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 | Nostalgia is made of this |
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| What: | Dalek War (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 2 November 2009 |
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| Rating: |   9 |
Two absolute third doctor classics are brought together in this wonderful box set.
Frontier in space is a wonderful space opera full of pace, excitement, thrills n spills in which the third Doctor & Jo face off against the Master (Roger Delgardo in his final role) while trying to keep Earth & Draconia from a devastating war. The Draconians are, for me, one of the best realised Who monsters ever & just when you thought it couldn't get any better the Daleks turn up !
Planet of The Daleks is a great Doctor v the daleks runaround full of great action scenes & now with episode 3 in full glorious colour !
The extras are a mixture. On one hand there is the always wonderful Stripped for action. Third Doctor on Frontier & The Daleks on Planet. There is a wonderful doco on Roger Delgardo which is interesting & very moving.
On the other hand there is a pseudo doc called Perfect Scenario which is set in the future in which a script writer searches through Doctor Who for inspiration. This, in my opinion is the worst extra on any of the Doctor Who DVDs ever.
Apart from that this is a wonderful box set that for me is second only to The War Games in this years release.
One of the best Target novalizations ever. I found it by accident in a used bookstore. The action is relentless. The pacing is profound. Platt's descriptions are quick and sharp to the last degree.
Marc Platt remains a brilliant writer. The book is richly revealed in a whirling map of color and prose. A superb evocation on all levels. I would remember this book as "high" art in Doctor Who.
| What: | Resurrection of the Daleks (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 1 November 2009 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
The year: 2009. The place: my sitting room. The DVD: Resurrection of the Daleks...
It's a super title, I have to say. If I was ever watching 'new' Doctor Who and that title came on now, I'd be practically crying with excitement. And this is no damp squib; it's a SUPER story.
The TARDIS lands in Butler's Wharf in 1984, but when the Doctor discovers freedom fighters from the future fighting soldiers with super-cool Dalek helmets, and a time corridor in a warehouse, it's obvious something is up. The action then shifts to various futuristic space stations and prisons, where we find Davros, now played by the super Terry Molloy, and the brilliant-looking Supreme Dalek.
This story gives us a new Davros, and one is far superior to David Gooderson, who appeared in 'Destiny of the Daleks'. To be honest, I prefer Molloy to Michael Wisher - he puts extra emotion into the role which I don't believe the original Dalek creator had.
The story holds up well, with solid cliffhangers and a sad ending as Tegan leaves the TARDIS after nearly four years. Unfortunately there are a few too many unfinished sub-plots which do distract the viewer slightly.
As a relatively early release the extras are fairly paltry - some studio footage as well as some news items. Most welcome is a 5.1 soundtrack - this always adds to the experience.
Story: 9/10
Extras: 8/10
WWW feels very much like the first half of a classic who: setting the story, introducing everyone, getting us ready for the action in the second half. WWW on it's own is not great just good, lets hope part two delivers. No pressure!
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| Unpleasant and depressing |
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| What: | Rags (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Nicholas Murphie, Newtown, Australia |
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| Date: | Friday 23 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
Just because Doctor Who can be any format and any genre, it does not mean it *should* be... and this book is a case in point.
It's deeply unpleasant, violent, depressing and really does not belong in Who, and particularly not with the 3rd Doctor and Jo.
I am not saying it's badly written, but I was just glad to turn the last page.
| What: | The Roundheads (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | , |
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| Date: | Thursday 22 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
Well written interesting story of a well known piece of English history (too bad you brought the monarchy back though as this was the closest you got to revolution and a republic!!!). Gripping most of the time although some bits are slower paced and others plain unbelievable. Generally great though.
| What: | Empire of Death (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | , |
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| Date: | Thursday 22 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
Pretty interesting story mixing historical stuff like Victoria's over the top mourning of Albert and the period's interest in sceances and afterlife, with nice DW plots twists and mystery aliens. Good writing as well, unlike some other entries of this series...
| What: | The Company of Friends (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
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| Date: | Monday 19 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
I just had to give this one more than an 8, because it's so much fun!
Having been a fan of the BBC Books Eighth Doctor series of novels, I found this collection of four short stories to be very interesting and quite satisfying.
Benny, of course, is a popular character who was created during the Seventh Doctor's New Adventures run in the novels. Here she meets the Eighth Doctor for the first time since The Dying Days, which was the final New Adventure before BBC Books took over, and the only New Adventure to feature the Eighth Doctor. This is a great time travel story that doesn't feel rushed in its single-episode form.
Fitz is a rather different companion who traveled with the Doctor in BBC Books' EDA range. In the books, he's a sort of usually-failed womanizer who is also usually a big slacker. His episode here pulls off the characterization fairly well - well enough that I'd be interested in seeing more episodes featuring him. This episode is pretty corny, really, but it is a lot of fun, in a not taking it seriously kind of way...
Izzy is someone I wasn't familiar with, who is apparently from a Doctor Who comic strip. The character here is, again, great fun, and her story, appropriately, involves a quest for a missing final issue of her favorite comic book. You know it ends up involving a lot more than they expected...
And Mary's story features... Mary Shelley! This one left me wondering if Mary Shelley was a companion of the Doctor in some series of some kind I didn't know about, but apparently, this is a new invention, just for this audio release. This episode is really excellent, and again, not rushed at its length of only a single episode. The Doctor is having serious problems as he arrives at the dwelling where we find Mary and friends, and I'll leave the rest to your imagination... until you get a hold of this excellent release and listen for yourself. Could there be an upcoming Eighth Doctor and Mary series from Big Finish? One can only hope.
