The Fall of Apalapucia

"We are content."

Writer: E.L. Norry

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2024

Printed in: The Adventures Before 07

Synopsis

Discover what happened before...

What did Osgood do the morning of The Day of the Doctor?

What happened to Tegan before Arc of Infinity, and why does it involve strange sentient lights in the Australian outback?

What was the Tenth Doctor doing in a hall of mirrors, right before Planet of the Dead?

Answers to all these questions lie in an incredible collection of new Doctor Who short stories that give a glimpse into the moments just before we saw the Doctor step on screen.

From Skaro to Apalapucia, from a shop front drained of colour to Rassilon's tomb, join a host of incredible adventures across the universe with Doctors, companions, friends and foes.

Verdict

The Fall of Apalapucia was unfortunately not the greatest of stories to continue my way through The Adventures Before collection of prequels. I think on paper this was arguably the story that made most sense in delivering a prequel as there is clearly a lot of historic world building that has taken place in The Girl Who Waited on Apalapucia. However, in reality I think the lack of familiar characters really hurt this story which is something that hasn't happened in any of the previous six stories in the book. We have either had the Doctor, a companion or a central character to the story that the adventure is a prequel to, but here there was none of that other than the setting. I don't think the story was particularly bad and I certainly could have been harsher and gone less in my rating, but I think this was just a bit boring. That's really sad to say as I do like and appreciate what the story was trying to do, but I don't think it really delved deep enough into the concept behind the two streams facility. The concept of that is excellent and the potential really is endless when it comes to two places being in the same space but experiencing time differently. I just thought it was a bit naff that it seemed the origin was for some artwork to be observed? That wasn't exactly exciting stuff! I thought the story could have featured a little more action and I think it would have been so much better to have a future incarnation of the Doctor experiencing some rather tragic events but be unable to get involved. That would have worked for either the Twelfth or Thirteenth Doctors and just would have been more interesting for me. Hell, even the Fifteenth Doctor could have featured! Seladore was a decent enough story but with no real background or knowledge of him, he just wasn't the right kind of character to carry an entire story. Especially not one that was one of the longer ones in the collection! I thought we might have got to explore a little more of Apalapucia and had more focus on the likes of the Handbots or what we saw on television. The focus on the Sublimation Process was okay and probably would have worked even better if the Doctor or a companion featured, but unfortunately it just felt meaningless. With only one episode going back to, I don't think Apalapucia was solid enough or anything close to the status required to carry the story. That's harsh I know but I think this just could have been better. It was very political and that just wasn't the vibe I was anticipating given what we saw on screen. It felt like a historic world with vibrancy to explore but that didn't quite come out on the page. The retirement and one last try was clear in what it would result in and I think that's one thing that is somewhat dangerous ground in prequels. You can't make what leads to what we see on screen too obvious. We already know where things are heading. I think the mistake of Seladore was a fine explanation of what happened, but I think ti came slightly too late and served as the finish whereas I would have liked to see what occurred immediately in the aftermath. It's a shame, and perhaps on another day I would have enjoyed this adventure more, but it just didn't have too much going for it. It was rather bland! 

Rating: 5/10

Distance

"I've seen hell."

Writer: Tara Samms

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 09

Featuring: Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

Adventures in time and space are no fun if there's no one to share them. the Doctor has taken along many people on his travels – humans, aliens and robots. Did he really care for any of them? What in their previous life fitted them for the role of companion – and how did they cope after they left the TARDIS?

These seventeen stories look at the Doctor's trusty companions, before, during and after their travels with the eccentric Time Lord. Discover the truth about Romana's regeneration, find out what happened when Zoe encountered the Doctor again, and learn which of his companions the Doctor cared for the most...

Verdict

Distance was a decent little story to continue my way through the Companions edition of Short Trips! This was a bit of a somber tale I must say as whilst on the face of it I was very excited to be getting an adventure with Ian and Barbara post the events of The Chase, things got very serious and quite emotional! Starting with Barbara getting an ultrasound at the hospital initially seemed to excite me because I thought she was pregnant and that would be terrific news! She was referred to as Mrs Chesterton which is lovely and it just confirms what we always knew would happen anyway. Ian and Barbara belong together. They’re perfect together and we only saw that grow during their time in the TARDIS. Except with the descriptions of whitened hair and growing old, the likelihood was that Barbara had something wrong with her rather than being pregnant. That’s such a great shame, especially knowing that Jacqueline Hill hasn’t been with us for some time now. The actress and the character are inextricably linked in my opinion so there was an added emotional pull there. I thought Barbara being pushed by Karen Ellis into visiting her sick father in any kind of hope of helping was good although I thought she relented a little easily considering she wasn’t interested. It’s not like she had a relationship with Karen or her dad Frank. That was all Ian after working on the Hubble space telescope. I love these kinds of stories because it’s so good to catch up with companions and their lives after they have left the Doctor and seeing that Ian had put his scientific knowledge to good use was tremendous. He’d clearly made something of his skills. I thought we could have gotten a little bit more about Barbara’s career but I guess the focus was on her more for the plot and for an emotional pull. The connection she had with Karen after the touch was fascinating and whilst I’ve never taken recreational drugs, I can only imagine that this was something akin to that. Karen’s mad babble about driving the eight mile journey to death over and over again was a moment of insanity and it instantly changed the atmosphere in the hospital. It got uncomfortable but in a really appealing way as a reader. I thought her being on edge from that point was good although Ian should have picked up that things weren’t right given his experience in the TARDIS! I thought it was actually a bit of a shame that they made it a thing not to mention the Doctor in a bid to have some sense of normality in their lives, but Ian’s impression of you know who was a sheer delight. Clutching the lapels and getting the name wrong. Glorious stuff. I’m not convinced he would be close in age though! If only he knew the truth of the Doctor. I thought Barbara having a connection with Frank was interesting and the link with the unicorn nebula and Monoceros was a little odd. I think the story could have benefited from a couple more pages to just flesh things out a little as it got a little convoluted when Barbara was in her mental state, although that may have been the point. Ian being on hand to the rescue was good once Frank was dead and I liked how he found that the cause was actually a dermoid cyst containing ganglia. Nerve cells actually trying to send a message, Ian thinks to invade whilst Barbara thought to get home. I actually do think the latter was more feasible but the ambiguity was good. It didn’t really matter why! Concluding things with Barbara ready to tell Ian what was wrong with her was quite sad and honestly I’m glad we didn’t get specific details. I like to think of Barbara living on forever. She’ll never really die as far as I’m concerned. Overall, a good little read!

