I’ve spoken to a few eBay sellers who have the latest releases for sale, and they pay a few extra £ and then sell on the sealed CD. They are essentially paying 1/4 of the price for a full release, with a few extra steps.
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This is for my birthday so I’ll hold myself back from downloading until tomorrow.
Very excited to listen! (The CD has been ordered too.)
By the way is Vienna Salvatori in this?
Because if so, can anyone tell me all I need to know about her in advance of listening.
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She is. All you need to know is that she’s a space bounty hunter who the Doctor knows.
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Thank you!
Sounds like a fun character. If I enjoy her in The Final Act, I might pick up some of her other audios.
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Vienna was in a main range story with the Seventh Doctor, then had a standalone release and four seasons of adventures, after that she’s been in three seasons of the Master! series with Eric Roberts 
She’s great 
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Right, “The Union”
Yes Once and Future is a great big smorgasbord of pairings that doesn’t always make sense, but in that final showdown between the Doctor(s) and the Union it all comes together.
The Degeneration plotline isn’t the main story being told, the main story is about “what makes the Doctor, the Doctor” - that speech about how the Doctor accepts all parts of himself, he even embraces and respects the War Doctor’s choice of keeping his distance, that speech is beautiful. And it is set against how the Union/Multitude is at constant war with their other incarnations’ aspects and character flaws.
The Doctor knows they aren’t perfect, but accept that and is all the stronger for it.
To explore this innate “Doctorishness”, you really need to experience a great swathe of the Doctor’s life, and show that no matter the circumstances the Doctor is the Doctor. We really get the “River Song experience” of meeting Doctors out of order, but loving all of them for who they are at their core.
The way the Monk is used to play time shenanigans on the Doctor being shot with the Degenerative weapon in the first place is excellent as part of the resolution.
Maureen O’Brien gives an amazing villain performance.
I missed having Eccleston make an appearance in the final showdown though…
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I was having a lot of trouble really getting the point of The Union but this right here was compelling and made me better appreciate the story, so thank you!
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My CD just arrived!
The start of my physical BF collection!
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Aaargh! You’re making me want to go back and relisten to it all in quick succession to better understand it for the themes you’ve highlighted. I don’t have time for relistens at the moment!
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Finished “Coda: The Final Act” this time round.
It is so much more than an add-on to Once and Future. It takes that final speech from the Union and uses it to prove that what was learnt about the Doctor also applies to these outliers in the Doctor’s life.
It also has this subplot of Bernice pointing out all the ways the Fugitive Doctor is different from the other Doctors she’s met. It is perfect that it is Benny that is used here due to the nature of her relationship with the Doctor, she is their close friend and she points out when the Doctor is being an ass, but always from a place of love. And I love that it is revealed that the TARDIS had a hand in choosing that it should be Benny who came to the Doctor’s aid.
But when the Doctors work out they are played for a fool, they very clearly are “Doctorish” in the way they come together.
Also, I’m a sucker for the Doctor using “Contact” (with the proper sound effect). Pointing out that the War Doctor’s mind is broken, and that the Fugitive Doctor’s is very foggy.
Plus Voord and a Tudor war fleet on a flying galleon? Amazing!
And I just want more of Vienna, there is something going on in her life that hasn’t been told yet. Plus I want more of Jexie the Time Ram
(Come on Big Finish - give me a sale on Vienna: Retribution 
)
I have listened to all eight episodes in two days, and I have totally come around on Once and Future!
I really, really like it! 
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It’s good to read such a positive review - I like many other was completely underwhelmed by O&F so I’m glad you were able to get so much out of it this time. I’m still not sure about it, but maybe I will relisten some day
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It’s definitely made me want to do another binge listen now Coda is out
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I am hoping that I haven’t oversold Once and Future with my mini-reviews here after my little binge 
I just found the way it all came together really profound, there’s also just something about a big speech about accepting yourself warts and all.
I definitely feel like this is a story best listened to in rapid procession rather than through monthly installments over more than half a year.
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