I just listened to the Ravagers Behind The Scenes, and lots of it is really lovely (Eccleston has always struck me as a good egg, he comes off as a genuinely thoughtful and warm person), but Nick Briggs’ explanation for why this story was non-linear is one of the most ludicrous copouts I’ve ever heard haha. “People live non-linear lives, not in actual reality, but inside their minds, so that’s the proper way to tell any story” uhhh, not necessarily, what? Is this story set inside a mind, no, then what does this have to do with anything? “Telling a story in a non-linear way allows you to cut around all the boring parts where people explain the plot to each other,” uh huh, okay, well first of all I was very bored anyway during these three hours, and I was primarily bored because it became clear it would be another hour or so until anyone explained the plot to anyone else, so this can be something of a double-edged sword Nicholas lolol. I notice at no point did he say “because this story demanded to be told this way,” instead his rationale seems to be “because I personally like it,” which is a bit of an RTD attitude! I’m by no means against experimental storytelling in DW, in fact those are very often my faves, but an unusual structure should be demanded by the story in hand, whereas it’s clearly just been imposed on Ravagers whether it suited that approach or not.
Started the second Doctor of War set (the third story has Romana, so I need to get it over with sooner or later) and the first story… doesn’t entirely suck! This is a decent Leela story! Very surprising considering my feelings on the first set
It’s interesting seeing other’s thoughts on Ravagers - I listened to it on the day of release, and I though that it was pretty good! Perhaps knowing it was a Briggs script set my expectations low, perhaps I was caught in the high of Nine being back. Who knows. I’ve not relistened so I have no idea what my opinion now would be. But at the time I thought it was an enjoyable box
I have no recollection of Romana being in this set omg and I only did it this year! I really didn’t like how Leela was treated in this story 
Ravagers is the reason i never bought any of the 9DAs until Snare, really put me off the whole range
Yeah it’s not the best… But my expectations for this set were low, and my standards for Leela stories are also low (not that there aren’t genuinely great Leela stories, but the bad ones can be bad)
It was the maddening theme that Briggs must get his hands on the shiny new toy. It happened with 4 and it happened with War, im so thankful he’s not writing the first 13DA
I put on the next 9DA after work, and okay yes, Girl Deconstructed was much more like it! A really nice script, a nice idea for the aliens, small but high quality cast, excellent sound design, perfectly rendered 9th Doc, and believable family dynamics that got a little tear going over here! See Nick, all I really wanted was something that felt like it could have been a 9th Doc TV story if there’d been a series before Rose, this absolutely nailed that, don’t overcomplicate things. Another great Lisa McMullin script! 4/5
The second one was much more what I was expecting. Interesting concept, in theory, I guess, but failed entirely at grabbing my attention. Starting the Key to Time one now.
The third one was overambitious, and I couldn’t be bothered to care at all about it. Will now return to listening to miscellanea so I can 100% Romana
Lisa McMullin is quite the talent, isn’t she? Absolutely gets Doctor Who, writes very Doctor Who stories, yet manages to feel fresh and original at the same time. There’s also real heart to her writing.
Finished the audio Shada, and having experienced every version of Shada now, I have to say I do like it better with the Eighth Doctor
And I’m including Dirk Gently as a Shada variation cause its funnier that way. Which makes it Eight > Dirk Gently > Four
Agreed. I have really no idea why folks are down on “Ravagers”. I quite like it 
Reminder to self: listen to more 9DAs!
I honestly see no problem here.
Nick Briggs is a good writer, and he’s an executive producer for a privately operated company he’s been a part of for 27 years.
I would do the exact same thing 
With you, @sircarolyn and @BillFiler. I quite like it too. I won’t pretend it’s great. It’s wildly uneven and very bumpy storytelling… but, goodness, it’s fun. Just so nice to have Eccleston ɓack. Plus, there is some good stuff there. There’s much better to come, but I do have a good time listening to Ravagers.
I think a lot of people went into it expecting or wanting to dislike it due to Briggs writing but yeah I remember enjoying it. Nothing groundbreaking but it wasn’t abysmal.
Count me in the ‘Ravagers isn’t terrible’ camp too. It’s nothing groundbreaking true, but it’s not unentertaining.
Listened to The Unknown (Diary of River Song) yesterday and started Five Twenty-Nine this morning. The Unknown was fine if unremarkable. I will say that I don’t really get the need to have River meet classic Doctors especially as you have to include amnesia conceits in your story to get around established TV continuity but it was a fun romp and I don’t mind an ‘mysterious planet earth’ trope.
I think there are logistical factors in Briggs writing the first set for a newly acquired Doctor. In the instances of Hurt and Eccleston, I believe they wanted to see scripts to help with their decision. Rather than fork out for and commission a writer to write something only to be knocked back, I think Briggs wrote them himself as both a budgetary and time constraint concern. And they managed to entice both Hurt and Eccleston.
As hot and cold as I am with his writing, I understand why he is often the first writer for new Doctors. I know with Eccleston it was the first written but not necessarily going to be the first out so it doesn’t need to be first out the gates but if it’s the most developed at a certain point in time I guess it makes sense?
With Tennant, Martin and Whittaker their yeses would likely not be contingent on seeing a script? Tennant had previous with BF and Martin and Whittaker were both vocal in their keenness to reprise the role.
For what it’s worth, I actually like Ravagers and Only the Monstrous for the most parts. They’re messy in parts but give both Eccleston and Hurt a lot of different beats to hit as they settle back in to the role which they can then build on and relax into as the ranges go on. Neither perfect but neither a disaster in my opinion.
The ‘World Enough and Time’ episode of that set is, I think, brilliant.