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Post by jbatty8 on Jun 10, 2023 21:44:07 GMT
I think you are right, I get anxious though about how they all end up stacking up quickly as so much comes out each month, I can't always decide what's worse!
I've got the Ark to listen to, and hopefully once and futre part 2 next week. So may leave it all until next weekend and start again slowly.
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Post by Kestrel on Jun 11, 2023 3:26:28 GMT
Again, it's identical to the type of story done in this range at least half a dozen times over - the War Master infiltrates someone's life, manipulates them and utterly destroys them come the end. And yet it's still gripping. If it ain't broke, as they say. Though come to think of it, though we don't exactly see it that way in the episode (since she's such a minor character) this is basically what the Master did to Chan'Tho in Utopia. Or, at least, we can infer that -- only he sort of just... falls into it by accident, since he wasn't really himself. It's an MO that really plays to Jacobi's strengths remarkably well. As well as his ability to just turn from charming to terrifying on a dime. Though I should also say that if I were ever in the position of writing a War Master Story, or producing a boxset, I'd follow the formula but omit the drop. Have the Master insert himself into some dire situation, and be very helpful and nice and kind to the faux-companion character (we really need a term for those folks) and then -- then he just leaves. Oops! Something came up at the last minute. And now there's an entire world out there that feels extremely indebted and thankful to the Master and he hates it. Every year parades are thrown in his honor. They build statues of him. Children sing songs about him. It's the worst thing to ever happen to him in all his lives. EDIT: "I... am... the Master! And y--I need to leave."Bonus idea: a follow-up story where he goes back, to wreak typical havoc, only his TARDIS malfunctions and he arrives several centuries too late. This time he succeeds in doing his evil stuff, but it's very much not fun for him, because no one will believe that he's really the Master (and get angry at him for saying he is) because everyone knows the Master is just such a fantastic, really, really great guy. I'd take a break from the set and come back to it later then. Yeah, sometimes you just gotta be in the right headspace for a story. At least speaking personally, I can find it very easy to be "bored" listening to audios because I'm only engaging with the one of my senses, which leaves me very open to distraction.
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Post by sherlock on Jun 11, 2023 15:04:45 GMT
Finished the set. It’s not one of the best sets, but it’s a good four hours of Jacobi working his usual magic which elevates it.
The Long Despair is about average for this range, and does follow the tropes of the Master working with someone and then promptly screwing them over in !big twist!. It’s not a bad listen, but far from the most memorable thing this range has done.
The Life and Love of Mr Alexander Bennett is a juicy piece for Jacob Dudman, as a somewhat less sympathetic victim of the Master compared to the usual innocents he picks on (see for comparison the previous two co-leads of last two stories, who both have somewhat endearing backstories). The Master as Evil Alexa is a ripe idea and it paid off very nicely. One of his most evil schemes, and also one of his most lazy.
The Kicker is a lot of juicy dialogue followed by about ten minutes of twists. I think how you feel about it will be determined entirely on said twists. I thought the last one was a pretty good rug-pull, but the previous one didn’t feel setup at all. Also the Temporal Inquisition has to be one of the most useless Dalek allies out there, as the Master runs rings around them from the word go. The pepperpots should stick to Ogrons.
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Post by Who Review on Jun 11, 2023 15:05:07 GMT
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Post by IndieMacUser on Jul 8, 2023 10:01:04 GMT
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 21, 2023 20:26:44 GMT
Another wonderful outing for Derek Jacobi! Yes, I agree that this is not re-inventing the wheel and the Master does what he does best (and has done before). Well, what else should we expect? It is not as if the Master suddenly became a philanthropist! So here we see the Master again manipulate, murder and threaten his way through 4 different adventures. He is breaking hearts, he is destroying souls and minds and whole planets to get what he wants. For me, the most clever story was the one where the Master poses as a malevolent AI, pretty much an evil Alexa. These household AIs were always massively creepy to me, so the Master going to town in abusing such an AI is only fitting. The first story was the most heart breaking and the Master had the best chemistry with the retired scientist (since Derek Jacobi and her are friends), but it is a story that had been done in a similar way before. The performances, especially of the lead, are amazing. As usual, Derek Jacobi is captivating and threatening and scary and malevolent and he can also be nice and friendly when it suits the moment. So this release is great, and continues to be part of a range that is above the rest- if you can forgive that is it not exactly original anymore. The Master has not changed his MO, he continues to do what he does (and likes) best- creating utter mayhem and suffering.
