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Post by elkawho on Jun 26, 2021 13:41:02 GMT
Minuet in Hell, the nineteenth story in Big Finish's monthly range released on 23 April 2001. So many things wrong with this one I can't be bothered waste time going into it. Awful. Awful is a bit harsh, although Minuet in Hell certainly was a bit of a mess in places. Minuet in Hell had potential but apart from being a reason to have the Brigadier meet the Eighth Doctor there's just way too much thrown in to this story. I don't find that harsh at all. It's a fair descriptor. One of the worst things they every did. Definitely awful.
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Post by elkawho on Jun 26, 2021 13:57:28 GMT
64) The Next Life: A better story than I remembered it being. It's too long and could have been edited down, however there are some good performances here. The villain is quite good, and it does it's best to tie the DU together. Whether it succeeds is questionable, but I still think it's fairly enjoyable. It's nice to hear Daphne Ashbrook in this (Grace? There's no Grace here!), and the rest of the guest cast is excellent. 7/10
65) The Juggernauts: Probably the first time Mel is used to her full potential. No screaming, no carrot juice. And Terry Malloy is a joy in this story, as always. A good, solid story. 7/10
66) The Game: I've loved this one since first listen, and I come back to it fairly often. This is a story that sneaks up on you. It doesn't get a lot of lip service on line, and you never see it on lists of favorites. An under the radar story. But it's so very good. An interesting premise where the Doctor is in real danger throughout most of the story. He has to deal with a society whose norms and values are so very different than ours/his. And Bill Russell in a very different role than we are used to hearing. I wish we had heard more of Lord Carlisle since this one was released in 2005 since I loved his performance. It's not a universe ending story, and that is part of the charm. 8/10
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jun 26, 2021 20:50:15 GMT
Good timing.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jun 28, 2021 15:16:50 GMT
Back to the 7th doc (gulp) & the BF monthly range turns 21 with Dust Breeding (released on 18 June 2001). An interesting if not great story, good to hear Mr Beevers for the first time on BF.
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Post by elkawho on Jun 28, 2021 18:06:35 GMT
67) Dreamtime: Not as bad as I remembered, just fairly dull. Hex is still such a newbie, and he gives us a few more "Oh my Gods", but it didn't hold my attention well. 4/10
68) Catch-1782: Another good one stays under the radar. I really like it. It's portrayal of women's place is society of the time seems pretty dismal, and fairly accurate. While Mel isn't the screamer here that she is on tv, she doesn't really get to show much of her intellect in this one. Although it's nice to get some family background for her. 7/10
69) Three's A Crowd: I actually like this one. I feel like it's a guilty pleasure, because it doesn't seem as if I should like this one very much. There's some rough stuff in here, especially the whiney guest cast. And the head of the colony should get more of what's coming to her by the end. But I think it's a silly, fun listen. 6/10
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jul 1, 2021 8:52:53 GMT
Sixie & Evelyn time again with the enjoyable Bloodtide (number 22) released on 23 July 2001. Silurians being Silurians again but an interesting setting with great performances.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jul 1, 2021 14:39:57 GMT
Now this was very good. {Spoiler} Vampires are an overused villain in fiction but they work really well here A dark brooding & bloody tale with 6 & Evelyn. Oh, I'm talking about Project: Twilight the 23rd BF monthly range title that was released on August the twentieth in the year two thousand and one.
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Post by mark687 on Jul 2, 2021 12:03:01 GMT
Regards
mark687
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jul 2, 2021 14:20:43 GMT
6 days after that terrible day when the twin towers fell the 24th Doctor Who Monthly adventure was released starring Peri & the 5th Doctor, The Eye of the Scorpion. This was really good, the 5th doctor being 'off-screen' early on gives Peri a lot to do. The Egyptian setting is really good, with a little element of sci-fi, & Erimem is a great character {Spoiler} I was unaware that she would become a companion so looking forward to hearing her again. This really feels authentic to the specific era of Who. Overall one of the most enjoyable stories from the early years for me.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2021 16:45:54 GMT
This really feels authentic to the specific era of Who. Overall one of the most enjoyable stories from the early years for me. The Eye of the Scorpion is up there as one of the classic Big Finish MR stories for me. I think it still holds up after all these years and it's still a favourite of mine.
IIRC there was a bit of a discussion re the 'gap' between Planet of Fire and The Caves of Androzani back in 2001. But I loved the introduction of Erimem. It was a great idea to throw another person in to the mix at a time when Peri was still the newcomer, and it ended up working out very well.
