Audio CD reviews
Big Finish
Release date Out now

The Third Doctor and the Brigadier find a way to escape; the Fourth Doctor and Romana join a quest for the Doctor; the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa take a break in Stockbridge; and the Eighth battles the power of the Eight Legs...

In recent times, Big Finish has been releasing the audios in batches of three, with the occasional one-off in the middle. The latest grouping is all set round the village of Stockbridge, which was established in the Doctor Who Magazine comic strips as a quaint place where there seems to be a higher than normal degree of alien activity. The Castle of Fear kicks off the trilogy, set initially at the end of the 19th Century but then heading back to the 12th.

Alan Barnes' script is a very odd mix tonally. It goes from absolutely dreadful puns and jokes to serious drama, but unlike Nev Fountain's The Kingmaker from a few years back, it never quite manages to gel. It's as if the Monty Python team had shoehorned an alien invasion threat into The Holy Grail – but where it's serious, it works very well. Don't look too closely at the back cover though, as the copyright line casually gives away the identity of the villains.

VERDICT: 6/10

The Three Companions continues at the end of The Castle of Fear. Unfortunately this has become so involved now, it's really only worth following if you've listened to the previous instalments. Platt's tale has simply not worked in the 10-minute, once-a-month format.

VERDICT: 5/10

The Companion Chronicle The Pyralis Effect marks George Mann's debut on the range, with a tale competently told by Lalla Ward as the second Romana. It's got a neat conceit at its heart, with no-one believing that the Doctor can possibly be "the Doctor", since that's who they're looking for! Some very effective soundscapes make this an enjoyable listen, albeit not one that is likely to top any fan polls.

VERDICT: 6/10

Worldwide Web lives up to its punning title, as the Eighth Doctor and Lucie try to deal with the insidious effects of the Metebelis spiders' invasion. Loose ends from the three seasons of adventures are tied up, with long running characters making some surprising decisions.

The only weakness in Eddie Robson's script is that it has some resonances with the ending of Steven Moffat's series four story featuring River Song, but that doesn't really mar a strong season finale for this range.

VERDICT: 7/10

Peter Quentin