The Charge of the Night Brigade

 

"He seemed to cast a shadow darker than most men."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: February 2020

Series: Twelfth Doctor Chronicles 1.01

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

In the rat-infested camps of the Crimea, Mary Seacole offers a vital service to the beleaguered troops, serving up rice pudding and treating the wounded at her 'British Hotel'.

Mary's no-nonsense attitude is tested by the Doctor's arrival. Together, they must deal with a strange infection not of this Earth...

Verdict

The Charge of the Night Brigade was a decent start to my listening of the Twelfth Doctor Chronicles! I was looking forward to purchasing this set after it was released as adding to the Twelfth Doctor era is always a bonus and I'm actually struggling to think of anything major from his era that I have yet to blog, excluding this boxset of course. I thought the start was decent with us getting introduced to Mary Seacole and it's always nice for the Doctor to meet a historical figure of her nature. I always enjoy it the it's a historical person that he is so keen to meet as well because then he can have some fun which makes for a good listen. I loved the comment of the Doctor being referred to as a Scottish quack by the natives of the time and place and it was good that he didn't hear that description! I can't imagine this particular incarnation of the Doctor dealing with that too well. He most definitely would not have approved! Of course, Peter Capaldi is still yet to make his Big Finish debut and I look forward to that in the future, but Jacob Dudman does a stellar job with his impression for the Twelfth Doctor! He really was excellent and it really did make it feel like a legit story of the era which is a big positive. The plot in itself was simple enough and not exactly thrilling, but it still did a good job. The description of war at this time in the nineteenth century and the battles between the likes of Britain, France and Russia with the sides changing all the time was brilliant. I thought the Balaklava setting in Crimea was really interesting as that's beyond unique but I don't think it was utilised as well as it could have been. This story could easily have just occurred in London or its outskirts. The idea of an alien infection is good and I appreciated the uniqueness of how it arrived on the planet. Zavak being known to the Doctor was intriguing and the description of his people's war and how his fate was atomisation and being sent into the Void but retaining consciousness the whole time was spectacular. Trying to imagine that is beyond comprehension and I really enjoy testing my mind like that. I thought it was really good for the infection to come from him after millions of years floating around in space and the void and arriving to the planet through the rain, which in turn was what the rats drunk and their biting humans spread the infection. In my view, there are a few loose ends with the conclusion based on this arrival as if they could be stopped by light but had arrived two days earlier, what had happened in the previous days? I thought it was a bit cheap to just say it hadn't rained in the meantime as I wasn't buying that. The reaction of Major Berrisford when he was informed my Seacole and the Doctor that his men were being infected by an extraterrestrial source in liquid form was a story highlight for sure. The coming of dozens of rats was different and I liked how the story got its name. That was certainly clever. I wasn't too much a fan of them forming the shape of a man, but I did prefer them arriving as an army. The threat of the infection continuing to spread was good and I also adored the Doctor's comment about missing having a hover car. That was really fun. The ring of fire use was decent and I like the idea of the rain diluting Zavak as time goes on, but the loose ends weren't quite tied up for my liking. It was nice for the Doctor and Mary to get along, but the story could have been slightly better in my eyes. Regardless, this was still a very entertaining listen!

Rating: 7/10

Lost and Found

"We seem to have only gone as far as my childhood."

Writer: Penelope Faith

Format: Audio

Released: June 2016

Series: Short Trips 6.06

Featuring: Second Doctor, Polly, Ben

Synopsis

The post-war London of 1948 is rebuilding, the people are recovering, and Ben and Polly have arrived with an old friend with a new face. But they're not the only visitors. A very different kind of war is being fought, in a department store, and they are in the middle of it...

Verdict

Lost and Found was a lovely little Short Trips audio adventure! Following the recent sale from Big Finish in this range where pretty much every story was on offer prior to the current series, I snapped at the chance to stock up and couldn't help but start with this little gem of an audio. I'm a huge fan of Anneke Wills and I thought she did a tremendous job as narrator. She had quite a few different roles to play but I thought she pulled off a superb performance. She really is quite marvellous. Her stepping back into the role of Polly was delightful and it's no secret that I love her as a companion because we named our kitten after her! Wills also did a fantastic job with her impressions of both Ben and the Second Doctor which is a difficult task given her gender, but it really was a good nod to the past and the late actors she shared her time with on screen. I thought the dynamic of just having the three of them making it set before The Highlanders was good because it's not very often we get an adventure with this trio so that made it feel a little unique which is definitely a positive. I liked the description of the bomb site description upon their arrival to London in 1948 with it obviously being so soon after the devastation of World War Two. I loved getting to explore the childhood of Polly and Ben and the latter's mocking of the former being from Hampshire and not having to experience bomb bombardment was interesting. Polly's thoughts on Londoners and how they were brave was really good in placing the period. The Doctor being intrigued by a tin of beans was a little extreme even for someone with a curious nature like his, and Ben's joke that followed was painfully bad. Polly describing how she had lost a teddy bear in Henrik's department store was a sad little story but it was nice that they had arrived on the day it had gone missing! Her hopes of being reunited with that bear were really nice, even if Ben was in the mood to mock. I really wasn't expecting there to be talking inhabitants of the tin of beans and just how much the story focused on the rationed item was quite something! It was peculiar to say the least but that made it amusing. Their comment about getting in a pickle was a much better joke than Ben's. It was nice for Polly and Ben to be in familiar surroundings and reminisce about their childhood and I enjoyed getting to meet Polly as a six-year-old with her not freezing in time like the rest of people in the store. It was clear who this girl was greeting the Doctor. Polly and Ben going to the store's lost and found to find her bear was good and I was intrigued that upon finding it she was unable to touch it. The impact two Polly's in the same place from different points in their time-stream had in the store was really good ad I loved that the older version was helping her younger self, even taking her hand in hand despite the potential Blinovitch Limitation Effect that was nowhere to be seen. The Doctor fearing that in anticipation was great though. I liked the reference to Resistance with Polly reminding her younger self of their uncle's sacrifice and the comment about goodbyes being hard to ones you love was a powerful way to end a really nice and interesting audio adventure! I wasn't expecting talking tins of beans or to meet Polly as a child, but it was a very good little listen.

Rating: 8/10

Legacy of Death

 

"The only way you can save them is by entrusting them to the future."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2016

Series: FDA 5.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

The Doctor, Romana and K9 have found themselves trapped in a temporal war. On Aoris, the past battles the future – and the future fights back! 

With both sides of the war now capable of time travel, the conflict is about to enter a deadly stage. As the pieces of history lock into place, there is little the Doctor can do. 

With more Time Tanks moving into combat, the endgame is approaching. The people of Aoris risk extinction at their own hand.

Can even the Doctor save the same planet twice in the same day?

