Ghost Train

"You want to keep me here so the world ends."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: March 2011

Series: Torchwood BBC Audio 06

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Rhys

Synopsis

It's not easy being Rhys Williams. You're married to the sexiest woman in Torchwood. She saves the world for a living, you move lorries round in a timely fashion.

Suddenly, you've got a mystery of your own. Oh, it starts off being about missing fridges. But it leads to a midnight train pulling into an abandoned platform at Cardiff Station. What is the mysterious cargo that Rhys is unloading from the train? Where's it going? And what can be behind it?

Rhys Williams is going to get to the bottom of it. All by himself, thank you ver much. Soon Captain Jack is missing, his wife's dead, and it's up to Rhys to try and put everything right. And find those fridges...

Verdict

Ghost Train was an excellent audio adventure to continue my way through the Torchwood Tales release! I usually do think these can be a little on the long side with this one reaching some 139 minutes, but it was an absolute breeze to listen to. I think a lot of credit for that must go down to Kai Owen with his narration. He is such a gem as the character of Rhys and whilst initially just something of a minor character as Gwen's boyfriend, he grows to become a crucial part of the Torchwood cog. It's honestly a travesty that Rhys isn't a part of the cover artwork for this story as he's the star attraction. I mean, the entire thing is told in first person from his perspective! It really was like an extended Torchwood version of a Companion Chronicles for Rhys which was an absolute delight. I'm a really big if it wasn't obvious already! I also think it helps that a writer like James Goss is so familiar with the city of Cardiff. Getting mentions of the likes of Cardiff Queen Street and Grangetown train stations is so fun as a local to the city because they're just not usually places that are mentioned in the mainstream. Sure, the audience for a Torchwood audio adventure are going to be niche but I love the way the locale is described. Even the likes of Radyr get mentioned when Ianto had cured a plague in the area! It definitely helps being from the area and living within the region. I thought the continuity with the wider Whoniverse was brilliant in utilising Rhys's position at a haulage company and remembering the events of The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky as the ATMOS went wild. The descriptors on the satnavs here were a little on the nose too! Never did I think I'd hear an automated voice describe someone as a slut. Only in Torchwood. Getting a little mention of Derek the weatherman was a fun anecdote too to make reference to Derek Brockway, a popular Welsh weatherman. He'd be well chuffed! I liked the ridiculousness of Rhys being concerned about some missing fridges and whilst he knew there was something going on that did require Torchwood's involvement, he appreciated how mad it sounded. It was clear in this audio how much Rhys appreciated his girlfriend Gwen, along with her arse, which was really nice to hear. Sure there was banter and sexual innuendo, but he really cared for her. He missed her. When he ended up back in time and having to live without seeing her for a couple of weeks, he didn't cope too well! He couldn't wait to see her again. I thought the ghost train concept was fun and really eery. Not many trains go to Cardiff Queen Street past midnight! The numerous clones of Powell made for an intriguing image across Cardiff and I liked how zombified they sounded. It was also chilling to hear how Rhys was not required. Rhys posing as an aid to the gradual invasion was incredible and almost borderline stupendous, but it just about stayed on the right side of logic. He revelled in it though and pushed things to the line but never quite over it. The field of despair was a strong name and I really liked it as an explanation for what was happening in Cardiff. Rhys having to see the station blow up and take his wife and Jack with them was a big shock but lucky for him it sent him back in time where he could fix things under Jack's instruction. His pairing with Ianto was fantastic and I really thought they worked well together. Rhys improvising and using his own unique position in the timeline to put everything back on track was good, even if a little fortunate. That's how it should be for someone like Rhys though with all due respect. Jack turning up as the train driver was a fun way to finish things as well. From cardboard boxes to clones to an eery train station or two, this was a really enjoyable listen! 

the field of despair 

Rating: 9/10

One Bad Apple

"This place could not be Paradise."

Writer: Simon Forward

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 05

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

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

One Bad Apple was a great story to continue my reading through the More Short Trips collection! This length at twenty-two pages was the perfect count for me in this kind of adventure as it was long enough not to feel rushed and to really flesh out some details whilst also being a pretty quick read at around forty minutes or so. It really was a short trip and that was appealing. I thought the writing for both the Fourth Doctor and Leela was excellent, although I would have liked the latter to use her savage sense and tribal upbringing a little more in the forest. That's a perfect setting for Leela but I don't think she was wholly utilised to her potential there. I thought the biblical connotations were quite fun and whilst I'm not fan of religion in the slightest, I could appreciate the parallels drawn. It was possibly a little on the nose to have characters named as Cain and Abel, but I get what they were trying to do. Colonel Joshua made for a good villain with his desire for Paradise. That's an exciting concept and one that is sometimes difficult to fully comprehend. Can anything possibly be considered as a paradise? Would there not be some sort of defect? I struggle to believe that it exists, but Joshua being on the hunt for it here was good stuff. It worked well and was a fun basis for the story to go in. What I wasn't expecting was so much focus on the Cybermen without them actually appearing. Sure, we had a helmet here and a gun there, but they had been wiped out here a long time ago which showed the threat that we were dealing with was a formidable one. Joshua believing that Paradise lay physically somewhere between humanity and Cyberman was fascinating and I liked how he linked back to The Tenth Planet and how Mondas wasn't meant to come back. Humanity and Cybermen should have been kept separate with Paradise split somewhere in the middle of them. That was so exciting and my only qualm was that this wasn't focused upon more because it's an incredible concept! I really enjoyed the Mithran Fusiliers as a mercenary organisation and them being a church for the lost souls of the Cyberwars was exciting. This is a strong place to set a story and it works without the need for the Cybermen to feature. I like that we see some of their lasting impact here. I thought Leela's involvement with the P'tarr was good and I loved her scrumpling with the fruit brought her an increased knowledge. It was unclear whether what information had been passed to her was the fruit, but the Doctor's reaction when she talked of refraction was a delight. He didn't seem all that thrilled with having Leela be an all knowledgable companion! That was funny stuff and this is a tremendous pairing to do that with. The comedic value is so strong. I thought the story ended in a somewhat sombre way as we learned the truth about Josh and how the fruit had broken the link between flesh and cybernetics. Where did the human start and the Cybermen end? Leela talking of how he'd come for an honourable death was fitting as a way to conclude, and despite the issues he'd presented he would no longer live. His time was up now. His paradise was actually Hell which is a bold statement to present for someone in death! But I liked the symbolism and that everything we search for isn't always how we might have pictured it. Overall, a really good read with a concept I'd love to explore in further detail in an expanded story. 

Rating: 8/10

Morbius Part 3

"Never let it be said that Morbius isn't kind."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: June 2024

Series: Dark Gallifrey 1.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor

Synopsis 

Morbius has been brought back to life on the Isle of the Dead. But a desperate Captain Argento has called for help and received an unlikely ally. Here is a stranger who knows the tyrant of old and is the only one who can put his plans on ice. But perhaps even the Doctor cannot stop the threat of Dark Gallifrey...

