Class: Audio Volumes 3 & 4 - Trailers and Cover Art

Class: The Audio Adventures Volumes 3 & 4 - Trailers and Cover Art

By Jamie H. C.

It's April - and almost time for a return to Coal Hill! So let's look over once more Big Finish's cover art and trailers for their upcoming third and fourth Class audioplay boxsets, set during the events of Series One.

The cover art this time has been done by Tom Webster and takes quite a different direction from the first two volumes... Though it's unavoidable that we return to those familiar publicity photos (to be fair, getting pictures of Greg Austin now might be a little bit troublesome given how much he's bulked up) but the vibrancy has been toned back some and we've been given something atmospheric... (and what does that wolf and moon mean? Werewolves?). It's certainly a nice addition for the shelf...

The Cover Art for Class Volume 3

The stories in Class Volume 3 (no synopsises this time round but we'll get to that in a minute) are as follows:

3.1 The Soer's Ditch by Carl Rowens

Now, plenty folk far more versed in these things have raised that Soer's Ditch is apparently an old name for Shoreditch. What does that mean? Well, I am hoping that means we might be getting a bit more time travel into Shoreditch's history - Charlie's experience in 1963 during In Remembrance in Volume 2 was a highlight, but it would be nice to see much more depth to that. Perhaps even without an alien touch involved?

3.2 Catfish by Kate Thorman

This sounds like it's a standard fare - something about the dangers of catfishing for teens... but given this is Class, I feel that's deceptively simple. We've seen some wonderful twists exploring teen issues so far and I've got a lot of hopes that this will be equally interesting as those.

3.3 Sweet Nothings by Michael Dennis

"Sweet Nothings" are basically lover's flirtatious words. Given that we've already had a very word-centric Chatteusz story in Tell Me You Love Me, I suspect this will be a Ram and April-centric piece along similar lines. But then I could be massively wrong.

That said, based on the trailer, it sounds like we have another new kid, Paul, in a Tanya-centric story. Perhaps he's an alien posing as human... but then wouldn't Quill and Charlie also be catfishes of sorts? Hm... Either way, there's someone - I presume, asking for a date to the theatre. And it seems that Soer's Ditch is a Charlie and Matteusz-centric story. There's some Matriarch... and Charlie quoting Shadow Proclamation law in a dangerous situation? Of course he would.

Like with those first two boxsets, I am incredibly curious as to how they will fit into Series 1 and how the characters will develop. But I'm also eagerly curious - I'm left in the dark without any synopsises and I'm actually majorly excited by that. The prospect of going into Class blind, like I did with those first two episodes? Brilliant!

You can listen to the trailer for Volume Three of Class: The Audio Adventures below.

The Cover Art for Class Volume 4

Okay, I'll admit - I'm a little that Volume 4 doesn't link up with 3 coverwise like the first two as it made for nice displaying... but still, it is a lovely and lively cover. Something very off-kilter. The "torchlight in darkened school" promo pics are finally put to good use, Matteusz has been lifted from one of the rarer promos... and Charlie's got a whole new body. Not his original (Why do I say that? You'll see when we get to 4.3...) though, given the cobwebby-ness of this cover... is this perhaps Charlie in a Halloween outfit? Oh, and there's a nice nod within the trailer in that Quill references something being on "Old Street"... and said street is also very close to trouble within the Joyride novel.

The stories in Class Volume 4 are as follows:

4.1 Mock by Alfie Shaw

Like the trailer states, there's a Physics mock for the gang. This also got previewed in the Big Finish podcast sometime ago, and it seems it will have all six of the gang featured within to some capacity. How exciting! Though, I do wonder, is this the mock that Tanya said she failed in Everybody Loves Reagan? And, honestly, I will say now - if this story is going to be almost entirely set in a mock exam room (I'm speculating entirely here) then I'll be impressed majorly!

4.2 The Creeper by Lizzie Hopley

Little to theorise here except that perhaps this is what Charlie is dressed up for? And Halloween celebrations get interrupted by this mysterious creeper?

4.3 Queen of Rhodia by Blair Mowat

Right, okay, I'll admit - I did suss who this was gonna be written by when Blair started teasing on Instagram during recording... but HOLY HECK, I DID NOT EXPECT THAT TITLE! And honestly, I don't know what to expect here. References to Charlie in a honourable fashion, swordfighting... is this what Rhodia was like? I don't know... Blair has said this story might not be what we expect, and there's a distinct lack of a Wanda O'Connor here... could this be Halloween instead? Does Charlie gets set as a fake prince at a Halloween roleplay party (which would work because honestly if Ram thought he sounded like royalty, surely everyone else would...) and the roleplay becomes all too real? Then there's the bit in the trailer where everyone is trying to call Charlie back, break him free from something. Is Charlie going to fall into his own mind? Or an illusion from which we'll not be sure exactly how much is true? There's so many questions here. No matter what, I'll say one thing - if Class does have this as its last official tale (this is the end of Big Finish's current licensing agreement for Class) then it sounds like we're certainly ended on quite the bang.

I should also - at last - address the elephant in the room. Yes, I'm sad that Katherine and Vivian shalln't be returning in their parts... but sadly, if people are unavailable or not up for it then things have to push forward. I imagine waiting for Greg and Jordan to back over from America made things difficult enough. Based on what I've heard thus far in the trailers and the teaser bit for Mock in the BF podcast, the writing is certainly in place and Kirwan and McGibbon are running with the rhythms and vocal mannerisms already set down by Kelly and Oparah - but not making it a impersonation attempt. If I were making a likeness, I'd compare it to Mark Elstob's work for Big Finish on the Prisoner - flavour of McGoohan with a touch of his own. And honestly, I'm happy with it so far. McGibbon's voice has settled in nicely already and a few relistens of the trailers is easing Kirwan's into my head too.

You can listen to the trailer for Volume Four of Class: The Audio Adventures below.

Volumes 3 & 4 of Class: The Audio Adventures are available for pre-order now at £20 each on CD or £17 each on download from the Big Finish website (They can also be purchased as a bundle together at the price of £38 on CD and £33 on download.) and will remain at this price until the boxsets are released until release later this month. Additionally, it's worth noting that after the significant interest in Class Volumes 1 & 2, the physical run number has been increased to 1000 sets for each.

And as Charlie says, let's hope this is not the end because "I hate cliffhangers."

Class: Volume Two 2.2 - Now You Know... by Tim Leng (REVIEW)

Class: Volume Two 2.2 - Now You Know... by Tim Leng (REVIEW)

Reviewed by Ellie

Clarification: This is an in-depth review of the story and may contain spoilers. You have been warned.

Out of all the audios, Now You Know, written by Tim Leng, was the one that I found myself being the most excited about. Given that Tanya and Matteusz are my two favourite characters on the show, I was curious on how their dynamic would play out when they work together without the others around (who can tend to overshadow them - quite literally in Brave-ish Heart).

After listening to Now You Know, my best prediction for when it’s set is between Nightvisiting and Co-Owner of A Lonely Heart. Given how close they seem in the latter episode, ‘Now You Know’ acts a nice transfer from them sharing confused eye contact at the prom to the friendship hinted at in Co-Owner of A Lonely Heart and Brave-ish Heart. Although, it’s possible they were friends before the series even started, given the age gap, I find it most likely they at best knew each other from the start of the year (after all, they do share at least two classes).

[Above: Tanya and Matteusz in Co-Owner of A Lonely Heart ~ Source: http://kissthemgoodbye.net/doctorwho/thumbnails.php?album=178] 

Timeline aside, I was very much delighted by their friendship explored in the audio. As Vivian and Jordan talk about in their interview afterward, both of their characters are outsiders - both in school and their bunghole-fighting group at times, which makes them teaming up together and trying to prove themselves without their friends (or Quill’s) help make a lot of sense. In fact, it’s the strongest justification to have just them, which the other audios lack. (For example, in Everyone Loves Reagan, Matteusz and Charlie go on a week long date.) Whilst Matteusz suggests a few times that the help of his boyfriend or friends may be useful, Tanya is eager for them to prove themselves: “We've come this far... We can do this without them.” She’s right, as they make a great team and actually use their sense of empathy (and Tanya’s hacking skills and blatant disregard for school rules) to stop the threat.

In a team dynamic, Tanya takes a natural leadership role (similar to Life Experience). Matteusz, being the ‘gentleman’ he is, is more than happy to learn and listen from her despite the age gap. In fact, he is very supportive of Tanya despite the age gap and uses the fact she skipped three years to empower her, rather than to bring her down, like the ‘bullies’ do.

Equally, Tanya is clearly trusting and shares her concerns about her Dad and her own life as result of the rift. It’s nice to see her be vulnerable and open around her friends. She’s implied to have opened up to Ram and April in the same way but this is the first time we hear Tanya talking about her Dad to her friends in more depth.

Their first conversation after the new caretaker  is taken into hospital is soft and reassuring whilst still acknowledging the danger that they are in at Coal Hill: “What if he [the caretaker] hadn’t told me to leave? Whatever happened to him could have happened to me too.” Matteusz reassures her that worrying doesn’t help. Whilst not my favourite scene in the whole audio, it’s up there because we learn so much about them both and it builds a strong foundation for the rest of their teamwork.

[Above: Tanya and Matteusz in Co-Owner of A Lonely Heart  ~ Source: http://kissthemgoodbye.net/doctorwho/thumbnails.php?album=178] 

Plot wise, the ‘bullying is bad’ message we get early on initially had me worried. Mostly because the message has been done by pretty much every show, book and movie that’s set in a high school. But, the more realistic viewpoint of what bullying is like in high school is refreshing (although somewhat extreme in some places). Michelle, an old friend of Tanya from primary school who uses her intelligence to isolate her (which I find very relatable personally) is a good example of a passive aggressive teenage girl with an ego problem (having just finished high school, I can think of a few ‘Michelles’ of my own). They also explore the more common misogynistic bully with Chris, which again, is a more realistic look at bullying. By the end, Michelle reaches out to apologize but Chris isn’t mentioned again, showing it takes a lot to change a sexist, xenophobic opinion. However, Michelle isn’t shown as perfect as her arc doesn’t end with her and Tanya reconnecting. By the end, they are different people and I agree with Matteusz that Tanya has a lot of strength to accept an apology from her.

Both bullies are essentially foil characters for the two protagonists. Chris’ unchanged hate and misogyny contrasts with how accepting and kind Matteusz is. On the other hand, Michelle’s passive aggressive bullying contrasts with how blunt and open Tanya is. (I think maybe having Ram in this audio could have been beneficial to his arc. He’s never really called out for bullying Charlie.)

What is also interesting is the general attitude of their fellow students. Whilst not openly cruel to our protagonists, they don’t help or step in when Matteusz is beaten up or publicly threatened. He puts it best after said fight: “and still they notice nothing”. High school bullying can be so isolating, especially when the other students are turning a blind eye, which they all played very realistically. This isolating feeling gives Matteusz and Tanya a lot of similar experiences which is why their friendship works so well in the context of the audio: “I understand, you and me… we do not quite fit in as neatly.” But, this actually gives them the edge over Dillard who sees their pain and decides they’re not “what we need” as being victimized has given them more empathy and they don’t have the hatred and anger he’s looking for. Whilst bullying is portrayed as negative, it also shows the strength and puts the blame on Michelle and Chris for being cruel instead of Matteusz and Tanya for being different.

[Above: Sophie, Fady and Vivian behind the scenes of recording the audios. Photo Credit: Big Finish.]

