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Big Finish: Monthly Range #202
Doctor Who: The Warehouse
The Doctor and Mel land in what appears to be an orbiting warehouse, a delivery facility with a dangerously eratic computer.
Whilst Mel is helping with repairs, the Doctor begins to realise that not everything in the warehouse is as it seems. Why do no goods ever seem to leave the shelves? Why are the staff so obsessed with the stocktake? And who is the mysterious Supervisor?
On the planet below, the Doctor discovers that the computer might be the least of their problems – and that they should be more concerned with the spacestation's mould and vermin...
Whilst Mel is helping with repairs, the Doctor begins to realise that not everything in the warehouse is as it seems. Why do no goods ever seem to leave the shelves? Why are the staff so obsessed with the stocktake? And who is the mysterious Supervisor?
On the planet below, the Doctor discovers that the computer might be the least of their problems – and that they should be more concerned with the spacestation's mould and vermin...
Audio CD
First published August 1, 2015
62 people want to read
About the author
Mike Tucker
106 books46 followersMike Tucker is a special effects expert who worked for many years at the BBC Television Visual Effects Department, and now works as an Effects Supervisor for his own company, The Model Unit. He is also the author of a number of original tv tie-in Doctor Who novels (some co-written with Robert Perry), and three books based on episodes of the television series Merlin. He co-wrote the factual books Ace! The Inside Story of the End of an Era with Sophie Aldred in 1996, and BBC VFX - The Story of the BBC Visual Effects Department with Mat Irvine in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 19, 2023
The seventh doctor and Mel arrive in a giant warehouse in the future. Anyone anywhere can order something online, and the warehouse will provide them with whatever their heart desires. That’s what it was built for at least. But there’s something wrong with it. Because nothing ever seems to leave the warehouse.
It’s nice to see that Mel’s computer expertise comes in handy and that she’s given such an active role in this story, something she really didn’t get much of in the TV series. And while the clone families keeping the warehouse running are focused on the more obvious and immediate problem, it’s the doctor who focuses on trying to find the root of all problems.
This is pretty much a satire on online shopping. Now, this isn’t exactly an original concept. It definitely does remind me a bit of the Kerblam episode, even though this one came first. And that’s not much of a compliment. But even if the concept is similar, this one is definitely the better of the two stories.
Overall, a solid critique on online shopping and just a fun little relaxed and yet surprisingly action-packed story. The world building is also done quite well. It’s a story that doesn’t aspire to be more than what it is. It stays pretty superficial in terms of the critique and just has fun with the concept. If you don’t expect too much from this, it can be pretty entertaining.
It’s nice to see that Mel’s computer expertise comes in handy and that she’s given such an active role in this story, something she really didn’t get much of in the TV series. And while the clone families keeping the warehouse running are focused on the more obvious and immediate problem, it’s the doctor who focuses on trying to find the root of all problems.
This is pretty much a satire on online shopping. Now, this isn’t exactly an original concept. It definitely does remind me a bit of the Kerblam episode, even though this one came first. And that’s not much of a compliment. But even if the concept is similar, this one is definitely the better of the two stories.
Overall, a solid critique on online shopping and just a fun little relaxed and yet surprisingly action-packed story. The world building is also done quite well. It’s a story that doesn’t aspire to be more than what it is. It stays pretty superficial in terms of the critique and just has fun with the concept. If you don’t expect too much from this, it can be pretty entertaining.
February 27, 2020
Seventh Doctor: Ahhh!
Mel: Success?
Seventh Doctor: No, I've found my marbles!
Mel: I'm not surprised.
Seventh Doctor: I knew they were in here somewhere
Mel: Success?
Seventh Doctor: No, I've found my marbles!
Mel: I'm not surprised.
Seventh Doctor: I knew they were in here somewhere
March 16, 2019
Being set on a vast Amazon-style warehouse in space, it's hard to avoid comparisons between this and the recent TV episode Kerblam!. In fact, however, the plots are entirely different, with the resemblance actually being closer to the '70s story The Face of Evil. That's because the warehouse has stopped functioning due to an erratic computer, with the people on the jungle planet below having developed a literal cargo cult in an effort to restore its deliveries through prayer.
I can't say that I went into this with particularly high expectations, and it's possible that it's solely for that reason that I ended up preferring it to the previous story, We Are the Daleks. Either way, there's quite a lot going on here, with some nice ideas about the set-up of the warehouse, which, aside from its computer problems also has a rodent infestation and some mysterious mould in the biscuit aisle. The plot has a surprising number of twists in it, as these various strands are woven together, and there's a good use of the limited cast to suggest a setting rather larger than we see.
Mel's skills are once again on display here, although, in this case, it's a little implausible that, as a programmer, she's also skilled in repairing computer hardware. Other than that, she does get a reasonable amount to do, and is considerably less annoying than she was written in the TV series. (Just as one example, she'd likely have a done a lot of screaming at the giant rats on TV, but here she doesn't scream at all, and seems quite capable and together).
I can't say that I went into this with particularly high expectations, and it's possible that it's solely for that reason that I ended up preferring it to the previous story, We Are the Daleks. Either way, there's quite a lot going on here, with some nice ideas about the set-up of the warehouse, which, aside from its computer problems also has a rodent infestation and some mysterious mould in the biscuit aisle. The plot has a surprising number of twists in it, as these various strands are woven together, and there's a good use of the limited cast to suggest a setting rather larger than we see.
Mel's skills are once again on display here, although, in this case, it's a little implausible that, as a programmer, she's also skilled in repairing computer hardware. Other than that, she does get a reasonable amount to do, and is considerably less annoying than she was written in the TV series. (Just as one example, she'd likely have a done a lot of screaming at the giant rats on TV, but here she doesn't scream at all, and seems quite capable and together).
February 10, 2018
The seventh Doctor and Mel solve a mystery involving mysterious mould in a warehouse orbiting a planet.
I love the 7th Doctor's adventures, this would have made a fun TV episode.
I love the 7th Doctor's adventures, this would have made a fun TV episode.
December 26, 2024
Sylvester McCoy
Full cast
Love it
Full cast
Love it
August 12, 2025
A somewhat serviceable standalone adventure. The mouse squeaking made me uncomfortable.
August 29, 2015
Excellent post-apocalyptic cargo cult Dr. Who adventure.
November 7, 2015
Enjoyable, old-fashioned Dr Who story with a few twists. I like the way BF is exploring Mel's character more and giving her more depth.
October 16, 2016
Felt like there was promise in this story but never really went anywhere. Good performances by McCoy and Langford and interesting premise of Amazon as a cargo cult.
December 28, 2016
The Doctor and Mel land in a Warehouse that is in trouble where a mold wants to invest everything.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews