There are 4,118 reviews so far. To add a review of your own, click on the item in question, then click the Vote link.
| What: | Shada (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
|
| By: | Sofia Fox, Hale, United States |
|
| Date: | Tuesday 7 May 2019 |
|
| Rating: |  10 |
The 10 stars are for the actual animation and story. I give 1 star for the US DVD release. Where WE have NO Blu-ray. (We might get it in Tom Baker: Complete Season Six, Season 17)
But come on, I regret owning the DVD now! Sure we the 2003 "sequel" animated webcast with the 8th Doctor, Paul McGann. But that's the only thing different to the UK DVD. Other than WE DON'T GET A BLU-RAY. So, if you're in North America, don't buy the classic animated releases that have Blu-ray (or even Steelbook Blu-ray) releases in the UK. They're region free (and they are for a reason). The Steelbooks are the ones that region-free, the standards are Region B locked. Needless to say, I'm getting them instead.
 |  |  |
 | The Blossoming Greatness of Solomons |
|
| | |
| What: | The Secret in Vault 13 (Miscellaneous original novels) |
|
| By: | Earle DL Foster, Invercargill, New Zealand |
|
| Date: | Sunday 5 May 2019 |
|
| Rating: |  8 |
The official introductory novelisation of the somewhat revolutionary Thirteenth Doctor and her newest trio of companions can be overall classified as an updated and renovated "Key to Time" series of universal protecting explorations. The tyrannical Black Guardian has been replaced by equally monstrous and hybridized plant-like warmongers, and the precious individual segments are now three specialized keys (an intriguing twist being one hidden in plain sight!)
The entertainingly well-structured daisy chain of narratives planted and carefully nurtured amongst these pages more than justifies the creative decision to expand the companion seed bank, as Mr Solomons accordingly grants each of them (Ryan, Yaz, and Graham) equal opportunities to both artistically and courageously shine in the adoring sunlight.
A promising cultivation and harvesting towards an altogether bumper crop of literary adventures which will assuredly compliment the televised instalments, as Season 12 progresses from here (and maybe to infinity?)
| What: | Return of the Daleks (Big Finish subscriber bonuses) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Friday 3 May 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
Return of the Daleks is mostly here to cement a link between the Doctor Who series and the Dalek war series. As such, there is much less of The Doctor's presence than is typical. This is a "return" story in a number of ways. Mainly, it is a return to the Doctor 3 story "Planet of the Daleks." This is kept well hidden until about halfway through the story. The Doctor is visiting a planet where he pretty much knows what will happen to make sure that it happens in the right way. This involves pushing along two people who supposedly work for the Daleks, but are secretly stirring up rebellion against the Daleks. As such, this is much more their story than The Doctor's. So, not much happens outside the parameters of the basic premises, and the story proceeds pretty much as one expects it to.
| | |
| Not a Retread But Doesn't Add Much |
|
| | |
| What: | The Feast of Axos (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Friday 3 May 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
We obviously have to have every "monster" return. That Big Finish could get the original voice of Axos, Bernard Holley, is a definite treat. Wow, what a voice. This story finds Doctor 6, Evelyn, and Brewster visiting Axos, still locked in the time loop that Doctor 3 put it into. This time, at least at the start, it's not Axos trying to steal Earth's energy, but humans trying to steal Axos' energy. Of course, this is, as The Doctor points out, a really stupid idea, but greed overrides sense. The scenario allows for exploration of Axos as a living being, which is certainly a more contemporary touch than would have happened in the 1970s on TV. However, Axos is still Axos, and that means trouble. There is some questionable playing around with time at the edge of the time loop, questionable mainly because it is used as a get out of jail free card, but otherwise serves little purpose in the plot. This story has large amounts devoted to understanding Brewster, essentially to the effect of saying he isn't so bad, just misunderstood. I remain not much of a Brewster fan, though. The Feast of Axos is a reasonably entertaining story.
| | |
| Rehash Ice Warriors Story |
|
| | |
| What: | Frozen Time (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Wednesday 1 May 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 6 |
Frozen Time pretty much covers the same ground as the Troughton-era Ice Warrior stories. We get frozen Ice Warriors, whom a human scientific investigation team stupidly thaws out. The Ice Warriors want to take over the world and transform Earth by changing the weather. That they can do this virtually instantaneously by "sonic cannon" defies sense. Writer Nicholas Briggs tries to throw in a few twists, such as that this bunch of Ice Warriors are war criminals, though we have had the renegade Ice Warrior story a couple of times, too. So, the story proceeds through the paces that we have seen (or heard) before. The nostalgia glow is fine, but a little more ingenuity would be even better.
| What: | Valhalla (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Tuesday 30 April 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 6 |
Valhalla is typical Marc Platt - needlessly confusing. We find Doctor 7 without companion trying to retire sort of by interviewing for menial jobs at space colony Valhalla. This colony is in decline, run by petty criminals and outcasts, facing cutbacks, with protest safely contained through scheduled and controlled rioting. However, something is eating away at the works from the bottom out. We find an example of a regular theme for Doctors 7 & 8 in Big Finish: the Doctor wants out. He wants to give up being The Doctor. He's fed up and wants no more involvement. However, he can't help himself. Involved he gets. Problems for me with Valhalla are that none of the characters is all that interesting or likeable. Especially annoying is Gerium, who is one long running series of suspicious and self-serving complaints. The cast is fairly impressive, though.
| | |
| A very very enjoyable selection of tales |
|
| | |
| What: | The Memory Bank (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
|
| Date: | Tuesday 30 April 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
What I like about these selection of half hour stories for Big Finish is they seem very in the vein of Tales of the Unexpected. In that they are totally random and different and yet all display equally brilliant sections of what it is that makes Doctor Who so great. Peter Davison and Mark Strickson are a brilliant pairing, and I for one wish Mark didn't have such an eclectic schedule so that he could do a few more audios!
This selection are all very very good indeed. These are on a par with Forty Five and Circular Time. They all have markedly different tones, but are all amazingly quick and easy to follow and superbly written. They are tension packed snippets that somehow don't even particularly suffer in the characterisation department. These characters in these tales are surprisingly very well rounded, and none feel superfluous to the story.
The Memory Bank is perhaps maybe the least gripping of the lot, but it is still a very strong story indeed. Its great to see a little of Turlough's past crop up again even if its this time not a huge snippet. But the story never bores and is suitably cool.
The Storyteller is yet another little Paul Magrs marvel. He always paints the best characters ever in his stories. They are always so larger than life and some of the dialogue is very whimsical and amusing indeed. This joins all his wonderful successes for Big Finish.
Repeat Offender seems like its over in a flash. It is a strikingly strong little episode and the performance of Peter Davison in this story is particularly brilliant. There is some strong tension in this story. Its actually its a bit of a shame its so short, this could have been expanded so easily. But as a snippet its really very impressive.
The final story is very very fine indeed. Its a very very small cast, but its extremely thought provoking and intelligent. The sound scape is as usual of the epic Big Finish sound design and production. And I really enjoy Helen Goldwyn's direction. I am so glad to see more female directors emerging for Big Finish recently. This selection gets a full recommendation from me. Big Finish always deliver in the entertainment department. And The Memory Bank and Other Stories is certainly no exception at all!
| | |
| A sublime finale for a superb companion. |
|
| | |
| What: | The Entropy Plague (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
|
| Date: | Tuesday 30 April 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
Nyssa during the fifth Doctor's era frequently suffered from TARDISing, meaning she was always relegated to TARDIS duties. When she was allowed out of the box, one can see how caring and decent and lovely a character she is. And Sarah Sutton has long been one of my all time favourite companions. Aside from Barbara I think I would name her my second fave ever! And it is awesome with Big Finish that they have totally fleshed out Nyssa and she has now had one heck of an epic ride. I have been very very thrilled to hear Nyssa getting to be centre of attention every now and then and Sarah acting her socks off!
