Seagullslost's Doctor Who (and others) audio reviews

Dead and Breakfast  The New Adventures or Bernice Summerrfield Buried Memories 5.3 Bernice and the Doctor are taking the guise as a married couple (shouldn’t bee too difficult), as the place they’ve come to has some very strict old fashioned rules. In keeping with the set title, Buried Memories, Benny is working on a dig, though she’s pretending not to know much about archaeology. As usual things are not quite right, the rules, the fact that where they’re digging doesn’t seem to be in the right place. Not to mentions one or two murders. Benny befriends Rylan, a young lad who reminds her of her own son Peter. I’ve only listened to the first 4 series of the Benny audios and have jumped ahead, and as the continuity threaded through the novels as well as the audios, her relationship with her son isn’t something I’m that familiar with. But continuity reference are enjoyable, and the fact that he son isn’t just forgotten is adds to the character. There is some nice stuff going on in this...

Clear History The New Adventures or Bernice Summerrfield Buried Memories 5.2 Civitas -G is the location of this adventure for Benny and the Doctor. The people have moved over to living in an artificial simulation, though as we soon find out people are missing and its not quite the utopia it may first appear. Its a pretty standard story, I did suffer from not listening in one go, as details get forgotten. But all would seem to be good, except for those little things that aren’t, which on closer examination turn out to be massive flaws of the society and its setup. The fact is that these audio with David Warner and Lisa I’ve found to be really enjoyable, each set I’ve looked forward to the next. Its not the most original plot, but nicely executed, it has some good moments and is a great listen.

Pride of The Lampian  The New Adventures or Bernice Summerrfield Buried Memories 5.1 Back in our universe, Benny and the Doctor visit a market, well, car boot sale. A statue catches Benny’s eye, and lets to the discovery of the Lampians. Being an archaeologist, its in Benny’s nature to find out about the past. A curious little statue, that on examination, take her to a museum. A reference entry that’s gone un noticed, which in turn uncovers the lost empire of the Lampians. Not the the Doctor’s convinced. What more is that the more they find, the more there is too find. It is one of the stories where you kind of know what’s going on, but its still a joy to go on the journey. Benny’s desire to actually discover a lost civilisation, to become lauded, not too far from any of us. Indeed her new friend at the museum is just as excited. I’ve really been enjoying these ‘New Adventures’ well since David Warner joined in set 3.  A good audio.

Death Of Empire Blake’s 7 Crossfire 4.12 The war between the presidents has come to a head, two armies fighting a space war, but where does the Liberator stand in all this? Serverlan is hiding away with a ship on standby, Zeera Ros is there for company - though she has appeared in the last few episodes she hasn’t really left a mark on me. Its not looking good for Serverlan. As for the Liberator crew; they’ve already decided who they were siding with, and now’s the time to help. Its a bit more of an action episode, and is fulfilling the “crossfire” title, but I would have liked more of this beforehand. It does go someway to explain Serverlans’ change into Sleer. Also mentions of the old presidents clones. Avon and co are not exactly at the heart of the story though, the presidents, the war,. They turn up get shot at and fail to achieve much. Tarrant still recovering from last episode’s deeds. Things end on a low note for them and presumably to be resolved the the ‘Restoration” series. T...

Hooklight The Fifth Doctor Adventures A problem with the TARDIS means the Doctor, Adric, Tegan and Nyssa have landed on the planet Rift, they track the source of the issue to a museum, where a lamp seems to hold Hooklight! With high ratings, and it being a six part story (and indeed, only the first half) it feels like an epic and something special. Hooklight is a substance the shouldn’t exist, it stops time and never starts again - so don’t touch it. For The Doctor its something he must eliminate. It did remind me of a Star Trek Voyager episode, where they find the existence of an element in which there’s a directive that it must be destroyed.  It is an adventure through time and space. Sending Adric back to move the TARDIS, he goes on he own journey, meets someone who believes Adric is the Doctor he once spent a lot of time with.   The Doctor is sent back in time. Nyssa seems to have a connection with the lamp and won’t leave it - similar to Frodo and the Ring in LoTR. She do...

The Curators Egg The Companion Chronicles  12.1 The Doctor, Polly and Ben arrive on Earth, England slightly in the future. Though the Brontosaurus might make them think otherwise. Its been a hundred years since the Dalek invasion, some kind of glass globe with a mini earth inside is allowing a  billionaire to create Cybernetic dinosaurs, Every home should have one… Its an interesting set up, and we’ve had far more convoluted ideas in DW. This is an odd one for the CC range, usually there’s only 2 actors, but with Anneke Wills as Polly and Elliot Chapman as Ben. Frazer Hines is also here playing the 2nd Doctor, so it comes across more as an early adventure.  There’s no Jamie as this is set early on in the 2nd Doctor era, as the Doctor being ‘The Examiner” is referenced, a well as he’s the Doctor. The Doctor and Ben are written out mid episode one. There's lots of exposition at the start of part 2. Dinosaurs have been escaping and the billionaire has been in an accident so ...

Kith and Kin Blake’s 7 Crossfire 4.11 Tarrant is off on his own in this one. A personal mission on the planet Corrolos, and what’s his brother got to do with it? Once again, having decided on a way to bring the war between the presidents to a more speedy end in the last episode, they don’t to it. Though Tarrants kept his secrets to himself, Avon isn’t so trusting and sent Cally down ahead of him.  Its not a bad setup, the planet is a bit out of the way - a retirement colony for the rich. Though all isn’t perfect. The residents haven’t been told the whole truth, and not as safe as they think. There are some nice melons of Star One, its destruction meaning that it no longer supports Corrolos. We find that Tarrant, having lost one brother is looking for the other, but not in the happy family reunion that you may think. A good audio

Refuge Blake’s 7 Crossfire 4.10 The war between the presidents is taking its toll on the people. Can the gang help? There is some nice discussion between the Liberator crew at the start, How to bring the war to an end sooner, for the good of the people who are suffering? The answer is obvious, but its up to Avon to suggest it, and its not a popular option. It does seem they’re going to take decisive action and looks to be an interesting audio, but then they get waylaid. In the middle of nowhere away from the space lanes there’s another ship, emitting an encoded message.  With the pilot an old acquaintance of Villa’s he’s in a good position to find out why he’s carrying  people in cryogenicc sleep. This ticks all the boxes, though its not the adventure as it began as. Double dealings, friends who aren’t to be trusted, misdirection, the federation ever present, its got all the classic hallmarks.  It is nice to have the full gang, with Yasmin Bannerman doing a great job as D...

Ministry Of Truth  Blake’s 7 Crossfire 4.9 Propaganda in the form of television drama, pumped out to the masses. The exploits of the Federation again the evil rebels. Though there is one who’d like to go beyond the limits and do an episode from the rebels point of view… It is a few minutes before the Liberator crew get involved. Its only Avon, Cally and Tarrant. It wasn’t until I listened to the next episode, that it really felt like Blakes 7, with Villa, Orac etc. I didn’t realise how much I missed them. The facility is more than just a place for making TV, it hides a secret, and there’s a traitor at work. Which is maybe why both the federation and Liberator show up. So the usual stand off situation,  I listened in bits over a few days, and though I got into it, I was never that excited by it, and I do feel a proper listen is best. There are some classic B7 motifs, and Avon living up to his reputation. A reasonable tale.