The Revisionists

"You too are a warrior."

Writer: Andy Frankham-Allen

Format: Audio

Released: January 2019

Series: Short Trips 9.01

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela, Brigadier

Synopsis 

Guests at the Hotel de Rois are being haunted by ancestors that never existed. The Brigadier was only in Geneva to finalise his retirement, but how could he resist? Investigating, the Brigadier quickly finds something unusual. A warrior in leathers. A warrior called Leela...

History is about to catch up with both of them. History that neither of them thinks is real.

Verdict

The Revisionists was en excellent Short Trips audio! I thought this was really strong from start to finish and had such an exciting premise of the Brigadier encountering the Fourth Doctor once again, along with Leela for the first time. With Louise Jameson as the narrator, the focus was more so on Leela and that was actually tremendous. The humour that came from her pronunciation of hotel with the emphasis on the ‘Ho’ as the letter ‘O’ was really good and just great characterisation of her character. The comic value of the Tesh laser not being allowed by the Doctor was good stuff and I really liked the Geneva setting. We’ve heard that Swiss city mentioned countless times as the home of UNIT worldwide and actually encountering the Brigadier there was just brilliant. It’s about time! Leela being stumbled upon by the Brigadier was a lovely moment and I’m so glad that we now get an adventure with the Brigadier and Leela meeting. Instantly she knew that he had the baring of a warrior and the Brig thinking she was from the Congo because of her leathers was just marvellous. It’s exactly what I’d expect the Brigadier to say in his reaction! I thought it was a nice touch that Leela recognised the title of Brigadier and he was far from surprised to find the Doctor had some involvement. It had him written all over. The eery feel of the audio with the haunted hotel was good and I really liked the focus on ancestors coming back. The memories seemingly resetting was intriguing and had me very interested right from the off. The respect on show between the Brigadier and Leela was honestly a delight, but she was keen to emphasise that she was no ‘young lady’ which was magnificent. That was really good characterisation of both characters who were written so well. Somehow someway, a spin-off or just further meetings between these two would be most welcomed. The spirits of the dead being in the hotel provided a chilling atmosphere and it was really effective to have very little background music or sound effects. For a lot of the story we were just listening to a conversation and that was such a good approach. It helped that the Doctor’s whereabouts were unknown as the focus was firmly on the solider and the tribeswoman. The older woman of the Sevateem showing up as Leela’s ancestor was such a strong moment, and her being the High Priestess Beteema and one of the most esteemed of the tribe was really good. I loved the simplicity of Leela bowing and there really was a sense of power there. Leela believing there to be no threat at the hotel was good and I really enjoyed that she was honoured to be visited by the spirits of the dead. The shock of Beteema when Leela revealed the truth about Xoanon being a computer was excellent and she thought it was heresy after serving him all of her life, and thereafter. The concept of memories vanishing was strong and it turning out that they weren’t just forgotten, but were actually stolen! That kept things rolling nicely. The Brigadier encountering his own ancestor in the form of Henry John Lethbridge-Stewart was really well done and I liked how he was the first Lethbridge-Stewart. He was a royalist and proud and that didn’t surprise me when it came to the family position and pride they felt for their country. The Doctor emerging once the Brigadier’s memory vanished was welcomed timing and the dropping of a number of references to the likes of encounters with Yeti and Cybermen was terrific. The Doctor’s memories about being UNIT’s Scientific Advisor getting stolen was such a fun moment as his reaction to the suggested he worked for them was exactly what you’d expect from the fourth incarnation. The reveal of the Molai as the culprits was underwhelming at first as they sounded small and not exactly imposing, but I was glad we didn’t get to hear too much from them. They were peaceful and claimed to have borrowed the memories of ancestors because they were the victims of a hidden war that was severely impact smaller species. The memory of their race was wiped out as this faction was off world when the impact hit, and with them having a group mind they forced the rest of their species into a sleep in order to find a new revised history to feed into their race memory. That was a convoluted but very interesting concept that I thoroughly enjoyed! The Doctor saving the day by planning to teach them to copy and return memories, in return for giving them his entire memory as a copy to form quite the species history! That would be entertaining for sure. The Brigadier being somber on his pride for national service was a really nice way to finish things and mentioning that stories about ancestors kept them alive was lovely. Overall, a fantastic Short Trip! 

Rating: 9/10

The Hope

"Aren't you afraid of dying?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2019

Series: Torchwood Monthly 30

Featuring: Owen, Andy

Synopsis 

Megwyn Jones is one of the most hated women in Britain. She used to run a home for troubled children in an isolated part of Snowdonia called The Hope. For a long time there were rumours about what was happening there, and then one day it was realised that the children had gone missing. 

Ever since, Megwyn's kept her peace. Is she innocent? Is she guilty? Where are the bodies?

The years have been long and hard on Megwyn and on the families of the children. But now Megyn's dying, and she's agreed to go back to The Hope, to reveal the horrible secret she's kept all these years. 

Verdict

The Hope was an excellent story to continue my way through the monthly series of Torchwood from Big Finish! I can't quite believe I have managed to reach the thirtieth release already as it seems to be absolutely flying by, and there's no sign of letting up as I have just purchased the next six instalments in a recent sale. I am very excited by what's to come and this format really allows for an individual character of the traditional main cast to develop and shine. We haven't heard a huge amount from Owen thus far in the Torchwood series so this a great opportunity for him to showcase. Pairing off Owen and Andy was a lot of fun and they worked really well together which on paper might not seem like the most obvious match. Andy was fully aware of Owen's inability die which placed this adventure somewhere after Reset and the relevance of that would soon be felt as the truth of the ground at The Hope was revealed. It took a while for us to get there though as we were introduced to the slightly disturbing Megwyn Jones in the prison. She was a fantastic character because she was just awkward and had such a horrifying vibe with her chilling personality. Considering the crimes she was accused of, it was a little difficult to listen to the concept of children going missing at The Hope. Megwyn seemed to have absolutely no remorse and whilst it wasn't ever proven that she was guilty of all of the children going missing, and potentially dying, she was clearly in the know. That added to the disturbing nature of her character and just hearing her converse was excellent. The fact that she was dying and now was willing to go back to The Hope to reveal the truth about the bodies and where they were buried was quite horrifying, especially when she wanted one of the victim's siblings to dig them up! That was such a powerful moment as we realised that the 'kind' ground of The Hope was actually covered in Rift energy and ended up as a temporal flux that kept those buried within as they were when they entered. That was quite something, but making use of Owen being dead and the ground giving life was outstanding. I thought that was brilliant to play with and the brief moments where Owen got to be alive again and hear his heartbeat was tremendous. The humour that came from him being able to eat and revelling about crisps, only for Andy to have ready salted flavour was a good injection of comedy in what was a very serious episode. The interaction between Owen and Megwyn was sublime and they really had a strong dynamic. The insinuation of Owen being different was good but I don't think Megwyn was expecting the truth about him being he wasn't dead. Owen sacrificing himself to stop Megwyn's long scheme of an insurance policy of immortality was really well done and Andy getting to be there in a serious moment at the end to console him about the loss of life once again was fantastic. Overall, a really eery story with a wonderful setting and just chilling. Great stuff!

Rating: 9/10

Island of the Fendahl

"Imagine something so black that the Daleks call it darkness."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: July 2019

Series: Further Adventures of Lucie Miller 1.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis 

The Fendahl is the death of evolution, the horror that lies in wait at the far end of the food chain.

The Fendahl is death itself.

And the Fendahl is dead. The Doctor destroyed it many years ago, in another incarnation, when he encountered it in a place called Fetchborough. 

But if the Fendahl is dead... how can it live again, on the remote island of Fandor?

Verdict

Island of the Fendahl was a really good audio to conclude The Further Adventures of Lucie Miller! I really hope this is not the last we hear of the Eighth Doctor and Lucie together, but this rounded out a really strong boxset and a fun unheard gap between their early series together. I liked how all four seemed to follow on from each other and the way their recent destinations such as Horton's Orb and Canthares linked to form a pentagram was excellent. I think the Fendahl has a lot of potential and whilst the story in which it debuted, Image of the Fendahl, perhaps leaves a lot to be desired, the idea of its framework for Earth and the human race is really strong. I think a little too much was relied on when it came to previous knowledge in this story, but it was good that I have recently read the novelisation and also had the knowledge from the fantastic Night of the Fendahl. This didn't live up to the heights of that sublime Torchwood audio, but it worked well. It was one that probably could have benefitted from a little more time as the reveal of the Fendahlman surname was a great moment with Lucie being none the wiser as to its meaning, and whilst it took a few seconds for it to click in the Doctor's mind, the moment it did things really clicked into gear. I was a big fan of the setting of Fandor and after listening, research telling me that this was a gag on a misreporting in a fanzine at the time was a lot of fun. Credit to Alan Barnes for that! I thought that was a lot of fun. The Fendahl didn't really appear much outside of being a skull, but that worked well with the audio format and I loved how things tied back to The Dalek Trap. That was really clever as it turned out that the supernova there was the one the Fourth Doctor had deposited the skull of Fendahl into, but the Daleks were now taken over from it. It was the Fendahl that they referred to as the Darkness which was excellent. I thought the power of my quote was really impressive and did a stellar job in selling just how dangerous it was. Dieter was a terrific character and it was fun to hear how much his relationship developed with Lucie despite it starting with him kidnapping her and knocking her out with chloroform. He didn't seem too fussed by the cosmic occurrences and the concept of cosmic pentagram was something I thoroughly enjoyed. The TARDIS had worked out what was happening which explained its nonconformity at the end of The House on the Edge of Chaos, as one more journey back to Canthares would have completed the pentagram for the Fendahl. Lucie having a lookalike in the form of Maxine was good and something I think would have benefitted from more time. Howard as the detective was a fantastic character too and I really enjoyed the relationship she garnered with Lucie was a lot of fun, especially that fake bike chase! The use of the HODS was probably a little bit silly, but Lucie using the sonic to open the TARDIS and have the skull thrown out of the TARDIS and make contact with its earlier version to cause an explosion and the supernova itself tied things up nicely! Overall, a really strong audio to round out the series! I do so hope there is a second volume in the future.

Rating: 8/10

Other Worlds: The Rogue Planet

"My universe is in danger, and so is yours."

Writer: Emily Cook

Format: Audio

Released: October 2022

Series: Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon 2.03

Featuring: Rose, Jackie, Clive

Synopsis 

Rose finds herself closer to home than ever – but she's in for a shock. 

Meanwhile, Jackie is a hit on daytime TV and Clive is a professor, but nobody seems to realise how much danger the world is in.

Verdict

The Rogue Planet was a good story to conclude what has been a fun and enjoyable Other Worlds second series of Rose Tyler's The Dimension Canon! Whilst this was slightly the weakest of the episodes in the boxset, it has been a really fun exploration of Rose's efforts to find the Doctor across multiple dimensions and this was perhaps the most dangerous. The idea behind it was really good and it is just lovely to have Emily Cook writing an audio! She's a delightful figure in Doctor Who folklore after the Tweetalongs and everything she has done in Doctor Who Magazine, so having her write for Rose was a really nice thing to have. She did a more than solid job and it was fun for her to be able to pay homage to the modern era. Having Jackie as a famous TV presenter on the Prime Time show was magnificent and in this universe I bet she was having a whale of a time! The idea of Jackie being a celebrity was very amusing and a role she would have revelled in. She was able to decline autographs and whilst there were clearly similarities with the Jackie we know, this dimension's version was very different indeed. It was a breath of fresh air to have an alternate version of Rose in the form of Rosie, but I have to say that without visual aid it got a little clunky to have two different versions of both Rose and Jackie. There was not a lot to differentiate between them which did get somewhat confusing, but it was nice to finally have Rose come up with another version of herself. That is, a human version! The namedrop of Adipose Industries was really nicely done and I do wonder what position this version of Earth will be in should the fat start to walk away! But there were more pressing issues at hand with the Prophecy at hand. Clive being a respected scientist was good fun and I enjoyed the paper on the Three Comets. Danger was coming, it was told, and that tied in nicely with the dire state of the multiverse as barriers between dimensions were breaking down. Rosie having a baby in this universe was really good and hearing Billie Piper as a mother in character was good. Her boy being called Jimmy was fun when the reveal of the father was told and Rose couldn't believe it! Good stuff. I thought it was great to have Donna name dropped as part of the prophecy and Rose's reaction to that was brilliant. She knew that would get her close to the Doctor. It was some blonde woman who had told of the dimensions breaking, and she called herself the Bad Wolf. Time was catching up with Rose as reality was falling apart, and the coming of the titular rogue planet was going to prove catastrophic. This world didn't have any time left as the prediction of a year left was completely wrong with Clive revealing that it was just hours. It was too late to save anybody on this Earth which was difficult for Rose to accept, especially with the connection she had with Rosie's baby, and the mind playing tricks happened to Jackie too as she offered to stay behind, much to Rose's chagrin! Jackie did get back, but in a strong cliffhanger Rose was left trapped behind all alone and the signal was gone to lead us into the next volume very nicely indeed! Overall, a good story. 

Rating: 7/10

Other Worlds: Now is the New Dark

"Only the angry kill."

Writer: AK Benedict

Format: Audio

Released: October 2022

Series: Rose Tyler: The Dimension Canon 2.02

Featuring: Rose, Jackie, Clive

Synopsis 

On an Earth where science never advanced from the Dark Ages, Rose and Clive find themselves under suspicion. 

Someone is killing the Melancholics, but apparently, there's a Doctor here who can help...

Verdict

Now is the New Dark was another great audio to continue my way through the Other Worlds second volume of The Dimension Canon for Rose! Despite the fact that the universe, all of them, are literally falling apart and Rose is on the hunt to find the Doctor, this series feels a bit chilled as we already know that Rose finds the Doctor in The Stolen Earth after a long series of events in Turn Left. This allows for some strong exploration of other worlds whilst adding to the depth of Rose's struggles to actually get to the Doctor and the universe from which she came and was cut off from in Doomsday. I think that's really interesting to explore, as was the world in which Rose and Clive visited here. The concept of an Earth that hadn't evolved from the Dark Ages was very exciting as it did still have some modern quirks, but the population seemed to be very much aware that they had been stagnant in their development for half a millennium! That was a staggering concept and it was really fun to hear Clive argue with the Assessor about their beliefs. This version of Earth had not yet accepted germ theory which is quite incredible to actually comprehend, and having him assessed as a Melancholic was a lot of fun. With a murder having occurred, Clive was in the wrong place at the wrong time and his passionate personality meant he was soon deemed the murderer! The logic in which that was deduced was far from sound, but it was really amusing as he struggled with this planet's lack of understanding scientifically. The humours being a strong belief here took me back to my university studies of the Tudor and Georgian eras which was delightful, and I liked the suggestion of Rose having a balanced make up. She was genuinely concerned for Clive which was lovely to hear, but she was also able to utilise her position as Jackie's daughter with the alternate version of Jacqueline here. She was still a Prentis in this reality which was fun and the interaction with her alternate daughter was really well done. I was a big fan of hers and it was nice for Camille Coduri to get more to do in this episode after a quiet opener. I loved how Clive really stole the show when it came to working out who the murderer was, as it was not actually a mysterious Shadow. The myth that had been built up about the Shadow was great but Clive was having none of it as he presented the evidence required to show that the Assessor looked much more guilty than he did! It was very nicely done and some strong comedy as the tables turned on the Assessor, especially after she informed that the truth be told and then it very much went against her. She wanted to punish the Melancholics and her being the link between all of the victims was a nice catch from Clive. This was probably his strongest episode so far which was wonderful, and after initially I was a bit sceptical of him having a prominent role in the series, he more than warrants his place. There's still some work to be done on the chemistry with Rose, but it's shaping up to be quite a fun pairing! Overall, another great little audio and an intriguing world to explore. Rose didn't get the doctor she wanted which was hilarious when Jacqueline didn't even say his name, but the search goes on. 

