Knights of the Round TARDIS

"Find some other planet to play with."

Writer: LR Hay

Format: Audio

Released: September 2025

Series: First Doctor Unbound 1.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis 

Thirteenth Century Oxford – courtly love, jousting knights and a golden age of Academia. What a treat for the Doctor and his companions! A chance to meet precursor of English democracy Simon de Montfort, as well as scientist, visionary and Franciscan friar Roger Bacon – a man truly ahead of his time.

Truly ahead of his time. If the TARDIS team can't stop him, this time-meddling wolf in Monk's clothing will alter the course of Earth's history. But is it already too late to prevent the timelines becoming unbound for the Doctor and his friends?

Verdict

Knights of the Round TARDIS was a very fun start to the First Doctor Unbound series! This is a fascinating series and one I'm really excited for because the potential with anything with an Unbound tagline is literally endless. This isn't exactly the follow on I was expecting for this cast of First Doctor Adventures after getting a cliffhanger finish in The Hollow Crown, but given what happened here it could potentially be used as an explanation or resolution. I think one thing that is important with this range is to not take it too seriously. It's an intriguing way to present new stories and I'm all for that, especially with the very first TARDIS team! It is a little odd still to go with the cast of An Adventure in Space and Time when the actors were playing the actors who played these roles, but they have made them their own in a way and I think going down the Unbound route actually really helps. I think David Bradley does a really good job here with his take on the First Doctor and it is certainly true of what we got from him in Twice Upon a Time which is nice consistency. I think the way Ian and Barbara are presented is mostly true of their era, but one thing that I found startling was the representation of Susan. I wasn't a fan and I don't think it was true to her character because she just seemed so immature! She was stroppy when she didn't get her own way which was a little off-putting. I love the idea of her getting to meet the Monk though as that wasn't possible on screen, but we actually get some rather severe consequences of his meddling here to now place this version of the First Doctor and his companions on an alternate but concurrent timeline. It doesn't replace the one that already has happened on television and expanded media, but I like that we actually have an in-universe explanation for this series. I'm very excited for the ride because I know it's going to be good fun! I'm always a fan of the Monk and his reaction here to seeing the Doctor arrive was trmeneodrus, and he got excited when he realised his encounters with him in The Time Meddler and The Daleks' Master Plan were yet to occur. Timelines really were spiralling and I liked how the Doctor and Susan were still secretive of their planet and species. Barbara recalling The Destination Wars and name dropping the Master was fantastic and a timely reminder of what they know of Gallifrey, even if they may not know its name. The Monk going as the Friar here in the form of Roger Bacon was glorious and the ridiculousness of him proclaiming how renowned his name was in the cosmos was magnificent. It just injects fear doesn't it! I thought his plan here to change history and place Simon de Montford onto the throne rather than at the head of a democratically elected parliament was terrific. The Monk didn't see much difference and was out to ensure chaos ensued, but it backfired gloriously. The brass knights were a decent threat even if they didn't provide too much danger with them being automatons. There was a good action scene towards the end though! Susan wanting to stay because she'd essentially fallen for Montford was unexpected and perhaps a moment of foreshadowing of The Dalek Invasion of Earth. I did like how she couldn't accept that the bad outweighed the good despite the state of society at this time. De Montford having a recall of the Monk's TARDIS was hilarious as he used it much before the meddler had intended with his plan to change the war's outcome. The Doctor changing the Monk's TARDIS basically into a pint and sending it to a random English tavern was tremendous. Talk about making things difficult! The Doctor thinking he could link the Monk's directional unit with the fast return switch in his TARDIS to get Ian and Barbara home was fascinating, but An Unearthly Child was not the events in which they returned to. They were on Marinus! That's a very exciting setup for the next release in the range and The Keys of Marinus is one of my all time favourites so this will be a real treat. I can't wait. Overall, a fantastic listen!  

Rating: 8/10

What Still Remains

"The darkness got darker."

Writer: Adam Christopher 

Format: Audio

Released: August 2025

Series: BBC Audio 29

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

The TARDIS materialises on a research station, locked in a state of temporal displacement on the surface of Volkoff Epsilon. 

The station's human crew are engaged in the study of a mysterious artefact they call 'the remnant'. Apparently a source of unlimited power, it could be the solution to Earth's energy problem.

Yet the station's time barrier has become disrupted, leaving the crew confined with no way out. The Doctor realises that both he and Ace – and the TARDIS – are now also trapped by the time displacement. 

What is the secret of the tiny, spinning artefact? Why have half the bases's personnel already disappeared? And what lurks in the shadows, threatening to overwhelm first Ace and then the whole of Earth?

Verdict

What Still Remains was a great audio adventure to continue the series of BBC Audios! I'm a big fan of this range and apart from the Beyond the Doctor stories it's lovely to be up to date with things and listening as they're released. Another little Audible gift from my partner was most welcomed as I do love a freebie. After House of Plastic earlier this year I was a little surprised that we were getting another Seventh Doctor and Ace adventure, but this is only their second in the entire range so they deserve to have a few more under their belt that's for sure. I thought Sophie Aldred did a terrific job as the narrator and she really did well in giving different voices to the different characters. In a story like this which with one actor is actually pretty long at seventy-seven minutes, that's very important. One voice can become mundane but her enthusiasm maintained throughout and that was a delight to listen to. I thought the story itself was really intriguing and the discussion in the TARDIS about time decay was right up my alley. I'm a big fan of stories involving time and often if I find things confusing or it gets convoluted, that can actually be a positive. The idea behind the cycle lock and the research station being on a six second displacement was fascinating and it was certainly a clever way to get around researching a black hole up close and personal. Dr Novak was a decent character as the head of research but after seven weeks since going over the cycle lock, a long evacuation was in place to get everybody out. It had been ongoing partly because she didn't know what else to do to keep the crew occupied, but they had a false sense of reassurance when the Doctor and Ace arrived. I thought it was fun for them to feign as time agents, but Marlon in particular wasn't exactly buying it. Amelia as the other main character as part of the crew complimented the group nicely. I liked Ace's confidence in the Doctor's ability to fix the situation and his discovery that the problem was software rather than hardware seemed a bit easy. Surely the crew could have at least tried looking down that route? Things escalated quickly from there with the Doctor hearing the voice not of this university and combining that with a shadow chasing Ace and things started to feel eery! The atmosphere matched the cover art which was tremendous. The Remnant served as a brilliant focal point for everything that was going wrong and I loved that it fed by collapsing the fourth and fifth dimensions of its prey. That's incredible! It was all that remained of a previous universe that was trapped in a neutron star which the research crew thought was an infinite energy resource. It's not exactly the worst mistake made but it proved costly. Marlon believing that the voice was his brother Jacob who was the first to succumb added a decent sense of emotion and it was him through what he thought was his dead brother that placed the code. The whole plan to use the time displacement to go back the whole seven weeks in the first place and change history was admirable and logical, but it was never going to fly. I thought the resolution's simplicity was actually terrific in having the Doctor materialise the TARDIS around the facility and the Remnant was instantly inert once inside the TARDIS with the state of temporal grace. That works well and certainly makes sense! As long as it was held within the TARDIS then it couldn't do anything. Perhaps leading the way for a future return? I'd like to see that as a threat from a previous universe sounds full of potential. Overall, a fine little listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Identity Check

"What gives you the right to question?"

Writer: Eugenie Pusenjak

Format: Audio

Released: February 2023

Series: Short Trips 12.04

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Colossus River Diversion is one of the greatest engineering projects in the universe, created by different species all coming together to create something spectacular. However, the Doctor and Rose arrive, old tensions boil to the surface and threaten to derail everything.

Verdict

Identity Check was a great little story to continue my way through the twelfth series of Short Trips! I was excited to see that this was a Ninth Doctor and Rose story as those have been few and far between at Big Finish, with this episode predating the fourth series of Ninth Doctor Adventures that reunites Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper in their iconic roles by over two years! So with that just starting this feels like a little bonus which is terrific. I was also very glad to see that Jacob Dudman was the narrator and I must say, his impression of the Ninth Doctor was fantastic. Pun very much intended. It was so good and it provided an immediate sense of authenticity to things. Every aspect of the mannerisms and likeness was absolutely incredible. I don't remember him being this good for the Ninth Doctor Chronicles series so this was a real treat. His take on Rose was less impressive as you would expect, but she didn't have a great deal to do in the story so that wasn't felt at all. It was generic female and that's all it needed to be really. This episode was all about Irving. He was an intriguing character and the concept of somebody literally glitching is intriguing. I thought the fact he was speaking English was going to have something to do with the TARDIS translation circuit and the arrival of the Doctor, but the truth was a little more complicated than that! His dreams of the War for New Rock despite that conflict being over a decade ago was fascinating and the mystery of hearing the name Vragroth was certainly intriguing. The Doctor was keen to help and a quick TARDIS trip later to the source ensured we got answers. I thought the truth regarding the individual now known as Irving was actually pretty sad and showed the horrors of war. When he realised he was on the losing side, he'd taken a dodgy deal to rewrite his life. He took the concept of a disguise to a whole new level as his DNA was rewritten and his memories were overwritten. I can't imagine being willing to give up your memories no matter the life experiences endured, but he was desperate and ashamed. He had conducted murders and the Doctor was not going to let that slide, as he shouldn't. He was pretty harsh towards Irving because that's not who he really was. He had taken someone else's memories and replaced him with the dodgy doozy he'd done the deal with and taken the tech from only able to utilise the resources around him. On a battlefield, those resources are the dead. That was pretty grim, but it didn't take Vragroth too much convincing when the alternative options were the likes of squirrels! Irving seeing his past unravel and the Doctor realising the tech that was holding the new identity and DNA together was dodgy and worn out was certainly a predicament! The Doctor helped ensure he would do right in his returned body and with the conflict long since over, I thought it was could how he saw the Dravonians in a different way. The right way. Oh, that species name is such a rip off! I got very excited at the start as I thought I heard Draconia as the setting. That would be a great place for the Ninth Doctor to visit! It was strong for the Doctor to reminisce on his efforts in the Time War and what he did wrong to then become the better person he was now. That's what Vragroth had going for him now after encountering the Doctor. Overall, a really strong audio adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Masterpiece

"Soon I shall be whole again."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: April 2016

Series: Jago & Litefoot 11.04

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

The Master's plan is nearing completion – and he is sure that Jago and Litefoot will help him bring it to fruition. With Inspector Quick increasingly under the Master's influence, the Infernal Investigators find themselves tired and fatigued, as if their very life force is being drained away...

With the help of Ellie together with strangers hpynost Madame Sosostris and her assistant Mr Nocturne, Jago and Litefoot finally track down the Master. But as they make their way towards his lair, the Time Lord's true scheme is revealed.

Verdict

Masterpiece was a terrific little episode to conclude a really solid and consistent eleventh series of the Jago & Litefoot spinoff! This almost felt like something of a conclusion to large aspects of the range with the Master's comments about the meeting here potentially being the last time they would ever see the Doctor. He of course meant because he would be taking his artron energy life force, but knowing that there isn't long left with this range for myself for the worst and most saddening of reasons made this feel pretty poignant. I think the continuity is great in having the Sixth Doctor appear in disguise once again as Professor Dark and I really enjoyed that when Jago and Litefoot couldn't wrap their heads around what was happening to them as they were growing weaker and weaker, Baker Street was where they went for getting in touch with the Doctor. It was a solid idea to go to his own residence, but would he really just show up? The throwback to The Year of the Bat and Litefoot remembering the use of letters and time travel there was brilliant and it turned out that the Doctor had arrived a little early. He'd got the letter all fine which was nice to know and had certainly been looking out for his old chums, but he had to let events play out and ensure there was no paradox. What if his early interference meant that the letter never got written? But then how would he come to be when and where he was? Jago's description of the potential issues with a paradox without ever really understanding it was a glorious moment that I thoroughly enjoyed. He's just such a fun character that continues to shine. I liked the use of the Master in this story and with it being the finale, he was rightly the focus. In his decaying incarnation, he's desperate and that makes him incredibly dangerous. The fact he was feeding upon humans to renew himself was pretty horrifying, but he needed the Doctor to sustain himself fully. The replenishment from humanity wasn't a long term solution, but it was good to hear him have a bit more energy after taking the life force. It was a really great performance from Geoffrey Beavers. The qualities he brings to the role of this very different incarnation of an iconic character are endless. I thought the use of the mirrors in the story was really good and it was amusing to think that they were linked to the DNA of Jago and Litefoot respectively. It would obviously be somewhat suspicious if they were both feeling bad, had been randomly gifted new mirrors, and then suddenly they were seeing premonitions of them looking in somewhat zombified states. That was the fate that awaited them as the mirrors continued to drain their life force. The Master wanting to utilise them both to be in a position to take on the Doctor's own artron force was a dastardly plan. I thought the way it all turned back on him was fantastic though as Quick revealed he wasn't actually under the Master's hypnosis. It was all a ploy! I'd have liked some details on just how that came to be, but it was a moment where the tables had clearly turned against the Master. The Master wasn't actually draining the life force from them but the Time Lord was actually rejuvenating them with what little life force he had left after the Doctor's own alterations ensured the flow was reversed. It was pretty simple but very effective! It was also good for the Master to then be able to escape in the TARDIS and despite it being nearly powerless, he'd siphoned the residual energy from the Doctor's own TARDIS landings and take offs at Baker Street to dematerialise. Destination Traken perhaps? The cliffhanger finish after the Master tapping into Ellie's demeanour and her feeling her vampire aspects take over was very good and another great setup for the next series to come. It's been a long time coming to return to this so I'm very excited! Overall, a great conclusion to a very good series. 

Rating: 8/10

The Woman in White

"I don't think I've ever seen a man as dead."

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2016

Series: Jago & Litefoot 11.03

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

The great actor Henry Irving is not as great as he once was. In fact, he's awful – a shadow of his former self. Worried that something may be terribly wrong, Irving's assistant Bram Stoker enlists the help of an old friend – Henry Gordon Jago. 

With Irvin's state deteriorating, Professor Litefoot also faces a challenge. He performs an autopsy on a man who has had all his bodily fluids drained from him. Can the detectives discover the connection between the great actor and the mysterious dehydrated corpse? And how does it relate to the Woman in White who supposedly haunts Irving's theatre?

Verdict

The Woman in White was another very strong episode to continue my way through the eleventh series of Jago & Litefoot! I thought the cover art for this adventure was tremendous and I was actually very excited for a horror kind of vibe. It looked very much in the vain of something from The Conjuring or a '60s horror film, and whilst I did enjoy the episode very much I don't think it quite got to that fear territory which was a shame. Victorian horror could have worked tremendously well for a Jago & Litefoot tale but the titular woman never quite felt scary. I thought it was good that only some people could see her and with her description it's no surprise she was feared by the local population, but something seemed off about the simplicity in which Litefoot revealed he could also see her simply from another angle. The humour in the episode was most welcomed though when it came to Jago as you would expect. He is just delightful and he can make nearly anything hilarious. His line about the unusual autopsy conducted by Litefoot on August Augustus and it probably not leading to anything nefarious was tremendous because you would expect him to think otherwise after everything they've been through! We are eleven series in now so you would think that even Jago would have a knack for spotting the unusual, but alas he did not. And that really is part of his charm. I hope he never changes. Speaking of changes, the running gag of his trousers being ruined when going underground was excellent and I can see him genuinely being irked. They were his favourite pair and they'd seen some things through their lifetime! That was glorious. I thought the story behind Henry Irving actually became quite sad in parts as he was severely suffering from a mental perspective. I was a bit surprised given the cliffhanger to Maurice that we didn't get much from the Master here, but as has been the case with much of the series when he has shown up it's been impactful and all a part of his patient plan. I'm not sure how I feel about his plan in using Jago and Litefoot to get to the Doctor, but his reasoning for needing his Time Lord nemesis and wanting to be saved is fascinating. Of course for the Master this is at a point between The Deadly Assassin and The Keeper of Traken where his survival is up in arms and he really is desperate. The use of obtaining Litefoot's DNA as well to manipulate him sets things up for a potentially disturbing finale and it's one I'm all here for. The concept here of a completely dehydrated corpse was almost difficult to visualise but it sounded horrifying. Quick and Litefoot were even put off by it after everything they had seen. The truth about the woman and the whole rallying around the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was intriguing and did feel very Victorian, but I'm not sure that he we needed a random alien. I'm contradicting myself a bit there though because I'm not convinced anything natural could drain a body lifeless, but it just didn't have the vibe of needing an alien presence. I liked how Irving kept making reference to his master and with this being pretty common terminology in the Victorian era, the Master's identity remains hidden. I love the idea of him being in the shadows and that makes sense with him needing saving, and so here we are with his next phase being to send Jago and Litefoot to a breaking point where their only option is to call for the Doctor. I'm excited for the finale after a patient and solid build up. Overall, another very good listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Maurice

"I've been dying so long I hardly feel the pain."

Writer: Matthew Sweet

Format: Audio

Released: April 2016

Series: Jago & Litefoot 11.02

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

As he tightens his grip on Inspector Quick, the Master becomes interested in the young composer Maurice Ravel. For his part, Ravel befriends Professor Litefoot. But is anyone truly who they seem or able to control their own destiny and actions?

When Litefoot goes missing, it's up to Jago to investigate. But the Professor fins himself in a nightmare landscape where reality and fiction seem to have merged. Will he ever manage to escape? And if the real Maurice Ravel is trapped with Litefoot, who exactly is walking the streets of London?

Verdict

Maurice was another very strong episode to continue my way through the eleventh series of Jago & Litefoot! I mentioned in my blog yesterday for Jago & Son that I wasn't expecting much of the Master in this story, but how wrong I was! He made a huge impact at the start and finish of the episode which was magnificent. I think the idea of the decaying incarnation making a home of Victorian London is very intriguing and there are certainly easier ways to get the Doctor's attention! I thought his importance without featuring was unexpected but it certainly makes sense. A large number of the mad plots for the Master involve the Doctor, but I wasn't expecting the clockwork entity to also be focused on the Time Lord. The whole nature of the episode was fascinating and whilst I think doppelgänger or impersonation type plots can be a little confusing on audio, it worked well here with the clockwork take on the voice. It provided something different that could easily be distinguished which isn't always the case in this format. Voices are so important so when the same one is two different versions of a similar character it is difficult to make it work. No such issues here thankfully. I thought the character of Maurice himself was good and certainly interesting. He had a charming personality and quality that made him almost instantly amenable. The fact that he had encountered the Doctor was intriguing and I liked how the Master was obviously intrigued by the watch bearing the Prydonian seal! That was very exciting and I thought we might be delving somewhere into Time Lord lore, but that didn't materialise unfortunately. Litefoot being trapped in that was almost like a Victorian version of the Land of Fiction was really interesting, especially given the fact it was a piece of work he knew well. Hell, he was even quoting from it! Maurice being in there with him was good and the problem of Litefoot going missing was a good way to spring Jago and company into action. I was actually surprised by how useful Sergeant Quick was despite being under the Master's control, and that was something he addressed here. He was basically aware that he was being controlled and that has the potential to become pretty powerful. I enjoyed the threat the Clockwork version of Maurice provided and I don't know what it is, but there's something just so incredibly eery about the sound of ticking clockwork. It works so well as a villain, although hearing the entity in its true form took that factor away a little. I liked that it had been tracking the Master and picked up on his artron energy being left across London, but the rogue Time Lord was so far ahead of the game. The way he seemed to be initially accommodating of the entity was interesting and I almost thought they were going to form an alliance when their shared focus on the Doctor was revealed, but the Master is not one to share. The fact he poisoned the Clockwork figure that was then impersonating Litefoot was glorious. He also got intel on Jago and Litefoot which was marvellous to set up the next episode as he looks to meet up with the Doctor's old acquaintances. That's very exciting and what the ultimate selling point of the series has been really! Overall, another really strong audio to continue the series. Things are getting tasty!

Rating: 8/10

Jago & Son

"My full name is Henry Gordon Jago Jr."

Writer: Nigel Fairs

Format: Audio

Released: April 2016

Series: Jago & Litefoot 11.01

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

With missing persons, dead bodies and a Satanist cult to deal with, both Litefoot and Jago need help. Professor Litefoot finds himself working with Jean Bazemore, an old archaeologist friend. Jago, however, finds he is assisted by someone he never even knew existed – his own son. Or is he? Can Jago be sure of anything?

But there is more to events than the detectives know. An alien menace is stirring underground. Once again,  Jago and Litefoot find themselves fighting for their lives...

Verdict

Jago & Son was a great start to the eleventh series of Jago & Litefoot! Wow! Eleven series is some effort and the spinoff really does show no signs of slowing up in terms of quality. It's a clever move to bring the Master into play and whilst his role was minimal here after the terrific cliffhanger last series at the end of The Museum of Curiosities, that was always going to be the way. The Master likes to play a long game and I can't wait to find out what he's up to here. I think the choice to go with the decaying incarnation is excellent because he can stay hidden in the Victorian shadows. I always get the sense of these episodes taking place at night and that's a scary place to allow the most desperate of Masters loose. The prospect of him being the Lord of Darkness referred to here was good fun and the description of decapitation was brutal. I can't wait to hear more of the Master now, especially with Sergeant Quick under his control. That's going to be a fantastic dynamic I'm sure. I thought the surprise introduction of Jago's son was very amusing and just such a fun thing to do. He's a glorious character so his reaction to being called father to send us into the titles was magnificent. The discussion with Litefoot regarding him potentially forgetting the act of recreation with Ruby Valentine was tremendous. Only Jago! Litefoot had his own romantic story going on in the form of Jean who was clearly on old flame reignited here. I think it's good for him to have this kind of relationship and I hope we hear more of it. Naturally, the story focused on Jago Jr and the dynamic he started to build with his supposed father was fascinating. The satanic cult vibe for the episode was good and I honestly couldn't help but laugh when they were chanting their ritual as I could only hear them talking about sultanas. I know that's not what they were saying but once it was in my mind it was very difficult to shake off! I think the use of religion was good and it's a great choice to go down for a Victorian era story in my mind. It works so much better in the past because it's just accepted then and things have already happened. Jago Jr turning out to be a part of that cult wasn't much of a surprise but it was some shift to go from thinking Henry was his father to instead believing he was the son of Satan. Quite the two contrasting father figures there! It's a shame he basically disappeared at the end but I'd like to think he'll show up again. Surely there are unanswered questions with this kind of familial relationship? Or is Jago really just putting it down to a night that was a bit too heavy on the ale. Litefoot actually performing then post-mortem on Ruby was a little disturbing, especially when he was finding odd things in her undergarments! The description of her death was horrifying and that was perfect for fitting the story's vibe. Ellie is a useful character in setting the scene regarding gossip of the disappearances and given everything that's happened over the past ten series, it's safe to say this isn't a place you'd feel safe! And now the Master is prowling around with Quick under his control. I don't expect to hear too much more of the Master in the next episode, but his presence being there is enough to keep me extremely interested. I can't wait to hear more, but for now this was a fun little opener to what looks to be another great series! 

Rating: 8/10

Gemini: Twin Piques

"They had fought to save the people from a tyrant."

Writer: Mark Michalowski

Format: Short Story

Released: March 2002

Printed in: Short Trips: Zodiac 03

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie

Synopsis

Take a TARDIS trip through the constellations, as the Doctor travels to twelve thrilling tales inspired by the mystical zodiac. 

Telepathic fish, miniature lions and twin planets are the least of his problems, as the Doctor – all eight of him – faces the Capricorn Killer, endures a mind swap with the Machiavellian Master, and dances with Death herself. 

And that's not the half of it – as the two K9s can attest.

Verdict

Twin Piques was an average story to continue my way through the Zodiac edition of Short Trips! This was a really intriguing story to say the least and I found it almost baffling at times despite being a unique adventure. I think the pairing of the Second Doctor and Jamie is marvellous and I like how these prose adventures and the expanded media can fill the gap between Fury From the Deep and The Wheel in Space between Victoria and Zoe as companions. The dynamic between the Doctor and Jamie was excellent and I was really impressed with the characterisation of both. The chemistry was terrific and that was a delight to read. It was undoubtedly the highlight of the story for me as the plot itself was rather problematic. I like the idea of the Doctor and Jamie being serenaded after helping King Gavin ascend the throne and send his brother packing into exile, but then things initially felt like they were venturing into The Ark territory when the TARDIS departed only to seemingly arrive at the same place but at a different time. That concept is fun but it’s such a rare chance that I can’t accept it happening twice in successive regenerations. Now, it essentially didn’t happen but it felt like it did at the same time. This is the problematic issue I had with the story and the title comes into play there. I think the idea of a doppelgänger planet is good and it’s not actually anything new as we’ve seen in The Tenth Planet. But the presentation here was a bit iffy. I liked that the difference between the worlds was just the brother in charge but what got me was that the Doctor and Jamie were remembered on the second world. It had been ten years since Conrad was helped to the throne and the reaction of the Doctor and Jamie in seeing the statue bearing the wrong face in blocking the Tower was amusing. I thought the realism in the story was welcomed and it’s no surprise that Jamie was getting involved with the king’s daughters! He had a wail of a time. I could see that and it’s just natural that stuff like this would happen in the world of travelling the universe. The Doctor found it a tad awkward to acknowledge what Jamie had been up to but he knows he was a young man and this was normal. He could do what he wanted. I don’t think the use of the fast return switch was actually utilised correctly here. It was a logical step to use it to go back to the initial world where they had helped bring Gavin to the throne, but it is supposed to take them right back to where and when they were. That last part is important because they seemed to jump ahead in time on that world too which I didn’t agree with. They found the correct ruler as the statue’s face, but I don’t think the timing was right there. It took me out of things a little there. I did like the idea of the Doctor getting the two kings from different planets together, but what was the real aim? To then have them be nice and peaceful with their true sibling? I thought finding out the conflict between them was due to stupid stuff like the way they eat with their mouth open or breath was an audible sigh from myself on the train commute. It was just rubbish. I didn’t like it all and whilst it was nice for the brothers to slowly get somewhere back on good terms, what then on their respective planets? It didn’t make sense as a doppleganger version. It should have gone the parallel universe route. Jamie’s reaction to the suggestion there was another Doctor out there was a nice way to end though. Overall, probably a bit too convoluted for its own good. 

Rating: 5/10

Coffee

"We keep this city safe."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: January 2021

Series: Torchwood Monthly 46

Featuring: Ianto

Synopsis

Baps has long been the best (and only) cafe in Cardiff Bay. But something's coming to the Bay – will it be posh coffee or aliens? 

David thinks that Cardiff's under a curse, ever since his Mum went missing. One day, a young man called Inato Jones walks into David's cafe. He's looking for something. Will he help David learn what's really going on in the city?

Verdict 

Coffee was an outstanding story to continue my way through the monthly range of Torchwood at Big Finish! I had no idea what to expect from this episode and I was intrigued by the name. I didn’t read the synopsis prior to listening so I was really thinking can they possibly do an adventure about coffee? Of course, it wasn’t quite that simple but in a roundabout way the title was exactly what the story was about. The Baps coffee shop at Cardiff Bay was a terrific focal point for the story and it served as the setting for an emotional journey through Ianto’s time at Torchwood Three. I thought that was wonderful and the format was just magnificent. It just worked as a retrospective on such a strong character. David and Kathy were fantastic characters in the cafe and they had their own emotional journey as they realised they belonged together. The cafe was in David’s family for decades but he was struggling to let things go when it came to the recent loss of his mother. That was understandable but Kathy was trying to help him along the way and see that some things needed to change. The cafe needed modernising. David blamed aliens for the loss of his mum and that became quite an obsession for him. He was very much against them in any form and Ianto was keen to try and point out that not all aliens were out for invasion and taking over the world. Cardiff’s proximity to the Rift meant many had just fallen through and were scared themselves, but David would just have them all killed if he had his way. He was very prejudice and that was intriguing to listen to as he dealt with his grief. I thought the journey through Ianto’s time at Torchwood was brilliant and I loved how it started right from the time he was interviewing for the role. There were rumours of a pterodactyl in Cardiff Bay which was amusing but then we had references to the likes of Day One and Cyberwoman right up to Exit Wounds and Children of Earth: Day One. The latter of the first half there was referenced so strongly with the Japanese businessman and Ianto referring to his girlfriend, but the biggest impact came from the latter episode and the way Roald Dahl Plas exploded. That was incredibly presented and I loved how Kathy’s first thought was of Ianto. By now they knew he was part of Torchwood. Ianto demonstrating that not all aliens were bad to David was done in brutal fashion as he feigned that he’d need to amputate his arm, but the message was clear even if Kathy didn’t quite agree. Andy popping into the coffee shop to reflect on Ianto’s life and announce that he had died was a really poignant moment. It was a lovely cameo to round off the journey through Ianto’s time, and brought some closure to Kathy and David as they found out that he really did save the world. Overall, a simply stunning adventure. A shame I don’t like coffee as I’d drink one to this audio!

Rating: 10/10

What Lies Inside?: The Dalby Spook

"It's not alien, it's ordinary."

Writers: Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle

Format: Audio

Released: November 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures 9.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

After encountering Harry Price, the Doctor decides to solve an infamous case before the paranormal debunker can.

But Liv and Helen are more concerned for the girl at the centre of events. What is really going on at the remote Isle of Man farmhouse? And who is Gef, the talking mongoose?

Verdict

The Dalby Spook was another excellent story to conclude the What Lies Inside? series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This had a very different feel to Paradox of the Daleks as you would expect and it was refreshing to get a historical adventure with this TARDIS trio. I don't think we've had too many of those given the nature of the range over the last four series so this was good stuff. I thought it was a nice touch to visit 1933 with it being Helen's year of birth and I enjoyed the humour of the Doctor and Liv having a bet about the Time Lord being able to steer the TARDIS. The technicality in play here with the Doctor tracking the signal coordinates was nicely done. I really liked the Isle of Man setting and it's certainly a place high on my bucket list to visit. I thought the Doctor, Liv and Helen posing as journalists for the latest paranormal effort of Harry Price was great and I loved how Liv was keen to showcase that they were not the Doctor's assistants but his colleagues. She just about stayed on the right side of the law in making her remarks about gender very much felt. She's a very powerful character and I love her for it. She continues to shine and is growing into one of my favourite companions. I thought the concept behind the Sleech was pretty good and I was fascinated in my research after listening to find that the original idea for the psychic enemy was to be the Mara! It's a huge shame Big Finish couldn't obtain the rights to use them, but the nod to Kinda with the Doctor referencing the mirror trick picked up on Deva Loka was a decent substitute. I think the adaptation to the Psychevore was still very well done and it was terrific to have a red herring in the form of Gef. He was a weird character to say the least as a talking mongoose and Voirrey being almost consumed by her relationship with him was uncomfortable at times! It was such a strange dynamic. The Doctor was certainly feeling unlike himself for big parts of the story which Liv and Helen were quick to pick up on which I liked. They knew that things weren't as simple when it came to Gef and they were surprised by his lack of concern for Voirrey. Her father wasn't the nicest of men to say the least and it took the companions to notice that. The Doctor had trapped Gef in the box and thought that was everything sorted, except it turned out that the mongoose was the one to have sent the signal in the first place because of the Psychevore threat! Jim being possessed by it made sense as he was pretty terrible to his daughter and the moment before the paranormal activity began and he actually wanted his daughter tied up in rope was horrifying. Liv and Helen obviously objected and it became uncomfortable rather quickly. It was easy to tell that there was something more to him, but I did certainly get done by the red herring of Gef. The Doctor stumping him by asking about his name was a fun moment though! Voirrey not having much sense of decorum for guests was great as she relayed the truth from Gef about the Doctor and his companions not being from the Times as they suspected. I also love that the Eighth Doctor was using his psychic paper to receive the message! That feels like a good gap to bridge eras. Mister Timms was a fascinating character too and him knowing there was a Liv who'd arrived in a blue carriage was very intriguing! I was surprised the Doctor was so willing to ignore that and focus on Harry despite his historical reputation. I thought the Doctor realising his mistake in the TARDIS and then going back to save Voirrey was a nice touch and getting the Psychevore into the box was done pretty promptly! I liked that he saw the errors in his ways and made amends. Overall, a really eery atmosphere and a fine historical setting! A fantastic boxset concludes in style.

Rating: 9/10

What Lies Inside?: Paradox of the Daleks

"She was not a Dalek. Her life was worthless."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: November 2022

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures 9.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

When the TARDIS is drawn to a space station running temporal experiments, the crew discover Daleks in control in the aftermath of an invasion. But these are no ordinary Daleks...

To stop his mortal enemies gaining control of the time technology, the Doctor must work out why these Daleks are here and where they came from.

A war fought through time has many fronts – and in this battle, the Doctor, Liv and Helen will face mortal danger in every time and place they find themselves.

Verdict

Paradox of the Daleks was an excellent start to the What Lies Inside? series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! I've got this down as the ninth series but that is certainly debatable given the nature of everything between Dark Eyes and Stranded, but I'm counting each of those quadruple boxset series as their own series, but hey, what does it really matter? I liked that this is a new direction for the Eighth Doctor, Liv and Helen and it's just nice to see them actually travelling the cosmos. I thought the reference to Best Year Ever with Helen mentioning it being five weeks since they departed Baker Street was good and gave us a good frame of reference. We're still close to those events but we're also enough time past them now for the TARDIS trio. The Doctor being enticed by what he named as the temporal helix was fun because despite there being no danger and the TARDIS not scheduled to go anywhere near it, he had to investigate. He's always been curious and this was another great example. It didn't take long to establish that the Daleks were around and I loved the idea of them being from the future. The insinuation that these were Daleks from the Time War was excellent and their effort to establish a bridgehead and attack with surprise was intriguing. I thought it was silly of the Doctor to realise that their conflict would not be with the Time Lords, although his name dropping the Sontarans certainly gave me a wish list of temporal conflict! This story was a typical John Dorney effort and that's a brilliant thing. He is known for being out there when it comes to the nature of time and the format of storytelling and this was another great addition to the list. The title itself was exciting because I do love a good paradox and this was just full of them. It certainly lived up to its name! I thought the cliffhanger finish was outstanding in just exterminating the Doctor dead repeatedly and announcing that there were no life signs. That is pretty darn emphatic. I figured that the paradox was going to come into play somehow and those events would be reversed and not happen, but the truth was actually so much more fun! The whole madness of Liv and Helen being sent back in time by Peetom and to basically set up everything they would hear on their arrival and meeting him was ludicrous and it got barmy but in a very enjoyable way. Sure, things may have got a little repetitive as events played out again and we got the same dialogue, but it wasn't overkill. Liv and Helen hiding within Dalek casings and the splash of paint to mark them out was terrific, but then so was the Doctor as being inside the Black Dalek without them knowing! The little nod to The Space Museum as he acknowledged being inside a Dalek before many faces ago was lovely and it was all just a bit mental from there. I appreciated how Jemash was on hand to be the one confused and she initially was not going to run from the Daleks. The way she played along with the Doctor's bluff was great and the way he framed the Supreme Dalek as the impersonator and traitor was sublime. He was the only Dalek that was actually true to form! I liked how this was Helen's first experience of the Daleks and it was a big one. Liv having knowledge helped and I liked that even the Kaled mutants were presented as a threat. The Doctor then having to create the temporal helix that he himself was captivated by that brought them to the space station in the first place was wonderful. It was the very definition of a grandfather paradox in so many respects! Nearly every aspect of the story was a paradox and the very nature of that meant the knowledge of the Time War was ironically kept from the Doctor at this point in his life. I did like how he meant to discover the origin of the bronze Daleks, but not today. Overall, a fantastic story to start the series! 

Rating: 9/10

The Three Flames

"We've come this far in faith."

Writer: Fio Tretheway

Format: Audio

Released: February 2023

Series: Short Trips 12.03

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

Fleeing from a dying world, a family of Tenaborgs crash land on a strange planet. Their only hope of survival? A stranger called the Doctor.

Verdict

The Three Flames was a good little story to continue my way through the twelfth series of Short Trips! It's an easy way to go for Big Finish in exploring the solo adventures of the Twelfth Doctor because there is ample opportunity for it given the way Clara was using the TARDIS as a hop on and hop off sightseeing service and even with Bill she wasn't constantly onboard, but it did seem that this particular story took place early on in the run for this incarnation which was good. The events of The Day of the Doctor seem to be somewhat fresh for the Doctor as he recalls having his planet saved but it still being lost. It's good to know that he will get there in this regeneration but crikey he goes the long way around! It's a nice touch that this Doctor of all Doctors wants to specifically help save planets because he knew the feeling and I assume relief of finding his after so long and everything he had been through that saw it lost. The grief he's dealt with and carried through numerous lifetimes. He wouldn't want the planet of the Tenaborgs to suffer the same fate. I thought the theme of family was really important in this episode and it was fascinating to see that presented with what was essentially a beastly species. It didn't quite have the same loving feel which is probably prejudice of me as they weren't typically humanoid, but the same family dynamics were there. It felt a little weird listening to this one as I was rocking my seventh month old girl to sleep at a service station on the way back from a family holiday down in Torbay, as I felt awfully sad for Kaida as the child of parents who were bickering. I was only two when my parents broke up but I've seen the signs with my mum and step-dad who split after fifteen years of marriage. Luckily I was mostly away at university for the arguments, but I just looked at my girl and then my little four year old boy as well and I'm just grateful for the family relationship we have. We're so incredibly happy and I know how fortunate that is to have that camaraderie between us. Anyway, enough about me but it's just fascinating how I know my feelings towards this story would be very different if I listened in isolation on a train commute for example. I thought Vestyn an Dalia were intriguing characters and the paternal figure in Kaida's life being the one that was suspicious of the Doctor was always going to be the case. Kaida was actually very trusting of him and I mean he did save their lives so why wouldn't she be thankful for that? It made sense! The Doctor was admittedly a little abrasive and annoying with his sense of foreknowledge, but that almost led Dalia to trust him more! I thought Vestyn's anecdote about not trusting the Doctor but trusting her was powerful stuff at a time where the parents finally seemed to recognise the impact their bickering and arguing was having on their daughter. It must be so tough in times like that to be a single child. You'd almost feel responsible I imagine! I thought it was really mice that Vestyn seemed to come around to the Doctor because of the trust he put in Kaida. Age was nothing to him and he knew she could be relied on which was lovely. The planet was saved and the idea of this trio becoming the basis for a new story and iconography that would be passed down the ages was a good feel good factor in a story that had some strong emotional undertones. Overall, a good listen to continue the series. I just think Dan Starkey sounds too much like a Sontaran because he's that damn good! His Twelfth Doctor impression here was pretty decent though. It helped. 

Rating: 7/10

Bad Terms: Red for Danger!

"When light is absent, darkness prevails."

Writer: Nev Fountain

Format: Audio

Released: August 2025

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 9.02

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

New teachers Dr Pretorius (History) and Professor Brown (Biology) find a lot to alarm them at one of the most menacing places they've ever visited – a traditional English public school. Finding aliens among both staff and pupils, can they solve the mystery of Malcolm – a boy whose connection to the Doctor is closer than the Time Lord could ever imagine...?

Verdict

Red for Danger! was a great and rather unique story to conclude the Bad Terms series of Sixth Doctor Adventures! I thought the shift from a pirate-set adventure into the classroom was a stark contrast but it was one that really worked. I think there's something special about a school as a setting that just works. I think it might be something of the subconscious and how ominous a place it could be as a child. The comments about walking through the school when it was quiet and essentially abandoned in the main walkways was fantastic. I remember sneaking off from the main hall at a school disco into a corridor for a kiss back in year four and just being in the cloakroom and corridors in the dark was such a different feeling to that younger version of me. Of course, this was no ordinary school as the traditions soon became apparent. The Pullover Club was a fascinating aspect of the story and it was just accepted that they were the bullies and that was that. If one of them wanted dough balls after hours then they were going to get them. Or else! I thought Malcolm was a fascinating character and the idea of him being the Doctor's son was actually quite lovely. It was left with no doubts as to who he was describing at the start and the prospect of him actually having a TARDIS key and a segment of the Key to Time was quite spectacular! Talk about the gifts of a father. I thought the cliffhanger to part one where he announced his dad was Doctor Who was magnificent and there was actually a logical reason why he was using that term. It was a nickname he'd given his mystical father because he never really met him. The description of the long scarf and frilly shirt was initially confusing as that didn't match just one incarnation that may have fathered him, but it kept the mystery very much alive. I thought Reggie was a fun character to be on the side of Malcolm and he took a bit of a shining to Peri which is nothing unexpected, especially when the entire school was just male! Peri disguising herself as Professor Brown was fun and I liked how Darius Strangerman was onto her because he knew she was using a chameleon disguise. The fact that alien tech and knowledge was vastly present in such a real setting was terrific and gave things a rather unique feel which I enjoyed. Malcolm and the Doctor starting to bond was actually quite touching and felt very heartwarming as the Time Lord began to come to terms with the prospect of actually being a father here. The moments they built a sonic screwdriver together were lovely and Malcolm's reaction to being told he could keep it was joyous. He would then though take things way too far in his assessment of becoming a hero. He knew he would do things differently to his dad, but he went to the extreme. I thought the revelation of the truth about Malcolm's parents was slightly disappointing with it just being Andigor as someone who became the Doctor's biggest fan as a result of how he defeated him. That is pretty amusing and it explained the mixed attire! The Doctor was very quick to leave Malcolm back with his true parents and the link back to Planet of Fire with his TARDIS key being found at Lanzarote was very good. But the links to that serial wouldn't end there as Dr Drylake revealed his true identity as Turlough! That is a reunion I was not expecting but I'm all here for it. He was a bit of an annoying character which is now less surprising but with the school setting and the insistence of referring to a red-headed boy, he was always on my mind linking back to Mawdryn Undead. The idea of him now encountering the Sixth Doctor and Peri is very exciting and I'm intrigued to hear where things go from here. I'll certainly be purchasing the next boxset! Overall, a really strong story to a conclude a consistent and fun series! 

Rating: 8/10

Bad Terms: Saoirse of the Seven Seas

"Quit your prattling!"

Writer: Nina Millns

Format: Audio

Released: August 2025

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 9.01

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

Saoirse O'Grady, Queen of the Irish Sea, teams up with the brave Captain Peri (and her lowly second-in-command, the Doctor) to fight for justice for her people and her homeland. But her English foe, Sir Kenneth Rushworth, doesn't just have the law on his side – he has allies not of this Earth. Allies who have a very particular interest in Saoirse...

Verdict

Saoirse of the Seven Seas was a great start to the Bad Terms latest series of Sixth Doctor Adventures! Given the nature of the Sixth Doctor era at Big Finish this range has become a little bit of a hodgepodge when it comes to jumping across era since Hebe's journey was wrapped up, but that's no bad thing! I've still got a lot of catching up to do when it comes to Flip and Constance as companions, but this just seemed like the classic televised pairing of the Sixth Doctor and Peri so I was excited to dive right in. The prospect of Peri being a pirate captain was very exciting and whilst a pirate story is no new thing, not even to the Sixth Doctor with Doctor Who and the Pirates, this did feel refreshing for this pairing. Thankfully there were no musical numbers this time around but it definitely felt like a modern era adventure with a Classic pairing. A quick Google search seems to indicate that Saoirse O'Grady is a fictional pirate as the Queen of the Irish Sea and that really does make sense with the revelation that came towards the end with the identity of her baby's father! It would be quite the explanation in the Whoniverse if she was a real historical figure that went missing for example. I thought the way her pregnancy was revealed in the story was good and I loved how feisty she was. Being a female and captain of a ship would be met with conflict and challenges but she tackled them right from the off which I loved. She initially took the Doctor's surprise at her being the captain to mean he was prejudicing her gender but it was actually her age that more surprised the Time Lord. It was fun to hear how well she then got on with Peri, especially when the companion announced the Doctor as her second in command! I thought a bit more could actually have been done to play around with that dynamic and emphasise Peri's superiority, but it was a nice moment for the Doctor to proudly boast on the famous Captain Peri. I thought Sir Kenneth Rushworth was a good character and historical villain and his representing the English provided a fantastic dynamic with Saoirse being a proud Irishwoman. I thought the way the political strife between England and Ireland was presented was marvellous and as a patriotic Welshman I was certainly on the side of Saoirse. I'm eternally jealous of Ireland's independence! I thought Kenneth being in league with the Xeneroth was good and it was so obvious he was being used. Sure he had a seal that got him in a slightly better cell with Peri, but the fact he hadn't received payment suggested he never would. He was consumed by his desires to get riches though and it really did take over his mindset. The Doctor having knowledge of the Xeneroth species was good stuff too and I was glad that this wasn't something he had met in an unseen adventure. I hate when that happens because the scale of media in the Whoniverse now really suggests that we would have seen or heard or read about it somewhere. I thought the Xeneroth actually being the father of Saoirse's baby was unexpected, but it was clear she did have a history with him. I thought she was going to be an alien so that was definitely a twist I didn't see coming. The rest of the alien clan were not happy with the use of resources just to find one human even if it was the captain's daughter, and a revolt ensued. I thought the Xeneroth's ability to consume was impressive and provided some strong imagery for sure! The explosion at the end was a fitting way to finish things off and we got an emotional end for the Xeneroth as he knew he couldn't be with Saorise. They were just too different so he did what he had to for his daughter. The comical ending for Kenneth with him being on a plank after somehow surviving the ship explosion was humour. Overall, a really fun story to start the boxset! 

