Doctor Who: Slipback (BBC Radio Drama) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Eric Saward (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2001

Someone or something is tampering with Time. Such experimentation could not only damage the Space/Time continuum but destroy the past and future history of the Universe. The Doctor and Peri board the craft to investigate.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: BBC Worldwide Ltd. (February 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0563477946
• ISBN-13: 978-0563477945
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,499,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant Sillyness, November 15, 2001

By 

Matthew L. Roffman (Smyrna, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doctor Who: Slipback (BBC Radio Drama) (Audio CD)

Slipback is a BBC radio play made during the 1986 Dr. Who hiatus. I was glad to see it had been released on CD because I have been wondering what this story was like on the radio ever since I bought the novelisation 10 years ago. It was particularily delightful to hear Valentine Dyall's (The Black Guardians) voice as the repugnant disease ridden starship captain. I thought he had already passed away at the time Slipback was made so it was a great surprise to see he made one last contribution to Dr. Who before the end of his life. Beyond that... the story seems to try to emulate a lot of the qualities of Douglas Adams Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy. The 'dumb blond' voice of the computer reminds me of Trillian when she was making announcements over the Heart of Gold's comm system. There's even a brief appearance of a depressed robot. Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant are their usual selves. Baker his typical loud self. At the end of one of the episodes he is told that everybody including himself will die and he exclaims 'NOOOOOOOO!!!' right as the Dr. Who theme music rolls. This CD is cute, but I suggest it only for die hard Dr. Who fans like myself.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Slipshod would be more appropriate!, February 18, 2001

By 

"grrreg" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who: Slipback (Paperback)

During the 1985 hiatus of Doctor Who, there was one small spark of hope: a six part radio play featuring the Doctor and Peri. A spark of hope, that is, until you get to read this awful book.

The radio serial was never broadcast here in Australia, so this book is the first time I got to experience it (I have later on heard it). Written for both radio and this book by the contemporary Doctor Who script Editor, Eric Saward, I am yet again struck by the man's complete failure to grasp the fundamentals of what Doctor Who is about.

The story starts with the Doctor waking up with a hangover, a decidedly unDoctorish thing to do, and continues with very poor understanding of the show. The notional villain, Slarn, never actually meets either the Doctor or Peri and seems to be the kind of character that would feature in some low-grade British comedy.

In fact the whole thing is just plain silly and not a terribly good use of s well-loved fictional character. Don't rush out to find this one.

1.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps The Worst Doctor Who Story Ever, March 12, 2008

By 

Matthew Kresal (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Doctor Who: Slipback (BBC Radio Drama) (Audio CD)

In 1985/1986, Doctor Who found itself on hiatus. In an attempt to give fans something during this, this radio story (the first Doctor Who story made especially for radio) was made. It plays like some of the worst stories of the Colin Baker era. This isn't Baker's or Nicola Bryant's fault though as much as it's the fault of the writing and other actors. In short, Slipback is amongst the worst Doctor Who stories ever made.

Baker and Bryant though aren't at fault. Hey manage to play Eric Saward's script as well as they can. In fact they make the story worth listening to just to hear their chemistry together. Baker in particular seems to be a little more human and less arrogant then his TV performances in the role. Bryant plays the only really sane character in the story, which gives her a chance to shine. They do their best with the story.

The rest of the cast is a let down. Valentine Dyall in his final performance as Captain Slarn, is a real let down with some odd line delivery and a poor performance all around. Jane Carr seems to have fun in the dual role of the ship's computer with two personalities. While the hidden personality is fine to listen to, the public voice of the computer is very annoying and while meant to be humorous, it isn't in the very least. The other characters are just there for the laughs and are really dumb...and that's being nice.

The main problem with the story is the writing. Eric Saward, the show's script editor and some time writer, had done some good stories in his time (Earthshock, Revelation Of The Daleks) and this is not one of them. In fact, this may be his worst piece of work on the series. The main story is perhaps the most improbable collection of characters and circumstances ever to be put together in a single Doctor Who story. The characters are bland and played for laughs to the point of annoyance. In particular the whole section featuring Dyall's Captain Slarn could have been left out without making a single difference to the story considering he does absolutely nothing in the story! Sawrd seems to have forgotten what makes Doctor Who work and instead creates, or rather tires to create, a poor man's version of Douglas Adams' classic Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. And, as I said, it's a poor man's version.

Is Slipback worth listening to? It depends on how much of a fan you are. If you're ea casual fan, avoid this and listen to one of the Baker Big Finish stores or one of the other BBC audio stories. If you're a die-hard fan of the series then yes. But keep this in mind: listening t this is a really bad way to die. Slipback is perhaps the worst Doctor Who story ever and I do not recommend it.