The Audio Club recently arrived at the Benny Audio “Beyond the Sun”, originally written as a VNA after Virgin lost the Rights to use the Doctors, this was the second VNA written by Matt Jones (also known as Matthew Jones). His very first being ‘Bad Therapy’. But he also has written other Stories after that.
His most famous ones are the Series 2 Two-Parter “The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit” and the Torchwood Story “Dead Man Walking”. Some of his other Writing Credits include various Short Stories.
What are people’s opinion on his Doctor Who/Benny/Torchwood Entries? Where do you stand on “The Satan Pit” Two-Parter or his Torchwood Outing? And which of his Stories are your favorite?
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I’ve only seen The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit, which I consider one of my favourite RTD1 stories. To me, it is probably the closest New Who gets to the classic series in tone and structure (alongside Under the Lake/Before the Flood) - the story as a whole almost feels like a New Who version of a Phillip Hinchcliffe story, which I really like.
The central premise of the story (the devil is real, and he really wants a lift home with you) is nicely creepy, and there are a lot of great moments - the big one I remember when I think of the story is the “don’t look round” scene. We also get some interesting character moments for the Doctor and Rose, and the supporting characters are well-sketched.
I guess what I’m saying is I’m a fan on the whole 
I’d be interested to experience his other stories and see if they meet the same high standard!
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Matt Jones is a bit of an enigma. Is it true that RTD more or less rewrote his TV episodes? Didn’t he also have a column in DWM for a while?
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I know he had a column - I think it was called Fluid Links?
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Well said, the Satan Pit Two-Parter does feel like a very Hinchcliffe Story on top of being basically a Base under the Siege, really a standout from a rather weak Series (in my Opinion). I haven’t delved in too much in his other Works (although I am VERY interested in reading ‘Bad Therapy’ considering I do own it), but from the Rest that I have read he is a bit of a middling Thing outside his one televised Doctor Who Outing.
I did hear something about it, but don’t know enough about said claim, but yes, he is certainly an enigma!
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I believe so. But then RTD rewrote a lot that we’re not really privy to. I imagine Jones wrote at least the groundwork and early drafts, which RTD retooled, rewrote or reworked.
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True, but I had heard that these two episodes are basically RTD scripts with Jones’ name on them.
Has he ever been interviewed?
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Love Impossible Planet / Satan Pit. Really liked The Nine-Day Queen, a sad and sweet short story he wrote in Decalog 2 with Lady Jane Grey.
Havent heard or read anything else. I’ve heard excellent things about Bad Therapy!
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Nine Day Queen is a lovely little story. I remember hardly anything about Bad Therapy. It involves Peri post living on Krontep but all I remember is that she’s called Gilliam…
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