Big Finish Audio

Audio Review: Blake’s 7 – Lucifer Genesis

Posted on by indiemacuser

Review by Ian McArdell

Lucifer Genesis is the final instalment in the late Paul Darrow’s trilogy of Blake’s 7 stories, charting the ongoing exploits of the character he so memorably brought to life: Kerr Avon.
First published by Big Finish in 2015, it has been recorded as an audiobook by Darrow’s colleague, Stephen Grief. Grief, of course, played the role of Travis in the television show’s first year. Up front, it is worth saying that I have not read either of the other Lucifer books, but it does not seem to matter – Lucifer Genesis is a relatively self-contained epic. It is also one that has a tremendous scope, with an intricate plot charting Servalan’s rise to power, then weaves in and out of established onscreen Blake’s 7 events. Throughout Avon is positioned as Servalan’s nemesis, with characters such as Blake and Travis merely diversions to be handled along the way.

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Review: Doctor Who – The End Of The Beginning

Posted on by indiemacuser

Review by Jacob Licklider

So here we are. March 2021 and the end of The Monthly Range of Doctor Who. Over 20 years and 275 releases, and Big Finish Productions have decided to give their flagship range on final multi-Doctor send-off adventure. Relative newcomer Robert Valentine was given the task of writing The End of the Beginning, a story which harkens back to the very first release in the range, The Sirens of Time, telling three connected adventures for three Doctors before bringing them together for the final episode in one big overarching plan. Each episode adds to the drama and ends with the Doctor (and this time companion) in some sort of danger while everything builds towards some universe breaking danger. The production of The End of the Beginning is put in the hands of Ken Bentley, one of the range’s most prolific directors, and the sound design and music by Wilfredo Acosta. This is an entire story based on making an homage to the range; including appearances from range exclusive characters for one last hurrah before Big Finish moves into a new era of box-sets and new adventures with different Doctors and companions. There is at least one Monthly Range release which is still coming as it was delayed, but this truly is the end of an era for Big Finish Productions.

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Doctor Who – Echoes of Extinction vinyl available to order

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Big Finish, in association with Demon Records and BBC Studios, today announces the opening of pre-orders for the limited edition Time Lord Victorious vinyl starring David Tennant and Paul McGann.

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Review: Doctor Who The Lost Stories – Return Of The Cybermen / The Doomsday Contract

Posted on by indiemacuser

Review by Jacob Licklider

When The Lost Stories was revived in 2019, listeners thought it could only be for a one-off run of two extra stories. Nobody really expected Big Finish Productions to announce the range to continue with more frequency than the occasional production, but only a few months later the announcement came that March 2021 would see the release of two stories featuring the Fourth Doctor, and last month a third release was announced from Russell T. Davies featuring the Sixth Doctor and Mel. The Sixth Doctor and Mel story may still be a long while off yet, but bringing Tom Baker back to The Lost Stories range is an excellent choice as he had only one release in the range: a box set featuring two stories, a six part story from Robert Banks Stewart and a four part adventure from Phillip Hinchcliffe. It is March 2021, nearly a year since the initial announcement, and Big Finish have made good on that release date. Return of the Cybermen and The Doomsday Contract have been released and the range is truly revived in a new form recovering previously abandoning Doctor Who scripts for a new audience to enjoy in a whole new way. Continue reading →

Review: Torchwood – Drive

Posted on by indiemacuser

Review by Jacob Licklider

When adapting Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet for the modern day, Steven Moffat noticed that everyone trusts a cabbie.  They’re paid to take you from point A to point B, putting up with your terrible drunkenness and your insults.  Torchwood: Drive by David Llewellyn uses the back of a cab as its primary setting with Toshiko Sato on her own with the rest of Torchwood Three off on other missions leaving Tosh in charge of saving the world.

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