Best Year Ever

"This is the future the world was supposed to have."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4.04

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

Synopsis

What happens if the world is actually fixed? There are times when even the Doctor cannot help.

And whatever the outcome, Liv and Tania have a decision to make.

Verdict

Best Year Ever was a solid episode to conclude what has been an epic Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! It's been one hell of a ride for the Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania and Andy, and I'm quite sad that it is all over. It really was something of an epilogue considering the timeline was reset in The Keys of Baker Street last time out which was absolutely fine. It was also quite ironic for the Doctor to be stuck for the best part of the year as the true timeline and reality sat in and took control once again. One final episode of him being stranded. The irony wasn't lost on me. I was intrigued to hear how the coronavirus was very prominent in the storytelling but not referred to by name. I mean it doesn't really need to be name dropped – especially with a 2022 release date! – but we all knew what was being talked about. It was certainly our normal and nobody will be forgetting that year if you lived through it. I quite liked that there was no real threat here and the populace were just dealing with echoes of other timelines seeping through. People had two memories of the same events or people which was pretty fun to play around. Liv and Tania had established their relationship in the broken timeline so them being together was actually a byproduct of something that never was. I thought more could have been done to play with the potential of them staying together being a risk to causality but it never felt that way. The Doctor was surprisingly confident in saying that Liv sticking around into 2021 would just about be okay, but I'm not sure I would risk that! I'm glad we didn't dwell on the time the TARDIS team had to stick around until the end of the year, and even the Doctor had enough of the pandemic and being confined to four walls so he just spent the months in the TARDIS! Surely he had a sneaky trip off! He must have been tempted that's for sure. Andy was pretty saddened by everything that was happening as whilst he knew the day was coming, he wasn't sure his friends would actually leave. He knew that for the Doctor, but he seemed to think Helen and Liv would stay. I never had any worries regarding the former as whilst this was her world, it was not her time. She had to move on. Liv deciding to return to travelling because she could help out in the universe was admirable but I must admit I expected her to be staying with Tania. So she basically pulled a Ravenous situation again where she left for a year and then came back immediately! I like that we don't know how long she had been travelling with the Doctor and Helen or what they had experienced, but I'm looking forward to finding out! I haven't been the biggest Tania fan (not that I dislike her either!) as I want to know more about her in Torchwood and think there's potential there for her character in the future, but it does seem right that Liv will end up with her and settle down. It was a nice way to finish. I thought the whole infiltration from within of Divine Intervention was a little bit on the unbelievable side in terms of timescale but the idea of Andy being a CEO was quite fun! It just wouldn't happen in any kind of business, but at least they tried to provide an answer for the institution not becoming what it was in the alternate timeline! Overall, a really nice episode to finish and round out what was a complicated and very rewarding four boxsets to make up this series. A great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Keys of Baker Street

"Time will find a way."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4.03

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

Synopsis

Homing in on the root of the problem, the Doctor attempts a risky solution – and disaster strikes. Soon, 107 Baker Street is all that's left of reality, as the residents climb the floors to face their destiny.

Verdict

The Keys of Baker Street was another great episode to continue my way through the fourth and final Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This really does seem to have tied things up very nicely after an eventful fifteen episodes of the series and that fascinates me considering we have the finale to come! I wonder if that will have more of an epilogue kind of feel? I don't mind either way as I like the logic that came in this episode, as much as can be when we're dealing with paradoxical timelines and all the echoes created from the multiverse blended into one! I thought the effort from the Doctor in trying to prevent Robin from ever having moved to 107 Baker Street was intriguing and it's fun to see him getting to break the rules. The Laws of Time meant nothing with how shattered the Web of Time was after the TARDIS arriving in 2020 in the state it was in following Day of the Master, but if timelines were reset then the TARDIS would be fully restored! I'm glad we'll get a solid explanation as to how that will be returned to normality. It's been a long time without a fully functioning time and space machine for the Doctor! It was good to have Andy back as part of the team in full fashion and I liked how Liv proclaimed her love for Tania. I'm really not sure why it was such a shock to Helen to hear that. Perhaps because she's from the 1960s? Liv having used her qualities though on Robin's father was terrific, especially when she wasn't trying in the slightest! But her reaction to Andy bluntly stating that Ken actually fancied her and never went on the blind date with who would become Robin's mum was marvellous. Now that's a timeline! I enjoyed exploring other timelines that have been episodes in the series so far and harking back to UNIT Dating and Baker Street Irregulars was a nice touch. What I really liked was something of an explanation of the Curator's being. Exploring him as a future Doctor and referring to himself as the Curator instead was fascinating and I like the concept of him well into the future finally deciding to take a step back and referring to himself as an echo in much the same way Mr Bird was for Robin was really intriguing. So he's from an alternate timeline? I could buy into that for sure. Just having the Doctor and Curator interact was tremendous and it was great for the latter to surprise the former by explaining he was actually from his future. The Curator becoming his namesake as far as the Baker Street residence was concerned was fun as he talked of his history of dishing out keys for would-be residents, and the importance of them being originals was great. I loved the way time windows were utilised as a means of escape when the doors were not an option and just being stuck in the house as a remnant from another timeline worked well. This almost felt like a conclusion for the Curator as a character which was really done well and it also felt like the end of being stranded. I'm very intrigued to hear what the finale brings as I loved the way things ended here with the timeline reset and them arriving in 2020 to be met with concern about them being out and not wearing masks! There was a lockdown on of course. That was genius and whilst that obviously can't have been the intention when this series started, it was a brilliant way to really show that they had arrived in the true timeline and things were back to how they should be. A great way to incorporate real world events. Overall, a bit too on the nose with the keys but another terrific audio! 

Rating: 8/10

Get Andy

"Have you just rescued me or have you taken me hostage?"

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Andy

Synopsis

The Doctor resolves to make a difference and save one life in particular. But someone else is making a beeline for Sergeant Andy Davidson.

Mr Bird has something to prove, and he will go to any extreme to do it...

Verdict

Get Andy was a strong episode to continue my way through the fourth Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was an eventful fifty minutes to say the least and it follows up the conclusion (that happened at the beginning!) of What Just Happened in sending the Doctor to pop out to save Andy. He of course was blown up with the spaceship and just about the rest of the human race in this awful version of the future partly thanks to Divine Intervention, but here we really did exploit the use of the time streams being intertwined and woven amongst each other. I think that's becoming fun to explore and take advantage of in terms of storytelling, but at the same time I'm quite glad that there's clearly a limited run as the series begins to wind to a conclusion. I think it's so typically Doctor Who that in a story that attempts to resolve his death, Andy just casually knocks on the door at Baker Street right after the Doctor departs in the TARDIS to try and retrieve him. He thought he had found the exact moment (ish) that would make him able to save Andy and not impact the timelines too much with them already being severely damaged, but the humour of him arriving and Andy not being there was fantastic! He couldn't quite believe it and that was intriguing to hear as he desperately hoped to find him. He only had seconds left before the ship exploded and hearing how causal he was with the countdown in those final seconds was baffling! It seemed to take him until there were only three or four seconds remaining until impact before realising that he himself was actually in danger! The way his speech just cut off was really good in selling the impact of the explosion and there really wasn't a way out. The fact he was clinging on to essentially debris after the explosion with the TARDIS gone as well painted quite the picture. I thought Helen and Liv initially phoning the TARDIS was fun and that was especially the case with the number being saved as 'The Missus'. The relationship between the Doctor and the TARDIS is always a great way to inject some emotion and humorous discussion. The Doctor finding the strength though to return the call at what he thought were his last moments was superb stuff and a defining moment for the Eighth Doctor in my opinion. The way they reminisced on everything that has happened to them since Doom Coalition onwards with the likes of Ravenous, the Nine, the Eleven and the multiple Masters getting mentioned before everything that went down whilst stranded was delightful. The Eighth Doctor really has had an extraordinary journey with Big Finish and that's been wonderful to listen to so this felt like a really strong moment. It honestly would have been fitting of regeneration and maybe if we stuck around with the alternate future longer that would have happened. With Mr Bird being the one to save Andy, using his dodgy device to get back to the ship at the moment of the Doctor's arrival and have Andy not go with Bird but the Doctor instead was clever. Helen being the one to do it after some hesitation by Andy made sense and I really did understand the positions of all parties involved. Andy had been saved and would be risking death all over again if he went back. But of course he would. His reaction though when time was being rewritten and this version of him just died again anyway as the alternate version took assertion was quite amusing. Poor old Andy! I do like how there seems to be a mission statement now in beginning to put the timelines right in ensuring that Mr Bird never comes to be as far as Robin's future is concerned, and I like that. It's a mission of intent. Overall, a strong episode to continue the series and it's good to have Andy back!

Rating: 8/10

Crossed Lines

"Tricky business, time travel."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania

Synopsis

The Doctor interrupts a pivotal journey for young Robin, while Tania and Helen are caught up in events past and present.

As the timeline dissolves and the Void encroaches, the Doctor's friends ask the Curator for help. But he is not the man he was...

Verdict

Crossed Lines was an excellent episode to kick off the fourth and final Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was so close to getting a perfect rating from myself and for whatever reason it doesn't quite get there, but it was an excellent listen and a divine way to set things up for the series ahead. There was a lot going on in this hour and I'm not really sure where to start! I thought the revelation of Mr Bird's identity was unexpected but dating things back to Must-See TV and his disappearance was tremendous. I must admit I didn't tie together the link of the names but it made so much sense for him to be Robin! That was a fun revelation and the emotional journey for his character actually put some sympathy on the character which I didn't anticipate coming. I liked the paradoxical nature of the timelines and Mr Bird actually orchestrating things to ensure that young Robin would become the millennia old version that he was now was very intriguing. I like playing around with time and the use of the Curator to set the stage and how things were possible was a nice touch. I think it was great fun to incorporate a new aspect of the Curator and having the older Sixth Doctor version here added a new tone and dimension to an already mysterious character. I was fascinated by his comments about there firmly only being one Curator and his line about only having one heart just makes me more and more interested by the character! Just what is he to tie in with the Doctor? I don't really want the answer as I love the ambiguity and mystery. The way the childhood story for the Doctor was retold by both he and the Eighth Doctor in different moments to different companions was a stunning moment as they recalled the Hermit saving the Shimmerlings and returning them through the Untempered Schism. Liv having no hesitation in believing that the story was true was wonderful and I really liked her trust in the Doctor. After everything they've been through, she still knew he was a good man. She was more concerned with Tania though and that was understandable after everything that happened as she saw a future her die in her arms. She couldn't let that happen again. I do think the way What Just Happened? chose for its format style really hindered the way things started here because it was almost forgettable what happened to him and the entire human race because of that happening backwards and therefore at the start of that episode. Tania not quite knowing everything that happened to her fellow Torchwood operative was very good and keeps the anticipation building of rescuing him. I loved the explanation from the Curator about the Web of Time and what happened with the TARDIS following Day of the Master seeing it splinter the web rather than weave around it. That was really good and it gives a way out of this paradoxical timeline because this 2020 is a dying timeline. Ever since they've arrived it's gone wrong and hasn't been true which is fascinating! The Doctor has been wasting time standing idle and I like how much that has angered him. The multiple versions of Helen were fun and I liked the use of Tania in having her memories altered as past events changed. The use of the sleeper train to Edinburgh was very fun and not something I expected to be so strong! Alternating versions  of different characters all on the same journey and that becoming too much for the time zone was a fascinating concept! Having the Void in physical form was not something I anticipated but I like the idea even if it was a little strange! This has really set things up nicely for the series to conclude and I like that we're on our way there now. There's an endgame in sight and this set things up very nicely. Strong emotional pull and fascinating ideas. A terrific opener!

Rating: 9/10

Hidden Talent

"I'm prepared to make the sacrifice to become a star."

Writer: Andrew Spokes

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 14

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

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

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

Verdict

Hidden Talent was a very good story to continue my reading of the Companions edition of Short Trips! After over six months off work on paternity leave, my weekly commute has seen me return to this terrific little collection of short stories. And this was a fine adventure to come back to reading. I really liked that Jo was the companion present here and whilst the focus of this collection has tended to not be on the Doctor, this felt like a very balanced approach between Doctor and companion. I thought the way the 1970s era was captured was very well done and impressive to get it done so well on the page. I really like the unique setting of a talent show and that’s a fine place to do a Doctor Who adventure. The concept of those who are eliminated from the competition going missing was very exciting, so for Jo to get involved in the competition was pretty intriguing! The Doctor essentially using her as bait and a way in to start his investigations was good and I was actually surprised that we didn’t have any UNIT involvement! A Brigadier line about talent shows could have been glorious. I liked how Jo was getting to know some of her fellow contestants and Chris in particular was the front runner to win. He’d garnered some huge popularity amongst the young female contingent of the viewers and people like Lucy were out to be famous. She wanted the money. I couldn’t blame her! I thought Chris feeling like the competition was rigged in his favour with the more popular songs was fun and it all just seemed a bit barmy. What could anybody gain from rigging a talent show? I must admit I wasn’t expecting the Master to be the one behind things but his appearance was a delight. I loved that because I didn’t see it coming at all. I thought the humour behind the talent show being named Make a Star and the Master using that as basically another disguise for his involvement was glorious. The way he was trying to goad the Doctor about that and I’m not too sure I believe him when he says he doesn’t actually care for the Doctor and Jo. How couldn’t he? His delight almost at Jo being a part of the show as a contestant was basically an invitation for the Doctor to try and stop him. His method of gaining control of Earth was audacious to say the least in getting the performers to sing songs that had yet to be written. Fame being performed in the 1970s is an amusing prospect, although the Master utilising the tissue compression eliminator on those voted out was deadly. The other contestants seeing them as mass produced dolls was pretty sad considering they were the actual people! The Master alluding back to Terror of the Autons and the plastics factories was great and I also really enjoyed Jo and the Doctor looking back on Planet of the Daleks with Latep. The Doctor remembering the fate of Jamie and Zoe when it came to them losing their memories in The War Games was a somber moment as Jo realised she might leave soon. She was so appreciative of her travels with the Doctor despite enjoying a little bit of time on Earth again. The way the Doctor stopped the Master by altering the output and ensuring future songs weren’t broadcast was pretty simple, and it was amusing for the renegade Time Lord to just run away in his disguised TARDIS! The Doctor didn’t get the chance to rub his nose in it which was a shame. Overall though, a terrific little adventure!

