Big Finish Main Range Trilogy Guide: 2013

Big Finish Main Range Trilogy Guide: 2013

Sixth Doctor and Mel

Starring Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and  Bonnie Langford as Mel

#169 The Wrong Doctors, written by Matt Fitton and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released January 2013

#170 Spaceport Fear, written by William Gallagher and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released February 2013

#171 The Seeds Of War, written by Matt Fitton and Nicholas Briggs and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released March 2013

This trilogy has three stories with the Sixth Doctor and Mel Bush. The first story has two Doctors and two Mels, and is very timey wimey (sorry). The Seeds Of War is the first release to feature the Eminence, an entity who will make its first chronological appearance in June’s Fourth Doctor Adventure Destroy The Infinite.

Time frames: The Wrong Doctors features the Sixth Doctor just after Evelyn’s departure, and the Sixth Doctor fresh from the Trial Of A Time Lord who is bringing Mel home. The other Mel is from the first Mel’s future, but her mind is being used to support the setting.

Highlight: Spaceport Fear is a cross between Face Of Evil and Paradise Towers, and is much better than both of them. It’s fun to spot the lingo and where it comes from (I have something to declare), and the Doctor and Mel are well used. Ronald Pickup is just as well done as Elder Bones.

Season 20 United, Take IV

Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, Janet Fielding as Tegan and Mark Strickson as Turlough

#172 Eldrad Must Die!, written by Marc Platt and directed by Ken Bentley, released April 2013

#173 The Lady Of Mercia, written by Paul Magrs and directed by Ken Bentley, released May 2013

#174 Prisoners Of Fate, written by Jonathan Morris and directed by Ken Bentley, released June 2013

This trilogy again features the season 20 team. Each story focuses on one companion (Turlough, Tegan and Nyssa respectively). The Lady Of Mercia is a historical (well, in the sense that the only aliens are the Doctor and his companions), the first since The Angel Of Scutari in 2009. Prisoners Of Fate wraps up the story arc that started in Cobwebs.

Time Frames: Eldrad Must Die! takes place some point after Butcher Of Brisbane, same time scale for the other two stories.

Highlight: Prisoners Of Fate takes the ideas of Cobwebs and puts them into a breathtaking finale. Some may bemoaning Nyssa calling her son Adric, but it’s a tale full of emotion, and the cost of traveling with the Doctor. The Doctor’s strand of the story is just as strong and compelling.

Persuasion trilogy

Starring Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor, Tracey Childs as Elizabeth Klein and Christian Edwards as Will Arrowsmith

#175 Persuasion, written by Jonathan Barnes and directed by Ken Bentley, released July 2013

#176 Starlight Robbery, written by Matt Fitton and directed by Ken Bentley, released August 2011

#177 Daleks Among Us, written by Alan Barnes and directed by Ken Bentley, released September 2011

This trilogy brings back Klein following UNIT Dominion, with an assistant Will Arrowsmith, and is linked by the Persuasion Machine, a device introduced in Persuasion and whose narrative concludes in Daleks Among Us. Terry Molloy guest stars as Davros in Daleks Among Us

Time Frames: The Doctor picks up Klein and Will some point after UNIT Dominion. There’s a day or so between Persuasion and Starlight Robbery, and Starlight Robbery segues into Daleks Among Us.

Highlight: Starlight Robbery could exist without the Persuasion Machine narrative, and all the better for it. We see how far Klein has developed, Will gets some decent development (shame it’s ignored next story) and the Sontarans are the most competent you’ll get outside of Time Warrior and Sontaran Experiment. Garundel works well, and I swear Ziv reminds me of Flip from the Sixth Doctor stories.

To Be Honest: I don’t want to be critical of Big Finish, but this trilogy seemed to be jumping the shark in an effort to develop Klein in a way that wasn’t needed. Persuasion felt too much like a set-up than a story in its own right, and Daleks Among Us ignored the good character development while needing you to have heard both preceeding stories. Davros seemed superfluous and his role didn’t seem to justify his presence. You know a companion rubbed up the wrong way when Doctor Who Magazine wanted him gone (check out its review of Daleks Among Us!). Sorry if you enjoyed this trilogy, but I didn’t, and don’t want to spoil your impression of it.

1963 trilogy

Starring Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor, Nicola Bryant as Peri, Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor and Sophie Aldred as Ace

#178 1963: Fanfare For The Common Men, written by Eddie Robson and directed by Barnaby Edwards, released September 2013

#179 1963: The Space Race, written by Jonathan Morris and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released October 2013

#180 1963: The Assassination Games, written by John Dorney and directed by Ken Bentley, released November 2013

Three stories with three Doctors and three companions, set during 1963. These are the same teams that appear in the 50^th Anniversay special The Light At The End.

Time Frames: Fanfare takes place between 1001 Nights and Moonflesh, and either follows or precedes the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa’s appearance in The Light At The End.

The Space Race takes place between Recorded Time and Breaking Bubbles, and either follows or precedes the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa’s appearance in The Light At The End.

Assassination Games takes place between Greatest Show In The Galaxy and Battlefield.

Highlight: Fanfare For The Common Men is a fun adventure. Peter Davison clearly enjoys the script and the Common Men make great Beatle replacements. The music track at the end of Disc One is a must listen, and the CDs themselves, well look for youself.

What was your favorite story from 2013