Audio Drama
(all audio scripts produced by Big Finish, Doctor Who titles licensed by BBC Studios)
Doctor Who: The Wizard of Time
(starring Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, Nerys Hughes)
2×30 mins
available June 2023, more details TBA
Doctor Who: Red Darkness(starring Christopher Eccleston)
1 x60 mins
available February 2023, on download/CD/Vinyl, more details TBA
(starring Paul McGann, Nicola Walker, Hattie Morahan)
1×60 mins
available December 2022
When the Doctor and friends hunt down time anomalies in 2020s Soho, Helen steps into the past and meets the brother she thought she’d lost forever. But there are Weeping Angels in London – and one of the stone assassins wants something from the Doctor and Liv…
Reviews:
“Hattie Morahan steps from the sidelines to portray a rainbow of emotions… All in all, a triumph of empathy and innovation” Doctor Who Magazine, December 2022
Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor Classic Companions:
(starring David Tennant, Sophie Aldred, John Leeson)
1×60 mins
available September 2022 on CD & Download
The Tenth Doctor revisits his companions Ace and K9 long after their time-travelling adventures have finished… Ace investigates a new tech company which seems too good to be true and meets the Doctor and K9 as Axos escapes its trap.
Reviews:
“Quantum of Axos is a traditional story that shows off just what Who does best… It’s wonderful to be reunited with a more mature but clearly recognisable Ace… Head and shoulders above the other two, this is a compelling, entertaining tale which should delight fans.” SFX Magazine, October 2022
“The highlight of the set… Like a classic episode of the first Russell T Davies era, Quantum of Axos has a great hook, sparkling dialogue, and insightful character work…” Blogtor Who
Doctor Who: Together in Eclectic Dreams
(starring Colin Baker, Susan Hingley, Rebecca Front)
1×60 mins
available July 2022
The Sixth Doctor takes companion Mari to the Archipelago of High Dream to try and stop the nightmares she’s having in the TARDIS. Instead, they find the Lethe Foundation, a research facility overseen by musician Tara, lulling her clients to sleep with soothing melodies. But the Kantrofarri are hunting, and a mystery Green Man holds the key to escape…
Reviews:
“Together in Eclectic Dreams is a dark delight… An incredibly skilful script sidesteps the audience knowing more than the Doctor about what’s going on with layers of unsettling dreamscapes…” Blogtor Who
“Together in Eclectic Dreams is a stand-out not just for this boxset but for Big Finish’s 2022 output as a whole. Hugely creative in every way and a brilliant use of its ‘New Monster’, this is a must listen… 10/10″ Indie Mac User
“…a plot for the Dream Crabs that’s actually more effective than their TV outing makes this a chilling winner” Warped Factor
“Colin’s Sixth Doctor is at his most sophisticated, erudite and droll… delighting in the script’s concepts and numerous classical allusions” We Are Cult
Doctor Who: The Keys of Baker Street
(starring Paul McGann, Nicola Walker, Hattie Morahan, Rebecca Root)
1×60 mins
available April 2022
Homing in on the root of the problem, the Doctor attempts a risky solution – and disaster strikes. Soon, 107 Baker Street is all that’s left of reality, as the residents climb the floors to face their destiny.
Reviews:
“Roy Gill, whose UNIT Dating was a highlight of Stranded 2, returns to pen what is, in effect, the finale of Stranded as a whole… Gill’s script packs a lot of SF ideas and concepts around a solid emotional core, one that revisits many of the characters we’ve come to know over the run… a highly satisfying piece of work.” Warped Factor
“With its metaphors and time-bending phenomena, the episode requires your full attention when listening, but the payoff more than worth it. Couple this with some clever and subtle writing, plus an extended cameo from the Curator, and you’ve got a launchpad for a very different kind of finale…” We Made This
“The entire cast is on top form throughout, perfectly matching the urgency of the script, and expertly bringing to life the powerful and thought-provoking scenes written by Roy Gill” Who Review
Doctor Who: Ninth Doctor Adventures: Way of the Burryman/The Forth Generation
(starring Christopher Eccleston, Warren Brown, Elinor Lawless)
2×60 mins
available February 2022 on CD, Download & Ltd Ed Vinyl
Young Sam Bishop is at a crossroads with girlfriend Fiona: she’s staying in Scotland, he wants to travel the world. As the Burryman celebrations begin, ghosts haunt the Forth Bridge. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart arrives to investigate – and so does the Doctor…
The Forth Generation have emerged. The Doctor, the Brigadier, Sam and Fiona are at their mercy. Is there a way to defeat them? Has UNIT learned from the past? And can the enemy’s nature be changed for the future?