Rating: 8/10

A Feast of Steven: The Doctor's Gambit

"We are playing games."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Audio

Released: June 2025

Series: Short Trips Special 1.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

On an alien world, the Doctor, Steven and Dodo are drawn into a mysterious contest. With lives at stake and a hidden enemy in control, every move could be their last in the deadly game.

Verdict

The Doctor's Gambit was a good little story to conclude my listening of the A Feast of Steven bonus Short Trips special release! It's still such a treat to get this batch of adventures free of charge to celebrate sixty years of the wonderful Steven Taylor and hearing Peter Purves reprise his role all this time later remains a privilege. He really is ageless and he still seamlessly steps back into the role which is tremendous. This was a different TARDIS trio to the opener in the release and I think that was a good thing to keep things fresh. We never got enough of Dodo on screen so I'm really appreciative of the work Big Finish are doing in expanding her character's adventures. Her relationship with Steven was captured well here and I liked how a lot of that came from a continued fear of the possibility of still being in the Celestial Toyroom. I like to think this adventure follows on from the events of The Celestial Toymaker for the TARDIS trio as the references were rife. It very much felt like that was an extremely recent experience for them all. Steven deducing the chequerboard as them being chess pieces was great and it painted some quite stellar imagery. It wasn't quite the way of being playthings of a god, but the mystery of the game was still also pretty interesting. The chess analogies continued and were very strong and it's a really good game to incorporate into a Doctor Who story. The use of it as the basis for a battle between two opposing sides when it literally got physical. The Doctor turning out to be a King piece from almost behind the scenes was a fun moment and it was almost comical that Dodo was just a pawn. Steven as a knight made sense and the foreshadowing of events to come for him in alluding to his fate in The Savages in becoming a King was nicely done. It almost feels a little bit like cheating when we get foreshadowing like this but I love it. It's a great use of the time a story is written and does things that just couldn't happen on screen or have meaning on television. I thought it was nice for Steven to reflect on these he's lost in the likes of Sara, Brett, Katarina and Oliver, and it was powerful stuff for him to contemplate killing. It was good that he was worried what the Doctor might think of him had he gone through with that brief desire. He had to act before in defence, but never as a thirst for blood. That was intriguing and I'd have actually liked more on that. It was a powerful concept. The way Dodo brought the game of chess into play and turned herself into a Queen as a pawn can by reaching the other side of the board was good fun although I had to chuckle at the in-humour admittance that the resolution was convoluted! It didn't seem to make much sense with all the science goo ga, but that was fine in a story like this. The fact it was laughed about within the episode actually made it more acceptable for me! I did appreciate the link to A Forest of All Seasons at the end with Steven making a conscious decision to look towards the future now and not dwell on the past or what might have been. That was good to set him back on his adventures in time and space. Overall, a decent way to conclude a very welcomed release! 

Rating: 7/10

The Cat Came Back

"You are my plaything."

Writer: Gareth Roberts

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2006

Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2007

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

A cat named Mitzi is deemed the First Pioneer on the road to helping humanity travel by hyperspace. Thought dead, Mitzi has been enacting her revenge on mankind...

Verdict

The Cat Came Back was a good little story to continue my reading through the 2007 Doctor Who Storybook! This was another unique tale and I must admit my prejudice regarding the name continued here as was the case with the Cuckoo-Spit opener in the collection. I try not to judge things just from a name alone but these short stories can vary dramatically in terms of content and quality so it's a little difficult not to go in with expectations for a title like this! Thankfully it was a very solid read and was a nice addition to the Series 2 era of the Tenth Doctor and Rose. I thought for the most part the illustrations that accompanied this story were very strong, although the editing could have been improved as the image I have chosen to represent this blog entry was on a separate page to the events being described. That felt like a bit of a big mistake and could so easily have been avoided with some proper text placement. I don't think it's asking a lot for the illustrations to be on the same page as the events in which they are depicted! Also, the drawings of Rose felt very off in capturing the likeness of Billie Piper. I don't think that was good at all which was a bit of a shame. It didn't take away too much for the story though thankfully. I enjoyed the concept at the heart of this story and venturing into the future of humanity was fun at a time where hyperspace travel had recently been achieved. That's a big step forward for space travel and the Doctor's description of it being a motorway in spatial terms was appreciated. It seems baffling that you have to puncture a hole in space to get there as surely that causes structural damage to the fabric of the universe, but who am I to judge futuristic science? Encountering Mitzi was fun and as an owner of two tuxedo cats myself (Polly and Pirate if anyone is wondering – and yes the former is named after the Doctor Who companion!), the idea of them talking is quite frightening. Let alone them bringing humans into their servitude. As if we're not already though! Mitzi actually starting the story with her internal thoughts as she was sent as the very First Pioneer as a hyperspace travel test run was good, especially when the passage ended with her developing speech. I'm not sure how that works physically with a cat's mouth but that's probably overthinking things slightly! Mitzi didn't have much mercy for all of humankind which was intriguing and meant bad news for Rose. She was impressed by the Doctor's internal makeup as a Time Lord and she had no quarrel with his kind, it was just humans she was out to get. Jonah being on hand to warn the Doctor and Rose of using the word cat was actually decent in providing a fear factor, although I did find it difficult at times to take her seriously as a threat. I mean, she hadn't grown in size or anything! And that image of the cat launching itself at the Doctor was terrific. I appreciated the New Earth referencing given this TARDIS pairing and their previous encounter with cats of the future, but this was quite different! The way Rose did something clever to sever the energy link that expanded the cat's horizons and abilities was pretty simple and I'd have appreciated some more clarity on what and why it had happened, but it was still a fun little adventure. A good glimpse to the future, although finding out that Mitzi was actually Rose's cat who would live for another five years was a bit strange! I didn't see that it added much to the story at all and was more than a little coincidental. Overall though, a decent read! 

Rating: 7/10

Vampire Weekend

"Do you still want to travel with me?"

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: July 2025

Series: Thirteenth Doctor Adventures 1.01

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz

Synopsis

It's Gina's hen-do and her Maid of Honour has booked a large manor in the Peak District. All her friends should be here – including Yasmin Khan, who's been mysteriously quiet whilst away on her travels.

But Yaz is bringing a guest. Someone who isn't invited. Someone who might prove a little disruptive.

The Doctor is joining the celebrations. Unfortunately, so is an ancient enemy...

