a merry ghoul (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
merryghoul) wrote2015-12-26 01:03 pm
merryghoul) wrote2015-12-26 01:03 pm
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The Diary of River Song (S1): a review
Yesterday, while most Doctor Who fans in the US were watching "The Husbands of River Song," I listened to The Diary of River Song.
As Big Finish cautioned on Twitter, you don't need to see "The Husbands of River Song" to understand this audio series (although the Sonic Trowel is mentioned). But you can't sit through this series without knowing River's timeline or some things about the Time War, either.
This series is about River and her encounters with the Rulers of the Universe, people who want to control when and how certain planets operate. Throughout this series, references to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass are made, and they're set up to parallel River's journey to meet the Rulers.
The first story, "The Boundless Sea," finds River, by now a thesis-writing visiting professor of sorts on Earth in the 1920s, refusing to go to an archaeological dig until she hears of a woman disappearing in a tomb. She has an assistant in a man known as Bertie, a man who is much more than he seems. I thought this audio was good, but the antagonists grossed me out. A lot. You know the Sandmen from "Sleep No More?" The antagonists in this audio are somewhat like that.
The second story, "I Went to a Marvellous Party," finds River going to, well, a party in space in the future just after a murder's happened. River meets the Rulers in this part, and they enlist her to find the murderer of the person who's been killed. I liked this story a bit better than "The Boundless Sea," although I am confused by a mention of River's screwdriver (as opposed to the trowel)--I'm not sure if it's a production gaffe or part of the episode and is a part of one of River's ruses.
My favorite story is "Signs," where River meets a "Mr. Song"--one of her husbands. At first, it seems out of place with the story that's set up in "The Boundless Sea" and "I Went to a Marvellous Party." But, as the story progresses, it's apparent what's going on with River. The story left me wondering how River was going to escape, and it gripped me throughout. There's one particular scene, a lecture scene, that still haunts me, because of how the scene ends.
The last story, "The Rulers of the Universe," explains how River manages to defeat the said antagonists in the title. It also introduces the Eighth Doctor, and with that, River's attempts to not show her face to him. I found this audio a bit of a let down after "Signs," if only because I thought that audio was gripping and compelling because of its psychological nature, and "Rulers" is an action-packed denouement to the whole story with the Rulers. But it's still great fun, and I like River's alias she uses with the Doctor...I think it was said in the audio as "Miss Spritz." The alias reminded me a bit of Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus franchise...and why hasn't Alex Kingston been cast as Ms. Frizzle in something Magic School Bus already? I don't understand!
The behind the scenes documentary is amusing, as the interviews make no attempt to differentiate between Kingston, Alexander Vlahos (who plays Bertie) and Alexander Siddig (who plays a character in the first audio, Marcus Gifford). At times, I was wondering which Alex the interviewers were talking about, but it doesn't take long for the interviews to clarify which Alex is Alex. But it's your typical Big Finish audio documentary about one of their productions. There is a lot of praise for Kingston and how friendly she is, though.
I don't think The Diary of River Song is the best Big Finish audio I've heard (that honor would still go to Zagreus or Fanfare for the Common Men). But I enjoyed the audios immensely. I've always wanted more adventures where River does things without the Doctor, and Big Finish delivers. And in these audios, River gets to be her sarcastic, witty, and occasionally punny self, all while saving whoever she can save. I couldn't ask for more.
As Big Finish cautioned on Twitter, you don't need to see "The Husbands of River Song" to understand this audio series (although the Sonic Trowel is mentioned). But you can't sit through this series without knowing River's timeline or some things about the Time War, either.
This series is about River and her encounters with the Rulers of the Universe, people who want to control when and how certain planets operate. Throughout this series, references to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass are made, and they're set up to parallel River's journey to meet the Rulers.
The first story, "The Boundless Sea," finds River, by now a thesis-writing visiting professor of sorts on Earth in the 1920s, refusing to go to an archaeological dig until she hears of a woman disappearing in a tomb. She has an assistant in a man known as Bertie, a man who is much more than he seems. I thought this audio was good, but the antagonists grossed me out. A lot. You know the Sandmen from "Sleep No More?" The antagonists in this audio are somewhat like that.
The second story, "I Went to a Marvellous Party," finds River going to, well, a party in space in the future just after a murder's happened. River meets the Rulers in this part, and they enlist her to find the murderer of the person who's been killed. I liked this story a bit better than "The Boundless Sea," although I am confused by a mention of River's screwdriver (as opposed to the trowel)--I'm not sure if it's a production gaffe or part of the episode and is a part of one of River's ruses.
My favorite story is "Signs," where River meets a "Mr. Song"--one of her husbands. At first, it seems out of place with the story that's set up in "The Boundless Sea" and "I Went to a Marvellous Party." But, as the story progresses, it's apparent what's going on with River. The story left me wondering how River was going to escape, and it gripped me throughout. There's one particular scene, a lecture scene, that still haunts me, because of how the scene ends.
The last story, "The Rulers of the Universe," explains how River manages to defeat the said antagonists in the title. It also introduces the Eighth Doctor, and with that, River's attempts to not show her face to him. I found this audio a bit of a let down after "Signs," if only because I thought that audio was gripping and compelling because of its psychological nature, and "Rulers" is an action-packed denouement to the whole story with the Rulers. But it's still great fun, and I like River's alias she uses with the Doctor...I think it was said in the audio as "Miss Spritz." The alias reminded me a bit of Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus franchise...and why hasn't Alex Kingston been cast as Ms. Frizzle in something Magic School Bus already? I don't understand!
The behind the scenes documentary is amusing, as the interviews make no attempt to differentiate between Kingston, Alexander Vlahos (who plays Bertie) and Alexander Siddig (who plays a character in the first audio, Marcus Gifford). At times, I was wondering which Alex the interviewers were talking about, but it doesn't take long for the interviews to clarify which Alex is Alex. But it's your typical Big Finish audio documentary about one of their productions. There is a lot of praise for Kingston and how friendly she is, though.
I don't think The Diary of River Song is the best Big Finish audio I've heard (that honor would still go to Zagreus or Fanfare for the Common Men). But I enjoyed the audios immensely. I've always wanted more adventures where River does things without the Doctor, and Big Finish delivers. And in these audios, River gets to be her sarcastic, witty, and occasionally punny self, all while saving whoever she can save. I couldn't ask for more.