Big Finish – Page 9 – The Bad Wilf Network

Review- Big Finish:Terror of the Sontarans

Terror of the Sontarans concludes the trilogy of main range stories for the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Mel (Bonnie Langford).

The adventure takes place on a mining facility, which is now acting as a Sontaran research base. The Doctor and Mel are responding to a distress beacon and have arrived to find the base seemingly empty. Deep down in the depths of the facility, they stumble across the original crew, whom are being held prisoner.

Something is picking the crew off one-by-one and even the Sontarans are running scared.

I’ll admit, I am one of the Doctor Who fans that doesn’t like how the Sontarans have been handled on the TV series recently. But, with this the writers have found an intriguing balance between the seriousness of the classic Sontarans and the silliness of modern Sontarans and the end result is a perfect blend of the two ideologies.

Bonnie Langford and Sylvester McCoy are flawless here, they sound exactly the same as they did in the 80’s, at times it’s as if they’ve just finished recording an episode for the BBC and entered the recording booth for Big Finish.

Langford really suffered on the TV series, but Big Finish have given her some solid material, that really allows her to shine. She is fast becoming my favourite Big Finish companion.

The direction is also spot-on, by the ever-reliable Ken Bentley.

Big Finish have been consistently good this year, I can’t wait for 2016.

[amazon_link asins=’1781785457′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’bawi-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’661a3626-6c99-11e8-876a-ef7277a50ee4′]

Big Finish confirm Torchwood series 2

Big Finish have confirmed a second series of Torchwood audios will be available from March 2016.
The news came just one day after the release of Torchwood: The Conspiracy.

Another six Torchwood releases are currently in pre-production for 2016. Series 2 will begin in March 2016: just one month after concluding instalment of series 1.

Producer James Goss said:

“Everyone involved’s just had so much fun that we didn’t want to stop”.

Big Finish added:

“It’s okay, you don’t have to. We’ve already got the first script in and it’s a delight.”

The new series will continue the adventures of Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and his team, with stories taking place at different points in Torchwood’s history.

Big Finish Executive Producer Jason Haigh-Ellery said:

“It’s wonderful to be able to commit so soon to a second series of Torchwood, this is completely down to the immense support we have received from the fans of the series. We are delighted to be continuing the adventures of Captain Jack and his team!”

Co-executive producer Nicholas Briggs added:

I couldn’t really imagine that the response to our Torchwood series wouldn’t be positive, So I’m very pleased not to have been proved wrong. The series has so many dedicated followers and the audios have been written, directed and produced with such love for the source material. James Goss, as producer, has brought so much enthusiasm and joy to the project. I find myself hoping every day that I’ll receive another excited email from him.
And we’re so grateful that the brilliant stars of Torchwood have come in to record and have been so bloomin’ good! Russell T Davies has been so supportive and full of encouragement too. Frankly, we had no choice but to get on with a second series as soon as possible.

Torchwood: The Conspiracy is available to buy and download today, starring John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness. Listen to our review here.

Series 1 continues in October with Torchwood: Fall to Earth, starring Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto Jones, followed in November by Torchwood: Forgotten Liveswith Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper and Kai Owen as Rhys Williams. Three further releases will follow at monthly intervals.

New Torchwood theme

Torchwood returns on audio form today and, Big Finish are ready. To celebrate the release of Torchwood: The Conspiracy they’ve released the new theme on soundcloud.

The man behind the new theme is BAFTA-nominated composer, Blair Mowat.

Blair recently worked with Murray Gold on shows such as Doctor Who and Life Story, and also composed the opening theme for The Doctor Who Fan Show.

Blair said:

“I’ve always been a fan of Torchwood and have been a fan of Doctor Who from before I could even speak. So I know this world very well. I was also delighted to be asked to do a new arrangement of the theme. I spoke with Murray to make sure I was very reverential to his brilliant original, whilst being sure to give it my own twist. The incidental music is also very much in the tonal world of Torchwood that Murray and Ben created together, whilst still allowing room for us to explore new musical ideas and motifs. So expect chugga chugga strings, reversed effects and guitars aplenty. Oh and that biddle biddle thing, or is it takka takka? Anyway that Torchwood noise…don’t worry it’s in there!”

Producer James Goss said:

“We’re so lucky to have Blair. He’s incredibly, unbelievably busy, but has approached the whole project with such enthusiasm. He’s assembled both a tribute act to the original series and a score that’s properly exciting in its own right. The results are something really special.”

I love it, it’s reminiscent and respectful to the original Murray Gold theme, yet completely new and fresh.

[amazon_link asins=’1781789169′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’bawi-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’11602550-305f-11e8-aef3-ade8faebeca0′]

Big Finish Review-Doctor Who: The Warehouse

Online shopping is a goldmine for satirical material, it’s surprising the main show hasn’t done it yet. However, “The Warehouse” takes this concept to a new level with its depiction of a massive warehouse in the sky staffed by clones, while a catastrophe on the planet reduces the populace to primitive religion, worshipping those who reside in the warehouse. The idea for the story may not be entirely original, but it is true to the era in which it is set – the Seventh Doctor and Mel era.

The story takes a while to gain momentum, with the first two episodes featuring a lot of running around the aisles of the Great Warehouse In The Sky, but not much else. However, Dillie Keane and Sylvester McCoy deliver standout performances, with Keane bringing nuance to her role as High Priestess of the Catalogue, and McCoy excelling in his portrayal of the Doctor.

As the truth of the situation on the planet is revealed, the story gains momentum, culminating in a gripping coup de grace that subverts the latest planned delivery methods of a leading online retailer. Keane’s performance once again shines in the story’s final act, lending it solid gravitas.

Overall, “The Warehouse” delivers exactly what it promises – a stolid, eighties-era Doctor Who story. While it may not be the most imaginative or memorable entry in the franchise, fans of the era will likely find it enjoyable.

Get the The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure, early.

Audio production company Big Finish announced today that they’re bringing the release date forward for The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure, exclusively to Big Finish customers

Older who fans may remember that the Sixth Doctor didn’t have a proper regeneration story. So Big Finish are rectifying that.

If you’re a Big Finish customer you’ll be able to download it via their website on Monday the 17th. Everyone else has to wait six more weeks.

This eagerly awaited box-set chronicles the Doctor’s ultimate battle against the Valeyard (Michael Jayston), the malevolent distillation of the Doctor’s negative impulses. The four adventures involve a commuter train that has lost its way, a werewolf-infested town on an alien world, strange events on the stage of the New Regency theatre in Victorian London and the space station where their rivalry began in 1986’s The Trial of a Time Lord. Check out the trailer below.

Big Finish Review-Doctor Who: We are the Daleks

“We Are the Daleks” marks the beginning of a new era for Big Finish, which has released over 200 audio dramas and now seeks to provide a fresh entry point for new listeners. Each Doctor will lead a new trilogy of stories, starting with the Seventh Doctor and Mel.

Set in 1987, the UK is a divided nation with striking workers in Bradford and wealthy stockbrokers in the City of London. Alek Zenos, the enigmatic head of the Zenos Corporation, offers an economic miracle to Britain, which proves too tempting for politicians and investors alike. While the Doctor investigates the Warfleet computer game craze, Mel goes undercover to uncover the truth about Zenos’s partners.

The Daleks have a new plan to conquer the universe: economic power through the free market. This old-school Dalek story pays homage to previous Dalek tales of the era while satirizing Thatcherism and the “greed is good” campaign.

McCoy excels as the Seventh Doctor, my personal favourite from the classic era. His final speech to the Daleks is chilling and on par with Matt Smith’s speech in “The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang.”

Big Finish excels at giving characters a second chance, as seen with Bonnie Langford’s Mel. Underserved on TV, Mel was originally intended to be played as Violet Elizabeth Bot. Big Finish has unlocked Mel’s full potential, turning her into the companion she should have been on screen.

This multi-layered story explores themes of ambition, greed, and exclusion, even taking a jab at Michael Fish. “We Are the Daleks” is an excellent start to Big Finish’s new era.

Episode 59: Jacqueline Pearce interview

In which Martyn and Pete talk about the latest Doctor Who news, including the casting of the new Companion.

Pete and The Pharos Project interview actress Jacqueline Pearce at the launch of her autobiography from Fantom Films.

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

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.

Socials:

Twitter:

Martyn – @BadWilf

Gerrod –@InGerrodsMind

Pete – @BeeblePete

Instagram:

Martyn-@BadWilf

Episode 58: Animal and Earth Aid

Martyn and Pete look at the Big Finish audios Animal and Earth Aid.

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

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.

Socials:

Twitter:

Martyn – @BadWilf

Gerrod –@InGerrodsMind

Pete – @BeeblePete

Sam-@Sammichaelcomic

Instagram:

Martyn-@BadWilf

Episode 57: Big Finish-Crime of the Century

In which Martyn and Pete look at the Big Finish production Crime of the Century.

Crime of the Century is the fourth release in the second series of Big Finish Productions’ ‘The Lost Stories’ range. It features Sylvester McCoy as The Seventh Doctor, Sophie Aldred as Ace and, Beth Chalmers as Raine Creevy. It was based upon a television story of the same name, which was not produced due to the series’ cancellation in 1990.

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

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.

Socials:

Twitter:

Martyn – @BadWilf

Gerrod –@InGerrodsMind

Pete – @BeeblePete

Instagram:

Martyn-@BadWilf

Episode 55: Big Finish-Thin Ice

In which Pete and Martyn are joined by the wonderful Phil from the ‘Who’s He Podcast?‘ They discuss the SFX Weekender, the Big Finish audio Thin Ice and the Official Doctor Who Convention (Martyn will be there).