Verdict

Vampire Weekend was a strong start to the Thirteenth Doctor Adventures! I am so delighted that this series exists and with it alternating in a monthly schedule with the fourth series of Ninth Doctor Adventures, this is going to be a very exciting and much anticipated release going forward for the next couple of years. It's just wonderful that both Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill were ready to reprise their roles as the brilliant Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz so soon after their last on screen appearance in The Power of the Doctor, and they step back into their roles effortlessly. It was a joy to listen to them again and I like that this series will see the narrative gap between Revolution of the Daleks and Flux filled as the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz travel together with no males presents. It's tremendous to get a fully female led series and their chemistry is undeniable. The banter and humour that comes from the Thirteenth Doctor is one of her biggest attributes and I love those traits about her. Having her show up at the door for Yaz's friend's hen do with chickens was hilarious! I was audibly laughing in the delivery by Whittaker as she seemed so matter of fact that chickens was what you should bring to a hen party. Just wonderful with her running around with numerous eggs in her pockets! And the fact she named them both Ian and Barbara as well was tremendous. There was so much to love. I liked subtly dipping back into the lore of Time Lord history with Vampires present as one straggler of a long ago war. The Doctor being confused as to how the Vampire had the ability to travel in time was intriguing and even more so by the fact that detail was left omitted. I'm certain that will form part of the ongoing story arc across this series and I'm excited by that! The story turning into a whodunnit regarding the identity of the Vampire was fun despite the style being repetitive in its format. That doesn't mean it was bad by any stretch of the imagination as it was done pretty well and I must admit I didn't expect the culprit to be Boo Boo the dog! I think it's hilarious that we never find out the name of Gina's Mum and I wonder if she will return as someone we have met previously to form her true identity? Perhaps I'm overthinking things there but time will tell. I think it's good fun that Gina wasn't actually at her own hen do and that showed just how much the pressure was getting to Zoya as the Maid of Honour. I think it worked well to explore some of Yaz's ordinary life and her going travelling cost her the position of Maid of Honour which was a shame. I like the concept of a bite from the Vampire turning the victim into someone who couldn't stop telling the truth and hearing the Doctor admit how much she genuinely missed Yaz was heartwarming. Daryl and Mason were good characters too to compliment Yaz's friends and backstory to shape quite the little gang! Yaz going off travelling and having radio silence on her socials would seem suspicious, but it's good how everyone just hoped she was having a good time. And she certainly had been! At the same time, she was struggling a little in returning to everyday life and it was a nice anecdote for her to have reached out to Graham and Ryan. The Doctor's reaction to being bitten was unexpected in her excitement because that meant she could fix up an antidote pronto. She'd been tracking the Vampire from Macedonia to Pluto, but now she had the means to wipe out and used the forcefield from the TARDIS to do so. A TARDIS she'd parked in the middle of a maze! Gloriously silly. Overall, a joyous and fun start to what should be a terrific series. 

Rating: 8/10

Fractures: Shatterpoint

"Their blood will be on your hands."

Writer: Mark Wright

Format: Audio

Released: June 2025

Series: UNIT: Brave New World 3.03

Featuring: Bambera, Rix, Savarin

Synopsis

Bambera and Savarin are under arrest – for murder!

Verdict

Shatterpoint was a great episode to conclude what has been a terrific Fractures third series of UNIT's Brave New World! I have really enjoyed this series and probably to the point that I would say it is my favourite so far, which makes it even sadder that it is a download only option and a large bulk of fans are not going to purchase based on there being no physical release. They really will be missing out as this was just marvellous. The continuity lasting throughout the series was very strong with the fracture referring to a break in the dimensions between universes and that played out very well here as we got a clash of the Bamberas. Both versions despite essentially being the same person were very different in their motives. The Bambera of the other universe was brutal in her efforts to return home, or so we thought. I thought the casual nature in which her discussion with the other Savarin saw how she had blown up their version of Lake Geneva was quite spectacular. It was like Inferno all over again with the other universe going haywire and finding out that the first use of the psychlatron had wiped out much of Switzerland and France. That's some fire power! I was surprised by the obedience of Savarin a little to his Brigade Leader considering he even admitted that rank and authority went out of the window when their other planet was basically butchered. What was left of the other universe that meant following orders was still the thing to do? I thought the cover story by Bambera of wanting to return to their origin point was good cover, although in hindsight it really doesn't make sense why she would have gone to such resorts if it were true. She was mounting a full on invasion force and that was fun to hear. I'm never the biggest of fans when it comes to a fight or battle scene in audio because nothing can do justice to actually seeing it play out and there's only so much imagination that can come from the sound effects no matter how good they are. I'm not even that much of a fan on screen to be honest as whilst I'm a huge Game of Thrones fan, I think the battles are a tad overrated and shouldn't be lasting entire episodes. I thought Saint-Clair was a good character as the Lieutenant Colonel and her knowledge of doppelgängers and other universes was brilliant as she could account for the whereabouts of their version of Savarin and Bambera. The latter seeing the death of Zbrigniev was an emotional moment and I liked how Saint-Clair wanted to get them out. The use of Rix by the alternate Bambera was fantastic but I loved how she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself! She was not interested at all in doing anything than aid the UNIT of her universe. She even worked out what Bambera was and that was great. She's a terrific character and worthy scientific advisor. I thought the use of Zarna in the episode was good and I enjoyed how the groundwork for her turn was laid down in Debrief. She was not loyal to Bambera and wanted this alternate version to feel the pain she herself had caused the Drasscallian. She wanted to take everything away as she had done to her and that was pretty much what she did in empathic style! The fate of Bambera is left a tad ambiguous which is fun to think that she might come back, especially if the gap between dimensions is left unclosed, but for now it was a good way to be rid of her at the hands of Zarna and through the gateway. The cliffhanger finish of something else emerging and Bambera having a very close connection was another glorious throwback to Battlefield and I can't wait to hear the next boxset that will see her reunited with a loved one thought lost. That should bring out a unique side to the Brigadier. Overall, a great finale to a very strong boxset!

Rating: 8/10

Fractures: Debrief

"Shoot every bird you see."

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: June 2025

Series: UNIT: Brave New World 3.02

Featuring: Bambera 

Synopsis

Summoned to Geneva HQ, Brigadier Bambera is reunited with her old sergeant, Tomasz Zbrigniev. A UNIT operation has gone horribly wrong and it's up to Bambera to determine what happened. If she doesn't... it will kill them all.

Verdict

Debrief was another excellent episode to continue my way through the Fractures third series of UNIT's Brave New World! This was a stellar hour of audio drama that was honestly so simple. The format was perfect in that it was just Brigadier Bambera debriefing two UNIT members on what went wrong on a mission. It doesn't sound all that exciting on paper but it works an absolute treat. The links to Battlefield continue this series as we reunite Bambera with Zbrigniev which was really nicely done and I think it's important to honour history. Bambera only made one appearance on screen but with this now her third series that she's heading, she has clearly made an impact! I liked her position of seniority and the one being in charge as a changing dynamic of her history with Zbrigniev. She wasn't letting their history getting in the way of finding out what happened on the failed mission. At least, that's how it appeared at the start. I thought Zbrigniev and Specialist Jane Rowe had a fun dynamic too and the way they remembered events quite differently made for some interesting comments. The style of story almost going in the vain of a Companion Chronicle was brilliant and it was just good for us as a listener to get that recount of what happened in real time. It was refreshing to go back and forth and added to my intrigue, The concept of a shapeshifter is a good one and it was done in its most basic terms here. The insinuation from Bambera that one of Zbrigniev or Rowe was still in disguise was fantastic and hearing them try to decipher which of the other was the fake was terrific. It's futile though as the other would obviously know they're not! Their shared agreement that it potentially was Bambera that was the shapeshifter was fascinating and I was a little surprised to find that they both readily went with that being a very strong possibility. Bambera was confronted with that and took it on the chin rather well because she knew the answer. Playing with the device that could threaten to blow up the entire UNIT HQ was a fun side of Bambera that I enjoyed and that brought Rowe out of the shadows as actually being a Dresscallian. They didn't last long enough to make much of an impact other than the knowledge that they had killed troops, but that was fine with the twist that was to come. I thought the order to even shoot birds was strong but when dealing with a shapeshifter everything is fair game and it was logical that the culprit could fly away as something as small and innocuous as a bird. The moment where Bambera revealed her true colours and shot Zbrigniev was sensational audio and really wasn't something I saw coming! She had no feelings towards her old sergeant because he technically wasn't. This was the Bambera of another universe and that was a tremendous tease! It links back to Kaiju very nicely and I love the prospect of two Bamberas encountering each other in the finale. Bambera had history with the Dresscallians and had wiped them all out in her universe, but she was actually on the same side as the one impersonating Rowe here. She formed an alliance which was unexpected and the aftermath was something quite spectacular. This universe's Bambera getting the message of a massacre of the entirety of UNIT HQ was pretty incredible and a sublime cliffhanger! Talk about a threat and making an impact! I'm loving the links and exploration of parallel dimensions crossing over which has set things up very nicely for the finale. Overall, another magnificent episode in what is shaping up to be a stellar series.

Rating: 9/10

Fractures: Kaiju

"These are remains of UNIT property from a parallel dimension."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: June 2025

Series: UNIT: Brave New World 3.01

Featuring: Bambera, Rix, Savarin

Synopsis

Following an accident at High Skelton Research Centre, UNIT is called in.

The dimension-crossing experiments of Dr Hazel Wayward have created a catastrophic chain reaction within the lab, but even as Bambera, Savarin and Rix get the meltdown under control, the energy levels rise.

Something is coming through...

Verdict

Kaiju was an excellent start to the Fractures third series of UNIT's Brave New World spinoff! I am delighted to hear that this spinoff range has been given the green light for at least another two series and whilst I do understand the frustration in them only being available as downloads, much in the same way as The Voord in London first series of the Space Security Service new spinoff, I think it's better than nothing to continue this fascinating and great range. It's so good to visit UNIT in the year 2000 as essentially the team between the Classic and New Who eras of the show. There's a lot of potential there and that was played very well here. Our terrific trio of Bambera, Rix and Savarin worked brilliantly well together here and I wouldn't have expected that to come from a position of love. Rix's boyfriend Jamie McManus was now a Sergeant and that promotion was impacting on their relationship. This was some birthday for Rix! At least she got a cupcake before McManus snuck out for duty. I loved the link this episode had with Inferno in exploring parallel dimensions and the one that was on the precipice of touching and making contact having a Brigade Leader rather than Brigadier was a delightful throwback. The name of Project Looking Glass was glorious and I just think pretty much everything about this worked. It was a very exciting hour with a strong emotional attachment as well. Savarin playing the conscience role for Bambera was fun as whilst she was firmly invested in everyone at UNIT performing their duty, he could understand the love that came for Rix and McManus and wanted Winifred to go easy on them. He was really good in that role and the way he then challenged his senior in command about her own feelings of love for Ancelyn was a terrific throwback to Battlefield. Savarin was certainly testing the boundaries there and it was great to hear. The injection of comedy that came from him code naming the Kaiju creature as Winifred was outstanding as well. He'd done himself in a big way there! I thought Rix relying on Dr Wayward a lot was a little bit of a shame as she didn't seem all that confident in her answers to provide solutions, but I guess the dimensions were firmly Hazel's specialist area of expertise. I thought it was great that Wayward knew it was actually the other dimension version of her project that was causing the meltdown and when UNIT property was found coming through from another dimension, things got very serious. Rix finding her alternate self's laptop and seeing the video files of how dangerous the situation was worked very well and was just exciting. I wanted to hear more of what was happening. I'm a sucker for a parallel universe so this was right up my alley. The threat of the Winifred creature was on a scale that was perhaps only workable in audio given the description of its size and energy just making it bigger took a way a lot of the potential ways to put it down! The Ministry of Defence were certainly no help with their attack. I liked how it could burrow through dimensions as that was another wonderful image and I just like the concept. A creature that lives on the edges of dimensions between universes, now that's exciting! I hope we haven't finished exploring this element for the series as the fractures in the umbrella title could be a ramification of everything that's happened here and beyond. Rix getting sciencey with the solution to take out the Kaiju with different mathematics and settings was a bit of a techno babble, but I could take it. The emotion at the end with McManus nearly being killed in the fight against the creature in getting close was powerful stuff. I'm keen to explore this dynamic further as I love the tension between Bambera and Rix. Overall, an excellent start to the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Spectral Scream

"I am glad their blood won't water the stones of this village."

Writer: Hannah Fergesen

Format: Novel

Released: May 2025

Series: NSA 70

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Belinda

Synopsis

When a psychic shriek for help nearly overwhelms the TARDIS, the Doctor and Belinda track the source to a distant planet. There they find a sentient, telepathic bioship named Adama and ragged colonists descended from the original crew. Adama is dying, and their spectral screams are growing strong enough to kill anyone in the vicinity. 

When Adama crashed 100 years ago, it was with a great treasure on board, stolen from the ruthless Gangnax Imperium – technology that could either unite worlds or destroy them. If they are to save the bioship, the Doctor and Belinda must survive suspicious colonists, greedy counter hunters and military forces determined to reclaim what's theirs – before Adama's final death throes destroy them all.

Verdict

Spectral Scream was a great novel to continue the New Series Adventures collection! I think the release date on this book was unfortunately a couple of weeks too late as being released just two days prior to The Reality War unfortunately meant this story became out of date very quickly. Had it been released right in the middle of the latest series I think that would have been so much more beneficial, but credit to the writer because this feels like it easily slots into that eight episode run for Belinda. With this being the companion's debut in prose I was impressed with how well her characterisation was captured on the page (well, Kindle screen for me!). This felt so authentically Belinda and it seems to happen between Lux and The Well which feels right given that it was clearly still quite early for her as companion and no later episodes were referenced. It was very much in the vain of getting Belinda home and I liked that despite my disappointment with her ultimate fate. I also loved how she harked back to The Robot Revolution when we got the sneaky onlooking moment from Mrs Flood as the Doctor took the vindicator reading and likened it to the Doctor having met her ancestor in Boom. The continuity with the ongoing series was welcomed there. I liked how Belinda's instincts as a nurse kicked in and after getting the distress call she very much wanted to help. The concept behind the screams of Adama was very good and I really enjoyed the telepathic method of communication. That was presented well in the book when it had the potential to get messy. I thought the setting of the planet was strong although its name was needlessly ridiculous with the lower-case f! I liked how the Doctor and Belinda were mistaken as being part of Gangnax Imperium and the story behind them and the last century was very strong. Elder Dagma was a fantastic character and I liked the relationship she soon fostered with Belinda. She was the one who had developed the treasured artefact that the Imperium so desperately desired and that meant she was very old indeed. The 71st century setting might have something to do with that! The fact nobody on the ground knew where the artefact was made for a strong plot device and I was almost convinced the Doctor was going to find it quicker than should have been possible after a century of looking. He can be annoying like that! The ongoing threat of another scream from Adama was strong and when it got to the point that one more could be fatal, the Doctor quickly was on hand with first aid to get them to sleep. The tension there was strong. I liked how Cy was in league with bounty hunters but quickly regretted the fact as they weren't going to hold up their end of the bargain at all. Cy quickly claiming the TARDIS to be the treasure was fun and it was nice that the Doctor grew to help Cy and could see that he just wanted to escape everything. It was understandable on this planet! The use of the TARDIS telepathy and the translation circuit for Adama to communicate with the Doctor and Belinda was excellent. The vasps were an intriguing element and Belinda managing to work out that they were holograms was fun and provided the basis for the artefact's whereabouts. It was in the ship where it had always been, where nobody ever went because of the vasp infestation from day one of the crash. That was good and I liked how Adama knew all along and was protecting itself from Dagma's own incredible technology because she feared being rewritten. She was nearly dying but she would rather that than forget their own life which was pretty admirable to be honest. With the Doctor on hand though, he could combine both and renew Adama without overwriting her with the tech to see things out nicely. Gangnax Imperium were sent running with the bounty hunters to never return and we were en route to getting Belinda home. A neat little ending! Overall, a great read! 

Rating: 8/10

A Feast of Steven: A Forest of All Seasons

"The causes of existing problems could be traced backwards."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Audio

Released: June 2025

Series: Short Trips Special 1.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis

The Doctor, Steven and Vicki arrive in a strange forest where time seems to stand still. When Vicki disappears, Steven must confront a baffling mystery involving an alternate version of himself and the inhabitants of a village trapped in an endless cycle.

Verdict

A Forest of All Seasons was a great story to kick off the A Feast of Steven double collection of Short Trips to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Steven Taylor joining the TARDIS as companion! I think this is such a delightful idea and I'm absolutely in favour of paying recognition to characters on their anniversaries. We've had this recently with the Fifth and Sixth Doctors for example so it's good to pass the tradition down to the companions. It's even better and an unexpected delight for this release to be completely free! It was a delightful email to find from Big Finish late at night on release date and I duly downloaded them with a smile on my face! I do wish the Short Trips range returned to a monthly schedule so to get more of them free of charge here is just brilliant. Peter Purves was tremendous in reprising his role as Steven and it's incredible to think that his debut in The Chase was sixty years ago now. Sixty! And he's still going ever so strong in portraying the character. I liked how the story didn't just focus on Steven though and whilst he did conclude with the focus on him, for much of it that was actually on Vicki which was nice. I've always enjoyed these companions' relationship and it was presented very well here. I thought the era was presented spectacularly in being authentic of the time which is kudos to the writer who is one of my favourites. Rayner just gets this First Doctor team and that made listening an absolute breeze. I thought the concept at the heart of the story was intriguing and whilst it does admittedly steal some parts from The Space Museum with the time track element, it was really interesting to explore. The idea of projections both backwards and forwards in time works really well for me and I liked the emotional pull that brought. The Doctor and Steven got to lay eyes on a young Vicki with her father whereas then Steven saw a potential future with his ideal woman in the form of Harla. Seeing Steven old is a nice touch in an anniversary celebration like this and even having children and experiencing the pain of his wife being ill at a time where they had grandchildren was excellent. It really did tug on the heartstrings. Vicki's reaction to knowing that she could see a projection of her father was good because despite her knowing that it wouldn't be the real version, just getting a glimpse would be so welcomed. I could completely understand and I liked that Steven did too in his explanation to the Doctor. He would also try for a reunion no matter how brief just for a chance to say goodbye. I liked how the Doctor worked out what was happening with the System and the most likely projections were shown, but I do think things were tied up a little too loosely with the Doctor and Steven both simply believing that everyone would now be fine. A lot had happened here to both companions and everyone around them so I think something a little more final would have been beneficial there. I also think it'd have been fun for the Doctor to just a glimpse of something of his past and future other than Vicki's description of the Second Doctor as I'm not sure that would mean too much to him. Overall though, still a really strong concept at the heart of the story and a terrific performance from Purves. Onto the next! A welcomed delight.

Rating: 8/10

Missy Part Three

"Please don't kick my corpse."

Writer: Rochana Patel

Format: Audio

Released: June 2025

Series: Dark Gallifrey 3.03

Featuring: Missy

Synopsis

Choices have been made. Fates are being forged.

There are new friendships, new alliances, and a war to be fought, plus an extremely dangerous new arrival...

Verdict

Missy concluded in great fashion with this fascinating and very unique third part of the story that comprises the third series of Dark Gallifrey! Now, I love the story as a whole and it is a terrific character piece for Missy, I just have no idea at all what this has to do with the concept of Dark Gallifrey! I do think it's a big shame that nothing came together with the mythical and alternate home of the Time Lords, especially after the lore of Morbius and The War Master established it in kicking off this series last year. This didn't really seem to add anything to the story at all which is a shame. If this was purely marketed as the next series for Missy and as three different episodes with the connecting arc then I think my listening experience would have been improved. Not to say it was bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I was always waiting for that tie back to the series title! The follow on from the epic cliffhanger to part two was having me feel slightly cheated as we found out that the Seventh Doctor in which Missy killed was actually just a divergent body. This wasn't the true Doctor in any sense of the word and whilst it was good to add that to the concept of the time severing, it kind of took away from what happened last time out. I think it's fun to explore Missy without the Doctor and having this incarnation in particular reach a point where she was basically becoming another Decayed Master was terrific. The imagery and sound effects for her voice there were impressive in painting a rather dark picture. I thought the relationship that the initial Missy in this horrifying future had built with Sly Boots was fascinating with the latter seemingly to be genuinely in love with her. That was until she replaced Alisa with herself in a very different kind of regeneration! It wasn't a natural one that's for sure and the description of her simply kicking the initial royal out of her own mind was incredible! I liked how this episode put two aspects of Missy against each other in a very rare instance. This wasn't like her encountering the Lumiat, she was tackling herself head on and I liked that. Having trust in your alternate self was only something the initial Missy felt and the way she challenged her alternate self who'd arrived about her character and personality now was excellent. The one Missy didn't want to change whereas the other was making some good points about not even calling herself the Master anymore. She was running away from who she was and with the timeline establishing the true timeline incarnation had recently come from the events of The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar, that adds up with me. Especially with her settling down for some popcorn to watch the Twelfth Doctor battle his confessional dial as seen in Heaven Sent! I thought Missy's reaction to the bones of the Seventh Doctor was fantastic and the image of her dancing on them whilst humming the Doctor Who theme was sensational. Just glorious and exactly what you want from Missy. The Queen version didn't enjoy the moment though and that was really intriguing to explore. Missy being on hand to build a super weapon and get out through the tunnel that had supposedly been there all along was perhaps not the most creative of ways out, but I liked the logic on a world where technology ceased. Having a place outside of the Time Vortex is still something I like and would love to come back to, but for now this was a solid finale and I do hope that something ties back with the wider Dark Gallifrey arc in later releases. Overall though, a great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

What Just Happened?

"I've always tried to follow your example."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: December 2021

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 3.04

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

Synopsis

All actions have consequences. The path to victory or disaster is unclear unless seen from a different perspective...

With the lives of the entire human race at stake, the Doctor confronts a nemesis like no other. And not everyone will make it home.