For such a seemingly simple message about bullying, Now You Know portrays this overall message and experiences in a complex and compelling way, adding a sense of relatableness and empathy to the ‘villian’. The ‘villain’ being lost student, Peter Dillard, who fell into the rift in the 1960s. His motivation is clearly revenge but after Tanya and Matteusz show he is now the bully (or at least on the same level) he has a moment of self awareness. The hybrid of Peter and an unknown alien that was in the rift collect the souls, or possibly emotions, of those he thinks deserve to suffer. (In a way, the concept reminds me of the Doctor Who episode The Bells of St. John and the Great Intelligence trapping minds in the Internet to feed off.) The unknown entity was “fascinated” by Peter’s emotion and was studying the trapped souls. After Matteusz and Tanya free the souls, it presumably dies or goes to its home, although it’s left ambiguous on the fate of both Peter and the entity he was bonded with.

Overall, I found Now You Know to have more positives than negatives. The friendship element with Tanya and Matteusz was obviously the highlight for me. Jordan Renzo does a fantastic job of portraying how expressive Matteusz is through the audio and his and Vivian’s banter felt very natural. There was a lot of great comedic moments, most noticeably the scene where they both poorly roast each other to draw out Peter, which undercut the tension to add a more light hearted vibe with the bonus of adding a little realism to their friendship.

Peter Dillard makes a complex and slightly unpredictable villain, even if his motivates aren’t the most original. The background music in the confrontation scene at the end is a great musical score. Similarly, the sound effects of Peter coming through the rift was very eerie and added suspense - the scene when they ran away from the rift and Michelle stands out to me.

If the ending and fate of Chris and the caretaker was a little bit more clear, it would be perfect. Going off the fact that Tanya and Matteusz don’t say otherwise, we can presume they survive but it’s not very clear. The message isn’t the most original, although I think it works well overall. In addition, the potentially triggering scene where Matteusz is essentially beat up by a homophobic bully should have been given a warning and was quite extreme.

Had there been a more coherent ending and the appropriate trigger warnings, it would be perfect but I give it an overall score of 8/10.

It’s a personal favourite of the audio collection and tied with Gifted on the top. I really hope that if we get more Class content from Big Finish, there’s more of the Tanya and Matteusz friendship developed. I think if they added a third member from the group and had a trio, it could also be quite fascinating. Personally, in the (hopefully) future audios, I’d love to see how Tanya, Matteusz and April would work together since April and Matteusz are quite similar personality wise. (Adding Quill could also be an interesting trio if they expand past the first season.) Although, they do make a great dynamic duo without anyone else.

Now You Know is great exploration of unseen friendships and realities of high school that took two of my favourite characters and made me like them even more. That’s what I would consider to be a success.

Class: Volume One 1.1 - Gifted by Roy Gill (REVIEW)

Class: Volume One 1.1 - Gifted by Roy Gill (REVIEW)

Reviewed by Ted Ryan

Clarification: This is an in-depth review of the story and may contain spoilers. You have been warned.

This story was definitely one of my favourites and had a dark fairy-tale feel to it. Focused primarily on April and Ram, I believe this play is set between episodes 3 and 4 of season one, which shows a much more steady and innocent side to their developing relationship. While Ram struggles with his football skills and confidence because of his previous injury, April befriends new student Tom and all three are drawn into the formidable clutches of Mab whose "gifts" come at a deadly and sinister price.

It was refreshing to hear a story where Ram and April were so comfortable with each other, but also to have an episode that focuses on their individual passions (Ram with his football and April with her folk music) and that is something they both have in common. Roy Gill drew inspiration from the mythology of Mab (who of course plays the main antagonist) and the previous stories of her appearance are also referenced such as Shakespeare - most noticeably and what plays a clever narrative arc throughout is the folklore ballad of Tam Lin, which plays into the character of Thomas. As Mab plays on the darker and more vulnerable sides of April and Ram's fears, April is determined to save Ram and begins to confront her growing feelings for him.

The writing for this script was truly spectacular, not only does Roy Gill capture the voice and dynamics of the characters perfectly he also takes a well-known folklore and creates a sinister and manipulative alien antagonist which fits well into the world of Class.

