The Home Guard (audio story): Difference between revisions

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{{title dab away}}
{{title dab away}}
{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image            = The Home Guard (audio story).jpg
|image            = The Home Guard (audio story).jpg
|range            = The Early Adventures
|range            = The Early Adventures
Line 12: Line 12:
|companions        = [[Polly Wright|Polly]], [[Ben Jackson|Ben]], [[Jamie McCrimmon|Jamie]]
|companions        = [[Polly Wright|Polly]], [[Ben Jackson|Ben]], [[Jamie McCrimmon|Jamie]]
|featuring        =  
|featuring        =  
|enemy            = {{Dreyfus|c}}
|enemy            = [[The Master (The Destination Wars)|Inventor Master]]
|setting          = [[Planet (The Home Guard)|"English village"]]
|setting          = [[Planet (The Home Guard)|"English village"]]
|writer            = [[Simon Guerrier]]
|writer            = Simon Guerrier
|director          = [[Lisa Bowerman]]
|director          = [[Lisa Bowerman]]
|music            = [[Toby Hrycek-Robinson]]
|music            = [[Toby Hrycek-Robinson]]
Line 21: Line 21:
|producer          = [[David Richardson]]
|producer          = [[David Richardson]]
|publisher        = Big Finish Productions
|publisher        = Big Finish Productions
|release date      = [[13 November (releases)|13 November]] [[2019 (releases)|2019]]
|release date      = 13 November 2019
|format            =2 CDs<br/>Download  
|format            =2 CDs<br/>Download  
|production code  = BFPDWEA21
|production code  = BFPDWEA21
|isbn              = ISBN 978-1-78703-863-9 (physical); ISBN 978-1-78703-864-6 (digital)
|isbn              = ISBN 978-1-78703-863-9 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-78703-864-6 (digital)
|prev              = The Crash of the UK-201 (audio story)
|prev              = The Crash of the UK-201 (audio story)
|next              = Daughter of the Gods (audio story)
|next              = Daughter of the Gods (audio story)
|soundcloudtrailer = soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-the-home-guard-trailer
|soundcloudtrailer = soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-the-home-guard-trailer
|epcount = 4}}{{Audio stub}}
|epcount = 4
}}{{Audio stub}}
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the first story of the [[Series 6 (EA)|sixth series]] of ''[[The Early Adventures]]'', produced by [[Big Finish Productions]]. It was [[Writer|written]] by [[Simon Guerrier]], narrated by [[Anneke Wills]] and featured the [[Second Doctor]], [[Jamie McCrimmon]], [[Ben Jackson]] and [[Polly Wright]]. [[James Dreyfus]] also features as {{Dreyfus}}, returning after his encounter with the [[First Doctor]] in ''[[The Destination Wars (audio story)|The Destination Wars]]''.
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the first story of the [[Series 6 (EA)|sixth series]] of ''[[The Early Adventures]]'', produced by [[Big Finish Productions]]. It was [[Writer|written]] by [[Simon Guerrier]], narrated by [[Anneke Wills]] and featured the [[Second Doctor]], [[Jamie McCrimmon]], [[Ben Jackson]] and [[Polly Wright]]. [[James Dreyfus]] also features as {{Dreyfus}}, returning after his encounter with the [[First Doctor]] in ''[[The Destination Wars (audio story)|The Destination Wars]]''.


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Ben reaches the cottage of two old friends, a married couple: [[Jamie McCrimmon]] and [[Polly Wright]], finding them dressed in uniform, with a rifle, and ready to leave. They welcome him warmly, and offer to take him in with them, but they also tell him they must be leaving now, or they are going to be late. Jamie invites him to come along with them, and Ben accepts. They all go off together, oblivious to the presence of a little camera on the enclosure of the cottage, turning to follow them.
Ben reaches the cottage of two old friends, a married couple: [[Jamie McCrimmon]] and [[Polly Wright]], finding them dressed in uniform, with a rifle, and ready to leave. They welcome him warmly, and offer to take him in with them, but they also tell him they must be leaving now, or they are going to be late. Jamie invites him to come along with them, and Ben accepts. They all go off together, oblivious to the presence of a little camera on the enclosure of the cottage, turning to follow them.


