In 2018 I wrote the following letter to Big Finish:
I really enjoyed The Last Adventure, but how about a ‘last adventure’ for the Seventh Doctor? At the beginning of the TV Movie, the Doctor is returning from Skaro with the remains of the Master after his trial. According to the novelization of the movie, the Dalek Emperor staged a mock trial of the Master before exterminating him. The Master contacted the Doctor telepathically and begged him to retrieve his body. This scenario simply begs to be fleshed out in an audio. What did the Master do to anger the Daleks? Why did the Doctor agree to honor the Master’s wishes? How did he manage to do so without getting captured or killed himself?
Nick Briggs repled:
No plans to answer these questions any time soon, Jeff. But you’re right, they are fascinating questions. That noise you can hear is the sound of my brain ticking over and considering this!
Then, five years later...
Replies
As the story opens, the Doctor is out of the picture for some as-yet-undisclosed reason and Ace is gathering forces for an as-yet-undisclosed purpose. Her first recruit is Melanie Bush, who only somewhat remembers her time with the Doctor. Ace explains the concept of "timeline fluidity" (which, incidentally, goes a long way toward explaining many of the discrepancies and outright contradictions which have cropped up over the years). [IRL, "The Seventh Doctor Adventures" are still ongoing, and Big Finish strives not to "write themselves into a hole" by tying up continuity too tightly.] As the story progresses, she recruits others to her cause: Bernice Summerfield, Hex Scohfield, Sally Morgan, Kane, Garundel, Lysandra Aristedes and Vienna. If you don't know who all of these characters are (most of them are audio characters), don't worry about it; chalk it up to timeline fluidity.
Take Hex for example. Tracy has already listened to this set and Hex is the only character she asked me about. I haven't listened to too many Seventh Doctor audios, but I do know that Hex is one of the Doctor's former companions. That's really all she wanted to know, but it really wouldn't have made a whole lot of difference to the story anyway, because even Hex doesn't remember anything about his time with the Doctor (timeline fluidity).
Episode one cliffhanger: Ace extricates the Master (Geoffrey Beevers) from his current predicament.
These episodes are shorter than the ones I've been listening to lately: two episodes per disc rather than just one.
Funny exchange:
THE MASTER: You've aged.
VIENNA: You've melted.
Episode two cliffhanger: The (Seventh) Doctor arrives and asks: "How do you like things in my universe?"
(I may listen to these more frequently then one per week so as not to drag this out too long.)
Kane was literally melted at the end of "Dragonfire". I'd be curious to see how they brought him back.
I thought that was the Master's line, but maybe not. In any case, I don't think that was dealt with in "The Last Day." Hmm... that's the second time "Dragonfire" has come up in conversation in the past week. I may need to refresh my memory on that one.
EPISODE THREE: I am have some trouble following this due to my lack of familiarity with some of the characters, but the gist of it is that, in this reality, the Doctor is the President of Gallifrey and has taken steps to ensure the greatest good for the greatest number of people. To that end, he has manipulated entire races and civilizations (such as the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Krotons, etc.) out of existence. In other words, absolute power has corrupted him absolutely. In this reality, near the end of the 2040s, Ace is President of Earth (although this is not the same Ace as in episodes one and two). This Ace, however, has studied at the Academy on Gallifrey.
Tracy is ahead of me (almost finsished with the last episode of Part Two) and may have more to add.
Supposedly, one of the possible "exits" for Ace that was being considered had the show not been cancelled after "Survival" was for her to leave th.e Doctor to attend the Academy in order to inject some "fresh blood" into Time Lord society.
Oh, yes, they have definitely touched on that, but whether or not it's considered "canon" (beyond "The Last Day") I do not know. The Ace of the first two chapters (the "real" Ace?) mentioned taking classes at the Academy as well.
The story can be hard to follow with all the various players but I am intrigued for how they will end it. I have really liked the Bernice Summerfield character. I find myself liking the duo of her and Mel. This is surprising since I was never fond of Mel in the tv episodes.
EPISODE FOUR: As it happens, this is the episode featuring Mel and Benny. Their mission is to infiltrate the catacombs of Gallifrey and obtain a device which will help Ace determine what timelines need to be restored.
EPISODE FIVE: Tom Schofield (Hex) is married to Sally Morgan, and they have a daughter, Cassie, who is almost 18. Cassie has won some sort of scientific contest to meet the President of Earth, "Dee" McShane (Ace). Sally works for General Lysandra Aristedes who reports directly to the President. They are on a mission to meet Marshal Stenn, a Sontaran, while Tom accompanies Cass to meet the President, who is working for the Doctor. McShane wasn't elected President, but rather seized power after being appointed during some emergency. She is aware of the dreams Tom has been having about when they were Hex and Ace in another reality. Elsewhere, the meeting between Sally & Lysandra and the Sontaran doesn't go well, and Marshal Stenn kills the general.
EPISODE SIX: Ace tries to ride herd on the members of her Gallifrey "away team": Kane (the one in the white uniform), Mother (white-haired woman with goggles) and Garundel (frog). I am not familiar with these characters (I had forgotten Kane is from "Dragonfire" until Bob reminded me), so these scenes were somewhat harder to follow. This is where the CD "extras" come in handy, because the actors discuss their characters in the interviews. Meanwhile, as Marshal Stenn interrogates Sally Morgan, the Doctor and President McShane "debrief" Hex and attempt to recruit Cassie to their cause. If episode three left any question as the the Doctor's character, he and McShane plan to use a reality diffuser to rewrite Cassie's memories. But first, they plan to make her choose between her parents who lives and who dies. This Doctor is like Erica Pierce from Valiant's "Unity" or Parallax from DC's "Emerald Twilight"; they all are doing the worst of things with the best of intentions.
Last night, after finishing "The Last Day, Part Two," Tracy came home wanting to re-watch "Dragonfire" so we started that last night.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next