Excelis Rises

"Dead men tell no tales."

Writer: David A. McIntee

Format: Audio

Released: April 2002

Series: Excelis 02

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

A thousand years after his first visit to the planet Artaris, the Sixth Doctor returns. As the city of Excelis spreads her Empire throughout the globe, death follows a mysterious Relic through the halls of the Imperial Museum.

As the Doctor helps there Curator and the local authorities with this mystery, he finds himself crossing paths with a familiar face from Excelis' history – but no-one lives for a thousand years, do they?

Verdict

Excelis Rises was an excellent audio to continue the Excelis saga! I thought this was a brilliant story and a fine continuation of events started in Excelis Decays. This was a much different Excelis than what the Fifth Doctor visited and considering that these events occurred a millennium after them, that's no great surprise. I really enjoyed the new take on Excelis and the planet Artaris as a whole. It was still recognisable but they had experienced a number of technological advancements and revolutions since the time of Grayvorn. I thought the return of the warlord in the form of the Reeve was fun stuff and I loved how he existed as one with the Mother Superior. The Relic was obviously having an impact and had been for a thousand years, so much so that the Reeve had not slept. That would take its toll mentally and having that combined with the internal presence of the Mother Superior was really good stuff. I loved how the events at the end of Decays had now grown into folklore as a myth. It seems that after the tussle and fall, there were no bodies found and only the handbag Relic in the swamps below. Having the Sisters be the ones to find that was good and I enjoyed how Grayvorn was said to only return at a time of Excelis and its greatest need. Is that perhaps foreshadowing the finale of this saga? I enjoyed the politics of Excelis now and the Curator in particular was a very fun character. The arrival of the TARDIS had raised a lot of questions in the Imperial Museum as there was no feasible way it could have gotten in, and Grayvorn recognised it as the TARDIS it was but wasn't fully clued up on its significance. That didn't last too long though and he soon realised that despite appearances, he was face to face with the same man of a millennium prior. Despite having some form of immortality, Grayvorn wanted to know all about the Doctor's ability to live as long and transform his shape. He got the wrong end of the stick though and didn't grasp the natural ability of regeneration, and believed it was by a much more scientific process that he wished to obtain. That was a good realisation and it's good to present supposed immortals as still wanting more in life. The Inquisitor was a good character and was a timely title given the Doctor referencing the trouble he'd been in recently during The Trial of a Time Lord. The focus on the burglary attempt was great and it was fun to hear the Reeve try and justify his investigation as harmless and not more than met the eye. Except the Curator already knew the truth about him. Speaking to the spirits after death through the Relic to reveal that it was the Reeve who committed the murder was good, and I thought the conclusion was fitting as he literally went into the beyond. I was glad that not much was made of the silliness of the artefact being a handbag, but it was nice to acknowledge it would have been considerably more fashionable and in better condition a millennium before. The lack of narration for this adventure was also beneficial I think and just allowed Colin Baker to shine as the Sixth Doctor. Overall, this was a really strong audio and sets us up nicely to conclude the saga! 

Rating: 9/10

Excelis Dawns

"I will accept that unique destiny which is coming to me."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: February 2002

Series: Excelis 01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Iris

Synopsis

That terrible old reprobate and transdimensional adventuress Iris Wildthyme has gone and locked herself up in a nunnery on the savage world of Artaris. Here she is discovered by the Doctor and the reasonably brutal warlord Grayvorn. Together – with a peculiar nun they pick up en route – they must travel the forests and swamps of this ghastly world in Iris's double decker bus in order to tussle – to the death – with a horde of flesh-eating zombies for a mysterious and holy relic of unfathomable value and questionable pedigree. 

But what is the Mother Superior's part in all this?

Verdict

Excelis Dawns was a really good adventure to kick off the Excelis saga! I have been really intrigued by this collection of stories for quite some time and here I am twenty years later finally listening to it. I like the idea of a recurring theme and visiting at different points in time with a different incarnation of the Doctor, so starting here with the Fifth Doctor was really strong. I loved the dynamic of having Iris Wildythme with him in essentially the role of companion and it was a stellar debut performance from Katy Manning in a role very different from her usual one of Jo Grant. The hints at the relationship between them in the past were just so much fun and it's delightfully unique to hint at something of love for a Classic Doctor. Peter Davison and Katy Manning gelled brilliantly together and the Doctor-companion dynamic was present in an extremely fun way. It was a little odd for the Doctor to have affection to someone wanting gin on their shopping list and always wondering where her cigarettes were. That brought a decent sense of realism but she just seems so far away from being Gallifrey. Her double decker bus TARDIS was terrific and the Doctor helping repair it and just have a little sideways hop into the Vortex was really good. I enjoyed the setting of Artaris and the prominence of Excelis as the mountain was intriguing. I was not actually expecting it to not be the main focus of the setting, but Artaris sufficed well. It was quite poignant to take Grayvorn into the future by a millennium and see Excelis reduced to nothing, and I was a little surprised by the Doctor's actions in believing that this future could still be changed. That seemed a shift in the usual tactics. Jolene was a strong character and her being a fellow sister worked well. The Doctor's reaction to hearing Iris was in the guise of a nun was magnificent, but his stunned one to her claims of being there at events such as The Web Planet, The Three Doctors and The Invasion of Time was brilliant. I'd love a bit more backstory to her claims there as that has a great potential for a fun alternate adventure. I'm also going to have get reading Iris's adventures too as the idea of her and seven incarnations in the Death Zone at the hands of Morbius sounded magnificent! Grayvorn was a strong character and I enjoyed the narrative style of him and the Doctor leading it, but the narration didn't persist which helped. The search for the relic that was the Beloved was really good and I loved the idea of it being concerned with the afterlife. This story taking place during the events of Frontios for the Doctor was fun and the impact of Earthshock still being felt by the Doctor following Adric's death was really well done. At this point, he was at least willing to listen to the concept of afterlife. I thought it was a bit cheesy that the Beloved turned out to be a handbag that belonged to Iris that literally contained Heaven and Hell and an artefact she'd misplaced a long time ago, but it did spark a fun reaction from the Doctor. The tussle at the end resulting in death and the artefact long gone once again was an intriguing move, especially with the reveal at the end that Grayvorn and Jolene were far from dead. The enigmatic nature of Mother Superior worked well as well and I hope that gets expanded upon as the saga rolls on. Overall, a great audio! 

Rating: 8/10

The Stuff of Nightmares: If I Should Die Before I Wake

"Stories don't really end, you just stop telling them."

Writer: John Dorney (From a story by Jacqueline Rayner)

Format: Audio

Released: July 2022

Series: Classic Doctors, New Monsters 3.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

The Eighth Doctor and Charley are lost – in a labyrinth of monsters. And somewhere, lurking, are the Dream Crabs...

From the Sphinx to Gorgons, Cerberus and Pegasus, the Greek myths are alive and threatening the TARDIS duo with death at every turn. How long until their Fates unravel, and the truth is revealed?

