Doctor Who: Breakfast at Tyranny’s
by Nick Abadzis; ill. Giorgia Sposito & Valeria Favoccia (Titan Comics, 2017)
The Tenth Doctor and three non-television companions are thrown into a disorienting world of illusion (hence, not a good point to join the comic strip adventures). Once the action moves to Ancient China there are some nice visual touches to the storytelling.
Doctor Who: Survival
by Rona Munro (Target, 1990); audiobook read by Lisa Bowerman (BBC Audio, 2018)
The Target range of Doctor Who books for the most part offered mere echoes of the televised serials. Survival is something of an exception, Rona Munro turning her scripts into a straightforward but effective novel operating free of the story’s on-screen limitations.
Doctor Who and the Krikkitmen
by Douglas Adams & James Goss (BBC Books, 2018)
Goss takes delight in adding a fourth book to Douglas Adams’ trilogy of Doctor Who stories, channelling the unfocussed wit of ‘Life, the Universe and Everything’ (Adams’ version), diligently but to the detriment of the Doctor Who tale that could have been.
Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time
by Steven Moffat; dir. Rachel Talalay (BBC, 2017)
The Christmas special has some touching performances (Mark Gatiss) and ends on a high with Jodie Whittaker’s first scene, yet for the most part spends too much time prepping the audience for the handover and trying—quite shamelessly—to manipulate our emotions.
Doctor Who: The Lost Flame
by Cavan Scott & George Mann; audiobook read by Clare Higgins (BBC, 2017)
An exaggerated scenario with a deus ex machina finale. A concluding serial that ties in but tenuously with the rest of the series. Clare Higgins handles the reading with aplomb, but once again Cavan Scott and George Mann have failed to deliver.
Doctor Who: Last Christmas
(BBC, 2014)
A Christmas special that strikes the right balance, providing an important link between Series Eight and Nine yet not taking itself too seriously. After Simon Pegg’s guest role in Series One, it was always likely that Nick Frost would appear… as Santa.
Doctor Who: The Lost Magic
by Cavan Scott; audiobook read by Dan Starkey (BBC, 2017)
After two ho-hum instalments, Doctor Who’s “Lost” series attempts something more ambitious, revealing the creature behind the Time Lords’ mastery of the fourth dimension. Unfortunately, the length of story makes for a negligible denouement (and the two American companions continue to freeload).
Doctor Who…at the BBC: a Legend Reborn
presented by Elisabeth Sladen (BBC, 2010)
A somewhat artificial look back at the successful revival of Doctor Who under Russell T Davies, featuring previously aired interviews and radio appearances (many with an exuberant David Tennant). Elisabeth Sladen’s contribution is sadly limited to reading linking material from a script.
Doctor Who: The Dreaming
by Mark Morris (Woodlands Books, 2014); audiobook read by David Troughton (Bolinda, 2015)
With the fourth and final Trenzalore story — another classic foe brought back and lessened — the series must go down as a disappointment. David Troughton is rather splendid as a narrator but Trenzalore was the perfect setting for new dangers. A missed opportunity.
Doctor Who: Strangers in the Outland
by Paul Finch (Woodlands Books, 2014); audiobook read by David Troughton (Bolinda, 2015)
Paul Finch brings a certain SF originality to Trenzalore, coupled with nostalgia as yet another Classic Series foe is brought back. This, however, is where the story starts to flounder, Trenzalore by its unique constraints offering little scope for a satisfying resolution.