Drunken Time Travel

Drunken Time Travel Extra #2 - Q&A

2012-03-01T20:30:00.002Z

It's another special edition of the podcast - this time we're answering mail... or are we? I forget. Apologies for the sound quality with this one... and the accents.

Links:
Guinness Foreign Extra

Extra 2 - Q&A (mp3 download)
Extra 2 - Q&A (alternate mp3 download)

Scott Ziolko Vs Comics

Blog: The Lair Of Zarbi Supremo (Short Story)

2012-02-23T14:00:00.000Z

Yes, because I haven’t punished myself enough what with the Web Planet podcast and my Voyager blog I’m now reviewing another Web Planet story. This one was a short story published in 1965 a few months after the original story in the Doctor Who Annual and was written by series writer David Whittaker (The Edge Of Destruction, The Rescue). The title incidentally seems to have arrived at by pointing at random words in a dictionary, a lot like how the Star Trek episode ‘For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky’ came about.

The Doctor hears a voice on the TARDIS radio warning about an attack on Earth from the Zarbi Supremo. He finds this unusual, not becuase it’s in English but because it’s no spam. The Doctor locates the transmission source as coming from an Earth ship, the Solar Queen, half buried between two Zarbi anthills, which isn’t the safest place but when the Doctor’s around nowhere is. Inside there’s a boy Gordon Hamilton and his father who’s unconcious. So basically it’s Caravan Of Courage, Dr Who style. The rest of the crew it seems has gone exploring ships that they think will be used to attack Earth. The Doctor is confused as to how the Earth people got here due to the distance but says nothing, which is a first. The Doctor and Gordon leave the ship and come across two Zarbi robots. Inside the robots two of the dead peaceful Menoptera are inside. The Doctor and Gordon swap places with the dead aliens and are able to move the robots. They are soon brought to an anthill by the Zarbi with them not realising the Doctor and Gordon are inside, not being the brightest. Inside, the Zarbi Supremo resides, three times larger than the others, with the crew held prisoner in front of it. One of the Menoptera says they will go to war with the Supremo to save Earth and is killed for his trouble, so much for politics. While this is happening the Doctor and Gordon’s robots free the Earthmen who then kill the Supremo on the Doctor’s orders. The Zarbi without their leader are no longer a threat. The Menoptera tell of how the Zarbi evolved their leader and the Menoptera built weapons to fight him, including the robots. Also the Zarbi guided their planet to near Jupiter in search of an Earth like world. Should’ve used the Kepler satellite instead, a lot easier. Back at the Solar Queen, Gordon’s father is doing better, and the Doctor is dropped off at the TARDIS again.

Interesting back then, that the Doctor, even in a short children’s story was seen as a military leader type, giving the order to kill the Supremo. This of course was focused on a lot more in the television series over the years.

2.05 The Web Planet

2012-02-16T14:00:00.002Z

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, & Barbara

Join us as we try to get through this god forsaken episode with terrible beer. Still, there's tales of cruel children and mimes to keep you entertained. And check out the embedded mp3 cover.

"A mysterious force pulls the tardis off course, stranding The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki on vortis.

A fierce battle is raging between the moth-like Menoptra, and giant insects known as Zarbi. But what is the dark secret that hides at the centre of the Zarbi’s lair?"

Episode 1: The Web Planet
Episode 2: The Zarbi
Episode 3: Escape To Danger
Episode 4: Crater Of Needles
Episode 5: Invasion
Episode 6: The Centre

Writer: Bill Strutton
Director: Richard Martin

Broadcast: 13 February - 20 March 1964

Links:

Bumble Beer

The Web Planet - Watch Online

2.05 - The Web Planet (mp3 download)
2.05 - The Web Planet (alternate mp3 download)

Blog: The Rocket Men (audio play)

2012-02-09T14:00:00.011Z

                     Ian Chesterton (and Vicky, Barbara, and The First Doctor)

Cast:

Ian Chesterton - William Russell
Ashman - Gus Brown

Ian, Barbara, and Vicki and others being held hostage by Rocketmen who are looking for The Doctor. The story picks up from here and is interspersed with Ian recounting the backstory leading up to this situation.

Ian waffles some rubbish about a love epiphany or some such rubbish.
     The travellers land at a floating city within a gas giant - a tourist holiday paradise of floating cities with rays and other creatures that shine like jewels in the sky. This is such a relaxing place that I almost fell asleep listening to it.
Ashman, a rocketeer, threatens to kill the hostages till The Doctor's Companions reveal themselves and tell them where he is. Ian almost lets a girl die because he's in love or something that doesn't really make sense but Vicki eventually confesses being with The Doctor along with Barbara. Ian stays in hiding under the pretence that he is already dead.
     Vicki, Ian, and Barbara go and do a load of tourist type thing whilst The Doctor sets himself up in a science lab to do some experiments and stuff. Ian is jealous. Then invaders attack, planinng to steal 'Jewels from the sky'.
Ashman now threatens to kill Barbara if The Doctor doesn't reveal himself. Refusing to do so, he pushes Barbara out of an airlock and Ian runs after her, diving through the airlock.
     The invaders take everyone hostage but Ian knocks out one of the guards and steals his clothes, rocket pack, et al.
Ian activates his rocket pack and saves Barbara but Ashman gives chase and fights with Ian in the air.
     The Doctor, locked safetly away in his lab, calls security forces and has also completed work on a communication system to allow them to talk to the rays.
Barbara and Ian fall again as a result of the fight but they are caught by a ray whilst another ray attacks Ashman and everyone lives happily ever after.
Ian waffles again about a love epiphany or some such rubbish.

I reviewed this a while back on my other page. Let's see how it fares with a second listening...

The overall premise of this story isn't bad but I have many problems with it. Most of you already know my fondness of Ian so that may have weighed a bit on my overall feelings of this. Firstly, I think Ian acts out of character in this a fair bit and I don't like the whole Ian realising he's in love with Barabara angle. Feels a bit too fanfic. With that out of the way, it's not even the main reason I don't like this. It's how the story was told. The jumping around to different periods of time isn't really the problem either, it's what they do with it, which is very little. Most of the backstory is terribly boring as they explore the new world they land on and offers nothing to the plot. And this takes up the bulk of the audio - nothing happening. There's two moments towards the end where they try to use the narrative in interesting ways but for me they get it the wrong way around. They'll give you the cliffhanger, explain you how the cliffhanger is solved, then show you it being solved. It just seems all out of order with little effective use of the narrative device and it spoils it for me. There's just way too much about this I hate and very little to like. At least I have The Web Planet to look forward to next week...

