The Home Guard

"Did you know there's a war on?"

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: November 2019

Series: Early Adventures 6.01

Featuring: Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie

Synopsis

It's the middle of the Second World War and Ben Jackson has returned to visit his married friends Polly and Jamie in their quiet English village. But they can't quite shake the feeling that something's not right...

Verdict

The Home Guard was a brilliant Early Adventures audio! It's so good to be getting a full performed story with the Second Doctor pitted against the Master and I believe now, we just need the Ninth Doctor to face the old enemy, although with all of the Time War permutations that is going to be difficult without some time-wimey jiggling around. But here, it was really good to have that early continuity from The Destination Wars with this early incarnation of the Master present. I also loved the placement of the era with the Master also being fearful of the Time Lords with him also on the run from his home planet, something shared with the Doctor. I also thought the references to The Macra Terror were very good and outlining that Polly still had short hair, despite the cover artwork, was very fun. This kind of adventure definitely seemed to fit in well with the era and I could see this working on television. The whole brainwashing theme was really strong and the concept of Jamie and Polly being a married couple was very amusing! When the effect had worn off, Jamie not being too disappointed by that aspect of the mind control was terrific. He definitely wouldn't be disappointed to wind up living with her! Now, I would have expected the married couple to actually be Ben and Polly so having the Navy sailor come and visit them just felt awkward from the start which created the intended atmosphere. I thought the tone was dark and very much in line with the Master conducting an experiment. Having the Doctor as the Captain of the Home Guard was very fun too and just hearing him give commands felt wrong, especially in his second incarnation. I thought Frazier Hines did a tremendous job in bringing the Second Doctor back to life and it was wonderful for Anneke Wills to narrate and transition into Polly so seamlessly. Elliot Chapman as Ben was outstanding as well in recapturing the glory of that companion. From the cover and title, I was actually expecting the war to be one from history rather than one against spiders! I thought the spiders provided a good dynamic and threat and made sense for a Master experiment. The little hints at the truth were really good and I thought the pace was flawless in the mind control wearing off. The cliffhangers were great too with the first one being a predictable but still enjoyable firm arrival of the Master, and the final one seeing Robert shoot Ben after some hesitation by Polly! I thought that was really well done. Jill was a strong character too and her wanting to win the war right until the end showed just how much she was being controlled. But even when all was revealed and the Master was defeated, she just wanted to live in the fake history after an escape. The concept of the Master going on trial after breaking Galactic Law was amusing and having to enlist the Time Lords to defend him was all the impetus the Doctor required to get moving quickly. Hinting at the Doctor's origins prior to The War Games is always fun and even simple things like Jamie reacting to the Master also having a TARDIS are tremendous. It really is the little things! Overall, a really fun audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

The Tears of Isis

"Death will walk amongst us."

Writer: Una McCormack

Format: Audio

Released: June 2015

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 2.04

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Benny

Synopsis

Russell Courtland prophesied the world would end on Tuesday. No-one was more surprised than he was when it did.

Verdict

The Tears of Isis was a fantastic story to conclude the second series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! I have been very impressed with this series and it was a fitting return for Sutekh. I'm glad he got to encounter a new incarnation of the Doctor and the meddling and sneaky nature of the seventh version made for a fitting pairing. I thought the media involvement at the start of the episode with Russell Courtland on the news was not where I expected things to start following on from where The Eye of Horus finished, but that put things on a grand scale with Sutekh proclaimed as coming. I liked the idea of Sutekh having his own cult of followers and that really did show that the obelisks were doing their trick. The followers actually offering up Earth as a gift to their god was a bit of a surprise, especially with them wondering what would be left for them later in the episode. The Earth presented here was completely desolate and destroyed thanks to Sutekh with very little life to rule. That was a lot to take in for Ace and Benny. I was also a little surprised that the Doctor seemed so accepting of defeat, but he had a larger plan at work which was fun. I've certainly come to appreciate the manipulative nature of the Seventh Doctor by now after not getting on with him too well for a very long time. Isis appearing and also seeming to accept that her brother was victorious was good and sold just how desperate times were. I thought Russell trying to rally the troops as they started to question was amusing and the lack of Sutekh arriving led to several of them losing faith. Susannah telling Russell what to say to keep the following was very amusing at times and good comedic value. Benny's outbursts to the followers of Sutekh was a standout moment for her as a companion and showed just why she had her own series. She tried to explain that the acolytes would just be next for the God of Death and that proved right as he arrived to devour them in person. Some reward! The Doctor wanting to believe without Benny was a surprise but that allowed Ace to refuse and ensure her friend was also safe. Alyx was a very good character as the adopted daughter of the house and giving herself as a sacrifice to Sutekh was a surprise. Isis emerging and Sutekh killing her was chilling, but the calm nature in which he just despatched of Russell and Susannah when they were arguing over who should be sacrificed was incredible. The Doctor getting the upper hand on Sutekh when revealing that they were actually in the 29th century, where humanity had already fled Earth from solar flares, instead of the 21st was terrific as this Earth was already scorched and defeated. Sutekh was not in control. The fact that he then took the Doctor's body and the pair went back in time to the events of The Pyramid of Sutekh was excellent and Benny had already met this version as Sutekh was trapped in a loop. That was a fitting way to defeat a god! Alyx as a fragment of Isis reaching into the storm to pull the Doctor out was great and using her tears as the God of Life to bring the gift of life back to humanity was superb. Overall, a brilliant story!

Rating: 9/10

The Eye of Horus

"It's good to have a goddess here."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: June 2015

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 2.03

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

Ancient Egypt is enjoying a golden age – peace, prosperity and a powerful Pharaoh. But something is moving through the sands. A forgotten requests an invite to the feast.

Verdict

The Eye of Horus was an excellent story to continue the second series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! I was really impressed with this episode and it probably ranks as the best in the volume so far. The political and historical nature of it was tremendous and placing that in a somewhat modern era and fitting all of the mythology regarding Sutekh and his will for the Doctor was tremendous. It followed on nicely from where The Vault of Osiris left off with the Doctor and Benny being transported away, and having the latter arrive on a barge seemingly headed for heaven was quite the start! Of course, it seemed straight away that the Doctor was up to one of his audacious and secret plans so common of this incarnation, and when Benny realised that her reaction was terrific. It was nice to have Benny centre stage again whilst the Doctor was present, in a similar setup to the series opener, but this wasn't quite the Doctor we knew. The concept of him storing away his memories somewhere else in order to make room was brilliant, and with him basically becoming a different man he had garnered quite the relationship with the King. I thought Hatshetsup was a wonderful character and whilst I found it a little awkward for a women to be referred to as King instead of Queen, the comment at the end from Benny to Ace regarding the Doctor being set to be Queen was magnificent. A nice bit of a humour at the end of a very serious episode! Tutmosis was another fantastic character as the son of the King and Sutekh seeking him out as his way into the palace was great stuff. I enjoyed the decaying body of Sutekh which presented some good vulnerability which isn't always easy for a god! It had vibes of the Master first seen in The Deadly Assassin and I enjoyed that a lot. I really am so impressed with the booming voice of the god and it's such a calm and vengeful performance which is just perfect for a villain like Sutekh. The titular Eye of Horus playing an important role was good and the Doctor deducing Benny's presence as falling through Time as proof that the Eye was used was very good. However, I loved that this was actually about the Eye of Sutekh and the threat that posed in using the obelisks as a network was glorious. I thought that the position of Sutekh at the start and end of the episode was startling in its difference, and it was just so fun for him to take control. He had Tutmosis as the Chosen One of Sutekh and through the new King who he'd persuaded to perform a coup on his own mother, the god was firmly in control! The conclusion with Ace arriving in the TARDIS was great, although a little convenient with the timing, but it sets us up for what I'm sure will be an epic finale with the full TARDIS trio back together to tackle an all powerful Sutekh! The Doctor is proclaiming Sutekh's triumph, and that just excites for me what I'm sure will be a tremendous final hour of the series! Overall, a fantastic episode. 

Rating: 9/10

The Vaults of Osiris

"Is this another of your illusions?"

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: June 2015

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 2.02

Featuring: Ace, Benny

Synopsis

Egypt in 2015 is an unsettled place. The trade in stolen antiquities is a murky one, and it's about to get a whole lot worse, as an ancient and terrible force enters the market.

Verdict

The Vaults of Osiris was a strong episode to continue the second series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! This was a little different to what I expected considering how The Pyramid of Sutekh concluded, but it was a nice bit of relative calm before what I expect to be a big storm in the final two episodes! I liked in a series centred on the threat of Sutekh, that things took us to modern day Egypt. The inclusion of Ace was a fun dynamic with the Seventh Doctor only featuring briefly at the start and end of the episode. It was an exciting start with the Doctor and Ace in a flashback as to how they came to get in trouble with some Germans in 1941, and Benny once again then recalling how her version of the Doctor died by crumbling to dust was chilling. It's quite the concept of both companions of the Doctor having a different version of how he died, especially when he emerged from a tomb at the end of the episode! I liked how Benny and Ace were aiming to capture the Eye of Horus after the Doctor's comments before becoming dust in the previous story, and I liked the modern setting in going to the museum to try and get that. Except, somebody had beaten them to the punch! That was a good problem to have. Ace and Benny were a really fun pair and I particularly enjoyed their TARDIS scenes together. The banter over whether Ace could actually fly the TARDIS was terrific. I look forward to getting to the stories where she is on Gallifrey! Alozza was a really good character and I thoroughly enjoyed the female focus in this episode. The fact that she turned out to just be an illusion for the Osiran Isis was tremendous. I really enjoyed that we had another Osiran present and as the basis for yet another mythological god, and her laying a trap for Sutekh was a lot of fun. It was a little strange for it to be in the chambers of a Swiss bank though! But I quite enjoyed that oddity. Vasha and Graul completed the cast for the episode very nicely, with the latter a particular highlight with his role with Sutekh and as a follower. Despite not appearing at all, I enjoyed Sutekh's presence being felt in a profound way. I thought the action with the servitor robots was really strong too and Benny getting to react to them was great stuff. All signs leading towards the Eye of Horus was really good and given the title of the next episode, I thought that was a great direction. The cliffhanger finish with the Doctor and Benny being the ones to get transported away by Isis was fun and it seems that we'll get a full Doctor-Benny two-hander in the next episode. I do find it slightly amusing that Ace is just left behind, but things are all moves go once the Doctor returned in full throttle! As a whole, this was a nice pit stop and an important episode in the direction of the series. Overall, a very enjoyable episode! 

Rating: 8/10

The Pyramid of Sutekh

"The Egyptian Gods were real."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: June 2015

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 2.01

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

Professor Bernice Summerfield, archaeologist and adventurer, has discovered a Pyramid on Mars. Inside she finds her old friend the Doctor is fighting a battle with the Osiran God Sutekh. It is a battle he is losing.

Verdict

The Pyramid of Sutekh was an excellent start to the second series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! I thought this was a tremendous opener to what looks set to be quite the series and there was no beating the bush when it came to establishing Sutekh as the enemy and the Martian pyramid setting. I thought that was excellent and obviously we had the references to Pyramids of Mars, but this one felt a little darker and I was impressed with that. I think it's the right move to give Sutekh an entire series to cause havoc in and this episode really set him on his way strongly. The threat of Sutekh was established immediately as when we met the Doctor, he was already under the Osiran's control. Considering he didn't even have a physical form, that was mightily impressive of Sutekh! I like that this is the explanation for him returning as initially he was just present in the form of consciousness, but through the flesh loom a new body was being created. Gabriel Woolf as Sutekh really was magnificent and just hearing that booming and intimidating yet oddly calm voice was superb. It really presented the threat posed very well. Of course, as the title suggests this is a Bernice Summerfield series in which the Doctor is just present. I thought the episode did well in maintaining Bernice as the main character, as if the Doctor is around that isn't easy and not exactly common. I know next to nothing about Bernice other than the first volume of this series and everything that has come in the Monthly Adventures, but getting to know that one of the robots was speaking in the voice of her husband must have been chilling and uncomfortable for her. That was audibly evident and presented a fun dynamic in what was an otherwise dark episode. Even the CD artwork does a stellar job in creating that atmosphere. Benny's reaction to being inside a pyramid of dead Osirans was spectacular and I was amused that she tried to unite them against Sutekh once again as they were returning to life. Sylvester McCoy did a very good job as the Doctor in a possessed state, and just hearing the internal dialogue between the Doctor and Sutekh was terrific. I get the feeling a final confrontation will come later in the series. The line from Benny about doing what mummy said was a marvellous play on words as well. Lisa Bowerman really is underrated when it comes to comedy. I thought a little bit more description and impetus could have been made on the servitor robots being around, but that wasn't a major issue. It was nice to have them back. I liked the final moments between Sutekh and Benny as the Osiran seemed to initiate his intent to take over the universe now his physical form was returned, but the Doctor was still delirious and only able to deliver a final message regarding the Eye of Horus in being able to stop Sutekh. The Doctor turning to dust was an incredible image and should have had a lasting impact, but Benny getting almost immediate confirmation that he wasn't dead was a bitter disappointment! The arrival of Ace on the scene to lead into the next episode was great though and sets us up nicely. Overall, a very strong opener! 

Rating: 9/10

Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation

"Spirits of the Ice, Spirits of the Sun, show what I seek."

Writer: Ian Marter

Format: Novel

Released: December 1979

Series: Target 52

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana I, K9

Synopsis

Reluctantly cancelling his well-earned holiday, the Doctor sets off in the TARDIS to trace and re-assemble the six segments of the Key to Time on which the stability of the entire Universe depends.

Assisted by the argumentative Romanadvoratrelundar and K9, he lands on the planet Ribos in search of the first segment and finds himself entangled in the machinations of two sinister strangers, Garron and the Graff Vynda Ka.

Who are they? Is Garron simply a shady confidence-trickster dealing in interplanetary real estate? Is the Graff Vynda Ka just a power-crazed exile bent on revenge? Or are they both really agents of the Black Guardian, intent upon seizing the precious Key in order to throw the Universe into eternal chaos?

Risking his life within the monster-infested catacombs of Ribos, the Doctor has to use all his wit and ingenuity to find out ...

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation was a decent novelisation of the Season 16 opener! I thought this was a little hit and miss in places and definitely was a bit too bulky text heavy, but it served well in novelising the debut of Romana. I was impressed with how much I enjoyed Romana's emergence to the show through this book and the interactions between her and the Doctor were feisty from then off. The first incarnation of Romana doesn't rank highly on my companions list at all, which is ironic given my placement for the second incarnation, but I found myself enjoying her early dialogue with the Doctor as she arrived as an assistant in the quest for the Key to Time. I really enjoy the quest concept but I do think it goes on too long to span an entire season. It's fine in the opener because nothing has been repeated yet, but I do think it was a mistake to locate the segment hidden as the Jethryk so early on as that leaves things predictable of where we are going. K9 had a strong outing in this book and I did not remember his early interactions with Romana being so full of conflict. She didn't seem to get on well with his logical nature which was amusing in parts, but she was apologetic when it came to her snapping at the little robot dog. The conflict between the Doctor and Romana was excellent as well with the former trying to show off despite his inferior exam results at the Academy on Gallifrey. Romana didn't take well to having her inexperience used against her. The setting of Ribos has a lot of potential and it's no surprise that Big Finish will return to it in the Seventh Doctor Adventures. I particularly like the idea of Sun Time and Ice Time and definitely think more could be made of that. It's an intriguing position for a planet to be in, especially with its population being primitive. Binro being referred to as a heretic was good and I liked how he was firmly in belief that Ribos moved and that there were other planets. Garron and Unstoffe being from another world and having advanced technology was something he saw with awe which was nice. The Graff Vynda-Ka made for a decent villain and Garron trying to double cross and con him into buying a false mine was fun, but the monster was onto him and dealt with the scorpions laid for him brutally. I thought the Seeker was a bit too much of a bit-part role for how important she actually was, and there did seem to be a little blending of themes with religion and science. I did appreciate the amount of action that took place in the book with the caves and makeup of Ribos being utilised very well. I also thought the description at the end of the transformation of the segment into its true form was superb, but why Marter decided to rename the tracer as the ludicrous Locatormutor core is beyond me! Sometimes simple works best. I did enjoy the brief moments with the White Guardian in setting up the series arc, but that loses its place a little when things just stop here. I thought the death of Binro was emotional and I liked the fate of Sholakh as the commander. The Doctor swapping the Jethryk back with Garron at the end is so much fun as well and the Fourth Doctor at his best. Overall, a decent read!

Rating: 7/10

Galaxy 4

"At dawn, all of this will explode into nothing."

Writer: William Emms

Format: TV (Animation)

Released: November 2021

Series: 3.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands on a planet on the verge of total annihilation as it drifts too close to the three suns which it orbits. Trapped on the planet with them are the Drahvins, a race of warrior women, and the reptilian Rills. The Drahvins want to steal the Rill spaceship to escape the planet's death throes, and enlist then Doctor's help, which he is forced to give when Maaga, the cunning Drahvin leader, keeps first Vicki and then later Steven as her hostage. Even though the Doctor is determined to broker a peace deal between the two sides in this conflict and help everyone escape safely, Maaga doesn't trust him. Or the Rills...

Verdict

Galaxy 4 was a decent animation reconstruction of the mostly missing opener to the third season of Doctor Who! I was really excited when this story was announced as the next in line to get the animation treatment and that was solely because we've had a wealth of Second Doctor serials in the last few years, so to get a First Doctor adventure 'completed' was fantastic news! The choice of story may seem an odd one but it makes to get a release out after episode three was found a decade ago but only included on a special edition DVD of The Aztecs. At long last, we have Galaxy 4 in the collection now. I chose to watch the colour animation of all four episodes that make up this serial and unfortunately, I think the animation faltered slightly when it came to the storytelling. It might be a directorial issue or just the quality and design of the animation but for whatever reason, it didn't seem to work as well as the likes of The Macra Terror or The Evil of the Daleks. I can't precisely put my finger on why, but it just felt a little off. I think the animation made things feel a bit slow which was a shame, and it definitely did seem clumpy in parts which was a shame. However, the actual story is a decent one and I've always maintained that the Drahvins would be worthy of a comeback. But, as far as I'm aware, that is yet to happen! I thought the artwork for both Vicki and Steven was decent, although the former was presented as being a little too tall compared with what we normally see on screen. She seemed to be towering alongside the Doctor which just wasn't right. It was a delight on a personal note for me to be blogging something featuring William Hartnell as it seems an awfully long time since I've had that opportunity! The design of the First Doctor was a little strange with the way they designed his hair, and he probably was a bit too active on the barren terrain on the planet's surface, but that's using the animation to your advantage I guess. It just substitutes for authenticity a little. One thing that immediately caught my attention in watching in colour was then opening titles. I thought they were done brilliantly! I was also impressed with some of the panning out of Space and the surrounding planets. Whilst I'm not going to focus too much on the story as a whole here as I have two separate blogs for that, one for the surviving episode and the recons, and another of the Target novelisation, I definitely think the ending was enhanced with this viewing. The imagery of Maaga being left on the planet as it begins to break apart and we see a Chumblie and a Drahvin descend into the lava before she exits the screen was the stuff of nightmares! I cannot imagine that is how the original fourth episode aired. As a whole, it's a strong adventure and definitely one that's a shame to be missing given the importance of an entirely female alien enemy race, but they're recreated very well here. I thought the ending and the lead into Mission to the Unknown was outstanding and I wonder if we will go on to have that episode animated now! Overall, a decent effort and a welcomed addition to the 'complete' library.

Rating: 7/10

The Glittering Storm

"Gold fever is taking ahold around here."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Audio

Released: November 2007

Series: SJA Audio 01

Featuring: Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde, Maria

Synopsis

When Sarah Jane disturbs a burglar in the night, she is surprised to find a middle-aged woman, her pockets stuffed with jewellery, demanding gold. The next day, she reads a newspaper story about a granny who broke into a jewellers, and then Maria reports that a woman has been stealing rings and necklaces from the girls' changing room at school.

All the women had recently attended the Auriga Clinic, a private health centre specialising in treating muscular aches and pains. Is there a link between the clinic and the odd behaviour of its patients?

Sarah Jane decides to find out, but she soon discovers that the clinic's secret agenda is more sinister than she could ever have imagined...

Verdict

The Glittering Storm was a strong story for the BBC Audio debut for The Sarah Jane Adventures! I managed to stumble upon the entire collection of BBC audios for the SJA spinoff on an Audible free trial so I hope for the next few months that there will be a bit more Sarah Jane in my life. I think the spinoff is still a little underrated and that's a little understandable given it was aired on CBBC and aimed at a younger audience, but I thought this was a fine audio and went along nicely with the Series 1 chronology. It definitely did have a feeling of being early on in the chronology and that was no more evident than with Luke who was still a little rusty on normal human interaction and sentiment. Sarah Jane was still getting used to being a mother and the references to Invasion of the Bane in explaining the current situation was a nice touch and positive continuity. I thought it was also clear just how earl things were with the position of Clyde in the main cast dynamic. He didn't quite feel as part of the team and was almost suggested as a bad influence on Luke which was amusing. That wasn't exactly untrue and I'm not sure it ever wasn't! It was a fun dynamic though and a little different to what I'm used to. I did think there were probably a few too many introductions with Elisabeth Sladen having to set the stage on characters and the likes of Mr Smith and her past a few too many times. I think if a listener is going as far as picking up a Sarah Jane Adventures audio story, there should be some assumed knowledge. I enjoyed the theme of gold and jewellery going missing from Maria's school was good. That being tied with Sarah Jane being the subject of a break in, and not exactly a willing one, was nicely done. Everything tying together to the Auriga Clinic was good and I enjoyed the detective nature of how everything was pieced together. Augur made for a good villain and his baffling deal and belief with the Keratin was typical of so many deranged men standing as enemies in the past. The prospect of the Keratin boiling the oceans of Earth was a bit barmy considering their intentions were to take the one or two particles per billion of the water makeup. I think there must have been an easier way to obtain gold! However, the callousness of them simply saying so what to the fate of the Earth was chilling. I thought the format of the audio could have benefitted greatly from some minor sound effects and I really do think they could have benefitted. Just hearing the effects of Mr Smith opening up would have been terrific. That's not to say Sladen didn't do a fine job though! Maria being treated with gold was excellent and I liked the idea of them even receiving signals and the particles actually lodging themselves behind Maria's eyes. Clyde was fun and he and Luke being crucial to the resolution was strong. The Keratin being slug creatures and susceptible to salt water was further amusement with their plan. Was it really worth the risk? Still, Sarah getting to reference the gold asteroid of Revenge of the Cybermen was delightful and the taking over of the control device was efficient. Sarah and Luke destroying the bacteria personally was good and I loved the insinuation of Sarah calling in UNIT to clean everything else up. Overall, a really good audio!

Rating: 8/10

Question Marks

"Whether you remember or not is irrelevant."

Writer: Philip Lawrence

Format: Audio

Released: August 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 150d

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

Five survivors of an unknown catastrophe wake to find themselves caught in an inescapable trap. But can the oddly-dressed man in the question-marked collar work out what's really going on before time runs out – for good?

Verdict

Question Marks was a great little audio to round out the one-hundred-and-fiftieth Monthly Adventure from Big Finish! This has been a strong and really consistent volume of four stories and I'm glad things concluded in a strong manner, despite my desire for a more traditional four-part adventure instead of four singular outings. Now, I don't think anything presented in this half an hour was terribly original as we have definitely had examples of the amnesia story before, but the characters here were what made it work and made for a very enjoyable listen! I liked how there was very little indication of an identity for the characters present so the Doctor's attire coming into play was glorious. I thought it was terrific to have him dubbed as Question Marks and it was certainly more alluring and just interesting than Peri's rather bland moniker of Mysterious Woman. That was so bland! Arnie was a really nice character to put alongside Peri and it seemed that before the memory loss had occurred that it was these two who enjoyed some sort of relationship. Arnie clearly hoped that was the case and it seemed like Peri wouldn't be against it either, but of course as things developed it was revealed that Peri and the Doctor were the strangers. There were hints throughout that everything was not as it seemed which were good and the Doctor boasting clearly superior intellect was a fine highlight. Even without knowing who he was, the Sixth Doctor got to display a level of brass arrogance which was delightful. Destiny Gray made for a brilliant captain and I thought Mr Stone rounding out the group made for a very strong cast. Stone's annoyance at not being accepted as having the command and the Doctor getting that instead was great stuff, and I thought the whole setting worked well with the potential of a very dangerous lava threat. That explained the heat and why communications were thwarted. The slow disappearance of individual characters was excellent and immediately led to something more being at play, and the truth of what led to the memory loss was clever. They were all just copies of a dodgy transmat and with Jameson being the one to make the sacrifice, everybody was actually already safe and sound on the outside. But the Doctor and Peri had traced the copies who should only have lasted for mere seconds, but here they were believing they were real and having feels. It was a fine injection of emotion to proceedings as Destiny, the last to go, refused to believe she was a copy. I thought the Doctor explaining his travels and confirming that the events of this anthology occurred in chronological order for he and Peri was nice and some really good continuity. The ending being done on a question as Destiny disappeared was a nice bit of final impact to what turned out to be a strong finale for the collection! Overall, a great little adventure. 

Rating: 8/10

A Most Excellent Match

"Do you think he has intentions?"

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: August 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 150c

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single girl in possession of a mind of her own must be in want of a husband. But which of Miss Peri Brown's rival suitors will be the one to win her hand: handsome Mr Darcy, or the mysterious Doctor?

Verdict

A Most Excellent Match was another great little adventure comprising the one-hundred-and-fiftieth Monthly Adventure from Big Finish! I enjoyed a foray into the historical once again but this very much differed from Recorded Time in that we were in a virtual reality of fiction instead of interference in established history. I like how different the three stories have been so far and this one worked well in providing drama and just a sense of lavish, particularly when it came to my imagination of the costumes that would have been used had this adventure been made for television. It was not the most traditional of Sixth Doctor and Peri adventures and that was absolutely great! It worked well with the shorter format to just thrust the listeners into events with Peri already well under the grasp of the Mindsmith and thinking she was ready to pick a suitor! That was a fun concept and the very prospect of the Doctor being one of those was very amusing. Of course, that was far from the Time Lord's intentions as he was just there to try and trigger a memory within Peri and show her that what she was experiencing was in fact fiction, but she was seemingly inundated with the prospect of marrying Darcy which I appreciated. He's almost a stereotypical name when it comes to female love interests and the whole Austen Experience sounded tremendous, and I would enjoy a visit in a longer format in the future though the chances of that are I imagine quite slim. It was fun for Peri to take on that historic dialogue and charm, and Nicola Bryant did a really good job with the material. Cranton was a fun character as the man employed by the Doctor to try and get Peri out and back to reality, and their interactions were always fun and good natured despite the threats at hand. It wouldn't do to have Peri returned with just half a mind! Heathcliff being named as the Mindsmith was really good and I enjoyed how even that name was stolen. The Mindsmith was a good concept and I liked how Cranton's reaction to their presence sold their threat. I'm sure they would make a good villain to return in future with more time at hand. I liked the use of AI and Cranton actually utilising his position and the fact he had 90 seconds of access to then mainframe was good, although it felt like much more than a minute-and-a-half from when he said that to the resolution! I thought it was a good conclusion and full of some intriguing action, and Peri's anecdote at the end about remembering everything and writing things down was terrific in fitting with the literary theme. It was also amusing to think that the Doctor had deeds to his House of TARDIS and the Lordship of Time. If only it were that simple! Overall, a charming listen and another strong story to continue the volume.

Rating: 8/10

Paradoxicide

"You are female. You are valid."

Writer: Richard Dinnick

Format: Audio

Released: August 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 150b

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

On the legendary lost planet of Sendos, the Doctor and Peri find themselves caught up in the hunt for the cache of galaxy-busting super-weapons stored inside its fabled Armoury.

Verdict

Paradoxicide was a another very good story to continue the one-hundred-and-fiftieth Monthly Adventure! Whilst I maintain my sentiment echoed in my blog entry of Recorded Time that I would have preferred a single adventure comprising the two hours, this was another fine little short adventure. It is essentially a Short Trip with a larger cast and that format can certainly work well when the right story is provided. That was the case here as I thought the style of adventure was perfect for a 32-minute tale and there wasn't much room to mess around. I liked how the Doctor and Peri entered immediately with some danger as they were in spacesuits and needing to take an atmospheric reading in person rather than the usual TARDIS systems, which let's be honest weren't always the most reliable! The relationship between the Doctor and Peri was a lot of fun in this story and they really are an underrated pairing, largely due to the discontent surrounding their time together during their television run. There's so much potential there and the humour that came with the softer side of the Sixth Doctor here was delightful. I was a big fan of those on Sendos seemingly being female dominated and the Doctor's totally unsubtle puns in getting Peri to realise she could also have voice control was terrific. The use of Su-Peri-or to get that message through to her was very amusing, although she didn't seem overly happy with it! The 'Peri' puns that followed as the story concluded were a lovely touch as well and there was that father-daughter kind of feel to the Doctor and Peri's relationship there which was really nice. Peril being used for a Peri pun was just so bad it was funny and you could just hear that the companion wanted to curl up into a ball. The setting of Sendos was very good and I liked the mystery and legend surrounding the Armoury. What I wasn't expecting was the time loop that followed and the Doctor and Peri actually getting involved in that all happening. I suppose I should have seen it coming though when Peri's voice was mysteriously heard emanating from the planet. That was all a plan to thwart the Volsci though and it worked very well actually! They were extremely threatening and demanding in their efforts to gain more super weaponry, and they weren't buying the Sendos position of not having those kind of weapons. The Doctor believing the sincerity was great and I enjoyed the irony of how the Volsci fell into a trap of essentially their own making. The use of the TARDIS to jam with their own ship and attempt to try and retrieve the weaponry before it was put in the Armoury was a sound plan, but the temporal nature of events worked well in thwarting that. Peri having a pivotal role was a nice touch and I loved her commands in ensuring that male voices would also be answered to as well. Overall, another really good and entertaining little story to continue this collection of adventures! 

Rating: 8/10

Recorded Time

"I am the King, and I will not be ignored."

Writer: Catherine Harvey

Format: Audio

Released: August 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 150a

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The TARDIS travellers find themselves at the court of Henry VIII, where the tragic Anne Boleyn will soon be discarded by her King in favour of the lovely Perpugilliam Brown. Or so it is written...

Verdict

Recorded Time was an excellent little story to kick off the one-hundred-and-fiftieth Monthly Adventure! I must admit that I'd much rather if this landmark release was a more traditional release and just one two-hour story, as I do think there is a potential for some things to be less memorable with the four one-parters, but this kicked things off very nicely! The Tudor period of history is certainly one of the more interesting in my opinion so having a story where Peri gets courted as a potential wife of Henry VIII was tremendous. I think a longer adventure would definitely have been more beneficial, but this allowed for a much calmer and just relaxed feel. There never seemed to be any genuine threat outside of established history, but this was far from a pure historical. The impact of the pen of the Phoenix was really well done and the potential of Henry VIII getting the chance to rule over all of Time was brilliant! That's just such a barmy concept as there just isn't any way a monarch from the sixteenth century could cope with all of Time and the developments that would come. Anne Boleyn featured too which was fantastic and it's a shame to hear her fate here and the fact that she was executed for no just reason. She couldn't provide a male heir, and one day after her death the King's next engagement was already announced. Peri didn't like that at all. I thought the Doctor being dubbed a fool was amusing and not exactly much of a surprise given his attire. Henry taking an immediate liking to Peri was uncomfortable right from the off and given his proximity and attitude towards women, that attention was unwelcome from our companion. Suggesting Peri as the influence for Henry's famed Greensleeves was a lot of fun and a great use of Doctor Who combining with history. Peri signing Henry's own future tune to him was lovely as well. I thought the setting was utilised very well here. The Scrivener as the writer of the phoenix pen was a strong character and the threat posed by Henry's booming presence and promise of death was more than enough to put the King in control. He wanted Anne Boleyn proclaimed as a witch with an added finger and then wanted himself in control of Time! Talk about a man knowing what he wanted and being selfish. I thought the ending was pretty simple but effective with the Doctor ensuring that the pen actually destroyed itself with the Scrivener also going against the King's orders of what to write. He changed the death of Anne Boleyn to give her a more swift conclusion, but with the pen destroyed Henry was far from able to take over Time itself. The scene in the TARDIS at the end was an emotional one as Peri pondered over Anne Boleyn, but I really liked the assurances from the Doctor of what would become of Elizabeth and how she would be one of the greatest Queens. There was something nice there for Anne in the end. Overall, a fine start to the release! 

Rating: 9/10

The Nightmare Game

"There's an intruder on the pitch!"

Writer: Gareth Roberts

Format: Comic Strip

Released: May-June 2003

Printed in: DWM 330-332

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

When Delchester United's penalty is blocked by a materialising TARDIS, the Doctor emerges and ponders who is operating a static Vortex beam. Just what is hidden under the stadium of Delchester United?

Verdict

The Nightmare Game was another strong comic strip adventure to continue my reading through The Flood graphic novel! I'm a huge football fan being a Cardiff City season ticket holder, follower of Wales home and away and just a general interest in everything going on with the game, so having the TARDIS materialise in a penalty box just as a penalty was to be taken was very amusing! It was such a cool image and the tension that comes with a penalty, especially one in the last minute, is palpable so an interruption wouldn't go down too well with an eagerly anticipating crowd! I was in the Netherlands last month watching Wales and we had a penalty awarded by VAR after an agonising wait, so I fully appreciate how fans of Delchester must have been feeling. I really enjoyed that we got a look at the fans departing the stadium as well and it was another disappointing day at the office with murmurs of discontent amongst the crowd making their way home and to public transport. Being a Cardiff fan, that's something I have experienced on multiple occasions! The Doctor just making references to the static Vortex beam in action was amusing as he wasn't really interested in the football as there was something much more at work. I was amused by the end of part two with the image of Delchester's home stadium actually being transported away as part of a ship! Milo and Frank as the Shakespeare brothers and the new owners of Delchester was terrific and I found the whole thing amusing given my proximity to football. They had implemented a new training regime and the players were basically knackered every week which explained their change in form since receiving new ownership. I thought Billy was a fun little character to fill the companion role alongside the Doctor, and I like that we have an absence of companion for a little bit as we get to explore a bit more of this eighth incarnation. I enjoyed his characterisation and appearance here. I thought Ray Stobbs as a player was a good character too and Billy's reaction to seeing his team's captain was delightful in asking for the autograph. Having some football skills to eventually take down the Nukaryote was good and the end goal for this organic creature was intriguing in wanting to actually absorb the universe! The history of the creatures being composed from one organic component that absorbed all of the rest and how they differed from humanity's development was fantastic. I liked that concept a lot. The different creatures in the employ of the Shakespeare brothers being the Morgs and then the Killer-Mass was brilliant and there was just so much going on with different creatures and them being developed. I was so amused by the Shakespeare brothers being concerned with the galactic police too, they didn't shut up about the threat! Overall, this was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the football theme. A fun adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Where Nobody Knows Your Name

"Nobody made you responsible for the state of the universe!"

Writer: Scott Gray

Format: Comic Strip

Released: April 2003

Printed in: DWM 329

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

Following the devastating loss of Izzy Sinclair, the Eighth Doctor goes to a bar to drown his sorrows. He questions his role in the universe and seeks comfort in Bish the bartender, who isn't actually all that he seems...

Verdict

Where Nobody Knows Your Name was a really strong opening adventure to The Flood graphic novel! This is the fourth and final volume of comic strip adventures for the Eighth Doctor and after a roundabout way, this will eventually conclude my reading of this comic era. It's been seven years since I read Oblivion and dealt with Izzy's departure from the TARDIS and I still firmly remember how emotional that was. I read my blog entry for that comic strip finale and it all came flooding back as we see the Eighth Doctor dealing with that loss here. I loved that Izzy's departure had a profound impact on the Doctor and he wasn't exactly moving on as he so often did in the Classic era. He had stopped and was taking time to reflect, not just on Izzy but on his purpose in life. His discussions with Bish as the bar owner were delightful and I loved how the Doctor's role in the universe was likened to as a job. Hearing how he was referring to saving the universe as a position was fun but he was experiencing a lot of consequences lately and that was tough to accept and deal with. Just having the Doctor in a bar was a little strange given everything associated with it and the drinking culture, but that just showed how much he was missing Izzy. Was he after some conversation? Whatever his aim in coming there, he was in the right place. Renaldo was an amusing character that would go on to provide the impetus for the Doctor to get back on his feet and reaffirm his purpose and role for the universe, as Zalda emerged hurt and defeated by the fact this robot had cheated on her. She now was ready to blow herself up and take the bar with it to get back at him, but the Doctor was in the prime position to just calmly talk her out of it and calm her down. He'd just experienced a huge loss in his life so he could very much relate to Zelda and what she was going through. It didn't take long at all for her to turn off the explosive device and that was the cause for applause and celebration. This was the Doctor back to his best and it was all so simplistic which was really nice. I thought the ending on the final page once the Doctor was back on his way to the TARDIS with Bish revealing himself to actually be a very familiar shapeshifter in the form of Frobisher was wonderful! Neither party knew of their meeting given both taking on new forms here, but the idea of Frobisher helping the Eighth Doctor get back on track was excellent and really strong comic strip continuity. The Doctor not actually revealing his name was a shame as I suspect a reunion here would have been a lot of fun, but it's good to know what Frobisher is up to and that he's a good guy on hand to provide advice. Overall, a really good comic strip adventure and an important break in events for the Eighth Doctor. 

Rating: 8/10

The Crumbling Magician

"Life can be complicated...  but death is simple."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: September 2019

Series: Companion Chronicles: First Doctor 3.04

Featuring: First Doctor, Polly, Ben

Synopsis

The TARDIS has crashed, its passengers in a bad way. The Doctor – not in the best of health anyway, his old body wearing somewhat thin – is in a coma, Ben unconscious. As for Polly, she's been affected worst of all. Time is running in the wrong order for her and she's seen the future, in which she's mortally wounded. But will Continuity allow her to die?

Verdict

The Crumbling Magician was an excellent story to conclude the third volume of Companion Chronicles for the First Doctor! I think this might just be the best of the boxset as a whole which turned out to be pretty darn good and consistent across the four tales. I do hope there is a fourth volume on the way! I love the First Doctor era and getting an extension here of that last little segment of it alongside Ben and Polly is delightful. It was clear that these events were close in proximity to The Tenth Planet with talk of the Doctor feeling old and his body wearing thin, so presenting a challenge for him here and having his consciousness transported into Polly was terrific. I never considered a story like this being possible but the First Doctor getting to experience being young again and being full of energy was a lot of fun. The format of the adventure worked well with the Doctor being absent for the entire first part following an eventful crash that kicked off the Chronicle in style, but he emerged in a big way for part two after the cliffhanger! Ben was a welcomed presence to go alongside both the Doctor and Polly and able to react to the change in consciousness. His initial moment where he realised that it was the Doctor inside the duchess was terrific. I really enjoyed Continuity as the enemy and it seemed a little harmless without the sinister voice given it was an AI, but it was following its programming with a few little twitches which I appreciated. Allie was a decent character as well that provided some strong stuff for Ben as we learned about the child who had unfortunately become an old man. The implication that the crash of endured by Allie's mum's ship being with the TARDIS was very powerful given the relationship built between Ben and Allie, and the idea of heroism being discussed was brilliant. I thought the use of time jumps in the story was really good and caused some frustration to Polly which we don't often see. She was understandably worried about the conditions of Ben and the Doctor, and the sacrifice she made to save the Doctor from a coma was fantastic as a part of him was also used to save her. The little audible regenerative power being used was terrific and I loved the Doctor's reaction to what had happened once waking. It was also good that Continuity was going to keep his secrets to ensure that the continuity of the era was protected. That was a nice touch. The Doctor and Continuity had marvellous dialogue and debating the programming and what was in line with the law and guides was really good. I thought Ben volunteering to look after Allie was great as well and something that stumped Continuity as it looked to eradicate the child despite being a minor. The suggestion of the Doctor finding him a habitable planet was amusing, but it was nice to know he was in safe hands. The fate of Continuity at the end and the explosion was unexpected but a fitting end and some ironic emotion for the computer intelligence. Overall, a superb audio! 

Rating: 9/10

Robophobia

"The Sandminer where everyone’s worst nightmares came true."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: July 2011

Series: Monthly Adventures 149

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

Nothing has ever been officially confirmed, but there is a rumour that on a Sandminer, bound for Kaldor City, the robots somehow turned homicidal and nearly wiped out the entire crew. Can that really be true?

The robot transport ship Lorelei has a cargo of over 157,000 robots on board, all deactivated. So even if there were any truth in the rumour of that massacre, there'd still be no danger. Surely, there wouldn't...

But then, the Doctor witnesses a murder.

Verdict

Robophobia was a great story to continue along the Monthly Adventures! I am a huge fan of the idea of having a sequel to The Robots of Death as there is definitely a lot of untapped potential in the Sandminer robots and the societies within which they inhabit. This was a fine job of revisiting them and having the continuity and recap with the aforementioned Fourth Doctor serial was a nice touch. It was important to establish events for the unlikely listeners who may not have had eyes on that famed classic, and it was a helpful reminder for me as I consume so much Doctor Who content that it's easy to forget exactly what happens and when! I liked the Seventh Doctor travelling solo again and it definitely seems like something more is going to happen here. Obviously, this story was released eleven years ago so I know that Liv Chenka goes on to return and have a more prominent role in Big Finish Doctor Who, and this was a fine introduction for her. I liked how she was a med-tech and that seems like a good occupation for a future companion. I'm sure she and the Doctor will get along splendidly when they reunite in the future, but she filled the companion role very nicely here. I really enjoyed the audio representation of the Sandminer Robots as a big part of their success was the striking visuals, but apart from the CD cover art, that is missing here so the voices play a big role in bringing them back to life and creating those images in the listener's heads which was something I thought Nicholas Briggs did a stellar job with. I thought there were a lot of similarities to The Robots of Death with the theme of the robots turning against the humans, and the idea of what happened on that Sandminer being a nightmare was terrific. How could it be possible that the machines built to serve humanity could then turn against them? It seemed like that was happening one again here on Lorelei and with the threat of 157,000 Robots on board, that was quite a lot of danger! Of course, it didn't quite turn out to be that way as we discovered Farel had dressed up as a Robot and was trying to shift the blame onto the Robots on a huge scale that couldn't be covered up like the situation the Fourth Doctor faced. I thought that was terrific knowledge to have post those events, which didn't seem like they were too far in the past from what was happening here. The truth regarding Elicien and this being Farel's deceased wife was a strong emotional turn but the Doctor seemed to have already worked it out. He was very much experienced with robophobia and the reveal that this was what Farel had used to try and justify his wife dying in a sandstorm was awfully harsh, especially as it was the Robots that tried to save her! I really loved that we had SV10 featuring as a follow on from SV7, and also having the Doctor mistaken for Tal Karus worked well with the Robots not being programmed to believe humans could die. Overall, this was a really strong outing and I'm sure it won't be the last of the Sandminer Robots from Big Finish, but it served as a fine introduction and return. 

Rating: 8/10

The Ghost Trap

"The walls were breathing."

Writer: Nick Wallace

Format: Audio

Released: April 2015

Series: Short Trips 5.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

Responding to a salvage team's distress call, the Doctor and Leela arrive on a crippled space ship. Its owners, the Hihmakk, are a secretive race of space mariners whose navigation skills make them the envy of the galaxy. The salvage team are long dead, but their last log entires speak of a spectre stalking the ship's halls, picking them off one by one. When the pair become separated, Leela must fight for survival whilst the Doctor seeks to understand the nature of the ghost...

Verdict

The Ghost Trap was a very decent little Short Trips adventure! I enjoyed the eery feel of this story that was set right from the off with the opening line that I immediately loved and took as my quote for the blog. That really set the pace and I was intrigued to hear that this was still very early on for Leela in her travels with the Doctor following her arrival in The Face of Evil. She was fascinated by the slow rhythm of the moving walls and that was also the case for this very listener. Leela catching the scent of death was good and I liked how the Doctor retorted about not every smell being decomposition. The Hihmakk spaceship worked well and I liked how it was an organic makeup, seemingly sharing similarities with the Axos which is a concept I really enjoy and I’m sure would have been expanded upon had there been the time to allow. I did like that we got some background about the Hihmakk and how they were ghostly space mariners. That was a terrific description. The Doctor’s pointing out of the silence at the monument revealing that something was wrong worked nicely and just added to that eery feel. And then we had some bodies found which just furthered that! I liked the idea of the ship’s control point being contained within stringy flesh and that just felt a bit gross which was well in line with the story’s feel. It worked well though to give the Doctor the aim of finding the still active computer and putting things right. The Doctor explaining how an organic computer could be was a nice touch too. Leela being submerged in water injected some action into things and her description of her lungs burning in the water was pretty horrific. I liked how the Doctor assuming there were no more Hihmakk around was a mistake and that led him to feeling that Leela was in serious trouble and that just didn’t sit well. The emergence of the Hihmakk in the form of screaming in extreme pain really shifted gears and they sounded very much in a bad way. This was the sole Hihmakk left behind as the pilot and the pain enduring was gruesome. Louise Jameson did a stellar job with the narration as always, but I can’t help but be slightly disappointed by the lack of a Tom Baker impression for the Fourth Doctor. I felt that would have helped with establishing a genuine feel. The Hihmakk conglomeration equalling an understanding of hyperspace was fun to explore and it provided a decent explanation as to how the pilot survived through the channeling of the interface linked with the ship. Whilst the rest of the crew were destroyed, that link was vital in saving the pilot. Leela toying with a spirit and having it push through the doors was good and I was intrigued that it didn’t actually seem to be following Leela. The prospect of the ship actually growing the Hihmakk rather than the other way around was terrific and I’d have liked if that was expanded upon a little more, but again it fell foul of the short format. The Doctor having pride in the promise Leela was showing was the highlight of the audio for me. That was a really nice touch. The warp shunt leaving the Hihmakk cut in two but leaving a collective consciousness behind must have been torment and it all linked back to it being the spirit or rather a splinter of it. It was essentially a species caught in death. The Doctor guiding Leela through the innards to free the conscience was nicely done and the idea of it representing the last thoughts of the crew was a powerful conclusion. Overall, a good audio!

Rating: 7/10

Out of Time: Wink

"All that don't blink nonsense."

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: Out of Time 03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

When the Sixth Doctor goes sight-seeing on Lucidus Silvara, he finds himself in a place where nothing is visible at all... only all-encompassing light! The Tenth Doctor is drawn in by a temporal anomaly, and the two Doctors meet a species with no sense of sight, living in a city surrounded by Weeping Angels.

To save a civilisation, the Doctors must keep their eyes on the Angels. Don't blink. Don't even wink...

Verdict

Wink was an outstanding adventure to continue the tremendous Out of Time miniseries of multi-Doctor stories! I do hope we haven't heard the last from this range but this was a quite brilliant meeting between the Tenth and Sixth Doctors! It's a pairing that not many would have wished for or anticipated but right from the off the dialogue between the Doctors is tantalising. I liked how there was no messing around in getting both incarnations together and the moments where they're speaking to each other through the light were fantastic as they inadvertently introduced themselves to each other, both as the Doctor. The Tenth Doctor's reaction to seeing which incarnation he was faced with this time was a lot of fun and the expected comments about the infamous coat were a delight. I liked how at the end it seems the blue coat of Real Time might have been at the suggestion of the Tenth Doctor. That's a nice touch. Of course, as the tremendous episode title might suggest, the Doctors are once again facing the Weeping Angels and I absolutely adored the pomposity of the Sixth Doctor when it came to ridiculing the whole not blinking thing when it came to the Lonely Assassins. Why not simply wink? Of course, that method wasn't quite as foolproof as the Sixth Doctor liked to think which was marvellous, but the brief moment where the Tenth Doctor was stuck for words was something I really enjoyed. The Sixth Doctor didn't take too kindly to the bubbly nature of the Tenth Doctor's effervescent personality, but that was part of the charm of these two incarnations meeting. They're almost polar opposites! I thought the setting of Lucidus Silvara worked tremendously and was the perfect place for a Weeping Angels adventure. What better place than a world where its inhabitants never had, or even needed, sight? The development of the planet and how they'd managed to trap Weeping Angels there with mirrored surfaces was glorious and it all came around full circle in such a clever way. Dax being killed and having his vocal cords animated for communication with the Angels was sublime and I really liked how creepy he sounded. It was the perfect way to incorporate the Angels into the audio format as well. Padila and Estra as the locals on the planet were really great characters and I liked how they reacted to the Doctors being reliant on their sense of sight. Trying to explain it was difficult, but imagining them in having intuit as a sense rather than sight was a little difficult to comprehend! The reveal of the 51 Angels and how that resulted in the difference in regenerations being squared, plus the current ones, was intriguing and the timey-wimey nature of the story came fully into play as it turned out that Padila and Estra would now go on to build their own society! They may even become their own ancestors which was quite something, but mirroring the Angels was the perfect way to see them defeated before the temporal loop came into effect. The goodbye between the Tenth and Sixth Doctors was tremendous and I was surprised to hear the former still refusing to meet his end as The End of Time loomed. Overall, a magnificent audio!

Rating: 10/10

Back to Earth: Auld Lang Syne

"A house like this, it'll reveal its secrets bit by bit."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 2.03

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Every December, Mandy Litherland gathers the family at Foulds House to see in the New Year. Not everyone appreciates her efforts. At least the caretaker seems friendly – if a little weird.

Mandy hopes she'll see him again next year – but perhaps she already has...

Verdict

Auld Lang Syne was an excellent audio to conclude the Back to Earth fifth boxset of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I thought this started a little slowly with the family conflict between Bette, Sue and Mandy as we learned a little of each cracker and the latter's desire to travel despite currently being stuck working in a shoe shop. There was immediately companion material there for her and the greeting by the Doctor at Foulds House was nicely done, especially when they weren't expected! The idea of the house only being free one night of the year was intriguing and straight away had me thinking there was more to it. Mandy affording the visit thanks to winning the pools was a lot of fun and she took a fancying of the Doctor almost immediately, not hiding the fact she wanted to check him out. Bette being cautious of the house was great but then it seemed the visit was over as the Doctor invited the family back next year as long as they brought the baton that turned out to be the temporal core. The lady in the house being seen within the walls was terrific and the description of it having no eyes painted quite the picture. Bette recalling her gran singing the ghosts was a haunting line and I liked that she was now feeling that same dread this year around. Mandy hearing the Christmas conversation from the previous year really set the audio rolling as we heard windows and walkways into other times. The Doctor not having used the core yet and his personal interaction with Mindy not essentially being in order was very fun. The offer to come back again next year set in motion a fun chain of events and needed the core to be refuelled. Bette arriving for the third year in succession despite initially refusing last year was good and hinted at her emotional fate. Mandy having researched the house was brilliant and I liked that it had a conflicting history. The Doctor not being there for the third year was an unexpected twist but he did invite them back next year as he was at the end of the story. I thought the subtle way in which Bette's death was incorporated into the audio was very well done and the Doctor being shocked that he missed a year injected some urgency to proceedings. The core was overcharged now. I liked the use of fireworks for artron energy as well as finding out that the house was a time ship that merged with the manor and was distressed causing it to be rewriting history. I think it's clear the house was actually a TARDIS and the New Year was when it was vulnerable during the flux of two years which was fun. Mandy travelling through the doorways and seeing her mother as a child was nice and her kissing the Doctor caught me a little off guard! The ordinary description was amusing though. Finding out that Frank was actually an antibody at the house was something I clocked a few minutes before the reveal but it worked very well. The chameleon circuit was in effect and Sue recalled knowing him as a boy, but not much in between. Mandy getting a window into her past and getting the chance to say goodbye to Bette and question her on hiding the illness was an extremely emotional and powerful moment. The Doctor asking Sue to stay with Frank and cause a temporal stabilisation was great and tied things up quite well. The Doctor actually offering Mandy to come with him surprised me given the implications for Rose, but I must say this would have been a stellar opener for a new companion. The kiss goodbye was a bit of a surprise but I loved how the TARDIS temporal feedback explained the singing ghosts. A lovely touch. Overall, a fantastic audio!

Rating: 9/10

Back to Earth: The False Dimitry

"Who will lead us now?"

Writer: Sarah Grochala

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 2.02

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Moscow, 1605: the old Tsar is dead – but some blame unnatural forces. Perhaps the mysterious Doctor in the palace can help?

A successor advances on the Kremlin with an army, preparing the country for war. But Tsarevich Dimitry is not what he seems... 

Verdict

The False Dimitry was a very good story to continue along the Back to Earth fifth boxset of adventures for the Ninth Doctor! I must admit that with an umbrella title focusing on our home world, I would prefer if things stayed as pure historicals or present day stories as it doesn't seem to make too much sense to focus on Earth that much if the threat is actually going to be from the other side of the galaxy. That's not to say the episode was bad in the slightest, but more of a marketing opinion really. It started in intriguing fashion here with the Tsar Boris seemingly being murdered by the ghost of Dimitry! That set the atmosphere nicely for what was to come and a pretty dark little tale. Oksana was a fun character and I really enjoyed that the Doctor confronted her whilst she seemed to be in a crazed state after what she had witnessed occur to the ruler of what would become Russia. I enjoyed the character of Sasha as Oksana's son and he believed his mum was mad which was a fun concept! The idea of the false Dimitry attacking was excellent and a really good use of contemporary politics. It was nice that the Doctor didn't ridicule Oksana for what she claimed to have seen and he didn't think it was at all implausible with the readings coming from the TARDIS that had brought him there. Oksana knew that the pretender was indeed fake because she'd nursed Dimitry since he was a baby and would know if they swapped. So when she believed the real article was present I was slightly taken aback! Dimitry killing the Tsar with an energy beam showed us that there was more than just history at hand and something supernatural or extraterrestrial on show. Sasha explained how he was actually Grishka, a monk who disappeared and now seemed to be back pretending to have a claim to being the truthful Tsar. They were novices together which was a nice detail. Oksana seeing the orb within Dimitry's chest was good and I liked the revelation from the Doctor that it was a Smirtnik controlling device. Sasha seeing their ship as a Polish war tower was terrific and I liked how this was essentially a remote invasion where they could use psychic ability and perception to show people what they worst feared being invaded from. Dimitry's announcement that he was to marry the Polish woman Marina in a bid to unite empires was excellent and that really didn't go down well in Moscow as the town soon began to turn on the Tsar. The arrival of the 'Polish' Smirtnik army was terrific action. I enjoyed that there was something of the real Dimitry still inside him as he recognised the icon and briefly remembered being possessed. The Lennistans who controlled the Smirtniks wanted a war to end all wars on Earth and then take the rest of the planet in scraps. The idea of the rest of the world having seen the army as Russians was a great detail as well and would have made for quite the global conflict! It was nice that Grishka got to be the one to save the day but he was unable to save himself, which was a strong emotional conclusion. Overall, a really strong episode! 

Rating: 8/10

Back to Earth: Station to Station

"There's no escape."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 2.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

A deserted railway platform can be the loneliest place on Earth. But when Saffron is stranded at Underbridge station, she meets echoes of the past – and a fellow lost traveller. And the Doctor knows that something is hunting them...

Verdict

Station to Station was an outstanding start to the fifth volume and second series of adventures for the Ninth Doctor! I like the idea of going Back to Earth and having this incarnation of the Doctor there for an extended stay prior to Rose will hopefully help as he deals with the consequences of the Time War. The audio started in eery fashion though with Kate at the station and she seemed to indicate that she couldn't be seen. She was in the clutches of the Grimminy-Grew and couldn't escape from it once she was taken. I liked how there was trouble with the TARDIS and the interaction between the time and space machine and its pilot was a fun way to introduce Christopher Eccleston to the story. There was a voice heard within that was rhyming which was fantastic and I liked that the defences were down. That's always good vulnerability. Saffron entered events in equally eery circumstances as she got off her train for no apparent reason and just felt the need to change whilst on the phone to Erin, who later transpired to be her fiancé. She was lost though and that provided a fun meeting with the Doctor near the tracks. The concept of the psychic paper being scared was fun and I liked that the Doctor thought it was misbehaving. Saffron's phone was on the blink too and there was a link there with communication devices ousted. The Doctor briefly flashing away was intriguing and I liked how it helped Saffron accept the situation she was in. They developed a strong relationship as she filled the companion role for the episode, and the ticket humour about the Doctor not having one and the potential of the barrier eating it was magnificent. The TARDIS having vanished was brilliant and the time contusion seemed to be all around as it was they that had moved rather than what they thought. Finding out that Saffron was on the train to see her parents and tell them she was getting married was good and we soon learned a lot about her family as she revealed her parents wouldn't be accepting of her marrying another woman. Saffron wasn't even sure whys was coming and was trapped between choices which was a tremendous concept in explaining how people got captured. The unseen echoes were perfect for the atmosphere and I liked how there were glimpses of physical interaction. The Doctor and Saffron encountering the station master was great and he helped them to the safety of the ticket hall, but he couldn't even remember his own name which showed the toll taken! The Doctor working out that everything was a trap was terrific and I liked that those captured were slowly being absorbed. The idea of a collection of stolen moments was glorious and I loved that timelines were overlapping with the pain brought by making a choice. Saffron explaining how she didn't understand why Erin loved her if her parents didn't was extremely powerful stuff. The Grimminy-Grew admiring savouring the regrets of its victims was just vicious. The story of the Children of the Sillaroom was great stuff and I liked how they gave birth to five monstrous children before being beaten by the Time Lords, and the last had escaped and seemed to end up here. All of the lost joining together to protect a fading Saffron was just terrific and I really enjoyed the conclusion with the Doctor offering a battle of words to name the monster and ensure it lost its power. The three guesses was a nice touch and the Doctor being named as Lungbarrow, the Oncoming Storm and school nickname Theta Sigma was nicely done. With the Grew gone, it seemed like all would be lost like a breath, but a triumphant finale saw all the moments saved as the trains returned for them to catch and they could Mae their choices all over again after a lifetime of pondering. Saffron choosing to go home and that being where she was loved was a lovely finish. Overall, a tremendous audio adventure! 

Rating: 10/10