Rating: 7/10

Faustine

"We pass through them and create no memories."

Writer: Steve Gallagher

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 2023

Printed in: Gods & Monsters 02

Featuring: Faustine

Synopsis

Faustine is a Tharil Princess cut off from her own people and thrown into a crisis situation in modern-day Manchester. Depending on her slave engineer companion for survival, can the pair survive the perils yet to come?

Verdict

Faustine was another decent comic strip adventure to conclude this phase of Gods & Monsters! It's great to get Stephen Gallagher as the writer for Warriors' Gate in for a comic story like this and there is definitely untapped potential with the Thralils. I must admit I had absolutely no idea about anything this comic strip related to prior to reading so I was quite excited when I saw the author and the species of Faustine. She was an intriguing character and a fine lead for the adventure. I think it makes sense for her to get a whole book as she's the character we know least out of this phase, so when things do come together in the next phases and beyond, she might feel something on par to the likes of Sutekh and Omega. Or even Eldrad! The ability of the Tharils to shape time and space to their will is fantastic and it was good to explore here. I would argue it was perhaps even underutilised! But there is more to come which is exciting and good to know. I thought the engineer who seemed to be named Travis accompanying her was intriguing and whilst it didn't feel like a Doctor-companion dynamic, it certainly looked that way! The attire for Faustine was very Doctor-like and I really enjoyed that. One thing that has been consistently excellent with these Cutaway Comics releases is the quality of the artwork. It is absolutely top notch. That was evident in style when we got the flashback sequences from Travis in explaining how he came to meet Faustine and the art resembling a 1970s-style Doctor Who Annual! It noticeably dropped in brightness and tone and even the text looked retro. I thought that was terrific and a really simple yet incredibly effective story device. It works well to have the format of the story involved in what is being told. It's really rather clever and was something I massively appreciated. I wasn't sure it was necessary to split the story up into three parts but it didn't hurt things as I felt the flow was there all the way through. It was pretty fast paced and at some points I was hoping they would just slow down and explain things a little, but I can't say it wasn't exciting as a result! The role of the Gundan was decent and it looked imposing, although the blue mighty text of its speech in an unreadable tongue perhaps happened more times than was completely necessary. I liked the prospect of an enemy that couldn't be defeated and Travis being involved in engineering them worked pretty well. The use of dwarf star alloy coming into play again following on from Omega's wearing of it in Eltralla was good and I'm sure there'll be a connection there in the stories to come. It's an interesting element for sure and the six needles also being made of it was clever stuff. It was the only way to defeat the Gundan and that happened quite emphatically as Faustine stabbed it with them, paused for effect, and then pushed them right into its chest. No armour could stop that! Travis sticking with Faustine despite her species viewing humanity as nothing more than slaves was quite fun and I liked that he was building a connection with her despite her saying she didn't know why she hadn't killed him yet. The ambiguity for his ending was strong although a firm answer would have been welcomed in my opinion. I don't think he was the most amazing character ever but not knowing if he had died or found a life of happiness felt a little off for me! The cliffhanger of Faustine literally being given a hand was good as that was unseen who, and it gets me excited for what's to come next. Overall, a decent comic strip to continue the phase! I'm excited for more. The potential really is endless.

Rating: 7/10

Eltralla

"Your screams will power this ship for weeks!"

Writer: Mark Griffiths

Format: Comic Strip

Released: February 2023

Printed in: Gods & Monsters 1b

Featuring: Omega

Synopsis 

Trapped in his black-hole prison, Omega is surprised to find an unexpected arrival: the Eltralla, a phantom colony ship. For Omega, this is a way out the black hole and a means to escape. For us, it will be the beginning of the end of the universe...

