The Vienna Experience

"I'm not for sale."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: February 2015

Series: Vienna 2.03

Featuring: Vienna

Synopsis

Ever wanted to experience the life of an assassin? Longed to feel the thrill of the hunt? Now is your chance to get beneath the skin of Vienna Salvatori. See what she sees. Hear what she hears. 

And pray she never finds out.

Verdict

The Vienna Experience was a tremendous episode to conclude the second series of Vienna! It turns out I was completely wrong in yesterday's blog entry of Underworld in stating that it appeared there was no story arc running through the series as within the first ten minutes of this episode, everything had been leading to this point! It all went back as far as Tabula Rasa with Vienna in the previous story not actually being herself but the Psycho Morph! That was a really fun twist and the moment where she revealed her true self as the assassin that was in her own home and had killed Kelsey was excellent. Who else would it be? The assassin for hire of course. Having two versions of Vienna is really fun to play around with and Chase Masterson absolutely revels in the role. She's magnificent and has that appeal of being flirtatious whilst downright serious. There's just something about her that draws you in and makes me want to move right onto the next series! Unfortunately, that won't be happening just yet as I don't own Series 3 just yet and it seems a physical copy is quite rare to come by! I'll no doubt listen to it at some point soon though and it appears that old Jexie is here to stay. I like the prospect of Vienna essentially having a companion figure and the fact she's a copper provides a fun dynamic. Someone who enforces the law travelling with a hired assassin? That's a really fun dynamic. I thought Carlos Van Mayer was a superb villain and his position as the owner of Crime Corp was fascinating. It turned out the Psycho Morph was a failed experiment in a bid to create super humans as police officers. That was intriguing and I liked how everything, even at this point in the future, all came down to money. Imagine Crime Corp having the potential to sell off officers that would absolutely enforce the law and couldn't be overpowered? It was definitely something that would be the envy of numerous societies. The means to get there were something Vienna was working against though and it's fun looking back at the episode to consider that the implant placed within her arm in the previous episode was actually in the Psycho Morph! That's quite funny and it's amusing that all of Van Mayer's instructions to Vienna were not to the true article. Hearing him try and sell his titular Vienna experience was a lot of fun though and it was also nice to hark back to the early days of Vienna where she prided herself on nobody knowing her name. We seem to have gotten away from that recently which is no problem but it was nice to have it mentioned. It was also a sense of pride for Van Mayer to claim knowledge and even control over the assassin. Of course, when she got into an accident and knocked out the link was lost and any buyers had grown tired. The Psycho Morph ending up killing him was a little ironic and a fitting fate really, before it had an existential breakdown when it didn't know who it was anymore to see that out. Everything was tied up very nicely in the end! I like the way things are set up moving forward with a new pairing for the next series, but for now this was a thrilling finale! Vienna at the double is all good with me. A fun twist and it was nice to know she'd been working on a plan all along showing full control. I look forward to the next one! Overall, a terrific episode. 

Rating: 9/10

Underworld

"A test subject who can't fight back."

Writer: Cavan Scott

Format: Audio

Released: February 2015

Series: Vienna 2.02

Featuring: Vienna 

Synopsis

Something bad is lurking down in the Undercity. Innocent citizens are turning on each other, baying for blood. Vienna must team up with jaded cop Lieutenant Jexie Reagan. 

She's never had a partner – but will either of them make it through the night alive?

Verdict

Underworld was a decent episode to continue my way through the second series of Vienna! It seems that this second boxset isn't taking much of a story arc approach like the first one did, and after everything that happened there that's no bad thing. It allows for a little bit of a reset for our fun assassin for hire and these standalone adventures are thoroughly entertaining. I thought Jexie returning after her appearance in the opener of Tabula Rasa was terrific and the concept of pairing her up with Vienna was fun. I was pleasantly surprised with how well they actually got along and they were working towards a common goal for the most part. It wasn't the worst of partnerships for sure! I am not a big fan of the story sharing a title with a Classic serial from the Fourth Doctor era, but I guess this range is far enough removed for that not to be a massive problem. It just feels lacking slightly in creative. Surely it could just have been called Undercity as it is referred to in the synopsis? Again, no biggie and I liked how the cover art helped establish the vibe of the setting. It really did feel futuristic and dark which was the right approach. It definitely felt dingy whilst everything felt very technologically advanced. It's a fun world for Vienna to explore and I'm a big fan of what she brings. It's very exciting. Drew Haulis was a fascinating character and he formed the central premise for the plot. He was clearly not much of a family man as he left them behind and they thought he was dead which is honestly unfathomable. I just can't imagine that happening! Sure, he was wrapped in a world of crime and dodgy dealings but he was working on something very secretive. I thought the implant was intriguing technology and Vienna recognising almost right away that she had been cut open and had something placed inside her wrist was good. She didn't know what it was but the way she utilised it to get to Drew and lure what was supposed to chase her for death to him. His own implant that offered him protection wouldn't do much good in those circumstances and that was a fun reaction. Jexie having her own issues with the inhibitor was quite something and I loved the idea of not being able to fire weaponry on others. So for her way out she was able to shoot herself in the shoulder! Talk about bravery and commitment to escape, it was all very impressive and it helped Vienna locate her which had been building nicely. It was also quite incredible and very haunting to consider her as a test subject that couldn't possibly fight back. I had to take that moment as my quote because it was quite chilling. How does one think of that scenario when offered a woman like this? It was horrifying but really woke the episode up as I do think it stalled a little. A few more characters and perhaps a little more action would have taken this episode to a higher rating as there was a lot of potential there. A strong setting and Vienna is always a tremendous character, so pairing her up with someone strong made for a decent listen. Overall, a good little story and I look forward to the finale now! 

Rating: 7/10

Tabula Rasa

"Who am I?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: February 2015

Series: Vienna 2.01

Featuring: Vienna 

Synopsis

Ever woken up and can't remember where you are? What if you couldn't remember who you are? Or why there's a dead body outside your door?

Vienna Salvatori is hunting for a killer – but can she be sure it's not herself?

Verdict

Tabula Rasa was an excellent start to the second series of the Vienna spinoff! I am delighted to be back with this particular range as Vienna is such a fun character. The shackles do feel like they're completely thrown away when it comes to her and with no Doctor or regular companion around, the potential really is endless and that makes this series very exciting. I thought the way this episode started with both Vienna and Doran Curtis waking up together in bed with no idea of who either was, nor themselves. That kind of amnesia is fun to explore and the direction of the episode was set as they hoped to remember who they were. Did they have a connection to each other? Did they sleep together? Vienna's thoughts regarding that were quite hilarious as she wasn't exactly complimentary of Doran. She was probably a little harsh in how she referred to his weight, whilst he was very happy with how good looking the woman he woke up next to was! It is difficult to argue that. I thought the journey to finding out information on where they were and what had happened was entertaining, and I really enjoyed the chemistry and banter between the pair. They worked together but they weren't exactly getting on! The emergence of Jexie into the story as a detective was good and I liked how she was able to fill in the gaps for both Vienna and Doran. There wasn't a massive amount of reaction when they found out their names again, but they were actually on a mission for Crime Corp. They had hired Vienna for her notorious methods which was a fun concept and I liked how the job she was hired to do was to defeat a Psycho Morph. The concept behind one of those was excellent and I thought a personality hotel was the perfect setting! I thought Vienna mocking the very idea of a personality hotel was a brilliant moment as Doran revealed that he and his wife had used one when she was very ill. Anything to get some semblance of normality again. Vienna actually did feel a little bad about that at least! She went through a lot in the episode to be honest ranging from some humour and lighthearted nature to very serious and being on hand to provide the resolution that would see the Psycho Morph defeated. I thought Anders was a strong character and the concept of him downgrading himself in the personality hotels because it was less stress than his normal CEO position was silly but fun. The Concierge was a fun element of the story too and I liked the addition of a little technology. An artificial intelligence can always provide a certain sense of unease and that was definitely the case here. I thought the hotel having an entire personality reset was a strong explanation of why Vienna and Doran had no idea who they were as this meant the Psycho Morph also couldn't feed if nobody knew who they were! It was pretty clever, and by the end of the episode once Vienna kicked into gear she realised the way to take out the Psycho Morph. A simple overload of all of the personalities took it out with it having too many people to siphon through. That was pretty darn good. Jexie teasing Vienna and Doran about them being married when it wasn't true was a delightful moment as well. Overall, a really strong way to set up the series with a fantastic plot, a lot of fun and Vienna stealing the show at the end as her memory was restored. A wonderful listen! 

Rating: 9/10

Mancopolis

"A night out so good you never go home."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: January-April 2024

Printed in: DWM 599-603

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

The Fifteenth Doctor takes new companion Ruby Sunday to her city four hundred years in the future, only to find it completely built over and ran by maniacal Moths. 

What has happened to Manchester?

Verdict

Mancopolis was a really strong start to the comic strip era of the Fifteenth Doctor! After the epic that was Liberation of the Daleks to take up basically the entire run of the Fourteenth Doctor stretching over the course of the year, it feels nice now to be back in a new era. We have only had The Church on Ruby Road for the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby so far, and I like that this story has completed before the broadcast of Space Babies, and this definitely had a feeling of being very near the start of Ruby's run as a companion. She was amazed by travelling to the future and the mention of aliens had her quite shocked. She was very much new to TARDIS travels and I love that this takes place in the comic strips. I really do have high hopes for the comic strip in Doctor Who Magazine moving forward with Russell T Davies at the helm, as I think it's fair to say that it felt a little disconnected in the Thirteenth Doctor era. That's down to a number of mitigating factors like the pandemic, but this felt more like the old stuff. I thought the setting of Mancopolis was strong and a very intriguing insight into the future of four hundred years. I won't pretend to know much about Manchester as it's a city I've never visited, and to be honest as an ardent Liverpool football fan I don't think it's somewhere I will be rushing to! It's clear that Millie Gibson is a Mancunian on screen and I like the idea of the Doctor taking her to her own city in the future. I would personally love to visit Cardiff four hundred years in the future to see what has changed! Having buildings named after famous people from the city was a fun idea and I really liked how the original city was protected in heritage but simply built on top of with a concrete roof. Ruby using her local knowledge was good and I like how she was still getting to grips with things regarding the Doctor. He saw something was wrong here so she simply asked if he was going to fix it as if it was a little strange. That was fun. But babes, the Doctor is magic. Of course he would! I enjoyed the characterisation of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and it definitely had a distinct feel. It was positive stuff. Mayor Mulberry made for a strong villain and the concept behind the Moth People was intriguing. I preferred them in their human form but it provided a strong cliffhanger with Ruby being captured and seemingly on the verge of being skinned. It was the silkworms that were more scary in my opinion and their role in the conclusion was tremendous as Mulberry was devoured by her own brethren. The use of the clouds that were controlling the weather based on emotion was a lot of fun and the fact they destroyed their own controlling device was a lot of fun. It was all in a flash by the Doctor and Ruby despite being almost mauled by Mulberry in her natural form! The pace of the story was rapid and I think that's necessary when each part is only six pages long. But a five-part adventure definitely feels like the right length moving forward with this page count. I did read each month but then re-read in its entirety as the final part was released. Overall, a fascinating insight into the future with an independent Mancopolis and the auditors coming to take assets but Ruby having £19.50 in a building society building compound interest into the quadrillions was a little like cheating, especially as she had taken it out, but the threat of crashing the financial network was enough to scare them off. Overall, a really fun and strong start to the Fifteenth Doctor's comic strip era! 

Rating: 8/10

Wild Blue Yonder

"Her double's widening mouth just made a bigger target."

Writer: Mark Morris

Format: Novel

Released: December 2023

Series: Target 179

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

A ship at the edge of space. A robot with a secret. A sinister presence. 

The Doctor and Donna are trapped on board a mysterious spacecraft. Fate of the crew: unknown. Fate of the universe if what's on board gets out: terminal. 

Verdict

Wild Blue Yonder was a decent novelisation of the Sixtieth Anniversary special of the same name! I did think prior to reading that this would be a tough ask to novelise given the nature of the episode and the lack of supporting characters, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I think my main issues were consistent with what I felt on screen and that relates to the whole silliness of the mavity thing and the Doctor choosing the wrong Donna just before the ship is about to explode. I know he's an all knowing Time Lord and even realised that Martha was a clone in The Poison Sky because of a strand of hair, but 0.06 millimetres of a longer arm is not going to be noticeable. Especially after everything they had just been through! I don't know, it just sits a little wrong with me that he doesn't address choosing the incorrect version. He made his decision on an answer to one small question so I think he should explain why he didn't pick the real Donna initially. I thought the prologue was fine but I find the whole changing gravity to mavity thing a little weird and frankly silly. I hope this isn't an ongoing gag that stays in Doctor Who for eternity and that there is a logical reason for it in a future storyline. That's the indication I got from reading this book as it was mentioned and highlighted on more than one occasion. There was still that wonderful shared humour moment as both the Doctor and Donna gleam in knowing that Isaac Newton will appreciate the gravity of the situation, but then Donna's own memory shifts and she doesn't understand when the Doctor says gravity on two separate occasions. It's intriguing I'll admit, but I do want an explanation or resolution. I thought the Not-Things had an understandably reduced impact in the book than on screen as they really are all about the visuals. I think the author did a good job in injecting a sense of fear into them but I do think I was helped by having seen them play out on screen. The imagery that comes from the long arms and the twisted heads was for sure felt here, but I don't think that would have been the case if I had read the novelisation first. I enjoyed exploring the mystery of the spaceship at the edge of the universe and the nod to The Christmas Invasion with the Doctor explaining that the TARDIS would be fine if tea was spilt on the console was much welcomed. I still maintain it's a slight overreaction from the TARDIS to a bit of coffee! The HADS moment is fun and I love the vulnerability of the Doctor and Donna being separated from the TARDIS, especially when it had the sonic screwdriver in the lock as well. Defenceless doesn't begin to cut it! The lack of TARDIS translation for the countdown was also good and I liked Jimbo the robot and his very slow walk to self destruct the ship. The Not-Things having no understanding of the previous captain's sacrifice was great and they were desperate for information. I also liked the prose when it came to explaining that they had taken physical form and had brains now so they were subject to the elements of the universe. They needed time to react when the Doctor initiated the explosion, but it wasn't coming. They were dealt with rather emphatically with the incineration! I do think they were strong villains though and I love the element of the unknown. Sure, it got a little dodgy in the description of multiple versions of two characters but that was always going to happen. It's difficult to avoid clunkiness like that. There was a lot of action though and I was impressed with the pace. It also helped to not go into the story with anticipation of nothing about it being announced and then for there to be no surprises. I liked how things were foreshadowed with the Doctor pondering on his feeling for invoking a superstition at the edge of the universe where the walls are thin, and that will of course play a big part in the next special. But the moment at the end where the Doctor greets Wilf is still just wonderful. I adore it. Overall, a good little read! 

Rating: 7/10

Missing, Part One: Business as Usual

"I thought going off into outer space would take me away from the mundanity of Earth."

