Doom Coalition 3

DOOM COALITION 3

Absent Friends by John Dorney

Let’s just quote the booklet that comes with the CD of it here:

“I don’t want to talk about Absent Friends.”

It came together as the most deliciously perfect audio here, and it’s character work is stunning. But talking about it ruins it. Spoilers…

10/10: But Better Than The Red Lady. Yes, I mean that.

No, really.

Shut up! 

The Eighth Piece/The Doomsday Chronometer By Matt Fitton 

After The Exquisite Absent Friends did it's own Standalone story,

(It’s beautiful standalone story)

The Eighth Piece has a lot of catching up to do to get to the point where the Doomsday Chronometer really should be. Both are definitely two halves of the same story, and although both are entertaining, they feel very busy, and a few story elements (like Thomas Cromwell) feel like they’ve been given the gutter. 

River shows up in a nun outfit to make things even more crowded, and to make it crazier, you could even call this one the first two parts of a three part story as it leads into Crucible Of Souls, and you could call that one the third of a fourth as it leads into Ship In A Bottle, and so on and so on. This is where Doom Coalition becomes impossibly serialized, and although it works really well in Doom Coalition 3, you’ll see how this is an issue in the fourth part. And with all of that, I’ve barely talked about this two parter which makes my point perfectly. The Eighth Piece and The Doomsday Chronometer are a good story, bogged down in a heavy heavy arc that although entertaining, is a Matt Fitton story for all the good and the poor. 

Bring Me Knitting: Eight decides to shove off his companions in various time periods for hecking reasons, while River is the link between the three plots by popping about between Liv Helen and The Doctor’s Adventures. This works pretty well, but most exciting is that River and Eight can actually meet now, and their chemistry is probably the most phenomenal River/Doctor chemistry minus her and twelve. Eight also acts kind of stupid in bits, and seems like he’s begging for Cromwell to execute him. He also leaves at the end, which is needlessly cruel, but at least he’s called out on it (unlike Blood Of The Daleks)

Liv is Perfect: Liv is continually perfect, and does about the average amount of companion work, neither disappearing or doing much integral to the plot. 

I Could Do So Much More: Helen’s knowledge of River gives Helen something more interesting to do rather than moping about as Liv’s second fiddle. 

The Only Water In The Forest Is The River: River is a nun and interacts with the cast. I repeat, River is a nun and interacts with the cast. She’s sassy and fun, and this is some quality River writing, miles better than her on television, Who was already lovely.

The Clocksmith: Jeez, I love the clocksmith. The need to make a perfect piece of art is really consuming, as I’m a cartoonist myself, I get him. He unnerves me. And then we suddenly get rid of him and he never comes back again. Why?!!??!

Overall: This two parter is an intricate and brilliant piece. I like it. It may be a little crowded, but hey. It’s good. 

Eighth Piece: 7/10

Doomsday Chronometer: 9/10

Crucible of Souls by John Dorney 

Padrac comes back out of nowhere, having been absent for ten stories. Thanks. 

That being said, Crucible Of Souls is a very nice bit of being very nice. It is a John Dorney Script, so naturally, I like it. It has the Nine, so naturally I like it. 

I will devour any Nine audios you give me.

Bring Me Knitting: Bit of a jerk, to be honest. Abandons Liv/Helen for no dang reason. He is Paul McGann and this isn’t just forgotten, so I mostly forgive him. 

Liv is Perfect: Liv is the ultimate foil to the Nine. Like, literally. Absolutely perfect. Let’s have a sitcom where they nearly kill each other every episode, now, please.

I Could Do So Much More: Mostly forgotten, she gets a few nice moments, especially when the Nine tells her that Liv’s dead. She isn’t. 

The Only Water In The Forest Is The River: River still doesn’t have much reason to be here story wise, but everything she does is beautiful and charming, and you really wish she stayed with Eight much longer. 

Mighty Number Nine: *Incoherent Babbling About Nine being The Best Thing Big Finish has done since Hiring John Dorney*

Padrac is Here Too: ‘He can’t be evil, he’s just...boring!’ Well said. Let’s be honest, Big Finish, you should have really spread Padrac out a bit more, to- you know, um...Make us remember him?

Overall: Very good. Very nice. I like it. Very lovely. Yes, now give me more Nine please.

 9/9 or maybe 9/10

UPDATE: