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 | Wooster eat your heart out |
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| What: | The Auntie Matter (Fourth Doctor Adventures audios) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 3 May 2013 |
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| Rating: |  10 |
So many ingredients, PG Woodhouse meets Doctor who, gives us a great tongue in check fun.
| What: | Spaceport Fear (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 3 May 2013 |
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| Rating: |  8 |
Take a space port, roaming monster, failing power, devolved Society of passengers, throw in a little mystery and its the recipe for a great story.
| What: | The Wrong Doctors (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 3 May 2013 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
A great concept with double the fun of Two Mels and Two Doctors and both at different stages of their lives. The plot and feel captures the 1980's to perfection, I can just imagine watching TV with them running around golf courses and a small village, low budget but fun.
| What: | 1001 Nights (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 3 May 2013 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
10001 nights is a clever story, mingling classic Arabian stories with the Doctors own adventures. Good twists with a strong cast of characters with each tale carrying the bigger story forward.
| What: | The Wrong Doctors (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 1 May 2013 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Two Colins. Two Bonnies. Realising the potential of Mel as a character at last. Featuring her in a brilliant story that never pauses for breath. This story ticks all these boxes and I love it! Youll have to concentrate though, because this is a little bit twist and turny. But if you pay attention then youll find this is a classy Doctor Who story with the usual high standard of performances and sound design. And Mel doesnt scream either, which is another brilliant relief! She is a greatly underused and underrealised companion. And standing by the as always brilliant Colin Baker she gleams very well indeed. This is a great start to the 50th anniversary year for BFP!
| What: | Festival of Death (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 1 May 2013 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
One doesnt often get to read a book that gets the balance of fitting in with the era of the show its placed in but also being something new and brilliant and engaging. But for goodness sake, Jonathan with his first Doctor Who story doesnt half impress.
There is the perfect amount of comedy and horror, with the suicidal computer ERIC being of particular regard, this computer would have slotted in like a piece of jigsaw into the 17th season that not many people seem to like very much aside from me.
What is also excellent is the pace, never once did I feel on the way through that this is getting boring and stilted, no, for the story just flowed onwards like some raging river. The dialogue is frequently extremely funny, but also tinged with plenty of yuck moments.
But I feel the best thing here is the absolutely spot on nailing of the characters of the Doctor and Romana 2, they are so very very in keeping with their screen personas, and this should have been done for the series. And if Big Finish ever decide to adapt more of the classic Who novels, then Id nominate this as a top contender to be realised on audio! This is Doctor Who at its best in book form. Faultless.
I have seldom laughed more at a Doctor Who story in book form. Jonny, good boy for such a terrific debut!
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| Doctorin' the Tardis: A Reveiw |
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| What: | Doctorin' The Tardis (Miscellaneous music & sound effects) |
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| By: | James Davis II, Springfield, United States |
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| Date: | Friday 26 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
This album is an awesome find! I was lucky enough to discover it at an outdoor flea-market, a local radio company had gone under and was selling promo records from their library. I had though it was a Blues Brothers album at first glance, then I saw "Timelords" and was like, "WHAAAA!?!?!".
The album is a perfect selection for background music for any Doctor themed party, or just to get pumped for watching new episodes.
| What: | The Sands of Time (Missing Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 17 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
Really enjoyed this book. A cracking story that paces itself really well & has an excellent twist at the end.
The writer cures the Doctor & Tegan really well, Nyssa is hardly in it.
There's lots of timey wimey stuff in it that expands & adds to the story.
Reccomended.
| What: | The Face of Evil (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | kevin glover, Cornwall, Canada |
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| Date: | Tuesday 16 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
Criminally underrated from the excellent season 14, this story is sadly placed between two juggernauts with slightly better productions although the story ideas in this are just as good if not greater then the other two famous stories.
The face of evil was Bouchars first script and the man hits the ground running with some wonderful science fiction ideas, added with sublte assaults on religion, that makes this agnostic blush with pleasure.
Usually the Doctor is forced into events by ever changing circumstances against his will but Here the story is the resault of his inept actions and he must set everything right not from a heroic duty but out of choices he made. Almost everything works Louise Jameson makes her Debut as Leela and she holds solid footing against the charismatic Baker showing herself to be one of the strongest actors to inhabit the role of a companion, and maintain a credibility as an alien jungle girl were lesser actors would have just sleeped walked. The jungle sets are impressive and though it does look like a studio with the choice of lighting you can suspend your disbelief and find yourself transported to another world.
