A Full Life

"If the dead don't stay dead, the universe will end."

Writer: Joseph Lidster

Format: Audio

Released: September 2016

Series: Short Trips 6.09

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9, Adric

Synopsis

Adric's life is full of death. His parents died when he was a child. His brother died a few months ago. Now, travelling with the Doctor and Romana, everywhere he visits, people die. But now they have arrived on Veridis. And on Veridis, the dead come back...

Verdict

A Full Life was a decent little Short Trips audio! It seems forever since I have done anything featuring Adric so despite my thinking of him being the worst ever companion, I was keen to get this audio adventure done today when it came to deciding on a Short Trip to listen to. I was definitely enticed by the fact that Matthew Waterhouse was the narrator and I thought he did a stellar job in that role. Getting new content with Adric during the events of the E-Space trilogy was absolutely welcomed as three stories with the quartet of the Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9 and Adric just wasn't enough. I really enjoyed hearing Adric describe some of the events experienced over the course of Full Circle and State of Decay and although we didn't get to see it an awful lot on screen, it was terrific to hear him explain how much the Doctor and Romana meant to him. It was good to establish that Adric and Romana didn't exactly get on at the start, but they came to grow fond of each other which was nice. I thought the recording style of the story and how it was all a message from Adric to his grandson was unique, although in my opinion it slightly lost its charm by around the halfway mark, I think it hurt the pace a little on what could have been a more exciting tale. However, I do appreciate that the style made for a more emotional story which was an understandable direction. Matthew Waterhouse didn't really do many impressions given the format of the story which probably helped things, but his brief take on K9 was absolutely delightful. His memories of the robotic dog being fond and laughing about how he could easily outsmart him were great and I think it would have been so good to have a full on Adric and K9 battle of wits and logic. The possibilities would be endless. The fact that the Doctor and Romana died here in E-Space is actually incredible and I don't think enough was made of that development. Considering that Adric went back in time and changed it, we presume, successfully, doesn't that mean that the normal course of events was for Adric to grow old? That's something big to think about. I also thought their moments of death should have been more impactful given the permutations! The Veridis setting was good and I thought the Tivorg was excellent as a concept. I also really enjoyed how it took something from all of those it brought back. That felt very much in line with dark Doctor Who. If this had more time to expand, I feel like it could have been an excellent adventure. The timescale of the story is incredible with Adric going on to have a happy life and talk about his family and relationships. Not that it's important, but I think it's good to establish Adric had a relationship with a man in this strange alternate timeline. It won't get mainstream attention but it really is good in my view. I liked how the story went so far that the food machine in the TARDIS stopped working and the time machine itself was breaking down without the Doctor. I really liked that aspect and it was intriguing to leave Adric stranded. Overall, a good little story. 

Rating: 7/10

The Taste of Death

"They come here to eat."

Writer: Helen Godwyn

Format: Audio

Released: April 2018

Series: Tenth Doctor Chronicles 1.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor and Rose sample the high-life on resort planet MXQ1, run by the famous Bluestone brothers. It has everything: exotic beaches, luxury accommodation and extravagant dining. Something's cooking in the kitchen, and it's to die for...

Verdict

The Taste of Death was an excellent audio adventure to start the Tenth Doctor Chronicles! I thought this was a fantastic opener and it was really good to get an additional story in the era of Series 2. The Tenth Doctor and Rose are an incredibly renowned pairing and whilst they are not my favourite, I cannot deny their qualities so it was great to hear them together again here. Of course, we didn't have David Tennant or Billie Piper back reprising their roles, but Jacob Dudman did a more than sufficient job filling in as the narrator. Whilst his impression of the Tenth Doctor isn't quite as good as that of his Eleventh or Twelfth Doctor take, it's still really well done and I thought the writing and characterisation of the Tenth Doctor worked very well to compliment that for this adventure. I was very impressed with how natural the writing felt for this incarnation of the Doctor. It was fun to start with the Doctor intending on taking Rose on a holiday and actually stated that there was nothing dodgy for them to encounter this time around. Well, that came back to bite him! They arrived on MXQ1 which was a funky resort setting for the mega rich and I loved the description of Rose trying to fit in and take on the luxurious personality. She wasn't very good and that's really what I would have expected. It felt very much like what we saw of her in Tooth and Claw which was marvellous. Chef Orentino made for a great character alongside the Doctor and Rose and his feeding Rose resulting in her being obsessed with what she was eating was an interesting scene. She wasn't the only one though and that immediately got the Doctor's senses tingling as the food was having an effect on everyone at the resort. To make matters worse, Orentino was at the resort to find his brother who had gone missing without a trace which was very much out of character. The Doctor and Rose were down to help immediately which I admired. The Doctor's comment about being a dab hand at a food machine was tremendous and I love how in a food-themed adventure that famed device of the First Doctor era got a mention. So much fun. The Doctor taking on the role of a fake chef was enjoyable and meeting the Bluestone brothers as owners of the resort was very good. Both Dench and Delta made for good villains and there was no messing around with them when they caught Rose snooping. The Brula as a slave species were an important element in the adventure and the Presha that was in the food resulting in the addiction was good storytelling. Everything tied together nicely with the Doctor having seen similar on a familiar planet of Raxicoricofallapatorius. It's no secret from the boxset artwork that the Slitheen would be returning, but I didn't know in which episode and I really didn't get the feeling of their presence early on so this was a fantastic reveal! They had taken on the Bluestone brothers and including an addictive crop in the food to feed up their exports. The fact they were using chefs as meat due to their cultivation and having tasted all of the dishes was horrific but brilliant. I thought that was so unique and a really good use of food for a theme for the whole adventure. The fact we had a butcher Slitheen was excellent and I liked meeting the Hazrateen as the big buyers from the Slitheen who had the scent and wanted the meat. Except, Orentina and his brother were chefs and they knew how to deal with that. Overall, a terrific audio adventure to start the first volume of Tenth Doctor Chronicles! 

Rating: 9/10

Dancing the Code

"Sweet sweet good good honey dancing to be dancing."

Writer: Paul Leonard

Format: Novel

Released: April 1995

Series: Missing Adventures 09

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

"The Brigadier is going to shoot you, Jo, and then he's going to shoot me. Both of us are going to die."

The Doctor builds a machine designed to predict the future. It shows the Brigadier murdering him and Jo in cold blood. Unable to tell where or when this event is destined to occur, the Doctor and Jo decided that they must stay apart.

Jo is sent on a top-secret mission to the war-torn Arab nation of Kebiria. But upon arrival, she is immediately arrested and consigned to a brutal political prison. The Kebirians have something to hide: deep in the North African desert, an alien infestation is rapidly growing. And the Doctor and UNIT soon discover that unless stopped, the alien presence will spread to overrun the entire world.

