Big Finish Update

Tuesday, 14 December 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The Big Finish website has been updated with a lot of new information including the following; note that you can see all of the covers and cover blurbs for everything listed below now on our Forthcoming Releases page:
  • Short Trips: The twelfth book, Short Trips: Seven Deadly Sins now has a cover illustration and cover blurb. Big Finish has also officially announced Short Trips: A Day in the Life edited by Ian Farrington; the cover blurb and illustration plus writer and story list are now on the releases page.
  • Catch-1782: This Sixth Doctor tale by Alison Lawson will be the second of several stories next year with Bonnie Langford as Mel; the cover illustration is now online. The story Unregenerate! by David A McIntee, due out in June, will also feature Langford playing Mel, but this time alongside the Seventh Doctor.
  • UNIT Series: Provisional covers (subject to change) for all four volumes are now on the releases page. Nicholas Courtney is currently only appearing in the first story (though the cast lists for parts three and four haven't been updated.)
  • The Juggernauts: You can now listen to a preview of this story online on the Big Finish website.
  • A Storm of Angels: This seventh Unbound CD will not be released until January due to post-production issues ("The sound and music requirements of this play have proved to be particularly demanding and, despite much planning and preparation, this has taken us all rather by surprise. In fact the complete post production time on A Storm of Angels has turned out to be almost three times as long as it normally takes for a double CD release.")

Visit the Releases page for more details.




FILTER: - Audio

A Day in the Life

Thursday, 9 December 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Details have been announced for Big Finish's forthcoming Short Trips 13: A Day in the Life, edited by Ian Farrington, due out in the spring of 2005. Included in the anthology are "Making History" by Trevor Baxendale, "A Life in the Day" by Xanna Eve Chown, "The Last Broadcast" by Matthew Griffiths, "How You Get There" by Simon Guerrier, "One Wednesday Afternoon" by Alison Jacobs, "Terror of the Darkness" by Joseph Lidster, "Undercurrents" by Gary Merchant, "The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac" by Ian Mond, "Sold Out" by Danny Oz, "Morphology" by Phil Pascoe, "Visiting Hours" by Eddie Robson, "After Midnight" by Andy Russell, "Before Midnight" by Andy Russell, and "Waiting for Jeremy" by Richard Salter. (Thanks to DWM)




FILTER: - Audio - DWM

Doctor Who Reconstructed

Thursday, 9 December 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Several weeks ago we were told that online retail sites were carrying a product called Doctor Who Reconstructed, but no further details. The new issue of DWM expands on that: a series of MP3-CD's which blend both the original audio soundtracks of missing stories with telesnap photos, much akin to the current fan-produced reconstructions (and likely much like the recent MP3-CD release of "Death Comes to Time"). The first story in release will be "Power of the Daleks" and is due on June 6, 2005. (Thanks to DWM)




FILTER: - Audio - DWM

Big Finish Covers

Tuesday, 30 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
One more piece of news from the ChicagoTARDIS convention that wasn't in yesterday's report: Big Finish will be keeping the current logo (the one used since the 1996 TV Movie) on the covers of their audios, as the current logo symbolizes the "classic" era of Doctor Who. It's possible the "new" logo will only be used for tie-ins that have to do with the new series (perhaps BBC Books novels featuring the Ninth Doctor and Rose?) More details as we get them.




FILTER: - Audio

Noise Monster: Space 1889

Monday, 29 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Noise Monster Productions is a new audio production team created by Big Finish producers John Ainsworth and Nicholas Briggs, branching out to create independent audio dramas; among the people also involved are such Doctor Who notables as Marc Platt ("Spare Parts"), Jonathan Clements ("Sympathy for the Devil") and Steve Foxon (sound designer). The production company's first audio series is based on Space: 1889, the science fiction role playing game and early computer game; among the cast members are Simon Williams (Group Captain Gilmore from "Remembrance of the Daleks"), Ivor Danvers ("Nekromanteia") and "Star Wars" legend Anthony Daniels (See-Threepio), as well as several actors from the casts of Doctor Who and spinoff audios from Big Finish and BBV including Ian Brooker, Katarina Olsson, Toby Longworth and Jo Castleton. More details are available at their website at http://www.noisemonster.com




