Travel in Hope: The Butler Did It

"You're going to unmask the killer."

Writer: James Moran

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 3.05

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor lands at a spaceship repair port on a dusty planet to tune up the TARDIS engines. But someone has poisoned an old friend of his, and now everyone at the station is a suspect.

It's time to round up the clues, get out the magnifying glass – or sonic screwdriver – and check the butler's alibi...

Verdict

The Butler Did It was a good little story to continue my way through the Travel in Hope tenth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I thought this was decent throughout and whilst the idea of doing a murder mystery story isn’t new, they’re usually fun stuff and can always be different with new characters and in this case a new Doctor. The Ninth Doctor seems perfect for this kind of story as he’s very much to the point and it doesn’t take him long to take charge. I do think more could have been done of the whole murder mystery in space thing, but the setting was fine and didn’t hamper the adventure. The arrival of Sita and Kiri was decent as the last two of their species was interesting, as was the Doctor knowing them of old and it being a considerable time since they had met. I thought that was a little off as they seemed to instantly recognise this incarnation of the Doctor and I’m just not sure that adds up. I appreciate that this entire run of Ninth Doctor stories on audio is set between the end of the Time War and Rose, but that’s not the typical narrative. How long could this incarnation really have been travelling solo? The Doctor was a bit of a fanboy for these two though as the last of their species because they’d seemingly done a lot of travelling and been everywhere to meet everyone! Of course that couldn’t be literal, but it showed the scale of their voyages and adventure. They certainly seemed like the Doctor’s kind of people. So when Kiri was poisoned it set in motion the plot to come, although I must say having a murder mystery when the victim actually survived took a bit of edge off in my opinion. I’d have liked to hear the Doctor angrier at the fact he’d lost a friend. I thought Myra was a magnificent character and definitely companion material. She built a really strong relationship with the Doctor and it really is a shame in this batch of stories that no matter how good the characters filling that companion role are, they’re never going to get the full invite on board the TARDIS. I thought the Doctor quickly bursting through his investigation was good for the pace of the story and he was confident in proclaiming certain characters’ innocence, but I do think a little bit more background would have helped us as the listener. I felt we needed to know a bit more about each character, and that might just have been because of the lack of visuals. My frame of reference for this story is The Unicorn and the Wasp and I certainly felt like I knew everyone accused much more than I did here which helped my enjoyment of the episode. As my rating reflects, this was far from bad and I did enjoy the Doctor trying to bring up the cliches. He was chuffed in the end that technically the butler did do it, but Tillier was a lot more than that. His motive was quite dark in having a side job of selling rare alien DNA, and it doesn’t get rarer than the last two of the species. So I don’t get why the Doctor’s DNA as the last Time Lord didn’t come into play. That was a missed opportunity that was begging to be included! I thought Myra referring to the TARDIS interior as being inside out was marvellous and another fine example of the companion qualities she would have. It’s always fun to get a new take on the bigger on the inside moment and that being taken away from the Doctor after the anticipation was nicely done. Overall, a good listen! 

Rating: 7/10

Among Us: The Apocalypse Starts at 6PM

"Do you think the world is ending tonight?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.12

Featuring: Yvonne, Rhys, Ng, Orr, Tyler, Mr Colchester

Synopsis

Janet's Late Teatime is the TV equivalent of a cup of soup and a lapful of kittens. So when Torchwood announce the world will end on tomorrow night's show – well, what's Janet going to do?

Verdict

The Apocalypse Starts at 6PM was a really great audio to conclude the third volume of Among Us and the seventh series of Torchwood! Big Finish really have taken the spin-off range into a completely new direction since being granted official continuation status. I maintain that some more continuity regarding where Miracle Day concluded would have been beneficial, but I am a huge fan of where we are right now and the new team that started assembling way back in Aliens Among Us for Series 5. That feels like a lifetime ago now! I’m enjoying the continuity and referencing the Cardiff tsunami of God Among Us was great, with this volume of the seventh series feeling like having more of a story arc than the first two. I’ve loved the build up to Friend and the plan to take out humanity and essentially have it reset. Friend had found humanity not fit for purpose so the plan to wipe it out with the Phlobos DNA weapon was excellent. I loved how Torchwood tapped into the modern paranoia regarding vaccines and the whole 5G buzz by suggesting that nanobots and radiation were within each respectively. Real life threats and thoughts were dealt with tremendously which I thoroughly enjoyed. The idea of Friend using the internet as a weapon was really nicely done so having Tyler and Ng at the secret pipes that help run the net was fantastic. The source of the internet is always something that fascinates me. I thought Janet’s show was intriguing but one thing I think would have helped would if it was established in earlier episodes. It could have easily been in the background or a quick bulletin-type scene to showcase Janet’s Late Teatime. It didn’t quite have the same impact it could have in helping defeat Friend. The intelligence warning Janet not to mention Torchwood after the organisation’s own warnings on the show of the apocalypse starting at 6pm was really strong and Friend being in the guise of Tommie was frightening. There’s something scary about a child asserting authority and dominance. It made for a strong villain and I loved the ending setting us up for more to come with a backup being in place. Janet being kidnapped by Yvonne was hilarious but the highlight of the entire episode might have been Orr as her lawyer. That was sublime stuff and really showcased her talents. Her empathic abilities are a big strength but this was her at her comedic best. I thought Mr Colchester had a quiet episode for the series finale, but he also had some fun scenes in posing as a driver and trying to get Janet to invite Torchwood onto her show. As the episode went on, it was clear she was going to have them there. Yvonne exuding her control and authority was great stuff and her confrontation of Friend on the show was really good. She just oozed confidence and that confused Friend, but then everyone came together to show how the internet was overpowered by a big demand for streaming the apocalypse and Rhys helped from Iceland with the Deadcoin servers which tied in nicely. It seemed potentially a little easily as the power of the internet these days is almost unfathomable, but the threat was stopped and Friend basically shutting down was quite empathic, if not a little sad with the child form it had taken. Overall though, a really strong episode to conclude what was a fine boxset and series! I can’t wait for more. 

Rating: 8/10

Among Us: Heistland

"A currency just for the elite."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.11

Featuring: Yvonne, Rhys, Ng, Orr, Tyler

Synopsis

Deadcoin is an exclusive cryptocurrency used by the world's governments to do dark deals. The ultimate weapon is for sale and Yvonne Hartman decides the only thing to do is to take Deacon down.

Verdict

Heistland was another excellent episode to continue my way through the third and final volume of Among Us to conclude Torchwood’s seventh series! I’m really enjoying that this volume in particular feels more like one overarching story which wasn’t really the case in the first two volumes, but this feels like we are really building towards what should now be an exciting finale! I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of cryptocurrency and whilst I don’t really understand it and the whole mining process, or really how it has value, it’s fun to explore. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the governments of the world were dealing in some sort of elitist currency so exploring that here was terrific. I thought the name Deadcoin was brilliant and I loved that there was an impending auction from the world’s major governments on Friend’s weapon that could wipe anyone out at will. And that war would take place using Deadcoin. Yvonne was rather calm in Torchwood’s need to put a stop to it and endure no government got their hands on such technology. They had less than two days to go until the auction and the end of the world but Yvonne was quite contempt with a hotel check in and meal. Tyler was roped in with the lure of a Torchwood pension and retirement package which was fun and I really liked how Orr was still incredibly guilty for what had happened to Chris in Deadscroll last time out. What I wasn’t expecting was the pair to kiss though! Tyler was reassuring her that he wouldn’t actually leave Torchwood although his comments to Yvonne weren’t exactly complimentary of the organisation, or at least what was left of it. The Icelandic involvement in the episode with Rhys and Kristin was an unexpected treat. They were in the know on Deadcoin too and the cryptocurrency’s servers being on the Icelandic island worked well. It was remote so not exactly an expected destination. Deducing where they were because of the snow melting around the suspected area was great stuff. Kristin as the head of the Icelandic Tourism Information Centre was really well done and I loved that front for something much bigger. Kristin being on the phone to Yvonne was tremendous and I loved how the former boldly claimed she wanted to take over Torchwood! I do wonder if there will be some sort of merger by the end of the finale given the financial leverage of the ITIC now following their obtaining of the Deadcoin servers. I thought Yvonne knowing they would do that was fantastic and she was one step ahead of the game when it appeared she was very much not. That was brilliantly done as she played both Friend and the ITIC to her advantage and ensured that no government would have the super weapon. The head of Deadcoin basically being a deep fake again was fun stuff and I’m really enjoying tapping into the difficulties of establishing what or who is actually real. You can’t trust anything! Yvonne almost expecting to meet Friend was good and I’m looking forward to an all out encounter in the finale. Mr Colchester not featuring but having his presence felt in providing the blackout to allow Yvonne to break into the headquarters and the private office, but Kristin was on hand to make her realised it was a dummy office. She’d have known if she didn’t wipe out the audit files. But it was all part of Yvonne’s plan. She was in charge of Torchwood despite Kristin’s claim that there was a power struggle with Jack gone and no leader, and I do wonder if Gwen will factor in with it being her idea to have the ITIC take over Torchwood and retain the current staff. Overall, exciting stuff and a terrific listen!

Rating: 9/10

Among Us: Dreamscroll

"Enjoy living your best life."

Writer: Ash Darby 

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.10

Featuring: Mr Colchester, Ng, Orr, Tyler

Synopsis

Something is killing influencers and Torchwood have to save them. Mr Colchester discovers a whole new world and he doesn't like it one bit. Don't forget to like and subscribe.

Verdict

Dreamscroll was another excellent episode to continue my way through the third volume of Among Us for Torchwood’s seventh series! This followed on very nicely where How I Conquered the World left off and the heavy inclusion of AI as an enemy was terrific. Now I must admit, I’m not someone to be involved or bothered by the world of influencers but I really appreciated everything that went on here. I’m no avid YouTube watcher and I do spend time on social media, but that’s mostly for sport and Who content! I couldn’t care less about the likes of Kardashians and other influencers who create meaningless and boring content. It’s not my world but I’m fully aware of and tackling it in a Torchwood story was very nicely done and another fine example of the series tackling current and modern issues. The world of influencers has gone rather crazy and I must admit I found Tyler’s thoughts on veganism quite amusing as I just couldn’t live that way. Surely there’s no enjoyment in a meal there if you’re worried about milk proteins? I thought the format of the story was strong in having the four Torchwood characters of Mr Colchester, Ng, Orr and Tyler taking an influencer under their wing basically. There were a number of influencer deaths recently and with the threat left by Friend, Torchwood on the case to try and stop the next victim. They weren’t all successful though as Mr Colchester found out with Flavia. He’d actually taken a bit of a shine to her and could see the personality beyond her social timeline and presence, so when she died he was rather upset and almost guilty that it had happened. Tyler blurting out to him that his subject had died was a bit harsh, but it seems he had fallen in love with Chris who was his subject. He’d convinced him to get off People Fluid which turned out to be quite the app. The idea of automatic mode was good in ensuring that influencers could keep their content posting constantly, but that being taken as far as still posting once they were dead for both images, text and video streams was incredible. It was horrifying but also brilliant for a Torchwood story! Just having Ng and Orr walk in on the first victims and seeing the dead corpses still live streaming was quite something. The relationship conjured up between Tyler and Chris was good and I found it amusing how the latter went off his app’s schedule for when he could fit some sex in. The idea of having to redo a blowjob because of the lighting was also just barmy. Social media and the world really has gone mad. I really liked how Orr’s empathic abilities were utilised here as whilst we had the humour of her blurting out that Tyler did love Chris, she was also able to confirm whether those on the video were real or not. The deep fakes would obviously not have any emotions to emit and that came in handy! She was really good here. I thought the way things ended with Orr and Ng being at the supposed headquarters of the People Fluid company and it all not being real was fantastic, and the way Chris after dying reverted into the familiar voice of Friend was excellent. Her business is far from done and I’m very excited for the two episodes yet to come. Overall, a tremendous story!

Rating: 9/10

Among Us: How I Conquered the World

"Great things happen when we work together."

Writers: Tim Foley, Ash Darby & James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.09

Featuring: Rhys, Yvonne, Mr Colchester, Ng, Orr, Tyler

Synopsis

Hello Friend! You've probably all still got an account on Friend. Can you remember what you posted on it? Are you still using the same password? And did you ever say goodbye?

Verdict

How I Conquered the World was an excellent start to third instalment of Among Us for Torchwood’s seventh series! After a brilliant cliffhanger at the end of Pariahs for the last series, this was an intriguing start to the direction of the finale but it worked well and has really set us up nicely. The format was really strange but one I loved with Friend basically talking to us for an hour about what she had done and what her plans were. It was audacious and incredible really. I do think it might have gone a little too far in suggesting she was responsible for so much going back to Aliens Among Us and beyond, but the amount of continuity here was tremendous. The references to Army of Ghosts/Doomsday were brilliant with her knowing of the ghosts and Torchwood’s involvement as well as records showing that Yvonne Hartman was dead. That wasn’t quite the one that featured here though which was fun and provided a little confusion to the logic driven social network AI. I thought even the talk of alien Prime Ministers was fun and also mentioning the situation in Cardiff during the events of Exit Wounds was nicely done. Friend had a vast array of knowledge! I thought touching on Miracle Day was really powerful and learning of Mr Colchester’s involvement in being in a care home as that was going on was brilliant. I’m not sure if this series is building towards any kind of conclusion for Torchwood, but this felt like it would work well as a means to get there. The suggestion of God being a distraction was a little annoying though as a lot of investment was had in the first two series on audio for Torchwood focused around that, so minimising it as something of Friend’s doing felt a little off. Apart from that, it was excellent though and the childlike nature of both Friend’s voice and actions worked perfectly. The continued mentions of porn when it came to exploring data and internet usage was amusing though and it’s no surprise to see it so prominent. That’s something Torchwood can explore with its adult theme. I liked that the episode almost served as a warning for the first fifty minutes and the constant cameos from the Torchwood team with them being in discussion with Friend was nicely done, and now she’d set them up as the survivors in a crime scene that would incriminate them. Yvonne showed up at the scene to save them though which was a fun moment and the way the end credits were interrupted because of the slow and underwhelming getaway was fantastic. The continuity for this series in particular was rounded out nicely with the explanation of Veloshnik and the deadly DNA weapon. It’s all going to come into play quite nicely and having Torchwood on the run is good stuff if they can’t be centred at the Hub. My general feeling moving forward from here for the series ahead is general excitement, and with that being the case I can’t be disappointed with this series opener in the slightest! Overall, a terrific listen. 

Rating: 9/10

The Ice Kings

"There is a devil on board this ship."

Writer: Neil Bushnell

Format: Audio

Released: January 2023

Series: BBC Audio 15

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

When Professor Irene Hyde's Monday morning lecture at St Luke's University is rudely interrupted by a man named the Doctor, it's the beginning of an adventure she could never have dreamt possible.

Soon they are hurtling backwards in time to 1806, where the crew of the trading ship Favourite, led by the 'Ice King' himself, Frederic Tudor, are being picked off, one by one, by a hideous monster that lurks in the shadows.

A head frozen in ice provides a further complication to matters, as the robotic Nekkre awakes determined to vanquished all-comers. With the Doctor seriously weakened, Irene must tap into hidden reserves of courage if they are to have any hope of returning to 21st Century England...

Verdict

The Ice Kings was a really strong BBC Audio adventure! After reading the preview for this story in Doctor Who Magazine a few months back, this was one I was really looking forward to which is unusual for me in this range. That’s nothing against the range itself, but it’s safe to say that to this listener it does not have the same allure or appeal as the Big Finish audios. I think the lack of a full cast and big picture feel is the reason, but the stories are almost always more than solid! I didn’t know much at all about the history in this story but I really enjoyed what was presented. I actually really liked the slow start as I thought for the most part the adventure was really well paced and built towards the conclusion. That’s exactly what you want. I was delighted and disappointed at the same time to hear Maureen O’Brien in the narrator role because one it’s just lovely to hear her in that position and she performed admirably, but then disappointed that she wasn’t playing her familiar character of companion Vicki! I’d have loved for the Twelfth Doctor to be reunited with Vicki, but alas that wasn’t to be. She took on the role of Irene instead which was more than fine and she was an enjoyable character. She was 58 and as far as the Doctor was concerned that meant her life was just getting started. But he tried his best to offend her first though by suggesting she was in her 70s! That was a funny moment and perfect characterisation for the Twelfth Doctor. I thought O’Brien’s impression of Peter Capaldi’s incarnation was slightly odd as he sounded almost too grumpy and downbeat for much of the story, but the familiarity was there which was welcomed. The Doctor interrupting Irene’s less than popular lecture concerning the titular Ice Kings was great stuff and his intrigue in the severed head with horns or antlers was very good. His offering to take her back to 1806 and find out the truth was audacious. The continuity with Nardole not being impressed by the Doctor popping away for 26 minutes was tremendous in keeping in line with what we saw during Season 10. I quite liked how this was set earlier than when we met Bill in The Pilot though with the Doctor well into his stint as a university lecturer at St Luke’s. I thought the way Irene described the TARDIS as sounding like a fairground and the console being likened to a carousel was magnificent and right up there with one of my favourite descriptions of it. It painted a beautiful picture of what is probably my favourite TARDIS interior. The story shifted gears once we reached 1806 as the Doctor recognised the Necra as being from the planet Skad and they were an intriguing robotic race that the Doctor had encountered before. His defeating them previously by programming them to kill each other was pretty impressive really and this was just the final straddler. Combining that with the mutated Torburgia creature provided a strong threat and explanation for the strange severed head, but I must admit I think this could have been even better if it somehow stayed a pure historical! It was just fun to explore a lesser known or publicised part of history. The action to stop the energy leak was good and I liked that it was Irene who did that by removing the control nobe that caused both the creature and the Necra to just stop. They could be thrown overboard then. I thought it tied things up nicely and I really liked the Doctor offering her another trip if she wanted one in the future. Or the past! The epilogue with Irene wanting to be a Dean of the university was nicely done and I liked that she challenged why she had been denied the opportunity as a woman. She wouldn’t take it anymore. Overall, a great listen!

Rating: 8/10

The Destroyers

"The Daleks will dominate your galaxy!"

Writers: Terry Nation (Adapted by Nicholas Briggs & John Dorney) 

Format: Audio

Released: December 2010

Series: Lost Stories 2.02b

Featuring: Sara 

Synopsis

When the crew of Explorer Base One is attacked by the Daleks, Space Security Agents Sara Kingdom, Mark Seven and Jason Corey are sent to investigate. They discover a plan that threatens the future of the entire galaxy...

Verdict

The Destroyers was not the greatest of adventures to conclude my listening of the Second Doctor Boxset in the Lost Stories range. For whatever reason, I just couldn’t get into this one and it’s nothing to do with it being included in a boxset concerning the Second Doctor, when no incarnation actually features! On paper, I was really excited to listen to this story because I absolutely love The Daleks’ Master Plan which forms much of the basis for this story. On the base of it, it’s rather incredible that we do have a draft script for a pilot of ‘The Daleks’ from their creator which he intended to sell to US television back in 1966 following their massive success in Doctor Who. That’s why we got their ‘final end’ in The Evil of the Daleks to write them out, but of course they’d be back. Over and over again. And they’re better for it if this is anything to go by. That’s a little harsh, but considering this was for a pilot of a series where the Daleks are the stars, they didn’t actually feature very much! Now, I do think this would have been much better on screen and more akin to Mission to the Unknown, but I think the adaptation was much of the problem. I think it’s brilliant that we have Sara Kingdom as the main character here but for whatever reason, Jean Marsh seemed almost disinterested in her role as narrator for large chunks of the adventure. I’m not sure if she was directed to play the role that way with the Daleks looming but it just lacked excitement and energy. That’s not what we get from her in the Early Adventures and Companion Chronicles ranges so that’s a big shame. I also think the reliance on narration was a negative mood and actually impacted how much I liked the story. It was unnecessary at times and considering we did have a cast, I think it would have been much better to just let the action play out rather than overly describe what was happening. It took away from the flow of the story. I think it’s fun continuity from the early Dalek comic strips that we have Mark Seven featuring and also meeting David Kingdom was a nice touch. In that regard, it is a shame we don’t get a continuation of the series as I would definitely be interested in exploring the SSS and the family dynamic further, especially now we’ve met Mark and Anya Kingdom in the Fourth Doctor Adventures! Tying everything together could be brilliant, but given how long it has been since the release of this Lost Story I just don’t see it happening. I thought the plot of the story was slightly boring and whilst I do appreciate the ending in teasing what would have been the series to come with the cliffhanger finish of the Daleks coming, that kind of lost its impact considering we’d already had the Red Dalek featuring. If they hadn’t been around at all then that would have been better, but at the same time I think that would have damaged the story even further! I just don’t see much of a winning scenario here. The big positive for me was to have Sara Kingdom in the lead role, but as far as Dalek spin-offs are concerned I’m much more interested in Dalek Empire. Overall, it’s lovely to have this brought into existence but I’m not overly disappointed the series wasn’t made. 

Rating: 4/10

Prison in Space

"Women appear to occur a privileged position."

Writers: Dick Sharples (Adapted by Simon Guerrier) 

Format: Audio

Released: December 2010

Series: Lost Stories 2.02a

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

A relaxing break for the Doctor and his companions Jamie and Zoe becomes something decidedly more sinister when they are arrested for trespass. But what has happened to the planet Earth? And how has the malevolent Chairman Babs gained control? As the Doctor and Jamie are incarcerated in a prison that they can never escape from, Zoe is forced to change sides...

Verdict

Prison in Space was great story to kick off the Second Doctor Boxset of Lost Stories! I’m such a big fan of this range because it’s an intriguing glance at what could have been and this almost feels like it would have been a Second Doctor version of Galaxy 4 with the female presentation, and I really like that so it’s a great shame that this story never did make it into production. Jamie’s thoughts on women aren’t exactly a secret and he’s very much of a traditional historic BBC viewpoint coming from when he does in Scotland’s history. Honestly, that’s not much of a defence but the Doctor is keen to point out that fact when his male companion blurted out lines like the woman’s place being in a kitchen! Zoe obviously didn’t take well to that although her comment about being from the year 2000 I’m sure will cause all sorts of continuity problems as that doesn’t quite feel right. The events of The Wheel in Space feel much more futuristic than that! I liked the placement of the story with it quite clearly coming after The Dominators in terms of chronology. There was more than one mention of the Quarks and the Doctor had recently obtained the device from the ship there on Dulkis which would come into play during part three. I thought the cliffhangers in this story were pretty strong with the first one in particular being a standout. Zoe sold it well when it appeared the Doctor and Jamie had been expelled to their death in space, but they were actually headed to the Outer Space Corrective Establishment. That would form much of the setting moving forward which was good and the Doctor and Jamie’s fellow prisoners were full of laughter in their claims that they’d escape. This place didn’t have the nickname of the place of no return for no reason! Babs didn’t wholly agree with that moniker, but who could argue with her if there weren’t any escapees? She was a tremendous character as the Chairman and she was revered by all. The position of women in the story was really good and whilst it did border perhaps a little too much on the line of humour, it was really great to explore. But is it really funny to think that women could rule a society? I don’t think so. Babs was proud of what she’d created with her female oriented society and that was quite impressive. It was women who’d eradicated the death penalty and men were simply not needed for protection now given that there was no war to fight. I thought Zoe going under the rehabilitation to show her the role of women was fun and hearing her regurgitate what Babs was presenting was very good. The moment at the end with Jamie slapping her on the bottom to check her back into order was hilarious, but something that just couldn’t happen today. I’m almost surprised it happened on audio in 2009! It really was quite the promise. Talk about asserting male dominance. It was nice for Zoe to be back to normal at the end, but crikey! Babs taking a fancy to the Doctor to the point of obsession was a lot of fun as it seemed to crumble down everything she’d built as the revolt ensued at the time of the trial. That was a powerful moment as Babs was instantly defeated. The scene at the end with the Doctor having to literally run away from her to get into the TARDIS and escape was quite something. I’d love to have seen Patrick Troughton pulling that off! Overall though, a really fun audio adventure.

Rating: 8/10

Travel in Hope: Below There

"Your life signs register extreme distress."

Writers: Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle 

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 3.04

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Vyx works on a teleport relay station in the darkest depths of space – and she's afraid. Strange voices crackle through comms channels, shapes gather outside the starless viewing ports, and visions of death and destruction plague her dreams.

Then she gets a call from the Doctor, who warns Vyx that her worst nightmares are about to become reality. 

Verdict

Below There was a great start to the Travel in Hope tenth volume of Ninth Doctor Adventures! It really is incredible that we’ve reached double figures on the number of boxsets as prior to 2021, who’d have thought we’d ever be getting this much Who content from Christopher Eccleston back in his role as the Ninth Doctor? It’s so wonderful to hear and whilst I would like some continuity or something of a story arc running through the range, it’s quite fun to be getting the umbrella titles and something of a theme to the stories in each respective boxset. I like the positivity of the title for this series but it didn’t feel that way with how we started. It was a dark atmosphere which worked very well for the relay station. I thought Vyx was a strong character and she really was the main character for the bulk of the adventure. She was essentially the companion for the episode without ever threatening or hinting at taking the relationship with the Doctor further, but what we did get with her was really good and she was extremely likeable. I thought the initial conversation on the radio relat was nicely done and I loved the continuity back to The Seeds of Death with the Doctor thinking that T-May was the most common and best way for transport. It was quite amusing that this made him a little dated. The importance of transportation was actually pivotal to finding out what the issue was on the station and it didn’t take the Doctor long to cotton onto the fact that Vyx wasn’t always alone. That sparked us into a pretty emotional flashback scene with Tom and how he was set in limbo between transmat and actually experienced thousands, if not millions, of years all at once. For Vyx it may only have been a couple of seconds but it showed how dangerous the transmat was as this wasn’t a secret to the corporation. They were aware of the dangers that it could cause to human life and were trying to hide it away instead of addressing it. Of course, it was just all about profits but the Doctor helped Vyx expose that which I thought was brilliant. The way she built her trust in him throughout the episode was terrific and I was impressed with how this was essentially a two-hander. The initial conversation over the radio was good on audio and it made them meeting in person all the better. Her referring to the TARDIS as a crate was amusing and I was surprised the Doctor didn’t take more offence! I thought the conclusion was good as the Doctor helped bring down another money hungry corporate enemy,  but it was Vyx who stole the show with her message to everyone. They tried to stop her and take the message down but the Doctor and his trusty sonic screwdriver weren’t having any of it. I quite liked the inclusion of the computer throughout and it was fun for it to be a bit annoying on times with its logical speak. I’m also not sure why it needs mentioning but I was quite surprised with how long the pre-titles scene was as well as that felt like not an awful lot was happening as we were building towards the thick of the episode. Overall though, I feel harsh in saying I think this will be largely forgettable despite being a really strong listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Great Space Elevator

"Enjoy the view."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: August 2008

Series: Companion Chronicles 3.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis

The Great Space Elevator is a marvel of human engineering; a transit tube stretching from the equator up to a space station held in geosynchronous orbit.

When the TARDIS lands in Sumatra in the future, the Second Doctor, Jamie and Victoria are captured by guards just as the station loses power. Together with Security Officer Tara Kerley, the three travellers take a one-way trip on the elevator to fix the problem, and find themselves confronted by a powerful alien force that threatens to wreak chaos on Earth...

Verdict

The Great Space Elevator was a pretty average Companion Chronicles story. It certainly had its good parts and a strong feature at its heart, but for some reason I just found myself losing interest in parts with my attention diverted because I just wasn’t wholly interested in what was happening. It failed to capture my attention wholly which was a big shame as I actually really like the idea of centring a story around a great space elevator. As far as titles go, that’s an impressive one and I like the idea. Why wouldn’t there be technology like this in the future to link up different parts of space? It’s nice to use a mode of transport that’s familiar but to take it to an absolute extreme. I thought the way it was met with awe by Jamie upon seeing it was good although I had an issue with the immediate description that it must be hundreds of miles high. That may be the case, but there’s just no way Jamie would be able to deduce that from sight alone. Even just one mile tall would be almost impossible to ascertain its scale! The fact it was so big was very intriguing and I was really hoping for more trepidation to come from the actual structure. But for the most part it felt like it was just there until the threat at the end with the electrical creature completing its journey down the chords. I thought the presence of the electrical creature was decent and I did enjoy the similarities it shared with the Vardans with its utilisation of electrical currents like they did with sound waves. It was nice to have something as simple and crucial as electricity to pose a problem and threats like that always feel a bit more trepidatious. Whilst it’s always lovely to hear Deborah Watling reprise her role as Victoria, I do think her efforts in bringing the Second Doctor and Jamie to life were somewhat lacking. It didn’t feel authentic which is a shame as usually in the Companion Chronicles range we at least get some sort of attempt at an impersonation. That wasn’t the case here. I thought the dynamic of the TARDIS trio was pretty good and it’s just always nice to revisit them as they’re so strong. The Sumatra setting was decent and quite unique which I always like. I’m not sure it fitted in with the era though which isn’t much of a criticism but this one didn’t quite feel like it could slot in on television when these three characters were at the helm. The creature trying to create storms on Earth was good and the scale of destruction that would cause was a strong threat, but I felt a bit more background on the electrical creature itself would have gone a long way. It wasn’t relatable and just didn’t feel complete. It’s a shame because the idea there is a strong one, but I wasn’t given enough reason to fully care. I thought the opening gambit from Victoria was a nice touch though to get some more information on her character after her departure in Fury From the Deep as we learn that she’s got a family. I was surprised she hadn’t told them about her journeys in the TARDIS though! How could you not? The conclusion was decent in stopping the creature before it had scaled the elevator and averting disaster on Earth, but as a whole this just felt like it was missing that something special. Overall, still a decent listen but not one to be remembered. 

Rating: 6/10

The Beast of Kravenos

"It's odd that the Doctor has two friends with the same unusual name."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: January 2017

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 6.01

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9, Jago, Litefoot 

Synopsis

A stunning new star act is wowing the audiences of the New Regency Theatre. The modern mechanical marvel of canny canine charisma – the automated dog that can answer any question – the incomparable – the unbeatable – K9!

The Doctor and Romana have returned to Victorian London and been reunited with their old friends Professor Litefoot and Henry Gordon Jago. However this is not merely a social visit. A terrifying crime spree is sweeping the capital, and the burglaries of 'The Knave' defy all logic. 

Something impossibly dangerous is taking place amid the fog. Only the time travellers and their friends can stop it... but can they be sure they're all on the same side?

Verdict

The Beast of Kravenos was a great story to kick off the sixth series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! After a rather eventful fifth series finale of The Pursuit of History/Casualties of Time, I quite liked that this was a lighthearted affair and having the Doctor and Romana paired up with Jago and Litefoot again was a terrific treat. They offer so much with their humour and wit and just getting anything further on from The Talons of Weng-Chiang is great in my book. This one didn’t mess around and we didn’t get any sort of arrival for the TARDIS and its occupants with the adventure starting with the Doctor and company already taking residence in Baker Street. That was nicely done and the idea of Jago having K9 do a theatre performance was tremendous. For a Victorian age audience, that must have been quite the show! A talking mechanical dog would be some act. I thought the inclusion of Sergeant Quick was a nice touch and strong continuity with the Jago and Litefoot spin-off range which I’m all for. Mixing series is all good in my book and gives credence to each one. The search for the Knave was good and I liked the idea of a killer wanted by the Victorian police also being the subject of the Doctor’s investigations. The inclusion of a transmat would certainly explain how the Knave managed to escape the crime scene before being caught, especially when his special touch was to leave from within the locked room. It certainly had the local police force confused! I liked the idea of a transmat going wrong and Jago actually becoming transformed just from one use of it was brilliant. But the Knave had used it on countless occasions so he was going to be even more effected! The beastly transformation was quite quick and it was good that there could be a temporary reversal. It would have been a little better if we knew more about Kravenous from a past adventure for example, but it was still good and fascinating. The Doctor could fill that gap for us. Romana encountering Jago and Litefoot once again was a lot of fun and the former’s comment about the Doctor having another friend with the same uncommon name was delightful. Of course, last time they met Romana in The Justice of Jalxaar she was in her first incarnation. More from Romana on that would have been nice, but she just learned to stay quiet and not try and explain things. That was probably best as far as Jago was concerned, although he has been on a couple of TARDIS trips with the Sixth Doctor so I think he would have understood! Still, a humorous moment. The Doctor laying a trap for the Knave was good and him knowing quite early on that it was Nicholas Asquin because of his alien items in the collection was good. I always enjoy when the Doctor is one step ahead of the game and it seems that the fourth incarnation is particularly irritable when it comes to that. He revels in it. I thought the simplicity of the ending was good in simply fixing the component in the transmat and that provided the cure. It was neat and tidy for sure. The line at the end from K9 about electrical currents when it came to his cake consumption was fun, and I also enjoyed his line about not going for walkies and rather wheelies. Overall, a strong story!

Rating: 8/10

The Doctor's Tale

"The rebellion has begun."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: October 2013

Series: Early Adventures 1.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki

Synopsis

England, 1400. Winter. Blood in the snow. Henry IV has usurped the throne, and deposed King Richard II languishes in Pomfret Castle.

Meanwhile the Doctor and his companions preside over New Year revels at Sonning Palace.

But Sonning is a prison, treachery is in the air and murderous Archbishop Thomas Arundel will stop at nothing to crush the rebellion. 

As the Doctor and Barbara take the road to Canterbury, Vicki finds a royal friend and Ian is dragged into a dark web of conspiracy at whose heart sits that teller of tales, Geoffrey Chaucer. 

Verdict

The Doctor's Tale was a great Early Adventures audio! Quite incredibly, nine years after blogging the series and range opener of Domain of the Voord I’ve finally returned to the first series! I’m a huge fan of the range and I think it’s a shame that it’s on the quiet side at the moment as there’s a lot of potential with it. I thought it was terrific to be revisiting the quartet of the First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki as that’s often a forgotten TARDIS team and it’s one that actually works well. It’s so important given that it was the first time the team changed. It was quite amusing to start with the Doctor having a cold and if there would be any incarnation to milk that sort of illness it would certainly be the first! He disappeared to the TARDIS for some props though and came back cured. He’d obviously had some pills, but why he didn’t take them in the first place before they went exploring is a little questionable. I was a huge fan of the setting in 1400 as it was actually a chance for me to learn. I have a Master’s degree in History but I haven’t really studied this period to any considerable degree so learning of the rebellion that came following Richard II being usurped by Henry IV. I love exploring different periods and this also allowed Barbara to shine with her historical knowledge. She was both excited to be in the past at this point in time but also did a good job of selling just how dangerous it could be. Whilst I do think this story was very authentic of the era, I think it was probably a bit too gruesome to have aired in that second season back in 1964. The description of the heads on spikes and the inclusion of an apple in the mouth was actually met with laughter! I thought the authenticity factor coming into place with Barbara being absent from the third episode was good, although it’s not strictly necessary. She wasn’t massively missed which is a little sad to say, but I’m not sure how I feel about purposely writing a character out of an episode when it doesn’t need to happen. I thought Maureen O’Brien did a fine job in voicing the character of Barbara though and this certainly had an authentic feel. I do think William Russell has had better takes on the First Doctor, but it was absolutely fine and the usual mishaps on Ian’s surname were most welcomed. Exploring the relationship between Ian and Barbara was stepped on lightly which I appreciated as amazingly that wasn’t overly referred to on television, but it’s clear that they’d end up as a couple so I was surprised they were so quick to point out they were not married. I thought the inclusion of Geoffrey Chaucer was really good and he’s obviously a famed name for The Canterbury Tales, but getting the Doctor’s tale here was fun and a strong title. The relationship Vicki had with Isabelle was good and I thought she was a fun character as essentially a child but not accepting that her husband Richard had been usurped. It meant she was no longer the Queen which wasn’t something that thrilled her. The brutality of the period was showcased in a strong way when we learned of Richard being starved to death and his corpse actually being shown! That was dark stuff. I’m a big fan of how this adventure captured the time period and I think sometimes pure historicals carry a stronger threat than anything alien can conjure up. Ian and Barbara know exactly where they were and what happened, and there isn’t exactly a quick fix. I thought Thomas Arundel was a good historical villain and the cliffhanger to part three with the Doctor evoking The Aztecs and knowing he can’t be stopped because of his place in history was excellent. I also thought the continuity from The Crusade was tremendous with Ian referring to himself as Sir Ian of Jaffa. He was a knight of the holy land so why wouldn’t he use that title in a time like this? I liked that a lot. I thought the lack of an alien threat was most welcomed and history being on the right track by the end with Chaucer heading to Wales was nicely done. Barbara reading parts of the Tales was also a lovely moment. Overall, a very strong listen!

Rating: 8/10

James Robert McCrimmon: The Shroud

"I am used to human prejudice."

Writer: Bob Ayres

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Second Doctor Adventures 2.03

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie

Synopsis 

Arriving on the planet Ninevah, the Doctor and Jamie find a desperate human colony fighting the effects of a devastating super weapon – the Shroud. Nullifying all light, the Shroud has rendered the humans blind in the face of aggressive alien invaders dubbed 'Squids', and it's only a matter of time before the colony falls.

The Doctor and Jamie are caught between helping the humans fight back against the 'Squids' and investigating their latest mission for the Time Lords – but as they haven't been told what that mission is, the pair are in the dark in more ways than one.

Verdict 

The Shroud was another very good story to conclude the James Robert McCrimmon second series of Second Doctor Adventures! This has been a fascinating boxset reuniting the Second Doctor with an older version of Jamie as the companion in events after The War Games, and whilst it seemingly cleared up the arc of Raven sending them on Time Lord missions, the hint at things going deeper gives us a good direction for the series in the future. I think it would be beneficial to get more than one series a year, but I’ll take what I can! I must say that I think David Troughton has done a really good job in taking on the role of his father, and whilst he obviously doesn’t sound perfect or exactly like his dad, he has the tone and mannerisms which really bring the second incarnation to life. I’d like a little more aggression at times, but as a whole it feels authentic and I do think Jamie helps with that. The concept of the titular Shroud was good and I loved the idea of a place where light was blocked completely. The sun was there and light existed, but the Shroud was in a bubble of darkness. That was really good and I do wish that it was more of the focus on the story instead of the way it shifted to who was responsible. I cared more about the actual darkness than who had created it. It was still excellent though and the story was really entertaining. The first part was perhaps a little slow as we established the characters and setting, but after a decent cliffhanger we really kicked into gear. The Harken being referred to as squids by the humans was fun and completely unnecessary. It really did border on racism but that was kind of disguised by the fact they were aliens. Finding out their true name was good and I thought the cliffhanger of their tentacles threatening the Doctor was funny purely because of the resolution. Once they found out the Doctor was a Time Lord they basically surrendered knowing their inferiority. I must admit that was most unexpected but it was rather amusing! I thought Daria and Donya were really strong characters and the way the Doctor was quite abruptly confronted on the arrival was good. He wasn’t exactly happy about not knowing the mission he was sent on, and so much for him being an undercover agent as the identity of his species was soon revealed! That didn’t please Raven. She stole the show once again though when she showed up and the Doctor actually conjuring her up in the dreamscape was terrific. I liked how he managed to convince her to get involved in stopping the Shroud because it would make her look good to her superiors, whoever they were on Gallifrey, but it would turn out to be her downfall. The Doctor using his predicament at the Shroud to actually turn things against her was bold but done very cleverly! She would be the one consumed by darkness as he turned the tables on her quite marvellously. She was left in literal darkness thanks to being trapped in a bubble of her own where she couldn’t see out, but everyone could see in. Overall, another strong adventure to conclude the series!

Rating: 8/10

James Robert McCrimmon: The Green Man

"We've cured too much."

Writer: Paul F Verhoeven

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Second Doctor Adventures 2.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie

Synopsis 

Perched hundreds of miles above the forest canopy of Florestus Prime, The Grove rehabilitation centre promises to help the staggeringly rich of the galaxy cheat death. When a reunited Doctor and Jamie are despatched by Raven to investigate the disappearance of a Time Lord, they are greeted by Chief of Medicine, Overseer Fuller.

Watching from his room at The Grove, an incapacitated Doctor helplessly observes the facility from afar. Who is the lone patient waving from across the courtyard? Why is Overseer Fuller doing rounds late at night when the Grove appears to have no other patients? And what precisely does Raven know about the 'Green Man'?

Verdict 

The Green Man was another great story to continue my way through the James Robert McCrimmon second series of Second Doctor Adventures! This was an intriguing follow up to the opener of Jamie as it seems quite a bit of time has passed for the Doctor and Jamie with them enjoying a number of travels in the TARDIS with their apparent freedom. That even included a cameo flashback for the Third Doctor which was very fun! The relationship between the second and third incarnation was delightful in The Three Doctors so getting a little glimpse of another encounter here was a real treat. I’d just love the chance to listen to the whole adventure one day! I think it’s a good and interesting move to establish that time had moved on for the Doctor and Jamie and they’d already been involved in a number of missions for the Time Lords. Raven emerged here to give them a break from their controlled freedom and she really does steal the show in every scene she’s in. I love the calm confidence she oozes and the way she laid down the law to the Doctor about his acceptance of his predicament after the Time Lord trial was tremendous. She claimed to have the ability to control any incarnation of the Doctor, past or future, whilst also being able to force a regeneration. I’m excited to hear the direction of this series and it would be nice to get a proper Second Doctor regeneration story to lead into Spearhead From Space. That’s a long way to go though. Before we get there, it seems the authority that Raven acts for have a number of dangerous missions for the Doctor and Jamie yet. This one was of particular interest and I liked how the Doctor was none the wiser regarding the truth of the Time Lord presence at The Grove. He would actually turn out to be the Time Lord in distress there! He didn’t take to that too kindly, and neither did Jamie with this being Raven’s idea of a holiday getaway. I thought it was also fun for him to be enquiring and teasing about getting paid for their missions! Of course that wouldn’t come around. The lack of people at the Grove was a good and set a nice mysterious atmosphere which was maintained well throughout the story. The fact the Doctor was injected with the poisonous venom to again access to the Grove was good and I loved how much Jamie revelled in being his carer. Fuller was a good character and I loved his role with the Krynoids and his desire for a super virus. The cliffhanger finish of finding the seeds and the titular green man being a Krynoid was brilliant and an unexpected treat! I am not sure how Jamie had such extensive knowledge on the Krynoids, but I’m a big fan of an encounter with them prior to The Seeds of Doom. It’s really fun continuity and they were more used as an oven for the synthesising of a virus that everyone was susceptible to which was a horrifying concept. That was good stuff and with Fuller crazed thanks to the Krynoid infecting him, he made for a strong villain. The truth coming out was good although I would have preferred if we had heard the Doctor get the best of things as we went, rather than flashbacks of unheard moments that put him in the driving seat. It was neat to have him at one with Jamie, but it was a little easy for my estimation. Regardless, this was still a really enjoyable story and a welcomed return and earlier chronological appearance for an old enemy. 

Rating: 8/10

James Robert McCrimmon: Jamie

"It's a question of memory."

Writer: Mark Wright

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Second Doctor Adventures 2.01

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie

Synopsis 

Mysterious dreams of lives never lived haunt an ailing prisoner in Edinburgh Castle, in the year 1776. Meanwhile, the Doctor arrives on another reluctant mission for the Time Lords, with the enigmatic Raven observing his every move.

How is the Doctor's erstwhile travelling companion, Jamie McCrimmon, connected with the terrifying deaths that plague the streets in the shadow of the castle? And will Jamie ever really know his true self again?

Verdict 

Jamie was a really good and intriguing start to the James Robert McCrimmon second series of Second Doctor Adventures! After an enigmatic start of Beyond War Games, I feel that after this story we’re now ready to really delve into further adventures for the Second Doctor and that famed and mythical land of Season 6b. It’s a wonderful concept and whilst he appears a little older on the artwork for this boxset than he appeared on screen, this could set us up nicely for The Two Doctors and beyond with Jamie accompanying the Second Doctor on his travels after the events of The War Games where nearly all of his memories of travelling in the TARDIS were wiped. I thought the continued presence of Raven was superb and she’s such a fun character. It’s not often we’ve had a chance to delve into a Time Lord this early on in the chronology and she definitely feels in line with what we saw in the Second Doctor’s swan-song. The Time Lords seem more open for bending the rules here even though Raven insisted she couldn’t be seen to interfere in affairs, and she was far from complimentary of the people and city of Edinburgh in the seventeenth century. That was really good and she was almost ridiculing the Doctor’s interest in Earth and its people. Her reaction when seeing the local medicine of the time in action when Jamie got into a bad way was great as she described it as barbarism at work. Right before her eyes. It was fun for her to gloat about always being in control of the Doctor as that was the price he paid for his freedom. Except he wasn’t free at all. The two versions of Jamie were fun and I liked the reference from one of them regarding The Enemy of the World and it being like the Doctor’s situation with Salamander. It wasn’t quite to that scale but it was still fun to acknowledge. I thought the Holo Wraiths were a strong enemy and the fact the Doctor and Jamie had defeated them before on Zeiton was decent, but just a shame that adventure doesn’t exist in any format. If it did, this would be even better in my opinion. The concept of the Time Lords mucking up the memory wipe of Jamie is excellent and that having an impact on the Holo Wraith memories buried deep in Jamie’s consciousness and bringing the threat to life again was very well done. I thought the first part in particular was a little confusing with everything that was happening with the two versions of Jamie but his nightmares of Culloden and journeys with the Doctor were good to delve into. The moment where the Doctor and Jamie were reunited was a really heartfelt moment as the impact of the botched memory wipe and the Holo Wraiths meant Jamie had his memories back! The Wraiths were feeding on the trauma of his suppressed memories which was a little gruesome, as was the fact Raven was waiting all along for the Doctor to work that out and stop it! She was devious and I really do hope she sticks around as I’d love to explore more into the purpose behind some of these Time Lord missions for the Doctor. Their research has showed that he works better with a companion and had particular fondness for this one, so Jamie would accompany the Doctor once more! That sets us up nicely for adventures to come. I also thought it was clever to establish that the encounter on Zeiton was right after the events of Fury from the Deep and leaving Victoria, so Zoe wouldn’t have had Holo Wraith interaction meaning her memory wipe should be intact. A small but important detail. Overall, a really strong audio to kick off an exciting series!

Rating: 8/10

Casualties of Time

"History is waiting for me to make it."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: August 2016

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 5.08

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9 

Synopsis 

The TARDIS crew have unknowingly become embroiled in a web of deceit. A trap has been laid across time and they have no possible means of escape. Destiny has ensnared them.

The Doctor is finally getting the chance to see the Conglomerate's work at first-hand. Romana is working to save the alien Laan once and for all. K9 is returning to Ancient Britain in search of an unusual power source.

The Doctor, Romana and K9.

Today one of them will die.

Verdict 

Casualties of Time was a very strong finale to round the out story already started in The Pursuit of History and the fifth series of Fourth Doctor Adventures as a whole! This really did finish things up nicely and whilst it perhaps didn’t have the high stakes feel or action of a series finale, it did a really good job in concluding Cuthbert’s story. He turned out to just be a pawn of the Black Guardian which was very fun and added even more credence to him as a godly villain, but I really wasn’t expecting Cuthbert to be an entire contraption and trap for the Doctor. It was fun to think that the Black Guardian always had tabs on the Doctor and Romana despite their efforts to avert him with the randomiser, but he was always watching. I liked that a lot and it was wonderful to hear David Troughton take on the role. He did so very well and whilst the Guardian himself didn’t feature in huge proportions, that booming presence was certainly evident. It’s also necessary as having him return is not something to be taken lightly. It’s a shame we didn’t get more to the White Guardian to combat him as that’s a battle on such a grand scale that I enjoy exploring, but it was nice to get the moment in the TARDIS at the end where he confirmed his involvement. I thought Cuthbert’s continued menacing across the timeline was terrific and going as far back as the Iron Age was an unexpected treat. Exploring history is good and whilst we didn’t really delve into the sixth century BC, it was fun to get a fleeting visit. The idea of the scale of sourcing the tritonium was strong and I liked the efforts going to create the Conglomerate that would prove so pivotal to much of history in the business world. That being a paradox was tremendous and I liked how the Black Guardian tackled the morals of the Doctor as despite it being what he wanted in order to create chaos, he knew the Doctor would have to stop it. I thought it was really fun to play with the idea of Cuthbert being a free man once the influence of the Black Guardian was removed, and it was nice for him to instruct Dorrick to help the Doctor when he transferred himself into the time engine but it went wrong at the critical moment. The link back to the bird in the TARDIS housing a copy of the Doctor’s mind was good continuity with the opener but a little silly for my liking. It was a very quick resolution to an idea that was actually excellent. If the cliffhanger was something like the Doctor’s whole mind being extracted rather than copied then I’d have enjoyed it a lot more and it would have a much stronger impact. With it coming in the last five minutes or so, a quick resolution was always expected. The meeting between Cuthbert and Romana was very fun with the former mocking the latter’s name as Ro-moaner and I was surprised how he just commented how nice it was that she’d regenerated since their last meeting. The disregard for life from both Cuthbert and the Black Guardian was strong throughout and they particularly weren’t bothered about small scale casualties. History was full of them after all. Overall, a great finale!

Rating: 8/10

The Pursuit of History

"This is an investment for your future."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: July 2016

Series: Fourth Doctor Adventures 5.07

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9 

Synopsis 

On a brisk winter's morning in 1850s Yorkshire, Cuthbert, head of the intergalactic business town as 'The Conglomerate' prepares to hijack a very special train.

In the far future, his assistant, Mr Dorrick is awoken by howling alarms. There is a problem with the Quantum Gateway.

In the TARDIS, the Doctor, Romana and K9 detect strange distortions in the Vortex, an energy stream coming from a strange creature called a Laan. 

The threads of a plan centuries in the making are coming together. But who is behind this plan? And can anyone possibly escape when history is against them?

Verdict 

The Pursuit of History was a very good audio to kick off the two-part finale of the fifth series of Fourth Doctor Adventures! Like many of the Big Finish spin-off ranges, I’ve jumped around and not exactly listened in chronological order which in my experience has been absolutely fine and quite fun! However, this story certainly required prior listening and it just so happened that I only recently blogged all but the opener of this range’s second series. The follow on from The Sands of Life/War Against the Laan with the Laan being used horrifically to power the time machine was good and I liked how The Dalek Contract/The Final Phase conclusion was utilised in a strong way with the use of the quantum gateway. I think it’s great that we’re expanding on that ambiguous ending where Cuthbert’s survival was unknown, but here we get it confirmed and I’m delighted by it! His Conglomerate is spanning time and it was fun to have him utilising the manual labour of Yorkshire in the 1850s to power his tritonium maturation over a two century spell. His appeal to the poor workers of the Victorian era wasn’t met fondly when they found out the metal was useless and not valuable in its current form. Romana and K9 searching in the TARDIS for the bird was amusing, especially with the Doctor insisting it was imaginary! So the bird repeating that was a very fun line. I thought the way Romana’s regeneration since her last encounter with Cuthbert was used was done very well and the interaction with Dorrick in particular was a highlight. He’s an amusing character and despite not featuring too much he’s a shining light when he does simply from his obeying of instruction from Cuthbert. The main villain himself is in fine form again here and David Warner really does have the voice for an enemy. He’s a superb counterpart to the Doctor and I really enjoyed his reaction to hearing the Time Lord’s voice. His annoyance towards K9 and describing him as irritable was brilliant too because that’s exactly what the robot dog was. It was a rather apt description! Tapping into Romana’s relationship with the Laan was very good but I wasn’t expecting her to literally be swooped from the TARDIS! Having her exposed in time vortex was deadly and the threat faced there was really strong. The Laan’s compassion and apology was nice though and showed they were in desperate need of help as they were being exploited by Cuthbert. His desire to expand his Conglomerate across time and even cutting a business deal on 2059 thanks to the value of tritonium over time. I thought the way he was in control of the meeting with the Oceanic State was very good and it was so clear he had the upper hand. I liked how Romana worked out the paradox and the link with the Oortag and Laan, with the importance and honouring of a contract to Oortag being particularly barmy considering the consequences for his race. I thought the cliffhanger finish of the Black Guardian was really good and sets us up nicely for the finale as they jump up and down the historic timeline of the Conglomerate and Cuthbert, but it still feels like an unfinished story with the finale surely to just feel like parts three and four. Regardless, this was still a strong story! Overall, a really good listen. 

