Big Finish Doctor Who - 2008 Subscribers Special - Return of The Krotons

The dead planet Onyakis is being plundered by the last survivors of the human race, and their leader, Commander Cobden, will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Already there are rumours of those who stand against him mysteriously disappearing. But when the Doctor and Charley find themselves on the side of those trying to expose Cobden, they discover something far more sinister.

Deep in the mines of Onyakis, alien technology is reactivating. Power is flowing. Something is forming in the darkness…

This years Big Finish ‘Subscribers Special’ sees the return of classic Doctor Who monsters ‘The Krotons’!

The Krotons only appearance on television was in December 1968, in a serial that ran until January 1969 – exactly 40 years before the release of this audio. The Krotons themselves are a strange ‘crystalline lifeform’ that need people to use ‘learning machines’ to power them.

I would advise you getting hold of a copy of ‘The Krotons’ before listening to this. I believe it is available on VHS and on ITunes. Surely it won’t be long before a DVD release?

In the audio, The Doctor and Charley find themselves lost. Not for the first time, the TARDIS is knackered and they’ve been left with no clue where (or when) they are. It turns out that this story shares some nice parallels with the 4th Doctor serial ‘The Ark in Space’, which was about human colonies. The ‘ark’ that appeared in that story (Nerva) gets a couple of mentions, which should keep old school fans happy! The story does build up rather nicely but the finish is quite disappointing.

Overall, the audio is just a bit of harmless fun that offers a good insight into The Krotons. I was a little disappointed with the pace of the story, which as mentioned, built up very well but the way everything was resolved was disappointing. However, the performances of the actors (including the legendry Philip Madoc) really do stand out rather well.

2.5/5

Big Finish Doctor Who 116 - The Raincloud Man

Having just defeated the Krotons, the Doctor is treating Charley to a hearty English breakfast, when an intriguing mystery suddenly presents itself. And to solve it, they must plunge back into the criminal underbelly of Manchester, where an old friend is up to her neck in alien trouble.

But what seemed like a mere mystery ends up being a life or death struggle at the centre of an interplanetary war in which the stakes are so high, the Doctor or Charley must gamble and lose their identity. And throughout, the lone figure of the Raincloud Man may hold the key to success or failure.

The guys over at Big Finish bring out their final story of 2008, which sees the return of Manchester and DI Menzies (played by Anna Hope) in ‘The Raincloud Man’.

One thing I can say about it, is that it is pure classic Doctor Who! The story takes a while to get going but that really makes it all the better to listen to!

With it being set after ‘Return of the Krotons’ (the subscriber’s release which is reviewed here) The Doctor and Charley find themselves having breakfast in a café. But when Charley spots something strange, about false £1 coins and Manchester, The Doctor looks up an old friend.

This turns out to be the tireless DI Patricia Menzies, who apart from doing her day job is now taking care of the aliens who ask her for help, after the events of ‘The Condemned’. She agrees to help The Doctor, any way she can but she herself is busy investigating a number of strange deaths. When Charley accompanies her on a visit to an alien who can see the ‘possibilities of time’, she is told that she must tell The Doctor the truth about herself. But when the alien turns up dead, Charley is arrested for murder…

It’s another intriguing story that adds more mystery to Charley’s story. It can run the risk of being a little bit tedious but for how its okay! The audio also takes a nice twist after the second part and the story benefits from it.

Once again Anna Hope was outstanding and here’s hoping she can return again. Michael Fenton-Stevens also offers great support as the mysterious boat-owner, Brooks.

Overall it’s a very good story that is a little slow in places but still manages to make you listen to every word!

3.5/5

Next Time: It’s the start of ‘The Key 2 Time’ trilogy as the Fifth Doctor is joined by new companion Amy in ‘The Judgement of Isskar’

Big Finish Doctor Who 114 - Brotherhood of the Daleks

The TARDIS materialises. Despite console readings to the contrary, the Sixth Doctor and Charley step out, unexpectedly, into an alien jungle, where they find themselves stalked and then ambushed. They have landed in the middle of one of the Dalek wars, and this time the tactics used by both sides are threatening the very nature of reality.

I don’t know how to review this audio. On one hand its one of the most landmark Dalek stories that Big Finish has done. On the other, it’s the most bizarre pieces of writing this side of ‘Ghost Light’!

Okay, you can actually follow the story so the Ghost Light comparison is a bit harsh but imagine if Terry Nation based the Daleks on Communists instead of Nazis – that is what ‘Brotherhood of the Daleks’ is basically about!

The first disc (or two parts, whichever you prefer) pulls you into the story brilliantly. The Doctor and Charley land on what The Doctor thinks is an ice planet but instead its Spiridon, first seen in Jon Pertwee’s ‘Planet of the Daleks’ in 1973. But is it Spiridon? The TARDIS doesn’t think it is!

The Doctor and Charley meet a team of Thals who are waiting to be rescued, whilst they are on the run from Daleks. One of their member has been killed and they seem rather trigger-happy and after the TARDIS disappears, will The Doctor, his ridiculous deerskin apparel and Charley, get out alive?

It’s a gripping listen but once you get to part three, that’s where it all goes bonkers! At times you’re not sure what is real and what is not real. Considering this is a fiction anyway, it gets all the more confusing! Add to that the fact that the Daleks seem to remember Charley (from the audio) ‘Terror Firma’ - you’ll struggle to keep up!

It’s quite interesting to see what this story does to the Daleks. I suppose it ratifies the fact that the Daleks will never change but I would like to see a continuing arc of different Daleks, with a different agenda. Big Finish toyed with this in the ‘Dalek Empire’ spinoffs (which are a great listen, if you’re into Daleks) but I would like to see a change in direction with future Dalek stories. Let’s stop using them as joke devices, which is what the television series has done and make them into the menacing threat they should be!

As always, Colin Baker and India Fisher are on top form as the 6th Doctor and Charley. The Charley story arc is also getting that little bit more interesting. Although I do hope we have this pairing for a few years yet, I hope this plotline isn’t done to death! It isn’t surprising to listen how easy the two have settled down together. I do get the feeling that the 6th Doctor could fit in with every one of his past and future companions and that is all due to Colin, who apart from being loveable, has the best name in the world! Me and him and so much in common!

Michael Cochrane (who plays Murgat) is the main guest star in this audio. He has appeared in the television stories ‘Black Orchid’ and, (surprise, surprise!) Ghost Light’. He also appeared in the 7th Doctor audio, ‘No Man’s Land, which is well worth digging out!

There are also over 30 minutes of extras, which are also well worth a listen. If only to hear people trying to talk normally, but having the Dalek sound affect on their voice! As always the behind the scenes stuff is very informative and adds that little bit of gloss to each release. Just hearing about how India Fisher wanted to re-record a scene because she wasn’t happy with it, just shows how much work everyone puts in and that’s just great to hear. It does make you wonder how a small company like Big Finish, gets all its releases out and at the same time, maintain the high quality they have set themselves.

Despite the strangeness of this release, it’s still a good story that has plenty of twists and turns, more so from part three onwards! You may have to listen to it at least twice to understand what’s going on, though!

4/5

Next Time: its “HAPPY 45th BIRTHDAY DOCTOR WHO!”, as Big Finish will be celebrating by releasing ‘Forty Five’, with the 7th Doctor, Ace and Hex.

Big Finish Doctor Who - The Stageplays - The Ultimate Adventure

Big Finish have decided to adapt three Doctor Who stage plays onto audio, the first of which is ‘The Ultimate Adventure’. They just manage to pull it off.

The play was originally performed by Jon Pertwee from March 1989, until he became ill. David ‘Cyber Leader’ Banks took over as The Doctor, for some of his performances. It wasn’t long though until Pertwee was replaced by Colin Baker, who was sacked from his television role just three years previously. Colin reprises his role as the 6th Doctor for this audio version.

Early on it becomes obvious that this play wasn’t designed to be on audio. Everything seems a bit OTT but once everything settles down we are treated to a good story. We are introduced to the Doctor’s companion – Jason (played by former Hearsay ‘singer’ Noel Sullivan), a Frenchman saved from the guillotine by The Doctor. They materialise in London to meet Prime Minister Margret Thatcher, who wants them to protect a US envoy, who is a key man in peace talks being held in London. When they turn up, at the nightclub, the Cybermen are coming from the shadows and abduct the envoy but they are not working alone in their attempts to plunge earth into war….

The audio really gets going from part two onwards, once we are introduced to nightclub singer, Crystal (Claire Huckle), the play really goes up a notch. While it doesn’t hit the heights of Big Finish’s monthly releases, the play is adapted very well and does what its designed do - a bit of harmless fun!

The supporting cast are good and it’s great to hear David Banks back on Doctor Who. He isn’t playing the Cyber-Leader though, so there’s no chance of an “Excellent” catchphrase! Booooo!

We are also treated to the songs from the original play. Whilst there isn’t many, “Business is Business” is the standout song and the title is used as a catchphrase throughout the play. We could have done with a few more songs though!

3/5

Next Month – Trevor Martin plays The Doctor in ‘Seven Keys To Doomsday’

Big Finish Doctor Who 111 - The Doomwood Curse

Curses and tombs, revenge from beyond the grave - and Dick Turpin!

England, 1738. On the trail of a lost book, the Doctor and Charley arrive at the beautiful country estate of Sir Ralph and Lady Sybil. But all is far from idyllic. There’s a murderer on the loose, and the nearby woods are the haunt of the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin.