Score:
0/7 - Non-existant
1/7 - As bad as you can get
2/7 - Poor
3/7 - Quite poor / too many poor points / didn't like it
~~3.5/7 - Neither good nor bad / undecided~~
4/7 - Quite good / plenty of good points / liked it
5/7 - Good
6/7 - As good as you can get
7/7 - Impossible perfection

Written by: John Dorney
Directed by: Lisa Bowerman
Produced by: Big Finish
Released: August 2011

Blog: Romans Cutaway (Short Story)

2012-02-02T14:00:00.006Z

Romans Cutaway written by David A McIntee is one of the short stories in the second BBC Short Trips collection called More Short Trips. It takes place in the same gap as Byzantium but naturally is much shorter. If there’s a gap in a Doctor Who story, you can be guaranteed that someone somewhere’ll fill it with a novel or an audioplay. Having said that it’s not a bad short story.

After the TARDIS falls off the cliff, the crew is knocked out while Ian has a dream about Barbara being in a car crash. We’ve all had that. They all gradually wake up and find that the Ship has crashed to the bottom of a cliff. Ian leaves the TARDIS first to find it’s on it’s side so helps everyone else out. They should’ve dematerialised while he was outside! Barbara and Ian remain and try to get the TARDIS on it’s right way up while the Doctor and Vicki explore to see if they can find a village or house. The righting of the Ship is a lot more difficult than they expected in the heat so they have a rest. They can go up against Daleks and the Voord yet they can’t put a box on it’s side. Meanwhile the others have found a villa and discovered they’re in the Roman empire, presumably from the sign “Welcome to the Roman empire” but with the motto in English. In the villa they see blood on the floor (non dance) in front of a curtain. The Doctor goes to find out what’s behind it with cane in hand. It is revealed to be a man called Lucius who is caring for the villa while his master is in Gaul. He is dying after having been attacked by a lion that has escaped. Good thing the Doctor has that cane handy. Before Lucius dies, the Doctor agrees to care for the villa. Then Vicki remembers about Ian and Barbara unaware that there’s a loose lion, so the Doctor goes to warn them. Back at the TARDIS, it seems the warning is too late, the lion is inching towards Barbara until Ian throws a rock at it. The lion follows Ian as he leads it to a unstable rock shelf which collapses and he kills the lion. Poor lion. First Barbara murders pets now he murders innocent animals. He then collapses again and has the same dream as before until he wakes in the villa. He talks to Barbara and admits to himself he loves her but can’t tell her. Unbeknownst to him, she already knows. Along with all of the Western world.

So we have another reference to Barbara and Ian's feelings for each other, in this case Ian falling for Barbara, even almost going as far to say that he loves her. I wish there was more reference to this in the TV show but understand that would've taken a back seat to the main stories.

2.04 The Romans

2012-01-26T14:00:00.039Z

First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki

Join us for beer, crispy feet, Carry On Rome, and more of Dalek Steve. Plus, find out who I insult this episode.

"Italy, 64AD. Enjoying a rare holiday with his companions, The Doctor takes Vicki to visit Rome, where he is mistaken for the musician Maximus Pettulian. He finds himself obliged to perform for Nero, or risk incurring the vile Emperor's wrath...

In his absence, Ian and Barbara have been kidnapped from their villa. Sold into slavery, they face a bleak future. Can they make their escape and find the doctor before Rome is consumed by fire?"

Episode 1: The Slave Traders
Episode 2: All Roads Lead To Rome
Episode 3: Conspiracy
Episode 4: Inferno

Writer: Dennis Spooner
Director: Christopher Barry

Broadcast: 16 January - 6 February 1965

Links:

How A Female Dalek Would Look
The Birra Moretti Guy

2.04 - The Romans (mp3 download)

2.04 - The Romans (alternate mp3 download)

2.04 - The Romans (mp3 download - right click, save as)

Blog: Byzantium! (Novel)

2012-01-19T14:00:00.003Z

Byzantium! is another of the BBC Past Doctor Adventures however this one has the distinction of being set within a television story, namely next week’s The Romans. Written by Keith Topping this features the first Doctor with Ian, Barbara and Vicki in her first story.

The companions, after the TARDIS materialises at the edge of a cliff find themselves nearby Byzantium. They stay for a short visit but needless to say can’t leave without something mad happening, in this case there’s a bloody attack in the marketplace by Zealots, who want to drive the Romans from their homeland. The travellers then find themselves separated in the commotion. Barbara is initially rescued by a jewish Pharasee, Hieronymous, Ian is a guest of the Praefectus as he tells them he is a freeborn Briton, Vicki is taken in by a Greek family and the Doctor finds himself on the run with Christians (the religion, not the 80s band). From there Vicki is expected to work for her supper which for a girl from the 21st century is right out so imagine what it’s like for Vicki from the 25th. Meanwhile Ian seems to have found himself in Carry On Byzantium with all the women in the household trying to seduce him and most of the men trying to kill him, pity it wasn’t the other way round. The Doctor though has it easy with his most difficult chores being translating the original text to become the Bible. Hieronymous inexplicably like so many others, falls for Barbara so she leaves to see if the others are still alive while Vicki is captured by the Romans and taken to the Praefectus. Amidst all the Roman backstabbing and religious wars that Ian tries to amend he meets up with Vicki and Barbara by saving their lives. They go to where the TARDIS was but it’s gone, the Doctor finds them and they learn that the time machine has been taken to a house near Rome. Which is where we’ll find them at the start of next week’s podcast....

I quite liked this book although aside from the characters getting separated and then meeting up again nothing much of note really happened. Needless to say there’s the obligatory “What have the Romans ever done for us” reference. But it was nice to see Hartnell fluff lines in the book since it’s really part of the character now.

