The Curse of the Daleks

"The natives are friendly."

Writer: Terry Nation & David Whitaker (Adapted by Nicholas Briggs)

Format: Audio

Released: November 2008

Series: The Stageplays 03

Featuring: Daleks

Synopsis 

The spaceship Starfinder is taking two dangerous criminals for trial on Earth. En route, they crash through a meteor storm and have to make an emergency landing on Skaro – the planet of the dreaded Daleks. But Captain Redway and his faithful crew don't anticipate any trouble. After all, the Daleks were defeated fifty years ago and now they are completely inactive. But when a crate full of mysterious devices is discovered and the Daleks start to come back to life, it becomes clear that there is a traitor amongst the Starfinder's crew... A traitor intent on reactivating the power of the Daleks!

Verdict

The Curse of the Daleks was not the greatest of stories for my enjoyment unfortunately. It wasn't all that bad but I must admit it was just a little bit boring by the time of the second act. It seems weird that in a story featuring only the Daleks as recognisable characters that once they arrived things took a bit of a downfall. I actually thought part one was shaping up to be pretty good about halfway through but I think it was also then guilty of just being a bit too long. I must say though, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to listen to this story and I think it's a wonderful idea to do these stage adaptations. This is a story originally written way back at the start of the Daleks in Doctor Who and with Dalekmania running wild, it's not a surprise that they were the subjects of their own stageplay. I think this story would definitely have worked better on stage as as audience member would definitely have been more invested in the characters. I do think my means of jumping around from numerous eras and series was detrimental for my enjoyment here as there just wasn't anyone to associate with. Sure, I liked the concept of Harry Sline and John Ladiver as two criminals being transported back to Earth for trial for numerous and it was a fun twist to have the journey have to take an unplanned detour to Skaro. Given the name of the story, that wasn't a shock but it was brilliant. I liked that Skaro was recognisable as the planet of the Daleks and it was fun that they had been inactive for fifty years. It was left unclear if that was referring to the events of The Daleks, but I think that makes sense especially with when this story would have gone out on the stage. I loved the distinction between inactivity and death for the Daleks. They were just lacking power and could easily be switched back on. That provided a fun basis for the story and with a traitor on the ship, it seemed like it was going to be an exciting journey to find out who that was. It's weird because I think if knew more about the characters then it would have worked better, but by the time Bob Slater was revealed as the Dalek 'master', I couldn't help but feel like I just didn't care. That's a shame to say as there was a lot of interesting stuff going on here. The concept of the Daleks and a monarchy in particular was terrific and it was brilliant stuff to explore the position of a woman in this futuristic time. It felt very much 1960s in that regard which was a little off-putting. It was strange though to see how different the ratio of men to women was at this point in the future! A 7:1 difference is unfathomable and no wonder women would be deemed less important. The involvement of Thals in the story was nice continuity and I liked that there was a little love story going on with Ladiver and Ijanya. That is not something we often saw in early era Doctor Who, and whilst this isn't part of the show technically, it's all part of the same universe in my mind so I appreciated that. The use of the Daleks relying on static electricity playing into the conclusion did feel a little repetitive with their on screen debut, but I can't say I wasn't expecting it! It was always going to end that way with the Thals involved, Skaro setting and the 1960s release of the original stage play. I must also give credit to Nicholas Briggs as the narrator for the interluding parts in this story which were really helpful without the visuals that attendees would have had on stage. I am obviously jealous of each and every person that had a ticket for this show back in the 1960s and sometimes I do wish I was born where I would have lived through Doctor Who's rise, but at least I get to experience the adventure in some form! Even if it wasn't wholly to my cup of tea. There was enough there to make it feel like a worthy listen. 

Rating: 5/10

The War Master Part 1

"Stop making your life my fault."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: July 2024

Series: Dark Gallifrey 2.01

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny 

Synopsis

Many have sought the legendary Dark Gallifrey over the millennia... but most have been lucky enough to fail. There is another who has his eyes on that glittering prize, however; one who knows how such power could be wielded – the Master himself! 

Intrigued by rumours of a hidden Gallifrey – the Dark Gallifrey of Time Lord myth – Bernice Summerfield resolves to find it. 

But as the Doctor points out, some things should never be found, and some doors should never be opened. Especially ones that want to be...

Verdict

The War Master started in excellent style to kick off the second instalment of the very exciting Dark Gallifrey series! It started so well in Morbius and took us to the ancient history of the Time Lords which was wonderful, but this has a very different and modern feel. I like that. It does feel a bit strange that in a story titled as a familiar character that the War Master didn't actually feature, but that was completely fine. This did such a good job in actually establishing Dark Gallifrey as something that exists and I think Bernice Summerfield was the perfect character for that. She was an archeologist after all and this was a discovery she wanted. Once she knew it existed, there was no talking her out of it and I loved that about her. She was determined despite the dangers. I think the dynamic she has with the Unbound Doctor is brilliant and it's such a shame that David Warner has passed away. Whilst this doesn't really give us a feeling of finality for his incarnation, it's a wonderful final performance from a great and unique incarnation. I like how his not being from Benny's universe means he would be more likely to see Dark Gallifrey breaking through, and there were even rumours of it in his universe which is a lot of fun. The Doctor talking of the myths of it and how there was a Gallifrey of essentially chaos was exiting. I don't normally listen to the behind the scenes features on the Big Finish releases but I caught the first five minutes or so with Scott Hancock and James Goss and was fascinated to hear that chronologically this would actually be the close of the Dark Gallifrey chapter. That feels a little strange but it's got me very excited for the next two parts of the story! I was a little put off by the format of the story to start with as it jumped around in time as I felt like I was missing crucial information regarding what had happened. I'm a little behind on the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield so I wasn't sure if this followed on from where that final boxset finished. That turned out, as far as I'm aware, to not be the case. Hearing how both Benny and the Doctor. sacrificed the other's timeline was intriguing and I loved the glimpse at what could have been with Benny as President of Gallifrey and sharing the second half of Romana's full name! That was very amusing. The conversations with the TARDISes were also whacky and I loved the idea of all but one of them being afraid of the Doctor. Benny having to argue and persist with one to get on the verge of Dark Gallifrey and save the Doctor was terrific too. There was a lot going on and it was purposely all over the place but once you understood that and got used to it, that became part of its charm. It was really well done when it could have gotten extremely messy. I liked how despite the dangers, the Doctor was willing to help Benny find Dark Gallifrey and he didn't seem too frightened by the myths and legends. He was intrigued as of course he would be. All Doctors are curious and being from another universe didn't mean this one would be any different. I thought the Abomination was an exciting element of the story too and does feel like a Time War weapon which would tie in nicely with the coming of the War Master. It teasing Benny about being wove in paradox was exciting and I liked that it could communicate. It felt like it existed on a huge scale also! The way things ended with Benny and the Doctor going on the hunt sets things up nicely, but it's very sad that the Unbound Doctor won't be sticking around. I wonder if we'll get an explanation on that? Regardless, I'm very excited for what's to come and this was brilliant in establishing Dark Gallifrey as a physical artefact. Overall, a brilliant episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Fallout

"I'm just a copper from Cardiff."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: April 2012

Series: Torchwood BBC Audio 08

Featuring: Gwen, Andy

Synopsis

When Yasmin finds a jewelled egg in her grandfather's shed, her first thought is to sell it. Unfortunately, the object is no valuable Faberge antique, but a dangerous weapon from another planet. Worse still, the buyer she finds online is a Russian secret agent working for the Committee for Extraterrestrial Research, who promptly swipes it, kills her brother Sayed and lands her in hospital.

