Ghosts

"These messages are coming from the past."

Writer: Doris V Sutherland

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: Redacted 1.08

Featuring: Shawna, Cleo

Synopsis

Cleo gets a call from her mum. After what happens to Jordan, she doesn't want to wait around and risk losing someone else. So it's time to go back to the Powell Estate where she grew up. Meanwhile, Abby and Osgood are watching the world get much, much quieter...

Verdict

Ghosts was another great episode of the Redacted podcast series! Things are certainly getting tense as we head towards the final two episodes now and after a warning from the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of Requiem, the ghosts were here in full force. We’ve seen and heard countless different versions of ghosts in the Doctor Who universe and this felt like another type entirely. It was interesting stuff and I liked how this felt like an immediate follow on from the previous episode. It was so much so that we had a reprise of its final moments and things moved on immediately with Shawna and Cleo running from the warning. Don’t touch the ghosts, we know that’ll be easier said than done. The temptation factor of the episode was very good and after such an emotional and confrontational relationship with her mother, Cleo getting a voicemail from her like it was normal and how she used to act was intriguing. That also followed in slightly less interesting circumstances with an old neighbour checking on his orange juice delivery, but Cleo still holding out hope for acceptance from her mother is quite sad. Transitioning and coming out must be tough enough, and she alluded to that in the episode about her school experience and how those on the Powell Estate didn’t really accept her, but for your own mother to basically throw you out! Shawna tried to make her realise that this wasn’t normal behaviour. The very fact that Cleo hadn’t been referred to by her own name post coming out was horrifying. But the story of the trans person on the Estate that Cleo saw when she was young made sense when describing the reaction of her mother in really not liking them. She was almost repulsed which is quite sad. Cleo coming home was a big moment and I love the wider universe connection with the Powell Estate. The call to 999 after the threat of the ghosts was excellent and felt real. The emergence of Vastra as the Requiem was certainly not something I was anticipating, but I’m all for it! Having her in the modern day rather than the Victorian era is very exciting, but I must say it is a bit of a shame that Neve McIntosh isn’t reprising her role. She’s ironic as that character and I know for sure I’d have recognised the identity from her voice immediately if it was played by the original actress. Regardless, she sent Cleo and Shawna into action to lead into the penultimate part and I’m very excited to hear what part she has to play! Requiem not being on camera certainly made sense now. But I’m definitely going to hope for some details on what she’s been up to over the last century or so, and especially how she coped with Jenny dying. Also the location of Strax! Him showing up would be magnificent. I’d also love for Vastra to meet the Thirteenth Doctor. That would be monumental. Overall, another very good listen!

Rating: 8/10

Requiem

"Everyone who has had contact with the blue box has disappeared."

Writers: Ajoke Ibironke & Juno Dawson

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Redacted 1.07

Featuring: Abby, Shawna, Cleo

Synopsis

Heartbroken by Abby's betrayal, Shawna and Cleo keep up the investigation. Going through Abby's notes leads them to something called the Requiem Group – an online support group for "those who've lost somebody." But who is the mysterious Requiem, and why won't she turn on her camera?

Verdict

Requiem was another great episode to continue my way through the Redacted podcast series! We’re getting close to the end now and this was a really good advancement after a pretty emotional and shocking end to Recruits where Abby decided to partner with UNIT instead of sticking with her friends. I’m glad that was touched upon here but it didn’t become the main focus nor get too overbearing. It took until close to the end of the episode for Shawna to fully express her feelings during the Requiem meeting on Zoom. That central concept for the story was a positive one and I liked the modern technology involved. Of course, we’re fresh off a pandemic but even if an epidemic of missing people was happening then the safest option would certainly be a virtual meet up. That also made sense with the scale of the missing people stretching far beyond London. I thought it was good that the meeting started with around twenty people but as it went on it shrunk and shrunk until it was only Cleo and Shawna left alongside the enigmatic Requiem who wouldn’t be shown on camera. She sounded like AI to be honest which would be a fun revelation, but I’m not sure if we’ll ever get an answer there. I don’t think it matters either. I am very invested in discovering what makes Cleo so special in not being affected by the missing people. She retains the memory of those who vanish and that certainly makes her important. It’s no surprise the Doctor broke through a communication to her on the Zoom link. It’s wonderful to hear Jodie Whittaker again and I hope we get a lengthy appearance from her in the finale where I’m assuming her being redacted will be resolved. Osgood partnering with Abby was great and I liked that the latter was getting in contact with Cleo. She wasn’t too interested and wanted actions to make up for being abandoned. This was one of the shorter episodes in the series at twenty minutes but the pace was frantic so it was hugely enjoyable. This series is such an easy listen and I really do wish I had come to it earlier! Thankfully I’ll be able to jump straight into the second series though. There’s a long way to go before I get there though! I do hope we get a nice reunion with Abby in the next episode as I think it’s clear they’re going to end up together. Shawna’s comments about the one she’s so in love with’s boyfriend were rather humorous. She wasn’t exactly flattering! The simple nature of the episode was terrific and I really do enjoy how uncomplicated these episodes are despite focusing on the Doctor going missing. Cleo having written down the members of the Requiem meeting only for them to have been literally torn out from his own sheets was very intriguing. Just how powerful is whatever has made the Doctor disappear along with hundreds of other people? And not just disappear but them being forgotten. We may have gotten a little closer at the end with the warning on the Requiem meeting, and I now look forward to listening to more! Overall, another great episode. 

Rating: 8/10

Broken Hearts

"You made me tear myself to pieces."

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: November 2023

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 4.04

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie

Synopsis

He took her apart, and she told him she was fine. She lied.

He saved their world, and told them they'd be safe. He was wrong.

Verdict

Broken Hearts was an excellent episode to act as a bonus story in the Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! This release took me by surprise and it does seem a long time now since the emotional finale to All of Time and Space with Curiosity Shop that really did take a big toll on the relationship between the Eleventh Doctor and Valarie. The companion was far from pleased with the actions of the Doctor in literally using her own cybernetic parts to build a weapon, luring her in by not telling her the true purpose. He’d even put her in a position where she had to sell herself off part by part and the torment and suffering both physically and mentally had come to full fruition here. Having the Eleventh Doctor as the incarnation to tackle that is an interesting choice and the dynamic presented is incredible to listen to. This Doctor is both playful but also so serious at times which was on full display in the episode. He was trying to play off what happened to Valerie with humour and have them just go off on their next trip, but she was having none of that. It was so powerful to hear her desired destination to be away from the Doctor. She’d really had enough. This episode allowed her to learn a lot about the man with whom she travelled and that coming from a statue of the Eighth Doctor was rather fun. She thought her version was actually an imposter so the Doctor was able to explain regeneration and his numerous faces. I liked how he emphatically stated this was the final face he would wear which is good continuity with The Time of the Doctor, but we know that’s not where things conclude. She also learned about the Time War and the moment where the Doctor admits to all of those who have died because of him is incredible. It’s a shining moment for Jacob Dudman in the role of the Eleventh Doctor, and I must say I think this is his best impression. It’s uncannily like Matt Smith and that makes it such an easy listen. I’m a big fan. Augustus and Lionel were fun characters as the servo robots gaining emotion and a connection verging on a relationship. That was really nice to hear them grow and it was clear they’d get to the Doctor and Valarie eventually, but the twist of the third life form being Augustus was a neat touch. He’d held on. It was an emotional end to both relationships in the episode as it was clear that a big toll had been taken out of the Doctor and Valarie. He’d opened up to her and it was nice that things finished with her getting the TARDIS key! That’s the least she deserved after her recent ordeals and it was nice to get that official companion moment after the legend on Iptheus just referred to the Doctor and a nameless companion. She was that person. The Doctor having saved this world but then letting them down was such a shame, but I adored the idea of empathic weather. That’s some weapon in the Time War! The aim of using the Daleks’ own rage against them was magnificent and it worked very well with the outrage and fluctuating mood felt by Valarie. It’s definitely a concept that should be explored further! Overall, an excellent episode. 

