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| What: | The Mutant Phase (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 17 July 2006 |
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| Rating: |   8 |
"The Mutant Phase" is one of the best of the Big Finish productions. The Daleks are much more menacing in purely audio format than when seen. But there is more to it than that. The story itself is fascinating, with the Daleks finally facing an enemy that truly frightens them - themselves gone berserk. The acting is excellent all around, and everyone makes his or her part seem real. Another plus is that, as with David Whitaker stories in the past, different characters have different motivations and no one, not even the Dalek Emporer, is out and out bad. There are two flaws in my view. One is the loose genetic science. DNA just does not migrate cross-specially. The other is the "it didn't really happen" ending. I hate such endings because they make the entire previous story seem pointless. Apart from that, "The Mutant Phase" is gripping drama well worth listening to.
Fans have a love/hate relationship with "Genesis Of The Daleks." It is often considered a classic, yet, close analysis shows that it has the usual weaknesses of Terry Nation scripts. One of those weaknesses was padding in the middle, such as Sarah's pointless breakout attempt, which goes on too long, ends in nothing, and advances the story only to the extent that it allows Harry and the Doctor to figure out where Sarah is so that they can rescue her. This audio version, released on LP some time in the '70s, cuts away large amounts of the deadwood to the betterment of the story as a whole. Some of the better aspects are the performances of Michael Wisher (still the best Davros) and Peter Miles, and the premise of the story. The thousand year war with two sides nearing total social collapse is a marvellous idea. Another one is having Dr. Strangelove (aka Davros) running the whole show. Nation does a brilliant job of showing how totally paranoid and haywire any such situation would be.
The children's radio special "Exploration Earth" is there mainly for curiosity appeal. Designed to teach children about the formation of the Earth, the story gives silly lines to Sarah and presents us with the very silly and not at all frightening bad-guy, the Migron Just what it does and what makes it so bad are never quite explained, but any monster put out by a few flowers is not really deserving of the name "monster."
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 | More Suitable For Film Than Radio |
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| What: | The Ghosts of N-Space (Miscellaneous audio dramas) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 17 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
Three yeares after the production of "The Paradise Of Death" came "The Ghosts Of N-Space," with basically the same team as before. Sadly, this would be Jon Pertwee's final performance as the Doctor. Here, he drops back into the role and demonstrates again why many think of him as the definitive Doctor. A revelation is Stephen Thorne, playing the villain Max Vilmius. Thorne, when used in past Doctor Who, was used mainly for his size and voice - both big to say the least. As a result, he was left to bluster his way through his roles, and I never found him at all convincing. What a difference the years make. Given the right role and some experience, Thorne really makes this role work. Though his Brooklyn accent is not wholly convincing, yet he makes Vilmius more than just another big, bad wolf. Harry Towb's over the top job as the Brigadier's uncle Mario is a different matter. Plenty of funny lines, but he never sounded Italian to me. The story is the real let-down. The whole explanation of N-forms and N-bodies as the truth behind both demons and the soul, or at least near death experiences, is rather complicated and unconvincing. In the end, it comes down to swapping names - call it an N-body rather than a soul and hope that no one noticed the switch. Another problem is that toward the end, many of the characters are required to provide awkward narration in the form of talking to themselves because so much of the story is more suitable to film than to radio. The production has many good moments, but needed a better story.
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| Interesting, But Too Long |
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| What: | The Paradise of Death (Miscellaneous audio dramas) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 17 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
With Doctor Who out of action on TV, fans within the BBC decided to resurrect an old idea - do it on radio. They reassembled an old team - Doctor 3, Sarah, and the Brigadier, got Pertwee-era producer Barry Letts to write the script, and then hoped for the magic of yesteryear to emerge. The result both does and does not meet expectation. On the one hand, the story idea itself is quite interesting. The idea of the rather obviously named rapine is another good one. Both key in on the anti-capitalist, pro-environment flavor of the Pertwee years. The radio format allows for Letts to go big and not worry about budget and appearance. The regulars are all excellent, returning to their roles as if they had never left them. Of the "guest" cast, Peter Miles is the standout, with smooth, convincing delivery. Radio is the idea format for his extraordinary voice. The character of Jeremy FitzOliver, on the other hand, just does not fit in. Perhaps he is there to lighten the load on what is a somewhat grim story, but I tend more toward the Doctor's annoyance with him than finding anything comic in his behavior. The bits that do not work so well involve Onya and the natives, and the whole Skyland segment. All are there mostly to deliver awkward and preachy speeches of a quasi-zen philosophy. On the whole, though, this was quite entertaining. Final reason to listen: The Brigadier has the hots for Onya.
