The Fearmonger (audio story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image=The Fearmonger cover.jpg  
|image           = Fearmonger revised.jpg
|series=[[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|Big Finish ''Doctor Who'' audio stories]]
|range          = Main Range
|number= 5  
|number in range = 5
|doctor=Seventh Doctor  
|series         = ''[[Main Range]]''
|companions= [[Ace]]  
|number         = 5
|enemy= [[Fearmonger]], [[Sherilyn Harper]]
|doctor         = Seventh Doctor
|setting= [[London]], [[2002]]  
|companions     = [[Ace]]
|writer= [[Jonathan Blum]]
|enemy           = [[Fearmonger]], [[Sherilyn Harper]]
|director= [[Gary Russell]]  
|setting         = [[London]], [[2002]]
|producer= [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]] and [[Gary Russell]]  
|writer         = Jonathan Blum
|post production=[[Alistair Lock]]  
|director       = [[Gary Russell]]
|cover=[[Clayton Hickman]]
|producer       = [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]] and [[Gary Russell]]
|publisher= Big Finish Productions  
|music          = [[Alistair Lock]]
|release date= [[February (releases)|February]] [[2000 (releases)|2000]]
|sound          = Alistair Lock
|format= 4 Episodes on 2 CDs  
|cover           = [[Clayton Hickman]]
|production code= [[List of production codes|7R]]  
|publisher       = Big Finish Productions
|isbn= ISBN 1-84435-044-4
|release date   = 4 February 2000
|trailer={{StoryTitle}}.ogg
|format         = 2 CDs<br/>2 cassettes<br/>Download
|prev= The Land of the Dead (audio story)  
|production code = [[List of production codes|7R]]
|next= The Marian Conspiracy (audio story)}}
|isbn           = ISBN 978-1-84435-044-5 (physical); ISBN 978-1-84435-684-3 (digital)
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the fifth story in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish's]] monthly [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|Doctor Who range]].  
|prev           = The Land of the Dead (audio story)
|next           = The Marian Conspiracy (audio story)
|epcount = 4
}}{{spotify|album=1wnTImjTTHFSJs97yIezq2|height=350}}
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the fifth story in [[Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Jonathan Blum]] and featured [[Sylvester McCoy]] as the [[Seventh Doctor]] and [[Sophie Aldred]] as [[Ace]].


It was the first audio story featuring [[Sylvester McCoy]] as the [[Seventh Doctor]] and [[Sophie Aldred]] as [[Ace]]. It was also the first time the two actors had been back together playing these parts since 1993's ''[[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|Dimensions in Time]]''.
It was also the first time the two actors had been back together playing these parts since 1993's ''[[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|Dimensions in Time]]''. This story continues Ace's continuity developed in other mediums such as her surname where here, like in the [[Virgin New Adventures]] novel ''[[Set Piece (novel)|Set Piece]]'', it is stated to be McShane.
 
Written by [[Jonathan Blum]], this story continues Ace's continuity developed in other mediums such as her surname where here, like in the [[Virgin New Adventures]] novel ''[[Set Piece (novel)|Set Piece]]'', it is stated to be McShane.  


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
One would-be assassin is in a mental ward. Another's on the run. Their intended victim is stirring up the mobs. Terrorists are planning a strike of their own. A talk-radio host is loving every minute of it. A Whitehall insider whispers about a mysterious UN operative, with a hidden agenda. Everyone's got someone they want to be afraid of. It'll only take a little push for the situation to erupt — and something is doing the pushing. But you can trust the Doctor to put things right. Can't you?
One would-be [[assassin]] is in a mental ward. Another's on the run. Their intended victim is stirring up the mobs. Terrorists are planning a strike of their own. A talk-radio host is loving every minute of it. A [[Whitehall]] insider whispers about a mysterious UN operative, with a hidden agenda. Everyone's got someone they want to be afraid of. It'll only take a little push for the situation to erupt — and something is doing the pushing. But you can trust [[Seventh Doctor|the Doctor]] to put things right. Can't you?


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
Stephen Keyser and Walter Jacobs attempt and fail to kill Sherilyn Harper, the head of the right-wing New Brittania political party; Keyser encounters something strange as he attempts to flee the scene. Days later, the Seventh Doctor and Ace already on the scene, investigating the situation, which has taken a turn for the weird. In so doing, the Doctor uses—abuses, really—the radio show of Mick Thompson, a talk show host and humourist. He’s trying to flush a monster into view, but Thompson is having none of it. Ace, meanwhile, is working with an old friend from Perivale, Paul Tanner, who is something of a hacker. He’s happy to see her, as she’s been missing for fifteen years, but not so thrilled at what he’s dragging her into.
=== Part one ===
Stephen Keyser and Walter Jacobs attempt and fail to assassinate Sherilyn Harper, the head of the right-wing New Brittania political party; Keyser encounters something strange as he attempts to flee the scene. Days later, the Seventh Doctor and Ace already on the scene, investigating the situation, which has taken a turn for the weird. In so doing, the Doctor uses—abuses, really—the radio show of Mick Thompson, a talk show host and humourist. He’s trying to flush a monster into view, but Thompson is having none of it. Ace, meanwhile, is working with an old friend from Perivale, Paul Tanner, who is something of a hacker. He’s happy to see her, as she’s been missing for fifteen years, but not so thrilled at what he’s dragging her into.
 
With Paul’s help, Ace locates Walter, and through him, Keyser, who is now hospitalised. She and the Doctor attempt to enlist them to stop the monster, which they call the Fearmonger. It’s incorporeal, and parasitic, and it feeds on fear and related emotions; and it lives inside Harper. Walter, in fact, can hear it in the tones of Harper’s voice. However, his fear is too powerful, and is even directed toward the Doctor, about whom he has been warned; and Keyser is completely broken. Meanwhile, Harper has also been warned about the Doctor, via her PR consultant, Roderick Allingham. He is a former Ministry employee, and is familiar with the Doctor’s file, including his time with UNIT. He lays plans to bring the Doctor in, suspecting him of terrorist ties.
 
Walter attempts again to kill Harper, this time with a bomb at a rally, but the Doctor and Ace intervene and stop him.
 
=== Part two ===
They are forced to flee to avoid arrest, and return to Paul’s apartment, only to hear a broadcast message from Karadjic, the leader of a terrorist group called the United Front, announcing strikes against New Brittania. They discuss the Fearmonger, which is the real enemy here; and the Doctor builds a force field generator that can contain and destroy the monster without harming the host. They go to New Brittania headquarters to confront Harper, but are intercepted by Allingham, and allowed to escape. Back at Paul’s apartment, they discover the disembodied Fearmonger waiting for them; the Doctor tries to reason with it, but fails, and is forced to ground it out with a metal frying pan, temporarily delaying it. Using Walter, the Doctor arranges a meeting with the United Front, and attends with Ace; but Karadjic proves to be under the influence of the Fearmonger, and shoots Ace in the shoulder.


With Paul’s help, Ace locates Walter, and through him, Keyser, who is now hospitalised.  She and the Doctor attempt to enlist them to stop the monster, which they call the Fearmonger.  It’s incorporeal, and parasitic, and it feeds on fear and related emotions; and it lives inside Harper.  Walter, in fact, can hear it in the tones of Harper’s voice.  However, his fear is too powerful, and is even directed toward the Doctor, about whom he has been warned; and Keyser is completely broken.  Meanwhile, Harper has also been warned about the Doctor, via her PR consultant, Roderick Allingham.  He is a former Ministry employee, and is familiar with the Doctor’s file, including his time with UNIT.  He lays plans to bring the Doctor in, suspecting him of terrorist ties.
<br />


Walter attempts again to kill Harper, this time with a bomb at a rally, but the Doctor and Ace intervene.  They are forced to flee to avoid arrest, and return to Paul’s apartment, only to hear a broadcast message from Karadjic, the leader of a terrorist group called the United Front, announcing strikes against New Brittania.  They discuss the Fearmonger, which is the real enemy here; and the Doctor builds a force field generator that can contain and destroy the monster without harming the host.  They go to New Brittania headquarters to confront Harper, but are intercepted by Allingham, and allowed to escape.  Back at Paul’s apartment, they discover the disembodied Fearmonger waiting for them; the Doctor tries to reason with it, but fails, and is forced to ground it out with a metal frying pan, temporarily delaying it.  Using Walter, the Doctor arranges a meeting with the United Front, and attends with Ace; but Karadjic proves to be under the influence of the Fearmonger, and shoots Ace in the shoulder.  The Doctor persuades Karadjic to let them go, and gets Ace to a hospital. While there, he is confronted by the Fearmonger again, but it cannot harm him; his one fear—for Ace’s safety—has already happened.
=== Part three ===
The Doctor persuades Karadjic to let them go, and gets Ace to a hospital. While there, he is confronted by the Fearmonger again, but it cannot harm him; his one fear—for Ace’s safety—has already happened.


Three weeks pass while Ace recovers, with the Doctor trying—mostly unsuccessfully—to slow down the United Front. At last he gets an opportunity to confront Harper again, during a live broadcast of Thompson’s show; but it does not go as planned, and Ace and Walter are revealed to be at the hospital.   Worse, Ace hears something terrible: She hears the Fearmonger in the Doctor’s voice. The monster has jumped hosts.
Three weeks pass while Ace recovers, with the Doctor trying—mostly unsuccessfully—to slow down the United Front. At last he gets an opportunity to confront Harper again, during a live broadcast of Thompson’s show; but it does not go as planned, and Ace and Walter are revealed to be at the hospital. Worse, Ace hears something terrible: She hears the Fearmonger in the Doctor’s voice. The monster has jumped hosts. A mob is on its way to the hospital for Walter, and he and Ace are forced to flee.


A mob is on its way to the hospital for Walter,  and he and Ace are forced to flee.  They meet up with the Doctor and Thompson as the mob turns to a riot; the Doctor prods Thompson to attempt to take some control of the situation.  Meanwhile, it’s revealed that Allingham himself has ties to the United Front, though he has been using the situation in New Brittania’s favour.  He arrives onscene as Thompson interviews Karadjic, not realising that they are broadcasting live; and the entire house of cards tumbles down around Allingham.  However, he has the decency to make it clear that Harper was unaware of the deal with the United Front.  Karadjic and Allingham are arrested, and Walter is taken in for psychiatric treatment.
<br />


However, the Fearmonger is still at large. Ace sends Paul to obtain the bomb left behind by Walter, and places it near the range of the force field generator built by the Doctor. She then traps the Doctor in the field, and threatens to detonate the bomb if it doesn’t leave him, even though it would kill her as well. Slowly and gently, the Doctor persuades her to listen to his words, not his voice; and he makes her understand that the Fearmonger is not in him, nor in Harper, but in her—just as it was in Walter. This is why they are the ones who heard the voice—it was the Fearmonger working from inside, not outside. She turns the forcefield on herself, and the creature is destroyed.
=== Part four ===
They meet up with the Doctor and Thompson as the mob turns to a riot; the Doctor prods Thompson to attempt to take some control of the situation. Meanwhile, it’s revealed that Allingham himself has ties to the United Front, though he has been using the situation in New Brittania’s favour. He arrives onscene as Thompson interviews Karadjic, not realising that they are broadcasting live; and the entire house of cards tumbles down around Allingham. However, he has the decency to make it clear that Harper was unaware of the deal with the United Front. Karadjic and Allingham are arrested, and Walter is taken in for psychiatric treatment.
 
However, the Fearmonger is still at large. Ace sends Paul to obtain the bomb left behind by Walter, and places it near the range of the force field generator built by the Doctor. She then traps the Doctor in the field, and threatens to detonate the bomb if it doesn’t leave him, even though it would kill her as well. Slowly and gently, the Doctor persuades her to listen to his words, not his voice; and he makes her understand that the Fearmonger is not in him, nor in Harper, but in her—just as it was in Walter. This is why they are the ones who heard the voice—it was the Fearmonger working from inside, not outside. She turns the forcefield on herself, and the creature is destroyed.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
Line 55: Line 69:
* [[Alexsandr Karadjic]] - [[Jack Galagher]]
* [[Alexsandr Karadjic]] - [[Jack Galagher]]
* Hospital Tannoy Voice - [[John Ainsworth]]
* Hospital Tannoy Voice - [[John Ainsworth]]
* Hospital Doctor / Heckler - [[Alistair Lock]]
* [[Hospital doctor (The Fearmonger)|Hospital Doctor]] / [[Heckler (The Fearmonger)|Heckler]] - [[Alistair Lock]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
=== The Doctor ===
=== The Doctor ===
* The Doctor has several melancholy moments during this adventure, musing at one point that he is so old he fears nothing now, apart from the fear of Ace's death — which nearly happens when she is shot by Alexsandr Karadjic of the United Front.
* The Doctor muses at one point that he is so old he [[fear]]s nothing now, apart from the fear of Ace's [[death]] — which nearly happens when she is shot by [[Alexsandr Karadjic]] of the United Front.
* He claims that his relatives are very odd.


=== Individuals ===
=== Individuals ===
* Ace contacts (and meets) an old friend from [[Perivale]] — [[Paul Tanner]].
* Ace contacts and meets [[Paul Tanner]], an old friend from [[Perivale]].


=== Organisations ===
=== Organisations ===
* Several references are made to the Doctor's past involvement with [[Unified Intelligence Taskforce|UNIT]]. UNIT appears to have been particularly lax with the Doctor's file of late — besides a well-connected source like Roderick Allingham having access to it, students Walter Jacobs and Stephen Keyser have also seen a copy.
* Roderick Allingham, the [[New Britannia Party]]'s media manager, worked for [[C19|Department C19]] for many years.
* Roderick Allingham, the [[New Britannia Party]]'s media manager, worked for [[C19|Department C19]] for many years.


=== Politics ===
=== Politics ===
* Ethnic tensions are high: hate groups like [[Black Lightning]] and the [[White Wolves]] are committing [[terrorism]] and the New Britannia Party looked like it might win even before the [[United Front]] plot.
* Ethnic tensions are high: hate groups like [[Black Lightning]] and the [[White Wolves]] are committing [[terrorism]] and the New Britannia Party looked like it might win even before the [[United Front]] plot.
* The UK government has waited a full term (1997 to 2002) to have the election.
 
== Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true" widths="250">
The Fearmonger cover.jpg|Original cover art.
Fearmonger DWM.jpg|DWM illustration by [[Lee Sullivan]].
The Fearmonger DWM preview clean.jpg|Textless version of the preview art.
</gallery>


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
[[File:Fearmonger revised.jpg|thumb|Revised cover art]]
* The cover of ''The Fearmonger'' was the first to be designed by future ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' editor and DVD cover designer [[Clayton Hickman]]. The "fist" motif was inspired by Tom Robinson's 1978 album ''Power in the Darkness''.
* The cover of ''The Fearmonger'' was the first to be designed by future ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' editor and DVD cover designer [[Clayton Hickman]]. The "fist" motif was inspired by one on a Tom Robinson album.
* An illustrated preview for this story appeared in [[DWM 288]] by [[Lee Sullivan]]. This was the first Big Finish audio to receive such a preview.
[[File:Fearmonger DWM.jpg|thumb|DWM illustration by [[Lee Sullivan]].]]
* An illustrated preview for this story appeared in [[DWM 288]] by [[Lee Sullivan]].
* This is the first time that Ace's full name, Dorothy McShane, is mentioned in performed ''Doctor Who''.
* This is the first time that Ace's full name, Dorothy McShane, is mentioned in performed ''Doctor Who''.
* This is the first Big Finish audio drama to take place entirely after the events of [[TV]]: ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]''.
* This is the first Big Finish audio drama to take place entirely after the events of [[TV]]: ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]''.
* This audio drama was recorded on [[4 September (production)|4]] and [[5 September (production)|5 September]] 1999.
* This audio drama was recorded on [[4 September (production)|4]] and [[5 September (production)|5 September]] [[1999 (production)|1999]].
* In real life, the government held an election in 2001 instead of 2002.
* In real life, the election was called for {{w|United Kingdom general election, 2001|2001}} instead of 2002.
* Alistair Lock's soundtrack to the story was released on CD in ''[[Music from the New Audio Adventures - Volume 1 (soundtrack)|Music from the New Audio Adventures - Volume 1]]'', alongside the scores for ''[[Phantasmagoria (audio story)|Phantasmagoria]]'', ''[[The Marian Conspiracy (audio story)|The Marian Conspiracy]]'' and ''[[The Spectre of Lanyon Moor (audio story)|The Spectre of Lanyon Moor]]''.
* Alistair Lock's soundtrack to the story was released on CD in ''[[Music from the New Audio Adventures - Volume 1 (soundtrack)|Music from the New Audio Adventures - Volume 1]]'', alongside the scores for ''[[Phantasmagoria (audio story)|Phantasmagoria]]'', ''[[The Marian Conspiracy (audio story)|The Marian Conspiracy]]'' and ''[[The Spectre of Lanyon Moor (audio story)|The Spectre of Lanyon Moor]]''.
* This story was originally released on CD and cassette. It is now available to download, as well as to stream on [[Spotify]].
* Unusual for a Seventh Doctor story, this uses the [[Delia Derbyshire]] arrangement of the theme music rather than the [[Keff McCulloch]] arrangement used from 1987-89.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* It has been fifteen years since Ace left [[Perivale]] in [[1987]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]'')
* It has been fifteen years since Ace left [[Perivale]] in [[1987]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Survival (TV story)}})
* Ace's full name is given as Dorothy McShane, the surname given to her in Kate Orman's [[PROSE]]: ''[[Set Piece]]''.
* Ace's full name is given as Dorothy McShane, the surname given to her in {{cs|Set Piece (novel)}}.
* The Doctor again observes that at his age, "There's very little to be afraid of." ([[TV]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'')
* The Doctor again observes that at his age, "There's very little to be afraid of", a reference to [[TV]]: {{cs|The Five Doctors (TV story)}}.
* Roderick Allingham is aware of [[C19|Department C19]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Scales of Injustice (novel)|The Scales of Injustice]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Time-Flight (TV story)|Time-Flight]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[Who Killed Kennedy (novel)|Who Killed Kennedy]]'')
* Roderick Allingham is aware of [[C19|Department C19]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Scales of Injustice (novel)}}, [[TV]]: {{cs|Time-Flight (TV story)}}, [[PROSE]]: {{cs|Who Killed Kennedy (novel)|Who Killed Kennedy}})
* Ace recalls the "'No Coloured' signs in [[1963]]" ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'') and "'Pakis Out' signs and petrol bombs" in her time. ([[TV]]: ''[[Ghost Light (TV story)|Ghost Light]]'')
* Ace recalls the "'No Coloured' signs in [[1963]]", which she was in [[TV]]: {{cs|Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)}}, and "'Pakis Out' signs and petrol bombs" in her time, first seen in [[TV]]: {{cs|Ghost Light (TV story)}}
* Ace points out that the Doctor is constantly putting her in situations where she has to face her fears, but not on her own terms. This first happened in [[TV]]: {{cs|Ghost Light (TV story)}} and {{cs|The Curse of Fenric (TV story)}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{bigfinish|releases/v/the-fearmonger-623|The Fearmonger}}; note that it is out of print and is available as download only.
{{bigfinish|releases/v/the-fearmonger-623}}
{{dwrefguide|who_bf05.htm|The Fearmonger}}
{{dwrefguide|who_bf05.htm|The Fearmonger}}
* {{tetrap|7/fearmonger.html|The Fearmonger}}
* {{tetrap|7/fearmonger.html|The Fearmonger}}
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{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}


[[Category:Seventh Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:Doctor Who monthly audio stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in London]]
[[Category:Stories set in London]]
[[Category:2000 audio stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2002]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2002]]
[[Category:Ace audio stories]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use Delia Derbyshire's 2nd theme]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use Delia Derbyshire's 2nd theme]]
[[Category:Seventh Doctor Main Range audio stories]]
[[Category:2000 Main Range audio stories]]

Latest revision as of 20:13, 26 March 2024

RealWorld.png

▶︎
Spotify

The Fearmonger was the fifth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Jonathan Blum and featured Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor and Sophie Aldred as Ace.

It was also the first time the two actors had been back together playing these parts since 1993's Dimensions in Time. This story continues Ace's continuity developed in other mediums such as her surname where here, like in the Virgin New Adventures novel Set Piece, it is stated to be McShane.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

One would-be assassin is in a mental ward. Another's on the run. Their intended victim is stirring up the mobs. Terrorists are planning a strike of their own. A talk-radio host is loving every minute of it. A Whitehall insider whispers about a mysterious UN operative, with a hidden agenda. Everyone's got someone they want to be afraid of. It'll only take a little push for the situation to erupt — and something is doing the pushing. But you can trust the Doctor to put things right. Can't you?

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one[[edit] | [edit source]]

Stephen Keyser and Walter Jacobs attempt and fail to assassinate Sherilyn Harper, the head of the right-wing New Brittania political party; Keyser encounters something strange as he attempts to flee the scene. Days later, the Seventh Doctor and Ace already on the scene, investigating the situation, which has taken a turn for the weird. In so doing, the Doctor uses—abuses, really—the radio show of Mick Thompson, a talk show host and humourist. He’s trying to flush a monster into view, but Thompson is having none of it. Ace, meanwhile, is working with an old friend from Perivale, Paul Tanner, who is something of a hacker. He’s happy to see her, as she’s been missing for fifteen years, but not so thrilled at what he’s dragging her into.

With Paul’s help, Ace locates Walter, and through him, Keyser, who is now hospitalised. She and the Doctor attempt to enlist them to stop the monster, which they call the Fearmonger. It’s incorporeal, and parasitic, and it feeds on fear and related emotions; and it lives inside Harper. Walter, in fact, can hear it in the tones of Harper’s voice. However, his fear is too powerful, and is even directed toward the Doctor, about whom he has been warned; and Keyser is completely broken. Meanwhile, Harper has also been warned about the Doctor, via her PR consultant, Roderick Allingham. He is a former Ministry employee, and is familiar with the Doctor’s file, including his time with UNIT. He lays plans to bring the Doctor in, suspecting him of terrorist ties.

Walter attempts again to kill Harper, this time with a bomb at a rally, but the Doctor and Ace intervene and stop him.

Part two[[edit] | [edit source]]

They are forced to flee to avoid arrest, and return to Paul’s apartment, only to hear a broadcast message from Karadjic, the leader of a terrorist group called the United Front, announcing strikes against New Brittania. They discuss the Fearmonger, which is the real enemy here; and the Doctor builds a force field generator that can contain and destroy the monster without harming the host. They go to New Brittania headquarters to confront Harper, but are intercepted by Allingham, and allowed to escape. Back at Paul’s apartment, they discover the disembodied Fearmonger waiting for them; the Doctor tries to reason with it, but fails, and is forced to ground it out with a metal frying pan, temporarily delaying it. Using Walter, the Doctor arranges a meeting with the United Front, and attends with Ace; but Karadjic proves to be under the influence of the Fearmonger, and shoots Ace in the shoulder.


Part three[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor persuades Karadjic to let them go, and gets Ace to a hospital. While there, he is confronted by the Fearmonger again, but it cannot harm him; his one fear—for Ace’s safety—has already happened.

Three weeks pass while Ace recovers, with the Doctor trying—mostly unsuccessfully—to slow down the United Front. At last he gets an opportunity to confront Harper again, during a live broadcast of Thompson’s show; but it does not go as planned, and Ace and Walter are revealed to be at the hospital. Worse, Ace hears something terrible: She hears the Fearmonger in the Doctor’s voice. The monster has jumped hosts. A mob is on its way to the hospital for Walter, and he and Ace are forced to flee.


Part four[[edit] | [edit source]]

They meet up with the Doctor and Thompson as the mob turns to a riot; the Doctor prods Thompson to attempt to take some control of the situation. Meanwhile, it’s revealed that Allingham himself has ties to the United Front, though he has been using the situation in New Brittania’s favour. He arrives onscene as Thompson interviews Karadjic, not realising that they are broadcasting live; and the entire house of cards tumbles down around Allingham. However, he has the decency to make it clear that Harper was unaware of the deal with the United Front. Karadjic and Allingham are arrested, and Walter is taken in for psychiatric treatment.

However, the Fearmonger is still at large. Ace sends Paul to obtain the bomb left behind by Walter, and places it near the range of the force field generator built by the Doctor. She then traps the Doctor in the field, and threatens to detonate the bomb if it doesn’t leave him, even though it would kill her as well. Slowly and gently, the Doctor persuades her to listen to his words, not his voice; and he makes her understand that the Fearmonger is not in him, nor in Harper, but in her—just as it was in Walter. This is why they are the ones who heard the voice—it was the Fearmonger working from inside, not outside. She turns the forcefield on herself, and the creature is destroyed.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

  • The Doctor muses at one point that he is so old he fears nothing now, apart from the fear of Ace's death — which nearly happens when she is shot by Alexsandr Karadjic of the United Front.

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Organisations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Politics[[edit] | [edit source]]

Gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Original cover art.

    Original cover art.

  • DWM illustration by Lee Sullivan.

    DWM illustration by Lee Sullivan.

  • Textless version of the preview art.

    Textless version of the preview art.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The cover of The Fearmonger was the first to be designed by future Doctor Who Magazine editor and DVD cover designer Clayton Hickman. The "fist" motif was inspired by Tom Robinson's 1978 album Power in the Darkness.
  • An illustrated preview for this story appeared in DWM 288 by Lee Sullivan. This was the first Big Finish audio to receive such a preview.
  • This is the first time that Ace's full name, Dorothy McShane, is mentioned in performed Doctor Who.
  • This is the first Big Finish audio drama to take place entirely after the events of TV: Survival.
  • This audio drama was recorded on 4 and 5 September 1999.
  • In real life, the election was called for 2001 instead of 2002.
  • Alistair Lock's soundtrack to the story was released on CD in Music from the New Audio Adventures - Volume 1, alongside the scores for Phantasmagoria, The Marian Conspiracy and The Spectre of Lanyon Moor.
  • This story was originally released on CD and cassette. It is now available to download, as well as to stream on Spotify.
  • Unusual for a Seventh Doctor story, this uses the Delia Derbyshire arrangement of the theme music rather than the Keff McCulloch arrangement used from 1987-89.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • It has been fifteen years since Ace left Perivale in 1987. (TV: Survival [+]Loading...["Survival (TV story)"])
  • Ace's full name is given as Dorothy McShane, the surname given to her in Set Piece [+]Loading...["Set Piece (novel)"].
  • The Doctor again observes that at his age, "There's very little to be afraid of", a reference to TV: The Five Doctors [+]Loading...["The Five Doctors (TV story)"].
  • Roderick Allingham is aware of Department C19. (PROSE: The Scales of Injustice [+]Loading...["The Scales of Injustice (novel)"], TV: Time-Flight [+]Loading...["Time-Flight (TV story)"], PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy [+]Loading...["Who Killed Kennedy (novel)","Who Killed Kennedy"])
  • Ace recalls the "'No Coloured' signs in 1963", which she was in TV: Remembrance of the Daleks [+]Loading...["Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)"], and "'Pakis Out' signs and petrol bombs" in her time, first seen in TV: Ghost Light [+]Loading...["Ghost Light (TV story)"]
  • Ace points out that the Doctor is constantly putting her in situations where she has to face her fears, but not on her own terms. This first happened in TV: Ghost Light [+]Loading...["Ghost Light (TV story)"] and The Curse of Fenric [+]Loading...["The Curse of Fenric (TV story)"]

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