Robert Ross (1) (1970–)

There was quite a lot to like about Medicinal Purposes - Baker and Stables on top form, joined by David Tennant as "Daft Jamie" and some sympathetic and attractive minor characters - but in the end I felt there were two big flaws with it. One was the means and motivation of the villainous Dr Knox - there seemed to be at least three explanations for what he was really up to, none of which fully made sense, and the story lacked resolution. The other was the Doctor's undisguised admiration for show more Burke and Hare themselves; again, I felt this totally out of character even for the Sixth Doctor. show less

Assassin in the Limelight totally fails to capitalise on its setting. I was not wildly impressed by either of Ross's earlier Six/Evelyn/Knox plays (the one in Edinburgh with David Tennant being a deranged Scotsman, or the one in Brighton with Roy Hudd as Max Miller), and, alas, this is a desperate attempt to fit a time-travel drama about the very real events of this day. My complaint about the villainous Robert Knox remains that his means and motivation are pretty obscure. One of my many show more complaints about Assassin in the Limelight is that The Talons of Weng Chiang did nineteenth century theatre better, twenty years before (and that too was, er, not without its problematic aspects). The cliff-hanger to an early episode - where a key character is apparently poisoned early on the afternoon of the assassination day - turns out not to matter, because the poisonee was only pretending. The character in question is John Wilkes Booth. Which gives you some idea of the contempt the author is expressing toward the audience. show less

I am a great admirer of Ray Galton, Alan Simpson and Robert Ross so, I approached this book with a conviction that good things were to follow. Perhaps it is that I built it up in my mind to a level that was unrealistic to expect gratification, but I found it a little over long.
The book falls somewhere between a reference book, detailing each episode of the radio and television series and a biography of the exponents. The story of Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell is fascinating and, show more hangs together in a much more believable way than the sensationalist BBC television portrayal of their relationship: indeed, I would have been happy to read more of this but, I became irritated at the long passages explaining the story lines of each programme. This, to my mind, would have been better placed as a separate appendix for anoraks. The story of the unearthing of copies of the programmes, wiped by Auntie, in her wisdom, would also stand expansion.
Still, after being picky, a book that I would rather have on my shelf than not. show less

Pier Pressure brings the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn Smythe to Brighton in the 1930s where they encounter an alien presence and enlist the help of legendary entertainer Max Miller, played by the always excellent Roy Hudd, who I last heard as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream and who is in real life the president of the Max Miller society. As usual with Robert Ross, the story doen't make much sense but Hudd and the regulars carry it. (One of the other guest actors is appalling, but fortunately show more gets killed off half way through.) show less