The Dalek Stories
The Genocide Machine: There will be a Dalek story set in a jungle that deals with duplicates much later on in Big Finish’s run called Brotherhood of the Daleks and it is superior to The Genocide Machine in practically every way. The problems start with the script which undersells the threat and contains lots of obsolete ideas, poor characterisation of regulars and guest cast alike (I don’t know if anybody gets a character moment that isn’t a function of the plot) and some corny dialogue. Ignoring the good work they did in The Fearmonger McCoy and Aldred phone in two underwhelming performances and the guest cast fail to raise the game as well. Which leaves poor old Nick Briggs and the Daleks to give the proceedings a bit of zip which they try valiantly to do. You can admire the sound design and the horror of the Daleks for a while but without a plot to drive them and decent characters to care about you are fighting a losing battle. People praise The Genocide Machine to the detriment of The Apocalypse Element and whilst the second Dalek Empire story has its problems I find it by far a finer story. A hugely disappointing return trip for the Daleks: 3/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/genocide-machine-written-by-mike-tucker.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-genocide-machine-625
The Apocalypse Element: An unfairly maligned story, this is leagues ahead from Steve Cole’s previous effort. There is something romantic about defending a derided story but I feel there is more than enough evidence listed above to hold The Apocalypse Element in high esteem. The blockbuster script is powerful and dramatic, with a believable escalating threat and some really meaty ideas and rather than being a soulless action thriller there is some blistering characterisation that keeps this real. Cole’s dialogue has improved in leaps and bounds and the story has some highly quotable lines and the story moves at a frantic pace that never threatens to leave the audience behind. I love a story with huge ideas, science fiction can accommodate the melodrama of universal peril and Doctor Who especially so and Cole introduces a threat so absolute in this story we reach theatrical levels of drama. Colin Baker, Maggie Stables and Lalla Ward all give magnificent performances and Nick Briggs convincingly brings this space opera to life with real gravitas. You might hate it, but I enjoyed it thoroughly in two blocks of two episodes and think this is one of the few stories to sustain its threat from the first scene to the last. Justice for The Apocalypse Element!: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/apocalypse-element-written-by-stephen.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-apocalypse-element-626
The Mutant Phase: I used to hate The Mutant Phase and never got past episode two. Oh what a fool I am. This is an expertly crafted tale that takes its time giving you the answers you want and uses its early episodes to set up some great revelations in the latter ones. The very nature of the story – what makes the Daleks scared – is worth the admission price alone but if you can work your way through the low incident level of episodes one and two you are suddenly treated to some innovative and remarkable concepts. The Doctor and Nyssa discuss the intricacies of time travel, the Dalek Emperor is murdered, Skaro is destroyed and the Doctor goes back in time to save their metal hides. The script gives Davison and Sutton some great moments and as a result their give their best performances to date, especially Davison who has never seemed more commanding. The ending is a little abrupt but this is an exciting and complicated tale that will please the high concept fans who enjoy their Doctor Who loaded with clever ideas: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/mutant-phase-written-and-directed-by.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-mutant-phase-640
Time of the Daleks: Every now and again Justin Richard throws every idea he has into the pot and mixes it up and sees how it goes down. Time Zero and Sometime Never…have a similar cold and intelligent feel as Time and the Daleks but the complicated plotting and wealth of ideas are a lot easier to digest on paper where you have time to understand them rather than on audio which charges on even when you are still trying fathom out what happened in episode one! I think there is far too much cleverness and not enough characterisation happening in this story and it is to the credit of the director that it still manages to be vaguely entertaining even when its utterly incomprehensible. The Doctor and Charley are utterly wasted and none of the guest characters really shine…the best thing you can say about this story is that it is delicious to have the Daleks quoting Shakespeare. Although I am a huge fan of Shakespeare I don’t think this scenario is even remotely feasible, he is given a gravity and level of importance that is clearly the writer’s feelings rather than something that comes naturally from the storytelling. When the Doctor gushes about the playwright, he is merely a Mary Sue for Richards: 4/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/time-of-daleks-written-by-justin.html
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Jubilee: Alarmingly inventive and brooding, I adore this story. Doctor Who rarely has the capacity to make me feel genuinely uncomfortable but Jubilee had me in a cold sweat throughout, compiling one horror and dramatic set piece after another. The humour is jet black and quite inspired making the terror all the twitchier. It is full of strong emotional beats, highly atmospheric and leaves you with lots to think about when it is over. Evelyn gets a really meaty role and Maggie Stables excels in a powerful, angry performance topped only by Colin Baker’s agonising take on the Doctor tortured for 100 years. This story is a (not so) subtle commentary on the horror of mankind and it drives its point home like a knife in the gut. Rob Shearman’s greatest gift to Doctor Who is his ability to make you think in brand new ways about staples of the series we thought have become mere clichés. This is beyond doubt the most interesting exploration of the Daleks we have seen. And the wittiest. And the scariest. John Scott Martin will never complain about getting into a Dalek casing again: 10/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/jubilee-written-by-robert-shearman-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/jubilee-206
The Juggernauts: The Juggernauts throws lots of interesting ideas into the mix and lets the resulting drama bubble to the surface. It’s a quiet piece for the most part but with a great role for Mel, the Doctor at his sarcastic best and Davros insidiously trying to redeem himself in the most revolting way possible its never boring. Gary Russell directs this story with precision, creating a very believable futuristic environment. Episode four picks up the pace and features what we have been waiting for all along, the Daleks and the Mechanoids blowing the crap out of each other! An assured production with plenty of funky set pieces but lots of intelligent undercurrents too: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/juggernauts-written-by-scott-goddard.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-juggernauts-231