Polly, Jamie and Ben reach the village, seemingly ignoring the cameras following their steps. As they approach, they are seen from Jamie and Polly’s superior officer to the local [[Home Guard]], corporal Jill Sandbrook, to which they both belong. She moves to reach them, and inform Jamie and Polly they shall be punished for being late at the drill. The four of them proceed (passing near [[The Doctor's TARDIS|a police box]] surrounded by square blocks and with a sign deeming it DANGEROUS) and join the rest of the Guard in the church hall, where Ben looks at Jill scraping the names of some people from the list of the corps. She informs him they are men sent to the front; the last one, Jack Shannon, departed that same morning. Jill expresses relief to that, because he was a troublemaker, asking question he shouldn’t ask.  
Polly, Jamie and Ben reach the village, seemingly ignoring the cameras following their steps. As they approach, they are seen from Jamie and Polly’s superior officer to the local [[Home Guard]], corporal Jill Sandbrook, to which they both belong. She moves to reach them, and inform Jamie and Polly they shall be punished for being late at the drill. The four of them proceed (passing near [[The Doctor's TARDIS|a police box]] surrounded by square blocks and with a sign deeming it DANGEROUS) and join the rest of the Guard in the church hall, where Ben looks at Jill scraping the names of some people from the list of the corps. She informs him they are men sent to the front; the last one, Jack Shannon, departed that same morning. Jill expresses relief to that, because he was a troublemaker, asking question he shouldn’t ask.


From a side-door, the commander of the Guard, [[Second Doctor|the Doctor]], joins the troop. Jill informs him that Jamie and Polly were late, but the Doctor dismisses it, thinking they had a good reason. He is then introduced to Ben, whom he asks whether he’s seen him before. After asking the soldiers to repeat the reasons they are fighting for (which includes friendship, playing cricket on the green, leaving your gate open at night and so on), he dismisses them all without giving them any kind of drill. Ben is puzzled, and openly tells Jamie and Polly his conviction the Doctor is unsuited for command; they agree to talk to the other soldiers about relieving him of his position. As they go away, Jill comes out from the shadow and through an earpiece informs someone of “sedition in the ranks”.
From a side-door, the commander of the Guard, [[Second Doctor|the Doctor]], joins the troop. Jill informs him that Jamie and Polly were late, but the Doctor dismisses it, thinking they had a good reason. He is then introduced to Ben, whom he asks whether he’s seen him before. After asking the soldiers to repeat the reasons they are fighting for (which includes friendship, playing cricket on the green, leaving your gate open at night and so on), he dismisses them all without giving them any kind of drill. Ben is puzzled, and openly tells Jamie and Polly his conviction the Doctor is unsuited for command; they agree to talk to the other soldiers about relieving him of his position. As they go away, Jill comes out from the shadow and through an earpiece informs someone of “sedition in the ranks”.


Polly, Ben and Jamie come back to the couple’s cottage, but as they enter it, they found themselves in an empty space with no furniture; they are also paralysed, and stand unconscious as the electronic device on the gate start spraying artificial smoke. So also do all the other devices set around the village, until all the town is covered in fog. A man in a black suit enters the garden of the McCrimmons’ cottage, and uses a reel of magnetic tape and a box attached to the walls of the cottage to simulate the noises of an air raid; he then says to the unconscious Jamie, Ben and Polly that they will hear the raid and go hiding in their shelter. He snaps his fingers, and this is exactly what happens. The man knocks on the shelter’s door and Polly and Jamie welcome him inside. Polly apologizes to him for not being able to enter the Doctor’s office, but he accepts her apologies. To an astounded Ben, the man reveals that the Doctor is actually a spy, working for the enemy: Polly and Jamie are helping him to find evidence of his betrayal. Though doubtful, Ben agrees to join. The man then orders him to look into his eyes and tells him he will do what he says, because he is [[The Master|“the Master”]].
Polly, Ben and Jamie come back to the couple’s cottage, but as they enter it, they found themselves in an empty space with no furniture; they are also paralysed, and stand unconscious as the electronic device on the gate start spraying artificial smoke. So also do all the other devices set around the village, until all the town is covered in fog. A man in a black suit enters the garden of the McCrimmons’ cottage, and uses a reel of magnetic tape and a box attached to the walls of the cottage to simulate the noises of an air raid; he then says to the unconscious Jamie, Ben and Polly that they will hear the raid and go hiding in their shelter. He snaps his fingers, and this is exactly what happens. The man knocks on the shelter’s door and Polly and Jamie welcome him inside. Polly apologises to him for not being able to enter the Doctor’s office, but he accepts her apologies. To an astounded Ben, the man reveals that the Doctor is actually a spy, working for the enemy: Polly and Jamie are helping him to find evidence of his betrayal. Though doubtful, Ben agrees to join. The man then orders him to look into his eyes and tells him he will do what he says, because he is [[The Master|“the Master”]].


=== Part two ===
=== Part two ===
Line 67: Line 68:
* [[Robert Collins]] - [[Brian Murphy]]
* [[Robert Collins]] - [[Brian Murphy]]


== References ==
== Crew ==
This is chronologically the Doctor’s second meeting with the Master after leaving Gallifrey.
* Cover Art - [[Tom Webster]]
* Director - [[Lisa Bowerman]]
* Executive Producers - [[Nicholas Briggs]] and [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
* Music and Sound Design - [[Toby Hrycek-Robinson]]
* Producer - [[David Richardson]]
* Script Editor - [[John Dorney]]
* Writer - [[Simon Guerrier]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
''to be added''


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
[[File:Home Guard alternate cover.jpg|thumb|Alternative cover.]]
* [[Elliot Chapman]] confirmed that this story would be his last in the role of [[Ben Jackson]]<ref>[https://twitter.com/E11iotChapman/status/1194563696393179137 Twitter]</ref> as he did not wish to play the role in more stories than the original actor [[Michael Craze]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/E11iotChapman/status/1194615846162837505 Twitter]</ref> Elliot donated his fee for acting in this story to Transgender Youth Charity ''Mermaids'' after controversy from [[James Dreyfus]]'s anti-transgender tweets.
* [[Elliot Chapman]] confirmed that this story would be his last in the role of [[Ben Jackson]]<ref>[https://twitter.com/E11iotChapman/status/1194563696393179137 Twitter]</ref> as he did not wish to play the role in more stories than the original actor [[Michael Craze]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/E11iotChapman/status/1194615846162837505 Twitter]</ref> Elliot donated his fee for acting in this story to Transgender Youth Charity ''Mermaids'' after controversy from [[James Dreyfus]]'s anti-transgender tweets.
* This is the fourth audio story to place this TARDIS team in a [[World War II|Second World War]] setting after ''[[Resistance (audio story)|Resistance]]'', ''[[The Forsaken (audio story)|The Forsaken]]'' and ''[[The Night Witches (audio story)|The Night Witches]]''. However, in the case of ''The Home Guard'', this connection to the conflict is much more tenuous.
* Polly is described as still having short [[hair]], after her [[Hair dresser|haircut]] in ''[[The Macra Terror (TV story)|The Macra Terror]]'', but the cover still depicts her with long hair.
*Polly is described as still having short [[hair]], after her [[Hair dresser|haircut]] in ''[[The Macra Terror (TV story)|The Macra Terror]]'', but the cover still depicts her with long hair.
* The story was released the [[13 November (releases)|same day]] as the other [[Series 6 (EA)|Series 6]] instalment, ''[[Daughter of the Gods (audio story)|Daughter of the Gods]]''. When the upcoming releases were announced by Big Finish on [[18 May (production)|18 May]] [[2019 (production)|2019]], ''Daughter of the Gods'' was stated to be the first story in Series 6 while ''The Home Guard'' was presented as the second.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/katarina-returns|title=Katarina returns|date of source=May 18th, 2019|website name=Big Finish|accessdate=May 10th, 2021}}</ref> [[Vortex (magazine)|''Vortex'' magazine]] presented them in the same way upon publication of [[VOR 125|#125]] on [[1 July (releases)|1 July]]. However, neither their respective production codes nor the ultimate release order reflect this. Upon release, the Big Finish website listed ''The Home Guard'' above ''Daughter of the Gods'' while also numbering the former as 6.1 in the range and the latter as 6.2.
* The story was released the [[13 November (releases)|same day]] as the other [[Series 6 (EA)|Series 6]] instalment, ''[[Daughter of the Gods (audio story)|Daughter of the Gods]]''. When the upcoming releases were announced by Big Finish on [[18 May (production)|18 May]] [[2019 (production)|2019]], ''Daughter of the Gods'' was stated to be the first story in Series 6 while ''The Home Guard'' was presented as the second.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/katarina-returns|title=Katarina returns|date of source=May 18th, 2019|website name=Big Finish|accessdate=May 10th, 2021}}</ref> [[Vortex (magazine)|''Vortex'' magazine]] presented them in the same way upon publication of [[VOR 125|#125]] on [[1 July (releases)|1 July]]. However, neither their respective production codes nor the ultimate release order reflect this. Upon release, the Big Finish website listed ''The Home Guard'' above ''Daughter of the Gods'' while also numbering the former as 6.1 in the range and the latter as 6.2.
* This story was recorded on [[8 August (production)|8]] and [[9 August (production)|9 August]] [[2017 (production)|2017]] at [[The Moat Studios|the Moat Studios]].
* This story was recorded on [[8 August (production)|8]] and [[9 August (production)|9 August]] [[2017 (production)|2017]] at [[the Moat Studios]].
* This story was originally released on CD and download.
* This story was originally released on CD and download.
* In [[2020 (releases)|2020]] [[Simon Guerrier]] stated on Twitter that he watched ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'' again while writing the story, mostly "to try and *not* copy it". He confirmed a fan's suspicions about "[[The Master (The Destination Wars)|the Master]]'s cryptic references to a grander plan that was being served by these events" being a hint that the story served as a "soft lead-in" to ''The War Games'' with the Master regenerating into [[Edward Brayshaw]]'s [[the War Chief|War Chief]]. However, he admitted that he "couldn't quite remember" what he'd been thinking, and added: "Also, {{w|death of the author|it doesn't matter what I intended anyway}}. What do *you* think?". <ref>{{cite web
