The Big Finish Catch Up: December 2014

In my ongoing mission to catch up with Big Finishes output I squeeze four releases into December.

Up first this month is "The Chaos Pool" featuring the 5th Doctor and Amy played by Peter Davidson and Ciara Janson. In case you can't remember I got the first part of this trilogy in a sale a few years back and when the rest of Key 2 Time came on offer I nabbed in and slotted it into my "listen to" pile. Well this story is rather run of the mill, we're wondering into big budget blockbuster territory that isn't to well suited to audio. Peter Anghelides usually pens a fun tale but we're in serious end of the universe territory here and theres very little of the fun in the previous two instalments here. Also theres a lot of filling time and "moving the the chess pieces" around the the board. Things get better as the story progresses, very much a tale of two half's and as things escalated on the second disc my attention was firmly grabbed. Familiar faces reappear (take a look at the cover - although its not what you think) and start influencing the story giving it a sense of urgency. I came away with a sense of enjoyment, I'm also rather tempted to investigate the "Tracers" spin off. The 5th Doctor and Amy were a rather fun TARDIS crew and I hope their paths cross in the future.

Second up this month is "Live 34" featuring the 7th Doctor, Ace and Hex. This is firmly a story I urge you to get, utterly brilliant and borderline perfect. In 2003 Big Finish released a number of experimental stories and this 2005 release could fit into those stories perfectly. Its all about the presentation for this story, its told in the format of a radio show reporting incidents The Doctor and company are involved with and hearing a Doctor Who story from the point of view of the population The Doctor is trying to save. We don't even get the theme music on this disc we get jingles and music from the titular Liver 34 radio station. If like we you enjoyed BF's 2003 experimental phase this is definitely a story for you, in all honestly the resolution leaves a little to be desired but up to that point the stories so good its only a little niggle. Of note is an appearance from 90's radio host and current TV and film reviewer Andrew Collins.

Next up is "Horror of Glam Rock" we're off into the 8th Doctor Adventures range featuring the 8th Doctor and Lucie. A rather amusing 45 minute story set in a motorway service station populated by 70's rockers on their way to gigs or Top of the Pops, Paul Magrs works his usual stuff and like the title theres a few 70's song lyrics hidden in the story. The cast is like a whose who, apart from Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith as the regulars we have BERNARD BLOODY CRIBBINS of virtually everything from the last 50 years, Una Stubbs best known from Sherlock, Stephen Gately from Boyzone and Clare Buckfield of Grange Hill and 2.4 Children. Lots of fun and a rather quick story that left me looking forward to the next episode, Lucie after experiencing an alien planet gets to experience time travel and meets and unexpected person. Keep your ears peeled for an element of the season long plot.

After hearing Demon Quest and Serpents Crest I decide to nip back to the start of the 4th Doctors audio adventures. Featuring the 4th Doctor, Mrs Wibbsey and Mike Yates its another Paul Magrs penned story this month. As opposed to the plays I've heard this month this is an audio book, its bloody good fun though. Tom Baker and Richard Franklin cover the narrating duties with Susan Jameson and Daniel Hill voicing their respective characters. This is pure traditional 70's cookies and milk Doctor Who and set in Nest Cottage with a wonderfully OTT Tom Baker this story is pure nostalgia and all the best for it. A jolly spiffing story that sees the 4th Doctor taking on the might of some stuffed animals - Magrs at his most bonkers. Having heard the future ranges from this team its fascinating to hear the start and it sounds like a have an origin for Mrs Wibbsey to look forward to.

I can recommend all the releases reviewed this month and look forward to continuing my journey through the Big Finish output in 2015.

Who will replace Jason Orange in Take That?

Ladies and gentle readers, it can't have escaped your attention that over the last week Jason Orange has announced that he is leaving Take That. Sadly as a result this happened:

Fortunately for Boy Band fans of the land Gary Barlow has been on the phone to yours truly and asked me to put together a short list for replacements. I can exclusively reveal the contenders that I have provided for Gary to consider:

1. Nick Clegg

What Take That need is someone to hover in the background trying but failing to look impressive as he is overshadowed by the bigger personalities.



2. Bruce Forsythe

Its a fact of life that Take That have been going since the early 90's and as a result their fanbase has started to age. Why not bite the bullet and recruit a member to appeal to the blue rinse section of the Take Thaters? Also he's available after retiring from Strictly Come Prancing.



3. Starscream from the Decepticons

This would be an appointment to keep Gary Barlow on his toes, Gary as we all know has long been the leader of Take That and has had an easy ride since Robbie Williams mellowed. Why not recruit Starscream who was forever plotting to overthrow Megatron and take control of the Decepticons? It will certainly be more interesting for us non Take That fans to watch the internal politics as Starscream tries to recruit Mark Owen and the other one to his way of thinking.



4. Luis Suarez

Lets be honest who cares about Barcelona these days? No one thats who, Luis left Liverpool FC and quite frankly its going to be all downhill for the rest of his career. What he needs is to leave football and take his career in a new direction. He already has a fanbase that be can bring to Take That and can hopefully help them crack the lucrative South America market.



5. @fudgecrumpet off of twitter

Lets be honest in the world of Boy Bands its all about selling sex appeal and no body likes to flaunt their funky stuff on twitter more than @fudgecrumpet. Don't go trying to look for anyone sexier on social media because you wont find them.



6. WALL-E

One for the kids, WALL-E starred in a hit film for Disney a few years back and was a hit with the kids. WALL-E hasn't done much since then but is still a favourite with the kids, WALL-E has the potential to attract a third generation of Take That fans and help swell Gary Barlows offshore accounts for another decade.



Well readers, all I can do is pass this list along to Gary Barlow and wait to see what he makes of it. We will have to wait to see who of the above will be having knickers flung at them by the women of the nation at Take Thats next tour...