Verdict

What Just Happened? was a decent conclusion to the third Stranded edition of Eighth Doctor Adventures! Unfortunately this didn't quite finish in the explosive style I was hoping for given it was a finale, but I can understand given this is the third of four boxsets and it's sent us into the final one with some good questions and a direction to solve the paradoxical timeline. I was excited by the name of the episode because I knew it was going to be whacky in some form, but it was just a little strange for me. The content of the episode was good and I like that we finally get Robin returned and revealed as the person that was impersonating the Doctor. He was masquerading around as the other and that was good to get confirmation, but I just didn't really understand the purpose of telling the story in reverse. I don't think it really added anything to the story and just made things unnecessarily confusing. There were constant interludes from the Doctor to give a timeframe of how much earlier each scene was from the last and that just didn't work for me. I liked exploring the future and going on a scale of millions of years again is exciting because of the potential there and Robin's involvement, and I particularly enjoy going through a bootstrap paradox. I think they're terrifically frustrating in that there is no origin and technically they shouldn't be able to exist, but they do! Robin's justification for his actions didn't exactly add up and his refusal to admit he was the Dictator just helped make him a strong villain, even if it is difficult to buy into that with his kiddish voice. He doesn't exactly scream fascist leader! I like the threat of a killswitch in every human being and that's where the millions of year scale becomes very interesting because of the generations and expansion of humanity, even in this timeline. They go so much further than just Earth. I don't think the format did itself any favours in the fate of Andy as he was on a spaceship that was blown apart. Because that happened so early on in this narrative style it lacked the oomph and shock factor that should have been massively there. That was a real shame. I'll be surprised if this truly is the end for Andy as it feels like the character should perish in Torchwood if that is to happen. The paradoxical nature of the series at the moment gives me confidence that this isn't it. I think Liv's continued insistence on knowing about Maria and her history with Tania was fun as she was definitely fearing the ex! It's not like her to be that way so it was nice for her to show concern. I thought the episode basically petered out at the end as we finished at the beginning which just didn't feel right for the finale of a boxset. I did have momentary confusion though when I pressed play and I was getting the announcement of the credits and what I'd just listened to! Quinns was a decent character in forcing his way onto the TARDIS with the information about the 'other' Doctor and instead of telling he would show the Doctor. I'm surprised the Time Lord agreed! But it was difficult to get to know his character properly with everything being told in reverse. It's a shame really as I liked what was happening and the point we've reached, but I have no doubts that if this episode was told in the correct chronological order then it would have a much better rating. Overall though, I'm excited to hear where things go in the final boxset! 

Rating: 7/10

Snow

"It falls here to remind me of him."

Writer: James Kettle

Format: Audio

Released: December 2021

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 3.03

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

Synopsis

Returning to London in the 2030s, the TARDIS travellers find a sinister elite taking hold.

Baker Street now has just one lonely resident – and what's more, it is the last place on Earth where snow ever falls.

Verdict

Snow was a sublime audio adventure to continue my way through the third Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was just sensational from start to finish with an excellent plot, a really strong emotional pull and tremendous character development. There was so much going on at a calm pace that really just made this an absolute delight to listen to. It was magnificent. I thought the continuation of the paradoxical timeline was really good and made sense here. It was super beneficial to get a pre-departure scene as the decision was made to meet in the middle of the present of 2020 and their last visit to 2050 in Patience. Going to 2035 was exciting and it was fun for Andy to not be overly excited about the prospect because it was sooner than when he had been already! He was of course along for the ride and I'm finding his continued presence alongside the Eighth Doctor good fun. Never would have I imagined he would basically become a companion to a Classic era Doctor but I'm all here for it. He's really good. I thought the continued development of Liv and Tania's relationship was strong and undoubtedly the central piece of this audio. They had a little spat that meant the latter didn't fancy the latest trip in the TARDIS and whilst I think the question of whether Liv would stay behind with her once the TARDIS was healed was fair, the method in which Tania went about it was a little harsh. It was subtle pressure and that didn't need to happen. Liv is new to relationships but she's doing really well and going at her pace is the right move here. She shouldn't have to make a decision before she's ready, but I think her encounter in the future means she's more than made up her mind now! The emotional toil she went through in seeing Tania die in 2035 was extraordinary! It was incredible stuff and I felt really sorry for her. She firmly believed that the event was now a fixed point in time as a result of them leaving without her in 2020. Fifteen years had gone by for this older Tania but she was still on hand to save Liv and Andy from a Divine Intervention ambush. The fascism potential in Britain just with Andy wearing shorts and showcasing Aryan qualities was powerful stuff. A lot can change in fifteen years and that was evident here! Andy was very shocked by the state of the country he once knew. The idea of diverging and possible futures is something I'm a big fan of and you could sense the glee in Liv's voice when the Doctor confirmed to her that this future didn't have to happen. Of course, she wasn't the only one feeling grief as Ron was mourning the loss of his partner Tony after five years. The concept behind the sentient snow was good and I love the idea of it only snowing in the garden of the Doctor's house on Baker Street. The grief of a time traveller was a powerful thing and I like the logic behind that. The snow then passing onto Liv when Tania passed was excellent and sent a very strong message of what she was going through and how much she truly cared for Tania. The role of Zakia as a member of Divine Intervention shocked Helen and that was another good element of the audio to explore. The organisation utilising the families as threats and the good behaviour needed to release them being of their children was superb villainous qualities. There was a lot to hate about them! I am very intrigued to see where things conclude for this boxset as the paradox continues to be explored, but for now this was an outstanding episode! I love the emotional attachments.

Rating: 10/10

Twisted Folklore

"The Doctor brings peace and order."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: December 2021

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 3.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, Tania

Synopsis

Tracking the course of the future, the Doctor and friends arrive on Rarkelia – where human forces rule. Earth – and Divine Intervention – are shaping the universe in their own image.

Helen, Liv and Tania embed themselves in society, while the Doctor starts a revolution.

Verdict

Twisted Folklore was another excellent episode to continue my way through the third Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was a terrific tale and I'll be stunned if this story had no influence on the recently broadcast Wish World because the similarities were easy to hear. Obviously, this particular episode came first which is good but it isn't that long since watching that penultimate Fifteenth Doctor story so it felt fresh in my memory and the parallels were easily drawn. The whole nature of the Doctor telling the story was fun and I just adore the concept behind the Book of the Doctor. I'd certainly love a copy! It worked really well to just have him in the background and when Tania eventually got to him, it felt quite sudden on the ears that the story had stopped. I'm loving exploring the paradoxical timeline that centres around London 2020 and Divine Intervention, so going into the future to see how things changed makes sense. I would potentially like a little more clarity on why they had gotten here earlier on and the overall aim of the series as it doesn't feel overly connected at this point, but there's plenty of time to correct that and bring things together. It's intriguing to split up the TARDIS team once again for the second straight episode after Patience putting them in different pairings, but now they were all off on their own! Tania in place as a sergeant was a fun dynamic and it was good to also have Helen as Victoria's assistant. The latter certainly suited that kind of role. The power of stories is not something that is lost in the Whoniverse and it was crucial to the resolution in Last of the Time Lords and just look at the entire Land of Fiction! Exploring it again here is terrific and having the unique slant of a paradoxical future worked well for me. The society of Rarkelia was quite haunting listening here in 2025 as the parallels to Israel and Palestine and the atrocious conflict that's happening in the Middle East right now were clear. We even had a mention of the occupied territories when it came to the forced rule of humanity and the Earth Empire over Rarkelia. I thought that was telling and I appreciated the message that was being told. The idea of another Doctor in this distorted future is brilliant and I hope it's something that comes back to the Curator as he's been prominent in this umbrella title of EDAs thus far. Might the paradoxical timeline be an explanation for his existence? Now that would be something! Victoria's extensive story collecting was brutal in the way she converted the people to the way of Divine Intervention and the use of a parasite to control the population was fantastic in its villainy. I thought the moment she infected Liv with the first half and revealed that the second half was in the air was excellent and I was expecting a cliffhanger finish to come with Tania witnessing what was happening on the warning broadcast Liv put out there. The vents needed to be blocked to prevent the catalyst triggering disaster and the worry in Tania's voice was paramount as she thought she was going to lose the one she loved. The scale of the episode was great in that it really felt like the TARDIS team had been away from each other for a long time judging by the happiness of their reunions. The Doctor insisting on answering what was worse than finding a worm in your apple was amusing but it was actually really clever to bring that full circle when it came to the resolution. It was pretty simple in adjusting natural frequencies and allowing the Rarkelians to flourish, and the Doctor inventing a word that sounded a lot like a dinosaur type was a nice touch to finish on. I'm excited that the Doctor is intending on returning to the source of London 2020 for the paradox as that seems the logical place to go to try and put things right. It's a strong direction to turn to and I'm looking forward to hearing it! But for now, this was another terrific episode to continue the boxset along very nicely. 

Rating: 9/10

Patience

"Why can't we remember coming here?"

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: December 2021

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 3.01

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

Synopsis

The Doctor decides to investigate the limits of the paradoxical timeline in which he and his friends are stranded.

But they find themselves hunted by a force of mercenary Judoon. It seems that Earth's altered history has changed the whole universe...

Verdict

Patience was an excellent start to the third Stranded series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! Things have got quite convoluted for a series that claims to have the Doctor and his companions stranded and I mean that in the best way possible. I really enjoyed how contained the first boxset was in London of 2020, but now we've got the Doctor stranded in a timeline that is rife with paradox and that works excellently! I really liked the role of the Doctor in the episode in being a part-time narrator and the story of Patience was delightful to hear. She's a name that is linked intrinsically into the novels of the Wilderness Years and my experience of her is contained to The Infinity Doctors so I'm keen to learn more about her. It's always fun to dive into the history of the Doctor and Gallifrey and she seems to play an important part. The Paradoxica itself was a fascinating element for a story device and it's good to know that Patience is where he got it from. I think patience was also required to fully appreciate this episode as things were pretty calm and I enjoyed that as we relatively slowly learned what was happening. Having different pairings was fun and Liv and Andy made for a terrific combination. You'd expect that Liv would be paired with Tania given their relationship but this was definitely the right choice for me. I really enjoy their dynamic. Them being dealt the cards that look into the past was intriguing and Andy playing solitaire with cards that were far more than an ordinary playing deck was wonderful. Throw in the Judoon and some of their party de-ageing and we had quite an extensive use of the past here. I thought the Judoon just encountering the Eighth Doctor in general was great and I like that the New Who era monsters can just show up in the Classic era. Considering they're space police it makes sense that the Doctor has encountered them numerous times before. I thought the continuity with Must-See TV was very good in having Mr Bird as the Judoon's employer. The Doctor stopped the rhino-looking law enforcement in their tracks when he named those who had employed them! That was a strong moment for sure and really seemed to take the Doctor out of the background of the episode in the best way. I enjoyed the pairing of Helen and Tania because they both loved Liv, but in very different ways. It's so nice to hear how she is appreciated and I hope she knows that. Her recollection of her year on Kaldor between Ravenous boxsets was good and I can't wait to dive into the world of the Robots in due course. I've got the first two boxsets ready to go, but I think I'll see out this series first. Tania realising she was seeing echoes of the future was magnificent and it was good that those events weren't yet fully shaped. Thing had not yet been finalised and that put her in a strong position to mould what could be, especially in a paradoxical timeline! The Doctor and Kon Po being dealt the cards of the Everlasting Present was fascinating and I really liked how they had repeated events over and over. The Doctor being a Time Lord was time sensitive and realised that, but the Judoon were less perceptive. Andy's reaction to the Judoon was good stuff too and it was rather cute to hear a baby version of them out of uniform! It's the beauty of the audio format there as well to make this a reality. I thought the way things concluded was pretty simple and was just a fine result of having patience for what was happening. Kon Po was taken back to Judoonia and that was great because it put the focus on the Judoon for arguably the first time. They're always just around or looking for a bigger target, whereas having a sense of home really added a new edge to them. I think it's great that the events and use of the Paradoxica allowed the Doctor to measure the new timeline and I'm keen to explore things further moving forward! Overall, a very strong start to the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Cuckoo-Spit

"The wet thing with no eyes was going to get me and I was going to Heaven."

Writer: Mark Gatiss

Format: Short Story

Released: July 2006

Printed in: Doctor Who Storybook 2007

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

When children start going missing, the Doctor and Rose are on the track of an extraterrestrial wild animal. Young boy Jason keeps a diary of events that start to spiral...

Verdict

Cuckoo-Spit was a decent story to kick off my reading of the non-comic strip adventures from the 2007 Doctor Who Storybook! It's actually staggering to me that it was eleven years ago where I blogged this book's comic strip adventure of Opera of Doom! and here I am over a decade on starting the short text stories. It's a long time coming and considering I've moved house around seven times in that period due to the constant being on the go that is life as a university student and then entering the workplace and starting a family, this hardback A4 book has been with me all the way! It is very prejudiced of me but when I saw the title of the story I was immediately put in a downer about how good it was going to be. It just doesn't sound like the title of an adventure that's going to be a classic. It was far from being one, but it was actually pretty darn good! I enjoyed the read and whilst having a child front and centre as essentially the main character isn't usually my preferred means of storytelling, the format of a diary really helped with that. It broke things up very nicely as well with some of these longer text stories sometimes being a slog with just so many words dominating a page! That never felt like the case here which was really welcomed. Jason was a decent character and the insinuation that he was gay was good because of the 1975 setting. Homosexuality had been decriminalised but it wasn't all that long ago from this point and the stigma was still strong. He clearly liked Graham but the fact he had to underline and capitalise in his blog entry that he wasn't a puff was honestly a bit unsettling. I fully appreciate the personal nature of the format and what that brings to the story, but it still left a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth. That was also the case with Jason's description of Rose and the first thing he noticed was her big chest. I know he's a teenager still at school and has an interest in girls (and boys apparently), but it just didn't seem right to point that out in a short story for a collection that would be mostly aimed at a younger audience. That was partly why my rating for this story was lower than its quality showed because things like that really take me by surprise and not for the right reason. It just doesn't add anything to the story and gives a sense of discomfort knowing the target audience. I thought Jason kept up with his diary pretty well although it did seem a tad less personalised as the adventure went on, with the last entry in particular not feeling like a small boy but just regular prose. That's not to say things weren't good and the threat by the man with the light-up eyes was strong. I think the story did well in hiding key details because from the perspective of Jason he just wouldn't be privy to them. They weren't really needed either and I quite liked the way things felt like we were watching or reading from the outside. Jason having complete logic in going to the TARDIS and thinking the Doctor and Rose were police because of the exterior was great and he was concerned for his missing friend. Admittedly though, he wasn't taking it too seriously as he still went against his parents' orders not to wonder off. I liked how the Doctor and Rose had the knowledge of what was happening with the wild animal threat and it being of an extraterrestrial origin was intriguing. Jason was excited and interested in what was happening, perhaps not so prone to the danger when he ought to have been. Him being used as bait was quite something! The Doctor and Rose setting fire to the house to wipe out the threat was pretty climactic and not the means I was expecting him to go down. Jason working out what they were doing with their victims and likening it to cuckoo spit was good and brought things full circle from his earlier spotting. Overall, a decent read for sure! 

Rating: 7/10