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The Sixth Doctor Adventures
Doctor Who: The Sixth Doctor and Peri, Volume 1
Four new adventures featuring the Sixth Doctor and Peri Brown.
1.1 The Headless Ones by James Parsons and Andrew Stirling-Brown
When a distress call from an unknown source threatens to rip the TARDIS from the vortex, the Doctor and Peri arrive in nineteenth-century Africa hoping to find the cause of the disturbance. Instead, they meet a British expedition searching for a long lost tribe: the B’lemyae... better known to the locals as the Headless Ones.
1.2 Like by Jacqueline Rayner
On the Earth colony world Rusina, the populace strive to be popular. Likes lead to promotion, dislikes lead to demotion - and more recently, something worse. So when the Doctor investigates the truth behind their subscriber-led society, he finds himself about to become very unpopular indeed.
1.3 The Vanity Trap by Stuart Manning
Myrna Kendal used to be a Hollywood film star. Now she spends her life reminiscing on chat shows but there is always one unfinished film she refuses to talk about... at least until the TARDIS interrupts a TV interview, and the Doctor and Peri’s appearance stirs up long-forgotten memories.
1.4 Conflict Theory by Nev Fountain
Concerned by the Doctor’s increasing over-protectiveness, Peri presents him with an ultimatum: either they seek counselling or she leaves the TARDIS permanently. Reluctant to lose one of his closest friends, the Doctor seeks out one of the finest psychoanalysts in the universe: Dr Sigmund Freud.
1.1 The Headless Ones by James Parsons and Andrew Stirling-Brown
When a distress call from an unknown source threatens to rip the TARDIS from the vortex, the Doctor and Peri arrive in nineteenth-century Africa hoping to find the cause of the disturbance. Instead, they meet a British expedition searching for a long lost tribe: the B’lemyae... better known to the locals as the Headless Ones.
1.2 Like by Jacqueline Rayner
On the Earth colony world Rusina, the populace strive to be popular. Likes lead to promotion, dislikes lead to demotion - and more recently, something worse. So when the Doctor investigates the truth behind their subscriber-led society, he finds himself about to become very unpopular indeed.
1.3 The Vanity Trap by Stuart Manning
Myrna Kendal used to be a Hollywood film star. Now she spends her life reminiscing on chat shows but there is always one unfinished film she refuses to talk about... at least until the TARDIS interrupts a TV interview, and the Doctor and Peri’s appearance stirs up long-forgotten memories.
1.4 Conflict Theory by Nev Fountain
Concerned by the Doctor’s increasing over-protectiveness, Peri presents him with an ultimatum: either they seek counselling or she leaves the TARDIS permanently. Reluctant to lose one of his closest friends, the Doctor seeks out one of the finest psychoanalysts in the universe: Dr Sigmund Freud.
- GenresDoctor WhoAnthologies
Audiobook
First published August 13, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 7, 2020
Could be a surprising opinion, as I believe this release to be overshadowed by other line ups this year; this is one of the best Big Finish box sets I've listened to, and one of my favorite big finish releases of all time. All stories focus on real issues we see in the world, and every story feels different and offers something diverse.
The Headless Ones: 8/10
Got the same writers who did Live 34 here. Similar to Live 34, has a spark on political commentary about the world. The Doctor and Peri are driven off course by a horrendous sound that disables the TARDIS, and they come part of an expedition party of The Headless Ones. Got one nasty pretentious character in this story and peri did shine here (including the entire set) but this was the weakest story in the set. The Headless Ones I got the least out of by far.
Like: 10/10
In the beginning, I thought the story was kind of stupid and didn't have high hopes for the first ten mins, but I was proved wrong. The story has a silly, fun, and happy society in the outer shell, but the inner shell hides an evil, disgusting and fascistic society led by mob mentality, cancel culture, and slaves to social media. This makes me feel how I would dread to live in the world like the story 'like' People have their self-esteem, worth and happiness on numbers, subscribers, likes, and statistics; which we see in the real world of people becoming egotistical assholes because of their growing numbers.
Everyone is a slave to the system, even the character in apparent control, she is also under the influence of the people. I love the decision at the end: will people pick - The likes and be happy or The Dislikes and watch people suffer. The Doctor saying some would pick the dislikes because of evil psychopaths getting a good feeling by watching others suffer. I won't spoil anymore, but I will say the dislikes in someway, create physical pain, and even death. Again true, people get so influenced by numbers. Camp and stupid, but extremely dark and depressing when you look at it with a pill of reality.
