Do let us know what you make of them!
Preview of the new Tom Baker Audios
- Thread starter Captaindemotion
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I also normally wait for the CDs but I've been waiting for far too long for this day (read: over a decade!) so I've already downloaded them and in the process of transferring to my iPod. I can't wait to listen to them after work tomorrow! 
If I invest in Tom's new adventures, it will be his Big Finish work and not the BBC Audio sets, no offense but I would rather take a plunge unge and risk listening to the Big Finish ones if I do any of them at all. I understand Episode 1 is out and available now, go Tom! Go Dr Who!
So far I've listened to Destination Nerva, a good solid start to this new series though the plot is a little shaky at times and could have done with a bit more time to build up the threat and give the baddies a bit more depth. Tom and Louise both slide comfortably into their old roles without any problems. The Doctor/Leela relationship is perhaps more affectionate than it was on TV but with plenty of bickering as well.
The real treat is The Foe From The Future which is top notch Who with a tough opponent, interesting characters and plenty of memorable set pieces. It's 6 episodes long but definitely doesn't outstay its welcome. There's even a substitute companion figure who works incredibly well and I'd be happy for them to bring her back sometime.
The real treat is The Foe From The Future which is top notch Who with a tough opponent, interesting characters and plenty of memorable set pieces. It's 6 episodes long but definitely doesn't outstay its welcome. There's even a substitute companion figure who works incredibly well and I'd be happy for them to bring her back sometime.
I am most looking forward to the one with The Master, which according to amazon comes out in May. But am of general interest in the series as a whole.
Destination: Nerva a bit of a run-of-the-mill story but I don't mind because it was so wonderful to have Tom Baker back. I did like, as mentioned in the extras, the idea of having the villains be the British Empire itself with jingoistic need to convert people to the Empire's "obviously" superior view of life. However, I would have liked to have actually seen this rather something that was mentioned in exposition.
I think I enjoyed the extras just as much as the story itself. David and Nick both sounded like little school boys while talking about the production, while Tom's mentioning of being called The Doctor and he just goes along with it makes me think of Leonard Nimoy by fully embracing what he's most famous for.
I'll probably listen to one of the two Lost Story entries sometime this weekend.
I think I enjoyed the extras just as much as the story itself. David and Nick both sounded like little school boys while talking about the production, while Tom's mentioning of being called The Doctor and he just goes along with it makes me think of Leonard Nimoy by fully embracing what he's most famous for.
I'll probably listen to one of the two Lost Story entries sometime this weekend.
Do you know who's voicing The Master?
It's the magnificent Geoffrey Beevers.
I might have missed something, but I don't believe Tom has recorded his stories with Mary Tamm yet, considering they aren't scheduled for release until 2013. More likely it means John Leeson recorded his parts separately, while Chris and Trevor's photo shoot may have been arranged as a standalone to promote the recording sessions, remembering Chris and Trevor are actively working on the Jago & Litefoot spin-off series so they and Tom might simply have been in the studio at the same time.
I do agree that if for some reason Lalla and Tom won't work together (and to be correct I know of no source that says they wouldn't) they could get around it. But audio dramas work best when the players are in the same room, so I can't imagine them attempting separate recordings like that.
I was going over the list and trying to figure out which Doctor Who actors have yet to return in some fashion via Big Finish. And discounting the deceased the list is quite short: Jackie Lane and John Levene*, and that's it (at least regarding actors from 1963 up to the 1996 TV movie). Matthew Waterhouse (IIRC), Daphne Ashbrook and Yee Jee Tso have recorded for BF, but playing other characters. That's quite a remarkable achievement.
Alex
* I'm pretty certain Richard Franklin played Yates in an early Big Finish, but I'm not 100% certain. But BF distributes AudioGO now so he can still count because of his work on their Tom Baker stories. Jacqueline Hill, Ian Marter and Adrienne Hill died before Big Finish came along.
Yes, Richard Franklin did the Companion Chronicle story The Magician's Oath (which is quite good). I would love him to do more CC's or even make an appearance along side Tom Baker with Big Finish.
I'm surprised John Levene hasn't done any stories. I know he lives in America right now, but so does Bonnie Langford (and rumor has it she's returning soon to record more). Hell, Mark Strickson lives in New Zealand but still manages to get over to the UK to record stories when time permits!
I'm also disappointed that Jackie Lane has refused to do any stories. I started a thread at Gallifrey Base last year asking why she hasn't done any and the general consensus is that, while she'll do the conventions now and then, she simply isn't interested in acting anymore (she's been a talent agent for years, representing Tom Baker and Janet Fielding, among others). I know I'm in the minority, but I love Dodo and I would love to see her return even for just one story. If both Janet and Tom both return after years of saying no, who's to say Jackie won't do the same?
I'm surprised John Levene hasn't done any stories. I know he lives in America right now, but so does Bonnie Langford (and rumor has it she's returning soon to record more). Hell, Mark Strickson lives in New Zealand but still manages to get over to the UK to record stories when time permits!
I'm also disappointed that Jackie Lane has refused to do any stories. I started a thread at Gallifrey Base last year asking why she hasn't done any and the general consensus is that, while she'll do the conventions now and then, she simply isn't interested in acting anymore (she's been a talent agent for years, representing Tom Baker and Janet Fielding, among others). I know I'm in the minority, but I love Dodo and I would love to see her return even for just one story. If both Janet and Tom both return after years of saying no, who's to say Jackie won't do the same?
Richard Franklin also appeared as the villain Romulo Nusek in Professor Bernice Summerfield: Dragons' Wrath, which is probably the worst thing that BF has ever done.
Geoffrey Beevers, the Master from "The Keeper of Traken!"
This is not a spoiler as his Master is on the cover of the audio according to amazon.com.
I just listened to The Foe from the Future and it was absolutely fantastic! The audio play truly felt like it was a lost story from the Hinchcliffe-era. Between the The Seeds of Doom-esque atmosphere as well as the loose threads to The Talons of Weng-Chiang (which isn't surprising considering the author in question) and the horrifying nature of Jalnik's appearance (can anyone else imagine Mary Whitehouse ranting about this serial if it had been made?), this story felt perfectly at home with its era. Top it off with smashing performances from Tom Baker and Louise Jameson as well as Paul Freeman and Louise Brealey, this story gets high marks from me indeed. I have to also give extra praise to Brealey, who I had no idea was the charming, if nervous Molly Hooper from Sherlock until she talked about the role in the extras! That's a credit to her performance as Charlotte from the Village (which is a nice play on Leela of the Sevateem).
This makes me all the more excited about The Valley of Death which originated from Hinchcliffe himself!
This makes me all the more excited about The Valley of Death which originated from Hinchcliffe himself!
Yes, Richard Franklin did the Companion Chronicle story The Magician's Oath (which is quite good). I would love him to do more CC's or even make an appearance along side Tom Baker with Big Finish.
I'm surprised John Levene hasn't done any stories. I know he lives in America right now, but so does Bonnie Langford (and rumor has it she's returning soon to record more). Hell, Mark Strickson lives in New Zealand but still manages to get over to the UK to record stories when time permits!
I'm also disappointed that Jackie Lane has refused to do any stories. I started a thread at Gallifrey Base last year asking why she hasn't done any and the general consensus is that, while she'll do the conventions now and then, she simply isn't interested in acting anymore (she's been a talent agent for years, representing Tom Baker and Janet Fielding, among others). I know I'm in the minority, but I love Dodo and I would love to see her return even for just one story. If both Janet and Tom both return after years of saying no, who's to say Jackie won't do the same?
At least Janet and Tom had done stuff for the DVD releases before they joined Big Finish which Jackie Lane hasn't. Shame as I'd like to hear what her opinions are of the character/series. I can't see her changing her mind though sadly.
If Jackie Lane did a Companion Chronicle, which accent would she use? 
She doesn't really do conventions either - she did one, but no more as far as I know, and that one only on a 'If I do one, then that's it done and they'll stop asking' basis. Usually people then find they enjoy it and do more, but apparently she wasn't won over.
Don't think she represents Janet Fielding, btw; like her, Fielding is now an agent herself, representing Paul McGann among others.
I think she may have represented her back in the 80's. Is Fielding still an agent, I thought she wasn't these days - she's not McGann's agent anymore anyway. Big Finish have said that McGann didn't agree to do the audios until she had stopped being his agent.
Oddly Wendy (Zoe) Padbury also worked as an agent and had some involvement in first spotting Matt Smith at the National Youth Theatre I think.
BTW have now listened to Valley Of Death - not in the same league as Foe but quite fun anyway.
Oddly Wendy (Zoe) Padbury also worked as an agent and had some involvement in first spotting Matt Smith at the National Youth Theatre I think.
BTW have now listened to Valley Of Death - not in the same league as Foe but quite fun anyway.
Why were these two stories out together in a box set instead of individually being released like the rest? Does anyone know?
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