Verdict

Dancing the Code was an excellent Missing Adventures novel! I thought this was an excellent read from start to finish and the contemporary setting and political climate worked together really well. I loved the premise that was set early on with the mystery of dancing the code and the sweet honey statement that would feature on numerous occasions throughout the book, as well as the Doctor's machine predicting the future and the sight showing that the Brigadier was going to shoot him and Jo dead in cold blood! That was an incredible premise and taking precautions to avoid that coming into fruition was obviously logical and absolutely something that should be avoided. The Doctor seemed quite calm about the situation which was infuriating for the Brigadier and Jo and his simple statements of how it was over 99% likely to happen was madness! It was nothing less than I expected from the Doctor though, with the third incarnation brilliantly characterised in the book. This one really did feel right at home in its era which is a big compliment and the political aspect with everything that was going on in Kebiria and the FMGL was fantastic. Political tension is never going to go away and the use of human killings on a vast scale was superb with Jo describing how her experiences in the TARDIS and all the death she saw at the likes of Autons, Daleks and Axons was one thing, but humanity inflicting such suffering in front of her was difficult for her to handle and comprehend. I really enjoyed that element because it felt so real. Catriona was a standout character as a reporter and that added another realistic aspect to the story. There was always going to be news coverage of something like the situation in Kebiria and her efforts to cover it and record tapes on non-existent records were terrific. I really did think she was great. Her horrified reaction to having to kill a guard in her escape and take a dead person's shoes was just brilliant and I loved how she was stunned by fake Jo's claim of not knowing her when it came to the plane takeoff. The whole duplication process of the aliens as they were simply referred to throughout was intriguing and the later plan of Zalloua to gain peace was to duplicate everyone and replace them. Now that's audacious! The vision of the Brig shooting Jo and the Doctor dead came to fruition in excellent fashion at the end of book two with it turning out to be the alien duplicates that fell victim, albeit on a temporary basis. The use of insects and communication by scent was good and the honey perfume smell that accompanied the aliens and their duplicates was very good. I thought the Xarax as helicopter-like species were intriguing and the image of them in the sky was amusing. They worked well though. The Brigadier going against direct orders when it came to government officials ordering Jo to be handed over with her accused of murder was fantastic, and it was really good to see how the whole ordeal of killing Jo and the Doctor was impacting him. The deaths of Catriona and Vincent were very sudden, with the former in particular taking me back because it pretty much came out of nowhere. Akram was another great but short-lived character and the scale of death in the book really was uncharted territory. It was really powerful and just real. Benari as the Prime Minister was good and I liked how he was controlling aliens. That's quite the political manoeuvre! His death was another sudden one and at one point I really was wondering who was going to survive. The Doctor's plan of cancelling out the pheromones of the queen was excellent and I liked how that came into effect quite simply, with the final threat of the American missile strike on the nest forcing a last moment of danger. The way the defences were taken control of was good and I liked that we had an exciting finish. By the end, the politics remained which was an important point to finish on and it was nice that Jo still wanted to do something about it. Overall, a fantastic read! 

Rating: 9/10

Ravagers: Food Fight

"We eat to survive."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: May 2021

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 1.03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The TARDIS is starting to get a little crowded! Audrey finds herself haunted by a ghostly Doctor.

Verdict

Food Fight was an excellent conclusion to Ravagers and to the first series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! It really has been a blast to get brand new content featuring Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor and I really do look forward to the next three boxsets (and hopefully more!) to come. Whilst they are rumoured to all be standalone adventures, I thought the way this series tied up here was very impressive and brought everything from Sphere of Freedom and Cataclysm full circle very nicely. The Doctor doing all he could to defeat the Ravagers and stop Audrey from making her fortune from them and the Immersive Reality games was great and it was wonderful to hear this incarnation of the Doctor in a pacy episode. I think that excitement might have been slightly lacking from the first two episodes, but despite being the longest of the three stories this just felt full throttle which worked magnificently. It was fun to have the Doctor meeting both Audrey and Nova out of sequence and his going back to Nova at a point before she knew and travelled with him was brilliant because he could open up and really question her about the knowledge she had on time travel. She was clever, sure, but there were some things she shouldn't ought to have known and I liked that the Doctor had cottoned onto that fact. The plan to use DNA with the TARDIS to reverse journeys was very good and I thought the issue of it picking up other people's DNAs such as Lieutenant Farraday was terrific. Once all of the drones were added we had quite a packed TARDIS by the midway point of the story! That didn't seem something that the Doctor would enjoy. His promise to Nova of finding her somewhere nice to live was still felt which was good and I loved at the end where he offered her a journey with him and he already knew the destination she wanted to go. That was a really nice touch. Finding out that the Ravagers were intrigued and addicted to the Immersive Reality games of Audrey's was good and it actually turning out that their 'sweetness' that they craved was actually their own fear was a brilliant twist. Audrey had thought that it was the fear of others and that's where the time eddies had come in, but in actual fact the Ravagers liked feeling scared. I thought that was very unique and something I didn't see coming so I very much enjoyed. The Doctor getting to meet one of the Ravagers at the very centre after sacrificing himself to save Audrey was very good and I loved that the TARDIS came back to find him. Although I think the title of this episode is atrocious (like come on, seriously?), it actually ends up being a fantastic finale! Speaking of which, the moment we get to hear the Ninth Doctor utter that famous word once again was really good and a terrific occasion, as it should have been. Everything came full circle in an impressive way and even though we didn't get to see the game loop that would keep the Ravagers happy with their sweetness, we didn't need to and it actually ended up being a relatively simple conclusion to the story and the series as a whole. Overall, a fantastic audio to finish!

Rating: 9/10

Ravagers: Cataclysm

"You think my intelligence is some sort of pollution?"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: May 2021

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 1.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Nova is dislocated in time while the Time Eddies are out of control. Meanwhile, the Doctor is about to face the end of the universe. Or is that just the Battle of Waterloo?

Verdict

Cataclysm was a very good audio adventure to continue the Ravagers boxset comprising the first series of the Ninth Doctor Adventures! We are very much into the swing of things now with the new series for the Ninth Doctor and whilst I would have preferred the story to start with more focus on the Doctor rather than Nova, he grew into the episode and came into his own by the end which was really good to hear. Audrey continued to be a very good villain and I like how there's something more to her than is evidenced by what we know of her thus far. The Doctor knows that she knows of him and I loved how that turned out to be from the fact that the Time Lord had met her in the wrong order. Now, if she turns out to be River Song that really will be quite something! Of course, I very much doubt that will be the case but it's a fun thought. I thought the continuity from Sphere of Freedom, whilst expected, was very good and the Doctor initially believing that the Ravagers were actually just another element of the Immersive Reality games was fantastic stuff. That was actually really logical and it's still not something I'm ruling out coming into play in the final episode of the series. There is definitely going to be something where the truth isn't exactly what we have heard. The playing around with time in this story was great and it's always something I enjoy having fun with. The Doctor meeting the younger Audrey was a fun moment and I also liked the echoes we heard of him at different points in the episode. The issue of the node and what that was causing for the Doctor was intriguing with the effect being quite considerable on him! It's always a big moment where the Doctor shows sign of weakness and that was no different here. I thought Nova had a decent showing in the story although I'm still not overly sold on her. She has big shoes to fill as far as the listeners are concerned with the Ninth Doctor as we are so used to Rose so it's still a little strange to have someone new in that role, even if she isn't a full on companion. Her questioning of the Doctor's everyday life and if he just shows up and gets himself into trouble was excellent though. Hearing it out loud always makes me smile because it's so ludicrous. The end of the universe actually occurring in the story wasn't something I expected but it showed that the Ravagers meant business, and the Doctor's plan then backfired in a big way. The node was supposed to be used as a way of firing the Ravagers back through time, but instead they just absorbed the energy like they did with everything else. How were they going to be defeated now? That was a fantastic cliffhanger finish to lead us into the final story of the boxset because it's difficult to see how they will be defeated from here. I think Nova will have a role to play, and I'll be interested to see how the Doctor reacts if he isn't able to keep his promise. I wonder if her calling the psychic paper silly will have any bearing! Overall though, this was another very good audio to continue the series! I'm looking forward to the finale and hopefully a moment of triumph for the Ninth Doctor. 

Rating: 8/10

Ravagers: Sphere of Freedom

"Immersive reality games are great!"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: May 2021

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 1.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

On the Sphere of Freedom, the Doctor is about to shut down an evil Immersive Games business empire. He's assisted by a valiant galley chef called Nova. But his plan spectacularly fails... And who exactly is Audrey?

