The Big Finnish Catch-Up: October 2016

For those of you new to this section of the blog, I started listening to the Big Finish Doctor Who releases when they started back in 1999, getting them as they were released up to mid 2002 and release No 33 Neverland. At that time I left Uni and due to being a bit busy with life and what not I only heard one or two releases over the next few years. I started getting back into them around 2008 and was 6 years behind at that point. Due to wondering off into the Lost Doctor range and a relaxed listening pace I fell further behind. In order to catch up I'm listening to two releases a month (or more when its a 60 min single disc release, plus without seeing the cover or knowing anything about the story) and my mission to catch up continues;

Well I am absolutely kicking myself for thinking Charley was gone for good and not noticing the 'Trial' theme at the end of her last story. Very interesting things happen in this story but I found it hard to follow for the first half as I was in shock that Charley was back and had been saved by the Sixth Doctor. Its very intriguing stuff asking long term and short term questions, however like the new status quo with this TARDIS crew it feels uncomfortably distant 7/10.

Up next we venture into a more recent boxset - I should say I'm aware of the concept of this set however I don't know what villains/monsters are in it. So here we find Sylvestors Seventh Doctor taking on the villains from the first Christmas special the Sycorax. Decent little story which actually makes a good attempt to add some depth to this one off race villains however the acting is bloody awful and drags the production down 5/10.

We're now onto season 2 of the Eighth Doctor adventures and we're in new territory for me. The 8th Doctor and Lucie are in London but when exactly? This is jolly, fun fresh and light just what I needed after the previous story further up. Some interesting characters and perhaps one who may crop up again, snappy dialogue - fully recommended 8/10.

Its back to main range with the 7th Doctor, Ace and Hex - a team who haven't been around in some time and a firm favourite of mine. Its a comedy that is fairly amusing (and gets its best laugh in the first five minutes) but unlike some previous comedy stories in the range it doesn't embrace humour as much as other stories have and as a result feels more amusing than hysterical. Sylvester McCoy and Philip Olivier have the most success with the comedy on offer and genuinely feel like they're having fun. I found the story intriging and the choice reguarding the guest cast was very interesting. Its a 6/10 for me although if it had embraced the comedy a bit more it could easily have been more. 

I hope there isn't another gap until we see this team again as they are one of my favourite teams and my other favourites have recently been pulled apart. I'm aware that within the last ten or so stories Gary Russell has past the baton over to Nicholas Briggs and Nick is probably making the changes that he wants now he's a few stories in. I'm still in shock from the changes to range over the last few months; C'rizz has died, Erimem has left and Charley looked like she was leaving and has somehow ended up with a previous incarnation of the Doctor. Without doubt I've reached a time of great change in Big Finish, I think this section of the blog is at its best when changes I don't know about are happening and I hope you are enjoying this catch-up journey with me.