The cast were absolutely brilliant in their voice performances - Sophie Hopkins and Fady Elsayed return to their roles with ease, capturing the darker emotional elements of their characters but also a lighthearted and sweeter side which compliments their characters. Alongside Elsayed and Hopkins, Rhys Isaac-Jones makes his Big Finish debut and was great as Thomas, his performance was so natural and he did an excellent job at portraying the complexity of his character. Finally Deirdre Mullins shines as the alien-goddess Mabs, her performance was perfectly villainous in her performance and the subtly in her acting made Mabs seem all the more threatening.

This was a great start to the new Class box sets, which has everything you'd want in a compelling story - great writing, strong characters, a believable love story and a truly evil villain.

Class Audios: Volumes One & Two - General Spoiler-Free Review

Class Audios: Volumes One & Two - General Spoiler-Free Review

By Jamie H. C.

Clarification: This is an overall review of the volumes as a whole and is spoiler-free. As such, all critical comments will be accurate - but other certain details may be avoided or deliberately amended to avoid revealing plot. Individual in-depth reviews with potential spoilers will follow from other contributors to CoS in the near future.

The boxset covers [as they appear on the physical copies].

1.1 Gifted by Roy Gill

A wonderful story that is certainly a strong start to the boxset - with a superbly witty script by Roy Gill with lots of tension and turns in the mix. By far, the highlight of this story though has to be the guest cast - Deirdre Mullins gives a performance as Mab that seems pretty compassionate at first but is delightfully venomous and manipulative under the surface. Without saying too much, the inspiration for this story is definitely an intriguing mix of mythology and folklore - and I will have to look into it more now that my curiosity has been piqued.

Big Finish newcomer Rhys Isaac-Jones also gives a stellar turn, playing Thomas Langford in a very sympathetic and grounded way. The chemistry between his character and April is great. like, seriously, I was wishing for more scenes between the two by the end of the story. I can only hope that he returns for more audio adventures in the future! Likewise, the chemistry between Ram and April is brilliant. And, of course, it’s nice to see (or rather, hear) some calmer moments where the softer side of their relationship is explored more. 9/10

1.2 Life Experience by Jenny T Colgan

How can I describe this story? Gruesome. Very gruesome. But not overdone. Which is a real achievement on Jenny T Colgan's part. There is one particular moment - you’ll know it when you hear it - that make me squirm and grit the teeth with horror. Like with Nightvisiting (and the novels), this story takes place almost entirely away from the confines of Coal Hill Academy - allowing Fady and Vivian to shine as Ram and Tanya. It really shows, I feel. 
Credit has to go to everyone involved for being able to make the laboratory setting - normally a very visual experience in science fiction - feel real. 

From the guest cast to the writing to the sound mixing, it really does come across immensely well. On the topic of visuals, the two, shall we call them appearances... of the monster in this story were a notable treat to visualise interacting/encountering everyone else. However, it is worth noting that I felt the last quarter was not as good as the rest of the story - it’s hard to pin down exactly but it definitely feels like it’s lacking something. Although, I like the ambiguity of certain aspects, a lot of build-up of the story just melts away and the actual ending felt a bit too sudden. 7.5/10

1.3 Tell Me You Love Me by Scott Handcock

I've said that could be the standout story since the synopsises and trailers came out. and I wasn't wrong.

This story is amazing beyond words (and it's not just because Matteusz and Charlie are back in our lives - although it is worth saying that this is a fantastic three-hander between Greg, Jordan and Katherine, and the dynamics of their characters). The concept behind it is so different and original - and would be a challenge on a TV episode but for an audio, it's a whole level above and beyond technically. And it's done immensely well - kudos to Scott Handcock for writing and directing this masterpiece. And of course, also to Luke Pietnik for the sublime sound design, without which this story wouldn't have been quite so potent. I'm keeping tightlipped on the nature of this as I feel it really has to be experienced... - "spur of the moment"? ..."going in blind"?... I don't know quite how to phrase it - for full effect. Nevermind being best of the boxset, I think this is one of the best audio dramas that Big Finish has created! 10/10!

Extras:
There are some lovely little cast interviews for each episode but sadly no music suite (as a sizeable amount of it will be on the forthcoming soundtrack) and surprisingly no script PDFs. Which is a little bit disappointing - particularly in the case of Tell Me You Love Me.

Volume 1 Overall Review:

Fantastic first return to school (ahem, Academy) for Big Finish, expanding upon Class brilliantly. Undoubtedly a masterpiece of a boxset that I will go on and on and on and on enjoying! 

2.1 Everybody Loves Reagan by Tim Foley

April really takes centre-stage here - although there is some interaction with Ram and Tanya, this episode is pretty squarely focused in on her. I love the idea of April trying to start a support group, and of course, it not working out quite as expected. Sophie is able to forge ahead with a performance that fights against Taj Atwell’s character of Reagan but in more of a defiant way than an all-out strength way. However, despite a strong set of performances, I felt that the alien in this story drifts a little too close to Nightvisiting (and Gifted, as well) and it feels rather thin plot-wise with everything happening at what felt like quite a stretched out slow pace. And it’s a shame because I’ve been hoping for a Class story where the sci-fi elements would be dialed back. But this just doesn’t quite fit the bill for me, I’m afraid. 5.5/10

2.2 Now You Know... by Tim Leng

A Tanya & Matteusz team-up story was on my wish-list of stories for future Class stories after the first series and this story lives up to it pretty well. The separation that the two characters feel from the rest of their peers is explored in a rather cunning way - as is their friendship. The well-crafted story will leave you with a lot to think about, taking a look more towards the... well, class aspect of Class but with a nice little sci-fi twist. We get some other students, which really does help to form more of the “background” of the world Tanya and Matteusz are in, and what they have to go through on a daily basis.

There is an immensely humorous moment (again, you’ll know when) that had me laughing heartily - which also made me realise that, and I hope other people notice this, the superb performance of Jordan Renzo. Matteusz was a very physical character in the TV show, there was a lot of physicality and facial expressions to it - really, go back and watch the episodes. And here, Renzo, is able to give a vocal performance that manages to perfectly fill in that gap, so to speak, that has been made by changing mediums. With every line, I am able to picture Matteusz’s facial expressions and even the way he is holding himself. It’s a sparkling accomplishment on his part. And, of course, Vivian gets to step up as well as Tanya - determined to solve a mystery in Coal Hill Academy *without* having to get the rest of the gang involved and to prove to the others (and perhaps, herself) that she deserves the position in life that she has. 8.5/10.

2.3 In Remembrance by Guy Adams

Right, okay, I know what you’re thinking, why have I not mentioned the music thus far? Well, that’s because I was saving it for this story. Having spent the previous five audios playing more subtly with the audio landscape, Blair Mowat kicks into high-gear here - creating a wonderfully emotional, dramatic and heart-thumping atmosphere, that also of course, acts as a joyous nostalgia trip for those who are familiar with Remembrance of the Daleks. Sophie Aldred is on top-form as Ace and her not-at-all-getting-along relationship with Quill is a fascinating thing. It sort of pulls you in, making you wonder about the pair, making you worry, and even making you laugh. And she gets to take on a Dalek again, which, okay, yes, it is incredibly for the fans’ joy. But the script and Sophie’s performance do a great job of being surprisingly accessible for someone new to that era of Doctor Who. Quill, played by the wonderful Katherine Kelly, also has a wonderful time playing off of the Dalek - saying very little other than this there (but there is a lot that I could say!).

Dodging around saying anything of the plot, it’s fantastic to see Quill and Charlie get separated in such a dangerous situation and interacting with the characters around them in events as individuals. A lot of their dynamic on-screen was together so having them get some breathing space to show who they are without the other being overly involved was a welcome change. And Guy Adams really has done a grand job at creating a story that ties into Remembrance, but additionally works well as a standalone episode of Class. He’s also dealt with somewhat justifing a character point about Ace that I was never keen on. It’s a lovely end to this run of stories! 9.5/10!

Extras:

Again, only interviews but as well as the cast of each episode, there is also a bonus interview with Blair Mowat - which showcases a few snippets of his music for Class and gives some interesting little insights.

Volume 2 Overall Review:

Although it doesn’t open as strong as the first boxset, Volume 2 pulls together so well across the board that it becomes an immense audio experience - and another noteworthy addition to both the Class timeline and to the Whoniverse in general.

Class: Volumes One and Two are available now at £20 each on CD (whilst stocks last, as it is a limited physical release) or £15 each as downloads from the Big Finish website. 

Class: The Original Television Soundtrack - Cover Art Reveal and Speculation

Class: The Original Television Soundtrack - Cover Art Reveal and Speculation

By Jamie H. C.

Well, today is a joyous day I've been long awaiting. As I'm sure we all have. No, it's not Death (that) Awaits Us but rather the Class soundtrack release! And today, at a San Diego Comic Con panel by Blair Mowat, he revealed the cover art for the release. Time Never Forgets such beauty as this - the CD release will sit nicely alongside the existing releases of Series 1 on DVD and Blu-Ray and as for the limited edition marbled vinyl release (exact quantity still to be confirmed), well Jonny Eveson has done a superb job!

The Coverart for the Class CD soundtrack release

Eveson's art features their gang facing up to their shadows which seem to be not only be turning into the familiar smog of the Shadow Kin, but also have other monsters lurking within - the tail of the Leaf Dragon can be seen to the lower right and over on the left, blazing its own trail, is the asteroid (or meteor - I'll let Ram and Tanya argue that one out) that contains the Prisoner from Detained. One can assume that that the back of the cover is equally as beautiful (and presumably the inside of the cover too - I mean, that dragon tail has to be connected to a dragon...) On the inside of the vinyl release is some more lovely artwork - of King of the Shadow Kin himself, Corakinus (or Corky, if you're overly familiar) - alongside some notes from Blair about both discs (or disks, as it is so written. Honestly, I think we can give America this one.) But we're still not done here...

The Coverart for the Class marbled vinyl release of the soundtrack.

Interestingly, both releases will also include a bonus disc (with a c this time) featuring additional score cues - since Blair has already confirmed that all music done for the Big Finish audios is being saved for a potential future release, it can't be that. So, could this be part of the plan that Blair was hinting at for getting the rest of the TV score out there? Or perhaps some extra variants of some tunes? Or perhaps even... unused tracks?

As for the content of the soundtrack, that is still as-yet undisclosed, but with some heavy detective work (not quite Quill vs. Inspector style), I've come up with what I think is a fair speculative prediction for that, which can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ai2YIaCTjFfyLGNiSoD-44_aMgxa3hg2vVPu9EJGhq0/edit?usp=sharing

Further info is sure to be coming very soon, you can sign up now to receive email updates on the soundtrack as they come at:

www.doctorwhomusic.com/class/

Class: The Audio Adventures - CD Pre-Order Update

Class: The Audio Adventures - CD Pre-Order Update

By Jamie H. C.

Hey everyone, just a little interesting update for those considering pre-ordering the Class audio adventures - as you probably know, Big Finish recently announced that all their physical releases from June 2018 onwards would be available to purchase on for at least 12 months after release unless they stated otherwise. This was as a result of the customer shift in popularity away from physical and toward digital releases.

The Class audio adventures were one of the first releases to be announced under this new plan. They, however, were notably announced not with a time window, but instead with a limited number of CDs being made (500 for both volumes) as Big Finish had stated might happen with some releases.

However, it has been announced today on the Big Finish website that this plan has been slightly amended:

"after an overwhelming demand for the physical version of Class, all CD pre-orders are being guaranteed – so make sure to place a pre-order before its release in August if you want to be sure of the adventures on CD."

