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Out of Time 2 – The Gates of Hell is the second in a trilogy of specials, that sees David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor on a farewell tour before he regenerates. In the first audio, he bumped into Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor. This time around, he’s paired up Peter Davison’s Fifth.
The story kicks off with The Fifth Doctor in Paris in 1809, he’s travelling sans-companion and decides to take a tour of the catacombs. It’s here that he bumps into a Time Agent Tina Drake (Shelley Conn), who for a very brief moment. I thought was Peri. Was that just me? Anyway, Tina is on the trail of a temporal paradox. Whilst in the catacombs, the duo trigger a trap, that sees the Doctor frozen in time. In 1944, the Tenth Doctor is evading Nazis, in occupied Paris. Looking for a hiding spot, he finds himself in the catacombs, where he encounters his former self. When they return to the surface, they find Paris is overrun with Cybermen.
I was a huge fan of Out of Time and I think it’s safe to say, that this was my most anticipated release of the year. Not only are we getting a multi-Doctor story, but we’re also getting a Time Crash reunion and we’re getting an outstanding script from David Llewellyn.
The story is structured brilliantly and moves along at a swift pace. Whilst Llewellyn’s love for the Fifth Doctor shines through, this feels very much like a David Tennant era adventure. Ken Bently’s direction is smooth and matches the pacing beat for beat. Whist Howard Carter’s music and sound design help elevate the adventure even more.
The two leads have natural chemistry and bounce off each other well, there’s a lot of fun interplay between them. I had a smile on my face the whole way through this, Lewellyn’s script is peppered with humour, call-backs and historical facts. This is quintessential Doctor Who.
Doctor Who: Out of Time 2 – The Gates of Hell is available on CD and download from Big Finish.
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.
The creators of Doctor Who: Time Fracture have made the decision to no longer include John Barrowman’s Captain Jack Harkness, as part of their immersive experience premiering in London later this month. Barrowman had filmed the cameo a couple of weeks ago.
This decision comes after The Guardian broke news about allegations surrounding Noel Clarke. After the article was published, social media users started sharing videos of Barrowman’s former castmates talking about his on-set antics.
Immersive Everywhere said:
“Immersive Everywhere has taken the decision to remove this pre-record from Doctor Who: Time Fracture. We will continue to include content that pays tribute to this brilliant show that is Torchwood so as not to disappoint its fans, and are working on an exciting storyline to be announced soon.”
After he was contacted by The Guardian journalists, Barrowman said:
“With the benefit of hindsight, I understand that upset may have been caused by my exuberant behaviour and I have apologised for this previously. Since my apology in November 2008, my understanding and behaviour have also changed.”
Doctor Who: Time Fracture opens 26 May. Tickets are available for pre-order here.
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.
On episode 250, Martyn once again challenges Sam and Chris to guess what episode of Doctor Who he is talking about, based on negative fan reviews he found online.
An unedited video version of this is available on YouTube.
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Martyn is joined by Sophie Aldred, they talk about the paperback release of her Doctor Who book ‘At Childhood’s End’.
Past, present and future collide as the Thirteenth Doctor meets classic Doctor Who companion Ace – in the first epic novel from the woman who played her, Sophie Aldred.
Once, a girl called Ace travelled the universe with the Doctor – until, in the wake of a terrible tragedy they parted company. Decades later, she is known as Dorothy McShane, the reclusive millionaire philanthropist who heads global organisation A Charitable Earth.
And Dorothy is haunted by terrible nightmares, vivid dreams that begin just as scores of young runaways are vanishing from the dark alleyways of London. Could the disappearances be linked to sightings of sinister creatures lurking in the city shadows? Why has an alien satellite entered a secret orbit around the Moon?
Investigating the satellite with Ryan, Graham and Yaz, the Doctor is thrown together with Ace once more. Together they must unravel a malevolent plot that will cost thousands of lives. But can the Doctor atone for her past incarnation’s behaviour – and how much must Ace sacrifice to win victory not only for herself but for the Earth?
Martyn, Chris, and Sam discuss the latest news about Doctor Who, including Jodie Whittaker’s departure from the role of the Doctor. The trio also share their thoughts on who they would like to see take over as the iconic Time Lord or Time Lady. In addition, they delve into their opinions on the most recent New Year’s Day special, “Revolution of the Daleks.”
Following his return in the Doctor Who episode “Revolution of the Daleks,” John Barrowman’s Captain Jack is set to make a comeback in the Big Finish Torchwood range, marking its fiftieth episode. This special release will also make history by featuring a Doctor for the first time in the spin-off series, with David Tennant making a guest appearance as the Tenth Doctor. The audio drama will also include fan-favourite Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto Jones.
This exciting news is sure to thrill fans of both Doctor Who and Torchwood, as the beloved characters and actors reunite for this milestone event. With Barrowman’s infectious energy, Tennant’s impeccable timing, and David-Lloyd’s poignant portrayal, this audio drama promises to be a treat for the ears and the heart.
As Big Finish continues to expand the universe of Doctor Who and its spin-offs through audio dramas, this special release is a testament to the enduring legacy and popularity of Torchwood, and the timeless appeal of the Doctor’s adventures.
Anyone who has read my reviews will know that I think Torchwood on Big Finish is Torchwood at its very best, so I’m ridiculously excited by this news.
John Barrowman said: “Fans have been asking for this for a long time. Now that it’s okay and it’s been cleared, it’s great to have him on board. There’s an interesting dynamic going on here because Jack still wants to follow him but yet wants to impress on him that he’s still the leader.”
David Tennant added: “Because this isn’t a Doctor Who story, the Doctor doesn’t have to be ahead of everything and saving the day. What’s interesting about this story – from the Doctor’s point of view – is he sort of messes up. It’s a story about the Doctor being a bit imperfect which is nice to see now and again actually.”
Torchwood: Absent Friends is now available to pre-order as a collector’s edition CD at £10.99 or on download from the Big Finish website at £8.99.
https://youtu.be/Z9Go6ytqc_E
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