Showing posts with label Big Finish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big Finish. Show all posts
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Episode 32 X Files
Mark is joined by Iain Martin from Five Minute Fiction to look back at the X Files in readiness for the new 6 part mini series due to air in February.
X Files On Channel 5 (UK)
BBC Drama clip
Winterhill
David Bowie
Survivors From Big Finish
Suede
Check out this episode!
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Doctor Who The Auntie Matter
Tom Baker thrilled a generation of children during his time playing the Doctor in the 1970s and early 1980s, and for those of us of a certain age there will always be an affection for the eccentric bohemian fourth Doctor.
Like many working actors associated with a successful part, he was anxious not to become typecast, and somewhat understandably chose to distance himself from the very programme that had made him a household name.
After many years of gentle coaxing, the team from Big Finish Productions persuaded him to come back to the role in 2010. After a very successful first series of adventures alongside Louise Jameson reprising the part of Leela, a second series was recorded during the summer of 2011.
The Auntie Matter, penned by longstanding Big Finish contributor Jonathan Morris is the first of this second series to be released.
Listening to this adventure is a bittersweet experience, the joy of hearing my favourite classic series Doctor/companion pairing is offset by the sadness of knowing that the talented and beautiful Mary Tamm passed away the following year.
The Auntie Matter is set during the 1920s, the Doctor and Romana decide to take a holiday to recuperate after the events of The Key To Time. Sending K-9 off in the TARDIS to give the black guardian the runaround, they decide to move in to a London townhouse and live the life of a Lord and Lady.
In traditional classic series style, the pair are separated, and both affect the way the story unfolds without ever crossing each other's paths. The author is clearly a fan of P.G. Wodehouse, and the story is brimming with the humour and farcical fun synonymous with the creator of Jeeves and Wooster.
The Doctor has to outwit a psychotic robot gamekeeper and the eponymous Auntie, and Romana has to contend with the romantic overtures of a lovelorn bachelor!
There is a wonderful ensemble cast including Julia McKenzie as Florence and Alan Cox as Grenville (Wodehouse's middle name) the valet. But the star performances are from Tom and Mary, the chemistry between them is perfect, it feels like it's only been a week since the events of The Armageddon Factor.
This set includes bonus interviews which is usual with such releases plus a very moving tribute to Mary Tamm.
She will be sadly missed, but we are very fortunate to have a body of work, including her time on Who to remember her by.
Like many working actors associated with a successful part, he was anxious not to become typecast, and somewhat understandably chose to distance himself from the very programme that had made him a household name.
 | |
| Mary Tamm as Romana |
After many years of gentle coaxing, the team from Big Finish Productions persuaded him to come back to the role in 2010. After a very successful first series of adventures alongside Louise Jameson reprising the part of Leela, a second series was recorded during the summer of 2011.
The Auntie Matter, penned by longstanding Big Finish contributor Jonathan Morris is the first of this second series to be released.
Listening to this adventure is a bittersweet experience, the joy of hearing my favourite classic series Doctor/companion pairing is offset by the sadness of knowing that the talented and beautiful Mary Tamm passed away the following year.
The Auntie Matter is set during the 1920s, the Doctor and Romana decide to take a holiday to recuperate after the events of The Key To Time. Sending K-9 off in the TARDIS to give the black guardian the runaround, they decide to move in to a London townhouse and live the life of a Lord and Lady.
In traditional classic series style, the pair are separated, and both affect the way the story unfolds without ever crossing each other's paths. The author is clearly a fan of P.G. Wodehouse, and the story is brimming with the humour and farcical fun synonymous with the creator of Jeeves and Wooster.
The Doctor has to outwit a psychotic robot gamekeeper and the eponymous Auntie, and Romana has to contend with the romantic overtures of a lovelorn bachelor!
There is a wonderful ensemble cast including Julia McKenzie as Florence and Alan Cox as Grenville (Wodehouse's middle name) the valet. But the star performances are from Tom and Mary, the chemistry between them is perfect, it feels like it's only been a week since the events of The Armageddon Factor.
This set includes bonus interviews which is usual with such releases plus a very moving tribute to Mary Tamm.
She will be sadly missed, but we are very fortunate to have a body of work, including her time on Who to remember her by.
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Tom Baker's Big Start For Big Finish
As an occasional purchaser of Big Finish audio CDs I was very excited when it was announced that Tom Baker had, after many years of cajoling, agreed to reprise the role of the fourth Doctor in a new series of audio plays.
The first release is Destination Nerva penned by Nick Briggs, which sees The Doctor and Leela travel to Space Dock Nerva, later to become Nerva Beacon as seen in several stories from season 12 of the classic series on TV.
It's a fun, pacey affair with plenty of spooky moments too, which fits in with the way the show was made during the Phillip Hinchcliffe era.
Among the guest stars is Raquel Cassidy (best known to British viewers as Susan in Teachers alongside Andrew Lincoln from The Walking Dead) seen recently in The Rebel Flesh and The Almost People from series 6 of Nu Who.
As if that wasn't enough Big Finish have also released a Lost Stories box set, featuring two stories originally intended to be made during the original classic series, which for one reason or another never made it to our screens.
I haven't listened to The Valley Of Death yet, but a review wil appear here as soon as I have! The other story in the set is The Foe From The Future (eventually replaced on TV by Robert Holmes' classic story The Talons Of Weng Chiang) originally written by Robert Banks Stewart, and adapted by John Dorney. This is my favourite story so far, with plenty of Tom's trademark wit, and a plot that drives along nicely.
Tom and Louise effortlessly step back into their roles, and the chemistry is fantastic between them. If you have a nostalgic longing for this era of Doctor Who, and you've never checked out a Big Finish audio play this could well be the one to get you on board.
The Fourth Doctor Adventures are available to order from bigfinish.com
It's a fun, pacey affair with plenty of spooky moments too, which fits in with the way the show was made during the Phillip Hinchcliffe era.
Among the guest stars is Raquel Cassidy (best known to British viewers as Susan in Teachers alongside Andrew Lincoln from The Walking Dead) seen recently in The Rebel Flesh and The Almost People from series 6 of Nu Who.
As if that wasn't enough Big Finish have also released a Lost Stories box set, featuring two stories originally intended to be made during the original classic series, which for one reason or another never made it to our screens.
I haven't listened to The Valley Of Death yet, but a review wil appear here as soon as I have! The other story in the set is The Foe From The Future (eventually replaced on TV by Robert Holmes' classic story The Talons Of Weng Chiang) originally written by Robert Banks Stewart, and adapted by John Dorney. This is my favourite story so far, with plenty of Tom's trademark wit, and a plot that drives along nicely.
Tom and Louise effortlessly step back into their roles, and the chemistry is fantastic between them. If you have a nostalgic longing for this era of Doctor Who, and you've never checked out a Big Finish audio play this could well be the one to get you on board.
The Fourth Doctor Adventures are available to order from bigfinish.com
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