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The Second Doctor Adventures #3
Doctor Who: Conspiracy of Raven
Jamie has gone missing, while Zoe apparently returns after a lifetime away from the TARDIS. Does even the sinister Time Lord Raven realise the terrifying extent of the conspiracy in which she is embroiled? The Doctor and his friends must fight to uncover the truth.
Kippers by Nicholas Briggs - The Doctor and Jamie have attempted to break free from performing covert missions for the Time Lord agent Raven. But things haven’t gone according to plan. Jamie has vanished, Raven finds herself in a familiar yet strangely disturbing location. And all the while, half-glimpsed, unnervingly perceived… something… fluttering, buzzing, tugging at their very souls.
Catastrophe Theory by Mark Wright - When the Doctor comes face to face with Zoe, can he be sure it really is his old friend? Jamie is lost somewhere in the cosmos, and the Doctor must find him. From a pleasure cruiser on course for destruction, to an alien world invaded by savage warriors, the Doctor faces catastrophe at every turn - but what has become of Raven?
The Vanishing Point by Mark Wright and Nicholas Briggs - Following the threads of a conspiracy twisting throughout all of time and space, the Doctor and his companions head to the Vanishing Point - a mythical place, said to exist somewhere between science and magic. But it is a journey from which they may never return.
Kippers by Nicholas Briggs - The Doctor and Jamie have attempted to break free from performing covert missions for the Time Lord agent Raven. But things haven’t gone according to plan. Jamie has vanished, Raven finds herself in a familiar yet strangely disturbing location. And all the while, half-glimpsed, unnervingly perceived… something… fluttering, buzzing, tugging at their very souls.
Catastrophe Theory by Mark Wright - When the Doctor comes face to face with Zoe, can he be sure it really is his old friend? Jamie is lost somewhere in the cosmos, and the Doctor must find him. From a pleasure cruiser on course for destruction, to an alien world invaded by savage warriors, the Doctor faces catastrophe at every turn - but what has become of Raven?
The Vanishing Point by Mark Wright and Nicholas Briggs - Following the threads of a conspiracy twisting throughout all of time and space, the Doctor and his companions head to the Vanishing Point - a mythical place, said to exist somewhere between science and magic. But it is a journey from which they may never return.
- GenresDoctor WhoAudiobook
Audiobook
First published July 1, 2024
16 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Briggs
375 books133 followersNicholas Briggs is a British actor and writer, predominantly associated with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and its various spin-offs. Some of Briggs' earliest Doctor Who-related work was as host of The Myth Makers, a series of made-for-video documentaries produced in the 1980s and 1990s by Reeltime Pictures in which Briggs interviews many of the actors and writers involved in the series. When Reeltime expanded into producing original dramas, Briggs wrote some stories and acted in others, beginning with War Time, the first unofficial Doctor Who spin-off, and Myth Runner, a parody of Blade Runner showcasing bloopers from the Myth Makers series built around a loose storyline featuring Briggs as a down on his luck private detective in the near future.
He wrote and appeared in several made-for-video dramas by BBV, including the third of the Stranger stories, In Memory Alone opposite former Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. He also wrote and appeared in a non-Stranger BBV production called The Airzone Solution (1993) and directed a documentary film, Stranger than Fiction (1994).
Briggs has directed many of the Big Finish Productions audio plays, and has provided Dalek, Cybermen, and other alien voices in several of those as well. He has also written and directed the Dalek Empire and Cyberman audio plays for Big Finish. In 2006, Briggs took over from Gary Russell as executive producer of the Big Finish Doctor Who audio range.
Briggs co-wrote a Doctor Who book called The Dalek Survival Guide.
Since Doctor Who returned to television in 2005, Briggs has provided the voices for several monsters, most notably the Daleks and the Cybermen. Briggs also voiced the Nestene Consciousness in the 2005 episode "Rose", and recorded a voice for the Jagrafess in the 2005 episode "The Long Game"; however, this was not used in the final episode because it was too similar to the voice of the Nestene Consciousness. He also provided the voices for the Judoon in both the 2007 and 2008 series. On 9 July 2009, Briggs made his first appearance in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood in the serial Children of Earth, playing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Rick Yates.
He wrote and appeared in several made-for-video dramas by BBV, including the third of the Stranger stories, In Memory Alone opposite former Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. He also wrote and appeared in a non-Stranger BBV production called The Airzone Solution (1993) and directed a documentary film, Stranger than Fiction (1994).
Briggs has directed many of the Big Finish Productions audio plays, and has provided Dalek, Cybermen, and other alien voices in several of those as well. He has also written and directed the Dalek Empire and Cyberman audio plays for Big Finish. In 2006, Briggs took over from Gary Russell as executive producer of the Big Finish Doctor Who audio range.
Briggs co-wrote a Doctor Who book called The Dalek Survival Guide.
Since Doctor Who returned to television in 2005, Briggs has provided the voices for several monsters, most notably the Daleks and the Cybermen. Briggs also voiced the Nestene Consciousness in the 2005 episode "Rose", and recorded a voice for the Jagrafess in the 2005 episode "The Long Game"; however, this was not used in the final episode because it was too similar to the voice of the Nestene Consciousness. He also provided the voices for the Judoon in both the 2007 and 2008 series. On 9 July 2009, Briggs made his first appearance in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood in the serial Children of Earth, playing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Rick Yates.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 22, 2025
Kippers by Nicholas Briggs – 2/5
The second doctor arrives on an abandoned Time Lord space station. Jamie seems to have vanished, though the doctor hears him calling from somewhere very far away. Raven and Paul are also with the doctor, but they don’t have any idea of what’s going on either. So they explore the space station, hoping to make sense of the situation they find themselves in and to find Jamie.
I struggled a bit immersing myself into this story in the beginning, because I was too busy trying to remember the events of the previous boxset. But even after jogging my memory, the story doesn’t help itself by purposefully being so slow and confusing. Which is a shame as the concept of the story: a monster on a claustrophobic and atmospheric abandoned spaceship, is quite simple and seems like a solid story in theory. Even a bit reminiscent of the movie Alien.
The title of this boxset makes it clear that there’s more focus on the new character Raven. In that regard, this story delivers. Unfortunately, this actually does a disservice to her character. The thing is, she was slowly built up as an antagonistic background character in the previous stories. Here, she is a main character. This means her character flaws are exposed more, perhaps a bit too much. Because in previous stories, she came across as a rather mysterious character who’s in control and toys with the doctor by sending him on missions. Here, she has no idea what’s going on either, and she doesn’t respond well to not being in control for a change. This makes her come across as a bit of a spoiled child, which kind of negates everything that’s been so carefully built up about her character.
Catastrophe Theory by Mark Wright - 3/5
This is a continuation of the previous story. Raven is back to being a background character, which is a very wise decision. She no longer feels like a spoiled child, she’s back to being a more mature character. All of a sudden, former companion Zoe is thrown into the story without explanation. All the characters seem confused, and so am I. That being said, I am a fan of hers so I do like that her character comes back here as a more mature version of herself. We also get to know more about where Jamie is as his point of view story slowly collides with that of the doctor and Zoe.
This story does what it needs to do in the grand scheme of things, which is bringing the team back together again. And the doctor is slowly starting to figure out that the missions he’s undertaken so far are actually connected, and possibly part of one big scheme. This part is actually really interesting, which makes me curious about how all this will play out. Though as a standalone story, which is about a space ship about to collide with a planet, it feels rather confusing and a bit unsatisfying.
The mentions of jelly babies are also getting a bit out of hand. It was fun at first, but it doesn’t need to be repeated so many times.
The Vanishing Point by Mark Wright and Nicholas Briggs – 2,5/5
This story starts with the massive cliffhanger from the previous story getting resolved so quickly, it can only be described as disappointing. Because it’s clear this was just meant to be a cliffhanger for the sake of it. It just feels completely unnecessary and unrelated to the rest of the story.
This story’s main purpose is to tell both the doctor and us, the audience, that a big threat is coming in the next set of stories. In that regard, the story does what it needs to do. And I will admit that it does have some good character moments. But again, as a standalone story about a race of aliens who I think monitor the universe (I could be mistaken), it feels underdeveloped, confusing and messy.
