What do you think of Loups-Garoux? I prefer that one to Phantasmagoria myself
2 Likes
Loups-Garoux is good too. It might just be that I have a soft spot for this one. Itās traditional almost to a fault and one of those pieces of comfort Who for me. I donāt listen to it often, but always enjoy it when I do. Iām also not a Mark Gatiss fan. None of his stories really grab me.
4 Likes
Middle of part 2 and I think thatās one of the unintentionally funniest deaths Iāve heard
āH-How could it be..... that something so.................................. BLEAHHHHā
*beat*
āHeās deadā
5 Likes
Honestly, itās the definitive āThis story existsā for Big Finish so far. Donāt get me wrong, itās not bad, having the Five and Turlough Pairing makes it a bit more unique. But itās pretty unremarkable.
I donāt think you can do anything wrong with listening to this, pretty solid start for the 5 solo run, but even out of the first 10, I rarely ever think about this Story. I think that tells you enough about how I feel about it
7 Likes
5/10
Agreed with what others have said about this being just a fairly standard story, which isnāt a bad thing, but some things do seem to come out of nowhere or just feel a little disconnected.
Gatiss hamming it up is always a bit of fun though, definitely my favourite part of the experience.
5 Likes
Well this was the first time Iād listened to this story & I was pleasantly surprised. Yes it was definitely a traditional-style classic 5th Doctor story which is exactly what I want from BF. The Doctor was completely in character & Turlough was more likeable than in the TV series, probably because he wasnāt being overshadowed by Tegan for once. I liked the way he developed from āvery reluctant heroā to becoming intrigued by the mystery and determined to get to the bottom of it even without the Doctor by the end.
I did find it hard to distinguish who some of the voices were - I remember that one of the problems I had with early BF was the way they liked to use very small casts with everyone playing multiple roles so it was hard to identify who was who - but I had āhalf-guessedā the identity of the alien shapeshifter from the clues given before the reveal, but not that both were the same person - I had thought there were two aliens (the dialogue for one of the alien scenes in Episode 2 was too quiet for me to hear in the car which didnāt help).
9 Likes
I really donāt know what to think about this story because even though I found myself enjoying it in places overall it wasnāt all that great. The pacing was weird and the story focus felt confused at times
4/10 for me
7 Likes
This one started off Ok. I just felt like some of the acting was wonky.
Was nothing wrong with it really - not one iāll be revisiting down the line though.
6 Likes
I really did not like this story, and thatās a real shame, I donāt intend to listen to or re-evaluate this story. I slept midway through somehow, and had to relisten to parts of it. 
9 Likes
Itās a fine story in my opinion, but nothing more than that. I think some parts of the plot might have been better if I hadnāt taken a week-long break in the middle. The historical atmosphere was pretty good. I enjoyed it while listening but I honestly doubt Iāll remember anything about the plot by tomorrow.
6 Likes
Phantasmagoria: 5th Doctor and Turlough
Happy to admit that Iāll always have a fondness for this story as it was the first full story for a single Doctor that Big Finish released and, thus, really felt like Doctor Who in a meaningful sense was back. Itās possibly one of the most āGatissyā of Mark Gatissās stories, and I find it a real comfort listen. I havenāt listened to it for many a year so wasnāt sure how Iād find it this time around. For me, at least, it still hasnāt lost its charm.
The setting is simply lovely, rich and historical. Itās easy for me to visualise mentally (one of the most important tasks of an audio, I find), with colourful characters and plenty of event. Nicholas Valentine is a thoroughly dastardly villain. Jasper Jeake is a little (how shall we put it?)ā¦ a little broadly written, yet fun enough. I loved the use of Wisdens. Very much a āCheckovās gunā in this story - itās a nice moment when possession of this cricketing tome becomes pivotal to the plot. Indeed, the use of cricket in this story is a nice nod to this quirk of the Fifth Doctor, and I felt was handled better than in other cases.
If Iām going to gripe, and I feel mean spirited in saying this, then itās with Mark Stricksonās acting. Heās normally so reliable and certainly has been later on with his Big Finish releases, but here it feels like he overacts or isnāt quite taking it seriously at times. It just feels off (and I normally really like Strickson as a performer).
8 Likes
I thought this was a step up from The Sirens of Time but it still suffers from the same convoluted aggregation of plot, trying to do too much and ultimately ending up a bit confusing. Turloughās subplot however is quite enjoyable and I like the perceived supernatural element at first. Also, playing cards as a vessel to harvest energy is a very neat concept. A cozy listen to be sure but a tad hard to focus on.
8 Likes
I remembered really liking this on the first listen waaaaay back when and, honestly, itās such a confident early step for Big Finish. It leans hard into gothic horror with all the candlelit tension and spooky whispers you could want, and Mark Gatiss is clearly having the time of his life writing sinister toffs and Faustian bargains. Itās a jolly good throwaway adventure that knows itās a jolly good throwaway adventureā¦ and Iād argue that self-awareness really works in its favour.
Valentineās such a deliciously over-the-top villain, Davison is in his groove, and while Turlough feels a bit gentler than on screen, heās actually given something to do, which is more than he often got on telly. Plus, a wild cameo from baby David Walliams! It maybe meanders a little in the middle, but then you get that cracking Part Three cliffhanger (I genuinely didnāt see the reveal of Major Billy Lovemoreās secret identity comingā¦ and itās delicious when it happens!) and suddenly it all clicks. Itās not trying to reinvent the wheel, but it is having a great time spinning it in the foggy streets of old London, and Iām totally here for it. 
(You can catch my full review over on Substack ā and feel free to subscribe for free while youāre there! It means a lot knowing Iām not just shouting into the internet void as I relisten to all 275 Monthly Adventures!)
5 Likes