You know what gives me a lot of enjoyment, Rog?

What’s that, Mike?

Making fun of sports!  Maybe it’s the nerd in me talking, taking a morbid pleasure in mocking those that had mocked me as a kid but the nerds inherited the world if Disney and Marvel have anything to say about it.  That might all change one day, but for now, I’m going to bask in the glory of the era of the nerd! 

That’s a good point Mike!  So what does that have to do with The Game?

Well, Rog, when Doctor Who takes a stab at sports, we’re sure to have some fun with a commentator who tells us everything right down to when he’s shot and gives us a play by play of his own death. 

That was hilarious, wasn’t it, Mike?

Sure was, Rog.  And you know what else?  Having William Russell as Darzil Carlisle was a nice treat.  I met William Russell at a convention and boy howdy was he nice.  Utter gentleman!

But Mike, didn’t his character remind you a lot of River Song!

Too right, Rog.  Carlisle is effectively a male version of River Song just three years before River was actually introduced to the world. He’s the Doctor’s “best friend” and yet the Doctor hasn’t met him before.  Like River, we meet him just before he dies too.

This was written in 2005, wasn’t it, Mike?  Do you think he was an influence on River?

Right again, Rog.  And, very possibly.  Like River, some of the dialogue with Carlisle is fantastic. My favorite is a subtle one, when he asks who Nyssa is as she asks if he is “Darzil Carlisle?”.  He responds, “Good lord, that’s my name!”  The doddering old fool is frequently funny and very loveable.  And I can’t help wondering how much of that is just Russell’s own personality!  Not the doddering fool, but the fun and lovable character.  I mean who doesn’t love Ian Chesterton? 

Good point, Mike, but what about this commentary that you mentioned?

Oh, good point Rog!  I have to say the commentary was fantastic.  Couldn’t help laugh though, because the players on the planet Cray sound more than a bit cockney.  I felt pretty positive that the writers were having some fun at the expense of the sports nut, complete with mocking the face paint we see on fans of different sports teams.  There’s even a bit where the Doctor refers to the “stick” the player wields, and is promptly told not to call it a stick; it’s a wand. 

Ha!  That’s pretty funny Mike!  But you must have hated it, if it was all about sports, right?

I’d have to agree, Rog, but that’s the cleverness of a Big Finish script: it’s not all about sports.  That’s just the foundation of this 6 part story.  There’s a mystery around Darzil and how he’s negotiated 36 other peace talks when he actually can’t negotiate at all.  There’s a gambling ring and villains and monsters that were amazingly visual in my head for a race that never speaks.

Only at Big Finish, am I right Mike? 

Too right Rog, too right.  Big Finish can amaze us time and again with their writing. They don’t hit home runs every time, but they always entertain.

I see what you did there Mike.

I knew you would, Rog.  I don’t always like being so blatant, but it beats having an aide that basically fills you in on the story in a contrived bit of exposition at the start of the adventure, doesn’t it? 

Even if she does have a great voice, I agree Mike; that’s a foul in my book!

That it is Rog!  But regardless of some misses, the story is extremely entertaining and worth the adventure.  Davison and Sutton are great together, as always, and it was magnificent to hear William Russell in a Doctor Who story again. 

But Mike, did you say a “6-part story”?  My copy is only a 2-disc set.

Ah, they’ve got you fooled there too!  Each chapter is very short, maybe 15-20 minutes each.  I was amazed that part three started without a CD change!

Very weird indeed Mike.  Do you think there was a secret message in that this was the 66th story and had 6 parts?

Perhaps you’re reading a bit too many of the Master’s plots there, Rog.  Only the Master would be so contrived and he has no place in this story.

Well, thank goodness for that Mike!  Well, I’m knackered.  Shall we go down to the pub and watch the next Naxy match? 

Rog, we turned off the recording, we can get out of character and go have tea and talk about good Doctor Who audios like normal people do.

Then why does that still say “recording”?

Ummm…. Whoops!    ML