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depresseddomino · 6 days ago

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What I want to add onto this post is the fact that Hippocratic Oath has happened before this. They have already had their moment of being uncomfortable around each other. Except, in that episode, it was Julian who was uncomfortable around Miles. Julian was the one who had the realization that his friend is not who he thought he was. That there was more to him than he thought. Something darker. Something older. Something repressed and probably even feared.

Think about it. In Julian's eyes, Miles had resigned every Jem Hadar on that planet to die a slow, painful death. And yet, to Miles, it was justifiable. It was the right thing to do. Which is something Julian cannot wrap his mind around. It caused them strain and yet they had already worked through it.

Then we cut back to Doctor Bashir, I Presume. Now it's a complete 180 for them. Now it's Miles who learns Julian is the one with a friendship altering secret. Except, unlike with Miles, Julian only hid it because he had to. He spent his whole life knowing it wasn't the right thing to do, but that if he wanted a normal life out of prison where he could actually do some good with the gifts forced upon him, he had no choice but to lie. For years. Years! This wasn't a choice he made. It was made for him.

So, at this point in their friendship, this didn't need to be anything dramatic between them. Miles did exactly what a father should do in this situation. Julian came to him and told him how, against his will, mind you, he was changed into something different. Someone else. Someone who Starfleet hated for a choice made for him. (Which is another topic I could always rant about later) Which is why Miles simply made him feel welcome. Wanted. Julian is still different, that much made even more obvious by the fact that he has to stand further away from the dartboard while Miles doesn't have to move, but now they are equals again. There are no secrets between them any more. Both of them have faced each other at their worst/lowest and now their friendship is truly at its most whole.

I hope this rambling got my point across okay. Yes, I would have loved more drama from them, but I almost love that fact that it isn't that dramatic even more for what it means for their friendship.

About that final scene in Dr. Bashir, I Presume?

I understand why this scene was played for laughs as a lighter way to end an episode but I can't help thinking how much more impactful it would have been if they'd taken it more seriously.

Bashir has been masking his augmented traits for so long and is still deeply insecure about them. He's so worried about fitting in he's been purposely botching his games with O'Brien, and when he's called out on it, the anxiety is palpable. It's sweet that O'Brien is immediately encouraging and tells him to "really play," as he wants his friend to know he doesn't care about his augments and that things can still be normal between them.

But then Bashir really plays --- the shot lingers on him, highlighting the sort of grim resignation Bashir has here. He knows he's going to make every shot, and he knows when he does, everything will not be normal between them.

Julian knows that the secret is out, and worries that once his friends know how much he's been pretending, how will they ever trust him again? Who is the real Julian Bashir when he's not trying to seem normal? When you've built your personality around your efforts to fit in, what does that mean for your friends? Were they ever really friends with you at all?

And for Miles, there's the similar realization that he doesn't really know what his friend is capable of, who he is. Julian's been lying all this time, so there's suddenly no real trust left. Julian is his friend, of course, but what does that mean now that he knows its a friendship built on lies?

Of course, in this lighter ending, O'Brien takes it well, fun music plays, and he has Bashir stand farther back to play the next round as the episode ends, but I really wish they'd taken the time to let them be uncomfortable around each other for a little while.

I think a more serious version of this scene could have marked a reset for Bashir and O'Brien's friendship, acknowledging the fear and hurt they both have as they have to start from scratch and navigate a more honest version of their friendship. What if the final shot here had been a worried expression, or an abrupt end of the darts game as they acknowledge they both don't know what will happen next for their friendship? What if Bashir got insecure and left after hitting all the bullseyes?

I love the scene as is, but I can't help thinking about all the other ways they could have explored this delicate situation.

#ds9 #deep space 9 #deep space nine #miles o'brien #julian bashir #Dr. Bashir I presume?#hippocratic oath #this got so long #but i have so many thoughts #so many #too many #i think about Julian Bashir a lot #like #a lot a lot

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depresseddomino · 16 days ago

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HOW TO LISTEN TO THE EIGHTH DOCTOR AUDIOS

For all those limited on time, money, and who only want to listen to the guaranteed GOOD stories in chronological order – I have deducted, but still listed for reference, all bad and irrelevant stories and created this blog.