The Entropy Plague is very emotional to listen to for me. It has all the usual brilliant Jonathan Morris ingredients. This guy is one heck of an awesome writer, and he gives Nyssa such a monumental and superb sendoff. It really is a roller coaster ride of the highest order. And that does not mean that its only Nyssa who gets to shine in this story, because Peter Davison puts in a damned fine performance too as the Doctor. And Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson are the cherry on the cake of this excellent TARDIS crew that to me remains criminally underrated indeed.
This story never pauses for breath either, I honestly thought this story felt more like a two parter than a four parter. It flows that well. The Sandmen are a terrifically creepy and effective menace, and Pallister is an interesting character too. Jonathan always gives his characters such beefy back stories that are beautiful and often heart rending. The macabre and oppressive tone of the story doesn't dampen the emotional impact though. This story is about as good a goodbye to a companion as we get in the series. Nyssa of Traken shines like a jewel and this is a definite highlight story for her. This is as far from the TARDISized Nyssa of the 80s as its possible to get.
I am so glad that Nyssa has been one of the most frequent appearers for Big Finish. Sarah continues to really tick all the boxes of the perfect companion for me. This story may be her journeys end for now, but long may the tales with Nyssa continue!!
| | |
| A Bit Preposterous at the End |
|
| | |
| What: | Synthespians™ (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Friday 19 April 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 6 |
"Synthespians," Craig Hinton's final Doctor Who novel, is probably his best Doctor Who novel. However, because the others are not particularly good, I am merely saying that this one is somewhat more tolerable than the others. The problem of Hinton's writing, in my view, was that he tried to go too big, but was rather limited in his imagination of what big was. This led to trying to write from the perspective of godlike beings, but only imagining them with flimsier motivations and more adolescent emotions than the human characters had. Thankfully, Hinton resists this impulse here, though he had the opportunity to do so had he wished. The story itself is a camp sendup of late 20th-century television, and in some ways anticipates the "Bad Wolf" episode that would be broadcast a year later. The TARDIS is dragged off course, arriving on Reef Station One in the 101st century. Here, a long isolated human colony has been reshaped to conform to Earth television broadcasts that are only just arriving. The station has zones set up like sets for various kinds of TV drama - a gritty, depressed 1960s style noir London, a glitzy night-time soap opera land of mansions full of bickering billionaires, and so on. At the heart of all this is Walter J. Matheson III, the owner of virtually everything, who is ruthlessly destroying the remaining owners of what he does not have. He is in league with the Nestene Consciousness and the Autons (no giveaway there to anyone who knows Doctor Who lore). Doctor 6 and Peri get separated for most of the novel. The early parts work as a slow buildup of menace - things seem normal, but something is lurking there. The action slowly picks up pace toward a melodramatic and gory conclusion. The plot is fairly predictable. Hinton, as is his wont, drops in dozens of throw-away cultural and Doctor Who references, and sometimes awkwardly breaks his role as third-person narrator to make ironic asides. It is readable enough. The superficial characterizations and predictable plot drag it down.
| | |
| Possibly Cut Down Too Much |
|
| | |
| What: | Original Sin (Big Finish novel adaptations) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Friday 5 April 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
This adaptation of one of the more popular Doctor Who novels introduces the "new" companions of Roz and Chris. Thus, much of the story is the origin story for them. Doctor 7 and Bennie are now a comfortable pair who understand each other very well. The story itself is very much in the 1988-9 spirit of The Doctor as a man on a mission, yet stricken by conscience. Thus, we start at the end of a previous adventure about which we know very little. A dying alien tells Bennie, "don't go there," so our crusading Doctor naturally goes there. Earth is now under an expansionist imperial phase, and has destroyed the homeworld of a species that is forced to revamp their civilization as lone individuals hiding amongst the enemies. There is a mysterious person who throws his consciousness into various robots, stalking The Doctor for unknown reasons. And, a bizarre and scientifically impossible form of radiation is driving people mad, turning them into homocidal maniacs. Apparently, much cutting was done to get the novel down to a 2-hour drama, and this one feels like it. There is much skipping around, and often it feels as if the listener has missed something going from scene to scene. The authorities take The Doctor and Bennie at their word all too easily. Late in the story, there are several long monologues to supply large amounts of missing background, a technique that really slows down the pace of the story.
