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| What: | The Doctor Who Audio Guide (Miscellaneous factual books) |
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| By: | Colin John Francis, Somerton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 11 July 2011 |
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| Rating: |  10 |
Still available :-)
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 | A nice collection of clips. |
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An interesting 'documentary' concerning the Rise and Rise of the new series. It's 'scary' to think that Christopher Eccleston seems so long ago now.
"A small number of the "original" CDs were distributed prior to the recall, which should turn out to be a very rare collector's item for the lucky recipients." = Yay! That'll be me then :-)
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| Back to the standard format |
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After the cliff hanger of the last story, I was looking for something that continued the hard hitting story and twists. It didn't happen and we have gone straight back to the standard Benny story.
Dispite this big moan, Tartarus gate is still a good story, with Benny and her boy friend vs the Bad guys.
So the range continues with a good story but hoping the plot develops with future stories.
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| At last hard core drama and action |
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This starts as the typical Benny story, light hearted fun, stumbling into another adventure. Horror you are in for a surprise, as this quickly turns into a fast paced hard hitting (at times disturbing) story.
For some I'm sure it will feel too much of a change but I thought it was great.
| What: | The Perpetual Bond (The Companion Chronicles audiobooks) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 10 July 2011 |
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| Rating: |  8 |
This story could have been written for the credit crunch. A mirror of our world today, with a good question "what depths would do we go to make money during hard times".
In many ways this is a tongue in check romp, a light hearted poke at the 60s and old school boy net work.
A fun and enjoyable story.
| What: | Find and Replace (The Companion Chronicles audiobooks) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 10 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Jo & Iris are delivered with great style and energy by Katy Maning in a fun, sad story that takes us down memory lane with great style.
I've never followed Iris' stories but after listening to this, I think I will pick up some of her stories.
| What: | The Doll of Death (The Companion Chronicles audiobooks) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 10 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
At times a little creepy, lots of twists, lots of time (although backwards), bucket loads of atmosphere and a great reading.
The Doll of death is so far one of my favourates.
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| A great start to the line |
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| What: | Frostfire (The Companion Chronicles audiobooks) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 10 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
I like many have picked up listening to the Companion range in the wrong order but was very interested to see how it started.
Frostfire dosen't disappoint, quickly you are taking back into the world and feel of the first doctor. It's great to see what happened to Vikki and hear as he past becomes linked with her future with a clever plot.
Sadly Disappointing
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| Limited music but what the hey |
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| What: | Travels in Time and Space (Target novelisation readings) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 8 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This is a superb set. The three stories are all very well written and read expertly by 'Ian' actor William Russell, especially 'The Crusaders'. My one gripe is there is not the same scope of music one has come to expect from these CDs but to be honest it doesn't detract from the story and what music and sound effects are there are effective.
Thoroughly recommended (if you can get hold of a copy!) 10/10
| What: | Rat Trap (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 7 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
In many ways Rat Trap is a clever and original story, turning the tables on man's treatment of animals. Companions are show the best (or worst) of their character, which as times is fun in a cruel way.
There is a hint of the future for Tegan, perhaps something nasty will come back. At times a little confusing with lots of cast members running about smelly tunnels, which is the only reason its not a 10.
| What: | Earth Story (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
Hard to rate two different story's but here goes.
The Gunfighters has always got a lot of flack from fans, usually over the actors American accents, but to me they are (mostly) pretty good.
The sets are excellent and the story is enjoyable. William Hartnell is excellent and reveals his comic acting & this certainly Jackie Lane's finest hour. It's only spoilt by that bloody song !
The Awakening is an enjoyable romp. Lots of good location work & good costumes with a story that doesn't outstay it's welcome. The monster is the only let down. It never quite works. and why at the end is no one amazed, surprised shocked by being in the TARDIS ?
The best extra on either disc is The End Of The Line an excellent, in-depth look at the troubled third year of Doctor Who.
| What: | Frontios (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Once again a story that has lots of interesting ideas that never quite works.
The TARDIS is destroyed !.... but no one seems really bothered.
Huge burrowing monsters that drag people underground...that just don't work, and are very camp, and so on.
That's not to say it's all bad. The sets are very good and there are some excellent acting performances especially from Jeff Rawle as Plantagent.
The extras are nothing to write home about apart from, as usual, interesting "making of" documentary.
| What: | Mannequin Mania (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
As I've said before, Jon Pertwee was my Doctor and this has both his beginnings.
His actual debut & the start of his battles with the Master.
Spearhead starts the 3rd Doctor in great style. The Autons are great monsters and its lovely to see the Brigadier back, even in a horrible uniform.
The Special edition DVD is light years ahead of the original release in terms of its restoration and features Down To Earth, a look at the making of this story and how it saved the programme.
The restoration work on Terror of the Autons is staggering compared to the VHS copy. It is a joy to see it presented so well.
Life on Earth is a really good making of Documentary.
All in all very highly recommended.
| What: | Planet of the Spiders (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
It light of recent events, the death of Elisabeth Sladen, this is now an even more poignant story.
Jon Pertwee was my doctor growing up the 70's & I can still remember how upset I was when he left, but still this is a hell of goodbye.
Action packed (even if if the chase scene is far to long), heroic, thought provoking, interesting character's & a very moving end.
The story does drag a bit towards the end but what a final episode.
The extras are a bit thin but do consist of The Final Curtain, an in depth look at the end of the 3rd Doctors era & the making of Planet of the Spiders & an interesting interview with John Kane who stared as Tommy.
