Saturday 31 December 2016

BLOG FINISH END OF YEAR AWARDS 2016

As I sit in my kitchen at the end of a pretty darned awful year politcally - where all the old certainties have been swept aside in a wave of right wing populist, inward looking, short sighted and dangerous elections - it is easy to despair it really is but if we do then the right wingers have won. Anyhow off the soap box and on to happier things.

2016 was a remarkable year for Big Finish they achieved both quality and quantity of releases, with some of this years cream of the crop being amongst the best releases that the company have ever, well, released for want of a better word. I came to begin reviewing Big Finish in October 2013 with the intention of just reviewing their Doctor Who releases for Planet Mondas - I am now a bona fide aficionado of their whole Universe from Doctor Who to Dorian Gray taking in all things between.

So as I sit in my kitchen with my cup of Tetley Red Bush, listening to Kate Bush (bit of an unintended synchronicity there!) I bring you The Blog Finish Awards 2016:

Doctor Who - Best Main Range Release:

The Nominations are:

209 - Aquitaine

Review HERE











210 - The Peterloo Massacre

Review HERE











211 - And You Will Obey Me

Review HERE











And the Winner is - The Peterloo Masscare - what else could it be, one of THE best releases Big Finish have given us in the main range and proof (if it were needed) that the pure historical is alive and well.

Doctor Who - best Non Main Range release

The Nominations are:

Doom Coalition 3


Review HERE









A Full Life

Review HERE










Cold Fusion

Review HERE











And the winner is Cold Fusion - a story I had almost forgotten but an absolute classic of intrigue, interplay between Doctors and secrets of the Old Time on Gallifrey. "Always leave them wanting more" and Big Finish have whetted my appetite for further exploration of Patience and her story.

Best Doctor Who "Spin Off"

The Nominations are:

Jago & Litefoot Series 12


Review HERE










Torchwood - Made You Look


Review HERE









The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield Volume 3 - The Unbound Universe


Review HERE










And the winner is - Torchwood - Made You Look. THE best Torchwood release so far, utterly compelling from beginning to end, Eve Myles is wonderful and plays Gwen in ways I really didnt expect, the story is claustrophobic and unnerving and stayed with me a long time.


Best Drama Box Set

The Nominations are:

The Prisoner Volume 01

Review HERE










The Sacrifice of Sherlock Holmes


Review HERE









The Confessions of Dorian Gray Series 5


Review HERE










And the winner is - The Confessions of Dorian Gray Series 5 - Scott Handcock has crafted a work of art for the ages in his reinterpretation of Gray as an immortal anti-hero. And as his story comes to an end Gray loses none of his bravado, in fact his demise enhances the legend.


Outstanding Release of the Year

One last award, the release that for me is the pinnacle of Big Finish' output in 2016 - its a story that I have already nominated, and surprisingly it didnt win its category - because it is much bigger than a "non main range release" this release touched my soul and did the almost impossible, it redeemed Adric as a companion and made me want to know more about him than we were given on TV. Joseph Lidster & Matthew Waterhouse take a bow as I award "A Full Life" the Blog Finish release of the year award - its only £2.99 it will enrich your life, it will change the way you think about Adric, and if you are a big softy like me it will make you cry. Lots. you can buy it here you will be glad you did.


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