There are 4,149 reviews so far. To add a review of your own, click on the item in question, then click the Vote link.
| What: | Paper Cuts (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
|
| Date: | Sunday 13 December 2009 |
|
| Rating: |   5 |
"Paper Cuts" - he, he! Marc Platt made a funny! Yes, once again, I do think the magic mushrooms are finally taking their toll on him, though this story is more low-key Marc Platt than some of his other recent weirdness. The bulk of the action here is centered in a tomb ship in space with rice paper walls, containing living armies of life-sized origami game piece warriors. Yes, they're actually made of paper.
One of the other main problems with Paper Cuts is that, in my opinion, Draconians just don't really work on audio. The complete high camp makeup and costuming is really required for the right effect, and the way they sssspeak with elongated, ssssibilant esssses becomes a bit difficult to listen to in an audio production featuring them in extended scenes. More to the point here, this effect is employed rather intermittently by this cast. The end result just sounds kind of silly, though it's worth recognizing that this was a pretty difficult task for the cast.
Aside from this shortcoming, the cast actually does very well with this audio drama, saving it from being an actual disaster. Sara Crowe sounds rather like a serious Miranda Richarson (from the old Blackadder series) as the Queen Mother here, and her initial disguise makes for quite an interesting vocal effect.
Another thing to note is that through this entire story, Charley is not really Charley, and there are only a few little moments to remind us of that. I'm not sure if that is a good thing, or a failing of the script.
In spite of the difficulties, there's an engaging atmosphere built up here through the course of the story that keeps the listener engrossed in the admittedly often ridiculous playing out of events, making Paper Cuts ultimately worth listening to and enjoying for what it is.
| What: | The Two Doctors (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
|
| By: | Jay Y, Delaware, USA |
|
| Date: | Monday 30 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
Not really the greatest story, but I have to give it props for seeing the second and sixth Doctor together, the beautiful Spanish scenery, the wonderfully over-the-top Shockeye, and the great extras. The only thing I missed was a true behind the scenes involving cast reminisces about the story. However, the Adventures in Time and Spain minidoc with Gary Downie was hilarious! I'd like to see more of him.
 |  |  |
 | Fascinating, Excellent Production |
|
| | |
| What: | Patient Zero (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
|
| Date: | Saturday 28 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
With Patient Zero, the whole secret past of Charley thing (that she previously traveled with a future Doctor - the Eighth - and is a wicked temporal anomaly), which was becoming tiresome, is finally developed into a very clever, central facet of what is apparently a three-story arc in the Sixth Doctor audios. In addition, Patient Zero gives us what this listener feels is the absolutely most fascinating Dalek story since Genesis of the Daleks, with the possible exception of new series one's "Dalek" in 2005. The Viyrans are super cool, and the extra-intelligent, articulate Dalek time controller is a standout character, quite well-voiced by Nicholas Briggs, who outdoes himself in this production. His variety of Dalek voices here really is very impressive.
Patient Zero is really well written, scripted, directed, and produced. There's a well-pitched intensity running throughout, and the Daleks take on such an authentic sounding heightened sense of urgency about their mission on the Amethyst station that there is an air of high stakes and a vast importance surrounding the unfolding of events here. And what will become of Charley now? We are left with much uncertainty surrounding her fate...
Highly recommended, and one that I really would've liked to have seen on TV (FAR better than Daleks in Manhattan!).
| What: | Enemy of the Daleks (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
|
| Date: | Tuesday 24 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 8 |
"My weapon is... impaired..."
"Your weapon has been eaten - consumed by the kiseibya. Tell me - how does it feel to encounter a species that regard you as... lunch...?"
Enemy of the Daleks, with its hard rock soundtrack and tense action scenes, is a story I could just imagine being in an original McCoy season 28 or 29, complete with cheesy 1991 creature makeup effects and gruesomely damaged Daleks (in a return to pre-season 23 style).
Anyway, the sound design here is superb once again, and it's interesting to have a truly Japanese main character in this story in Professor Shimura, whose strong Japanese accent is quite authentic. Jeremy James' Sistermatic medical droid is another quite interesting voice in this production - an excellent creation.
In a nutshell, the Daleks have been lured to a planetoid on which some monstrous research and development is afoot. When they arrive, things get pretty crazy. Highly recommended for a fun, though at times very disgusting listen. The story has its limitations, but worth an 8, I think.
Colin Baker has always been my favorite Doctor and this story is his best. Sil makes for an interesting villian. The story is well written and thought provoking.
Eternal summer has everything you would expect from a classic english sci fi 50s thriller. A lost village filled with strange villagers all with secrets and that creeping sence of danger, time is running out. Eternal summer brings all these together into a classic who, with a dash of humour and off course Max. I really hope Max comes back.
| | |
| The word is... the word IS... |
|
| | |
Brotherhood of the Daleks does have its interesting points, yet by the end, that satisfying pop had really contracted for me. As the story progresses, we find that the wider range we thought was the reality of the story shrinks down into a rather claustrophobic situation. We're sent round in circles repeatedly, all for the sake of what ends up being a failed cause. To add insult to injury, we're given a tantalizing scene between Charley and the Doctor, just to have it snatched away again.
Yes, it's interesting to see the elements from other Big Finish creations put to use here, and the final revelation of "the word" makes for a poignant ending, but the overall result felt somewhat unsatisfying.
| What: | State of Change (Missing Adventures novels) |
|
| By: | Josh, Alaska, USA |
|
| Date: | Saturday 21 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
I really enjoyed this story. It is slow paced, but picks up rapidly as it builds. The time alterations are interesting, and the retro-regeneration was fascinating. Even though all the clues were there, I didn't see the villian coming. Highly recommended
| | |
| Wow!!! What a first 5 minutes!!!! |
|
| | |
| What: | The Cannibalists (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
|
| By: | C G Harwood, Dunedin, NZ, New Zealand |
|
| Date: | Thursday 19 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
This story has probably the most graphic , and disturbing opening of any Dr who I have ever seen or listened too. The screaming from the actor playing the robot being torn apart and the angree mob was very well done - and from that point i knew i was in for something special, and I was right.
The quality of this years BBC7 8th Doctor stories has been very high, and this was no exception. The plot with mad insane robots is very common ground for Sci-Fi and is one Dr Who does very well. And when they find the solution is actually why everything is going wrong in the first place, actually brought a smile too my face.
This was a well paced and very well writen story by Jonathan Morris and the director Jason Haigh-Ellery managed to turn something that could have been very ordanary or silly into something very special.
Nice quest cast including phil davis (Fires of Pompeii, and Nigel Lambert (leasure hive). and they compliment McGann and Sheridan very well. (come on Mr Moffit give these two a TV story)
A very nice story althought the opening is pretty graphic so I probably would be careful letting younger listners listen to it. But diffently worth listning to.
| What: | Wirrn Dawn (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
|
| By: | C G Harwood, Dunedin, NZ, New Zealand |
|
| Date: | Monday 16 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 6 |
I Love these BBC7 8th doctor series, but I really dont know how to feel about this one. The main problem for me is that this whole episode is to much like the movies Starship troupers.
I think the storys main problem is that it follows The Beast of Orlock which I thort was brillant and my expectations were very high, so the only way this one could go was down.
The acting is of a reasnible standard and to have Colin Salmon in Doctor Who again was great. The Doctor and Lucy were good again and I love the bit where she is trying to convince the Doctor to just get back in the TARDIS and leave is wonderful.
The end where he is just watching the Admiral change and not trying to save her was a little confusing aswell, i just couldn't see any Doctor just standing around and watching this happening - oh well that just me i think.
All in all it was a good and it was great to see the Wirrn again. But all the way threw this I expected to hear the cast of Starship Troupers turn up.
| | |
| Classic Doctor who at its best |
|
| | |
| What: | The Beast of Orlok (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
|
| By: | C G Harwood, Dunedin, NZ, New Zealand |
|
| Date: | Monday 16 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 9 |
If you loved the Horror of Imadge of Fendahl, the mystery of Talons of weing-Ciang, the comedy of Tom Baker, and the feel of the Hinchcliff years then this is one that you should NOT miss.
This is a superb example of Dr Who at its best and Mcgann and Sheridan at the top of there game. Superbly writen and directed by Barnaby Edwards. Also the guest cast was very good especialy Miriam Margolyes. This would have been a superb tv story and if only longer, a very good movie.