FILTER: - Audio

Big Finish News

Monday, 29 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey has several pieces of news for upcoming Big Finish projects from this past weekend's ChicagoTARDIS convention. Two forthcoming Big Finish audios now have known writers attached to them: next June's Seventh Doctor audio Unregenerate! is by David A. McIntee ("Excelis Rising"), while July 2005's Eighth Doctor audio Terror Firma is by Joseph Lidster ("Master"). The previously announced Dead Man's Hand by John Ostrander has been delayed due to the author's current work schedule but will hopefully be added on at a later date; meanwhile, Big Finish did confirm that there will still be two audios featuring the new companion Hex (Philip Olivier) in 2005. Additionally, Big Finish will be releasing their series side by side throughout 2005: the UNIT miniseries runs this December through March; the secondGallifrey audio series runs April through August; and the previously rumored Cybermen four-part miniseries will start in August 2005 and run through November. Finally, when asked if there would be any possible return of the characters and situations from the Dalek Empire series, possibly even in their regular Doctor Who series, there were indications that the ideas had been discussed but no announcement was made as of yet. More details soon.




FILTER: - Audio

Big Finish Update

Wednesday, 10 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Big Finish has posted some new details about forthcoming books and audios late this year and early next. The cover illustrations and cover blurbs for The Game by Darin Henry (starring Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton) is up; the story features a special guest appearance by William Russell (who played Ian Chesterton with William Hartnell back in the 1960's.) Also now available is the cover and blurb for Dreamtime by Simon A. Forward (with Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Philip Olivier.) There's also a cover illustration for the final Paul McGann story of the season, The Next Life, as well as for the forthcoming anthology book Short Trips: A Christmas Treasury and the seventh (and likely final) Doctor Who: Unbound serial A Storm of Angels, which will now be out in December. You'll find all of these covers and information below; click on the thumbnails for a larger version of each.

A few additional notes: the Big Finish site mentions an "unusual addition to the post-production of Her Final Flight, BFÆs subscriber-only release, in the form of a choir! Early versions of the script suggested that scene 9 could be enhanced with four-part unaccompanied chants, but these were cut with the realisation that they would be difficult to record. That was until Julian Harris kindly offered the services of his highly acclaimed choir, the St.JamesÆs Singers, to record the chants for this production. Thanks to the generosity of Julian Harris, the St.JamesÆs Singers, and Bob Burnell (with SNP Productions), the chants were recorded on Wednesday, 6th October. The chants were especially composed by Julian Shortman, and have now been passed on to David Darlington, who will integrate them with his post-production work for the story. As to the specific role the chants have to play in scene 9 of Her Final Flight however, remains to be heard in December!" Also, the latest anthology book Short Trips: 2040 is due out shortly, and one of the stories (by Richard Salter) can be downloaded on the website as a teaser. Finally, the story "Dead Man's Hand" is either off the schedule or has been retitled; now on the "coming soon" list for the Seventh Doctor is a story called Unregenerate!

THE GAME, by Darin Henry

On the planet Cray, it's game time.

The Gora and the Lineen are set to face off in the grudge match to end all grudge matches. The players are limbering up, the commentators are preparing, the fans are daubing themselves in their team's colours. The arena is set, and the kick-off is approaching.

When the Doctor and Nyssa arrive, however, they find that Naxy is a sport that anyone can play - whether they want to or not. Cray's entire future depends on the match's outcome, but the time travellers soon realise that it is anything but just a game.

This story takes place between "Time-Flight" and "The Arc of Infinity".

Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor) and Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) with William Russell (Lord Darzil Carlisle), Ursula Burton (Ambassador Faye Davis), Robert Curbishley (Ockle Dirr), Gregory Donaldson (Coach Bela Destry), Christopher Ellison (Morian), Andrew Lothian (Hollis Az), Jonathan Pearce (Garny Diblick), Dickon Tolson (Coach Sharz Sevix). Directed by Gary Russell.


DREAMTIME, by Simon A Forward

The Dreamtime is living Time. The Dreaming is living myth.

A city travels the stars, inhabited by stone ghosts. At its heart, an ancient remembrance of Earth. Mythical creatures stalk the streets and alien visitors have come in search of trade. But there is nothing to trade. There is only fear. And death. And the stone ghosts.

For Hex's first trip in the TARDIS, it's about the strangest place he could have imagined. Weird and very far from wonderful. Adjustment to his new life could prove tough. But he will have to adjust and do more, just to stay alive, and Ace will have to be his guide through this lost city of shadows and predatory dreams. And the Doctor is the first to go missing.

The Doctor has crossed into the Dreamtime.

This story takes place after "Survival".

Starring Sylvester McCoy (the Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace) and Philip Olivier (Hex), with Tamzin Griffin (Trade Negotiator Vresha), Jef Higgins (Co-ordinator Whitten), Brigid Lohrey (Dream Commando Wahn), Josephine Mackerras (Toomey), Andrew Peisley (Dream Commando Mulyan), Steffan Rhodri (Commander Korshal) and John Scholes (Baiame). Directed by Gary Russell.


DOCTOR WHO: A CHRISTMAS TREASURY, edited by Paul Cornell

Christmas and Doctor Who are inextricably linked. From the moment the Daleks first appeared at yule-tide to the regular Annual under the tree, the spooky cosiness of the season has always chimed with the series's own brand of comfortable thrill.

This collection covers every aspect of Doctor Who at Christmas, from the Fourth Doctor and Romana wisecracking their way through opening their presents to the Seventh Doctor encountering a dangerous something from Christmas past; from the Sixth Doctor running into another Christmas TV institution to the Eighth Doctor's lonely vigil in a frozen landscape. The Fifth Doctor visits an old companion, the First Doctor lands in a house where Christmas doesn't go as planned, while the Second Doctor finds he has to have a serious chat with Santa Claus. And Bernice Summerfield experiences Christmas on the Braxiatel Collection. Unfortunately.

There are hidden links between many of the stories, which are themselves arranged like a symmetrical snowflake. This being Christmas, alongside the tales, there are instructions for building your own Who adventure game, a monster party game (careful how you play it!), poems both nostalgic and jolly including one by accomplished poet Jo Fletcher and four delicious Christmas recipes with a Doctor Who makeover, making this a real stocking-filler of a compendium, the ideal gift for followers of the show, young and old.

The contributors are: Peter Adamson, Peter Anghelides, Paul Beardsley, Vanessa Bishop, Andy Campbell, Stephen Cole, Paul Condon, Paul Cornell, Martin Day, Terrance Dicks, Val Douglas, Karen Dunn, Stephen Fewell, Jo Fletcher, Matthew Griffiths, Simon Guerrier, J. Shaun Lyon, Steve Lyons, Jackie Marshall, Mark Michalowski, Lawrence Miles, Jonathan Morris, Neil Perryman, Marc Platt, Ian Potter, Jim Sangster, Cavan Scott & Mark Wright, Darren Sellars, Dave Stone and Nick Wallace.




FILTER: - Audio

Pescatons Cover

Tuesday, 9 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Our friends at Tenth Planet have provided us with the cover illustration for The Pescatons. We originally brought you a smaller thumbnail of the cover illustration for the forthcoming BBC Radio Collection audio CD release starring Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen, a new release of the LP release of the 1970's. Click on the cover illustration for a larger version. (Thanks to Tenth Planet, Jason Fletcher-Bartholomew)




FILTER: - Audio

Brief Big Finish Update

Monday, 1 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
According to Big Finish's website, there's been a slight change in release order: the Sixth Doctor/Mel story The Juggernauts will now be released in January 2005, and Game Time featuring the Fifth Doctor in February. Also, the fifth Dalek Empire III serial, "The Warriors" is now in release, with the sixth CD pressing now and due out soon.




FILTER: - Audio

Big Finish Update

Thursday, 21 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Brief update at the Big Finish website: single and double CD's have increased slightly in price in the UK, but subscription and overseas rates will remain the same as at present. The reasons are at their site. Also posted: the cover for the final chapter of the Dalek Empire 3 six-CD set, "The Future"; click on the thumbnail at right for a larger version. They've also updated with the cover for The Juggernauts (which we posted here on Outpost Gallifrey a while back) and some other updates to their various spinoff series. One of them, the Bernice Summerfield series, has a slight change: instead of "The Purpura Pawn," the title of the forthcoming novella trilogy being released in hardcover late in the year is now called A Life in Pieces.




FILTER: - Audio