Blog: The Book Of Shadows (Short Story)

2012-01-12T14:00:00.002Z

The Book Of Shadows written by Jim Mortimore is one of the short stories in Virgin Books first Doctor Who collection, Decalog. It takes place, originally, just after the TARDIS travellers would have visited Alexander in Farewell Great Macedon, but of course this isn’t mentioned because it wasn’t published until later.

In this one the three remaining travellers go to mines in Alexandria because Barbara wants to make a ring for Susan’s wedding. Why she can’t go to a shop, I don’t know. Barbara and the Doctor are separated from the TARDIS and Ian by a cave-in and try to get some miners to help. The slave miners recognise her as the Queen, that sort of thing went so well in the Aztecs, and when taken to Ptolemy it seems there’s a version of Barbara already there but nine years older. At the behest of original Barbara the slaves are let go and then made to join the army, not sure that’s how it is being free but anyway. The Doctor visits the Library Of Alexandria and finds philosophers from the present and future arguing, it seems there are time portals here where they collect books from the future. I wonder what they think of Hawking’s Brief History Of Time. Meanwhile Barbara ends up through one of these portals when she goes back in time nine years into the past. Can you see what’s happening yet? In the past Barbara sees an alien spaceship which has crashed, she is beaten by rioters and loses her memory. She can however understand the alien, Rhakotis, and translates between him and Alexander, and then Ptolemy, to help them build their empire and time portals. In that time Barbara also falls in love with Ptolemy and marries him, having a son. More rioting happens, this time in the present. Or the past, well our past, the Doctor’s present. Bloody time travel! Older Barbara sees the alien spaceship when it’s raised from the sea and can remember again. Just in time to see Ptolemy and a soldier kill each other. The soldier it turns out is Ian who was confused with a miner at the start. The Doctor is able to return Barbara and Rhakotis to their own times but only after Barbara says that Susan will be in the future that’s been changed. So he points out doing so will erase the alternate history, losing her husband and son. They do anyway and Rhakotis dies in the crash in the first place, the energy destroying the Library. I guess Susan never got her present then.

Once again in one of the expanded universe fiction Barbara has feelings for Ian. Are there any expanded ones where this doesn’t happen? Not that it matters because as soon as he’s out of the picture she’s off with Ptolemy. I do have to point out the Doctor giggles and is quite funny in this, at one point when faced with Barbara being found out as an impostor on the way to meet Ptolemy he responds to what she should do with “extemporise”.

On the whole it was a thoroughly satisfying tale where all the elements both in the story and history came together well, which is great for a short story.

2.03 The Rescue

2012-01-05T14:00:00.010Z

First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki

It's the first episode since Susan left, and also one of the higest rating episodes ever. You make your own mind up as we drink Bah Humbug and discuss pet killing.

"When the tardis lands on dido at the end of the 25th Century, where the Doctor, barbara and Ian discover a crashed spaceship waiting for help.

The only survivors have been murdered apart from a young, orphaned girl and a paralysed man. But who is the strange creature Koquillion that they are afraid of? And will they remain safe long enough to be rescued?"

Episode 1: The Powerful Enemy
Episode 2: Desperate Measures

Writer: David Whitaker
Director: Christopher Barry

Broadcast: 6 January - 9 January 1965

Links:

Wychwood Brewery
Cover Album
The Rescue on youtube

2.03 - The Rescue (mp3 download)

2.03 - The Rescue (alternate mp3 download)

2.03 - The Rescue (mp3 download - right click, save as)

Blog: Daleks Versus The Martians (Comic)

2011-12-29T21:00:00.000Z

This comic which is set in the same continuity as the movies was in the Doctor Who Magazine Spring Special 1996 from Marvel. Daleks Versus The Martians written by Alan Barnes is set in between Dr Who & The Daleks (which was reviewed on our bonus podcast last week) and Daleks Invasion Earth 2150AD (which should be done at a later date).
The story features Peter Cushing’s version of Dr Who and Susan but with his neice Louise this time (who might as well be Barbara). The travellers arrive on the planet Mars (Hence the title) inside a bubble that sustains life. Dr Who came to solve the Martian Sphinx, which is a formation that looks like a face (A face? Maybe it’s Dalek technology). Quicker than you can say “exterminate” the Daleks show up.
From beneath the ground, the telepathic Martians rescue them. The Martians look like your usual little green men (well black and white men in this case). They soon realise that Louise has been taken by Daleks and that Mars is their stepping off point to Earth. I guess the Daleks don’t do surprise. At the Dalek saucer Louise soon blabs to the Daleks about the TARDIS and so they put that right to the top of their Christmas list. Meanwhile Dr Who solves riddle of Sphinx that it’s a giant Transformers style robot with weapons which kills Daleks. As this is going on Dr Who rescues Louise and they escape from the saucer on a hover platform. Leaving Dr Who wondering what the Daleks will do next. If Box Office receipts permit.
Not a bad little story. It’s nice to see some things that take place in this continuity so to speak and if I find anymore I’ll be sure to review them.

Extra 1 - Dr. Who And The Daleks

2011-12-22T14:00:00.009Z

"I know we'll be drunk, we hope you will be too"

Join us for a special Christmas edition of Drunken Time Travel as we take a look at the first Dr. Who movie starring (Peter Cushing). Also check out the alternate embedded mp3 artw--k. Happy Doctor Who Day from Drunken Time Travel.

"Accidentally thrown together, Dr. Who, his granddaughters, and their friend Ian cross the universe in Who's new invention, the space and time machine known as "TARDIS". When they land on the planet Skaro, the travelers meet the kind and placid Thals, who live in fear of the dreaded Daleks. Somehow, Who and his party must find a way to help the Thals overcome the deadly mutants who live inside impenetrable metal casings."

Writers: Terry Nation (story)
Max Rosenborg (uncredited)
Milton Subotsky
David Whitaker (additional material, uncredited)
Director: Gordon Flemyng

Released: 25th June 1965

Links:

Cover Album

DTT E1 - Dr. Who And The Daleks (mp3 download)
DTT E1 - Dr. Who And The Daleks (alternate mp3 download)

2.02 The Dalek Invasion Of Earth

2011-12-15T14:00:00.006Z

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, & Barbara

It's the return of the Daleks, so join us as we drink beer and laugh at Dalek Steve. Also, check out the alternate embedded mp3 cover and unused QI cover.