When Sgt Andy Davidson realises that he's not dealing with an ordinary double shooting, he calls Gwen Cooper, who breaks the bad news about the egg and its deadly contents. With no Torchwood to help, and Gwen in America, it's up to Andy and Yasmin to follow the trail of the "Shiva virus" – all the way from Cardiff to the British Museum...

Verdict

Fallout was a great story to continue my way through the Torchwood Tales collection! I'm reaching the end now which is quite sad as I feel like I'm only just getting started now the range has moved to stories of around an hour in length and going beyond the events of Miracle Day. It was brilliant to hear that series and events referenced when it came to the revelation that Sayed stood up after being shot dead. I thought Andy was terrific as the main character and it was good to hear Tom Price in the narrator role. He sounded a little different to how he portrays Andy for Big Finish and on screen which was intriguing, but he stepped back into the role terrifically. I thought his take on Gwen was amusing as well as he performed the phone conversation with Rhys in the background as they were at a drive through. The continuity from Miracle Day in having them still in the United States was strong and it's crazy to think of Gwen as not being in Cardiff. Hell, Torchwood aren't even in Cardiff anymore! They don't have a presence which is very difficult to wrap my head around, but it's also exciting as it takes Torchwood beyond the realms of Cardiff. Listening now in 2024, it's quite amusing to hear that we have a character by the name of Yasmin Khan some five years before Yaz debuted as companion in The Woman Who Fell to Earth. Unfortunately it's difficult to try and think of this as the same character who travelled with the Thirteenth Doctor, but it's a fun little quirk. The mystery of the jewelled egg was good and I really did like Yasmin as a character. She was confused by everything that happened and her reaction to Pavel showing her the briefcase full of money was excellent. She had never seen so much! Sayed convincing her to sell it on eBay seemed foolish but I liked the effort to make a quick win. It was of course much more than that though! The fact it contained the Shiva virus was exciting and I liked how it was deadly to all life forms on Earth. It was incredibly dangerous and with all due respect, I wasn't hugely confident in having Andy as the man to prevent its spread. He handled the task rather well though and it was nice for him to draw back on his experience with Gwen and his interaction with Torchwood. I thought Kalogzul made for a strong villain and his distain towards the annoyance that was Torchwood was a lot of fun. I can't help but think he was the only one feeling that way towards the organisation, and the frustration of the Hub now blowing up and taking certain artefacts with them was great. Here, the egg was left behind and not part of the others in Russia and that was proving dangerous in the wrong hands. I thought the story shifting from Cardiff to London and the British Museum was amusing and the standoff there really was quite something. Torchwood having the upper hand with some preplanning in place from Jack in leaving a weapon in an artefact was a little strange and felt like cheating, but I couldn't help but feel it was amusing! The fact that Pavel was infected with the virus and then lost the antidote when Kalogzul was killed was quite extraordinary, and then he just blew up! That was quite an impactful ending. Andy being at the conclusion and confronted with someone from COBRA was good, but he was having none of it. He wanted to just get home and go to bed. He wasn't respecting the chain of command on this occasion. I don't think he enjoyed being the head honcho! Overall though, a terrific little audio adventure. 

Rating: 8/10

Josephine and the Argonauts

"See the reality of the myths for yourselves!"

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Novel

Released: August 2023

Series: BBC Books Special 08

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

It was a kind of portal – a portal into the myths of the ancient world...

Everyone knows the Doctor loves museums (it's his way of keeping score). 

But when Jo Grant and the Doctor visit the British Museum in London, they might have got more than they bargained for.

A mysterious object is revealed, which grants those who touch it strange visions of Greek Myths. Gods, warriors and monsters are contained within this object – the MythoScope.

But there is something sinister at play. A powerful influence seems to be controlling the MythoScope... mastering it.

Jo and the Doctor must bargain with Zeus, battle the undead and journey to the ends of the Earth, where only an object of wondrous power can save the MythoScope from total destruction. 

Verdict

Josephine and the Argonauts was a great read! I thought this was another very strong instalment in Puffin's range of putting a Doctor Who take on a classic tale. I must admit I'm not all that familiar with the story of Jason and the Argonauts but I immediately loved the take on the title with Jo taking the title role. I thought she embraced that brilliantly and the Doctor's reaction to Zeus naming her as the Argo's captain was tremendous. He couldn't believe it! I liked that the story provided a really strong rationale for putting the Doctor and Jo into a mythical realm and the MythoScope was a fascinating concept. It was essentially a mythical version of Carnival of Monsters in the end and I liked that we referenced that serial given the experiences of this Doctor and Jo. I thought the Brigadier was quite humorous in his reaction to Professor Green operating the machine and coming back to UNIT HQ on numerous occasions to try and get the Doctor and Jo out. I did think there were a couple of chapters too many finishing in the same way with some characters getting dragged into the MythoScope, especially when we knew that the Doctor and Jo would end up there. I liked that they got there eventually though and the meeting with the Master in the guise of King Aeetes was magnificent. I hadn't read the synopsis prior to reading so for me this was a big surprise and certainly a welcomed one! I always do suspect that he could show up in a Third Doctor era story, but it was still a delight to have him there. His presence at Colchis was enough alone for a good hundred pages or so without him actually doing much and that's the sign of an impressive villain. The Doctor and Jo just talking of him and his presence in meddling with the mythical world causing it to collapse was enough. Jo doing her own good was also unknowingly causing issues with the realm so even if she wanted to change things to do with the myths, she really ought not to. I thought it was fun to have Jo being guided in her mind buy Queen Hera, and that happenstance was not known to Zeus himself! He was initially only shown to the Doctor and Jo on a television screen which led me to think he wouldn't actually feature physically, but alas he did and it was fun to see how much he irritated the Doctor with his calm demeanour. Especially when he wasn't all that bothered in helping them return to the real world. Jo trying to understand and even rationale with the Doctor about the people of the MythoScope actually being real was a powerful element of what was a pretty lighthearted book for the most part. I thought PC Mann was fun in becoming a ship maker called Argus and had a new wife now so he didn't want to return back to his life as a copper. I couldn't really blame him! Wanda actually choosing to return home to write more controversial books after her experiences as a queen was fun though, and she'd had a rough time of it with the Master as her husband! The Master being caught up on power was incredible to see and so much so that it brought about his downfall rather emphatically. He was crazed and I wonder if this was hinting at him becoming the maniacal being we saw in The Deadly Assassin? He was engrossed in the potential of taking mythical power into the real world. The Golden Fleece was something, but absolute power was another. I thought the exploration throughout the mythical realm on board the Argo perhaps went a little too long but there were some familiar frights with the likes of sirens and Medusa. The coming of Circe at the end was a little bit of an easy way to send everyone back to normality whilst the mythical beings went back to their own dimension. Might they really be existing in another reality? I liked that ambiguous potential. Overall, a really strong and just fun read! It was lighthearted and easy, and that just works well. 

Rating: 8/10

Conspiracy of Raven: The Vanishing Point

"There are no surprises in eternity."

Writers: Mark Wright & Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: July 2024

Series: Second Doctor Adventures 3.03

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

Following the threads of a conspiracy twisting throughout all of time and space, the Doctor and his companions head to the Vanishing Point – a mythical place, said to exist somewhere between science and magic. But it is a journey from which they may never return.

Verdict

The Vanishing Point was a strong episode to conclude the Conspiracy of Raven third series of Second Doctor Adventures! This continued in the same vain as the first two stories and certainly had an enigmatic and eery feeling. The mystery of the titular Vanishing Point was really interesting and whilst its makeup did seem a little repetitive and similar to the likes of Gallifrey with their policy of merely observing and not interfering, the means to get there and the picture of the universe as a giant model was incredible. It's a shame that we didn't get the visuals to go with it but the imagery was more than enough. It was great to experience the struggle of the TARDIS to reach the Vanishing Point and there was some powerful stuff going on. I'm still a little confused as to Raven's intentions as she does seem to differ with her opinion of the Doctor. In Catastrophe Theory we had Raven questioning if the Doctor should be rewarded, but here she was trying to bring him down and show his companions that he was just lucky. He wasn't always on hand to have a grand plan and that was evident when it seemed the dimensional shift to reach the Vanishing Point was enough to see Zoe dead. I must admit, I believed at first that she would be dead given where this story fits after The War Games and she was much older. It was powerful stuff for a few minutes that saw even Jamie turn against his old friend. He went to the extent that he wished he had never been reunited with the Doctor and the TARDIS which quite obviously hurt the Doctor. It was incredible listen and I really did feel sorry for the Time Lord. Something similar happened with Jamie later on once Zoe was resurrected by the quick reversal of time inspired by the tendril book, as he disappeared completely from the TARDIS and ended up stuck between dimensions. The Doctor didn't know if he could get him back and that vulnerability is something Raven wanted to highlight. Her fascination with the myth of the Vanishing Point was good and she was infatuated with Ananke and the potential there. Albeit after a derogatory comment about their technology. That was fun stuff. I thought Aither was a decent character and his desire to travel with the Doctor and company after seeing that you could do more than merely observe was rather nice. Ir was reminiscent of the Doctor on Gallifrey which was a really fun parallel. The significance of the Kippers here was explored fantastically and whilst they still seem a bit weird, their presence across the TARDIS map through time and apace and the missions that have changed history were fascinating. The pattern that was attempted to discover was good and I liked how it was actually all pointing towards a planet that was materialising. On repeat, I thought it was going to be Gallifrey given the proximity of Raven to the Celestial Intervention Agency, but it was a bit more exciting than that as it turned out to be Skaro! The prospect of the Daleks getting involved with Time Lord affairs at this early point in the Classic era is hugely exciting and I can't wait for the boxset. It's a shame I'll have to wait until next year, but I am very excited. A cliffhanger finish always works as a selling point and it will be good to have the Daleks as the big bad once again. I'm excited for what comes next, especially Raven's relationship and interaction with them. Just what do the Time Lords know and think of the Daleks at this point? And will the Morai be utilised at all? Lots to look forward to that's for sure! Overall, a strong finale to a good and consistent boxset. Keep them coming!

Rating: 8/10

Conspiracy of Raven: Catastrophe Theory

"All these missions have changed fixed points in history."

Writer: Mark Wright

Format: Audio

Released: July 2024

Series: Second Doctor Adventures 3.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

When the Doctor comes face to face with Zoe, can he be sure it really is his old friend? Jamie is lost somewhere in the cosmos, and the Doctor must find him. From a pleasure cruiser on course for destruction, to an alien world invaded by savage warriors, the Doctor faces catastrophe at every turn – but what has become of Raven?

Verdict

Catastrophe Theory was another great episode to continue my way through the Conspiracy of Raven third series of Second Doctor Adventures! After an eery opener in the form of Klippers, this still had a quite disturbing feel which is tremendous. I'm a big fan of just how uncomfortable the atmosphere is in this range and it really does give it a unique distinction. It does almost feel like this series shouldn't be happening as we are going far beyond The War Games now for the Second Doctor and the background music and sound effects helps contribute to that. It's intentional and I really like that. That feeling is exasperated by the fact we now have Jamie and Zoe joining him. They had their memories of their travels with the Doctor wiped by the Time Lords, yet here they are now a little older but with their memories restored. Just how? Well, I can't wait to find out. I thought the Doctor doubting Zoe's true identity was good but I loved the callback to The Mind Robber and the psycho transfer to prove that she was the true article. But how! I love that we have met Zoe now at a much older point in her life but she has memories of the TARDIS which just shouldn't be possible. The Doctor and Zoe being on the hunt for Jamie was a good direction leading into the finale and whilst he didn't feature much here, it was lovely for him to react to being reunited with Zoe. Their relationship is a charmed one so that was magnificent. I thought it was also really nice to just have a story where Zoe was the sole companion. We obviously didn't get that on screen but it was a nice touch here for her to have the Second Doctor all to herself. I thought the mystery deepening regarding Raven and the missions she has sent the Doctor on was fascinating and I can't wait to find out the true identity. The Doctor is pretty convinced it's not the Time Lords after all as we learned that the missions were actually changing fixed points in time which was unexpected! That's exciting though as things could unravel, as we saw in the TARDIS with the pages literally changing before Zoe's eyes. It was a little frustrating to only hear some sort of static when Raven was in touch with her superior, but that didn't impact my enjoyment of the episode and just keeps me wanting more. That's obviously a good thing and a fine selling point! Raven is still stuck on the spaceship with the Kippers and I'm intrigued by them as they seem like they're going to play a big part ahead with another present here. They're certainly a concern for the Doctor! The Chinzok made for a fun villain and whilst they did sound a little silly, they weren't around long enough for them to get childish so that was welcomed. The Doctor's reaction to learning about them and selling how much of a threat they were was good though. Jamie having a little relationship with Magrit was nice and I loved that he was able to save her life and that was a characteristic the Doctor could know him by. That certainly did sound like the Scotsman! As a whole, this was a really strong episode and I am really excited for what is to come in the finale. I'm not entirely sure what I want or what will happen, but I'm just so engrossed in what is happening. Who could it be behind the missions and to what end? Raven seems that the Doctor shouldn't be treated badly but she can still manipulate the timeline for him. So many questions! Hopefully we'll get some answers in the finale. I don't even need much of a plot, just give me all the dialogue. Overall, another strong showing to move the series forward. 

Rating: 8/10

Conspiracy of Raven: Kippers

"That noise you heard, what did it sound like?"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: July 2024

Series: Second Doctor Adventures 3.01

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

The Doctor and Jamie have attempted to break free from performing covert missions for the Time Lord agent Raven. But things haven't gone according to plan. Jamie has vanished, Raven finds herself in a familiar yet strangely disturbing location. And all the while, half-glimpses, unnervingly perceived... something... fluttering, buzzing, tugging at their very souls...

Verdict

Kippers was a strong start to the Conspiracy of Raven third series of Second Doctor Adventures! I was hugely excited by this release as I have thoroughly enjoyed the adventures of the Second Doctor beyond his on screen finale of The War Games, and after a strong James Robert McCrimmon second series to reunite him with his old faithful companion, it seems we're getting the full reunion from Season 6 moving forward! It was a lot of fun here. I thought the episode was incredibly eery and kudos must go to the sound effects. They really set the atmosphere for the story and it was rather chilling. It did feel very 1960s as well which I appreciated as whilst there was definitely a modern feeling, it also did seem like this could fit in as a Season 6b on screen. It felt of its era and that's impressive considering the Time Lord involvement. It's lovely to hear the Second Doctor confront Raven about the Time Lords just idly watching the universe and time go by, but she was also quite abrupt in how she didn't believe that the Doctor's travels had any purpose. She was failing to see the good he did which was a bit of a shame, but I'm still such a big fan of her character. Raven is just so engaging and every time she speaks I'm completely drawn in. I love exploring early versions of Gallifrey and the Time Lords and she's so fascinating in this era. Mythology still feels like it can be altered a bit and it's not quite the Time Lord society we have come to know as established so that's exciting where she's concerned. I thought it was a fun revelation to have her not in the know either about why she has been sending the Doctor on the countless missions that have made up this range. That is very exciting and sets things up for more Time Lord involvement going forward which is awfully exciting! I guess it does explain a little the umbrella title for this series. I thought the continuity with The Shroud was good and I liked how Paul featured once again as the avatar for the Time Lord weapon. It was nice for Raven to have someone to bounce off because this episode was really dialogue heavy. The mystery of Jamie's whereabouts were good and I liked the idea of him going missing down a time spiral very much! The Doctor was concerned but clearly some other forces were at play, especially towards the end when he just happened to be reunited with the TARDIS. Even he knew that was too much of a coincidence. I thought the titular Kippers were a little odd and they came awfully late into the episode, but Raven being the one to defeat them was an unexpected treat and showed that she can more than hold her own! That was impressive stuff. Raven confronting the Doctor on his home loyalties was powerful stuff and whilst he was willing to sacrifice everything for the likes of Jamie as his companion, he wasn't willing to do the same for the entirety of the Time Lords and his fellow species. That was something she couldn't understand and was a timely reminder of just how different Raven and the Doctor view the universe. The way they were seemingly separated at the conclusion but Raven vowing to find him again was fun, and then we had a rather exciting manifestation in the TARDIS! It wasn't exactly Jamie, nor Raven, but impossibly Zoe! I love that we are building towards getting the gang back together again and I'll be very intrigued to find out how she's around and presumably has her memory back despite the Time Lords wiping it after the War Games saga. Overall, probably more of a setting things up type of story to reintroduce us to the range after a year or so, but a very good one nonetheless. A strong listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Special Weapons

"He had felt her death as it stole her."

Writer: Paul Leonard

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 09

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, 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

Special Weapons was an excellent adventure to continue my way through the More Short Trips collection! For a short story, this was a very strong length at over thirty pages and that really allowed some depth. I thought the setting right from the off was established brilliantly and the predicament of throwing the Doctor and Mel into the Second World War was terrific. I love the peril of this setting and whilst there probably have been too many stories now set during wartime, it’s not a surprise because the potential there really is endless. For Mel, she’s well aware of the horrors that the Germans in particular could carry out against fellow humanity and having real history is something I often find as the best threat. Having things steeped in realism is a huge appeal and just absolutely works. Mel and the Doctor got separated pretty quickly which was expected and it was good to see the companion build a relationship with Oliver. He was reeling from the death of his girlfriend Ellen and for a seventeen year old, he showed some strong levels of maturity given the predicament. I thought the descriptions of sticky blood on his hands was gory and his lack of trust towards Mel was understandable. I was really impressed with the feel of the story and the way the darkness was illustrated was fantastic. It was uncomfortable in parts and I loved the frantic pace of the storytelling. It kept me so engaged on my early morning commute to work and that’s exactly what you want. It just worked. I thought the moment that Mel heard the Doctor and then a gunshot in his direction was superb and it was clear that for her she genuinely believed that he could have died. Oliver trying to convince her otherwise was good and I liked that he didn’t hide the fact he was saying comforting things just to get her on side and focused. The Doctor confronting Luther was brilliant and their discussion on death in particular was enlightening. I loved how Luther had pretty much accepted that he wanted to die and even found himself being envious of the bodies strewn before him. He considered them as scarecrows which was quite scary. Luther not understanding how the Doctor was comfortable accepting death but not actually wanting it was good stuff too. There was a lot explored here that was really exciting. This story was released a decade earlier than The Simpsons Movie, but I can’t help but draw comparisons to that with the dome barrier covering England as a means of weaponry and wiping it out. That was an extraordinary concept and was quite the special weapon indeed. I loved the scale of it and things just seem scarier in the hands of Nazis. As they should! I thought the dynamite going off at the end was decent and a quick resolution, and Mel’s disappointment in Oliver when he’d decided to join the army for the sole purpose of killing Germans was a stark reminder of how awful this time period was. This was clearly set soon after Paradise Towers with the Pex reference by Mel, and things had gotten rather eventful already in her travels. This was powerful stuff. Overall, an excellent read!

Rating: 9/10

Going Off the Rails

"I think there's a whole metal man here."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2006

Printed in: Doctor Who Files 08

Featuring: Cyberman

Synopsis

Harry and Sam are comparing their father's respective works on a model train set. But when Harry's dad brings some metal equipment home, the pair get a little bit more than they bargained for.

Verdict

Going Off the Rails was a very decent little short story to continue my reading through the Doctor Who Files adventures. I must admit I'm reading more of these lately than I probably would have hoped for as I often use them as emergency backups to continue the daily schedule of blogging when time prevents a more traditional story to be consumed, but this was a really pleasant read! After a bit of a letdown with Mission to Galacton for the Daleks in the previous release, I must admit I was a little cautious going in regarding what would be done with the Cybermen. Of course, this is quite clearly the Cyrus Industries version of Cyberman in this story so there are pretty strict limitations on what can be done with them, and certainly when. There's no Doctor or recognisable companion in the story and with only one Cyberman this could potentially delve into the realms of being naff, but that was far from the case! I must admit when I saw the names of the two children that make up most of this story as being Harry and Sam, I was disappointed that they weren't the companions we recognise. I was momentarily worried by the fact they were schoolchildren as well as I'm not sure going that young often works outside of the Sarah Jane Adventures where it's the entire basis of the show, but they were really good here! I loved the little discussion of their respective fathers and the model train set construction happening in their homes. The difference between the pair's progress was amusing so Harry and Sam would take it upon themselves to complete the set for the former's father. I liked the implication that his father had worked for Cybus Industries which for obvious reasons seen in Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel had now closed down. Harry's father wasn't going to let such valuable technology go to waste though and brought some home with him! It was clear from there what was going to happen as the Cyberman was reassembled. I loved the focus on the word upgrade when it came to the children as I think that's an aspect of the great villains that has perhaps quietly gone on the lowdown. That's not a problem at all, it was just a nice trip to memory lane and the days of Series 2. I thought the conversation the Cyberman had with Harry and Sam was amusing because it was so logical and to the point. Harry and Sam weren't exactly taking it seriously, but I thought the description of the Cyberman turning to them and saying they wouldn't be human for much longer was chilling. That description of the emotionless face and the handles that join at the ears was excellent and a fine job was had in establishing something of a fear factor in the Cyberman in relatively short time. The Cyberman instantly thinking of upgrade was intriguing and even though it didn't have the parts to convert these children into fully fledged Cybermen, their brains could still be ridded of emotion. That was a disturbing concept for sure! I thought the way the Cyberman was ultimately defeated and put back into spare parts was a little iffy as I'm not sure how small and powerful a model train set would be to put a Cyberman off balance and into the trap cleverly laid, but it was fun for the children to take it upon themselves and get the job done. Frying the Cyberman was a fitting way to conclude its presence and I liked that the children had a little chuckle about not breaking any of Harry's father's equipment. They hoped for the very opposite! Overall, a cheeky and fun little read. 

Rating: 7/10

Army of One

"Wherever you'd been, we found a body murdered."

Writer: Ian Edginton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2012

Series: Torchwood BBC Audio 07

Featuring: Gwen, Rhys

Synopsis

Washington DC, post-Miracle. The city has been hit by a spate of very unusual serial killings. The victims are different ages and genders and the locations vary, but each body has one thing in common – it has been reduced to a dried-up, desiccated husk. 

Special Agent Lucas Avery has dealt with some tricky puzzles in his time, but this is stranger than anything he's ever encountered. His one lead is a pair of names: 'Gwen' and 'Rhys'...

For Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams, still recovering from the recent, traumatic events that shook the world, life is about to get difficult and dangerous again. For it's not just Homeland Security on their trail, but something else – something alien, terrifying and deadly...

Verdict

Army of One was a great Torchwood original audio to continue my way through the Torchwood Tales collection! I seem to remember purchasing this boxset from Big Finish in the midst of AudioGo going into administration and I'm sure it was a steal at a price of something like £4 which is incredible. The depth and number of stories here is fantastic and going post-Miracle Day here almost feels like uncharted territory! It is a massive shame that we have not had a fifth televised series of Torchwood because it was such a big event when Series 4 was airing. It didn't feel like it got its proper ending and whilst it is wonderful to have continued things for Big Finish, with this being released in 2012 it almost feels like this was just filling the gap before a fifth series. Rhys and Gwen are still in the United States which follows on nicely and that opens up a lot of doors compared to the relatively small city setting of Cardiff. The events and emotions of the Miracle are still being felt which is excellent as I really don't think the trauma of that has been explored fully with the lack of follow up. I'm extremely grateful to touch upon that here. Having Gwen and Rhys with Anwen provides a more stressful dynamic for them and the sequence where Gwen gets her car window blown out with her baby in the back was frightening! I've got a toddler and another baby on the way this Christmas so I can't imagine the fear Gwen would have been going through for her child. I liked how Americanised the story was at it gave Torchwood a very different feel and with Special Agent Lucas Avery, Kai Owen got to perform a pretty decent American accent! It felt bigger than the usual Torchwood stories which is a compliment and the descriptions of the deaths that were occurring were pretty graphic and downright horrifying. When anything is reduced to a husk it creates a disturbing image in my mind and I can't imagine actually seeing a brittle body up close in person. The comment of how a sneeze would even reduce a corpse to dust was quite something! I thought the Cuckoo was a decent villain and I liked the idea of it draining its victims dry. I wasn't entirely sure though about the lengthy flashback sequence to the first time Torchwood encountered it with the full team in action. I wasn't expecting cameos from the likes of Ianto, Owen and Tosh, as well as Captain Jack, but Owen nailed them all pretty well in narration! It was weird though to see it defeated in its core form halfway through the story to emphasise the return later on. It would have been better had the Cuckoo been an entirely different story previously, but I appreciated the intention and it did make the Cuckoo feel a bigger villain by the fact Torchwood had taken it on before. The way it had survived by fragments of its own self surviving in each of them was pretty good and original! I liked that and it was quite ingenious really. The emphatic way it was destroyed at the end with the skull cracking description was brutal and it was nice that Gwen was relieved almost instantly. She'd been suffering from headaches throughout and for weeks, but now the fragment was gone and she was fine. The humour of the Torchwood bank and Rhys fearing Gwen was pregnant really rounded out this episode. Some good comedy definitely helped with what was a really strong and powerful episode! I'd love more post-Miracle and hopefully they keep coming. A really great listen.

Rating: 8/10

Mission to Galacton

"Daleks conquer and destroy!"

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2006

Printed in: Doctor Who Files 07

Featuring: Daleks

Synopsis

At the height of the Dalek Empire before the Last Great Time War, a fleet of freighters carried plundered resources across the universe. The Daleks were constantly in search of new planets to strip of their resources for their Empire, and now they had their next target...

Verdict

Mission to Galacton was a pretty average little short story to continue my way through the Doctor Who Files! I was really excited to see what would become of a story featuring the Daleks, but I do think this one was perhaps a victim of constraints impacted upon it by the television series of the time. This book was of course released after the events of Doomsday had aired a few months prior, so for the Daleks to be getting their own story is actually quite a big deal. They weren't rife in the universe and after Rose had wiped them all out again along with the Emperor in The Parting of the Ways, as far as the Doctor was concerned that was the last of them. Except we had the coming of the Cult of Skaro at the end of Army of Ghosts as they'd been hiding in the Void and were immune to what had happened in the Last Great Time War. You couldn't really have the Tenth Doctor encounter the Daleks in a short story after everything he's gone through to this point with them so it makes sense for them to have a solo outing. I thought the name was excellent and I'm not entirely sure why but the planet of Galacton just feels like it would be right at home in the world of Dalekmania and the numerous TV Comic strip adventures featuring them from the 1960s. It felt retro which was brilliant, but that's about as good as things got. That sounds harsh and I understand the story is aimed at a younger audience and isn't supposed to go into a huge amount of detail. But for a 2006 release where the Daleks are still almost in a status reaching mythical levels, this just made them look weak for me. I loved the fact that this story featured Daleks prior to the events of the Last Great Time War, so could this be considered as taking place in the Classic era? I like to think so purely for the quirkiness of it. I thought the descent on Galacton was strong but then when we were introduced to the unidentified rock creatures, the Daleks were almost too quick to retreat. They did try to spin it on the fact that more research was needed and that it absolutely wasn't a defeat, but that's what it looked like in my estimation! The use of the Daleks wanting to energise the core of the planet felt like it was foreshadowing events to come two years later in The Stolen Earth, but if they could just send a beam down and wipe out the planet anyway then why did they bother to exit their ship? It felt like a bit of a wasted mission in some parts which was a shame. They did get to showcase some of their strengths at the end with their proclamations and position on the planet, but it felt like the rock creatures were too much of a step up. That's just wrong for the Daleks, especially considering the rock creatures didn't have a lot going for them. They sent the Daleks bloody packing! Something just felt off about the story which was a shame as there is a great deal of potential in a modern era solo outing for the Daleks. The sacrifice of Attack Force Delta was the reason the Daleks carried on in something of a victory and it is noble for one of their own to sacrifice itself for the greater Dalek cause, but it felt too late by then. I couldn't shake off the feeling that the damage was done and the Daleks were displayed as being weak. Overall, an average but worthwhile read.

Rating: 5/10

A Dog's Life

"This unit has been put in a box and abandoned."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2006

Printed in: Doctor Who Files 06

Featuring: K9, Sarah Jane

Synopsis 

K9 Mark III is in the living room of Sarah Jane Smith, left by the Doctor as a gift. Except his functionality is decreasing in efficiency and repairs are getting difficult. Is this the end for K9?

Verdict

A Dog's Life was a decent story to continue my reading through the short stories that conclude each release of the Doctor Who Files. I still can't believe this book has been out for eighteen years and in my possession for what must be at least sixteen without me actually ever completing the adventure at the back. It's crazy, but better late than never! I was really looking forward to this one prior to reading because K9 is a favourite companion of mine. He's obviously very unique as a robot dog and that opens up a great deal of possibility regarding his potential and abilities. I will one day blog the Australian spinoff series featuring him in a funky new design, but for now I was grateful to get this book and have K9 as the focus of the story. It was a little unique in being from the internal perspective of K9. That was good as a means for different in terms of presentation, but it wasn't exactly the most enthralling of story devices if I'm being honest. Sarah Jane didn't exactly seem thrilled to be in conversation with her robot dog! That felt like a bit of a shame given how loveable a character she is and she genuinely does appear to love him on screen in School Reunion and in the Sarah Jane Adventures, but of course this story pre-dates both. Maybe it wasn't always a loving relationship from A Girl's Best Friend onwards with his numerous repairs and impossible technology! I loved that though and each time K9 woke up, years seemed to have passed by which is a bit of a shame to think that he was essentially abandoned for so long. I doubt that was the Doctor's intention when dropping him off for her. I do wonder how contemporary readers and fans that weren't entirely familiar with the Classic era would have enjoyed or even understood this story given its proximity to days gone by, but for me as a hardcore fan it turned into a delight. Sure, the burglary wasn't the most threatening of situations for Sarah Jane considering she wasn't even in at the time, but K9 getting to stun them from within his cardboard box was good. At least he hadn't been thrown out! That would have been a huge shame. I liked the humour that came with Sarah Jane trying to explain to the police officer how she had knocked out two burglars and having her shake K9's actions off was fun, although I must say it wasn't the most believable thing to have her do so and avoid the subject. I'd certainly be asking more questions if I was that police officer! The story was getting borderline depressing as we learned more and more about the depleting systems of K9 and how he essentially only had five minutes remaining of power before a permanent shutdown. That's an unfathomable prospect! It was really nice though for the robot dog to literally get a burst of life at the end as it encountered an unknown humanoid that looked young but had older eyes. And of course that familiar two-hearted beat. The Doctor! That was a fitting moment to reunite K9 with his master who of course would waste no time in repairing the old thing, as seen in School Reunion. I think it's really nice how this is essentially a prequel for K9 to that televised episode and it worked well. Sure, it's a bit simple and easy with some of the internal wording annoying at times, but as a whole I was left feeling happy by the end and really didn't want this to just depict K9's shutdown! Overall, a worthwhile read for sure. 

Rating: 7/10

Revenge of the Swarm

"You want to revisit your own birth."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: August 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 189

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Hector

Synopsis

The Doctor thought he had defeated the microscopic Nucleus of the Swarm in his fourth incarnation. He was wrong. It survived within the TARDIS, and now it has brought it back to Titan Base, back to the point of its own creation. It has a plan that spans centuries, a plan which will result in the Nucleus becoming more powerful – and larger – than ever before. 

To defeat it, the Doctor, Ace and Hex must confront the Nucleus within its new domain – the computer-world of the Hypernet, the information network crucial to the survival of the human empire. But if the Doctor is to save the day, he has to risk everything and everyone he holds dear...

Verdict

Revenge of the Swarm was a great little story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures! After a quartet of short stories that made up the Breaking Bubbles release, it's nice to get back to normality and having a returning foe is always something that excites me. I must admit, I don't think the Swarm would be high on my list of wants or expectations when it came to returning monsters from the Classic era, but here we are! I'm all for it though. The whackier the better as far as I'm concerned! I thought this was quite clever in being both a prequel and sequel to The Invisible Enemy and it's also amazing to have John Leeson voicing the Swarm after all these years. He is of course no stranger to the world of Doctor Who being the voice of K9 also, and it almost feels like a bit of a shame that the robot dog didn't feature here. It would have felt a more complete reunion, but alas it didn't matter. I thought it was good in terms of pace and action to just get thrown straight into the story here. There was no dawdling or messing around that's for sure. I'm not entirely convinced by the manner of the Swarm's survival by being in the TARDIS memory banks for all the time since its apparent defeat, but it's so whacky I can almost let it slide. Hector here is a fascinating character and coming off the powerful events of Afterlife, it's a very new and different dynamic in the TARDIS. I do find it weird that Hex has died, sort of, but now we have someone who sounds and looks exactly like him. He essentially his him just minus the memories of travelling in the TARDIS. It feels off and I'm not exactly excited by the future with him, but it is good for Ace and he to share a romantic relationship. The small challenge she presented to the Doctor on if it was a problem for them to be together was good and it's nice to get a companion relationship in the Classic era. It just feels real. Getting Professor Kilbracken to feature in the first half of this story that was set in 4920 was just magnificent and hearing her explain about her cloning technique and the fact the copies could only survive for around ten minutes was brilliant and tied in nicely with the televised serial that saw the Swarm debut. This time around it wanted to duplicate itself though and interfere with its own creation. That was a strong concept and the fact we then moved to the future for the second half was really intriguing. The scale of the story was massive! I thought Shafira was another really good character and I liked how she was very knowledgeable on the Doctor's history with Titan Base. Even when he looked different and wore a long scarf. That was great and she wasn't afraid to challenge him. The threat of the plague was strong and I liked how Ace was in the early stages almost immediately. The Doctor was almost accidentally smug when it came to his immunity which I guess remains despite numerous regenerations. I thought the Doctor's efforts to risk Hector's life in a huge way without him giving permission was perfect for this sneaky seventh incarnation, but the Scouser wasn't having it when they returned back to the TARDIS. Ace was on the Doctor's side which actually surprised me a little bit as she knew he always did save people and always was there, but Hector was outraged. Sure, his immunity was transferred into the computer that wiped out the Swarm as he was downloaded, but the risk was too great for him. He was also sick of hearing about Hex which I could completely understand. He was a different man now and we're going to have to get used to it. Overall, an action packed story across the Hypernet and it felt very much an outer space adventure which was fun, and a quirky villain returns! Good stuff, if not a little whacky. 

Rating: 8/10

The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time

"I can go to a better place."

Writer: Nev Fountain

Format: Audio

Released: July 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 188d

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

Michael is a young boy who likes to solve mysteries, such as the mystery of the extra gnome, the mystery of the absent father, and the mystery of the strange man in yellow trousers at the bottom of the garden.

Verdict

The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time was not the best of stories to conclude the Breaking Bubbles anthology that makes up the one-hundred-and-eighty-eighth Monthly Adventures release. For whatever reason, I just couldn't get into this one and at less than half an hour in duration it's not a good sign that I felt like it was dragging. It may appear particularly harsh but I just didn't enjoy the character of Michael Jennings and having him as the narrator didn't help things at all. I think it was unclear what kind of age he was as the actor obviously sounded like an adult but the character himself felt like a little boy at times whilst also being mixed in as a teenager. I know it's established that Michael is on the spectrum as autistic and I think that representation is excellent, but some of the dialogue just felt a little too on the nose. It was almost like it was being force thrown at us what kind of disability he had. Everything was very much on the nose and so literal. It just didn't lend itself to that entertaining of an audio. We didn't get to hear too much of the Doctor and Peri given the nature of the story's format, but when we did it was a much welcomed break! I did think it was quite funny for Michael to establish that Peri was a boy's name because he knew two other boys with that name and therefore he was exactly right in stating that. I liked how much respect the Doctor showed Michael and the discussion on the word 'special' was important. That's not exactly an accepted term for someone with Michael's condition but the Doctor meaning the literal definition of the word in describing him towards the end of the story was a nice touch. This was definitely the softer side of the Sixth Doctor on full show which is rather marvellous. Peri wasn't exactly thrilled though when he burst into his imminent danger speech at the door with Michael's mother when Peri was so close to gaining access in the guise of being from the council. That was a fun moment of banter. The whole silliness of the gnomes was not something I really enjoyed and I honestly thought we were going to hear the names or description of all one-hundred-and-thirty that Michael's father had collected! Thankfully we didn't, but the threat was there. Llangragen was not the best of villains or monsters which was a shame, but with a name like that I did appreciate the Welsh accent! That was quite fun. He just wasn't exactly threatening in the form of a gnome and if Michael could lock him away in a shoebox then there was little danger really posed to the Doctor. I did think the scene where Michael was shaking the shoebox until Llangragen was silent was a little much and uncomfortable. That felt quite harsh towards the gnome he thought was his own father! Michael deducing that the extra gnome in the collection was his father just sounded barmy but it was difficult to argue with the straight to the point logic. It wasn't actually him of course, but Michael struggled in associating that his father could just be gone. The way he used the fire alarm to stop Llangragen and the battalion was fortunate and a bit quick, but the Doctor's conversation with him at the end to put his mind at ease and explain how his father was now in the past was magnificent. The highlight of the episode by a long way. He was just in the past now and if Michael closed his eyes he could go there and visit him. I thought that was really nice. Overall, not the best of adventures in all honesty but some strong representation and a powerful closing moment. 

Rating: 5/10

An Eye for Murder

"It's a man's world."

Writer: Una McCormack

Format: Audio

Released: July 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 188c

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The year is 1939, and a case of poison pen letters ar St Ursula's College threatens to change the course of the Second World War. Fortunately thriller writer Miss Sarah Perry is on hand to investigate...

Verdict

An Eye for Murder was a terrific adventure to continue my way through the Breaking Bubbles release! This audio felt like more of a traditional story in the release and could easily become its own Monthly Adventure if expanded into a longer style, but what we got felt pretty sufficient! That's not always the case for these kinds of stories that are shorter and have the release split into four separate parts so that was a big benefit. I thought the setting of St Ursula's College was excellent and the fact it was a women-only college meant the Doctor's presence would come into question on more than one occasion as we heard. That was fun and I think it was good to make reference to the fact he wasn't dressed in his traditional multi-coloured jacket and trousers. He was going to stand out more than enough as it was! It is strange to think of the Sixth Doctor in a different outfit other than the traditional one and the blue one associated with Real Time, which is quite incredible really considering how much the modern day Doctors have changed what they're wearing. The Classic era certainly provides more of a defined look so breaking away from that here was intriguing and presented some interesting images in my head! The confusion of the college welcome Sarah Perry to their ranks for a guest position was brilliant as that would obviously inject Peri with a ready made reason to get in. She was mistaken for the thriller author and whilst she didn't exactly put on the most convincing front in that role, it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed how the Doctor was telling her to go with it to get into the college as a means of finding the source of his strange readings, but they actually got more than they bargained for! The Doctor's presence as a man was causing issues though and Peri getting to tell him to stay confined to his quarters was magnificent. I bet Peri enjoyed that considerably! I loved that we got to hear the college experience in real time the address from the Prime Minister declaring that a state of war existed between the United Kingdom and Germany, and the gossip amongst some of the doctors within about politics was fascinating. Some favoured Stalin to Hitler, whereas the likes of Dalton didn't seem to think that Hitler was that bad! There's always one. I did think things perhaps moved a little too quickly in their conversations about which side was better and Blackhouse being revealed as a Nazi was strong, but showing favouritism towards the Soviets wasn't exactly much better! It was really simple and interesting though to hear the women talk of such monumental events in a common way. This was ordinary and contemporary for them. The mystery of the alien eye artefact was really good and toying with the concept of invisibility is tremendous. Tackling it on audio is perhaps difficult without the visuals, but I do think that could help as well without the need for hiding actors. It could just be explained here and that worked well, especially with the door mystery and the poison pen letters being sent out. I thought that was fun, although I must admit I hadn't heard of the phrase before so I was fully expecting actual poison to be involved! The Doctor heading out and leaving the true article of Blackhouse behind was amusing considering he'd worked out the invisibility aspect of the eye already, so of course she'd be hiding in the college! Of course, it got a little too much for her though and it proved rather fatal. She wasn't even willing to throw it away and disintegrated whilst holding it which seemed to send that pack with some finality. Peri's humour at the end in returning to the TARDIS police box to collect her notes was fun stuff as she didn't want anything to do with actually addressing the students of the college! Overall, an excellent audio! 

Rating: 9/10

Of Chaos Time The

 

"Why don't you tell me about the chronon bomb?."

Writer: Mark Ravenhill

Format: Audio

Released: July 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 188b

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

Cast adrift in his own chronology, the Doctor must advert the consequences of a catastrophic experiment in using time as a weapon of war. 

Verdict

Of Chaos Time The was a great little story to continue my way through the Breaking Bubbles anthology of Monthly Adventures! This was a fun concept and I was excited before listening just from the name itself. I'm a huge fan of stories that delve deep into playing around with time and this was perfect for that. Time jumps, chronon bombs and paradoxes. This audio really did tick all of the boxes! At just twenty-six minutes long, the pace was absolutely frantic which certainly did add to the excitement of the story, but I do wish we had a little more time for the Doctor to experience each time jump. It was good though as there was no room for messing around and we got detail after detail to try and fill in what had happened or would happen regarding the chronon bomb. As the listener, it was a nice change of pace to have the Doctor learning with us about what was happening as that's not often the case. He's usually a couple of steps ahead of even his companion, so to have him work out in the form of what was basically subtle narration to the listener was terrific. I was a big fan of that approach and I thought it worked very well. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Trobe throughout the adventure as living in a time loop that was as rapid as what we were hearing must have been excruciating. Going from a baby to teenager to elderly aged in the space of barely a few minutes was fascinating but obviously a tough experience. The relief he had at the end when the time loop was broken and he could finally get an ending was completely understandable. Death came as a huge release. I thought the Doctor seeing things out of order was good and knowing that the chronon bomb was the cause was good because he could then question the professors on it when he should have no knowledge about it. His foresight was excellent. Peri felt a little less important in the story which is fine in a short one like this because the Doctor's relationship with time in being a Time Lord was a big part of the adventure. He was the one that had been displaced because of the chronon exposure so it made sense that he was the full focus. Hopefully one of the remaining two stories in this release can give Peri a centric role to make up for it. She was on hand for grief though when Maylon was quite brutally shot and killed. That came a little suddenly but it showed firmly that Standing meant absolute business. She clearly didn't offer empty threats and that instantly made her a strong villain. She didn't take too kindly to the Doctor and Peri which was fun and she really didn't take any notice of the former's warnings considering he'd seen what would happen to her. It wasn't a nice fate, but she was too egotistical to believe that the Doctor could be right and it cost her. I quite liked the idea of the chronon leak that caused the time sickness and displacement within the Doctor also being the cure! It was fun for the Doctor to experience the same event twice as a means of cancelling it out and whilst it seems a little mad for the same event to be cause and the cure, it actually does make a kind of sense! In a timey-wimey story like this that can sometimes be difficult so I appreciated the logic involved. It was also quirky and fun! Warma being trapped in the time loop that actually saves the Doctor was a fitting way to wrap things up. Overall, pretty frantic but a really enjoyable listen!

Rating: 8/10

Breaking Bubbles

"This is a prisoner ship, and I'm the prisoner."

Writer: LM Myles

Format: Audio

Released: July 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 188a

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The Doctor and Peri find themselves in the palatial gardens of the deposes Empress Safira Valtris where nothing is ever quite what it seems.

Verdict

Breaking Bubbles was a decent story to kick off the umbrella title for the 188th release of the same name! I find these four shorter stories a little bit of a waste in the Monthly Adventures range if I'm honest as they certainly don't have the same appeal as a two hour story. There just isn't the depth and time to tell a proper story with a full cast. Granted, on the whole they are better than the Short Trips range because we have more than one voice telling the story and it's fully performed rather than in the form of a narration, but things absolutely fly by without much time to delve deep into the action. This story is a perfect example of that. I found myself very interested in the character of Safira Valtris as the prisoner, and the revelation that this was who she was on the prisoner ship was great fun. She seemed awfully in control considering her status! That was down to her being part of the Imperial Family which was interesting and certainly peaked my interest, but there just wasn't enough time to delve deep into their makeup and everything that had been to see conflict. It almost felt like this could be something akin to Game of Thrones in space with some of the comments of emperors and the like, but alas all we knew was that Safira was imprisoned and it was time to escape. Even for a shorter adventure this felt very quick and whilst that was beneficial for excitement and pace, the detail could have turned this adventure into greatness. I really do think the concept and particularly the characters at its heart were incredibly strong. If only there was more time! Of course, I have no idea at this moment if the stories that follow this one in the release are connected, but given similar past audios and the fact they're all different writers I would guess not. I'm entirely sure on the significance of the title either, but it's a catchy one! I liked the palatial gardens within the prisoner ship and touching upon Peri as being a botanist was a nice touch. I feel like that's a slightly different side of her character than what we mostly saw on television and having a hobby like that leaves some strong room for development in the audios. Peri really is a tremendous companion and that's evidenced at the end here with her appeal to Safira. Did she really want blood spilt in her escape plan? Was that part of her intentions? Of course, the answer was no. I do think she was convinced a little easily and gave the order to call things off that she'd spent so long putting in motion quite suddenly, but it showed just how much Peri resonated with her. Laris was an amusing character as the jailer for Safira, but he never felt like his position bestowed upon him. It was always Valtris in control which was fun with her being imprisoned. It was very much like The Sea Devils for the Master in that regard which was enjoyable. Tondra rounded out the cast very well and her position in being complicit with the escape seemed a little harsh, but if Valtris offered her surrender then it was probably the right way to go with things. I don't know though, it just felt a little off for me and undeserved! Overall, a more than decent concept and an enjoyable twenty to twenty-five minutes or so, but it just needed to be longer. With a bit more depth and time, this could have been fantastic. Still, a worthy listen for sure. 

Rating: 7/10

The Sow in Rut

"Beer, pie and ghost stories – the perfect evening."

Writers: Robert Perry & Mike Tucker

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 08

Featuring: Sarah Jane, K9

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

The Sow in Rut was was a tremendous adventure to continue my way through the More Short Trips anthology of short stories! I really loved this one and it was a nice refreshing change to step away from the adventures of the Doctor and check in with Sarah Jane and K9. I think it’s a big shame that we never did get more of K9 & Company after A Girl’s Best Friend but at least it’s opened up the world of Sarah Jane prior to The Sarah Jane Adventures starting in the modern instalment of the Whoniverse. It’s the spinoff she deserved, but it’s fun to delve deep into the Classic era of Sarah’s time post-The Hand of Fear. I love that she’s travelling around with K9 and going to Cornflower Cottage for a retreat just feels right. I liked the idea of Sarah changing career paths a little and instead of being a journalist for this story she was aiming to write a novel. That was a nice change of pace and I think she definitely has the qualities required to write a book. I’d certainly be interested! I thought it was fun for her to use K9 as essentially a portable CD player although I wouldn’t have her down as a classical music fan. She didn’t react too well to the change of song playing the Spice Girls but that’s what I’d have thought was more up her alley. Anyhow, it was just fun to see K9 in the 1990s and blending with the technology of the time. Of course, at the time of release that was very much contemporary! Having Sarah in a mysterious village was good and I was so impressed with the atmosphere created. It was incredibly eery and the just the presence of strong rain made things feel spooky. Throw in some damp and a village pub and you’ve got all the ingredients for a classic horror or ghost-type story. What we got was tremendous. I was reading this at 7am on a rare commute into the office which was probably not the ideal time for a story of this nature, but I was engrossed. I flew through the pages which is nothing but a strong sign. Aggie being concerned for Sarah given that she was staying in Cornflower Cottage was intriguing and the history of it as a former inn was brilliant. I loved learning about the former owners who were apparently cannibals! That’s always a disturbing concept and whilst this was far from the levels of Countrycide the threat faced to Sarah was dark. Of course, the former owners were just that. They weren’t in the cottage any longer but the mysterious damp and the water ankle high meant Sarah had to get out of there. The little sequence with K9 where she thought he was possessed was really good and I genuinely feared for Sarah’s safety. There didn’t seem like a way out. What we did get was good fun though as the blend of flesh, energy and water wouldn’t be one. The blast sorted things out and Sarah was quick in her metro and on the motorway. Her call to Brendan was amusing because he revealed he’d been using K9 as a processor for his games console. Might some patchwork or a virus have got in? It was a startling thought. The ambiguous ending was superb in highlighting that Cornflower Cottage had actually just had a burst pipe. It made sense, but was she really not threatened by a spirit? A demonic pig spirit at that? I mean, it was the pigs that supposedly told the former owners to become cannibals. I don’t expect to ever revisit these events, but the way it concluded open ended was magnificent. It left me questioning things and I really loved that. Overall, an excellent little read! 

Rating: 9/10

The Wedding of River Song

"What's so dangerous about my future?"

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 1 October 2011

Series: 6.13

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

As the Doctor prepares for his death at the hands of an impossible astronaut, something goes wrong. All of history is happening at once and the Doctor is still alive. Will the universe survive?

Verdict

The Wedding of River Song was an excellent episode to conclude what has been an eventful Series 6 on the modern era rewatch! I must admit that after five series of a two-part finale, this one has a sense of almost being sprung upon us despite the brief departures of Amy and Rory in The God Complex and then the Doctor preparing for his death and obtaining the TARDIS blue envelopes during the events of Closing Time. It does seem a little strange to start with time having already gone wrong and corrupted before we see that time is in fact changed by the Doctor not actually dying at Lake Silencio. River Song is so strong to defy the fixed event and the astronaut suit that she actually chooses not to kill the Doctor. That's wonderful and I love how far she has come as a character to fight her upbringing. I still think it's so sad for Amy and Rory to not get to raise their child in a traditional manner, but they have to be proud! I think all of history happening at once is fun and the concept of William Churchill as Caesar is hilarious. It's great to see him back after Victory of the Daleks and even getting a cameo from Charles Dickens promoting his latest works of A Christmas Carol is wonderful. It's been a long time since The Unquiet Dead so it's great to get the same actor back. The eye patch worn by Madame Kovarian turns out to not be a design choice which I think is brilliant as the Silence return in full force. The eye patch allows the wearer to retain the memory of them which is very good. Amy and Rory are not the same characters we know all along here, especially the latter, as timelines conflict. Amy remembers two versions of history rather distinctly which I do find odd considering Rory was there with her at Lake Silencio during the events of The Impossible Astronaut. But here she doesn't know him so the story of them eventually reaching a point to go for a drink was superb. Amy was fully in control as always! The development of Amy being referred to as Amy Williams was actually really lovely too. A nice sense of maturity into the relationship. I'm not sure if it's hindsight and having watched the episode play out on a few occasions, but the 'previously on' containing a lot of Let's Kill Hitler really does make the resolution predictable with the Teselecta taking the place of the Doctor. It's really entertaining to watch unfold though and Dorium featuring just as a head and his gag about his injuries were terrific. I also loved his reaction to the Doctor dropping him off. A whole new world of the show is set forward here as the question of Doctor Who has never meant more. The oldest question that must never be answered. Setting forward the likes of Trenzalore is excellent and I like the cheeky look from the Doctor at the end as he knows he's won and survived a fixed point in time. River coming from the events of The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone to tell her mother that the Doctor lies was wonderful. Amy was delighted to know that her raggedy man had in fact survived. Some of the settings here are brilliant and going beneath the Pyramids and having the Silence encased in water cases was a sensational image. They were playing the waiting game though. The Doctor bringing down the religious sector by simply surviving and Kovarian being taken out was great stuff. After a really story arc heavy first half of the series, this serves as a fitting finale. It's almost like a part three but with ten episodes in between! 

Rating: 9/10