mbt66
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 3,081
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Post by mbt66 on Jul 3, 2021 14:43:39 GMT
So what's the verdict on this one? I have only heard the first story so far, if this is truly the last I don’t want to rush it. The best compliment I can give it was that it felt like Jago and Litefoot. In this first story The Red Hand, Jamie Newall gave a very good reading and captured all the characters very well. It is always a good sign when a character enters a scene and speaks and immediately you know who is talking. So IF they did more Jago & Litefoot I would certainly be keen on him doing more readings. As with a lot of first stories in a set this does the setting up, there was intrigue, a character from the past and a good few funny lines. As I have already said it felt like Jago & Litefoot. But rather than an adventure keeping me entertained for fifty to sixty minutes this did it for a hundred and sixty minutes!
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Jul 3, 2021 17:41:28 GMT
Looking at the writing credits it occurs to me we haven’t seen anything from Justin Richards in some time, or at least I’ve not seen his name on anything recently. Agreed this is currently the newest release he seems to be involved in of course many forthcoming releases have'nt had writers attached yet. Regards mark687 And this was written around the time of series 13 when Ian was taking over the range from David Richardson. So that is what, 4 years ago or so? And he didn’t do the adaptation of the story either. Considering how prolific he has been for Who and BF in general it just seems odd to not see his name attached to anything anymore.
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Post by elkawho on Jul 3, 2021 19:39:35 GMT
So far I have really enjoyed the first two stories. As was said above, Jamie Newall did an excellent job and kept my attention the entire way through. The second story was excellent, I really enjoyed this one through the eyes of Inspector Gilhooey. I wasn't sure if I would at first, but I thought it benefitted from this different point of view.
The third story was good, although I was more distracted while listening. Although I really wish we had Trevor to perform some of these scenes with Christopher Benjamin. It would have been a hoot.
Up to the fourth story now. I also don't want to rush through these. It nice to have them, in any form.
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lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
Likes: 5,813
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Post by lidar2 on Jul 4, 2021 21:08:48 GMT
Am about 2/3rds of the way through the first story - Wow!
This is really good. I mean, really good. The story is great, if it were a physical novel I would call it a page turner. Jamie Newall is a truly excellent reader, capturing all the characters perfectly. It really feels like a full cast J&L.
If anything this sets the bar so high that I am worried the remaining 3 stories will be a let-down.
If this is a proof of concept for the J&L audiobooks then the concept is conclusively proven. I desperately hope this is not the final tying up of loose ends, but rather a backdoor pilot for an ongoing series of J&L audio novels.
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lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
Likes: 5,813
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Post by lidar2 on Jul 5, 2021 22:24:50 GMT
Nearly finished story 2. Not quite as good as story 1 but still very enjoyable nevertheless.
At one point Ellie gets to shout "Get outa my pub!" and "Sling yer 'ook!'
How I would have loved to hear Lisa Bowerman doing her Barbara Windsor/Peggy Mitchell party piece had this been produced full cast.
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lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
Likes: 5,813
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Post by lidar2 on Jul 7, 2021 11:10:59 GMT
Story 3 done now. This continues to be an excellent box set. Great story, great narrator.
I did however see the final reveal at the end coming from about 2 3rds of the way through.
One niggle - reference to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office are anachronistic. The Commonwealth itself did not really exist until the interwar years, prior to that it was all just the British Empire. The Dominions Office was created at the same time, renamed the Commonwealth Office in 1947 and finally merged with the Foreign Office in 1968. So a slight rap on the knuckles for Paul Morris, but since the overall is so good I think we can let him off this time.
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Post by mark687 on Jul 10, 2021 12:19:17 GMT
From this weeks Podcast
Because they've received several comments that say the DL size is too big for Phone Storage BF have put each story as an individual file as a Bonus Content feature [its either available now or will be soon.)
Regards
mark687
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Stan
Full Member
Likes: 65
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Post by Stan on Jul 11, 2021 8:38:37 GMT
Story 3 done now. This continues to be an excellent box set. Great story, great narrator. I did however see the final reveal at the end coming from about 2 3rds of the way through. One niggle - reference to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office are anachronistic. The Commonwealth itself did not really exist until the interwar years, prior to that it was all just the British Empire. The Dominions Office was created at the same time, renamed the Commonwealth Office in 1947 and finally merged with the Foreign Office in 1968. So a slight rap on the knuckles for Paul Morris, but since the overall is so good I think we can let him off this time. Litefoot still confused after the events of series five?
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Post by IndieMacUser on Jul 11, 2021 11:29:55 GMT
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 3,081
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Post by mbt66 on Aug 7, 2021 9:30:55 GMT
As I said before I don’t want to rush this “final” set of stories.
I have now listened to the second story - The Laughing Policeman
The best word I can use to describe this episode was…odd.
I had to stop it half way through and start it over again, because I couldn’t understand what was going on. And now I have finished it I am still not sure.
The audiobook format should have helped with the explanation, but as it was it just expanded my confusion over a longer period of time.
However I think that my biggest issue was that I didn’t like the sound/portrayal of Jago and Litefoot in this story. But I cannot decide if that is down to Duncan Wisbey’s vocalisation, the writer’s interpretation or Inspector Gilhooey’s impression of them.
So in a way it was good that, as commented on in the extras, Jago and Litefoot were secondary characters in this story.