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Oct 21, 2023 20:33:09 GMT
Another wonderful outing for Derek Jacobi! Yes, I agree that this is not re-inventing the wheel and the Master does what he does best (and has done before). Well, what else should we expect? It is not as if the Master suddenly became a philanthropist! So here we see the Master again manipulate, murder and threaten his way through 4 different adventures. He is breaking hearts, he is destroying souls and minds and whole planets to get what he wants. For me, the most clever story was the one where the Master poses as a malevolent AI, pretty much an evil Alexa. These household AIs were always massively creepy to me, so the Master going to town in abusing such an AI is only fitting. The first story was the most heart breaking and the Master had the best chemistry with the retired scientist (since Derek Jacobi and her are friends), but it is a story that had been done in a similar way before. The performances, especially of the lead, are amazing. As usual, Derek Jacobi is captivating and threatening and scary and malevolent and he can also be nice and friendly when it suits the moment. So this release is great, and continues to be part of a range that is above the rest- if you can forgive that is it not exactly original anymore. The Master has not changed his MO, he continues to do what he does (and likes) best- creating utter mayhem and suffering. I am up to episode 3 now.. Enjoying it so far..
Derek is the master (excuse the pun) of how to do voice acting brilliantly..
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Post by masterdoctor on Nov 22, 2023 4:53:34 GMT
The Walls of Absence by James Goss
Wow, that was a top notch War Master story! Sian Phillips and Jacobi are a pairing that takes the best and makes it even better. The love story between the "General" and Hendrix is so tragically doomed from the start, but it’s so enthralling you can’t help but listen to it all fall apart. Congrats to the entire team on this one.
The Long Despair by Tim Foley
This was very, very good as well! Foley is really good at utilizing water based settings, which is honestly one of my weird gripes and usually turns me off a story for no good reason. Between this and The Gulf, there is a real horror the depths of sea surrounding the characters, which I think really helps. But as to the production itself, this is another stellar two hander, Flemyng is just as good as Phillips, this time an uneasy alliance between his Captain and Jacobi’s Master as they sail across the seas. I also thought the sinister way everything sounded was great and the music was especially good.
The Life and Loves of Mr Alexander Bennett by Alfie Shaw
This was a solid story, though I feel that the idea of the Master as an evil Siri wasn’t explored as well as it could have been. Jacob Dudman plays off of Jacobi well, and Jacobi gives his all like always, but the first 20 minutes takes a bit to get going. Otherwise though, an enjoyable story to listen to on the way to see Depeche Mode!
The Kicker by Trevor Baxendale
Unfortunately, the set ends not with a bang, but with a boring whimper. Nothing really happens, The Master and a staff member play various games, people are questioning whether or not The Master is the real deal or not, and everyone just does a whole lot of talking. The Drane Institute was an interesting thread for the last three stories, but fails to deliver anything of real interest. And to be honest, Jacobi feels a little bored to me, which may just be my dislike colouring the way I hear it. Oh well, if nothing else, the first two stories are more than worthwhile, and not everything is going to work for me.
Edit: As per the conversation of the formula of the range, I must admit I’m growing a little tired of how little it strays from it. I think the stories are still great for the most part, but I’m miss sets like Master of Callous and Hearts of Darkness where we got one four hour long story, or just a boxset that does something different,. In that vein, I look forward to seeing how Robert Valentine approaches the range!
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