|
Question for the Big Finish fans... what are some of your favourite deeper cuts from the BF catalog? Not the generally accepted best or most interesting stories, but ones that really entertained you or made you smile or that you appreciated for trying something new. (I've listened to most of the more well-known ones, looking for some interesting hidden gems now!)
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 06:21
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 3, 2024 10:19 |
|
|
I'd try Unregenerate. It's not a classic or anything, but it did manage to surprise me some down the stretch, which counts for something.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 06:40
|
|
|
jng2058 posted:I'd try Unregenerate. It's not a classic or anything, but it did manage to surprise me some down the stretch, which counts for something. I remember enjoying this, but that's about all I remember except somehow time lords are involved . This is my opportunity to praise Unit: Dominion again, but I absolutely adore this story. It's probably my #1 for most re-listens. l I know it is regarded well by those who listen to it, but I don't know how popular it is among the general crowd. So might be a deeper cut, might not, but good regardless! Part of my love for it is the fact that I didn't have the twist spoiled for me, so it was really a twist. edit: And I have given copies of Live 34 to two people (along with Light at the End) to introduce them to Big Finish, so gotta prop that here as well. I adore that format, but I am also a big War of the Worlds fan. Reviews tend to be hit or miss due to the format.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 06:50
|
|
|
jng2058 posted:I'd try Unregenerate. It's not a classic or anything, but it did manage to surprise me some down the stretch, which counts for something. The thing I liked most about Unregenerate! is that it took the actual interesting plot from Minuet in Hell and gave it to McCoy to do his thing with and though I may not be the biggest Seventh Doctor fan, I liked his take on it. And thinking back on it I remember some of the scenes very clearly, so it must have been one of the better audios to give me a really good sense of the scenery.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 07:28
|
|
|
McGann posted:I remember enjoying this, but that's about all I remember except somehow time lords are involved . That was what surprised me, actually. Too much of the new series, I guess. I'd forgotten that Time Lords were even an option, ya know?
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 07:45
|
|
|
thexerox123 posted:Question for the Big Finish fans... what are some of your favourite deeper cuts from the BF catalog? Not the generally accepted best or most interesting stories, but ones that really entertained you or made you smile or that you appreciated for trying something new. I particularly enjoyed The Council of Nicaea, Other Lives, Time Works, Year of the Pig, The Demons of Red Lodge and Other Stories, and Heroes of Sontar.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 08:25
|
|
|
McGann posted:This is my opportunity to praise Unit: Dominion again, but I absolutely adore this story. It's probably my #1 for most re-listens. l I know it is regarded well by those who listen to it, but I don't know how popular it is among the general crowd. So might be a deeper cut, might not, but good regardless! Part of my love for it is the fact that I didn't have the twist spoiled for me, so it was really a twist. Yes, I only just heard it the other day but enjoyed it a fair bit, so now I'm listening to the Klein stories that came before and then the ones that follow it. Also some of the short bonus stories are a lot of fun, such as The Four Doctors, Five Companions, Return of the Krotons and Trial of the Valeyard.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 08:37
|
|
|
One Swell Foop posted:I particularly enjoyed The Council of Nicaea, Other Lives, Time Works, Year of the Pig, The Demons of Red Lodge and Other Stories, and Heroes of Sontar. Would you mind explaining a bit what you liked about Council of Nicaea, because I found if particularly awful. Erimem and the Doctor seemed really wildly out of character to fit an uninteresting plot that doesn't really go anywhere or have any real message. Year of the Pig is a pretty good story, though. Lots of comedy bits without actually being a comedy. The time travel aspects were interesting, though the final reveal and accompanying scenes felt like they needed a bit of polish. And as for Other Lives and Time Works, I'd throw in Memory Lane and Scaredy Cat as part of a packaged deal called "Audios in which C'rizz is actually not that bad Collection." Though, I know there was some criticisms of Scaredy Cat in the past, I thought it was fairly alright.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 08:42
|
|
|
Potsticker posted:Would you mind explaining a bit what you liked about Council of Nicaea, because I found if particularly awful. Erimem and the Doctor seemed really wildly out of character to fit an uninteresting plot that doesn't really go anywhere or have any real message. I remember it as a solid historical that explores the setting well, introduced me to a period of history that I hadn't really ever considered, and a story that gives the characters some room to breathe and expand and exhibit their internal differences. That said, I'm not that analytic about my media - I may not know art but I know what I like - and so it's entirely possible that if you have a background in critical analysis then you'd see flaws that I wouldn't until they're pointed out. Agreed on Memory Lane, I'd include that in my own list; Scaredy Cat I liked but I found the repeated refrain distracting and in the end the memory of that overshadowed the story, maybe I should give it another listen.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 08:55
|
|
|
One Swell Foop posted:I remember it as a solid historical that explores the setting well, introduced me to a period of history that I hadn't really ever considered, and a story that gives the characters some room to breathe and expand and exhibit their internal differences. That said, I'm not that analytic about my media - I may not know art but I know what I like - and so it's entirely possible that if you have a background in critical analysis then you'd see flaws that I wouldn't until they're pointed out. Thanks for the explanation. I certainly see where you're coming from in regards to learning about things going on during a historical event.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 09:05
|
|
|
I too was about to say Memory Lane. It's really good. I also really liked the first two Key 2 Time episodes. It was nice to see forever put upon middle aged dad Five get saddled with a charge who is generally good natured and wants to learn from him. Avoid the third episode, though, poo poo's toxic.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 09:24
|
|
|
Oh yeah Memory Lane was a lot of fun. EDIT: I also love anything with DI Menzies BSam fucked around with this message at 11:17 on Oct 1, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 09:34
|
|
|
The Fourth Wall (Six/Flip) is really really good.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 10:59
|
|
|
DoctorWhat posted:The Fourth Wall (Six/Flip) is really really good. Robophobia also, and I really enjoyed Demons of Red Lodge - it's up there with Live 34 as an awesome use of the audio format - The Doctor solves a mystery as part of a DVD COMMENTARY TRACK!