What doesent work are the scenes on the space ship and the Tesh are a pathetic excusse of adversaries, But Tom Baker as Xoannon is trully one of the most terrifying sights to see especially that scream. All in all a wonderful story I can watch again and again
Rating - B+
| What: | The Mind of Evil (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | kevin glover, Cornwall, Canada |
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| Date: | Monday 15 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
This was my first Dr Video that I got on a winter day in 1999, I came home from a bad day at school and my mom had a friend over and so I went for a walk, it started to snow lightly and when I returned my mom's friend was gone and she had a radient smile and showed me what she discovered at the Video store. My Day was made.
For the story itself, The Mind of Evil feels like it belongs to the more dark and dirty era of season 7, the threat seems more valid, and there is a greater scope of dramatic tension that abandones the comic book style action that comes from the story before and after. Since this was my first with the Master and Delgado, Im just glad to say this is possibly his BEST outing in the role him, he's plotting machevelian and always one step ahead of the game, and you cannot have a finer Master moment when hes sitting in the back of a Limousine with a fat stogie. Simply fun
Sadly the story does suffer from the typicle Pertwee hinderance of being a runaround the Doctor and Jo spend way to much time being locked in prison cells that after awhile you just want to fast forward to the end. Also the idea of nothing happening to Jo while a bunch of vicious criminals are loose does streach the limits of credibility, I know this is a family show but their should have been Hints of certain harmful activities against her. Either way these criticisms aside this is a pretty good Pertwee story made atmospheric for being in B&W
RATING - B
| What: | The Aztecs (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 11 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
One of the best 1st Doctor story's gets the SE treatment.
Your probably familiar with the story so I won't bother with that apart from to say its very good with some wonderful acting.
Once again the RT have done wonders with the sound & picture quality making it look much brighter and revealing much more detail.
The highlight of the extras is of course seeing Airlock, episode 2 of Galaxy 4, and what a treat it is.
It's encased in a cut down reconstruction of the entire story, including the previously seen 6 minute segment. It's a real treat. The chumblies are very impressive as is the Rill space ship and we finally see a Rill ! William Hartnell is very lively and animated in this story.
There's also a new documentary on Dr Who toys that's very entertaining.
Highly reccomended
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| 6 for the story, 10 for Evil Davison |
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| What: | The Cradle of the Snake (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Alexandra Smith, Alexandria, United States |
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| Date: | Wednesday 10 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
This story will make no sense at all to anyone who hasn't seen Kinda and Snakedance, but I suspect you all have. It does not do anything really special or groundbreaking with the Mara, one of classic Doctor Who's more interesting "threats." The way it's vanquished at the end is a little confusing. But there are some clever pieces in it and it's a story I will listen to over and over again to hear Sarah Sutton and Peter Davison being possessed. They are terrific, especially Davison. It's a damn shame he hasn't had more opportunity to play villains because he does it quite well when he gets the chance. And interestingly, the only time this very attractive actor is really sexy is when he's playing a bad guy. I wonder if his shrink has noticed that. Ladies, if you have even a little crush on Davison, listen to this audio and listen to it in a private place.
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| Three Good Short Stories and One Stunner |
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| What: | Circular Time (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Alexandra Smith, Alexandria, United States |
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| Date: | Wednesday 10 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
I like the short-form stories for short trips in my car. The first three in this set are all very enjoyable and quite different from each other: an inventive tale on an alien planet, a funny historical piece and a charming idyll in which the Doctor plays cricket and Nyssa finds a romance. Each has amusingly referential lines to give serious fans a chuckle. But it's the fourth that really knocked me out. It's infinitely darker in tone from the start and packs a big surprise. I literally gasped and had to pull the car over when I realized where it was going, and then I cried uncontrollably for about the last 8 minutes. I listened to it again, and bawled like a baby a second time. If you are a big fan, particularly a fan of this particular Doctor, you will respond to this strongly as well. Wow.
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| Leisure at a Retirement Home |
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| What: | The Leisure Hive (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | kevin glover, Cornwall, Canada |
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| Date: | Wednesday 10 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
Thous begins the long and turbulant ride in the JNT era, and the inevitable end of the show, after watching this the end was closer then the beginning .