Rating: 9/10

The Celestial Toymaker

"I think it's time to play a few games."

Writers: Gerry Davis & Alison Bingeman

Format: Novel

Released: November 1986

Series: Target 111

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

Somewhere outside space and time there waits the Toymaker, an enigmatic being who ensnares unwary travellers in his domain to play out his dark and deadly games.

Separated from the security of the TARDIS, the Doctor is forced to play the complex trilogy game with the evil magician. Meanwhile, Dodo and Steven must enter into a series of tests with, among others, the schoolboy Cyril and the King and Queen of Hearts.

If they lose, they are condemned to become the Toymaker's playthings for all eternity. For in the malevolent wonderland that is the Celestial Toyroom, nothing is just for fun...

Verdict

The Celestial Toymaker was a pretty average novelisation of the televised story of the same name. I think it’s a bit of a shame really as I was very excited to read this book in what is absolutely preparation for the Toymaker’s return in the coming weeks as part of the sixtieth anniversary specials! It really is incredible that the villain from a First Doctor serial is making a comeback and I thought it would be a good chance to familiarise myself with the character once again before an emphatic comeback. But I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed by just how little he featured! Now, I think this blog entry will naturally lean towards the negatives but I do like most of the story. It’s a fine concept and there’s definitely so much to play with when it comes to the Toymaker and the Celestial Toyroom. Returns in other formats like Solitaire and The Nightmare Fair have proven that. But I think this story absolutely works better on screen, and that’s me saying that when only part four survives in the archive! It’s a massive shame that 75% of the story is missing so to read it here in a complete form was something I adored, but crikey it was repetitive. I thought without the limitations of filming in 1965, this book would be a blast but it didn’t really do much to expand the adventure in prose. I just felt like that it was a lot of explaining for the games that Steven and Dodo were taking part in. By the fourth one, it was difficult to care. We knew none of the middle games would provide the actual TARDIS and it wasn’t just because I’ve watched the story in its most complete form, it was just so obvious. I really did enjoy Steven’s take on the games though and he wasn’t taking any prisoners when it came to the characters that the Toymaker had devised as their opponents. From playing cards and dolls to Cyril, Steven was in it for Dodo and himself to get the TARDIS just in time for the Doctor to complete the trilogic game. That in itself is an intriguing game and certainly one suited to the Doctor with the accuracy and delicacies required to complete it perfectly in 1,023 moves. Very specific! Where I think the book could have benefitted was by actually having the Doctor feature more here. We didn’t have the limitations and absence of William Hartnell that required the Doctor to be rendered invisible and then mute. There could have been more conversation between the Doctor and the Toymaker which would have been spectacular as when we did get that it was rather tremendous! They clearly had a history and I’ll be intrigued to see if that gets expanded upon with the Fourteenth Doctor. The Toymakers (yes plural!) would be a formidable force in unison and then being immortal is something I enjoy. How do you defeat an immortal? That’s fun to play with. Dodo was a bit dumb dumb in this story as she fell for so many tricks which didn’t really shine a kind light on her too well as a companion. Describing how just the Doctor’s hand was visible seemed a little unnecessary given the potential and room to play with in a novelisation, but this really did just seem like a quick rehash of what happened on screen. Whilst that’s not a hugely bad thing, it does leave a little to be desired because the potential is there with the story. I wanted more. I think a lack of consistent characters also hurts in a prose format as those Steven and Dodo were playing against changes quickly between a couple of chapters. The ending is not something I’m a huge fan of but it didn’t seem as ridiculous here with the absence of the vocals and it being described as the tone of the Toymaker. The way things are left with the Doctor knowing that the Toymaker wasn’t truly defeated was wonderful to set things up for the future, and it’s been a long time coming! The warning that the Toymaker destroys those who destroy his worlds is some wrath. Overall a decent read but certainly room for improvement. 

Rating: 6/10

Defender of the Earth: The Opacity Factor

"I could upload myself in seconds."

Writer: Carl Rowens

Format: Audio

Released: November 2023

Series: Tenth Doctor Chronicles 2.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

The work that Director Jenel Kilum'bu and her team are doing at MoonCentre 7 could change the future. So when the Doctor somehow breaches the MoonCentre's security, she's very ken to be rid of him.

Yet, the Director's about to discover that getting rid of the Doctor isn't going to be as easy as she first thought.

Verdict

The Opacity Factor was another great story to continue my way through the Defender of the Earth second series of Tenth Doctor Chronicles! I must admit I was bracing myself for four adventures set in Earth with the Doctor defending it given a very simple interpretation of the umbrella title for this series, so to be having an adventure on the Moon was a very pleasant surprise! I think it’s a setting rife with potential and one that hasn’t been done enough despite some notable Second Doctor era efforts. I was really impressed with Jacob Dudman in this episode as he really did seem to nail his impression of David Tennant. It’s all in the mannerisms and he excelled there whilst I think the writing certainly helped as it all felt very Tenth Doctor. That’s a big bonus and exactly what you want from these Chronicles. The near future setting of the episode was nicely done and it was all very relatable whilst being just that bit more advanced than the current day. That came in with the use of super artificial intelligence which is a very fun concept. The SAIG acronym was great and I think it’s good to go beyond even the basic use of AI. In the world right now, AI is a bit of a trepidatious issue and in my own personal household the effects of it have been felt as my girlfriend lost her job over the summer as her employers went bust thanks to a surge of AI in the creatjve writing and publishing sector. Thankfully she was quick on her feet and actually got a better job and better pay within a week, but it was a scary prospect for a moment! I’m also not one to explore AI as I just find it all a bit weird and not something I want to partake. I even refuse to communicate with the AI chat on Snapchat! It’s just not for me. But it’s absolutely for Doctor Who. It has a rich history in the show and it was really nice for the Doctor to reference that by name dropping WOTAN, BOSS and Xoanon. Some fine supercomputer enemies there! I always enjoy delving into the show’s history there and the Doctor can draw on past experience. I really liked the idea of the SAIG communicating with the TARDIS and the suggestion that the Doctor was jealous of it finding a way to talk to his trusty time and space machine was extraordinarily good. He certainly yearns for that kind of contact, and it’s nice to know that he’ll get it in his next incarnation. The Doctor and the TARDIS actually working together to defeat SAIG and join it with the trusty ship before sending it to the Kodex was nicely done and a fine bit of teamwork! I mean, is there a better team in the universe? I’m stumped trying to come up with one. I thought Director Kilum’bu was a very good character and the secrets that she kept from her crew were fun because that allowed the Doctor to gain a big advantage once he found out what they didn’t know. He could reveal them in a very damaging way! He even knew she was lying when she claimed it was called in at the Moonbase regarding his supposed inspection. They were completely cut off which meant a very secret project indeed. Hence the surprise of the Doctor infiltrating. Alas, the Doctor and the TARDIS sorted things out though and the experiment was now wasted. Overall, a great episode!

Rating: 8/10

The Star Beast

"Why did this face come back?"

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 25 November 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary Special 01

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

The Doctor is caught in a fight to the death as a spaceship crash-lands in London. But as the battle wreaks havoc, destiny is converging on the Doctor's old friend, Donna Noble.

Verdict

The Star Beast was an excellent episode to kick off a brand new trio of stories to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary! After shots for this episode were filmed seemingly forever ago back in May 2022 and the hype train has been building ever since then, this one was certainly no let down. It’s always exciting to be getting a new Doctor but it seems that Doctor Who Magazine got the post-regeneration story in the form of Liberation of the Daleks because there was no sign of that usual occurrence here. With only three episodes to play with, it’s not a surprise that this direction was the one they went with and we definitely got a bit of a quirkier Fourteenth Doctor in Destination: Skaro where it was stated only an hour had passed since the end of The Power of the Doctor and the regeneration. That’s very intriguing and it allows us to get stuck right into the mystery of the Fourteenth Doctor and the return of a familiar face. I thought the way the Doctor came face to face with Donna was a hilarious start with her stumbling around with boxes and him helping out before putting them back on the unmanageable pile as he realised who she was. A tremendous moment. As if coming face to face with Donna again wasn’t enough, hearing her yell for Rose made it quite a manic few seconds for the Doctor! It was a glorious moment. I do think after what was said in the likes of Journey’s End and The End of Time that things were stretched slightly concerning Donna’s memory and her fate if she did remember, but it was good fun. The Doctor seemed to be testing those boundaries. A highlight for him was coming face to face with Sylvia once again in an almighty stride to answer the door to him. A slap wasn’t too surprising but it really was an iconic moment. I thought it was good to explore a little more of Shaun Temple and him losing the battle to the surname for Rose or even his wife taking his name was amusing. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Donna though. Discovering that she’d given away all of her lottery money was admirable even if it was a little silly despite the good intentions and her subconscious link of wanting to be like the Doctor. I really enjoyed the way they got around the whole metacrisis element by Donna having a child and that meant a shared inheritance and responsibility. That was very good and the whole tapping into her binary glitch and Rose picking it up as a trans person with non-binary was very clever indeed. The Doctor firmly established as both male and female as well as non-binary. The representation in the episode was great to see with Shirley also playing a big part as a member of UNIT with an incredibly cool wheelchair! The tech she had at her disposal there was fantastic and she had a lovely conversation with the Doctor which set the scene nicely regarding the situation with Donna and his current appearance. The rundown of incarnations between the two with this face was welcomed, although with such heavy UNIT involvement it’s a shame Kate didn’t appear. The concept of her looking after Wilf was lovely though and the somber moment where the Doctor thought he was dead was even more heartfelt considering that Bernard Cribbins has since passed away. He’ll live forever in our hearts and the Doctor proclaiming his love for that man, and even for Donna, was a nice touch and there are definitely going to be differences with this incarnation. It’s not quite the Tenth Doctor rehashed which I like a lot. The threat of the Meep in this episode was very good and it was a fine adaptation from the comic strip of the same name. I liked how faithful it was and we even had a character called Fudge! That was great stuff. The actual plot was a simple one with the Meep hoping to use London as fuel and then it being stopped thanks to the brilliance of the Doctor-Donna. The Wrarth Warriors were decent too and I liked that the Meep was arrested but left a cryptic message about the Boss. I’m assuming that will be the Toymaker, and not the super computer from The Green Death. But who knows! The sonic screwdriver being updated is good although I’m not entirely sure how much of a fan I am of it being a medley of recent designs. But it’s certainly an improvement on the last one. And that TARDIS interior! Absolutely beautiful and a huge step up from the previous era’s atrocity. It’s vast and it’s just stunning. The reaction of the Doctor was also just tremendous. The spilling of coffee to send the TARDIS who knows where was Donna at her best and I now look forward to next week! Overall, a lovely episode to see the show return and celebrate. 

Rating: 9/10

Recruits

"Everyone who has had contact with the blue box has disappeared."

Writer: Sasha Sienna

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Redacted 1.06

Featuring: Abby, Shawna, Cleo, Osgood

Synopsis

Welcome to UNIT: the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, home to the largest collection of alien artefacts in the British Isles. Under the competent leadership of Chief Scientific Officer Dr Petronella Osgood, UNIT is prepared for any and all eventualities – including this so-called 'blue box', and the mysterious 'Doctor' behind it.

Verdict

Recruits was another great episode to continue the Redacted podcast series! I continue to enjoy the series and I’m really impressed with how seamlessly each episode is advancing the story. The format works very well as having a podcast as the forefront of a podcast series is fun and it makes sense for it not to be released in physical form or even to charge for a digital copy. I mean, I’m not saying I want to pay and I’m already aware there’s a second series of this podcast which is delightful, but this is certainly to a standard I’d be more than happy to pay for. I think part of that is having the likes of the Thirteenth Doctor and Osgood feature! The latter was the main guest character in this episode and it was fun for her to show she admired the three podcast hosts. And of course she would be a listener of the Blue Box Files! That’s right up Osgood’s street and she definitely seems like the target audience. It’s a little bit of a shame that the title of the episodes in this series kind of gives away where things will head at the end, but having Abby, Shawna and Cleo as UNIT recruits is quite fun and very good use of the Doctor Who wider world. There’s a great deal to explore and where better than as part of UNIT? It would seem only one member of the podcast team would take that shot though. I think exploring the vaults of UNIT was very good and I love the idea of them having no idea how a big chunk of their catalogue appeared now that memory of the Doctor had been redacted. There would be so much to explain throughout history! The old UNIT recruitment video was fun to include but for me the absolute highlight of this story was the conversation between the Doctor and Cleo. She’s still trapped and trying to break through and I’m impressed that the mystery of what has caused the Doctor to be forgotten hasn’t gotten old yet. I want to know but strangely I’m not in a rush which is testament to the three main characters. Cleo and Shawna seem to have separated from Abby at the end of the episode though which was a powerful moment. Abby could accept that things were bigger than them with all of the missing people and the strangeness of the blue box, but Cleo and Shawna didn’t want to partner up with the very people they were against. That was a fun twist and I’m really intrigued to hear where things move from here with their relationship and the podcast dynamic. I loved the reference to the files containing 97 documents that were completely missing which was a rather unsubtle nod to the missing episodes of 1960s Doctor Who. I thought that was great though and I love the direct approach for things like that. In terms of the plot, there wasn’t much of one other than exploring the podcast hosts becoming part of UNIT, but it was still a thoroughly enjoyable listen!

Rating: 8/10

The Daleks in Colour

"A new and safe world, free from the fear of war."

Writer: Terry Nation

Format: TV

Broadcast: 23 November 2023

Series: 60th Anniversary Colourisation

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

It's time to encounter the Daleks once again, but this time in a way you've never seen them before.

Verdict

The Daleks in Colour was just wonderful. A truly spectacular way to help celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who! Sixty years strong and this incredible show and world of the Whoniverse continues to find ways to reinvent itself. This was just so much fun. I was so excited by the announcement that we would get The Daleks colourised, and whilst the traditionalist in me had hoped it would be all seven parts, getting a new seventy-five minute edit was honestly just as good. I didn’t know what to expect going in as cutting out around one hundred minutes worth of content seemed like an awful lot, but the pace of the story was just incredible! This really did feel brand new as the flow was so fast and the new musical score was the biggest treat of all. I was more impressed with that than I was the colourisation! It was unlike anything from 1960s Doctor Who, or maybe even the entire Classic era. It gave the story a whole new lease of life that was thrilling and exciting. It also added a deep layer of tension and the atmosphere in the petrified forest in particular was remarkable. I was a huge fan. On a personal note, the colourisation meant that I was able to convince my girlfriend to watch a First Doctor adventure for the very first time which was a nice treat. She wasn’t overly impressed by the design of the Daleks, but she found the whole thing fun and a lot of that was down to the music. The complete version of this serial is one I know very well and I’m very fond of as I’ve watched it at least five times and of course also read the brilliant novelisation. I did agree with her thoughts on not entirely knowing what was going on thanks to the cuts as that did cross my mind. Being so familiar with the adventure meant I always knew where we were in regard to the full story, but for her it got a little confusing. Despite that, it was still so much fun and for me seeing things like fast directorial cuts and the flashbacks was a nice injection of modern style into an old faithful classic like this one. My favourite edit was certainly the escape scene with Ian being inside the Dalek. The way that was done and sped up was genuinely exciting and just a sheer thrill. It was unlike anything we had seen with the First Doctor before. It really was marvellous. The tightness of the sets was a little more evident in colour with the hard backgrounds but the scale created for the forest and the different shots of the Dalek city in particular were a real treat. The colour really did add a whole new dimension to the story. It was also wonderful to see William Hartnell in colour as that felt so alien but a real privilege to be honest. If the mini montage at the end colourising extracts from numerous other serials is anything to go by then hopefully this isn’t the last time we get to see him in full colour! The Daleks themselves look resplendent in that retro grey and blue look which I adore. Seeing their city and the TARDIS interior in colour were particular highlights. Putting some colour on the Thals was also brilliant. I won’t get into the story itself now as I’ve already blogged it in more than one form, but for now this was a real treat and an intriguing and genuinely exciting edit! Hopefully the first of many more to come. Overall, a magnificent event to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary! 

Rating: 9/10

Defender of the Earth: The Thing in the Forest

"It's the perfect killing organism."

Writer: Trevor Baxendale

Format: Audio

Released: November 2023

Series: Tenth Doctor Chronicles 2.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

Norway, 1943. Resistance fighter Ilsa Johansen was sent to locate a British agent. Instead, she stumbles across the Doctor. Pursued through the woods by enemy forces, it'll take all their cunning to survive.

But it isn't just the Nazis that are hunting them. Something else stalks the forest. Something that could change the course of the war forever.

Verdict

The Thing in the Forest was a great start to the Defender of the Earth second series of Tenth Doctor Chronicles! This series has been a long time coming as with the knowledge of it being recorded during lockdown in 2020, that feels like an awfully long time ago. It’s also been quite a while since the last instalment of the Chronicles range with any Doctor, so this is a welcomed return. Even though we don’t have David Tennant featuring, it’s a real treat to be getting more Tenth Doctor stories. Jacob Dudman does a more than decent job as the Tenth Doctor but it’s a difficult role to live up to, especially when his impression of the two successors is considerably better. That’s not to say that the one here was bad by any means, but I wouldn’t describe it as uncanny. I like the umbrella title for this series as it’s a fine description of the Doctor in any incarnation, but this one in particular seems the most associated with Earth. I liked that the TARDIS dematerialisation was heard by Ilsa who turned out to be a strong character filling the companion role as this episode was firmly set somewhere in the gap we saw during the 2009 Specials. A companionless Doctor has a lot of potential as there’s not many restrictions in continuity, but I never got the impression that Ilsa would be sticking around long term. She was good though and the Doctor being mistaken as the British agent she was looking for was fun stuff. The use of the TARDIS translation circuits was a nice touch too and Ilsa couldn’t help but think he was a spy given how fluent he was in the likes of English, Norwegian and French. I thought that was an astute observation to be honest! I liked the relationship that was built and the tension that came when Isla and the Doctor stumbled upon the actual agent she was supposed to meet was really good. It seemed the Doctor was going to be in a bit of trouble there, but Ilsa didn’t carry much of a threat. They soon combined together when the alien noise was heard in the forest and the title soon made sense. I thought the Droaga (who knows if that’s the correct spelling!) was an interesting threat although I was immediately sold on it being not of this world. That did come later as the original crashed airman was knowledgeable on it. The humour that came from the Doctor quickly shunting down any potential of it being from Mars or Jupiter was delightful, but the secrecy needed to stop if the Doctor was to help. That was some good turmoil audibly evident in the airman. He did reveal the use of radio control to keep the alien creature under command and the Doctor soon soured when he learned about that. The Droaga was alien but that didn’t mean it was evil and all evidence seemed to indicate it was just looking to find a route home. That was quite sad but something that’s happened far too often. Torture through the control device sent the Doctor into action and it was quickly worked on to free that and revert the forest to normality. Overall, a very strong start to the series with a more than enjoyable fifty minutes or so. 

Rating: 8/10

Interrogation

"I know what the truth is."

Writer: Sasha Sienna

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Redacted 1.05

Featuring: Abby, Shawna, Cleo, Kate

Synopsis

Cleo, Abby and Shawna are trapped in a safehouse being interrogated about someone called 'the Doctor'. Unfortunately, only Cleo remembers who that is. And so far, their captors seem to be big on violence and short on patience...

Verdict

Interrogation was another very good episode to continue my way through the Redacted podcast series! This was another fine continuation of the series which continues to grow on me more and more. The lack of Rani in the series was explained here which I was grateful for as it seems that everything she had said was true earlier on in the series, but now she has also disappeared after coming into contact with the hosts of the Blue Box Files podcast. The same can be said for Penny and Oliver too after their recent appearances. I’m a big fan of the idea behind the Doctor going missing and being forgotten, so the moment where Cleo is being interrogated but she gets on the same level as her UNIT guard Miller. He was an interesting character and suited his role as interrogator very well. He was determined for answers and didn’t seem too swayed by the obvious innocence of the three podcast hosts. He was all set to get answers about the Doctor and with the podcast focusing on the TARDIS, he wanted to know why nobody else could remember her. I thought the loose reference to Survivors of the Flux once Kate arrived on the scene by mentioning that there wasn’t much left of UNIT. I thought that was great and slotted in nicely with the current Doctor being referred to as female firmly establishing the series within the Thirteenth Doctor era. The eureka moment when both Miller and Cleo could see the other also remembered the Doctor was an obvious highlight for the story, but things wouldn’t last. I think if any title of any story in the Doctor Who universe has done a better job of explaining what happens in the adventure than this one then I’ll be very impressed. Because this was exactly as advertised and we did get basically a full twenty-five minutes of interrogation and it was really interesting. It did have the potential to get boring or repetitive but thankfully that was never threatening. It was fun that the three prisoners could hear from below the other being interrogated which provided a bit of a comfort level and some semblance of safety. Miller making it obvious with a tap that he was signalling to other UNIT personnel was fun and Shawna noticing and pouncing on that was good. The efforts of UNIT to get answers by threatening the podcast hosts’ family members seemed a bit off canter and I’m not sure if I ever seriously bought the threat, but that’s mostly because I know the purpose of UNIT and their ultimate goal to protect. Cleo continuing to search for Jordan was good and I loved learning more about their history on the Powell Estate. It’s terrific continuity that really is effortlessly simple. It was wonderful to hear Jemma Redgrave feature as Kate and I must admit that I didn’t think she’d actually feature so soon after being mentioned! It’s a scary prospect though if even Kate has forgotten the Doctor. It was lovely to hear her greet the podcast hosts though and her shocked reaction to Roberts going rogue and wanting to find the answers was brilliant. It was a court martial offence but for him that was worth finding out the truth. The trio didn’t know of course but that didn’t stop Cleo standing up to him and goading him to shoot, but he never would of course. They needed the hosts because they had some information on the Doctor and the missing people, and that some was more than UNIT had. They were completely in the dark and that scared them. Overall, a great listen!

Rating: 8/10

Angels

"Statues can't wipe memories."

Writer: Catherine Brinkworth 

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Redacted 1.04

Featuring: Abby, Shawna, Cleo

Synopsis

Abby get an interview with her favourite blogger, Larry Nightingale. The two think that maybe some creatures called Weeping Angels have something to do with the country-wide disappearances. Abby figures that meeting a strange man at night in Glasgow Necropolis is probably fine, yeah?

Verdict

Angels was another excellent episode to continue my way through the first series of the Redacted podcast! I am thoroughly enjoying this series as we dig a bit deeper into the mystery of the Blue Box Files and the enigmatic Doctor that accompanies the sightings. I think it’s quite ironic that an episode that barely features the Doctor in Blink becomes the subject of the latest podcast episode, but it’s also a really good choice when it comes to a potential explanation for the numerous missing people that has been occurring mostly in London and stretching to the likes of Cardiff. Having nearly one hundred people missing is a considerable number but I was still expecting a little more to be honest given the significance and scale of the feel of events in the first three episodes. Hearing Abby, Shawna and Cleo discuss the mysterious Wester Drumlins house was magnificent and I was impressed with how well informed they were on events at that house and of the Weeping Angels. Abby having a relationship through email with Larry Nightingale was really good and I like that people with knowledge of the Doctor and/or the TARDIS have formed something of an online community. That feels very real and certainly in this day and age is exactly what would happen. I’m surprised more adventures haven’t tapped into that yet as online continues to increase its dominance on society. Cleo was troubled by Jordan’s continued disappearance and it’s quite ironic that she only got seriously worried when he made contact. The distortion that accompanied the phone call was good and a high level on the creepy factor. It wasn’t quite as easy as him running off onto Ex on the Beach! If only it was that simple. There was definite tension between the three podcast hosts but it was lovely for Shawna and Cleo to get the train up to Glasgow to make sure Abby was okay as all of the information concerning Larry did seem suspicious, especially with his wife and sister being missing. That made him a prime suspect. For him, it had been fifteen years since the Weeping Angels but having him communicate through a tape recorder from the 1920s was tremendous. It was a fine use of the effect of the Weeping Angels without them actually featuring. I do wish it was possible to get the original actors for the likes of Larry here and Penny Carter back in SOS, but with them not featuring too prominent it’s not a big issue and I certainly understand given the limited budget a podcast series would be given. The way the trio were jumped at the end by a military cavalry was interesting as a cliffhanger and moved us onto the next one nicely, and I like how Cleo is continuing to be frustrated by his fellow hosts constantly forgetting the Doctor. But that’s kind of the point. It was nice for Abby and Shawna to feel a bit more in the read role this time around after a strong focus on Cleo to start, so hopefully we get more of an equal balance moving forward like we had here. Overall, an excellent listen!

Rating: 9/10

Prisoners of Fate

"You let me think you were dead for twenty-five years!"

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: June 2013

Series: Monthly Adventures 174

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

Twenty-five years ago, with Richter's Syndrome running rampant throughout the galaxy, the brilliant biochemist Nyssa, formerly of Traken, bade a painful farewell to her young family... and set off into the space, in search of a cure for this deadly disease. 

She never returned.

Now, her grown-up son continues her work on the penal colony of Valderon, still desperate to make the breakthrough that eluded his presumed-dead mother.

So when the TARDIS lands on Valderon, bringing the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa to its fortress prison, the scene is set for a painful reunion... but not only for Nyssa. The Doctor's past is about catch up with him too...

Verdict

Prisoners of Fate was an outstanding story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures of Big Finish! I think this has been the best release in the range for quite some time and was a fitting conclusion to both the recent trilogy of stories for the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Turlough, as well as the arc involving Nyssa’s search for a cure to Richter’s Syndrome going all the way back to Cobwebs which seems a very long time ago now. I thought the emotion on show in this story was excellent and that’s where the basis of the rating comes from in my eyes. Nyssa at this point in time looks how she did when she was a companion on screen, but from The Eye of the Tiger onwards she was rejuvenated and looked young again despite being some half century older. So the emergence of her son Adric was magnificent! I loved that she had told him of her adventures in the TARDIS and he was certainly knowledgeable on a number of events. That was fun stuff and hearing the accuracy in which he told Turlough about the events of Mawdryn Undead was wonderful. Adric here was forty years old and amazingly it had been quarter of a century since he’d seen his mother. That was tough to believe but once Nyssa had stepped out of the TARDIS she became a part of history and she wouldn’t be able to return. She really was gone for twenty-five years! Her son had grown into adulthood and beyond believing his mother was dead and so many had died of Richter’s Syndrome whilst she had the cure. That was equally difficult for her to accept and who could blame her? The fact she then had to live through those twenty-five years was honestly shocking and the Doctor didn’t have much to say other than exclaiming he was grateful. But considering what she’d gone through he didn’t seem that thankful or considerate. He put that right at the end though which was a welcomed nice touch. I liked that Nyssa’s familial connections came out for the Doctor and his reaction when he found out that Tegan knew already was hilarious. It was a nice shift in dynamic for the Doctor and Tegan to be working in unison on the same page when they realised the situation regarding Nyssa and needing to leave in the TARDIS right away. Turlough was angered at not being let in on the secret though which was quite amusing as he behaved like a little child really storming off to find Adric himself for the answers. I thought the concept of the chronoscope was intriguing and having a legal system that would punish based on a prediction seemed quite scary! The cliffhanger of Turlough and Tegan being sentenced with the preempt to murder was very good but I also enjoyed the Doctor acting as their defence and showing that the chronoscape couldn’t possibly be 100% accurate because now what it had predicted wouldn’t come into fruition. Of course, that was the whole point as far as Sibor was concerned. She made a strong villain, but the true enemy of the piece amazing was the Doctor’s first TARDIS! That was the truth behind the chronoscope which was quite something and its description as a white cabinet was great. But learning of its history and the fact it was jealous of the Doctor running from Gallifrey in a Type-40 with it being a superior 50 was spectacular. The Doctor conversing with his old TARDIS was magnificent and hearing how it separated itself from its recall device and escaped Gallifrey looking for its pilot was superb. I love the idea of the Doctor’s TARDIS not being his first but I was a little surprised he claimed to the Type-50 that the chance for adventures wasn’t over! They did get a final journey together in order to flesh out the paradox and set things right which was nice. Adric was a terrific character and the way he appealed to his mother Nyssa to not change the past because that would mean he wouldn’t be the man he was now was an incredibly strong scene. Nyssa didn’t want a world or timeline where she wasn’t there for her children, but the timelines were set now and Adric was who he was. The first TARDIS couldn’t feed on a paradox that has been prevented, but the second one involving The Caves of Androzani was just spectacular. I loved that link with the Doctor’s future regeneration and how he reached out to his companions for help to move on. The prospect of those future incarnations being lost was excellent and I loved the flashback cameos of the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Doctors as a hint of the future. The emotion of Adric’s final line about being the last time he saw his mother was poignant as it seems she never made the date of meeting one month in the future. Overall, a spectacular story!

Rating: 10/10

Love and War

"You have to live before you die."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: Novel

Released: October 1992

Series: New Adventures 09

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Benny

Synopsis

On a planet called Heaven, all hell is breaking loose. 

Heaven is a paradise for both humans and Draconians – a place of rest in more ways than one. The Doctor comes here on a trivial mission – to find a book, or so he says – and Ace, wandering alone in the city, becomes involved with a charismatic Traveller called Jan. 

But the Doctor is strenuously opposed to the romance. What is he trying to prevent? Is he planning some more deadly game connected with the mysterious objets causing the military forces of Heaven such concern?

Archaeologist Bernice Summerfield thinks so. Her destiny is inextricably linked with that of the Doctor, but even she may not be able to save Ace from the Time Lord's plans. 

This time, has the Doctor gone too far?

