Big Finish Main Range
Trilogy Guide: 2011
Sixth Doctor, Evelyn and Thomas Brewster trilogy
Starring
Colin Baker as the SixthDoctor, Maggie Stables as Evelyn Smyth and John
Pickard as Thomas Brewster
#143 The
Crimes Of Thomas Brewster, written by Jonathan Morris and directed by Nicholas
Briggs, released January 2011
#144 The Feast
Of Axos, written by Mike Maddox and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released February
2011
#145 Industrial
Evolution, written by Eddie Robson and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released March
2011
This trilogy
marks the return of Evelyn, who last appeared in Main Range #108 Assassin In
The Limelight, as well as Thomas Brewster, who appears in #107 The Haunting Of
Thomas Brewster with the Fifth Doctor, cameos at the end of #110 The Boy That
Time Forgot and travels with the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa during #113 Time Reef,
departing in A Perfect World, the one part story with Time Reef.
Crimes Of
Thomas Brewster also features DI Patricia Menzies, and sarcastic no nonsense
Manchester based police woman who previously appeared in Sixth Doctor and
Charley stories #105 The Condemned and #116 The Raincloud Man, both of which
take place later in the Sixth Doctor’s timeline.
The Feast Of
Axos, as the name says, marks the debut of Axos on audio, voiced by Bernard
Holley, who was also Axos in Claws Of Axos on TV.
Time frames
(formerly cliffhanger alert!): Feast Of Axos follows on immediately from Crimes
Of Thomas Brewster, while the start of Industrial Evolution takes places about
a week after Feast Of Axos for the Doctor, Evelyn and Brewster.
Highlight:
Crimes Of Thomas Brewster. Despite the continuity associated with it, it’s an
enjoyable tale, and even cameos future companion Flip (credited as Philippa).
Menzies is treat as always, and the only bad point is the underuse of Evelyn.
Season 20 United, Take II
Peter Davison
as the Fifth Doctor, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, Janet Fielding as Tegan and Mark
Strickson as Turlough
#146 Heroes
Of Sontar, written by Alan Barnes and directed by Ken Bentley, released April
2011
#148 Rat Trap, written by Tony Lee and directed by Ken Bentley, released June 2011
As with the
previous trilogy with the same TARDIS team, the stories are pretty much
stand-alone, apart from a reference to Cradle Of The Snake at the beginning of
Heroes Of Sontar and Rat Trap vaguely referencing Kiss Of Death. An element
from The Whispering Forest also makes an appearance, and Richters is brought up
in Rat Trap.
Time Frames: Heroes
Of Sontar only takes place a day or so after The Cradle Of The Snake, presumably
to let the crew rest. A short period of time takes place between Heroes Of
Sontar and Kiss Of Death. Only a few days seem to have passed between Kiss Of
Death and Rat Trap.
Highlight: I
don’t care what people say, I hold a soft spot for Rat Trap. It was my first
Big Finish. The horror of role reversal in animal experimentation is scary, and
Terry Molloy works well in a clichéd, but non-Davros role (wait till Curse Of
Davros for his triumphant return).
Black TARDIS trilogy
Starring
Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor
#149
Robophobia, written by Nicholas Briggs and directed by Nicholas Briggs,
released July 2011
#151 The
Doomsday Quatrain, written by Emma Beeby and Gordon Rennie and directed by Ken
Bentley, released September 2011
#152 House Of
Blue Fire, written by Mark Morris and directed by Ken Bentley, released September
2011
This trilogy
was originally marketed as being set near the end of the Seventh Doctor’s life,
yet later releases (specifically 2012’s Black And White) place it just after
Lurkers At Sunlight’s Edge for the Doctor. Each story has a stand-in companion,
with House Of Blue Fire introducing new companion Sally Morgan. As the name
suggests, the TARDIS is black during these stories, for reasons explained in
2012’s Elder Gods trilogy.
Time Frames:
As shown in Black and White, these stories occur in quick succession for the
Doctor, with little breathing room in between.
Highlight:
Robophobia. A worthy sequel to Robots Of Death, the Seventh Doctor is at his
most mysterious. A cast full of very human characters with very human
motivations, and the hauntingly beautiful score Elysians’s Song will stick with
you. It’s on the second disc after the interviews.
Mary Shelley trilogy
Starring Paul
McGann as the Eighth Doctor and Julie Cox as Mary Shelley
#153 The
Silver Turk, written by Marc Platt and directed by Barnaby Edwards, released October
2011
#154 The Witch
From The Well, written by Rick Briggs and directed by Barnaby Edwards, released
November 2011
#153 Army Of
Death, written by Jason Arnopp and directed by Barnaby Edwards, released December
2011
Following on
from the end of Mary’s Story, the final story in the 2009 anthology release The
Company Of Friends, these three stories feature the Eighth Doctor and famous
novelist Mary Shelley. All three stories refer back to Mary’s Story in some
way, which is why that is available on its own. Dialogue in Silver Turk reveals
that the Eighth Doctor is currently travelling with Gemma And Samson, who are
seen in #72 Terror Firma.
Time Frames:
The Silver Turk follows on straight from (or near enough) Mary’s Story. A day
or so would be a reasonable gap between Silver Turk and Witch, and an unknown
period between Witch and Army Of Death (enough time to confuse Mary’s
feelings).
Highlight:
The Silver Turk has the Cybermen with the scariest voices in my opinion. Mary’s
culture shock is a welcome bit of realism for a new time traveler that we don’t
see in most companions (I would be all over the place with my mouth gaped
open). The Frankenstein elements are obvious, but don’t detract. Plus Marc
Platt is writing. What more could you want?
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