Terror Firma: Less of a well structured, coherent story and more of a collection of fantastic ideas, Terror Firma is a cluttered, brilliant, insane mess. It’s the polar opposite of The Council of Nicaea, which told a simple story well; Joe Lidster’s drama is undisciplined throughout but raging with dark imagination. The revelation about Gemma and Samson is one of the ultimate Big Finish surprises and beats at the heart of this story but it’s not quite strong enough to ignore the unfinished, schizophrenic characterisation of both the Doctor and Davros. They both have terrific, thoughtful moments and their relationship is given a thorough once over (with some nice innovations) but the story just sort of fizzles out, forgetting the Doctor’s guilt or that he wants to kill Davros and forgetting that Davros did all of this to hurt him. Add points for bringing all these points up but minus more for failing to bring them to any kind of conclusion. There are lots of crazy and wonderful ideas whizzing about and you will be entertained throughout but I definitely feel Terror Firma needed one more revision to tighten up its narrative. Flawed but fascinating: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/terror-firma-written-by-joe-lidster-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/terror-firma-238
Return of the Daleks: Listening to Return of the Daleks should be all the excuse you need to go out and buy all four series of Dalek Empire. It’s not exact a story in its own right but another chapter of Briggs’ signature series but because the Doctor is present it feels definitively like a Doctor Who story. It’s an intoxicating brew of the two ranges featuring the best of both with Suze squaring up to the Daleks in dramatic fashion and Karlendorf learning that he is far too important to be allowed to sacrifice himself on the one hand and the seventh Doctor rarely characterised better as he has jettisoned his companions and is now a force of nature ducking into historical events and ensuring their continuity. There’s a brilliant moment when the location is revealed and a forgotten loose end is brought spectacularly into the new Dalek war and I love the ending that sees the Doctor sacrificing his freedom, matching the fatalistic tone that the Dalek Empire series often adopts. Whilst you can purchase this story now it was a massive thank you to the audience at the time that you could receive a freebie of this quality and it confidently spells out all the reasons that Dalek Empire has been such a hit: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/return-of-daleks-written-and-directed.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-return-of-the-daleks-453
Renaissance of the Daleks: Vietnam, Crusades, alternative realities, deadly toy Daleks, the Omniverse junction, wormholes to different times, a City made of Daleks, conditioned human Daleks – you certainly cannot accuse Renaissance of the Daleks of not being ambitious! I honestly don’t see what is so confusing about this story since everything (the time tracks, the toy Daleks, the whispering voices) is explained and tied up in the last episode and with some swagger I might say! Is this much criticised story as bad as people say it is? Not at all and I would go as far as to say it is worth seeking out because of its piss poor reputation – the ideas are incredible, there is some really fun imagery, the Doctor is on form and the story builds a threat that is unusually bloodless and fascinating. I even really enjoyed the hoping about from place to place, beautifully brought to life by John Ainsworth who is back on form. There are problems – Alice is the most irritating creation since Monica Lewis in Land of the Dead, the story feels top heavy with concepts at times and there is a massive gap in the middle of the story where all the characters hang out in the TARDIS for half an hour. Plus the conclusion isn’t quite as spectacular as I would have hoped for, it reminds me of one of those Star Trek style endings where Captain Kirk convinces the living bomb to kill itself. However I went into Renaissance of the Daleks expecting pain and was hugely surprised to find such a wealth of goodies – I haven’t even mentioned the terrific musical score which really adds to the drama. There’s about four stories going on at once here and they aren’t all given adequate time but as a quirky, labyrinthine bit of madness that genuinely gives the Daleks a new spin I give this story a thumbs up: 7/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/renaissance-of-daleks-written-by-who.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/renaissance-of-the-daleks-259
The Davros Mission: A tale of two halves for sure but ultimately The Davros Mission isn’t what I thought it would be. Anybody expecting an examination of Davros akin to I, Davros or Dalek Empire style psychology will be extremely disappointed not because that style of material is absent (because it isn’t) but because this story spends so much time dawdling before getting to all the juicy stuff. Any of the scenes featuring Gus and Raz the Grallians are nothing but filler as irritating as pubic louse and I kept waiting for the story to get on with Davros’ trial at the hands of his greatest enemies. On the flip side Terry Molloy and Miranda Raison are both excellent and any of their two-hander scenes works a treat. Molloy automatically raises the quality of this mini adventure – I honestly think I could listen to Davros shopping for spares when played by this actor and by thoroughly gripped! The best scene comes when Lareen implores Davros to let go of his insecurities and become a force for good in the universe and for a moment you genuinely wonder if he is tempted by the idea. In the last half an hour the story really comes into its own with lots of intriguing possibilities (Davros wiping out his own creations in a parody of the Doctor’s dilemma in Genesis of the Daleks) and it comes to a dramatic conclusion to remember. The Davros Mission feels like it needs a few more drafts to sift out some of the nonsense but it still contains much that is worth listening to: 7/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/davros-mission-written-and-directed-by.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-davros-mission-786
Brotherhood of the Daleks: ‘Doctor there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you…’ When reality is in question and people aren’t who they say they are…can you trust anybody? As India Fisher says in the interviews ‘you’ve paid your money and now get your money’s worth’ and it will probably take a number of listens to get your head around the many layers that this story is built on. There is a feeling of distrust that runs through this story that extends from the Daleks to the Thals and even to the Doctor and Charley whose relationship is really starting to flourish in unexpected ways. Brotherhood of the Daleks is a devilishly complicated tale that enjoys freaking out the audience by never failing to throw more and more surprises at you. The ideas keep coming and when I first listened to it I gave up by the end of the second episode because I felt it was too complicated for its own good but I have never been more wrong. Alan Barnes rams so much ingenious plot down your throat you are left gorged by the innovations and completely unwary of the volley of twists in the last few episodes as the traitors are exposed and the Daleks make their move. Underneath this madcap narrative there is the continuing discomfort of Charley keeping her secret from the sixth Doctor and with each successive story things are becoming more and more impossible to hide. This is The Last Resort of the Big Finish range – an intricate nightmare of a story that is great fun to deconstruct its Russian Doll nature and with a intense final scene: 8.5/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/brotherhood-of-daleks-written-by-alan.html
