Doctor Who: Real Time

The Sixth Doctor Adventures

by Gary Russell, Colin Baker (Narrator), Maggie Stables (Narrator)

This is a full-cast original audio play produced by Big Finish Productions. A Flash animated version can be found on the the BBC's Doctor Who website.


On a planet known only as Chronos, two scientific survey teams have vanished. Inexplicably. Without warning. But with just one clue supplied - a single screamed word: "Cybermen!"

The Univeristy they worked for has called in the Earth security forces who despatch a third team, a mix of military and scietific might, under the auspicies of a University Administrator. If that kind of volatile grouping isn't bad enough, three strangers have been added to the mix - a young hum expert in Cybermen and a mysterious traveller in space and time, the Doctor, along with his companion, Dr Evelyn Smythe.

But can they solve the riddle of the vanished survey teams before the Cybermen harness Chronos' unique temporal gifts and rewrite the history of the galaxy?

Production Notes
Real Time was originally broadcast as an animated web drama on the BBC's Doctor Who website between 2 August and 6 September 2000. Despite being animated, the script and audio production were specifically designed so that story could be followed and understood perfectly as a purely audio production. This double-CD features the audio only version of Real Time but includes extra scenes not in the original broadcast.

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Time Travel

Audio CD

First published December 1, 2002

About the author

Gary Russell is a British freelance writer, producer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs in other media. As an actor, he is best known for playing Dick Kirrin in the British 1978 television series The Famous Five.

Reviews

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think after listening to such a good audio yesterday anything else would seem a little bland. I did enjoy this one. It seemed like a story that would make a good episode. I continue to really enjoy Evelyn as a companion. I liked the idea of the half made cybermen. But I just didn't find it as gripping as some of the other stories.

I did enjoy this more the second time around. Would love to see it with the visuals sometime.

[Danny Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the planet Chronos, two scientific survey teams have disappeared, with no warning but a clue, "Cybermen!" The Doctor and Evelyn have been called to assist with the situation. But when they arrive they find it's not just Cybermen they have to be worried about it, it's the fabric of time itself and soon people are going to die.

Wow, I wasn't really expecting much considering this story was written to be a webcast series. But surprisingly it proved to be a very compelling dark story with the horrors of cyber conversion. The characters were all brilliant in this, characterized very well. It maybe one of Big Finish's more shorter stories but this is truly a compelling story. 10/10

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the ending is surprising and potentially impactful, the beginning has so much pointless running around that the end just gets exhausting. Also, due to rights issues and the death of Maggie Stables (RIP), this story will never be continued, so what might have been the start of a great story becomes a weird possible path for the series. Skip this as all the placements for it that I’ve seen cause it to mar one of the runs in Who history: Six and Evelyn.

[David Layton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Real Time has been written with a sequel in mind. That sequel has not and probably will not be done. Thus, there are some very obvious holes in the story that have been deliberately left to fill. Thus, the whole thing just has an incomplete feeling to it. It does work in a very traditional Doctor Who way.

[Pascal Zielke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although there are some interesting scenes and plot developments, this Audioplay was a lot of talk with not much happening. The Cybermen seemed pretty helpless and easy to defeat. It was an okay listen but I had a bit of a feeling of wasting my time, actually.

[Shaun Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great concept, it's a shame the ending leaves it in the strange limbo of being non-canonical. Colin Baker is spot on perfect. For our full thoughts, visit https://travelingthevortex.com/?p=8716

[Sidney McKidney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just saw the webcast version and I am SO MAD right now because of that ending. I'm gonna find Gary Russell online and ask him what he would've done if there'd be a sequel and keep badgering him until he answers me or I forget because I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS DAMMIT

[Debra Cook · Rating 1 out of 5]

No excitement no adventure.

[Viviana · Rating 2 out of 5]

[audiobook] Disturbing sound effects

[Alien_Dwarf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty standard Cybermen story, not bad, not great.

[Kate Priest · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's baffling why such a mediocre Big Finish story was chosen for animation.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Doctor is asked to help on an expedition to find cybermen. All is not what it seems and the cybermen are not dead. This is a very short audio, and has some nice twists. It's also the introduction of the 6th Doctors blue coat. The 2nd CD is mainly interviews with the cast and crew. I was disappointed that this was so short but I suppose it was mainly written for animation and not for audio. A good listen.

[Lori S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun