Orbis: Eighth Doctor Audio 3.1

[scarlettgirl]

One thing about being stuck in a car for 7+ hours is that you get to catch up on Audios. Since Big Finish finally let me subscribe to Season 3 of the Eight Doctor Audio's I jumped right in with Orbius. Dude...

Comments

[spikewriter]

Okay, after the car gets service, I definitely have to get this -- and it's not surprising that the Big Finish folk touch on some of the same themes as the gang in Cardiff. There's quite a bit of overlap there between folks who've worked on both (including Gary Russell, the story editor for the TV series).

But I think they do an excellent job of hinting at what's to come in some of their stories while not being explicit -- though I really would like to see what they could do with a license to tell stories for Nine and Ten. At Gally, when asked what they would steal from the new series if they could, their number two answer was "the audience." Their number one answer was, "Ten -- we'd like David back, please." After that, they said the folks in Cardiff had been very good about letting them explore some of the themes, only telling them no if they were about to do the same thing or would directly contradict something in their plans.

[scarlettgirl]

It really is quite good. Season 2 had some really good episodes but I think it suffered for not having an arc. I'm glad they (at least it seems that way) are going back to the original formula.

Interesting about how BF interacts with Cardiff. I'd heard they weren't allowed to touch anything from the new series but they've been quite clever in alluding and foreshadowing. And sweet Jesus, what I wouldn't give for a run of pre-series Nine audios. Just think of the pathos the audios could go into! I do like the more adult nature of the audios and Eccleston would be brilliant. Although there are a lot of really great things they could do - a "Pete's World series - either pre-Doomsday or post. I'd love a Harriet Jones spin-off or even a series of one-off "new who" companions. I guess it all comes down to a) actor willingness/availability and license which, given the recent short trip announcement seems unlikely. It' a shame since the books and audios kept the flame alive, so to speak, during the dark years.

.

[neadods]

Their number one answer was, "Ten -- we'd like David back, please."

I find this hilarious.

Although technically, I suppose he's free to do random voices for them again, as long as he doesn't play the Doctor.

I'm a bit waffly on Orbis. The fact that the entire planet was destroyed is... well, just flat depressing.

[scarlettgirl]

I think Tennant doing anything else DW related other than being the Doctor would be incredibly jarring! Although I bet he'd be far more game to revisit the character via audio than Eccleston. And after listening to Tennant read audio books I think he'd be an awesome Audio!Doc.

Depressing is a mild word for Orbis, I thought it was horrifying. Okay, not the actual destruction since that was all off screen...err..audio. But the beach scene with the screaming and dying was horrifying. Everyone died. Again. Eight does seem to have a habit of blowing up planets, doesn't he?

[neadods]

I think Tennant doing anything else DW related other than being the Doctor would be incredibly jarring!

In previous audios he was someone else entirely, with whom the Doctor interacted, and it worked. Especially if he spoke in a different accent. Exile is a little weird now, listening to the Doctor slagging off the Doctor! But Colditz and Medicinal Purposes, they work.

I thought it was horrifying.

So did I, in the end, and I wasn't ready for that when up until the slaughter it seemed like it was leaning more towards the humor. I couldn't reconcile the two.