A Salty 8DAS Series One Post That Will Get Me Killed

Series One

I’m nervous about putting this out because the 8DAs are really popular and I don’t like them that much so take this all with as much salt as Lucie drops with every line of dialogue she has

Blood of the Daleks by Steve Lyons

This one is famed. It’s Eight’s real establishing story, one that people listen to far more than (my preferred) Storm Warning. Maybe I’m a Charley or Liv era person at heart, but this era fails to grab me, as it does so many other people. Blood of the Daleks admittedly has several ideas I can get behind. It uses a familiar backdrop to establish a character, but for once that background is not London, it’s a Dalek Invasion. I like this, not all character work has to be Earthbound. The problem here for our characters is Lucie is an earth native. We sort of need her background, her home. Even if it’s something as short as Tegan got before being lost in the TARDIS. If this was an alien character and the story introduced someone like Bliss or Liv or Another character from a different planet, it’d work more for me personally.

Bring me Knitting: Paul McGann can’t really phone it in, but from what I’ve listened to I’ve felt that he never gets as close to it as in the 8DAs. They are a ludicrously popular series, but there’s something about them that has always felt offputting to me, and I am rarely if ever happy with them. 

I find here the pace is far too slow. It could have been dealt with in sixty minutes rather than two forty five minute installments. Also Eight tries to abandon Lucie on an alien planet with almost no regard for her safety, and only doesn’t because the TARDIS doesn’t let him. An egregiously out of character act, it’s worth docking quite a few points.

Bleedin’ Miller: Hello, Yes, it is now time for you to murder me. I am not a Lucie fan. She’s as annoying here as Donna was in her first appearance, and from everything I’ve listened to, she has not received Donna’s character development. She even steals Donna’s introduction. Nonetheless, she is a popular character, and I suppose this story does introduce her semi competently. It’s no failure, there are worse introduction stories. 

I just find that nothing about this story grabbed me, and Lucie was supposed to do that, instead of merely annoy. 

The Monsters: Now, for the Return Of the Vervoids! No, of course not, it’s the Daleks, they’re in the title, stop teasing. Most of this story keeps the Daleks in the background until they’re revealed, at the VERY END OF PART ONE, FORTY FIVE MINUTES IN. When they show up, they’re decidedly unintimidating, even when they start killing later. The story has an admittedly good idea of a town that’s unaware of the Daleks evil, but so what? 

This is done far better in Nick Briggs’ novel The Dalek Generation ,

Or In the Power Of The Daleks, 

Or In Dalek,

Or In Victory Of The Daleks,

Or Even In Daleks In Manhattan! 

Fight Me.

Overall: Blood Of The Daleks is famous for being incredibly average. If it wasn’t a starting point, this one would be forgotten. Take the good with the bad and start with Storm Warning. Both Parts: 5/10

Horror of Glam Rock By Paul Magrs

This one is another favorite, and the point that I realized that the EDAs would probably not be my range. This is….so basic. It’s monsters are growling animals with almost no backstory, it’s a base under siege story, and the characters are incredibly underdeveloped musicians, whose character amounts to “grooves, man.”

There’s also Auntie Pat, and we decide to break causality to introduce Lucie to her. Like, sure, whatever, 8, it’s not as if you went through absolutely ages of timeline problems with Charley or something. Also Auntie Pat instantly comes off as budget Jackie. 

Bring Me Knitting: Eight’s at least more relaxed here, if that’s something. He likes the 70s, and seems to have a lovely nostalgia for the era. Also what the heck is that cover kill it kill it kill it

Bleedin’ Miller: Another Lucie character piece, and she’s still solidly annoying, if less so. She’s just as mouthy, complaining about how the Doctor drives, as if, no she isn’t traveling through space and time. She also treats Auntie Pat quite badly. You really get the sense that Auntie Pat was made as a character to mess with you emotionally.

How lovely, the only character that I like so far (that includes this era’s 8, he’s unrecognizable from Charley or Liv 8) is probably going to die horribly or be emotionally tortured. Get a life, Big Finish.

