The Gathering (audio story): Difference between revisions

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(Corrected statement about being later in Tegan's timeline than any other performed story)
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* The opening broadcasts refer to the launch of the British [[airship]] ''[[R101]]'' in [[October]] [[1930]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Storm Warning (audio story)|Storm Warning]]'') the first manned mission to [[Mars]] in the [[2000s]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Red Dawn (audio story)|Red Dawn]]'') [[St Gart's Bankside Hospital|St Gart's Hospital]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Harvest (audio story)|The Harvest]]'') the [[2012 Olympic Games]] in [[London]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Frozen Time (audio story)|Frozen Time]]''; [[TV]]: ''[[Fear Her (TV story)|Fear Her]]'', ''[[Good as Gold (TV story)|Good as Gold]]'') and the beginning of [[World War V]] in the [[49th century]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Singularity (audio story)|Singularity]]''; [[TV]]: ''[[The Unquiet Dead (TV story)|The Unquiet Dead]]'').
* The opening broadcasts refer to the launch of the British [[airship]] ''[[R101]]'' in [[October]] [[1930]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Storm Warning (audio story)|Storm Warning]]'') the first manned mission to [[Mars]] in the [[2000s]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Red Dawn (audio story)|Red Dawn]]'') [[St Gart's Bankside Hospital|St Gart's Hospital]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Harvest (audio story)|The Harvest]]'') the [[2012 Olympic Games]] in [[London]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Frozen Time (audio story)|Frozen Time]]''; [[TV]]: ''[[Fear Her (TV story)|Fear Her]]'', ''[[Good as Gold (TV story)|Good as Gold]]'') and the beginning of [[World War V]] in the [[49th century]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Singularity (audio story)|Singularity]]''; [[TV]]: ''[[The Unquiet Dead (TV story)|The Unquiet Dead]]'').
* In an attempt to reach the [[Ice Caves of Shabadabadon]], the Doctor lands in the newly opened Gogglebox inside the Moon instead. He claims that he has always wanted to visit the Ice Caves. While in his [[Sixth Doctor|sixth incarnation]], he would later attempt to bring his companion [[Peri Brown]] to see them. Following a brief (and accidental) return to the Gogglebox, they instead travelled to Peri's home town of [[Fell's Point]], [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], [[United States of America|USA]] in [[September]] [[1984]] after Peri learned of the murder of [[Anthony Chambers]], the father of her best friend [[Katherine Chambers|Kathy Chambers]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'') The [[Eighth Doctor]] would eventually visit the Ice Caves in the company of [[Samson Griffin|Samson]] and [[Gemma Griffin]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Terror Firma (audio story)|Terror Firma]]'')
* In an attempt to reach the [[Ice Caves of Shabadabadon]], the Doctor lands in the newly opened Gogglebox inside the Moon instead. He claims that he has always wanted to visit the Ice Caves. While in his [[Sixth Doctor|sixth incarnation]], he would later attempt to bring his companion [[Peri Brown]] to see them. Following a brief (and accidental) return to the Gogglebox, they instead travelled to Peri's home town of [[Fell's Point]], [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], [[United States of America|USA]] in [[September]] [[1984]] after Peri learned of the murder of [[Anthony Chambers]], the father of her best friend [[Katherine Chambers|Kathy Chambers]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'') The [[Eighth Doctor]] would eventually visit the Ice Caves in the company of [[Samson Griffin|Samson]] and [[Gemma Griffin]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Terror Firma (audio story)|Terror Firma]]'')
* The Doctor obliges Alan by telling him that he was responsible for the [[Great Fire of London]] in [[September]] [[1666]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Visitation (TV story)|The Visitation]]'') "sort of" responsible for the disappearance of the ''[[Mary Celeste]]''{{'}}s crew ([[TV]]: ''[[The Chase (TV story)|The Chase]]'') and that he worked for [[UNIT]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'', et. al), though he is seemingly [[UNIT dating controversy|unsure as to exactly when]]. Alan mentions that they are rumours claiming that the Doctor was present when mankind discovered fire ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'') as well as rumours which suggest that he shall witness the [[End of the Universe|end of the universe]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'', ''[[The Big Bang (TV story)|The Big Bang]]'').
* The Doctor obliges Alan by telling him that he was responsible for the [[Great Fire of London]] in [[September]] [[1666]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Visitation (TV story)|The Visitation]]'') "sort of" responsible for the disappearance of the ''[[Mary Celeste]]''{{'}}s crew ([[TV]]: ''[[The Chase (TV story)|The Chase]]'') and that he worked for [[UNIT]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'', et. al), though he is seemingly [[UNIT dating controversy|unsure as to exactly when]]. Alan mentions that there are rumours claiming that the Doctor was present when mankind discovered fire ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'') as well as rumours which suggest that he shall witness the [[End of the Universe|end of the universe]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'', ''[[The Big Bang (TV story)|The Big Bang]]'').
* While investigating unusual energy signatures that appear throughout Earth's history, the Doctor detects a television transmission emanating from Fell's Point, Baltimore, USA in September 1984 in which [[Doyle (The Reaping)|Lt. Doyle]] of the Baltimore Police states that "the [[Daniel Woods|vagrant]] charged with the brutal murder of father of two [[Anthony Chambers]] has escaped. He is believed to be still in the Fell's Point neighbourhood and is on the run with an accomplice known only as 'the Doctor'." Based on this evidence, the Doctor determines that his [[Sixth Doctor|future self]] is already in Baltimore in 1984 ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'') and therefore decides to travel to the location of the next energy spike, namely [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]] in [[September]] [[2006]].
* While investigating unusual energy signatures that appear throughout Earth's history, the Doctor detects a television transmission emanating from Fell's Point, Baltimore, USA in September 1984 in which [[Doyle (The Reaping)|Lt. Doyle]] of the Baltimore Police states that "the [[Daniel Woods|vagrant]] charged with the brutal murder of father of two [[Anthony Chambers]] has escaped. He is believed to be still in the Fell's Point neighbourhood and is on the run with an accomplice known only as 'the Doctor'." Based on this evidence, the Doctor determines that his [[Sixth Doctor|future self]] is already in Baltimore in 1984 ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'') and therefore decides to travel to the location of the next energy spike, namely [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]] in [[September]] [[2006]].
* The Doctor previously visited Brisbane in [[January]] [[1983]] in the company of Tegan and [[Nyssa]] after defeating Father Thane and the Elite of [[Florana]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Elite (audio story)|The Elite]]'', ''[[Hexagora (audio story)|Hexagora]]'') Furthermore, the three of them and [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] had subsequently travelled to the city in the [[51st century]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Butcher of Brisbane (audio story)|The Butcher of Brisbane]]'')
* The Doctor previously visited Brisbane in [[January]] [[1983]] in the company of Tegan and [[Nyssa]] after defeating Father Thane and the Elite of [[Florana]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Elite (audio story)|The Elite]]'', ''[[Hexagora (audio story)|Hexagora]]'') Furthermore, the three of them and [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] had subsequently travelled to the city in the [[51st century]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Butcher of Brisbane (audio story)|The Butcher of Brisbane]]'')

Revision as of 00:14, 3 July 2024

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The Gathering was the eighty-seventh story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Joseph Lidster and featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor and Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka.

It was the Fifth Doctor's entry in a loose trilogy of stories surrounding an attempted Cyberman invasion of Earth, further detailed in The Harvest and The Reaping. It also takes place concurrently with The Veiled Leopard.

As an individual story, however, it was certainly most notable for being the first monthly Doctor Who audio story to feature the Fifth Doctor travelling alone (due to his companions being engaged in the events of The Veiled Leopard), and the first to feature Janet Fielding as Tegan. It was thus the first time she had reprised the role since 1985's A Fix with Sontarans. As of 2019, it remains the only performed Doctor Who story to feature only the Fifth Doctor and Tegan alone, without any other companions. Set in Tegan's middle age, it portrayed her later in her life than any other performed story until The Power of the Doctor over 16 years later. It was further unusual for showing Tegan in her native Brisbane, Australia.

At the time it was released, it was thought to be Fielding's "one and only" audio story, and the marketing reflected that. However, in the light of her more regular audio appearances in the 2010s, that aspect of the story became less well-remembered.

Publisher's summary

On the morning of 22 September 2006, Tegan woke up. She was expecting to spend the day relaxing at home and, that evening, tolerate a party thrown to celebrate her 46th birthday.

But things don't always go as expected. It's been over twenty years since she chose to leave the Doctor. She's got a job, mates...a life.

Meanwhile her friend, Katherine Chambers, makes a decision that could change all their lives, and Tegan discovers that you can never really escape the past...

Plot

to be added

Cast

Crew

Worldbuilding

Real world

The Doctor

  • Alan claims that there is no record of the Doctor travelling alone during his fifth incarnation. He is somewhat disappointed that it was not the Seventh Doctor who travelled to the Gogglebox, as he believes that he "knows everything."

Individuals

  • Tegan has taken over her father's stock feed company Verney Food Supplies, which he presumably inherited from her maternal grandfather Andrew Verney. Her mother is still alive and calls to wish her a happy birthday.

Gallery

Notes

  • An illustrated preview of this story with artwork by Martin Geraghty featured in DWM 374.
  • The Doctor's comment about hating celery is a reference to the fact that Peter Davison hates celery in real life.
  • The story states that something will cause the Doctor to lose some of the memories of his fifth incarnation, seemingly after his next regeneration. The cause of this has not yet been revealed, although it has been hinted that it was due to his subsequent regeneration. (AUDIO: Peri and the Piscon Paradox)
  • This audio drama is part of a loose trilogy encompassing The Reaping, The Gathering and The Harvest.
  • Besides the Doctor, Kathy and Nathaniel Chambers are the only characters to appear in both this story and AUDIO: The Reaping.
  • Both this story and its sequel AUDIO: The Harvest take place on the relevant companion's birthday. 22 September 2006 is Tegan's 46th birthday whereas 12 October 2021 is Hex's 23rd birthday.
  • Released in September 2006, this is one of the few Big Finish audio dramas to take place at the time of its release. Another example is AUDIO: The Condemned, which was released and takes place in February 2008.
  • This audio drama was recorded on 29 and 30 June 2006 at The Moat Studios.
  • This story is set between Planet of Fire and The Caves of Androzani.
  • The Doctor and Tegan's reunion in this story is contradicted by TV: The Power of the Doctor, where Tegan claims she hasn't seen the Doctor since 1984.

Continuity

External links