Sapphire & Steel have been assigned.

[Dirk Gently]

Yep, new forum, new S&S thread.

I've had the latest offering* pushed through my slot & wondered if anyone else has got it & heard it yet?

Although feel free to talk about any of the others:-
1st season:
The Passenger
Daisy Chain
All Fall Down
Lighthouse
Dead Man Walking

2nd season:
The School
The Surest Poison
Water Like a Stone*

[Rob McCow]

Ooo - The Passenger. Just about my favourite BF release, it was simply wonderful. As much as it was a showcase for Hugo Myatt, it was also a great outing for Warner and Sussanah 'The New Mrs.McGann' Harker. Mark Gatiss was fab as Gold as well.

To be honest I'm amazed they've contracted David Warner for so much! I should really start listening to these again, but I was fed up by Dead Man Walking with it being too grim rather than creepy. There were also too many nursery rhymes!

Is Season 2 better?

[Andy Frankham]

I've only got "The Surest Poison", and that's only 'cause Dinnick wrote it, so I felt I owe it to him to give it a listen. I haven't yet, mind, but it's here waiting.

What, it's a start, ain't it?

[Dirk Gently]

Is Season 2 better?

Well I thought the first season was good, but yes, I would say that the second season is better.

I really can't wait to listen to this one but it'll have to wait until I've finished listening to the new Doctor Who audio books.

[Dirk Gently]

As there doesn't appear to be an edit function on my first post I'll have to post this separately.
Here is some info on the remainder of the season.

2.4 Cruel Immortality
January 2007
by Nigel Fairs
SUBSCRIBER BONUS

2.5 Perfect Day
March 2007
by Steve Lyons

2.6 The Mystery of the Missing Hour
May 2007
by Joe Lidster

[Rob McCow]

The Mystery of the Missing Hour

Now Joe, you're just not trying with that title! We like your Cybermen plays but I'm not impressed with that
Oh bum clouds there's a subscriber bonus

[Dirk Gently]

It's not all doom & gloom, the subscriber bonus is as follows: -
"Subscribers to Series 2 of Sapphire and Steel will receive a free behind-the-scenes CD with this release."
It's not a one off short as I thought it would be so I'm not really that bothered about not getting it but I'll have to check season 3 in case they change this policy.

[Dirk Gently]

I recently listened to Cruel Immortality & quite frankly it is really good.
Spoilers

It's really well written & the idea of Sapphire ageing & forgetting who she is & Steel starting to follow suit. It's not clear on the first listening as to who made the 'pact' to whom & how many people were involved but that's something that can be worked out on subsequent outings. And as such means that this is a mutilayered story that I really like, I'm not a fan of stories that are to simplistic.

Excellent story, easily 8/10.

[Si Hunt]

Big Finish release the third series of their "Sapphire and Steel" audios next month, and we don't seem to have a thread about any of them on here.

What do people think of this series overall? Have you kept up with it?

I've heard most of them and have caught up in fits and bursts when I can afford to. I have to say I feel quite protective and expectant of the "Sapphire and Steel" brand, because I believe it's one of the best TV shows ever made. The audios seemed to begin very well, with the excellent "Daisy Chain" and "The Passenger", although they have been sporadic ever since.

I've just heard Season 1's "Dead Man Walking" and thought it was pretty unremarkable. A prison is the perfect setting for a "Sapphire and Steel", being potentially full of the memories of injustice, anger and deaths. And yet the story was dissapointing. I haven't heard "The Lighthouse", though I have it and Amazon reviewers seem to despise it.

Of Season 2, for a long while the only one I'd heard was "Surest Poison" and I was impressed with that. I've since been catching up with the others and have been less impressed. "The School" (another potentially good setting) is possibly the worst, most confusing, adventure to date with nothing making sense. I'm halfway through "Water Like A Stone" at the minute and it's similarly underwealming - not as bad as "The School", but still a little nonsensical. It also seems to have no guest cast aside from old 'in reception' regulars Nick Briggs and Lisa Bowerman doing a silly voice.

The series continues to be potentially great (because it inherits such a wonderful premise from the TV show) and the leads are just perfect casting... but in my view the stories are starting to slip, and they don't get the actors or writers that the Doctor Who range enjoys. Nigel Fairs, not known as a great, seems to pen most of them.

What are other peoples opinions on this range of audios?

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

I have to say I feel quite protective and expectant of the "Sapphire and Steel" brand, because I believe it's one of the best TV shows ever made.

I bet you thought I was mighty rude when I fell asleep through the one you showed me

[Si Hunt]

You're not the only person to visit us and fall asleep.

It may just be us.

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Blame the long journey, not yourselves

[Si Hunt]

I hope you don't fall asleep next time, sleeping Pip is no fun!

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Because sleeping Pip snores?

[Si Hunt]

No, but we're like the Gods of Ragnarok, we need to be ENTERTAINED! In the special Pip way.

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

Well I've kept up with them as they've come out & I'm very happy with the output. Some of the last few haven't been brilliant but they've been at least as good as the Doctor Who stuff & better than most. They've also been head & shoulders above the quality of the recent Benny stuff.
Given the choice I'd sooner have the S&S audios & never have another Dalek, Cyberman or UNIT audio.

I can't wait for the 3rd season.

[Si Hunt]

Out of interest, which stories have been your most and least favourite, Tim?

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

1st season:
The Passenger 9/10
Daisy Chain 8/10
All Fall Down 6/10
Lighthouse 7/10
Dead Man Walking 5/10

2nd season:
The School 6/10
The Surest Poison 5/10
Water Like a Stone 6/10
Cruel Immortality 9/10
Perfect Day 8/10
The Mystery of the Missing Hour 10/10 Real good S&S.

I must go through these again, but so far these are my ratings.

Next up is Season three.

3rd Season:
3.1 Second Sight
3.2 Remember Me
3.3 Zero
3.4 The Wall of Darkness

[Dirk Gently]

Ah, I was just updating my thread when you posted. I'd have to say The Mystery of the Missing Hour. It's classic S&S for me.
How about yourself?

[stuartdg]

It does get better(as did the Tomorrow People) as it progresses

I did particularly like Daisy Chain and The Mystery Of The Missing Hour;the fact that the two leads are played by different actors has no bearing on the quality of the storys whatsoever

[Si Hunt]

How about yourself?

Well I'm glad to say I've yet to hear "Missing Hour", though I gather it's by Joe (?) and I like all his other stuff.

Much as per my original post, my favourites have been "Daisy Chain" and "Surest Poison" but I thought "The School" was utter shite.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

Hmmm, I did a search for an old Sapphire and Steel thread, but it didn't return anything. Nothing like someone dredging one up from a year ago to make me look foolish though.

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

Sorry Si, it wasn't my intension to make you look foolish. I just thought you could do a bit of Admin editing & no one would be the wiser.


I'd forgotten about Joe writing Missing Hour. I'm not usually one to crawl (as he may remember) but this one is excellent.
I wasn't struck by Surest Poison but I'll be going through them all again when season 3 gets going, so I'll give it another go & review my scores.
The School was weird but average, I honestly don't think any of them have been as bad as some of the Doctor Who shite we've had to put up with in recent years.


P.S.
I've just bought the whole of season 3 in advance so as to get them as they come out. I really look forward to these more than Doctor Who, which is worrying.

[Pip Madeley]

No, but we're like the Gods of Ragnarok, we need to be ENTERTAINED! In the special Pip way.

Well there's a rumour started.

[Si Hunt]

As Rimmer once said "I didn't start the rumour, I only voiced it."

Si.