Verdict

Legacy of Death was a very good audio to finish the story already started in The Paradox Planet! Whilst it didn't quite live up to its predecessor – which let's be honest was going to be incredibly difficult to do! – it was a fantastic listen and a fitting end to a story and concept I have very much enjoyed. I liked the switch with the Doctor and Romana altering which era in Aoris's history they were in as I expected but from there things got quite paradoxical which I am big fan of. I loved the Doctor faking to Embery that he didn't have any knowledge of time travel and comically claimed that it was Romana who had all of the knowhow when it came to temporal travel. Of course, he wasn't entirely convincing and when Fyrax was going to be subjected to torture he soon gave up his position. I was really intrigued to discover that Embery was celebrated in the future as the Originator who was the first to discover the principles of time travel as the impact that had on the timelines and the Doctor's ability to interfere was magnificent. He really relished that and knew then from Fyrax's foreknowledge that he had to give Embery the ability to travel in time! Of course, the ramifications on the future if he did so would be quite extent but there was no choice. The future was locked. The Doctor helping build and function a warp field interface was good and the way he dismantled Embery with words and blamed him for being the cause of the temporal war was nicely done. I was a little surprised when Drang killed Embery upon the arrival in the future as it was so sudden but that made it really impactful which was a powerful moment. He had committed crimes that made him responsible for the war and Drang got his own justice. The way it solved the mystery of Embery going missing shortly after time travel principles were discovered was a nice way to tie the knot. Drang's stealing from the past resulting in the future being endangered was fun to play around with and I just really enjoyed all of the paradoxical elements of the audio. I'm a sucker for them. Drang and heading to the past was good and I loved the efforts of Romana and the Doctor to send a negative temporal feedback and throw them back to the future. Medea's plan to blow up the future seemed slightly repetitive from the first story except this time there were a century of bombs set to go off and put an end to the conflict once and for all. Tyrus was a fun character again and her referring to the TARDIS as holy was lovely. I liked how she and Fyrax decided to stay in the past whilst Shola went with the Doctor and Romana into the future with the deactivation codes to prevent a cataclysmic catastrophe. Drang realising that all was lost was a good moment and his mentioning of how he did what he had for the animals was quite emotional. His sacrifice was unexpected but it was the only way out from blame for being at fault. The use of xenox to power the engine he had devised to restore the planet was nice though and the concept of the planet's inhabitants merely zipping forward in time with a Time Tank to a point after the planet was fully regenerated was quite something! It was cheating but I enjoyed it. It was courageous of Medea to stay in the past to secure the planet's fate in the future. One of the highlights in the story was K9 and the multiple versions conjured by the nature of the paradox. The way things finished with legend having K9 responsible for securing the planet's future was tremendous. Overall, a fine conclusion but to reach the levels of its predecessor it needed a bit more excitement and slight originality. Still, a magnificent story!

Rating: 8/10

The Paradox Planet

"We're in a state of war... with the past."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: March 2016

Series: FDA 5.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

Whilst travelling in the vortex, the TARDIS is struck by an advanced war machine – a Time Tank! Losing Romana, the Doctor and K9 pursue the Tank to Aoris, a world quite literally at war with itself.

Soldiers from the future are attacking the past of their own planet – gathering resources and stealing endangered species. But the past is not without weapons of its own – leaving deadly devices ready to trigger many years ahead after their enemies have been born.

Trapped at opposite ends of a temporal war, the Time Lords have two zones to save. But who is in the right, and who in the wrong? And when history is against you, can anybody actually win?

Verdict

The Paradox Planet was an outstanding Fourth Doctor Adventures audio! I absolutely loved this one from start to finish and I am very excited that things are not finished yet. This one really did have just about everything you could want and I knew I was going to enjoy it purely on the basis of the pairing of the Fourth Doctor and Romana II. They really are one of the strongest TARDIS pairings and throwing in K9 is just so much fun. The scenes in the TARDIS at the start with the Doctor trying to learn the violin from a guide for octopods was hilarious and just brilliantly typical of Tom Baker's incarnation. He gave a superb performance as the Fourth Doctor and I loved how sharply his tone switched when Romana and K9 warned of an impending crash within the Time Vortex. The concept of that in of itself is quite something and I liked how everything happened in a flash with Romana ending up being taken by the other ship, which later turned out to be a Time Tank, as it materialised within the TARDIS momentarily. The setting of Aoris was brilliant but the situation on the planet was what made this audio so enjoyable. The very concept of the time raiders and a planet being at war with itself across time zones was just magnificent. I absolutely loved it! Things were dire in the future because of actions in the past so their solution? Come back to the past and take what they needed like rare animals and xenox. That element itself proved useful as it could naturally grow and provide capabilities of time distortion which was fun to play with. I thought the defence of those in the past that were being invaded by the future being a bomb set to go off in a millennium's time was quite something. The way things worked out with the Doctor and Romana being split apart and in different times of the planet's war at either end was terrific and provided a good balance. The Doctor's expendability to defuse the bomb in the future was fun and I thought the cliffhanger was sublime as the countdown reached its conclusion with the deactivation codes proving inaccurate. The resolution was so much fun with Romana interfering with the bomb in the past and having K9 placed within to deactivate it in just over three weeks and then go on sleep mode for 1,000 years! That was wonderful. I thought Drang was a very good character and I enjoyed his attempts to restore the planet along with accepting that the past was set in stone. The concept of the Doctor and K9's presence being foretold was fun and I liked how the past era was referred to as the Age of Greed. That seemed quite apt with the parallels drawn to Earth at this present time. The Great Machina coming into effect towards the audio's end was intriguing and the computer being worshipped was very interesting. K9 revealing at the end that he was in fact the Machina was a brilliant cliffhanger finish! Romana and Embery bickering over time travel was really well done and I thought it was good that Shola got into the TARDIS to see the future. Their arrival being in sync with the Doctor's departure was good and I think the dynamic in the next episode with their positions switched will work nicely. Overall, I don't have anything bad to say about this audio as there was just so much to enjoy! A wonderful listen.

Rating: 10/10

Fall to Earth

 

"Have a safe day at work."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Torchwood Monthly Range 02

Featuring: Ianto

Synopsis

The SkyPuncher is the first private spaceflight. But Ephraim Salt's visionary project has gone horribly wrong – the ship is falling out of the sky and there seems no way to stop it. Ianto Jones thought the flight would be sabotaged. 

The only problem is...he's on board.

Verdict

Fall to Earth was an excellent audio to continue Big Finish's Torchwood monthly range! I was really impressed with this one and I thought the entire 57 minutes was gripping. Considering their were only two characters, I was delighted with what I listened to! It was essentially a conversation over the phone and the humour that came with Zeynep, whom we later learned was the name of the insurance agent, calling Ianto in the middle of a spaceflight crash was delightful. The dynamic was so much fun! I must admit that I went into the audio a little sceptical over whether a story headed by Ianto could hold its own but it more than did which was fantastic. He's a great character and it's been some time since I blogged anything featuring him so it was brilliant to revisit the character and hear Gareth David-Lloyd once again. His relationship with Zeynep was terrific and I liked how an insurance seller from a call centre was his only chance of surviving a crashing flight that was headed for space. I loved how Zeynep was following the book when it came to selling insurance over the phone and Ianto searching for his card details in desperate fashion to sign up for pet insurance for bird Myfanwy was hilarious. Ianto sending a code to Zeynep headset for the manual control of the SkyPuncher was great and I liked how he was able to convince her to stay on the phone amidst his claim of crashing. The development of her believing his predicament was really nicely paced. I loved the feeling of suspense that lasted for pretty much the majority of the audio and the atmosphere was magnificent. Only hearing Zeynep through the phone really added to the story. Ianto having to search through the passengers, who he presumed were dead, for a phone charger was quite daunting and I liked the threat that came with Ephraim Salt screaming in a mad and zombie-like fashion. The way elements of the story connected around him with his SkyPuncher destroying his satellite and then heading on a projector for Zeynep Turkish call centre that was coincidentally owned by Salt was very good. I didn't expect that but it was clear from the moment Ianto reiterated that she had called him that there was more than just chance. The references to The Conspiracy and that explaining Jack being missing was good and I also found the mentions of Cyberwoman quite something with how lightly Ianto made of its events. The growing feeling of acceptance that there would be no way out for either Ianto or Zeynep was incredible really and it was sad that she couldn't hang up the phone and even inform her family and speak to them one last time. It was clear that she didn't want to die and almost seemed willing to let the SkyPuncher crash into the city with her safely on Asmir's outskirts. Of course, she didn't do that but the moment Ianto mentioned having a seat ejector from the pilot's chair and a way out was heartbreaking for her and I truly believed that her fate would be to perish and save the city. To be honest, I think that would have worked better as I felt the ending was the only slight let down of the audio as it just seemed too easy for her to have avoided catastrophe by throwing the headset off and guiding the SkyPuncher to crash into the quarry. I thought it was nice at the end though with Ianto wanting to meet up, but she didn't seem so interested which was a little surprising. I should also mention the moment where Ianto didn't even know her name was very powerful. Overall, a superb audio adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

The Maze of Doom

"There's a Minotaur loose in the London Underground."

Writer: David Solomons

Format: Novel

Released: April 2020

Series: BBC Children's #2

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

A toll of danger from deep within the TARDIS...

A deadly predator prowling the tunnels of London...

A high-speed, high stakes race against time!

The Doctor is back in London, where an ancient beast is terrorising the city. As the Time Lord and her friends investigate, they uncover a mystery that will take them from a secret mountain base to the depths of the ocean – and, if they cannot solve it, one of them will perish.

Can the Doctor find a way to save her friends?

Verdict

The Maze of Doom was a great little read! I must admit that prior to starting this book I was a little bit trepidatious that I wouldn't exactly be the target audience if the previous release in The Secret in Vault 13 was anything to go by, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I read and it definitely felt like a New Series Adventures novel in terms of the content, even if the presentation was leaning towards younger readers. I thought the little illustrations at the start of each chapter were terrific and I actually really enjoyed the story as a whole. I was expecting things to be pretty simplified and while I wouldn't describe the plot as complex, it was far from simple! Never in my wildest dreams, even from the cover, was I expecting the Nimon to return to do battle with the Doctor but this is what we got here which was magnificent. I'm a big fan of giving the current incarnation of the Doctor familiar foes to fight against and the links here to the Fourth Doctor and The Horns of Nimon were fantastic. I liked the way power was used in the book and there was definitely an educational element there which I appreciated. The writing of the lead characters was really nicely done and as I'm not his biggest fan, I didn't mind that Ryan was pretty much incapacitated for the second half of the novel. I thought Yaz had a really strong outing as companion which was great to see and I particularly enjoyed her phone call with the future version of the Doctor that had to ensure she chose the right switch when it came to stopping the energy drain from the future and rebalance the universe. It liked that apparently. I thought Graham had a good story too and it was nice for him to enjoy his buses. The characterisation of Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor was very good from start to finish and I loved the lines she threw in about Romana and K9. She remembered them fondly which was nice. The illustrations of them appearing to Yaz and giving her comfort was also good. I thought placing the contemporary elements of the story in the near future of London 2028 was intriguing as the world depicted was familiar but also noticeably different. Playing on the global warming threat was very good and another good hidden educational message for the younger readers. I really enjoyed the chapters set in 2000 BC and the links that had with the mythological theme of the book was nicely done. I'm still not in a position of great knowledge when it comes to Greek mythology, but it is something I remain interested in and exploring it here was brilliant. I loved how the Nimon formed the basis of the Minotaur myth and the passages with one loose on the London Underground was perfectly Doctor Who. It combined a lot of great elements from the show's history which I liked and speaking of which I really appreciated the author's nods to the past on a number of occasions. I wasn't expecting that, let alone the Nimon to be the enemies! The Polichroniadis siblings were very good characters and I was quite amused by Ryan clearly fancying Penelope even when she had him under capture. The double cross from her and Panos when the Doctor provided them with the heart they wanted was very good and something I didn't actually see coming which is always a positive! The robot dogs that accompanied the siblings were also quite amusing but I was expecting the Doctor to liken them to K9 a little more. I thought the threat of Ryan having the stone bonding with his eye and sending him on course to physically heat up and pretty much turn volcanic was a brilliant one and I liked how Panos also had the same issue so they both desired a cure. The Doctor deducing that Aeneos was powered by energy from the future was excellent and that's a concept I really enjoy along with the paradoxes that come with it. It was good for her to come up with a plan under pressure but I thought the way the Nimon aspect were rid of was a little too easy for my liking and very soon after the revelation of how they would be defeated was stated. It was still good but there wasn't a lot of time to digest. The ending itself though with Yaz realising the purpose of the phone call and cutting off the supply from the future was nicely done. Overall, a really enjoyable read!

Rating: 8/10

Snake Bite

"Technology can be repaired. Your flesh cannot." 

Writer: Scott Handcock

Format: Audio

Released: December 2012

Series: NSA 21

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

Doctor Elehri Mussurana has spent a lifetime on her work. She's guarded her pet project close to her chest, letting only one person share her secret – her husband and lab partner Ernst Wharner. As their experiment reaches its final, glorious fruition, they watch in awe as sparks fly in a sealed chamber and specks of sapphire light begin to join together into a shining haze. A wormhole in time and space is being created... 

But then something unexpected appears inside the swirling vortex: a tall blue box with the words 'POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX' on the side. The TARDIS has arrived in the far future, in a scientific research facility – just as reality is ripped at the seams and the universe tears in two...

Verdict

Snake Bite was a decent conclusion to the Eleventh Doctor Tales collection of original audio adventures! Thankfully I was able to use another eLoan on BorrowBox to complete this set after an initial expiry and this tied things up nicely. I thought I was going to get the return of the Mara from the CD cover and the title of the story, but of course not everything that features a snake in Doctor Who has to be the mind-boggling and infiltrating creature we first met with the Fifth Doctor. I thought this one started quite amusingly with the Doctor and Rory together after leaving Amy a little behind. The relationship between the former pair was fun and I think they work really well together, especially when it comes to not feeling the wrath of a certain Amy Pond. Frances Barber did a pretty good job in the role of narrator but I did think that her Amy impression was a little too deep of a Scottish accent. I appreciate that is quite an acute criticism, but it was noticeable throughout. The writing of the Eleventh Doctor was good with Matt Smith's likeness decently captured and the feeling was definitely one of being within his era which was what you wanted. I enjoyed Elehri as a character at the start and her reaction to the arrival of the Doctor and Rory in the midst of her experiment was great. I thought the whole focus on wormholes was very good and as they are a concept I really enjoy exploring and am genuinely intrigued by, I liked the premise of the adventure. I thought it was a bit easy for Amy and the TARDIS to be separated on the other side as that was quite predictable and I just don't think snake-like creatures fitted in with the feeling and setting of the audio. I did like that something different was done in the form of them being snakes but having limbs as that was quite a unique dynamic and something that was a little difficult to imagine, but it was something I enjoyed exploring. Amy needed to be a bit more boisterous but it was interesting to see her a little scared when alone. The revelation that Elehri was actually a serpent was unexpected and didn't make a huge amount of sense to me, but the utilisation of a wormhole to escape the looming danger for the planet was decent at least. I thought the Doctor's proud brandishing of the psychic paper when questioned was magnificent and I love how he so confidently takes on the mantra of an investigator. He really does have a lot of fun! I think a somewhat common theme with the BBC original audios is that they have a tendency to go a little long. When it takes the audiobook approach instead of audio drama I think 72 minutes is probably a little bit much for this kind of tale. Why not go for an hour and condense things and add some pace as the speed for this audio in particular was definitely methodical. It was lacking that excitement factor which was a shame because the actual premise was good. I thought the ending was pretty decent but again it just seemed to come around a little slowly and didn't seem emphatic which is what I usually like from a conclusion. Overall though, this had a solid premise and an intriguing concept at its heart with the wormhole but for me the snakes didn't make huge sense and things needed more excitement. Regardless, this was still a decent listen!