The Monsters: The real way this story falls apart is the most barebones plot of any Doctor Who story I’ve ever seen or listened to. I hate stories that act as if the plot doesn’t exist, and this sure is one. The Monsters are so mindless and stupid, I just-

Overall: Let’s get this review over with. The only good thing in the entire story is the end theme tune, and maybe Una Stubbs and Bernard Cribbins. Skip, Please. 2/10

Immortal Beloved by Jonathan Clements 

Unlike the heavily flawed first two, this one has a decent plot and ideas, but makes the cardinal sin of being the most boring story I’ve ever listened to, bar time of the Daleks. Let’s make this review short.

Bring me Knitting: Eight is at least recognizable here. He’s angry at everything fake Zeus and Hera try and pull off, it’s one of his I despise your culture and everything about you so I’m gonna be snarky and petty stories. That’s at least familiar. And I at least like him.

Bleedin’ Miller: ‘Thank You So Much...FOR PARKING ON THE EDGE A CLIFF!’ 

Ah, there she is. Lucie is as usual. She really goes through the wringer here, which you would find satisfying if she didn’t find time to complain. 

The Monsters: Ah, this story uses many concepts with much insensitivity, and the villains are incredibly unmemorable. And stupid. So so stupid.

Overall: Don’t. 3/10

Phobos by Eddie Robson

Unbearably bad, and without any substance. I couldn’t get past the twenty minute mark, and I feel you shouldn’t either.  1.5/10

No More Lies by Paul Sutton 

At last, a story that I genuinely enjoyed, No More Lies is a class act, and I wouldn’t say is worth the many clunkers before this, but it at the very least, kept me entertained. It starts in the middle of the action, and utilizes old Big Finish Monsters, The Vortisaurs, with an excellent conceit with a time loop (that we actually do not see reloop for some reason but whatever) And I tended to come out of this incredibly pleased. If the 8DAs can put out an enjoyable story, then anything can happen. 

Bring Me Knitting: He’s back to normal, thank god. He geniunely seems friends with Lucie now, which is a bit out of nowhere. He’s doctorish, for once. He takes control of the situation like a pro. And Lucie for once, isnt as rude to him as Charlie Brown Lucy. Speaking of…

Bleedin’ Miller: She has a nice moment involving a time whip, and some more with Zimmerman’s wife. Sheridan Smith can play her with some dignity, but I’d give anything for her to tone down the nails on a chalkboard voice.

The Monsters: There are the Vortisaurs, which fit into the story beautifully, and are exactly what we need for one of these stories, and the vaguely characterized evil voice filter aliens. Guess which I prefer. 

Overall: More of This, Please. 9/10

Human Resources by Eddie Robson

Human Resources is the second EDA in a row I’ve adored. What is wrong with me? 

The concepts in this one are what makes it so very good. Big Finish excels at the surreal, especially when there’s just a bit of the mundane. The conclusion of the series 1 arc is a tad disappointing, and the Cybermen are unneeded. This could have been a 1 part story with an extra ten or fifteen minutes and it would be one of the best the series has ever produced. Ultimately, it’s good if a tad overlong. 

Bring Me Knitting: Paul McGann has reached consistency. He’s the ultimate even here, the true balance between his depressed Time War self and his joyous long haired nitwit TV self. He’s rather compelling. 

Bleedin’ Miller: Exquisite in the first half and frustrating in the second, Lucie has not reached her stride. Her attempting to solve everything for the first part of episode one is very much the best her character’s ever been, and the episode two twist that threatens to make the entire series much better is just a fake out involving a pretty forgettable side character. Human Resources is trying to be too safe here. That’s it’s main flaw.

The Monsters: The Cybermen are ultimately useless. They don’t have much point in the plot. Any classic villain would work better. Any. Fact: if you don’t delve into The Cybermen’s inhuman horror, it isn’t worth it as a story. 

Overall: I want to adore Human Resources, and for the first part, I completely do. The Second Part is good, but found it’s fair share of ways to make the first a good bit worse. Ultimately the best EDA so far, but it squanders some great ideas to maintain a useless status quo. Part One: 10/10 Part Two: 9/10