The Annihilators (audio story)

The Annihilators
Doctor:	Third Doctor
Companion(s):	The Brigadier, Liz
Featuring:	Second Doctor, Jamie, Roach
Main enemy:	Ooli
Main setting:	Northern England, 1970s
Key crew
Publisher:	Big Finish Productions
Writer:	Nicholas Briggs
Director:	Nicholas Briggs
Producer:	Heather Challands
Music:	Nicholas Briggs
Sound:	Steve Foxon
Cover by:	Sean Longmore
Release details
Number of parts:	7
Release number:	9
Release date:	8 February 2022
Format:	3 CDs Download
Production code:	BFPDWDR0301
ISBN:	ISBN 978-1-83868-738-0 (physical); ISBN 978-1-83868-739-7 (digital)
Official trailer
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The Third Doctor Adventures
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The Annihilators was the story comprising the ninth release in The Third Doctor Adventures, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Nicholas Briggs and featured Tim Treloar as the Third Doctor, Daisy Ashford as Liz Shaw, Jon Culshaw as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon and introduced Michael Troughton, son of Patrick, as the Second Doctor and Mark Elstob as Sergeant Major Roach.

Publisher's summary

There's something in the water at Lewgate Docks. Something strange, and green, and deadly. Summoned to the North of England by a mystery informer, the Brigadier finds his investigations hampered at every turn by the local police. Just what are they trying to hide?

While the Third Doctor uncovers sinister goings-on in the city morgue, Liz attracts the attention of something unearthly. But with Time running out, quite literally, the Doctor, Liz and UNIT aren’t the only ones to find themselves targeted by a world-shattering alien menace...

...because they’ve got a previous Doctor and his best friend Jamie in their sights, too!

Plot

Part one

to be added

Part two

to be added

Part three

to be added

Part four

to be added

Part five

to be added

Part six

to be added

Part seven

to be added

Cast

• Third Doctor - Tim Treloar
• Dr Liz Shaw - Daisy Ashford
• Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart - Jon Culshaw
• Second Doctor - Michael Troughton
• Jamie McCrimmon - Frazer Hines
• DCI Denise Walker - Karen Archer
• Sergeant Al Sinclair - Daon Broni
• Grestrenor Leader / DC Staniton / Dr Daniels / Sergeant Major Roach - Mark Elstob
• Grestrenor Sub-Leader / Dr Jane Broadbelt - Bethan Walker
• Private Pritchard / Corporal Snell - Sam Stafford

Crew

• Cover Art - Sean Longmore
• Writer, Music & Director - Nicholas Briggs
• Executive Producers - Nicholas Briggs and Jason Haigh-Ellery
• Producer - Heather Challands
• Script Editor - Alan Barnes
• Sound Design - Steve Foxon
• Senior Producer - David Richardson

Worldbuilding

• In order to prove his identity to Jamie, the Third Doctor mentions that he had travelled with Victoria Waterfield and Zoe Heriot.

Notes

• This story was recorded on 6, 8 and 21-23 September 2021 at the Soundhouse and Audio Sorcery.
• To keep the Second Doctor and Jamie McCrimmon's appearance in this audio drama secret, Big Finish initially released a dummy cover and the first version of the trailer on their website and on social media. The same was done with Old Friends in The Ninth Doctor Adventures, released just over a week later, to keep the involvement of the Cybermen a secret.
• Michael Troughton was set to debut as the Second Doctor in Big Finish's upcoming range, The Second Doctor Adventures. However, when Briggs noted there would be a sizeable wait ahead of the new range's first release, he decided to include the Second Doctor and Jamie in The Annihilators as a teaser of what was to come. The Annihilators notably reveals that the two are on a special mission but its true nature is not revealed; Briggs teased that this would tie in to The Second Doctor Adventures. (BFX: The Annihilators)
• The Annihilators was the first seven part story made by Big Finish, in accordance with the production choices of Season 7. Though he had been keen on this idea for some time, Nicholas Briggs felt that the Big Finish CD release format made it impractical. He changed his mind when Heather Challands urged him to go for it. (BFX: The Annihilators)
• The cover does not name Nicholas Briggs as the writer.
• The opening theme for each episode is split in two, largely framing the cliffhanger reprise, as it was for The Ambassadors of Death.

Continuity

• In order to prove his identity to Jamie, the Third Doctor mentions that their first encounter with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart was when they fought the Yeti in the London Underground when he was still a Colonel. (TV: The Web of Fear)
• The Brigadier says that Jamie is older than the last time they both saw each other, fighting against the Cybermen. (TV: The Invasion)
• Liz is aware of regeneration because of the Brigadier telling her about knowing the Doctor in a previous body. (TV: Spearhead from Space)
• When the Third Doctor discusses the aliens' transmat, Jamie remembers the incident with T-Mat and the Ice Warriors on The Moon. (TV: The Seeds of Death)
• The Third Doctor tries, unsuccessfully in the end, to rematerialise the console inside the TARDIS control room. (TV: The Ambassadors of Death, Inferno) River Song would later be more successful in reinstalling it, much to the Doctor's annoyance. (AUDIO: Rivers of Light)
• The Second Doctor is working for the Time Lords, though under duress, (AUDIO: The Final Beginning) and is being accompanied by Jamie following their reunion. (AUDIO: Jamie) He is also aware of his upcoming exile to Earth. (AUDIO: The Final Beginning) However, the Third Doctor does not remember travelling with an older Jamie, since the Time Lords regularly erased the Doctor's memories. (PROSE: Save Yourself)

Cover gallery

• 

  Dummy cover without the Second Doctor and Jamie McCrimmon

• 

  Alternate cover

• 

  Textless cover

• 

  Textless dummy cover

External links

• Official The Annihilators page at bigfinish.com