Beyond War Games: Wrath of the Ice Warriors

"I will not be Empress of a dead planet."

Writer: Andrew Smith 

Format: Audio

Released: July 2022

Series: Second Doctor Adventures 1.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Brigadier 

Synopsis

Plunged into the middle of a desperate mission by his new masters, the Doctor is delighted to be reunited with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart of UNIT near Cape Wrath, Scotland. The Doctor's arrival coincides with the sighting of black cylinders in the sky and an attack on a trawler by a 'creature o' the sea.'

The Doctor quickly realises he is dealing with Ice Warriors and investigates with the help of the Brigadier and local crofter Sheena Flynn. With a space fleet lurking in the vicinity of Jupiter, the Doctor believes the Martians are planning a new invasion of Earth – but who is the true enemy?

Battle lines are drawn and the Doctor races against time to prevent Earth being caught in the crossfire.

Verdict

Wrath of the Ice Warriors was an excellent story to conclude Beyond War Games and with it the first series of Second Doctor Adventures! I absolutely love the idea of another adventure with the Second Doctor and the Brigadier teaming up after the events of The Invasion and whilst we know this happened at some point because of The Five Doctors, it was terrific for them to be the sole pairing and focus here. Sadly, Patrick Troughton and Nicholas Courtney weren't around to reignite that relationship but I thought Michael Troughton and Jon Culshaw did a stellar job in brining both characters back to life. The writing of their relationship was tremendous and I was so impressed with the chemistry between them. After the experience that was The Final Beginning, it was nice to have a more traditional type of story whist maintaining the continuity with Raven and the CIA so having the Brigadier alongside the Doctor was just lovely. I enjoyed the setting of Cape Wrath very much and it was a little sad for the Doctor to be wishing he had Jamie alongside him. He was still getting used to travelling solo, but it doesn't appear that will be the case for long judging by the end-credits scene! The emergence of the Ice Warriors was really good and I liked the twist that Skaar was not actually rescued, but taken as part of a war between rivalling factions of Ice Warriors. That was a fun idea and a new take on the Martian race that worked really well. The true villain of the piece came in the form of Lady Zelanda who was a tremendous Ice Queen and played so joyously by Katy Manning. It was really refreshing to hear her in that role and she did a sublime job. A top enemy. Sheena was another fantastic character and it was fun for her and the Doctor to spa off when it came to the Time Lord knowing she was in league with Zelanda all along. I clocked it straight away when she wanted the coordinates of the Ice Warrior sighting written down rather than read aloud, so I was glad that the Doctor was onto her all along as well. She didn't seem too evil in her actions as she had been made promises by Zelanda and assured that her attentions were not bad towards Earth. That was true in part as she didn't want to invade Earth, but actually head back to Mars and take what she thought was her rightful place as Empress. However, her stasis had been a lot longer than she anticipated and the Mars she returned to had been ravaged by the Red Dawn and there was no race left to rule. That was a startling and impactful realisation for the Ice Queen, but the fact that we got to go to Mars was terrific and the Brigadier pairing off with Skaar and coming to the rescue at the end was lovely stuff. The fate of Zelanda in falling to her doom whilst Sheena was saved was a harrowing end for a villain that had quite the emotional tale! Now, getting to that end credits scene and the revelation that Celestine was the Emperor of the Daleks was quite sensational! I'm very excited to hear where things move forward with this series now, especially with the indication that the Doctor will be linked up with an old companion. Overall, a fantastic adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

Beyond War Games: The Final Beginning

"Your future is waiting for you."

Writers: Mark Wright & Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: July 2022

Series: Second Doctor Adventures 1.01

Featuring: Second Doctor

Synopsis

Believing he has escaped exile – and a change to his appearance – by the Time Lords, the Doctor finds himself lost on a snowy, alien world. He is not alone – prospectors Catrona and Silas are stranded on this nightmare planet, but without his TARDIS, the Doctor is powerless to help them.

Seeking answers – and freedom – the Doctor's hopes and suspicions are aroused when a crashed TARDIS is discovered in the snow. Are Catrona and Silas as innocent as they seem? And who is Raven, the young woman who watches from afar?

Long buried secrets are about to be revealed in this icy wasteland, and the Doctor discovers that every end has a terrifying new beginning...

Verdict

The Final Beginning was a fantastic and very intriguing start to the Beyond War Games opening series of Second Doctor Adventures! I have long been fascinated by the idea of Second Doctor stories set after Patrick Troughton's final appearance, and just going beyond The War Games is so exciting and something I think there is definitely plenty of room for with us not actually seeing the regeneration into the Third Doctor. I like the idea of the CIA being quite new at this point in Gallifrey's history and Raven as the head of the mission enlisting the Doctor where Gallifreyan intervention was needed but the Time Lords could not be seen to be interfering. Who was better placed than the Doctor? I must admit, it was a little strange to incorporate this kind of adventure into a sequel to The Evil of the Daleks. I was absolutely fine with the Daleks being involved and I think it was brilliant to reveal that the planet was Skaro all along, as well as the memory flashes and voices being of Daleks. But now I'm not really sure where this places The Death of the Daleks as that was a recent sequel set straight after it and I think that serves better with the Doctor contemplating his actions. Regardless, this was still a fascinating audio and the enigmatic atmosphere was really good and probably what was needed for the first story after the Doctor was plucked out of his time stream right before a forced regeneration. Raven mentioning the word regeneration with slight trepidation was fun given that it wasn't named as such until Planet of the Spiders. I loved how the Doctor thought he had initially escaped being exiled when landing on the snowy landscape, but the lack of TARDIS kept him questioning. Catrona and Silas were good characters and their trepidation towards the Doctor was very good, but they went on to build a solid relationship. I really liked how the Doctor gained their trust and the presence of another TARDIS was terrific. Celestine as the Time Lord that was initially sent to Skaro and going missing was brilliant and the fact he was deranged out of his mind added to the strange feeling of the story. Catrona's arm going into a time wind and actually blending with a Dalek causing mutation was a horrifying prospect and the voices were growing stronger in her mind as she was becoming a Dalek. I loved the Doctor going into the Emperor's throne room and the sound effects were chilling as he came face to face once again, something he never thought would happen. It was fun for the Daleks to flaunt their survival after the Doctor's supposed destruction of them, and as Raven explained those actions had thrown the Web of Time out of balance before the Daleks returned again. The Doctor's mission simply being to retrieve Celestine was interesting and left a little feeling of incompleteness as far as the Daleks were concerned. The Doctor trying to escape into his freedom after his horrifying frilly shirt glimpse of the future with the Brigadier and his future incarnation was marvellous, but Raven showed that the CIA were firmly in control now. They had a motive too as they went against their promise as far as Catrona was concerned and they used the Dalek mutant-human for themselves. To what end, I'm not sure but now the Doctor is off on another mission! I should also mention that I'm still not sure what to make of Michael Troughton's take on the Second Doctor, but the writing for this incarnation was superb. Overall, a fascinating start to the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Silver and Ice: The Ribos Inheritance

"I've got a revolution on my hands."

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 1.02

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

The Doctor and Mel arrive expecting Suntime on Ribos, but find a world still shrouded in snow and ice – but it's not just the climate that's gone awry... As forces plot against the young King, a soothsayer predicts doom. And out in the wilds, the Doctor finds wily conman Garron caught up in events on Ribos once again.

Verdict

The Ribos Inheritance was a great audio adventure to conclude the Silver and Ice first volume of Seventh Doctor Adventures! I really do think that one day we will have a Big Finish audio that acts as a sequel or prequel or at least some form of strong continuity from every television serial ever made, as I don't think any fans were crying out for a return to Ribos! However, after reading Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation a couple of weeks ago I must admit I was really looking forward to the Doctor being reunited with Garron and the potential of the Ribos setting was utilised well here with an extended Icetime. The humour in the TARDS before landing was good with Mel hoping to have a little holiday away somewhere warm, so of course despite his assurances and insistence with the TARDIS, they landed during the wrong season. To be fair though, the planet ought to have been during Suntime but something had gone very wrong which sparked us into the story very nicely. I enjoyed the placement of this adventure chronologically with the Seventh Doctor still contemplating what kind of personality he has following his recent regeneration in Time and the Rani, and his contemplating what will come in the future was fascinating. That could be a strong theme to explore as the series goes on. I was impressed with Mel in the companion role here and she's so much more fleshed out on audio than she was on television. She really is a very good companion. The return of Garron was terrific and I thought it was a lot of fun for the conman to actually be the wizard in the caves! I didn't see that coming so the Doctor naming him was tremendous. The Doctor didn't take too much trouble in convincing Garron that he was the same man he'd bet back during the Jethryk search on Ribos twenty years previously, and a fun little reunion was had. It was actually Mel though that had a good relationship with Garron and the reaction of her at the end to him being lost for words when the truth about King Kari was revealed was a lot of fun. Kari never seemed to have the presence required for a monarch and that was fine with the revelation at the end that he had literally been playing King in a role play game! Except, for Ribos he really was King. The 'gods of Ribos' actually being an artificial intelligence was good and everything did tie together nicely by the end. Sandarr was a fantastic character and the star of the show for me in the end. The way she provided shelter to the Doctor and Mel and didn't believe in the gods but her in a very unique position as far as the population on Ribos were concerned. Her reaction to Garron as a false wizard was fun after taking them there and she was concerned at getting caught up with him and how her fellow resistance would feel. The backstory of Garron being responsible for the extended Icetime with his efforts at terraforming for an icy holiday resort was so ludicrous which made it fun, and the search to find the lock and key together was really good and a nice little homage to the Key to Time. A quest story on Ribos, what else? I thought the battle as war ensued was strong action and Sandarr being the one to kill the Duke of Hishtar to take the key and then give a fake last command of retreat was excellent. I really enjoyed that but she didn't take too kindly to her own trickery. Kari turning out to be Garron's sun and the lock and key being synced to DNA as a security measure was good and Suntime returned to Ribos at last. Overall, a great audio! 

Rating: 8/10

The Similarity Engine

"I need to understand why my best friend tried to kill me."

Writer: Andy Lane

Format: Audio

Released: June 2010

Series: Jago & Litefoot 1.04

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

When Jago takes a tumble on an unseasonably icy road, he ends up in hospital. But this is no ordinary medical establishment, and the patients are suffering from no ordinary illnesses. At last, the fiendish scheme of Dr Tulp is drawing to its cataclysmic climax. The Similarity Engine is operational. And a new, improved model of mahogany murderers have been unleashed...

Verdict

The Similarity Engine was a fantastic episode to conclude the first series of Jago & Litefoot! I have been so impressed with the spinoff range so far and even though I'm only one series is, I can certainly see why it has such a good reputation. I'm excited to move forward if this is anything to go by! I really liked how this rounded the story arc out going back as far as The Mahogany Murderers to tie everything up with Dr Tulp. It started in somewhat humorous circumstances with Jago getting ready for a job interview before slipping on some ice that was found by kids out of nowhere. It was not ice season so that was a big surprise to have that fall! I liked how Litefoot continues to be enlisted for help and that was the case here for another investigation, but after his fall Jago was completely missing and in some strange and uncommon medical facility. His being alongside Smith was immediately gruesome as Jago described the horrible circumstances of his face essentially being eaten from the inside! Quite the roommate for old Henry Gordon. The police being up to some dodgy business at the docks was fun and I liked how the Constable spilled some details on the mysterious black coal and how those engaged with it in the force were showing some very odd symptoms. I enjoyed hearing how some of the circumstances were familiar to Litefoot and the later lightbulb moment of him recalling a sixteenth century book was good stuff. The ship from the docks seemingly bringing a disease that was eating people from within certainly had a lot of potential, but the truth behind it was much more damning. The moment where it appeared that Litefoot had inadvertently killed Jago was such a shock and it had a huge impact with the description of a train cart running over his neck. The idea of Jago trying to throw his best friend to that fate was just off, but we soon discovered that Dr Tulp was firmly in control and Jago was an improved mahogany mannequin! That was excellent. Tulp had refined the process of jumping minds now which was great and I liked how Litefoot was keen to point out that his technological knowledge was not of this time. Tulp almost responded in admiration at this knowledge! Tulp was involved in astral projection which I thoroughly enjoyed and that's where he'd obtained the technical knowledge, but applying it to the resources of the Victorian age was a little more difficult. The continuity with The Spirit Trap when learning that he was the median for Vanguard and her crazed mission to take the Queen was marvellous, and I loved how he compared Brits taking materials from China to explain what he was taking from the future. The return of the Sergeant was nicely done in saving Litefoot and the effects and sound of Tulp's mannequin being set into a bonfire was sublime. Jago transferring himself to his own corpse was terrific and Tulp revealing a financial agreement with the Far-Off Travellers really brought things for the series full circle in a nice way. The ore being used to power Tulp's Singularity Engine was very good and it actually turning out to be uranium was brilliant because it was real and familiar rather than something alien. The police would then be suffering from radiation poisoning and that explained Tulp's desire to wear gloves constantly. He just couldn't bear to touch those in his employ despite what he promised them. The caveat that there was something in the ore that was taking over Tulp was intriguing and with that wanting the Earth, I do wonder if there's something to come back on there for series moving forward. The cliffhanger finish with another body drained of blood being found was unexpected, and Litefoot seemingly moving onto a different path with Sanders was intriguing to say the least! Some devilish business was certainly afloat, but not as devilish as Jago wanting to use the uranium to light his theatre! I hope he never changes. Overall, a really strong episode. 

Rating: 9/10

The Spirit Trap

"I can hear the voices of the dead."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: June 2010

Series: Jago & Litefoot 1.03

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Ellie Higson believes that spiritualist Mrs Vanguard can hear the voices of the dead, but Henry Gordon Jago thinks it's all superstition and theatrical trickery. But if Vanguard is a harmless fake, then why have some of those who have attended her seances disappeared so mysteriously? Jago and Litefoot investigate... and find themselves facing a deadly foe from the afterlife.

Verdict

The Spirit Trap was an outstanding story to continue the first series of Jago & Litefoot! This really was right up my alley and this was exactly the continuity I hoped for following on from the emotional events of The Bloodless Soldier. Ellie had more of a starring role and focus here which was absolutely warranted given her recent ordeal, and it was clear she was still suffering from that emotionally as she had gone to a spiritualist in the hope of being reconnected with her dead brother Jim. I thought it was fun for Jago to be very dismissive of the whole spiritualist thing and see it as nothing more than a theatre act. Given his background and profession, that was the perfect approach so it was nice for Litefoot to be a bit more sympathetic towards the barmaid, especially with the information they were concealing about the circumstances of Jim's death. Jago and Litefoot were keen to remain that stayed secret so their reaction when Ellie recalled what Mrs Vanguard told her about Jim's death at King's Cross Station with a bullet was tremendous. They had to start believing that maybe she was in contact with the dead! I adored the atmosphere of this story and the characters of Jago and Litefoot really were perfect for it. It always feels like stories are taking place at night and when dealing with the spirits of the dead I think that's important. I really was impressed with the feel and having Toby alongside Litefoot concerned about the whereabouts of his Beryl was really good. The connection that she had also visited Vanguard recently was excellent and I loved how that sparked into immediate worry for Ellie. She was obviously vulnerable given recent events with losing her brother, and finding Beryl as a burned out corpse was pretty gruesome. All signs pointed towards Beryl actually going up in flames herself to cause a fire which was just horrifying. The very idea of spontaneous human combustion is frightening so to hear it in full swing here was quite something! The threat of it having to Jago too with him actually emitting steam became a very real threat. Vanguard orchestrating a passage from what she believed to be the dead back into the mortal sphere was intriguing, and the truth was fascinating too! The idea of those Vanguard was in contact with not actually being the spirits of the dead but consciousnesses from the future was tremendous and something I didn't see coming! I thought it was brilliant for them to just use their position in the future to look back on historical records as the means to delivering the information from beyond, and it was fun to hear Litefoot piece everything together despite his initial misunderstanding when the Future revealed they were from the forty-ninth century. Hearing Jago and Ellie in the tunnel as spirits like they were floating in a dream was good and the desperation in their voices to return to their bodies was tantamount. The sacrifice of Toby to break the link with Vanguard and combust himself was spectacular and it was nice that Vanguard had no memory of events once that link was broken, with her admitting for £5 that she just told people what they wanted to hear. Overall, a sublime audio adventure! 

Rating: 10/10

The Bellova Devil

"Her husband was buried alive, but returned to do murder."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: June 2010

Series: Jago & Litefoot 1.02

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

A body is found on the Circle Line, wearing full dress uniform. It is identified as Reginald Coalville – a ma who was certified dead some six weeks ago! In an attempt to solve the mystery Jago and Litefoot become unwilling bodysnatchers... And thus begins a chain of events that will pit them against killer Bulgars and the mysterious machinations of the Far-Off Travellers Club...

Verdict

The Bellova Devil was a decent episode to continue the first series of Jago & Litefoot! I enjoyed the theme of death in this one but given the emotional ending of the end of The Bloodless Soldier, I thought the continuity with Ellie was severely lacking and that was something that really ought to have been explored in more detail than a quick check in at the pub. She was working to keep busy and I really felt dealing with the aftermath should have been the focus. But alas, things move quickly in Victorian London and Professor Litefoot was enlisted for more postmortems and this time he was identifying the death of someone already certified as such for six weeks prior! That was really fun and I did like the mystery that spread throughout the episode. It had a strong feeling of a whodunnit which worked pretty well and whilst not all of the loose ends were tied up, there was certainly enough to keep my interest. One of the story's highlights was the humour that came from Jago putting on numerous acts as a supposed use of his theatre background but he was far from convincing in the absolute best way. Litefoot's reaction to his arrival was tremendous. I thought their relationship was very strong once again and I liked how there wasn't too much involvement from the supporting cast. It had a feeling like The Mahogany Murderers with Jago and Litefoot recalling certain events to each other, and the continuity from that and the previous episode with Dr Tulp up to no good again was nicely done. Jago's fear of the Manchester Mangler was very good stuff and the way he made that man sound worse just by name alone and the way he said was testament to his character. I thought this was a strong episode for both lead characters. I liked that Litefoot got to shine towards the end of the episode as we lead into the rest of the series to come with him deducing events in brilliant detective style, but I think there was perhaps a little too much dialogue and forced explanation there for a conclusion. I thought the death of Coalville and the connection with his sun was decent but there was a little confusion going on for sure, which may have been the intention. The use of a Turkish scabbard as a weapon was good and I liked the urgency in Litefoot warning the Foreign Office to catch two individuals headed for Constantinople. The Bellova Club was another fine institution as part of the Victorian era and having a secretary as a character was pretty good. I liked how the Club was clearly up to no good. Litefoot actually suffering from cyanide poison was quite gruesome and a good injection of reality of the era. Whilst I did enjoy the episode as my rating reflects, I thought the ending was just a bit unsatisfying as the best way to sum it up and I know that this could be rectified in the next two episodes, but for now I have to judge this on its own merits. The Far-Off Travellers as the lead organisation were good but I think they needed a bit more fleshing out to fully establish themselves as strong enemies. Regardless, this was still an enjoyable listen! 

Rating: 7/10

The Bloodless Soldier

"What do you know of the mysteries of life?"

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: June 2010

Series: Jago & Litefoot 1.01

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

A group of soldiers return from overseas service – but they have brought a terrible evil back with them. As death strikes on the streets of London, Sergeant Quick calls upon the help of Professor Litefoot, while an old enemy lurks in the shadows. Jago and Litefoot are on the trail of the Bloodless Soldier – and tragedy will hit close to them...

Verdict

The Bloodless Soldier was an excellent story to kick off the first series of the Jago & Litefoot spinoff series! I have heard nothing but rave reviews about this range so I'm delighted to finally be getting stuck into it and after a phenomenal pilot in the form of The Mahogany Murderers, this was a stellar start to the series proper. I loved the mystery and I just know I'm going to be a big fan of the Victorian setting and the somewhat dark atmosphere that accompanies it. I liked the enigmatic start with numerous soldiers retrning home and finding out that one of them was barmaid Ellie's brother provided a strong connection to an already familiar character. Hearing how Captain Hertford was in a very bad way was good and I liked the threat of something bad coming home from the subcontinent. It seemed like a disease or that he was possessed, and the truth was something of a combination of the two. I liked how Jago was wanting an alcoholic beverage or four but the get together in the pub establishment was called short after Sergeant Quick called in Litefoot for an urgent case following a murder. The victim had only been dead for two hours but his blood had been completely drained! That was brilliant and gruesome, especially with there being no blood found at the scene! The revelations coming that Hertford had been bitten by an animal in India was intriguing and the fact that Corporal Lorton had called in Dr Tulp for some diagnosis and potentially a cure was instantly good continuity from his involvement with the mahogany murderer. It was nice to get a voice for the character too and I suspect he'll be a recurring villain. Jago having fallen on hard times at the declining theatre was a good theme but a shame for him as he deserves better than small audiences! Private Michael coming with a proposition for an act that would get the crowds in was a little odd, especially with a demand for £100 up front, but a meeting was set to see the attraction. I thought Sunil was a good character and I loved the line of him following the trail of death. He was the nemesis of the beast that drank blood and infected to create more of its kind. It was fun to hear how butchers had been robbed of beef brisket to feed the beastly Captain and I'd have liked Litefoot to put the pieces together there. Private Higson sneaking off to see Ellie was nice and him having to put the care of the Captain before his sister was a big shame, especially with the fate that befell him. The Captain being let loose whilst Higson was away was fun and Michaels was away too, off to see the beast as a stage attraction! That was fun. Michaels forcing Ellie to help him with his selling was strong and I liked the feel of the back alley for the offering. Litefoot was cautious which I liked in his character and he recognised the attraction as the beastly culprit which was terrific. The only cure for Hertford was a bullet to the head which was brutal, but how else could stop an infected beast that drank blood for water? Smith and Sunil were killed in quick fashion whilst chained to Michael, but before being shot the Captain bit Private Higson and quick transformation ensued which was very thrilling. Jago shooting Higson before Ellie saw what her brother had become was pure emotion and the theatre manager was absolutely distraught, but he did what he had to after Litefoot's hesitation. His changing back to human form as a corpse was some kind of comfort, but that was such an emotional ending to an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Mahogany Murderers

"Your climactic moment was better."

Writer: Andy Lane

Format: Audio

Released: May 2009

Series: Companion Chronicles 3.11

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Professor George Litefoot: the eminent pathologist who advises the police in some of their grisliest cases. Henry Gordon Jago: the master of ceremonies at the Alhambra Theatre. These are two very different men from contrasting strata in society who become from friends and collaborators after their adventure with the Doctor and Leela battling the evil Weng-Chiang. 

Some years later, Jago and Litefoot have defeated dangerous denizens of the daemonic darkness together. They have stood side by side against threats to the British Empire. But when a body is found on the banks of the River Thames and Litefoot's post mortar reveals that it is actually a highly detailed wooden mannequin, their most dangerous adventure begins. 

Dr Tulp has masterminded a deadly scheme, Jack Yeovil and his murderous gang plan to live forever, and only Jago and Litefoot can stop them...

Verdict

The Mahogany Murderers was an outstanding Companion Chronicles audio adventure! Following my recent viewing of The Talons of Weng-Chiang, I couldn't help but finally delve into this story and whilst it is part of the Companion Chronicles range, it's more so a pilot for the Jago and Litefoot spinoff series which I am now incredibly excited to finally delve into! I thought the characters of Jago and Litefoot were tremendous in their only on screen appearance alongside the Fourth Doctor and Leela, and they just work so well as a pairing here. I was intrigued that there seems to have been something of a small time jump since encountering Weng-Chiang and they stayed acquainted and haven't been far from dealing in the detective and mystery. I'd love for one of the many Jago and Litefoot series to explore that, but for now it was just wonderful to hear both men coming to the pub and catching up. Lisa Bowerman as the barmaid Ellie was fun and hearing her put on a thick Cockney accent was delightful and a long cry away from the more familiar Bernice Summerfield. The incorporation of the Chronicles format was outstanding with the pair recounting a recent event that turned out to be linked quite delightfully. They recalled their respective events over a couple of pints and time stamped each part of the tale really nicely. I liked the comedy that came with Jago going a bit over the top with his storytelling which was a great use of his theatre background, and him even giving advice to Litefoot despite them admitting there was no audience hanging on their every word was so much fun. I really could just sit and listen to them telling stories all day. They're a delightful pair. I was intrigued to know that Jago was in a little bit of financial difficulty so it was nice for Litefoot to be fitting the bills, especially with Jago wracking up quite a tab! The mystery of a mannequin being mistaken for a dead body was excellent and the impressive nature of its work was something Litefoot admired. His comments about the police were amusing as he didn't seem to be too king to their investigative abilities, but the story unraveled from there as we learned about Dr Tulp and the gang of Jack Yeovil. Litefoot recalling how Yeovil had died three weeks previously was brilliant as that seemed impossible for Jago to have had an encounter with him, but Tulp was in the business of providing souls to wooden mannequins! Hearing how members of the gang even preferred their wooden bodies was slightly disturbing! The use of a Victorian gang is great and seems well fitted to the era. I absolutely adored the cliffhanger with Jago building to a climactic moment where a rock fell on his head whilst Litefoot concluded the first act with the wooden mannequin coming to life. The comment from Jago about the climactic moment being better before the credits hit was golden. I thought the ending was strong and I liked how events linked up with mahogany mannequin whilst leaving things open ended for the spinoff series to come as Dr Tulp is still out there with a whole organisation for Jago and Litefoot to defeat. Overall, a magnificent story! 

Rating: 10/10

Mission to Magnus

"We need the secrets of time travel."

Writer: Philip Martin

Format: Novel

Released: July 1990

Series: Target: Missing Episodes 03

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

'Did I hear "Doctor"? Is it the Doctor I have drawn to me? The laugh become more student, forcing the Doctor to thrust his fingers into his ears in panic and close his eyes, as if here were a frightened child.'

The TARDIS has been pulled off course and sent hurtling through space and time. When it finally stops, Peri is amazed to witness the Doctor's transformation into a cringing coward.

The takeover of the TARDIS by the school bully from the class of the fourth millennium on Gallifrey is only the first of the Doctor's problems. On the surface of the planet Magnus more of his old enemies are conspiring to trick the planet's all-female rulers; the Doctor and Peri have to foil a plot to freeze the entire world and wipe out most of the population. 

Verdict

Mission to Magnus was a decent novelisation of the TV serial intended for the original Season 24! Now, I have blogged the Lost Stories audio some eight years ago now and looking back on that 2014 entry it seems this story works better when performed and that was a feeling I had as I was reading through. I remembered very little of the plot but I couldn't help but feel that Philip Martin wrote this rather quickly and didn't take much opportunity to expand upon the script. The plot works well and I love the idea of the Sixth Doctor battling against Sil again as he was hugely successful in Vengeance on Varos, but the arrival of the Ice Warriors seems a little clumsy here and doesn't happen until over halfway through. In saying that, the departure of Anzor seems premature and I think the story would have worked better without one of these. I loved the idea of Anzor being a school bully version of a Time Lord and the reaction of the Doctor to cower in fear when hearing his voice as the TARDIS that had called his was uncharacteristic, especially of the sixth incarnation! Peri was dumbfounded and wasn't having any of it. She stood up to the bully no problem. I thought Magnus was a good setting although a mention of the icy regions would have helped earlier on before coming about just before the Ice Warriors showed up. I think it would have been marvellous for the Martians to return on screen in the Sixth Doctor era and it's just nice for his incarnation to meet them. A bit more of an alliance with Sil would have been great, but the conniving and profit hungry slug was out to cause chaos. The idea of women being the dominant gender on Magnus was excellent and I think is something that could work well again. Peri almost immediately assuming the role of command when the Doctor left her alone in the caves was brilliant and it was a position she revelled in. Vion and her generated a strong relationship in the end and he was a fun character. The Rana as the female leader was a tremendous character though and she didn't worry about Sil's motives. She knew he was out for money and the way she challenged him when his plan with the Salvakians was shown as a sham was terrific. I thought the arrival of the Ice Warriors provided a strong sense of danger with their attempts to detonate the bomb and trigger climatic catastrophe. I thought a motive like that was a bit simple and more of an emphasis on why they chose Magnus was required. The Magnusians and Sil getting in the TARDIS was terrific and the memory extraction to obtain the formula of time travel was nicely done. Seeing the future and the destruction of Magnus was strong, but I'm not sure I could buy into them going forward and back so easily and precisely. The Ice Warriors actually being successful in changing the orbit of Magnus was good, but the book finishes a bit quickly with the Doctor quite easily reverting the planet back on course. Anzor was back at the start of time and heading back to him for a final paragraph would have made for a great epilogue but sadly it didn't come. Overall though, a strong story that is better suited for a performed format. 

Rating: 7/10

The Prints of Denmark

"All the world's our stage!"

Writer: Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Companion Chronicles: Second Doctor 3.03

Featuring: Zoe 

Synopsis

The man Zoe travels through time and space with is a comical little man, eager to make a difference. To make things better. He's a man who loves the Earth, its history, its potential, and is happy to help things along when he can. And now Zoe is the only one standing between him and changing Earth unrecognisably: for the Monk, the play's the thing...

Verdict

The Prints of Denmark was an outstanding audio adventure! This was such a good and fun episode to continue the third volume of the Second Doctor's Companion Chronicles and the two-hander between Zoe and the Monk was a pairing I never knew I needed. I'd honestly be so happy to listen to an entire boxset between the pair as they complimented each other so well. The library setting of the opening worked well and the Monk being a little shady and encountering Zoe was a lot of fun, and before we knew it he'd offered her travels through time to help broaden her cultural knowledge. The suggestion that this was something that Zoe needed to work on was interesting and I lived the little nugget of her seeing an episode with the Karkus present in the collection. That was excellent continuity with The Mind Robber. The Monk didn't do the best job at hiding the fact he knew about the Doctor and that sparked a fun dynamic with Zoe. He was trying to explain how changing history and interfering in time was fun and something that the Doctor technically did every single time they travelled. Zoe was keen to admit that was the case, but he was a force for good. The Monk wasn't interested in morals. Zoe's shocked reaction to the Monk being able to control his TARDIS was brilliant and I liked the reminder that it was also privy to a working chameleon circuit. I thought the initial jumping around was happening a bit too quickly, but once we reached the Globe Theatre everything slotted in beautifully. The very concept of a Hamlet play being broadcast on the Tudor Broadcast System was delightful and from there the task to prevent it actually being a part of history was a fantastic mission for Zoe. The theme of missing episodes was a delightful subtly and the use of off-air snaps and clips deemed too violent was so wonderfully tongue and cheek. I was a huge fan of what was happening. The cliffhanger of the Monk's interfering intentions being revealed was terrific and the second part was nothing short of perfect. Zoe wanting to play the Monk at his own game and get three goes at putting history back on track and there being no trace of the Hamlet broadcast was magnificent. She sadly failed, and for once it seemed like the Monk was victorious. He had a brief moment of glory when it was revealed that what he was looking at in the collection was a VHS copy of the Hamlet play, but suddenly the entire timeline was wiped out and the video was no longer there. Of course, it turned out that the video itself was what drew the TARDIS to their current location and whilst the Monk and Zoe were off travelling in the TARDIS for the afternoon, the Doctor and Jamie had put things right historically. The Monk's reaction was wonderful and just defeated as he'd been beaten once again. It was all taken away from him. I should also mention how wonderful it was to have Rufus Hound appear as his true self in a top ten TV moments segment, and also having Wendy named as a character. There was a nice blend of realism of media. Overall, a simply wonderful audio! 

Rating: 10/10

The Other Woman

"The great wanderer, his wings forcefully clipped."

Writer: Philip Lawrence

Format: Audio

Released: November 2015

Series: Short Trips 5.11

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

UNIT is called in when an alien escape pod brings a woman to the Kent countryside. The Doctor offers to repair her stricken, dimension-hopping ship, seeing an opportunity to escape his exile. But while Calandra charms the Doctor and the other men of UNIT, Jo is less trusting. Are her suspicions well-founded or is there another green-eyed monster at work?

Verdict

The Other Woman was a very fun Short Trips audio adventure! I was really intrigued by the title of this story and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The implications of course point towards there being another female interest for the Doctor and that was definitely something Jo was tackling here. I’m not sure she handled things in the best way and that was part of the story’s appeal. It seemed like it was quite a way into Jo’s time with the Doctor and UNIT and probably somewhere between Seasons 9 and 10 with the Time Lord thinking his exile would soon be up, and that made it harder for Jo to accept that the Doctor’s end goal was always to leave Earth. Of course, he was always going to take her with him but that was far from obvious here. I liked the reality of Jo going out on a date and her thinking that the Doctor was off doing the same was very amusing! The arrival of Callandra was great and I thought she was a decent character. I enjoyed that she was a traveller between dimensions and the Doctor pouncing on that immediately as a potential way off the planet was brilliant in fitting with its era on television. The fact that Callandra was drawn to the planet by the TARDIS was good and I liked the concept of them linking the time and space machine with her own dimension hopper. Callandra was far from harmless though and she was actually on the run. The idea of the Judgementors was pretty good and I just loved their name! It sounded impressive and the basis for a lot of potential, but there wasn’t quite enough time to expand on them which was a shame. The story definitely had Judoon vibes but this probably wasn’t the right time for them to interact with the Third Doctor. Speaking of which, I thought Katy Manning did an excellent job with the narration and the way she transitioned between her character of Jo and the stubborn figures of the Doctor and the Brigadier was terrific. I was really impressed. I liked that the entirety of UNIT was present and going to Kent really provided the story with some scale. I thought the ending was slightly cheating in that the Doctor predictably wasn’t actually going to go against her and had been expecting her to arrive for a few weeks now after receiving her signal, but the description of Callandra’s reaction to being betrayed was tremendous! Overall, a really fun story. 

Rating: 8/10

Heritage: Truth and Bone

"We are Sontarans. We are exiled against our will."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: May 2020

Series: Patermoster Gang 1.09

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

Bloomsbury troublemakers Stonn and Tom Faster are back, and in much more trouble than ever before.

Sontar has turned its attention to Earth as Requisitioner Skark looks to retrieve missing soldiers. And Jenny finds Vastra preoccupied with the past, which may lead to a very dark future...

Verdict

Truth and Bone was an excellent story to conclude the third volume of Heritage! This has been a really strong third series and this finale was probably the best of the bunch. I thought it was brilliant continuity with the spinoff as a whole to bring back Stonn and Tom Foster as part of the Bloomsbury Bunch from A Photograph to Remember and they really felt at home being back. They're so fun and contrasting them with a likewise set of characters in the Paternoster Gang works so well. I will admit that Vella was missed but I do hope there is something more to that as Vastra seemed to be longing for interaction with her own species. This was a brilliant story for Strax and I'm a big fan of him dealing with some Sontaran past and his purpose of being cloned. His relationship with Stonn was glorious and just hearing them interact was an absolute delight. They had so much chemistry and they just gelled. Tom Foster being the one to bring the Paternoster Gang around was fun and hiding that from Stonn as he embarked on a crazy mission to replace the postal service was good stuff. I thought his attempts to reconfigure the aviation species was just ludicrous and Vastra's drawing of her own conclusion at what she thought Stonn had planned was a terrific moment. Her reaction to finding that it was all a money device was very fun. I enjoyed the continuity from Whatever Remains with Vastra dealing with the spirit of Anura inside her mind and that came into full impact here. She needed help and almost persuasion to get at Skark and the ancient Silurian spirit had no trouble in providing it. The concept of conflict and history between the Sontarans and Silurians was excellent and that is something I would love to explore further as Vastra now embarks on a mission to discover prehistoric artefacts. That's a good direction to head in for the final boxset and I can't wait to get there. Skark was a fun Sontaran character and it was great to have a traditional Sontaran commander around, not that Stonn chose to recognise his authority though. Strax admitting to Stonn that he was actually happy as a butler was fascinating and it's lovely to know that he feels that way and content with his life. His asking of whether there could be other glories that weren't war was brilliant as well. I loved the challenging to the Sontarans of their ancestors and the reference to The First Sontarans with their origins was brilliant. I loved the reaction of Skark to that forbidden knowledge. Skark wasn't shying from knowledge though as he sparked a similar reaction in Vastra when mentioning a number of other Silurian hibernations. Vastra was seemingly longing for attention of her own race. The relationship between Stonn and Tom Foster was really nice and I liked how the Sontaran seemed happy to now take and protect his man. I do hope we haven't heard the end of them though! The conversation at the end between Jenny and Vastra was emotional and there was real concern in the human for what the spirit of Anura had done, but it seemed she was rid of that now. Overall, a strong finale! 

Rating: 9/10

Heritage: Whatever Remains

"Ignorance is no defence."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: May 2020

Series: Paternoster Gang 1.08

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

The Great Detective's latest case takes Vastra and friends to the Jurassic coast. A local landowner has vanished. The only clue – the footprints of a gigantic creature! 

As Strax suffers the attentions of an amorous landlady, Jenny gains an admirer of her own. And Vastra discovers something buried deep...