Rating: 7/10

A Blind Eye

 

"Should she stay or should she go?"

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: May 2004

Series: Gallifrey 1.04

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, K9

Synopsis

Earth, September1939. With Europe sliding into war, a young Englishwoman, her loyalties torn, comes to a terrible decision. But what does the intergalactic secrets broker Mephistopheles Arkadian want with the fascist sympathiser Cecilia 'Sissy' Pollard on the last day of her life?

Still searching for the facts about the Gryben debacle, President Romana makes a deal with the devil. So begins a chain of consequence that can only end in tragedy for the passengers aboard the Vienna to Calais Transcontinental Express, the woman called Leela included.

By journey's end, the truth will be out but at what cost to Romana and Leela? To Gallifrey's empire, even?

Verdict

A Blind Eye was a fantastic conclusion to the first series of the Gallifrey spinoff from Big Finish! I thought this was a terrific opening series and this must go down as one of the best debut series. This was a fitting finale and tied things up nicely whilst leaving things open for so much more in the future. I really enjoyed the references that came to much of the Eighth Doctor's tenure with Charley and it was good to reflect on the likes of Neverland and Zagreus with an unexpected appearance of India Fisher playing Charley Pollard's sister! Sissy was a great character and I really liked how she got mixed up in Gallifreyan affairs. Her role as a Nazi sympathiser was quite something and a complete contrast to her sister who we know and love so dearly. I'd love for the Doctor to encounter her at length and have a conversation about Hitler and all those things that we apparently all believe but are too afraid to say aloud. Claiming him as the greatest man to ever live was quite something and I loved Leela's reaction to hearing that evil name. She had a tremendously strong story and I felt so sorry for her once the truth was out regarding Andred's disappearance. I didn't expect things to be so simple as Torvald killing him as stated in The Inquiry so to get the truth here was brilliant and I loved how it was revealed. The idea of Andred actually being the one to kill Torvald and then taking his place claiming to be post-regeneration and a new incarnation was outstanding! The audacity of that ploy to infiltrate the CIA was quite something and I am sure there will be more fallout from that in the second series. Leela's reaction was heartbreaking as she couldn't believe that her husband was still alive and had just regenerated. But for her, she had grieved and her husband was dead. She wasn't accepting any apologies which I fully understood. It was a shame to see her suffering emotionally but it was good to see a different side to her. I thought the Earth setting for a Gallifrey story was magnificent and worked really well and it was just fun to place them at a time where World War Two was inbound. Romana was great as President again and I liked her interaction with Arkadian. The way he just oozed swagger and being in control was very good. I thought Joy was also a fantastic character and the suggestion she was a spy was fun given the setting. I loved the concept of the differing timelines and the two versions of the same train worked really well. Meeting an earlier incarnation of Torvald was fantastic and the potential issues for Narvin in wanting to arrest him was great, although we soon realised the current incarnation wasn't actually him. Leela's discussion regarding the Sevateem and the Tesh and likening the differences to what Hitler was trying to do was brilliant and added depth to what was a really deep story. There was a lot going on which was really good and the intrigue that came with the train setting was really nicely presented. Torvald disguising himself as Eric was great fun and he adjusted well to the period and location. The humour that typically comes from K9 was on display once again when Romana asked for the pause feature on her new Type 70A TARDIS with him simply responding that he didn't have a pause function. I love silly stuff like that and it works so well with K9 just replying logically. Romana's frustration is often there to hear. As a whole, this was a really strong conclusion and it all focused on Andred's disappearance and Leela's reaction which was powerful. Overall, a fitting conclusion to a brilliant opening series of Gallifrey!

Rating: 9/10

The Inquiry

 

"Now is a difficult concept."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: April 2004

Series: Gallifrey 1.03

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, K9

Synopsis

President Romana has been called to account for her actions. But the only evidence that she has responded to a real and present danger has disappeared. To clear her good name she is dependent on the testimony of the very people who want to see her publicly humiliated and her power removed.

While Leela tries to discover truths of her own, Romana is forced into an uneasy truce with her rivals at the CIA. But at least she can be sure the inquiry will be handled in a fair and proper manner. Or can she? When the investigation itself triggers danger and time is quite literally running out for all of Gallifrey's power and knowledge, just who can Romana trust?

Verdict

The Inquiry was another excellent story from the first series of Gallifrey! I am really enjoying this spinoff series and whilst the series has been an incredibly consistent one with all three adventures receiving the same rating, I think if I went on a percentage basis this one would slightly edge the others as the best of the bunch so far. I loved the premise and I thought throwing in the returning Inquisitor was magnificent. She didn't have a huge role to play in the story but with her having featured in The Trial of a Time Lord, it just provides that extra dimension and is great continuity from the Doctor Who televised series. I initially thought the inquiry that this audio gets its title from would be regarding recent events on Gryben or what went down in Square One. Instead, we had a reversion kind of format which was very good and I really liked the concept of a Timonic Fusion Device that had supposedly gone off and it was so deadly that Romana was being questioned regarding her actions. Although she has the role of President of the High Council, with the CIA and their somewhat iffy relationship her authority never seems to be absolute. There was a good occasion towards the end where she gave Braxiatel a firm order that was nice to see for the first time really. I enjoyed her relationship with Leela again here and I thought the savage had her best outing in the series so far. The mystery that looms surrounding the disappearance of Andred was excellent here and it was nice to get some firm development. I look forward to hearing more regarding this as the series goes on and it is something I expect to last into the second series. Leela, with the help of K9, seeking records regarding her apparently 'late' husband was terrific and I loved how quickly she picked up on Narvin's slip of the tongue. I was surprised that Torvaid admitted so openly to killing Andred in self defence after Narvin revealed all of his surprise contact with the Chancellery Guard. The exploration of the rivalry between that body and the CIA was interesting and I would certainly love to get more of that as this spinoff expands. I will admit that I was a little confused at times regarding the time factor of the Timonic device and throwing that into being on Gallifrey and the very nature of the Time Lords was excellent! It was weird though because I kind of enjoyed being confused. The concept of now being a difficult one was a line I thoroughly enjoyed from Narvin as highlighted by it taking my opening quote, and the whole inquiry then coming to an end because there was no possible way of actually measuring the impact of the device and if it had actually exploded. The Matrix being used was fantastic to hear and I like how it exists outside of time so the whole rewriting of history to prevent the explosion and being stolen after it had already gone off was spectacular. I just love when things get timey-wimey as I think the concept of time itself is an interesting one and what better than a Gallifrey spinoff to explore it? Romana's having travelled the universe coming into play was also fantastic and I liked how to some on Gallifrey, Braxiatel's collection of rare art that would be destroyed or lost was deemed horrific and terrible interference worthy of a heinous crime, but for Romana she simply wrote it off and told the CIA to worry about more important things. That was a really nice touch. As a whole, this was a fantastic story from start to finish and it was good for the five lead characters to all have an equal footing and be almost fighting against each other with different motives and agendas. Overall, a fantastic story and I like the way it has set up the finale with Romana determined to find out which temporal power sought to change Gallifreyan history and upset the Time Lords. Another great listen!

Rating: 9/10

Square One

"Time belongs to no one race."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Audio

Released: April 2004

Series: Gallifrey 1.02

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, K9

Synopsis

"It's too late... time is coming for us!"

In a climate of unease and mistrust, the great time-travelling powers of the universe are holding a historic temporal summit. The meeting will take place on a planetoid impervious to outside attack or internal subversion.

But while President Romana walks a knife-sharp political tightrope into dangerous territory, Leela and K9 find themselves attending the summit in unexpected roles. They are hunting for evidence of Free Time activity, but find instead terrors of a different kind – time and time again...

