Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs

RRP: £24.99 (CD) | £19.99 (Download)

Release Date: May 2021

Reviewed by: Robert Emlyn Slater for Doctor Who Online

"Three brand new adventures featuring Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, written by Nicholas Briggs.

1.1 Sphere of Freedom

On the Sphere of Freedom, the Doctor is about to shut down an evil Immersive Games business empire. He’s assisted by a valiant galley chef called Nova. But his plan spectacularly fails... And who exactly is Audrey?

1.2 Cataclysm

Nova is dislocated in time while the Time Eddies are out of control. Meanwhile, the Doctor is about to face the end of the universe. Or is that just the Battle of Waterloo?

1.3 Food Fight 

The TARDIS is starting to get a little crowded! Audrey finds herself haunted by a ghostly Doctor."

WARNING: The following review contains spoilers. You have been warned!

This isn’t a sentence I ever thought I’d get the opportunity to write, but after 16 years away, Christopher Eccleston is finally back as the Ninth Doctor in Ravagers, a boxset of three brand new episodes courtesy of Big Finish Productions! 

I’m cutting to the chase here, but it’s absolutely incredible to hear Christopher Eccleston back in the role. I never thought it would happen, but he’s back, and it doesn’t sound like he’s ever been away. Within seconds of the first episode starting, he is, without a doubt, the Doctor again. There’s no adjustment period, no shaky moments, or times where you’re not sure whether he’s fully in the role yet — he’s just the Ninth Doctor, from minute one all the way through to the end. I was instantly transported back to 2005 listening to these adventures, back to being 8 years old curled up on the sofa, watching this mad, mysterious, brilliant man save the universe. It was, in short, an amazing experience listening to this boxset. 

Ravagers, the first of four (and hopefully more) volumes starring the Ninth Doctor, is a series of three inter-connected episodes. Set Pre-Rose, these stories see the Doctor go up against an enormous gaming business empire that is using time itself to provide its rich clients with incredible, yet stupidly dangerous, immersive video game experiences. The Doctor, teaming up with Nova, his companion-of-sorts, must stop the game business empire’s plans, or risk the end of the universe itself.

The first episode, Sphere of Freedom, throws us straight into the action, mid-adventure, with the Doctor and Nova (Camilla Beeput) defeating the games corporation’s plans, until everything goes wrong and Nova is taken by a time-eddy. The Doctor then meets the mysterious Audrey and fills her in on everything that’s happened, giving us an opportunity to see what led to him attempting to stopping the gaming empire in the first place. 

This episode is a hell of a lot of fun, mostly in part to the fantastic chemistry between the Doctor and Audrey (Jayne McKenna), as they banter, snark, and flirt with each other as the Doctor tells her his story. But it’s also fun because we get to listen to him travel to London in 1959 and stop a battle between a Roman legion and British soldiers from breaking out, track time eddy’s, and team up with galley chef Nova in an attempt to bring down the gaming empire on the Sphere of Freedom. It’s a really strong start to the set, provides us with a compelling mystery, and leaves us with a gripping cliffhanger that ensures that you’ll be desperate to listen to more.

The second episode, Cataclysm, is a bit slower than the first episode, but just as entertaining. It’s a lot more timey-wimey than any of the Ninth Doctor’s adventures on television, but that’s definitely not a bad thing. It follows the Doctor as he tries to escape Audrey’s traps, find Nova, and stop the universe from imploding, which has already happened. Sort of. It’s definitely an episode that you’re going to have to pay full attention to, that’s for sure. 

The Doctor and Nova’s dynamic is great, and they bounce off of each other really well throughout the boxset. Nova is very different from Rose, and so is her relationship with the Doctor. Whilst both characters’ main reason for accompanying the Doctor on his travels is to experience a better life, Nova is tougher, snarkier, and far less trusting of the Doctor than Rose is, which is a lot of fun. It’s great that we’ve got a completely different companion for the Doctor in this boxset too, rather than just a simple carbon copy of Rose, which I admit I was worried would be the case when this boxset was first announced. I’m glad to see that I was proven wrong. 

The final episode, Food Fight, is also the episode that wraps up the whole Ravagers arc. The Doctor and Nova, along with all the characters we’ve met along the way unite to launch one final attack on the gaming empire in an attempt to save the universe. If you thought the last episode was a bit timey-wimey, wait until you listen to this one. 

Whilst Food Fight does get a bit complicated at times and does take a lot of concentration to fully keep up with, it wraps up the Ravagers storyline well, and leaves us counting down the days until the next volume of the Ninth Doctor’s adventures is released! 

The monsters of the plays, the titular Ravagers, don’t really make much of an appearance in these episodes. Though they are largely absent from proceedings, their presence is still felt very strongly throughout. 

Whilst the cast are all excellent and give great performances throughout, Eccleston, McKenna, and Beeput in particular, praise must also be given to the team who made all of this happen, in particular scriptwriter and executive producer, Nicholas Briggs. I was so impressed with the three scripts he’s written for this boxset, and he absolutely nails the Ninth Doctor here. This isn’t a Doctor who’s moping about the Time War or upset about being the last of the Time Lords, this is a version of the Ninth Doctor who’s having the time of his life, who’s full of energy, and who’s full of hope. Briggs captures all of that and more in the three brilliant scripts he’s penned for this boxset. A huge round of applause for all involved, both behind the scenes and in front of the microphones.

If I have any criticisms at all, it’s that the timey-wimey does become a bit too much and a bit too confusing to keep up with at times, but that could just be a personal thing. Other than that incredibly minor issue, this is a well-written, brilliantly performed boxset featuring a Christopher Eccleston who you can just tell is having a whale of a time back in the role, and that’s the best thing about it. It’s also so refreshing that the boxset is sort of disconnected from the 2005 series too. It’s set before the events of Rose, before Nine burst back onto our screen, and so the story possibilities are almost endless. 

I can’t quite believe that this boxset is a real thing. I never, ever thought Eccleston would come back to the worlds of Doctor Who, but I am so, so glad that he is. If Ravagers is anything to go by, I really can’t wait to see what Big Finish have up their sleeves next. I know that there are adventures with the Cybermen and the Brigadier yet to come for the Ninth Doctor, and if I wasn’t excited before, I definitely am now. August can’t come soon enough.

There’s only one word to describe this boxset really, isn’t there... and I think everyone knows what it is. You guessed it. Fantastic! 

+ The 9th Doc. Adventures: Ravagers is OUT NOW, priced £24.99 (CD) | £19.99 (D/L).

+ ORDER this title from Big Finish!

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Robert Valentine, Robert Whitelock & Matt Fitton

RRP: £19.99 (CD) | £16.99 (Download)

Release Date: March 2021

Reviewed by: Robert Emlyn Slater for Doctor Who Online

"Abandoned in the Vortex, the Master’s lost incarnation is about to be thrown a lifeline.

Earth rebuilds in the aftermath of invasion, and power rests with those who innovate. Genius Lila Kreeg makes a deal with the devil to see her dreams fulfilled.

As the Master returns, there are those – like Vienna Salvatori – who wish to hunt him, and those upon whom he wishes vengeance himself...

1. Faustian by Robert Valentine

Drake Enterprises is the most powerful company on Earth. Dr Lila Kreeg is its most valued asset. But her experiments open a doorway which allow an evil back into the universe. The Master can offer Lila the world, so long as she obeys him...

2. Prey by Robert Whitelock

Impossibly glamorous assassin Vienna Salvatori has a new target. Crossing time and space, Vienna takes one final job to free her from this life.

But when the Master is hunted through the slums and ganglands of London, the line is blurred between predator and prey...

3. Vengeance by Matt Fitton

The Daleks are returning. Their plan, long in the making, is complete. Earth will be theirs once more.

But someone stands against them. Someone with his own reasons for revenge – and Vienna and Lila are caught in the crossfire. Because Earth’s greatest hope against the Daleks lies with the Master."

WARNING: The following review contains spoilers. You have been warned!

One thing I love about Big Finish is how they give even the smallest of characters a second life once their time in the show, however brief, is over. The War Doctor and the Jacobi Master are just a couple of great examples of characters who’ve been given a second shot to establish themselves within the worlds of Doctor Who thanks to the Big Finish and their seemingly endless supply of stories.

And now, 25 years after his seemingly one-off appearance in the 1996 TV Movie, Eric Roberts’ Master finally gets an extended run-out in the Whoniverse thanks to this new, 3-episode boxset, Master! 

Despite having made a couple of appearances in previous Big Finish dramas, this is the first time where the Roberts' Master is the real star of the show, and after having listened to this boxset, I’m really struggling to understand why they didn’t think of doing something like this sooner! 