Highly recommended!
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| Good bye Charlie and hello-Jean Luc |
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| What: | Blue Forgotten Planet (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Charles G. Dietz, San Jose, CA, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 19 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Overall, ok story. I thought that Charlie should have been dropped off and saved by the 8th so then she would be in a morbius loop. Has anybody noticed that the Veryadans sound like Jean Luc Picard of Star Trek as Locutus of Borg.
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| Earth v Draconia v the Ogrons v the D... |
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| What: | Dalek War (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 15 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Here we have the main part of I'm sure many Who fans' Christmas lists - the Dalek War boxset. Along with The War Games, this is 'the' release to have of 2009, and on watching it it's clear to see why.
'Frontier in Space' is a pretty good show; a space opera of sorts, with loads of good-looking locations and model sequences, and of course the Master. Two downers for me: the rubbish Ogron 'bag monster' and the constant plot thread of the Doctor and/or Jo getting locked up does get tiresome. Extras include 'The Perfect Scenario' (more on that later) 'The Space War', a great little featurette, and an entertaining commentary.
'Planet of the Daleks' just as good in my opinion, and with Daleks without Davros you can't really go wrong! We get to see the Thals again in this story, plus the BRILLIANT Dalek Supreme. Forget the Red Dalek in the 2008 series, this is the best Dalek EVER. Extras include 'Perfect Scenario' Part 2 - an experiment which I think paid off, a super 'Stripped for Action' on the Daleks, and a blessing in disguise of a Blue Peter film featuring the famous stolen Daleks incident.
Overall, a fab set. You thought The War Games was good? You ain't seen nothing yet!
Without giving too much away, like many before it's fallen into the trap of the doctor's solution and ending is a little unreal/too easy. However this is still a good story, tugging at the heart a little and leaves you asking questions.
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| Some mothers do have them |
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This gives a sample of the doctor with Charley X and with saying too much, overall is an enjoyable quality story. The ending for the empire is a little unlikely but don't think too hard and its still a good one.
| What: | The Sea Devils (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | Francis Salvi, Chester, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 10 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
this is basically a rehash of The Silurians, but a good one. the story does not drag at all, but it's missing something
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| The experiment has been a success! |
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| What: | The Sontaran Experiment (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 10 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
I saw this on UK Gold years ago and found it boring and too short, but after rewatching it on DVD recently I have had a change of heart.
The story is anything but boring, and the monster is very effective (although maybe not the robot).
The actual DVD is a first for the 2|entertain range, a "standard edition" release with minimal extras. The only main VAM on this story is "Built for War" - an interesting and informative documentary on the history of the Sontarans.
Plot, pace, action, fun and a real sense of place, I can't wait to see what happens next.
| What: | The Keys of Marinus (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 7 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
For me this is Dr Who's first failure. After the first four brilliant story's, this is an over ambitious story that looks like it is, a last minute story written in a hurry. the whole thing just feels disjointed. Of course it nice to see it all cleaned up, & for the first time since it was broadcast complete, for DVD.
The extras are very bare. There is an interview with the designer & the usual, & always entertaining & informative commentary. The best extra for me is the PDF of Doctor Who & the Daleks sweet cigarettes cards. Wonderful nostalgia.
If your idea of fun is reading science textbooks then this is the book for you. This is the only one in the series I could not be bothered to finish.
| What: | The Magic Mousetrap (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
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| Date: | Saturday 3 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Spoilers Ahead
The Magic Mousetrap is a real oddball of a story that feels like one of those strange PC adventure games that take place in some quiet, dreary mansion, in which the player goes through rooms one by one, that are filled with strange, sometimes nightmarish objects, exploring and looking for clues as to what's going on and what the objective is. Until the end of episode two, it's pretty tough to get any sense of what these people are doing in the odd setting of this sanatorium in 1926 Switzerland. The situation is doubly clouded by the fact that the Doctor has amnesia (again!), and by the fact that Ace and Hex are putting on fake voices for some reason and have taken on new identities. (Sophie Aldred is so good at this that at first, I had no idea that this was Ace and Hex!) Then, when the Doctor comes upon a ventriloquist's dummy in a cupboard, he suddenly realizes that what he's looking at is The Celestial Toymaker. And the dummy starts to speak...
That is quite a spoiler, but if you are a Toymaker fan, I highly recommend this one, and there's nothing else in the packaging or description that gives any indication of his presence here. It's very easy to pass this one by without that bit of info...
As a bonus, we get Polly's Story, which is apparently in an ongoing series of "The Three Companions." Read by Anneke Wills with John Pickard and Nicholas Courtney as a (very) retired Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, the story features the Second Doctor, Ben, Polly, and Jamie paying a visit to an industrial planet scheduled for demolition, but stuck just before the point of destruction. The characterizations are great, but the flashback story Polly is telling the Brig about is more like one of Virgin's Missing Adventures than something from 1966's season four, though I suppose it actually isn't too far off there either.
| What: | Remembrance of the Daleks (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 3 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
As I have got a new computer since my original review, I have decided to write a review on the newly released special edition.
This new release features two documentaries: 'Back to School', a making-of, and 'Remembrances' (my favourite of the two), a look at the continuity in this nostalgia-fest. Also a good addition is a 5.1 soundtrack, which is always a good thing.
| What: | Wishing Well (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | patar, Warrington |
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| Date: | Friday 2 October 2009 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
Didn't really like it. The story was quite boring. The write made it hard to picture the villain attacking and stuff for some reason. Not much in the characters either.
