The Eighth Doctor: ‘The Time War 1’ – Cover and story details revealed!

Big Finish

Yesterday, Big Finish released a cover and story details for the first volume of the highly anticipated ‘Eighth Doctor: The Time War’ series!

Ever since it was announced, all the way back in October 2015, I’ve been eagerly anticipating this box set. For the longest time, we didn’t know that many details. We only knew that it would be a prequel to both The Night of the Doctor minisode and The War Doctor audio series. Then a few months ago, we learned that The Eighth Doctor: The Time War was going to be just the first box set of four. I wasn’t too surprised by this, considering the pattern of previous Eighth Doctor series in recent years, namely Dark Eyes and Doom Coalition.

Yesterday, Big Finish finally released story details for the first box set. I’m excited already just by the writers: John Dorney and Matt Fitton.

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I think it’s fair to say that these two have now become the definitive writers of the Eighth Doctor’s current era. Box sets Dark Eyes 4, Doom Coalition 3 and Doom Coalition 4 had solely been written by them. And in the case of each of those sets, I absolutely adored every episode.

Not that I think other writers shouldn’t write for Eight. But Dorney and Fitton just seem to share a very confidant and fitting vision for the Eighth Doctor’s journey, particularly towards the later part of his life. Across their episodes, we get a great mix of the epic with the intimate. It’s a team that works very effectively, I think.

Story details

"The Starship of Theseus by John DorneyThe Doctor and his companion, Sheena, land the TARDIS on the glamorous luxury space-liner Theseus just as it’s about to leave the Jupiter space-port. An opportunity for a holiday presents itself – and it’s one they’re very glad to take.But when a disturbance catches their attention, they realise sinister events are taking place on board. Passengers are vanishing on every trip. And unless they’re careful they may be next.Can the Doctor and Emma solve the mystery? Or is there something else they should be worrying about?Echoes of War by Matt FittonColliding with the full force of the Time War, the Doctor crash-lands on a jungle world with a ragtag band of refugees.To stay alive, they must cross a landscape where time itself is corrupted. A forest which cycles through growth and decay, where sounds of battle are never far away, and where strange creatures lurk all around.Luckily, the Doctor has friends: not only plucky scientist Bliss, but another, much more unlikely ally. Its name is ‘Dal’…The Conscript by Matt FittonCardinal Ollistra has a new tactic to persuade the Doctor to join his people’s fight. With his friends locked away, he has been conscripted alongside fellow Gallifreyans to train for the front lines of battle.Commandant Harlan has a reputation – his camp’s regime is harsh. He believes the Time Lords must adapt to win this war, but the Doctor is not easily intimidated.Can there be any place for dissent when the Time War looms so close?One Life by John DorneyAs the full force of the Time War crashes down around the Doctor and his friends, a desperate battle for survival ensues.But not everyone is playing the same game. Ollistra is after a weapon that could end the war in a stroke and she’ll sacrifice anyone or anything to take it back to Gallifrey. Even the Doctor.Surrounded by Daleks, and on a tortured planet, only one man can save the day. But he doesn’t want to fight."

Immediate questions

Ok, all of this sounds promising, but I’ve got to ask: who the heck is Sheena? Or Emma, for that matter? Are we being introduced to another new companion in the middle of their story, like with Mel in The Trial of a Time Lord? Or is there something else going on here? I can’t help but think that there’s more to this. I can’t wait to find out what.

The stories that we’ve had of the Eighth Doctor in the Time War have been great, so far. The episodes in the Classic Doctors, New Monsters box sets were really great to listen to. Especially Day of the Vashta Nerada, which was a really thrilling story. And, of course, I look forward to the return of Cardinal Ollistra. I absolutely adored her character in The War Doctor audios, so I’m happy to know she’s back.

Next: Doctor Who Superlatives: The Most WTF Moment – Blindness

With the release of The Eighth Doctor: The Time War 1 in October, The War Master in December, and Gallifrey: The Time War in February, it looks like we’ll be exploring the Time War a lot over the next six months. I greatly look forward to all of it.