The Vanity Trap: 9.5/10
Get a big Jago & Litefoot vibe from this one by how it's paced, characterised, and written. This story is a taste of science fiction, paradoxes, and dark memories coming to light. It's a little strange in places but the unpredictability and twists played out are incredible; it's got some originality to it. I would call this The Festival of Death light story. Easy to spoil this one, so I'll leave this one brief. What's stopping the 10/10 possible rating is I find it a little slow to get moving, but once it does, it's absolutely incredible.
Conflict Theory: 10/10
I might reward this (perhaps) my favorite Six Doctor story of all time. The characterisation and the story itself is something truly special. Conflict Theory certainly relies on its twists to deliver the impact on the story's events, it plays great respect to the Colin Baker era, the original Six Doctor TV era, and psychoanalytical character expansion (in a way) on the Doctor and his relationships with the previous companions. Bit of continuity fan wanking here, but I am for that shit. ;)
Again, it's such an easy story to spoil yet again. I will say, it relies on flashbacks and fast forward events and pieces stuff together as you progress through the story.
CONCLUSION.
Two 10/10 by me in a single boxset! (almost three) that's crazy because I don't rate 10/10 hardly ever, but I enjoyed this boxset so much, I consider it one of my favourite Big Finish releases of all time. Crazy? Maybe, because I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I honestly wish I preferred The Headless Ones more than I did, if I rated it a 9, I'd give this boxset a 10/10. But with the Goodreads star system, I give it 5/5 stars.
FULL RATING: 36.5/40
BOX SET RATING: 9.5/10
The Headless Ones: 8/10
Got the same writers who did Live 34 here. Similar to Live 34, has a spark on political commentary about the world. The Doctor and Peri are driven off course by a horrendous sound that disables the TARDIS, and they come part of an expedition party of The Headless Ones. Got one nasty pretentious character in this story and peri did shine here (including the entire set) but this was the weakest story in the set. The Headless Ones I got the least out of by far.
Like: 10/10
In the beginning, I thought the story was kind of stupid and didn't have high hopes for the first ten mins, but I was proved wrong. The story has a silly, fun, and happy society in the outer shell, but the inner shell hides an evil, disgusting and fascistic society led by mob mentality, cancel culture, and slaves to social media. This makes me feel how I would dread to live in the world like the story 'like' People have their self-esteem, worth and happiness on numbers, subscribers, likes, and statistics; which we see in the real world of people becoming egotistical assholes because of their growing numbers.
Everyone is a slave to the system, even the character in apparent control, she is also under the influence of the people. I love the decision at the end: will people pick - The likes and be happy or The Dislikes and watch people suffer. The Doctor saying some would pick the dislikes because of evil psychopaths getting a good feeling by watching others suffer. I won't spoil anymore, but I will say the dislikes in someway, create physical pain, and even death. Again true, people get so influenced by numbers. Camp and stupid, but extremely dark and depressing when you look at it with a pill of reality.
The Vanity Trap: 9.5/10
Get a big Jago & Litefoot vibe from this one by how it's paced, characterised, and written. This story is a taste of science fiction, paradoxes, and dark memories coming to light. It's a little strange in places but the unpredictability and twists played out are incredible; it's got some originality to it. I would call this The Festival of Death light story. Easy to spoil this one, so I'll leave this one brief. What's stopping the 10/10 possible rating is I find it a little slow to get moving, but once it does, it's absolutely incredible.
Conflict Theory: 10/10
I might reward this (perhaps) my favorite Six Doctor story of all time. The characterisation and the story itself is something truly special. Conflict Theory certainly relies on its twists to deliver the impact on the story's events, it plays great respect to the Colin Baker era, the original Six Doctor TV era, and psychoanalytical character expansion (in a way) on the Doctor and his relationships with the previous companions. Bit of continuity fan wanking here, but I am for that shit. ;)
Again, it's such an easy story to spoil yet again. I will say, it relies on flashbacks and fast forward events and pieces stuff together as you progress through the story.
CONCLUSION.
Two 10/10 by me in a single boxset! (almost three) that's crazy because I don't rate 10/10 hardly ever, but I enjoyed this boxset so much, I consider it one of my favourite Big Finish releases of all time. Crazy? Maybe, because I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I honestly wish I preferred The Headless Ones more than I did, if I rated it a 9, I'd give this boxset a 10/10. But with the Goodreads star system, I give it 5/5 stars.
