The End of the Beginning (audio story)

was the 275th and final audio story in Big Finish's The Monthly Adventures. It was written by Robert Valentine and featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor, Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor, Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, Mark Strickson as Turlough, Miranda Raison as Constance Clarke, and India Fisher as Charlotte Pollard.
This was the final release in Big Finish's The Monthly Adventures, which had been running consistently since 1999. To reflect this, the summary given for this story was very similar to the one given for The Sirens of Time, the range's first release, in which the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors were similarly given their own individual episodes before joining together in the final episode. In this instance, the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Doctors received their own individual episodes before coming together with the Seventh Doctor for the final episode.
== Publisher's summary ==
The Universe is in a state of crisis, facing destruction from the results of a strange spatio-temporal event. And the Doctor is involved in three different incarnations - each caught up in a deadly adventure, scattered across time and space.
The whole of creation is threatened - and someone is hunting the Doctor. The three incarnations of the Doctor must join together to confront their implacable pursuer - but in doing so will they unleash a still greater threat?
== Plot ==
=== Death and the Desert ===
to be added
=== Flight of the Blackstar ===
to be added
=== Night Gallery ===
to be added
=== The Lost Moon ===
to be added
== Cast ==
* The Doctor - Peter Davison
* The Doctor - Colin Baker
* The Doctor - Sylvester McCoy
* The Doctor - Paul McGann
* Turlough - Mark Strickson
* Constance Clarke - Miranda Raison
* Charlotte Pollard - India Fisher
* Calypso Jonze - Robyn Holdaway
* Dwayne Pherber - Kieran Bew
* Highgate - Tim Faulkner
* John Quarrington - Richard Goulding
* Ibrahim - Youssef Kerkour
* El Zeddo / Freebooters - Glen McCready
* Vakrass - Kevin McNally
* Gostak - David Schofield
== Crew ==
* Producers - Emily Cook and David Richardson
* Remote Sound Engineering - Jack Townley
* Cover Art - Ryan Aplin
* Director - Ken Bentley
* Executive Producers - Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
* Music and Sound Design - Wilfredo Acosta
* Script Editor - John Dorney
* Writer - Robert Valentine
== Worldbuilding ==
* The Death Lords were an ancient order of ruthless warriors.
* The Eighth Doctor uses black light to kill vampires.
* Gridium is mined on Titan.
* Vakrass considers love to be a virus and makes it his mission to spread it throughout the universe, doing good deeds.
* Calypso Jonze uses they/them pronouns.
== Notes ==
* Part One of the story was released for free for subscribers of Big Finish's email newsletter, a week before the rest was available to order.
* This story was recorded remotely on 15 and 20 October 2020.
* While Lisa Greenwood doesn't feature in the cast, Flip is travelling with the Sixth Doctor and Constance in their individual episode of the story, but is comatose and hospitalised. Nicholas Briggs confirmed in the Big Finish podcast that Greenwood had been ill with COVID-19 at the time of recording.https://www.bigfinish.com/podcasts/v/2021-09-05-six-eleven-five
* Each part uses a version of the Doctor Who theme appropriate to the Doctor featured: for Part One, Peter Howell's theme for the Fifth Doctor; in Part Two Dominic Glynn’s theme for the Sixth Doctor; and Part Three uses David Arnold’s theme for the Eighth Doctor. The final episode uses Delia Derbyshire’s original version, a call back to the original Big Finish adventure The Sirens of Time, which was also a multi-Doctor event.
* The Sixth Doctor has the final line of the Monthly Adventures: "It's good to be reminded once again that the years haven't dimmed us. Well then, enough chat everyone. It's time we were off on some new adventures."
* In Part Two the Doctor says it’s 5122, however according to Constance it’s the 51st century, which fits with Calypso Jonze’s appearance.
== Continuity ==
* Although his memory of the event is hazy, the Fifth Doctor recalls sharing an adventure with Charley. (AUDIO: The Light at the End)
* The Sixth Doctor has a vague memory of Charley, but cannot place his finger on it. (AUDIO: The Condemned, Blue Forgotten Planet)
** The Sixth Doctor once remembered Charley, before her being his companion, whilst in the Matrix, searching for supporting evidence in his trial. (PROSE: Interstitial Insecurity)
* The Sixth Doctor calls upon the help of Calypso Jonze. (AUDIO: The Lovecraft Invasion)
* The Eighth Doctor considers himself an expert when it comes to vampires. (PROSE: Vampire Science)
* The Eighth Doctor lands in 1999 which he describes as fine for him, as long as he avoids San Francisco (TV: Doctor Who) and Dagenham.
* Turlough notes that the Doctor's favourite teacher has "gone bad". This isn't the first time Turlough has witnessed one of the Doctor's teachers going rogue. In a previous adventure, the Doctor's former tutor, Lord President Borusa, used a Time Scoop to transport numerous Doctors to the Death Zone on Gallifrey in his scheme to claim immortality. (TV: The Five Doctors)
== External links ==
Category:Multi-Doctor audio stories
Category:2021 Main Range audio stories
Category:Stories set in London
Category:Stories set in the Middle East
Category:Stories set in 1911
Category:Stories set in the 51st century
Category:Stories set in 1999
Category:Fifth Doctor audio stories
Category:Fifth Doctor Main Range audio stories
Category:Sixth Doctor Main Range audio stories
Category:Seventh Doctor Main Range audio stories
Category:Eighth Doctor Main Range audio stories