Big Finish news: earlier seasons of spin-off ‘Gallifrey’ now available on download

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After years of only being available on CD, the first three seasons of the popular audio spin-off series ‘Gallifrey’ are finally available on download from Big Finish!

With the upcoming box set Gallifrey: Time War due later this month, Big Finish have recently given us some very timely news.

While the fourth series onwards have been available on download as well as CD, the first three seasons of Gallifrey had previously only been available on CD, due to rights issues. This was a shame, as Gallifrey has been one of Big Finish’s strongest spin-off series.

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The lack of a download option has somewhat restricted its availability for some fans. Particularly those who live internationally, and would prefer to avoid paying high shipping costs.

However, on Friday, that finally changed. Big Finish announced that, after a decade of CD only availability, the first three seasons were finally available on download, too.

As a massive Gallifrey fan, I’m happy about this, for several reasons. While I suspect Time War will be a good jumping on point, it’s fantastic that new fans will get to hear these characters stories and relationships from the beginning.

A six series epic

There’s also the fact that, for the first six series, at least, Gallifrey is really one long continuous serial. The seventh series, Intervention Earth jumps far ahead and works well as a fresh starting point. Series eight, Enemy Lines, pretty much jumps back while also working as a stand-alone series.

However, it’s difficult to find any jumping-on point prior to that except for the first series. And while series four to six have always been available on download, I personally wouldn’t recommend starting with them. Particularly as four continues so directly from the ending of series three.

However, the biggest reason why I’m so happy about this news is that the series is arguably at its best in its earlier seasons. Particularly in seasons two and three, which feature a lot of dirty politics and brilliant drama. So I’m very happy that these earlier major seasons are finally reaching a wider audience.

This news also leaves me hopeful for the future, too. After the first season of Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles, this is the second time in a matter of months that something previously only available on CD has become available on download.

Could we hope for more such announcements in the future? Such as, for example, the earliest seasons of Bernice Summerfield, another popular spin-off for Big Finish? (A spin-off that this writer is very keen to hear.)

All the series of Gallifrey are now available on both CD and, finally, download, directly from Big Finish’s website.

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