FULL RATING: 36.5/40
BOX SET RATING: 9.5/10
July 4, 2021
Part of the big change to the Big Finish storytelling model for the Classic Doctors (that begins with the phasing out of the 275-strong Monthly Range) sees the introduction of new "box set" lines for each Doctor. If this release is anything to go by, it might actually be a stronger and more effective model.
The evidence for:
Four single-disc stories, pitched midway between the single episode anthology tales and the Main Range model in terms of pace. High concepts abound in this set, with Ol' Sixie and (older) Peri matched up against African folklore, social media, Hollywood, and Sigmund Freud. Everything is sharp, with the supporting roles given enough room to stretch without the stories themselves feeling forced or overlong. And the writing... Jac Rayner and Nev Fountain are both A-grade writers, and their contributions are absolutely brilliant, worth the price on their own. Once again Doctor Who views the modern world through the lens of science fiction and pulls it mercilessly apart.
The Headless Ones almost reaches that level, but not quite. It's still wonderfully entertaining, with a real Quartermain feel to the adventure. And in any other company, any other context, The Vanity Trap would be more than just a fun, entertaining romp through the tropes of 1970s English low budget horror movie-making.
The Sixth Doctor, at least, is off to a very colourful start in this new post-Main Range universe...
The evidence for:
Four single-disc stories, pitched midway between the single episode anthology tales and the Main Range model in terms of pace. High concepts abound in this set, with Ol' Sixie and (older) Peri matched up against African folklore, social media, Hollywood, and Sigmund Freud. Everything is sharp, with the supporting roles given enough room to stretch without the stories themselves feeling forced or overlong. And the writing... Jac Rayner and Nev Fountain are both A-grade writers, and their contributions are absolutely brilliant, worth the price on their own. Once again Doctor Who views the modern world through the lens of science fiction and pulls it mercilessly apart.
The Headless Ones almost reaches that level, but not quite. It's still wonderfully entertaining, with a real Quartermain feel to the adventure. And in any other company, any other context, The Vanity Trap would be more than just a fun, entertaining romp through the tropes of 1970s English low budget horror movie-making.
The Sixth Doctor, at least, is off to a very colourful start in this new post-Main Range universe...
August 20, 2020
THE CAWPILE OF 'THE SIXTH DOCTOR AND PERI 1'
Apart from the Doctor and Peri, the one huge standout of The Headless Ones is Amanda, a strong-headed and independent woman of a time when men ruled the world. She takes the spotlight in most scenes, as does Peri, who for once turns out to be useful without her usual whining. Lord Oliver is annoyingly stiff and stern and takes me out of the experience. The B’lemyae could be simple savages, but turn out to be something more mysterious and fascinating, which creates an aura of ancient mystery over the story = 6.5.
----
Like allows Peri to be an unlikely star of a strange subscription-based society, while the Doctor is treated like a criminal. Peri plays a pivotal part in the story as she tries to prevent the authoritarian Commander Crompton from killing the Doctor. This is also a female-dominated story, which is wonderful to hear for a change. One standout is Sandis-Fernis, Who sounds like a bad Peter Capaldi impression = 7.
----
The Vanity Trap is the Sixth Doctor and Peri at their best, being able to throw jokes at each other. Having Six wear Threes costume is incredible as well. Myrna Kendal is the perfect caricature of a golden era Hollywood film star past her heyday. She's convincingly portrayed by Sarah Douglas. And Nicola Bryant doing her best mean lady impression sounds like a gender-swapped William Hartnell. I also want to give a special shoutout to Carolyn Sue, played by Colin Baker's daughter Rosie Baker in her Big Finish debut = 8.5.
----
As a character-driven story, it's great to see the Doctor and Peri delve deep into their consciences and trying to figure out who is the weakest link of the TARDIS. Some of the dialogue between the two characters are among the best moments written for Six and Peri. The Doctor once again acts somewhat erratically, but this time Peri is truly good at defending herself. The Freudian robots with German accents bring some sharp humour into the story, and help give bring depth to the dialogue = 10.
The African setting of The Headless Ones is nothing We usually get on Who, so that makes things fascinating. The social themes brought up during the story are pretty effectively handled and the ending is both grim and sad. The simple soundscapes effectively bring the rain forests of Kongo alive = 6.
----
From a modern sociological point of view, the setting of Like is fairly interesting; a planet and a society built completely upon liking people and their actions and subscribing to them. It's not a new idea in modern science fiction, but a pretty fascinating one. Too bad much of the writing and dialogue makes the otherwise fine atmosphere fall very flat at times = 5.
