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Post by bonehead on Dec 4, 2021 14:02:45 GMT
034. Doctor Who: Spare Parts.
Absolutely brilliant. Truly scary, tragic and darkly beautiful - Marc Platt at his best (although I do feel that Loups-Garoux still has the edge). Perhaps the revelation at the end is a little too much, but other than that, this has inspired many Cyber-stories to come, especially the emotion-heavy television ones. Russell Stone once again provides an incredible score, and Gareth Jenkins' sound design helps to sell the idea of this ghostly industrial environment. A stunning cast once more, including 60s legend Derren Nesbitt, and at last Sally Knyvette gets a Doctor Who role. Bursting with good ideas, this is a true classic.
035. Doctor Who: ...ish.
Hell's teeth, Auntie Vanessa, Big Finish are on a roll here. Phil Pascoe's one and only script is one of those wonderful examples of a story that could only really thrive on audio. Words, the lexicon, a literary BOSS-type character called 'Book'. A murder. Or not. The Sixth Doctor, such a fan of quotes and language, is perfect for this, and this for him. Peri continues to provide much able support and nearly has a romance of her own. Often baffling, always wonderful, this is the Gormeghast of audio Doctor Who for me in many ways. Mind expanding, experimental stuff from Big Finish.
036. Doctor Who: The Rapture.
Ace had a brother ... did you know? He's played by the fellow from Survival, David John. This is another quite experimental story, and one that doesn't quite come off - but it nearly does! Unforgiving fans gave this a hard time on release, and convinced the author to use his talents in the Dark Shadows range instead of Who for a while. It's good, but it's not great. There are some great moments, however, and Jude and Gabriel are a fine couple of pseudo-vilains. The attempt to tackle mental health is commendable but again, doesn't quite succeed. Terrific to hear Tony Blackburn in a Doctor Who audio, although his inclusion is typically weird. There's a terrific soundtrack - available on Bandcamp, by the way - from Jim Mortimore, including a new version of the theme which ... again, doesn't quite work, but it's great fun.
037. Doctor Who: The Sandman.
I love so much about this story. Another strange one, it features a fascinating race, beautifully voiced, called the Galyari. Anneke Wills and Ghost Light's Ian Hogg play two of these interestingly layered creatures, and once more the sound design and music is highly evocative. My gripe focusses on a controversial area - that of Colin Baker's acting choices. 'The Doctor gone bad' is always quite interesting, but for his performance to go so wildly over-the-top is unforgiveable and weakens that aspect of the story. So much about this is good - the ideas, the mental visuals, the unfolding oddness of the tale - and could have been improved immeasurably if only someone had just said, 'Could you just tone it down a notch, Mr. Baker?'
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Post by elkawho on Dec 4, 2021 15:43:08 GMT
160) The Jupiter Conjunction: This one is a good, basic Doctor Who story. Not bad at all, and would even be a very good story if anyone else produced it. It's got a solid script and cast, and I like quite a bit about it. Especially the ever trusting Nyssa being duped by someone she was trying to help. But it's also rather forgettable. I only listened to it a couple of weeks ago and had to read the synopsis to remind myself what happened. A good, listenable, middle of the road story. 5/10
161) The Butcher of Brisbane: I like this one more every time I listen to it. It's an interesting sequel (prequel?) to Weng-Chiang, as it shares almost nothing with the original. Not the same time, the same setting, the same characters (even the Doctor is a different man). The character of Magnus Greel is just starting his evil plot and seems to be at the mercy of an even more evil character than himself. There are some interesting ideas in this one. Not the best of this range, but a good, compelling story. 7/10
162) Protect and Survive: Terrifying, disturbing, and all around amazing. This is one of the (many) stand out stories during the Seven, Ace and Hex arc. A "Doctor lite" story, Sophie and Philip carry this one admirably. Their situation is probably one of the worst nightmares that anyone growing up during the Cold War could imagine. And to have to live it over and over again is unfathomable. Bonehead's reviews above mention Ian Hogg in The Sandman, and here he is again playing Albert. He's terrific in this one, as is Elizabeth Bennett as Peggy. Two folks who's characters evolve before your eyes. And although we should hate them, we end up just pitying them for the prison that they are in. One of my very favorite releases. 10/10
163) Black and White: This is a very ambitious script that mostly works, although I do think some of the Beowolf elements seem crammed in for the sake of the comparison rather than to serve the story (Ace as Grendel's mother?). This is Matt Fitton honing his skills and doing an adequate job, although his later work is much better. Garundel is a fun enough character. The whole thing does become somewhat confusing, but it's a good listen nontheless. 7/10
164) Gods and Monsters: An epic story, as is should be, with a stellar cast. The Doctor getting beaten at his own game, him and his companions as just pawns. It's a tragic and heroic "end" for Hex, and it's effect on me the first time I heard it was right up there with To The Death. I would have been happy to have this Tardis team for many years to come, but at least he goes out as a hero. (Which is why his subsequent story line was such a mistake.) Even more so that the previous story, the ambition of this one overshoots the final product somewhat, but I appreciate BF shooting for the stars rather than staying safe. 8/10
165) The Burning Prince: I'm a fan of this story, and of the trilogy. I like the idea of an ongoing storyline played out over three releases with three different Doctors. This one is action from almost the first scene until the end. There is so much going on here that if you lose focus for a minute you might miss something. 8/10
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Post by bonehead on Dec 9, 2021 16:02:44 GMT
038. Doctor Who: The Church and the Crown.
I always enjoy tales written by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright, and this is no exception. A rich and fruity historical story with performances to match, where the Doctor takes Erimem on her first journey in the TARDIS. She and Peri make a great team, and their sparring with the Fifth Doctor is alwayus full of affection - something his television stories didn't always contain. Here, they all get split up, get in varying desgrees of trouble and emerge, possibly better educated, having displayed both strengths and weaknesses. I was disappointed this team-up was so short lived, and never really understood Nick Briggs's aversion to filling the gap between television's 'Planet of Fire' and 'Caves of Androzani' with new adventures - it's no more far-fetched than any other gap in televisions stories.
039. Doctor Who: Bang-Bang-a-Boom!
The same writters from the previous year's 'Christmas treat' 'The One Doctor' get together again for a light-hearted epic, this time starring Graeme Garden, Sabina Franklin, Nicolas Grace and the delightful Patricia Quinn. It's a kind of pastiche of various events in popular culture, and despite Sylvester McCoy and Bonnie Langford's history in comedy, emerges as inconsequential, not very funny and overlong. The 'Christmas treat' wasn't repeated the following year. Angvia indeed.
040. Doctor Who: Jubilee.
Quite rightly, Rob Shearman's 'lone' Dalek concept has been used in various subsequent stories, both TV and audio, with varied effect, not least in his own television story. A terrific cast includes husband and wife Rosalind Ayres and Martin Jarvis as the Rochesters. The scenes between Elevlyn and the tortured, battered Dalek are excellent - the rest of the story pales in comparison, not least of which the reasonaing behind the villainous behaviour of the Rochesters. Oh, they're mad, you know. That's it. They're mad - and everything is supposed to make sense. I was less than impressed at the time of release, and revisiting this story leaves me the same way. I can't help but think that the superior Dalek elements have allowed this story to become somewhat over-rated over the years.
041. Doctor Who: Nekromanteia.
At the time of release, this author had recently written 'Ghosts of Mendez' for the Tomorrow People range, which I really enjoyed. Here, we have another fine cast - Glyn Owen, Ivor Danvers and Simon Williams - joining the Doctor, an oddly out of character Peri, and Erimem in a truly bizarre tale. Some of it works well. Despite the ever cackling witches, there's a real feeling of sinking into a nightmare world going on here (not least because of David Darlington's excellent sounds), and the villain gets a comeuppance nicked straight from 'Caves of Androzani'. Alongside that, however, things get very messy and there's a very - how can I put this? - misjudged scene between Erimem and Harlon. Actually, it isn't misjudged, it's unacceptable, considering Harlon emerges as a kind of hero at the end. What were BF thinking with this? Sadly, the bad seems to have swamped the good elements in this story, and understandably so.
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Post by bonehead on Dec 11, 2021 12:01:23 GMT
042. Doctor Who: The Dark Flame.
I'm not sure this story gets a lot of love, but I really enjoy it, especially considering how smug and unlikeable the previous 7th Doctor/Ace/Benny monthly range story was. They are a lot easier on the ear here. The story is good solid stuff, with due reverence given any time the dark flame is mentioned. Andrew Westfield desevres a mention for his fine performance, and Michael Praed also, for a performance that is ... hard to pin down. Is he extremely wooden, or is that the character he's playing? Benny and Ace make for a good team here, wise-cracking yes, but with moments of truth to balance it off.
043. Doctor Who and the Pirates.
"Doctor, you're not going to ... sing?" "Yes. Yes I am!" This is wonderful, silly, occasionally quite touching and magnificently different. A joy if you are in the mood for it. I love it when BF produces a tale that could only really work on audio, playing to their strengths. The performances are lovely, with possibly only Dalek operator and Bowie expert Nicholas Pegg going too over-the-top for my liking. Bill Oddie is great in this too, and as for Colin and Maggie - this might well have been written especially for them. This is a rare example of where the cast and crew having a ball translates into equal measures of listener enjoyment. A lush production, I imagine this might have been one of BF's more expensive endeavours. Absolutely worth it.
044. Doctor Who: Creatures of Beauty.
Truly, you never know what you're going to get from a Nick Briggs story. This, to me, is an absolute masterpiece. Like 'Embrace the Darkness', there is quite a traditional story at the heart of it, but the way in which it is told is wonderfully unique. To effectively end the narrative at three episodes, and then hit the listener with a number of revelations in part four is very satisfying. You really don't know where this is going until you get there. The slower, conversational scenes headed by the terrific David Daker are highly unsettling, as are the moments of brutality and violence. This is something I can't recommend highly enough.
045. Doctor Who: Project Lazarus.
Horrific, bloodthirsty, brutal and heart-breaking, this is another beauty from Cavan Scott and Mark Wright. Is it too dark? Well, it wouldn't get made for television, especially today. I love it. It's uncompromisingly horrific nature, the idea of the Forge, returning characters like Nimrod and Cassie - are all compelling. Gareth Jenkins' sound design extends the unsettling nature of this, and Colin Baker in particular, gets into the nastiness of it all (I say that as a compliment). A reminder the the Doctor Who universe can be a bleak and truly terrifying place, this brings to an end a run of four very strong stories.
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Post by elkawho on Dec 11, 2021 17:29:34 GMT
bonehead I completely agree with you regarding both Pirates and Creatures of Beauty. Two masterpieces of audio storytelling. 166) The Acheron Pulse: Not quite as good as the previous story, but a worthy part two to this saga. Colin does a great job trying to clean up the mess his previous self had left. An excellent cast, but as good as James Wilby is I have a hard time thinking that his deep, amazingly rich voice is that of Kylo. To the point that it often takes me out of the story. It's a strange criticism, since Wilby's voice is just beautiful, but he just doesn't work for me in this particular story. His performance, however is excellent, so this is probably just a quirk of me as a listener. Still, a good part 2 of this 3-parter. 7/10 167) The Shadow Heart: The weakest of the three parts for me. I seriously dislike Vienna Salvatore in this one. The only reason that I ever even listened to another story with her is that BF made her first one free. I honestly find nothing to care about in this story and could do without it as part of the trilogy. 3/10 168) 1001 Nights: I like this one. An interesting and different framing device for this anthology release. I love Alexander Siddig, and any release with him in it is a winner in my book. ( I still wish we had more of his Rosto in the EDAs. He was a fantastic character) The best thing about these anthologies is that BF try to find something different to do with them every time, which is great for the listener. 7/10 169) The Wrong Doctors: I find the pairing of Mel and Six on TV one of the worst pairings in the history of the show. Two loud, brash characters thrown together for no apparent reason from what we see on screen. This story goes a long way toward softening that pairing, and allowing TV Mel to have some background and motivation. Mel is one of those characters that has been helped tremendously by her inclusion in Big Finish stories. She will never be a favorite companion of mine, but certainly shines brighter for her time on audio. This is quite the "timey-whimey" story, and can be confusing if you're not paying attention. Colin does a good job of differentiating the pre-Evelyn Doctor from the post-Evelyn one, and it highlights just how much of an influence she had on him. Evelyn may be gone, but her presence is certainly felt in this one. 7/10 170) Spaceport Fear: Another good, solid base under siege Doctor Who story. Nothing earth shattering, nothing masterful, but a good listen even if it's somewhat forgettable. 6/10 171) Seeds of War: I don't hate the Eminence and actually like this story. It has it's problems, and I believe it was a mistake releasing this one before the Eminence was properly introduced in the Fourth Doctor Adventures. The problem is that the idea of the Eminence is better and grander than any of the stories it is in, including this one. Colin once again does a terrific job with the material he is given, but I do feel it would have been better with another re-write. 6/10 172) Eldrad Must Die!: Just horrible. Horrible writing, and the actors seem to know it. They just sound bored. Not offensive like Nekromantia or Minuet in Hell, just bad. Avoid it. 2/10
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Post by Kestrel on Dec 12, 2021 4:28:22 GMT
bonehead I completely agree with you regarding both Pirates and Creatures of Beauty. Two masterpieces of audio storytelling. .... 178) The Wrong Doctors: I find the pairing of Mel and Six on TV one of the worst pairings in the history of the show. Two loud, brash characters thrown together for no apparent reason from what we see on screen. This story goes a long way toward softening that pairing, and allowing TV Mel to have some background and motivation. Mel is one of those characters that has been helped tremendously by her inclusion in Big Finish stories. She will never be a favorite companion of mine, but certainly shines brighter for her time on audio. This is quite the "timey-whimey" story, and can be confusing if you're not paying attention. Colin does a good job of differentiating the pre-Evelyn Doctor from the post-Evelyn one, and it highlights just how much of an influence she had on him. Evelyn may be gone, but her presence is certainly felt in this one. 7/10 .... 181) Eldrad Must Die!: Just horrible. Horrible writing, and the actors seem to know it. They just sound bored. Not offensive like Nekromantia or Minuet in Hell, just bad. Avoid it. 2/10 Gotta echo the sentiments here on Doctor Who and the Pirates and Creatures of Beauty. Two absolutely phenomenal stories. I'm actually making a special effort to memorize the matter's title--because, frankly, it's not very unique or memorable--so that I will always have it on-hand when it's time to dole out recommendations. I'm not super confident saying this (as my memory suuuucks) but I think it's also my top 5th Doctor story. Re: Mel, what would you say the best stories are that improve her character? When I've heard her on audio, I don't think I've had strong opinions one way or the other... but when I finally got around to watching that era of the show (just a few weeks ago) I couldn't stand her. Re: Eldrad, yeesh, that bad, eh? That's a shame. Eldrad had a lot of potential in the original story that wound up being squandered, so I'd had hopes the audio sequel would improve on that. Does Eldrad Must Die do anything at all (even just reference) their regeneration process? I'm throwing a thing together that references the TV episode w/r/t regeneration and have wondered whether or not I should also give the audio a listen, too, for further reference.
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Post by elkawho on Dec 12, 2021 14:40:51 GMT
bonehead I completely agree with you regarding both Pirates and Creatures of Beauty. Two masterpieces of audio storytelling. .... 178) The Wrong Doctors: I find the pairing of Mel and Six on TV one of the worst pairings in the history of the show. Two loud, brash characters thrown together for no apparent reason from what we see on screen. This story goes a long way toward softening that pairing, and allowing TV Mel to have some background and motivation. Mel is one of those characters that has been helped tremendously by her inclusion in Big Finish stories. She will never be a favorite companion of mine, but certainly shines brighter for her time on audio. This is quite the "timey-whimey" story, and can be confusing if you're not paying attention. Colin does a good job of differentiating the pre-Evelyn Doctor from the post-Evelyn one, and it highlights just how much of an influence she had on him. Evelyn may be gone, but her presence is certainly felt in this one. 7/10 .... 181) Eldrad Must Die!: Just horrible. Horrible writing, and the actors seem to know it. They just sound bored. Not offensive like Nekromantia or Minuet in Hell, just bad. Avoid it. 2/10 Gotta echo the sentiments here on Doctor Who and the Pirates and Creatures of Beauty. Two absolutely phenomenal stories. I'm actually making a special effort to memorize the matter's title--because, frankly, it's not very unique or memorable--so that I will always have it on-hand when it's time to dole out recommendations. I'm not super confident saying this (as my memory suuuucks) but I think it's also my top 5th Doctor story. Re: Mel, what would you say the best stories are that improve her character? When I've heard her on audio, I don't think I've had strong opinions one way or the other... but when I finally got around to watching that era of the show (just a few weeks ago) I couldn't stand her. Re: Eldrad, yeesh, that bad, eh? That's a shame. Eldrad had a lot of potential in the original story that wound up being squandered, so I'd had hopes the audio sequel would improve on that. Does Eldrad Must Die do anything at all (even just reference) their regeneration process? I'm throwing a thing together that references the TV episode w/r/t regeneration and have wondered whether or not I should also give the audio a listen, too, for further reference. Hmm. Ok, here are some of the best Mel stories, IMO. With Six: The One Doctor, Catch-1792, The Wrong Doctors, Thicker Than Water, The Juggernauts With Seven: Fires of Vulcan, Red, We Are The Daleks, The Warehouse, Red Planets, The Quantum Possibility Engine. As you can see, it's a limited list. I'm not the biggest fan of the character. In terms of Eldrad and regeneration, it's talked about quite a bit. When he is shattered each bit of him can regenerate another body and he can go on. That's the premise of the story, kind of. If that is your focus, you may find something to interest you in the story, so don't take my word for it.
