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{{Infobox Story | {{Infobox Story SMW | ||
|image = Sirens of time revised.jpg | |image = Sirens of time revised.jpg | ||
|range = Main Range | |range = Main Range | ||
|number in range = 1 | |number in range = 1 | ||
|series = ''[[Main Range]]'' | |series = ''[[Main Range]]'' | ||
| | |doctor = Fifth Doctor, Sixth Doctor, Seventh Doctor | ||
|featuring = [[Vansell]] | |featuring = [[Vansell]] | ||
|enemy = [[ | |enemy = [[Sirens of Time]] | ||
|setting = {{il|[[Gallifrey]]|[[Planet (The Sirens of Time)|Unnamed planet]], [[3562]]|''[[U-20]]'', [[7 May]] [[1915]]|''[[Edifice (spaceship)|Edifice]]''}} | |setting = {{il|[[Gallifrey]]|[[Planet (The Sirens of Time)|Unnamed planet]], [[3562]]|''[[U-20]]'', [[7 May]] [[1915]]|''[[Edifice (spaceship)|Edifice]]''}} | ||
|writer = | |writer = Nicholas Briggs | ||
|director = [[Nicholas Briggs]] | |director = [[Nicholas Briggs]] | ||
|producer = [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]], [[Gary Russell]] | |producer = [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]], [[Gary Russell]] | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
|cover = [[Gary Gillatt]] & [[James Arnott]] | |cover = [[Gary Gillatt]] & [[James Arnott]] | ||
|publisher = Big Finish Productions | |publisher = Big Finish Productions | ||
|release date = | |release date = 19 July 1999 | ||
|format = | |format = 2 CDs<br/>2 cassettes<br/>Download | ||
|production code = [[List of production codes#Big Finish production codes|7Z]] | |production code = [[List of production codes#Big Finish production codes|7Z]] | ||
|isbn = ISBN 1- | |isbn = ISBN 978-1-90365-428-6 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-84435-676-8 (digital) | ||
|next = Phantasmagoria (audio story) | |next = Phantasmagoria (audio story) | ||
|soundcloudtrailer = soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-the-sirens-of-time-trailer | |soundcloudtrailer = soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-the-sirens-of-time-trailer | ||
}}{{spotify|album= | |epcount = 4 | ||
'''''The Sirens of Time''''' was the first story in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Nicholas Briggs]], and featured [[Peter Davison]] as the [[Fifth Doctor]], [[Colin Baker]] as the [[Sixth Doctor]] | }}{{spotify|album=0SThRC3GK8jnAV77EhXDmZ|height=350}} | ||
'''''The Sirens of Time''''' was the first story in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Nicholas Briggs]], and featured [[Peter Davison]] as the [[Fifth Doctor]], [[Colin Baker]] as the [[Sixth Doctor]], [[Sylvester McCoy]] as the [[Seventh Doctor]] and introduced [[Anthony Keetch]] as [[Vansell]]. | |||
== Publisher's summary == | == Publisher's summary == | ||
The [[Fifth Doctor|Fifth]], [[Sixth Doctor|Sixth]] and [[Seventh Doctor|Seventh]] Doctors, together for the first time! | |||
[[Gallifrey]] is in crisis, facing destruction at the hands of [[Knights of Velyshaa|an overwhelming enemy]]. And [[the Doctor]] is involved in three different incarnations — each caught up in a deadly adventure, scattered across time and space. The [[web of time]] is threatened — and someone wants the Doctor dead. | [[Gallifrey]] is in crisis, facing destruction at the hands of [[Knights of Velyshaa|an overwhelming enemy]]. And [[the Doctor]] is involved in three different incarnations — each caught up in a deadly adventure, scattered across time and space. The [[web of time]] is threatened — and someone wants the Doctor dead. | ||
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On the merchant ship, [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] arrives and the [[Fifth Doctor]] emerges. He's searching for a signal of some kind. It finally locks on and the Time Lords try to contact him. The message is unclear, but they apparently want him to re-enter the TARDIS because time is running out. The Doctor tries the lock, but the ship won't open, he calls for [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] and [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]], but they don't open the door. A woman by the name of [[Helen (The Sirens of Time)|Helen]] appears and asks the Doctor what he is doing on board the ship. Suddenly, there is a large explosion as a gun from the U-Boat hits the side of the ship. | On the merchant ship, [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] arrives and the [[Fifth Doctor]] emerges. He's searching for a signal of some kind. It finally locks on and the Time Lords try to contact him. The message is unclear, but they apparently want him to re-enter the TARDIS because time is running out. The Doctor tries the lock, but the ship won't open, he calls for [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] and [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]], but they don't open the door. A woman by the name of [[Helen (The Sirens of Time)|Helen]] appears and asks the Doctor what he is doing on board the ship. Suddenly, there is a large explosion as a gun from the U-Boat hits the side of the ship. | ||
Aboard the U-Boat, the Captain sees two survivors, and decides to bring them aboard. The Captain is surprised that the Doctor can speak German. The Doctor and Helen placed inside a cell. Helen worries that the Doctor may be a Hun spy. The Doctor is even more worried about his message from the Time Lords. He tries calling to the Germans to free him. | Aboard the U-Boat, the Captain sees two survivors, and decides to bring them aboard. The Captain is surprised that the Doctor can speak German. The Doctor and Helen are placed inside a cell. Helen worries that the Doctor may be a Hun spy. The Doctor is even more worried about his message from the Time Lords. He tries calling to the Germans to free him. | ||
[[British]] destroyers are gathering on the surface and so the German Captain decides it is time to escape the area. The Doctor wishes to speak with him and tries to persuade him that he is actually a German spy and has found secret documents aboard the ship, which is now reduced to wreckage. The Captain does not believe him and orders [[Schmidt (The Sirens of Time)|Schmidt]] to return him to his cell. | [[British]] destroyers are gathering on the surface and so the German Captain decides it is time to escape the area. The Doctor wishes to speak with him and tries to persuade him that he is actually a German spy and has found secret documents aboard the ship, which is now reduced to wreckage. The Captain does not believe him and orders [[Schmidt (The Sirens of Time)|Schmidt]] to return him to his cell. | ||
Back in the cell, Helen watches as | Back in the cell, Helen watches as Schmidt suddenly becomes possessed by some force and tries to kill the Doctor, who [[deduce]]s that it is the Time Lords who are trying to kill him for some strange reason. The Captain arrives and orders Schimdt to be tied to his bunk. | ||
The Time Lord President is unsure of Vansell's actions to try and stop the Doctor. Using someone by [[time distortion]] wasn't the best idea. Vansell disagrees and counters that the Doctor must be stopped for the sake of time. | The Time Lord President is unsure of Vansell's actions to try and stop the Doctor. Using someone by [[time distortion]] wasn't the best idea. Vansell disagrees and counters that the Doctor must be stopped for the sake of time. | ||
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The Doctor reaches his ship but has no luck in opening the doors. He is trapped, floating at sea. | The Doctor reaches his ship but has no luck in opening the doors. He is trapped, floating at sea. | ||
=== Part 3 === | |||
Vansell informs the Lord President that he has found the Doctor again, this time in his [[Sixth Doctor|sixth]] incarnation. The Lord President replies that the [[Transduction barrier|transduction]] barrier has broken, and the alien ships are coming through, demanding that Gallifrey surrenders. They call themselves the [[Knights of Velyshaa|Knights]] of Velyshaa. | |||
The Doctor is thrown out of his TARDIS after a collision with a temporal anomaly and finds himself in the hospitality suite in a starliner. A waitress names Ellie is surprised to see him but concludes that he's one of the delegates. The Doctor feels like he's met her before but follows her into the conference room. He's on the starship [[Edifice (spaceship)|Edifice]] with the [[Galactic Wonders Commission]], to study the [[Kurgon Wonder]] up close. The Doctor begins to suspect that the Kurgon Wonder is more than a 'gaseous anomaly'. | |||
In order to get a better look at the Wonder, the android pilot [[Azimendah]] brings them closer than anyone has ever been before. Suddenly, an enormous [[particle disruption field]] envelops the ship, The Doctor seems to recognise it as a shard of time distortion, and hears a deep voice begging for help. | |||
Apart from The Doctor and Ellie, everyone else in the room has turned to dust. As they search for any other survivors, Ellie explains that the Kurgon government was trying to convince the delegates to enter the Wonder into the galactic tourist guide. The Doctor, however, suspects that Ellie is more than she seems; even though she claims not to understand how she survived the time distortion. In any case, the Doctor believes the Kurgon Wonder to be a temporal anomaly, and that his TARDIS is trapped inside, along with something else. | |||
