I remember being REALLY freaked out by Cuddlesome. One of the scariest things I’ve ever heard. They remade the story with the 5th Doctor, and it’s still good but nowhere near as hard to listen to.
I listened to them all a while ago, the ones that stand out to me as being really memorable were:
Conglomerate
Vilgreth
Truman’s Excellent Adventure
Although I do have fond memories of following the constant stream of companions, as well as the arc of the Doctor going through withdrawals from Sargol, which is essentially space narcotics.
There’s definitely some good ones in there, but Pisces was a lot more consistent and a lot shorter. Buuuuut if you’ve run out of Big Finish, give it a try!
4 Likes
I think I know this but what is Pisces again?
1 Like
It’s an astrological sign, for people born between February 19 and March 20. So, that would include me. We’ve talked about this, darling. You’re embarrassing us in front of the kids.
8 Likes
It’s another series made after the Audio Visuals, it’s more linear and less directly about Doctor Who. I’ve listened to all of them. I cannot recall any plot details except for the excellent one where they’re on a train. Blood sport, I think?
3 Likes
So it seems like more than one of these was adapted for BBV’s Time Travellers then?
1 Like
2 of them. Bloodsports and Guests for the Night.
The Time Travellers versions are a lot better.
The Pisces series really feels like a generic sci-fi series. And really it’s not that good as a Doctor Who fan. Totally listenable, but there isn’t anything interesting that grabs me. It feels very much like drafts of Doctor Who stories without the Doctor. Pisces is barely a character.
5 Likes
Pisces 4 - Guests for the Night
While the idea is fun, there just isn’t enough interesting things going on to make the story fill the hour. I heard the Time Travellers version before this one, and must say it pales in comparison.
Again I have issues with Pisces as a “character”. While she has more to do in this serial, she still isn’t fleshed out. She is more of a vehicle that allows the story to happen.
The acting was good, but it does suffer from the typical bad American accents. It just grates after a while.
Not terrible, but just not enough going on to justify its length.
2.5/5
My rating system
5.0 Perfect/Fav
4.5 Excellent/Fav
4.0 Very Good
3.5 Good
3.0 Enjoyable
2.5 Meh
2.0 Bad
1.0 Very Bad
2 Likes
As a whole I really wanted to like Pisces, but it just didn’t give me a way into it. With none of the trappings of Doctor Who it just lacks something to grab onto to help me through the serials. As we see with the couple that are adapted in The Time Travellers series, which is Doctor Who in all but name, adding those elements in gives it a grounding.
As you may have read from my reviews, Pisces is barely a character. They are trying to do the Seventh Doctor with her, but she doesn’t get enough “screen” time until the last serial. I’m fine with her being mysterious, but it works with Seven as he has the gleam in his eye. He enjoys the air of mystery around himself. Pisces isn’t given that chance. Also, Pisces, until Lyr, isn’t really integral to the plot. For the most part everything would have happened the same way even if she wasn’t there.
They wanted a Doctor/Master dynamic, but without the trappings of Who they didn’t know what to do.
They are quick listens, about 6 hours for them all, but it really is for completists only.
Overall the series gets a 2.5/5.
My rating system
5.0 Perfect/Fav
4.5 Excellent/Fav
4.0 Very Good
3.5 Good
3.0 Enjoyable
2.5 Meh
2.0 Bad
1.0 Very Bad
PS. The behind the scenes stuff that is on the rest of each tape does make it clear that they are having fun making it. For all my critacisms I’m glad they enjoyed themselves. They produced something that led us down the path to Big Finish.
4 Likes
Now that Pisces is done I’m going to be moving onto the main Audio Visuals series. I will be spamming my reviews in here like with Pisces.
3 Likes
Audio Visuals 0.1 - The Space Wail
The Space Wail is rather odd. While there is a decent idea in here it just doesn’t come together in a way that is satisfying. The idea of BABE and the society that is built around it is worth exploring, but this serial just speedruns to the end.
The acting is a mixed bag. Some do an OK job, while others feel monotone. Far too many of the cast sound similar to each other. It wasn’t until the end that I could identify which voice was the Doctor. It’s the same with the characterisation. They also all speak with the same rhythm and “quip-y” nature.
The recording quality is all over the place. Not bad for an 1984 amateur production, but still off-putting.
The music and sound design is solid, but that is faint praise really.
It’s a pilot, and you can tell.
1.5/5
My rating system
5.0 Perfect/Fav
4.5 Excellent/Fav
4.0 Very Good
3.5 Good
3.0 Enjoyable
2.5 Meh
2.0 Bad
1.0 Very Bad
4 Likes
Well, The Nth Doctor was recast before the next production.
2 Likes
Yeah I know. I’m looking forward to it. As much s**t as Briggs gets, he is a good actor with a distinctive voice. Plus I’ve heard his version, called Fred, for the BBV releases.
3 Likes
Audio Visuals 1.1 - The Time Ravagers
The Time Ravagers is a solid, and well done story, broken into three sections.
Dealing with a regeneration right off the bat was a bold choice, but one that works and allows the series to reintroduce the Doctor. It also allows Nick Briggs to experiment a little and find the Doctors “voice”.
The slice-of-life introduction to the crew of a ship was rather enjoyable. It allowed me to get to know them before they interacted with the rest of the plot. But it also laid some solid groundwork for the rest of the serial.
When it all started to come together I was expecting it to finally start to drag, but it kept up a decent pace until the end. The Daleks were handled well, with the Briggs already into the swing of how they sound.
My only gripe with the story is that it did all seem to end rather quickly, and with the ultimate end being rather deus-ex-doctor. That said the plot was enjoyable.
The acting was good across the board, with Briggs really showing that he is a better actor than he is given credit for.
Production wise my big issue was the inconsistent quality of the recordings. In the middle of a scene you could hear that the same character was recorded differently. Having to play with the volume a lot was rather annoying.
Overall it is a typical Briggs script, but if you like that sort of thing then it’s a solid listen.
3/5
My rating system
5.0 Perfect/Fav
4.5 Excellent/Fav
4.0 Very Good
3.5 Good
3.0 Enjoyable
2.5 Meh
2.0 Bad
1.0 Very Bad
3 Likes
Audio Visuals 1.2 - Connection 13
Connection 13 is rather an odd serial.
While the story isn’t inherently bad, it ends up being a boring mess. There is an interesting story here, but all the character development is missing, and it ends up feeling like an abridged version with all the interesting bits missing.
The sound mixing is abysmal. The microphone/recording quality is all over the place, and the levels are a mess. The music is excellent, but most of the time it drowns out the dialogue.
The acting is a mixed bag too. The regulars are fine, but some of the guest cast are rather bad.
My overall thoughts are that it could be interesting, but it inevitably felt like I was missing half the story.
2/5
My rating system
5.0 Perfect/Fav
4.5 Excellent/Fav
4.0 Very Good
3.5 Good
3.0 Enjoyable
2.5 Meh
2.0 Bad
1.0 Very Bad
4 Likes
I’m almost done listening to all of these and even though they’re often bad I find them somewhat charming. I actually found the AV Minuet in Hell enjoyable (other than the Main Range 8 story lmao). Also getting into these it’s a shock just how rude the Doctor is but with time I’ve started to really dig it like he’s such a bitch lowkey
8 Likes
rudely highjacking the only AV thread on the forum to post stupid niche fanart.
What if Ria had TikTok
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Yeah, I feel similarly, I don’t think I’d go back and listen to any individual story, but I can’t help but appreciate the arcs. Sargol, all the companions entering/leaving, and JUSTICE.
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