Doctor Who: Max Warp

The Eighth Doctor Adventures #2.2

by Jonathan Morris, Paul McGann (Performer), Sheridan Smith (Performer)

Welcome to Max Warp! Broadcasting live from the Sirius Inter-G Cruiser Show. Hosted by outspoken columnist and media personality Geoffrey Vantage, with spaceship-guru-extraordinaire O’Reilley and daredevil pilot Timbo ‘the Ferret’.

When a test flight of the new Kith Sunstorm ends in disaster, the Sirius Exhibition Station is plunged into a web of murder and intrigue. Someone – or something – is trying to re-ignite a war between the Varlon Empire and the Kith Oligarchy.

As the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance, only two investigators, the Doctor and Lucie, can hope to uncover the truth.

So strap yourself in, engage thrust, and prepare for... Max Warp!

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Media Tie In

Audio CD

First published February 1, 2008

About the author

Jonathan Morris is one of the most prolific and popular writers of Doctor Who books, including the highly-regarded novels 'Festival of Death' and 'Touched by an Angel' and the recent guide to monsters, 'The Monster Vault'. He has also written numerous comic strips, most of which were collected in 'The Child of Time', and audios for BBC Audio and Big Finish, including the highly-regarded comedies 'Max Warp' and 'The Auntie Matter', as well as the adaptation of Russell T Davies’ 'Damaged Goods'.

Recently he has started his own audio production company, Average Romp. Releases include a full-cast adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Chimes', an original play, 'When Michael Met Benny', and three episodes of a SF sitcom, 'Dick Dixon in the 21st Century'.

For details visit www.averageromp.com

He also originated his own series, Vienna and script-edited the Nigel Planer series 'Jeremiah Bourne in Time'. He’s also written documentaries and for TV sketch shows.

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[April Mccaffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucie: What does the TARDIS initials stand for again? Time and relative...dimensions in shed?
The Doctor: That's not what it stands for!
Lucie: Yes it does. Though my favourite bit about the TARDIS, it's a lovely shade of blue.
The Doctor: Get in.
Lucie: *Laughs*

[Emilija · Rating 2 out of 5]

2024 52 Book Challenge - May Mini Challenge - 1) Author's Last Name Starts With "M"

I really wasn't a fan of this audiobook. I found the plot really boring, and I found Lucie to be especially grating. Every time she started talking about rodents, I could feel my blood pressure rising in annoyance.

Re-Read

On a second read, I think maybe I was in a bad mood when I read it originally, because the plot was much more interesting this time. Lucie was still grating on me, but it was more manageable.

[Dichotomy Girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one a little bit more than the first one that I listened to.

[Leila Anani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doctor Who does Top Gear in Space meets Agatha Christie.

The Doctor (McGann) takes Lucie (Sheridan Smith) to Max Warp - The Intergalactic version of Top Gear; test-driving space ships. Presenter Timbo "Ferret" (Blue's Duncan James) is killed in a crash and it appears to be murder. Max Warp is an important race-relations joint venture between two alien races - The Varlon and the Kith,as part of the peace process after bloody war. But when, after Timbo, the Kith ambassador gets assassinated it seems that someone wants to rekindle hostilities. It's up to the Doctor to play detective and find out who.

This one's very much for the 'boys' - Who and Top Gear together is, I'm sure many fans dream. I didn't feel that Lucie had much of a chance to shine and Vantage's misogyny - while very much part of his character annoyed me I'm sure as much as Lucie.

Still this one's a great deal of fun. I like the idea of the Doctor as detective (Robots of Death and Talons of Weng-Chiang, being two particular favourite episodes) and the intergalactic space rally does make a colourful backdrop. Voice cast are as ever fantastic, some great use of accents here and you can tell everyone's having a blast. Not my favourite, but pretty good.

[Lachlan McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il secondo episodio della serie è decisamente migliore dell'inizio. In questo caso, il Dottore e Lucie arrivano su una stazione spaziale in cui si sta registrando una puntata dello show Max Warp, chiara parodia di Top Gear ma con navi spaziali al posto delle auto. Tuttavia dopo un fatale incidente, che il Dottore è convinto non sia affatto casuale, le tensioni tra due fazioni che stavano riallacciando i rapporti diplomatici dopo la fine di una guerra si impennano nuovamente. I nostri protagonisti dovranno quindi non solo risolvere un omicidio, ma anche prevenire una guerra.
L'episodio riesce ad equilibrare ben tre generi diversi, combinando la parodia di personaggi realmente esistenti con un mistero stile Agatha Cristie e un dramma politico, risultando quindi sì divertente ma non superficiale. Le due fazioni che ci vengono presentate, da una parte gli umanoidi Varlon e dall'altra gli alieni Kith, sono ben rappresentate, e le informazioni che vengono fornite sulla loro guerra e successiva riappacificazione sono inserite all'interno del discorso senza sembrare un infodump, ma permettendo lo stesso di avere ben chiaro quali siano i loro rapporti diplomatici.
La trama è intrigante e riserva alcune sorprese sul finale, anche se il colpevole non era del tutto insospettabile. Lucie e il Dottore passano più tempo insieme rispetto a “Dead London”, interagendo con amichevoli prese in giro che ricordano molto il rapporto tra Donna e Dieci (una battuta di Lucie è quasi identica ad una presente in “Planet of the Ood”, ma l'audio è uscito mesi prima, quindi credo sia una coincidenza). Tuttavia hanno anche modo di indagare separatamente, il che permette a Lucie di avere uno scopo, anche se la risoluzione finale spetta tutta al Dottore.
Per quanto riguarda i personaggi secondari, il focus va soprattutto alle tre parodie (non molto lusinghiere) dei tre presentatori di Top Gear, che va ad enfatizzare i lati peggiori di ognuno di loro (il che funziona nel contesto dell'episodio, ma essendo fan del programma un po' mi dispiace). In particolare, il corrispettivo di Jeremy Clarkson, qui chiamato Geoffrey Vantage, è passato dall'essere “politicamente scorretto” per questioni di satira, ad essere un vero e proprio misogino e razzista, talmente odioso che mi domando com'è possibile che non sia lui la vittima.
Nel complesso Max Warp è molto piacevole e divertente da ascoltare, certamente un miglioramento rispetto all'episodio precedente, ma forse non allo stesso livello di certi audio della prima stagione. Mi pare di notare un'assenza di trama orizzontale per questa stagione, di conseguenza può anche essere interessante da ascoltare da solo.