Overall, this is definitely a transitional set of stories as some things are set up for what I’m hoping will be the conclusion of this subseries. There are some things to enjoy in here. The highlight is the gang of the second doctor, Jamie and Zoe getting back together. The overarching plot is still interesting. Despite the first story’s best efforts to convince me of the opposite, the character of Raven is still quite intriguing. And the individual stories do have their moments. But I also must admit that, as a whole, I found this set of stories a bit disappointing.
The second doctor arrives on an abandoned Time Lord space station. Jamie seems to have vanished, though the doctor hears him calling from somewhere very far away. Raven and Paul are also with the doctor, but they don’t have any idea of what’s going on either. So they explore the space station, hoping to make sense of the situation they find themselves in and to find Jamie.
I struggled a bit immersing myself into this story in the beginning, because I was too busy trying to remember the events of the previous boxset. But even after jogging my memory, the story doesn’t help itself by purposefully being so slow and confusing. Which is a shame as the concept of the story: a monster on a claustrophobic and atmospheric abandoned spaceship, is quite simple and seems like a solid story in theory. Even a bit reminiscent of the movie Alien.
The title of this boxset makes it clear that there’s more focus on the new character Raven. In that regard, this story delivers. Unfortunately, this actually does a disservice to her character. The thing is, she was slowly built up as an antagonistic background character in the previous stories. Here, she is a main character. This means her character flaws are exposed more, perhaps a bit too much. Because in previous stories, she came across as a rather mysterious character who’s in control and toys with the doctor by sending him on missions. Here, she has no idea what’s going on either, and she doesn’t respond well to not being in control for a change. This makes her come across as a bit of a spoiled child, which kind of negates everything that’s been so carefully built up about her character.
Catastrophe Theory by Mark Wright - 3/5
This is a continuation of the previous story. Raven is back to being a background character, which is a very wise decision. She no longer feels like a spoiled child, she’s back to being a more mature character. All of a sudden, former companion Zoe is thrown into the story without explanation. All the characters seem confused, and so am I. That being said, I am a fan of hers so I do like that her character comes back here as a more mature version of herself. We also get to know more about where Jamie is as his point of view story slowly collides with that of the doctor and Zoe.
This story does what it needs to do in the grand scheme of things, which is bringing the team back together again. And the doctor is slowly starting to figure out that the missions he’s undertaken so far are actually connected, and possibly part of one big scheme. This part is actually really interesting, which makes me curious about how all this will play out. Though as a standalone story, which is about a space ship about to collide with a planet, it feels rather confusing and a bit unsatisfying.
The mentions of jelly babies are also getting a bit out of hand. It was fun at first, but it doesn’t need to be repeated so many times.
The Vanishing Point by Mark Wright and Nicholas Briggs – 2,5/5
This story starts with the massive cliffhanger from the previous story getting resolved so quickly, it can only be described as disappointing. Because it’s clear this was just meant to be a cliffhanger for the sake of it. It just feels completely unnecessary and unrelated to the rest of the story.
This story’s main purpose is to tell both the doctor and us, the audience, that a big threat is coming in the next set of stories. In that regard, the story does what it needs to do. And I will admit that it does have some good character moments. But again, as a standalone story about a race of aliens who I think monitor the universe (I could be mistaken), it feels underdeveloped, confusing and messy.
Overall, this is definitely a transitional set of stories as some things are set up for what I’m hoping will be the conclusion of this subseries. There are some things to enjoy in here. The highlight is the gang of the second doctor, Jamie and Zoe getting back together. The overarching plot is still interesting. Despite the first story’s best efforts to convince me of the opposite, the character of Raven is still quite intriguing. And the individual stories do have their moments. But I also must admit that, as a whole, I found this set of stories a bit disappointing.
July 14, 2024
Kippers - This feels like one of those Twilight Zone episodes where you have a number of characters in an odd place, without any idea how they got there, or no idea what is going on. These are delightful for the actors as it gives them a great time to explore their characters, but these stories are often not as entertaining for the audience. They can be, if the narrative is engaging and the characters are compelling. This one didn’t quite work. At least it didn’t really work for me. And then there’s the Kippers. These things feel a bit like The Langoliers from Stephen King. And then I also felt there were a lot of similarities to the classic First Doctor episode arc Doctor Who-The Edge of Destruction by Nigel Robinson, which is quite good, but this time around, I felt like it wasn’t much more than filler. So, unfortunately, we’re not off to a good start with this set (2/5).