Azimendah, the android pilot, recovers from the time distortion to find that his internal timekeeping has broken and the ship is barely functioning. He records a captain’s log and searches for survivors, rescuing the Doctor and Ellie from a group of creatures which turn out to be incredibly evolved bacteria. The Doctor, Ellie, and Azimendah are the only ones left alive. | |||
Suddenly, they are attacked by a monster onboard the ship but Azimendah manages to shoot it before it can do any harm. However, the ship‘s hull begins disintegrating after being hit by another time distortion. | |||
Meanwhile on Gallifrey, the Knights proceed to shoot both the Lord President and Vansell, their weapons cancelling out both of their regenerative processes. Before Vansell’s death, he sends a important message for the Doctor, stating that he should "not free the Temperon". | |||
''more to be added'' | ''more to be added'' | ||
=== Part 4 === | === Part 4 === | ||
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* Coordinator [[Vansell]] - [[Anthony Keetch]] | * Coordinator [[Vansell]] - [[Anthony Keetch]] | ||
* [[Lord President (The Sirens of Time)|The President]] - [[Michael Wade]] | * [[Lord President (The Sirens of Time)|The President]] - [[Michael Wade]] | ||
* Knight Commander [[ | * Knight Commander [[Sirens of Time|Lyena]] - [[Sarah Mowat]] | ||
* [[Ruthley]] - [[Maggie Stables]] | * [[Ruthley]] - [[Maggie Stables]] | ||
* [[Sancroff]] - [[Colin McIntyre]] | * [[Sancroff]] - [[Colin McIntyre]] | ||
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* Delegate - [[Nicholas Pegg]] | * Delegate - [[Nicholas Pegg]] | ||
== | == Worldbuilding == | ||
=== Astronomical objects === | === Astronomical objects === | ||
* The [[Kurgon Wonder]] was created as a result of the Knights of Velyshaa attempting to capture the Temperon. | * The [[Kurgon Wonder]] was created as a result of the Knights of Velyshaa attempting to capture the Temperon. | ||
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== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
* This was the very first [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]] audio for ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It opened with the following line from a computer warning system on [[Gallifrey]] (voiced by [[Nicholas Briggs]]): ''"Sector 8 alert! Sector 8 alert! Unauthorised capsule entry imminent! Repeat: Unauthorised capsule entry imminent! Stand two on Sector 8!"'' | * This was the very first [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]] audio for ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It opened with the following line from a computer warning system on [[Gallifrey]] (voiced by [[Nicholas Briggs]]): ''"Sector 8 alert! Sector 8 alert! Unauthorised capsule entry imminent! Repeat: Unauthorised capsule entry imminent! Stand two on Sector 8!"'' | ||
* In his synopsis for ''The Sirens of Time'', Nicholas Briggs gave each episode a title: ''The Knight of Velyshaa'', ''Ship of Destiny'', ''Death of Wonder'' and ''Nexus Point/Curse of the Temperon''. The overall title was inspired by the book ''{{ | * In his synopsis for ''The Sirens of Time'', Nicholas Briggs gave each episode a title: ''The Knight of Velyshaa'', ''Ship of Destiny'', ''Death of Wonder'' and ''Nexus Point/Curse of the Temperon''. The overall title was inspired by the book ''{{w|The Sirens of Titan}}'' by Kurt Vonnegut. | ||
* The CD booklet for this story contained synopses of each part of the story which evoked the [[Radio Times]] listings of the original ''[[Doctor Who]]'' series. | * The CD booklet for this story contained synopses of each part of the story which evoked the [[Radio Times]] listings of the original ''[[Doctor Who]]'' series. | ||
* Several references to the ''[[Audio Visuals]]'' audio dramas are made during this story, including; the appearance of [[Drudger]]s, originally robotic servants of Conglomerate who appeared in ''Conglomerate'', ''The Destructor Contract'' and ''Subterfuge''; the appearance of the [[Temperon]]s, which first appeared in ''The Time Ravagers''; and the mention of the [[Calfadoria]]n [[Tri-Planet Alliance of Calfadoria|Tri-Planetary Alliance]], which first appeared in ''Maenad'' before being mentioned several times in future stories. | * Several references to the ''[[Audio Visuals (fan work)|Audio Visuals]]'' audio dramas are made during this story, including; the appearance of [[Drudger]]s, originally robotic servants of Conglomerate who appeared in ''Conglomerate'', ''The Destructor Contract'' and ''Subterfuge''; the appearance of the [[Temperon]]s, which first appeared in ''The Time Ravagers''; and the mention of the [[Calfadoria]]n [[Tri-Planet Alliance of Calfadoria|Tri-Planetary Alliance]], which first appeared in ''Maenad'' before being mentioned several times in future stories. | ||
* In episode two, Helen and the U-boat crew are unable to understand each other, despite the usual application of the Doctor/TARDIS' [[translation circuit]], hinting to Helen's true nature. | * In episode two, Helen and the U-boat crew are unable to understand each other, despite the usual application of the Doctor/TARDIS' [[translation circuit]], hinting to Helen's true nature. | ||
* ''The Sirens of Time'' was originally released on cassette and CD. Later the cassette version was replaced by a digital download. On 1 August 2013, Big Finish stopped repressing the CDs.<ref>[https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/doctor-who-first-fifty-a-fiver-each Doctor Who First Fifty a Fiver Each for Good!]</ref> Only the download version remains available. | * ''The Sirens of Time'' was originally released on cassette and CD. Later the cassette version was replaced by a digital download. On 1 August 2013, Big Finish stopped repressing the CDs.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20240730002355/https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/doctor-who-first-fifty-a-fiver-each Doctor Who First Fifty a Fiver Each for Good!] (Archived on the Wayback Machine)</ref> Only the download version remains available. | ||
* This audio drama was recorded on [[6 March (production)|6]] and [[7 March (production)|7 March]] [[1999 (production)|1999]] at [[Crosstown Studios]], [[London]]. | |||
* A documentary, ''[[Talkin 'Bout My Regeneration]]'', was released on CD with [[DWM 279]] to promote the series, discussing the genesis of Big Finish and their future aims and featuring clips and interviews from the recording sessions. | * This audio drama was recorded on [[6 March (production)|6]] and [[7 March (production)|7 March]] [[1999 (production)|1999]] at [[Crosstown Studios]], [[London]].<ref name=":0">https://web.archive.org/web/20240515111837/https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-sirens-of-time-619</ref> | ||
* A documentary, ''[[Talkin 'Bout My Regeneration]]'', was released on CD with [[DWM 279]] to promote the series, discussing the genesis of Big Finish and their future aims and featuring clips and interviews from the recording sessions. On 23 July 2014, it was released as a free download on the Big Finish website.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20240728075029/https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/big-finish-s-15th-anniversary-of-doctor-who-releases Big Finish's 15th Anniversary of Doctor Who releases] (Archived on the Wayback Machine)</ref> | |||
* The first part of this story was offered as a free download with [[DWM 467]], along with a number of other "Part Ones". | * The first part of this story was offered as a free download with [[DWM 467]], along with a number of other "Part Ones". | ||
* Initially, the producer [[Gary Russell]] wanted to use writers who already worked on televised or prose ''Doctor Who''.<ref name="BFC" /> | * Initially, the producer [[Gary Russell]] wanted to use writers who already worked on televised or prose ''Doctor Who''.<ref name="BFC" /> | ||
* The plot originally involved a [[War Lord]] from the television story ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]''.<ref name="BFC">''[[The Big Finish Companion: Volume 1]]''</ref> | * The plot originally involved a [[War Lord]] from the television story ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]''.<ref name="BFC">''[[The Big Finish Companion: Volume 1]]''</ref> | ||
* Nicholas Briggs, who wrote the story, wanted to make a [[Dalek]] story, but Big Finish had not yet secured the rights to use them. Thus, they settled on a [[multi-Doctor story]].<ref name="BFC" /> | * Nicholas Briggs, who wrote the story, wanted to make this a [[Dalek]] story, but Big Finish had not yet secured the rights to use them at the time. Thus, they settled on a [[multi-Doctor story]].<ref name="BFC" /> | ||
* The story was featured in the | * The story was featured in the Archive Tease segment of [[the Big Finish Podcast]] on [[28 October (releases)|28 October]] [[2018 (releases)|2018]]. The segment included a 15-minute excerpt from the story, preceded by [[Nicholas Briggs]] recalling his work on it.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20240730040240/https://www.bigfinish.com/podcasts/v/2018-10-28-sirens-tony-and-cassandra The Big Finish Podcast: 2018-10-28 - Sirens, Tony and Cassandra] (Archived on the Wayback Machine)</ref> | ||
* The Fifth Doctor is | {{Soundcloud|https://soundcloud.com/big-finish/the-big-finish-podcast-october-2018-05-sirens-tony-and-cassandra|right|caption=Big Finish Podcast with Archive Tease devoted to The Sirens of Time on SoundCloud. Said segment begins at 16 minutes, 35 seconds.}} | ||
* The Fifth Doctor is travelling with [[Tegan Jovanka]] and [[Vislor Turlough]], who remain in his TARDIS throughout the story. | |||
* According to [[PROSE]]: ''[[Instruments of Darkness (novel)|Instruments of Darkness]]'', [[Evelyn Smythe]] was in the TARDIS while the Sixth Doctor was at the Kurgon Wonder. | * According to [[PROSE]]: ''[[Instruments of Darkness (novel)|Instruments of Darkness]]'', [[Evelyn Smythe]] was in the TARDIS while the Sixth Doctor was at the Kurgon Wonder. | ||
* This story was initially "too long," according to Nicholas Briggs: Part 4 had a 45 minute version and a 35 minute version.<ref>[[BFX]]: [[Frozen Time (audio story)|''Frozen Time'']]</ref> | |||
* For the Fifth Doctor, this story is set between [[The Five Doctors (TV story)|''The Five Doctors'']] and ''[[Warriors of the Deep (TV story)|Warriors of the Deep]]''; for the Sixth Doctor, between ''[[Season 23 (Doctor Who 1963)|The Trial of a Time Lord]]'' and ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]''; and for the Seventh Doctor "immediately prior" to the [[Doctor Who (TV story)|1996 TV Movie]].<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20000305044754/http://www.doctorwho.co.uk/bf-1.htm</ref><ref>[https://x.com/bigfinish/status/1814252654756778430 https://twitter.com/bigfinish/status/1814252654756778430]</ref> | |||
* This story was made available as a free download as part of [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]]'s Weekly Freebies, also known as ''lockdownloads'', until 18 March 2021.<ref>[https://x.com/bigfinish/status/1372518151179563008 https://twitter.com/bigfinish/status/1372518151179563008]</ref> Its page was still online after the offer expired, though no longer had a purchase widget.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20240726195908/https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-sirens-of-time-2021-promo-2480</ref> | |||
== Continuity == | == Continuity == | ||
* The Sixth Doctor recalls climbing the [[Himalayas]] in [[1289]] during his [[First Doctor|first incarnation]]. ([[TV]]: | * The Sixth Doctor recalls climbing the [[Himalayas]] in [[1289]] during his [[First Doctor|first incarnation]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Marco Polo (TV story)}}) | ||
* The Doctors initiate [[ | * The Doctors initiate [[telepathic contact]] with one another by saying "Contact". ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Three Doctors (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Five Doctors (TV story)}} et al.) The [[Eighth Doctor]] would later initiate telepathic contact with {{Jacobi}} on [[Xenotopia]], ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Missing Link (audio story)}}) while the Thirteenth Doctor and the Master would do the same, while in [[1943]] [[Paris]] during the German occupation in [[World War II]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Spyfall (TV story)}}) | ||
== Gallery == | |||
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true"> | |||
File:Sirens of time cover.jpg|Original cover art | |||
File:001 The Sirens of Time (Radio Times).jpg|Synopses of each part included in the CD booklet | |||
File:001 The Sirens of Time credits.jpg|CD booklet credits. | |||
</gallery> | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
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{{TitleSort}} | {{TitleSort}} | ||
[[Category:Multi-Doctor audio stories]] | [[Category:Multi-Doctor audio stories]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in 1915]] | [[Category:Stories set in 1915]] | ||
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[[Category:Seventh Doctor Main Range audio stories]] | [[Category:Seventh Doctor Main Range audio stories]] | ||
[[Category:1999 Main Range audio stories]] | [[Category:1999 Main Range audio stories]] | ||
[[fr:The Sirens of Time (audio)]] | |||