Doctor Who

First broadcast in 1968, this eight-part serial follows the Doctor and his companions as they work to defeat an invasion by the Cybermen. "The Invasion" is among the more sought-after story lines, and this soundtrack recording of the entire serial is all that remains of episodes #1 and #4. Narrative explanations to the television soundtrack are provided by Frazer Hines, who played Jamie in the original program. Hines also provides some insightful remembrances in an interview at the end of the program. Following the action of a 1960s television serial using sound only can be confusing, even with Hines's explanations, due to inadequate sound quality of the original material and the nature of the action sequences. But "Doctor Who" devotees will, nonetheless, enjoy this unique recording. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Exterminate! Exterminate! For this observer, the full-skirted, clunky Daleks are even more laughable than bandy-legged, toy-Tokyo-trampling Godzilla. But to the gazillion fanatics of BBC-TV's stubbornly enduring "Doctor Who" series, they are the dreaded, ruthless, (snicker) cunning aliens intent on cosmic mayhem. This audio skillfully joins excerpts from the episodes with narration by the current Dalek voice, Nick Briggs, to form a history of their numerous (losing) skirmishes with the Doctor. The seamless, quick-paced interweaving of well-chosen elements contributes an excitement and spectacle that the individual episodes themselves did not always possess. The skillful compilers have thus produced a nostalgic, swashbuckling tribute and first-rate sci-fi audio drama. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

The classic British science fiction series is wonderfully recaptured with this latest tale. It's well produced, with a fantastic musical score that echoes the glory days of the series and a large cast of remarkable actors who bring a theatrical presence to the production. Close your eyes, and you'll swear this story is actually an episode of the television series. In truth, it partly is--the acting and recording of an original episode (combined with the scoring) are expertly mixed with the well-read narration of Frazer Hines. The result is a compelling episode that excels on many levels, even if you weren't a fan of the BBC series to begin with. L.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine