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Big Finish: Monthly Range #42
Doctor Who: The Dark Flame
A thousand years ago, the evil Cult of the Dark Flame infiltrated every star system in the galaxy. In the history books the Cult is legendary, its despotic leader a terrible memory.
But for some the Dark Flame still burns.
For some, its horrifying power is the ultimate goal.
All that is required is for the right people to be in the wrong place and time.
An archaeologist and his robot are on the poisonous world of Sorus Alpha, where they will uncover a hideous relic. The Doctor and Ace are on their way to the deep space research centre Orbos, where Professor Bernice Summerfield is soon to start the countdown to universal Armageddon.
Four acolytes of Evil.
Three mad scientists.
Two companions.
One Doctor.
But for some the Dark Flame still burns.
For some, its horrifying power is the ultimate goal.
All that is required is for the right people to be in the wrong place and time.
An archaeologist and his robot are on the poisonous world of Sorus Alpha, where they will uncover a hideous relic. The Doctor and Ace are on their way to the deep space research centre Orbos, where Professor Bernice Summerfield is soon to start the countdown to universal Armageddon.
Four acolytes of Evil.
Three mad scientists.
Two companions.
One Doctor.
Audiobook
First published March 1, 2003
101 people want to read
About the author
Trevor Baxendale
84 books48 followersTrevor Baxendale is a novelist who has penned several Doctor Who tie-in novels and audio dramas. He lives in Liverpool, England with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 1, 2016
This is a seventh Doctor adventure with Ace and Benny as companions and is #42 in the Big Finish main range.
The Doctor and Ace are traveling in the TARDIS to meet up with Benny who has been studying at a deep space research centre. Just in time (as always) for there to be an attempted takeover and universal threat by the Cult of the Black Flame, and its leader, an undead body-hopping animated corpse with a connection to an alternate space time.
This is a difficult one to review. The story is pretty good, and reminded me a little of some classic fourth Doctor stories where the Doctor matches wits with immensely powerful beings with a penchant for gloating. The first half is a little disjointed and could have done with some tightening up, particularly around the setting between the planet and research station and the transmat. The seventh Doctor and Ace do have a few good stories, and I would place this one as one of the better
The performance of the actor playing the bad guy is brilliant as well, with evil just about dripping off his smooth annunciation. Lisa Bowerman as Benny is very good as well and Sophie Aldred as Ace does a reasonable job; I've certainly heard her do far worse. Unfortunately Sylvester McCoy's worst features are highlighted here, and is so over the top I couldn't help but wonder what the director was doing during the recording of this.
An illustrative story that shows some of the better and worse aspects of the seventh Doctor's audios.
The Doctor and Ace are traveling in the TARDIS to meet up with Benny who has been studying at a deep space research centre. Just in time (as always) for there to be an attempted takeover and universal threat by the Cult of the Black Flame, and its leader, an undead body-hopping animated corpse with a connection to an alternate space time.
This is a difficult one to review. The story is pretty good, and reminded me a little of some classic fourth Doctor stories where the Doctor matches wits with immensely powerful beings with a penchant for gloating. The first half is a little disjointed and could have done with some tightening up, particularly around the setting between the planet and research station and the transmat. The seventh Doctor and Ace do have a few good stories, and I would place this one as one of the better
The performance of the actor playing the bad guy is brilliant as well, with evil just about dripping off his smooth annunciation. Lisa Bowerman as Benny is very good as well and Sophie Aldred as Ace does a reasonable job; I've certainly heard her do far worse. Unfortunately Sylvester McCoy's worst features are highlighted here, and is so over the top I couldn't help but wonder what the director was doing during the recording of this.
An illustrative story that shows some of the better and worse aspects of the seventh Doctor's audios.
May 17, 2019
Il settimo Dottore e Ace, sulla rotta di un appuntamento con Bernice Summerfield, riceve messaggi preoccupanti da un vecchio amico, collega studioso di Benny.
La scoperta di un culto malvagio e antichissimo, reperti misteriosi e l'accoppiata Ace/Benny risulta sempre vincente, mentre il Dottore di McCoy sembra perfettamente in parte, con largo utilizzo di erre rutilanti.
