Why You Need to be Listening to The Worlds of Doctor Who Special Releases
Big Finish are currently offering a number of stories free from their back catalogue to enjoy. So, over the next few weeks, I'll give you a review of the individual episode in question, as well as some reasons why you should be listening to the range or series the story hails from in full. We continue with - The Worlds of Doctor Who Special Releases...
Ever since Big Finish began releasing Doctor Who plays in 1999, there have always been spin-offs, taking characters and concepts from Doctor Who and spurning them off into their own series'. From Dalek Empire and Cyberman, to Jago & Litefoot and The Diary of River Song, these various different ranges have allowed fans the chance to develop supporting characters and tell more adventures set in the various Worlds of Doctor Who. However, while some have a longevity about them that makes them perfect spin-offs, some aren't suited to such lengthy storytelling, and better suit a short run or a single box-set. And that's where the Special Releases come in. This umbrella range counts things like Jenny, Lady Christina, Missy, Rose Tyler, The Churchill Years and even the special Worlds of Doctor Who release, which brought multiple ranges together to celebrate Big Finish's fifteenth anniversary. And the wide breadth of series allows for some of the greatest variety in a Big Finish range.
"Stolen Goods" is the first story in "Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter", and sets up the series and the ongoing story of Noah and COLT-5000's search for Jenny. And it's decent for what it is, although I've got to admit it's one of the weakest opening episodes for a Big Finish spin-off, and suffers from pretty much being two different stories jammed together. It starts explosively, with Jenny just about to crash into a moon in a stolen spaceship, and ends up with her getting caught up in an insurance scam, conceived by Garundel, a Urodellian con-merchant who previously appeared in a couple of Seventh Doctor audios. You don't, however, need to hear those plays to listen to this, as the character's backstory is completely explained here. This part of the story isn't too bad: there's some good interplay between Jenny and Garundel, and the characters we met are larger than life, which helps reinforce the story's buoyant tone. However, the problem is writer Matt Fitton abandons this idea about half-way through, in order to do some set up for the box set. As such, the focus shifts away from Jenny, and onto Noah and Colt-5000, neither of whom seem particularly interesting based on the evidence of this story. As such, the episode ends, and then seems to start again, which makes the middle section of the story slightly cluttered. That being said, there is a lot of humour in this story, and some of it is genuinely funny. And the cast are pretty damn strong as well: Georgia Tennant makes a very compelling leading lady, and she is backed up by some great performances from Sean Biggerstaff and Stuart Milligan as Noah and Garundel respectively. And the great Sian Phillips is playing a cyborg death machine. What more can you want? "Stolen Goods" is definitely fun, and, if you're a fan of the Russell T Davies era of the show, then I would say that it is a worthy story to add to your collection. If not, or even if you are a big fan of Big Finish already, you may not get as much out of it.
And if you enjoyed "Stolen Goods", here are five box sets that you should be listening to in The Worlds of Doctor Who - Special Releases Range:
1. "The Worlds of Doctor Who":
Back in 2014, Big Finish celebrated fifteen years of producing audio dramas with a special box set release. Entitled "The Worlds of Doctor Who", this saw Jago & Litefoot, Counter-Measures, UNIT and Gallifrey coming together in order to defeat the enigmatic Mr Rees. Stretching across multiple time zones and even featuring an appearance from the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker), this is one big celebration of the many different series that Big Finish have created. Featuring more regular characters, like Henry Gordon Jago, Group Captain Gilmore, Mike Yates and Romana, than you can shake a stick at, this box set contains everything that made these series amazing, while not alienating new listeners. You can get on board with these series here, if you so choose, and it explains everything you need at the beginning of each episode. The overarching story is incredibly well put together for something of this ilk, and it doesn't descend too much into the realm of crossovers, because it keeps each series self contained in its own story. If you want a flavouring of each different range, then this box set is perfect. Sure, it is a little pricey, but the amount of talent involved more than makes up for that. "The Worlds of Doctor Who" is a great primer for the variety of Big Finish spin-offs, and it tells a worlds-encompassing story with heart and great satisfaction.
2. "The Churchill Years - Volume 1":
One of Big Finish's first ventures into new series territory with the Doctor Who licence was "The Churchill Years: Volume 1", a box set of four stories centered around the former Prime Minister, and ally of the Doctor's, Winston Churchill. Considering that the TV story "Victory of the Daleks" hinted that the Doctor and Churchill had a history together, it was only a matter of time before Big Finish started exploiting that for storytelling. And "The Churchill Years: Volume 1" is a pretty decent example of Doctor Who stories featuring Churchill, especially fun, pulpy storytelling of the kind seen in the Classic Series. Now, you may think, from looking at the cover, that Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith are in this box set. Sadly, however, you will be disappointed, because they don't feature. Instead, Ian McNeice voices their parts through narration, in character, as Churchill. Now, it does give the stories a slightly strange feel to begin with, but, once you can get over that initial hump, they take on the same sort of feel as a memoir, like Churchill is reciting the events that happened in a kind-of Jackanory way. There's still a full cast and rich sound design behind him, but Ian McNeice drives these stories, and its his performance that makes them so compelling. These are stories filled with excitement and action, and all of this is conveyed by McNeice so wonderfully. We do delve into Churchill's psyche a little bit as well: the second episode explores his constant battle with depression, or the 'black dog' as he referred to it, while the final story, "The Chartwell Metamorphosis", looks at his desperation not to die not having completed everything he wanted to. These stories delve into Churchill in ways that the TV series never got the chance to do in a one-off, light and pulpy one-parter. We do get pulp here as well: "Living History" sees Churchill and Kazran Sardick (from the 2010 Christmas special "A Christmas Carol") meeting Julius Caesar, and defeating a Dalek that has set itself up as a God. Honestly, there's something here for everyone in this set, and it is just a ton of fun.
3. "The Eighth of March":
Released to celebrate International Woman's Day, "The Eighth of March" is a special box set designed to celebrate some of the amazing and diverse female characters featured in Doctor Who down the years. Featuring Vastra, Jenny Flint, Kate Stewart, Bernice Summerfield, Osgood, Ace, River Song and Leela, this box set, once again, offers a wide variety of characters and settings. From a sinister dating agency in present-day London, to a kidnapping at a convention in space, this box set not only demonstrates the flexible format of Doctor Who, but also how adept its female characters are. We get to see each one in action here: whether its Ace and Benny investigating a mysterious library in a Liverpool university, or Vastra and Jenny dealing with misogynistic scientists and mysterious footprints. For some, this is just like being back with old friends; for others, this is the first time they've met. But all of them are given the chance to show just how independent they are, and how adept they are at dealing with problems. All four stories are written and directed by women as well, and they prove they are just as capable at producing quality audio drama as any man (not that they should have to, but that's a whole different kettle of fish...). Honestly, it just pleases me so much that a box set like "The Eighth of March" exists. Like "The Worlds of Doctor Who", this is completely standalone, and this is one of the high points of The Worlds of Doctor Who Special Releases. At this time, with the first female Doctor incumbent in the TARDIS, this is the sort of box set that is perfect to release, and it is well worth the classification 'special'.
4. "Rose Tyler: the Dimension Cannon":
When this box set was announced, I'll be honest, I wasn't particularly thrilled. After all, Rose Tyler is notoriously one of my least-favourite companions. So, it was to my surprise when I found "Rose Tyler: the Dimension Cannon"... not as bad as I was expecting. I know, I know: that's not really a glowing recommendation. But this was never going to be my favourite release, not matter how I dressed it up. However, if you love the Tyler's story in Doctor Who, and the kind of science fiction with heart that Russell T Davies championed, then this is absolutely perfect. Filling in a pretty big gap in Rose, Jackie and Pete's story (that being how they were able to punch through the walls of reality back into our universe), this box set takes us across different dimensions, as the Tyler's work to get the right equations in order to make the jump that will find the Doctor. These are not quite your standard Doctor Who stories: they're slightly more reflective and more focused on the people involved in the unfolding of this world than on shouty aliens and big spaceships with guns. And this approach works: there's much more complicated things going on here than in most Doctor Who stories, and you get a real sense of each character's place in their individual world. It was never going to completely win me round, but I do feel like this made a decent stab at it, and the storytelling was involved enough to make me care. So, by that standard, this worked pretty well.
