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Post by constonks on Dec 4, 2019 22:25:56 GMT
www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-blood-on-santa-s-claw-and-other-stories-1289The free episode is now available with the BF newsletter!I don't usually listen to the freebies but with a complete one-part story on offer, how could I refuse? Joe is - by my count - the Sixth Doctor's fourth companion to be introduced *after* joining the TARDIS (along with Mel, Constance and Mathew Sharpe) but I guess that makes sense as Ol' Sixie had zero companions join him onscreen! First episode is a nice little story, with some neat ideas but not a lot of substance - as the Sixth Doctor says, the 59th century is very silly place. Not a lot of characterization for Joe, given this is his debut - we get a lot of thoughts about him from Peri and the Doctor, though, and the discussions do liven up their dialogue - as well as showing how strong their relationship has gotten since its dreadful inception. The briskness of the story also allows Joe to be confused at how quickly the Doctor and Peri sorted out the issue of the week - he seems to think he's in a four-parter! Looking forward to the next three stories...
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 7, 2019 17:40:52 GMT
Listened to the first episode. This was delightful. And quite clever. Really looking forward to the rest of it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2019 17:59:11 GMT
It's certainly a good idea to have the titular story available to download for free, considering that we're now in the month of festivities!
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Dec 10, 2019 10:06:50 GMT
(follow the link for more info)
OUT !
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Post by mark687 on Dec 10, 2019 12:52:31 GMT
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 10, 2019 17:49:23 GMT
Right. Evening listening sorted. Question: They said they would reveal who the other authors of the other stories of this release were. Or were they all written by Nev Fountain? It does not say in the news piece.
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Post by elkawho on Dec 10, 2019 18:17:45 GMT
Right. Evening listening sorted. Question: They said they would reveal who the other authors of the other stories of this release were. Or were they all written by Nev Fountain? It does not say in the news piece. Shorten the first names, then add the second. It gives it away.
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 10, 2019 18:30:26 GMT
Right. Evening listening sorted. Question: They said they would reveal who the other authors of the other stories of this release were. Or were they all written by Nev Fountain? It does not say in the news piece. Shorten the first names, then add the second. It gives it away. Well, I got as far as Alias and Alter Ego. So does that indeed mean everything is written by Nev Fountain?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2019 18:40:02 GMT
Shorten the first names, then add the second. It gives it away. Well, I got as far as Alias and Alter Ego. So does that indeed mean everything is written by Nev Fountain? The third one Sue Dennom is Pseudonym, which means that Nev definitely wrote it all. Quite impressive, right?
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Post by mark687 on Dec 10, 2019 20:24:59 GMT
Great mix of genres and a couple of very versatile guest performers
Laughs, Thrills and some odd Chills abound
Strong conclusion to a very strong 2nd half of 2019 for the MRs.
Regards
mark687
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Post by coffeeaddict on Dec 10, 2019 23:13:44 GMT
Hated the boyfriend right from the start. The stories were okay, but this one didn't work as well as some of the past "and Stories" offerings we've seen.
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Post by number13 on Dec 11, 2019 12:33:20 GMT
Blood on Santa's Claw - very clever and silly and fun. The Doctor doing what he does best, with unusual trimmings. And some spot-on satire under the elf-and-reindeer surface. The Baby Awakes - the style took me by surprise, a lighter veneer before the monsters appear but with thought-provoking ideas and Nicola Bryant's performance is superb, real emotional depth.
Looking forward to the second half, after the first two I think I'm ready for practically any style of story but I won't know until I unwrap them.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2019 13:54:05 GMT
Blood on Santa's Claw - very clever and silly and fun. The Doctor doing what he does best, with unusual trimmings. And some spot-on satire under the elf-and-reindeer surface. The Baby Awakes - the style took me by surprise, a lighter veneer before the monsters appear but with thought-provoking ideas and Nicola Bryant's performance is superb, real emotional depth.
Looking forward to the second half, after the first two I think I'm ready for practically any style of story but I won't know until I unwrap them.
