Doctor Who: Serpent Crest

**SiHart** · 8th Jul 2011, 5:54 PM

http://twitpic.com/5mxvjh
The cover for the first in the new Tom/ Paul Magrs series!

**Andrew Curnow** · 8th Jul 2011, 8:26 PM

Tsar Wars!!! Is Tom playing a double role, do we know? Good cover anyway!

**SiHart** · 7th Oct 2011, 2:36 PM

Well I've got the first one and the second one is now on the way too, so I'll let you know what i think of them shortly. I'm hearing good things about Tsar Wars, so I'll let you know if it's true!

**Anthony Williams** · 7th Oct 2011, 2:43 PM

Hurrah! I haven't tried any of the Baker/Magrs BBC releases, but I keep getting tempted now I'm getting back into audio!

**SiHart** · 7th Oct 2011, 2:47 PM

They're different to the BF apparoach being a mix of narration and conversation but I really like them. They take a slightly skewed approach to Doctor Who too, but I like that as well, which might also be because I love Paul Magrs's work in general too.

**Anthony Williams** · 7th Oct 2011, 2:56 PM

Originally Posted by SiHart

They're different to the BF apparoach being a mix of narration and conversation but I really like them. They take a slightly skewed approach to Doctor Who too, but I like that as well, which might also be because I love Paul Magrs's work in general too.

It's bizarre - some of his stuff I love, some of it I absolutely hate.

I really loved Verdigris, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Horror of Glam Rock and The Zygon Who Fell to Earth.

But on the other hand, I didn't enjoy The Scarlet Empress, The Stones of Venice and Excelis Dawns at all!

I hope that these BBC releases are more like the former, rather than the latter

**SiHart** · 9th Oct 2011, 5:04 PM

Well, shockingly the BBC have discarded the narration/ conversation mode of the first two Tom sets and gone straight in for the full cast play style story. It was a bit of a surprise to us in the car yesterday. While it's probably a good move considering all the many (silly) complaints made about the style of these stories over the last couple of years by fans, I couldn't help feeling sad that they've lost their unique approach.

The story was pretty good- and it was well played by the cast. Shame there wasn't a bit more Michael Jayston, but you can't have everything.

**Anthony Williams** · 9th Oct 2011, 6:38 PM

I had heard that the whole full-cast thing was only for the first story, and the other four are back to the same style as Hornet's Nest and Demon Quest...

**Rob McCow** · 9th Oct 2011, 7:33 PM

I hope so, because 'Tsar Wars' fell down right into the middling adventure category. The basic idea sounds like it's got potential, but I'm afraid I'm going off Paul Magrs. I loved what he did in the first series, the second was a bit patchier, but there were moments in Tsar Wars that were simply dreadful. It all seems to be built around in-jokes, weak spoofs and silliness.

THAT SAID, Tom Baker as Gregory was an absolute delight and Mrs Wibbsey is simply champion.

**Paul Monk** · 10th Oct 2011, 1:26 PM

I loved the first series. It felt new and different but I never really got into Demon Quest.

**Richard Brinck-Johnsen** · 16th Nov 2011, 1:10 PM

News from DWM...

The final two adventures in Serpent Crest The Hexford Invasion and Survivors in Space feature a very special guest...

David Troughton as the Second Doctor !!

**Si Hunt** · 16th Nov 2011, 1:34 PM

About time! We've been far too prissy about the "no recasting Doctors" taboo. It's not going to take anything away from Troughton's performance of 40 years ago. How exciting!

Si.

**SiHart** · 16th Nov 2011, 1:42 PM

Oh my!

**Si Hunt** · 16th Nov 2011, 1:49 PM

But shouldn't Frazer Hines play him? Judging from the Companion Chronicle I heard recently, his impression is a dead ringer! He could be the first actor to play both a Doctor and a companion! Unless you count David Tennant in Med Purps.

Si.

**SiHart** · 16th Nov 2011, 1:54 PM

David Troughton sounds wonderfully like his Dad on the target readings he's done.

**Richard Brinck-Johnsen** · 16th Nov 2011, 2:31 PM

Originally Posted by SiHart

David Troughton sounds wonderfully like his Dad on the target readings he's done.

That's the connection, David has done a lot of work with Audiogo so they sounded him out earlier this year before it was written.

The Companion Chronicles and Second Doctor Lost Stories in which he is impersonated by Frazer are probably the closest Big Finish will ever get to crossing their "no recasting Doctors" taboo.

**SiHart** · 11th Dec 2011, 2:25 PM

Part 2 was an improvement on pt 1. A great tale of a Victorian village full of secrets. I like the way this story starts off completely unrelated tot he previous one, but subtly shows how it is linked. The Doctor and Wibbs being without the TARDIS adds something to it too...

Nice stuff!

**Rob McCow** · 12th Dec 2011, 9:39 AM

Even I enjoyed The Broken Crown!

"I'm feeling a little Wibbsey, Mrs Woozy" might be the line of the series!

**SiHart** · 26th Dec 2011, 10:39 PM

Part 3 rattled along nicely like a slightly corrupted pantomime and seems to close up the storylines at the end...

but then part 4, The Hexford Invasion comes a long and is the strongest part yet. Really excellent stuff, with the Doctor running around, the return of Mike and some lovely stuff around Hexford, as well as some hints that things might be what they seem to be.

David Troughton was superb. We smiled at every line he said because he was just great! Calling Mrs Wibbsey Mrs W., making her suspicious but charming the whole village being a bit dubious... superb!

Oooh! Wibbs!

I think, as long as the last part doesn't let it down that this is the best of the three Magrs/ Tom series. Really enjoyable!

**SiHart** · 4th Jan 2012, 5:27 PM

The last part- Survivors in Space didn't disappoint. This one was Mike Yates's story, and Richard Frankilin was really rather good at conveying the despondency of the villagers left in the rather odd predicament months after the events at the end of The Hexford Invasion.

Loved Mrs Wibbsey throughout this one, whether it was her comment about the umpteen months it'd taken to get there, or berating Mike for the state of the kitchen in Nest Cottage or the rather poignant ending, Susan Jameson has been a star. What a great companion she's made.

David Troughton once again was splendid in his role. I won't spoil it for you, but there were various twists and turns throughout and it all made a kind of sense at the end. there was some great banter between him and Tom which made me laugh too, which was nice.

Rather delightfully, the Doctor is "needed elsewhere" at the end... a little nod to the forthcoming BF adventures perhaps?

If this is the end of the Nest Cottage adventures, then they're going out at the top of their game with this set of stories. Brilliant stuff and really recommended.

**Nyder** · 17th Dec 2012, 9:03 PM

Finally finished Serpent Crest. Splendid! David Troughton was superb as Doctor Two. Loved the twist about him having a sinister side. The "village on the moon" was very Space 1999! Mrs Wibbsey is a delight. I'd love to see her paired up with Evelyn - that would be a force of nature! On the whole I've enjoyed these Paul Magrs adventures much more than BF 4th Doctor adventures. Really hope they get to do some more!

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