Let's be real, audio dramas are what saved Paul McGann's Doctor for a lot of people. The TV movie wasn't the worst, but he really gained a larger audience thanks to Big Picture-inspired stories.
And it helped the Sixth Doctor too which I heard horror stories that went behind the scenes of that era. I’m currently going through classic Doctor who, but I’ve seen clips of Colin’s bakers introduction the twin dilemma and he did not leave the best first impression for me.
The TV Movie was an above average Doctor Who Story, but it was an absolutely terrible way to introduce newcomers to the franchise. It was bogged down with explanations about the Doctor and the Master and Regenerations and the Tardis and there wasn't even any time travel or the scary aliens the show was known for.
A few personal notes about this audio: 1. It's my personal favorite 2. As an amateur baker, I've been wanting to try and make a plum pudding 3. Before I looked up the cast, I thought Shaughnessy was played by James Nesbitt. 4. I met Robert Sherman, the writer, at a convention a few years and I told him this was one of my favorite Doctor Who things ever. He was shocked by this. Not because he thought it was bad but because it was made so long ago that he thought people would have forgotten about it.
Speaking of solving problems with Yu-Gi-Oh, I did that in D&D once. Having been sent to retrieve an item, we found it being argued over by a bunch of Beholder-kin. My character, a rogue, snuck up on them, but a poor roll meant that she got caught. After a failed attempt to convince them that she was a door-to-door Hell Spider salesperson, and "admitting" to her attempted scam them, she proposed a fair way to decide which of the arguing factions got the item. See, I had made a joke about Yu-Gi-Oh being only comprehensible to eldritch beings, which the DM ruled canon. My character, having been raised by her demon grandfather, just so happened to know what Duel Monsters was (and Warhammer, but that's neither here nor there). So she suggested a best of 5 Duel, which she could provide refreshments for. The Beholder-kin immediately agreed and pulled out their decks. As this character was ALSO an established drug dealer, she spiked the refreshments, and she and our other rogue stole the item. Our bard also stole the most strategically important cards from each deck. It's very in keeping with the rest of the campaign, which features such things as said "Hadozee" Bard, who might just be an orangutan from the real world and who has, CANONICALLY, seen every Twitch stream.
I agree he’s a really good doctor in my opinion and seeing him In that bbc special a few years ago that sets up the war doctor was really amazing story in my opinion.
I'm guessing the reason the paradox occurred when they landed in 1906 is because Edith now knew Charlie was alive in the future. Like when someone's memories rewrite themselves to fit a changed history. Edith now had these memories of meeting Charlie in 1906 even if she didn't know her then, but as the time of Charlie's death approached maybe she began putting the pieces together and realized Charlie didn't die but became a time traveler somehow. Or to be more vague, it could be that the memories were repressed by timey-wimey goop until the time of Charlie's apparent death and then she suddenly realized "wait, if she just died, how did I meet her 15 years ago before she was born?" You could technobabble (timebabble?) a lot of more precise explanations for HOW it could make sense that would be feasible, so I'm fine with this explanation as-is.
I love how the 8th Doctor has been more than vindicated by Big Finish, and how the show followed up on that with Night of the Doctor and Power of the Doctor. The Big Finish 8th Doctor theme is honestly one of my favorite renditions of it, its just so otherworldly and different, and in retrospect is quite an omen for whats to come for him in Big Finish and his eventual end.
I mean big finish usually slaps with themes A personal favorite is their war. Doctor thing which is also used for the eighth doctor occasionally. Is for his time more stories but I don't really care for that
The movie was a thing in and of itself. But it had a lot of firsts, including the dark themed TARDIS interior and the orchestral arrangement of the theme.
I wonder if they're playing by the classic rules or the modern game. Because they're two very different beasts. Also, Linkara better come with a Super Quant deck!
@@nirast2561 I hope they don't do any pendulum or link rules/stuff. Super Quant is a good choice, though I'm hoping he uses a Elemental Hero deck since they are about super heroes.
@@CommentingCommenter (I'll admit, my Yugioh knowledge is iffy, so take what I say with a hint of salt) I say Linkara could win pretty damn easily with anime Zexal rules
I liked the concept of the Thirteenth Doctor New Years specials because historically the BBC's mandate for a Christmas special every year meant when it was time for the Doctor to regenerate they always had to either shoehorn a regeneration into a Christmas story or shoehorn Christmas into a regeneration story. But having the Doctor regenerate in a New Years story would work great, the themes of those two concepts would go together really well. Ironically I didn't end up watching the Thirteenth Doctors last episode and I'm not sure if it came out on New Years or not.
I am ecstatic you chose one of McGann's audio drams for this. At work, I started using Spotify in downtime and did not realize the Big Finish dramas were on there for a long time. Just finished my first McGann story (Storm Warning) and it only took the one to figure out how great his Doctor is! Already excited for more and will try to find this story now too.
I really got into the doctor who audio dramas this year and that led me down a whole other rabbit hole of shearman's work. I love his twisted sense of humor and his commitment to absurdity without sacrificing characterization. I wish he wrote more audioplays but i respect his decision to focus on short stories
Oh my god, a plot segment?! I honestly thought Linkara was not doing them anymore, even the Halloween went without anything creepy happening. That's a nice surprise!
The Contest of Champions has been kicking his ass because it needs a lot of special effects and cameos. Toss the pandemic in and the storyline grinds to a halt. So the storyline's stuck, other storylines are held up until its done, and a bunch of schedule problems. Hopefully, it will ease up once the Contest ends.