What impossibility stalks the planetoid? Who is manipulating time? Can Leela and Romana discover the truth – or will they find themselves sent back to square one for all eternity?

Verdict

Square One was another brilliant audio to continue along the first series of Gallifrey very nicely! I liked how this followed on from Weapon of Choice and the idea of the Time Lords forming an alliance of sorts when it comes to temporal powers firmly seems set to continue which I am intrigued by. I am still not sure what the payoff will be regarding the Free Time movement but I get the feeling that all will not be resolved in just two episodes. I thought it was great once again to have Romana and Leela as the lead characters and I enjoyed their relationship a lot more here. There was mutual respect which was nice to hear although they both still seem set on arguing on which K9 is the better model! That's good humour though and I hope we get more of that. The focus being on a temporal summit between representatives of the temporal powers was really good and I liked hearing all the different species and factions together here. Interests weren't entirely aligned and that made for a good story. I enjoyed that Romana and her follow Time Lords believed the Free Time movement to be funded by one of their fellow temporal powers. Hearing Romana tackle the issue of Time Lords contemplating interference was really good and you couldn't do a Gallifrey spinoff series without having them involved in the affairs of others. I think that's where the alliance works well because it gives them a reason to get involved. I thought Narvin was another standout character from the Time Lord side of things and his reaction at the end in finding out that he a part of a rouse was terrific. I love how in both stories so far Romana has been triumphant in revealing the big twist and the one here was another I didn't see coming! The idea of a faux summit that was just for show and to draw out any traitors and enemies is excellent and Hossak's reaction to realising that was fantastic. She so badly wanted the summit to go smoothly and get the result she desired, so she had manipulated her way into being able to turn back time when things went wrong. I liked how the network itself was being used as a means of going back in time and Leela getting to remember the events to come the second time around was marvellous. Her reaction to realising what had happened and referring to it simply as 'another yesterday' was outstanding. I do love the noble savage and this was her at her very best. Judging by her disguise as a dance performer and some reactions from onlookers from other temporal powers, they were also loving what she was doing. I was a little taken aback by some of the sexual comments and innuendos there and also having the word slut said on a number of occasions was not expected! It was good realism though and I think more of that is needed, especially in spinoff series like this. K9 being limited at the summit was good but I enjoyed how having two of them was utilised to somewhat combat that. I'm enjoying the references to The Apocalypse Element when it comes to the Monan Host and hearing a faction of them not being too pleased with the Time Lords was quite intriguing. It's an interesting dynamic. I was a little surprised that there was no further mention of Andred given how much Leela wanted answers surrounding him in the previous story, but I guess there is still plenty of time for that. As a whole, I thought the plot worked well and I found myself amused when dialogue was repeated as part of the time slippage that I thought I had accidentally skipped back a few minutes on the Big Finish app! Thankfully that wasn't the case. Overall, this was another excellent listen!

Rating: 9/10

Weapon of Choice

 

"They think their age gives them precedence."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: March 2004

Series: Gallifrey 1.01

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, K9

Synopsis

The Time Lords of Gallifrey were the first to map the Web of Time. Now, under the reforming gaze of President Romanadvoratelundar, the oldest civilisation is ready to shed its monopoly, sharing its secrets with a coalition of the Temporal Powers the Monan Host, the Nekkistani an the Warpsmiths of Phaidon among them.

But the coalition is a fragile one, and despised in some quarters. When a team of Time Technology Assessors makes a horrific discovery on the barren moon of Kikrit, it seems their enemies are arming themselves to strike at the alliance. Has a terrorist group really acquired a temporal weapon so terrible the Time Lords forgot about its existence?

In search of the truth, Romana sends the woman called Leela and the robot dog K9 to the enclave of Gryben, a reception centre for temporal refugees. But the truth is war's first casualty and the fallout could destroy them all. 

Verdict

Weapon of Choice was a brilliant start to the Gallifrey spinoff series from Big Finish! This is a series I have been waiting a long time to start as I am always a fan of visiting the Time Lord home planet so getting an entire series here is really good and I look forward to hearing it develop and flesh out as the series goes on. This was a strong start with a methodical pace and the story at its heart was really well done. I like the dynamic of Romana being President and that's obviously something we've been introduced to in the Monthly Adventures with the likes of The Apocalypse Element and Neverland. Throwing in Leela to a Gallifreyan setting is wonderful and I love that we get to explore things for her some time after her departure from the Doctor in The Invasion of Time. The introduction of her into the story and how she was true to her tribal roots was magnificent and really showed why we love the noble savage character. I was expecting a little more of a relationship between Romana and Leela given their travels with the Fourth Doctor and each having their own version of K9, but there is still plenty of time for that to occur and develop. I think the ending was a good indicator of that with Romana appointing Leela as her presidential bodyguard. The latter's reaction to that was terrific and I really enjoyed how grateful she was despite all of her Time Lord badmouthing during the audio. I thought the introduction of what will surely become regular characters from Gallifrey's CIA was good and I really enjoyed Narvin and Romana together as they didn't exactly see eye to eye. Torvaid was also an enjoyable character and I thought the whole Time Lord dynamic was just really good and interesting. I am very much looking forward to hearing it develop further as I make my way through the series. The concept of the Time Lords sharing Temporal Powers with a coalition was unexpected and I expect it will play more prominence as the series goes on. The return of the Monan Host was a particularly enjoyable inclusion! I thought Mephistopheles as the leader of Free Time made a really strong villain and Arkadian being a representative of them on Gallifrey by accident almost was fun. His greeting Romana as something quite far from Madam President was tremendous. The concept of Gryben and it being a checkpoint on the road that was the Time Vortex was a fascinating one and whilst I like the idea of Time Lords regulating who could access the Vortex, surely it wasn't a manageable one? Gryben itself was good though and the motive behind Free Time was excellent. I really liked taking the basic principle of those with power limiting those without it and putting it into a Gallifreyan adventure. It worked really well. I was a huge fan of the conclusion with Romana almost inciting a war but then pulling the swerve at the end and preventing the missile strike and calling the bluff that risked her life in a big way. Of course, her intelligence prevailed and she was proven right which was magnificent. I was shocked that Mephistopheles shot herself dead though! K9, both of him, was great as usual and I liked the logical humour that was provided from his presence. I look forward to more of them together as that will be fun! As a whole, this was a really strong start to the series that saw some familiar characters in unfamiliar surroundings and roles whilst also introducing new ones in a very good way. Overall, a great start!

Rating: 9/10

Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks

"We shall sweep the Thals from the face of Skaro!"

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released: July 1976

Series: Target 26

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane, Harry

Synopsis

The place: Skaro

Time: The Birth of the Daleks

After a thousand years of futile war against the Thals, Davros has perfected the physical form that will carry his race into eternity – the dreaded Dalek. 

Without feeling, conscience or pity, the Dalek is programmed to exterminate. 

At the command of the Time Lords, Doctor Who travels back through time in an effort to totally destroy this terrible menace of the future.

But even the Doctor cannot always win...

