Vengeance of Varos has always been a favourite of mine (Mindwarp not so much),so I do get intrigued by Philip Martin's work and the dark, social/politVengeance of Varos has always been a favourite of mine (Mindwarp not so much),so I do get intrigued by Philip Martin's work and the dark, social/political overtones he brings to Dr. Who. I know I read the Mission to Magnus novel way back when, but I remember little of it. There's some intriguing ideas with Sil wanting to use time travel in order to make the best bets in the stock market, but plot wise, it's not fleshed out as well as Varos was. The cast does the best with what they were given for audio....more
Couldn't follow the plot, I was pretty lost with this one. But Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton are fun to listen to, as is David Daker and the guest caCouldn't follow the plot, I was pretty lost with this one. But Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton are fun to listen to, as is David Daker and the guest cast. ...more
terror of the vervoids style whodunit on a spaceliner with various guests as suspects. seems to be a peace conference of some sort masquerading as a sterror of the vervoids style whodunit on a spaceliner with various guests as suspects. seems to be a peace conference of some sort masquerading as a song contest, and the Doctor impersonating the commander of the ship. Fairly entertaining, though the plot lost me at some point along the way. Patricia Quinn's performance as Queen Angvia is great. ...more
I first heard about this story I think in the season 23 blu ray extra where Christopher Bidmead talks about the scripts he wrote for the abandoned s23I first heard about this story I think in the season 23 blu ray extra where Christopher Bidmead talks about the scripts he wrote for the abandoned s23. He described this professor Stream as being a disguise for the Master, so I kept waiting for a big reveal.... though I guess from the BTS extras they couldn't get the rights for the Master for audio, so he's just professor Stream here with maybe an eyebrow raised. Loved Frontios as a kid, but the Gravis doesn't seem to work well in audio format. Honestly, I was lost most of this play, and couldn't understand what was happening a lot of the time. ...more
Anthony Howell's vocal performance as Perkins has an eerie similarity to Geoffrey Beevers, so at first I thought maybe the Doctor was encountering theAnthony Howell's vocal performance as Perkins has an eerie similarity to Geoffrey Beevers, so at first I thought maybe the Doctor was encountering the Master before he degraded to the charred wreck Master here in the Amazon, and then realized it was a different actor.. the concept that time moves slower in the Amazon pretty fascinating. Becomes boiler plate run around part 2 onwards. Mercifully shorter than Foe From the Future. Some good Tom & Louise banter though as always....more
Pretty interesting subject matter; Roman invaders vs. the native inhabitants of Norfolk. If I'm not mistaken, I don't think there's any time meddlers Pretty interesting subject matter; Roman invaders vs. the native inhabitants of Norfolk. If I'm not mistaken, I don't think there's any time meddlers or aliens in it. Well performed....more
Similar setup to Image of the Fendahl - distortions in the time vortex brings the Doctor and Leela to a small village in the 70's, talk of ghosts, andSimilar setup to Image of the Fendahl - distortions in the time vortex brings the Doctor and Leela to a small village in the 70's, talk of ghosts, and such. Some interesting ideas with the bug race invading from 4,000 years in the future at the other end of the time tunnel. Paul Freeman as a guest star I enjoyed, and I liked some of the Tom Baker/ Louise Jameson banter. The plot gets a bit convoluted and at six parts, this is quite long, and there is a lot of padding throughout. ...more
I haven't read the original Nation/ Whitaker script for the 1965 stage play. I'm not sure if that's even publicly available, but overall, Briggs adap I haven't read the original Nation/ Whitaker script for the 1965 stage play. I'm not sure if that's even publicly available, but overall, Briggs adapted it well to audio with bits of narration to link scenes together. Has some twists/ turns I didn't see coming. ...more
It's been ages since I read Graham Williams' book, but I do recall a character named Kevin Stoney and thinking that must be an in-joke or homage to thIt's been ages since I read Graham Williams' book, but I do recall a character named Kevin Stoney and thinking that must be an in-joke or homage to the actor. The audio production is entertaining. David Bailie gives a solid Toymaker performance. The resolution with revealing some of the Toymaker's back story is satisfying overall. Some of the video game tournament stuff I don't think works very well though. ...more