Catastrophe Theory - More of the same. While this chapter was a little better, a bit more engaging, it’s still not really grabbing me. This is disappointing for me, as I’m quite fond of the Second Doctor from the original TV series. I had some pretty high hopes for this new series, Season 6B if you will, and what I’m getting isn’t what I’d hoped for at all (3/5).
The Vanishing Point - Now we’re getting somewhere. This one is better. Very metaphysical and yet this one feels like it is rooted in that late 1960s era. Nice cliffhanger too ! I was bit worried that I be losing interest in continuing with these Second Doctor Adventures, but I’m back onboard now (4/5).
Catastrophe Theory - More of the same. While this chapter was a little better, a bit more engaging, it’s still not really grabbing me. This is disappointing for me, as I’m quite fond of the Second Doctor from the original TV series. I had some pretty high hopes for this new series, Season 6B if you will, and what I’m getting isn’t what I’d hoped for at all (3/5).
The Vanishing Point - Now we’re getting somewhere. This one is better. Very metaphysical and yet this one feels like it is rooted in that late 1960s era. Nice cliffhanger too ! I was bit worried that I be losing interest in continuing with these Second Doctor Adventures, but I’m back onboard now (4/5).
July 23, 2024
Conspiracy of Raven is a box set that had extremely high potential, but was marred by jarring, jumpy pacing, and inconsistent writing. Issues that have persisted throughout the entire Beyond War Games series thus far.. Micheal Troughton continues to improve as the Second Doctor. As he explores new territory that the classic series never did, we see new facets of the Doctor. The biggest draw of the set is Wendy Padbury’s return as Zoe Heriot, which takes place during the second episode. Zoe’s presence is deeply intriguing and mysterious, although most of the answers to the questions raised remain unanswered for now. Regardless of her place in the narrative, her mere presence is exciting.
Emma Noakes’ enigmatic and condescending Raven features prominently as well. The box set is even named after Raven, in place of Zoe! That, in and of itself, underscores the excitement that writers Nicholas Briggs and Mark Wright possess for Raven. However, as a consequence of Raven’s increased presence, the set risked overstaying her welcome by tearing away her layers of mystery too hastily. Lastly, Frazer Hines is given the short end of the stick. As Zoe and Raven take centre stage, Jamie is shunted to the side, or even, to another plane of existence. Relegated to echoed shouts for two thirds of the boxset, Jamie’s presence is missed. Especially since the few scenes he managed to spend with the Doctor and Zoe were very heartwarming.
The overall direction that the series as a whole is heading is concerning. Thus far, we have had the first box set reintroduce the Doctor and the CIA, the second has brought back Jamie, and subsequently skip ahead to a point where he and the Doctor have been travelling for some time. Now, the third set has brought back Zoe, is already unravelling the mysteries of the CIA, and appears to be moving toward a definitive finale. With only one release per year, the gaps in between releases are so painfully long, that by the time we return, the landscape appears to have shifted completely each time. Events from previous releases are so distant, that by the time the next one releases you will have already forgotten the details of what happened last time.
I love the Second Doctor era. Jamie, Zoe and the Doctor are the quintessential TARDIS team, and Raven is a deeply intriguing, interesting new character. Which is why I want to spend much more time with them all. But already, the moment the trio are reunited, discussions regarding the companions’ age are dwelled on, and each of them express doubts and concerns regarding staying with the Doctor. We’ve only just got them back, and now, it looks like they may go, which begs the question, why even go to all this effort to bring them back in the first place? I sincerely hope my predictions regarding the future of the ranger are false, and I particularly hope that the Second and First Doctor ranges begin to release two sets a year in the future (sadly, it appears not to be the case in 2025), because the long waits between these releases is having a direct, negative impact on the releases we are listening to.
Read the full review of the individual episodes here:
https://sonicreviewwho.wordpress.com/...
