Doctor Who news: Rassilon will return in Gallifrey: Time War’s final series
By James Aggas
Doctor Who spin-off series Gallifrey: Time War reaches its end next year – and it will feature a new face for Lord President Rassilon…
There have been many Doctor Who audio spin-offs that we’ve enjoyed from Big Finish over the years. One of the very best – and certainly, one of the longest – is Gallifrey. Primarily set on the Doctor’s home planet, the series has heavily focused on former companions Romana and Leela, as well as their friends (or at least allies), such as Narvin and Braxiatel.
For over fifteen years, the series has given us many stories exploring the dirty politics of the Time Lords, both in times of peace and in times of war. The latter has been heavily focused on during the last couple of years, ever since Gallifrey: Time War began in 2018. As you can probably guess, the series has explored the Time Lords’ epic conflict against the Daleks from the perspectives of the Gallifrey regulars.
Over the past three years, the series has explored several major moments. Not just the beginning of the War, but also the departure of Ace and the resurrection of Rassilon. In series 2, after a failed assassination attempt, Romana and Narvin left Gallifrey in disgrace. Series 3 saw them reunited with their friend Leela. And series 4 – out in Feb 2021 – will mark the end of the series…
Gallifrey: Time War 3 ended on a massive cliffhanger. Where will the survivors go next in the final volume?
Image Courtesy Big Finish Productions
The end of Gallifrey?
Here’s the official description for the final box set of the series.
"Romana is lost to the Time War though Leela and Narvin still fight to survive.A resistance, caught between Rassilon’s fury and the Dalek Emperor’s mania, have a desperate plan to stop the conflict.Everything ends. And for some on Gallifrey, the Time War will soon be over."
It sounds like this box set is going to tie up the series in a big way. It’s looking unlikely that it’ll focus on the end of the war, but it certainly looks like it’s the end of the story that began in volume 1 of Time War – and perhaps even the very beginning of Gallifrey itself.
The fact that Rassilon is back in this series is a big indication of how major it is. While he played a major role in Time War 2, the character naturally took a break in the third volume, which was set entirely away from Gallifrey. So it’s exciting to hear from the character again.
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Richard Armitage is Rassilon
Equally exciting is who’s playing him this time. Earlier in the series, Terrence Hardiman played the President, but now, Richard Armitage plays a brand new incarnation. He reveals what it’s like playing this major character.
"Rassilon is one of those defining spines of this lore. I’ve watched enough sci-fi to know that there has to be an omnipotent being that has a self-aggrandising mental state which puts him above everybody else, like a malevolent, maniacal dictator."
He also reveals what major Doctor Who actor has helped to inspire his performance.
"I grew up with Doctor Who. The Daleks and the Cybermen were definitely my ‘hiding behind the sofa’ baddies. But I loved being frightened. Tom Baker was my Doctor Who. He had that voice. In a way, what I have tried to do with Rassilon is a little bit Tom Baker-esque."
Now that definitely sounds promising. We’ve got a long wait ahead of us, as Gallifrey: Time War 4 won’t be released on CD and download until Feb 2021. But – based on the series so far – we think it’ll be worth the wait.
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Do you think Richard Armitage is fitting casting for Rassilon, Lord President of Gallifrey? Have you listened to previous series of Gallifrey? Do you think it should end with next year’s series? Let us know in the comments below.