Rating: 8/10

Other Worlds: Saltwater

"I need to talk to the President."

Writer: Alison Winter

Format: Audio

Released: October 2022

Series: Rose Tyler: The Dimension Canon 2.01

Featuring: Rose, Clive

Synopsis

Rose finds an Earth under threat, as something steals the salt from the oceans. 

As global tensions escalate, Rose wants to make those in charge listen, and finds an ally in the shape of another Clive...

Verdict

Saltwater was a great audio adventure to kick off the Other Worlds second series of The Dimension Canon for Rose Tyler! It's no surprise that Rose gets a second series (and a third to come!) and I enjoyed the first series very much so it was a no brainer to get this one on pre-order. With the first series already establishing the style and format for this spinoff series, this episode wasted no time in getting Rose onto another version of Earth. It felt very dark and with Rose arriving on a world where her parents had been murdered by pro-war activists, it was clear this was a very different universe indeed. The Iron Curtain had not been lifted on this version of Earth which was a really fun idea and I'd have liked a little more of history catching up in present day of this alternate reality. I thought the news broadcast was a good use of that, but there was definitely more potential there. It seems that Pete will be absent from this series which is absolutely fine and I liked the quick reference from Clive explaining that he'd been shown all of the codes by him so knew what he was doing in control of the Dimension Canon. Jackie was a bit of a bit part player in this episode and that was fine, but she did provide strong humour particularly when Rose had been arrested. She's still getting to grips with the whole jumping around the multiverse thing, but I loved her comments about the Doctor and how he saw something in Rose. That was a really nice mum moment for her to show her daughter just what she could do. If the Doctor had entrusted her, then she must have something to offer! Clive was excellent in this story and it really is incredible to see how far the character, albeit an alternative version, has come since his appearance in Rose. It's a lot of fun and having two versions meet over the phone here was delightful. I thought the concept of technology that was faster than the speed of light was brilliant and there's no real restraints when it comes to the multiverse. Who's to say that technology was beyond capable developments in this reality? Except Clive had realised that the stars were going missing and dimensions were breaking down. I thought that was excellent foreshadowing of The Stolen Earth/Journey's End. After all of her efforts, Rose had just condemned the people of that Earth to a slow death. They only had around five years left, but Clive was quick to point out that she'd given them more days to live and provide hope. She had to hold onto that. I liked the idea of the President providing a false position on their power and ability to deal with alien threats, and the concept of aliens coming to Earth to mine salt because of deteriorating resources across the universes was really well done. I thought it was good that Clive realised there was no malice in the aliens' intent as they didn't know Earth was populated, so Rose realising that light was needed instead of sound to contact with them and show that the planet was inhabited was more than decent. It was a neat and tidy resolution to what was as a whole a strong episode! A great start to the series. 

Rating: 8/10

The Everlasting Summer

"They can't cope with the passage of time any more."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Comic Strip

Released: July-October 2022

Printed in: DWM 580-583

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Dan

Synopsis

When the Doctor gets suspicious about a retreat brochure, the TARDIS trio take a visit to the Gardens of Everlasting Summer. Once there, they find the gardens are very private and the means of the everlasting summer are far from moralistic...

Verdict

The Everlasting Summer was a decent little comic strip adventure that certainly had its moments, but was not wholly to my liking. Unfortunately, this is the case for much of the Thirteenth Doctor's comic strip run and I think things have been really hurt by the reduction of pages to six. It really is such a small number and by the time a part seems to get going, we already reach the cliffhanger. It's a shame as the format has so much potential with what is essentially an unlimited budget but it all seems a bit stop-start. I'd honestly much prefer if we just got the first six pages of a 24-page story without the cliffhangers as I think there just isn't anytime to build. That was the case here which is a shame as I was actually a huge fan of the cliffhanger where Yaz was being aged by the time storm, but the resolution was just far too quick for the impact to be felt. I thought the setting of the Gardens of Everlasting Summer was actually decent and I really enjoyed the way things started with the Doctor feigning to be a granny to get in and investigate. It was clear that Jinpar was trying to prevent the TARDIS trio from seeing the gardens and when the Doctor isn't allowed to go in somewhere amidst mysterious circumstances, she's always going to get her own way and find a route in. That was fun and the moment where she jumped up out of the wheelchair to save the day was very good. I thought it was a nice touch for the Doctor to mention that not everybody in wheelchairs was immobile. That was a good distinction. I thought Gebra and Herum were frankly rubbish characters and they sparked a semi-interesting cliffhanger as their beaks emerged at the end of part one, but I didn't like the idea of the Doctor not even remembering the chaos and destruction she caused to their home planet. The Doctor has incredible recall and going back as far as The Daleks' Master Plan with a panel flashback showing Sara Kingdom was absolutely brilliant, so I didn't understand the concept of her forgetting especially when she was recognised in this incarnation. That didn't sit well. I did enjoy the continuity from The Foe From the Future with the warning of wasps, but that stark reminder didn't really feel like it was too dangerous here. The beelings had become injected with a waspish element, but the time storm and the entire makeup of the Everlasting Gardens seemed a more serious threat. I liked the concept of the reset and with it all catching up after a century, time basically burst and anyone caught was doomed as happened to Yaz and was threatened to Dan. I thought the artwork in this one was bright and colourful, but there was one panel at the start of part one where the likeness of Dan was unrecognisable! I thought this was a nice touch with the ending and the Doctor and Yaz reflecting on a lot of life left to live, and at the time of reading I am yet to see The Power of the Doctor so I don't know if this is also the end of the comic strip road. If it is, it's nice for the Doctor and Yaz to share a nice moment together. Overall, some bright ideas but a very quick resolution and too much of a stop-start. 

Rating: 6/10

The House on the Edge of Chaos

"The chaos gets in when order is defied."

Writer: Eddie Robson

Format: Audio

Released: July 2019

Series: Further Adventures of Lucie Miller 1.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and Lucie to a vast house on the planet known as Horton's Orb. The only house on Horton's Orb, in fact. Outside its outsized windows there's nothing. No land. No sea. No sky. Just an endless expanse of static. 

Inside the house, there's an upstairs and a downstairs – servants below, gentlefolk from the finest of the house's families above. Alas, there are altogether too few eligible ladies on the upper floors these days. Meaning there's a vacancy for Miss Lucie Miller, single and unattached...

Outside the house, the static howls on. Except now, the static wants to get in.

