Episode 28: Unbound Possibilities

Just in time for Christmas, we present the second of our episodes originally recorded and slated for November but delayed until now. This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang reviewing two Big Finish stories with thematic ties to the recently broadcast series eight in the form of the Unbound tales Full Fathom Five and Exile (both released in 2003). Topics discussed include each story's unique take on the Doctor, darkness and comedy in Doctor Who and the marmite reactions to each story both within fandom and on the podcast itself.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 27: Rise Of The Cyberman

Originally recorded in early November 2014 and finally made available after a hectic November and some technical difficulties, episode twenty- seven finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang are reviewing the first season of Big Finish's Doctor Who spin-off series Cyberman. Topics discussed include its harkening back to other sci-fi stories, the way how stories are recorded can effect the finished product and of course the Cybermen themselves.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 26: Mr. Hinchcliffe Presents

 

Just in time for Halloween, Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang are reviewing Big Finish's hotly anticapted and recently released Phillip Hinchcliffe Presents box-set. With its promise of recreating an era (in)famous for its “tea-time horror”, topics discussed in looking at the two stories that make up the box-set (The Ghosts of Gralstead and The Devil's Armada) include each story's extended length, calls back to the Hinchcliffe era, Tom Baker's performance and more.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 25: Death Comes To Time

Marking the podcast's first sojourn into non-Big Finish Doctor Who territory, Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang are reviewing the controversial 2001-02 seventh Doctor webcast Death Comes To Time. Topics discussed include its large cast, the epic nature of its plot and the ever shifting nature of it as a result. Plus they ask the ultimate question: is it canon and does it really matter one way or another?

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 24: Benny's New Adventures

The New Adventures Of Bernice Summerfield is up for review this episode as Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang give this box-set which reunites the seventh Doctor and Ace with Benny a listen. Topics discussed include the diversity of the four stories in the box-set, the callbacks to Love And War and of course the Daleks!

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 23: A Matter Of Survivors

Released a bit late (apologies for which and an explanation to be given in the next episode), this episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang giving a listen to Big Finish's acclaimed series based on Dalek creator Terry Nation's 1970s apocalyptic series Survivors. Topics discussed include bringing the world to an end on audio, familiar actors in different roles and some discussion about the original 1970s series.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 22: Hunts,Tombs & Masquerades

 

This year's trilogy of tales featuring the fifth Doctor and Nyssa are up for review this episode as Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang review Moonflesh, Tomb Ship and Masquerade. Topics discussed include ethnic casting on audio, cliches and stereotypes, dues ex machina endings and an unavoidably spoilery discussion of Masquerade.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 21: Three Kingdoms

 

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang reviewing Home Truths, The Drowned World and The Guardian Of The Solar System, three stories from The Companion Chronicles written by Simon Guerrier featuring Sara Kingdom, played by Jean Marsh in the 1965-66 story The Daleks Master Plan. While avoiding how Sara is telling the stories to begin with, topics discussed include Sara's character development, how different parts of the audios are taking place in reverse order of one another and how much foreknowledge of Sara's TV story is required.

You can find the podcast via our website
storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 20: Enter Doctor Smythe

 

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang reviewing The Marian Conspiracy and The Spectre Of Lanyon Moor, two stories from Big Finish's early days featuring Colin Baker's sixth Doctor and that introduced Big Finish's first non-television companion: Doctor Evelyn Smythe. As well as discussing her introduction and portrayal by actress Maggie Stables, topics discussed include the beginning of Big Finish's rehabilitation on audio of the sixth Doctor in The Marian Conspiracy, Nicholas Courtney's return as the Brigadier in the latter story as well as its origin as a story for a more elusive Doctor...

 If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.


 Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 19: Sounds Of Morbius

 

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang reviewing two stories from the Eighth Doctor Adventures range which tie into that Doctor's most recent on screen appearance in Night Of The Doctor in the form of Sisters Of The Flame and The Vengeance Of Morbius. Topics discussed include the merits of doing a story across what seems to be two different releases, the character of Lucie Miller, the cliffhangers from both stories and more.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 18: Middle Destiny

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang returning to the Destiny Of The Doctor series, co-produced by Big Finish with AudioGo as part of the show's fiftieth anniversary, to review the middle four stories from it covering the fifth through eighth Doctors. Topics discussed include the quality of each of story's respective reader, how each story represents each Doctor's era (perhaps too much so) and perhaps the biggest disagreement yet on the podcast in regards to the eighth Doctor story Enemy Aliens.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 17: Sidesteps Into Virgin Territory

To mark the release of The New Adventures Of Bernice Summerfield box-set earlier this month, Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang are looking back at two of Big Finish's previous forays into the territory established by the Virgin New Adventures in the form of the adaptation of the novel Love And War and The Shadow Of The Scourge, both written by Paul Cornell. Topics discussed include Love And War's faithfulness to its source material, Sylvester McCoy's performances and how the Seventh Doctor is represented in each story.


You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 16: Chronicles Of Companions Past

To mark the end of the Companion Chronicles range this month, Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang are looking back over four of their favorite stories from the range. Matthew picks The Rocket Men and The Last Post while Mary picks Peri And The Piscon Paradox and The Memory Cheats. As well as those stories they talk about their least favorite Companion Chronicles and there's some feedback as well.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 15: Aunties, Pugilists And Submarines

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang reviewing the three standalone stories from the second season of the Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Auntie Matter, The Justice Of Jalxar and Phantoms Of The Deep. In reviewing these stories that take the Doctor and Mary Tamm's Romana from 1920s Britain to Victorian London and the bottom of the ocean, topics discussed include Mary Tamm's performances, the use of sound design in getting across the various settings and the influences of different genres upon each of the stories.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 14: Stage Doctors

Dedicated to the memory of Big Finish's Paul Spragg.

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang reviewing the other two Doctor Who stage plays Big Finish have adapted: Seven Keys To Doomsday with Trevor Martin as the Doctor and The Ultimate Adventure with Colin Baker, both written by Terrence Dicks. Topics discussed include Trevor Martin's alternative fourth Doctor, getting across the visual on audio, reoccurring elements in both plays and (in the case of the latter play) songs...

If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 13: A Dalek Blast From The Past

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang delving into two interesting artifacts from 1960s Dalekmania Big Finish have produced: the adaptation of The Curse Of The Daleks as part of the Doctor Who - The Stage Plays Range and the intended pilot episode for a Dalek spin-off series called The Destoryers, released in the Second Doctor Lost Stories Box-Set. Topics discussed include how they relate back to the TV series, things that potentially date them to the 1960s, Sarah Kingdom and why The Destroyers might not have been made.

If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join our Facebook group.

 Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.
as well.

Episode 12: Holmes, The Ripper And Moriarty

 

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang delving into part of Big Finish's non-Doctor Who output with a look at their Sherlock Holmes range with the adaptations of the stage play Holmes And The Ripper and the Conan Doyle short stories The Final Problem/The Empty House being reviewed. Topics discussed include how both releases were brought to life on audio, familiar voices in new roles plus some discussion of the Holmes canon in general and how other takes on it relate to these stories.

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 11: Dark Eyes Returns

This episode finds Matthew Kresal and Mary Lang reviewing the much anticipated eighth Doctor box-set Dark Eyes 2. Topics discussed include the “timey wimey” nature of its plot, returning villains from numerous releases and if the old saying about too many cooks in the kitchen is applicable to it.

If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 10: Alternative Three

This episode finds Matthew Kresal, Mary Lang and Robert Haynes reviewing Sympathy For The Devil and Masters Of War, two stories from Big Finish's Doctor Who Unbound range starring David Warner as an alternative third Doctor. Topics discussed include Warner's performances in the stories, the appearance of actors who would become better known via the New Series and how the stories present new versions of familiar villains from the series.

After the episode, Stories From The Vortex proudly presents Big Finish Sound Designers Podlet - Masters of War. In it, sound designer and composer Martin Johnson discusses his work on the story from his initial ideas to getting the story into its final released form. Originally released on the Big Finish website in December 2008 and no longer available on the site, it appears here through the kind permission of Big Finish Productions.

If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.


Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 9: Warrior Tales

This episode finds Matthew Kresal, Mary Lang and Robert Haynes reviewing Red Dawn and Frozen Time which both feature the Ice Warriors. Topics discussed include how well utilized the Martian reptiles are in each story, the derivative nature of Red Dawn and that old favorite: accents and the quality of them.


If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join our Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 8: Early Destiny

This episode finds Matthew Kresal, Mary Lang and Robert Haynes reviewing the first four stories from Destiny Of The Doctor series, co-produced by Big Finish with AudioGo as part of the show's fiftieth anniversary. Topics discussed include the quality of each of story's respective reader, the continuity implications of Vengeance Of The Stones and how each story represents each Doctor's era (perhaps too much so).

You can find the podcast via our website storiesfromthevortex.blogspot.com or on iTunes. If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 7: Blake's 7 For 7

This episode finds Matthew Kresal, Mary Lang and Robert Haynes engaging in the podcast's first foray into Big Finish non-Doctor Who output with another icon of British science fiction: Blake's 7.

Reviewing The Liberator Chronicles Volume 1 and Warship, topics discussed include how newbie friendly these audios are from Matthew and Mary while Robert gives the perspective of a long time fan, why “enhanced audiobooks” may be a misnomer in the case of The Liberator Chronicles and more.


If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and you can join the podcasts's Facebook group. We're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.

Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.

Episode 6: Back In '63

This episode finds Matthew Kresal, Mary Lang and Robert Haynes reviewing the recent Big Finish main range 1963 trilogy of stories featuring the fifth Doctor in Fanfare For The Common Men, the sixth Doctor in The Space Race and the seventh Doctor in The Assassination Games. Topics discussed include how each story recreates the 1963 setting, if The Space Race was initially meant to be a Companion Chronicle and the facts behind the fiction.

If you'd like to send in feedback to the podcast you can do so at feedback.vortex@yahoo.com and we're a proud member of the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.


Stories From The Vortex is an unofficial and unlicensed Doctor Who podcast and is not affiliated to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), AudioGo or Big Finish Productions in any way. Doctor Who is a registered trademark of the BBC. No copyright infringement intended.