Verdict

If I Should Die Before I Wake was an excellent story to conclude The Stuff of Nightmares third volume of Classic Doctors, New Monsters! This was probably my favourite story of the entire set and was a brilliant use of utilising both eras and probably the best use of the Dream Crabs in the three stories in which they have featured in Doctor Who. It's no surprise that I enjoyed this adventure as Jacqueline Rayner and John Dorney are two of my absolute favourite writers, so having the latter write a story from the latter is a dream combination. I was a little sceptical when this boxset was announced regarding the Dream Crabs getting two episodes, but I thought both worked well and were actually very different. With the Eighth Doctor appearing in Together in Eclectic Dreams, I was expecting this one to tie in with that but that was far from the case. In hindsight, I'm glad this approach happened and it was wonderful to get a new outing for the Eighth Doctor and Charley. Their relationship picked up like it had never been away and the idea of the pair writing and acting out a story was a fantastic approach. That worked so well and I was glad that the Dream Crabs weren't referenced until at least a third of the way through. This was so much fun, especially before the threat of the Kantrofarri was fully revealed. The Doctor and Charley almost challenging each other with the fiction they were writing out and acting before themselves was brilliant and a little reminiscent of The Mind Robber. Charley didn't take things too seriously, much to the Doctor's chagrin, and the way she didn't allow for the Doctor to get any kind of flow in telling the story was hilarious. This was Charley at her best and she was always able to rely on her trusty string to get her out of so many sticky situations! That gag ran throughout the episode and was just wonderful. I am a big fan of Charley and I do hope she continues to crop up in boxsets like this. Her story has been told, but little inserts like this are a delight and I'm absolutely all for it. Something that was really impressive with this story was that it was just the Doctor and Charley, and I don't think I actually realised that until it was over. India Fisher provided a fun performance with the three different ages of Charley in disguise and the twist of it actually being the Doctor who was asleep was fantastic. The stories aiming to end with Charley dying in an effort to bring her true self back to life through instinct was a little dark and manipulative of Charley's trust in the Doctor. She had taken initiative though to find her way into the Doctor's dream which was great and I admired her efforts to drop hints about the truth. It was a fascinating play out over the 55 minutes and when analysing deeper this was a pretty psychological adventure, something I thought was a brilliant use of the Kantrofarri. The ending was a little simple for the Dream Crabs but that was a good thing in my opinion as things can get very complicated with dreams within dreams and all that. The Doctor realised it was him asleep and was able to wake up with some help of the sonic, and the way the pair concluded their own story was a superb way to bring the story full circle. Overall, an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

The White Wolf

"How much of your life do you remember?"

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Audio

Released: October 2009

Series: SJA Audio 06

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde, Rani

Synopsis

When Sarah Jane receives a strange letter from Eddison Clough, her curiosity is aroused. For Eddison possesses a photograph proving he was once close friends with her Aunt Lavinia – but he has no memory of ever having met her.

Intrigued, Sarah Jane and Luke go to visit him and, with Clyde, and Rani, they explore the village of Wolfenden. The locals seem strange and secretive – especially the Hendricks, a deathly pale family with white hair and white eyes.

What is lurking in the underground caves? What is the significance of the white wolf carved on the hillside? And what does it all have to do with alien abduction?

Verdict

The White Wolf was an excellent Sarah Jane Adventures audio! For some reason, it appears that the Audible collection of the SJA audios is in the wrong order as on the app this came after The Ghost House despite being two stories removed from it, but I'm sure that won't be much of an issue when it comes to continuity. I thought this was a really strong audio and I liked the approach of telling a point at the start pre-credits that we would then reach after reverting back. That came nicely with Rani bursting out into the meeting claiming to have been a victim of alien abduction, but she didn't actually feature that much and the same could be said of Clyde. I liked how it was more of a Sarah and Luke story and the latter was definitely growing up as he was no longer too interested in getting kisses off his mother. It was nice to explore their maternal relationship and despite his growing up, the affection he had for his mother was still clearly evident. That was especially noticeable when Ben was staring at Sarah Jane and Luke tried to block the view in both ways. Ben was a mysterious character and Sarah Jane felt uncomfortable by his presence and thinking him as wrong, with Luke seeing that he didn't fit into the world and also knew it. The realisation that the Hendricks were aliens was fun and I liked the way that was paced. The Hendricks as a whole were a mysterious bunch and that fitted in really well with the Wolfenden setting. I loved the history of the village and the chalked wolves made it feel really ominous which worked well. The idea of Eddison having a huge bulk of his life missing from his memories was intruding and the connection with Sarah Jane and her aunt Lavinia was delightful. I really enjoyed having Sarah explore the memories of her aunt who of course goes way back in Doctor Who folklore! Drawing parallels between the relationship of Sarah and Lavinia to that of Colin and his son was very well done. Mrs Hendrick made for a strong villain and the reveal that they were serving sentence and were actually preventing their own species from finding them every fifty years was a nice surprise. The relationship between Colin and his wife was fascinating and he was a little strange in wanting to continue that family mission and get them home, and go with them, except she was fighting for the opposite and had been for numerous generations of Colin and his ancestors. It was fun for Rani to try and infiltrate and her coded message about the cave and Clyde was well done, but she went a little far and the game was up. An admirable effort though! Luke's position as a perfect human and being able to read the memories rather than have his used as substance was excellent and that sparked a horrifying realisation that the aliens could have gone home at any times with the likes of Sycorax or Uvodni having the ability to transfer them home. That didn't go down well! Mrs Hendrick being arrested was a fitting touch for her crimes and with the offspring being partly human, they were not guilty of anything so could return home or find a new one. Eddison wanting to create new memories was lovely and I thought it was a wonderful comment for Sarah to say that she was very happy to have a new photo of her aunt. Overall, a brilliant listen!

Rating: 9/10

Into the Stars: Break the Ice

"A little blast of jingle bells."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 6.03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

On a chilly space station, the Doctor meets a group of scientists experimenting with cryogenics. 

But when one subject returns from extreme sub-zero temperatures, he does not return alone. A creature awakens that can freeze the soul with icy fingers – Jack Frost.

Verdict

Break the Ice was a really good story to conclude this Into the Stars sixth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures! At long last, a Christmas story for the Ninth Doctor and it comes... in August? The timing on this one is a little strange given that the next batch of audios in this range is scheduled for November, but I guess it won't fit whatever the umbrella title there is. It's not a problem of course as getting a Christmas themed story for this incarnation is most welcomed, and Jack Frost being the villain was superb! I was a big fan of him being the enemy and having him described as a Winter God was excellent. I thought there was a lot of potential there and even using the timing of the Universe cooling down after the Big Bang as a point to date them was incredible. That was godly in every sense of the word, although this was not their usual dimension. It was a little too hot. It was nice for the Winter Gods to be the basis for most planets having a concept of winter and just the use of cold as a weapon worked very well. Frost taking over Kenton worked well and kudos must go to Pip Torrens for a chilling performance as Jack. I liked the namedrop of Ribos when it came to an adventure focused on cold and Jack Frost going by different names was tremendous. I was hoping for a little more of a strong interaction between the Doctor and Frost, and it seemed a little simple as to how the Winter God deduced he was the last of the Time Lords. However, Frost's reaction to realising he was now the last of the Winter Gods was brilliant and was a shining moment for the Doctor. The space station setting worked well and was beneficial to provide a threat of nearing Venus and heating up to be rid of Frost. I thought some of the characters were lovely with Lenni the clear standout. Her relationship with the System was good and having given it the voice of her wife provided some fun humour, as well as the Doctor namedropping Alexa which just wouldn't have been possible if this was released at contemporary times for the Ninth Doctor! That's always fun with these releases. Pal was another strong character and his insistence on representing company interests despite the danger at hand was well done. His death had a strong impact too with Lenni having to watch it right in front of her. The use of sulphuric acid and using water against Frost was clever and neat to send Frost back to where he came from in a pretty painful manner. The highlight came at the end though with the Doctor using the TARDIS to drop Lenni back home and to her wife and child, a child in need of the exposure from the nervous star that his mum had been researching and hoped to one day reach. The TARDIS would provide a shortcut in a really lovely moment to conclude the episode and series as a whole. Overall, a strong episode! 

