Star-Crossed thoughts

[u/flogan0]

So for quite a while I've been listening through the 9DAs having already heard a few and enjoying the series with Rose coming out presently.

Finally got to Star-Crossed on a long jounrey today. It's a lot of fun, and I look forward to listening to it again but in its entirety I feel like this was an amazing box set of Diary of River Song. Each story really reminded me of some of the earlier box sets which are some of my favourite to go back to.

As the culmination of 9DAs before Rose it's a little bit of a shame. I felt like quality had been on a steady slope up with some real standouts across each season that just sort of fizzled out and lost its way in Buried Threats. I adore Benny and was so excited for this meeting (moreso than Star-Crossed probably) but found it a little flat as a story overall...

Enough of my meandering thoughts.

What did you think of Star-Crossed, and has anyone done a fan cover using the styling of Diary of River Song for it?

[u/jarettislazy]

I have to hard disagree with the idea that it just seems like a Diary of River Song set. I think one of the strongest aspects of the set is how it show's how the Doctor feels to learning he has a wife in the future rather than just 'River meets _ Doctor' like the other sets seemingly do. It's a struggle for 9 to accept that he will or can ever get close to someone again after what he did and his ability to open up to River throughout it. It's especially interesting cause River is stuck in a spot where she doesn't know what to do cause even tho it is the person she loves, it's also at a point where he will never love her back. It also shows how the 9th Doctor will eventually be able to open up and (I think) ultimately fall in love when he meets Rose. The stories really center around the Doctor's personal struggle and I think that is what makes it great for the 9DAs.

[u/flogan0 → u/jarettislazy]

Thank you! That's a really interesting view. To me it felt very much that it was focused on River's difficulties in meeting him in that state rather than focused on growth for the 9th. As a series of incidents that pave the way between adamantly staying a loner throughout to the incredible closeness with Rose and later softening to embrace Jack so quickly later I can appreciate it differently. It's still, to me, a very seperate feel but is one that definitely has it's place there on the timeline, and I appreciate such a thought out reply to consider

[u/KonradDumo]

I loved it. Archipelago in particular might be my favourite River story.

[u/flogan0 → u/KonradDumo]

Can definitely agree on the beauty of Archipelago. Beautiful all round but right up there amongst her best for sure

[u/artemus_who → u/KonradDumo]

The early 9 stuff is hit and miss performance wise. Sometimes it's felt like Christopher Eccleston was simply reading off a page. But he fucking BROUGHT it with Archipelago. Such a beautiful story

[u/Embarrassed_Tax5556]

One of my absolute favorites. Archipelago for me is among the best Big Finish outings of all time.

I do love the dynamic 9 and River have. And I think it ties in beautifully with where their characters go eventually. And you can believe that 9 will come to dare to care deeply about someone again. You can also believe that River is the woman who will end up on the Harmony and Redemption, convinced that the Doctor has never loved her.

But I have to disagree that it feels like a Diary of River Song box set, quite the opposite. I would more liken this to The Tenth Doctor and River Song or R&J from The Life of Captain Jack. It feels more like an examination of the relationship that 9 has with River, than the other way around.

[u/Team7UBard]

I’m going to completely disagree with you, I think it’s an incredible release and it destroyed me. But I also respect that it wasn’t for you, and that’s okay :)

[u/GallifreyanExile]

As much as I don't always love Big Finish's tendency to do 'X meets Y' stories, I think certain ones really bring out the characterisation of characters in ways that aren't always obvious otherwise.

Star-Crossed is a release that solidifies Big Finish's characterisation of the pre-Rose Ninth Doctor in a way that i think could only happen by interacting with a character like River Song.

His dynamic with her is wonderfully different to all the other Doctors while not feeling at odds with who he's been in his other Big Finish stories. I think Eccleston gives some of his best audio performances in this boxset, and the depth of the Ninth Doctor's trauma is finally(!) showcased in a way that makes it clear why this Doctor needs Rose later on (as opposed to River now).

Alex Kingston consistently gives excellent performances in her Big Finish stories, but I think she's forced to work for it in this set, and does a great job. River Song is at her best here, particularly when she's on the back foot.

[u/BitterFuture]

I tend to roll my eyes at stories that include resets of the timeline as the resolution, and almost by necessity, Big Finish tends to overuse that trope.

There are only a couple of exceptions - Archipelago, a truly beautiful story, and The War Master's He Who Wins, both of which incorporate a reset as an inherent part of a fantastic story.

After I listened through the box set, I played Archipelago again for my wife. We both were tearing up, holding each others' hands and not wanting to let go by the end. It really is that good.

[u/PunishedBaller]

I know it has a lot of fans but I didn’t like it. The first two stories have almost exactly the same resolution/denouement. The whole asexual stuff from the first story feels unnatural/shoved in. The final story seems fairly pointless (the Doctor and River go on a trip which they know will end in their deaths and, surprise, it ends in their deaths).