Eccleston joins Big Finish (no, really)

[Brendan Moody]

Just finished listening to the last of the initial four sets. I’d lost interest after the dreadfully misconceived first one, but took the plunge on the others when they went on sale recently. I’m glad I did— while they’re not as polished or as era-evocative as the Tenth Doctor Adventures, they’re generally solid. Eccleston is great, of course; the material’s not challenging but he makes the most of everything. And the writers understand the rhythms of Ninth Doctor stories in a way Briggs evidently doesn’t. It’s a bit embarrassing that BF are up themselves enough to imagine that the event finale of the first series should involve the Doctor meeting Sam Bishop and their fake Brigadier, but hey-ho.

 

[kirk55555]

So I decided to listen to the first of these 9th Doctor Adventures (The Ravagers), I went in blind not knowing anything except that Eccleston returns to the role, and...its ok. It was great to hear him again, and he really carries the production on his shoulders, but the story was just kind of ok. Even for a Doctor Who story it was a bit too convoluted, and the supporting characters, while not bad, weren't all that memorable. It kind of felt like the writer thought he was more clever then he actually is, and it ended up just kind of being a bit of a meh story propped up by having a long absent Doctor return.

The 9th Doctor really didn't get that much actually, its not like the story feels like its just after his regenerating, and its not treated as any kind of special story. Its feels like a kind of average story you might get in the middle of a series if he'd continued past one.

I don't regret listening, it wasn't an outright bad story and I liked having Eccleston back, but even as someone who generally doesn't have a high opinion on Big Finish The Ravagers felt like a bit of a let down, instead of a story befitting the return of a Doctor we hadn't heard from in 16 years. People seems to say it gets better, so maybe I'll try another one at some point, although I only dip my toe in the Big Finish pool on rare occasions.

 

[Saul]

Here's another one I never imagined happening. Nine meets River! https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/the-ninth-doctor-meets-river-song

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Fantastic!

...which is yet another reminder of how far behind I am with Big Finish. I haven't listened to any of the Eccleston stories yet and only the first few of the River Song Diaries.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Nine meeting River would make Kingston one of the few to have worked with all living Doctors, sans War (who doesn't count quite anyway, in that sense) and Whittaker/Martin.

 

[Captaindemotion]

FWIW, today marks 20 years since Chris was announced as the new Doctor for the revival.

 

[Steve Roby]

I remember my wife and I were pretty excited by the announcement, because we'd just watched Eccleston as DCI Billborough on Cracker. We bought Shallow Grave and The Second Coming (written by RTD) on DVD to see more Eccleston while we waited for the new Doctor Who to start. Fun times.

 

[Rich Watson]

It's 19 years since Graham Norton ruined Doctor Who's return today.

Can we stop calling it New Who (or even worse Nu Who) yet?

 

[Starkers]

Ncuti is Nu Who

What was previously known as Nu Who is now Mid Who obviously

 

[The Nth Doctor]

It's 19 years since Graham Norton ruined Doctor Who's return today.

How did he do that? Or are you implying he supposedly coined the phrase "nuWho"?

Can we stop calling it New Who (or even worse Nu Who) yet?

I've never called it that but I agree that "nuWho" is atrocious. Whenever I see someone using that phrase, they've told me how young they are.

Or maybe how old I am.

Now get off my lawn.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Eh. I just use it as a way to differentiate the original show era from the new.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I use to split hairs and say "modern day Who" but that doesn't really work for Eccleston anymore. Since we're nearly at 20 years, either one doesn't even matter now, so I just refer to each Doctor (or shworunner) era and call it day.

 

[Iamnotspock]

How did he do that? Or you implying he supposedly coined the phrase "nuWho"?

On the BBC One broadcast, a technical hitch caused a sound bleed from BBC Three, so live audio of Graham Norton hosting Strictly Dance Fever came through over the scene where the Autons menace Rose in the shop basement, just before she meets the Doctor. A few years later, he made another scene-stealing appearance in the form of a cartoon advertising the show after Who, over Matt Smith's climactic close-up "There's one thing you never, ever put in a trap" speech, causing 5000 complaints and a thread on Gallifrey Base titled, "Norton does it again!"

 

[Rich Watson]

On the BBC One broadcast, a technical hitch caused a sound bleed from BBC Three, so live audio of Graham Norton hosting Strictly Dance Fever came through over the scene where the Autons menace Rose in the shop basement, just before she meets the Doctor.

And Russell's novelisation of 'Rose' even incorporates it into the story.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

On the BBC One broadcast, a technical hitch caused a sound bleed from BBC Three, so live audio of Graham Norton hosting Strictly Dance Fever came through over the scene where the Autons menace Rose in the shop basement, just before she meets the Doctor. A few years later, he made another scene-stealing appearance in the form of a cartoon advertising the show after Who, over Matt Smith's climactic close-up "There's one thing you never, ever put in a trap" speech, causing 5000 complaints and a thread on Gallifrey Base titled, "Norton does it again!"

And Russell's novelisation of 'Rose' even incorporates it into the story.

Huh, I don't think I ever knew about that. Mind you I didn't start watching Norton's show until about a decade ago (simply because I didn't know about it).

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Ncuti is Nu Who

What was previously known as Nu Who is now Mid Who obviously

I say we call it NcuWho.

 

[Iamnotspock]

Huh, I don't think I ever knew about that. Mind you I didn't start watching Norton's show until about a decade ago (simply because I didn't know about it).

I remember thinking it was a TV or radio on in the background of the scene, which the novel alludes to, and it wasn't until I saw the episode on DVD that I realised how much it spoilt the atmosphere.

 

[Rich Watson]

And with the release of today's Nine meets River box-set Eccleston is finished with BF, for now at least.

Not because he has any problems with them (he's always very complementary about them at conventions) but because anything new he'd record now would technically be going to Russell for approval and we know that's a deal breaker for him.

Shame we never got any new 9 and Rose as they both seemed up for the idea when asked about it in the past.

Still that's 36 extra stories, which is 36 more than we ever expected to get.

Edit: Actually it's 37, forgot about "Once and Future".

 

[The Nth Doctor]

...all of which I still need to get the money and time so I can listen them!

A shame they didn't get a chance for an Eccleston/Piper reunion yet.

As for Eccleston's future appearances, are you merely speculating because of his history with Davies and Davies position of approval, or is there something more official?

It's entirely possible that Eccleston could still do them because he wouldne be working directly with Davies and may not actually have any issues of Davies' new position because it may not directly impact him.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I highly doubt that RTD being the head of DW now plays any role in Eccleston not doing anymore with them. Though maybe I don't want to believe it. since its such a nice thing to have Nine on audio.

Still, whatever the case actually is, I hope we do see him back down the line.