The Nightmare Realm

"Nothing ever happens here."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: June 2021

Series: BBC Audio 11

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Nardole

Synopsis

Time: the present. Place: Smalltown, USA. A town like any other. A sleepy world of white picket fences, front porch gliders and freshly-mown lawns, a Pontiac or Chevrolet in every driveway. 

But the streets are empty, with not a sound to be heard, and no-one to hear it if there was. Because this town is merely an empty stage, waiting for its players to take their parts. They're due to make their entrance any moment now, strangers in a strange land, somewhere in that timeless space known only as The Nightmare Realm. 

It's into this strange world of shifting sands that the TARDIS propels the Doctor and Nardole, who think they're in 1950s suburbia until an apparent nuclear attack takes them into far darker territory, with a series of terrifying consequences...

Verdict

The Nightmare Realm was was a really great BBC Audio adventure! The prospect of a story featuring just the Twelfth Doctor and Nardole was really exciting and after a recent reward of an Amazon voucher from work, I purchased a number of the BBC Audios and I’m actually quite surprised that this was the last one I listened to out of the bulk buy! We only really saw a full outing for this TARDIS pairing in The Return of Doctor Mysterio which somehow feels a little odd of an episode as we didn’t really have Nardole established as a companion at that point following his apparent demise in The Husbands of River Song. But alas, this was a lovely insight into the gap between Series 9 and 10. The setting right from the off was very exciting and the story didn’t waste time in establishing it. We were firmly introduced to the Nightmare Realm which was intriguing and the effects used were really strong for this range. Credit must go to Dan Starkey for his narration of this as he really was spectacular. It made the episode an absolutely breeze to listen to and the way he was able to differentiate between the Doctor, Nardole and the other characters was very impressive. His impression of the companion in particular was quite stellar! I wouldn’t be against him taking on the role in any future Twelfth Doctor Chronicles for Big Finish. It was honestly that good. The imagery created in the adventure was terrific and whilst the concept of the nightmare realm wasn’t exactly unique, a dream invasion attempt is usually pretty decent. We’ve seen something similar concerning the dream theme with this incarnation of the Doctor before in Last Christmas, so it did unfortunately have something of a minor sense of repetitiveness. I liked how things were rapidly changing in the environment for the Doctor and Nardole, and the way they deduced how light and darkness happened instantly was very clever. Being a dream scape, Greg as a child was the avatar for his older self and he was in a coma meaning the change of light was the actual light switch in his hospital room! That was brilliant stuff and really fun to explore. The Americanisation of the story was a guilty pleasure of mine as I’m not sure why but I love hearing that accent in the form of a public announcement. It just feels right. I thought the pace of the story was good and I did like how the Doctor claimed to always know what was going on. Nardole had his doubts which was humorous. The way things ended as the nightmare realm came to implode was predictable and always going to be the way things headed, and the ambiguity regarding the threat and whether they were inside the realm as it collapsed was nicely done. I liked how once Greg woke up he was set to typing almost immediately for more shows of his hit television series, the mysterious and enigmatic Nightmare Realm. Overall, a really good listen!

Rating: 8/10

The Thief Who Stole Time

"All of time is mine!"

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: September 2017

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 6.09

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II

Synopsis

A god has died. A crime has been committed. And an even greater threat lies beneath the surface. 

On the ocean world of Funderell, Romana has been reunited with her old friend from Gallifrey, Sartia, and the Doctor is investigating the history and religion of this strange world. But events have quickly spiralled out of control. 

Why is this planet of such interest to the Time Lords? What lurks in the depths?

The life of more than one world is at stake. But time is running out. 

Verdict

The Thief Who Stole Time was a terrific episode to conclude the story already started in The Skin of the Sleek and to finish the sixth series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures all together! On a personal note, this brings an end to my blogging of the single releases from this brilliant range and moving forward now I should do it in chronological order from Series 10 onwards which is rather exciting. Perhaps my jumping around style is why this as a whole didn’t feel like a roaring finale, but this second episode was definitely an improvement. The stakes were raised and that’s not much of a surprise given that the first part is setting things up! This is where we really saw Sartia in her element as a villain now that the secret was fully out. She was tremendous and I really do hope that this isn’t the last we have heard from her. I’d love to delve more into her history with Romana and their days together on Gallifrey. There’s so much potential there and they were obviously close because Sartia even had the Mana nickname for her. Both were clearly accepting of that moniker which was good and I like the idea of Romana having something akin to the Master for the Doctor. It’s not quite up to that level yet but with further exploration it certainly could be! I thought Lalla Ward was impressive in selling the impact of the cliffhanger where she was left to drown, and it was fun for Sartia to own her action in leaving Romana. She was proud of it and was solely interested in the power within the planet that was Funderell. Exploring more of the planet here was great and the concept of it not having an ocean floor and the core just being pure energy was a little difficult to comprehend, but that was music to Sartia despite her fruitless attempts to offer half in return for the discovery and keeping quiet about it. Her suspicions were roused in a big way quite obviously but she didn’t hold back in dealing with any potential whistleblower! The Doctor was onto her though and that was nicely done. The Time Lord involvement in the planet was intriguing to explore and arguably could have been even more of the focus. I loved the idea of it being a plug in a sinkhole of timelines as the potential there was huge, and I would say not fully realised which was a bit of a shame. Romana being able to save the day in ensuring that Sartia’s own attempts to harness the energy knocked her out, but I can’t help but feel her escape via a time ring was a little weak. She deserved to meet her fate and her getting away with it will be fine if we do get a return at some point in the future. However, as far as I’m aware that is yet to materialise. I thought the enigmatic narration was good in adding to the atmosphere and the planet actually reverting back to its default at the end was actually a little disappointing considering the whacky nature of it! There was more to explore in my opinion. Overall though, a really entertaining listen and a strong villain! Not to mention a fantastic cliffhanger with the Doctor set to be consumed by a Sleek. 

Rating: 8/10

The Skin of the Sleek

"I'm the one chained to time."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: August 2017

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 6.08

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II

Synopsis

On the planet Funderell you can walk on the ocean. The surface holds you when you move, but if you stand still, you sink. Lights shift in the fathoms and great shapes move beneath your feet – schools of giant electric eels know as Sleeks. 

There is no solid land and the only locals are the Wavewalkers, hunters who live in floating villages. But recently some strangers have arrived, pursuing their own distinct agenda. 

When the Doctor and Romana lose the TARDIS to the deep, they need help. Which makes finding a fellow Time Lord on the planet very useful. The fact that Time Lord is Sartia, an old friend of Romana's, is even better! 

But this is a planet of secrets. Be careful when you explore its depths. You may just drown. 

Verdict

The Skin of the Sleek was a decent little episode to kick off the two-part finale of the sixth series of Fourth Doctor Adventures! I must admit I am a fan of the approach of making season finales in this range as two-parters because it allows for greater scope and depth in the storytelling. It also has that sense of a big feel, but for whatever reason this didn't quite have that finale feel. The stakes didn't feel big and that's a bit of a shame. The story in of itself was absolutely fine and I was quite interested in everything that was happening, even if it felt like a little bit of a set up. I do hope that the second half of the story is an improvement and as the actual sole finale ups the ante a little. The setting of Funderell was really intriguing and the concept of a planet that was essentially in flux was terrific. It definitely warranted exploration and it's no surprise that it was the home of an excavation group, but they'd been stuck for thirteen days. Only finding one settlement didn't give much hope of an escape and the moments where the TARDIS was lost were really great. I mention it a lot but the vulnerability of the Doctor and his companion with no TARDIS is exciting because it is unusual and takes away the safety net they so often have. The threat of the planet itself is brilliant as exploring something natural and it proving deadly is magnificent. I liked the idea of walking on oceans and a moving surface, but I don't think it was explored to its fullest potential. I do hope that it becomes more central in the finale, but I do like that standing still is very dangerous. The threat of drowning is obviously a frightening one so the cliffhanger with Romana seemingly going below the surface after being abandoned by Sartia worked well. She was a fascinating character and I admit I did have to research if she actuals had featured in a story before given she was an old friend of Romana's. That was a nice touch with her having a little nickname for our Time Lady in the form of Mana. She also had extensive knowledge on the Doctor which was good with a nice reference to The Invasion of Time and the Doctor being Lord President. I thought the reference to The War Games and beyond was a nice touch for the Doctor as well in mentioning how he had served his time in exile. The Sleeks were a little weird as giant eels and that's not a monster that excites me I must admit it. I'm not usually a fan of taking real life animals and making them slightly alien or giant and that was the case here. I probably would have acted in the same was as Sartia in killing the god of the Wavewalkers. I thought they were a weird old bunch and I think that was the intention, but at times I did find myself hoping for a little more. Linnis needed more time to shine as his relationship in seeing time was excellent. The way he was demanded to see and tell the future in the present was very good and I just wanted more of him to be honest. The shock that came from the shackles literally being off was brilliant. I liked the continuity to The Leisure Hive in explaining K9's absence on adventures in this series, but I must admit he does add something special to this already tremendous pairing. It's a shame they were split up for much of the episode as their chemistry really shines, especially considering how long it took for them to actually arrive as well. Overall, still a good episode to start the finale with a lot of interesting and fascinating ideas! I'm keen to listen to the next episode now.

Rating: 7/10

Redemption

"I sold you to settle your bills."

Writer: June Dawson

Format: Audio

Released: September 2023

Series: Redacted 2.06

Featuring: Shawna, Abby, Cleo, Rani

Synopsis

Cleo is in a race against time to defeat Honour and save the alien refugees of the London Underground. She needs all the help she can get – Abby, Shawna and the Doctor would be useful too. But which side Apex on?

Verdict

Redemption was a somewhat average episode to conclude the second series of the Redacted podcast! I don’t think this series has quite lived up to the first but to be honest that’s to be expected. It’s a shame we didn’t get any appearance from the Doctor and I must admit that I was banking on it happening when the TARDIS hologram arrived, so it was a little disappointing to get the Apex return. It was quite predictable that he would always come back for Cleo and whilst it’s nice for her to finally have something of a relationship where somebody is looking out and cares for her, I’m just not a huge fan of Apex. He’s not the most likeable character but at the same time he’s not someone I dislike. He’s just a bit bland. I think Honour Bray had a lot of potential as the villain but I thought she was a little diluted by her past love for Apex. That was a bit annoying but the moment where she saw the TARDIS was tremendous. That reaction was tremendous and she really did believe that a girl can have everything. The last time machine in the universe and for some reason she thought it was hers by it merely arriving. What she planned to do with the Doctor was left unanswered, but I’d love for the two to meet at some point. The London Underground setting is obviously iconic from The Web of Fear so returning there in modern times was really good. There’s a lot of potential there with the darkness and atmosphere but I don’t think it was wholly suited for the Cobot. That robotic monster had a good threat and it was fun for Abby and Shawna to hack it using Mr Smith. Rani’s presence seemed to dwindle once the threat was dealt with and we went into an extended epilogue, but it was nice for her to be prominent for much of the series. She’s an excellent character! I did enjoy things coming full circle with Apex using the wave disruptor that definitely wasn’t a flute to see of Bray and her threat, and his choice was made that it was Cleo. He was firmly done with Honour now and that was nice. It was nice to hear all three characters doing an episode of their Blue Box Files and getting some references to radiated rats at the docklands was good and I loved the comparisons to Arachnids in the UK and The Green Death. Keep those coming. It made sense that in a finale this would be indicated as the last episode of the podcast for a while as the trio would take a well deserved break, but I do wonder if this will be the end for Redacted as a whole. Obviously that term is a little redundant now as a title but I would certainly be on board for another series, especially if they could the Fifteenth Doctor in for a few cameos! Ncuti Gatwa would be perfect for this. I thought the ending with Cleo and Apex overlooking London was good if not a little cheesy, and I liked that Abby and Shawna left him to his own devices now. They had a bit of a spat when controlling the Cobot but they seem to have got past the honeymoon phase now. The ending loosely tying in with Wild Blue Yonder’s chaotic ending with the ship crashing was excellent, but it’s a shame we didn’t get a quick loose reference to a giggle. Overall, a little predictable and too focused on Apex but far from being bad. I hope there’s more. 

Rating: 6/10

The Lair of Zarbi Supremo

"There was a force on this world which was intent on invading Earth."

Writer: David Whittaker

Format: Short Story

Released: September 1965

Printed in: Dr Who Annual 1966

Featuring: First Doctor

Synopsis

Dr Who finds himself back on Vortis and must rescue groups of humans and Meoptera from an intelligent Zarbi power.

Verdict

The Lair of Zarbi Supremo was a really fun and quirky adventure to kick off my reading of the original Doctor Who Annual! It is only fitting that with this story and the cover of the Annual that the PDF version is a bonus feature on The Web Planet DVD. Now, this adventure is actually one I consider to probably be in my bottom ten least favourite serials of all time, but returning to the web planet known as Vortis is fascinating and I think the story here actually works better with still images and no dodgy costume work. Of course, there's only so far a BBC budget for what was deemed a children's show can go in the middle of the 1960s, but the presentation of the Zarbin and Menoptera in that serial was far from ideal. I thought the description of the Zarbi in particular here meant for a better visual and the artwork that accompanies this short story is nothing short of sensational. The Annuals of the Classic era are often renowned for their somewhat dodgy and inconsistent illustrations, but here I was completely blown away! It looked absolutely stunning and that definitely helped with my enjoyment of the story. It was striking and even the artwork for the look of the Doctor was glorious. Those strokes! The likeness of William Hartnell was captured with effortless ease and that really does make a difference. Unusually from my experience of the Annual stories, this one was actually clocking in at a hefty fifteen pages which really allowed for a full story. This wasn't quick and that added depth to things. The early days of Doctor Who are a wonderful time and so interesting to explore the quirks that contradict everything the mythology of over sixty years now has built up. The Doctor here is described as an Earthman and the human who wonders which is poetic but obviously completely false. It's also fun for him to be described in character as Dr Who which honestly infuriates me. We know the Doctor is a title but to have it in short case here really irked me! It was literally used as his title and not his name. It would honestly help if they had always produced the full 'Doctor' before the 'Who' when mentioning our lead character. Something I am massively intrigued by is trying to place this story into the chronology of the First Doctor era. There's no companion which we never saw on screen and Susan left Gallifrey with him, so where are the companions and why aren't they mentioned? That's a fun quirk to think about. Returning for encounters with the Zarbi is good and whilst I appreciate the efforts in trying to make them replicate Dalekmania, giant ants was never going to be a success. I really loved the concept of having Zarbi robots though and the Menoptera being dummies within was terrific! The illustration of the Doctor within a Zarbi was magnificent and that's honestly a figurine waiting to happen. I would buy it instantly! The Zarbi Supremo as an enemy was good and I like the forefront of a lead monster. It was essentially a queen and I liked the brief exploration of different classes of Zarbi. Most of the ones we'd met were the soldier class and that was really great and fitting. I do think the conclusion was a little weak as I'm not convinced the Doctor was actually required considering he was just doing everything else the other Menoptera were doing in being dummies, but he was quick to take credit! The characterisation for him was a little mixed and I thought the contradiction of the Zarbi Supremo name was amusing. We literally heard that name played on the tape from George Hamilton's father, but then later on it was supposedly what the Doctor had come to think of the villain as. In the Doctor Who Annuals, I'll allow it as they're always quirky in that regard! Overall, honestly a privilege to be reading this considering its age and a fun little start to the book! I sense this won't be the last of the Zarbi and Vortis. A good read. 

