The Reality War

"You have a daughter."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 31 May 2025

Series: 15.08

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Belinda, Ruby

Synopsis

Battle rages across the skies as the Unholy Trinity unleash their deadly ambition. The Doctor, Belinda and Ruby have to risk everything in the quest to save one innocent life.

Verdict

The Reality War was a whole range of things! Wow. I don't really know where to start and I'm writing this blog incredibly raw and feeling all kinds of emotions after that finale. I've got the UEFA Champions League Final on in the background but all I can think about is this finale. It's definitely going to need a rewatch but after watching Wish World again this morning ahead of the second part here, I feel like I need to detach myself and give it some distance. I had obviously read the rumours that this might be the end for Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor which is a huge shame because it really does feel like we're only just getting started with this incarnation. This second series with him has been a joy to watch and incredibly I think the finale I actually the worst of the bunch which shouldn't be the case! There is so much unfinished business with this Doctor and I think I just feel gutted for Gatwa that his Doctor never got to tackle Daleks, Cybermen, the Master and more on screen. Sure, he's had some incredible returns but those three villains are on their own epoch. Of course, we got the Rani returning triumphantly here and I think Archie Panjabi was magnificent. Her reunion with Mel was tremendous and I'm so glad it happened with a lovely Time and the Rani reference, but the way she was dealt with felt far too soon and far too easy. Her plan to use Omega as a template to bring back Gallifrey and a new race of Time Lords is audacious even for her! But if someone could pull it off then it's her. However, the use of Omega here I thought was tragic. An absolute waste. The whole concept of him becoming the legend as a Titan or the Mad God was decent, but the design here of him as a giant carcass of bones was appalling. And within a couple of minutes he was sent packing with the Vindicator and its power of a billion supernovas. I did love that the Doctor said yes to wanting to see him though. Kate also getting a little The Three Doctors reference in was terrific too. I thought the cliffhanger resolution with Anita from Joy to the World was unexpected but I loved it! It also allowed some wonderful moments looking into Nightmare in Silver and Day of the Daleks as Anita was looking for the Doctor from the Time Hotel which was marvellous. A cheeky little bit of fan service that I adored. Revealing the Bone Beasts as essentially Underverse versions of the Reapers was a good explanation but probably a week too late. Time reverting back to 7am on 23 May was intriguing and the Doctor knowing that the Rani needed the day to snap and get smaller was excellent. I'd have liked some more Doctor and Rani interaction and the concept of bigeneration getting explained as the species of Time Lord trying to power on survive was interesting, although some more clarity on the genetic explosion that made the Time Lords a barren and sterile race would be most welcomed. Is this what the Master did in Ascension of the Cybermen/The Timeless Children? The use of the real world from the Time Hotel infiltrating the Wish World and bringing UNIT their memories back was brilliant and the image of Anita just standing there for nearly the whole episode was hilarious! Now, I'm going to sound incredibly harsh here but after the Rani and Omega were defeated far too quickly and easily for my liking, the amount of time that was spent on Poppy was criminal. Why were we supposed to care about her that much? She wasn't really the daughter of the Doctor and Poppy? I thought the ending completely diminished Belinda as a companion which is a huge shame as I thought she was outstanding. It felt like a huge retcon that was unnecessary and took away from her character. Ruby being the one to remember about her was good although it wasn't explained why? Was it to do with 73 Yards? And we never really got a clear answer on why Poppy looked like the baby they had met in Space Babies. When Ruby convinced the Doctor to go and find her after reality shifted back was good and I like that he trusted his former companion enough to do it, but then we never got a goodbye for her? That felt wrong. The Doctor using regeneration energy to bring Poppy back and then not actually turn out to be his daughter felt random and didn't make much sense to me. I'm not sure how The Robot Revolution makes sense now either if Belinda is in the lovely house we saw rather than her shared flat! I was left quite unsatisfied. The cameo return of the Thirteenth Doctor was just magnificent though! What a sublime surprise and I'm so happy for Jodie Whittaker that she got a chance to return again. The humour that came from her seeing the Fifteenth Doctor was glorious. A sheer joy to see her back again. The regeneration itself was literally huge as the Doctor did it in space hanging out of the TARDIS with a good to Joy, and then that surprise! Billie Piper emerging was unexpected to say the least! My sofa was in shock. I can't wait to find out what's next (and when!), but for now this was a mixed bag in parts for me despite having a strong emotional pull and so many exciting moving parts.

Rating: 7/10

Prayer for the Dying

"It was always just a boy and his box, yearning to see the universe."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2024

Series: I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box 08

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, Clara

Synopsis

The Doctor has a unique bond with their TARDIS. They've always loved the 'old girl' for the way she's gone looking for trouble anywhere in the universe. The Doctor says they stole the TARDIS from Gallifrey. The TARDIS disagrees... she stole them. She hasn't always taken them where they want to go, but she's made sure to take them where they needed to be.

For the TARDIS is dar more than just a time machine crossed with a spaceship. Her life reflects the Doctor's life – a shared wanderlust and longing to explore. Now you can revisit the Doctor's adventures as seen through the eyes – or the flashing rooftop light, at least – of the TARDIS. From the time the Doctor stole her from Gallifrey to her latest adventures with the Fifteenth Doctor, the TARDIS reflects wittily on her epic, incredible history – past, present and future! 

Verdict

Prayer for the Dying was a great story to continue my reading of the I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box collection! This was probably my favourite adventure from the book so far and I think that’s down to the nature of the Eleventh Doctor era to be honest. So much happens to the TARDIS during this era and I was really pleased with how this was presented here. So much happens! I like how we started with the change of TARDIS interior in The Eleventh Hour to what I think is universally agreed to be a downgrade. The more ‘traditional’ model then debuted in The Snowmen was a nice touch and it’s certainly one of the best interiors there have ever been! Addressing that was good and I wonder if the constant changes that follow with more Doctors will be addressed later in the book. I think it’s intriguing for the TARDIS to address that she knew right away that the Eleventh Doctor was the final incarnation and having her acknowledge that was excellent. That would be difficult for her to come to terms with given the link between TARDIS and Time Lord. Touching upon that with the references to The Name of the Doctor was great stuff as the TARDIS would see her future self as the tomb for the Doctor. The bigger on the inside all spilling out was good to explore from the perspective of the TARDIS herself as she saw a horrible potential future. The picture that accompanied that in the story was terrific and was a stark reminder of what happened. I thought the reminder of the events of Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS was brilliant and it’s an obvious choice for this kind of story. It worked well as the Remember When section of the adventure and it was fun to read the viewpoint from the TARDIS herself at being invaded and attempted to be used for scrap! The audacity there. I thought the Stray Files was good in its simplicity here and whilst I don’t like the TARDIS thinking of Amy as simply Orangey Girl, the take on Rory as the Centurion and Clara as the Impossible Girl was tremendous. The TARDIS was clearly a fan of Rory which was nice to see and how could you not be after what he did for Amy? The TARDIS tackling Clara was good fun and it was great to touch upon how difficult she found having her as a companion. Suggesting that she was the reason for the HADS sending the TARDIS to the pole on the other side of the world in Cold War was hilarious. I was a big fan of that. I also loved that the TARDIS earlier questioned how Amy and Rory came to have a baby considering that they were given bunk beds in their room! I thought it was great comedy that she still had the bunk beds within after their departure in The Angels Take Manhattan. I also thought it was a nice touch to include Death of the Doctor when it came to the Journey Log. The TARDIS reflecting on The Day of the Doctor and being hijacked by UNIT was fun stuff and the excitement she had for reuniting with other Doctors and changing the ending of the Time War was really well done and just a nice feeling. The only qualm I had was I would have liked more on The Doctor’s Wife as that’s such a monumental episode. The Doctor becoming corporeal in humanoid form is greet and I like that she mentioned how it was dutifully to communicate in forms such as words. So how is she writing this book?! That felt slightly off in what was an otherwise really strong adventure. A great read! 

Rating: 8/10

Families: The Temple of Light

"I have been found worthy to speak for the ship of time."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Companion Chronicles 15.01

Featuring: Vicki

Synopsis

Time has stopped. The TARDIS has frozen. And yet, Vicki finds herself with an entirely unfamiliar civilisation while the Doctor, Ian and Barbara are nowhere to be seen...

Verdict

The Temple of Light was an excellent episode to kick off the Families fifteenth series of Companion Chronicles! I am so happy that this range is returning and this essentially feels like the fourth volume of First Doctor Chronicles which is very exciting. I feel like there is so much potential with this range and it’s always wonderful to focus on the companions because they deserve the spotlight! The Doctor didn’t feature here and that’s absolutely fine because Vicki held her own fantastically. I never had any doubts that she would and I really enjoyed the performance from Maureen O’Brien. Happily, this wasn’t told in a narrator format and that’s something I always think works best. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the more traditional narrative style, but a full cast adventure just works best. The concept behind this episode in particular was fascinating and I just loved it despite me working out the plot twist almost immediately. I was quite proud of that as I hadn’t read the synopsis prior to listening as is usually the case, but I was glad that as the story went on it wasn’t left too long to reveal that Vicki was actually inside the TARDIS console! What a magnificent and original idea. There’s a lot of potential there and it was utilised in a very unique way. I do wonder if there was any foreshadowing of The Myth Makers from the TARDIS when it came to the civilisation that was created for Vicki? The use of the Temple of Light was very good and I liked how things were drip fed to the listener. From the helmic regulators to the fault locator, Vicki was slowly piecing things together and that was a fun journey to go on with her. I enjoyed her interactions with Nebrum and their shared humour about never meeting anyone with their respective names was a nice moment. The family element coming into play was nicely done too as brothers reunited in a powerful way actually, especially for a civilisation that would only exist within a fraction of a second. That was a fun concept in of itself and Vicki actually conversing with the TARDIS was a fantastic moments. It’s fascinating to think that this would happen so early on with the First Doctor as their relationship was still fostering, but I liked that Vicki was the one chosen to make the repairs because at the time of the central column exploding in a flash of light she was furthest away from the console. The idea of the TARDIS saving itself is really interesting and whilst it is surely breaking the Laws of Time, who better to go against the rules and decide what’s right or wrong than a time machine? I mean, it was a bit yucky for her to have conjured up the civilisation in which Vicki became a part of from the likes of dead skin cells, but needs must! Vicki having a name for everything was fun in the in the whacky world of the temple, and going to the Temple of Night was pretty fun stuff too. It was a good contrast. Mindus was a good character too and I was impressed that even in a world of the TARDIS’s creation that there was still room for authoritative villains. The hunt for Vicki was on but she wouldn’t be denied. Despite her displeasure at the amount of death that occurred in this world of a second, she was somewhat agreeable in the knowledge that time would be rewritten and they wouldn’t have happened at all. Again, that felt a little like cheating but when a time machine is doing it can it really be considered as such? I liked how when Vicki awoke in the reconstructed TARDIS that she was still able to remember the events she had experienced, but thought of them as more of a dream. I like that she retained knowledge because she went through and experienced quite a lot! Overall, a boldly unique concept and whilst some elements were predictable I thought this was an excellent start to the new series and welcomed returned to the range!

Rating: 9/10

The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum

"Oh Sarah Jane, I missed you too!"

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2024

Series: I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box 07

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose, Mickey, Donna, Martha, Captain Jack, Wilf

Synopsis

The Doctor has a unique bond with their TARDIS. They've always loved the 'old girl' for the way she's gone looking for trouble anywhere in the universe. The Doctor says they stole the TARDIS from Gallifrey. The TARDIS disagrees... she stole them. She hasn't always taken them where they want to go, but she's made sure to take them where they needed to be.

For the TARDIS is dar more than just a time machine crossed with a spaceship. Her life reflects the Doctor's life – a shared wanderlust and longing to explore. Now you can revisit the Doctor's adventures as seen through the eyes – or the flashing rooftop light, at least – of the TARDIS. From the time the Doctor stole her from Gallifrey to her latest adventures with the Fifteenth Doctor, the TARDIS reflects wittily on her epic, incredible history – past, present and future! 

Verdict

The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum was another average story to continue my way through the I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box collection. Unfortunately I think this fell victim of the length and depth of the era it was trying to cover. The Tenth Doctor's era is just too big to easily capture in one chapter and because of that this just became a very descriptive account of that time. There wasn't a massive amount of benefit to this being from the perspective of the TARDIS for me which is a real shame as I was under the understanding that this was the whole purpose of the book! There's so much more that could have been expanded upon or even just explored from the TARDIS point of view, but because it was trying to cover so much it didn't allow itself the time which was a real shame. I thought the TARDIS being turned into a paradox machine during the events of The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords would be rife for exploration as the Master had control and essentially ownership, but it was barely mentioned for more than a sentence! That was a real shame and was actually something I was excited to hear depicted because I was so sure it would be looked on in detail. Alas, it wasn't the case. I thought the focus extract on Journey's End and having the TARDIS piloted by six different people as it was originally intended was a nice touch and the comment about feeling complete almost was a nice touch. I don't think the story did too much justice for Martha as a companion which was a shame as it felt like the only focus on her concerned the events of Human Nature/The Family of Blood and the TARDIS being left abandoned in a barn. Now, I understand why the time and space machine wouldn't be best pleased with that given her sense for adventure, but it was hardly Martha's fault! With the Doctor becoming human thanks to the chameleon arch, I wonder if that severed the link he has with the TARDIS by being a Time Lord? I'm not a big fan of the whole Journey Log that accompanies each story because it just feels wildly inaccurate. There's no strict reason established as to why the log would only contain television stories. The glimpses of the Doctor and Rose travelling somewhere unseen at the start of Army of Ghosts was something I think more could have been made about because we did see glimpses of other adventures on screen, so why can't the TARDIS explain a little more about what happened? Touching upon the Tenth Doctor's events on The Waters of Mars and his Time Lord Victorious phase was pretty fun and it's almost baffling to think of this incarnation as the one who would go too far. The TARDIS reacting to the Doctor trying to change history was interesting as she realised that Adelaide Brooke killing herself wouldn't be good for her pilot. I'm not sure from the TARDIS's perspective that Wilf would warrant a place in the Stray Files, but I do agree he had companion status for The End of Time. I'm just not sure he would fit as a stray! Donna being referred to as the Runaway Bride is quite fun and it's a shame that the River Song mentions weren't until the next chapter. The TARDIS having conflicted feelings about the events of School Reunion and being reunited with Sarah Jane and the Tin Dog K9 was good natured, and it was nice for her to recognise then old companion. Also, I loved that The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith was included in the TARDIS log - as it should be! Overall, I thought this was just fine as an account of the Tenth Doctor's era, but I was hoping for more to reach the higher levels of rating. It was just a quick check up on his time, and even she wasn't ready to let her Doctor change! Tackling the destructive regeneration of the Tenth Doctor and the internal destruction that caused, the TARDIS was scared and rightly so when the entire control room is forced into shreds. A pretty decent read, but lacking in new content.

Rating: 6/10

Inferno

"I don't exist in your world."

Writer: Don Houghton

Format: TV

Broadcast: 9 May - 20 June 1970

Season: 7.04

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz, Brigadier

Synopsis

UNIT is providing security cover at an experimental drilling project at Eastchester, designed to penetrate the Earth's crust and release a previously untapped source of energy. Soon, however, the drill head starts to leak an oily green liquid that transforms those who touch it into vicious primeval creatures with a craving for heat.