@@wanderingstorytellerj7758And to top it all off, he didn't even get to do it properly. The bit at the end of this video was just him speedrunning through all the fights and events that he wanted to properly show us. But he's thrown it all into this one talking scene (and presumably with a montage in the next episode if I understand his tweets about it properly) so he could jump straight into the finale because he's so f-ing sick of it hanging over his head.
I do wonder if Moffat got the idea of Clara from Charlie honestly. The two characters have similar strange things going on in their backstories, what with the whole this girl was supposed to die thing, and even their relationships with the doctor. We know moffat did listen to the big finish, seeing that this one is said to be one of his all time favorites.
Ever since you mentioned Charley way back in your very first Doctor Who video and ever since first listening to Storm Warning has made me make them my favorite Tardis team ever. Paul McGann and India Fisher are magical performing together.
41:46 Apologies if someone has posted about this, but I believe the reason the paradox happened was due to the whole paradox situation involving Charlie. A big note is made about how Charlie existing is causing the web of time to unravel (Neverland), becoming weaker in places and Charlie herself releasing temporal energy that allows time experiments that shouldn't work TO work (Time of the Daleks). Thus, a situation that shouldn't result in a paradox suddenly bends under the weight of Charlie's existence. In hindsight it's a big indicator of just how bad things are getting while Charlie lives (which in hindsight also applies to Seasons of Fear, even if that one ultimately ends with things better than they are found). Loved this review. I love Big Finish Doctor Who, and seeing someone I enjoy watching talk about it and analyze it is a treat. The fact it's about one of my favorite audio plays is just the cherry on top (The Wormery is my ultimate favorite, but there are loads just after it I can't quantify a real list for). Eight and Charlie was a great duo, though I was introduced with Eight and Lucy, and it's interesting to compare both of them since they both had a first season of sorts where a mystery of them both trying to get home occurs. I should look into Scherzo at some point - thank you for the recommendation, and merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!
This was one of the first Doctor audio dramas I'd ever listened to. As I sort of jumped into listening to them (and there were so many) I sort of selected one that seemed to be a stand alone adventure of sorts and up my ally with the spookiness. I'm so happy to see you review this wonderful audio drama Linkara, it was a great one and I loved your sum up at the end. Also, can't wait to see how the tournament ends. Been playing catch up with the videos so...soon! :)
I'm really glad I came around to your videos again, it's been a long time and I'm really really glad to see you're still making awesome content! Especially a video about the audio adventures? Hell yea! Love ya Linkara!
Yeah, I was sitting there thinking he was going to pull some next level gambit like “guess what I have in my hand” or flipping a coin. So YGO made me happily surprised at the simplicity of it. Never change, Linkara.
@@BenVSA I had to look this up. I did not realize that’s who that was. I’m only passingly familiar with his Abridged series. And only because Linkara has referenced it.
Having Little Kuriboh voice this guy using his more subdued Seto Kaiba voice and challenging him to a game of Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters is so meta amusing
In the 'wilderness years' there was also a charity [comic relief] parody episode of Dr Who ['the curse of fatal death'] in 1999 with Rowan Atkinson [Mr Bean, Blackadder] as The Doctor and Jonathan Pryce as 'The Master'. It's noticeable as it was written by future Dr Who and Sherlock writer Stephen Moffatt.
Great to see another fan of the audios! Listening to it all has made the 8th doctor my favourite doctor overall and Charlotte Pollard and Lucy Miller are my favourite companions. Although Evelyn Smythe with the 6th doctor is awesome too.
This is a Doctor Who anniversary episode, a Christmas episode AND an episode released on my birthday! Lovely! I convinced my brother to watch Doctor Who by mentioning many of the things I learned through your channel. I haven't really started myself, but we watched some of the episodes together (we're watching the New™ Who) Gonna edit the comment with further commentary if I think it's needed I LOVE THIS AUDIO DRAMA????????? BRO, THESE ARE ALL SUCH INTERESTING CONCEPTS! I love them WAITWAITWAIT STORYLINE!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!??!!? ITS HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE
Okay, the terms of Linkara's final contest reminded me of one of my earlier writings. I was making a Sonic/Transformers crossover called Transformers: Mobian Chronicles and Optimus (a brash hot-head who needed a kick in the pants before he went evil) played YuGiOh against a holographic version of himself before he grew up.
I actually listened to this the other day in anticipation of your review. I always forget how incredible the Eighth Doctor and Charley Pollard are together. They're up there with Seven and Ace, and Eleven and the Ponds for one of my favorite TARDIS teams.
As someone who grew up watching old Who, I *LOVE* the audio dramas. It really is where the 6th Doctor went from my least to my most favorite incarnation. Colin Baker is just so good in that role, and they let him really flex his acting chops for once, not seen really since Trial of a Timelord (which is his best in the show hands down). I also love the Jago and Litefoot series, though obviously those couldn't continue after the death of Trevor Baxter.
