Category Archives: Doctor Who

The Mysterious Planet by Robert Holmes (1986)

‘Why do I have to sit here watching Peri getting upset, while two unsavoury adventurers bully a bunch of natives’ So ‘Doctor Who’ has been away for a year and a half. When we left it, the TARDIS was about to leave Necros after a pretty decent story – it was Blackpool bound. We re-joinContinue reading “The Mysterious Planet by Robert Holmes (1986)”

Twice upon a Time by Steven Moffat (2017)

‘Oh, I don’t think so. No. Dear me, no. You may be a Doctor, but I am the Doctor. The original, you might say.’ Twice upon a time, is an episode that not one, but two showrunners didn’t really want to make. ‘World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls’ is so comprehensive an ending for theContinue reading “Twice upon a Time by Steven Moffat (2017)”

The Dominators by Norman Ashby (1968)

We don’t unfortunately get to choose our ‘birth story’ – it is chance – it really wasn’t in any way considered or planned during your conception. Not even fans do that surely? Children are growing up called Nyssa or Leela or Rose or Martha – but surely nobody thought in 2013 if we work backContinue reading “The Dominators by Norman Ashby (1968)”

The Guardian of the Solar System by Simon Guerrier (2010)

So, to the last of the ‘Sara Kingdom’ trilogy. In the moving prologue, Robert’s 21-year old daughter, who Sara helped save, leaves to see the world, never to return, but Robert stays in the house – shouldering the burden that Sara has carried for a thousands years. It is made explicitly clear that the impressionContinue reading “The Guardian of the Solar System by Simon Guerrier (2010)”

The Drowned World by Simon Guerrier (2009)

This is the second in the trilogy and picks up with Robert transcribing his thoughts on the image of Sara Kingdom and the ghost or rather echo of her in the house at Ely. We have a confirmation that human society is now less advanced than 1000 years previously when the house was first built,Continue reading “The Drowned World by Simon Guerrier (2009)”

Home Truths by Simon Guerrier (2008)

This is the first story in a trilogy about Sara Kingdom, written by Simon Guerrier and is part of the Big Finish Companion Chronicles range. The premise is really rather ingenious, finding a way to give use more stories of Sara Kingdom and the excellent Jean Marsh, but creating in the process something really ratherContinue reading “Home Truths by Simon Guerrier (2008)”

The Massacre of St Bartholomew’s Eve by John Lucarotti or Donald Tosh (1965)

In some respects, ‘The Massacre’ is Schrodinger’s Historical. A story that exists in three potential states, none of which quite allow us a glimpse of what it was really like. It is opaque, we view it through a haze or via our own chosen lens. To switch to a religious metaphor – we have theContinue reading “The Massacre of St Bartholomew’s Eve by John Lucarotti or Donald Tosh (1965)”

Downtime By Marc Platt (1995)

‘It seemed an awfully long time since dinner. Victoria was sure it would soon be time for tea and Mr Do-do-dodgson still had not taken any photographs. She clutched her doll tightly and tried very hard not to move, but she was very, very bored. The sun was in her eyes and the little stoneContinue reading “Downtime By Marc Platt (1995)”

Web of Fear by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln (1968)

‘The huge, furry monster reared up, as if to strike. Well over seven feet tall, its immensely broad body made it seem squat and lumpy. It had the huge hands of a gorilla, the savage yellow fangs and fierce red eyes of a grizzly bear.’ ‘In the empty hall, the Yeti stood motionless, surrounded byContinue reading “Web of Fear by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln (1968)”

Being Human – The Cybermen, body horror and The Turing Test

Do you ever suddenly realise that you don’t actually know the meaning of a word that you’ve blithely used most of your life? That happened to me recently, when I was reading an article on the Cybermen in ‘The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who’ (by Simon Guerrier and Dr Marek Kukula), in which they talkContinue reading “Being Human – The Cybermen, body horror and The Turing Test”