The War Master Part 2

"Some secrets are just dying to be told."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2024

Series: Dark Gallifrey 2.02

Featuring: War Master, Benny, Captain John

Synopsis

Amid the dreaming spires of Braxiatel University, Benny is dividing her time between her lectures, her cats, and managing the romantic advances of one of her students, John. 

The new Provost – such a nice old man – doesn't approve of their dalliance, and advises her not to get involved. For John wants to know about Dark Gallifrey, which is something Benny has done her best to forget, and thinks he can help her find it again. 

The funny thing is, the dear old Provost wants to find it first...

Verdict

The War Master continued in brilliant fashion with this second part within the Dark Gallifrey series! I’m still totally against the idea of naming each three-part instalment after the Time Lord that it focuses upon, but other than there isn’t a lot to complain about! I thought this followed up the first party very nicely and it was good to get that recap, especially with the recent issues with the Big Finish website and app delaying the release. It’s quite incredible really given the lore and almost mythical status of Dark Gallifrey that Benny actually did find a way there. She had left that behind now and it was clear that there had been a considerable amount of time passed since she found the way to the version of the planet in the story’s first part. Benny definitely did sound more mature in this episode which was really good. I loved that the episode was just a three-hander between a trio of characters I never thought would come together! The dynamic in particular between Benny and John was just gorgeous. There was instant chemistry and I liked that there was appeal on both sides. Even when the inevitable true intentions of Captain John were revealed, Benny knew that it couldn’t all be an act. He definitely took something of a shine towards her and that was clear when the Master was in the middle of killing her by preventing her from breathing. He was literally drawing the breath out of her, but John put a stop to it. I thought that was touching. Benny falling for the disguise of the War Master in the form of the provost was good and I liked the whole university setting. John was obviously not a student but his fascination in Benny’s lectures was soon explained once he question her on Dark Gallifrey. Having crossover from the world of Torchwood to something as important and the standing of Dark Gallifrey is fascinating. I’m a big fan of it and I like how it makes sense. John is a time agent from the fifty-first century after all so it’s more than feasible that he knows about the Time Lords. He would surely know about the Time War as well, so for the Master to be in the incarnation where he was within a temporal conflict as mentioned was good fun. The potential of Dark Gallifrey speaks for itself. I thought it was good how the Master and John came together and I was impressed with how much the latter was presented as being on the same level as the Time Lord. Both were out to kill the other, but preparations had been had which meant that wouldn’t happen. It was still a really fun enemy pairing though and the chemistry between all parties in the story made it a breeze to listen to. This was a lot of basically dialogue but it was very much enthralling. I liked how Benny was pushed into actually revealing the location of Dark Gallifrey, and having her return there and encounter the Imbomination again was terrific. It wasn’t even aware that Benny had departed and yet here she was again. Back to where it all started. And all she was really concerned about was her cats! As a two-cat owner, I could appreciate the need for a cat sitter. It was good humour though! I did like how when things were heading south for Benny, the Unbound Doctor returned for a surprise cameo to rescue Benny at the last minute. I really enjoyed that as it was promised in the last episode, and importantly included in the recap, that this was the plan. And it was very much last minute! I’m so happy that the first part wasn’t the end for the Unbound Doctor and David Warner as there definitely feels like unfinished business, and this was a nice way to continue things. Overall, a really intriguing story that had so much going for it with three very strong and unique characters. I loved it. And I can’t wait for the story’s finale! A great listen. 

Rating: 9/10

Femme Fatale

"Who would want to write a book about us?"

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 18

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Sam, Iris

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

Femme Fatale was not the greatest of short stories to conclude what has otherwise been a really strong More Short Trips book! This collection has been far reaching and wide ranging with the Doctors, companions and enemies we’ve encountered, but I must admit I have no idea what was going on during this adventure. It was clunky. It was confusing. It just didn’t make sense for the most part. There didn’t seem to be any kind of resolution. The point of view was jumping from traditional storytelling to first person with Iris as the narrator. It was so inconsistent. On numerous occasions I felt like I was reading words without actually piecing together what they meant in terms of storytelling. There was too much going on without explaining what was really happening which made this a rather frustrating reading experience. Maybe it’s just me? I’m not sure. I read this at 8.30am on a commute into work and I was pretty well rested but I couldn’t work out if Mother was meant to be the Brigadier and if the Doctor alongside them was the real article. It appeared not, but I couldn’t be sure. I did like the interaction between Sam and Iris as there’s definitely some strong potential there. It’s fun for Sam to learn about regeneration from Iris and here she was in her sixth incarnation now and she thought she looked the part. Respectfully, the description provided definitely seemed to put her more on the Doctor’s level than the version we see on the cover art for Big Finish. But this is some time prior to them picking up her own spinoff so it’s fun to explore the early interactions for the character. The story definitely had some good ideas within it and that’s especially evident with Sam wanting to change history. That should have been the entire focus. I liked that we were in 1968 and having her wanting to protect Andy and prevent him from being shot was admirable, but of course not something the Doctor would agree with. So naturally she came to Iris. That showed some maturity on her behalf and I liked that she was taking things into her own hands. The ambiguity regarding Valerie was weird and it never felt like we got a proper resolution or answer regarding the clones. I assume it was meant to be Mother and Doctor that were responsible given the gas infusion at the end, but that lack of clarity was frustrating. It would have been good to explore the 1968 setting a bit more than we did because there’s a lot of potential there. I was also annoyed by the format as the paragraphs just kept coming and we were jumping from scene to scene very frantically. There was no time to stop and take in what was happening. We got needlessly repeated text and too many descriptions of the Doctor’s green velvet coat, when we could have just had more of the Eighth Doctor himself. He felt a little absent from the story when he should have been more involved than just scoffing at Iris! Overall, not my most favourite of stories for sure. Sadly they saved the worst until last with this collection, but it was still a great book! Just a shame to end a downer. But onto the next one!

Rating: 4/10

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

"I found a spaceman in a field."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 25 December 2011

Series: 2011 Christmas Special

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

Christmas Eve, 1938. Madge Arwell comes to the aid of an injured Spaceman Angel, the Eleventh Doctor, who promises to repay her kindness - all she has to do is make a wish. Three years later, Madge escapes war-torn London with her two children for dilapidated house in Dorset. Crippled with grief at the news her husband has been lost over the English Channel, she wishes to give her children the best Christmas ever. The Arwells are greeted by the Doctor, who acts as their madcap caretaker. However, a mysterious Christmas gift from him leads them into a wintry, magical world. Madge must learn how to be braver than she ever thought possible... and that wishes can come true.

Verdict

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe was a decent episode to continue our modern rewatch! I must admit I wasn't exactly excited to get watching this Christmas Special for 2011 as I do believe it is comfortably the worst of the festive episodes within the modern era, but it's still not bad by any means as my rating reflects! I do think I enjoyed it more than I expected and whilst it's not ideal to be watching a Christmas story in the summer, I really did appreciate how well the theme was utilised. It felt festive and that was lovely! It does feel wrong that essentially for the second Christmas special in a row the Doctor is travelling without Amy and Rory, and the ramifications following on from The Wedding of River Song really are strong. He believes that his companions think him dead, but of course we know River revealed that isn't true. But still, here he is jollying about and I think Madge does a somewhat decent job of filling the role. I mean, there's only so much joy and enthusiasm a widow can bring to a story and it's clear that the impact of the Second World War is being felt. It's nice to get to know the Arwell family and whilst I wasn't a huge fan of Cyril, it's clear how much he loved his dad. The same could be said for Lily too but she was a little older and more mature which meant she was very much interested in the Doctor. I thought this introduction to the manor as the caretaker was good fun and the sheer joy he had in showing Lily and Cyril their room of wonder was magnificent. Hammocks! What wasn't to love? The moment he goes to jump on them and completely misses falling between them had me in stitches. They very much do seem to have developed a fault. I thought the open was a little strange and just unnecessary with the use of the impact suit seeing the Doctor fall to Earth from an impossible height, but it was a good introduction for Madge and the fact he had the suit on the wrong way around was good to preserve the fact they'd actually met already when we got to three years later. He recognised the driving too when in the Androzani vehicle as it was a little bumpy to say the least! Cyril going exploring through the dimensional door and into the world that was to be harvested was good, and the Doctor and Lily going after him was pretty fun if not a little long. I thought the design of the Wooden King and Queen was superb and my first reaction when seeing the King was disbelief that Eaglemoss never released a special figure! It seemed perfect for such a thing. Unfortunately, the design is where their successes seem to finish as they don't seem that great as part of the episode. Wooden people as avatars essentially and even the building being fake? It was a little much for my liking. It was a nice moment though for Madge to be the one strong enough to pilot as what could do such a job more than the mother ship? It bordered cheesy, but the power that came from her emotional reveal to her children that their father had died when we were seeing her memories was huge. We'd seen how he courted her to marriage but now we could potentially see him die. Except thanks to Madge piloting through the Time Vortex itself, she could be the light that Reg would follow and she brought him to safety and to the future of Christmas Day! It was an emotional ending that was really nice to see a family thought permanently broken apart brought back together. And it was nice for Madge to push the Doctor into telling his friends that he wasn't exactly dead. He'd been gone for two years as far as Amy and Rory were concerned, but neither was surprised to see him which surprised the Doctor somewhat. It was beautiful though to see the theme of happy tears carried full circle by the end of the episode when the Doctor learned that his companions always left a place for him at their table. Here he was ready for Christmas with the Ponds and that was just beautiful. Overall, a strong special as a whole! 

Rating: 7/10

Visitants: The Last Line of Defence

"It's time for you to decide which side you're on, Brigadier."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: December 2022

Series: UNIT: Brave New World 2.03

Featuring: Bambera

Synopsis

With the civil war in Valge Maja threatening to spark an even greater conflict, Bambera is put in charge of security at a secret Millennium Eve peace conference to settle the matter. But as all of Earth's leaders gather to debate the future of humanity, dark forces have conspired to ensure that this meeting will usher in a terrifying New World Order – and with the clock ticking, who can possibly stand in their way?    

Verdict

The Last Line of Defence was a strong episode to conclude the Visitants second series of UNIT's Brave New World! As it stands, this is the end of the line for the spinoff series and I think it does end really well. I'm starting at the conclusion but I thought it was really great to have the episode set on New Year's Eve and it wasn't just any old year! 1999 is obviously a big year so seeing UNIT bring in the new millennium was good fun. It just feels like the right kind of time for an alien threat and whilst the Eighth Doctor was taking on the Master over in San Francisco as part of The Movie, there was another threat on the British shores in the form of the Zeta Hydri. I liked the reveal and the revelation regarding the phone call at the end of The Frequency as a subtle warning for the Brigadier was good stuff. It explained a lot and whilst it wasn't perhaps the most exciting of reveals, it made sense and tied in well with the story. I loved the continuity in having the Hoplite Frequency being used once again and the Zeta Hydri were thinking that they were very much in control. They were quite taunting towards Rix when she explained what she knew of it, and the inclusion of sonic feedback was sensational. She was mocked, And then one turned to literal sludge. Rix working out that the organic that acted as the receptor was within and couldn't be removed, unlike her own earpiece. That was tremendous stuff but she was a little guilty as she only wanted to show what she was capable of and not actually bring about a death! Colonel Birch was very impressed though! I thought given the warnings he'd been instructing Bambera with that they would have had a little more time together, but he actually developed a strong relationship with Rix. I enjoyed them a lot. I enjoyed the throwback to Rogue State with the positioning of the civil war within Valge Maja which was a reminder that despite this spinoff series only being six episodes long, we really have come a long way! It does feel a slight shame that there hasn't been any further continuation yet, but it really does end perfectly to send UNIT off into the modern era. We would see UNIT come into play on screen in Aliens of London/World War Three which is set in 2006, and with the UNIT team here seeing their state of play move to the Tower of London that's a fine bridge between eras. I thought that was just wonderful. What was less wonderful was the traitors at play in the episode. It was a little surprising to find that Dame Lydia had sold out to the Zeta Hydri and was willing to offer a power share. Why she thought it would be accepted by the rest of the population is beyond me, but I loved Bambera's reaction. She was disgusted by the decision that was supposedly in the interests of mankind. The use of sound against them is a pretty good mitigating factor and Lydia looked a bit stupid for thinking she got ahead of the game and stopped the destruction of her species. It didn't take too long for UNIT to step in, arrest her, and broker some peace talks. That was a fitting ending really and rounded things out very nicely. The last line of defence indeed! UNIT did a job well done. I did find the balloon cover story very amusing though and it really is a reminder that the general public will believe anything told to them. Overall, a really strong audio to round out what has been an enjoyable boxset! I hope this isn't the last of the Brave New World.

Rating: 8/10

Visitants: Haunt

"Ghosts aren't science."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: December 2022

Series: UNIT: Brave New World 2.02

Featuring: Bambera

Synopsis

Bambera joins Rix on an excursion up north to investigate strange goings on at the abandoned Greensands Hotel. Are local legends true that the hotel is haunted by a murderous bogeyman known as Baghead, or is there a more down-to-earth explanation? The only way to uncover the truth is to stay in the hotel overnight, but their digging into the building's past has awoken something that would have been better left alone.

Verdict

Haunt was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Visitants second series of UNIT's Brave New World! This was perhaps my favourite of the entire spinoff range so far and that might just be because of how different it felt. The atmosphere was completely different from the Brave New World episodes we have had so far and that was a big bonus. It was refreshing. I liked the move up north and whilst Savarin was very much on the back burner for this story, Rix was allowed to shine. She was almost obsessed with the legend of the Greensands Hotel which was fascinating and it really did feel like a kind of unsolved mysteries vibe. That was tremendous stuff. Rix convincing Bambera to stay overnight was quite fun and you could tell that the Brigadier wasn't all that interested in staying over. One night was bad enough and with breakfast promised, Rix did manage to persuade her. She wasn't putting a whole lot of effort into her tape recordings and I found it amusing that considering the organisation she is Brigadier of and the history of what they have encountered, that she was so willing to disregard the potential of a haunted hotel. The way she just shunned off all of the evidence was amusing. She had an answer for everything as well! Distorted sound? An already recorded on tape? She wasn't accepting that there was anything wrong at play. I could have got frustrated by this because of her position and the assumed intelligence and experience to reach that role, but it was just reminiscent of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart when he was Brigadier. He would never believe what the Doctor saw as the obvious when it came to alien involvement. I liked that subtle way of paying homage. Taking UNIT up north was good and I liked that Rix felt a little more at home. She really did shine in this episode. The science behind the haunted hotel was fun to explore and it was something which Bambera couldn't understand. Their dynamic was great throughout the story! I thought we might have gotten something more to follow up the cliffhanger at the end of the The Frequency last time out, but it wasn't coming. Maybe there'll be a follow up in the finale to explain? I thought the rituals being in play was very intriguing and I really liked the moment that Rix and Bambera recreated the one of Clare Yale's. The emergence of Baghead was very interesting and I liked the history behind him. Rix being questioned on why she was listening to the audio recordings confirmed there was something more at play, and Bambera being convinced that Climber was still alive was something I really enjoyed. I liked that she was correct and the whole concept of the MP's involvement felt like it was coming. But it wasn't any less of a pay off with the animated corpse. It was quite the image being painted. I thought the change of attitude by Lantern Construction at the end was decent as they would create a memorial on the site instead of their initial plans, and the animation that was Baghead was defeated and destroyed. That was perhaps slightly too easily, but I could appreciate everything that was being done in the episode. It was unique, had a chilled feeling and kept me engaged throughout. I also really appreciated the radio inserts! They were a thing of art that helped with the different feel of the story. Overall, a tremendous listen! 

Rating: 9/10

Visitants: The Frequency

"This is too important to be ignored."

Writer: Tajinder Signh Hayer

Format: Audio

Released: December 2022

Series: UNIT: Brave New World 2.01

Featuring: Bambera

Synopsis

UNIT has been invited to take part in the testing of a top-secret US Air Force project designed to make military groups function better as a team: the 'Hoplite Frequency'. However, the implications of this powerful mind-altering technology make Sergeant Savarin uncomfortable. Will Bambera heed the misgivings of her loyal Number Two, or take the charismatic Colonel Hagen up on his offer and choose to embrace the Frequency?

Verdict

The Frequency was a great little story to kick off the Visitants second series of UNIT's Brave New World! I am still so intrigued that Big Finish decided to make a spinoff series of the 1980/90s UNIT team but the potential there is endless. Whilst Brigadier Bambera probably isn't as enticing or exciting as a character compared to Kate Stewart of the modern instalment of the organisation, she carries the story well and it's lovely to be reunited with her, Savarin and Rix. They make for a really strong trio to carry this version of UNIT. It feels pretty crazy that it's nearly a year now since I listened to the Seabird One first series, but this felt very much isolated and not relying on any kind of continuity. I feel like a new kind of story arc is starting here with how the episode ended and the mysterious phone call. That was ominous which worked and suited the atmosphere brought by this UNIT era. I liked the idea of UNIT getting involved in some top secret testing because they really are the perfect kind of organisation to aid. The US Air Force obviously have quite the reputation so bringing in the military organisation of UNIT makes sense, but I think they got a bit more than they bargained for! I thought the concept behind the Hoplite Frequency was very good and on the whole it was actually rather simple. That was a huge benefit as despite the technical knowhow of those in the story, for the listener it was easy to understand and that's what you want. I felt rather sorry for McClean throughout the story as she was manipulated, but her moment of triumph at the end was terrific after Bambera had given her the calling card. She hadn't loaded the gun just when it seemed like Hagen was going to get away with everything. I thought his testing was unique to say the least but I was impressed with how much of the actual experiment we got to experience as the listener. Bambera was getting stuck into the thick of the action despite her status as Brigadier which I enjoyed, and it was certainly a trying test! The development of linked thought when it came to the simple questions of thinking of a number, colour, capital city, and then what one would do if a cat was stuck in a tree was fascinating. It developed quickly and I liked the idea of it learning from the information it provided. This was innovative stuff for the time period even though it wasn't all that long ago. Rix even being confused by how it had been pulled off was great stuff. I thought she was a little quiet but when she was allowed time she absolutely shone. I thought Savarin having stolen some earplugs from the shooting range was a little bit like cheating when it came to blocking out the frequency, but that was soon mitigated by the McClean gun reveal that would lead to Hagen's arrest. That seems a fitting end in a UNIT type of story as we don't really need that kind of emphatic finish that we usually get when the Doctor is around. The enemy often dies, but here he will face the full force of the law. UNIT style. I like that. It feels right. Bambera gets a big win and the UNIT team are off to a flyer this series! The late phone call was just the right amount of intrigue to keep me wanting more and I'll definitely be back to find out who's behind the phone! Overall, a really strong series opener! A thoroughly enjoyable episode! 

Rating: 8/10

The Hans of Fear

"Never meet her gaze."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: May-August 2024

Printed in: DWM 604-607

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

Nineteenth century Copenhagen, and something is haunting the stories of Hans Christian Andersen. Are his tales really his? Will Ruby become a fairy? The wrath of Snedronningen will be felt. 

Verdict

The Hans of Fear was a decent story to continue the ongoing comic strip adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby within the pages of Doctor Who Magazine! I've started to take a different approach with this comic strip now as instead of reading each part as I read the respective issue of the magazine, I've decided to hold off until it completes and read in one go. I feel it's the best approach and keeps things fresh instead of ending up reading multiple parts multiple times. I think it's the best way to move forward, especially with this being the current storytelling device! Of course, that is until Christmas at least. This obviously takes place prior to The Legend of Ruby Sunday/Empire of Death as well and it was good to acknowledge the in series continuity by making reference to the snow that has been following the Doctor and Ruby since The Church on Ruby Road. It was different snow this time around though and not the mysterious memory version. This was signalling the arrival of an Ice Queen in the form of Snedronningen who made for a strong villain. She was no native of Mars, but I enjoyed how she was able to toy with the elements. I also appreciated the suggestion that she was of a different reality and perhaps tying in with the whole emergence of gods that has followed the series since Wild Blue Yonder and beyond. It makes it feel authentic and genuinely part of the ongoing series storytelling. The only reason I think this story gets a slightly lower rating than it perhaps deserved is the format of the comic strip itself. I just don't think six pages is enough content to allow for compelling storytelling. By the time something has started and got into gear, we're already building up for a cliffhanger! I think it would be beneficial to just get rid of the cliffhangers and tell a story over twenty-four pages for example without the breaks. Just present six pages of the story each issue. But hey ho, as long as we're getting content then I'm happy! I really enjoyed the setting and I loved how happy the Doctor was to be encountering Hans. He seemed to have a history with the author (I mean what historical figure doesn't he have history with by now?) and was thrilled to introduce him to Ruby. I thought the characterisation and illustration of Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor was excellent, but I didn't have the same kind of sentiment when it came to Ruby. Her illustration didn't seem consistent, but I must admit I loved the idea of her being experimented on to become a fairy! More should have been made of that. It wasn't tapped into enough and I do wish she would have been able to utilise some sort of fairy ability. I did like that she was able to round up the troops of those also subjected to the Snedronningen experiments, but she felt a little out of the way. The concept of belief when it came to Snedronningen was good and without it, she quickly lost her power. Seeing her diminish at the end into a miniature version of herself was amusing, although the ending did seem to come slightly too quick for my liking. It came all of a sudden with Ruby having her fairy wings just dissolved in a flash. I get that it was to stop her mid-flight, but almost immediately she was saved. A little more trepidation would have been welcomed! I thought the reveal of one of the tin soldiers actually being the father of Hans and his contract terms of protecting his son having been broken was terrific. That worked very well and I liked how he was smiling at the end as his son was safe and returned to the normal world. He wouldn't be so lucky which was a shame, but he did his son well which was brilliant. Hans enjoying the storytelling devices and seeing the wonder in a young boy thinking he saw a mermaid was a nice way to end things. Overall, a good little comic strip adventure!  

Rating: 7/10

Dark Contract

"Women can't afford to be moral in this world."