Verdict

Whatever Remains was a brilliant episode to continue along the third volume of Heritage for the Paternoster Gang! I really liked the challenge and exploration of the Siurian history for Vastra and it was clear that this was going to be the direction right from the off as we heard the cry of a legend in the presence of Dudley and Poorgrass who were fun but typically Victorian gentlemen of the upper class. Dudley descending to the depths of the cavern had me remembering the sites of The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood with the description of his fate. Lullwind Cove made for a really fun setting and just going to the Dorset coast and getting out of London was nice and refreshing for the gang. The legend of the sea creature was intriguing and the mystery of where Dudley's body was made for a fun setup as Poorgrass came to seek the help of the legendary veiled detective. The fact that the only incriminating evidence was a giant chicken footprint was very amusing! I loved the suggestion of Vastra and her detective work being the basis for Sherlock Holmes and Strax's recollection of an encounter with Arthur Conan Doyle was marvellous. He was on top form throughout this adventure! Vastra recognising the area of Lullwind Cove on the map but noticing some little changes was great and it was a place she will have been to before, but very long ago. Encountering some of her own people is terrific, but one of the standouts was human Mrs Slinger. She took an immediate shine to Strax and his mistaking her affection for cunning was just outstanding. The fact she was trying to sneak into his room for some romantic reasons but Strax believing he caught her in stealth mode was just tremendous. I loved it. I liked how much Vastra was enjoying exploring the cavern but that quickly changed once Dudley's body was found clawed in a bad way. Vastra finding the drawings of the Silurian origin myth was exciting and I thought her deducing the area as the Temple of the First Empire was fantastic. Jenny did not take well to being left behind and that really was a sore point as the episode went on. Vastra was ready to fight with an old one of the first blood whilst Strax was keen to point out that Jenny should respect the chain of command. Strax seeking to singlehandedly fight the creature of legend was glorious but Jenny's suggestion of a tactical withdrawal was a fun way to ensure the Sontaran would run away. Batraxus guarding Anura's tomb was fascinating and the fact she never went into hibernation didn't seem believable given the millions of years spanned since the time of the Silurians. The power that she was guarding had kept her alive, but that seemed to be dissipating now. Vastra being chosen as the new guard was fun as she obviously didn't fancy that task. Merripit was a good character and his play to gain the crude oil fossils after Dudley let it be known he was going to sell was excellent and he had quite the motive of greed! He used the legend to scare off other buyers and was going to snatch the land up cheaply. Jenny deducing he was behind it all and actually American linking everything to a US company was impressive, but Merripit's 'real' American accent was horrifyingly bad. The hilarious ending with Strax trying to unmask him as Slinger going unsuccessful was marvellous too. Jenny's poignant discussion with Vastra about being the maid and accepting that front for them was excellent, and Vastra now being frightened was a nice addition of vulnerability. Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Heritage: Family Matters

"You are welcome to the most magnificent freak show on Earth!"

Writer: Lisa McMulin

Format: Audio

Released: May 2020

Series: Paternoster Gang 1.07

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

Jenny's past comes calling at Paternoster Row, as Strax takes care of a guest, and the travelling circus comes to town – spelling danger for some of the gang.

But when family matters intrude on their marriage, the last thing Jenny wants is Vastra having her in-laws for dinner...

Verdict

Family Matters was a very good episode to continue the Heritage spinoff series for the Paternoster Gang! This opened the third volume in a very good way and the humour that was associated with the opening was magnificent. I really can't say how much I love Strax and just adore the type of comedy that comes with him. His snoring and being mistaken for a burglar at the start was terrific, as was Jenny's reaction to Vastra accusing her of it! Strax had of course been knocked out though with a shot to the probic vent, but it seemed harmless with some stray lions being the ones to have broken in. As the episode went on, we found out that wasn't correct and the care taken for the Sarcosuchus was nicely done and some good continuity with Spring-Heeled Jack. Barty Crump was a pretty fun character and his accompanying Vastra down the tunnels below the Thames was a bit eery, especially when he seemed to suffocate her into kidnapping! Vastra was taken to a freak show which was pretty harsh and she was not best pleased with Crump posing as a mud lark to just make her an attraction. Irinda was an intriguing character too and she didn't seem too bothered by the fact she was viewed like she was in a zoo. The description of her being blue skinned and having four arms painted a good image, but there was clearly more to her than met the eye. The arrival of Jenny's Ma to Paternoster Row was brilliant and it was clear they had quite a strained relationship. Ma was quick to engage in theft by stealing some of the china but I was fascinated that she had obtained a Sontaran homing device. The threat of her going to Sontar was amusing! Albert, who turned out to be Jenny's Pa, being attacked by Vastra was good stuff and I liked that Barty also seemed to be her brother! It was quite the family reunion. Vastra's stubbornness with Jenny about not being told of her wife's family was a little harsh, but they reunited to a good understanding by the end. Vastra tolerated humanity for people like Jenny. I thought the moment where Jenny retorted to her father about not being married like her parents because she was happy was just glorious. A stunning line. The mystery of Barty deepened once we learned he'd only been back for a week and Jenny questioning if he was the real article was good. Learning that Jenny had another sibling Dorothy but her fate was not good as well made for a strong emotional family connection. Her parents were pretty poor when it came to doing their job. The reveal that Barty was the same species as Irinda was decent and the whole Scondorofax artefact story was intriguing. Vastra got to challenge Barty quite strongly and the suggestion of the artefact holding back the end time was very good. I liked the flashback tot he Scondorofax decision to head to Earth to find the Silurians and prevent them activating the artefact and completing the prophecy that would end time. The conclusion was a little drab with the Scondorofax just disintegrating by will and would reassemble over time, so I do hope this isn't the last we hear from them! Overall though, a strong and enjoyable opener!

Rating: 8/10

Instant Karma

"We can do anything."

Writers: David Llewellyn, Jonathan Morris & James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: July 2018

Series: Torchwood Monthly 23

Featuring: Tosh

Synopsis

Imagine. All those people. The ones who make each day that little bit harder. That little bit more unbearable. 

Imagine if you could silence them. Just by looking at them.

I mean, just imagine. If you could do that. To all the people who annoy you. Would you do it?

Verdict

Instant Karma was a somewhat average audio adventure to continue the Torchwood monthly series from Big Finish! I thought the CD artwork for this one was striking but I never felt that the story injected that same feeling. It seemed like it was always at an introductory stage which was slightly weird, and that was a shame after a very strong opening pre-titles sequence from Simon. His discussion on other people and all of those annoying in our lives was fascinating and the suggestion of being able to silence them, and whether one would take that option if they had the opportunity, was excellent. Sadly, I don't think things progressed too impressively from there. Once Tosh joined the group and the opening was retrospectively turned into a class teaching, the impact was lost on me. I liked the intrigue of the first session taking it out of you physically with Tosh showing some adverse effects, and that suggested something more sinister was at work. The death of group member Carl set tings in motion and got Tosh in full investigative mode which is where she shines best. The mystery of Carl's family not seeing the death certificate and multiple reasons given for his death which occurred after his first meeting showed things here were very dangerous indeed. Carl had been keeping a record of the mysterious events and deaths surrounding Simon and the group and obviously had gotten more than he bargained for! I enjoyed the ability of Simon to channel resentment and anger as a weapon and there was a lot of potential there. I don't think it quite reached the heights it could have, but I still appreciated the power. Others not even realising that it was happening was good stuff too. Simon was sick of being ignored and it seemed he had quite a few personal and anger issues. Tosh standing up to him despite showing fear was great and she didn't adhere to the warning to back off. Gooch being another one dead and the group being blamed this time was good and Simon actually taking the power of the group made of members feeling strong emotional detachments and experiences was good, but he still just seemed petty to me. Tosh's appeal to Janet to get through to Simon about what he was doing always felt like it would fall on deaf ears, and it didn't make sense with her having the crush on him. Janet joining with Simon to kill the group of lads mocking their public show of affection was a sinister moment, but the pair never felt believable as a couple. The conversation on the phone with Simon getting angry at his barking dog and so much so that he used his power inadvertently to kill his dog was just uncomfortable and unnecessary. Simon challenging Tosh on whether the Torchwood team actually liked her or if she would be missed was good, but Tosh knew her importance which I admired. Janet leaving after Simon was done for despite Tosh assuring her she would place all blame on Simon was a bit of a sour note to finish. Overall, some good moments and a lot of potential but definitely some missing links. 

Rating: 6/10

The Phantom Piper

"Sometimes we need to forget things."

Writer: Martin Day

Format: Audio

Released: April 2022

Series: Companion Chronicles: Second Doctor 3.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie

Synopsis

Life in the colony world of Sora is idyllic, thanks to a device implanted in all citizens which helps memory recall. As a human visitor, Jamie receives one too. But soon the Doctor has concerns about his friend which lead to the office of local scientist Dr Hunter, and into the past of James Robert McCrimmon...

Verdict

The Phantom Piper was a fantastic story to continue the third volume of Companion Chronicles for the Second Doctor! I have been really impressed with this set as I reach the halfway mark and it's fun to have the Second Doctor and Jamie together by themselves, with Victoria left alone atop the space station. That dynamic works well and allows Frazier Hines to shine in both lead roles. Starting with Jamie having an implant was intriguing and I liked the idea of Shard technology. Clearly, more had happened than we had experienced as listener but that allowed us to get to know Professor Hunt through her discussion with Jamie which was enlightening. I was a big fan of hers and the theme of memory was brilliant. It was fun to have the Doctor outside of the room whilst Hunter was essentially talking Jamie through a memory experiment and the urge to interfere must have been strong for the Time Lord! He'd escaped needing an implant by not being human and the format was established strong in setting up the Chronicle format with Jamie being told to state his memories and what he was feeling. I thought that was clever utilisation. The Sora setting was very good and I liked the uniqueness of everyone being given an implant when reaching the age of 21 to help with their memory when they were now considered fully developed. Jamie recalling the arrival to Sora was strong and I liked that there was a protest ensuing that they got involved in almost immediately. Jame mentioning how getting split from the Doctor was nothing new was a lot of fun and certainly correct! The little flashback cameo of events of The Highlanders was really nicely done and it was excellent to be exploring some of Jamie's past. The story of his best friend James Drummond and how they altered nicknames because they shared the same name was lovely, but learning about how he did in Jamie's arms was a sharp injection of reality. Jamie going back in his mind to the clan celebration was great and I was really intrigued to hear Jamie seeing his mum. Hunter explaining how childhood memories were more difficult to manage and control was nicely done and I enjoyed also hearing Jamie visiting his grandparents as a ten-year-old. The Shard implant actually causing an impairment to recall was interesting and I loved the idea of all of the memories feeling dark. The arrival of the phantom piper as the cliffhanger brought back vibes of The Moonbase and Hunter's belief that the McCrimmon legend of seeing the piper before death was a convenient one was brilliant. Jamie had different beliefs! Hunter forgetting about the note that Jamie gave us was magnificent because that showed the implant wasn't bulletproof when it came to recall. She admitted that the Shard tech was dangerous and as soon as it appeared that they were removing memories, my interest peaked! The implant removing Jamie's Culloden memories was fascinating and the concept of junk data for brain and memories was superb. They needed to override the blockers to get Jamie his memories back which was fun and logical. The talk with Jamie's granny on her deathbed was outstanding and full of emotion, and the suggestion that his grandad made up the piper story was terrific. The family history was wonderful. Hunter being the one to rewrite the code of the implant to ensure that consent was required before any memory removal was very good, and the Doctor suggesting that it was Hunter who implemented it in the first place because she was trying to forget a tragedy was fantastic. Overall, a really strong audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

The Talons of Weng-Chiang

"The Master of Magic and Mesmerism. Show us a trick." 

Writer: Robert Holmes

Format: TV

Broadcast: 25 February - 2 April 1977

Season: 14.06

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

Women of Victorian London fall prey to an unknown menace, while monstrous terrors lurk in the sewers under the city. Chinese gangs scurry in the dank fog, and a sinister stage magician seeks to serve his mysterious master. The Doctor and Leela arrive, only to find themselves plunged into a series of macabre horrors...

Verdict

The Talons of Weng-Chiang was an outstanding serial to conclude the fourteenth season of Doctor Who! This is one I have been waiting to rewatch for quite some time now but the six parts makes it a little difficult with an 11-month old around but I was glad to revisit one of my all time favourites for the first time in what must be a decade. This is such a strong serial and right from the off it's excellent. I love the Victorian setting and introducing Leela to that and the tribe of Cockneys was tremendous. I enjoyed her getting to grips with the new society and proclaiming herself as a proud member of the Sevateem was great stuff. We had the now infamous mention of the police as blue guards and it was just so much fun to have her interact with the law. The magic theme at the theatre is brilliant and the dynamic between Jago as the theatre manager and Chang as the performer was so well done. Of course, this serial is infamous for its poor representation of the Chinese and the fact that there are actually no Chinese actors playing the role doesn't look good in hindsight and certainly wouldn't happen these days, but it's incredibly reminiscent of the time this was made in the 1970s and that's how I choose to look back on it. The perceptions of the Chinese in the Victorian era was brutal in parts and there was definitely a semi-racist undercurrent going throughout without any real malicious feeling which I'm not entirely sure is good. But the story itself is just outstanding. The atmosphere throughout is dark and it really does take you aback when the Doctor and Litefoot are exploring the Thames in broad daylight. That feels so out of sync which is testament to the quality of a large bulk of the adventure. The god-like status of Weng-Chiang was marvellous and I think Magnus Greel does make a very strong villain, but after watching I did my research and for the first time I found out that this was intended to be revealed as the decaying Master. Well, that would have been extraordinary and make so much sense! The rejuvenation was brilliant and missing girls seemed to fit in well with Victorian society and the dangers. I like the pace of the story and the cliffhangers are really strong. I was even impressed with the rat model that attacked Leela as I seemed to remember that being quite awful. Mr Sin is a delightfully creepy character and having him go from the means of a ventriloquist to a dagger-wielding madman is glorious. The fate of the character was absolutely gruesome though in the way that the Doctor saw him off. That really shocked me! The relationship that built throughout between Jago and Litefoot was excellent and it's no wonder that they've gone on to become so revered and even have their own spinoff series. I'm now looking forward to delving into that and listening to their further interactions in other audio series. Their reaction at the end to the TARDIS taking off and the comment about the policemen being excellent was sublime stuff. The fate of Greel in being put into his own device and seeing it blow was good and final, and after a jolly good Victorian mystery things definitely got gory in the final episode. That allowed the serial as a whole to have a strong impact and overall, it really is one of the very best! 

Rating: 10/10

Silver and Ice: Bad Day in Tinseltown

"I'm known for my devastating charm, not my fists."

Writer: Dan Starkey

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 1.01

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

The Doctor and Mel drop in on the frontier town of Brightedge – dubbed 'Tinseltown' after the curious by-products from its depleted mine. The Mayor thinks the future lies in entertainment, but as the locals start behaving oddly, a hidden force of Cybermen has other plans...

Verdict

Bad Day in Tinseltown was a very fun start to the Silver and Ice first series of the Seventh Doctor Adventures! It's nice to get a fresh start for the Seventh Doctor and Mel as with just one series and four serials on television, this is a pairing that warrants more time and exploration. I liked the vibe of this episode and it just felt right for an opener with its lighthearted and almost comedic feel. General Juno was an unexpected start of the show and it really was a sublime performance from Jeany Speak. She went over the top and that was the precise intention with the character a little deranged but just intent on getting rich thanks to some ancient stories of a warrior race trapped in a cliff edge. Of course, that race turned out to be the Cybermen and with the promise of two generations of Cybermen meeting I felt that it wasn't quite all it could have been. However, it was still a lot of fun and at times the Cybermen were put on the back burner which was absolutely fine. I really liked the setting of Tinseltown and the idea of tinsel as a material that was crucial to a planet's society and economy was strange. It's not exactly the most traditional of things and usually only makes an appearance at Christmas! I liked how it was used to light up the planet despite there being no sun or moon, and the imagery at the cliffhanger with the tinsel transforming into silver was excellent. I didn't see that coming but Mungo emerging and thinking that everyone was playing dress up as tin soldier was very amusing. Juno tackling with her unwanted position as Cyber Leader was very good and the augmentation was a little calling. Gerald as a fighter with Cyber arms hardly seemed fair and it was no surprise that his winning record was so good! Mel posing as a journalist was fun and I thought she fitted in that role seamlessly. She developed a fine relationship with Mitzi who was quite the performer and her taking to the Doctor as a potential magician was great. I liked the work ethic at Tinseltown and Mungo not thinking kindly on civil servants was fun and showed how much of a grafter he was. The election slogan focusing on manual labour was a nice touch as well and brought the society out well. One element of the Cybermen I did adore was hearing that eery monotone voice of the very first Cybermen in the Second Doctor era. That really was tremendous as a nice bit of nostalgia. Nicholas Briggs did a brilliant job in bringing them back to life. The two different generations of Cybermen recognising each other was fantastic, but I thought it was a little odd that they weren't gun happy and trying to make others like them. That's Cybermen 101! The fate of Juno and the Cybermen that were in her command falling to the self destruction of the ship was a bit of a shame as I really think she would make a fine recurring character. There was a lot of humour and she's definitely someone I'd love to hear again! However, this was a really good start to the series and I'm sure the best is yet to come for the Seventh Doctor and Mel. Overall, a fun audio!

