The Doctor arrives in the city of Valhalla, on Callisto, one of Jupiter’s major moons, in the widely-human-colonized future. But despite the marvels of technology that Valhalla represents, something is amiss: the Doctor and the city’s administrator alone know that an alien invasion is imminent. As the city descends into panic and chaos, the Doctor enlists reluctant help from a few of the locals, but even his modest attempts to slow down the invasion draw the attention of the queen of the termite-like hoardes. They’ve arrived from another world, apparently having done a deal to buy Valhalla and its entire population – as livestock. But if the Doctor has anything to say about it, the deal is off.

written by Marc Platt
directed by John Ainsworth
music by Simon Robinson

Cast: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Michelle Gomez (Jevvan), Phillip Jackson (Laxton), Susannah York (Our Mother / Registry / Tannoy), Fraser James (Gerium), Donna Berlin (Tin-Marie), Duncan Wisbey (Clerk / Sergeant / Pilot / New Tannoy), Dominic Frisby (Groom / Drome Guard / Resolute Pilot / Worker 1 / Marketeer), Jack Galagher (Worker 2)

Timeline: between Master and Frozen Time

Review: Though it starts out as a very typical late seventh Doctor story – the Doctor is already on the scene, insinuating himself into events already in progress – Valhalla becomes a more typically generic Doctor Who story along the way. Much of the middle of the story seems to concern itself with avoiding the invaders, talking about the invaders, and wondering who in the world the Doctor is. (more…)

Years before the joined the Liberator, Vila and Gan weren’t even friends – though they did become uneasy allies when Gan, a hired hand for the wealthy owner of a secretive business venture, recognized that Vila’s lockpicking skills could help him (albeit indirectly) win the affections of the girl of Gan’s dreams. Gan and Vila set out to pull off a daring heist that could make them both rich – but it involves stealing from Gan’s own employer. Two things happen that Vila and Gan weren’t counting on: Gan’s employer turns out to have top-secret Federation military ties, and a taste for lethal automatic defense systems to match. The other wild card is the rioting that begins when the results of the vote for the President of the Federation are overturned to keep a man called Roj Blake from winning the popular vote. With chaos looming in the background, Vila and Gan have found either the best possible cover to pull off their caper, or the increased police presence will make it much easier for them to be caught and shot on sight…

written by Ben Aaronovitch
directed by Andrew Mark Sewell
music by Alistair Lock

Cast: Michael Keating (Vila Restal), Owen Aaronovitch (Oleg Gan), Alistair Lock (Zen)

Review: An interesting two-character (three, at a stretch, if you count the voice of Zen) piece that serves as a mini-prequel to the new Blake’s 7 audio series, When Vila Met Gan automatically got fans’ attention with the rather surprising announcement that an aged Michael Keating – who played Vila in the original television incarnation of Blake’s 7 – would be playing a younger Vila against the backdrop of the new series. (more…)