The Mourning After

"I'm not blinking well dead!"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 10.03

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Litefoot is surprised to meet an old friend. But celebrations are rather muted as he and Ellie have just been to the funeral of Henry Gordon Jago. But is Jago really dead? Or has he somehow been transported into a nightmarish future? The truth is both elusive and deeply worrying...

Verdict

The Mourning After was an excellent episode to continue my way through the tenth series of Jago & Litefoot! This was certainly my favourite story from the boxset so far and it was just gripping from start to finish. The emotions that came from the opening with Litefoot and Ellie attending the funeral of Henry Gordon Jago was powerful stuff and I hadn't actually read the synopsis prior to listening so I was a tad surprised! I did have to check if I had mistakenly missed an episode or anything or skipped over the ending of The Year of the Bat where Jago perished, but alas I was right on track and it was all part of a very fascinating plot. The prospect of Jago passing away is incredibly sad and this was a harrowing example of how those close to him would react. I did like how his wake back at the Red Tavern was lively because that's certainly how he would have wanted instead of Ellie's suggestion of it being a nice and quiet tribute celebration. That's just not Jago. Of course, he didn't actually turn out to be dead and he was at the grasp of Adella who claimed to be from the Jago and Litefoot Society. She also claimed that Jago had been asleep for century and whilst thought dead, he was actually now in the year 2000. I liked how touched he was at remembering Litefoot in realising that his long suffering pal would be dead by now, but I loved the continuity of him realising Ellie should still be alive. That was terrific. Jago reacted pretty well to supposedly being in the year 2000 and he was quite taken by Adella which was just so typical of his character. Even in a time of crisis he's there to flirt! Never change. I thought the return of Dr Betterman was good stuff and welcomed after the impact made in The Devil's Dicemen. I think it certainly helps having the character played by an actor with the calibre of David Warner because he really does shine. The circumstances in which he arrived at Jago's funeral were certainly suspicious and that led Litefoot to thinking he was responsible for the zombie pandemic that was gripping London. The awkwardness of Quick coming to Litefoot for an investigation was tough to listen to as he coped with the loss of his close friend and then realising that if he took the mission he would be doing so alone. That can't have been easy! I thought the way he lured Betterman into helping him and introducing him to the walking dead was fun especially because he thought the doctor was behind it all! The twist for Litefoot that he actually wasn't worked well and it was fun that Betterman was lured there by other means. The newspaper just happening to be on the right page etc. It was all an elaborate plan. I was half suspecting the Master himself to emerge when the zombie was repeating the word after Betterman asked if that was what he was to them. Litefoot was apologetic in realising that wasn't the case which was nice. I must admit I was fooled when it came to the resolution in having Jago not actually be in the future at all! I didn't see that coming so I appreciated the facade he had been sold by Adella, although I was suspicious of the one way time travel capsule. Jago entering the casket once again must have been quite a shock! Litefoot putting things together and coming to his chum's rescue was glorious though. It was a wonderful reunion and Betterman being on hand with the antidote was a nice touch and tied in nicely with his own areas of research. I thought it worked brilliantly, but Jago and Litefoot are making quite the name for themselves now and they're being watched. I can't wait for the finale! Overall, a brilliant episode! 

Rating: 9/10

The Year of the Bat

"Letters that could only have come from the future."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 10.02

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

When a strange package is delivered to Professor Litefoot, he has no idea of the far-reaching implications. Soon Litefoot and Jago find themselves enmeshed in a series of event that began thirty years ago – events their younger selves have already been caught up in...

Verdict

The Year of the Bat was another good episode to continue my way through the tenth series of Jago & Litefoot! I appreciated the unique nature of this episode and with the series (mostly) contained to the Victorian era, there really is only so much that can happen in one time and region. But this was altogether different and I liked that there was explanation of involvement from the Doctor. The pair of Jago and Litefoot are mostly familiar with the Fourth and Sixth Doctors, but it seems to be the incarnation in between that supplied the yesterday box to Litefoot here in some fine The Haunting of Thomas Brewster continuity. It worked really well. I thought the concept behind the box was really intriguing and whilst a little more on its origins and true purpose would have been beneficial, playing with time travel in a unique way as was done here was marvellous. The possibility of being able to write a letter to your past self of thirty years ago was fascinating and became actually enthralling. I do think it was perhaps a little overdone by the end when Ellie got involved to provide a safety net to what was happening, but that didn't make it any less fun. The whole format of the episode was a bit weird and I wasn't hugely a fan of the way in which we jumped from present day to thirty years of the past. Now, I appreciate that this is an audio format and it would be incredibly difficult for the actor to showcase a younger voice, but I was not a fan of the younger versions of Jago and Litefoot being played by new actors. They didn't sound authentic or event remotely close in my opinion which was a shame and really did take me out of the episode for some moments. I liked the dialogue and it was fun to catch up on both of their histories, but the choice of actors was left wanting. It just felt strange and sadly not that authentic. I did think it was fun that the pair inadvertently made themselves meet much earlier than they were aware of doing so and the prospect of that altering the events of The Talons of Weng-Chiang was delightful! Imagine if things went different there with the scale of threats on offer. That wouldn't go down well and I don't think the Doctor would be best pleased! Lilith Lovett as the figurehead of the sisterhood was a fun character although I do think things got a little silly with the nannies. I mean, Jago plays it so well and he is the right kind of ridiculous personality for that kind of threat, but it was a little difficult to take seriously at times. The scale of the story across thirty year was exciting and the manipulation of events through letters felt a little bit unbelievable but then you remember it's the Victorian era and that kind of communication was all they had! It's fascinating to look back on eras like this that are relatively close to us yet so far removed technologically. And the bats! I thought they would be given more importance given the name of the episode but it felt a bit for show. It was still entertaining though. It was also a nice touch for Litefoot to remember running into Quick's father as part of the police force. But would they really have such strong recollection of events thirty years ago? That's an awfully long time. Overall though, still a strong episode to keep the series rolling! 

Rating: 7/10

The Case of the Missing Gasogene

"Two dead bodies. No weapon. No motive. What a mystery!"

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 10.01

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Investigating the death of Sir Hartley Harecourt's manservant, Jago and Litefoot are caught up in an intriguing locked-room mystery. It's a mystery that involves strange experiments, mysterious scientific forumlae, our heroes' greatest admirer, and a missing soda siphon...