----
The 70s low-budget film set atmosphere is effectively captured by the script and the soundscapes. The Vanity Trap is a comedic period piece as well as a very simple B-budget monster movie spoof. That lighthearted atmosphere is inter-cut with the menacing atmosphere of time going off track. The music helps to keep the menacing atmosphere present = 8.
----
Conflict Theory paints up some truly tense and emotional scenes between the Doctor and Peri, keeping the listener on the edge of their seat for most of the story, even if it's not filled with action. The well-written character drama then takes a few interesting turns towards the end, suddenly shifting the atmosphere = 9.
I like how The Headless Ones combines very straight forward writing With narration, in the form of diary entries, giving the story exposition. The period dialogue feels genuine and there are some good jokes in there as well (although the "chauvinist man doesn't realize he is ruled by a female queen" joke has been used before) = 7.
----
Jaqueline Rayner usually knows how to write her characters and dialogue but the one in Like is mostly pretentious. It's like she's trying to make the characterless sound hip and modern, but ends up writing overly unrealistic dialogue = 4.5.
----
I adore the script of The Vanity Trap, which is both quirky and incredibly funny. The dialogue is outrageously funny at times. Stuart Manning is an expert at writing dialogue and building tension, which keeps the story flowing very well from beginning to end = 8.
----
Nev Fountain's script for Conflict Theory expertly takes classical Freudian psychoanalysis and puts it into a Doctor Whop setting. I like how the dialogue given to the Doctor and Peri sometime mirror each other, while the characters agree on many things and disagree on others = 10.
The plot of The Headless Ones is straightforward and simple, like most similar plots about expeditions to Africa, but it handles its light science fiction elements well. It also takes the opportunity to shove the feminist message down or throats perhaps a bit too much. A somewhat less obvious approach would have suited just as well. Overall, this is a story about prejudices among humans of all kind, a message the story manages to bring across very effectively. The story also taps into the classic "evil greed of the white man", which it also handles fairly well = 6.
----
While the overall message of Like is a simple and effective one, the plot is let down by some of the horrendous dialogue and the completely off-putting and unnecessary ad inserts that appear between scenes. They become increasingly annoying as the story progresses. The plot revolves around similar ideas as the TV stories The Happiness Patrol and Smile, or perhaps more prominently, Vengeance on Varos = 5.
----
The Vanity Trap goes from a funny little period comedy to a science fiction thriller, and the script is both tongue-in-cheek and truly creepy. The characters are likeable and the alien threat isn't competently unoriginal either. I also like the small twists that arrive along the way, even though I predicted the main one = 8.
----
The final story on the set is a great mix of a character-piece and a funny science fiction adventure, allowing the Doctor and Peri to truly reflect on their adventures together while putting a twist on the typical "characters retelling past events" story type. What I also love about the story is that it makes the Doctor deal with the rather blunt way he abandoned Dodo way back in his first incarnation. It also gives a psychoanalytic explanation to why the Doctor has chosen certain companions. The plot has a bit of a timey-wimey quality to it, but it also makes you think about whether or not the robots' diagnosis is correct = 9.
Very little of note happens in the first story until the second half, but the realistic dialogue and the atmosphere of an African expedition keep things perfectly interesting. The tensions are slowly built during the story and explode in some action in the latter half of the story. The tension between the characters in the final scenes is palpable, well-written and well-performed = 6.5.
----
While the plot itself isn't very intriguing and there isn't much tension to it, the fascinating setting helps to keep it interesting during most of the story. The biggest problem is the lack of real story progression, other than the constant world-building and social commentary that doesn't see to lead anywhere = 6.
----
Laugh out loud moments and the perfect interplay between the Doctor and Myrna keep The Vanity Trap going. The first half is funny, the second half is intense and both halves fly by in a breeze = 9.
----
Conflict Theory is a fascinating story, utilizing Freudian psychoanalysis as a plot device. Its best moments come from the interviews conducted by the Freudian robot and allowing Peri and the Doctor to reflect on their lives. The fascinating dialogue and the way the robots manage to analyze the Doctor's past life is not only perfectly logical, it's very fascinating. Then, for the final act, things turn pretty grim = 9.5.
The Headless Ones is a perfectly logical story, depicting the people and beliefs of the time the story is set in and giving everything a perfectly sensible explanation. The alien presence is light and not fully necessary but works well within the confines of the plot = 7.
----
What makes Like a scary story is that much of how the world and society on the Earth colony works seem like something that is perfectly plausible to happen in real life. Some would argue we already live in a society dominated by likes and subs, making the world of Like spookily contemporary = 8.
----
The Vanity Trap flows perfectly logically from beginning to end, even towards the end where the story gets some more flesh to it = 8.
----
Conflict Theory is an unusually deep analytical Doctor Who story, applying some basic psychoanalytic theories to help us understand the Doctor's life - and it makes perfect sense from so many points of view = 10.
The first story is a simple one with some very obvious messages, but it remains memorable thanks to the setting and a strong supporting character. It's not the best story in the set though, and not one I would immediately return to = 7.
----
Like feels like Big Finish trying to please modern teenagers but in doing so, ending up awkward and lost. There are some good ideas here, but the writing is somewhat lacklustre, so the ideas are lost on the way = 6.
----
The third story mixes comedy with tension perfectly and its setting and characters make it a memorable adventure. The second half is surprisingly complex, making this feel like more than an average Doctor Who adventure = 8.5.
----
Conflict Theory is possibly one of the best Sixth Doctor audios I've heard. It's so simple, yet still complicated and character-driven. It allows for a character analysis the type of which Doctor Who rarely features = 10.
CAWPILE RATING: 7.71 / 10 = 4 stars
Apart from the Doctor and Peri, the one huge standout of The Headless Ones is Amanda, a strong-headed and independent woman of a time when men ruled the world. She takes the spotlight in most scenes, as does Peri, who for once turns out to be useful without her usual whining. Lord Oliver is annoyingly stiff and stern and takes me out of the experience. The B’lemyae could be simple savages, but turn out to be something more mysterious and fascinating, which creates an aura of ancient mystery over the story = 6.5.
----
Like allows Peri to be an unlikely star of a strange subscription-based society, while the Doctor is treated like a criminal. Peri plays a pivotal part in the story as she tries to prevent the authoritarian Commander Crompton from killing the Doctor. This is also a female-dominated story, which is wonderful to hear for a change. One standout is Sandis-Fernis, Who sounds like a bad Peter Capaldi impression = 7.
----
The Vanity Trap is the Sixth Doctor and Peri at their best, being able to throw jokes at each other. Having Six wear Threes costume is incredible as well. Myrna Kendal is the perfect caricature of a golden era Hollywood film star past her heyday. She's convincingly portrayed by Sarah Douglas. And Nicola Bryant doing her best mean lady impression sounds like a gender-swapped William Hartnell. I also want to give a special shoutout to Carolyn Sue, played by Colin Baker's daughter Rosie Baker in her Big Finish debut = 8.5.
----
As a character-driven story, it's great to see the Doctor and Peri delve deep into their consciences and trying to figure out who is the weakest link of the TARDIS. Some of the dialogue between the two characters are among the best moments written for Six and Peri. The Doctor once again acts somewhat erratically, but this time Peri is truly good at defending herself. The Freudian robots with German accents bring some sharp humour into the story, and help give bring depth to the dialogue = 10.
The African setting of The Headless Ones is nothing We usually get on Who, so that makes things fascinating. The social themes brought up during the story are pretty effectively handled and the ending is both grim and sad. The simple soundscapes effectively bring the rain forests of Kongo alive = 6.
----
From a modern sociological point of view, the setting of Like is fairly interesting; a planet and a society built completely upon liking people and their actions and subscribing to them. It's not a new idea in modern science fiction, but a pretty fascinating one. Too bad much of the writing and dialogue makes the otherwise fine atmosphere fall very flat at times = 5.
----
The 70s low-budget film set atmosphere is effectively captured by the script and the soundscapes. The Vanity Trap is a comedic period piece as well as a very simple B-budget monster movie spoof. That lighthearted atmosphere is inter-cut with the menacing atmosphere of time going off track. The music helps to keep the menacing atmosphere present = 8.
----
Conflict Theory paints up some truly tense and emotional scenes between the Doctor and Peri, keeping the listener on the edge of their seat for most of the story, even if it's not filled with action. The well-written character drama then takes a few interesting turns towards the end, suddenly shifting the atmosphere = 9.
I like how The Headless Ones combines very straight forward writing With narration, in the form of diary entries, giving the story exposition. The period dialogue feels genuine and there are some good jokes in there as well (although the "chauvinist man doesn't realize he is ruled by a female queen" joke has been used before) = 7.
