Seagullslost's Doctor Who (and others) audio reviews

The Tactics Of defeat The Companion Chronicles 12.4 Ruth Matheson is in the jungle, heading towards an temple with only a recording of Zoe Herriot to guide her. I don’t do my research, and having finished my current play list for the month early, I brought this up to fill the gap, as companion chronicles make a nice rest between boxsets. I did wonder if I’d missed something - whether this carried on from something else. I do believe what happened to Charlie Sato is explained in a short trip, a usually they’re together. Assuming you know who Ruth is then you’re good to go.  I’ve come to quite like Ruth, and its nice that Daphne Ashbrook gets to still get to play a role in the Doctor Who universe This is mostly a two hander between Ruth and adversary Deakin. Ruth has traveled to a temple where Deakin has been living for a few years, in order to do a trade. I was a little distracted when I listened so didn’t get the most out of it. Ruth has a fluid link and Deakin has artefacts from T...

Sins Of The Father The War Master: Master of Callous 2.4 Back on Callous, Teremon wants the Swenyo and nothing will stop her. Mr Orman knows its location and its not like that kindly old man can do anything. This begins with Mr Orman - the Master being tortured, though this is the Master and laughing at their attempts isn’t the response they want. Finally we’re seeing the real Master. The thing about the Master he likes a long game doesn’t he? How much time did he spend will Bill in World Enough and Time? It feels such a long time since Elliot King trying to get the mines working and the Ood with their ringing phone in part one. I’m not sure if I’d have the paiitence.  With the focus of the set being on Cassandra, her father, Martine, Teremon and the people of Callous, now they’re no longer the driving force. Teremon knows the swenyo has been hidden and will wipe out the whole colony to get it. Its a desperate situation and its felt here. Cassandra is at her wits ends, everything s...

The Persistence OF Dreams The War Master: Master of Callous 2.3 Alone on as asteroid, with a bulk load of Swenyo, a mind affecting substance, can Martine keep her sanity? If you’d heard the last part then you’ll know. In order to hide the swenyo and stop Teremon taking all the profits, they snuck it aboard a small ship that went under the radars of the governor. Offloading in an an asteroid, Martine was left behind temporally, to guard it. Very much a change in this part of the story, and as with the first part not so much of the Master. To be honest you are in the dark with what’s actually happening. The swenyo has psychic energy that can drive people mad - it certainly did with the Oods, which is what made it so difficult to mine. This audio deals with the isolation, not knowing what going on back home and the loneliness. With only an Ood for company - and they’re not known for their conversation its not easy. Add the psychic effects of the Sewnyo and Martine is on the edge of insani...

The Glittering Prize The war Master: Master of Callous 2.2 The mining colony Callous, Cassandra King has taken over from her father, and finally its successful. But governor Teremon wants her, rather large, slice of the pie. This picks up a little time after the end of part 1. The mining is working and the Swenyo is plentiful, everyone is happy, but once again the issue is that Teremon exerts her control by upping the levies, and taking most of the profits for herself. Its a nice continuation of the story and expands on the setup in Call for the Dead. The Master is more present in this episode. Playing Mr Orman, a kindly old man, helping with advice etc. Though featuring more he’s still a secondary character and you’re still wondering what his overall objective is. Other interesting aspect of the audio deals with are wether to give back the shares that the workers returned. A case that people are there for you when things are good but desert you when they’re not. There’s a little bit g...

Call for the Dead The war Master: Master of Callous Callous - a mining colony, Elliot King trying his best to make it work, only being heavy levied by Teremon - the governor. Wild Odd in the forest and Mines that can’t be Mined. From the opening narration by the war master, the brilliant music and a first scene where a woman lands a ship and cold-bloodedly kill and Ood, I thought that this would be an amazing War Master episode. How wrong I was! Prior to this I’d heard Beneath the Viscoid, and was planning Anti Genesis next, with this coming on sale and being the second set, it felt better place to continue. Beneath The Viscoid didn’t wow me, it was ok but not outstanding. The start of this felt much more like it. However the Master only really appears briefly after 25 minutes, then its another 25 before another brief appearance only to turn up again at the end. A master lite episode it would seem. The story itself centres around the leader of the colony. He’s in a despairate situation...

After The Daleks Doctor Who The Early Adventures 7.1 The Dalek Invasion Of Earth is over, the Doctor and TARDIS have gone leaving Susan and the human race to rebuild the planet. The Dalek Invasion Of Earth is one of my favourite stories, so this audio intrigued me. Though we’ve had stories - An Earthly Child - dealing with what happened to Susan this takes place much closer to the immediate aftermath of the invasion. Growing crops, and choosing leaders is where they’re at, and ex governor of zone 5 Marcus Bray is desperate to become leader. Going so far as to kill the last remaining Dalek after it confirms Marcus was the one who defeated them, much to the chagrin of Susan. So when she announces her own campaign the in election he’ll stop at nothing to discredit her. BF do blur the line between ranges. This is narrated, and without the Doctor, it almost feels like a backdoor pilot to a full series of adventures following Susans life on Earth. Its more of a companion chronicle, and even ...

Borrow Or Rob Eighth Doctor Adventures Time War 6.4 Back on the ship in the Void, The Doctor, Alex, and Hieronyma/captain are being attacked. This carries on from where The Road Untravelled left off, Cass having fallen through a doorway and presumed dead. They suddenly have to defend themselves.  I was somewhat underwhelmed but this. The ‘reflections’ that seemed so interesting in ‘The Road…” become mundane. They’re not getting accurate readings from what’s outside, and the reveal of what’s really going on turns an interesting premise into something rather dull and ordinary. Cass eventually turns up, and yet again maybe not quite the version she was. And brings a whole new set of mysteries.  There are a couple of twists, though the one was began in ‘The Road…’ with the ‘Cass-cade’ episode being a bit of a detour, the momentum has gone. The build up isn’t as satisfying as maybe it should. The set as a whole seems to be a two parter with a prelude and a sidestep. Not really answ...

The Road Untravelled Eighth Doctor Adventures Time War 6.2 At the end of the last episode the Doctor and co had got out of the fake reality they were in and now find themselves on a spaceship in a void space. With Nowhere Never having some unanswered questions, this doesn’t do much to help. The ‘Captian’ seems to be known by the Doctor and its one of those times where you’re suddenly trying to work out if you should know them as well. With so many different Big Finish ranges is hard to keep up: Hieronyam Friend - the captain, we encountered as the non existent passenger in Meanwhile, Elsewhere. Yeah I had to look it up! Conrad Westmass plays the Captain, with his previous role as the Eighths companion C’rizz, its a little odd, but it maybe due to the character he’s playing. The void space has reflections hence the title, and they are reflections of the ship. Other versions, but which version will make it out? Add to that the ship is of old Gallifrayan origin your interest is piqued. Ca...

Cass-Cade Eighth Doctor Adventures Time War 6.3 Cass is on a space station, a queue for the food counter where she meets the Doctor and Alex who don’t know her. Suddenly she’s somewhere else, where she meets the Doctor and Alex who don’t know her and well… you get the idea. Its tempting to say this is a more straight forward story, yet that is isn’t. The space station is falling towards the sun and Cass is jumping around time meeting the Doctor and Alex at different points in the adventure, each time as if for the first. Like much other such adventures it starts to come together and you can build an idea of what’s the plot is, though why she jumping around in time is another matter. A Cass driven audio and quite enjoyable. Cass herself very Doctor like, dealing with what’s going on fairly well. If you’re waiting for an explanation as to what’s going on, then its a let down, as there isn’t one. Maybe the final will reveal all… Enjoyable