Philip Hinchcliffe provided the story and Marc Platt, in consultation, wrote the script. Between them, they have created a taught adventure very much in the 1976-7 vein of Doctor Who. This one involves a remote Scottish island, viking relics that aren't quite Viking relics, and an underground alien menace who messes with time in very dangerous ways. It's quite enjoyable.
| | |
| By the Numbers Doctor Who |
|
| | |
| What: | Absolute Power (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Friday 5 April 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 6 |
Absolute Power is very routine Doctor Who. The Doctor takes newish companion Constance to a place he thinks will make a nice rest, but bad things are happening there. In this case, it involves an intergalactic mogul with a quasi-New York accent trying to revive a race of electricity beings who operate by occupying bodies. It is listenable, but not particularly original or different.
The second volume of the Third Doctor adventures continues the strong characteristics of the first set. Tim Treloar is magnificent in his evocation of Doctor 3, at many times making me feel that it really is Pertwee back in the role. Katy Manning still struggles a bit to get the right voice for her younger self, but she has recovered the cadences of her youthful self quite well. The set follows the Big Finish tradition of trying to evoke the period of the Doctor and characters. Thus, the stories have that feeling that they could have been played in the 1970s. Once again, we get a setting split, one story in Space, one on Earth. The first of these continues the environmental message of many Pertwee stories and adds to it some critique of novelty religions that become death cults. The second story has the hidden alien causes mischief vibe and a very strong part for Jo. If there is one idea linking both stories, it is this: don't trust sweet, little, old ladies.
| What: | Vengeance on Varos (Target novelisations) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Sunday 24 March 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 6 |
"Vengeance on Varos" may be the best of the season of Colin Baker's first full outing as The Doctor. It has the very interesting premise of a former prison planet that has modeled its society along the prison rules, with the officers and guards becoming the elite governing class and the prisoners becoming the oppressed labor class. Martin has introduced an added twist in that the punishment system has been turned into mass entertainment. There is some strong social commentary about addiction to television. Martin has added some elements in his novelization that make the setup more sensible. These may have been in the original script, but probably could not have been done given budget constraints for television. These include having the guards' squad cars run on a monorail rather than being glorified golf carts. The size of the Varos colony is increased, with separate domes and access ways. Martin explains why the colonists live in domes rather than on the surface. There are several limitations in the novelized version still. These include a requirement to keep it short, to write to a youngish (early teens) audience, and to keep most of the original TV story intact. As interesting as the background is, Martin's storytelling technique is less thought out. The plot is mostly a long series of "evade and capture" events. Martin goes with the A.E. van Vogt method that every so often one must introduce a plot twist no matter what the logic of that might be.
| What: | Static (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Wednesday 13 March 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
Static is an example of great buildup marred by a predictable final act. The story itself, of a creepy caravan park, its creepy manager, and the return of the dead, works very well. It all has a strange logic. This gets undermined in part 4 when we discover that it is all another alien invasion plot. Also, there is the matter of Constance at the end. This sets us up for Constance's becoming another Charley, someone alive who should be dead. And we all know how in Big Finish world, the universe just will not stand for that.
