Starring Paul McGann, India Fisher & Gareth Thomas
Written by Alan Barnes
Directed by Gary Russell
October, 1930. His Majesty's Airship, the R101, sets off on her maiden voyage to the farthest-flung reaches of the British Empire, carrying the brightest lights of the Imperial fleet. Carrying the hopes and dreams of a breathless nation.
Not to mention a ruthless spy with a top-secret mission, a mysterious passenger who appears nowhere on the crew list, a would-be-adventuress destined for the Singapore Hilton... and a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey.
There's a storm coming. There's something unspeakable, something with wings, crawling across the stern. Thousands of feet high in the blackening sky, the crew of the R101 brace themselves. When the storm breaks, their lives won't be all that's at stake...
The future of the galaxy will be hanging by a thread.
The very first Paul McGann audio from Big Finish had a huge job to do. After all, it had to reintroduce the eighth Doctor to the Who universe, tell a compelling story and show that the TV Movie could be forgotten and Paul McGann could be an excellent Doctor, when given good material. And Storm Warning, to me at least, fulfils all of these requirements with abloom, with perhaps one of the most breathless and enthusiastic story's that Big Finish have ever released. The whole thing powers along with a great sense of energy and excitement that have rarely been matched in the eighth Doctor's adventures in any medium. It's probably one of the most stylish era introductions in the history of Doctor Who, and it's all held together by a fantastic script, and an amazing central performance from Paul McGann.
The story premise is simple: taking a piece of recorded history (the R101), adding aliens and boom! There's a Doctor Who story right there. The premise may be simple, but it's a standard formula that a lot of Doctor Who has been based on, and it's traceable all the way back to the mid 60's with stories like The Chase or The Time Meddler. It's certainly a decent formula to work with, and it makes for a great opening story. A more 'bog-standard' tale is usually a decent way to kick off a new era, since a Who story by numbers can usually be a good way to see how this particular era of the programme will work. And Storm Warning certain shows off what this new team can bring to the table. The story certainly isn't anything that we haven't seen before, but it's certainly well told. It was clear that any story involving the R101 would deal with the danger that changing such an event could have to history, and this story really takes this premise and runs with it, particularly in the final episode. I like the way that this story blends the regular 'you can't change history' rhetoric from the Doctor with a greater determination to try and help. This seeming attempt to interfere does seem to be setting up a story thread for the future regarding Charley's seeming death, which I have to admit is a great hook to get us invested in future stories (bar the burgeoning relationship between the Doctor and Charley), and is certainly something that takes future eighth Doctor stories in some 'interesting' directions. The story's main sci-fi plot is a little bit average, however, but it is still interesting. The culture of the Triskele is very interesting, but the material sadly comes across as a little flat. The pace in episode 3 slows up completely in order to explore this culture, and, while there's no doubt that this isn't interesting, I think Barnes could have communicated this material over a little more engagingly than he did, since that third part does come across as a little 'Star Trek' (two words I hope most sci-fi doesn't come across) in that it's just an excuse to explore and flesh out an alien culture. As said, nothing wrong with that, and it certainly makes the Triskele an interesting alien race. They're very unlike most one-time aliens who appear in Doctor Who, in that their culture is a vital part of the plot. While most Who stories touch upon the social structure of the society that they are visiting, this story makes this structure central to the problem that the Doctor faces. As I said earlier, the culture that we are presented with is fascinating, and while episode 3 does, at times, dissolve into simple expository dialogue, the concepts that we are dealing with manage to just about see us through. Overall, Barnes blends the two plots together really, really well, with an equal focus on both.
The characters in this story are also the sort you'd expect. After all, this is a period piece, so, in many ways, only 'genuine' historical figures are going to feel like fleshed out characters, with most others being built from stock ideas we have about the period of history in question. However, as the story progresses, we get to see Barnes expanding these characters, so that their not just stereotypes, but rather individuals. I'd hardly say they were fully fleshed out characters, but they do have a depth to them that, in other circumstances, would be non-existent. I thought that Lord Tamworth was, in particular, a fine example of this: his character coming across first as a typical politician of the time, but as the story progresses, we see a more sympathetic side to his character. By the time his character leaves the story about half way through the final episode, he's become a much more rounded character. While his development seems pretty average as character development goes, his storyline is greatly enhanced by the performance from Gareth Thomas. He really does give it his all, completely confident with the material being presented to him. He's more well known for playing Blake in Blake's 7, he gives a completely different performance to his performance there, but with the same infectious energy. I also thought that Nicholas Pegg's Frayling was another great character: someone who starts out as rather meek and guarded with his opinions, but, thanks to the Doctor's involvement, he becomes much less reserved, and more argumentative. However, this also proves to be his undoing, and I really like that twist of fate, that, while the Doctor has helped him to overcome his fears, he does end up becoming a bit of a arse. I wasn't as enamoured with Rathbone, simply because he felt a little bit more like a 'obvious villain', rather than a character in his own right, but I think Barnaby Edwards managed to just hold him on the right side of cliché, although I did think his accent was a little bit over the top. The rest of the guest characters aren't really as important as these three main characters, but I was impressed with the acting that the rest of the cast gave. Of course, this story is the introduction of the eighth Doctor's first proper companion, Charley Pollard. I think Charley is superbly well handled by Barnes here. She's an independent, strong willed character, in the same vein as Peri or Sarah Jane, but she isn't afraid to show moments of vulnerability. The way her character is introduced certainly gives enough to the listener for us to see where she might be going in the future, and while she may come across as a little gung-ho, I feel that this is more interesting than most of the new-Who companions, who just seem too focused on their own world, and never really 'up' for the adventure. I also really like the way that her and the Doctor just dropped into this really easy groove with each other, and that really pushed the story on for me. Of course, Paul McGann is also a huge part of this story's success, because he just slips back into the role of the Doctor as if he never left. He very quickly embodies the role of the Doctor, and, while the opening scenes could fall flat in the wrong hands, Paul keeps them brisk, light and, above all, believable. He and India Fisher (who is absolutely fantatstic in this as well, don't get me wrong) gel together so well that their scenes absolutely fly by, and they share a fantastic chemistry that just gets built upon as the run progresses.