Rating: 8/10

Intervention Earth

"You think you can defeat the will of Omega?"

Writers: Scott Handcock & David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: February 2015

Series: Gallifrey 07

Featuring: Ace, Romana III, Narvin

Synopsis

Times change...

Romana is approaching her final term of office, and hopes to leave her world in a state of peace and harmony. Narvin is concerned about the implementation of a controversial Precog programme, one that seeks to predict the Time Lords' future. Ace is an operative for the Celestial Intervention Agency, having learned the art of interference from one of the best...

And somewhere, across the stars, an ancient force is stirring: one of the Time Lords' greatest heroes is returning to our universe. But he may also prove to be their greatest threat.

When the history of Earth is threatened, and an ancient conspiracy reaches the heart of Time Lord government, can even Romana's closest allies truly be trusted?

Time will tell... but by then, it may already be too late.

Verdict

Intervention Earth was a fantastic feature-length story to serve as the seventh series of Gallifrey! I have really loved this spinoff series and after six series of an intertwining story arc, this was a welcomed break. In fact, much of the main cast actually changed which was refreshing and different but there were still some nice references to the series gone by with a poignant moment for Romana with mention of her past friendship with the savage, meaning Leela of course, and the use of Axis technology which was so crucial to the last few series of Gallifrey. Narvin was prominent as well which was fun and I enjoyed having him interact with this new incarnation of Romana. Their relationship was very different to that of the second incarnation and he was not shy on challenging this new President whilst in her final term. That was great to hear. The dynamic of having Ace on Gallifrey was really well done and I thought it was fun that she wasn't even sure how she had ended up there. Another scheme of the Seventh Doctor's perhaps? Romana mentioning sharing a bond with her because of their travels with the Doctor was nice as well, but the two didn't really get to interact a great deal. I thought the focus on the return of Omega was magnificent and the historic Time Lord has always been one of my favourite villains. He returned emphatically here and didn't take long to subject his loyal follower of Tauras to the wastelands. The regeneration of Rexx into Tauras was a fantastic moment and certainly one I didn't see coming. The paradoxical nature of that was terrific as well. The Precog programme showing all futures as being without the Time Lords was intriguing and perhaps hinting at the Time War which felt like it was imminent at the end of Series 6, but Narvin's position on the entire Precog existence was excellent. It was an abomination against all Laws of Time. Romana insisting on her position of non-interference was strong and traditional but didn't seem to be helping the current predicament too much! I thought part three was fun in placing Narvin on prehistoric Earth and engaging some of the locals in conversation about the fun of mating and showing them his staser weapon. He was deemed a wizard of the Time Lords which was a fun moniker! The venture into the universe of antimatter was really good and I loved the continuity with The Three Doctors with Omega's will being all that kept it going. The link of his TARDIS was good and I liked the ambiguity of the ending with him being out there somewhere, perhaps leading into Arc of Infinity. He would always have his followers. The Adherents of Ohm were really good to include and Endrogan being revealed as one was worked marvellously. I enjoyed her relationship with Lukas a lot but Narvin showed no mercy in killing her to protect the man enlisted to keep tabs on him for the President. It was so good to hear Stephen Thorne back reprising the role of Omega and it was intriguing for the character to be a little humanised with a lot of his performance sounding humanised. The use of Romana jettisoning rooms to escape back into the normal universe was excellent too and some strong excitement! Overall, a fantastic audio adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

The Nightmare of Black Island

"Those monsters don't create the nightmares. The nightmares create the monsters!"

Writer: Mike Tucker

Format: Novel

Released: September 2006

Series: NSA 10

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

On a lonely stretch of Welsh coastline a fisherman is killed by a hideous creature from beneath the waves. When the Doctor and Rose arrive, they discover a village where the children are plagued by nightmares, and the nights are ruled by monsters.

The villagers suspect that ancient industrialist Nathanial Morton is to blame, but the Doctor has suspicions of his own.

Who are the ancient figures that sleep in the old priory? What are the monsters that prowl the woods after sunset? What is the light that glows in the disused lighthouse on Black Island?

As the children's nightmares get worse, The Doctor and Rose discover an alien plot to resurrect an ancient evil...

Verdict

The Nightmare of Black Island was an excellent novel for the Tenth Doctor and Rose! This was a really great New Series Adventure and a book that had me hooked right from the off. I'm a sucker for a Welsh setting so I really liked the uniqueness of Ynys Du and that obviously translating into the Black Island of the title was really nice. Rose having a nightmare in the TARDIS was a strong place to start, and I loved that it seemed the TARDIS was also having the same dream! That clearly showed something was going on telepathically and the nightmare was pretty vivid with a little boy being taken and the death of the fisherman. That turned out to be Carl Jenkins who was targeted because he wouldn't be missed and the little prologue was quite sad in hindsight with him just wanting a holiday coming over the Severn Bridge and having a little escape. The description later of his fishing equipment just being bagged and thrown in the cellar was horrific. No remorse. The island was a dark place and nighttime was no place to be out in public. That meant the pub was full but it was from a usual jolly atmosphere. The reaction of the locals to the Doctor and Rose's arrival was great, and I liked how the former had no sense of being watched. We soon learned that creatures came at night and that being linked to children being asleep was terrific. I thought it was fun to use children's imagination to create nightmarish creatures, and Rose suffering the same fate and ensuring the brief creation of Daleks, Nestene and Slitheen was brilliant. I did appreciate the false herring of the Daleks as just for a brief moment it seemed like they might be responsible for events, but of course continuity with Series 2 just would not allow that. Ali was a really nice character and I loved the relationship she developed with Rose. She was a courageous child and a strong member of a gang that required completing a dare to get in. There was some nice childhood nostalgia there. I was a big fan of Morton as well as he was mysterious from the off. The Doctor and Rose putting him in an uncomfortable inspection was very good but I enjoyed how Morton knew the psychic paper told him what the Doctor wanted him to know. There was brilliant dialogue between the Doctor and Norton throughout, but for me the back and forth with Peyne in the penultimate chapter as the story unraveled was outstanding. Peyne as a member of the Cynog species was good as a villain and the description of the other members of her species having a mask and disguised as humans was great. Beth was a fun character as Ali's mum and the barmaid, and she was keen to help the Doctor and Rose where her husband was not. Bronwyn was a fun character too and her link with the past and Morton, along with losing her son Jimmy, all tied up well in the end. Balor as the god of the Cynog was a strong and powerful mythological figure and Peyne sending half a century in collecting the children that witnessed the crash where he was broken up and a part went in each child was extensive! The fact that the intelligence was in Bronwyn was a fun twist and really connected the puzzle in the end. Morton's reaction to finding out that his rejuvenation would come at the cost of every child in the village was telling that his intentions weren't all bad, but the fate of Peyne at his hands in biting her head off once he became the Morton creature was incredible. It was done so simply and effective. The role of Ali in turning off the transmitter at the lighthouse was good and having to fight sleep was excellent. Rose being asleep just as Ali succeeded was amusing, and I thought it was nice that Bronywn was the one that got rejuvenated at the end. Overall, a really great read!

Rating: 9/10