JournalofImpossibleThings

Survival by Rona Munro (1989)

‘The chase. To hunt in the morning and live till evening. Run out of the light, and slip into the dark. Smell the blood on the wind. Hear your blood in your ears. Die at last, with your enemy’s blood in your mouth. With your enemy’s blood in your mouth’ “This planet’s alive. The animalsContinue reading “Survival by Rona Munro (1989)”

Curse of Fenric by Ian Briggs (1989)

Powerplay – a matter of Life and Death ‘A chance action by Ace brings the TARDIS to Earth in the early 1940’s: Coventry in the Blitz, black rain falling out of the sky and pulverising all hope and humanity. But it was no accident brought them here – just as it was on accident thatContinue reading “Curse of Fenric by Ian Briggs (1989)”

Ghost Light by Marc Platt (1989)

Introduction – A room with a view ‘Ghost Light’ might be set in Perivale Village in 1883, but really, I think its heart is in Oxford, in the writings of Charles DoDoDodgson, of Alice Liddell, The Oxford Dodo, of Soapy Sam Wilberforce, T.H. Huxley and ‘The Great Debate’. Oxford and its surroundings are somewhere IContinue reading “Ghost Light by Marc Platt (1989)”

Battlefield by Ben Aaronovitch (1989)

Battlefield is a bit unloved isn’t it? Even its author, a talented writer, isn’t happy with how it worked out – blaming himself, but also, I think recognising the limitations inherent in making Doctor Who in the BBC of 1989. It is the opener of 1989’s season 26 and stands out really, the other threeContinue reading “Battlefield by Ben Aaronovitch (1989)”

The Empty Child by Steven Moffat (2005)

A table for four at Chula – an introduction to ‘The Empty Child’ In February 2004, at an Indian restaurant in Hammersmith, four colleagues meet to chat and exchange notes. The restaurant is called ‘Chula’ and the people sat around the table are celebrating being asked to write for the new series of Doctor WhoContinue reading “The Empty Child by Steven Moffat (2005)”

Vincent and the Doctor by Richard Curtis (2010)

‘So this is one of the last paintings Van Gogh ever painted. Those final months of his life were probably the most astonishing artistic outpouring in history. It was like Shakespeare knocking off Othello, Macbeth and King Lear over the summer hols. And especially astonishing because Van Gogh did it with no hope of praiseContinue reading “Vincent and the Doctor by Richard Curtis (2010)”

The Savages by Ian Stuart Black (1966)

‘I don’t intend to leave these people in this oppressed state’ ‘Oppose you? Indeed I am going to oppose you, just in the same way that I oppose theDaleks or any other menace to common humanity’ The Doctor has come a long way since ‘An Unearthly Child’, his travels have been followed and celebrated byContinue reading “The Savages by Ian Stuart Black (1966)”

The Aztecs by John Lucarotti (1964)

‘The little I know about them doesn’t impress me. Cutting out people’s hearts.’ ‘Oh, that was only one side to their nature. The other side was highly civilised.’ ‘A vision is with us and shall stand before them. And I, in supplication to the Rain God, shall offer human blood. The rains will come. NoContinue reading “The Aztecs by John Lucarotti (1964)”

The Glorious Revolution by Jonathan Morris (2009)

In which Jamie ventures into his near history and tries his hand at being a Time Meddler! This story is one of the ‘Companion Chronicles’ range from Big Finish. They are generally two handers, part acted, part narrated, usually with some sort of framing device to allow the lead (in this case Frazer Hines) toContinue reading “The Glorious Revolution by Jonathan Morris (2009)”

The Fires of Vulcan by Steve Lyons (2000)

In which Mel discovers that she has a character and the Doctor riles a Gladiator. Before ‘The Fires of Pompeii’ and before the TV show came back, there was the ‘Fires of Vulcan’. Now, I like the TV story well enough, I watched it again recently, but to be honest it wastes a fair bitContinue reading “The Fires of Vulcan by Steve Lyons (2000)”