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Post by mark687 on Sept 30, 2016 14:13:12 GMT
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Post by fingersmash on Sept 30, 2016 14:17:33 GMT
We're in for a very bleak story aren't we?
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Post by omega on Dec 17, 2016 10:43:15 GMT
Released February 2017SynopsisThe TARDIS has landed in a war zone. The Doctor, Romana and K9 find themselves traipsing through an inhospitable battlefield. Strange lights flicker in the sky, and stranger creatures lurk in the darkness. When rescued from an attack by a Sontaran tank, the time-travellers discover they’re facing a far more dangerous foe than the battle-hungry clones. This terrifying fight has been going on longer than anyone can remember… and shows no signs of stopping. With the TARDIS missing and their luck running thin, the Doctor and his friends’ only hope of survival is to uncover the truth about what is happening on this planet. If they can discover the secret of the eternal battle they might just survive… but it might just mean the end of them all. Written By: Cavan Scott and Mark Wright Directed By: Nicholas Briggs CASTTom Baker (The Doctor), Lalla Ward (Romana), John Leeson (K9), Dan Starkey (Field Major Lenk/Sergeant Major Stom), Jane Slavin (Captain Nina Albiston/Sycon Computer), John Banks (Brennan/Trooper Varn)
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Post by mark687 on Dec 28, 2016 10:00:05 GMT
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Post by Whovitt on Feb 15, 2017 8:42:52 GMT
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Post by omega on Feb 15, 2017 9:07:50 GMT
Another sign Nick Briggs is directing: Jane Slavin is in the cast.
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Post by TinDogPodcast on Feb 15, 2017 15:20:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2017 16:09:38 GMT
This is a bit of a belter after last month's strangely lifeless 'series opener'. While the story style is still nothing like those from Series 18, at a squint there is a Radiophonic echo in the (excellent) soundtrack at least. Also, the story is very good, as we have come to expect from writers Scott and Wright. Strange to think that for years Big Finish didn't touch the Sontarans - now they're everywhere, as is the brilliant Dan Starkey. This batch are straight from The Sontarans' Early Years story from a few months ago - well rounded, but essentially war-brained unpleasant creatures from their early television days.
Tom (the Doctor could whittle away all day, apparently) and Lalla are on great form. In fact, the small cast are faultless. The result is my favourite 4DA since The Paradox Planet. As for its 'placing' - well, although I was itching for a collection of Bidmead-style stories reminiscent of the era from which they were taken, it seems more likely this series fits (for me, anyway) between The Horns of Nimon and The Leisure Hive. Which is fair enough if the stories themselves are this good. Great fun.
Edit - one thing I noticed in the extras is how many people praised Nick Briggs, calling him a prince and saying how marvellous he is. Who directed all this? Ah yes, Nick Briggs!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2017 20:11:54 GMT
Another sign Nick Briggs is directing: Jane Slavin is in the cast. Given the frequency with which Jane Slavin has turned up in the Fourth Doctor Adventures with Romana II, I suspect she stood in for Romana when recording with Tom.
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Post by barnabaslives on Feb 16, 2017 1:51:39 GMT
Strange to think that for years Big Finish didn't touch the Sontarans - now they're everywhere, as is the brilliant Dan Starkey. This batch are straight from The Sontarans' Early Years story from a few months ago - well rounded, but essentially war-brained unpleasant creatures from their early television days. Hear, hear - Dan Starkey, the reason I never get sick of Sontarans. This did strike me though as a particularly good Sontaran story in regards to the authorship as well. Instantly my favorite Fourth Doctor meets Sontaran story if I'm not mistaken. Edit - one thing I noticed in the extras is how many people praised Nick Briggs, calling him a prince and saying how marvellous he is. Who directed all this? Ah yes, Nick Briggs! Come to think of it, I'd have nothing against a new Fourth Doctor story with Daleks provided by His Marvellous Princeness :-)
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Post by relativetime on Feb 16, 2017 5:55:13 GMT
This was noticeably more similar in sound design to Season 18 and while I had no problem with The Beast of Kravenos for failing to do so, it is nice to finally have a story that sounds different from the other Fourth Doctor stories we've had so far.
Of course, the Fourth Doctor is still a lot more similar to his pre-Season 18 portrayal, but I really fail to see how that's a bad thing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the assumption that Tom Baker was getting tired of playing the Doctor by the end of his run - I certainly got that impression at various points throughout the season. I don't think Season 18 was written with an intentionally somber Doctor, I think it largely comes down to how Tom felt about the role at the time instead. In any case, Tom certainly doesn't seem tired now and I really like the energy and love for the role that just leaks into his performances on audio.
Anyways, The Eternal Battle was great! I'm really anticipating the rest of this series!
