Big Finish Main Range Trilogy guide: 2009

Big Finish Main Range Trilogy Guide: 2009
 
Starting with #117 The Key 2 Time: The Judgment Of Isskar, Big Finish began releasing the Main Range stories with four trilogies, each featuring the same TARDIS crew for all three stories, and one anthology released each year. This allows storylines to carry over consecutive releases (meaning cliffhangers can be solved a month later), and the third story can be seen as a grand finale.

I’ll take you through year by year, telling you what each trilogy contains, who is in it, whether the stories are stand-alone and give you my highlights. Enjoy!

The Key 2 Time trilogy

Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor and Ciara Jansen as Amy

#117 The Key 2 Time: The Judgement Of Isskar, written by Simon Guerrier and directed by Jason Haigh-Ellery, released January 2009

#118 The Key 2 Time: The Destroyer Of Delights, written by Jonathan Clements and directed by Lisa Bowerman, released February 2009

#119 The Key 2 Time: The Chaos Pool, written by Peter Anghelides and directed by Lisa Bowerman, released March 2009

This trilogy focuses on the second search for the Key to Time, with temporary companion and human tracer Amy. Other characters who recur in this trilogy are Laura Doddington as Zara, Amy’s ‘sister’ and another human tracer who is negatively influenced, the Whit Guardian played by Jason Watkins and the Black Guardian played by David “Son of Patrick” Troughton. The Chaos Pool also guest stars Lalla Ward as Astra and Romana II. 
 

The last two stories have Previously Ons, meaning that each title can be stand-alone if you have that one title. The Companion Chronicle The Prisoner’s Dilemma (written by Simon Guerrier and performed by Laura Doddington as pre-Isskar Zara and Sophie Aldred as Ace) provides background for Zara.

Cliffhanger alert!: Judgement Of Isskar carries on into Destroyer Of Delights

Highlight: The Destroyer Of Delights, a fun take on the story of Aladdin, and good development for Amy. The Guardians make a nice appearance too.

Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex trilogy

Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor, Sophie Aldred as Ace and Philip Olivier as Hex

#120 The Magic Moustrap, written by Matthew Sweet and directed by Ken Bentley, released April 2009

#121 Enemy Of The Daleks, written by David Bishop and directed by Ken Bentley, released May 2009

#122 The Angel Of Scutari, written by Paul Sutton and directed by Ken Bentley, released June 2009

This trilogy develops Hex and how he feels about travelling with the Doctor. Magic Mousetrap puts him in the Doctor’s shoes as a manipulator, Enemy Of The Daleks confronts him with the merciless slaughter the Doctor must experience and The Angel Of Scutari has Hex helping where he’s needed. 

Each title can be stand alone

Cliffhanger alert!: The end of The Angel Of Scutari, continued in #139 Project: Destiny (in the next Main Range Trilogy Guide)

Highlight: Enemy Of They Daleks, described as the New Adventure the Daleks never got, it has great characterisation of the regulars, the Doctor’s plotting, Ace’s military know how and Hex’s shock at the carnage of the Daleks (good title that, should use it, I claim it). The story is highly original and the score is very loud and heavy metal.

Charley Finale trilogy

Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and India Fisher as Charley and Mila

#124 Patient Zero, written and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released August 2009

#125 Paper Cuts, written by Marc Platt and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released September 2009

#126 Blue Forgotten Planet, written and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released September 2009

This trilogy is the final Main Range appearance of Charley, and her latest appearance in her timeline. Recurring characters are Mila, played by Jess Robinson and India Fisher when Mila impersonates Charley and Michael Maloney as the Viyrans. Paper Cuts features the Draconians and Patient Zero also features the Daleks.

Patient Zero is essential if you want to get the most of Blue Forgotten Planet. A basic knowledge of Charley’s situation before Patient Zero is important to understanding it

Cliffhanger alert!: Patient Zero carries into Paper Cuts

Highlight: Blue Forgotten Planet, a story that feel cinematic in everything from scope, to performance, cliffhangers and sound design. The dilemma of Charley is dealt with in a very tear-jerking way, and I can’t wait for her spin-off to be released (it has gone through studios already!)

Stockbridge trilogy

Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor and Sarah Sutton as Nyssa

#127 Castle Of Fear, written by Alan Barnes and directed by Barnaby Edwards, released October 2009

#128 The Eternal Summer, written by Jonathan Morris and directed by Barnaby Edwards, released November 2009

#129 Plague Of The Daleks, written by Mark Morris and directed by Barnaby Edwards, released December 2009

This trilogy is set in the town of Stockbridge, from the Doctor Who Magazine comics, in it’s past, present and future. The Eternal Summer also brings a DWM comic character to audio, Mark “Brian Williams and Arthur Weasley” Williams as Maxwell Edison. Susan Brown also appears in all three stories, but in three different roles

There are some references to the previous entry in the trilogy, but not significant enough to require listening to them

Cliffhanger alert!: There are no gaps between the three stories, the cliffhangers at the end of Castle Of Fear and The Eternal Summer are resolved in The Eternal Summer and Plague Of The Daleks

Highlight: The Eternal Summer, very emotional, with the plight of the Stockbridge residents being very emotional. Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton perform magnificently in a highly inventive story with a bittersweet ending for one Maxell Edison (also done very well by Mark Williams). Also have to giggle at the PIG (it makes sense in the story)

Comment below or tweet me at @jbmastawa to give feedback, your favorites and if this helped you in any way.