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Post by shallacatop on Apr 30, 2019 20:21:49 GMT
Surprisingly The Power of River Song was my least favourite of the set. I liked it, but I don’t think it quite reached its potential.
I’m not sure what it was. The first part could’ve been condensed into 15 minutes without issue, yet I like the build up. The second part suffers from the different plots not feeling substantial enough or quite coming together; they feel rather disparate to say they’re all meant to be one whole. The Bishop and McGee sub-plot could’ve been scrapped and the story would be no different. In fact, it might have given the story more room to breathe, though I suppose each part not being a mere 45 minutes would’ve done that too!
The interaction between River, Kate and Osgood doesn’t feel like it sizzles as well as it should. River amounts to nothing more than quips; it’s like listening to a YouTube compilation. I’d say their final scene together is the best of the lot, that’s really good. It’s Jemma Redgrave who is the highlight of this story, perhaps surprisingly. She really sells Kate’s dilemma and the dry, dark humour is perfect for her character.
Yeah, not a bad story, but it doesn’t reach its potential.
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Post by shallacatop on Apr 30, 2019 20:22:51 GMT
I enjoyed This Sleep of Death. A worthy sequel to the great Static that also feels valid and standalone in its own right. I still think that Testimony could own the Static! I have the same slight criticism with this as I did Static, where there’s plenty of scope to have some deep moral and ethic discussions, but the story decides to not go into that direction. The ending is perhaps a touch quick too, though it’s the longest story of the set at 51 minutes, the rest are approximately 45 minutes. There’s a small line in there that’ll throw some more chaos into the UNIT dating conundrum for those interested in such things! {Spoiler} Would that be the line that suggests 1999 was 20 years ago, therefore setting This Sleep of Death in 2019, by any chance? It was, yeah. It makes no difference to me, but I did think about those who like to debate UNIT dating!
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Post by barnabaslives on Apr 30, 2019 20:26:59 GMT
The first story was excellent (although I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the ending, for the most obvious reasons - but that isn't the story's fault). Well done, Jonathan Morris!
I'm really looking forward to the second story and I'm almost certain to like the stories with River.
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Post by themeddlingmonk on Apr 30, 2019 21:52:33 GMT
{Spoiler} Would that be the line that suggests 1999 was 20 years ago, therefore setting This Sleep of Death in 2019, by any chance? It was, yeah. It makes no difference to me, but I did think about those who like to debate UNIT dating! {Spoiler} Then in Power of River Song, 1973 is 40 odd years ago and Osgood acts like she’s met the Doctor with the whole “human pet” exchange. And then River and Osgood go to 2091, which Kate in the present says is 70 years in the future, which would again suggest circa 2019.
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Post by tuigirl on May 2, 2019 7:41:31 GMT
I started on this and made it through the first 3 stories. I liked the first two well enough, they are creepy and atmospheric and all the characters are used well. The third story... so far, it was very confusing. I think the reason is the structure. It is built around certain reveals and the cliffhanger at the end and the rest of the plot is shoved in just to give these reveals the most impact. It also starts somewhere in the middle of it. So far, this story does not really work for me. Another problem is the point of view- yes, this is a UNIT set, so it makes sense having it from the point of view of the UNIT team. But somehow I get the impression if this was a River story, it would be a fun action romp instead of a confusingly constructed mystery, and I feel a bit like missing out. I am not sure if this will improve in part two- at least we got those reveals and the rather predictable cliffhanger out of the way now... I hope we now come down to the meat of it.
Also, I am a bit disappointed that {Spoiler} they chickened out of having River as a morally ambiguous character who is doing something bad and misguided because she follows her own agenda. Instead we get the usual not so subtle bug-eyed aliens of the week. This would have been great if it had been more in the style of "Muse of Fire" where we had no idea what Iris was up to.
So yes, I hope part 2 comes back to form.
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Post by number13 on May 2, 2019 9:02:21 GMT
This Sleep of Death (SPOILERS)
Another cracker from Jonathan Morris and a modern sequel to 'Static' just as good as that great MR story deserves. A creepy, claustrophobic atmosphere back at the 'new' Abbey Marston (so that was what UNIT did with it!) and the nature of the Static worked just as well here as the first time, even though I knew what to expect from them this time.
The story fooled me several times over as people's apparently clear motives suddenly changed, crossed and double-crossed and it's the nature of the Static that you're not always in control even if you think you are... I always enjoy it when one of BF's clever writers fools me and Mr. Morris has done it many times - his stories always seem to have major twists of time or character or plot and this one does too, very good! And I was able to follow the twists so I understood who had done what by the end, which is always good too. (I'm not necessarily the most 100% at spotting clues and convolutions first time round...!)
Now, the ending. Oh goodness. For me this was an electric moment and what Kate did seemed so perfect... {Spoiler} To summon her father as being one person they all three of them knew, was the correct tactical decison and on a human level, wow. As a 70s Who fan, just hearing that name rings my bell every time!
And thinking about it later, wouldn't the Brig have been proud that the merest flicker of his presence, as an electrical signal ringing a phone, was the vital spark needed to slam the door on yet one more alien invasion and do it with a very large bang! Doing his bit for UNIT, one more time.
{Spoiler} And I was pleased that we still didn't find out who built the underground system which powered everything, or even what it was; hopefully this means we can look forward to 'Static III' sometime. I'm waiting for the call...
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Post by barnabaslives on May 2, 2019 9:25:03 GMT
I think the whole set is great although I had my enthusiasm for the last three stories dampened a bit by often losing my place due to distractions. I'll have to listen to them again to appreciate them properly but I can safely say that for me this is another Big Finish box set where I think all four stories are top-notch (these haven't happened that often until more recently).
I'm not disappointed at all by the story with River in spite of some very high expectations, although I actually do feel a little disappointed that more of the glorious possibilities of River and UNIT crossing paths couldn't be fulfilled. That's of course just me being unreasonable rather than anything against the story, I'm sure I'll get over it.
I think the diversity of stories here made for a pleasingly well-rounded set, it seemed like a nice change of pace to have a UNIT story like Tempest. I don't know why it kind of struck me as feeling a bit like a Third Doctor story - the ending of the first story might have something to do with that?
Jemma Redgrave seemed on top form at bringing dynamic life to Kate here and I really enjoyed the playful aspects to the way Kate was written in this set.
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Post by shallacatop on May 2, 2019 10:29:34 GMT
Also, I am a bit disappointed that {Spoiler} they chickened out of having River as a morally ambiguous character who is doing something bad and misguided because she follows her own agenda. Instead we get the usual not so subtle bug-eyed aliens of the week. This would have been great if it had been more in the style of "Muse of Fire" where we had no idea what Iris was up to. So yes, I hope part 2 comes back to form. Great point and something I forgot to mention in my post about the story. That could’ve had so much potential and shown River in a different light. I’m sure that’s what was promoted when they first announced the set; it’s a shame that it wasn’t the case. As I said in my post, I like the story, but it could’ve been something much better. Jemma Redgrave is really shining as Kate in the past two sets, so an encounter with River and some razor sharp dialogue would’ve been brilliant.
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Post by tuigirl on May 4, 2019 22:28:29 GMT
I just finished part two of Power of River Song. Well, it certainly improved on the first part and was able to make up some points. It was definitely enjoyable and more River action is always welcome. I do hope she does get a re-match with UNIT, and this time with less chickening out... River is after all a morally ambiguous character and it would be great to see her getting back into that niche. So in conclusion, I did enjoy this. But as shallacatop mentions above, from the advertising I would have expected something a bit different and I agree that would have had quite a bit of potential of being awesome. Maybe next time.
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Post by IndieMacUser on May 7, 2019 13:08:40 GMT
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Post by Ian McArdell on Jun 3, 2019 5:46:27 GMT
My take on those Incursions is now up at CultBox: bring back Colonel Shindi!
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Post by nottenst on Aug 7, 2019 14:17:46 GMT
This Sleep of Death (SPOILERS)
Another cracker from Jonathan Morris and a modern sequel to 'Static' just as good as that great MR story deserves. A creepy, claustrophobic atmosphere back at the 'new' Abbey Marston (so that was what UNIT did with it!) and the nature of the Static worked just as well here as the first time, even though I knew what to expect from them this time.
The story fooled me several times over as people's apparently clear motives suddenly changed, crossed and double-crossed and it's the nature of the Static that you're not always in control even if you think you are... I always enjoy it when one of BF's clever writers fools me and Mr. Morris has done it many times - his stories always seem to have major twists of time or character or plot and this one does too, very good! And I was able to follow the twists so I understood who had done what by the end, which is always good too. (I'm not necessarily the most 100% at spotting clues and convolutions first time round...!) Just finished this yesterday. I was surprised that we were seeing hearing a sequel to the main range and not using monsters previously seen on TV. The Static were definitely playing the long game here. A great story and a nice start to the set.
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Post by nottenst on Aug 9, 2019 13:34:06 GMT
Just finished the first part of The Power of River Song. "River" just didn't seem in character and I'm glad that was born out. Since when had River stayed in near current times for an extended stay? Not at all. I guess we'll get the explanation of just who they are in the second part and why they took this identity. I'm thinking that the only real River was the one warning Osgood. Looking forward to more.
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Post by nottenst on Aug 12, 2019 17:42:05 GMT
I just finished part two of Power of River Song. Well, it certainly improved on the first part and was able to make up some points. It was definitely enjoyable and more River action is always welcome. I do hope she does get a re-match with UNIT, and this time with less chickening out... River is after all a morally ambiguous character and it would be great to see her getting back into that niche. So in conclusion, I did enjoy this. But as shallacatop mentions above, from the advertising I would have expected something a bit different and I agree that would have had quite a bit of potential of being awesome. Maybe next time. Finished Part 2 this weekend. Much improved on Part 1. Glad that we got the real River and she was in good form. As far as the paradoxical events of Kate's body, I was thinking they were going to resolve that by somehow changing one of the alien's shape to Kate's shape. Instead there is just a paradox or anomaly with the situations. Since the aliens were doing things in three different times and there was all sort of time weirdness going on it really doesn't matter. Too bad there is a big delay until the next set - this is discussed at the end of the interviews. One of the things mentioned was all of the other releases coming out every month. It is a bit much as is evident by my only getting to this now. I have a lot of Big Finish sets waiting to be heard.
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Post by nottenst on Aug 12, 2019 18:16:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2019 16:57:04 GMT
This Sleep of Death (SPOILERS)
Another cracker from Jonathan Morris and a modern sequel to 'Static' just as good as that great MR story deserves. A creepy, claustrophobic atmosphere back at the 'new' Abbey Marston (so that was what UNIT did with it!) and the nature of the Static worked just as well here as the first time, even though I knew what to expect from them this time.
The story fooled me several times over as people's apparently clear motives suddenly changed, crossed and double-crossed and it's the nature of the Static that you're not always in control even if you think you are... I always enjoy it when one of BF's clever writers fools me and Mr. Morris has done it many times - his stories always seem to have major twists of time or character or plot and this one does too, very good! And I was able to follow the twists so I understood who had done what by the end, which is always good too. (I'm not necessarily the most 100% at spotting clues and convolutions first time round...!)
Now, the ending. Oh goodness. For me this was an electric moment and what Kate did seemed so perfect... {Spoiler} To summon her father as being one person they all three of them knew, was the correct tactical decison and on a human level, wow. As a 70s Who fan, just hearing that name rings my bell every time!
And thinking about it later, wouldn't the Brig have been proud that the merest flicker of his presence, as an electrical signal ringing a phone, was the vital spark needed to slam the door on yet one more alien invasion and do it with a very large bang! Doing his bit for UNIT, one more time.
{Spoiler} And I was pleased that we still didn't find out who built the underground system which powered everything, or even what it was; hopefully this means we can look forward to 'Static III' sometime. I'm waiting for the call... Yes there has to be III👍 And i would so love it to be the original Static Tardis Team in it. Perhaps a calling of Constance back to the circle.Like Tegan hijacking the Tardis (Mara Style) but then again sometimes things are better left vague...nah....go for it Jonathan 😎
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