Perhaps when I listen to this again, as I certainly will be listening to all of these again (The Red Hand has had two listens already) I will be able to enjoy it more.
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 3,081
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Post by mbt66 on Aug 18, 2021 16:33:03 GMT
The third story was good, although I was more distracted while listening. Although I really wish we had Trevor to perform some of these scenes with Christopher Benjamin. It would have been a hoot. I agree this was the first story in the set that really made me miss Trevor and Christopher. This would have been so much more fun as a full cast romp.
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 3,081
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Post by mbt66 on Aug 24, 2021 18:31:20 GMT
And now I have finally come to the end…but it isn’t because we still have Forever! Jago & LItefoot went out on a high with a wonderous performance by Christopher Benjamin. Some nice references back to previous J&L stories and some other Big Finish releases. The last story wrapped everything up nicely and no final cliff-hanger, just a nice few words from Henry Gordon Jago! My only complaint was that I had hoped that more could have been made of the Christmas setting with the incidental music and their theme tune didn’t get an update. Overall, I am very pleased that Big Finish was able to give us this series in this format. And I am content with the thought that this is the final series, however I am hoping Big Finish will continue the audiobook format for tales set in and around the previous series. There must be many more tales to tell of the exploits of Jago & Litefoot.
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Post by pawntake on Oct 26, 2021 16:51:13 GMT
This letter in vortex suggests there might be more?
GO-A-GO-GO? I enjoyed the audiobook format of season 14 of Jago & Litefoot. I know it was adapted from the full-cast drama scripts written before Trevor Baxter passed away. I think the format works, so I want to know: will there be further seasons in this format? PETER SQUIRE Nick: We’ll be looking at the sales figures and making a calculation on that one, Peter. But all of us at Big Finish love Jago & Litefoot.
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Post by tuigirl on Sept 24, 2022 22:08:31 GMT
Wow, it took me a while to get around to it. But I just started on the audiobook today and nearly finished the first story.
This is amazing! Really sad it is not more talked about on here! I definitely miss those two gents, and this audiobook brings me right back.
The first story is a wonderful Steampunk horror story, creepy, mind-bending, featuring most of our favorite characters and it is read wonderfully. You can definitely recognize the voices and verbal ticks of the character. It is also an enhanced reading, featuring music and sound effects.
Very well done, this is a joy and I cannot wait to listen to the rest of it.
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 3,081
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Post by mbt66 on Sept 25, 2022 13:53:55 GMT
Wow, it took me a while to get around to it. But I just started on the audiobook today and nearly finished the first story. This is amazing! Really sad it is not more talked about on here! I definitely miss those two gents, and this audiobook brings me right back. The first story is a wonderful Steampunk horror story, creepy, mind-bending, featuring most of our favorite characters and it is read wonderfully. You can definitely recognize the voices and verbal ticks of the character. It is also an enhanced reading, featuring music and sound effects. Very well done, this is a joy and I cannot wait to listen to the rest of it. All the stories in this set have their merit, but for me, that first story captured Jago & Litefoot perfectly and should (if we ever get such a treat) be used as the blueprint of future audio novels for them.
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Post by tuigirl on Sept 30, 2022 20:43:52 GMT
I am still enjoying myself with the series. I agree that the second story was not as good, since it was narrated by an outside person looking at Jago and Litefoot, plus, it is an unreliable narrator (with all his mental issues going on) and he is a partially mind-controlled zombie. From that standpoint, the actual performance is great, since it brings across this near mechanical character very well. But that is also the downfall, since it is missing the lively narration style that the other actors are using in their stories. And then we finally find out who the big bad villain of this set of stories is! Oh well, I had not expected this. So this is a re-match with one of Big Finishes own creations! Sadly, it is not used to it's horrific potential here. But we got enough of that in Dark Eyes, I guess. I admit, I have never been the biggest fan of that particular villain, but at least, it was not over the top or annoying here. Lisa Bowerman does a great job in her narration, and Christopher Benjamin is of course unbeatable as Jago. Now the big conclusion awaits me!
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 1, 2022 19:49:10 GMT
This was nice. The ending is a tad theatrical (well, it happens in a theater during a stage play) but it is suitable. All in all a fun romp.
Worth it.
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Post by The Brigadier on Jun 19, 2023 18:24:13 GMT
Finally finished this one...and like the others who have posted in the past I can only reflect on what might have been if Trevor Baxter had been well enough for it to be recorded as a full cast production. It would have been a lot of fun - even though I'd guessed the identity of the big bad long before listening to A Command Performance.
Regardless of that though it nicely fills in the blank between Series 13 and Jago and Litefoot Forever, and a very belated kudos to the four narrators for conveying the essence of what made this range special.
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Post by timemech on Jun 22, 2023 14:56:03 GMT
I finally listened to this after a taking very long break from everything Big Finish. I can't say that I like the audio book format. I admit that I am probably judging it a little unfairly since I greatly prefer the full cast drama format. I think this series would have benefited from a full cast since I found it sometimes hard to know what was going on and it didn't keep my attention focused on it a much as a drama would have. Overall it is nice to have closure, of a sort, but I would not like to see the series continue in this format; I'd rather it stay 'finished'. I would have (hesitantly) said they could replace Litefoot with Betterman, but that obviously is impossible now and I'm not sure it would have had the same heart as J&L. TM
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