Rating: 8/10

Into the Stars: Last of the Zetacene

"You can afford losses."

Writer: James Kettle

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 6.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The rich and the criminal rub shoulders on Stage Three spaceport – and play high-stakes games for valuable prizes.

The Doctor is always interested in endangered species, and the Zetacene is more endangered than most...

Verdict

Last of the Zetacene was not the greatest of stories to continue Into the Stars and the sixth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures. I thought this one had its strong points as my rating reflects, but as a whole I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. I didn't think the Zetacene was overly exciting and I'm not sure enough was really done to try and sell its importance. The fact it was referred to constantly as a swine didn't do a lot for it as the only thing I could compare it to was a pig and that just doesn't feel important, even with the Doctor mentioning how there used to be millions only for there now to be just one left. He was shocked to hear that this was the case, but I think we needed more from the actual creature given the name of the episode and the supposed importance on it. One of the highlights for me actually came from Nel who I thought was a really nice character. It was clear that her purpose was to fill the companion role that is missing in the Ninth Doctor Adventures at this point in the chronology given that these stories predate Rose, and she developed a strong relationship with the Doctor in quick fashion. I loved her little quirk of mentioning different characters and asking if the Doctor knew them. She was often perplexed when he claimed not to! Whilst I did really enjoy her presence and could definitely see the companion material there for her, I was actually a little disappointed that the Doctor seemed to offer her that chance. The story of the Doctor and Rose is such a strong one and this felt like it might tamper with that a little if he was wanting someone else to travel with before Rose changed his war torn mind. The roles of the rich and famous in this adventure was fun though and I liked the pomposity of hearing a lot of those laid with money playing games with high stakes. I don't mind a little tinker or gamble here and there, but the scale of bets being placed here with them simply affording to lose was almost enviable. Selo as the main woman at the games was a decent character and the way she viewed money and considered others was good. She didn't care much for anything other than profit and she didn't care much for the condition of the Zetacene. She was pretty selfish and that worked well for her character. I was not a fan of Succeeding in the slightest and I think the intended humour from his name and the confusion garnered there was just too forced and not funny. It just got tedious by the end which was a shame. The Zetacene being let loose and Selo doing the bidding because she couldn't control it and not wanting that to be seen was a little odd I must say, but her reaction to that being revealed was pretty good. I thought the conclusion was slightly underwhelming from there though with Nel offering to go with the Zetacene after the confusion of her not actually wanting to go with the Doctor instead. It was all over a little quickly and just felt like more of an impact was needed. Overall, not my favourite audio for the Ninth Doctor sadly. 

Rating: 6/10

Into the Stars: Salvation Nine

"Why would anyone want to save the Sontarans?"

Writer: Timothy X Atack

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 6.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor happens upon an unusual outpost – and discovers it is about to be annihilated. 

To save Salvation Nine, he must rally a people for whom war is an alien concept and protect the future of the Sontaran race!

Verdict

Salvation Nine was an excellent start to the Into the Stars sixth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I am absolutely delighted to get a Sontaran story with the Ninth Doctor and just hearing them opposite Christopher Eccleston was a delight and the best way to start a new series. However, here we had Sontarans of a very different kind! So much so that the entire plot focused on a race against time to ensure that the Field Marshall actually renounced them as Sontaran kind and they were almost their own entirely new species. That was really fun. Eccleston delighted at the start as he was caught by Lobbs and rather than be threatened to death and proclaimed for the glory of Sontar, the Sontaran warned the Doctor of the path ahead! His reaction to that was incredible and the humour that came from Lobbs also putting his hands in the air was tremendous. The Doctor was laughing in disbelief and this played out well in a flashback as to why these Sontarans needed saving. That seemed a bit of a surprise at the start with Navarch after a comic reaction from the Doctor after running down an incredibly long (and intentionally cliche) corridor. I thought her position as also having honour was fun to match against the Sontarans, but those present on this outpost were far from ordinary Sontarans. The Doctor had his confirmation that it was no trap (it was way too complex to be one for the Sontarans!) and that meant he had to save them which was lovely. The very idea of peaceful Sontarans is fun to play with and I don't think it has been presented on a scale such as this adventure. The batch of them was fun and even having a female version in the form of Gaznak was brilliant. The way she and Lobbs were used to try and trick a Field Marshall and get their form of the species renounced was brilliant and was just a very fun mission. The excuse for Gaznak's female voice being a wound to the larynx was brilliant and Henk (I won't list all of his credentials!) didn't want an apology for a war wound. The rehearsal of announcing the capture of the Doctor and his TARDIS was really well done and I loved how the only description needed of the time machine was that it was blue. The simplicity of the Sontarans never ceases to amaze me but that's why they can work so well. It was nice to not really have any Rutan involvement and having the Doctor explain the lengths the Sontarans went to just to power their cloning system by using whole planets was fantastic. I liked the reaction of Lobbs and Gaznak in not really understanding why their ancestors acted as such. The birthing fields on the outpost were very different and I appreciated the Doctor's stunned silence reaction to them. These were very different Sontarans indeed. The Niners were a strong element in the story and it was good to just have the Doctor fighting against them to save Sontarans from being wiped out. The use of the Field Marshall there was brilliant and the reluctant reaction of Navarch to not destroy them in the end was very good. The suggestion of Sontarans becoming female with old age was really intriguing too and a fun concept to play with. Gaznak was a fine representation of that ancient side of the Sontarans, and it just showed how many fell in battle! Overall, a fantastic audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Masters of Luxor

"The TARDIS was dead."

Writer: Anthony Coburn (Adapted by Nigel Robinson)

Format: Audio

Released: August 2012

Series: Lost Stories 3.07

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis

The TARDIS is drawn to a mysterious signal emanating from a seemingly dead world. Trapped within a crystalline structure, the Doctor and his friends inadvertently wake a vast army of robots that have lain dormant for many, many years. Waiting... for the Masters of Luxor. 

The Perfect One wants to become more than just a mockery of a man, and will stop at nothing to achieve it. But will the cost prove too great?

The travellers are about to uncover a horrifying tragedy. A tragedy that threatens to engulf them all.

Verdict

The Masters of Luxor was a really good Lost Stories audio adventure! It's quite incredible to think that was conceived by Anthony Coburn as the second serial and it beggars belief how the life of Doctor Who might have been altered had this story made it to screen in place of The Daleks. Thankfully, that didn't happen but it was fascinating to listen with that in mind. I thought this was a really solid tale that would definitely have worked as part of the first season and whilst it's clear that it has been altered slightly to fit in with the Lost Stories continuity for this TARDIS quartet, it was very much of those early days and that's lovely to hear. I'm a big fan of ensuring continuity so the references to The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance and Farewell, Great Macedon were terrific, especially in establishing that the events of the latter were only the previous day. At over three-and-a-quarter hours, this was a mammoth listen and I was worried that with only three actors that time may feel like an awful lot. However, that was far from the case and the switching from dialogue and narration by Carole Ann Ford and William Russell was really well done. The transitions to Susan, Barbara, Ian and the Doctor were effortless and it was nice to hear Russell's take on the First Doctor. It's a brilliant job. I thought the characterisation of the first incarnation was strong and the idea of him taking Ian and Barbara back to their own time never felt believable. At least on this occasion it wasn't his fault as they got caught up in the signal dragging them to Luxor. The introduction of the Perfect One was intriguing and I thought the entire history and backdrop of his character was excellent. Playing with the idea of robots becoming human and not the other way around was very interesting. I particularly enjoyed Ian's reaction to that being a man of science, but it was his reaction to what the Masters of Luxor had done to women that provided his strongest moment. The revelation that they saw women as bearers and not much more so experimented on them was shocking and caused an outrage, so I was a little surprised that the Doctor didn't back Ian more and actually challenged what humanity had done for the advancement of science regarding other life. The Derivatrons were a fun bunch of robots despite what they stood for and their inability to accept anything they regarded as illogical as being able to happen was a challenge. A lot didn't compute with the presence of the TARDIS team. My favourite aspect of the adventure was the TARDIS being drained of its power, and then that power being used by their new environment. I always like the threat posed by the helplessness of no TARDIS and that seems even more pertinent in the early days. Tabon was a strong character and the emotion that was revealed over the course of the six parts was really well done. He initially seemed like an evil creator of the Perfect One but it soon transpired that it was against his will and he'd gone into sleep for seven years instead of face death as a coward because of what he'd done. His sacrifice and aiding of the Doctor to get power back to the TARDIS was fantastic. I loved the desperation heard in the TARDIS with them wanting the time rotor to begin motioning, and having that mirrors with Tabon holding the Perfect One in his arms as the planet collapsed was very powerful. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10

Enemy Lines

"When one sees her with one's own eyes, it is already too late."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: May 2016

Series: Gallifrey 08

Featuring: Romana II, Leela, Ace

Synopsis

In the distant future, President Romanadvoratrelundar will do anything it takes to save her world, even if it means sacrificing her allies and friends...

In the distant past, President Romanadvoratrelundar will do anything it takes to save her world, even if it means sacrificing her allies and friends...

Unfortunately for Romana, there is no easy option.

With the threat of impending war, and negotiations still ongoing, the Temporal Powers are growing restless. Every day, they find their future slipping away from them. Every decision they make proves critical. And no one can escape the fact that sacrifices have to be made...

Time is running out... and it's running straight to Gallifrey.

Verdict

Enemy Lines was a really great story to comprise the eighth series of Gallifrey! I am really in love with this spinoff range and I'm so glad to now be in a position to tackle the Time War series, something I have been waiting to get for a very long time now. This was a fine story and whilst it was pretty long at six parts and nearly three hours, it became quite the epic. I think it would have actually worked a little better as three single episodes with then cliffhangers as they were, but it was no issue from me in getting it all done in a day! I enjoyed how things started with Narvin and Ace seemingly being executed and the continuity from Intervention Earth was unexpected and very clever. We hear Ace in a much earlier point in her timeline having been dropped off by the Doctor and not reached the point we saw her in the Omega affair in the aforementioned seventh series story. I do hope we can get more of a relationship built between Romana, Leela and Ace based on their experiences of travelling with the Doctor, and that was just one minor thing was that without that common ground Ace felt slightly out of place in a Gallifrey story. It was lovely to hear Romana and Leela together again and their relationship really is the bedrock for this range. Alongside Narvin, the trio have been through a considerable amount together. Having Braxiatel sent from the future incarnation of Romana to prevent the timeline leading to war was brilliant and the issues of whether he could actually be trusted were good to present. Romana getting a future memory feeling knowing that it was the truth though was a nice touch. Romana going to the extent of resigning as President in order to try and prevent the future worked well, and her appointing Livia as her successor was fun, but not as fun as naming herself as Coordinator of the CIA and reducing Narvin to Deputy. He didn't take well to that at all. The cliffhanger of part two with Narvin being murdered by the Watchmaker was outstanding and really made me sit up and take notice. She was an intriguing villain and her place in Gallifreyan history and mythology was fun to explore. Romana was initially dismissive of her presence, but it just couldn't be denied as time went on and even Ace saw her in space without a suit. Livia and Plutus were an odd couple and the plotting of the latter was a little predictable but in a way that didn't take away from the story. The scheme with Kalbez and the continuing issues between the Temporal Powers was excellent and really strong continuity across what is now eight series. The Moros threatening to leave Gallifrey and even concocting their own murder themselves was great and I liked the political tension that pose. Livia had an incredibly eventful first day as President with all that had occurred with powers leaving and Narvin dying, but she took it in her stride and was determined to discover Romana's endgame. I thought the sacrifice that Romana was prepared to make in triggering her own rewgernation to use the energy to power the Moros ship was fantastic, and the way she tricked Leela was something the savage did not appreciate. Braxiatel coming to the rescue was not expected, but it was all in vain by the time of the conclusion as both Romana and Leela were a paradox on this world and courageously sacrificed themselves to ensure the timeline moved forward and correctly. That was an emotional end to a story ravaged with Gallifrey politics amongst scheming and manoeuvring. Narvin having never actually died in the first place is a clever way to bring him back, and I'm glad it was four parts later as the impact of his death was felt in a very strong way. The scene at the end with the Watchmaker and Braxiatel was intriguing as he finally had to decide on his own right path, and the whole story of her myth was fascinating. I hope we haven't heard the last of her. But for now, one war is averted but I get the sense another is looming. Overall, a great audio!

Rating: 8/10

Damascus

"Half the country is asleep."

Writer: Joanthan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: August 2016

Series: Short Trips 6.08

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

As the decade in English history which attracts the greatest quantity of alien invasions per annum, the 1970s are not the easiest time in which to steer the great British ship of state. The Prime Minister, nonetheless, is doing the very best job he can. Still, at least he has UNIT to rely on – their eccentric, bouffant-haired scientific adviser in particular. Or does he?

Verdict

Damascus was a good little Short Trips adventure for the Third Doctor! Well, I say the Doctor this was more an outing for the Prime Minister which was a very different take on the format but one I could definitely appreciate. I liked how the PM started off the story and his making a recording with the heaviest of hearts worked well, especially with how it shifted from the recording into the narration of the story. That was a really clever touch and made it feel more like a Companion Chronicle than a Short Trip. It always makes a different to have an actor like Tim Treloar, who actually plays the Third Doctor, as the actor in a format like this as when the Doctor is around the credibility and genuine feel is there in spades. Jason Sinclair was a fun character as the PM's secretary and his reaction to situation of a spacecraft being found off the Norfolk Coast was decent. I liked how there was no sign of the craft's owners invading or even communicating but the general public had now got in on the know and had seen and were even photographing it, with some reports making it to local radio. The PM asking of UNIT's cover up was good and I was amused by the suggestion that their delay in doing so was down to budget cuts. Always good to get that in there with a strong political figure present. The suggestion of them being reluctant to act after what occurred at the end of Doctor Who and the Silurians was interesting and showed they really were trying to make things up to the Doctor. He was refusing to help or even advise the Prime Minister so he got acquainted with Jo instead where he had a little more luck. She was almost apologetic and had a sense of admiration for meeting the country's leading politician, but when the Doctor finally did converse it was in a condescending manner that I would expect nothing less of from the third incarnation. The Milur being the occupants of the ship wasn't hard for the Doctor to deduce and they were just traders in military tech posing no threat. However, once a state of passivity came over England with a listlessness field, the Doctor was less confident as he saw Jason and Jo fall asleep right in front of the PM and himself. The mystery of the PM having a call answered by an alien but keeping the details to himself, despite the listener hearing some of them, was slightly odd but it tied back pretty well at the end with the lesson on teaching the PM when it comes to taking what didn't belong. I was intrigued that the PM seemed aware of the disassembly of a transmat and his liking the Doctor to a movie star addressing extras was a fine analogy. The Milur not actually being responsible for the field and them being present on the planet searching for the young girl who had the listlessness device was not a massively brilliant revelation in my opinion, but they wanted to buy the patent so at least they were sticking to their reputation. The Doctor's shift and demand that they leave and recall their agents or he'd incarcerate them according to UK law was a little weird, but it showed he possessed authority. The Damascus Project was a good revelation with the woman who answered the PM's call being from it. The Doctor was not happy to find the project had continued despite his recommendation otherwise, and I liked how things seemed to be set up for a future encounter as the PM stood firm on being able to overrule the Time Lord and actually believed him to be humanity's biggest threat! How you can finish there and then not come back to it is beyond me, but I liked it for what it was. Overall, a decent story! 

Rating: 7/10

The Scent of Blood

"Why would someone want to provoke vampires?"

Writer: Andrew Lane

Format: Audio

Released: October 2019

Series: BBC Audio 07

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

It's the late 1890s, and newspaper journalist James McFarlane is on the trail of a supernatural entity. He's joined in his investigations by a mysterious stranger, who calls himself the Doctor and professes to know a lot about vampires.

As gangs of locals gather zombie-like on the city's streets, James and the Doctor find themselves on a dangerous trail to find the truth. What links the secretive Lord and Lady Elmurst to local events? What strange force is luring ordinary men and women to a local quarry? The Doctor soon realises that the answers lie in his own past...

Verdict

The Scent of Blood was a great audio adventure for the Eighth Doctor! It was nice to hear him travelling solo as listeners not familiar with Big Finish might expect given where The Movie left off, and I absolutely loved the take on the opening theme. I wonder if that will come later on in my current run of the Eighth Doctor as I am yet to get to Dark Eyes and beyond, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was a huge fan of the setting of Edinburgh having visited there in 2019 and it was one of my favourite tourist destinations I have ever been to. On the day we landed we actually climbed Arthur's Seat which wasn't easy so the suggestion of it containing a Great Vampire and the heat from is crash being how it was formed was excellent and just fun. I always enjoy a story set in a place I have visited and whilst this was taking place in the 1890s, there were enough familiar elements. I thought the Victorian setting worked well especially for the Eighth Doctor and the relationship he garnered with James McFarlane was terrific. He was a fun character as the journalist investigating the death of Agnes and that formed a strong start and basis for the adventure. He was an amusing character when the Doctor revealed all of the history between his people and the Vampires, and the suggestion of him thinking Gallifrey was in Ireland was fantastic. I really enjoyed their relationship and I definitely think a little run as a companion for him with BBC Audio would be a tremendous idea, but with three years having passed since the release of this story I doubt that is going to come now. Dan Starkey deserves a lot of credit for his narration and performance with this audio as it didn't feel like there was just one actor and it certainly felt more performed than just text being read which is a huge compliment. His take on Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor was outstanding as well. It really was uncanny and definitely the best I've ever heard for this incarnation. Lord Elmurst turning out to not be all that he seemed was a nice twist and whilst he never changed over the previous century, his wife did which obviously alluded to him being the same man and a Vampire. The Doctor having to describe that garlic was only useful against fictional Vampires was fun and he really did sell the threat of the Great Vampires. He was a little surprised that something associated with his people from a time where they actually acted was still around and that was really well done. The Doctor didn't hide his feelings or thoughts here which I liked a lot. The bow-ship having intelligence and being the explanation for the townsfolk issues that had gripped the local area was very good and the conversation with what was essentially a giant stake for a Great Vampire was intriguing. The bow-ship actually sacrificing itself was well done and it was nice for it to associate itself with the Doctor as a Time Lord and seeing his existence as evidence of their victory in the war. You don't normally get an exploration into Gallifreyan continuity when it comes to the BBC Audio range, so this was a really nice touch and worked very well as an adventure! A more than worthy listen. 

Rating: 8/10

Purity Undreamed: Chronomancer

"It's not personal."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 2.03

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Mel, Hebe

Synopsis

The Doctor, Mel and Hebe take Patricia to see 26th century Sheffield, but their trip is cut unexpectedly short. Caught in the crossfire between time-criminal, Khavul, and dashing 'chronomancer' Tannus Vallon, the TARDIS crash-lands back in the present. 

With a dimensionally transcendental artefact lost somewhere in the city, the Doctor and his friends must find it before Khavul can... but with resentments and prejudices finally unmasked, is an even bigger threat about to engulf the world?

Verdict

Chronomancer was an outstanding episode to conclude the Purity Undreamed second series of Sixth Doctor Adventures! This really rounded out a superb boxset and I must say I am really enjoying the direction of this series. I can't believe there isn't yet a release date for the next boxset after the cliffhanger finish. I liked the immediate continuity from Reverse Engineering with Patricia welcomed into the TARDIS for a trip to the future, but her reaction was uncanny. I honestly thought for a long time that she had become possessed by something from 26th century Sheffield so to find that she was horrified by the future she saw was a shocking moment. I really was stunned by that and the Doctor's reaction was so powerful as well. The sickening nature of her mindset to be so dissatisfied by the fact that there were still disabilities in the future. I was stunned and I'm so glad that the Doctor reacted in the way he did. He couldn't believe that he had offered someone like her a chance to travel in the TARDIS and after getting that privilege, she wanted to be returned home so abruptly. That was a surprise for Hebe and Mel, but the conversation had by the former and Patricia was equally as powerful. The claim from the professor that her thoughts weren't personal were so absent of thought and a perfect example of unknown privilege, the prejudice was off the charts. Hebe was allowed to shine and I loved the way she stood up for herself and others like her. Hebe embraces her disability and that's lovely, and it was so nice to hear how the onlookers of 26th century Sheffield thought her wheels were very cool. I liked the humour that came with Hebe suggesting she get an upgrade too. It was nice to round out the box set and link back to The Mindless Ones with Elise returning when the TARDIS team needed somewhere to house temporal traveller Tannus Vallon. Hebe taking a shine to him was terrific and allowed her to express herself very nicely. I was a big fan of that harmless humour. The chronomancer element of the story was not as powerful as the discussion on disability, but it was a really good backdrop and Khavul made for a strong villain. I liked how Patricia sided with him when she was handed the dangling gem of chaining the future, but he wasn't really interested in humanity. He was just after the artefact and it was fun for Elise to know where it was. The cameo from Ron was delightful as he eventually agreed to go and stay at Bernard's, and I do hope we haven't heard the last of him! I liked the simplicity of the conclusion when it came to the countdown and the Doctor just taking out the box, and Hebe even commenting on the apparent ease made it perfect. She's a fun companion and I'm excited to hear where things move forward. The double cliffhanger with Patricia being implanted with the travel device and then Hebe seemingly ceasing to exist after the Doctor felt the temporal judders was a fantastic way to setup the next series! Overall, a tremendous finale to a really strong boxset. 

Rating: 10/10

Purity Undreamed: Reverse Engineering

"They really do turn back the clock."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 2.02

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Mel, Hebe

Synopsis

When Patricia is invited to a secretive Swedish clinic by an old colleague, she tips off the Doctor, Mel and Hebe, who go undercover to investigate. Charismatic geneticist Killian Holm offers to restore youth to his wealthy patients, but the truth of his work is far more radical – and far more dangerous!

