Doctor Who news: The Slitheen return in Thin Time / Madquake – out now!
By James Aggas
The Doctor and his friends have two separate adventures in the new Doctor Who audio Thin Time / Madquake – out now!
Well, it’s been quite the week for news related to the Ninth Doctor’s era. First, there was the shock announcement of the man himself returning, as Christopher Eccleston has finally decided to join Big Finish and play the Ninth Doctor again. And today, a monster that he’s very familiar with returns in the latest Doctor Who audio – but it’s not the Doctor that they’re facing this time…
Thin Time / Madquake is a Fifth Doctor double bill, starring Peter Davison as the Doctor, Janet Fielding as Tegan, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, and George Watkins as Marc (a relatively new companion who was introduced last year).
Interestingly though, the team is as split as the release itself. The Fifth Doctor is taking some time on his own (something we got plenty of in last month’s release Time Apart). In Thin Time by Dan Abnett, he’s stuck in a spooky house. In Madquake by Guy Adams, meanwhile, his companions have to deal with a rather dangerous family – the Slitheen!
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Early meeting
Having the Slitheen face just the companions in this story is a neat idea. We know that their first meeting with the Doctor was in Series 1 story Aliens of London / World War Three, so it makes no sense for them to meet any earlier incarnations. But facing his friends while the Doctor’s taking some time off is a great way to avoid any potential continuity issues, as producer Scott Handcock reveals.
"Knowing the Doctor won’t be around and continuity isn’t threatened, I couldn’t resist including a monster from the 2005 series of Doctor Who. Did anyone imagine Tegan and Nyssa would face off against the Slitheen? Probably not, but they do, and it provides a bit of levity against the more emotional story arcs we’ve been building."
As exciting as the Slitheen showing up in the Classic Series era is, I must admit, I’m more intrigued by the ongoing story arc of the Fifth Doctor audios. It began last year with Marc’s introduction in the excellent Doctor Who/Cicero crossover story Tartarus. It then took a major turning point in the double release Warzone / Conversion, which gave us a darker and more emotionally vulnerable take on the Fifth Doctor’s character.
At the end of Conversion, the Doctor needed to take some time on his own, leading to where we are now. When he’s finally reunited with his companions, how will they react? And what will be the consequences of the Doctor’s actions? We can’t wait to find out!
Thin Time / Madquake is available now on CD and download directly from Big Finish’s website. You can purchase it on its own or as part of a subscription.
Why Christopher Eccleston’s return is much more exciting on audio. dark. Next
Are you a fan of the Slitheen? Do you think they should be meeting companions from the Classic Series? Let us know in the comments below.