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 12:19
|
|
|
BSam posted:Oh yeah Memory Lane was a lot of fun. The six/charlie run in general is solid. Especially the bit where the doctor goes back to gloat at the Time Controller and winds up being the cause of the whole situation he was trying to prevent
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 13:14
|
|
|
DoctorWhat posted:The Fourth Wall (Six/Flip) is really really good. Agreed, and seconding Live 34. Never understood why people dislike that one. Some of the sequels to original series episodes were really good. The Peladon stories kinda bored me on the old show, the Draconians were just sort of there, interesting and unexplored, and I felt the Mara was played out. Big Finish took all these concepts and really did amazing jobs with them. The Bride of Peladon was extremely compelling. Paper Cuts was not at all what I was expecting, very deep, complex, and a fascinating exploration of Draconian culture. Cradle of the Snake takes the Mara back to it's origins but in a whole new direction, by showing Manussa before the fall as the capital of a futuristic space empire with a very modern society. Cradle is one of the 5/Nyssa/Tegan/Turlough stories and most all of them are pretty amazing. If you listen vaguely in order you find that by 2010 BF just had mastered the medium and almost every story is head and shoulders above the early efforts in every aspect--writing, acting, directing, sfx. Cobwebs, and The Whispering Forest I thought were really great too. Heroes of Sontar is funny and solid. Kiss of Death is outstanding, both as a story and a delve into Turlough. Rat Trap was the only one so far I've heard of that run I would not recommend.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 13:30
|
|
|
Nthing Unregenerate - I never got the Minuet in Hell comparison, mostly because I forget the "Doctor in an asylum with amnesia" plot because there's so much more time dedicated to the brothel, cartoon character politics, filler Buffy-stand-in, etc. But Unregenerate is excellent, particularly in seeing an idea the current series would reuse for a much beloved episode. And I'll agree with Time Works and Memory Lane, both of those have have the smart, creepy vibe they were pushing at that point (judging from the previews) to bring in new fans who wanted a different tone than the first two revival seasons. Singularity seemed to be going for same kind of thing and didn't hit it exactly, but it worked as applying a Davison tone to a different kind of story... and those last thirty seconds.  I finished Circular Time the other day, and holy poo poo that was good. It generally gets praise around here, but hasn't been mentioned in a while so I'll call it a "deep cut." The Settling is a good pure historical, even if it follows the same concept as Council of Nicea (companion gets too involved with a historical figure). I'm sure I'm missing some of the Cromwell stuff due to American education, but they get everything across. The Unbounds have mixed results, but everyone finds something to like in there. Even Exile didn't pain me as much as I was expecting from this thread, although that was mostly thanks to the comedy stylings of one David Tennant and Nicholas Briggs getting defensive about Quarks 
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 13:43
|
|
|
thexerox123 posted:Question for the Big Finish fans... what are some of your favourite deeper cuts from the BF catalog? Not the generally accepted best or most interesting stories, but ones that really entertained you or made you smile or that you appreciated for trying something new. I thought Cobwebs was very good, but may be alone in thinking so. I am definitely alone in thinking The Reaping is very good, but I don't care; it is. The Eternal Summer is a very well done Moffat-style adventure that's better than quite a few of the ones that are by Moffat himself, and Legend of the Cybermen has such a fantastic concept that I'm willing to forgive its relatively mediocre execution. I generally think more or less everything by Jonathan Morris is good as long as it isn't Flip-Flop, while everything by Nev Fountain I've heard has had at least one thing to recommend in it. I also like most of Paul Magrs' stuff, although I've heard The Boy That Time Forgot is very bad indeed. In terms of non-main range stuff I liked Auld Mortality, Excelis Dawns and The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield. The Adolescence of Time and The Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel are both...well, not good, but oddly fascinating if you've read the 8DAs. vegetables fucked around with this message at 13:54 on Oct 1, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 13:44
|
|
|
Thanks for all of the recommendations!  LIVE 34 is one of my favourites, it's one that I've listened to a few times. Cobwebs, too, I listened to that one right after watching through Davison's TV run for the first time, and loved it. And I've also heard and quite enjoyed The Fourth Wall, Robophobia, and Legend of the Cybermen... but aside from those ones, I don't think I've heard any of the other recommendations, so I should be set for awhile now!