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| Good Atmosphere, Shoddy Explanations |
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| What: | The Land of the Dead (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 17 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
The story has some good sound effects to make it quite scary at times. With the character of Nyssa getting more thought and development, Sarah Sutton has stepped back into the role with a much firmer control. Peter Davison convincingly recreates his Doctor. Though heavy on atmosphere, "The Land of the Dead" is rather light on explanation. Just what the Permians are, how developed, why they died out, and why no previous fossils had ever been found are all questions left begging. The concept of creatures with the skeleton on the outside holding the parts together through some electic force is so counter to all known evolutionary paths on Earth that one just cannot believe that they are not from some other world. Some deeper thought into the whys and wherefores woud have boosted the story.
This already pretty good story is given a boost by David Tennant's entertaining reading of it. His unique voices for different characters are brilliant (especially Mickey and Rose) and his performance as the Doctor is predictably fantastic. The interview included is a nice bonus as well.
Although I found the book overall a very good read the begining was rather confusing. Ian & Barbara did not know each other and had not meet either Susan or The Doctor before. Yet having just read The Unearthly Child - the very first Dr Who book Ian & Barbara were Schoolteachers where Susan was a pupil. The end of that book had them landing on Skaro.
| What: | Series 1 Volume 2: (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | E.B., Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 9 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
World War Three is as good, if not better as my greatest ever favourite, Inferno (which I have only seen once, a few years ago). But the others, only average.
| What: | Series 1 Volume 1: (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | E.B., Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 9 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
I thought that the actors in these three stories were exeptional, the special effects amazing, but the stories were not quite up to scratch. The first one was rather average, the second one was admittedly amazingly good (and stood out as an especially good story in the whole series), but the third one was terrible. I mean, ugly zombies and weird ghosts just don't make good sci-fi. Leave them to horror. I also think that the first one focused too much on Rose, which is also a downfall of lots of the first doctor stories. (Though the doctor's humourous comments and exclamations were as good, if not better than usual.) Overall, it wasn't too bad, but not quite as good as I would have hoped.
| What: | Inferno (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | E.B., Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 9 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
I must say that this is an exeptional story. I think that this is the best Doctor Who story ever! (Though I watched it years ago and I've yet to see the 7th Doctor's encounter with the daleks. I expect it to be good.)
A welcome return to the pseudo-historical story setting, with a new, very encouraging companion brilliantly played by Elisabeth Sladen. The whole aspect of the Doctor acting patronisingly towards Sarah and women in general is just plain irritating though.
Crap spiders and poor acting let down what is a pretty solid, enjoyable 6 parter. Also, the chase sequence is a ridiculous, although amusing waste of around 10 minutes.
I've changed my mind since the last review.
All 3 episodes deserve 10/10.
Also, there's a great bit in School Reunion. That little scene after the Doctor's met Sarah and he stares into the distance while the school pupils walk by - amazing.
"The Traveller and Timelash, it seems you cannot have one without the other!"
| What: | Atom Bomb Blues (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Hatman, before time, and space, and matter |
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| Date: | Tuesday 4 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
average. precisely average. not good, not bad, not awful, not anything. no up, no down...
RISE OF THE CYBERMEN
The TARDIS lands in a parallel world with another Mickey, dodgey ear pieces, and Trigger off Only Fools and Horses creating the Cybermen.
A very slow episode even when the Cybermen arrive, punctuated with the occasional great moment. 2/5
THE AGE OF STEEL
After carrying out a crap cliffhanger resolution, the Doctor and co race to defeat the Cybermen.
A bit better, but still not that great. 3/5.
THE IDIOT'S LANTERN
The Doctor and Rose go to the 1950's where an alien named the Wire is sucking off peoples' faces through their televisions.
The Wire is a great enemy, but the rest's pretty poor. 2/5.
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| Oh children, the things you will see... |
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| What: | Series 2 Volume 2: (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Hatman, bkfjghkfdgkjfhdjkghfjsville |
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| Date: | Tuesday 4 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This gets ten on the strength of school reunion. The others are a little bit rubbish. the traveller is wrong. WRONG!
| What: | Blue Box (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Hatman, next to Ramez |
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| Date: | Tuesday 4 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
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????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????rubbish
| What: | World Game (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Hatman, The void (physics lab) |
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| Date: | Monday 3 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
predictibility. this book has it in spades. garlic, hmm... what happens next I wonder? Oh no, we're being attacked. let's use this nearby torpedo! the list goes on...
for a couple of centuries.
| What: | The Clockwise Man (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | del, south wales |
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| Date: | Sunday 2 July 2006 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Didnt think I was gonna like this that much. But what can I say..FANTASTIC
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| What a wonderful butler, he's so violent |
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Certainly the funniest classic Who ever, with fantastic writing and expensive effects, and the regulars giving their best - it still stands up today as perfect viewing.