This story had the potental to be bad or easily forgoton as it is sandwiched between two classic enemys (the Kynoid and the Wirrn) but my fears were completly wrong as this so far has been the best one so far this series. Like Max Warp last year ithis was the one i was a little worried about but like Max Warp last year this is so far my favorite story.
The only problem I have with it was I felt the end was rushed a little, it had a great lead up and I was on the edge of my set then suddenly "oh its all resolved". Also I felt that the LTD switch was a little to convient.
Other than those two little points it did not stop me from enjoying this wonderful hour of Doctor Who.
| What: | The Eyeless (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
|
| By: | Ollie, Kent |
|
| Date: | Monday 16 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
The Eyeless is the best Doctor Who read I've read. Building up on how the Doctor's dealing with his loneliness into a fast paced thriller of a book.
A thouroghly amazing read which had me turning the pages without a stop one of the best Who books out there.
| | |
| The end is nigh, repent!!! |
|
| | |
I have to say that I particularly enjoyed this book. It was darker in a humane sense than a lot of DW adventures, with people dying aplenty, heavy moral dilemmas, double crossing and so on. The big secret gets only revealed towards the end and then all the pieces make sense (The Doctor already new from the quasi beginning but the author kept us in the dark!). All the companions have interesting side stories (except for Ian maybe who just longs for Barbara!) and there's plenty of action. Well written too. Only a few things don't work (like the Taklarians and Plax's methamorphosis) but its nothing major. Good 1st Doctor story overall.
| | |
| Play the trivia game- excellent prize |
|
| | |
If you play the trivia game and get 5 questions right (watch the dvds), you get the special Comic Relief episode. Also the Brigader is great in it cant wait for Doctor in season 3
| What: | Worldwide Web (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
|
| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
|
| Date: | Saturday 7 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 8 |
"All praise to the Great One."
The snappy, great-sounding production continues here in Worldwide Web, the conclusion of The Eight Truths. We start to get some great sparring between Lucie and her... possessor here, and the nostalgia-fest continues.
Sanjeev Bhaskar's Avishka is a great character, assisting the Doctor from his post almost all the way through, and Stephen Moore makes an interesting choice for the character of Clark Goodman, the repentant creator of the Eightfold Truth cult and its prophecies.
The way the Headhunter finally shifts direction, and her final actions, are a bit of a stretch and don't really add up. Even less believable is that Lucie is able to do something psychically, basically, that the Headhunter couldn't, though this was apparently due to abilities temporarily gained from her contact with her... possessor. And the Doctor's subsequent gushing over the Headhunter's "courageous" action doesn't ring very true either. This stuff serves to knock the rating down a bit, but Worldwide Web is a great conclusion nonetheless.
| What: | The Angel of Scutari (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
|
| Date: | Saturday 7 November 2009 |
|
| Rating: | 6 |
I can see how others would rate this story as a 9 or 10 - in some ways The Angel of Scutari is nicely put together. Good cast, good script. Personally, I'm just not usually that fond of the "historical" stories, and this one is really hefty. Very weighty stuff here, with lots of drama. For me, there was no urgent drive to move on to the next episode - it seemed that one at a time was plenty. I did like Ace's character development in this story, but nothing really stands out here as being outstanding.
| | |
| Spam a lot, life of brian, etc etc |
|
| | |
Castle of Fear is a romp, really a monty python movie, but who cares its fun. Recent attempts at comic stories in my view have failed but this stands out. It would have been 8 but the last episode falls a little flat but still with a good cliff hanger.
Love The Trial of a Time Lord. The stories are wonderful - Earth gets moved; Sil is back; space ship in 2986; and the Valeyard is a bit more than just a Time Lord. Wonderful stuff. Brave, exciting and Colin Baker comfortable as the Doctor at last. Shame it all ended after Carrot Juice, but at least we get him on BF nowadays.
It's a bit ironic that one of the best Past Doctor adventures does not actually feature the Doctor... But who cares, this is the best Master story yet and he's pure Delgado here!
Old Doctor Who series never presented a coherent 'universe' and all the continuity references in this book help make up for that and were a joy... this book is much more than a sequel to Inferno.
Nice to see Ian and Barbara back... and introducing Harry Sullivan.
Excellent stuff.
