Doctor Who Club of Australia

Tanba · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 3 Location: Tasmania

So starting New Year's Eve did anyone catch the new 8th Doctor adventures on BBC7 radio?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/

You can still catch the first episode on 'listen again'.

I really enjoyed it, even if the beginnig was a bit slow. Smile

Sulp Niar · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 8:09 pm Post subject:

I unfortunately couldn't.

Was the new companion any good? Worth more outings?

charlie · Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:58 am Post subject:

That was good but the companion was a little uninteresting I think. It was an interesting blend between a new story and old ones. Just the right mix of familiarity and originality.

Tanba · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 3 Location: Tasmania

I quite liked it, actually. Very traditional fare but in the new format time wise.

Lucy to me was a little annoying at first, but that might have been me working out her accent. Laughing

The 8th Doctor is a little less bubbly than previously, imo and the Daleks were great, of course. (Not exactly a spoiler that one since its called Blood of the Daleks Wink

)

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4423

Blood of the Daleks Part 1:
I was baffled at the beginning as I was thinking did I missed the beginning only for it to be easily explained. I don't really like Lucie whether that will change in the upcoming episodes we just have to wait and see. Nothing really wrong with the plot it just that it did not seem exciting until the cliffhanger.

charlie · Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:22 pm Post subject:

That was good. Great cliffhanger with the rescue ship. Can't wait to see where this all leads

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4423

The Blood of The Daleks Part 2:
Definitely better than the previous episode as I like the way on how the story got resolved. Despite what I said before, I think I am beginning to warm up to Lucie and I like how the mystery deepens with the introduction of the Headhunter.

charlie · Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:25 pm Post subject:

Another mix of originality and familiarity. And that joke about the hair popped up again. Love the theme
The headhunter didnt do much though.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4423

Horror of Glam Rock:
As pointed out in the tie in documentary Beyond The Vortex that came afterwards the title is a take on the Tom Baker serial Horror of Fang Rock. Other than that there is no plot connection between the two stories.
Very enjoyable story here and quite surprise by the arrangement of the theme in this episode.

charlie · Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:45 pm Post subject:

Is there anywhere we can get that theme?

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4423

Just guessing here but most probably that theme will be included in its CD release which will be in March.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4423

Immortal Beloved:
A good beginning, a good ending but not quite sure about the bits in-between. Nice that Ian McNeice finally does a Who and Jake McGann, Paul's son also did well.

Sulp Niar · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:23 pm Post subject:

I only just recently got to hear Blood of the Daleks and Horror of Glam Rock. Boy, they whiz through them don't they? New series syndrome or just a better format for radio? After all, they repeated previous 8th Doctor audios I hear.

Anyway, the audios themselves. I preferred Blood of the Daleks actually, despite my expectations. I was thinking, do we need another Dalek story? However this one was really quite good, I loved the tinfoil hat man (maybe he just needs a heart? Bad pun. Hey, it works with the blood motif!). I quite liked the characters too, and was good to hear Anita Dobson after just watching the Red Dwarf episode Psirens the other day.

They're running out of ideas though aren't they? We have yet another example of two Dalek factions warring against each other. As well as being a major theme throughout the 80s, I've also only just got around to hearing Dalek Empire, so I'm kind of over that idea. Then there's The Evil of the Daleks and Fire and Brimstone... it's just too much! That said, I was surprised how touching the scene of the dying Dalek talking to its creator was and I was sorry for how pathetic they were... until they rose up and picked a tussle that is.

The other reused idea is Time Lord intervention. What are they up to now? Personally I'm a tad sick of the Time Lords. I'm sick of the bland boring side of them and I'm sick of the mysterious manipulative side of them.

Although... thinking about it, the inclusion of manipulative Time Lords and Daleks here... is Big Finish now going to hint at events in the Time War? I hope they never show it, but hints are fine. Intriguing. Then again, I hear the last story ain't a Dalek one, so we'll see.

As for Lucie... you two were right, it does take a while to like her. But she's likable enough really. Funny too, in a blunt way. I'm quite enjoying her now. As for McGann, he really seems to be in cynical mode, which is hell fun (and also possibly hints to the oncoming War? Who knows).

Horror of Glam Rock... I'm not sure what to think of this one. The story struck me immediately with its odd incidental score of a blaring 70s guitar solo, which seems almost not incidental music (I suppose that's the point considering the plot though). However, this promising start eventually got a bit dull. Even the thing about Lucie's aunt was quite boring.

Still, I reckon it'll get better and it's all been an experience. So ends my rant.

Looking forward to the next bunch.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4423

Phobos:
Slightly better than Immortal Beloved.

The part I like best was towards the end when the Doctor dealt with the monster and it was quite funny when the Headhunter turned up.

Sulp Niar · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:18 am Post subject:

Heh, I'm always one behind you guys...

Personally I thought Immortal Beloved was great, better than Horror of Glam Rock. But if Phobos is as good as you say - and how it can it not be with Timothy West in it?! - then I'm looking forward to that.

charlie · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:37 pm Post subject:

Sulp Niar · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject:

Well, I should be able to listen to Phobos today, so I'm steadily catching up.

Is it that bad that you forgot about it?? Ha.

charlie · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject:

Well I had been up till 3 in the morning the past three nights so I was pretty tired.

Sulp Niar · Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:09 am Post subject:

Okay, I finally caught up!

Phobos was odd... I started off disappointed because it was so similar to a sort of New Adventures thing and seemed more derivative than the previous episodes (it also seemed to have echoes of The Impossible Planet) but then I remembered this was the first time this 8th Doctor series had done it and started to enjoy it.

I wasn't entirely convinced by the mean alien who beats the guy up - his voice sounded a bit silly, although the acting was good.

I also thought the "extreme sports" thing promised was a little bit... wasted.

Overall though it was quite good, and I did like the way that the beast ranted before the Doctor said, "So why don't you do all that?" "How dare you mock me Doctor..." by which point he says, "I knew it, grab her!". Hilarious knowing wink at the series there.

I also liked the way that the Doctor defeated it - and I liked the implication that the Doctor gets off on fear and adventure, which is again a knowing wink, this time at the fans. Pity the Doctor didn't have the transdimensional sofa from Life, the Universe and Everything to hide behind.

Timothy West - someone I've wanted to see in Who for a while - was great, but all that this story did was make me want to actually SEE him in a Doctor Who story. Still, kudos for bringing him into the show.

I'm still really liking Lucie and the interaction between her and the Doctor, although I'm really hoping that the answer to what Lucie saw, specifically after that "Who is Lucie Miller?" mini-doc, is satisfactory and the series ends on a mind-blowing plot twist... as opposed to, say, 8687 or Bad Wolf. Then again, the series is being run by Nick Briggs whose Dalek Empire series' twists usually managed to shock me so... I'm living in hope.

Can't wait for the next.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4423

No More Lies:
Nigel Havers finally does a Who and he gives out a very good performance even though the story is a little confusing and Julia McKenzie has a very beautiful singing voice. Also it is nice to have Tom Chadbon back on Who again. Also interesting this had elements of the current TV series with mention of Time Agent and the monsters here are not unlike that of The Reapers.

Wow what a stunning end when the Headhunter turns up.