Writers: Gary Russell

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: Short Trips 03

Featuring: Mel

Synopsis

Here on Earth or out in the depths of the cosmos, the Doctor and his companions are never far from adventure. 

Discover things on Earth you were never meant to know. Get around the universe. Get short tripping.

Verdict

Missing, Part One: Business as Usual was an intriguing little story to continue my way through the More Short Trips collection! Now, when I say little I certainly mean it as this entire adventure was only three pages long. That doesn't leave a lot to write about in terms of a blog entry so this may end up being slightly smaller than usual, but I was honestly a little saddened by what I was reading. On paper, the idea of a Mel only story set after the events of Dragonfire is all good with me and I was intrigued to read this account of how she managed to get back to Earth. Of course, reading now some twenty-five years later than the book was released mean the events have been slightly contradicted on screen in The Giggle with Mel recalling how old Sabalom Glitz got before she made it back to Earth, but it's still a fun little read and I don't take things too seriously. I like to think of the wider Whoniverse as something akin to historical interpretations otherwise the contradictions would just be too strenuous. I like the idea of the simplicity of Mel just turning up at a bar and then finding a means home, but her take on her time in the TARDIS was almost disappointing to read! I don't think it was at all in line with how she appeared on screen during The Trial of a Time Lord with the Sixth Doctor and Season 24 with the Seventh Doctor, but she failed to see much of a difference she had made on her travels. That's a darn shame because I strictly don't believe that to be true. Sure, as she did mention a lot of good people had died, but almost always that was to fight a greater evil. Bob Lines being the man to recognise was good and it worked well for her to be a friend of a friend and the daughter of another as someone he knew well. There wasn't exactly a lot of time to get to know him but he was able to offer a Mel back home and that's enough of a helping hand to make him somewhat likeable. She was also the man listening to Mel's take on her times in the TARDIS and I just can't believe that she stated she wouldn't do it again. As if! It will take a lot of convincing on my part to believe that if the Doctor showed up again in the TARDIS that she wouldn't take up the offer of one more trip. I feel like she would be chomping at the bit to get travelling again. I fully understand that at this point in her life and some years since she last saw Bill, much more than the two it had been for him, that she just wanted to go home, but to refer to her travels and everything she saw and experienced with the Doctor as just a diversion feels wrong. Now, I was a little sceptical about including this story as one or two blog entires as I notice that there is another very short part two much later in the collection, but I decided to go with two separate entries and ratings because of the fact both parts have different authors and they have two separate entires on TARDISWiki. I'm not sure if that's a foolproof resource for when it comes to deciding what makes up one entire story, but it's a tremendous pit of knowledge so I thought correct to go with it. I do hope there might be some redeeming factors for Mel as she reflects on her time in the TARDIS in that second part, but for now this was a very intriguing start. It was powerful and downright shocking, and much of the rating comes from the fact I feel very passionately about its contents. For only three pages, it has certainly shocked me! That's impressive. Overall, a good little read. 

Rating: 7/10

An Ideal World

"You're a process, madam."

Writer: Ian Potter

Format: Audio

Released: October 2018

Series: Early Adventures 5.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis 

Light years from Earth, a vast human spaceship hangs in orbit over a cloudy alien planet. The crew have been travelling in cryosleep for many years, looking for a habitable world to settle, and have at last located one with potential. 

However, they're not the only people to have arrived in this place. The TARDIS has landed on the planet's surface. The Doctor, Steven and Vicki explore and quickly find themselves separated. 

But it isn't merely the hostile environment and rogue terraforming drones they'll have to deal with. Somethign else is living on this world. Something deadly and waiting to consume. 

It's an ideal world. But ideal for whom?

Verdict

An Ideal World was a great Early Adventures story! It's been a while since I listened to the excellent series opener of The Dalek Occupation of Winter, but I love the idea of this fifth series being like a continuous series of the 1960s somewhere between Season 2 and 3. It's easy to forget that we actually only got a few on screen adventures with this TARDIS trio so to extend their journey together here was most welcomed. I thought the basis of the story was very good and I loved the disagreements at the start with Vicki being convinced that they had landed on Earth. That was far from the truth though as the Doctor pointed out they were trillions of miles away, so naturally they would encounter some colonists with claims to T19. The concept behind that planet was fascinating and how it developed from initially being one home to smaller species and the Doctor, Vicki and Steven actually causing harm to it rather than the other way round which is usually typical of Doctor Who stories, and then to being all one linked ecosystem. It was one mind and that was something Kay was keen to exploit and explore. The way the story echoed its era was fantastic as the Doctor was written out for a lot of the story with the way he was infected. That was strong stuff and much of the third part focusing on scientific experiments with both Vicki and Steven's blood to find something to fight off the infection in the Doctor's blood was terrific. I liked how it was loosely acknowledged that the Doctor's blood was different without dipping too much into Time Lord folklore that hadn't been established at this point in the era. It was delicately done and I appreciated that. Learning that both Steven and Vicki had nano machinery within their blood was really intriguing to touch upon the future of mankind, and it was fun to leave ambiguous whose blood was more advanced. Steven being willing to give his blood to help the Doctor when it was one of his technocytes that developed to fight the infection but not the Doctor himself was terrific. It was a really nice moment of potential sacrifice. Heathcote was a really strong character in the story and his determination to help save the Doctor was more than admirable! He worked extensively to find the right technocyte and I liked how the Doctor was thankful when he eventually came around, but humorously told Steven he should be more careful with how he places his blood amid the risk of infection! Glorious. The Doctor showing no remorse towards Kay for the supposed good she was doing was really good and I do wonder if there will be any conflict going into the next story after Vicki and Steven disagreed with his actions towards her. That was a fun dynamic at the end! I liked how the Doctor made a reference to The Rescue when it came to human colonists and Vicki was quick to retort back that he didn't have the full picture. Traherne was another decent character in the story and her being quick to blame Steven for the terraforming. She was important in helping save the Doctor and Vicki though as they'd found an air hole but didn't have much time left with oxygen. The Doctor using a stream to send the pair into the cave was also quite the image! Overall, a really intriguing story that was perhaps slightly too long and the cliffhangers didn't have much of an impact other than the final one with the TARDIS getting wrapped up in something, but still a terrific listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Dream Team: Dream Team

"The last place in the universe to need advertising."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: April 2024

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 7.02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adrian, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

"Welcome to Concordium! The one-stop destination for elite and effective corporate bonding."

A protected wonder of space is being exploited for 'company away days' but when the Doctor, Tegan, Nyssa and Adric land to challenge the organisers, they fall into a web of perfectly tailored nightmares. As the Doctor confronts one of the most dangerous monsters in existence, one that uses your own mind against you while it feeds, his companions fall deeper into the trap and a nasty truth is revealed – you can die in dreams.