5. "Donna Noble: Kidnapped!":
While a recent release, "Donna Noble: Kidnapped!" is perhaps some of the most fun you will ever have with a Big Finish box-set. We always knew that Donna was one of the best companions in the show's history, and this box set allows her free reign away from the Doctor. So you can imagine the chaos that is caused! Catherine Tate has always had leading lady talent, and she gets the chance to show this here with this set. Pairing her in a dramatic scenario with her old friend Niky Wardley makes for a irresistible combination, and her scenes reunited with Jacqueline King as her mother, Sylvia Noble, are a joy. Freeing Donna from having to play second fiddle to the Doctor leads to some of the funniest moments in Doctor Who history, as Donna is forced into the position of having to deal with Doctor Who situations in her own way. The stories themselves are clever and smart, and placing this box set in the aftermath of "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead" gives us the chance to fill in a vital gap in Donna's story, one I'm surprised wasn't tapped into more in the TV show. It's gives this box set an emotional hook, as well as a comedic one, and allows these stories to feel very much like Russell T Davies era episodes. The guest cast are larger than life, and the whole thing is given Big Finish's usual polish and sheen. I won't go into too many details, with this box set still not on general release, but, suffice to say, this is one you really need to purchase. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of this era of the TV show, there's still plenty for you to get out of this set of stories, including the chance to see one of Doctor Who's best ever companions finally given the chance to front her own series of adventures, and do so with such style, warmth and humour. This box set is absolute stellar.
Overall, The Worlds of Doctor Who Special Releases provide such variety, that there will be something within them for everyone. Whether it be getting the chance to re-aquatint yourselves with characters like Jenny, Winston Churchill, Lady Christina or Missy; listen to characters like Rose, Susan or Donna in their own adventures; or experience big events like "The Worlds of Doctor Who", "The Eighth of March" or the upcoming "Masterful", this is one of the broadest and most widely appealing ranges in Big Finish's catalogue. Make no mistake: far from being the odds and sods of Big Finish's material, there's some fervently creative titles here.
Until the 11th of May 2020, you can get "Stolen Goods", the first episode of "Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter", from Big Finish completely free. You can find it here:
https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/jenny-the-doctor-s-daughter-stolen-goods-2290
You can also save up to 50% on "Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter" until the 11th of May too. You can find a full list of the titles here:
https://www.bigfinish.com/collections/v/weekly-deals
Happy listening! And I'll see you next week for another look at a free Big Finish title!
All pictures copyright to the BBC/Big Finish Productions. Thank you very much for reading.
 |
| The CD cover for "Stolen Goods", the first story in the "Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter" series, designed by Tom Webster. |
Ever since Big Finish began releasing Doctor Who plays in 1999, there have always been spin-offs, taking characters and concepts from Doctor Who and spurning them off into their own series'. From Dalek Empire and Cyberman, to Jago & Litefoot and The Diary of River Song, these various different ranges have allowed fans the chance to develop supporting characters and tell more adventures set in the various Worlds of Doctor Who. However, while some have a longevity about them that makes them perfect spin-offs, some aren't suited to such lengthy storytelling, and better suit a short run or a single box-set. And that's where the Special Releases come in. This umbrella range counts things like Jenny, Lady Christina, Missy, Rose Tyler, The Churchill Years and even the special Worlds of Doctor Who release, which brought multiple ranges together to celebrate Big Finish's fifteenth anniversary. And the wide breadth of series allows for some of the greatest variety in a Big Finish range.
