UNIT: The Wasting

UNIT #1.4

by Iain McLaughlin, Claire Bartlett

A deadly flu-like infection is sweeping the planet. Its first cases appeared in Britain but now millions are infected worldwide and there is no sign of a cure. The emergency services can't cope with what the press have dubbed a plague. Under attack from all sides, UNIT in Britain is in disarray. It faces a stark choice - to close its doors and concede defeat, or to fight back, whatever the cost. The injured Colonel Emily Chaudhry knows UNIT has never backed down from a battle.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook

1 pages, Audio CD

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting series. It sort of serves as a prototype for later Big Finish endeavours. It's brevity (four point five episodes) meant that some arcs were a little short and could have been more inpactful with a few more entries but it was enjoyable but not always outstanding.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

And just like that, just as it was getting good it ends what a shame honestly 😔 BUT this was brilliant and carried on the mood and feeling of the last one dark and mature very much like torchwood! it's just a shame it ends, also absolutely brilliant to have David Tennant in this he makes anything better just by being there 😀

[April Mccaffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5


Just as this series was getting good, the series comes to an end.

A nice wrap up for the characters I'd say and very nice to see the political tensions still rising amongst Earth and the Silurians and the humans working together even if we don't see them first hand.

I also appreciated the nod towards Harry Sullivan as well and how he got ranked up to NATO. Good old Sullivan.

I thought the Brigadier suited this audio more than he did with the other one. He had a better story arc in this and he and Emily had a lovely friendship from the start. David Tennant did a great job being evil and betraying UNIT and saying: "Bloody hell!" In his Scottish accent is amazing.

Overall, the Longest night and the Wasting are most notably the best two audios out of this series. A pity because if the writing style was like this with this great of a cast, I would have enjoyed them a lot more and I think the series itself would have sold better.

Overall, entertaining listen.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

UNITのお話。ISISとの戦い。ドクターは不在。テナントさん、相変わらずの熱演ぶり。

2回目の視聴でようやく事情がわかった。
テナントさん目当てで続きものの最終話を1番最初に聴いてたんだ。わかるわけがない。サイルリアンも知らないし。

過去に墜落した宇宙船から出される煙をニンゲンが浴びると憑依しやすくなる。前哨戦として地球にきたのが墜落し、そのまま母船がくることもなく放置されていたのをISISが利用したよう。

エミリーはブリゲディアに助けられ、そのサポートによって事態を収拾する。反乱をおこしたウェリントンの娘の説得をしたのはブリゲディア。ドクターの優しさと軍人の厳しさを両方かねそろえてるブリゲディアの一面がかっこよかった。

エミリーにUNITのリーダーになるよう背中を押し、エミリーからはサイエンティフィックアドバイザーになって欲しいと頼まれ引き受ける。
そのブリゲディアの驚きとかつてのドクターと同じポストに自分がつくことの面白さを感じてるブリゲディアがめちゃくちゃ可愛かった。ドクターに話したらどんな顔するかな？きっとそんなことを思ったんだろうな。

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the most enjoyable so far. Lovely to have the Brig back. Tennant did a great job being evil. The ending with the Colonel giving him what he deserved was just wonderful! Really everyone doesn't fancy you! Unit and zombie like virus made for a fun adventure. While not the best spin off by far it was still entertaining.

[Danny Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

So here we are at the very end of this series. The UNIT mini-series has honestly been such a fun, intense, and traumatic listen so it's sad to say goodbye to it after only a short time. I wish they had been able to do more with this series. But, all things considered, it does end nicely. But what did I think of the finale overall? Let's find out!

A deadly flu-like infection is taking its hold across the planet. The first cases appeared in Britain but now it's worldwide with no sign of stopping. UNIT has suffered a great many losses and ICIS is still out there. It seems it's time for Alister Gordon Lethbridge Stewart to come out of retirement for one last mission. Emily needs all the help she can get because the horror show isn't yet over and the truth will finally be brought to light.

Iain McLaughlin and Claire Bartlett have written an incredible finale that ties everything up wonderfully. It's lovely to hear Nicholas Courtney, Siri O'Neal, and David Tennant together in this last story. Three incredible actors and they give it their all. This is a very dramatic and again intense script with some shocking revelations, but honestly, despite all the loss and heartbreak, it does conclude with a very sweet ending.