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Enemy of the Daleks: Its so refreshing to listen to stories like Enemy of the Daleks, an action adventure tale with no pretence to do anything but deliver an exciting adrenalin rush which it manages brilliantly. It reminds me of Terry Nation’s work at its best and I mean that as a massive compliment, full of danger and a frightening view of the universe plagued with Daleks. They feel like a deadly, implacable, unstoppable force and their attack on the facility in the second episode screams with energy and sees them at their intimidating best. And yet Bishop trumps that by creating a race that is even more devastating than the Daleks and impossibly manages to make the most destructive force in the universe victims without diminishing them one jot. Putting Ace and Hex in such extreme circumstances was a stroke of genius because it brings out the best in both of them by highlighting the horrors of this fight from the point of view of soldier and a nurse. I cannot believe that this is the second knockout seventh Doctor audio in a row, it is giving me incredible hope that the trilogy format is going to completely revolutionise the most disappointing (to this point) audio Doctor. David Bishop should be credited for providing the sort of fast paced, engaging thrill ride that Doctor Who needs to offer its audience every now and again to get the blood pumping and remind us of the reason we fell in love with this show in the first place: 9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/enemy-of-daleks-written-by-david-bishop.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/enemy-of-the-daleks-287
Patient Zero: Dramatic, complex and very exciting, Patient Zero is another scorching Sixie/Charley tale that starts to round off their adventures with some real aplomb. Nick Briggs knows how to spin a Dalek yarn but inspired by the insane shenanigans of this incredible arc he has plucked a number of very clever ideas from the situation and created a frightening and unique character in Mila and found new ways to torture Charley. There is a boldness to the presentation that I really like, it is pacy and exhilarating (with an inspired musical score) and forces you to keep listening whilst the intelligence of the writing keeps you thinking. Things are definitely coming to head with Charley and somehow I can’t see her getting a happy ending but her continual bad luck is proving to be ever more stimulating. The Viyrans finally make a decent appearance and go head to head with the Daleks in some punchy scenes and the fact that the result of this adventure leads to an even more hellish time for the eighth Doctor (it seems he and Charley are still linked) in the future means that regardless of how good this is it is also essential backstory for Lucie Miller/To The Death. You would think two Dalek stories so close would be a cause to complain but both Brotherhood of the Daleks and Patient Zero find interesting new things to say about them and after all this time that is no mean feat.Electrifying and it has left me desperate to hear the rest of this trilogy now the Doctor has left with an imposter: 9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/patient-zero-written-and-directed-by.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/patient-zero-290
Plague of the Daleks: The Daleks are in this story why exactly? One of the most sloppily written Big Finish stories for an age, Plague of the Daleks will strain your patience until it is worn away and you are left with angry frown lines etched into your face. Episode one is an irritating composite of unanswered questions, episode two is a zombie tale interlaced with some surreal moments of melodrama, episode three introduces the Daleks but fails to integrate them into the plot and the last episode has to catch up and try and explain everything that has been introduced in the story so far and fails spectacularly to bring the story to satisfying close. If you listen to the interviews on the disc you realise that the writer and the script editor both came to this story with different ideas (Barnes: the heritage Stockbridge and the Daleks, Morris: the zombies turned by rain) and the resulting story feels like a discordant clash of concepts that don’t belong together. What this story needs is a script editor who can tie all the disparate strands together into a satisfyingly coherent whole but what we are left with is a slapdash first draft. Proof that even the best of directors can have their off days because Plague of the Daleks feels as though it has been assembled without much care almost as if Edwards knows he is onto a stinker. Even the performances lack the usual conviction of a solid Big Finish cast with Liza Tarbuck and Keith Baron failing to make any impression at all. Forgettable roles for both the Doctor and Nyssa means Davison and Sutton’s contributions are pretty workmanlike too which is unthinkable after the last two scripts afforded them such luxurious opportunities. I considered turning this story off at the end of episode three and coming back to it later but I knew that if I did that I would never listen to the end so I forced myself to endure the conclusion. That is never a good a sign: 2/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/plague-of-daleks-written-by-mark-morris.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/plague-of-the-daleks-295
The Five Companions: I can’t imagine this failing to hit the spot of any Doctor Who fan. Firstly you have the glorious idea of a Five Doctors style homage then the initial delight of having all of the assembled companions coming together and finally there is the fanboy dream of trying to fit all of the continuity together like a Doctor Who jigsaw and figuring out at what point in their lives we are meeting them all. Like The Five Doctors this is less about telling a good story and more about nostalgia and popcorn entertainment but as a celebratory pat on the back at the wealth of history this show has amassed The Five Companions is not only hugely enjoyable but also necessary. The show needs to acknowledge its history every once and a while and if it can be as ridiculously entertaining as this then so much the better! Every scene is packed full of goodies, gorgeous observations and kisses to the past. What really shocked me was how well these companions worked together and by the end of the story I was wishing we could embark on some kind of ensemble show that allowed them to continue to operate this effectively together! A deliriously enjoyable one off: 9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/five-companions-written-by-eddie-robson.html
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The Curse of Davros: A playful Dalek story…who would have ever thought? It’s a great compliment to Jonathan Morris to admit that this is the sort of story I would have expected Douglas Adams to have written for the Daleks instead of bumf like Destiny of the Daleks (which was a tug of war between him and Nation). It manages to take a reasonably whacky premise and have real fun with it whilst telling us something very personal about the Doctor (lonely and trapped) and Davros (who exists in a world of pain). Along the way Morris tosses out so many creative notions (all of which would generate an entire story in other hands) its like a Catherine wheel of imagination is fizzing off in all directions and I was chuckling away with the madness of the scenario come episode four. I especially loved the fact that when the humdinger of a twist was revealed in episode two things did not revert back to normal and the story allowed both Colin Baker and Terry Molloy to stretch themselves far more than their roles would usually allow them to. I wasn’t sure what to think when they announced Phillipa Greenwood’s return as a new companion because she had a very minor part to play in The Crimes of Thomas Brewster but as written by Morris she is given a super introduction with plenty of witty and wonderful lines and Greenwood proves a absolute win. I can’t wait to hear more from her. You’ve got some history, original Dalek action (bing bong!), a fascinating role reversal, a new companion, character development (you’ll never feel such pity for Davros again), Jonathan Morris at his ingenious best (conjuring up a superb reason for this most unusual of settings) and an excellently realised production with great music and effects. What more could you possibly ask for? Wonderfully, blissfully brilliant: 10/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/curse-of-davros-written-by-jonathan.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-curse-of-davros-324
The Destroyers: Regardless of Sara Kingdom’s involvement, The Destroyers channels the gripping and insidious atmosphere of the 13 part Dalek epic that thrilled audiences in season three. What I love about this piece is that the homicidal pepperpots hardly appear and they are given so much unnerving build up you are literally gagging for them to make an appearance by the end. Astonishing how much menace they can create by their absence. It might be far shorter than The Prison in Space but the sound design and music are both far superior and this story comes to life with a you are there ambience that the Troughton farce can only look on at in the distance enviously. Jean Marsh as Sara Kingdom, kick ass Daleks and lashings of danger and atmosphere…how did America turn this down? Okay so there isn’t a great deal of character work involved but that’s not why we’re here…its main purpose is to kick start a series that will rock on and get people to want to come back next week which it achieves superbly. It’s a big, bold punch of sixties Dalekmania that got me insanely excited at places and I love it to pieces:9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/destroyers-written-by-terry-nation.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-second-doctor-box-set-430
The Elite: An excellent script that is recorded as though it is a missing 80s soundtrack that is lacking the pictures, this fulfils the remit of The Lost Stories range by giving the listener a massive dose of nostalgia and also a bloody good story. Because it starts like an archetypal Doctor Who story (TARDIS going wibbly, landing in a war zone) I thought I knew exactly how it is going to develop but it twists and turns with alarming frequency until I reached the end of episode three and was gasping with tension and had no clue how this could end (except bloodily). It’s a shame that Nyssa is sidelined so much but both the Doctor and Tegan get some fantastic material with the former allowed to unleash some real anger and the latter being the voice of common sense which is lovely because it is usually the other way round. None of the guest characters are especially memorable but they fulfil their functions in the plot well and dance around the High Priest who is pulling their strings and all the performances are energetic. The last episode reminded me of the latter parts of Inferno, incredibly fatalistic and too much for the Doctor to handle which makes his solution all the more impressive. If this story had aired as it is presented here (and production wise it wouldn’t be far off because this really is authentic 80s Who) it would be considered a minor classic. The best Davison story for ages: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/elite-written-by-barbara-clegg-and-john.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-elite-413
Death and the Daleks: An epic, personal, unforgettable finale bringing together four seasons worth of audios, countless novels and assembling the impressive cast of the Bernice series and giving them all great material. The idea of kicking off this story with the gripping anthology Life During Wartime is inspired, giving the situation a great deal of depth as a novel before rounding off the story with numerous surprises as an exciting audio. There are lots of wonderful kisses to the past but Paul Cornell also manages to cement the latest developments in Bernice’s life as something that is unmissable. There is a wonderful drive to the story and no easy answers and lots of intriguing character threads to picked up in later stories. One of the highpoints in the Bernice Summerfield range: 10/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/death-and-daleks-written-by-paul.html
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Dalek Empire:
Invasion of the Daleks: A kick ass introduction to an excellent series. There is a real sense of mettle and confidence to this introduction even if the story hasn’t started firing its dramatic twists yet. You get the feeling that the actors are working their way into their roles rather than understanding and embodying them from the start but you can see why the actors were chosen and how they will gel into an impressive ensemble. The story is fractured and hops about a bit too much for you to get a handle on any one storyline but the different plotlines give this a real sense of scale. Susan Mendez proves to be the most interesting of the characters and her dealings with the Supreme Dalek opening up lots of interesting possibilities. At this point you have no idea where the story is going, but it is already a pretty decent ride: 7/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/invasion-of-daleks-written-and-directed.html
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The Human Factor: With the introductions out of the way the story is really starting build into something very engaging. The best scenes still feature Susan Mendez and her wrestle with her conscience as she becomes a Dalek puppet and Mowat and Gareth Thomas share some very strong character moments. Nick Briggs has been completely let off his leash with this series and it is action palooza with exciting dogfights, gun battles, and scenes of torture, incredible explosions and storm lashed planets. It’s an incredible soundscape and it you get pulled into the action to a point where you are ducking bullets and wincing at tortured Daleks! The Guria sections weren’t quite as gripping (especially the badly characterised leaders) but the direction and the performances were still strong and the whole piece ends on an unexpected cliffhanger. Great shocks moments abound in this second chapter: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/human-factor-written-and-directed-by.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/dalek-empire-the-human-factor-360
Death to the Daleks!: It’s at this stage in the first season of Dalek Empire that you realise that Nick Briggs has genuinely pulled off this space opera. What started as a nice idea to flesh out the Daleks has becomes a platform for some very engaging action and superlative drama. With more than a little helping of sixties Dalekmania (which saw the Dalek Empire at its height plus with mentions of the SSS and other sixties innovations) and a nice dose of Blakes’ 7 pessimism, Briggs has crafted a unique and quality series that really feels like it is expanding the Doctor Who universe. With a myriad of exciting aliens, enough action to knock your socks off and some genuinely startling character work, Dalek Empire has earned its commission and then some. Whilst I was listening to this story I was reminded quite strongly of the Star Trek Next Generation story The Best of Both Worlds, an alien menace spreading into the solar system and gripping the Earth with their unstoppable force. The Daleks have rarely felt this dangerous, they are too powerful, too numerous, their weaponry too destructive. Rich character work and a galaxy wide threat, this is great stuff: 9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/death-to-daleks-written-and-directed-by.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/dalek-empire-death-to-the-daleks-359
Project Infinity: Only the Daleks would go to the lengths of invading the entire galaxy and subjugating and murdering so many people as a diversion from what their real plans are. Once again this story leaps forward five months making the scale of the overall piece extraordinarily vast (taking place over several years and via thousands of worlds). The climax to the first series of Dalek Empire takes you right into the heart of Project Infinity and the revelations do not disappoint. The character drama takes a backseat in this instalment to ensure that the ride is furiously and vibrant and you will race through it in what feels like 30 minutes not over and hour. My one complaint is that far too much is left hanging (is Suz still alive and what are the consequences for the Daleks facing their angelic alternatives?) but it does leave me hungry for the second series. Overall this first series of Dalek Empire has been a total success, creating a fascinating galaxy to play cowboys and Indians in and developing a memorable cast of characters. More please:8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/project-infinity-written-and-directed.html
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Dalek War Chapter One: There is quite a complex narrative structure to Chapter One of Dalek War with two unnamed characters talking about the events of this series from some time in the future and flashbacks within that flashback to what has happened since the climax Dalek Empire. At the same time Briggs is spends the first half of the story dealing with the consequences of the alternative Dalek/rebellion Alliance before actually revealing how and why those events took place. The story is most akin to Nicholas Briggs’ Creatures of Beauty in that it is telling the story entirely out of order and the scene that answers all of our questions about the newfound alliance doesn’t come until two thirds into the adventure. It means that ultimately this segment is rewarding but its non linear nature makes you wonder in the first half if this series is going to waste its running time basking in the glories of the first year rather than kick starting a second. Production standards are very high and by the end of the story all of our favourites (Suze, Alby and Karlendorf) are back in action and a truly intriguing situation has been set up. Introducing the alternative universe Daleks has proven to be a hit and kicked off a brand new menace for our heroes to fight whilst pretending to be on their side. Ultimately this is a clever story because its little more than exposition but the jigsaw structure of the story and the fascinating developments convinces you that you actually watching this unfold in real time. I’m not entirely sold on this as a standalone adventure but its an appetite whetting beginning and I’m looking forward to seeing where we go from here. Has Suze got the Dalek Emperor’s mind trapped in hers? What is the Mentor really up to? Bring on Chapter Two: 7/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/dalek-war-chapter-one-written-and.html
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Dalek War Chapter Two: ‘You’re saying that the enemy Daleks have deliberately turned the biggest gas giant of the solar systems into an inhabitable planet?’ I was trying to think what the fatalistic tone of Dalek War reminded me of and it came to me in Chapter Two. Its Blakes’ 7! There’s a feeling of crushing oppression within the galaxy and the constant feeling of the protagonists (most of who alternate between enemy and ally) always being on the run from something nasty. It’s an engaging, dark, almost defeatist tone that whilst leaving little room for light relief is nonetheless absorbing. Nobody has a happy life in a universe where the Daleks are battling the Daleks but it makes for great drama. There are more eye opening developments here (Jupiter has been terraformed and the Dalek Emperor begins to reassert himself) but also a nagging feeling that the first two instalments could have had their flab cut away and made one swiftly paced 90 minute re-introduction to the series. This is a great instalment for Mark McDonnell’s Alby Brook who gets to meet new friends, try and understand his relationship with Suze and proves himself to be an action hero in every way by taking on Dalek squadrons in flashback and real time. The big plus that this has over the first instalment is its focus on character which makes the material a lot more likable but it lacks the shock factor of setting up the scenario and is slower paced (despite some fine action set pieces). Overall this is a fine continuation but again better seen as a part of the series than as a story in its own right: 7/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/dalek-war-chapter-two-written-and.html
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Dalek War Chapter Three: Tightly focused and full of dramatic incident, this is the best instalment of Dalek War so far and it promises and awful lot for the finale. I’ve always said that the Bernice Summerfield range with its 60 minute stories is just about the right length to tell a story without it getting bogged down in too much unnecessary padding by lopping off 10 minutes off its running time this third instalment is all the pacier and more attention grabbing for it. With Alby and Suze snogging on the sidelines it is Kalendorf’s turn to take the limelight and his awesomely dramatic scenes with the Mentor reveal that he had a badass plan in place all along that would frighten even his own people and the consequences of which would be talked about in hushed whispers long into the future. The set pieces are more dramatic than ever (the opening Varga scenes are grippingly realised) and there is a feeling that all the elements of the series are coalescing and gaining momentum to give the last story all the ingredients it needs to blow your head off. With the Angel of Mercy restored to glory and the Mentor furious at Kalendorf’s betrayal all the pieces are in place for a grand face off. Bring it on: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/dalek-war-chapter-three-written-and.html
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Dalek War Chapter Four: Dalek War has been an unusual beast in that only the third instalment has been told in real time and the other three pieces of the jigsaw have been told either in retrospect and flashbacks. As a complete piece of work it is fascinating in narrative terms and Chapter Four pulls the rug under your feet in its very first scenes by not continuing the main storyline but giving depth and clarity to Haredew and Tarkov who have been narrating the story from the future throughout. Its been a useful device because it has given the series a scale and epic quality that outstretches in even series one but its only now that you realise that the events of this series have been a massive prelude to the next season set in that future time period. Briggs is playing some very clever games and with build up this good another series is assured. Its strange because you might think that telling this story in retrospect would gut it of its emotional impact (Tarkov comes from a future where these events aren’t in the public psyche anymore and all of the characters have been completely forgotten beyond an exceptional few) and despite the fact there is a dark tone that decrees that everybody is expendable, I got close to Suze, Alby and Kalendorf in the first series and I felt a need to find out how their story ended in the second. Briggs uses that need as a weapon, constantly pulling away from their fates and denying you the sort of dramatic closure that you would expect but as compensation he mythologises them and burns their actions into your subconscious. It’s an unusual device (going for intellectual rather than an emotional impact) but given the scope of this range probably the best compliment I can hand him is that it really works. Production levels are at their peak with some stunning sound design and music and by the end of this you’ll feel as if you have witnessed a terrible war when you don’t experience a single shot. Friends are dead, the Daleks are destroyed but they have never truly been defeated. A galaxy that has chosen to ignore the Dalek threat is about to get a very nasty wake up call: 9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/dalek-war-chapter-four-written-and.html
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I Davros:
Innocence: I really wasn’t sure how this series could work but it does so beautifully and I have never been happier to be proven wrong. Gary Russell has assembled an exceptionally strong cast to bring this gripping wartime drama to life and judging by the potency of Gary Hopkins’ opening script the very best of Big Finish’s writers too. I was very impressed that Hopkins managed to set the scene and tone of the running storyline, introduce a large number of interesting characters, seed plot points that will become vital in later instalments and tell an individual story all within its one hour running time. Innocence sees Davros fall into the arms of a scientist who introduces him to twisted views that would lead to the creation of the Daleks and it is with a great sense of foreboding that before the end of this story the pupil has already outgrown (and murdered) the master. This is an unfolding tragedy and all the pieces have been put in place, I can’t wait to see where we go from here: 9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/innocence-written-by-gary-hopkins-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/innocence-390
Purity: What a shame that the second instalment of the I, Davros series lacks the powerful drama and experimental nature of Parsons & Stirling-Brown’s last effort, LIVE 34. I could imagine the gripping documentary feel of their debut script would have benefited this series immensely. Innocence was charged with an incredible sense of world building and electrifying character interaction, both of which Purity lacks when piling on the plot mechanics. The way the story assembles all the pieces of the Daleks is insultingly childish; Davros discovers an artifical intelligence, Davros discovers a mutated creature and Davros discovers a man consumed by hate…what would happen if he put all those things together? Interest starts to bubble up at the end so I am still looking forward to the next piece of the puzzle but this was a dramatic stumble after the top notch build up: 5/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/purity-written-by-james-parson-andrew.html
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Corruption: Extraordinarily good, Corruption drags this series kicking and screaming back on track and we march towards the terrifying inevitability that is the Daleks. This was precisely what I was after when I came into this series; fascinating insight into Doctor Who’s most vivid madman, a plot full of twists and turns, characters that bring the story alive with the strength of their convictions and subtle moments of continuity laced into the narrative. Lance Parkin has long been one of my favourite Doctor Who authors and he has once again excelled himself here. Corruption is packed full of memorable incidents, political manoeuvring, outstanding character drama and an ending that will leave you gagging for more. If you haven’t listened to the Doctor Who audio Davros it doesn’t really matter because this story is more than strong enough to support itself but combining the two stories together paints a fulsome and gripping picture of this stage of Davros’ life and add much depth to both stories. I cannot praise this highly enough and am thoroughly pissed that it is nearly 2 o’clock in the morning and my bed is calling because I really want to listen to the final installment: 10/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/corruption-written-by-lance-parkin-and.html
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Guilt: Whilst it doesn’t go down as my favourite spin off series (that would still go to Jago & Litefoot) I, Davros is regardless a remarkably strong and nuanced drama which brilliantly locks into place with Genesis of the Daleks. Because it has only one direction to go Guilt is not quite as strong as purity but Scott Alan Goddard’s script still manages some great surprises up its sleeve and an unnerving atmosphere as Davros’ perverse schemes finally come into fruition. Terry Molloy deserves a great deal of credit for guiding this series so effortlessly, his interpretation as Davros is the definitive one for me and he manages to capture all of the insanity and brilliance of the Doctor’s greatest villain. Kudos to Big Finish for pulling off this mini series with such skill, once again Gary Russell has assembled an awesome cast and the writers have all been pulling in the same direction. If it weren’t for the uninspiring second part I, Davros would be practically faultless in what it has set out to achieve. I’m off to watch Genesis of the Daleks now: 9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/guilt-written-by-scott-alan-goddard-and.html
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Fear of the Daleks: Fear of the Daleks has a lot to answer for. I bought this story as an example of what the companion chronicles had to offer and was bored stupid and despite positive reviews of subsequent series I never bought another for years! Like the novels that were being written at the time for previous Doctors it seems that the second Doctor suffers the worst stories. The script is swamped with clichés and features extremely banal dialogue and as a result it feels like an embarrassing example of sixties naivety. Not one of the sixties stories has aged as badly as this post millennium written story, this is a horrible misstep for the first series of companion chronicles: 3/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/fear-of-daleks-written-by-patrick.html
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Blood of the Daleks: A juicy dramatic production to kick start the eighth Doctor’s new series. It starts rather weakly (the first 15 minutes are a little awkward) but as soon as the Daleks arrive it just gets better and better, adding layers to the apocalypse storyline and truly driving home their dislike for the unlike. In fact it is a fabulous story for the Daleks because they are absolute evil bastards; indiscriminate murderers, perverse plotters and genocidally evil. The pace is extraordinary after the ponderous, overlong chapters of the Divergent Universe arc so it feels like an action packed breath of fresh air, unpretentious and exciting. Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith get to butt heads furiously throughout but there are hints of the magic to come and this is certainly an intriguing take on the usual orphan companion introduction. Attention grabbing, which was exactly the right note to start this series on: 9/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/blood-of-daleks-written-by-steve-lyons.html
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Lucie Miller: Extremely uncomfortable to listen to but positively gripping at the same time, Lucie Miller takes us intimately closer to an invasion of Earth like never before and doesn’t shy away from any of the horrors. It’s practically a companion chronicle for Lucie Miller and whilst this would be captivating material regardless of the companion we care so much more about Lucie because of the journey we have taken with her. Sheridan Smith gives the performance of a lifetime allowing us closer to her character than ever before and the unjust pain that she experiences makes this distressing, anxiety producing material. Whilst he may not appreciate the comparison, the strength of the writing and the direction shows that Nick Briggs has truly upped his game since the Morbius two parter at the end of season two, this is blisteringly stirring material. The finale will have to be something very special to top this: 10/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/lucie-miller-written-and-directed-by.html
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To The Death: A devastating finale that will not be forgotten for a long, long time. The first half of To the Death is a protracted scene amongst the major players of the season and sees some of the most brutal character work the range has ever provided. It’s an astonishingly raw extended sequence and it maintains its edge throughout. The second half is a bloodbath the likes of which we haven’t seen since the finale of Blakes’ 7, the Doctor’s friends and family slaughtered by the Daleks and leaving our hero a battered man unsure of his place in the universe anymore. The links to Patient Zero are a wonderful touch, adding a lot of depth to both stories and the Daleks scheme this time is more brutal and devastating than even I could have imagined. To the Death rounds of this incredible season on a climactic, melancholic finish that proves this series was not afraid to take risks and make Doctor Who as exciting as it can be. Monumental: 10/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/to-death-written-and-directed-by.html
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Dark Eyes:
The Great War: A confident, atmospheric start to the box set with a stop off at an often neglected period of history that is well suited to audio. The TARDIS materialises in a location that is packed with evocative sounds from gunfire and explosions to screaming steam trains and ghostly fog attacks. If there is one thing that is going to knock the Doctor out of the doldrums it is a supernatural mystery during a pivotal moment in human history. Paul McGann’s lust for the material is evident in his energetic performance and we manage to go on a fair bit of the Doctor’s journey (from near suicide to lust for saving lives in the space of an hour) in this first installment alone. What I really enjoyed about The Great War was how Molly’s introduction was a slowly achieved with the audience having very little clue that she is the Doctor’s latest assistant until the last few moments. Until then she is simply a bolshie, vivid historical character who aids him during his investigations and one who makes quite an impression by holding her own with him whilst still respecting his abilities. My initial reaction to the Daleks being wheeled out again by Big Finish was one of despondence so imagine my surprise when they barely featured and when they did turn up it was precisely when the story needed them. This is all set up so its hard to review as an individual piece but I was still very impressed by all of the individual elements that went into making The Great War work. Paul McGann re-energised, a strong new companion, an atmospheric mystery and plenty of vivid historical detail. Listening to this you can almost understand why Big Finish’s website went into meltdown when it was released: 8/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/dark-eyes-great-war.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/new-eighth-doctor-box-set-1-doctor-who---dark-eyes-792
Fugitives: This is still rather engaging but I do have some issues with the plotting of the piece. If you are going to go on the run from the Daleks in a Hartnell era style chase then you better make damn sure that your landscapes are as varied and as gripping as possible. Fortunately Any Hardwick is more than up to the task and each location is brought to life with absolute conviction and striking sound effects. If you wanted to expose the ability of Doctor Who’s format than Fugitives would be a great place to start as we hop from France in the First World War to the same point during the Second World War to England in the 1970s and finally on to an alien planet. The Doctor and Molly step from one dangerous situation to another which means the story is remarkably fast paced (it was over before I knew it) but also a little scatterbrained. It feels frustratingly like we are only seeing glimpses of much larger, more absorbing stories. I first listened to Fugitives whilst giving the garden a long overdue tidy and thanks to its brevity of fast moving sketches and its stunningly interactive soundscapes (I ducked at one point when a Dalek squad zoomed overhead) the work flew by like charm. Gripping vignettes for sure but the story feels all over the place with things being set up that have no relevance yet (Straxus’ suicide, the time machine at Baker St, the Daleks failing to kill the Doctor and Molly when they have the opportunity), many questions unanswered (especially surrounding Molly and the TARDIS) and there is no sign of the main villain of the piece doing anything relevant. Molly continues to impress, adjusting to the Doctor’s insane lifestyle with remarkable swiftness and frankness of character. Fugitives is part of a jigsaw and is in no part a cohesive piece of storytelling but with enough action and strong ideas thrown in the mix, it’s building a fairly appealing schizophrenic narrative. An awful lot of questions have been posed so I hope the answers are due: 7/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/dark-eyes-fugitives-written-and.html
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A Tangled Web: ‘A war with the Daleks that wiped out the Time Lord? That is just about the most preposterous thing I’ve ever heard!’ The first fifteen minutes of A Tangled Web gets down to the nitty gritty of explaining the story at the core of the Dark Eyes box set with Kotris stepping out of the shadows and the Doctor discussing the rawness of hope and how it has seen him through the worst of times. The former feels roughly thrown into the middle of the story to allow the conclusion to make sense whereas the latter proves to be an extremely thoughtful moment of self reflection. How Dark Eyes fluctuates like this between the handicapped and the genius baffles me. Unlike The Key to Time season but very like the Hartnell epics that skip from place to place, the actual settings that they are visiting are completely irrelevant. It’s the journey that is important. Those of you who are expecting each of the locations that the Doctor and Molly visit to have some part in the overall plot are going to be very disappointed – it’s the fact that they are travelling together that is the key. With that in mind it is the detail in these locations that counts and the trip to the city of affable Daleks is an absolute joy. Can you imagine anything more inharmonious than listening to the metal meanies giggling like mad and playing with children? Its during these scenes that A Tangled Web really comes alive, Briggs stretching his imagination and appearing to dare to reveal the fate of the Daleks long after the Time War. That it all turns out to be a massive con is disappointing and so is the some of the really ugly, clunking set up that is becoming continually more intrusive as the story progresses. Its frustrating because there is so much that is good in Dark Eyes and yet it is failing to cohere into a successful whole. For the twenty odd minutes with the gleeful Daleks however I could almost forgive anything and during this segment Paul McGann has never been better: 7/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/dark-eyes-tangled-web-written-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/new-eighth-doctor-box-set-1-doctor-who---dark-eyes-792
X and the Daleks: Trying to condense an entire series into a box set is an ambitious idea and one that should be applauded but falls down on two contradictory fronts; there isn’t the time to tell individual stories in enough depth so they wind up being unsatisfying vignettes and simultaneously the running time is far too long to tell one interweaving arc story because you are waiting too long for the answers and are disappointed by them because of it. Being practically the same format as Trial of a Time Lord it would appear that Briggs learnt nothing from its mistakes. Had the Molly O’Sullivan/Dark Eyes plot been one individual hour long story and not spread do thinly through so many other adventures it would have made for a gripping listen. And had some of the mini adventures been stretched to fill an entire CD (especially the 1970s and Dalek City stories) they would have made far more satisfying adventures. Trying to have his cake (to enjoy all the elements of a 13 part Doctor Who series in one four part box set) and eat it (trying to tell one epic adventure whilst conjuring lots of diverse adventures as well) is Briggs’ downfall here. The Daleks’ Masterplan might be sprawling portmanteau of ideas and adventures in the same vein as this but it has a dramatic drive and a taste for telling something truly legendary that is missing from Dark Eyes. There’s also the feeling that Briggs may have reached a dramatic peak with Lucie Miller/To the Death that comes with four years worth of build up and so this set, for all its agreeable elements, could never quite match up to it. I don’t want to step all over what has been achieved here because there is a great deal to like about this saga – Paul McGann brings the material to life with a rarely seen zeal, Molly O’Sullivan is more than a match for his Doctor and I will be campaigning for more adventures with this delightful companion, Andy Hardwick’s sound design is a work of beauty taking the audience on a trip around some startling audio landscapes and Nicholas Briggs proves that he isn’t short of ideas even at this stage in his Big Finish career with frozen waves, giggling Daleks, evil smog and the distant hammering of the Time War in the near distance all providing great moments. It has all the ingredients to make a delicious soufflé but given the conspicuous plotting and underwhelming climax it never quite rises as high as it should. X and the Daleks runs around for the first half an hour, killing time doing nothing in particular and when the climax arrives despite there being some good concepts in evidence there is the feeling that the revelations are a little inconsequential for such momentous build up. Dark Eyes ends with four people in a room arguing about a plan that has been foiled before the Doctor even got involved. The Daleks’ Masterplan ended with a planet being aged to death and reborn with a companion being slaughtered in its wake. Perfectly diverting on its own strengths but not quite reaching my expectations, Dark Eyes needed another revision before reaching the studio. If nothing else this set introduced us to Molly and it is more than worth the expense of the set just to enjoy a spin around the universe with her: 6/10
Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/x-and-daleks-written-and-directed-by.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/new-eighth-doctor-box-set-1-doctor-who---dark-eyes-792
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