"Arriving in London in the middle of the 22nd century, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan discover that Daleks have invaded Earth. Will humanity be enslaved by the evil Daleks, or can the Doctor stop their audacious plans and save mankind from extermination...?"

Episode 1: World's End
Episode 2: The Daleks
Episode 3: Day Of Reckoning
Episode 4: The End Of Tommorrow
Episode 5: The Waking Ally
Episode 6: Flashpoint

Writer: Terry Nation
Director: Richard Martin

Broadcast: 21 November - 26 December 1964

Links:

Acorn Brewery
Cover Album
The Borg Comic Strip - Abstruse Goose
The Dalek Invasion Of Earth - Trailer
The Dalek Invasion Of Earth - Watch Online
Unused QI Cover
Picture Of A Dalek Bomb
Post Atomic Horror

2.02 - The Dalek Invasion Of Earth (mp3 download)
2.02 - The Dalek Invasion Of Earth (alternate mp3 download)

Blog: The Time Travellers (Novel)

2011-12-08T14:00:00.001Z

This is another of the BBC Past Doctor Adventures which The Witch Hunters was part of with The Time Travellers more towards the end of it’s run. Written by Simon Guerrier this again features the original TARDIS team of Ian, Barbara, Ian and Susan though you get the feeling throughout the book that their time together is also coming to an end.

The TARDIS lands in London in 2006 though it’s not the 2006 which you or I would be aware. England is at war with South Africa of all countries and London appears to be in martial law with vagrants wandering the streets but hey, they’re aren’t any reality shows and they’ve never heard of X-Men 3. Swings and roundabouts. After, of course, being captured and escaping a few times the team discover that they’re experimenting here with time travel in the form of a hoop with some of the results being duplicates of some of people who were/will be put through the hoop appearing (who are the vagrants). The Doctor naturally wants to put a stop to this (if he can’t travel in time, neither can they) but results in the TARDIS being put into the hoop by the military leader General Louise Bamford. The TARDIS team (sans TARDIS) also go back through the hoop to look for it. They arrive back in 1972 before Bamford but when she arrives she doesn’t know where the TARDIS. However they are able to make her a less militaristic person by taking her to a pub. Beer, is there nothing it can’t do? They all have to live at the abandoned docks with the other vagrants and one of the older ones seemingly attacks Susan but next day he is revealed to be an Ian duplicate who arrived in 1948 and has wandering by himself for 24 years. He leads the team to the TARDIS which he has been keeping in hiding while he remains behind to change this world for the better. Probably.

I love a scene in it where the Doctor and Susan make some scientists think they’re seeing something amazing when in fact it’s simply a scientific conjuring trick to make off with their equipment. Also in the book, Ian is made a much more tragic and well rounded character, chiefly with the duplicate, and becomes all the better for it as opposed to the impossible everyman superhero in the TV series. Indeed, the novel looks more in depth at the Ian and Barbara relationship which was interesting and a shame we didn’t see it in the series.

The Doctor hints in this that the events of this story will attract the Time Lords and so now he’s determined to keep Susan safe which retroactively links in with next week’s The Dalek Invasion Of Earth podcast...

Blog: Farewell Great Macedon (audio)

2011-12-01T14:00:00.008Z

Oh what could have been. This audio, half audiobook and half audioplay is performed by Ian and Susan actors Carole Ann Ford and William Russell along with John Dorney as Alexander. It was based upon a script written in 1964 that wasn’t produced for various reasons.

The TARDIS lands in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon but Susan hears music so thinks it’s heaven for some reason. The Doctor points out he doesn’t know the way. They then meet Alexander the Great (who, of course, Barbara is an expert on)and are invited along with him and won’t let them leave. However some of Alexander’s party are plotting to murder him along with his heirs. For time travellers they have the worst timing. Ian manages to argue with pretty much everyone in the story, they just love him in ancient times. First up to die is Alexander’s father Cleitus by being speared(non Ming the Merciless). After he dies Alexander points his spear at his own chest... melodramatic much? He goes from happy to angry and back again just like Homer Simpson. In Cleitus’ honour Alexander orders there to be Olympic style games, yup no way Ian will be taking part in these. Next up to die is Calanus by poison, although the Doctor almost saves him Calanus opts to end his life anyway. What is with these people? Susan is so upset at his death she cries, burying her face into Barbara’s shoulder. Barbara’s probably thinking, “Well,there goes another sweater”. When Hephaeston is killed initially blames the travellers ordering Ian to be put to death (Yay!) but then relents. The Doctor is to walk on fire and Ian is to take part in the games (shock) to become a champion. Of course the Doctor succeeds. Ian chooses to take part in wrestling... in ancient Greece. Huh huh. Of course Alexander is next to die but interestingly the Doctor attempts to save him until Barbara mentions this is the date that he is destined to die on. They then leave in the TARDIS at that point. So four deaths later, a successful trip by all.

During the story the travellers aren’t exactly secretive about travelling in time unless they’re blatantly asked then it’s a secret because that never fails. They may as well wear giant neon badges. Plus Barbara gives away a plastic bracelet during the story, can’t wait until the archaeological dig on that one.

John Dorney was actually a really good Alexander the Great in this. Also I’ve mentioned before that I quite like the purely historical stories and this one would’ve been a good one if this audio is anything to go by.

2.01 Planet Of Giants

2011-11-24T14:00:00.015Z

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, & Barbara

"Trying to return Ian and Barbara to the twentieth century, The Doctor attempts an unorthodox new technique, causing the TARDIS doors to open in mid-flight, setting alarms ringing inside the craft.

Arriving on earth, the time travellers discover that they have all been reduced in size – they are now minuscule people in a world of giants.

The TARDIS crew must survive in a garden: a garden teeming with worms, ants and cats - deadly hazards for the tiny travellers..."

Episode 1: Planet Of Giants
Episode 2: Dangerous Journey
Episode 3: Crisis

Writer: Louis Marks
Director: Mervyn Pinfield and Douglas Camfield

Links:

Wychwood Brewery

2.01 - Planet Of Giants (mp3 download)
2.01 - Planet Of Giants (alternate mp3 download)

Blog: The Witch Hunters (Novel)

2011-11-17T14:00:00.001Z

This week it’s the turn of the now defunct Past Doctor Adventure novels that the BBC published for eight years prior to the start of the relaunched series in 2005. The story set after Reign Of Terror, is written by Steven Lyons who has also written some of the audioplays, one of which, Colditz, was recommended recently on the podcast.

So I’m sure you’ll have surmised from the cover that this story takes place at the end of the 17th century with the witch trials of Salem Village. The TARDIS crew have landed there thinking the year is 1691 and the Doctor decides to carry out repairs. When it becomes clear it is actually a year later on the eve of the witch trials things begin to go wrong despite their careful planning, including Ian and Barbara pretending they’re married and Susan as their daughter. Susan herself is quite disgusted by what’s happening in the village and despite escaping in the TARDIS she returns to change history. I’m sure the Doctor would be fine with that, oh wait. As a result of this the Doctor and Barbara are separated from them with the villagers convinced they’re all witches. Ian ends up in prison (again, he must like it there), Susan ends up living with a tyrant of a man... okay maybe things don’t change for everyone then. Of course things turn out okay for the travellers in the end.

A theme that the book takes on is the changing history one that was first picked up in The Aztecs. This time the companions (well apart from Barbara after the aforementioned story) want more answers as to why they can’t change history with the Doctor taking on the role of the parent basically answering “Because!”.

I really enjoyed this book. I’ve often said I’d like to see more pure historical based stories and I was particularly impressed that there was no science fiction reason for the villagers acting as they did, it was simply hysteria. The setting for this one certainly helped, indeed, it made me want to find out more, I mean I knew the basics but hadn’t realised the details. I guess that’s what I get for not watching the Crucible. Even the main characters in the novel have! The ending where the Doctor takes one of the accused witches before she is to be hanged to the future to see how things changed and to see the Crucible play was particularly poignant.

Blog: The Companion Chronicles - Here There Be Monsters (Big Finish Productions)

2011-11-10T14:00:00.004Z

Another of the Big Finish audioplays where Susan Foreman narrates a tale from her time with the Doctor.

In this story the TARDIS lands on a ship which is lousy with plants. The Doctor and Ian bicker with the Doctor delighting in point scoring against him, well who wouldn’t? Eventually it seems the vines are connected as it’s one creature called Rostrum, who is the Captain and crew of the vessel. The Earth ship has been sent into space to punch holes in the space-time continuum as a navigational aid or Benchmarking. That can’t possibly be a bad idea. Barbara explains at length how this is similar to maritime practices in the 17th century and then asks Rostrum if he ever gets bored, well not until now he should’ve said. The Doctor is outraged by the Benchmarking and insists that Rostrum stops the activity at once. Susan the wanders off and encounters a man who says he’s the First Mate. Oh it seems punching holes in space IS a bad idea, as another space ship appears from one of the fissures and fires missiles at them, but it’s okay a giant tentacled monster appears from another fissure and drags the ship and missiles back with it. It seems universe is coming apart because of this but the Doctor thinks he can stop if by using the power in the TARDIS engines though this might destroy the TARDIS. The Doctor has to think long and hard about Universe over the TARDIS. It turns out the “First Mate” is a traveller from another universe who is also here to stop the benchmarking. He’s able to stop the fissures and the ship by returning to his original form and releasing vast amounts of energy with the TARDIS crew safe in the TARDIS.

There were some interesting points of view in this story. At one point Susan says although the Doctor looked old he was only an adolescent as far as her people went. I also like that the reason the Doctor left his people in the first place was to see the wonders of the universe with Susan being “an accidental hanger on”. Susan feels that because the Doctor feels he has to protect her that he’s missing out on that which foreshadows her eventual leaving (can you foreshadow when you write something decades afterwards?).

Also because Doctor has only had TARDIS for a short while comparatively he only knows very basics of it like how to take off and land. Makes sense since the Doctor in the new series seems to be able to land anywhere he wants. The best bit of that is that the playing with the TARDIS console that he does is only for Ian and Barbara’s benefit.

1.08 The Reign Of Terror

2011-11-03T14:00:00.011Z

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

"The TARDIS materialises not far from Paris in 1794 - one of the bloodiest years following the French Revolution of 1789. The travellers become involved with an escape chain rescuing prisoners from the guillotine and get caught up in the machinations of an English undercover spy, James Stirling - alias Lemaitre, governor of the Conciergerie Prison."

Episode 1: A Land of Fear
Episode 2: Guests of Madame Guillotine
Episode 3: A Change Of Identity
Episode 4: The Tyrant Of France
Episode 5: A Bargain Of Necessity
Episode 6: Prisoners of Conciergerie

Writer: Dennis Spooner
Director: Henric Hirsch and John Gorrie

Links:

Kronenbourg 1664

Season 27 - Trailer
Colditz - Trailer
The One Doctor - Trailer
Enemy Of The Daleks - Trailer
Renaissance Of The Daleks - Trailer
Company Of Friends - Trailer
Master - Trailer
Doctor Who And The Pirates - Trailer
Live 34 - Trailer
Harvest - Trailer
Creatures Of Beauty - Trailer

1.08 - The Reign Of Terror (mp3 download)
1.08 - The Reign Of Terror (alternate mp3 download)

Blog: Doctor Who Companion Chronicles 3.07 - The Transit Of Venus

2011-10-27T14:00:00.006+01:00

Cast:

Ian Chesterton - William Russell
Joseph Banks - Ian Hallard

Writer: Jaqueline Rayner
Director: Nigel Fairs
Produced By: Big Finish
Released: 31st Jan 2009

Taking place sometime after 2004's transit of Venus, Ian recounts a tale set directly after the events of The Sensorites. Not happy with just discussing the adventures the four of them have had at the start of The Sensorites, Susan begins telling adventures that The Doctor and herself got up to before Ian and Barbara in some sort of attempt to convince The Doctor that life with companions is much better. The flaw in this plan being that Barbara was one of the companions. So The Doctor kicks them out at sea and closes the doors.
They are on a ship, and during a staredown competition with the crew, Ian gets hit on the head by a falling mast. Being delerious when he wakes, he mumbles something about Venus and the Captain believes the travellers to have come from there.

