The Red List (audio story): Difference between revisions

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'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the fifty-sixth story in the ''[[Torchwood - Monthly Range]]'' by [[Big Finish Productions]]. It was written by [[James Goss]].  
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the fifty-sixth story in the ''[[Torchwood - Monthly Range]]'' by [[Big Finish Productions]]. It was written by [[James Goss]].


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
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Ms McShane stops being friendly with Mr Colchester upon learning that he is with [[Torchwood Three|Torchwood]] due to their former attitude towards [[the Doctor]], but helps after he sees somebody fall from the fourteenth floor and sneaks out with him. A guard spots them, however, and escorts them back to their rooms after claiming that nobody had fallen. The following day, Ms McShane admits that she has come to overthrow [[de Santos|President de Santos]] because of how he has let a generation of children down and [[Xavier (The Red List)|Xavier]], who works in maintenance, confides in Mr Colchester that he believes that de Santos is a bad man.
Ms McShane stops being friendly with Mr Colchester upon learning that he is with [[Torchwood Three|Torchwood]] due to their former attitude towards [[the Doctor]], but helps after he sees somebody fall from the fourteenth floor and sneaks out with him. A guard spots them, however, and escorts them back to their rooms after claiming that nobody had fallen. The following day, Ms McShane admits that she has come to overthrow [[de Santos|President de Santos]] because of how he has let a generation of children down and [[Xavier (The Red List)|Xavier]], who works in maintenance, confides in Mr Colchester that he believes that de Santos is a bad man.


When Mr Colchester hears Ms McShane in distress, he jumps onto her balcony and opens her door, letting out a [[swarm]] of [[blowfly|blowflies]] from the [[air conditioning]]. He asks Xavier to check the basement and ducts in case the blowflies were attracted by [[corpse]]s and Ms McShane finds something alien in her [[cupboard]] taking her shape which she flushes down the [[toilet]]. Mr Colchester's own cupboard, however, is empty. Ms McShane deduces that they have both been being [[brainwashing|brainwashed]] and Mr Colchester has subtly trying to get the both of them to realise it through non-existent [[crossword]] clues and messages only he could see.  
When Mr Colchester hears Ms McShane in distress, he jumps onto her balcony and opens her door, letting out a [[swarm]] of [[blowfly|blowflies]] from the [[air conditioning]]. He asks Xavier to check the basement and ducts in case the blowflies were attracted by [[corpse]]s and Ms McShane finds something alien in her [[cupboard]] taking her shape which she flushes down the [[toilet]]. Mr Colchester's own cupboard, however, is empty. Ms McShane deduces that they have both been being [[brainwashing|brainwashed]] and Mr Colchester has subtly trying to get the both of them to realise it through non-existent [[crossword]] clues and messages only he could see.


Upon realising that Ms McShane has been being copied for being strategically advantageous and that Mr Colchester has been being brainwashed to [[assassination|assassinate]] de Santos, they knock Xavier out and take his key card to escape the hotel. They put on [[hazmat suit]]s and discover that the guards and staff are all Xavier; they are [[the Unity]], a group paid to take over a [[A Charitable Earth]] and discredit Torchwood. They dissolve themselves when Mr Colchester and Ms McShane get out and the hotel is [[evacuation|evacuated]] in order to prevent themselves from being discovered, making Ms McShane worry about whether or not they are all the original versions of themselves.
Upon realising that Ms McShane has been being copied for being strategically advantageous and that Mr Colchester has been being brainwashed to [[assassination|assassinate]] de Santos, they knock Xavier out and take his key card to escape the hotel. They put on [[hazmat suit]]s and discover that the guards and staff are all Xavier; they are [[the Unity]], a group paid to take over a [[A Charitable Earth]] and discredit Torchwood. They dissolve themselves when Mr Colchester and Ms McShane get out and the hotel is [[evacuation|evacuated]] in order to prevent themselves from being discovered, making Ms McShane worry about whether or not they are all the original versions of themselves.
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* [[Xavier (The Red List)|Xavier]] - [[Manuel Pacific]]
* [[Xavier (The Red List)|Xavier]] - [[Manuel Pacific]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* [[Mercy Bridge]] has collapsed.
* [[Mercy Bridge]] has collapsed.
* Mr Colchester receives a [[breakfast]] of two [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]] [[sausage]]s, a slice of [[cucumber]], [[cheese]] and a [[pickle]].
* Mr Colchester receives a [[breakfast]] of two [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]] [[sausage]]s, a slice of [[cucumber]], [[cheese]] and a [[pickle]].
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== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* [[Ace|Dorothy McShane]] and [[St John Colchester]] have both faced [[Dalek|Daleks]]. McShane states that she once hit a Dalek with a [[Ace's baseball bat|baseball bat]] in [[Shoreditch]], [[1963]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'') Meanwhile, Colchester claims that during his time in the [[Civil Service]], he was present during the Dalek invasion of Earth. He convinced armed human beings to not risk their own lives by attempting to attack the Daleks. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]]'')
* [[Ace|Dorothy McShane]] and [[St John Colchester]] have both faced [[Dalek]]s. McShane states that she once hit a Dalek with a [[Ace's baseball bat|baseball bat]] in [[Shoreditch]], [[1963]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'') Meanwhile, Colchester claims that during his time in the [[Civil Service]], he was present during the Dalek invasion of Earth. He convinced armed human beings to not risk their own lives by attempting to attack the Daleks. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]]'')
** Before he was a member of [[Torchwood Three]], the previous team of [[Jack Harkness]], [[Gwen Cooper]] and [[Ianto Jones]] were present during this invasion and helped to pilot the [[Earth]] back to its original location. ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'')
** Before he was a member of [[Torchwood Three]], the previous team of [[Jack Harkness]], [[Gwen Cooper]] and [[Ianto Jones]] were present during this invasion and helped to pilot the [[Earth]] back to its original location. ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'')
** Colchester mentions humans were trying to defend themselves with [[Fire extinguisher|fire extinguishers]]. During the war between the Daleks and the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]], which itself lead to the fall of [[Torchwood One]] in [[2007]], [[Jackie Tyler]] used a fire extinguisher in an attempt to help the [[Tenth Doctor]] to locate her. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'')
** Colchester mentions humans were trying to defend themselves with [[fire extinguisher]]s. During the war between the Daleks and the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]], which itself lead to the fall of [[Torchwood One]] in [[2007]], [[Jackie Tyler]] used a fire extinguisher in an attempt to help the [[Tenth Doctor]] to locate her. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'')
* Upon hearing that Colchester represents Torchwood, McShane is filled with disgust. She recalls that Torchwood was created to defend the country from her best friend, [[the Doctor]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Tooth and Claw (TV story)|Tooth and Claw]]'')
* Upon hearing that Colchester represents Torchwood, McShane is filled with disgust. She recalls that Torchwood was created to defend the country from her best friend, [[the Doctor]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Tooth and Claw (TV story)|Tooth and Claw]]'')
** Just as Colchester attempts to explain to McShane how Torchwood was rebuilt with a new purpose, Jack Harkness also attempted such a conversation with the Tenth Doctor upon their first reunion. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'')
** Just as Colchester attempts to explain to McShane how Torchwood was rebuilt with a new purpose, Jack Harkness also attempted such a conversation with the Tenth Doctor upon their first reunion. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'')

Revision as of 17:55, 6 September 2023

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The Red List was the fifty-sixth story in the Torchwood - Monthly Range by Big Finish Productions. It was written by James Goss.

Publisher's summary

At first it was lights in the sky. Then the country started falling apart. Torchwood has come to help. So has A Charitable Earth. But there's a problem.

Mr Colchester and Ms McShane find themselves trapped in a quarantine hotel in the middle of an alien invasion.

Can they save the world without leaving their rooms?

Plot

Mr Colchester has been summoned by Señor Fernández to his country to help thwart an alien invasion which threatens to cause societal collapse, but he is kept quarantined in a hotel on the pretext of a concern about viral malaria. He meets Dorothy McShane after going out on his balcony and leaves his room at night after hearing somebody in pain, but a guard catches him and claims that the room that he heard screams from is unoccupied. He shares his concern with reception, who pay him little notice, and with Ms McShane, who is frustrated that the medical supplies she has brought are stuck in the harbour until she can leave.

Ms McShane stops being friendly with Mr Colchester upon learning that he is with Torchwood due to their former attitude towards the Doctor, but helps after he sees somebody fall from the fourteenth floor and sneaks out with him. A guard spots them, however, and escorts them back to their rooms after claiming that nobody had fallen. The following day, Ms McShane admits that she has come to overthrow President de Santos because of how he has let a generation of children down and Xavier, who works in maintenance, confides in Mr Colchester that he believes that de Santos is a bad man.

When Mr Colchester hears Ms McShane in distress, he jumps onto her balcony and opens her door, letting out a swarm of blowflies from the air conditioning. He asks Xavier to check the basement and ducts in case the blowflies were attracted by corpses and Ms McShane finds something alien in her cupboard taking her shape which she flushes down the toilet. Mr Colchester's own cupboard, however, is empty. Ms McShane deduces that they have both been being brainwashed and Mr Colchester has subtly trying to get the both of them to realise it through non-existent crossword clues and messages only he could see.

Upon realising that Ms McShane has been being copied for being strategically advantageous and that Mr Colchester has been being brainwashed to assassinate de Santos, they knock Xavier out and take his key card to escape the hotel. They put on hazmat suits and discover that the guards and staff are all Xavier; they are the Unity, a group paid to take over a A Charitable Earth and discredit Torchwood. They dissolve themselves when Mr Colchester and Ms McShane get out and the hotel is evacuated in order to prevent themselves from being discovered, making Ms McShane worry about whether or not they are all the original versions of themselves.

Cast

Worldbuilding

Notes

  • This story was recorded on 8 and 26 July 2021 both remotely and at the Soundhouse.
  • The country in which the story is set is implied to be in South America: it is led by "El Presidente", has issues with malaria and English is spoken with an American accent.
  • Writer and producer James Goss explained that this story is set "after Covid" and gave a rough setting of "early 2022".[1]

Continuity

External links

Footnotes