Doctor Who House of Blue Fire Big Finsh Review

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 · 106 ratings  · nine reviews

Start your review of Dr. Who: House of Blueish Fire

For its first half, this is utterly gripping, tense, creepy and mysterious; as good as Doc Who gets and basically splendid drama. If information technology had been able to go on upwardly this level of compelling greatness, I would have given this at to the lowest degree four, maybe even 5 stars. Continue in mind that I love a well executed horror story, and the start half of Firm of Bluish Burn (what an excellent, intriguing title, too) is a classic horror setup. A bunch of people find themselves in a labyrinthine, disquieting erstwhile ho For its showtime half, this is utterly gripping, tense, creepy and mysterious; as good as Doctor Who gets and basically splendid drama. If it had been able to keep up this level of compelling greatness, I would accept given this at least iv, possibly even five stars. Keep in mind that I love a well executed horror story, and the commencement half of House of Bluish Fire (what an excellent, intriguing championship, too) is a classic horror setup. A bunch of people find themselves in a labyrinthine, disquieting old hotel. They don't know how they got in that location, nor are they even aware of their own identities. It's fascinating to see characters interact who take lost their memories of their ain lives and selves, nonetheless whose personality traits are even so distinctly and firmly in place. At that place are a number of clenchingly tense, edge-of-the-seat scenes as the two women explore the business firm, and I loved the way the script portrayed the dynamic and temper shifting when the two young men were introduced. The story wisely keeps the Dr. completely out of the action for the starting time episode, and spends the time developing the characters of numbers Xviii and 5. When the twist that (view spoiler)[ the Doctor is the "primary" of the hotel occured, I tin can't say I wasn't expecting it by this bespeak, simply it was still extremely well handled and put a huge grin on my face. (hide spoiler)]

Episode two mounts the tension even higher as our cast seems to exist killed off one by i in ghastly ways, each of them seeming to experience what they most fearfulness. Yes, we are firmly and unapologetically in horror territory here, and the best part is that information technology'due south not one specific flick or story that is being aped here, but just the general feeling of claustrophobia and panic engendered by certain slashers and supernatural tales like Dario Argento's Inferno

But then, episode three arrives. Is has been the case with a few Big Finish tales now, the tone and style of the narrative alters abruptly and completely in its second one-half. In some stories, I retrieve this works really well (Lurkers at Sunlight's Edge, for example). Non here, though. Frankly, episode 3 has no tension at all, and the mode things were going in the previous installment, it should have been ramped up even higher. Nosotros discover out that (view spoiler)[ it was all a military experiment, sort of, and the Physician has shown upwards in a inquiry facility to sort out somebody else'due south mess. Big Finish has done this before. I'm getting a little tired of the bending and would have preferred having the whole story take place in Bluefire Business firm/in the minds of the characters. Perhaps they could accept kept the war machine experimentation device, fifty-fifty, merely but revealed its nature at the very end of the story. (hide spoiler)] The third episode consists largely of people talking about stuff, and I'm afraid it is a rather desperate comedown. It'southward not without its charms, though. I've said before that I generally retrieve McCoy is cracking at doing these audios, and I stand by this, though manifestly some think he overacts terribly. Well at present, I admire, for example, his hysterical guffaw when Dr. Soames finds out that in the mental projection he was the house butler. There'southward just something incredibly tricksterish and total of mischief almost mcCoy, and I don't think any other Doctor has been quite similar this, with the exception of Patrick Troughton.

I'd like to say that episode four gets things dorsum on rails, but it's even worse, alas. The villain/threat turns out to exist just another weird noncorporeal fauna that possesses people and gives them a distorted vocalization. It feeds on fear, like seemingly a dozen other beings in the Md WHo universe, and then seeks to break out into our continuum and, I approximate, make the world become mad. So, where does it usually live, and how does it feed, if information technology can't fifty-fifty reside in our universe? The story besides seems to contradict itself in a number of areas. Characters appear to get killed off by the fauna within the projection, but when their bodies are revived, they seem basically fine and none the worse for article of clothing. It does seem to try to off someone afterward on, but why would the creature want to impale its food supply, anyway? Strangely, too, I plant the characters to be a lot more than interesting when they had lost their identities. it's as if once they discovered who they were (view spoiler)[(a bunch of soldier volunteers) (hibernate spoiler)] the excellent work that went into developing their personalities and interactions in the get-go two parts simply fell completely past the wayside. Even the music and audio design seems to take a downturn, and I thoroughly enjoyed information technology during the first one-half, which features some seriously disconcerting, atmospheric/ambient/noise soundscapes.

Sometimes I wish Doctor Who would commit to just doing a straight horror story and not waffle around. I like the fact that the show's concept means information technology can be then gloriously schizophrenic and play fast and loose with all kinds of conventions and genres, but in a tale that starts out with such clear and finely honed management, and a real passion evident in its script for the genre it happens to exist visiting, I experience its second half is such a waste of potential I almost want to weep. For a while in that location I thought this was going to exist my favourite Large Cease story in ages. Ah well.

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Jan 14, 2017 Jamie Revell rated it really liked information technology

2 women arrive at a mysterious house in the wilderness with no cognition of how they got in that location, or who they are. And then begins a creepy tale of a place filled with subtle, merely unnerving horrors. Information technology's clear to the listener that the firm is far from natural, and that the Md is somehow involved, but he doesn't plough up for a total xxx minutes, and doesn't come up with a straight caption for a good deal longer than that.

If there's a weakness hither, it's that some of the elements of the story, suc

Two women arrive at a mysterious house in the wilderness with no cognition of how they got there, or who they are. So begins a creepy tale of a identify filled with subtle, but unnerving horrors. Information technology'south articulate to the listener that the house is far from natural, and that the Doctor is somehow involved, only he doesn't plough up for a full 30 minutes, and doesn't come upward with a straight explanation for a proficient deal longer than that.

If there'south a weakness here, information technology'southward that some of the elements of the story, such every bit the amnesia, have as well been used in other Big Finish releases that came out not long before this one. The details are, of grade, different, as is the overall tone. The 2d half of the story once we know, in general terms, what's really happening, is also much less scary than the beginning, even if still manages to remain nighttime and threatening.

Detail praise, even so, has to exist given to the high quality of the acting. The entire cast is on tiptop form, remaining believable throughout. There is no regular companion in this story, which, in this case, works to its benefit, and the early segments, with the 2 female person guests exploring the house, comprise a stiff 2-hander that'south all the better for the Doctor's absenteeism. Fear and phobias are a key theme in the story, and the loyalty and decency of Guest #18 are nicely contrasted with her fellows, without making any of them truly unlikeable.

I was inclined to give this v stars, but on reflection, the second half of the story, while far from weak, doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first. The monster, for example, while effective enough, isn't all that dissimilar from many that have come before, and once its nature is (necessarily) revealed, much of the tension is gone. The play might, perhaps, accept worked better if the reveal had been left until closer to the finish, cutting out a slower paced section that occupies much of the third act - although things do option up over again towards the end.

So a flawed masterpiece, perhaps, but good nonetheless.

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a slightly unlike take on virtual reality; 5 guest stars (led effectively by Timothy W and Amy Pemberton) play the puzzled inhabitants of an abandoned hotel; the Doctor takes ages to show upward and the plot then twists rather impressively at the end of episode two. Unusually, Sylvester McCoy is not on his summit form, resorting to acting past Yelling Hoarsely In Terror several times, but the rest are expert.

