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Doctor Who: Wish World
May. 24th, 2025 09:32 pmGoing into spoiler discussion for this one: ( spoilers )
Bernice Summerfield: Timeless Passages
Apr. 22nd, 2025 04:45 amOnto another one, and this is a relisten for me. As I wrote on Gallifrey Base back in June 2010:
And my feelings haven't changed, though I've now heard way way more Benny audios than I had back then. Timeless Passages is a quite superb Benny audio, and a brilliant piece of scifi storytelling. Totally standalone, so you don't need to have listened to any of the other Benny audios. As is often the case this one has a very small cast, but they are used superbly, very well acted and written, and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. A tightly plotted mystery box of a timey wimey puzzle set inside a giant library. What's not to love about that?
It's a rare Benny audio from this era still available to buy from Big Finish on CD, but also in DRM-free download. £5.99 plus shipping if ordering by post. If you hear just one Benny audio, this is the one I'd recommend by far.
"Timeless Passages is indeed wonderful. I've only heard Benny on audio in some of season 3, Timeless Passages, the Diogenes Damsel, and the Companion Chronicle story. Of these Timeless Passages is easily my favourite, and requires no prior knowledge. And it's *so* timey-wimey :) I just love it."
And my feelings haven't changed, though I've now heard way way more Benny audios than I had back then. Timeless Passages is a quite superb Benny audio, and a brilliant piece of scifi storytelling. Totally standalone, so you don't need to have listened to any of the other Benny audios. As is often the case this one has a very small cast, but they are used superbly, very well acted and written, and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. A tightly plotted mystery box of a timey wimey puzzle set inside a giant library. What's not to love about that?
It's a rare Benny audio from this era still available to buy from Big Finish on CD, but also in DRM-free download. £5.99 plus shipping if ordering by post. If you hear just one Benny audio, this is the one I'd recommend by far.
I've been a member of Doctor Who fan forum Gallifrey Base since it started. And before then its predecessor Outpost Gallifrey. As part of my profile there I listed my favourite Doctor etc. And thought that might be of interest here too. Some of my answers fluctuate with time, but most are pretty stable.
My favourite Doctor is David Tennant, specifically the Tenth Doctor version rather than the Fourteenth Doctor, who I felt was pretty unnecessary, albeit likeable, and also handled badly re the bi-generation after. My second favourite Doctor is Tom Baker. Followed by Paul McGann, due purely to the Big Finish audios.
My favourite companion is Sarah Jane Smith. Others I'm fond of include Romana I, Ace and Clara.
My favourite Master fluctuates, but - and again in part due to Big Finish audios - is currently Derek Jacobi. Even if he was barely on screen in that specific role.
My favourite Classic Doctor Who story is City of Death. I watched this on original UK broadcast in 1979, at a very young age, and was awestruck. It was many years before I saw it again, but I had a vivid memory of a spaghetti-faced man and witty goings on in Paris.
My favourite New Doctor Who story is the two-parter The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances. Though I also have a very soft spot for The Girl in the Fireplace, Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead, Blink and Human Nature / The Family of Blood. Yup, I really like the original David Tennant era. And also early stories written by Steven Moffat.
My favourite Doctor is David Tennant, specifically the Tenth Doctor version rather than the Fourteenth Doctor, who I felt was pretty unnecessary, albeit likeable, and also handled badly re the bi-generation after. My second favourite Doctor is Tom Baker. Followed by Paul McGann, due purely to the Big Finish audios.
My favourite companion is Sarah Jane Smith. Others I'm fond of include Romana I, Ace and Clara.
My favourite Master fluctuates, but - and again in part due to Big Finish audios - is currently Derek Jacobi. Even if he was barely on screen in that specific role.
My favourite Classic Doctor Who story is City of Death. I watched this on original UK broadcast in 1979, at a very young age, and was awestruck. It was many years before I saw it again, but I had a vivid memory of a spaghetti-faced man and witty goings on in Paris.
My favourite New Doctor Who story is the two-parter The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances. Though I also have a very soft spot for The Girl in the Fireplace, Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead, Blink and Human Nature / The Family of Blood. Yup, I really like the original David Tennant era. And also early stories written by Steven Moffat.
A recurring thing in Doctor Who this year
Jun. 1st, 2024 09:10 pmGoing slightly scatty with this, cos my husband isn't noticing this. I want to talk about it! I will put more details in spoiler space. This is just for up to the episodes that have aired 2023 onwards through to today, but if you've missed this recurring thing it may be new info. Which you either want to know or don't. So open the spoiler cut with care. ( spoilers )
I posted the quoted text below in a comment on a friend's thread, but I think it's worth reposting here. BBC Children in Need's TV show on Friday night included a 5 minute scene, featuring the Fourteenth Doctor meeting an able bodied Davros at the creation of the Daleks. Many watching like me assumed this was a pre-injury Davros version. Possibly, but in the Doctor Who Unleashed documentary later that night Russell T Davies said this is how Davros will be shown in the programme from now on: not a wheelchair user, and able bodied. This was a deliberate decision to redress problems in the series's representation before, including the evil cripple trope. However the response has been mixed, and not just among ardent Davros fans.
Here's what I said in a comment earlier today:
People have also been giving feedback on RTD's Instagram post, including more parents of now very upset disabled children. And to be honest his responses have often been really rude. My views on this whole issue are definitely "complicated". But it's fair to say that RTD's words and his reactions on Instagram have not exactly endeared him to me this weekend.
Here's what I said in a comment earlier today:
Re RTD and Davros the response has been quite mixed on the Gallifrey Base Doctor Who forum. Including from wheelchair users like myself. Yes some have experienced or witnessed bullying inspired by Davros and are concerned by the evil cripple trope. But others found RTD's words in the Doctor Who Unleashed documentary patronising and virtue signalling. One father also wrote about his daughter (11 or 12 years old I think) who is a wheelchair user, and was extremely upset by what RTD said and this change. She had always found Davros a strong character to look up to. And I think it's fair to say that one of the worst offenders in this area in the past has been RTD himself. Which makes his about turn understandable. But doesn't stop it being viewed by some wheelchair users as patronising and unwelcome. So it's complicated.
People have also been giving feedback on RTD's Instagram post, including more parents of now very upset disabled children. And to be honest his responses have often been really rude. My views on this whole issue are definitely "complicated". But it's fair to say that RTD's words and his reactions on Instagram have not exactly endeared him to me this weekend.
