The Weeping Angels should not be as scary as they are on audio...

In this story, the Doctor shows up and spends most of the episode ranting about the rules of time. Somehow, it works. This story isn't about fighting an alien threat, it's about preserving the timelines, whilst everything comes crumbling down around him. This is a really unique way to deal with the Weeping Angels, and it fits this Doctor perfectly. Peter Davison tackles this material aggressively, and the tension heard in his voice makes this an awesome performance!

Weeping Angels on audio? How bizarre! This works really well, despite they're primarily visual creatures, there are so many scary moments and the sound design is so interesting, with the audio stings acting as a cue for a jumpscare, and often works, as they get closer and faster, you can imagine how they'd be moving, and this is one of the few times I've found the Weeping Angels honestly scary. One of my favourite moments of the story is where they're crawling along the Sistine Chapel and it's such an interesting concept, and their story is interesting and I love the religious connotations around the idea of "angels" in which a cult formed around them, it's a really unique and inspired take on them. They're handled so magnificently and constantly fantastic monsters, and this story proves that they're just as terrifying on audio.

Two consecutive historicals set in Italy! I think that this setting is just executed so amazingly, with the educational side never clashing with the actual plot of the story, and often weaving into the narrative effectively. There are so many amazing action pieces, such as the Weeping Angels closing in on the Doctor, Joel, Gabby and Michelangelo, and again, the Angels crawling along the Sistine Chapel walls, one of the most memorable scenes when I think of the monsters. I love the way the story explores the culture of the Renaissance, especially with the themes of religion and art coming into play.

The Master-?! Oh no, just Sacha Dhawan playing the companion. Considering he's had quite a few roles in Big Finish, I'd love for him to come and get involved with a Master series - but he manages to play a completely different, excitable character, with an interested fascination with history, usually optimistic and there's a nice comedic element to him. Gabby is also a lot of fun, constantly questioning the Doctor in a realistic and new way. There's also a celebrity involved - Michelangelo - who's used well and has a clever connection to the plot. He never overstays his welcome, but manages to keep the story interesting as we explore more of his life and the way he views the world, often coming across quite nasty. Everyone is at the top of their game and it's a lot of fun. It's great to see people getting sent back in time, and having to actually face the consequences of that, something the show didn't do too well at (the only time I think it worked was with Cathy in Blink.)

The music feels a lot like the soundtrack from the Tenth Doctor Adventures, which I think works for this story, considering that they are both in a similar format, and both feature characters from the New Series. It's captivating, scary and powerful all at the same time.

Favourite Line: "No, no, no! They weren't supposed to come in through the windows!"

This is such a strong story, I love the Weeping Angels in this, everyone is so invested and brilliant, and with such a strong plot working together with the historical setting, it makes for an exciting, thrilling adventure!

When Big Finish confirmed they had the new series license, one of the first audio box sets they announced was Classic Doctors, New Monsters: a set of audio dramas that team up the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth  Doctors with a monster from the new series of Doctor Who. For the Fifth Doctor, Big Finish Productions opted for arguably the most iconic of the new series' creations: the Weeping Angels. A strange choice for audio given that they are silent creatures...

Fallen Angels sees honeymooning couple Joel (Sacha Dhawan) and Gabby Finch (Diane Morgan) visit the Sistine Chapel in Rome, where they meet the Doctor (Peter Davison) and a Weeping Angel that sends the pair back in time to 1511 Rome. Gabby encounters the Doctor again, only he can't remember meeting her as it hasn't happened for him yet. Joel meanwhile finds himself in the workshop of Michelangelo (Matthew Kelly) who has been commissioned by the priest to carve an Angel free.

What's brilliant about this story is how Big Finish have decided to make the plot as timey wimey as possible. To me the quintessential Weeping Angel story given their ability to send people back in time is one that uses time travel almost as a character in its own right rather than just as a means to get the Doctor and characters from A to B. Everything you would expect from a time travel Doctor Who story with the Weeping Angels is there: the Doctor meeting people out of order, previous supporting characters returning as old men having lived a long life after being sent to the past by a Weeping Angel, jokes about future inventions that are accidentally invented in the past (in this case, sandwiches - although the Doctor claims he invented them first). Writer Phil Mulryne understands exactly what makes a Weeping Angel story work and you can see why Big Finish opted to hire him for this story.

I know any Doctor Who fans on here who haven't listened to this will be asking if the Weeping Angels work on audio. Well, it does take a while for the audio story to work out exactly how to use them effectively without the need of visual aid but by the final act you forget any notion that the Weeping Angels might not work in an audio drama. Sounds of the Weeping Angel's movements from the TV Series are used extremely well and act as good indicators of what would be occurring on-screen without the need of endless exposition. In fact, there's hardly any exposition to speak of here. The geniuses at Big Finish don't need it. The most expositional dialogue is along the lines of 'It's pointing at me'; the rest only requires you to listen.

One thing other than the Weeping Angels that this story takes from the new series is the 'celebrity historical', where the Doctor and 'companions' (or in this case, the honeymooning couple) meet a historical celebrity from the past whom the Doctor happens to be a fan of. Only in this case it's Joel who is the fanboy. This is a good decision by Big Finish and Phil Mulryne as it makes it feel like a new series story told with a classic series Doctor (exactly what these box sets should be about). Matthew Kelly does such a good job at portraying Michelangelo too. He's a real coup for Big Finish and probably one of their best supporting actors so far. Disappointingly none of the characters get to say 'Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be....'

The main problem with this story comes from the writing's portrayal of the Fifth Doctor. For some reason Peter Davison's Doctor here appears more like Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor. It feels odd hearing Peter Davison asthe Doctor making blokey jokes about data roaming and I would have preferred to have heard a characterisation more faithful to the classic series interpretation of his Doctor (such as in the excellent Mutant Phase). Bar the final line that cheekily hints at the Tenth  and Eleventh Doctors' use of the phrase 'timey wimey', Fallen Angels is a story where you could easily swap the Fifth Doctor for the Eleventh and it would work much better. Especially when the main supporting characters of this release are extremely similar to a certain other husband and wife duo.

I'm talking, of course, about Amy and Rory. Joel and Gabby bare a few similarities to the Eleventh Doctor's popular companion duo. Both are extremely loyal, have an ever-lasting love and affection for one another and will do whatever it takes to stay together. Joel, like Rory, is the awkward one of the pair (although to be fair his love of art and culture means he acts significantly different after the initial shock than Rory would around Michelangelo) whilst Gabby has the childlike innocence that Amy would often possess in the latter's fairytale-esque wonder and idolisation of the Doctor. Just like Amy and Rory their affection for one another is a big part of who their characters are. It's a shame that this story couldn't have been kept back for a potential future Eleventh Doctor full cast audio drama release as it doesn't feel much like a Fifth Doctor story.

Overall, Fallen Angels is an excellent first instalment in the Classic Doctors, New Monsters series but unfortunately suffers Fifth poor characterisation of the fifth Doctor and supporting characters who feel incredibly similar to Amy and Rory. The Weeping Angels are surprisingly effective on audio however and the decision to make the first Big Finish Weeping Angel story a timey wimey one is a strong one. Even if it doesn't feel like a Peter Davison story, thanks to the celebrity historical aspect it does feel like a new series story told with a classic series Doctor. Matthew Kelly is perfect as Michelangelo and it would be nice to hear him return to Big Finish again. Fallen Angels may not be the strongest Fifth Doctor release but it does prove that the Weeping Angels absolutely can work on audio.

CLASSIC DOCTORS, NEW MONSTERS: STORY 1 (Volume 1: Story 1)

Classic Doctors, New Monsters is a Big Finish series that does exactly what it says on the tin. It pairs Doctors from the Classic era of Doctor Who with monsters from the Revival (although including the Revival Sontaran designs as a “new” monster in one story seems a bit of a cheat).

The first set in the range begins with Fallen Angels, a story about the Fifth Doctor facing, you guessed it, the Weeping Angels.

Five’s companions are out of the picture in this audio, so we are treated with two new characters who fill that role for us. Gabby and Joel Finch, played by Diane Morgan and Sacha Dhawan respectively, are partners who go on holiday in Rome, only to be sent back in time by a Weeping Angel.

Sometimes these characters do get annoying, but it is funny imagining the Master and Philomena Cunk as husband and wife.

The story is a lot of fun, and the Weeping Angels actually work really well on audio.

I could not recommend it enough for new listeners, as it is a perfect introduction to Big Finish, even if the ending feels rushed and underwhelming.

Overall, Fallen Angels is a wonderful story to open Classic Doctors, New Monsters.

It has inspired me to continue the range, with the next audio in the set being the Sixth Doctor story Judoon in Chains. Hopefully it’s as good an experience as Fallen Angels!

This is a pretty great, balanced take on the Fifth Doctor going up against the Weeping Angels. It is pretty creative how Big Finish were able to incorporate these monsters into audio form, and I feel in general they do a pretty good job of it.

For all my gripes over his Master performance in the show, Sacha Dhawan is pretty great here on the whole, and him along with Diane Morgan really help elevate what could otherwise have been a more forgettable audio into something kind of special.

Sacha Dhawan? Diane Morgan? Dan Starkey? Cyrill Babcock from Benidorm!? What a cast!

This had a rather slow start, but really picked up from the 2nd half onwards. The angels work well on audio despite the obvious limitations. The imagery at the end where they're climbing the walls of the Sistine Chapel was terrifying! Very eery in parts, and the story introduces some really interesting concepts with the cult, would love that to get expanded upon someday.