I’m cutting to the chase here, but Roberts is honestly brilliant in this series. He’s almost snake-like, with his silky smooth voice never really fully concealing the real venom within. He’s not one to get angry or lose his head like his other incarnations, but he’s just as dangerous, just as wicked, and just as ready to betray people, even those he claims to like. I was very, very impressed with Roberts performance and would love for him to come back and do some more audio dramas in the hopefully not-so-distant future.

There’s no time-travelling or space-hopping in this boxset, which was a welcome surprise. Every single episode is set in a Cyber-punk-inspired London in the year 2223, or in other words, a London post The Dalek invasion of Earth. The world is rebuilding and mega corporations hold the power now, which is a pretty scary concept in itself. Over three episodes we follow the Master as he builds himself up from nothing to become the most powerful man on the planet, going up against mob bosses, assassins and Daleks along the way. 

The first episode, Faustian written by Robert Valentine, tells the tale of Lila Kreeg, a scientific genius, as she tries to master the art of matter transfer. However, the company she works for, Drake Enterprises, keep trying to shut down her experiments. When her experiments start affecting time as well as space, the Master shows up, and Lila rescues him from the void. 

Faustian is a bit of a slow burner, and we do spend an awful lot of time with Laura Aikman’s Lila, but that’s certainly no bad thing. I was really invested in the character and her experiments, and the Master turning up and brutally making his way to the top with Lila at his side just added to what was already a really engaging story. I have to praise Laura Aikman too, who gives great performances throughout the 3 episodes and makes a great companion-of-sorts to the best villain around. 

The second episode, Prey, written by Robert Whitelock, is a big sci-fi mob movie with robots, assassins, and mutated underground-dwelling humans thrown into the mix for good measure. Vienna Salvatori, a brilliant assassin, is out to kill the Master, and what takes place over the course of this episode is a game of hide-and-seek throughout the slums and backwaters of a future London. 

I know that Vienna Salvatori, played by Chase Masterson, has appeared in Big Finish audio dramas before, however this is my first time meeting the character, and I’ve got to say I was impressed. I really enjoyed her teaming up with the war droid, Artie, and will definitely be checking out the rest of her adventures soon. 

The third episode, Vengeance, written by Matt Fitton, is presumably the one everyone’s been waiting for. The Daleks are back in this sort of sequel to The Dalek Invasion of Earth from 1964, and the only thing between them and world domination is the Master. This is an episode that’s full of backstabbing, betrayals, and plenty of Dalek action, and I really enjoyed it.

I’m always impressed by how Nicholas Briggs manages to make the Daleks he plays so different from each other. The Dalek Litigator is slimy, even for a Dalek, and really reminded me of the Dalek Prime Strategist from the Time Lord Victorious storyline, whilst the Dalek Supreme was paranoid and quick to anger. Though the power battle between the Litigator and the Supreme felt a little too similar to what happened in the Daleks! YouTube series between the Strategist and the Emperor, it was still an interesting element all the same. 

The Master facing off against the Daleks was fun, and the ending definitely leaves it open for more appearances from Eric Roberts’ Master in the future, should Roberts ever want to return of course, which I hope he does. 

Whilst Roberts’ Master may never reach the heights of those who have come before and after him, this boxset leaves us in no doubt that he is the Master. Featuring great performances all round, an interesting Blade Runner-inspired setting, twists, explosions, and plenty of evil Master laughs, this is a boxset everyone should give a listen to, be they fans of the Roberts’ Master or not. If it doesn’t redeem him, at the very least it gives us an interesting and more in-depth take on a fan favourite character. 

+ Master! is OUT NOW, priced £19.99 (CD) | £16.99 (Download).

+ ORDER this title from Big Finish!

BBC Studios today announced the final, missing piece in Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious with a five-part CGI animation launching in November this year. Daleks! will be available for fans to watch for free, weekly on the Doctor Who YouTube channel.

Daleks! is a 5x10 min animation and will feature a star-studded voiceover cast with Nicholas Briggs (voice of the Daleks in Doctor Who) Joe Sugg (YouTube, Strictly Come Dancing), Anjli Mohindra (Bodyguard, The Sarah Jane Adventures) and Ayesha Antoine (Holby City).

Nicholas Briggs said:

“This latest, fantastic, thrill-packed venture into the world of animation, with the Daleks as the stars of the show, is something so many of us have been craving for years. And for me it’s been a marvellous challenge, as usual playing every single Dalek in action, but with the added excitement of portraying some beautifully written, leading Dalek characters. It’s been a blast, and I can’t wait to see the finished production."

 Joe Sugg said:

“I’m super excited and thankful to have been invited to play a role in this new animation. I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who from a young age so to be a part of it is a dream come true.”

Anjli Mohindra said:

“When I saw that this series was about THOSE iconic villains I knew it was going to be one hell of a ride and I couldn’t wait to sign up!! I had so much fun being thrown into the wonderfully weird world of remote recording and so thrilled that I was able to be part of something that feel so special!”

Ayesha Antoine said:

“I have never been more fascinated to see the final product of a show. To be a part of the animated story of these iconic baddies is really special. The recording session was a whole new adventure - another surreal moment to add to the growing list from 2020”. 

Written by James Goss and created by Salford-based animators Studio Liddell, Daleks! is a BBC Studios Digital production.

Time Lord Victorious officially launched earlier this month, with products and experiences dropping every week until early 2021. The multi-platform story brings together eleven partners across ten platforms for the first time ever to tell a brand new Doctor Who adventure for fans across the world. Fans can enjoy as much or as little of the adventure as they choose, exploring the animation as well as novels, magazines, comics, escape rooms, audios, games, immersive theatre, vinyl, figurines and t-shirts. 

More information about Daleks! will be announced soon. Details about Time Lord Victorious along with a full timeline of product launches can be found on the Time Lord Victorious website. 

[Source: BBC Studios]

54 years after the original BBC television broadcast, BBC Studios will premiere a new production of Mission to the Unknown, a missing Doctor Who episode that has been faithfully recreated by a team of students, graduates and staff of the University of Central Lancashire.

Mission to the Unknown will be premiered on the Doctor Who YouTube channel at exactly 5.50pm BST on the 9th October to mark the anniversary of the original broadcast of the episode, which was first aired on BBC One in 1965.

The episode will be followed by a making-of documentary short created by YouTuber Josh Snares featuring the cast and crew of Mission to the Unknown with voice of the Daleks, Nicholas Briggs, original cast member Edward de Souza and the classic Doctor Who companion Peter Purves (Steven Taylor) who played the companion to the First Doctor in the 1960s

Luke Spillane, Digital Publishing Manager for Doctor Who at BBC Studios, said:

“I’m delighted that we will be bringing the story of Space Security agent Marc Cory to our 1.3 million subscribers on the Doctor Who YouTube channel as it is such a fantastic recreation, made lovingly with real craft and expertise by everyone at the University of Central Lancashire. I hope audiences around the world can imagine that it’s tea time on the 9th October 1965 as they rather excitingly watch a black and white episode of Doctor Who premiere on their television sets, mobile phones and tablets.”

The project was master-minded by Andrew Ireland, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Digital and Creative Industries at the university, and brought together a dedicated group of students from a wide range of disciplines including film and television, acting, fashion, music, design and dance to recreate the episode from the original script as authentically as possible, carefully researching and reproducing as faithfully as possible the original 1960s production techniques to re-create the classic look of the series.

Andrew Ireland, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Digital and Creative Industries at the University of Central Lancashire, said:

“It is such a loss to our cultural heritage that so many episodes of 1960s Doctor Who are missing from the BBC archives. This project presented us with an exciting opportunity to address that, to explore a new way of bringing these missing slices of TV history to life, and in the process, help students learn their craft by comparing contemporary production methods with historical approaches. The project gave so many people great experiences, and it is wonderful to see the Daleks menacing a black and white jungle once more.”

The recreation caught the imagination of several Doctor Who luminaries including Nicholas Briggs, who has provided the Dalek voices for the recreated episode, and stars including Peter Purves, who played 1960s companion Steven Taylor, and Edward de Souza, who played Marc Cory in the original episode, visiting the new set to lend their support.

You can view the trailer in the player, below:
[youtube:_Vk6wtVigew]
[Source: BBC Studios]

'Peoples of the universe, please attend carefully' – Sir Derek Jacobi is reprising his iconic role as the Master in new Doctor Who adventures from Big Finish Productions.

Following his first unforgettable performance in the Doctor Who episode, Utopia, crafting an iconic role that thrilled viewers ten years ago, Sir Derek is once again taking on the mantle of the Master. His return will bring joy to fans, but disaster for the Doctor Who universe!

