The Annihilators (audio story)

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 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

to be added

Cast

References

to be added

Notes

Dummy cover to the story, removing the characters of the Second Doctor and Jamie McCrimmon.

To keep the Second Doctor and Jamie McCrimmon's appearance in this audio drama secret, Big Finish initially released a fake cover on their website. 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.
The Annihilators was the first 7 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 opening theme for each episode is split in two, largely framing the cliff-hanger reprise, as it was for The Ambassadors of Death.
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 sizable wait ahead of the new range's first release, he decided to include the Second Doctor and Jamie in this story, as a teaser of what was to come. The Annihilators notably reveals 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)
This story was recorded on 6, 8 and 21-23 September 2021 at the Soundhouse and Audio Sorcery.
The cover does not name Nicholas Briggs as the writer.

Continuity

In order to prove his identity to Jamie, the Doctor mentions that he had travelled with Victoria Waterfield (TV: The Evil of the Daleks et. al.) and Zoe Heriot (TV The Wheel in Space et. al.), as well as their encounter with the Brigadier and the Yeti in the London Underground. (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, The Two Doctors)
The Second Doctor is working for the Time Lords. (TV: The Two Doctors) As such, he is aware of his exile to Earth. (TV: The War Games, Spearhead from Space) 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)
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)

External links

Official The Annihilators page at bigfinish.com