Rating: 7/10

The Hero Factor

"When did I ever apply to be a champion?"

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: June 2006

Printed in: Doctor Who Files 01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor and Rose are enjoying the pleasures of Asskenflatt Minor (the Warp Hotel – the best tea in the known universe!) when they are interrupted by a group of strange creatures with microphones and cameras who start asking Rose what it is like to travel with the future Champion of Askenflatt – the man who will lie his life down to defend the people against Hasval the Destroyer! 

Verdict

The Hero Factor was a good little story to kick off my reading of the short story prose contained within the Doctor Who Files series of hardbacks. Reaching for this book off the bookshelf really did bring a level of nostalgia as I remember when I first became a fan these were a crucial part of fandom as a young child. I don't believe I actually read the new adventure within the books, but catching up on knowledge and even testing it was something I was very keen to do. It is of course only right that a series such as this one starts with the Doctor as the highlight but it was nice for him to have a companion in the form of Rose for the adventure. Any new prose is welcomed and whilst it's unclear where in their run during Series 2 that this story fits in, it feels like a good representation of the era with the Doctor and companion relationship well captured in the words. It's clear from the design of the book and the way the knowledge is presented in a simplistic form that the target audience for this series was for younger children. The very age I was when I collected the books some eighteen years ago. That in of itself is staggering and actually makes me feel sickeningly old at just twenty-seven! I think I enjoyed and appreciated this story more than I would have at the time of release, well shortly there after as I didn't become a fan until Series 3. The actual story itself was good stuff and I really did like the concept of the Doctor arriving on a planet and being recognised as its champion. If that was going to happen to anybody then it would certainly be him! I am not sure what he was thinking in believing that he and Rose could just have a quiet little holiday. Hell, Rose even wanted a holiday home on Asskenflatt Minor and the way that came back into the plot when it was seemingly just a throwaway comment was very well done. The Doctor and Rose being separated was good and the threats that came from what seemed to be paparazzi was unique which I appreciated. The hologram for the Doctor being on the television show ended a little prematurely and if left to linger longer then the reveal could have been more powerful, but I understand the need to slightly rush that with the shortness of the format. The Doctor being questioned on his payment for being the champion against Hasval the Destroyer was amusing and he was perplexed. If a planet or its people were in need then he was there to provide help. Free of charge! The way he was questioned about the weaponry he used and alluding to potential soft fruit being the only thing he'd consider was fun and a nice nod to the satsuma usage in The Christmas Invasion. Hasval turning out to be behind the questioning and television show charade wasn't much of a surprise, but it was a strong moment when it came. I thought Rose basically saving the day by accident by replicating the Doctor's image over one hundred fold was good stuff purely because of the line it inspired in the Doctor admitting that the way he defeats the enemy is by choosing good friends. That was really poetic and exactly the kind of thing you'd expect and want the Doctor to be saying. Hasval revealing himself because Rose suggested living on the planet was hilarious as he just planned to delay invasion when the Doctor was spotted, but now it had to be accelerated. He truly was the Champion and couldn't be defeated. I mean, it was a little easy for Hasval to be defeated by his own weapon but it was nice to know the Doctor's reputation was on an incredible scale om Asskenflatt Minor. Word got around in a big way! Overall, a decent little read. 

Rating: 7/10

The Underwater Menace

"You're not turning me into a fish!"

Writer: Geoffrey Orme

Format: TV (Animation)

Released: November 2023

Series: 4.05

Featuring: Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie

Synopsis

The Doctor and his friends find themselves in the lost city of Atlantis, where the crazed Professor Zaroff has convinced the people of Atlantis that he can raise their sunken city from beneath the sea. However, the Doctor discovers a terrible secret behind Zaroff's plan – a secret that could destroy all life on Earth. As the countdown commences to the end of the world, can the Doctor defeat the underwater menace?

Verdict

The Underwater Menace was a great animation of the partially lost fourth series story! I was delighted to hear that this story would be animated when it was announced last year but that's not a surprise as I get excited whenever any story is revealed to be getting the colourful reconstruction treatment. Of course, the animation is far from perfect but this presented me with the first time I have watched the story in a full and consistent form. Sure, the Target novelisation is a brilliant thing to have and gives a complete version of the adventure, but there's nothing quite like the on screen visuals. I always choose to watch the animations in colour format where available as I've now tried to distance myself from these being pure reconstructions and almost like an alternative perspective or interpretation of the story which is itself complete. It's not so weird now to be watching a Troughton era story in colour as there have been several animations of this kind, and the style of animation certainly does take a little while to go on. I don't want to sound too harsh but when I watched the trailer for this release I thought it did look a little amateur-ish which is a bit of a shame. But when there's a full moving story and flow it definitely works. It's fun for this to be Jamie's first adventure after arriving in The Highlanders and he really doesn't take long to get to grips with the travels in the TARDIS. I don't remember them picking up in the attire he was wearing right at the start of this story though. The colour in this animation was very well presented and that's the beauty of the format. It's ironic that the search and desire for completeness actually makes the missing serials the ones I have delved into more often than others. This is the third time I've blogged this story but each one has been in a different form and I really like that. I feel like from my two previous bloggings that I knew the story pretty well although I couldn't quite believe it's been eight years since I read the novelisation! So my focus was all on the animation and seeing the story in complete and colourful form. I thought the Fish People were presented well and I enjoyed the use of animation to present the underwater elements. That was definitely an improvement on the original version and I think the costumes also looked better here, not that it's much of a surprise given the technology available and just the fact it's in colour. The highlight of the story for me is Professor Zaroff as his mad and deranged villain is just magnificent. That famous cliffhanger of nobody being able to stop him now is just as good in coloured animation and is definitely one of my favourites. I think the story itself is really solid and was probably even more enjoyable in a complete and modern version. I do think some of the animation is awkward when nothing is happening as we wait for the next bit of dialogue. Surely some stage directions or a shooting script would indicate something better than just a stare? I did notice that on a couple of occasions which was just odd. I watched most of this in the presence of my young boy who was feeling very sick and I was delighted with how much he was paying attention considering he is only two. I feel like I can now say that Albie's first Doctor Who was this which is very fun and unique! He does like fish and the sea so Atlantis is a fine setting for his first one. It's a nice touch and just made my viewing experience better looking after him with a well deserved cwtch. Overall, a sheer delight to have this story in a completed form and the animation definitely works after a little while of getting used to it. A fine use of colour also and as a whole a great and worthy watch! Keep them coming. 

Rating: 8/10

Subterranea

"What utility does love have?"

