Doctor Who: A potted eighth Doctor guide

Well, Poly asked for it so here’s the definite but brief guide to the televised/audioised adventures of the Eighth Doctor. Basically, the TV movie and the Big Finish stories. I’m steering clear of novels, web animations, et al.

I’ll try to keep the reviews very brief, and hopefully you’ll all benefit from knowing the peaks and troughs of the first and only Scouse Doctor Who’s adventures.

I’ll start off with the TV movie as an example: don’t bother unless you watch it with the sound down, you’re drunk, you just want to see Sylvestor McCoy shot or you want to watch fanboys froth as they try to explain how the Doctor is/isn’t half-human.

Big Finish Adventures

16 Storm Warning: Fun, McGann’s not yet hit his stride, but India Fisher (Charley) is great from the outset.
Should you listen to it? Yes, just to get you started

17 Sword of Orion: McGann meets the Cybermen, but easily missable.
Should you listen to it? 60% yes

18 The Stones of Venice: Absolutely daft
Should you listen to it? No!

19 Minuet in Hell: Doctor loses his memory, Charley ends up in a ‘gentleman’s club’ and they all meet the Brigadier, while surrounded with the worst American accents in living memory. Story’s a bit tatt, too.
Should you listen to it? Not if you’re American, but yes if you want to listen to an historic Whovian meeting

28 Invaders from Mars: One of Mark Gatiss’s silliest efforts. Quite fun. Quite ignorable
Should you listen to it? Do you like Mark Gatiss? Do you like Simon Pegg? Do you like Jessica Stevenson? Then what are you waiting for?

29 The Chimes of Midnight: Creepy and stonkingly brilliant
Should you listen to it? Hell yes

30 Seasons of Fear: You’ll laugh your arse off when you realise precisely which of the Doctor’s old – and highly obscure – enemies has managed to kill the Doctor, forcing him to go through time to prevent it happening. Really very good, despite the Cornellian influences.
Should you listen to it? On the whole, yes.

31 Embrace the Darkness: To be honest, I have absolutely no recollection of this story whatsoever. I’m going to have to dig it out. I suspect it was rubbish, otherwise I’d have remembered it.
Should you listen to it? Can’t tell you for sure. But probably not.

32 The Time of the Daleks: First time the Eighth Doctor meets the Daleks. Another one I can’t remember. Sorry.
Should you listen to it? Erm…

33 Neverland: Pull on your geek pants, because we’re going Time Lord continuity mad. Sets up everything for the Zagreus and alternate universe saga
Should you listen to it? Only if you have several reference books with you and can cope with Lalla Ward STRESSING every OTHER word WHENEVER she’s TRYING to SUGGEST anger

50 Zagreus: A great big mess of a 40th anniversary story. Just about every actor who’s ever been in the show appears, but not as you’d expect.
Should you listen to it? If you’ve still got those reference books on you… Otherwise, you can give it a miss.

52 Scherzo: Eighth Doctor and Charley stuck in the middle of nothingness for a whole play.
Should you listen to it? Hell yes

53 The Creed of the Kromon: First story with that wretched C’rizz. It’s all downhill from here
Should you listen to it? Not if you want to avoid wasting £15. Only worth it if you want to know who C’rizz is. You don’t.

54 The Natural History of Fear: All is not what it seems in the world without memories
Should you listen to it? Very clever with a nice twist. Not to everyone’s tastes though

55 The Twilight Kingdom: I remember listening to it. I just don’t remember it. I think it might have been okay.
Should you listen to it? Another maybe. Sorry

61 Faith Stealer: Erm
Should you listen to it? I do remember this one was actually all right

62 The Last: Nope. Don’t remember this one.
Should you listen to it? This I remember as being forgettable

63 Caerdroia: The Doctor and co finally come close to leaving the alternate universe
Should you listen to it? Now this one was good. Go listen to it

64 The Next Life: More continuity horrors, but it finally finishes the Zagreus/alternate universe strand
Should you listen to it? Worth it for the battles between Charley and Perfection, played by Daphne Ashbrook (the eighth Doctor’s on-screen companion Grace), as well as the vocal talents of Paul Darrow and Don Warrington

72 Terror Firma: The Doctor and co return to the normal universe, only to find Davros waiting for them, ready to explain his cunning plan. Except he’s already done it and it’s quite nasty.
Should you listen to it? Another very good one. Has the marvellous French Dalek resistance. Seriously.

75 Scaredy Cat: Forgettable
Should you listen to it? No

77 Other lives: The Doctor, Charley and C’rzzz get separated at the Great Exhibition and the TARDIS goes walkabout. They’re all forced to create new existences for themselves
Should you listen to it? It’s marvellous and quite touching. Especially good are McGann’s interactions with India Fisher’s sister, Francesca Hunt. Also features Ron Moody as the Duke of Wellington

80 Time Works: The TARDIS lands in between times
Should you listen to it? Not bad, but probably not worth wasting your pennies on

83 Something Inside: Psychic monster beastie burrows into people’s heads inside some sort of Cube-esque prison
Should you listen to it? Nah. Not unless you liked Cube, that is

88 Memory Lane: Fun and entertaining
Should you listen to it? If you don’t like the light stuff, steer clear. Otherwise, give it a whirl. Full review here