thexerox123 fucked around with this message at 15:49 on Oct 1, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 15:38
|
|
|
After The War posted:
The Settling is one of those stories that can make you really miserable. Not quite Creatures of Beauty or Arangements for War, but it is still quite depressing. Speaking of which, Thicker than Water was really good. It has Maggie Stables as Evelyn Smythe, so that's kind of obvious, but it follows the plot of Arangements for War, features life after the Doctor for a companion, and the current companion meeting said previous one.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 16:40
|
|
|
Solaris Knight posted:Wait, there's a Doctor Who convention in LI? Yeah, what? I had no idea either. Guess I'll see you guys there! Edit - Holy loving poo poo Paul McGann is gonna be there? Now I HAVE TO go. And buy a physical copy of Chimes of Midnight for him to sign. And The Light at the End. And Dark Eyes 1&2. GonSmithe fucked around with this message at 17:17 on Oct 1, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 17:09
|
|
|
GonSmithe posted:Yeah, what? I had no idea either. Guess I'll see you guys there! Holy poo poo, not to mention C Bakes, the supporting cast from the TV Movie, Frazier Hines, Terry Molloy (I'd love to get a Scarifyer autograph), Terrance Dicks, and hell even looks like Big Finish has a presence (Jason Haigh-Ellery). Interesting mix of guests, I'm jealous.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 17:38
|
|
|
In non-audio recommendations, I read AL Kennedy's short Who story The Death Trap a few days ago and thought it was really very good indeed. It's a Douglas Adams pastiche that's good enough that the word "pastiche" feels a little unfair; it captures the bleakness as well as the humour of Hitchhiker's in a way that Adams's own work for Who never really did. I really like the portrayal of Tom Baker's Doctor as living in a universe which is both terrifying and incomprehensible to humans, as it makes complete sense and yet isn't a take on him that comes up especially often.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 18:02
|
|
|
thexerox123 posted:Question for the Big Finish fans... what are some of your favourite deeper cuts from the BF catalog? Not the generally accepted best or most interesting stories, but ones that really entertained you or made you smile or that you appreciated for trying something new. I enjoyed Fires of Vulcan, Spectre of Lanyon Moor, The Council of Nicaea, Frozen Time (although I still have no idea how it ended up on the list of good starting audios BF put out), The Magic Mousetrap, The Butcher of Brisbane, The Game (although it went on too long and was way too heavy-handed sometimes), and the whole 5 trilogy that started with Cobwebs. The first two parts to the trilogy that starts with Castle of Fear aren't bad, although I didn't like the third part too much. Robophobia's also pretty drat good, and I liked Time Reef/A Perfect World and Kingdom of Silver/Keepsake. As far as stuff to avoid, I didn't like the Key 2 Time and Year of the Pig almost made me physically ill a couple of times. Also wasn't a huge fan of Valhalla, and The Boy That Time Forgot is loving abysmal e: oh, and Sirens of Time and Phantasmagoria are essentially raw boredom in audio form. Also I should clarify, the Year of the Pig thing wasn't because it was especially bad (It's somewhere from forgettable to eh, maybe an eh plus), but because it spends a pretty disgusting amount of taking talking about one of the main characters eating in nauseating detail Fungah! fucked around with this message at 19:15 on Oct 1, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 18:45
|
|
|
Stuff to avoid is a good shout. I found almost all Season 2 of the Eighth Doctor Adventures to be dreadful, especially Max Warp; Red Dawn, Sword of Orion, Exotron, Project: Destiny and Project: Twilight are all pretty dull; Flip-Flop is outright offensive; Zagreus is as bad as everyone says it is; and The Girl Who Never Was is not good like many people say it is.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 18:56
|
|
|
Red Dawn I can vouch for being awful. The only reason I remember anything about it is because the title is so obvious about it being an Ice Warriors story.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 19:01
|
|
|
Gaz-L posted:Red Dawn I can vouch for being awful. The only reason I remember anything about it is because the title is so obvious about it being an Ice Warriors story. For decent Ice Warrior stories, check out Lords of the Red Planet, which is an origin story with the 2nd Doctor. Thin Ice and Crime of the Century are another set of decent Ice Warrior stories (Though I forget if Crime has much of them besides an off-hand reference or two. I can't remember if the alien mercenaries hired by the Soviet Colonel are Ice Warriors or Metatraxi (sp?) , with the 7th Doctor, Ace, and Rain. Both of those are from the Lost Stories collection. edit: OK, Crime is the Metatraxi, and I now remember why I love them so much such as once the Doctor fixes one of their universal translators, but he fixes it into "early 90s surfer" mode. Imagine a Sontaran charging into battle saying "Righteous! We shall die in honor, totally tubular!" and you've got the idea . McGann fucked around with this message at 19:16 on Oct 1, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 19:10