This post is going through on-going updates. I will add as I listen to each episode. Series 1 - 8 of the guide are complete.

SERIES 1 – Charley Pollard

Doctor Who - Charlotte Pollard Monthly Adventures Bundle (001-050)

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For this first season of stories, you can listen to them for free on Spotify! Don't go paying for them!! I'll let you know when it's no longer free! Without pirating…

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1) Storm Warning

The story Charley is introduced in. It's the weakest in this list - about 3/5, but it's the only "okay" story that is 10000% needed. You can't appreciate the amazing stories without the info in this.

[Skipped audios: Sword of Orion, The Stones of Venice, Minuet in Hell, Invaders from Mars].

2) The Chimes of Midnight

The BEST Christmas story EVER. And in my top 5 of stories all time. And why Rob Shearman is my favourite Doctor Who writer. The story follows the stuff you learned in Storm Warning, hence I said listen to that first... And yes, I did just make you skip four stories. You don't need them. Especially not Sword of Orion. My gosh that was so boring...

3) Seasons of Fear

This also follows the stuff from Storm Warning and Chimes of Midnight. There's a really interesting antagonist in this who's an immortal called Grayle and... idk... Just found it so gripping watching Eight and Charley chase him through time. Also a fun time if you like seeing the Doctor and his companions chained up in prison and foul-mouthing each other.

4) Embrace the Darkness

This is also technically a 3/5 story, but it has a really fantastic premise and with a little bit of work (and maybe if turned into a TV serial because that would've worked better) could've been one of the best stories ever.

I don't think this is a spoiler, this is like a hook to get you to listen, but the aliens in this we never actually get to "see" - or get any indication of what they look like. Everything is always in the dark, and all we know, once the light comes back, is that they burn people's eyes out.

[Skipped audio: The Time of the Daleks].

5) Neverland

This story explores Gallifreyan Culture in really interesting ways. We learn a lot about a mythical figure from old nursery rhymes called Zagreus. We also get to see Romana be president of Gallifrey, and get some great Eightcharley moments, so fun all around.

THIS ONE IS ALSO AN ESSENTIAL LISTEN FOR ZAGREUS AND SCHERZO!

6) Zagreus

This is the most confusing Doctor Who story you will ever listen to and you will either LOVE how confused it made you, or you will hate it. Either way, it's a listen you will never forget and Paul's voice acting is just....

My god if he wasn't your favourite Doctor before this.

You will think he is now. The way he portrays ANGER!

SERIES 2 – Charley and C’rizz

Doctor Who - Charlotte Pollard Monthly Adventures Bundle (051-100)

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Okay, now for season 2, you have to start buying on the Big Finish website! Or pirate… The audio files get downloaded automatically onto the Big Finish app if you have it.

It's pretty easy.

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7) Scherzo

Perhaps the most famous Eight story. And for a reason. It's the sort of story that is so artistically well done, it could never be replicated. You could NEVER make this into a TV episode because it's the sort of story that can only work as an audio drama, without visuals. The monster has no corporeal form, you see.

It's just made of sound. How fucking incredible and ambitious a story is that?!

8) Now some very specific instructions. Read this summary of The Creed of Kromon plot, but DO NOT LISTEN TO IT!

It's commonly thought to be the worst Eight story there is, but there is a little bit of info you need to know from it, hence the summary. Some people will make the mistake of listening so they get introduced to C'rizz's character. Trust me, you don't need it. I went without listening to it the first time around and I survived fine. You'll learn barely nothin about him you can't learn from the summary!

Read the summary! Save your ears!

9) The Natural History of Fear

This is... Undoubtedly... The BEST Doctor Who story of all time (in my opinion). It's essentially 1984 by George Orwell but in Doctor Who. It's the Doctor thinking he's an aggressor in a totalitarian regime.

It's Eight and Charley TORTURING each other over audio!!!

Fucking incredible acting on all their behalves. My fucking god...

Just make sure you're not multitasking when you're listening and that it has your full attention. It's one of those stories you have to concentrate on hard to get!

[Skipped audios: The Twilight Kingdom, Faith Stealer, The Last].

10) Caerdroia

Three Eighth doctors with clashing personalities walking through a labyrinth. And the really "grumpy" one has amazing chemistry with Charley. Need I say more?