Verdict

Eltralla was a strong comic strip adventure to conclude my reading of the first Gods & Monsters comic book from Cutaway Comics! I like that we had some continuity with the opener of The Heretic although I must say it was a little different from what I was expecting with the significance of the Eltralla! That's not a bad thing though in the slightest. I think it's fair to say that I'm much more interested in Omega as a character and villain than Sutekh and that's probably down to his status as a Time Lord in Gallifreyan history. We're post-The Three Doctors here as Omega is trapped in his universe of anti-matter and exploring the power of his will was very good. It feels almost strange to see him with a face resembling an ordinary man because we know he is far beyond that. He is so much more than a normal man. As he proclaims in the comic strip, he is a god! And of course he would have wings! That was a pretty fun moment but I liked it a lot. What kind of god would have limitations like that? Not a good one that's for sure. I thought Rosia was a strong character and something of a companion for the story, that was until Omega found the ultimate use for her. After saving him and asking for help with her sun in return, he was in a troubled state and needed her sustenance for survival. So that's exactly what he took. The artwork there was harrowingly good as she was essentially diminished and reduced to bones. I must admit that wasn't something I saw coming so it was something impactful that caught me off guard. I would have liked a little more elaboration or explanation on just how one body was enough to sustain Omega in his wretched state. The use of a dwarf star alloy suit to protect himself in the normal universe was good for Omega, but it would take some doing to reach it and keep the ship intact. The prospect of the Eltralla doing just that though and bringing Omega triumphantly back into N-Space is an exciting way to lead us into the next phase. It definitely works as a cliffhanger! I certainly want to purchase the next phase as far as Omega is concerned. He's such a strong character and seeing his world conjured up by his own will was intriguing stuff. Seeing how he saw himself and the Greek god theme was fun to play around with. I can certainly see why Omega would present himself that way with nobody else around to entertain. You had to pass the time somehow! Commander Ghavanak was a decent character as the one out to get Omega but I never felt like he was a threat to Omega. He is so far above so many other characters in the Whoniverse and it's so fun to explore him further in these comic strips because of the lack of limitations. I must say the imagery in the comic was excellent and I loved the colour, although I'm not sure the vibrancy met the feel of the story. Omega is a dark character so that being reflected more in the comics would be welcomed. I thought the epilogue was decent and I like the black and white colour and the feel that brings. It's only a couple of pages but it really does compliment the main story and provides just a bit more mystery to the cliffhanger and potentially linking up a number of gods and monsters. Exciting times! Overall, a decent comic strip for sure. 

Rating: 7/10

The Heretic

"I have been granted permission to save you – but not restore you."

Writer: Ian Winterton

Format: Comic Strip

Released: February 2023

Printed in: Gods & Monsters 1a

Featuring: Sutekh

Synopsis 

Rescued from oblivion, fallen God Sutekh the Destroyer leads an unlikely army of liberation to free a far flung galaxy from the clutches of evil demon Azag. But will the found adoration of billions of freed slaves be his undoing?

Verdict

The Heretic was a good start to the Gods and Monsters series of comic strip adventures from Cutaway Comics! This has been a long time coming in getting to blog this as I was actually incredibly lucky to be given access to the comic strip early with the intention of publishing a review, however a laptop failure and a lengthy process in retrieving the links meant that I had been unable to do so for the longest time. But better late than never! This was an intriguing adventure and it is made even more so by the events of the on screen adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby in having Sutekh make a triumphant return in The Legend of Ruby Sunday before unleashing havoc in Empire of Death. Of course, on screen there isn't much room for manoeuvring between the return there and his debut in Pyramids of Mars, but the likes of Big Finish have used Sutekh before so Cutaway should be no different! They have the blessing of his creator of course, and I've always found the wider media and formats to be akin to historical interpretation. I think they're all valid and just different versions of what could happen. Such as the case with Sutekh here as he was recovering from a mighty defeat and fall, rescued by his sister-wife Nephthys. She was almost the star of the show for me despite not featuring all that much but the prospect of her saving Sutekh showed what kind of power she was able to yield. I was actually a little disappointed by the epilogue and her role there because after an emphatic cliffhanger where it seemed Sutekh was being destroyed by Azag, she made claim to having already defeated him now and her wish as victor was to save her beloved sibling. I thought the dynamic between Sutekh and Azag was very good and I love the idea of pitting would-be gods against one another. Let the claims of false proclamations come! Neither were receptive of the other, but Sutekh did seem a little gullible with how quickly he had conquered the galaxy. He acknowledged this and dove in to the prospect of being in a trap, but carried on regardless. That seemed a little strange for a god, but I guess he was waiting to confront Azag. I liked his reaction to having an entire population completely devoted to him, and playing with the idea of love versus death was very good. It was that love that would surprisingly bring about something of a downfall for Sutekh as with billions devoted to him, Azag would destroy the galaxy and see how Sutekh could survive. I thought that was a good premise and a mighty fine cliffhanger. The little link at the end with the mention of the Eltralla was good given the name of the next comic strip in the book, and it seems the mystery is far from over! I thought the allusion to the Time Lords without actually naming them was excellent and there could be no doubt on who the weapons mentioned were created by. That was actually quite fun and I'm always fascinated by the world of licensing. It's amazing to me that we can get stories for characters like these from the Whoniverse, but I'm absolutely all for it. And the artwork! Well, I must say it was absolutely stunning. The colours were so vibrant and the design of Sutekh as the Destroyer was tremendous. I was so impressed with that and it definitely aided with my enjoyment of the story. With the announcement of Phase 3 coming in this series, I'm tempted to be part of the crowdfunder now given this solid start. Maybe I'll make a decision tomorrow when I complete the book! Maybe just a little bit less of Sutekh proclaiming death because that was overplayed even for him. Overall though, a solid read for sure! 

Rating: 7/10

Impossibly Glorious

"I used to be somebody else."

Writer: Steve Lyons

Format: Audio

Released: February 2016

Series: Vienna 3.03

Featuring: Vienna

Synopsis

Vienne Salvatori used to be somebody else. She used to dream that she had an impossibly glamorous life, and then one day she met someone who made her dreams true.

