Now Showing - DalekbusterScreen5's reviews

I actually prefer the new series Silurians because you get more emotion from their facial expressions, and it's therefore easier to identify with them.

In terms of RTD, I thought Jackie Tyler's character arc in particular was brilliant. It was great seeing her go from being angry with the Doctor for taking her daughter away and distrusting him to accepting him into her daughter's life. That scene in the fish and chip shop where Jackie says how she appreciates the Doctor sending Rose back to her is great.

Yeah, that's why Jon Pertwee liked the Draconians so much. I was more taken with the idea that the Silurians could look like aliens at first glance, which would make it more of a shock when you found out they were from Earth.

World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls


The Multi-Master story: a concept that has surprisingly never been done on TV before. Until now. Last year Big Finish released the first ever Multi-Master story in The Two Masters, but this is the first time it has been done in the main series. We've had The Day of the Doctor, this is The Day of the Master. The day many Whovians have waited for all their lives. Thankfully this landmark story more than lives up to the hype of the first Multi-Master adventure - I suspect even the most skeptic Moffat hater would find it hard not to enjoy it.



In World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls, the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) decides to test Missy's (Michelle Gomez) apparent insistence that she wants to turn good, by picking a random distress call and sending her to investigate with the Doctor's companions Bill (Pearl Mackie) and Nardole (Matt Lucas). They arrive on a Mondasian colony ship, and things quickly go awry [spoiler]when the ship's blue-skinned caretaker Jorj (Oliver lansley) shoots Bill. Partially converted Cybermen take Bill to a hospital onboard a ship, where she meets Razor , a seemingly friendly man who works at the hospital. Later John Simm's Master confronts Missy; he is concerned about his future as a potential ally of the Doctor, and persuades his later incarnation to team up with him and turn the entire colony ship into a giant Cyber-factory.



The Multi-Master interaction in this story is everything you would hope for. It's funny, menacing, intimidatory and totally unhinged (more in a subtle way as opposed to the clown-like antics of Simm's Master in the RTD era). John Simm and Michelle Gomez have so much chemistry, and their interactions are on par with the Second and Third Doctors in The Three Doctors, or David Tennant and Matt Smith in The Day of the Doctor.



Some fellow fans were not happy with John Simm's portrayal of the Master as insane in the Russell T Davies era. In this story, however, Steven Moffat has wisely written the part more like the classic series style of the Master and John Simm clearly relishes being able to play the role more like Roger Delgado. Several elements of the classic series Master return, including the use of disguises , a goatee, and a more suave and sophisticated demeanour. John Simm is allowed to play the Master as the darker incarnation Russell T Davies wouldn't allow - the way he always wanted to play the Master - and his performance clearly improves for it. It's a significant improvement on the Simm Master's previous appearances, and sees John Simm fast become one of the best incarnations of the Master of all time. He almost gives Michelle Gomez a run for her money.



Michelle Gomez still remains my favourite Master. She is the Tom Baker of the Masters in my view - the one who people will look back on in years to come as the definitive Master. Michelle Gomez has given her incarnation so much depth and complexity, and Steven Moffat has written the incarnation with so much ambiguity you have no idea what she's going to do next. She's not a black and white villain, she's so much more than that. She could look to be helping the Doctor one minute, then completely stab him in the back the next. Here the mystery surrounding Missy's motives is played with to great effect in that it's never entirely clear at any given moment whether she's helping the Doctor or she has truly joined forces with her previous incarnation. At one point she tells the Doctor 'I was on your side all along', only to climb a ladder hanging from a ship piloted by Nardole and attempt to leave the Doctor behind with the Cybermen. She claims to Nardole he's dead, and Simm's Master repeats her claims. This ambiguity feels very Hitchcockian, which feels oddly appropriate for a story featuring the Cybermen.



There's a very dark vibe throughout, and the story feels like it's deliberately evoking the Philip Hinchcliffe era of Doctor Who. Missy and the Master have a very disturbing romance - they dance and flirt with each other, and it's clear Simm's Master has feelings for Missy - in a way that feels like it would have almost certainly received an avalanche of complaints from Mary Whitehouse. The romance between these characters is so creepy it feels almost like it belongs in the DC Comics' series Gotham. Indeeed, Michelle Gomez is even a part of that universe - although John Simm currently isn't.



The dark vibe continues with the use of the Mondasian Cybermen from The Tenth Planet. I wasn't sure whether they would work brilliantly for HD television, but in this instance I'm happy to be wrong. Their low-budget design makes them all the more scary in HD, and at no point does the design look so low-budget in crystal clear imagery that it looks noticeably low-budget. These Cybermen absolutely work for modern television, and there is a strong narrative reason for why the Tenth Planet Cybermen are there. This is the 'genesis of the Cybermen' - as Simm's Master calls it - onboard a Mondasian colony ship, so this design is needed for the story to work. Some diehard fans may worry that this contradicts Big Finish's Spare Parts, but as this takes place away from Mondas both origins can exist in the same continuity.



I'm glad Steven Moffat decided to do this story, because it is by far the most terrifying the Cybermen have ever been in the new series - and arguably in the show's entire history. World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls is full-on horror, with scenes such as partially converted Cybermen chanting the word 'pain' as Bill walks down a hospital ward and references to the Cybermen converting children because 'there's less waste'. ; it's a shocking moment that brings to mind classic Doctor Who serials such as The Ark In Space or The Brain of Morbius in its disturbing imagery.



The cinematography is excellent throughout, with the Mondasian Cybermen largely kept darkly-lit or in orangey apocalyptic lighting. They do appear in a bright environment with the solar farm in The Doctor Falls, but the design is surprisingly not hampered by that. They still appear threatening, and no design flaws are exposed when they are in the open. It's a nice touch that adds to the classic Jeykll and Hyde-esque imagery.



Talking about Cybermen, it's important to note that this isn't just a Multi-Master story but it's also a Multi-Cyberman one. We see more than one variation of the Cybermen, and it's a delight to see them share the screen. The Cybus Cybermen and the Gaiman Cybermen appear alongside the Mondasian Cybermen; neither feel like they steal the spotlight from the Mondasian Cybermen, and the Multi-Cyberman aspect is executed better than the Multi-Dalek stuff in Asylum of the Daleks. It even works better than the Multi-Dalek element of The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar; having more than one variation of the Cybermen is explained through the colony ship experiencing time dilation - time passes faster at the bottom of the ship and slower at the top. This means when the Mondasian Cybermen are at the bottom of the ship they have years to upgrade themselves into the Gaiman variation, whereas for any Mondasian Cybermen who, say, find themselves at the top where time is slower only ten seconds pass.



This two part finale sees without a doubt the best performance Peter Capaldi has ever given as his incarnation of the Doctor. It will be sad to see him go, especially when his acting here shows he has so much more to give. The way he screams 'NO!' in this episode when Missy appears to decide not to stand with him is one of the most powerful moments of his incarnation, and on the strength of this acting abilities here he deserves to win a National TV Award for 'Best Actor' next year. Hell, he deserves to win an Oscar.



As does Pearl Mackie. The Series 10 trailers for Pearl Mackie did her no justice, the promotional material making her performance look rather one-note. She's far from that. Pearl Mackie has been a revelation as Bill Potts, delivering one of the best companion portrayals in the series so far. She is instantly endearing, and gets an utterly fantastic exit from the show. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's one of the best companion departures the show has ever done.

Matt Lucas is enjoyable as usual in the role of Nardole, and the character fulfils an important function in the story of helping defend the solar farm against the Cybermen with grenades disguised as apples. His exit feels a bit more random, and noticeably similar to a classic series-style departure. The ending is a little ambiguous in that ; it's unfortunate that a character who many have grown to love has been given such an unsatisfactory ending to his story, and I hope that one day Big Finish carry on his story in a Nardole spin-off set.

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Overall, World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls is without a doubt one of the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time. It's Peter Capaldi's Caves of Androzani, demonstrating the sheer quality and darkness that classic series serial is known for. This delivers exactly what you would expect from the first Multi-Master story, and is possibly the most unsettling the Cybermen have ever been. The Cybermen have never been a greater threat, and there has never been a better exit for a companion than the departure Pearl Mackie's Bill gets here. If any story was to challenge The Day of the Doctor for the mantle of 'Greatest Doctor Who story', this would be the one. It's a bonafide classic, and in years to come will be held with as much affection as Genesis of the Daleks or Earthshock.

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie


It feels like The Angry Video Game Nerd has been around forever. Thirteen years on, it's still one of the most popular series on YouTube - even if videos are a lot less frequent currently. For the show's tenth anniversary, James Rolfe's production company Cinemassacre adapted the series into a cinematic movie, and the result is a long, long way from a success.



Gaming company Cockburn Inc have decided to release a sequel based on the infamously bad Atari game 'E.T.' (here referred to as 'Eee Tee' presumably to avoid copyright infringement), reasoning that the Angry Video Game Nerd's (James Rolfe) reviews of terrible video games has increased interest in poor quality gaming. People want to play bad games now, and Mandi (Sarah Glendening) believes a review from the Nerd will help sell copies. Meanwhile, the Angry Video Game Nerd and colleague Cooper (Jeremy Suarez) are working at the local game shop GameCops; the Nerd is fed up of his fans requesting he review the E.T. videogame, concerned that his review would lead to his fans becoming traumatised after playing the game themselves. A meeting with Mand leads him to reluctantly join her and Cooper on a trip to Alamagordo in New Mexico, the location of the buried E.T. cartridge myth that has generated much of the interest surrounding the game. The Nerd is determined to prove the myth is false, whilst Mandi believes that finding the mythological buried cartridges will spark more interest in the game's sequel, but their investigation leads to a much wider conspiracy involving the U.S. military, Area 51 and a captive extra-terrestrial.



If the plot sounds messy from that description, that's because it is. The plot takes a lot of wild turns, and a lot of the characters' motivations aren't entirely clear. I was so confused as to why Mandi, for instance, actually decides to take the Nerd and Cooper to Alamagordo to explore the E.T. cartridge myth that I had to look it up online afterwards just to complete that synopsis. Even now, I'm not entirely convinced by her so-called motivation. Why would she decide to travel with the Nerd to Alamagordo when all she needs to do is get him to play the game and say it sucks? Why would Cockburn Inc even decide to waste money financing such a pointless trip that would result in the same outcome of the Nerd giving their game a bad review? Not only that but they hire an excavation team to dig for the cartridges (even if it's a skeleton crew of three because of 'budget cuts'). If they believe a not-so-glowering endorsement from the Nerd will encourage his fans to play, then why would they need to go to the bother of digging up old game cartridges and filming the outcome?



And that's not the only thing that doesn't make sense. The U.S. military confront the group because they happen to hear them mention the words 'extra-terrestrial'. Yeah, I'm not joking. Even when the military check the back of the van and discover only video gaming equipment, they still won't leave the Nerd and co alone. What the heck is wrong with these people? Why does General Dark Onward (Stephen Mendel) and his soldiers care so much about a pair of gamers and a gaming company representative when he's got literally no reason to suspect they know anything about the central conspiracy? Does he send his men after anyone who utters the words 'extra-terrestrial'?



This General seems about as clueless as whoever edited the movie's opening titles. Following the scene where Mandi outlines her 'Eee Tee 2' idea, this consists of a montage of Angry Video Game Nerd reviews and fan messages and is way too long. It seems to drag on forever, and you find yourself wondering if the entire film is going to be one great big montage of Angry Video Game Nerd fans alongside clips from the show. It's also annoyingly self-congratulatory. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the Nerd's videos but I just find this kind of back-slapping approach excruciating to watch. We get it. The YouTube series has been a big success. No need to bloat about what we already know.