----
Jaqueline Rayner usually knows how to write her characters and dialogue but the one in Like is mostly pretentious. It's like she's trying to make the characterless sound hip and modern, but ends up writing overly unrealistic dialogue = 4.5.
----
I adore the script of The Vanity Trap, which is both quirky and incredibly funny. The dialogue is outrageously funny at times. Stuart Manning is an expert at writing dialogue and building tension, which keeps the story flowing very well from beginning to end = 8.
----
Nev Fountain's script for Conflict Theory expertly takes classical Freudian psychoanalysis and puts it into a Doctor Whop setting. I like how the dialogue given to the Doctor and Peri sometime mirror each other, while the characters agree on many things and disagree on others = 10.
The plot of The Headless Ones is straightforward and simple, like most similar plots about expeditions to Africa, but it handles its light science fiction elements well. It also takes the opportunity to shove the feminist message down or throats perhaps a bit too much. A somewhat less obvious approach would have suited just as well. Overall, this is a story about prejudices among humans of all kind, a message the story manages to bring across very effectively. The story also taps into the classic "evil greed of the white man", which it also handles fairly well = 6.
----
While the overall message of Like is a simple and effective one, the plot is let down by some of the horrendous dialogue and the completely off-putting and unnecessary ad inserts that appear between scenes. They become increasingly annoying as the story progresses. The plot revolves around similar ideas as the TV stories The Happiness Patrol and Smile, or perhaps more prominently, Vengeance on Varos = 5.
----
The Vanity Trap goes from a funny little period comedy to a science fiction thriller, and the script is both tongue-in-cheek and truly creepy. The characters are likeable and the alien threat isn't competently unoriginal either. I also like the small twists that arrive along the way, even though I predicted the main one = 8.
----
The final story on the set is a great mix of a character-piece and a funny science fiction adventure, allowing the Doctor and Peri to truly reflect on their adventures together while putting a twist on the typical "characters retelling past events" story type. What I also love about the story is that it makes the Doctor deal with the rather blunt way he abandoned Dodo way back in his first incarnation. It also gives a psychoanalytic explanation to why the Doctor has chosen certain companions. The plot has a bit of a timey-wimey quality to it, but it also makes you think about whether or not the robots' diagnosis is correct = 9.
Very little of note happens in the first story until the second half, but the realistic dialogue and the atmosphere of an African expedition keep things perfectly interesting. The tensions are slowly built during the story and explode in some action in the latter half of the story. The tension between the characters in the final scenes is palpable, well-written and well-performed = 6.5.
----
While the plot itself isn't very intriguing and there isn't much tension to it, the fascinating setting helps to keep it interesting during most of the story. The biggest problem is the lack of real story progression, other than the constant world-building and social commentary that doesn't see to lead anywhere = 6.
----
Laugh out loud moments and the perfect interplay between the Doctor and Myrna keep The Vanity Trap going. The first half is funny, the second half is intense and both halves fly by in a breeze = 9.
----
Conflict Theory is a fascinating story, utilizing Freudian psychoanalysis as a plot device. Its best moments come from the interviews conducted by the Freudian robot and allowing Peri and the Doctor to reflect on their lives. The fascinating dialogue and the way the robots manage to analyze the Doctor's past life is not only perfectly logical, it's very fascinating. Then, for the final act, things turn pretty grim = 9.5.
The Headless Ones is a perfectly logical story, depicting the people and beliefs of the time the story is set in and giving everything a perfectly sensible explanation. The alien presence is light and not fully necessary but works well within the confines of the plot = 7.
----
What makes Like a scary story is that much of how the world and society on the Earth colony works seem like something that is perfectly plausible to happen in real life. Some would argue we already live in a society dominated by likes and subs, making the world of Like spookily contemporary = 8.
----
The Vanity Trap flows perfectly logically from beginning to end, even towards the end where the story gets some more flesh to it = 8.
----
Conflict Theory is an unusually deep analytical Doctor Who story, applying some basic psychoanalytic theories to help us understand the Doctor's life - and it makes perfect sense from so many points of view = 10.
The first story is a simple one with some very obvious messages, but it remains memorable thanks to the setting and a strong supporting character. It's not the best story in the set though, and not one I would immediately return to = 7.
----
Like feels like Big Finish trying to please modern teenagers but in doing so, ending up awkward and lost. There are some good ideas here, but the writing is somewhat lacklustre, so the ideas are lost on the way = 6.
----
The third story mixes comedy with tension perfectly and its setting and characters make it a memorable adventure. The second half is surprisingly complex, making this feel like more than an average Doctor Who adventure = 8.5.