| What: | Energy of the Daleks (Fourth Doctor Adventures audios) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Wednesday 13 March 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
Energy of the Daleks would have fit well into the mid season of the 1977. It has several cultural references to the 2010s, but still plays as a 1970s story. The Doctor intends to take Leela to one place, ends up in London 2025 instead, and finds the UK as a quasi-authoritarian state running out of energy and a corporate genius with seemingly magical means to get the UK endless energy. It is nice to have Doctor 4 go up against the Daleks without Davros. Tom Baker plays the part as if he had never left it. It's entertaining, though there are some major plot holes (no light gravity on the moon?).
| What: | Cold Fusion (Big Finish novel adaptations) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Wednesday 13 March 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 8 |
This audio of version of Lance Parkin's typically complicated novel works extremely well. It's a two-doctor story, but Doctor 5 takes most of the narrative space. We get Doctor 5 and friends stumbling upon a plan hatched by Doctor 7 with newish companions Chris and Roz. Doctor maybe does and maybe doesn't remember his first time through it all. The story allows for interesting pairings of companions, with mild-mannered Adric teaming with soldierly Roz, while Nyssa gets romanced by Chris without a clue that this is what is happening. Some great humor comes from Tegan's outrage at Chris's phony Australian cover. The whole is well plotted and very entertaining, but a little talky at the end.
| What: | Attack of the Cybermen (Target novelisations) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Monday 11 March 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 6 |
When Eric Saward novelized Paula Moore's only script for "Doctor Who," he went at it with the idea of making it a novel and not just a script with the tag lines removed. However, "Paula Moore" is a pseudonym and it is not fully known who wrote the original script or story outline. Most those involved agree that whatever material Saward originally got when he was script editor for the TV series, he heavily rewrote for broadcast. The script has all the elements of a typical Saward script, being a quest scaffolding on which to hang scenes that proceed with increasing violence. The novel maintains this structure. Pretty much all of the original script is here, with a few lines paraphrased rather than quoted. Additionally, Saward adds some back story, descriptions, and narratorial observations. The largest addition Saward makes in the novel is the increased storyline of small-time criminal Charlie Griffiths, who gets a homelife with his mother, backstory as a man too stupid to be a criminal and not smart enough to be anything else, and for large portions, especially early in the book, the central point of view. Saward zips a reader right through the story. However, when the reader ponders why things happened, then the plot just does not hang together all that well.
| | |
| An absolutely underrated story. |
|
| | |
| What: | Galaxy 4 (TV episode audio soundtracks) |
|
| By: | Sofia Fox, Hale, United States |
|
| Date: | Monday 11 March 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
An absolutely underrated story.
| | |
| Very very funny and very very nasty too |
|
| | |
| What: | Suburban Hell (Fourth Doctor Adventures audios) |
|
| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
|
| Date: | Sunday 3 March 2019 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
The story opens with about the most real piece of normal everyday couple talk Ive ever heard from any Doctor Who story ever. A typical couple taking chunks out of each other in a very normal and real way that makes one think for the moment is this a Doctor Who episode or an episode of some old corny soap, thankfully it is clearly Doctor Who with some superb and very funny writing from Alan Barnes. I love how Alan constantly places the Doctor in areas we'd not normally think of for his Doctor. And as he lands on a normal everyday London suburb this just feels strangely fresh and diverting. That he gets to be in this place too with Leela is all the cooler as well. I always love hearing Tom and Louise acting together. Its always a recipe for success.
The villains of this piece do come across as nasty and vicious though. And soon all trace of the corny old soap is gone. Its also another stroke of genius to have Annette Badland grace the story too. Shes a marvellous actress who always delivers with her performances. Maybe the main villain caught in the picture is just a bit cliched, but who the hell cares when the story is as fun and entertaining as this surely is. And as ever the soundscape and production are top notch and the score is memorable and distinctive, as is the polished acting from all involved. This is yet another delightful story in the Fourth Doctor adventures. And the knife sharp wit with which Alan Barnes embues his stories for me is always welcome..
