We remain with the Eighth Doctor and Lucy this episode as we explore - as much as is possible, which isn't a lot - Brave New Town and The Skull Of Sobek. Will there be something interesting to be found in a mysterious English village? Will the blue world of The Skull Of Sobek be captivating? Will Kev and JG manage to find more than twenty minutes' worth of things to say about two such unremarkable episodes? Fortunately there's plenty of time left over for recommendations, this week covering one ...
Mar 09, 2021•49 min
We return to the world of the Eighth Doctor as the second Lucie Miller season kicks with with Dead London and Max Warp. Now Lucy's a regular of her own free will how does she fare in her second season? How do the time-zone shenanigans of Dead London work out? Can Max Warp land its Top Gear parody? (Hint: No) Plus we have our regular recommendations with a book from JG and a game from Kev, but which ones?
Feb 23, 2021•46 min
Time to return to the Main Range this episode with the Sixth Doctor and Charley as they encounter The Raincloud Man and also see a welcome return for DI Menzies. How does Menzies work with Charley along for the ride? Does the tail of high-stakes gambling at the casino work on audio? And just what IS that card game they play in the last episode? Plus we have our usual recommendations section - two TV shows this week - and we dip into the mailbag for a follow-up the Star Trek: Discovery recommenda...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 20 min
We're back to regular Doctor Who coverage this episode as we drop into the Companion Chronicles range to cover a Leela story with Empathy Games and a Sara Kingdom episode with Home Truths. How does Sara - one of the shortest-lived of all companions - work in audio and can she support a whole story? Is Leela able to carry a story pretty much by herself? And do these releases continue the quality expected of this range? Plus in recommendations we have a slightly less enthusiastic nod than normal f...
Jan 27, 2021•1 hr 8 min
It's a special episode this time as we lay aside Doctor Who for a week and instead embrace another franchise - the Alien Quadrology. That means we're covering the first four movies in the series. Do they still stand up as workable pieces of sci-fi? Just how influential have they managed to be? And through it all do the xenomorphs remain scary? Plus there's a pretty united front when it comes to Prometheus and Covenant but will it be positive or negative? And of course there's lots of random ramb...
Jan 12, 2021•1 hr 41 min
Welcome to a brand new year! To celebrate we're leaving the world of audio behind this week and covering two TV shows. Firstly, there's the inevitable festive special, Revolution Of The Daleks. How will things pick up with the Doctor in prison? Will Chris Chibnall find anything new to do with the Daleks? (hint: no) And do Graham and Ryan get a good send-off? Plus there's our usual recommendations - no tease this week, both Kev and JG want to talk about The Mandalorian.
Jan 05, 2021•1 hr 7 min
This week return to the always-baffling world or Iris Wildthyme with the last two episodes of the second season and, just in time for the festive period, a Christmas special with The Claws Of Santa! Will Iris be able to seduce Santa away from Mrs Claus? How does Panda fare in all this? And how does the drama balance against the comedy? As always when we discuss Iris we have our regular guest host Abby Denton on board for the discussion as well, so throw on a tinsel-laiden hat and join the fun!
Dec 29, 2020•58 min
We're back with the metal Skarosian terrors this episode as the Sixth Doctor and Charlie encounter The Brotherhood Of The Daleks. Can yet more juice be squeezed out of the rind of the Daleks? How do the Thals fit in to all this? And how are the Doctor and Charlie getting on? Plus there's another rambling recommendations section with a book, an animated series and a lot of divergences from what we're meant to be talking about. Which is all part of the fun!
Dec 22, 2020•59 min
We return to the ever-varying world of Captain Jark Harness once more with the third volume of The Lives Of Captain Jack. This gives JG the opportunity to go off on a massive rant about what Doctor Who is good at and what this box set very specifically isn't, so that's a thing! How does the meeting between Jack and River go? Do Jackie and Jack still work together? And how does dropping in a Queen Vampire pan out? Plus there's recommendations, this week covering a computer game and an animated sh...
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 13 min
We drop in on celebrations for Doctor Who's forty-fifth anniversary in this episode by covering, appropriately enough, Forty Five, an anthology release of four short stories. The Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex get the duties but does this TARDIS crew work in a compressed format? Do all four stories manage to do a good job of celebrating such a milestone? And with four new-to-the-range authors writing the four stores, does this strategy pay off? Plus we have recommendations, this week a sitcom and a...
Nov 10, 2020•1 hr 10 min
It's Halloween so that means it's time for our now-annual spooky episode! That means we're covering The Haunting Of Thomas Brewster, which introduces Mr Brewster, and Perfect World, which sends him on his way. How does Brewster work as a character and short-term companion for the Doctor? Do the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa work in a Dickensian setting? And does Perfect World give a satisfying send-off to Brewster's brief tenure aboard the TARDIS? Plus there's our recommendations this week, one coverin...
Oct 27, 2020•59 min
It's back to the main range with an episode full of daring highwaymen, love under the moonlight and a strange sense of what is and isn't fact in Jacqueline Raynor's The Doomwood Curse. Ah-har! How do Charley and the Sixth Doctor cope with this light-hearted story? Do the two characters continue to click together? And just how broad can a West Country aaaaaac-sent get, me luver? Plus we have a sitcom and a podcast in our regular non-Doctor Who recommendations.
Oct 21, 2020•45 min
We do something a little different this episode and instead of covering one story we cover four short stories which were appended on to Main Range releases. That means this week we are talking about Urgent Calls, Mission of The Vyrons, Spider Shadow and Urban Myths. Four short little bursts of Doctor Who, but do they work with such a compressed running time? How do full stories compare with two-handers? And is this a format to be revisited? Plus there's our recommendations - a book series and a ...
Oct 06, 2020•1 hr 10 min
We return to the world of Iris Wildthyme and the second box set of episodes, which can only mean one thing - Abby Denton is joining us again! Yes, Abby's hear to discuss the first two stories in the box set as we ride the red bus once more. How does Iris cope with a marriage and an evil radio station? How does she fare stranded in the 70's (?) and tangled up in Wonderland? Plus we have recommendations from Abby, JG and Kev this week, and three very different recommendations they are too.
Sep 22, 2020•59 min
We start off a little differently this week by discussing the return of the mighty Christopher Eccleston to the world of Doctor Who and what we might want from his grand return to the role. Then we get into the discussion proper - How does Victoria work out in one of her rare Big Finish appearances? Does the First Doctor era translate well to the Companion Chronicles' way of doing things? And as always we finish with our recommendations, featuring this week a TV show and something else from Big ...
Sep 03, 2020•1 hr 8 min
We round of the first Eighth Doctor / Lucie Miller season with the two-parter Human Resources this week. Can the season successfully land its big conclusion? How does Lucie Miller come out after a whole season? And do the Cybermen really work here. Plus there's more recommendations from Kev and JG, this week a book and a TV series - but which ones?
Aug 18, 2020•47 min
We take in two very different locations with our two episodes this week as we visit the Martian moon of Phobos and a time-looped mansion on Earth. What are the creatures that lurk in the heart of the moon on Phobos? What is the time loop for in No More Lies? And how do these episodes fare in keeping up the quality of the first Lucie Miller series? Plus we dip into our post bag and there's more recommendations from Kev and JG
Aug 05, 2020•52 min
We remain with the Eighth Doctor and Lucie as we cover the third and fourth episodes in the Eighth Doctor Adventures. How does the Doctor manage against a true horror like 70's music? How do he and Lucie cope against immoral reincarnating gods? And do these two episodes see a rise or fall in quality from the two-part season opener? Plus we introduce (big drumroll plllleease!) a New Section as Kev and JG give their non-Doctor Who media recommendations. We have a TV show and a book this time out, ...
Jun 23, 2020•56 min
We start a brand new era this episode as we begin with the first two episodes in the newly (well, newly for 2007) relaunched Eighth Doctor range and get to meet Lucie Miller for the first time. How does the Eighth Doctor get on with his enforced travelling companion? Do the Daleks provide a suitably interesting launch story for new new range? And how much potential does this have going forward?
Jun 16, 2020•47 min
We encounter something different this time out - a brand new companion for the Fourth Doctor! How does Tom Baker's Doctor cope with having a policewoman travelling with him? Can she manage to cope in both a traditional cop setup and on a far-distant planet filled with carniverous Drashigs?
May 27, 2020•54 min
We take a second look at the Companion Chronicles this time out, covering two releases that invoke the spirit of the Third and Fourth Doctor eras. Can Nicholas Courtney bring the Pertwee era back to life and tell an interesting story? Can Louise Jameson and Leela do the same for the Tom Baker era? And how do these two releases compare with each other?
May 12, 2020•1 hr 3 min
We turn to a companion with a box set all of her very own as we cover the first Donna box-set, Kidnapped. Can Donna sustain a whole box-set by herself? How does she cope without the Doctor to guide her? And does the idea of a Donna box-set come together as a coherent story? Plus we dip into the mailbox for a quick discussion of 100 and a couple of recommendations.
Apr 28, 2020•57 min
We turn to a companion with a box set all of her very own as we cover the first Donna box-set, Kidnapped. Can Donna sustain a whole box-set by herself? How does she cope without the Doctor to guide her? And does the idea of a Donna box-set come together as a coherent story? Plus we dip into the mailbox for a quick discussion of 100 and a couple of recommendations.
Apr 28, 2020•57 min
We complete the fifth River box set along with our guest Alasdair Wilkins as we cover the final two stories in the box-set, featuring the Eric Roberts (!) and Derek Jacobi (!!) versions of the Master. After almost a quarter of a century, how does Eric Roberts fare in bringing the "Bruce" version back to life? Can the Jacobi version successfully work with River apart from his own ongoing series? And does the box set come to a successful conclusion? www.jgmcquarrie.scot https://podcasts.apple.com/...
Apr 14, 2020•1 hr 13 min
We're back flicking through the pages of River Song's diary this week as Kev and JG tackle her fifth outing for Big Finish. But we're not doing it alone, as we have a returning guest star materialising the shape of Alasdair Wilkins! With this being an all-Master outing, how will the redoubtable River get on when she encounters the force of chaos that is Missy? Can she cope with the decayed Beevers version of the character? And perhaps most importantly of all, just how fabulous will she be? www.j...
Apr 07, 2020•1 hr 3 min
This week we return to the visual medium and take an overview of the recently-completed Season Twelve. How does this season compare to the less-than-stellar Season Eleven? Does the season manage to course-corrent the flaws of Chibnall's first outing as showrunner? And just how many revelations can one season bear the weight of?
Mar 24, 2020•1 hr 23 min
Time for some policework this week as JG and Kev take on "The Condemned", the first story to feature Charley and the Sixth Doctor. How do the two get on in the contemporary setting of Manchester? Do the two characters work well together? And how do policemen and sentient apartment blocks come together? Plus we dip into the mailbox to discuss recommendations, and we have an announcement about the future of the show.
Mar 17, 2020•1 hr 3 min
We reach a pinnacle in this episode as we cover "100", the story written to celebrate the 100th Main Range story. And for such a big occasion Kev and JG are joined again by Anthony Strand to discuss this four-stories-in-one release. How do the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn cope anchoring such a big celebration? Do all four stories turn out well? And given that three of the four writers conclude their Big Finish careers here, do they go out on a high?
Mar 10, 2020•59 min
It's time for a departure among the Ruritanian gloom of Peldadon as we return to a familiar setting in this week's play, "The Bride Of Peladon". How does the Fifth Doctor cope in a setting previously the preserve of the Third? How does Erimem's departure go? And is this the right place to re-introduce the idea of an Osirian threat? Plus we discuss Erimem's place in Big Finish, how she's worked as a character and how successful she's been.
Mar 03, 2020•47 min
We dive into a new range this week as for the first time we cover two stories in the Companion Chronicles range, "Bluetooth" and "Mother Russia". How does the rarely-featured Liz Shaw work in a Companion Chronicle? Is Caroline John able to return to the role and evoke the 3rd Doctor's era? And how about Steven and (even more rarely encountered) Dodo? Can they survive the Russian winter intact AND deal with an alien invader and Napoleon? Plus we dip into the mailbag to take a recommendation for s...
Feb 25, 2020•44 min
