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Post by Kestrel on Dec 8, 2022 1:05:25 GMT
Ahahaha, yeah, I'm not expecting much, I just thought it'd be interesting. Especially Goes Forth w/r/t the various terms they use to refer to the German army. I don't remember what all they were off the top of my head, but I recall them being... colorful.
Was there... was there a Victorian Blackadder series? It seems like there must've been one, obviously, but for the life of me I can only remember the Medieval series, the Elizabethan one, WWI, and a special from the 70s.
I... I think I just really need to rewatch all of it.
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Post by mark687 on Dec 8, 2022 9:08:50 GMT
Ahahaha, yeah, I'm not expecting much, I just thought it'd be interesting. Especially Goes Forth w/r/t the various terms they use to refer to the German army. I don't remember what all they were off the top of my head, but I recall them being... colorful. Was there... was there a Victorian Blackadder series? It seems like there must've been one, obviously, but for the life of me I can only remember the Medieval series, the Elizabethan one, WWI, and a special from the 70s.
I... I think I just really need to rewatch all of it. Their take on A Christmas Carol Regards mark687
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Post by The Brigadier on Dec 8, 2022 9:23:31 GMT
Ahahaha, yeah, I'm not expecting much, I just thought it'd be interesting. Especially Goes Forth w/r/t the various terms they use to refer to the German army. I don't remember what all they were off the top of my head, but I recall them being... colorful. Was there... was there a Victorian Blackadder series? It seems like there must've been one, obviously, but for the life of me I can only remember the Medieval series, the Elizabethan one, WWI, and a special from the 70s. I... I think I just really need to rewatch all of it. mark687 has mentioned their take on a Christmas Carol but you might be thinking of Blackadder The Third - set in the Georgian period with Blackadder the butler to the Prince Regent.
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Post by Kestrel on Dec 8, 2022 14:20:31 GMT
Hm... I think in my mind I must be conflating the 2nd and 3rd series. I do vaguely remember the Christmas Carol -- weird how I never thought much of the original story, but I've loved it in all the various adaptations, from Doctor Who to Starkid.
...Looks like there's no blu-ray set for Blackadder yet. Shame. Looks like it got remastered on DVD a while back... wonder if that was the same version that I first saw, streaming. Not sure when I first watched it, but definitely after those DVDs came out.
Ah, anyway, that's enough about Blackadder. Apologies for somewhat derailing this thread.
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 8, 2022 18:47:32 GMT
Hm... I think in my mind I must be conflating the 2nd and 3rd series. I do vaguely remember the Christmas Carol -- weird how I never thought much of the original story, but I've loved it in all the various adaptations, from Doctor Who to Starkid. ...Looks like there's no blu-ray set for Blackadder yet. Shame. Looks like it got remastered on DVD a while back... wonder if that was the same version that I first saw, streaming. Not sure when I first watched it, but definitely after those DVDs came out. Ah, anyway, that's enough about Blackadder. Apologies for somewhat derailing this thread. Not at all. You just made want to do a re-watch so I bought the Prime version (which comes with both the original as well as the dubbed version).
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Post by theillusiveman on Dec 8, 2022 23:54:37 GMT
That was really good. Especially Albie’s Angels which was a 10/10 for me. And for those wondering… {Spoiler} Both Liv and Helen are still travelling with the Doctor at the end of the set.
Also Helen is revealed to be gay, surprising no one. And Liv has yet another dead boyfriend, so no wonder she started dating Tania, maybe she’ll have better luck with girls. At this point I shouldn’t be shocked BF will keep milking this tardis team for as long as they can Feel bad for preordering their crap thinking that the 2023 boxsets would be a fresh start for 8
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Post by themeddlingmonk on Dec 9, 2022 0:09:18 GMT
I still find it baffling when people preorder things with absolutely no knowledge of what it’ll actual be, but then are annoyed when it’s announced and it’s not what they were hoping for.
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Post by Kestrel on Dec 9, 2022 1:38:39 GMT
I mean, I can kind of get it. Big Finish isn't exactly consumer-friendly, and they incentivize (kind of) people to buy bundles. Several folks were also keen to get a bunch of pre-orders in before the latest price-hike, too.
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Post by martinw8686 on Dec 9, 2022 1:49:06 GMT
I still find it baffling when people preorder things with absolutely no knowledge of what it’ll actual be, but then are annoyed when it’s announced and it’s not what they were hoping for. I know what you mean, when I've been disappointed with stories I've not enjoyed it's generally been because of my own expectations and it's not reasonable to expect Big Finish to tailor there storytelling just to suit my preferences. I think by now most ranges are quite well established and cast lists are released in advance, it's fair to say that the story direction will be well signposted. I have my favourites I'll always pre order but many ranges I read the reviews to be sure I won't feel I've wasted my money on something not to my tastes.
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 9, 2022 8:42:57 GMT
Hmm... so far, I have gotten my money's worth out of these new 8DAs. Great stories so far. I was actually very impressed with the previous set, much better than I had anticipated.
But I am quite partial to this Tardis team, especially Liv. To be honest, I am getting a bit tired of new companions all the time (see Sixie) and most of them are quirky white females. At least the new companion for 11 is a quirky cyborg female from the future.
I never was a fan of the oh so beloved Lucie Miller.
Compared to these companions, Liv (the antithesis if quirky) is a breath of fresh air for me- especially when I am in a BF listening phase and have all these other stories and companions assaulting my ears. But I do get the point, if I would do a only 8th Doctor box set listen-though, I imagine that she would become too much. Luckily, suffering from ADHD, I completely lack the ability to concentrate on a single thing for any length of time without mixing it up.
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Post by theillusiveman on Dec 9, 2022 9:09:35 GMT
I mean, I can kind of get it. Big Finish isn't exactly consumer-friendly, and they incentivize (kind of) people to buy bundles. Several folks were also keen to get a bunch of pre-orders in before the latest price-hike, too. Considering around the time they were saying the boxsets were fresh relaunches for the doctors and the whole we are going to jump in price I gave big finish the doubt that after stranded 4 we would have a fresh start for 8 I preordered both 2022 and 2023 as logically I thought they would have new companions Of course I forgot that big finish is the macdonalds of audios and didn’t offer a fresh new start for 8 and just continued on with new boxsets Featuring that tardis team rather than doing the logical smart choice Of doing a Blood of the Daleks/ Dark Eyes 1 relaunch to get new customers invested or to get people who are utterly sick of this tardis trio The fact there is more Liv stories than Lucie is a crime in itself
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Post by sidestep on Dec 9, 2022 11:29:17 GMT
I thoroughly enjoyed this boxset and enjoy this sort of episode structure, a breather from the long, sweeping story arcs (which I also like. I bought Dark Eyes, Doom Coalition & Ravenous during sales, so got the complete bundles & was able to listen all the way through. It was only Stranded I had to wait months between releases).
Here Lies Drax - It’s the first time I encountered Drax, so everything was a surprise to me. 😁 If there were any clues, I totally missed them all lol. I liked the mentions of Romana & the past. Very entertaining story.
The Love Vampires - The listener is dropped right in the middle of the action. I like the glimpses of their culture & naming convention, & interesting types of vampires in this story.
Albie’s Angels - I recall saying in a past review that all Big Finish Weeping Angel stories are fantastic, & this story not only maintains the streak but elevates it because it shows us yet another side to the Angels that is fresh & new. I love all the little hints & affirmations of Liv & Helen’s friendship (the gifts, the alias) & I like how the breadcrumb trail was laid out. Helen’s conversations & interactions with Albie were heartfelt & poignant. I like the mix of just hanging out & action. & I like the multiple twists of fate in the ending, & how things were resolved.
I’m glad we’re staying with this Tardis team a bit longer & got this set of amazing stories, in both boxsets. Pleased that they were released in succeeding months, so it’s sort of like a mini series.
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Post by The Brigadier on Dec 9, 2022 11:40:47 GMT
I thoroughly enjoyed this boxset and enjoy this sort of episode structure, a breather from the long, sweeping story arcs (which I also like. I bought Dark Eyes, Doom Coalition & Ravenous during sales, so got the complete bundles & was able to listen all the way through. It was only Stranded I had to wait months between releases). Here Lies Drax - It’s the first time I encountered Drax, so everything was a surprise to me. 😁 If there were any clues, I totally missed them all lol. I liked the mentions of Romana & the past. Very entertaining story. The Love Vampires - The listener is dropped right in the middle of the action. I like the glimpses of their culture & naming convention, & interesting types of vampires in this story. Albie’s Angels - I recall saying in a past review that all Big Finish Weeping Angel stories are fantastic, & this story not only maintains the streak but elevates it because it shows us yet another side to the Angels that is fresh & new. I love all the little hints & affirmations of Liv & Helen’s friendship (the gifts, the alias) & I like how the breadcrumb trail was laid out. Helen’s conversations & interactions with Albie were heartfelt & poignant. I like the mix of just hanging out & action. & I like the multiple twists of fate in the ending, & how things were resolved. I’m glad we’re staying with this Tardis team a bit longer & got this set of amazing stories, in both boxsets. Pleased that they were released in succeeding months, so it’s sort of like a mini series. Next time there is a sale on the Fourth Doctor Adventures, keep an eye out for " The Trouble with Drax"..
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Post by sidestep on Dec 9, 2022 12:08:46 GMT
Next time there is a sale on the Fourth Doctor Adventures, keep an eye out for " The Trouble with Drax".. Yes thank you. 👍🏻 Hopefully it’s a download sale. Been mostly cd sales lately.
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Post by shallacatop on Dec 9, 2022 17:12:27 GMT
I thought Here Lies Drax was quite tedious, to be honest. It’s quite literally just a retread of The Trouble with Drax and I’m siding with the Doctor at the end questioning what the point of it all was. I had an inkling that the six random items at the beginning formed a key, a la the Key to Time and it was just a case of waiting for it to all unfold, which ultimately just ended up being a rehash.
It’s not a story without merit, though. I loved the Doctor, Liv & Helen’s interaction throughout the first act until they’re split up. They’re a TARDIS team that I’m not convinced needed to continue beyond Ravenous, let alone Stranded, but they can still really shine.
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 9, 2022 20:19:40 GMT
I mean, I can kind of get it. Big Finish isn't exactly consumer-friendly, and they incentivize (kind of) people to buy bundles. Several folks were also keen to get a bunch of pre-orders in before the latest price-hike, too. The fact there is more Liv stories than Lucie is a crime in itself Very much a matter of opinion.... I never warmed up to Lucie. Liv is my spirit animal.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2022 20:23:06 GMT
Here Lies Drax by John Dorney Umm. OK, it was fun. It does not really match the Eighth Doctor's strengths though - it's as though this was written for Tom as The Dctor is zany and wacky with daft retorts, jokes and banter galore from moment one. I get the "well, at least they haven't overused Drax.." argument but then...why do a story that is so similar to the first appearance? Shane was perfect casting as "Drax" (and non UK folk this is MASSIVE casting) but the twist became a bit obvious after the Nth time he just has a variation on the "Let's just leave, can't tell you anything about the box" stuff. That became rather repetitive. Some nice Easter Eggs (why don't you look up who is in that Hound Of The Baskervilles 1982 video!) and everyone plays it well, I just think it's a bit of a rehash with this Doctor written rather out of character to add jokes quite a lot. Do this with Colin, play up the frustration with Drax and let The Doc be more the straight man and I think it works better.
The Love Vampires by James Kettle Nice base under siege story and I appreciated adding a lot of Timelord/Vampire lore without calling back to the TV story or books etc. If you didn't know this, you wouldn't be aware there was a war between ancient Timelords and Vampires (I wonder if a pre-Renegade Doctor was part?) So it found a way to put the gothich form into modern sci-fi which I enjoyed. It did lose me when it started showing us The Doctor's first true love and "child". Sorry, BF aren't going to be allowed to add to canon that massive so the second the Doctor saw that, it became clear he was working them and not the other way around. BUT overall a good story and how dark was that moment The Doctor tells Liv "two stakes, one for each heart" and she doesn't question it. Well, Liv is easily the least (obviously) sentimental companion and a pragmatist so its one of the few pairings this worked with perfectly. Albie's Angels by Roy Gill One of the shames of the box set era is stories are one of a set, not standalone and I don't think standout like they did when it was only the one MR or one CC per month. This, if it was standalone, would be a story I would buy multiple copies of and give them to friends as I think it's one of the best BF stories, no, best Doctor Who stories I've ever heard. No Universe ending stakes, a villain almost intentionally undercooked as he's not really important and another modern London setting. Yet it was one of the best character pieces ever released. Helen meeting Albie, running in the snow. The total refusal of The Doctor to believe even an Angel can change its wings..
But to me it's all about the last 10 minutes. I cried like a baby. To have Helen find Albie then have him taken away so soon seems so cruel but this time she knows he was happy and loved not jailed and lost. That montage at the end...killed me. The Doctor travelling to visit ALbie and Bailey to make sure they're OK..man. Then to find out in the care of Professor Litefoot. That was no coincidence - anyone who knows the late, great Trevor Baxter's life story knows how close a lot of the wickedness of the UK law affected him as much as it did Albie. So having it be Litefoot..really set me off.
I know Helen's sexuality has been speculated on, and answered in the Vampire story partially, but I would honestly prefer if she weren't at least queer in some way - it would make her acceptance of her brother even in the face of her family and the times even more powerful than we are left with as..well, she would face the same fate (though likely not prison, lesbians tended to be sent to mental institutions...)
And what year was that all with Albie and Bailey? 1963. Again, I don't think Roy Gill did that by accident. This was happening while Verity, Hartnell, Russ, Peter, Carol Ann, etc etc were in Doctor Who. That's how recent we are talking. It was not till between Seasons 4 and 5 of DW that homosexuality was finally decriminalised in England and Wales. In Scotland, not till late era Tom and Northern Ireland not till Davison's era. That's how recent we are talking.
But Hattie is clearly the star here, with Barnarby Jago (that sounds like a made up BF name but it's not) as Albie not far behind. He doesn't have as much weight to lift but we have to care about him fast and care even more to lose him just as fast. Hattie sells EVERY moment. The fury underpinning her polite rebuke of the landlady, the moments she just needs to be on her own at the end (this is a TARDIS team who are VERY damaged) there is not one part Hattie doesn't nail.
A masterpiece, and I cried like a baby at the end. I would have gone out on Song For Helen, frankly, not the theme!
So..as always with boxsets a mixed bag but honestly the first two could be in Swahili and this set be worth it for Albie's Angel.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2022 20:39:21 GMT
I mean, I can kind of get it. Big Finish isn't exactly consumer-friendly, and they incentivize (kind of) people to buy bundles. Several folks were also keen to get a bunch of pre-orders in before the latest price-hike, too. Considering around the time they were saying the boxsets were fresh relaunches for the doctors and the whole we are going to jump in price I gave big finish the doubt that after stranded 4 we would have a fresh start for 8 I preordered both 2022 and 2023 as logically I thought they would have new companions Of course I forgot that big finish is the macdonalds of audios and didn’t offer a fresh new start for 8 and just continued on with new boxsets Featuring that tardis team rather than doing the logical smart choice Of doing a Blood of the Daleks/ Dark Eyes 1 relaunch to get new customers invested or to get people who are utterly sick of this tardis trio The fact there is more Liv stories than Lucie is a crime in itself With The Robots and these stories that all take place during the end 10minutes of Stranded 4 from Tania's POV if not Liv's, there are two ongoing series both essentially exploring "The Further Adventures Of Liv". I get why that seems like WAY too much for some. But this team are better in this box than in most of Doom Coalition or Ravenous. Why? The stories are better. Paul is also the actor who has come closest to chucking BF so if he remains happy..que sera sera.. But I would love to see anyone in UK entertainment tell Nicola Walker "we've done enough with you, cheers love - be in touch if we need you". She's a bigger star than any BF regular outside Tennant or Jacobi if we count them. She can walk into a BBC or ITV Primetime drama any time she fancies. As recently as this summer she was billed above Sean Bean in Stefan Golaszewski's show Marriage on BBC1 If Nicola Walker wants to work..and your motto is "For The Love Of Stories.." - you better have some stories handy. She can do them all, she's a star and moreover a terrific actor.
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Post by tuigirl on Dec 9, 2022 20:52:43 GMT
Considering around the time they were saying the boxsets were fresh relaunches for the doctors and the whole we are going to jump in price I gave big finish the doubt that after stranded 4 we would have a fresh start for 8 I preordered both 2022 and 2023 as logically I thought they would have new companions Of course I forgot that big finish is the macdonalds of audios and didn’t offer a fresh new start for 8 and just continued on with new boxsets Featuring that tardis team rather than doing the logical smart choice Of doing a Blood of the Daleks/ Dark Eyes 1 relaunch to get new customers invested or to get people who are utterly sick of this tardis trio The fact there is more Liv stories than Lucie is a crime in itself With The Robots and these stories that all take place during the end 10minutes of Stranded 4 from Tania's POV if not Liv's, there are two ongoing series both essentially exploring "The Further Adventures Of Liv". I get why that seems like WAY too much for some. But this team are better in this box than in most of Doom Coalition or Ravenous. Why? The stories are better. Paul is also the actor who has come closest to chucking BF so if he remains happy..que sera sera.. But I would love to see anyone in UK entertainment tell Nicola Walker "we've done enough with you, cheers love - be in touch if we need you". She's a bigger star than any BF regular outside Tennant or Jacobi if we count them. She can walk into a BBC or ITV Primetime drama any time she fancies. As recently as this summer she was billed above Sean Bean in Stefan Golaszewski's show Marriage on BBC1 If Nicola Walker wants to work..and your motto is "For The Love Of Stories.." - you better have some stories handy. She can do them all, she's a star and moreover a terrific actor. Well, I kind of see the point that Liv is now straying into the "Leela" and "Ace" territory. I myself am a bit over Leela, to be honest.
However, I totally agree with you here. These new independent stories are great. They are indeed kind of a new start. They feel fresh (well, apart from that Drax story that only felt new to me since I had forgotten the 4th Doctor story), the chemistry is just right, the banter is great, and I love that they just get to play around with some non-universe-destroying adventures.
It somehow feels as if we have gotten some of the playfulness back. This is why I loved the previous set. It was just playing around, first with Daleks, and then with a talking ghost mongoose.
This feels different to the previous 8th Doctor sets. Well, at least "different enough".
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Post by martinw8686 on Dec 9, 2022 21:42:50 GMT
I really enjoy the epic 16 part sets or 4 part sets that tell one story, the great thing about the Eighth Doctor era is that you can have self contained stories with Helen and Liv now, and use the Time War era to tell more expansive tales. There's something special about Paul's Doctor being the Big Finish Doctor that feels like he needs to be moving forward, to be part of serialised story telling, but with two parallel era's you can have your cake and eat it too.
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