Cobwebs (2010)

It’s been 26 years since the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Turlough travelled together. It’s the only combination that has never appeared on a Big Finish release (except for Adric but no one really to see him back). Sarah Sutton has appeared in loads of adventures over the last decade with Mark Strickson appearing in three adventures with an additional two companion chronicles. Janet Fielding has only appeared in one which was back in 2006. This series was perhaps more anticipated by me than the Sixth Doctor/Jamie adventure. The story takes place roughly two days after Enlightenment but for Nyssa it’s been 50 years since she left in Terminus. The story is quite a strange one. Essentially what happened was that they were trying to find the cure for a disease, found the cure and then went about trying to create a more variant strain that could only be cured from something created by ‘The Company’. However as it would turn out there is a traitor in the group and he is trying to get away so he can help his real group to make money out of it. As stories go it’s something that you would find in a murder drama.

The whole thing about this story is clever. The way that Nyssa was bought into the story even though due to the chronological placement of the story she had left was done in such a way that was believable and made sense. The biggest mystery in this story was how the TARDIS crew ended up as the skeletons. whilst it wasn’t the most simple of explanations it wasn’t as complicated as I feared. The explanation was something that made sense. It was the base’s computer that genetically created the four characters but was unable to complete them due to power failure. All the characters in this adventure were well written. I was particularly impressed with Bragg who sounded like Simon Williams (Captain Gilmore in Remembrance of the Daleks) but was actually played by Adrian Lukis. Admittedly the character only became interesting when it was revealed his true identity was revealed, by himself. The main cast were just a joy to listen to. The relationship between all four actors felt exactly like it did back in 1983. Even though they only had two adventures as a foursome it was still like watching Mawdryn Undead or Terminus. Whilst Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton sound exactly like they did all those years ago and Mark Strickson sounds a little different it was slightly disappointing that Janet Fielding didn’t make more of an effort to sound like 1980’s Tegan. That said, Fielding did a great job acting like the Tegan we all know and love to be irritated by. It seems a credit to Jonathan Morris that he made it seem like all four actors got the same amount of air time and perhaps got more of the action than they ever did on TV. Morris stated in the extras that he found it more of a challenge writing for three companions whereas in Big Finish plays the most you have to write for is two. Morris is one of those writers that sometimes I think is a good writer and then other times I think he’s just ok. This time Morris did a very good writer.

I’m not sure where the other two adventures will lead but with news that there will be a second series of adventures in 2011, it seems that the wait was worth it.

Situation Vacant (2010)

What would happen in Doctor Who met the Apprentice? It’s been seven months since Lucie Miller left the TARDIS and the anticipation has been amazing. There was no news about Sheridan Smith’s replacement so we would find out in Situation Vacant. Four people would ‘fight’ it out to be the companion but not all is as it seems. The four candidates seemed on the face of it to be your typical group of people who seemed to have nothing to stay on Earth for but during the course of the story each one of them reveals their true colours. There was Theo (played by Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas) who was a computer geek who as it turned out to be a vampire who met a very grim ending. Asha (Shelley Conn) seemed to me to be the most likeable because she seemed to have a head on her and would have suited life with the Doctor but she was someone who had a secret. Her secret was that she had been hired to kill the person who had placed the advert and thought it was the Doctor. The one that started to grow on me during the story was Hugh (James Bachman) who was a bumbling fool but quite sweet. His secret was that he was in fact a vampire, his ending was quite good but it was shame he didn’t become a companion. The person that did become the companion was Juliet who was the first to get the boot but she also had a secret in that her name was really Tamzin who was an actress. Her speech about how she rather face the dangers of the universe than spend another day in the unemployment office. This was a nice speech by her and cemented her place at the side of the Doctor.

The main thrust of the story was about finding out who the Doctor would pick as his companion but there were some mysteries to solve. The B-Plot was something that was ok but was never intended to be a full story. It never grabbed me and it was nothing special. The only aspect that really grabbed me was who had set up the conference. There are quite a few theories that are running through my mind but only time will tell. Eddie Robson was given a tough job in many respects. Even though this story was the second story of the Fourth series it was effectively the first. There was a lot for Robson to try and cram into a relatively short time. Robson is one of the most enjoyable writers that Big Finish have and this is a fine offering. Its not his best but certainly there are a lot of things that I liked about this story.

I have to be honest the only thing I thought that wasn’t right about this was the choice of companion. I would rather they have chosen either Asha or Hugh. Both these characters seemed to have more about them that Juliet/Tamzin. Nothing personal about Tamzin but I think that only time will tell. This wasn’t Paul McGann’s finest outing. To be fair it wasn’t really about him but when he was in it he was his usual good self. I think that his relationship with his fourth companion might be his most unique.

Situation Vacant is a good starting point for what will apparently be the final separate series of Eighth Doctor adventures. The next six episodes will determine whether Tamzin will be as popular or as successful as Charley, C’Rizz and Lucie.

The Dominators (1968)

Ah, the Dominators. A story that is so dull its almost painful. Originally written by Melvyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln (writers of the two Yeti stories), after rows with then producer Derrick Sherwin they decided to remove their names from this and came us with Norman Ashby (the names of their father-in-laws). The Dominators is a story that suffers from lack of action and the result is a story that very few people actually care about. As Mervyn Haisman said in the ‘Making of’ documentary on the DVD seemed to find it funny that much better stories of this era are lost yet this one survived. I think that point can be made about several stories. The story was originally meant to have been six episodes long but due to script difficulties it was reduced to five. I think it should have been reduced even further to maybe one or two.

The main problem why this story just doesn’t work is that when I was watching it, I just didn’t care about any of the Dulcans. They were dressed in stupid costumes which with some of them being a bit risqué. I thought they were all a bit weak and feeble and its all well and good having a war-free society but then you waste a lot of time trying to convince them to change their beliefs and if they cant or wont then deciding how they are going to defeat them. Patrick Troughton, Wendy Padbury and Frazer Hines did the best that they could with the script but unfortunately what they were given was very little and all this story was about was stopping some bullies.

The Quarks are useless. Why anyone would think that they would be a suitable replacement for the Daleks is beyond me. They seem to be very slow moving and all they do is to make a weird noise and move their two block arms in and out of their bodies. Never has the title of a Doctor Who story been so mis-placed. Who’s the Dominator, its certainly not human looking Dominators. All they seem to do is to bicker with each other and try and bully the Dulcans. The Dominators is a story that has to be seen to be believed. If you can survive this without stopping for a day between episodes then you should try and test your metal on Underworld. With so few Patrick Troughton stories surviving intact it’s a shame that this story is one of those that people will actually get to see.

The Tomfiles: #9 - Series 31 Review

As the first series of Doctor Who with Matt Smith as the Doctor has now ended. It’s the perfect time to review everything about this series. From the look of the show to the different stories as well as the monsters/baddies but most importantly the main stars of the show. Ever since it was announced that Matt Smith would be replacing David Tennant as the Doctor, there has been a certain amount (some of it unfair) comments about whether Smith was too young and whether he was a big enough name to carry the role. I sat with my friends as we watched the final moments of ‘The End of Time’ and saw Smith ramble on about his fingers and legs and how he was a girl due to his long hair and not ginger. My friends seemed unconvinced and I simply told them to wait until the series had begun before making judgement. On the famous thing I personally I rather glad they didn’t go for a big name. The last time we had a big name (Christopher Eccleston) it seemed to make the show not seem like Doctor Who. When watching Eccleston you were thinking more of the ITV drama ‘The Second Coming’ and ‘Cracker’ instead of Doctor Who. Smith might be young but Peter Davison had that same problem and he turned out alright.

So Matt Smith was confirmed as The Doctor and Karen Gillan was the companion. Two unknowns in the biggest show on TV. If this wasn’t an indication that this was a revamp then I don’t know what is. Steven Moffat had written for the show since it returned in 2005 and was clearly a Doctor Who mad fan, so he was perfect to take over from Russell T Davies who I felt had become tired and lacking in original ideas. Moffatt would be joined by Piers Wenger and Beth Willis as Executive Producers. Two more things would be the source of much discussion, The Doctor’s outfit and the TARDIS interior. The Outfit has always been a big thing because it says a lot about the Doctor. From Hartnell’s Edwardian outfit to Colin Baker’s screaming mixed colour monstrocity. I have to admit that I really didn’t like the Tweed jacket that Smith was wearing when I saw it for the first time but it actually grew on me. The TARDIS was just as important that Smith’s suit. I’m still not 100% sold on it as it’s a bit too colourful for my likeing. I do like the different levels as it gives the TARDIS a different feel to it. With the little bits discussed through countless forums, it was the time to focus on the series.

This series saw the return of some familiar monsters. The Silurians returned after a 26 year abscence. The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood was an enjoyable story and the look of the silurians whilst wasnt perfect was a damn sight better than the new Daleks. The new fatter Daleks debuted in Episode 3 called Victory of the Daleks. This saw more pure Daleks become born but this seem to cause outrage as they just look awful. The colours werent an issue for me but when you look at them from the back they look like Gok Wan's been at them. This series's story arc was the crack in time. Way back in Episode 1 there was a crack in Amelia's wall. In every subsequent episode the crack appeared and in Episode 9 the Doctor put his hand in the crack and pulled out a piece of the TARDIS. It was revealed that the cracks in time were created by the TARDIS exploding and this was deemed to be the Doctor's fault and he was subsequently put in the Pandorica Box. As story arc's go its not the strongest that there has ever been. I think it was more to do with the fact that it was slightly flat in its execution.

Something that was a surprise was the romance side of the characters. Smith's Doctor and Amy didnt start getting smoochy or something that hogs the screen and gets in the way of the main action. Also the introduction of Rory was something that I was wary of but once he began travelling in the TARDIS I actually quite liked him. I thought Amy's Choice was the best example of how their romance was clear but wasnt vomit enducing.

In terms of ratings which is what everyone worries about these days its difficult to say that the series was a success. True, the ratings were more consistant than in any previous series but when you put all five series ratings side by side the fifth series was the fourth best in terms of average ratings. Only the 2007 series drew a lower average rating. The highest rating came with Episode 1 where 10.08 million viewers watched. The ratings stumbled between 6 and 8 million with the lowest coming for Episode 13 where only 6.12 watched. Its the second lowest rated Doctor Who episode since it returned. Only The Satan Pit from 2006 scored lower (6.08). That said, four stories are in the Top 25 (The Eleventh Hour, The Time of Angels, Flesh and Stone and The Beast Below) with four in the middle and four in the bottom 10 (Vincent and the Doctor, The Hungry Earth, The Lodger & The Big Bang). In times when bugets are beein cut any any show that isnt performing well is given the unceremonial axe. Its a worring time when the show doesnt blow the ratings into the water.

Overall I really liked this first season. It was a better first series for a new Doctor than Tennant's. Whilst I wasnt totally bowled over by the Lodger I thought that the whole look and feel of the series was a breath of fresh air. It had a more adult feel to it and didnt feel like a warm and cuddly teddy bear which is something that always bothered me about the RTD era. The show wasnt perfect. I think that there was a times too much complicated speeches which I thought was unncersary. Also the revamp of the Daleks were a total flop as was the resolution of the Pandorica Opens cliffhanger. Hopefully when the show returns for a full series in 2011, it will be a bit more fun and not so headscratching. Out of all the five series that have been made by BBC Cymru, I would have to say that this season was the most consistant and the one that I will look forward to the most on DVD.

Solitaire (2010)

The final story of the fourth series in the Companion Chronicles sees the first story to feature the Eighth Doctor. Solitaire sees the return of The Celestial Toymaker who’s involvement was a rushed idea due to his success in The Lost Stories: The Nightmare Fair. John Dorney has been handed the responsibility of this story. David Ballie returns as the Toymaker after The Nightmare Fair and India Fisher plays Charley for the first time since last years Blue Forgotten Planet. The story sees the Doctor turned into a puppet and Charley having to play the Toymaker’s games. Charley cant remember the Doctor at all and only knows herself as Charlotte.