Verdict

Sphere of Freedom was a very good audio adventure to kick off the Ravagers boxset that kickstarts the long awaited audio series of the Ninth Doctor! It was so good to hear Christopher Eccleston reprise the role of the Doctor for Big Finish on audio and it's just so good to be getting new content! I am so glad that he was able to be convinced to return to the role and this one certainly felt new and unique for his Doctor, given that there was no Rose Tyler as companion. For the Ninth Doctor, these events took place prior to Rose which is something I'm not massively in agreement with, but for it to be the way that we get more adventures with this incarnation then I'm willing to ignore it. I thought the theme of Immersive Reality was very good and quite different to everything we got with this Doctor on screen. The very fact that most of the setting wasn't on Earth was different too and I like that we will get to explore the Ninth Doctor away from Earth. Although there was no Rose, we did have Nova in that companion role and it appears that she is here to stay for at least the remainder of the boxset. Her being a chef was a nice sense of normality, although the fact she wasn't paid for her job and just got some food credits and access to the low-end games screamed slavery, and that was something that the Doctor didn't agree with. I thought jumping around different times of the audio was an intriguing move and having the Doctor tell a story to Audrey and revert back to Nova was decent, although I think that format works better with visuals. Audrey made for a mysterious villain and I liked how she had feigned  being an old woman, but that deception didn't work on the Doctor which was terrific. It was a very impressive audio for the Ninth Doctor who was in his element when it came to bypassing security and translating Latin of the Roman soldiers. That element seemed to disappear quickly, but the image of a legion thrust nearly two millennia into the future was brutal. Farraday and Halloran were fun characters and the Doctor disagreeing with the military way was really good to hear and true to character. The use of a time eddy, or rather billions of them, in the story was interesting and I liked how time was used to help enhance an immersive game that only the very richest had access to. Who cared that time was being ripped apart along with the fabric of reality when there was money to be made? Talk about high rollers! That took things to a different level. I quite enjoyed the pace of the episode and there was a good mix of action and dialogue. The Sphere of Freedom name is quite ironic given that it was anything but that, and Audrey revealing herself as the CEO was a fun moment even if the Doctor was far from surprised. I liked the danger of Nova being swallowed up by a time eddy, as well as Farraday, and the Doctor was determined to get the former back. He had made a promise and he was going to keep it. Except now the TARDIS had been swallowed by an eddy and he was inside, with Audrey able to show him the true extent of the Ravagers that seemingly inhabited the collapse of a star going nova. Not even the TARDIS could escape it, so how could they live in that habitat? The Doctor was next on the menu in what was a very good cliffhanger to lead us into the next adventure of the series. Overall, a very solid first episode and it was brilliant to have new Ninth Doctor material from Christopher Eccleston himself! 

Rating: 8/10

One Enchanted Evening

"You're the last of your species because you ate the rest!"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: June 2017

Series: The Lives of Captain Jack 1.03

Featuring: Captain Jack

Synopsis

Captain Jack Harkness – time-travelling con-man, saviour of the Earth, and intergalactic adventurer. He has lived many lives...

Captain Jack and Alonso Frame have only just met. But why did the Doctor want them to be together?

Verdict

One Enchanted Evening was a very good little audio to continue my way through the first series of The Lives of Captain Jack! I love how we get a continuation from the scene during The End of Time where the Tenth Doctors bids farewell to Captain Jack, whilst also setting him up with Alonso Frame who he obviously knew very well from the events of Voyage of the Damned. It was very good to have two familiar characters together for the first time and even though they ended up being split up quite quickly, they worked very well as a pair through their communication devices. The contained setting of the ship was good and the innuendo that the small elements of it provided for Jack and Alonso was great. It was clear that Jack was more experienced in any kind of act involving sexual innuendo, but it was still fantastic for the pair to be hitting it off. They were aiming for that to happen in more ways than one! Alonso's uniform making him out to be someone with authority on the doomed ship was fun and I loved how he was still feeling the impact of what occurred on the Titanic and how he wasn't set out to be captain or to save people. I thought the writing was very much in line with what the character was in his televised appearance and it's crazy to think that it has been fourteen years now since that Christmas Special! Reprising the role so long after was excellent. I thought Ginny was a nice character to come between Jack and Alonso and her taking a shine to the latter was a nice touch, especially with her getting to kiss him goodbye and the continued taking a shine to his smile. Jack was also very much impressed with the smile and that being the motivation he needed to defeat Mother Nothing was really nice. I thought the enemy was certainly unique and the speech which was very different and certainly stood out. Its desire for the giant diamond that powered the ship was amusing and it wanting it for no other reason than it being the 'shiny thing' was brilliant because that was no real reason, it was just evil. Hearing of Mother Nothing's nature and it being the last of its species because it had actually eaten all of the rest, even including its own offspring! The thought of that is just crazy. The bulk of the episode involving Jack and Alonso reuniting was nice and I thought the moment where they thought they were on the same level and coming to the same exit, only to find that Jack had made a mistake and was actually a level below. That was good, if not a little sad, but I couldn't quite believe how things ended with them ending permanently separated! It was a really touching moment for Alonso to stay behind and help Jack ensure that Mother Nothing was defeated, and him taking a little while to understand Jack's message about letting it go was terrific. The image of Jack riding a diamond in space and coming to Alonso was magnificent and certainly right up Jack's alley. The battle for the last remaining escape shuttle was a last moment of torment as there was no way for Jack and Alonso to escape together, so Alonso knocked Jack out and sent him away anyway without knowing that Jack was immortal. That was a big shame and just when it seemed that hope was restored and Alonso managed to reboot another pod, a meteor storm alternated their respective courses and they wouldn't meet. A big shame! Overall though, a very good audio adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

The Splintered Gate

"You may be going on a long journey."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 02

Featuring: Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis

Adventures in time and space are no fun if there's no one to share them. The Doctor has taken along many people on his travels – humans, aliens and robots. Did he really care for any of them? What in their previous life fitted them for the role of companion – and how did they cope after they left the TARDIS?

These seventeen stories look at the Doctor's trusty companions, before, during and after their travels with the eccentric Time Lord. Discover the truth about Romana's regeneration, find out what happened when Zoe encountered the Doctor again, and learn which of his companions the Doctor cared for the most...

Verdict

The Splintered Gate was a very interesting little story to continue my way through the Companions edition of short trips prose. I say little in the literal sense because at barely six pages, this particular adventure must surely go down as one of the smallest and shortest stories I have ever blogged! That fact alone makes it a fun blog to write and I actually managed to get this one read and blogged whilst on holiday, as planned given its incredibly short length. Whilst Gemma was in the shower between daily activities and going out for food, it was the perfect opportunity to keep with the blog and get another adventure in the bag. I'm not normally a fan of the first person perspective for storytelling, but I don't really think this story could have worked any other way. It was a nice little twist to go back in time and feature Ian and Barbara prior to the events of An Unearthly Child, and I think that could be done again with Susan included which would really make me sit up and take notice. We got a lovely hint here as to how Ian felt about Barbara when he hoped that he had spotted her whilst he was holidaying in Dorset, but alas it wasn't to be unfortunately for him. I find it incredibly amusing that the title of the short story comes from the fact that Ian got a splinter from a wooden gate. That really is something else and I don't think anything comes close to being so literal for a story title. Especially for something so ordinary in human life. Having a passage describing how Ian was able to pluck out the splinter was just amusing but I did like the image of him unclenching his fist so long after removing the splinter and that resulting in his hand being awash with blood. For a palm reader, that must have been most unexpected and it's fair to say that she was stunned and horrified, so much so that she ran away out of Ian's presence before he could explain the situation. Ian then attending a party of Barbara's was nice and somehow the writing of just ordinary events for characters we know that so much will happen to was great to read. Normal life for this pair is not what we know of them so it was just a nice inclusion. Ian being introduced to Rosemary who was another palm reader was good and I really liked how she took it upon herself to give Ian a true reading, whilst also keeping emphasis on the meaning of the blood that soaked his hands the first time he wanted a reading. She was a good and interesting character and I liked the temptation she provided to Ian with her comment about the journey he would soon go on, and then stealing his money as he was refusing to pay for the service she provided. A service he thought was a sham. He was a man of science so he couldn't resort to this. I liked that. The feeling of just pondering on the future as the story came to a close was intriguing and despite it being set prior to Ian and Barbara going on their travels aboard the TARDIS, it was a perfect opportunity for reflection which was nice. Overall, not a huge amount happened but it was a good little read! 

