Seagullslost's Doctor Who (and others) audio reviews

The Monsters Of Gokroth Doctor Who The Monthly Adventures 250 The Doctor is on the planet Gokroth and so is an old friend: Mags. There’s a small settlement, plagued by monsters and a mad scientist… I found it quite difficult to get int the first episode. The Doctor only appears briefly, a couple of time before coming back at the end and Mags - our other entry into the story, as with the Doctor, isn’t the main focus. Instead there’s a village with a curfew, something about a radio transmitter, some scientist woman and her helper in a castle, with none of it really coalescing. Episode two and three things do get going, but it does end up with various encounters with monsters - and on audio its not great storytelling, and it all become mediocre . Epsiode four taking a more interesting turn as we find out what the deal is, and the motorvations of Dr Maleeva, to this point theres a feel of the Island of DR Moreau/Frankenstien - which the Doctor mentions. The Doctor says he’s been there for ...

The Mindless Ones Purity Undreamed 2.1 Hebe visits an old friend, while the Doctor and Mel investigate some odd readings. I listened to Gallifrey War room 1, and wasn’t getting into it, so decide to go for something a bit more light hearted and less intense. Though the first set in this range, was average at best, its still entertaining. As you’d expect Hebe friend isn’t quite the one she used to know, once a goth girl; she’s now more traditional. The Doctor visits the Mindless facility and goes through an interesting procedure. There’s nothing here thats new or original, The Doctors been brainwashed to be happier and less curious - to betterise himself as he puts it. But, just as the story seem to get going its all ends, and is a bit of a none adventure. I did think that perhaps there was a bigger story to come and this was just the start but there’s no evidence to suggest that.  Hebe as a character is less defined, not quite as terse as she was. The most out standing part of the ...

Hooklight Part 2 The Fifth Doctor Adventures The story continues.. The TARDIS team have discovered Hooklight. Something that can stop time, it shouldn’t exist, and as a Timelord, the Doctor has to destroy it. Scattered through space and time, our hero’s fight on. Nyssa almost possessed by Hooklight, Adric thrown back in time, Can the Doctor find Tegan and get the crew back together? When I saw the reviews for part 2 I noticed that it hadn’t been rated quite as highly as part 1 and I’d have to agree. Thats not to say it isn’t good, it just doesn’t quite have the same grand scale as the first half, just a bit more mundane and routine. During the first episode you do wonder whats happened to Tegan, but then episode two is almost entirely devoted to her. Though I found it enjoyable, listenable, and it has consequences on her future, it does detract from the main plot. As mentioned in Hooklight 1 each of the TARDIS crew had a purpose, the were driven, now its less so. I feel the need to pra...

The First Days Of Phaidon Gallifrey War Room 1.4 The planet Phaidon - an early casualty of the Time War has suddenly returned, both the Timelords and Daleks are eager to get there. I seem to be in the minority on this as it did little for me. Though this set in general hasn’t done much for me, part three being the exception. Maybe its me, maybe its Time War stuff, maybe I’m just tired. The return of Narvin is a plus point, and mentions of Romana and Ace. It does help to have a good memory Warpwrights and Phaidon go back to the first Gallifrey audio, which I’ve not listened to since its release in 2004! As with a lot of US TV series, coming back to continue a year later its a stuggle to remember what was happening last time.  I’ll give it another go at some point and see if I enjoy it more, but for now, its average.

Collateral Victim Gallifrey War Room 1.3 The Norvis galaxy: whatever happens its gets destroyed. Either the Daleks take over and turn it into weapon manufacturings, or the Timelords wipe it from existence to stop them. Though the Timelord Bandar was sent enact its removal from time ,it seems the planet Mellacron has somehow evaded its deletion. Leela, Velkin and Rasmus are sent to to investigate. Its amazing how much is packed into this hour long episode. They find themselves on Mellacron, but also drift into different time zones. Bandar arrived much earlier and has been advancing technology, but even he doesn’t know the full story. It does illustrate how far the TImelords are willing to go, in winning the war, and, as with the War Doctor, some decisions are not easy. Though there is little evidence that any Gallifrayan is bothered by the actions the ‘have’ to take. Some of Veklins deeds are questionable and it does make for an interesting drama. There are a number of twists and turns,...