Quite like Stealers from Saiph, this is a different type of release. With this story there is just Charley and the Toymaker. It’s quite an unusual story because it’s essentially Charley trying to get away from the clutches of the Toymaker. There is a time factor to trying to solve this game (if it is a game which isn’t made clear) every so often there is a big bellowing voice which always comes as a shock saying PPPPPLLLLLLAAAAAAAYYYYYY. There is a lot of things that don’t make sense however its due to Ballie and Fisher that I managed to maintain any interest in it. I found this Charley to be more like the Charley from 2001/2002 and it was a nice trip down memory lane. The frustration at times that she showed was quite funny and reminded me of listening to Storm Warning and Sword of Orion. David Ballie was perhaps even better in this than he was in The Nightmare Fair. I think that may have more to do with John Dorney. Dorney is perhaps writing a Toymaker that is more suited to Ballie’s acting style as opposed to Ballie having to fit in with the Toymaker that Graham Williams and John Ainsworth wrote in the 2009 story. I found the moments when the Toymaker got more and more frustrated quite entertaining. Both Ballie and Fisher are the masters of frustrating acting.

If I did have to find a fault with this story it that it’s quite difficult to actually class this as a proper bonafide Companion Chronicle because its not Charley recalling an adventure she had with the Doctor but its more like a proper adventure. In the Extras its even referred to as a full cast audio with just two people in it. Quite like Scherzo where it was just Paul McGann and India Fisher. It was also mentioned that Charley will soon be having her own adventures quite like Jago and Litefoot. Solitaire is a good story that only suffers from not being a traditional CC story. Good effort from John Dorney. It was also a solid piece of directing from Nicholas Briggs who surprisingly makes his first contribution to the Companion Chronicles range. If I have to call this as a Companion Chronicle then I would say it is a fine end to this fourth series.

The Macros (2010)

The fourth part of this first collection of Lost Stories sees the Doctor encounter a creature that like the Celestial Toymaker in The Nightmare Fair that it had faced in the classic series. The Tractators first appeared alongside Peter Davison in Frontios (1984) and to be honest I wasn’t that fussed about their return. Ok they looked a bit odd but seriously there must be more interesting creatures to bring back than the ‘Sand Monsters’. This version as well as the intended version were both written by former script editor Christopher H Bidmead who wrote the 2007 play Renaissance of the Daleks. In that story he wanted ‘From an idea by’ line put about his name and that was because changes had been made to the story that he felt he couldn’t put his name to. In other words if it were rubbish (like it was) then he couldn’t shoulder much of the blame, if only he had done the same for this story.

The story sees the Doctor and Peri in the TARDIS reliving their past adventure. However they can’t quite remember what happened (though they seem to conveniently be able to tell the story). Where they pop to the village of Hollowdean to see Reverend ‘Foxy’ Foxwell. In a series of Lost style flashbacks the story unfolds at a ridiculously slow pace. There are many problems with this story and some are out of the hands of Bidmead and Big Finish. The main one is that the Master was suppose to be included in this story however Cardiff said that Big Finish couldn’t use the Master so the figure of Professor Stream is left in the air (Stream is an anagram of Master). Another problem is that the story is very dull. There’s nothing that I could say makes this story stand out for me. What exactly was the point of having the Tractators in this story? They serve nothing new to the plot and only add to a growing list of one time monsters that Big Finish have bought back however this time to a less than successful point. Another problem is that with the lack of the Master there was a big plot problem which isn’t resolved satisfactory. The Professor Stream was quite interesting in many ways but it would have been nicer to know more about him and why he was in Hollowdean.

The characters as well were very flawed indeed. Simon was a total irritation from start to finish. The character of Reverend Foxwell started off well but soon became tiresome and repetitive. Steel Specs and Jane were two characters that lacked originality and both deserved to be written out as quickly as they were. Unfortunately Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant suffer through a stagnant story that doesn’t allow them to be what they have become in previous lost stories.

In the interview extras between parts 2 and 3 Colin Baker says something that sums up this story for me when he said he didn’t understand the complexities of the story and what I want to know is how are we suppose to know what the hell is going on when the actors don’t know. Christopher H Bidmead seems to be hell bent on installing too much science into his stories. If I want to be bowled over with science terms then I will read a science book. What I want from a Doctor Who drama is 10% of science and 90% of drama.

Unfortunately this story is the worst story that Big Finish has produced for quite sometime. I didn’t really understand Brotherhood of the Daleks (2008) but if I had to listen to Hollows of Time or Brotherhood then I would go for Brotherhood partly because there was a curious element whereas with Hollows there is just nothing engaging about it at all.