As mentioned in DWM 470 (pictured) and announced on their website (see THE WORLDS OF DOCTOR WHO ANNOUNCED) Big Finish will be marking 15 years of Doctor Who releases in some style. This will be a multi-series story told over five discs [the assumption is one is a documentary]. Full details on the website – my thoughts below…
The Worlds of Doctor Who
Marking the anniversary of Big Finish’s Doctor Who license will of course generate interest and business. The Worlds of Doctor Who is only coming in a special edition with a 44-page book. The UK pricing is £20 download or £40 for the CD version – this is a full cast set of stories hence the pricing.
Stories are by Justin Richards, Jonathan Morris and Nick Wallace and follow a sequence of events concerning the magician Mr Rees (Julian Glover who was William Russell in An Adventure in Space and Time).
The stories
The arc is design to cover the most popular Big Finish ranges which is interesting both for what it includes and what it doesn’t. Counter Measures is in which is good given the slight doubts some fans had about the future of that range. Bernice Summerfield is out (there are separate plans for Benny) but Ellie Higson is in as part of the world of Jago & Litefoot. We touch the Companion Chronicles in with a follow-up to the UNIT Vault stories. Finally the story picks concludes in the realms of Gallifrey a series I have never heard so that should be interesting.
In more detail we have:
- Mind Games which introduces the character of Mr Rees who is performing on stage in Jago’s theatre
- The Reesinger Process picks up the story in the 1960s with the Sir Toby setting the whole team in motion to find out who is behind the deaths of several high-profile public figures
- The Screaming Skull gives us Mike Yates and the UNIT Vault following up with Matheson and Sato after the events of Mastermind
- Second Sight brings a battle with Mr Rees and the Sixth Doctor needs the help of Gallifrey agents Romana and Leela.
It all looks very exciting and is available to order now!
Red Rocket Rising 
I wonder how much continuity there will be? I’m a keen Counter Measures follower, so I’ll be up to date on that. I’ve managed to fall a couple of box sets behind with Jago & LItefoot so I’ll be able to catch up with that. But I’ve only heard season 1 of Gallifrey and I don’t know the UNIT Vault stuff… So it might be a while before I’m ready to listen to this.
As to the title… well, I guess the important thing is to focus on making the actual stories great!
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I didn’t think 1963: The Assassination Games had much, if any, continuity with the Counter Measures releases so far so I would be optimistic. I’ve never heard any Gallifrey and I am hoping not to be bothered by that.
I think you make a good point though
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Generally I think BF are quite good at hitting a mix that lets new listeners ‘jump on’ but the danger is sometimes spoilers (eg. if you want to enjoy Dark Eyes it stands alone, but if you listened to the Lucie Miller stories afterwards you’d already know something of what was to happen). I would hope there’d be no spoilers for Gallifrey. Not yet sure if I’m willing to risk it though!
The issue I had with The Assassination Games was quite the opposite – I’d probably have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t spent so much time worrying about where it fit with regard to Remembrance and Threshold! There didn’t seem to be much of a gap for it to fit in… I’ll be more relaxed on second listen so probably enjoy it more 🙂
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I sometimes think I’d enjoy things more if I wasn’t going to review them afterwards;-)
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