The ruthless renegade Time Lord returns in four brand new adventures made by arrangement with BBC Worldwide.

“His incarnation is very much the ‘Hannibal Lecter’ of Time Lords – intelligent, charming, but thoroughly ruthless – we had a lot of fun in studio bringing the War Master back to life,” explains producer and director Scott Handcock. “It’s been a gift of a project, and we can’t wait for listeners to hear it!”

“I didn’t expect to come back to it all these years later,” says Sir Derek, “but I was thrilled to be remembered. The plots in all these episodes have been very good indeed, very interesting, very dramatic, and beautifully written. The whole process has been a delight!”

Doctor Who: The War Master - Volume One follows the exploits of the Doctor’s arch-enemy during the course of the devastating Time War, featuring stories from acclaimed Doctor Who writers James Goss, Guy Adams and Nicholas Briggs – as well as new writing talent from Janine H. Jones.

Doctor Who: The War Master - Volume One is released December 2017, in four hour-long episodes:

Beneath the Viscoid by Nicholas Briggs

The Good Master by Janine H. Jones

The Sky Man by James Goss

The Heavenly Paradigm by Guy Adams

Writer, James Goss explains what makes this Master unique:
 

“What was exciting about this was that normally the Master loses. He puts in the hours, he works through all these elaborate plans and yet it all goes wrong. It’s not fair! What did Sir Derek do in the Time War? It’s thrilling to have helped find out.”

Writer, Guy Adams says:
 

“Once I got over the idea that giving my words to Sir Derek was rather like filling the Holy Grail with Special Brew, I allowed myself a brief cry of joy! Writing for villains is always a pleasure because a writer is roughly ninety percent more ‘stares at cat and awaits inspiration’ than ‘boils planet alive for fun’.” 

Writer, Nicholas Briggs, Writer says:

“I was lucky enough to have directed Sir Derek fourteen years ago in Deadline (one of our Doctor Who Unbound releases), so I was delighted to be able to work with him once again. The thrill for me has been just how fascinating and exhilarating it is to write a series when the leading character is a bad guy. Writing my own script and working on the others with Scott has been such a rewarding challenge. I’m really keen to do it again, and further explore exactly what the Master did get up to in the Time War.”

The cast includes Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble - Doctor Who), Mark Elstob (Number 6 - The Prisoner), Deirdre Mullins (Naomi - Man Down), Rachel Atkins (Vicky Tucker - The Archers), Jonny Green (Torchwood), Hannah Barker (Harriet Sloane - Holby City), Jake Dudman, Emily Barber (Gwendolen Fairfax - The Importance of Being Earnest), Robert Daws (Dr. Choake - Poldark), Nerys Hughes (Brenda Williams - Torchwood), Jonathan Bailey (Olly Stevens - Broadchurch) and Nicholas Briggs as the Daleks.

Listen to the official Trailer, below:

+ PREORDER The War Master - Volume 1 for £23.00 (CD Box set) / £20.00 (Download).

[Source: Big Finish]

David Tennant and Billie Piper are reprising their roles of the Tenth Doctor and his companion Rose Tyler in three new Doctor Who audio dramas from Big Finish Productions in arrangement with BBC Worldwide.

David Tennant’s Doctor, portrayed on screen from December 2005 until December 2009, returned in the 50th Anniversary special The Day Of The Doctor, with Matt Smith and Sir John Hurt in 2013, and on audio for Big Finish with Catherine Tate in 2016.

Billie Piper portrayed the Doctor’s much-loved companion Rose in 2005 and 2006, returning for a number of stories in 2008. She also appeared as The Moment – which had taken Rose’s form – in The Day Of The Doctor. These new stories will be Billie’s eagerly-awaited debut for Big Finish.

Executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery says:

"Getting David and Billie back together was definitely on my bucket list – two wonderful actors who created an era of Doctor Who which is so fondly remembered and brought a different aspect of the relationship between the Doctor and his companion to the fore – love, both platonic and unrequited. It’s great to have the Tenth Doctor and Rose back again!"

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures – Volume 2, to be released in November 2017, is comprised of three thrilling hour-long full-cast audio adventures.

The set opens with Infamy Of The Zaross by John Dorney, in which an alien invasion of Earth isn’t quite what it appears to be – Camille Coduri guest stars as Jackie Tyler.

In the second adventure, Sword Of The Chevalier by Guy Adams, the Doctor and Rose arrive in Slough in 1791 and encounter Chevalier D’Eon, an enigmatic ex-spy who has lived his life as a woman. Together they must fend off alien slavers, who have come to Earth to abduct valuable humans.

Finally, in Cold Vengeance by Matt Fitton, the TARDIS arrives on Coldstar, a vast frozen food asteroid in deep space. But there is something sinister defrosting in the network of storage units… the Doctor’s old enemies the Ice Warriors! Nicholas Briggs plays Ice Lord Hasskor and Warrior Slaan.

Nicholas Briggs said:

"It was such a special time for me, working with Billie and David on the TV show, and it is such an honour to revisit it with them on audio."

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures – Volume 2 is produced by David Richardson, script edited by Matt Fitton and John Dorney, and directed by Nicholas Briggs. Executive producers are Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs.

David Richardson said:

"We were thrilled by the response to the first volume. David Tennant and Catherine Tate were on fantastic form, and it’s so exciting to reunite David with Billie Piper, playing the Doctor and Rose together again after nine years! Their time in the series transformed Doctor Who into a prime-time and international hit, and we’ve worked very hard to live up to the incredible standards of Russell T Davies."

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures Volume 2 (Limited Edition) is available now for pre-order on Download and CD. This five-disc collector's edition - limited to 5,000 copies - is available on CD in deluxe bookset packaging for a pre-release price of £35, with a download version for £25.

The three stories - Infamy of the Zaross, Sword of the Chevalier and Cold Vengeance, can be bought individually for £8.99 on Download or £10.99 on Download. These are also bundled together for £22 and £25 respectively.

Listend to the trailer in the player, below:

[Source: Big Finish]

Bedford’s second charity Doctor Who convention is taking place on Saturday 23rd April – and Doctor Who Online readers can claim a 10% discount on their tickets!  (See below for details.)

This year’s guests are Katy Manning, Deborah Watling, Sophie Aldred, Nicholas Briggs, Mike Tucker, John Leeson – and The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre.

Bedford Who Charity Cons are fairly new on the scene, but they’ve already established a reputation for being fun, relaxed and friendly.  Feedback from both audiences and guests have been excellent.  Sophie Aldred said the last one was a ‘truly lovely day’ with a ‘great atmosphere’; Mike Tucker said it was ‘a lovely, informal event.’  All profits will be donated to Bedford Foodbank. Each month, they provide emergency food for some 500 local children and adults who would otherwise go hungry.

It’s a good line-up.  The day will be a mixture of panel interviews, signings, and the opportunity to chat to guests and to have your photo taken with them.  Not everyone’s familiar with The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre: they’re an award winning comedy act from the Edinburgh Fringe and they’re also very, very funny. Check them out on YouTube.  They’ll be giving us their take on Doctor Who.  (They can be a little sweary but they’ve promised to be suitable for a family audience.  Their Malcolm Tucker as the new Doctor sketch won’t, alas, be part of their performance!)  Mike Tucker’s going to be doing a presentation on how classic-Who icons were adapted and updated for nu-Who; he’s also bringing along a mystery prop which we’re not allowed to say anything about yet, but it’s really exciting!  (As is usual with conventions, guests appear subject to their other work commitments.)

The basic ticket costs are £40 for adults, £20 for 14-18 year olds and full time students, and £15 for under-14s.  If you mention when you book your tickets that you heard about the day through Doctor Who Online, you’ll receive a 10% reduction on the price!  Concessions and family tickets are also available; details are on the convention’s website (see below). Special rates are offered for group bookings, too, though you’ll need to email organiser Simon Danes (see below again!) for the rates.  (This may especially appeal to university and college Doctor Who societies.)  It has to be said that the ticket rates are at the low end for Doctor Who cons, and they’re very good value. The organisers stress they’re not out to fleece you; the tickets give you access to all the events on the day.  Guests will ask a fee for autographs, though, and if you’d like photos with the actors, a charity donation is asked for.

Bedford’s a small town in the south Midlands, about 50 miles north of London (and just 35 minutes from St Pancras). Communications are good:  it’s just off the A1 and M1; good bus and coach links from Oxford and Cambridge and others; direct trains from Brighton, Nottingham, Loughborough and Leicester.

Date, Time & Location:

Saturday 23rd April 2016

10:00am-5:30pm

The King’s House,
245 Ampthill Road,
Bedford
MK42 9AZ

+  Website:  bedfordwhocharitycon.co.uk

+  Facebook:  facebook.com/bedfordwhocharitycon

+  Email:  info@bedfordwhocharitycon.co.uk

[Sources: Simon Danes]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs

RRP: £10.99 (CD) / £8.99 (Download)

Release Date: April 2014

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 23rd April 2014

The TARDIS lands in the cargo hold of luxury space cruiser the Moray Rose. The crew and passengers are missing. The agents of Inter-Galaxy Insurance are determined to find out what’s happened and the shadowy Interplanetary Police Inspector Efendi is showing a very particular interest.

Caught up in all this, the Doctor and Leela find themselves facing a horde of metal mantis-like aliens. But throughout it all, Leela is haunted by terrible nightmares and the dawning realization that everything she knows about her life is a lie.

* * *
The Master, that dastardly arch nemesis of our favourite Time Lord returns in the latest release of Season Three of The Fourth Doctor Adventures. 

The Evil One is essentially and unashamedly an elaborate revenge tale. Using the companion as his weapon to kill The Doctor is a believable course of action for The Master, and it develops at a rather cracking pace. Supporting characters are introduced and discarded rather quickly, but the focus always remains on the brain washed Leela hunting The Doctor.

A considerable atmosphere of foreboding is introduced very early on as Leela is plagued by strange dreams, false memories and hallucinations. It pays off in a clever little cliff-hanger that pays homage to Leela’s first television story The Face of Evil. Prior knowledge of that story is not necessarily required to listen to The Evil One, but it certainly makes a lot of the references more enjoyable.

The great revelation of this story is the exploration of some of Leela’s past.

The final scene between The Doctor and Leela is beautifully written and played to perfection by the leads. Tom Baker and Louise Jameson really do cement their Doctor/Companion relationship with this scene. The joy of their reunion since the start of The Fourth Doctor Adventures is watching how gradually the writers are opening up the character’s relationship and here Briggs really expands it with wonderful results.

Geoffrey Beevers is a deliciously evil as The Master, refining his very silky interpretation of the character with each of his Big Finish appearances. His Master is very well suited to Baker’s Doctor, just as Delgado was to Pertwee and Ainley to Davison.

The supporting cast is made up of Gareth Armstrong as Arthley and Blake’s 7's very own Michael Keating as Calvert. Arthley is a thinly sketched character whereas Calvert has much more to do and has some excellent scenes with Tom Baker.

The Evil One is a great little story from Nicholas Briggs whose excellent script and tight direction make this a very enjoyable and surprisingly moving story.

 Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs, Alan Barnes & Matt Fitton

RRP: £20.00 (CD) / £20.00 (Download)

Release Date: February 2014

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 17th February 2014

When the Doctor defeated the Dalek Time Controller and its Time Lord ally, the timelines shifted and events changed... but the danger is far from over. And new threats to the continued safety of the universe are emerging.

Molly O'Sullivan carried on with her life as a nursing assistant in World War One. She probably thought she would never see the Doctor in his 'Tardy-box' again...

From the Dalek occupied planet Nixyce VII through Earth's history and to the very edge of the universe, the Doctor's footprints across eternity are being tracked by foes old and new. But when did it all begin and when will it end? Living his life through the complexities of time travel, the Doctor can never be quite sure if he's experiencing his life in the most helpful order. The only certainty appears to be the advance of the powers of evil and the oncoming threat of a fight to the death against forces that would destroy everything the Doctor holds dear.

* * *

This really is a great period for The Eighth Doctor. After the huge success of the first award winning Dark Eyes, Paul McGann returned to the role of The Doctor in the extremely well-received Night of the Doctor. His brief but perfect performance got many fans unfamiliar with his portrayal very curious. 

Who was this mysterious Doctor who had previously had only one television adventure? And just who were those companions he listed off before turning into John Hurt?

Interest in The Eighth Doctor was at an all time high and Big Finish must have been leaping for joy, for not only being made cannon but I’m sure an increased interest in their excellent output by new listeners.

So it makes me doubly happy to say that the joyous wave for Paul McGann gets even higher with the release of Dark Eyes 2, a brilliant collection of stories that continues to push The Eighth Doctor into new and exciting territory.

Following a non-linear narrative told over 4 parts, Dark Eyes 2 excels in great storytelling and excellent characterisation. Knowledge of the previous Dark Eyes is essential as in some aspects of the main narrative it explicitly harks back to that story. 

But Dark Eyes 2 thankfully does not bog itself down too much in continuity as these linked stories are cracking tales in their own right.

Nicholas Briggs, who held sole writing duties on the first Dark Eyes only takes the first part whilst handing over writing duties of the rest to Alan Barnes and Matt Fitton. 

I shall not to go too much in depth into the storyline as there is so much to enjoy here and far too many surprises. What I can talk about is the fascinating story thread of the character of The Doctor.

The writers have really taken on board the direction of The Eighth Doctor as being the reluctant warrior. Whilst his previous incarnation had been the grand manipulator who had made difficult choices for the greater good, The Eighth Doctor makes them out of reluctance. He has seen so much death, the aftermath of which was explored in the first Dark Eyes, and he just wants to help make a difference to the universe without having to sacrifice anymore of those he cares about. It is a fascinating direction for a character that started out as a more romantic type. In light of what happens to the character in Night of the Doctor, the course taken here in Dark Eyes 2 is perfectly in line with The Eighth’s Doctor’s eventual fate. 

The performances from the main cast are excellent. Paul McGann is fantastic once again in the role and he really develops his performance throughout the stories.

Ruth Bradley makes a very welcome return as Molly O’ Sullivan joined by the excellent Nicola Walker as Liv Chenka, a character first seen in Nicholas Briggs' sublime Robophobia. Both characters are brilliant foils for the Doctor in different ways, and both have their own different experiences of The Doctor in the Dark Eyes 2 which creates some excellent dramatic tension and a unique perspective throughout. Nicholas Briggs steps behind the microphone not only as The Daleks but the delightfully devious Dalek Time Controller making a return appearance after the dramatic conclusion to the first Dark Eyes.

In a series of stories with returning characters, one of the sheer highlights is Alex Macqueen returning as the Master, a role he made completely his own in the excellent UNIT: Dominion.

It is difficult to find any fault with Dark Eyes 2, as a lot of steps have been taken to ensure this has all the quality of its predecessor but pushing it in new and tantalizing directions. 

With a superb cliff-hanger to conclude it, this reviewer cannot wait for Dark Eyes 3.

Doctor Who: Dark Eyes, which stars Paul McGann as The Doctor and Ruth Bradley as his new companion Molly, has won Best Online or Non-Broadcast Drama at the 2014 BBC Audio Drama Awards.

The ceremony took place on Sunday, and the award was collected by Nicholas Briggs (writer, director, executive producer and voice of the Daleks), Jason Haigh-Ellery (executive producer) and David Richardson (producer).

Commenting on the win, Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat says:

"I am completely thrilled, I am air-punching. In the wilderness years, when Doctor Who was off the air, Big Finish did so much to keep the legend alive in the hearts and minds of the fans. Now, in this time of Who abundance, it is beyond exciting to see their excellent work recognised. Hopefully this award will bring the Big Finish audios to the attention of an even wider public. Recently, on TV, we saw how the Paul McGann Doctor died - now it's time to find out he lived."

Nicholas Briggs says:

"I'm really delighted. It's so lovely to receive such recognition. And the congratulations we've received from our listeners, people at the BBC and Russell T Davies *and* Steve Moffat make it doubly rewarding."

Executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery says:

"I am thrilled that we have won this prestigious award for Doctor Who: Dark Eyes.  To be recognised for a production by the BBC is an achievement that we should be very proud of. After Nick did his very heartfelt acceptance speech, I nipped up to the podium to thank two people whose support over the years has been more valuable than they would probably want people to know.  I am of course speaking of Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat.  In addition to them, I would also like to thank the small army of people who have worked with Big Finish over the last 15 years of Doctor Who – it’s been hard work – but boy, has it been fun!"

Big Finish producer David Richardson says:

"Someone asked me recently how I might one day look back at working on these Doctor Whos for Big Finish, and I said I’d remember it as the happiest time of my life. For us to win an award while having the privilege of doing such gloriously happy work is indeed an honour. Congratulations to Nick who conceived, developed, wrote and directed Dark Eyes - the whole project was very much his baby, and I was just lucky enough to produce it. And also special mention to Jason, who has made Big Finish the happy and creative company it is, and to Andy Hardwick, for his phenomenal sound design and music."

