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Post by Kestrel on Sept 23, 2020 20:14:19 GMT
Look at me, making another general thread. I am cringing a bit, too.
Anyway, I've added all of NABS to my library and am enjoying the hell out of it--all I have left are the very first and very last sets--but I also gave a listen to, "Oh No It Isn't," which was given out for free earlier this month. And... what can I say? I loved the hell out of it. So what other pre-NABS stories do y'all think are essential-listening? And why?
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Post by tuigirl on Sept 23, 2020 21:12:34 GMT
I just absolutely love Volume 3 + 4... the weird and wonderful story with the unicorns, the Doctor on the run from Benny while uncovering a Bodysnatchers plot ("We are being gassed!" - "Isn't it wonderful?"), the Doctor and his shrink, the Doctor waiting for Benny in a bar (definitely not drunk) yelling for peanuts, the insane plot on how to upstage the Master... there are so many wonderful scenes, perfectly performed by the leads. Also the following volumes are great, because they make an effort to be a bit different and always including a deeper sub-plot or a character study. Sometimes you need several re-listens to catch everything. I also really liked the stories in the "The story so far" sets, including the very unusual story featuring Lisa Bowerman and David Warner. It was not enjoyable because of the sad and terrifying subject matter, but it really brought the message home for me. It shocked me and I even had to cry. It was THAT good. This is another thing these sets have going for them- they do not shy away to ask some bigger questions and making you feel uncomfortable or make you think. I feel this range just is a bit more mature. I love it. I am however not the biggest fan of the first two NABS sets. The very first story of Volume 1 nearly put me off Sylvester for a while. Not a fan. But there are some people on here who loved it, so it might be a bit of a Marmite situation.
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Post by newt5996 on Sept 23, 2020 21:45:12 GMT
I will say that a lot of the single releases contribute to a larger story arc (at least in the first 8 series which I have listened to). Some standouts include The Greatest Shop in the Galaxy, The Green-Eyed Monster, Death and the Daleks, The Grel Escape, The Masquerade of Death, The Kingdom of the Blind, The Crystal of Cantus, The Tub Full of Cats, The End of the World, The Final Amendment, and the Wake. Though much of the range is solid and experimental and I love it all really.
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Post by BHTvsTFC on Sept 28, 2020 21:04:43 GMT
Having a Benny frenzy at the moment since the last Warner Series. I went back to Series 9 for a relisten about a fortnight ago and am about to finish Series 11 tonight! There isn't a dud among them! The Adventures of the Diogenes Damsel just breezes by, also featuring David Warner as one of the Holmes family. The Diet of Worms is cute, especially the scenes with Peter and Myrtle. Absence and Secret Origins are season 10 highlights, and the two part opener to Season Eleven - Resurrecting the Past/Escaping the Future - is stuffed full of great moments as Braxiatel (the most complicated Doctor Who character ever) is brought to his knees and made to face the consequences of his actions in previous stories. The regulars are first rate and never just phone in their performances, especially Lisa Bowerman who practically owns the character of Benny.
Am looking forward to having another go at the box sets which were my personal favourite period of the Benny audios - David Ames, Ayesha Antoine, alongside Miles Richardson and Thomas Grant make for the cosiest Benny team of them all!
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Post by Kestrel on Oct 2, 2020 1:26:00 GMT
Honestly just the term, "Diogenes Damsel" sells the story to me. But David Warner, too? Sold! Also I notice a Benny short story collection is on sale. It's too cheap to pass up, but I dunno when I'll get the chance to listen to it. Anyone tried it already and remember it? How is it?
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 2, 2020 7:52:39 GMT
Honestly just the term, "Diogenes Damsel" sells the story to me. But David Warner, too? Sold! Also I notice a Benny short story collection is on sale. It's too cheap to pass up, but I dunno when I'll get the chance to listen to it. Anyone tried it already and remember it? How is it? I love Benny (although I so far have only gotten the downloads, except for Diogenes Damsel and the one with Iris on CD). So I might be biased. The short stories are pretty good. Lisa Bowerman does a good audio book reading.
It just is an audio book, without much added sound effects, but I still found it enjoyable and the stories were interesting. Nothing mindblowing, but you certainly could do a lot worse.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2020 17:34:06 GMT
I have loved it all really and finally relistening on download instead of my CD essential listening even with the not so great Doctor stuff I think everything’s essential 🤪 The Crystal Of Cantus the Stones Lament Birthright Just War the Secret Of Cassandra Diogenes Damsel The Diet of Worms Secret Origins The Venus Mantrap Dead Mans Switch
I think it’s nice to escape the reliance on the Doctor in these although I have to say that Once she joins Warner’s Doctor she really excels I always thought she would forever be Sylvester companion but now not so.
these are not perfect audios by any means personally some are blah but I will let you find that out for yourself (well Summer Of Love)sorry had to yeuch lol
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Post by elkawho on Oct 4, 2020 14:21:15 GMT
I think the early Benny range is one of the truly unique and intriguing things BF have ever done. They were always trying new things with those stories. Some worked amazingly well, and some absolutely bombed, but rarely was I bored. I find the range uneven, but definitely worthwhile. The decision to end it and move on to boxsets was a good one. I think they took those individual episodes as far as they could. Causality's list is a great place to start.
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Post by livinluxuriously on Dec 6, 2020 3:13:23 GMT
I think the early Benny range is one of the truly unique and intriguing things BF have ever done. They were always trying new things with those stories. Some worked amazingly well, and some absolutely bombed, but rarely was I bored. I find the range uneven, but definitely worthwhile. The decision to end it and move on to boxsets was a good one. I think they took those individual episodes as far as they could. Causality's list is a great place to start. Diogenes damsel and David Warner? I started with the Benny unbound stuff and worked on *backwards*, but after the amazing OH NO IT ISNT”, I couldn’t get into any of the series 1 and 2 episodes... Just War is great - not sure how it is in-universe but I feel like I’m stuck in quicksand with Benny right now :/
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