The BF Time Warp 009: The Spectre of Lanyon Moor

[SiHart]

In a desolate Cornish landscape littered with relics of prehistoric man, the Doctor and Evelyn uncover a catalogue of mysteries.

What is the secret of the fogou? Can the moor be haunted by a demonic host of imps? And what is Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart doing in Pengriffen?

Teaming up with his old friend, the Doctor realises that an ancient conflict is nearing its conclusion - and Lanyon Moor is set to be teh final battleground.

What do you think of this story?

Si xx

[Rob McCow]

This falls firmly into the category of a story-they-could-have-done-on-TV. It's solid and competent with plenty of atmosphere. I remeber it being set on the fugues (if that's how they're spelt?) in the fog with a creepy alien going around. Add to that the Brigadier in full on country-life / garden-centre mode and it's a very English-seeming story. Plus there's Evelyn Smythe breaking and entering English Country Cottages! This story needs a 'National Trust' logo.

[SiHart]

I like this story immensely, even if it does owe a huge debt to Terror of the Zygons for some of its plot (the companion visiting local landowner's library, finding something mysterious hidden in the house, the stories of people attacked on the moors in the dim and distant past etc) because it's exactly the kind of story Colin didn't have on TV, but one where he seems to fit in perfectly. The setting makes this story- windswept, misty moors... you can just see it.
I also liked the way it jumped between locations with Goonhilly and Athens featuring nicely, making a bit of a contrast to the countryside locations.
The music is the first outstanding score BF did, and it adds greatly to the creepy atmosphere. Their scores are often overlooked mostly because they're quite bland, but this one is really atmospheric and rather brilliant.

Good cast- with James Bolam and Susan Jameson being great value (especially when Mrs Monaghan turns nasty at the end) and I really liked Toby Longworth as Professor Morgan too.

And, of course, it's great to hear the Brig in action with old Sixie. It's a really good partnership between them, echoing the friendship that'd been between the characters for years, but with the Brig onc again managing to prick the Doctor's more pompous moments.

Really good stuff this one.

Si xx

[stuartdg]

Solid and traditional,this is a highly enjoyable tale,the cast are vocally distinctive and give strong performances which add to the atmosphere of the piece,although I can't help thinkin that the Brigadier is somewhat wasted and that pairing him with the Sixth Doctor was just pandering to the fans somewhat

[SiHart]

I can't help thinkin that the Brigadier is somewhat wasted and that pairing him with the Sixth Doctor was just pandering to the fans somewhat

I'm sure it was. If nothing else it'd help them sell a few more CDs.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

Didn't I read somewhere that it was originally a fourth Doctor story, with Nick's involvement being intended as a bit of a lure for Tom. When he declined, the sixth was quickly written in.

The first time I heard this, I have to admit I found it a real slog. The opening sequence seemed to go on forever (the bit where the creature is left behind on prehistoric Earth) and somehow the story itself never quite... gelled for me.

So I wasn't that keen to listen to it again recently, and was thus pleasantly surprised! The opening bit is still a bit of a drag (yes, it's relevant to the plot but could surely have been flashbacked in later). The thing that still seems very odd to me is setting the story so firmly in Cornwall but then not having any Cornish people in it at all! Though if they had filled it with Cornish folk, I'd probably have been moaning about the yokel accents, so BF probably can't win!!

I must admit there's an odd thrill in hearing the Doctor & Brig talking about Goonhilly and Culdrose, as I've driven past those places hundreds of time in the past 39 years!!

[Dirk Gently]

Didn't I read somewhere that it was originally a fourth Doctor story, with Nick's involvement being intended as a bit of a lure for Tom. When he declined, the sixth was quickly written in.

Crossing out Tom & writing Colin above is surely the only way to go. One Baker is as good as another...is it?

[Jon Masters]

This one benefits from having a very good cast; James Bolam and Susan Jameson are top quality, and the rest of the cast rise to the occasion (a great pity that Professor Morgan can't make a re-visit). Nick once more sounds like he's never been away, but has a lot of fun knowing about the Doctor's future at the same time. And Maggie Stables glows as a companion, having her own whole plot thread and villains to deal with.

The only reason I haven't given this a 5 is that at times its too familiar territory (especially the resolution to the problem), and some of the writing is a bit off - the walker who appears only to be monster fodder (and how or why that is done as part of the plot); the sudden shift in part 3 where everyone waits for things to happen, and some of the actions of some characters just don't really make sense. I feel it could have just been tightened up a bit more to make it really great.

