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Post by escalus5 on May 21, 2016 17:18:07 GMT
I was reading the reviews of Faith Stealer at the archived Outpost Gallifrey website and noticed that the critics were referring to it as the beginning of the final season of McGann audios. "As the beginning of the final McGann season, ‘Faith Stealer’ has a lot to do ..." "'Faith Stealer' marks the beginning of Paul McGann's fourth and final proper season for Big Finish ..." "All of a sudden Faith Stealer becomes the opening story in what will be the Eighth Doctor’s final season of audios ..." web.archive.org/web/20080629173801/http://www.gallifreyone.com/review.php?id=bf-61This is interesting. Why was it assumed at the time that the McGann audios would end with The Next Life? Did Big Finish make some kind of an announcement? Was it simply because the TV series was returning? |
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Post by SoundableObject on May 21, 2016 20:13:32 GMT
They are referring to the fact that this is the last of the sequential releases for the Eighth Doctor. Release #061 through #064.
From Terror Firma onwards McGann essentially becomes just like any other Doctor in the main range. So that run of stories is the last "event" for the Eighth Doctor.
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Post by Audio Watchdog on May 21, 2016 20:20:44 GMT
Wasn't there a point where there was a lot of talk of McGann finishing up his time as the 8th Doctor?
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Post by mark687 on May 21, 2016 20:39:37 GMT
Both points are valid.
1. BF were almost sure they weren't going a licence extension so Next Life was intended to be the end of 8th doc run.
2. Russell T Davis went to bat for BF and they got another extension so some abandoned DU scripts were reworked, but Paul McGann was growing restless so Nick Briggs and David Richardson tested the new waters with the BBC by producing the punchy new series style 8DA's for them which also re-energised Mr McGann.
Regards
mark687
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Post by mrperson on May 22, 2016 16:01:59 GMT
I kinda remember reading at the time that with the New Series, Big Finish did want to attract new buyers and having the Eighth Doctor stuck in a different universe could alienate them, so they cut off the DU arc by bringing him to our universe. The new EDA series with Lucie wasn't until 2007. But yeah, I think Paul McGann wanted to drop about that time: just listen to the story Scaredy cat, he sounds utterly bored out of his mind. He was re-energised with the Lucie stories Sounds like fans dodged a bullet or ten... |
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Post by seeley on May 24, 2016 7:22:13 GMT
I kinda remember reading at the time that with the New Series, Big Finish did want to attract new buyers and having the Eighth Doctor stuck in a different universe could alienate them, so they cut off the DU arc by bringing him to our universe. The new EDA series with Lucie wasn't until 2007. But yeah, I think Paul McGann wanted to drop about that time: just listen to the story Scaredy cat, he sounds utterly bored out of his mind. He was re-energised with the Lucie stories Sounds like fans dodged a bullet or ten... Amen to that. |
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Post by escalus5 on May 24, 2016 15:23:29 GMT
I enjoyed the Divergent Universe audios, even the stories that are generally despised by the fans (Creed of the Kromon, Twilight Kingdom). I nearly skipped this era altogether based on the overwhelmingly negative comments at Gallifrey Base, and I'm so glad I gave the material a chance.
Recently I attended a convention in the U.S. and was annoyed by one very vocal fan who got obnoxious about the Divergent Universe to Jason Haigh-Ellery during one of the BF panels. Jason was a gentleman in his responses and basically said that the whole thing was a failed experiment. I felt bad for the guy -- here he is 12 or so years later having to apologize to some loudmouthed fan for Gary Russell's creative decisions!
In response to McGann nearly quitting because of the Divergent stories, I've never seen any evidence to support this. At that same convention Jason said McGann had difficulty wrapping his head around the setting in Scherzo and suggesting that he was outside his comfort zone, but he also said McGann never complained and approached his job like a professional. People seem to focus on Scaredy Cat as an example of McGann's disinterest but I don't know what the hell they're talking about -- I think he's fine in that story, and his conflict with C'rizz re: changing history is effectively conveyed. The biggest problem I have with the audio is that it's only about 70 minutes and spread out over 100+ tracks (it might be just under 100, I don't remember), which I think is just ridiculous and a pain in the ass for a download-only person like myself. I'd love to know the reasoning behind the decision.
I really appreciate the bizarre ideas and ambitious approach to the Divergent Universe. Obviously some of the stories work better than others and the resolution (in The Next Life) is overly convoluted. But holding the four-season Eighth Doctor Adventures up as some major improvement is a shaky argument considering the cookie-cutter mediocrity of some of those audios.
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Post by SoundableObject on May 24, 2016 17:47:09 GMT
I've actually just finished listening the the later McGann main range stories from Scherzo through to Absolution myself. I think the Divergent Universe was a mixed bag. It could have done with a lot more structure to it. That being said Scherzo and The Natural History of Fear are absolute classics.
I think The Next Life is a bit of a let down. And this is coming from a person who is a big fan of Zagreus. But rushing the ending of the DU arc was a good idea because it then meant we could get back to normal adventures. Aside from Scaredy Cat, the run of Terror Firma through to Memory Lane is spectacular. Having a pure historical with Other Lives seemed to revitalise Paul and the gang for their following run of stories.
And that is a question I've been wondering. Why is Scaredy Cat so short? It is four episodes yet it could almost fit on one CD running just below 80 minutes.
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Post by elkawho on May 25, 2016 1:13:49 GMT
And that is a question I've been wondering. Why is Scaredy Cat so short? It is four episodes yet it could almost fit on one CD running just below 80 minutes. Thank goodness for small favors. |
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