Verdict

Dream Team was an excellent story to conclude The Dream Team series of Fifth Doctor Adventures! This was a superb follow up to the opener of The Merfolk Murders to round out what has been a quite brilliant little series! I was excited by the prospect of the Kantrofarri returning as the story had something of a Classic Doctors, New Monsters vibe to it which is absolutely in my wheelhouse. I’m a huge fan of that range. It’s a little bit ironic too as I wasn’t a massive fan of the Dream Crabs when they appeared in Last Christmas, but now I’m really enjoying what they bring with the dream states and especially when dreams overlap. I think it might have been overdone in that Christmas Special from a decade ago but here was just about the right amount of dreams within dreams. The quartet of the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Adric and Tegan works really well and usually a four strong team means there might be a little stumbling around each other, but that wasn’t a problem here as one or more could just be asleep! The modern technology mixing in with the Classic era was terrific and I loved how things started with the TARDIS being infiltrated by a commercial virus. It was unique and quite fun but Nyssa wasn’t happy at being woken up. The fact it was reverberating all around the TARDIS was good and showed just how powerful it was. The Doctor talking Nyssa out of the dream once they were out at a supposedly peaceful wonder was quite brilliant and the sequence where they were both trying to snap each other out of the dream was incredible. I nearly howled on the train at the fact the Doctor slapped Nyssa without her asking. He’d asked for it twice but the image of him just walloping her in the face as a surprise was hilarious! Nyssa’s innocence made that funnier than it probably ought to have been. The nature of the Dream Crabs meant they didn’t make a huge impact in the audio format other than the disturbing sound effects, but that was more than made up for with the incredible artwork for this series. The familiar outfits of Doctor and companions adorned with the Dream Crabs is so striking. It was an ultimate selling point for me! The mathematical sequence that the Doctor orchestrated for both Nyssa and Adric to keep them concentrated and focused on not being consumed by the dream was really good and anytime I tried to do it in my head I nearly found myself ignoring the audio to work out the answer. That wasn’t ideal! But it was a fun little teaser. I liked the emotion that consumed Tegan in hearing her mum within the dream and Adric showed some strong maturity in this story to not only convince her that she was dreaming and her mum wasn’t real, but to also give himself to the Dream Crabs later and enter the dream to save Nyssa. That was admirable stuff. I thought the conclusion was a little predictable in that the penultimate dream was where they thought they’d won but were still actually in a dream, but I did like the ambitious ending in the TARDIS with Tegan not convinced they were actually out of the dream at all! The Doctor stating that they would never really know was quite fun. Overall, an excellent story!

Rating: 9/10

The Dream Team: The Merfolk Murders

"Nothing is private when we have a mystery to solve."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: April 2024

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 7.01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adrian, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

St Andrews, Scotland, 1940. The Merfolk are a university society meeting through the summer to discuss murder mystery stories. Innocent escapism during wartime, they say. Their latest book is The Casebook of Orion Hood – whose hero is all-too-familiar to the Doctor...

When a real-life murder occurs soon after their gathering, the Doctor's friends encourage him to investigate. Is one of the Menfolk responsible? Was this crime the result of espionage or envy? The Doctor must embrace his deerstalker once more and solve this wartime mystery – before the killer can strike again! 

Verdict

The Merfolk Murders was an excellent start to The Dream Team series of Fifth Doctor Adventures! I think this range in particular is usually very strong and it's a shame we don't get some sort of ongoing story arc rather than just standalone adventures, but when the quality is strong like this one I can't be complaining too much! I do love a murder mystery and this was right up that traditional story format. It had all the hallmarks and whilst the comedy of the likes of The Unicorn and the Wasp was not really present, an intriguing plot certainly was. There was a great deal going on and whilst the flashback sequences probably don't work quite as well in the audio format, they're still a much welcomed addition to the story. They do help but I think it's impressive how well this entire story comes off without any visuals. They're usually helpful in working out the culprit so it was definitely more of a surprise when the truth about Henry was revealed. The relationship he built with Adric was really nice and it was actually a nice change of pace for him to be getting on with somebody from Earth! He's usually so intellectually superior but at a place of academia he was more at home. I think it's a good way to tug at the heartstrings of the listener in stories of the Classic era because we know how Adric's story will end in Earthshock, but here we have quite a deep conversation about what he will do once he settles down and stops travelling in the TARDIS. Of course, he'll never get to make that choice so it makes his hopes and aspirations all the more sad here. It's good to explore though! I also commend this adventure for giving us a reason as to why Tegan is always wearing her hostess attire because she knows her role and makes her feel grounded. I think that's terrific. The Doctor being in his hat and glasses that adorns the boxset artwork is good and was definitely merited given the use of them in this story. They definitely feel very in line with the murder mystery theme. Very detective like! I loved the St Andrews setting and the Doctor showing an interest in golf rather than his usual cricket was a welcomed break for his companions. Adrian and Nyssa having a lack of understanding about the precarious nature of the 1940 setting was good given its proximity to World War Two and the dangers that will bring, especially by this point in August. That allowed Tegan to shine a little which is always good. I loved that the Fourth Doctor had an illustration in the book by Sarah Jane Watson which right from the off struck a chord with me in how familiar a name it was, and alas it did turn out to be written by the former companion! That was good fun. The Doctor being recognised as an ally of Churchill was terrific and I liked how the Fifth Doctor matched just one of the records. Sebastian as the German spy was a good character and I liked how there was mathematics applied to working out who the murderer of Athena was. Tegan was a little awkward in giving the bad news to her sister but that's a difficult call for anyone to make. I thought the way things concluded with Henry being revealed was good and there wasn't really any need for a lot of pomp and circumstance. His story was one that could be understood and it was actually nice to keep things as a pure historical. That's something missing from Doctor Who these days in my opinion! Overall, an excellent listen! 

Rating: 9/10

The Sin Eaters

"It's important you focus on the evil you want to reject."

Writer: Brian Minchin

Format: Audio

Released: June 2009

Series: Torchwood BBC Audio 04

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis

Alien larvae in a baptismal font mark the beginnings of a terrifying adventure. 

Searching for the source of a bizarre Rift reading, Gwen, Jack and Ianto find a corpse on the beach, his face covered in hundreds of tiny cuts. Watching from the shadows is a man in black...

The Reverend Hayward thinks he has found a way to take away people's sins. The trouble is, his special baptisms tend to take away their lives too. For the creatures he collects and puts in his church font are nightmarish parasites, feeding on their hosts' negative emotions before consuming. It is up to Torchwood to track them down and destroy them...

Verdict

The Sin Eaters was a good little audio to continue my way through the Torchwood Tales collection! I say little but this was far from that as it clocked in at well over two hours which I do maintain is probably a little bit long. The quality of the story has to be quite spectacular to keep the level of interest and attention required for a story like this over the duration. It's no qualm on Gareth David-Lloyd as his narration was mostly fine throughout, but I was just yearning for another voice to help him out! I do feel the story would have benefitted from a duet of sorts with either John Barrowman or Eve Myles present to fill in their parts and just give a different voice to some of the characters. In the Big Finish audios, I think David-Lloyd is tremendous but I don't think his impression of Captain Jack in particular was all that good. Considering the relationship Ianto has with Jack I just thought it would be a little better and more representative. I was impressed with Reverend Hayward as the villain for the story and I think his religious position makes him feel that little bit evil. I'm not sure if that's just my religious stance in being an atheist or what have you, but there is definitely something scary about a church and that was presented well here. There was definitely a chilly atmosphere in parts particularly centred around Hayward and his history with missing people and the swarm to come was very intriguing. The depth of the scale of missing people was somewhat disturbing dating back to the 1940s and seeing corpses protected for so long must be quite tough. I liked how Rhys featured heavily given the proximity of this story between Series 2 and 3, so he could team up with Gwen whilst Jack and Ianto were off together. That just felt right and logical. The references to Meat and even The Stolen Earth with memories of whales and Daleks was terrific. I thought the concept of an evil reverend in a more adult oriented series like Torchwood was great and there being a scientific process of extracting sins was very interesting. Ianto initially saw it as a big opportunity which was fun given what followed. He certainly wouldn't be having those feelings by the time things finished and Jack wanted to ensure Hayward's church was set into flames. The swarm itself of the larvae and what they turned into looked very Vespiform but I was definitely more interested in Hayward than what those things were that he was orchestrating life for. Gwen knew he wasn't someone innocent that had just been targeted or taken over by something alien. It was a willing choice and that disturbed her greatly. The Sea Queen was a very fun element in the story and the very idea of the Torchwood SUV turning into a boat was almost incredible! That was a fine use of the audio format as I'm not sure that would have been able to be pulled off on screen. It was very fun imagery. I thought the conclusion was pretty predictable and relatively straightforward in using light and heat against the winged creatures and the larvae, but it was certainly a way to tidy everything up and provide an emphatic resolution. Rhys using the events of the day to try and get Gwen to agree to an upsize in terms of home ownership was fun and I almost laughed at his suggestion that his wife would get a bonus for what she had gone through! That certainly wasn't going to happen. Overall, a very decent listen! 

Rating: 7/10

The Star Beast

"Strands of the cosmos, drawing together a lonely Time Lord and an amazing woman..."

Writer: Gary Russell

Format: Novel

Released: November 2023

Series: Target 178

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

A life-changing encounter. A fugitive from the stars. Wrathful warriors in pursuit. 

Landing on Earth, the Doctor finds a stranded alien in need of protection – and is dragged headlong into the life of his old friend Donna Noble, knowing that if she ever remembers their time together, she will die...

Verdict

The Star Beast was an outstanding novelisation of the first televised special to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary! I was a big fan of the story we saw on television but I think this novelisation was even better. It was just sublime from start to finish. Gary Russell did a tremendous job of engaging the reader right from the off and this was a perfect example of how to expand on what we saw on screen in the books. I just was not expecting the milkman from The Stolen Earth to feature so prominently in the adventure, but I absolutely loved it. It worked so well to have him now employed as a cleaner at the steelworks where the Meep's ship crashed and he almost became a central character. It was rather impressive! I liked how the book seemed to spend more time touching upon the Doctor dealing with his new (but old) face and he constantly questioned why it had come back. The little reference to The End of Time and him not wanting to go when last in this body was good, and then of course he encounters Donna almost immediately! That meeting is just glorious, as is the first reunion with Sylvia. Both moments were written fantastically. I like how in the book it does seem a little less obvious that the Meep would turn and its twist when the Doctor summons court is a fine moment. I liked the description of the Wrarth Warriors in prose and they seemed more threatening here than they looked on screen in my opinion. I think the book also does a strong job in introducing Rose Noble to the fray as a semi regular character as Donna's daughter, and the way Donna's lines of repeating binary three times from Journey's End were inserted throughout the book as a reminder or hint of what's to come later was fantastic. It kept things going very nicely and by the end saw everything tie together quite spectacularly. Shaun Temple was just a nice guy and even in the book you can feel how much he loves his girls. Sylvia's sequence of understanding Rose's transition is good but not anything like overbearing which is exactly what it should be. A simple conversation is all that's needed. I think it's fun to include Fudge talking with Sharon in the story given the origins of this adventure in Doctor Who and the Star Beast. It really is quite baffling that this is a novelisation of a televised episode which in itself was based off a comic strip, which has already been adapted for audio! That is quite something and is the beauty of Doctor Who. Four different versions of essentially the same story. I love it. I thought the chapters were pretty long in the book with it only having seven in total which is quite small, but I like that as the writing was perfect and the pace absolutely flew by. Beep the Meep's wikipedia page entry (well, the intergalactic version) was fun and I really enjoyed getting little inserts like a text exchange or UNIT memo after each chapter. It brought a good sense of newness to a story experienced not that long ago at all. Shirley is introduced here very nicely and the discussion she has with the Doctor regarding his different faces and what's to come was terrific. Why would this face come back? That was a big theme of the book. The end sequence to prevent the Meep wiping out London to charge his ship was incredible and the emotion that comes with the Doctor not wanting to sacrifice Donna was sublime. Of course, she won't perish when she remembers the Doctor because of the shared meta crisis now she's given birth. The non-binary element of the Doctor was probably played down a little more in the novelisation, but as a whole it's a nice way of returning Donna's memories. And then there she goes back into the TARDIS for a new adventure. I thought the TARDIS having kicked the Doctor out whilst it changed to a brilliant white interior upgrade was a nice addition too. Overall, a pretty perfect novelisation of an excellent episode! A thoroughly enjoyable read. 

Rating: 10/10

Scientific Adviser

"I am living and yet all I can remember is ending."

Writer: Ian Atkins

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Brigadier

Synopsis

Here on Earth or out in the depths of the cosmos, the Doctor and his companions are never far from adventure. 

Discover things on Earth you were never meant to know. Get around the universe. Get short tripping.

Verdict

Scientific Adviser was a fun little adventure to continue my way through the More Short Trips collection! These short stories are so unique and with this one clocking in at twenty-two pages, there was decent potential for some depth and a good little story to hand which is exactly what we got. When I saw the title I was almost certain that this was going to be a tale for the Third Doctor during his time in exile at UNIT, and whilst we did get the organisation involved and a strong showing for the Brigadier, it was actually the Second Doctor to hand in the role! That was a fun little twist and just getting an extra story with this incarnation of the Doctor and UNIT prior to Spearhead from Space is all good with me! The Brigadier has also been promoted now to that role which is fun to acknowledge, but the concept at the heart of this story is something fun doesn't begin to cover. The very idea of there being a film made about the events of The Invasion is glorious and I love that because it was so public, there was a lot of interest in factual accuracy of what happened and just the events in general. It was strong stuff but UNIT didn't want the true information getting out into the public domain which was understandable given what had happened and their nature as an organisation. So who better to go and disrupt a movie set and feed false information than the Doctor? His position as the production's scientific adviser was neat and something he embraced given that he was involved in the actual invasion that was being fictionalised. I do wonder if UNIT had the best method of achieving their goal in making the film not accurate because surely just being 'based on' true events was enough of a cover up to show that what was creatively presented wasn't necessarily fact? Who knows, but it was a lot of fun regardless! I am not going to be one to take this kind of adventure too seriously that's for sure. The Doctor seemed to take a little while to fully grasp what was being asked of him, and he was more interested in fostering a relationship with Kate as the Brigadier's daughter which was nice. It's quite incredible really to think that the woman we saw heading UNIT and tackling the Toymaker with the Fourteenth Doctor in The Giggle was consoled by the Second Doctor when she was just seven years old and due to have her tonsils removed. That was a procedure she was kind of worried about and it was sweet that it was noticed the Doctor had a good understanding with her. He could look after her and the fact he would actually be there to help perform the operation was terrific. That's the Doctor at his best with nice little touches like that. I thought having Tobias Vaughan as a character in the movie was fun and those behind it wanting more of a motive to his actions was good but they weren't getting one as far as the Doctor was concerned. They were also adamant that the Cybermen, for the film purposes named as Zexians, came out of the sewers which is something iconic about The Invasion and fun to address. That really was a shot that was completely necessary! The actual emergence of the Cyber Planner and it disputing events depicted in the film was very good and I loved the Planet 14 reference to confirm its identity. It wouldn't last long though with the Doctor involved! He would save Kate and sever the connection. Overall, a strong read! 

Rating: 8/10

Eye of Darkness

"There are no Daleks on Orion."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2015

Series: Dark Eyes 4.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Molly

Synopsis

It's the endgame. Truths will be revealed, and a hero will make the ultimate sacrifice.

Verdict

Eye of Darkness was an excellent episode to conclude the fourth and final series of Dark Eyes, and the series as a whole! It's been quite a journey with the Eighth Doctor, Liv and Molly over the course of these four boxsets and one I have thoroughly enjoyed. It was really nice for a number of elements to come together here and I liked how it was mostly just the Dalek Time Controller as the main Dalek threat. Somehow that made things more serious as he was a very unique Dalek given that he had been out of time and was a small element from a previous timeline. The Daleks in question here didn't exactly recognise his authority which was a fun dynamic but the Controller was not messing around when it came to extermination if they didn't have a use. The follow on from Master of the Daleks was very good and I loved hearing Molly call the TARDIS her old favourite line of the tardy box. I love that so much and I'm honestly so sad that she is gone, but her sacrifice was tremendous and a fitting way to round out the series and her story arc. She's been a wonderful companion! It's not like the Doctor will be travelling alone either as we have Liv sticking around for as she is needed which is lovely and I'm really enjoying having her around. She's growing into a brilliant companion and Molly asking the Doctor to look after people and to look out for Liv now before she died was terrific. The fact she was smiling in death knowing that her link to the Dalek Time Controller through the retro genitor particles meant it would die too was superb. It was logical and rounded out everything from the series gone by as the Dalek Time Controller had planned to become at one with the Eminence. It was to become infinite and take the place of Markus Schriver as its creator. The link back to how the Eminence would be created was strong and the Doctor almost laughing at the irony of him being involved in its creation all along was amusing. Of course it would be that way. I liked that there was a possibility before Molly died her history would be restored and she would remember it. I like to think that this was a small reason of why she was smiling. I thought Anya was a very decent character to help compliment the cast for this episode and the depths she was prepared to go to with the bomb inside of her was quite something! She had a strong relationship with both Liv and Molly, and the Doctor thought she was better than what she was showing. It didn't have to be death or killing to get things done or show how important things were. The Eye of Orion setting was good and I loved the prospect of it actually being a Dalek research and development centre. Hiding in plain sight at what is supposedly the most tranquil and peaceful spot in the universe sounds like a sublime front. When Brother Callis was challenged on that it became clear that he was a security key incapable of even remembering the Daleks which was a fine defence mechanism. I thought that was nicely done. The Doctor still not wanting to sacrifice Molly to save millions was admirable if not a little confusing. Sure, he doesn't want to lose her but surely in situations such as this one that numbers do matter. One woman to save millions no matter the connection surely means there's only one choice? Liv helped him understand and Molly assured him he wasn't sacrificing anything. She'd lived her life now and was offering herself willingly. She knew the endgame and was smiling as she brought the Time Controller to an end. Overall, a fitting finale to what has been a superb series! I look forward to the Eighth Doctor and Liv's adventures continuing. 

Rating: 9/10

Master of the Daleks

"Long live the glorious New Skaro."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: March 2015

Series: Dark Eyes 4.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Molly

Synopsis

The Master and the Dalek Time Controller have forged an alliance. History hangs in the balance, and this time the Doctor can't help...

Verdict

Master of the Daleks was a strong episode to continue the fourth and final series of Dark Eyes! The artwork alone was enough to get me very excited about this story as we had the combination of the Daleks, Master and the Sontarans all in one outing! That’s a lot of moving parts to combat with but for the most part I thought they did a good job of giving credence to each element. The Sontarans were definitely the ones given the short straw as they seemed to simply be reduced to being Dalek slave labour by the time the end of the episode came around, but the way they reacted to the Daleks being in their portion of space was brilliant. The Sontarans are bred for war and very rarely show any fear with how they see honour in death, but there was instant trepidation when it was soon clear that it wasn’t just one or two rogue Daleks. It was a squadron of hundreds and they’d come to exterminate. That was an exciting pre-credits sequence. I thought with everything going on it was quite fun for the Doctor to be suffering from some severe time lag that meant he was very disoriented for a long time. He didn’t even recognise a Dalek at first! He did though pay attention to Mary Carter due to her Irish accent and I must say I was stunned to find that she was an older version of Molly O’Sullivan in this corrupted timeline. It is a little disappointing to get a change of actress and I understand why it happened given the time jump for her, but I am such a fan of Ruth Bradley and it’ll be a shame if there is no more of her. The 1961 setting of the New Skaro was fantastic and I loved how Liv couldn’t understand that they’d taken over considering she’d already been further in the future where the Daleks didn’t and hadn’t ruled. That was fun and she was met with almost ridicule for not grasping the change in timelines. I thought the alliance between the Master and Daleks was good stuff as both parties knew that betrayal was more than a possibility. In fact, the Dalek strategists had calculated that there was a 100% chance of the Master turning against them! That was fun and not at all surprising. The Master had already planned for the Daleks to lose trust in him as they hoped to share control and power but of course that wouldn’t happen. Liv was almost surprised at the Master’s preparation which was a delight. She has a lot to learn! I loved the little caveat from the Master in how he’d aided the Daleks but within those newly created Daleks he had his own controls. The civil war that ensued between Daleks controlled by the Master and the Dalek Time Controller was good stuff and there was a lot of action! The concept of the Time Controller escaping in the Doctor’s TARDIS with Liv and Molly was brilliant and I also loved how the Doctor showed no remorse in stealing the Master’s TARDIS and leaving him stranded on a planet and timeline within a civil war! The Master likes a challenge but it seems he has no means of escape. But he’ll be back and I look forward to it! Overall, a great listen.  

Rating: 8/10

The Monster of Montmartre

"Information is a commodity."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2015

Series: Dark Eyes 4.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv

Synopsis

The Doctor and Liv's investigations bring them to Paris, where a monster stalks the streets.

Verdict

The Monster of Montmartre was an excellent episode to continue my way through the fourth and final series of Dark Eyes! I must say I didn't get the vibe from the first half of the story that this was going to feature the Daleks but here they were in full fashion with some soldiers at the behest of the Dalek Time Controller. That most interesting of Daleks turning out to be the mysterious and unseen husband of Adelaine was a big surprise indeed! I thought that was good fun and the very idea of a Dalek wedding was hilarious. Of course, it was all concocted by the Time Controller himself with Adelaine actually being a Dalek duplicate grown from its own cells. There was a lot of blending with modern era episodes in having humans turned into Daleks, the opposite of Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks and then the whole thing of the Time Controller's connection with Molly seems akin to the maniacal nature of Dalek Caan at the point of The Stolen Earth. And then there was the whole plan for the Dalek Time Controller to usher in a new Dalek Paradigm pointing towards Victory of the Daleks which was great fun. The Doctor seemed to have a chuckle about that comment in particular! I thought Liv was fun as the companion once again as she wasn't familiar with the time or the place, and the Doctor giving her Euros didn't go down well as the currency hadn't yet been invented! The mystery of the TARDIS being missing after the events of A Life in the Day was very good and I enjoyed that it provided direction for the plot. The Doctor building the relationship with Christian was good as he knew that the artist was being taken advantage of by Adelaine. She was preying on artists looking for a break and basically milking them dry of their money. This was a living that wasn't consistent and when one needed to pay by other means, Adelaine used her own distinctive charm to lure them to her 'husband' to become Daleks. That was quite spectacular! Once the Dalek Time Controller emerged, things really shifted into a new gear and instantly felt on a much bigger scale than 1920s Paris. The artistic theme with the French capital setting was good but it definitely shifted into an improvement once we got Dalek involvement. I loved the description of the way it made its entrance on the stage after exterminating from below and that really is something I would love to have seen. I would also love to have seen the Dalek Time Controller with his dark eye and the fact it allowed Liv to see his connection to Molly was intriguing. I certainly want answers! Her story is far from finished which is exciting and I am no wiser as to how this saga is going to conclude. I'm very excited though! I don't think it was too much of a surprise to find that it was the Master who was the architect of everything that the Time Controller was doing, but it was still a superb entrance. Who else would it be? The Time Controller asking about the Eminence War is good continuity too and I can't wait for everything to all tie together. I do wonder if we will stay in the 1921 setting now the Master and the Daleks have arrived, but the TARDIS is still awol so I suspect so! Overall, this was a really strong story seeing the Dalek Time Controller try to shape his own reality and timeline. A fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

A Life in the Day

"We'd barely even met him and he gave up his life for us."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: March 2015

Series: Dark Eyes 4.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv

Synopsis

The Doctor and Liv return to post-World War One London, where the Doctor meets Kitty Donaldson, and Liv strikes a friendship with her brother Martin. But what mysterious force is hunting them?

Verdict

A Life in the Day was a strong start to the fourth and final series of Dark Eyes! I'm very excited for what this boxset is set to bring after an epic journey to get here and whilst none of the enticing ingredients featured on the series cover art were present in this episode, I thought this was great! We've still got Daleks, Sontarans and the Master to come but for now this was a strong showing for Liv in particular. I like how the Doctor is still concerned for Molly despite the Time Lords supposedly putting her back in her own time period and place, and having him reunited with Kitty was a good way to hark back to The Great War when Molly was caring for her. The timeline being a little distorted and tricky at this point because of Molly and her dark eyes along with the Time Lord involvement was good and it was fun that the androids couldn't locate the TARDIS that they sought so much. The reaction of the Doctor and Liv when they realised the androids were not after either of them was hilarious but they were sure to use them. They wanted the TARDIS for their ominous and absent controller who I'm sure will be a familiar face and it was just delightful for the Doctor and Liv to almost feel left out! I thought the Doctor and Kitty made a good pairing, but the story was certainly all about the blossomed combination of Martin and Liv. She wasn't exactly used to everyday life in London no matter the time period and the Doctor not really acknowledging her dress when she just wanted a little affirmation was a shame, but showed how oblivious he is to that kind of thing. She soon learned to laugh with Martin which was just lovely to hear as they went to the cinema and the British Museum. Not a bad first date in the slightest to show her around London! She was clearly having a good time but I don't think she had any inkling of anything more than just a nice little friendship, whereas he was already falling in love with her. For Martin, he'd been living the day on more than one occasion and it wasn't always the same day. He couldn't age or die without losing himself and the one he now loved, and as each day was different he would fall in love with her all over again and again. That was both poignant and also quite sad because she would never feel the same way. She was meeting him for the first time on each occasion. I liked the threat of the androids in the fact that they were clearly controlled by a higher power, and they really did sound robotic. The Doctor appreciating that they weren't alive giving him more options on how to deal with them was marvellous and quite unique! I was a little disappointed that the way things ended felt slightly ambiguous and open-ended given the emotional impact Liv felt by Martin's sacrifice, but then he was just back to live in the loop again. It was admirable but can you really fall in love with somebody that quick? There was no indication of getting to Molly again but the Doctor and Liv had to escape rather hastily which was fun and sets up nicely moving forward as the series looks to conclude. Overall, a really emotional episode to kick off the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Scavenger

"Rewriting history, you really are British."

Writer: William Gallagher

Format: Audio

Released: March 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 184

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Flip

Synopsis

Thursday 28 May 2071: the day the Anglo-Indian Salvage 2 rocket launches. Its mission: to clean up space; to remove from Earth's orbit over a century's worth of man-made junk...

From the viewing window of a nearby space station, the Doctor and Flip have a unique view of Salvage 2 as it sets about its essential task – and of the disaster that unfolds when Salvage 2 encounters something it's not been programmed to deal with. Something not of human manufacture...

Back on Earth, the Doctor fights to save Flip from becoming part of a 500-year tragedy being played out in orbit, hundreds of miles above. And millions will die if he fails.

Verdict

Scavenger was a great story to conclude this trilogy of Monthly Adventures with the Sixth Doctor and Flip! It's been a solid batch of stories and I'm very fascinated by the fact we get a cliffhanger finish with Flip heading for who knows where. I liked the format of the story in having the Doctor and Flip separated quite early on as that reunion was the basis for most of the plot as far as our main characters were concerned. There was more than one threat to their safety throughout and the fact they were so far away from each other provided a good sense of vulnerability for our companion. She feels very much of the present being from 2011 although I must say I was a little disappointed by her lack of appreciation for seeing the Earth from space! That would be a dream and something incredible but she was nonplussed which was a surprise as she's still pretty new to travelling with the Doctor. Has it all really become so familiar already? I find that a little difficult to buy into. I thought the background of the Anglo-Indian Salvage 2 rocket was excellent and I really enjoyed how much racial tensions played a part. The British were implied as seeing the Indians as inferior on more than one occasion which was quite something! You'd like to think that by the time we reach this point in 2071 things might be different in how we look at people of other nationality and race, but sadly I doubt we will and that's a big shame. Salim was an intriguing character as an Indian representative on the mission and his relationship with Jessica Allaway was less than amicable. I thought she was pretty unlikable which was the intention and her position as a former Wimbledon champion seemed odd. The Doctor recognised her from that achievement though! He also knew Salim without knowing it because he'd heard the story of his heartbreak as if it wasn't fiction from the man himself when he was much younger and in a different body. Salim having existed for over six centuries was quite the torment as he was separated from his love who became one with the Scavenger, and it was quite nice for him to think that it was his love that kept him alive. The Doctor thought there was something a little more to it than that which was true, but for so long that love had kept him going. He knew about the Scavenger and wanted some semblance of reunion with the one he loved. Flip almost getting absorbed was a strong threat and I liked how she was almost welcoming it to gain knowledge that could aid the defeat of the ship. The memory and knowledge acquisition working both ways was very good and really helped level the playing field. Some of the cliffhangers were strong given the proximity to space and the obvious dangers that poses. I also thought Jyoti was a strong character and I enjoyed the way Colin Baker pronounced her name! There was a fun emphasis. The way Jessica was blamed in the news after she was caught admitting on record that she caused the power outage to get on the ship was good and it all tied together pretty neatly in the end! The continuation of Flip mentioning that the Doctor might be all set to go and find Peri when she believed she would be lost was admirable but I'm also interested in this very much. Will she give up her role as a companion to allow the Doctor to find Peri again, or will she be there at the inevitable reunion? I look forward to finding out, but Flip might not be anywhere at all given the cliffhanger finish! 

Rating: 8/10

The Brood of Erys

"I remember nothing of my life before you saved me."

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: February 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 183

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Flip

Synopsis

Space travellers are warned to keep away from the area of the planet Asphya and its unremarkable moon Erys. Not the best place to materialise the TARDIS, then – as the Doctor discovers when his ship is raided by the imp-like Drachee, and his companion Flip is carried away...

But the TARDIS isn't the only stricken vessel in the region. Aboard a nearby space yacht, the Doctor encounters a woman who holds in her head the secret of Erys – a secret suppressed by amnesia, or worse. 

Flip, too, is about to learn Erys' secret. But once you know Erys' secret, you can never escape. 

