Am I the only one here who kind of likes Elgin and doesn’t mind the Prink running gag?
I actually thought the Prink running gag was hilarious. It’s even more funny when watching the animation because you can see he is trying to speak each time.
It was the best thing in the whole audio for me 
I just listened to Ravenous: How to Make a Killing in Time Travel and there was a character who would say things like “it’s top secret so I won’t tell you, but here it is…” and then explain it all. He did it several times. I also found that character quirk hilarious.
I just love when characters are given a weird little quirk so they are more than just exposition cogs in the story.
1 Like
I’ve come around on it. It is kind of funny, I just wish they kept it going all the way through and not have him speak in the final part
In the middle of Part 3, the Doctor has just been connected to the wetworks, and it’s not a bad story. It’s just terribly average. It’s a decent enough listen in the moment, but doesn’t stick with you afterwards. I do agree that Aldred does well as “duplicate Ace”, but doesn’t have much to do as real Ace. I’m still not really warming to Bev either. I know she’s in one more Main Range story (I don’t remember which one) and pops up in the Benny range somewhere. Does she get any more likable/memorable?
1 Like
Working my way through Part 4. As stated, McCoy’s speech against Elgin is excellent. Also, it just occured to me that maybe there’s a slight possibility that the native Kar-Charatans are related to the Flood from Waters of Mars as they’re both aquatic lifeforms that are actually made of liquid.
Late to the club but here we are! Couldn’t remember a thing about this one from the title or cover as I haven’t listened in ages, but the second I started it I remembered it, and exactly when I listened to it for the first time. Mainly I remembered getting Bev and Ace confused as I find their voices to be slightly too similar haha
I think I pretty much agree with what I thought the first time, that it’s basically fine as far as dalek stories go. I don’t think I have any real strong opinion other than ‘it’s okay’, but I did appreciate listening after knowing who Bev actually is from the Benny audios
4 Likes
I agree that Bev and Ace sound similar.
1 Like
Finally finished this. It’s not a bad story, it’s just painfully average. There are some interesting ideas, but compared to what comes next, it’s just kind of there. As a traditional Dalek story, it works. It’s just that I’m not that big a fan of “traditional” Dalek stories. I’d much rather the author find interesting and clever things to do with them.
2 Likes
Late but here, yeah, I liked this audio, but I don’t know, must be only me, but it was very cliche, even for classic who standards
5 Likes
AKA Debut of the Daleks. I’m not a fan of long scenes of Daleks talking to each other, just hurts my ears, plus there seems to be so much exposition, just characters explaining things to each other in rather rudimentary dialogue. McCoy is annoying, Aldred isn’t very good at all. So this one isn’t for me.
3 Likes
No opinions after listening. I just feel bad for the Prink guy. Poor fellow finally gets to say something then immediately dies.
3 Likes
I really like this one! Probably my second favorite of the first 10 releases after Whispers of Terror
3 Likes
This serial was Good, but not Great. It was interesting getting to hear Nicolas Briggs in his first ‘official’ outing as the Daleks. I did like that he still uses the voice for the Emperor to this day. Gave me flashbacks to Eleven regenerating on Trensalore. I gave it a 3.5/5.
Fun Fact: Another first behind the scenes was the first use of Pro Tools to edit a Big Finish story, namely by Nick Briggs, who provided the post-production and music/sound design for The Genocide Machine. The small 8-track device he previously used to edit Big Finish broke down mid-production, and he was forced to upgrade.
3 Likes
I agree with most opinions above - that this was a perfectly fine & serviceable Dalek story but nothing stood out to make it memorable.
Before listening I had been expecting something much stronger from the title. I had also been intrigued by the “Dalek Empire” branding as I had previously understood that to be a Doctorless separate series, & by the fact that this would be the introductory story for Bev Tarrant who would go on to feature in the Benny series.
It was interesting to see 7, usually a great strategist, get absolutely everything wrong at the start of the story, directly leading to the events culminating in the ultimate destruction of the Library, which I was upset about (not the machine of course - just the collateral damage to the books!)
I also felt that the Dalek voices sounded a bit too human in this one, but it was the first release so plenty of time to improve on that going forward.
7 Likes
I’d reviewed ‘The Genocide Machine’ back on the other site.
Updated and transferred that review over here this morning.
I think the four initial Dalek audio adventures - the ones released under the Dalek Empire subtitle - are very inconsistent.
‘The Mutant Phase’ was boring.
‘Time of the Daleks’ was incoherent.
‘The Apocalypse Element’ was about as enjoyable as being held hostage by pirates!
‘The Genocide Machine’ is the only one I found genuinely enjoyable, and I really liked it.
The Dalek voices are a bit rough, but it was their first appearance. It also introduced us to the amazing future art thief, Bev Tarrant, who would later become a crucial member of the ‘Bernice Summerfield’ range (ruling over the entire Collection when Brax vanished at the end of S6!)
4 Likes
I never see much chatter about Bev (and it’s been ages since I listened to a story featuring her) but your enthusiasm is making me want to revisit her stories.
3 Likes
I’ll admit that both her second outing with the Seventh Doctor - ‘Dust Breeding’ - and her debut in the Benny range - ‘The Bellotron Incident’ - are kinda rough round the edges.
But she really comes into her own with stories like ‘Death and the Daleks’ and ‘Summer of Love’
If you wanted the best Bev Tarrant outing though, I would honestly reccomend the Draconian two-parter from Series Eight of the Benny range.
The first half in particular - ‘The Judas Gift’ - is absolutely phenomenal!
6 Likes