The Passenger Gallifrey: War Room 1.2 A Dalek ship is heading for Gallifrey, but there’s only one occupant - a Timelord. Its Leela’s job to make contact. A lot of this audio seems just about trying to verify that the Timelord is who he says he is: Kalgoth. He’s the only survivor of a battle with the Daleks and his memory has been affected. Leela herself is quite sedate, following orders quite obediently. I was expecting something to come of it but no, not here anyway. Also she’s not a major character in this episode either. With no Romana or Narvin, she’s the only constant of the Gallifrey series.The others are present, Veklin, Olistra - I’ve been trying to remember why I know the voice, its Carolyn Pickles I know her from the TV series Bluebells, but that was a long time ago. It has the usual twists and turns, but the fact is that every time I came back to continue listening I found I couldn’t remember what was happening and had to go back. For the last 15 minutes I did consider just ...

The Mystery Of The Missing Hour Sapphire and Steel 2.6 A man narrates a story: the time he and his family went on an archaeological expedition to Cairo in 1926. Sapphire and Steel - or rather Shuffle and Sixpence - the amateur detectives - are players in a rather cliched tale, full of stock characters, that comes across as a hammily performed, detective story by an am dram group. So what is going on? Its narrator (Colin Baker) tells of when he was younger and when the murders happened. The interesting thing is that even Sapphire and Steel appear not to know who they really are. It is part comedy and sends up the medium at times. The narrator, for instance, saying something only for it to cut to1926 and the younger version to repeat it.  There are mysteries and clues along the way, both in the story being told and the bigger issue.  Arthur Travers being seen in two places at once, and what really happened to his parents. Shuffle/Steel asking why people keep announcing where the...

The Last Days Of Freme Gallifrey: War Room 1.1 Leela now a prisoner on Gallifrey, is fitted with a compliance collar. She does the Timelords bidding or she suffers, it not much or a choice. Here the mission is to stop the Daleks and Fremians becoming allies. Travelling back to before the alliance, Leela is almost immediately taken by the people of Freme. It does feel a bit strange to force Leela to work for the Timelords - a primitive, Surely there must be more suitable agents. Its a reasonable story, all the regulars are present, Rassilon, Veklin, Ollistra, No Romana though. I am impressed with Louise Jameson, doing so many Leela stories, set at different places in her timeline. This is an older wiser Leela and its well performed. The resolution is nicely done, The Daleks themselves don’t make an appearance, and I must admit my concentration wasn’t all there, but I feel I would have liked to of had the world of Freme and its situation expanded on. 

Dark Tides                                                 The Ninth Doctors Adventures 4.7                                                                             It maybe the future where the Doctor and Rose have travelled but its also a era of decline, a dark age. The Knights of Atlas seek a treasure aboard a lost ship, now reachable from the Dark tides. This is a welcome change from the Powell estate audios. The future, space, spaceships - a bit of space opera. Though with the Knights, and Rose being called ‘fair maiden’ there’s a hint of an historical, though it doesn’t last that long. It does feel that the Doctor is back where he belongs.  The lost ship isn’t as deser...

A Life Never Lived  Timeslip vol. 3 Simon, Liz, Jade, Neil and Charlotte, enter the barrier and find themselves in early 1914, just before the start of WW1. Its not an alternative timeline, the big twist being that they encounter Flora - a suffragette, who is Liz’s great grandmother. What’s more its the day before she dies… Its not quite what’s expected from Timeslip - not that I’m an expert. Though the first TV story was just set in the past, I think the big draw for me was seeing the alternative futures that started with the second tv story. This comes across more as an historical Doctor Who, its even only 4 30ish minute episodes.  It is enjoyable, the lads having to work as debt collectors, finding somewhere to live etc. The stuff with Fora is interesting - being a suffragette and the challenges she’s faced. You do want Liz to tell he what the future will be like. There is some nice debates as to whether saving Flora from her death will change time and history as they know ...