Verdict

The Brood of Erys was a fantastic story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures! I liked that there was some continuity with Antidote to Oblivion at the end in suggesting that the Doctor might be out to reunite with Peri which I think is fascinating and a fine aim of direction for these Sixth Doctor adventures within the monthly range. It would be so good to get a reunion of sorts after the events of The Trial of a Time Lord and how they never got to say goodbye, and I'll almost be a little disappointed if that doesn't happen now, but at the same time I do feel a little sorry for Flip as a companion as she seems to be less important than one of her predecessors. I think it's fun for her to be a more modern character as far as the listener is concerned but into the era of the Classic world. The Doctor explaining to her the means by which the TARDIS would go through a recalibration by means of a random landing was fun and her likening it to the way a wireless controller connects with a gaming console for the first time was hilarious. I loved it though because it was very relatable! I've done that connection process on numerous occasions. Hearing the Doctor say 'as if' in the modern context was fun at the end too as he assured her he wouldn't lock her out of the TARDIS in the same way he did to his granddaughter Susan. I wasn't expecting that but when Erys had obtained the memories of the Doctor, he was quick to namedrop a number of companions from the likes of Romana and Leela to Sarah Jane and Jo. All mean so much to the Doctor but there's something deeper about family. Flip's reaction to learning that he was a grandfather was good and I wasn't expecting those final lines of The Dalek Invasion of Earth to be repeated and expanded upon in such detail. I'm all here for it though! I've started at the end here which is not the usual way I do things but the way we got there was strong. I thought the setting and concept of Erys as a planet that was alive was terrific and the extent to which it would communicate was great. The Drachee were an intriguing species and whilst their description meant they were a little difficult to take seriously along with their child-like voice, the moment they tried to take over the TARDIS and kidnapped Flip was excellent! The audacity of them to come into the TARDIS in their numbers was amusing and the younger of the species going around exploring much to the Doctor's annoyance was very fun. Flip was showing her lack of experience in the TARDIS as you just didn't let in ships and random species like that, especially after the warning they'd received to stay away! Sarra was a brilliant character and the defence mechanism of her not having nearly any memories was great stuff. Erys couldn't get in and couldn't know about the plan she hatched with her father Elgin. The fact Sarra had lost her husband and two daughters to Erys was intriguing and I liked how late in the day that information came in the story. It wasn't what I was suspecting and it was a good twist to know that the memory loss was self inflicted. I enjoyed the action of the conclusion and Elgin actually managing to alter the nerve centres of Erys to basically fix its maniacal tendencies was nicely done. Neat and simple. Lona becoming Erys for a part of the story did feel a little odd, but as a whole the presence of the moon was felt everywhere. Overall, a really good listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Follow That TARDIS!

"What's with all the flying toilets?"

Writer: John Carnell

Format: Comic Strip

Released: March 1989

Printed in: DWM 147

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

When the Meddling Monk is thwarted once again by the presence of the TARDIS, he causes damage to the vehicle of one of the Sleeze brothers. The Doctor unwittingly becomes a taxi for a chase through time and some unexplained events...

Verdict

Follow That TARDIS! was a fun little comic strip adventure! There are now very few comic strip stories I have left to blog from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine, and after a decision a number of years ago to purchase a colour copy of the Doctor Who Classics graphic novel featuring a number of Seventh Doctor stories which I believe to have been released in the A Cold Day in Hell graphic novel collection, this particular adventure didn't get the colourisation treatment. So with it only being one part I thought why not just buy the copy of DWM that it featured in from eBay? So that's exactly what I did and I had a blast flicking through the magazine that was released in early 1989! That's a big year for Doctor Who as the final year of the Classic era on a regular basis and just looking at the likes of the Season 25 guide and the Ben Aaronovitch interview from a contemporary perspective is a lot of fun. It seems that Remembrance of the Daleks was almost an instant classic which is hard to argue with but it's also a little sad to know what was coming later in the year, or rather what wasn't coming the next year. Anyway, to the story at hand and we see the Seventh Doctor travelling solo which must have been a little odd considering that we have seen Ace in the DWM comic strip and she was on the screen companion of the time. The Doctor was out to stop the Meddling Monk which is always a tremendous basis for the story and I loved the artwork depicting the Monk in his monastery robes. I'm a huge fan of his as a villain and the shock reaction he has when tries to rig the election but then sees the familiar horror of the Doctor's TARDIS was marvellous. The story does become a little silly from there but when the Monk is involved that's not a bad thing and is somewhat inevitable. Deadbeat and El Ape were amusing characters as the Sleeze Brothers and I was a little surprised to find that they went onto to have their own mini comic strip series! All from a six page one-part Doctor Who comic? The influence is uncanny. I thought the jumping around time from the likes of the Titanic to the Bermuda Triangle was fun and the insinuation that the iceberg which sunk the former was actually the Monk's TARDIS is quite incredible! I thought the Doctor's outrage towards the Sleeze Bothers for their interference at history in 1908 at Tunguska was good and the devastation they left from what was essentially a nuke in the forest to supposedly try and weasel out the Monk's TARDIS was very amusing! It was just downright needless and the whole nature of the Monk's TARDIS being disguised as a lavatory is a little barmy. I'm there something a little too funny in there with more than one obvious joke to be made but I'll leave it. I thought the way things ended with the Doctor chucking the Sleeze Bothers out of the TARDIS for all of their interference was amusing, even after they helped the Doctor catch the Monk, but the way things concluded with ambiguity regarding the Monk and what would happen to him after his TARDIS imploded was a little annoying. It just left a little feeling of unfinished business, and perhaps the next comic strip adventure will address it? I'll probably have to get buying each of the three issues in which it originally was printed in, but that can be a little pricey for just one story. I'll definitely blog it eventually! But for now, this was a fun and whacky comic strip adventure. 

Rating: 7/10

The Box Under the Tree

"Too much imagination is just asking for anarchy."

Writer: Robert Shearman

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2007

Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2008

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

Harry is distracted at school by a story of his own creation, but when things start getting slightly too real he needs the help of a rather skinny Santa...

Verdict

The Box Under the Tree was an excellent short story to continue my way through the 2008 Doctor Who Storybook! This was a really solid adventure from start to finish with a nice twist and just a bit of a feel good factor. I have found that a lot of the stories within the numerous Doctor Who Storybooks have been focused on individual children and the perspective for Harry here was good. I understand that approach given the primary target audience for these Storybook releases as it would be relatable for most younger fans to see a child at school and someone creating their own version of what is essentially a Doctor Who story. I thought the illustration to kick off the story with Harry's drawing of his imaginary battle between Xarantharax and Iska'lanz'rm was great and I thought the humour that came from not one but two confirmations on how to pronounce the latter was fun stuff. Because there were no phonetic instructions so for the reader I was completely ignorant of how to pronounce it. It was a complicated name so I'm glad it didn't feature too much. Harry's teacher didn't seem the nicest educator in locking his away his imaginary comic strip because it was distracting him on the actual curriculum content, but he would soon find a way to get it back as his stories came to life. I'm always a big fan of fiction becoming reality and the emergence of the Doctor and Martha in a subtle but fun way was brilliant. The Doctor was on hand to provide an explanation that really sold how talented Harry was as a storyteller and sometimes stories in one's imagination are so powerful that they break into the world of reality. That was a fun twist and it actually gave Harry a lot of power with his crayons! I thought Martha was a little out of the way in the story as a companion and her position in providing the perfume that Harry hoped to get his mum for Christmas was a nice touch but not all that useful, as it was all about the Doctor. Sure, she did provide the instructions but was a child really going to follow them when it came to entering the TARDIS? The Doctor taken on the guise of Santa Claus was amusing and I liked how he provided Harry with the TARDIS key that was soon explained by a rather large box wrapped under the tree. I liked that a lot and the idea of the TARDIS being wrapped up and humming must have been an exciting present for Harry to find in the early hours of Christmas morning! Harry being able to put two and two together regarding the box, key and instruction was terrific and I loved the imagery that accompanied the prose. It really does make a big difference and the quality on show here was magnificent. We even got to see the TARDIS in a colour other than blue! Seeing that infamous police public call box adorned in orange was peculiar but I loved the whacky nature of it. The Doctor acknowledging that the story didn't go with the whole it was all a dream thing was excellent as that would have been disappointing, and Harry just sending the warmongering races back to their own planet and time without the need for any death was admirable. The Doctor certainly approved! Overall, a really strong read! 

Rating: 9/10