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Post by Audio Watchdog on Nov 9, 2015 19:26:55 GMT
I like the idea of more Turlough and/or a new companion. I hate to say this, cause Sarah Sutton does do a good job on the audios, but I'm getting a little bit tired of Nyssa. Same boat. I honestly feel like they have done about as much with the character as they can. Or as they should. Sometimes a character plays out, it isn't a reflection of the work Sarah Sutton does at all. At the very least I would like for them to give Nyssa a rest for a couple of years.
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Post by randomjc on Nov 9, 2015 19:29:49 GMT
I like the idea of more Turlough and/or a new companion. I hate to say this, cause Sarah Sutton does do a good job on the audios, but I'm getting a little bit tired of Nyssa. Same boat. I honestly feel like they have done about as much with the character as they can. Or as they should. Sometimes a character plays out, it isn't a reflection of the work Sarah Sutton does at all. At the very least I would like for them to give Nyssa a rest for a couple of years. I honestly preferred the Sarah/Doctor stories more for her. Too much Tardis team. Honestly, I'd take Turlough/Tegan team a bit. But I'd really just love a Fifth and completely new companion.
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Post by constonks on Nov 9, 2015 19:44:14 GMT
Five/Turlough/New Companion would work for me. Or just Five/New Companion.
The Sixth Doctor needs more Flip and post-Trial Peri more than anything but more Frobisher would bring me great joy.
As for the Seventh Doctor, no more Ace for a while. Leave her in Gallifrey and Bernice Summerfield (even without the Doc and with Benny's supporting cast?) but the Seventh Doctor can exist without Ace.
And about Four and Eight and Ten... Maybe. Once in a while.
I liked the idea about three trilogies and four standalone/anthology/experimental releases.
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
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Post by mbt66 on Nov 9, 2015 19:54:20 GMT
I agree that they over stayed their welcome, but what I have enjoyed in the main range over the last few years are the on goings adventures.
7th Doctor with Hex and Ace 5th Doctor with the older Nyssa 6th Doctor and the introduction of Flip, but that never seemed to get truly started.
Which is why I think that the Doctors would have been better served having their own series.
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Post by Ela on Nov 10, 2015 0:04:28 GMT
I have to say I'm not tired of Ace.
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Post by charlesuirdhein on Nov 10, 2015 0:43:37 GMT
I'd like to see some earlier writers back for a story or two, no, not Rob Shearman, he's the obvious mention, but Jonathan Blum, Iain McLaughlin, Lance Parkin, Jim Mortimore, Phil Pascoe, Edward Young...there are loads that we haven't heard from in a while. Plus what happened to Rick Briggs?
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Post by david on Nov 10, 2015 0:59:08 GMT
It's inevitable when BF are producing marquee boxsets and launching exciting ranges from the new-series that the MR will by default seem less attractive. You can't make 200+ releases all seem like "events" so the MR is really where the steady, run-of-the-mill stories reside these days. Anything glamourous - Adric's return, a new Master, Tom Baker, Sixie's regen - gets a dedicated release. That's not by chance. There's a reason that the "M" now stands for "Monthly" rather than "Main". And why not? Evolution is good.
The subscription model ties down customers for a longer commitment than a boxset and for more money. It's the bread-and-butter range in that respect so I guess that's why it stays. It's no doubt hard to come up with new stories for the same 3 Doctors ad infinitum but even harder to get us excited about them each month. To use a geek-analogy - if the Nu-Who boxes, the limited sets and McGann are the big blockbuster Marvel movies then the MR is Agents Of SHIELD. Lower key, lower impact, inconsistent but stil capable of the odd gem.
And - a controversial opinion but one I've held for a while - Peter Davison has sounded flat and uninterested for a long, long time. Davison's one of my favourite actors in things like Campion, Peculiar Practice and The Last Detective so it's not "bashing" but if the lead actor doesn't sound like he's into it, it's a lot harder for me to get on board. For that reason I would shake up the Fifth Doctor's audios more than any others. No Nyssa, no feuding TARDIS team. I think he desperately needs a new companion.
I know some will say that BF have exploited the small gaps in his timeline enough but I think that's a fannish excuse. If these audios are to run and run, they shouldn't be held back by continuity from 35 years ago. Making Peri's time with him much, much longer than it seemed on tv has already stretched tv continuty...why not a bit more?
The Fifth Doctor of The Kingmaker, Council Of Nicea and Excelis Dawns was wonderful. The Fifth Doctor of Moonflesh and Mistfall...there's no comparison.
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Post by seeley on Nov 10, 2015 1:16:32 GMT
I'd like to see some earlier writers back for a story or two, no, not Rob Shearman, he's the obvious mention, but Jonathan Blum, Iain McLaughlin, Lance Parkin, Jim Mortimore, Phil Pascoe, Edward Young...there are loads that we haven't heard from in a while. Plus what happened to Rick Briggs? ...Paul Cornell, Steve Lyons, Andy Lane, Jonathan Clements, Jacqueline Rayner, Robert Ross, James Swallow... And then there are those writers who are regulars, but currently contribute to other ranges, Simon Guerrier and Joseph Lidster being the obvious examples.' EDIT: As well as Matthew Sweet! How could I forget Matthew Sweet?
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Post by barnabaslives on Nov 10, 2015 8:35:33 GMT
Probably means I'm delirious but I'd love to hear Five and Leela stories. I imagine that Leela trying to figure out how much he is or isn't the Doctor she knows would provide an opportunity for great character exposition as in Gallifrey. Also I'm sure I'd love to hear the Fourth Doctor reunited with Nyssa, and/or Four and Adric.
I don't know that these would really belong to the Monthly Range, but I think they could, just as with other stories with special cast, and Big Finish would be entitled to make sizable fuss about them and the Monthly Range in general?
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Post by elkawho on Nov 10, 2015 13:47:47 GMT
Am I the only one who DOESN'T think the Main Rage is declining? I mean sure, we're not getting Holy Terror, Jubilee and other experimental storytelling like they were able to produce in the early years. But I think the last few stories since 201 have been terrific. Equilibrium was fantastic as well. Yes, there's varying quality among the releases, but there always have been. (The DU alone was incredibly varied in the quality of the releases.)
As for what I'd like to see, my number one wish is to have 8 back in the MR, but it will never happen.
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Post by Ela on Nov 10, 2015 14:43:55 GMT
Am I the only one who DOESN'T think the Main Rage is declining? I mean sure, we're not getting Holy Terror, Jubilee and other experimental storytelling like they were able to produce in the early years. But I think the last few stories since 201 have been terrific. Equilibrium was fantastic as well. Yes, there's varying quality among the releases, but there always have been. (The DU alone was incredibly varied in the quality of the releases.) As for what I'd like to see, my number one wish is to have 8 back in the MR, but it will never happen. No, you are not the only one. I still enjoy the Main Range.
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Post by jasonward on Nov 10, 2015 14:52:24 GMT
I enjoy the Main Range, I wouldn't subscribe if I didn't, but it's not what it used to be in my eyes, the stories are OK to good, but it has been a long time since I was gripped by a Main Range story, but some stories from recent boxsets have been gripping.
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Post by randomjc on Nov 10, 2015 15:14:52 GMT
I think it says a lot when there was a time when I kind of felt the need to mainline the recent release of the Main Range, and honestly, that need went away about the time when long connected arcs started happening, and that three episodes were in a row, and if a sub ended mid three, I never wanted to start this mini-arc because I was never sure when I'd get enough money to buy a new sub. (And I'm honestly thinking of going away from the sub pattern, I'm not using any of the extras, and they dropped the special release a year thing)
It's still good, but it's the same good we had years ago. It's been six years since they started the "Three episodes forming an arc" thing, and even then the "Hex Arc" didn't feel like a real over arching story until the Magic Mouse Trap.
As unpopular as it may be to say, I think they'd do better dissolving the main range, and make dedicated Doctor Ranges, much like the EDA and FDAs. 6 stories a year for each doctor. I know this isn't perhaps the ideal, and maybe not even the smartest, but it would give us some space, and even reduce the major arcs to within a "season" versus 5 years.
I'm just throwing ideas around. I guess if it isn't broken, there is no real need to fix it, but I am no longer as enthusiastic about the main range as I was years ago.
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Post by agentten on Nov 10, 2015 15:21:25 GMT
I really don't experience companion fatigue. To me, these are important characters who are really vital to their eras. Much of what defines a Doctor, to me, is tied up in who their companion is and what their interactions are like. I have no objection to new companions being created. Big Finish has come up with some great new characters by doing this. However, I don't feel the need to have a break from any of the originals, either. It's my feeling that we're fortunate to have the actors with us and willing to continue telling stories for us. Mixing things up with new companions added into the mix is certainly a great way to liven up the stories, but I also don't feel the need for any of the originals to go away. I have never grown tired of them as I watch episodes and I don't tire of them on audio. I do quite like the idea of mixing and matching companions and Doctors. Locum Doctors is a fun trilogy and there are so many possible combinations that strike me as being potentially very dramatic or very amusing.
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Post by Bazoolium on Nov 10, 2015 18:00:15 GMT
I think last year's 5th Doctor Trilogy was good. Equilibrium and Entropy Plague where both excellent. Whilst I'm looking forward to the Nyssa/Tegan Trilogy (Nyssa may be the favourite companion) I would like some more variety. Having Turlough as the only companion for a trilogy could be quite interesting.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2015 18:41:19 GMT
I like the trilogies, but longer arcs can be wearing as by the time you get to the second batch you can't always remember the details of the previous one. The monthly range is capable of great stories - I loved the klein trilogies for example, but there's a great case in point. Open end to that trilogy but no sign of a follow up.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2015 23:27:33 GMT
And - a controversial opinion but one I've held for a while - Peter Davison has sounded flat and uninterested for a long, long time. [...] For that reason I would shake up the Fifth Doctor's audios more than any others. No Nyssa, no feuding TARDIS team. I think he desperately needs a new companion. The Fifth Doctor of The Kingmaker, Council Of Nicea and Excelis Dawns was wonderful. The Fifth Doctor of Moonflesh and Mistfall...there's no comparison. I agree with you about the Fifth Doctor, but between those stories you mentioned above we had Psychodrome and Iterations of I in the Fifth Doctor box-set, which didn't come across as flat stories at all, and are two of the best Fifth Doctor stories that Big Finish have ever done. While Moonflesh and Mistfall were fairly dull Fifth Doctor adventures for me. Go figure! Personally, the Main Range has lost it's excitement; It's not just about the stories, as some stories are good and some not so good, which is as it's always been. You can't always please everybody. However, the same three Doctors over and over again in Doctor Who by-the-numbers gets a little bit dull. Plus the actual range itself doesn't seem to get the love from BF that the box-sets get, so it comes across as the poor relation to the events like the Eighth Doctor Dark Eyes/Doom Coalition sets, Sixie's last adventure or Adric's return. Which in turn means it gets left behind when I open my wallet and have to prioritise what I buy. The Main Range needs shaking up a bit; some new companions and other Doctor's, even if only for a one-off special story once in a while. Eight and Mary Shelley definitely need a return for sure. I know BF do plan the Main Range stories well in advance, but slipping in a one-off story here and there shouldn't be too hard. (Maybe it is?) But a surprise every now and again in the main range wouldn't go amiss.
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Post by omega on Nov 11, 2015 7:32:19 GMT
I think last year's 5th Doctor Trilogy was good. Equilibrium and Entropy Plague where both excellent. Whilst I'm looking forward to the Nyssa/Tegan Trilogy (Nyssa may be the favourite companion) I would like some more variety. Having Turlough as the only companion for a trilogy could be quite interesting. Ditto. While the E-Space trilogy started off weakly ( Mistfall was too much of a retread of Full Circle, and remarkably short as well as audio issues people had), it got very strong with the inventive and fascinating Equilibrium before reaching an emotional (if predicable) conclusion with the Entropy Plague.
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Post by mrperson on Nov 11, 2015 17:03:56 GMT
Am I the only one who DOESN'T think the Main Rage is declining? I mean sure, we're not getting Holy Terror, Jubilee and other experimental storytelling like they were able to produce in the early years. But I think the last few stories since 201 have been terrific. Equilibrium was fantastic as well. Yes, there's varying quality among the releases, but there always have been. (The DU alone was incredibly varied in the quality of the releases.) As for what I'd like to see, my number one wish is to have 8 back in the MR, but it will never happen. Yup. Enjoy it just fine myself.
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Post by jasonward on Nov 11, 2015 17:20:29 GMT
I think the main range is declining because it's stale and mundane, anything exciting or new gets a boxset, anything run of the mill gets main ranged.
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