With the Doctor transported sideways in time to a parallel universe where the drilling project is more advanced, he works to save both versions of the planet...

Verdict

Inferno was an outstanding serial to conclude the seventh season of the Classic era! Astoundingly, I have only ever watched this serial once before and that was way back when in 2012 as I embarked on the ultimate rewatch of the entire show and completing it in around eight months. I must admit, my memory on the story was hazy and that was only to my benefit as it almost felt like an entirely new on screen adventure! I remembered not being a massive fan of the story when I first watched it but I just knew on this viewing that was going to change from everything I have read or come across regarding the serial. It's an instant classic. It is a wonderful use of tackling the concept of a parallel Earth and whilst that alone was exciting, the plot and the main issue at hand was also fantastic. I really loved the Doctor getting involved in the project and the prospect of digging twenty miles into the planet's surface and reaching the crust is exciting but it hardly feels like something that should be tampered with! I did though enjoy how much of a real world feeling this had because those kinds of threats are usually the ones that I take more seriously and have more of an impact on me. That was certainly the case here. Of course, this is also a sad serial for me as it sees the departure of Liz. The fact that goes unannounced is such a shame and whilst it did bring a smile to my face for her laughter to be the closing shot of episode seven, she deserved better on screen for a proper goodbye. Her role in this story is excellent and I don't think there's anything quite as striking as the introduction for her parallel counterpart. That black hairdo is quite something! And she gets to play the stern authority type which was a nice change from the do-good scientist. The contrast of the Brigadier and his parallel Brigade Leader was something marvellous and Nicholas Courtney did an incredible job in that role. He was sensational and the anger he is able to channel in his performance is just magnificent. The image of him as well with the scarred eye and patch is so good. It captures the attention right away! I was really impressed with the character building within the Inferno project as the cast really helped sell just how good the serial was. Sir Keith was played by Christopher Benjamin superbly and I couldn'believe my eyes with how different his performance and character was to Henry Gordon Jaho in the future! His dying in a car crash on the parallel Earth but only sustaining an arm injury here was presented very well and kept the viewer waiting for just the right amount of time. I thought Petra and Greg getting together by the end of the adventure was a nice touch and having a romantic interest element in a story like this was a fine injection of realism. Stahlman made for a sublime villain and his inability to see reason and to push forward with the drilling acceleration was terrific. His becoming a Primord was a fitting end for him and their appearance in particular was excellent! They had a striking look and some of the direction in the story was just sublime. They helped the Primords a lot but even for other elements it was so good. There was a grainy feel and the little shift sound and wobble effect to go between worlds was a really neat touch. I thought the TARDIS console being outside of the police box and guiding the Doctor sideways to another parallel world was so incredible and just unlike anything else we've seen before. I think it's good fun that even works a little! The need for nuclear power was excellent and I loved that by going to a parallel world, we can actually see the world end. It ws an incredible image to see the inferno flowing down towards the parallel Liz, Petra and Sutton as the Doctor shifted back. I must also say I liked the pre-titles a lot with the stock footage of the fires and the part four cliffhanger goes down as one of my very favourites with just what was at stake with the planet and the helplessness of the Doctor. The calm nature in which the Doctor stops the drilling after the systems are reversed is glorious in how casually he walked back into the room. Overall, just simply superb! 

Rating: 10/10

Missy Part One

"You all reek of poverty."

Writer: Rochana Patel

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Dark Gallifrey 3.01

Featuring: Missy

Synopsis

Great events ripple across time. Causing catastrophes and breaches in the fabric of reality. Soon, because of Dark Gallifrey, the renegade Time Lord known as Missy will be able to achieve the impossible...

On a remote and isolated planet, where technology cannot progress beyond steam-power, two thieves are on the run.

Hunted and trapped by automaton policemen, they look certain to hang for their crimes...

...until Missy drops into their world. Their lives are about to change forever, as is the fate of their entire planet...

Verdict

Missy began with a strong start to the third series of Dark Gallifrey! The enigmatic nature of this range gets me excited right from the off but I need to be patient with this story. I firmly appreciate that this is a part one and it very much had that feeling of setting things up for something bigger to come. Missy is one of my all time favourite characters in all of Doctor Who so I’m firmly on board with her for this journey. She’s a unique prospect in this series given her proximity and chronology in being a post-Time War incarnation of the Master. I get more Classic era vibes from the Dark Gallifrey concept and I think that comes from the Morbius opener. The vibe of this episode was very different and didn’t feel like it would be something to delve into Time Lord lore, but that’s not a problem at all. Steampunk Missy is definitely something I can get behind, although less of the cockney accent would be preferred in my view. I thought the concept of the planet Opus Tuli that made up the setting here was very exciting! The idea of a planet that you can’t leave is excellent and even for Missy with her vortex manipulator, there was no escape. Her device just stopped working and she was stuck. Obviously, she wasn’t too thrilled about that! I was impressed with the world building here and it was fun to go with the almost gangsta feel. Scratch and Sly Boots were fun characters to accompany Missy for the adventure and they saw her as their way off the planet. Their knowledge of the Doctor was intriguing and it definitely feels like he’s going to be playing a part in this particular adventure which is very exciting. Scratch deducing that Missy was also a Time Lord was good stuff and it’s almost a shame that he perished! Alisa as the Queen was a good character but she was clearly a token monarch. The true power laid with Lord Voltaire who was hiding in the shadows very mysteriously and I hope we come back to him. His being a Time Lord here and learning of the Time War being over was excellent. It’s a fun prospect for another Gallifreyan survivor! The automaton make up of the characters on the planet was really interesting and I like the idea of AI coming into play so far away from Earth. The Doctor having a backstory on Opus Tuli was great and I think it’s brilliant that he’s the one that found the way off the planet and escaped with the knowledge! Missy was determined to find the answer in Alisa’s crown and the prospect of telepathic crystals was fun. She got it working and fed the life from the crystals into her vortex manipulator as a means to escape. She wasn’t fussed on any relationships she had developed here and despite the betrayal, Sly Boots wanted off too. Missy had successfully wiped out the automatons and Scratch with it. It was a decent conclusion but it just feels like the start of something more to come. The idea of Missy having a companion is tremendous because I know it’s just not going to last. The little mockery of The Dalek Invasion of Earth with her ‘one day we will come back’ moment was just fantastic. Only Missy could get away with that! The cliffhanger finish with the manipulator leading Missy and Sly Boots right to the TARDIS was fascinating and whilst the cover art has spoiled which Doctor will be inside, it’s such an exciting prospect for Missy to encounter the seventh incarnation! The Scottish connection there will be sublime and I’m all for it. He’s also a darker incarnation of the Doctor and I suspect the reason he hasn’t gone back to Opus Tuli and given them the means of escape is to do with Dark Gallifrey. This is an opener, but it feels like the juicy mythology stuff will come in the next part. I’m very much looking forward to that! Overall, a strong start but there’s so much more to come. 

Rating: 8/10

Iterations of I

"They believed that God was a number."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: August 2014

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 1.02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

The house of Fleming's Island had been left to rot. Ever since a strange and unexplained death soon after it was built, and plagued with troubling rumours about what lurked there, it remained empty and ignored for decades until the Cult moved in. As twenty people filled its many rooms, the eerie building seemed to be getting a new lease of life.

But now it is empty again. The Cult found something in its corridors... and then vanished. 

Trapped on the island one dark night, the Doctor, Tegan, Nyssa and Adric look into the building's mystery, its storied of madness and death. Their only chance is to understand what terrible thing has been disturbed here... before it consumes them utterly.

Verdict

Iterations of I was another strong story to conclude the Fifth Doctor Boxset! This first batch of Fifth Doctor Adventures really has set the tone for what does become an excellent range and I like how things have moved on chronologically from the Psychodrome opener in terms of the timeline for the Doctor and his companions. I thought the start in the TARDIS was good fun and the prospect of Adric trying to pilot in the Doctor’s absence was magnificent. After so much of the early Fifth Doctor era being spent trying to get Tegan back to Heathrow, it’s audacious for Adric to try and get the TARDIS there after the Doctor has failed several times. Only Adric would pick that as the destination in trying to fly the TARDIS! Nyssa being pretty certain that the equations were correct and they knew what they were doing was fun when the Doctor emerged from reading Black Orchid. I thought that was good continuity and it’s nice for the Doctor to get around to reading it after the events of Black Orchid. The arrival to Fleming’s Island in 1981 was good and the smugness from the Doctor at Adric not getting to where he intended was delightful. His frustration was evident and right in character which was great. His dealing in negative numbers by being from E-Space was good rationale for him getting it wrong. With this boxset being the first for Matthew Waterhouse in reprising Adric as companion, I think this is a brilliant use of his character. His mathematical ability is used wonderfully well and the whole theme of numbers was just fascinating. I can’t say I’ve ever thought of numbers in a way like was presented here and that was magnificent. I loved the concept of God being a number and humanity searching for that was good, but they overshot in thinking they could control it if it was found. Imogen and Martin starting things off as the students studying was good and the fate of the former after the latter died was sadly a tad predictable for me. The focus on the letter I was intriguing and a letter representing a number is all good with me, but I just clicked right away that it stood for Imogen. I think there could have been a way where we didn’t hear her name confirmed until Jerome confirmed it was his girlfriend. It was still fantastic and a really interesting concept! Sentient numbers sounds a tad baffling and that was even more so the case when the Doctor explained how numbers weren’t exactly anything tangible. They only exist in relation to something else and that is wonderful to think about! There was a lot of time to stop and think in this story which was impressive. I thought the twist with DeValley turning for greed was a nice surprise and I liked the simplicity of his reasoning. Money talks! I thought Adric getting shot was a pretty big surprise but his moment to explain that he wasn’t human and healed quickly before jumping from the helicopter was quite spectacular! The conclusion with Jerome going into the sequencing was a little predictable also which was a shame, and the way the predator was defeated in terms of the mathematical chaos was decent but it didn’t feel all that final with the Doctor’s comments at the end. It seemed like a temporary solution so for them to leave didn’t feel quite right. Things may not have ended how I would have liked, but this was still a really impressive story. I loved the concept and the use of numbers was really clever. A brilliant concept! 

Rating: 8/10

Wish World

"How can anyone doubt this glorious world that we live in?"

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 24 May 2025

Series: 15.07

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Belinda, Ruby

Synopsis

Traps are sprung and old enemies unite as the Doctor and Belinda finally arrive home to find a very different world. Can the Doctor see the truth before midnight arrives?

Verdict

Wish World was a great episode to kick off the brand new series finale! I can't quite believe we've reached this point already as it barely seems a few days since The Robot Revolution introduced us to the brilliant companion that is Belinda Chandra, and now we potentially only have one more episode before I assume she makes it home. This episode was as it says on the tin and I loved the WandaVision feel it had. Crikey, there was so much going on and squeezed into the forty-five minutes that left me with some questions that will need answering, but it was so entertaining and I was gripped the entire time. I thought Archie Panjabi as the Rani was sensational and whilst I think the whole seventh son of a seventh son thing for obtaining Desiderium needed more clarity, having a baby that can grant wishes in her power takes her to a whole new level. She looks the part and whilst this is a brand new incarnation, I thought the traits echoing the performance of Kate O'Mara were fantastic. The little flashbacks of the first Rani were much welcomed and I only wish that the Doctor fully remembered and knew who he was when the explanation came. It was outstanding and I think my sentiment was I wanted the Doctor to remember himself about five minutes earlier. Going 99% of the episode not knowing that was a slight issue with me, but knowing there's over an hour to go leaves me thinking there's time for the explanations to come. The Rani's experiment here is off the charts and I suppose that's not a big surprise with there being two of them! I felt a bit iffy about the Mrs Flood incarnation being subservient to her predecessor at the end of The Interstellar Song Contest and whilst she remained in that capacity here, it wasn't for the whole time which was welcomed. I mean, she's still the Rani! I am going to be so disappointed though if her numerous appearances throughout the Fifteenth Doctor era and her breaking the fourth wall don't get explained. That feels like a must. I like the idea of the Rani taking advantage of the Doctor stirring the pantheon, and the wish world created by Conrad of all people is quite something. The image of the Doctor and Belinda waking up in bed together, kissing, and having Poppy as their daughter was incredible! It was unlike anything we've seen before. The Doctor working for UNIT in a new insurance acronym was delightful and the horror that came when he referred to Ibrahim as a beautiful man to encourage him to ask Kate out was stunning. That look of terror as the Doctor expressed his aesthetic thoughts on another man! And then there's the community of disabled that Ruby became engaged with including Shirley. In Conrad's world, there was no room for perceived imperfections. Conrad reading the book of Doctor Who and the Deadly Wish and describing some of the history between the Doctor and the Rani was magnificent and I loved that it was spread throughout the entire episode. It gave it such a unique feel. I think the inclusions of doubt in the story were intriguing and I liked the concept of the slip whenever it was expressed. When the Rani mentioned she was searching for The One Who Is Lost, I immediately called it as being Omega and I was delighted to be proven correct! Her hunt for the first Time Lord in the Underverse sounds incredibly exciting, although I actually suspect we won't see him and it will be just the threat of his arrival. That's still tremendous though and I love touching upon Gallifreyan lore and Time Lord mythology! A new Gallifrey for the Rani? We shall see! The Rani and the Doctor dancing was great fun and I did enjoy the frantic pace of the last few minutes. It was an insane build up as we learned of the Rani's insane plan, although the Doctor's falling comment about Poppy being real is fascinating! She felt off all the way through and I'm wondering what the connection to Space Babies will be. I thought it was fun to get a Rogue cameo from the Hell dimension warning the Doctor that tables don't do that, and indeed they don't! Another Susan flashback was also welcomed and I will be gutted if we don't get a reunion in the finale. Overall, an entertaining episode for sure and one I think I'll need to rewatch ahead of the finale! 

Rating: 8/10 

War Song

"The universe didn't need a Doctor any longer."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2024

Series: I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box 06

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Grace, Chang Lee, Cass, War Doctor, Ninth Doctor, Rose, Mickey, Captain Jack

Synopsis

The Doctor has a unique bond with their TARDIS. They've always loved the 'old girl' for the way she's gone looking for trouble anywhere in the universe. The Doctor says they stole the TARDIS from Gallifrey. The TARDIS disagrees... she stole them. She hasn't always taken them where they want to go, but she's made sure to take them where they needed to be.

For the TARDIS is dar more than just a time machine crossed with a spaceship. Her life reflects the Doctor's life – a shared wanderlust and longing to explore. Now you can revisit the Doctor's adventures as seen through the eyes – or the flashing rooftop light, at least – of the TARDIS. From the time the Doctor stole her from Gallifrey to her latest adventures with the Fifteenth Doctor, the TARDIS reflects wittily on her epic, incredible history – past, present and future! 

Verdict

War Song was a decent story to continue my way through the I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box collection! I was really intrigued to see where things would go after Vogue as that was a bit of a disappointing mashup of the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors’ time inside the TARDIS. This followed in the same fashion in covering three different incarnations of the Doctor but it just worked better given the short on screen nature of the Eighth and War Doctors. I think there are some questionable choices regarding the companions choice for the Strays section when so many others from formats that aren’t television were mentioned, but I digress. I understand that it’s difficult enough to incorporate every televised story into a book like this but we basically had reference to The Night of the Doctor with the name dropping of companions ranging from Charley to Lucie and Tamsin to Fitz. I thought you could at least include a few in more detail! The Journey Log is also a little vague when it comes to the Eighth Doctor which is a shame because his travels off screen have been spectacular! And I’ve still only scratched the surface which is awfully exciting. I completely understand it for the War Doctor and the explanation given of history always changing and being in flux was really good. It sells the Time War as a devastating and cataclysmic event and shows just how much the TARDIS was impacted by it. I liked that and the hazy recollection on the details there is something I can buy into. In terms of the TARDIS recollecting, I'm less certain on why travels with the Eighth Doctor would be disrupted. I thought the focus on The Movie was great and I love the explanation of why a human eye was required to access the Eye of Harmony because of the chameleonic nature of the interior matching those who inhabited it. It would just be a matter of time before the Eye of Harmony followed suit. I also thought the Stray description for Grace was the best yet with a snap summary of everything that happens to her in meeting the Eighth Doctor. From kissing to dead to back to life! She was glad that she left! The TARDIS touching upon its power when referencing bringing her and Chang Lee back to life was something that ought to have more elaboration, but it did feel like something a little different which was good to explore. I did think it was a tad weird to combine eras but if it was going to happen, this was always going to be the one with the limited time of the first two incarnations. I just wish more of an opportunity was taken and we could have got a sample of an in-depth look into the TARDIS's reaction to the Time War. I did like the joy she had when the Doctor took his name again though and would save the world again beginning in Rose. That was a really nice touch. I thought the whole God-Parent section recalling the events of Boom Town was a little bit of an odd choice, but it does set the basis for Rose looking into the heart of the TARDIS ahead of The Parting of the Ways. The description of the burning regeneration was excellent too. I thought the Ninth Doctor's segment of the Journey Log was by far the best from the entire book so far and that's purely because it went into some detail! There was more room to play with which was wonderful and allowed some fun little quirks. The take on Dalek with the Time War not actually being over was excellent, as was that of Father's Day with the actions of Rose and the impact it had on the TARDIS. She became just an empty police box! Overall, a bit of a mashup crossing eras but a strong little story regardless. 

Rating: 7/10

Where Did They Get the Pig?

"Hunting should be naked."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2025

Printed in: DWM Special Edition 69

Featuring: Blon-Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day-Slitheen

Synopsis

On a remote Welsh farm, a lonely widow is offered life-changing sums for a solitary pig. But she insists they aren't for sale...

Verdict

Where Did They Get the Pig? was a quirky little tale to appear in the latest Special Edition of Doctor Who Magazine! It's a bit barmy and staggering really to get six pages of text on such a small thing, but that's the beauty of Doctor Who sometimes. I'm not sure it is the kind of adventure I would have expected in an issue that celebrates twenty years of the Ninth Doctor and the modern era, but I'm not going to kick up a fuss! It's extra content and I'm very grateful for that. I was thinking whilst reading that if Aliens of London/World War Three was broadcast today, I think it would be well and truly bashed on social media. I don't think the audience of 2025 would accept farting monsters, but thankfully the world wasn't so critical back then and we could just enjoy the fun. The Slitheen made a profound impact on the younger audience back then and because we've grown up with them, they're not seen as being too silly. This story was a reminder of how bonkers they are and that's quite fun. I love the description of the unzipping of the human skin and the image of it being like a hoodie was superb. I thought Ma was a strong character to lead the story and she was in something of a lonely way with her child away and her husband dead. She was vulnerable and Margaret Blaine was on hand to try and exploit that. I thought the inclusion of the Welsh-English divide was great and that casual realisation by Ma when she hears the English accent of Blaine was terrific. There's a strong sense of Welshness, especially in rural communities like Caebanc Farm here. The remote nature of the setting was good and the humour that came from the Slitheen offering firstly a fiver for a pig but then five-hundred grand was quite something! I was stunned Ma declined that last offer as I highly doubt her son would have been disappointed to get half a million for one animal! The anger and frustration building in Blaine was good to explore and Ma recognising that she was bored was something that struck me. I think the illustrations that accompany the story are impressive and the style is terrific. They really help bring the adventure to life, even if it is just ludicrous. This is a rating on my lower scale and I'm usually pretty generous, and despite there being nothing particularly bad or wrong with the story, it was just somewhat average. That happens and it's no bad thing! But how good was a story about the Slitheen obtaining a pig for their space crash going to be? It could only be so impressive! I thought the little line about them already trying dogs was good and the prospect of the UNIT soldier killing a walking dog rather than a pig would have had fandom in tatters in my opinion. I thought Ma tackling Blaine with the vinegar was good and I liked that she was already cooking to have the juices on hand. One thing I didn't understand was how the Slitheen was able to survive? We saw Mickey's kitchen get covered in green Slitheen bits after being doused in vinegar and that seemed to happen again here but she just stumbled off and drove away? That didn't seem in keeping with what we saw on screen. Or did other Slitheen then use the suit? If that's the case some confirmation on that would have been beneficial. I also wasn't too sure about Ma not actually being the one to supply the pig, so does the name of the story actually make sense if the focus didn't answer the titular question? That's a tad harsh and it is fun to think the Slitheen then spent one hundred grand on a pig, but this is just a ludicrous concept for a story even if it does appear in a Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition. Regardless, it was still fun. And that cameo at the end for the Ninth Doctor as Ma explained on her deathbed that she once fought a monster in her kitchen and won was terrific.

Rating: 6/10

Psychodrome

"This place makes your fears a reality."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: August 2014

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 1.01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

Shortly after surviving the perils of Logopolis, Castrovalva and the machinations of the Master, the new Doctor and his new crew could be forgiven for wanting to take a breather from their tour of the galaxy. But when the TARDIS lands in a strange and unsettling environment, the urge to explore is irresistible... and trouble is only a few steps away.

The world they have found themselves in is populated by a wide variety of the strangest people imaginable – a crashed spacecraft here, a monastery there, even a regal court. And not everyone they meet has their best interests at heart.

With the TARDIS stolen, and the very environment itself out to get them, the travellers face an extremely personal threat. They'll have to work as a team if they want to get out alive... but can you really trust someone you barely know?

Verdict

Psychodrome was an outstanding audio adventure to kick off my listening of the Fifth Doctor Boxset! I didn't realise until after listening that this was the first time Matthew Waterhouse reprised his role as Adric for Big Finish and getting a special release to do it outside of the Main Range shows what a big deal that is! I think it's wonderful to be able to revisit this TARDIS quartet and the story taking place between Castrovalva and Four to Doomsday was so exciting. That period of Doctor Who is one of my all time favourites with it holding a nostalgic and special place in my heart. The New Beginnings boxset that encompasses the Master trilogy starting with The Keeper of Traken was my first foray into the Classic era and I haven't looked back since. It was a sensational introduction and this audio felt like a perfect addition. Tegan feels incredibly new having joined the team during the events of Logopolis and that still felt very fresh in her mind. Why wouldn't it considering it was just a couple of days ago? The simplicity of addressing how her Aunt Vanessa would need a funeral really brought things back down to Earth and that's exactly where she wanted to be. She wasn't interested in travelling the universe, she just wanted to get back to Heathrow. Nyssa was still reeling from what the Master did to her entire planet and people, and the subtle foreshadowing of the events of the Time War to come with the companion wishing that the Doctor would never feel anything like being alone and the last of your kind was brilliant. So soon after a regeneration, it was fun to feel like we were still getting to know the Fifth Doctor here and that was portrayed wonderfully well by Peter Davison. Chronologically, this is the second Fifth Doctor tale and it really did feel that way which is impressive considering it was some thirty-two years later! Adric technically being the most seasoned member of the TARDIS team was a fun dynamic, and his frosty relationship with Tegan was sensational. She was almost goading him about the death of the Fourth Doctor which was quite something! She'd hardly known him, but it was nice that she wasn't blaming him for what happened to her aunt. I loved the Psychodrome setting as the potential there was unrivalled. The amalgamation of recent events for the TARDIS team coming into fruition was fantastic! Spiders reminiscent of what was seen on Alzarius in Full Circle but having the blood sucking ability and desire of the Vampires from State of Decay was so exciting! King Magus was a superb villain and the idea of him being a mix of the Master, Tremas and the Doctor in the appearance of the Logopolitan Monitor really was spectacular! It really was a combination for the ages. I thought things were a little near to Amy's Choice when it came to Magus revealing himself as the Doctor's dark side, but it was done so differently that it didn't feel like it was cheating or repeating which was positive. The threat of the TARDIS being stolen was an added bonus with so much else going on and that's always something I love. The separation just adds a sense of vulnerability for me that just works. The people within the Psychodrome all being created by the companions or even the Doctor was intriguing and I loved the play on their fears. For Tegan it was something as simple as the dark whereas for Adric it was being unable to solve a mathematical problem and the Doctor couldn't face his companions losing faith in him. I thought that was superb and played very well into the conclusion as the link that created those was broken, essentially by the belief in the Doctor. Adric in particular throughout the story was keen to emphasise how lucky he felt to be travelling in the TARDIS which was a lovely touch. Overall, the placement of this story in the timeline of the Fifth Doctor was wonderful and the story itself to go with it was just wonderful. A sublime audio! 

Rating: 10/10

Nightfall: Darkness

"Why isn't daddy saying anything?"

Writer: Chris Chapman

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Planet Krynoid 1.03

Featuring: Krynoids

Synopsis 

For a hundred years, Sunlight has been a beacon of hope shining across a troubled galaxy, an artificial paradise on a frozen world offering safe haven for the super-rich, and employment for even the poorest of labourers. At least, that's what the adverts say.

Unfortunately for Governor Robert Hodan, one of his engineers has just discovered a pair of strange-looking pods lodged in a satellite. So Sunlight, that glittering verdant oasis, will never be the same again.

Because, as the Doctor knows only too well, on planets where the Krynoid gets established, the vegetation eats the animals...

Verdict

Darkness was a great episode to conclude the Nightfall first series of Planet Krynoid! After a sensational cliffhanger at the end of Sunset, this started in incredible fashion with a sensational feel. The atmosphere was just outstanding as we got the colonists’ perspective of the blinding light that was supposed to have wiped out the Krynoid threat once and for all. Of course, that was far from the case and it actually just backfired in a massive way. Not only were the majority of the people on the ground blinded by the devastating light, but there were now over a hundred Krynoid pods answering the planet’s call! That was such a strong set up for the finale, but I must say this almost felt like something of an epilogue. After the Eighth Doctor departing and now being presumed dead here from the previous story, and even Governor Hodan also absent, this felt like some main characters were missing. That wasn’t a huge problem as it certainly allowed some other characters from the range to step up. I thought it was quite fun to have Letty as one of the few to not be blinded because she’s so immature and just completely helpless to be honest. That makes her a good character though as she wouldn’t be someone you would choose to keep their eyesight if nearly everyone else was going to lose theirs! Carl Magnus has been a really strong character throughout the series who I perhaps haven’t talked about enough as the Chemovox representative, and he became a little desperate here which was good. He’s been keen to assert his authority and the company interests, but now he was in danger and didn’t like it! He was looking to everyone else for answers which just showed the kind of person he was. I thought Doctor Costello succumbing to the Krynoid infection was a shame but a fantastic fate for her character in terms of storytelling. It really did bring her full circle. I thought the use of the Krynoids in the episode was strong and their desire for hunger in particular was marvellous. It was dangerous and hearing the story of Colin in particular was rather horrifying as he described eating his wife. He was just too hungry! The slow descent of people becoming Krynoid kind was fantastic and whilst the atmosphere was stellar and dark, I do think things became a little less jeopardising regarding the blindness. I don’t want to say it was forgotten about but I think it should have firmly remained the full focus. I thought Maggie really stepped into her own here after the Doctor basically left things to her in the previous episode, and she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself and the colony. The personal heartbreak of her relationship with Piotr came into full fruition here which was a strong use of real emotion, and the way she basically decided the pairing of Lettie and Tiro to be the ones to use the upgraded but not upsized escape ship was fantastic. I thought the ending was decent if not a tad anticlimactic as we didn't really get a resolution. For the boxset as a whole I would have expected one, but I knew we wouldn't get one very early on when the epilogue kind of feel was established. I think it's absolutely fine and certainly leaves things open for a second boxset as the colonists set to stick to the colder parts of the planet and draw up plans to fight back against the Krynoid. Man vs plant life. It's certainly a series I would be keen to listen to! It's not a criticism but after an entire series dedicated to the Krynoids, I still don't think we've explored their full potential and that's rather exciting. There's certainly room for more. Overall, a great listen and conclusion to a fascinating spinoff series.

Rating: 8/10

Nightfall: Sunset

"I'm sorry that the next time we meet I'll have to kill you."

Writer: Jonathan S Powell

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Planet Krynoid 1.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Governor Hodan

Synopsis 

For a hundred years, Sunlight has been a beacon of hope shining across a troubled galaxy, an artificial paradise on a frozen world offering safe haven for the super-rich, and employment for even the poorest of labourers. At least, that's what the adverts say.

Unfortunately for Governor Robert Hodan, one of his engineers has just discovered a pair of strange-looking pods lodged in a satellite. So Sunlight, that glittering verdant oasis, will never be the same again.

Because, as the Doctor knows only too well, on planets where the Krynoid gets established, the vegetation eats the animals...

Verdict

Sunset was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Nightfall first series of Planet Krynoid! I mentioned in my blogging of Sunlight that I thought the cliffhanger finish with the emergence of the Eighth Doctor might prove something of an interruption, but it was far from it! I thought the benefits of having the Doctor around were fantastic and this was a great performance from Paul McGann. The horror and darker themes of the series were very much felt and this incarnation of the Doctor was a fantastic fit. I thought his knowledge of the Krynoids going back to The Seeds of Doom was really helpful and almost might have been better placed in the series opener. I thought it was fun to establish that the planet was Verdana and Sunlight was a colony, and the planet of the Krynoids getting a name was certainly overdue. It wasn't much of a surprise to find that Verdana was the original home of the Krynoids given the name of the series which might seem like something of an oversight now, but I'm glad we got the confirmation either way. I think it's pretty fun for the Doctor to have overslept after having frozen himself and woken up after a century. That was some way to fight off the Krynoid infection and the image from the artwork with the Doctor being infected was quickly wiped away as he just described it as vegetation. After a century of confinement that's certainly understandable but it does feel like something of a shortchanged way to incorporate such a striking image into the series. I think it's good to confirm the 26th century setting of 2547 and I really enjoyed the concept of the Doctor being drawn to Verdana by a psychic force. He wasn't alone though as the Krynoids were also answering the same signal and finding out that this was actually the roots of the Krynoid themselves was excellent! I loved the concept of roots for roots in a cry for help, but the terraforming of the satellites from the Sunlight colonists had very much gotten in the way. The threat of the planet temperature altering and the impact that would have on the Krynoids is brilliant to explore. I like the worry the Doctor has when it comes to Liv because he's been asleep for a century so his plan of simply returning to the past where she exists to reunite with her is a nice touch, even if it does feel like cheating! I thought Governor Hodan referencing the historic standing orders about the pods was good and I like that there's more of a deep-rooted history on the planet that the authorities and super-rich had knowledge about. The Cultivators being primed to destroy such pods was a strong revelation and explained a lot. Hodan being quieter on his sting knowledge was very well done and it was intriguing to learn that he was an actor turned politician. It was good to get that kind of background for what is essentially the main character. His desperation was clear to hear with his demands of the Doctor to go back and change history, but the Time Lord was having none of it. His wife’s infection was now a fixed point in time. I thought the sacrifice of Joan was a sensational moment and really highlighted the threat the Krynoids posed. Defeat was almost the default. The Doctor leaving things to Maggie as he set off to find Liv was a little bit of a surprise but things did seem safe with the temperature alteration. The light emittance backfiring in a bad way provided an incredible cliffhanger as everyone exposed on the colony was blinded! As if that wasn’t enough, hundreds of pods were now on hand. They’re here to liberate their world of animal filth and that sets us up brilliantly for the finale! Overall, an excellent episode!

