2 weeks with Big Finish: Main Range, New & Old Doctors and Friends
So in the past two weeks I delved deeper into the Big Finish Main range. As I said in previous posts I didn't want to listen to all my 2nd Doctor audios and then having nothing left so in the past 2 weeks I listened to no 2 Doctor audios. Most of what I listened to was in the 1st 50 of the main range, although I listened to one companion chronicle as well.\
Storm Warning
This was my first experience with Paul McGann's Doctor, not counting the short mini-episode Night of the Doctor. I still have not seen the 1996 movie, but I feel I'd probably get the best of McGann through audio.
Anyways right from the start I liked McGann. His first words are him talking about him reading off a list of books he had in the Tardis. McGann's portrayal was both fun and enthusiastic. In this audio we are also introduced to Charley: a young stowaway looking for adventure. She is also instantly likable and the 8th Doctor and Charley have great chemistry. Unfortunately their first story is a bit of bore. It takes place on a historical airship that crashed and the story shoehorns a boring alien story to explain the crash. Ah well the story did the most important thing got me interested in hearing more of the 8th doctor and Charley which I have every intention of doing. In fact I have a bunch of their stories waiting to listen to.
edit: One thing I will add though is I did like how Charley joined the Doctor, by him changing history and saving her life. I will be interested in seeing where that leads.
Spare Parts Just like Genesis is the origin story for the Daleks this was the origin story for the Cybermen. And let me tell you it delivers. I would even go as far as to say this was the best Cybermen story I've experienced. My other favorite one is The Invasion & The Moonbase. But this story was both equally terrifying and tragic. There was two scenes in particular of a young girl being turned into a cybermen and the aftermath which were especially effective.
I also liked the Doctor's accidental role in creating the cybermen, but I won't say more than that.
The Marian Conspiracy
Okay I've been converted. The sixth Doctor on audio is fantastic. Note despite enjoying stories with the Seventh Doctor (Colditz) and the Fifth Doctor (Spare Parts) my opinion of them have not really changed. However the 6th Doctor on audio is a revelation. I loved McGann as well, but I am going to say it Six is my favorite "audio" Doctor.
Awhile back I also wrote that neither of Sixes TV companions were my favorite (so I picked Jamie by default) but on audio Six is giving a new companion, named Evelyn: who is an older college history professor and she is also awesome in every way possible. Six and Evelyn have terrific chemistry right from the start and act like an old married couple but unlike Charley and 8th first tale they are also served with a great story for their first outing.
This is another historical (and you know how I love them) set during the time when Mary is queen. The story tries to present Mary as human, complex but ultimately flawed. I think they succeed. Even though I am left agreeing with Evelyn that Mary was a bad ruler, I can also see the human side and almost sympathize with her like the Doctor did (although I am sure if I was on the receiving end of her religious policies I'd might find that harder).
Old Soldiers
This was a companion chronicle by the wonderful Brigadier. Nicholas Courtney has that type of voice where you could listen to the phone book and it would be a pleasure and well that's a good thing because ultimately I found listening to Courtney was the best thing about this story, otherwise I found it kind of pedestrian. This is set during the 3rd Doctor era (right after the Silurians) but the 3rd Doctor doesn't do much (and Courtney doesn't even try to imitate Pertwee). I was kind of disappointed the story wasn't more about the relationship between the Doctor & Brigadier. Instead it was more about the relationship between the Brigadier and other soldiers (not Yates & Benton) which of course fits but I didn't find it terribly interesting. Although I did like the Brigadier's final words about defeating monsters wasn't becoming like them but using our humanity as our greatest weapon.
The Spectre of Lanyon Moor
And for my last story I listened to another Six/Evelyn story who again meet up with the Brigadier. Again I found the overall plot of this kind of meh, but luckily it was more enjoyable than Old Soldiers.
This time we get great interaction between Six and the Brigadier & the Brigadier gets some great final moments. You can also see how the Doctor and Brigadier have grown closer over years. There was always respect, but there is something more, complete trust. My only disappointment is Evelyn doesn't get to interact as much with the Brigadier. I enjoyed most of the guest characters as well. In fact they reminded me of the type of characters you would find in an Agatha Christie novel. Unfortunately though the alien villain was as boring as can be and there was quite a lot of him in the final episode. But all the stuff with the Brigadier, Six, and Evelyn was very enjoyable.
Sadly there doesn't seem to be many more stories with the Brigadier. I know there is one with the 8th Doctor but the reviews are less than stellar. It is a shame Big Finish didn't use him more often and of course with Courtney gone now there won't be any more.
I still have a bunch more Six/Evelyn stories to look forward to though.
Storm Warning
This was my first experience with Paul McGann's Doctor, not counting the short mini-episode Night of the Doctor. I still have not seen the 1996 movie, but I feel I'd probably get the best of McGann through audio.
Anyways right from the start I liked McGann. His first words are him talking about him reading off a list of books he had in the Tardis. McGann's portrayal was both fun and enthusiastic. In this audio we are also introduced to Charley: a young stowaway looking for adventure. She is also instantly likable and the 8th Doctor and Charley have great chemistry. Unfortunately their first story is a bit of bore. It takes place on a historical airship that crashed and the story shoehorns a boring alien story to explain the crash. Ah well the story did the most important thing got me interested in hearing more of the 8th doctor and Charley which I have every intention of doing. In fact I have a bunch of their stories waiting to listen to.
edit: One thing I will add though is I did like how Charley joined the Doctor, by him changing history and saving her life. I will be interested in seeing where that leads.
Spare Parts Just like Genesis is the origin story for the Daleks this was the origin story for the Cybermen. And let me tell you it delivers. I would even go as far as to say this was the best Cybermen story I've experienced. My other favorite one is The Invasion & The Moonbase. But this story was both equally terrifying and tragic. There was two scenes in particular of a young girl being turned into a cybermen and the aftermath which were especially effective.
I also liked the Doctor's accidental role in creating the cybermen, but I won't say more than that.
The Marian Conspiracy
Okay I've been converted. The sixth Doctor on audio is fantastic. Note despite enjoying stories with the Seventh Doctor (Colditz) and the Fifth Doctor (Spare Parts) my opinion of them have not really changed. However the 6th Doctor on audio is a revelation. I loved McGann as well, but I am going to say it Six is my favorite "audio" Doctor.
Awhile back I also wrote that neither of Sixes TV companions were my favorite (so I picked Jamie by default) but on audio Six is giving a new companion, named Evelyn: who is an older college history professor and she is also awesome in every way possible. Six and Evelyn have terrific chemistry right from the start and act like an old married couple but unlike Charley and 8th first tale they are also served with a great story for their first outing.
This is another historical (and you know how I love them) set during the time when Mary is queen. The story tries to present Mary as human, complex but ultimately flawed. I think they succeed. Even though I am left agreeing with Evelyn that Mary was a bad ruler, I can also see the human side and almost sympathize with her like the Doctor did (although I am sure if I was on the receiving end of her religious policies I'd might find that harder).
Old Soldiers
This was a companion chronicle by the wonderful Brigadier. Nicholas Courtney has that type of voice where you could listen to the phone book and it would be a pleasure and well that's a good thing because ultimately I found listening to Courtney was the best thing about this story, otherwise I found it kind of pedestrian. This is set during the 3rd Doctor era (right after the Silurians) but the 3rd Doctor doesn't do much (and Courtney doesn't even try to imitate Pertwee). I was kind of disappointed the story wasn't more about the relationship between the Doctor & Brigadier. Instead it was more about the relationship between the Brigadier and other soldiers (not Yates & Benton) which of course fits but I didn't find it terribly interesting. Although I did like the Brigadier's final words about defeating monsters wasn't becoming like them but using our humanity as our greatest weapon.
The Spectre of Lanyon Moor
And for my last story I listened to another Six/Evelyn story who again meet up with the Brigadier. Again I found the overall plot of this kind of meh, but luckily it was more enjoyable than Old Soldiers.
This time we get great interaction between Six and the Brigadier & the Brigadier gets some great final moments. You can also see how the Doctor and Brigadier have grown closer over years. There was always respect, but there is something more, complete trust. My only disappointment is Evelyn doesn't get to interact as much with the Brigadier. I enjoyed most of the guest characters as well. In fact they reminded me of the type of characters you would find in an Agatha Christie novel. Unfortunately though the alien villain was as boring as can be and there was quite a lot of him in the final episode. But all the stuff with the Brigadier, Six, and Evelyn was very enjoyable.
Sadly there doesn't seem to be many more stories with the Brigadier. I know there is one with the 8th Doctor but the reviews are less than stellar. It is a shame Big Finish didn't use him more often and of course with Courtney gone now there won't be any more.
I still have a bunch more Six/Evelyn stories to look forward to though.