Catching up with Aimless Wanderings

Hello everyone!

This is Richard B Brookes, enthusiast in chief for Aimless Wanderings.

As the release of War of the Doctors is imminent, it's up to me to take you on a trip through the archives and talk about the important stuff that's happened in the aimless wanderings universe that's led up to War of the Doctors.

(Not that any of the other episodes aren't important, they're all equally lovely and that).

If you’re a bit behind on the story, or want to get a friend up to speed on what’s been going on in the Aimless Wanderings universe in the run-up to tomorrow’s launch of ‘War of the Doctors’, this guide is for you.

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Download the full resolution version of the timeline here.

The Aimless Wanderings Essential Catch Up Collection

The Story So Far,,,

The so called ‘Pompous’ Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the renegade Time Lord who is usually referred to as “The Doctor”. He travels through space and time with a wheezy pug dog named Martin in a rickety old time machine called The TARDIS.

While he’s on quite amiable terms with his previous two incarnations, but a chance meeting with his next incarnation charges his resolve - the last thing he wants to do is turn into the man they call ‘Dynamite’,

Pompous 1.4 The Pug Masterplan

Synopsis: As Giant space pugs are causing havoc throughout the universe, the Doctor's "best enemy", the Master hatches a diabolical scheme involving the Doctor's canine companion.

Introduces The Sorry Doctor and The Master.

Multi Doctor Special: Doctor3

Synopsis: The Pompous Doctor is tasked by The Lord President of Gallifrey to try and deal with a renegade time lord called "The Scientist". He can't do it alone, and is lumbered with the assistance of his past incarnation "The Sorry One" and his future incarnation, a 'cosmopolitan, metrosexual, hipster-liberal-baby in possession of an illogical, inconsistent sex drive worthy of a perverse fifty year old virgin' known only as "The Dynamite Doctor".

Introduces The Dynamite Doctor and The Scientist with a special cameo appearance from The Fruit Pastel Doctor.

Pompous 2.3 A Good Pug Goes to War

Synopsis: After King Radolf Randolf Fuzzlechops Randolf III (Brian) disappears ahead of an urgent diplomatic speech regarding the Blobatrons, fingers are pointed at The Pompous Doctor, whose feisty pug dog, Martin, is mistaken for the illustrious monarch. The Doctor must face his most deadly fear if he is to escape from the dungeons of Metabelis 14 and save Brian and Martin from the decidedly naughty Grudgeworthy.

Introduces King Brian of Metabelis 14 and the Blobatrons of Spottron Pi. First mention of Geoff the Axon.

Pompous 2.4 Death to the Davros

Synopsis: The Doctor arrives at a Hospital for Poorly Daleks in order to pay a visit to an old enemy for one last time.

Introduces Davros.

Fruit Pastel Special: The Lift of Doom

Synopsis: “Why is it people don’t talk in lifts on Earth?!” asks the Fruit Pastel Doctor - little does he know, he’s about to become very well acquainted with the denizens of the lift he’s in… including a megalomaniacal logician with the intention to become Master of the Lift.

Introduces Eric Klieg, Master of the World.

Multi Doctor Special: Jim

Synopsis: The Doctor is an awful person. Four incarnations of the Doctor are summoned to a mysterious white void where they may meet without suffering dire consequences (and also drink copious amounts of tea) to answer the summons of a man named Jim. A man whose life the Doctor had made a living hell.

Introduces Jim and The Journalist.

Dynamite Doctor Special: Convolution of the Doctor

Synopsis: The Doctor and his new BFF Christie Christwald visit Geoff the Axon in Cardiff but before long, everything’s goes a bit dynamite with the arrival of the Time Devils. Christie has to travel through the Doctor’s time stream and visit his past lives in order to save his life.

Introduces Christie Christwald, Geoff the Axon and The Original Doctor.

Sorry 2.2 iDalek

Synopsis: The Daleks have been upgraded, and a sinister, mysterious force called ‘The Radiophonic Workshop’ is behind it. Will The Doctor and David manage to sit through their terrifying new product demonstration?

Introduces the iDaleks, Dilbert, The Radiophonic Workshop and the Entrepreneur.

Pompous 3.1 Mortal Pomposity

Synopsis: When the TARDIS arrives in a familiar white void, the Doctor expects the worst, but instead gets an unexpected visit from himself… from the future.

The start of the Pompous Doctor's regeneration cycle. Introduces the Flickerer, Tim, Wren and 'Tea Room' Pompous.

Pompous 3.2 The Deadly Killer

Synopsis: The Doctor is bought to Gallifrey at the behest of the Scientist, who introduces him to Time Lord-in-training, Tim. The Scientist has seen into the future that a murder is about to take place, but not just any murder… his own murder.

Introduces Tim (again). Return of The Scientist.

Pompous 3.4/3.5 Daleks of the Apocalypse

Synopsis: Arriving in Cardiff, the Doctor and Tim soon discover that a hideous infection has caused humanity to turn into mindless zombies. Then some Daleks turn up…

The duo meet Wren Stark and Douglas Grawads, survivors of the apocalypse - the very same Wren Stark the Doctor was told he’d sacrifice himself for.

Introduces Wren Stark (again). Return of Davros.

Pompous 3.6 Flicker

Synopsis: Landing in a plague pit in the 14th Century, the Doctor, Wren and Tim soon learn that they’re being hunted by an ancient evil - a cosmic force who manages to balance of the universe - known only as ‘The Flickerer’.

Introduces the Flickerer (again).

Pompous 3.8 Five Credits a Month

Synopsis: “Doctor?! What have you done?!” - The Tardis trio arrives on the charity planet Debitron, where the Doctor is shocked to the core after discovering nothing but overwhelming greed. When challenged, the Doctor makes Debitron an offer it can’t refuse...

Pompous 3.9/3.10 Martin's Last Bark

Synopsis: The Doctor has gone too far, on the run from the authorities for destroying Debitron and cornered by the malevolent Flickerer - but the only thing on the Doctor’s mind is what’s happened to his chubby little pug dog, Martin.

Martin's Last Bark forms the end of the Pompous Doctor's regeneration cycle and is the precursor to War of the Doctors.

...The Story So Far

The so called ‘Pompous’ Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the renegade Time Lord who is usually referred to as “The Doctor”. He travels through space and time with a miserable Time Lord named Tim in a rickety old time machine called The TARDIS.

He’s left desolation in his wake, doesn't speak to any of his other incarnations anymore, and a chance meeting with his future self has changed him irrevocably - the last thing that’s going to happen is him is become the man they call ‘Dynamite’.

War of the Doctors: Part One is released on the 31st January 2014.

The complete Aimless Wanderings archive is currently available to download on iTunes.

The Best Stories of 2014

Our recent poll has come to an end, with over 80 people picking their favourite story of last year! As a treat before the release of War of The Doctors, writers/actors Billy Treacy and Joel H Joelson provide their thoughts on these stories and what made them fan favourites.

3. The Story Teller

Billy Treacy: I’m glad this story is so high on the list, though in truth I think it’s a shame Joel’s stories didn’t occupy all three spaces here! He wrote some amazing things for last year and this year is beyond dynamite. I threw a little idea at Joel and he expanded it and added to it. I think it’s fair to say if I’d written this, it would’ve been pretty bog standard, if that. I can’t go without mentioning Phoenix Smith’s incredible narration too. He’d been suffering a cold, but pulled through it all in an admirable manner with true style. In all honesty, it was easiest the editing session I’ve ever had.

Joel H Joelson: For The Story Teller, I was given a basic synopsis (in the form of that pre-titles bit) and just told to run with it. And run with it I did. It’s got adorable urchins, fights, Phoenix Smith, all the things I enjoy about Doctor Who (if you’re reading this Steven, hire Phoenix, he’s amazing)! The thing which makes this episode stand out for me was the chance to use a different perspective. I’ve already done some audiobook-style stuff for Dynamite (in Convolution of the Doctor and some upcoming stuff I’m not allowed to talk about), but doing one from the villain’s perspective is something different altogether (although it’s probably been done before in an obscure 90’s novel I haven’t read). It was great to do some world building for Cratelon as well, and it sort of comes across as Dickens’ London meets 1984 as designed by Autoglass. This one also gave me a chance to write one of those big bloody speeches that the writers on New Who seem to love so much (for reference, I watched The Rings of Akhaten, and it’s better than I remembered). In conclusion, it was fun to write, but even more entertaining to listen to. The end.

2. Jim

Billy Treacy: Jim feels like such a long time ago, even though it’s actually been just less than a year. It was one of the many ideas in my little Aimless Wanderings scrapbook, and it was one that tickled me. I believe I was inspired partly by Big Finish’s The Four Doctors, where one individual is thrown through The Doctor’s timestream, although I’ve been told it also has similarities to The Light at the End. That aside, everyone knows now that multiple Doctor stories are by far the funnest to make and the most entertaining to listen to - there’s a reason this story is rated so highly. Throw as many pugs into the afterlife as you like, but nothing is more enjoyable than putting four Doctors together in the same room and just leaving them to talk. Throw in someone who has been hard done by because of them, and it just makes it better. The use of standalone stories with the events in The Tea Room as a framing device is a technique I particularly enjoyed - it gave us the best of both worlds. Though it would be nice to see the four Doctors together in action, wouldn’t it? You’ll have to wait just a little while longer for that... Also, here’s a bit of trivia: the dates mentioned in each part are the birthdays of the actors playing The Doctors.

Joel H Joelson: Jim is definitely the point when everything coalesced and the format of the series solidified. It’s got the Doctor (all four of him) doing awful things, bizarre happenings, silly villains and a relatable character at the core. Speaking of Jim, much applause has to be given to Christopher Thomson, who plays Jim with just the right balance of intensity and exasperation to make the character funny but realistic. My favourite individual episode has to be part one, simply due to my undying love for the terrifying force of nature that is Fruit Pastel.

1. Martin's Last Bark

Billy Treacy: Martin’s Last Bark is a game changer within our series. The story leads on to our biggest adventure yet - one that we’ve been planning for over a year now with ever increasing levels of excitement/anxiety - and the characters really get pushed to their limits; you’ve never heard Pompous like this. Where Martin was concerned, Jon Gransden always hated my obsession with pugs, so when I originally made one my companion in the audios, he wasn’t particularly impressed. I’d be getting jibes about Martin’s uselessness/respiratory problems left right and centre from Mr G, and unwavering suggestions to put Martin out of his misery - preferably through explosives. About a year ago, I figured I might as well do it just to shut Dynamite up, but in a slightly more dignified and heartfelt manner. I have a habit of killing people’s favourite characters. Sorry. Speaking of killing people, I killed King Radolf Randolf Fuzzlechops Randolf III too! And the entirety of Metebelis 14! So two pugs with one stone, I guess.

Joel H Joelson: Here’s a secret for you: I’ve known about Martin’s death since July. I had to live with the knowledge that Billy ‘Heartbreaker’ Treacy would ruin everyone’s Christmas for HALF A YEAR. It’s an amazing finale to the Darker Paths story arc, with what is probably the best writing for any Aimless Wanderings audio so far (even better than A Pompous New Year!) and better acting than a lot of actual Doctor Who. Oddly enough, we’d already mostly finished War of the Doctors before I got to read this one, meaning I saw the effect before the cause. Weird, innit? I didn’t have that much input to Darker Paths, aside from The Story Teller and co-writing Corner of the Universe, so it was interesting to see the events unfold from an outside(ish) perspective. Also I’ll never forgive Billy for destroying Metebelis 14. The poohead.

Darker Paths - Never Stop Running Trailer

For those of you who follow FiveWhoFans on YouTube, you may have noticed that we released our very first visual trailer for Aimless Wanderings yesterday evening. You can enjoy our trailer, focusing on Darker Paths, below!

Doctor3 Trailer

Karaoke Night at The Rotten Pastel

Behind the Scenes: Doctor3

Behind the Scenes: 5WF Doctor Who Photoshoot

The behind-the-scenes for our incredible 5WF Doctor Who photoshoot, where we took pictures of our Doctors so the album covers would look a bit more interesting. As you can see, we all got on like a house on fire.