As an ancient horror reforms beneath the clinic, the Doctor must race to save humanity from an unspeakable temporal disaster.

Verdict

Reverse Engineering was another brilliant story to continue the Purity Undreamed second series of Sixth Doctor Adventures! I thought this was another terrific tale for the new TARDIS trio of the Sixth Doctor, Mel and Hebe with good continuity to The Mindless Ones with Patricia once again featuring. I must admit, that's a little earlier than I anticipated her return but it was nice to acknowledge that it had been three months since the encounter with the Mindless which provided some room for further unheard stories or even a place for The Dream Nexus to fit in. Having Patricia calling for the Doctor and Hebe was good although I do hope that is something that isn't overused moving forward. Mel actually being there before the TARDIS was even called was amusing and set up the time theme really well early on. Patricia seemed a lot more confident in this story and it was nice to actually have her travel in the TARDIS and not really bat an eyelid at the revelation that it was an actual time travelling machine. That was somewhat different to the device that Holm was using, but it was still one that worked very well. The idea of a machine that could manipulate time around it was exciting and the adventure had obvious vibes to The Lazarus Experiment with the idea of reversing human DNA and the search for a pure human. That was an intriguing concept and the inclusion of actual Neanderthals was fascinating. The suggestion that they were the dominant breed of human was intriguing and the only reason our current form was around was due to interbreeding. The Swedish setting of the clinic worked well and was a nice difference, and the comments about tax were enjoyable. I liked the mystery of the genetic engineering and the complications that came from the reversals taking place were excellent. The brain not being able to be reversed provided obvious issues so it would almost work as a factory reset. I am really enjoying Mel and her computer savvy nature with simple analogies like that doing a lot for her presentation as an intelligent companion, rather than one that just screamed during her television tenure. The Emit Institute, cleverly named with it being time spelled backwards, being built on top of a spaceship was fantastic and the imagery of that ship trying to repair itself and the pilot was disturbing with the likes of the skin returning to bone. That was gruesome. The cliffhanger was superb with Mel almost being aged to death and the deception of stating that Tarek was working with them all along was great stuff. I really enjoyed that. The references to Invasion of the Dinosaurs and City of Death when it came to Holm's inspiration for time travel experimentation was magnificent and he would've fitted in well with Whitaker and Kerensky. He was a strong villain with a demented view on what pure homo-sapiens were! The beastly result we got worked better than the Lazarus unlocking of beastly DNA. I liked the excitement of the conclusion which had a pretty tidy resolution in that the device just overpowered and the Doctor fed the reversal back to reverse the reversal. That was some fun time terminology! Patricia was excited by the use of time travel and technology, and if she was having a lift back home in the TARDIS then she wanted to travel in time herself! To the future! That sets us up nicely for the boxset's conclusion and I wonder if she'll end up sticking around for long. Overall, an excellent audio! 

Rating: 9/10

Purity Undreamed: The Mindless Ones

"You've been thinking too much."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 2.01

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Mel, Hebe

Synopsis

The Doctor, Mel and Hebe visit Sheffield at the behest of Hebe's best friend, Elise, but Elise has undergone a disturbing transformation. The mysterious Mindless Facility claims to be able to change you for the better – but who decides what that is?

Joining forces with anthropologist Professor Patricia McBride, can the Doctor and his friends save Britain from an insidious alien threat?

Verdict

The Mindless Ones was an excellent story to kick off the Purity Undreamed second series of Sixth Doctor Adventures! I thought this was a really great opener and followed on nicely where Water Worlds left off with the distress call from Hebe's friend Elise. This friend was not the gothic and downbeat person that Hebe remembered and it soon became clear that there was something strange going on at the universe with the Mindless Facility. I mean, that doesn't exactly sound like anything innocent but it was fun to hear Patricia get to bitch about being a lecturer at a university. She particularly was not fond of the students in first year and having been a student myself for four years at both undergraduate and postgraduate level not that long ago, I can definitely understand her testament and my experience was definitely that more respect was garnered as I went through the years. I liked the trio of the Doctor, Mel and Hebe a lot and them being complimented here by Patricia and Elise provided a nice dynamic with a strong female presence. The Doctor getting to know Mr Betterment was really good and I loved how he commented on how his name almost seemed made up. Of course it was! The Doctor being subjected to the mind control and temporarily becoming one of the Mindless was fun stuff, especially when he later revealed that the conditioning had worn off quite some time ago! He'd been playing Mel along all that time to ensure that the secret didn't get out. Mel's reaction was terrific. I thought she had another solid outing and I loved how her abilities with coding were utilised once again. The audio format is doing brilliant things with her and long may they continue. Hebe and Elise's relationship was interesting to hear and I liked the harking back to their history. The TARDIS was its usual unreliable self in bring the trio a month later than when Elise initially called for her, and Hebe had even missed her old pal's wedding to Ron! He was a decent character that did genuinely seem to be trying to help people, and Hebe's reaction to finding out they were a couple and Elise had ditched the black eye liner before the Mindless Facility was fantastic. Patricia knowing that the Facility was doing something dodgy because of the improvements in some of her less favourite students was amusing, and having her and Hebe venture to the Facility was well done. They were humorously later threatened with legal action which didn't go down too well! The threat of the Home Secretary becoming a part of the Mindless was good and I liked the representation of the political figure in almost being monotonous. The Doctor having sabotaged the control device sparked quite the outburst from Betterment which was fun and ended up being a pretty simple resolution for the story as a whole with the threat of UNIT also on their way to mop everything up. I liked the mystery at the end with Patricia not taking too well to the Doctor's comments about her flaws, and it seems she will be back at some point! I wonder in what regard, but for now this was a really strong start to the series! 

Rating 9/10

The Ghost House

"A house turning inside out through time."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Audio

Released: November 2008

Series: SJA Audio 04

Featuring; Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde, Rani

Synopsis

Up early one morning, Sarah Jane is astonished to see that the house opposite hers has changed overnight: what used to be a nondescript 1970s family home has been replaced by a smart Victorian residence. 

How did a house from 1884 suddenly materialise in Bannerman Road? Where has then old O'Brien place gone? And more importantly, who – or what – has caused this temporal anomaly? Sarah Jane and friends must find out before time itself explodes and destroys the world...

Verdict

The Ghost House was an excellent audio adventure for the Sarah Jane Adventures! This might just be the best yet as I make my way through the audio range from the SJA spinoff as I loved pretty much everything about the story. Elisabeth Sladen was once again in the narration role and she's just wonderful. It's such a shame that she passed away before the SJA could have a proper conclusion and sendoff, with her being an incredible character in the Doctor Who universe. Having that wider universe referenced here was glorious as Sarah was aware of time experimentation in the Victorian era involving mirrors which was a lovely reference to The Evil of the Daleks, and blending the modern era with 1884 during the Victorian age was an intriguing setup. I liked the inclusion of the milkman to draw Sarah's attention to the house across the road that had overnight become an exterior of a completely different age. I thought it was fun to think it was for a film but it was not the case at all. A crack in time was opened and that meant 39 Bannerman Road had swapped places with its counterpart from 1884. A fun concept! I loved the later explanation from Deathy that he was drawn to the location because of Mr Smith and was actually siphoning power from the incredible computer following a suspected virus that was quite recent. That was a nice reference to The Lost Boy and Mr Smith's reboot in a really good use of continuity. I really liked that and it was refreshing for something to draw the alien involvement to Bannerman Road rather than the coincidence that is a little unbelievable at times. Having this story take place at 6am on a Sunday was an amusing way to not need to incorporate the parents of Rani and Clyde, with the former straight up and ready for action when Luke told her all about the house. Sarah's shining comments about the youngsters that help her was lovely to hear again, and it was fun to have them all shifting through time for short spells. Deathy, quite an incredible name to be dubbed, was a fun character as a bounty hunter and hearing Sladen's impression of him was great stuff. He wasn't the criminal that seemed to be the indication throughout, and him being the escaped Russian causing the time issues was fun. He was actually after Skak and had humorously imprisoned him in the outside toiler at 39 Bannerman Road and then trapped the premises in time between 1884 and present day. But time was being stretched and the threat of the boom was a good direction to try and prevent. I liked the teamwork aspect of the conclusion with Sarah and Deathy working well together to capture Stak and send him packing. Overall, this was a really strong audio adventure and definitely one of my favourite SJA stories off of television! 

Rating: 9/10

The Forsaken

"Why would he let in a creature that wanted to kill him."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Early Adventures 2.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands on an island off Singapore during the Japanese invasion of 1942. The travellers are found by some British soldiers – among them a certain Private James Jackson, who just happens to be Ben's father. But they're not the only visitors to the island...

Verdict

The Forsaken was a really good Early Adventures audio! I love this range in expanding on a largely missing era from the archives with the Second Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie all together and the quartet worked brilliantly well together here. I thought the setting was superb with a small island in Singapore during the Japanese invasion of 1942 being threatening enough all by itself, so throwing in the element of the Forsaken as a Grim Reaper figure was great! It was quite the combination and right from the off a feeling of unease was present with both Polly and Ben impacted. Feeding on fear is not a new concept but the way it was presented here worked very well and the Second World War was a fine place to try and do that. However, pointing out that the decision for the Forsaken to do that on a remote island in a small populous was important and the Doctor deduced that it started off hidden as not to draw attention to itself. That was logical and the suggestion that it would then start to take its feeding to a new level when evacuated back to the UK was excellent. I liked the description of the Forsaken's appearance to go with the image on the artwork, and it just seemed to really fit in with the setting and time. The big element of the story for me was Ben meeting his father just ten months before he was set to be born. Ben not expecting his journeys in the TARDIS to get so personal was presented really well and I just loved the dynamic of him encountering his father. I thought a little more could have been done with their relationship and whilst there was one slip of the tongue regarding Jacko being Ben's father, a little more playing with that could have been great. The scene at the end though when Jacko is heading off home knowing a family is to be created and the banter over the names was delightful. Polly had a strong story too and I was impressed with the transitions by Anneke Wills from character to narrator. Frazier Hines was also tremendous in effortlessly bringing the Second Doctor to life. I thought it worked well to have the Doctor really confront the Forsaken and its reaction when the Time Lord stood up to it and powerfully proclaimed he wasn't scared was brilliant. That was really well done. The cliffhangers worked well in this one and the pace was frantic with the four parts clocking in at around 95 minutes. That was quite short for an Early Adventures story, but I was more than okay with it. The humour that came from the reference to The Power of the Daleks with the Doctor convincing Ben and Jamie that he was still the Doctor was magnificent, and the delay in revealing that the Forsaken could impersonate others was very good. The cliffhanger to part three with Captain Freeman having been dead for days was really good. That set things in motion for the conclusion nicely. Gibbs was an underrated character too and his relationship with Jacko was terrific and really captured the spirit and camaraderie of friendship between soldiers. The Doctor invoking fear into the Forsaken and essentially making it feed upon itself was a fitting conclusion! Overall, a really enjoyable audio. 

Rating: 8/10

The Land of Happy Endings

"All ideas are dangerous."

Writer: Scott Gray

Format: Comic Strip

Released: November 2003

Printed in: DWM 337

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, John, Gillian

Synopsis

The Doctor, John and Gillian visit Darbodia, where they discover that the inhabitants have been purged of all imagination. Upon discovering that villainous scientist Wargonn has imprisoned the native species, the Doctor and his grandchildren work to foil his schemes.

Verdict

The Land of Happy Endings was a terrific little comic strip adventure to continue my way through The Flood graphic novel! As a celebration of forty years of Doctor Who comics, this was wonderful and really did a stellar job in paying homage to the early era of adventures during the TV Comic run. I really would love for there to be a graphic novel collecting the early adventures of the First, Second and Third Doctors prior to Doctor Who Magazine becoming the home of the Doctor's comic strip stories, as they seem like such an enigma as far as I am concerned. I've done some research and I know a little about John and Gillian and the issues of continuity between the televised series and comic strips of the early days, but I would love to be able to read them in full. The illustration here was impressive with stellar artwork capturing the feel of those early days so well. I must admit it was a little disorienting to have the Doctor referred to as Dr Who, and even introduce himself as such, but it was really good in honouring those early tales. The art design is so weird but it works. Even the dialogue felt like it was from a different era as it advanced the story through dialogue rather than just a little narration box. That was really noticeable and impressive in capturing the style of comic it was honouring. It was a little strange for the Doctor to be travelling with grandchildren that didn't include Susan, but I quite like the idea of him really being a grandfatherly figure and taking his younger grandchildren on adventures in the TARDIS. It was more in line with the Dr Who of the two cinematic movies released in the 1960s, and the entire story felt like it should have been the First Doctor featured. I'm sure that was intentional, but it was a little weird to be seeing the Eighth Doctor but so clearly hearing the characterisation of the First Doctor. The setting of Darbodia was strong and I liked the idea of dreams being taken. What that did to the local population was quite horrific, but having that tie back in with the Doctor was really good stuff. The suggestion that the Doctor's adventures in TV Comic and beyond with John and Gillian being nothing more than a dream was great and it was fun to read after in my research that this caused a little uproar at the time of release! I didn't think it decanonised them in the slightest, although whether they are or not is sceptical, but providing a potential explanation for them is welcomed. Just seeing the Eighth Doctor smiling about happy endings and reminiscing was lovely. The use of the bigger on the inside bag to trap Wargonn was amusing and he didn't take long in surrendering when it came to the prospect of being trapped within for all eternity. As a whole, this was simple and enjoyable, just what an anniversary celebration story over one part should be! No complaints. Overall, a fun adventure that more than served its purpose. 

Rating: 8/10

The Curious Tale of Spring-Heeled Jack

"London is all lit up now."

Writer: Scott Gray

Format: Comic Strip

Released: August-October 2003 

Printed in: DWM 334-336

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

In London, a demonic figure is searching young ladies on his quest for Morjanus. The Eighth Doctor is also there, trying to enjoy London's new night life, thriving with then invention of the gaslight. Something is hidden in London and the Doctor must find it before the city is consumed in fire...