+  Order Dark Eyes on Amazon.co.uk for £40.00. 

[Source: Big Finish]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: John Dorney

RRP: £10.99 (CD) / £8.99 (Download)

Release Date: January 2014

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 17th January 2014

Dowcra base. The third Elite Sontaran Assassination Squad closes in on its target. A dozen trained killers, but even they will be unable to bring down the invincible Strang…

Manipulated by the Time Lords, the TARDIS also arrives on Dowcra. And the Doctor is set to encounter the greatest Sontaran ever cloned...

* * *

As we begin a new Big Finish year, we start off with a brand new season of adventures for the Fourth Doctor and Leela. 

After the excellent second season in which we sadly got to hear the lovely Mary Tamm as Romana one last time, Louise Jameson returns as Leela. 

With an excellent script by John Dorney, The King of Sontar plunges us directly into a battle zone and does not slow down in a story full of action, humour and with a rather unexpected ending.

Since making their Big Finish debut in Heroes of Sontar, the Sontarans are quickly becoming a favourite monster in the company’s output. The casting of seasoned television Sontaran Dan Starkey as Strang is a brilliant move as his performance is a definite highlight of this release.  Similar in vocal patterns to Commander Strax, Strang possesses a more fanatical personality and he is certainly no one’s comic relief. He is a superb antagonist who works very well with Tom Baker’s Doctor. 

The supporting cast is headed up by the great David Collings who puts in a lovely performance as Rosato the scientist in a terrible moral dilemma which makes for some interesting exchanges with the Doctor. If The Pirate Planet taught us anything, it's that The Fourth Doctor knows how to put forward a case of moral outrage and this part of his personality comes out again throughout this story.

In fact morality is a running theme throughout The King of Sontar.

In the story there are characters that completely lack morality or have distorted and polarising views of what is right and wrong. The culmination of this occurs in the rather surprising final scene between the Doctor and Leela.

Big Finish have said that the theme of the first Fourth Doctor season was the Doctor educating Leela in an almost Pygmalion fashion. Rather than simply keeping the relationship the same as that of their television years, Big Finish have been keen to develop this relationship between the Doctor and companion and The King of Sontar is a great example of this. 

The Doctor and Leela come to a crossroads bringing out some excellent performances from both Baker and Jameson. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out in the rest of the season.

Strong and defining moments such as this do not usually occur until much later in a season’s run but the fact that Big Finish has pulled this out so early is another example of how much they have done to develop the characters.  It is a real standout moment from the tone of the previous Fourth Doctor releases and a great shift in direction for future stories.

The King of Sontar is a fantastic opening story for the new season which promises great developments to come.

 Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs

RRP: £14.99 (CD) / £12.99 (Download)

Release Date: October 2013

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 25th October 2013

November 23rd 1963 proves to be a significant day in the lives of all eight Doctors…

It's the day that Bob Dovie's life is ripped apart…

It's also a day that sets in motion a catastrophic chain of events which forces the first eight incarnations of the Doctor to fight for their very existence. As a mysterious, insidious chaos unfolds within the TARDIS, the barriers of time break apart…

From suburban England through war-torn alien landscapes and into a deadly, artificial dimension, all these Doctors and their companions must struggle against the power of an unfathomable, alien technology.

From the very beginning, it is clear that the Master is somehow involved. By the end, for the Doctors, there may only be darkness.

* * *

So here it is at last! The Light at the End is Big Finish’s tribute to the 50th anniversary of our favourite television show and was it worth the wait? The answer is a resounding YES!

The Light at the End is everything you could have hoped for from an anniversary story; multiple Doctors, many companions and a truly exciting story which celebrates the past fifty years with unashamed joy.

Unlike previous releases, Zagreus and The Four Doctors, we get to see all the Doctors interacting with each other throughout the whole story. 

As with past multi Doctor stories there are the inevitable moments such as criticism of taste in fashion , differences of opinion on TARDIS decor and some squabbling. Writer Nicholas Briggs chooses to pair Doctors together before everyone eventually gets together for the final part of the story. This makes for some rather interesting team ups, especially when the Fourth and Eighth Doctor get together. Tom Baker and Paul McGann make a wonderful pairing and they play off each other to great comic effect. Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy also make a brilliant pairing that is somewhat reminiscent of Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee from The Three Doctors, which creates some more wonderful moments.

One of the biggest surprises about the story is that all the classic Doctors make an appearance and I do mean all of them. How this is achieved I wouldn’t dream of spoiling by telling you but Big Finish must be commended for taking on such a risky and delicate matter and achieving a lovely tribute to those wonderful actors no longer with us.

The Light at the End surely must feature the largest cast of guest stars in any single Big Finish release. The cast includes many Companions of the past from Carole Ann Ford to the very welcome return of India Fisher and many more lovely surprises. Wisely, unlike other anniversary specials of the past, Briggs uses them in small but wonderful moments and little flashes of memory - it pulls at the fans’ heart strings and no one outstays their welcome.

The Companions themselves have a really great part to play but ultimately this is a story about The Doctor. That is not to say the companions are wasted; they play a really important part in the story and Ace’s descriptions of each of the Doctor’s incarnations is worth the purchase price itself.

The cast are on exceptional form and an extraordinary script makes this a top notch audio drama.

Briggs must be singled out for great praise. The Light at the End in the hands of a lesser writer could have been a mess. The temptation of an anniversary story is to succumb to all our fan dreams and fill the story with so many references, characters and monsters that the story is crushed under its own weight (I’m looking at you Dimensions in Time!). I take my hat off to Briggs for not only creating a superb script which serves all the Doctors and their legacy but for writing a cracking story in its own right. 

Having The Master as the sole antagonist is a smart move on Brigg’s part, especially as he has been such an important part of The Doctor’s history. This choice of foe gives the story a clear sense of direction and enhances the impact of its message. We are reminded throughout just how important The Doctor is and the impact that he has on those around him and the Universe as a whole is inescapable.

Just as we are reminded that The Doctor has impacted on the lives of those he meets in his stories, so too are we reminded of the importance he has had to us as listeners. We wouldn’t be listening to this story if hehad not had an impact on us at some point in our lives. This is something that Briggs understands completely, as he is one of us; a true fan. He doesn’t just love the show, he truly understands what makes it important and it is this understanding that really shines through.

The Light at the End really is a wonderful tribute to the power of Doctor Who and its legacy and this is one release you really cannot be without.

Here’s to the next 50 years...

Date: Saturday 13th July 2013

Time: 7:30pm onwards

Reviewed by: Doctor Who Online

On Saturday 13th July, DWO were invited to attend the 2013 Doctor Who Prom at the Royal Albert Hall - and what a show it was!

The venue was packed to the rafters, with a large number of hopeful fans queuing up all day for a standing-room-only ticket raffle - true dedication! From where we were sitting, we could clearly see the TARDIS on stage, emanating a familiar, welcoming blue glow, and numerous screens covered areas of the hall to ensure no-one missed a thing.

The show kicked off with Ben Foster (Conductor) entering the stage to rapturous applause, followed by Elin Manahan Thomas (Soprano) as they performed Murray Gold's 'The Mad Man with a Box'. After a brief pause for some well-deserved applause, we went straight into the second piece for the evening; Gold's 'I Am The Doctor'.

We were then treated to a video link of a specially recorded scene featuring Matt Smith as The Doctor and Jenna-Louise Coleman as Clara. The comical scene found The Doctor trying to swap places with two people inside the Albert Hall in order to attend the prom. As the scene came to an end, the action switched back inside the hall to thunderous applause as Matt and Jenna appeared from the Orchestra pit. There was also a clever little explanation as to why Matt's hair was short - but we'll leave that for the televised version!

Also worthy of note at this point, was a special gift given to Foster by The Doctor - a sonic baton, to which Foster used with precision throughout the entire prom.

The third piece of music for the evening was 'Carmen (Suite No.2) - Habanera' by George Bizet. There were a couple of puzzled faces sitting around us with some of the younger audience members, until Matt pointed out the music was used in the Series 7 story 'Asylum Of The Daleks' before looking at Jenna and claiming "last time we heard it, you were a Dalek!"

The fourth choice for the evening was introduced by Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh) and Strax (Dan Starkey), featuring a medley of Murray Gold's music titled 'The Companions', with extended versions of their respective themes in chronological order. Elin Manahan Thomas joined the stage again for the relevant sections. It was rather moving in places as the screens played out some of the pivotal moments from each of the New Series companions' eras, through the heart-wrenching climax of Rose Tyler's era, to Martha Jones, Donna Noble and finally Amy Pond.

