First up is Blood of the Daleks, the first story in the new range of "Eighth Doctor Adventures" an offshoot series taking the 8th Doctor out of the main range and giving us something more familiar with post 2005 Who. I have to say I did originally hear the first season when it aired but haven't heard it since. This story feels different from the main range, its more snappy and less fluffy than the usual Big Finish play. Its a stark story albeit traditional, a colony invaded by the Daleks but this is a very bleak colony perhaps teetering on the edge of collapse before the Daleks turn up. Very few of the colonists are sympathetic and some are worse than the Daleks, if you like stories with an edge this one is for you. Getting on to the regulars Paul McGanns 8th Doctor is wonderfully put out from the onset, having a new companion and status quo forced on him - the Doctor is in a grumpy mood and wants to show it. We haven't heard McGann play the Doctor this prickly since the alternative universe season. Sheridan Smith is a welcome addition as Lucie, neither her or The Doctor like each other or wanting to spend any time together is a wonderful little twist. Lucie has been placed with The Doctor for her safety by the Time Lords for some undisclosed reason. An amusing start, an engrossing story and a little bit of spice at the end as a new character is introduced that is pivotal to the season story line.
The next listen was the final two parts of The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield box set "Random Ghosts" and "The Lights of *****." Two strong stories bringing the story to a close. On finishing the set I can best describe this as one story separated into four acts, centering on Bernice with the other characters flitting in and out. "Random Ghosts" is perhaps the most fascinating Big Finish story I've heard, I absolutely adored it (and the format) and could have listened to an expanded version for hours if it existed. The final story is quite odd, I'd advise not to look up its title as it improves the 3rd story. Its more of a small scale deep story that presents a few interesting thoughts and a lot less flash bang wallop than I expected. Strongly recommend and a welcome return for the Virgin New Adventures team.
As a whole I rate this box set highly, personally I think the price is a bit steep but this set imo has the most re listen value in anything Big Finish have produced. Every disc in the story has at least one scene or reveal I want to hear again, in particular how I missed all the clues in part one and I want to hear part three again as it packed a lot in and I'm sure I missed loads in here. As someone whose only heard the main range stories of Bernice along with the Love & War adaption and her Excelis story its made me want to listen to more stories from her range which makes this set a success in my book.
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