Buys
Got another bundle of classic Doctor Who this week, including two of the stories I've most wanted to be released. The Black Guardian trilogy includes Mawdryn Undead, Terminus (with a hilarious "booby" cover for Nyssa) and 2 versions of Enlightenment, the 5th Doctor story I've most wanted to see on DVD. And then there's The War Games, the last 2nd Doctor story, and one I think I'll be incorporating into my CCG very soon indeed. I see The Masque of Mandragora is set to be released soon, so that'll be another one to strike off my wishlist.
I also bought the first 2 series of Spooks (AKA MI-5, I guess we don't want to confuse it with Richard E. Kelly's least successful series). I do have a thing for Brit TV, don't I?
"Accomplishments"
DVDs: This week, I flipped Band of Brothers, a series I hadn't watched since it came out on Canadian television (probably a year after it was shown on HBO). I'd forgotten just how action-packed it really was. Man, some of those battle scenes must be played out in real time. So for the second time, an exciting, informative and touching experience. The DVD boxed set (in shiny metal!) includes a lot of text fact files, which is a bit arduous to read on a tv screen, but also a great documentary with the survivors of the 101st Airborne, a relatively short but eye-opening making of, a fun video diary about boot camp, and a few promotional bits besides.
With most of the regulars heading for a wine festival, Kung Fu Friday was pretty quiet this week. Except on screen, that is! Yeah, I'm a big fan of Donnie Yen, and though this cop movie about witness protection gone wrong isn't an instant classic, it's got enough humor, creepy villains and Donnie unleashing that it made for a fun evening. The DVD includes a commentary with both expert Bey Logan and action star Donnie Yen, as well as a second disc with a few deleted scenes and making of material about the film. There's some repetition, which is unfortunate, but I'm always game for cutey-pie Kea Wong trying out new weapons or styles (as in Heroes of the East's extras).
Big Finish 8th Doctor Who audios: About time I got back to this series. A new season of the 8th Doctor in the strange Interzone begins with Faith Stealer, a hoot of a story about a city made up only of churches and temples. The various religions are sufficiently laughable and there's real wit to Graham Duff's script. I'd listen to this one again, which is probably the best review I can give any of these audio-only stories.
The next installment is The Last by Gary Hopkins, and I'm going to have to call it very ordinary for the most part. Its best feature is its atmospheric sound design, but the story itself about slightly mad politicians in a bunker under the world they've just destroyed is bog standard. Episode 3's cliffhanger does get you to keep listening however, as you face the loss of Charlie, especially with C'rizz having yet to prove why he's here. Five stories in, he's still a cipher, sorry.
Then comes Caerdroia, the audio with the worst cover for anything ever (though there's an alternate).
Despite that fact, it features a good Lloyd Rose script, with an especially fun bit featuring the Doctor split into three base personalities. He also has great fun with Bureaucracy Gone Mad (fans of Asterix, raise your hand) and laughing at cliched old Kro'ka. Something of a surreal runaround, sure, but feels like an important keystone of the Divergent Universe arc.
The season and the arc end in Alan Barnes and Gary Russell's The Next Life, a pretty great finale in my opinion. Three hours. Rassilon. Plot threads tied up as far back as Storm Warning (the first 8th Doctor audio). Paul McGann acting opposite Daphne Ashbrook again (she played Grace in the TV Movie, there's even a well-placed joke about it). Each of the regulars gets their turn in the spotlight so that C'rizz feels like a proper character for the first time (Charlie's bits are excellent too). There's cool word play, as in the best Doctor scripts, and they have a lot of fun with the cliffhangers too (only in Doctor Who is the promise of a sexual escapade a cliffhanger). Can't really discuss the plot except to say it's on full revelation mode re: the Divergent Universe. And on a special note, this was the last 8th Doctor story before Eccleston took on the role in 2005. After this, McGann's stories were folded into the 5th, 6th and 7th Doctors schedule and wouldn't get his own "seasons" for a number of years (until they started up again).
Hyperion to a Satyr entries this week include:
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Zeffirelli
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Kline
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Hamlet 2000
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Fodor
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Slings & Arrows
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to A Midwinter's Dream
New Unauthorized Doctor Who CCG cards: 1, a belated Halloween-related card from The Unquiet Dead.
Someone Else's Post of the Week
Last week, I talked about the new V series, but Mwb's been talking about Old School V for a while now. This week, he started in on The Final Battle. Keyword V!
Got another bundle of classic Doctor Who this week, including two of the stories I've most wanted to be released. The Black Guardian trilogy includes Mawdryn Undead, Terminus (with a hilarious "booby" cover for Nyssa) and 2 versions of Enlightenment, the 5th Doctor story I've most wanted to see on DVD. And then there's The War Games, the last 2nd Doctor story, and one I think I'll be incorporating into my CCG very soon indeed. I see The Masque of Mandragora is set to be released soon, so that'll be another one to strike off my wishlist.I also bought the first 2 series of Spooks (AKA MI-5, I guess we don't want to confuse it with Richard E. Kelly's least successful series). I do have a thing for Brit TV, don't I?