Reviews:
“a showcase for the Ninth Doctor and Big Finish alike” Warped Factor
“With a distinctly Scottish flavour, a nautical theme that’ll go down well with fans of Vigil and probably some of the rawest scenes ever committed to audio, this is Big Finish’s Doctor Who at its very best. Performances are beautiful, and it’s a sheer joy to spend two hours in its company…” We Are Cult
“…already a contender for the best Big Finish release of 2022…. It is an exploration of trauma and the Ninth Doctor’s own psyche, giving Christopher Eccleston a chance to do something he didn’t on television, looking right at the beginning of the character’s life….” 10/10 Indie Mac User
“Gill juggles the various elements – internal conflict for the Cybermen, the fate of Sam Bishop’s girlfriend Fiona, the Doctor trying to find a way to avoid conflict if he can, the Brigadier and Sam facing peril, and much more – with deceptive ease. The plotting is carefully done…” 9/10 Sci-Fi Bulletin
“[Elinor] Lawless pours her heart and soul into her performance and the story is all the greater for it, as she fights for her humanity and the lost humanity of the Forth Generation… The quality of these stories offers some of the very best of the Ninth Doctor – on screen and off” We Made This
‘Cycle of Destruction’
(starring David Tennant, Jane Slavin, Joe Sims, Nina Toussaint-White)
1×60 mins
released July 2021 on CD, Download & Ltd Ed Vinyl
After Mark starts behaving oddly, the Doctor and Anya find themselves on a strange planet with their friend missing. Searching for him they find their way to an isolated research base. The corridors show signs of animal incursions and the scientists are behaving strangely. But a big surprise is waiting for them. Because this is where Mark Seven came from. They’re about to find out who he is. But is that information too dangerous to know?
Reviews:
“When the puzzle is finally solved, it comes as a highly satisfying conclusion, as well as posing new and intriguing questions about the nature of identity and the ethics of robotics” Doctor Who Magazine
“Gill’s story focuses on Mark Seven, Joe Sims’ android… in a story that Terry Nation (Mark Seven’s creator) might have done himself, a variation on the sort of robot story that Issac Asimov penned in the golden age of sci-fi. In the process, Gill and the entire production create an intriguing mix of those trappings and tropes with Modern Who’s pacing, the result is an engaging mystery that reaches a satisfying conclusion” Warped Factor
(starring Paul McGann, Jon Culshaw, Nicola Walker, Hattie Morahan, Tom Price)
1×60 mins
released March 2021 on CD & Download
When the Doctor dips into his past to help TARDIS repairs in the present, Andy joins him on a trip to UNIT. In the 1970s, young soldier Ron Winters has just met lab assistant Tony Clare. But in 2020, they need Liv and Helen’s help when their memories start falling apart…
Reviews:
“A good blend of emotional and time travel puzzle” 9/10 Sci-Fi Bulletin
“Gill’s story is one about love, memory, and changing attitudes, one that creates some beautifully done character moments that had this reviewer wiping away tears while driving down the road. While it’s still early in 2021, UNIT Dating is already a contender for one of Big Finish’s best stories of the year…” Warped Factor
“There are places in this story that are more frank and angry about these injustices than anything since Russell T Davies’ Damaged Goods… The ending of this story might just be the most important scene Big Finish has ever done with Doctor Who, at least for this reviewer, and it alone is enough to elevate UNIT Dating to a must-listen classic, let alone everything else…” We Are Cult
The Paternoster Gang: Heritage 4
“The Ghost Writers”
(starring Neve McIntosh, Catrin Stewart, Dan Starkey)
1×60 mins
released October 2020 on CD & Download
I was also script editor for the finale: “The Rulers of Earth”
While Jenny and Strax investigate sightings of fauns beneath streetlights and mermaids in bath-houses, Madame Vastra is invited into a different mystery. The literary members of the Antediluvian Club have strict criteria for entry, and Miss Edith Renner needs Vastra to access their secrets.
