BF 100: 100!

[Rob McCow]

1. 100 BC
by Jacqueline Rayner

The Doctor and Evelyn arrive in Rome, 101 BC, approximately, October. They meet a young lady of 19, Aurelia. She mentions her husband - Julius Caesar. Evelyn is excited, but her excitement soon turns to confusion. Surely you can't heal a wound in time with just a bit of sticking plaster?

2. My Own Private Wolfgang
by Robert Shearman

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Born in 1756, a veritable wunderkind - playing music for the crowned heads of Europe as an infant, composing by the time he was five years old. But it's tempting to wonder whether his amazing longevity has overshadowed his creative genius - would Mozart's music be better respected, maybe, if he'd died as a young man? Would he be a legend of music, rather than of scientific curiosity, if he'd never lived to compose the film score for the remake of The Italian Job?

3. Bedtime Story
by Joseph Lidster

Once upon a time...

Jacob Williams is going to tell the tale of Sleeping Beauty but he realises he has told that one too many times so, instead, tells of how he once met this man called the Doctor...

It's a tale of love and death and a family with a terrifying secret…

4. The 100 Days of the Doctor
By Paul Cornell

Someone has assassinated the Doctor.

And he only has 100 days to find out who did it.

Apologies if I missed the previous thread! I can't seem to find one.

Anyway, lots of good writers, probably the best BF Doctor and short story lengths make this one a potential winner. And is it the 100th release? Yes!

[SiHart]

I lke the cover.

Si xx

[P-Bal]

I like big butts and I cannot lie.

[Milky Tears]

I like to move it...

[Si Hunt]

It would be great if this had to be shifted forwards so it came out 99th. That'd teach them.

Si.

[Andrew Curnow]

Will Thorp - isn't he the guy from Survival? I think Frank Finlay should change agents, seeing as how he's only managed third on the guest cast list!!!

[SiHart]

Will Thorp is Toby Zed from The Impossible Planet/ The Satan Pit.



Si xx

[Rob McCow]

Looking back at this thread title, it seems Colin is older than we all thought!

[Andrew Curnow]

Oh, thanks Si, I obviously got my Willies mixed up. Still seems a bit hard on Frank Finlay, respected film & television actor, to be third in a list underneath 'that bloke from the Satan Pit'!

[Si Hunt]

It's one willy P-Bal would snare.

Si.

[P-Bal]

P-Bal has never snared a willy in his life.

[SiHart]

It has to be said that this was not quite as good as Circular Time, but was pretty damn excellent nonetheless.

What it did prove to me, once again, is that the 6th Doctor and Evelyn team is the best BF team of them all. There's just so much warmth and chemistry between them, and that really shines through in this release- especially in the scenes where their at loggerheads with each other; it's the mutual affection between the characters that saves the scenes from being really annoying. They're extra great in this release, because they get to be silly, serious, affectionate and caring for each other and many aspects of their relationship are explored. I love the idea of them just going and flying kites togther for an afternoon- more than most TARDIS teams you can imagine the fun they have on their days off from adventuring!

Anyway, the tales were good. Nicely small scale and tiny- ranging from the semi-serious ones by Jac and Joe, to the sublimely silly one from Rob to the rather moving one from Paul (which also rather celbrates the whole BF range in a big fest of glimpses of the various BF Doctors and ranges). I liked the very downbeat ending of Joe's story, which I didn't expect at all, and the idea of Mozart writing for Eurovison made me smile!

100 adventures is something to celebrate and I think this does it very well.

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

I shall be starting this later in the week (when I've finished "The Gathering"). That is all.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

There's a lot of repeated themes in the 4 plays, which ties them together very well, whether by design or accident. There's lots about families and carrying on the bloodline, which runs through 100BC and Bedtime Story, how the actions of the predecessors affect the children. The 'web of time' (watch out!) is also important, but it's used in a fun way in 100BC, My Own Private Wolfgang and 100 Days of The Doctor.

It's great to have Rob Shearman back from his self-imposed Doctor Who 'break' as well - even though his story collapsed on itself quite badly.

[Paul Monk]

I'm definitely getting this one.

[Si Hunt]

I've listened to three of the four stories and I'm majorly impressed - this is every bit as good as "Circular Time", maybe better.

Jac's "100, BC" was an amusing premise and fun to listen to, possibly let down a bit by some bog standard performances and the uncomfortable notion of the Doctor trying to help a couple "get it on". And Evelyn was a bit irrationally annoying. But by no means a dud.

"My Own Private Wolfgang" is a delightful, fun Rob Shearman story. It has his stamp all over it - clever, witty, slightly grissly. I wish I could write stories this good. Great performance from John Sessions in about five roles too!

Talking of which, I just LOVE Joe Lidster's "Bedtime Story" - a lovely little peice which had me guessing all the way through. It's founded on a brilliant idea, and I didn't twig who the identity of the Shifter was at all! (my money was on the new wife). I had to rewind the end a couple of times to get it, but this was just another clever, charming tale and wonderful to listen to.

One to go, and so far not a crock in the bunch.

Si.

[stuartdg]

A mixed bag this one 100,BC a tale about altering history was somewhat bog standard and Evelyn was annoying in this...

My Own Private Wolfgang was better due largely to John Session's turn as Mozart

Joesph Lidster's tale was the best,helped by a larger cast and stronger writing

Paul Cornell's The 100 Days Of The Doctor was a bit fanboyish,but it did showcase the strengths of The Doctor/Evelyn relationship

Personally I'd've opted for 2 2part tales,but this was still entertaining stuff

[Pip Madeley]

Paul Cornell's tale was the best,helped by a larger cast and stronger writing

The 100 Days Of The Doctor was a bit fanboyish,but it did showcase the strengths of The Doctor/Evelyn relationship

One and the same, surely?

[stuartdg]

Not at all the third story was intimate as it highlighted Evelyn and The Doctor's relationship(with injokes a plenty) whilst Cornell's tale was much more of a family affair

[Pip Madeley]

But "The 100 Days Of The Doctor" was Cornell's story?!