Verdict

Love and War was a really strong New Adventures novel! I’ve been looking forward to delving into this book for a long time as I’ve known it’s a significant one in the history of Doctor Who prose. It really does send the show into another era and firmly establishes the Seventh Doctor as the most manipulative incarnation. What he does to Ace here is extraordinary and her reaction is so powerful. It’s an incredible way to write out a companion, even if it is only temporary. Even more so given that the companion is Ace! She almost defined the modern companion before the modern era and that’s no more than evident than within this novel. She quickly establishes a relationship with Jan that develops into love. It’s clear they were going to have something together and I liked how Ace was pondering on leaving the Doctor before he even met him. She wanted more, and to be frank she wanted something physical. I liked that she acknowledged that she did love the Doctor but that was obviously in a way nothing akin to romantic. She seems to have gotten over her love interest in Nightshade in the previous novel rather quickly given the extent of that, but to read about her having sex and thinking the Doctor might be jealous was very intriguing. She wanted her own life now or at least something more with the Doctor and that involved bringing Jan with them. It was clear that despite the Doctor suggesting he would consider it, he was never going to allow it. He knew more about Jan than he was letting on and that’s where the manipulation began. I thought the setting of Heaven was pretty strong and I liked the proximity to the Dalek and Draconian war conflict. That tied in nicely with Frontier in Space but Heaven’s position there was what was interesting to me. The idea of it being a place of harmony for the dead of both humanity and Draconian was very good and I loved the imagery of the dead literally descending from the sky. Despite everything that happens with Ace and its realism, I’m still not entirely if it’s the right direction to have her swearing at the Doctor and engaging in sexual relations. I understand it’s a new era and I’m fine with it in principle, but it just feels a little alien. I think that’s why the role of Bernice was my favourite element of the story. Her introduction was brilliant! I felt a little annoyed that I’ve covered so much of her character with Big Finish as I didn’t get this being my first experience of her, but it also provided an interesting perspective in seeing how the character has developed. I was a huge fan of hers right from the off and I’m delighted to have finally ticked off her first chronological appearance. Her dialogue with the Doctor was fascinating and she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. She could also see that he was clearly struggling with something as he confused Ace with both Susan and Dodo on more than one occasion. Her professor status matching up to the Doctor’s was fun and I liked that they both rescinded those at the end of the novel. I was a little surprised with the direction in how Benny did become companion because she wanted assurances and wasn’t overly happy with how the Doctor had treated Ace. Far from it in fact. But she knew the opportunity was too much to pass up and she could also see she was needed. I thought the Hoothi were an intriguing villain and I liked that they had a role in Time Lord history too. Especially with it being before the Time Lords were so concerned with non-interference. The role of Jan and his pyrokinetic abilities in wiping out the Hopthi spores was superb and made for a really powerful ending after a little bit of confusion, but that came with the territory and nature of the Doctor’s plan. I think that was almost the intention! Overall, a great read. 

Rating: 8/10

Destination: Skaro

"Within this casing we can evolve."

Writer: Russell T Davies 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 17 November 2023

Series: Children in Need Special 2023

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor hurtles through space and time to a crucial point in the Daleks' history.

Verdict

Destination: Skaro was an excellent way to debut the Fourteenth Doctor on screen! After an incredible fourteen-part comic strip in the form of Liberation of the Daleks, this new but old incarnation meets his deadliest foes in very different circumstances. I think it’s wonderful that we get the first on screen appearance for the Fourteenth Doctor in this Children in Need minisode and it echoes what happened the first time around for David Tennant as the Doctor with Born Again. It’s ironic and just fun. This story doesn’t take itself too seriously which is obviously what you want for a Children in Need special, but crikey does it visit a pivotal point in history! The idea of a prequel to Genesis of the Daleks is very brave considering that literally sees the creation of the Daleks, but seeing Davros pre-injury was just wonderful. I thought the casting and performance of Julian Bleach was absolute perfection. It really was scarily good how well he brought Davros to life and just seeing the creator of the Daleks in an upright position was tremendous. Now, there’s since been a great deal of controversy from comments made by Russell T Davies in the Doctor Who Unleashed special for this episode about this is how we see Davros now. In this episode with it being where it is in the Dalek timeline, it’s perfect and it makes sense. But we simply cannot go to Davros not being disfigured and in his life support machine if he does do battle with the Fifteenth Doctor in the future. It just won’t work. I understand the backlash and I agree with it, especially as Davros is a Kaled. I’ve never associated disability as evil because of him. I think there might be a little too much overthinking there, but we can tackle any potential problem there if he does return. Julian Bleach really does deserve more than five minutes though! I thought Castavillian was a very fun name and a good bit of humour that comes with the territory of a minisode like this in aid of Children in Need. The fear he obviously had for Davros was excellent and I liked how that played out. I was less of a fan of the coming up with an anagram from Kaled for the name of the future race that would live on as it got a little bit silly, but the arrival of the Doctor was most welcomed. It came in emphatic style and seeing the TARDIS wipe out the adaptable claw from the mark three Dalek travel machine was hilarious. The way he replaced it with a plunger when realising where he was and when in Skaro’s history he was made for a joyous scene. It was perfect for Children in Need and it just feels right that the Doctor would christen the Daleks as their name. Seeing the Thirteenth Doctor TARDIS interior in the background of the police box was good continuity but I will be glad to see it gone once the sixtieth anniversary specials firmly kick off next week! The way this followed on from the aforementioned Doctor Who Magazine comic strip by having the Doctor on Skaro was brilliant and it’s just a shame he never met Davros. But we’ve kind of done that story before but crikey the combination of Tennant and Bleach would be phenomenal. Davros seeing the plunger in the Dalek at the end was amusing and it was fun how he proclaimed he liked it because it’s just so ridiculous. Overall though, a really fun minisode!

Rating: 9/10

Lost

"Hotels don't disappear."

Writer: Juno Dawson

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Redacted 1.03

Featuring: Abby, Shawna, Cleo

Synopsis

Things are getting worse across the country as Abby identifies a series of disappearances. Graham O'Brien, Ryan Sinclair, the Khan family, the Chandras... But people aren't just disappearing – they're being forgotten. And, side note, what on Earth has happened to Queen Victoria?!

Verdict

Lost was a very decent third episode to continue my way through the Redacted podcast series! This one seemed a little shorter than the first two instalments of SOS and Hysteria, but it was still a really good and strong listen even if it did feel a little bit like filler. There’s nothing wrong with that as it did advance the story along nicely as now even Abby and Shawna were starting to forget about the Doctor. The significance of Rani’s message to Cleo about tattooing ‘the Doctor and their TARDIS’ soon became clear as only she out of the three could remember the enigmatic figure associated with the blue box throughout history. Exploring more into the news reports of Graham and Ryan going missing was fun and having the latter’s friend of Tanya as a guest on the podcast worked well. Except she couldn’t remember ever having him despite her numerous social media posts, all of which had now been redacted. This idea is really strong and I’m excited that there are still seven episodes to go because there’s so much potential for guest characters too and those being impacted. Rani didn’t feature here which was a shame but her parents were detailed as going missing. The police were starting to notice now that those being reported as missing weren’t coming back as well which isn’t the norm. I liked the statistics that those reported as missing are usually found within 24 hours, but the one about someone being reported as such coming every 90 seconds in the UK was rather scary! That’s staggering. I liked touching on the relationship between Abby and Shawna and it seems that there’s an interest there in the former from the latter. I’ll be interested to hear how that develops, especially with Abby being in a relationship with a Craig whom Shawna didn’t approve of very much. I thought the connection to Queen Victoria in the episode was actually hilarious and should have been the full focus. Having a monarch of her significance redacted from history because of her connection to the Doctor really shows that nothing is off limits, not even across time. That was really fun and there being a mystery of the lost Queen for her was wonderful. I do hope more is touched on that going forward but I do have my doubts. Meeting Cleo’s mother briefly was good and she was predictably not a very nice character. That’s the intent and her not acknowledging her own child’s transition and new identity after five years by still referring to them as Jayden was a bit of a shame. I’m not sure there’s room to fix that relationship, but if they can come together then a strong reason would be Jordan going missing. That served as a good cliffhanger! I’m intrigued to discover what’s happened there because there wasn’t much indication of anything happening to him as a target, but the redacted nature seems to be taking over and Jordan has an obviously strong connection to Cleo by being a sibling. We didn’t get an actual podcast episode this time around but the conversation between the three hosts was good as Cleo tried to describe the situation with the hotel and it disappearing. They didn’t really believe him which was a shame given their podcast as you’d think they’d trust a fellow host and former university friend, but the redacted threat had reached them too. Overall, another good episode!

Rating: 7/10

Hysteria

"I just don't remember being on the moon."

Writer: Juno Dawson

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Redacted 1.02

Featuring: Abby, Shawna, Cleo, Rani

Synopsis

Following an ominous message from Rani Chandra, Cleo drags her brother Jordan to the creepiest hotel in London to find out what the hell she's talking about. Meanwhile, Abby meets Dr Oliver Morgenstern to ask him about what happened at Royal Hope Hospital in 2008.

Verdict

Hysteria was another great episode to continue my way through the Redacted podcast audio series! I once again thoroughly enjoyed this as a twenty minute story and I’m really loving the attention to detail. This one didn’t waste time with any introductions which was good and really delved into another mystery as part of the Blue Box Files podcast for Abby, Shawna and Cleo. The episode at the heart of the podcast this week was Smith and Jones and the disappearance of the Hope Hospital. That’s another fine event to delve into because it’s rather ludicrous for an entire hospital to vanish and leave a crater in the ground, especially when it returned perfectly a few hours later! I really liked that the reports on the BBC News bulletin that we saw in the episode were addressed as when it was initially brought up that there were dozens of witness accounts, I couldn’t help but instantly remember the news report. Thankfully that fitted in nicely with the redacted element at the heart of this series as there were no longer any accounts and the BBC denied any footage of those reports existing. I must admit, I was a little disappointed that Rani didn’t feature in the episode until close to the end after the SOS cliffhanger, but her warning to Cleo meant she’s bound to feature more prominently as the series goes on. Her insistence on talking to Cleo discreetly because of the Doctor being redacted seemingly being contagious was really interesting and something I hope gets explored more. Forgetting by passing on essentially a disease is a very fun concept. I was glad that Jordan featured again as I’m enjoying the sibling relationship he has with Cleo. The talk of the relationship they had with their parents and them clearly having favourites was good emotional stuff, but the humour that came from Jordan saying a trans person couldn’t be a lesbian when Cleo mentioned having a hot date with a she was very amusing. I was a big fan of that. Oliver Morgan being the guest on the podcast to discuss the hospital disappearance was really good stuff and him having a friendly relationship with Martha meant he was a prime candidate for the contagious memory loss. He remembered the hysteria of being on the Moon but couldn’t quite pinpoint actually being there and seeing the surface. That was good to explore and I’m just loving rhe intrigue in the series. Thus far, I really am wanting more and to move onto the next episode which is obviously a good thing! Rani using technology from Mr Smith to meet Cleo by hologram was a nice touch and lovely continuity with The Sarah Jane Adventures, although the Blue Box Files podcast was becoming a bit too real for the hosts. At the moment, Cleo is by far the star of the trio so I do hope we get more of a chance for Abby and Shawna to take a lead role, but there’s still plenty of time for that! Rani wanting Cleo to tattoo their own body with ‘The Doctor in their TARDIS’ was amusing purely because of the reaction comparing the phrase with ‘Live Love Life’. I couldn’t disagree! The alien threat got to Rani and whilst I’m intrigued to find out who the three people are that are left that knew the Doctor, I’m equally interested in who the aliens are that told Rani to put her hands up and were seemingly going to teleport to Cleo and Jordan. That was a decent cliffhanger that’s quickly thrown the podcasts hosts into the thick of the action! Overall though, another fascinating episode. 

Rating: 8/10

SOS

"Remember the Doctor."

Writer: Juno Dawson

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Redacted 1.01

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Abby, Shawna, Cleo

Synopsis

Cleo, Abby and Shawna make The Blue Box Files – a podcast about their favourite conspiracy theory: is this lone random blue box actually a spaceship? This wee they discuss shady pharmaceutical company Adipose Industries. But things get a bit real when they start hearing about a mysterious figure called 'the Doctor'. 

Verdict

SOS was an excellent story to kick off the Redacted podcast series! It’s taken me a while to get around to finally starting this reason and I can’t really think why, but I’m delighted to have now started and I was hugely impressed! At just twenty minutes long, there wasn’t a lot of time to set the scene and get started but my interest was peaked almost immediately. A podcast investigating mysterious sightings of the blue police box is a phenomenal idea and if the TARDIS existed in the real world, there would absolutely be a podcast investigating it. It’s a magnificent idea and it forms the basis for what should be a marvellous series. The first topic that we get to hear discuss on the podcast relates to Partners in Crime which is a fine episode to start with. I thought it was brilliant to explore the mystery sighting in London, of which there will inevitably be thousands, and the talk of Adipose Industries was fantastic. It was really exciting stuff and a fun look back on that Series 4 episode. Having Penny Carter as a guest on the podcast was really good stuff and hearing her memories on the encounter with alien walking fat was fantastic. She was a strong first guest and definitely a character that requires and warrants further exploration. She had a lot of potential. I thought our podcast hosts who will lead the series were introduced in a nice way and I liked the vibe in their relationship. They were young and very much of modern society. Cleo, Abby and Shawna were a fine trio and their friendship was quite infectious. I think the trans involvement and discussion was addressed very well here and Doctor Who sets an incredible example when it comes to diversity and this is just another fine addition. Long may it continue. Cleo was probably my favourite of the characters in this episode but that’s probably because he was the one doing the interview. We also learned about the situation of them all dropping out of university and now Cleo was stuck on her brother’s sofabed. It was good to get some background and I’m sure in the coming episodes Abby and Shawn will also take centre stage and we’ll learn more about them too. I thought the cameo appearance of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor was wonderful and it’s really quite brilliant to hear her in audio form for the first time! It’s a big deal to get the actual Doctor involved and it gives it a big injection of credibility. That’s a big appeal for me and certainly helps sell the series as authentic and genuine. I hope we get more. Hearing news reports from Sheffield of Graham and Ryan going missing was very intriguing and the link to the Doctor and the blue box was very good. The concept of the Doctor being redacted is really quite excellence and Penny knowing about the Doctor’s involvement at Adipose Industries being quite loose was good, but she couldn’t quite remember him. Expanding on that in the episodes that come will be tremendous and I look forward to delving back on past episodes. The cliffhanger finish with Rani getting involved was a really good incentive to get into the next episode! I look forward to her hopefully being a guest on the podcast in the next story. Overall, a sublime start!

Rating: 9/10

Ex Machina

"All of Cardiff apparently dead and forgotten in a fortnight."

Writer: Alife Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: September 2020

Series: Torchwood Monthly 42

Featuring: Ianto

Synopsis

Ianto Jones is Torchwood. Ianto Jones is the defender of a deserted city, a lone crusader who keeps the empty streets safe.

One day he meets one of the few survivors. She needs his help – because she's being chased by a darkness. A darkness which says it loves her.