Verdict

The Case of the Missing Gasogene was a really fun start to the tenth series of Jago & Litefoot! These pair of Victorian misfits seem to have no end in sight when it comes to their adventures and long may that continue because they really are tremendous together. I thought the continuity from the end of the last series with Carruthers was a lot of fun as he tried to document the tales of Jago and Litefoot. They were ripe for the world of prose, especially in the Victorian era! I would absolutely love to read some of their stories in the prose format beyond Doctor Who and the Talons of Weng-Chiang and I think an entire Short Trips volume dedicated them would just be marvellous. Anyway, more about the story itself and the title really did take me off guard because it sounds a little ordinary. Even in the way things were set up at the start of the episode this didn't quite feel like something for the infernal investigators that are Jago and Litefoot. But alas, it was always going to change and the way things tied together worked really well! I thought the guest cast for this one was actually excellent with Ellie shining as normal behind the bar of the Red Tavern. But it was the likes of Dr Kindred and Cornish that really propped up the quality of the episode. Both were intelligent and obviously crucial to the plot with their scientific developments. I thought the reaction to finding out that Kindred was a woman was just delightful because it was a stark reminder of the setting being the Victorian. A woman couldn't possibly develop something like the speciation serum, right? Alas, she had done so and she was actually being sought after when it came to combining her creation with the formula that Cornish had created that would see cells duplicate. Putting the two together was the brain child of Harecourt as the teacher of the pair as former students and he was quite deranged. He took things into his own hands and tested on McCallum which was pretty horrifying but he knew that he would never get any kind of regulatory approval. And rightly so as evidenced with what happened to the poor chap in the story! I thought the focus on evolution and manufacturing that was quite intriguing and the reaction when Litefoot exclaimed there were no organs at all inside the corpse was fantastic. That was a whole new kind of mystery with the door being locked on the inside. How would somebody be able to function without their organs? That just shouldn't be possible as Litefoot rightly exclaimed. Carruthers was good fun with his commentary throughout the episode and I'm fascinated to find out what the end game with him will be. Surely it is not just a simple prose release and something more will be afoot? It feels right that this will happen. I won't be mad if it doesn't though as I suspect that Jago will absolutely revel in any kind of fame. The way mystery was captured in the episode was decent although it did seem to slightly diminish as the episode drew to a close. Whilst I firmly appreciated how logical and clever the resolution was in utilising the scientific prowess of Kindred and Cornish to come up with an antidote – especially when Jago himself was subjected to the forced evolution – it did seem a tad predictable and underwhelming. Maybe that's just me thinking a little too far ahead and solving things instead of just enjoying what happened? Regardless, this was still a terrific series opener with a really strong idea at its heart! Who'd have thought some gasogene would be so crucial. Overall, a great start! 

Rating: 8/10

Best Friends

"Only ask a question if you are sure you want to know the answer."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2007

Series: Doctor Who Files 10

Featuring: Captain Jack

Synopsis

It's nearly the end of the Victorian era and Captain Jack gets word of a famed variety act that can answer any question from any one with absolute accuracy. Jack thinks he has the question that cannot be answered though and puts it to the test...

Verdict

Best Friends was a wonderful short story to continue my way through the Doctor Who Files! I think this might just be the best of the series so far and that's an absolute delight to say. There is a lot of potential when it comes to a book focused on Captain Jack because where would you start when it comes to picking when and where the adventure takes place? There's an abundance of choices and I quite like how this one kept things relatively simple in going to the late-Victorian era. Torchwood has been well and truly established following the events of Tooth and Claw and now Jack is in the time period after the events of The Parting of the Ways. I thought the use of a variety act felt very much of the period which I enjoyed and I liked how it just felt true to the Victorian era whilst having that sci-fi twist. The concept of somebody being able to answer any question no matter how secret or hidden is terrific and just perfect for the Whoniverse. What provides them with that ability? How did they get it? It's all good to play into and I liked that Jack knew the significance of the alien behind Anthony Bradshaw's incredible gift. To us readers, the name Lawphoram doesn't exactly mean much and is just another simple alien name, but I liked that Jack understood it and showed just how extensively he has travelled to. I mean, he is originally a Time Agent so it's not much of a surprise but with no Doctor around it's good for him to feel like a standout and very knowledgable character. Of course, he is the one carrying and leading this adventure and this felt more mature as well than some of the other stories in the series. I'm not sure if that's because of Captain Jack himself and his more adult oriented character or if it was just the quality of the story. I think it helped that there was a crowd onlooking as Jack challenged Mr Sutton as the Overseer and took him up on the challenge. One hundred guineas were coming his way as far as he was concerned and the question being how would Jack die was just brilliant. I didn't see it coming but once it did I couldn't believe it took me by surprise. I think it's clear that Jack is still getting to grips with his immortality and I firmly believe he genuinely wanted to know the answer. I also think he knew he wouldn't get one and that's why he was so brash in taking up Bradshaw on the challenge. I liked the simplicity in which the young lad answered that he didn't know because that just felt innocent. It confirmed he wasn't making things up and I appreciated that. The shock and awe that came from Jack having the unanswerable question was brilliant and that led Sutton to flee, but Jack was already two steps ahead and knew that would happen. Sutton didn't have anything close to the money and was spending what they earned like there was no tomorrow. Jack of course wasn't bothered on the financial side, but he wanted the alien involvement inside Bradshaw's head to stop. Sutton should not be profiting on it, especially when it was literally eating the young lad alive. It was from him that it fed and that was a strong bit of trepidation. The simplicity in which Jack broke the connection was good and I thought it was really poignant for him to visit Bradshaw later in life. The way the whole best friends comment from the voice in his head and then to Jack spun full circle by the end of the adventure was pretty brilliant. I loved it and it genuinely felt emotional! Overall, a really fantastic little story.

Rating: 9/10

Death Will Not Part Us

"Their past had been sold to preserve their future."

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Short Trips 11.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

On the 14th of August 3097, everything is fine on the world of Gernica. Except, on the same day, the planet is being destroyed. Also, on the 14th of August 3097, no one in the universe has heard of Gernica. The planet's only chance to survive the horrors of the Time War lies with Viola Wintersmith. For Viola has a weapon that can destroy anything that stands in her way. A weapon that requires a unique form of ammunition. Her past.

Verdict

Death Will Not Part Us was an excellent little story to continue my way through the eleventh series of Short Trips! Despite the vast amount of content that now exists from Big Finish within the Time War, I remain excited by stories from that time period because the potential continues to be literally endless. I think this audio was a fine example of pushing the boundaries of the Time War to its limits and it was right up my alley with how time itself was utilised. The potential of the Time War really is endless and having a weapon here that requires someone to give up their past as ammunition was incredibly exciting. That's such a daunting prospect and really does let the user question just how much they want to use it. I'm sure all of us have had several repetitive or boring days that we wouldn't miss at work and then not doing a great deal at home, but having a wedding day thrown into things really shook things up. I thought Viola Wintersmith was a fascinating character and the way her relationship with the Doctor developed and was explored over the course of the thirty-seven minutes or so was fantastic. I really liked the dynamic and the Doctor showing up at her wedding day towards the end to object to the union was a fun moment. I thought the way the timey-wimey nature of the episode was sold was superb in utilising multiple opening credits. That felt very unique and I must admit the first time it happened it had me looking at and questioning my Big Finish app! It really took me off guard but once I realised what was happening, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a fun interpretation on the Time War and it went even further with the cameos of the War Doctor and the Ninth Doctor. The latter reflecting on what had happened to Gernica was powerful stuff and I liked the narration focusing on him having lost his people and his planet but had been able to reclaim his title now. There was some sort of solace. I thought it was also a really nice touch to close out with the closing theme of the Ninth Doctor from the modern era. It really was quite something to hear that in a Time War story. It really did kind of bring the conflict full circle by going from primarily the Eighth Doctor and then to the Ninth to conclude. It was really well done. I must say I am not aware of who Adele Anderson is as the narrator but with the focus primarily on Viola rather than the Doctor, she did a stellar job in bringing that character to life. She was impressive in her performance and I like how she kept things simple when it came to voicing the Doctor. It was effective and didn't feel like a bad impression at all. The number of weddings that were occurring was vast and that was fun for so many to happen. Toying with feeding the weapon ammunition by your past days was sold really well over the course of the episode and the fate of Gernica having multiple conclusions showed just what the Time War is all about. It's almost impossible to comprehend and that's something I really love. Overall, a fine use of the Time War that felt original and confusing in the best way possible. I loved playing with the different versions and potential events. A terrific listen! 

Rating: 9/10

The Time Crocodile

"How did a crocodile get to be smart enough to have thoughts to express?"

Writer: Colin Brake

Format: Novel

Released: July 2007

Series: DYD 03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

The space zoo isn't like any zoo you've ever visited on Earth. For a start, some of the animals can talk! Explore the zoo and work out who can be trusted and who has a hidden agenda...

