The Warehouse

"We're just organic machines designed for one purpose."

Writer: Mike Tucker

Format: Audio

Released: August 2015

Series: Monthly Adventures 202

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

The Doctor and Mel land in what appears to be an orbiting warehouse, a delivery facility with a dangerously erratic computer.

Whilst Mel is helping with repairs, the Doctor begins to realise that not everything in the warehouse is as it seems. Why do no goods ever seem to leave the shelves? Why are the staff so obsessed with the stocktake? And who is the mysterious Supervisor?

On the planet below, the Doctor discovers that the computer might be the least of their problems – and that they should be more concerned with the spacestation's mould and vermin...

Verdict

The Warehouse was a  decent story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures! This was a fascinating little tale and I liked the satirical nature of the topic at hand whilst simultaneously being a very powerful story. The message was clear and establishing the difference of the modern world to Mel from her 1980s perspective was terrific. It is staggering to think how much technology has advanced and it really is so easy now to just stay at home. I’m incredible guilty of it as I’m always getting deliveries. If there’s anything small that I need, Amazon is usually there to get it to my doorstep the next day. I even get my weekly shop delivered! The Doctor’s humour regarding high streets just being full of coffee shops in the current day was amusing because if it’s not one of them it’s a barbers or hairdressers. The high street is simply dying and unfortunately I think that’s something we have to accept. The play on Amazon and online delivery was good and I think it’s actually a bit of shame in hindsight that I’m listening to this a decade after it was released. It felt like this had been done before for me in the form of Kerblam! which is wrong of me because this came three years earlier. It was difficult to shake that off though even with a much different set of  TARDIS regulars. I quite liked how basic this was from the perspective of the Seventh Doctor and Mel as it’s good to explore the early era of this incarnation. He’s not quite so mischievous and conniving just yet and that relaxed feel was quite nice. Utilising Mel was done very well as well with her computer abilities, even in a world that’s much more advanced. I thought the play on her name was good fun and I knew that the E at the end of her name was going to come into play when the family of the E unit introduced their names. It was too much of a coincidence! The concept of clones for a warehouse delivery facility is pretty appalling in terms of its humanity but in business nothing would surprise me. I work in finance and I know how ruthless people can be in business. Efficiency and profit margins are all that matter so clones being programmed to simply perform their stock check and other duties. Having numerous characters as clones was clever in having efficiency for the use of actors too as the range spread across the F and G units. Lydek was a good character and I liked how she quickly developed into a villain of the piece. She had her privileges that’s for sure! I thought the Supervisor was very strong too and his journey over the course of the story was quite grotesque. There was a threat of mould throughout regardless and that was pretty gross in the first place as it tied in nicely with the fungal threat and history at the warehouse that saw it shut down. 350 years of stock checks was pretty extraordinary and Mel was astonished that the readout wasn’t wrong. It was dead accurate. The Supervisor revealing his true nature with literally having mould for skin was horrific and I was actually quite glad that this was an audio format! I don’t like mould so to see someone or something with it as skin didn’t sit right with me. That meant it was good as a Doctor Who reveal though for the enemy! It also allowed a good resolution in heating things up and dehumidifying the air to wipe out the mould of the Supervisor and ironically send him packing. Pushing the returns of the warehouse also sent that into technical breakdown which was quite fitting. Overall, a very decent story!

Rating: 7/10

The Long Way Round

"The Doctor is a kind and decent man."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: March 2021

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 2.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania, Andy

Synopsis

Something is wrong with Earth's future – so the Doctor decides to see it for himself. But very soon, the travellers are captured. Someone seems to know their every move. An interrogator wants answers, but do they even know the right questions?

Verdict

The Long Way Round was an excellent episode to conclude the second Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! It seems that the story being told for this umbrella title of the Eighth Doctor Adventures is going to be more spread over the four boxsets which is very exciting and it didn't matter at all that this didn't feel like much of a finale. It doesn't need to be in the second boxset of four. I thought going back to the future was a good move and I love the paradoxical nature of the story and the timeline that is being established. The links back to Divine Intervention were fantastic and I love that things are slowly beginning to have consequences. I adore anything we get with the Curator because of the mysteries and enigma associated with that character. Is he the Doctor from another timeline? A splinter? Bigeneration? It's all part of the fun and Tom Baker in particular brings a wonderful quality to the character. His discussion with the younger Gemma Houlbrooke was fascinating and I liked the revelation that this little girl was the same woman that was interrogating the Doctor and his companions in the alternative 2050. She was angered with the Doctor and the prospect of stolen identity for the Time Lord was awfully exciting. I get the sense that things were perhaps unfinished with that and the cliffhanger finish with Robin reemerging which didn't surprise me in the slightest, but the format of the episode was superb. We didn't have the Doctor arrive until after the forty minute mark and incredibly he wasn't missed in the slightest. Staying with one singular character as part of the interrogation for eight or ten minutes was brilliant. On paper, it perhaps sounds a bit boring but it was far from it. I think interrogation just works well as a story for the audio format. I could listen to that kind of dialogue all day and Gemma had an intriguing quality in her line of questioning. She had knowledge about them all already and her insistence for the record that they identified their names each time she returned was terrific. It became mundane and almost felt like a form of psychic torture. Andy was a fun way to start proceedings for this type of episode because as a policeman he was used to being on the other side. He didn't normally have to answer the questions and he was clearly uncomfortable with Gemma's knowledge about him. She knew about Gwen and Torchwood and the Doctor. Except she didn't have it all clear about the Doctor which was fascinating. Tania really put that fact home to her and she didn't enjoy Gemma's techniques at all. The way she reacted to almost having her birth name mentioned was a powerful moment and her speech about the power of a name and it being what you make it was brilliant. This was probably my favourite episode of hers so far. Liv tried to ascertain some control of things when it came to being questioned and Helen too was equally not taking it all that seriously. She tried to reason with Gemma but this version of her was difficult to come by. Liv being the one to almost break through after she heard about how Gemma had followed them but she never got noticed. Of course, the Doctor being the main event for the interrogation was expected and I liked how Gemma challenged him. She was boastful about being familiar with regeneration and it was good for her to follow up her earlier discussion with Helen about her being able to accept him in another body. She'd spent a lot of time with the Eleven so I'm sure the Doctor changing wouldn't be too difficult for her to accept! I liked how the Doctor was able to convince Gemma that it wasn't him that had created this terrible timeline, and that to prevent it she needed to let him and his companions out. When that did happen, Liv noticing the younger version outside the TARDIS after they'd landed back and interacting with her was a nice touch. I get the sense this is only the start of things though with Robin finding Gemma guilty in the alternate future, but for now this was a very strong finale! Overall, a terrific episode.

Rating: 9/10

Baker Street Irregulars

"The Doctor isn't the only sucker for a stray."

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: March 2021

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 2.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania

Synopsis

The Doctor takes Zakia and Aisha to see some family history: their grandmother had her own secret life in Baker Street, during World War II. As Tania and Liv try to defuse an unexploded bomb, the sisters face explosive revelations of their own.

Verdict

Baker Street Irregulars was a decent episode to continue my way through the second Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This felt like the pace of the series slowed down a little after having the Doctor test the TARDIS by going to the future and then to the past. I'm not sure if here it felt like a little bit of repetition by venturing to the past again so soon with another overcrowded TARDIS? The Doctor isn't exactly hiding the fact he has a time machine which is intriguing and certainly fun, but I suspect that this overzealousness might come back to bite him. The prospect of a World War Two bomb being found outside Baker Street was good and it was soon clear that the Doctor was going to venture back to the time of it being dropped. It's incredible really to think that this kind of thing is still happening and finding an unexploded bomb must be exciting and terrifying at the same time! Eighty years on and they're still being found. I thought Tania was intriguing in this episode as she clearly knew more about the bomb itself and that was angering Liv slightly. The pair were trying to build their relationship on a basis of no secrets, but given Tania's connections to Torchwood and Liv's status as a companion, that was never going to work! Tania knows about the Doctor's future and that puts her in a difficult position. I like how well she gets on with Andy and the pair clearly know more of what's to come with this bomb scare seemingly just the beginning of something. That sets us up nicely for the finale and I've quite enjoyed how there hasn't feel like an obvious threat building towards the boxset's final episode. Going back to 1941 is an exciting setting and whilst the Doctor seems to be getting a bit bored of Camden no matter when he is, it's still an incredible luxury to travel in time! I'd definitely be up for listening to a story covering the New Age of the Autons! That period in history would be fascinating with Camden as the basis. I enjoyed taking Helen back to 1941 as that's a time that she actually lived through. Her comment about surviving the same air raid during the Blitz twice was tremendous because that's just ludicrously extraordinary! The threat of the Blitz is obviously not new to Doctor Who but I'm all for it. I wasn't overly fussed in having Zakia and Aisha joining the TARDIS regulars as it just felt uncharacteristic of the Doctor despite his obvious boredom and need to show off. I'm just not sure we know them enough yet for them to have warranted a trip to their past. Exploring their family history was good though and the revelation at the end was unexpected to say the least! Their sisterly relationship was lovely but finding out Aisha was actually Zakia's mum was a big surprise. I didn't see that coming at all, but I don't think we stuck around with them long enough for the impact to be lasting. I hope they're around for the finale in adjusting to the news being out in the open. I can't imagine how Zakia would be feeling as her whole world and everything she thought she knew about her family was turned upside down. It did help sell the threat of venturing to the past because Aisha thought she might lose her own daughter and didn't want her going on adventures again. The use of the past was done well here and I liked how Nisha's story became crucial. It was impressive for her to be so pivotal to putting back Hitler's plans by blowing up the power station, but I'm not sure how I felt about her great-granddaughter taking her place. I know she was able to orchestrate the electronics fine, but it took away from the historic tale a little for me. I did like Adi questioning the Greek nationality of the Doctor and his companions and the blurting out of being Pakistani-Greek before the former country was even formed was fun. The beauty of time travel! Overall, it was a decent episode and I did like the concept of needing to get history back on track, but it never felt like things were in trouble. 

Rating: 7/10

UNIT Dating

"I've missed this old place."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: March 2021

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 2.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Andy, Brigadier

Synopsis

When the Doctor dips into his past to help TARDIS repairs in the present, Andy joins him on a trip to UNIT. In the 1970s, young soldier Ron Winters has just met lab assistant Tony Clare. But in 2020, they need Liv and Helen's help when their memories start falling apart...

Verdict

UNIT Dating was another great story to continue my way through the second Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This is a very clever little title given the controversy and inconsistency with the UNIT dating timeline, but the dating referred to here very cleverly didn't become about a calendar. That was a really nice touch. I liked the idea of the Doctor being eager to give the TARDIS another test flight despite the difficulties he endured in Dead Time. This time he was going to try and visit the past and with him unable to travel in space, the prospect of him returning to the near past in Camden was very exciting. I really enjoyed how Andy basically became the companion for the episode with Liv and Helen left in 2020 and it's a pairing that I never thought we'd get! PC Andy Davidson travelling in the TARDIS with the Eighth Doctor. It's just ludicrously wonderful. It's nice to hear how mature Andy is by 2020 after his time with Torchwood that we saw on screen around a decade prior. The reference to those early Torchwood interactions when he mentioned not getting on well with pterodactyls was a nice touch too! I thought Tony and Ron were really nice characters and it's lovely to think that a lasting romance all started back at UNIT during the era of the Third Doctor. Being homosexual openly during that time was not as easy or as carefree as it was in 2020 and having Helen as a companion from the 1960s was really powerful in showing just how much society has changed. She was so happy for Tony and Ron that their love had lasted so long and they didn't have to hide anything, but her story at the end about her brother Albie who was disowned by their father for his sexual orientation was very sad. She had looked up on Wikipedia when homosexuality was decriminalised and it's staggering to think it was only in 1968. We'd had a whole era of the First Doctor come and go before that! It was so matter of fact in 2020 to casually use the word gay or pan or bi to describe sexual orientation and Liv coming from the future where that was meaningless provided a strong contrast. I liked how she comforted her fellow companion and it was really genuine that she was always there if Helen need someone to talk to about anything at all. It was a good format for the episode to have Helen and Liv in the present with the older and nearly retired pair of Ron and Tony as their memories of the past were altering due to the Doctor interfering and getting caught in the time loop that their younger selves were also within. The Eighth Doctor meeting the Brigadier at this point in his life was good fun and I enjoyed how accepting Lethbridge-Stewart was of the situation. Nothing surprised him about the Doctor anymore! That's pretty easy to accept as a listener too. I liked the proximity to The Three Doctors with the Eighth knowing that the Third would soon be free to roam again so he was just using his own workings to try and get his TARDIS working fully again. The Eighth Doctor showing appreciation for the Brigadier was a really touching moment too. I liked the concept behind Ogrons being left on Earth after the events of Day of the Daleks and whilst they didn't provide too much of a threat here, their presence was good fun. I enjoyed the continuity and Ron and Tony remembering them as hairy beasts was an apt description! The Doctor knowing all along how to break the time loop was amusing and Andy actually being the one to push Tony and Ron together was delightful. He didn't exactly hide the fact he was from the future very well when he blurted out about them being a boyfriend! The Doctor having Andy disguised with Jo's lanyard was tremendous as well and the confusion about him being mistaken for her when it come to her getting acquainted with the soldiers was fantastic. Ensuring the memories became consistent for the old UNIT pair was really nice and I enjoyed how after some struggles things were back on track. The TARDIS didn't seem to have any issues and perhaps should have been more at the forefront of thoughts, but overall this was a great little episode to continue the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Dead Time

"Earth must be made ready for the new Human Empire."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2021

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 2.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania

Synopsis

The Doctor wants to take the TARDIS on a test flight. But he has rather more passengers than he'd like. Soon, the crew are stranded once again in an uncertain future. One where planet Earth appears to be dead. And very soon, so will any visitors...

Verdict

Dead Time was a strong start to the second Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! I was very intrigued to hear where things would move from here and I am interested to see if the whole stranded concept might become tiresome or feel overdone. There's still a long way to go yet but with the TARDIS on a long road to recovery, it seems we're going to take the concept to different times! That's exciting and I like the idea a lot of the TARDIS being unable to move in space. Considering everything that had happened to the trusty time and space machine from the end of Day of the Master, the Doctor deciding to take a large party for the test flight was something I found a little odd. It was a crowded TARDIS and that's exactly what the Doctor didn't want. On top of the regular companions of Liv and Helen, we were also joined by Tania, Andy and Robin for an excursion six million years into the future! The Camden of this future was obviously very different and Andy in particular didn't deal well with seeing a vastly different world. I thought his interaction with Liv was good and it was nice that given her relationship building with Tania, she came to Andy for information on what they were hiding. She didn't get details that they were part of Torchwood, but Andy basically gave her the full story of Tooth and Claw with a future version of the Doctor setting up their organisation. He was on hand to ensure nothing went awry time wise, although I think jumping aboard a see-through TARDIS that wasn't fully repaired was jumping the gun! Robin is something of an annoying character for me and I kind of hope that he does move away to Scotland as his dad was pushing for at the end of the episode. There's just something that doesn't work for me and I didn't enjoy his attitude to being told no by the Doctor at making the journey and then mucking about with the console controls when he was left inside the TARDIS with Helen. He just didn't sit right with me and he felt a bit spoiled. Maybe that's the point but I'll be happy to see the back of his character. Unfortunately, given his prominence in being recognised by the Deus Ex I fear that we may get a bigger and older version of his character as the big bad for this boxset. He's obviously done something to be recognised six million yeas later and filed as such! I think the Doctor dealing with the potential of being stranded again in this bleak future was good and he's so desperate for an adventure once again. His efforts to get the TARDIS going again were fun to explore and I loved that he found a psychic paper in his jacket pocket. There wasn't enough power for a new sonic screwdriver to be created by the TARDIS though so he was going very Fifth Doctor and hands free. I thought the remote atmosphere of the story was impressive and being on an Earth with no human race really was quite something! It felt dark and pretty ominous which was certainly a bonus for the story. Tania being something of a comfort point for the Doctor was really nice and it was good for him to see why Liv liked her. She's growing on me now too and having her ask the Doctor about regeneration in particular and how that feels for him was fascinating. I liked how he took that question without any qualms and conversed how he just gets on with each day getting used to the new him. It was a great little insight. I thought the resolution with the TARDIS was logical in that it soaked up the radiation that had wiped out the human race and converted it into its own energy source to return to 2020. Having the TARDIS able to move in time is a good way to set things up moving forward, although if the journey to get to the past or future is reminiscent of the one endured here I'm not they'll be making too many trips! Overall, a great episode to kick off the second boxset! 

