Category: Big Finish

Review-Doctor Who – The Ninth Doctor Adventures Vol 1: Ravagers


It’s hard to deny that the announcement of Christopher Eccleston’s return to the Doctor Who franchise took fans by surprise. After all, it had been sixteen years since his thirteen-episode run reignited the show and brought it to a new generation. But here we are, with The Ninth Doctor Adventures – Ravagers, the first in a four-volume set of audio adventures written and directed by Nicholas Briggs.

On the one hand, Ravagers is an impressive and ambitious set. Eccleston’s return is a significant accomplishment for Big Finish, and it’s evident that he hasn’t lost his touch as the Doctor. The supporting cast, including Camilla Beeput and Jayne McKenna as Nova and Audrey, put in outstanding performances, and Dan Starky’s turn as Marcus Aurelius Gallius is thoroughly enjoyable. The music and sound design match the pace of Briggs’ excellent direction, and his passion for this era of Doctor Who is palpable.

However, the set’s most significant flaw is its plot. The 45-minute episode is stretched over 2 hours and 30 minutes, making the pacing drag at times. While Briggs’ love for the series shines through, the plot feels like an amalgamation of various stories he couldn’t get off the ground. We join the Ninth Doctor in the middle of an adventure and work backwards, a risky move for newcomers to the world of Doctor Who on audio.

Nonetheless, Ravagers is an enjoyable set overall, and fans of the Ninth Doctor will relish the chance to hear him once again. While a more straightforward structure would have been preferable, the set’s future promises exciting possibilities for the range.

⭐⭐

Episode 252: Robert Valentine interview

Martyn is joined by writer, producer and director, Robert Valentine.

They talk about Rob’s work with Audible, BBC and, Big Finish.

The podcast is available from all good podcast services, such as but not limited to Spotify, Amazon Music, Podchaser, Player FM, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.

We also have a Smartlink.

Equipment used in the creation of this feature was purchased through a grant from Graeae and The Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

If you’d like to support the show, then please shop via our Amazon link. A small percentage goes our way, at no extra cost to you. We also have a Ko-Fi.

Check out Rob’s website.

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Big Finish review-Torchwood: The Crown

Are you a fan of the eerie, atmospheric and immersive world of Torchwood? If so, then you are in for a real treat with the latest release, The Crown. This gripping audio adventure takes us back to the early and darker days of Torchwood and its founder and is set against the backdrop of Victorian England.

On Christmas Eve, Dr Gideon Parr is summoned to an asylum to check on a patient, who claims to be none other than Queen Victoria herself. This patient is haunted by a terrible curse, and it is up to the young doctor to diagnose her condition and help her find peace.

Written by Johnathan Barnes, The Crown is a morality tale that explores the darker side of Torchwood and its founder. This audio adventure is an incredible piece of storytelling that combines a Victorian setting with expertly crafted characters, outstanding performances, flawless sound design and a haunting musical score.

At the heart of this audio adventure is Rowena Cooper’s performance as Queen Victoria. Cooper delivers a mesmerising and chilling performance that perfectly captures the Queen’s complex and troubled state of mind. Her portrayal of the character is so convincing that you almost believe that she really is the Queen herself.

The supporting cast is equally impressive, with each member delivering a memorable and nuanced performance. Derek Riddell, in particular, shines as Dr Gideon Parr, bringing depth and humanity to the character that makes him instantly relatable.

Joe Meiners’ sound design is another highlight of this audio adventure, creating a claustrophobic and immersive soundscape that perfectly captures the mood and atmosphere of Victorian England. Blair Mowat’s musical score is equally haunting, perfectly complementing the story and adding an extra layer of depth and emotion to the audio adventure.

The Crown is a strong character piece that allows the listener to explore the early days of Torchwood and its founder. It is a morality tale that explores the consequences of disobeying the crown, and the terrible curse that comes with it.

Overall, The Crown is an outstanding audio adventure that is highly recommended to fans of Torchwood and anyone who loves a good spooky story. It is the perfect stocking filler for the festive season and will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

So, if you’re looking for a gripping audio adventure that combines expert storytelling, outstanding performances, flawless sound design, and a haunting musical score, then look no further than The Crown. It is a Torchwood adventure that you won’t forget anytime soon.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Check out our other Big Finish reviews.

Torchwood contains adult material and may not be suitable for younger listeners.

Torchwood: The Crown is avalible to purchase directly from Big Finish.



