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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Jun 8, 2017 5:12:19 GMT
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Jan 27, 2019 8:19:57 GMT
Goodbye Piccadilly: Goodbye Piccadilly is the fourth episode of the fourth Big Finish Torchwood season. Starring Tom Price as Andy Davidson and Samuel Barnett as Norton Folgate. Written by James Goss and released in June 2018. Funny beginning with Andy seeing Norton and back in time in 1950s Soho. I have to confessed that I have not listened to this duo’s previous adventure Ghost Mission, something I hope to rectify one day, prior to listening to Goodbye Piccadilly. Goodbye Piccadilly is a fun adventure especially how different Andy and Norton are in this situation they are together in 1950s Soho, the fact that Andy from the 21st century came easily at odds with the sensibilities of the 1950s and it was also amusing how HG Wells got dropped into the conversation.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Jul 31, 2019 15:53:31 GMT
God Among Us: Hostile Environment: Season 6, Episode 6. Written by Ash Darby, a Torchwood newcomer. This episode mostly features Tyler. Ng and Mr Colchester helps out along the way while Andy, Yvonne, Norton and Jack also pops up briefly.
Hostile Environment suddenly has Tyler out on the streets as a homeless person and it involved an app that allows people to tag the homeless for the purpose of helping them. However it was anything but.
This is a compelling commentary on the homeless and Jonny Green delivered it superbly as the hoimeless Tyler. As a homeless person, Tyler finds that he has little or no choice of what he has to do especially the choices given to him by the drone.
A key point to the episode was the efforts Tyler goes to in order to buy a phone. This is hardly a priority for any homeless person but it works well on how this episode played out.
With Tyler being homeless he is declared invisible to society. This is similar in premise to a Twilight Zone episode To See The Invisible Man about a man sentenced to social isolation for a year meaning that for this sentence, society is not allow to interact with him.
Coincidentally I am watching the fourth and final season of The Thick of It and has as a focus an unseen homeless man Douglas Tickel and his ultimate suicide.
Like Tickel, Tyler stayed in a tent for a little while but unlike Tickel, Tyler comes out of this still alive.
After listening to Hostile Environment I saw Friday The 13th 1.4 A Cup of Time which coincidentally also has the homeless as key plot point.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Jan 4, 2020 17:39:53 GMT
The Dollhouse:
The Dollhouse is the second episode of the third Torchwood Big Finish season. Written by Juno Dawson and released in April 2017. This takes a break from the usual format as it featured completely new characters although Captain Jack still gets a mention as this presents the Torchwood L.A. branch. The L.A. team is all female although supervised by a man Mr Beamish. What makes The Dollhouse fascinating is that this all-girl team is presented in the style of Charlie's Angels and coincidentally the 2019 Charlie's Angels movie came out whilst I was listening to this. The Dollhouse is a fascinating take on Charlie's Angels with the team in question investigating missing girls. A solid story based on the said premise with an alien dose to it.
As a result of a tragedy this ends with the team deciding to go their own way and not take instructions anymore. This certainly left open for more stories with this team but as of yet such stories are not forthcoming.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Nov 24, 2020 7:06:40 GMT
Save Our Souls: Save Our Souls is the fourth episode of the sixth Torchwood Big Finish season. Written by Scott Handcock. None of the familiar Torchwood personnel are in this episode. Instead this episode is headlined by Rowena Cooper as Torchwood founder Queen Victoria. Set in 1898, three years before the queen's death in 1901, Victoria comes to Flat Holm, an island. The queen came to Flat Holm to investigate an experimental radio mast that has picked up a signal, that of a voice, a very familiar one. This voice claims to know the future. Fascinating tale about this voice's claim of knowledge of the future and how it should or should not treated with credence. There is a member of Torchwood here and that is Florence Driscoll (Gwyneth Keyworth) and the role that she played in the episode's final moments.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Jan 16, 2021 8:04:52 GMT
Dinner and a Show: Dinner and a Show is the third episode of the sixth Big Finish Torchwood season. Starring Naoko Mori as Tosh and Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto. In fact this was written David-Lloyd himself. This isn't the first Big Finish Torchwood that David-Lloyd has written but it is the first that I have listened to. David-Lloyd has set this episode between End of Days & Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the period when Jack went off when he detected the Doctor nearby. It's Valentine's Day, Tosh is at the opera waiting for Owen to turn up for a non-date as friends. Owen doesn't turn up but Ianto does. Having expected to be a night at a opera with Owen turns out instead for Tosh to be an unexpected Torchwood investigation with Ianto as Ianto has found that the opera is full of aliens. Very enjoyable piece as it ultimately relates to something Ianto had seen years before. Funny when Tosh and Ianto had a music debate. At one point Tosh gets mistaken as Chinese. No doubt David-Lloyd was remembering Captain Jack Harkness when he wrote that as that episode also had Tosh mistaken as Chinese. While the resolution is not what I had expected nor I was disappointed with, it does cap off this enjoyable narrative. In the midst of all this Tosh and Ianto compare certain notes with Owen and Jack. Definitely feel for Tosh when she expressed her frustration with Owen. She also tells about a joke Owen told her. I'm with her that the joke wasn't funny and definitely not one I would tell myself.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Jan 31, 2021 16:38:31 GMT
