Big Finish Monthly Range Ranked: 60-51

Good afternoon lady and gentle readers, recently it was Big Finishes 21st anniversary of releasing Doctor Who output. Blimey 21 years, what better way to celebrate than with a list and for your pleasure I have ranked the first 100 releases of The Big Finish monthly range. This is the second round of the rankings taking from 60-51. Enjoy!

60. Winter For the Adept, another early one with release number 10 in the range featuring the 5th Doctor, Nyssa, Andrew Cartmel as writer, a first appearance on books by India Fisher, a guest appearance by Peter Jurasik of Babylon 5 fame and those eagle eyed among you will spot Sally Faulkner who appeared in the Patrick Troughton era. Blimey thats one hell of an introduction and we haven't touched on the story yet. Its still early days for the 5th Doctor and the story does something brave by introducing Nyssa an entire episode before The Doctor. We're in classic isolated location with spooky things going bump in the dark territory and the majority of this story has a cracking eerie atmosphere. Its a scene away from sticking the landing as "The Adept" don't quite fit in with the rest of the story but its still a string entry for Peter Davison after a few good but not great stories. 

59. Master, this is the 7th Doctors entry into the villain trilogy leading up to Zagreus and its The Master with a defining performance by Geoffrey Beevers. Anthony Ainley didn't work with Big Finish before he sadly passed away but one actors loss is another actors gain. Another guest actor heavyweight appears in the form of Philip Madoc he of the "don't tell him Pike" fame. I want to mention Joseph Lidster as a few of his stories have already come up which weren't my thing however this is his most memorable and its a fantastic example of how to do a deep dive and examine a villain in prose format. We're in late era solo 7th Doctor territory here and theres a heavy dose of Virgin New Adventures atmosphere to this story. It feels like the 7th Doctor is moments away from regenerating and he's paying for the sins of earlier deals and bad decisions.

58. Faith Stealer, we're back with the 8th Doctor, Charley and C'rizz in the divergent universe. After the heavy going of the previous season we get a fun start to this season and its saying interesting things about religion without making me cringe which is no mean feat. Its a strong moment for the range as for the first time in a while the 8th Doctor and Charley are having fun and this may be the first story to do something interesting with C'rizz. The Kro'Ka who at this point we're not sure if he is the antagonist or a bemused observer becomes far more interesting. All in all this is a good fun story which the storyline and incarnation of The Doctor needed.

57. Year of the Pig, its a rare appearance for the line up of the 6th Doctor and Peri in a wonderful dark comedic PG Wodehouse pastiche. A witty script that you can tell aroused the actors full of laughter and a few moments that will make you shudder. Its another stellar cast featuring Maureen O'Brien off of the 1st Doctors era, Adjoa Andoh off of the 10th Doctor era and Michael Keating off of Blake and his Merry 7. For a long part of this story it doesn't feel like Doctor Who and I'm all for it - Doctor Who is at its best when its trying to be something else. Its very close to being higher in this ranking, all it needs is a bit of a trip and a pig who is an actor not a line reader.

56. The Sandman, its the 6th Doctor and Evelyn in a very interesting story set aboard "The Clutch" a collection of spaceships controlled by the alien race the Galyari. A very memorable setting that in hindsight feels like a low level Valerian and the City of a 1000 Planets. Also the major plot of The Doctor being a bogeyman for a race is interesting and engaging - also amusing with the digs on the 6th Doctors coat. 

55. Dust Breeding, the 7th Doctor and Ace feature in a play written by Mike Tucker who I mostly associate with the 7th Doctors era in the BBC books. In short when I see Mikes name I know I'm going to enjoy it. This story is all about the first listen for me, its packed with returns including Bev Tarrant, Caroline John, a monster from the books and Geoffrey Beevers. Added to this is another return that I didn't see coming and squee every time I remember that cliffhanger

54. The Stones of Venice, we're in the first 8th Doctor season as he takes Charley to Venice. This story is Paul Magrs at his barmy best with the added delight of Michael Sheard in the guest cast. I've always regarded this as feeling more like a play than most of Big Finishes releases. Theres a very surreal number of scenes as Charley gets drugged and drugged and as it a production it feels like Big Finish flexing its muscles and growing.

53. The Spectre of Lanyon Moor, a proper good romp featuring the 6th Doctor, Evelyn and the Brigadier in the English countryside. James Bolam and Susan Jameson appear in the cast and this story just brings back memories of 1970s era Doctor Who - in fact you could easily fit the 4th Doctor into this. In short its more Doctor Who than jelly babies and hat stands.

52. Embrace the Darkness, the underrated gem of the 8th Doctors second season, its a proper Nick Briggs story in that the play is absolutely nailed to the plot which is Nicks greatest strength. The only flaw in this story is that there is no part three and is blatantly padding. Bar that this play is engaging with good horror and makes full use of the audio medium. Also the character ROSM is one of the most memorable one off characters in the range - Paul McGann and Ian Brooker are clearly having a ball in their scenes. Very memorable, full of good low level horror and has a very different vibe in this story to the usual house style.

51. The Sirens of Time, where it all started as the 5th, 6th and 7th Doctors team up to get the range rolling. I don't want to talk about the strengths or weaknesses, whatever anyones opinion of this is I'm cool with it I just think about the first time a Big Finish delivery came through my letterbox and hearing these Doctors in new material for the first time. Also Maggie Stables who would go onto become an original range companion is in it which I think makes for good karma. All the Doctors get to do a bit of solo action before teaming up and it sets the tone for the early releases. Of note is the 6th Doctor and there are some hints that its time to forget what we now about him as he's starting with a fresh slate - its a lovely early mission statement.    

Big Finish Monthly Range Ranked: 70-61

Good afternoon lady and gentle readers, recently it was Big Finishes 21st anniversary of releasing Doctor Who output. Blimey 21 years, what better way to celebrate than with a list and for your pleasure I have ranked the first 100 releases of The Big Finish monthly range. This is the second round of the rankings taking from 70-61. Enjoy!

70. The Game, a fun story featuring the 5th Doctor and Nyssa in which the play pokes fun at football - also there is an intriguing guest appearance by Jonathan Pearce in the cast. An intriguing play with a slightly different format, Big Finish are flexing their muscles and working on multiple levels. Of note is another guest appearance by William Russell as Lord Carlisle a character who feels a little bit like the inspiration for River Song. 

69. The Juggernauts, another outing for Davros and he again crosses paths with the 6th Doctor along with Mel. Interesting things are going on here and the way The Doctor and Mel get involved in the situation is one of the most interesting in the Big Finish range. Also to compare it to Davros which appeared earlier in this ranking this feels like a story and not the writer harping on about the way of the world.

68. Jubilee, a story with a reputation for being reworked into the TV story Dalek but what about the play itself? I have a confession due to being on a break and the start of me falling behind with Big Finishes output I saw Dalek before hearing Jubilee. I don't think it affected my opinion as hearing it blind I didn't know it was coming. The 6th Doctor and Evelyn make for one heck of a team and both get put through the ringer. It oozes atmosphere but as a story it doesn't get near Rob Shearmans earlier releases - its missing an ending, with the one we get reminding me of Sherzo. This isn't a fun story, at times its deliberately unpleasant - its absolutely blooming memorable though. Its not one I revisit often, its the best example of a Big Finish tough yet fulfilling sit but I like it.

67. Renaissance of the Daleks, if I'm to be absolutely blunt this feels like the early story The Mutant Phase done right. From a story edited beyond recognisation from Christopher H Bidmead, its solid, its fun, has witty dialogue Davison has found his feet since the earlier story and this is a good way to spend a couple of hours. 

66. Red, an outing for the 7th Doctor and Mel as they arrive in The Needle where the citizens are unable to commit violence due to being chipped. Needless to say violence begins to occur and The Doctor is blamed. A very memorable story for audio reasons alone, the use of screaming Red, The Doctor being put through the mill as he struggles with the situation and the familiar tones of Sandi Toksvig among the guest cast. Certainly one of the best produced plays in the range.

65. Time Works, its the 8th Doctor, Charlie and C'rizz in a timey wimey play! I absolutely love this one, the opening half leaves me wanting to know what is going on and once we do know things get tense. As a story it drip feeds us information that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat right until the end.

64. Bloodtide, not only is this the first appearance of the Silurians in the range they are put in a play with Charles Darwin! If that doesn't grab you and make you listen nothing will, its an utterly gorgeous story that gets a little bit dark later in the play. This is the first appearance by writer Jonathan Morris who is a firm favourite of mine.

63. The Fires of Vulcan, its the 7th Doctor and Mel in a historical set in Pompeii just before the eruption of Vesuvius. This is still early enough in the range where historicals were a novelty and in terms of production this is a strong entry in the range. The ending brings things down and while it isn't cheating it feels like cheating, without this ending it would be possibly top ten.

62. Other Lives, its the 8th Doctor, Charley and C'rizz in an historical. Its very good its not as moody as a lot of stories with this line up are. Even though things are a bit dark for C'rizz and his personal arc after the cliffhanger ending of Terror Firma. Of note is an appearance in the guest cast by Ron Moody.

61. The Apocalypse Element, the 6th Doctors entry in Dalek Empire. There is a lot of stuff going on in this story and by that I mean a LOT of action. It blatantly isn't an audio and can be a little bit tricky to follow but in essence its the Daleks taking on Gallifrey in what canonically is an early skirmish in the time war. Romana played by Lalla Ward makes her first appearance in the range. Theres a lot of continuity going on but thankfully nothing that distracts from the story. This is the closest Big Finish have got to an all out action film and its a lot of fun if occasionally a bugger to follow.    

Big Finish Monthly Range Ranked: 80-71

Good afternoon lady and gentle readers, recently it was Big Finishes 21st anniversary of releasing Doctor Who output. Blimey 21 years, what better way to celebrate than with a list and for your pleasure I have ranked the first 100 releases of The Big Finish monthly range. This is the second round of the rankings taking from 80-71. Enjoy!


80. Singularity, I have a soft spot for this one as it sees the return of Mark Strickson as Turlough for what feels like the first time in ages. Earlier in the range he was the first companion to partner the 5th Doctor and it was a rare treat when he popped up. As a result I always give an internal cheer when he turns up. At this point in the range Peter Davisons Doctor does exasperation so well and with Turlough essentially being a good character and a rubbish companion makes for a good mix. A good heady mix of Russian and Alien intrigue results in an enjoyable story. Of note is the fact that as the story progresses the stakes rise.


79. The Gathering, first of all a caveat as long time readers know I listen to these audios blind without knowing anything beforehand. I also occasionally buy them blind when on offer, that was the case with this release and as such I had no idea it was part of a loose trilogy until a lot later. As a result lots of the references to other stories are lost on me. We get another 5th Doctor companion in the shape of Tegan - her first main range appearance! I'm absolutely landed as I didn't think we'd get her on board. Everything that happens in this story is technically good, raised by Janet Fielding but the story needed an edit as its so depressing. Its a good story but there isn't a lot of trademark Big Finish wit or style.


78. Dreamtime, as I sit here to type this out I have to confess this is one I don't have much memory of. There were nice ideas and its in a section of my pile that suggests I've relistened to it recently, all I can remember is it being rather earnest but likeable.


77. The Settling, another release featuring the 7th Doctor, Ace and Hex although the later two get more of the action. Clive Mantle off of Casualty gives one of the best guest performances and the story is nothing if not dramatic. Away from the drama and feel there isn't enough going on for me - in particular the way McCoys Doctor is taken out of the main plot doesn't quite do it for me. If you're looking for a release dripping in atmosphere this one is for you. I can't let this entry pass without saying it genuinely wouldn't take much for this story to go into my top ten.


76. The Last, a right moody release with a good gimmick - that they telegraph with overuse. In terms of atmosphere its similar to the previous entry in this ranking albeit worlds apart in plot and theme. The 8th Doctor, Charley and C'rizz are at a point in the alternate universe arc where things are interesting and largely fun. This story is different to those surrounding it and it feels like Big Finish are getting back to grips with the season format after a tricky 3rd season. Very good stuff albeit you can see the end coming a mile away.


75. The Land of the Dead, an early fun romp featuring the 5th Doctor and Nyssa. Good location and fun plot make for a fun play - of note there is a location layout on the sleeve to help the listener follow the action. However I don't think its needed as the dialogue puts over the layout of the house very well.


74. The Wishing Beast and Vanity Box, a rather fun if odd release. I love Paul Magrs stuff and usually when listening blind I can spot his trademarks. This release is two stories spread over four episodes - 3 and 1 respectively. Its a very surreal set of stories and I come away thinking Vanity Box is more enjoyable where The Wishing Beast feels like it isn't comfortable with its episode length. Absolute fun - gets crazy at times and has a nice camp one parter at the end.


73. Valhalla, oooh its another solo story for McCoy near the end of the 7th Doctors era. Obviously its now known as the story with Michelle Gomez in and truth be told its added a fun element to the story. Marc Platt (writer of the TV story Ghostlight) does a lot on interesting things in this story and it works as both a disaster piece and a thriller. The Doctor going to a job centre is a memorable moment as its The Doctors mood that mirrors that of Valhalla. Rest assured this story may be moody but its good.


72. Nocturne, featuring the 7th Doctor, Ace and Hex this is an absolutely fascinating play. The concept of The Doctor having another favourite planet that we've not seen before makes for a fun story, however due to the quality of the world building by Dan Abnett I feel like I'm more familiar with the planet Nocturne than I've any right to be. I care what happens to this place, I buy that The Doctor has visited it many times before and has an emotional stake in this planet. As such the play presses my buttons and gets the emotions out of me that it should.


71. Primeval, the 5th Doctor and Nyssa visit an earlier era of Traken and theres a lot of fun going on here. Of course its a sequel to Keeper of Traken and the best compliment I can give Primeval is that whenever I come away from this story I want to my Keeper DVD. This story makes me think about good and evil, its interesting and endearing. Stephen Grief another Blakes 7 alumni gives a good performance as the villain and its a good turn my all.           

Big Finish Monthly Range Ranked: 90-81

Good afternoon lady and gentle readers, recently it was Big Finishes 21st anniversary of releasing Doctor Who output. Blimey 21 years, what better way to celebrate than with a list and for your pleasure I have ranked the first 100 releases of The Big Finish monthly range. This is the second round of the rankings taking from 90-81. Enjoy!


90. ...ish, there are so many good things about this play set at a conference of lexicographers. It is the perfect story for Colin Bakers Doctor, it is perhaps one of the most quotable stories of this range and as I'm typing this many moments are waltzing into my brain to be remembered. Sadly this story is down low due to what it isn't rather than what it is. This story would make a perfect one parter or even two parter, its a shame it wasn't produced later in the series where imo it would have been produced as such. As such its padded - there is a lot to like about this story however there is a lot of standing around and talking to reach it.


89. The Rapture, at its best this story is trippy weird stuff which I will happily hit the dance floor for. When this story is at its best I haven't got a clue whats going on which I'm happy for - the stuff with Tony Blackburn is brilliant. However the rest of story is a bit "sensible shoes" not fitting in with the rest of it. The setting in late 90s Ibiza is not my jam, theres a lot of stuff to like here which is combined with other aspects which are not for me. If anything this one is down low due to my personal taste rather than quality.


88. Frozen Time, this is another story which could rise on a re-listen as I've only heard it once and its down this low for a daft reason. At the time of release a lot of the previous releases had three and one episode plays, as I got to the end of episode three I was thinking "its been OK, hopefully the one part story will give this release a boost" and then we had an extra episode of a story that already felt like it was coming to an end. As a story it does interesting things without absorbing me as a listener, from memory it looks like we're going to get a crossover with two villains / monsters at one point which doesn't happen. It feels rather lethargic in terms of story feel as the 7th Doctor towards the end of his incarnation is a strange beast. I wanted to like it more than I did and hopefully in the future I will.


87.The Twilight Kingdom, the end of the 8th Doctors third season and we're still in the divergent universe. As a story its very good, interesting in the right bits a good bit of intrigue and memorable. However against it we're still in the divergent universe story arc which is becoming a slog - it would get better in the next season but this story feels slightly out of place and would certainly benefit from a listening in isolation of the preceding stories.


86. The Next Life, its the end of an era. This is the last story Paul McGann would have as the current Doctor and for the next few years his stories would be one off and not in seasons. It mirrors the Divergent arc in many ways - its long and a bit of a slog. I feel that everything from the last two seasons are wrapped up and its satisfying that we're coming back to the main universe. The casting is outstanding with Daphne Ashbrook and Anneke Wills doing very good plus we've got Paul Darrow commanding our ears with his typical performance (Michael Keating was in the Twilight Kingdom for a Blakes 7 link). I often find myself defending this story as its absolutely riveting on a first listen, the middle episodes turn into a giant info dump centred around a hunt and C'rizz standing by a well. However the start is excellent and the end is really blooming good.


85. Something Inside, a tight moody thriller in a big box with an ace reference to Liverpool FCs Champions League win.


84. Catch 1782, ooooh the 6th Doctor and Mel! A team that has become a delight through Big Finish. A lovely little story that feels out of place spread over four episodes. I'm not too crazy about the resolution but it is a rather charming tale.


83. The Mutant Phase, the 5th Doctor and Nyssa are another lineup that have become a firm favourite due to Big Finish. Its a very moody story with dashings of story but it lacks a central point to hang this story around as there's no central location and a bit of TARDIS hopping. It ties in with an early Big Finish range - Dalek Empire and sees the third outing of the Daleks in the main range. The early episodes are quite good and a couple of my fan buttons were pressed. Its down low as it feels like Peter Davison and Big Finish haven't got quite to grips with the 5th Doctor.


82. Davros, a solo 6th Doctor encounters Davros. As a story this is possibly the most boring one in the first 100 releases mainly due to the fact globalisation bores the socks off me. However everything else about this release is cracking especially the performances, the cast is outstanding Colin Baker, Terry Molloy, Wendy Padbury and Bernard Horsfall lift the material.


81. Exotron, the first story on this ranking featuring a three part story and a single part story called Urban Myths. Unlike most releases of this nature where one story is usually a lot better than the other they are both good. Urban Myths is a proper fun laugh and Exotron is a good value thriller - high recommended and not talked about enough.     


In this section there are a lot of stories which are quite nice and lovely mixed with stories that should be better and are brought down by some aspect.

Big Finish Monthly Range Ranked: 100-91

Good afternoon lady and gentle readers, recently it was Big Finishes 21st anniversary of releasing Doctor Who output. Blimey 21 years, what better way to celebrate than with a list and for your pleasure I have ranked the first 100 releases of The Big Finish monthly range. Enjoy!


100. Nekromanteia, this story comes in last and its due to an incident in the story that I wont go into yet I firmly believe everyone whose heard it will remember. The unpleasantness haunts the story and makes it a story I will most likely not listen to again.


99. Pier Pressure, sadly the lowest story due to quality and at this point I must stress that this is my opinion which you are free to disagree with. Its dull, plodding and at times a struggle to listen to. The sequence where The Doctor takes liberties with a deck chair and a pensioner maybe the worst in the series. There are a few rather nice things in this play such as a nod to Carry On Screaming and a lovely William Hartnell. Max Millar played by Roy Hudd is very good casting. The best way I can sum this up is during a high point of boredom the characters start playing eye spy.


98. Scherzo, if anything I feel a bit churlish putting this play so low. As a theme it reminds me of Waiting for Godot with meaningless and possibly endless repetition something that I find eerily scary and horror is a recurring theme of Robert Shearmans Big Finish output. The play is both a story in its own right as well as dealing with the aftermath of the previous story and season arcs. At this point I want to point out that I listen to these stories blind without any knowledge of the story. Looking back at the actual plot of the story its something that should press my positive buttons, however the reason I have this so low is because The Doctor and Charley are acting so annoying during this story that it just drags the story down. This is the first story I've come to that I will freely admit could move in the rankings with a re-listen.


97. Scaredy Cat, I have no memory of this story what so ever bar a child endlessly repeating "scaredy cat" over and over again and the fact that Arthur Bostrom is in it. I remember not liking it but from what I gather it was heavily rewritten due to the TV show returning to our screens hence why its so short.     


96. Terror Firma, oh eck its the third 8th Doctor story in a row! Don't worry I will be squeeing about Paul McGann stories later in the rankings. This story sees the 8th Doctor, Charley and C'rizz return to the main universe however they unfortunately run into Davros and the Daleks. There is an aspect of this story very memorable that links back to an earlier story. Its a very interesting story as a whole and quite frankly its down this low due to the strength of other stories rather than weaknesses of its own. Hearing Paul McGann interact with Terry Molloys Davros is a delight. This is the start of an interesting direction for C'rizz and a good jumping on point. If you're looking to pick a TARDIS team and follow it along. Personally I find this story a tad unsatisfying due to the debate between The Doctor and Davros however it is often interesting.


95. Roof of the World, a rather dull forgetful story that does something pretty bloody awesome with the Big Finish created companion Erimem. For one episode this is genuinely Big Finish at its height going in an unexpected direction, shocking the listener and raising the level of the story to something special - for an episode. The surrounding story is rather forgettable though.