Rating: 9/10

Nightfall: Sunlight

"I never thought I'd see snow again."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Planet Krynoid 1.01

Featuring: Governor Hodan

Synopsis 

For a hundred years, Sunlight has been a beacon of hope shining across a troubled galaxy, an artificial paradise on a frozen world offering safe haven for the super-rich, and employment for even the poorest of labourers. At least, that's what the adverts say.

Unfortunately for Governor Robert Hodan, one of his engineers has just discovered a pair of strange-looking pods lodged in a satellite. So Sunlight, that glittering verdant oasis, will never be the same again.

Because, as the Doctor knows only too well, on planets where the Krynoid gets established, the vegetation eats the animals...

Verdict

Sunlight was a strong start to the Nightfall first series of Planet Krynoid! This is a very exciting new spinoff from Big Finish and I’m liking the darker and edgier feel right from the off. Even the artwork sets the tone and I like that there is a warning for more adult themes. Something like the Krynoids are perfect to be taken into their own series and it is impressive to think that they warrant this based on just one televised appearance. Now there’s no doubting that The Seeds of Doom is a cult classic and I like the Krynoids as a villain, but I’m surprised this exists. I’m all for it though and the Sunlight setting was established really well here. I thought the pace was pretty steady and full of anticipation, and the episode basically introduces us to the Krynoids again without them even featuring! It’s quite fun that the whole story focuses on just the arrival of two seed pods and I like the planting of the mystery regarding Governor Hodan. He clearly has knowledge of the seed pods because he wants them destroyed immediately and that’s something that was picked up on when he accidentally blurted out more knowledge on how the pods worked than he ought to have known. I look forward to exploring that further as the series goes on and he looks set to be a strong lead character. I think Reece Shearsmith is a fine choice to lead the series and he made a strong mark in Sleep No More, and this is a pretty different role now for him to sink his teeth into. I thought Maggie was a fun character as the engineer and her finding of the seed pods really set the episode into motion. There was a good sense of urgency and anticipation once Piotr was infected and being the listener and knowing about the Krynoids, it was amusing to hear the all clear given. The emergence of the seed pod as a means for curing infections was exciting because again, I just know where things will go from here. Hearing the scientists learn all about the Krynoid strain and that the plant was actually taking over was intriguing and exciting! Hearing some of the description of the Krynoid infection and the green veins was excellent in painting the imagery that accompanied the story’s artwork which is incredibly striking by the way. Clarissa being ill and the Governor’s wife was really good and shocking when he agreed that if Piotr has to be killed because of infection then so did she. Even their child was on hand to hear him say that! That was a strong emotional tie. I thought Doctor Costello was a strong character and I really liked how she was struggling with the new infection, but also keen to learn more. It looked on paper to be something amazing in terms of curing and her preference for a live specimen almost sounded inhumane! There’s a keen interest for me as a listener here to hear how the people of Sunlight react to and discover the Krynoids. The cliffhanger finish of the Eighth Doctor emerging from hiding is exciting, but it almost seems like he’s interrupting! I will of course listen with an open mind, but for now this was a great start to the series!

Rating: 8/10

The Interstellar Song Contest

"I will stand and watch you freeze to death."

Writer: Juno Dawson

Format: TV

Broadcast: 17 May 2025

Series: 15.06

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Belinda

Synopsis

The Doctor's quest to get Belinda back home to Earth leads to a space station hosting the famous song contest. But a harmless night of fun soon becomes a battle to survive.

Verdict

The Interstellar Song Contest was another great episode to continue the brand new series of Doctor Who! The story quality for this 2025 run has been so consistently high and what a way to set up what is bound to be a bumper finale. So much happened here and it's difficult not to start at the end, but I'll resist the urge. On Eurovision night, I think having a Doctor Who equivalent episode is a nice touch and I'm glad that not too much focus was put on the songs. The ridiculousness of Rylan being in cryogenic suspension is hilarious as the host and it's nice for Graham Norton to also appear as the museum interaction hologram. We didn't need much more of a link to Eurovision than that. I thought the special effects were incredible and whilst it would have been good to see or namedrop some more familiar species and planets, Cora claiming to originally being from Trion was a nice touch. I can't imagine Turlough would enjoy something like the titular contest though! That was a fun thought. I thought Kid made for a good villain and Belinda's initial comment of his name being for a baby goat made me laugh. I knew right away too that Wynn would be up to no good. She just had that look, even if she was a little cautious about what they were doing. I thought the political notes in the story were impactful and especially the rhetoric on the colonisation of Hellia for Poppy Honey flavouring. Belinda couldn't believe their people had lost everything for something mundane like flavouring, and I thought she had another stellar episode. It will be a travesty if we only have two more on screen adventures with her! She is an incredible companion and it was nice to show her being a little more vulnerable here. She was one of the few to survive not being ejected into space once Kid set his second phase in action, and immediately she figured she was stuck. She had no idea where she was and now she was completely alone with no way out. Even the TARDIS was gone. This felt like a stark reminder that even though we're now headed into the finale, she's very much a newbie. It will make sense that she stays home after the events of the finale as that's been the aim from the start, but I am very much not ready to say goodbye. I thought the throwback to The Parting of the Ways with Kid planning to use a delta wave to kill over three trillion viewers of the Interstellar Song Contest was excellent and just downright evil. His motive regarding the Corporation was strong if not a little misguided and it was something that angered the Doctor to an extent I would argue we have never seen before. His punishment of Kid was brutal and specifically out of character for the Fifteenth Doctor. It was as dark as we've ever seen him and I'm not entirely sure it was justified. It was a little uncomfortable but thankfully him seeing Belinda brought him back to normality. I will accept that he's clearly going through some trauma also and the images in his mind of Susan pleading him were sensational! I was so happy to see Carole Ann Ford on my screen and inside the TARDIS no less! She HAS to feature in the finale, right? After her being used as a red herring in The Legend of Ruby Sunday, I will be both grateful and gutted if the Doctor doesn't actually reunite with her for these scenes. Mike and Gary were really fun characters and their efforts in reviving all 100,000 spectators were impressive! They were just really likeable guys and that was nice to see. The Doctor being camp in blasting back to the arena via a confetti canon was good fun too. Only in this incarnation! I feel like we might not have seen the last of Kid as he mentioned seeing the Doctor again when sent to the justice section, and that continued mention of ice frozen in his heart is something I think we will certainly come back to. Now, onto the cliffhanger finish and it even happened mid-end credits which was a fun twist! But there really always is a twist at the end. The truth about Mrs Flood is finally revealed and with all the speculation that has come with her, it wasn't much of a surprise that she was revealed to be the Rani. But that didn't make it any less exciting! I'm less fussed on another bigeneration, but I can see immediately that the casting of Archie Panjabi is a stellar choice! She looks and owns the part already, although I'm not sure about Mrs Flood being so inferior to her considering she's an earlier incarnation? There's plenty of time to explain all this though and I can't wait to see what the Rani has in store for the Doctor. It's an incredible way to set up the finale! Overall, a strong episode again to continue an excellent series.