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Post by chapwithwings on Feb 16, 2017 9:12:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 10:49:20 GMT
This was noticeably more similar in sound design to Season 18 and while I had no problem with The Beast of Kravenos for failing to do so, it is nice to finally have a story that sounds different from the other Fourth Doctor stories we've had so far. Of course, the Fourth Doctor is still a lot more similar to his pre-Season 18 portrayal, but I really fail to see how that's a bad thing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the assumption that Tom Baker was getting tired of playing the Doctor by the end of his run - I certainly got that impression at various points throughout the season. I don't think Season 18 was written with an intentionally somber Doctor, I think it largely comes down to how Tom felt about the role at the time instead. In any case, Tom certainly doesn't seem tired now and I really like the energy and love for the role that just leaks into his performances on audio. Anyways, The Eternal Battle was great! I'm really anticipating the rest of this series! Season 18 was all out entropy and things wearing out, so yes, my understanding is the more sombre Doctor was a conscious production decision. Whatever the reason it's how the Doctor was at that time so I'd like to see him head that way throughout this series.
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Post by sherlock on Feb 16, 2017 11:31:37 GMT
This was noticeably more similar in sound design to Season 18 and while I had no problem with The Beast of Kravenos for failing to do so, it is nice to finally have a story that sounds different from the other Fourth Doctor stories we've had so far. Of course, the Fourth Doctor is still a lot more similar to his pre-Season 18 portrayal, but I really fail to see how that's a bad thing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the assumption that Tom Baker was getting tired of playing the Doctor by the end of his run - I certainly got that impression at various points throughout the season. I don't think Season 18 was written with an intentionally somber Doctor, I think it largely comes down to how Tom felt about the role at the time instead. In any case, Tom certainly doesn't seem tired now and I really like the energy and love for the role that just leaks into his performances on audio. Anyways, The Eternal Battle was great! I'm really anticipating the rest of this series! Season 18 was all out entropy and things wearing out, so yes, my understanding is the more sombre Doctor was a conscious production decision. Whatever the reason it's how the Doctor was at that time so I'd like to see him head that way throughout this series. The Doctor's sombre mood was a combination of Bidmead and co telling Tom to lay off the Season 17-style jokes as well as writing him more seriously and, perhaps Tom's own mood at the time in part (after his illness and his and Lalla's shall we say tumultuous marriage). Personally I quite like that take on the fourth Doctor, though that seems a minority view.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 11:59:11 GMT
Season 18 was all out entropy and things wearing out, so yes, my understanding is the more sombre Doctor was a conscious production decision. Whatever the reason it's how the Doctor was at that time so I'd like to see him head that way throughout this series. The Doctor's sombre mood was a combination of Bidmead and co telling Tom to lay off the Season 17-style jokes as well as writing him more seriously and, perhaps Tom's own mood at the time in part (after his illness and his and Lalla's shall we say tumultuous marriage). Personally I quite like that take on the fourth Doctor, though that seems a minority view. Agree with this. There was a definite effort to 'reign Tom in' by JNT and Christopher My Name Is Too Long To Fit On The Credits Bidmead As a result, even Peter Davison subsequently lamented the lack of humour he was allowed to bring to the Fifth Doctor on television. So, while Tom is clearly more enthused about playing the Doctor now than perhaps he was in 1980 with the limitations imposed upon him, his less than bouyant mood wasn't the only reason for Series 18's more sombre Doctor. And yes, I loved his take on this too - the Fourth Doctor seems subtley to change with each new producer: full of energy and unpredictability with Hinchcliffe, daft as a brush (only masterfully so) under Williams and noticeably sober (!) when JNT came along.
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Post by number13 on Feb 16, 2017 12:56:11 GMT
Season 18 was all out entropy and things wearing out, so yes, my understanding is the more sombre Doctor was a conscious production decision. Whatever the reason it's how the Doctor was at that time so I'd like to see him head that way throughout this series. The Doctor's sombre mood was a combination of Bidmead and co telling Tom to lay off the Season 17-style jokes as well as writing him more seriously and, perhaps Tom's own mood at the time in part (after his illness and his and Lalla's shall we say tumultuous marriage). Personally I quite like that take on the fourth Doctor, though that seems a minority view. Yes, agree - I also liked the Season 18 Doctor although not immediately. Back in 1980 I remember finding The Leisure Hive a depressing story after Season 17 and I'm not sure I even watched to the finish - VERY unusual. But I was back for Meglos (OK if you like cacti) then I thought the rest of the season was (and is) brilliant, e-space, entropy and all the solid science fiction was perfect for a late teen sci-fi fan, and the return of the Master. For me, the best run of stories since the Gothic era. Though I still don't understand Warrior's Gate... At the time, I assumed the Doctor knew he was 'wearing a bit thin' after all his battles and had sensed the death of this incarnation well in advance. It was prepared for when others were not, and that explained his sombre mood. Whatever the off-screen issues, I still put it down mostly to deliberate choice by the new production team and another side of Tom Baker's acting range - the most varied Doctor in his different styles and all played superbly across his long run. What a fabulous era!