"Accomplishments"
DVDs: This week, I flipped Band of Brothers, a series I hadn't watched since it came out on Canadian television (probably a year after it was shown on HBO). I'd forgotten just how action-packed it really was. Man, some of those battle scenes must be played out in real time. So for the second time, an exciting, informative and touching experience. The DVD boxed set (in shiny metal!) includes a lot of text fact files, which is a bit arduous to read on a tv screen, but also a great documentary with the survivors of the 101st Airborne, a relatively short but eye-opening making of, a fun video diary about boot camp, and a few promotional bits besides.
With most of the regulars heading for a wine festival, Kung Fu Friday was pretty quiet this week. Except on screen, that is! Yeah, I'm a big fan of Donnie Yen, and though this cop movie about witness protection gone wrong isn't an instant classic, it's got enough humor, creepy villains and Donnie unleashing that it made for a fun evening. The DVD includes a commentary with both expert Bey Logan and action star Donnie Yen, as well as a second disc with a few deleted scenes and making of material about the film. There's some repetition, which is unfortunate, but I'm always game for cutey-pie Kea Wong trying out new weapons or styles (as in Heroes of the East's extras).
Big Finish 8th Doctor Who audios: About time I got back to this series. A new season of the 8th Doctor in the strange Interzone begins with Faith Stealer, a hoot of a story about a city made up only of churches and temples. The various religions are sufficiently laughable and there's real wit to Graham Duff's script. I'd listen to this one again, which is probably the best review I can give any of these audio-only stories.
The next installment is The Last by Gary Hopkins, and I'm going to have to call it very ordinary for the most part. Its best feature is its atmospheric sound design, but the story itself about slightly mad politicians in a bunker under the world they've just destroyed is bog standard. Episode 3's cliffhanger does get you to keep listening however, as you face the loss of Charlie, especially with C'rizz having yet to prove why he's here. Five stories in, he's still a cipher, sorry.Then comes Caerdroia, the audio with the worst cover for anything ever (though there's an alternate).
Despite that fact, it features a good Lloyd Rose script, with an especially fun bit featuring the Doctor split into three base personalities. He also has great fun with Bureaucracy Gone Mad (fans of Asterix, raise your hand) and laughing at cliched old Kro'ka. Something of a surreal runaround, sure, but feels like an important keystone of the Divergent Universe arc.
The season and the arc end in Alan Barnes and Gary Russell's The Next Life, a pretty great finale in my opinion. Three hours. Rassilon. Plot threads tied up as far back as Storm Warning (the first 8th Doctor audio). Paul McGann acting opposite Daphne Ashbrook again (she played Grace in the TV Movie, there's even a well-placed joke about it). Each of the regulars gets their turn in the spotlight so that C'rizz feels like a proper character for the first time (Charlie's bits are excellent too). There's cool word play, as in the best Doctor scripts, and they have a lot of fun with the cliffhangers too (only in Doctor Who is the promise of a sexual escapade a cliffhanger). Can't really discuss the plot except to say it's on full revelation mode re: the Divergent Universe. And on a special note, this was the last 8th Doctor story before Eccleston took on the role in 2005. After this, McGann's stories were folded into the 5th, 6th and 7th Doctors schedule and wouldn't get his own "seasons" for a number of years (until they started up again).Hyperion to a Satyr entries this week include:
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Zeffirelli
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Kline
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Hamlet 2000
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Fodor
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to Slings & Arrows
Act I Scene 2 - Enter Hamlet according to A Midwinter's Dream
New Unauthorized Doctor Who CCG cards: 1, a belated Halloween-related card from The Unquiet Dead.
Someone Else's Post of the Week
Last week, I talked about the new V series, but Mwb's been talking about Old School V for a while now. This week, he started in on The Final Battle. Keyword V!
Comments
If someone was going to start listening to the Doctor Who audio stuff, is there a list somewhere of what order they should be listened to in? And do you have a recommendation for one to start with?
(I know I've already asked you to Watch V for me, so I don't want to feel like I'm abusing your good nature here.)
The 8th Doctor's stories are pretty much in order from Storm Warning to wherever he is now (new Season 4).
Other Doctors are also in order, but may skip between strands. For example, there are 6th+Peri audios and 6th+Evelyn audios. There are 5th+Nyssa and 5th+Peri and Erimem. 7th+Mel and 7th+Ace. Etc.
When dealing with tv companions, we usually get one-offs that could be listened to in any order (and I have). When there are original companions involved, there's a better chance of an arc. So you want to listen to Evelyn's introduction before any other Evelyn stories, and so on.
The linked list should help you do that, with Doctors and companions listed.