The Chaos Pool (audio story)

The Chaos Pool
Doctor:	Fifth Doctor
Companion(s):	Amy
Featuring:	Romana II, Astra of Atrios, Zara
Main enemy:	Black Guardian, White Guardian, Grace
Main setting:	Chaos, the end of recorded time
Key crew
Publisher:	Big Finish Productions
Writer:	Peter Anghelides
Director:	Lisa Bowerman
Producer:	David Richardson
Music:	Jamie Robertson
Sound:	Simon Robinson
Cover by:	Alex Mallinson
Release details
Number of parts:	4
Release number:	119
Release date:	March 2009
Format:	2 CDs Download
Production code:	6R/C
ISBN:	ISBN 978-1-84435-365-1 (physical) ISBN 978-1-78575-666-5 (digital)
Main Range
← Previous	The Destroyer of Delights
Next →	The Magic Mousetrap
Production order
← Previous	The Destroyer of Delights
Next →	The Judgement of Isskar

The Chaos Pool was the one hundred and nineteenth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Peter Anghelides and featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Ciara Janson as Amy, Laura Doddington as Zara and Lalla Ward as Romana II.

The story is notable for several reasons surrounding its guest stars, including Lalla Ward and David Troughton. This is the only piece of performed Doctor Who where Ward appears as both Romana II and Astra of Atrios. It is also the first time Romana II encounters the Fifth Doctor in an audio drama.

Publisher's summary

The ageless leader of a dying race believes that salvation lies within The Chaos Pool, a place that even the Guardians of Time have been unable to locate. Meanwhile Commander Hectocot and his Teuthoidian followers move in for the kill - again and again and again...

Two different races from opposite ends of time — so how can they co-exist?

In their search for the final segment of the Key to Time, the Fifth Doctor and Amy become caught in the crossfire. As the end of everything approaches, old friends and enemies reveal themselves and the final battle between the forces of Chaos and Order ignites...

Plot

to be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Peter Davison
• Amy - Ciara Janson
• The Black Guardian - David Troughton
• The White Guardian - Jason Watkins
• Zara - Laura Doddington
• Astra of Atrios / Romana - Lalla Ward
• Captain Pargrave - Ben Jones
• Commander Hectocot - Toby Longworth
• The Voice - Cate Hamer
• Maddenjot - Will Barton

Crew

• Cover Art - Alex Mallinson
• Director - Lisa Bowerman
• Executive Producers - Nicholas Briggs and Jason Haigh-Ellery
• Music - Jamie Robertson
• Producer - David Richardson
• Script Editor - Alan Barnes
• Sound Design - Simon Robinson
• Writer - Peter Anghelides

Worldbuilding

Individuals

• The Doctor's latest news of Romana was that she was working for the High Council.
• Romana has previously visited Mars.

Gallery

• 

  Original cover art

• 

  Preview by Brian Williamson in DWM 406

Notes

• This is the first of two Big Finish audio dramas to depict the Fifth Doctor encountering Romana. In audio, she has travelled with the Fourth Doctor as his companion, as well as meeting the Sixth Doctor (in The Apocalypse Element ^[+]Loading...["The Apocalypse Element (audio story)"]), and the Eighth Doctor (in Neverland ^[+]Loading...["Neverland (audio story)"], Zagreus ^[+]Loading...["Zagreus (audio story)"], and Shada ^[+]Loading...["Shada (audio story)"]). In 2019, Romana briefly met all of the first eight Doctors, as well as the Tenth Doctor, in Collision Course ^[+]Loading...["Collision Course (audio story)"].
• This is the first appearance of Romana in the main range since Zagreus in November 2003.
• The official Big Finish page for this release credits Lalla Ward as 'Madam President' to disguise the return of Astra.
• This was the final Fifth Doctor story in the main range not to feature Nyssa until The Burning Prince ^[+]Loading...["The Burning Prince (audio story)"] in September 2012.
• This audio drama was recorded on 22 and 23 April 2008 at the Moat Studios.
• This story is set between Planet of Fire ^[+]Loading...["Planet of Fire (TV story)"] and The Caves of Androzani ^[+]Loading...["The Caves of Androzani (TV story)"].
• This story was originally released on CD and download.
• The story of Amy (renamed Abby) and Zara continues in the spin-off series Graceless.
• This story was previewed in DWM 406 by an illustration from Brian Williamson.

Continuity

• Romana asks the Doctor if he was "expecting someone else." This is the same snarky line spoken by the Sixth Doctor to Peri immediately after regenerating at the end of TV: The Caves of Androzani ^[+]Loading...["The Caves of Androzani (TV story)"]. In this case, however, it is in reference to the fact that the Doctor was unsure whether he was talking to Romana II or Astra of Atrios, both played by Lalla Ward.
• Zara refers to the planet Erratoon and the first segment of the Key to Time. AUDIO: The Prisoner's Dilemma ^[+]Loading...["The Prisoner's Dilemma (audio story)"] depicts her visit to Erratoon, during which she was captured and imprisoned with the Seventh Doctor's companion Ace. She also briefly met the Seventh Doctor on that occasion but did not realise his identity.
• The Grace's banishment of the Guardians echoes the White Guardian's banishment of the Eternals in TV: Enlightenment ^[+]Loading...["Enlightenment (TV story)"].
• Romana tells the Doctor he can't see the storm that's coming. He'd hear rumours of a great storm coming to the galaxy in PROSE: Millennial Rites ^[+]Loading...["Millennial Rites (novel)"].

External links

• Official The Chaos Pool page at bigfinish.com
• The Chaos Pool at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
• DisContinuity for The Chaos Pool at Tetrapyriarbus - The DisContinuity Guide