6:00 format change for this episode 12:43 British vs American (in pronunciation) 36:12 A line very memorable for Linkara 41:09 how time paradoxes can give birth to living time loops 42:47 let's vivisect the whole "do you deserve to live" idea, how selfishness is a dealbreaker, and somes tropes about living and dying and how the image of DOCTOR WHO - THE LAST audio drama fits the discussion 46:40 another line that is better than it sounds 49:32 Am I the only one who wishes we could explore a different approach to "choosing life" ? This might just be my contrarian nature talking, but , haven't you noticed that the usual lines of "You are loved, that you make a difference, you are not nothing nobody, and you have value" sound a little bit... don't know arrogant? egotistical motives to live? I don't know, i think it would be way more interesting having someone on the verge of, you know, self-termination, still chose to live, even if the entire world hates them unfairly and nothing they do will achieve anything. But they still love life and to live (even if it is a one-sided love) 52:58 it would be hilarious if you actually showed a replay of both of you playing the yugioh card game (by EDOPro or Master Duel or Duel LInks or Dueling Book).... and both of you ended up bricking on turn 1. Although that makes me wonder, what format would you use? OCG? TCG? Traditional=? A specific period format like EDISON? TOSS? GOAT? Would you ban FTks?
17:49 No, that's more like when the Road Runner goes through a road painted on the side of a boulder and Wile E. tries it himself to the result of much pain. It's a lapse in judgement but still him being too stupid to know better.
I found this on CD on vacation in wales oddly enough…. 🤔 this is my FAVORITE audio book and the 8th like the 6th doctor is highly overlooked and underrated. Glad I’ve found someone who likes this too.
I grew up in Australia, and my grandmother used to make Christmas pudding with threepenny bits in it, served with baked custard. My father would sometimes make it too, and would give me a dollar for every threepenny I returned to him, since they're not made there anymore. I never tried to make it myself because it takes a week at minimum. Very tasty though, and much better than what they sell at stores in any country I've lived in.
17 year old me tuned in to the TV movie without really knowing about Doctor Who, and I enjoyed it. I remember thinking I was in if they did get a show. Re-watching it about 10 years later on a defunct video site, I found it enjoyable. McGann definitely was the highlight of the whole thing, and I enjoy seeing that he's still being used in things like "Night of the Doctor" and "The Power of the Doctor."
The early Big Finish Eighth Doctor stuff was really interesting because they had no idea if, or when, the show would ever return, so they took it wild directions.
Throughout this review I couldn't help but think of Clock Tower due to presence of the clock ticking and the horror nature of this adventure, it's not really relevant to the story itself but it was just something on that kept barging its way into my brain. "Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a giant pair of scissors"
Thanks for telling us the moral Linkara. I really needed to hear this. Also glad to see the Contest of Champions coming back. Can hardly wait to see you Duel
2020 sucked but someone on reddit recommending getting into Big Finish and discovering everything they had to offer helped big time. Started with Lovecraftian Invasion and Scherzo... 2 stories i do not recommend others start with, but yeah. 8th Doctor ended up bridging me from a lapsed Who fan, into an adult Doctor Who fan. McGann is my second favourite because of this, after Smith.
I remember watching the 1996 movie on my 17th birthday. Paul McGann was a great romantic Doctor and enjoyed his adventures in Big Finish, the books, and Night of the Doctor.
Aw good for Linksano. I can't believe the end of this grand story rests on a children's card game. Wait yes I can, I've watched this show since year one lol. Thank you for so many memories Lewis and merry christmas :D
What a coincidence. I just finished watching an old classic Who Serial, “The Androids of Tara” from season 16 (the key to time), and then I find this video.
A story segment and the lead-in to The Contest of Champion's finale? It's a Christmas miracle! Hell, this will also solve a long real world mystery: your deck.
I think that this may have been the first Big Finish I ever heard, as it was on BBC Radio in 2005, though I only heard the first part and listened to the whole of it in 2013. It's a beautiful piece. Dark, funny but uplifting. Apparently Chibnall intended Spyfall as a Christmas special but the BBC wanted to move away from it. So the people blaming him for it are being a bit unfair. I look forward to people completely missing the point of this comment. Rob Shearman also did The Holy Terror, compared to which The Chimes of Midnight is pretty light-hearted! Moffat has cited THT and TCOM as his fave 6 and 8 stories. You can see some influence in Heaven Sent, the whole loop in a prison with a figure coming after them. What's the point in being alive... if you say that in some areas of the fandom you're practically expected to bring up Dan's comment in Flux: What's the point of being alive if it's not to make others happy? And the last New Year special did have a time loop as well with a twist... though this kind of played into the themes of New Year's Day. It was kind of The Chase for New Who as a holiday special.
Gonna stop right here at the opening song to listen to the story myself before I continue on. You had me sold at "creepy christmas story" been wanting more of those
Finally getting resolution for the CoC! Linkara, you better Get Your Game On, because I’m sure Chief is gonna Rev It Up! Not sure if he’s Gonna Feel the Flow, or how either of you will Swing Into Action, but It’s Time to Duel! 😁
I listened to this one based on googling which 8th doctor stories were best to listen to. My god is this one fantastic. One of the best Dr Who stories in my opinion.
Anyone want to point out linksano had on a chef jacket? It even had the pen pockets on the arm. Linksano just might also be the chef, head cannon confirmed
I liked the Christmas theme song. I am looking forward to the next review, especially since the Contest of Champions will be decided with a game of Yu-Gi-Oh! My childhood nostalgia is going to hit me like a truck! Merry Christmas, Linkara!
Great episode, really enjoying the Doctor Who special so far and the more I learn the more I understand some gags from various creators. But the most important thing is that I need to learn how to make plum pudding for Christmas. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I halfway expect the real villain to be a fruit cake, grown sentient with age beyond its expiration date, who wants to frame plum puddings so that fruit cakes can take back their rightful place as Christmas desserts.