Verdict

The Time Crocodile was a terrific little read to continue my sporadic reading around the Decide Your Destiny series! It actually feels quite horrifying to think that these books were starting to be released eighteen years ago now as that just doesn't feel possible. I really do tend to forget that I am now twenty-eight years old and probably shouldn't be spending my time reading the DYD range, but I'm a completist! I'll get there eventually I hope. With everything. If it's possible. But with a newborn in the house and taking advantage of her nap lasting out of the car and into the house, I pounced to the bookshelf for a quick read and the DYD series is perfect for that. I mean, it is difficult to judge just how quick the read will be as who knows what direction you will be taken as the reader, but I have a good idea. It was not more than fifteen minutes so that worked perfectly for me. I was intrigued by the name of the story and it definitely sounds like something that would appeal to the younger target audience. I also like the idea of a space zoo and when the reader becomes an unnamed character in the story, that's an exciting place to venture to. It's never implied how old of a kid you are which I think is the correct move, but I tended to think of the character that I was in making the decisions as around 11-12 years old. With that in mind, I was surprised when one of the choices requiring a decision was whether you landed under or on top of Martha when the TARDIS took a wild swing! Especially with her blushing as she got off. I can't even remember what I chose now but either option seemed positive. The meeting of the Time Crocodile was good and I loved how both us as the reader along with Martha were stunned when he started talking. I mean, even in a space zoo I'd be pretty shocked to be conversing with a crocodile! The Doctor was on the get go from the off in trying to work out what had happened with Professor Thomas Morrow's experiment going wrong. He knew straight away that it wasn't just a mistake of the DNA with Morrow being a geneticist. The proximity of the space station that housed the zoo to a weak spot in the fabric of the universe and seeing parts of the Time Vortex leak out was good and quite the logical explanation really! I thought it was quite amusing that one of the choices was basically to accept if you understood the explanation or not. It sounded all good to me so I went with yes. I am intrigued to read the TARDIS Wiki entry for this book because it gives hints at the routes I did not take, such as numerous alternative names for the Time Crocodile. Especially considering I didn't read any of them! Also a tortoise called Kyle? He sounds quite fun and whacky so it's a shame I never got to meet him. I thought the way the Doctor used the TARDIS to materialise around the Time Crocodile and essentially sever the time connection was good and just as Martha was showing despair thinking the creature was gone, he was just an ordinary crocodile now within the pen. That was a nice touch and it was good that everything ended nicely. I liked how comforting Martha was as a character too and she really made the reader feel welcomed. She encouraged the Doctor to give him a trip and was just a really nice companion. Overall, a great little read!  

Rating: 8/10

Step Back in Time: Extra Time

"There had never been a match quite like this."

Writer: Richard Dungworth

Format: Novel

Released: February 2012

Series: 2in1 6a

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Doctor and his friends head to the 1966 World Cup final. While the Doctor and Amy discover that the Time Lord isn't the only alien visiting Wembley, Rory finds himself playing a crucial role in this historic England vs West Germany football match...

Verdict

Extra Time was a really fun story to kick off my reading of the Step Back in Time 2in1 novel! This actually serves as the final release in the range which is a shame but I thought this was a delightful little tale. It was really relaxed and calm which was good and the use of history was magnificent. I'm a huge football fan and would love the opportunity to step back in time and watch a historic match of my choosing like Rory had the opportunity of doing so here, but I can't say I would be picking anything that saw England victorious! I would definitely find myself in Lille during the summer of 2016 for Wales' victory over Belgium at the Euros, but with Rory being English I can understand the allure of your nation winning the World Cup. I thought the author did a fine job in capturing the feeling of the build up to the football match and the imagery of deserted London streets and the agony of PC Sanderson having to work shift was fantastic. Amy even thinking that it was just a game sent shivers down my spine because any football fan knows it is far more than that. I actually loved this story as it was before the Vispics got involved because just stepping into history like this was tremendous. It actually took a little while before any kind of plot got going with Rory finding a dead body in the toilet cubicle, but I was honestly absolutely fine with that. My enjoyment seemed to actually decrease when there was an alien hunt to have as I was just revelling in stepping through history. I think we could have leaned a little more into The Lodger with the Doctor's footballing abilities but it was Rory's encyclopaedic knowledge that I related to. If this was a Welsh equivalent then I would definitely be Rory. Although I'm not sure about the Match Attax collecting! Reading FIFA 11 and Football Manager in Doctor Who prose wasn't something I ever expected either but I'm all for it having had strong addictions to both games in the past! The significance of the Jules Rimet trophy was fantastic and I really liked how this was the basis for which the Vispics were going to feed on the endorphins of 93,000 mostly ecstatic supporters as England won the tournament. I could have done without the numerous mentions of the Union Jack as that flag does not represent the English alone and I can safely say that when Amy was questioned on who she wanted to win I would absolutely be in the camp supporting the Germans. The ridiculousness of Rory having to take the place of Bakhramov as the famous Russian linesman that dubiously awarded Geoff Hurst's extra time goal to make it 3-2 was absolutely insane. But it was so ludicrous I kind of enjoyed it. The continuity with The End of Time and the Vinvocci shimmer to have him look like the lino was good and the agony he felt not to make a mistake and change the course of English footballing history was hilarious. The story basically taking place over the course of the match was good, although now I'm not sure where Liberation of the Daleks can fit in! It's fun to think of different interpretations though. I really liked Rory's motivation being the disallowed Frank Lampard goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup because that was frankly incredibly funny when it happened, although I shared Amy's sentiments regarding the vuvuzela. Nobody wants that cacophony of noise again. I thought the use of the Empire Stadium infrastructure itself to link with the London Underground and stop the Vispics was quite predictable but it was still enjoyable despite building towards something obvious. It was done well and Amy teaming with Sanderson to get everything sorted worked well. Her running into an actual police box instead of the TARDIS was also a fun moment. As was the Doctor suggesting their memento being the actual Jules Rimet trophy and steal it for themselves from 1983 in Brazil! Rather them than some thieves? Ludicrous but enjoyable. Overall, a great little read! 

Rating: 8/10

The Living Darkness

"The aliens don't want to hurt us."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Audio

Released: January 2025

Series: First Doctor Adventures 4.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

Steven Taylor thought he'd left a life of adventure behind when he said goodbye to the Doctor and forged his future as the leader of a world. But decades later, when a broken and grieving Steven awakes aboard a mysterious spacecraft, terror is close at hand.

What is the purpose of the ship's voyage and why has it collected a random group from different points in time and space? What sinister presence lurks within the darkness that smothers its corridors? And can Steven really trust the new arrival claiming to be the Doctor...?