Reviews:
“Gill’s scripts for The Paternoster Gang find a new path, defining this world with queerness, literary aesthetics, and an awful lot of magic. The Ghost Writers might just be the purest case of it yet…” We Are Cult
“Lines are crossed as Gill expertly sets the stage for the finale… 9/10” Sci-Fi Bulletin
Missy: Series Two“Brimstone and Terror”
1×60 mins
released July 2020 on CD & Download
Missy wants an army, a brigade of willing youngsters, trained to serve. So she takes a teaching post at a remote Scottish boarding school. But one of these boys knows Missy of old. And when Oliver Davis summons his sister for help, Lucy brings an ally from London. One Mr Strax…
Reviews:
“Another highly enjoyable outing for Missy….” 9/10 Sci Fi Bulletin
“This is Missy in full meddling mode, while also using humans as little more than rocket fuel for her bigger ambitions. It’s a master class in callousness worthy of the War Master, but it also shows Missy dealing with the consequences of her past actions…” Warped Factor
“Brimstone and Terror is a worthy follow-up to A Spoonful of Mayhem. It captures the Victorian era well, and has more than a hint of magic to it, but still remains faithful to who Missy is. A solid listen for fans of Victorian adventure stories…” Winter is Coming
“At its heart, Brimstone and Terror takes the Mary Poppins pastiche of A Spoonful of Mayhem and moves it one step further. It’s a story all about growing up and realising what you are… 9/10 Indie Mac User
The Paternoster Gang: Heritage 3
“Truth and Bone”
(starring Neve McIntosh, Catrin Stewart, Dan Starkey)
1×60 mins
released May 2020 on CD & Download
Bloomsbury troublemakers Stonn and Tom Foster are back, and in much more trouble than ever before.Sontar has turned its attention to Earth as Requisitioner Skark looks to retrieve missing soldiers. And Jenny finds Vastra preoccupied with the past, which may lead to a very dark future…
Reviews:
“Gill seems to be becoming one of the range’s defining writers; he’s the first to get a second story for the series, and will be back again next set. To me, this is great news; I’m fond of his writing, and the range suits his more magical aesthetics and queer character writing perfectly…” We Are Cult
“Looking to the past to ensure their future, this is the Paternoster Gang fulfilling their potential… 9/10” SciFi Bulletin
The Diary of River Song: Carnival of Angels
(starring Alex Kingston)
Series 7 Episode 4, 1×60 min
available January 2020 on CD & Download
New York. 1930s. Melody Malone is new in town and her detective agency is called on to solve an impossible murder.
River’s investigations lead her to a curious carnival ride, offering trips to either Heaven or Hell. But with Angels in waiting, Heaven may not be the best choice…
Reviews:
“Quite possibly the best use of the Weeping Angels since their debut. 10/10” SciFiBulletin
“Carnival of Angels by Roy Gill is the main event. Every time I think they can’t possibly find a way to render the very visual Weeping Angels in audio, Big Finish proves me wrong. This 1930’s in New York Noir is everything the series couldn’t quite give us after Blink.” SciFiPulse
“Carnival of Angels is an excellent prequel to Eleventh Doctor story The Angels Take Manhattan, while still offering something new and original in its own right.” DoctorWhoWatch
“A well paced story with the angels being as creepy as ever…” CultBox
“Timothy Blore’s Luke returns from Animal Instinct, another Gill script for the River Song range… Their mostly platonic relationship proves a fresh turn on River’s usual innuendo-fuelled interactions with companions. The Depression-era setting is prime pickings for film noir, and film noir suits River… Carnival of Angels is a surprisingly human-centric tale… setting up the sequel neatly at the end.” DigitalFix
The Paternoster Gang: A Photograph to Remember
(starring Neve McIntosh, Catrin Stewart, Dan Starkey)
Series 1 (Heritage) Episode 2, 1×60 min
available June 2019 on CD & Download
The Paternoster Gang are shocked to discover a rival group on the streets. A Sontaran, a Silurian and a human – only their intentions are not quite so noble as Madame Vastra and friends.
And when the recently-photographed dead begin to return home, strangely altered, will this ‘Bloomsbury Bunch’ be more of a help or a hindrance?
Reviews:
“Spirits, the undead, and the sewers are all wonderful parts of this tale, which is a very good horror-comedy, up there with Evil Dead 2 and Shaun of the Dead, and yes I really mean it!” All Stories Matter
“Gill manages to compare and parody the idea of The Paternoster Gang with the equally strange Bloomsbury Bunch… With a brilliantly strong guest cast and a tight script, ‘A Photograph to Remember’ is another strong entry into the debut boxset.” Blogtor Who
Doctor Who: The Creeping Death
(starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate)
Series 3 Episode 3, 1x60min
available May 2019 on CD & Download – and limited edition vinyl record!
also available as part of the Tenth Doctor Adventures Volume Three
London, 1952, and a deadly smog envelops the capital. But something even more dangerous – and alien – is hiding within the mists.
When the Doctor and Donna get lost in the fog, they find a motley group of Londoners trying to make their way home.
Soon the stakes are raised, as death creeps along fume-choked streets, and not everyone will make it out alive….
Reviews:
WINNER BEST AUDIO DRAMA 2020
IAMTW SCRIBE AWARDS
“…probably the best 10th Doctor story from Big Finish so far 10/10” All Stories Matter
“Gill’s first full-cast Doctor Who audio drama is a great success and the pinnacle of the box set, leaving the best for last. 10/10” Indie Mac User
“This final story from Big Finish’s latest batch of Tenth Doctor Adventures is an absolute joy, sending you right back to a time when two best friends were exploring all time and space and embracing everything it threw at them. Forget about the smog: the sky’s the limit.” The Doctor Who Companion
“…a bracingly original alien foe… story so strong on chills and atmosphere… [with] the kind of budget-busting climax you can imagine the Russell T Davies era going for” Doctor Who Magazine.
“…I was impressed with how well I knew these characters by the story’s close. A strong Roy Gill script, more evocative direction, great acting = another winner” Doc Oho Reviews
“Atmospheric, heartfelt and with an epic denouement which we would not dare spoil, The Creeping Death is certainly the high point in this entertaining trio of stories.” Cultbox
“…a gripping character piece set in the 1952 London Smog… a fantastic ending to the boxset: a great plot made better with a fantastic group of well-drawn guest characters who I’d definitely love to hear from again 9/10” Who reVIEW
(starring Michelle Gomez)
Series 1 Episode 1, 1×60 min
available Feb 2019 on CD & Download, more details TBA
Finding herself in a spot of bother in Victorian London, Missy is forced to take on governess duties.
But she has a whole other scheme in mind, and her charges are just in the way. She’s going to have to teach the children some rather harsh lessons about getting what you want.
And there will be tears before bedtime.
Reviews
“The emphasis in this Missy range is on the funny and unpredictable, and the four writers [of series one] all have a firm handle on the character… Missy brings a bracing waft of 21st-century cheek into this stuffy Victorian world.” Doctor Who Magazine
“Writer Roy Gill has a fantastic handle on the character, letting her go completely insane, something that Michelle Gomez seems to relish…” Blogtor Who
“From the first line Gomez is in rare anarchic form… It’s a great first story that brings out a lot of the dark comedy of the role.” 10/10 (series review) Indie Mac User
“Full of magic and mayhem, this story is the perfect opening installment to both this set and to Missy’s solo series as a whole.” Who reVIEW
“Roy Gill’s script is full of fun and fantasy” The Digital Fix
“Gill writes a wonderful tale that is filled with humor, action and some truly heart-warming moments from the Mistress that isn’t as evil as she says she is… this story is worth the price of admission alone.” All Stories Matter
The Diary of River Song: Animal Instinct
(starring Alex Kingston and Geoffrey Beevers)
Series 5 Episode 3, 1x60min
available Jan 2019 on CD & Download
On a world where vicious beasts stalk ancient ruins, Professor Song teaches a student the finer points of archaeology.
But then she meets an incarnation of the Master who is desperate to survive.
And if they are going to escape this place alive, they all must work together.
Reviews
“Roy Gill gives us a River in Tomb Raider mode, having to keep three or four steps mentally ahead of not only what the planet(s) she’s on is throwing at her, but also of her companion/mortal enemy…” 9/10 SciFi Bulletin
“…marvelous classic Doctor Who vibe and savagely lyrical world-building” SciFiPulse
“…another fantastic take of Geoffrey Beavers’ calm, but maniacal Master, ready to do anything and kill anyone to survive” Blogtor Who
“…we’ve had surprisingly few stories in which River actually does archaeology. Roy Gill‘s “Animal Instinct” corrects this, giving us an exciting glimpse into this relatively unseen part of River’s life as she explores ancient ruins, awakens a mysterious Sun God and fights off terrible creatures in an alien jungle…” WhoReVIEW
UNIT – The New Series: Open the Box
(starring Jemma Redgrave, Ingrid Oliver and Pik-Sen Lim)
Series 7 Episode 4, Big Finish,
available November 2018 on CD & Download
In the years since the Stangmoor Prison incident, Captain Chin Lee found a new calling. She now heads up an international organisation, dedicated to meditation and ‘mental fortitude’ training. But there is a menace deep inside the Pandora Institute. And Kate, Osgood and Josh must face their darkest fears…
“Open the Box… feels bang-on 2018. Instead of a big old 70s sci-fi prop, the psychic parasite of this one operates through a malevolent form of wi-fi. Gill’s script, meanwhile, does something interesting with Chin Lee. Her presence here isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, but a thoughtful look at what happens to those caught up in all this extra-terrestrial madness after UNIT’s washed its hands of them…” Doctor Who Magazine.