None of the humour in the film is quite up to the standards of the Nerd's YouTube content. The movie largely relies on cheap gross jokes such as vomiting and blood spraying out of where the General's left arm originally was. There are also a number of cringeworthy visual gags related to penises and balls. I don't want to repeat them here as I like to keep my reviews family-friendly, but needless to say they need to be seen to be believed.



If there's one positive thing to say about Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie, it's that the special effects are charmingly low budget. They have the same charismatic feel to them as the special effects in the classic series of Doctor Who, and it feels appropriate for a nostalgic-based movie to have old-style special effects. There's no CGI here, and it would have seemed out of place in a movie that represents a modern game as having N64-style graphics. It's the same sort of practical effects James Rolfe uses with his YouTube content.



There's some nice cameos too that will please fans of the Angry Video Game Nerd. I was particularly happy to see the Nostalgia Critic (Doug Walker) show up, and there's also a cool appearance from Kyle Justin - who sings an original song for the movie different to the AVGN theme called 'Sacred Ground of the Golden Turd'. It's nowhere near as good as the AVGN theme song, but it's at least catchy and a positive part of an otherwise poor movie. Normally I'd also mention the acting from the movie's stars in a review but there's not a great deal to discuss in that regard. They're nothing to shout about; probably the most positive thing I could say is that James Rolfe is consistent with his portrayal of the Nerd in the YouTube series.



Overall, Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie is a poor film adaptation of the popular YouTube series with unclear character motivations and cheap jokes. The movie feels way too self-congratulatory, with too many back-slapping moments during the opening titles of the film. It's very hard to sit through and almost makes you want to chuck your laptop (or whatever you're watching it on) out of the window. If you're a fan of the AVGN though you will enjoy the cameos from stars related to the YouTube series and the special effects having a charmingly low-budget feel to them. Largely though Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie feels like one massive cash-grab, ironically like many of the videogames the Nerd has played on his channel.

Spider-Man: Homecoming


This review has been a long time coming. Having seen the film over two weeks' ago I originally intended to write it over the weekend gone by, but since then I've graduated from university, found myself working as a runner on the set of upcoming indie film Scarborough, became a peer mentor for a single hour and a half session to a student who was studying a BA in Film Making and Creative Media Production and been suffering from a heavy cold that has made me feel dizzy. It's fair to say it has been a busy few days - and it's not set to get any quieter. I'm currently writing a self-published book about a vigilante with sand powers based in Scarborough, and in September I will be starting a MA by Research in Screenwriting at the University of York. Hopefully this won't impact my reviews for this blog site, but if I don't chase my dreams I'm never going to break into the Media Industry.




My ultimate ambition is to be a screenwriter, and as an aspiring writer Spider-Man: Homecoming is a superhero movie that pleased me a lot. The film follows the newest inclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe Peter Parker (Tom Holland), who is trying to juggle his school life with his life as a superhero. When Peter discovers a bunch of criminals - lead by boss of the Toomes Salvage Company Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) - are using stolen Chitauri technology from the Battle of New York to create new weapons, he decides to take action and protect New York from this new threat. Things become complicated when Peter develops a crush on classmate and Adrian's daughter Liz (Laura Harrier), and when Peter's best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) discovers his secret identity. Meanwhile, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr) is concerned about Peter becoming too much like him and resolves to make sure he doesn't make the same mistakes.



So why did Spider-Man: Homecoming's writing please me a lot, I hear you ask?

Well, there's one important thing that Spider-Man: Homecoming does that many action blockbusters in general tend to ignore. It explores who our lead character is. Spider-Man: Homecoming is like a character study of what makes Peter Parker Spider-Man; the only thing missing is the iconic phrase 'With great power comes great responsibility'. A constant theme of the film is who Peter is without the suit - the answer being it's not the suit that makes Peter Parker Spider-Man, it's his heart and bravery. This shows just what kind of hero Peter Parker is: he's a teenager who stands for courage and empathy, who always opts for the humane solution rather than senseless killing. Those are the best heroes to me - the ones who care even for those who have turned to the dark side, who will protect everyone and not just those who agree with his moral compass.