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Post by cr1980 on Dec 12, 2021 22:28:45 GMT
The Burning Prince trilogy left me annoyed about the way the various doctors were used. The Fifth Doctor ineffectually bumbles around in someone else's story, the Sixth arrogantly sets up a catastrophe and the Seventh saves everything with a smartarse secret timey-wimey plan.
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Post by bonehead on Dec 15, 2021 19:30:42 GMT
046. Doctor Who: Flip Flop.
Now then. As a story with no real beginning and no real end, this is very interesting. Intriguingly experimental or a gimmick? That's upto the individual. I like this collation of scenes and imagery, and Sylv and Bonnie are on fine form, as is the rest of the cast - particularly Dan Hogarth, whose Slithergee voices are suitably unctious. Regarding the threat in this story, that of the terribly humble blind creatures meekly suggesting that customs and traditions be changed in their favour en masse, is very much new ground for Doctor Who. Any similarities to real world occurances or perceptions is something I do not let spoil my enjoyment of this strange and atmospheric tale - which makes me quite lucky, I suppose.
047. Doctor Who: Omega.
Beginning a trilogy of classic villains stories - or a quadrology if you include Zagreus - here is Nev Fountain's opener, which contains an absolutely magnificent cliffhanger twist that I won't give away. Also, we have in the cast Hammer Horror legend and icon Caroline Munro, who tells a very naughty joke. Sadly, I find the story pretty puerile apart from all that, and wish Ian Collier's superbly fruity Omega had something more enjoyable to get his teeth into.
048. Doctor Who: Davros.
One of the blessings/curses about this commemorative listen-through is the compuction to be honest (although I appreciate no-one's holding a knife to my throat) - otherwise, what's the point? Terry Molloy is excellent here, never more so than in the opening; Bernard Horsfall and Wendy Padbury are very welcome names from the classic days. Colin and Terry have a great rapport, which comes across in this story nicely; but I just can't take Davros seriously when he's so dismissive - to the point of not even mentioning them - of the Daleks. His creations. His children. Take him away from them and he's reduced to being just another villain, albeit an insanely intelligent one. I find the dialogue a little clunky in places and the story as a whole less than satisfying, and yet I read how much people enjoy this as a fascinating character study. It just leaves me a little cold, I'm truly sorry to say.
23 years ago (how long??) I remember reading the hugely acclaimed 'The Infinity Doctors' BBC novel by the same author and feeling similarly underwhelmed. I think Lance's writing is not really for me, but it's great that so many enjoy it.
As I say, I have to be honest.
049. Doctor Who: Master.
This is my favourite of the trilogy. Again, we have a great cast including Philip Madic, Geoffrey Beeevers, Caharlie Hayes and Anne Ridler, and the story is very strong. Lots of great stuff for Sylv and Geoffrey to get stuck into, and the overall effect is one of a drawing room drama cum nightmare. I should once again mention David Darlington's music and sound design which really lends a further unsettling ambience for the proceedings.
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Post by sherlock on Dec 15, 2021 19:38:25 GMT
26. Primeval
I quite enjoyed that. A story of a malevolent evil versus a perfect good where both are actually shades of grey.
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Post by bonehead on Dec 17, 2021 17:01:13 GMT
050. Doctor Who: Zagreus.
The 40th anniversary release is either a splendidly accentric celebratory romp featuring four Doctors and a host of companions - or a load of old overblown cobblers. Now, two things I have issues with when criticising Doctor Who - those who dismiss stories they don't like either as 'filler', or 'not Doctor Who'. I don't like that criticism - every story has worth and is more than just 'filler'; Doctor Who is infinite, so how can anything 'not' be Doctor Who? Ready? Zagreus is filler and it's not Doctor Who. It's Alice in Wonderland, a delirious journey for Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor and a chance for Mssrs. Davison, Baker and McCoy to play characters other than the Doctor.
It's a huge undertaking -three CDs full. Sad then, that only the final CD actually contains any story, and even that seems purely to move events from 'Neverland' to 'Scherzo', without adding much else of worth.
It worries me that this commemorative listen is producing some mean-spirited 'reviews' from me, but this really is as uninvolving a it gets. McCoy's Winkle (yes, I said that) is moderately amusing and sleazy, but really, that's about it. Oh, Don Warrington, however, is sublime and has one of the greatest voices in the Universe.
051. Doctor Who: The Wormery.
I remember this being released under the shadow of 'Zagreus', at the same time. As is often the way with these things, this smaller story emerges as something of a gem. Iris Widthyme meets Old Sixie, still slightly morose after recent events. The spirit of 1920s vaudeville is evoked with this collaboration between Paul Magrs and Stephen Cole, and the wonderful performances and sound design are suitably eccentric. There's also a very nice cameo at the end. Strange, left-field and pretty camp in places (well, it would be, wouldn't it?). A true celebratory release.
052. Doctor Who: Scherzo.
This first real venture into the Divergent Universe (that name rings a bell) is written by acclaimed Robert Shearman, only stars India Fisher and Paul McGann, and features no incidental score. As a result of recent afflictions, the Eighth Doctor is cool and stand-off-ish with poor Charley - but despite the Zagreus build-up, that's about as far as his transformation goes. Apart from the deep conversations that ultimately come to nothing, and a definite Jan Švankmajer vibe, this is a very minor release and one I found impossible to warm to - maybe that's the point. Possibly it was designed as a prelude to what comes next - a brave decision, but not a very sucessful one. No time, no TARDIS and dictinctly lukewarm Doctor ...
053. Doctor Who: The Creed of the Kromon.
Blimey, but this has got some stick over the years. Philip Martin, responsible for two pretty controversial television stories, frequents the first exploration of the Interzone with characters like Kro'ka, The Oroog, The Kromon and C'Rizz. We don't really get to know C'Rizz, other than he's a troubled soul, whose skin turns different colours (oddly ineffectual in audio stories, and another curious decision) - but that's okay, because he's apparently the new companion. Sadly, he's the least interesting of the lot. I'd have preferred The Oroog to have accompanied the Doctor and Charley but that might not have been practical. I also really like Kro'ka, especially since we never get a description of what he looks like and have to rely on strange sound effects to form a picture. The Kromon themselves are an entertaining bunch, voiced once again by the excellent Daniel Hogarth.
The story meanders and is overlong, but I really like it. It has the nightmarish fairytale quality that Zagreus appeared to have strived for but never reached.
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Post by sherlock on Dec 21, 2021 13:02:55 GMT
27. The One Doctor
That was a lot of fun.
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Post by bonehead on Dec 23, 2021 14:47:49 GMT
054. Doctor Who: The Natural History of Fear.
It surprises me that Jim Mortimore has only written one story for Big Finish, and this was very well received at the time. For me, it continues the very choppy series set in the Divergent Universe. In short, I think the twist/revelation is unique and terrific, but the rest of the story is less than captivating, especially in retrospect. Equally, while The Eighth Doctor's possession by Zagreus seems to have come to nothing except to rid his relationship with Charley of any charm, we only met C'Rizz in the last adventure and know nothing about him. Rather than finding out more about his character, this story, by its very nature, works against that. This is just a case, to me, of a certain type of story at the wrong time.
055. Doctor Who: The Twilight Kingdom.
This is on the other end of the scale to the previous story. Whereas the revelation has been done before on Doctor Who and is far from unique, the rest of the story is much more satisfying. It might never be on my favourites list, but we have a more linear sense of what is going on, and some well fleshed out character - here played by Alan Rothwell and Michael Keating among others. A gentle tale, if any Doctor Who can be described thus, it ends a very mixed series of Eighth Doctor stories in a fairly entertaining manner.
056. Doctor Who: The Axis of Insanity.
Here's another one-off writer, comics scribe Simon Furman. Here, we meet the character of The Jester, a Batman-type of villain I'm surprised hasn't returned in one form or another. Played nicely by Garrick Hogan, this mischevious imp might these days be revealed to be an incarnation of the Meddling Monk or somesuch, but here is a refreshingly original character in his own right. Children's legend Roy North features in an odd cameo as The Overseer. I like this story, and am surprised I haven't returned to it more often. Kudos to Big Finish for constantly seeking out new writers during this time.
057. Doctor Who: Arrangements For War.
Despite the title, this - like The Twilight Kingdom - is a kind of gentle story. Unsurprising really, as it features Evelyn quite heavily, and affairs of the heart are broached - with Gabriel Woolf no less! I find the story quite thin if I'm honest, but there's nothing wrong with slowing the pace occasionally. It strikes me that Big Finish were much more open to experimentation during these times than they are now, and I miss the constant 'newness' of their stories. Not every story is a zinger, but at least much effort was put into making it original in some way. It's telling that this story is the most traditionally-style offering for some considerable time, and even this is far from run-of-the-mill.
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Post by sherlock on Dec 23, 2021 20:05:20 GMT
28. Invaders From Mars
A really fun time, with plenty of twists and turns.
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Post by grinch on Dec 23, 2021 21:22:27 GMT
054. Doctor Who: The Natural History of Fear.
It surprises me that Jim Mortimore has only written one story for Big Finish, and this was very well received at the time. For me, it continues the very choppy series set in the Divergent Universe. In short, I think the twist/revelation is unique and terrific, but the rest of the story is less than captivating, especially in retrospect. Equally, while The Eighth Doctor's possession by Zagreus seems to have come to nothing except to rid his relationship with Charley of any charm, we only met C'Rizz in the last adventure and know nothing about him. Rather than finding out more about his character, this story, by its very nature, works against that. This is just a case, to me, of a certain type of story at the wrong time.
055. Doctor Who: The Twilight Kingdom.
This is on the other end of the scale to the previous story. Whereas the revelation has been done before on Doctor Who and is far from unique, the rest of the story is much more satisfying. It might never be on my favourites list, but we have a more linear sense of what is going on, and some well fleshed out character - here played by Alan Rothwell and Michael Keating among others. A gentle tale, if any Doctor Who can be described thus, it ends a very mixed series of Eighth Doctor stories in a fairly entertaining manner.
056. Doctor Who: The Axis of Insanity.
Here's another one-off writer, comics scribe Simon Furman. Here, we meet the character of The Jester, a Batman-type of villain I'm surprised hasn't returned in one form or another. Played nicely by Garrick Hogan, this mischevious imp might these days be revealed to be an incarnation of the Meddling Monk or somesuch, but here is a refreshingly original character in his own right. Children's legend Roy North features in an odd cameo as The Overseer. I like this story, and am surprised I haven't returned to it more often. Kudos to Big Finish for constantly seeking out new writers during this time.
057. Doctor Who: Arrangements For War.
Despite the title, this - like The Twilight Kingdom - is a kind of gentle story. Unsurprising really, as it features Evelyn quite heavily, and affairs of the heart are broached - with Gabriel Woolf no less! I find the story quite thin if I'm honest, but there's nothing wrong with slowing the pace occasionally. It strikes me that Big Finish were much more open to experimentation during these times than they are now, and I miss the constant 'newness' of their stories. Not every story is a zinger, but at least much effort was put into making it original in some way. It's telling that this story is the most traditionally-style offering for some considerable time, and even this is far from run-of-the-mill. Mortimore also wrote a story for the sadly defunct Tomorrow People range as well. Equally as experimental and out there from what I can recall although it’s unfortunately (as to be expected) quite hard to get ahold of these days.
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Post by bonehead on Dec 23, 2021 23:15:49 GMT
Mortimore also wrote a story for the sadly defunct Tomorrow People range as well. Equally as experimental and out there from what I can recall although it’s unfortunately (as to be expected) quite hard to get ahold of these days. 'A Plague of Dreams,' of course! Thank you - I actually have this and haven't listened to it for ages. I think it's about time he wrote something else for Big Finish!
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Post by elkawho on Dec 24, 2021 15:10:38 GMT
173) The Lady of Mercia: A must listen for any Tegan fan, and it's a fantastic story for her. Janet Fielding shows her ability to carry a story in her own right. She and Rachel Atkins (Queen Ethelfrid) have great chemistry. The rest of the cast are solid, but pretty much in the background supporting these two ladies, including The Doctor. And that's not a bad thing in this case. 8/10
174) Prisoners of Fate: Finally dealing with Nyssa's past and her family. It took long enough. The biggest issue I have with the older Nyssa stories is that they tend to forget that she's older Nyssa and her decades of history and experience. This is a good story and it doesn't end happily for anyone. It's not exactly sad, but I do feel bad for Nyssa and her family. That girl can't catch a break. 7/10
175) Persuasion: Better than I had remembered it. It seems that the initial spark of chemistry between The Doctor and Klein is something that is almost impossible to recreate. That being said I find this a very entertaining story with enough questions to keep you listening. The cast is excellent as well. The worst thing here is Will Arrowsmith. One of the few duds that BF have created. His presence in this and the subsequent stories really drag them down. This is not a slight against Christian Edwards. I don't know if anyone could make Will worth listening to. 6/10
176) Starlight Robbery: This is my favorite of the trilogy, which is surprising because I'm not a big fan of Garundel. But an auctioneer of weapons of mass destruction seems like a good place for him. Will is not quite as annoying in this one, so maybe that's why. But it's a good, fun heist story that also forwards the Klein story. 7/10
177) Daleks Among Us: I think it was a mistake to make the end of this trilogy a Dalek story. There should have been enough going on between The Doctor and Klein that last thing we needed were Daleks. They muddy the water here quite a bit. So while Terry Malloy is fantastic as usual and some interesting things happen, I just don't really like the way this trilogy ended up. The stories as an ongoing arc don't do justice to Klein. Instead of making her that much more interesting, it actually brings the character down in my estimation. 4/10
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Post by sherlock on Dec 25, 2021 0:17:13 GMT
29. The Chimes of Midnight
Is there anything I can say about this that hasn’t been said already? It’s a masterpiece.