Review-Doctor Who: Grey man of the mountain

Something haunts the peak of Ben MacDui.
Something with heavy footsteps, striking terror in the hearts of those who sense it. With climbers going missing, retired Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart visits Scotland to investigate.
But when some old friends join his ascent, he worries that they will make things even more dangerous. As the snows blow in, and mists surround them, the Doctor, Ace and the Brigadier will face the Grey Man of the Mountain…


This year’s Christmas offer from Big Finish is a pretty strong release, it’s more subtle than last year’s ‘Blood on Santa’s Claw and Other Stories’. Written by Verity’s Lizabeth Myles, it teams The Brigadier up with The Seventh Doctor and Ace. Jon Culshaw plays the role exceptionally well. He’s so pitch-perfect that, if you didn’t know this wasn’t Nicholas Courtney, you wouldn’t know this wasn’t Nicholas Courtney.




McCoy and Aldred are on top form as always. The setting and environment make for a tense and unnerving experience. The audio is so vivid, I could see the action playing out in my mind’s eye. This felt like a Seventh Doctor/Ace era storyline. The audio even plays around with Ace’s sexuality, by maybe possibly giving her a love interest with Lucy Goldie’s vlogger character. The pair of have such natural chemistry.
There are a few niggles though. Vivien Read slightly overplays the landlady. It’s like she’s in completely different story-at times she reminded me of David Walliams’ Scottish riddler from Little Britain.
The audio also overruns by about 30 minutes. This, plus a sizeable guest cast makes material thin on the ground, I found myself starting to drift a bit towards the end.


Those nitpick’s aside, Grey man of the mountain is an immersive, atmospheric and underplayed Christmas special. Which takes full advantage of its setting, cast and the medium of telling a story for audio.

⭐⭐⭐

Doctor Who: Grey man of the mountain is available to purchase directly from Big Finish. 



Episode 241: Katy Manning Interview

Martyn and Chris are joined by the legendary Katy Manning in this special episode. Katy shares her experiences working with Big Finish, her role on The Sarah Jane Adventures, and her journey into voice acting. She also reflects on how lucky Doctor Who fans are that Russell T Davies revived the show in 2005.

Equipment used in the creation of this feature was purchased through a grant from Graeae and The Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

The podcast is available from all good podcast services, such as but not limited to Spotify, Amazon Music, Podchaser, Player FM, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.

We also have a Smartlink.

Check out our Youtube.

If you’d like to support the show, then please shop via our Amazon link. A small percentage goes our way, at no extra cost to you.

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Big Finish review-Torchwood: Rhys and Ianto’s Excellent Barbecue

Rhys is planning a lads’ night in. Barbie in the back yard, few tins, mates and bants. But the only person who turns up is Ianto – who hasn’t been invited. Hell is other people, especially when they’ve brought board games.
Something goes wrong. The two of them could be trapped together for eternity at a barbecue where the sausages never cook, and worse, the brewskis remain forever out of reach.


This was a story I was really looking forward to. Rhys and Ianto are such great characters, who sadly didn’t get to interact much in the main series. Thankfully, that’s what Big Finish do so well. They’ll take characters who didn’t interact much like Owen and Andy, or Rhys and Ianto and they’ll give them incredible stories that build the relationships and add to the overall mythology of Torchwood.


I was expecting a light-hearted tale, given that this features two of Torchwood’s most fun characters. But this story is actually an emotional gut-punch. There are some moments of levity, but writer Tim Foley also chucks in some really emotional moments. Rhys and Ianto comforting Deidre in her final moments is utterly heart-wrenching and takes its toll on our heroes. The moment Rhys opens up to Ianto is handled in an extremely mature and realistic way. Kai Owen and Gareth David-Lloyd are both excellent in this. Both know their characters extremely well and portray them wonderfully. Youssef Kerkour is a magnificent addition as Badger/Deidre.




I also really enjoyed when the audio played with the awkwardness of having to spend time with your spouse’s friend, who you know very little about. I’m sure we’ve all been there.
Overall, this is a beautiful story about male friendship and the need to open up, which is extremely well-executed and incredibly relatable. Especially in these isolating times. This has everything I love about the range, it’s bonkers, funny, touching and, produced to a high quality. Blair Mowat’s music beautifully accents the dialogue and accompanies Joe Meiners sound design flawlessly.
I say this on every review, but every release proves my point. Torchwood on Big Finish is Torchwood at its absolute best.

Torchwood contains adult material and may not be suitable for younger listeners.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rhys and Ianto’s excellent Barbecue is available to purchase directly from Big Finish.



Episode 239: The War Master: Hearts of Darkness

Martyn is joined by Dominic G Martin AKA Who Chaser.