[Skipped audio: The Next Life].

11) Terror Firma

Davros is going through some really interesting "hard times" and Eight is just so fucking funny and sassy in this.

Every comment he made had me laughing like a maniac on the streets.

There's also a really amazing plot twist you find out about Eight's past..

[Skipped audios: Scaredy Cat, Other Lives, Time Works, Something Inside].

12) Memory Lane

Another one with a really interesting premise. It's about a prison which looks like a normal 1960s neighbourhood, only every house is exactly the same with the same occupant inside, and the occupant has no idea that this isn't Earth and they're a prisoner.

SERIES 3 – Charley, C’rizz, Benny, Fitz, Izzy and Mary Shelley.

Doctor Who - Eighth Doctor Bundle (077-155)

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Series 3 must also be listened to on the Big Finish website and is NOT available on Spotify.

Two of these audios finish off Charley’s arc with the Eighth Doctor. The rest are a series of specials where he travels with other companions (mainly Mary Shelley) HOWEVER, I am not suggesting to listen to these here (but yes to later) as those happen BEFORE the Eighth Doctor met Charley and I want this blog to be chronological.

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13) Absolution

Okay, this wasn't boring, I was intrigued what was going on, though it seemed random and I don't care about C'rizz enough to care about what happens to him…

BUT this story is still 1000% needed before the final story in the Charley Pollard serials. AND the last five minutes of these story turned into a dramatic eastenders cliff hanger and in a way, the whole story was worth getting through just to get to that eightcharley moment... my gosh...

14) The Girl Who Never Was

The last story (cries, scratches at window panes for Charley Pollard to come back to Eight). The beginning of this story I found a little confusing because of the Timey-Wimey back and forth, but it was very intentional and everything came together and made so much sense at the end. Eightcharley's departure from each other was also very devastating. It's your most painful misunderstanding trope caused by the time travel backwards and forth. If you don't know what happens to Charley after this series, then the ending, ending scene is a brilliant cliff-ganger and plot twist.

[Skipped audios: The Company of Friends, The Silver Turk, The Witch From the Well, Army of Death].

SERIES 4 – Lucie Miller

Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller Series 01

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Okay, so we’re back to having the audios available for free on Spotify! ALL of the stories in series 3 (Blood of the Daleks – Human Resources) are available there. Just be careful. Both those dramas I just named have been split into two parts by Spotify. Make sure to download Pt.1 and Pt.2 of both episodes!

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15) Blood of the Daleks

The only way I can describe this story is The Rise of The Cybermen episodes meeting The Runaway Bride. It’s basically that “humans create that well-known alien” plot crossed with a ten x donna dynamic before tendonna was a thing. Like Lucie and Eight bicker so much and it’s so fucking funny! Amazing! Great episode and start to Lucie’s chapter! Also lots of questions to be asked about why the Doctor met her. Very Ruby Sunday mystery vibes!

16) Horror Glam Rock

Although the story doesn’t amount to much happening, it’s pretty fun if you’re into the whole 1970s rock band vibes. It’s also an essential listen as it introduces Lucie’s Auntie Pat, who appears again in series 4 of the audios.

17) Immortal Beloved

It really surprises me that this averages 3-4 star on Goodreads because the premise is SO INTERESTING. It’s about two lovers who decide to live forever by raising children and grandchildren who are just clones of themselves and then transferring their brain matter into those children/ killing them off. Yeah, there wasn’t really any aliens to fight or anything for the Doctor to do to “resolve” the plot, but the exploration of the morality, power and toxic love as themes was very interesting to me!

Only thing that was a little hard to listen to was this old horrible man hitting on Lucie… ew…

[Skipped audio: Phobos]

18)No More Lies

Yes, skip phobos. No More Lies is the next important storyline. Picture a not-very-nice futuristic guy getting stuck in a time loop and the Doctor trying to track him down and make him accountable for his actions. The start is very en media res. You wonder if you’ve accidentally skipped an episode, but you haven’t, and for that reason the beginning is very gripping.

Shame about the conclusion to the story. Fell very flat on its face. But as I said before: important storyline. You need that last minute’s worth of audio to read Human Resources.