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks was an excellent novelisation of what is obviously a revered  and brilliant Classic serial! I didn't really expect anything different than what I got with this book and that was absolutely fine because it was an easy read that I actually sped through in around three hours which even for a Target is pretty quick for me. I liked how there was no messing around in setting the scene for the story to come with the Doctor being given a message from the Time Lords to prevent the Dalek race from ever being created, or at least to alter their genetic makeup in some way. The setting already being Skaro was fantastic and I loved the description of the war-ravaged planet. It set the scene so well and from there we were thrust into the action really well. I enjoyed the continuation on from The Sontaran Experiment with the trio trying to get back to the TARDIS and Space Station Nerva, but this was quite the sidetrack! The idea of a whole story depicting the creation of the Daleks is magnificent and the result here is quite spectacular. Davros is one of the best characters in all of Doctor Who and his debut is outstanding. Alongside Nyder, it's great that they are the villains instead of the Daleks. It was clear to see in the novelisation just how little the Daleks actually feature in their own genesis story but I think that's actually the beauty of it. They aren't needed and with Davros as the lead the focus can be on this brand new enemy that immediately has incredible prominence in the Doctor Who universe. The violence on show throughout was intriguing and I liked Harry and the Doctor were somewhat endorsing it which is perhaps uncharacteristic, along with Sarah Jane having no qualms when it came to the Doctor's famous line questioning if he had the right to commit genocide. She firmly sided on yes! I liked how her experiences in Death to the Daleks were fallen back on and it definitely helped that she had encountered them before so knew just how vital it would be to cease their creation. I thought the delivery of that famous moment was good and a little quick. Considering the televised serial is six parts, I thought the pace of this one was very good and it definitely felt quicker than the broadcast version. The situation on Skaro at this point in time was presented really well and I liked how it serves as a loose prequel to The Daleks. It was important to hold true on events in that serial and for the most part it does a stellar job. The war between the Kaleds and Thals was presented really well and I'd love for some more stories set during that period. Davros was maniacal and that's part of his brilliance as an enemy and his cunning in deducing who was loyal to his cause was fantastic. His providing the means to destroy the Kaled dome because the Government there were on the verge of cancelling his Dalek experiments told you everything you needed to know about him. The moment where the Doctor reveals all about future Dalek failures is superb and I loved how Davros played with the Doctor's compassion. I was a big fan of that. The way that tape was then destroyed and also the playing around with losing the time ring was good if not a little too quick. I thought the ending was presented marvellous well with the Dalek disobeying its creator's command and thus the Daleks were born. They had no pity and pleas of Kaled scientists to revert back to the creatures having a conscience was in vain, as the Daleks were here and they'd killed their creator along with Nyder. I thought that was sublime. I liked how the ending was a compromise of sorts as instead of preventing their creation, the Doctor just set the Daleks back by around a millennium. We knew he couldn't actually prevent their genesis! Overall, a terrific read. 

Rating: 9/10

The Elite

"There are no other worlds... this is the only world there is."

Writers: Barbara Clegg & John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: October 2011

Series: Lost Stories 3.01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

The Doctor offers Tegan and Nyssa a trip to the paradise world of Florana, but instead the TARDIS takes them to a doomed city on a planet scarred by warfare. A world where everyone is young, and fighting for the glory of the Elite...

Hidden away in The Cathedral of Power, the High Priest is watching. It knows the Doctor, and his arrival changes everything...

Verdict

The Elite was an excellent Lost Stories audio adventure and I definitely think this would have been a good one to have take place on television. It definitely fitted into the era of the Fifth Doctor and Season 19 really well which was great to hear and whether or not the placement and intention was there for the initial story idea, the continuity with Arc of Infinity was fantastic and did a brilliant job in both bringing Tegan back to the TARDIS to continue her travels, and also to explain the time differentiation for Nyssa and the Doctor since Time-Flight. I thought this was really well done and a nice way to give credence to the Monthly Adventures stories featuring the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa on their travels. The humour that came with the Doctor talking to Nyssa about having Tegan back was wonderful because he didn't seem so fussed on having her back! He had quite enjoyed things being quiet and peaceful in her absence and the moment he said that with Nyssa questioning how her time away might have mellowed out being followed by Tegan's outburst about her room and its contents made me physically laugh which was great! I loved it. The trio were fantastic here and whilst they were split up for much of the story, it was a good way to bring them back together after time apart. Despite his comments, it was clear on a number of occasions that the Doctor still cared for her greatly. The intentions of going to Florana after Nyssa had enjoyed Amsterdam was very good and the time disturbance that prevented their arrival, or so it seemed, was intriguing. I loved the way that tied in at the end of the story with events here and the rose being used to start the gardens the Doctor referred to at the start. I love things coming full circle in a story like that. Their arrival on the planet was interesting and the idea of the locals only thinking there to be one planet was brilliant because that explained why the High Priest and his crash landing was so revered, because where else other than heaven could he have descended from? The cliffhanger at the end of part one with the clearly shell-less Dalek was revealed as the High Priestess was outstanding and I have to say I thought all three cliffhangers were strong which was a big positive. I enjoyed the Dalek being out of its casing and hearing it refer to that as its throne was really good. I'd have loved to see how the Classic series would have produced a Dalek being out of its casing for much of the story. The way it eventually ended up back in its casing and felt like it needed to be within it when greeting the Doctor was excellent stuff. The Dalek inciting war on the planet between the Elite and the rebels was magnificent because war meant technological advancement. There was reason to the Dalek's actions other than causing chaos and death which was really good. I was very surprised when Nyssa had been subjected to the way of the Elite and that worked so very well. The Doctor's reaction was fantastic. Peter Davison definitely had a strong performance. I was a little stunned when Father Thane killed the Dalek High Priest at the end of part three as I didn't expect the final part to be without the singular Dalek, but it was a moment filled with shock which worked. The Doctor's interaction with him and his being sent into delirium as his religious beliefs became a bit too much were great. I thought the concept of the Elite was very good and I liked the devotion shown throughout, but Thane went too far and his demise at the end at the hands of the rebel with the TARDIS heard dematerialising was a fitting end. That also reminds of the Dalek wanting to hear the TARDIS arrival to familiarise itself with the greatest enemy of its species. Overall, this was a fine audio adventure that would have worked brilliantly on television!

Rating: 9/10

Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre

"I should have known..."

Writer: Peter Anghelides

Format: Audio

Released: November 2002

Series: Sarah Jane Smith 1.05

Featuring: Sarah Jane

Synopsis

A bio-warfare scandal from the 1940s takes Sarah to a remote island in the Indian Ocean. She pursues the scoop with a fellow journalist from her former company, Planet 3. But why won't she contact her friends back in the UK?

The more she investigates, the less Sarah recognises that she is the story. Josh and Natalie discover that Sarah has been searching for pursuers in the rear-view mirror for so long that she hasn't noticed who's now in the driving seat.

A long way from home, and far from safe, will Sarah see the dangers in her present and the enemies from her past before it's too late?

