Best Audio Book?

[Steve Mollmann]

Sindatur wrote:

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So, I just started on Iris Wildthyme, Series 1 (Iris Wildthyme at Large), and there is a Stuffed Panda who talks, named Panda. Does he have an origin story somewhere, or do we just roll with it?

Series 1 starts out with her prior Companion Tom, having been away from her 10 years, are those previous adventures available, or is that just made up backstory?

Previously, I only had experience with her through a Tom Baker short story, I believe from "Tales From The TARDIS", concerning Feline race (Old Flames, I believe). So, I have very little knowledge of Iris Wildthyme, jsut curious as to what else might be out there prior to Series 1.

I see by looking at Wikipedia, there's Novels and short stories, where she wasn't even yet conceived as being a Time lady, it appears, or at least not officially connected. I also notice she's featured in a few Doctor Who Audio Plays.

So, basically just wondering if I'm missing anything starting with Iris Wildthyme at Large?

Tom previously appeared in some of the novels (Verdigris, maybe others), but Wildthyme at Large is Panda's first appearance. His backstory has been hinted at in the short stories (especially Miss Wildthyme and Friends Investigate), but that's it so far.

[Sindatur]

So, I finished Wildthyme at Large. She's over the top, brash and abrasive, a character I would generally be quite annoyed by, but, once I got over the shock over her abrasiveness and loudness, I found I quite like the Character. I've got the First two Series, so, I'll be lsitening to them for a little bit. She's just so Trailer Trash, it's hard not like her

Omaha, if you see this thread, I was wondering if you like Iris Wildthyme any better than Jo Grant?

[OmahaStar]

Sindatur wrote:

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So, I finished Wildthyme at Large. She's over the top, brash and abrasive, a character I would generally be quite annoyed by, but, once I got over the shock over her abrasiveness and loudness, I found I quite like the Character. I've got the First two Series, so, I'll be lsitening to them for a little bit. She's just so Trailer Trash, it's hard not like her

Omaha, if you see this thread, I was wondering if you like Iris Wildthyme any better than Jo Grant?

I've done my best to avoid her so far. The one and only story I've listened to with her in it was a Six story (with Seven doing a cameo) where they were stuck in a bar she owned, and there was something about a regenerated Iris trying to kill the first one. Since she isn't even trying to alter the voice to make Iris a different character from Jo, and they are acted exactly the same, I just pictured Useless through the story and wondered why Six didn't just try to kill her?

[Sindatur]

OmahaStar wrote:

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I've done my best to avoid her so far. The one and only story I've listened to with her in it was a Six story (with Seven doing a cameo) where they were stuck in a bar she owned, and there was something about a regenerated Iris trying to kill the first one. Since she isn't even trying to alter the voice to make Iris a different character from Jo, and they are acted exactly the same, I just pictured Useless through the story and wondered why Six didn't just try to kill her?

Voice not altered? Hmmm...that sounds like a very different portrayal than I am listening to now. The Iris I am listening to, is coming off as a loud mouth, slurring, Trailer Trash floozy. I had no idea it was Katy Manning at first, LOL.

Speaking of Irritating companions, I gained a whole new appreciation for Mel in the Unbound Valleyard story

[OmahaStar]

Sindatur wrote:

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The Iris I am listening to, is coming off as a loud mouth, slurring, Trailer Trash floozy.

Uh huh ... Like I said.

[Sindatur]

OmahaStar wrote:

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Uh huh ... Like I said.

Ouch. Fair enough, I know she's never been a favorite of yours.

Jo never sounded like to me though

[Steve Mollmann]

Yeah, I don't really like Jo (at least in the 1970s, she was fun in Death of the Doctor and The Companion Chronicles), but Katy-as-Iris is fantastic. I've not heard her own series, but I did like Excelis Dawns and The Plague Herds of Excelis.

[Pindar]

Steve Mollmann wrote:

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Yeah, I don't really like Jo (at least in the 1970s, she was fun in Death of the Doctor and The Companion Chronicles), but Katy-as-Iris is fantastic. I've not heard her own series, but I did like Excelis Dawns and The Plague Herds of Excelis.

Snap.

Excelis was pretty good, I keep planning on getting the Iris stuff but haven't yet.

I like the multi doctor adventures done in that style.

[Guy Gardener]

The trouble with this nine hour recording is that I'd fall asleep listening and it would still be playing when I woke up.

David does a really good take on his dad.

[Sindatur]

Just downloaded Spare Parts (Still have to Unzip it and burn to Disc), and I've still $9.00 in My Paypal Account (Spare Parts was $7.99 US, however, it charged me 5pound31 [Or 5.31 Pounds, if that's wrong terminology] which converted to $8.86, so I figure $9.00 one more download will be covered)

So, I think I want to try a Colin Baker. Is The Holy Terror (as mentioned early on) The Best Colin Baker, or is there a better one (Or one, that might be a good companion to Spare Parts?)

If a good companion to Spare parts, should one be listened to before the other?

Oh, and is Lungbarrow, the only Media that Covers that area (That's related to Cartmel Master Plan, Right?) or are there some audios that play with Cartmel's Master Plan?

Edit: Ooh, just realized Sally Knyvette (That's Jenna from B7 right?) is in Spare Parts

[OmahaStar]

Sindatur wrote:

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So, I think I want to try a Colin Baker.

Have you already gotten The Marian Conspiracy? If not, I would recommend that with no reservations. TMC introduces my favorite Colin companion, Evelyn.

[Sindatur]

OmahaStar wrote:

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Have you already gotten The Marian Conspiracy? If not, I would recommend that with no reservations. TMC introduces my favorite Colin companion, Evelyn.

No, I have Colin in Gallifrey Adventures, and I believe Zagreus and/or Neverland, but, I don't believe I have any other Colin Audios

I'll look for that one next. Is there a good Colin/6 Cybermen/Companion piece to Spare Parts, to listen to back to back? Iris will take about another week, and then I'm going to need something else to listen on the commute (Spare parts and Now Marian Conspiracy will be on deck, after Iris is done S1/S2)

ETA: Downloading Marian Conspiracy now
(Just noticed, your Favorite 6 Audio is BF#6 according to my Download Account record at BF)

[OmahaStar]

I didn't say it was my favorite. That may still be the pirate musical one. Yes, Six sings!

But we all have our favorite companions - audio, print, and on screen. Evelyn was, in many ways, the prototype for Donna Noble. She's much older than the typical companion, and in every way a match for the Doctor. This one is her introduction. She's been in quite a few of the audios, but it's good to know how they met, and the early early early stories are usually less pricey than the more recent ones.

Also, this link might be of interest. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._by_Big_Finish

If you're looking for a Cyberman specific adventure, try The Reaping. It's Six, the Cybs, along with Peri ... and Babylon 5's Claudia Christian as Peri's mother.

[Steve Mollmann]

Evelyn is great, but I find The Marian Conspiracy so-so outside of its fabulous introduction for her.

The Reaping is indeed a good Cyberman story.

Everyone praises the bejeezus out of The Holy Terror, but I have not heard it yet. My favorite standalone audios with Colin Baker are probably Davros and Jubilee. The Condemned and Arrangements for War are excellent, too, but slot into complicated story arcs.

[Sindatur]

OK, so, I have 2 1/2 Iris Episodes left (Commute is about 3/4 of an episode per day) and The Stone Rose, which is 2 Disc BBC(?) 10/Rose story (I got this one and the Steam Punk Tennant/Rose one, before I learned about Big Finish, but, haven't listed to it yet). So, I'll finish up that CD Wallet, and then on to:

Spare parts
The Reaping
The Marian Conspiracy

Then I'll move on to something I already own, like The Harry Potter Books (This will be a few months), or another listen through Gallifrey

Once I get through all that, I intend to have a few more Big Finish Stories in my pocket ready to listen to.

I think I'd like an Arc. Perhaps the Charley/8 Alt Universe Arc or a Sylvester McCoy Arc (Or maybe I'll fall in love with Evelyn/6), or is there any good Arch Villian Arc?