Once and Future: The Union

"I'm hearing all the old tunes."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: October 2023

Series: Once and Future 07

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Fourth Doctor, War Doctor, River, Susan

Synopsis

The Doctor responds to a distress call from his granddaughter, Susan, taking him to the Diamond Array: a huge multidimensional space station. Once there, his instability increases, as the Fourth and Eighth Doctors discover the Array's terrible purpose. 

Meanwhile, River Song has made a deadly alliance to try to save her husband. And the truth about the Doctor's degeneration will finally be revealed.

Verdict

The Union was a tremendous way to conclude the Once and Future sixtieth anniversary celebration from Big Finish! This has been a unique saga to serve as the anniversary specials from Big Finish but after a shaky start and some comical fan backlash, this was a phenomenal way to end. Does everything make sense? Probably not. But I think some fans are looking too much into it. This is a celebration and this does a more than decent job of bringing together so many characters and incarnations of the Doctor. I quite liked how the representation of the Doctor here felt a little more equal for each incarnation as we heard from nearly all of them! The Eighth and Fourth Doctor get the cover artwork, but there is also an extended stay for the War Doctor, unexpected cameos from the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, as well as a really touching moment for the First Doctor. I thought that was so well done and having Susan present in the companion role was brilliant. Here we are celebrating a diamond anniversary and the companion is the same one we started with in An Unearthly Child way back in 1963. There really is something quite magical about that. Alluding to the speech the First Doctor gave at the end of The Dalek Invasion of Earth was really poignant and when the Doctor announced he wasn’t mistaken in his beliefs it really did bring a tear to my eye. It was really emotional stuff and I loved it. Susan has come along way and I thought it was lovely that the Tenth Doctor in particular got to see her. His reaction was beautiful and I bet Tennant revelled in that. Jacob Dudman being on hand to provide the voices of the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors was fantastic and I’m glad they got a chance to feature. The Eighth Doctor stabilising the degeneration was good and I liked that Susan was also something he could use as an anchor because of his familial connection. River Song also noted how she was the one the Doctor wanted to impress most and had done so first. All other companions subsequently were treated in similar fashion. That was a nice touch. Susan recognising River from An Unearthly Woman was a nice touch and strong continuity. They got on really well. The truth coming out about the degeneration weapon and how it was actually the War Doctor who was hit with it was a nice twist after all the insinuations that it was the Eighth Doctor! The idea of all of the Doctors suppressing the one who didn’t take the name was fantastic and I also loved the in humour regarding the numbering system going awry when this happened. Susan commenting how things got complicated in the future was marvellous humour. The Union being revealed as an amalgamation of the Two, Eleven, Nine, Twelve etc Time Lord was very well done and I think it certainly helped to have had Two’s Company earlier in the series. It was logical and explained the motive with the Union wanting other Time Lords to have some sort of experience of what they had gone through across their multiple lifetimes. The way things were put right and the in jokes to diamonds and the anniversary was really well done, and as a whole this was just a stellar and fun celebration! There was a lot to love. It’s a shame we didn’t have all of the original actors to play each incarnation, but they were all represented admirably. Overall, a superb episode!

Rating: 10/10

Every Dog Has His Day

"All humans must die."

Writer: Unknown 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 1980

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1981

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

On a world where humans are far from welcomed, the hopes of the Doctor and Romana lie with their robot canine friend.

Verdict

Every Dog Has His Day wasn’t the greatest of comic strip stories to kick off my reading of the 1981 Doctor Who Annual. Now, these stories are about as whacky as Doctor Who gets because they don’t often carry all of the rights for likenesses which hurts the story, but we also don’t even know who wrote or drew this adventure! That’s a shame because some of the artwork is actually really good. I’m a fan of the colours and it certainly has a vibrant feel, but I think right from the off the tone is a bad one set with how completely inaccurate the likeness for Romana II as companion is. The artwork is so bland and incredibly generic. It’s clear no effort has been made to capture the likeness of Lalla Ward which is a shame because it just doesn’t feel authentic right from the off. I know this is a book aimed at the younger audience and I’m sure fans of a certain age would barely have noticed the companion here doesn’t resemble Romana, in either incarnation, but for this reader some 43 years later it is a bit frustrating. Especially when the drawing of the Fourth Doctor and K9 was so good! I love the retro feel of the story and that’s a big part of my enjoyment, but I have to say the story is a bit bland and doesn’t really match the imagery. Now, there’s only so much that can be done in six pages and that’s evident by the decline in quality of Doctor Who Magazine comic strip stories since the pandemic saw it reduced in size, but it was just a bit boring which is a shame. There were so many references to the robots being programmed to eliminate humans so why couldn’t the Doctor and Romana just confirm their species as Time Lord? That was a bit odd, especially when they were referred to as Time Lords in the narration. The title of the comic strip makes it clear which direction things are going to finish in with K9 being the hero, and in a story that is this short I’m fine with that. It’s basically a spoiler but K9 is a fun character so I don’t mind. A bit more of his traditional humour with the Doctor should have been included, but him not being human was enough of a differentiation for him to infiltrate the robot headquartered and programme the robots after a simple comment. Danesman wouldn’t require them once he had his robot army and with that the creator was dead as the revolt ensued! It was quite the revolution that happened at pace. It was exciting for a conclusion, but the build there was predictable and a little easy. The Doctor’s suggestion of using K9 as a Trojan horse was good considering we saw him come up with that idea way back in The Myth Makers, so reverting back to it was quite fun even if it was far too easy for K9 to get into command. Describing the revolution as oily was not my favourite description, although the ending with K9 wearing a crown and being proclaimed robot king was good stuff. The Doctor had always wondered what the K stood for, but where did the crown come from? Regardless, overall some fun stuff and good artwork but there was something lacking for sure.

Rating: 5/10

Wet Walls

"They're only wet at night."

Writer: Mathilde Madden

Format: Audio

Released: July 2020

Series: Short Trips 3.05

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The walls of a Manor House are dripping wet at night. But why can only mad Lady Catherine – and Peri – see it?

Verdict

Wet Walls was an excellent little Short Trips adventure! I thought this was terrific from start to finish and really flew by. For once in this range, the sixteen minutes run time didn’t actually feel too short and whilst I’m sure it could have benefitted from being longer I didn’t get the feeling that this was a missed opportunity or a story that needed more time. It was great stuff. I thought the atmosphere and tone of the adventure was impressive and with this being a somewhat spooky story, it certainly helped that I was listening to this close to Halloween. It was very much in vibe with my life at the moment as my household is one that enjoys Halloween very much. We’d actually watched a horror last night in the form of Smile and this morning went pumpkin picking so this was certainly a good time to listen to this kind of story. I liked the setting of Shropshire in 1903 as that’s quite niche in terms of setting and year, so a haunted house was terrific. Gretchen as the head of the house looking after Lady Catherine was a good character and it was fun for Peri to mention the Doctor’s title as a serendipitous way to gain entry. Catherine was in need of a doctor and it soon became clear why. The idea of walls dripping wet but only at night was good and the Doctor being at a disadvantage was a fun twist. To him, everything was bone dry but Peri was his eyes and ears across all senses really. The revelation that came regarding the house being a womb was intriguing and whilst it might sound silly on paper, it actually worked very well. It explained the wetness and the structure of the house was decent as a makeshift home for a fetus. That unborn baby being under the bed was good to tie in with the horror theme. Peri had confidence which was great and I liked how the Doctor was essentially helpless without her. The introduction of the Calopia species was good and I think it was good to give them a voice but they didn’t stick around or feature for long. That was the right direction in my opinion. The reaction to finding out the Doctor was male was humorous but he seemed to know all about the Calopians which was helpful to the listener! They were a single sex species but they needed to live in pairs. That’s what had occurred here as a joy ride crash had resulted in one dying so a ship couldn’t operate without two pilots. Hence the effort to create another and the house was the right structure for that, except its readings had told that it was deserted. Of course, that wasn’t the case and the Doctor was on hand to raise that discrepancy. A quick conversation was all that was required and a rejig of the alien controls meant that one could pilot it now. And alas it was really that simple to send the ship on its way and revert the house to normal. The walls would be wet no longer. Overall, a fantastic story!

Rating: 9/10

Save Our Souls

"The afterlife is cold and dark"

Writer: Scott Handcock

Format: Audio

Released: July 2020

Series: Torchwood Monthly 40

Featuring: Queen Victoria

Synopsis

An experimental radio mast has been set up on a remote island. It has been picking up signals – a voice that claims it knows the future.

Five people have come to the island to hear the voice. A scientist, a soldier, a medium, an alienist and the most powerful woman int he world. The voice has something to say to all of them. It starts by saying who will be the first to die.

Verdict

Save Our Souls was another tremendous Torchwood episode as I make my way through the monthly adventures from Big Finish! For whatever reason, I was a little disheartened and honestly far from excited to find that the next story was focused on Queen Victoria, but the quality of Torchwood rarely waivers and this was another stellar listen. Victoria is actually a really strong character and whilst she’s played here beautifully by Rowena Cooper, this isn’t quite the version we saw in Tooth and Claw on screen. Torchwood is firmly up and running here with Florence a member and at the island with her Queen for her protection. I love exploring the Victorian era of Torchwood so this was a good insight into its early running. It being set up to protect the interests of the British Empire is really strong and this extraterrestrial threat here certainly warranted attention. This was a good mixture of a whodunnit and the supernatural by combining both, except the threat here called its play before it even happened. It was brash and confident which left little doubt as to who did the killing, and yet blame was still bandied about. I thought the first death of Okonjo was really well done and giving a warning of six minutes was very good because that stayed real time with the listener (I assume! I didn’t count but it felt like six minutes). Captain Henry wanting to go to the extreme to prove the transmitted voice wrong by just shooting Okonjo before the six minutes were up was quite a fun and incredible suggestion that of course wouldn’t get approval. And with the Queen around that was something that was certainly required. The use of a voice from seemingly the beyond fed in nicely to the grief felt by Victoria regarding Bertie. With Albert passed, Victoria did wonder if Torchwood would get the same kind of funding which I enjoyed. Okonjo being suggested as a fraud and then dying in a quite complicated and confusingly humorous way with a trip and a gun shot was intriguing. The voice was right and it didn’t want to stop with just one prediction. They’d all be dead by the morning, except one. That was an ominous warning but not once did Victoria back down and that was fantastic. She was such a strong character. With just her and Florence back, she provided a test to her Torchwood subject and she failed miserably. Offering her a gun and Florence actually going to shoot Victoria was a big surprise but the twist of her not having loaded the gun was excellent! Florence was confused and then the moment where Victoria revealed the gun came in pairs and shot her was sensational. She would survive. She endured. On she went. Her discussion with the creature at the end was a really fitting way to conclude things as the calm nature in which she just had a discussion with it was interesting and it just felt right. I think that’s because it was a different pace to the rest of the audio and it made Victoria feel totally in control. I didn’t share her sentiment about not caring what the creature actually was because I actually would have enjoyed to know, but that exuded power. Overall, a great listen! I actually look forward to more Victoria!

Rating: 9/10

Dinner and a Show

"Why can't aliens enjoy opera like everyone else?"

Writer: Gareth David-Lloyd

Format: Audio

Released: June 2020

Series: Torchwood Monthly 39

Featuring: Tosh, Ianto

Synopsis

It's February 14th and Owen is a no-show for Toshiko's not-Valentine's-Valentine's Night at the opera.

Worse, when Ianto turns up he has bad news for Toshiko, for Cardiff and for fans of classical music – the opera is full of aliens. The doors are bolted, there's no way out, and this could be the final curtain...

Verdict

Dinner and a Show was an excellent episode to continue my through the monthly Torchwood adventures from Big Finish! I was excited by the prospect of a familiar pairing with Tosh and Ianto and I think it’s overdue for these two characters to flank a story together. They’re tremendous and really have a lot riding for them. I thought the placement of between Series 1 and 2 was good as the Valentine’s Day setting became very important. Tosh trying to hide the fact she’d invited Owen on a date was a little sad as I thought she’d be able to admit to that in front of Ianto, so to find out that he’d thrown his ticket to the opera in the bin was a big shame. That would have hurt Tosh. She certainly deserves better. And so does Ianto! Jack disappearing at the end of End of Days is being felt here as both Torchwood members wonder if the organisation could go on for much longer without their cult figure leader. I think that’s quite fun and ironic given where we are now with Among Us and beyond, but Jack was so important to Torchwood at this time. He was Torchwood almost. Exploring the time where he was missing was terrific and there’s definitely a lot of room to explore there! Ianto was missing him now and the feelings he had for Jack being replicated by Tosh’s for Owen was good to explore and that meant they could both console each other and have an enjoyable evening at the opera. Or so that’s how it ought to have gone. Tosh being drunk when Ianto showed up in Owen’s place was good fun and I thought Naoko Mori played it so well! She was a lot of fun. Ianto was quite shocked to find how much alcohol she had consumed but that meant she’d let her hair down considerably. Learning about Ianto’s past and his gothic phase was not something I’d have expected, but his comment to Tosh about her being a prime candidate for going through something similar was hilarious! The opera concert setting worked better than it sounded on paper and that might have something to do with the fact that 30% of the attendees were alien! That was a good revelation and it was no wonder numerous alarms went off at the Hub. Ianto referencing The Last Beacon and his time spent with Owen in a bid to get to know him better was strong continuity but Tosh’s questioning on why he’d do that made her feelings seem a little hypocritical! I thought Ilmatar was an excellent character and the twist of him being in league with the Grosche as his biggest fans was very well done. I didn’t see that coming! I thought the idea of Ilmatar almost being an intergalactic superstar and his opera performances almost being interpreted sexually as the embarrassment they felt when the feelings reached a certain level was terrific. It was believable as far as outer space fantasies go! I like the ambiguous ending with Ilmatar escaping at the end and potentially leaving a return open for the future. The note being used to literally ignite an attendee was quite shocking but something I thought was good! I thought tying things together with Ianto and Tosh being on the roof that we saw Jack take Gwen to when she first started at Torchwood was a lovely touch. But what a view! And this was some dinner and show. Overall, a poignant and really strong episode.

Rating: 9/10

Mother's Little Helper

"Where there are prizes, there are hunters."

Writer: Matthew Jones

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1998

Printed in: Short Trips 10

Featuring: Second Doctor

Synopsis

From Neolithic Earth to the furthest reaches of the universe in the far future, Short Trips brings together established Doctor Who authors and first-time writers in a collection of stories exploring the ever-changing worlds of the Doctor and his friends.

Witness the last days of the siege of Masada with the First Doctor and meet the Fourth Doctor's extraordinary 'old flame'. An evil enemy makes life difficult for the Seventh and Third Doctors, and while the Fifth Doctor is under attack on a sinister ship shrouded in fog, the Second may soon be guilty of a grave error of judgement... The Sixth Doctor's hopes of a holiday are dashed when he discovers a pleasure planet is hiding a shocking secret, and the Eighth Doctor is caught up in a deadly drama played out during the construction of Stonehenge.

And, of course, that's just the beginning...

Verdict

Mother's Little Helper was a great little story to continue my reading through the first volume of Short Trips! I really enjoyed this tale and it felt a little unique. For some reason it doesn’t feel right to associate any kind of more mature or adult content with the Second Doctor. I just couldn’t imagine it going well on screen and I think that translates into other formats too. Now I’m not saying I’d have enjoyed the Combat Rock novel any more than I did if it featured a Doctor other than the second incarnation, but he seems the most loveable and playable. So that kind of content just seems so out of place with him. So when things started here with Nanci seeing her boyfriend with his hands up the blouse of her best friend I was a little surprised! But then I realise things got quite fun and experimental in the wilderness years as the kids who watched Doctor Who grew up but still wanted to experience this world. This book was obviously released then and I quite liked it. It felt very real world. I thought the way the book firmly pointed out that the pair were now her ex boyfriend and ex best friend was really good. Nanci was already struggling slightly being an American out of her country and things were about to get a whole lot weirder with a strange little boy on the run from a scornful woman. The emergence of the Doctor was good and it’s incredibly rare to be getting a solo outing for the Second Doctor. There’s no room for that in on screen continuity so some sort of mention of the whereabouts of his companions would have been beneficial. It’s just a little thing but it would tie things up nicely and provide a little explanation. That’s not to say the companions were missed or anything, Nanci filled that role well. The Doctor almost teasing her about it being time for her tea was good and well natured but she really was fearful of her mother if she stayed out too long. Especially talking to a stranger! When the Doctor heard that word I loved that he quickly introduced himself. Nanci liked him and that made the whole vibe of the story rather nice. I thought the concept of the boy was very good as basically an empath but the twist of him kind of being the son of the unnamed woman was intriguing. He basically existed to take all of her bad feelings away which was a little horrifying and quite evil. Imagine being built up with bad feelings that weren’t even your own? That hardly sounds fair. No wonder he was on the run from her. The Doctor being on hand to discuss with the woman why her actions were wrong was good but she wasn’t mothered. She just deemed him as the titular little helper with her being the mother. She was selfish and that was that. Momentarily I was getting vibes of the Rani from the description of her appearance and ship, but that was quickly dispelled as events rolled on. Imagine an early meeting here though? That would have been fun and the kind of experiment potential with the boy would have been right up her alley. The woman’s selfishness showed no abounds though once she had Nanci kidnapped because she was attempting to use the metallic band around her neck to scorch her. It started and Nanci even realised that her own skin was burning. That’s what she could smell. That is a frightening prospect, but the way the boy was on hand to take all of the heat and fire from her and the device was fantastic. It didn’t matter that the woman had thrown the controlling key into the sea, which was devilish, he’d got control now and he’d be a helper no more. He channeled that energy into the woman who saw a fitting demise. I thought the way things finished with Nanci looking onto the town through her telescope and the Doctor impossibly stopping and waving at her was a lovely touch. Overall, a great read! 

Rating: 8/10

Rogues Gallery: Till Death Us Do Part

"They gravitate to broken hearts."

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: October 2023

Series: Paternoster Gang 5.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

Cases are mounting for the Paternoster Gang. Three mysteries call for immediate attention: a murder, a locked room conundrum, and some acts of random vandalism. But is there a connection?

As Jenny goes undercover and Strax stakes out the suspects, Vastra finds an echo of the distant past which could be the key to the solution.

Verdict

Till Death Us Do Part was an excellent episode to conclude my listening of the Rogues Gallery series of adventures for the Paternoster Gang! This has been a really strong and consistent series where they may just have saved the best until last! I thought the premise of this story was really good and it was quite lovely to hear how much Jenny wanted to have an actual wedding with Vastra. They were married but hadn’t actually had a wedding which was a shame, but at least when the opportunity arose here the Doctor was present. As far as he was concerned, this was his first meeting with the Paternoster Gang which quite fun considering how they came together as a force, but for them this was a face they didn’t recognise. I was surprised that the Doctor didn’t actually appear for much of the episode but when he did it was terrific. I enjoyed some of the reactions Jenny got when referring to Vastra as her wife as not only were same sex relationships beyond thought ludicrous for the Victorian era, but a woman and an actual Silurian being wed would probably go down even less favourably! I thought the story behind Miss Faversham was very intriguing and the horror she endured after being jilted at the altar was powerful. She was clearly hurt in a big way but I wasn’t expecting it to be to the extent that she hadn’t taken off her wedding dress for over thirty years! That’s an extraordinary claim and I can’t imagine that. Crikey she must have smelled! Jenny’s serious comments about having the windows open for a reason were very humorous although I thought it was quite grotesque for Faversham to mention skimming the top layer of the bath water when she was finally convinced to take off the dress. The fact she offered the bath water to others after having her first wash in thirty years is just barmy! Who would possibly take up that offer? The involvement of the Doctor was fun and him actually being the one that Faversham was to marry was most unexpected! I really didn’t see that coming so that was a super fun revelation, especially with the Doctor being none the wiser. The duplicates that appeared on the episode were good fun and having a different Sontaran to Strax was good along with Jenny seemingly marrying another Vastra! It explained the Doctor being the groom without him knowing, but it was a shame for Jenny. Vastra didn’t even want a wedding but then the duplicate comments were hurtful. The crimes of passion happening also made for some stern and hurtful comments but them spreading across London was excellent. The fact they nearly went even further if the wedding dress was burned was terrific as the Vex Mites were thriving on it. Imagine thirty years of feeding on a broken heart? The simplicity in drowning the Vex Queen that didn’t put up a fight was good and effective, and it helps to have someone like Vastra as part of the Paternoster Gang who knew how to deal with this kind of threat. And even had the knowledge on them. The ambiguity at the end regarding the duplicate was good and I’m sure that’ll tie in further as we delve deeper into the trespassers umbrella title, but for now this was a fun adventure and a nice welcome to include the Eighth Doctor in this series. Overall, a superb listen!

Rating: 9/10

Rogues Gallery: Symmetry of Death

"Fight your conditioning, not me."

Writer: Dan Starkey

Format: Audio

Released: October 2023

Series: Paternoster Gang 5.02

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

Cases are mounting for the Paternoster Gang. Three mysteries call for immediate attention: a murder, a locked room conundrum, and some acts of random vandalism. But is there a connection?

As Jenny goes undercover and Strax stakes out the suspects, Vastra finds an echo of the distant past which could be the key to the solution.