Rating: 8/10

Two Rivers and a Firewall: Firewall

"It's just a bad dream."

Writer: Barnaby Kay

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Diary of River Song 10.04

Featuring: River

Synopsis

River is living her dream life with her dream husband. But every paradise has a serpent and this husband might not quite be up to the task.

Verdict

Firewall was an excellent episode to conclude the Two Rivers and a Firewall tenth series of The Diary of River Song! Well, they certainly saved the best until last with this series as this was a magnificent listen. I love the idea of going beyond Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead with River Song because there's so much potential there with her essentially just existing as data and code. It's still incredible what the Tenth Doctor did to ensure her life lived on without him in the data core of the Library, but here we get a glimpse of how she might even go further than that. Of course, we get a little look into that possibility during The Name of the Doctor but we get an entire episode here. I really loved how the audio took that same jumpy feel from the aforementioned Series 4 two-parter as River was really starting to question her surroundings and the fabric of reality. How did they get from the stairs to the park and from one place to another in the blink of an eye? They just spoke something and almost immediately they were. The way that was captured was fantastic and really did honour the onscreen story. It was hugely impressive in capturing the atmosphere and as if that wasn't enough, we had two returning characters from it in the form of Charlotte and Proper Dave! I think it's fun to start things referring to River as a mother and with Charlotte as the child referring to her daddy as a superhero, you just naturally leant towards that being the Doctor. I was certainly leaning that way so to find out this was actually Dave was good fun. I think it's great to bring him back and whilst this tackles him after the Vashta Nerada encounter, there's a lot of potential to visit things immediately prior to the Library. They're an established team by then so that's definitely something I'd be keen to hear! The threat of Alan – or the Viper! – was almost amusing which makes it sound like he wasn't much of a threat at all, but with Mal infiltrating the system his unstable nature actually made things particularly dangerous. He seemed to believe that the Doctor had killed his parents despite official reports saying it was a medical error and whilst that surgeon was a John Smith, it was not the Doctor. That was a big mistake but the threat he posed was severe. The idea of him wanting the knowledge from the data core was enough of a recipe for disaster as the knowledge from every book ever written or that will be written is incredibly extensive, but he wanted the data that was River Song removed. That scarcely bares thinking about! It's a really strong threat that I enjoyed and I like how this episode essentially gave River her memories back even when within. I'm intrigued to see if this is any kind of loose pilot for The Death and Life of River Song series because I'm not entirely sure how that differs from this range, but I'm excited to find out! I thought the firewall was really good and an apt name and there's something special about a Dr Moon reference. He was a freaky character and Charlotte casually referring to how he saved her was eery in a story that was actually really nice with the family element. Dave and Charlotte's little takeoff roll call was a lovely little thing they had together. His wanting to talk about River's husband was amusing and there never was a right time to talk about it, but here they were still representing a family when the firewall threat was resolved. That was done well with the mistake being realised and the apologetic nature of Alan on the outside was somewhat comical. Overall, an exciting end to what turned out to be a decent little series! 

Rating: 9/10

Two Rivers and a Firewall: Black Friday

"They're just plastic. They're just things."

Writers: Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Diary of River Song 10.03

Featuring: River

Synopsis

Omnia Forum might just be the greatest shop in the galaxy and it's celebrating two hundred years at the heart of the retail sector. But when River attends the celebratory gala she finds it less 'everything must go' and more 'everything has gone'... apart from the Autons.

Verdict

Black Friday was a great episode to continue my way through the Two Rivers and a Firewall tenth series of The Diary of River Song! This was a really fun episode and definitely the best of the series so far. I didn't read the synopsis prior to listening to the story so I was pleasantly surprised by the appearance of the Autons! They seem to be the main selling point of the boxset to go against River Song so I was expecting them in the finale so this was a pleasing twist. I didn't get the vibes of them being present and with them not arriving into the episode until around the twenty-five minute mark, that just enhanced the moment for me! I mean, an intergalactic and literally planetary shop is a great place to find the Autons as the plastic present would be in a mass abundance! The idea of there literally being millions of shop window dummies and mannequins was terrific, especially when the question from River was entirely rhetorical. It didn't need thinking about! Mikhail was a fascinating character and one I really did feel sorry for at the start. He was clearly troubled and suffering the mental impact of being left forgotten and alone for so long. The greatest shop in the galaxy was actually very far removed from being just that and it was a fun concept to have the Autons place their bets on it being a success story and infiltrate before opening, only to be left stuck by the ion dampeners that were in place to prevent shoplifting. Escape was pretty difficult and that meant the Nestene Consciousness was going hungry. It had its presence in so much plastic, but there was nobody there to exert control over or just help them escape. The invitation to River was a clever means of getting her there, but throughout she maintained the difficulty of using her vortex manipulator to get more than just herself out. As she mentioned, it was the equivalent of a jet-ski rather than a minibus! She couldn't carry passengers, although the way she came around to the idea of being smooshed with Mikhail was pretty amusing. Their relationship was pretty interesting and I like the twist of him being an Auton duplicate all along. It wasn't a huge surprise given how troubled he was and his general demeanour, and River having knowledge from her father and what happened to him in The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang was a nice touch. There was just too much of his personality in the imprint and he held firm even when the Nestene Consciousness was defeated by River using the manipulator. That was nice and when he was non-organic she got very flirty indeed! That's just River but I did enjoy the innuendo. Almost as much as Mikhail initially using an Auton as a coat rack. I thought the revelation that he was actually the founder of the shop was unexpected but it made sense. He was a terrible businessman and the failure ha quite literally grounded him to a halt. He had no means off and I am intrigued by the way things concluded as it does appear that he was joining her on her travels. Might he be a new companion moving forward? Or is it just more of a little fling? I'm leaning towards the latter but I won't hate the former if it happens as it'll be a nice bit of continuity. I thought the use of Amica to converse with the Nestene Consciousness was clever and I also liked the silliness of the Glompers. Overall, this was a fun little episode that actually had a strong emotional pull at its heart. A very good listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Two Rivers and a Firewall: Beauty on the Inside

"I can save your life or I can observe royal custom."

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: Diary of River Song 10.02

Featuring: River

Synopsis

It would seem to be a perfectly ordinary painting of a forgettable royal family – so why did a biochemist smuggle it out of a closed colony at the cost of her own life? River is determined to find out.

Verdict

Beauty on the Inside was an average episode to continue my way through the Two Rivers and a Firewall tenth series of The Diary of River Song! Might we be running out of steam with this series? I really wouldn't say so and I do hope this is just a blip because River is a character with bags of potential with or without the Doctor and I mean this wasn't bad, the episodes are just usually consistently better! This had a feeling of filler and it's a shame that there appears to be no overriding story arc for the series, especially with the awful umbrella title! There was some decent stuff floating around within the story but it just felt a bit clunky at times for me. I don't think the society was fully fleshed out and we were just thrown right into the mix which was unsettling for such a different setting. I like the idea of River being at an auction and it was terrific the way in which she fooled the buyers into thinking she was spending big only for the currency to be shifted in one letter that wasn't easy to tell by pronunciation, but they certainly knew about it when the money started literally turning ghostly and disappearing! That was a humorous moment. I thought the idea behind the Nubots (if that's how they're spelt!) was decent and the whole concept of nanobots on the inside was fascinating. I appreciated that this was a unique take on the nanobots, but I'm not sure it came across perfectly on audio. It was fascinating to think of reverse ageing at a cellular level and River looking older than royalty claiming to be hundreds of years old. That longevity was impressive, but I think it could have been slightly more clear on the class divide that I think was trying to be highlighted. The Tremaji became quite an emotional rollercoaster of a family with them basically being broken about and so far removed from what they once were. Were they even human anymore? That was interesting to explore on an emotional level without any hint of a Cyber influence there. This was a very different means of losing one's humanity. Lazari was an intriguing character and the whole prospect of a plague to put an end to the nubots was somewhat drastic! It felt old school in what seemed like a more futuristic setting. Fama though was the very definition of working class and I think the casting there was also impressive as the voice was just perfect for showcasing that level of society. It was well done, although I think fining out that she was actually the prince's mother was a little late in the day. It felt like a big shock and twist but there wasn't enough time left to fully dwell on it. It didn't have that big impact and I think some more action would have helped. The story felt very still which meant that kind of revelation was lacking in packing a big punch. The breaking down of the Prince was quite emotional and you could see that he had lost any semblance of reasoning for his actions. He had tried to stop things from the inside and manipulate the nanobots at the last stage of overriding in the hopes of reshaping the royal image, but things had gotten so far removed by this point. It was all just a bit of a collapse! That was certainly an emotional moment and the torment was there to see, but I think some more details and just depth on the setting and royalty could have improved this one a lot. Still, it wasn't bad it was just a bit slow for me. Overall, some good stuff but definitely one that I wish I enjoyed more.

Rating: 6/10

Two Rivers and a Firewall: The Two Rivers

"Nice to meet me."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: The Diary of River Song 10.01

Featuring: River

Synopsis 

River Song finds herself on an irresistible mission – investigating the tomb of the legendary River Song! Except the statues don't resemble her and the tomb contains the body or someone very different... or does it?

Verdict

The Two Rivers was a very fun start to the Two Rivers and a Firewall tenth series of The Diary of River Song! I must say, as far as umbrella titles go for s series this has to be up there with the worst, but I won't let that get in the way of what was a great opener! The idea of River Song meeting herself is very exciting and whilst I think audio might be a difficult format for that to happen with River at two different points in her life played by Alex Kingston, we essentially got the second best thing here in the form of a future incarnation from another universe. Of course, we know from the events of Let's Kill Hitler that River gave up all of her future regenerations for the Doctor and yet this alternate version didn't even remember who he was! That was fascinating as I imagine River Song would be an incredibly different character and personality without him in her life. I mean, she did marry the man! She was conceived aboard his TARDIS in the Time Vortex and that at least was something the other River seemed to remember as she referred to herself as a Child of the TARDIS. That has a really nice ring to it and she also had recollections of Demon's Run going back to A Good Man Goes to War, but that's where the memories of the Doctor or anything related to him seemed to stop! I mean, she had a TARDIS which was exciting but she was so far ahead that she could barely remember the frizz of being the incarnation of River we most associate with the character. That's crazy! The whole concept of River being on a mission to investigating her own tomb is very The Name of the Doctor which I love but this was a lot more intentional. It's fun to think that the statues weren't bearing her resemblance and it's only in her current form that she went by the name River Song. I thought the threat of the Karla-Gard was pretty good and the other River having no regard for this universe in hoping to simply trap them and leave them behind was great because our River wasn't having any of that! I liked how they were like the dust of the Vortex and getting a namedrop for the likes of the Reapers and Vortisaurs is always a nice moment. Their connection with time was good and allowed for both Rivers to try and fix things by going back in time and retracing their footsteps. The death of Dern actually hit the other River hard but their continuously having to go further back in time because they were recognised and whilst that did get a tad silly and overdone in the second half of the episode, the fact it was a River audio (with two of them!) made it a little more acceptable in my book! The whole thing turning into a paradox was inevitable and I was surprised it took as long as it did for that word to get mentioned, but the Karla-Gard actually sounding scared at being stuck in one was a great way to see them off. The other River realising that the bridge was actually only created by the paradox was intriguing and it's just something I can't get my head around in the best way possible. A bootstrap paradox should be impossible. How can something be if it has no origin? And that's part of the fun. I liked how River got to meet another version of herself who was familiar but also distinctly different. Their chemistry and interaction was terrific and I liked how it blossomed as the episode went on. Overall, barmy and places but a really good little concept! A great listen to kick off the series.

Rating: 8/10

Death in Heaven

"The dead are coming home... all shiny and new."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 08 November 2014

Series: 8.12

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis

With Cybermen on the streets of London, old friends unite against old enemies, and the Doctor takes to the air in a startling new role. Can the mighty UNIT contain Missy?

Verdict

Death in Heaven was an excellent finale for Series 8! It concludes the story already started in Dark Water in impressive fashion and whilst it wasn't quite up to that standard, I find that the second part of finales have a tough task! How do you follow up the ending of the previous episode with the emergence of the Cybermen, the reveal of Missy being the Master, and the death of Danny Pink? There was a lot to tie up here and I like how the episode felt differentiated almost immediately with the arrival of UNIT. It's always welcomed to see Kate and Osgood return, and watching now with Kate still sticking around in the latest series it's crazy to think how young she looks here! She really has been around a long time and I'm all for that. She is more than living up to her father's name, and I'm just going to jump ahead here as this isn't the first time I've blogged or watched this episode! It was nice that when the Doctor was inserted as President of Earth that the jet had a picture of the Brigadier along, and the Twelfth Doctor was almost taken aback a little at the idea that all he ever wanted was a salute back. I genuinely believe him when he says all he had to do was ask. It sets things up for what's to come later in the episode and the explanation for how Kate survives falling out of the plane. I think the entire concept of the Cybermen harvesting the dead is horrifying, but it does lose its chilling effect a little once they emerge out of the ground and are a little clueless. And even Seb lets loose some of the details regarding 3W and what they really are. They're not technically in the afterlife but more of a data cloud. That still works for me, but it doesn't quite have the same impact. His death was hilarious though as Missy made an incredible impact. Honestly, Michelle Gomez is just extraordinary here. Off the chain bonkers. The way she literally plays with Osgood before killing her is outstanding! Killing off a popular character like Osgood really sells the truth about the identity of Missy. She's everything Master and more. I think the emotion that came from Danny being a Cyberman was actually strong stuff and whilst I'm far from his biggest fan, this was tough for Clara. The image of her hugging a Cyberman is just sad but I did like where she used her experience from Nightmare in Silver of the Cybermen to fake her identity as being the Doctor. That was brilliant stuff and a fun moment for sure. It was a rare moment of joy in what was a very dark finale! Missy giving the gift of a Cyber army to the Doctor feels awkward and it's just the start of a long term relationship she has with this incarnation. It does feel strange though that this was her plan all along! It was never going to work and he clearly wouldn't accept. Danny being someone to defy the Cyber programming despite the emotional inhibitor was good though and I can accept the love conquers all mentality. The image of the Brigadier as the Cyber Leader was just tremendous and even Gemma alongside my gave an aw at that moment and she's only seen Robot in which he featured! It's a lovely moment that ensure UNIT isn't quite decimated! The ending with the bracelet and Danny saving the child he killed as a soldier is almost as sad as the ending for the Doctor and Clara with them both lying to each other. The reaction of the Doctor to discovering Gallifrey wasn't where it had always been was heart wrenching. Overall, a stunning episode to end a very strong series! Less of Santa Claus though. 

Rating: 9/10