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Post by barnabaslives on Oct 22, 2020 14:05:11 GMT
Thanks for the advice mark687 and thank you number13 for asking. I was wondering exactly the same thing myself.
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Post by number13 on Oct 22, 2020 16:52:21 GMT
Thanks for the advice mark687 and thank you number13 for asking. I was wondering exactly the same thing myself.
'A scintillating sequence of sapient cerebral synchronicity! (Oh bother there's a 'c', doesn't work when I write it down... would have been good on the stage!)'
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Post by shallacatop on Oct 22, 2020 17:27:04 GMT
Enjoyed Merry Christmas Mr Jago. I agree that this should’ve been the last episode of the set, a nice fun, standalone special. It seems a little odd to come bang in the middle of the arc heavy third set and what appears to be two concluding parts. I’d have listened to it at the end had I know beforehand.
I’m sure most will disagree but I thought Christopher Benjamin lacked his edge in this one. I was expecting there to be an in-story reason for it, but there wasn’t. He seemed a little distant and not stealing the show as I’d expect him to.
They missed an opportunity not having Jago in Father Christmas getup on the cover!
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Post by IndieMacUser on Oct 22, 2020 17:35:57 GMT
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 3,081
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Post by mbt66 on Oct 22, 2020 21:42:04 GMT
In that case Mark, can I treat 'Merry Christmas Mr Jago' as a stand-alone story not affecting the rest of the set (and probably save it for near Christmas ) or do I need to hear it before 2&3 tie up the 'Heritage' arc? Thanks. I'd treat as separate and maybe advise a re-listen of Heritage 3 before Eps 2 and 3 of Heritage 4 and then do Merry Christmas at Christmas. Regards mark687 I was wondering the same, but had thought it must be part of the overall story. So I am pleased I can leave it till Christmas, but disappointed that Big Finish didn’t treat it as more of a special and release it separately. Still I should be simply glad (and I am) that Jago finally got to Christmas. It’s just a shame the good Professor isn’t with him...
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Post by mark687 on Oct 22, 2020 23:33:34 GMT
Enjoyed Merry Christmas Mr Jago. I agree that this should’ve been the last episode of the set, a nice fun, standalone special. It seems a little odd to come bang in the middle of the arc heavy third set and what appears to be two concluding parts. I’d have listened to it at the end had I know beforehand. I’m sure most will disagree but I thought Christopher Benjamin lacked his edge in this one. I was expecting there to be an in-story reason for it, but there wasn’t. He seemed a little distant and not stealing the show as I’d expect him to.
They missed an opportunity not having Jago in Father Christmas getup on the cover! I picked up on the Interviews he was in a reflective mood about Trevor Baxter and Paul Sutton says he wrote Jago a bit dour to reflect a touch of loneliness but it didn't drag IMO. Regards mark687
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Post by shallacatop on Oct 23, 2020 7:06:36 GMT
Enjoyed Merry Christmas Mr Jago. I agree that this should’ve been the last episode of the set, a nice fun, standalone special. It seems a little odd to come bang in the middle of the arc heavy third set and what appears to be two concluding parts. I’d have listened to it at the end had I know beforehand. I’m sure most will disagree but I thought Christopher Benjamin lacked his edge in this one. I was expecting there to be an in-story reason for it, but there wasn’t. He seemed a little distant and not stealing the show as I’d expect him to.
They missed an opportunity not having Jago in Father Christmas getup on the cover! I picked up on the Interviews he was in a reflective mood about Trevor Baxter and Paul Sutton says he wrote Jago a bit dour to reflect a touch of loneliness but it didn't drag IMO. Regards mark687 Hmm, yeah, I can understand that. But in-universe Litefoot is alive and well. Fair enough Jago is a little lonely to begin with but he’s very quickly in the swing of things and is having Christmas at Paternoster Row. The performance didn’t suit the events for me. As I say, I noticed it enough to expect an in-story reason for it, but nothing came of it. It’s not major, but it’s one of those occasions where they let real life affect the writing and performance and it doesn’t always work.
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 25, 2020 11:40:38 GMT
I started with the Two-Parter and am keeping the Christmas story for tonight on the couch with some romantic lighting on. The two-parter.... it was a serviceable finale, but I just cannot shake the feeling that they could have done sooooo much more with the idea. A intangiable threat from the dawn of time that had already threatened the Silurians? There just so so much you could do with that idea! Here, in the end, it just boils down into the usual run-around. Also, does it feel like BF is running out of distinctive modulated voices/ sound effects for the aliens? This could have been any of them, nothing does really set them apart. So in the end, for me, it was lacking in atmosphere and goose-bump feeling. The performances however were great, as usual. Plus, every member of the gang does get something to do and their moment to shine, and Strax is the usual semi-serious comic relief. Now I am curious for the Christmas story. However, if that one is at the same level as the finale, I am afraid to say that Volume 2 and 3 of this series were better, with more atmospheric and engaging stories and more original villains.
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Post by themeddlingmonk on Oct 25, 2020 12:06:43 GMT
I started with the Two-Parter and am keeping the Christmas story for tonight on the couch with some romantic lighting on. The two-parter.... it was a serviceable finale, but I just cannot shake the feeling that they could have done sooooo much more with the idea. A intangiable threat from the dawn of time that had already threatened the Silurians? There just so so much you could do with that idea! Here, in the end, it just boils down into the usual run-around. Also, does it feel like BF is running out of distinctive modulated voices/ sound effects for the aliens? This could have been any of them, nothing does really set them apart. So in the end, for me, it was lacking in atmosphere and goose-bump feeling. The performances however were great, as usual. Plus, every member of the gang does get something to do and their moment to shine, and Strax is the usual semi-serious comic relief. Now I am curious for the Christmas story. However, if that one is at the same level as the finale, I am afraid to say that Volume 2 and 3 of this series were better, with more atmospheric and engaging stories and more original villains. Imo the Christmas Special was weaker than the latter two episodes. Sorry. Although tastes do differ.
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Post by elkawho on Oct 25, 2020 15:30:06 GMT
I thought that the finale of this arc was by far the weakest of all of the volumes, which is a shame because I was beyond excited to have our old friend Henry Gordon Jago back for another story. And it was great to have him back, even in this somewhat subdued and melancholy state, but on the whole the entire set just seemed lacking for some reason. I plan on listening to it again to see if I can figure out why I feel this way, since my attention did drift somewhat during the two-parter. That tells me something right there. The story just didn't grab me the way the other boxsets have. I can't even score it in the poll because I'm just not sure how I will grade this yet. Hmm.
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Post by mark687 on Oct 25, 2020 15:43:31 GMT
I thought that the finale of this arc was by far the weakest of all of the volumes, which is a shame because I was beyond excited to have our old friend Henry Gordon Jago back for another story. And it was great to have him back, even in this somewhat subdued and melancholy state, but on the whole the entire set just seemed lacking for some reason. I plan on listening to it again to see if I can figure out why I feel this way, since my attention did drift somewhat during the two-parter. That tells me something right there. The story just didn't grab me the way the other boxsets have. I can't even score it in the poll because I'm just not sure how I will grade this yet. Hmm. The Finale was Remote Lockdown Recorded whether that's a factor Regards mark687
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Post by elkawho on Oct 25, 2020 15:53:52 GMT
I thought that the finale of this arc was by far the weakest of all of the volumes, which is a shame because I was beyond excited to have our old friend Henry Gordon Jago back for another story. And it was great to have him back, even in this somewhat subdued and melancholy state, but on the whole the entire set just seemed lacking for some reason. I plan on listening to it again to see if I can figure out why I feel this way, since my attention did drift somewhat during the two-parter. That tells me something right there. The story just didn't grab me the way the other boxsets have. I can't even score it in the poll because I'm just not sure how I will grade this yet. Hmm. The Finale was Remote Lockdown Recorded whether that's a factor Regards mark687 I thought about that, and it might be a factor. But the other stories that I have heard when recorded during lockdown haven't left me feeling cold. Although now that I think about it again, the TLV story did affect me the same way, so maybe there is something to it.
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 25, 2020 18:39:54 GMT
I thought that the finale of this arc was by far the weakest of all of the volumes, which is a shame because I was beyond excited to have our old friend Henry Gordon Jago back for another story. And it was great to have him back, even in this somewhat subdued and melancholy state, but on the whole the entire set just seemed lacking for some reason. I plan on listening to it again to see if I can figure out why I feel this way, since my attention did drift somewhat during the two-parter. That tells me something right there. The story just didn't grab me the way the other boxsets have. I can't even score it in the poll because I'm just not sure how I will grade this yet. Hmm. The Finale was Remote Lockdown Recorded whether that's a factor Regards mark687 I agree with elkawho, the other BF stories done during lockdown so far were all fine. I do not think that was a factor.
This story just lacked the special something. I am not sure if the writing could have been tighter, but it definitely lacked in atmosphere and they just did not use the villains to their full potential and just made them the usual standard.
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Post by thegreendeath on Oct 26, 2020 14:55:54 GMT
I liked the first part of the climax, the ink stuff was really cool but left feeling flat about the actual last episode. I’d say set 3 was definitely the highlight of the series and this one was nestled near to the bottom. Still fun and I don’t regret buying, but I just listened to Vol 3 a few weeks back and his was definitely a few steps down from the tight writing and character focus that still managed good laughs and the overall sense of fun I value in this series,
Hope another 4 boxsets are announced, because it is a spin-off that could go on for years and years.
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 26, 2020 19:50:25 GMT
Finished the set with the Christmas episode. It was fine. I was not blown away but it was enjoyable and it is always nice to meet up with Mr. Jago. Still, compared to the likes of Jago & Litefoot & Strax, this was pretty subdued. So, in conclusion, a fun and entertaining set, but by far not as good as volume 2 and 3. I really hope we get more of these.
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Post by barnabaslives on Oct 26, 2020 22:30:57 GMT
To be fair, I should probably listen to the whole series again before making such a declaration too determinedly, but I'm pretty sure I enjoyed this set just as much as any other in the series, and I really can't seem to get a criticism to stick to it for very long.
I can't deny it might have been better just as others suggest, but I couldn't begin to tell you how.
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Post by shallacatop on Oct 27, 2020 12:40:36 GMT
I couldn't really tell you what I'd listened to in the final two parts. I thought it was all over the place.
The first part is better than the second, mainly for the ink concept, but that would have been a great premise in its own story. It just feels a little thrown in and wasted here. Everything seemed to happen because it was written to happen, rather than naturally evolving or building up to anything. I didn't feel that anything that unfolded built on the Heritage premise in the previous episodes, especially the arc heavy third set, and it feels the same in the writing; as though it finally clicked they used Silurians and thought "oh bugger, let's mention the Heritage stuff 7 minutes from the end!".
It's almost like the Steven Moffat finales that has the second half subvert expectations, albeit without anything that makes those finales shine.
I think the biggest issue I had was how flat everyone was. Both the normally excellent main cast and the guest cast. I didn't know it had been recorded remotely until I read above posts, but I think it may be a contributing factor; you don't get that natural rapport they have. I think what affected the trio in particular is that the two episodes lacked character, which has always been the heart and the fun of the range, and the lack of character will naturally have an impact on the performances.
Yeah, quite easily the worst of the range for me. I think one writer with a more cohesive story that builds upon the Heritage arc and it would've been much better. As it is, it all feels disparate and random.
I was actually ready to bow out of The Paternoster Gang after this set. It's been a lot of fun, it's been great exploring the three characters and all of them getting their own time to chance with a nice variety of stories. So why do I want to stop? Well, I felt as though I'd got exactly what I wanted out of the range, particularly for a spin-off that I didn't think would ever go beyond a few festive specials on screen. Ironically, with how much of a damp squib this fourth set was I'm almost tempted to carry on...!
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 3,081
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Post by mbt66 on Nov 15, 2020 17:01:50 GMT
Although I have listened to the final two episodes I will leave any comment until I have listened to them again as I confess I wasn’t feeling very well and kept falling asleep.
But listening to the cast of characters did make me feel better, so it was nice to listen to. I think that is one of the very best things about this series - the characters are so nice to listen to and welcome into my mindscape with their Victorian setting.
What I can comment on is the behind the scenes section, as I kept awake for that and found Joe Kraemer very insightful. Plus he does wonderful music. In fact the whole BTS section was very entertaining.
But it was disappointing that there was no talk or even a suggestion of what Big Finish have planned for the Paternoster Gang next. I guess it depends on the sales of this series.
I hope we get more.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Nov 18, 2020 16:46:37 GMT
Very disappointing.
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Post by Whovitt on Nov 19, 2020 8:32:50 GMT
Something I seem to remember a lot of people saying about the early box sets of Heritage was that there didn't really seem to be any ongoing plot threads. From memory, they only really came into play in Heritage 3. What made me most disappointed about this finale is that the big bads weren't actually introduced until the final story. It seems like any potential for a build up to these events was kind of avoided in preference for telling standalone stories, and if that's the case then why didn't they just do that? It would certainly have avoided the feeling of a lacklustre conclusion (because there wouldn't have been one!).
Beyond the finale though, I thought Merry Christmas, Mr Jago was also pretty disappointing. I was hoping they'd have come up with a worthwhile reason for Jago to be there, but he's just there for the sake of being there. You could have made him some old friend of the gang we'd never met before (like Smallpiece) and the story would still have played out the same way. And it wasn't a particularly memorable episode of Heritage either, despite his inclusion.
My summary would be that it's worth listening to this set to get the conclusion of the (mostly absent) ongoing plot, but it's probably not worth it until the set goes on sale at some point in the future. The other three sets were really enjoyable on the whole, so it's a shame this one left a lot to be desired.
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