The Duo discusses the fifth series in The War Doctor range, by Big Finish Productions. (there are some spoilers). They also talk about Dominic’s love for cosplay, his fan audios and, YouTube channel.

The War Master is a character played by Sir Derek Jacobi, that originated in the TV series Doctor Who.

The War Master: Hearts of Darkness is available to purchase directly from Big Finish.

The podcast is available from all good podcast services, such as but not limited to Spotify, Amazon Music, Podchaser, Player FM, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.

We also have a Smartlink.



Equipment used in the creation of this feature was purchased through a grant from Graeae and The Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

If you’d like to support the show, then please shop via our Amazon link. A small percentage goes our way, at no extra cost to you.

Chris is taking part in Movember if you’d like to donate you can do so here.

Check out our Youtube, We Sound Familiar and, Comedians talking football.

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We sound familiar interviews, Jonathon Carley

With the sad passing, of Sir John Hurt is 2017, I thought we’d seen/heard the last of The War Doctor. However, Big Finish are extremely talented at respectively re-casting iconic roles. Tim Treloar has played The Third Doctor for a number of years, Jon Culshaw now plays Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, as well as two incarnations of The Master. Jonathon Carley has the honour of picking up the mantle from Sir John Hurt.

Our very own Chris Walker-Thomson has done an exclusive interview with Jonathon, about The War Doctor and Big Finish.

The duo talk about taking on the legacy of Sir John Hurt, on their Podcast ‘we sound familiar‘.

Doctor Who: The War Doctor Begins will comprise four box sets, each one featuring three brand new full-cast stories, for release in June 2021. The first audio has been recorded and sees Louise Jameson make her Doctor Who directorial debut.



Big Finish review-Torchwood: The Three Monkeys

Recorded entirely during the lockdown, November’s Torchwood release, The Three Monkeys, once again pairs everyone’s favourite odd-couple, Owen Harper (Burn Gorman) and Tom Price (Andy Davidson). Unlike their previous team-ups, this installment takes a relatively lighter tone.

The story of Andy’s uncle is heartbreaking tale about his uncle, which is based on a real life event, is expertly woven into the plot by writer James Goss, who wondered what would happen if the story was given a Torchwood twist. Despite the lighter tone, The Three Monkeys brings everything fans have come to expect from a Goss release, with deep character explorations and tragic elements that are perfectly directed by Scott Handcock.

Iain Meadows’ sound design is flawless, tugging at the heartstrings during Andy’s heartfelt moments, and the setting of a car makes the story feel intimate and confined. Gorman and Price once again shine, with Andy’s optimism perfectly balancing Owen’s cynicism.

Torchwood: The Three Monkeys once again proves that Torchwood on Big Finish is at its very best, and a must-listen for fans.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Torchwood: The Three Monkeys is available to purchase directly from Big Finish.



Big Finish review-Torchwood: Ex Machina

Ianto Jones is Torchwood. Ianto Jones is the defender of a deserted city, a lone crusader who keeps the empty streets safe.

One day he meets one of the few survivors. She needs his help – because she’s being chased by a darkness. A darkness which says it loves her.


Ex Machina is the debut Torchwood story by writer, Alfie Shaw. Shaw says he came up with the idea, after passing a book shop he used to visit with an ex. He suddenly felt like the shop was off-limits to him. Along with mutual friends etc. That’s something that really resonated with me whilst listening.




This audio focuses on fan-favourite Ianto, as he tries to help Abigail, who can’t understand what’s happened to her parents. In every photograph, she’s impossibly alone. Even in the memory, she has of moving to Cardiff, it’s just her at 6-years-old in the car. Alone.
The only tether she has to her old life is her neighbour Mrs. Evans – and she has problems of her own.

Gareth David-Lloyd and Laura Aickman work extremely well together. This audio was recorded remotely and entirely during lockdown. It’s a testament to the actor’s abilities and Big Finish as a whole, that you’d never guess. Perhaps the remote recording helped the performers feel isolated, like their characters. Jacob Dudman also puts in a fun performance, as a completely unlikeable character.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Torchwood on Big Finish is Torchwood at its very best. This is another top-notch entry in the range.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cast:

Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones)

Laura Aikman (Abigail Forehill)

Jacob Dudman (Luke)

Misha Malcolm (Fran)

Joshua Manning (The Absence)

Kerry Joy Stewart (Mrs. Evans)

Cover Art: Lee Binding

Music: Blair Mowat and Murray Gold

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Torchwood: Ex Machina is available to purchase directly from Big Finish.