Now she has a new mission. She wants to help make your dreams a reality, help you become the person you always wanted to be. Even if it kills you.

Verdict

Impossibly Glorious was a decent episode to conclude what has been a solid third series of Vienna! I think it's safe to say that this was my least favourite of the three series so far, but that's not to say that it was bad by any stretch of the imagination as my ratings reflect! I have really enjoyed it but honestly, I think things might actually work better with Vienna as a solo character. I think a little of her silent assassin persona has been lost and that's a big shame because that's how she works best in my book. I loved when her name couldn't be spoken and it seems like her status and almost reputation have been downgraded since the likes of The Memory Box. She's still terrific and it's clear that Chase Masterson is part of the reason behind it because her voice is so enticing. I just want to listen to her so she certainly helps the character. I thought the little time jump at the start of the episode was unexpected and it almost felt like I was coming into the second part of a double episode without having listened to the first. That's perhaps slight exaggeration but it definitely felt like I'd missed something given how Big Society ended with all journeys focused on heading towards London. And here we were on the planet! I thought its replication of the English capital city was quite fun, especially in having an Oyster card system! That was something I wasn't anticipating but little details like that work well and that was the case here. Vienna was completely changed and not the character we have known to love over this spinoff series, but that gave Jexie a chance to take centre stage. I'm not entirely sure she grasped it with both hands, but it was nice to make her a focal point. I wouldn't say she has felt secondary to Vienna this series but she's certainly not the focus. It's almost something like the dynamic Romana had as companion in the TARDIS. She's essentially the equal but it's the Doctor who is most important. I thought the concept behind the titular look of impossibly glamorous was good and Vienna is a fine advert for that tagline. The continuity going back to Self Improvement was very good and I liked that the Good Day formula was actually being retro engineered and turned into the opposite of what it was developed for. The humour within the episode of it being labelled as Bad Day was much welcomed because it felt like self mockery. I do think it's quite lazy to have called it that but at least it was acknowledged within the story and actually a plot point. I liked the mythical status of Kensington Fox in the story and the whole commercial feel of the episode was good stuff. It certainly felt a little unique and I liked how the CD cover art for the story also added to that vibe. The gold is so striking. It's a fine way to capture what went on in the episode. Drew Mulligan was a good character too although I feel like he could have done more considering his status and position. The slow reemergence of Vienna into who she was worked well and I enjoyed the use of memory crystals again. The prospect of not being able to trust your own memories because they might be implanted is not a world I would enjoy living in! Overall, a decent finale to what has been a solid series. I'm looking forward to the next one already! A good listen. 

Rating: 7/10

Big Society

"The walls have ears."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: February 2016

Series: Vienna 3.02

Featuring: Vienna

Synopsis 

Tom McQueen is set to win The Selection and become Chairman Sweet's new business partner. Failure isn't an option. Failure is for the weak. Tom McQueen doesn't even know the mean of the word failure.

But another candidate has entered the process, a candidate by the name of Vienna Salvatori. Tom McQueen will soon learn the meeting of another word: fear!

Verdict

Big Society was a good episode to continue my way through the third series of Vienna! I am a big fan of the story arc going through the series and this followed on the opener of Self Improvement very nicely. Both Vienna and Jexie were on the case to find Jonah Hall, but I think it's safe to say that this character was completely unlike what anyone was expecting! I thought the arrival at the scene of the Selection was good and following Tom McQueen was fascinating. He was a very interesting character who had some quite unique thoughts on the world of business and failure. He didn't take failure as anything other than abhorrent and that was quite the basis for a character. He was hardly a likeable character so his plight of not getting the recognition he claimed to be deserving of for winning the Selection wasn't exactly sparking feelings of sorrow. It almost seemed fitting for a character of his like. I thought Chairman Sweet was an intriguing character and I really liked his raspy voice. The fact he was older made him instantly more unlikeable because it seemed like his days of caring and showing compassion were long gone. He was only out for himself and that makes for a strong villain. I thought the reputation of Jonah Hall was interesting and I liked how he remembered having Doctor Ludovic Glospan inside him. Yes that's right, because Jonah Hall was literally a hall. A sentient building with artificial intelligence. I didn't see that coming so I appreciated the unique nature of it, but I must admit by the end of the episode I had grown a little tired of it. It got boring quite quickly which was a shame as I just couldn't maintain interest in talking buildings. I know Jonah actually took offence within the episode to being labelled by Sweet as 'just' a building, but that's entirely how I saw him! I did think it was fun for Vienna and Jexie to get involved though and the entire concept behind the filmed footage for the television show was good. If Jexie was annoyed at them not getting a payment at the end of the last episode, Vienna ensured that their likeness was well compensated for here! Sweet couldn't believe that but that's what he got for putting monetary matters in the hands of his lawyers. Even though he hadn't used the footage for airing, Vienna had been filmed and that was enough for her to get a payout. The lawyers didn't want to risk a future lawsuit. I thought Tom being used by Sweet was good if not entirely expected and his reaction to hearing how he was actually deemed an underperforming employee was pretty amusing! He didn't take kindly to that and the Selection. It all felt like a warped version of The Apprentice which I think was actually the aim, although I definitely would have been more interested in the television show of The Real Housewives of Drahva! Imagine the Drahvins being filmed like that. Especially with their thoughts on men! That would be terrific. I thought Sweet's intentions with the Good Day formula made him a strong villain as he was selfish and quite dastardly with his scheme in the water supply. I thought the way things came about for his downfall were good and I like the mystery heading into the finale. A planet called London beckons, and Jexie isn't excited. Overall, a decent episode for sure! 

Rating: 7/10

Self Improvement

"Good Day was all in his head."

Writer: Ian Potter

Format: Audio

Released: February 2016

Series: Vienna 3.01

Featuring: Vienna

Synopsis

Doctor Ludovic Glospan has a secret. He has made a scientific discovery that could change the galaxy forever, which is why he wants to keep it out of the wrong hands.

Vienna Salvatori and Jexie Reagan have been hired to keep Glospan's secret safe. On a good day that will be an easy job, but this is anything but a good day.

Verdict

Self Improvement was a great start to the third series of Vienna! I thought this was a really strong opener and almost something of a jumping on point for those listeners that might not be familiar with the character or hadn't listened to the opening two series. Sure, there's the continuity of having Jexie join Vienna in something akin to a companion role, but I wouldn't say there was any prior listening required when listening to this story which was good and it certainly felt fresh. I really love the vibe of the Vienna series as the setting of space and the future is exciting and just has a feel of Blade Runner about it which is a huge compliment. It's also very different to other adventures in the Whoniverse and whilst there is nothing explicit or expletive, this feels a little more adult oriented. I think that's just the nature of Vienna as a hired assassin. I like how she and Jexie were out for a pay day from the missions popping up on the crystals, but Vienna's comment at the end about virtue being a good form of payment had me quite surprised. She has certainly mellowed out since the start of this spinoff range for sure! I thought the plot in this one was fascinating and the way Vienna and Jexie were tested for their security qualifications was excellent! Attempting to kill them and seeing if they survive is certainly one way to go about it! I loved it though. They dealt with the robots and got to the main event of Doctor Ludovic Glospan who was quite impressed to actually meet some of those taking on the assignment. Obviously, not many showcased they had the desired qualifications. I thought he was a fantastic character and his relationship with Constanza was a little freak and weird at times. It worked though and their dynamic was a great listen. She had given herself – literally – a long time ago to him and hearing the whole replication element was intriguing stuff. The euthanasia line was a little chilling but those replicated had given themselves to that willingly. They believed they were killed humanely and knew there were other versions of them to go on. That's a little strange, but I liked how freaky it was. It made for entertaining listening that's for sure! I thought the dynamic between Vienna and Jexie was good and the latter definitely a little less experienced which is the case but she was eager to get involved. I thought it was fun how she was genuinely a little annoyed not to get the money at the end. The whole appointment being them to protect the formula for the Good Day was interesting and it was quite something for Constanza to be the universal test subject. Surely you had to test things on more than one person, no matter how many versions there are? I liked that the formula was in Glospan's head rather than written down anywhere, so I was shocked when he died somewhat early on in the episode. It just didn't make sense to me, so it wasn't a huge surprise when he came back and found that there were multiple replicated versions of himself. I thought it was brilliant for him to have come up with the formula thanks to numerous alternates he had already replicated thus saving the issue of it being replicated once it was complete. I like how there seems to once again be a story arc going through this series as the way things ended sent us into the next episode and to someone called Jonah Hall who I do see as a character in the cast list for the series which is promising. I love when things tie together so I'm excited to hear his connection to this episode's events. Overall though, a really fun and strong start to the series! I was a big fan of the idea. I could certainly do with waking up thinking I was at my best every day!

Rating: 8/10

Dark Planet

"There doesn't seem to be any moon in the sky outside."

Writer: Davey Moore

Format: Novel

Released: October 2007

Series: Decide Your Destiny 07

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

Earth is divided. The Upsiders live in luxury while the Downsiders scavenge in the dark world below. Can you help the Doctor and Martha bring the two conflicting sides back together?

Verdict

Dark Planet was a great little read to continue my roundabout way through the Decide Your Destiny set of books from the Tenth Doctor era! I think this was definitely one of the better ones in the collection that I have blogged thus far and whilst I'm usually a little trepidatious prior to reading this kind of book because of the format and my awareness at not exactly being the prime target audience, this one took me by surprise in a very pleasant way! Despite my annoyance at these books utilising the reader as a character, I didn't think it hindered things this time around. The story also felt more fleshed out than others in the series and I think that could literally be felt in how many pages the book was. It didn't seem to take too much longer to get through than the others in the series, but the content on each page definitely seemed considerably more and that allowed for a more detailed story. The plot itself was fascinating and I really enjoyed the idea of a divided Earth. I am unsure if it was my chosen route or if it was just the nature of the story in being a little shorter, but I think a little more fleshing out on the Upsiders and Downsiders would have been good. What we did get was still decent and really good but I do think the concept could have been even better in a story that was able to develop more like a full novel. I definitely think the plot was there and it was cool to get to play a part. I think the writing for this one was quite clever in that the reader was never all that involved. Sure, we had to choose a random colour in the TARDIS at the start but then it felt more like we were influencing the story rather than being part of what was influenced. I have been quite critical of the role of the reader in these kinds of books, but I didn't feel like I was in the way almost here. That was a big positive. I thought it was definitely beneficial to also have Martha featured as having the companion meant that the Doctor was not always addressing the reader. He had someone else to bounce off of and that definitely helped the story in my view. Considering the title of the book, a little more playing on the fact the planet had gone dark would have been good considering it was only the Downsiders living in such a way, but the mixture of peoples meant that Earth had gone quite a way awry! I don't remember it being specified just when in Earth's future history this story took place, but I would love to explore further just how the planet came to be divided as such. The prospect of a singular child playing such an important role in events was intriguing but it worked well actually to find that there was just one who contained both an Upsider and a Downsider. An official and a rebel had a child and that youngster would play a crucial role in events as the blueprint for all of humanity. Staying separated as two separate peoples would spell disaster for both, but from this one child the race could rebuild again. The Doctor seemed to leave things to take their natural course here which was fine, although we didn't really deal with the threat from the start of the story in having the reader whisked away in the TARDIS because of what was happening back home. I do like the intention for younger readers to finish and think they're now a companion for who knows how long, but I can't help but feel like I was left hanging. And yet, that left me with a feeling of wanting more which isn't always the case with the Decide Your Destiny books! Overall, a really enjoyable and positive read! 

Rating: 8/10

Children of Earth: Day Five

"They're going to come and take your kids."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 10 July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.05

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen

Synopsis

Torchwood is defenceless and Gwen Cooper stands alone as the final sanction begins: as violence erupts and the world descends into anarchy, an ordinary council estate becomes a battleground, where the future of the human race will be decided.

Verdict

Day Five was a shocking conclusion to the Children of Earth third series of Torchwood. Has there ever been a more powerful resolution to an alien/monster threat in the Whoniverse? I'm really not sure. The final moments of this episode were something I was dreading since starting the series again alongside my partner Gemma because of the use of Steven in defeating the 456. It's incredibly sad and powerful and I thought it was going to be even worse this time around as I watch the series for the first time as a father. It definitely brings a different perspective but thankfully the torment that Steven suffers wasn't actually as long as I remembered it being. That didn't make it any easier though and I found myself looking away from the screen as the shots cut to him and his violent shaking and bloody nose. It's horrifying. I can't imagine Jack being in that position and having to make the decision, but choosing your grandson to die so millions of children can survive makes logical sense on paper. It doesn't make it any easier to forgive him and that's something Gemma thought very strongly about next to me on the sofa! Her opinion on Captain Jack has altered in a big way and she has said she pretty much hates him now. She used to love him but after watching this finale she is no longer a fan! She has also said she has no desire to watch the fourth series, but give her time and I'll win her around that's for sure. She needs to complete the set! She did say she gave the overall series as a 7/10 which I think is pretty respectable considering her stance towards Torchwood before we kicked off with Day One. The episode has a lot riding on it and the story of John Frobisher in particular is a harrowing one. His reaction to being told by the Prime Minister that he has been chosen to publicise the inoculations was superbly done by Peter Capaldi as he realised that it wouldn't just be pretend. His daughters would be taken to a rendezvous point like all of the others who drew the short straw. That wasn't something he would see happen, and his Requisition 31 request was terrible when his intentions were revealed. After finally getting home to his family, he carefully ordered them upstairs and shot them before shooting himself. Truly dreadful stuff. Gemma found it absurd but her reaction when she saw the gun behind his back and realised what he was doing was one truly of shock. That was fun to see but she couldn't understand why he didn't just take them into hiding. They only had to wait for twenty-four hours and the Government would have rounded up enough to send the 456 packing. The intentions of the 456 being revealed were sensational as they basically wanted the children to get high off them. The reactions of UNIT to that were fantastic. It was sheer disgust. I thought the recording of Gwen was really good and I like that with something so terrible happening we get a little mention of the Doctor and why he isn't always around. I think that's important to establish and it makes sense to include. The way the 456 are defeated by using the recording of how they killed Clem was excellent and it works logically, but the image of those children emitting the scream for the wavelength is just difficult to watch knowing what Steven is going through. Gwen meeting up with Jack six months later feels like something of an end for Torchwood and I can't remember if that was the intention, but we know there's more to come. I'm not sure when we'll get to Miracle Day but when we do I can't wait to rewatch as it has been quite a while! Overall though, an excruciatingly powerful and brilliant finale.

Rating: 10/10

Children of Earth: Day Four

"You are in every nightmare I've ever had."

Writer: John Fay

Format: TV

Broadcast: 09 July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.04

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis

Torchwood finally learns the truth about the events of 1965; Britain is in danger of becoming a rogue state and everything pivots around John Frobisher, the Ambassador of the 456 destroys its old allegiances and reveals its true intent. 

