end."

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 20th September 2018
Printed in: DWM 530

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

The Clockwise War comes to its epic conclusion as we say goodbye to the Twelfth Doctor once and for all. Will he salvage his relationship with Fey or will the Absence take full control and exert the ultimate revenge? What role will Shayde play in all this? One thing is for certain, things will never be the same again!

Verdict

The Clockwise War concluded in terrific fashion with a very good seventh and final part of what has been an epic comic strip farewell to the Twelfth Doctor! Now, I can firmly say goodbye to the Twelfth Doctor after four fantastic years of stories across a number of formats and it's now time to turn my attention to the arrival of the Thirteenth Doctor! I really liked Jodie Whittaker's interview in this edition of Doctor Who Magazine and she seems very excited to be the Doctor and that's hugely positive. I've loved every single interview or clip I've seen of her promoting the new series and I cannot wait to now see her in action. She seems magnificent! I liked the excitement that was evident in Galaxy Forum with impending arrival and I am very excited to read the preview of The Woman Who Fell to Earth/. I'm sure Chris Chibnall will have delivered a stellar opening episode and I'll also be keen to read the preview of The Ghost Monument. I basically just can't wait for the new series and I'm ridiculously excited. I'm very much looking forward to reading the Meet the Team interview as well and I'll have to be quick to read it before Jodie arrives on our screens tomorrow evening. Chris Chibnall's production notes were very good and I'm interested to see these might change once some episodes go out and we see everything in action. I'll be looking forward to the usual features in the magazine but the firm focus of my enjoyment will be centred around Series 11 and the arrival of the Thirteenth Doctor. Now, back to her predecessor and I thought the Twelfth Doctor had a fantastic comic strip outing here. It was quite interesting to read him in a comic after twelve days of him on television and I have to say I don't understand why Nardole never made it to the DWM strips. Anyway, the story concluded in a very good way and I liked how the Doctor finally made Fey see sense of what the Absence was doing to her. Once she was told what she'd been doing, she broke free of the Absence and destroyed him! It was quite a quick resolution but I did like how Shayde sacrificed what he had left to replenish Fey so she could live again without his presence on her. The recognition Fey had from Kennosium was very good and I liked the excitement in the climax. Hugo getting the final word over Alexander Truscott was also a very nice touch. I'm not sure if Bass Reeves or Totika needed to be present but as a whole, this was quite an epic comic strip!

Rating: 9/10

Twice Upon a Time

"It's far from being all over."

Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 25th December 2017
Series: 2017 Christmas Special

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, First Doctor

Synopsis

As the Twelfth Doctor nears regeneration, he stumbles on his original self, also refusing to undergo the change. It takes a captain, a glass avatar and a familiar face to convince the Doctors that the universe still, and always will, needs them.

Verdict

Twice Upon a Time was a very good Christmas Special and I think for the first time, I was fully able to appreciate the actual plot of this episode. When new episodes go out, it's very difficult to be judging things properly as everything is all brand new and exciting but as I've already seen this episode, and fully disapproved of some of the writing of the First Doctor, I could let that slide a bit and try to judge it mostly on its story. I think it definitely helps that I have read the Target novelisation and I have to see this was definitely a little better than I remembered. I found it quite intriguing because it obviously featured the Twelfth Doctor's regeneration, but it wasn't a regeneration story to say. I mean, most of the focus for the Doctors was on regeneration but we didn't see the cause of regeneration here. That had already occurred in World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls but the Twelfth Doctor was just postponing it. He didn't want to change. That seems to have been a common feature of the three latest regenerations now and I have to say it's becoming a little repetitive. The Doctor is all about change so surely he should be used to it and embrace it now. I thought the opening of the episode with the archival footage of The Tenth Planet was extremely well done and I loved the little recreations of what occurred in part four of that story. It was bookended very nicely once the First Doctor decided that he was going to change after all. It was all done beautifully and I do think David Bradley did William Hartnell justice. Now, there's no doubt that he could have done a lot better but I can fully appreciate the difficulty in the task. He wasn't helped by the writing earlier which I still think is an absolute shame. For someone who is as big a fan of Doctor Who as Steven Moffat to completely misunderstand the character of the First Doctor is just baffling. He was not sexist and that's the only impression new viewers probably took from him here. I could understand the arrogance if this was the First Doctor of An Unearthly Child but the placing was just all wrong in the timelines. Anyway, I really liked the concept behind Testimony. That was a really neat idea and it was quite subtle in that it wasn't an evil plan. That seemed to stump the Doctor a bit which was quite humorous. I loved the First Doctor's reaction to seeing glimpses into his future. A future where he would become the Doctor of war. It was actually quite emotional and I can't imagine what the First Doctor must have been thinking. You could see the guilt in the Twelfth Doctor's face. Bill's role as part of Testimony was good and I really liked that the Doctor refused to accept her memories as being the real person. I thought it was a lovely touch that his memories of Clara were returned though. The Christmas Truce was fantastically done as the Christmas element of the special and I thought the Captain, a relation to the Brigadier and Kate, was a terrific character. The farewell speech of the Twelfth Doctor was decent and I liked the idea of children being able to here the Doctor's true name. The Twelfth Doctor had been angry, darker and different and developed hugely during his era but he was still the same old Doctor saving the universe. He wasn't everybody's cup of tea, but I thought Peter Capaldi was a stellar Doctor. Now, I let him go. Onto the post-regeneration scene and I did not remember it being so long. I thought it was phenomenal and I am so incredibly excited to see Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. The image of her in the TARDIS monitor was sublime and the effects of her falling out of the TARDIS are almost time to be seen! Overall, a great episode and a fitting farewell to the Twelfth Doctor.