 |
| The CD cover for "Zero Space", the fourth story in the "Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter" series, designed by Tom Webster. |
 |
| The cover for "The Worlds of Doctor Who" limited edition box-set, designed by Tom Webster and Damien May. |
1. "The Worlds of Doctor Who":
Back in 2014, Big Finish celebrated fifteen years of producing audio dramas with a special box set release. Entitled "The Worlds of Doctor Who", this saw Jago & Litefoot, Counter-Measures, UNIT and Gallifrey coming together in order to defeat the enigmatic Mr Rees. Stretching across multiple time zones and even featuring an appearance from the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker), this is one big celebration of the many different series that Big Finish have created. Featuring more regular characters, like Henry Gordon Jago, Group Captain Gilmore, Mike Yates and Romana, than you can shake a stick at, this box set contains everything that made these series amazing, while not alienating new listeners. You can get on board with these series here, if you so choose, and it explains everything you need at the beginning of each episode. The overarching story is incredibly well put together for something of this ilk, and it doesn't descend too much into the realm of crossovers, because it keeps each series self contained in its own story. If you want a flavouring of each different range, then this box set is perfect. Sure, it is a little pricey, but the amount of talent involved more than makes up for that. "The Worlds of Doctor Who" is a great primer for the variety of Big Finish spin-offs, and it tells a worlds-encompassing story with heart and great satisfaction.
2. "The Churchill Years - Volume 1":
 |
| The box set cover for "The Churchill Years: Volume 1", designed by Tom Webster. |
One of Big Finish's first ventures into new series territory with the Doctor Who licence was "The Churchill Years: Volume 1", a box set of four stories centered around the former Prime Minister, and ally of the Doctor's, Winston Churchill. Considering that the TV story "Victory of the Daleks" hinted that the Doctor and Churchill had a history together, it was only a matter of time before Big Finish started exploiting that for storytelling. And "The Churchill Years: Volume 1" is a pretty decent example of Doctor Who stories featuring Churchill, especially fun, pulpy storytelling of the kind seen in the Classic Series. Now, you may think, from looking at the cover, that Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith are in this box set. Sadly, however, you will be disappointed, because they don't feature. Instead, Ian McNeice voices their parts through narration, in character, as Churchill. Now, it does give the stories a slightly strange feel to begin with, but, once you can get over that initial hump, they take on the same sort of feel as a memoir, like Churchill is reciting the events that happened in a kind-of Jackanory way. There's still a full cast and rich sound design behind him, but Ian McNeice drives these stories, and its his performance that makes them so compelling. These are stories filled with excitement and action, and all of this is conveyed by McNeice so wonderfully. We do delve into Churchill's psyche a little bit as well: the second episode explores his constant battle with depression, or the 'black dog' as he referred to it, while the final story, "The Chartwell Metamorphosis", looks at his desperation not to die not having completed everything he wanted to. These stories delve into Churchill in ways that the TV series never got the chance to do in a one-off, light and pulpy one-parter. We do get pulp here as well: "Living History" sees Churchill and Kazran Sardick (from the 2010 Christmas special "A Christmas Carol") meeting Julius Caesar, and defeating a Dalek that has set itself up as a God. Honestly, there's something here for everyone in this set, and it is just a ton of fun.
3. "The Eighth of March":
 |
| The cover for "The Eighth of March", designed by Tom Webster. |
Released to celebrate International Woman's Day, "The Eighth of March" is a special box set designed to celebrate some of the amazing and diverse female characters featured in Doctor Who down the years. Featuring Vastra, Jenny Flint, Kate Stewart, Bernice Summerfield, Osgood, Ace, River Song and Leela, this box set, once again, offers a wide variety of characters and settings. From a sinister dating agency in present-day London, to a kidnapping at a convention in space, this box set not only demonstrates the flexible format of Doctor Who, but also how adept its female characters are. We get to see each one in action here: whether its Ace and Benny investigating a mysterious library in a Liverpool university, or Vastra and Jenny dealing with misogynistic scientists and mysterious footprints. For some, this is just like being back with old friends; for others, this is the first time they've met. But all of them are given the chance to show just how independent they are, and how adept they are at dealing with problems. All four stories are written and directed by women as well, and they prove they are just as capable at producing quality audio drama as any man (not that they should have to, but that's a whole different kettle of fish...). Honestly, it just pleases me so much that a box set like "The Eighth of March" exists. Like "The Worlds of Doctor Who", this is completely standalone, and this is one of the high points of The Worlds of Doctor Who Special Releases. At this time, with the first female Doctor incumbent in the TARDIS, this is the sort of box set that is perfect to release, and it is well worth the classification 'special'.
