Worldwide Web is the concluding half of this series finale. I really like the Eight Truths because there was a sense that it was building to a big pay-off. However it didn’t seem to materialise in this story. The first half of this story was just a mess. It didn’t seem to have any point to it and it wasn’t until the final part that it all just came together. It was frustrating trying to stay with this story as apart from it clearly not having any focus it just seemed to drag. The style of the voices was very similar to what was used in Planet of the Spiders. I liked the little history lesson about the Spiders, how they were just normal house spiders that were on the spaceship that landed on Metabilias 3 and found their way into the caves. I know that was more for the newer fans who perhaps haven’t seen Jon Pertwee’s swansong but it was a nice short sharp bit of information.
It was a bit obvious that the whole idea of The Eight Truth Fold was a sham. That was clear from the outsight but the idea that the crystals were planted in the cave that Clark Goodman was coincidentally in was not expected. The Headhunter had planted them because she was in collusion with The Eight Legs. The ending was a nice as it leads into Death in Blackpool which is a Christmas Special and hopefully will be an enjoyable piece.
Paul McGann was quite good in this story. I think due to the fact that the story seemed so disjointed that it was hard for him to really shine. It was good how he worked with Kelly and was really sad about her death and really angry with Clark Goodman. Also his relief that Lucie was safe at the end was well played. Sheridan Smith was very good in this story, she really has become a top notch companion in these two stories as it seemed in The Eight Truths that she was just being possessed in the classic sense but actually we learn that her mind is being locked away and in the second half had being transported to what people were calling Heaven. If I do have one complaint I wish that they would have had more scenes together. I know that the plot didn’t allow for that but at the same time they could have had more scenes at the beginning of The Eight Truths.
Katarina Olsson was superb in this story. She has been one of the best things about this series of adventures. The thing I liked about her in this story was that she played the character who clearly was just trying to make some money for herself by aligning herself with the Eight Legs. When the crucial moment came she tried to control the Great One it was a sad moment as she started to lose the battle and died. It’s a shame that they decided to end the character but they did it in a nice way and they didn’t do a cop-out. Sophie Winkleman continued to do well in this story and like Olsson’s Headhunter, she got a good send off. The thing about Kelly was that she was a companion like role as Lucie was elsewhere and then suddenly she turned bad and her death was a surprise and emotional one. When she appeared in ‘Heaven’ it was still not the Kelly that we had known in The Eight Truths but was a still better than evil Kelly.
Sanjeev Bahaskar was perhaps not a good in this story as he had being in The Eight Truths. This was more because he didn’t have much to do apart from look for signals. He was better in the previous story but what he did contribute was a likeable character than interacted well with the Doctor and the final scene was nice to listen to. The idea that he benefits and hopefully will become a success was a nice send off for the character. Stephen Moore was really good in this story. In the previous story he played the leader but he was better when he had been deposed and was actually helping The Doctor. He was better as the former leader who was trying to gain revenge as apposed to a leader. I liked how he was genuinely shocked that all of what was happening was actually true despite the fact he was making it up. I really like Karen as played by Kerry Godliman. At first I found her annoying but she really developed well in these two stories. At one point I was hoping that they would make her into a companion. Alas they didn’t but I’m hoping that in Series 4 they will bring her back in a few stories.
I quite liked the character of David as played by Anthony Spargo. The character seemed easily persuaded and was also seemed to have taken a shine to the Queen. Beth Chalmers who has appeared regularly in Eighth Doctor adventures is very good as The Queen and has some really nice scenes with Lucie. Her demise was just right and Chalmers should be congratulated for such a good performance. Barnaby Edwards swaps the Directors chair for the acting one as a Newsreader which is a nice performance that adds a bit of reality to proceedings. Finally Richard Earl plays Rob that was a throwaway character that served a purpose in this story.
Eddie Robson has written some great stories in recent years. Human Resources in series one was highly enjoyable and also the superb The Condemned and later The Raincloud Man. This story wasn’t his greatest and I don’t know why. Its not because it’s a four part story essentially because he has written four part stories that have been superb. Its not a bad release but it is let down by way too many characters and too much going on. Nicholas Briggs has been a superb influence on Big Finish/Doctor Who in recent years and can always be relied upon to direct a thumping good adventure. This story wasn’t bad but at the same time I think he had difficulty with trying to get the story told as well as the unnecessarily high number of actors.
Ultimately when it is compared to previous series finales it isn’t the best. Way too many characters made it confusing and at times difficult to listen to. It was necersary in The Eight Truths but in this story it would have been nicer to lose a few characters early on. An enjoyable story but it did have some flaws and as a result is not as good as pervious series finales.
It was a bit obvious that the whole idea of The Eight Truth Fold was a sham. That was clear from the outsight but the idea that the crystals were planted in the cave that Clark Goodman was coincidentally in was not expected. The Headhunter had planted them because she was in collusion with The Eight Legs. The ending was a nice as it leads into Death in Blackpool which is a Christmas Special and hopefully will be an enjoyable piece.
Paul McGann was quite good in this story. I think due to the fact that the story seemed so disjointed that it was hard for him to really shine. It was good how he worked with Kelly and was really sad about her death and really angry with Clark Goodman. Also his relief that Lucie was safe at the end was well played. Sheridan Smith was very good in this story, she really has become a top notch companion in these two stories as it seemed in The Eight Truths that she was just being possessed in the classic sense but actually we learn that her mind is being locked away and in the second half had being transported to what people were calling Heaven. If I do have one complaint I wish that they would have had more scenes together. I know that the plot didn’t allow for that but at the same time they could have had more scenes at the beginning of The Eight Truths.
Katarina Olsson was superb in this story. She has been one of the best things about this series of adventures. The thing I liked about her in this story was that she played the character who clearly was just trying to make some money for herself by aligning herself with the Eight Legs. When the crucial moment came she tried to control the Great One it was a sad moment as she started to lose the battle and died. It’s a shame that they decided to end the character but they did it in a nice way and they didn’t do a cop-out. Sophie Winkleman continued to do well in this story and like Olsson’s Headhunter, she got a good send off. The thing about Kelly was that she was a companion like role as Lucie was elsewhere and then suddenly she turned bad and her death was a surprise and emotional one. When she appeared in ‘Heaven’ it was still not the Kelly that we had known in The Eight Truths but was a still better than evil Kelly.
Sanjeev Bahaskar was perhaps not a good in this story as he had being in The Eight Truths. This was more because he didn’t have much to do apart from look for signals. He was better in the previous story but what he did contribute was a likeable character than interacted well with the Doctor and the final scene was nice to listen to. The idea that he benefits and hopefully will become a success was a nice send off for the character. Stephen Moore was really good in this story. In the previous story he played the leader but he was better when he had been deposed and was actually helping The Doctor. He was better as the former leader who was trying to gain revenge as apposed to a leader. I liked how he was genuinely shocked that all of what was happening was actually true despite the fact he was making it up. I really like Karen as played by Kerry Godliman. At first I found her annoying but she really developed well in these two stories. At one point I was hoping that they would make her into a companion. Alas they didn’t but I’m hoping that in Series 4 they will bring her back in a few stories.
I quite liked the character of David as played by Anthony Spargo. The character seemed easily persuaded and was also seemed to have taken a shine to the Queen. Beth Chalmers who has appeared regularly in Eighth Doctor adventures is very good as The Queen and has some really nice scenes with Lucie. Her demise was just right and Chalmers should be congratulated for such a good performance. Barnaby Edwards swaps the Directors chair for the acting one as a Newsreader which is a nice performance that adds a bit of reality to proceedings. Finally Richard Earl plays Rob that was a throwaway character that served a purpose in this story.
Eddie Robson has written some great stories in recent years. Human Resources in series one was highly enjoyable and also the superb The Condemned and later The Raincloud Man. This story wasn’t his greatest and I don’t know why. Its not because it’s a four part story essentially because he has written four part stories that have been superb. Its not a bad release but it is let down by way too many characters and too much going on. Nicholas Briggs has been a superb influence on Big Finish/Doctor Who in recent years and can always be relied upon to direct a thumping good adventure. This story wasn’t bad but at the same time I think he had difficulty with trying to get the story told as well as the unnecessarily high number of actors.
Ultimately when it is compared to previous series finales it isn’t the best. Way too many characters made it confusing and at times difficult to listen to. It was necersary in The Eight Truths but in this story it would have been nicer to lose a few characters early on. An enjoyable story but it did have some flaws and as a result is not as good as pervious series finales.
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