Equally, the film doesn't forget that Peter Parker is a kid. He isn't perfect at the superhero stuff, and he makes some very amateur mistakes. At one point, Peter as Spider-Man leaves his phone on whilst spying on Adrian Toomes' crew. His phone rings, and it immediately alerts the criminals. If this was Tony Stark, it would be a plot point so stupid you'd be hearing the CinemaSins voice in your head - but this is a sixteen year old kid trying to be like the Avengers. It would be unrealistic if he didn't make these mistakes. With the Sam Raimi films (which weren't a part of the MCU), it was easy to forget how young the main character was but here Jon Watts uses it as a way to set Peter Parker apart from the other superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is a character who still has a lot to learn, and he goes on a pleasing character journey from wanting to be an Avenger at the start of the film to




It's not just Peter Parker the film gets spot-on. It also gets Spider-Man perfect too. I never watched the Andrew Garfield films, but the Sam Raimi trilogy oddly featured a quiet Spider-Man. This version of Spider-Man, on the other hand, is much more faithful to the Spider-Man from the comics. This Spider-Man jokes whilst he fights, and has a wonderful meta quality that many will likely describe as a 'PG Deadpool'. One of my favourite Spider-Man moments from the film was our hero debating what to name the Stark Spider-Man suit's AI; if ever there was one scene in the movie that best summed up Spider-Man, this scene would be it. At one point he creates a hammock out of webbing - something that feels like it jumped right out of a Spider-Man comic.



Talking of things that feel like they jumped out of the page, that is probably the best way to describe Tom Holland's performance. Tom Holland may have only been in two films so far as the iconic character, but he already feels like a quintessential Peter Parker. He is exactly how I imagined Peter Parker to be when reading the comics. The voice and mannerisms are perfect, and he plays both Peter and Spider-Man effortlessly. Whereas Tobey Maguire was great as Peter Parker but not so good at portraying Spider-Man, Tom Holland excels at both. There will never be a better Spider-Man than him, and whoever takes up the mantle after him is going to have very hard shoes to fill (hopefully that day will be a long way off, but it will happen eventually).



The supporting cast of school students deserve recognition too. They are all brilliant, the particular stand-outs being Jacob Batalon as Ned and Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson. Jacob Batalon's portrayal of Ned is interesting in that he discovers Peter Parker's secret earlier than you would expect, and when he does he is both an ally and a hindrance to Peter's double life. earlier in the movie he tells Peter's crush Liz (Laura Harrier) that Spider-Man is Peter's best friend after she states at school that she fancies Spider-Man. Ned's intentions are well-meaning, trying to help Peter be seen as 'cool' to the girl he loves but it creates added complications at the party Peter has been invited to where Liz expects both Peter and Spider-Man to turn up.



A big part of the Spider-Man comics is Peter's high school problems versus his vigilante life, and its nice to see the film play with this, and the impact it has on his friends when he has to leave suddenly to fulfil the duties of his secret life. Laura Harrier plays Liz well, and you do find yourself sympathising with her - especially when Peter considers explaining to her why he disappears like he does, but in the end continues keeping his double life a secret.



One common complaint from many critics about the MCU is that the villains tend to be weak, and as you would expect from a Spider-Man film this isn't the case here. Spider-Man has such a rich rogue gallery, and the Vulture is one of the most iconic. Neither the writing or Michael Keaton let down the premise of a Spider-Man film with the Vulture. Jon Watts' film shows Adrian Toomes as an everyman, working with his salvage company to clear the mess from the Battle of New York from 2012's The Avengers and it's an effective way to allow us as the audience to relate to the villain. He's an everyday man who's fed up of being the guy who has to clean up after the superheroes, who wants to be something more - a direct parallel of Peter Parker's journey in the film. Except he doesn't change. Like all great films, the antagonist is a dark reflection of our protagonist and shows what would have happened had he gone to the dark side of greed and irresponsibility - another example of why this film appeals to me as a wannabe screenwriter. In my view it's an example of great writing, and one day I would love to write something even half as good as this movie.