And that’s not all. Something else has journeyed here. Something that could destroy the very fabric of reality. The Doctor and Charley have just forty-eight hours to solve the mystery before the whole world succumbs to The Doomwood Curse.

Fact: This was a great return to form for Big Finish. Good Fact: It also saw the return of the 6th Doctor and Charley. Even Better Fact: We had a returning monster from the Bernice Summerfield audios!

‘The Doomwood Curse’ is a gripping listen from start to finish. Set in the 1700’s and containing England’s most legendary highwayman, Dick Turpin, it has all the ingredients to be an absolute cracker.

We finally get part two of the 6th Doctor and Charley combination and it’s clear from the start that this combination will work very well. It’s also great to see the return of the Grel (“Glory to the Grel! Glory to the Grel!”), who where heard in the Bernice Summerfield audios ‘Oh No It Isn’t’ and ‘The Grel Escape’. They are one of my favourite monsters, if only for the campness that they ooze! My only disappointment is that they didn’t do their ‘Glory to the Grel’ chant!

The story begins with the Doctor and Charley returning an overdue library book, at a rather sadistic library. The Grel just happen to be there – on the lookout for (what else!) facts! They end up in the 1700’s, a time of ladies, gentleman, curses and highwaymen. Charley seems to recognise the setting but can she work it out before it’s to late….

The story is superbly acted, especially by the two main leads. It’s a lovely bit of fun and by the time part 4 arrives, you’ll notice that all of the actors aren’t really acting anymore – they’re having too much fun!

It’s also nice to see another period setting for the 6th Doctor. I feel that a lot of the Big Finish stuff is too ‘space tech’ but thankfully the majority of the 6th Doctor stuff is set in places and times we know a bit about, so it adds more to your imagination whilst you listen to it!

It’s a masterstroke by Big Finish by placing Charley with the 6th Doctor, it does bring out his good nature, which is far removed from his television incarnation. Although I would like to see more of the ‘dark side’ of the 6th Doctor, if only to keep some continuity.

5/5

Next Time: The 7th Doctor goes solo once again as he reaches ‘The Kingdom of Sliver’!

Big Finish Doctor Who 108 - Assassin in the Limelight

Doctor Robert Knox returns in this story, set before the assassination of American president, Abraham Lincoln and it’s almost perfect, almost!

Colin Baker and Maggie Stables make a welcome return as they end up in Ford’s Theatre but someone is already waiting for them. Add to that a plot to kill the president and a little bit of corruption, we have ourselves a story!

We learn a lot more about Doctor Knox (Leslie Philips), who first appeared in ‘Medical Purposes’, alongside David Tennant (as ‘Daft Jamie’). I think the character is a lot lighter in this and the story benefits from that. We also get a look (or listen?) inside his TARDIS, which is, of course, better than The Doctor’s!

The story itself starts off brilliantly. I’m a big fan of historical stories and we get a really good insight into the goings on in that particular time period. However, I felt the story trailed off at the end and we weren’t given enough explanations about how certain things were done in the story. There is a nice link to the story ‘Pier Pressure’ too but I don’t think it really worked as the plot went a little flat. Despite this I enjoyed it immensely!

Eric Loren (Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks) and Lysette Anthony guest star. It’s Leslie Phillips who steals the show though. I honestly didn’t believe it was him, forgive me for being an ageist!

4/5

Coming Next: Sylvester McCoy runs into the ‘Death Collectors’. Star Trek fans (SCUM!) will collect anything won’t they?

Big Finish Doctor Who 105 - The Condemned

If you’ve not listened to the 8th Doctor audio ‘The Girl Who Never Was’ and don’t want to be spoiled, please don’t read on. The events of that story are connected to this one.

Anyway, for those already in the know (or those who just love spoilers!) Charley Pollard joins the 6th Doctor aboard the TARDIS. However the 6th Doctor doesn’t know who she is and Charley tries her best not to tell him. So as the Doctor and ‘Charlotte Smith’ (hmm) get acquainted, they land in a flat, in Manchester, in 2008.

As soon as they step out of the TARDIS, they learn that a man, who they find, was murdered and with The Doctor being The Doctor, he has to investigate! The Doctor and Charley become separated, as Charley is kidnapped and The Doctor is arrested!

Its another decent effort from the guys at Big Finish, Colin Baker’s audios are always worth a listen! Maybe I was expecting a bit more friction between the Doctor and Charley, they were hardly together in this audio! That’s possibly something, which they need to work on in future stories. Despite that, it’s still a cracking story! The chemistry between Colin Baker and Anna Hope is an absolute joy to listen to and I can see Anna Hope’s character as a possible companion! But then again, I want to see the Kandyman make a return, so what do I know!

8/10

(and yes, I do realise that the cover is a bit of a giveaway. Hopefully you've not noticed!)