The Fourth Wall (audio story)

Business is bad for intergalactic media mogul Augustus Scullop, whose Trans-Gal empire is on the rocks. But, having retreated to his own private planet, Transmission, Scullop is about to gamble his fortune on a new show, made with an entirely new technology. And the name of that show… is Laser.

Back in the real world, far from the realms of small screen sci-fi fantasies about monsters and aliens, the Doctor is interested only in watching Test Match cricket… but finds himself drawn into Scullop’s world when his new travelling companion, Flip, is snatched from inside the TARDIS.

So, while the Doctor uncovers the terrible secret of Trans-Gal’s new tech, Flip battles to survive in a barren wilderness ruled over by the indestructible Lord Krarn and his pig-like servants, the Warmongers. And the name of that wilderness… is ‘Stevenage’.

Plot

to be added

Cast

The Doctor - Colin Baker
Flip Jackson - Lisa Greenwood
Augustus "Gus" Scullop - Julian Wadham
Dr. Helen Shepherd - Yasmin Bannerman
Nick Kenton/Jack Laser - Hywel Morgan
Matthew Howland/Lord Krarn - Martin Hutson
Olivia Sayle/Jancey - Tilly Gaunt
Chimbly/Head Warmonger - Kim Wall
Junior/Warmonger - Henry Devas

References

Individuals

The Doctor tells Flip that he is not as interested in cricket as his previous incarnation and notes that many of his other incarnations are "astonishingly irritating."

Foods and beverages

Flip makes popcorn using the TARDIS' food machine.

Planets

Augustus Scullop has a home on an artificial planetoid called Transmission.

Cultural references from the real world

Flip compares Transmission to the Death Star from Star Wars. The Doctor expresses the hope that it is "not quite so ominous."
Flip refers to the James Bond film franchise and describes Lord Krarn as being "like every Bond villain you've ever seen."

Time technology

The Doctor watches the 2006 cricket Test Match between Australia and South Africa on the Time-Space Visualiser. Flip describes it as a "manky old thing" and criticises it for being in black and white.
Trans-Gal utilises dimensional transcendentalism to create the dimensional bubble. The Doctor derides the use of the technology for the purposes of "mere entertainment."

Notes

Yasmin Bannerman (Dr. Helen Shepherd) previously played Jabe in DW: The End of the World, Kathy Swanson in TW: They Keep Killing Suzie and Princess Pandora in BFA: The Bride of Peladon.
This audio drama was recorded on 14 and 15 June 2011.

Continuity

Flip mentions her encounter with the Daleks and Napoléon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo. (BFA: The Curse of Davros)

Timeline

This story takes place one day after BFA: The Curse of Davros
This story takes place before BFA: Wirrn Isle

External links

Official The Fourth Wall page at bigfinish.com