Verdict

Symmetry of Death was another strong episode to continue my way through the Rogues Gallery series of adventures for the Paternoster Gang! This is what I’d describe as a typical story for the trio and it was a really fun one at that. I thought they worked so well together and having them conjure up a list of goings on in Victorian London that required investigation and prioritising based on the threat to human life was fantastic. Of course, the threat of murder would take precedence over a missing person and damage to some London statues, but the first two becoming connected was done very well. Strax being trusted to go and investigate the missing person case alone was quite brave of Vastra if you ask me, but I thought his investigations were rather admirable! The missing person was actually something we heard in action and he was gone from a locked room on the top floor after the porter had shown him in! That was a strong mystery to kick things off. The timing was also intriguing as it fitted in with the murder and given the proximity to Paternoster Row both events had, it was hardly likely to be a coincidence. Vastra and Jenny investigating together was great and I really am a fan of theirs, although I think Jenny could have been featured a bit more in this episode. She’s been relatively quiet in the series so far which is a bit of a shame. Hopefully she stars in the finale! I thought the pace of the episode was strong as the Gang always felt like they were investigating or solving something as more clues pieced themselves together. Strax’s relationship with Crabbe was really strong and the humour that came from him constantly getting the Sontaran’s name wrong was good and didn’t overstay its welcome despite having the potential to do so. Vastra having a psychic connection with an ancient species not too dissimilar to hers was intriguing and the emotion that came from her interactions with Imogen were really strong. The impossibility of Vastra recognising the race that had been conditioned was brilliant and I liked the genuine emotional torment experienced. After so long asleep, it was such a waste for them to be dying. I think this series is taking a similar direction to Heritage as I am yet to find any kind of overlapping arc and I like that. The one in the previous batch of four boxsets was rather loose and I think that works as it doesn’t need to be the focus every episode. We can build in subtler ways. I like having independent stories and it does just work well to have the Paternoster Gang investigating mysterious happenings. I’m interested to see if there will be any aftermath from this story for Vastra after encountering a species close to hers and it’s one she seemed to admire. Vastra’s interaction with Imogen was very good and I liked how she went about in her veil without drawing attention to her Silurian species. Jenny pretending to be a boy was equally fun and the Victorian discussion on male involvement in female inheritance was terrific. Overall, another fun and entertaining episode!

Rating: 8/10

Rogues Gallery: The Ghost and the Potato Man

"It takes all sorts."

Writer: Barnaby Kay

Format: Audio

Released: October 2023

Series: Paternoster Gang 5.01 

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

When a criminal gang pulls off a series of impossible heists, Inspector Cotton calls upon the talents of the Great Detective to crack the case. Tipped off by Ellie Higson, the Paternoster Gang uncover a link to a baffling music hall act.

While Jenny and Vastra chase down leads in London's dangerous underworld, Strax finds a career on the stage is beckoning...

Verdict

The Ghost and the Potato Man was an excellent start to the Rogues Gallery fifth series of adventures for the Paternoster Gang! I’m so delighted that Heritage was not the end of the expanded universe of stories for this magnificent Victorian trio and we have a whole four boxset run to come which is very exciting. This was a fine way to start as it was both fun and serious with a strong story at its heart. I don’t think it’s any secret that I think Strax is the star of the bunch and in this series he really does get a chance to shine. He’s just so much fun! The humour that comes from him is tremendous and part of that is because he firmly believes everything he says. He’s taken aback at a moment in the episode when Vastra doesn’t immediately say no to his outlandish tactics of dealing with something, but he soon does go a little far in suggesting acidic squirrels. The line needs to be drawn somewhere! I thought the links to the Jago and Litefoot series were wonderful and it was an unexpected treat to have Ellie feature alongside the Paternoster Gang for the episode’s duration! I’d be more than happy if she sticks around, even if I don’t know yet how her origin series finishes off. At least, the mentions of both Jago and Litefoot here were a nice touch and could place this adventure anywhere during their first few spin-off series. I loved how the legacy of Jago lived on here as the theatre focus was magnificent. It is such a shame Jago wouldn’t get to see Strax in action because he would be in awe! The fact he was oblivious to what was essentially him being publicly mocked is a little sad, but he was enjoying himself and booming out the ways he would deal with certain individuals and threats. The word obliteration came up on more than one occasion! He built a strong relationship on the stage and that was lovely to hear, especially at the end once the ghosts were sent home. Reg Adams made for a strong villain and his lack of care for the ghosts that existed in harmony with one another was a good monstrous trait. He was far from a likeable character and he even treated Jenny like a zoo animal when he had her locked up. She was feisty though and her comments about Vastra killing and eating him when she found him were fun stuff. She always knew her wife was coming. The calm and sophisticated nature of Vastra in conversing with the ghosts was impressive and I liked that everything came down to simple words. The words that Strax learned as he picked up the cockney and theatre jargon were incredibly funny though and it was soon irritating Vastra which just made it even better. I thought Reg using the ghosts and their teleportation ability was good and Vastra reacted to the experience in a fun way. The importance of the blue butterfly to the harmony ghost was a nice touch and certainly explained their colour! I liked their reliance on unity and as a collective was only how they would escape back home. The disappearing act of Reg at the end was a nice touch and a fun play on the illusionist theme. As a whole, this was a really great start to the series!

Rating: 9/10

The Puplet

"We have an alien called Jess living on top of the scenery."

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2008

Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2009

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

A teacher is in need of serious help when an alien that only the children can see sets up shop on the Christmas play decor...

Verdict

The Puplet was a decent little story to conclude my reading of the 2009 Doctor Who Storybook! At long last, over a sporadic reading spree that encompassed nine long years, I have completed this jazzy little collection of short stories! Whilst most of the previous adventures in the collection featured Donna alongside the Doctor as companion, this one went the more 2009 route of having him travelling solo. That’s absolutely fine in this kind of adventure and there wasn’t really any moment that I felt a companion was missing. In saying that, the closest we got to a companion was Mr Warner who was quite a fun little character that served as the point of view for the adventure. I think it’s a fine line when involving children in a Doctor Who story as they sometimes tend to become a little childish but that didn’t feel the case here. It was far from being adult content that’s for sure but I’m not sure adults would be the target audience of the 2009 Storybook so no complaints there! One thing I must heap a huge amount of praise on is the artwork that accompanies this adventure. It really is stellar! The detail is nothing short of sensational and whilst I don’t think this particular story leant itself to too many options when it came to illustrations, the vibrancy and detail was outstanding. Just look at the image of David Tennant as the Doctor on the opening page. The likeness is incredible. I thought the school setting was decent and the humour that came from an alien being, in Earthly terms reminiscent of a cat, on top of the scenery of the school play was decent. I did like that only the children could see what would be dubbed as Jess because their minds weren’t closed off to not believing in things as silly as aliens. Mr Warner couldn’t see it but his reaction to the Doctor mentioning Quinnis was fun, because of course that would be ridiculous if Jess was from there! Just getting a mention of Quinnis was fun though as we know that’s a planet the First Doctor and Susan visited prior to the events of An Unearthly Child when the TARDIS wasn’t even a police box! Terry was a typical shy man and the fact he’d been a teacher for thirty years was admirable, but if he had such feelings for Mrs English then it is scarcely believable that he waited a decade and for an alien encounter to conjure up the confidence to ask her out for dinner. The three children of Stewart, Colin and Deena were here or there for me but as a combination they worked well and their keenness to look after Jess and fulfil the rota over the Christmas holidays was nicely done. The fear of the headmaster who didn’t appear was quite good and I imagine something that would be prevalent amongst teachers at any school. The Doctor using the psychic paper to show that he had authority to film the play was amusing, especially when he gave it a little shake to change the wording from Christmas to Hanukkah. That was probably the highlight! Jess being an Alluren didn’t really mean too much considering we hadn’t encountered them before, but it was fun to have what was basically a Doctor Who large scale version of a cat being stuck up a tree. And the Doctor was the fireman tasked with bringing her down from the scenery of the school play as it was soon due to be taken down. The way things ended with the Doctor helping Jess be found by her parents was neat and tidy, and as a whole this was a rather simple adventure. But for sure an enjoyable read!

Rating: 7/10

The Wreck of the World

"I should have shot them all on sight."