Verdict

The Living Darkness was an excellent story to serve as the fourth series of the new First Doctor Adventures! Whilst I would rather this range took the approach of multiple episodes in a boxset rather than longer ones, I can't complain with the quality on display here. This was almost like an extended double farewell for both Steven and Dodo which was really rather beautiful. Steven serves as the main character for much of the story and Peter Purves really does hold the listener with his performance. Even now in his elderly years and in character as being over a century he is just tremendous. I think he's brilliant and his character is packed with history. Steven's departure in The Savages is always something that feels slightly odd with him becoming a king as I am not sure that was ever the right kind of fit for him, but the continuity and explanation here was fitting. I thought it was tremendous that the Elders renamed their planet as Tardissium because that instantly sounds like something Steven should be the head of and even hearing how it had now become a free republic was a nice touch. Freedom! Steven had obviously moved on with his life but I was not expecting such strong and powerful continuity from The War to End All Wars. That was really unexpected but actually crucial to the story as Steven was still reeling from the death of his daughter Dodo. Whilst the cliffhanger ending to part five was very obvious as the time scoop worked on bringing Dodo back, it was always going to be the companion he travelled with. What I wasn't expecting though was for this to be mid-The War Machines and give a proper explanation for why Dodo just left abruptly. I think that's fun to address and it works well! The Doctor here knows where she really has gone to head the conservation but I thought it was pretty humorous for him to mention not being happy if she just hopped up and left because that's exactly what happened. I think it's right that Dodo gets a proper companion goodbye and this serves very nicely. The overall story though was really good and I love the idea behind Compuvac. The story's proximity to The Daleks' Master Plan was unexpected but so welcomed with numerous instances of alluding to the Space Security Service. The computer actually focusing on Brett and Sara as the final candidates selected was intriguing stuff, although with the current rate of technology I'm not convinced we'll have to wait until the 4000s to get an artificial intelligence with instinct. It's a very fun concept though and one I'm in favour of exploring. Steven's reunion with the Doctor here was marvellous and it was great that the latter wasn't at first convinced he was the real article. After being imprisoned and treated like pets, they both wanted a way out and were proactive in finding the means. Qyz was a really nice character and I liked how he came out of his shell more as the story developed. The Doctor giving him moments to showcase his brilliance was wonderful. Mish was a purposely unlikeable character but the bitch that was Umbriel took the mantle of most disliked. The Doctor calling her Muriel on multiple occasions was delightful because of how much she took offence. The pace of the story was really strong and I listened to the first five parts back to back with ease. I only had to leave the last because of the school run! It was just fantastic stuff. Powerful emotionally and a really strong story to boot in working out what Compuvac was programmed to do. Its purpose was sound in finding the best, but the logic it used to find that was what needed altering. I thought that was good and the use of Hadria soon altered. Overall, a superb story! Give me more frequent stories because I am very invested in the wider arc at large with manipulations in play.

Rating: 9/10

House of Plastic

"So much for saving the planet."

Writer: Mike Tucker

Format: Audio

Released: January 2025

Series: BBC Audio 27

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

When a new state-of-the-art recycling plant opens in North-East London, pensioner Roger Turner is all for doing his bit. In return for donations of unwanted plastic, he and his friends get to see AN-X Recycling's exhibition of life-size human and animal mannequins. 

The Doctor and Ace are also visiting the plant, but their unauthorised snooping doesn't go down well with AN-X's strangely impassive operations manager and their boiler-suited staff, keen to protect the secret that lurks at the heart of the factory floor. 

When Roger is attacked by a terrifying human exhibit, he finds himself joining forces with the strange Doctor and his friend. Soon they're all fighting for their lives – and for the future of planet Earth.

Verdict

House of Plastic was a great audio adventure! This is one I have been very excited about ever since it was announced as I think getting a full story with the Seventh Doctor doing battle against the Nestene Consciousness and their tyrannical Autons was a delightful prospect. I was also shocked to realise in the Doctor Who Magazine preview for the story that this is actually the first BBC Original Audio to feature the Doctor in his seventh incarnation! That just feels incorrect but thankfully that quirk is corrected here and in pretty strong fashion. I think the modern day setting with a Classic Doctor is a fun little twist and part of the charm of these audio series. This just wouldn't be possible to do accurately back during the late-1980s so to have it work here was great. Plastic and the environment are obviously pretty strong discussion points in the world in which we live currently and it just seems ripe for the Nestene Consciousness to come and cause chaos. I thought delving into a new realm for the Nestenes was excellent and I really liked bringing liquid plastic into play. The possibilities there really are fascinating and we had that come into fruition with the idea of a human-Auton hybrid! That was super exciting and not something I had ever contemplated being possible. It made sense for the Nestene to not need so many Autons to control when they had almost humans in that position, but the original Autons taking the form of shop window dummies again was a delight. That's a fantastic default for the Autons and something that has now become iconic. Whilst it did take rather a long time for the Doctor and Ace to enter the story, starting things with Roger as the pensioner was good and he was actually a very likeable character. I had sympathy with him for how he was being exploited by AN-X and their whole business programme of reward for recycling was strong, but definitely in the Whoniverse something dodgy. I liked the involvement of micro plastics too and it's quite incredibly really to think about the developments in plastic and plastic-based products since the Autons were first introduced in Spearhead From Space way back in 1970. Now there are all sorts of ways to prevent the environmental damage plastic causes as the Doctor mentioned with numerous versions of biodegradable elements. I thought Ace was a little bit missing in the story which was a bit of a shame as she's literally such an explosive character and I think tackling some shop window dummies would have been right up her ally but she didn't seem to have an awful lot to do. I thought Terry Malloy on paper sounded like a fantastic narrator for the story, and that was true in terms of pure narration, but I must say his take on the Seventh Doctor left a lot to be desired. That is a pretty harsh statement given the format of the story, but we have historically had some very strong impressions or at least impersonations but I didn't think that happened here. A little more excitement was needing to be injected into the performance to really take this up a gear. I think he was actually best with Roger and I guess that's down to his age and proximity to Roger's character. I thought the resolution to the story was pretty simple but with that it was very effective as the Doctor just changed the formula of the plastic to make it impure and something the Nestene Consciousness could no longer control. The image of Autons recycling themselves into the Consciousness was brilliant though and quite humorous! Overall, a really strong original audio to finally welcome the Seventh Doctor to the range. 

Rating: 8/10

Parasite: The Liberty of Norton Folgate

"Torchwood needs exposing."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2020

Series: Torchwood Soho 1.06

Featuring: Folgate, Andy

Synopsis

Enter the world of 1950s Torchwood! 

Gangsters are vanishing from the streets of Soho, there's a deadly Nazi secret on the loose, and something's moving in the smog. Norton Folgate should be sorting this out, but the Torchwood agent is in disgrace. Who's going to save London this time?

Verdict

The Liberty of Norton Folgate was a very good episode to conclude the Parasite first series of Torchwood Soho! After a lengthy build up of five shorter episodes, this somehow felt slightly slacking which I know is contradictory to my rating. I have mixed feelings. I feel like the episode in isolation was really strong but to serve as a finale to a six-part series, it didn't deliver on every front. It rounded out everything nicely and I was certainly left with all of my questions having been answered which is not always the case in boxsets like this as they like to sell onto the next one, but I just think I felt like it was a bit quick. Or maybe I am just underestimating the qualities of Norton Folgate as a character. I can unquestionably say that my opinion on him has improved in listening to this series and I can now get ready for the next boxset in this series when I get there with him as a lead which is a big positive to come from the experience, but he just seemed unbeatable! He was almost Seventh Doctor-like at the end which shocked me in a good way and that twist probably did just about sneak the episode to the rating that it does, but that was a lot of planning ahead by Norton. Sure, I understand his desire to lead Torchwood and he failed in that for the future, but now here he is starting from the ground up and with Gideon Lyne alongside him. That's not a bad basis for a new Torchwood team which I like and I think it could be quite fun to follow the adventures of this 1950s Torchwood team now we've got its origin. Gideon finally recognising Andy was a fun moment and I think it's fun how the vortex manipulator wasn't exactly reliable when it came to battery power. Andy had actually been around for a couple of weeks and started laying some groundwork to prevent Norton going off the beaten track, but what he set in motion didn't exactly work to perfection! The whole focus on exposing Torchwood is quite intriguing given Norton's position and desire, but the trio all being in an effective tree of woe together with different motives and manipulating the other to enact a certain event was quite fun. It was a really interesting dynamic and I only wish we were sticking around for a few more episodes to get more of a lasting reaction from them all regarding their actions! I feel like this episode served as a good building block for Gideon as he started to learn and see things the Torchwood way. He worked out that he'd seen Andy before and now Norton wants him alongside him for Torchwood's renaissance. I like that and he's a character with a lot of potential in my opinion. The deduction that the parasitical fog was actually attracted to technology was good and I liked the science behind Norton's means of defeating them and literally wiping it away with sulphuric acid. Those poor pigeons! It did just feel like it happened all a little too quickly and in a slight rush. The logic is sound but it didn't feel like there was much of a build which is a shame because I think that is mainly down to the format. This was almost like six full cast Short Trips which is a fine format, but more focus on a fitting conclusion could have sent this to greatness. It was still a thoroughly enjoyable listen as my rating reflects, but I just know it could have been more. Overall, a very good episode to conclude what has been a terrific and very consistent little series! I look forward to the next one.

Rating: 8/10

Parasite: The Dead Hand

"They were using children as compost bags."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2020

Series: Torchwood Soho 1.05

Featuring: Folgate

Synopsis

Enter the world of 1950s Torchwood! 

Gangsters are vanishing from the streets of Soho, there's a deadly Nazi secret on the loose, and something's moving in the smog. Norton Folgate should be sorting this out, but the Torchwood agent is in disgrace. Who's going to save London this time?

Verdict

The Dead Hand was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Parasite first series of Torchwoof Soho! This was a slightly longer story and it certainly reaped the benefits as it was definitely the best of the bunch so far. It was almost having the feeling of Children of Earth when it came to explaining the use of children by Project Hermot in developing the parasite that is currently working its way through 1950s' Torchwood. I thought the cliffhanger finish to The Spread was very intriguing as Norton came to visit Lizbeth and it was confirmed here that she was the last remaining survivor as the parasite was doing its work. Learning about its origins was eery and just brilliant. I loved the political nature of the story and Lizbeth being drafted in to investigate when Rigsby didn't have the stomach for it was fantastic. She's a really strong character and I would love to explore more of her time as part of Torchwood before her untimely death at the end of the episode. Getting a full episode where she was basically the lead was magnificent and I thought she did a stellar job to be honest! A very likeable character and it's lovely to see how much pride she takes in her work and her abilities. The fact she is a woman in the 1950s makes her even more impressive and it was fun for Rigsby to proclaim the future would see Torchwood ruled by a woman. After all, if one woman could rule the British Empire and find Torchwood in the first place then that didn't seem wholly out of the realms of possibility. Lizbeth's meeting with Gerta in Berlin was so interesting and the way their conversation subtly shifted as it went on was terrific. Initially Gerta almost seemed like something of a victim in proclaiming how the Russians had taken most of their paperwork whilst the Americans had taken much of their stuff. Germany was a hostile and incredibly difficult place in the aftermath of the Second World War, but Lizebth didn't see the human side of things when she investigated further. Initially thinking that dogs had been used for the experimentation which was bad enough, she was disgusted when she found that it was actually children! The description of them as being compost bags was horrifying and I just couldn't be using anything else for my quote to take from the episode. It was a shocking description that really did have a profound impact on me. The format of the story in jumping around time and perspectives was good as it basically brought all of the loose threads together ahead of what I'm sure will be an explosive finale. I was surprised to hear an aftermath of the infection with Norton escaping thanks to Andy in Meet Mr Lyne, but the conversation between Rigsby and Lizbeth was enthralling. Rigsby was just delusional in thinking that he would survive and be saved. Hell, he even suggested he could be immune which was quite funny! Lizbeth didn't seem to be enjoying the conversation and was giving him the bare minimum as they waited for death. Who could really blame her? Norton's final conversation with her was quite sad as he really isn't the most sympathetic of characters and just hearing how Lizbeth now had the fungi growing out of her eyes meant she was unable to have clear vision. This was some death! Norton was all that was left of Torchwood now and that is quite a daunting prospect for him with all of London engulfed in fog and this Nazi killer parasite on the loose. It's set the finale up very well! Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Parasite: The Spread

"Killer Nazi mushrooms!"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2020

Series: Torchwood Soho 1.04

Featuring: Folgate, Andy

Synopsis

Enter the world of 1950s Torchwood! 

Gangsters are vanishing from the streets of Soho, there's a deadly Nazi secret on the loose, and something's moving in the smog. Norton Folgate should be sorting this out, but the Torchwood agent is in disgrace. Who's going to save London this time?

Verdict

The Spread was yet another great episode to continue my way through the Parasite first series of Torchwood Soho! This series has been incredibly consistent so far and with two instalments still to go this is shaping up to be a really solid debut series. Torchwood Soho continues to go from strength to strength here and the trio of Andy, Norton and Gideon are really establishing themselves as an impressive duo. The latter is still very much feeling like a newbie and that's not just when it comes to being a part of the life that is Torchwood. I thought it was quite powerful for him to make a point of him asking Norton back to his flat being the first time he had asked a man to do something like that. It was the first time he'd taken an interest which was intriguing given the aim with him as a journalist but this did very much feel like a literal coming out moment. And I'm not sure how much I enjoyed how unserious that was met by Norton, but that felt very much in character. He's a little bit annoying and whilst I do find that unlikeable, I am starting to appreciate that this is kind of the point. I'm not sure how sellable that is as a lead character for a spinoff's spinoff series, but there are multiple releases in this range and here I am having purchased one so they must be doing something correctly! I thought the episode title was slightly misleading as I'm not sure how much of the story was actually focused on that with the parasite spread, but it is very much there in the background and I feel like things are building towards an exciting crescendo. The involvement of Belle was good and I liked that Norton saw that Gideon and Andy were kept safe within the Stagnant Pond. The concept behind that public estsblihamnet was fascinating stuff and I loved the idea of them being frozen in time. Just the pub. The regulars were very much that! It was good and I would certainly like to learn more about its origin. Also, the conversation that Gideon and Belle had over a game of darts was terrific to me as an avid darts fan and player. Hearing Belle comment on how quickly Gideon was improving with his arrows as he got from the likes of a single nine to treble twelve was intriguing. They're not exactly far away from each other on the board! He had the knowledge though and quickly found himself hitting the treble twenty as the biggest points target on the board. The bullseye really isn't all that much to shout about despite being the appealing option at the centre! I thought Belle making sure that she wasn't just getting monetary value for housing Norton's friends was intriguing and bound to be something we come back to as we head into the final two episodes of the series. I like the continuation of the Nazi fungi threat as that seems magnificent and so perfect for the 1950s. Would Nazism ever really be defeated? The threat lingers and people continuing to go missing during the fog is now becoming something a little more as people realise. It can't just be the weather and I like that. I thought the cliffhanger was a little less impactful this time around but no less interesting as Norton was on his own little mission and seems to be shockingly reunited with Lizbeth. I didn't have that down as something that would happen but I'm intrigued to hear what comes next. Overall, a fine audio to continue the series! 

 

Rating: 8/10

Parasite: The Mould

"There's something hunting in the mist."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2020

Series: Torchwood Soho 1.03

Featuring: Folgate, Andy

Synopsis

Enter the world of 1950s Torchwood! 

Gangsters are vanishing from the streets of Soho, there's a deadly Nazi secret on the loose, and something's moving in the smog. Norton Folgate should be sorting this out, but the Torchwood agent is in disgrace. Who's going to save London this time?

