ljwilson
Chancellery Guard
It's tangerine....not orange
Likes: 5,062
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Post by ljwilson on Sept 5, 2021 9:49:03 GMT
Keep em coming, about time I gave Brotherhood of the Daleks another go.
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Post by elkawho on Sept 9, 2021 4:02:23 GMT
117) The Key 2 Time: The Judgement of Isskar 7/10 118) The Key 2 Time: The Destroyer of Delights 6/10 119) The Key 2 Time: The Chaos Pool 5/10 I think it works to comment on these three stories together, since they are a pretty cohesive storyline. They aren't the best stories, but I find them enjoyable and at times quite endearing. Yes, they introduce Amy (Abby) and Zara here, but they are very different than they are in their own series. The Judgement of Isskar is the best story of the bunch. It's nice to get a sense of the history of the Ice Warriors here. I do like The Destroyer of Delights, if only to have the Guardians stuck on Earth and acting like humans. The Chaos Pool Tries to hard to do too much and only partially succeeds. It's not terrible, but it lacks the charm of the other two stories. The character twist is a nice touch.
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Post by elkawho on Sept 9, 2021 16:01:21 GMT
120) The Magic Mousetrap: A terrific mystery with a unique group of guest characters. I love having the Doctor in the dark, trying to figure it all out, and then getting it all wrong. Posh Ace and Hex are a hoot as well. The atmosphere is creepy and works great in this story, and I find something new in it every time I listen. Great story. 8/10
121) The Enemy of the Daleks: I'll say again what I posted the very first time I heard this story, now THAT is how you do a Dalek story! I love this one. I think it's up there with Lucie Miller/To The Death in terms of making the Daleks a truly terrifying presence. This one has momentum that builds throughout the story, and it's riveting to listen to. 9/10
122) The Angel of Scutari: Man, this Tardis team goes from one strength to another, one riveting and terrifying set of circumstances to the next. Poor Hex, he still doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. This is a fantastic story about war, courage, guilt and the need to try an make a difference in horrible situations. Hex always tries to do the right thing, even if it puts him in awful situations. And that ending! The first time I heard this I was devastated. 10/10
123) The Company of Friends: Another terrific anthology. I love every story, even Izzy's. I never read any Doctor Who novels with Fitz, or the comics so these characters were new to me the first time I heard them. I wish we had more from Fitz. We rarely hear Eight with a male companion, and he's quite the character. And it says something that I wanted to hear more from him even though we only had one 25 min story. Benny's Story is a treat, and Mary's story fall just below The Silver Turk for my favorite of hers in the range. 8/10
124) Patient Zero: An interesting story for Six and MILA. Unfortunately, I think it loses it's pacing a bit in the middle. I seem to lose the ability to focus on it every time I listen. It does highlight the difference between Mila and Charley quite well. 7/10
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Post by elkawho on Oct 2, 2021 16:16:22 GMT
OK, there have been a bunch so bear with me folks.
125) Paper Cuts: An excellent story using Japanese influences to tell a story about The Draconians. Very well done. The summary of the story on the "Details" page calls Daconia "elegant and so savage", and that is how the story feels as well. Mark Platt can me a little hit or miss for me, on this one he definitely hits. Now, that being said, you may wonder why I don't give this one a higher score...and it's strange. For as good as it is, I have a hard time connecting to it emotionally. So this is an odd one for me. 7/10
126) Blue Forgotten Planet: Boy, Earth dies a lot, doesn't it? I like this story. I like the Viyrans as antagonists. No anger or hate, just methodically taking their purpose to the extreme. And they had to find a way to have The Doctor forget about Charley, and thankfully they found one that did not rely on amnesia. Do I like Mira? Not particularly, but I do like how she's used in this story. So, not fantastic, but a good solid story as and end for Charley's time with Six. 7/10
127) Castle of Fear: Love it! Probably the best first 5 minutes of a story that has ever been done at Big Finish. The rest of is isn't quite as good as the beginning, but on the whole it's a fun one. I love when The Fifth Doctor gets humorous stories. Davison has a knack for comedy and makes a great straight man. There was so little of that in his era and it's so refreshing. Great first part of a connected trilogy. Gotta love Stockbridge! 8/10
128) The Eternal Summer: Another good one. And as much as I like Davison doing humor, I also love when he gets to do Evil and chew the scenery. Sarah Sutton as well. The Lord and Lady are sufficiently awful, dripping with decadence. I also like Maxwell Edison and wish we could have seen him in more stories. 7/10
129) Plague of the Daleks: I didn't think we really needed Daleks in Stockbridge, but I liked this one in spite of myself. From the very beginning of the story with it's abandoned village and rotten food, there's a creepy atmosphere throughout the story. Gone is the humor of the last two stories, now we have plagues and fatal rainstorms. Not quite as good as the last one, but still a solid listen. 6/10
130)A Thousand Tiny Wings: One of the top Seventh Doctor stories and in group of some of the best Big Finish stories. The writing here is terrific. A claustrophobic atmosphere where the characters are living in constant fear of "the other". And isn't that the nature of the society Klein comes from? A group of women who are trying to survive, and throw in some unexpected surprises, The Doctor being one of them. There was no better way to reintroduce Klein to The Doctor. It's a fascinating story with a wonderful cast. 10/10
131) Klein's Story: I really love this alternate history story. The presence of Doctor Johann Schmidt was a joy, and his ability to nudge all the characters into doing what needed to be done was terrific. I love it when Klein realized just who he was. This story really helps to understand Klein's motivations going forward and makes her into more than just a Nazi trying to get home. 10/10 Survival of the Fittest: An interesting story with a truly alien race. The Vrill are an excellent creation. This is the start of Klein opening her mind, yet it is questionable as to how much this changes her. At least at this point. I love the ending to this one. It's not one that wraps up neatly. 7/10
132) The Architects of History: At it's heart, this is a story about a woman trying to hold on to a life that she knows is wrong. And while time travel and alien sharks might not be relatable, that core of the story is. And while we may not like the type of world and society Klein originates from, we can't completely dislike or fault her for her attempts to find her place. She will and must lose this fight, but we still understand her need to fight it. This story ends a trilogy that is not afraid to ask hard questions and explore them. The characters in these stories could have easily been seen as two-dimensional constructs in order to serve the plot, but they were not. A nice conclusion to the trilogy. We never see Klein stories reach these levels again. 8/10
Whew, I still have more but I need a break. Will post more later.
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Post by elkawho on Oct 16, 2021 16:12:08 GMT
Am I the only one still doing this? Here we go!
133, 134, 135) City of Spires, The Wreck of the Titan, Legend of the Cybermen: Grouped these three together because it's quite a tight arc. I love these. Jamie is one of my all-time favorite companions, and the Mind Robber is one of my favorite 2nd Doctor stories, so this arc is quite a treat for me. It's on a pretty heavy rotation. Colin and Frazer seem to get along very well IRL and that chemistry translates well to audio. I really didn't know what was going on for most of this arc on first listen, and then going back and listening again when I did made it even better. Miranda Raison is terrific in the second story and bodes well for her future ongoing role with Six as Constance. I was disappointed that Jamie isn't who we think he is during this, and that the real Jamie never has this time with Six and Zoe, but it's still a fun ride. 8/10 for the arc as a whole.
136) Cobwebs: I like the older Nyssa stories, but I also feel that they don't do enough with the premise. However, as this one is the start of it I think they do quite a good job. It's a creepy story, and I love the time travel aspect. Big Finish does such a good job at making computers with AI intriguing characters, and this is no exception. The guest characters here are all pretty terrible people, and the idea that living without their true memories makes them better is also not something usually done. A good solid story that holds up with a re-listen. 7/10
137) The Whispering Forest: Another good, solid story and a real sense of peril for our Tardis Team. Not quite as memorable as their previous outing, but good all the same. Hayley Atwell always gives a great performance, and Mertil is truly an antagonist worth fighting. 6/10
138) The Cradle of the Snake: While I do like the Mara storyline, and of course BF were going to do something with it, this one is just ok for me. Not bad, and as I've said before, I do like it when Peter Davison gives us a devious and deadly Doctor. But not great. And Nyssa is being treated like she's still 19. 6/10
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Post by Kestrel on Oct 16, 2021 18:47:15 GMT
Ooh, I'll be listening to the Jamie trilogy soon... really looking forward to it.
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Post by sherlock on Oct 16, 2021 19:59:27 GMT
I do intend to return to my little marathon, but got sidetracked by all things Master Plan audio-related ahead of Dalek Universe 3 and a TV new series push prior to Series 13. Number 14 The Holy Terror is ready and waiting on my iPad.
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ljwilson
Chancellery Guard
It's tangerine....not orange
Likes: 5,062
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Post by ljwilson on Oct 17, 2021 9:44:48 GMT
Well, I'm still reading this thread and enjoying everyone's thoughts!
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Post by sherlock on Nov 3, 2021 22:40:17 GMT
14. The Holy Terror
Robert Shearman arrives on the scene and comes up with a nastily creative story. Excellent stuff.
I know it’s a bit of a joke now, but “All hail the talking bird!” is still a great WTF cliffhanger.
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Post by elkawho on Nov 4, 2021 17:56:32 GMT
Oh boy, I'm way behind in my posting. Not sure if I'll get to all the listening I've done, but here goes.
139) Project: Destiny A fabulous conclusion to the Forge arc. It never sits right with me that The Doctor keep his information about Cassie and that he knew her from Hex for so long, so it's about time he knew everything. I like the Doctor having to take responsibility in this one, and Hex feeling alone and unable to trust anyone is a very understandable reaction. This story is a long time coming, and doesn't disappoint. 9/10
140) A Death In The Family: One of the best stories BF have made, definitely one of the most different. It's a story of the tenacity and loyalty of the Doctor's friends, and what lengths they will go to for one another. And it's a story about saying goodbye to the people we love. Just wonderful 10/10
141) Lurkers at the Sunlight's Edge: I like this one. It's got a lot going for it and there's a real sense of menace in this one. The only thing that's wrong with it is that is follows the last two stories, and those are hard to follow. It's like BF should have taken a month off for the last two to be processed before going on. 8/10
142) The Demons of the Red Lodge: A terrific anthology release. I love every story in this one, however Special Features by John Dorney is just a cut above. This is just amazing. 10/10
143) The Crimes of Thomas Brewster: One of the better Brewster releases, with the addition of DI Menzes elevating it tremendously. It's quite a good story, and the fact that it also introduces us to Flip is all the better. 8/10
144) The Feast of Axos: I'm actually not a huge fan of the original Axos story, so this one isn't something I needed. That being said, It's ok. I like the premise and the guest cast are very good. In fact, it was better than I had remembered it. But it still won't be one that I readily return to. 6/10
145) Industrial Evolution: I think this one is the weakest story in the trilogy for me, but again the guest cast is just stellar. Warren Brown and Hugh Ross are terrific. 6/10
More to come when I have the time!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2021 18:59:45 GMT
Oh boy, I'm way behind in my posting. Not sure if I'll get to all the listening I've done, but here goes. 139) Project: Destiny A fabulous conclusion to the Forge arc. It never sits right with me that The Doctor keep his information about Cassie and that he knew her from Hex for so long, so it's about time he knew everything. I like the Doctor having to take responsibility in this one, and Hex feeling alone and unable to trust anyone is a very understandable reaction. This story is a long time coming, and doesn't disappoint. 9/10 140) A Death In The Family: One of the best stories BF have made, definitely one of the most different. It's a story of the tenacity and loyalty of the Doctor's friends, and what lengths they will go to for one another. And it's a story about saying goodbye to the people we love. Just wonderful 10/10 141) Lurkers at the Sunlight's Edge: I like this one. It's got a lot going for it and there's a real sense of menace in this one. The only thing that's wrong with it is that is follows the last two stories, and those are hard to follow. It's like BF should have taken a month off for the last two to be processed before going on. 8/10 142) The Demons of the Red Lodge: A terrific anthology release. I love every story in this one, however Special Features by John Dorney is just a cut above. This is just amazing. 10/10 143) The Crimes of Thomas Brewster: One of the better Brewster releases, with the addition of DI Menzes elevating it tremendously. It's quite a good story, and the fact that it also introduces us to Flip is all the better. 8/10 144) The Feast of Axos: I'm actually not a huge fan of the original Axos story, so this one isn't something I needed. That being said, It's ok. I like the premise and the guest cast are very good. In fact, it was better than I had remembered it. But it still won't be one that I readily return to. 6/10 145) Industrial Evolution: I think this one is the weakest story in the trilogy for me, but again the guest cast is just stellar. Warren Brown and Hugh Ross are terrific. 6/10 More to come when I have the time! There are a lot of good things in those releases and i especially love Lurkers and Demons.Lurkers could have been any time in the hex Timeline apart from Hex revealing the recent death of a friend...given that death in the family has such tragic story i always felt it should have been the end story not the middle one .But even the Brewster Trilogy is great and i did find myself reading also the scripts on my last listen which was even more fun.All good tales
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Post by elkawho on Nov 6, 2021 14:34:50 GMT
146) Heroes of Sontar: The first and best release in the next trilogy of unrelated stories for this Tardis Team. This one is able to walk that fine line of seeing the ridiculousness of Sontarans as well as the danger and menace that they can and should bring to a story. The idea of outcast Sontarans is a good one, and I really enjoy the way they are presented here. This was released before Dan Starkey becomes the go-to for Sontaran voices, and John Banks and the others do a terrific job of it. I think it's quite a worthwhile story. 7/10
147) Kiss of Death: I know I'm in the minority in really liking Turlough and the different feel he brings to the Tardis. I don't believe this is an altogether bad story, but it's uneventful and loses it's momentum somewhere along the way. By the middle of it I just didn't really care anymore. There are some good moments for Mark Strickson here, which is nice to see, but I think it ultimately fails to bring a full, complete story that you want to keep listening to. 4/10
148) Rat Trap: I do not like this story at all. I like rats more than I like this story. I find it an unbelievable mess. 2/10
149) Robophobia: Hello, Liv Chenka!!!! I've always liked this one. I first heard it before I ever watched Robots of Death and I fell in love with Kandor and the dependent relationship between it's people and it's artificial intelligence by listening to this story. It's even more interesting to listen to knowing Liv's future with The Doctor. I do like her with Seven, and kind of wish we had more of that relationship to see before she meets up with Eight in Dark Eyes, but I don't think it would work. She is very much the Liv we know, although not as life-weary and sarcastic. She has an easier time with relationships before she ends up a Dalek slave. But still willing to put herself on the line for what she knows is right. Nicola Walker is a gem in this, and it's easy to see why they brought Liv back in the first place. 10/10
150) Recorded Time and Other Stories: Not as good as the last anthology release, but still quite a fun listen. My favorite story in the set is Question Marks, with it's air of uncertainty throughout the story. But the rest are very enjoyable. 7/10
151) The Doomsday Quatrain: A solid but middle of the road release for me. There are some really good performances here, especially David Schofield as Nostradamus. And the story grows and gets bigger as it goes on, which is nice. But there's something about it that just misses the mark for me. So not a bad one at all, but not up there either. 6/10
152) House of Blue Fire: An excellent release. It's an unsettling audio puzzle, one that reveals itself slowly over the course of the four parts. Sylvester McCoy is at his best with these kind of stories, and I do like him very much in this one. I really felt bad for these people for a good chunk of this story. 8/10
153) The Silver Turk: And now we have Mary Shelley. I'm not as big a fan of hers as some others are, but she is definitely a different sort of companion for The Doctor. Especially knowing that these stories were supposed to be place for McGann and the creative team behind his stories to have some breathing room after To The Death. A great way to get a respite and go back to a happier Eighth Doctor for a bit. And this is my favorite of the Mary Shelley arc. It's a wonderful use of the Cybermen as well. 10/10
154) The Witch From The Well: Quite the historical tale we have, and it really makes me glad I didn't live back then. And it's a good Halloween tale as well, although I think this whole trilogy is. I like this one and it leaves Mary on her own in some really harrowing circumstances. And although she gets through it quite well, it's easy to see that she is not made for this life with the Doctor long term. 8/10
155) Army of Death: We have a tale from Mary's present, Mary's past and now the future. Not nearly as good as the other two, but it is worth a listen and has it's own merits. It's not a straight forward tale at all, and I do like the little twists. 7/10
156) The Curse of Davros: And welcome back Flip Jackson! The best things this story has going for it are Lisa Greenwood and Terry Malloy, although I don't believe Davros is used as well here as he is in other stories. But Flip is terrific. The story itself is just ok. The rest of this trilogy gets much better. 7/10 (only because of you know who...)
157) The Fourth Wall: Fabulous! Hysterical! Terrific! What other adjectives can I use of this story? I love every second of it, from the annoying screaming lady to the comedic gold that is the Porcians. And there's even a somewhat profound message in there somewhere. The only drawback to this one is that events unfold that take Lisa Greenwood out of it for a while. 10/10
158) Wirrn Isle: I'm a sucker for a Wirrn story. This isn't my favorite of the few that we have, but I still think it's a good one. Good people acting terribly and The Doctor trying to keep them all alive. The stuff that Doctor Who is made of. 7/10
159) The Emerald Tiger: Interesting that I listened to a story set in India during Diwali. It's quite a good story, with broad characters that don't annoy and some terrific cliffhangers. I have a soft spot for this one. 9/10
And I am now all caught up! I can't believe I've kept this going for so long. I thought I would certainly have given up by now. Will I finish this listen-thru by the end of the year? I doubt it, but Who Knows??
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Post by sherlock on Nov 6, 2021 16:59:09 GMT
15. The Mutant Phase
A fledgling step into more complicated temporal stuff, with a decent take on the Daleks. Not the best Dalek story, far from the worst.
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Post by sherlock on Nov 7, 2021 11:08:58 GMT
16. Storm Warning
A charismatic Eighth Doctor debuts confidently on audio, with Charley arriving with similar confidence. It’s just a well done story.
Complete sidenote, but my theory is that the specific bit of the British Secret Service which Rathbone works for is actually Torchwood.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2021 13:58:45 GMT
146) Heroes of Sontar: The first and best release in the next trilogy of unrelated stories for this Tardis Team. This one is able to walk that fine line of seeing the ridiculousness of Sontarans as well as the danger and menace that they can and should bring to a story. The idea of outcast Sontarans is a good one, and I really enjoy the way they are presented here. This was released before Dan Starkey becomes the go-to for Sontaran voices, and John Banks and the others do a terrific job of it. I think it's quite a worthwhile story. 7/10 One i only recently listened too because my dislike of comic Sontarans but treating them as outcasts or suffering from trauma and the shame they bring to Sontaran High command really brings this out as a very emotive listen in the end and definitely one i will revisit soon.
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Post by sherlock on Nov 7, 2021 15:10:31 GMT
17. Sword of Orion
The Cybermen debut in some style and the Doctor and Charley are already working together perfectly. It does take a while to get doing though, with a longer prologue at Garazone than I had remembered.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Nov 9, 2021 11:12:19 GMT
Time to get back into this with number 40 Jubilee, released on 4 February 2003. This is held in high regards but I thought it was a complete mess. Some interesting ideas but lost amongst too many other things that don't work or feel superfluous (why bother with mentioning the attitude towards contractions?) All the characters are unlikeable, the black humour & general tone fluctuates too much so I am not sure what this story is trying to be. & it takes a long time to say not that much. The satire here would have worked for me within a more relatable world but as such it all gets lost in a mire of badly written macabre scenes & unfunny skits - singing 'Daleks' may be funny once but 3 times? The character Miriam confused me, she was pretending to be a submissive wife who wanted to be hit (a very uncomfortable plot point) but towards the end she really wanted that? Or something? Oh well I won't be bothering to find out by listening again.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2021 12:36:27 GMT
Time to get back into this with number 40 Jubilee, released on 4 February 2003. This is held in high regards but I thought it was a complete mess. Some interesting ideas but lost amongst too many other things that don't work or feel superfluous (why bother with mentioning the attitude towards contractions?) All the characters are unlikeable, the black humour & general tone fluctuates too much so I am not sure what this story is trying to be. & it takes a long time to say not that much. The satire here would have worked for me within a more relatable world but as such it all gets lost in a mire of badly written macabre scenes & unfunny skits - singing 'Daleks' may be funny once but 3 times? The character Miriam confused me, she was pretending to be a submissive wife who wanted to be hit (a very uncomfortable plot point) but towards the end she really wanted that? Or something? Oh well I won't be bothering to find out by listening again. Not a favourite of mine to be honest or Kingmaker which everyone seems to love
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Nov 9, 2021 13:18:18 GMT
Nekromanteia, release number 41. Awful & like Jubilee it has some unsavoury elements not needed in Dr Who.
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Post by elkawho on Nov 10, 2021 2:58:59 GMT
Time to get back into this with number 40 Jubilee, released on 4 February 2003. This is held in high regards but I thought it was a complete mess. Some interesting ideas but lost amongst too many other things that don't work or feel superfluous (why bother with mentioning the attitude towards contractions?) All the characters are unlikeable, the black humour & general tone fluctuates too much so I am not sure what this story is trying to be. & it takes a long time to say not that much. The satire here would have worked for me within a more relatable world but as such it all gets lost in a mire of badly written macabre scenes & unfunny skits - singing 'Daleks' may be funny once but 3 times? The character Miriam confused me, she was pretending to be a submissive wife who wanted to be hit (a very uncomfortable plot point) but towards the end she really wanted that? Or something? Oh well I won't be bothering to find out by listening again. Not a favourite of mine to be honest or Kingmaker which everyone seems to love I love them both! Ah, variety!
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