The War Doctor, Volume 1 - Only The Monstrous

Details

John Hurt, the world-renowned star of film and television, is returning to the role of The War Doctor, in twelve full-cast Doctor Who audio plays.

The War Doctor was introduced for Doctor Who’s Fiftieth Anniversary, and played a key part in the record-breaking television special The Day of the Doctor, alongside David Tennant and Matt Smith’s Doctors. He is the secret incarnation of the Time Lord — but he has shunned the title ‘Doctor’ in order to fight in the Time War against the Daleks.

Release Date: December 14, 2015

Synopsis

Taking place before the apocalyptic events portrayed in the Doctor Who TV special The Day of the Doctor, this new four-disc box set by Big Finish executive producer Nicholas Briggs finds the War Doctor recruited for the war effort by the scheming Cardinal Ollistra (Jacqueline Pearce). A desperate mission will send the Time Lord deep behind enemy lines – where the Daleks await!

The Innocent

As the Daleks mass their time fleet for a final assault on Gallifrey, something ancient is waiting for them at Omega One. And a sacrifice must be made.

Arch manipulator and Time Lord strategist, Cardinal Ollistra receives shock news of the Doctor’s death.

Meanwhile, on the planet Keska, a parochial war has returned to plague a peaceful civilisation after decades of tranquility. But how can such a war have any connection with the great Time War which, at any one moment in the whole of eternity, could threaten to tear the universe apart?

If only the Doctor were still alive.

The Thousand Worlds

With the high ranking Time Lord Seratrix behind enemy lines, the War Doctor finds himself assigned to a rescue mission. But any room for manoeuvre is severely restricted by an area of space known as the Null Zone.

Times have changed on Keska, and a countdown to destruction is beginning.

But who are the Taalyens and what is their part in the great and terrifying Dalek plan?

The Heart of the Battle

Trapped in a citadel swarming with Daleks, the Time Lord rescue force must find a way to overcome insurmountable odds. With the Daleks apparently planning to rule the Null Zone, perhaps their thirst for universal conquest and victory has been quenched…

The War Doctor doesn’t believe so — but how can he prove it without destroying any chance of peace?

As the countdown to the destruction of Keska proceeds, a deadly choice must be made… A choice that will define this Doctor and perhaps forever cast him in the role of ‘monster’.

Cast

John Hurt (The War Doctor)
Jacqueline Pearce (Cardinal Ollistra)
Lucy Briggs-Owen (The Nursemaid)
Carolyn Seymour (The Slave)
Beth Chalmers (Veklin)
Alex Wyndham (Seratrix)
Kieran Hodgson (Bennus)
Barnaby Edwards (Arverton)
Mark McDonnell (Traanus)
John Banks (Garv)
Nicholas Briggs (The Daleks)

Crew

Written By: Nicholas Briggs
Directed By: Nicholas Briggs
Producer David Richardson
Script Editor Matt Fitton
Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs

Quotes

“I have been a huge fan of John since first seeing him in the repeats of I, Claudius in the 1980s and in his Oscar-nominated role as the eponymous The Elephant Man. Watching his performance in The Day of the Doctor I did find myself fantasising that some far off day we might have the chance to work with him on the audio adventures of Doctor Who and now two short years later it’s happened! John wove a fantastic character together from a great script by Steven Moffat. Now we have the chance to get to know that character more and hear John stretch in the role. We’re all in for a hell of a ride as the War Doctor engages in battle. But who are the greater threat - the Daleks or the Time Lords?” - Big Finish executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery

“The story of the Doctor who refuses to call himself the Doctor in order to do the unthinkable upon the ultimate battlefield — all of space and time — was irresistible to me. Such a deeply disturbing and engaging character created by the formidable talents of writer Steven Moffat and actor John Hurt. It’s such a privilege to be working on this.” - Nicholas Briggs

“What an utter privilege it is to work with such an iconic actor, playing such a brilliantly devised role. This is Doctor Who at its darkest — the era in which our hero casts aside his core values in order to try and save the galaxy in its most terrible hour. We promise bold and brilliant story-telling with gripping character drama, and epic and cinematic audio productions.” - producer David Richardson

Trailer

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You can order this release separately, or as part of the Time War Saga bundle. The bundle contains all four box sets from the War Doctor series, along with the five-disc prequel Doctor Who - The Eighth Doctor: The Time War starring Paul McGann. As with almost all Big Finish website CD purchases, there is a download copy instantly available upon the release of each box set.