Rating: 8/10

The Doctor Falls

"There's only ever been one way to stop that many Cybermen. Me."

Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 1st July 2017
Series: 10.12

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

As he struggles to resist regenerating, the Twelfth Doctor prepares to make a last stand against the ever-growing army of Cybermen. However, with Bill still a Cyberman, and Missy gradually turning to her old wicked ways as the Master reminds her of who she used to be, can the Doctor convince his old friend to finally be good before he falls?

Verdict

The Doctor Falls concluded the story already started in World Enough and Time in a decent way but honestly, despite how good it was, I still can't help but feel a little let down. It was emotional and was probably Peter Capaldi's best outing of the series, but I just think things could have been utilised better. You had a golden chance for evil here with two incarnations of the Master but the relationship between him and Missy was too much based upon innuendo and just not what it should have been. Michelle Gomez and John Simm were delightful together but I just hoped we saw more of them in action against the Doctor. Instead we just got a little flashback which was a big shame. We also had the Mondasian Cybermen in all their glory alongside the two latest versions and they were just wasted as their presence was the only real threat they provided for most of the episode. The main focus of the episode was on Bill being a Cyberman and the emotion garnered from that was fantastic. She couldn't understand why she was invoking fear into so many people until she saw a mirror. She was horrified by that and she couldn't comprehend what she had become. She waited ten years for the Doctor and he couldn't save her. The line from the Master about how he was two hours too late must have destroyed the Doctor. The Master influencing Missy was intriguing and I always prefer when the evil ones stay evil but the prospect of Missy standing by the Doctor's side has mightily intrigued me. The idea of the two incarnations going off together in their TARDIS was superb but what followed was hugely unexpected. An incredible speech from the Doctor about doing what he does because it's right and kind was followed by complete dismissal from the Master, perfectly in line with this incarnation of the character, but it was clear that the thoughts were resonating with Missy. She even went as far as stabbing her past self and causing the regeneration, that sadly we didn't get to see, from the Master into Missy. It explained how she wasn't sure how she came to be brilliantly but the Master was having none of it. He would never stand with the Doctor and shot Missy did, seemingly beyond regeneration. The Master will return one day, no doubt about that, but just how will now be very tricky to resolve. But the idea of the Master, someone who fears death so much, killing himself was quite something. Now, back to the Doctor and his defence of human life which was just wonderful. Nardole would stay on the colony ship to protect these people once the Doctor had blown up most of the Cybermen. His postponing of regeneration was intriguing but I loved how it came at the hands of a Mondasian Cyberman. He took the Cybermen to kingdom come with him but still Bill showed that where there were tears there was hope. She went off with Heather which was nice but I just wish she stayed dead to sell the impact. The ending was intriguing with the TARDIS taking the Doctor right back to the beginning and his first impending regeneration. The First Doctor emerged, in the form of David Bradley, and we had quite the cliffhanger. Overall, an episode that had immense quality but one I still can't help but feel a little let down by. I'd give this an 8 and its first part perfection so as a whole, the rating reflects what was still a superb finale.

Rating: 9/10