Thanks! I’m currently trying to plug some of the gaps in my Monthly Reviews, so I’ve set up a list and I’m just going in order.
The ones in bold are the ones I actually really like.
The ones in italics are the ones which had potential but when nowhere.
I definitely agree about Red Dawn and Primeval going nowhere! And Shadow and Holy are two favourites as well, with the latter a perfect masterpiece for me. I have yet to relisten to Loups-Garoux, but I remember liking it. It seems like we are mostly on the same page here!
Walliams is absolutely the worst thing about Phantasmagoria, but the rest of it is so charming imo
I can’t wait till I’ve completed this review, and then I can continue ignoring ‘Phantasmagoria’ forever more.
Marginally better than ‘The Sirens of Time’.
Leaning towards a 5/10.
Would probably be higher if Walliams was ejected from the recording… into the melting core of the sun.
So having finished relistening to ‘Phantasmagoria’ - so that I can get all I need written down in my review, making sure I didn’t miss anything out - I can confirm that I still find it insufferably boring.
Debating whether or not to give it a 4/10 or a 5/10.
Honestly, depends on whether or not I enjoyed it more than ‘The Sirens of Time’ - which I gave a 4.
I’ve always enjoyed “Whispers of Terror”. far from perfect but it tried to do something with the limitations of an audio format and… wow, it was good to have Colin back!
So just finished listening to “The Lure of the Nomad”. I quite enjoyed it. Colin is excellent value as always and enjoyed some of the lines immensely. Yesterday I reported that the only actor who didn’t quite work for me was Matthew Holness. Happy to report that, whilst Eric Drazen wasn’t the best or most memorable character ever, I did warm to Holness’ portrayal.
A so-so story. I thought the Mekara were far more interesting than the actual threat and was slightly disappointed when they were kind of dropped from the storyline but, overall, a fun listen. 3/5 for me.
Listening to Donna Noble: Kidnapped because why not!
Finished Dark Gallifrey: Morbius and am now back to listening to You Can’t Joke About That by Kat Timpf.
I’m honestly shocked to see ‘Lure of the Nomad’ recieve any kind of praise. It’s been a good two years since I reviewed it, but I remember rating it a 2/10.
As a rule, Matthew J. Elliot scripts tend to be anywhere between bland and absolutely god-awful.
Also, I couldn’t stop laughing at THAT horrenodus cover art.
I’ve got The Memory Bank (and other stories) downloaded for the (hot, sweaty) walk home tonight, but I do need to finish the audiobook of Agatha Christie’s The Secret Adversary first.
Yeah, the cover art is really not good. That said, it was a passable story and I haven’t listened to a Sixth Doctor story in quite a while. Maybe that coloured my thinking? Anyway, I enjoyed it well enough. Not great but it made me smile…
…so 
You will like Phantasmagoria - you will
Re-reading my review (which I realised I hadn’t transferred over to TARDIS Guide yet) draws my attention to The League of Gentlemen and I wonder if that’s something you have experience of.
I do.
And much like most of Mark Gatiss’ work, I honestly find it insufferable.
I think there is about one thing Mark Gatiss was involved in that I genuinely enjoyed:
Everything since has just been cringeworthy to me, or mind-numbingly boring. Though I’ll give him credit for the Twelth Doctor Ice Warrior story, which managed to pique my interest ever so slightly.
Ah. Well there we go. I’m a huge fan of League. Maybe that helps liking Phantasmagoria (it definitely shares some DNA, especially with some bits of the movie).
‘Whispers of Terror’ is the earliest Monthly story I had previously reviewed back on the other site, and I gave it a 6/10 at the time.
I think the ideas it played with had an incredible amount of potential, and I appreciate Justin Richards actually using the audio medium to his advantage.
However, I feel like Colin and Nicola spent a lot of time sniping at each other - somehow more than in the TV show.
Then again, it wasn’t until ‘The Marian Conspiracy’ that we got THE RESTORATION OF COLIN, so I’m happy to let it slide.
Oh, and that was just pure joy! Plus, Maggie Stables as Evelyn Smythe. Ahhhh, WHAT a companion!
Just read your review. What a great piece! Many thanks for sharing. You echo many of my own thoughts on this episode. For all its flaws, it was richly atmospheric, great fun and truly felt like Doctor Who to me.