Rating: 7/10

Survival of the Fittest

"I can hear the dead."

Writer: Jonathan Clements

Format: Audio

Released: February 2010

Series: Monthly Adventures 131

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Klein 

Synopsis

On a distant world, the Doctor and Klein discover that the insect-like race that they have come to know as the Vrill have been all but wiped out by the mysterious and terrifying Winterlack. Discovering the true nature of the Winterlack, Klein is cast out of the Vrill nest into the jungle beyond. There, she is forced to confront the Winterlack threat alone.

In the Vrill nest, the Doctor desperately searches for a way to save the Vrill from extinction. But the odds are against him, and time is running out...

Verdict

Survival of the Fittest was a great audio adventure to continue my journey through the Monthly Adventures! Although this was part of the same release that included Klein's Story, this was very much a different entity and it was clear that some considerable time had passed since those events took place. They were a testing time for the Doctor and Klein with the latter realising she had been tricked by the former's alternate future self into erasing the entire timeline that she knew which saw the Reich in full control, and I really liked how that wasn't forgotten about. Before we actually got to the nitty gritty of the personal story behind the two lead characters, we had a good and very unique tale. The Vrill were a decent little species and I really liked the idea of them communicating via smell. How that mixed with the TARDIS translation circuits was fantastic and certainly challenging, and I just enjoyed the concept of the TARDIS translation featuring so prominently in a Classic era tale. The relationship between the Doctor and Klein seemed amicable at first and I was intrigued to see how the title would fit into her ideology and beliefs. She was almost laughing at the fact that there still remained facists in the Doctor's apparently perfect future for humanity. Her reaction to Steffen gloating about the master race was a magnificent moment and probably the highlight of the entire story in all honesty. It was moving. Finding out that the nest had been infiltrated for greed wasn't exactly a surprise, but the unique qualities of the Vrill made for an intriguing listen. I particularly liked how they believed everything they heard as that is just so much fun and Klein falling victim to that by proclaiming she was the dreaded Winterlack was very good. Of course, the Winterlack was their name for humanity and the scavenges for the nutrients of the Vrill and particular the part that created their new Authority as a wonder drug was good, and just greedy. Jackson alongside Steffen was a good character and I liked how he was taking the escape mission in his stride. The Doctor naming two of the Vrill as Rose and Lily was a nice touch and I thought they were a very good paring. I wasn't a massive fan of the cliffhangers in the story which isn't a huge negative, but they definitely could have been improved. A lot more jeopardy was required. The Doctor not revealing to Klein that he'd actually lost the TARDIS key was good and the fact she found it made for a superb ending to the story and a great cliffhanger finish to lead us into the next story. The Doctor was taking in his stride pretending to be part of the GeoPolice after his initial reservations and his acceptance of a bribe was out of character, but he was doing everything he could to get the mercenaries off the planet to save the Vrill. His striking of a bargain to ensure the Vrill had one nutrient left to create a new Authority was very good and his manipulation of logic to make them think he could grant a new Authority was very good. The issue of Klein's taking the TARDIS was incredible because not only had she been watching and learning and set off into history to do with it as she pleased, but the translation was also gone between humanity and the Vrill. It was an exciting ending full of possibilities and danger, and the Doctor being part of the escape and orbit was very real and normal, something he's not entirely used to. Overall, a very good audio!

Rating: 8/10

The Perfect Prisoners – Part Two

"Give people a little taste of power and they don't want to let it go."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: February 2019

Series: FDA 8.08

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, K9

Synopsis

Secrets have been revealed, and the Doctor and his friends at last know who they're fighting.

An epic journey across space leads them to the true mastermind of the Syndicate conspiracy.

Alliances will shift. Friends will die. Can even the Doctor come out of this alive?

Verdict

The Perfect Prisoners concluded in very good style with this second part of the adventure, that confusingly actually comprised parts three and four of the story! It's an amusing little quirk in terms of numberings for the parts, but let's not fuss over those semantics. After the excellent cliffhanger at the end of the last episode, I liked that we had a discussion between Anya and Colwyn over who she actually was and the fact she had taken on a sleeper personality so couldn't have even informed him or the SSS that weren't in the know about her mission if she wanted to know. The fewer people with knowledge of the Syndicate the better. I loved the Doctor countering Anya after realising he'd been played for so long as he now saw all of the signs that pointed to the truth retrospectively. She had learned how to fly the TARDIS which was impressive and would use it to get close to the Syndicate. The discussion of the previous episodes comprising the eighth series and how they all tied together was excellent and a helpful reminder of what had come before this finale. The Doctor knowing now that Anya had murdered Trantis and Zephon and many more must have ben tough for him given how much he care for Ann Kelso. The Syndicate by now were on the verge of a break up and the few remaining members meeting without Zaal was indication of that. For him though, everything was going as planned and I liked how he turned out to be the true villain of the series. Anya heading for Malpha to wipe out the Syndicate was brilliant and she just wanted to murder the last remaining members for finality. The arrival of the Selachian Nebula was a decent development and I liked the concept of it being sentient. Anya destructing the ship just to destroy told us her intentions were clear. She made for a fantastic character and I loved how she tried to play K9 into believing she had reverted back to Ann Kelso before turning him off in savage circumstances. This wasn't the companion we had come to know. Zaal being realised as the traitor from Earth was good and I liked the links back to The Daleks' Master Plan with the make up of the Syndicate. The continuing theme of perceptions being altered was very good and I liked how Zaal had taken that to a planetary scale! Anya's killing of Malpha was brutal and the cliffhanger with the verge into space was exciting, and K9 coming to save the day was a little farfetched with the TARDIS but it was fun for sure. The Doctor and Colwyn realising they'd been implanted with the retouch reality chip was good and the latter seeing how Zaal had used Earth for slave labour on an incredible industrial scale was a powerful moment. Anya killing K9 and Colwyn was an incredible moment and the Doctor appealing to her about whether she was seeing the true reality was great, especially when it turned out not to be. The Doctor's plans to use K9 to wipe out Zaal's signal altering perception was good and the humour that came with it having to take 21 minutes was delightful. Everything coming full circle with Zaal having used the reach of the Syndicate and then have the Doctor and Ann as his scapegoats with Anya killing the members and those who threatened his position was great tying of loose ends. Zaal being subjected to his own methods and thinking he'd killed the Doctor and Anya was a fine moment that I didn't see coming, and it was a neat twist and just ends. K9 had hacked into the signal while the wait to stop it ensued which was a very clever development. Once it was stopped, the explosion dealt with Zaal. The ending with the Doctor denying Anya a place on his TARDIS with him was sad because he really did like Ann Kelso, and so did I. Overall, a very good end to an excellent series!

Rating: 8/10

The Perfect Prisoners – Part One

"Why waste anymore time on reality?"

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: February 2019

Series: FDA 8.07

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann, K9

Synopsis

The Doctor, Ann and K9 are hot on the trail of the Syndicate, and straight into trouble. After contending with killer robots and dangerous aliens, the clues lead straight to a machine that can literally make your dreams come true. A device that in the wrong hands could lead to misery for billions. But who's the real villain here? And what exactly is their master plan?