Non saprei dire, non avendole mai lette, se questo audio è la trasposizione di uno del libri della serie della Virgin New Adventures o se si tratta di una mera ispirazione.
Però la storia è ben congegnata e i cattivi/comprimari credibili e ben strutturati. Un miglioramento dal precedente Doctor Who: Nekromanteia.
La scoperta di un culto malvagio e antichissimo, reperti misteriosi e l'accoppiata Ace/Benny risulta sempre vincente, mentre il Dottore di McCoy sembra perfettamente in parte, con largo utilizzo di erre rutilanti.
Non saprei dire, non avendole mai lette, se questo audio è la trasposizione di uno del libri della serie della Virgin New Adventures o se si tratta di una mera ispirazione.
Però la storia è ben congegnata e i cattivi/comprimari credibili e ben strutturati. Un miglioramento dal precedente Doctor Who: Nekromanteia.
November 15, 2019
Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred are always splendid together. They have chemistry that rivals Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning and Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen...it's just there. I have never not likes one of their adventures together. The added bonus to this story was the inclusion of Benny. Lisa Bowerman was giving me some serious Jennifer Saunders as Edina Monsoon vibes in this one with her sass and sarcasm. I am definitely interested in checking more of the Benny stories, as I know very little about her.
July 11, 2019
An interesting listen!
Not listened to this one before and perhaps I should have listened to it before Dracoian rage but oh well.
This audio gave me very much Seventh Doctor VNA vibes. It was gritty, it was dark and grim. It was also an interesting audio in regards to Joseph the porter as I've always wondered about Steve Wickham being cast for him (ironically he was also in Gallifrey audios but not as Joseph). So it was nice to get a back story on Joseph.
Benny was great in this and made it more understandable in her part int he Draconian rage now having listened to this story and it was nice to see Ace/Benny on better terms in this, when Benny wasn't possessed.
Also, there were a lot of great quotes in this.
4/5
Not listened to this one before and perhaps I should have listened to it before Dracoian rage but oh well.
This audio gave me very much Seventh Doctor VNA vibes. It was gritty, it was dark and grim. It was also an interesting audio in regards to Joseph the porter as I've always wondered about Steve Wickham being cast for him (ironically he was also in Gallifrey audios but not as Joseph). So it was nice to get a back story on Joseph.
Benny was great in this and made it more understandable in her part int he Draconian rage now having listened to this story and it was nice to see Ace/Benny on better terms in this, when Benny wasn't possessed.
Also, there were a lot of great quotes in this.
4/5
May 29, 2021
This was a good short story. I have always enjoyed the 7th Doctor and Ace's time on the show so getting to read more with the two of them is always great. Overall the adventure was good and I look forward to listening to more in this series.
May 17, 2025
They said Among Us.
Anyway this basically had classic Dr who cliche bingo all over it and it was really fun.
Anyway this basically had classic Dr who cliche bingo all over it and it was really fun.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2024
This one was great but it did just a couple of very annoying things as well. The new characters introduced for the story are generally fun to be around and my favourite was the obvious choice; the robot.
The plot is a bit too samey, the very last story featured a coven of witches looking for "a relic" and in this story a long dead cult of 'The Dark Flame' is slowly reviving and needs to get hold of "a relic."
At one point the Doc says to the Emissary, "I never trust anyone who relies on a title." - I think it was meant to be irony but I felt like it just added conceit or ineptitude to Seven's portrayal in this story. The Doctor also goes through a particularly insensitive phase of trying to wake Ace from her recovery without regard for her health, with the explanation that he needs her help and then follows that up by abandoning her with "the relic" minutes later, putting her life immediately back in peril. Don't get me wrong, Seven has some great lines and overall is as much fun as usual, just not consistently throughout.
The plot is a bit too samey, the very last story featured a coven of witches looking for "a relic" and in this story a long dead cult of 'The Dark Flame' is slowly reviving and needs to get hold of "a relic."