Verdict

Ex Machina was another great story to continue my way through the monthly adventures of Torchwood from Big Finish! I’m a massive fan of this range and I like how it gives a focus on an individual character, something that wasn’t always possible in the television series with five main characters all playing a part. But in this one the other four members of Torchwood were quite literally forgotten. The best way I can describe this episode is that it was basically Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane Smith? in Torchwood form. I’m honestly a little bit disappointed that the culprit at the heart of this story’s events was not the Trickster. It would have been perfect and everything felt like it was leading that way. I think that could have been really fun and that’s definitely a villain that could fit into the more adult oriented show that is Torchwood. Abigail was a fine character to come searching for Torchwood and the front put on by Ianto was hilarious. Claiming to be the tourist information board at Cardiff was amusing and hearing him deal with the challenge of feigning innocence regarding Torchwood and his name being Ianto was marvellous. He was Rhys Hughes of course. But that couldn’t last when Abigail revealed that her parents had gone missing, and in fact she couldn’t remember them at all. They weren’t just missing, they were forgotten and they weren’t the only ones either. Cardiff had become a ghost town which was intriguing given this episode’s proximity to Cyberwoman and the early part of Series 1. I liked the idea and it soon became clear that Abigail was mostly responsible because she had been the one to wish her cheating boyfriend and housemate were forgotten about. That was good stuff and emotional. I thought Ianto’s detective skills by looking for things like the number of toothbrushes or pairs of shoes in the house was terrific. That was Ianto at his best. I thought the build to the ending was good and whilst it was a little predictable how things would end, it was still a powerful moment as Abigail confronted the engine that supposedly loved her. It was the only thing causing her pain now and she needed it be stopped and reverse the disappearances it had caused. Cardiff needed to be restored. The anecdote from Abigail about Gwen getting her to Ianto before she too was forgotten was a nice touch too. I liked that even at this early point in Torchwood’s run she had the confidence in him to help put things right. The relationship built between Ianto and Abigail was really nice and she was genuinely hopeful that he could get some information on closure regarding the death of his girlfriend. That was good to explore and it was a little sad for Ianto to be lonely. He carried himself well and was a fine representative of Torchwood! The voice of the engine probably talked for a little too long and sounded a bit desperate and silly by the end with it proclaiming his love for Abigail, but it made for a decent enough villain. The focus was all on Abigail though and rightly so. Overall, a fine listen!

Rating: 8/10

Liberation of the Daleks

"Me, immune from extermination!"

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: November 2022 - November 2023

Printed in: DWM 584-597

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor

Synopsis

Picking up immediately with a new regeneration and a familiar face, the return of the Doctor's deadliest enemies – the Daleks! – sees him do battle across multiple versions of his old foe across domains both real and not.

Verdict

Liberation of the Daleks is a fantastic comic strip adventure! This story really is an event and whilst it’s a bit of a shame that it’s taken fourteen months to complete, the fact that it’s the opening story for the Fourteenth Doctor is nothing short of extraordinary! It’s a huge coup for Doctor Who Magazine and what better way to have the Daleks return to the comic strip than for them to stick around for an entire year! And it was quite a celebratory story for the Daleks as the artists got a huge chance to show off. Designs old, new and previously unseen were present and that was just wonderful. I’m a huge football fan so starting things at the 1966 World Cup final was intriguing to me, even if I had to relive mentions of England winning the sport’s biggest prize. The less of that the better! It’s a quick dive into action for the newly regenerated Fourteenth Doctor and I still can’t believe that this serves as his first chronological adventure. I’m in adoration of that. We see the cliff that was beautifully shot for the Thirteenth Doctor’s final moments in The Power of the Doctor and I definitely got that new Doctor feeling by seeing this new incarnation with a familiar face in unfamiliar surroundings of the rather horrific neon TARDIS interior of his predecessor. I really can’t wait to see the new TARDIS interior as I wasn’t a fan of the most recent one. Just seeing the Fourteenth Doctor with the Thirteenth’s sonic screwdriver was fun too because it doesn’t look right in his hand. It’s another less than stellar design so having the Daleks get to destroy it on two separate occasions was a delight. Good riddance! In saying that though, I’m not a massive fan of the next version though with it being a bit of a hodge podge collection of the modern era designs. It just looks like a jigsaw puzzle put together from multiple sets. Anyway, back to the story at hand and playing with the idea of artificial Daleks was fascinating. The story was obviously released over fourteen consecutive months and I have been reading each month in DWM, but without catching up on the previous parts. So when I sat down tonight to read all fourteen parts in one sitting, I was delighted with the familiarity and everything firmly tying together. There’s so much to enjoy. I love that we get to see the red Dalek Supreme from The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End, but the better highlights are seeing the Dalek Emperors from both The Evil of the Daleks and the famed Dalek comics of the 1960s. That was sublime. Both cliffhangers of their reveals put a big smile on my face. The artwork was outstanding as well. It was a joy to see so many different versions and the three that the Doctor mentions not having met yet looked very interesting! I hope we get encounters with them at some point soon. Georgette and her artificial counterpart fitted into the companion role well but the psychoplasm version perished in empathic style. The Daleks being angry at their predicament of not being real was fun and Georgette being involved in Dalek studies wasn’t something the Doctor enjoyed. Her contraption of the Dalek Dome was extraordinary but he wasn’t a fan. Not in the slightest. The suffering of millions put into a tourist attraction. If she knew about the Doctor then surely she’d know he wouldn’t approve! Overall, a wonderful comic strip!

Rating: 9/10

Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

"It is my job to warn you about that hole."

Writer: Foster Marks

Format: Audio

Released: August 2011

Series: Short Trips 4.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

Showing too much interest in a mining operation on an almost deserted planet leads the Doctor and his companions into danger.

Verdict

Penny Wise, Pound Foolish wasn’t the greatest of Short Trips adventures to conclude my listening of the fourth series unfortunately! At long last, I’m delighted to have got up to date on this early era of a range that would grow into being something excellent. There are numerous gems in this range but there are only a few in this era of four boxsets of pretty quick adventures. This one again was only sixteen minutes long but it didn’t really need any longer because not much happened. Not much at all. I think the plot is incredibly basic and not exactly exciting, but at the same time I can’t say there’s anything particularly terrible in the audio. It’s just rather bland and passes by which is a shame. One big positive is the talents of David Troughton on display in the narrator role. Of course, Patrick Troughton is long gone so cannot reprise his iconic role as the Second Doctor but having his own son step into the role isn’t a bad replacement! He does the job really well and whilst I did think it wasn’t quite up to the standard given by Frazier Hines in numerous Big Finish releases, it’s still an admirable effort and definitely still feels authentic. That’s important. His take on Jamie was very good too which was a nice bonus, but there wasn’t much of an opportunity for an impression of Zoe as she hardly featured. She was described  as a pretty girl and a quick example of her intelligence was given but other than that she may as well have not been there which is a shame. When you have a companion with intelligence on par with the Doctor I think it just has to be taken advantage of but I didn’t get that feeling here. The basic premise of the story sounds a little comical on paper with the Doctor and his companions investigating a large hole in the surface of the planet and then falling down it. Whenever a hole was mentioned, it was clear that would be the direction. It was a little silly and even when they descended I never got a strong feeling of them being in mass danger. Jack was nothing more than an average character too which was a shame and I thought his deep and booming voice was a little unmatched to the narration perspective that opened the story. His efforts to warn the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe about the hole and its dangers felt awkward but he’d done his job fine. But it was all just a bit weird and uneventful. Jack was then trying to get the Doctor and his companions away and wasn’t shy in trying to kill them, so I really appreciated Jamie’s comment at the end when Jack was threatened of being eaten to just let it happen. That was brilliantly Jamie and did make me chuckle on the train. It was a rare shining light though and Jack’s fate of entrapment anyway wasn’t much of a solace for him. Overall, not wholly bad but not a lot to entice or keep me interested in. 

Rating: 5/10