“Open The Box is a clever, classy evolution of a seventies villain into a 21stcentury setting” Mass Movement
“‘Open the Box’ immediately gets points for me as a meditation/mindfulness instructor by turning much of what I work with into something terrifying… It leads to the best team moment of the entire saga so far forcing Kate, Osgood, and Josh to come together “Guardians of the Galaxy” style to stand against their own fears.” 9/10 The Cinematic Yogi
“…modern UNIT gets to ask questions of traditional Who. In this case, after the Doctor has solved the mystery and thwarted the foe, who looks in on the survivors on each side?” 9/10 series review, Indie Mac User
Doctor Who: The Light Keepers (The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles)
(Narrated by Jacob Dudman and Simon-Fisher Becker)
Series 1 Episode 3, available August 2018 on CD & Download
Dorium Maldovar has a problem. The self-styled ‘Beacon People’ are bad for business, and now they’re in his shuttle park, digging for mysterious minerals. When the Doctor crashes into his life once again, Dorium enlists him to find out what these scavengers are really up to inside their lighthouse. But a lighthouse signals danger – and this beacon was placed to warn of something more ancient and powerful than anyone knows. Something that is returning…
Reviews:
“Dudman and Fisher-Becker together are superb, a galactic odd couple whose dialogue is beautiful and hilarious.” Mass Movement
“Roy Gill does a really good job adapting the character [of Dorium Maldovar] to audio and gives Fisher-Becker plenty of orotund dialogue to get his teeth into… Dorium is in the action more than he ever was on TV and it’s great to hear how he responds to new experiences.” Blogtor Who
“Writers AK Benedict, Simon Guerrier, Roy Gill, and Alice Cavender greatly aid Dudman with excellent scripts. They captured Eleven’s nuances and the dark fairytale tone of his era…” SciFi Pulse
“Fans of the Smith era will absolutely adore this set…” Glam Adelaide
Based on the television series created by Patrick Ness
(starring Fady Elsayed and Sophie Hopkins)
Series 1 Episode 1, available August 2018 on CD & Download
When a talent scout arrives in Shoreditch, Ram sees an opportunity to further his goals, whilst April strikes up a friendship with new boy, Thomas Laneford. Their choices draw all three to Carterhaugh House – but who is the mysterious Mab that waits for them there…?
Reviews:
“A wonderful story that is certainly a strong start to the boxset – with a superbly witty script by Roy Gill with lots of tension and turns in the mix…” 9/10 Cabinet of Souls (Class fan site)
“The script from Roy Gill is superb. Gill writes perfectly for the main characters, like he has been doing it all his life. It’s brilliant. For all the action, and there is quite a bit, there is also a strong emotional core that runs through it…” BigBlueBox Podcast
“A really strong opener… speaks to that fear a lot of us get when we are young and first realise it’s possible not to make it.” IndieMacUser
“These audio adventures hit the ground running…” 5/5 Series Review Cultbox
Tales from New Earth: Escape from New New York (Worlds of Doctor Who)
(starring Kieran Hodgson and Anna Hope, available March 2018 on CD & Download)
Expanding the far-future setting of Russell T Davies’ The End of the World, New Earth and Gridlock, I’m the writer of Tales from New Earth 1.1 and the script-editor of 1.4 The Cats of New Cairo.
1.1 Escape From New New York by Roy Gill
Devon Pryce has lived all his life in the high rises of New New York. A child of the Elevator Guild, he now receives a new calling – from a cat.
Senator Hame is trying to rebuild society, to make it stronger for future generations, but there are those who would stand in her way.
