The Next Universe Review Thread!! (SPOILERS APLENTY!!)

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS THREAD IF YOU HAVEN'T LISTENED TO EPISODE ONE YET!!


Well!! I think I'm slightly numb from the episode one cliffhanger (not to mention almost crapping myself after what appeared to happen at about 25.23...)
so I'm going to let it settle before I post any more thoughts but I have made lots of notes a handy envelope and will share some of them a little later!!

I don't know how I'm going to sleep for the next 7 days!!

[Si Hunt]

I'm hoping that means you liked it!

Out of interest, and I really want to know this, did the modulation disguise the cliffhanger before you got there, or did you guess it straight away?

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Put it this way, my first action was to go and listen to some of a different play to check my aural senses weren't deceiving me although during the earlier scenes there was that nagging sense of "I know that voice..." - I guessed completely wrongly who it might be you'll be pleased to know.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Oh and that's the one spoiler I won't be giving away this week so if anyone is naughtily reading this first you'll have to and download and listen to find out who we're talking about

[Si Hunt]

I am very pleased you didn't guess.

Si.

[brandynigma]

I didn't guess either. I actually thought it was the Black Guardian again.

Loved the cameos from Season One, and the CWAS were amazing!

[Si Hunt]

So who were your fave returning cameos, everyone?

Si.

[Andrew Curnow]

Well it's inevitably got to be Vera hasn't it, always a treat - although I must admit I was pleased, not to mention surprised, to find myself popping up as well!! You crafty devil!

Tea time in a mo' (ha, Saturday tea time, very appropriate) so will post more later - but just to single out a couple of lines that really made me laugh, first Vera's reference to her husband Borusa; and second the Doctor's comment about "standing still against a jagged rockface quivering".

Good stuff!!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Ricky was an interesting one. And it's probably a good thing I didn't know that Father Christmas was coming back as a killer phantom in the next story to be released or I might not have brought the "real" Santa back for Merry Christmas Rob McCow which I'm hoping still took place in the correct version of history before everything got ballsed up.
That said it was great to have Brian Epstein return. Absolutely determined to get my Dad to listen to Magical History Tour now!

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

I am very pleased you didn't guess.

Si.

I did guess correctly, but don't be concerned Si, I'll PM you!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I really did have to listen to the ending again a couple of times to convince myself I'd really heard it correctly!

[Rob McCow]

Loved it! Part One was superb. It's a real thrill going to The Death Zone - on Gallifrey, every time!

I can't believe Rob is dead! Literally! But then again, I don't remember recording any more lines apart from the ones we've had already. So perhaps this is it!

The whole setup and premise is superb. It's sort-of nicked from Terrance Dicks, yet there's enough variety and spin on it to make it seem fresh and new. And it's wonderful to have the Doctor & Ed and the Doctor & Rob from the different timelines! I hope everyone is following this.

I do wonder how this would seem for a fresh listener. Sometimes it can make people want to go back and listen to the stories that are referenced; also on the positive side, there's enough clues and ideas that it shouldn't be too hard to work out what's going on. There's loads extra for the regular fans, but it doesn't take much to be highly amused by the idea of Father Christmas turning up as a phantom in the Death Zone! for example!

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I wished it would never end!

[Si Hunt]

It's absolutely not for new listeners - they will be utterly bemused. For once, this is a story for our loyal listeners. And no-one else!

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Well I like to think the path was smoothed a little with the continuity I crammed into Merry Christmas Rob McCow which was effectively my own thank you to everyone for the enjoyment I've had from the plays since I discovered them last year. I had complaints from my Dad that he found some of that hard to follow because of not knowing the characters so goodness knows what he'd think of this one. That said I think I've almost talked him into listening to Magical History Tour so maybe one day...

[Rob McCow]

One day we'll update this website again - http://dwexpanded.wikia.com/wiki/Planet_Skaro_Audios then everyone will know how to do it!

[Nyder]

It's absolutely not for new listeners - they will be utterly bemused. For once, this is a story for our loyal listeners. And no-one else!

Si.

Well I'm fairly new (I've only done Protii and Merry Christmas RM) but luckily that stood me in good stead to follow most of this one. Congrats one and all - I thoroughly enjoyed it. A great homage to the Five Docs (gotta love Rasty!) whilst standing on its own as a good story. Can I use the word "romp" at this point??

I do think I have some catching up to do though......

[Si Hunt]

I'm delighted you enjoyed it! I'd recommend a few stories in particular for catching up purposes... maybe "Christmas Spirits", "Sting of the Time Bees" and "Asylum"...

Si.

[Nyder]

Will do! Thanks Si :-)

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Surely second in importance to Echoes of the Protii which introduced Scott and Vera is 1.4 Magical History Tour for more reasons than I can possibly explain without massively spoilering although it does follow up the massive cliffhanger from the second ever story Soap of Fatal Death which explains why the cast and fans of Clear Waters are out for the Doctor's blood!

I also have a soft spot for 1.3 Keepsake a Doctorless adventure featuring Rob and introducing his childhood best friend Ben Bassey who I liked so much I managed to bring back after four years for Merry Christmas Rob McCow

[SiHart]

I do wonder if we should have a line making it clear just who has turned up in the cliffhanger- we're expecting lots of our audience to recognise the character...

[Rob McCow]

It'll be fine!

Unless the whole story passes with nobody saying their name, of course.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I wonder if this might be a job for the voice of continuity

Although if we do have an episode 2 trailer (which I haven't recorded links for yet) my feeling is it shouldn't give away too much to anyone who hasn't heard ep 1 yet so it also wouldn't reveal which of the companions may possibly be dead.

That said I have another idea which for now might have to remain a surprise.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

And looking at my schedule for this week it may have to be a surprise for a later date as a CD extra... the crystal that's magically stuck itself to my right hand is throbbing to suggest I've spoken out of turn.
Forgive me, my Guardian...

[Jon Masters]

Excellent stuff - nice to hear some returning characters, and the CWAS are a real hoot ! ("I'm a very passionate man...." )

I do wonder if we should have a line making it clear just who has turned up in the cliffhanger- we're expecting lots of our audience to recognise the character...

Well I'm not entirely sure - I think I know that it's Villain A , but then I wonder if it might be Villain B ( although there's not much to hear yet, I'm not sure there's the accent for the second person)

Looking forward to part 2

[Andrew Curnow]

I'm starting to doubt my sanity now... it is Professor Bonham isn't it? Or am I getting it entirely wrong again?