94. Red Dawn, the earliest story in the range so far featuring the 5th Doctor, Peri and the Ice Warriors. Its another case of one good episode as the opening episode feels like a William Hartnell era first parter as the regulars explore where they've landed mixed in with a ship landing on Mars. Things turn remarkably uninteresting when the Ice Warriors wake up and as such its a weak comeback for our favourite Martians. Of note is an interesting cast featuring Georgia Tennant, Robert Jezek and Stephen Fewell.


93. Invaders From Mars, another 8th Doctor story appearing early but this is a tale of two halfs. The first two episodes are dreadful with not a lot going on and having to many characters to introduce. The second half is absolutely gorgeous - full of ideas and charm. Also the Orson Welles War of the World plot kicks in.  In fact I'd recommend only listening to the second half Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson are amongst the guest cast. Some people moaned at the time that it was a waste given they were saddled with American accents. I however think they're good value and lots of fun as is the story if you give it time to get going.


92. The Dark Flame, its a rare main range appearance for Bernice Summerfield as she hooks up with the 7th Doctor and Ace. As a story its not very rememberable bar the fact Bernice is in it. In terms of quality it feels a little bit off - like the mix is wrong. On paper its a very traditional story however there is no fluff its a bit depressing. Michael Praed off of Robin Hood in the 1980s is lots of fun however with a good OTT performance.


91. The Creed of the Kromon, it is a genuine shock that half of the bottom 10 stories in this ranking are made up of Paul McGann stories. Creed sets the tone for the divergent universe arc, it introduces The Kro'ka, gives The Doctor a new companion in C'rizz and seriously screws with Charley. My enduring memory of this story is trying to listen to it and falling asleep five times, for ages I had no idea how this story started. Rest assured this story is interesting, has a bit of a hard task in setting everything up given the nature of the previous story. There isn't a lot of fun to be had here as its very dry and paced terribly - it feels like it goes on for days - what we do get is technically well done, well acted and well written however its paced terribly and feels like it goes on for days.   


Drawing conclusions from this part of the rankings theres a lot of stories that I like - even if its one episode. There are a lot of stories here which I would say aren't bad, to take a cricketing analogy there are a lot stories that take a swing and miss. I hope you enjoyed this ranking and look out for more.

The Boys Season 1 review

Every few years or so, a comic, movie or TV show poses the question, “What if superheroes really existed?” It’s a brilliant starting point for any direction you want to take the idea in, not just because the conventions of superhero stories are so ripe for parody, but by thinking  out how our existing governments & institutions might behave in a world with one big difference from ours an be an extremely effective way to criticise the way those institutions are behaving in the here and now.

The Boys is the latest show to have a go at this trope and while the idea may be familiar the execution is striking. On the one hand, The Boys is an expert deconstruction of superhero stories, with an appropriately winterish view of institutional power, be it corporate, governmental, religious, or caped. On the other hand, it’s an adaptation of a comic book series that launched in 2006 and is to an extent dated.

The most obvious thing that’s changed between the first issue of The Boys and its television debut is that superheroes have taken over pop culture. It’s hard to remember the before times now, but the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang influenced Iron Man didn’t kick off the Marvel Cinematic Universe until 2008, with the DC Extended Universe not arriving for five years after that. Ennis and Robertson assumed that superheroes would be monetized the second they appeared, but working in the heyday of Blackwater, the natural business model was defense contractors, not movie studios. The first shot is a Marvelesque sequence in which thousands of comic panels dissolve into the logo for the fictional Vought Studios, and the second is a bus advert for a superhero movie. As Madelyn Stillwell, a villainous executive played by Elisabeth Shue, says at a Vought shareholders meeting, it’s a good time to be in the superhero business. And the show’s professional sports-flavored vision of that business assigning crime fighters to cities in exchange for concessions from local governments that is more satisfying and more vicious than in the original Marvel Civil War storyline.