----
Conflict Theory is possibly one of the best Sixth Doctor audios I've heard. It's so simple, yet still complicated and character-driven. It allows for a character analysis the type of which Doctor Who rarely features = 10.
CAWPILE RATING: 7.71 / 10 = 4 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2020
The Headless Ones:
A solid little adventure with a great sense of ancient mystery with the Headless Ones themselves, and a villain by the name of Lord Oliver who is fantastically performed by Hugh Skinner who really brings out this egotestical, bigotted and disgusting human being to life brilliantly, and of course Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant along with the rest of the cast were fantastic too and their all provided by a great script from two collabrators who I have wanted to see write another audio drama together again ever since I listened to Live 34! 8/10
Like:
A fantasic little sc-fi story with a fantastic bit of commentary on how obsessive people are on social media and how corrupt Cancel Culture is and how it can harm people. Jacqueline Rayner has written a brilliant script with some lovely humourous moments as well as some dark ones, and the cast really get to bring this wonderful script to life and it's glorious! 8.5/10
The Vanity Trap:
As a fan of the Dark Shadows audio dramas I have always found Stuart Manning to be an underrated writing talent at Big Finish, he's great at covers too but ever since his stellar The Night Whispers story for that range, I have been waiting eagely for another story from this writer and he didn't dissappoint! This time he is giving a go at Doctor Who and he does a brilliant job! Bringing in the spookiness that is seen in his Dark Shadows work whilst also telling a well crafted character piece with a clever timey-wimey tale to tell.
The characterization is top notch in this and it's provided by stellar performances from the cast, with terrific sound design that made me jump at a couple of points! For those interested in clever but atmospheric stories or fictional stories about Hollywood movies that never came to be then this is for you! 9.5/10
Conflict Theory:
After a series of unfortunate events The Doctor and Peri decide to get therapy from... Sigmund Freud Robots?! Whilst there are some bizzare stuff in this, this is also a strong character drama that analyses The Doctor and Peri as character and what they mean to each other. But not everything is as it seems... A brilliant script from Nev Fountain who has always excelled at stories like this and he has written yet another cracker, and the cast do a wonderful job bringing this story to life! Defintely the best story in this set! 10/10
Overall: 36/40
A solid little adventure with a great sense of ancient mystery with the Headless Ones themselves, and a villain by the name of Lord Oliver who is fantastically performed by Hugh Skinner who really brings out this egotestical, bigotted and disgusting human being to life brilliantly, and of course Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant along with the rest of the cast were fantastic too and their all provided by a great script from two collabrators who I have wanted to see write another audio drama together again ever since I listened to Live 34! 8/10
Like:
A fantasic little sc-fi story with a fantastic bit of commentary on how obsessive people are on social media and how corrupt Cancel Culture is and how it can harm people. Jacqueline Rayner has written a brilliant script with some lovely humourous moments as well as some dark ones, and the cast really get to bring this wonderful script to life and it's glorious! 8.5/10
The Vanity Trap:
As a fan of the Dark Shadows audio dramas I have always found Stuart Manning to be an underrated writing talent at Big Finish, he's great at covers too but ever since his stellar The Night Whispers story for that range, I have been waiting eagely for another story from this writer and he didn't dissappoint! This time he is giving a go at Doctor Who and he does a brilliant job! Bringing in the spookiness that is seen in his Dark Shadows work whilst also telling a well crafted character piece with a clever timey-wimey tale to tell.
The characterization is top notch in this and it's provided by stellar performances from the cast, with terrific sound design that made me jump at a couple of points! For those interested in clever but atmospheric stories or fictional stories about Hollywood movies that never came to be then this is for you! 9.5/10
Conflict Theory:
After a series of unfortunate events The Doctor and Peri decide to get therapy from... Sigmund Freud Robots?! Whilst there are some bizzare stuff in this, this is also a strong character drama that analyses The Doctor and Peri as character and what they mean to each other. But not everything is as it seems... A brilliant script from Nev Fountain who has always excelled at stories like this and he has written yet another cracker, and the cast do a wonderful job bringing this story to life! Defintely the best story in this set! 10/10
Overall: 36/40
September 20, 2020
Old Sixie and Peri are back for 4 new adventures!
The Headless Ones-
I thought this was an enjoyable little classic story.
I like exploration stories, and the expedition into the jungle to search for a lost tribe was an interesting setting. As a kid I loved the old Tarzan movies, and all this needed was an elephant graveyard and the Doctor swinging yodeling from some vines.
It was fine, I do not find a lot to critizise about it.
Also, Sixie and Peri were great, but that is basically their go to position.
Like-
this was always going to be compared to that episode of the Orville which basically has the same plot.
Both are quite heavy handed and on the nose.
I already disliked that in the Orville episode.
There is no subtlety there, and the story cruises along without much elegance.
In direct comparison, juvenile humour aside, the Orville is going to win out here, though.
Both require severe suspension of disbelief, but the Orville story just does it a tad better.
Vanity trap-
this was a fun story, with some nice timey-whimey elements. The story itself did remind me of another story, but for the life of me cannot remember which.
I thought the diva character and the resolution of the story was quite clever, however, I did not really quite follow what the "villain" (?) was doing exactly and how that gadget was supposed to work. Still, I enjoyed myself.
Conflict Theory-
I liked this.
I thought it was a great and fun story, even when making fun of therapists who are really full of themselves.
Story and solution were clever, and both Peri and the Doctor get their moments to shine and to be heroic.
What a far cry from the TV series!
It also tries to go a bit deeper concerning their relationships and (partially) succeeds there.
I also did not mind the supposedly juvenile joke. But then I like the Orville, so I am kind of taking it in my stride.
So, all in all, I did like this set.
It was certainly not the disappointment I feared, however, it was also not the best box set BF has ever done, not even among the best this year, but there are a few stronger contenders.
Still, great effort and worth it, especially for someone like me who just loves Big Finish Sixie!
The Headless Ones-
I thought this was an enjoyable little classic story.
I like exploration stories, and the expedition into the jungle to search for a lost tribe was an interesting setting. As a kid I loved the old Tarzan movies, and all this needed was an elephant graveyard and the Doctor swinging yodeling from some vines.
It was fine, I do not find a lot to critizise about it.
Also, Sixie and Peri were great, but that is basically their go to position.
Like-
this was always going to be compared to that episode of the Orville which basically has the same plot.
Both are quite heavy handed and on the nose.
I already disliked that in the Orville episode.
There is no subtlety there, and the story cruises along without much elegance.
In direct comparison, juvenile humour aside, the Orville is going to win out here, though.
Both require severe suspension of disbelief, but the Orville story just does it a tad better.
Vanity trap-
this was a fun story, with some nice timey-whimey elements. The story itself did remind me of another story, but for the life of me cannot remember which.
I thought the diva character and the resolution of the story was quite clever, however, I did not really quite follow what the "villain" (?) was doing exactly and how that gadget was supposed to work. Still, I enjoyed myself.
Conflict Theory-
I liked this.
I thought it was a great and fun story, even when making fun of therapists who are really full of themselves.
Story and solution were clever, and both Peri and the Doctor get their moments to shine and to be heroic.
What a far cry from the TV series!
It also tries to go a bit deeper concerning their relationships and (partially) succeeds there.
I also did not mind the supposedly juvenile joke. But then I like the Orville, so I am kind of taking it in my stride.
So, all in all, I did like this set.
It was certainly not the disappointment I feared, however, it was also not the best box set BF has ever done, not even among the best this year, but there are a few stronger contenders.
Still, great effort and worth it, especially for someone like me who just loves Big Finish Sixie!
April 28, 2023
All four stories have interesting ideas that lend themselves to be explored in a Doctor Who-y way, and they are to an extent, but all of them end up running a little longer that they should have and thus not reaching unfortunately their full potential. Like is clearly the best one, and guess what, it's also the shortest. With 45-minute versions you have near-classics, now you have a boxset of "good ones".
October 12, 2022
Commercials in one of the stories brought early Big Finish audio Doctor Who: The Fearmonger to mind, which itself reminded me of The Who Sell Out. There were some nice grounded moments with the Sixth Doctor and Peri kind of thinking about why they travel with each other. I was not expecting an analysis of The Doctor seeing his early companions as Susan replacements in some ways.
March 28, 2021
Good collection of the Sixth Doctor and Peri. I don't recall being overly fond of this era on TV, but Big Finish have significantly expanded and improved the dynamic - it's certainly less antagonistic then when they started and there's a fair bit of humour.
October 3, 2020
4 great adventures with the Doctor and Peri.
July 23, 2021
1 - 3.5; 2 - 4 (perhaps a little too close to reality; somewhat reminiscent of that Black Mirror episode); 3 - 3; 4 -3
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