Another audio release of a lost Doctor Who story. The audio quality is fairly good and the linking narration ably provided by Frazer Hines (who played Jamie).
 
This is an interesting story… particularly because of the recent return of the Daleks in the new Doctor Who series. This story echoes several elements of the new Dalek stories… that is, the introduction of the “human factor” to the Daleks; and the reign of the Dalek Emperor. Unfortunately the story suffers from the very contrived and illogically roundabout way in which the Daleks trap the Doctor and Jamie. It also feels too long at seven episodes.
 

Another in the continuing series of lost Doctorr Who stories being released on audio CD. The audio quality of this release is rather patchy… with some scenes being too muffled to make out all the dialogue. Linking narration is provided by William Russell (who played Ian Chesterton), sounding quite aged.
 
The story is a very engaging historical saga as the first Dr and his companions (Ian, Barbara and Susan) are forced to accompany Marco Polo on his journey to meet with Kublai Khan. Despite being seven episodes, it’s never dull and often quite exciting.
 
Definitely worth a listen.

There have been quite a number of Doctor Who releases under the BBBC Radio Collection banner in recent times – mostly audio versions of lost stories. This release is rather different… and a real gem.
 
Dredging through the BBC radio archives, producer/researcher Michael Stevens has found some fascinating interviews, reports, comedy sketches and other miscellaneous tid-bits to put onto this double CD release. Linking narration, giving a context to these slivers of Who history, is provided by the inimitable Elizabeth Sladen (Sarah-Jane Smith).
 

This release is one of a series of CDs from the BBC, providing fans with audio versions of missing stories in the 60s and 70s the BBC had a bad habit of erasing tapes after the programmes had been broadcast. Where they have been able to source reasonable quality soundtracks from lost episodes, they have reproduced them on CD with a linking narration to make up for the lack of visuals.

"The Savages" is a four-episode, Hartnell-era story first transmitted in May 1966. It marks the Who scripting debut of Ian Stuart Black (who would go on to script another two stories) and the departure from the series of Peter Purves (playing Steven, one of the Doctor's travelling companions). In an welcome fit of nostalgia, the producers of this CD release have dragged Peter Purves out of mothballs to provide the linking narration... and a fine job he does of it.

The story itself is quite interesting, if based on a rather well worn SF theme of dichotomous yet linked societies (one primitive, the other advanced), with one being exploited by the other. The solution to the dilemma is well handled, and the characters interesting... if it falls down anywhere, it is with the somewhat contrived circumstances of Steven's departure.

All up it's a pretty good double-CD that's worth a listen.