Verdict

Day Four was an outstanding piece of television to continue our way through the Children of Earth third series of Torchwood! This episode is just sensational from start to finish. So much happens and it's quite the day that is for sure! There's only one place to start and that is at the end. This is obviously hugely significant for the death of Ianto which comes chronologically so soon after the deaths of two other team members in the form of Tosh and Owen in Exit Wounds just four episodes prior. The Torchwood team has been well and truly decimated! It's such an impactful death and I was taken back fifteen years when watching to how I felt on broadcast. I was obviously anticipating it this time around so I was waiting to see how my partner would react, but she has kind of already had it spoiled that Ianto would perish. She just didn't know when. My recent visit to Ianto's shrine probably didn't help with her avoiding information on the series! I thought the politics in the episode was nothing short of extraordinary as we genuinely see the pros and cons debated on what would happen for the children requested by the 456. Even offering up 6,700 'units' was abhorrent, but it was flatly rejected. The 456 really came into their own here and after cowering in the shadows for much of the series so far, this was where they showcased that they meant business. The release of the virus was shocking stuff and the personnel within Thames House were swiftly killed in emotional scenes. That was obviously not felt anywhere more than with Ianto, but it was a fine example of how they reacted when being threatened. Torchwood took over in sensational style but it soon backfired. I thought Nicholas Briggs getting an extended role in the story as politician Yates was magnificent and there's no way that surname was an accident! I think the debate on choosing the children was a disgrace and it's scary to think just how likely something like that would happen behind closed doors. I'll give it to them, the cover story that they came up with was superb and definitely something I think would be feasibly believed by the majority of the population. The scenes dating back to 1965 were excellent too and I was surprised that Jack was so callous and calm about handing over the twelve orphans to the 456. Rhys was clearly shocked by Jack's past here and what he'd done, but unfortunately he didn't get to do too much else in the story. Although he did get to take away the recordings on the laptop of the political negotiations. The way it was built into having that revealed was outstanding and I adored Lois Habiba's step up in the middle of the Cabinet meeting. She had a standout moment here and it's a shame she never gets to take up a role in Torchwood full time. She really steps up. The reaction of Green in particular when she says Torchwood to being asked about her and who's army was magnificent. Things ramp up massively and the way the 456 also disconnect Clem as the remnant is powerful stuff. It's such an impactful death, but on the sofa opposite me Gemma was actually quite pleased as she wasn't a fan of his! Ianto finding out about Jack's family being taken hostage was good and I must say I agreed with Gemma in wanting Jack to give Ianto more as he was on his deathbed. The life of an immortal, eh? It's an incredible ending as the 456 demonstrate their threat, Ianto perishes, and the plan to give up 35 million children begins. A staggering cliffhanger and lead into the finale! A simply magnificent episode. 

Rating: 10/10

Children of Earth: Day Three

"We are now living in fear of our children."

Writers: Russell T Davies & James Moran

Format: TV

Broadcast: 08 July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.03

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis

The eyes of the world turn to Britain as the 456 announce they are there; a pillar of fire descends upon London and the members of Torchwood must battle to protect their own families when the fight gets personal. 

Verdict

Day Three was another excellent episode to continue our way through the Children of Earth third series of Torchwood! We're really getting into the nitty gritty of the series now with the arrival of the 456 after their promise of arrival in Day Two. It was a fine cliffhanger and more than enough to bring the viewer back, and it's just incredible to see how dramatised this series is. The huge involvement of British and now international politics in the series makes things feel very real world and I love that. It feels so much bigger than a normal alien invasion and it was made clear that even UNIT were out of their depth. John Frobisher is played brilliantly by Peter Capaldi and I like how he is the one chosen to be in contact with the 456. He's a terrific politician and his reaction to being told of the news by the Prime Minister was hilarious. Shit was an adequate description of his predicament for sure. The way he reeled off the number of countries part of the ambassadorial discussion was quite something, although I have my doubts that the likes of Russia and Iran would take part in something led by the UK and the USA being close behind. All of the children pointing towards the UK was fun and it was quite a daunting way to announce their impending arrival. I thought their appearance behind the poison gas of their carefully instructed chamber was creepy and that works well. I like the mystery behind them and barely being able to see them adds to the anticipation. Gemma alongside me was banking on them being the Slitheen and I can see her logic there, but I had to break the unfortunate news that this was not a returning villain or monster. It was something completely new. I think getting the Torchwood team back together and somewhat back on track in a makeshift hub. That was fun. Ianto wanting to dive back into some sexual relations with Jack despite the world being close to an end was brilliant, but the beans were nearly done. Sex would have to wait. I thought the slow burner for Jack in remembering what had happened in 1965 and his own involvement being revealed was fantastic. It's harrowing to think that he was involved in giving twelve children to the 456 and it certainly explained why he was on the British Government's hit list. I loved his conversation with Frobisher and wanting to get into Thames House, and calling from his wife's phone was superb. Frobisher being able to counter with having Alice and Steven in custody was fantastic too and Jack's threat of going for his wife was futile as he was a better man than the politician. A fantastically frosty exchange. Seeing the Torchwood team delve into being criminals was good and they certainly picked a good day for it with the promise of the 456's arrival. Clement remembering Jack from when he was to be given to the 456 was excellent and I love the ordeal he's going through because of how compelling it is. He's a key part in the connection between now and 1965 and I love that Jack is shocked by the 456's return. One bargain was made and now they've come back for more. Considerably more. 10% of the child population of the planet is obviously not something that is even negotiable, and I'm quite surprised that it even seems to be under consideration. But that's politics. They really will cover anything up! The cliffhanger being that Jack was involved in giving the children as a gift with three others he didn't know by name but were revealed as those others on the kill list was fantastic and really enticing to lead into the next episode! And boy it's a big one. Overall, excellent stuff! 

Rating: 9/10

Children of Earth: Day Two

"Why would the government want to destroy Torchwood?"

Writer: John Fay

Format: TV

Broadcast: 07 July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.02

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis

Torchwood are forced underground. Only Lois holds the key to the team's salvation, but she is helpless as her superiors make plans for the mysterious Floor 13.