The recent decision to install independent "showrunners" for each Doctor has really paid off. There's been some brilliant emotional storytelling recently in what otherwise feel like closed loops. These characters have come an enormously long way since their 80s debut. I particularly liked how their archetypal bickering gets contextualised by the fact that they both want to take responsibility. Both for perfectly rational and understandable reasons. This has turned into such a strongly forged friendship I can't see anything short of a malevolent deus ex machina tearing them apart. Halfway through too, but I've been really enjoying these. I quite warmed to the literary cosplay of Naxos in Blood on Santa's Claw, Shreela in The Baby Awakes was a delight, and the fate of the Smiths never-to-be was just heartbreaking. It's nice that for a season that only comes once a year, we've four opportunities to experience it (one for each week leading up to the day almost).
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 11, 2019 21:38:58 GMT
Second story- great original idea. Also love all the emotional insight into the characters (especially Peri). We get some nice banter and some tragic scenes reminiscent of the Piscon Paradox. Well done.
Question: {Spoiler} When is this supposed to take place? The title music suggests it is pre-trial, however, Peri's transformation into a bird-like creature gets mentioned. Consider me confused. But maybe this will be explained in a later episode of this release?
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Post by themeddlingmonk on Dec 11, 2019 22:40:54 GMT
Second story- great original idea. Also love all the emotional insight into the characters (especially Peri). We get some nice banter and some tragic scenes reminiscent of the Piscon Paradox. Well done.
Question: {Spoiler} When is this supposed to take place? The title music suggests it is pre-trial, however, Peri's transformation into a bird-like creature gets mentioned. Consider me confused. But maybe this will be explained in a later episode of this release? Vengeance on Varos is where that happens.
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 11, 2019 23:01:01 GMT
Second story- great original idea. Also love all the emotional insight into the characters (especially Peri). We get some nice banter and some tragic scenes reminiscent of the Piscon Paradox. Well done.
Question: {Spoiler} When is this supposed to take place? The title music suggests it is pre-trial, however, Peri's transformation into a bird-like creature gets mentioned. Consider me confused. But maybe this will be explained in a later episode of this release? Vengeance on Varos is where that happens. So this is what you get for watching things out of sequence.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2019 0:43:44 GMT
Vengeance on Varos is where that happens. So this is what you get for watching things out of sequence. Oh, well, something to look forward backward to. Peri's time in the "rehabilitators" seems to have left quite the impression on her since Varos. Both personally and physiologically. By the time of a book called State of Change, she's just as vulnerable to the forces affecting ancient Rome as the Doctor. In his case, it pulls him back through his regenerations. For her, she undergoes a complete transformation into what we saw briefly in the Punishment Dome. The tomb robbers trying to plunder (among other things) the TARDIS are none-too-pleased when the bioluminiscent spirit rises up against them. In the classical " WHO DISTURBS THE SLEEP OF CLEOPATRA?" way.
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 12, 2019 8:14:08 GMT
So this is what you get for watching things out of sequence. Oh, well, something to look forward backward to. Peri's time in the "rehabilitators" seems to have left quite the impression on her since Varos. Both personally and physiologically. By the time of a book called State of Change, she's just as vulnerable to the forces affecting ancient Rome as the Doctor. In his case, it pulls him back through his regenerations. For her, she undergoes a complete transformation into what we saw briefly in the Punishment Dome. The tomb robbers trying to plunder (among other things) the TARDIS are none-too-pleased when the bioluminiscent spirit rises up against them. In the classical " WHO DISTURBS THE SLEEP OF CLEOPATRA?" way. Haha, well, I have seen it, even twice (once with the audio commentary) but since I have only been doing Classic Who for about 2.5 years now, I am not an expert. Plus I suffer from chronic out of order watching when it comes to any TV series.
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 12, 2019 8:16:22 GMT
Finished the third story. Wow, that got really weird in the end. I like weird, but this was quite a surprise.
I really appreciate that Peri is pretty much the hero of this release, she can go all out and be clever and figure things out. The Doctor is a bit sidelined, but that is not necessary a bad thing since Peri is pretty strong in these stories.
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Post by number13 on Dec 12, 2019 9:41:40 GMT
I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day - that all seems standard fun Who mystery with more good emotional depth for Peri and cutesie Christmassy robot + party trimmings, I thought - and then ahh.... {Spoiler} Oh Christmas crackers, they're were-wolves, it's a cliffhanger and so - the wolves, the silver - oh Mr. Fountain you've fooled me again and I love it!
I cheered when Peri said to Joe 'and stop calling me "Babes"'. I'd been wanting to tell him off about that for two whole episodes already!
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