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{{title|''{{PAGENAME}}''}}
{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox CD
|image          = The Gathering cover.jpg
|image          = [[file:The_Gathering_cover.jpg|250px]] Cover Art - [[Lee Binding]]
|range          = Main Range
|cd name        = The Gathering
|number in range = 87
|series          = [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories]]
|series          = ''[[Main Range]]''
|number          = 87
|number          = 87
|doctor          = [[Fifth Doctor]]
|doctor          = Fifth Doctor
|companions      = [[Tegan Jovanka]] (guest)
|companions      = [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]]
|enemy          = Katherine Chambers
|enemy          = [[Katherine Chambers]], [[James Clarke]], [[Nathaniel Chambers]]
|year            = [[Earth]], [[Australia]], [[Brisbane]], [[22nd September|22 September]] [[2006]]
|setting        = {{il|The [[Gogglebox]], [[the Moon]], the [[far future]]|[[Brisbane]], [[Australia]], [[22 September]] [[2006]]}}
|writer          = [[Joseph Lidster]]
|writer          = Joseph Lidster
|director        = [[Gary Russell]]
|director        = [[Gary Russell]]
|producer        = [[David Darlington]]
|producer        = [[Gary Russell]] and [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
|publisher      = [[Big Finish Productions]]
|music          = [[David Darlington]]
|release date    = [[September]] [[2006]]
|sound          = [[David Darlington]]
|format          = 2 Episodes on 2 CDs
|cover          = [[Lee Binding]]
|publisher      = Big Finish Productions
|release date    = 25 September 2006
|format          = 2 CDs<br/>Download
|production code = [[List of production codes|6Q/J]]
|production code = [[List of production codes|6Q/J]]
|isbn            = ISBN 1-84435-195-5
|isbn            = ISBN 978-1-84435-195-4 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-78575-238-4 (digital)
|previous story  = [[The Reaping]]
|prev            = The Reaping (audio story)
|next story     = [[Memory Lane]]
|next            = Memory Lane (audio story)
}}
|made prev      = Red (audio story)
|made next       = No Man's Land (audio story)
|epcount = 2
}}{{audio stub}}
{{you may|The Gathering (TV story)|n1=the ''Torchwood'' episode of the same name}}
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the eighty-seventh story in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Joseph Lidster]] and featured [[Peter Davison]] as the [[Fifth Doctor]] and [[Janet Fielding]] as [[Tegan Jovanka]].


==Publisher's summary==
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 (audio story)|The Harvest]]'' and ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]''. It also takes place concurrently with ''[[The Veiled Leopard (audio story)|The Veiled Leopard]]''.
On the morning of [[22nd September|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.
As an individual story, however, it was certainly most notable for being the first [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|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 (TV story)|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 [[companion]]s. Set in Tegan's middle age, it portrayed her later in her life than any other performed story until [[The Power of the Doctor (TV story)|''The Power of the Doctor'']] over 16 years later. It was further unusual for showing Tegan in her native [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]].


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.
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.


==Cast==
== Publisher's summary ==
*[[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Peter Davison]]
On the morning of [[22 September]] [[2006]], [[Tegan Jovanka|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]].
*[[Tegan]] - [[Janet Fielding]]
*[[Katherine Chambers]] - [[Jane Perry]]
*[[James Clarke]] - [[Richard Grieve]]
*[[Michael Tanaka]] - [[Dait Abuchi]]
*[[Eve Morris]] - [[Janie Booth]]
*[[Jodi Boyd]] - [[Zehra Naqvi]]
*Waiter - [[Jef Higgins]]
*[[Alan Fitzgerald]] - [[Nicholas Briggs]]
*[[Rosemary Stark]] - [[Belinda Hoare]]


==References==
But things don't always go as expected. It's been over twenty years since she chose to leave the [[Fifth Doctor|Doctor]]. She's got a job, mates...a life.
* Tegan mentions having friends 'mowed down by [[Dalek]]s', her possession by the [[Mara]], and nearly being killed by [[Cyberman (Mondas)|Cybermen]].
*James Clarke is hinted to be an agent of [[The Forge]].


==Notes==
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...
*The story states that something will cause the Doctor to lose some of the memories of his fifth incarnation, seemingly after [[The Caves of Androzani|his next regeneration]]. What will cause this has not yet been revealed.
*When first released, [[Janet Fielding]] stated that this was her one and only appearance in a Big Finish audio. However, in [[2010]], she returned alongside [[Sarah Sutton]] and [[Mark Strickson]] for a new round of audios with [[Peter Davison]].
*This audio drama is part of a loose trilogy encompassing: ''[[The Reaping]]'', ''The Gathering'' and ''[[The Harvest]]''.


==Continuity==
== Plot ==
*Tegan has had no contact with the Doctor since her departure in ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks]]''.
''to be added''
*The 'Sister' computer system appears in [[BFA]]: ''[[The Harvest]]''.
*The Doctor mentions dropping his companions in Monte Carlo, which ties in with the events of [[BFA]]: ''[[The Veiled Leopard]]''.
*Tegan mentions the Mara ([[DW]]:''[[Kinda (TV story)|Kinda]]'' and ''[[Snakedance]]'') and nearly being killed by Cybermen (''[[Earthshock]]'' and ''[[The Five Doctors]]'').


[[file:The Gathering comic preview.png|300px|thumb|left|Comic preview from Doctor Who Magazine issue 374. Illustration by Martin Geragthy.]]
== Cast ==
* [[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Peter Davison]]
* [[Tegan Jovanka]] - [[Janet Fielding]]
* [[Katherine Chambers]] - [[Jane Perry]]
* [[James Clarke]] - [[Richard Grieve]]
* [[Michael Tanaka]] - [[Dait Abuchi]]
* [[Eve Morris]] - [[Janie Booth]]
* [[Jodi Boyd]] - [[Zehra Naqvi]]
* [[Waiter (The Gathering)|Waiter]] - [[Jef Higgins]]
* [[Alan Fitzgerald]] - [[Nicholas Briggs]]
* [[Rosemary Stark]] - [[Belinda Hoare]]
* [[Nathaniel Chambers|Nate Chambers]] - [[Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor]]


==Timeline==
== Crew ==
''The Gathering'' had a complicated timeline. Different characters experienced it in different ways.
*For [[Tegan]], it occurred 22 years after [[DW]]: ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks]]''. For [[Katherine Chambers]], it occurred a similar amount of time after ''[[The Reaping]]''.
*For the [[Fifth Doctor]], it occurred before ''[[The Reaping]]''. He had his memories suppressed in this story, in part so as not to recognise the younger Kathy Chambers in [[1984]].
*In the [[Fifth Doctor - Timeline|Fifth Doctor's Timeline]], this story can be placed after ''[[The Kingmaker]]'' and before ''[[Cuddlesome (audio story)|Cuddlesome]]''.
*For Peri and Erimem, it occurred contemporaneously with ''[[The Veiled Leopard]]'', relatively speaking, which neatly prevented Peri from meeting an older version of her childhood best friend, Kathy Chambers.
*For most [[human]]s on [[Earth]], it occurred 15 years prior to ''[[The Harvest]]'' but 22 years after ''[[The Reaping]]''. It therefore occurred well after other Cybermen stories such as ''[[The Tenth Planet]]'', ''[[The Invasion]]'', ''[[Attack of the Cybermen]]'' and ''[[Silver Nemesis]]''.


==External links==
* Cover Art - [[Lee Binding]]
* [http://www.bigfinish.com/87-Doctor-Who-The-Gathering Big Finish '''The Gathering''' page]
* Director - [[Gary Russell]]
* [http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_bf87.htm The Doctor Who Reference Guide detailed synopsis of '''The Gathering''']
* Music and Sound Design - [[David Darlington]]
* Producer - Gary Russell and [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
* Script Editor - [[Alan Barnes]]
* Writer - [[Joseph Lidster]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
=== Real world ===
* Tegan sarcastically asks the Doctor whether he expected her to be the new [[James Bond]].
* The Doctor confirms that he was with [[UNIT]] but requests not to be asked when that was. This is a reference to the [[UNIT dating controversy]].
* A film adaptation of the American [[television]] series ''[[Miami Vice]]'' is advertised on a [[radio]] station in Brisbane. The presenter notes that [[Colin Farrell]] is one of the stars. The original series was referred to in [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'' as being a favourite of [[Anthony Chambers|Anthony]] and [[Nathaniel Chambers]] in [[September]] [[1984]].
* The radio newscaster Rosemary Stark mentions that [[22 September]] is the birthday of a British singer and actress named [[Billie (The Gathering)|Billie]].
 
=== 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 ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true" widths="250">
The Gathering cover.jpg|Original cover art
The Gathering comic preview.jpg|Illustrated preview in [[DWM 374]] by [[Martin Geraghty]]
</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 [[The Caves of Androzani (TV story)|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 (audio story)|Peri and the Piscon Paradox]]'')
* This audio drama is part of a loose trilogy encompassing ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'', ''The Gathering'' and ''[[The Harvest (audio story)|The Harvest]]''.
** The trilogy can notably be listened to in three different orders; release order (''The Harvest'', ''The Reaping'', ''The Gathering''), in-universe chronological order (''The Reaping'', ''The Gathering'', ''The Harvest''), or in order from the Doctor's perspective (''The Gathering'', ''The Reaping'', ''The Harvest'').
* Besides the Doctor, Kathy and Nathaniel Chambers are the only characters to appear in both this story and [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]''.
* Both this story and its sequel [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Harvest (audio story)|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 (audio story)|The Condemned]]'', which was released and takes place in [[February]] [[2008]].
* This audio drama was recorded on [[29 June (production)|29]] and [[30 June (production)|30 June]] [[2006 (production)|2006]] at [[The Moat Studios]].
* This story is set between ''[[Planet of Fire (TV story)|Planet of Fire]]'' and ''[[The Caves of Androzani (TV story)|The Caves of Androzani]]''.
* The Doctor and Tegan's reunion in this story is contradicted by [[TV]]: ''[[The Power of the Doctor (TV story)|The Power of the Doctor]]'', where Tegan claims she hasn't seen the Doctor since 1984.
 
== Continuity ==
* 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]]'')
* 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]].
* 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]]'')
* Tegan has had no contact with the Doctor since she left the TARDIS in 1984. ([[TV]]: ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks (TV story)|Resurrection of the Daleks]]'') She inquires after Turlough, whom she learns has likewise ceased travelling with the Doctor in the interim. ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of Fire (TV story)|Planet of Fire]]'')
* The phrases "You will be like us" and "There is nothing to fear" are heard several times, both in this story and in ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]''.
* The computer System would later appear in [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Harvest (audio story)|The Harvest]]'' and [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Word Lord (audio story)|The Word Lord]]''.
* Shortly before travelling to the Gogglebox, the Doctor dropped off Peri and [[Erimem]] in [[Monte Carlo]] in [[1966]] and instructed them to prevent the [[Veiled Leopard]] from being stolen while the [[Seventh Doctor]]'s companions [[Ace]] and [[Hex]] were simultaneously trying to steal it. He briefly conversed with his future self and was observed doing so by Peri and Erimem, who remained unaware of his identity. Peri described the Seventh Doctor as "a kooky little guy in a weird pullover" and commented that he kept looking at herself and Erimem strangely. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Veiled Leopard (audio story)|The Veiled Leopard]]'')
* Tegan mentions her encounters with the Daleks ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Elite (audio story)|The Elite]]''; [[TV]]: ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks (TV story)|Resurrection of the Daleks]]'') and the Mara ([[TV]]: ''[[Kinda (TV story)|Kinda]]'', ''[[Snakedance (TV story)|Snakedance]]''; [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Cradle of the Snake (audio story)|The Cradle of the Snake]]'') and nearly being killed by the Cybermen ([[TV]]: ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]]'', ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]''; [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Conversion (BFM audio story)|Conversion]]'').
* Kathy refers to the circumstances of the Doctor's upcoming [[regeneration]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caves of Androzani (TV story)|The Caves of Androzani]]'') as related to her by Peri in [[1984]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'') The Sixth Doctor would later claim that he had been experiencing problems with his memory since that regeneration, ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Peri and the Piscon Paradox (audio story)|Peri and the Piscon Paradox]]'') which could account for the fact that he did not recognise the younger Kathy in 1984.
* Tegan tells Kathy that the Doctor will not change history to save anyone, as evidenced by his refusal to go back in time and save [[Adric]] following his death. ([[TV]]: ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]]'') During his [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]], however, the Doctor saved the life of [[Charlotte Pollard|Charley Pollard]], who was destined to die in the crash of the ''R101''. This action had major ramifications for the [[Web of Time]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Storm Warning (audio story)|Storm Warning]]'', ''[[Neverland (audio story)|Neverland]]'')
* The Doctor attempts [[Venusian aikido]], which he often used during his [[Third Doctor|third incarnation]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]'', ''[[The Mind of Evil (TV story)|The Mind of Evil]]'', ''[[The Claws of Axos (TV story)|The Claws of Axos]]'', ''[[Day of the Daleks (TV story)|Day of the Daleks]]'', ''[[The Time Warrior (TV story)|The Time Warrior]]'')
* Tegan has an alien [[tumour]] that she developed in her travels. [[Owen Harper]]'s girlfriend [[Katie Russell]] similarly had [[Tumour alien|such a tumour]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Fragments (TV story)|Fragments]]'')
* James Clarke is implied to be an agent of [[the Forge]]. The Doctor would not learn of the existence of the Forge until his sixth incarnation. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Project Twilight (audio story)|Project: Twilight]]'')
* The Doctor orders [[System]] to remind his next incarnation about [[Katherine Chambers]] by planting a telepathic prompt in his mind that, once he enters the vicinity of Katherine Chambers, will cause those around him to say "[[8687 (bar)|8687]]" — the name of the [[bar]] where he was reunited Tegan — in an attempt to remind his future self what happened in Brisbane, via reminding him of his meeting with Tegan. Unfortunately, despite him wondering what the string of numbers meant, the "8687" clue did not jog the Sixth Doctor's memory. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'')
* While saying goodbye to the Doctor, Tegan says "What was it you always told me? Brave heart; You'll survive." She would later say those words to him again during his regeneration when the Doctor contacted her to help him stop the Master blocking his regeneration. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Winter (audio story)|Winter]], ''[[TV]]: ''[[The Caves of Androzani (TV story)|The Caves of Androzani]]'')
 
