Big Finish Main Range
Trilogy Guide: 2012
Sixth Doctor and Flip I
Starring
Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Lisa Greenwood as Philippa “Flip” Jackson
#156 The Curse
Of Davros, written by Jonathan Morris and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released
January 2012
#157 The Fourth
Wall, written by John Dorney and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released February
2012
#158 Wirrn Isle, written by William Gallagher and directed by Nicholas Briggs, released March 2012
This trilogy
brings Flip, who appeared in 2011’s Crimes Of Thomas Brewster, into companion
role.
Time frames:
The Curse Of Davros begins during a period where the Doctor is travelling
alone. Release dates indicate this could be after his travels with Charley or
his encounter with “Jamie”, but certainly after his time with Evelyn. The Fourth
Wall is stated to be the day after Curse Of
Davros, while a few days could be the time between Fourth Wall and Wirrn Isle
Davros, while a few days could be the time between Fourth Wall and Wirrn Isle
Highlight: Davros has always been a great villain, and with Jonathan Morris writing for him, he’s as brilliant and creepy as ever. Flip sounds like a real person and like someone I’d spend time with, and the idea of what’s happened to the Doctor, I’ll let you find out…
Season 20 United, Take III
Peter Davison
as the Fifth Doctor, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, Janet Fielding as Tegan and Mark
Strickson as Turlough
#159 The
Emerald Tiger, written by Barnaby Edwards and directed by Barnaby Edwards,
released April 2012
#160 The
Jupiter Conjunction, written by Eddie Robson and directed by Ken Bentley,
released May 2012
#161 The
Butcher Of Brisbane, written by Marc Platt and directed by Ken Bentley,
released June 2012
This trilogy again features the season 20 team. At the end of the Emerald Tiger, (it’s not much of a spoiler, later covers show it), Nyssa is rejuvenated back to the age she was when she left the Doctor, which is mentioned in Jupiter Conjunction and an important element of Butcher Of Brisbane
Time Frames:
An unknown period of time takes place between Rat Trap and The Emerald Tiger. A
single night (relative) has passed between The Emerald Tiger and The Jupiter Conjunction,
while again, unknown time between Jupiter Conjunction and Butcher Of Brisbane
Highlight:
The Emerald Tiger is a very Indiana Jones-eque adventure, set in 1926 Calcutta.
Locations are passed through and not seen again, all four regulars get good
treatment (in terms of writing, not what happens to them). Even if you feel hit
over the head by the contemporary literary references, you’ll still enjoy it.
Elder Gods trilogy (WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW)
Starring
Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor, Sophie Aldred as Ace, Philip Olivier as
Hex, Maggie O’Neill as Lysandra Aristedes and Amy Pemberton as Sally Morgan
#162 Protect
And Survive, written by Jonathan Morris and directed by Ken Bentley, released
July 2012
#163 Black
And White, written by Matt Fitton and directed by Ken Bentley, released August
2011
#164 Gods And
Monsters, written by Mike Maddox and Alan Barnes and directed by Ken Bentley,
released September 2011
Companion
Chronicles #7.03 Project: Nirvana, written by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright and
directed by Ken Bentley, starring Maggie O’Neill, Amy Pemberton and Sylvester
McCoy, released September 2012
This trilogy
was wraps up an arc over ten years in the making. Tying together elements like
Hex’s mother, the Forge and chess, this is not an audio for beginners. What you
need to have heard or known of (spoilers may follow)
Project:
Twilight – begins the Forge, and introduces Hex’s mother
Project:
Lazarus – death of Hex’s mother, Forge continued
The Harvest –
introduction of Hex
The Magic
Mousetrap – beginning of a chess motif
The Angel Of
Scutari – Hex is wounded
Project: Destiny
– conclusion of the Forge arc, Hex learns about his mother’s death and the
Doctor’s role in it, first appearance of Aristedes
A Death In
The Family – the fallout from the revelation
Lurkers At
Sunlight’s Edge – appearance of an Elder God
Black TARDIS
Trilogy
Time Frames:
After recruiting Sally Morgan at the end of House Of Blue Fire, the two of
them, spent at least one mission fighting Elder Gods. The Doctor then added
Aristedes, last seen in #139 Project: Destiny to the team to continue this, one
of the missions can be heard in the Companion Chronicle Project: Nirvana.
Another of these missions was to set up the conditions for Protect And Survive
(not knowing Ace and Hex would get involved).
For Ace and
Hex, they went from Lurkers At Sunlight’s Edge to Protect And Survive in the
White TARDIS (which then vanished), the conclusion of that summoning the Black
TARDIS at the point where the Doctor had just left it to investigate Beowulf,
Ace and Hex learning about the God hunting when meeting Sally and Aristedes.
The Doctor get kidnapped, and sent to where he is at Gods and Monsters, while
the two TARDIS teams work together to find out how to get to him. Here they
synch up.
Highlight:
Protect And Survive. A final respite from the continuity fest that follows, one
that puts Ace and Hex through a harrowing ordeal. Grim and gritty, not one to
listen to in the dark, and not one you’re likely to forget either.
SPOILERS OVER
Drashani trilogy
Starring Peter
Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Sylvester
McCoy as the Seventh Doctor
#165 The Burning
Prince, written by John Dorney and directed by Ken Bentley, released September
2012
#166 The Acheron
Pulse, written by Rick Briggs and directed by Ken Bentley, released October
2012
#167 The Shadow Heart, written by Jonathan Morris and directed by Ken Bentley, released November 2012
A stand-alone
trilogy linked by location (the Drashani Empire), with each story featuring one
Doctor.
The Shadow Heart also introduces Vienna Salvatori, who has her own spin-off range called Vienna.
The Shadow Heart also introduces Vienna Salvatori, who has her own spin-off range called Vienna.
Time Frames:
The Burning Prince takes place between the TV stories Arc Of Infinity and
Snakedance, and after the audio Omega. The Acheron Pulse could take place
between any of the Sixth Doctor companion gaps, similar to the Seventh Doctor
and The Shadow Heart.
Highlight:
The Burning Prince is a disaster movie with the Fifth Doctor (who else?). The
stakes are high, and so is the body count, even when the Doctor tries his
hardest to keep everyone alive. The characters are strong and it’s a strong
story.