The end of an era.
The commentary with Barry Letts, Elisabeth Sladen & Nick Courtney is both wonderful but very sad.
| What: | Mara Tales (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
These two tales have long been held in high regard by Dr Who fans and rightly so.
They are full of imagination, wonder & surprise. And they are at times genuinely creepy, particularly Tegan's dream/nightmare sequences.
The acting is spot on with top marks to Simon Rouse as Hindle, surely one of the best ever guest acting spots in Dr Who history. Richard Todd as a man who has lost the plot is also excellent.
With the added CGI extra of a new snake this is near perfection.
The only let down is the poor sets on both story's. The jungle is just never convincing. Just think how good the jungle in Planet of Evil was & that was 10 years ago.
Both DVDs have excellent "making of" documentaries as well as lots of other goodies.
Highly recommended
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| Its the end of the world as we know it.. |
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| What: | The Ark (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
The Ark is full of good ideas that should be brilliant but ultimately fails.
The last surviving humans, a one eyed intelligent race, the race to cure a killer disease, a live elephant. All these should have made for a cracking story and yet..
The Moniods are poor. Poorly designed and thought out. The trial seems to go on forever and is so dull. The acting from the humans, Peter Purves & William Hartnell aside, is dull & what the hell is a "security kitchen" ? & as for Jackie Lane, her accent wonders up & down the UK
Still it has two great cliff hangers, the earth disintegrating and the reveal of the statue are fantastic, as is the elephant.
The DVD extras for this story are very thin. All's Wells That End Wells is a very tenuous attempt to link the works of HG Wells & Dr Who. One Hit Wonders is a look at why monsters like The Moniods didn't have the popularity of the Daleks (they where crap ?) Riverside Story takes Peter Purves back to the Riverside story's where the early story's where filmed as the best of a poor bunch of extras.
| What: | The Mutants (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
The Mutants is a good example of a good four pointer stretched over six episodes.
The reflection of the social and political points of the time (racism, colonialism etc) get a bit lost in the (to obvious) padding out of the story.
Still Jon Pertwee , as ever, is excellent & Garrick Hagon who plays Ky is excellent.
While the story never gets as dull or silly as The Time Monster, I did find my mind wondering at times
The DVD extras are excellent. Mad Mutt is a comprehensive look at the making of the story & Race Against Time is one of the best, and most interesting DVD documentaries ever produced. It looks at the representation of non-white actors in classic Dr Who. As someone who grew up, and of course watched a lot of TV in the 60's & 70's it is thoroughly thought provoking and, for me, put TV of those eras in a whole new light. The end of the this feature, which features alternative black Doctors is superb
| What: | Meglos (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
An interesting, if not entirely successful story in which the Doctor, Romana & K9 locked in a triangle with the Savants, The Deons & the not very subtle Tigellans. The good things are the return of Jacqueline Hill. What a great actress she was, Tom Baker in a duel role, the cactus make up & the production.It's let down by a thin, uninteresting story with a poor ending. To say, as the other reviewer did that this is better than anything from the Matt Smith era, is of course ludicrous.
The extras are very goo. The meeting of the two writers is very interesting & the DVD itself is worth buying just for the wonderfully moving tribute to Jacqueline Hill featuring her husband, colleagues & friend's. A wonderful tribute to a wonderful person & actress.
| What: | Seasons of Fear (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 3 July 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Oh those great classic Bill Hartnell multi place, multi scenraio epics. Its been far too long since we had travelling stories of the density of The Keys of Marinus and The Dalek's Master Plan. Those were brilliant tales, where each episode took place in a different location, and for that reason were all the more jarring and at the same time all the more enjoyable and fun. For some reason though these sort of tales seem to fall out of favour with many and we get far more simple base under seige storylines instead, which is not a bad thing by any means, but can get a little repetitive if the whole season has the same formula. We need an upsetter, like the Enemy of the World was to season five. And after so many stories from Big Finish, we finally get two writers who want to write in that same eccentric and brilliant vein, and for the most part again here it works so very well indeed. The story flows along, and one episode per place means youre forever running to catch up with just what is going on along the road. And the reveal of the main villains is highly unsuspected! Bringing back them is a bold idea, such as Russell T Davies did with the Macra for the new series, (i wont tell you what they are this time so you can have a surprise if you havent listened to this tale before) Needless to say the monsters hark from a wrongly maligned season by the number 17. The Doctor and Romana's time. So go figure out what the aliens are. The voices here once more are captured expertly, and sound just like their 1979 counterparts. The character of Grayle is wonderfully devious and cunning too, played to perfection by Stephen Perring in his pre-Kroka days! As decent a villain actor youre ever likely to get. Paul McGann is getting into the role of his laid back and totally unfazed Doctor so well indeed, and India Fisher as Charley still greatly impresses. Perhaps the only quibble with this story is that the enemies have nothing very new or original in how theyre portrayed. But they are done extremely well, as Ive already said. And the small cast per each episode handles the scripting very well indeed. Audios with very few actors can be quite boring if not done right, but thankfully Paul and Caroline have hit almost every single mark they fired at. This is a great tale, one of the three decent stories in Paul's second season as the errant time lord. Im not all that glad that since this story for BFP weve not had another Keys of Marinus styled story, I for one love that format and it works so well as it always has done. After all, one of the main advantages of a multi era story is that it is never predictable. Please, please BFP, make some more stories like this please!!!!
