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Post by omega on Sept 14, 2017 7:17:08 GMT
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Post by omega on Sept 14, 2017 7:21:13 GMT
The story is out now, so Spoiler Mode Shayde has been activated. If you wish to see how listeners like the story, check out the poll. === SPOILERS BELOW ===
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Post by Timelord007 on Sept 14, 2017 7:42:47 GMT
4 Doctor Who releases in the same week....were not worthy were not worthy.
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Post by omega on Sept 14, 2017 9:13:41 GMT
Poll is up!
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Post by mark687 on Sept 14, 2017 10:59:10 GMT
This was excellent human drama
Regards
mark687
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Tony Jones
Chancellery Guard
Professor Chronotis
Still rockin' along!
Likes: 2,132
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Post by Tony Jones on Sept 14, 2017 15:12:05 GMT
I thought this had some original angles on some potentially trite plot elements
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Post by relativetime on Sept 15, 2017 2:05:06 GMT
I've been waiting for so long for some more Second Doctor Early Adventures and I thought this story was well worth the wait. It wouldn't be out of place at all as a reconstruction of an actual missing story and it was incredibly easy to visualize. It's also just an interesting piece of history that this story takes place around. Another small touch I liked is how this story ties in to The Yes Men, sort of how many of the television episodes tied into one another.
I'll probably be relistening to this one a few times in the near future.
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Post by omega on Sept 15, 2017 5:57:26 GMT
A fantastic Big Finish debut for Roland. The Polly doppelgänger angle could have worked on screen with the various pilot clothes and accessories in the scenes where they are together.
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Post by chapwithwings on Sept 17, 2017 9:51:43 GMT
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Post by IndieMacUser on Sept 18, 2017 14:33:50 GMT
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Post by number13 on Sept 21, 2017 14:22:27 GMT
The Night WitchesThe Early Adventures have become one of the highlights of the BF year for me and this story is a great start to the new season - and the second story directed by Helen Goldwyn to have been released this week. It couldn't be more different in tone from 'Time In Office' but the high quality is the same, here bringing out the human stories and unusually high levels of emotion as well as the adventure in history. This is author Roland Moore's first story for Big Finish - worth mentioning because it feels perfect in the way he depicts the regular characters and the style of the classic historicals. Like 'The Highlanders', this adventure places the TARDIS crew on the fringes of a dramatic and very significant historical event (the tide-turning Battle of Stalingrad), allowing them to play out a dramatic human story while exploring some of the history. I knew that the Soviet army included all-women units during WWII, but I'd never heard of the remarkable female contribution to their air force before 'The Night Witches' was announced and I followed Audio Watchdog 's advice to do some Internet background reading on the history. All the familiar 'historicals' elements are here and very well used - the travellers separated, the TARDIS lost (behind German lines), a local power dynamic given a new twist by their arrival. The Doctor and Jamie go off to retrive the TARDIS while Polly and Ben are entangled with the plans of the Night Witches' commander Nadia by the remarkable coincidence which makes this a recognisably 'Doctor Who' story. I liked this and it's convincing because events don't seem to depend on the coincidence but to flow from it as people attempt to use (random?) chance to their advantage, and it also brings in some neat bits of continuity from both an earlier EA and the classic series: {Spoiler}Polly is the exact 'double' for second-in-command and renowned pilot Tatiana and the Doctor thinks the TARDIS may have brought them togther so that history can take its proper path... Polly naturally has a prominent role in this story of female air aces (with three excellent guest performances), showing Polly as the resourceful and strong character she always was (again, like 'The Highlanders'.) Anneke Wills plays her perfectly as ever and also narrates the story - I think with less narration than some previous EAs. Elliot Chapman is a very convincing Ben and has his own personal storyline befriending young pilot Lilya - he's probably being typically kind but there is just enough connection there to make Polly wonder for a moment... (as Anneke Wills mentions in the interviews.) And he even gets the last word! The Doctor and Jamie share many scenes together as they should and Frazer Hines is possibly his best ever as the Doctor. Maybe because I was recently listening to Tim Treloar's superb Pertwee Doctor, I seemed to take special note of the Doctor here and it really is a remarkable illusion! He talks about playing the Doctor on the (especially good) interview tracks - even if you don't normally listen to the interviews, these are well worth hearing. The sound design and music are the usual very high standard and just look at the excellent 'Soviet' artwork, Comrades! If you're a fan of the black-and-white historicals of early 'Doctor Who' and don't object to a small amount of narration in a story (I enjoy it in these EAs), then this one should not be missed. 5* (In fact, I'd go for the subscription right now and add the Second Doctor to your autumn!)
