Brief Summary
The Sirens of Audio podcast reviews the best Big Finish audio dramas of 2023, featuring guests Kenny Smith, Philip Edney, and Dwayne Bunny. They discuss their top five picks, honorable mentions, and overall impressions of the year's releases, highlighting standout performances, writing, and sound design.
- Top picks include Torchwood: Dog Hop, Eighth Doctor: Cass, The Dead Star, Sixth Doctor: Purity Unleashed, Robots Volume Six, Fifth Doctor: In the Night, Doctor Who: The Ark, Beyond Bannerman Road, Eighth Doctor: Audacity, War Doctor Begins: Comrades in Arms, War Master: Solitary Confinement, Once and Future: A Genius for War, and Eighth Doctor: In The Bleak Midwinter.
- Honorable mentions include Ninth Doctor: Shades of Fear, The Avengers: Steed and Tara King, Blake's 7: The Liberator Chronicles - The Origins, The Omega Factor, Third Doctor Adventures, UFO, and The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles.
- The hosts praise the consistent quality of Big Finish's output in 2023 and express excitement for upcoming releases in 2024.
Introduction
The hosts introduce Kenny Smith and discuss his return to the podcast. They joke about Kenny's Scottish identity and its potential impact on podcasting. Kenny shares his busy year, including work with Big Finish, Vortex, and his podcast, "The Power of Three," which featured daily episodes with different book authors in November. The hosts express their excitement for the podcast's main topic: reviewing the best Big Finish releases of 2023.
Kenny's Number Five: Torchwood - Dog Hop
Kenny's number five pick is "Torchwood: Dog Hop" by Lauren M and Stuart Pringle. The story involves Torchwood investigating cases of body swapping between humans and dogs. Kenny praises the story's dark humor and unexpected twist ending. He highlights Tom Price's performance as PC Andy, who investigates the bizarre occurrences. The story is based on an idea the writers had about a barman swapping places with his dog.
Philip's Number Five: Eighth Doctor - Cass
Philip's number five is the Eighth Doctor series featuring Cass, a character from the "Night of the Doctor" mini-episode. He praises Paul McGann's performance and Emma Campbell-Jones as Cass. The stories are set during the Time War, portraying a bleaker and wearier Doctor. Philip appreciates the clever ideas and strong performances throughout the series.
Dwayne's Number Five: Second Doctor - The Dead Star
Dwayne's number five is the audio novel "The Dead Star" by Kate Orman, featuring the Second Doctor. He notes the anticipation surrounding Orman's return to Doctor Who writing. Michael Troughton's portrayal of the Second Doctor is praised, and the story is described as timey-wimey with elements of science fiction and car chases. One character is gender fluid, expertly portrayed by Michael Troughton. Dwayne highlights the nostalgic return to the Virgin novels era and Kate Orman's impact on Doctor Who fandom.
Kenny's Number Four: Sixth Doctor - Purity Unleashed
Kenny's number four is the Sixth Doctor box set "Purity Unleashed." He discusses the musical number in "Broadway Belongs to Me" and Bonnie Langford's dancing skills. The set introduces Hebe and features Imogen Stubbs as Patricia McBride. Kenny highlights the mix of stories, including "Time Burst" and "Purification," praising Chris Chapman's writing.
Philip's Number Four: Robots Volume Six
Philip's number four is "Robots Volume Six," the final box set in the Robots series. He expresses sadness at the series' conclusion and praises the writing of Helen Goldin, John Dorney, and Matt Fitton. John Dorney's "Face to Face" is highlighted for its similarities to the "Wild Blue Yonder" 60th anniversary special. Philip commends the performances of Nicola Walker and Clare Rushbrook.
Dwayne's Number Four: Fifth Doctor - In the Night
Dwayne's number four is the Fifth Doctor box set "In the Night." He praises Tim Foley's "Pursuit of the Nightjar," a story about meeting your heroes. Sarah Grochala's "Resistor," set in Warsaw in 1982, is also highlighted. Dwayne appreciates the comfortable TARDIS team and the character-driven nature of the stories.
Kenny's Number Three: Doctor Who - The Ark (Lost Story)
Kenny's number three is "Doctor Who and the Ark," a lost story from the Tom Baker era. He finds it fascinating to explore what the story could have been, comparing it to "Ark in Space." Kenny praises Terry Molloy's performance as Noah and the overall sound design. He notes the story's slower pace and different foe compared to the televised version.
Philip's Number Three: Beyond Bannerman Road
Philip's number three is "Beyond Bannerman Road," a Sarah Jane Adventures spin-off. He appreciates the return of the cast and the writing of Joseph Lidster, James Goss, and Lizzie Hopley. Philip highlights Mina Anwar's performance as Rani's mom and the spooky nature of "The Witching Tree." He commends Emily Cook's production and the handling of Sarah Jane's death in the series.
Dwayne's Number Three: Eighth Doctor - Audacity
Dwayne's number three is the Eighth Doctor box set "Audacity," introducing Lady Audacity, played by Jay Griffith. He praises Lisa McMullen's writing and Tim Foley's "The Great Cyber War." Kenny adds that Lady Audacity is a fantastic new companion with a strong character. Dwayne highlights Benji Clifford's sound design.
Kenny's Number Two: War Doctor Begins - Comrades in Arms
Kenny's number two is "War Doctor Begins: Comrades in Arms." He praises Jonathan Carley's performance as the War Doctor and his chemistry with Case. Kenny highlights the writing of NOA Flesh on, Tim X Abel, and Fil Rin. He emphasizes that Carley's portrayal is a fully rounded performance, not just an impression.
Philip's Number Two: War Master - Solitary Confinement
Philip's number two is "War Master: Solitary Confinement." He commends Scott Hancock's work and Derek Jacobi's ability to make the Master likable and evil. Philip highlights Jacob Dudman's performance in "The Life and Loves of Mr. Alexander Bennett," praising his acting skills.
Dwayne's Number Two: Once and Future - A Genius for War
Dwayne's number two is "Once and Future: A Genius for War," a Seventh Doctor adventure. He praises Jonathan Morris's writing and the combination of voices, including Sylvester McCoy, Terry Molloy, Beth Chalmers, and Ken Bones. Dwayne notes that this was his favorite individual story from the "Once and Future" series.
Kenny's Number One: Eighth Doctor - In The Bleak Midwinter
Kenny's number one is "Eighth Doctor: In The Bleak Midwinter." He loves the combination of Christmas, the Doctor, Charlie Pollard, and Audacity. Kenny praises the stories by John Dorney, Tim Foley, and Roy Gill, noting the festive atmosphere and spooky elements. He highlights the sisterly relationship between Charlie and Audacity.
Philip's Number One: Gallifrey - War Room Maneuvers
Philip's number one is "Gallifrey: War Room Maneuvers." He appreciates the return to the political intrigue of the original series. Philip highlights Katherine Armitage's stories and Sean Carlson's emotional performance as Narvin.
Dwayne's Number One: Second Doctor Adventures - James Robert Mcmanus
Dwayne's number one is the Second Doctor Adventures by James Robert Mcmanus. He praises Michael Troughton's portrayal of the Second Doctor and the ongoing story arc. Dwayne highlights the writing of Mark Wright, Paul F. Bowler, and Bob Ayres.
Honorable Mentions
The hosts discuss honorable mentions, including the First Doctor box set "The Demon Song," the Third Doctor Adventures with Katy Manning, the audio novel "Box of Terrors," and the UFO series. Philip mentions the Ninth Doctor box set "Shades of Fear," The Avengers: Steed and Tara King, and the Blake's 7 origin box set. Kenny adds "The House That Wasn't Haunted" from Omega Factor, the Eleventh Doctor Chronicles, and "The Wizard of Time" by Roy Gill.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
The hosts share their final thoughts on 2023 and express excitement for upcoming releases in 2024. They discuss the impact of different producers on the various ranges and highlight the consistent quality of Big Finish's output. They announce that next week's podcast will feature an interview with Eddie Robson.