There's a lot of padding in this. The pirate treasure map plot goes in circles at some points, and I get where the Susie character is coming from feelThere's a lot of padding in this. The pirate treasure map plot goes in circles at some points, and I get where the Susie character is coming from feeling frustrated listening to the Doctor and Evelyn tell this tale that seems to go nowhere. The sequences where Colin Baker sings has a certain charm, he has a talent for musical theater, and the ending is quite touching. The story structure with Evelyn and the Doctor as unreliable narrators is effective. I liked some of the dialogue where they wax poetic on the nature of stories/ storytelling....more
Trevor Martin plays the role very straight. I enjoyed the first third of it with the Jenny/Jason interactions. It starts to lose it's way a bit with tTrevor Martin plays the role very straight. I enjoyed the first third of it with the Jenny/Jason interactions. It starts to lose it's way a bit with the clam creatures and the neutron blasters - doesn't quite work in audio format, gets to be a bit noisy, but I am glad Big Finish went to the effort of adapting the play so we have a good record of it. Getting Martin to reprise the role was brilliant. Terrance Dicks borrowed a bit from himself years later on The Ultimate Adventure - the whole bit of with the imposter Dalek, and then it getting destroyed, he later recycled it seems....more
I didn't see the stage play performed in 1989, but I do recall reading articles, reviews, and looking at photographs of it. Wonderful that Big Finish I didn't see the stage play performed in 1989, but I do recall reading articles, reviews, and looking at photographs of it. Wonderful that Big Finish adapted it so that we have a record of it. I wouldn't recommend this to casual listeners who want adult drama. It is a cheesy panto for kids, lots of exposition in the dialogue, and so forth. It is what is. If I were to knitpick anything, the mention of Evelyn as a companion I think takes away from the preservation aspect of this project, and seems like an attempt to work this piece of cheese properly into the Whoniverse continuity. The additional behind-the-scenes stuff that Big Finish recorded, including the Terrance Dicks and David Banks interviews, are full of funny anecdotes and very much of interest to the Dr Who completist....more
I was fairly lost, but there's some interesting concepts like anti-time, and Nicholas Courtney does the voice of the TARDIS personified, I think (?). I was fairly lost, but there's some interesting concepts like anti-time, and Nicholas Courtney does the voice of the TARDIS personified, I think (?). It's largely Paul McGann centric, and the other incarnations I guess are other characters who are segments of the Doctor, or something. There's some Gallifrey lore in it. Not a play made for casual listening, you have to take notes to follow it. I would give it one star, but it has a wealth of Dr Who talent interacting, so that's cool. ...more
You get a little bit more backstory here than on TV with the Morestrans. Salamar got the commander job because of political connections, while the oldYou get a little bit more backstory here than on TV with the Morestrans. Salamar got the commander job because of political connections, while the older, wiser Vishinsky had been passed over for promotion. Overall, the book is enjoyable, has some moments of tension and suspense. Dicks' prose is sturdy for the most part, but I feel like it could have used another pass of copy editing. The term 'cracking up' is used about three times over two pages at one point, and in my edition, page 25, the Doctor gives the Tardis key to Sarah, and then it's repeated in a subsequent paragraph, the Doctor gives the Tardis key to Sarah. ...more
I found this one convoluted and hard to follow. these kinds of action/ adventure stories with multiple settings and lots of characters and battle /figI found this one convoluted and hard to follow. these kinds of action/ adventure stories with multiple settings and lots of characters and battle /fight scenes not ideal for audio only format. hard to keep straight who is an android and who isn't (?). Not sure what happened to the worm lady from the previous story (?). Bit where the decayed Master riding on horseback seemed a bit much. Tom Baker though has some good moments. ...more
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