Emma Noakes’ enigmatic and condescending Raven features prominently as well. The box set is even named after Raven, in place of Zoe! That, in and of itself, underscores the excitement that writers Nicholas Briggs and Mark Wright possess for Raven. However, as a consequence of Raven’s increased presence, the set risked overstaying her welcome by tearing away her layers of mystery too hastily. Lastly, Frazer Hines is given the short end of the stick. As Zoe and Raven take centre stage, Jamie is shunted to the side, or even, to another plane of existence. Relegated to echoed shouts for two thirds of the boxset, Jamie’s presence is missed. Especially since the few scenes he managed to spend with the Doctor and Zoe were very heartwarming.
The overall direction that the series as a whole is heading is concerning. Thus far, we have had the first box set reintroduce the Doctor and the CIA, the second has brought back Jamie, and subsequently skip ahead to a point where he and the Doctor have been travelling for some time. Now, the third set has brought back Zoe, is already unravelling the mysteries of the CIA, and appears to be moving toward a definitive finale. With only one release per year, the gaps in between releases are so painfully long, that by the time we return, the landscape appears to have shifted completely each time. Events from previous releases are so distant, that by the time the next one releases you will have already forgotten the details of what happened last time.
I love the Second Doctor era. Jamie, Zoe and the Doctor are the quintessential TARDIS team, and Raven is a deeply intriguing, interesting new character. Which is why I want to spend much more time with them all. But already, the moment the trio are reunited, discussions regarding the companions’ age are dwelled on, and each of them express doubts and concerns regarding staying with the Doctor. We’ve only just got them back, and now, it looks like they may go, which begs the question, why even go to all this effort to bring them back in the first place? I sincerely hope my predictions regarding the future of the ranger are false, and I particularly hope that the Second and First Doctor ranges begin to release two sets a year in the future (sadly, it appears not to be the case in 2025), because the long waits between these releases is having a direct, negative impact on the releases we are listening to.
Read the full review of the individual episodes here:
https://sonicreviewwho.wordpress.com/...
January 14, 2025
So here we are again with the 2nd Doctor Adventures. It's time to find out what 'Conspiracy of Raven' is all about!
Kippers:
The Doctor finds himself on an abandoned Time Lord space station. Raven and Paul are also here, but Jamie has disappeared. Something terrible happened here. In the darkness, a terrifying noise follows those on board, and not everyone will make it out alive.
Nicholas Briggs has written a very atmospheric and unsettling story that is very reminiscent of the Twilight Zone in terms of concept and fear factor. It's a very scary episode that begins giving us little clues to what's really going on with the 2nd Doctor, Raven and The Time Lords and why. It was a very interesting and intense episode where all the characters are at each other's throats as claustrophobia takes them over. Definitely one of Briggs' strongest scripts. 10/10
Catastrophe Theory:
Something mysteriously returned Zoe to The Doctor's Tardis, teleporting her there. Why is she and why now? Together they must find Jamie, chasing him across all of time and space as a terrible force leads them to disaster.
Mark Wright's captivating, fast-paced story begins to unravel the mystery that has intrigued us since the first set. Very intrigued to see where this is going. It's lovely to see Zoe again. Wendy Padbury is amazing with Michael Troughton and Frazer Hines, so it's nice to have this trio. 8/10
The Vanishing Point:
The Doctor's had enough. It's the endgame now, and he's finally standing up to Raven and whoever is in charge. The Vanishing Point is a place outside of the universe and it's the last part of the jigsaw puzzle. Jamie and Zoe will finally find out what it means to be mortal and The Doctor will finally get the answers he's been searching all this time.
Nicholas Briggs and Mark Wright have written together a very tense episode that builds up to a shocking revelation. The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe's friendship is at its most fragile. Raven finally realizes that she has been manipulated. It's fun seeing the Doctor and Raven finally teaming up together as they try to find out what's really going on. I loved the cliffhanger to this episode; it had me on the edge of my seat. 8.5/10
Overall: 26.5/30
Kippers:
The Doctor finds himself on an abandoned Time Lord space station. Raven and Paul are also here, but Jamie has disappeared. Something terrible happened here. In the darkness, a terrifying noise follows those on board, and not everyone will make it out alive.