When he finally comes round, The Doctor tells him that Susan is in the TARDIS which is at the bottom of the sea, and nobody knows what happened to Barbara. That's right Doctor, deny all knowledge.
We find out they're on Captain Cook's ship Endeavour, which is on its way to discover Australia in 1770 - The year after The Transit Of Venus in 1769 (for those who can't do math). He quickly finds a dislike for Joseph Banks and suspects him of being a time traveller due to knowing detailed events from the future. The Doctor is skeptical and Banks denies this knowledge.

Some bad weather hits and Banks throws Ian overboard before shouting "Man overboard" leading to Ian's rescue. It's like Ian's being bullied and nobody believes him. Not even Banks, who believes he helped save Ian. Ian grows more and more apparently insane as Banks torments him. The Doctor becomes increasingly convinced that Ian's the one meddling with history - a charge Ian is directing towards Banks with on avail.
Upon running aground and taking on water, Ian hears someone speaking some words to him that he said himself back on the Sense Sphere and he realises just how much he relied on Barbara's calm nature. I should point out that he has just awoken from being knocked out and is still weak and delirious. He then sees Susan and Barbara already ashore with the washed up TARDIS.

I will leave out the technicalities of the disappointing conclusion, it's like they thought the story and build up was the most interesting part - and it was interesting - and the conclusion didn't matter as long as it made some vague sense in a way.... "that'll do". Trouble is, as well as an ending that doesn't entirely make sense, it also negates and makes pointless the whole build up to it, it's like an equivalent of "and then he woke up" in the satisfaction stakes, then they all laugh it off. Anyway, by the end, The Doctor decides that all the trouble they were in was all Ian's fault and he's still intent on throwing them out of the TARDIS.

This story was quite entertaining though, despite the lack of action or any real tension. It was like a battle of witts almost between Ian and the Evil Banks, with a build up of suspense trying to find out exactly what Banks is up to and what his plan is. He was positively menacing towards Ian at points and that nobody would believe Ian due to being delirious made it all the more interesting till the "Oh, it was all a joke?" conclusion.*

They do manage to make it fit in continuity to a degree between episodes with the use of a giant mallet. I don't know why they couldn't fit this one in somewhere more naturally rather than shoehorned into here.

*This was not the literal conclusion.

Purchase The Transit Of Venus here.
Read my alternate review over at Wandering In The Fourth Dimension

Blog: Frayed (novella)

2011-10-20T14:00:00.005+01:00

So this is the last “prequel” story I’ll be looking at and it’s from the same series of books as Time And Relative yet it contradicts it a couple of times. But then the actual TV series of Dr Who does that so often, one of the problems being almost 50 years old. I can barely remember stuff from years ago and I’m not even 40 so I can relate. It’s written by Tara Samms (which is a pseudonym of Stephen Cole) who wrote one of my favo(u)rite short stories.

The story starts with the Doctor and Susan (or old man and girl, as they’re called at the start) land on the planet Iwa where they get separated. The Doctor is found by a woman, Juniper, from a base called the Refuge. The Refuge was previously a corporate facility for the treatment of children with genetic traits which would make them more likely to be criminal (How could they tell? Seems like all children to me). It then fell under attack by the aliens on the planet who they refer to as Foxes (Due to their likeness as opposed to being a Sports team). The Foxes have experimented on themselves and thus inadvertently have the ability to disintegrate and reintegrate their bodies, like Star Trek but less on purpose and more painful (which admittedly describes Star Trek Voyager). As well as Juniper, there’s a cook, security guards and a librarian who have all had to become soldiers to defend the Refuge. Webber, the librarian essentially becomes the Doctors companion for the story as they attempt to fix Dream Chambers in which the children have put in. Webber views everyone as what their library/book habits are. I like him. Susan has ended up in the Dreamworld along with Jill, a very powerful telepathic child who has created the Dream (This means she’s hardly in it which is nice). The Doctor eventually gets Susan out of the Dream and leaves Jill in their essentially forever while the Foxes and Humans form an uneasy alliance (well actually the Foxes win and tell them to form an alliance) and the Humans try and help cure them of their disintegration problem.

In this story the Doctor and Susan aren’t their real names and they only adopt them at the end after using them during it (the Doctor is given clothes with a label reading ‘Doctor’ and Jill names Susan after her mother).

Also it’s the Doctor’s first meeting with humans as he hasn’t heard of their race before (and indeed thinks they’re from his sent after him)but he does see something in them that merits further study. Though at this stage he can hardly tell them apart. So the first Doctor is racist eh? Then again that makes sense as he is an old man.

An interesting enough story but it didn’t feel different enough to need placed in the pre TV series era. It could have easiliy have been rewritten to include Ian and Barbara and not felt any the worse.

1.07 - The Sensorites

2011-10-13T14:00:00.029+01:00

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara

"The tardis arrives in a lifeless spaceship. The Doctor finds the bodies of the crew slumped over their stations, the victims of a mental attack that keeps them prisoners in space.

Using their telepathic skills, the Sensorites have managed to stop humanity exploiting the mineral wealth of their world, but now the tardis crew also find themselves at the mercy of the sensor-ites' mental powers."

Episode 1: Strangers In Space
Episode 2: The Unwilling Warriors
Episode 3: Hidden Danger
Episode 4: A Race Against Death
Episode 5: Kidnap
Episode 6: A Desperate Venture

Writer: Peter R. Newman
Director: Mervyn Pinfield (episodes 1-4), Frank Cox (episode 5-6)

*Contains drunken science

Links and Download after the jump:-

Links:

Budwieser Budvar
The Sensorites' Weapon (pic)
The Sensorites' Leader (pic)
Muppets as the Doctor Who cast (pic)
The Origin Of My Flash Ideas
Post Atomic Horror

1.07 - The Sensorites (mp3 download)
1.07 - The Sensorites (alternate mp3 download)

Blog: The Companion Chronicles - Quinnis (Big Finish Productions)

2011-10-06T14:00:00.012+01:00

Another story now that takes place before the Doctor and Susan meet Ian and Barbara. You’d think I was doing this on purpose wouldn’t you? This is one of the Big Finish audioplays that we’ll talk about on a upcoming podcast. This one is more of an audiobook with effects and two voices, one of them being Carole Ann Ford, who played Susan.