It feels like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie; specifically I could imagine it as a cut scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Sometimes the best scenes rely on human paranoia, and we feel paranoid for Peter.



Let's not forget this is a Summer blockbuster however, and many viewers expect plenty of action from a superhero movie. This film definitely delivers on an action front. There are many memorable action sequences - the standouts for me were Spider-Man saving his friends trapped on a lift in the Washington monument, the ferry scene spoiled in the trailers and the climatic fight between Spider-Man and the Vulture on the plane. CGI is used in this scenes, but is barely noticeable - it honestly feels like watching Tom Holland in a Spider-Man costume the entire time. They are stunning scenes to watch, and ones I can imagine many watching again and again. The Washington monument scene with Peter's friends in the lift I feel will particularly be remembered in ten years' time with as much fondness as the train fight in Spider-Man 2.



It's the amount of love from the production crew towards this movie that makes it such a pleasing watch; you can really tell it was made by a passionate crew who care about the Spider-Man property. During the Marvel Studios opening credits an orchestral version of the iconic Spider-Man theme plays - a version of the theme that feels so triumphant in its uplifting tones that it makes you want to get up and shout 'SPIDER-MAN IS IN THE MCU!'. But then you'd probably get chucked out of the cinema, and that certainly wouldn't be much fun.



Then there's the 'Film by Peter Parker' towards the beginning of the film, presented as a home made movie by Peter filmed during the Civil War airport battle. This feels like more than a deliberate nod to Peter's time in the comics as a photographer for the Daily Bugle, showing Peter Parker's interest in photography without actually having him work for the Bugle just yet. It's also presented incredibly well, with a lot of attention to detail such as the 4:3 aspect ratio that suggests it was filmed on a very cheap camera of the kind a school student would be able to afford, and a shaky aesthetic as Peter films from his POV as he's walking. It's very authentic towards what it's supposed to be, and very in-character.



Before this film came out, many complained about the presence of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr). Well, in the end those complaints look ridiculous. Tony Stark is barely in the film, and that's how it should be. This is rightfully Peter Parker's film, with Tony Stark as an extended cameo. Even Happy (Jon Favreau) seemed to appear more than Tony Stark did. Robert Downey Jnr has some nice father/son-esque chemistry with Tom Holland, and personally this is something I'd like to see developed further in Avengers: Infinity War. There's some fun cameo appearances from Captain America (Chris Evans) too, in a series of cheesy 1940s self-help videos shown at Peter's school.



Overall...well, how do I sum this up? I may have been busy, but this review has suddenly become the equivalent of a Peter Jackson movie. There's just so much to say about Spider-Man: Homecoming, so much that can be discussed about its merits as a piece of truly fantastic writing that it feels less like a standard superhero movie and more like a cinematic masterpiece comparable to other films in the genre held in high regard such as The Dark Knight and Iron Man. Spider-Man: Homecoming sees the main character go on a journey that feels human and relatable; we've all been or at least known that person who has strived for something more, and like all great movies whilst our protagonist comes to realise that what he 'needs' is very different to what he 'wants', the antagonist (in this case, the Vulture) is what would have happened had our hero refused to change - the dark side to Peter's light. Ultimately, however, it's 'Peter the kid superhero' that makes this MCU entry stand out from the others. This is a unique perspective for the MCU, away from the adult heroes who are billionaires or Asgardian Gods and towards the everyday person. The villain too is an everyday person. Who needs MCU Venom when you have a total reflection of Peter in Adrian Toomes?

Views on Jodie Whittaker ?