Verdict

The Mould was another strong episode to continue my listening through the Parasite first series of Torchwood Soho! This was probably the strongest episode of the series so far despite them all sharing the same rating as I think after some fine introductions and setting things up for what is to come, this really got the umbrella story going. We were introduced (I assume anyway!) to the titular parasite and I think it's quite amusing that one was under Norton's bed the entire time he had been staying in his current residence. The trio of Norton, Andy and Gideon was quite something and whilst on paper that might not appear to be the making of a fine trio, in my ear it was honestly excellent. They all bounced off each other really well and the dynamic between them is second to none. They are all such different people and Gideon getting to grips with the fact that Norton wasn't quite a librarian was fun stuff. The prospect of Andy utilising a vortex manipulator in its own right is pretty shocking and I like the continuity of having Jack be the one to send him with his instructions. That links back very nicely to the modern era of Torchwood. It's also just nice for Andy to be a little more involved with Torchwood after so long spent on the fringes and it does seem like Torchwood Soho will be the place for him to shine amongst some of the action. Having him introduced to Gideon in his own room and being naked was quite the beginning to their relationship, but there was actually innocence in his explanation. I can certainly see why Gideon had questions though in finding Norton with another man naked in his room, especially after they'd set a time and place for a date! Andy honing on the psychic abilities of the vortex manipulator was quite fun so where else should we have expected Norton to aim for? I liked that a lot. The spore explanation after the cliffhanger to Meet Mr Lyne was also really good and logical, but without context it was obviously going to be a lot to take in. I thought the threat of the parasite was great and I think it's a fun twist to have Norton as the sole member of Torchwood taking it seriously. What better place to hide and hunt than in a foggy London? It's literally ripe for a parasite and I look forward to learning more about them as the second half of the series goes on. The significance of Belle is increasing more and more in subtle ways and I like the explanation of her being centuries old and getting involved. I suspect she will have a big role to play moving forward and I'm all here for it. Norton was certainly a little surprised to find that Gideon had interacted with her. The trio getting drunk was a bit surprising given the circumstances and I'll be amazed if no hanky panky business between them all doesn't happen tat some point given how they all got acquainted here. Norton being in a position as a sole survivor of his Torchwood team is intriguing and heading to the Soho bunker was good. Given everything happening he hoped it might be a safe haven and something no other Torchwood team members had thought about, but alas they stumbled upon it full of the creatures that they had awoken under the bed! That was quite a fun and unexpected cliffhanger. The infiltration of Torchwood is happening on quite the scale here and I wonder if that has anything to do with the timelines going wrong around Norton. I look forward to hearing more! Overall, a great episode! 

Rating: 8/10

Parasite: Meet Mr Lyne

"You can't just save my life and then run away."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2020

Series: Torchwood Soho 1.02

Featuring: Folgate

Synopsis

Enter the world of 1950s Torchwood! 

Gangsters are vanishing from the streets of Soho, there's a deadly Nazi secret on the loose, and something's moving in the smog. Norton Folgate should be sorting this out, but the Torchwood agent is in disgrace. Who's going to save London this time?

Verdict

Meet Mr Lyne was another great episode to continue my way through the Parasite first series of Torchwood Soho! This followed on nicely from where The Man From Room 13 started and I think the format is gaining pace. I almost feel like the episodes could be a little longer but that keeps the pace frantic and certainly appeases my appetite for wanting more. I thought the title of the episode was intriguing as Gideon was the referred to Mr Lyne and after his impactful introduction without much known about him in the opening episode, it was good to get some background about him. His position as a black man seems like it's going to be excellent to play around with given the 1950s setting and I think it's nice that Norton genuinely isn't bothered by his race. That could not be said for those offering him a job or a hotel room before he turned up on their doorsteps and quickly rescinded their offers! Purely based on the colour of his skin. It's shocking to think that this was the norm for this day and age so having Torchwood operate within this environment is really intriguing as a listener in 2025. I think the loose continuation and mentions of the fog are good and I suspect this will be where the umbrella titular parasite will lie. Threatening London with something that can be passed off as a natural phenomenon is good stuff and I'm excited to hear how things play out from here. The innuendo and childish humour that came from Norton being obsessed with Konstantin's package was fun stuff and Lizbeth was just a little too keen to open it when it arrived at Room 13. Norton of course realised that this was the sure fire way to get a deadly package into Torchwood. Doing so by ordinary mail wouldn't exactly be easy to get into Torchwood! So there we are. A fine trap for sure and I liked that Norton worked it out. The ridiculousness of the George Ezra fund really did make me audibly laugh as that's just so random and bonkers for the 1950s. Why him of all famous people to name the fund after some fifty or sixty years before he made an impact? Given that Andy popped up as the cliffhanger finish though at least provides a link to the times of Ezra. I wonder if he's Andy's kind of vibe? Just having him around for the series is going to be fun because his dynamic with Norton is already established and quite a touchy one. I'm very invested in finding out why and how Andy has travelled back in time to save Norton which is exciting moving forward. Catching up with Gideon as he got close with his investigation into Torchwood as a journalist was good and I liked how we were brought right up to speed with where he interacted with Norton in the series' opener. I am also very excited by the prospect of Torchwood Soho coming up against the Nazi version of Torchwood. That just sounds sublime! The potential there really is endless and I'm super excited to hear what comes next. Lizbeth looks like she'll be out of action now thank to the contents of the package, but Norton and Andy could be anywhere and anywhen! Overall, a really strong episode to continue the series. I look forward to hearing what's coming next! 

Rating: 8/10

Parasite: The Man From Room 13

"There's something living in the fog."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2020

Series: Torchwood Soho 1.01

Featuring: Folgate

Synopsis

Enter the world of 1950s Torchwood! 

Gangsters are vanishing from the streets of Soho, there's a deadly Nazi secret on the loose, and something's moving in the smog. Norton Folgate should be sorting this out, but the Torchwood agent is in disgrace. Who's going to save London this time?

Verdict

The Man From Room 13 was a fine way to start the Parasite first series of Torchwood Soho! I think this is a tremendous idea to have an entire spinoff of a Torchwood team from another era because the potential really is rife. Torchwood is well established by this point of the 1950s given how long that is after Tooth and Claw in which Queen Victoria established the organisation, so it makes sense for Big Finish to explore something new. Why restrain yourself to what is established on screen when you can explore the world of the 1950s in Soho? That’s an awfully exciting idea and I look forward to playing with the lack of technology compared to the modern organisation. As the means for an opener, this did all of the right things for an introductory twenty-five minutes. I am of course familiar with the character of Norton Folgate from the likes of Goodbye Piccadilly and his fleeting appearances in God Among Us, but now he gets to be the star of the show. Or at least it feels that way. I am not sure he would be the character I would choose to lead a Torchwood spinoff because I must say I find him very marmite and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about him, but he was a good amount of quirky and energetic here. The mystery of Room 13 was presented well and I enjoyed the relationship Norton had with Lizbeth within. There seems to be a strong dynamic brewing there already and I'm looking forward to all of the threads established in this opener to tie together over the next five episodes. I'm intrigued by the format of the series in being six shorter episodes but it's one that I'm actually really looking forward to. I think blogging them as six separate stories is the correct move despite what TARDISWiki has the story listed as. I'm excited for the journey. I thought Folgate's meeting with Gideon turned on its head quite quickly as they arranged a hasty date and his disguising his Torchwood employment as being a librarian was excellent. I'm not sure Gideon bought it all and that being obvious made it even better. I'm very interested to hear where things go from here with them, especially with him overhearing about Konstantin. It was amusing to hear that he covered it as an overdue book fine when Belle arrived looking for him. He was just interested in dead Nazis which was a fun gag running through his conversations with Lizbeth. It's going to be interesting to hear Norton's ideology on things like this given the series' proximity to the end of the Second World War. Reginald Rigsby sending a memo bemoaning the behaviour of Norton was hilarious. He didn't take him too seriously though and I can't wait for the inevitable meeting later in the series. I enjoyed the focus on the packages and the interest of the Stagnant Pond should tie things together nicely as the series goes on. I'm really interested in where things go and this was just a good introduction! I do feel like this also did a stellar job in reintroducing Norton as a main character now. Just what significance will be placed on the package, alien and Konstantin? I look forward to find out. It was a shame there was no kind of cliffhanger given the episodic nature of the series, but I was still delighted with what I listened to! A strong start for sure. 

Rating: 8/10

The Monster Makers

"The arch meddler in private business affairs."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 2024 - January 2025

Printed in: DWM 608-612

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

The Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby don't arrive as intended and are welcomed as invaders. They quickly leave, but the fast return switch soon sets in motion a mysterious journey of monster creation. 

Verdict

The Monster Makers was a good story to continue the ongoing comic strip adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby! I do wonder when the comic strips will kind of catch up with what is happening on screen as reading this comic strip as a whole after the broadcast of Joy to the World makes it feel slightly out of date which is a bit of a shame. Of course, I am all for more adventures with the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby as it still doesn't feel like we quite got enough of them on screen, but I also think of the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip as being concurrent with the series which does not quite feel to be the case at the moment. With that all being said, this was still a fine little story! I say little but at five parts it was about the right length to have a feeling of a full adventure. I think the reduction in page count down to six has been detrimental to the quality of the comic strip since the time of the Thirteenth Doctor and I honestly think it would be much better to not have to build so quickly towards a cliffhanger. The title of the story sounds like an online Doctor Who game which is quite amusing, but it actually became quite serious with CoHurtCo basically selling monsters. The idea of a staged invasion was quite intriguing although I was a little put off by the way the story started. The Doctor and Ruby exiting the TARDIS and being welcomed as invaders was so good and interesting because of how unique it was. And then they just leave? That felt random but thankfully a fast return switch later saw them back and five minutes later they were witnessing the invasion of some very daft looking iBalls. The design was actually pretty interesting although I must say it did feel very Doctor Who Adventures. I hate to say it because I know how much work is put in but at times the artwork in this comic strip did feel somewhat questionable. A number of images for both the Doctor and Ruby felt a little awkward which was a shame. I did like the format though of having the pair split up at the start and how they both learned the same information about where they were and what was happening. The Doctor harking back to his ninth incarnation about not feeling the world spinning confirming it wasn't Earth was also a highlight for me. I loved that. I thought the tease of the Doctor having wronged the grandfather was intriguing and whilst it seems like there is a bigger play ongoing here with references to the similarities of events to Liberation of the Daleks and The Hans of Fear, the way it was presented made it seem like this was going to be a big part of this particular story. So to not get the identity was a bit of a let down I must say. I feel like I have been slightly negative so far in my review but as my rating reflects, this was still something I very much enjoyed. Selling invasion is terrific and I loved the confidence the company has in their monster creations. Ruby's reaction to being asked if she was satisfied with her invasion was also pretty humorous! She was very much dissatisfied. The use of a survey for invasion seems mad but it actually made perfect sense here. I also thought the recycling of matter was good stuff and the right level of grotesque for Ruby to witness as she realised she hadn't really made friends at all. The ending was good but I think let down by the format of only having six pages. For a final part, you don't want it all to be about the resolution as that shouldn't be hinted at really until close to the end, but there just isn't much room for that here. The Doctor was essentially able to just do some magic sonic work and reprogram things to set them back on their right course. Will the Doctor and Ruby ever reach Reykjavik now? I certainly hope! But overall, a decent comic strip adventure for sure.

Rating: 7/10

War Stories

"I want Daleks everywhere."

Writer: Patrick Ross

Format: Audio

Released: December 2024

Series: Short Trips 13.X

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

The Intergalactic Fringe Festival spans a whole planet. Its programme offers millions of shows, so the Doctor and Bill can choose anything from anti-gravity acrobats to the quantum cabaret. 

But the Doctor is alarmed when he attends a play about the Time War. It's not just that it tells his personal history – its performance could unravel the universe. 

Verdict

War Stories was a very decent audio adventure! This serves as the 2024 winner of the Paul Spragg Memorial Opportunity which is an initiative I just love. Not just because the story is released as a freebie every year which is always welcomed but I think it's great that there's a chance for an everyday fan like myself to get an official part of Doctor Who canon! It seems the easiest opportunity in and whilst I have loved exploring the details of entry every year since it has arisen, I am no scriptwriter! I loved the concept this time around though of having a theme for the story entires and this time around that was to focus on the Time War. I thought that was very exciting and the adventure at hand really works well. It's fun to think of a Twelfth Doctor story centred around the Time War because of how far removed he is from events, especially those of The Day of the Doctor where Gallifrey was actually revealed as being saved! The Time War in reality had a very different ending and this is the perfect incarnation of the Doctor to explore that with. I thought Alan Cox as the narrator was a fine choice and whilst initially I thought his cadence was more suited to that of John Hurt's War Doctor than Peter Capaldi's Twelfth, that soon actually had its benefits! The prospect of a one man show focused on the Time War was so exciting and the Doctor knowing who that one man at the centre of the performance would be was terrific. Who else would it be? The Doctor's reaction to the impossibility of the details in the play was excellent and I think that's part of why my rating for the story dropped considerably towards the last five to ten minutes. For something so monumental and events so hidden and shrouded in secrecy, the truth was actually a little bit of a let down. I don't really know what I was expecting in a Short Trip of this kind in terms of wider continuity and mythology, but it felt like we had built up considerably. The ending itself was fine as a whole but just felt a bit weak after the Time War focus and the details in the play. The descriptions were so vivid! Bill recalling the events of The Pilot as a means for her knowledge on the Daleks was fun and the playwright in question here Symbolise was a fascinating character. She didn't even seem that surprised to find that the Doctor had shown up to his own one man play. The humour that came from different incarnations helping the Doctor despite a one man show was delightful and it's a shame we didn't hear more reenactment. I really liked the concept of a paradox play and the power of the words and performance themselves actually starting to rewrite time was fun to play around with, but there perhaps just wasn't enough time to fully delve into it. But that's the nature of the format! The open air transformer was good though and I liked the idea of the brain power literally making fiction come to life. Bill feeling strong about her mother was also good characterisation and it was lovely to get her in a Big Finish story as that feels incredibly rare! The mask as the cause of the brain power was an apt explanation but one I couldn't fully invest in after such a strong build up. The ending does just come across as a little lacklustre which is a shame because I really liked the story for the most part. The planet Fringe is definitely a setting rife with potential though and I would absolutely love a return. There is just so much on offer there and it would be foolish not to return. Overall, a really fascinating adventure that perhaps just tails off slightly at the end.

Rating: 7/10

Needle Point

"The room was full of old ladies."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2007

Series: Doctor Who Files 09

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

When the Tenth Doctor leaves his companion Martha Jones to her own devices as he investigates an etheric beam, but it's Martha who will have the pleasure of dealing with it...

