12 years after their first and last on-screen encounter, in Series 4’s Silence in the Library/ Forest of the Dead, the Tenth Doctor reunites with his (future) wife River Song in three brand new full-cast audios by Big Finish, starring David Tennant and Alex Kingston.
Recorded remotely, due to this year’s lockdown restrictions and social distancing guidelines, this release has been perfectly timed for the show’s 57th anniversary!
Here are the synopses for the entire box set and each story:
The Doctor knows that River Song is a part of his future. A maddening, intriguing, but inevitable part.
Their lives are becoming inextricably intertwined, but in these early days – for the Doctor at least – they must navigate their relationship without too many spoilers.
Whatever her past, and the Doctor’s future, holds, River will make sure that he has fun untangling the mystery…
Expiry Dating by James Goss
The first time the Doctor met River Song, he saw her die. And now she’s asking him on a date. Well, not a date, exactly… More of a mission.
But the Doctor isn’t at anyone’s beck and call. Or so he thinks. With billions of lives hanging in the balance, can the Doctor afford not to do whatever River wants? Whichever one of him she asks?
Precious Annihilation by Lizzie Hopley
When jewels become lethal in the London of 1912, both River and the Doctor turn up to find out why.
A mystery takes them centuries into the past, and onto the high seas, where a superstitious crew edges towards mutiny.
The star-crossed couple are about to find out that, while gemstones inspire jealousy, love can be the deadliest treasure of all…
Ghosts by Jonathan Morris
River and the Doctor meet on the most haunted planet in the galaxy. The Doctor’s not sure it’s an ideal date – until they discover a mystery.
Something is wrong with the ghosts. Something might even be killing them…
And as the Doctor and River investigate, the truth of what’s happening on the planet of ghosts may prove deadly for them both.
Alex Kingston says:
“I thought that it was a lovely, sad, encapsulated story arc, where she sacrifices herself and you never really fully get to know what happened between them.
“It never occurred to me that it was going to go further than that. My library is getting bigger and bigger by the year. And that is not a euphemism.”
David Tennant says:
“What’s fascinating about this relationship is that they’re both at different stages of it and my Doctor is baffled by her. And doesn’t understand why she’s being so flirty. It doesn’t really compute.
“Over the course of these three stories he certainly softens towards her ways. It’s an interesting thing to play. How wonderful that it’s possible and what a treat that we can still tell these stories.”
The set also stars Anjli Mohindra, Joe Sims, Glen McCready, Tim Bentinck, Mina Anwar, Barnaby Kay, Joe Jameson, Sam Benjamin, Emma Swan, with Peter Davison and Colin Baker as the Fifth and Sixth Doctors.
Directed by Nicholas Briggs, The Tenth Doctor and River Song is now available to buy as a collector’s edition CD box set and digital download, with an extra disc containing behind-the-scenes interviews. The three audios, however, are also available to purchase as ‘vanilla editions’ individually.
In the meantime, why not check out this spectacular CGI trailer? (Don’t worry, not too many spoilers!)
