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Post by Sir Wearer of Hats on Dec 11, 2020 22:16:35 GMT
I enjoyed it, but it also felt inconsequential. Not everything has to be the end of the universe, and it was a lovely quiet character driven story. And therein is my issue, it wssn’r character driven enough. There was that lovely line from the Doctor that he sees fear in Lethbridge-Stewart’s eyes from time to time. Come on, explore that a bit more! Ace meets what amounts to herself if she lacked confidence. Explore that a bit more! Alistair has evolved as a character, more the version we hear of from Kate Stewart, and has to step up into the “Doctor role” because the Doctor’s mind is addled. Explore that more! It suffers from the same problem a few of the TV McCoys do - it goes downhill after the unnecessary monsters turn up. But what it does, it does very well indeed. It’s a lovely Lethbridge-Stewart story. A perfect bridge between 20th and 21st century Who and the respective depictions of the character. McCoy gets a chance to play the Doctor subtly differently. Ace gets to spread her wings.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Dec 12, 2020 10:31:55 GMT
Dunno why I decided to buy a 7th Doc release but this was a nice eerie atmospheric tale perfect for this time of year despite McCoy doing his usual hammy imitation of acting. & when I hear The Brig I just picture Culshaw, I can't see Courtney - it just sounds like Culshaw doing an impression, not terrible but not totally convincing for me. Ace & Kirsty made for a great couple, & despite my prejudices about this era of Who its another well written adventure by Lisbeth Myles with a great 3rd episode cliffhanger. & of course we get an appearance by those f***ing spoons!
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Post by slithe on Dec 12, 2020 10:59:06 GMT
I came to this release with mixed feelings - generally, I tend to find 7th Doctor stories to be either very good or the opposite. The fact that it was 'another 7th Doctor + Ace' release did not exactly endear me to it either. Whilst the addition of the Brig made this a bit more special, I was concerned that it would be Culshaw doing an impression in a '7th Doctor + Ace' story. I also wasn't that impressed with the Kamelion trilogy either, which did affect my view on this.
I listened to this and was very pleasantly surprised. I think this is one of the better 7th Doctor stories for a long time and one that actually 'works'. McCoy seems more at home in this story than he has in previous ones - whether it is the Scottish influence or not - but he seems to be really enjoying this one. McCoy has fantastic chemistry with Culshaw and it is good to have more scenes with the two. Aldred also has better material - her character is less 'shouty teenager' and more adult/mature than in previous releases. Whilst audio can disguise the ageing effect, I am not sure I 'buy' the character as a 1980s teenager anymore (Aldred also sounds much older than that as well).
The story itself is quite straightforward - a Christmas haunting and doesn't require an awful lot of concentrating to follow it. It is authentic, which enhances the story. The Scottish setting is well realised and I love that we are doing something in the 'non-Home Counties/London' area of the UK for a change. Playing and developing this mythology made a nice change and was well developed - it is clear that the author knows her stuff. McCoy also responds to this well - his use of Gaelic is a highlight.
Culshaw is superb as the Brig. I generally think this is one of his best impressions. Very, very quickly you forget that it isn't Courtney delivering the lines. Unlike Culshaw's Tom Baker impression, this doesn't come across as the 'stereotype' and use of 'cliches', which helps the story to flow and develops the character in a way that we did not get to see on screen. I am tempted now to seek out more of the 3rd Doctor Adventures with the Brig in to see what these are like.
The more adult aspects of the story are done subtly. There's a good mirror to the subtext of Survival with Ace and Kirsty. The relationship with the Brig and the Doctor isn't quite what it seems here as well - which is another angle to explore.
Would still like to know why looking at the monster isn't a good thing, but I am sure it can be developed in the future.
A good release and a good way to end 2020.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2020 12:09:41 GMT
Dunno why I decided to buy a 7th Doc release but this was a nice eerie atmospheric tale perfect for this time of year despite McCoy doing his usual hammy imitation of acting. & when I hear The Brig I just picture Culshaw, I can't see Courtney - it just sounds like Culshaw doing an impression, not terrible but not totally convincing for me. Ace & Kirsty made for a great couple, & despite my prejudices about this era of Who its another well written adventure by Lisbeth Myles with a great 3rd episode cliffhanger. & of course we get an appearance by those f***ing spoons! So Moustrap next then ? think the spoons were just inserted for you...they rarely ever have made an appearance lol
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Dec 12, 2020 12:47:33 GMT
Dunno why I decided to buy a 7th Doc release but this was a nice eerie atmospheric tale perfect for this time of year despite McCoy doing his usual hammy imitation of acting. & when I hear The Brig I just picture Culshaw, I can't see Courtney - it just sounds like Culshaw doing an impression, not terrible but not totally convincing for me. Ace & Kirsty made for a great couple, & despite my prejudices about this era of Who its another well written adventure by Lisbeth Myles with a great 3rd episode cliffhanger. & of course we get an appearance by those f***ing spoons! So Moustrap next then ? think the spoons were just inserted for you...they rarely ever have made an appearance lol No. No More McCoy.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2020 12:50:13 GMT
So Moustrap next then ? think the spoons were just inserted for you...they rarely ever have made an appearance lol No. No More McCoy. Seriously missing out on a great tale
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Post by nitronine on Dec 12, 2020 12:53:39 GMT
I rather enjoyed that. I've seen a rather negative reception of it on another forum but I don't think it's warrented. It wasn't the most high stakes but it was the quieter scenes that made me enjoy it. All the actors were on top form but Jon Culshaw was especially good as the Brigadier here. I genuinely forgot that I wasn't listening to Nicholas Courtney at some points. I really enjoyed this a lot how eerie this was listening To Jon Culshaw near the end and realising he isn’t Nicholas he is so good at it that I am in no doubt it’s Nicholas. I think for me Sophie and Lucy were the highlights it was a believable bonding through adversity and it would be cool {Spoiler}For a reunion between the two(and not a reunion in the way Sophie implies in the extras,maybe it’s just my mind ,the kiss was just a kiss the kiss of someone who was grateful for her help seeing her through adverse events....it’s a sign of our time I think that everything has to be somehow sexualised it NEVER even entered my mind the kiss could be more)
And top marks for the chronology I joke at the end. {Spoiler}I see what you're saying but I think the kiss can be romantic without being sexual. It could've just been a kiss on the cheek for all we know. If there's a reunion later on I can't comment on what might happen but to my mind, it was nice to have the closest thing to confirmation of Ace's bisexuality we've seen. The TV series wasn't exactly subtle about it but it seems to have been forgotten about in expanded media in all the years since.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Dec 12, 2020 13:00:19 GMT
Seriously missing out on a great tale I can live without it!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2020 13:00:31 GMT
I rather enjoyed that. I've seen a rather negative reception of it on another forum but I don't think it's warrented. It wasn't the most high stakes but it was the quieter scenes that made me enjoy it. All the actors were on top form but Jon Culshaw was especially good as the Brigadier here. I genuinely forgot that I wasn't listening to Nicholas Courtney at some points. I really enjoyed this a lot how eerie this was listening To Jon Culshaw near the end and realising he isn’t Nicholas he is so good at it that I am in no doubt it’s Nicholas. I think for me Sophie and Lucy were the highlights it was a believable bonding through adversity and it would be cool {Spoiler}For a reunion between the two(and not a reunion in the way Sophie implies in the extras,maybe it’s just my mind ,the kiss was just a kiss the kiss of someone who was grateful for her help seeing her through adverse events....it’s a sign of our time I think that everything has to be somehow sexualised it NEVER even entered my mind the kiss could be more)
And top marks for the chronology I joke at the end. {Spoiler}I see what you're saying but I think the kiss can be romantic without being sexual. It could've just been a kiss on the cheek for all we know. If there's a reunion later on I can't comment on what might happen but to my mind, it was nice to have the closest thing to confirmation of Ace's bisexuality we've seen. The TV series wasn't exactly subtle about it but it seems to have been forgotten about in expanded media in all the years since. Sorry to say it completely bypassed me in the tv show ...
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Post by nitronine on Dec 12, 2020 13:02:35 GMT
I rather enjoyed that. I've seen a rather negative reception of it on another forum but I don't think it's warrented. It wasn't the most high stakes but it was the quieter scenes that made me enjoy it. All the actors were on top form but Jon Culshaw was especially good as the Brigadier here. I genuinely forgot that I wasn't listening to Nicholas Courtney at some points. {Spoiler}I see what you're saying but I think the kiss can be romantic without being sexual. It could've just been a kiss on the cheek for all we know. If there's a reunion later on I can't comment on what might happen but to my mind, it was nice to have the closest thing to confirmation of Ace's bisexuality we've seen. The TV series wasn't exactly subtle about it but it seems to have been forgotten about in expanded media in all the years since. Sorry to say it completely bypassed me in the tv show I think when I first watched I had already been made aware of the subtext that some of the writers intended so it was probably more obvious to me, and I could also have just been reading into something that wasn't there haha
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2020 13:20:45 GMT
Sorry to say it completely bypassed me in the tv show I think when I first watched I had already been made away of the subtext that some of the writers intended so it was probably more obvious to me, and I could also have just been reading into something that wasn't there haha Tut tut😉
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2020 3:47:10 GMT
I'm ashamed to say that up until yesterday I thought the monster was the silence
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Post by Kestrel on Dec 13, 2020 6:14:39 GMT
I think when I first watched I had already been made aware of the subtext that some of the writers intended so it was probably more obvious to me, and I could also have just been reading into something that wasn't there haha I'm completely terrible at reading people, to any extent (to the point where I literally cannot distinguish good writing from good acting or the inverse) but I've never found Ace to be very convincing as a heterosexual. Maybe in the TV show? The 7th Doctor's era is the one I'm the least familiar with (stopped watching early in the 6th Doctor's run... very early). In the audio dramas, at least, whenever Ace is paired romantically with a man it's always felt kinda contrived, usually due to a lack of chemistry or a total absence of any interesting traits in the other party. Even the big "romance" of the main range (I think ya'll'd know which one I mean?) works on the emotional level because Sophie Aldred is doing all of the heavy lifting and really sells the tragedy of the thing. (Also yes, that is a completely viable contraction. Promise.) .... But, uh, about this Grey Man of the Mountain... I think I must have briefly passed out from pain or something, because I think I missed how it resolved. It just seemed to... end. One moment they're all reunited in the primitive village, and then it's over. Did the app skip a track on me or something? Please let me know if I'm missing a chunk, or if it just resolved really quickly within 5 minutes or so. Anyway, I can see why some folks might not like this episode. It's kinda low-concept: not many moving parts, no real big moral of philosophical ideas to grapple with. Just a nice, quiet, relatively subdued story. I don't think I'll ever count it among my favorites, but I still found it enjoyable. Sylvester McCoy's performance, especially. I'm not sure how to describe it. It felt very relaxed. Comfortable. Something I needed today.
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Post by shallacatop on Dec 15, 2020 12:53:16 GMT
I really can't work out what I think of this release!
There's not a lot to it really; it's neither action packed nor is it character driven. Things happen as they're written to happen, rather than naturally following on. I couldn't really escape the imagery of the actors recording this together around a microphone; I can't say I was picturing the Seventh Doctor, Ace & The Brig on top of snowy mountains! It's just all rather low key and I think that reflects in the production too. I don't want to say it's amateurish, as that's not the case, but it does feel rather sparse and a throwback to Big Finish circa 2000.
A curious one and I think it'll probably stick with me more than if I felt the story was either good or bad!
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 15, 2020 21:44:43 GMT
I actually loved this! Not sure I dare to admit it, but I might have enjoyed this even more than the Scarlet Pimpernel story with Sixie! Why? Well, I am a big fan of the most popular long running German audio drama series, and in there, we have several stories about mysterious misty mountains, with phantoms and monsters appearing out of the fog and chasing our heroes around. There is one story in particular which I absolutely adore, and it is pretty much presenting a very similar setting and atmosphere to this 7th Doctor story. I liked the fact that it was a bit slow going and took it's time to present the atmosphere, and it does not show the monsters late into the story. It keeps you guessing. I also liked the characters and I also think the re-cast of the Brig is getting better, at least I did not mind him here at all. It was also a good idea to split Ace and the Doctor up and have them experience the adventure from two different point of views. Sophie Aldred is great as usual, and this was also one of the better performances by Sylvester. Yes, he is not quite as good or even as energetic as Colin, but I did not really find a lot of fault with him here. So yes, this was a very enjoyable story that was right up my alley.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2020 22:02:21 GMT
I actually loved this! Not sure I dare to admit it, but I might have enjoyed this even more than the Scarlet Pimpernel story with Sixie! Why? Well, I am a big fan of the most popular long running German audio drama series, and in there, we have several stories about mysterious misty mountains, with phantoms and monsters appearing out of the fog and chasing our heroes around. There is one story in particular which I absolutely adore, and it is pretty much presenting a very similar setting and atmosphere to this 7th Doctor story. I liked the fact that it was a bit slow going and took it's time to present the atmosphere, and it does not show the monsters late into the story. It keeps you guessing. I also liked the characters and I also think the re-cast of the Brig is getting better, at least I did not mind him here at all. It was also a good idea to split Ace and the Doctor up and have them experience the adventure from two different point of views. Sophie Aldred is great as usual, and this was also one of the better performances by Sylvester. Yes, he is not quite as good or even as energetic as Colin, but I did not really find a lot of fault with him here. So yes, this was a very enjoyable story that was right up my alley. But you could tell it wasn’t really Scotland 😉
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 15, 2020 22:04:21 GMT
I actually loved this! Not sure I dare to admit it, but I might have enjoyed this even more than the Scarlet Pimpernel story with Sixie! Why? Well, I am a big fan of the most popular long running German audio drama series, and in there, we have several stories about mysterious misty mountains, with phantoms and monsters appearing out of the fog and chasing our heroes around. There is one story in particular which I absolutely adore, and it is pretty much presenting a very similar setting and atmosphere to this 7th Doctor story. I liked the fact that it was a bit slow going and took it's time to present the atmosphere, and it does not show the monsters late into the story. It keeps you guessing. I also liked the characters and I also think the re-cast of the Brig is getting better, at least I did not mind him here at all. It was also a good idea to split Ace and the Doctor up and have them experience the adventure from two different point of views. Sophie Aldred is great as usual, and this was also one of the better performances by Sylvester. Yes, he is not quite as good or even as energetic as Colin, but I did not really find a lot of fault with him here. So yes, this was a very enjoyable story that was right up my alley. But you could tell it wasn’t really Scotland 😉 And in my German audio series it is not really the American Rocky Mountains. For one the use German bird sounds.
The point? I have never been neither to the Rockies nor to Scotland and what counts is what happens in my head.
To cite Captain Picard: "Make it so."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2020 22:13:07 GMT
But you could tell it wasn’t really Scotland 😉 And in my German audio series it is not really the American Rocky Mountains. For one the use German bird sounds.
The point? I have never been neither to the Rockies nor to Scotland and what counts is what happens in my head.
To cite Captain Picard: "Make it so."
Lol and we do make it so...hope you now enjoy Robots as much as I did night night God Bless
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Post by theotherjosh on Dec 17, 2020 0:52:13 GMT
I was so looking forward to this...and then I learned my subscription expired with #270. But I bought it and downloaded it today.
I've only listened to the first part, but it may be the best first act I've heard in years. I'm enjoying the quiet, intimate moments. The story belongs completely to that era of Who, with an Ace/Seven two-hander. Every little line is perfectly timed and delivered. I love this story so much! I can't wait to see what part 2 brings!
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Dec 17, 2020 9:35:02 GMT
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