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  1. #1
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    Default Season 11 on the Radio: 1- The Paradise of Death

    Of course Season 11 wasn't just on the TV... in 1993 and 1996, the Doctor, Sarah and the Brig were reunited for two radio plays written by Barry Letts.

    The first of these was The Paradise fo Death, concering the Doctor's involvement with the Parakon Corporation.



    What do you think of this radio adventure?
    Last edited by SiHart; 21st Jun 2011 at 8:57 AM.

  2. #2

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    It was okay story-wise but a nice idea to celebrate the 30th anniversary. Peter Miles is great as one of the villains but Jeremy is an annoying git and considered to be one of the worst companions ever. It's misplaced between The Time Warrior and Invasion of the Dinosaurs. Between IOTD and Death to the Daleks would have been better.

    It works better as a book. (During it's repeat in 1994 on BBC Radio 2, Episode 4 was played twice by mistake, causing people to complain, resulting in Episode 5 going out 2 weeks later and The Ghosts of N-Space being commissioned.) 5/10

  3. #3
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    As a devoted fanboy I listened avidly to it in 1993, but.... it sort of falls between two stools for me. It doesn't manage to really recreate the UNIT era, but at the same time doesn't quite manage to be something fresh & new. Pertwee sounds older, which is of course unavoidable but I find it very difficult to picture this story with the third Doctor as he was in 1974 - then there's the rather convoluted plot, and the bizarre 'escape' from the part one cliffhanger, and... There's some good ideas in there, it just doesn't quite gel together - and Jeremy, alas, is just annoying. He could have been another Harry Sullivan but, erm, isn't!

    But credit where it's due, well done to the people involved in getting it done at all!

  4. #4
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    It gave us Sladen in one of the most bizarre outfits ever seen. Even in the 90's, the oversize, multicolour tracksuit top and yellow-beret combination seemed a little out-there.

    And why didn't the actor playing Jeremy make the cover? Oh, don't answer that one.

    Jeremy is an annoying git and considered to be one of the worst companions ever
    and Jeremy, alas, is just annoying. He could have been another Harry Sullivan but, erm, isn't!
    There's an issue here somewhere. Of course, Big Finish eventually brought Jeremy back in their Short Trips range, so someone must have liked him.

  5. #5
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    Lord knows why, the great hairy fool... The word "padding" springs to mind.

    It doesn't quite seem like Pertwee-era Who, but then neither do any of its contemporary 3rd Doctor MAs and near-contemporaryPDAs I've read, and it's a far better yarn than any of them. Not bad, although the author's political views do sound a little preachy at times.

    6/10

  6. #6
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    We started listening to this a few weeks back... and gave up half way through. It's not bad as such, just unfocussed and meandering. The story dones't know which element it wanted to focus on- The new Space park in Hyde Park, The E(Elizabeth Regina?)R plot, the Parakon Corp/ Rapine plant stuff... every episode seems to throw something new into the mix, and it just got confusing.

    The performances are all fine (aside perhaps from Jeremy, obviously) but sadly this isn't really as good as it could or should have been.

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