There is a new danger on New Earth, and Devon’s work is only just beginning…
Reviews:
“Wildly entertaining… chock full of surprising characters and visionary world-building.” Doctor Who Magazine
“As a pilot for a new range, it’s an impeccable outing… a really great extrapolation of the New Earth stories of Russell T Davies in general, politically” Downtime
“Escape From New New York is one part political thriller, one part Doctor Who story. Roy Gill does a stellar job of reintroducing us to New Earth and Senator Hame, as well as introducing us to Devon, one of Big Finish’s best everymen in recent memory. There are great moments of wit and humour, and some of true, raw emotion. If the rest of the set lives up to this, we may just have something special on our hands.” Gallifrey Archive
“[Tales from New Earth] takes the bombast, campy strangeness that Russell T Davies’ alien worlds were known for and fills it with heart and joy… one of the freshest and most un-demandingly enjoyable spinoff series Big Finish has had. I’d recommend it quite highly…” Downtime
“There’s a lot of action, vivid imagery and a sense of a world with real depth… very much a creation in its own right.” Red Rocket Rising
“Snappy dialogue sprinkled with clever humour…” SFX Magazine
(starring Louise Jameson and John Dorney)
Series 3 Episode 1, Big Finish, available March 2018 on CD & Download
Adam is moving on with his life, but a new relationship tests him in unexpected ways. Anne’s dealings with a gallery lead her to a macabre exhibit and its owner’s even more macabre fate. Meanwhile, Morag tries desperately to send a warning…
Ambition has a price, and what is trapped will not stay trapped forever…
Reviews:
“Gill’s script deftly blends the supernatural with the mundane…” 9/10 Sci-Fi Bulletin
“Roy Gill kicks the series off with a brilliant series opener. Gill previously knocked it out of the park with ‘The Changeling’ and he does much the same here. ‘Under Glass’, though up against some very stiff competition, is possibly the strongest story of the set. The story turns myths of magic genies in bottles into a rip-roaring adventure… It’s brilliant stuff and rattles along at a good pace.” Blogtor Who
“A twisted cautionary tale on the subject of good fortune; this is a fantastic start to the set drawing on real Edinburgh history” IndieMacUser
UNIT – The New Series: Invocation
(starring Jemma Redgrave, Ingrid Oliver and James Joyce) Series 5 Episode 2, Big Finish, available November 2017 on CD & Download
It’s Hallowe’en, and Josh finds himself at a party where phantoms are becoming all too real. Osgood is working late and hears a voice from the skies making strange incantations. The next day, Kate has gone missing in the Scottish Borders, and the team head north to investigate. Ghosts from the past are haunting UNIT, and now they threaten the whole world…
Reviews:
“Using the archetypal demonic horror imagery, the haunted house and the satanic chant, through science fiction grammar like sound waves and satellites, creates a tonally unique and aesthetically compelling blend that makes for a wholly unique and refreshing story.” Downtime
“Invocation is a gorgeous creation in and of itself, and it feels entirely self-contained, with a pay-off that delivers.” Mass Movement
“The uneasy relationship between Donelly [Lucy Fleming] and Stewart [Jemma Redgrave] that squarely brings a personal history to the forefront is perfect, and carries this atmospheric tale that avoids conformity at every turn.” Doctor Who Reviews
“This story has a really nice feel to it and it has nice links back to the original UNIT & the Brigadier and goings on when Kate was a girl…” 9/10 Series Review, Indie Mac User
“Definitely one to dig out again for relistening at Halloween, this is an unusual but effective tale for the team. 9/10” Sci-Fi Bulletin
The Omega Factor: The Changeling
(starring Louise Jameson and John Dorney) Series 2 Episode 2, Big Finish, available April 2017 on CD & Download.
Adam takes on a risky assignment, going undercover inside Tollmire Prison as a murderer’s cellmate. But when the lights go out in these corridors, something else lurks in the darkness. Something that kills.
As Anne tries to unlock decades-old secrets, she discovers that some who believe in the folklore of faeries and changelings will take their faith to terrible extremes.
Reviews:
“Tense, thrilling and nail biting…” 10/10 Series Review (Planet Mondas)
“For me this is the darkest story of the set. Roy Gill spins a tale which turns on old superstitions and prejudice…” 8/10 Series Review (Indie Mac User)
“Events take a darker turn still in Roy Gill’s disturbing and claustrophobic prison story The Changeling, in which Adam goes undercover as an inmate to share a cell with the volatile lifer Alasdair Reiver. The jail scenes make for intense listening, but the most blood-chilling moments come from the prejudice and superstition Anne uncovers in family relationships outside the prison walls…” 9/10 Series Review (Starburst Magazine)
“Really captivating from its opening moments… ” 8/10 Series Review (Blogtor Who)
“a terrific continuation of the original show.” 9/10 (Sci-Fi Bulletin)
The Confessions of Dorian Gray: Angel of War
(starring Alexander Vlahos, Daniel Brocklebank, Samuel Barnett and Steven Cree) Series 5 Episode 2, Big Finish, available October 2016 on CD & download.
France, 1915. In the trenches of the Great War, Lieutenant Dorian Gray reports to Captain James Anderson, shortly before a routine mission into No Man’s Land. His comrades rely on their faith to get them through – but is there any truth behind the story of the legendary Angel of Mons…?
