Big Finish has announced new details for the next release in their Classic Doctors New Monsters range: Broken Memories. Due for release in October 2023, this release will once again see ‘Classic Who’ Doctors go up against monsters and baddies first seen in the ‘New Who’ era of Doctor Who.
Classic Doctors New Monsters: Broken Memories will feature the audio debut of two post-2005 Who monsters. The Clockwork Droids from series 2’s beloved “The Girl in the Fireplace” and the Harmony Shoal first seen in “The Husbands of River Song” will make their way over to the worlds of Big Finish.
Harmony Shoal, a race of creatures who are able to take over the bodies of other beings and do some very… gross things with their heads, will feature in the box set’s first story. “Invasion of the Body Stealers” by Jonathan Morris does not yet have a specific Doctor announced yet.
The second story, “The Queen of Clocks” by Jacqueline Rayner will, of course, feature the Clockwork Droids. The story will hear the Sixth Doctor and his companion Mel Bush go up against the terrifying and very literal droids, as revealed by Script Editor Matt Fitton.
“I’m always impressed with how the writers find new twists on each monster — tailoring new stories to each Classic incarnation. With creatures from the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor eras, we find out what Harmony Shoal gets up to in the far future on a colony world reminiscent of 1970s Who; what happens when the Clockwork Droids run amok as the colourful Sixth Doctor and Mel race to the rescue; and how the Silence are interwoven across the lives of two very different Doctors. It’s another thrilling ride!”
“The Silent Priest” and “The Silent City” by David K Barnes will then round out the box set with the return of the Silence. As first seen in “The Impossible Astronaut”, the Silence can only be remembered while a person is looking at them. A faction of the Silence broke off from the Church of the Papal Mainframe and joined Madame Kovarian’s attempts to assassinate the Doctor for the threat he posed/would pose on Trenzalore. Will the Silence featured in this story be part of this group or another faction?
What to Expect from Classic Doctors New Monsters: Broken Memories
The cover art for Classic Doctors New Monsters: Broken Memories features the Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Doctors. With the Sixth Doctor attached to the Clockwork Droid story, it will be interesting to learn which Doctors are going up against which monsters. Certainly it would be fascinating to hear the Eighth Doctor go up against the Silence as his future looms heavily… Time (and more story details) will tell! Producer David Richardson had this to say about the upcoming release:
“I’ve been delighted to see how this series has captured the imaginations of our listeners and how everyone has embraced the idea. At last, the Clockwork Droids make their audio debut at Big Finish, as does Harmony Shoal — in two inventive adventures that take them in new directions. And then, two episodes with the Silence, spanning years and different Doctors, as we enter the Silent City…”
If you’d like to hear what Big Finish has already done with the Silence, check out UNIT: Silenced. The four-part story follows modern-day UNIT under the leadership of Kate Stewart as they fight the Silence that are left on Earth decades after their defeat in “The Impossible Astronaut” and “Day of the Moon”.
Sadie Miller, the daughter of Elisabeth Sladen who continues her late mother’s role as Sarah Jane Smith for Big Finish, is also listed on the cover as appearing in this release. So we will likely hear the Fourth Doctor alongside Sarah Jane in whichever of the stories he will be appearing in.
Listeners can pre-order Doctor Who– Classic Doctors New Monsters: Broken Memories from Big Finish’s website. Pricing starts at £24.99 for the four-disc collector’s edition CD box set that includes a digital download, or the digital download only for £19.99. The box set will be released in October 2023.