[John Parungao · Rating 3 out of 5]

A space age version of Top Gear, Max Warp is the backdrop for a murder mystery with political overtones as one of the victims is an important political figure and one of the suspects is an influential media celebrity. The Doctor and Lucie Miller make a great detective team as both take different paths to uncover the clues and prevent a potential war by unmasking the culprit behind everything.

[Isiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very white, very straight, sexist and racist dude bro who was in the war, but didn’t actually fight, has OPINIONS. Also, Lucy teases the Doctor about playing Sherlock. It’s all very murder mystery meets Top Gear.

That being said, it was a pretty engaging story.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

宇宙船版Top Gear「Max Warp」収録中に事故が起こる。しかしドクターは事故ではなく殺人事件と見抜きルーシーと2人で捜査をはじめる。

「Top Gear」のパロディになっているのも楽しかったしルーシーにターディスを納屋と言われて憤慨するドクターが可愛かった。100年前にミッドライフ・クライシスは終えたもんとルーシーに言い返している8thも可愛かった。身も蓋もないツッコミをするルーシーと8thのコンビネーションが好きすぎる！

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slightly better than the last BUT the Top Gear parallels drag this one down. The villain was boring and hearing a character talk about "political correctness" with disgust just feel like I'm spending time with my parents (not exactly good).

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this Doctor who spin on a classic car show. I don't actively watch the show, but I have seen it enough through cultural osmosis that I understood all the jokes and asides they did. Overall, it was a fun listen.

[SuperPiggy5000 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun spoof of Top Gear! Loved all the references as well as the Agatha Christie references. Also loved Lucie calling the Tardis a shed, "Time and Relative Dimensions in Shed" XD

Lucie and the Doctor have been becoming a really great Tardis team!

3.5/5

[Vanna Book-Mage · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s giving “car” Space ship exhibition show vibes. Radio show hosts. Politicians.
Lucie is hilarious! All the Sherlock & Agatha Christie references made me snicker. Murder Mystery sleight of hand. Ba ha ha. It’s a shed!

[Sara Habein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I like the Jeremy Clarkson character getting his comeuppance, this one was just okay for me.

[Sidney McKidney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eh. The concept wasn't that unique to begin with, and its ending is just a series of ridiculous out-of-left-field plot twists.

[sunRay12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for:
・all of Lucie's quips about the TARDIS
・8 being like Sherlock Holmes
・8 geeking out about space ships

4 stars for:
・Geoffrey (bleeeh)

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never seen any Top Gear but it was fun

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently, this pokes fun at Top Gear. The sexist comments got old right away. And I did kinda cringe when Lucie told the Doctor "Go Sherlock." They did have fun banter here and there.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second listen to Max Warp, and it’s a favourite of mine; it may not be the strongest plot ever, but it’s such a fun story and great listening.

[Viviana · Rating 3 out of 5]

[audiobook]

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Top Gear/Agatha Christie scifi mashup that nobody asked for. Ambitious but rubbish.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the mix of a murder mystery and a parody of Top Gear.

[Gabriel Mero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really loving this series so far!

[Rob Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Top Gear In Space with a Poirot ending.

Entertaining and very obvious (even referencing Poirot later on) but good fun.

[Charles Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good.

[Mike Rempel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul mcGann ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
waaaaaay to short

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well rounded story but overhyped in my opinion. It's a good who-done-it.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to get through. If I wanted to hear an arrogant bigoted dickhead bitch about liberals and women drivers, I’d call my father occasionally. I go to Doctor Who to get away from all that.

[Jon Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

The essence of high concept: Doctor Who does Top Gear. Jonathan Morris spins a diplomatic murder mystery around the apparent death of one of the presenters of a much-beloved by boys of a certain age show. As you’d expect from that it’s a fast moving comedy, the quicker pace of these single CD releases feeling like a breath of fresh air compared to the contemporary releases in their main range. The Max Warp sections don’t amount to much more than parody, but they’re given comic weight by an enjoyable performance from Graeme Garden as the Clarkson substitute. And the deliberately absurd murder mystery works mainly through the brio of Sheridan Smith. Lucie seems to have lost a few IQ points in this but to excellent comic effect – Smith is easily the best timer of a comic line to appear in a Big Finish release. Given the nature of the murder mystery there’s inevitably a fair deal of exposition, particularly at the story’s climax, but that’s inevitable and compensated for by having the solution to the mystery linked to certain perceived flaws of the Clarkson TV persona. Not deep but certainly one of the better Big Finish comedies.

And for their next trick: Doctor Who does the Great British Bake Off... in space.