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Post by omega on Dec 3, 2017 7:11:13 GMT
COUNTER-MEASURES » 1. COUNTER-MEASURES SERIES 01Released July 2012SynopsisAfter the mysterious events at Coal Hill School, the British government has created the Counter-Measures group, a specialist team that investigates strange phenomena and dangerous technology. Their first missions will involve a haunted warehouse, a ground-breaking artificial intelligence, a mysterious new town and a threat to the future of the country... Four full cast audio dramas plus behind the scenes documentary: Threshold by Paul FinchA missing scientist and ghostly phenomena bring Gilmore and Allison to a factory in Bermondsey, and the discovery of a science that should not exist. As Rachel Jensen returns to help them, a new future for Counter-Measures is set in motion... Artificial Intelligence by Matt FittonInvestigating a suicide at the Sen-Gen Facility, the group discovers a new weapon in the Cold War – and Gilmore meets an old flame. Meanwhile Rachel discovers that she can’t trust anyone, not even the sound of her own voice... The Pelage Project by Ian PotterA case of industrial pollution leads the group to the new industrial town Pelage, and a dangerous meeting with its leader Ken Temple. And deep within the plant it appears that an alien invasion is already underway... State of Emergency by Justin RichardsThere are creatures from another dimension on the streets, and traitors in the halls of Westminster. When the government is in jeopardy, Rachel, Allison and Gilmore take on a faction staging a very un-British coup... Written By: Paul Finch, Matt Fitton, Ian Potter and Justin Richards Directed By: Ken Bentley CASTSimon Williams (Group Captain Gilmore), Pamela Salem (Rachel Jensen), Karen Gledhill (Allison Williams), Hugh Ross (Sir Toby Kinsella), Vernon Dobtcheff (Professor Heinrich Schumann), Andrew Fettes (Lieutenant Tom Carver), Alison Thea-Skot (Jenny Haveloc/Nurse), Adrian Lukis (Professor Jeffrey Broderick), Lizzie Roper (Dr Nadia Cervenka), Alastair MacKenzie (Julian St Stephen), John Banks (Billy McGuinness), Stephen Grief (Ken Temple), Helen Goldwyn (PA Voice/Control), Duncan Wisbey (Harold Wilson), Shaun Scott (General Peters)
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Post by omega on Dec 3, 2017 7:12:39 GMT
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Post by mark687 on Dec 3, 2017 10:58:24 GMT
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Post by omega on Dec 3, 2017 11:02:00 GMT
Come January the episode will be free, no code required.
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Post by rran on Dec 4, 2017 16:13:53 GMT
I would rate Threshold one of the best episodes in the old series, probably even the best. Creepy to the core. Talking dolls always freak me out.
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Post by Zagreus on Dec 4, 2017 16:58:38 GMT
I would rate Threshold one of the best episodes in the old series, probably even the best. Creepy to the core. Talking dolls always freak me out. Agreed, as are the other entries in Series 1. I'd actually argue that the finale of the first box, which tries to tie things together, probably its weakest episode. Counter-Measures is best when it's standalone episodes with maybe some light long-term story plotting and character development. By the end of Series 4 I was just a bit worn out from the grand conspiracies. New Counter-Measures 1's episodic nature was a nice refreshing return to form.
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 3,075
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Post by mbt66 on Dec 4, 2017 20:18:17 GMT
Was/is the second episode Artificial Intelligence free somewhere? I am sure I have listened to that episode in the past...
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Post by omega on Dec 4, 2017 20:38:17 GMT
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Post by vivdunstan on Jan 13, 2020 8:27:57 GMT
I’ve just listened to Threshold. The opening is bizarre, and really put me off. Agree with some others that it’s a strange way to start a new series, when their priority should be hooking new listeners.
However after the title music I was quickly gripped. The setup was straightforward, and the main cast recaptured their characters well.
On the downside I did feel that the story was a bit too slight for the time length. Maybe it needed more complexity adding, or more obstacles for the characters to overcome. I ended up rather clock watching.
But enjoyed, and looking forward to listening to the rest of the box.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2020 20:11:37 GMT
Threshold is defintely atmospheric and creepy and wonderful audios scaping .Turn the lights out😉😉 one of my favourites of the Counter Measures old range-move over Torchwood 😂🤪 Get a proper team in
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Post by Hieronymus on Jan 13, 2020 21:33:47 GMT
It's hard to rate and compare the first series, knowing now where the series has headed. The first series was freer to experiment with content and structure than later ones.
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Post by vivdunstan on Jan 14, 2020 8:55:01 GMT
On to story 2 of the box, “Artificial Intelligence”. The pre title opening sequence is much better than in the last story. I’m struggling with the Czech accent, finding it not very credible. But it’s interesting to have an outside character adding to the back story of one of the leads. The AI research is boggling for this period. Speaking as a former computer scientist here But hey, it’s sci-fi. Also given that we’ve had a lot of sentient evil computer stories in sci-fi, including Doctor Who in the past, it was nice to have one here where it wasn’t a deliberate evil computer controlling people with its own plan, but rather a computer affecting people’s own thinking leading to emergent problems . I did find Adrian Lukis’s voice confusing in this audio though, sounding too much for me like a younger Simon Williams, who admittedly sounds much older here than he did in Remembrance. Oh and is it just me, or does anyone else get vibes of The Prisoner in the incidental music in this series?