Writer: Will Hadcroft

Format: Audio

Released: August 2024

Series: BBC Audio 25

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands on Earth in the 1830s, Tegan is keen to explore Dickensian London. The grim realities of poverty and destitution are sobering, with conditions exacerbated by the New Poor Law. Yet something else is affecting those most in need – something not of this world. 

As the Doctor falls into the hands of the law, and Tegan and Nyssa are abducted by a brutish pair of ne'er-do-wells, Adric finds himself on an altogether different plane, at the heart of the malaise affecting the capital city. 

For the beings who have formed a deadly contract with the people of Earth, the presence of TARDIS travellers in London is inconvenient, to say the least...

Verdict

Dark Contract was a great audio adventure to continue the releases from BBC Audio! I actually managed to listen to this one free of charge thanks to a recognition reward at my workplace being well spent on Amazon, and it was a delight! The quartet of the Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan is definitely underrated in my opinion and whilst things can tend to get too crowded, I didn't feel like there was any such trouble here. That's impressive with four main characters to balance, but in this kind of format you can really focus on just one. That's what happened here with Adric. Matthew Waterhouse was brilliant in the narration and I was also thoroughly impressed with his impression of the Doctor. Both of them! I really liked the journey Adric went on when he visited the different plane acknowledged in the story synopsis, as he went back through his life that we've seen in Doctor Who. It was really lovely to hear how he thought of the Fourth Doctor as a father figure and had that close relationship with Romana. Despite what some critics might say, he has certainly matured since departing E-Space and that was evident in the flashbacks on display here. He's come a very long way. I thought it was good fun for Tegan to be a little disappointed at not getting back to her own time, but she was still very interested in exploring history. She loved the idea of wondering around Dickensian London which on paper sounds rather beautiful, but in reality it was perhaps not. I loved that in 1835 the country was still reeling from the New Poor Law and that's something I know very well thanks to my A-Level History studies. It was a prominent feature of my British History modules and I actually really enjoyed it! It was a lovely reminder and step back into my own past which put a smile on my face. I thought the unnamed aliens that were feeding on the particular 'juices' of humanity which fuelled them were intriguing and by the end they didn't turn that monstrous or villainous. They were essentially trying to survive and whilst their means were not exactly balanced, it was nature and survival of the fittest on a grand scale. I appreciated the necessity. I was a little surprised by Adric's dismay at what they were doing as he hasn't typically cared too much for humanity so it was good to hear him take a stand. I thought their knowledge of Traken was quite something and the calm manner in which they reflected on it no longer being there was chilling. That must have been a chilling reminder for Nyssa of what she had suffered. The concept of the contract that bound the poor to giving themselves up to death, eventually, in return for monetary euphoria was really fascinating and I couldn't argue too much with the reasoning. They were going to die of malnutrition soon enough if they didn't agree, so what did they really have to lose? The Doctor of course wasn't all that happy with the situation and knew that he could find a manufactured substitute for their needs. With Nyssa and the TARDIS laboratory to play with, it was easy going and they did indeed come up with a quick solution. The fee was merely releasing everybody else from their contracts and going away. It ended rather neatly with the agreement and it was fun at the end for the Doctor to not get to know who they were at all. And that was all fair game really as they didn't know who he was either. That was a unique little twist which I thought was fun and good natured. Overall, a really strong audio adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Missing, Part Two: Message in a Bottle

"There is no escape."

Writers: Robert Perry & Mike Tucker

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 17

Featuring: Mel

Synopsis

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

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

Verdict

Missing, Part Two: Message in a Bottle was a fascinating little story to continue my reading of the More Short Trips collection! And when I say little, I really do mean it. I’m not sure in my 3,300+ blog entries if I have covered a story that would be shorter than this. Without the title and author names on the page, the actual body of text would not have covered a whole page. That’s quite baffling really! I’m amazed that there were two authors penning this adventure in the first place considering just how small it was, but that’s part of the fun niche aspect of it. I did enjoy it but it seems strange as it was literally about forty seconds to read! And I thought some of the audio short trips were small in duration! This one definitely takes the biscuit. I do feel slightly harsh in giving the rating I have but considering just how short it is I don’t feel like I can give it any higher. Essentially, nothing really happens. It just tells the rather simple journey of a bottle with a message in it as it plunders through space aimlessly. I do like the continuity from Dragonfire in that Mel did actually send one, but I think it would have been great to read the message. It’s not like the story was short on room! Or even just a glimpse. A paragraph. Anything from the message inside would have been good. I get the privacy element but surely as an avid reader and fan we deserved a peep? It was good for Mel to ponder on if the message would ever reach the Doctor and I guess if she didn’t have contact from him as a return message then she can assume it never reached him? I mean, the whole of space is a big place and the Doctor rarely sticks around long enough. And the odds are also then inconsequentially reduced by the fact he also travels in time. The odds of him getting it are surreal, but it’s fun to think about. It then makes it a huge shame that we get the little quirk at the end of the TARDIS, just for a second, being reflected in the bottle’s glass. Briefly. But too briefly. Which Doctor? We’d never know. And that’s part of something fun to think about too. What if the Third Doctor for example found the bottle and saw the message within? Would he be weirded out by the red strand of hair? Would he want to read about a glimpse into his future? There are a lot of potential questions here! It’s impressive that there is so much to think about when it comes to a story that is literally a single page in a book, but that is the fun of it. I’m a big fan and I’m surprised in myself for giving it its own blog entry! I’d definitely have included it with the first part if it followed on immediately as the next chapter/instalment in the book, but it was so much further down the way. I didn’t want to read ahead as I like to experience the book, where practical, in the order intended by the editor. I don’t like to jump ahead. Well, this blog entry will be much longer than the actual story itself but there’s not much more to say! I enjoyed it and it got me pondering which is good fun. Overall, for what it was, an intriguing little read for sure! 

Rating: 7/10

Good Companions

"Why is it the good people who have to die?"

Writer: Peter Angelides

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 16

Featuring: The Doctor, Anna, Tegan

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

Good Companions was a very intriguing little adventure to continue my reading through the More Short Trips collection! This was one of the longer ones with it reaching close to thirty pages and that really allowed room for the story to develop. For this kind of adventure, I think it needed that space to breathe. That was especially evident when it came to the more frequent jump in narrative format from Tegan's perspective as the writer of the book that shares the same title as this very story, and then the scenes in the TARDIS. I think it's always interesting to approach a story with an unspecified incarnation of the Doctor. Of course, back in 1999 when this book was released there had only been eight seen, but by now we're on the Fifteenth Doctor and even then we've also got the additions of the Fugitive and War incarnations which takes us up to seventeen, and none of them match the description of the one that features here! That's absolutely fine and I love the prospect of getting a glimpse into the future. The TARDIS interior now having a staircase isn't exactly a surprise and the scale presented here was actually really good. I would love to know more about Anna as a companion as she seemed rather inquisitive and quite brash towards her Doctor. She definitely shared a few similarities with Tegan there! I think this adventure is actually quite a sad one for Tegan as it basically establishes that she had a mental breakdown following on from her departure at the end of Resurrection of the Daleks. Given everything she went through on her travels in the TARDIS, that wouldn't actually be that surprising and it really does just make her sudden decision to leave all the more hurtful. The Doctor knows he should have checked up on her, but he didn't and that led her to the care facility of Shawlands. It was really quite saddening to think that she thought of all her time in the TARDIS as fiction. She had an image in her mind of the Doctor and linking back to Logopolis where her Aunt Vanessa died as the start of her breakdown was honestly heartbreaking. I felt so sorry for her and I was half expecting everything to be a dream from which she would awake, but alas it was not to be which was a big shame! I do love the idea though of her having written a book and it ending up in the TARDIS library. It absolutely belongs there. The concept behind the virtual library there and it showing books based on one's experiences and even karma was exciting stuff. More of that please. Anna confronting the Doctor about his guilt towards Tegan was strong stuff and it was definitely something he wished could be changed, but the past shapes the future and now he couldn't change that. I did think we perhaps had a little too much from the first person point of view of Tegan as a lot of the story wasn't wholly that exciting when it was just her ordinary life, but I did like the meeting on the train where the future Doctor brushed feet with Tegan. She thought he could be her fictional Doctor as the man now known as Dr Smith, but she was convinced otherwise. Appearances could be deceptive and it seems a little odd given that Tegan witnessed a regeneration that she would think her Doctor would just get old. She'd seen him change, why couldn't it have happened again? I guess a breakdown does that to you. It was quite sad to ponder in the end, but as a whole it was an intriguing little glimpse into what could have been for Tegan in life after the TARDIS. I must say though, thankfully The Power of the Doctor has essentially retconned this and given her more of a fitting ongoing life post-Doctor. She was still the Tegan we know and love, and that's terrific. Overall, a strong read regardless! 

Rating: 7/10

The Sonomancer

"A little chaos is good for the soul."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2016

Series: Doom Coalition 2.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, River

Synopsis

On the other side of the galaxy a mining company is exploiting the already unstable planet of Syra for every precious mineral it contains. River Song is attempting to save the native people. She needs the Doctor's help, but she also knows he mustn't yet discover her true identity. The final confrontation sees the Doctor once again face his enemy the Eleven in an attempt to prevent the destruction of Syra and the genocide of its inhabitants.

Verdict

The Sonomancer was a great episode to conclude the second volume of Doom Coalition and bringing to an end another successful boxset within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was an exciting finale, but at the same time I can't help but feel the pace didn't quite match the build up. That's not a huge problem, it was just something that caught me a little off guard. I was hoping for a bit more oomph but instead it was a bit of a slower speed. I liked how things started with River and it's exciting for her to get to encounter incarnations of the Doctor that she shouldn't be able to meet. And that's pretty much what happens here! She gets to interact with Helen and Liv which I was a massive fan of, but she was kept away from the Doctor. I understand why this is necessary to protect long term continuity, but it does feel like a little bit of a short change given that we basically had this exact scenario in The Rulers of the Universe so it felt slightly repeated. It is a fun quirk though for River to ponder on what this incarnation of the Doctor is up to and her reaction when going through her diary and Helen pointed out which face he was wearing was brilliant. It wasn't her ideal choice that's for sure! It did provide a good element of the episode though in making sure that they couldn't meet, with River only hearing the voice at the end as he was oncoming. I thought the Eleven felt a little less prominent in this story which I would not have expected at the start of the boxset in having his build towards him showing up again, but that's testament to the added strength of Caleera as a villain. She's really good as the Sonomancer and I thought her proximity to sound gave her some strong Maestro vibes! I do get the feeling that with her alongside the Eleven here that we're getting the beginnings of the umbrella series title in the form of a coalition. It would be quite embarrassing if I'm wrong there! I thought the setting of Syra was actually brilliant and the idea of the Doctor and Liv in particular spending a lot of the episode inside a volcano was fantastic! It was unique that's for sure and I liked how dangerous it sounded. Especially considering the volcano literally was being dug into and showing holes. That felt particularly wrong! The continuity from The Gift was good and I liked how that seemed to have lured the Doctor here. The Eleven and Caleera were now after it which is ironic given that she literally handed it to the Doctor in the previous episode! The Eleven wanting to witness the Doctor die was a good sense of evil and it was once again good fun to hear the previous incarnations within the current. The Five in particularly was given some time to shine which was terrific! I really liked the comment from the Eleven regarding River as being an amalgamation almost including some Time Lord elements, and I adored her shock at discovering that there were other Time Lords present. Of course for her the Time War had been and gone so there shouldn't be any left. Helen feeling guilty towards the end of the episode for being the one that helped Caleera be saved by the Doctor only for her now to wipe out the planet of Syra was fantastic. She was really hard done by which was understandable considering that a whole planet was now gone! I actually really enjoyed the open-ended conclusion with the Eleven's TARDIS showing no trace for the Doctor to follow whilst he was saved by the Sonomancer. She had transcended which was intriguing and I expect that we'll be catching up with them again before the series concludes. Overall, a really strong audio! 

Rating: 8/10

The Gift

"Tomorrow is the end of the world."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: March 2016

Series: Doom Coalition 2.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

The TARDIS deposits its crew on Earth in San Francisco, 1906. There they find an actor-manager desperate to stage his definitive production of King Lear. But a real storm is headed their way when he becomes the possessor of a mysterious psychic 'Gift' which is hungry for power and intent on wreaking havoc and destruction. But exposure to so much psychic activity has the Doctor becoming increasingly erratic. Can he battle his demons and save the world?

Verdict

The Gift was another great episode to continue my way through the second volume of Doom Coalition within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! This one felt a little more detached from the opening two episodes which was absolutely fine, but we did get immediate continuity from the cliffhanger finish of Scenes From Her Life with the TARDIS enduring a very bumpy ride indeed. I liked playing with the idea of the TARDIS being without power as that presents a good sense of vulnerability, and the Doctor even needing to manually open the doors was good fun. I loved that we took the Eighth Doctor back to San Francisco because as he mentioned, this was essentially where he was born. Except this was ninety-three years into the future. It's intriguing the connection this incarnation has with the city and the 1906 setting was very strong. I was a big fan actually although I was quite amused by Helen describing it as pre-history. It was only five or six decades prior to her own time! She bowed to Liv's superior experience in travelling with the Doctor and numerous times which she did embrace rather well. I thought the presence of the titular Gift was strong and playing with desires and power is always something that works pretty well. The Doctor suffering showed just how powerful the Gift was, although his solution of getting a haircut was not exactly what I was expecting! He was clearly not in the right state of mind and the image of him running around San Francisco with only half a completed haircut was tremendous. It was quite something! I must admit I was a little surprised with how long it took for Caleera to actually show up as the power behind the Gift, partly because it was just so predictable. Given that the TARDIS was on the hunt for her and had followed the trail, who else was it seriously going to be? She was strangely willing for the Doctor to take the Gift from McLean who was rather dismayed at being ordered to give it up. He was a decent character throughout and I liked the ragtag bunch of men we got to meet as part of the Gift being passed around. That was a unique little part of the Gift that added a different twist, but it meant people got greedy and selfish. There was certainly a strong sense of entitlement in the episode. Mr Deluca using the companions as hostages was good and made him a pretty unlikeable character as intended, but the Doctor never seemed worried and I liked how he clearly had a long laid out plan. The use of the Gift to actually recharge the TARDIS was clever and really did backfire on Caleera! I wonder what role she will play in the finale as it seems everything points towards a reunion given her connection and history with the Eleven, but it also appears that the Doctor and his companions will have some unexpected help! The little cliffhanger finish of the Doctor receiving a note in the TARDIS proclaiming 'hello sweetie' was so exciting! Whilst River has met this incarnation of the Doctor before, he was unaware of who she was way back in the first series of The Diary of River Song, but we're bound to get more interaction now in this finale which is hugely exciting. Overall, a fun little visit to 1906 San Francisco but now I'm all set up and excited for what should be an explosive finale! A great listen. 

