The Third Doctor also faces ‘The Annihilators’ in 7-part audio drama
Actor Michael Troughton, taking on the role of the Second Doctor (as previously played on television by his father, Patrick), just made his debut on Big Finish audio.
Joining him is Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon, the stalwart Scot who has accompanied this incarnation of the Doctor since the 1966 Doctor Who adventure, The Highlanders.
This TARDIS team collides with the Third Doctor (Tim Treloar), Dr Liz Shaw (Daisy Ashford) and the Brigadier (Jon Culshaw) in the previously-announced seven-part adventure, The Annihilators, now available as of Feb. 8, 2022.
Doctor Who – The Third Doctor Adventures: The Annihilators is available as a collector’s edition CD or download, exclusively here. It’s Big Finish Productions’ first ever seven-part audio drama, relaunching the Third Doctor Adventures range with a brand new epic box set.
Doctor Who: The Annihilators takes us back slap-bang into the middle of Season 7 of the TV series. With the TARDIS out of action and the Third Doctor marooned on Earth, the UNIT team of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and Dr Liz Shaw are the Time Lord’s constant companions, combatting multiple alien threats.
The first of 2022’s two Third Doctor Adventures volumes, The Annihilators reunites Tim Treloar, Jon Culshaw and Daisy Ashford in a full-cast audio drama that threatens doom for the entire planet.
Doctor Who – The Third Doctor Adventures: The Annihilators is now available to pre-order as a collector’s edition CD at £19.99 or on download at £16.99, exclusively at www.bigfinish.com
There’s something in the water at Lewgate Docks. Something strange, and green, and deadly. Summoned to the North of England by a mystery informer, the Brigadier finds his investigations hampered at every turn by the local police. Just what are they trying to hide?
While the Doctor uncovers sinister goings-on in the city morgue, Liz attracts the attention of something unearthly. But with Time running out, quite literally, the Doctor, Liz and UNIT aren’t the only ones to find themselves targeted by a world-shattering alien menace…
… because they’ve got a previous Doctor and his best friend Jamie in their sights, too!
Big Finish creative director (and writer of The Annihilators) Nicholas Briggs said: “I’d had in mind to have Michael Troughton play the Second Doctor for ages. He has a lightness of touch, and I knew he’d studied his father’s work a lot for the book he wrote about him. Also, I’ve worked with Michael quite a bit and chatted with him a lot at conventions, and have found him to be such a delightful human being. Always full of cheer, and a really great actor.
“I’ve always been an admirer of Frazer Hines too. And here he gives what I believe to be his best performance ever. He really did some great emotional stuff in this story. I think people sometimes forget what a brilliant and accomplished actor Frazer is. He’s a much-loved part of the Doctor Who furniture, so we think we know what to expect from him. But here, he really pulls the stops out. Such fun.
“I think the most thrilling part of my job at Big Finish is trying to capture the spirit and feel of a particular era of Doctor Who that is special for me. For the structuring and pace of The Annihilators, I wanted to give it the feel of a police procedural. It’s kind of Line of Duty 1970s style – with monsters! “It’s also a throw-forward to our new The Second Doctor Adventures range. I think it really brings a lovely interaction into the story and I wanted our listeners to get an early audio listen of Michael Troughton in his father’s role. The Second Doctor Adventures don’t start until August but I thought that was far too long for everyone to wait.”
Actor Michael Troughton said: “When they phoned up out of the blue and asked, ‘How would you feel about playing the Second Doctor?’, I sort of had to think about it. I said to myself, ‘Well, it would be a really fun thing to try and do,’ not to try and recreate Dad’s voice perfectly, but to give the kind of emotional fun character that he gave. That’s the way I looked at it, so it’s a mix of me and Dad, really.
“I talked with Frazer about it, and lots of the fun stuff was brought to the recordings by them, ad libbed. I think it might have been Tomb of the Cybermen, when they were at a door, and for some reason Dad ended up holding Frazer’s hand. That wasn’t scripted, that was a moment they created together. It’s difficult to do that kind of thing on audio but it was that fun inflection in his voice I tried really hard to get.”
Producer Heather Challands said: “It’s a fresh start for the Third Doctor Adventures, following the revamp of our Classic Doctor ranges, and what a cracking start we’re off to! I’m thrilled that we’re paying homage to the great serials of Season 7 with our very own seven-part story starring the Third Doctor, Dr Elizabeth Shaw and the ever-dependable Brigadier.
“It’s a wonderful jumping-on point for those new to the range and a perfect re-introduction for loyal listeners who have been with us from the start. Nick has written a truly wonderful script, with twists and turns and some cracking cliffhangers that are so evocative of that era.
“When a policeman dies in the North of England, and mysterious goings-on by the docks, can the Doctor and UNIT figure out just what’s going on, in time to save the Earth? You’ll have to listen to find out…”
Tim Treloar added: “It’s a wonderfully-written script that contains many a red herring and many a twist. A seven-part story is rare in the Doctor Who world. It’s new territory.
“Working with Michael Troughton as the Second Doctor was a great treat! I know a lot of fans have been crying out for a meet between the Third and Second Doctor. It was very exciting knowing that was going to happen.”
Michael Troughton had this to say: “The idea of mixing the Doctors is great. The more the merrier! Nick’s script is very clever. I thought this would be a really fun tribute so I’m really happy to try and produce – as near as possible – the mischievous Second Doctor.”
Doctor Who – The Third Doctor Adventures: The Annihilators is now available. Plus, The Third Doctor Adventure 2022B (title TBC) is due for release in October 2022 and is currently available to pre-order as a collector’s edition box set and as a digital download. And, The Second Doctor Adventures: Beyond War Games is due for release in July 2022.
