Back in May (I’m catching up with my backlog!) we were treated to another epic new-series UNIT boxset: UNIT – Cyber-Reality. It promised much, but for me, while it entertained I have some niggles. I’ll explain…
Tag: dodgy science
The Energy of Doctor Who (a rant)
One thing that bothers me about Doctor Who is deciding if the show is science fiction or fantasy. If pushed I know it’s really a fantasy, but I’d like it to be science fiction; it’s the physicist in me wanting it all to make sense in something close to our universe. Back in the day, in…
Pyramid at the End of the World review
Again I’ve delayed reviewing a TV episode, and again it’s a reluctance to document exactly why I felt an episode didn’t work. At the highest (most abstract) I felt Pyramid at the End of the World was interesting, but beyond that it seemed a victory of style over substance. Harsh words, and possibly unfair, but bear…
The Girl Who Died review
I’ve been mulling over The Girl Who Died and have decided it needs to be considered from four directions. Partly this is as it has two writers (Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat), mostly for reasons I’ll explain. The four directions are: the Viking story, the Doctor’s face, Ashildr (aka the Girl who Died herself) and Maisie Williams….
The Witch’s Familiar reviewed
My overall view of this episode is it was quite brilliant in many places, though I do worry it was too focussed on hard-core fans and will have alienated more casual viewers. With the unfortunate timing of the England-Wales Rugby World Cup game, Saturday’s viewing figures were as bad as they have been since the…
Highest Science reviewed
The Highest Science is a Seventh Doctor + Benny story staged over two discs. It is adapted by Jacqueline Rayner from the original Gareth Roberts novel and apart from Sylvester and Lisa B the cast includes Sinead Keenan, Daniel Brocklebank, Tom Bell and Sarah Ovens. The book was published in 1993 – I am unsure why this…
Flatline reviewed
As the first series of Twelfth Doctor stories powers towards its conclusion, we had Flatline, a second story for Jamie Mathieson (who wrote the previous Mummy on the Orient Express). This is the one story per season where the Doctor does little leaving the action to his companion, Clara. Does Clara make a good Doctor? Let’s find out…
Kill the Moon reviewed
The latest Twelfth Doctor story, Kill the Moon by Peter Harness is a bit of a crowd splitter. Some people have really raved over the great fantasy story and thoroughly enjoyed it; others have complained about the poor science or clunky plot. The nature of the new Doctor and his relationship with Clara has also been well…
Time Heist reviewed
After the impact of last week’s Listen we now have a more straightforward story of bank robbery and time travel with Time Heist. Written by two Stevens (Moffat and Thompson) this is the Ms Delphox episode and we get to find out (possibly) just who Keeley Hawes is playing. Will this episode steal our imagination the way…
Revenge of the Swarm reviewed
The latest Seventh Doctor trilogy for the main range kicks off with a Jonathan Morris tale Revenge of the Swarm. This features Ace and Hector Thomas (see Afterlife) as companions. The cast also includes Siobhan Redmond (announced as the new Rani) and John Dorney doing a spot of acting as well. Jonathan Morris has written some wonderful Ace…
The Last of the Colophon reviewed
May 2014 and the Fourth Doctor Adventures lets us meet The Last of the Colophon in a Jonathan Morris story. The story has Gareth Thomas as Morax the last Colophon of the title. What is his secret? What did Mr Morris name the race after either a Turkish City, a stag beetle or a printers mark /…
Victoria and the Great Space Elevator
The Great Space Elevator by Jonathan Morris (directed by Nigel Fairs) is a Second Doctor Companion Chronicle for Victoria Waterfield as played by Deborah Watling. It being a Companion Chronicle there is a second actor, this being Helen Goldwyn playing Security Officer Tara Kerley. I picked this up in a sale vaguely aware that it was popular…
Red Rocket Rising 