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Post by Timelord007 on Sept 22, 2017 7:56:57 GMT
Loved it, great characters, intriguing storyline & well acted, the chemistry between The Doctor & Jamie is brilliant especially as it's Frazer talking to himself but i actually felt i was listening to two separate characters thanks to the strength of the writing & Frazers excellent performance.
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Post by Bazoolium on Sept 23, 2017 19:50:04 GMT
This is a great start to the new series of Early Adventures. I really love the format with a large cast as well as linking narration. The regulars are on fire as usual. Frazer is once again excellent, sometimes you forget that you are only listening to three people. I reviewed the release for The Doctor Who Companion, and it's the first thing I've had published on the site, which is exciting.
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Post by Timelord007 on Sept 24, 2017 6:13:05 GMT
This is a great start to the new series of Early Adventures. I really love the format with a large cast as well as linking narration. The regulars are on fire as usual. Frazer is once again excellent, sometimes you forget that you are only listening to three people. I reviewed the release for The Doctor Who Companion, and it's the first thing I've had published on the site, which is exciting. Fantastic review my friend.
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Post by Bazoolium on Sept 24, 2017 12:01:19 GMT
This is a great start to the new series of Early Adventures. I really love the format with a large cast as well as linking narration. The regulars are on fire as usual. Frazer is once again excellent, sometimes you forget that you are only listening to three people. I reviewed the release for The Doctor Who Companion, and it's the first thing I've had published on the site, which is exciting. Fantastic review my friend. Cheers. I asked Roland Moore a question on Twitter about the Doctor's dialogue, but by the time I had seen his answer it was too late to put in the review. He said he writes some of the coughs and pauses, but it is mostly Frazer.
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Post by elkawho on Sept 24, 2017 14:32:12 GMT
I loved this story. Anneke Wills was fantastic, it might even be my favorite BF performance from her.
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Post by number13 on Sept 25, 2017 0:13:08 GMT
Fantastic review my friend. Cheers. I asked Roland Moore a question on Twitter about the Doctor's dialogue, but by the time I had seen his answer it was too late to put in the review. He said he writes some of the coughs and pauses, but it is mostly Frazer. On the interview tracks, Frazer Hines talked about how he watches some of their classic episodes to remind himself of the fine details of how Patrick Troughton spoke as the Doctor and the way he used certain words - "very" was an example given. I thought he was especially good in this story where Jamie and the Doctor share a storyline and many scenes; the results are very convincing!
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Post by omega on Sept 25, 2017 10:27:41 GMT
Cheers. I asked Roland Moore a question on Twitter about the Doctor's dialogue, but by the time I had seen his answer it was too late to put in the review. He said he writes some of the coughs and pauses, but it is mostly Frazer. On the interview tracks, Frazer Hines talked about how he watches some of their classic episodes to remind himself of the fine details of how Patrick Troughton spoke as the Doctor and the way he used certain words - "very" was an example given. I thought he was especially good in this story where Jamie and the Doctor share a storyline and many scenes; the results are very convincing! Frazer is brilliant at getting the mannerisms in his performances. There are a few gags in a couple of Second Doctor Lost Stories I could completely visualise Patrick doing. It's amazing how well such a visual and animated character comes across on audio (one CC describes him as "all fingers and thumbs").
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Post by mrperson on Oct 1, 2017 20:07:28 GMT
That was a damn good story.
And given the setting, what might otherwise have been a rather cliche role - the stubbornly suspicious and/or conniving person in charge - turned out otherwise. Stalin threw his people at tanks without mercy, rarely with anything approaching adequate supplies. So, the commander's decisions were much more understandable than those of many stand-in-the-characters'-way type roles.
I'd hoped to learn something about the actual battle from wikipedia, but I suppose I'll do better to track down a book or two on the Night Witches.
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Post by nottenst on Oct 9, 2017 15:46:09 GMT
Listened to this while driving this weekend. I forgot that it was an historical and so was surprised that it was. I was thinking the Witches were going to be a more mystical thing until the name was explained.
Anyway, very well done with lots of great performances. I especially liked how the cave drawings worked out.
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