Verdict

The House on the Edge of Chaos was a very good story to continue my way through the first volume of the Further Adventures of Lucie Miller! This was another solid adventure and I really enjoyed the unique setting of the outer reaches of Space. It was a place that should not be inhabited, so of course in the Doctor Who universe it would be habited. I really thought the guest cast were strong with Alana the absolute standout for me. I enjoyed her relationship with the Doctor very much, speaking of which it was another stellar performance from Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor. I love his relationship with Lucie Miller and whilst I still think Charley is his best companion to date, this pairing is really growing on me even more and I do hope there are more adventures to come. There's a lot of room between and within series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures that I think could be utilised so a second boxset like this and beyond should be more than feasible! Lucie didn't hesitate in announcing their presence which was pretty humorous and a fine example of her loudmouth style. I liked how their arrival was met with caution as they should not have been able to get inside from the out due to the static. The concept of nothing is difficult to comprehend because logically it just doesn't make sense, but the static in play here was utilised really well. It provided a strong sense of fear but also gave a direction of what needed to be defeated. Horton's Orb was an interesting name for a planet and the sole house on it would logically be owned by a Horton. That was the case as we learned about Darius Horton and the disturbing make up of the house. The Doctor describing it as being made from the likes of bone marrow and teeth was very disturbing and beyond belief quite frankly! The thought of that, even if it was cloned, was horrifying. It was good uneasiness though and really enhanced the atmosphere positively (from a listener perspective). Lucie was mortified. I loved the imagery of the static figures having the face of his supposed late first wife as well. That was just cruel. Darius reacted to that statement in the expected way and I thought it was a really strong element of the story. It painted the picture nicely. Frances and Berrington were good characters and I thought the advances of the former towards Lucie were a nice way to end, even if she did lightly let him down. I thought a little more in terms of sound effects could have been used for the static, but I really did like the simplicity of the conclusion with the Doctor drawing out all of the Horton DNA and essentially bringing the only house to nothingness. That was pretty darn effective! I thought the cliffhanger finish was brilliant as the Doctor was getting a little angry at the TARDIS for not going where instructed, and his threat of going on manual was very stern! Overall, a great audio! 

Rating: 8/10

Serenity

"What a great place we live in."

Writer: James Moran

Format: Audio

Released: July 2019

Series: Torchwood Monthly 29

Featuring: Captain Jack, Ianto

Synopsis

Serenity Plaza is the most exclusive gated community in South Wales.

You'd kill to live there. Jack and Ianto have gone undercover as a happily married couple. There are rumours that something's wrong at Serenity Plaza and they're determined to investigate. But the problem is that Serenity Plaza is just is rigidly normal. 

Suddenly, Jack and Ianto have to confront the problems that normal couples face. Sharing a house together, doing the washing up, entering the residents' baking contest, and hoping to win the Best Kept Lawn. 

Competition is fierce. Because this is Serenity Plaza. And you'd kill to live there.

Verdict

Serenity was an excellent audio to continue my way through the Torchwood monthly adventures from Big Finish! The pairing of Captain Jack and Ianto is just brilliant so it really is difficult to go wrong with them. Placing them into a gated community was fascinating and I really appreciated the unique setting. It worked well and just kept reminding me of the film Downsizing with Matt Damon. It had such a good vibe to it of forced happiness and that was really fun to play with. The opening ten minutes or so with Jack and Ianto firmly taking on the personas of Ken and Ifan was just glorious and I hadn't read the synopsis beforehand so I was not aware they were undercover. I figured that would be the case, but it was good fun while it lasted. The potential of the gated community is unrealised in the Doctor Who universe and it could work on a number of planets. Having it at home in the present of South Wales was fantastic though and really brought an uneasy eeriness to the story with it being so close to home. I adored the play on the opening titles with all of the usual 'Torchwood, outside the government, beyond the police...' etc being replaced by references to Serenity and how the twenty-first century is hopefully where nothing changes was hilarious. I was a huge fan of that which set the tone very nicely. This episode allowed for some good development for Jack and Ianto's relationship and the slip from Ianto about them being boyfriends was a nice touch. Jack pounced on that but was far from being against the label, even if Jack said he'd just have a look if the community broke out into an alien orgy. Ah, Torchwood. What I wasn't expecting from this story was for it to be a sequel to Sleeper! I thought that was fantastic and I don't think we've had anywhere near enough sequels from Torchwood television. This worked very well and whilst the return of Cell 114 sleepers and technology was not high on my returns wish list, I thought it was terrific! The imagery of those gruesome arms turning into daggers was presented really well and sparked some fear. Having that fear coupled with the humour that came from the likes of Bob and Mary was excellent and contrasted well. The seriousness of the Best Kept Lawn of the Month competition was tremendous. Ianto was distraught to find that Bob and Mary had gone against the rules by using weed killers, but then he ended up winning! Really fun stuff. Vanessa being the initial Sleeper was magnificent with Ianto having said she was all along, but Bob and Mary were ones too! The home planet of the Cell being gone had led them to wanting Earth for themselves and that was why they were here in force. The threat of them hatching worldwide was a little too much for my liking and took away the perfect rating, but being able to stop it within the gated community was really nicely done. The weapon that could take them out going as far as destroying even bones was graphic and gruesome, with Jack not even sure if he'd return to life from that. Ianto shooting him in the head when he suspected him as a Sleeper was incredible though. Overall, a really strong adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

Heritage: Rulers of Earth

"The Old Gods will not be denied."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: October 2020

Series: Paternoster Gang 4.03

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

Ancient forces have risen, Vastra and her friends are lost to each other, and a terrible prophecy is taking shape. 

A pretender to the throne allies with a force from prehistory, while an unlikely ally searches for the Paternosters.

The Gang must face their destiny, as the fate of Earth is decided....

Verdict

Rulers of Earth was a great story to conclude both the fourth volume of Heritage, and to this point the spinoff of the Paternoster Gang! If this is all we get from the tremendous trio, then I'm very happy with the twelve-story run and it tied up nicely here paying homage to the series as a whole. It very much had a 'part two' feel following on from the cliffhanger at the end of The Ghost Writers and having Vastra taken over by Anura was done really well. It was fun to hear Neve McIntosh get to be a little evil and that really allowed Jenny to shine with her love in peril. I think Jenny has been somewhat quiet in this boxset, but she was able to really standout here which was delightful. I'm a big fan of hers and opening with a conversation between her and Strax as they were both dead was very amusing. The reference to A Good Man Goes to War where Strax had actually died was excellent and quite the argument of Strax claiming to have never been defeated. The pair have such good chemistry and the comments about their previous game of I Spy was just incredible as it didn't go well, with Strax mentioning how all spies on Sontar were executed! Incredible stuff. I loved the comment about Edith's handbag now also being a means of concealing weaponry and it seems Strax was very impressed with the tactical defence of hair and now the bag. So simple but so effective. With the threat of Anura and the Tenebrae dating back to the Silurian era, it was really nice to have Vella return as the Silurian from the Bloomsbury Bunch. There were the expected references to A Photograph to Remember which were really strong and I loved that her absence in Truth and Bone was explained due to her hunting of Silurian caves as she felt the ancient presence too. I am a big fan of the long plan playing out there and I think it really worked as her return had a strong impact. The Tenebrae served as quite the cult and with Anura at the helm, it was clear that the route to safety was to bring Vastra back to the forefront of her consciousness. It was obvious Jenny was going to be the key to that, but the emotion that came from that was still fantastic. The insinuation at the end of Jenny's glorious green energy comment being on purpose so she would get in 'trouble' later was fun and I adored Strax's reaction. One element I really enjoyed about Anura and the Tenebrae was the myth and how it would be used to gain the power of the Third Eye. That really paid homage to the Silurians we saw in the Classic era and really added to its significance. I thought the creation of a new mythical legend at the story's conclusion was wonderful and really did feel like a goodbye to the Paternoster Gang as we had a glorious summary of their creation, a nice mention of the Doctor who helped bring them together, and Strax wanting a strong mention for his contribution was lovely. The Great Detective had grown into an incredible legend and had very high status at Paternoster Row and the vicinity beyond, and this was a fitting culmination of that. Vella going on her way with the Duke and would-be king was fun stuff, especially with the insinuation of her eating them en her journey to send the Tractate deep into the oceans. Overall, a great audio to complete the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Heritage: The Ghost Writers

"I did always want to meet a mermaid."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: October 2020

Series: Paternoster Gang 4.02

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

While Jenny and Strax investigate sightings of fauns beneath streetlights and mermaids in bath-houses, Madame Vastra is invited into a different mystery.