19) Human Resources

Part one is absolutely AMAZING 5/5, seriously. The concept is Lucie wakes up in your early 2000s style data-inputting office and has been mind-wiped to believe she has been employed to work there and never went travelling with the Doctor. Only, the data they’re inputting seems to be tied to some sort of futuristic war stratagem, rather than normal business work, but everyone seems to think that this is normal office work…

Obvs, I won’t spoil the plot twists. They’re good, though. Especially in part one. Part two of the storyline is kind… meh. 3/5. It’s okay, it wraps up Lucie’s mystery and the season… but I think it could’ve been a tad more dramatic…

SERIES 5 – Lucie

Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller Series 02

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Okay, now for Lucie’s season 2, you have to go back to buying on the Big Finish website! Or pirate…

All audio series following Season 4 are on the Big Finish Website and are not free for purchase. You can buy audios in box sets to save money, but just like with series 2 of the Charley Pollard audios, I recommend buying the Series 4, 5 and 6 audios separately and just listening to the essentials (listed below).

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[Skipped audios: Dead London, Max Warp].

20) Brave New Town

Yes, skip the first two audios, go straight to Brave New Town because *most* of this series are standalone stories and it doesn’t matter. Brave New Town explores a seaside town in Suffolk where it’s been the same day Sunday in September for nearly 20 years. The townsfolk are weird because they don’t find living the same day abnormal. The story brings back a Classic AND New Who villain in a very different way ro how we’ve encountered them on screen. It’s quite interesting.

[Skipped audio: The Skull of Sobek].

21) Grand Theft Cosmos

The Doctor and Lucie are in the 19th Century and need to go on an artwork heist, stealing from the King of Sweden. This one was fun. It was a little random at times, but I DO think this audio is needed considering it brings back two characters you would’ve met in Human Resources.

22) The Zygon who Fell to Earth

This follows on from Horror Glam Rock in the sense that we meet Lucie’s Auntie Pat again. At first, I thought this audio just sounded like another mid 3/5 star Zygon episode, and I didn’t understand the hype UNTIL! UNTIL – Lucie and Auntie Pat’s tied pasts came together in the final five minutes. WOW. I didn’t expect that sort of Timey-Wimey… and another instance where we see Eight as an awful person (complimentary). Definitely a 4 maybe 4.5 star now.

23) Sisters of the Flame

On reflection, this audio drama was a bit nutty as we follow Lucie’s encounter with a giant centipede (a policeman, of course). Nonetheless, I enjoyed every second listening to this first part of the story (The Vengeance of Morbius being the second).

24) The Vengeance of Morbius

This part 2 felt a little rushed and I felt like I didn’t get much time to see the full strength and danger that Morbius is meant to be, HOWEVER… the last five minutes… the cliffhanger…

It was a great way to end the series and make you immediately need to buy the next audio, which will be Orbis…

SERIES 6 – Lucie

Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller Series 03

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25) Orbis

I mean, I can’t say it is perfect because I’m not too happy with how the writer wrote the Doctor’s reactions to the situation in the ending scenes… but still a great exploration of time lord immortality and it’s detrimental effects; 600 years have passed for the Doctor. This combined with the nutty idea of a planet of talking jellyfish in war with a planet of oysters? What more could you ask for? Really?

[Skipped audios: Hothouse, The Beast of Orlok, Wirrn Dawn, The Scapegoat, The Cannibalists].

26) The Eight Truths

Lucy gets sucked into a cult called the Eightfold Truth. Also a lot more than that. I had a strange fondness for the journalist in this one, Kelly Westwood. Her back and forth with the Doctor was really funny and wouldn’t’ve been too mad if she’d became a companion.

27) Worldwide Web

Part two of the Eight Truths. Hive mind audio with an interesting alternative to major character death… I’ll say no more about that… Also the resolution for the Head Hunter and Karen sub-plot.

SERIES 7 – Lucie, Susan, Alex Campbell and Tamsin Drew

Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller Series 04

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Most of the Series 7/Lucie Miller Series 4 audios are essential to the plotline. Consequently, you actually save money buying the whole lot on a series download bundle. It is still relatively pricey, but still slightly cheaper. Fortunately, Big Finish changed format after this series, so I’ll explain how you can save even more money…

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28) Death in Blackpool

The final story in the Auntie Pat storyline. 5/5, this audio. The first 20 minutes had me laughing out loud. The rest? I literally cried. Tears rolling down my face at the resolution and Charley and Eight’s closing discussion. WOW. This has got to be one of my favourite audios ever.

29) An Earthly Child

This story has Susan in and also introduces her son (so the Doctor’s great grandson) as a character, Alex Campbell. I felt that not much happens alien-wise, but this was very much a plotline about the domestic environment, and I’m very interested to see where Alex’s character goes to get to the ending I already know about.

[Potential skip, Situation Vacant]

Why “potential?”

If you are still wanting to skip bad audios for time’s sake, then you might want to consider skipping Situation Vacant. A lot of people argue you can’t because it introduces Tamsin, but Tamsin is very much like Nine’s companion Adam in the sense that she’s only around for a few stories and she’s really annoying and not a good companion. So, if you wanted to save some time… I think you could just go straight to The Book of Kells. DONT listen to the in between audio, Nevermore. It’s as bad as Kreeds of Kromon.

But if you DONT want to skip Situation Vacant… i guess the way she meets the Doctor and becomes his assistant is very different to everyone else. It’s quite an entertaining first ten minutes even if the rest of the audio is a bit of a mess.

[Skip: Nevermore].

30) The Book of Kells

This sounds like a very normal, mid audio right up until the ending. And for that ending… You MUST listen beyond the music credits.

LISTEN BEYOND THE MUSIC CREDITS!!

You’re gonna go insane. Trust me…

31) Deimos

Again, another audio that sounds quite mid, but you need it for like the last five seconds of the storyline – this time, thankfully, before the audio credits. So you’re safe to cut it off there and not listen to the production stuff.

32) The Resurrection of Mars

A continuation of the last story, but this time, far more interesting and very centred around establishing Eight’s character and his view on the moral issue of “one dying for the sake of millions of others.” It’s very different view to what we see post-Time War – and very different to the man Eight himself becomes during that time.

33) Relative Dimensions

Underwhelming from the “monster fighting” side of things, BUT I actually found this an extremely cute listen. I enjoyed seeing Eight turn the Tardis into a domestic setting for Christmas, and watching him spend time with Susan and Alex and Lucie. So, so endearing, actually…

34) Prisoner of The Sun

If you didn’t feel sorry for Eight before, you will now. Think ‘Heaven Sent’ in the sense he is a lonely prisoner missing his beloved companion. Fortunately, not 4.5 billion years. Just six, this time. But it’s still sad… Especially with the stuff he does to cope with not having Lucie around…

35) Lucie Miller

This is an absolutely fantastic start to the season finale! Think the covid pandemic but far worst. So, so heartbreaking as an audio… I will say no more.

36) To The Death

Again, I urge you…

LISTEN BEYOND THE MUSIC CREDITS!!

The reason I say this is because it will change the trajectory of how you feel about the ending to Lucie’s time in the TARDIS. The ending sounds a lot more open and ambiguous when you listen to a certain sound scape that comes right after the Doctor Who theme music.

After you’ve listened to that, if you still don’t get it, I recommend reading this essay I wrote on it.

What a wonderful ending to the whole thing, though… I’ve not been this emotional since the Doctor Falls. I physically saluted the air with tears rolling down my face as Lucie Miller did that one specific thing. Icon…

SERIES 8 - Molly O’Sullivan

Doctor Who: Dark Eyes 1

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Big Finish changes format from Dark Eyes onwards. You can now only buy and download the audios as a boxset. This is not as bad as it sounds, though. It’s actually better because it means ebay, and other second-hand retailers, sell all the audios in one CD purchase. Depending on where you live and P&P prices, this is where you might save the most money. The Big Finish downloads of Dark Eyes cost £20 at the moment, whereas I bought my CD copy second hand for just over £11.

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Because these are boxsets, I doubt there will be many audios you can skip. Each story’s gonna be tied very closely to the previous one, but if I do find one you can skip, I will still say.

37)The Great War

[Current Listen]

HOPE THIS GUIDE WAS USEFUL TO SOMEONE! <3

#reblogging so i can find this again later

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