The TARDIS lands on Qunnis, in the fourth Universe (remember when there were only four? Inflation eh?) and since it still can it disguises itself as a kiosk. They’ve landed in a market town built on bridges. The Quinnins not being people for intricate names call it Bridgetown. They soon come to notice that the town is undergoing a terrible drought, one that the Doctor is keen to put his scientific mind to. That’s despite the last “rainmaker” to try being literally thrown out of town. Meanwhile Susan befriends a poor orphan girl called Meedla (played by Tara-Louise Kaye is Carole Ann Ford’s daughter) who is not all she seems and the townspeople seem afraid of Bad Luck Birds that prowl the streets at night (Kind of like teenagers but more feathers).

Nice touch is yet again (or for the first time) the Doctor has no local money but pretty much everything else in his pockets including Turkish Delight, a possible forerunner to the jellybabies?

I quite liked this story, if for nothing else but to get another glimpse into pre-TV Doctor Who. It’s also an interesting dynamic with just Susan and the Doctor travelling together. Like most spin-off media it has a propensity to contradict with others eg. in this story it’s the Doctor’s idea to have Susan at school on Earth but in last week’s Time And Relative it was Susans. But if you can take the stories for what they are, stories, then you can enjoy them and not worry where everything fits in together. I mean this is a 48 year old series, the TV show contradicts itself!

Qunnis was based on a line in Edge Of Destruction in which Susan says they “nearly lost the Tardis, four or five journey's back”. The writer, Marc Platt, who besides doing many other audios and books also wrote for the Seventh Doctor in his (and the classic Dr Who’s) final and possibly best season.

Blog: Time And Relative (novella)

2011-09-29T14:00:00.005+01:00

This story is set before the series even began with An Unearthly Child (This was in fact the first BBC sanctioned story to do so). A prequel if you will, this novella was published on the series’ 38th anniversary in 2001. Although a prequel it doesn’t take place on Gallifrey (no, Time And Relative isn’t the name of a pub there) it still takes place on Earth with the TARDIS in the junkyard and Susan at Coal Hill School. Good news though is there’s virtually no Ian in it!

Told from Susan’s perspective as the book takes on the form of her diary. No, come back, it’s not as bad as it sounds. Anyway, having already escaped from their home planet the Doctor and Susan are hiding out on 1960s Earth (Maybe the Doctor likes hippies?) though both of them are having difficulty remembering their lives before. At Susan’s insistence, so they wouldn’t stand out on Earth, she goes to Coal Hill School where she has difficulty adjusting to the social norms of the schoolyard. This part alone shows she’s an alien, I mean, why would anyone voluntarily go to school? She slowly makes friends with two children, John and Gillian (who were named after the Doctor’s grandchildren in the comics) and also babysits for Malcolm, a black child. This results in a scene with a racist soldier saying “should go back to where ‘e came from”. Besides being an interesting parallel for Susan not being from round there either it also highlights of course stupid people.

As she’s just beginning to come to terms with the world and just before you’re beginining to think that this isn’t Doctor Who, the winter that has extended into April erupts with Ice creatures stalking the streets. Susan and her friends make their way to her Grandfather but due to his conditioning from his home planet he doesn’t want to interfere (which probably makes this unique in all the Doctor’s adventures). The Doctor in this is very much a bit of a bastard but this is to be expected given his character in An Unearthly Child and even goes as far as explaining it. While the Doctor’s presence is felt while not being in the book much it is very much Susan’s tale and I really wish she had been written more like this in the TV series and less whiny than she actually was.

1.06 - The Aztecs

2011-09-22T14:00:00.003+01:00

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara

"The TARDIS takes The Doctor back in time to fifteenth century Mexico, the centre of the Aztec civilisation. But when Barbara is mistaken for the High Priest Yetaxa, the time travellers find themselves caught up in a vicious political power struggle which could cost them their lives..."

Episode 1: The Temple Of Evil
Episode 2: The Warriors Of Death
Episode 3: The Bride Of Sacrifice
Episode 4: The Day Of Darkness

Written By: John Lucarotti
Directed By: John Crockett

Links and Download after the jump:-

Links:

Sol Lager
Fourth Doctor in Futurama 1
Fourth Doctor in Futurama 2
Where's Wall-E Robot Picture
Snopes Article On Lime Wedges In Lager

Get The Cheese To Sickbay
The Home Of Weird And Ignorance
Sarcastic Voyage Podcast

1.06 - The Aztecs (mp3 download)
1.06 - The Aztecs (alternate mp3 download)

Blog: TV Comic - The Didus Expedition

2011-09-15T17:19:00.004+01:00

In the 1965, a weekly comic magazine which specialised in Television licences called TV Comic (where did they get the name from?!) began publishing Dr Who. Rather than pay for the licences to the companions too they simply used the Doctor, TARDIS and made up their own companions. In this case two grandchildren by the names of John and Gillian who meet the Doctor and his TARDIS in a very similar way to Ian and Barbara.

Also in the comic, taking the title literally, the Doctor’s name is Doctor Who in common with the two movies made around this time. Also like the TV show it’s based on, the strips were written for serialisation meaning there was often suddenly a threat from nowhere because it was the bottom of a page. Being the 1960’s and being aimed more at a younger audience the stories have more of a child orientated feel eg. in one they meet Santa Claus and help him save Christmas which is just silly, as every adult knows Santa doesn’t need people to help him save Christmas.

The Didus Expedition follows directly on from A Christmas Story and starts with the the Doctor and his grandchildren landing at an outer space zoo. The curator is disappointed to see they don’t have a Pterodactyl for him as he was expecting a delivery of one, presumably from Amazoo.com. The curator tells them that he has a very rare bird called the Didus (think space Dodo) and the Doctor doesn’t believe him as they’re all extinct (isn’t he a time traveller?). The curator insists, and takes them to its cage where there are eggs but no Didus as it’s escaped! John and Gillian urge the Doctor to look for it. They go out to the surrounding jungle to search but the curator warns them of savages. Before you can say “racial stereotypes” they’re attacked by racial stereotypes who kidnap John to set him on fire... for some reason.

You’d think finding firewood would’ve been easier. The Stereotypes who have the Didus, want to keep it as it’s they’re a lucky bird. They’ve had it for all of five minutes, how much luck can it have brought?! True, it did bring them the walking, talking firewood I suppose. So Dr Who (for ‘tis his name) saves John and tricks the Stereotypes into excepting a wooden bird instead. Eventually the Doctor, John and Gillian capture the Didus after three more attempts and an altercation with a crocodile, which the Doctor gets rid of with magnesium powder (he’s just the MacGyver of his day). So well done Dr Who! Not only have you succeeded in caging up an animal again you’ve screwed with an indigenous species and their beliefs. Oh and while they were out the Pterodactyl arrived, good thing they were able to put it through the mailbox.

On the whole this comic like the ones of it’s time are an interesting look at the British comics industry, but the stories aren’t the best. Instead of a story with a beginning, middle and end it seems to be a series of dangers to be overcome with just the nature and planet changing each time. The art is nice though, almost pop arty.

Irish Gav

1.05 - The Keys Of Marinus

2011-09-01T13:00:00.003+01:00

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara

WARNING: Strong language within and sensitive subjects covered.

"On a remote island of glass surrounded by a sea of acid, there is a machine that can remove evil from the minds of an entire population – the Conscience of Marinus. Fearful of its immense power falling into the wrong hands, its sole guardian has scattered the machine’s operating keys across the planet.

The TARDIS crew arrive to find the island under attack by the evil Voord. Marinus’ last line of defence – and its only hope – is the Conscience machine. The Doctor and his companions must undertake a deadly quest to recover the Keys of Marinus..."

Episode 1: The Sea Of Death
Episode 2: The Velvet Web
Episode 3: The Screaming Jungle
Episode 4: The Snows Of Teroror
Episode 5: Sentence Of Death
Episode 6: The Keys Of Marinus

Written By: Terry Nation
Directed By: John Gorrie

Links:

The Keys Of Marinus on youtube
Carling Lager
Get The Cheese To Sickbay
The Home Of Weird And Ignorance
Sarcastic Voyage Podcast

1.05 - The Keys Of Marinus (mp3 download)
1.05 - The Keys Of Marinus (alternate mp3 download)

1.04 - Marco Polo (aka TARDIS Damp)

2011-08-11T12:05:00.002+01:00

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara

"The tardis arrives in Central Asia, in 1289. There the travellers meet marco polo, on his mammoth journey To peking. Unfortunately for the travellers, their ship proves of interest to Polo, who sets his mind on presenting it To the mighty Kublai Khan on arrival at His court.

But polo isn't the only One with designs on The TARDIS. The war-like Tegana will go to any lengths to steal the magical blue box and when the doctor meets Kublai Khan, his precious ship is his only collateral in a high-stakes game of backgammon - and Khan is a master of the game..."

Episode 1: The Roof Of The World
Episode 2: The Singing Sands
Episode 3: Five Hundred Eyes
Episode 4: The Wall Of Lies
Episode 5: Rider From Shang-Tu
Episode 6: Mighty Kublai-Khan
Episode 7: Assassin At Peking

Written By: John Lucarotti
Directed By: Waris Hussein and John Crockett

Links:

Marco Polo on youtube - the original reconstruction
Hollandia Beer
Becks Fusion
Loose Cannon (who did most of the early reconstructions)
Get The Cheese To Sickbay
The Home Of Weird And Ignorance

1.04 - Marco Polo (mp3 download)
1.04 - Marco Polo (alternate mp3 download)

1.03 - The Edge Of Destruction

2011-07-21T07:37:00.001+01:00

First Doctor, Susan, Ian, And Barbara

"Something has caused the TARDIS console to explode in mid-flight, rendering the crew unconscious. As they EACH slowly recover, they find themselves suffering from loss of memory and headaches.

The TARDIS behaves oddly, as the doors open and close of their own accord. Has the ship been possessed in some way, or is something more dangerous happening?"

Episode 1: The Edge Of Destruction
Episode 2: The Brink Of Disaster

Written By: David Whitaker
Directed By: Richard Martin & Frank Cox

This Episode:-

We talk about the madness that is The Edge Of Destruction and also give a brief guide to the classic Doctors. There is also mention of beer.

Stella Artois
Grolsch Blonde
i·ras·ci·ble
The First Doctor's Pose
All The Doctors
English Gav's Doctor Who Audio Reviews
Big Finish
Irish Gav's Twitter
English Gav's Twitter
Irish Gav's Voyager Reviews

DTT 1.03 - The Edge Of Destruction (mp3 download)
DTT 1.03 - The Edge Of Destruction (alternate mp3 download)

1.02 - The Daleks

2011-06-16T19:50:00.014+01:00

"The TARDIS lands in an alien, petrified jungle, beyond which lies a mysterious, deserted city.

The Doctor insists on exploring, but before long the TARDIS crew all begin experiencing the early effects of radiation sickness, before discovering that the metal city isn’t as deserted as they first thought..."

This episode:-

English Gav talks about Ian... a lot... again.
Dalek feasibility studies.
Beer

Links:

Staropramen
Cobra
Flash Gordon Picture
Thaal Picture
Dalek Ian
Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.
Dr. Who And The Daleks (Peter Cushing Movie)

DTT 1.02 - The Daleks (mp3 download)
DTT 1.02 - The Daleks (alternate mp3 download)

1.01 - An Unearthly Child

2011-06-12T16:01:00.019+01:00

"Susan Foreman is a mystery to teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, seemingly knowing more than she should about the past... and the future.

Their curiosity leads them to follow her home one night, only to find that her she appears to live in a deserted junkyard.

There they discover a police telephone box and an old man, who claims to be Susan’s grandfather, and calls himself the Doctor. The journey of a lifetime is about to begin..."

In this first episode, English Gav becomes way too obsessed with Ian.

Links:

Carlsberg
Leistershire Bitter

4th Doctor Outfit
6th Doctor Outfit
7th Doctor Outfit

DTT 1.01 - An Unearthly Child (mp3 download)
DTT 1.01 - An Unearthly Child (alternative mp3 download)