Big Finish licence renewed until 2020! Recommendations!

It cannot have escaped your attention if you are follower of the Big Finish audios that there has been a wealth of exciting news from the company of late. A genuine regeneration story for Colin Baker's sixth Doctor, the first crossover range with the new series, more exciting adventures for the 8th Doctor and Liv Chenka and most exciting of all the recent news that their licence has been extended to produce audio drama until 2020. What a huge compliment from the BBC to hand the company another five year contract. It gets me very excited because it means there will be a wealth of material to enjoy and review.

So this is a congratulatory post for Big Finish where I will list some of my personal highlights of the prolific amount of material they have already released. These stories aren't just the best Big Finish stories, they are some of the best Doctor Who to have been created...

Fifth Doctor:

Creatures of Beauty: A forgotten masterpiece and a stunning experiment in fractured narration that results in grit your teeth suspense. It’s a piece which opens up some disturbing questions about the Doctor’s effect on the places he visits that wisely leaves you to come to your own conclusions. I love how the story’s climax is the end of part three and its beginning is at the start of part four, Briggs has clearly put a lot of thought into making this experiment work and manages to save a whoop-ass twist until the final few seconds which demands you give the story a second listen. David Daker gives the performance of a lifetime as Gilbrook; he is sinister, sadistic and yet rather wonderfully departs the story on a moment of pure poetry. Creatures of Beauty is not afraid to make its audience feel uncomfortable and in doing so it manages to be one of the most thought provoking stories yet. I cannot fault this story.

Full review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/08/creatures-of-beauty-written-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/44-Doctor-Who-Creatures-of-Beauty

The Kingmaker: The last time I had this much fun with history and time travelling antics was City of Death and I don’t exaggerate when I hold this ingenious story in exactly the same league. Nev Fountain has written a fantastic script, which juggles passionate ideas, belly laughs, moments of genius and great character drama. No aliens in sight and yet this is still Doctor Who through and through, the guest cast are phenomenal and the direction keeps the story skipping along energetically. Fountain’s handling of the regulars is perfect, giving the usually colourless fifth Doctor some witty and wonderful moments, touching on Erimem’s ancestry and best of all pushing Peri into the limelight and have her go off like an emotional rocket. Two of the best Big Finish moments come with the revelation of who the Master really is and the identity of the real Princes – this story is beautifully thought through and has some delicious answers. Even the title is on the subterfuge. After an inconsistent run of stories that verged from ball squeezingly awful to tickle my fancies sublime, The Kingmaker is the first out and out classic in an age.

Full review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2011/03/kingmaker-written-by-nev-fountain-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/81-Doctor-Who-The-Kingmaker

Son of the Dragon: The third gripping historical in a row for the team of the Doctor, Peri and Erimem and one of the most effective Big Finish adventures I have heard, The Son of the Dragon is a shocking reminder of what we have been missing from the main range of late. I am more convinced now than ever that Steve Lyons is one of the most effective audio writers and he understands the medium and how to exploit the lack of pictures and yet still paint some effective imagery, stir up the emotions and teach the audience something about his chosen period of history. This powerful script coupled with some dramatic direction from Barnaby Edwards and a gorgeous cinematic score leaves you with a story that aims high and scores big. Vlad makes for a startlingly effective villain, stripping away all the myths that surround the character but making him no less bloody and the performance by James Purefoy had me on edge throughout the production. It’s a fantastic story for the three regulars too with the Doctor being punished by history, Peri struggling to cope with the morality of the period and Erimem once again every bit as spellbinding and as alien (at least to Peri) as she has ever been. This isn’t just ‘I’ve been waiting for a great story for ages’ good, this is bloody brilliant.

Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2011/05/son-of-dragon-written-by-steve-lyons.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/99-Doctor-Who-Son-of-the-Dragon

The Emerald Tiger: Beautifully written and realised, The Emerald Tiger is an incredible piece of work and the first adventure for this TARDIS team that I can fully support. There are so many things to praise its hard to know where to begin. Firstly as a purely auditory experience this is a thing of beauty with a lush, contemplative and exciting score, an impressively exotic soundscape that plants you in historical Calcutta and some exciting and imaginative set pieces that somehow come alive through sound even more effectively than they would if you could see them. Next up is the treatment of the regulars which is exceptional and fully endorses the idea of continuing to use this foursome. Everyone gets something to do, Edwards highlights their strengths (the Doctor’s curiosity and closeness to Nyssa, Tegan’s temper and amiability, Nyssa’s empathy and Turlough’s resourcefulness) and they all take a share of the memorable dialogue. The script can also take a bow for it is packed full of incident and substance, planting me in Indian culture in an understandable way so that I took a great deal from the experience and telling a gripping narrative that utilises all of its characters well. The casting is inspired and nobody gives anything less than 100% and I was particularly refreshed by the multicultural nature of the cast. Lastly I have to mention the handling of Tegan which is something I have been particularly critical of of late. Edwards nails her character here in a way that few writers ever have and this is precisely how she should have been portrayed on television; good humoured, resourceful, funny but still with that acerbic bite. Her characterisation in The Emerald Tiger is masterful and I never thought I would say that. The last ‘written and directed by Barnaby Edwards’ I listened to was The Wreck of the Titan and I thought that was a near-perfect cinematic treat. The Emerald Tiger is even better, a clear highlight of 2012’s main range output and one of the best ever fifth Doctor stories in any medium.

Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-emerald-tiger-written-and-directed.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-emerald-tiger-327

Psychodrome: A palpable hit that somehow manages to package the season nineteen crew as something fresh and compelling. I've made the observation myself that having three companions is too many to be able to tell a decent story and give everybody a fair share of the action. Jonathan Morris takes that criticism as a challenge and manages to make the over crowded TARDIS of season nineteen a huge strength in the story that he is telling and the first episodes, whilst setting up an intriguing scenario, almost solely concerns itself with establishing the four unique personalities that are currently fronting the series. At their worst, this is the most obscenely mismatched bunch of characters that can literally drag a story into the mud (Four to Doomsday) but at their best they gel together rather well and provide some nice banter and relief in the stronger stories (Castrovalva, Black Orchid, Earthshock). Psychodrome paints an authentic picture of the crew, albeit with some of their more extreme characteristics toned down so they are much more approachable. Imagine if this had come after Castrovalva instead of Four to Doomsday? It would have been exactly what the season needed, a story that gelled this team into an effective family, that explored their characters and explained why they stay together. Four to Doomsday had an impressive budget and there is nothing in this story that couldn't have been realised on that. Consider it the highest compliment that the next time I do a TV marathon of Doctor Who I may have to slip this in between Castrovalva and Kinda and forget that the other story existed altogether. When it comes to characterisation, Psychodrome is the strongest audio in a long, long time. The final episode is literally weighted down with quality character scenes and examination. In what has to be one of the most satisfying conclusions of any Big Finish productions, the most fractious of TARDIS teams show their faith in each other and combat their insecurities. What a marvellous idea for a story, how beautifully placed.

Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/psychodrome-written-by-jonathan-morris.html


Sixth Doctor:

The One Doctor: The crowning achievement of Big Finish. Don’t listen to those people who say that it is Chimes of Midnight…although that story is fabulous too but it far easier to scare people than it is to make them laugh and The One Doctor makes you really laugh. There is never sense that the writers are trying to take the piss out of the show but merely affectionately poke at its extremes and for a story that sees the sixth Doctor and Mel having the piss taken out of them so much they come off with more dignity and humour than any serious story could achieve. Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford deliver peerless performances and Christopher Biggins and Clare Buckfield are an absolute delight as their cahoots and alter egos. I may have moaned at Gary Russell’s constant turns in the director’s chair but his work here is nothing short of genius and the music and sound effects really drive the story along. Full points to Clayton and Roberts for such a witty script with so many great one liners for the actors to gobble up and tons of fantastic ideas as well. This story was a total surprise when I first heard it and I cannot think of a single Doctor Who story that cheers me up more. Orgasmically good.