Jun 10, 2021 Luke rated it actually liked it

Some other fantastic drama! A bully mix of fear and horror that has been profoundly missing from my time with the big cease audio adventures, there has been a few only non many sadly. But I accept found the the 7th doctor can switch from the fool to commanding actually quick, he almost reminds me of columbo, how he looks stupid and acts the fool, only in the background he has everything sussed and is just waiting to pounce and show how clever he is and he won't have any shit 😅 and that'south exactly what happe Another fantastic drama! A groovy mix of fearfulness and horror that has been greatly missing from my time with the big terminate audio adventures, there has been a few only not many sadly. Simply I have institute the the 7th doctor can switch from the fool to commanding really quick, he most reminds me of columbo, how he looks stupid and acts the fool, simply in the background he has everything sussed and is just waiting to pounce and show how clever he is and he won't take whatever shit 😅 and that'southward exactly what happens hither, all the manner through i was interested to see what would happen next, sadly the only affair that let it down was the ending, but the rest was fantastic actually 😀 ...more

May 12, 2020 Steven Shinder rated information technology really liked it

It's actually impressive that the Doctor doesn't show up until the cease of the first episode. The haunted hotel artful was skilful while information technology lasted. Just then things change halfway through, though it's hinted at subtly via the dialogue from the new characters at the offset. The ending besides feels a little abrupt.

A good and scary opening, a nice continued suspense, and and then a turn halfway through that sort of spoiled the fun past putting the Physician in complete control over everything.

The characters worked pretty well, and I liked the fact that the woman who at kickoff seemed to fall into the category of helpless wimp, overcame her fears and turned out to be both very brave and very helpful.

Feb 18, 2012 Caz rated information technology actually liked information technology

The Seventh Doctor isn't my favourite audio Doctor (and I do find Sylvester McCoy's vocal mannerisms rather grating at times), only there's no denying he's had some terrific stories, and this is one of them. My only complaint is that the 2d one-half didn't live up to the promise of the first, merely so, I suppose that'due south jump to be the example when the kickoff part of the story is devoted to ratcheting upward the suspense and the second function has to explain information technology all and work everything out.
But Business firm of Blueish F The Seventh Doctor isn't my favourite sound Physician (and I exercise discover Sylvester McCoy's vocal mannerisms rather grating at times), but there's no denying he'due south had some terrific stories, and this is one of them. My only complaint is that the second one-half didn't live up to the hope of the first, but and so, I suppose that's bound to be the case when the first part of the story is devoted to ratcheting up the suspense and the second part has to explain it all and piece of work everything out.
Only Business firm of Blue Burn is nevertheless a cracking story and well worth a heed. ...more than

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Nice and creepy beginning and I liked the Doctor-Light first episode.

Adept resolution through parts iii and 4. Good stuff.

Maybe information technology was a little hard to hear the dialogue in places over the furnishings in Function 4 but not a swell problem.

Recommended listen.

Mar 12, 2013 Debra Cook rated information technology really liked it

The Doc helps people to conquer their fears to fight a monster that feds on them.

Librarian Note:
In that location is more than than ane writer in the Goodreads database with this name.

Mark Morris became a total-time writer in 1988 on the Enterprise Assart Scheme, and a year afterwards saw the release of his first novel, Toady. He has since published a further 16 novels, among which are Sew together, The Immaculate, The Clandestine of Beefcake, Fiddleback, The Deluge and 4 books in the popular Doc

Librarian Note:
There is more than i writer in the Goodreads database with this name.

Marker Morris became a full-time author in 1988 on the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, and a year subsequently saw the release of his first novel, Toady. He has since published a farther sixteen novels, amid which are Sew together, The Immaculate, The Secret of Beefcake, Fiddleback, The Deluge and four books in the popular Doctor Who range.

His short stories, novellas, articles and reviews have appeared in a broad variety of anthologies and magazines, and he is editor of the highly-acclaimed Movie theatre Macabre, a volume of fifty horror flick essays by genre luminaries, for which he won the 2007 British Fantasy Laurels.

His most recently published or forthcoming work includes a novella entitled It Sustains for Earthling Publications, a Torchwood novel entitled Bay of the Dead, several Doctor Who audios for Large Finish Productions, a follow-up volume to Cinema Macabre entitled Cinema Futura and a new short story collection, Long Shadows, Nightmare Lite.

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