The show’s increased proximity to the entertainment industry lets Amazon’s version of The Boys address the #MeToo movement. In the pilot episode, Annie January (Erin Moriarty), an innocent kid from Des Moines, Iowa, who can shoot beams of blinding light from her hands, gets the full star treatment: She successfully auditions to join Vought’s premier superhero team; she finally pleases her stage mother (Ann Cusack); she gets flown to Manhattan and driven around in a limo; she gets a dedicated handler (Colby Minifie, oozing resentment); she’s promised television appearances, movies, merchandising, and astonishing amounts of money; she gets to meet her delightfully named childhood heroes - a Superman type called Homelander (Antony Starr), a Flash type called A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), a Wonder Woman type called Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott). Then out of left field  she gets blackmailed into performing oral sex on an Aquaman type called the Deep (Chace Crawford). In one of the show’s better throwaway jokes, she pukes afterward in one of Vought’s unisex bathrooms: It’s a proudly progressive company, except for all the sexual assault. That plotline exists in the comics, but it doesn’t cause much trouble between Annie and her employer. Instead, it’s mostly a device to cause tension between Annie and her victim-blaming love interest (played by Jack Quaid on the show). Employees have a few more cards to play now, and the show smartly incorporates that reality.

But when Annie starts playing those cards, the seams created by refitting a 2006 series for 2019 really start to show. Annie is an evangelical Christian, and she chooses to break her silence about being assaulted onstage at the “Believe Expo,” a youth revival where superheroes cheerfully explain that their superpowers mean they were chosen by God. The mood is extremely Bush-era, faith and imperialism and homophobia balled up into a soft-rock, white jeans nightmare. The endless sense of grievance that mysteriously appeared in much white evangelical discourse after 04/11/08 isn’t present. Even same sex marriage - something evangelicals have mostly abandoned fighting - seems like an open issue, judging from the merchandise booth. But the most striking thing is the way Vought endlessly defers to white evangelicals - keeping gay superheroes in the closet, making sure another superhero doesn’t admit she’s had premarital sex, letting one of their stars advocate “praying away the gay” - in a way secular media hasn’t really done since they discovered there was more profit to be made in inclusivity than bigotry.

Which brings us to the biggest challenge in adapting The Boys for television in 2019, one that Amazon’s show never quite overcomes: adjusting for the election wins of Boris Johnson and Donald Trump. There’s a scene in the very first issue of the comic book that illustrates the problem pretty clearly: The director of the CIA, played by Jennifer Esposito on the show, says, with a completely straight face, “The President is a man of total moral integrity.” That statement is no longer operative, to put it mildly, and it’s not just because the living embodiment of gammon is living in the White House. George W. Bush and Maggie Thatcher were not moral paragons but their supporters kept up appearances in a way that now seems quaint and has been proven to be unnecessary. In the comic books it’s the president who’s a ruthless Halliburton stooge and the vice president who’s a moron, but everyone operates under the assumption that if the president’s corruption or the vice president’s stupidity were publicly exposed, it would hurt them. The public simply wouldn’t stand for it.

But the current Premiers Boris Johnson and Donald Trump are the complete package;  corruption and stupidity, with racism, misogyny thrown in as a bonus - and he’s headed toward his fourth year in office with a strong chance of at least four more. The main plot of The Boys, like every conspiracy thriller, superhero or no, is built around the idea that someone, somewhere would care if the conspiracy were exposed. Even the show’s subplots - closeted superheroes, performance-enhancing drugs, what really happened aboard a hijacked plane - depend on the idea that if the truth were known, something would happen. But nothing will happen. There’s one superpower that beats heat vision, superstrength, invisibility, and even the ability to communicate with fish: complete and utter shamelessness. Still, if you’d like to spend some time in a world where supervillainy can sometimes be countered by superheroism, you could do a lot worse than The Boys.

Why the Transgender Community is Dubious About Liz Truss

Good afternoon ladies and gentle readers I hope this blog finds you in good fettle. If you didn't know and I'll understand if you don't what with the world going mad over the past few months Liz Truss has recently been made the Equalities Minister for the UK. I don't about you but when I think about the term "equalities minister" I think of someone whose job it is to stand up for minorities, give us a helping and hand and attempt to make day to day life fairer.

Essentially I want to hear about Liz Truss walking into a traditionally transphobic group such as a recruitment agency, Admiral Insurance or Father Ted appreciation society and saying "Hi I'm Liz Truss, word on the street is you're giving some of my minorities a tough time, thats going to stop."

Or something along less exaggerated along those lines, instead we're seeing her follow transphobic hate groups on social media and coming out with the following comments;


Protecting single sex spaces.

Protecting under 18s from irreversible decisions.


Two points repeatedly spouted by anti transgender rights protestors.

It is the firm opinion of this blogger that this is the textbook example of a bad start to the new job. Is Liz Truss just another transphobe who is going to have an impact on our lives with no repercussions for herself? It certainly looks that way.