 |
| The box set cover for "Rose Tyler: the Dimension Cannon", designed by Tom Webster. |
When this box set was announced, I'll be honest, I wasn't particularly thrilled. After all, Rose Tyler is notoriously one of my least-favourite companions. So, it was to my surprise when I found "Rose Tyler: the Dimension Cannon"... not as bad as I was expecting. I know, I know: that's not really a glowing recommendation. But this was never going to be my favourite release, not matter how I dressed it up. However, if you love the Tyler's story in Doctor Who, and the kind of science fiction with heart that Russell T Davies championed, then this is absolutely perfect. Filling in a pretty big gap in Rose, Jackie and Pete's story (that being how they were able to punch through the walls of reality back into our universe), this box set takes us across different dimensions, as the Tyler's work to get the right equations in order to make the jump that will find the Doctor. These are not quite your standard Doctor Who stories: they're slightly more reflective and more focused on the people involved in the unfolding of this world than on shouty aliens and big spaceships with guns. And this approach works: there's much more complicated things going on here than in most Doctor Who stories, and you get a real sense of each character's place in their individual world. It was never going to completely win me round, but I do feel like this made a decent stab at it, and the storytelling was involved enough to make me care. So, by that standard, this worked pretty well.
5. "Donna Noble: Kidnapped!":
 |
| The cover for "Donna Noble: Kidnapped!", designed by Tom Webster. |
While a recent release, "Donna Noble: Kidnapped!" is perhaps some of the most fun you will ever have with a Big Finish box-set. We always knew that Donna was one of the best companions in the show's history, and this box set allows her free reign away from the Doctor. So you can imagine the chaos that is caused! Catherine Tate has always had leading lady talent, and she gets the chance to show this here with this set. Pairing her in a dramatic scenario with her old friend Niky Wardley makes for a irresistible combination, and her scenes reunited with Jacqueline King as her mother, Sylvia Noble, are a joy. Freeing Donna from having to play second fiddle to the Doctor leads to some of the funniest moments in Doctor Who history, as Donna is forced into the position of having to deal with Doctor Who situations in her own way. The stories themselves are clever and smart, and placing this box set in the aftermath of "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead" gives us the chance to fill in a vital gap in Donna's story, one I'm surprised wasn't tapped into more in the TV show. It's gives this box set an emotional hook, as well as a comedic one, and allows these stories to feel very much like Russell T Davies era episodes. The guest cast are larger than life, and the whole thing is given Big Finish's usual polish and sheen. I won't go into too many details, with this box set still not on general release, but, suffice to say, this is one you really need to purchase. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of this era of the TV show, there's still plenty for you to get out of this set of stories, including the chance to see one of Doctor Who's best ever companions finally given the chance to front her own series of adventures, and do so with such style, warmth and humour. This box set is absolute stellar.
 |
| The box-set cover for "Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter", designed by Tom Webster. |
Overall, The Worlds of Doctor Who Special Releases provide such variety, that there will be something within them for everyone. Whether it be getting the chance to re-aquatint yourselves with characters like Jenny, Winston Churchill, Lady Christina or Missy; listen to characters like Rose, Susan or Donna in their own adventures; or experience big events like "The Worlds of Doctor Who", "The Eighth of March" or the upcoming "Masterful", this is one of the broadest and most widely appealing ranges in Big Finish's catalogue. Make no mistake: far from being the odds and sods of Big Finish's material, there's some fervently creative titles here.
Until the 11th of May 2020, you can get "Stolen Goods", the first episode of "Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter", from Big Finish completely free. You can find it here:
https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/jenny-the-doctor-s-daughter-stolen-goods-2290
You can also save up to 50% on "Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter" until the 11th of May too. You can find a full list of the titles here:
https://www.bigfinish.com/collections/v/weekly-deals
Happy listening! And I'll see you next week for another look at a free Big Finish title!
All pictures copyright to the BBC/Big Finish Productions. Thank you very much for reading.
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