[MacNimon]

I really enjoyed this one, a great traditional storyline with a great guest cast. It's too bad this is James Bolam's only Doctor Who appearance, I'd have loved to see him in the tv series. And yes, teaming the Brig up with the 6th Doctor was surely to please the fans, but it worked so why complain? Great fun, 4/5

[Junkyard]

This story does for Doctor 6 what the Zygons did for Doctor 4 and the Daemons did for Doctor 3. Colin Baker and Maggie Stables work so well together you'd think they had been a double act for years. Nicholas Courtney slides back into the Brigadiers' shoes as if he'd never taken them off. James Bolam is on good form as well. The plot is standard Doctor Who but the cast lift it well above average.

[Paul Monk]

I like this one too. Its like a Doctor Who greatest hits!
I only wished I'd listened to this as a tribute to Nick Courtney instead of Minuet in Hell, but I guess we'll get onto that later.

[Anthony Williams]

Let's be honest. The Sixth Doctor and the Brigadier is a combination that most of us fans had waited for for years. I mean, to a lot of us, it seemed that it was a frightful injustice that they never got to meet on-screen, being the only "Classic" Doctor (barring Hartnell and McGann, of course) not to do so.

So, obviously, with hopes THIS high, this play had a lot to live up to, as I imagine it did when it was first released. And, fortunately, it doesn't disappoint! This was the kind of wonderful gothic story that was so prevalent during the Holmes/Hinchcliffe era, that many Doctor Who fans seem to adore. Suffice to say that I was very unsurprised when I heard that this story was originally written with Tom Baker in mind, and that when he declined to do Big Finish, Colin got it instead.

Still, this is a lovely addition to the Sixth Doctor's canon. Finally a story with the Brigadier, finally a story that Colin really seems to thrive while doing. The chemistry between himself, Maggie Stables and Nick Courtney is just wonderful - as I said on my review for The Marian Conspiracy that I really feel that the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn are a truly wonderful combination. The development of the character of Evelyn continues rather well here, and she shows that she's just as comfortable having these kind of adventures as the Doctor, and there's a lovely flowing mutual respect between the two characters that seems to be lacking between most Doctor-Companion relationships, regardless of era.

Something obviously needs to be said about the (now) late Nick Courtney. Getting him to do this really was a coup - he takes to the audio format like a duck to water. Now, I know he did those terrible Pertwee audios in the 90s, so it's not like it was a new format to him, but he just came in, and if it wasn't from such strong performances from others, then he would've stolen the show. It helps, of course, that he has a wonderful voice that's clearly perfect for audio - instantly recognisable and a comfort to any long-term Who fan.

Unsurprisingly, the plot of this was a little derivative. The gothic folk-lorey feel of it seemed very much like something like Terror of the Zygons, but the plot here takes second stage, I feel, and provides the perfect backdrop for the meeting between the Sixth Doctor and the Brigadier. There's nothing revolutionary going on here (beyond the continued rehabilitation of the Sixth Doctor's character), and that's just find by me!

Since the format is audio, it would be terribly remiss of me to skip over saying something about the wonderful sound-scape here. Nick Pegg clearly gave a lot of love and care to this, which is by far one of the most moody-sounding stories yet, but there's also a lot of attention-to-detail. You have people taping on keyboards, doors squeak, there are wonderful echo effects, you have birds singing. And then there's Alistair Lock's wonderful score, which is only there when needed, but really notches up the tension. Absolutely fantastic!

This was a wonderful nostalgia trip for me, and why by no means perfect, it was definitely above average - I give it a solid 4/5

[SiHart]

Of course he took to the audio format, Nick Courtney spent years and years in the BBC radio rep company!

[Anthony Williams]

Of course he took to the audio format, Nick Courtney spent years and years in the BBC radio rep company!

I'll be honest, Si - I really didn't know that! You learn something new every day

[Si Hunt]

This is the story Tom Baker chucked in the bin when offered it. More fool him.

It's a marvellous, spooky tale of something nasty on the moors, steeped in atmosphere. It's quite unlucky that this one isn't quite remembered as being in the same league as "The Holy Terror" and "Chimes of Midnight" because, really, there's very little wrong with it and a lot right. Perhaps unoriginal is it's downfall, as Si points out. Like "Blood Tide" it almost verges on being a melting pot of ideas stolen from other adventures. That doesn't stop it being thoroughly enjoyable, but it does point to a bit of laziness on the part of the writer. Colin and Nick are great in this, though, as is James Bolan. You need stories like this from time to time.

Si.

[Nyder]

The trouble with the demonic imp was that it sounded like a cross between David Rappaport and Dobby from Harry Potter, so I didn't find it that disturbing

But the rest of the story was good - always nice to hear The Brig. And I really like the relationship between Sixie & Evelyn. Looking forward to hearing more of their adventures!