Reviews:
“A tale of honour, passion, friendship and loyalty, it explores the brutality of conflict and the myths and legends, true or not, that soldiers tell themselves (and which, in turn, gradually become folklore) in order to try and get though, and make sense of, the horrors that they’re forced to witness daily in the theatre of war…” (Mass Movement)
“In a year of outstanding releases from Big Finish [Dorian Gray Series 5] is one of the very best and a strong contender for my release of the year…” (Planet Mondas)
“…an encounter of a different kind, one that humanises the monster that is Dorian in contrast to the Great War that rages in the background.” 10/10 Series Review (Starburst Magazine)
“These three stories represent some of the greatest writing the series has ever seen and are just absolutely perfect to listen to…” (Totally Big Finish)
“The mood changes in Roy Gill’s tender and moving story Angel of War, setting Dorian in the trenches and charts his love affair with James Anderson…” 5/5 Series review. (Cultbox) No.4 in Cultbox’s Top 10 Big Finish Audios of 2016
Dark Shadows: 50th Anniversary Special – Blood & Fire
A two-hour adventure celebrating 50 years of Dark Shadows, available June 2016 on CD & download from Big Finish
“Some are born with magic, some acquire magic, and others have magic thrust upon them…”
The year is 1767. Young widow Laura Murdoch Stockbridge is to marry Joshua Collins, heir to the Collins fortune. Meanwhile, Joshua’s sister Abigail is in love with disreputable sailor Abraham Harkaway. But the course of true love never did run smooth… especially when the witch Angélique Bouchard is around. For Angélique has been sent back in time. And she has one mission… To destroy the Collins family forever.
Reviews:
WINNER OF THE IAMTW 2017 SCRIBE AWARD
“Blood and Fire is arguably the purest distillation of Dark Shadows since the show went off the air on 2 April, 1971. Maybe it’s the welcome use of composer Robert Cobert’s iconic incidental music; maybe it’s the way characters do the wrong thing for entirely the right reason; maybe it’s the combination of Gill’s tightly-knit writing and the Colonial Gothic setting. Whatever the reason, the result is sublime, tragic and triumphant. 10/10” (Sci-Fi Bulletin)
“Gothic, romantic and thrilling, a period piece that goes back to the beginning whilst setting the tone for a new beginning, the blood pumps and the Phoenix rises and I award this sumptuous celebration 9/10” (Planet Mondas)
“Blood & Fire is Dark Shadows in microcosm. There’s a careful reverence to DARK SHADOWS: BLOOD & FIRE that falls somewhere on the spectrum between alchemy and magic… There’s genuine love and affection on display here, plus a superstitious attention to detail that is almost frightening. There are so many layers that we might be discussing this story for years to come…” (Collinsport Historical Society)
“The story is about these three passionate, haunted, doomed women — Angelique, Laura and Abigail — as they flirt and scream and rage, and create the Dark Shadows that we know… Blood & Fire doesn’t just sound like Dark Shadows, it’s telling a story that Dark Shadows can tell — about money and love and terrible choices, about mistakes and murder, and most of all, about interesting people standing around in rooms, saying horrible things to each other.
With Blood & Fire, [Big Finish]’ve done something that I don’t think anyone else has managed, in the last 45 years. They’ve made more Dark Shadows...” (Dark Shadows Every Day)
“No single story sums up the series as well as this one does. Simply put, it captures everything the series is about: family dynamics, the supernatural, and the corruption that comes with wealth and power.” (Warped Factor)
Podcast: go behind the scenes on Blood & Fire.
The Confessions of Dorian Gray: The Enigma of Dorian Gray
(starring Alexander Vlahos and Anthony Howell) Series 4 Episode 1, Big Finish, available November 2015 on CD & download.
Salford, 1968. Dorian returns to one of his former universities, having been summoned by his old friend, Adam Notting. Instead, he is greeted by BEAUTY: the product of Notting’s research into artificial intelligence. But is BEAUTY all it seems to be? And what of the BEAST…?
Reviews:
“As the story unwinds it asks some deep questions about Dorian’s nature… much credit to Gill for a clever story with a great title.” (Cultbox, 5/5 series review)
“Roy Gill works up an unusually modern mystery, all too appropriate for a digital age…” (Third Eye Cinema)
“If you’re looking for well-written, incredibly well performed drama that’s a little out of left field, then you’ve come to the right place, because ‘The Confessions of Dorian Gray’ has all of that in spades, and a great deal more besides.” (Mass Movement)
Iris Wildthyme – Reloaded: Oracle of the Supermarket
(starring Katy Manning and Geoffrey Breton) Big Finish, available August 2015 on CD & download.
Cassie Burdock works on the till in the local branch of Fergusons. She thinks she’s nothing special, that she’s just like everyone else… until one day, she finds that she can predict the future with unnerving accuracy.
Reviews:
“Iris and Edwin come face to face with… a most unexpected, unwanted and ancient presence while shopping for a bargain or two… Each and every one of the writers involved [in Wildthyme Reloaded] delivers a top-notch tale” (Doctor Who Magazine)
“Wildthyme Reloaded is the perfect starting point for anyone wanting to get a glimpse into the world of Ms Wildthyme… Particular highlights include, ‘Oracle of the Supermarket’, ‘Murder At The Abbey’ and ‘Looking for a Friend’. These three stories are utter perfection.” (BlogtorWho)
(starring David Selby and Susan Sullivan) Big Finish, available May 2015 on CD & download.
“The further into the antique shop she explored, the darker it seemed to get, until Lela couldn’t see the walls at all…”
Lela Quick is a busy woman. She’s got essays to mark, journals to edit, books to write…But every night she is tormented by the same dream: a nightmare of pursuit through a dark forest, the air filled with haunting music. A chance meeting with Quentin Collins, the enigmatic owner of Pandemonium Antiques, adds to her growing sense of unease. Soon both their lives are in danger – – if they can’t escape the panic…
Reviews:
“The story is written like a 1930s screwball comedy, with a fast-talking dame and the guy she despises, cracking wise and falling for each other as they get themselves into and out of some ridiculous jam… Panic is a Dark Shadows story, and it’s a really good one.” (Danny Horn, Dark Shadows Every Day)
“Panic is a decent [Dark Shadows] debut for horror novelist/Dorian Gray scribe Roy Gill, who populates his story with memorable characters…” (Sci-Fi Bulletin)
“On the surface, Panic is a rollercoaster ride through nightmarish settings and environments but underneath there’s a touching love story – the best of both worlds… highly recommended.” (Kroagnon)
“A Quentin Collins story again and a rather sweet one… a dark fairy tale in a Pan’s Labyrinth meets Narnia sort of way – has to be heard to be appreciated.” (Picked as one of Planet Mondas‘s Top Five Dark Shadows Dramatic Readings)
“Sullivan is hilarious as she plays this cocky, well-assured, empowered woman whose life suddenly turns an about-face into the unknown… Seeing the process is all part of the fun and the horror of the story… Great script, excellent actors, and an engaging performance. A must-have for all Dark Shadows fans.” (Amazon.com review – Velma Mae)
“Roy Gill weaves a wonderful tale of mystery, secrets, and forgotten pasts, and he even integrates some long forgotten mythology…” 10/10 (Reading is fun, not mental)
The Confessions of Dorian Gray: We are Everywhere
(starring Alexander Vlahos and Blake Ritson) Series 3 Episode 3, Big Finish, available November 2014 on CD & download.
When a serial-killing stalker discovers the truth about Dorian and his immortality, a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse ensues…
Reviews:
“This cat and mouse game between Dorian and Luke is another example of this series at its peak: uncomfortable, thought provoking and bolstered by fantastic performances: 9/10“ (Doc Oho Reviews)
“Roy Gill’s We Are Everywhere places Dorian at the hands of a serial killer who can now practise his art on a man who always returns to life, and therefore who will never involve the authorities. The eight plays combine an ingeniousness of plot and of resolution, making the entire experience surprising and rewarding in equal measure.” (Starburst Magazine, 9/10 series review)
The Confessions of Dorian Gray: The Prime of Deacon Brodie
(starring Alexander Vlahos, Daniel Brocklebank, Rhys Jennings and Paul Clayton) Halloween Special, Big Finish, available Oct 2013 as download / also available as part of the Complete Series 1 & 2 CD box set.
Edinburgh, 1920. Seizing upon the possibility of a reunion with his closest comrade from the trenches, Dorian arrives in the capital city of Scotland on Halloween! Guisers are out in force, disapproving gentlemen walk the streets… and a sinister department store has a great deal more on offer than it might initially advertise.
Big Finish press release / My blog about the recording can be read here
Reviews:
“Loved this story… The romance is enduring, and the surrounding mystery is engrossing and creepy, and more importantly, isn’t easily guessable from the starting blocks. Plus sexy Scottish Dorian.” (Matthew Bright)
“Trapped in a dying man’s body while his own is taken by a body-hopping fellow immortal, can Dorian reverse the switch before it’s too late? …Roy Gill has worked up a clever, appropriately eerie variation on a hoary concept: the fact that you can never go back again, particularly in terms of relationships…” (Third Eye Cinema)
Roy Gill 