THE
YEAR OF BIG FINISH
Day 1:
The Sirens Of Time
Well, I said I’d be starting at the beginning, didn’t I? You don’t get much more of a beginning than Big Finish’s first ever Doctor Who story. Well, you could, but a) that’s Bernice Summerfield and b) I’m pretty sure Nick has destroyed all surviving copies of the AudioVisuals… maybe... Regardless, this release is not only the start of a long journey, but what many people also forget is that it was also the end of another long journey. A journey from homemade fan audios, to having to prove themselves with a completely different character, before getting to play in the great sandbox that is Doctor Who. And to celebrate, a little known writer called Nicholas Briggs decided to have all the Doctors they got a hold of involved in this first tale. The question is, did the risk pay off?
Well, we’re here twenty years later, what do you think happened?
Gallifrey is in danger… A threat unlike anything faced before is approaching and threatening to not only destroy the home of the Time Lords, but also the web of time itself.
The only hope for the survival of everything is the Doctor. In particular, three incarnations of the Doctor. Separated by time, space, body, personality, and most importantly, ego.
But one thing is common throughout those three lives. One single person. The question is, who is she? And will she bring hope or hell for the universe?
So, The Sirens of Time, the catalyst for nearly 500 other stories over 20 years, the starting point for so many talented writers, directors, actors and sound designers, the beginning of a long and still continuing journey. With all of this behind it, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s the greatest Doctor Who story ever. Well, it’s not, and quite a lot of us already know that. Is it then among the best, most creative, most acclaimed Doctor Who stories ever? No. But there is not only a good reason for that, but it’s also a very good thing. Briggs’ first proper script feels exactly like that. A first ever script. It feels a bit clichéd in a number of areas, especially with the multiple Doctors. But for every clichéd trope he does, he either does something new to balance it out, or tries to do something new with it. As a story by itself, it is more than passable, but nothing majorly groundbreaking. But, as a proof of concept, as a stepping stone into a new era, as a final clincher that not only can Doctor Who work in this format, but properly take it to its full advantage in a way that television can’t, it is a monumental success. And I guess that’s the reason why it’s continued to stick in people’s heads. It’s stuck there for a very obvious reason. It’s the beginning, and as all beginnings should be, it’s not the best, but it shows how it can be the best!
Also showcasing the beginnings of greatness are the cast and crew involved. Despite any possible grievances they could have had, and given their history with the show, no one would blame them, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy all not only return to their roles, but slip back into them as if they never left! And even though it can be heard that they are still finding their feet in this new format, they bring a sort of effortless ease to how they perform, helping the secondary cast of unknowns and fans to bring the story the gravitas it needs. As said before, it doesn’t work all the time, but you can hear the effort. And this was most likely recorded in one shot in an old shed in Maidenhead. That is perhaps the greatest achievement of this story. One guy, getting together a bunch of fans, some out of work actors, and three at-the-time has-beens, recording a sci-fi story without any visuals whatsoever, and then making each and every second sound not only believable but engaging… ON THE BUDGET OF AN AGLET… IN 1999!!!! That is talent. And that is the reason why Nick is at the stage he is at now…
As I said before, The Sirens of Time is not the greatest Doctor Who story, or even the greatest Big Finish story ever. But it is the best proof of concept ever done in the shows history. It not only proved that it could be done and that there was an audience for it, but that even if you are just one person, with the most basic equipment imaginable… if you have drive, if you have passion, then it can be done. Nick Briggs is proof enough of that. And if we didn’t have this, then all of the greatness…. Paul McGann, Tom Baker, John Hurt David Tennant, The Avengers, Survivors, The Omega Factor, Jago and Litefoot, Gallifrey, The Prisoner, Dorian Gray, Sherlock Holmes… None of them would be here… None of them would give us the endless hours of enjoyment, of stories, of losing ourselves inside out own imaginations… The Sirens of Time is not perfect, but it is what it is… An important stepping stone… That’s why we are so fond of it… In the words of Mr Rees, “This is where it begins…”
Doctor Who: The Sirens of Time, is available on Download for £/$/€2.99 on the Big Finish Website, and on limited CD, Cassette and Download from other stockists.
And until 23:59 on Thursday 2nd Jan, it is completely free from BigFinish.com!
TOMORROW: The Mark Of Gatiss is drawn on the table, will it be a high card?
Well, we’re here twenty years later, what do you think happened?
Gallifrey is in danger… A threat unlike anything faced before is approaching and threatening to not only destroy the home of the Time Lords, but also the web of time itself.
The only hope for the survival of everything is the Doctor. In particular, three incarnations of the Doctor. Separated by time, space, body, personality, and most importantly, ego.
But one thing is common throughout those three lives. One single person. The question is, who is she? And will she bring hope or hell for the universe?
So, The Sirens of Time, the catalyst for nearly 500 other stories over 20 years, the starting point for so many talented writers, directors, actors and sound designers, the beginning of a long and still continuing journey. With all of this behind it, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s the greatest Doctor Who story ever. Well, it’s not, and quite a lot of us already know that. Is it then among the best, most creative, most acclaimed Doctor Who stories ever? No. But there is not only a good reason for that, but it’s also a very good thing. Briggs’ first proper script feels exactly like that. A first ever script. It feels a bit clichéd in a number of areas, especially with the multiple Doctors. But for every clichéd trope he does, he either does something new to balance it out, or tries to do something new with it. As a story by itself, it is more than passable, but nothing majorly groundbreaking. But, as a proof of concept, as a stepping stone into a new era, as a final clincher that not only can Doctor Who work in this format, but properly take it to its full advantage in a way that television can’t, it is a monumental success. And I guess that’s the reason why it’s continued to stick in people’s heads. It’s stuck there for a very obvious reason. It’s the beginning, and as all beginnings should be, it’s not the best, but it shows how it can be the best!
Also showcasing the beginnings of greatness are the cast and crew involved. Despite any possible grievances they could have had, and given their history with the show, no one would blame them, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy all not only return to their roles, but slip back into them as if they never left! And even though it can be heard that they are still finding their feet in this new format, they bring a sort of effortless ease to how they perform, helping the secondary cast of unknowns and fans to bring the story the gravitas it needs. As said before, it doesn’t work all the time, but you can hear the effort. And this was most likely recorded in one shot in an old shed in Maidenhead. That is perhaps the greatest achievement of this story. One guy, getting together a bunch of fans, some out of work actors, and three at-the-time has-beens, recording a sci-fi story without any visuals whatsoever, and then making each and every second sound not only believable but engaging… ON THE BUDGET OF AN AGLET… IN 1999!!!! That is talent. And that is the reason why Nick is at the stage he is at now…
As I said before, The Sirens of Time is not the greatest Doctor Who story, or even the greatest Big Finish story ever. But it is the best proof of concept ever done in the shows history. It not only proved that it could be done and that there was an audience for it, but that even if you are just one person, with the most basic equipment imaginable… if you have drive, if you have passion, then it can be done. Nick Briggs is proof enough of that. And if we didn’t have this, then all of the greatness…. Paul McGann, Tom Baker, John Hurt David Tennant, The Avengers, Survivors, The Omega Factor, Jago and Litefoot, Gallifrey, The Prisoner, Dorian Gray, Sherlock Holmes… None of them would be here… None of them would give us the endless hours of enjoyment, of stories, of losing ourselves inside out own imaginations… The Sirens of Time is not perfect, but it is what it is… An important stepping stone… That’s why we are so fond of it… In the words of Mr Rees, “This is where it begins…”
Doctor Who: The Sirens of Time, is available on Download for £/$/€2.99 on the Big Finish Website, and on limited CD, Cassette and Download from other stockists.
And until 23:59 on Thursday 2nd Jan, it is completely free from BigFinish.com!
TOMORROW: The Mark Of Gatiss is drawn on the table, will it be a high card?
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