Out of the first 20 or so releases, this is, undoubtedly, a production high point. Gary Russell's direction is spot on, getting clear, solid performances from his regulars. He has a real understanding for the material that he's working with, and he makes sure that everything fits together really, really well. However, his work is outdone by Alistair Lock, who's sound design is breath-taking. He puts the listener right into the action, and makes us feel like we are really there. There are parts of the script which require the sound design to be sharp, in order to make the audience aware of where we are, and they really do that with some crisp and well crafted sound effects. His music, as well, is also similarly magical, really capturing that sense of adventure that this story seems to inspire. It gives the story a real cinematic sense, something that is helped by the epic scope of the script. I also think David Arnold's version of the theme is fantastic. It's gothic and brooding, and really fits with the character of the eighth Doctor, particularly as his adventures develop. The cover from Clayton Hickman is also great, but most, if not all, of his cover designs for Big Finish were always up to a strong standard, even if that standard is far from what we might expect today.
Overall, I think that Storm Warning is a great Doctor Who story that manages to entertain and sets up a brand new era for the eighth Doctor with a great new companion and an exciting new arc that promises great things for the future. I would never call Storm Warning an absolute classic, but it is a very strong story that manages to launch the eighth Doctor into possibly one of the most long running series' ever, with a stylish and sophisticate attitude. And, for that, I think we have to count it as a success.
Rating - 7/10
Written by Alan Barnes Directed by Gary Russell
October, 1930. His Majesty's Airship, the R101, sets off on her maiden voyage to the farthest-flung reaches of the British Empire, carrying the brightest lights of the Imperial fleet. Carrying the hopes and dreams of a breathless nation.
Not to mention a ruthless spy with a top-secret mission, a mysterious passenger who appears nowhere on the crew list, a would-be-adventuress destined for the Singapore Hilton... and a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey.
There's a storm coming. There's something unspeakable, something with wings, crawling across the stern. Thousands of feet high in the blackening sky, the crew of the R101 brace themselves. When the storm breaks, their lives won't be all that's at stake...
The future of the galaxy will be hanging by a thread.
The very first Paul McGann audio from Big Finish had a huge job to do. After all, it had to reintroduce the eighth Doctor to the Who universe, tell a compelling story and show that the TV Movie could be forgotten and Paul McGann could be an excellent Doctor, when given good material. And Storm Warning, to me at least, fulfils all of these requirements with abloom, with perhaps one of the most breathless and enthusiastic story's that Big Finish have ever released. The whole thing powers along with a great sense of energy and excitement that have rarely been matched in the eighth Doctor's adventures in any medium. It's probably one of the most stylish era introductions in the history of Doctor Who, and it's all held together by a fantastic script, and an amazing central performance from Paul McGann.
The story premise is simple: taking a piece of recorded history (the R101), adding aliens and boom! There's a Doctor Who story right there. The premise may be simple, but it's a standard formula that a lot of Doctor Who has been based on, and it's traceable all the way back to the mid 60's with stories like The Chase or The Time Meddler. It's certainly a decent formula to work with, and it makes for a great opening story. A more 'bog-standard' tale is usually a decent way to kick off a new era, since a Who story by numbers can usually be a good way to see how this particular era of the programme will work. And Storm Warning certain shows off what this new team can bring to the table. The story certainly isn't anything that we haven't seen before, but it's certainly well told. It was clear that any story involving the R101 would deal with the danger that changing such an event could have to history, and this story really takes this premise and runs with it, particularly in the final episode. I like the way that this story blends the regular 'you can't change history' rhetoric from the Doctor with a greater determination to try and help. This seeming attempt to interfere does seem to be setting up a story thread for the future regarding Charley's seeming death, which I have to admit is a great hook to get us invested in future stories (bar the burgeoning relationship between the Doctor and Charley), and is certainly something that takes future eighth Doctor stories in some 'interesting' directions. The story's main sci-fi plot is a little bit average, however, but it is still interesting. The culture of the Triskele is very interesting, but the material sadly comes across as a little flat. The pace in episode 3 slows up completely in order to explore this culture, and, while there's no doubt that this isn't interesting, I think Barnes could have communicated this material over a little more engagingly than he did, since that third part does come across as a little 'Star Trek' (two words I hope most sci-fi doesn't come across) in that it's just an excuse to explore and flesh out an alien culture. As said, nothing wrong with that, and it certainly makes the Triskele an interesting alien race. They're very unlike most one-time aliens who appear in Doctor Who, in that their culture is a vital part of the plot. While most Who stories touch upon the social structure of the society that they are visiting, this story makes this structure central to the problem that the Doctor faces. As I said earlier, the culture that we are presented with is fascinating, and while episode 3 does, at times, dissolve into simple expository dialogue, the concepts that we are dealing with manage to just about see us through. Overall, Barnes blends the two plots together really, really well, with an equal focus on both.
The characters in this story are also the sort you'd expect. After all, this is a period piece, so, in many ways, only 'genuine' historical figures are going to feel like fleshed out characters, with most others being built from stock ideas we have about the period of history in question. However, as the story progresses, we get to see Barnes expanding these characters, so that their not just stereotypes, but rather individuals. I'd hardly say they were fully fleshed out characters, but they do have a depth to them that, in other circumstances, would be non-existent. I thought that Lord Tamworth was, in particular, a fine example of this: his character coming across first as a typical politician of the time, but as the story progresses, we see a more sympathetic side to his character. By the time his character leaves the story about half way through the final episode, he's become a much more rounded character. While his development seems pretty average as character development goes, his storyline is greatly enhanced by the performance from Gareth Thomas. He really does give it his all, completely confident with the material being presented to him. He's more well known for playing Blake in Blake's 7, he gives a completely different performance to his performance there, but with the same infectious energy. I also thought that Nicholas Pegg's Frayling was another great character: someone who starts out as rather meek and guarded with his opinions, but, thanks to the Doctor's involvement, he becomes much less reserved, and more argumentative. However, this also proves to be his undoing, and I really like that twist of fate, that, while the Doctor has helped him to overcome his fears, he does end up becoming a bit of a arse. I wasn't as enamoured with Rathbone, simply because he felt a little bit more like a 'obvious villain', rather than a character in his own right, but I think Barnaby Edwards managed to just hold him on the right side of cliché, although I did think his accent was a little bit over the top. The rest of the guest characters aren't really as important as these three main characters, but I was impressed with the acting that the rest of the cast gave. Of course, this story is the introduction of the eighth Doctor's first proper companion, Charley Pollard. I think Charley is superbly well handled by Barnes here. She's an independent, strong willed character, in the same vein as Peri or Sarah Jane, but she isn't afraid to show moments of vulnerability. The way her character is introduced certainly gives enough to the listener for us to see where she might be going in the future, and while she may come across as a little gung-ho, I feel that this is more interesting than most of the new-Who companions, who just seem too focused on their own world, and never really 'up' for the adventure. I also really like the way that her and the Doctor just dropped into this really easy groove with each other, and that really pushed the story on for me. Of course, Paul McGann is also a huge part of this story's success, because he just slips back into the role of the Doctor as if he never left. He very quickly embodies the role of the Doctor, and, while the opening scenes could fall flat in the wrong hands, Paul keeps them brisk, light and, above all, believable. He and India Fisher (who is absolutely fantatstic in this as well, don't get me wrong) gel together so well that their scenes absolutely fly by, and they share a fantastic chemistry that just gets built upon as the run progresses.
Out of the first 20 or so releases, this is, undoubtedly, a production high point. Gary Russell's direction is spot on, getting clear, solid performances from his regulars. He has a real understanding for the material that he's working with, and he makes sure that everything fits together really, really well. However, his work is outdone by Alistair Lock, who's sound design is breath-taking. He puts the listener right into the action, and makes us feel like we are really there. There are parts of the script which require the sound design to be sharp, in order to make the audience aware of where we are, and they really do that with some crisp and well crafted sound effects. His music, as well, is also similarly magical, really capturing that sense of adventure that this story seems to inspire. It gives the story a real cinematic sense, something that is helped by the epic scope of the script. I also think David Arnold's version of the theme is fantastic. It's gothic and brooding, and really fits with the character of the eighth Doctor, particularly as his adventures develop. The cover from Clayton Hickman is also great, but most, if not all, of his cover designs for Big Finish were always up to a strong standard, even if that standard is far from what we might expect today.
Overall, I think that Storm Warning is a great Doctor Who story that manages to entertain and sets up a brand new era for the eighth Doctor with a great new companion and an exciting new arc that promises great things for the future. I would never call Storm Warning an absolute classic, but it is a very strong story that manages to launch the eighth Doctor into possibly one of the most long running series' ever, with a stylish and sophisticate attitude. And, for that, I think we have to count it as a success.
Rating - 7/10
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