Verdict

Morbius concluded in strong style to round out this epic first story in the Dark Gallifrey range! This is such an exciting series and whilst we didn't get a huge amount of knowledge regarding just what Dark Gallifrey itself entails, there was enough drips and drabs of information to keep me wanting more. I mean, we've still got five more stories comprised of three releases to come so this was always going to start off small regarding the overarching reach of the series. For me, this was all about Morbius anyway and diving deep into Gallifreyan past. This wasn't quite the Dark Times but the Doctor mentioning that they were basically within its shadows was a fun anecdote of when this episode took place. The Doctor being the one dragged to answer the call of Captain Argento when she used the Horn of Rassilon was fun and I liked how he was momentarily disoriented. Of course he wasn't Rassilon! It makes sense to have the Fourth Doctor encounter Morbius once again but this is far from a rematch from The Brain of Morbius as for the tyrannical Time Lord, he had yet to encounter the Doctor. That by default meaning that the Doctor was here to exact his revenge for his defeat was a lot of fun and showed just how much Morbius thought of himself. It was good to get a bit more activity from Argento this time around and she showed just why she was worthy of being captain. Her relationship with the Doctor was lovely and it was really nice that he recognised her name straight away. She was something of a legend! Every Time Lord ought to know her name. That showed just how revered the Proteus was, although to the Doctor the tech was rather primitive which was amusing. It was good that Gilda knew of the Doctor being a future President of the Time Lords but she was almost as surprised as he was by the fact! I wonder if The Invasion of Time had happened for him yet? That was unclear but a fun thought. She was a brilliant character here though and the development she went through was quite extraordinary. The fact she got to live out the dream of Morbius was a fun play on events and having her exist in her own planet's past and see herself born was brilliant. That really is quite something and the twist with everything coming full circle as she was revealed to be the narrator all along was terrific. That was strong and a nice way to conclude her story. She stood up to Morbius well here. I thought the interaction the Doctor shared with Morbius could have been a little more tense and impactful, but it was a delight to hear them converse. The way the Doctor trapped Morbius with a distraction of simply talking was tremendous and he really did make the best use of only being a projection. That was handy when Morbius was intent on destruction! I thought it was quite clever really as a means of defeating Morbius and even having the deformed and amalgamated version projected to show him what fate awaited him was very well done. I really didn't expect that! It was a strong way though to send Morbius back packing and have him ready for the Doctor to take him on back on Karn where he belonged, and it was just a sheer joy for him to be resurrected at this point in time! I really hope we can explore more of this period in Gallifreyan history moving forward, but I get the sense that's not going to happen. However, I very much look forward to hearing what the War Master gets up to in the next instalment in this series. Overall, a fascinating and really enjoyable listen! The Doctor couldn't quite believe it. 

Rating: 8/10

Empire of Death

"Why is the God of Death not killing me?"

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 22 June 2024

Series: 14.08

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby, Mel

Synopsis

The Doctor has lost, his ageless enemy reigns supreme, and a shadow falls over creation. Nothing can stop  the devastation, except one woman.

Verdict

Empire of Death was a strong second half of the series finale that began with the incredible The Legend of Ruby Sunday last week! Whilst I did enjoy the episode a lot as my rating reflects, I can't help but feel slightly underwhelmed by some of the series revelations, particularly the identity of Ruby's mother. That took up a considerable amount of the final fifteen minutes or so of the finale whereas I was much more interested in Sutekh and his blessing of death. I do think it was a little strange to not get any kind of humanoid form for Sutekh, but I guess his evolution into the god he had become was answer enough for that. The dog-like form that was clinging to the TARDIS was ghastly and uncomfortable which worked well, although I get a little disoriented when communicating with a being that shows no signs of physically talking. I thought the way the episode started was actually incredible with Kate being on the phone to the Doctor and hoping that there would still be birds if he could defeat Sutekh, but her time was done. That was a shocking moment! I knew that it wouldn't stay true once Carla also felt the dust, but momentarily it was quite brilliant. It showed right away that Sutekh was a force to be reckoned with. He definitely had a feeling of Thanos about him which is certainly a compliment, and he's certainly come a long way since we last saw him on screen in Pyramids of Mars. The little flashback on the time window to that adventure was tremendous and really appreciated. Of course, we did just have the Tales of the TARDIS episode to revisit the adventure in full, but this was a wonderful glimpse to the past. Hearing how Sutekh had been clinging to the TARDIS ever since then felt a little bit of a stretch, especially with so many different versions of Susan Triad having grown with each TARDIS landing, but I loved how this also created a pattern of death across time and space. The Doctor had touched so many places. Vortis, Telos, Skaro, Spiridon. The list goes on and on. All with many powerful versions of Susan Triad. I thought the link to 73 Yards with the TARDIS and Roger Ap Gwilliam was excellent and really strong continuity with the Doctor confused as to how Ruby knew what 66.7 meters represented. The way the identity of Ruby's mother was found by going to 2046 where the Welsh Prime Minister had made DNA records compulsory was intriguing, and at least gives an explanation as to why the DNA results were no good in The Church on Ruby Road with Davina McCall. I must say though, Ruby's mother being an ordinary woman named Louise is bitterly disappointing. It's a nice story for Ruby to be united with her after all this time, but given how much prominence was put on her in the time window in the last episode and that look in the scary cloak. And that point! I'm not sure it all adds up for her to just be pointing at the road sign of Ruby Road as a means to name her daughter. Why wouldn't she just leave a note? It was a little disappointing and shouldn't have been so much of the focus for the conclusion in my eyes. Thankfully, we did get some strong stuff with Sutekh and the devastation caused as he brought the release of death. I do wonder what he would do once the Doctor and Ruby were killed after he got the knowledge of her mother. But considering he had use of the TARDIS, couldn't he just find the identity himself? I mean, he was there on Ruby Road after all! We've seen before how the most ordinary person becomes the most important, but because we thought she was important therefore she was. I do appreciate the story being told but after a lengthy build up the identity is underwhelming. I thought the vespa scenes with Mel were a good laugh and getting her in the Remembered TARDIS and seeing some of the Sixth and Seventh Doctor attire was lovely. It's fascinating to get this version of the TARDIS on screen after numerous appearances already in Tales of the TARDIS, but I am absolutely all for it. Overall, a strong finale in its own right but some slightly lacking revelations. But that ending with Mrs Flood! Who is she? I thought we'd know by now, but here she survives. That attire also looked very familiar at the end. I'm excited moving forward, especially as she seemed rather Christmassy! The apparent departure of Ruby was emotional but it does feel very quick with the reduced episode count. Who can blame her though in finding her parents? I feel like we have mentioned Susan way too many times now for her to not be showing up, as we even glimpsed her in a flashback and Ruby wondering if the Doctor would come back if he could leave her. A good episode. Lots to think about moving forward. 

Rating: 8/10

Ruby Red

"The parasites are coming from under the ice!"

Writer: Georgia Cook

Format: Novel

Released: June 2024

Series: NSA 66

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

April, 1242: the Doctor and Ruby answer a distress call sent from medieval Russia. The signal's sender? Ranavere, an alien girl forced to take part in a barbaric conflict between the armies of Estonia and Novgorod on the frozen surface of Lake Peipus. 

Ranavere wants to escape, but her distress call has summoned her warmongering sisters, intent on preserving family tradition whatever the cost. And as human battle begins, the Doctor and Ruby must face a more devastating threat – a monstrous entity with plans of conquest, growing stronger beneath the icy lake...

