Ravenous 1.

Audio When the Time War series was anounced, it seemed like that was going to be the only new Eighth stories in release - but here we are with Ravenous, the continuation of the mid to late period of his adventures, with some Lucie Miller fill-in material also forthcoming so there's plenty more for my bank balance to scream in pain about for the foreseable future.  For the purposes of full disclosure, I write this having already ploughed through the first three boxes together in about a week, so it's with the hindsight of knowing what's to come.  By design, the series as a whole, although with linking elements is a mix of stand alone and arc episodes rather like one of the latter tv series which means we get to hear the characters within less grim and sometimes rompy settings, which is a refreshing change.

Their Finest Hour

Here's Churchill back, in narrative terms, as a sort of World War II equivalent of the Brigadier, drawing the Doctor into the adventure and providing military support towards the end.  Very much a callback to the pre-Dark Eyes type of story but with a glance towards the tv revival with the focus on the Polish participation in the RAF.  The resolution isn't unlike numerous other Who stories in relation an alien faction going rogue, but to an extent all of that is backgrounded to the pick-up from Victory of the Daleks (and The Doctor Dances) about how despite subduing the extra-terrestrial invaders, the war of a particular time period continues with its own, more conventional tragedies.

How to Make a Killing in Time Travel

Something which has become baked in to Doctor Who over the years is that its antagonists tend to ultimately be pretty bold in getting ahead of their plans often designing them in such a way as to be able to revel in the big reveal when it happens, even to the point continuing to pretend to be doing something else, even in private when their only audience in the viewer, reader or listener.  HTMAKITT celebrates the reluctant antagonist, the kind of whose nefariousness is either by accident or happanstance who then attempt to cover things up even though they're entirely aware of the personal gain.  Stralla Cushing is a perfect example, superbly played by Judith Roddy of as the Doctor himself says, "an enormous brain and a complete idiot."

World of Damnation

Let's just put this out front: the Eleventh is becoming pretty tiresome.  Big Finish are clearly enamoured with the concept and there's no denying the dexterity of Mark Bonner's performance as he skips between the various Doctor-like incarnations,but Doom Coalition pretty much exhausted the potential story value of his psychological problems and yet here he is again.  Admittedly it's to resolve the cliffhanger from the earlier series but that could have been dealt with as a one and out, but instead he's being set up as continuing presence going forward which means another few hours of having to listen to the echoey voice treatment and jokeoids which populate his dialogue.  Sorry gang, but he's the new C'rizz.

Sweet Salvation

The Candyman who features here was apparently the original concept for the character before JNT or whoever decided to go instead with a copyright violation for Paradise Towers.  He's a suitably creepy confection, describing all of his tasty treats with all the relish of an Androgum.  This is meat and potatoes Who, with the Doctor attempting to convince the authorities about a threat and gaining their trust in aiding him to battle it off.  But it's also a Matt Fitton script which forefronts this companions, with Liv in full on warrior mode and Helen under suspicion as to her motives with the Doctor ultimately only trusting her because of her actions.  It's not about who you are, it's about what you do.

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