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Big Finish CD Reviews
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22nd
June 04 |
Reviews by
Richmond Clements
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Cover
by Cliff Robinson & Chris Blythe |
Judge Dredd: Wanted:
Dredd or Alive
Written by James Swallow Starring:
- Toby Longworth
as Judge Dredd
- Claire Buckfield
as Cadet Amy Steel
- Teresa Gallagher
as Chief
Judge Hershey
- Regina Regan
as Enigma
Smith
- Jeremy James
as Control
- Stewart Alexander
as Cadet Baker
Quotable quote:
"I allow every rookie one chance to foul up, you’ve just had yours."
The first in the Big Finish series, and proves to be a fine
introduction to the world of Dredd, but you really should expect no less from
writer David Bishop, who has a great understanding of Dredd and his world.
This one concerns a disease which affects Judges who use sleep
machines, which may or may not be connected with the Frendz crime syndicate.
The use of the Mega City news to inform the listener is clever,
ans Bishop also introduces a new recurring character in Judge Steel.
A solid tale, with some very Mega City one humour, only marred by the obvious
plot twist at the end.
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Cover
by Cliff Robinson & Chris Blythe |
Judge Dredd: Death
Trap!
Written by David Bishop Starring:
- Toby Longworth
as Judge Dredd
- Clare Buckfield
as Judge Amy Steel
- Mark Gatiss
as Judge Death
- Regina Regan
as Enigma Smith
- Jeremy James
as Control
- Julia Righton
as Nigella Gaiman
- Liza Ross
as Mrs Gunderson
Quotable quote:
"We need med wagons for the wounded and meat wagons for the dead."
I don’t need
to tell you what this one is about, do I? Bishop delivers the goods again, with
Judge Steel getting, and deserving, her own share of the action, as a mad cult
of Death worshippers conspire to free the superfiend. Death is played with much
glee by the League of Gentleman’s Mark Gatiss, aided by some brilliant sound
design. He is Death!
Before listening
to this, I kind of felt sorry for Walter, but now, after hearing him, I’m
amazed that Dredd didn’t shoot the irritating twat years ago!
Well paced and
exciting, and Death is his proper villainous self, not the comedy character Wagner
has turned him in to. But this fact is kind of let down by an ending that sails
rather close too close to comedy, and because of this, slightly jars with the
tone of the rest of it.
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Cover
by Cliff Robinson & Chris Blythe |
Strontium Dog:
Down to Earth
Written by Jonathan Clements
Starring:
- Simon Pegg
as Johnny Alpha
- Toby Longworth
as Wulf Sternhammer
- Jacqueline
Pearce
as Elizabeth Weisser
- Nicholas Briggs
as Sick Squid
- Mark McDonnell
as Middenface McNulty
- Patrica Merrick
as The Gronk
Quotable quote:
"Get away from him you bitch!"
The third cd into
the series, and already Big Finish are showing that they are serious about this.
Not content with sitting safely with Dredd, they branch out into what is arguably
the second biggest strip in the comic.
And boy do they
deliver. Jonathan Clements (no relation) provides a script that not so much wants,
as demands a second and third and forth listen. I’ve listened to this one
at least half a dozen times, and everytime I pick up something new. It is very,
very funny. Just
wait until you hear the Gronk and Johnny playing an ancient earth game of cunning
and strategy...
Pegg is nothing
short of brilliant playing Johnny, clearly loving every single minute of it, and
Toby Longworth is a revelation, it’s unbelievable to think that this is
the same guy who plays Dredd!
In fact, the rest
of the cast are flawless as well, and it’s lucky this is an audio drama,
or the divine Jacqueline Pearce (hey, I’m a man of a certain age...) would
have eaten all the scenery!
Buy this.
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Cover
by Cliff Robinson & Chris Blythe |
Judge Dredd:
The Killing Zone
Written by Dave Stone
Starring:
- Toby Longworth
as Judge Dredd
- Regina Regan
as Enigma Smith
- Stephen Greif
as Efil
Drago San
- John Wadmore
as Traven
- Holly Chant
as Judge Janus
- Jeremy James
as Sikoryak
- Mark Donovan
as The Commentator
Quotable quote:
"The next time you call me ‘Joey’, you’re on a disciplinary
charge."
Two things to be
wary of in this one. It is written by Dave Stone, one of those writers who divide
readers into the two love/hate camps. And secondly, it contains Psi Judge Judy
Janus. Janus here is bloody annoying. For this I do not blame Holly Chant, I don’t
even blame Stone. Janus is just bloody annoying.
It has a cool
idea, with illegal snuff fights taking place in the city’s sewers, Dredd
is dispatched with a Wally Squad Judge as his sidekick, to stop it happening.
I’m not
a fan of Stone’s work, but this isn’t all that bad. The villain doesn’t
ring true, and it gets muddles in places, but it all comes together for the best
ending I’ve heard.
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