Doctor Who: A double bill of audio adventures has been released!

Earlier today, Big Finish released not one but two brand new Doctor Who audios, featuring the Fifth and Sixth Doctors, as well as Harry Houdini and Cicero!

I love September. It might not be my favorite month of the year (that’s October), but it’s still a great month with a huge benefit. At least, if you’re a regular Big Finish listener. Because that’s when they usually release two of their ongoing Doctor Who audios in one month.

Having said that, last year was an exception, when they released The Hunting Ground and Muse of Fire in the same day. But this year sees a return of the double-release to September, with Harry Houdini’s War and Tartarus being released today!

What’s perfect about this is that we have the end of a season for one Doctor and the beginning of a new one for another, so we get two very different stories and eras in one go. So it’s definitely a nice bit of variety to have in one month, or even one day!

The first release of the day, Harry Houdini’s War, is the last story of this year’s Sixth Doctor and Peri trilogy.

"The world is at war, and Harry Houdini wants to fight for his adoptive country. He might get the chance, when an old friend crashes his New York show.The Doctor is on the trail of a Central Powers spy ring, which has somehow acquired unearthly technology. But he is also keeping a dangerous secret…Finding himself on the run behind enemy lines, the world’s greatest escape artist has to work out who he can trust – and fast."

This audio is written by Steve Lyons, who’s given us some truly fantastic Doctor Who stories over the years, including the excellent First Doctor novel The Witch Hunters and more recently Warlock’s Cross. So I have high expectations for this one.

The Doctor meets Cicero in Tartarus, the start of a new trilogy for the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan!

(Image credit: Doctor Who/Big Finish Productions.

Image obtained from: Big Finish Productions.)

Tartarus

The second Doctor Who audio of the month is Tartarus, which opens a new season for the Fifth Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa. More than that: it features the trio meeting the key Roman historical figure Cicero!

"More from Winter is ComingFor All Mankind finally gives us information in Episode 405, “Goldilocks”Watch a stunning VFX breakdown of The Wheel of Time season 2Of course Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon) thinks Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen) should rule WesterosConfirmed: The Last of Us season 2 will air in 2025Final season of Star Trek: Discovery will have “a lot of action, a lot of adventure, a lot of fun”63BC. Following the overthrow of Catiline, Cicero and his wife retire to the coastal town of Cumae, safe from the threats of Rome.But when a stranger and his companions arrive at Cicero’s villa, new dangers lie in wait and Cicero finds himself plunged into a realm of gods and monsters.His only hope of returning home lies with a man known as the Doctor. But can Cicero trust him?"

What’s particularly interesting about this one is that Cicero is played by Samuel Barnett, who also plays the role in Big Finish’s original series Cicero. So as well as featuring a strong historical element, this audio represents a kind of crossover between these two very different series. I’ve only listened to the pilot episode, Though Scoundrels Are Discovered, but it was a really strong opener. So I have high hopes for this story.

Both Harry Houdini’s War and Tartarus are available on CD and download directly from Big Finish’s website.

Which story grabs your interest more? The Sixth Doctor meeting Harry Houdini in New York or the Fifth Doctor meeting Cicero during the time of the Roman Empire? Let us know in the comments below.