Rating: 8/10

Scenes From Her Life

"Your mind is a window to me."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: March 2016

Series: Doom Coalition 2.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

Investigating the appearance of the Voord on Earth, the Doctor, Liv and Helen follow a trail which takes them to the other side of the universe. There they discover a mysterious and almost deserted gothic city lost in space and time, in which the grotesque inhabitants are conducting a vile and inhumane experiment. The Doctor and his companions must hurry to save the lives of those in danger before the experiment is a success and the unimaginable consequences become all too real. 

Verdict

Scenes From Her Life was an excellent episode to continue my way through the second volume of Doom Coalition! The Eighth Doctor Adventures really do seem to be heating up and whilst they've been great for so long now, this feels like another step up is coming and I'm absolutely ready for it! I loved the continuity we had from Beachhead with the Doctor and his companions visiting the very point in space where the Voord home world had stood, but was now simply gone. What could cause destruction on a planetary scale? I liked how Helen was a little cautious about the prospect of going after what caused that because of the obvious dangers, and whilst the TARDIS was big and the Doctor assured her of its protection, it wasn't planet level big. I am really enjoying the realism that Helen is bringing as a companion. Long may it continue. I loved the idea of the TARDIS landing within a TARDIS but this one had gone somewhat wrong! It had been exposed to the Vortex for far too long and had even lost its outer shell. No wonder the path following the artron energy was blocked! And it was expanding with a collision almost occurring. The description of the Gothic style was good and I liked how that seemed to match my image of early Gallifrey. This was a TARDIS even older than the Doctor's and its inhabitants in the form of Stormblood and Sepulchra were fascinating characters. They clearly weren't sane but they wouldn't let that be how they were looked upon! They firmly believed they were fine despite not really remembering their childhood and having been within the TARDIS since they could remember. There were a lot of things in play from since they could remember, but ironically they couldn't exactly remember how long that had been. I thought that was quite fun. The inclusion of the Eleven in a brief cameo flashback was good and it really helped make Caleera out to be a fine enemy. The twist regarding her was brilliant as it seemed she was being tormented and experimented upon, only for it to be her own experiment! I thought it was good to get an explanation regarding the Voord home world and Caleera using her incredible telepathic ability to destroy it as a test was quite incredible! It showed just how much power she wielded and it's no surprise that she was wanted to take suppressants. Her power could be dangerous. It's also then no wonder that the Eleven welcomed her visiting him. Strong continuity across the board here which I'm a huge fan of hearing! I thought Swordfish was a fun character and definitely one that was brutal. Injection of fear was not something short in this character and I like the quirky name. I'm surprised there wasn't more of a reaction to that! Liv and Helen ignoring the Doctor's instructions of staying in the TARDIS was a terrific moment too, especially with Helen being the one to suggest it and ask how long they would typically leave it after receiving such instructions. The Doctor enhancing Caleera's power at the end as the means to free was good, except things went a little far and the old TARDIS was breaking up and set for destruction. That was quite emphatic and I enjoyed Liv's rushing to get to a TARDIS that wasn't actually being destroyed. I must admit the little cliffhanger finish took me off guard, but the idea of bringing half of the older TARDIS back to real space was fun and definitely does indeed sound like a bumpy ride! I'm excited to hear where things go from here. Overall, a fantastic adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

Beachhead

"The TARDIS is stone cold dead."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: March 2016

Series: Doom Coalition 2.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

In an attempt to recharge his batteries after his confrontation with the Eleven, the Doctor takes Liv and Helen to the sleepy English seaside village of Stegmoor. But they find the village in turmoil and, to make matters worse, their arrival uncovers a mystery from the Doctor's past which threatens the future safety of the planet. Can the Doctor prevent the Voord from invading Earth? And more importantly, why have they come in the first place?

Verdict

Beachhead was a strong episode to kick off the second volume of Doom Coalition within the ongoing Eighth Doctor Adventures! I was delighted when I saw the cover artwork for this story as the Voord are such an exciting race to be bringing back. I am an almighty fan of The Keys of Marinus for their debut and with just one other performed appearance by Big Finish, it's great to hear them encounter another incarnation of the Doctor. I like the mystery of their home world being destroyed and them needing a new place to rebuild in the form of planet Earth, but who could be responsible for such a change of history? That's quite dramatic and it sets us up nicely for the rest of the boxset, as this was far from a holiday for the Doctor and his companions. I liked how disappointed Helen was by the prospect of going to Stegmoor because with the TARDIS they literally had all of history and space at their fingertips, but the Doctor wanted to go to a small English village? That didn't exactly sound exciting on paper. She was though rather interested in being in the year 2017 which was in her future, but not too far. Her first thoughts being to get in contact with people she knew was fun stuff and I liked her inquisitive mind. I thought the coming of a flood was brilliant and the TARDIS getting pulled along for the ride was good, but the real life cataclysm of several of the population drowning was horrifying. It was a very real world threat and those often work best. The Doctor sharing a history with Phillipa Gregson was nice and I liked how he'd met her before during his third incarnation with UNIT. I did have to do some quick research to see if this encounter exists anywhere, but alas it remains an unseen adventure. That's absolutely fine, and I liked how the events still haunted her. She'd signed the Official Secrets Act and because of it had eventually lost her husband, and even then she wouldn't tell her own daughter too much of what had happened. That was quite sad. I liked how she slowly accepted thanks to the police box and the nature of what was happening that the Eighth Doctor was still the man she had met, even though he was now younger. I thought the Doctor pondering on the days with Liza Shaw and the Brigadier was a nice touch as well. He genuinely seemed to remember them fondly which is lovely. I enjoyed the build to the Voord appearing and Liv showcased her medical abilities in deducing that they were far from human. Ishtek was a good front for the race and the theme of water feels right given their proximity to the acid water back on Marinus. I did think they were perhaps defeated a little too easily with the shots from anti terrorist police, but it was rather emphatic! The Doctor's explanation of crushing the ship with rocks was quite fun and I liked the subtle mockery of some past explanations at the end of story. Some scientific jargon from the Doctor wasn't going to be sufficient for Helen and Liv which was really fun. We've got quite the TARDIS trio on our hands here and I'm excited for what's to come next! Tellat was a decent addition as another Voord and he seemed a little more dangerous. One thing I would have liked to have been improved for the episode was the voices of the Voord. They sounded just a tad too human without the visual aid, but it wasn't a big issue. The humour of the Doctor trying to sneak away and having no issues in dematerialising the TARDIS in front of anti terror police was great. They had more important things like an alien corpse to deal with! Overall, a really strong story to kick off the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Signs and Wonders

"A god's passing has the power to shake all things to their foundation."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: September 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 191

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Hector/Hex, Sally

Synopsis 

The end of the world is night. That's what everybody is seeing in their nightmares. That's why they are congregating in Liverpool for the party to end all parties, hosted by Rufus Stone, a celebrity turned doomsday prophet. He claims he's the only one who can save them when the day of judgement comes. Because he's on the side of the angels. 

The Doctor, Ace and Hector arrive to find the city in the grip of apocalypse fever. There are lights in the sky, earthquakes and power cuts. The Doctor is determined to investigate, while Ace is more concerned about finding a way of restoring Hector's lost memories. 

Meanwhile, in the river Mersey, hides, slug-like creatures are stirring...

Verdict

Signs and Wonders was a decent story to round out the latest trilogy of Monthly Adventures for the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hector. It seems to have also finally concluded Hex's time as companion which I must say has felt a little unnecessarily elongated. I was not a fan of the Hector persona and I really do think it takes away from Hex's death. What we had in Afterlife was strong and a nice way to kind of pay homage to the companion, but for some reason most companions just can't stay dead. Why must we persist with giving characters a happy ending? I hated it on screen with the likes of Clara and Bill and I just wish Hex had his final ending as we've already heard numerous releases ago. In saying that, I do think it's quite poetic and nice that he ends up with Sally Morgan who made a fine return here, but it all feels a bit random at the end with the Doctor and Ace popping forward fifteen years and just checking in to say hello. The continuation of the Elder Gods theme was good and I liked the mystery that brings as the potential in the Gods is obviously strong. There was the expected reference to Gods and Monsters with the name dropping of Fenric and Weyland, but also a fun reminder of The Greatest Show in the Galaxy and the Gods of Ragnarok. To'Koth was in that same vain which immediately gave him some kind of credence and the devotion Praska had towards him as a servant was incredible. She was overwhelmed and overawed by the very prospect of communicating with him. The Doctor less so. One thing I did notice in the story which was a bit annoying was that there was just far too much of the Doctor talking to himself out loud. I understand the medium of audio but it didn't feel natural or at all reasonable that the Doctor would be seeing these things out loud in his own company. The uneasy feeling between Ace and Hector was felt throughout and being back in Liverpool was good, until Hector was drawn in to the lure of Rufus Stone. His position as a famous person calling on the end of the world being near was good and I loved the media attention he was getting. Hex being from the 2020s is good and I liked the near future setting being basically the time I'm listening now. It's a fun quirk to think about with me being behind in my listening. The build up towards the coming of To'Koth was strong and I appreciated the pace of the story for the first half at least. It didn't give everything away all in one go as we first considered Rufus before realising he was just a pawn in a much bigger game. That was good, although I must say I thought the second half of the story did drag on a little. The use of emotion and memories on both the sides of Hector and the Doctor was strong stuff. Hector would regain his memories of Hex which was nice for Ace more than anything, but also I liked that familiarity of him being able to call Sally something as simple as Sal. She would get her chance to be with him now and she absolutely took it! As for the Doctor, the torment he was experiencing when feeling the anguish of the TARDIS was incredible and I loved how Ace didn't want him to be alone. She knew Hex was going to leave so she was straight at rekindling that relationship with the Doctor and letting him know how much she loved him. I love the prospect of now having a series of adventures with just the Seventh Doctor and Ace. In some ways, that's how it should have been for a long time. I thought the foreshadowing of the future premonitions were fun and Ace seeing multiple versions of her future which were in different media/series with the likes of Ground Zero and Intervention Earth acknowledged was a nice touch. All possible, not all fixed. It was a nice way of explaining things across different medias and indicating that all were potentially correct. Overall, a great listen! 

Rating: 7/10

Mr Invincible

"Your identity isn't a secret."

Writer: Mark Morris

Format: Audio

Released: June 2012

Series: Torchwood BBC Audio 10

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen

Synopsis

Ross Chapman is one of life's losers. So when he survives a point-blank shooting, dons a superhero costume and becomes a crime-busting vigilante, something strange is clearly going on. 

And Ross's transformation isn't the only odd thing happening in Cardiff. Time is distorting – around the city, some people are ageing, dying and decomposing in a matter of minutes, while others are reverting to childhood. 

Sgt Andy Davidson knows he's out of his depth – so when Jack Harkness sweeps into the police station, he's glad of the help that only Torchwood can provide. But for Jack, the stakes are higher than ever. He's seen a vision of Gwen, dead, murdered by an unknown gunman. And if he can't solve the mystery of Mr Invincible, he can't save her...

Verdict

Mr Invincible was a strong audio adventure to conclude my listening of the Torchwood Tales collection! This has been a terrific little journey through the BBC Audio releases of the Doctor Who spinoff, and it has even seen us go beyond Miracle Day which was been a blast. I was quite surprised given how that fourth series ends on television with Gwen seeing Jack shoot off into space and the beyond with no indication of return, that they nearly end up reunited here. Rhys sees him and comments upon him, but with her life in danger Jack didn't want to see her. I thought that was a little harsh and felt a bit wrong with it seeming a missed opportunity, but I liked going beyond the television series. There's so much potential left untapped with Torchwood so I appreciate something being done here. I was a little surprised by the actual plot of the story and I guess in hindsight I ought not to have been. I wasn't expecting Torchwood to go down the superhero route but I really enjoyed what we got. It felt authentic and real which was fantastic and almost did feel like an origin story for a Marvel series! That's a strong compliment. We actually got some kind of rationale for how Ross becomes Mr Invincible. I think that's a pretty fun name for a superhero and the banter that came with him wanting to have a pun on mystery with 'Mr I' was good with Andy retorting that he should actually have a superhero name starting with the letter E instead. Somehow, Mr Excellent didn't have the same kind of ring to it. The link between Jack seeing Gwen die from Red Skies and Mr Invincible solving crimes before they even happened was strong stuff and I liked how it drew everyone together for the story that unfolded. The idea of Cardiff being home to a superhero is a fun idea and for me personally with it being my city of work, I could just picture him jumping around from place to place and stopping crimes! The concept of someone being invincible was also played with very well and the involvement of time around him as the explanation was great. Jodie as his daughter playing the part in making her dad a superhero was admirable but a little strange, although it was a nice idea from the child. She just wanted her father to be respected and who could fault that? He obviously didn't deserve to die so why not make him a superhero? It was how a daughter would certainly see their parent so I liked that. It was a nice touch, even if a little unexpected. I thought Tom Price did a good job as the narrator once again and it certainly helps for a familiar character to be in that role. Andy is a really likeable chap amongst Torchwood and it's good that he feels much more mature and senior at this point in Torchwood continuity. He's not wholly inferior to Jack which is a bit of a stark contrast to what we would see on screen. I thought the build up throughout was good and it was clear what we were working towards, and the pace was strong throughout. It was exciting! I thought it was a bit of a shame though that Ross actually perished at the end once he was no longer Mr Invincible as Jodie's powers were stabilised by the device from Jack. It's a bit of a kick in the teeth as well that he was killed off by a mugger. Overall, a really strong story to see out Torchwood continuity as far as BBC releases go! 

Rating: 8/10

uPVC

"We simply don't want any windows!"

Writer: Paul Farnsworth

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 15

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe, Seventh Doctor, Ace

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

uPVC was a tremendous little story to continue my way through the More Short Trips collection! I’m reaching the end now and this was right up there as far as the book is concerned. It was just a great deal of fun and even though it was only twelve pages, it was just a sheer delight. Sure, it didn’t take long at all to read but it still absolutely whizzed by which is a great sign. I am writing this blog entry on the same train journey in which I read the story and I’m barely halfway on a commute that’s less than an hour so it definitely did something right. I think the Second Doctor was absolutely perfect for the first part of the story as he was just the exact personality required to be convinced by a salesman doing his best to get some new windows installed in the TARDIS. Jamie not knowing what double glazing was made for a fun moment and I couldn’t help but appreciate the efforts Rigby was going to in trying to make a sale. He was a proper salesman, that much was for sure. The mystery behind how he got into the TARDIS was left unanswered which is probably the only flaw in the story and why I couldn’t give it full marks, but I loved the fear factor when it came to there being knocks on the door. Jamie was almost made to feel ridiculous by the Doctor and Zoe for suggesting that there could be somebody outside in the Vortex, but he had the last laugh when the bang-bang-bang knocking came again. That was good fun. The talk of phantoms and just how Jamie was hearing something outside reminded me of how things started in The Mind Robber which is an iconic story, and I feel like that with the windows being sold providing any view that serial must have been at least a partial inspiration for this story. It had that kind of vibe which is a huge compliment. I thought the bickering between Rigby and the Doctor was so enjoyable and it was clear the Time Lord wasn’t going to be buying anything so rudimentary as windows, but then Zoe’s startled reaction to learning of the view they could provide seemed to change the Doctor’s mind. Maybe Rigby would get his commission after all! I thought the second part was rather poetic and beautiful in jumping ahead to the Seventh Doctor and Ace, with the latter clearly early on in her travels as the former was trying to teach her virtue and respect. He wasn’t impressed that she went wondering and found the padlock trying to get in without questioning what might be on the other side. I understood that, but I could also appreciate her curiosity. It’s quite somber to think that the Doctor at the time of purchasing the windows being prior to The War Games, had actually been missing his home planet. His chosen view would be of Gallifrey and how he remembered it as a boy. That was lovely stuff. I really liked that and even here now in his seventh incarnation and on good terms with his home planet, he still felt a little disconnected. He just wanted to break through the glass and experience his homeworld again. That was quite touching. Overall, a brilliant little read! 

Rating: 9/10

Hot Ice

"You will have time to reflect upon the enormity of your crime."

Writer: Christopher Bulis

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1999

Printed in: More Short Trips 14

Featuring: Fifth 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

Hot Ice was was a decent little story to continue my reading of the More Short Trips collection! It’s become something of a weekly routine now to read instalments from this book on my commute into work which has become a regular thing now in this wonderful world of hybrid working, and I don’t look ahead to see the name of the story nor do I research which combination of characters will feature. So I was delighted to get a story with the pairing of the Fifth Doctor and Peri. It’s a bit of a travesty that we only get The Caves of Androzani with just those two together on screen as the Doctor makes the ultimate sacrifice for his companion, so to extend on the gap between that swan song and Peri’s debut in Planet of Fire is most welcomed in my book. They make a fun pairing and that’s evident right away as the Doctor banters about the true life on Mars. No blood-sucking octopuses but there are the humanoid lizards in the form of the Ice Warriors. She’ll of course meet them in this Doctor’s company in Red Dawn which is fun to think about. Unfortunately, there would be no Ice Warriors in this story despite the title which would have worked well, but I did think the Ventrosians had potential. I liked how the Doctor recognised them right away and any species that history with the Time Lords is instantly interesting to me! I liked that they were on the nose and when they referred to Peri as a native servant I could almost see her anger on the page! It was good stuff and it was no wonder the Time Lords refused to share technology with them. What I was a little sceptical about was how easily the TARDIS was infiltrated. That didn’t set too right with me and whilst I liked the use of it and it being detected by the old thief and drawn in, it felt a bit too intrusive for the Eye of Gaar to just be sitting there and plugged into the console! That feels too easy and the TARDIS is usually thought of as being a safe place, but it was far from that here. Even Len could see within and understood the value of the jewel! The Doctor was less interested and wasn’t at all bothered by a relic from Ventros Prime. The monks weren’t having it though despite his claims of being framed. I thought the Ventrosians being susceptible to the atmosphere of Earth was a little odd but it was quite emphatic to see them being literally turned to gas and nothingness. That was a brutal description. I thought it was quite funny that when the thief believed he’d gotten away with everything, it was ordinary Len who smashed him over the head and took the Eye of Gaar for himself. He was only interested in making a profit which I could appreciate, but unfortunately it too would burn him quite literally. This time it was with cold hence the title and the gas resulting from it would kill him also. It was quite a sombre ending really and that was really felt as the Doctor and Peri reflected on the death that had occurred in the adventure. For only sixteen pages or so, there was quite a lot! I enjoyed the description of the baffling attire the Doctor had with celery on his jacket, but just imagine the reaction if it was the next incarnation! And I also liked the Doctor pondering on whether he should build a new sonic screwdriver. He really ought to! Overall, a good little read. 

Rating: 7/10

Operation Werewolf

"What made you decide to betray your own country?"

Writers: Douglas Canfield & Robert Kitts (Adapted by Jonathan Morris)

Format: Audio

Released: July 2024

Series: Lost Stories 8.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

The TARDIS has brought the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe to Normandy in France, not in 1066 as intended, but in 1944, three days before the Allies are due to launch the D-Day landings. 

Joining forces with French partisans, they learn that the Germans have been conducting secret experiments at a nearby chateau. These experiments form part of a plan that German high command believe will enable them to win the Second World War. The name of that plan? Operation Werewolf.

Verdict

Operation Werewolf was a very strong adventure! Although officially the second release in the eighth series of Lost Stories, this was actually released first so I thought I'd best get around to it. It's a mammoth tale of six parts and over two-and-a-half hours long, but that didn't sway my enjoyment in the slightest and it never felt like it was overstaying its welcome which is a big bonus. I love the trio of the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe and it's intriguing that with a reference to The Seeds of Death when it came to likening the teleport device to T-Mat, this was quite close towards the end of their run. That was even more sadder to realise when it came to Jamie refusing to believe that he would ever return home to Culloden as he encountered one of his ancestors here in the form of Fergus. He was a fascinating character as the true doctor that was sent over to France by the British, and I loved how Jamie seemed audibly disappointed by the fact that he now deemed himself English. I don't think Jamie would accept that for his family, but here they are now settled south of the border. It's good to know that Fergus was familiar with the family battle cry. It's nice that some things aren't lost through the generations. I thought the way the story started was pretty humorous in having the Doctor excited about taking his companions to see history in Normandy in 1066, expect the year was entirely wrong. It couldn't be much worse really in that it was just a few days prior to D-Day. What a place to be! Talk about history. Although it was much more dangerous, I'd argue it was a more historically significant place. I was intrigued to read in the DWM preview that the original outline for this story would have included Victoria, but after listening I definitely think it was the right move to shake things up and go with Zoe. She's more suited to a war zone with her scientific expertise, so it was quite surprising when she was subjected to the Nazi indoctrination and submitted to their will. I thought the entire concept behind Operation Werewolf was quite mad but given this was the Nazis in 1944, the desperation was something I could appreciate. I also loved the use of teleportation to get from Normandy to the shores of Britain undetected and simultaneous. That would be quite the advantage! Sir Aubrey as the turncoat on the British side was good and I loved how deluded he was in wanting to instal himself as Prime Minister by the time the day was out and then lead a new Reich. The true villain of the piece though was SS Gruppenfuhrer Ulrich Schneider. She even shot Aubrey in the resolution to the excellent part five cliffhanger because she knew of the usefulness the Doctor provided. I thought she was callous and chilling which were perfect qualities for a villain of this kind. I loved the dynamic between Fergus and Jamie with the former not taking too much convincing to believe that the latter was actually his great-great uncle. Or beyond. I thought the Doctor using knowledge in the guise of trying to deceive was a good way to end the story, as a collision of particles on both sides of the teleport would see them both sent out into the fourth dimension of time. That was quire an emphatic ending. I do wish that the moments involving Churchill could have had a voice on the other side of the phone as that was noticeably lacking given that we'd had previous phone calls in the story, but it wasn't a huge issue. I thought Michael Troughton was outstanding in taking on his father's role here in a story that I could definitely have seen working on screen. It felt very authentic of its era which is brilliant. Overall, a great listen! 

Rating: 8/10