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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 17, 2019 8:19:06 GMT
Home truths
I adore this story.
This is what every companion chronicle should strive to be.
Simon guerrier takes a character who was only present for a single (and mostly non existent) serial and breathes such beautiful life into her, taking her well past her original end.
Jean Marsh has the most amazing voice for a ghost story. She sounds clearly older than she was at the time, and yet it works so well in the context of the story.
Not to leave her costar out, Robert Niall has a fantastic voice as well. As a Canadian, I can quite name what his accent is, but it’s very pleasant to listen to.
The plot is simple. The doctor and company investigate a murder, but the house take a shine to Sarah and she unwittingly complicates things.
It’s a simple plot, but when it comes together with the acting, and the utterly phenomenal sound design this story becomes far more than the sum of its parts.
Spooky, yet easy on the ears, this is a story that sets an incredibly high bar for the rest of the companion chronicles.
10/10
This is a story that’s earned a permanent place on my phone.
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 18, 2019 0:33:21 GMT
45: False Gods
Not bad, but it’s average at best.
The entire story feels rushed. It’s a real shame too because Howard Carter and his work in Egypt screams great Doctor Who story.
Cumberbatch is good, but between an average script and the fact that it’s a one parter means he feels under utilized. With his star in the ascension it feels like we won’t be getting him back any time soon
Serviceable, but could be so much more.
6/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 18, 2019 18:45:52 GMT
45: Order of Simplicity
This was ok, I guess, being generous.
It’s got a decent idea at its core. But I don’t think that McCoy was the right doctor for it.
I can’t even remember what ace and hex even did through this story.
Cumberbatch is completely wasted as a 45 iq Neanderthal.
4.5/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 20, 2019 2:49:58 GMT
45: Casualties of War
Another miss I'm afraid.
I'm not sure what was going on in this story going for. Hex and the Doctor are chasing a bracelet, while Ace is reliving the main emotional arc of Curse of Fenric.
Honestly, this story feels like it's more busy setting the stage for Project: Destiny than it is telling it's own story.
6/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 20, 2019 22:25:04 GMT
Forty-Five: The Word Lord
This is a story that's dropped a bit in my eyes.
The plot and the writing are both fantastic, but the biggest flaw in this story is that the acting feels very dry. McCoy and company are fine. It's the guest in this story. Everyone feels stiff and wooden. Compared to Ian Reddington, Paul Reynolds Nobody No one feels flat.
Acting issues aside, this is absolutely an amazing story. Given that the word lord is an alternate doctor, Hall twists traditional Who staples and adds an extemely clever idea to it. Unfortunately given that something like this could very well make it extremely difficult to write for and it really does show in Death in the Family, where he's only in two parts of the story.
In my opinion, the very best of Doctor Who has always been able to take something mundane and turn it on it's head to something amazing (Gas Masks, Shadows, statues ect) So for hall to effectively weaponize the very words we speak is brilliant.
My only regret is that while there's enough of a grey area for an earlier doctor to meet the Word Lord, I don't think it would happen any time soon (But if it does, PLEASE let it be sixie, the most verboise doctor having his very vocabulary turned against him would be a real treat.)
An excellent story, the only issue with some flat acting keeping it from being perfect.
8/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 24, 2019 2:24:37 GMT
Curse of the Daleks
Of the three stage plays, the was the one I was most interested in.
It’s not perfect by any means, and to be honest it feels really dated, but it’s good in it’s own way.
There’s a real sense of danger without the doctor and company. Anyone could have been the saboteur and all bets were off as to who was the betrayer. This was a nice change.
The cast was good, but Beth charmers stands out as the most recognizable voice in the cast.
Overall this was a pretty good story, and one I could easily see myself returning to. It’s only real flaw was the whole gender politics that popped up in throughout the story.
7/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 24, 2019 5:17:49 GMT
Masters of War
I really enjoyed this one.
It starts off as a fairly standard story, but the divergences came slowly and by the end, we were in completely unbound territory.
This story feels like a continuation of the 60’s Dalek continuity. Gone are the post genesis Daleks. These Daleks have some emotive capacity to them. The result is that we can get a bit more nuance out of them.
While the entire Dalek civil war angle has been done to death, I really enjoyed the reprogrammed Dalek angle. Briggs felt like he got to do a bit more with them in that case.
Warner was an absolute delight. Gone is the tired doctor he’ll become with Benny. Right now he’s enjoying every moment of his travels. He’s seen a new side of the Daleks, and once he knows it’s there, he’s doing everything he can to bring that side of them out.
Nick Courtney has been a wonderful delight in his penultimate story. He’s built a good rapport with the doctor and he shines along side David Warner. I wish we’d gotten more from this particular team.
A touch on the long side, but thankfully, the story pushes ahead and is always adding new elements to the mix.
A delightful 9/10.
What a strong end for the unbound range.
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 25, 2019 4:22:45 GMT
The Darkening eye.
Much like the death collectors, I had trouble following this particular story.
The one thing that annoyed me, is that the bits I did catch really don’t fit in with the doctor who I know.
This was set early In Davison’s run, yet here we have both Adric and Nysa getting stabbed and an assassin running around. This feels a little to violent for this particular era of the show. Hell, even season 22 wasn’t this bad.
I can’t speak highly of this story at all. 5/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 25, 2019 21:19:04 GMT
Return to the Web Planet
You know, I've always been very split on the Web Planet. It's possibly one of the most ambitious stories the show has ever told, but for me it falls a bit flat.
The costumes are amazing for the menoptra, as for the Zarbii, well bless their human legs.
As for the story itself, well, it's not the easiest story to listen to, let alone watch. But do they ever put their heart into it.
As for return to the Web Planet, it's got the sound design down, but it doesn't have the ambition or heart that the original had. Instead it feels like a fluff piece. It rides too much on it's heritage than in constructing something new.
One of the weaker bonus releases by far. 6/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 26, 2019 1:23:13 GMT
The Raincloud Man
DI Menzies arrives again and brings with her another fantastic story!
There's something about this one and the Condemned, they're both overly dark and gritty. Generally I'd balk at this, but in these two stories it works quite well. I could easily see these as stories set in the Capaldi era.
Now, this story works in about every area. India and Colin are on fire as usual, and Anna Hope is wonderful as Menzies. The raincloud man himself is an interesting idea and works to justify the strange happenings and deaths going on.
This story also does a lot of the leg work in advancing this particular arc. Kelsa, basically reminds us of the paradox Charley is and really stresses that it needs to be dealt with. Where the Cyrox themeselves feel like a nice bit of foreshadowing for Patient Zero.
It's a real shame that Sixie doesn't take Menzies, she's a fantastic character and well deserving of more than a few trips in the Tardis.
Clever, ambitious and paramount in setting the stage for the next trilogy, this is a fantastic 8/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Nov 28, 2019 3:31:39 GMT
Key 2 Time: The Judgement of Isskar
This is a jam packed story. It’s basically two stories in one!
I think the Mars portion is the stronger half. It gives us an origin story for the ice warriors (the first of a few). Not to mention it introduces Zara as the counterbalance to Amy. She’s quite nasty this early on, isn’t she? I’d forgotten what she was like in this compared to Graceless.
The back half of this is slightly weaker, a civil war resolved rather easily, but it picks up again when Isskar shows up.
What gets me is the breakneck pace of this story. It orang let up at all and it feels somewhat rushed. Perhaps as a six-parter it would have had more breathing room.
I love Troughton’s black guardian. He’s not quite Valentine Dyall, but he comes in booming and makes a good first impression.
A very rushed story that can’t commit enough time to any of its good ideas.
A low 7/10.
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Post by Star Platinum on Dec 1, 2019 21:45:19 GMT
The Transit of Venus
I'm pretty sure that when this one was commissioned, Big Finish just gave Jacqueline Rayner a crowbar and told her to place it between The Sensorites and Reign of Terror.
This is a great little story, William Russell returns in fine form to Ian Chesterton.
I do like this this story, but it's one that I don't tend to listen to very often. it's an interesting twist on a pure historical. The misdirections leading to Banks being a monk like figure are nice, and the solution is seeded quite early by mentioning the stories chronological placement. It feels like there isn't quite enough faith in the format yet, Barbara and susan are written out very early, and The Doctor's role is fairly small as well. But this is a minor detail, as it really allows us to get into Ian's head and really get a feel for what his train of thought throughout the story.
The history lessons sprinkled throughout the story are always nice, and are something I've always enjoyed about the early historicals.
A fine return for William Russell.
8/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Dec 1, 2019 21:46:38 GMT
The sound of fear
Iris is one of those ranges where you really need to be in the right frame of mind for it. Perhaps the frame of mind after 2-3 strong drinks?
One of the weaker stories in the set, but not one entirely without merit.
The story works well enough, and the sound design is good. But there’s nothing that this story does that Wave of Destruction doesn’t do better.
Miles Richardson is good, but I find it difficult to shake the shadow of Braxiatel off of him. (Granted, it doesn’t help that they use the same door sound effect that they do in Gallifrey)
Katy Manning shines as bright as ever. She’s become an excellent voice actress in her own right at this point. I don’t get any sense of Jo grant coming from her. Even her inflections are completely different.
David Benson does a great job in this one. His chemistry with Katy is sublime and as a twist on the regular companion he’s a real treat to have.
Good, but the back half of this set is much stronger.
7/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Dec 2, 2019 7:19:26 GMT
Land of Wonder.
This story is borderline impossible to listen to.
It has all the hallmarks of a nice 70’s unit story, but there is one major drawback.
Mock Turtle.
His outbursts are absolutely infuriating and make this story stupidly difficult to listen to.
I won’t be returning to this story from a very long time.
4/10.
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Post by Star Platinum on Dec 2, 2019 22:25:45 GMT
The Two Irises
After a story so bad, Iris is forced to regenerate!
I think that this was my first story with Iris in her own range, (my first ever being Find and Replace)
This is one that I enjoy. It's a nice parody of 80's Colin baker era who, and I think it's the strongest parody in the set. From the little things like the opening scene, to three butts in a single breath? Wonderful little love letters to season 22. I wouldn't be half surprised if the supreme commander of the north block was a stand in for Michael Grade either!
Onto the story, there's lots of little things to love, the press conference at the start for one. It's a nice punch up the hooter for the fourth wall, and really helps set the tone for the silliness to come. Hilary is well done as a character as well. Utterly useless as an Iris, but he really comes into his own at the end of the story.
I like the idea of a multi-doctor (for lack of a better term) story right at the start of a new incarnation, it immediately highlights the difference between Iris and Hilary, but Hilary doesn't feel overly short changed at all. We have just enough time with him solo to get a feel for how his incarnation works.
I enjoy how this story subverts its tropes whenever it gets the chance, Roger was in sound of fear, as a background extra. Finally his chance to shine. The dark secret Iris has about Hilary's origin, any other story would have saved that for the next season or more! (I'm looking at you, auntie Pat!) But here Iris lets it slip right away.
There's a real sense of fun in this story, and it's certainly one worth hearing.
8/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Dec 3, 2019 22:28:19 GMT
The Panda Invasion
My favourite story of the set.
I find that this one is less of a parody, and more of a love letter to the TV movie. There are several nods and callbacks to McGanns tv outing which are always fun, and my favourite reference isn't even a doctor who one! I love the shout out to star trek IV!
Lionel is a great villain. He dances on the line between absurd and menacing, often blending the two together. Not to mention he's the most refined thug I've ever heard on audio! Seán Carlsen is also fantastic! His character is a (fairly) sad Grace Holloway analog, but he's just as charming once he starts believing Iris. He's also got one of the best american accents I've heard in a Big Finish.
David Benson is really the star of this release. Sticking him with Lionel for the story gives Mark Magrs a chance to use him as a reflection of Panda. We can see the excesses of Panda's character. A panda that could have been in a sense. Listening to the two of them bicker back and forth is a real delight.
The strongest story of the set. Great performances all around, and a good ending with Katy make this an Iris that isn't to be missed.
Now, if they could CGI a couple stuffed pandas into the TVM bluray when they get there, that would be a delight.
8/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Dec 6, 2019 2:33:33 GMT
Key 2 Time: The Prisoner’s Dilemma.
Not bad, but Ace gets short changed.
This isn’t a bad story at all. Rather it’s a nice bit of character development that shows us how Zara came to be.
Fundamentally, it feels like Ace gets the short end of the stick. This is Zara’s story and ace is really just there to set the scene. Any other time it wouldn’t have been an issue, but given that this is the only time Sophie does a companion chronicle it’s a really shame that she doesn’t get to be the star.
Zara on the other hand is the star of the show. We see her birth and imprinting on Zinc. It’s too bad she found him, as he was really not the right side of humanity for her to learn from. Amy was much luckier in that regard. Though as a comparison between this and the end of Graceless, she’s come on quite the journey
The story itself is quite good, with quite a bit of very good imagery. (The lake disappearing is great and the rocket brings up images of Star Trek generations.)
A good story, just not what I hoped ace would get.
7/10
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Post by Star Platinum on Dec 6, 2019 22:46:50 GMT
Destroyer of delights
I do like how this subverts the black and white guardian roles as good and evil. Balance in life as in all things. Too much order is fascism, to much chaos is anarchy.
A Doctor of stories, I can’t think of a more appropriate title. Also, I could listen to Ciara Jansen say “Satchel” all day. I don’t know of the inflection she’s using or just her voice but she sounds absolutely lovely saying it.
Now, I really do love the language of this story. Just the way the Arabic supporting cast talks, the way they dress Death up in metaphors, the usage of forty and just the way the speak in general really helps sell that this is a completely different culture to ours.
Jess Robinson is delightful as Nisrin. It’s no surprise that she’s soon to return as Mila. David Troughton is a sheer delight as the black guardian. He enjoys himself in the role and has a fair range in this story, from the voice of god to a petty ruler, you can hear his love of chaos in his voice. Jason Watkins doesn’t quite pull off the white guardian as well, he comes off as more of a pedant instead of the very embodiment of order.
That being said, there are issues with their portrayal in this story. When they were first introduced, they were so far beyond the timelords they can rope them into doing their bidding. Now they’ve been stripped of everything that makes them guardians, and what do we get? An hour of endless squabbling.
Ciara is good in this, she’s clearly being imprinted on by Nisrin, but there’s enough of the Doctor’s influence to keep her outspoken when she needs to be. Right now, I’d say she’s a more effective C’rizz, just having not killed her wife.
Overall, it’s a great story, a nice telling of classic Arabian nights with a doctor who twist.
8/10
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Post by mark687 on Dec 6, 2019 23:10:59 GMT
Do you think it would've been better if BF had released Prisoner before/ at the same time as Judgement? I found Zara a really weak antagonist in the MR's, and yet, the backstory as to why she is as explored in Prisoners is rather compelling.
Regards
mark687
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Post by Star Platinum on Dec 7, 2019 16:51:12 GMT
Do you think it would've been better if BF had released Prisoner before/ at the same time as Judgement? I found Zara a really weak antagonist in the MR's, and yet, the backstory as to why she is as explored in Prisoners is rather compelling. Regards mark687 I think it could have gone either way. Having Prisoner’s released a month early would have invited comparisons between it and judgement, while releasing it alongside destroyer gives Zara a presence in the middle of the arc, where she’s absent in the Main Range. It also slightly lessens the need to have to re-explain what’s going on to the same degree that judgement does. I think Prisoner’s Dilemma works best as a post destroyer story. This way you don’t lose cliffhanger momentum from judgement, while giving you a better contrast to compare Zara’s growth in the chaos pool.
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