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The First Doctor Adventures #1.3
Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures, Volume 3
3.1 The Phoenicians by Marc Platt
In ancient Tyre, the Phoenician civilisation commands the oceans. But times are turbulent – the young King’s quarrel with his sister threatens to divide the nation.
On perilous seas, Ian becomes Princess Elissa’s favourite, while Susan and Barbara face losing their freedom. In the city, the Doctor falls foul of King Pygmalion.
As they reach dangerous shores, the travellers fight to survive as legend becomes history…
3.2 Tick-Tock World by Guy Adams
When disaster befalls the TARDIS, its occupants find themselves in a bizarre location, somewhere between space and time.
Desperate survivors hide among ruins, greedy scavenging creatures hunt new prey, and ghosts scream out warnings across time.
All the while, a mysterious woman watches the TARDIS crew, knowing, as sure as tock follows tick, that a terrible fate awaits them…
In ancient Tyre, the Phoenician civilisation commands the oceans. But times are turbulent – the young King’s quarrel with his sister threatens to divide the nation.
On perilous seas, Ian becomes Princess Elissa’s favourite, while Susan and Barbara face losing their freedom. In the city, the Doctor falls foul of King Pygmalion.
As they reach dangerous shores, the travellers fight to survive as legend becomes history…
3.2 Tick-Tock World by Guy Adams
When disaster befalls the TARDIS, its occupants find themselves in a bizarre location, somewhere between space and time.
Desperate survivors hide among ruins, greedy scavenging creatures hunt new prey, and ghosts scream out warnings across time.
All the while, a mysterious woman watches the TARDIS crew, knowing, as sure as tock follows tick, that a terrible fate awaits them…
Audiobook
First published January 29, 2019
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About the author
Marc Platt
111 books48 followersMarc Platt is a British writer. He is most known for his work with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.
After studying catering at a technical college, Platt worked first for Trust House Forte, and then in administration for the BBC. He wrote the Doctor Who serial Ghost Light based on two proposals, one of which later became the novel Lungbarrow. That novel was greatly anticipated by fans as it was the culmination of the so-called "Cartmel Masterplan", revealing details of the Doctor's background and family.
After the original series' cancellation Platt wrote the script for the audio Doctor Who drama Spare Parts. The script was the inspiration for the 2006 Doctor Who television story "Rise of the Cybermen"/"The Age of Steel", for which Platt received a screen credit and a fee.
He lives in London.
After studying catering at a technical college, Platt worked first for Trust House Forte, and then in administration for the BBC. He wrote the Doctor Who serial Ghost Light based on two proposals, one of which later became the novel Lungbarrow. That novel was greatly anticipated by fans as it was the culmination of the so-called "Cartmel Masterplan", revealing details of the Doctor's background and family.
After the original series' cancellation Platt wrote the script for the audio Doctor Who drama Spare Parts. The script was the inspiration for the 2006 Doctor Who television story "Rise of the Cybermen"/"The Age of Steel", for which Platt received a screen credit and a fee.
He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 2, 2020
Someone at Big Finish ships Ian/Barbara almost as much as I do and it shows.
March 24, 2021
The Phoenicians by Marc Platt
It’s easy to envisage this historical adventure as part of Doctor Who’s first season. Platt spends time developing Ian and Barbara’s relationship, and pays some attention to women’s search for independence. David Bradley is on form, his interpretation idiosyncratic yet not unfaithful.
Tick-Tock World by Guy Adams
A more-or-less successful mix of experimental SF and character overhaul. The production team at Big Finish still seem uncertain how to develop Susan—her emotions, maturity, competence and relationships fade in and out—but at least they’re trying. Well worth a listen.
It’s easy to envisage this historical adventure as part of Doctor Who’s first season. Platt spends time developing Ian and Barbara’s relationship, and pays some attention to women’s search for independence. David Bradley is on form, his interpretation idiosyncratic yet not unfaithful.
Tick-Tock World by Guy Adams
A more-or-less successful mix of experimental SF and character overhaul. The production team at Big Finish still seem uncertain how to develop Susan—her emotions, maturity, competence and relationships fade in and out—but at least they’re trying. Well worth a listen.
September 3, 2020
THE CAWPINE OF 'THE FIRST DOCTOR ADVENTURES 3'
The Phoenicians brings back the close friendship and well-forged relationship between the four TARDIS travellers and puts all of them into good use. The guest characters are forgettable and blend into each other, with the sole exception of Pygmalion.
Some of the acting in The Phoenicians is so over-the-top that this story feels accurate to the era it’s trying to re-create. Jo Ben Ayed as Pygmalion is one of those 'so bad it's good' performances that would have turned out to be a classic had it been part of the TV show.
----
Tick-Tock World puts its central characters into good use. I particularly like how Susan is given a bigger and more important role here, as she gets her best story next to the Sensorites. We get here a Susan who is slowly trying to become more independent. The Doctor also gets a quirky little dialogue with himself in Part Three, a classic Big Finish scene.
There's a true sense of adventure in The Phoenicians; the soundscapes and the music capture the setting of the story very well. It makes me think of The Myth Makers, another First Doctor story with very similar story elements.
----
Tick-Tock World relies heavily on music and sound effects since we cannot see the anomalies and strange things encountered by our heroes. While the soundscapes definitely work, the scope of the story is just too big to fully work without visual aid. That being said, the sequence with the two Doctors and the older Susan is very well done, even if it turns out to be too lengthy.
Written to closely resemble a Hartnell-era historical adventure, Marc Platt's The Phoenicians believably captures the era and the characters, while not trying to be overly modern in the way The Great White Hurricane from the first volume does.
----
Guy Adams takes on the momentous task to create another ambitious science-fiction adventure for the original TARDIS crew, and while his characterizations are sharp, his attempts at world-building don't reach all the way.
The plot is straightforward and not very eventful. There is plenty of politics and character moments involved, and by the last part, we also realize how the TARDIS travellers fit into the larger arc of the story. The plot effectively utilizes the idea of the Doctor once again creating history, as we know it.
----
Tick-Tock World is one of those stories that attempt to bend the boundaries of time and space and present something unique and fresh. It works to an extent in TV adventures such as The Web Planet and The Mind Robber, but in audio, it does not quite have the same effect. Story-wise, this adventure turns out to be important for Susan's development and the deepening relationship between Ian and Barbara, but these details get lost under all the padding.
This story closely resembles The Myth Makers, which is not one of my favourite Doctor Who serials. Despite the interesting setting and some quite well-realized moments, I lost interest and track of the plot quite quickly.
----
In an attempt to mirror the ambitious experiments of the Hartnell era, Tick-Tock World combines a convoluted and slow-paced sci-fi mystery with a plot centred on time tracks and different dimensions. The central gimmick doesn't come into play until well into the second half of the adventure, and the story stays pretty thin in terms of story content until that. Besides, once Carole Ann Ford enters the scene, it feels very anti-climactic. After that, I found myself eagerly waiting for the adventure to reach its conclusion.
When it comes to originality and novelty, The Phoenicians sits right in the middle of other 60s pure historicals. It takes its era from The Myth Makers, some story details from The Romans and the central twist from The Aztecs. The only part setting it apart from its peers is the setting.
----
Despite being inspired by earlier stories, Tick-Tock World still feels fairly original in terms of story content and the depiction of time tracks and dimensions. The way it taps into established Doctor Who lore, while still managing to tell a fresh story, is its biggest strength.
Despite a well-realized setting and a brilliant production, The Phoenicians remains a fairly slow and uneventful adventure, not on I am prone to remember.
----
Unfortunately, Tick-Tock World tries to swallow too big a piece of the cake without chewing it properly. It’s great to hear Carole Ann Ford back, but the story doesn’t utilize her fully and the ambitious production doesn’t help to lift a padded plot.
CAWPINE RATING: 5.57 / 10 = 3 stars
The Phoenicians brings back the close friendship and well-forged relationship between the four TARDIS travellers and puts all of them into good use. The guest characters are forgettable and blend into each other, with the sole exception of Pygmalion.
Some of the acting in The Phoenicians is so over-the-top that this story feels accurate to the era it’s trying to re-create. Jo Ben Ayed as Pygmalion is one of those 'so bad it's good' performances that would have turned out to be a classic had it been part of the TV show.
----
Tick-Tock World puts its central characters into good use. I particularly like how Susan is given a bigger and more important role here, as she gets her best story next to the Sensorites. We get here a Susan who is slowly trying to become more independent. The Doctor also gets a quirky little dialogue with himself in Part Three, a classic Big Finish scene.
There's a true sense of adventure in The Phoenicians; the soundscapes and the music capture the setting of the story very well. It makes me think of The Myth Makers, another First Doctor story with very similar story elements.
----
Tick-Tock World relies heavily on music and sound effects since we cannot see the anomalies and strange things encountered by our heroes. While the soundscapes definitely work, the scope of the story is just too big to fully work without visual aid. That being said, the sequence with the two Doctors and the older Susan is very well done, even if it turns out to be too lengthy.
Written to closely resemble a Hartnell-era historical adventure, Marc Platt's The Phoenicians believably captures the era and the characters, while not trying to be overly modern in the way The Great White Hurricane from the first volume does.
----
Guy Adams takes on the momentous task to create another ambitious science-fiction adventure for the original TARDIS crew, and while his characterizations are sharp, his attempts at world-building don't reach all the way.
The plot is straightforward and not very eventful. There is plenty of politics and character moments involved, and by the last part, we also realize how the TARDIS travellers fit into the larger arc of the story. The plot effectively utilizes the idea of the Doctor once again creating history, as we know it.
----
Tick-Tock World is one of those stories that attempt to bend the boundaries of time and space and present something unique and fresh. It works to an extent in TV adventures such as The Web Planet and The Mind Robber, but in audio, it does not quite have the same effect. Story-wise, this adventure turns out to be important for Susan's development and the deepening relationship between Ian and Barbara, but these details get lost under all the padding.
This story closely resembles The Myth Makers, which is not one of my favourite Doctor Who serials. Despite the interesting setting and some quite well-realized moments, I lost interest and track of the plot quite quickly.
----
In an attempt to mirror the ambitious experiments of the Hartnell era, Tick-Tock World combines a convoluted and slow-paced sci-fi mystery with a plot centred on time tracks and different dimensions. The central gimmick doesn't come into play until well into the second half of the adventure, and the story stays pretty thin in terms of story content until that. Besides, once Carole Ann Ford enters the scene, it feels very anti-climactic. After that, I found myself eagerly waiting for the adventure to reach its conclusion.
When it comes to originality and novelty, The Phoenicians sits right in the middle of other 60s pure historicals. It takes its era from The Myth Makers, some story details from The Romans and the central twist from The Aztecs. The only part setting it apart from its peers is the setting.
----
Despite being inspired by earlier stories, Tick-Tock World still feels fairly original in terms of story content and the depiction of time tracks and dimensions. The way it taps into established Doctor Who lore, while still managing to tell a fresh story, is its biggest strength.
Despite a well-realized setting and a brilliant production, The Phoenicians remains a fairly slow and uneventful adventure, not on I am prone to remember.
----
Unfortunately, Tick-Tock World tries to swallow too big a piece of the cake without chewing it properly. It’s great to hear Carole Ann Ford back, but the story doesn’t utilize her fully and the ambitious production doesn’t help to lift a padded plot.
CAWPINE RATING: 5.57 / 10 = 3 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2021
The recast version of the First Doctor adventures continues with one straight historical and one SF tale. In this case, while the historical is good, the other fails despite the gimmick of having Carole Ann Ford in the cast, leaving this the weakest of the three volumes so far.
The Phoenicians – The TARDIS arrives in the ancient city of Tyre in 814 BC, where the Doctor and companions soon become involved with the feud between King Pygmalion (no, not the sculptor) and his sister. The first half of the story follows the usual formula of close scrapes in Tyre, dealing with mysterious assassins and sinister prophets. In the second half, we’re off across the Mediterranean in one of the longer trips that typified this era of the TV show – concluding, of course, with the Doctor witnessing the founding of Carthage.
In some respects, this is most like The Aztecs, with the clash between modern sensibilities and iron age culture being a recurring element. Given the intended audience, the temple prostitutes are only alluded to, but there is plenty of casual slavery and some (‘off-screen’) human sacrifice with none of the guest characters coming out of things well from a modern perspective, although the Scythian amazon comes close. On the downside, the first two cliffhangers are particularly limp – both revolve around a central character being apparently killed off when we know they can’t be, and an almost casual resolution of why they weren’t in the next episode. But otherwise, it's a strong example of this particular type of story, exploring an 'alien' culture that happens to be human, as the earlier historicals on TV tended to. 4 stars.
Tick Tock World – The second series TV serial The Space Museum is chiefly notable for the first episode, in which the TARDIS managed to jump slightly out of its usual time stream. Once things are restored to normal at the end of that episode, the remainder of the serial is comparatively mundane. Here, a similar premise to that first episode is stretched out over a full 2-hour story… and it turns out there isn’t really enough in it to carry a story for that length.
The travellers find themselves on a world of ruins that has been affected by a similar sort of time jump, so that they are seeing echoes of the past, and of their own futures. They team up with some other survivors and we get the usual leisurely exploration of the setting for which the First Doctor’s era was often known on TV. Which, in this case, doesn’t particularly go anywhere, even once the monsters turn up and start eating people. The main positive in the story is an examination of the Doctor’s relationship with Susan which can also be seen a commentary on her being underused in the TV series itself after An Unearthly Child. But even this is achieved largely by making the Doctor unlikeable; he’s at his most cantankerous here and unwilling to accept help even when he clearly needs it and others are in a position to provide it.
I can see what Adams was trying for here but, while the result has some good points, he doesn’t quite pull it off. 3 stars.
The Phoenicians – The TARDIS arrives in the ancient city of Tyre in 814 BC, where the Doctor and companions soon become involved with the feud between King Pygmalion (no, not the sculptor) and his sister. The first half of the story follows the usual formula of close scrapes in Tyre, dealing with mysterious assassins and sinister prophets. In the second half, we’re off across the Mediterranean in one of the longer trips that typified this era of the TV show – concluding, of course, with the Doctor witnessing the founding of Carthage.
In some respects, this is most like The Aztecs, with the clash between modern sensibilities and iron age culture being a recurring element. Given the intended audience, the temple prostitutes are only alluded to, but there is plenty of casual slavery and some (‘off-screen’) human sacrifice with none of the guest characters coming out of things well from a modern perspective, although the Scythian amazon comes close. On the downside, the first two cliffhangers are particularly limp – both revolve around a central character being apparently killed off when we know they can’t be, and an almost casual resolution of why they weren’t in the next episode. But otherwise, it's a strong example of this particular type of story, exploring an 'alien' culture that happens to be human, as the earlier historicals on TV tended to. 4 stars.
Tick Tock World – The second series TV serial The Space Museum is chiefly notable for the first episode, in which the TARDIS managed to jump slightly out of its usual time stream. Once things are restored to normal at the end of that episode, the remainder of the serial is comparatively mundane. Here, a similar premise to that first episode is stretched out over a full 2-hour story… and it turns out there isn’t really enough in it to carry a story for that length.
The travellers find themselves on a world of ruins that has been affected by a similar sort of time jump, so that they are seeing echoes of the past, and of their own futures. They team up with some other survivors and we get the usual leisurely exploration of the setting for which the First Doctor’s era was often known on TV. Which, in this case, doesn’t particularly go anywhere, even once the monsters turn up and start eating people. The main positive in the story is an examination of the Doctor’s relationship with Susan which can also be seen a commentary on her being underused in the TV series itself after An Unearthly Child. But even this is achieved largely by making the Doctor unlikeable; he’s at his most cantankerous here and unwilling to accept help even when he clearly needs it and others are in a position to provide it.
I can see what Adams was trying for here but, while the result has some good points, he doesn’t quite pull it off. 3 stars.
April 1, 2020
Of all these First Doctor Adventures I've listened to, this boxed set is both the weakest and also the most creative of the range. That isn't meant to disparage this particular set at all. One thing I've noticed about these Big Finish boxed sets is that one of them has to flag somewhere. This one was just where this range ended up with some narrative flab. That being said, there is still some interesting storytelling going on.
The historical offering for this set, The Phoencians, kind of started off slow. At first, I thought it was just going to be a retread of other One-era historicals without anything unique to make it its own thing. But the idea of this actually being the story of Queen Dido founding Carthage and that history and myth came together in the future was pretty interesting.
Then there's the other one - Tick-Tock World. Which... it had its moments. I can appreciate them trying to do something new. This felt more like something that Big Finish would do for the Eighth Doctor, honestly. And I do enjoy it when Big Finish tries to mix and match the Doctors' eras. But after such a run-of-the-mill historical, it was jarring to be thrown into this bizarre and oddball sci-fi story (I mean, even more bizarre and oddball than usual). Basically, this was one big learning experience for the Doctor to realize that his granddaughter, Susan, is actually capable of doing her own thing and she doesn't need to be coddled. And, also, it's okay for the Doctor to ask for help.
Those are good things for the Doctor to learn. I just wish we could have gotten there without the annoying side characters.
But it was great to have Carole Ann Ford play a version of Susan from the future who is older than the Susan that Claudia Grant is playing. The two actresses playing off each other - not to mention Ford and David Bradley interacting - was wonderful. It was worth the strange moments in order to have those scenes in the end.
I still enjoyed these stories and I'm sticking by my four-star review. There was a slight dip in quality, but that's like saying a talented athlete sometimes has an off-day. It's still worth experiencing the show.
(PS - The fact that Big Finish is going full-speed-ahead with the Barbara/Ian ship fills my fangirl heart with so much joy like you wouldn't believe. That's all :D )
The historical offering for this set, The Phoencians, kind of started off slow. At first, I thought it was just going to be a retread of other One-era historicals without anything unique to make it its own thing. But the idea of this actually being the story of Queen Dido founding Carthage and that history and myth came together in the future was pretty interesting.
Then there's the other one - Tick-Tock World. Which... it had its moments. I can appreciate them trying to do something new. This felt more like something that Big Finish would do for the Eighth Doctor, honestly. And I do enjoy it when Big Finish tries to mix and match the Doctors' eras. But after such a run-of-the-mill historical, it was jarring to be thrown into this bizarre and oddball sci-fi story (I mean, even more bizarre and oddball than usual). Basically, this was one big learning experience for the Doctor to realize that his granddaughter, Susan, is actually capable of doing her own thing and she doesn't need to be coddled. And, also, it's okay for the Doctor to ask for help.
Those are good things for the Doctor to learn. I just wish we could have gotten there without the annoying side characters.
But it was great to have Carole Ann Ford play a version of Susan from the future who is older than the Susan that Claudia Grant is playing. The two actresses playing off each other - not to mention Ford and David Bradley interacting - was wonderful. It was worth the strange moments in order to have those scenes in the end.
I still enjoyed these stories and I'm sticking by my four-star review. There was a slight dip in quality, but that's like saying a talented athlete sometimes has an off-day. It's still worth experiencing the show.
(PS - The fact that Big Finish is going full-speed-ahead with the Barbara/Ian ship fills my fangirl heart with so much joy like you wouldn't believe. That's all :D )
July 21, 2025
A thrilling box set with two very Hartnell-esque stories, starring a compelling cast with chemistry, even if the performances can feel a bit too theatrical at times.
The second story is the better of the two (and is near perfect) but both are great. I highly recommend this one.
"The Phoenicians":
A fresh historical setting in a previously untouched period by the Whoniverse. I have to say, as far as history and worldbuilding go, this one is very good, and since the First Doctor had many historicals, I'd say this one fits very nicely and appropriately into his era.
