Ao pousarem no planeta “Puxatornee” o Doutor e a Mel se deparam com dois agentes “Stewart” e “Reeds”, ambos reconhecem os viajantes da TARDIS como espiões procurados, com isso sabemos que os personagens principais já estiveram ali antes e por algum motivo não se lembram disso. “Puxatornee” se encontra em uma situação terrível, radiação no ar, campos envenenados e leis márcias tronaram a vida do local insuportável - Tudo isso ocorreu porque em seu passado sua ex-presidente “Bailey” foi assassinada, esse ato gerou uma guerra contra uma espécie chamada “Slithergees” tendo os humanos como vitoriosos e como consequência seu planeta ficou nesse estado terrível. Sabendo de todo esse desenrolar, agora vem o ponto genial de “Flip-Flop” – Tendo conhecimento da TARDIS, os dois agentes pressionam o Doutor a levá-los ao passado no exato momento em que sua presidente foi morta para salvá-la e reescrever a história. Mesmo revertendo a situação, as coisas ainda se mantem ruins em “Puxatornee”, só que dessa vez com os “Slithergees” no domínio fazendo os humanos de escravos. A partir desse ponto nos deparamos com vários loops e vemos várias vezes os agentes tendo que voltar ao passado para tentar consertar as coisas. Em cima desse cenário o áudio entrega uma estrutura narrativa circular muito bem reproduzida, não deixando o ouvinte confuso e não tornando a sua experiência cheia de repetições chatas (pelo mesmo pra mim não foi chata, pode ser que você não goste kkkk). O lance genial de “Flip-Flop” é que cada CD desse áudio e representado por uma cor, o CD 1 é o Branco e o 2 o Preto – Como essa história é circular, gira entorno de um loop, você pode ouvir os CDs na ordem que QUISER, porque no final de cada um deles tudo se resulta em um paradoxo que o transforma na versão oposta do mundo que acontece no CD oposto, assim mantendo toda a sua história em um loop de tempo estável...GENIAL!

Defences from the evil aliens such as “you cannot understand the Slithergee ethic experience, we are being prejudiced against. It is a hate crime.” And portraying them as “heavily armed refugees” was not very Doctor Who in 2003 and certainly doesn’t stand up today. It belittles and undermines language crucial to defending people in racially hostile environments.

I found the gimmick used here was done pretty well, but admittedly it’s been a while since I listen to this one. I recall thinking it’s alright mostly, there are some great bits and the gimmick used here was executed rather well, but overall I don’t remember too much of it to properly judge it.

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

"Flip-Flop: A Clever Experiment That Struggles with Engagement"

Flip-Flop, written by Jonathan Morris, is one of the more experimental and daring entries in Big Finish's Main Range. Its unique narrative structure—a two-disc story where the discs can be listened to in any order—sets it apart. The black and white discs each present alternate versions of the same story, creating a circular narrative without a definitive conclusion. This gives the listener the freedom to decide which version of events they believe to be "correct," emphasizing a "timey-wimey" storytelling style characteristic of Doctor Who.

The story's premise revolves around the Seventh Doctor and Mel arriving on a human colony during Christmas in the future. The narrative mirrors The Ark, with one half of each disc exploring the past and its impact on the future, and the other showing the consequences of those actions. At the heart of the story is a slug-like alien race, the Slithergee, whose request to settle on the moon sparks political turmoil, a devastating war, and a cascade of time-traveling attempts to alter history.

Sylvester McCoy delivers a strong performance as the Doctor, perfectly capturing his disdain for those who meddle with time without considering the consequences. Bonnie Langford also shines as Mel, providing a warm and grounded presence amid the chaos.

The Slithergee are an intriguing addition, brought to life through evocative sound design and solid performances. Their blindness and reliance on sound lend them a unique flavor, though their role in the narrative feels underutilized.

Despite the ambitious format, Flip-Flop struggles with pacing and engagement. The bleak atmosphere is slightly oppressive but fails to generate the necessary tension to sustain interest over its two-hour runtime. The story’s core premise—a political and social conflict over the Slithergee—is not particularly compelling and feels overly drawn out.

One significant issue is the repetitive nature of the narrative. Both halves essentially tell the same story from slightly different perspectives, making the second disc less engaging once you’ve listened to the first. While the Black Disc offers a more nuanced and tense storytelling experience, the overall lack of variety undermines the cleverness of the format.

The references to Seven and Mel's unseen adventure defeating the Quarks provide a humorous touch but inadvertently highlight how much more exciting that story might have been compared to the one we’re given.

Ultimately, Flip-Flop is a fascinating experiment in nonlinear storytelling but struggles to maintain interest due to its repetitive structure and uninspired premise. For those who appreciate Doctor Who’s more experimental side, it’s worth a listen, but it may leave some longing for a more traditional, tightly written adventure.

📝Verdict: 5/10

Flip-Flop is ambitious and inventive but hampered by a lackluster narrative and pacing issues that detract from its unique structure.

Black or White or Black or White or Black

This was an awful lot more mind-bending and timey wimey than I remember from the first time round! I actually contemplated listening to it again to understand it properly!

Flip Flop is what Big Finish do really well - playing with the format. The TV series can go so far, but is limited to some extent by the need to cater for a wide, general audience. Because of the way Big Finish is released/listened to, they can do stuff like Flip Flop where it doesn't matter which CD you listen to first because either way round you have a complete story. Jonathan Morris must have had one heck of a flow chart to keep track of this plot!

It is immensely enjoyable, though, and Sylvester and Bonnie are on top form. The Slithergees are a genius creation - malevolently obsequious and the epitomy of slug-like.

The Christmas elements are slim with the main thing being that the story is set at Christmas.

It is also has the most horrific scene ever commited to audio - two characters getting it on. The music is a bit odd as well as it sounds an awful lot like late night telly guilty pleasure 'Cheaters'!

A bold and successful experiment.