Verdict

Needle Point was a very decent little adventure to continue my way through the Doctor Who Files! I feel like I've reached something of a new era now when it comes to this series as we venture into characters from Series 3, and from memory this particular book didn't take long in being released after its broadcast! It's staggering to think that this was eighteen years ago which makes me feel incredibly old as this was the first series where I watched Doctor Who. And it's taken me this long to read this small little story in one book in a wider collection of Doctor Who Files. I actually had to buy this one secondhand as it seems this was never one me or my younger brother ever owned whilst we were growing up and none of the local libraries had a copy! That was a great shame but I can't complain with the price and it was easy enough to get a hold of so no qualms here. I thought the story itself was pretty decent in how it captured Martha in particular as the focus despite having the Doctor around. I'm glad the Tenth Doctor featured and initially I was a little bit worried about the direction the story was heading as it seemed he was just going to make Martha stay behind as he investigated the etheric beam. Thankfully, we stuck with Martha's point of view and perspective which was as it should have been for an adventure in this kind of release. The file is named after her after all! I thought that was quite fun as it is unusual for the story to stick with the companion in the way it happened here. Essentially, the Doctor was rendered useless and that's quite a fun twist! Martha is allowed to shine as she should. Her noticing the multitudes of old ladies was pretty fun and the right kind of ridiculousness for this kind of adventure. It's obviously one written for the youngest of fans and I bet old ladies can actually be quite daunting for youngsters! I know my Nan was a little scary when I was young and I can see that in my own three-year-old when he meets up with grandparents and great-grandparents. So for a multiple of the same old lady to be spinning around in shops across time was certainly something for Martha to pick up on. The imagery of them all knitting was so stereotypical but quite amusing. What else would an old lady be doing? Except Martha's keen eye saw that the needles weren't actually knitting anything at all which was a fun little twist. I thought the use of the needles in generating the etheric energy was fun and linked back to the story's beginning, although it was amusing for the unnamed species to admit right from the off that they were weakened. It didn't leave much to the imagination moving forward with where the story would ultimately head and I found the explanation of why they adopted an old woman's disguise rather hilarious. They all looked the same to everyone else! I'm not sure how much I entirely agree with that, but from a youngster's perspective I could certainly see the argument. The way that came back at the end when the Doctor reemerged perplexed at an apparent blip after the old ladies were in a right old kerfuffle to see them off. That was quite amusing in how with a little interaction from Martha they basically beat themselves, but the finishing line from the Doctor about all babies looking the same was excellent. Overall, a funky and fun little read! 

Rating: 7/10

The Threshold

"You will save me."

Writer: Felicia Barker

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Short Trips 11.03

Featuring: The Master

Synopsis

After a collision in the vortex, the Master is trapped in his TARDIS. Luckily, the Doctor has come to save him. Unluckily, the Doctor's TARDIS has vanished. With the ship collapsing around them, can these arch-enemies put their rivalry aside long enough to survive?

Verdict

The Threshold was an excellent episode to continue my way through the eleventh series of Short Trips! Having a story firmly focused on the first televised incarnation of the Master is a terrific idea and whilst I am sure that Roger Delgado would have revelled in recreating his iconic portrayal, it is a delight to hear Jon Culshaw take on the role. He is a really impressive impressionist actor and he does the lot here which is marvellous. I think it just helps so much when we have a story that takes the form of a performed drama rather than narration. It just flows better and there's no interruption. Honestly, Culshaw's take on the illusion of the Third Doctor was so good that I wasn't entirely sure if Tim Treloar featured until I confirmed on the credits! It was effortlessly strong and just magnificent to hear. I was super impressed and right away that helps with my listening of the story. It feels authentic and just works. The story itself was almost something of an exploration of the Master which was excellent and this just feels like the right incarnation to do that with. He's something of the definitive article and particularly focusing on his inability to accept death was terrific. Having him see a glimpse of his possible future was really good and I loved how he reacted in horror at the decayed form we would see debut in The Deadly Assassin and terrorise the Fourth Doctor. Even then though it's an example of the Master refusing to let go and die. He will prevail, for he is the Master. It's understandable though why such an image would provoke a response like it did in the Master because who would be comfortable seeing that as their potential future? The Threshold itself was very intriguing and the Master actually being the one to give it the face of the Third Doctor was an intriguing move. Is that who he truly fears? Toying with the potential of whether it was real or not was good, but it was actually all an amalgamation of the Master himself. The Master essentially doing internal conflict with himself was magnificent stuff. Culshaw really played that well and I was so impressed with the writing. This is undoubtedly a writer who just gets the Master and everything he stands for. Pushing him into a position where he has to choose between death and dissolution is quite something and he admits that it's the perfect prison for him. It's an impossible choice. Questioning whether the Master could die for everything he stands for was also quite the dilemma and I just love how even in the face of everything, the Master stands up to be counted and doesn't hide. He simply chooses to be the Master. He lets know time ram or crash in the vortex get in his way, for he is the Master and he just is. He prevails. Learning of the mission from the Celestial Intervention Agency and Straxus was an unexpected way to end things and I thought the mention of no body to recover given the nature of a time ram was going to be enough to sell that he would survive, but then he emerges in a position of power to wipe out the Time Lord responsible for confirming the hit! That was superb stuff and just showed the prowess of the Master. He is inevitable! Overall, a really strong episode to continue the series and a fine character piece for the Time Lord villain. 

Rating: 9/10

Messages from the Dead

"What use was sentimentality? 

Writer: Rochana Patel

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Short Trips 11.02

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, Adric

Synopsis

Adric wants to help the Doctor. The Doctor doesn't want Adric's help. Banished to updating the TARDIS logbook, Adric has to record the tale of the Hermes, a doomed freighter they found in E-Space. With Romana gone, and only the past as a guide, Adric needs to work out how to make this new dynamic work before it's too late for both him and the Doctor.

Verdict

Messages from the Dead was a great story to continue my way through the eleventh series of Short Trips! This was quite a touching adventure and I like the dynamic of having the narration by Adric during the point between Warriors' Gate and The Keeper of Traken in the aftermath of Romana and K9 deciding to stay in E-Space. That perhaps wasn't explored enough as having a detrimental impact on the Doctor because why wouldn't he be upset about a fellow Time Lord deciding to leave him? And not just leave him, but opting to stay in another universe so she could continue her travels away from the confines of Gallifrey. I think it's a powerful moment and unfortunately for Adric he was on the brunt end of the Fourth Doctor's bad temper. It is fascinating to think back on just how much this incarnation of the Doctor changes over time because this is not at all the personality we saw during the early Season 12 or 13. He's short and even though Adric is particularly annoying, I don't think it was really warranted here. I am far from being Adric's biggest fan, but I actually loved how he challenged the Doctor on wanting to learn and not just being a passenger. That was wonderful and I really did enjoy his enthusiasm to learn. I thought Adric being banished to TARDIS admin was quite funny but something the Alzarian would be up for. That served as a strong format for the narration to appear as Adric recalled the story as an event recently experienced in E-Space. I'm all for more adventures in another universe and we never really know how long they spend there. Filling any kind of gap is good with me! I thought the Hermes as the ship was an interesting plot point and it provided a really strong emotional attachment. The Doctor was a little frosty throughout the story but Adric was keen to learn. His lack of empathy when it came to finding a corpse was bang in line with his character at this point as he deals purely in logic. What's done is done and he takes the emotion out of things without even thinking. It's just his nature. There doesn't feel like any kind of warmth between the Doctor and Adric which is a strange as a dynamic, especially now as a sole companion at this point. I thought the importance of the messages on board the Hermes was really good and sold well. Just when it seemed like the Doctor was potentially shrugging them off and them only being significant when they reached the recipient, he's conjuring up worm holes to blend universes and ensure that they do get through! That was really nice. I think Adric having a feeling of attachment to those lost souls who had written messages was very well done and made sense given his predicament. The highlight of the adventure for sure was touching upon the message from Romana. I thought that was really neat and brought the entire episode full circle with how things started and the Doctor longing after his companion now lost. The only thing I perhaps didn't enjoy was the impression of Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor by Matthew Waterhouse. It wasn't particularly bad but it just sounded so much like David Warner's Unbound Doctor! Once I got that in my head I found it difficult to visualise the Fourth Doctor because it just didn't sound like him. Overall though, still a really good story to continue the series! 

Rating: 8/10