Full review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-doctor-written-by-gareth-roberts.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/27-Doctor-Who-The-One-Doctor

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.

Full review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/08/jubilee-written-by-robert-shearman-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/40-Doctor-Who-Jubilee

Doctor Who and the Pirates: Strikingly experimental and yet still an absolute pleasure to listen to, Doctor Who and the Pirates has taken all the style and effort that has been missing from recent stories and injects them all into four episodes of bliss. Jac Rayner has written a superb script, easily her best for Big Finish, which manages to be a beautiful character study, a rip roaring adventure, a hilarious comedy, a blinding musical and a striking piece of drama whilst offering a treatise on narrative techniques at the same time. It should be utterly schizophrenic but the story shifts mood effortlessly from humour to horror. Colin Baker and Maggie Stables continue to shine in what has become one of the great Doctor/companion pairings and the guest cast instil the story with some priceless performances. The jokes are funny, the songs are wonderful and the direction is faultless. Why can’t every story be as good as this? Remarkable.

Full review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/08/doctor-who-and-pirates-written-with.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/43-Doctor-Who-and-The-Pirates

Davros: A story that redefines Davros beautifully and drips with malevolence. When I first heard this story I thought it was far too long (150 minutes!) and was quite blandly directed but I was so wrong on both counts. I wouldn’t want to cut a single scene from this story and I found that the two and half hours of material flew by this time. As a character tale there is none finer as it uses its extended time to flesh everybody out with real clarity before leaving them gasping to get out of Davros’ homicidal grip. The dialogue is crisp and thoughtful and the music ramps up the tension to unbearable levels. Colin Baker gets another chance to shine and unencumbered with an assistant he is as naughty and rebellious as we will ever see him. But this story belongs to Terry Molloy who gets to explore a whole range of emotions as Davros and manages to tug at the heartstrings and terrify you, sometimes at the same time! Its one of the best portrayals of a villain we have ever seen on the show and elevates Davros to some nightmarish pedestal when he can glare down malevolently at the other bad guys we have encountered and laugh at their ineptitude. He’s really scary and that just feels right.

Full review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/09/davros-written-by-lance-parkin-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/48-Doctor-Who-Davros

The Reaping: A revelatory story for Peri, Joe Lidster writes a script that explores her character like never before and really give her substance. Nicola Bryant grabs hold of this opportunity and gives her most assured performance as Peri, ably backed up as ever by Colin Baker and they once again prove what fantastic chemistry they have. It’s an innovative Cyberman story too which I find something of a novelty, often the metal meanies are dumped into a story for no rhyme or reason but to boost ratings or increase sales. Lidster takes the Cybermen and gives their story a definitive ending and a new beginning and their brilliantly over complicated plan could only come from a mechanical mind. Some tasty moments of body horror, a genuinely emotional exploration of losing somebody to the Cybermen and subtle blanket of control over America – somebody is finally exploiting the potential of these creatures. Its Peri’s homecoming that makes the most impact, Joe Lidster takes all the domestic elements that made The Rapture such a disaster and skilfully provides some emotionally choking moments in this outstanding tale. 

Full review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2011/03/reaping-written-by-joseph-lidster-and_27.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/86-Doctor-Who-The-Reaping

The Fourth Wall: John Dorney has written a superb sixth Doctor story which is unlike anything that has come before and doesn’t so much break down the fourth wall but blow through it with dynamite and then stamps all over the debris so it can never be sealed up again. It’s a delirious mixture of clever observations, broad comedy, strikingly dramatic moments and laugh out loud dialogue that begins deliberately predictably and then defies your expectations at every turn. I loved the commentary and inclusion of melodramatic plot devices (hysterical heroines, florid talking villains, karate wielding heroes and lack of motivation and backstory amongst them) that can be traced back to many points in the series because the observations don’t just serve to point out these absurdities but also smile affectionately at the gleefully silly moments Doctor Who has offered us over the years. Dorney introduces the Porcians who are the first deliberately duff alien race (as opposed to all the intentionally terrifying aliens that wound being duff!) and I hope this isn’t their only appearance in Doctor Who because they are hysterical and might just have you honking with laughter! Flip gets some fantastic satirical dialogue in the first two episodes that really helps to sell her as a confident companion with a brain and by having the Doctor lose her so soon into their relationship I was convinced of the bond between them far more than I would have otherwise. There is more than a touch of Pleasantville about this (one of my favourite films) with the fictional characters coming to terms with their roles and as such evolving into real people and it tinges the comedy with tragedy and depth that makes it a far more remarkable tale. If William Gallagher can produce something magical with the Wirrn in the last of this trilogy it might just be the best threesome we’ve had in over a year because The Fourth Wall kept me smiling throughout with its fiendish ingenuity and riotous spoofing and coming so soon after The Curse of Davros which I also directed this praise at this is another story that could happily sit in season seventeen alongside City of Death. Quite brilliant.

Full Review Here: The Fourth Wall
Buy it from Big Finish here: The Fourth Wall

The Widow's Assassin: This story had some of my favourite twists and turns in it of any Big Finish story so I had to listen to the story twice within a day to make sure that I was giving it a fair review and not just judging on my reaction to it's surprises. I had thought we were long past stories that were as whimsical, as colourful, as emotive and as outrageously inventive as this in the main range. It would appear that Nev Fountain has an endless stream of creativity locked up inside of him and he has been allowed to let his imagination run riot with this tale. It's a story that has so many layers to it that it might take several listens to realise how perfectly the jigsaw of insane concepts comes together. It heads to some pretty whacky places but what anchors the story is the genuine emotion that Fountain manages to generate. Whilst it is making you laugh at the gags and gasp at the revelations, there is an seam of poignancy and pathos that runs throughout that prevents it from tipping over into farce. I can understand why those who like their Doctor Who stories grounded might reject this as it is off somewhere in the stratosphere for the majority of its running time...but you would be denying yourself the pleasure of an intricately plotted, madly funny and startlingly creative piece of work. It's a story that evolves with the advent of each cliffhanger, the sign of good writer utilising them well. Episode one brings together the Doctor and Peri, sketches in this corner of the galaxy and the vibrant characters, episode two mixes the comedy of the battle of suitors with the drama of the murder mystery of who poisoned the Queen, the third episode plays along much more traditional lines of crazy science fiction ideas and answers a lot of questions left hanging by Trial of a Time Lord and then the story rouses for genuinely surprising fourth episode where we learn something quite extraordinary about the Doctor's past. Those who have rejected Steven Moffat's attempts to add to mythology might sniff at the shading that is added to the Doctor's character but I for once found it far less off-putting than the climax of Listen. At the heart of all this is the sixth Doctor, who is characterised magnificently, and Peri who enjoys some of her best ever moments. Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant seize the opportunity to play a script this nuanced and have cemented their place as my favourite current Big Finish regulars. They learn a great deal of intimate knowledge about each other because of this adventure and going forward it will make them an even stronger pairing. Like all of Nev Fountain's opus, repeated listens only add to the overall experience and this is his second knockout in the main range this year. It's the best cover for ages, too.

Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/the-widows-assassin-written-by-nev.html

Seventh Doctor:

The Fires of Vulcan: A Scotsman and a redhead visit Pompeii and argue over the morality of their foreknowledge of the future, sound familiar? This is something very special indeed. So many areas of this story could have been fudged (McCoy could have phoned in his performance, Bonnie Langford could have over enthused, the script could have been too maudlin, the atmosphere too grim) but every aspect of this production is spot on from the cast to the director and the musical score. I have always loved Historicals and Steve Lyons produces a powerhouse of drama here, a cast of memorable characters and a emotion drive that runs through the story and makes pressing stop to go to sleep (grrr) very hard indeed! It’s clever, involving and dramatic and it never cheats the audience of the spectacle of Pompeii whilst telling quite an intimate story within it. Possibly the best performance Sylvester McCoy has ever given as the Doctor, it is a triumph for the seventh Doctor and a real highlight amongst the fluff of season 24.

