4DAS Series 8A, and Times Assassin

I am back. I am continuing to review. I was dead for a bit, but then the great almighty Necromancer summoned me back with all of the wrath of Cthulhu. Praise Satan.
So, The 4DAS.

Fourth Doctor Adventures Series Eight

The Sinestran Kill by Andrew Smith

The Sinestran Kill is one of the most baffling 4DAs yet, introducing a new companion for the Fourth Doctor, and doing absolutely nothing to make us care about her. Random Voice filter aliens number 5 trillion are here, evidently called the Sinestrans, and they’re impossibly dull, and are hunting down alien sleeper agents in a homage to spy movies. ...How can a writer make this bad? It staggers the brain. 

I Love Your Butler, He’s So Violent: Tom Baker is sort of bored with the story, but his chemistry shines through whenever he’s with Ann. It’s clear that he and Jane Slavin are very good friends, and his tone is always warm and lovable. 

Does More Police Work Than Yaz: The Oddest thing about the story is that the only thing the story does to justify the introduction of this new companion is her chemistry. There’s very little sharp writing involving Ann, her characterization is limited to POLICE POLICE POLICE PERSON and that’s it. It’s very strange. The “That Depends” dialogue is the only sharply characterized bit in the whole thing.

Overall: The Sinestran Kill would be instantly forgotten if not for it opens a fantastic BF story arc. As a matter of fact, you may just forget it anyway. 5/10

Planet of The Drashigs by Phil Mulryne 

Planet of The Drashigs is a definite improvement from the droll we were served in the Sinestran Kill. K9 and the Drashigs are back, and they’re here to fight for your entertainment. What, that’s not what this story is for? Um, well…

To be honest the Drashig/K9 fight is the most memorable bit of the script…

I Love Your Butler, He’s So Violent: Tom Baker is much like the other BF Doctors, having elevated his character work to perfection. He’s so aware of everything he’s doing. If anything, this is his Victory Of The Daleks or Cold War, where a new companion runs around with a classic monster in order to establish them in a setting most companions are almost always in, for the audience’s sake. Except, you know, not being crap. 

Does More Police Work Than Yaz: Ann is still thinly characterized, but she is so much fun to be around that it almost doesn’t matter. Almost. Instant chemistry with a doctor and companion is something of great value, and given how this pairing relies on it so much, it really shows how important it is.

Do Robotic Dogs Dream of Electric Sheep?: K9 shoots Drashigs. See above. 

Overall: If you’re here for K9 shooting Drashigs, you will get that. And honestly, that’s a ringing endorsement as far as I’m concerned. 8/10

The Enchantress Of Numbers By Simon Bernard and Paul Morris

Before there was Spyfall, there was already an excellent Ada Lovelace story, 

Well, to be fair, Spyfall was barely about Ada whatsoever, and this one is entirely about her. But Spyfall has Sacha Dhwan so they wind up sort of equal. 

Attention, Series 12 reviews will be up as soon as Series 12 is over, I need to look back at a complete storyline in order to be as objective as possible, but whatever. 

Anyway, this one comes from Simon Bernard and Paul Morris who also wrote, I dunno, THE END OF THE LINE. I absolutely adore that one, so how is this one? 

Who am I kidding, it’s excellent, and you damn well know it. 

I Love Your Butler, He’s So Violent: I don’t have much to say out of the usual about Baker, but I will mention I find it funny how much this 4DA season relates to Spyfall, and Spy genre crap in general, what with The Sinestran Kill sleeper agents, then this one relating to Ada, the entire Spy coverup story threaded throughout, leading up to the very bondian Perfect Prisoners, and most of all, with Fever Island existing, There’s this gorgeous cohesive thread of stories linking together in a thematic way, while being so very different, and even this one, not having anything to do with spies, ends up relating to Spyfall, I find that positively hilarious. 

Does More Police Work Than Yaz: Still waiting on that character development, Ann.

Overall: You’ll notice I’ve talked little about The Enchantress Of Numbers itself, as this story has so many fascinating little fabulous elements that shouldn’t be spoiled. 

There are certain stories that you’re better knowing nothing about.

Probably more an 8, but holy crap, I had so much fun with it, The Enchantress winds up at a baffling 9.5/10

The False Guardian/Time’s Assassin by Guy Adams

Yes, I’m covering both parts because they split between boxsets and it’s a two parter or four and oh whatever. TFG/TA is a story that relies on The Dalek’s Master Plan heavily, which is kind of pretty much entirely dead and buried, a reference point to a story which only hardcore fans have an idea of. It’s so long, and so missing, and so hard to get an idea of how to get, I have to admit, I almost got lost in TFG/TA’s Continuity shower, and I only stayed afloat thanks to that fabulous broadcast of the Mission To The Unknown reconstruction which is on YouTube and is probably worthy of your time if you’re trying to listen to this one. TFG/TA is actually, minus that, a pretty weak two parter with a few positively astonishing moments, like John Culshaw being a fantastic Masterplan villain, and Ann being...oh. Yes, I’m astonished they went there, and it’s one of the hugest sucker punches that Big Finish have pulled in my opinion. But the problem is, it’s kind of far too early in the story to do, um, that.

Yes, that. You know what I am talking about, my fellows. 

But besides that? TFG/TA is a rather weak outing. 

I Love Your Butler, He’s So Violent: Tom Baker is Alive. He is doing a minimum, and at times, you think he only recorded three lines involving The Daleks Master Plan aliens exposition, and the rest was lifted from other stories. He’s still fun, I guess. 

*That* has now happened: You’d think this should be after Fever Island, because that adds an angle to her character that is very distracting, as you’re constantly wondering when the shoe is going to drop. Because, well, that, is major.

Overall: Very, very average, minus that. No, I’m not gonna spoil it. 

Part One: 6.5/10

Part Two: 8.5/10, but only because of that one scene. 

UPDATE: (Time's Assasin Included In 8B Review)