The Hijackers of Thrax

"These pirates are running a black market in space."

Writer: Neville Main

Format: Comic Strip

Released: March 1965

Printed in: TV Comic 690-692

Featuring: First Doctor, John, Gillian

Synopsis

A century in the future, vital supply ships to Earth's colony on Venus are being seized by a band of pirates under command of Captain Anastas Thrax. The Doctor leads a revolt by Thrax's prisoners aboard his invisible space station...

Verdict

The Hijackers of Thrax was an incredible little comic strip adventure, and not entirely for all of the right reasons! This is certainly a quirky tale and that's part of its charm. It has basically everything that is wrong for a 1960s Doctor Who story in the expanded universe and that really is part of what makes me smile. It's established by now in continuity (for the most part!) that the full name of our Time Lord hero is not Doctor Who, and yet we have him addressing a radio video link as that! It's just fun, but at least we get Doctor written in full and not the very annoying abbreviation. I've never been a fan of that so at least it had something right. I can't complain too much in that regard though because this is contemporary and the main show hadn't been on the air for eighteen months at this point! So the rules aren't quite what they are now. This is a common feature and just adds to that feeling of nostalgia for me as I'm reading. I think I'm definitely still in the mindset of reading for interest in what they did with the comic strips at this time and not solely judging on story quality, but I don't want to be too literal in passing my judgement. I have to take a step back and appreciate that I'm reading this comic strip story over six decades after it was printed. The fact I am able to read it all is something that is not lost on me and I hope as I continue my reading through this comic strip run that I continue feeling like this. I am just delighted. I find John and Gillian a little strange as companions to be honest, and once again I thought the latter did very little at all. I think it's delightful though to get the TARDIS scenes with them looking out of the scanner as if it were a window! They're watching space fly right past them as the TARDIS travels from one place to another and I think that's great. They're children so they should be gazing in wonder at space as they travel through it. I thought the plot of the story was pretty simple and basic which is absolutely fine in an adventure such as this. It was three parts long which equates to just six pages so we're certainly not going to reach the heights of The Klepton Parasites! This adventure is essentially a version of The Space Pirates before we even had it which is intriguing as Thrax and his gang were actually referred to as that within the story. I thought that was fun in hindsight and shows how experiencing a story really does depend on perspective. That line would have meant nothing if reading at the time the issues of TV Comic came out. Robbing the supply ships and hiding invisibly behind a cloud of mist was good stuff, but I must say I was audibly laughing at the resolution. I understand this centred around supply ships going missing on a regular basis, but using potatoes to attack Thrax and his mist machine? That's just outrageous. I don't think they needed the Doctor present for that! I also wasn't a huge fan of John using violence to distract a guard and the Doctor going so far as to congratulate him! But that's part of the charm in reading these because they're so different. I mean, The Land of Happy Endings would tell you these stories take place all in the Doctor's head but surely even he couldn't conjure up such a crazy resolution. Defeat by potatoes! Spudtastic. Overall, a fun and quirky read that bordered on the ridiculous. 

Rating: 7/10

The Therovian Quest

"We'll soon have a cure for your people."

Writer: Neville Main

Format: Comic Strip

Released: January-February 1965

Printed in: TV Comic 684-689

Featuring: First Doctor, John, Gillian

Synopsis

A seemingly incurable disease is gradually wakening the people of Theros. The Doctor and his grandchildren travel with Grig, a Therovian astronaut to the planet Ixon, where a moss grows that might provide an antidote.

Verdict

The Therovian Quest was a terrific little comic strip! I am delighted to be able to get stuck right in with the original comic strip from TV Comic and you can expect to see these comic strip adventures featuring prominently in my blog over the coming months. I'm delighted to have access and it's just incredible to be able to cover them to be honest. This follows on nicely from The Klepton Parasites without recalling much at all about that tale, but that's good because it serves as an easy jumping on point. We get the TARDIS referred to as such for the first time in the comic run and I love the TARDIS interior scenes we get here. The scale of the story is actually pretty incredible considering it takes place across just twelve pages but we do some serious travelling! From Theros to Ixon and an asteroid in between, the Doctor and his grandchildren willingly leave the TARDIS very far from home and that actually served nicely into the resolution and what they got out of their part in curing Grig's people. The Therovians were an intriguing people and I was quite struck by their appearance. The artwork was impressive and they did seem to stand out on the page which I liked. I also think that's true of the Doctor here because his pose is pretty demanding and it's good that he takes centre stage when it comes to attention. I still think there's room for improvement where John and Gillian are concerned as companions because I don't think they offer a great deal when it comes to dealing with threats or potential issues, but I do enjoy them at the start of stories when things are being setup. It's an intriguing dynamic but this is still very much early days so I'm intrigued to see where things go from here. I thought the threats in this story coming from more 'normal' sources in the form of a giant lizard was good and those kind of things always feel more problematic. What can the Doctor do to defeat them? They act on instinct and there's not a grand plan to thwart. The Doctor was required for his expertise here though but to be honest he didn't have much of a choice with Grig having a gun in hand. He was delighted to have assistance though and there was trouble back home. Venturing across the cosmos and eventually to Ixon was good stuff, but I must say this story could have been even better if we actually got a bit of detail about the disease that had ravaged the Therovian people. The panel of the Doctor examining the disease was laughable in how little it depicted! I do wonder if my nostalgic and just joyous nature of being able to read these stories will wain, but I admit there's probably some bias in that regard when it comes to my rating. But I feel like it's allowed and part of the enjoyment I have in reading the story is what they were doing with the comic strip and not just solely the story quality. It's such a fascinating read. The quest concept works well and the moss retrieval was almost taxed when it came to Ixon which I liked. Get the Doctor and company to find it from the centre of the planet which was the most dangerous place on offer, and then make the Therovians pay for it! I thought that was wonderfully dastardly. The escape to the ship was good and I liked that when the moss did as the legend advertised and cured the people, the Therovians offered the Doctor something back in return. He would of course venture back to the TARDIS and onto more adventures which rounded things out very nicely. Overall, a great comic strip adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Frozen Worlds

"Small decisions weren't meant to change things this much."

Writer: Katharine Armitage 

Format: Audio

Released: June 2023

Series: Interludes 06

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

On the peaceful world of Nauros, the children play a game. There are creatures in the skies – the bat-like Flitters – which feed on possibilities, and the game is to find out who scores the highest. But now, crops are failing and the planet is in danger of starving. And when a time traveller meets the Flitters, it seems things can only get worse...