I mean the Eighth Doctor is a Transformers fan, I'd be cool for him to cross universes and help one of the Transformers continuities that haven't been visited in a while.
54:04 Let’s hope that Linksano and Linkara would realize that the Confession Box was sent by the Bandit Chief (which I think it’s cheating) as a way to make sure that he can win the prize and that he’ll probably invade AT4W next Halloween.
things have come full circle because in an earlier draft of the special Demensions in Time it was not a crossover but an annivesary special called Endgame which starred the Toymaker instead of the Rani kidnapping the past Doctors which the Toymaker later starred in the finale of the 60th the Giggle.
This is quite a fascinating and haunting tale; it really gives a lot to think about. And looking forward to the finale to the Contest of Champions! I know life has made things difficult, but I have enjoyed it all and am eager to see how it ends. ^_^
This I have listened to nearly 8 Times *LOL* and I can't quote it word for word, it's so great and has some of my favorite lines of Dialogue of all of Who!!! My favorite BF story!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!
Today at an office Christmas party my mum said I should've worn a Christmas shirt but her boss said the Doctor Who shirt I was wearing was even better, sounds like you and her would've gotten along just fine.
While I haven't read the BBC Eighth Doctor novels, I feel like they should be remembered just as much as the Big Finish audios. Seriously, people who first watched the New Series when it was coming out and thought the Time War was the War In Heaven only to watch the Night of The Doctor and Day of The Doctor and find out they're two different things must have been so confused.
It’s The Poseidon Adventure in Space, and the Poseidon Adventure was filled with depressing deaths too! I always thought the camp and balls to the wall craziness of the setting (space LARPers on a spaceship replica of the Titanic) outweighed the depressing deaths of almost all the good and decent characters. Honestly, it, The Chimes of Midnight, Relative Dimensions, and A Christmas Carol are my most revisited DW Christmas stories.
If Edward Grove is so hungry, why not give him some Plum pudding
Throw puddings at the house. Good idea!
I really crack when Linkara does that silent grin after a goofy pun.
Scullery Skullduggery indeed.
My favorite face he makes
I was just listening to that bit and said to myself "He did the grin didn't he?"
Sure enough, backed it up, there it is.
Let's be real, audio dramas are what saved Paul McGann's Doctor for a lot of people. The TV movie wasn't the worst, but he really gained a larger audience thanks to Big Picture-inspired stories.
Them and the books. Hell, there's also a photo of Kylie Minogue circa 2002 reading one of the 8DA books; 5 years before Voyage of the Damned
And it helped the Sixth Doctor too which I heard horror stories that went behind the scenes of that era. I’m currently going through classic Doctor who, but I’ve seen clips of Colin’s bakers introduction the twin dilemma and he did not leave the best first impression for me.
The TV Movie was an above average Doctor Who Story, but it was an absolutely terrible way to introduce newcomers to the franchise. It was bogged down with explanations about the Doctor and the Master and Regenerations and the Tardis and there wasn't even any time travel or the scary aliens the show was known for.
Any other 8th doctor stories, comics, and audios worth recommendation?
I'm forever grateful for the Big Finish audios. They're actually some of my favorite Doctor Who content.
"Ah, I see you redecorated Linkara Spaceship. I don't like it!"
A few personal notes about this audio:
1. It's my personal favorite
2. As an amateur baker, I've been wanting to try and make a plum pudding
3. Before I looked up the cast, I thought Shaughnessy was played by James Nesbitt.
4. I met Robert Sherman, the writer, at a convention a few years and I told him this was one of my favorite Doctor Who things ever. He was shocked by this. Not because he thought it was bad but because it was made so long ago that he thought people would have forgotten about it.
It's probably one of the best known Big Finish stories.
Speaking of solving problems with Yu-Gi-Oh, I did that in D&D once.
Having been sent to retrieve an item, we found it being argued over by a bunch of Beholder-kin. My character, a rogue, snuck up on them, but a poor roll meant that she got caught. After a failed attempt to convince them that she was a door-to-door Hell Spider salesperson, and "admitting" to her attempted scam them, she proposed a fair way to decide which of the arguing factions got the item.
See, I had made a joke about Yu-Gi-Oh being only comprehensible to eldritch beings, which the DM ruled canon.
My character, having been raised by her demon grandfather, just so happened to know what Duel Monsters was (and Warhammer, but that's neither here nor there). So she suggested a best of 5 Duel, which she could provide refreshments for. The Beholder-kin immediately agreed and pulled out their decks.
As this character was ALSO an established drug dealer, she spiked the refreshments, and she and our other rogue stole the item. Our bard also stole the most strategically important cards from each deck.
It's very in keeping with the rest of the campaign, which features such things as said "Hadozee" Bard, who might just be an orangutan from the real world and who has, CANONICALLY, seen every Twitch stream.
Are you sure that bard isn’t the Librarian from Discworld?
55:32 Mrs. Baddeley: "Chrismas isn't chrismas without my plum pudding!"
Dalek: "Yes, we know!"
Paul McGann really deserves every bit of popularity he gets. The man can ACT. I adore his doctor
I agree he’s a really good doctor in my opinion and seeing him In that bbc special a few years ago that sets up the war doctor was really amazing story in my opinion.
@@TevyaSmolka and in Power, where he doesn't wear robes :P
@@MalWave lol indeed
I do, too... He's the Big Finish Doctor.
