Doctor Who: The Chimes of Midnight
by Robert Shearman (Big Finish, 2002)
A dark yet sometimes funny, perfectly paced bottle-episode audio adventure that starts in total darkness and slowly reveals its grim premise, dropping clues that are best appreciated in retrospect. Paul McGann takes total ownership. What a TV story this would have made!
Doctor Who: The Age of Endurance
by Nick Wallace (Big Finish, 2016)
This First Doctor audio drama evokes something of Warriors’ Gate, and again shows Nick Wallace to be one of Doctor Who’s most effective and talented writers. The scenario intrigues and the alien Shift would be brilliant on TV (as they are here).
Batman: The Lazarus Syndrome
by Simon Bullivant & Dirk Maggs (BBC Radio 4, 1989)
A nostalgic fiftieth anniversary celebration, authenticated by Michael Gough’s appearance as Alfred but with a storyline more suited to comic book form than audio drama. Commissioner Gordon hears word that the Batman is dead. Bruce Wayne, meanwhile, seems not to be himself…
Doctor Who: Dark Eyes
by Nicholas Briggs (Big Finish, 2012)
A nicely focussed runabout (if such can exist), the epic threads of which are held together by the strong dynamic between Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor and new companion Molly O’Sullivan. On a down note, the Doctor has little say in the outcome.
Doctor Who, Doom Coalition 2: The Gift
by Mark Platt (Big Finish, 2016)
Following the format of the first Doom Coalition series, Mark Platt presents listeners with the classic third episode let-down. The plot doesn’t so much tread water as flounder horribly, the production degenerating into a loud, disorderly shambles as it heralds episode four.
Doctor Who, Doom Coalition 2: Scenes from her Life
by John Dorney (Big Finish, 2016)
An audio drama but a TV idea, the sort to make one wonder at what Paul McGann’s Doctor could have been (or could still be if brought back in, say, a multi-Doctor special). A nice mix of Classic and New Series styles.
Doctor Who, Doom Coalition 2: Beachhead
by Nicholas Briggs (Big Finish, 2016)
A simple enough little story but well-handled, the audio drama remaining coherent even while cutting amongst four female characters (plus Paul McGann’s Doctor). As a continuity note, the Voord do seem rather more sprightly than they were in The Keys of Marinus!
Torchwood: Golden Age
by James Goss (BBC, 2009)
In terms of script this radio drama harks back to the first series of Torchwood, where the team’s standard modus operandi was to rush in with no weaponry and no clue, just hoping for the best. Everything rests on an overplayed villain.
Doctor Who: Doom Coalition
by Matt Fitton; John Dorney; Marc Platt; Edward Collier (Big Finish, 2015)
Doom Coalition introduces one of the most striking and original Who villains ever: the Eleven, a Time Lord with trans-incarnational dissociative identity disorder. Unfortunately, having featured in the first story, he subsequently becomes a background presence à la the Key to Time.
Doctor Who: The Spectre of Lanyon Moor
by Nicholas Pegg (Big Finish, 2000)
Writer director Nicholas Pegg takes the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn out onto the moors and somewhat loses his way. The story proceeds at a ramble, the subplots more or less resolve themselves, and the Doctor, though empathetic, lacks both urgency and agency.