Verdict

Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre was a very good conclusion to the first series of the Sarah Jane Smith spinoff! I have enjoyed this series quite a bit more than I expected to, especially after the first two audios which are good but a little short of great. There has definitely been a slow build and hearing that pay off here was good, but I did feel that despite its quality we could have got more interaction between Sarah Jane and the woman behind the CEO we have heard Harris mention a lot in the form of Hilda Winters. I was surprised that meeting didn't take place until very late on into the audio but I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah Jane's reaction to seeing who had been pulling the strings all along. The references to Robot were fantastic and I liked the reminiscing on the events of that story from both parties. The perspectives were obviously quite different! I thought the premise behind this story was brilliant with the idea of Winters attempting to frame Sarah Jane for a murder that would be on an astounding scale by poisoning the water supply for millions of Indians. When it comes to framing, that's quite the crime to set them up for! I thought that was a really good premise. That alone as just a threat was good but then throwing in framing Sarah and the use of the voice box was a little cheap but nicely done. I thought Natalie had her strongest story yet which was quite strange given that she was far away from the setting with the focus firmly being on Sarah Jane in India. Her meeting up with Wendy Jennings who was a former Planet 3 journalist in her own right was intriguing and I enjoyed their initial meeting with the mysterious stalker that had been following Wendy for the week. She developed very nicely as the story went on and the simplicity in which the truth was revealed when she instructed Harris to do something was fantastic. I was not an incredibly huge fan of the alternating voices for different characters, but I did not expect even the talkative taxi driver to be part of that set because that was so different and Sarah's frustrations were clear to see! She didn't even try and feign politeness which was funny. I liked the mention of there being something in Sarah Jane's attic and even know the Sarah Jane Adventures was still five years off from creation, the prospect of her already having Mr Smith was great. That's one positive of listening in hindsight. I thought the use of the Planet 3 voicemail system was decent and whilst it went close to being overdone, the role it played in the story for Natalie was fantastic. I was a big fan of that. The continuity from Ghost Town with Josh still being scared of planes and flying was great, but I'm not actually sure he'd end up at the Chagos Islands so quickly! It was quite the remote setting which was good and I think that actually added to the believability of being able to impact the water supply. I thought the robbery was terrific in having K9 stolen and was wonderful continuity from A Girl's Best Friend. Sarah's reaction to that was excellent and that idea in of itself is marvellous. I liked how Josh came to Sarah's end by utilising the gun and using her special briefcase to get it through airport security, and his reaction to using one for the first time was clear to hear the effect. It was profound which was good. Hilda's plan coming to an end quite abruptly was a shame and I think a full story with her in control would have been huge fun, but I guess there will be more to come based on how things ended here. Overall though, a strong finale!

Rating: 8/10 

Ghost Town

"I think I've just seen a ghost!"

Writer: Rupert Laight

Format: Audio

Released: October 2002

Series: Sarah Jane Smith 1.04

Featuring: Sarah Jane

Synopsis

Sarah and Josh set off for a well-deserved break in a remote Romanian village, hidden deep in the Carpathian Mountains. They're staying with Sarah's old friend, Yolanda Benstead, a retired journalist and ex-pat who lives in an eerie mansion with no one but her mysterious manservant for company. By chance Sarah has arrived at an appropriate time – the village has become the setting for a top-secret international Peace Conference. Sarah is awoken in the night by a terrifying apparition. Is it a ghost or just a figment of her imagination? What is that unbearable noise? And will the others believe her story?

But Miss Smith is not the only one who's had a fright. Conference delegates are being terrified too. Literally scared to death. Is there something curious about the old house or something deadly about the whole village?

It's down to Sarah and Josh to piece together the mystery that surrounds the ghost town...

Verdict

Ghost Town was another fantastic audio adventure to continue the first series of Sarah Jane Smith! This was a brilliant follow up to Test of Nerve and whilst I may not have got the immediate continuation I might have wanted with the reveal of Miss Winters, the story was so good that I didn't mind one jot and that leaves us ready for what I hope will be a brilliant finale! The idea of Sarah and Josh needing a break was good and I liked how it wasn't entirely coincidental that they would be heading to a Romanian village. That was certainly a unique setting and I definitely think it worked well. Any story that deals with ghosts is going to go down the rabbit hole of playing with the question of whether ghosts actually exist or not, and I thought it was really good that Josh didn't even want to say the word ghost. Well, he was scared at flying on an aeroplane so I guess that isn't much of a surprise! I thought it worked well to hear Vodancski prior to his showing up at Yolande's house where he had lost all recollection of who he was and what had happened in his past. From there she had dubbed him Dimitri and Sarah's subtle determination to discover what had truly happened to him was great to hear. She definitely had a strong outing in this audio which was good. The inclusion of a peace conference felt very Third Doctor-era which was fun and I liked how Yolande hadn't merely invited Sarah to visit just to catch up with an old friend. Their relationship was terrific and I liked that Sarah had friends in journalism. Yolande was still seen as an outsider in the village and that was something she wanted to change, but she was too scared for her reputation if she started claiming ghosts were afoot so Sarah Jane was on hand to do the investigating. I liked that a lot and it was great that Sarah wasn't even surprised. Elisabeth Sladen was fantastic in reprising her role and I also loved her Romanian impression to Josh! Very nicely done. Josh had a good story but I was a little put off by how disinterested he was in being introduced to different people. You'd think he was the one that had the scare! Sarah's dealing with that was interesting and I loved how her journalistic talents enabled her to deduce what was really going on. The use of cameras and what have you were good and discovering that there was actually nobody in the room haunting her was fantastic. It was all a low frequency wave! Abbotly being revealed as the culprit was good and the continuation of family connections in this spinoff was excellent as he was played by Brian Miller - Lis Sladen's real life husband! That's really fun and quite unique when you think of Natalie being played by her daughter too. His manipulation of Podancski and his scientific talents worked well and it all seemed quite the long plan given how he had lost his memory and showed up at Yolande's door some six months prior to Sarah Jane's arrival in Romania. As a whole, this story was a nice way to break things up ahead of the finale and I liked that Sarah has now sold her house in Moreton Harwood and taken over Claudia's empty flat which is now obviously empty. She came into a lot of money from the sale which is advantageous and after events here, I am intrigued to hear where things go for the finale. I'm beyond excited for Sarah Jane to encounter Miss Winters once again. Overall, another fantastic story! A ghost story that wasn't too ghostly and that definitely worked in its favour. 

Rating: 9/10

Test of Nerve

"You have twenty-four hours to find the truth."

Writer: David Bishop

Format: Audio

Released: September 2002

Series: Sarah Jane Smith 1.03

Featuring: Sarah Jane

Synopsis

Sarah Jane Smith receives a mysterious gift with a cryptic message. The London Underground will suffer a horrific terrorist attack during rush hour unless Sarah can find and stop those responsible. As rush hour draws closer, the terrifying reality of the threat becomes all too apparent. One friend is murdered and another is abducted. Sarah must be willing to sacrifice everyone and everything she holds dear to save the city. This is one deadline she simply cannot miss...

Verdict

Test of Nerve was an excellent audio story to continue the first series of Sarah Jane Smith's Big Finish spinoff! This was by far the best of the series so far and set things up very nicely for the remainder of the series with a superb cliffhanger! I enjoyed the continuity from Comeback with Harris making a return, albeit a little sooner than I might have expected but the impact he made was magnificent. It's great to get mentions again of his employers as it was always hinted in his first outing that there was someone above him in the scheme out to get Sarah Jane Smith and we got the head of that revealed wonderfully here! Before we got there, I thought the plot was fantastic and I really enjoyed the warning message of the rat in the glass incubator being gassed with saron. That was really well done and the threat of the same thing happening to the entire population of London if Sarah didn't find the truth was brilliant. It was very good from the start and immediately got me hooked. I liked the development of the relationship between Josh and Ellie as there seemed to be intentions of that becoming something more, and it was also nice for Natalie to feel more of an important character. She was certainly on an even playing field to the other familiar characters that have formed the main cast with Sarah Jane. She was good and it's lovely to know that Sadie Miller, Elisabeth Sladen's real life daughter, voices the role. They understandably have good chemistry together! Biogard being central to what was going on was very good and I liked the news bulletins that fitted in throughout the story. They were certainly helpful in updating what was going on and addressing the important plot developments. James Carver making headlines for an arrest and then showing up at Sarah's door was excellent and it was good to hear how he was somewhat mad. His literal wearing of a number of saron gas pallets was scary because the potential there was frightening. Natalie calling the police on him and Sarah being angry about that was good, but could you blame her for doing so? The man was mad! His movement to the London Underground and an abandoned station was great, especially when he found Josh and Ellie locked in an incubator similar to that the rat was delivered in to Sarah Jane's house. His letting them escape seemed a little odd, but Harris getting to boast to the pair prior to this was really well done. He didn't particularly care for revenge on Sarah, but his employers did and he revelled in delivering to them what they wanted. Carver's fate at the end jumping in front of a train was incredibly sudden and something I didn't see coming, but it was good way to ensure that he was no further trouble. I liked the continuation of Sarah's relationship with Claudia and her inside information is proving really useful. I like the connection there a lot. The way things ended was marvellous as Harris was heard talking with his employer and the principal head of the lot was an emphatic return for Miss Winters! The idea of bringing her back after Robot and seeking revenge on Sarah Jane for her role in bringing about her downfall is outstanding and I can't wait to hear things play out in the last two stories. Sarah's reaction to her presence and role in revenge will be great and I just love that she is back. It definitely gives the spinoff an added boost and slots it in very nicely into wider continuity. Overall, a fantastic audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Tao Connection

"Thank God for DNA!"

