The Whoniverse doesn’t lose its mojo when Doctor Who winds down until Christmas, and Big Finish’s Series 5 of UNIT: Encounters looks to be a good reminder.
In UNIT: Encounters, the UNIT team are tested further than ever, with threats from our universe and others, encountering Daleks, Sontarans, and the worst of themselves….
Big Finish has been hard at work with some of the stars of ‘New Who’. Fan favourites such as Jemma Redgrave (Kate Stewart) and Ingrid Oliver (Osgood) will be stepping up to do battle. The Daleks themselves will also be making a return. After all, what is Big Finish without Nicholas Briggs?
Joining the familiar TV faces are James Joyce (Captain Josh) and Ramon Tikaram (Colonel Shindi). Joyce has been featured in Big Finish Who before. in stories such as ‘The Wrong Doctors’, ‘The Romance of Crime’ and ‘Planet of the Rani’. While Tikaram is reprising his role as Shindi. The character was a regular in UNIT: The New Series. Tikaram also voiced Wanchese in ‘Voyage to the New World’ and had a hand in ‘The Eleven’ and ‘Theatre of War’. Ultimately, both actors are fully capable of holding their own amongst Who’s titans.
It’s not just the performing talent who have shown up to make the adventures glorious. Widely acclaimed writers Matt Fitton, Roy Gill, Andrew Smith and John Dorney have all assembled to create a four episode series of mesmerising adventures. All are perfectly poised to deliver some more gripping drama.
Episode 1 – The Dalek Transaction by Matt Fitton
When a rogue guerrilla faction offer an alien artefact for auction, Kate Stewart and her team go undercover to the jungles of Central America.
But they find that the prize on offer is far deadlier than its owners realise.
Captive, desperate and alone. That’s when a Dalek is at its most dangerous.
Episode 2 – Invocation by Roy Gill
It’s Hallowe’en, and Josh finds himself at a party where phantoms are becoming all too real. Osgood is working late and hears a voice from the skies making strange incantations.
The next day, Kate has gone missing in the Scottish Borders, and the team head north to investigate.
Ghosts from the past are haunting UNIT, and now they threaten the whole world…
Episode 3 – The Sontaran Project by Andrew Smith
On a routine reconnaissance mission, Colonel Shindi finds more than he bargains for in the Forest of Ardennes.
Back in England, an old colleague makes Osgood an offer she cannot refuse. The chance to take part in an exciting new scientific advance.
Before long, UNIT is on collision course with a force of alien clones, and Kate must forge an unlikely alliance.
Episode 4 – False Negative by John Dorney
When a strange travel capsule is activated in UNIT’s laboratory, Osgood and Josh find themselves in a whole new world of trouble.
Soon, nobody at UNIT HQ is quite who they seem, and the team discovers that the greatest danger they could ever face comes from within…
UNIT: Encounters is out in November and can be pre-ordered from the Big Finish site for £23 on CD or £20 as a download. Or you can save by purchasing this and future UNIT releases in a bundle.
If you’re new to the UNIT New Series, you can try episode 1 from the first volume, UNIT: Extinction, here. And don’t forget to get the acclaimed latest series of UNIT: Assembled, featuring Katy Manning as Jo Jones (née Grant), Richard Franklin as Mike Yates and John Levene as John Benton, before it goes to general release prices at the end of this month!
