EDAs 1.1/1.2: Blood of the Daleks

[Anthony Williams]

And so we begin our Eighth Doctor and Lucie re-listens with Blood of the Daleks, by Steve Lyons.

So, what did everyone think of this story? I'll be posting up my review later on this week (maybe even today, if I get round to it), and I look forward to reading everyone's thoughts on it!

[Anthony Williams]

And so we begin...

Blood of the Daleks (Parts 1 & 2)
Starring Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith

I guess the first thing to talk about here is the format. Rather than go with 4x30 minute episodes in the style of the Classic series, as Big Finish had done previously with the Eighth Doctor, they chose to take us to something closer to the new series, and give us a season of eight 45-50 minute episodes, opened and closed with a couple of two-parters. So, did this work? With Blood of the Daleks, I'd give it an overwhelming YES! The result here, in my opinion, is a zippy, well-paced story that worked so much better than anything post-Zagreus for the Eighth Doctor in the main range.

Anyway, the story begins with the Eighth Doctor travelling alone. Most fans speculate that this was post-The Girl Who Never Was. I haven't heard that play, but many friends tell me tha tthe Eighth Doctor was in a similar emotional place to the Tenth Doctor when Donna appeared in the TARDIS at the end of Doomsday. And something so similar happens - a gobby Northerner, Lucie Miller, appears in the TARDIS, having been transported there by the Time Lords. He's clearly not ready for this woman!

But, onto the story itself. The script that Steve Lyons wrote is everything that a Doctor Who story should be, in my opinion - epic, dramatic and witty. It's also everything a Dalek story should be - we see our favourite pepper pots arriving on Red Rocket Rising to exterminate an inferior species of Daleks created out of humans by someone else. We've heard it all before (Revelation of the Daleks, anyone?), but this is the first story made by Big Finish for BBC Radio 7. I'm not going to complain about it covering familiar ground - it works SO well as an introduction, giving the audience time to adjust to the new dynamic between the Eighth Doctor and Lucie.

It's clear, however, that this was a co-production between the BBC and Big Finish. Why? Well, the cast is absolutely stellar. What we see here is a cast that BF probably couldn't manage on their own budget - we've got the likes of Kenneth Cranham and Anita Dobson in this play. And they're bloody superb. It really feels like they pulled out all the stops here. To top it all off, the main duo - McGann and Smith - are wonderful. I adore Lucie as a character from the word go, and I really hope that if a multi-Doctor story happens on tv anytime soon, that the BBC will allow Sheridan Smith to appear as Lucie Miller alongside the Eighth Doctor.

In my opinion, this was the perfect starting point for this range of audios. The bar has been set high, but how will the other stories in this run stand up to this...? Frankly, I loved this one. 5/5.

[Junkyard]

I have to agree with you on this, it was a great start to the series. I first heard it on BBC Radio 7 and I was hooked. When I opened my account with Big Finish this two-part story was the first download on my list.

[Rob McCow]

I remember nothing about Blood of The Daleks, which is generally a bad sign. I can remember the other stories in the range we listened to, however.

I also remember someone saying:

I found this quite dull, actually. I gave up after 20 mins

So maybe it was worth another go?

[SiHart]

I remember it not being particularly exciting or memorable, unlike most of the other episodes in the series. It wasn't a very distinguished Dalek story, and despite a great cast it didn't really hold my attention.

[Andrew Curnow]

It's too long ago to give much detail, but I do remember listening to it on BBC7 and finding it a bit overlong - and also I had trouble distinguishing between Anita Dobson's character and one of the other females. I think.

Could I be any more vague, sorry chaps!

[Si Hunt]

We relistened to this a few weeks ago (we're doing the McGann's in order dontchaknow). And it has to be said, even not considering that the following releases were so good, it's a bit of a mess.

It's too long for a start. There's not that many original ideas, Anita Dobson is either underwritten or underplayed (or both) but she should have been amazing and she's only okay. The silly man with the foil hat on is unremarkable and a story about mucking around with Dalek genetics was done in 1985. There's also the slightly conned feeling you get at having to buy parts 3 and 4 of this story as a seperate release; the only time ever Big Finish have pulled this trick.

It's not hopeless - it's a perfectly capable little Dalek story, and it's not terrible. But it lacks the brevity and freshness of the following releases, and it really ought to have been edited down to 50 minutes.

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Were these ones longer on CD than the broadcast versions? I've not got any of the first series on CD and not had to chance to check the recordings I made yet.

[Anthony Williams]

I don't think so - but you do get extras on the CDs like interviews etc.

[Si Hunt]

Which are worth the price of admission alone for the Una Stubbs and Julia McKenzie ones. "I've never even watched Doctor Who, I was always too busy cooking dinner for my husband", "I rung my friend Una up and said, the lunches are lovely!" etc. Classic.

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Some of that stuff made it onto BBC7 plus a little while ago Big Finish did an EDA season one retrospective podcast including a rather poignant mention of the late Stephen Gately although I'm getting ahead of myself as Horror of Glam Rock is next week

[SiHart]

There's also the slightly conned feeling you get at having to buy parts 3 and 4 of this story as a seperate release; the only time ever Big Finish have pulled this trick.

That was one of the reasons why I didn't buy them at the time. I thought that was a bit mean.

[Anthony Williams]

There's also the slightly conned feeling you get at having to buy parts 3 and 4 of this story as a seperate release; the only time ever Big Finish have pulled this trick.

Well, it's just part two, really!

And they pulled the same thing with the final two-parter of this season, Human Resources.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Well, it's just part two, really!

And they pulled the same thing with the final two-parter of this season, Human Resources.

Not to the mention the two part finales of seasons two, three and four as well. Although they gave those individual story titles so it's not as immediately obvious they've pulled the same trick.

[Junkyard]

Not to the mention the two part finales of seasons two, three and four as well. Although they gave those individual story titles so it's not as immediately obvious they've pulled the same trick.

Really!? Sisters of The Flame/Vengeance of Morbius is so obviously a two-parter. As is The Eight Truths/World Wide Web. Not that it really matters to me, just surprised that people consider this a 'trick'.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I probably used the wrong word by describing it as a "trick". What I really meant was I would have preferred to have had the two part stories to have been released together as 2CD packs as per the monthly range rather than individually. Mainly on financial grounds although I did get quite a good early bird suscription rate for season 4 IIRC.

[Si Hunt]

I love the phrase "early bird subscription rate".

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

It's a great piece of marketing speak isn't it

Anyway just to remind everyone that the first part of this two release story Blood of the Daleks Part One is now available to download Free of charge directly from Big Finish for the next three days until the one day sales start on Monday.

More details from this link!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I listened to Part One yesterday and will be doing Part Two shortly. So far actually a lot better than I remember it being.

[Rob McCow]

All I can remember is that gibberish about a bunch of people living in huts and wearing tin-foil hats. It must surely be better than that!

[Stuart Wallis]

If someone hadn't mentioned that this is the one with Anita Dobson in it, I'd have completely forgotten ever hearing it. I seem to remember it being overlong and not really going anywhere until the Daleks turned up; otherwise, i don't remember anything about this one.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I was going to go with 4/5 but after re-reading Anthony's review I'm included to agree that actually, aside from a little bit of predictability, this is a very strong opening which gets paid off in spades by many of the subsequent Eighth and Lucie adventures so 5/5 from me too.
Oh and Kenneth Cranham, Anita Dobson and Hayley Atwell are superb as the supporting characters.