The literary members of the Antediluvian Club have strict criteria for entry, and Miss Edith Renner needs Vastra to access their secrets.

Verdict

The Ghost Writers was another excellent story to continue my way through the Heritage fourth and final volume! After four series of links and a semi story arc weaving its way through, I thought this had a real feel of leading towards an ultimate end. The story in of itself was excellent and tied into the overall arc nicely by the end, but the theme of literature and story writing was very well suited to the Victorian era and a perfect use of the Paternoster Gang. I thought Strax was on top form once again here and the comedy he provides never ceases to be tremendous. His comments about hair and how the Sontarans had long outgrown such rudimentary parts of their makeup were funny, but when Edith produced a pen she had concealed beneath her own hair Strax was keen to make note of the military use of concealment. It could prove very handy which was just incredible. The Sontaran mind working at its best. I liked how there was a dual threat going on with the mysteries at the AD Club concerning Vastra with Strax and Jenny then concerned with the strangeness of mermaid sightings. That was fun and the potential jealousy felt by Vastra when Jenny talked about how she'd always wanted to meet a mermaid was nicely done. Strax's comments about their loveable tiff were delightful and the idea of him giving them relationship advice was wonderful. Jenny didn't exactly welcome it! It was really nice though for Strax to mention how this was an incredibly rare instance of Jenny and Vastra having a potential tiff, and it would soon result in smooching. Strax was clearly not qualified, but his opinion on the matter was more than welcomed from this listener. I thought the use of ink was initially a little odd for it to have such prominence in the story, but it made more sense as the episode enrolled and we were introduced to the Sisterhood of Ikor. Maude being a member alongside Edith was great and I loved how the latter described everything and how they linked with the Tenebrae. I thought the efforts to de-code that were great and Vastra recognising the symbol on its cover as a warning was brilliant. She was deeply concerned and I'm enjoying the links back to her time and era. Given the cliffhanger and what came, I expect something drastic to return from the Dawn of Time. Vastra's introduction to the AD Club was a highlight as she calmly proclaimed herself as a lizard lady from such an age. The veil made sense now! Edith realising what Vastra was before she'd even seen her was really astute and well cut out. Jonas was a very good character and I liked his efforts to obtain more ink when the words seemed to dry up. The concept of the Tractate and the ink written within actually being a vessel for the last remnants of Ikor was fantastic. The actual description of the ink in a book telling a story and this situation being the opposite was brilliant as it seemed to argue against all logic! I loved the conclusion as Strax and Jenny were warned of others coming, whilst the Sisterhood of Ikor's Tenebrae was very much on its way to Earth. It was a really dramatic and well done cliffhanger to lead into what is hopefully a great finale! Overall, a really good listen. 

Rating: 9/10

Heritage: Merry Christmas, Mr Jago

"Everything has its time."

Writer: Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: October 2020

Series: Paternoster Gang 4.01

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax, Jago

Synopsis

As Vastra searches for relics of prehistory, Jenny worries about security, and Strax wants to find a suitable gift for his friend.

Henry Gordon Jago has been invited to spend Christmas at Paternoster Row – but when presents are unwrapped, the surprises inside could prove deadly!

Verdict

Merry Christmas, Mr Jago was an excellent start to the fourth and final series of Heritage for the Paternoster Gang! Whilst I'm yet to hear how events conclude for this terrific trio, I do hope this isn't the last of series for the gang. They're marvellous and it was so fun for them to link up with Henry Gordon Jago here. A clash of two eras in the Victorian times was bound to happen eventually given the respective spinoffs for Big Finish, and it certainly didn't disappoint! Although I am still a mile behind on the Jago & Litefoot spinoff, it was lovely to hear Jago alongside the Gang here and they all seemed to have mutual knowledge of one another which was fun. Given what they were involved with, that's hardly a surprise. I liked how with a main cast of four characters, we split them off into pairs and the combination of Strax and Jago just could not be topped. They were so good together and I have to say that this must go down as one of the best stories for our loveable Sontaran. Strax was in fine form and had conjured up quite the defence systems against the awful nuisance of carol singers. His references to not having an acid moat installed because of the issues it would cause to the milkman was hilarious and I loved the silliness of him not being entirely sure on how his own security systems worked. Vastra's request for training was met with a dumbfounded reaction because the less people that knew how they worked, the more effective security it was! There was some sort of lost logic there. It was just amusing and I really love Strax. The pairing with Jago worked well and the pair really bounced off each other well. The relationship between Vastra and Jenny here was great as always and I liked that Smallpiece was back as the organiser of an alien auction. That went against his arrangement with Vastra so a bidding war ensued between her and a fellow masked bidder for a relic from the Silurian era. Or was it Eocene? That comment was a nice way to pay homage to The Sea Devils. I liked the concept of Vastra being afraid of something that caused terrible issues to the Silurians back in her own time, so she couldn't resist the humorously named Gribblites from getting loose in the Victorian era. Except, that was of course exactly what happened. Their ability to reproduce quickly caused quite the flurry of activity for Strax in his defensive actions. He seemed a little admiring of their ability and how that aided them from being defeated which I really enjoyed. Alice was a fun character with it working well that she was the mysterious bidder all along. That wasn't a huge surprise, but Vastra knowing it to be so because her scent was a wonderful moment. Alice had her own collection of alien artefacts and that explained her interests. I thought the conclusion worked well as all of the characters came together and with Strax's calculations of four minutes before the critters were unstoppable, the solution was found with Alice being critical to that. Vastra was genuinely scared of what might happen should they all get loose, so it was neat and tidy for them to all be in one place for their finality. The Christmas setting was a lot of fun and just the image of Jago in a Father Christmas costume was enough to provide the humour! Overall, a lovely little audio!

Rating: 9/10

Etheria

"Sleepwalking here will get you killed."

Writer: Nick Wallace

Format: Audio

Released: September 2015

Series: Short Trips 5.09

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis

Having escaped an ambush by pirates, the Doctor and Vicki are stranded on a strange world, in the shadow of vast rock formation and islands in the sky. The only way home is through the treacherous Etherlands, where the invisible Ether alters the perception of anyone who enters...

