Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

The past, present and future of River Song are explored in a haunting box set of full-cast audio dramas, due for release in August 2022 from Big Finish Productions.

Alex Kingston stars once again as ‘child of the TARDIS’ and time-travelling archaeologist, Professor River Song, in four new adventures. She encounters royalty, killer robots and her own, occupied tomb – then, in the final story, River is reunited in the digital afterlife with Proper Dave, last seen in 2008’s TV Doctor Who episode, Forest of the Dead.

Harry Peacock reprises the role of pilot-turned-data-ghost Dave, now living in a virtual reality at the heart of a planet-sized library in the 51st century. Something is wrong with the world’s data core and he and River will need to work together to protect it or face total extinction.

The four adventures in this box set are:

The Two Rivers by Tim Foley
Beauty on the Inside by Lizzie Hopley
Black Friday by Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle
Firewall by Barnaby Kay

Producer David Richardson said: “Ten box sets in and we’re exploring River’s life beyond Forest of the Dead. How brilliant to return to that world, and how equally brilliant to have Harry Peacock reprise his role as Proper Dave. It’s all the brainchild of Barnaby Kay – an actor who has appeared in many Big Finish stories, and a director who has now directed many Big Finish stories, here writing his first Big Finish script!”

Alex Kingston added: “It’s lovely to see Harry Peacock again as I haven’t seen him since he was killed by the Vashta Nerada. I think fans of Doctor Who and the audio stories will be particularly delighted that River and Proper Dave will be reconnected with some of the characters from Silence in the Library. It’s nice to go back to that time, way back when.

“Plus, there’s an opportunity to have another very interesting spin-off from this storyline – that’s all I’m going to say.”

Harry Peacock added: “It’s all quite interesting and very in keeping with the whole Doctor Who vibe of parallel universes, split worlds, and sliding doors. It all makes sense in that funky Doctor Who way. What you expect doesn’t quite happen. It takes a twist, which is brilliant.”

The Diary Of River Song: Two Rivers and a Firewall is now available to pre-order for just £24.99 (CD box set + download) or £19.99 (download only), exclusively from the Big Finish website.