Rating: 8/10

Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon

"They have a great distrust of progress."

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released: December 1980

Series: Target 43

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis 

Fifty years after his first visit to Peladon, the Doctor returns to find that Queen Thalira has inherited a troubled kingdom from her father.

Membership of the Galactic Federation was expected to bring peace and prosperity to the planet, but the spirit of the sacred monster Aggedor is once more spreading terror and death.

The Doctor uncovers a treacherous plot to steal the mineral wealth of Peladon, and is again confronted by his old enemies – the Ice Warriors.

Verdict 

Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon was a great novelisation of the televised serial of the same name! Peladon has become something of a mainstay in the Doctor Who universe now thanks to a large number of visits in Big Finish, but it was nice to revisit one of the originals with the first sequel. It’s nice to follow on from The Curse of Peladon with the Doctor arriving back a little later than he had planned. His old friend the King was now dead and his daughter Thalira had been installed as Queen. She was an intriguing character and whilst she does have an aura and almost acceptance that she was lacking authority despite her position and title, that grew thanks to her wonderful interaction with Sarah Jane. She was rather boisterous in this book and that started almost immediately with the TARDIS arriving in Peladon’s tunnels. It was hardly the citadel she was promised, but the Doctor would soon get her there. She took great offence to Ortron as Chancellor referring to the monarch as just a female which was brilliant and highlighted her fine companion qualities. Her relationship with the Doctor was a little frosty but in a fun way and the moment at the end with the Doctor lying helpless in the refinery was excellent as she shed a tear. The Doctor startled her at being alive and awake and she wasn’t too pleased about it! I love the political nature of Peladon’s position as part of the Galactic Federation and there were tensions strained here for sure. The return of Alpha Centauri was most welcomed although having them described throughout as male was a little odd. That’s just plain wrong in my view. It was a little off putting each time if I’m honest. Centauri being able to validate the Doctor’s identity was good though and I liked how his name was something of a legend on Peladon. The use of Aggedor again in the story was brilliant and I loved the idea of a projection to scare the miners and force them into submission. Eckersley was a strong character as being in league with Azaxyr with business very much at the forefront of proceedings. I thought the pace of the book was done well and I really liked how the Ice Warriors entered the fray well past the halfway point, posing as the Galactic Federation security called in by Centauri. Except they’d got there rather quick and housed themselves in the very place where the Aggedor projections were coming from. I was impressed with how the book opened as we had a neat summary of events to get us to this point from the Doctor’s last outing to Peladon, that was certainly helpful even if it hasn’t been that long since I read the preceding novelisation. Azaxyr going rogue is brilliant stuff and it’s great to have the Ice Warriors firmly as the enemy. His leading of a rogue group on Mars that opposed the planet becoming part of the Galactic Federation is really good stuff. His death was quite brutal and sudden and I liked the threat of the sonic cannon throughout, although the Doctor did survive it blasting up a little too easily. Especially with Ettis being thrown to his death! The scale of death in the story almost reached uncomfortable points with Azaxyr killing off hostages and the miners losing their spirit as ‘Aggedor’ killed them in their numbers. Gebek was really good in rallying them and his loyalty to the throne was admirable. The Doctor suggesting him as the new Chancellor as the story finished was a nice touch. I thought it was quite amusing that the war with Galaxy Five was over just because Azaxyr had failed in his mission to get the trisilicate. Not exactly a good war effort! The Doctor calming down the beastly Aggedor again with the Venusian lullaby was good and the beast sacrificing himself to save Thalira was a fitting conclusion. Overall, this was a really solid read! I’m all for more visits to Peladon. 

Rating: 8/10

Stop the Pigeon

"They come here old and I make them young again."

Writers: Mike Tucker & Robert Perry

Format: Short Story

Released: March 1998

Printed in: Short Trips 1.05

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

From Neolitch Earth to the furthest reaches of the universe in the far future, Short Trips brings together established Doctor Who authors and first-time writers in a collection of stories exploring the ever-changing worlds of the Doctor and his friends.

Witness the last days of the siege of Masada with the First Doctor and meet the Fourth Doctor's extraordinary 'old flame'. An evil enemy makes life difficult for the Seventh and Third Doctors, and while the Fifth Doctor is under attack on a sinister ship shrouded in fog, the Second may soon be guilty of a grave error of judgement... The Sixth Doctor's hopes of a holiday are dashed when he discovers a pleasure planet is hiding a shocking secret, and the Eighth Doctor is caught up in a deadly drama played out during the construction of Stonehenge.

And, of course, that's just the beginning...

Verdict

Stop the Pigeon was a really good Short Trips story! As far as the adventures in this book go, at nearly fifty pages this was certainly one of the longer ones and that really did allow for some depth and background which is often missing from this range. There was a lot going on here which in a shorter page count may have become rushed or just too convoluted, but there were no worries of that here. It flowed nicely and the pace was really good! I thought the opening was very intriguing with Joe on his way to work at Innovations Unlimited and his commute being dominated by a wasp. I actually felt a little nauseous when all eyes were on him because the wasp had landed on his hand, and the anticipation from everyone regarding what he’d do next was almost uncomfortable! As a regular train user, I wouldn’t fancy that. Of course, the significance would later be know as this was the first way the Virgoan tried to blend in on Earth and fix the time anomaly. As a concept they were a fun species and the way the Doctor acknowledged their presence with almost annoyance was very fun. The Virgoans were almost obsessed with temporal tidiness but they weren’t actually overly good at it which was quite amusing. Describing them as cowboy builders was a fun analogy. I was a little less impressed with them taking the form of a pigeon, but their interaction with Joe and him thinking he was either dreaming or hallucinating was fun stuff. He was having one hell of a morning. I liked the relationship between the Doctor and Ace here, especially once the latter was snatched from him in a flash as that set him into a strong sense of urgency to find her giving the story a good direction. Ace coming across the Master was an unexpected treat and I loved the continuity from Survival with him still suffering from the effects of the Cheetah virus. It would often get the upper hand on him which was good and I just love that we get another encounter between the Seventh Doctor and the Ainley incarnation. We didn’t get enough of that. He was as deranged as ever and his paradoxical scheme of rejuvenating an ageing population in 2067 was incredible. I thought initially it was going to be something akin to The Lazarus Experiment but it was far more complex than that. The Master posing as Chithros was fun and the idea of him being on the cover of Times Magazine was tremendous! What an image that was. His method of solving the ageing population being to literally go back in time and find the people who paid for the service when they were a baby and bring them to the future was audacious to say the least. That’s some paradox! The DNA match couldn’t fail so that was really fun to explore. The Master actually having governmental support was super fun stuff. The Master on the side of the law? Joe being on his side and turning on Ace was a strong moment and I liked how the Doctor shifted into gear in a big way when he knew his arch nemesis was present. He would obviously foil the plan in revealing the truth and the epilogue with the news bulletin was decent in tying things up. The Master feeding off the nutrients from his experiments and having the babies all linked up to medical equipment really showed the tool the Cheetah virus was taking on him. It was a nice touch for him to get an unseen getaway at the end, but that did feel like a slightly easy way to see him off. But should there be much of a wider impact in a Short Trips story? I’m not so sure. Overall though, a really strong read!

Rating: 8/10