Rhys & Ianto’s Excellent Barbecue: Rhys & Ianto’s Excellent Barbecue is the eighth episode of the sixth Big Finish Torchwood season. Released in November 2020 and written by Tim Foley. Undoubtedly the title is a play on Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. Whether it is coincidental or not and given the title, this came about three months after the release of the third Bill & Ted movie Bill & Ted Face the Music. Rhys holds a barbecue for his friends when Ianto turned up having been asked to do so by Gwen. The barbecue it turns out is a wake for a friend of Rhys who had recently died. Overall not bad to pass the time just like with any barbecue, although it has been quite since I last attended one. As Rhys and Ianto encounters the problem with the barbecue that came up here a mysterious caller came in the midst of this, a caller is not exactly what he seems. Also quite emotional when Rhys talks about the said reason for the barbecue. This episode has the involvement of a time bubble. Coincidentally this came about a couple of months before Jack was in Revolution of the Daleks in which he employed a time bubble to rescue the Doctor and coincidentally I was listening to Rhys & Ianto's Excellent Barbecue when Revolution of the Daleks came on.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Mar 2, 2021 8:22:32 GMT
The Crown: The Crown is the ninth episode of the sixth Big Finish Torchwood season. Released in December 2020 and written by Jonathan Barnes. Seeing the title The Crown made me think of the TV series of that name. Whereas the TV series is about Queen Elizabeth II and her family, the Torchwood namesake is about Elizabeth II's great great grandmother Queen Victoria in another appearance by Rowena Cooper as Victoria. The Crown guest stars Derek Riddell. Riddell is not a stranger to things Torchwood as he guest starred in Doctor Who: Tooth and Claw where he played Sir Robert MacLeish, the owner of Torchwood House where the Torchwood Institute got its name and named by the visiting Queen Victoria. As Tooth and Claw is the Doctor Who episode which established Torchwood's origins, Riddell finally got to be in an episode under the Torchwood banner with The Crown. Riddell however doesn't reprise MacLeish as he got killed by the wolf before the queen came up with her idea of the Torchwood Institute. Riddell instead plays new character Dr Gideon Parr. The Crown meant that Riddell gets to have a reunion with Queen Victoria even though Victoria in Tooth and Claw was played by Pauline Collins whereas Rowena Cooper plays her in The Crown. No doubt an in-joke when Victoria asked Dr Parr if he has heard of the Torchwood Institute as the listener doesn't hear the answer to this question. The Crown has Dr Parr being summoned to an asylum to visit a patient there and that patient is Queen Victoria or at least she claims to be her. Intriguing how this plot ensues but the resolution to this had me confused on so many levels.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Apr 24, 2021 17:14:34 GMT
Drive: Drive is the penultimate episode of the sixth Torchwood Big Finish season. Starring Naoko Mori as Tosh Written by David Llewellyn. This episode is notable for providing the Big Finish producing debut by Emily Cook, the creator of the Doctor Who: Lockdown event. Drive refers to the taxi that Tosh takes and employs the help of its taxi driver Fawzia. Fawzia is played by Suzanne Packer and I could not believe Fawzia was played by the same person who played General Eve Cicero in The Tsuranga Conundrum in the Doctor Who episodes as her two characters are nothing alike. With Fawzia's help, Tosh tracks down someone for his unsafe use of a teleporter. This is an enthralling adventure and Tosh and Fawzia makes for a good team. In fact it is this team up between Tosh and Fawzia is the main reason for my enjoyment of this story before it reaches its resolution. Fawzia also makes a couple of jokes to Tosh which I am not sure was that funny. A very good episode and definitely a very good vehicle (pun may or may not have been intended) for Emily Cook's Big Finish producing debut.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Oct 11, 2021 17:46:14 GMT
The Office of Never Was: The Office of Never Was is the penultimate episode of the third Torchwood Big Finish season. Starring Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto. Released in July 2017, written by James Goss and directed by Scott Handcock. Before listening to this I had read from TARDIS Wiki that Handcock had described this episode as Ianto Jones being Emma Peel from the Avengers episode The Joker. (As a point of fact, I should mentioned as it wasn't mentioned here, that The Joker itself is a remake of the earlier Cathy Gale episode Don't Look Behind You). GIven the premise from The Avengers episode, The Office of Never Was has Ianto investigating on his own an empty office block. He was initially alone until he meets a girl who can't remember her own name. The unnamed girl was played by Bethan Rose Young and this character on The Avengers: The Joker character Ola played by Sally Nesbitt and before that in Don't Look Behind You, an unnamed girl (just like her counterpart in The Office of Never Was) played by Janine Gray. Quite enthralling and very suspenseful Ianto investigating this building all of which leads him to meet a man called Oliver. Oliver is played by David Shields and this character is based on The Joker character Prendergast played by Peter Jeffrey and before that in Don't Look Behind, an unnamed man played by Maurice Good. The climax between Ianto and Oliver has the revelation of what led to all this and fascinating hearing this played out. Very haunting the resolution decided by Ianto that brings this mystery to the close. Also very creepy during this episode is the voice in the lift! On listening to the said interviews interesting to learn how this episode came about after fulfilling the request of Torchwood doing its own version of the said Avengers narrative.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Feb 11, 2023 0:40:59 GMT
Dead Plates: Dead Plates is the second episode of the eighth Torchwood Big Finish season. Starring Murray Melvin as Bilis Manger Released in June 2022 and written by David Llewellyn. Bilis has been murdered. However just as the people around digest this very fact, Bilis, another one that is, comes in all alive. This story explores the misdeeds committed by the said people. If I were to be brutally honest I could not make any heads or tails with this episode. A second listen of this did not make me any the wiser. I really could not understand the purpose of a Bilis' murder and the ending just had me baffled. Definitely not a Torchwood Big Finish that I have been impressed with.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Apr 6, 2023 14:57:32 GMT
The Lincolnshire Poacher: The Lincolnshire Poacher is the penultimate episode of the eighth Torchwood Big Finish season. Starring Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto. Written by Stewart Pringle & Lauren Mooney. Greg (David Shaw-Parker) is the said Lincolnshire Poacher and this explores the story from his viewpoint with a limited appearance by Ianto. Quite interesting experience listening to this episode from Greg's perspective and how Ianto comes into this and the meaning of the numbers that are being said. Quite an eerie situation and the person that is The Lincolnshire Poacher.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on May 30, 2023 11:41:16 GMT
The Empire Man: The Empire Man is the penultimate episode of the eighth Torchwood Big Finish season. Written by Jonathan Barnes. Curiously despite this being under the Torchwood banner, Torchwood is not here at all as it featured instead its founder Queen Victoria who does however mentioned Torchwood at the end. The Empire Man has Queen Victoria having a meeting with her prime minister and a man called Mr Castringham held just before midnight which would eventually be revealed is of significance. Each of the three tells stories about their personal lives, mysterious events in their lives. One thing all their stories have in common is a place called Altrim Wood. Fascinating with each of those stories and how it leads to what the episode title means. Certainly an enjoyable story in which Torchwood wasn't involved in the situation at hand and we can only wonder how Torchwood would have handled the said situation.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Jul 4, 2023 14:13:51 GMT
The Last Love Song of Suzie Costello: The Last Love Song of Suzie Costello is the third episode of the ninth Torchwood Big Finish season. As indicated in the episode this stars Indira Varma as Suzie Costello. Written by Rafaella Marcus. This is set sometime before Everything Changes when Suzie was a member of Torchwood and was alive. This has Suzie going into the sea where discovered a spaceship and what she sees there. Quite intriguing by what Suzie uncovers in this spaceship under the sea and the conversations that took place before she ultimately gets back to dry land.
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Post by Katy Manning's Chinese Husband on Sept 1, 2023 17:47:49 GMT
Double Part 1: Double is a two part story that started the ninth Torchwood Big Finish season and written by Guy Adams. This is about Part 1 which was released on January 10 2023. This is set in the 1970s and stars Louise Jameson (Leela elsewhere in the Whoniverse) as Big Finish original character Roberta Craven, an operative of Torchwood One. The reason why this is called Double is because it involves Nestenes and the Autons and Craven investigates the attacks made by them here. Roberta Craven is an embittered person reflected by her persistent consumption of alchohol, all coming out of her experience as an experience and despite being the protagonist of this story I found very hard to sympathise with her. However it was very intriguing when she was given a warning in her investigation one that she wasn't willing to heed to. I don't believe I ever listened to the Autons elsewhere on Big Finish but they definitely worked well here with their legendary sound of their being broken and firing their weapons from there. This included how they played a key part in the cliffhanger.
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