== External links ==
{{bigfinish|releases/v/the-gathering-253|The Gathering}}
{{dwrefguide|who_bf87.htm|The Gathering}}
* {{tetrap|5/thegathering.html|The Gathering}}
{{BFA monthly}}
{{Cyberman stories}}
{{TitleSort}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Gathering, The}}
[[Category:Fifth Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:Fifth Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:Doctor Who monthly audio stories]]
[[Category:2006 audio stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in Australia]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2006]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2006]]
[[Category:Cybermen audio stories]]
[[Category:Audio stories set on the Moon]]
[[Category:Stories set in the far future]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use the Peter Howell theme]]
[[Category:Fifth Doctor Main Range audio stories]]
[[Category:2006 Main Range audio stories]]
[[Category:Cyberman audio stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in Brisbane]]

Latest revision as of 00:23, 3 July 2024

RealWorld.png

audio stub
You may be looking for the Torchwood episode of the same name.

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[[edit] | [edit source]]

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[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Real world[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • 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[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • 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[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • 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.
    • The trilogy can notably be listened to in three different orders; release order (The Harvest, The Reaping, The Gathering), in-universe chronological order (The Reaping, The Gathering, The Harvest), or in order from the Doctor's perspective (The Gathering, The Reaping, 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[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

v • e
Big Finish Main Range
 
Fifth Doctor
Adric, Nyssa, Tegan
Nyssa
Nyssa, Brewster
Nyssa, Hannah
Nyssa, Tegan
Nyssa, Tegan, Marc
Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough
Tegan, Turlough, Kamelion
Tegan, Leela
Turlough
Peri
Peri, Erimem
Amy
Vicki, Steven
Solo travels
 
Sixth Doctor
Peri
Evelyn
Evelyn, Brewster
Frobisher
Charley
"Jamie"
Flip
Constance
Constance, Flip
Mel
Jamie, Zoe
Solo travels
 
Seventh Doctor
Mel
Ace
Ace, Hex
Ace, Benny
Sally
Ace, Hex, Lysandra, Sally
Ace, Hex, Sally
Ace, Mel
Mags
Klein
Klein, Will
Jo
Solo travels
 
Eighth Doctor
Mary Shelley
Charley
Charley, C'rizz
Solo & other travels
All stories from Big Finish Productions' main monthly range from 1999 to 2021 are included in this navigation box, including the "subscriber exclusive" stories which were part of the subscription service for this range.
v • e
Cyberman stories
For the purposes of this list, a "Cyberman story" is one in which one living, authentic Cyberman plays a part within the confines of the story, outside of flashbacks to previous stories and cliffhangers that lead into the following story. For this reason, stories such as Dalek are absent due to only featuring deceased Cybermen on display. Stories like Carnival of Monsters, A Good Man Goes to War and The Vanquishers are also not included due to the Cybermen's appearance being of little consequence to the plot of the story.
Television
Webcast
Audio

Sword of Orion • Spare Parts • Real Time • The Harvest • Silver Lining • Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Crystal of Cantus • The Reaping • The Gathering • The Blue Tooth • Human Resources • The Girl Who Never Was • The Ultimate Adventure • Kingdom of Silver • Legend of the Cybermen • The Silver Turk • Last of the Cybermen • Return to Telos • The Isos Network • The Tyrants of Logic • Code Silver / Master of Worlds • Hour of the Cybermen • Conversion • Return of the Cybermen • The Gates of Hell • Scourge of the Cybermen • Altered Status • Monsters in Metropolis • Secrets of Telos • Way of the Burryman / The Forth Generation • Bad Day in Tinseltown • Willkommen • Wulf • Übermensch • Auf Wiedersehen • The Great Cyber-War • Sins of the Flesh

Cyberman
Prose
Novels
Short stories
Features
Comics
The Cybermen
Supremacy of
the Cybermen
prologues
Video
games
Complete list of appearances
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