Rating: 8/10

Fear Death by Water

"The ocean will consume us all."

Writer: Emily Cook

Format: Novel

Released: May 2025

Series: NSA 69

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor

Synopsis

Northumberland, 1838. The TARDIS crash lands on board a sinking steamship. Stranded, the Doctor and the few survivors fight for their lives – while the local lighthouse keeper's daughter, Grace Darling, risks her life to row to their rescue.

Lauded a heroine, Grace struggles to cope with her new-found fame, but the Doctor senses something else is troubling Grace. She's been tormented by the terrifying vision she saw out at sea in the storm. There's a monster in her mind, wrecking ships and stealing the souls of the drowned. 

And it's real,

Verdict

Fear Death by Water was an excellent novel to kick off the latest batch of New Series Adventures! I was intrigued to find that the Fifteenth Doctor was travelling solo here given that the book was released alongside the broadcast of his second series, but that was no problem at all. We had a wonderful historical heroine in the form of Grace Darling to fill that void. Ignorantly I had never heard of Grace and her contribution to history in saving the lives of nine people that were on board the crashed Forfarshire shipwreck, but her determination was admirable right from the off. I loved the setting of Northumberland in 1838 and I think the inclusion of the little hand-drawn map at the start of the book was a welcomed and unique addition for a Doctor Who novel. It felt very A Game of Thrones! I liked that a lot. It also helped in establishing the setting with the islands make up and Grace being a child not of the mainland made her very interesting. It was nice that she had a strong relationship with her parents and them simply being referred to as Mr and Mrs Darling throughout was terrific. They were so proud of their daughter and I liked how she was pushing the boundaries of gender norms in an age where even Grace believed she should be performing duties like cooking. The Doctor being on hand to help her their with her tatties was great. He wasn't interested in confining roles and duties based on gender! He saw what Grace had done with the lighthouse and helping her father in saving the survivors from the rock, and that wasn't very traditional female behaviour for the time! I liked the explanation for the shipwreck being the Captain seeing eyes blazing in the ocean forcing him to try and steer the boat blind. Literally. The Doctor ending up on the Forfarshire because of the TARDIS fluid link being depleted was terrific and the use of the barometer to eventually restock the mercury was fantastic. It's clear that Emily Cook is a fan because the references and anecdotes that came in this book were most welcomed with the most memorable and desire for me is the Doctor and the Master taking part in Satellite Five's Masterchef. Give me that story! I thought the pace of the story was excellent and the way it was built to the reveal of the Leviathan was really impressive. This was an easy read in a day and each chapter left me wanting more which is obviously a good sign. The characterisation for Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor was spot on and Grace was just such a lovely character. She was so likeable and her innocence and lack of wanting fame and recognition for her actions only added to that. Grace having a connection with the Leviathan was fascinating. The fact she was able to calm such an incredible beast was some achievement and it took a lot out of her. She was understandably reluctant to try again when the Doctor had a plan to put into action. I thought the shift in space was good and I really liked the concept behind the ISC with Keteor and Chip. Their relationship was presented very well and quickly to the extent that when the latter sacrificed himself it was really emotional! He'd only been around for a chapter or two but it felt like a big loss. I thought the science behind the resolution for the Leviathan was fantastic and the use of the lighthouse to reflect the UV light that would resonate with the beast and alter its thinking was great stuff! I was really glad that the lighthouse came into play. It felt like a crucial part of the setting and I wasn't expecting it to be a factor so that was a terrific surprise. I thought the nature of the Leviathan as a Ouroboros was really fun and the imagery that came from it eating its tail and basically regurgitating itself after Keteor thought he'd destroyed it was extraordinary! I loved the concept. Grace actually being the one to basically tame it into protecting the rocks in which the Forfarshire had crashed was a fitting end, and I liked how she continued to be honoured. The fact she had sent numerous locks of hair to her fans and writers was a tad weird but this is the Victorian Age after all. The Doctor visiting her again in 1842 was a nice touch and it's so sad to think that she died at just age twenty-six. That's younger than me! She was too overwhelmed to see her museum in the future, but she had a legacy and she had certainly made her years count. Overall, a fantastic read! 

Rating: 9/10

New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)

"I know that my legacy is not one of death and destruction."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2024

Series: I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box 12

Featuring: TARDIS

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

New Beginning (Mamba Seyra) was a decent end to the I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box collection! I was very surprised to find that the concluding chapter was a solitary page (and not even a full one at that!). I will be very surprised if I ever blog a smaller story than this one because this blog entry alone will be nearly five times longer than the story in which I am blogging! When I saw that it was so short I had contemplated just adding a quick section onto the end of my blog entry for Just the Two of Us, but that didn't quite feel right given that I've given a separate entry to each of the eleven stories that came before this one. Despite being so short, I thought this was potentially the best use of the perspective of the TARDIS in the entire book! It was a nice touch and moment for reflection from the Doctor's time and space machine and it feels like an important time to look back after divulging all of the information that we had previously read as part of the book. It was an incredible spiel of information and comments so here she was just reaffirming who she was and it felt like the TARDIS was taking a breather at the end of a very informative account of her life with numerous Doctors. I was intrigued that the TARDIS felt the need to ask if she was a good TARDIS. Is there any doubt? She was referencing the recent events of the likes of Flux and The Giggle which were interesting, but she can hardly be blamed for anything that happened in those stories! It almost felt like with the referring to herself as reborn that this chapter might have been the one of the Fourteenth Doctor that the Fifteenth whacked into existence. No confirmation was given on that given the short length of the story, but it's a theory I am keen to run with. I think the shortness of this story gives me a chance to reflect on my own reading of this collection of short stories and I must say that despite some strong ratings, this isn't a book that I will look back on too fondly unfortunately. I think some of the decision making was questionable in lumping together different incarnations of the Doctor and I'm not sure why this became basically an account of each Doctor's televised adventures and a list of their respective companions. It was supposed to be from the perspective of the TARDIS but I don't feel like we actually got enough substance of that. The Journey Logs were usually quite mundane and just very small lines about what happened that could have been written by anybody. They rarely felt unique to the TARDIS which is supposed to be the ultimate selling point of the book. Almost contradictorily, this book is actually one I wish I had bought a physical copy of now because it really is a beautiful cover and feel. The TARDIS blue is stunning and I almost don't want to give it back to the library! I don't think I will end up buying one though because of the content and the fact I will now have blogged every story. It's also probably a downside on my part that I am reading a year or so after publication and I know a lot now of what the TARDIS will go through in the Fifteenth Doctor's second season. It still feels off that no mention of Sutekh came in references to The Legend of Ruby Sunday/Empire of Death in the last story in the book, but even the TARDIS reacting to the Doctor's year in a hotel during Joy to the World could have been great. But here we are at the end and the TARDIS is discussing herself and looking ahead. Just as she should do so. The bluest blue ever indeed! I love that description of the TARDIS. She will live in infamy. She really is forever. But please, The Doctor's Wife was the perfect representation of the TARDIS. We don't need anything like this again. Overall, incredibly short but a strong way to conclude the book. 

Rating: 7/10

Families: The Y Factor

"I have never been happier to make a misdiagnosis."

Writer: Christopher Cooper

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Companion Chronicles 15.04

Featuring: First Doctor, Dodo

Synopsis

Aided by septuagenarian jujitsu expert Edith Garrud, the First Doctor and Dodo Chaplet encounter an alien fungus that warps evil thoughts into evil deeds.

Verdict

The Y Factor was a great story to conclude the Families fifteenth series of Companion Chronicles! I hope we don't have to wait three years again for the next series of this wonderful little range because it really is fantastic in offering us a more companion-focused set of stories. With the ongoing First Doctor Adventures from Big Finish, they are playing catchup on the adventures of the Doctor and Dodo between The Savages and The War Machines, and extending that gap again here is most welcomed. I think it was good to place a timeline on the story with it being shortly after the former aforementioned serial in which Steven departed. Taking Dodo to Detford in 1947 was a decent setting and I liked how that was pretty familiar for her with her coming from less than two decades into the future. The country being in adjustment following the Second World War is a good place to visit and I think that allowed some strong maturation from Dodo that we perhaps never got to see on screen. I did find it funny that she mentioned her constant screaming as a new skill she gained from her travels! Of all the things to pick up wondering the universe. The Doctor not being himself after coming into contact with the fungal contagion was amusing and whilst it's not that terrible of a mistake for him to mistake Dodo for his granddaughter Susan, his referring to Edith as Barbara was! I thought it was tremendous though for him to refer to his companion as Miss Chocolate instead of Chaplet. Tremendous stuff. I am more than used to Stephen Noonan's take on the First Doctor now and whilst I wouldn't describe it as authentic, the writing does help. He gets the mannerisms perfect but the voice impression is still leaving a lot to be desired. I thought the story having the traditional narration style that has dominated the range was excellent, although it was a nice twist for Dodo to be telling it in the present rather than recalling its events in hindsight. The Doctor needing the comfort of the TARDIS when subjected to the microscopic infection was a strong way to foreshadow the concluding moments of The Tenth Planet and I loved that he was delighted not to have regenerated. That echoed sentiments in Twice Upon a Time very nicely. The Doctor sharing a history with Edith's husband's jujitsu teacher was not expected, although it was fun for him to mention using Venusian aikido as his means of combat. The testing of V2 rockets when they were supposed to be German was intriguing and I liked the history behind Operation Backfire. Aubrey Kingston being amongst those testing was good and the disagreement with Saunderson soon opened up the truth about what was happening. The microscopic agent causing psychological trauma certainly explained the Doctor's actions in the first part and it also revealed what had killed the alien. The fungal life form propagating itself was a strong threat because it's almost a natural one! Saunderson had affected the workers at Patchworks and I liked how the Doctor deduced that the absence of a Y chromosome was key. Whilst that was a good concept, I'd have liked more clarity on why that had happened. The Doctor having a whole alphabet of chromosomes was fun to explore without saying he was a Time Lord too. It felt very of the era to have an enigmatic comment like that about his makeup and background. The danger of the nose cone of the rocket being set to invade the atmosphere with fungus was exciting and more could have been made of that being imminent to really get things on the edge! The inability to blow it up because of the ground level spread that would follow was good, and I was fine with the resolution in having the Doctor adapt the photonic drive to release light waves as radiation to attack it. The lead walls provided the necessary protection for the Doctor and company which was good even if things got perhaps a little too scientific for the average listener. It was a nice touch at the end for Dodo to want to look in on Edith after the events using the time space visualiser, and seeing her settled down in 1966 ended things on a lovely note. Overall, a strong conclusion to what has been an excellent series! 

Rating: 8/10

Just the Two of Us

"They're Time Lords. They do the rehab out of order."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2024

Series: I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box 11

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donna, Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

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

Just the Two of Us was a decent little story to continue my way through the I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box collection! Serving as the penultimate adventure in the book this brings us basically right up to date with the time of publication. Reading when I am after the airing of the Fifteenth Doctor's second series gives me a sense of incompleteness, but that's nothing on the story or release itself! It's my own fault for taking around a year to (nearly) complete the collection. I have had a mixed relationship with this book so far but this was a good story and I think that was largely down to it being somewhat smaller than the ten that came before it. The Fourteenth Doctor's era was only a fortnight on screen after over a year of waiting so that was quickly glossed over, although I did enjoy the TARDIS reacting to the regeneration at the end of The Power of the Doctor and a familiar face taking the reigns. The TARDIS even acknowledged that the Doctor's clothes changed with him now which was fun. I really enjoyed that the TARDIS decided for herself to change the console room desktop theme because this face was familiar and she knew it didn't match the darker and organic feel of the Thirteenth Doctor's design. That's still comfortably the worst design we've had on the show and it's no surprise that she jumped at the opportunity to change! I know I was happy to move forward. We saw it depicted as this Doctor's console room in Liberation of the Daleks and Destination: Skaro which was more than enough of a glimpse! I thought the story starting with that latter Children in Need special was good and it was intriguing for the TARDIS to touch upon the genesis of the Daleks being a time locked event. But there she was! Right at the very beginning. The damage she caused there was fun and I enjoyed her retelling that. I enjoyed the TARDIS deciding specifically during The Star Beast to change her interior design and the description of it being an upgraded and upscaled cathedral version of her first control room was delightful. I was surprised at how quickly Wild Blue Yonder was glossed over because there was an opportunity to explain why the HADS reacted there and just say they were activated. Similarly, The Giggle was quickly discussed when there was so much going on there with a bigeneration, reuniting with Mel, and the TARDIS being split into two. This story almost felt rushed in parts when there really was no need to do so. I thought the TARDIS referring to some of the Fifteenth Doctor's events as almost in the future was intriguing and I think it's clear that this book was released prior to its events concluding. I mean, in the Journey Log for The Legend of Ruby Sunday/Empire of Death there's no mention of Sutekh having been clinging onto her for centuries! Also, I'm not convinced even the TARDIS should have retained memory of the events of 73 Yards, but what do I know? Ruby being the sole entry into the Stray Log was nice and I thought the Foundling was an adequate nickname. It allowed some strong detail on what we knew of her, although it didn't feel finished which is right given her story was not finished at the time of publication. That's always an issue with a release like this because for the TARDIS, her story will never end! This could so easily be updated with each era akin to the current Fifteen Doctors, Fifteen Stories release. I must admit, I hope that isn't the case. I thought a little more detail on the Journey Log for the Fifteenth Doctor era stories in particular would have been welcomed, but I did enjoy The Church on Ruby Road describing the Goblins as baby-gobblin'. That was fun stuff. Overall, a few missed opportunities but a strong recount of much of the current era. A decent read! 

 

Rating: 7/10

Self-Defence: The Last Line

"Do not abandon me, Doctor."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: The War Master 7.04

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, War Master

Synopsis

At the mercy of an ancient and powerful race, the Master calls upon his oldest friend in his hour of need. The problem is he doesn't recognise this incarnation of the Doctor... while the Doctor knows this Master all too well.

Verdict

The Last Line was an excellent episode to conclude the Self-Defence seventh series of the War Master spinoff series! What a way to conclude it! This has been the long anticipated main event throughout the series and whilst I have really enjoyed hearing the War Master defend himself against the Vectors and the Companion Chronicle style of recounting past adventures in the form of The Players and Boundaries, but now we get to the business end and the main selling point of this boxset. The prospect of the War Master encountering the Tenth Doctor should be impossible, but that's the beauty of Big Finish. It's so exciting to get a full on battle between these two incarnations of the Doctor and the Master because the glimpse we got at the end of Utopia was outstanding. It's one of my all time favourite episodes and the reveal is incredible, and those few minutes we get of Derek Jacobi playing the Master rather than Professor Yana was sensational. So to now get a full episode with them was tremendous. It's always a pleasure to hear David Tennant reprising his role as the Tenth Doctor on audio and the amount of audio we have with him is one of few positives to come out of the Pandemic. The Master calling upon the Doctor to defend him is a fun concept and the Doctor hearing the message of coordinates come in the TARDIS was fascinating. I was intrigued at how easily they allowed the TARDIS to break through the Time Lock and back into the Time War, and that's a dangerous and scary place to put the Tenth Doctor. The Master reacting to this incarnation was fun because he didn't know him, but the Doctor knew this Master all too well. He was shocked by the face and the remembering of Last of the Time Lords and the Doctor thinking he'd lost the Master was powerful stuff. Despite their history and everything the Master has done, it's easy to forget that the Doctor at this point is very much the last of his kind. That's a lonely place to be so it's understandable for him to want to save the Master, but defend him he would not. His appeal to the Vectors to just confine the Master rather than execute him went on deaf ears which was fun after they'd initially said his sentence could be changed. But in not defending the Master the Doctor had actually written his death sentence! The call for execution was exciting because neither Time Lord wanted that! I thought Severine was an intriguing character as the Vectors' literal representation of defence, and the way she linked with minds was excellent. She even communicated with the TARDIS! I thought that was brilliant and I loved the Doctor's reaction to that. He almost seemed jealous. The threat that was posed to Severine with the synaptic link she shared with the Master was intriguing to ponder on, and that actually being a route out for the Master was deliciously done. The Doctor realising that the Master had lured him into a trap and he'd wanted to be found guilty all along was superb. He was one step ahead of the game and that was a thrill to hear. The War Master playing a patient game paid off once again and that really was fantastic to hear! He had wiggled his way into the system via the link with Severine and had changed his own brain readings, so much so that he was essentially in control of causality. He was playing with paradoxes and went so far as to wipe out the Vectors which appalled the Doctor with them being revered by even the Time Lords. He also killed Severine to make for good measure. It was an incredible conclusion that actually saw the War Master win! I know it's his own range, but I still didn't see him getting the upper hand on the Doctor. I was expecting something more like a standstill, but it was far from it. It was emphatically victory for the Master and the prospect of the Doctor getting stuck back in the Time War was not something he could go through again. He had to leave before he could rectify the actions of the Master. Overall, a fantastic finale!

Rating: 9/10

Self-Defence: Boundaries

"I had to fight, and I had to win."

Writer: Lizbeth Myles

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: The War Master 7.03

Featuring: War Master, Cole

Synopsis

As his companion Cole attempts to save a world, the Master discovers an extraterrestrial entity that threatens to spread across the globe.

Verdict

Boundaries was a great story to continue my listening of the Self-Defence seventh series of the War Master's adventures! I was really intrigued by this one and I felt this benefitted from the format of the series in having the Master provide his own defence as testimony. That allowed him to basically tell another Companion Chronicle style story that took us brilliantly back to The Master of Callous second series of the range. I was quite surprised to find that it has been six years since I listened to that series but it's one I remember well because I wasn't massively impressed with it as a whole. Some of the individual episodes were strong as my ratings reflect, but I didn't overly like the format. I think at the time that was due to the quality of Only the Good and it was a somewhat underwhelming follow up, but returning there now was magnificent. I have a new appreciation for the War Master getting involved in producing a wine vineyard and just having a companion! This was a rare occasion where I had read the synopsis prior to listening and I was very excited by the prospect of Cole returning. It's a good dynamic to have someone like him alongside the Master and his insistence here to bring everything back to the Time War and keep that looming in the foreground was great. The Master wasn't exactly thrilled by that because even someone as callous as him just wanted an escape from it all. Who could really blame him? I thought the contained feel of the story was excellent and really helped with the atmosphere. If we didn't have the little callback scenes to the Master in present day as far as the series is concerned then I think this could have flowed even better, but that's not to say they were an interpretation. I'm really enjoying having the Master defending himself and I think this is easily the best incarnation to do so. He's by far the most patient when it comes to temperament and that's being evidenced in his little chuckles to Salaskin when producing details for his defence. I thought the throwback to The Sky Man was good too with Fenice referring to the Master and Cole as Sky Men. As far as continuity goes for the War Master range, this was a fantastic throwback that I loved. She was a very strong character too and she wasn't afraid to give it out to the Master. I am very impressed with this incarnation of the Master in his ability to exude control. The moment he mentioned feeling Fenice touching his mind and trying to influence it, I knew she was caput. He's always one step ahead and that's quite the feat given the effort of a planetary infection! I thought the use of boundaries was good and added some jeopardy to general walking about which was fun. Hearing the Master trying to save innocents was a tad disconcerting even if it isn't always that simple where he's concerned. His telepathic ability coming into play was nice and I liked that he confronted Fenice about that. He wasn't afraid to label her a poor telepath even if she was working hard to transform the Master. He clearly wasn't all himself, but that never seemed to indicate to me that he had lost control. That was clear when he had no hesitation in laser screwdriver usage on what had the appearance of Cole! He became briefly brutal which was excellent to hear. The Master's defence being questioned with the events' similarity to The Forest of Penitence was intriguing as they are quite similar stories being so close in a series, but I never got the sense of things being repetitive. The foreshadowing for the Master's plan for Cole and The Heavenly Paradigm was a nice touch too. I'm a big fan of the continuity and links that occurred here and that was a beautiful use of delving back into another series. The tease at the end with the Master calling upon his greatest enemy as a witness for his own defence was marvellous and sets things up very nicely for the finale! I can't wait. Overall, a terrific listen.

Rating: 8/10

Self-Defence: The Players

"We are all guilty in some way."

Writer: Una McCormack

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: The War Master 7.02

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

On the planet Trabus, the Master discovers a society where nobody is innocent and the only true crime is to be a less successful villain than those around you.

Verdict

The Players was a decent episode to continue my way through the Self-Defence seventh series of The War Master! These adventures are certainly living up to the umbrella title for the series as the Master is defending himself and showing that he doesn't need anything akin to rehabilitation, but I'm not sure his defence was all that great! I liked the concept though and it looks set to continue with the War Master showcasing an example of a past encounter to back up his case. That was fun and felt a bit like a mix of The War Games and The Trial of a Time Lord but on a slightly reduced scale. It also felt like a full cast Companion Chronicle from the perspective of the War Master which was fun as we split back to the scenes on the ship. That broke things up nicely. A political tale is not anything new for the Master and it certainly works. I just felt that the synopsis could have been a little more relevant within the tale. I don't think quite enough was made of the fact nobody was innocent. It's a good prospect with the Master trying to convince his prosecution that even they are guilty in some way, but the theme of guilt didn't dominate for me as much as it ought to have. That doesn't mean the episode was bad as my rating reflects, but there was certainly room for improvement. I do enjoy the Master taking on different roles and disguises and whilst emissary isn't that exciting of a position, it tied in nicely with the political aspects of the Confederation. It was good to get some loose Time War involvement which should be the case with this incarnation of the Master, as the Confederation were in conflict with the Daleks. Lucia was intriguing in that she knew about the war the Master was fighting against the Daleks on a wider scale and the psychological potential of Trabus was certainly of interest to the Time Lords. Why wouldn't it be? Trying to take on the Daleks at a psychological level is definitely something I would love to hear and whilst I don't think we'll follow things up here, I would be all over it! The Master's interactions with Lucia were strong and probably the highlights of the episode, but I also liked how well the Confederation was presented. It was like another version of the Galactic Federation and Trabus trying to gain entry was interesting to learn about. I enjoy politics in space and this was exactly that. I think the Master could have featured a tad more as this wasn't a political climate we knew beforehand, but his arrival into the scene was good. I thought it was fun for him to be questioned about his defence on a number of occasions as it really didn't seem like he was doing that good of a job! That didn't mean the episode wasn't enjoyable though. Far from the case actually! I thought Galia and Cato helped compliment the guest cast very nicely and the latter in particular was a standout. I liked his role in proceedings and the political manoeuvring was intriguing to explore. The idea of success was decent but again something I could have had more of in the story. I do think things slightly waiver towards the end and whilst the pace is measured, it does feel slow at times. I think if you knocked ten minutes off of the run time this story would have worked even better. Some pace and excitement was perhaps lacking and whilst that's not often present with the War Master and the precise nature of the range, I think this could have really benefitted. I enjoyed the Master emphasising the importance of knowing who the players were when it came to politics, but that didn't save it from only being good when I know it could have been great! Overall, a fascinating listen and I enjoy hearing the War Master defend himself. I'm looking forward to more on what is almost certainly an example from Earth! 

Rating: 7/10

Self-Defence: The Forest of Penitence

"Trees don't bleed."

Writer: Lou Morgan

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: The War Master 7.01

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

Waking in an unusual forest with no memory of how he arrived there, the Master has little choice but to seek help from other survivors. But what is it they've all survived?

Verdict

The Forest of Penitence was an excellent start to the Self-Defence seventh series of adventures for the War Master! This is such a strong character and it's incredible to think we're now into our seventh series of then spinoff after the character featured on screen in his true form for around five minutes at the end of Utopia. It was incredible then but here we are with another stellar Derek Jacobi performance as the Doctor's arch nemesis. And a rematch is on the cards! How incredibly exciting. Of course, we've got to build to that which I assume will come in the series finale, but this was a fantastic way to start the journey of getting there. I think the concept of the amnesiac group awakening in a forest works very well and it was fun for the Master to so clearly be the odd one out. There was a lot of history between those he was with and that played into the atmosphere of the story very nicely. I thought Blythe being taken worked well as a means to establish the threat of the forest and I liked the mystery behind her whereabouts. Could a tree really have taken her? It was a little bit more than that though as it was soon established that she had essentially become the tree! I thought that worked as a concept and the idea of a forest acting as a testing grounds for prisoners was brilliant. The way they all deduced they were all criminals and were being tried for their crimes was terrific. I really loved the calm demeanour of the Master throughout and despite his surroundings and the situation, he somehow always felt in control. That's an impressive quality and this War incarnation exudes it. I always think he's one step ahead of the game and I'm usually proven correct. His interactions with Ellie in particular in this story were intriguing and whilst she was one of the younger members of the party, I appreciated that he saw in her something with a potential for evil. She was devious, but not letting on too much. She didn't seem overly fussed that her mother had been taken by the trees which is a sure sign of something not being quite right! I liked Dalfin but I knew she wouldn't be lasting too long because of the bullish way she was questioning her fellow group members. She believed that Scarp knew more than he was letting on and whilst she was proven correct, that was not the way to go about things amongst a group of criminals! I liked how even before the revelation regarding Scarp occurred, just from sheer performance he sounded like the villainous one. That was a good quality, especially when the Master is in town! I liked learning more and more about the forest as the story went on and the measured pace was perfect. It just suits the War Master down to the ground and I was in the mood for this kind of feel for an adventure. I liked the concept of Scarp actually being the jailer and that meant he knew who the Master was all along. He was surprised though that the Time Lord had worked it out and was not fooled like the others. He was actually interested in the hologram technology that had made the others believe their surroundings were consuming them and that dynamic shifted the power immediately. Trying to make people feel guilty for the other deaths was an intriguing way to test criminals in being able to show remorse, but that was a fascinating concept. The Master wouldn't exactly be close to passing though and it seems there is a bigger game at play which I'm very invested in. The idea of the Master being put on trial is fun and it's obvious he's not fit for rehabilitation! I do hope we continue in this vain and follow through, but I think we all can work out for ourselves how he'd get on. He exposed Scarp for commodifying his wife's design which was her passion and so much so that he'd incorporated her into the system. And yet it was still the Master as the true villain of the piece, and when it's his own series that's exactly how it should be! Overall, a delicious start to the series.

Rating: 9/10

Missy Part Two

"This is the day they all die."

Writer: Rochana Patel

Format: Audio

Released: May 2025

Series: Dark Gallifrey 3.02

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Missy

Synopsis

Missy needs to find the Doctor. 

However, it's very important it's the right Doctor – she wouldn't want to accidentally slip up and meet an earlier incarnation by mistake, because the consequences of that could be truly catastrophic...

Verdict

Missy continued in excellent fashion with this second part of the story comprising the third series of Dark Gallifrey! This is a range I am loving and I'm enjoying then monthly release schedule very much, although I do think we shouldn't have to wait until the third part to get a mention of the series title and how it fits in! I suspect the whole concept of Opus Thule being time severed will play into it, but at least an allusion to it would have been helpful. I did think that with the Seventh Doctor featured here he would play into the lore of Dark Gallifrey itself given the tendencies of his incarnation, but alas that didn't happen here. I like how helpless Missy feels in not being able to get off the planet and the prospect of engaging with the Doctor actually excites her because the history of Opus Thule states that it was he who left and took the secret of his escape with him. So for Missy to see the TARDIS filled her with hope, until she picked the lock and found an empty wooden police box! That image is always so strong and I loved the idea of the inside being separated from the outside. It absolutely was the TARDIS, but the inside was detached from the outer plasma shell that gives it its bigger on the inside feel. Missy then asking Sly Boots about the Doctor and describing the Twelfth was fun because of how it similarly matches the Seventh, who she would soon convene with. That meeting was delightful as Missy awkwardly tried to avoid revealing her identity, but that didn't last long at all! The Seventh Doctor worked it out very quickly and the way he almost repeated her line from Dark Water's cliffhanger as she revealed her identity was masterfully done. It was a fun way to foreshadow and homage the future. Missy had initially claimed to be a time agent which was so much fun with her announcing herself as Jackie Harkness! That was beautifully Missy. I am intrigued by Sly Boots continually mentioning the audience and with the way the opening titles were interrupted by Missy, are we going to get a breaking of the fourth wall? Is everything that's happening on this time severed planet even real? It would be a good way out of the incredible cliffhanger! I thought Missy touching upon her history with the Doctor was fantastic and I liked that she referred to this one as her favourite. The mocking way she asked about Ace and referenced Survival in her almost becoming a cat was delicious and I also enjoyed how she mentioned they'll always have San Francisco as The Movie would see this incarnation regenerate. She played a big part in events there and couldn't change the Doctor's future otherwise it will alter her past. That would of course all be thrown completely out of the window. Missy mentioning how the drums from The Sound of Drums that have plagued her entire life were gone now was actually quite powerful stuff and she does seem to be at times on the verge of some sort of reform as a character. But when it was proven that the planet was time severed and the rulebook was completely thrown out of the window, she actually had an incredible victory. Causality and history meant nothing so she was free to discuss with the Seventh Doctor about the Time War! She even blamed this very incarnation for goading Davros into pressing the trigger on the Hand of Omega during Remembrance of the Daleks as a means to kickstart the conflict. I liked the mention of time locks as a way that this meeting shouldn't have been possible either side of the War, but that meant nothing here. Her knowledge of Genesis of the Daleks was intriguing as she also discussed that, but this was the opposite of genesis for the Doctor. Missy was testing the theory all too well at the end and whilst she remembered the Doctor watching her burn alive in Planet of Fire, she went one step further here. She pushed the Doctor through the door and into regeneration! The description of it being a light show now was spectacular and she seems to think that without a link to the Vortex, the regeneration will fail and the Doctor will just die. As cliffhangers go, that's pretty tremendous! It changes everything for both of them and whilst she does have trepidation about achieving victory, she's rather boastful in a subtle way. It's so impressive! She has saved the family of Sly Boots and Voltaire was dead now despite her meeting him in the future. I can't wait to hear how this all wraps up! Overall, a superb part to continue the story. 

Rating: 9/10

Families: The White Ship

"How many of these passengers could swim?"

Writer: Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Companion Chronicles 15.03

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven

Synopsis

The Doctor and Steven land in Normandy, where Henry I is preparing to set sail for England. Steven gets mistaken for Stephen of Blois – the cousin of Henry's heir and the future king... on the day the White Ship sank.

Verdict

The White Ship was an excellent story to continue my way through the Families fifteenth series of Companion Chronicles! This might just be the best of the set so far and that's testament to its quality because it's been a very strong series. I'm so happy the range is back and I hope it makes a yearly return. It could so easily venture through each era of the Doctor. I was delighted to hear that Stephen Noonan was back reprising his take on the First Doctor and it's good to get him going more widespread than just the new First Doctor Adventures range. Whilst I don't think his impression is all that spectacular, I have very much accepted his interpretation of the role and whilst he's usually opposite a recast Dodo, it was terrific to pair him up with Peter Purves as Steven for this story! Doing adventures for just the First Doctor and Steven is a brilliant use of the audio format because it didn't happen on screen without a companion departing or arriving, so it's nice to establish something of a gap between The Myth Makes and The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve. I might actually prefer Purves' take on the First Doctor historically in this range, but I liked that we got more than one actor. I've actually really liked that about this entire boxset as whilst the adventures and cast are still quite contained, it is better than a single actor. The historical significance of this adventure was incredible and whilst I do have a Bachelor's and Master's degree in History, I was unaware of the events of the White Ship and its sinking. I did some research afterwards though and with their only being one survivor in the form of Berold from a crew and passenger itinerary of around three hundred people, it's a tale worth telling for sure. It's perfect for Doctor Who but it made for some rather bleak listening. It was powerful stuff. The contrast between the two parts was striking and that's understandable given the ship sunk! I thought the Doctor and Steven getting separated was good and the latter getting a message to the former about the location of the TARDIS and it being on the ship that the Doctor knew would sink today was terrific. I love it when the TARDIS is in danger or lost because it adds so much jeopardy to things. How can the Doctor and/or his companion get away? Steven was a long way from home here in the twelfth century and that was good to explore because his grasp on history isn't exactly the strongest. His lack of knowledge was fun and his surname coming into play as mistaken for a profession when he was wearing a questionable tunic was a delightful moment! I enjoyed William Adelin as a historical character as the son of Henry I, and him being the one to provide the means for some humour in having Steven adopt the guise of Stephen of Blois was tremendous! He tried to use that to his advantage in retrieving the TARDIS which was a delight. The potential of the TARDIS being at the bottom of the sea was very exciting because of how irretrievable that is! Alas, the Doctor had set the HADS which was fun to incorporate into this era. He wasn't worried at all. The bleakness of part two was honestly extraordinary as the ship had sunk and we heard less and less passengers as they all drowned. The description of your legs losing feeling first before your arms and then drawing with your energy sapped so you couldn't even scream was powerful stuff. Talk about being illustrative with words! Steven initially had gotten stuck in a crate which was fun leading to the cliffhanger, but the resolution of him simply being found could have been dragged out longer with a bit more panic from the companion. Not that I want him to suffer though! Once Steven and Berold were found, I liked that the Doctor wanted the stories to not include them and at first Berold liked the idea of being the only survivor, but how could this tale be told without Steven Taylor? Of course, history tells us that was the way, but putting a Doctor Who spin on this historical event was tremendous storytelling. Really powerful stuff. Overall, a fantastic listen! 

Rating: 9/10

We Are Family

"I've always been monumental!"

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2024

Series: I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box 10

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Graham, Ryan, Dan

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

We Are Family was another great short story to continue my way through the I, TARDIS: Memoirs of an Impossible Blue Box collection! This followed up the excellent Go Your Own Way in excellent fashion and it seems that after some shaky moments this collection is finishing strong. I thought this was a lovely recount of the Thirteenth Doctor era from the perspective of the TARDIS and it's often easy to forget how much happens to the time and space machine over the course of an incarnation's lifespan. Things start very shaky with the way Twice Upon a Time concludes in introducing the Thirteenth Doctor in all her glory before The Woman Who Falls to Earth literally does what it says on the tin in having her thrown out of the TARDIS doors and plummeting! It really is a unique start and the events leading to and during The Ghost Monument are certainly a lot for the TARDIS. She is separated and lost from her Doctor and every millennium becomes stable. Having her as the Ghost Monument was a good twist and I liked the way things were alluded to in this recollection. There's not a huge amount more focus for the TARDIS during the events of Series 11 but I did enjoy the little focus on Demons of the Punjab and how the TARDIS used the ring of Yaz's grandmother to get back to 1947 where she got married. Of course, one of the striking things during the Thirteenth Doctor era is the TARDIS interior and I don't really think it's for the right reasons. It's safe to say that this design is the worst of any TARDIS interior we have seen on screen and I still don't really understand what was trying to be achieved. In saying that, the Eaglemoss figurine of the console remains one of my favourite but those crystalline pillars are just too intrusive and the atmosphere is too dark. Touching upon how that was created here as the TARDIS had time to rebuild was interesting though. This story really got me thinking when the events of Fugitive of the Judoon were referenced as for the first time it came into my mind that the Fugitive Doctor's TARDIS might not be the same one as the one we saw the First Doctor steal in The Name of the Doctor. I do love the mystery and intrigue around the chronological placement of the Fugitive Doctor, but I have always struggled with the TARDIS being in police box form because that must place it after An Unearthly Child. Suggesting that it might be a different TARDIS was exciting, and equally so was the prospect of even the TARDIS having her memories wiped or altered. She knew a great deal had happened during the Doctor's time in Division and pointing towards that with Flux was good. I can't wait to rewatch that series as I haven't come back to it since broadcast, but the TARDIS feeling the impact of it in destroying so much of the universe in the Doctor's name was powerful stuff. Inadvertently she was to blame and the TARDIS knows how much that will impact her Doctor. I thought the Stray Log was quite fun in this story was refreshing as it was just to the point in describing them all pretty aptly. I particular enjoyed that because of how far Yaz would go for the Doctor, the TARDIS would do the same for her. Nicknaming Ryan and Graham as Grandson and Grandad was a tad unoriginal though! The Journey Log was decent too and I particularly liked the focus on Eve of the Daleks with the Execution Squad Daleks being highlighted. Of course, it is fitting to conclude with The Power of the Doctor because the TARDIS reacts humorously to the Master regenerating into the Doctor and then the degeneration that follows, but also the returns of Ace and Tegan! I still can't believe that happened and I loved it. The TARDIS would certainly react accordingly and I thought that was presented nicely too. The TARDIS claiming responsibility for the location of the Thirteenth Doctor's regeneration so she could see one final sunset atop the cliffs was lovely, and her reaction to the familiar face of the Fourteenth Doctor and the customary "What? WHAT?!" was a nice way to lead into the next story in the collection! Overall, a very strong read.

Rating: 8/10

Hooklight 2

"We must finish what the Dawn Bride could not."

Writer: Mike Tucker

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 9.02

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan, Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

There is a light that must never be lit...

The TARDIS team are scattered throughout Morning. The Doctor is trapped in the past, Tegan is lost on the edge of the system, and Nyssa wrestles with the most terrible of forces. Only Adric remains to finish this quest, yet the young Alzarian will find himself sorely challenged. Can they all reach the Dark Forge in time? Who will be lost along the way?

For there is another who works in the shadows. Someone who once made a terrible mistake and will stop at nothing to put things right. The Doctor is following the plan of the Oracle, someone who knows him all too well and may try to oppose him...

Verdict

Hooklight concluded in great style with this second half of the mammoth twelfth part story to comprise the ninth series of Fifth Doctor Adventures! I must admit I had my trepidations about purchasing this release when it was announced because it sounded unfathomable to do this kind of thing on audio. How wrong I was! Sure, as I mentioned yesterday in my blogging of the first half I would certainly have preferred this to be split into separate episodes with Hooklight as the umbrella title, but what we got was still excellent and I appreciated the scale. Credit to Mike Tucker for the world building that was created here because the depth was off the charts. I do think things perhaps went a tad far when it came to how much differentiation there was in temporal setting and it became slightly difficult or just too much to follow at times, but that didn't take anything away from the quality of the adventure and the story being told. I'm seeing a lot of comments on social media about this being one of the all time classic Doctor Who stories from any format and whilst I do think that is a tad over the top, I can certainly see why this will appeal massively to some fans. The first part in particular was astonishing in terms of its atmosphere and I think that was something that was lost a little here. It's inevitable over the course of a story this long as there's only so long you can go without answering some of the questions, but at the same time that takes away from the mystique which is what happened here and why I preferred the first release. I think it was fun to include the Eighth Doctor as the Oracle and the circumstances in which he was present were fascinating! I liked the link to the Time War and alluding to the Time Lords wanting to use Hooklight as a means to end it was exciting! Of course, the Doctor knew very well the dangers that would bring and went to great extents to stop them using it. His eye-patch wearing look was different and I liked that going along with the aged description of his appearance. He goes through a lot here and orchestrates events into a very particular pattern to ensure that the TARDIS doesn't explode, that Nyssa isn't lost and that the timelines revert to normal. I thought the Doctor's reaction to the involvement of an extra-dimensional being was good and I actually really liked the 2D drawing of a circle analogy for why time meant nothing for one. I think it's a bit of a shame we never got a meeting between the Fifth Doctor and the Eighth as the Oracle, but the latter getting to interact with each of his past incarnations was a nice touch. He had to hide who he was and that was pretty much okay for meeting Nyssa and Tegan, but that got difficult when it came to Adric given the events of Earthshock and the Doctor now having power to change things with his design of events, the temptation was real! It must be hard to see someone you cared for before they perished, but he was simply helpless to warn him of his fate to come. I thought it was fun within the story to acknowledge that there were a lot of answers required because there really was an awful lot happening. The link of the Nyguard back to the Night Guard was fun evolution as the Doctor pondered in the previous release, and the role of Kessica Myles at the end was fitting. Her story was indeed not over as the Oracle had a big role for her, one that would be crucial. I thought the emotional journey for Tegan over the course of the story was powerful and she really can never seem to catch a break. Her relationship with Oscar was nice and I liked how he enjoyed her challenge almost immediately. The Doctor showing up for her after three years was something tough for her to accept, but I did like how she was still thinking of Heathrow and a different type of travelling. I liked how the Eighth Doctor got involved in the Hooklight origin and the search for the Dark Forge to destroy it was intriguing, but it almost feels wrong that it was the latter incarnation who essentially found the solution. Sure, the Doctor and his companions no it was Kessica to thank with her sacrifice in becoming the lamp bearer from Nyssa whilst she was on the verge of death, but the Fifth doesn't have to do a huge amount despite the plan he concocted with Davlin. Overall, an absolute epic that had so much happening and could definitely be adapted into a mini series of its own. A fine conclusion! 

Rating: 8/10

Hooklight 1

"You cannot reason with fire."

Writer: Mike Tucker

Format: Audio

Released: April 2025

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 9.01

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

There is a light that must never be lit...

When the TARDIs runs aground in the ancient realm of Morning, the Doctor learns that a powerful force has reemerged. A lamp filled with a mythical substance known as Hooklight has been discovered – and this could mean the end of everything.

A great quest begins against the forces of chaos, encompassing many new friends and foes. Without their ship and without each other, the time travellers will be tested on their journey to the Dark Forge. And not everyone will survive...

Verdict

Hoolight started in excellent fashion with this very strong opening six parts! I think my rating isn't perfect because of the fact the story is yet to finish, but crikey this was good. And there was so much to consume! So much happened and I honestly think the adventure may have worked even better as three separate stories in an ongoing series as that would have allowed some room to breath. For three hours, this was a whirlwind and I'm all here for it, but there was an awful lot of mythology to explore and get to grips with. It was all very exciting though and right from the off the atmosphere was outstanding. I loved the horror and gothic feel of the story and the realm of Morning was fascinating to explore. The world building on show here was tremendous and I think that is also a reason things could have been better if the story was split. This is certainly a setting I would love to delve deeper into and I loved the names. We had a lot of time references and that was excellent. The concept behind Hooklight itself is really strong and I loved the history behind it. The Doctor knew the significance of it on the world of Rift and hearing the history of it was quite the story. The significance of the Dark Forge was interesting and I'm sure it's something we'll be returning to in the second part as the place where Hooklight can be destroyed as well as its place of creation. I really enjoyed the Doctor having an instinctive urge to smash the lamp when they first saw it and it's great to hear how something so mundane can have become so problematic. The development of the fate of the TARDIS over the course of the story was superb and whilst it was a bit repetitive with the story arc of Series 5, placing that into the Classic era worked very well. I thought it was terrific for the Doctor to react to his TARDIS breaking apart and that becoming the fate after the adventure starting with the TARDIS depleting was brilliant. He was distraught and had considered the TARDIS his home for perhaps the first time here. I thought the time blade actually being a fragment from the Free for Public Use sign on the door was a very good revelation and quite the image! I also adored that the lamp that housed Hooklight was noticed by Tegan as being the one from atop the TARDIS. That was awfully exciting and I can't wait to find out more about how Hooklight is literally housed within part of the TARDIS! The connection there is bound to be good and the nature of the story taking place over different points in time is going to play a big role and I'm all here for it. I thought that played well and splitting up the TARDIS quartet was absolutely the right choice. Tegan was probably the least impactful and even though Adric did get shot and mistaken as the Doctor, it was Nyssa who stole the show. Her status as the lamp bearer is fascinating and I think Sarah Sutton plays it beautifully. It's good to hear her get to be a little devilish and I feel like that's only going to continue in the second part if the artwork is anything to go by! I loved the moments where she was transitioning from being with the Doctor and Tegan at very different points temporally, and her role as the Herald to the Halcyon was unexpected! I thought the concept of cloned Halcyons was quite fun and the propaganda from their own ministry was amusing. Some of the characters in this one were excellent with a standout certainly being Doctor Myles. Her story seemed to be over as stated, but then it wasn't! What role the eye-patch wearing Eighth Doctor will play is yet to be seen, but I love the mystery behind it. Vanderseer was a fun character who interacted well with the Doctor, although Davlin hinting at a romantic relationship with him was terrific. I enjoyed that a lot and Adric being happy to take on the role of the Time Lord just for a moment was good to hear. Who could blame him? The fact that a regeneration was needed to be triggered when it came to trapping the Hooklight showed the extent the Doctor was willing to go to defeat it! Sabine was also fantastic and her quantum enchantments sounded mystical which I really liked that. For three hours, this was a world I absolutely loved exploring and the people within complimented the mystery ever so well. There was so much to enjoy! I can't wait for the conclusion. But for now, a superb start.

Rating: 9/10