Reviews

‘Doctor Who’ audio spin-off review: ‘Cyberman’ is proper grown-up science fiction

Re-released in a collected volume, celebrating their own 50th Anniversary, Big Finish’s Cyberman series presents humanity the gravest danger; locked in a bitter interstellar conflict with its own android creations. With the incumbent Earth president refusing the more unpalatable options, an insidious conspiracy manoeuvres military hero Admiral Karen Brett (Sarah Mowat) into position, eyeing her as … >

Posted June 9, 2016 by Ian McArdell Filed under

Books

‘Torchwood’ audio review: Suzie Costello returns in ‘Moving Target’

Big Finish’s range of brand new Torchwood stories continues this month with ‘Moving Target’. Guy Adams’ story gives us the return of bad-girl Suzie Costello (Game of Thrones actress Indira Varma) who was killed in the first ever TV episode of the show (which didn’t preclude her coming back in a later story). This means the … >

Posted June 7, 2016 by Tony Jones Filed under

Books

‘In the Club’ review: Jasmin and Dev are the stars of Season 2’s finale

With our shorter runs of only 6-8 episodes, British TV’s season finales often suffer from applying too many quick fix resolutions, in order to tie up any loose ends. Luckily, Kay Mellor’s wonderful pregnancy drama In the Club does a very balanced job of solving a lot of this season’s issues, while delicately introducing plot lines that … >

Posted June 7, 2016 by Dale Cowan Filed under

Episodes

‘Wallander’ final episode review: ‘The Troubled Man’ was surprisingly open-ended

Hunting for the truth in his final case, Wallander talks with a fisherman who knows something. (More accurately his father knew something, which could well be the subtext of the whole episode). He’s reluctant to talk, until as man rather than detective Kurt pleads with him: “I need to know if my family’s in danger, … >

Posted June 5, 2016 by Andrew Curnow Filed under

Episodes

‘Love, Nina’ review: The terrific cast keep Episode 3 afloat

It’s a slightly more subdued episode this week with an increased emphasis on literary analysis and fewer direct laughs across the half hour. Nina begins another letter to Vic and details the latest on the Nunney situation, which, frankly, isn’t going quite as well as could be hoped. At least not from Nina’s point of … >

Posted June 4, 2016 by Tobias Forrest Filed under

Episodes

Audio review: Big Finish’s ‘Call Me Jacks: Jacqueline Pearce in Conversation’ is frank and fruity

Famous for her role as the scheming Servalan in Blake’s 7, actress Jacqueline Pearce has recently starred alongside John Hurt in the War Doctor audios. In this frank and fruity interview, Nicholas Briggs takes a champagne-fuelled walk through her life and career. Pearce had a turbulent childhood; her mother left at a young age and … >

Posted June 3, 2016 by Ian McArdell Filed under

Books

‘Peaky Blinders’ review: Season 3 Episode 5 was an utterly crazy hour of TV

You’ll no doubt be amazed to hear that there isn’t a Guinness World Record for ‘Number of sex acts performed in an hour of BBC Two drama’. If there were, tonight’s episode of Peaky Blinders would without doubt be the new world record holder; raising that Guinness certificate in one hand and triumphantly gripping its throbbing … >

Posted June 2, 2016 by Rob Smedley Filed under

Episodes

‘Doctor Who’ audio spin-off review: Big Finish’s ‘Gallifrey: Enemy Lines’

Bringing together a trio of former companions, the latest tale from the Doctor’s home planet deals with the thorny topic of changing history. While the previous Gallifrey release, ‘Intervention Earth’, took us into the distant future with a later incarnation of Romana, ‘Enemy Lines’ returns to more familiar ground with Lalla Ward’s Romana II. Picking … >

Posted June 2, 2016 by Ian McArdell Filed under

Books

‘Sunny Afternoon’ review: The jukebox musical continues to flourish

Nineteenth months after its West End debut, Olivier Award-winning musical Sunny Afternoon continues to flourish. Now in its third year, second cast, and with a UK tour on the horizon; jukebox musical Sunny Afternoon is the story of 60s rock band The Kinks. Starting with them performing as jobbing musicians in Muswell Hill, and following … >

Posted June 2, 2016 by James Cornish Filed under

Events

Big Finish’s ‘Doctor Who’ audio stories: May 2016 reviews round-up

Another busy month for the Doctor Who universe saw the long-awaited launch of a new era as the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble arrived at Big Finish for their first volume of three adventures – which CultBox declared a triumph! Meanwhile in Cardiff, Sgt Andy Davidson finally got his shot at being part of the … >

Posted June 1, 2016 by Ian McArdell Filed under

Books

Category: Reviews