Doctor Who news: Gallifrey’s first episode is free (and why you should download it right now)

The first episode of Gallifrey – perhaps one of Doctor Who’s greatest ever spin-offs – is currently free to download. Here’s why you should listen to it.

Gallifrey is one of the longest-running and strongest Doctor Who spin-offs from Big Finish Productions. Beginning in 2004, the audio series gave us a deep exploration of the politics of the Doctor’s homeworld, as seen through the eyes of several major characters from the original series.

Lalla Ward stars as the second incarnation of Romana. Originally a companion to Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, in this series, she’s President of Gallifrey, and as such, finds herself targeted by many enemies. Both from outside of Gallifrey, and from within.

Leela, another former companion to the Fourth Doctor, also finds herself involved in the world of Time Lord politics. Originally a member of the tribe of the Sevateem (as originally seen in The Face of Evil), she left the Doctor to marry Andred in The Invasion of Time.

I’ll be honest: the original exit for Louise Jameson’s companion was definitely disappointing. However, Gallifrey actually uses this as a great starting point for the series by having Andred missing at the start. Where is he? And what has happened to him?

An ambitious series

That’s where Gallifrey begins. However, due to its serial nature and long-term character development, it grows into something so much bigger. The first six series told one long epic story. Across twenty-four chapters, the leading characters experienced dirty politics, war, betrayal and so much more.

Writer Alan Barnes describes the huge appeal of the series.

"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”Gallifrey revolves around impossible choices and that’s a consistent thing that runs through most of the stories – Romana is always being presented with terrible dilemmas that come with power. This is a chance to experience one of the most interesting, sparky and intelligent Doctor Who companions in a position where she has to make hard choices."

That definitely sums it up nicely, with many of the episodes living up to that description. Gallifrey is a Doctor Who spin-off unlike any other. An ambitious and mature series that deserves to be listened to by many fans. Be sure to check out opening episode Weapon of Choice while it’s free to download!

And if you enjoyed that opening episode, you should also know that all episodes from series 1 to 4 are currently at 50% off to purchase. On top of that, all bundle prices are also 50% off right now, too. If you’ve yet to experience Gallifrey, this is the perfect time to check the series out from the very beginning.

Have you heard of Gallifrey before? Are you a fan of the series, or just curious about it? Do you think the Doctor’s homeworld should have been explored more onscreen? Let us know in the comments below.