Nicholas Briggs has written a very atmospheric and unsettling story that is very reminiscent of the Twilight Zone in terms of concept and fear factor. It's a very scary episode that begins giving us little clues to what's really going on with the 2nd Doctor, Raven and The Time Lords and why. It was a very interesting and intense episode where all the characters are at each other's throats as claustrophobia takes them over. Definitely one of Briggs' strongest scripts. 10/10
Catastrophe Theory:
Something mysteriously returned Zoe to The Doctor's Tardis, teleporting her there. Why is she and why now? Together they must find Jamie, chasing him across all of time and space as a terrible force leads them to disaster.
Mark Wright's captivating, fast-paced story begins to unravel the mystery that has intrigued us since the first set. Very intrigued to see where this is going. It's lovely to see Zoe again. Wendy Padbury is amazing with Michael Troughton and Frazer Hines, so it's nice to have this trio. 8/10
The Vanishing Point:
The Doctor's had enough. It's the endgame now, and he's finally standing up to Raven and whoever is in charge. The Vanishing Point is a place outside of the universe and it's the last part of the jigsaw puzzle. Jamie and Zoe will finally find out what it means to be mortal and The Doctor will finally get the answers he's been searching all this time.
Nicholas Briggs and Mark Wright have written together a very tense episode that builds up to a shocking revelation. The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe's friendship is at its most fragile. Raven finally realizes that she has been manipulated. It's fun seeing the Doctor and Raven finally teaming up together as they try to find out what's really going on. I loved the cliffhanger to this episode; it had me on the edge of my seat. 8.5/10
Overall: 26.5/30
September 11, 2024
Review by story…
Kippers: Saw the name and thought “oh boy, what twee bullshit is this gonna be?” And then it turned out to be awesome. Scary and demented. Raven is an awful person and that’s great. I’m surprised at the lack of development with Jamie and the Doctor in this series. But I guess given the era this is adapting it makes some sense. 4.5/5
Catastrophe Theory: Most of it is a rather tedious “2nd Doctor in The Chase” kind of thing. But that ending? Incredible. 4/5
The Vanishing Point: Ok one of the two twists I called happened. But the big one still hasn’t I have the next one preordered so we’ll see if there’s any further conclusion there. It feels like we’re moving towards a climax but also the writers in the behind the scenes keep talking like they are trying to stretch things out. A fun story either way with good character bits for all involved. Can’t help the feeling that I’m being strung along in a JJ Abrams style con. But I’m sticking with it for now. 4/5
For the record, if Raven turns out to be a proto Rani…
You heard it here first.
Kippers: Saw the name and thought “oh boy, what twee bullshit is this gonna be?” And then it turned out to be awesome. Scary and demented. Raven is an awful person and that’s great. I’m surprised at the lack of development with Jamie and the Doctor in this series. But I guess given the era this is adapting it makes some sense. 4.5/5
Catastrophe Theory: Most of it is a rather tedious “2nd Doctor in The Chase” kind of thing. But that ending? Incredible. 4/5
The Vanishing Point: Ok one of the two twists I called happened. But the big one still hasn’t I have the next one preordered so we’ll see if there’s any further conclusion there. It feels like we’re moving towards a climax but also the writers in the behind the scenes keep talking like they are trying to stretch things out. A fun story either way with good character bits for all involved. Can’t help the feeling that I’m being strung along in a JJ Abrams style con. But I’m sticking with it for now. 4/5
For the record, if Raven turns out to be a proto Rani…
You heard it here first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2024
I'm not sure I have explain why, but I think this is my favorite Second Doctor Adventures set. Maybe it's due to the trio of The Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe reuniting. Yes, Zoe regains her memories of The Doctor. Which really makes me think perhaps The Five Doctors happened between Beyond War Games and James Robert McCrimmon, given The Doctor there firmly believed Jamie and Zoe wouldn't remember him. But it also makes me wonder if we're eventually getting Victoria back in the mix, given the mention of her in The Two Doctors. She'd have to be recast, of course. It might be a while before anything like that, though, as this set teases perhaps a different direction based on the setting they're going to next.
September 9, 2024
A lot of wandering around trying to find each other only to end with a "to be continued".
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews