Big Bird reference!

Prerequisites: None needed.

Birdsong is a fairly alright opener, although I can't say it wasn't a little underwhelming. The premise is very solid, as the crew finds a planet seemingly devoid of a presence beyond that of two women and their bickering. Unfortunately, I didn't find either Myra or Bex to be interesting characters, and as such none of the subsequent twists and turns in the story really grabbed me. The ending was quite nice though, I'll give it that. I also wish there was more actual conflict between Helen and Liv here, because it seemed like a perfect setup to have that. Still, this was a fine story, just nothing essential.

What an emotionally engaging episode when you think it’s all figured out there’s another layer to the cake of mystery and I love it

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

"Birdsong: A Standard Start with Flashes of Potential"

The Echoes set begins with Birdsong, a story that employs a familiar formula. The Eighth Doctor, Liv, and Helen arrive on a desolate planet, encountering two colonists: Myra, who is ill and haunted by strange creatures, and Bex, who is dismissive of Myra's fears and focused on survival. The setup unfolds predictably, as the Doctor and his companions soon discover that the birdlike creatures are more than mere figments of imagination.

The story’s limited scope is apparent from the outset, with minimal sound effects and atmosphere to make the setting memorable. While the performances are serviceable, most characters fail to leave a lasting impression. Jane Asher’s portrayal of Myra stands out slightly, but even her character struggles to make a significant emotional impact.

The birdlike creatures, central to the plot, add sporadic tension. Their appearances inject brief moments of unease, and the transformation of Myra into one of them introduces a compelling body horror element. However, the decision to make the antagonists specifically birds feels arbitrary, as their characteristics are not deeply explored or meaningfully tied to the narrative’s themes.

The plot moves forward in a somewhat mechanical fashion, with the second-half twist regarding Bex’s true nature feeling predictable and detracting from any potential empathy for her character. The climax, which should deliver heightened tension or a dramatic resolution, instead fizzles out without leaving a strong impression.

While Birdsong is competently executed, it fails to rise above its standard structure. The occasional moments of tension and horror hint at what could have been a more engaging tale, but the story ultimately settles into a forgettable routine.

📝Verdict: 5/10

Birdsong offers fleeting glimpses of creativity but is let down by its predictable narrative and lack of atmospheric depth.

This is an interesting story, an interesting mystery makes this a fun and at times a bit creepy as we don’t know who to trust. The cast is brilliant as always . This story gives Helen some good characterization, and as the next story is likely to focus on her even more I’m excited to see how this set continues to develop her, her being able to have such a healthy relationship with liv that even though they disagree they can still make up easily and talk past their differences is really nice to see. This story also really suggests that we’re gonna be having solo Helen and 8 adventures once Liv leaves and I’m excited to see how Helen fairs as in this story it’s explicitly said that she kinda relies on liv as an emotional rock , she’s glad she’s there and as much as she loves the doctor she needs liv to really ground it all (that was my interpretation at least). The plot twist in my opinion is alright, I certainly didn’t see it coming but the flipping of Myra isn’t real too the real bex was alive in the ship felt kinda quick paced.

finally, the final scene showing bexs death as liv and Helen sing the birdsong is beautiful , I think the doctor using the sound of the birds to signify that the planet is safe is really sweet too, overall fun story! Nothing amazing but certainly a fun story with a fun team

I was quite excited going into this boxset as I always enjoy an outing with Eight and his team. I like Liv and Helen as much as anyone else, and I was pleased at the idea of getting to see more of them. However, I do feel that they, as a team, have not had any real new challenges or developments for a while, and I feel this story suffered for it.

The team show up on this spooky planet with two women who seem to be harbouring secrets and lies, while surrounded by sinister birds. The setting is very well realised, and the sound design of the people turning into birds was very horrible in the best kind of way. It was atmospheric and a little bit spooky. And that's about it.

I found myself zoning out in various places, and though overall I found it to be entertaining enough, it very much felt like a run of the mill, generic story. Nothing overly compelling happened. The monster is defeated. And it ends. It didn't really push the characters forward, and saw Liv and Helen stuck in this little loop of what they usually do which I would love them to break out of.

That said, I did enjoy the conversations about Helen's family - I always like when the 8DAs dig into that, and giving her a space to remember her mother gives her a dimension that she is often not afforded. But while Helen had some nice moments, nothing really happened for Liv. She used her medical skills, and helped save the day. I did like her mention of Tania, though - that, I feel, is a plot that was not used to its full potential. But that is a different review.

Overall, it was fine. But not something I'll be hankering to relisten to.