Verdict

The Perfect Prisoners started in very good fashion with this strong opener to the two-part (or is it four-part?) series finale! We've come a long way since the series began with a traditional story arc comprising the entire run, and it ended on a big cliffhanger here as the truth about Ann Kelso was revealed! Before we got there though, we started full of action in a sequence that took place mid-events as we joined proceedings. I'm not a massive fan of that approach, as in this case I'd liked to have known more about the spores the Doctor was trying to prevent being launched and his race to ensure the rocket self destructed. It was exciting though, but that just made me want to know the full story. I liked how there was no messing around in establishing links to the Syndicate and the robotic elements of the group were fun to explore here. Ann being referred to as a time agent was intriguing and her murdering of one mid-dream was an unexpected turn of events! Continuing the theme from Fever Islands with dreams and fantasy was good continuity and I liked how real everything was seeming. The Doctor was able to shine when being confronted by the robots and his use of logic against them to prevent himself being destroyed after stopping was just magnificent. That really was a shining moment. Zaal made for a good head villain and almost leader of the Syndicate and I think it works well that he didn't have any past interaction with the Doctor. His realisation that someone was onto the Syndicate was very good and I loved how in their hunt the Doctor and Ann went to the Space Security Service for help. Well, it was either them or the Judoon! Colwyn was a good character in this role and Zaal actually being the SSS Director was a neat twist. Zephon being the link that led the Doctor and Ann to their current location was further good continuity and I liked how Ann was confident in being able to fly the TARDIS and get them to their intended destination for once. The Doctor shunning that to beginner's luck was great stuff. The reveal, although not a big shock, that the Syndicate was the Dalek Galactic Council from The Daleks' Master Plan was fantastic and I think the idea of bringing them back without the Daleks is excellent. Nothing was off limits though and Zaal made a brutal example of Gearar which showed that he was very much in charge. The dream machine was a terrific concept and its ability to retouch reality and change the perception of it was incredible. The possibilities were endless! Drarn made for a good host and I liked how she shifted personalities when the Doctor didn't succumb to the dream machine first time around. His pondering on whether his perception had already been altered was a fun concept though! The Sentreal finding Ann provided a good threat and I loved how she showcased her talents and briefing notes to use the light against him to defeat him in quick style. Zaal cutting Trantis loose after the Doctor's interference was great and I liked the Doctor's reaction to finding out the truth about the Syndicate. However, that paled in comparison to his reaction when he found out the truth about his companion! She knew the game was up after she was caught and I loved that the Doctor thought she was just being controlled, but actually there was nothing to give up. Ann Kelso was did. She didn't exist. Only Anya Kingdom remained! And that's an exciting prospect given the Doctor's ties to that family. A sublime cliffhanger to set us up for the finale! 

Fever Island

"What is it like to dream?"

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: February 2019

Series: FDA 8.06

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann, K9

Synopsis

Jason Vane is England's suavest secret agent, and today he's on his deadliest mission yet. Tracking down the evil Okulov... before he destroys the world. 

The Doctor, Ann and K9 are, in contrast, finding their own mission a little hard to complete. A strange storm in the vortex has swept them back in time, back to Earth in 1978 and a strange place called 'Fever Island'.

A place where their worst nightmares are about to come true...

Verdict

Fever Island was an excellent audio adventure to continue along the eighth series of Fourth Doctor Adventures! Despite the consistent ratings across a number of episodes comprising the series thus far, this was my favourite of the bunch and it was oh so close to receiving full marks for my rating. It just wasn't quite there, but it was still a joyous list. I loved the character of Jason Vane and hearing of his bad dreams at the start of the story and how he was a secret agent was great stuff. I enjoyed the continuity from Time's Assassin with the TARDIS having dumped the chronon wave in the Vortex and been pushed back in time to 1978. K9 picking up a message about dreams was really intriguing given his inability to dream and I liked the mystery of him being unable to explain where the message derived. The Commodore giving Vane a last mission of burying her body after revealing she was actually working for the Kremlin was fantastic and I loved her claim that Okulov still lived and could be found on Fever Islands. The fantastical feel of the adventures was superb. I liked that the TARDIS was transported back through a storm and the source being in 1978 will surely have some connection to The Sinestran Kill. K9 being left behind in the TARDIS but then having his tracking override instructions to follow the Doctor and Ann to avert danger was great. He had another solid episode as companion! Ann and the Doctor quickly realising they were being followed by Jason was fun and I liked from there that we were soon introduced to Jessel and Caroline. Their experimentation with aperture was intriguing and I liked how Jessel didn't want to stop despite the arrival of innocent civilians. That said all that was required about him! The mystery behind the mist that stemmed from the aperture was brilliant and I liked the excitement of everyone running away from it that concluded with K9 being upended and then the Doctor being swallowed by it as he went back for his robot dog. The result with the Doctor apparently turning into Okulov and K9 also being his servant made for a magnificent cliffhanger! This was definitely a story I'd describe as barmy and Jason having to stop and realise how ridiculous his life sounded when it was stated aloud was fantastic. The stranger on the island being consumed by the mist was a little harrowing and I loved learning that it was mist from another dimension that had the ability to warp reality. That was a very good concept and it explained a lot as far as Vane was concerned! However, the aperture it stemmed from was now opening itself which sparked danger, along with the mist having fed on Jason's dreams which included an imagined role for Okulov's son that carried the plague! A historical threat of that nature made things very real in a story full of fantasy. The personality of Okulov reasserting itself in the Doctor was good and I thought Tom Baker did a stellar job with his performance. K9 stunning his master multiple times to be sure that the Doctor had reverted back to his normal self was a wonderful comedic moment. I liked how Jason's true identity was initially classified and I think it ought to have stayed that way for longer before we found out he was actually a supply teacher from Kentish Town called Clive. Jessel revealing the military had funded his experiment in the hopes of getting a weapon to disorientate the enemy was not too surprising, even if it was a little late, but I really liked how Clive had to become secret agent Jason Vane once again in order to close the aperture for good. Overall, a brilliant audio! 

Rating: 9/10

Time's Assassin

"Zephon is perfection!"

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: February 2019

Series: FDA 8.05

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann, K9

Synopsis

The true identity of the Director has been revealed and he wants vengeance upon the Doctor for past crimes...

But the Director is not the only danger to the crew of the TARDIS. Deadly experiments are coming to a head, and everyone's life is at risk.

However, the greatest threat is yet to come. The Syndicate's plans are in motion... and no one is safe from them.

Verdict

Time's Assassin was a very good story to conclude what started in The False Guardian and also to kick off the second boxset comprising the eighth season of Fourth Doctor Adventures! It's a little bit of a unique approach to have a two-parter at different ends of separate boxsets, but thankfully listening a couple of years after release meant that I didn't have too much of a break between episodes and lose track of what took place in the first. I'll be honest, I hadn't initially planned to do this second batch of adventures yet but because the finale ended as a part one cliffhanger, I had to alter plans because I couldn't wait to get started here. The cliffhanger resolution was decent with the Doctor being saved from death by Elmore, although he was beaten pretty badly into unconsciousness. He was the key to the mad scientist's experiment and that being fleshed out throughout the audio was very good. I loved the idea of those infected by the Varga were remembering and finding out that it was a new and deadly strain of Elmore's was terrific. He almost turned out to be the real enemy of the story. Zephon recalling the events of The Daleks' Master Plan and the fate that his father fell to after the Doctor took his place and made him a scapegoat was excellent, and it's clear to hear that there is considerable resentment for disgracing the great Zephon family name. His searching fo the Doctor and finding the traces he had left throughout time was great and I liked how he likened the Time Lord to a virus. It was intriguing for Ann to have no memory of being gassed and this is where K9 was utilised well. Discovering that the Syndicate had big plans for the universe was interesting and I liked how the Sinestrans were only considered small associates. That showed just how big this Syndicate were aiming and I like how we're headed for big things with the story arc that began in the series opener. Ann's moment of adrenaline and apparently recognising Zephon were good moments and enjoyable preludes to finding out that she was actually a sleeper agent! That being revealed in the emphatic way in which it was with her killing Brox and then later Zephon, before setting his entire ship to explode. That was an incredible turn of pace for the companion. Elmore defending his position in creating ethical and responsible weapons was brilliant and he played the mad scientist very well. His plans to send the waste of his experiments back in time was something I'd have liked more expansion on, especially with the reaction of abhorrence the Doctor greeted it with. Zephon not being seen as a member high on the Syndicate food chain was amusing but if he brought the Doctor to them then that would all change. The cliffhanger with the Doctor apparently being vaporised was superb, but I wasn't a big fan of the resolution with him floating freely with other failed experiments, only for the TARDIS to come and save him. That seemed slightly too easy, even if it was a touching moment. Ann claiming that she couldn't yet switch fully was intriguing and this episode has really shifted the dynamic of the entire series from here! The loose cliffhanger finish with the Doctor letting out those voices into the Vortex to float through time and space was a nice touch, but he didn't listen to K9's warning as we headed for a rickety ending that saw the TARDIS out of control. Overall, a strong opener to the second half of the series!

Rating: 8/10

The False Guardian

"You can't have particles of time!"

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: January 2019

Series: FDA 8.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann, K9

Synopsis

Ann Kelso doesn't like mysteries. Keen to investigate the trail of the Sinestrans, she sets the TARDIS on a new course...

Arriving on a desolate world that the Doctor finds somehow familiar, the TARDIS crew discover that something is wrong with time. The inhabitants of an usual complex are experimenting at the command of their enigmatic director... somebody who has quite a strong grudge against the Doctor.

Facing an old foe who was presumed dead, the travellers are soon trapped in a diabolical scheme. But is it just the tip of the iceberg?

Verdict

The False Guardian was an excellent story to conclude the first half of the eighth series of Fourth Doctor Adventures! This was a great adventure right from the off and I liked the throwback to the series opener of The Sinestran Kill and Ann Kelso being concerned with the group the Sinestrans were working with and trying to find out more. I am very much enjoying her inquisitive nature and her desire for knowledge and thirst for questions makes her a fantastic companion. Her even going so far as piloting the TARDIS after some help from K9 was a real delight and I think the little robot dog is such a good asset when it comes to the Fourth Doctor. He's just tremendous. Him taking it upon himself to teach his new mistress is wonderful. The arrival on the planet that would brilliantly be revealed as Kembel was great stuff and the chronon storm that was on the horizon seemed deadly with K9 explaining there was a zero percent chance of survival. Those odds were emphatic! That resulting in the TARDIS disappearing after the Doctor had turned the HADS on thinking it was the heater control was magnificent and further comedic brilliance from K9. Stumbling upon someone infected by a Varga plant changed the dynamic of the story in an instant and the prospect of Dalek involvement was exciting. Except, the Doctor was confident there were no Daleks and that they weren't on Skaro. They were alive and the gravity was wrong. I enjoyed that combination. Ann had an intriguing adventure and she seemed to know ever so slightly more than she ought to have done, specifically when the Doctor mentioned Mavic Chen. The mystery of the enigmatic director from beyond was very good to thread throughout the adventure and the cliffhanger reveal of Mavic Chen was outstanding. I couldn't believe that it took me until after listening to realise the significance of the title! I didn't grasp it at the time which is just hilarious. Of course, this wasn't Chen but rather Nigel Colloon who was a financier recovering from a breakdown at the new rest and rehabilitation centre on Kembel. I thought that was a rather unique place for it! The aftermath of The Daleks' Master Plan playing heavily in the story was fantastic and I liked the idea of the Time Destructor's effects meaning the planet could be picked up cheap. The Doctor recalling the events of that mammoth adventure to Ann was sublime and I liked how he remembered losing Sara and what that meant to him. The director seeing the value in the Doctor's DNA strands was interesting and any efforts to harness regeneration would be great to hear as far as I'm concerned! The hybrid creature being let out made for an exciting finish although it came a little late, and Ann falling victim to the gas and K9 taking it upon himself to find the source was a treat. I thought Ann's deduction of the passcode to follow medic Elmore was excellent and showed just what kind of asset she is as a companion. That was really impressive. The cliffhanger finish was unexpected with the son of Zephon emerging as the director and quickly taking it upon himself to attempt to kill the Doctor after what occurred when he and his father met and how he was used! That was a great finish and leaving things on a cliffhanger makes me want to listen to the next boxset right away. Overall, a brilliant adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

The Enchantress of Numbers

"I never get lost in the same maze twice."

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: January 2019

Series: FDA 8.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands in the grounds of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire, in 1850. Mistaken for a medic and his maid, the Doctor and Ann are brought to meet Ada Lovelace – the mother of computing and daughter of Lord Byron – who has recently fallen ill.

But the travellers are not here by chance. Something odd is happening on Earth, and they've determined that this place is the centre of it.

Strange figures are walking the land. Strange figures wearing bird-like masks. What do they want with Ada? And how will it change the future of humanity?

Verdict

The Enchantress of Numbers was another brilliant story to continue the eighth series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! I thought this was an excellent addition and another great outing for the Doctor and new companion Ann Kelso. I liked that there was an explanation regarding K9's absence and him recovering after the events of Planet of the Drashigs and having the TARDIS landing in a maze had me intrigued right from the start. Encountering plague doctors doesn't feel new but they have a look that absolutely works in Doctor Who so that excited me and I liked what their role later became. As part of Series 12 in Spyfall we saw the Thirteenth Doctor encounter Ada Lovelace but I actually think she was better utilised in this episode and that isn't much of a surprise given her position as the titular character. The Doctor's awe of her achievements and what she would contribute to computer code without her importance being recognised for a century was wonderful. I was a big fan of that. Ann being mistaken as the Doctor's maid was fun because she really didn't take kindly to that! Ada being ill added relevance to the Doctor's presence without him having to explain much and Ann immediately clocking onto Ada's filthy clothes was great, even if she was a little too forward with her accusations given the time period she was in. Hobhouse was a very fun character and his pride in knowing every inch of the Abbey was very good. Ada's illness being fears that she was going mad like her father Byron worked very well and her secret jaunts to gamble in the local pub were delightful! I enjoy a little bet now and then so I was certainly in favour of this. Hearing her play cribbage with the Doctor was terrific stuff, even if I don't know how to play the game myself. The ghost of Byron appearing and giving Ada a message in binary code was fantastic and I liked how his tomb was close, only for the whole church where it was situated to go missing! Ann and Hobhouse hiding in Ada's room when someone entered unannounced was really good and I loved the use of the audio landscape in how we heard Hettie's bundling around and then use of the secret exit that Ann so gleefully found. Finding out that Hettie was selling off Ada's notes to Scheutz was a good development and I liked his position as Ian investor. The little retro-scenes at the start of part two where we heard of the Doctor and Ann's initial efforts to meet up with Wheatstone and how that led them to Ada and the Abbey were excellent and the bird men being around every disappearance that even included streets was great. I loved the inclusion of block transfer computation in the adventure and that worked so well with Ada's mathematical abilities. The idea of a virus from the 71st century coming back in time to change history and corrupt the future of computer code was audacious and a threat on a very large scale that I thought was unique and exciting! The Doctor encouraging Ada into using the block transfer computation was fantastic and I thought Tom Baker had a really impressive performance. The maze turning out to be the atomic structure of the virus was a lot of fun and the bird men being software as part of that was magnificent. Everything tied up pretty well! Ada being willing to sacrifice herself showed what kind of person she was and the Doctor reflecting on her position in history was lovely. I thought the ending was decent with the Doctor tampering with Byron and burning the maze as physical form and how that led to Ada forgetting all about him and eradicating the virus in quick fashion. Overall, a really impressive audio!

Rating: 9/10

Planet of the Drashigs

"The fearsome, primal wonder known as Drashigs."

Writer: Phil Muryne

Format: Audio

Released: January 2019

Series: FDA 8.02

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann, K9

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands on an alien planet, the Doctor's intentions to show Ann Kelso an advanced future society are thrown into disarray. Because they have arrived o DrashigWorld – a park where every known species of the terrifying predators has been gathered together to entertain and thrill the public. The familiar wetland Drashigs, the albino burrowing Drashigs of the desert, and deadliest of all, the tiny Emerald Drashigs of the rain forests.

And it's not the best day to have arrived. The park has been shut down due to a visitor fatality. A Galactic Attractions inspector is on site meaning everyone is extremely tense and under pressure.

It's exactly the right circumstances in which someone might make a mistake. And on DrashigWorld, mistakes are deadly.

Verdict

Planet of the Drashigs was a great story to continue the eighth series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! This was a very fun adventure and a good way to introduce Ann Kelso to life on board the TARDIS as the new companion. I'm already a big fan of hers in this role and she really seems well suited to the Fourth Doctor and I'm enjoying her down to Earth style. I like how her police officer routes already continue to be harkened back to with her constant questioning and the Doctor's reaction to this is terrific. Having her introduced to K9 was so much fun and the pair really got on very well. She reacted to him and soon got accustomed to his presence in quick fashion which was great and I loved how she didn't waste time in using her newfound status as K9's mistress to ask him to follow her and the Doctor shortly after they departed the TARDIS after landing. Ann's reaction to hearing the Doctor call the TARDIS old girl was also lovely and it was nice for her to experience the intimacy of the Doctor and his travelling machine. The return of the Drashigs is a fun idea after they wreaked havoc during Carnival of Monsters so bringing them back in the audio format was clever because there were no budgetary constraints! The imagination was required and the different types of Drashigs that were on DrashigWorld was excellent. I thought it was a concept that worked well and did a good job in expanding the species. I liked how the park was explained and whilst it would have been fun to hear it in action to the public, that wouldn't quite have had the same impact for the Doctor and Ann's arrival. Braye as the owner of the park was a fun character and his constant efforts to hide all that was going wrong from Wayland the inspector was definitely a highlight of the story. I thought both of those characters were very strong and their different roles and occupations made for a good element in the storytelling. Hearing K9 on the edge of losing battery with his power all but depleted was rather sad and his desire for a power bank and the literal way of his repetition was very fun. He's such a good character. Vanessa's link to the Drashigs was really good and I liked how she was being effected by them and was actually the person who let them out of the enclosure! The cliffhanger was a little predictable but still worked well with Drashigs mounting an attack. Learning about Braye and Vanessa's plan to connect themselves to the neural functions of the Emerald Drashigs was intriguing and I enjoyed their desire to experience and feel what it was like to hunt with them. They wanted to feel the thoughts of the Drashigs and almost become at one with them. It was a pretty audacious plan! Vanessa hearing the Drashig thoughts worked well and the Doctor realising early on that she was the weak link and was inadvertently leaking information from her link was brilliant. Again, it was a little predictable but it worked. Vanessa's sacrifice was a powerful moment and I liked that the Doctor was audibly shocked, but didn't waste time in mourning her and got on with the job. His resolution being a connection to every Drashig on the DrashigWorld and sending a new signal of torment to break them down was quick and sudden, but again it was logical and just worked. It tied everything up neatly and brought things to a good conclusion! Overall, a very good story to continue the series!

Rating: 8/10

The Sinestran Kill

"They're aliens hiding inside the bodies of Hugo Blake, his wife, and his gang."

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: January 2019

Series: EDA 8.01

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann

Synopsis

When the Doctor decides to trace an anomalous energy signature on twentieth century Earth, he stumbles into an assassination attempt.

Gangland thugs are trying to murder a seemingly innocent shopkeeper, and it's only the intervention of the Doctor and Ann Kelso – a WPC who happens to be on the scene – that prevents a tragedy. 

But why do the gangsters want the shopkeeper dead? And what does this have to do with alien technology?

The first stages of a grand conspiracy are about to be revealed. And finding the answers will take Ann Kelso on a journey like no other.

Verdict

The Sinestran Kill was an excellent story to kick off the eighth series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! I was very excited to get started on this boxset after managing to pick it up as part of a recent sale from Big Finish and it certainly didn't let me down. I thought this was really exciting and full of action and intrigue right from the off. I liked the idea of doing a 'current' story for the Fourth Doctor with the 1978 setting and picking up a brand new companion from that year is terrific because it fits right in line with the era on television which I think is important to reflect. I really enjoyed Ann Kelso and this was a fine introduction for her as the new companion. I liked that she was a police officer and her intriguing and questioning mind will surely suit well alongside the Fourth Doctor. I thought the start with dampener falling over the shop and that sparking the detection of the TARDIS for the Doctor to arrive was fun and establishing just who Ann was in her ordinary life was great stuff. I'm a big fan of hers already. DCI Neilson was a magnificent character played by long-time fan Frank Skinner and him having a history at UNIT and knowing about the Doctor was excellent. His reaction after seeing the TARDIS was superb stuff. Reynolds being targeted by the gang led by Hugo and Jimmy was interesting and their desire to kill him without entirely knowing why was very good. It was interesting me a lot and I thought everything about the era and the story meshed well. The Doctor's confrontation of Hugo and promising to stop any plans he and his thug friends had was an excellent moment that allows Tom Baker to shine in the role. Reynolds as the target of the hit being the one with no background on the police checks was a fun little twist and him actually being an alien called Trenix was brilliant! The history he had with the Sinestrans after giving evidence against them was good and I liked that it was later revealed that he'd gone against them from the inside. The Sinestrans enlisting empaths who committed crimes for them without knowing it was a superb concept and it was realised well in the form of Hugo. The cliffhanger with the Doctor killing Trenix worked well and whilst I never believed that he'd murdered the alien, it was still a nice shock. Jimmy revealing his true self as Spandren was a good development and him being part of the Sinestran Syndicate obviously eludes to the larger force at work throughout this series which is something I'm excited to explore! Kathy being forced into killing Hugo was a powerful moment and her inability to control herself sold it well. Trenix being targeted by the Sinestrans because of his work and knowledge of those allies as part of the alliance formed was very logical and that's always a bonus! He needed to be silenced which was a chilling statement. The Doctor using the nature of the Sinestrans against them by trapping their original bodies whilst they took human form was very clever and hearing how quickly they turned against Spandren in fear of being trapped in a human gang was magnificent. Spandren's final action in attempt of survival by transferring himself into Trenix was something I didn't see coming, as well as the Sinestrans simply killing him! That was an impactful end and a sad fate for Trenix in the end as he was quite helpless. The concluding TARDIS scene with Ann wanting another look inside the TARDIS was lovely and her eagerness to join the Doctor on his travels was terrific. The line about the reaction if he said yes coming full circle was wonderful. Overall, a fine start to the series! 

Rating: 9/10

End of Days

"People are dropping through time and they're going to bring every disease through your doors."

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Format: TV

Broadcast: 08 January 2007

Series: Torchwood 1.13

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

A time rift has opened up and things from many times are being pulled through. As things really start to get out of control, Captain Jack realises that this could very well be the end of the world...

Verdict

End of Days was a very good episode to conclude the first series of Torchwood! I've really enjoyed revisiting the spinoff show's debut run for the first time in around eight years and it's been nice to watch alongside Gemma for the first time she has seen Torchwood. Of course, it's not quite Doctor Who for her but I have loved every second. It's an impressive start and I like how everything culminates here. For me, the main talking point of the finale is not anything to do with Abaddon or Billis, it's all about the dissension amongst the ranks of the Torchwood team. Things have been building between Jack and his staff but they come to boil here following on from Captain Jack Harkness where Owen used the Rift Manipulator to bring Jack and Tosh back from the 1940s. Well, the ripples in time were being felt now in a very big way with Romans on the streets of Cardiff and plague victims filling up wards in Cardiff Hospital. Owen's reaction when he realised just what had arrived in the twenty-first century was superb and I think was actually his best episode of the entire series. He goes through so much! Not only does he have to reveal that the Black Death is back, but then he goes against Jack's orders and ends up getting fired. That was such a powerful statement and the standoffishness of Jack in not backing down despite the pleas of Gwen and Tosh was brilliant. His emotion conveyed when he realised this would mean he would get retconned was really well done. Diane being the calling card for Owen that pushed him over the edge to return to the Hub and open the Rift was not surprising, but it was lovely to see her again. We also saw that Lisa and Tosh's mum were encouraging them to reopen the Rift whilst Gwen showed Bilis a horrific image of the future depicting Rhys dead in their apartment. She moved quickly to get him secure at the Hub, but that just meant the location changed for Rhys's fate. The calmness of the stabbing really was chilling. Bilis is such a good character without doing an awful lot and I liked how he was merely a subject to Abaddon, the reveal of what was coming out of the darkness. The son of the Beast imprisoned beneath the Rift. The concept is sound but it's safe to say that the CGI doesn't age all that well! I love that just his shadow brings death, and it makes sense for Jack's all you can eat buffet to reverse on the creature and send him packing, but after a pretty big build I feel that he should have been around for more than a few minutes. Still, this was all about the Torchwood team and the moment where Owen shoots Jack is sublime. Ianto and Tosh are clearly stunned and wouldn't have gone that far, but he was sick of being doubted which I really liked. Jack's secret was up though as he came back to life and I enjoyed how that saw the Torchwood team turn back. They were out of their depth. That's a little surprising considering Jack's comments and how he essentially verbally destroyed each and every one of his team! The effect of Abaddon on Jack resulting in a lengthy death was good and I liked how Gwen was there with him all of the time having full confidence that he would come back. I just feel that there's a little bit of a loose end with how Rhys comes back and everything is fine simply by opening the Rift. How does that impact time? Whilst good, I just think that there's a little too much for us to come to the conclusion for a finale. Still, it was a great episode and a lovely lead in to Jack's return in Series 3 of Doctor Who. 

Rating: 8/10

Captain Jack Harkness

"There's nothing here but memories and dust."

Writer: Catherine Treganna 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 01 January 2007

Series: Torchwood 1.12

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

Investigating reports of ghostly music, Jack and Tosh find themselves stranded in a packed dance hall – in 1941. As Gwen, Owen and Ianto work to rescue their colleagues, Jack and Tosh meet a handsome young American squadron leader by the name of Captain Jack Harkness.

Verdict

Captain Jack Harkness was an outstanding episode to kick off the finale of Torchwood's first series! This really is such an important episode for a number of reasons and the title alone should be indication of that. I made a point to tell Gemma before we watched this one that it was very important and her response of not wanting an origin story made me laugh because this is sort of going down the route! Of course, we still keep our Captain Jack shrouded in mystery and actually finding out that he took the name of another World War Two soldier actually gives us more questions as to who Jack truly is than answers! The 1941 setting for much of the episode was brilliant and I love that Tosh got the opportunity to travel back in time. Her ethnicity was obviously problematic as well which was a fantastic element of the episode and her actually being called a Jap in rather derogatory terms was definitely a shocking moment. It caught us both off guard that's for sure! The mystery of the dance hall with ghostly music being heard was really intriguing and I loved that the tips were later revealed to be anonymous. Billis is such a creepy character and that's absolutely part of his brilliance. He really is fantastic and the reaction of Ianto when Gwen describes him when he fakes being the caretaker was wonderful. He really works well here without doing an awful lot but his camera being ahead of time as well as having files on Torchwood makes it clear that there's something more behind him. The reaction of Jack when the real Captain Jack Harkness introduces himself is startling and I like how this means Jack has to reveal some information about his identity to Tosh. The trouble of the equation being split between time to allow the Rift to open and allow them back through was fantastic and Tosh going to incredible lengths to give Ianto and Owen on the other side the final numbers was powerful. The image of her cutting her own hand so she could finish off the equation with her own blood made me grimace. It was incredible. The relationship quickly built between the two Jacks was good and I love the impact our Jack had on the real deal. The War Captain was a brilliant character throughout and the way he diffused the situation when George was dancing with Tosh was great stuff. I was just a really big fan of the entire dancing setting and it was a nice contrast to the constant contemporary setting of Torchwood. It was a nice bit of freshness. Owen still reeling from Diane leaving really shows how much she meant to him and his reaction when Ianto mentions that he couldn't take the fact that she chose to leave was quite something! Owen's desire to open the Rift was intriguing and without Jack, he was loving being in command. Ianto still respected his leader in the form of Jack despite photographic evidence they were in the 1940s and didn't want the Rift Manipulator used because of everything that could come through it. Ianto went so far as to shoot Owen, but he was actually proven right as Tosh and Jack returned after an emotional dance, moment and powerful kiss with the real article. Overall, an excellent episode! 

Rating: 10/10

Combat

"The Weevil has landed."

Writer: Noel Clarke

Format: TV

Broadcast: 24 December 2006

Series: Torchwood 1.11

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Ianto

Synopsis

Savage aliens are being kidnapped from the streets of Cardiff, and Torchwood want to know why. Owen is sent undercover to find out who's behind it and soon befriends the charismatic Mark Lynch. Beneath the veneer of city life, Owen discovers a shocking subculture: can he avoid being sucked in?

Verdict

Combat was another excellent episode in this first series of Torchwood! It's a unique adventure that's for sure and I liked how there was no new alien threat. Instead, we had enemies in the form of ordinary human beings and them making use of the aliens already on the loose in the depths of Cardiff. Of course, we got to know the Weevils well in Everything Changes at the start of the series but I thought they were better used here as the focus of the story. The fall out from Out of Time was also felt very strongly and I'm really intrigued to see where Gwen goes from here. She's obviously having troubles at home with Rhys but at the same time she is clearly jealous that Owen had a thing with Diane. It's clear that she loves Rhys but he doesn't quite do it for her in the bedroom and that's where she likes things with Owen. However, Owen is dealing with his recent loss in an isolated fashion here and gets into some trouble in a bar which wasn't entirely his fault. His ignorance of Torchwood and returning to work was amusing, and Jack really did have his work cut out in that regard here. His chase of the Weevil through the streets of Cardiff was fun, but the first meeting between Jack and Rhys was anything but. He's obviously having a tough time with Gwen's alternating work schedule and never being around, but the way he spoke to was absolutely disgraceful. I'm surprised she didn't break up with him on the spot. Her using the retcon drug to tell him that she had been sleeping with Owen was pretty manipulative and her desire for forgiveness made her out to be quite psychotic! This wasn't something I fully appreciated the first few times around I watched Torchwood. The way Tosh orchestrated the plan to track the Weevil and the locations where they were being subjected to a combat fight was excellent and I thought she had a really strong episode. Mark Lynch made for a really strong character as a villain and his role as an estate agent and knowing what properties were empty and able to host the combat fights was fantastic. Owen's cover story was amusing and something he revelled in which was good to see and I liked his line about wanting to be someone else. The fact Mark had a Weevil tied up was really bad and the crowd he was a part of didn't seem the nicest bunch. People with too much disposable income should be envied I guess, but seeing what they were spending that cash on was baffling! Imagine paying a grand a pop to lock yourself up with a Weevil? That's just barmy. Owen going into the cage was a good moment and the irony of Jack distracting him to allow the Weevil to maul him was good. Owen's relationship with the Weevils was really intriguing though as he sought to tap into their low telepathic field and earn control. I look forward to that featuring moving forward. Everything ends up being sorted out in a good way after all the violence that went on, and Lynch giving himself to the Weevil in the cage showed that he wasn't right in the head. That's an awful way to go. One of the episode highlights for me was Tosh's reaction when Jack used the Weevil as bait. She wasn't happy with that. Overall, a fantastic episode!

Rating: 9/10