@@andywellsglobaldomination indeed which I approve
I'm guessing the reason the paradox occurred when they landed in 1906 is because Edith now knew Charlie was alive in the future. Like when someone's memories rewrite themselves to fit a changed history. Edith now had these memories of meeting Charlie in 1906 even if she didn't know her then, but as the time of Charlie's death approached maybe she began putting the pieces together and realized Charlie didn't die but became a time traveler somehow. Or to be more vague, it could be that the memories were repressed by timey-wimey goop until the time of Charlie's apparent death and then she suddenly realized "wait, if she just died, how did I meet her 15 years ago before she was born?"
You could technobabble (timebabble?) a lot of more precise explanations for HOW it could make sense that would be feasible, so I'm fine with this explanation as-is.
To bring back a joke from an earlier review, "Oh my God, she ate too much pudding!"
I love how the 8th Doctor has been more than vindicated by Big Finish, and how the show followed up on that with Night of the Doctor and Power of the Doctor.
The Big Finish 8th Doctor theme is honestly one of my favorite renditions of it, its just so otherworldly and different, and in retrospect is quite an omen for whats to come for him in Big Finish and his eventual end.
I mean big finish usually slaps with themes
A personal favorite is their war. Doctor thing which is also used for the eighth doctor occasionally. Is for his time more stories but I don't really care for that
The movie was a thing in and of itself. But it had a lot of firsts, including the dark themed TARDIS interior and the orchestral arrangement of the theme.
A battle between linkara and abridged seto kaiba with a children's card game? ... you had my curiosity now you have my attention.
*SCREW THE RULES, I HAVE MONEY!!*
versus *IT'S MAGIC, I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT!!!*
Knowing who plays the Bandit Chief, the nature of this finale is just too fitting. Looking forward to it! :D
Yugioh review and Yugioh duel against guy voiced by Martin Billany. Sounds about right.
I wonder if they're playing by the classic rules or the modern game. Because they're two very different beasts. Also, Linkara better come with a Super Quant deck!
@@nirast2561 I hope they don't do any pendulum or link rules/stuff. Super Quant is a good choice, though I'm hoping he uses a Elemental Hero deck since they are about super heroes.
@@nirast2561
My guess is anime rules.
@@CommentingCommenter (I'll admit, my Yugioh knowledge is iffy, so take what I say with a hint of salt) I say Linkara could win pretty damn easily with anime Zexal rules
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the Chimes of Midnight.
I liked the concept of the Thirteenth Doctor New Years specials because historically the BBC's mandate for a Christmas special every year meant when it was time for the Doctor to regenerate they always had to either shoehorn a regeneration into a Christmas story or shoehorn Christmas into a regeneration story. But having the Doctor regenerate in a New Years story would work great, the themes of those two concepts would go together really well. Ironically I didn't end up watching the Thirteenth Doctors last episode and I'm not sure if it came out on New Years or not.
It didn't. Instead, Jodie regenerated in October in a blockbuster special that celebrated the BBC's Centenary Anniversary.
@@AroAceGamer that makes sense, Doctor Who being one of their signature shows.
I am ecstatic you chose one of McGann's audio drams for this. At work, I started using Spotify in downtime and did not realize the Big Finish dramas were on there for a long time. Just finished my first McGann story (Storm Warning) and it only took the one to figure out how great his Doctor is! Already excited for more and will try to find this story now too.
52:18
Bandit: You barely won your race - when is that, by the way?
One of these days, you need to make a 'when's the race' t-shirt.
God, Rob Shearman is such a demented genius! All bangers too. This, The Holy Terror, Scherzo, Jubilee, Deadline (my favorite of his stories)
I really got into the doctor who audio dramas this year and that led me down a whole other rabbit hole of shearman's work. I love his twisted sense of humor and his commitment to absurdity without sacrificing characterization. I wish he wrote more audioplays but i respect his decision to focus on short stories
Well I guess I know what I’m looking into when I get home from work today
@@Jettison42 he wrote a play produced ny francis ford copalla. Dude has range.
22:10 OH MY GOD, SHE ATE TOO MUCH PUDDING!!!
...I'm stealing this for a future Missed Opportunity list.
A great review as usual Linkara, and I'm excited to see the long awaited finale of the Contest of Champions.
Oh my god, a plot segment?! I honestly thought Linkara was not doing them anymore, even the Halloween went without anything creepy happening. That's a nice surprise!
The Contest of Champions has been kicking his ass because it needs a lot of special effects and cameos. Toss the pandemic in and the storyline grinds to a halt.
So the storyline's stuck, other storylines are held up until its done, and a bunch of schedule problems. Hopefully, it will ease up once the Contest ends.
@@wanderingstorytellerj7758 And to think, he originally planned the Contest to be an easy and quick arc to give him a breather between bigger stories.
@@wanderingstorytellerj7758And to top it all off, he didn't even get to do it properly. The bit at the end of this video was just him speedrunning through all the fights and events that he wanted to properly show us. But he's thrown it all into this one talking scene (and presumably with a montage in the next episode if I understand his tweets about it properly) so he could jump straight into the finale because he's so f-ing sick of it hanging over his head.
I do wonder if Moffat got the idea of Clara from Charlie honestly. The two characters have similar strange things going on in their backstories, what with the whole this girl was supposed to die thing, and even their relationships with the doctor. We know moffat did listen to the big finish, seeing that this one is said to be one of his all time favorites.
Only Charley never died at all (& got to work with the Vyrans) while Clara did and only got Arya Stark
I think he got a lot "inspiration" from the novels, audios, etc.
Similar template, but Clara didn't have quite as good an execution or stick the landing as well. Which is a shame, the base idea is good.
And a similar relationship to the Tardis too actually.
A Doctor Who audio drama with a really interesting premise, *and* a storyline update? Truly, this is a gift for Christmas~
Ever since you mentioned Charley way back in your very first Doctor Who video and ever since first listening to Storm Warning has made me make them my favorite Tardis team ever. Paul McGann and India Fisher are magical performing together.
41:46 Apologies if someone has posted about this, but I believe the reason the paradox happened was due to the whole paradox situation involving Charlie. A big note is made about how Charlie existing is causing the web of time to unravel (Neverland), becoming weaker in places and Charlie herself releasing temporal energy that allows time experiments that shouldn't work TO work (Time of the Daleks). Thus, a situation that shouldn't result in a paradox suddenly bends under the weight of Charlie's existence. In hindsight it's a big indicator of just how bad things are getting while Charlie lives (which in hindsight also applies to Seasons of Fear, even if that one ultimately ends with things better than they are found).
Loved this review. I love Big Finish Doctor Who, and seeing someone I enjoy watching talk about it and analyze it is a treat. The fact it's about one of my favorite audio plays is just the cherry on top (The Wormery is my ultimate favorite, but there are loads just after it I can't quantify a real list for). Eight and Charlie was a great duo, though I was introduced with Eight and Lucy, and it's interesting to compare both of them since they both had a first season of sorts where a mystery of them both trying to get home occurs. I should look into Scherzo at some point - thank you for the recommendation, and merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!
This was one of the first Doctor audio dramas I'd ever listened to. As I sort of jumped into listening to them (and there were so many) I sort of selected one that seemed to be a stand alone adventure of sorts and up my ally with the spookiness. I'm so happy to see you review this wonderful audio drama Linkara, it was a great one and I loved your sum up at the end.
Also, can't wait to see how the tournament ends. Been playing catch up with the videos so...soon! :)
I'm really glad I came around to your videos again, it's been a long time and I'm really really glad to see you're still making awesome content! Especially a video about the audio adventures? Hell yea! Love ya Linkara!
The storyline returns, so estatic! Linkages gave us all an early Christmas gift!!
YGO being the punchline really shouldn’t have made me laugh… but it’s been so long I didn’t see it coming 😂
Yeah, I was sitting there thinking he was going to pull some next level gambit like “guess what I have in my hand” or flipping a coin.
So YGO made me happily surprised at the simplicity of it. Never change, Linkara.
@@calebmarmon1310 Shoulda seen it coming the moment LittleKuriboh started talking
@@BenVSA I had to look this up. I did not realize that’s who that was. I’m only passingly familiar with his Abridged series. And only because Linkara has referenced it.
@@BenVSA Using his Kaiba voice no less
Having Little Kuriboh voice this guy using his more subdued Seto Kaiba voice and challenging him to a game of Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters is so meta amusing
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without The Chimes of Midnight
In the 'wilderness years' there was also a charity [comic relief] parody episode of Dr Who ['the curse of fatal death'] in 1999 with Rowan Atkinson [Mr Bean, Blackadder] as The Doctor and Jonathan Pryce as 'The Master'. It's noticeable as it was written by future Dr Who and Sherlock writer Stephen Moffatt.
Great to see another fan of the audios! Listening to it all has made the 8th doctor my favourite doctor overall and Charlotte Pollard and Lucy Miller are my favourite companions. Although Evelyn Smythe with the 6th doctor is awesome too.
Man, I came here for some witty banter about Doctor Who but I left with a feeling of existential dread. Life truly is a mysterious thing. 🥶
Still haven't gotten around to having the Christmas theme song rewritten, I see.
On a brighter note: Yay! The storyline's back!
This is a Doctor Who anniversary episode, a Christmas episode AND an episode released on my birthday! Lovely!
I convinced my brother to watch Doctor Who by mentioning many of the things I learned through your channel. I haven't really started myself, but we watched some of the episodes together (we're watching the New™ Who)
Gonna edit the comment with further commentary if I think it's needed
I LOVE THIS AUDIO DRAMA????????? BRO, THESE ARE ALL SUCH INTERESTING CONCEPTS! I love them
WAITWAITWAIT STORYLINE!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!??!!? ITS HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE
Didn't know how much needed to here those words near the end, thanks.
Fun fact: my maternal grandfather was an eyewitness to the sinking of the R101 airship as a young man
Okay, the terms of Linkara's final contest reminded me of one of my earlier writings. I was making a Sonic/Transformers crossover called Transformers: Mobian Chronicles and Optimus (a brash hot-head who needed a kick in the pants before he went evil) played YuGiOh against a holographic version of himself before he grew up.
Linkara: Alright Bandit Chief, let us settle this like real men. With a children's card game!!
Bandit Chief: Wait what?
You have certainly put this audiodrama on my radar!
And I look forward to seeing what sort of madness you pull from your deck next week!
I actually listened to this the other day in anticipation of your review. I always forget how incredible the Eighth Doctor and Charley Pollard are together. They're up there with Seven and Ace, and Eleven and the Ponds for one of my favorite TARDIS teams.
As someone who grew up watching old Who, I *LOVE* the audio dramas. It really is where the 6th Doctor went from my least to my most favorite incarnation. Colin Baker is just so good in that role, and they let him really flex his acting chops for once, not seen really since Trial of a Timelord (which is his best in the show hands down). I also love the Jago and Litefoot series, though obviously those couldn't continue after the death of Trevor Baxter.