The Leisure Hive is a story about style over substance and sadly that style is now a tacky early 80s production that looks like an extended David Bowie music video. The story itself is not bad and the acting itself is strong, the guest cast are wonderful to watch but their roles are reduced to reciting technobabble that only the most hardcore nerds would understand, or even care about. Its nice to see the attempt at building alien cultures and given them a believable exsistence, and the Argolians are a wonderful design so much so I would not mind seeing them making a cameo in the new series, the Foamasi on the other hand were better regulated to the shadows and if they came back would probably work as CGI. era of annoying aliens
Direction wise its phenomenal, Lovet Bickford does an impressive job at the helm and its a shame he was never brought back to do the series again, when the likes of Peter Moffat and Ron Jones came back to do seconds. The often derided 90 second Brighton pan is worth it if you like the technicality of it, and the idea of Who taken on new challanges not done before, but other then that its just a dull dull dull story .Listen to the DVD commentery the best bitchfest you'll ever get,
Final Rating C- (Fans and completist)
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| Dont we want the feel of the season? |
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| What: | Dreams of Empire (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 8 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
As for fitting in with season six, then this story is near flawless. Because Im not so up as the other reviewers on the "roman" aspect of this story, as Ive never learnt that much about anything to do with Rome, then maybe I give this a better mark than If I did know about Rome more. But as I dont, then I mark this for what I alone think of the story.
The Second Doctor here is so pleasingly like his screen persona, one can have seen the late great Patrick Troughton having a whale of a time with some of the dialogue in this story. Im sure he would have cracked up just like I did at the "I might have been a bit of silly billy" although I just hope this isnt a feeble witicism of the First Doctor! But it made me smile none the less.
What is also good is the build up of tension. Maybe Im just dumb but the ending took me by complete surprise, which is always good for a good story. When the man in the mask is not the man you thought he was at all. And also there are the few moments of horror peppered throughout the story too, and I found the death of Haden sad and maybe a little jolting. Sad I know, but I really liked the character!!
The only criticism I will share with one of the reviewers is the sore lack of Jamie and Victoria action. These two would have needed far better involvement in a TV adventure. But the Doctor is spot on, and the pleasing mannerisms all come thick and fast through the action of this novel. Overall, not a bad story at all. The characters are all believable and the VETACs are a nasty set of robots.
I love it when my favourite Doctor is done so well in written prose. I love to be reminded of why I liked his performance so much. Patrick was so much fun, and his act has always been my favourite portrayal of the Doctor. And this is a good choice for the 50th anniversary reprint. And on the very very high plus side, this keeps the swear words down to an acceptable single outburst. Many of these books suffer from such a high overdose of foul mouthed rubbish that they become as unreadable as many of the authors of this age. Thankfully Justin Richards kept it to one word. (Although it would never have been allowed in the classic series: one of the reasons I loved the classic series so much)
Yes, this could have fitted into season six with no help at all.
| What: | The Macra Terror (Target novelisations) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 3 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
Once again, I've read a Target novelisation of a missing story. I find the soundtracks quite hard to follow, so I am now experimenting by reading these Target novels first, and then listening to the CD. This method works very well, so I'll keep doing it this way.
This is not the best novelisation ever, but it is still an interesting to read. The story idea is fascinating, but not very well realised in the novel (and I suspect in the TV version either, but alas we can't see that). Black is just going through the motions with the novel, but I still enjoyed it. I am also certain that the Macra are much better in this novel (Black is not held back by money). I understand that there was only one Macra built for the actual TV story, so thankfully we can enjoy more than one in this novel.
All in all, a good enough story - just not the best novel. 6/10.
| What: | Who Killed Kennedy: (Miscellaneous original novels) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 1 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
I really, really enjoyed this book. It's a wonderful story which is set during the early years of the Third Doctor and UNIT, and is from the perspective of James Stevens (no relation to Stevens in the Green Death) who is a journalist. He's a journalist that happens to keep bumping into UNIT and the various events of the first/second season of Jon Pertwee - and gets the complete wrong end of the stick. It's a fascinating take on everything and the Third Doctor is very much a secondary character. It's also a lovely book for fans, as the story is littered with connections and old characters. A free copy can now be downloaded - go do it, you won't be disappointed. 10/10
| What: | World Game (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 1 April 2013 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Most the reviewers in this forum really liked this book, yet it has only a 6 rating overall. Peculiar. I note that Dicks' other original novels are also in the mid-range of the ratings. I suspect that maybe people see the name, know the connection to Doctor Who of old, and expect something more than they get. Whatever the reason, the book is definitely better than a 6. This novel is very "Terrance Dicks." If one has followed his interviews and read some of his various work, one will notice that Dicks sees himself as a "jobbing" writer, someone editors can count on to produce a workmanlike job within the budget. Dicks clearly also admires other writers with similar credentials, often answering the question of why he chose this or that writer during his days as script editor and producer that so-and-so was a working professional of known abilities and thoroughly reliable.