Full Review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/03/fires-of-vulcan-written-by-steve-lyons.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/12-Doctor-Who-The-Fires-of-Vulcan


LIVE 34: Phenomenally good, the boldest departure from the norm since The Natural History of Fear and just as gripping. There is a real urgency to the live broadcasts with on the spot terrorist attacks, disturbing discoveries and political depositions and as someone who rarely listens to the news this really captured my imagination. Censorship, propaganda, terrorism and politics all come under the microscope in an intelligent, hard-hitting way. The regulars all get the chance to shine and the guests cast is the best assembled for quite some time. You wouldn’t want every story to be like this but it makes for a chilling, inspired one off.

Full Review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2011/01/live-34-written-by-james-parsons-andrew.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/74-Doctor-Who-Live-34

A Thousand Tiny Wings: A Thousand Tiny Wings is one of my all time favourite Big Finish adventures. Such a simple, evocative, intelligent, beautifully characterised script from Andy Lane complimented by Lisa Bowerman’s atmospheric and disquieting direction that rings every nuance and moment of tension for what it is worth. Whilst you are soaking up all the intellectual discussion between the Doctor and Klein, taking in the ambience of the Kenyan jungle and enjoying the complex characterisation of the guest cast there is the terrifying approach of the Mau Mau keeping everybody on edge and the discovery of an alien creature to solve. As I said in my audio landscape section at times it is the silence that impresses the most because we are waiting on tenterhooks for the Mau Mau to make their move and slightest twig snapping or footstep can be very frightening. Practically every line of dialogue is a gem and the story develops in exciting and unusual ways with the cover and title for once offering hints rather than spelling out the answers. At the heart of this splendid tale you have two towering performances from Sylvester McCoy (whose Doctor has taken off since Briggs took over) and Tracey Childs and their fractious, nascent dynamic makes for an engrossing new partnership. Absolutely top notch, this is the kind of Doctor Who Big Finish can revel in and the New Series couldn’t even touch.

Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2011/12/thousand-tiny-wings-written-by-andy.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/130-Doctor-Who-A-Thousand-Tiny-Wings

A Death in the Family: ‘Words have power…’ Bending reality has never been so intoxicating! The finest Big Finish adventure for many a year and one of the best expressions of what this company can achieve on audio, A Death in the Family is a benchmark story that is packed with substance and realised in style. Steven Hall’s script is remarkably dense and intelligent, juggling multiple narrative and screaming with clever ideas, memorable dialogue and handling its four regulars with absolute perfection. It’s a significant writing achievement. Where Project Destiny was hysterical (and embarrassing) A Death in the Family is subtle, restrained and about a million times more effective. The seventh Doctor has never been better. Ace has never been better. Hex has never been better. Evelyn has rarely been better. With a script that looks inward into what makes all of these characters tick they come alive like never before and whereas Philip Olivier always knocks my socks off I have never experienced such beautifully judged performances from Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred. Its almost as if they knew how good this was one was and wanted to make it even better. Ken Bentley’s direction shifts tones effortlessly and he plays the audiences emotions like a finely crafted musical instrument taking us on an emotional journey that climaxes on a devastating note. Each instalment takes on a different texture and narrative so they could almost be listened to in isolation but all the details are important as they dovetail in the final episode and the complex scheme laid down becomes clear. You’ve got a terrifying opener, what accounts for two heartbreaking companion chronicles in the middle two instalments and a furiously clever final episode. Packed with startling concepts, moments of poignancy and a truly terrifying villain, A Death in the Family deserves its chart topping reputation and then some. I think it will be a while before Big Finish achieves another story that scores quite so highly in every regard.

Full Review Here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/death-in-family-written-by-steven-hall.html


Eighth Doctor:

Death in Blackpool: An unusually melancholic Christmas episode that despite the tragic events still manages to capture the magic of the normality of a family Christmas. This is character drama of the highest order with the eighth Doctor series returning to the dramatic events of an earlier story and letting its consequences spiral out of control and devastate the relationship between the Doctor and Lucie. Christmas is not always mince pies and laughter and Death in Blackpool taps into the darker side of the season that really appealed to me, its far more thoughtful than the usual twee muck. The last scene is a Big Finish highlight, proof that these audio adventures have taken on a life of their own because I always burst into tears when the Doctor and Lucie are torn apart. A story that means a lot to me in many, many ways.

Full Review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2011/04/death-in-blackpool-written-by-alan.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/401-Doctor-Who-Death-in-Blackpool


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 seasonand 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.

Full Review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2011/04/to-death-written-and-directed-by.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://www.bigfinish.com/410-Doctor-Who-To-the-Death

The Stones of Venice: Controversially this might be my all time favourite Big Finish. It’s not the most intelligently written or the most innovative, it doesn’t have a huge mission statement and it doesn’t once threaten to become an exciting story. The script is captivating all the same, full of delicious dialogue, magic, love and wonder and perfectly taking me back to one of the best weeks of my life spent in Venice. The Doctor and Charley are perfect for this story and have their own adventures, wrapping themselves up in the seductive atmosphere of the place and enjoying some of their best ever dialogue. This is a world of secret cults, lost love and revolutionaries hiding under the surface, a story where the conclusion sees lovers sacrificing themselves so they can be together and a City reborn. I could listen to this one over and over. How on Earth did Tom Baker say no? What a nutter.

Full Review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/03/stones-of-venice-by-paul-magrs-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://bigfinish.com/18-Doctor-Who-The-Stones-of-Venice

The Chimes of Midnight: As good as you have heard and then some, The Chimes of Midnight is one of those very rare Doctor Who stories that get everything right and even when you are told about how brilliant it is it still manages to surprise you. With peerless performances, a script that constantly plays with your mind and leaves you breathlessly emotional at the climax, direction that couldn’t be bettered and more clever concepts than both series of Sapphire and Steel I can’t think of a more accomplished piece of time twisting drama. Paul McGann is given more opportunities to prove just how right he was for the part and India Fisher finally comes out of her shell and rocks Charley up into the higher ranks of the companions. Like The One Doctor I have heard this story more times than it is probably sane to admit and I still find it as thrilling as I did on my first experience. This was a really good time to be a fan of Big Finish where they were producing some of the finest Doctor Who we had been privileged to enjoy.

Full Review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/06/chimes-of-midnight-written-by-rob.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://bigfinish.com/29-Doctor-Who-The-Chimes-of-Midnight

Neverland: What else can I say that hasn’t been said above? This is superb climax to McGann’s second season, brilliantly dovetailing all of the hints that have been whispered throughout the year and bringing the paradox of Charley’s survival to a dramatic climax. I can’t remember a companion ever being given this much focus and India Fisher holds the story together beautifully, both as Charley and Sentris. Gary Russell has assembled a fantastic cast and each them bring something special to the story and his direction is nothing short of masterful throughout. Neverland is a story with a wealth of mind-expanding ideas at its disposal but whilst it is thrilling you with its possibility it never forgets to have a heart and the touching scenes between the Doctor and Charley as they realise their partnership may be coming to an end provide the icing on the cake. Alan Barnes has written a thrilling script and it is joyously brought to life by all concerned. Triumphant.

Full Review here: http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2010/07/neverland-written-by-alan-barnes-and.html
Buy it from Big Finish here: http://bigfinish.com/33-Doctor-Who-Neverland