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Feb 16, 2017 20:58:29 GMT
The Doctor's sombre mood was a combination of Bidmead and co telling Tom to lay off the Season 17-style jokes as well as writing him more seriously and, perhaps Tom's own mood at the time in part (after his illness and his and Lalla's shall we say tumultuous marriage). Personally I quite like that take on the fourth Doctor, though that seems a minority view. Yes, agree - I also liked the Season 18 Doctor although not immediately. Back in 1980 I remember finding The Leisure Hive a depressing story after Season 17 and I'm not sure I even watched to the finish - VERY unusual. But I was back for Meglos (OK if you like cacti) then I thought the rest of the season was (and is) brilliant, e-space, entropy and all the solid science fiction was perfect for a late teen sci-fi fan, and the return of the Master. For me, the best run of stories since the Gothic era. Though I still don't understand Warrior's Gate... At the time, I assumed the Doctor knew he was 'wearing a bit thin' after all his battles and had sensed the death of this incarnation well in advance. It was prepared for when others were not, and that explained his sombre mood. Whatever the off-screen issues, I still put it down mostly to deliberate choice by the new production team and another side of Tom Baker's acting range - the most varied Doctor in his different styles and all played superbly across his long run. What a fabulous era! I agree 100% It's one of the reasons I really hoped Tennant would have stayed on when Moffat took over and why I was wishing Capaldi would have agreed to stick around after Moffat left. I want to see how the Doctor develops with a new production team and the 4th Doctor is pretty much the only Doctor we can point to that had so much movement behind the scenes to react to. I guess you can say the 1st Doctor to a certain degree once Verity Lambert departed but I think that was more a case of the actor wearing a bit thin. Anyway, I digress. Excellent post.
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Post by mark687 on Feb 16, 2017 22:56:14 GMT
Loved it
Excellent soundscape. great dialogue, and rare for a Nick Briggs directed 4DA pacey direction.
Tom Baker on Dan Starkey in the Interviews "He's one of us" brilliant.
That's 2 awesome Sontaran tales in 2 months that have showcased the very best of BF.
Regards
mark687
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Post by number13 on Feb 17, 2017 13:44:48 GMT
Yes, agree - I also liked the Season 18 Doctor although not immediately. Back in 1980 I remember finding The Leisure Hive a depressing story after Season 17 and I'm not sure I even watched to the finish - VERY unusual. But I was back for Meglos (OK if you like cacti) then I thought the rest of the season was (and is) brilliant, e-space, entropy and all the solid science fiction was perfect for a late teen sci-fi fan, and the return of the Master. For me, the best run of stories since the Gothic era. Though I still don't understand Warrior's Gate... At the time, I assumed the Doctor knew he was 'wearing a bit thin' after all his battles and had sensed the death of this incarnation well in advance. It was prepared for when others were not, and that explained his sombre mood. Whatever the off-screen issues, I still put it down mostly to deliberate choice by the new production team and another side of Tom Baker's acting range - the most varied Doctor in his different styles and all played superbly across his long run. What a fabulous era! I agree 100% It's one of the reasons I really hoped Tennant would have stayed on when Moffat took over and why I was wishing Capaldi would have agreed to stick around after Moffat left. I want to see how the Doctor develops with a new production team and the 4th Doctor is pretty much the only Doctor we can point to that had so much movement behind the scenes to react to. I guess you can say the 1st Doctor to a certain degree once Verity Lambert departed but I think that was more a case of the actor wearing a bit thin. Anyway, I digress. Excellent post. Thanks, and I agree about the First Doctor - I think there is a clear change with his later stories tending to move away from cerebral space adventures and serious historicals and more to space spectaculars and semi-comic historicals, the change beginning to happen with Dennis Spooner's arrival maybe? Then when Ian and Barabara leave and Steven turns up it really starts a new style and I loved the way BF captured that in the last run of The Early Adventures, falling into two distinct halves and four great stories. On topic: I can see I'm going to have to give in and subscribe to this 4DA series, I do prefer four-parters and haven't been a 4DA regular since series 4, but this series looks too good to miss.
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Post by Timelord007 on Feb 19, 2017 8:10:10 GMT
A absolute joy from beginning to end, Cav & Mark have yet again delivered a cracking script that moves along at a blistering pace & Tom Baker churns out some great one liners.
Gets a 9/10 from me.
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