Writer: Barry Letts
Format: Audio
Released: August 2002
Series: Sarah Jane Smith 1.02

Featuring: Sarah Jane

Synopsis

The body of an old man is found floating in the Thames, although the DNA of the corpse corresponds to an 18-year old friend of Josh and Ellie.

Sarah Jane heads towards West Yorkshire in a bid to discover what killed the man, why someone is kidnapping homeless teenage boys and whether there is a link between that and the retreat of philanthropist Will Butley which hosts The Huang Ti Clinic.

Sarah discovers that there is more to ancient dark sorcery than she previously believed.

Verdict

The Tao Connection was another decent story to continue Big Finish's Sarah Jane Smith audio range! I thought this one started well and definitely had a good feel to it now that I am more familiar with some of the other characters, but there was still something hitting towards a lot happening prior to the events of Comeback with Sarah's stature in society still being somewhat dodgy after her undercover exploits for Planet 3 Broadcasting. I thought the central premise behind the audio was excellent and I loved the idea of an elderly body that was fished out of the Thames matching to the DNA of an 18-year old. Well, that couldn't be right could it? The issues that was causing for the country's top scientific officials was terrific and I liked the idea of DNA not being a precise identifier of one's personal makeup and identity. That would open up a serious can of worms and that was fun to play around with. I enjoyed Sarah and Josh's relationship in this one and they're definitely getting on a lot more. This one certainly had more of a Doctor Who feel to in the way that the lead characters were written. Sarah Jane definitely fell into the Doctor role which was intriguing and Josh really felt more like a companion which was an intriguing dynamic. The line towards the end where she mentioned to Josh and queried that he hadn't worked it all out yet was so Doctorish! I liked it a lot. It was also unexpected fun to have her dish out some Venusian aikido. Sarah's abilities to get in where she isn't wanted is good and whilst Elisabeth Sladen did her best to reprise the role and play the character, the impression of her taking the cleaner role was a little off-putting to me. Ellie had another good outing but I did get the feeling that she would play more of a prominent role in the series. It's still early days though. Claudia Coster was another decent character as the member of the British Intelligence. I liked how she had put in a good word at the end to see that Sarah and Josh weren't charged for any assault or battery. Will Butley was a good villain but the deterioration in his character's sanity wasn't something I overly enjoyed and I wasn't very fond of the presentation of him dwindling into child-like status. Josh provided a good amount of humour when he was subjected to being Butley's target and seemed to be quite drunk, but that wasn't the case. Sarah having to usher him out and to her car was amusing. Ron Sharpe also made for a good villain and I was surprised with how suddenly he met his ends with Butley shooting him through the heart in his delirious state. It was a shame really as I thoroughly enjoyed the direction of the adventure for the first half at least but then it just seemed to dwindle slightly and whilst it was far from being bad, it once again seemed to overstay its welcome and go a little long. There were some good tense moments, but I felt if this was condensed then there could have been more excitement and a faster pace for the conclusion which certainly would have been for its benefit. One other note to mention is Maggie Stables making a cameo! My brain was a little confused hearing the voice of Evelyn in a different role here as the cook and Josh was not too fond of her food which was fun. Overall, this was a pretty decent story with an excellent premise at its heart, but things went a little long when they could have been more exciting and impactful.

Rating: 7/10

Comeback

"How much trouble can there be in a peaceful English village?"

Writer: Terrance Dicks
Format: Audio
Released: July 2002
Series: Sarah Jane Smith 1.01

Featuring: Sarah Jane

Synopsis

Six months after the last part of her undercover investigative TV series for Planet 3 Broadcasting went out, Sarah Jane Smith is running scared. Living under false names, her true identity compromised, she has few friends and fewer clues to her pursuers.

Enter three people who will change her life: the mysterious Mr Harris, old friend Ellie Martin and a guardian angel in the shape of the roguish Josh Townshend.

Now, all roads lead to the village of Cloots Coombe in Wiltshire but will she find answers she needs there?

Verdict

Comeback was a decent start to the Big Finish range of Sarah Jane Smith audios! This honestly wasn't quite what I was expecting, but listening some 18 years after the first release I'm not entirely sure if I could have any expectations. Of course, the placement for these stories is certainly an interesting one as the way things started with Sarah in the aftermath of her aunt Lavinia's funeral it seemed to follow on from A Girl's Best Friend. Listening in hindsight now, I know that we would go on to have The Sarah Jane Adventures so getting a whole range in between here is really intriguing. I love that Terrance Dicks kicked things off for such a beloved character and it was wonderful from a personal standpoint to hear Elisabeth Sladen again with brand new content. I just thought the approach was a little strange as it kind of felt like a season two opener rather than the debut of an entire range. I felt we perhaps could have had a season of adventures with Sarah Jane undercover for Planet 3 Broadcasting and getting drip fed more and more hints about Rechauffe and how they were coming after her and had been planning to do so. It really did feel like that was the case which was good but the way it was dealt with felt like it existed out there somewhere for us to hear ourselves. The plot was decent and steady and the unethical manner in which the whale creature was being used was good, if not revealed perhaps a tad too late. I thought the audio did a good job in introducing what I assume will be recurring characters in the form of Ellie and Josh. The former heading up Sarah Jane's undercover jaunts as part of Planet 3 Broadcasting was really good and I like that she knew Josh already. He was good character and started strongly getting to know Sarah Jane quite well. The banter that came with him referring to her as SJ – something she hated – was really fun and lighthearted. Hearing expletives from Sarah Jane added a good sense of realism to the story and I like the idea of her journalistic talents being used for a television show. That's definitely something I'd like to watch! The calmness in which she announced to a customer that the bank she was undercover at was to be robbed was marvellous. A really good moment. I thought the Squire made for a good enemy but the true villain was definitely in the form of Harris in my opinion. I do hope we get more of him and I am sure that we will as the series goes on. The mystery and continued mentions of the CEO were very good and I liked the enigmatic feel it had. One little problem I did have was the story was that it probably went a little long and lost its sense of excitement towards the latter stages. It didn't feel like there was a huge amount to build towards and I think that is obvious by how quickly things were resolved through Josh's arson attack. I must admit as well that I thought the performances of the bank robbers were hardly convincing. They didn't sound menacing or threatening in the slightest! The use of Cloots Combe for the setting worked well and I am a fan of the village locals, especially in audios. It just seems a better fit when there are no visuals. Gosforth was another good character as the Reverend and I liked that he feigned being on the phone with the Bishop to Sarah at the end when the truth was he was in league with Harris all along. Overall, this was a decent start to the series but I do think it could have been a tad more exciting if condensed and there have been more of an introductory element. Regardless, this was still a good and solid start to proceedings for the range!

Rating: 7/10