Doctor Who Audio Round-up: February 2011

If not the best of this month’s releases, then certainly the best value for money in terms of number of words per minute, Matt Smith’s reading of The Jade Pyramid by Martin Day for AudioGo is an interesting story for the 11th Doctor and Amy.

Day skilfully evokes a sense of danger to a peaceful village from multiple sources, including its own leadership, an alien presence, and visiting Samurai.

Smith never quite trips over his words, but manages to cram more than you’d believe possible into every nanosecond of the disc’s running time.

VERDICT: 7/10

The main Big Finish release, The Crimes of Thomas Brewster, sees the long-awaited return of Maggie Stables to the main line, after her guest starring appearance in A Death in the Family alongside the Seventh Doctor last year.

She’s back with “her” Doctor and makes a new friend in the Doctor-hopping Thomas Brewster, another of those characters who Big Finish seem sure we want to see more of – although hopefully there’ll be a bit more to him in this trilogy than was revealed in his Fifth Doctor and The Three Companions appearances.

An action-packed tale from Jonathan Morris, complete with a paradoxical appearance by Anna Hope as DI Patricia Menzies, it’s not one to listen to late at night on the Underground!

VERDICT: 8/10

The Companion Chronicle, Peri and the Piscon Paradox, also features the Sixth Doctor. It’s one of those stories that is too big for one CD, but not quite big enough for two – but that shouldn’t detract from the (sometimes annoying) comedy or the drama.

Part four contains what is simply Nicola Bryant’s best performance as Peri in any medium – avoid spoilers for this one if you can.

VERDICT: 8/10

Prisoner of the Sun is an oddity in the current, and final, run of Eighth Doctor Adventures, with McGann’s Doctor accompanied by an android companion who he’s programmed to sound like Lucie, thereby allowing Sheridan Smith to take part.

It’s a slight tale but, one suspects, a necessary chance to take a breather before the epic Dalek finale that’s coming shortly.

VERDICT: 7/10

This month also sees the second set of adventures for Jago and Litefoot, the Victorian investigators. As enjoyable as their debut, this season sees David Collings and Simon Williams among the many guest stars, with typically torturous tales from Justin Richards, Mark Morris, Jonathan Morris and Andy Lane.

Whatever you do, don’t listen to the Extras before you’ve heard the end of Lane’s story, or a great surprise for next season will be ruined…

VERDICT: 8/10