Verdict

Ruby Red was a decent novel to kick off the prose adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby! I think it's very exciting to be getting a brand new trio of books for the current TARDIS team as I think that's something that was lacking during the Thirteenth Doctor era after her first series, so it's nice to get some alignment across the different forms of media. It's also lovely that this book is actually released whilst the series is still being broadcast as that gives it more of a sense of a genuine feel in my eyes. The pace of the televised series has been quite rapid but I could definitely see this adventure slotting in on screen towards the earlier half. I thought the setting was very unique and that really excited me. It's safe to say I knew absolutely nothing about thirteenth century Estonia but the way we learned about the Battle on the Ice was very good. I found it intriguing and that concept in of itself is exciting! There was a strong educational value and it was good that Ranavere was thrown into the Estonian and Novgorod conflict. The ritual of her people was a pretty dire one to be honest in that on their sixteenth birthday they were thrust into a random battle to see if they could survive. Sure, Ran was put on the winning side but that wasn't exactly much solace amidst a conflict where many thousands lost their lives! I thought the personality of Ran was really strong and I liked that it was her who sent the distress signal. It wasn't only the TARDIS that picked it up though which was fun. I really loved the continuity of having the TARDIS with some indigestion problems making a few groans given the Sutekh reveal in The Legend of Ruby Sunday, and that tied in nicely with the humorous line on the coffee filters not working. Roast potato flavour beverages didn't sound good at all! I thought the emergence of the Genetrix was pretty good with it being housed beneath the ice and animating the likes of wolves with its ruby red eye look. That did seem to get slightly forgotten about as the story went on, but the threat Ruby faced of possessed wolves was a pretty frightening one! I wouldn't fancy that, especially on ice. Learning of the history between the Rentaran race with the Genetrix was good and I liked the threat of infection. It was a big scale and the latter race was nearly obliterated. It was good for them to challenge the Doctor on seemingly helping the Rentarans when they were deemed to have enacted genocide, but the Doctor wouldn't let that happen. He also wouldn't be letting the Genetrix take over the Earth with infection. The parasites seemed a bit useless though despite the threat as one was caught somewhat easily and then they weren't doing much when in the waters. I did think the underwater sequences were stretched a little beyond the realms of believability, especially with Ruby coming back up and hitting the ice. She firmly believed she was going to die which was powerful stuff, but I can't help but feel she should have. The length of passage just didn't seem like she would be able to hold her breath for that long. And then the TARDIS dropping beneath and creating an air bubble passage felt a little too convenient also. I thought the book was mostly good and there really was some good character development. Ran was not interested in becoming a warrior like her Mother-Commander demanded. She was creative and could create all sorts with a workshop to aid the race instead. She wasn't like her sisters and it was lovely that by the end of the book they could see that also. She wasn't going to fit into the norms of Rentaran society. She couldn't fight. I thought the way the Doctor stopped the Genetrix was a little easy in linking minds and reversing the control, and then just saying he'd pop it off to another planet before it woke up and the Rentaran could question it again. Parley was not going to work here. Overall though, a fun visit to a very unique setting and a more than enjoyable read as a whole! 

Rating: 7/10

Pyramids of Mars

"All this time, I thought he was dead."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 20 June 2024

Series: Tales of the TARDIS 1.07

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby, Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

In 1911, an ancient threat rises in the tombs of Egypt and brings terror to an English country house. Sutekh has risen, and the world must beware.

Verdict

Pyramids of Mars was a nice little bonus edition of Tales of the TARDIS! This series was an absolute gem of an addition to the Whoniverse as part of the sixtieth anniversary celebrations last year, so to get an extra one with the current TARDIS pairing was brilliant! It was also helpful to get a refresher on Sutekh after his incredible return at the end of The Legend of Ruby Sunday last week, and as I'm watching this with my girlfriend Gemma it was the first time she had encountered the character. I must say she does struggle to get to grips with the pace of the Classic era and as I get older I can certainly understand that, but for me there is a sense of nostalgia as well. In saying that, whilst good and enjoyable as my previous ratings and blog entires show, I do think this classic tale is massively overrated. It's obviously good but I don't think it belongs anywhere near the conversation when it comes to the greatest serials. Gemma didn't enjoy it all and her rating was half of mine which is a little harsh, but I can appreciate where she's coming from. Even at an edited down duration of seventy-five minutes, this can feel a little slow in parts and I really didn't remember just how little Sutekh actually does. He's contained to the chair for the most part and whilst his appearance is striking in that black gear get up, Gemma didn't think it was very god-like. I'm a fan of the attire myself and I do like the way he has his acolytes and heralds. I don't think Susan Triad will be anything like Marcus Scarman here but it is fascinating to see the differences. Speaking of which, I am a huge fan of seeing this story upscaled into high definition with some rather excellent new special effects. The time tunnel was a particular highlight there as it looked so much more lifelike and real, but at the same time I'm a sucker for retro and those rainbow colours were always striking to me. The likes of the fire and the ripples on the hidden ship outside were really good though. It's incredible to think that this story was originally broadcast in 1975 and now ahead of Empire of Death broadcasting this weekend it's going to be Gabriel Woolf voicing Sutekh once again! I do think his voice is a key attribute of the character and with rumours circulating of Sutekh also being the Beast from The Satan Pit, it's interesting to me that Sarah Jane used Satan as one of the names he goes by. Seeing how much the Fifteenth Doctor loved reminiscing on travelling with Sarah Jane was lovely and I liked that he made a point of holding her in a similar regard to how he felt about Ruby now. In my previous Tales of the TARDIS blog entires I've tried to focus mainly on the scenes within the Memory TARDIS itself, but I must say I felt a little shortchanged here. There was barely a minute either side of the omnibus with the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby which was a shame. I did like that the Doctor mentioned that the Sutekh he was due to encounter now had evolved and he really did seem defeated. How could he defeat the God of Death? Seeing the Doctor have doubts is strange but it just shows how much of a threat Sutekh is now. The Fourth Doctor sells that very well in the Classic serial too and he has too with how limited the god is stuck on Mars. Will we see any more mummy service robots in the finale? I would love that! I'll be intrigued to see how the series final episode starts to see where this Tale could feasibly fit into chronology, but it really doesn't matter. It's just lovely to get a bonus like this and I say keep them coming! Overall, a fun retelling of an old favourite of fandom and a great refresh on who Sutekh is and what he stands for. A well worthy watch.

Rating: 8/10

Return of the Nightmare

"I face death with honour."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: April 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 9.04

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

There is a murderer loose aboard the ship. If Jago and Litefoot can solve the mystery of the strange fog and return to London, will that make matters better, or far worse? The answers lie deep in the past, and they soon learn that not everyone is who – or what – they might seem.

Verdict

Return of the Nightmare was a great story to conclude the ninth series of Jago & Litefoot! This has been a really consistent quartet of adventures and it has been nice to take our main characters away from the traditional Victorian London setting for the most part. Sure we returned to the infamous Red Tavern pub here but that was only briefly and the events were more concerned with what had happened at sea. The threat of an unseen creature was very good and I liked the suspicions of Litefoot from the off. They hadn't seen the deaths and there had also been no sighting of the creature. Might there be more than monstrous foul play at hand? It turned out to be the case which was very well presented. The way things started following on from the cliffhanger at the end of Island of Death with Riverstock being killed and mutilated in gruesome fashion was intriguing, and there was only one place to go to try and get some gossip of mysterious happenings. Getting to hear Ellie again as she tries to hold down the fort at the Red Tavern was a delight and I liked that she was eager to help. She didn't take too kindly to Aubrey and Fowler entering her place of employ and blowing a hole in the roof, even if it was as a means of warning the punters that their lives were in danger. I wasn't expecting to get an origin explanation for the mist we saw in The Flying Frenchmen series opener, but it was most welcomed. The tale of exploration between Aubrey and Fowler was fascinating and I liked how they had stolen a trinket. Now the creature wanted it back, but just regaining possession wasn't enough. It wanted to take out anyone who had even handled it which was a fun threat because of course both Jago and Litefoot fell into that category. Jago was more concerned with getting a pint to begin with though which was quite amusing and so befitting of his character, but after all they had been through on the cruise who could blame him? It had hardly been a relaxing experience! It was good to get Inspector Quick back involved and he's always a welcomed addition to Jago and Litefoot along with Ellie. It's a strong quartet of characters and I expect the landmark tenth series will focus more on them again after a little break from the norm this time around. Aubrey's story is a pretty emotional one and the slow burn of him actually being the one with the creature instead of the suspected Fowler was nicely played. I can't say I was massively surprised, but I appreciated the means it took to get there. It was inevitable then that he would be the one to save the day and that's exactly what happened with his sacrifice, one that thankfully didn't prove to be fatal. The mystery across London was strong throughout and I did like the scale of the threat. Jago and Litefoot taking things upon themselves to solve the situation was excellent and by now they are rather well versed in tackling nefarious threats. So much so that an intriguing direction looks set to take place in the next series with the adventures of Jago and Litefoot dating all the way back to Tulp and The Mahogany Murderers being requested to be novelised! A book of this kind is certainly something I would be interested in reading, and Jago and Litefoot were rather keen on the idea. I suspect there will be more than mere book sales as the impetus for hoping to right such a book, and how had the proposed author gone hidden for so long but knowing all about their adventures? I look forward to finding out! Overall though, a really strong finale to what has been a thoroughly entertaining series once again. The spinoff continues to shine. 

Rating: 8/10

Island of Death

"They fear progress."

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 9.03

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis 

Arriving at a beautiful island, Jago and Litefoot discover evidence of a missing expedition. Can they discover what happened to the ship's crew – before it happens to them? And will they be able to avoid the amorous advances of the formidable Lady Danvers?

Verdict

Island of Death was another great episode to continue my way through the ninth series of Jago & Litefoot! I am really enjoying the story arc for this series as the Fata Morgana ship takes our main characters to some random and unique places. A remote island here is exciting and with the episode being titled as it is, it's obviously going to be pretty ominous! It was good to revisit some of the ship's crew and passengers with Aubrey and Lady Danvers in particular getting some time to shine. The captain was good and I liked that there were some real life issues of the storm impacting the stability of the ship and it needing repairs, although the timeframe for them to be stuck on the island did feel a little long. I did love though how Litefoot was keen to explore given the opportunity as that's exactly what I would be like too. I wouldn't be wasting time standing around! I love to see the world so this is a scenario I would have grabbed with both hands. Jago was somewhat less keen and was getting a little more involved with Lady Danvers than he might have bargained for. He knew he wasn't exactly up to her standards from a class perspective, but she was prepared to throw that all out of the window. She was going to shake societal norms to their core and bind them together. That was good fun as Jago wasn't exactly on board, although he wasn't exactly off either. I think there could still be more to come from those two in the future. Danvers being taken over by the Kibu was intriguing and her gibberish kind of speech was amusing. That must have been difficult to script and record! The historic potential for the Kibu was good and I really liked how well informed Litefoot was about the longevity that was possible for this kind of creature. Seeing the larvae and pondering on what kind of monster the fully grown article could be was also good and a great threat to incorporate into the episode. I thought it worked well that Danvers was the presence and focal point of the Kibu threat throughout. It was also lovely for Jago and company to appeal to the true article still stuck within. A battle of the minds is always fun. I must admit, I was not a huge fan of Nerville right from the off and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the twist regarding him being the sole member of the Brotherhood of Kibu. That felt a bit random, especially considering how pompous and arrogant he was. He was also oblivious to almost everything around him and I couldn't really take him seriously as a threat. But it was fun for him to stand up to the challenge presented and I did actually like the scale of Kibu's life. Knowledge and mythology almost passed down for generations. The fact the Brotherhood was invite only and he was the only member was perfect for the kind of personality we had gotten to know. I do think the resolution was a little ambiguous though. I do enjoy the idea of Jago delving deep into his own acting and dramatical abilities rather than just managing a theatre and actors, but it feels like the Kibu is just dormant. All that happened was that it was sent to sleep and whilst I do appreciate the absence of Danvers will make the connection weaker, surely it could just find another potential host? I liked it a lot and it was lovely for Litefoot to be so impressed with his chum Jago, but it did feel a tad unfinished. Overall though, a really strong episode again and I'm liking the vulnerability of being at sea or an island like this. Judging from the cliffhanger though of a corpse having a ticket for the very cruise they were on, it appears things will get a bit closer to home for the finale and I'm all here for it. A great listen once again!

Rating: 8/10

The Devil's Dicemen

"There is some nefarious business afoot."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: April 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 9.02

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Arriving at Monte Carlo, Jago is keen to try his luck at the famous casino. But if he's not careful he could lose a lot more than just money. While Litefoot makes a new friend, Jago and ship's purser Aubrey find themselves playing for high stakes at the Clandestine Dark Casino. 

Verdict

The Devil's Dicemen was an excellent story to continue my way through the ninth series of Jago & Litefoot! After a strong opener in the form of The Flying Frenchmen, this was an even better follow up after that episode left us in Monte Carlo. That's an exciting setting for any story in the Doctor Who universe and having Jago and Litefoot visit was tremendous. I thought it was utilised very well and whenever reaching this part of France, a casino just has to get involved! Jago in particular was a big fan of his surroundings and the way he wheeled off the directions to the casino establishment when Litefoot suggested a visit for entertainment and to pass the time was tremendous. He was clearly very acquainted with the place already. A gambling man is not something I would picture Jago as so obviously, but I can certainly see it and I'm not surprised to learn that he dabbled in a bet or two. He also placed big stakes and was winning big, whereas myself personally would be much more like Aubrey. If you don't bet big you can't lose big. That's more my philosophy so I appreciated his trepidation when it came to playing the invite-only game. Reaching the Devil's roulette was intriguing and it was clear that Madame Diabolique was interested in him. She wouldn't be allowing Aubrey to continue as he'd not won the game of dice, whereas Jago had used her 'lucky' pair to roll a double six right away. It was almost like he was being thrust into the final game where quite the forfeit awaited should one win the game. The concept of the soul is an interesting to explore for sure, and I loved the earlier discussion between Litefoot and Betterman regarding its weight. Was it an actual physical thing? The idea of weighing someone before and after the death and measuring the difference as the weight of soul was pretty daunting! I thought Betterman himself was an excellent character and it always helps when played by an actor with the talents of David Warner. He was a welcomed addition to the range and I liked how much his character got on with Litefoot. He would be perfect for a return in the future and I thought the moment they both deduced the cause of death of a corpse at the bottom of a beach cliff was wonderful. It seemed obvious that it was either a fall or drowning given the proximity to the cliffs and the sea, but alas he had died of fright! That was unexpected. Finding out that the dead had previously changed their wills to benefit a London holding company at their family's expense set forth an evil game within the Clandestine Dark Casino. A fitting name. The stakes got real, especially with the forfeit for Jago when he'd won to be his soul. He didn't think that was serious when he signed away the contract, but unknowingly there had also been a will underneath that his signature seeped through onto. He'd almost signed away the theatre! However, the previous method Diabolique had used in extracting the soul didn't work on Jago which was just magnificent. Incorporating his theatre background where he could see through the act was marvellous. His emergence at the end was just glorious and exactly what you would hope for from this kind of man! He revelled in defeating Diabolique and the Dark Casino simply by being himself. That's quite glorious. The eery way things concluded as the Fata Morgana set sail again but seemed to approach some similar fog that sent them to Monte Carlo was brilliant. Where could they possibly end up now? That's an exciting prospect to lead into the next episode. Overall, a fantastic listen! 

Rating: 9/10

The Flying Frenchmen

"It is the same ship!"

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 9.01

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Jago and Litefoot embark on a cruise. It's supposed to be a relaxing break, but what terrors lurk in the mysterious fog? And what about the other ships that seem trapped along with the Fata Morgana – are they friend or foe? Or something much more frightening?

Verdict

The Flying Frenchmen was a strong start to the ninth series of Jago & Litefoot! I can't quite believe I've reached the ninth series and equally I'm surprised it's been eight months since I concluded the previous boxset. This opener felt a little calmer and almost like a light reset as there was no obvious storyline direction started other than a fun concept of parallel universe. If that continues moving forward I will be absolutely delighted, but if not then this was a really good glimpse into its potential. I liked the idea of taking Jago and Litefoot out to see, but who were they kidding in believing that they could have a relaxing kind of break? It was never going to be that easy! The eery feel of the Fata Morgana ship was really strong and it absolutely matched the vibe of the artwork for this story. It always felt like it was at night and once the ship was marooned in time and still on the ocean, that sense of impending doom and quietness was terrific. It set the mood very well. That didn't mean there couldn't be humour with Jago and Litefoot both getting a little embarrassed by the affections shown to them from Lady Isobelle Danvers. She was a fascinating character and the way Jago and Litefoot actually had to scheme to push away her attentions was a fun moment. The idea of competition between Jago and Litefoot over a woman is really enjoyable banter and just another reminder of the timely chemistry and joyous relationship between our two Victorian gentlemen. The mystery of the fog and mist was good and despite the captain's assurance to Litefoot that all was well, it was good that the professor was actually a bit worried by being told there was nothing to worry about. He was proven right of course as the navigation was completely unknown and that horror feeling of stillness is never utilised better than at sea. The emergence of another ship was intriguing enough, but when it was revealed to be another version of the Fata Morgana, things really kicked into gear! It wasn't even just another boat with the same name, it was the same boat! That was exciting stuff. The prospect of the Jago and Litefoot characters meeting alternate versions of themselves is terrific and it was good fun to meet some French versions in particular. Litefoot seemed well versed in the situation and realising what had happened with this sideways interaction. Pondering on whether they were actually the full and correct versions of themselves as the English variation was fascinating, and good fun for the reaction of ridicule it sparked from Jago. Of course he was the true version! He wouldn't hear otherwise. The introduction of Aubrey was amusing given that he seemed familiar as they have actually met him before, and when a third version of the ship came things began to get slightly confusing I must say. It was entertaining but in audio when there are three different versions of the same characters, even with different accents, it can become a little difficult to follow. It didn't last long enough to become a lingering problem which was positive, but it did impact my listening ever so slightly. I thought the way things ended was emotional with the other versions of Jago and Litefoot taking a big sacrifice to allow the versions we know to live on in some version at least. It was also a fun way to lead into the next episode with the Fata Morgana not exactly ending up back at its intended destination and was instead at Monte Carlo! That's a fun prospect for the next episode and a unique little setting for sure. I'm looking forward to hearing where things go from here. Overall, a strong series opener! 

Rating: 8/10

The Legend of Ruby Sunday

"It was the wrong anagram."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 15 June 2024

Series: 14.07

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby, Mel

Synopsis

The Doctor and UNIT investigate Ruby's past. But as the Time Window reveals horrifying secrets from Christmas Eve, the mysterious Triad Technology unleash the greatest evil of all.

Verdict

The Legend of Ruby Sunday was an outstanding start to the series finale! Wow! I am writing almost immediately after completing the episode and whilst I was unable to stay up until the midnight launch, having avoided spoilers meant this was truly mesmerising. After a series of hints and twists going back to The Church on Ruby Road, we start to tackle the questions we so desperately want answers to. The episode had me on edge for the entire duration and it was incredibly tense! It was a joy to watch though and had a feeling of a finale right from the off. I loved that UNIT was prepared for the TARDIS arrival and the Doctor didn't waste any time once the introductions were done. It was nice for Ruby to quickly get to know Kate, Ibrahim and even Rose, whilst he met the new young scientific advisor in the form of Marshall. His addressing of the woman we see here as Susan Triad was brilliant and it was a good little trip down memory lane of her appearances throughout the series, as well as a few we hadn't seen. I thought it was hilarious that the Doctor noticed the S TRIAD Technology as being an anagram of TARDIS but UNIT looked at him with almost offence at the thought they wouldn't have realised. It was a prime reason of why they were investigating her! Ruby picking up on her conversation with the Doctor from The Devil's Chord where he revealed he had a granddaughter Susan was lovely and innocent, but it sparked a big injection of emotion. Could it really be Susan? I was surprised that the Doctor thought it could well be and it was sad that he was disappointed when meeting Triad and knowing that she wasn't his granddaughter. Kate's reaction to finding out that the Doctor had a grandchild was quite lovely and the Brigadier had never mentioned him having family! Carla finding her way into UNIT was amusing and I loved that Mrs Flood was on hand to look after Cherry, but the way she chillingly broke the fourth wall as she knew the one who waits was coming was incredible. I loved that and I can't wait to (hopefully!) find out who she is in the finale. The emotional torment Ruby went through in the time window was sublime as the day of her birth was relived and recreated. UNIT having it filed under Goblins was amusing and I loved that there was a glitch on the woman who left Ruby at the church. Was it her mother? And who is she? The trap was obvious but the Doctor couldn't help himself and the way the black mist creature consumed Chidozie was brutal. The sandy corpse was devastating. I thought the way the truth of Susan Triad was revealed with her speech going live was just outstanding and the way the tension was built was sensational. Mel was hidden in on the inside but even she could see the Doctor was scared, albeit after giving him a little speech to kick his arse into gear and fix things. The little twisting of the anagram to reveal the Sue Tech and thus the return of the God of Death himself Sutekh was just magnificent. It had long been rumoured and with the whole god theme since Wild Blue Yonder, I suspected that going back to a god like Sutekh would be a big possibility, and it didn't take anything away. It was a huge surprise and one that worked so well. The reaction of the Doctor sold just how big of a threat Sutekh was and I can't wait to find out what's in store. The herald that was Susan Triad being turned into her horror face guise was disturbing but just so good. The fact we had another Harbinger twist with Harriet was tremendous and I loved how the brief interaction we got from Sutekh to the Doctor was a taunt of the Time Lord thinking he was family. He was far from it. Just incredible. There's so much more I could mention, but for now this was just a stellar opener to the finale. I can't wait for next week! 

Rating: 10/10

Moon Graffiti

"The amount of times I've had to deal with dead men falling on the dead man's handle."

Writer: Dave Stone

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 04

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

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

Moon Graffiti was a decent little story to continue my way through the More Short Trips anthology within the Short Trips prose range! I had no idea prior to reading this particular instalment that this was not the first version of the adventure as it had actually been released as an audio a year prior which is fascinating. I must admit that despite a strong rating I won't be rushing to experience the story again in a slightly different form, partly because I imagine it would be incredibly similar given the nature of the audio release. I can't confirm but I suspect it would pretty much be an actor reading the prose I had read with a few additional sound effects and the like. It is cool though for there to be two different forms of release for a niche little story like this. I thought the story did a tremendous job in capturing the characterisation of both the Sixth Doctor and Peri. This really did feel like it took place during Season 22 on screen with Peri questioning a lot of what the Doctor was actually doing whilst he was typically irritable. I enjoyed the references to The Caves of Androzani and Vengeance on Varos as a means of establishing the timeline for this story to fit into as since the regeneration the TARDIS had been playing up a little and even after obtaining some zeiton-7 the old girl was far from 100% and full capabilities. I do find it a little amusing as to how many times the TARDIS has required recalibration over the years. It's happened so many times in numerous media forms now! It's a fun little gag. I would assume that this hampered some of its other systems though, in particular the translation circuits as Peri was unable to communicate with the Wibliwee as she remarked how they spoke good human. That was a little stupid as Peri herself acknowledged as there are obviously an abundance of human languages with this one clearly communicating in English! I thought they were an intriguing little race and having Doctor Who tackle the world of bacteria and unfathomably small races is good, but it does get a little beyond the brain sometimes as even happened to Peri here. Just how can we begin to comprehend billions upon billions as a scale? The Doctor describing to Peri what the graffiti on the moon said was fun because he really took it as just another trip, but for Peri this was on the lines of defilement. Her moon had been tarnished! The Doctor making her own time and the Earth she knew sounding insignificant was typical of this incarnation at this time which was good character work, and he couldn't help those that would die. It would spark a whole new Earth which Peri could begrudgingly accept, but I understood why it was difficult for her. I thought the Parachnids were a decent monster and I really liked the name! The swarm element was decent and I appreciated the Doctor not understanding their biological evolution. What was the point of them ridding things to uselessness? Kimo Ani was a strong central character to have alongside the Doctor and Peri although it was a little strange for them not to help him much after the awakening of millions. Peri challenging the Doctor on that was nicely done. The coming of the Monitors to rid the world of the Parachnids was good and I loved that the Wibliwee were on hand to do simple work in recalibrating the TARDIS for the Doctor. The Line was left to run and the TARDIS was now all better. A nice way to end the story! Overall, a strong read and continuation of the book. 

Rating: 7/10

The World Beyond the Trees

"I'm living in the past."

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: January 2017

Series: Short Trips 7.01

Featuring: Liv

Synopsis

MedTech Liv Chenka is alone. No Doctor. No TARDIS. No Molly O'Sullivan. But the strange environment she's stranded in is about to get even stranger, with Liv the only one who can help out. There's a message here, for her, and for someone very far away...

Verdict

The World Beyond the Trees was was a really strong Short Trip adventure! Taking place within the Dark Eyes series of Eighth Doctor Adventures, this was a unique take on the format and one I instantly loved. It just worked from the very start and it certainly helps to have a character like Liv Chenka in that narrator role. Except here she wasn’t quite a narrator as the style of story was very different in that she was basically reading a letter of events to her lost father. I thought that was pretty poignant and there was a good level of emotion in her retelling of what she had gone through. Whilst this was very much a solo outing for Liv, it was nice to acknowledge the Doctor and Molly. Liv touching on the lack of similarities she shares with Molly was intriguing and she didn’t seem wholly fussed on the Doctor here either with how much he has changed since their first meeting together in Robophobia. That feels like a long time ago now and it is easy to forget just how far Liv has come. She feels really mature and well versed in tackling alien obscenities here. I like how she takes things face on and the Doctor giving her a warning about the Damascus Project was intriguing. I did know beforehand that this adventure takes place simultaneously with Damascus which is a fun little quirk and something I could get on board with happening more in the range. It’s been a couple of years nearly since listening to that previous Short Trip story but the links were good and the memories came flooding back with the likes of the Milur and the Prime Minister. Neither were as prevalent here but it was good that Lilla was scared of the former and teaching a lesson to the latter. She was very much alien and the way she reacted to Liv realising it was her that had triggered the listlessness field was so calm. She admitted it but she didn’t mean the effects so that should be okay right? Not quite. Lilla wanted to protect her father’s interests and the Prime Minister was trying to take things that didn’t belong to him. Lilla stating that the powerful needed to be faced with truth was excellent and really struck a chord with me. The relationship that was built between Liv and Lilla wasn’t exactly something I would describe as close, but they came to a mutual understanding. The finding of the fourth tree was intriguing and painted quite a nice picture actually with the lift within. It was good that Lilla wouldn’t allow Liv into the tree that her father had only meant for her though. She stuck to her principals there and wasn’t having it! I liked that a lot. She was a really likeable character. Liv helping ensure Lilla saw reason with regards to the listlessness field and lifting it was terrific, especially when she was on hand to confront the Milur at the end. But Lilla was long gone. It was a nice way to tie things together at the end of what was a really strong little audio! Overall, a great listen. 

Rating: 8/10

Taking Mickey

"You said you could tell me about the Doctor?"

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: June 2006

Series: Doctor Who Files 05

Featuring: Mickey

Synopsis

After signing up to various websites about UFOs and aliens, on a Wednesday morning Mickey Smith receives an email from a woman calling herself Jill, but she is far too interested in the Doctor's whereabouts...

Verdict

Taking Mickey was a decent little short story to continue my long overdue reading through the Doctor Who Files! It still baffles me that these are eighteen years old as it really doesn't feel that long at all since collecting the majority of them predominantly when Series 3 was airing in my childhood, but for whatever reason this was a release I didn't actually know. Thankfully the local library was able to obtain a copy for me and this was a fun little read. I was intrigued as to whether this would be a solo outing for Mickey or a story set somewhere between The Girl in the Fireplace and Rise of the Cybermen. It did turn out to be a solo outing and considering the actual Doctor Who File relates to Mickey himself, that feels like the right move. He doesn't need a TARDIS trip. But he was heavily involved with the Doctor here despite no sign of he or Rose. I thought the representation of Mickey was very much in line with what we saw on screen in Aliens of London/World War Three which was terrific! He's presented as pretty intelligent and neat with a computer there, with the gags mostly coming from the Ninth Doctor mocking his appearance. It was unclear where in the timeline this story was for Mickey but the beauty of it was that it didn't really matter. Feasibly it could have been any of the incarnations that wiped out Bloodgrudge. Great name by the way. I thought Mickey's introduction to Jill was fun and I really enjoy the idea of him collecting emails and letters from UFO and alien websites. He's on the lookout for Rose and the Doctor always which is really nice to see as he clearly cares for the former in a great way. The latter just comes with the flow. As soon as Mickey confirmed he knew the Doctor, Jill didn't do the best job of hiding her disguise and true interests. It was really rather painfully bad to be honest and her grudge against the man for the supposed killing of her husband was a little misleading. Even Mickey could appreciate from the story that it was actually Bloodgrudge that was trying to kill the Doctor after hunting him down only to fall into his own trap. That was ironic and the annoyance that must exist when the Doctor simply stepped over his potential deathbed was brilliant. I can just imagine the anger of Jill's husband. Her reveal as Jillonga was decent and I thought the annoyance in her children was quite comical. They had travelled sixty years to reach Earth and were set for the same duration on the opposite journey home, so they just wanted to catch Mickey so they could get home. There was only so much school time left and they valued their education apparently. The way Mickey was actually able to best them was a little silly but I must admit that it did make me laugh a little. The children were clearly bored and were after some games, so Mickey was on hand to make one up in the form of airlock runner. That was a good name and I loved that he pushed himself to go first in order to show the other children how it was done. Of course, with the ship due for takeoff and on a course that was irreversible and couldn't be stopped, there was no way he would be knocking to be let back in! That was amusing if not stupid, but the reaction of Jillonga towards her children said it all. She was stunned and disappointed. Overall, a fun little read! 

Rating: 7/10

Star-Crossed: Archipelago

"We're sailing towards islands that no longer exist."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio 

Released: May 2024

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 12.03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, River

Synopsis

River Song has one last request. If the Doctor undertakes a dangerous journey with her on the planet Fortuna, she'll never bother him again. But this is no ordinary voyage. 

As the storms batter their tiny vessel, the travellers are confronted with some brutal home truths. There is a captain in search of a husband. There is a ship in need of a light. And there are lovers lost in the maelstrom who will always be islands apart. 

Verdict

Archipelago was an outstanding episode to conclude the Star-Crossed twelfth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures!  After two meetings of the Ninth Doctor and River Song, something that ought not to have been possible, this was a fantastic and highly emotional finale to their time together. It’s nice that despite everything we know about this incarnation as a battle hardened Doctor especially pre-Rose, River got to see the Doctor she knew and loved. The story itself before we got to the emotional stuff was really intriguing and there was no messing around in pairing up the Doctor and Rived, as should be the case for this third encounter. The novelty had worn off. The mission that River had enlisted the Doctor for regarding Thaddeus Grey and his signal was interesting, but he wasn’t having any of it. He could see the time storm that his husband was trapped within and didn’t fancy the voyage. This Doctor took things as they were and could see the dangers of the storm. He knew that Harvey wouldn’t be alive so his reaction when he found out just how long it had been since Grey took on a voyage was amusing. River was a little guilty but she saw the good and hope of the situation despite the signal having been broadcasting for twelve years. There really wasn’t much hope at all! I enjoyed the concept of temporary time very much and with how many different incarnations of the Doctor that River has now met, it’s become a little cliche for the memory wipe to happen to keep that first meeting in Silence in the Library intact. Once Grey was eliminated from the story due to the storm, the effects and threat of the coral oncoming were intriguing. It was a slow killer and River being knocked out for a while allowed the Doctor a chance to see into his future. The idea of him reading River’s diary of spoilers is also blasphemous and her reaction was one of genuine shock and horror. It was so fun to hear the Doctor comment on him not understanding the whole wedding of The Wedding of River Song extract along with lovely mentions of the Silence and the Weeping Angels. The Doctor and River really do go through a lot together and now the Doctor knew it all. He’d had a sneaky peek when he really shouldn’t have. Whilst I did think this episode was sensational because of the emotional pull, I do think there’s a blaring continuity error. The Doctor seeing the Daleks mentioned and not making a big deal of it considering this was before Dalek felt a bit off. River touching upon the Time War and almost using it against the Doctor in not wanting him to use it as an excuse for his personality and traits was powerful stuff, as was this Doctor’s brutal honesty. He couldn’t love. He wouldn’t. Not in this incarnation. But once the resolution was found and it would have to involve them completely forgetting everything about each other and their meetings over this series, some semblance of love was found. They shared details they never had or would and that brought them closer. Closer than ever before. It was a lovely line from the Doctor that despite this being the most romantic he’d ever been according to River, he would do this and have a whole future to challenge that. He could see that he would marry her and love her, and that’s rather nice. Overall, a tremendous finale!

Rating: 10/10

Star-Crossed: Face of the Apocalypse

"I am driven by love."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: May 2024

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 12.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, River

Synopsis

After locking onto an unusual algorithm, the TARDIS lands in a hi-security Intergalactic Bank where the computerised system only recognises one face – River Song. The Doctor discovers River dismantling the main computer and immediately suspects her of something dodgy...

But a case of stolen identity becomes far more serious as River's face starts to appear throughout history and the Bank vaults start filling up with Temporal Prisoners. Is River the victim of a sting or a bored computer nerd? One thing's for certain, the 'glitch' is no longer a glitch and is on its way to destroying all of spacetime, starting with Prisoner Number One.

Verdict

Face of the Apocalypse was another entertaining episode to continue my way through the Star-Crossed twelfth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I think it's good that for this story the Doctor is fully aware of River and we don't have to worry about any kind of memory loss thing at the conclusion (presumably that will come in the next episode) so this is just a solid adventure with an incarnation of the Doctor and his wife that couldn't be any more different. The Doctor's reaction when he sees the only recognisable face as River was wonderful. I really liked that there was continuity with Swipe Right in having the computer glitch come from the Matchmaker system and I do wonder if there will be any kind of overlapping arc resolved in the finale other than erasing the Doctor's memory. I thought the Intergalactic Bank setting here worked very well and River's shock at being the face and claiming it was doing false advertising was very amusing. Her face was everywhere and that computer glitch meant there was drastic effects across time. Nearly every face either was River or highly based on it. She was the fashion with her curly hair all the range. River's reaction to arriving at the Louvre and seeing that she was now the Mona Lisa was wonderful. Of course it was a much better painting! The Doctor knew something was clearly wrong. His joy at seeing the Spore and the significance it had across all of civilisation was intriguing. It's good, especially in this incarnation, to hear the Doctor in a joyous mood and encounter someone he admired. The story of the Cronny, if that's how it is spelt, being the Chronicle that sparked an entire religion and pacifist nation was fantastic. The reaction of Keetree to the Doctor and River bringing the Spore home was amusing as she wasn't exactly thrilled! She was having a good ol' time without him and was actually getting on better without him. What good was he anyway? He didn't pay attention and didn't do much in showing his love for her. However, the way that changed as he revealed his drawings to her and how she was in every one was quite lovely. She felt a little guilty and his love for her shone. That was a lovely moment. The Doctor needing to provide some inspiration to get the happy couple back to inspire the future he knew was good as that felt a little out of his comfort zone. I wasn't entirely sure about the Doctor using Abel against itself by showing that the TARDIS wasn't exactly a computer, although I entirely disagreed with the concept of the time machine not working when someone it didn't like or approve of tried to use it. What about the Master in Utopia? I feel like there are a number of examples where that wouldn't be the case. It was still fun though for the smugness of the Doctor to shine through. He knew he'd won in the end. The shock of River seeing the TARDIS dematerialise and therefore the Doctor leave was good, but she knew he'd come back. It was an eventful end though with not everything falling perfectly into place! As a whole, this was another strong episode and a fun outing for the Ninth Doctor and River. It's a shame there's only one more to go! A great listen. Talk about couple power! 

Rating: 8/10

Star-Crossed: Swipe Right

"We only cater for couples."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio 

Released: May 2024

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 12.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, River

Synopsis

There are strange rumours about the planet Crell. People have been vanishing. The mysterious Matchmaker is keen to get the populace paired up via his special dating app... but rejecting too many suitors can have fatal consequences. 

It's precisely the sort of thing the Doctor would want to investigate. But unfortunately it's also precisely the sort of thing River Song would want to investigate too. The Doctor and River are on a collision course  – but this time it might not be a match made in heaven.

Verdict

Swipe Right was an excellent start to the Star-Crossed twelfth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures! Judging from recent comments released from Big Finish from Christopher Eccleston himself, it appears that this is the final boxset in the range at least for the moment. That's a shame as it's been a sheer delight to get so many brand new episodes with the Ninth Doctor, but if we're going to be finishing then at least we're doing it with a bang! The prospect of uniting the Ninth Doctor with River Song is something that excited me so much when this release was announced and it certainly didn't let me down for this opener. The dynamic between them is fascinating because they couldn't be more different. This is not the Doctor that River Song knows well. He's far from it. He's probably the most alien to her of them all and that's saying something! I must admit I didn't think a story of this name and description would be well suited to the Ninth Doctor but it was actually fantastic. It felt modern to do a take on online dating at an intergalactic scale and the Doctor getting his way in by claiming to be meeting up with Beth was nicely done. She was expecting Julian but who she got instead was someone far more interesting. Her position as an asexual was used really well and that was a unique take on a sexual preference in Doctor Who. I can't recall seeing it before and I liked how it sparked the basis for the resolution. The Matchmaker is a fun little villain name and whilst I did think it was entirely predictable for it to be a computer, it was still a fun moment when the knowledge was learned by the others. It's always amusing to hear the Doctor being one step ahead of the game! The banter between the couple running the joint where the bulk of this story took place was wonderful and the constant use of the word darling almost got unsettling! It was a good laugh though and the comedic value at the end of the Doctor having defeated the Matchmaker and telling them they could now break up was tremendous considering they'd been together for six years and pre-dated the computer! The entire concept of the computer wanting people to couple up for their happiness and productivity worked really well, although having a limit on rejections made things a little difficult. You couldn't be too picky like Beth as that meant you would often get stuck with the final option. That was happening to her. Julian also got on the wrong end of things but River Song stepped in wonderfully to save his life. I thought the initial reaction of the Doctor to learning of River Song's presence and their supposed marital status was great and I like that with two more episodes to come, there's room to play with. We had no memory wipe here and that's exciting. It broke River's heart though that when the Matchmaker needed a completely loveless and unromantic person to take it down, the answer was the Doctor. That wasn't the man she knew and adored. It really did have a big impact on her to see the Doctor embrace that status and use himself to restore normality with the Matchmaker gone. It's exciting to think what might be coming next with this pair as there's strong potential there with a dynamic unique to any incarnation and River. She felt right at home in a dating episode whereas the Ninth Doctor didn't on paper. He even admitted this kind of thing just wasn't for him, especially in this incarnation. It was a fascinating listen and I look forward to more. Overall, a strong listen! 

Rating: 9/10

Rogue

"This is so Bridgerton."

Writers: Kate Herron & Briony Redman

Format: TV

Broadcast: 8 June 2024

Series: 14.06

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

The Doctor and Ruby land in 1813, where guests at a duchess's party are being murdered, and a mysterious bounty hunter called Rogue is about to change the Doctor's life forever.

Verdict

Rogue was a great episode to continue the ongoing series for the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby! There was no messing around in getting our TARDIS duo into the thick of the action in this one as we see them all dressed up at a nineteenth century party. The regalia on show here was top notch and I loved the addition of establishing the setting as specifically Bath, even though the location really wasn't important. It's a city that is fond to me as the place I went to university for my undergraduate and I absolutely fell in love with the place. It's also where I met my love so it's an important place in my life so having Doctor Who go there and dabble in its history was magnificent. This one is a rather simple story at heart which is refreshing but there's still enough time to get the Susan Twist character arc in with her being featured as a portrait. I felt sure she would just be a party goer but this was a nice way to keep it going and for Ruby to recognise the face once again. Just who is she? Well, it's not long before we find out which is so awfully exciting. Of course, the threats in this episode are the Chulder shapeshifting family and they bring a nice little twist to that kind of creature. The little neck crank and just their eyes gave them a strong sense of evil. It was nicely done. Their whole orchestration of the party and their roles was very interesting and it's quite barmy but also really great that they were cosplayers. Incorporating a cosplay group of villains into an episode that is so obviously based upon Bridgerton is a lot of fun. The Netflix series itself is referenced on numerous occasions in the story and I think it definitely will just go down as 'the Bridgerton episode' which is absolutely fine. I'm not a fan of that kind of period drama but I can appreciate it and it works well for a Doctor Who setting. The Doctor himself is right at home and this story really does become all about his relationship with the titular character. Rogue is a modern day Captain Jack if there ever was one, except whereas it was the Ninth Doctor meeting him in The Empty Child, we have a much more flamboyant incarnation here. Right from the off the chemistry between the Doctor and Rogue is off the charts. They try to one up the other and they're so similar. The different reactions to their respective ships was really well done and I liked how Rogue initially took the Doctor as the Chuldur shapeshifter he was hired to kill. The Doctor being somewhat rationale about his profession was unexpected but it just worked to have them with different morals and philosophies. They were contrasting figures for the most part and that helped make them work. The scene where the Doctor tries to prove he isn't who Rogue is looking for and shows his past faces was incredible and it was lovely to acknowledge all of that history, even in a show that is trying to pass off as a Season 1 when it absolutely isn't. One certain element that was acknowledged was the existence of Richard E. Grant's alternative ninth incarnation from Scream of the Shalka! That's a lot of fun and canonising that as the Doctor's past is tremendous. Big Finish will be licking their lips! It's harmless and cheeky and just works to set fandom alight. I'm all for it. Ruby tricking the Chuldur into thinking she had become one of them was a great twist, especially when the Doctor trapped her with the rest of the family on a dimensional trap door to who knows where. Rogue and the Doctor sharing a kiss was a powerful moment after the earlier tease and he knew how much Ruby meant to the Doctor so he took her place in a selfless sacrifice. It was a little sudden and certainly unexpected, but the line at the end of 'find me' certainly makes me think he'll be back at some point. It would be a shame if he wasn't! I thought the design of the Chuldur out of their disguise was a little silly and a struggle to take seriously, but the method of how they took the form of those they cosplayed was brutally horrifying. The state of those corpses! Overall, a strong episode with a main plot that got overshadowed to be honest! 

Rating: 8/10

The Church on Ruby Road

"This story isn't a fairy tale."

Writer: Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson

Format: Novel

Released: January 2024

Series: Target 181

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

Chance. Misfortune. Coincidence. These are the weapons of choice for the Doctor's latest enemies. And those enemies are very, very hungry...

For Ruby Sunday, this Christmas Eve is a birthday she'll never forget. It's the day she joins the Doctor aboard a Goblin ship. The day she learns of dangers from beyond the universe. The day her life really begins... or, perhaps, the day it ends.

Verdict

The Church on Ruby Road was an excellent novelisation of last year's Christmas Special! After seeing that my local library had stocked this book, I couldn't help but get it on hold and delve into the first bit of prose for the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby. It's both of their first full story and it works perhaps even better in a novelisation format which is a delight to say. I honestly think that's because it feels a little less Christmassy and silly in a novel whereas on screen it had that lighthearted and loose feel. That of course was absolutely great but I think the book does take things a little more seriously. The Goblin King is presented as a strong threat and hearing the inner thoughts of Ruby regarding her birth parents and the disappointment she feels when there is no trace adds to the emotional pull. This is such a strong debut for a companion and we learn so much about her. She's a foundling and likes the word a lot when Davina uses it on the television show designed to reunite her with her genetic family. I fully understand now why there was an extra scene involving the Doctor saving the woman and pushchair shopping on Christmas Eve from the falling giant snowman decoration because without it we really wouldn't have had much of the Doctor at all until nearly halfway. That's a long time. I thought the introduction to Carla and Cherry were terrific here and I love just how much the love Ruby has for her mother is shown. It's obviously reciprocated and Cherry is there for some strong humour. The gag of her not getting a cuppa remains delightful. I liked the subtle way the importance of Mrs Flood was presented even though she only features intermittently, but I must say the moment where she breaks the fourth wall and shows her knowledge of a TARDIS doesn't have the same impact. Maybe because I knew it was coming? Or the fact you can't really address the reader in the same way breaking the fourth wall is done on screen. I think the coincidences and bad luck on show in the book are tremendous and I really like how the Doctor explicitly linked things back to The Giggle and the Toymaker. This was the leftover impact of his legions and the Doctor was actually excited by the chaos. This was something he didn't understand and he was keen to take on this new world of rules. The Goblins are a lot of fun and the little hints at their presence throughout the book were brilliantly done. They always felt present which was perhaps not achieved on screen. Before reading, the thing I was fascinated to read the most was how the Goblin Song would come across when novelised. It could have gone wrong but it was actually magnificent. It was just as catchy on the indents and I really enjoyed the surprise Ruby had at coming up with her own lyrics. The humour of the Lulubelle name at the new foster child was good, but the scene that had me smiling was when Carla kept naming all of the coincidences after the Doctor revealed he was an orphan. Ruby caught on right away. Another tremendous sequence was the Doctor aiding Ruby as she tried to retrieve Lulebelle from the Goblins. The cover obviously takes the image from them on that unsteady ladder and it's a fine representation for the book. The Doctor having to go back in time and save Ruby once the Goblins take her for their King and change the course of history is fantastic and I can't wait to come back to it (presumably) in the series finale that's due in the next couple of weeks. There's so much potential there. Just who is Ruby's birth mother? Did she see that the Doctor had to kill the Goblin King to prevent disaster? And just who is Mrs Flood? It's all so exciting and this is a lovely time to revisit the start of the mystery and arc encompassing the series currently airing. And it's just a darn good and fun story whilst having a huge emotional pull. It's a wonderful introduction to Ruby and a fine first full outing for the Fifteenth Doctor. What's not to like? Overall, a terrific read. 

Rating: 9/10