Seagullslost's Doctor Who (and others) audio reviews

The Keeper of  Light The War Doctor Begins Battlegrounds  A disused lighthouse, an older married couple, the Doctor and his companion and an entity. This wasn’t quite what I had expected, and as so frequently is the case ,I wondered if I’d missed or forgotten where things had ended in the previous set. All becomes clear, but patience is needed. Its a slow burn, almost glacially and it struggled to hold my attention, as I found my mind wondering. The fact is that virtually nothing happens for the first half. There a light coming on in the lighthouse, yet there’s no lens and not been used for years. The long married couple have got away to try and work on their failing marriage. The Doctor and Layla have turned up to investigate… well I wasn’t entirely sure.  I do have trouble paying attention when I don’t know why its relevant. Hearing these characters complain about the food they’re cooking and other such trivialities, you do wonder if they’re actually going to get on wit...

All’s Fair The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 5.2 Valerie and Roanna meet up to hopefully start a relationship. What better place then the worlds fair, Chicago 1893. All going well until a man shows up claiming to be Valeries husband. I’ll start  by saying that I listened to Spirit Of The Season over Christmas a year or two ago, my first foray into the eleventh Doctor audios. Having enjoyed it I went back and started with Valeries first story and have now caught up. For some reason I just didn’t get into Spirit Of The Season on relistening and it was the same with this. (It maybe that having done a couple of intensive sets I just need a break). Valerie first met Roanna in ‘The Yearn’ a series or two ago. In Spirit Of The Season she decided to move forward with her life and see how things would go with Roanna. I’m not one for romance in Doctor Who, its not I want from it, but once the plot gets moving its more sidelined anyway. Hayden seems to be genuine, and there’s a research centre w...

The Founding Fathers The Companion Chronicles  The First Doctor 1.3 Steven’s grand daughter takes him to visit the Doctor, yet its not the actual Doctor and there they tell a story of an adventure they once had where they met Benjamin Franklin. So perhaps a little more unusual, in that what’s happening with the current Steve is as, if not more, interesting as the story that’s being narrated. The narrated story tells of the TARDIS arriving in Leicester in 1762, with it being quite warm the Doctor takes off his coat and throws to back into the TADIS, and inadvertently locking the crew out of the TARDIS. Getting back in is a little tricking and the only man that can help is Benjamin Franklin. It is more of an interlude than a full blown adventure. It takes time to win the trust of Benjamin. A storm is needed to help open the TARDIS lock. And there’s someone who may not be quite who they seem.  It does feel a bit pointless to included someone famous and not do anything that intere...

Devil In The Mist Doctor Who Monthly Adventures 247 ‘The snakes can hiss off” The Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Kamelion arrive on a ship that’s carrying a single prisoner.  Things aren’t exactly harmonious on board the TARDIS as Tegan is distrustful of Kamelion - you can’t blame her he has form. The ship they land on is transporting a criminal who can change into a mist at will, so not easy to contain. The crew of the ship consist of two hippopotamus like people. When this go wrong on the ship and it crashes its merely the start of their problems. Its nice to have Kamelion as a ‘proper’ companion. One of the things about watching the season 21 blu ray set, was a special edition which included a brief moment with Kamelion in the TARDIS, a nice touch. My only real issue is that fact that with Kamelion being so easily susceptible to outside influence, its just more of the same. I can’t help feeling that more could be done with the character, the ability to change appearance could mean ...

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...