Rating: 8/10

We Are The Daleks

"The Daleks offer a future of prosperity."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: July 2015

Series: Monthly Adventures 201

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

The year is 1987, and Britain is divided. In Bradford, strikers are picketing and clashing with the police. In the City of London, stockbrokers are drinking champagne and politicians are courting the super-rich. The mysterious media mogul Alek Zenos, head of the Zenos Corporation, is offering Britain an economic miracle. His partners wish to invest – and their terms are too good to refuse.

While the Doctor investigates Warfleet, a new computer game craze that is sweeping the nation, Mel goes undercover to find out the truth about Zenos's partners.

The Daleks have a new paradigm. They intend to conquer the universe using economic power. The power of the free market! 

Verdict

We Are The Daleks was an excellent audio to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures! I’m in the home stretch now with just seventy-four audios to go to complete the range and whilst this will still take me a few years yet, it feels personally significant to be past the 200-mark. And what a way to celebrate it! This was just excellent from start to finish and went so close to full marks for me. I don’t do decimal places but if I did I’d round up so this would fall ever so short at a 9.49. I just loved it. I thought the 1987 setting was brilliant and whilst it wasn’t too long ago, it’s good to get a contemporary historical. Is that possible? It’s quite fun to go one year into Mel’s future but she was quick to point out how things were vastly different for only a year. I mean, having a pre-titles with a Dalek shaped tower in the middle of central London in the 1980s is superb! My interest was there right from the off. In another world I think this story could have been called Economics of the Daleks because this was the Daleks in a way we’ve never had them before. Kudos for doing something unique with them and the idea of a Dalek investment is just sensational! The Doctor is quick to point out that this is far from usual behaviour and that’s why it worked for me. It was groundbreaking. I thought the use of the Warfleet video game was impressive and the concept of the players being linked through modems was magnificent. It’s crazy to think how much we take for granted now with gaming in 2025 and how connected we are with the globe, but that was far from the case in 1987! I was right on the last batch of computer users where a phone line was required and the concept just seems alien now, so to incorporate this into a Doctor Who story was delightful. The revelation that the game was actually a direct interface for Dalek drones wasn’t much of a surprise but it still made for a very strong moment. Just because it was predictable didn’t mean it was bad. It’s a marvellous concept. I liked the use of a time corridor to Skaro and going from Earth to the Dalek home world was excellent. I didn’t anticipate the story to feature Thals and the Dalek Emperor but I was absolutely all for it! The Doctor still having something of a legendary status amongst the Thal race was a nice touch and I was really intrigued by Skaro history to find that the planet was basically rid of Thals now except for a few slaves. The Daleks initially not recognising the Seventh Doctor as their arch nemesis was terrific and fine continuity to establish this as this incarnation’s first chronological encounter with his oldest enemies. The strong continuity didn’t stop there though as we were very much setting up for Remembrance of the Daleks with the concept of human children being better than battle computers. They were too logical whereas the children had an instinct for war. I loved that. I thought the use of Mel in the audio was impressive and it was great to utilise her computer skills as she wasted no time getting into the coding. The cliffhanger where she was used as bait by the Daleks and on the verge of extermination by her own kind via the game was just brilliant. It put a massive smile on my face. The title of the story coming into play with the Dalek tower acting as a beacon to make everyone think like a Dalek. The UK being the favoured nation was a fun concept and I loved the subtle mention of the EU as a reason to choose the country with this release coming in 2015. Alek Zenos as an agent from within was a nice twist but his extermination came a little earlier than I anticipated! Celia Dunthorpe as the Member of Parliament was good fun and the way she was mopping up the Dalek mess at the end of the story and suggesting she became their Prime Minister was phenomenal. Talk about a link to Asylum of the Daleks! I loved it. With the Daleks being on the verge of making the UK population like them, the Doctor reminded them exactly of who they were. The reference to The Evil of the Daleks with the use of the human factor and now the Doctor using the Dalek factor with the tower field to remind them of exactly what they were was marvellous. There would be no more Dalek society and they all thought as individuals again. Dalek individuals consumed by hate, so much so that they were spontaneously combusting. That was a fitting finale. Overall, quite the story! A very unique and excellent use of the Daleks. 

Rating: 9/10

Doctor Who and the Silurians

"They only attack for survival."

Writer: Malcolm Hulke

Format: TV

Broadcast: 31 January - 14 March 1970

Season: 7.02

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz

Synopsis

The Doctor and Liz Shaw are summoned by the Brigadier to a new facility at Wesley Moor. The facility is a new type of power station, but oddly enough there appears to be something wrong with the staff. Investigating nearby caves the Doctor discovers the Silurian race that has been in hibernation for millions of years and now wants their planet back from the uppity ape descendants. To aid them in their plans to take back the Earth, they release a deadly virus...

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Silurians was just a masterclass of a Doctor Who serial. It deserves to have the show’s name in its title which is just wonderfully quirky and it absolutely works. Seven parts feel like a breeze and I honestly think this could have gone on even longer which is a huge compliment because seven episodes is a mammoth task to get through! I watched this all in the same day but it’s so easy to see how well this would have worked in a weekly episodic format. It’s just enthralling and the pace is just beyond perfect. I can’t compliment it enough. I really like how the first three parts are just focused on what the Silurians actually are and the slow increments to reveal their appearance at the part three cliffhanger is magnificent. It’s been over twelve years since I last watched this story which feels baffling to me, but it’s one I have always loved. I’ve watched it multiple times and I remember ensuring I’d watched it in 2010 after the Silurians were confirmed as returning for Matt Smith’s first series as the Doctor. It was an instant hit and I’ve loved it ever since. Season 7 is such a fascinating time in the show’s history and this just feels so different. It’s absolutely in a great way, but this is such unique Doctor Who. The dynamic with the Doctor being in exile is great and that is barely referenced here. His relationship with Liz is lovely and I really loved how she stood up for herself. She was a scientist and it’s excellent to see her here aiding the Doctor. The politics involved in the serial with UNIT is just magnificent and so contemporary of the 1970 broadcast. I’m a massive fan of that too and there are some very real issues debated here. The Doctor trying to show the side of the Silurians here is impressive and he’s understandably empathetic to their cause. They’d been asleep for millions of years and woke up to find that their planet had been overrun by humanity, the climate was completely changed, and the disaster they hid away from never actually happened. I understand why they are irked! The Doctor trying to convince everyone that they only attacked in self defence was always going to go on deaf ears when talking with a military mind, and once the plague was released all bets were off. The guest cast in the story are so impressive with Dr Quinn and Major Baker being obvious standouts. The Brigadier’s standing up to the latter is a moment I really enjoyed. I thought the introduction to Bessie here was good fun and it’s quite subtle too given the significance she will play for the rest of this era. I thought the caves setting was brilliant and the way it was realised here was superb. I actually think the grainy image quality helps sell that underground feeling. I was fascinated to learn after watching today that the story is technically missing with the master tapes being wiped! Thank goodness it was recorded by other means to keep it available to view. It would be tragic to lose a story as good as this one. It’s a cult classic. The concept behind the Silurians is excellent and their appearance here is outstanding. I think there’s a sense of retro nostalgia for me, but the shape of their head and that sonic emitting is iconic. It just works. Their voices could probably have been improved, but they were millions of years old! I think the Doctor and Liz spending a lot of time to find the cure to the plague is great in its simplicity and it was really important to differentiate that containing it was very different. The threat worldwide once it reached Paris was fantastic and really set the politics going. The Doctor sending the reactor critical and the radiation fear was very real. The Silurians not being too fussed and just returning to hibernation was actually quite amusing, but things do take a sour turn at the end as UNIT blow up the Silurians under military instruction. That’s such a powerful ending because they absolutely should have been offered another chance. I think it’s so important for future encounters that the Doctor establishes his belief here that there can be cohabitation. It will never be achieved, but the desire there is terrific. Overall, just sublime.

Rating: 10/10