Writer: Timothy X Atack

Format: Audio

Released: December 2017

Series: Early Adventures 4.04

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

Undergoing repairs in deep space, the TARDIS is caught in a collision with the huge, decaying wreck of a starship. Zoe, spacewalking, is separated from her companions in the crash, and the Doctor and Jamie wake to find the TARDIS fused to the side of the ship.

Venturing inside to rescue their friend, they discover that they are on board The World, the very first colony ship to leave Earth, lost mid-voyage under unknown circumstances.

And they are not alone. A terrible suspension chamber is filled with dead, withered human bodies, and a team of gun-toting astronauts are stalking the corridors. But a far greater threat lurks deep inside. The terrifying force responsible for the scuttling of the ship is active once more – and if it can't be stopped, it won't just be the end of this World. It'll be the end of all of them.

Verdict

The Wreck of the World was a decent story to conclude the fourth series of the Early Adventures! It does seem a little weird after three straight stories of having Ben and Polly travelling alongside the Second Doctor and Jamie that we now shift forward to have them replaced by Zoe, but that’s not a major issue! It’s just strange scheduling in my view. I think it would be better if we just had four continuous adventures with the same team. In saying that, Zoe is certainly one my favourite companions of this early era and starting this story off with her out on a space walk was pretty unique for this era! Jamie not being happy about her being the one to go out there was fun as he dealt with his perceived macho dominance, but it was nice later in the episode for his role as a Jacobite at Culloden to be acknowledged. That felt like he got something back a little. I thought the TARDIS being lost was fun and always something I enjoy with the vulnerability it brings, but I thought the resolution in getting it back was a little easy and didn’t have much of an impact. The World actually being a ship and not a planet was quite fun and not something I anticipated as I hadn’t read the synopsis prior to listening. I like to go in with as little information as possible so the story can tell me everything I need to know. Blavatsky was a good character and I thought the twist of joining up with the Corvus was great. I wasn’t exactly surprised, but I didn’t see it coming either so I appreciated that. The concept behind it of being a scavenger entity was good and I enjoyed the potential there. Praying on civilisations and worlds that were dying seemed logical as they wouldn’t really be missed and could also be explored with them being weak. Lorne was a fantastic character and whilst the impact was huge it was quite a shame that she perished at the end of episode two. I felt that was a little early as she was a big character and I did feel that there was a little bit of a void once she wasn’t around. The Nostic was on paper a decent element of the story but crikey was it annoying! I thought the sound and the way it just said ‘accept’ when affirming confirmation was frustrating. Once or twice was fine but it got very repetitive and tired. In an audio format, I’m not sure this was the way to go. Zoe’s interaction with it was terrific though, as was her relationship with Twenty. His simple reply in asking why he was named as he was because of his age was fun and I liked the discussion with Zoe about crying. He didn’t have the ability whilst she had to train herself which is honestly quite sad. I loved the mention of T-Mat as a means of transportation which is great continuity with The Seeds of Death and a fine use of the futuristic setting, and just exploring a time after Zoe’s where she wasn’t familiar with the technology and scientific advancement was tremendous. It was a lot of fun to hear her not in the know. That’s not something we’re used to! Getting a reference to the TARDIS reconfiguring itself after The Mind Robber was also delightful continuity and the closest thing we’ve had to an explanation there! Overall though, a decent adventure. 

Rating: 7/10

Out of Time

"Someone sent me to kill myself."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Series: Doom's Day 24

Featuring: First Doctor, Doom

Synopsis

Someone has sent literal Death after Doom. She can only outrun it for twenty-four hours. Unless she can find the Doctor. 

Her time is almost up...

Verdict

Out of Time was a strong conclusion to the Doom’s Day saga to help celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who! It’s not been a typical anniversary or celebratory story arc but I’ve really enjoyed it and I’m definitely glad to have covered nearly all of its bases! Unfortunately, I’m not one for the Doctor Who mobile games so I had to give those two hours in the longest day of Doom’s life a miss, but I liked the similarities here in the finale with how things started in Hour One way back when. That really does feel like a long time ago now and Doom has come a considerable way since then along with the listener/reader. We’ve spanned audios, comics and even a novel meeting numerous incarnations of the Doctor, but at long last Doom finally met be bb the correct one. And it was the first one. I liked how the description here left it in doubt which Doctor had first encountered Doom and the simplicity in which he was going to fix the situation of being chased by literal Death. Except, he knew that wasn’t possible and quickly passed off the truth. It was a Gatherer drawn by time anomalies and that’s exactly what Doom was. She was the reason why the TARDIS couldn’t depart and it was fun that the Doctor had a date with Susan, Ian and Barbara to see Mamma Mia! I’ll be damned, I can’t think of anything this incarnation of the Doctor might enjoy less! I’m not a fan of musicals and this one in particular is pretty terrible. I fell asleep watching the play on Broadway if that’s any indication of my distain. Utter rubbish. It was nice knowing the very first TARDIS team had a plan like that though. The revelation that Terri was the perpetrator and that she had tried to get Doom to execute herself was intriguing and I must admit not something I saw coming. It was fun and whilst she’d been sending Doom on mission after mission for an entire day, she’d been busy wiping out the Lesser Order of Oberon. All of them. The entire thing. She was the Grand Master now, but she didn’t last long. It was almost like the Doctor was expecting it and had planned the entire thing. He was making exceptions here when it came to condoning violence. His resolution for Doom actually shooting her past self was to then go and shoot her past self shooter. It was all very convoluted and timey-wimey but actually quite fun too! Doom’s reaction when she heard the suggestion from the Doctor was marvellous. And the Doctor’s response to her begging his pardon was perfect characterisation for the first incarnation. My only slight issue was the scale of the story to conclude a really lengthy saga celebration. It just doesn’t feel right that we finish things off with an online text story. There’s nothing wrong with it but it feels like this could have had a big impact, but instead it kind of goes away with a whimper. I didn’t even realise the story was released until I found myself scrolling through the official Doctor Who feed on Twitter. It’s a shame but I did enjoy the conclusion! It’s really nice that Doom gets to enjoy a new day now and one where she can rest again. I don’t think we’ll see her again anywhere as her story is kind of complete now, but it’s been fun whilst she was here! Overall, a good read and as a whole a celebration I’ve enjoyed despite some silly and needless fan backlash. 

Rating: 8/10

The Lady of Mercia

"You've always wanted to see history up close."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: May 2013

Series: Monthly Adventures 173

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa to the University of Frodsham, close to where the warrior queen Æthelfrid fought a desperate and bloody rearguard action against the savage Danes. Over a thousand years later, in 1983, battle is still being raged, with student activists taking on savage funding cuts... and disrupting a conference about Æthelfrid convened by history professor John Bleak.

Meanwhile, over in the Physics Department, Dr Philippa Stone is working night and day on a top-secret project – but can her theoretical time machine really be the solution to the university's problems?

Present and past are about to collide – and the results, as the TARDIS crew is about to discover, will be far from academic!

Verdict

The Lady of Mercia was a really strong audio adventure to continue my way through the monthly releases from Big Finish! I’m always a fan of exploring this quartet because we barely got a chance to see them on screen and they’re in a strong groove in the Monthly Adventures now. I thought this was a good chance to allow Tegan to shine and whilst the CD artwork made it clear that she would play the titular role, I thought how we got there was really good. The Doctor was a little mischievous right from the off in landing the TARDIS in 1983 and being on the hunt for something specific. He of course kept that quiet but the time traces on show were intriguing. Philippa Stone was a really strong character and her discovery of what was essentially time travel was rather impressive considering that this was essentially a contemporary adventure for this TARDIS team! The Doctor, Turlough and Nyssa not being human was fun as they still considered this incredible discovery as basic and primitive. It’s a fine dynamic to have four different species travelling in the TARDIS. The relationship between Philippa and Bleak was intriguing because they worked really well together in having the humanities and science interest combined. The idea of a university course that would involve the science of time travel and the history of first hand exploration in the past was a brilliant concept! That’s definitely a university course I would be interested in and whilst I did enjoy my methods studying History to a Master’s level, there wouldn’t be anything like first hand experience. The fact both of them were getting consumed by the work and actually were cheating on the other was almost humorous in how it was revealed when they thought they were going to die! Tegan getting transported back into the past thanks to the connection she felt with the sword of Æthelfrid was very interesting! The Dark Ages Queen was fantastic as a character and it was a really intriguing look into a period of history not often explored. I don’t mind admitting that I have no knowledge of the tenth century and I’d never heard of this monarch before, but Bleak was on hand to provide everything we needed to know which was really welcomed and certainly beneficial. Just hearing northern England referred to as Mercia was different and somehow not a name I had ever heard before. It was fun stuff though. The relationship Tegan garnered with Æthelfrid was really good and I loved that she took the place of Ælfwynn when the princess took the reverse route of Tegan and Bleak. That was a really fun dynamic and tied in nicely with the image of her on the artwork. She could get away with the likeness and she revelled in it! Tegan certainly was the star of the show here. I thought Turlough had a pretty quiet story but that’s not a huge surprise given that we have four main characters! I thought the exploration into the past was good and whilst the conclusion lacked in suspense, it was still nicely done to have the time machine destroyed. The death of the Queen at the hands of her brother was also great and explained definitively the history of her death! Overall, a great listen.

Rating: 8/10

The Morton Legacy

"We can't profit from the legacy until we prove it is rightfully ours."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: May 2020

Series: Early Adventures 4.03

Featuring: Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands in London, Ben and Polly are initially delighted to be back home – until they realise that they've a hundred years too early. But this is nothing next to how the Doctor and Jamie feel when the TARDIS itself vanishes!

Their attempts to locate their ship lead them to an antiquarian, Josiah Morton, possessed of a most unusual collection that is currently subjected to a legal dispute. But they're not the only people interested in him. Dangerous criminals watch from the shadows, waiting for a moment to strike. And the police are calling too – accusing him of murder.

An unusual series of deaths have been occurring across the capital, and all sings point to Morton as the culprit. But is he really a killer? Or is there something else at large in the city? Something... alien?

Verdict

The Morton Legacy was an excellent Early Adventures story! I’m a huge fan of this range and this fourth series has basically been a mini series within Season 4 for the quartet of the Second Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie. I’m a huge admirer of them and I think it’s rather fitting that we get three stories in a row featuring them. It’s a foursome that I think don’t get enough credit and it’s such a shame that so many of their episodes are missing. This series in particular has done a good job in rectifying that and this was a strong story from start to finish. The Doctor trying to get Ben and Polly back to the 1960s was rather fun and reminiscent of adventures from the very first season, but of course the TARDIS didn’t quite do the trick. It got to London no problem, but it was a century too early. That was typical and brilliant so after a quick half an hour jaunt of exploration, the Doctor was keen to get back to the TARDIS and just move forward in time whilst staying in the same space. So when the TARDIS was missing that set us off into a really strong and fun adventure. I’m always a big fan of the Doctor and companions being separated from the TARDIS because that provides a strong sense of vulnerability that is difficult to replicate. It’s the safe haven and somewhere they can always run off to so when that’s taken away I like the danger and potential for the future. This was sublime for the part one cliffhanger where it looked like Morton was going to be arrested without revealing the location of his museum workshop where his new blue box acquisition was stored. The desperation in Ben and the Doctor’s voices when he was on the verge of being arrested for murder was terrific. Polly pointed out they may have helped a murderer, but they were confident he didn’t have those vibes. I liked the trial concerning the inheritance that meant nobody could visit the Morton museum that the TARDIS was intended for, but of course the Doctor was able to talk himself into confidence and eventually a look around the museum. I thought Morton was a good character and I liked how things turned in his favour with the deaths that were happening. The way it was revealed that the culprit was actually Blazzard was really fun and the butler even sacrificed himself for his boss when Copeland went to kill him. That was admirable and whilst I agree with the Doctor’s comments about him taking human life, they were a little dark and potentially ill-timed. Copeland along with Dexter made for strong villains and whilst the former was clearly in charge, their desire to destroy Richard and take his artefacts for a pretty penny was an easy but believable motive. the confusion regarding the necklace and the fact it needed to be covered in a liquid bordered incoherence, but the moment Blazzard knew which liquid would do the trick all became clear. I liked the moment at the end with the TARDIS departure and Morton reacting to their goodbye. Overall, a fantastic listen!

Rating: 9/10

There are Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden

"The walls here were alive."

Writer: Sam Lester

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1998

Printed in: Short Trips 09

Featuring: First Doctor, Dodo

Synopsis

From Neolithic Earth to the furthest reaches of the universe in the far future, Short Trips brings together established Doctor Who authors and first-time writers in a collection of stories exploring the ever-changing worlds of the Doctor and his friends.

Witness the last days of the siege of Masada with the First Doctor and meet the Fourth Doctor's extraordinary 'old flame'. An evil enemy makes life difficult for the Seventh and Third Doctors, and while the Fifth Doctor is under attack on a sinister ship shrouded in fog, the Second may soon be guilty of a grave error of judgement... The Sixth Doctor's hopes of a holiday are dashed when he discovers a pleasure planet is hiding a shocking secret, and the Eighth Doctor is caught up in a deadly drama played out during the construction of Stonehenge.

And, of course, that's just the beginning...

Verdict

There are Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden was a good little story to continue my reading of the Short Trips first volume! I definitely prefer this range in prose than on audio because we get a little more depth and explanation of what’s going on. Whilst this story was only fourteen pages long, it still didn’t feel rushed. Of course, the stakes aren’t massively high and there’s no deep rooted impact for the story to go in. It’s not going to change the history of Doctor Who or any of its characters, but it’s a fun little insight into a time where the First Doctor and Dodo were travelling alone together. Unfortunately, we only got the first two parts of The War Machines for that on screen following Steven’s departure in The Savages, but right from the off Polly and Ben steal the show and the departure of Dodo is quite sad really. She’s quickly forgotten about and replaced which is a shame so getting more adventures with her is always welcomed in my book! I’m enjoying the fact that Big Finish are filling that void with their new First Doctor Adventures range but only two stories a year means I’m still starved! Her thoughts on instinct being only a human quality as the Doctor was keen to investigate what Dodo described as the ordinary was amusing and that was quite a fun description of the Time Lord, especially here in his first incarnation! This Doctor is very curious and has a thirst for knowledge and exploration which I think is brilliant because of course he’s not too long departed Gallifrey to see the universe. And here he was interested in shrubbery. Dodo was horrified by the stench but the Doctor was just interested in his surroundings. It was really nice. Dodo just wanted to up and leave but that was never going to happen. She actually got a little frustrated with the Doctor’s insistence on saying but by the end she saw the beauty he saw. I thought that was lovely and I got the feeling it did bring them closer together. There was no indication of Steven’s departure being recent which was good as there’s a lot of room to explore with these two characters. The threat of the crystalline parasitic being was decent but given the title of the story I would have expected them to feature earlier. I thought the unnamed planet did feel a little mysterious and I think the imagery described was definitely in line with a fairy vibe, but I do think things could have been a little more mythical. I think when you delve into ideas like fairies there needs to be that kind of enigmatic feel and I’m not sure we got that here. The moment at the end where the Doctor just stamps out the flower to wipe out the parasite was very emphatic and impactful which we don’t always get in stories in these kinds of formats, but I liked it. It felt right for the First Doctor and was quite simple really! Dodo was horrified but by the end she was understanding when the Doctor provided an explanation. It was certainly a quick fix to conclude the story in short fashion. I was impressed. As a whole, I think I was more interested in the characters than the story itself but the two blended well together. Overall, a decent read for sure!

Rating: 7/10

Iceberg

"Every night we have bad dreams."

Writer: Grace Knight

Format: Audio

Released: May 2020

Series: Torchwood Monthly 38

Featuring: Owen

Synopsis

Dr Owen Harper's called to the hospital. There's a ward full of remarkable coma patients and more are coming in. Each patient came in with a dead relative as their imaginary friend.

Has Owen really discovered a bridge between the living and the dead?

Verdict

Iceberg was a tremendous story to continue my way through the monthly adventures of Torchwood from Big Finish! Owen is a very strong character and can more than handle being the main character in his own episode, and it’s interesting to learn more about his past. We get to meet Amira who was a really fun character and the past she shared with Owen wasn’t what I was first expecting. Knowing what we do about Owen, I was convinced she would be an old flame in the quick fling kind of style we might expect from the Torchwood doctor. That was far from the case and there was actually a deep emotional connection there with a shared tragedy. She was a colleague of Owen’s before he went to Torchwood and she had been cut off after Katie’s death. Placing the episode for Owen somewhere in Series One was good and I love the ability of Big Finish to utilise information we wouldn’t learn until Fragments at the end of Series Two. We know how Owen joined Torchwood and the circumstances as such, but now having Amira allowed us to see the aftermath. She was left behind and cut off after Katie’s funeral and Owen’s outburst about having to do that so he didn’t have to deal with the death was brilliant. It was a strong emotional pull. Owen being called into the hospital to look into Lucy as a patient was really good. He reluctantly accepted but it’s a good job he did! Lucy couldn’t have been any more Welsh and her conversing with Ella was intriguing because she was her recently deceased sister. Amira seemed to believe that Ella wasn’t imaginary but she was playing dumb as she was actually the big bad of the alien spores. Amira being the titular iceberg was fascinating and I really enjoyed the concept of seeing one’s memories in complete life form from start to finish. Oh to have that ability! Except the usage here was in a way most unexpected. Amira was using Lucy to give life to her own sister who she was seeing as Ella. Except it wasn’t Ella at all. It was another spore parasite. The conversation between the fake Amira and Owen was really powerful stuff and I loved the emotion. We don’t always get this with Owen in particular so it was great to explore that side of his character. He had deep rooted emotional feelings with everything going on here and it seems like everything regarding Katie’s loss came out here in quite emphatic stye! His use of the delta waves and realising that he could take use of them was really clever and highlighted his medical knowledge very nicely. The fact he could kill both Amira and the Ella was a fitting finale and quite a powerful conclusion! Overall, a really strong story. 

Rating: 9/10

The End of Time

"Every night we have bad dreams."

Writer: Russell T Davies 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 25 December 2009 - 1 January 2010

Series: 2009 Christmas Special / 2010 New Year Special 

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

The Ood have given a warning to the Doctor. The Master is returning yet that is not the biggest threat he will face. A darkness is coming which brings with it the end of time itself...

Verdict

The End of Time was a fitting finale to an incredible era of Doctor Who. It’s the first story of the modern era to span more than one episode sharing the same name (I do love the nostalgic element of getting a ‘part one’ and ‘part two’ in the title) and it bids farewell to a host of characters. Of course, this is a regeneration story for the Tenth Doctor but we’ve known that ever since Planet of the Ood thirteen episodes prior. It’s also the swan song for Russell T Davies at the helm on his first go around, and the way the final fifteen minutes or so draws upon so much good of that era is rather beautiful. There’s obviously the Christmas element with it being a festive special split across the holidays, but thankfully that didn’t play as big of a part as other Crimbo stories. It wasn’t the focus and that’s how it should be. I think part one is a good way to bring the Master back to life after his refusal to regenerate in Last of the Time Lords, and the way that happens with the Saxon acolytes and worshippers using the biometric ring and the DNA from Lucy Saxon’s lips is quite fun. It wipes her out but the Master’s resurrection goes wrong, but not completely off. He does escape but he’s more sadistic and mad than ever! John Simm is tremendous and I liked how the quiet barmy scheme of turning the human race into his own image with the immortality gate is used to address the drumming in his head. Of course, that’s what we assumed the prophecy for told in Planet of the Dead was referring to but the truth was so different. It was so powerful. I’ll just jump around in this blog entry as it’s far from the first time I’ve watched this story, but it was the first time alongside my girlfriend Gemma as we (slowly) embark through the modern era rewatch together. She was quite emotional with the interaction between the Doctor and Wilf throughout and the latter really is tremendous in this story. The humour that comes from his pensioner bus finding the Doctor in just a few hours was great and then the power of his reaction to the Doctor refusing to take the gun to kill the Master was sensational. It really was full of emotion and feeling. I remember on broadcast being so delighted by the cliffhanger finish as the narrator revealed himself to be Lord President of the Time Lords, and after long last we would see the Doctor’s own kind return. We got to visit the last day of the Time War on Gallifrey and it was phenomenal stuff. Pondering on the Doctor having the Moment in his possession tied in very well with what we would see in The Day of the Doctor and the prophecy foretelling of the Doctor and the Master living on after the War ended was fantastic. I really enjoyed seeing the Master’s reaction to the Doctor hearing the drumming in his head as confirmation of his existence, and using the six billion population of his own self to track the source was a fine way to bring Gallifrey through. The High Council were there to confront the Master and the Doctor brilliantly, but the former wanted to imprint himself on every Time Lord too. Endless regeneration of endless Masters. Imagine. The moment the white point start diamond comes through is sublime and the Doctor grabbing the gun after so firmly refusing it really sold just how terrible the Time Lords had become during the Time War. Their plan to ascend and end time itself is barmy, but they refused defeat. The Doctor telling the Master to get out of the way as he shot the diamond and broke the link was good, and I never really realised how simple of a resolution that is. The Master then being angered and telling the Doctor to get out of the way was excellent as he went off with them back into the Time War. It was a fitting demise and Rassilon returned to be obliterated by the Moment. The Doctor’s reaction when he realises he’s survived is outstanding and then the realisation of what is to come when Wilf knocks four times is incredible. The farewell tour is a fantastic love letter to the era, although I do wish the regeneration wasn't so delayed. Regardless, the Eleventh Doctor arrives in emphatic style as the TARDIS interior is destroyed. Overall, a terrific story!

Rating: 9/10

Higson & Quick

"This isn't the answer."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: October 2014

Series: Jago & Litefoot 8.04

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Jago and Litefoot can no longer be trusted. Can barmaid Ellie Hinson and Inspector Quick save the day?

Verdict

Higson & Quick was a great finale to the eighth series of Jago and Litefoot! This has been another stellar block of four episodes for what is right up there with one of my very favourite spin-off ranges produced by Big Finish. The reputation of this series is clear to see as I delve through and I’m so happy that there’s still so much more to come. This particular episode followed on where Jago & Litefoot & Patsy left off as we basically dealt with its aftermath which I was absolutely fine with. I liked the continuity and even though it was the very next episode, this was essentially a sequel. It did feel like some time had passed but I’m not sure how consistent that would be with the fluid barrels still not being disposed of by Quick and the police. Regardless, Patsy was back and whilst was fine enough here I do hope we’ve heard the last of her. She did sound rather annoying after two episodes in a row. There’s nothing particularly bad about her but she is a little irksome it has to be said! She was taken over after coming into the contact with the fluid at the end of the previous episode and that sinister laugh soon made more sense. She was finding things particularly funny. I liked the slow burning of revealing that Jago and Litefoot were also effected by the fluid, which meant the Darkling Facade were in full control of our main characters. That’s quite the way to go in a finale but the title soon became clear as it was left to Ellie and Sergeant Quick to save the day. Just hearing Jago and Litefoot under the influence of the Facade was terrific and the way the latter got the information regarding the barrels from Patsy but then failed to give the information to Quick was really good. It was subtly obvious what had happened. The moment with Old Tom getting literally barrelled by Jago and Litefoot was beyond disturbing and really did sell the Darkling Facade as a mean villain. And that’s without it even technically appearing! It’s just the remnants and that’s quite good really. It really was the aftermath of events. I liked that things felt helpless with both Jago and Litefoot under the control, but then Ellie was on hand. She really does feel like her role has grown this series in particular and if it hadn’t been nearly a decade since the series was released I wouldn’t be surprised if Ellie did get her spinoff series as suggested in Encore of the Scorchies at the start of the series. I do she feels like even more of a main character next series. Returning to the Thames and the factory site of the tannery was good and I really liked when Jago put his act on to get Ellie trapped. That was the highlight of the episode for me! Things got very dark towards the end once Ellie and Quick had saved the day and the influence of the Facade was destroyed once and for all, but Jago contemplating suicide and shooting himself was very off putting and quite strange. It didn’t feel right even after what they’d done to Tom under the Facade’s influence. The fact he seemed to be joking in not knowing that the gun was loaded was just wrong, especially when a shot was fired. That just didn’t feel right at all and was a bit of a bitter way to end what was a really consistent series! Regardless, still a good listen. 

Rating: 8/10

Jago & Litefoot & Patsy

"Everyone pays a price."

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: October 2014

Series: Jago & Litefoot 8.03

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

When a monster is discovered on the bank of the Thames, Jago and Litefoot team up with the mudlark Patsy to investigate.

Verdict

Jago & Litefoot & Patsy was an excellent episode to continue my way through the eighth series of Jago and Litefoot! This was quite a fun tale and whilst initially I wasn’t much of a fan of Patsy, she certainly grew on me as the episode went on. Patience was definitely required to fully appreciate this story as it did seem a little silly to start with as big fishes in the Thames seemed the main basis of the plot, but it all made sense. Patsy claiming ownership of the giant fish was amusing because it was found on her patch and it was equally funny to hear Quick have to explain why the fish had been confiscated from her possession because of its involvement as evidence in a crime scene. The concept of a hand being found within was quite startling and I really enjoyed that Patsy had taken the pocket watch it was holding because she feared the constabulary would get their hands on that too! Her nature as a mudlark was very good to explore and a fine example of a contemporary Victorian character. Her relationship with Litefoot in particular was intriguing because I thought she would be more suited to Jago’s charms, but alas she was determined to get her just rewards. And that was the fish. I liked that Ellie featured again although not prominently but her continued presence is always welcomed, especially with the Red Tavern forming a base of operations for Jago and Litefoot. The connection to the Thames was excellent and Patsy knowing from one of the stiffs’ markings who the killer was made for a big moment. Her Jeremiah Castle! Hearing about him as the self proclaimed king of Jacob’s Island was brilliant and I really enjoyed the flashback scene where he won Patsy as his wife. He’d taken everything from her previous partner and even when he had no care for putting Patsy up as collateral in a bet, he wanted something that he valued. Like a finger. That was really dark but it was an intriguing look into the world of Victorian gambling. I thought the investigation to the tannery was good and I loved how it was on the former site of Jacob’s Island which had burned down, but not before Castle was hanged and thrown into the Thames. Except now he was back and barely more than a skeleton. That was a disturbing image but a good one. I liked Patsy’s determination as I got the feeling she knew she was out of her depth but felt a little comfortable with Jago and Litefoot by her side. Their efforts to represent Her Majesty’s Police Constabulary were amusing and it didn’t go down well with Mulberry Gride very well at first! His connection with the alien race that definitely were not eels was fascinating and the history of him and the Darkling Facade was great stuff. Them living within amniotic fluid as embryos and the previous big fish gave an indication of just how much of a problem more than one of these would provide. Jeremiah emerging on the scene because someone dared step on his territory was a fitting end and I liked how helpless Gride was. The tannery burning down and Jacob’s Island being consumed by flames for a second time was a fitting end! Overall, a terrific listen. 

Rating: 9/10

The Backwards Men

"There's no such thing as unicorns."

Writer: Andy Lane

Format: Audio

Released: October 2014

Series: Jago & Litefoot 8.02

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

There's unrest on the streets of London, and strange creatures who walk backwards. What is the link to Wednesday's World of Weird Wonders?

Verdict

The Backwards Men was another great episode to continue my way through the eighth series of Jago and Litefoot! My assumptions of this being more of a collection of standalone adventures seems to be ringing true and that’s a nice pace to go after a really eventful seven series of continuity heavy arcs. It was good to bring Sergeant Quick into the fold to bring Jago and Litefoot the information of something potentially up their alley, and I quite liked the approach of them getting ahead of the game and nipping things in the bud before it was too late. I think that’s quite fun. Jago seems to have firmly put the torment of the Scorchies behind him and his relationship with Litefoot felt as strong as ever. Their discussion about their own deaths was pretty poignant and emotional stuff, especially since one of them has now passed. Litefoot believing that he would perish either shortly before or after his old chum was rather sad and I found the whole discussion quite a shame to be honest! They shouldn’t be talking about them dying, but Jago wanting Litefoot and not some stranger to carry out his autopsy was a nice moment. These were the best of friends and I got that feeling in a big way. I thought the pair getting into their alien investigative mode was great fun and having them invite Ellie to help their disguise was terrific, especially when she thought initially that she was just being invited out for a night of leisure. Of course, it was always going to be something else with Jago and Litefoot involved and the mystery soon revealed itself. I thought Litefoot’s discussion in his own mind with Brontach was very intriguing and quite a surprise for the professor as a corpse was communicating with him! The idea behind the stiff people was interesting as they didn’t do much other than defend themselves. I liked the titular concept very much even if the explanation was a bit lacking in logic, the image created was incredibly disturbing and well suited to this kind of dark Victorian atmosphere. Wednesday made for a brilliant villain and his desire to bring the species back to life was good even if the means were quite conspicuous. Replacing minds in bodies wasn’t new but Litefoot living in unison with Brontach was quite unusual and good fun as they both talked. Brontach’s sacrifice at the end in splintering himself to wipe out Wednesday and his backwards men was really admirable and a neat way to tidy everything up, but I do think a little more excitement and urgency could have boosted the rating for this episode even further. It’s nice to have Ellie in full flow again although I do hope we reach the moment where Jago and Litefoot reveal to her about her fate in the future. Surely that has to come into play? But for now, I’m just glad she’s a major player in the series. As the last episode discussed, when’s that spin-off coming? The final discussion and meeting of powers between Brontach and Wednesday was solid stuff. Overall, another entertaining listen to continue the series! 

Rating: 8/10