This release is pretty much just the original The Sirens of Time, but in a different order. Hence, its plot is about the same as the original: not bad, but nothing particularly special. I don't hate this new edit, but I do prefer the old one as I find it a more interesting structure and I think it's easier to follow. Overall, this is nothing too special, but it's not bad.

bACK WHEN THE WRITING WAS MORE EXperimental #Tombaker #Adastra

Pretty disappointed by this unfortunately. I was so confused in the first episode about what was going on, and although it got steadily better I think that the original is ultimately still a better listen.

The last time I listened to the Sirens of Time was about 3 years ago when it came up as a free promo. I first bought it on tape when it came out. Not something I’ve listened to a lot though, maybe once or twice at the time.

The original release had three episodes, each episode featuring one of the The Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors. With them arriving somewhere meeting someone and having an adventure, with the Timelords, and time distortions as the arc. In episode four they met up worked out what was going on.

As for this new redux, well it mixes things up a little. We start mainly with the Fifth Doctor on a ship during the world war, with some interludes from the Seventh Doctor, and the Sixth not appearing til the end of part one. Other than the fact there is something wrong with time, we’re still pretty much in the dark.

Sometimes, whether its a TV or audio, and I find I’m not taking it in, I’ve decided to start again. If I’m still having trouble I place the blame on the narrative. I got to part four of this and restarted.

It tries be another Five Doctors, the music is very reminiscent of that era. But whereas the Five Doctors took the Doctor sand Companions and placed them in the same place. This is three different stories with another over arching plotline on top. With the Fifth on a German submarine during the war, the Sixth pretending to be a delegate on some space station. The seventh? Well I never really understood what his story was about, whenever it got back to his story it didn’t seem to quite pick up from where he left off.

The fact is that it wasn’t always immediately apparent which storyline you were listening to, which one of the Doctors’ or the Timelords, that the current scene was a part of. It was a bit clearer on second listening, so whether I paid attention more, or just was more familiar with it, I can’t say.

There is a lot of exposition in the last part, and maybe if it had been written now perhaps they would have not made it so heavy. Its nice to have the three eighties Doctors together though.

At the end it goes back to the Sevenths story which felt odd, I think the original started with his story so going back it it made sense, but this started with the Fifth, so less so.

Personally, if I listen to the Sirens of Time again, I’ll stick to the original.

I found this versions part 1 - 3 harder to follow idk if it’s just me but jumping around a lot just made it feel more disjointed

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

"The Sirens of Time Redux: A Fresh Spin on a Flawed Classic"

To mark 25 years of Doctor Who audios, Big Finish has re-released their debut Main Range adventure, The Sirens of Time, with a re-edited version that breathes new life into the story.

This revamped edit smartly interweaves the adventures of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors throughout the first three parts, giving it a stronger multi-Doctor feel and reinforcing the connections between their separate narratives. The parallels between their experiences are much clearer, creating a more cohesive story.

The new structure begins directly with the Fifth Doctor on the German U-boat, followed by the Seventh Doctor on the alien planet, and eventually introduces the Sixth Doctor after the Gallifrey scenes. This reshuffling makes for a more dynamic and engaging narrative flow, addressing some of the pacing issues in the original.

The cliffhangers have also been reworked to better effect. The Part 1 cliffhanger now serves as an introduction to both the Sixth Doctor and the mysterious Temperon, while Part 2 also features Six, giving him a bigger presence early on. However, Part 3’s cliffhanger doesn’t quite match the impact of the first two.

That said, while the new edit improves pacing and cohesion, it can’t entirely fix the inherent flaws in the writing. The story retains its occasional confusion and moments of emptiness, leaving some scenes feeling underdeveloped.

Part 3 ramps up the tension effectively across all three timelines but remains somewhat chaotic in its execution. Meanwhile, Part 4 is largely unchanged from the original, featuring the three Doctors uniting against the titular Sirens of Time. Unfortunately, this final instalment still suffers from an overlong and cluttered script.

On the bright side, the audio effects for the Temperon and the Sirens have been noticeably improved, lending a more polished feel to their dialogue.

📝Verdict: 6/10

Ultimately, The Sirens of Time Redux succeeds in giving this landmark story a fresh coat of paint, improving its structure and accessibility. While it doesn’t overcome all the original’s weaknesses, it’s a worthwhile revisit for fans and an intriguing showcase of how far Big Finish has come in 25 years.