The Chimes of Midnight (audio story)
The Chimes of Midnight was the twenty-ninth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Robert Shearman and featured Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and India Fisher as Charlotte Pollard.
It was the second in a series of 6 audio stories featuring the Eighth Doctor.
Publisher's summary
'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring...
But something must be stirring. Something hidden in the shadows. Something which kills the servants of an old Edwardian mansion in the most brutal and macabre manner possible. Exactly on the chiming of the hour, every hour, as the grandfather clock ticks on towards midnight.
Trapped and afraid, the Doctor and Charley are forced to play detective to murders with no motive, where the victims don't stay dead. Time is running out.
And time itself might well be the killer...
Plot
to be added
Cast
- The Doctor - Paul McGann
- Charley Pollard - India Fisher
- Edith - Louise Rolfe
- Mr Shaughnessy - Lennox Greaves
- Mrs Baddeley - Sue Wallace
- Frederick - Robert Curbishley
- Mary - Juliet Warner
References
Real World
- Agatha Christie is mentioned for her detective mysteries.
Books
- The Doctor mentions that Charley helped him find a first edition of Oliver Twist at Charing Cross Road.
Objects
- Charley's diary was found in the wreckage of the airship R101 after it crashed in France on 5 October 1930.
Time travel
- The Doctor and Charley experience several time loops.
- The Doctor mentions travelling for centuries.
Individuals
- Plum pudding has always been Charley's favourite. The Doctor also seems fond of it.
Food and drink
- Charley expresses a love of condensed milk but a dislike of custard.
Notes
- The Chimes of Midnight was the first time that a companion created specifically for the audio range had featured on the cover.
- In 2016, this story was re-released on vinyl in a limited run of 500 copies. Tom Webster designed a new cover, and a new behind-the-scenes documentary was recorded.
- The cook, Mrs Baddeley, is named after actress Angela Baddeley, who played Mrs Bridges in the ITV television series Upstairs, Downstairs which is also set in a large Edwardian house. Shaughnessy is named after the show's script editor, Alfred Shaughnessy.
- This audio drama was recorded on 17 and 18 January 2001.
- After AUDIO: Invaders from Mars, this is the second consecutive story in which the Doctor impersonates a detective.
- This audio was streamed as part of the “lockdown” event.
- Each cliffhanger was based on Shearman's favourite cliffhangers from the series [1]
- Part 1's was based on The Space Museum: Part One. [2]
- Part 2's was based on Kinda: Part Three. [3]
- Part 3's was based on Horror of Fang Rock: Part Three. [4]
Cover gallery
Original cover
Vinyl cover
Continuity
- Edith references some of the events of AUDIO: Storm Warning.
- The Doctor mentions the events of AUDIO: The Stones of Venice and AUDIO: Minuet in Hell.
- The Doctor mentions travelling for centuries without ever knowing where he'd landed. (TV: An Unearthly Child et al.)
- The Celestial Toymaker would later refer to Edith Thompson in a riddle while Charley was playing his games in the Celestial Toyroom. (AUDIO: Solitaire)
- Edith was the only person who knew that Charley intended to stowaway aboard the R101 and helped her prepare for the adventure. (AUDIO: The Fall of the House of Pollard)
- Charley's mother Lady Louisa Pollard discovered Edith's body. (AUDIO: The Fall of the House of Pollard)
- The Doctor is still trying to get Charley to Singapore. (AUDIO: Invaders from Mars)
- The Eighth Doctor seems to like custard much like the Eleventh Doctor. (TV: The Eleventh Hour et al)
- The Doctor previously solved the riddle "When is a door not a door?" during his second incarnation. (TV: The Mind Robber)
External links
- Official The Chimes of Midnight page at bigfinish.com; note that it is out of print and is available as download only.
- The Chimes of Midnight at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
- DisContinuity for The Chimes of Midnight at Tetrapyriarbus - The DisContinuity Guide
- Robert Shearman discussing the story in depth.
