Seagullslost's Doctor Who (and others) audio reviews

Day of the Vashta Nerada Classic Doctors New Monsters 2.4 A distress call brings the eighth Doctor to a research lab. The lab is experimenting with the Vashta Nerada, but the Doctor isn’t the timelord(s) they were expecting… Its a pretty run of the mill story. Again as with the first set, this eighth Doctor story is set during the Time War. I was going to complain about it being unnecessary but coming out in 2017, I can understand that it was still a novelty at the time. The Timelords and the lab are working together to produce a new ‘weapon’ - genetically modified Vashta Nerada. Something that can be targeted at their enemy. But, as the Doctor asks, How will you stop them when they’ve succeeded? It’ll be no surprise that things go wrong and the Vashta Nerada escape and its a episode of having to get back to the TARDIS while not getting killed. Cardinal Ollistra is the timelord that does turn up to evaluate process. Played by Jacqueline Pearce. It is nice to have her, though if I’d of ...

Prisoner and Escort Star Cops 5.3 Conflict Alice has arrived back at Moonbase after two and a half months in a shuttle with a prisoner coming back from Mars. On suspicion of murder, as he was found robbing the deceased. Meanwhile for the others; a dead body shows evidence that her death maybe of nefarious means. Mitchel Kane seems to be taking things a little too in his stride for a man looking at a life sentence, even the Star Cops find it suspicious, so there’s more to his story. Nathan and Alice interview him, I’m not sure how much this happens in the series, actually interviewing suspects. But I quite liked it. It is Alice’s turn to take the main role, though the others are present. There are some nice catch up moments with Alice and Pal. With Alice having come back from Mars - or at least a drop off point on the way, there are references to the the Mars Star Cops. Since the team were there a couple of series ago, and Nathan was supposed to top in the Tv series out helps with the c...

The Carrionite Curse Classic Doctors New Monsters 2.1 The Sixth Doctor in the 1980s, the midlands, and there’s witches. Hardly a spoiler given the title, and you’re probably familiar with the Shakespeare Code. I did watch it again and to be honest, though I enjoyed it. The Witches I didn’t care much for. Having recently listened to a fourth Doctor audio - planet of the Witches, I wasn’t taken with either, So it doesn’t bode well for me. The Doctor makes a friend, and there is a feeling that she could become a companion. There a certain amount of rehashing, and it does tie somewhat into the The Shakespeare Code. This seems to end half way through, before it gets going again. There a few mentions of George Litefoot and a book he wrote. As someone who has got into their audio a couple of years ago, not to mention the Talons..  tv story, its nice to have him reference, though for new series fans trying to get into the older series may find it off putting. Theres also mentions of the Va...

Red Planets Doctor Who The Monthly Adventures 241 A Russian cosmonaut is nearing Mars, Ace is in wartime Germany while The Doctor and Mel are in present day UK, the Russian communist Uk that is…. I had thought that perhaps Ace wasn’t in this, as they mention they dropped her off. But when the story picks up she’s saved a man from being killed as he was attempting to get over the wall. Things aren’t so good for the Doctor and Mel though, as Mel remembers a different timeline to what really happened. At one point a president Reagan is mentioned, the disbelief that the actor Ronald Reagan could become president of the USA, Is there no one else called Reagan? I listened to just over the first episode when I had to stop, and was disappointed I had to wait to carry on. We don’t really know what’s going on, but its intriguing. We’re not giving a lot of info as the details are revealed slowly. But it has to do with what’s on Mars. Ace introduces herself as Dorothy its a bit strange to hear he ...

Empire of the Racnoss Classic Doctors New Monsters 2.2 A distress call finds the fifth Doctor way back in time, the Timelords are fighting the Racnoss.  The Doctor decides to help one of the Racnoss. It does strike me that if my people were fighting an enemy I might be inclined to side with my people, but that’s by the by. If you remember the way the Racnoss spoke in the runaway Bride then this is how they speak all through this and as with a lot of alien voices they’re not the best on audio, but again its a minor quibble. The story itself: Racnoss double dealing and betraying each other for the leadership and the children of the Racnoss. To be honest I think the Racnoss should have stayed a on episode monster. Though there were twists along the way I really didn’t care. It wasn’t engaging. Its not a bad story but neither is it a great adventure.

Night of the Vashta Nerada Classic Doctors New Monsters 2.1 A team are sent to Funworld, a leisure park world to find out what happened after to all the people who worked there. The only find the 4th Doctor, and skeletons of the employees…. I’ve never really been a fan on the 4th Doctor on audio - I don’t know why, but I enjoyed this. Its an odd collection of people who make up the team. The owner of Funworld, the pest control expert, a tech expert and a psychic. And the Doctor joins them to investigate. Its not too dissimilar to the first series, its rehashing the original stories the monsters appeared in. So as they look for answers to the missing crew, the skeletons, the discovery that they cut the forests down to build the park. The Doctor is already aware of the Vashta Nerada, if this had ben the Doctors first encounter with them it would have been more interesting. I listened in dribs and drabs, not the best way, but there was nothing here that stood out. So while I did enjoy it ...

The First Sontarans Doctor Who: The Lost Stories 3.6 I bought this nearly a year ago and have just found time to fit it in. I gather this was commissioned for Colin Bakers first season before then change to 45 minute episode and was cancelled due to the two Doctor also featuring the Sontarans. Due to be set on the Marie Celeste, it was changed and only a reference and a mention of the Daleks remain. A group of aliens are living on Earth in the late 1800’s, but what are they doing there? And what’s there problem with the Sontarans. There is a lot packed into these 4 episodes, so much so that it feels much longer - not a complaint. Some storiies I’ve come a way from trying to remember what did happen.  Episode one seems to have the Doctor and Peri go from place to pace with no real intention. Starting on the Moon they discover a reciever/transmitter and make their way to Earth to follow up. Interrupting a cock fight leads them to a tavern where they meet someone else and go back to t...

 Photograph To Remember The Paternoster Gang: Heritage 1.2 While Jenny and Strax take time off they visit a photographer whose photos have an unearthly aspect to them, Madam Vasra meets someone whose back from the dead and isn’t quite the person they were. I wasn’t that impressed with the first episode in this set, though I find I quite enjoyed this. The gang meet an alternative version in that Vella, another Silurian, Stonn - a Sontaran and a human are the Bloomsbury bunch. Its interesting with Vastra and Vella catching up and sharing experiences.  Though I didn’t listen in one go there were a couple of time when the plot seemed to shift, Strax suddenly being chased by zombie types. I do feel that this would have benefited from being longer or the first in a two parter.

Shadow Of The Moonlight Star Cops: Conflict 5.2 The release of a new film staring Coral Goldfinch, with its premier on the Moon. Well as she stars as the commander of the Star Cops where else would you have the premier? Its an interesting idea - a film featuring the Star Cops. The leading lady is making a come back, after the death of her daughter, though things take a turn when her boyfriend Striker Torrance is murdered. I was going to say that the features the whole team, but I’ve realise that Alice isn’t present. In the last episode she was escorting a prisoner back form Mars so she’s not back yet. Its an enjoyable audio, somewhat standard. But it has a couple of good twists that ramp up the tension towards the end and make it a cut above the norm. There is a nice call back to previous member of the Star Cops, so for long tern fans its a nice touch. Also is mention of Kenzy’s new romance. This loses marks for the constant use of autospy in place of post mortem and the use of flash l...