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lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
Likes: 5,786
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Post by lidar2 on Jan 14, 2020 9:31:59 GMT
I’ve just listened to Threshold. The opening is bizarre, and really put me off. Agree with some others that it’s a strange way to start a new series, when their priority should be hooking new listeners.However after the title music I was quickly gripped. The setup was straightforward, and the main cast recaptured their characters well. On the downside I did feel that the story was a bit too slight for the time length. Maybe it needed more complexity adding, or more obstacles for the characters to overcome. I ended up rather clock watching. But enjoyed, and looking forward to listening to the rest of the box. To be fair, given that it was intended as part 1 of a boxset of 4 and any buyers would already have bought all 4, it should not really be seen as a standalone designed to hook listeners and get them back for episode 2
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Post by vivdunstan on Jan 14, 2020 9:34:58 GMT
I’ve just listened to Threshold. The opening is bizarre, and really put me off. Agree with some others that it’s a strange way to start a new series, when their priority should be hooking new listeners.However after the title music I was quickly gripped. The setup was straightforward, and the main cast recaptured their characters well. On the downside I did feel that the story was a bit too slight for the time length. Maybe it needed more complexity adding, or more obstacles for the characters to overcome. I ended up rather clock watching. But enjoyed, and looking forward to listening to the rest of the box. To be fair, given that it was intended as part 1 of a boxset of 4 and any buyers would already have bought all 4, it should not really be seen as a standalone designed to hook listeners and get them back for episode 2
Not convinced, because Big Finish released Threshold as a free separate download. So people could try it out before they buy. I downloaded it that way years ago, but hadn't got round to listening to it yet!
I think any opening story has to have a punchy start. It's not a place for too much experimentation. And especially so if you're going to use it as a free sample.
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Post by vivdunstan on Jan 15, 2020 8:27:54 GMT
Just listened to “The Pelage Project”. It’s interesting hearing the team go out to investigate another location, though I did find their undercover roles rather implausible, and expected them to be uncovered sooner. The core plot was a strong one, and Stephen Greif an effective guest star. Though the wicked plan was expounded at too great a length for me. I also liked that the story explored the question of agency, and how much power the Counter-Measures team effectively had in a crisis situation, or not. Of course things were sorted eventually, but the team had to use science / ingenuity to get there. Oh and having heard Big Finish’s “The Prisoner” series it was extremely distracting to hear Helen Goldwyn read out tannoy announcements throughout the story.
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Post by Tim Bradley on Jan 15, 2020 8:53:06 GMT
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lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
Likes: 5,786
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Post by lidar2 on Jan 15, 2020 8:59:04 GMT
Just listened to “The Pelage Project”. It’s interesting hearing the team go out to investigate another location, though I did find their undercover roles rather implausible, and expected them to be uncovered sooner. The core plot was a strong one, and Stephen Greif an effective guest star. Though the wicked plan was expounded at too great a length for me. I also liked that the story explored the question of agency, and how much power the Counter-Measures team effectively had in a crisis situation, or not. Of course things were sorted eventually, but the team had to use science / ingenuity to get there. Oh and having heard Big Finish’s “The Prisoner” series it was extremely distracting to hear Helen Goldwyn read out tannoy announcements throughout the story. If you are trying to do a chronological listen thru I believe the CM episode from The Worlds of DW slots in after Pelage
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Post by vivdunstan on Jan 15, 2020 10:14:14 GMT
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ljwilson
Chancellery Guard
It's tangerine....not orange
Likes: 5,061
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Post by ljwilson on Jan 15, 2020 19:43:13 GMT
I do love Counter Measures!
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ljwilson
Chancellery Guard
It's tangerine....not orange
Likes: 5,061
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Post by ljwilson on Jul 28, 2021 16:47:57 GMT
Ooh this is interesting, well it is to me anyway. Matt Fitton's Artificial Intelligence is based partly on a short-wave radio phenomenon, which has been around for decades, called 'The Number Stations'. Radio buffs noticed that strange broadcasts, which sat at the very edges of the dial, were all over the airwaves. Most have a jingle followed by blocks of seemingly random numbers, and are suspected to be secret service broadcasts to their agents in the field. 'The Lincolnshire Poacher' is one such broadcast, which is still transmitting today - and AI has a similar jingle and operative(s) reading sets of numbers in the same manner. www.bigfinish.com/podcasts/v/counter-measures-podcast---artificial-intelligence-july-xyoutu.be/QnXPqUU6fI0www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xf66 (starts about 5 mins in)
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