UNIT audio review post, type thing.
Thursday, 8 May 2008 19:32Recently I relistened to Big Finish's UNIT audio series, which I love, partly because they are UNIT and partly because they are actually pretty good.
I have already flailed about them in passing in a S4 reaction post, but I feel the need to do so again and at greater length, since it's such an enjoyable series. My two favourites (out of four plays; yes I am terrible at making decisions) are Snake Head and The Longest Night.
Snake Head is, for me, a pretty perfect one off UNIT story. It's about Chaudhry and Dalton going above and beyond the call of duty to save the day using whatever resources they have to hand, and also a lot of banter. (Though, listening to it again, knowing what's going to happen in the next one... ouch. That whole bit where Chaudhry teases Dalton about having so much rubbish in his boot, and he's all "yeah, I keep meaning to sort that out" gets me.) Fighting the vrykolak with only Hoffman on the phones and a few people they've picked up along the way, yes, doing what they have to to sort things out before ICIS shows up, because they care about their job.
And then there is The Longest Night, which is incredibly tense and paranoid, with that great idea about the phone lines, a great threat because not only do you not know who the enemy is going to be next, it could very well be you. And the deaths, oh, I didn't believe them at first, especially since they's already done "Dalton's TOTALLY GOING TO DIE. ...fooled ya!" in Time Heals, but then The Wasting happened and it was all true, and it raised the stakes for that play too, because if they can kill off Dalton and Hoffman, they might very well go on to bump off anyone. (OK, I was fairly sure that the Brig was safe.) I was really surprised by Brimmicombe-Wood being ICIS, slightly sad because I'd loved him in Sympathy for the Devil, but it was a great twist so I'll forgive them. The argument between Chaudhry and Brimmicombe-Wood was brilliant.
UNEXPECTED HARRY FTW.
I also loved the Brig's role as a mentor to Chaudhry (and SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR, YAY), especially the bit at the beginning when he comes to see her in the hospital and drives her to the cemetary; a great way to play on the UNIT family thing without getting saccharine.
Emily Chaudhry is fantastic. Have I mentioned that yet? Because I should have.
I have already flailed about them in passing in a S4 reaction post, but I feel the need to do so again and at greater length, since it's such an enjoyable series. My two favourites (out of four plays; yes I am terrible at making decisions) are Snake Head and The Longest Night.
Snake Head is, for me, a pretty perfect one off UNIT story. It's about Chaudhry and Dalton going above and beyond the call of duty to save the day using whatever resources they have to hand, and also a lot of banter. (Though, listening to it again, knowing what's going to happen in the next one... ouch. That whole bit where Chaudhry teases Dalton about having so much rubbish in his boot, and he's all "yeah, I keep meaning to sort that out" gets me.) Fighting the vrykolak with only Hoffman on the phones and a few people they've picked up along the way, yes, doing what they have to to sort things out before ICIS shows up, because they care about their job.
And then there is The Longest Night, which is incredibly tense and paranoid, with that great idea about the phone lines, a great threat because not only do you not know who the enemy is going to be next, it could very well be you. And the deaths, oh, I didn't believe them at first, especially since they's already done "Dalton's TOTALLY GOING TO DIE. ...fooled ya!" in Time Heals, but then The Wasting happened and it was all true, and it raised the stakes for that play too, because if they can kill off Dalton and Hoffman, they might very well go on to bump off anyone. (OK, I was fairly sure that the Brig was safe.) I was really surprised by Brimmicombe-Wood being ICIS, slightly sad because I'd loved him in Sympathy for the Devil, but it was a great twist so I'll forgive them. The argument between Chaudhry and Brimmicombe-Wood was brilliant.
UNEXPECTED HARRY FTW.
I also loved the Brig's role as a mentor to Chaudhry (and SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR, YAY), especially the bit at the beginning when he comes to see her in the hospital and drives her to the cemetary; a great way to play on the UNIT family thing without getting saccharine.
Emily Chaudhry is fantastic. Have I mentioned that yet? Because I should have.
no subject
Date: 8 May 2008 20:07 (UTC)2 - I get loads of Who-filled dreams *already* without listening to audios before sleeping !
3 - I always concentrate 100% on TV 'cos I don't often watch it, but I'm very used to tuning out the voices on Classic FM and just listening to the music. I've listened to audios a few times whilst working and that was fine (I only need about 2% of my brain to do my job as it is) - but lately I always seem to be writing fic whilst working so uh, that's not going to work ! (Why yes, my ability to multi-task is a bit frightening at times...)
I shall have to see if Amazon's selling them so I can spend my next lot of Gift Certificates on them... THEN I'll figure out when I can listen to them !
Are there just the four stories?
no subject
Date: 8 May 2008 20:18 (UTC)2) Heh, fair enough :)
3) I got into the habit of doing maths homework while watching TV in the sixth form, so if I'm just watching TV and not doing anything else I feel vaguely guilty... Working and writing fic at the same time is impressive!
I expect amazon's selling them... I got mine in the Big Finish Christmas sale, so it might be worth waiting for the summer sale in case they're in that. There's four plays plus there was a prequel thing free with Doctor Who Monthly, but that's not available to buy so I haven't listened to it yet!
no subject
Date: 9 May 2008 04:38 (UTC)I checked Amazon and they've got them for £7.25 each. I've slapped them onto my wishlist and will wait until I've got some Gift Certs to spend again... Perhaps I'll try eBay for the prequel one...
no subject
Date: 9 May 2008 13:25 (UTC)Good luck with finding The Coup on ebay, copies do pop up every now and then, I've just bought one myself!
no subject
Date: 9 May 2008 14:00 (UTC)