I think Jodie Whittaker is a fantastic choice, and I think a female Doctor is the right choice for the show. It will offer a fresh and new perspective on Doctor Who, and prevent it becoming stale (which I feel would have been a potential danger had they cast another white British male).

Ultimately the gender shouldn't really matter - I couldn't care less if the Doctor is male or female, black or white - but the fact is the change has to happen first for it to be accepted as the norm, so if you want it not to matter then you've got to see it happen before it can be properly accepted without the change of race or gender attracting attention.

I've only seen her in Attack the Block and the odd clip here and there. What concerns me a little is that I can't see what Chris Chibnall obviously can. That said, Peter Davison was somewhat atypical for the Doctor when he was cast, so you can't judge a book by its cover. It will be interesting to see what happens.

I agree about the danger of the series becoming stale and I think this move was inevitable to ensure its survival. I feel like they might go with someone of a different race next time, and probably still female.

I can totally see Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, but I have no idea what her Doctor will be like. That's what excites me: whereas with Peter Capaldi I knew immediately he'd be a colder and harsher Doctor, Jodie Whittaker's incarnation could literally have any personality. I can't predict it at all.

Also: that reveal trailer was perfect. Beautiful cinematography and nicely paced. The way she looked, and her facial expression when she saw the TARDIS felt so Doctor-y to me that I instantly felt like I'd just watched the Doctor about to go on another adventure.

I do feel like John Nathan Turner's biggest mistake was not casting a female actor after Colin Baker. Sylvester McCoy was great, but had JNT listened to Sydney Newman the wilderness years may never have happened.

That's funny isn't it, that – I'm assuming – you know her but still find it difficult to pin down what she might be like in the role. I get the impression that she'll be similar to Christopher Eccleston.

Didn't she look like Idris Elba from the back ? Slightly oversized clothes for misdirection. I found it very anticlimactic dropped into the tennis I must say. I know they're going for the idea that it shouldn't be a big deal that she's the first female Doctor but I think it was a shame to make it that low-key. And also a shame that there was no proper filmed interview.

I think one of the problems was that Nathan-Turner was pretty much shackled to Doctor Who. If he left they wouldn't have replaced him, just cancelled it again. I don't think a female Doctor would have made any difference, the series would have still been criminally undervalued and lacking resources.

If I was to hazard a guess, I'd say she'll at least have the wide-eyed optimism of Peter Davison's Doctor. I'm not too sure on that though, it's just based on the expression Jodie gives in the reveal trailer.

I don't see the Idris Elba comparison personally, and I'm glad the new Doctor isn't him. I'd like a black Doctor, but I don't think Idris Elba would be the right person for the role. He tends to play characters who are too tough and brawny.



I think it would have at least breathed life into the series, and maybe allowed for a replacement to follow JNT.

Yes.

Well it's his Luther look really, plus I got the impression they'd tried to make us think it was a man under the layers of clothing, possibly even down to the way Whittaker was walking. It just made me laugh.

I quite liked the idea of Elba when Matt Smith was leaving, more because of his build than anything. What a contrast it would have been to Smith's spindliness .

I thought Newman made that female Doctor suggestion much earlier – possibly even when Tom Baker was leaving. I know bringing back Sarah Jane Smith with Peter Davison was also considered.

In 1987 though, I think the BBC high ups were just happy for it to end. They couldn't, or didn't want to, see the potential in the series.

I think a female Doctor was considered after Tom Baker, but Sydney Newman's female Doctor suggestion didn't come until he was made an advisor after Colin Baker's sacking.

Tom Baker definitely mentioned it in the interview when it was announced he was leaving. Smacks more of John Nathan-Turner putting out a story for interest than actual intent.

That's interesting – I knew he was involved in the Eighties giving advice but that's very late isn't it?

It is. I think it was supposed to be because the show was losing ratings, so Sydney Newman was making a suggestion that might bring viewers back.

it was Tom's idea of a joke.

Half-joke may be more accurate.

Either way John Nathan-Turner would have been happy with the frisson it must have caused.

I'm considering self-publishing my film reviews in a book alongside the self-published ebook I'm writing. Looking on Lulu, others seem to have done that - so why not?

If I do, it'll likely be released sometime next January so I could include my review of the 2017 Jumanji.

The Year After I Died


There are so many gaps in the life of Captain Jack Harkness that haven't been shown on-screen that it was perhaps inevitable Big Finish would explore them eventually. Hence the box set The Lives of Captain Jack; four stories that take place in four different parts of Jack's timeline. The first in this set, The Year After I Died, takes place a year after Parting of the Ways - the episode that essentially acted as the origin of Captain Jack's immortality.

This Jack (John Barrowman) is a broken and bitter man - little more than a shadow of the hero he was during the Dalek invasion of the Game Station - living on a dangerous Earth wrecked by the Daleks. Jack is hounded by reporter Silo Crook (Shvorne Marks), who is desperate to film a report on either him or the Hope Foundation. When Jack refuses to help find out what the Hope Foundation is up to, Silo sets off herself to discover the truth - and Jack finds himself reluctantly following to save her.

One thing this release does really well is create an effective picture of just how dangerous this world is. You really believe that this Earth is a perilous place to live in, with mutated animals and Dalek weapons left behind by the invasion. There isn't a great deal of time spent here - most of the narrative takes place on the Hope Foundation space port - but what you do hear of the 200,101 world immediately captures your imagination.

What's really going on at the Hope Foundation proves to be just as horrifying as the world that has been left behind by the Daleks. Maybe even more so. The twist of the rich using surgery to take whatever body part they fancy from the poor is a gruesome yet very believable one, something that you could imagine some of these rich people might actually do if given the chance. Poor Malfi (Scott Haran) has his eyeballs taken because they have a nice shade of blue, for instance, leaving him blind for the rest of the adventure. It's neat that 'humanity's oldest enemy' teased in the audio drama's synopsis isn't the Daleks or Cybermen, but the wealthy. A very real threat in the present day just as in the past or in the future.

Unfortunately for a release called 'The Lives of Captain Jack', this Jack takes a lot of getting used to. He bears little resemblance to the Captain Jack from Doctor Who and Torchwood, often giving snarky responses and coming across like a grumpy old man stuck in a young man's body. Whilst it makes sense for his character during the period of his life the audio drama is set in, such a drastic change in character highlights how much of Jack's life between Parting of the Ways and The Year After I Died we still haven't seen or heard yet. It would perhaps have been wiser for Big Finish to have released a prequel box set leading up to this story first, so we could see some development of his character leading up to this change. John Barrowman does a very good job at playing this Jack though, and tries his best to make him sound like the same Jack from Parting of the Ways.

Shvorne Marks as Silo Crook makes for a great companion role for Captain Jack; the character is very endearing, and you feel her frustrations when Jack seems determined he's not a hero. She has quite a heavy focus in this story, often making Jack seem like the supporting role rather than the other way round. I hope in future Shvorne Marks does more Big Finish as she does a very good job here, creating a character who is immediately engaging to listen to.

A great story would be nothing without a great villain, and Sarah Douglas totally owns it as the Hope Foundation's founder Vortia Trear. She is wonderfully cruel, and helps considerably to highlight the story's message about how wealth can corrupt people into turning against those worse off than themselves. That's why I never vote Conservative when there's a General Election - they only ever seem to be in it for themselves, and stuff those who don't have as much money as them.

Overall, The Year After I Died is a strong start for The Lives of Captain Jack box set. The truth behind the Hope Foundation is brilliantly gruesome, with a villain who you just love to hate. Shvorne Marks simply has to do more Big Finish as she is superb as Silo Crook, and John Barrowman does his best to sell Captain Jack as the same man we saw in The Parting of the Ways. Unfortunately Jack's change in character whilst making sense within the narrative feels way too jarring, and needed a prequel box set to properly sell it.