Dr Who Nights Black Agents CD (Dr Who Big Finish Companion) (Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Nights Black Agent is a story we should have had before, and after all the fiction that precedes it, there is a freshness to this story. The structure is simple, and the villainy is superb, in terms of scripting and execution; therefore three five-star elements.

Some coincidence lies in the fact that it is the first Doctor Who outing for two unrelated Ross's. Marty Ross's first Doctor Who story is stronger than some of the output of regular Big Finish authors. Hugh Ross, familiar screen actor, is exemplary in his first Doctor Who role. So a big plus to the casting and choice of writer.

The story concerns the older Jamie McCrimmon, who was "introduced" on Big Finish monthlies as a companion to the sixth Doctor, although in this story, the sixth Doctor is featured very little. Newcomers to Big Finish products may be surprised that a second Doctor companion is travelling with the sixth Doctor and is somewhat older, particularly as there are second Doctor era Jamie stories in the Companion Chronicle range. I am not sure this was a good idea to introduce this, particularly as we are denied further examples of Hines' impersonation of Troughton. However without the older Jamie the story would have worked less well. A no-win situation that has denied this story the full 5 stars, for it is so close. The revelation scenes near the end of the story and the accompanying sound effects are some of the best of the whole Companion Chronicle range.

Latest Doctor Who companion chronicle. These are a monthly range of talking books that feature an actor who played a companion to the Doctor on the tv show returning to the role to read an all new story featuring their character.

The usual format is a two part story complete on one disc, with the actor doing all the voices and narration save for one other character who is played by a guest actor.

This one sees Frazer Hines return to the role of Jamie, who he played opposite Patrick Troughton's Doctor on tv. But this time Jamie is travelling with the Sixth Doctor. Not that he remembers his previous travels in the TARDIS and thus he hasn't quite learned to trust this strange man in the garish outfit who claims to know him of old.

The regular audio range from Big finish is currently telling a trilogy of tales featuring this pairing, Dr Who City of Spires CD (Dr Who Big Finish) (Doctor Who) Dr Who the Wreck of the Titan CD (Dr Who Big Finish) (Doctor Who) Dr Who Legend of the Cybermen (Dr Who Big Finish) and this story takes place in between the first two of those. But this ia sidestep to a bigger tale and it stands pretty much on it's own, so you don't need to hear any of those to hear this. Or vice versa.

The first episode is roughly twenty six minutes long and the second is a little over thirty.

The story sees Jamie and the Doctor trying to get back to the TARDIS only to encounter a monster from scottish legend, and then a mysterious and rather sinister Reverend [guest actor Hugh Ross] who is working a strange influence on the people of the area. Not least a lady Jamie once admired from afar. And he knows more about the TARDIS and the Doctor than would seem possible...

Frazer Hine's impression of Patrick Troughton in the second doctor stories he's done in this range has been absolutely spot on. His Colin Baker isn't quite as perfect, but he captures the sixth's doctor bluster and sardonic nature ever so well and it's a performance that rather grows on you. The tale does benefit from being told by Jamie rather than the Doctor, as the way Jamie views the Doctor works well.And the latter has a very nice line in debunking superstition and strange phenomena, a point well captured by the writing.

With superb and very subtle villainy from Hugh Ross - the reverend initially trying to get people round to his side by using the right words to prey on their weaknesses - it's a very effective story in terms of atmosphere. And the writing gets every facet of Jamie's nature absolutely right.All of which allows for a final scene that may stay with you for a little while afterwards.

This a very strong story for Jamie and a very solid and well realised script. It's a more than above average entry in the range.

There's a trailer for the next in the series at the start of the disc, and a ten minute long interview with cast and crew at the end. It's a good length for such a thing as it does allow the conversation to flow very nicely.

With four scripts but only three slots in the main monthly range of the rather bewildering but I think pleasing Jamie and the Sixth Doctor pairing we take a side step into the Companion Chronicles for another crossover title. I feel we begin at a fairly frantic pace with our duo escaping from the water horse Kelpie inhabiting the Scottish moors. They are rescued by Reverend Merodach whom by gaining descriptions like mouldy time worn gargoyle and features like a half chewed apple core are pretty obvious clues as to where the writer intends to proceed with the character. Anyway back at Ravenswood Castle over an evening meal I liked the reference back to CITY OF SPIRES foe Red Cap made by our duos host. Ostensibly NIGHTS BLACK AGENTS is about Merodach attempting to persuade Jamie to betray the Doctor to gain entry to the TARDIS. There is a very lengthy questioning of the morality of Jamies previous actions which slows down the pace of this audio story quite considerably. When you consider that out of a total 70mins there are almost 12 mins used up by chat an next release preview extras the use of introspective but worthy self analysis exposes the weakness of the overall premise. To its credit the story is well routed in the Scottish heritage historical setting and Frazer Hines take on the Sixth Doctor conveying him in clipped crisp and clear English is acceptably different but not a patch on his decidedly spooky Troughton. In summary NIGHTS BLACK AGENTS is I believe perfectly fine for a first draft but could do with more action and less moralising. In my opinion a fairly average title especially when compared with the preceding TIME VAMPIRE release.