Verdict

Day Two was an excellent episode to continue our way through the Children of Earth third series of Torchwood! I am absolutely loving revisiting this series for the first time in a decade and it really is an upgrade from the first two series in terms of production and direction. That is clear and I think it certainly helps the drama in having the entire series be one overlapping story arc. The cliffhangers are fantastic and the build towards what is coming next is terrific. This has me excited for what is to come next year with The War Between the Land and the Sea as it will take place across the same number of episodes and follow a similar format. This episode though was full of action and I was delighted with how much my partner Gemma enjoyed alongside me. After some trepidation, she is well and truly invested in this series which I am so happy about! She wants to know the truth about the 456 and who they are, with the promise of them coming tomorrow being tremendous given the format of the story taking place across five days. After the eventful conclusion to Day One in having Captain Jack literally blown to smithereens and taking the entire Torchwood Hub with him, the episode building towards rescuing him was fantastic. Gwen and Rhys getting their way to London was fantastic and some of the humour that came from the pair was just delightful. From the shouting about the keys to crossing the border in the back of a potato truck. Utilising some of the knowledge Rhys has from the haulage industry was actually great stuff and the comedy he had in saying how everything was more expensive in London when they had no money was magnificent. And the new car they had to dump! He wasn't a fan of all this trouble. His reaction to finding out that Gwen was pregnant was delightful and something I can appreciate being the father of a cheeky little boy and expecting a girl to conclude the year later this month. Exciting times! Johnson was ruthless in her task of wiping out Torchwood and the discovery of Jack literally in pieces was quite horrendous, as was the way he fixed back together. That image of him crisp and screaming didn't go down well on my sofa! Gemma is a little squeamish so that was not an image she wanted to remember too well. The humour that came from Rhiannon and Johnny when they were infiltrated was hilarious as he was found butt naked and then accusing those of spying on them as being pedos. It's so easy to forget the adult orientation of the spinoff! I loved it though as it was just real Cardiff housing estate stuff. Rhiannon helping Ianto and meeting at the park was lovely and I really appreciated all she was doing for him in literally giving him the laptop and car. The hunt to London and the compound where Jack was kept was really good and I liked the solution of containing Jack in a concrete cell. Ianto's method of extracting him was quite something though! I thought Rhys and Gwen posing as funeral directors was quite amusing, although would they really have gotten away with it for as long as they did? Lois helping out Torchwood was brilliant and I like how she's on the case to help them because she knows what Frobisher is doing is wrong. The promise of the 456's arrival is wonderful and I like how Britain is at the forefront. The truth will soon be out and that's not something Frobisher is keen on happening. Having Torchwood on the run is exciting stuff and with Jack now back in the fold, it sets us up very nicely for the coming of the mysterious alien race behind the children. They'll soon be here. Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Children of Earth: Day One

"This whole city talks about you."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 06 July 2009

Series: Torchwood 3.01

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Ianto

Synopsis

Torchwood is defenceless and Gwen Cooper stands alone. As the world descends into anarchy, a council estate is the battleground for the future of the human race.

Verdict

Day One was an outstanding start to the Children of Earth third series of Torchwood! My modern era rewatch alongside my partner Gemma takes a slight detour as after over two years since concluding the second series, we return to what I would say is Doctor Who's most successful spinoff. And it's not even close is it? There has been a little bit of trepidation on my girlfriend's behalf about getting back into the spinoff because she doesn't have the fondest memories of the spinoff, but I seem to remember her quite enjoying and I have pestered and told her how critically acclaimed this particular series is. I could tell from her reactions as we watched this opening hour that she was invested. She's not a huge fan of Gwen at all which is a shame as I think she's a fantastic character, but she did have a chuckle when she was on the phone to Rhys when driving over the Severn Bridge and into England. Now, my partner is English and I'm Welsh so we have a little bit of banter there and that's a bridge we have driven over countless times, but we now live in South Wales so to hear Gwen as a proud Welshwoman make fun of going across the border with her injections and Rhys mentioning the currency was magnificent. I appreciated that so much and was a fond reminder of just how Welsh this show is. I love it. It was magnificent to see Gwen and company entering the Torchwood Hub at the Cardiff Bay as I was actually there just last week on my lunch break at work visiting Ianto's Shrine for the very first time. It completely went over my head that it was located at the Torchwood entrance so to be watching this so soon after visiting was fantastic. I thought the episode was clearly of its time and it's quite bonkers to be saying that of something from 2009. But Gwen saying Rhys should adopt a Philipino child to sweep the chimneys wouldn't fly today and neither would Ianto being asked if he had gone bender or takes it up the arse! It was extraordinary stuff but thoroughly entertaining I must say. On a personal note, getting confirmation that Martha was on her honeymoon sparked wild celebrations on my sofa with Gemma hoping she was on a seven day all incisive break as I told her how this series takes place over five consecutive days. That was pretty funny! It's also fun to see Peter Capaldi in another role within the Doctor Who universe prior to taking on the biggest of all as John Frobisher here, and the use of politics in the episode is superb. From the Home Office to UNIT, we really do have it all. I loved how things touched upon 1965's events and the bargain that was had with the 456 who have made a huge presence without actually featuring. The concept of every child in the world stopping at the same time is sensational and as a father to a boy who has just started school, I feel like the imagery and what happens here on a rewatch will have a profoundly different impact than my previous viewings. I'm not entirely sure I am ready! I think the cliffhanger here is nothing short of incredible as not only do we get the bombshell that Gwen is pregnant after her fascinating encounter with Timothy White as the only man also speaking in unison, but Jack is implanted with a bomb. The entire Hub goes ablaze and it works so well to those out to get Torchwood after the Blank Page order that they think Jack's ability to resurrect is linked to the Rift and the Hub. It's a solid theory! Ianto's moment of dropping in the fact he'd lost the car was a sublime moment of comedy before everything went to shit. I loved it. Overall, just a sensational opening episode to the series! I can't wait to watch the rest.

Rating: 10/10