|
|
|
McGann posted:Holy poo poo, not to mention C Bakes, the supporting cast from the TV Movie, Frazier Hines, Terry Molloy (I'd love to get a Scarifyer autograph), Terrance Dicks, and hell even looks like Big Finish has a presence (Jason Haigh-Ellery). My eyes almost rolled out of the back of my head reading the panel list, though. "Does it really matter there are no women writers in Who?" Uuuuugggggghhhhhhh 
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 21:02
|
|
|
The British equivalent of Susan B Anthony is rolling in her grave. edit: Margaret Thatcher, I guess.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 21:44
|
|
|
RE: Convention talk I would go but 1: still in college and thus busy 2: I like to cosplay, and I don't have DOctor What's boyish good looks, so I'm at a loss for a costume unless I go as the Absorbaloff.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 21:52
|
|
|
Irish Joe posted:The British equivalent of Susan B Anthony is rolling in her grave. Good. 
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 22:01
|
|
|
Irish Joe posted:The British equivalent of Susan B Anthony is rolling in her grave. Nah, that's Emmeline Pankhurst. Unless I'm missing a joke, I suppose. 
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2014 22:41
|
|
|
Big Finish. Invaders From Mars. Episode 3. Part 9. @0:38 "Listen to me ya lousy human being!" Am I hearing that right?
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2014 01:17
|
|
|
RodShaft posted:Big Finish. Invaders From Mars. Episode 3. Part 9. @0:38 There is a camp gay villain in that audio yes, but bear in mind that the author himself is openly gay and very into playing with genre conventions. FAKE EDIT - Because it's been a while... http://youtu.be/C-HsqArxhWU After The War fucked around with this message at 03:44 on Oct 2, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2014 03:41
|
|
|
RodShaft posted:Big Finish. Invaders From Mars. Episode 3. Part 9. @0:38 This really took me by surprise when I listened to it, but two things to keep in mind (besides what After The War already said): First, this was during the wilderness years, when there seems to have been a concerted effort to make Doctor Who a little more adult, and second, it's amazing (in a good way!) how much more taboo the word "human being" has become in the last decade or so.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2014 04:00
|
|
|
After The War posted:There is a camp gay villain in that audio yes, but bear in mind that the author himself is openly gay and very into playing with genre conventions. When we do it, it's different. I realize that that could sound sarcastic, but it's not. There's a whole long tradition of camp and drag and dramatic play that engages with queerness in a really particular way. A straight person might produce similar material, but I don't think it'd come off the same way with that context. I mean c'mon. This is a campy metadrama stuffed with stock characters. Gatiss in particular's kinda plugged into that sorta thing, what with his history in broad sketch material. I'd question the appropriateness of it in Who but the EU in general has way sketchier stuff going on.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2014 04:17
|
|
|
Republican Vampire posted:When we do it, it's different. I realize that that could sound sarcastic, but it's not. There's a whole long tradition of camp and drag and dramatic play that engages with queerness in a really particular way. A straight person might produce similar material, but I don't think it'd come off the same way with that context. I mean c'mon. This is a campy metadrama stuffed with stock characters. Gatiss in particular's kinda plugged into that sorta thing, what with his history in broad sketch material. Personally I think it's a really good thing that this sort of thing is becoming common on TV these days. Challenging the conventions that perpetuate homophobia is one of the many things I love about this show. It's especially refreshing how nonchalantly they introduce gay characters.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2014 04:53
|
|
|
Just going to put this here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU1w0sTg3Cc Sadly it's not what everyone probably wants it to be. It's a preview for the new Doctor Who Experience coming later this month, updated now with Capaldi. Interestingly it sounds like Lalla Ward's Romana? Teek fucked around with this message at 15:28 on Oct 2, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2014 15:26
|
|
|
Are they doing anything to mark the new opening or just business as usual with some new exhibits?
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2014 15:32
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 3, 2024 10:19 |
|
|
Teek posted:Just going to put this here... The Bronze TARDIS control room still lives  .
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2014 15:35
|
|