At one point the Doc says to the Emissary, "I never trust anyone who relies on a title." - I think it was meant to be irony but I felt like it just added conceit or ineptitude to Seven's portrayal in this story. The Doctor also goes through a particularly insensitive phase of trying to wake Ace from her recovery without regard for her health, with the explanation that he needs her help and then follows that up by abandoning her with "the relic" minutes later, putting her life immediately back in peril. Don't get me wrong, Seven has some great lines and overall is as much fun as usual, just not consistently throughout.
October 8, 2017
I am absolutely baffled by the poor reviews this one is getting on here.
It's a delight. This is the Doctor/Ace/Benny interplay you've been looking for. Yes, it's true, the story's conceit is a little obvious and has been done to death (ancient technology worshiped as dark religion), but the story is fully aware of that and hysterically has the leads reference it over and over.
And they are just delightful... This is "New Adventures" Ace having returned from the Dalek Wars and while they don't dwell on it, Ace is quite a bit deadlier here than she has been in earlier Big Finish stories. Benny is wonderfully Benny and the three of them seem to gel in a way that they seem to have never gotten around to in Big Finish's adaptation of "Love and War" (which is the critical New Adventures novel to read to understand all this stuff about the side-stepped universe and "New Ace". It's a damned good read, too.)
I laughed out loud at this multiple times and felt warm towards McCoy in a way that I hadn't in his last several outings.
Really, if you're a McCoy fan, and especially if you're a Virgin New Adventures fan, go for it.
It's a delight. This is the Doctor/Ace/Benny interplay you've been looking for. Yes, it's true, the story's conceit is a little obvious and has been done to death (ancient technology worshiped as dark religion), but the story is fully aware of that and hysterically has the leads reference it over and over.
And they are just delightful... This is "New Adventures" Ace having returned from the Dalek Wars and while they don't dwell on it, Ace is quite a bit deadlier here than she has been in earlier Big Finish stories. Benny is wonderfully Benny and the three of them seem to gel in a way that they seem to have never gotten around to in Big Finish's adaptation of "Love and War" (which is the critical New Adventures novel to read to understand all this stuff about the side-stepped universe and "New Ace". It's a damned good read, too.)
I laughed out loud at this multiple times and felt warm towards McCoy in a way that I hadn't in his last several outings.
Really, if you're a McCoy fan, and especially if you're a Virgin New Adventures fan, go for it.
January 26, 2022
Sylvester McCoy's doctor dealing with a dark flame Cult with Benny and Ace, what a great adventure. Definitely listen too.
March 25, 2025
A strange cult that was supposed to be extinct, but let's face it - when are they ever? What else happens, I'm not quite sure of, actually. But it was pretty entertaining.
January 7, 2024
What a coincidence! I mentioned in my review for Nekromanteia that I would not recommend it, one of my biggest stumbling blocks getting into it was just how dark, bordering on gratuitous and edgelord-ish it was. I compared it to a review I did for a 2001 drama called The Shadow of the Scourge as well as other plays based on the timeline from The Virgin New Adventures book line. These are bits of Doctor Who that feel too dark and oppressive to me, but I could be clutching pearls here. The moment that I booted up Trevor Baxendale’s The Dark Flame, I chuckled a bit – what a coincidence! This is an audio drama based on that very same Virgin New Adventures series. That said, I have a surprise for all of you, perhaps leading to me appending my opinion on a lot of these Seventh Doctor stories, I actually quite enjoyed this one for once! While a bit more dark, full of mild body horror, and some drama, this still felt like proper Doctor Who to me.
No matter how I feel about the tone of these, I can never really slight the acting from either Sylvester McCoy or Sophie Aldred (The Doctor and Ace), as they almost always do a great job. I have no idea if either had past radio experience, or if the tone of late era Seventh Doctor being that much more dramatic just simply lends itself to better performances, but I am always impressed. That isn’t a dig at any other groups of actors, but I find that the different productions always have slightly different vibes, and some come together better than others. The secondary cast is also pretty good, with a few actors getting chances, due to storyline reasons, to play multiple characters. Lisa Bowerman returns as Bernice Summerfield, a character so popular that they eventually got their own book series and audio drama line. I am not used to her as of yet, but so far she is up there with The Brigadier as the sort of character not scared to tell The Doctor off if he needs it, and he really does sometimes.
While the story is nothing groundbreaking, involving an ancient cult looking for a relic that will grant them the keys to the annihilation of mankind, there are some interesting tidbits to be found in The Dark Flame. The concept of a villain who enacts his plan through a spirit that jumps hosts and acts as his emissary was interesting, as was his army of resurrected followers that he keeps around. I’m sure most will find the story bog-standard, but the sheer fact that it isn’t crammed full of timey wimey silliness and crazy plot points that don’t realize themselves well in an audio format are quite refreshing.
I’ve come to realize that when reading or listening to any extended universe sort of media from Star Wars, Star Trek, or Doctor Who, it’s the stories that stick fairly close to the ideals and vibe of their source material that I like the most. The ones that veer heavily into something that is on the opposite side, which is what I can say about the recent Chris Chibnall run on the revived show, where I start having problems. A classically-paced story like this, despite all its faults, is actually comfortable for me. With Seventh Doctor stuff, I am aware that I am always at odds with that era’s fans, likely because “My Doctor” was Tom Baker due to PBS airing his stuff when I was a kid in the United States. I missed out on all the post-McCoy stuff when it was new, so going back to it shocks me a bit. To sum this up, I’m sure everyone hates this, but I enjoyed it!
Overall, I surprisingly did not hate this, and would actually like to see more of this particular TARDIS team. That is, assuming they stay away from giant bugs that chew on people’s intestines (while the foley guy mixes raw meat or something) throughout the episode as they did before. Bernice Summerfield is an interesting character, and I have been enjoying the way Ace has been growing as a character. While I’m pretty sure this is NOT in continuity with the episodes where she has been meeting family members and going by the name “McShane”, it has some of the same hits that I have liked. This was a welcome surprise after Nekromanteia, no more of those please!
Check out my blog for more!
No matter how I feel about the tone of these, I can never really slight the acting from either Sylvester McCoy or Sophie Aldred (The Doctor and Ace), as they almost always do a great job. I have no idea if either had past radio experience, or if the tone of late era Seventh Doctor being that much more dramatic just simply lends itself to better performances, but I am always impressed. That isn’t a dig at any other groups of actors, but I find that the different productions always have slightly different vibes, and some come together better than others. The secondary cast is also pretty good, with a few actors getting chances, due to storyline reasons, to play multiple characters. Lisa Bowerman returns as Bernice Summerfield, a character so popular that they eventually got their own book series and audio drama line. I am not used to her as of yet, but so far she is up there with The Brigadier as the sort of character not scared to tell The Doctor off if he needs it, and he really does sometimes.
While the story is nothing groundbreaking, involving an ancient cult looking for a relic that will grant them the keys to the annihilation of mankind, there are some interesting tidbits to be found in The Dark Flame. The concept of a villain who enacts his plan through a spirit that jumps hosts and acts as his emissary was interesting, as was his army of resurrected followers that he keeps around. I’m sure most will find the story bog-standard, but the sheer fact that it isn’t crammed full of timey wimey silliness and crazy plot points that don’t realize themselves well in an audio format are quite refreshing.
I’ve come to realize that when reading or listening to any extended universe sort of media from Star Wars, Star Trek, or Doctor Who, it’s the stories that stick fairly close to the ideals and vibe of their source material that I like the most. The ones that veer heavily into something that is on the opposite side, which is what I can say about the recent Chris Chibnall run on the revived show, where I start having problems. A classically-paced story like this, despite all its faults, is actually comfortable for me. With Seventh Doctor stuff, I am aware that I am always at odds with that era’s fans, likely because “My Doctor” was Tom Baker due to PBS airing his stuff when I was a kid in the United States. I missed out on all the post-McCoy stuff when it was new, so going back to it shocks me a bit. To sum this up, I’m sure everyone hates this, but I enjoyed it!
Overall, I surprisingly did not hate this, and would actually like to see more of this particular TARDIS team. That is, assuming they stay away from giant bugs that chew on people’s intestines (while the foley guy mixes raw meat or something) throughout the episode as they did before. Bernice Summerfield is an interesting character, and I have been enjoying the way Ace has been growing as a character. While I’m pretty sure this is NOT in continuity with the episodes where she has been meeting family members and going by the name “McShane”, it has some of the same hits that I have liked. This was a welcome surprise after Nekromanteia, no more of those please!
Check out my blog for more!
June 2, 2024
This was a thoroughly okay little audio drama, with definite positives and negatives. On the more positive side the performance from the main cast was very good and the side characters were alright for the most part. The audio production was pretty good for an early 2000s radio drama and it understands the limitations of the format pretty well.
That being said there are some flaws here. Unlike the newer audio dramas from Big Finish, this is a compilation of multiple parts devised up for radio air play. Because of this you get something similar to the Doctor Who special “The Infinite Quest” where the story pacing can feel very off at times due to how it was divided up.
The plot itself also isn’t anything to write home about, just being a classic story of an evil cult trying to take over the universe. While it wouldn’t be out of place in a classic Doctor Who episode, it feels rather formulaic and a little stale at times with how it’s written here.
The years following the cancellation of the show’s original run and before its 2005 revival have a lot of weird media that, while certainly not lost, is fairly forgettable and this is part of that. It’s not bad but it isn’t great either.
If you’re a fan of the seventh Doctor and Ace, both of whom give great performances here, then I’d say it’s worth a listen, otherwise it’s just an okay time at best.
That being said there are some flaws here. Unlike the newer audio dramas from Big Finish, this is a compilation of multiple parts devised up for radio air play. Because of this you get something similar to the Doctor Who special “The Infinite Quest” where the story pacing can feel very off at times due to how it was divided up.
The plot itself also isn’t anything to write home about, just being a classic story of an evil cult trying to take over the universe. While it wouldn’t be out of place in a classic Doctor Who episode, it feels rather formulaic and a little stale at times with how it’s written here.
The years following the cancellation of the show’s original run and before its 2005 revival have a lot of weird media that, while certainly not lost, is fairly forgettable and this is part of that. It’s not bad but it isn’t great either.
If you’re a fan of the seventh Doctor and Ace, both of whom give great performances here, then I’d say it’s worth a listen, otherwise it’s just an okay time at best.
April 28, 2023
This was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. It has been a long time since I'd originally relistened to this and the online consensus is that it is on par with nekromanteia and Bang-bang-a-boom. I personally don't think this is the case at all. Like nekromanteia it takes its cues from the New Adventures book series of the 90s. This is a fair enough approach as it stars Bernice Summerfield who I would say is the ultimate post TV cancellation Doctor Who companion. Unlike nekromanteia it never feels gratuitous and has plenty of witty banter to offset any darker moments. Michael Praed's character is hardly the most nuanced baddie but it is definitely in keeping with Doctor Who villain performances :D I would say this is miles above the other two and an entertaining listen. If you fancy a follow up then I recommend listened to Bernice Summerfield and the Draconian Rage straight afterwards. It was released in the Bernice Summerfield range (a month after this release in the Doctor Who monthly Range) in April 2003.
July 28, 2025
This this is one of two Main Range adventures to be set in the Virgin New Adventures continuity rather than the Big Finish timeline. The other being "Shadow of the Scourge."
As such, there's quite a noticeable shift in the personalities of the Doctor and Ace with Ace acting more like combative, darker self who rejoined the Doctor after fighting Daleks off-screen. There's an attempt to shift Bernice to her VNA personality as well, but she comes off as very annoying and hyperactive which was not quite the same as the curious, determined archaeologist from the books.
As for the story itself, credit where credit is due, this does feel like it fits in with the VNAs. However, I do think a lot of the significant plot points were fairly predictable, especially Professor Lomar and the cliffhanger for part one I mean, come on.
As such, there's quite a noticeable shift in the personalities of the Doctor and Ace with Ace acting more like combative, darker self who rejoined the Doctor after fighting Daleks off-screen. There's an attempt to shift Bernice to her VNA personality as well, but she comes off as very annoying and hyperactive which was not quite the same as the curious, determined archaeologist from the books.
As for the story itself, credit where credit is due, this does feel like it fits in with the VNAs. However, I do think a lot of the significant plot points were fairly predictable, especially Professor Lomar and the cliffhanger for part one I mean, come on.
January 23, 2021
Part1
とある科学者チームとの待ち合わせ時間にターディスで向かう途中、ドクターとエースはラムネックスというドクターの古い友人から助けを求める声と断末魔であるような恐ろしい悲鳴をきく。しかしドクターとエースが待ち合わせ場所につくと笑顔のラムネックスに迎えられる。危険なエネルギーであるブラックライトニングを安全に扱うシステムを作ったのでその安全性を確認して欲しいと頼まれる。しかし、皆がそれぞれに過ごしている間にやはりラムネックスが殺されてしまう。
Part2
スライドに襲われたサマーフィールドはトランスマットに突き落とされ、一緒にいたエースも襲われ昏睡状態に。サマーフィールドは 惑星マランの地下に送られ囚われの身に。そこで考古学者であるヴィクターとアシスタントロボット、ジョセフと再会する。スライドはダークフレームというカルト教団の信者でダークフレームを再臨させようとしていた。
Part3
ダークフレーム再臨の鍵であるスカルをドクターに託されたエースはスライドとロマーに捕まってしまう。しかしエースは隙をついて逃げ出す。地下では教団につかまったドクターがサマーフィールドとジョセフと合流していた。3人は協力して脱出をこころみる。
Part4
サマーフィールドがダークフレームのマインドコントロールの支配下にはいったため、スカルを奪われてしまう。ダークフレームがこの世界に侵入を防ぐためドクターとエースとジョセフは命がけの策にでる。
エースがめちゃくちゃかっこよかった。サマーフィールドとジョセフのキャラもよかった。そしておいしいところはもちろんドクターがもっていく。
とある科学者チームとの待ち合わせ時間にターディスで向かう途中、ドクターとエースはラムネックスというドクターの古い友人から助けを求める声と断末魔であるような恐ろしい悲鳴をきく。しかしドクターとエースが待ち合わせ場所につくと笑顔のラムネックスに迎えられる。危険なエネルギーであるブラックライトニングを安全に扱うシステムを作ったのでその安全性を確認して欲しいと頼まれる。しかし、皆がそれぞれに過ごしている間にやはりラムネックスが殺されてしまう。
Part2
スライドに襲われたサマーフィールドはトランスマットに突き落とされ、一緒にいたエースも襲われ昏睡状態に。サマーフィールドは 惑星マランの地下に送られ囚われの身に。そこで考古学者であるヴィクターとアシスタントロボット、ジョセフと再会する。スライドはダークフレームというカルト教団の信者でダークフレームを再臨させようとしていた。
Part3
ダークフレーム再臨の鍵であるスカルをドクターに託されたエースはスライドとロマーに捕まってしまう。しかしエースは隙をついて逃げ出す。地下では教団につかまったドクターがサマーフィールドとジョセフと合流していた。3人は協力して脱出をこころみる。
Part4
サマーフィールドがダークフレームのマインドコントロールの支配下にはいったため、スカルを奪われてしまう。ダークフレームがこの世界に侵入を防ぐためドクターとエースとジョセフは命がけの策にでる。
エースがめちゃくちゃかっこよかった。サマーフィールドとジョセフのキャラもよかった。そしておいしいところはもちろんドクターがもっていく。
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2022
"The Dark Flame" is just a basic people secretly belonging to a cult and worshipping a dark primordial power story. It is not particularly bad in any way, just not different enough from others of its kind.
February 16, 2020
Crítica | Big Finish Mensal #42: The Dark Flame: https://www.planocritico.com/critica-...
September 30, 2020
Ace, wakey wakey! Darkness is knocking at our door and someone should to answer it. This basically sums up all of Doctor who, but the quote is from here.
April 2, 2022
The acting was pretty good, but the story could've been a bit better.
October 1, 2022
I found this to be a very fun adventure with The Seventh Doctor and Ace. The story is fast paced and witty at times. Nothing super new, as far as The Doctor is concerned , but still entertaining.
January 24, 2023
For me, quite a choppy and forced story, relying far too much on teleporting up and down from the planet. A humdrum entry in the Monthly range.
May 8, 2024
I'm not sure if I just really liked this story, or if it just seemed so much better after the last one!
January 7, 2026
3.75 Stars - Ace, Bernie and 7 stories definitely work and the plot is a cool idea. When people start splitting up is when the pacing slows
April 23, 2010
It's a shame that the Seven / Ace / Benny audios I've listened to can't live up to the best of the New Adventures that featured the trio. For example, as much as I wanted to love The Shadow of the Scourge, it was a mess. The Dark Flame fares somewhat better. The problem with this story is that the first two parts are tedious. The villain is absolutely no surprise, and his dialogue and motivation are simply mustache-twirling tedious. As more and more villains are added, nothing seems to improve. Also, whole characters and subplots are set to 'treading water' mode -- marking time, doing nothing but just waiting for the rest of the story to catch up. As a result, the unfolding of the story felt clunky. The good news is that once we hit part three, things start to really hum. It's no coincidence that part three happens to coincide with the Doctor and Benny spending meaningful time together. And from that point on, we have at last found the fun again. The ending, while not exactly triumphant or mind-blowing, was satisfying and ultimately worth the fits and starts that plagued the early episodes.
April 10, 2013
I quite enjoyed this. I have heard the Benny audios that come after this and it was nice to go back and see how her adventure with Ace and the Doctor fit in and filled in the gaps. It was also nice to see where Joseph came from.
I thought Ace was really good. I liked her a bit older and wiser but still being strong. I thought she and the doctor had a better relationship and I really liked her interactions with Benny.
The story about the old cult was a nice twist for Doctor Who. It's not an idea that gets overdone and I do enjoy the space archaeology angle.
This makes me think I should find more of the Benny, Ace and Doctor adventures. They do make a fun team.
I thought Ace was really good. I liked her a bit older and wiser but still being strong. I thought she and the doctor had a better relationship and I really liked her interactions with Benny.
The story about the old cult was a nice twist for Doctor Who. It's not an idea that gets overdone and I do enjoy the space archaeology angle.
This makes me think I should find more of the Benny, Ace and Doctor adventures. They do make a fun team.
September 20, 2014
Set in the New Adventures universe. The Doctor and Ace go to a planet to pick up Benny. There is a time experiment, and a strange cult going on. This is a bit predictable in the story line, the cult wants to use the time experiment to gain power. It's a shame considering how much I enjoyed Shadow of the Scourge and Love and War. It's a decent enough listen, and Benny really shines in it. A good listen.
October 13, 2015
This was not a good story.It was a very weak plot. Sylvester McCoy was way over the top. He was at his irritating worst, rolling the rrrrs and exaggerating his pronunciation. I prefer this more mature version of Ace though. Some of the lines felt like they were lifted from Star Wars. For example: “You don’t know the power of the Dark Flame.” The idea of a dark side was done, and done much better, by the Star Wars Franchise. I don’t recommend this audio adventure
March 26, 2023
This is one of those darker Doctor Who adventures that includes a great evil and many murders, not to mention possessed walking corpses. Sophia Aldredge is quite good here, but I am not sure Baxedale captured Sylvester McCoy's version of the Doctor. The banter between the characters felt right and I could see this story fitting into the Doctor and Acde adventures, but maybe not the best use of McCoy.
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April 8, 2009Seven, Ace and Benny and a rather complex tale of identities and possession - seemed to borrow bits from Image of the Fendahl and The Hand of Fear, but no harm in that.
July 21, 2015
The Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice investigate the legendary Cult of the Dark Flame.
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