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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2017 23:08:40 GMT
Hey everyone,
What do we consider to be Big Finish's greatest strengths?
For me, is Big Finish's ability to do darkness. Look at releases such as Spare Parts, Second Chances, the Surrivors box sets - darkness, but there's little sense of relevery or awareness. The darkness simply is. It is what it is. It prevades, it's in motion and the humanity of it is never lost. |
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Post by theotherjosh on Apr 24, 2017 14:17:23 GMT
What a great topic!
In no particular order:
They're fans: Being a fan of something is by itself no guarantee that you'll produce quality fiction based on that property. Fan-fiction is generally pretty awful, after all. However, they're not just fans, they're passionate fans with a genuine talent for all aspects of producing Doctor Who audio, so those two factors, being a fan and being talented come together to make something truly memorable.
They understand what works in an audio play: The audio play is an unusual beast, and as in anything, the medium is the message. Not every technique that would work in prose or on television would work as well in an audio play. But Big Finish understands that and they write the stories in such a way as to minimize the drawbacks and to take full advantages of the strengths of the format.
The actors: Big Finish has been tireless in recruiting everyone available to reprise their roles, which is great. On top of this, even minor roles are generally outstanding.
They take chances: Not every one pays off, but Big Finish is willing to experiment with format, and this has given us some of the best stories, such as Live 34 and Doctor Who and the Pirates.
The lunches: I've been told they're good.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2017 16:00:31 GMT
They understand their audience and how to play to that audience.
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Post by mrperson on Apr 24, 2017 17:56:05 GMT
Out of several hundred releases, I have only a few that I find dull or otherwise poor in some way. Everything else falls between at least "good enough/good" to "Whoa.... ... "; within that range there is a heavy bias towards the most positive end of the scale.
I've said it too many times but I'll say it again: I think Big Finish is better than even the original run, which I consider superior to the new series (though, when the series has a stand-out episode, it is great).
They love what they're doing, and it shows.
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Post by theotherjosh on Apr 24, 2017 18:08:35 GMT
Out of several hundred releases, I have only a few that I find dull or otherwise poor in some way. Everything else falls between at least "good enough/good" to "Whoa.... ... "; within that range there is a heavy bias towards the most positive end of the scale. I've said it too many times but I'll say it again: I think Big Finish is better than even the original run, which I consider superior to the new series (though, when the series has a stand-out episode, it is great). They love what they're doing, and it shows. Absolutely. There are releases that are not to my liking, but that comes down to a matter of personal preference. As I've gotten older, I've become better at knowing the difference between "stuff that's bad" and "stuff I don't like". A better way to say that is that there are some stories that I don't enjoy, but very few that I don't respect. Big Finish almost always accomplishes what they intend with a given story. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2017 18:25:42 GMT
Their greatest strength is that they are damn good at what they do!
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Post by doctorkernow on Apr 24, 2017 18:45:01 GMT
Hello again.
Big Finish saw an opportunity to make Dr. Who when no one else would touch it. They started building Dr. Who back into the magical storytelling series it was from the start.
Those Doctors who saw where Big Finish wanted to go and took the risk saw their Doctors in very different stories to their TV version.
Davison in Loups-Garoux, C. Baker in The Spectre of Lanyon Moor, McCoy in The Fires of Pompeii and my very first Big Finish story McGann in The Chimes of Midnight broadcast on BBC7.
It is from these small beginnings that we now have other cult classics brought back on audio.
I personally would not have been able to access Big Finish, were it not for their generous sales particularly the decision to reduce the first 50 main range and to allow the purchase of downloads.
I now have my own collection of 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Doctor stories that are as good as if not much better than those that were shown on television.
For that I shall be very grateful to Big Finish, thank you for all the great stories. Long may you continue...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2017 10:01:20 GMT
Hello again. Big Finish saw an opportunity to make Dr. Who when no one else would touch it. They started building Dr. Who back into the magical storytelling series it was from the start. Those Doctors who saw where Big Finish wanted to go and took the risk saw their Doctors in very different stories to their TV version. [...] McCoy in The Fires of Pompeii You mean The Fires of Vulcan of course.  |
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Post by elkawho on Apr 25, 2017 13:06:32 GMT
I agree with all of you, but I want to add that the writers are another great strength of Big Finish. Dorney, Fitton, Briggs, Mulryne, McCormick, Lidster, Adams, Lyons and so many other wonderful writers over the years. They attract, hire and nurture so many great story-tellers that it amazes me.
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Post by kimalysong on Apr 25, 2017 13:45:12 GMT
I agree with all of you, but I want to add that the writers are another great strength of Big Finish. Dorney, Fitton, Briggs, Mulryne, McCormick, Lidster, Adams, Lyons and so many other wonderful writers over the years. They attract, hire and nurture so many great story-tellers that it amazes me. You didn't list many of my favorites which goes to show just how many fantastic writers Big Finish has. |
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Post by doctorkernow on Apr 25, 2017 15:34:58 GMT
Hello again.
Well-spotted Stevo, I think I've created a team-up with Doctor's 7 and 10, Mel and Donna. Can you imagine the ensuing chaos? Both stories are ones I really enjoyed.
Also as others have pointed out the writers and the story have always been vital to the power of Big Finish audios.
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Post by mrperson on Apr 25, 2017 16:38:57 GMT
I'd also note, it seems that the new series has borrowed quite a few concepts from BF, especially from the earlier episodes predating the new series. I never made a list...
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Post by simon73 on May 4, 2017 15:19:11 GMT
My two things that i love about big finish are that i think the writers are of superb quality, (Especially John Dorney) and there are no boundaries to the stories that otherwise may have been a challenge to accomplish when it was on the telly, no matter what the genre.
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