Overall: A very underrated spin-off that more people should give a go. It's a shame we didn't get more, but it's understandable. 10/10

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly saving the best for last. Unfortunately, these is still a lot of cluttering noise that is used to add an artificial sense of authenticity, to create a false sense of action. Still, it does work a bit better this time. And Nicholas Courtney is actually utilized this time instead of just being used. Also David Tennant delivers a nice performance. But there’s still at lot of rather ridiculous conversation going on from the characters to describe to one another what they can obviously see. This kind of dialogue writing always reminds me how people don’t actually talk like this, so it comes across as unauthentic and forced.

[Stephen Theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This UNIT series has often felt more like Spooks than Doctor Who, but I quite enjoyed it. I did get it in a Humble Bundle, though – might have expected more if I had paid full price. Nice to hear the Brigadier again in this one. And it was a pleasant surprise, when they found the elusive Brimmicombe-Wood at last, to be reminded that he is played by David Tennant. Knowing he's a fan, it was amusing to hear him speaking so dismissively of the Brigadier and Harry Sullivan.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good audio dramma. Not sure how it relates to the doctor though, he wasn't in it, and there were only a few oblique references to him at all. If you're looking for a Dr. Who audio dramma, this isn't the story you want, but if you just want something to keep busy for a time, and enjoy yourself, then you can't go wrong with this selection.

[kw204741 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brought me such happiness! I love Big Finish audiodramas! I have so many of them in my library. I don't know why I don't listen to them more often. More of my book dragon tendencies, I guess. This short story was fun, fast-paced, and full of intrigue. DT was the villain!! I couldn't believe it. I love it when David Tennant plays the villain! He's so good at it! He brought the comedy and sarcasm to Unit: The Wasting. If you love Doctor Who and it's spin off's, then I definitely recommend you give this one a go. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars is cause David wasn't in half of it.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder if this is the last audio David Tennant recorded before playing The Doctor. He’s pretty good here.

[Charles Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite violent. But it features the most Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney).

[Luiz Santiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

4

[Library Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was this the best thing ever?? No. But it did include THE Nicholas Courtney, so 4 stars.

[Tabitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best of this series. There were a few thinks I didn't care much for, but having Tennant in this sort of role more than made up for it.

[Seb Hasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wasting was a very satisfying conclusion to the UNIT/ICYS arc, but coming after The Longest Night; it was never going to be the best entry in the range. The two distinguishing factors to this one are: the return of Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier, and David Tennant as an angry UNIT CO. Both are excellent actors obviously and shine in the roles, managing not to overshadow Siri O Neal; just a provision of great acting to the mix.

The alien virus stuff felt like a bit of a cop out, as if the writer needed something alien to be happening in the background to the character drama; so went with the first thing that came to mind. It doesn’t add a detriment or anything, it’s just incredibly easily to forget that’s happening with all the car chases and shootouts going on. It does end up tying into the arc that started with the kidnapping of David Tennant’s excellent Colonel Brimmicombe-Wood, but beyond that it’s just a sort of meaningless background threat.

It truly is a shame that there was no continuation to this range, as even though half the cast are killed off (not specifying who so therefore not quite a spoiler); it would’ve been easy to see Chaudry meet a new team and continue telling more grown up Dr Who stories. The Brigadier wouldn’t be needed in my person opinion, as he was obviously the thing there to get fickle fans to listen but its the talent of the main cast and writers that made me love this range very very much.

[Jamieson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was intense military drama. In the midst of deadly plague, Colonel Emily Chaudhry works to hunt down her missing commander, Colonel Ross Brimmicombe-Wood. Everything leads to plague missile that could spell the end for humanity. This was a non-stop run that was a lot with a great villain. It does require listening to the previous installments (handily collected in a single release these days: UNIT: The Complete Series) to fully understand the setting and emotional character beats, plus there are spoilers for the previous intallment UNIT: The Longest Night within the story. This was a really good UNIT story and just a good military fiction drama as well.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great idea that doesn't quite work.
The cast is all new characters and with only voices to go by you never feel you get a good feeling for them.
Plus, UNIT can be shown as being in over their head, when the Doctor is going to show up to help them, but in a story where they are on their own and they still feel out of their depth, then they come across as incompetent and you wonder why you are rooting for them.

If I want incompetent secret government teams, I'll go watch Torchwood.

Wanted to like this series more than I did.

[Debra Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unit investigates a virus that was released on earth to make people walking rotting bodies that were made to be food for an alien race. The Brigadier is helping. Can they stop ISIS for causing chaos on the world? David Tennant is an incredible baddy.