Verdict

Etheria was a very good little Short Trips audio! This was a fascinating adventure and a great way to spend 36 minutes on the train en route to the football. It flew by! That’s always a good sign and I liked how there was no time wasted into being thrust into action. Starting with Vicki dreaming of the Doctor and Steven arguing was very intriguing, with that not seeming like the most exciting of dreams! I really liked how there was no introduction to the Ether and how it was explained more and more as the story went on. It was enigmatic and could move which peaked by interest and Thalar as the TARDIS trio’s apparent informant or guide was a good character. Vicki was probably a little too trusting of him and I liked the characterisation of the First Doctor in him having his doubts. He was sceptical by nature which is always fun. I liked the description of the Ether being a substance and its invisibility obviously added an extra dimension to the issues it brought to the forefront of the adventure. I was impressed with the eery background music that accompanied the Ether and it really added to the atmosphere of the story. The nature of it magnifying sensations and making them feel richer was really good as it utilised the sights around everyone instead of altering them. That was a nice change. The whole nature of the TARDIS trio having escaped from pirates prior to the Ether events was interesting and it seemed that Steven hadn’t been so lucky with the escape. Thalar was told by Vicki that the trio were travellers and that really worried the Doctor, but she assured him the TARDIS hadn’t been mentioned. Nonetheless, the Doctor’s suspicions remained, and rightly so. I loved the name of the Etherlands as the part of village that its inhabitants never ventured to as if one did, they were lost forever. So that was a fun thing to stand between the Doctor and the TARDIS. Thalar’s talk of childhood explorations into the Etherlands and the temptation of going where is forbidden was very relatable. It’s just human nature isn’t it, everyone is curious by instinct. This was no childhood game anymore and the only thing to search for was escape. I thought that basis worked well. The metal tumbleweeds worked well as a final threat in the Etherlands and an attack LwYs has potential. The truth about Thalar was an excellent moment as he lied and turned out to be no guide! This was as far into the Ether as anyone had ever ventured and he was just hoping to use the Doctor and company as a means to escape. The Doctor’s doubts were proven right but he didn’t boast about that to Vicki which was nice. I think it might have been different if it was somebody like Ian! The Ether did exist, but the causes were amplified by the mysterious box found at the end. It went all the way back to the pirates which hadn’t even existed and it was all the machine as part of an alive atmosphere. The box was clever, but it still short circuited to set things right. Overall, a great little audio!

Rating: 8/10

Geronimo!: The End

"I've missed having a cause worth fighting for."

Writer: Rochana Patel

Format: Audio

Released: October 2022

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 3.03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie

Synopsis

Valarie/The Doctor is dying. Only the Doctor/Valarie can save Valarie/the Doctor, but for her/him to survive, the Doctor/Valarie will have to die in her/his place. 

For the Doctor/Valarie, this is journey's' end.

Verdict

The End was another brilliant episode to conclude this sublime Geronimo! third series of Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! It goes without saying that this is the best set from the Chronicles range so far and I really hope this approach is taken forward in the future as it works so much better than the traditional Companion Chronicle style of adventure with just one or two actors. This feels genuine and part of that is down to the excellence of Jacob Dudman as the Eleventh Doctor who really brings this incarnation to life for Big Finish. It really is tremendous and it's so good that we get to expand on this era whilst Matt Smith is hitting the big time on the incredible House of the Dragon. I've been really impressed with Valarie as the new companion between Amy/Rory and Clara, and she has settled into the role so quickly. Starting this story with the Doctor having a cardiac arrest and being pronounced deceased before the opening titles had even hit showed that the episode meant business! I loved the atmosphere of unease when events started repeating and shifting, with Valarie then seemingly being the one to die with the Doctor intact. It was timey-wimey confusion and I love that. The Doctor being brought back to life thanks to the medibot was a little like cheating, but it was fun for the computer to be ignored. Of course the Doctor wasn't dead! I liked the isolated setting and with it being twenty-three light years into deep space. So the arrival of the Doctor and Valarie was quite the surprise! I thought the use of an infection in space was really well done, especially with the culprit not actually existing in this dimension. They just dropped in for a bite. The concept of the Time Spiders was terrific and I loved the idea of them actually being the ones to wove the Web of Time. Legend had it that they scuttled up and down its webs and now with the Time Lords being no more as their form of pest control, the time was ripe for a new opportunity to feast. They were a little late given that it was the War Doctor, not the Eleventh, who ended the Time War but better late than never! I was impressed with how well the Doctor sold the threat of the Spiders and just as he warned of the impact the egg sack breaching would have on the universe, it only went and split! Luna was a really good character on the ship and I liked her relationship with Vega. Delphine rounded out the cast nicely as we had a really strong set of characters. Valarie actually dying from the infection was a big surprise and with us not knowing her fate and the name of the episode, I could easily have bought that this would be her demise. She would die unless she was put into cryo-freeze and give the Doctor time to find a cure, and I loved her trust in the Time Lord as she didn't even hesitate. Vega not wanting to leave his ship despite the only course of action being to blow it up was admirable, and the Doctor would be staying too as he felt guilty for their presence as he suspected the Spiders hitched a ride on the TARDIS. The mother of the Time Spiders was very weary of the Doctor which was fun and hearing him and the crew whisper and sneak past a collection of the arachnids was eery stuff. I loved the idea of the Time Spiders protecting their eggs with a time loop as that explained the multiple timelines nicely, and the plan to use Valarie as bait was very good. The loop could be broken but she might die and that was something she accepted, but the Doctor took her place after the timeline in which she did die. He accepted death with no more regenerations left and that was a startling moment, it was worth it to save the universe from the Time Spiders. The miracle of the anti-venom arriving in a container was delightful and the Doctor had been playing the long game and using the time loop to his advantage to have been running analysis to find a cure since their arrival! I thought that was great stuff. The phone call at the end leaning into the overall story arc was really intriguing and it appears that the Doctor will soon meet another Time Lord, that is if he and Valarie can survive then TARDIS blowing up in a sensational cliffhanger! Overall, a marvellous episode to conclude a brilliant series. 

Rating: 9/10

Geronimo!: The House of Masks

"She wishes for us all to be washed away beneath the water."

Writer: Georgia Cook

Format: Audio

Released: October 2022

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 3.02

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie

Synopsis

For Valarie's first trip through time and space, the TARDIS takes them to one of the Doctor's favourite places: Venice, during Carnivale. 

Unfortunately, not everyone is there to enjoy the party. Captain Tomasi has a murder to commit, and he needs Valarie's help to do it...

Verdict

The House of Masks was another tremendous audio adventure to continue my way through the Geronimo! third series of Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! This followed up The Inheritance in spectacular fashion and this is shaping up to be quite the memorable volume of adventures. I'm loving the full cast nature of the episodes and following on immediately where the previous story left off was good, although the TARDIS wasn't so much hijacked as it appeared in the cliffhanger. The TARDIS was drawn to Venice though against its will and was tracking a mysterious caller which is fascinating given what we know of the 'woman on the phone' that would come in The Bells of Saint John to unite the Doctor and Clara. Is Missy up to her old tricks again perhaps? I'd love for that to be the case. I thought it was great to take the Eleventh Doctor back to Venice as it's a really brilliant setting with so much potential. I really enjoyed his reference to The Vampires of Venice with the fish-eating vampires causing chaos in the city, and despite that it was a place the Doctor loved. He was thrilled to arrive during the Carnivale which was something I didn't have knowledge of prior to listening to this story, but it worked well and added to the fun of the eighteenth century setting. For Valarie's first trip in the TARDIS, this was a really strong one and she was pretty darn excellent. I'm already a big fan of hers and I'm very excited by the prospect of another ten adventures with her as companion! The mentions to Clara are a good reminder of the Doctor's intentions in the long run. Valarie's reaction to the psychic paper and knowing all about it showed she was no ordinary companion and knew the science behind it like it was nothing! She also seemed to have a universal translator in her systems which also meant the Doctor couldn't show off the TARDIS translation circuits! The opposing sides of Sicura and Tomasi at the party were intriguing and I loved how the background of their rivalry and history was explained as the episode went on. Sicura heading the house and being in control was fantastic and I loved that there was no way out. That's always fun to tackle. The pause that occurred by the party guests when the Doctor and Valarie tried to leave was startlingly uncomfortable with the silence. The passengers all being puppets following a devastating crash during the previous year's Carnivale was a brilliant revelation and Sicura now had lured in all of the people as puppets to represent those that died in the crash. She couldn't report all of the fatalities, but Tomasi was the ship's captain and the only other survivor. He knew the truth and was horrified but was completely stuck in a nightmare. His reaction to the Doctor and Valarie as newcomers sparked hope which was lovely and I liked his development from a supposed murderer to helping free everyone. The power diverter was a good aim to get and trying to ensure the ship returned to manual control by using it was great stuff. Sicura was able to be talked out of the horrifying situation she was in control of, and that sparked an incredibly heartfelt moment between the Doctor and Valarie. He needed her to know the scale of deaths he had caused in the Time War and the explanation of its horrors and the only way to end it for the sake of the universe was sublime stuff. I was a massive fan of that and the Doctor obviously still carries it with him, whilst she has shared trauma with her mum's recent death still being a fresh wound. The semi-cliffhanger finish of the mysterious caller supposedly having called the TARDIS from everywhere at once was really interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays into the finale! Overall, a superb audio! 

Rating: 10/10

Geronimo!: The Inheritance

"You brought a bomb to our house!"

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: October 2022

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 3.01

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie

Synopsis

For Patricia and Valarie Lockwood, it was to be an evening like any other. Dinner with a few friends, a chance to unwind and forget the horrors of the world. However, their plans are disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious stranger. A man who brings tragedy in his wake. 

Verdict

The Inheritance was an outstanding start to the Geronimo! third volume of Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! Whilst this is the third instalment of Chronicles for the Eleventh Doctor, this very much feels like a fresh start with the introduction of Valarie as a new companion! I'm all in favour of giving this incarnation of the Doctor a new companion because there is a lot of room for manoeuvring given the nature of Steven Moffat's storytelling during his tenure. We've already had Alice join for Titan Comics in an earlier gap, but this series and beyond looks set to utilise the gap between The Snowmen and The Bells of Saint John which is so fun. We even get a prologue titled Clara where we have the Doctor enlisting the help of some of his oldest and dearest friends including the Brigadier and River Song to try and find a Clara Oswin Oswald. She needs saving and to be found, and the Doctor is determined to find her which is lovely. He's not just sulking on a cloud anymore which is nice! I thought the humour of his arrival at the RYC Bar as the initials were the same as Run You Clever Boy And Remember was magnificent, and the Doctor's defeated reaction to it just being a bar for a yacht club was glorious. I was such a fan of that. I really enjoyed the 54th century setting and the punk rock vibe this episode had. It felt very much like Blade Runner which was cool and Valarie not being wholly organic will provide an added dimension to her character as a companion. This serves as quite the introduction for her as we experience the death of her mother Patricia which obviously makes her pretty vulnerable so it's a big task for the Doctor to keep her focused despite the emotional torment that would occur. The idea of Earth being plagued with an infection in its own currency was very intriguing, especially when it was all digital by this point in history! Arabella was a brilliant villain as the head of the Fulcrum and that whole organisation was fascinating. The idea of UNIT files being used this far into the future was delightful and the Doctor was still being tasked with answering distress calls. Even if he was very late! The very concept of a buy-to-live scheme was excellent and I loved that with Arabella unwilling to delete the currency from Earth, everyone had to spend it! That was exciting stuff. I liked how the Doctor was blackmailed into finding a cure with the TARDIS held hostage, but when he didn't have one he tried to fake his way out which was really good. The balance of life versus profit was brilliant throughout and it really highlighted where some people stood. There could only be one answer. I loved the Doctor's reply of 'always' when asked if he'd risk everything just for one girl and that was exactly true for Valarie. I was mightily impressed with Jacob Dudman's take on the Eleventh Doctor. It really was uncanny and could have fooled me if they put Matt Smith's name in the credits! It was that good. The outrage the Doctor felt towards Arabella for her lack of heart was incredible and a shining moment as he had no issues in adding her to his conscience considering he'd already wiped out his home planet. It's pretty rare we see the Doctor actually encourage someone dying, but that's how horrified he was by Arabella. I get the feeling she might be back in the future, but it was all about Valarie from there and her no longer being in the hospital and it being two weeks later for her when the Doctor returned was amusing. He's never been great at timekeeping! The irony. The cliffhanger of the TARDIS being hijacked after we had a lovely moment of Valarie stepping inside for the first time was nice and I appreciate the continuity and story arc I expect we'll get. Overall, a perfect start! 

Rating: 10/10

The Hesitation Deviation

"I would like you to help me forget the Doctor."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: December 2016

Series: Short Trips 6.12

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

The Doctor brings Bernice Summerfield to a planet where they get Christmas just right. But this year, something's gone very wrong. An ancient force has been hunting the Doctor for a long time, and finally, it has found him. As it closes in on the Time Lord, Bernice must make a truly terrible decision. One that she'll immediately forget.

Verdict

The Hesitation Deviation was an outstanding little Short Trips adventure! It’s not often I give out a perfect rating in this range and that’s often down to the format and the stories just being a little too short to be really fleshed out, but this was just tremendous from start to finish! I really loved this story and I had no thoughts or expectations heading in which probably helped its case, and it came quite spontaneously as a download error on the Big Finish app meant I couldn’t continue with my initial planned audio and had to fill the time on my lunch break with this rather quickly! It started brilliantly with Benny heading to a robot therapist. That in of itself was a fun basis but then the idea of her wanting to erase all memories of the Doctor was very shocking! That all would come around to tie together nicely as the audio developed, but for a way to start a story it was excellent and just unfathomable to think it would happen. Benny’s comments about the Doctor were actually really great and I loved the idea of him being the universe’s best friend. That’s such a simple and perfect description of the Doctor. Benny was not shy in hiding the conflicting thoughts she has about the Doctor with him being both brilliant and annoying. The planet of Christmas was a fantastic setting and I loved that it did the celebration better than anyone else. It did it right in banning all mentions of Christmas until a fortnight before the actual day itself and that would be something I would endorse happening in this country! The media go absolutely crazy so a ban on a mention of it would go down nicely with me. The Doctor and Benny coming there for a celebration was good stuff. Lisa Bowerman was tremendous as the narrator and she really brings a nice personality to Benny. I still haven’t experienced Bernice’s timeline in any kind of chronological order but I’m a huge fan of hers and she brings a bit more maturity to the companion role alongside independence. That was clear with her wanting an alcoholic drink which is simple but a really good example of her being different as a companion. Benny’s intuition in something being wrong on the planet was very good and it was a little sad that on a Christmas celebration planet, the children were not talking. That’s a sure fire sign that something is wrong. Benny describing her life with the Doctor as mending the pot holes of the universe was excellent and just a tremendous description of life. I loved that a lot. The suggestion of these events being the last time Benny would be with the Doctor was a shock and I adored the self mockery of her description of finally finding a soldier with a good shot. Surely it was the law of averages that she would get hit! It was a peaceful world and the sudden turn of events when all eyes were on the Doctor and Benny was a fine injection of darkness. The suggestion of the Doctor having been running from the ultimate weapon for a long time was wonderful and that weapon being words was magnificent! I loved how the ultimate weapon was described as powerful, cunning, self-sustaining and persistent, and that could only mean it was words! What else would be used to take on the Doctor? The concept of the virus being hidden in the pauses between words was superb. I adored that and it was so simple but incredibly effective. Benny pondering on the Doctor’s question of if her life would be better without the Doctor was really interesting and a strong point of discussion to be had. The virus getting stuck in the robot when Benny asked to forget the Doctor was brilliant and a really simple and effective way to defeat it. I was a big fan. Overall, a quite glorious adventure!

Rating: 10/10

Journey's End

"Behold the might of the true Dalek race."

Writer: Russell T Davies 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 05 July 2018

Series: 4.13

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna, Rose, Martha, Captain Jack, Sarah Jane, Mickey

Synopsis 

As Davros and the Daleks threaten the entire universe, the Doctor's companions join forces. However, the prophecy declares that one of them will die...

Verdict 

Journey's End is an excellent episode to conclude the fourth series of Doctor Who! It really does feel like a finale even more so than other series of the modern era because in a way it kind of does bring the curtain down on a large aspect of the era. It’s the last series for the Tenth Doctor. Donna departs as a regular companion and it’s an emotional end for Rose. We also see Martha, Captain Jack, Sarah Jane, Mickey and more for the last time that’s not a cameo in this era and it all ties up very nicely with Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures teams having a strong involvement. Of course, it picks up where The Stolen Earth left off with the Doctor mid-regeneration and the use of the hand in the jar is still something I question. I remember being a little disappointed on broadcast that we weren’t getting a new Doctor as I’m a sucker for a regeneration. I had myself wondering here if the skipped change here will have anything to do with the Fourteenth Doctor taking a familiar form. I’m not entirely sure what but with Donna also set to return I can’t help but feel this episode will play at least a small part. The helplessness of the Doctor and his companions here is staggering and it’s incredible really to see the Daleks and Davros almost in complete control. They render the TARDIS useless and this usual safe haven is nothing more than a wooden box. That’s quite the concept to deal with! Once the regeneration change doesn’t happen, the reaction of Jack is still something I adore and it’s nice for Rose to still have her Doctor there. She’d come a long way! The mentions of the Dimension Canon were good and I thought that was fun to hear now I’ve blogged the first two series of Rose’s spin-off series for Big Finish under the same title. That was good. Mickey and Jackie showing up to save Sarah Jane was terrific and we really did have everyone together! I loved that Rose was able to see how good Martha was when she was threatening Davros with the Austerhagen key, and her reaction towards Rose was wonderful as she knew the Doctor had finally found her. One benefit of Davros destroying all of reality and seeing the walls between dimensions break down! The meeting between the Doctor and Davros is great with the former able to goad the latter from his position in the vault as his own creations’ pet. He didn’t take well to that and the deranged and maniacal performance is Davros at his best. He almost gets consumed when his plan of the reality bomb is coming into fruition which is just tremendous to see. This is also a stellar performance from David Tennant as the Doctor. On more than one occasion he shows such despair at what’s happening. The scale and audacity of the reality bomb is one thing, but the idea of his former companions being weaponised hurts the most. That’s a very powerful thing and is arguably Davros at his best. He revels in the Doctor’s sorrow. As if losing the TARDIS and Donna wasn’t enough! The arrival of the Meta-Crisis Doctor is sensational and whilst it’s probably slightly far fetched, it’s so much fun to have a version of the Tenth Doctor that has a bit of Donna thrown in. Yes he arrived naked in all his glory, but the moments where he and Donna bounce off each other with insults and he’s shushing her is just tremendous. It’s so well done. I love the acknowledgement of Genesis of the Daleks with Davros recognising Sarah Jane from being there on Skaro at the creation of the Daleks, and it’s lovely that she mentions she’s learned to fight since then. It’s a magnificent moment. The return of the TARDIS is brilliant just as Davros thinks he’s wiped out reality, with the reactions to another version of the Doctor being stellar. Jack’s thoughts are quite something! But it’s Donna who then steals the show amidst the backdrop of warnings from Dalek Caan that one child of time would still die. That was so ominous and this version of Caan is chilling. I’d love to get a depiction of him in the Time War. Davros shooting Donna with the electric bolt and giving her the boost she required to become the Doctor-Donna and part-Time Lord was good stuff and Catherine Tate just owns it. She revels in her newfound knowledge and defeats the Daleks with relative ease sending 26 planets back home. The way everything comes together at the end with Mr Smith linking the Torchwood Rift around the TARDIS brings all three shows together very nicely. There’s even a lovely reference to The Unquiet Dead as the Doctor and Rose see Gwen who looks very familiar! The moment on the beach with Rose back home in the parallel universe is strong stuff as she is told she has to carry the burden of the new Meta-Crisis Doctor. He can grow old with her and he even tells her he loves her, just what the actual Doctor didn’t get to say in Doomsday. That just had to be tough for the Doctor to see a version of himself get to have a life with Rose that he never could. I’d never really considered that before so that hit home here. The ending with Donna is so sad as she realises what’s going on and having her memory wiped is such a shame. I don’t like it when that happens but the emotion here was uncharted. It’s a somber end for an incredible companion! Overall, a sensational episode. 

Rating: 10/10

The Stolen Earth

"Now the Daleks are the masters of Earth!"

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: April 2023

Series: 4.12

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna, Martha, Rose, Captain Jack, Sarah Jane

Synopsis 

Earth's greatest heroes join together to fight the invading force of the new Dalek Empire, but lurking in the shadows is an old and familiar enemy long thought dead...

Verdict 

The Stolen Earth was a magnificent episode to continue my way through the modern era of Doctor Who alongside my girlfriend Gemma. This is very much her era of the show and with her being a huge Rose fan, having her return here in full form alongside the Doctor and an all star ensemble of companions is tremendous. I like to banter with her about Martha as she’s not a fan of her so I was keen to point out that our saviour was here who walked the Earth spreading the message of the Doctor. After the cliffhanger ending of Turn Left with the Bad Wolf connotations and Rose returning, the way her reunion with the Doctor was built up was fantastic. Of course, before that happens we are reintroduced to a whole host of companions as this episode really sets the scene for a celebration of Doctor Who and its spin-offs. Martha takes centre stage at UNIT which is really good and from there we see the Torchwood team which is super fun to get Gwen and Ianto in Doctor Who. The moment where Gwen is on the phone to Rhys is a nice touch and shows respect to Torchwood whilst Ianto got some humour when watching Paul O’Grady’s take on the planets in the sky. Sarah Jane and Luke featuring was fantastic too and it’s nice to incorporate The Sarah Jane Adventures. Mr Smith gets a moment to shine with his grand entrance which was good and Wilf also arrives on the scene to steal the show with a different shine in the form of a paint gun. That being his defence against the Daleks was wonderful and the way he asked Rose if she’d like to swap after her gun destroyed the Dalek was brilliant. This episode really does have the Daleks at their best as we hear UNIT declare that Earth surrenders and the reactions of Jack and Sarah when they hear that it is the Daleks at the centre of the planetary web is outstanding. We’re introduced to the Supreme Dalek who looks resplendent in red and the return of Dalek Caan is marvellous. Now referred to as the Abomination, the appearance of being battered is terrific. And then of course there’s Davros. The way he was lurking in the shadows before we fully see him is fantastic stuff and I love how Donna’s reaction sold everything about his appearance as his face appeared on the video call. Sarah’s reaction was excellent as well as she remembered the events of Genesis of the Daleks where he was seemingly killed, yet here he was to confront the Doctor once again. Tennant was brilliant in selling what Davros being alive meant and the fact that Dalek Caan’s emergency temporal shift at the end of Evolution of the Daleks took him back into the Time War itself was brilliant. A fine way for them to escape and make the Daleks born again, literally from Davros himself. That was a chilling image. The scenes at the Shadow Proclamation could easily get lost in the shuffle but they were really good in explaining the situation with planets disappearing. It tied in nicely with the series arc with Adipose III and Pyrovilia also going missing. The Doctor’s introduction to the Judoon was brilliant and I adored Donna’s reaction. It’s a shame we didn’t get more of the rhino police! The cliffhanger finish to this episode is sensational and I remember my reaction on broadcast being one of pure shock and confusion. I’d already seen in the newspapers that David Tennant had been spotted filming The Next Doctor, so how could he be regenerating here? The emotion with Rose was superb. Overall, a superb episode!

Rating: 10