Hot on the heels of Volume 1, Ravagers, of The Ninth Doctor Adventures, Big Finish has revealed tantalising details about the second set, Respond to All Calls.
Due for release in August 2021, Respond to All Calls takes the TARDIS’ phone panel message literally, as the Ninth Doctor answers cries for help from around the galaxies in a trio of full cast audio adventures.
Prepare to meet the Serapheem, a lighter-than-air alien species; the First and Second Incorporation, representatives of a business-obsessed race from the dawn of time; and an artificial intelligence called… Fred. The stories included in the second volume are:
- Girl, Deconstructed by Lisa McMullin
- Fright Motif by Tim Foley
- Planet of the End by Timothy X Atack
Of recording these three new stories, Christopher Eccleston said:
“I loved it – I’m having a ball, and hopefully you’ll be able to tell on the recordings. It’s very important when you’re playing this character that you enjoy it, which I always have – there’s a kind of wild, unpredictable, improvisatory energy to the Doctor, and I’m really relishing it.”
Producer David Richardson added:
“As we were recording this box set, Christopher Eccleston said to me, ‘This is top drawer writing’. What a compliment from such a brilliant actor – and words our writing team will no doubt treasure. They all brought their A-game, delivering gripping, character-based dramas with glorious fantasy twists, and – having heard the final edits – this box set is one of my favourites.”
In these episodes, Christopher Eccleston is joined, in the first episode, by Forbes Masson (The High Life, Father Brown) as worried father Kurt, and Mirren Mack (Sex Education, The Nest) as molecularly and emotionally unstable teenager Marnie.
The second episode features Damian Lynch (Girl/Haji, EastEnders: E20) as nervous pianist Artie Berger, Gemma Whelan (Upstart Crow, Inside No 9) as glamorous musician Zazie Vincent and Adrian Schiller (The Last Kingdom, Silk) as concierge Maurice Le Bon.
And the third story stars Jan Francis (Just Good Friends, Secret Army) as the profit-obsessed alien life form known only as First Incorporation.
The first set, Ravagers, is available now, and in our review of Sphere of Freedom, we said:
“Eccleston is in just about every scene, and lights up every quip, quote, cultural reference, and even the technobabble. He is the secret weapon here, and is wisely deployed at every turn. Whether it’s forging mutual admiration with Nova or cautiously sizing-up Audrey.”
In our review of Cataclysm, we said:
“Action-packed with lashings of time travel, Ravagers: Cataclysm keeps the momentum from Part 1, Sphere of Freedom, and carefully builds upon it. This is an adventure which has the Time Lord showing his bold, bossy side while those around him see that he truly cares about the innocent lives he affects.”
And here’s what we thought of Food Fight:
“It’s an occasionally arduous road and several questions remain unanswered – this sort of thing only half-works on audio, and without the aid of a flowchart it’s easy to get lost. Still, you do at least have some idea of what’s been going on, even if the timeline-altering plot elements skate a little too far from the show’s normal comfort zone, and are likely to ruffle the feathers of at least a few traditionalists.”
You can now pre-order all four volumes of The Ninth Doctor Adventures, which are available in three formats – collector’s edition CD, digital download, or limited edition gatefold triple LP vinyl – exclusively from the Big Finish website. Or you can save by pre-ordering a bundle of the entire series for £88 (on CD) or £78 (as a download).