That said, the voice acting from the supporting cast is... Not the best. The accents feel very forced, and I think that does somewhat break the immersion of the worldbuilding, which is a shame given how much effort went into the rest of it.
The story does just generally drag at times as well. 2 of the 3 cliffhangers weren't all that tense either as they put two of the TARDIS crew members in the face of death, but we know they're not gonna die here, so any tension is kind of lost. That said, the remaining cliffhanger (Part 3) was a stroke of genius that had been cleverly built towards.
"Tick-Tock World":
Leading directly on from the previous story (which I adore by the way, making this box set's offerings connected), we have a very special guest here to join the recasted first TARDIS team.
Right off the bat, this is a very creepy and atmospheric story. Really fantastic imagery and worldbuilding here.
The plot is also paced perfectly. Everything flows naturally and doesn't go too fast. While some listeners might not like a slow burner story, I found it a lot easier to imagine the vast setting of this story without having to focus too hard on understanding the narrative. Easy listening.
I think beyond the story itself, this adventure is quite significant and poignant for the Doctor and Susan's relationship, so much so to the point that I dare say this actually serves as a spiritual prequel to the TV episode "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" in terms of how and why Susan leaves the TARDIS.
The second story is the better of the two (and is near perfect) but both are great. I highly recommend this one.
"The Phoenicians":
A fresh historical setting in a previously untouched period by the Whoniverse. I have to say, as far as history and worldbuilding go, this one is very good, and since the First Doctor had many historicals, I'd say this one fits very nicely and appropriately into his era.
That said, the voice acting from the supporting cast is... Not the best. The accents feel very forced, and I think that does somewhat break the immersion of the worldbuilding, which is a shame given how much effort went into the rest of it.
The story does just generally drag at times as well. 2 of the 3 cliffhangers weren't all that tense either as they put two of the TARDIS crew members in the face of death, but we know they're not gonna die here, so any tension is kind of lost. That said, the remaining cliffhanger (Part 3) was a stroke of genius that had been cleverly built towards.
"Tick-Tock World":
Leading directly on from the previous story (which I adore by the way, making this box set's offerings connected), we have a very special guest here to join the recasted first TARDIS team.
Right off the bat, this is a very creepy and atmospheric story. Really fantastic imagery and worldbuilding here.
The plot is also paced perfectly. Everything flows naturally and doesn't go too fast. While some listeners might not like a slow burner story, I found it a lot easier to imagine the vast setting of this story without having to focus too hard on understanding the narrative. Easy listening.
I think beyond the story itself, this adventure is quite significant and poignant for the Doctor and Susan's relationship, so much so to the point that I dare say this actually serves as a spiritual prequel to the TV episode "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" in terms of how and why Susan leaves the TARDIS.
May 25, 2024
The 1st Doctor Adventures is one of Big Finish's few ranges that is typically high in quality, yes sometimes the stories can be a little substandard but very rarely and I feel that's because the writers who write for this range have a lot of fun for this era of the show and honestly I can understand why. I really liked the first two volumes of the Bradley stuff, but Volume 3 was definitely my most anticipated.
The Phoenicians:
The Tardis Crew have arrived in ancient Tyre to a culture that commands the oceans. But they've come to a point in history where times are turbulent. A sibling rivalry is at hand and the King wants his sister dead, no matter the cost. However, the great ship he has commissioned might be the escape she needs from this dangerous land. It isn't long before the crew finds themselves embroiled in a fragile point in human history and perhaps not all of them will make out alive.
Marc Platt as always has written a brilliant pure-historical that is beautifully atmospheric with a gorgeous sense of world-building and a great cast of characters. It's a tense 4-part adventure with plenty of twists and shocking moments. The king is a truly pitiful and disgraceful villain, who disgusted me profoundly. 9/10
Tick-Tock World:
The Tardis has been destroyed and now the crew are stranded on a planet where time is in flux, the streets are full of ghosts and mythical beings are on the hunt. It seems they've finally come to the end of the line, their luck has finally run out. But a mysterious woman is hiding in the shadows and she might very well have the answer to their salvation.
Guy Adams has written an incredible story, that is haunting, eerie, clever, and meaningful. It's a very grim and bleak little story with horrifying imagery and a mindblowing finale. The cast was amazing in this one, it was lovely to see Carole Ann Ford in this as an older Susan. 10/10
Overall: 19/20
The Phoenicians:
The Tardis Crew have arrived in ancient Tyre to a culture that commands the oceans. But they've come to a point in history where times are turbulent. A sibling rivalry is at hand and the King wants his sister dead, no matter the cost. However, the great ship he has commissioned might be the escape she needs from this dangerous land. It isn't long before the crew finds themselves embroiled in a fragile point in human history and perhaps not all of them will make out alive.
Marc Platt as always has written a brilliant pure-historical that is beautifully atmospheric with a gorgeous sense of world-building and a great cast of characters. It's a tense 4-part adventure with plenty of twists and shocking moments. The king is a truly pitiful and disgraceful villain, who disgusted me profoundly. 9/10
Tick-Tock World:
The Tardis has been destroyed and now the crew are stranded on a planet where time is in flux, the streets are full of ghosts and mythical beings are on the hunt. It seems they've finally come to the end of the line, their luck has finally run out. But a mysterious woman is hiding in the shadows and she might very well have the answer to their salvation.
Guy Adams has written an incredible story, that is haunting, eerie, clever, and meaningful. It's a very grim and bleak little story with horrifying imagery and a mindblowing finale. The cast was amazing in this one, it was lovely to see Carole Ann Ford in this as an older Susan. 10/10
Overall: 19/20
November 7, 2025
Ah.. Guy Adams - why do you think is necessary to provide your personal political views into a shared universe?
The first tale was good and I enjoyed learning about the history & myth (founding of Carthage in this case). The second could have been much better but there are stuff that really make no sense. You are dealing with the first doctor, from people from the 1960's (Ian & Barbara) and they have a talk about lesbians and Barbara mocks Ian about how he talks about them. Because as you know, in the 1960, open gayness was pretty common and very well received in britain. So Ian was a homophobe. Fucking hell. The writers, writing about the first doctor (and more important, the characters) they should stick on how they would behave on that time. I mean, would you expect Jamie (I belive that's his name) who was born in the 1400's talk openly friendly with gay and lesbians? Fucking hell. This is a share universe. Don't put your personal opinions on it. Try to make characters behave as they did in the show. Probably never even watch it.... I did.
The first tale was good and I enjoyed learning about the history & myth (founding of Carthage in this case). The second could have been much better but there are stuff that really make no sense. You are dealing with the first doctor, from people from the 1960's (Ian & Barbara) and they have a talk about lesbians and Barbara mocks Ian about how he talks about them. Because as you know, in the 1960, open gayness was pretty common and very well received in britain. So Ian was a homophobe. Fucking hell. The writers, writing about the first doctor (and more important, the characters) they should stick on how they would behave on that time. I mean, would you expect Jamie (I belive that's his name) who was born in the 1400's talk openly friendly with gay and lesbians? Fucking hell. This is a share universe. Don't put your personal opinions on it. Try to make characters behave as they did in the show. Probably never even watch it.... I did.
April 16, 2019
"The Phoenicians" is a good "pure historical" that really captures the tone of the Hartnell era. Sadly, "Tick-Tock World" is a four-episode story that could have been told in one. It was probably a necessary story to tell (and would have explained a bit about the Doctor's actions toward Susan at the end of The Dalek Invasion of Earth) but suffered from being padded out to four episodes.
As for the "new cast" . . . the actors seem to be settling into their parts. I'm getting used to David Bradley's take on Hartnell's Doctor. Even Claudia Grant's Susan wasn't as shrill and irritating as she's been in the previous box sets. However. there's still something a bit "stagey" about this new First Doctor series. (I still prefer the Early Adventures series with Purves and O'Brien).
As for the "new cast" . . . the actors seem to be settling into their parts. I'm getting used to David Bradley's take on Hartnell's Doctor. Even Claudia Grant's Susan wasn't as shrill and irritating as she's been in the previous box sets. However. there's still something a bit "stagey" about this new First Doctor series. (I still prefer the Early Adventures series with Purves and O'Brien).
May 27, 2021
This is my least favorite out of the first three volumes, but it’s still really good. Ian and Barbara’s feelings for each other are touched upon again in The Phoenicians, which feels very much like the type of historical story that would be told in the Hartnell era. Tick Tock World gives Susan a good role, and The Doctor has to learn to let her grow.
July 7, 2019
Excellent third instalment. David Bradley and gang have really found their feet playing these parts. Both stories took longer for me to warm to than previous volumes but they pay offs are very rewarding :)
April 17, 2019
The doctor, ian barbara and susan have one adventure with the phonecians and another trying to escape from broken time.
March 26, 2024
3.1 'The Phoenicians' by Marc Platt: 5*
3.2 'Tick-Tock World' by Guy Adams: 5*
3.2 'Tick-Tock World' by Guy Adams: 5*
January 7, 2025
THE PHOENICIANS - 06/10
TICK-TOCK WORLD - 06/10
TICK-TOCK WORLD - 06/10
July 11, 2023
Tick-Tock World was absolutely awesome but the Phoenicians was a bit mediocre.
May 29, 2021
This volume continues the adventures of The Doctor, Susan, Barbara & Ian as they travel through time & space aboard the TARDIS, which are set after the events of The Reign of Terror and before Planet of Giants as a kind of Doctor Who season 1B.
While I didn't enjoy this collection quite as much as the first two, it was still very well done and wonderful to get this new "original TARDIS crew" back for new adventures. And I'm still looking forward to any new releases. This is great stuff.
(3.1) The Phoenicians - This is classic “historical” story, much like many from the early few years of the series. There are no monsters, aliens or fantasy elements. But that doesn’t stop this from being wonderfully exciting. The cast does an excellent job bringing this wonderful script of Dido and Pygmalion to life. There is action, adventure, mystery, humor and intrigue.
(3.2) Tick-Tock World - For those of you who’ve seen The Mind Robber, you might have an inkling of an idea how weird this story is, or maybe Warrior’s Gate could work as a comparison. Basically this story is taking our four TARDIS travelers into a surreal world of virtually incomprehensible strangeness. At first I was a bit put off by it, but the environment grows on you. Like The Web Planet there are a lot of high concept stuff being tossed about, but unlike that early experimental television adventure this one works pretty darn well.
Update: This is my second time through this set and I found myself enjoying these tales much more this time through than I had at first. I had previously placed this as the weakest of the three sets of First Doctor Adventures, but now I’m not so sure. Both of these adventures have less obvious charms than I had first heard. Whovians of all types should find stuff of interest here. Very enjoyable, entertaining and engaging. Worth another solid Rickommendation from me.
While I didn't enjoy this collection quite as much as the first two, it was still very well done and wonderful to get this new "original TARDIS crew" back for new adventures. And I'm still looking forward to any new releases. This is great stuff.
(3.1) The Phoenicians - This is classic “historical” story, much like many from the early few years of the series. There are no monsters, aliens or fantasy elements. But that doesn’t stop this from being wonderfully exciting. The cast does an excellent job bringing this wonderful script of Dido and Pygmalion to life. There is action, adventure, mystery, humor and intrigue.
(3.2) Tick-Tock World - For those of you who’ve seen The Mind Robber, you might have an inkling of an idea how weird this story is, or maybe Warrior’s Gate could work as a comparison. Basically this story is taking our four TARDIS travelers into a surreal world of virtually incomprehensible strangeness. At first I was a bit put off by it, but the environment grows on you. Like The Web Planet there are a lot of high concept stuff being tossed about, but unlike that early experimental television adventure this one works pretty darn well.
Update: This is my second time through this set and I found myself enjoying these tales much more this time through than I had at first. I had previously placed this as the weakest of the three sets of First Doctor Adventures, but now I’m not so sure. Both of these adventures have less obvious charms than I had first heard. Whovians of all types should find stuff of interest here. Very enjoyable, entertaining and engaging. Worth another solid Rickommendation from me.
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