Skip to content
TARDIS Guide

Overview

Released

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Written by

Paul Magrs

Publisher

BBC Audio

Directed by

Kate Thomas

Runtime

71 minutes

Time Travel

Present

Location (Potential Spoilers!)

Hexford

Synopsis

Wanted: retired army Captain for light household duties and fireside companionship. Must tolerate mild eccentricity and strong scientific advice. Knowledge of Giant Maggots, Super Intelligent Spiders and Prehistoric Monsters a positive boon.

Responding to an advert apparently worded for him alone, Captain Mike Yates (retired) is reunited with a ghost from the past. But why has the Doctor, that mysterious traveller in time and space, sent for his former UNIT acquaintance? Trapped by a horde of vicious creatures in an apparently innocuous English country cottage, the two old friends are on the brink of an enormous adventure. As the Doctor relates his recent escapades, it becomes clear to Mike that they — and the Earth at large — are facing an enemy of unimaginable power and horrific intent. The nightmare is only just beginning...

Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat

Edit date completed

Characters

How to listen to The Stuff of Nightmares:

Reviews

Add Review Edit Review

2 reviews

This review contains spoilers!

Before Tom Baker was enticed into working for Big Finish, he starred as the Fourth Doctor in a series of BBC audio dramas centered Nest Cottage and written by Paul Magrs. For companions, he was set up with an interesting pair: former UNIT Captain Mike Yates, and his Nest Cottage housekeeper Mrs. Wibbsey. I'll never understand why they chose Mike Yates for these stories, but anyway. The Nest Cottage series is made up of three five-part arcs: Hornets' Nest, Demon Quest, and Serpent Crest. Stuff of Nightmares is the first part of Hornets' Nest and is primarily the Fourth Doctor telling Mike Yates the story thus far about alien hornets who desire to take over the Earth, in this story using taxidermied animals. It's fine. At this point, Tom still sounds like the Doctor from TV (compared to his most recent Big Finish releases) and is a decent narrator. The story is somewhat enjoyable, but it's nothing outstanding or spectacular. I'll keep going on the Nest Cottage series but I'm sure there will be plenty of other stuff that I listen to in between.


DarthGallifrey

View profile


This review contains spoilers!

This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order.

Previous Story: Doctor Who and the Star Beast (Audio Adaptation)

This is a very strange entry in the Whoniverse. It's completely different to anything I've watched or listened to before, but in a good way. The whole story has the feel of the Doctor telling you a story around a campfire.

It's the return of Mike Yates! Arguably my favourite member of the U.N.I.T team and Richard Franklin plays an excellent, wearier version of the Captain. The hornets are a very unique villain, and rather ominous too. The mystery surrounding them makes them a lot scarier. I think they strike a good blend of surreal and scary.

Next Story: The Dead Shoes


thedefinitearticle63

View profile


Open in new window

Statistics

AVG. Rating30 members
3.52 / 5

GoodReads

AVG. Rating140 votes
3.67 / 5

The Time Scales

AVG. Rating62 votes
3.40 / 5

Member Statistics

Listened

56

Favourited

3

Reviewed

2

Saved

2

Skipped

2

Quotes

Add Quote

DOCTOR: Breakfast smells appetising, Mrs Wibbsey! How do you feel about running away with me, and seeing all the marvels of the universe?

MRS WIBBSEY: Go and boil your head.

DOCTOR: (in delight) Wonderful woman.