The End of the Line (audio story)

The End of the Line
Doctor:	Sixth Doctor
Companion(s):	Constance
Main enemy:	The Master, The Valeyard
Main setting:	Reality nexus
Key crew
Publisher:	Big Finish Productions
Writers:	Simon Barnard and Paul Morris
Director:	Nicholas Briggs
Music:	Howard Carter
Sound:	Howard Carter
Cover by:	Tom Webster
Release details
Release number:	1
Part of:	The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure
Release date:	17 August 2015
Format:	1 X 1 hour
The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure
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The End of the Line was the first full cast audio story in the The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure audio anthology released in 2015 by Big Finish Productions. Due to the anthology having its release date pushed forward, it was the first audio released to feature the Doctor's companion Constance Clarke, before her actual debut story was released.

It saw the second time both the Master and the Valeyard have been involved in the same story in a performed production, the first being 1986's The Trial of a Time Lord arc.

Publisher's summary

"We're all hopelessly lost, aren't we, Doctor?"

The Doctor and his latest companion Constance investigate a commuter train that has lost its way...

Plot

Tim Hope.

The Doctor and Constance Clarke find themselves lost in the fog. Luckily, they’re not too far from Kettering Junction, a Midlands railways station that service a large among of daily commuters heading to London. They’re not alone – passengers and staff from a nearby commuter train have made their way to the station after their train stopped. Meeting a local trainspotter, the Doctor and his fellow travelers soon make several discoveries. One, Kettering Junction should have twelve platforms, not seventeen. Two, each platform holds an identical commuter train, some in pristine condition and other caked with blood. And three, there are distant and bloodcurdling screams coming from the fog – screams that exactly like those of the passengers and staff…

Cast

• The Doctor - Colin Baker
• Constance Clarke - Miranda Raison
• Tim Hope - Anthony Howell
• Keith Potter - Chris Finney
• Alice Lloyd - Ony Uhiara
• Norman - Hamish Clark
• Hilary Ratchett - Maggie Service

Uncredited

• The Valeyard - Michael Jayston

References

• Constance mentions the TARDIS always getting lost.
• The Doctor mentions Cartesian geometry, which involves 26 dimensions.
• Parallel universes aren't supposed to meet, hence the word 'parallel,' but there are various points in the universe where the parallels collide.
• There are other dimensions that, while they can't be called "evil" since that's too subjective, are nonetheless darker, but these darker dimensions are usually "safely" away from the nice ones.
• The Normans are "Normal Animates," since "normality" can have various meaning in different realities. They were grown by the Parallel Sect.
• The longer the dimensional barriers are broken, the more dimensions collapse into infinity with accelerated "normative entropy."
• The Master uses his TCE.
• The Master's TARDIS is disguised as a ticket machine.
• Keith Potter is an avatar, operated by the Master from the safety of his TARDIS.
• The Valeyard claims the dimensional nexus point as his domain, where he's been re-invigorating.

Notes

• This story contains the first released appearance of companion Constance Clarke, portraying her as already travelling with the Sixth Doctor. Due to the release date of The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure being pushed forward from September 2015 to August 2015, this story was released before the story which officially introduced Constance and portrayed her joining the Doctor on his travels.
• This story features the first (clear) appearance of the Tremas Master as played by Anthony Ainley in an audio presentation. He is portrayed by Chris Finney in a host body.
• The idea of darker dimensions originates from The Dark Dimension, a cancelled anniversary special where the Fourth Doctor's death was prevented, creating a "dark dimension."

Continuity

• Constance was a WREN during World War II. (AUDIO: Criss-Cross)
• The Doctor refers to his darker self who he knows is still out there, despite trying to rectify the matter. (AUDIO: Trial of the Valeyard)
• Accords ding to Norman, the Master has been referring to himself as the "definite article". The Fourth Doctor once referred to himself in the same way. (TV: Robot)
• After his true identity is revealed, the Master says, "Oh, my dear Doctor, you have been naive." He previously said this after revealing himself to the Fifth Doctor in TV: The King's Demons.

External links

• Official The End of the Line - The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure page at bigfinish.com