Verdict

Frozen Worlds was a great little episode! I've jumped ahead a little here in doing the Interlude that comes with the release of the Far From Home series of Seventh Doctor Adventures but given that it features Ace as the companion instead of Harry and Naomi, I felt it was pretty safe to get listening to this one and tick it off. It was a really intriguing concept and I'm almost disappointed that it was just an Interlude and not an extended full-cast adventure! I am absolutely grateful to get the Interludes to accompany a number of releases over the last couple of years – even if they now appear to have come to an end – but they are limited in their scope. They're basically longer Short Trips which is no problem at all, but I do think the idea at the centre of the plot would have benefitted from being longer and with more than just one actor. Sophie Aldred did an absolutely fine job as the narrator for this story, although I must admit it feels a little jarring to hear her familiar voice refer to Ace in the third person! A Companion Chronicle this very much is not. Her Scottish impression when impersonating the Seventh Doctor continues to be wonderful though and it did help with giving the story that authentic feeling, even if he didn't feature a huge amount compared to Ace. I thought Nauros was a strong setting and it's actually quite nice for the Doctor and Ace to visit an apparently peaceful world! It certainly makes for a change. I would have liked Ace to be a little more appreciative of the Doctor showing her the world, but she wasn't exactly thrilled about the ice sight he was providing. The line from him about it being incredibly cool was tremendous though as an absolutely supreme dad joke. I could just hear the disappointment on Ace's face. The Flitters were frankly wonderful and whilst the biting description actually sound like it would hurt and definitely more than a nibble, I was intrigued that it was almost treated like a drug. The concept of the multiverse is of course not new but the scale of it here was incredible. We saw on screen in Rise of the Cybermen that things can be different based on small decisions gravitating one way or the other, but hearing them be endlessly created here was incredible! Literally a decision as small as keeping ahold or dropping a rock by Ace set things into all sorts of temporal directions. Being a time traveller here was unlike anywhere else and exploring that was done really well. I thought comparing the number of worlds they had visited and created was incredible. Ace was down for competition but she was experiencing something she hadn't dreamt of. It was almost like a feeling of being high the entire time, at least that was my interpretation. I can't say I have ever taken a recreational drug in my life. The atmosphere and background music really gave it that kind of feeling which was good because it was just an hour of Ace tripping! Talk about unique. Touching upon different worlds in this regard was brilliant and the potential really was endless with so many decisions differing meaning so many different possibilities. I liked that a lot. Overall, a great little listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Blood & Steel: Auf Wiedersehen

"Why am I not worthy of being a Cyberman?"

Writer: Victoria Saxton

Format: Audio

Released: September 2022

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 7.04

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

Can Bernice Summerfield stop an alien invasion after it has happened?

Verdict

Auf Wiedersehen was a great episode to conclude the Blood & Steel seventh series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! This is something of a sad listen as it's the last in the range to feature Benny alongside the Unbound Doctor following the sad death of David Warner. He would have later appearances in The War Master and Time Lord Immemorial, but I associate him with Benny as his companion and this feels like a premature end to their time together. They've been through so much together and I'm intrigued to hear if The Eternity Club will make reference to her being alone on her travels again. The ordeal here would certainly be understanding as an endpoint for Benny because not only was she frankly appalled by the setting of 1930s Berlin and sticking around there, but she had been subjected to some pretty terrible torment at the hands of the Cybermen. Looping full circle with Willkommen was nicely done with the nanites coming into play in a very big way! I like going microscopic when it comes to the Cybermen because the potential really is endless. The scale from large to micro is wonderful because the threat really does come in all shapes and sizes! I thought the Doctor seemed quite in control considering the cliffhanger finish to Ubermensch where he was seemingly becoming a Cyberman which I must admit was a tad disappointing. I did like that his physiology as a Time Lord and his sheer stubbornness were preventing him from going full Cyberman or even anything close to be honest, but I was expecting a bit more of a metallic tone! David Warner not getting the chance to go full Cyberman feels like a wasted opportunity! But he was channelling his inner alternate Seventh Doctor with what he put Benny through here. I liked how she was out trying to spread hope and being separated from the Doctor gave her added responsibility. Continuing the theme from the Cybermen's perspective about the wasted resource to come in the Second World War was still chilling even if it did feel a tad repetitive. It really is a brilliant dilemma to put the Doctor in regarding the Cybermen as an alternative to World War Two! Of course, he's never going to break established history but the fact of defeating the Cybermen means the Nazi rule continues for years to come is incredible. I don't think that was touched upon enough outside of Benny's distain for where and when she was, though that was admittedly brilliant. It was fascinating to hear her in a vulnerable state here and the genuine fear she had when the Doctor appeared to be sacrificing her and staying strong to ensure the Cyber Planner wasn't victorious was incredible. She was really scared and he knew that, but he had the safety net of having already reprogrammed her nanites and then using them against the conversion chamber. That had a widespread impact on those converted and whilst the body count and people needing burials would be large, it was better than the alternative! The Doctor always felt in control and it was impressive how calm and collected he was, but he didn't always show it! Johannes was an impressive character as a villain and that's such a good German name for the enemy. His ranking amongst the Cybermen was a little surprising though. I really liked the use of the pulse as that felt really realistic and just such a wide threat. Benny touching upon how Wulf would have reacted to it was a nice throwback as well. Overall, I thought this was an impressive finale to what has been a terrific little series! I've loved the continuing story arc and naming all the episodes in German was a nice element too. A great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Blood & Steel: Ubermensch

"The perpetual pain of the person trapped inside, forged in metal."

Writer: Rochana Patel

Format: Audio

Released: September 2022

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 7.03

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

Why does the Doctor want Bernice to join a German archaeological expedition?

Verdict

Ubermensch was another excellent episode to continue my way through the Blood & Steel seventh series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! This was a really strong story that had a dark tone right from the off. I mean, when you're in then midst of the Nazi era of Germany and the Cybermen are involved, it's going to be dark but this was an impressive atmosphere. Two different versions of purity combining is a touch of genius and it's nice that we're in a different situation to Silver Nemesis in that we have them coming together rather than on opposing teams both out to get something for themselves. I thought Lotte made for a superb villain and it was lovely to hear a female character in that role for this era. She didn't feel oppressed or subpar despite the male dominance of the time, but she kept firm in her beliefs and that was actually disturbing. She had no children and to her that meant she had not fulfilled her role for her country. The brainwashing had well and truly worked on her. The mystery of the Vrill was good and I liked that Lotte was an archaeologist herself so the Doctor wanting Benny to get involved in the expedition was a bit of a no brainer. It does feel a little strange that they're sticking around in 1930s Berlin when the Doctor believed the Cybermen were no longer a threat, but that would obviously turn out to be far from the case! He pointed out that they would not be coming back and even though they couldn't change history and had to let the people deal with the consequences of the very future they were creating, there were still points of interest to him. His failure to recognise the involvement of the Cybermen does feel like a pretty big oversight though! Benny's reaction to that was glorious as she showed him the familiar tear duct image in some seriously good The Tomb of the Cybermen vibes. There was a strong feeling of that serial going on here and I loved it. What else was it going to resemble with an archaeological theme? Lotte was after the Vrill as an ancient species but she found something much better as far as she was concerned. It didn't take her long to welcome being like them and that was fascinating stuff. Hearing her become partially converted was really intriguing and it was such to the point that her natural way was already along the way to becoming one. That was chilling and I loved it. The Doctor attempting to use gold to thwart the Cybermen here was logical but that weakness seems to have been eradicated! That's certainly problematic and Benny wasn't exactly thrilled that it seemed like he was going to lose now. The Doctor was almost accepting of his defeat and that was a bit surprising, but he wasn't exactly in the best situation! The cliffhanger of him being injected with the nanites and being on his way to joining the Cybermen was superb and really sets the scene for a quite emphatic finale! I'm very excited to hear how things conclude here because the setup has been really strong. Benny is struggling but it seems like she's going to have to go it alone now. Overall, another fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

Blood & Steel: Wulf

"You're a Cyberman now."

Writer: Aaron Lamont

Format: Audio

Released: September 2022

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 7.02

Featuring: Benny

Synopsis

A young man returns home – will he save his village or will it save him?

Verdict

Wulf was another great episode to continue my way through the Blood & Steel seventh series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! This dealt with the after effects of Willkommen in a strong and very emotional way which is pretty ironic considering the Cyber element of the ongoing story arc. Benny avoided become anything close to a Cyberman by the narrowest of margins, but the nanites got to Wulf and ensured he was at the least partially a Cyberman. He had enhanced strength and was clearly possessing some sort of cybernetic qualities. It's a shame we didn't have a visual because there's something inherently chilling about a partial conversion. We saw it in Cyberwoman and Ashad was also pretty disturbing! It just works well as part of the fear factor and who would think that the Cybermen are scarier when they're not fully turned into one? This did feel a bit like Wulf's version of Bill in The Doctor Falls which was really nicely done, except he basically knew what he was. He wasn't a full Cyberman yet, but he would never be the same again. The fact he even returned to his home village was a bit of a surprise in of itself because it would likely not be normal or welcomed for him to be accepted. But the community pulled well and he was actually useful for manual labour and the kind of thing. I mean, it's good that he was still able to contribute utilising his strength, but it must have been weird to try and be integrated. His family tried to act as if nothing was different and I'm not convinced that was the right approach. Surely you have to discuss and adapt to the elephant in the room? It was still early days for Wulf though I guess and he was coming to terms with his newfound existence. Well, Benny confronted him in an apologetic way as she found him after hunting remaining Cybermen with the Doctor and she was brutally honest with him. She acknowledged her part in failing to help him but she did think he was dead and I can see things from her perspective. He was showing emotion though and that's ironic given what happened to him. He didn't seem angry at Benny though which was nice. He was just sad. I mean, when Benny is warning everyone that Wulf will be a danger one day it's not difficult to understand why! She had to be prudent though and that meant tackling awkward situations. I was surprised by the absence of the Doctor until the very last scene but this is Benny's series and she shone here. I was really impressed with her and I liked continuing the theme of their setting. She was after the Cyberman but she was almost more disgusted when getting involved with a man in uniform. Considering when and where they were, her distaste for the Facists came out in full force. That was terrific. I thought the way things ended were a little ambiguous or leaving things perhaps a tad too open-ended? I'm not convinced anything was actually really resolved from Benny's perspective but it said a lot by the end that she didn't even want to say goodbye to Wulf. He was obviously going through some substantial changes and went against Marius which was a bit of a shock, but becoming partially converted into a Cyberman will do that to you! Overall though, a really strong listen to continue the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Blood & Steel: Willkommen

"Are we going to stick around and overthrow the Nazi Party?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: September 2022

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 7.01

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

Why do the Cybermen wish to save the people of Berlin?

Verdict

Willkommen was an excellent start to the Blood & Steel seventh series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! This has been a release I have been looking forward to getting to for such a long time and it started off without any kind of disappointment. The prospect of the Cybermen being in 1930s Berlin is a sublime concept by itself, but throwing in the pairing of the Unbound Doctor and Benny is just delicious. I can't see any incarnation of the Doctor from any universe being anything other than disgusted by the Nazi regime, but it was actually Benny who was venting those feelings in a very strong way here. I mean, this is her series so that felt right and it was actually down to the Doctor to try and somewhat reason with her. This was established history and they couldn't overthrow the Nazi Party despite her best wishes. She had such distain for nearly everyone she met and that was before she knew the Cybermen were involved. The Cyber Planner having a prominent role was fantastic and I like how the Cyber era feels very much Second Doctor here. The Cyber design almost sounded like The Tenth Planet with the description of cloth and the monotone voices, but the depiction on the cover would say otherwise. I must say how glorious that familiar Cyber logo on the drooped Nazi flag looks as well! Just glorious imagery. I think the predicament of the Cybermen trying to conquer Earth by starting with Germany at this time is very intriguing because now a lot of people who support the Nazis will have to be saved. The Cybermen referring to the human race as a resource was chilling and I loved it. Their plan to prevent World War Two by harvesting up much of the German population as a resource to ensure that there were no people to fight the war was pretty incredible to be honest. They claimed to be in Germany to help and that really is some way to go about it. They'd forecasted a time where much resource was going to be wasted and now they were here to avert it. Benny showing her familiarity with the Cybermen was a nice touch harking back to Silver Lining was terrific and that was one of the very first Big Finish I ever listened to so that was a nice bit of nostalgia in that regard. She knew the threat they carried and she was not being heard when she was explaining that if they put on the Cyber suits of armour, they would never be able to take them off again. I thought that was stunning in its depiction of the Cybermen. The Doctor really harking on the emotional inhibitor of the Cybermen was excellent and he wasn't having it that they had no feelings. I think he proved it as well because his challenging of the Planner with it still breathing and getting it to feel again was sensational. His own feelings were tested in a big way too when it appeared that Benny was going to be converted into a Cyberman. They'd already harmed her and that was bad enough, but the job was far from done. Benny's relationship with Wulf was a real highlight and him being forgotten and subjected to some sort of Cyber conversion judging by his voice at the conclusion was a really strong cliffhanger. She can't remember him in the immediate aftermath of her conversion dealings, but the Doctor was on hand to save her and prevent her going full Cyber. Overall, a fantastic series opener! A fine use of the Cybermen, a sublime setting and a great setup of what's to come moving forward. A terrific listen.

Rating: 9/10

The Klepton Parasites

"We shall fight and we shall win!"

Writer: Neville Main

Format: Comic Strip

Released: November 1964 - January 1965

Printed in: TV Comic 674-683

Featuring: First Doctor, John, Gillian

Synopsis

Two schoolchildren, John and Gillian, meet their grandfather Dr Who for the first time, with John accidentally activating the old man's time travelling machine, to traverse the barriers of time and space. 

On an alien world in the 30th century, the peaceful Thains have been invaded by the warlike Kleptons, who wish to destroy the Thains' city and enslave them

Dr Who and his grandchildren thereafter find themselves in a battle for survival as they bring down enemy ships, fly to the Kleptons' secret underwear base, and hope to thwart their plan...

Verdict

The Klepton Parasites was a fascinating comic strip adventure! This was honestly an absolute pleasure to read and I can't say how happy I am to finally be ticking off the first ever Doctor Who comic strip! This almost feels like they've found a missing episode in some regard because for so long these early comic strips have felt out of bounds and somewhat unattainable. Thanks to a lovely WordPress website I found via Facebook completely by chance, it seems I'll be able to keep cracking on with the early comic strip run of TV Comic and beyond! I've always felt that Panini should publish graphic novels of this era of comic strip and I wonder if it's a rights issue? It feels like it almost has to be at this point because why wouldn't they explore and monetise these? I thought the start of the story was intriguing to say the least as John and Gillian wonder their way aboard the TARDIS to meet their grandfather for the first time. It's a fun and unique take on An Unearthly Child because it shares similarities with the police box shape in the junkyard and the Doctor being the grandfather, but they couldn't be more different either. Where are the parents as the middle generation that just let these children wonder off at night? It's baffling but the quirkiness is a huge part of the appeal. I do think I was reading this adventure in a slightly different light to how I would read another comic strip of the current era because it just had a sense of nostalgia and the unknown. This comic is the first and sets such a tone moving forward. It almost feels like I'm coming at it with my History degrees hat on and just seeing the interpretation of Doctor Who as a comic strip at this point in time. The show had barely been on television for a year which is staggering to think about and they pull something like this out of the bag? Huge compliments. The story works well and I think kicking off with a ten-parter is bold and audacious to say the least, even if each part is only two pages. I loved the artwork depicting the First Doctor and I almost find it comforting now for alternative media of this time to refer to him as Dr Who. It's so wrong that it's right. I would have liked a little more time inside the TARDIS with John and Gillian getting to know their grandfather and the TARDIS itself. We got the bigger on the inside reaction but there are so many questions! Why haven't they met him until now? Are they of the same race? A dash to the thirtieth century ensued though and the Kleptons needed defeating. The misery of the Thains was palpable as they seemed completely helpless to being conquered. The artwork was superb for a black and white story too and I really enjoyed the Kleptons being in their glass domes. John cracking one with a throw of a rock and actually causing significant damage was impressive! I enjoyed the action in the story and the scale of different settings was impressive. From the land to the sea, this really did have it all! Going underwater to tackle the Klepton menace was great and the Doctor using their own technology against them by turning their Creepers against them was terrific. The imagery of the explosion and the narrow escape in the ships was wonderful to see. The story was basic in that the Doctor and his companions were stopping an alien invasion of a peaceful species, but it just works well as an introduction to the medium. The imagery is just vibrant and the world-building is tremendous. It's far from perfect and I think the grandchildren should feature more despite their age – which brings a terribly different dynamic altogether from what was featured on screen – but it's just good comic strip storytelling! A pleasure to read. A fun run is on the cards indeed. 

Rating: 8/10

Nine Minutes Past Four

"Regeneration was a lottery."

Writer: Beth Axford

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2026

Printed in: Tales of the TARDIS Prequel

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Two very different but freshly-regenerated Doctors are summoned to help the Remembered TARDIS. Only through working together and remembering their shared past can they hope to move forward and become the Doctors they were born to be...

Verdict

Nine Minutes Past Four was a wonderful little short story! This was a fantastic bonus release to accompany the publication of the Tales of the TARDIS collection of short stories which is something I'm really excited for because the potential combination of reunions is very exciting. Nothings feels out of bounds when it comes to the Remembered TARDIS and that is evidenced enough right here as we have the Fourth and Ninth Doctors meeting! That's such an exciting duo because they really could not be more different as incarnations of the Doctor, and placing them together after both had just regenerated was very intriguing. It was such a unique dynamic because this clearly takes place during the events of Robot for the Fourth Doctor when he snuck off in the TARDIS which is fun, but also quite problematic when it comes to continuity! I'm sure Doctor Who and the Face of Evil will have something to say about the depiction and timeline placement here. But who cares? Who says he didn't have more than one trip? Of course, for the Ninth Doctor this is set right after we saw the War Doctor regenerating in The Day of the Doctor and got that glimpse of Eccleston coming through the golden regenerative glow. That's hugely exciting because this can arguably serve as the first chronological adventure for the Ninth Doctor and his post-regenerative story! That's something touched upon in The Bleeding Heart but this feels a little different. This definitely felt more personal. Credit must go to Beth Axford here as the writer because she captures the essence of both Doctors at the earliest possible point in their lives without it feeling like they're already too developed. The Fourth Doctor tackles regeneration with a smile on his face and sheer jubilation almost whereas the Ninth Doctor is pretty sombre. The former picks up on that and is clearly trying to help the latter which is a nice touch. I think the prospect of the Remembered TARDIS trying to remind the Ninth Doctor of just who he is works really well and I love at the end that he states he knows who he wants to be. It's obviously going to be difficult, but he wants to leave the Time War behind him. Easier said than done for sure! I thought the Ninth actually challenging the Fourth a little on his jaunt with references to Sarah Jane and the Brigadier was a nice touch too, as was the recollection of An Unearthly Child and how Ian and Barbara helped shape the Doctor into who he was now. Who the Ninth Doctor wanted to be again. I liked the description of the items in the Remembered TARDIS and it's fun to think that the TARDIS itself wants to help its occupants. It feeds on memories and the Doctors gave them that in abundance with a quick snapshot of their entire lives! I liked the numerous companions mentioned, although I'm not convinced we needed to dip into the future. And Clara and Martha being named out of order felt like a small oversight. But in terms of setting up the book and calling out to other Doctors and companions to come and bring their stories and memories, this was magnificent. A joy to read. I can't wait now to purchase the book and get started on the collection! Overall, a wonderful read. More of this please. 

Rating: 9/10

O, Darkness

"Not really the place we've been led to expect, is it?"

Writer: John Binns

Format: Short Story

Released: December 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Steel Skies 14

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, Adric

Synopsis

There are many places that most of us can never see: places that are sheltered, locked away, cordoned off from the outside world. But to the Doctor, and those who travel with him in his TARDIS, there is no such thing as a locked door. Anywhere in space and time is open to them to visit – even if sometimes it might be better to leave such places well alone.

Steel Skies is a collection of stories based in enclosed and artificial environments: places constructed to keep the dangers of the universe outside, perhaps, or to keep their inhabitants locked in. It is divided into four sections, each exploring a different kind of confinement:

Section One, Flight, comprises four tales of travellers who left their homes for far-away destinations – to explore, to start a new life, or to fight for the survival of their species.

Section Two, Frontiers, explores the corridors, living quarters and ventilation shafts of four futuristic environments – designed to shelter men, women and children from harsh natural forces, or from the threat of nuclear war.

Section Three, Incarceration, tells four stories of punishment and imprisonment, from San Francisco's infamous Alcatraz, to the cage of a flightless angel in the dilapidated ruins of Heaven. 

Section Four, Isolation, deals with the loneliness and despair of being cut off from the world outside, by physical or mental incapacity, by the ravages of war, or caught between destinations aboard the TARDIS itself. 

A recurring theme in all four sections is the effect of the Doctor's arrival in these enclosed environments – sometimes positive, sometimes less so.

Verdict

O, Darkness a pretty average story to get me back on track in continuing my way through the Steel Skies edition of Short Trips. This was an intriguing setup as in my head when the story opened with Adric I immediately assumed this would be a Fifth Doctor outing, but it was actually set during the events of the E-Space trilogy! I think that’s a good idea as there’s definitely grounds for exploration of that universe and there’s certainly plenty of manoeuvring with the timeline. This was set between State of Decay and Warriors’ Gate which I enjoyed because we see two very different companions at two very different points in their life as companion. For Romana, she’s already able to challenge the Doctor because she’s a fellow Time Lord but on top of that she’s also been travelling with him a long time now and for more than one regeneration! It’s no surprise that Adric felt essentially relegated to the background and the shadows within the Structure as it was basically left to the Time Lords to try and fix the situation within the Structure. That was a decent setting but I don’t think there was anywhere near enough clarity or description concerning it. I know that we’re in E-Space and so things aren’t quite as we know them and ambiguity can be good in some instances, but I don’t think this was it. I’m not even convinced it was ambiguous I just think it was lacking in explanation. J was a bit of a weird character and I found the dynamic of a perspective shift halfway through the story from Adric to the Doctor and Romana a little off putting. I would have liked to keep things from Adric’s point of view as whilst I’m not a big fan of his character as a companion in the slightest, I do think he’s troubled and getting some internal insight at this early point in his time on the TARDIS would have been good. We got a little bit so it was odd to have that just change drastically. That’s not to say I’m not a fan of the Fourth Doctor and Romana, but it was just strange. I can’t believe I’m saying I wanted more Adric! His annoyance at being stuck within the Structure was good and should have stayed with the duration. The Doctor going over the same thing time and time again was annoying him as well which was amusing and I could perfectly see the Fourth Doctor doing that. Forty times up and down the same character. The anger he showed towards J for not confirming the existence of the cassettes felt a tad out of place and I was glad that Romana confronted him a little on that. I thought the way they physically got out of the Structure and opened the darkness allowing the light in was a bit bland. I’m not sure it was wholly exciting either. There needed a bit of an adrenaline boost into the story which is a shame to say as I try to see the best in every adventure. Romana was nice in comforting J and preparing him to exit the comfort of the Structure taking it step by step. He’d been confined for a year so it was always going to be a tough task to restore some semblance of normality. Overall, an interesting setting and a very strong placement in the timeline, but this needed more. 

Rating: 5/10

Kaldor Nights

"Kill the Chenkas."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: The Robots 5.03

Featuring: Liv, Tula

Synopsis

Kaldor Nights is the most popular reality tv series on the planet... and it now has two new people on set. As danger approaches outside, Liv and Tula are there to ensure the show must go on. Because it's just tv isn't it? There can't be anything sinister going on... can there?

Verdict

Kaldor Nights was another great episode to conclude the fifth volume of The Robots! As we setup the final boxset to come I thought this shifted the dynamic of the series and the entire planet of Kaldor in a pretty spectacular way. The idea of the Company not having a monopoly on the AI of the planet is fascinating. It felt eerie right from the off as far as the Studio was concerned but when Liv and Tula tried to showcase their authority, the reaction when they weren't recognised was fantastic. It happened early too which really put a different slant on proceedings. Liv and Tula were on a film studio set, but I wasn't expecting there to be such wide ranging ramifications! I liked that I was caught a little off guard. We heard the title of 'Kaldor Nights' mentioned briefly in The Enhancement so I like that we get a little bit of continuity there. Tula is an avid fan so for her this was essentially like a fangirl service as she was on the set of her favourite television show! Liv was less of a fan and didn't really know about it which was a shock to just about everyone. I wouldn't expect anything less of Liv though where reality television was concerned. It definitely doesn't feel like it would be her forte! The way artificial intelligence was dealt with here was intriguing and whilst I won't pretend to understand all of the technical jargon, I did like the way binary was used when the word zero was stated allowed. Tapping into the enhancement chip was terrific and ties things up very well for the series as a whole. It's nice to go full circle in that regard. I thought just having the episode on a film set to begin with was fun and it definitely felt like a shift for the entire spinoff range which I think was refreshing. Kaldor continues to offer so much as a vibrant setting and this was just another addition. It's a wonderful planet to explore. I thought the way Liv utilised language against the Studio Robots was terrific and showcased her experience in the TARDIS really well. She was more than equipped to deal with a situation like this one and hearing that firsthand was delightful. Everything needed to be a scene which I thought was excellent and so Liv basically pushing herself into the role of director but purely for storyline purposes was really nicely done. I was a big fan of that ingenuity. Even though this is a boxset finale, it does feel like more of a set up for things to come as I don't think anything was really resolved here! The Studio being outed as another artificial intelligence network is great and Tula harking back to her experiences and the feeling being similar to that of The Janus Deception was really good. It made sense too and it's intriguing to hear her still sounding in quite a vulnerable state. She doesn't share the same confidence or bravado as her sister, but who can blame her? There feels like there's going to be a robotic civil war coming with the Company against the Studio and that's exciting for a final boxset. I like how things were set up here and I can't wait to listen to the next series! Overall, a fine finale for the fifth volume. 

Rating: 8/10

Machines Like Us

"They want a chip inside everyone."

Writer: Phil Mulryne

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: The Robots 5.02

Featuring: Liv, Tula

Synopsis

Kador Arris of the founding families used to work for the Company – but now he's on the outside and demanding greater accountability. His populist plans are gaining momentum – but also gaining him enemies. A terrifying conspiracy is underway – and only Liv and Tula are in a position to stop it.

Verdict

Machines Like Us was another great episode to continue my way through the fifth series of The Robots! It feels quite scary to think that I only have four episodes left in the entire spinoff range now because it has been a sensational adventure. There's still a lot of room to play with and that's exciting but it does feel like things are starting to get to Liv. I think that's primarily because of what's happening with her sister. Tula has had a tough time of it lately and her chip being turned off felt right after recent events. The threat of it being put back on though is good and that is something that is always going to be looming. Even though Liv is the familiar character and literal companion that is the face of the series, I'm impressed with how Tula stands on an equal footing. She's really enjoyable and it's nice to get more emotion from her here as she suffers. That feels really odd but I think it's providing her with some strong character growth as we head into the final stretch. I thought Kador Arris as a member of the founding families was really intriguing and honestly I'm surprised we haven't had more involvement! His position on the board of the Company coming up was fun and puts him in a fascinating position. Of course, it turned out to not be him at all which is good. Is it getting repetitive or a little uninteresting that basically anybody could be a Robot? I'm not sure but it does feel like something troublesome that could impact things moving forward when you wouldn't be able to trust literally anybody. The situation here was good though with Volf as the assistant to Arris actually being the one responsible and her creating multiple versions of him with the Robot outline was really intriguing. It got technical but in a series that's literally titled Robots I suppose that comes with the territory. I like the mystery and enigma that continues to be any character played by Jon Culshaw with him credited here as the Source but links continue to go back to Vash Sorkov and even Uvanov keeping a nice connection to The Robots of Death. I thought Kirran was a little on the downside here which was fine as keeping her presence connected was all good after a strong outing last time out in The Enhancement. It does feel like we have a good direction going now as things head into another finale which I expect to be pretty eventful to setup the sixth and final series. The reactions of Liv and Tula to finding out what happened here with Volf were really strong and I like how the entire episode just screamed intrigue. Everything was meticulous and I rather enjoyed that. As far as a commute home on the train goes, this was an absolute breeze to listen to! I enjoyed Liv and Arris interacting and perhaps even more so in hindsight. I also really appreciated how well Tula was able to spot a Robot despite audio cues suggesting otherwise. That's a unique quality and one I suspect will come into play again. Overall, another very strong listen to continue my way through a fascinating and strong series! A great episode.

Rating: 8/10

The Enhancement

"We all mourn in different ways."

Writer: Aaron Douglas

Format: Audio

Released: May 2022

Series: The Robots 5.01

Featuring: Liv, Tula

Synopsis

The Enhancement chips are the next stage of personal security for the citizens of Kaldor – and following her experiences with identity theft, no-one is keener to get involved with them than Tula. Liv, however, has other concerns. The Sons of Kaldor have been suspiciously quiet. But is this something to be worried about? Or is the true threat much closer to home?

Verdict

The Enhancement was a great start to the fifth series of The Robots! There was a lot going on in the previous boxset and I enjoyed the follow on from The Janus Deception where Tula was concerned as having her identity stolen by the data wraith was a big ordeal. It had clearly impacted her in a big way so she was actually very much on board for extra security when it came to the enhancement chip. I do understand her sentiment there, but considering who her sister is I am surprised Liv allowed her to go through with it without some strong security vetting. It was obvious that the enhancement chip was going to come with consequences or at least some sort of technical glitch that would look like technologically deficient, when it was actually intentional. The memory loss was really intriguing given that it was instant and I must admit that I could believe Kirran where her defence was coming from. Those impacted were told to rest for at least three days after having the enhancement chip fitted, but here they were just mere hours later complaining. Could it be the technical version of side effects? It was believable in my opinion, but Liv of course wasn't having it. I loved that about her because she wasn't taking it. I wouldn't have expected anything less either. Her relationship with Kirran is understandably testing and that was put to full force here as she met up with her on no less than three occasions! Volar Crick returning in emphatic fashion was really strong stuff and he had clearly gone through a lot since the events of Love Me Not. That's not exactly a surprise given what happened there with his wife so it made sense for him to be the one publicly confessing to Skellen's murder. Liv doesn't find that believable in the slightest and I'm loving how she is out to cause trouble for the Company and beyond at just about every turn. She's getting a lot done in this year break from the TARDIS! Causing chaos is her speciality on Kaldor. I thought it was amusing that she wasn't interested in the Kaldor Nights television show though. Volar as the creator of the enhancement chip was good as he comes across as a bit of a devious character and that's certainly a role that suits him. His own suffering of memory loss meaning that he didn't remember meeting Liv was an immediate red flag, but given what occurred with his wife could it be a means of grief or mourning? The mind can blank out things so it was feasible I guess. Liv again though wasn't having it. I like how this feels like a set up episode of things to come as the enhancement chip has not gone away and with it being compulsory that's going to bring about some serious issues which I can't wait to come into the foreground. I also must note my appreciation for the line about Toos and Poul being out there continuing their own work when it came to the Robots. That was a nice touch and it's a shame that they don't feature in the last two series. Overall, a really strong start to the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Blood on the Carpet

"You dare challenge me? You scrawny pawn!"

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: October 2026

Printed in: DWM 635

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

With Rose having been taken on a flying carpet, the Doctor is in a desperate rescue attempt across the cosmos.

Verdict

Blood on the Carpet was an average comic strip adventure in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine. I think the nostalgic appreciation of Bizarre Bazaar! wasn't quite replicated on the second go around which is a shame and I'm still uncertain as to whether this is supposed to be its own story or a part two to the previous issue. We got the cliffhanger finish last time around but that felt more like a lead into another adventure, especially with the next issue caption and question surrounding Rose's fate, but then this one had a definitive 'The End' so I think it is open to interpretation to be honest. I suspect the next issue's comic strip will visit a new era and Doctor altogether in another fun flashback – I'm hoping for the Eighth Doctor and Destrii – but for now this has been to hark back to Doctor Who Adventures. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog entry, I wasn't a collector of Doctor Who Adventures apart from a couple of issues during the Peter Capaldi era, but I fully appreciate the artistic style and how it pays homage to an important part of so many children's fandom. The flying carpet element of the cliffhanger was actually something that really excited me reading the end of the last issue, but it was hardly worth talking about here with Rose flying it and it being blasted with laser holes. That sounds problematic but I never quite bought that Rose was in much danger. The way she was saved was clever in having the Doctor tracking her phone as the coordinates, but it was also very much like what happened with River Song in The Angels Take Manhattan. It was almost a carbon copy to be honest, expect Rose safely arrived in the console room whereas the Doctor's wife went straight into the swimming pool! I thought the desperation of the Doctor when Rose was through the hole in space was excellent and something we needed to see more of in my opinion. I know there's only six pages to play with in each issue but more than a glimpse was needed because the way he countered as if those at the Garazone Bazaar didn't think a part of him was taken was brilliant. When the Tenth Doctor gets dark it can get quite exciting, but then it just turned out there was more than a singular Djinni on the shelf. That felt incredibly too easy and convenient for the Doctor to just get given three wishes again in order to save Rose. Why wasn't the first wish simply to bring Rose to him? Jeanie being with him in the TARDIS was fun but again it didn't really serve much of a purpose only for her to then reveal at the end that the wishes her kind granted were not permanent. They only last thirteen minutes? How random! I thought that was a bit naff to be honest and I wasn't a big fan of the Doctor just leaving the white proprietor to the mercy of the antiques once again. It was a little bit of a full circle as far as the Red and White factions were and it's honestly a shame the Doctor wasn't the former's King! Overall, another nice rush of nostalgia but the story didn't quite work for me in a big way.  

Rating: 6/10

Bizarre Bazaar!

"The antiques are doing the robbing!"

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 2026

Printed in: DWM 634

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

When Rose's vintage phone is in need of a battery upgrade, the Doctor takes her to one of the only places in the universe that might have the part. But something sinister is at play at the Garazone Bazaar...

Verdict

Bizarre Bazaar! was a fun little comic strip adventure! I am very intrigued by the current direction of the comic strip in Doctor Who Magazine because with no clear indication of when the show will return on screen, and there technically being no confirmed current Doctor, it feels right to dip into the past and go for a bit of a nostalgia appeal. We had that massively with The Daleks' Master Plan interlude last time out with a black and white comic strip, and now we have something different altogether here! The style of the comic was instantly recognisable and it felt like a return to the Tenth Doctor era of Series 2 in a massive way. That really helped it feel authentic and honestly the style was perfect. You could slot this onto the end of The Betrothal of Sontar graphic novel with absolute ease. It would be a seamless follow on. I was also impressed with how the story captured the essence of Doctor Who Adventures comic strips as well. I wasn't actually a fan during this era as I didn't discover the wonderful world of the Whoniverse until the broadcast of The Lazarus Experiment, but I can appreciate what was trying to be achieved here. I am in favour of paying homage to that and I do plan on purchasing the recently released Save the Humans! graphic novel collecting the first batch of DWA comic strip stories. I am sure I'd have appreciated the artwork on this one even more if I had covered that already. The story itself is pretty basic and that's no bad thing when you only have six pages to play with. I do question the Doctor arriving at the Garazone Bazaar to replace Rose's dodgy phone battery because even if it was rare in 2007, surely you could just utilise the fact the TARDIS was able to travel in time and go to a year when it wasn't? That felt a bit of an oversight but the Garazone Bazaar was almost certainly a more interesting place. Rock cakes that were actual rocks for a start was a bit of a shock, not just to me as the reader but also Rose when she knocked somebody out with one! The irony of the antiques coming to life and being the thieves was amusing and the resolution with Jeanie being found by the Doctor in an old oil lamp was fine for this kind of adventure. It's not one I'm going to take too seriously because that would be doing it a disservice. It's just a bit of fun and I think that's also reflected in the cliffhanger finish in having Rose on a flying carpet and being whisked away to who knows when and where. The idea of it being created by the very fabric of space and time is a wonderful play and words and it seems this little DWA nostalgia tour will continue for at least another issue in the comic strip! That's good and exciting, and I've waited until now to read this one because I thought it was a part one. It very much isn't which is great because the more content we get the better! Overall, this was just lighthearted fun and a good little read. The artwork and what it represents was the highlight for me. I hope this kind of bouncing around of nostalgia continues for a long time to come yet.

Rating: 7/10

Overworked

"No doctors, only patients."

Writer: Hannah Kennedy

Format: Audio

Released: October 2026

Series: Halloween 2.04

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

When the TARDIS locks on to a signal calling out for a 'doctor', Nyssa and the Doctor are brought to a hospital on Earth in 1974.

However, with the help of cleaners Harold and Sophie, they discover that something is very wrong with the patients here, something otherworldly. 

Verdict

Overworked was a great episode to conclude the second series of Halloween! This has been a really good series of darker stories but I almost wish the opposite of the first series in that I think it came out a little too early in the month! I'm aware of how ridiculous that is but to finish the boxset over a week before the big day just feels a little wrong. I know I was the one deciding on when to listen but whenever I get anything new I like to finish it as soon as possible to avoid spoilers. I wouldn't have thought that the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa were the best suited pairing for a Halloween kind of adventure, but they performed well here in the hospital setting. I think an allusion to the story being close to Halloween in terms of a date would have been so easy to help this episode along, but the setting is more than enough to produce those darker vibes. Wondering an almost empty hospital at night must be pretty darn scary indeed! The continued references to that bleach-like smell in hospitals really did transport you into its surroundings which I was a big fan of as it established the location very nicely. Nyssa not being too impressed with them arriving at a hospital of all places for a plea of 'Doctor' was pretty amusing but I did like the Time Lord's retort of how this was different because otherwise they would never land anywhere else! This plea was on another level. I wasn't expecting things to be quite the way they were with the patients literally appealing from within. The concept of a hodge podge reconstruction and the medic taking shortcuts was pretty brutal. Screaming from the mind rather than physically was really disturbing stuff and honestly it's amazing that any of those calling out for a doctor survived. Sophie was a really strong character so it was surprising to find her basically eaten and then spat out by the gastropods! I'm not a fan of slugs but I think anything along those lines works better as a monster in audio than on screen. I'm not sure the Mantraps were wholly effective in their design in Dot and Bubble but the cover art here meant their counterparts here were looking gruesome and just a little better left to the imagination. Utilising the Doctor and Nyssa as not being human was good in the excuse of why they couldn't sacrifice themselves in the resolution, so Harold stepped up in an admirable way. He wasn't having any other answer than him being the one to be absorbed in order to save all of those other patients that had been used at the hands of the medic. It was a little convoluted I must admit where the science came in, but the basic premise of what he was doing was understandable. The story of his Maggie dying and how he was saving for a cruise was a nice story because she always wanted to get out and see the world but there was always an excuse. He wouldn't see that through now because he knew she wouldn't forgive him if he let so many die to do that. Overall, a really strong listen to conclude a great little set! 

Rating: 8/10

The Box on the Street

"It reminds me of home."

Writer: Beth Axford

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2026

Printed in: DWM 635

Featuring: Rose, Barbara 

Synopsis

In the middle of her summer holiday shopping, Barbara Wright spots a very familiar and impossible blue box on the street. But the woman inside is not who she was expecting...

Verdict

The Box on the Street was a wonderful short story! I really missed the Brief Encounters feature in the last issue of Doctor Who Magazine, but considering we got a bumper interview with Anneke Wills it's no surprise and that was a tasty conversation to say the least! I must admit I had forgotten about this feature so when I flick through the DWM after it arrives in the post for a look at what's ahead this month, I was delighted to see this return! It's such a simple idea and it just absolutely works. I'm all for ever expanding content and the brief encounter theme is really special. How else would we get a story with Rose and Barbara meeting? The latter holds a special place in my heart alongside Ian as the first true companions because I think Susan is something of an exception given she's the Doctor's granddaughter. It always feels lovely whenever Barbara is around, especially if it is after the events of The Chase! Just reading how she put her hands on the TARDIS brought a huge smile to my face and I also like the little note about nobody else on the London street noticing the blue police box, but given she used to call it home there's no surprise that she wasn't in the same boat. I like how she just knew that it was the TARDIS as that feels right. It's lovely to know that she has grandchildren now and the line at the end where she would tell her husband Ian about her encounter was terrific. It's a shame we never got his reaction! It's also a shame that the Doctor was literally inside the TARDIS and never popped his head out to say hello. I like to think that Barbara mentioning she would see him again someday was a reference to Hunters of the Burning Stone where she would encounter the Eleventh Doctor, but sadly the Tenth was just out of reach. From Rose's perspective, the setting chronologically being just before they enter the scene in Love and Monsters was fun and Barbara being the one to provide the blue buckets is a nice touch. Considering who the author is, I get the feeling Beth Axford had the idea for this one when she was defending the indefensible in an article recently in DWM explaining why the aforementioned episode isn't all that bad. It really is though! I'm not a fan. But given that's arguably the first Doctor-lite episode, it's nice to fill the gaps here and know that from the Doctor's perspective it's business as usual. Worlds to save, people to help. He was still the same Doctor and Rose explaining that to Barbara was wonderful. For her, it was basically enough to know that he was still out there doing all he could. This time around it was the Hoix and knowing that Barbara had a very small part to play in that is delightful. I don't really plan on watching Love and Monsters again, but I'm sure I will end up doing so and maybe I'll have a slightly different perspective or appreciation for it. Overall though, exactly what this little series of short stories should be. The Doctor just being out of reach for Barbara on the other side of the door is all that brings this down slightly for me. A lovely read! 

Rating: 9/10

False Friends

"This is the planet of the Autons."

Writer: Timothy X Atack

Format: Audio

Released: October 2026

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 4.08

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

Minnie and Gary are trapped on a planet of robots, a fake Earth, and they're the only humans. Hoping no-one spots their humanity, they summon the one person they know will answer their call for help.

But can the Doctor and Rose save Gary and Minnie from this false Earth – and who has built this very bad copy of human civilisation in the first place?

Verdict

False Friends was a great episode to continue my way through the fourth series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! I am loving the bimonthly release schedule with this series alternating with its Thirteenth Doctor counterpart and it's just so good to really max out the time the Ninth Doctor and Rose spent travelling. It's incredible to think that by the time this series concludes we'll be at nearly fifty episodes of Ninth Doctor Adventures which is just staggering but I am so thankful for it. I am sure this won't be the last for Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper together, but even if it is I am so happy we got a returning monster for them to face. I remember reading in the Doctor Who Magazine preview interview when the Ninth Doctor Adventures were announced by Big Finish that the Autons were returning, but I'm sure then it was stated that it was in the seventh episode. Of course, that didn't come to be last time out in Dark Tides so I kind of forgot about it. I thought the nature of the episode was building towards something familiar and it was clear from the hints that the reveal of the masters of the strange mirror planet of Earth was going to be something or someone we knew as the listener, but with talk of robots I was suspecting the Kraal! I thought things were oddly reminiscent of The Android Invasion which was fun and I wonder if that was done on purpose? Either way, the moment Rose and the Doctor realised they were on the planet of the Autons was superb. The Nestene Consciousness was out to conquer humanity once again, but this time around it was channeling its inner Monks and having a practice run. I like that as a concept even if the scale is so unbelievably huge because it is unique. I thought Billie Piper was excellent in once again capturing the younger Series 1 era of Rose as a character and considering she's playing that role over twenty years later, it really is continuously impressive. It really adds a lot and her reaction in learning that they were tackling the Nestene Consciousness again was fantastic. It really sold the threat as being a big one and her first encounter was always going to leave a mark! I thought Minnie and Gary as the supposed only humans on the planet were really strong characters and it was clear they were made for each other! Would they really be just friends after everything they had been through even if Gary had a fiancé back home? It would appear not if the hug at the end of the episode is anything to go by. Playing around with two versions of Rose as one was an Auton was done pretty well, but I do think the doppelgänger plot device is not best placed on audio. Minnie did her best in labelling the respective versions but we can't see the slight tear in the shirt and Piper has her voice so it's very hard to differentiate. The human Rose admitting that she couldn't prove she was human was proof enough and I rather liked that in its simplicity. Being honest in a situation like that wouldn't be easy but she did so and that saved her. I think the ending was a little out of nowhere in that exposing the facade was essentially enough, but Gary and Minnie were even Autons and they didn't know it. They accepted the fact which was intriguing and the Doctor being prepared to leave them behind was brutal but Rose was on hand to save them by convincing the Doctor to think otherwise. I like how he knows the Nestene Consciousness isn't defeated, but he's certainly provided a setback here! Overall, a very good listen to continue the seres along! 

Rating: 8/10

Office Space

"My brethren are not kind."

Writers: Georgia Cook & Fio Tretheway

Format: Audio

Released: October 2026

Series: Halloween 2.03

Featuring: UNIT

Synopsis

It's Max's first night shift at the UNIT liaison call centre in Chester, screening emergency calls from the public for signs of extraterrestrial threat.

But tonight the calls hold something far deadlier, and soon Max and his colleagues find themselves fighting for their lives to survive against the night itself.

Verdict

Office Space was another great episode to continue my way through the second series of Halloween! If there was a monster made for a Halloween themed series then the Vashta Nerada were certainly it. I was delighted when the twist came revealing them as the mysterious Flesh in the shadows, and whilst I did work it out beforehand that didn't take anything away from the moment. Sometimes knowing a reveal like that is coming makes it better and this was certainly the case on this occasion. Before listening I was aware that this was just a UNIT adventure with no familiar characters from the organisation which meant it immediately went rather low down on my radar with anticipation low, but it was actually terrific. I found myself enjoying the dynamic of the UNIT call centre in Chester of all places with some really strong characters in the form of Max, Shelly, Carl and Clementine. It was Max's first day on the job so getting to learn about the emergency call centre of UNIT's through her was nicely done. I do question the point of the call centre being a middle man essentially between an emergency 999 call and sending someone out to deal with it. I do think that Max's first call was a prime example of the flaw in the system because if someone is in a situation bad enough or to the level of worrisome that they are dialling 999 then I would want to have the police sent out if that's what I asked for! I thought the delay in communicating with the Flesh as the kind of conscience of the Vashta Nerada was good and it allowed a decent chunk of time to build to the reveal. This was really good in capturing that darker theme, although I must have missed if this was explicitly set close to Halloween. I guess that's not hugely important but it would make sense if it was. The appeal of the Vashta Nerada is obvious though and the mystery calls coming from the babysitters was eerie to say the least. Carl getting more and more annoyed by that and not following protocol was nicely done because he shut off the phone supplies, and they still kept getting through! I thought that was good in highlighting the threat posed. Picking off the UNIT personnel one by one was fantastic and I liked that Clementine was eradicated almost from the off. The description of being eaten in particular was superb. I thought the desperation of Max getting deeper and deeper as the episode went on was great and whilst it was cliche for this to be her first day on the job, it just worked. I thought she was good and trying to destroy the box that would cause the Vashta Nerada to dissipate was intriguing, but Flesh had basically brought them all on a wild goose chase that would actually just anger her kind. Some moral conscience! I like the horror in the concept of an ambitious ending because the Vashta Nerada being at large is obviously tasty. Is there going to be a UNIT follow up? I doubt it, but I'd be well in favour of that. Overall though, a great listen to continue my way through the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Sirgwain and the Green Knight

"He knew that the armour he wore would offer no protection."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 15

Featuring: Ice Warrior

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

Sirgwain and the Green Knight was a good little story to conclude my reading of the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection! Now, it's no secret that I bought this book purely for The Doctor and the Three Witches as part of the Circuit Breaker multimedia story event, but I've really enjoyed the fifteen short stories that came before it in this collection. They're unique, random and certainly quirky so it was good that things concluded in much the same way. I knew from the title alone that this was going to feel more folky and certainly have a fairytale vibe as anytime we delve into Arthurian tales that is always going to happen. Sirgwain was certainly a character I could respect here and the titular green knight felt the same way. It took me much longer than it should have to realise that the Warrior who crashed and needed aid was an Ice Warrior! I was delighted when I realised though as I thought he was presented very well here. He was a fine representative of the Ice Warriors and whilst he was brutish, he was also respectful. I thought incorporating them into this kind of setting with the people around was great because it was a clash of two different systems of honour. It's important to both and touching upon that was nicely done here. It was also crucial to Sirgwain's survival. I thought King Harthur (ha! Could it be any more on the nose?) was a decent character but I'm not sure he quite respected honour in the same way as his knight. As far as he was concerned, they had supplied the Ice Warrior with the men and materials needed to repair his ship (or temple as they saw it) and that meant honour remained intact. It was the King who made the agreement, but still Sirgwain had to see it through as he felt honour bound. I thought that was admirable and showed he was certainly a strong knight. I liked that a lot and with a month to dwell on it while the Warrior was going through with his repairs, it must have been agony. As far as Sirgwain was concerned, going to the Ice Warrior was his day of death. There was no doubt in his mind and that can't be a fun thing to have weighing on your mind. I liked how the Ice Warrior respected Sirgwain for seeing through his part of the agreement and he was actually nothing but complimentary. He appreciated the materials and the hardworking nature of the men that helped repair his temple, and now they could be freely returned to the King. Sirgwain was ready for the final part of the bargain when it came to the blow to be reciprocated, but the Warrior knew he was an honourable man. He anticipated and accepted death, so he didn't actually need to die. I thought that was a nice way to finish things and he had one last trick with the take off of his ship now it was in full working order. A Warrior of the stars indeed. Overall, a nice way to finish the collection and just a really solid story. I'm all about stories concerning honour! 

Rating: 7/10

The Three Brothers Gruff

"Every race has its weaknesses"

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2026

Printed in: Time Lord Fairy Tales 14

Featuring: Sontarans

Synopsis

We are all stories in the end...

Sixteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords. 

Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs from across all of time and space.

Verdict

The Three Brothers Gruff was a fun little story to continue my way through the Time Lord Fairy Tales collection! I'm a sucker for a Sontaran adventure so to get a second one in this book is a big positive for me. I knew right from the off with the arrival of a spherical ship that it was going to be them and once black armour was described, there was only one race it was going to be. I like the simplicity of having Commander Starn return from The Three Little Sontarans as it just keeps things moving from a continuity perspective and it makes sense that if there are fairytales about a Sontaran, then it would be the same one. I thought the story clearly took inspiration from The Sontaran Experiment which I'm absolutely okay with as that is one of the first Classic era serials I ever watched. I loved the impact the Sontarans made in The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky so I remember being very excited receiving the DVD of that story for Christmas 2008 and catching up on their past encounters with the Doctor. Having Starn here reporting on a planet and testing the local population felt familiar and I enjoyed that aspect of the story very much. The threat posed to Starn from his higher in command was good in that if the report of the feasibility of the planet wasn't provided within a day, then the Sontaran invasion would not be risked and therefore not commence. As far as the three brothers were concerned, that was music to their ears and they knew what needed to be done. The humour and almost comical way in which Starn revealed his own weakness and that of the entire Sontaran race was just gloriously perfect of this race. He thought he was boasting and showing strength in explaining that even in having a weakness, theirs was on their neck in the form of the probic vent which meant that they had to face their enemies. Starn was almost beaming with pride on the page in explaining this but it brought his downfall. I thought Naze was the best of the Gruff brothers and it was good that he realised not to showcase all of his intelligence when it came to the testing in place by Starn. Even when a wrong answer provided a significant electric shock, he knew not to appear too clever as the Sontaran might not want him. The way he saved and then enlisted his other brothers for what was needed to take out Starn and prevent their planet from being invaded. I don't think they should have been able to carry the Sontaran over to his ship but at the same time the gravity of the planet was never established. I'll let it slide. I thought their plan to smash up anything they could see in the ship to prevent the report getting back to Sontaran Command was excellent and felt right to just cause chaos. Overall, a really fun little tale to continue my way through the book! Just one to go now. A great read.

Rating: 8/10