Sadly after a really strong run of stories for this TARDIS team, we finally hit a story that I just didn’t care for. It wasn’t awful, but it was certainly dull, and did little to nothing with the companions… A shame, but you can’t win them all! Let’s take a closer look…
The Doctor Who main range begins 2018 with a bang, as Kingdom of Lies is a blast to listen too. We return to the new (to Big Finish) quartet of The Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan, and once again the bigger cast is handled well and the story in general is a good laugh with some fun twists and turns. Let’s take a closer look!
The Fifth Doctor’s reign comes to an end in a story that is often, and quite rightly, described as his best. Caves of Androzani is dark, gritty, full of complex characters, and has the normally a bit naff and polite Fifth Doctor going through hell and being a true hero. If only his other stories were half this good! Let’s take a look then, shall we?
Before we move on to a new Sixth Doctor trilogy, the Main Range take a one-release detour and gives us the Fifth Doctor, but not as we know him! Time in Office is actually a genuinely funny story focusing on the idea that The Doctor has been caught and forced to become President, a role he accepted in the past. Four distinct parts and plenty of fun, with both Tegan and Leela along for the journey… Let’s take a look at it then!
Classic Doctors, New Monsters Vol.2 moves forward into the Fifth Doctor era as the Racnoss make their appearance. Unlike the Tenth Doctor TV episode, this sees The Doctor end up in the heart of the Racnoss Empire itself, and tells a good one hour story in the process. Let’s have a closer look!
We reach the yearly “experimental” trilogy in the main range, this time instead of one linking story or villain across Doctors 5 – 7, this time each of three Doctors gets a two two-parters release. This is a bit odd as I often find, at least in the Fourth Doctor range (made up mostly of two parters) this often leads to rushed stories with poor character development, where as the main range with its four episodes is often better for it. This release shows a good example of the worst and a great example of the best way to handle two part, or 1 hour, stories on audio. Let’s take a closer look at each!
The first Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan trilogy comes to a close with Zaltys, a fun story with some good twists and turns along its runtime. A very enjoyable trilogy overall, made better by the freshness of the lead cast, after nearly a decade and a half of Fifth Doctor releases, it’s good to hear this period of the show getting new stories at last!
The travels of the Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan continue as the quartet arrive in Victorian London (an original idea!) and end up in an exclusive club full of delusional people and an endless supply of people called Edward. Funnily enough, there is more too it than that…
The Main Range reaches a new milestone as The Star Men kicks off a Fifth Doctor trilogy staring Matthew Waterhouse reprising his role as Adric for the first time in the long-running range. As if that wasn’t good enough, the story itself is good too! Handy. Let’s take a look…
Hogan Reviews 