The fifth segment of music 'Cyber Shard' was introduced by Strax in one of his 'field reports', and garnered some laughs from the audience with his gentle digs at humans "resting their weak and feeble bodies in seats". As the title suggests, this pieces of music focused on the Cybermen. Near the centre of the hall, was a Cyberman with a portion of the set from Neil Gaiman's recent Doctor Who episode 'Nightmare In Silver', in which a lonesome Cyberman sits in a chair playing chess, re-enacting the actual events on screen from the episode itself. Cybermen then filled the Royal Albert Hall from the various entrances, infiltrating the audience with shrieks and screams.

Up next was the sixth piece of music - once again introduced by Vastra and Strax; 'Tocatta and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 - excerpt' by Johann Sebastian Bach and orchestrated by Leopold Stokowski. Interestingly, the piece didn't make use of the Royal Albert Hall's famous organ - an instrument which popular culture has grown to associate with this particular musical composition. This was definitely one for the Classic Series fans as it featured, albeit briefly, in The 6th Doctor story 'Attack Of The Cybermen'.

This then lead into 'The Final Chapter of Amelia Pond' by Murray Gold, with Elin Manahan Thomas once again joining the stage, as a Weeping Angel rose up from the centre of the hall as a fixed touchstone throughout the piece. The climax of this composition was quite moving as we relived the moments that Rory and Amy are taken from their time streams by the Weeping Angels, leaving a heart-broken Doctor.

To round off the first half of the Doctor Who prom, we were treated to Gold's anthemic 'The Rings Of Akhaten', featuring the voices of Kerry Ingram and Allan Clayton - backed by the London Philharmonic Choir. Vastra and Strax introduced the piece, explaining the departure of the Ponds and the introduction of Clara.

After a 20 minute interval we were thrown right back into the action as Gold's 'All The Strange, Strange Creatures' kicked off the closing act.

Matt Smith was welcomed back on stage, (now out of his Doctor's costume) to introduce the tenth piece of music for the evening; 'The Impossible Girl', which was dedicated to the most recent companion, Clara 'Oswin' Oswald. The room fell silent as Gold's delicate notes from this beautifully melodic piece filled our ears.

The next, slightly unusual, but welcomed choice of music was 'La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin' (The Girl With The Flaxen Hair), introduced by the Impossible Girl herself, Jenna-Louise Coleman. Like Toccata from Part One of the Prom, this piece of music was used in the Classic Series in 'The Robots Of Death' and was reimagined in 1973 by Doctor Who composers Dudley Simpson and Brian Hodgson. Ben Foster orchestrated this version which offered a brief pause from the straight Doctor Who setlist.

The twelfth selection of music was introduced - much to the welcomed surprise of the audience - by Peter Davison (The 5th Doctor). Davison commanded the audience with his comedic brilliance by opening with "wow, what amazing memories you all have - even though most of you weren't even born".

This section was one of the many highlights for us as it showcased some of the stand-out scores from The Classic Series, re-imagined and arranged by Mark Ayres and Orchestrated by Ben Foster. Featuring sound effects by Brian Hodgson and music from 'The Daleks', 'The Tomb Of The Cybermen', 'The Sea Devils', 'City Of Death', 'Logopolis', 'The Five Doctors' and 'The Curse Of Fenric'.

This was a true celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who as each piece of music seamlessly blended into each other with symphonic grandure. We watched stand-out scenes on the screens as the reimagined scores were played out on top of them. Mark Ayres was definitely in his element and his section of the stage looked like a snapshot from the classic days with reels turning in the background. There was also a little cameo from Doctor Who brand manager; Edward Russell operating a vintage BBC camera!

We would definitely champion for a standalone soundtrack to be released with these and many more Classic Series pieces, so listen up Silva Screen! Breathtaking stuff!

Vastra and Strax returned to introduce the 'Doctor Who Create A Soundtrack Competitions Winners' section, where two age groups (14-16 & 11-14 year-olds) were given the chance to create their own soundtrack to scenes from the Doctor Who Christmas Special 'The Snowmen'.

First up were the winners from the 14-16 year-old age group; Gabe Stone and Matthew Owen from Gloucestershire. Next were the winners from the 11-14 year-old age group; William Davenport and Jordan Picken from Stoke-On-Trent. It was a nice change of pace to offer a portion of the schedule to the younger fans, who produced two, very different but surprisingly good scores. Needless to say all four received a well-deserved round of applause!

The Daleks (with a little help from Nicholas Briggs' vocal talents) took to the stage for the next segment, titled; 'First There Were Daleks'. After some fun pantomime-style audience participation, the next few minutes celebrated The Doctor's most famous enemies, with selections of Murray Gold's Dalek related music from Series 4 and 7.

With the introduction of the penultimate item on the schedule came another surprise guest as Carole-Ann Ford (Susan Foreman; The Doctor's Granddaughter and first ever companion) took to the stage. Ford's words were filled with love for the show and its tenure as she introduced a piece of music from the final episode of Series 7 of Doctor Who; 'The Name Of The Doctor'.

For the final scheduled item on the setlist, Matt and Jenna took to the stage to introduce the world premiere of 'Song For Fifty' - something we were all looking forward to, after hearing and reading about it in the Prom's souvenir TARDIS brochure. Described by Murray Gold as his "love song to a television series", the piece featured lyrics sung by Elin Managan Thomas and Allan Clayton, for which we have included for our visitors below:

Song For Fifty
by Murray Gold

As I stand here waiting for my time to come, I follow in your footsteps, I follow when you run.

From the jaws of disaster, from a planet besieged by deadly ancient foes.

And you still make me smile when you stop and turn and say: 'This is a creature we can understand, a living being, it is just being. if we could find what's on its mind then perhaps we might survive.'

And as we stumble down our slow road I can't but wonder what would fit be like. To run away with you through time, where would we go who might we find. But on we go, cutting our paths, only one way, one day at a time, while you embrace the universe, spinning your way on the fast road, limitless endless.

So my dear friend you're getting kinda old now (or maybe we are). And now our children watch you do the deeds we marvelled at wondered at. From the jaws of disaster, from a planet besieged by ready ancient foes.

It's not the end yet there is no end.

Fumbling and bumbling while all around is crumbling and stumbling through time like you're a mad man still it's humbling to watch you reconcile divergent creeds without succumbing to the lure of weapons, force or greed you only use intelligence and jokes and charm.

Happy birthday. Doctor. You.

* * *
Once again, this was a beautifully crafted piece by Gold, whilst intelligently pitching a perfectly wonderful way to celebrate 50 years of Doctor Who.

Matt and Jenna returned one last time to ask "Who would like to hear some more?", to which there echoed a resounding yes from every audience member. 'Vale Decem' was the song of choice to and featured footage from each of the doctor's eras with regeneration being the main theme.

One last treat was Murray Gold's most recent version of the Doctor Who theme to close the evening's celebrations. A standing ovation saw Murray Gold, Ben Foster, Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Peter Davison, Carole-Ann Ford, Neve McIntosh, Dan Starkey, Elin Managan Thomas, Allan Clayton and Kerry Ingram return to the stage to take their well-earned bows. As they all left the stage for the final time, Smith and Davison walked off with their arms on each others shoulders in a wonderful display of support and admiration for each other, closely followed by Ford and Coleman. It somehow summed up the whole event; Classic meets New with one supporting the other.

Kudos to all the actors who wore thick padded costumes in the stifling heat of the Royal Albert Hall, helping to make everything in this extraordinary experience, come to life. Likewise to Nicholas Briggs with his endless CV of monstrous voices.

A huge nod to Ben Foster, who's boundless energy and bouncy hair (that always returned miraculously to its starting position) brought extra life to the whole performance.

And finally, to Murray Gold, whom Doctor Who is incredibly lucky to have had working on every episode since its triumphant return in 2005. Murray is a true musical genius; not just a composer, but a writer, an orchestrator, a dramatist - a fan! Seeing, or rather, hearing a tiny selection of his work at this Prom was an eye-opener to just how much he has produced for the show over the past 7 years, and the partnership with Foster's orchestration is a professional marriage that we hope will continue to be at the backbone of Doctor Who for many years to come.

This was a truly fantastic and eternally memorable evening and the perfect way to celebrate The Doctor's half century!

DWO have put together a small gallery of images from the Prom (in chronological order), below:

Watch some official clips from the 2013 Doctor Who Prom, below:

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[Source: Doctor Who Online]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs

RRP: £10.99 (CD) / £8.99 (Download)

Release Date: June 2013

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 13th July 2013

'These creatures have ravaged half the cosmos. They're experts at this kind of thing. Nothing can stand in their way.'

The Doctor and Romana find themselves in the Proxima System, where enigmatic Conglomerate CEO Cuthbert has been conducting his infamous 'experiment'. An experiment which might accidentally rip the universe apart.

Meanwhile, living conditions on Proxima Major have become harsh and hostile. Climate change has turned the landscape into a freezing wasteland and an alien power has condemned much of the population to life inside internment camps. For those still clinging to their freedom, the struggle for survival is now beyond desperate and outsiders such as the Doctor and Romana are only seen as a threat.

What is Cuthbert really up to in the Proxima System, and just how does he expect the dreaded Daleks to fit into his plan?

* * *

The mysterious and scheming Cuthbert returns in the first of a two part finale for the second series of The Fourth Doctor Adventures. 

The problem with any two part story is that it is difficult to review without having the story as a whole, but The Dalek Contract is a fun and intriguing set up for next month’s concluding story.

The Daleks are used well, working as Cuthbert’s hired hands but it is almost certain that they have their own agenda at hand.

The cast is on excellent form with Tom Baker providing a fine balance of madness and profound insight. It is worth noting that this story was one of the earliest recorded and you can hear that he has found his Doctor again after a slight shaky start. 

It is coming closer to the last adventure that we will have with Mary Tamm’s Romana which will be very sad indeed. Tamm is excellent in this as her incarnation of Romana finally gets to meet the Daleks. Her interaction with Baker in the opening scenes is wonderful and shows what a great partnership they made as Doctor and companion.  

The highlight of the cast is of course David Warner who returns as Cuthbert, a man who seems more concerned with brown sauce being on his chips instead of worrying whether the Daleks have more nefarious machinations than just being his hired security force.

The supporting cast is on excellent form too with Toby Hadoke returning as Cuthbert’s rather toady right hand man Mr Dorrick and a great performance from Dominic Mafham as Chidak who shares a lovely scene with the Doctor about the importance of hope against the Daleks.

Whatever the Dalek’s insidious plans are and Cuthbert’s true nature, The Dalek Contract is certainly a very good set up for what is to come next month.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs

RRP: £10.99 (CD) / £8.99 (Download)

Release Date: February 2013

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 12th March 2013

Sheridan Moorkurk has just been elected president of Earth... but the harsh realities of who really runs the planet are just beginning to dawn on her. And what's more, she's starting to hear voices.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Romana encounter a mass of aliens heading to Earth... Aliens who have already made the mistake of upsetting the infamous Cuthbert, all-powerful CEO of The Conglomerate, by destroying one of his space platforms.

Will the Doctor and Romana be able to avert inter-species war that will destroy all life on Earth?

* * *

After last month’s The Auntie Matter, The Fourth Doctor and Romana are back in a story which promises to have dire consequences for the rest of this season.

Unusually for this series, The Sands Of Life is three-part release of a story that will be continued in March’s War Against The Laan. The Fourth Doctor Adventures have until this point been two part stories but The Sands Of Life has so much to set up that the third part is very welcome. It also allows some breathing room for the characters as the disadvantage with a two part story is that things can get a little rushed.

The story is intriguing and the cast is fantastic too. Tom Baker is firing on all cylinders now and seems so comfortable back in the role of The Fourth Doctor that you know if someone tries to take it away from him, he will go down fighting. Suitably mad and serious at the same time, and his reaction to a comment about badgers is priceless.

After the last story, it is lovely to hear Mary Tamm’s Romana working more closely with Baker’s Doctor. Even though they do get separated by circumstances, it is nice to hear the two characters working together and even teasing one another. It is yet another sad reminder that this is one of the last times we will hear the pairing on audio due to Mary Tamm’s recent passing, but it is something to be treasured.

It is really lovely to hear John Leeson back as K9, and this time alongside his first master. Baker seems to relish the reunion too and their conversations flow as if they never were apart.

Baker has found another sparring partner in the character of Cuthbert wonderfully played by Big Finish regular David Warner. The character is a wonderful play on a tycoon that has power over and beyond government and to see him pout in his place somewhat by Baker’s Doctor is a joy.

An excellent supporting cast compromises Toby Hadoke and Hayley Atwell as Mr Dorrick and President Moorkurk.

If there can be any criticism about this release it is some of the sound design, especially in the temporal effects created by the Laan. Some of the warping sounds used to create this effect can go on for quite a while and drag a little when you’re really anxious to hear just what is going to happen next in the story.

Nicholas Briggs has put together a very mysterious little tale with more intrigue to come in the next story. The problem with a story in two parts is that it is difficult to judge the whole story until you hear the complete product. If this release is anything to go by, I am looking forward to the next release already.

Big Finish Productions will be launching a brand new audio range in 2014. Doctor Who: The Early Adventures will comprise four-part stories starring the surviving lead cast members from Doctor Who’s black and white era.

Producer, David Richardson said:

“While working on The Lost Stories, we fell in love with releases like Farewell, Great Macedon and The Masters of Luxor, which combine narration with dialogue. I suggested to executive producers Nicholas Briggs and Jason Haigh-Ellery we could use that format to tell new stories for the First and Second Doctors, pushing the full cast elements in order to create big, impressive productions.

“The scripts for the first four Early Adventures are now in, and it’s so exciting to bring the early days of the series back to life in this way. The aim is for these to feel like lost television soundtracks. The first series will comprise First Doctor tales, and will feature an historical, a trip into outer space, a beautifully reflective character piece… and the return of a classic villain from the early years!”

Big Finish has also revealed that three of its Doctor Who audio ranges will be reaching their grand finales.

Doctor Who: The Lost Stories, the adaptations of scripts originally devised for television but never made, will end in December after a short final run of stories for the first three Doctors. Gallifrey, the much-loved spin-off centred on Romana and Leela on the Time Lord homeworld, concludes in spectacular style in October with series six. And The Companion Chronicles, adventures narrated by The Doctor’s friends, will end their monthly run in June 2014.

Nicholas Briggs, said:

“It’s always sad to say goodbye to something, especially if they are popular, but at Big Finish we feel we must always be moving forward, and finding new ways to tell exciting Doctor Who stories on audio.”

For those whose current subscription will leave them fewer than six releases from the end of The Companion Chronicles, we've added a four-release Final Season sub so it won't be necessary to buy up to five titles at full price.

[Source: Big Finish]

BBC Books have sent DWO the cover and details for the forthcoming 11th Doctor, Doctor Who Book release of The Dalek Generation.

The Dalek Generation:
By Nicholas Briggs 

"The Sunlight Worlds Offer You A Life of Comfort and Plenty. Apply now at the Dalek Foundation."

Sunlight 349 is one of countless Dalek Foundation worlds, planets created to house billions suffering from economic hardship. The Doctor arrives at Sunlight 349, suspicious of any world where the Daleks are apparently a force for good – and determined to find out the truth. The Doctor knows they have a far more sinister plan – but how can he convince those who have lived under the benevolence of the Daleks for a generation?

But convince them he must, and soon. For on another Foundation planet, archaeologists have unearthed the most dangerous technology in the universe...

A thrilling all-new adventure featuring The Doctor as played by Matt Smith in the spectacular BBC TV series.

+  The Dalek Generation is released on 11th April 2013, priced £6.99.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

+  Check Out the DWO Release Guide entry for this product! 

[Source: BBC Books]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs

RRP: £20.00 (CD) / £20.00 (Download)

Release Date: November 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 3rd December 2012

The Doctor is a broken man. His best friend Lucie Miller and his great grandson Alex are both dead, murdered by The Daleks. He attempts to travel to the end of the Universe, desperately looking for one thing: Hope.

Hope does indeed find him, as The Doctor is given a mission by the Time Lords. They have uncovered a terrifying plot to destroy the universe and at the centre of it all is one person.

In the bloody days of the Great War, Voluntary Aid Detachment Nursing Assistant Molly O’Sullivan tends to the wounded and prays for her ailing mistress. Into Molly’s life arrives a very mysterious man and she soon finds herself pursued by strange and terrifying metal monsters and long suppressed secrets from her past. 

The Doctor and Molly are on the run and with The Daleks not far behind, will the Doctor discover the secret of Molly’s unnatural dark eyes... 

In the aftermath of the heartbreaking To the Death, The Eighth Doctor needed time to gather himself together. When we last saw him, he was filled with rage and broken. Big Finish wisely waited for the dust to settle on that adventure before telling us what happens next and as a result we got the wonderful trilogy of Eighth Doctor and Mary Shelly stories. It was the breath of fresh air we all needed as the shock of losing Lucie Miller was still rather raw. 

The time for The Eighth Doctor to return has arrived, and if the crashing of the Big Finish website on the day of its release was anything to go by, it has been greatly anticipated.

So has it been worth the wait? 

Yes. Yes it has.

Dark Eyes is marvellous from beginning to end. A fantastic story comprising a multitude of brilliant performances - this is a very exciting new era for Paul McGann’s Doctor.

Judging from the way he tackles the material, you can tell McGann relished every moment of the experience behind and off the microphone. This can surely be seen in The Eighth Doctor’s new attire on the box-set’s artwork. 

Although no mention of this sartorial change is explicitly mentioned in the play, this dramatic new look fits in with the tone of Dark Eyes. The Eighth Doctor is a shadow of himself; no longer the hopeful Byronic romantic. His usual Victorian clothing gets stained with mud after a mustard gas attack in the trenches of the Great War. Whether a deliberate decision or not, it certainly feels like a metaphorical bookend to that part of the character’s life. The Eighth Doctor is now angry, broody, suspicious and dark tempered. But underneath all that he is a man who is looking for hope.

In fact hope is the theme that runs throughout the core of Dark Eyes. In the face of his most bitter of losses The Doctor needs it more than ever. His hope comes in the form of new companion Molly O’Sullivan, played superbly by Ruth Bradley. 

Molly is a wonderful character and her no nonsense attitude towards The Doctor is a joy to listen to. The strong Irish accent and little inflections and phrases such as referring to the TARDIS as “Tardy-box” endear you to her almost immediately. Molly though is not simply there for comic relief, as writer, Nicholas Briggs, has given her a wonderful sense of compassion and loyalty, hidden under a tough shell. McGann and Bradley are a great pariring and I sincerely hope that she is not a one story character as the potential for Molly to be a continuing companion is utterly tantalising.

Dark Eyes lets its story build slowly throughout. Despite each episode being self titled, they are not self contained stories operating along one theme, rather they four parts of one epic story. Things get off to a terrific start in The Great War, which introduces us to the players and a mystery amongst the bleak setting of trench warfare. Part Two, Fugitives is a great run around story as Molly and The Doctor are chased constantly by The Daleks as the main mystery of Molly’s past begins to come to the surface. This is explored more in depth in Part Three, The Tangled Web, an incredibly creepy play in which the pieces of the puzzle come together culminating in the dramatic finale X and The Daleks.

So what of The Daleks?

After the events of To the Death it is fitting that the monsters from Skaro are the overwhelming threat dogging The Doctor’s heels in Dark Eyes. Interestingly, Briggs keeps the Daleks at a distance for great portions of the story though they are never far behind The Doctor and Molly. The Daleks here are a force that just keeps coming and they are truly terrifying. If there is one thing that will make you shudder whilst listening to this story it is a moment that comes in Part Three. I will say only one word: Giggling.

One of Briggs' best contributions to the Dalek universe, the Dalek Time Controller, who we last saw in To the Death, is in charge, working alongside Toby Jones’ wonderfully enigmatic Kotris. Both are lurking in the shadows for most of the story, but when they do finally take centre stage in part four it is fantastic to listen to.

Speaking of Toby Jones, Dark Eyes is blessed with an exceptional voice cast.

The two main leads and guest star aside, Peter Egan makes an excellent impression as the newly regenerated Time Lord Starxus, a more devious incarnation than the one previously portrayed by Nickolas Grace. Fantastic support comes from Tim Treloar, Laura Molyneaux, Natalie Burt and a lovely performance by Ian Cullen as Nadeyan. 

There is so much more I could discuss, but to say too much would rob you of the sheer joy of it all. Loyal Big Finish listeners may have had to wait a bit longer to get a hold of this release, but it was certainly worth it.

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine reports that AudioGO and Big Finish are teaming up for a series of 11 Doctor Who Audio Specials spanning all 11 Doctors for the 50th Anniversary year in 2013.

The series will feature one Doctor per month, and will be overseen by John Ainsworth, with AudioGO’s Michael Stevens and Big Finish’s Nicholas Briggs and Jason Haigh-Ellery executive producing.

The first story, Hunters from Earth by Nigel Robinson is read by Carole Ann Ford and Tam Williams, and is set in that little-charted period after The First Doctor and Susan have arrived on Earth in 1963, but before they depart with Ian and Barbara at the end of An Unearthly Child.

The second story, Simon Guerrier’s Shadow of Death, features The Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe, and is read by Frazer Hines and Eve Dawnay.

As well as marking the first time that Big Finish have tackled stories for Doctors from the current version of the show, it will also be the first time that an original story for The Ninth Doctor will be released on audio.

[Source: SciFi Bulletin]

Big Finish is delighted to announce that its licence with AudioGO to make Doctor Who on audio has been extended up to December 2015.

“I’m so excited that we can continue our voyages with the Doctor for at least another three years,” says Big Finish executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery, “and so pleased that AudioGO and the BBC continue to trust us with the telling of these stories.”

“It's been a privilege and a pleasure for me to have worked on the Doctor Who audio range since 1999,” adds executive producer Nicholas Briggs. “I'm looking forward to continuing the excellent relationship we have with AudioGO and the BBC – and, of course, to the many exciting adventures for the Doctor I'll be working on over the next three years or more.”

“We’re already making plans for 2015,” says line producer David Richardson, “which will be the sixteenth year of Doctor Who audio productions from Big Finish and include our landmark 200th main range play! In addition to the Doctor Who main range and Companion Chronicles, we are working through ideas for an exciting new range which we hope to announce during 2013.”

[Source: Big Finish]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Nicholas Briggs

RRP: £10.99

Release Date: 30th April 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 26th April 2012

The Doctor and Leela return to Earth in the year 2025. The planet is suffering a severe energy crisis and the GlobeSphere Corporation is about to test a solution. With a giant satellite dish at the top of the National Gallery in London, head of GlobeSphere and radical thinker Damien Stephens' plans save humanity. But talk of backroom deals and corruption has brought thousands of protestors to Trafalgar Square lead by Stephen’s former colleague Jack Coulson. But something is very wrong. 

Before landing, The Doctor detected a mysterious energy signal and the crowds are being dispersed and arrested by armed GlopeSphere employees. It isn’t long before the Doctor and Leela are separated and with Coulson’s help the Time Lord begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

Has Damien Stephens not just sold out on his beliefs but humanity as well? The source of the energy signal will bring The Doctor face to face once again with his deadliest enemy.

We all know that this is the one we have been waiting for. The Fourth Doctor is back against the Daleks in this fun adventure from Dalek supreme Nicholas Briggs.

The Fourth Doctor’s encounters with The Daleks on television were rather odd affairs, as Genesis of the Daleks and Destiny of the Daleks were very much centred on Davros. Briggs has chosen wisely to tell a very traditional Dalek story, using the nostalgic elements of the Dalek stories we love, such as including the Robomen, the main antagonist under their control. Even their ultimate plan brings The Dalek Invasion of Earth strongly to mind. While some may think of this as heavy borrowing, I would argue that as a piece of nostalgia, Energy of the Daleks hits all the right notes.

For a two parter, the plot moves at a breckneck pace and there is enough going on and satisfactory resolution to the story that it never feels rushed.

Do the Daleks fare well in this story?  Nicholas Briggs has always been one of the best writers for Daleks but here some avid listeners of Big Finish may feel he has taken a bit of a step back. Big Finish has done much to evolve The Daleks as characters in their previous audio adventures, including Briggs' own Dalek Empire series.

There are times when a Dalek should simply be a Dalek, a squawking, scheming tin can of cybernetic nastiness and this is the direction Briggs has chosen to take. It is a lot of fun to hear them get angry when The Doctor outsmarts them and is enough to tickle the most cynical bone of any fan.

This was the first audio Tom Baker recorded for Big Finish and there are moments when you can tell he is searching for the character again, finding the balance between the humour and drama. But this in no way damages his performance as he is still very much The Fourth Doctor.

Louise Jameson is simply excellent as Leela and due to her strong performance you can easily believe Leela would possess a powerful enough mind to resist a Dalek Mind probe. What has been so impressive throughout these adventures so far is Big Finish’s keenness to right some of the sexist wrongs imposed on past companions, such as Leela preferring trainers over high heels. It is a simple moment but creates a very strong image.

The supporting cast is excellent even if some of the characters don’t get much room to develop. By far the strongest are Damien Stephen’s and Jack Coulson, played very well by Alex Rowe and Mark Benton.

Lydia Harding and Dan Starkey do well with what they have but the running time obviously does not allow much depth for their characters to be explored.

Despite some weaknesses, Energy of the Daleks is a highly fun romp, made more special by seeing The Fourth Doctor once again clash with his greatest enemy.