Ravenous Two

Escape To Kaldor By Matt Fitton

I really don’t care for Escape To Kaldor, it’s ultimately a story pitched on set up for Liv’s (probably good) spinoff. Now, I love me some Liv. What I’m ultimately annoyed by is that this is the same script as Beachhead, Galileo Trap, The Gift, Their Finest Hour, or in the future, L.E.G.E.N.D, Whisper, and many others. A functional filler episode. It is not offensive. There are just...a lot of these mediocre ones lying about, and the similarities to Beachhead especially, a poor episode, mind, are very clear. A runaround with a classic Who monster unrelated to the main arc of a set always disappoints. This is no exception.
Bring Me Knitting: Mostly a Liv and Helen episode, Paul McGann is in the background for most of it, but has some really nice scenes with Tula.
I’m Sorry About The Doctor: For A Supposed Liv character piece, this does fuck all to flesh out a character who is already far more three dimensional than hundreds of other companions. She doesn’t like her home, because of her father. Uh huh, got it from Absent Friends. She’s from Kaldor. We got that from Robophobia. She has a sister. I’m positive she’s mentioned that before. To be honest, I don’t see what Escape from Kaldor does for her, minus a gap for a spinoff. Come off it.
I Could Do So Much More: If Ship in A Bottle didn’t make enough of a point, Liv and Helen practically go on a date together here. A trip back to Liv’s hometown. Look, it’s so high-key Gay I’m surprised Big Finish hasn’t gone out and confirmed it. John Dorney at least says it’s what he’s going for. If this episodes any indication Matt Fitton wants it too, so if it’s not just blatant queer-baiting, just confirm it. It would do wonders for both characters, who are already very high quality.
Overall: Not My Thing. This one even links to the admittedly superior Sons Of Kaldor and Robophobia, and because of that, it feels like both an after statement and a badly done set up.
Luckily the rest of the set is damn good. 6/10

Better Watch Out/Fairytale of Salzburg by John Dorney

Maybe my second or third favorite Big Finish, and definitely in the top five.
Better Watch Out/Fairytale of Salzburg is a NuWho Christmas Special combined with the bleak horror of the Big Finish Christmas Special, the most uplifting ending imaginable and THE FIRES OF HELL. Such a beautiful piece, This twoparter is an intricate mosaic, each little piece of plot sliding into eachother, and you may not even think part one is very good at first, but that’s the thing. It’s all a hidden gem, all of it interlocks perfectly into the most satisfying climax imaginable.
Do not miss out on this one. Even if you do not care about Ravenous, just buy the set for this one alone. So damn worth it.
Bring Me Knitting: The Shitpost in me would like to state that Paul McGann says “daddy” around eight times in this release. The other side would like to mention that this is one of McGann’s best performances ever. I cannot stress how utterly peak McGann is in this story. I believe Eight is the only Doctor where I can’t decide whether I like him more exuberant or serious, and there’s plenty of GOAT material for both in this gorgeous story. And His Framing Device Leads to the most powerful, subtly done brilliance that slowly creeps up on you in such a brilliant manner-
I love it. I absolutely love it.
Liv, Human Goddess: I dare say, this might even be Nicola Walker’s best performance, and if it isn’t, that’s only because of Absent Friends. Liv continues to be powerful, an expert example of how to write a companion, and ultimately amazing. Half of the story is Doctor-lite, and Liv takes up all the slack, and unlike if this were a One, Five, or Thirteen story, there is no detriment to the plot or writing whatsoever. Otherworldly.
I Could Do So Much More: The Stuff that they do with Helen is pretty amazing. Two framing devices? What’s Dorney thinking, you may Ask? He’s writing the best damn Helen material so far.
I adore Helen, always have, and this story solidifies her. I don’t think of her as secondary to Liv, and no one should. She’s brilliant in her own right.
The Monsters: I’d like to casually mention how much I love how the special starts with every possible Christmas special cliche (on purpose) and then utilizes T H E  F I R E S   O F   H E L L 
as an ongoing plot point. The Imps are just so great.
Overall: What more could you want? A stunning example of a Doctor Who story. Absolutely Incredible. I said I wouldn’t break the ten point scale any further after Chimes, but some things are worth doing.
Part One: 10/10 
Part Two: 10.5/10

Seizure by Guy Adams

The only story not by Fitton or Dorney in Ravenous (and the second half of Doom Coalition) and it’s a breath of fresh of air. Seizure is scary. It uses a lot of tropes that we already know are creepy, but it uses them well and intelligently, and although the titular Ravenous are cliche, they are effective.
Seizure could have come out weaker after the last two absolutely stunning stories, but it’s rather fabulous indeed.
Bring Me Knitting: Whenever the Eighth Doctor strips back a layer in his performance, it’s always something to behold. He’s stunning, the best part of This and Deeptime Frontier, very similar to the already gorgeous Lies In Ruins. Paul McGann May have a frequent sort of performance, but it’s great when stories like these show what a stellar actor like him can do,
I’m Sorry About The Doctor: I actually do not recall anything Liv did here. That might be bad.
I Could Do So Much More: Helen’s continual connection to The Eleven is still compelling, even if it’s not explored as much as it should be. Their scenes together are nearly perfect, the way she can calm such a hammy and rageful character.
The Eleven: Mark Bonnar usually plays a scared character. Well, one out of Eleven. But it’s pretty amazing what he can do when all of his personalities are petrified. Give Bonnar some credit. He’s doing a character very few actors could do, and he’s still adding more dimensionality to it, even when Julia McKensie and John Heffernan are trying to stand him up.
Overall: I wish there was more Guy Adams in these sets, he’s always a treat. This may be a weaker Adams script, but there’s a lot to enjoy, and it’s set to Big Finishes admittedly high average.
8.5/10


UPDATE: