Doctor Who - Fourth Doctor Audios
When I heard that Big Finish had signed Tom Baker to (finally!) record DW for them, my reaction was more of "oh, that's great news for them - I know they've wanted to sign him for ages" rather than "OMG - I must get those!".
He was a great Doctor, to be sure. But Four was never my Doctor, and I know it's almost DW heresy to say that I never really warmed to him. I didn't dislike Four, but Three was my Doctor, and that's something of my ten-year-old-self that's never really changed.
BUT. When I saw that the adventures were shorter (and therefore cheaper!) than the regular monthly releases, I decided to give them a try.
I haven't got the Lost Stories box set yet - but I've listened to the first two new stories - Destination Nerva and The Renaissance Man. I liked them both very much. The stories were solid and pacy (probably on account of the shorter running times - rather akin to the EDAs) and it was definitely good to hear Four and Leela again, while also sad to remember that some of these early Fourth Doctor stories were due to have featured Sarah-Jane Smith :(
Tom Baker is, IMO, rather better than I remember his being on telly - and before anyone throws things at me, let me qualify that statement. I think it's been so long since he's been the Doctor that we've got used to hearing him doing OTT and tongue-in-cheek voiceovers, or to listening to Jon Culshaw doing that fabulous impression of his. So to hear the actual Tom Baker as the actual Doctor again was something of a revelation. He was much more understated than I remembered, although the quirkiness and the irreverent humour are still very much in evidence. And he and Louise Jamieson worked together so well, it's hard to believe they've not done this for over thirty years.
Destination Nerva takes place after The Talons of Weng Chiang, but our duo quickly end up back in Victorian England when they answer a distress call. Of course, all is not what it seems, and they end up being transported to the space-dock Nerva which has all sorts of technical glitches. The story isn't an especially original one, but it's certainly been well written, acted and directed. I also liked the fact that the music most definitely evokes 70s DW.
The Renaissance Man is my favourite of the two, though. The story is much stronger and Tom Baker positively sparkles as the Doctor. In Destination Nerva the Doctor had to rely on his quick wits to get out of the situation, here he's using his incredible intellect and his ability to play the fool so completely as to make his adversaries believe he's an idiot. The story - of the "Renaissance Man" collecting all knowledge by stealing it from everyone he encouters - is very well done, and the darker themes, such as - what happens to someone when the knowledge that is their life's work is taken away? - are explored thoughtfully and to good dramatic effect. This is one I'll be listening to again in the near future.
After these two, I'll definitely be listening to more of the Fourth Doctor's adventures on audio.
Next up - I'll be attempting to ignore Flip's annoying mode of speech when I listen to The Fourth Wall.
He was a great Doctor, to be sure. But Four was never my Doctor, and I know it's almost DW heresy to say that I never really warmed to him. I didn't dislike Four, but Three was my Doctor, and that's something of my ten-year-old-self that's never really changed.
BUT. When I saw that the adventures were shorter (and therefore cheaper!) than the regular monthly releases, I decided to give them a try.
I haven't got the Lost Stories box set yet - but I've listened to the first two new stories - Destination Nerva and The Renaissance Man. I liked them both very much. The stories were solid and pacy (probably on account of the shorter running times - rather akin to the EDAs) and it was definitely good to hear Four and Leela again, while also sad to remember that some of these early Fourth Doctor stories were due to have featured Sarah-Jane Smith :(
Tom Baker is, IMO, rather better than I remember his being on telly - and before anyone throws things at me, let me qualify that statement. I think it's been so long since he's been the Doctor that we've got used to hearing him doing OTT and tongue-in-cheek voiceovers, or to listening to Jon Culshaw doing that fabulous impression of his. So to hear the actual Tom Baker as the actual Doctor again was something of a revelation. He was much more understated than I remembered, although the quirkiness and the irreverent humour are still very much in evidence. And he and Louise Jamieson worked together so well, it's hard to believe they've not done this for over thirty years.
Destination Nerva takes place after The Talons of Weng Chiang, but our duo quickly end up back in Victorian England when they answer a distress call. Of course, all is not what it seems, and they end up being transported to the space-dock Nerva which has all sorts of technical glitches. The story isn't an especially original one, but it's certainly been well written, acted and directed. I also liked the fact that the music most definitely evokes 70s DW.
The Renaissance Man is my favourite of the two, though. The story is much stronger and Tom Baker positively sparkles as the Doctor. In Destination Nerva the Doctor had to rely on his quick wits to get out of the situation, here he's using his incredible intellect and his ability to play the fool so completely as to make his adversaries believe he's an idiot. The story - of the "Renaissance Man" collecting all knowledge by stealing it from everyone he encouters - is very well done, and the darker themes, such as - what happens to someone when the knowledge that is their life's work is taken away? - are explored thoughtfully and to good dramatic effect. This is one I'll be listening to again in the near future.
After these two, I'll definitely be listening to more of the Fourth Doctor's adventures on audio.
Next up - I'll be attempting to ignore Flip's annoying mode of speech when I listen to The Fourth Wall.