Verdict

The Curious Tale of Spring-Heeled was an excellent comic strip adventure to continue my way through The Flood graphic novel! I must say this is shaping into a really strong and consistent final collection of comic for the Eighth Doctor and it's quite refreshing to have him travelling alone. It's a dynamic that's uncommon for this incarnation of the Doctor, but it didn't take long for him to get involved and have someone fill in that role for the story. I was a massive fan of Penny Chapman and I thought right away that this had all of the makings of an introductory adventure for a new companion. She was interesting right from the start with her talk of the Essence and the fact she was quite clearly consumed or possessed by something. The Doctor took his moment to introduce himself very quickly and the pair blossomed a really nice relationship. The fact she got to go inside the TARDIS definitely seemed like she was heading in the companion route, and her reaction to the interior was truly spectacular. I loved her analogy of calling this particular TARDIS console and interior St Paul's Cathedral inside a cupboard! That was really nicely done and the Doctor even admiring the analogy was wonderful. I liked how he was telling her of his adventures which sparked a neat Egyptian reference to The Power of Thoueris! and all signs pointed towards her joining him. So when it was revealed that she was actually Morjanus I was stunned and a little disappointed! The war her species were raging with Spring-Heeled Jack was a good background and the idea of self hypnosis was tremendous. That was some way to hide from Jack! It explained a lot about all of the women he was going through to try and find her and just a good way to give a Doctor Who take on him in London of the 1840s. I thought that setting was excellent and with it being at the time that gas was giving London a nightlife, having creatures within the gas just worked perfectly. I thought the artwork for this comic strip was brilliant and the Pyrodines looked really impressive. The image of them coming from the gaslight was terrific, as was the meeting of the minds between Jack and the Doctor. The little glimpse of Susan was nice and it's brilliant to know how much she still means to him despite so far removed. The Doctor turning it into the mind of Jack was nicely done as well. The moment where Jack and Morjanus came face to face was pretty tense and the Doctor getting mixed up in the middle was always going to happen, but that brief delay where he actually caused Morjanus to be killed by Jack was incredible. It looked like he'd done a big oops, but Jack had merely destroyed the mind of Morjanus within whilst keeping Penny Chapman intact. That was glorious and I am just even more surprised that she didn't become a companion after this backstory! There could have been so much potential there with the threat of Morjanus or the Essence coming back, but alas it was not to be. She was a superb character though and just seeing her alongside the Doctor in his Victorian splendour was excellent. Overall, a really good adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

The Stuff of Nightmares: Together in Eclectic Dreams

"Danger is what happens when we wake."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: July 2022

Series: Classic Doctors, New Monsters 3.03

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

The Sixth Doctor takes companion Mari to the Archipelago of High Dream to try and stop the nightmares she's having in the TARDIS. 

Instead, they find the Lethe Foundation, a research facility overseen by musician Tara, lulling her clients to sleep with soothing melodies. But the Kantrofarri are hunting, and a mystery Green Man holds the key to escape...

Verdict

Together in Eclectic Dreams was a great story to continue my way through The Stuff of Nightmares third series of Classic Doctors, New Monsters! This was a brave episode and whilst the Kantrofarri might not have been the most appealing of new series monsters to make a comeback with a Classic Doctor, this worked well despite some worries of mine given what occurred in Last Christmas in their only television appearance. I must admit that their Christmas Special is not one that I remember overly fondly, but this was a pleasant surprise. I liked that the listener had the benefit of knowing the Kantrofarri already and it was clear right from the story synopsis that events were in a dream given that Mari was no companion of the Sixth Doctor. I must admit that after listening, I am kind of glad she was a dream one-off in that regard as I wasn't a massive fan. Maybe it was the lack of origin story, but the emotion injected when she had a lifetime of memories with the Doctor to only find out that it was all a dream. The threat of the Kantrofarri was really strong and the way the concept of seeing them meaning they could see you was delayed worked well. There was a lot of anticipation and that was a great thing to have throughout. I loved the twist of the Green Man actually being the Eighth Doctor and I do wonder if that will tie into the final episode in the boxset where the Dream Crabs are also present. I'd be very surprised if that wasn't the case! It won't really matter though as his appearance here was a delight. I was slightly taken aback when I heard Paul McGann's voice as the Green Man but it worked tremendously. His reaction and thinking his jacket was actually brown was amusing and his surprise that it was actually an earlier incarnation of his own that was present at the Archipelago was excellent. The fact he was expecting the one with the ears in the Ninth Doctor was fantastic and I am definitely going to need to hear a meeting between those two! The potential of a story featuring the incarnations either side of the Time War is dazzling. But alas, it was the one with the curls and patchwork jacket so the Eighth Doctor knew that dreams were in abundance as he didn't ever remember travelling with Mari, and his recall was that he came there alone. I thought Tara was a strong character and her reaction to realising everything was a dream in not being able to sing her own sons she was supposedly famous for was a little sad. Sam was a good character to as a sleep mentor and his ability to jump in and out of dreams was excellent, and very useful! The efforts to save the Eighth Doctor were terrific and I loved the Sixth Doctor's reaction to seeing that his future self was the Green Man too. The lack of Mari knowledge proved a little emotional for ol' Sixie as he seemed to have been travelling alone for too long now, but that wouldn't stop him on future adventures! The scene in the TARDIS when the Kantrofarri grasp was loosened was really nice and it was fun for him to recall accepting the flask from the High Dream. Overall, a really strong adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Sweet Nothings

"I made the mighty Quill smile."

Writer: Michael Dennis

Format: Audio

Released: April 2020

Series: Class Vol 3.03

Featuring: Quill, Charlie, Matteusz

Synopsis

Living on Earth isn't easy when you're used to life as an alien freedom fighter. For Quill, it's a lonely existence – until she meets a Man outside Coal Hill Academy: the Man who can offer her everything she misses from her past... and more.

Verdict

Sweet Nothings was a very good story to conclude the third volume of Class audio adventures from Big Finish! This has been a really solid boxset and another strong series. I'm really enjoying what Big Finish are doing with this spinoff range and it's just a shame that we cannot get any continuation past the series we saw on television. That cliffhanger with the Weeping Angel going unresolved very much gripes me and I remain hopeful that one day we will continue where that left off. However, back to the matter at hand and after a brief cameo at the end of Catfish, this saw Dervia Kirwan steal the show in the recasted role of Miss Quill. I thought she was outstanding in bringing that character to life and it very much did feel authentic which is the biggest compliment I can give. There's always a worry when it comes to recasting and taking on the mantra of a character as strong as Quill is daunting, but she did an incredible job and the role, when I really enjoy, is certainly in safe hands. I liked how she was the focus of this episode and it was clear she was finding it tiresome to be teaching humans on a planet she didn't particularly rate or enjoy whilst being enforced guard of Charlie. The dynamic between those two is strong so it was really fun when she walked in on him and Matteusz in the middle of a sexual act. The double entendre of the Pole comment was very mature but too cheesy for my liking. Quill felt a little vulnerable in this story which was refreshing and it was just nice for her to let her hair down a little and actually smile. That wasn't something she often did, but she was able to take in the view of space when transported there by the humorously named the Man. I enjoyed the simplicity of him and the moment he named himself gave us a potentially glorious reference to an unseen or unheard encounter with Quill knowing of the Master as a being that went by a title. Even she appreciated the simplicity of Man. They quickly developed a really nice relationship with Quill able to have a little break from the planet and people she so loathed to be stuck on and with, and her reaction when he didn't show up one day very much showed she cared which was unlike her. Matteusz seeing straight away that she was seeing somebody was fun, but little did he know that Charlie was in on the entire thing! Now, it was clear that the Man was more than he seemed but him being a construct literally created by Charlie for Quill was not something I saw coming. Matteusz had a fun reaction in wanting the Beckhams conjured up, but that wasn't going to happen. Quill was pretty disgusted with the way she was used and felt like she'd been scapegoated. She didn't like not being in control, that much was clear. She did like Flog It though! That was a really amusing detail. Overall though, a pretty simple and lighthearted tale that allowed us to see a different side to Quill which was really nicely done. A great listen!

Rating: 8/10