PS Audios Season 1: Ratings Thread!

[Rob McCow]

It's time to vote!

With Massanicassa out and Season 4 drawing to a close over the next few months, it's time to give scores for the previous Planet Skaro audios!

If you haven't heard any of these adventures, now is a great time to catch up. Simply click the links on any of the pictures above, or go to the dedicated website by clicking this link! Audios can be streamed from the site or downloaded. I suggest downloading them to an mp3 player / I-Pod and listening to them on the train or at lunch time Episodes are typically 25 to 30 minutes long.

So, marks out of ten for each story! If you have any other comments on individual stories or the season as a whole, please share them!

[WhiteCrowNZ]

I remember really enjoying the Christmas shenanigans, but can't remember too much about it. I'd love to relisten, remember really liking Rudolph, however I absolutely refuse to watch/listen to anything Xmasy out of season.

[brandynigma]

1.1- Echoes of the Protii- 8 out of 10
Pilots are shaky. It's the way of professional productions, and the way of fan productions. Apparently. Echoes was anything but. It was a bold start that didn't allow itself to be bogged down in lots of introductory guff about the characters, and stayed aware of its audience. Nick's abilities are established through the plot, as are the characters' personalities. It's probably got the most appropriate and enjoyable use of a gay bar in any science-fiction I've seen or read. A joy.

1.2- The Soap of Fatal Death- 7 out of 10
I didn't enjoy this one as much- possibly because I rate reality TV slightly higher than soaps of the 'Scum of TV' scale. That being said, the parody scenes were hilarious, the Episode 3 cliffhanger chilling, and the end of the story was remarkable. THIS is how to end something midseason. Just saying.

1.3- Keepsake- 6 out of 10
Rob carries to story really well on his own, and the cast are uniformly excellent. It's a bit low for me because after all the build up, the Toymaker doesn't get a great deal to do- but he still better utilised here than in The Nightmare Fair.

1.4- Magical History Tour- 10 out of 10
Some people think it's bonkers. Those people are absolutely right. With our protagonists scattered through time, this becomes Doctor Who doing Day of the Tentacle and Bill and Ted, with two love stories and the Doctor becoming a pirate to boot. The historical backdrops are perfect, as are, once again, the relationships. Nick and Brian's relationship is heartwarming and heartbreaking, and I still well up with Rob's revelation. Simply stunning.

1.4A- Consequences- 6 out of 10
Great performances from Paul and Dave, but I probably would have preferred it in a story proper.

1.5- ...and the Christmas Gnomes- 8 out of 10 (AKA The Best Doctor Who Christmas Special EVAR)
This story is uncompromising. Now, usually that's meant in the BSG sense of everyone alternately dying/turning into a cyborg/having a cyborg baby/wrecking models/being mean to each other, but that's not the case here. I mean it in the sense that we have a story with Santa Claus, who refers to our hero as Dr Who, whilst keeping in touch with his anthropomorphic reindeer with two way radios. It's sheer bloody madness before the killer appliance turns up. What makes it work is that Paul and Co completely sell the situation as real.
And for those of you who do want gritty realism- one of the reindeer is a drug addict. So there.

Season 1 Average- 7.5 out of 10.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

So yesterday I went back to the beginning with Echoes of the Protii. I've decided to work through season one and review as I go so just a few thoughts before I crack on with The Soap of Fatal Death.

Echoes of the Protii - the title announcement makes me smile but I'm glad this was dropped on subsequent releases as it would have spoiled the atmosphere on some of them. Love that Rob and Nick are clearly a well established crew gently mocking their roles as being there to ask questions although they still manage to show convincing ineptitude when they end up in a dodgy bar. Interesting that Rob is clearly the more wordly-wise of the pair. I remember really liking both companions in this story first time round but then subsequently finding Rob slightly annoying in some of the later stories so I shall monitor his character progression second time round. I certainly liked Rob when I relistened to this yesterday so fingers crossed.
I admit that Paul's Doctor took a while to grow on me the first time I heard this. I suspect it was the fact most of the real meat of the story seemed to focus on the companions but listening again Paul's performance is really warm. The scene with Liam and the first meeting with Vera were particular highlights. The story's highlight is definitely Si and Ant's stellar performances as Vera and Scott who clearly deserve a second outing.
Also the many cameos from so many other forum members make this something of an event story in its own right rather than a typical audio play as the medium usually lends itself better to smaller casts but it's nice to hear something that contradicts this.
One query, I wasn't entirely sure what to think about the evil laugh at the end.
As I know how good the series gets as it develops I'm going to give it 7/10 although I may adjust these scores slightly once I've got to the end of season one.

[SiHart]

It's interesting what you say about Rob, because the performance by Steve in this story is different to the Rob he's become since. I know Steve struggled a bit to find the right voice for Rob, and that really it's not until Keepsake that the Rob everyone knows is really well established. I think by then Si Hunt was encourging the ad libs from Steve, which is where the rot sets in
I've always thought Rob was a capable companion myself, but other writers don't necessarily agree with that, so it's always Rob that gets into the scrapes and messes!

Thanks for the nice comments about my performance as Vera. I adore playing Vera!

[Anthony Williams]

Thanks for the nice comments about my performance as Vera. I adore playing Vera!

Just as I always adored playing Scott - so, thank you, Richard!

[Rob McCow]

it's not until Keepsake that the Rob everyone knows is really well established

I think you meant to say 'the Rob that everyone knows AND LOVES', Si! AND LOVES!!!

Although yeah, people have said he is a bit annoying.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I do have a vague recollection that first time round Rob didn't seem as distinct a character which confused me a little. It's amazing how different a play sounds when you instantly recognise all the voices without having to make an effort.
On that note I feel I should've also singled out the Si Hunt Victorious as Admiral Fisk, oh and a mention must be made of Vera's ringtone

[SiHart]

"Hello? Fay Towers!"

[Si Hunt]

Si Hunt was encourging the ad libs from Steve, which is where the rot sets in

Don't blame it on me!!

Si.

[SiHart]

Should we agree to blame Steve?

[Rob McCow]

There's a misapprehension about this idea of 'the rot setting in'. I'd describe it as more of an ascendence, a growing, spiralling blossom of wonder that IS Rob's character.

Bliiiiiiiiiiimey! Are you fond of.... Diving, Bin?

Of course, if there are any criticisms of my performance as Rob, please remember that anything I did that was annoying was purely done so that people liked Nick more. I was sharing the glory!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I'm feeling guilty now for mentioning it. I'm pretty it was only once or twice that Rob was slightly annoying. I'm three quarters through Soap of Fatal Death and still really liking him if it's any consolation.

Also I've got a half page so far of little notes of things I've particularly liked or found interesting including a mention of my favourite sequence in the whole of PS audios to date

[Rob McCow]

Ooo - intriguing!

I take it all in good humour really - you're right to notice that Rob is annoying, because he IS quite annoying. I wonder how the Doctor and Nick ever put up with him. When the Doctor is left alone with Rob and you get that 'You've still got me!' line, the Doctor's clearly clenching his teeth.

[Jon Masters]

I think one of the strengths of the PS audios is that three companions were created that actually come across as real people, rather than three line cyphers or annoying 'supercompanions' who take everything in their stride and still have a ballsy comeback line to spit out.

In that (and many other respects) PS is streets ahead of Nu Hoo.

[Paul Monk]

I like that my performance is warm

It was really hard finding my Doctor in these audios, especially the first one. Just how do you play him? I tried a bit to hard to be him in this audio and the next few. I had in my head that I wanted to play him a certain way, make him sound a certain way but that never really worked. I think in later audios I relaxed a bit more and the Doctor became more like me and as a consequence everyone became better at writing him which then of course helped me.

[Si Hunt]

Of course, joking aside, it's the Directors responsibility to get the performances from the cast, and while I wouldn't ever brand myself with such a professional sounding title, I have always encouraged Steve to add his "contribution" to recordings (except on those occasions when he's changed a line I've written that I really like, or which is important for reasons he hasn't twigged!). Why? Because I think he's funny. Screw anything else!

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Right, having spent a lot of time resting to try and get over my cold which seems to be paying off time for my belated review of:
The Soap of Fatal Death 8/10
(get the important bit out of the way first )

Quite a few observations to make about this one. Mostly things I liked though.
I am a soap watcher so it was probably inevitable that I would be highly amused by the pre-titles sequence. Indeed throughout the play I loved how deliberately hammy, OTT and wooden the various soap performances were as contrasted to some nice performances as the various character actors - The contrast between real life Daniel and wooden Ethan was particularly fun. The melodramatic soap scenes were well supported by the brilliantly cheesy music cues especially the Clear Waters theme (which was nicely foreshadowed by the references in Echoes).
I've made a note about Nick's reference to being taken back to the house he burnt down as a teenager which whilst being another nice pastiche on classic Who does raise a continuity issue once we eventually learn how long Nick has been with the Doctor but as I'm reviewing the story on its individual merits and that revelation obviously hadn't been written yet I'll let it slide. On a similar note loved the use of "reverse the polarity of me ultra-sonic screwdriver" and the slightly more subtle final line from Daniel "Come on Ant we've got work to do."
Loved knowing references including Lorraine's cameo and "The Echoes of The Protii" The Movie.
Intrigued by the ongoing reference to Nick's psychic ability particularly when he "goes all Cally" on Rob at the end and hooray for the first mention of the (as yet) unheard adventure featuring the Sparkle tribe. Also this is the first time Rob says "Bliimey!" - Rob still seems to be fairly worldywise in this story but there is definitely a hint of trouble to come and It'll be interesting to see what his line about being stressed actually leads to.
The performances of Kathy and Trudi as June and Virginia (and their respective soap characters Auntie Rosie and Lucky) were personal highlights of this play. I particularly loved Virginia's interaction with the Doctor at the soap awards and the Doctor's reaction to being described as an "older man!"
Another lovely Martin Penny cameo as Roddy Stevens definitely deserves mention and I'd hoped I might get through this review without mentioning Anthony Williams but he plays the new boy who no one talks to (been there far too many times!) so sympathetically and then gets to save the day with the fantastic line " I can't save the world I'm only 17 and a half" and the dialogue about him taking over from a younger Ant played by Jeremy Buttons was very timely calling to mind several recent EastEnders regenerations.
Loved the use of the best version of the Bernice Summerfield theme for the action sequences and the inclusion of genuine soap clips when the Doctor was in the void. Also the quoting of lyrics from Here, There and Everywhere was a nice prefiguring of Magical History Tour.
My favourite sequence in this play and indeed possibly my favourite sequence in the whole of the PS audio series to date was the flashback (and forward) sequence resulting from the memory scan - having a flash of the Doctor's confrontation with Scott from Echoes was a nice enough touch in itself but then to follow it up with "The Cybermen are taking over the world's yeast" scene with great Cyber voices was simply a master stroke. I'm rather bemused by the scene involving Harold and Hilda Hat on Kastria but again at this stage I'll let it slide as I loved to flash forward to the confrontation with Nick in which the Doctor rather shockingly states that "Rob's a fool!"
I'll draw to a close by saying I particularly enjoyed the cliff-hangers to parts 2 & 3 (who shot who and the reveal of the head) and can only admire the shocking conclusion to part 4 which is really sold by Rob's delivery of the final line.
Pleased to hear in the trailer that (as if I didn't already know) Rob and Nick will be back joined it seems in their next adventure by a cameo from Lulu!

[Dirk Gently]

I'm slipping trough these reviews unscathed.




Which probably means I'm so bad that I'm being ignored as Richard is too polite or so bland as to be forgetable.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I'm slipping trough these reviews unscathed.




Which probably means I'm so bad that I'm being ignored as Richard is too polite or so bland as to be forgetable.

I think I may have left out Professor Endleman out of politeness as I wasn't entirely convinced by the accent the first time I heard Echoes although it didn't bother me so much the second time around.
I did want to say something about Charlie in my sprawling review above but didn't quite know how to phrase it but here goes: the reveal of old charlie's head amongst the circuitry was rather like a slightly more gruesome version of the old man behind the curtain reveal in the Wizard of Oz - trouble is that reads back to me as a criticism when I mean as something positive. Anyway I really liked the performance.

[Rob McCow]

Yay! Always nice to here good things about the audio plays

The performances of Kathy and Trudi as June and Virginia

We had two women in this play! TWO! Why do I feel that makes us special for Doctor Who fan audio productions? And they were both brill.

Lorraine's cameo was a huge surprise for most of us. Si Hunt organised it in secret, so that the first that most of the cast knew about it was when we listened back to the play. She's an absolute delight

"The Cybermen are taking over the world's yeast" scene with great Cyber voices was simply a master stroke.

That's from the unseen story: The Breadly Assassin.

[Si Hunt]

Lorraine offered to record the whole of her "Crumble" song for us, bless her. I had to tell her we only needed the one line...

Si.

[SiHart]

Do you know, I'd completely forgotten about the Nick line at the start of this one. That's the problem with retconning stories- there's always something you forget about! Ah well. Perhaps he was joking after one night where the Doctor sat talking about his old companions after an episode of Clear Waters on the TSV?

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Do you know, I'd completely forgotten about the Nick line at the start of this one. That's the problem with retconning stories- there's always something you forget about! Ah well. Perhaps he was joking after one night where the Doctor sat talking about his old companions after an episode of Clear Waters on the TSV?

These things add to the charm of these. Just like OTT foreign accents and Mancunian sounding Daleks. I would hate for anyone to think pointing these things out was intended as a genuine criticism.
I've been on the receiving end of overstated criticism myself (last year I apparently "shouted in tune" as opposed to singing whilst doing a solo) so I would hate for anyone to take my comments to heart when I've had so much genuine enjoyment from these plays.

[Si Hunt]

Believe me, the fact you are re-listening to them and making notes is bringing me nothing but joy.

Si.