Tom Baker Joins Big Finish!

[The Nth Doctor]

We've unofficially known this news for months now, but we finally have an official press release with hard facts:

6 single-disc releases starting January 2012
7 single-disc releases at a future date
PLUS a 5-disc Lost Stories box set

Louisa Jameson and Mary Tamm are confirmed to work alongside Baker.

More details at Big Finish.

 

[Turbo]

Fantastic!

I mean, is there really anything else to say?

 

[Sindatur]

We've unofficially known this news for months now, but we finally have an official press release with hard facts:

6 single-disc releases starting January 2012
7 single-disc releases at a future date
PLUS a 5-disc Lost Stories box set

Louisa Jameson and Mary Tamm are confirmed to work alongside Baker.

More details at Big Finish.

Most Cool, I've recently listened to Gallifrey Adventures, and greatly enjoyed Louise Jameson (And Mary Tamm for the short Stint). Tom is great with Audio only, as we can see from his narration of the Original Shada missing parts.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Sweet!

 

[23skidoo]

Excellent news! It was great to have him back doing the stories for BBC Audio, but they were more dramatic readings along with Richard Franklin. These are full-out audio dramas - and to pair him with Leela and Romana is incredible news. (Though it would have been too much to hope for him to be paired with Lalla Ward again!)

The Lost Stories box is intriguing. Possibly a new mounting of Shada (even without Lalla)? The Krikketmen? Doctor Who Meets Scratchman? I can't wait.

And of course this being Big Finish, this could open the door for some sort of 5 Doctors storyline, too. Or some interesting "mix 'n' match" pairing, like when they paired Colin Baker's Doctor with Jamie McCrimmon.

Alex

 

[Davros]

It looks like big finish will be getting some of my money again. But sadly I will have to order them as the local comic shop that carried them is no more.

 

[23skidoo]

It looks like big finish will be getting some of my money again. But sadly I will have to order them as the local comic shop that carried them is no more.

At least you had a comic shop. On a couple of occasions I've found stories I've wanted via Amazon, but more often I've had to order direct from Big Finish itself. Which isn't a bad thing, but I've been waiting for my copy of Peri and the Piscon Paradox for going on 3 weeks now.

Alex

 

[Guy Gardener]

About bloody time.

 

[starsuperion]

Whaaaaaat?? finally he has gotten over his fame and stardom

 

[Starkers]

Finally he needs the money...

I'm just kidding...mostly...

 

[Cutter John]

Whaaaaaat?? finally he has gotten over his fame and stardom

Pretty much what I was thinking.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

(Though it would have been too much to hope for him to be paired with Lalla Ward again!)

I would love to see them work together again but I'm not holding my breath. I'm hoping we'll soon hear about Lis Sladen and John Leeson also coming on board

The Lost Stories box is intriguing. Possibly a new mounting of Shada (even without Lalla)? The Krikketmen? Doctor Who Meets Scratchman? I can't wait.

I'm hoping for The Krikketmen and at least one Chris Boucher script.

And of course this being Big Finish, this could open the door for some sort of 5 Doctors storyline, too. Or some interesting "mix 'n' match" pairing, like when they paired Colin Baker's Doctor with Jamie McCrimmon.

With The Sixth Doctor and Jamie, there was a precedent (The Two Doctors) so I don't know if we'll something that extreme with a televised companion but I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually teamed up with a Big Finish companion at some point. That being said, I don't think something like that will happen any time soon. They'll be far too focused on Tom Baker working with his former companions first.

But I'm hoping beyond hope for a Five Doctors romp...

 

[Atticus]

It really is excellent news. His performance was variable in the two BBC productions, but hopefully with an extended run of recordings he'll get back into the Fourth Doctor persona properly.

Particularly intrigued by the Lost Stories. It's hard to imagine but could we be about to get Krittitmen after all these years? It'd be a bastard to adapt for the audio medium but still...

 

[Britstan]

I read that they are confirming that the companions in these productions will be Louise Jameson as Leela and Mary Tamm as Romana, and some familiar monstrous faces from the past will be popping up too.

There is a lot of discussion going on about it at starbase75 <-- more info here on the way

 

[23skidoo]

(Though it would have been too much to hope for him to be paired with Lalla Ward again!)

I would love to see them work together again but I'm not holding my breath. I'm hoping we'll soon hear about Lis Sladen and John Leeson also coming on board

Just a note for anyone who isn't aware, Lalla and Tom were married briefly after she left the series, and it's been noted that they have never reunited for a DVD commentary or, to the best of my knowledge, a public event, which is why pairing them in a Big Finish is probably unlikely. But stranger things have happened and nothing says they need to even be in the same studio!

As for Lis Sladen, almost exactly a year ago when Tom Baker first hinted in his blog about the Big Finish connection, Sladen was quoted as saying she'd jump at the chance to record with Tom, but I'd say it's probably unlikely given her commitments with The Sarah Jane Adventures. She'd been a regular contribute to BF up till she appeared in School Reunion (she even had her own Sarah Jane audio series) but once she got picked up by the main BBC her involvement stopped. Whether through choice or through BBC requirement, that remains to be seen. Similarly, Leeson's involvement with both SJA and the K-9 spin-off series might put him out of bounds too. But that said, Jameson's and Tamm's eras featured K-9 so if I had to place a wager on which one's most likely to be signed in the short term, Sladen or Leeson, I'd go with Leeson.

But THAT said ... if any of those "Lost Stories" feature Sarah Jane...

Alex

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The Lost Stories box is intriguing. Possibly a new mounting of Shada (even without Lalla)? The Krikketmen? Doctor Who Meets Scratchman? I can't wait.

I wonder if Big Finish would attempt "The Dark Dimension," thought it would need beefed up roles for Davison and Colin Baker for their involvement, and it would be fabulous if there were a way to work in Paul McGann.

 

[Atticus]

I wonder if Big Finish would attempt "The Dark Dimension," thought it would need beefed up roles for Davison and Colin Baker for their involvement, and it would be fabulous if there were a way to work in Paul McGann.

Sylv has said this very week that he's just recorded TDD lines for Ian Levine. Quite why no one is sure yet.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I wonder if Levine has decided to follow up his animated "Shada" with an animated "Dark Dimension." He's been soliciting for animators again.

 

[Atticus]

It's possible. Let's hope if he is doing that we actually get a chance to see this one...

 

[Rarewolf]

I wonder if Levine has decided to follow up his animated "Shada" with an animated "Dark Dimension." He's been soliciting for animators again.

Ian has many many plans. He can't have too many animators or investors to get there quicker.

Similarly, Leeson's involvement with both SJA and the K-9 spin-off series might put him out of bounds too.

No problems there - he was in a Companion Chronicle with Lou, and Gallifrey series 4.