And yes I did deliberately slow down working through MRs this month to hit this on Christmas Eve.
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Post by bonehead on Dec 29, 2021 11:11:45 GMT
058. Doctor Who: The Harvest.
Dan Abnett, who has written so many good things for 2000ad (my favourite being the excellent 'Grey Area') delivers what could be a soft reboot of the Seventh Doctor. Still with Ace, we're introduced to him through the eyes of Hex as a rather distant figure far removed from his original introducition in 'Time and the Rani'. Some very different Cybermen are here also, as is Subject One, played by the wonderfully-voiced William Boyde. This is an excellent story that breathes new life into the Seventh Doctor. Not that he needed it really, but he had been travelling with Ace for a very long time by this stage and Hex's wide-eyed freshness is a great addition.
059. Doctor Who: The Roof of the World.
Well, it has a first rate cast - Big Finish often manage to attract some great names - including William Franklyn (Shhh!) and Edward De Souza. The story, alas, is a bit of muddle, or at least I found it so. Not enough of interest is going on to justify making the effort to understand the meandering nature. There are good moments, though, and the setting is very good. I did expect a Yeti to come ambling out of the mist at one point.
060. Doctor Who: Medicinal Purposes.
I think it was about this time that the story lengths seemed to slide out of control a little. Having said that, I'm a believer in letting the tale tell itself without time constraint if need be - but there are a few moments here that could have been trimmed. That said, I'm a fan of 'the Robert Ross trilogy', despite the Doctor's strange admiration for less than savoury elements featured here. Very curious. It's good, meaty stuff, this dark tale, rich in atmosphere and grisly cadavers etc. Whilst it is great to hear David Tennant in his Big Finish debut as 'Daft' Jamie, the star of the show here is Leslie Philips as Doctor Knox. Not since Nabil Shaban was given Sil to play has there been such brilliant casting, and Knox has a real story to tell here. A huge amount of fun.
061. Doctor Who: Faith Stealer.
Speaking of fun, Graham Duff's solo Big Finish story has loads of it - and this is easily the best Divegrent Universe story so far. Parodying the concept of religion - not God, which is very important to me - this features the Eighth Doctor, Charley and C'Rizz at their most playful and likeable for some considerable time. There are many fine set-pieces here, a lovely cast who really 'get' the material (Whoops be praised!). This isn't a comedy, but is certainly an antidote to the rather po-faced nature of the Divergent Universe arc thus far. Just as 'The Harvest' was a welcome and entertaining shot in the arm for the Seventh Doctor, this does that same thing for the DU. A real gem.
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Post by elkawho on Dec 31, 2021 2:21:09 GMT
178) 1963: Fanfare for the Common Men: What a great way to start the 50th Anniversary celebration in the MR. A fun story, and a nice tribute to The Beatles. Taking that short scene of Susan listening to her radio and expanding it into this timey whimey adventure was just brilliant. So many stories just don't know what to do with Nyssa, but Eddie Robson does great things with her. Bringing her back in time to Hamburg was a great move. The cast seems to having a truly great time making this one. I think i enjoy it more every time I hear it. 8/10
179) 1963: The Space Race: I find this story the weakest of the 50th Anniversary trilogy stories. I have a really hard time with the human killing, talking animals. I just can't get past it. There are some good things in this. Nicola Bryant gives a good performance, which is nice because I find her very inconsistent with her stories. But there isn't anywhere near enough good to outweigh the bad, IMO. 4/10
180) 1963: The Assassination Games: They saved the best for last. Seven, Ace and Counter-Measures. It's an fabulous story filled with intrigue. A great intro for our Counter-Measure team, and again, the cast sounds like it's having fun. I do like the BTS of this one, too. A really great Seventh Doctor story. 9/10
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