17:27 nice Phelous reference, Linkara. Certainly a nice change from the “Great continuity” clip.
6:00 format change for this episode 12:43 British vs American (in pronunciation)
36:12 A line very memorable for Linkara 41:09 how time paradoxes can give birth to living time loops
42:47 let's vivisect the whole "do you deserve to live" idea, how selfishness is a dealbreaker, and somes tropes about living and dying and how the image of DOCTOR WHO - THE LAST audio drama fits the discussion
46:40 another line that is better than it sounds
49:32 Am I the only one who wishes we could explore a different approach to "choosing life" ? This might just be my contrarian nature talking, but , haven't you noticed that the usual lines of "You are loved, that you make a difference, you are not nothing nobody, and you have value" sound a little bit... don't know arrogant? egotistical motives to live?
I don't know, i think it would be way more interesting having someone on the verge of, you know, self-termination, still chose to live, even if the entire world hates them unfairly and nothing they do will achieve anything. But they still love life and to live (even if it is a one-sided love)
52:58 it would be hilarious if you actually showed a replay of both of you playing the yugioh card game (by EDOPro or Master Duel or Duel LInks or Dueling Book).... and both of you ended up bricking on turn 1.
Although that makes me wonder, what format would you use? OCG? TCG? Traditional=? A specific period format like EDISON? TOSS? GOAT? Would you ban FTks?
17:49 No, that's more like when the Road Runner goes through a road painted on the side of a boulder and Wile E. tries it himself to the result of much pain. It's a lapse in judgement but still him being too stupid to know better.
I found this on CD on vacation in wales oddly enough…. 🤔 this is my FAVORITE audio book and the 8th like the 6th doctor is highly overlooked and underrated. Glad I’ve found someone who likes this too.
I grew up in Australia, and my grandmother used to make Christmas pudding with threepenny bits in it, served with baked custard.
My father would sometimes make it too, and would give me a dollar for every threepenny I returned to him, since they're not made there anymore.
I never tried to make it myself because it takes a week at minimum. Very tasty though, and much better than what they sell at stores in any country I've lived in.
"A raspberry jam jar?"
Doctor: "Raspberry! There's only one man in the universe who would dare give me the raspberry: Lonestar!"
17 year old me tuned in to the TV movie without really knowing about Doctor Who, and I enjoyed it. I remember thinking I was in if they did get a show. Re-watching it about 10 years later on a defunct video site, I found it enjoyable. McGann definitely was the highlight of the whole thing, and I enjoy seeing that he's still being used in things like "Night of the Doctor" and "The Power of the Doctor."
The early Big Finish Eighth Doctor stuff was really interesting because they had no idea if, or when, the show would ever return, so they took it wild directions.
Throughout this review I couldn't help but think of Clock Tower due to presence of the clock ticking and the horror nature of this adventure, it's not really relevant to the story itself but it was just something on that kept barging its way into my brain.
"Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a giant pair of scissors"
This episode is telling us a lot about A Voice From The Dark. First the creature made of sound, and then the reforming surroundings trapped in time.
Thanks for telling us the moral Linkara. I really needed to hear this.
Also glad to see the Contest of Champions coming back. Can hardly wait to see you Duel
2020 sucked but someone on reddit recommending getting into Big Finish and discovering everything they had to offer helped big time. Started with Lovecraftian Invasion and Scherzo... 2 stories i do not recommend others start with, but yeah. 8th Doctor ended up bridging me from a lapsed Who fan, into an adult Doctor Who fan. McGann is my second favourite because of this, after Smith.
I remember watching the 1996 movie on my 17th birthday. Paul McGann was a great romantic Doctor and enjoyed his adventures in Big Finish, the books, and Night of the Doctor.
Good review, great that the storyline is continuing after soooo many months. Also, Loved Alan Peterson's title card music this episode.
Aw good for Linksano. I can't believe the end of this grand story rests on a children's card game. Wait yes I can, I've watched this show since year one lol. Thank you for so many memories Lewis and merry christmas :D
What a coincidence. I just finished watching an old classic Who Serial, “The Androids of Tara” from season 16 (the key to time), and then I find this video.
A story segment and the lead-in to The Contest of Champion's finale? It's a Christmas miracle!
Hell, this will also solve a long real world mystery: your deck.
I think that this may have been the first Big Finish I ever heard, as it was on BBC Radio in 2005, though I only heard the first part and listened to the whole of it in 2013. It's a beautiful piece. Dark, funny but uplifting.
Apparently Chibnall intended Spyfall as a Christmas special but the BBC wanted to move away from it. So the people blaming him for it are being a bit unfair. I look forward to people completely missing the point of this comment.
Rob Shearman also did The Holy Terror, compared to which The Chimes of Midnight is pretty light-hearted! Moffat has cited THT and TCOM as his fave 6 and 8 stories. You can see some influence in Heaven Sent, the whole loop in a prison with a figure coming after them.
What's the point in being alive... if you say that in some areas of the fandom you're practically expected to bring up Dan's comment in Flux: What's the point of being alive if it's not to make others happy?
And the last New Year special did have a time loop as well with a twist... though this kind of played into the themes of New Year's Day. It was kind of The Chase for New Who as a holiday special.
Great video Linkara and a awesome way to celebrate Dr Who 60th anniversary
Gonna stop right here at the opening song to listen to the story myself before I continue on. You had me sold at "creepy christmas story" been wanting more of those
Its amazing. Linkara is spot on
I called YuGiOh duel the literal second before you said it and died laughing. Well done
13:07 Custard, eh? I hear it goes great with fish fingers.
Finally getting resolution for the CoC! Linkara, you better Get Your Game On, because I’m sure Chief is gonna Rev It Up! Not sure if he’s Gonna Feel the Flow, or how either of you will Swing Into Action, but It’s Time to Duel! 😁
Paul McGann was actually my first Doctor. I was 11, and it confused the hell out of me, but I loved it.
I listened to this one based on googling which 8th doctor stories were best to listen to. My god is this one fantastic. One of the best Dr Who stories in my opinion.
Anyone want to point out linksano had on a chef jacket? It even had the pen pockets on the arm. Linksano just might also be the chef, head cannon confirmed
The thing that people don't notice is that he is ALWAYS wearing that jacket under the coat. XD
I liked the Christmas theme song. I am looking forward to the next review, especially since the Contest of Champions will be decided with a game of Yu-Gi-Oh! My childhood nostalgia is going to hit me like a truck!
Merry Christmas, Linkara!
I can't believe it!!!! We're finally at the end of the contest!!! I'm so excited!
23:22 ah yes the return of an old joke but a classic.
Great episode, really enjoying the Doctor Who special so far and the more I learn the more I understand some gags from various creators.
But the most important thing is that I need to learn how to make plum pudding for Christmas. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I halfway expect the real villain to be a fruit cake, grown sentient with age beyond its expiration date, who wants to frame plum puddings so that fruit cakes can take back their rightful place as Christmas desserts.
Huh, that would be an interesting take. Though that plot would fit more with Supernatural rather than Doctor Who
A very Happy and Merry Plum Puddingmas to you and yours.
This audio feels like Doctor Who meets Silent Hill and I love it for it
I finally listened to this audio drama and it really is great! Arguably the best of the McGann audios I've listened to so far
Wait, after everything that happened Linkara, you forgot to answer one important question: What happened to the plum pudding?!
Am I the only one who wants to see a crossover of Doctor Who and The Transformers?
I mean the Eighth Doctor is a Transformers fan, I'd be cool for him to cross universes and help one of the Transformers continuities that haven't been visited in a while.
54:04 Let’s hope that Linksano and Linkara would realize that the Confession Box was sent by the Bandit Chief (which I think it’s cheating) as a way to make sure that he can win the prize and that he’ll probably invade AT4W next Halloween.
0:54 A bit disappointing 14 didn't join 15 for the 2023 Christmas special tomorrow but Tennant has already had plenty of those anyway.
things have come full circle because in an earlier draft of the special Demensions in Time it was not a crossover but an annivesary special called Endgame which starred the Toymaker instead of the Rani kidnapping the past Doctors which the Toymaker later starred in the finale of the 60th the Giggle.
This is quite a fascinating and haunting tale; it really gives a lot to think about. And looking forward to the finale to the Contest of Champions! I know life has made things difficult, but I have enjoyed it all and am eager to see how it ends. ^_^
Thanks for getting me into the aoudio dramas Linkara.
Me, too!
It is also conveniently time for the 12 Days of BigFinishmas, if anyone wants to check out some of their audios.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a renewed will to live.
I was reminded of “It’s a wonderful life” by the end of this.
Merry Christmas Linkara. To you, Viga, and your Friends and Family. Great review by the way.
This I have listened to nearly 8 Times *LOL* and I can't quote it word for word, it's so great and has some of my favorite lines of Dialogue of all of Who!!! My favorite BF story!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!
Today at an office Christmas party my mum said I should've worn a Christmas shirt but her boss said the Doctor Who shirt I was wearing was even better, sounds like you and her would've gotten along just fine.
You can't have any pudding if you don't eat your meat.
Also, Hooray, storyline is back!
Great review and woot! The contest is back baby!
There's something ironic about Linkara choosing Yu-Gi-Oh as the final contest against a guy who sounds like Seto Kaiba. :D
The constant "Christmas isn't Christmas without the plum pudding" was hilarious.
I get the feeling making a drinking game out of how many times the word pudding is said would be ill advised
11:09 Poundland? Is that an offshoot of 99p Store?
While I haven't read the BBC Eighth Doctor novels, I feel like they should be remembered just as much as the Big Finish audios. Seriously, people who first watched the New Series when it was coming out and thought the Time War was the War In Heaven only to watch the Night of The Doctor and Day of The Doctor and find out they're two different things must have been so confused.
Might be hitting bone on this deep cut: OH MY GOD SHE ATE TOO MUCH PUDDING!
Someone else brought it up, too. I'm stealing it for whenever I do the next Missed Opportunity list. =)
@AT4W I knew it would be so. I checked the comments section and everything
I love voyage of the dammed. It was the first doctor who episode I watched.
It’s The Poseidon Adventure in Space, and the Poseidon Adventure was filled with depressing deaths too! I always thought the camp and balls to the wall craziness of the setting (space LARPers on a spaceship replica of the Titanic) outweighed the depressing deaths of almost all the good and decent characters. Honestly, it, The Chimes of Midnight, Relative Dimensions, and A Christmas Carol are my most revisited DW Christmas stories.
@Popcultureguy3000 yeah rtd talked about it in a epsiode of the podcast: Films To Be Buried With!. I get what he was going for.
@@Popcultureguy3000I also thought the ascending with angels was epic as fuck
Merry Puddingmas Linkara! Plus looking forward to seeing you getting your game on in the Yu Gi Oh duel.