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Post by elkawho on Jul 2, 2021 18:49:51 GMT
6 days after that terrible day when the twin towers fell the 24th Doctor Who Monthly adventure was released starring Peri & the 5th Doctor, The Eye of the Scorpion. This was really good, the 5th doctor being 'off-screen' early on gives Peri a lot to do. The Egyptian setting is really good, with a little element of sci-fi, & Erimem is a great character {Spoiler} I was unaware that she would become a companion so looking forward to hearing her again. This really feels authentic to the specific era of Who. Overall one of the most enjoyable stories from the early years for me. When you place it in history like that.....wow. I had a 7 month old baby and had yet to watch a single episode of Doctor Who.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jul 5, 2021 15:41:41 GMT
22 October 2001 & we have Nazis, in the 25th release Colditz. An enjoyable timey wimey story yes but it has some issues, the accents are a bit Allo Allo & the sound design is poor, & of course I still can't get on with McCoy, especially here where he tries to be serious & indignant, it doesn't work for me.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jul 7, 2021 12:10:10 GMT
Return to Traken in number 26, Primeval released 23 November 2001. An interesting one, Traken & its people are well-realised & an impressive villain. Although not sure how enjoyable this would be to those that hadn't watched Keeper of Traken & some of the 5th doctor stuff as we get a lot of backstory & worldbuilding that may be lost on them. I would have preferred the score to be a bit more like Roger Limb's work on Keeper but that's a minor niggle.
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Post by iainmclaughlin on Jul 7, 2021 20:59:47 GMT
This really feels authentic to the specific era of Who. Overall one of the most enjoyable stories from the early years for me. The Eye of the Scorpion is up there as one of the classic Big Finish MR stories for me. I think it still holds up after all these years and it's still a favourite of mine.
IIRC there was a bit of a discussion re the 'gap' between Planet of Fire and The Caves of Androzani back in 2001. But I loved the introduction of Erimem. It was a great idea to throw another person in to the mix at a time when Peri was still the newcomer, and it ended up working out very well.
Thanks for the nice words about Scorpy. I'm glad you liked it. I still have a great fondness for it, even though I haven't listened to it for... must be 9 or 10 years. Last time was when I was painting the living room, and it's been done a time or two since then. Going to guess 2010 or 2011. I don't like listening or reading my own work. There's always something I want to change. Thank you for the kind words.
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ljwilson
Chancellery Guard
It's tangerine....not orange
Likes: 5,062
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Post by ljwilson on Jul 8, 2021 12:11:36 GMT
About time The Eye of the Scorpion got a relisten!
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jul 8, 2021 15:38:32 GMT
Its Christmas 2001, well more precisely 17 December 2001 the day that this funny panto style comedy adventure was released, The One Doctor (number 27). Very similar humour to Douglas Adams with all involved playing it to perfection. The first comedy Doctor Who release from BF & silly in all the right ways.
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jul 9, 2021 14:57:35 GMT
Happy new year! It's 2002! What delights will the BF monthly range bring us this year? Well it starts well with the 28th adventure released on the 28th of January, Invaders from Mars. 8 & Charlie on a fun, entertaining yarn merging the Orson Welles War of the World's radio broadcast & detective fiction/noir with real aliens in 1938. As with a lot of BF releases the american accents are a little bit hokey at times but here it appears intentional & has a certain charm as its part of the overall tone, imitating the RKO films & pulp radio serials of the 30s complemented by some snappy dialogue. A really enjoyable listen. & we all know what's coming next...
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Post by sherlock on Jul 12, 2021 21:33:21 GMT
11. The Apocalypse Element
Big Finish’s first big epic really. Daleks, stasers, explosions, vast cosmic disaster. It’s an accidental prototype for the Time War, but arguably still much more effective than most of those stories. The Daleks are ruthless to an extent they never are in the Time War range and Romana’s imprisonment is much more devastatingly portrayed than most. The only real problem here is the supporting characters aren’t much aside from Vansell and Evelyn’s positive attitude is completely at odds with the tone of the story.
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Post by cjr on Jul 13, 2021 6:32:18 GMT
Okay, I think it’s time to give this a go. There are some stories that I’ve only heard once (I’m looking at you Industrial Evolution!) and some I’ve not wanted to hear more than once (#41, I still shake my head). Back on Outpost Gallifrey, there was an excellent running review of the Classic Series - “Day By Day” by a Mr. J. Dorney. I loved reading it for a different perspective to anything else that was then available. I can’t promise that level of entertainment, but I’m going to try and do my best. Wish me luck 🍀
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Post by johnhurtdoctor on Jul 13, 2021 16:04:46 GMT
Christmas Eve, 8 & Charlie have a spooky festive murder mystery adventure in The Chimes of Midnight (although this the 29th in the BF monthly range was released on 25 February 2002). Well this is highly regarded & rightly so, brilliant performances & sound design with a strange riff on the Agatha Christie style thriller, an unsettling atmosphere with elements that would not feel out of place in Sapphire & Steel. 10 out of 10 & a delight to listen to again after quite a while.
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