* In [[2020 (releases)|2020]] [[Simon Guerrier]] stated on Twitter that he watched ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'' again while writing the story, mostly "to try and *not* copy it". He confirmed a fan's suspicions about "[[The Master (The Destination Wars)|the Master]]'s cryptic references to a grander plan that was being served by these events" being a hint that the story served as a "soft lead-in" to ''The War Games'' with the Master regenerating into [[Edward Brayshaw]]'s [[the War Chief|War Chief]]. However, he admitted that he "couldn't quite remember" what he'd been thinking, and added: "Also, {{w|death of the author|it doesn't matter what I intended anyway}}. What do *you* think?". <ref>{{cite web
|url=https://twitter.com/0tralala/status/1227333760707891200
|url = https://twitter.com/0tralala/status/1227333760707891200
|title= Oh! Yes, I think that's what I was thinking of (…)
|title= Oh! Yes, I think that's what I was thinking of (…)
|author=[[Simon Guerrier]]
|author = [[Simon Guerrier]]
|website name=Simon Guerrier on Twitter
|website name=Simon Guerrier on Twitter
|date of source=11 February 2020
|date of source = 11 February 2020
|archiveurl=https://archive.ph/W0QDv
|archiveurl=https://archive.ph/W0QDv
|archivedate= 20 January 2023
|archivedate= 20 January 2023
Line 91: Line 99:
* The Master uses the [[Tissue Compression Eliminator|Tissue Compressor Eliminator]] for what is chronologically the first time in the continuity of the series. That weapon will become a significant part of his arsenal in later years. ([[TV]]: ''[[Terror of the Autons (TV story)|Terror of the Autons]]'' et al.)
* The Master uses the [[Tissue Compression Eliminator|Tissue Compressor Eliminator]] for what is chronologically the first time in the continuity of the series. That weapon will become a significant part of his arsenal in later years. ([[TV]]: ''[[Terror of the Autons (TV story)|Terror of the Autons]]'' et al.)
* The Doctor mentions the encounter with the [[Macra]]. Polly still has [[Hairdresser|short]] [[hair]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Macra Terror (TV story)|The Macra Terror]]'')
* The Doctor mentions the encounter with the [[Macra]]. Polly still has [[Hairdresser|short]] [[hair]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Macra Terror (TV story)|The Macra Terror]]'')
*The Doctor references “that nice [[Harry Houdini]]” when Ben frees him. ([[AUDIO]]: [[Harry Houdini's War (audio story)|Harry Houdini's War]])
* The Doctor references “that nice [[Harry Houdini]]” when Ben frees him. ([[AUDIO]]: [[Harry Houdini's War (audio story)|Harry Houdini's War]])
* The Doctor recalls facing the Master on [[Destination]]. He thought the Master was dead. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Destination Wars (audio story)|The Destination Wars]]'')
* The Doctor recalls facing the Master on [[Destination]]. He thought the Master was dead. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Destination Wars (audio story)|The Destination Wars]]'')
* The Doctor tries to remind Ben about past adventures, mentioning [[WOTAN]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Machines (TV story)|The War Machines]]'') [[the Moon]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Moonbase (TV story)|The Moonbase]]'') the [[Macra]], who had previously used [[brainwashing]] on them, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Macra Terror (TV story)|The Macra Terror]]'') the [[fish people]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Underwater Menace (TV story)|The Underwater Menace]]'') and the [[Yes Men]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Yes Men (audio story)|The Yes Men]]'')
* The Doctor tries to remind Ben about past adventures, mentioning [[WOTAN]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Machines (TV story)|The War Machines]]'') [[the Moon]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Moonbase (TV story)|The Moonbase]]'') the [[Macra]], who had previously used [[brainwashing]] on them, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Macra Terror (TV story)|The Macra Terror]]'') the [[fish people]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Underwater Menace (TV story)|The Underwater Menace]]'') and the [[Yes Men]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Yes Men (audio story)|The Yes Men]]'')
* By the end of the story, the Master is put on trial for the first time in his life; he will later also be put on trial by the [[Dalek]]s ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]''). He tries to appeal to an independent court, only for him to be answered that, if he wants, he can be judged by [[Time Lord|his own people]], as it will eventually happen to the Doctor himself. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'')
* By the end of the story, the Master is put on trial for the first time in his life; he will later also be put on trial by the [[Dalek]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'') He tries to appeal to an independent court, only for him to be answered that, if he wants, he can be judged by [[Time Lord|his own people]], as it will eventually happen to the Doctor himself. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'')
 
== Cover gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
The Home Guard (audio story) original.jpg|Original cover
Home Guard alternate cover.jpg|Alternate cover
</gallery>


== External links ==
== External links ==
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{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}


[[Category:Stories set in England]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 1940s]]
[[Category:Inventor Master audio stories]]
[[Category:Inventor Master audio stories]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use Delia Derbyshire's 2nd theme]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use Delia Derbyshire's 2nd theme]]
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[[Category:Second Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:Second Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:2019 audio stories]]
[[Category:2019 audio stories]]
[[Category:Stories in need of plot details]]

Latest revision as of 14:23, 4 November 2024

RealWorld.png

audio stub

The Home Guard was the first story of the sixth series of The Early Adventures, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Simon Guerrier, narrated by Anneke Wills and featured the Second Doctor, Jamie McCrimmon, Ben Jackson and Polly Wright. James Dreyfus also features as the Master, returning after his encounter with the First Doctor in The Destination Wars.

Guerrier was inspired by Dominic Sandbrook's history of 1960s Britain, White Heat, and the BBC wartime sitcom, Dad's Army. Originally the story was a pastiche of Dad's Army but Guerrier was dissatisfied with it and rewrote it, incorporating a tone similar to the 1945 film Brief Encounter.

A number of references remain to the sources of inspiration: the cover's Union Flag arrows are identical to those seen in the Dad's Army opening credits, the character of Robert Collins was based on Private Godfrey, and the Doctor also calls Jamie "stupid boy", a catchphrase of Captain Mainwaring. Additionally, Sandbrook lends his surname to the character Jill Sandbrook. (BFX: The Home Guard)

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

It’s the middle of the Second World War and Ben Jackson has returned to visit his married friends Polly and Jamie in their quiet English village. But they can't quite shake the feeling that something's not right...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

A battered and bruised soldier, with a broken arm, flees through a field of ruth. He finally reaches a bus stop, just as a bus is approaching; but as he is waving his healthy arm to tell the driver to stop, a dark figure reaches him and kills him with a cubic object he holds in his hand. From that same bus, Ben Jackson, a sailor from the Royal Navy, comes down just a second later, and goes off his way, without noticing the tiny, doll-size corpse of the soldier.

Ben reaches the cottage of two old friends, a married couple: Jamie McCrimmon and Polly Wright, finding them dressed in uniform, with a rifle, and ready to leave. They welcome him warmly, and offer to take him in with them, but they also tell him they must be leaving now, or they are going to be late. Jamie invites him to come along with them, and Ben accepts. They all go off together, oblivious to the presence of a little camera on the enclosure of the cottage, turning to follow them.

Polly, Jamie and Ben reach the village, seemingly ignoring the cameras following their steps. As they approach, they are seen from Jamie and Polly’s superior officer to the local Home Guard, corporal Jill Sandbrook, to which they both belong. She moves to reach them, and inform Jamie and Polly they shall be punished for being late at the drill. The four of them proceed (passing near a police box surrounded by square blocks and with a sign deeming it DANGEROUS) and join the rest of the Guard in the church hall, where Ben looks at Jill scraping the names of some people from the list of the corps. She informs him they are men sent to the front; the last one, Jack Shannon, departed that same morning. Jill expresses relief to that, because he was a troublemaker, asking question he shouldn’t ask.

From a side-door, the commander of the Guard, the Doctor, joins the troop. Jill informs him that Jamie and Polly were late, but the Doctor dismisses it, thinking they had a good reason. He is then introduced to Ben, whom he asks whether he’s seen him before. After asking the soldiers to repeat the reasons they are fighting for (which includes friendship, playing cricket on the green, leaving your gate open at night and so on), he dismisses them all without giving them any kind of drill. Ben is puzzled, and openly tells Jamie and Polly his conviction the Doctor is unsuited for command; they agree to talk to the other soldiers about relieving him of his position. As they go away, Jill comes out from the shadow and through an earpiece informs someone of “sedition in the ranks”.

Polly, Ben and Jamie come back to the couple’s cottage, but as they enter it, they found themselves in an empty space with no furniture; they are also paralysed, and stand unconscious as the electronic device on the gate start spraying artificial smoke. So also do all the other devices set around the village, until all the town is covered in fog. A man in a black suit enters the garden of the McCrimmons’ cottage, and uses a reel of magnetic tape and a box attached to the walls of the cottage to simulate the noises of an air raid; he then says to the unconscious Jamie, Ben and Polly that they will hear the raid and go hiding in their shelter. He snaps his fingers, and this is exactly what happens. The man knocks on the shelter’s door and Polly and Jamie welcome him inside. Polly apologises to him for not being able to enter the Doctor’s office, but he accepts her apologies. To an astounded Ben, the man reveals that the Doctor is actually a spy, working for the enemy: Polly and Jamie are helping him to find evidence of his betrayal. Though doubtful, Ben agrees to join. The man then orders him to look into his eyes and tells him he will do what he says, because he is “the Master”.

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

to be added

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

to be added

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

to be added

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Elliot Chapman confirmed that this story would be his last in the role of Ben Jackson[2] as he did not wish to play the role in more stories than the original actor Michael Craze.[3] Elliot donated his fee for acting in this story to Transgender Youth Charity Mermaids after controversy from James Dreyfus's anti-transgender tweets.
  • Polly is described as still having short hair, after her haircut in The Macra Terror, but the cover still depicts her with long hair.
  • The story was released the same day as the other Series 6 instalment, Daughter of the Gods. When the upcoming releases were announced by Big Finish on 18 May 2019, Daughter of the Gods was stated to be the first story in Series 6 while The Home Guard was presented as the second.[4] Vortex magazine presented them in the same way upon publication of #125 on 1 July. However, neither their respective production codes nor the ultimate release order reflect this. Upon release, the Big Finish website listed The Home Guard above Daughter of the Gods while also numbering the former as 6.1 in the range and the latter as 6.2.
  • This story was recorded on 8 and 9 August 2017 at the Moat Studios.
  • This story was originally released on CD and download.
  • In 2020 Simon Guerrier stated on Twitter that he watched The War Games again while writing the story, mostly "to try and *not* copy it". He confirmed a fan's suspicions about "the Master's cryptic references to a grander plan that was being served by these events" being a hint that the story served as a "soft lead-in" to The War Games with the Master regenerating into Edward Brayshaw's War Chief. However, he admitted that he "couldn't quite remember" what he'd been thinking, and added: "Also, it doesn't matter what I intended anyway. What do *you* think?". [5]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Cover gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. not credited in audio credits
  2. Twitter
  3. Twitter
  4. Katarina returns. Big Finish (May 18th, 2019). Retrieved on May 10th, 2021.
  5. Simon Guerrier (11 February 2020). Oh! Yes, I think that's what I was thinking of (…). Simon Guerrier on Twitter. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023.