Writer: Joanthan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: June 2017

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 6.06

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II

Synopsis

The TARDIS is going underground. When the Doctor and Romana find themselves buried beneath the surface of an alien world, they're soon swallowed up by a giant burrowing machine. This is where the inhabitants of this planet live – in huge, constantly moving, Drill-towns, chewing up the fuel and resources of the planet in order to survive. 

But something else lurks in the earth. Something that feeds on the Drill-towns. Something that is relentless and will not stop. 

The Silex are hunting.

Verdict

Subterranea was a decent little story to continue my sporadic and not entirely chronological journey through the sixth series of Fourth Doctor Adventures! Thankfully, this range mostly works well in listening to stories in isolation but I believe now that I only have this series finale left to complete the single release era of this range. That’s exciting for me and it’s a superb continuation of so many eras for the Fourth Doctor. I do think K9 was sorely missing from this story as the robotic dog really does complement the amazing pairing of the Fourth Doctor and Romana II. They have legendary status and the humour and chemistry is still clear to hear even forty odd years later. It’s magnificent. The reaction to the TARDIS seemingly being eaten was amusing as the Doctor seemed genuinely fearful of where they might end up, but with the TARDIS essentially being indestructible surely they could have just dematerialised even from within a creature or giant ship? The setting of an alien world is not new, but going beneath the surface is definitely more unique and I like the atmosphere that presents. This has a dingy feel and it felt grainy and dark. That was really good and I think even the dark colours of the cover artwork help towards that. It sets the tone right from the off. I liked the concept of the Silex very much even if it did feel like this episode may as well have just featured the Cybermen. The similarities really were obvious and I think it almost bordered on being too similar. No talk of emotion did help to differentiate things though. I thought the cliffhanger was well done and I must admit that I didn’t see the turn of Lucretia coming. She was presented as being inferior to her husband Max from the start almost to the point where I just accepted her as a background character. So that shift was a nice surprise, even to her husband! The nature of the Cathonians and their policy of no waste was good stuff and certainly admirable. It’s certainly an efficient way to live, but it could also mean brutal decisions. The suggestion of Romana’s presence itself being a drain on resources was more than enough to show that they took the policy very seriously! I thought the description of the Silex was good and the image on the cover is almost something of a metallic Pyrovile. It looked impressive and certainly imposing. I liked the way the Doctor and Romana were separated which allowed some strong solo time for the latter before the former was on hand for the rescue. I appreciated the conclusion with Max using the machine to take out the Silex but also sacrificing himself in the process. I kind of figured that would be the route taken but it was still a pretty impactful moment regardless. It was a neat way to tidy everything up but it’s a little surprising that even the Doctor and Romana now seem desensitised to this kind of death. I thought the threat of the TARDIS being thrown out was good and I loved that its lack of being flammable rendered it useless. What utilities could come of that? Overall, a good little story even if it did perhaps go slightly too long. 

Rating: 7/10

The Lagoon Monsters

"You are not the first to challenge faith with reason."

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Audio

Released: October 2023

Series: BBC Audio 19

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha 

Synopsis

The waters of the Pacific Ocean form the backdrop of this foray into Eighteenth Century seafaring for the Doctor and Martha, when the TARDIS materialises on board the Blue Groper sailing ship.

Grudgingly accepted as stowaways by Captain Sadler's crew, the travellers learn that the ship is on a mission to Luna Puesta, 'the land where the moon has set'. 

There, just off the coast of New Zealand, Professor James Tomlinson hopes to locate a missing archaeological link between dinosaurs and man.

But what the expedition finds on arrival is far beyond the Professor's wildest dreams...

Verdict

The Lagoon Monsters was a great little BBC Audio adventure! It seems like ahead of the sixtieth anniversary celebrations that BBC Audio really did jump on the bandwagon with a barrage of releases and that's absolutely fine by me, although it would have been nice for them to give us something of an anniversary adventure. We didn't get that, but further adventures with the Tenth Doctor and Martha is all good with me. I was intrigued to see that Sean Carlsen was the narrator for this one as he's obviously most notable as Narvin from the extraordinary Gallifrey spinoff series from Big Finish. I'm not entirely sure he was the best choice as I do always prefer to have an actor or actress that appeared in the television series alongside the TARDIS team if it's not going to be one of the team themselves, and whilst his narration and storytelling was absolutely fine I thought his impressions of the Tenth Doctor and Martha were lacking. It's not a big deal, but it does help when they get close to sounding like our main characters but that's something I never felt was close here. The writing for the characters was more than sufficient to compromise for that though which is testament to the author. I really enjoyed the setting of the Blue Groper ship and going to 1790 in particular was a nice and unique setting. It's not like anything Martha experienced on screen which is tremendous and I liked how they were immediately accepted as stowaways. It's something that happens so often in Doctor Who but with different TARDIS teams and pairings it can always feel new and that was the case here. I liked the idea of exploring science in this time period with Martha's nature as a female and being a doctor almost ridiculed. She had to deal with some strange and unflattering comments on more than one occasion but she dealt with it admirably even if her anger and annoyance was evidence. I loved the concept of Professor Tomlinson trying to tackle the missing link in historical records and evidence between humanity and dinosaurs. Why in all of the dinosaur discoveries was there no record of man? Tying this in with the Bible and religious teachings was delightful fun as it was clear that science very much trumped faith. Dinosaurs came before any notion of Adam and Eve and hearing that tackled with was excellent. I thought Wyn Thomas was a fun character and getting a Welshman involved is always good in my book. It was quite humorous to describe him as having a temper and his relationship with Sadler was very interesting. The titular monsters in the forms of the Mantosaurs were pretty good and I liked the description of the scale. Martha being right in believing that they didn't have evil intentions but were actually studying the human race was great stuff and all along it turned out they had been looking after the missing Payne. The Doctor appreciated that and would help them get home in what turned out to be a somewhat straightforward adventure and conclusion, with a fascinating insight and discussion on the dilemma of faith and reason in the late eighteenth century. I wasn't too surprised to find that Tomlinson wanted to go with the Mantosaurs when they would be going home and who wouldn't want to take up the opportunity to see what was out there in the stars? He knew that the Doctor was alien and the humour that came from his confidence in saying he'd been to Gallifrey was tremendous. It's always somewhere off the coast of Ireland! Overall, a really strong little adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

The Curse of Fenric

"In some timestreams I regenerate, in others I don't."

Writer: Pete McTighe

Format: Webcast

Released: November 2023

Series: Tales of the TARDIS 1.06

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Ace meet again and remember their battle against an ancient evil in World War Two where a Viking curse is bringing the dead back to life.

Verdict

The Curse of Fenric was a great story to conclude the first series of Tales of the TARDIS! This has been a beautiful love letter to help celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who and what a tremendous success! The concept of bringing back TARDIS pairings together after so long is just delightful and it worked an absolute treat. The Memory TARDIS has become a real happy place and somewhere comfortable for stories to be shared. I must admit, this episode was probably the one I anticipated the least given that we had recently seen the Seventh Doctor and Ace reunited on screen in The Power of the Doctor, but this didn't exactly feel like a reunion. It was a time of reflection on the events of the titular serial that was incredibly powerful. It hasn't been a huge amount of time since I last watched The Curse of Fenric but it was long enough for me to not remember everything so the omnibus version between the bookends of new content was terrific. I haven't sought confirmation on this but it also seemed to use the updated special effects as part of the Collection boxsets which I think went down a treat. It looked modern. My girlfriend and I are currently going through the modern era on a light rewatch and she's not interested a great deal in the Classic era (much to my annoyance!), but even I caught her looking a few times with intrigue and I think a lot of it has to do with the quality. It didn't look too old and that helps. She is obviously now familiar with this Doctor and Ace from the 2022 Centenary Special, so that certainly helped as well! I really enjoyed Ace exploring the memories within the TARDIS and I'd love to get her opinion on the Sixth Doctor's jacket that is still sticking around! Getting a glimpse of the History of the Time War book again was marvellous and definitely something I'd love to read, but the highlight is obviously her locating her baseball bat. The Doctor emerging with a reminder of how she had used it in Remembrance of the Daleks was lovely and it was a nice little reunion. Hinting at Ace's departure, of which there are conflicting accounts, was nicely done and I love the insinuation of the Rani being involved. Count me in for that story in any format! The Doctor here seemed to know everything about the Memory TARDIS and the quote that I took was very interesting, perhaps even foreshadowing events of The Giggle and bi-generation. I remain to be sold on the concept of this occurring for all previous regenerations, but it would explain things regarding the older appearances of the Fifth and Sixth Doctors in this series also. An attempt at explanation is good enough for me! I loved that there was a chess board in the TARDIS and Ace was clearly still hurt by the events of this story which is understandable as she learned of the Doctor's knowledge about her going back to Dragonfire and also holding her own mother as a baby and ensuring her own future existence. She goes through a lot! Her recollection at the end after the story was retold together was nicely done. It was great to know as well that she went back and visited. I really enjoyed how things concluded in the TARDIS with the Doctor and Ace sharing the famed speech from the end of Survival that rounded out the Classic era, and really put a nice touch on this tremendous series as a whole. More please! 

Rating: 8/10

Reboot

"We need to catch an alien thief."

Writer: Ken Cheng

Format: Audio

Released: September 2023

Series: Redacted 2.05

Featuring: Shawna, Abby, Cleo, Rani

Synopsis

Abby and Shawna go to meet Rani Chandra at Bannerman Road, but they aren't expecting the house to be booby-trapped. Meanwhile Cleo is taken hostage by Honour Bray. She learns the truth of her twisted plan and meets the giant metal 'Cobot' tasked with carrying it out.

Verdict

Reboot was a decent episode to continue my way through the second Redacted podcast series! This series doesn’t seem to be quite on the level of the first in terms of the stakes and with what’s going on, and of course a lack of Doctor involvement this time around obviously hurts, but for a penultimate episode this has set up an intriguing finale. The relationship between Cleo and Apex developed further over this half an hour and they had enjoyed a really amazing night together. They were building some chemistry and almost becoming a couple. It was quite nice to hear Cleo happy and she was finally in a good place. Her story in this episode with Honour was interesting and I liked the continuity with the rest of the series. Hearing the Cobot in action was intriguing regarding the hundreds of drones and I liked that Apex had supplied Honour with the Torchwood technology to help create it. That was good and I like how the series has subtly built up to what should be an eventful finale. The format for much of this series in splitting episodes between Cleo & Apex and Shawna & Abby has worked very well and it was the case here. But once again I was much more vested in the Shawna and Abby half. They seem to be more consumed by the continuity as they spent the first half of the series investigating Torchwood and now here they were at 13 Bannerman Road! Some of the crossover this series has with Rani Takes on the World from Big Finish is really good, although the recent The Revenge of Wormwood anthology indicated that Mr Smith was permanently shutdown. Of course, that could be a spoiler for this series finale but for some reason I suspect that shan’t be the case. I really enjoyed the latter half of the episode in the famous attic of Bannerman Road and having Abby and Shawna get caught by the forcefield was quite amusing. Rani wasn’t the big shot initially thought as she wasn’t on a private jet in the slightest, but the two podcasters ignored her warning and went in alone. I thought it was fun for Rani to show her experience and have them tackle the forcefield, but the more important matter was rebooting Mr Smith. I honestly didn’t realise that the title of the episode would concern this but it worked well and it was an absolute delight to hear Alexander Armstrong reprise his role. That was some terrific nostalgia! The battle to get Mr Smith rebooted was good and I enjoyed the reference to The Lost Boy regarding his previous restart. Shawna using her computer skills was really well done and I appreciated her determination to get Mr Smith up and running again. She wasn’t taking no for an answer and I admired that, as well as her excitement for interacting with an alien operating system. Mr Smith’s grand revelation of the Doctor being missing felt a bit odd as I’m not sure where in the timeline this would fit after the events of The Power of the Doctor, but is it really that odd for the Doctor to not be present or traceable? Apex seemingly being back in league with Honour was good and left Cleo pretty helpless. He was after the TARDIS after all, but how he’s going to get it I’m not sure. Will we get a Doctor appearance in the finale? I’m really intrigued to see how things conclude here and that has me infested in the final episode for sure. Overall, a strong listen!

Rating: 7/10

Doctor Who and the Space War

"We both fear each other."

Writer: Malcolm Hulke

Format: Novel

Released: September 1976

Series: Target 57

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis 

"Doctor," screamed Jo. "Look at that thing. It's coming straight at us!" A small black spaceship, about a mile away, was approaching rapidly. 

It had no lights, no markings. But some instinct told Jo that the tiny craft meant danger. 

The year is 2540, and two powers loom large in the Galaxy – Earth and Draconia. After years of peace, their spaceships are now being mysteriously attacked and cargoes rifled. Each suspects the other and full scale war seems unavoidable. The Doctor, accused of being a Draconian spy, is thrown into prison. And only when the Master appears on the scene do things really begin to move...

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Space War was a great novelisation of the Frontier in Space television serial! Somehow I am yet to actually blog the televised version of this adventure in 11 years of blogging now which means it has been more than that long since I last watched this story. But it’s a rather iconic one so it didn’t feel like I was coming at this one completely anew. However, my memory was hazy enough that I wasn’t spoilt by the surprises. I think the highlight of the adventure for me was the politics. It was so strong and the first half of the book in particular for me was near perfection. I was so engrossed in the political battle and peace that was being tested to the limits between the empires of Earth and Draconia. It was so well presented and I love the idea of the frontier that distinguished each respective half’s boundary in the Milky Way. It was delightful. So when that peace was threatened I was a big fan. I loved the mystery that somebody was playing both sides against each other and the hypnotic wave making each party see their worst fears was delicious. The Ogrons are pretty useless yet somehow effective as a hired mercenary race and them being the ones that were on the Earth ship stealing the flour cargo was good. They also took the TARDIS! The Doctor being separated from the TARDIS is always something I enjoy but I do think he could have sold the desperation a little better. It seemed like a helpless situation! The President was a strong character and I loved how she was devoted to peace. General Williams didn’t share those same sentiments but his story soon became quite emotional as we learned of the origins of the first war between Earth and Draconia. He’d been hasty and was young, and that really impacted him which was powerful to read. I loved his turmoil of accepting presidential orders but then also wanting to attack the Dragons. That being a derogatory term was intriguing and I just loved the whole dynamic of twenty-sixth century politics in this regard. Things were balanced on a thin wire for sure! Surprisingly, I thought this story actually dwindled slightly when the Master showed up. It was a fun moment and I love the irony of Jo almost being pleased to see him as a familiar face, but his motives were a little old. The Daleks being his employers is fun and that’s an alliance we could only dream of seeing, but they barely stick around for more than three pages before they set off for pastures new and the Doctor follows them setting things up for Planet of the Daleks. I enjoyed the fear that the Ogrons had when it came to knowing ‘they’ were coming though. They obviously have history and the Daleks frightened them which was tremendous. The Doctor’s speech about the Daleks and how they came to be how they were was outstanding too. I thought there was probably a little too much bouncing around from place to place in the second half of the book, with too many imprisonments followed by escapes in quick fashion. That’s not to say it wasn’t fun though! The pace was really good although I do think things were a little quick in having the Earth President and Draconia Ambassador to ensure the peace was protected. It was neat and tied things up nicely though whilst setting up the next adventure. Overall, a great read!

Rating: 8/10

Rights

"The Farrashians are experimenting on their own foetuses."

Writer: Paul Grice

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1998

Printed in: Short Trips 12

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane

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

Rights was a really strong short story to continue my way through the Short Trips anthology! As a collection, this is a really solid book especially considering that this is the first in what has become a rather extensive range across both prose and audio. The content of this particular story was a little disturbing at times and I think I felt that way even more so than I would have done three or four years ago since becoming a father. It really does bring a whole new perspective to life so anything that involves babies or young children can become difficult to read if the content or story sees them treated negatively. So the idea of a race experimenting on their own foetuses would qualify as making it an uncomfortable read. Sometimes though I think being uncomfortable is the sign of a good story and it's certainly one that had my attention right from the off. The author wasted no time in establishing the setting and the direction of the story which is absolutely the right move in this kind of format. At twenty-four pages, this was a decent length to flesh out enough of a story but with no dawdling around at the start the pace of this one was brilliant. I love the combination of the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane and the pair worked tremendously well here. I initially thought the story had started with Sarah Jane in a bad way but it turned out the woman the Doctor was talking to the clinician about wasn't actually her. It almost felt like the reader had joined the story halfway through an adventure but as things unfolded that didn't really turn out to be the case. Sarah was understandably horrified by the situation that had consumed the Farrashians as the females of the species were willingly giving up their babies for the good of the future of their own race. I couldn't believe they were volunteering! There was something hypocritical and ironic about the fact that babies had to be sacrificed to see the species continue, but when a sun starts leaking out deadly radiation it's rather difficult to defend against. I'm almost always a fan of natural threats in that regard as often times the Doctor would be helpless. He was certainly feeling the pressure here when challenged by Sarah Jane to fix it and he claimed he did have the means, but could he just do it? The comparisons to the starving population of South Africa seemed a little on the nose but it did show how seriously he was taking it. I did enjoy how Sarah said he was being everything he hated the Time Lords for in just observing, what about the supporting cast? He of course had a plan though. The concept of the Farrashians wanting to rehouse their minds into a better shell that could withstand the radiation of the sun was intriguing and honestly I thought we were going to be getting another Cyberman origin story at one point. This would have been right up their alley! I think if there was more time to explore in say a full novel, that would have been a logical and really strong direction. But it was still equally as disturbing to have people willingly give up their babies and then themselves and almost merge as one in a suit. It was unsustainable though and the Doctor's role in seeing the machine fail was subtle but very good. It saw the Leader killed in the overcharge and the tradition in the Farrashian race of their story being told in a casket sent to space was quite poetic if not a little strange. It didn't feel in keeping with what we learned about the species earlier in the story. Sarah trying to get the women to stand up for their rights in keeping their own children was admirable and I liked how her journalistic and just natural fighter instincts were kicking in and that's why she challenged the Doctor. He knew it wouldn't and couldn't work though. Overall, a great read! 

Rating: 8/10

The Time Meddler

"I've finally got my little sister back."

Writer: Phil Ford

Format: Webcast

Released: November 2023

Series: Tales of the TARDIS 1.05

Featuring: Vicki, Steven

Synopsis

Steven and Vicki meet again and remember their first adventure battling a time-travelling Monk about to change the course of history in 1066.

Verdict

The Time Meddler was another stunning Tales of the TARDIS episode! This is such a feel good series and I really do hope that this is just the beginning. The very idea of getting to do a story like this between two companions from the First Doctor era is extraordinary! We get to see Steven and Vicki reprises their roles nearly six decades after they last played them on screen which is nothing short of remarkable. It really is a delightful treat to get Maureen O'Brien and Peter Purves reunited and this was a fine celebration of the First Doctor era. Choosing The Time Meddler as the story to retell for these two companions is a very smart choice, not that there were a whole host of options! It was lovely to see Vicki now very much in her elder years but still adorning that Ancient Greek attire. She looked splendid and I loved the way she marvelled at the Memory TARDIS. There were plenty of memories there and she had no doubt despite the change of design for the interior that this was the Doctor's TARDIS. Having her spot his pocket watch was lovely and something so simple really didn't bring back fond memories of the First Doctor. Vicki was keen to explore everything on offer inside the TARDIS which was quite fun and a reminder of her inquisitive nature. The moment she bumped into Steven and they got to reunite was really lovely. I liked how Steven was able to catch her up on events after she left in The Myth Makers and tell how when he departed in The Savages he left as a king. Her reaction to that was lovely and it was just so nice to oversee these old friends catching up. Vicki finding the Viking helmet that they found on the beach was really nice and a fun way to delve into the storytelling of the serial depicted here, with some fun memories of the Meddling Monk mentioned. I was delighted that even after the serial had been replayed that Steven was keen to point out this wasn't the last time they encountered the Monk. Vicki had found the Monk's dimensional stabiliser which was a lot of fun and wonderful to see in colour! But Steven was on hand to let her know that they met again in a lovely The Daleks' Master Plan recollection. Vicki claiming to be jealous of the further adventures Steven had with the Doctor was interesting and not something I actually expected to hear, but it was also really nice for her to confirm that she had no regrets of staying with Troilus. Even if she was a farmer now! I must admit, that's a profession I couldn't see Vicki doing but she would have matured a considerable amount since she left the Doctor. It was really nice to get an update of both Vicki and Steven having children and grandchildren now as they would certainly both be great family people. The moment the story finished on as Vicki was convinced they were being watched by the Doctor was really nice and the camerawork panning to the scanner in black and white was beautiful direction. I really like the idea of the Doctor looking on, but Vicki wanted to actually see him. She and Steven wished that they could be reunited with him once again, and where else than the TARDIS would a wish be more powerful? That was really nice and I think Vicki's reaction and hearing that infamous First Doctor chuckle was one of the most poignant moments I've seen in Doctor Who. It was absolutely stunning and really hit me in the feels! A stunning moment that shows the beauty of this series. Overall, another tremendous episode! 

Rating: 9/10

The Battle of Giant's Causeway

"We shall bring life to the eyes of the dead."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: January 2024

Series: Sontarans vs Rutans 1.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley, C'rizz

Synopsis 

The war between the Sontarans and the Rutans has been going on for millennia. And is likely to continue for millennia more. 

A terrible conflict with no care for consequences or collateral damage. Billions have died with no end in sight. Its reach can encompass ancient Ireland and a forest world in the far future. 

A temporal tidal wave leads the Doctor, Charley and C'rizz to the Giant's Causeway, Ireland 55BC, where the TARDIS drains of power and they encounter Sontarans who believe they're Roman Legionnaires. What has caused this and what is the strange secret in the rocks?

Verdict

The Battle of Giant's Causeway was a strong start to the Sontarans vs Rutans audio series to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of The Time Warrior and therefore the debut of the Sontarans and first mention of the Rutans. It's a delightful idea and something I am absolutely on board with as the Sontarans are one of my all time favourite monsters in Doctor Who. They're just so fun whilst having the ability to be deadly serious at the same. Just look at the contrast of the likes of Strax and Linx. Really digging deep into the war between Sontarans and Rutans is something that is surprisingly rare from Doctor Who stories across nearly every format. So an entire audio series dedicated towards that is tremendous and it seems like there's going to be something of a story arc going across them as well which I must admit I wasn't expecting. This story sees a welcomed return of C'rizz as companion alongside the Eighth Doctor and Charley. It's a trio that broke the barriers of new Doctor Who with their travels to the Divergent Universe and beyond, so getting a little story thrown in somewhere in their journey was a delight. I must admit, I think a little more use could have been made of C'rizz considering how long it has been since his final adventure, but it was nice to hear a familiar combination of a long absence. C'rizz getting split up from the others was good and I liked the use of his natural camouflage blending with the rocks of Giant's Causeway, especially when the significance of the rocks was revealed. That was really well done and probably why his return was pushed for! I thought the setting was magnificent with Ireland alone being great, but going specifically to the Giant's Causeway in 55BC was just brilliant. Talk about unique! The concept of Sontarans believing they were Roman legionaries was fantastic and hearing them describe their name and titles was very amusing. Mentioning themselves as sons considering they were a clone race was delightful. Charley's reaction to them eating but spitting out the food because they didn't actually need that kind of sustenance was great stuff and she had a bit of a verbal spat on more than one occasion! She didn't take well to being called a boy. Valmoira was a good character and I liked how enigmatic she was right from the off. It wasn't too much of a surprise that she was part of the Rutan Host but that's probably more so because of the series title. It was hidden well and the temporal tidal wave causing chaos to them, the Sontarans and the TARDIS is really interesting. Getting Salutio into the TARDIS was quite an image and having the Doctor work with an old enemy in this way was very nicely done. The way he was trying to bring the Sontarans back to their normal selves was intriguing and I loved his perplexed reaction when even the name of the Rutan didn't spark anything despite the constant deja vu that was abound. The TARDIS dying was exciting because of the vulnerability that presents, but tying in with the residual energy of the rocks and how the Rutans were essentially operating a battery farm was a neat way to get it recharged. I thought the explosion that took out the Rutans including Valmoira was a bit of a shock, and the mystery we were left with to presumanot go into the rest of the series with as the Sontarans were also destroyed was very well done. It was quite a sad ending really as these Sontarans were pretty harmless! Sure, they were obviously tricked and manipulated with their memories, but it seemed a tad harsh. Overall though, a really entertaining story to kick off a series I'm very excited for! 

Rating: 8/10

Spaceman

"Earth looks so quiet from up here."

Writer: Karissa Hamilton-Bannis

Format: Audio

Released: September 2023

Series: Redacted 2.04

Featuring: Shawna, Abby, Cleo

Synopsis

Cleo learns that Apex isn't all he claims to be. And he's in debt to the powerful Lady Honour Bray. Has Apex been using Cleo all this time? Meanwhile, Abby and Shawna follow the trail of a thief who's been stealing dangerous alien artefacts.

Verdict

Spaceman was a decent little episode to continue my way through the second series of the Redacted podcast series! Things definitely seem to be stepping up a little here and I'm getting more interested in Apex after the truth about him came out. It's a bit of a shame that he ended up being the culprit robbing alien technology in Glasgow that Shawna and Abby were investigating. but when his backstory was laid out it was pretty clear that this was going to be the case! Cleo's relationship with Apex developed well here and I liked the idea of them going off together. They are getting closer which is nice to hear, especially with Cleo feeling a little lonely in recent months after Shawna and Abby became a couple. Exploring her loneliness is a powerful subject but it's one that is important to focus on. It's relatable and certainly understandable given how close the trio were in doing The Blue Box Files podcast. I am really liking the continuity with Rani's own podcast of Rani Takes on the World and having Abby and Shawna pose as her producers when getting to the retail dimension of Mr Singh was quite amusing. He was an enigmatic character and I'm hopeful that we will get more of him in the final two episodes as there was a lot of potential there. The way they got through the seafood on aisle six was very amusing as they failed to realise the code being told to them from the shopkeeper initially. It's a shame that this seems to signal the end of their investigation into Torchwood and it's a bit of a letdown that we didn't get any kind of Torchwood interaction outside of a lifeless Archie. I thought it was nice to have Cleo go into space and her first reaction of wanting to take a selfie was everything that's probably wrong with the digital society of today. I'm not ashamed to say I'd probably be thinking on similar lines in capturing a snap rather than just take in the breathtaking view. Cleo being offered a chance to travel with Apex in the ship that is just too long to name was good and I liked that she took it upon herself to name it. She was falling a little too quickly for Apex despite only knowing him for a day! She didn't take too kindly to Abby and Shawna claiming he was the thief, but they even had photographic evidence so I'm not sure what there was to deny there. It was something of an emotional moment though between the trio that led to Cleo storming out. Apex and Cleo expressing their feelings for each other was a nice moment although I do think the kissing effects were a little loud and too much for the ears! Hearing the backstory of Apex was good and I liked that only part of what he'd told Cleo was a lie. His family specialising in Time Lords went it came to cataloguing species seemed good on paper, but how could they possibly not know that the Doctor was the last one if they were specialists? That took me out a little to be honest. It made sense that it was difficult for Apex to provide Honour with a TARDIS to pay off his debts, but surely as a specialist they would have that kind of knowledge? Anyhow, it was nice to know how much he really did care for the refugees and Cleo likening him to an intergalactic Robin Hood was very fun. I thought the cliffhanger was a little weak in terms of some previous episodes in this podcast series, but it's an interesting dynamic to have Cleo pairing with Apex and potentially squaring off with Abby and Shawna. That's a fun way to set things up for the final two episodes, but for now this was a decent episode in its own right! Overall, a good listen.

Rating: 7/10

The Revenge of Wormwood: The Ghost of Bannerman Road

"You have attempted to change your own past."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: December 2023

Series: Rani Takes on the World 2.03

Featuring: Rani, Clyde, Luke

Synopsis

13 Bannerman Road. The place where it all began, where Rani, Clyde and Luke fought alien menaces with Sarah Jane. Now it's locked up, derelict and under the watch of UNIT, because top scientists are mysteriously disappearing, and items of alien technology are being stolen from laboratories. An old friend is planning to make her return... and Rani and Clyde have to face their own ghosts.

Verdict

The Ghost of Bannerman Road was a terrific episode to conclude The Revenge of Wormwood second series of Rani Takes on the World! As far as an official continuation of The Sarah Jane Adventures, this has been tremendous and I sincerely hope this isn't the last. I guess buying figures and reception will play a part in whether we get more, but there's definitely so much to explore if there is. Having Rani and Clyde in particular being older now opens up a whole new dynamic to their characters and relationship. I must admit it felt pretty disgusting to hear Clyde described as being a thirty year old because that made me feel incredibly old, but attacking his feelings for Rani at an older age is really done well here. It's rather sweet that his biggest regret in life is not asking her out, whereas Rani is a little more headstrong and claims to have no regrets. Her love for Clyde is something buried within her and she only feels able to release it when she thinks he's died. I must admit that the ending had me very frustrated as they once again failed to admit to their feelings for one another. Just get them together! I really thought it was going to happen here and it's a big shame that it didn't in my eyes. Of course, there should be more to come where that might become a reality. The full emergence of Wormwood from the shadows of the vortex was nicely done here and whilst we as the listener knew she was responsible for events that occurred in Time Schisms! and The Star-Crossed Diversion, it all became clear for Rani and Clyde. I was surprised that after the cliffhanger to the last episode Luke didn't feature too much here, but he was a good employee in not letting friendship get in the way of UNIT orders when it came to entry to 13 Bannerman Road. I must admit, it's a bit odd that Sarah Jane left it to Rani rather than her own son, but it's nice to know it's still in the SJA family. Clyde and Rani getting glimpses into what their future could have been was handled really well and it was quite nice to think of them having children and still flirting even in a care home. Their chemistry is fantastic. I liked how Wormwood was feeding on regret and teasing that into making people her weapons by making them a paradox in changing their past, but the way she was banished without being fully defeated was nicely done to leave a return open. A signal could be reversed but I sense she isn't done with the ambiguous conclusion and how she parted with words of not being done with Rani. After all this time, it was just lovely to have a familiar villain return. She was the obvious candidate but I would have hoped for more Luke interaction given their history dating back to Invasion of the Bane. Maybe there's more to come. I liked the UNIT involvement with Hadley having a fun role in taking Clyde and Rani to UNIT HQ. Their questions about the lack of secrecy and the location with the Tower of London were really fun. They were loving seeing somewhere secret! Overall, a really consistent and strong three-story series and I really hope there is more to come. We need to get Clyde and Rani fully together and enjoy that! An excellent finale. 

Rating: 9/10

The Revenge of Wormwood: The Star-Crossed Diversion

"Maybe you should turn off the kindness."

Writer: Alison Winter

Format: Audio

Released: December 2023

Series: Rani Takes on the World 2.01

Featuring: Rani, Clyde

Synopsis

After falling asleep on the night tube, Rani and Clyde wake in a nightmare – a future in which the Bane have succeeded in taking over the Earth. Humans are docile cattle, the planet's resources sold to the highest bidder. Bane Uncle Crispin believes all opposition has been crushed, but the new arrivals are ready to fight. Are they the last hope of resistance? And how can Rani and Clyde ever return home?

Verdict

The Star-Crossed Diversion was an excellent story to continue my way through The Revenge of Wormwood second series of Rani Takes on the World! This had a feeling very much akin to The Sarah Jane Adventures once again which is a massive compliment as I consider this series as the official continuation of that wonderful spinoff series. I was really glad that Rani referenced Sarah Jane and she wasn't entirely sure if she could save the planet this time around without her presence. But despite Rani's comments about Sarah giving them all strength in the past, it was Clyde who was able to install confidence in Rani that she needed to help defeat the Bane once again. I really liked the jump into the near future and going just a few years was nicely done as everything was familiar yet so alien. Time had gone in the wrong direction and having the Bane in control was excellent! They had taken over two years ago and humanity was now docile. They were even more ingratiated into their phones now and it was a clever move to have the Bane emitting a signal from the screens that just made humanity conform even more. That was simple but clever and it just resulted in an endless cycle of conformity. The evolution of the Bane was good to explore and that coming with just how much technology has developed since their last appearance in Enemy of the Bane some sixteen years ago now. Crikey I feel old! The continuity with that story was really good to explore and it's always nice for Rani to reminisce on the encounter there and meeting the Brigadier. The future society being focused on gaining stores in what was essentially a communal game system was good. But the W-stars were obviously referencing Wormwood and I really enjoyed how that revelation came. Rani and Clyde worked tremendously together and the chemistry there is far from dissipated. It's impressive and they make such a strong little pairing. Jude was a good character and her proximity in actually working for Crispin was very well dome. It was a long way from the waitress we were initially introduced to her as! And then she was also involved with Samira which was great stuff. Rani wanting to see her first in this dystopian time was a nice touch and I liked how she had been impacted ever since the Clyde and Rani of the future past had disappeared. It was paradoxical but I enjoyed it a lot. The realisation for Jude on how to put things right and use the super computer and the network to connect Rani and Clyde as people from the past before the Bane took over was nicely done. It led to an absolute continuity dump of nearly all of their past adventures with Sarah Jane and beyond which was terrific and I really loved how they were on an equal footing. They did this together and that was lovely, but that was just a reset and the finale is yet to come. The cliffhanger finish with Rani and Clyde briefly seeing Sarah Jane at Bannerman Road as the past and future mixed into vision together was fascinating, and Luke emerged in a fun reunion declaring that his mum's old house was now under the control and command of UNIT. I look forward to hearing why in the next episode! But for now, this was a really strong episode to continue an impressive series. 

Rating: 9/10

The Revenge of Wormwood: Time Schisms!

"Are you really Napoleon?"

Writer: Lizbeth Myles

Format: Audio

Released: December 2023

Series: Rani Takes on the World 2.01

Featuring: Rani, Luke

Synopsis

Podcast fan Anna thinks there's a time traveller working in her local post office. So, who else should she ask to investigate other than Rani Chandra? Unconvinced at first, Rani is shocked when an old friend warns her off. If UNIT don't want her looking into it, there must be something to the phenomena... But will Rani's quest for the truth drive a wedge between her and Luke?

Verdict

Time Schisms! was a great start to The Revenge of Wormwood second series of Rani Takes on the World! This is essentially a follow up series to The Sarah Jane Adventures which is just wonderful and whilst I'm not sure how things will end here, I certainly hope the series continues forward. It was lovely to have a reunion between Rani and Luke here but they weren't exactly on the most friendly terms. They were both investigating the same time traveller, but they had different motives. Rani was out to expose the truth for the people and get some good podcast content whilst Luke was employed by UNIT now and was aiming to cover things up in the name of protecting society. I liked that dynamic and the tension between them both was terrific considering their shared history. I thought it might have been a little harsh for Rani to challenge Luke on if he would say the same if it was Sarah Jane investigating, considering she was his mum and has now passed, but that helped show how serious the situation was. I really enjoyed the concept of a time traveller being displaced and ending up employed at a post office. That was a little random and Anna noticing him as a potential time traveller was fun. She seemed a little odd and mad when she wanted to discuss the situation with Rani, but the traits were actually fun! There was definite logic there in seeking out people who were interested in the mundane like washing machines and microwaves. Rani buying a stamp and then just flat out asking the potential time traveller if he was just that was bold and it was clear from his lack of surprising reaction that he was. What I was not expecting was for that time traveller to claim to be Napoleon Bonaparte! That was a bit of a shock I must say and it really did take me aback. Luke knew it was Bonaparte all along which I found interesting, but the revelation from Rani that he had no artron energy and therefore hadn't travelled in time was really intriguing! He turned out to be a dimensional duplicate which was a little less exciting in my opinion, but I suspect the truth regarding the intentions is yet to come. We had the likes of Arthur Wellesley coming through as well and the moment with Luke getting close to the source to defeat it was good, but he wasn't alone there. He was recognised and of course we know who that is from the umbrella title of the series and the comments about her little creation being all grown up, but for Luke he didn't retain the memories. They were like a dream and fading. He knew he'd been recognised, but couldn't remember what she had said. That was a nice little tease of things to come for the rest of the series. I love that Luke is a fan of the podcast and it was also lovely for the Blue Box Files from Redacted to get a little namedrop considering Rani has appeared there also. A really nice touch of cross continuity. Hadley was a good character as the Major at UNIT and her main job was mostly keeping Luke on track with the UNIT mission and not having his history with Rani come into play. Easier said than done! Overall though, a really strong story with a cheeky cameo from Clyde to keep his presence remembered and a nice tease of what's to come. A fine opener. 

Rating: 8/10