"World Game" delivers what Dicks does well. Fast-paced, easy-to-read, and amusing to just the right degree, the novel makes for an entertaining pastime. It is not deep, nor all that original, but it does have its background and rationale carefully worked out. Doctor 2 is in prison, an "oubliette," and awaiting his execution when the Celestial Intervention Agency calls upon him to complete a mission for them in return for some different kind of sentence. Someone is messing around with the lives of Napoleon and Wellington (and Nelson), and the Doctor must discover who it is. He gets a new assistant, a beautiful and untrained Gallifreyan aristocrat. The setup allows Dicks to tie up many loose ends in the series, most especially the rationale for "The Two Doctors." He also gets to use bits and pieces from his Doctor Who scripts. He gets to indulge his love of British history. He gets to borrow from other Who writers, such as the Immortals from "Enlightenment" and the psychic paper from the new series. And he gets to replay and revise, in a way, "The Key to Time." (It is interesting that Dicks most "interferes" with the scripts of Robert Holmes, one of his preferred writers and the only other writer from the classic Who period of equal involvement and stature.)
As far as it goes, there are indeed things to question or dislike in the book. As one reviewer here remarked, there is a bit too much plot by convenience. Also, his companion Serena is not as interesting a character as she could have been. The villains are rather flat and obvious. Yet, given what Dicks has set out to do, the book works rather well. In a way, this is perhaps the best example of classic Who as a novel. Apart from the battle scenes, the story could have been produced on television. However, Dicks has used the novel format to widen the scope and especially to provide the historical background that justifies its setting. The plot runs like a television serial, but the book reads like a novel.
Readers should take "World Game" for what it is, an entertainment fun most of the time, serious when it has to be, and subtly educational.
| What: | Fury from the Deep (Target novelisations) |
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| By: | C G Harwood, Dunedin, NZ, New Zealand |
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| Date: | Wednesday 20 March 2013 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This book is without a doubt the best of all the Target novels. This had me gripped from page one. Makes me very sad that this story no longer exists on film.
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| Absolutely brilliant start to season 2 |
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| What: | The Auntie Matter (Fourth Doctor Adventures audios) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 16 March 2013 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
One is only truly sad to hear the wonderful Mary Tamm now that she's left the world, she was a brilliant actress and seemed to be a really good decent person too. It was with a bit of a lump in the throat that I put this on my cd player. I didnt even begin to wonder whether she'd still have the same magic she did all those years ago as Romana Mark 1, the by far superior incarnation of the lovely time lady.
The Auntie Matter is probably one of my favourite of Jonathan's scripts so far, its littered with good humour and comedy, and possesses several of those all time brilliant near misses and nasty robot villains, and above all else, that amazing chemistry that Tom had with the lovely Mary. They still have that beautiful spark that made their season on the TV series my favourite of the whole series to date.
The whole near misses of the two of them never knowing the other is as Bassett hall are hilarious and made me smile. This is what real decent storytelling is all about. And also, somehow, Tom sounds younger here....he's such a brilliant Doctor this guy. There are many who say Doctor Who isnt very good when its trying to be funny, but that is so not true. And as a story in the 50th anniversary of the brilliant show, then this is a brilliant summation of all that is great in Doctor Who, and why it has lasted so long is easy to figure out when you listen to a brilliant little tale like this one.
I love Romana. She was pretty, smart, witty and able to care of herself, and she was more than able to take care of herself, but then Mary left after only one season and I was left cold with Lalla Ward, who was OK, but not a patch on lovely Mary Tamm. I will miss her, and stories like these only make me miss her more. She was a great actress, and this small snippet of Whodom makes that resonate like no mans business.
I long awaited Tom to return to the role of the Doctor for BFP, and my wish came true. But what I really wanted was Mary back as Romana...and oh boy, thanks to BFP, again I got my wish. And The Auntie Matter bodes well for the rest of the series if they are even half as good as this. The Auntie Matter is good old fashioned PG Wodehouse fun at its core. And Ill say it again, the BFP series of Doctor Who outshines and outclasses the New TV series in every respect.....
And again the sound design on this outting is flawless, and realistic. Oh, and have I said I love Mary Tamm....a very sad loss for the acting world....