So, yes, all you fans who wanted a physical copy but were somewhat concerned that they might run out before you get the chance, fear not! As long as you order a physical copy before the volumes are released, you will get it! Yay!

Class: The Audio Adventures - Trailers and Cover Art

Class: The Audio Adventures - Trailers and Cover Art

By Jamie H. C.

In exciting news for us Class fans (Coal Hill students? Classmates? Governors?), Big Finish has recently revealed the cover art and trailers for their upcoming Class audioplay boxsets, set during the events of Series One. The trailer for Volume One had been previously broadcast as an early tease as part of one of the Big Finish podcasts but has now been officially released.

Though the cover art - superbly done by longtime graphic designer Stuart Manning - uses the very familiar publicity photos of the Class gang that we all know, it is far removed from the usual Big Finish cover art style in a refreshing way that fits with the feel of Class as a whole. And as a nice bonus, on the physical CD release (limited to 500 copies), the two covers will line up together to form one complete picture that is sure to look fabulous on display in anyone's collection.

The Coverart for Class Volume 1

The stories in Class Volume 1 and their synopsises are as follows:

1.1 Gifted by Roy Gill

When a talent scout arrives in Shoreditch, Ram sees an opportunity to further his goals, whilst April strikes up a friendship with new boy, Thomas Laneford. Their choices draw all three to Carterhaugh House – but who is the mysterious Mab that waits for them there…

1.2 Life Experience by Jenny T Colgan

After signing up for work experience at Sevelin Laboratories, Tanya and Ram find themselves thrust into the world of medical research. But dark secrets lie at the heart of Sevelin Industries – and not everyone can make it out alive…

1.3 Tell Me You Love Me by Scott Handcock

The school day has ended. Charlie and Matteusz find themselves alone – though not quite as alone as they first believed. Three little words could mean the difference between life and death… and Quill is the only person they can turn to.

Sounds like a particularly interesting set of stories to start off Class' life with Big Finish - since the initial announcement, I have incredibly curious as to how they will fit into Series 1 and how the characters develop in that time. And the first stories sound both reassuring and exciting. As well as pairing up Apram together for an adventure, Tanya and Ram's friendship will also be getting some attention. 

And yet, there's some intriguing twists already evident. A new boy, Thomas Langford - will he meet some terrible fate in events or, more importantly, is he the terrible fate waiting for someone? Seems like some detective work as a duo might be in the cards for April and Ram - which would be a nice change from what was quite a rollercoaster ride of action for the two with little chance from them to have peaceful moments together (aside from the obvious, ahem, "Ram and the Shadowkin" moment).

Work experience in Life Experience sounds like an equally welcome change - allowing us to pull away from Coal Hill Academy as a main setting. Nightvisiting was the only episode in Series One to do so, and in my personal opinion, a notable strength of the tie-in novels was their ability to tell the gang's lives and adventures beyond the confines of the everyday school life in a more definite way.

But, by far, the most fascinating part of the first boxset is Tell Me You Love Me. Scott Handcock has hinted that there was a great level of technical challenge in putting this story together and the trailer seems to indicate that Matteusz will, for some reason, be unable to stop speaking about his immense love for Charlie. If nothing else, the moment in the trailer certainly creates an nice parallel with the scene in Detained when Charlie has a panic attack and Matteusz tries to calm him down. 

You can listen to the trailer for Volume One of Class: The Audio Adventures below.

The Coverart for Class Volume 2

The stories in Class Volume 2 and their synopsises are as follows:

2.1 Everyone Loves Reagan by Tim Foley

When Reagan Harper joins Coal Hill Academy, everybody instantly loves her – everybody except for April. Is there really more to Reagan than meets the eye? Or are there other forces at work in Coal Hill?

2.2 Now You Know… by Tim Leng

Following a series of freak attacks on staff and pupils, Tanya and Matteusz find themselves investigating a mystery that dates back to the 1960s. Together, they hope to solve it – even if that means turning on one another to do so…

2.3 In Remembrance by Guy Adams

When an alarm is triggered at Coal Hill Academy, Quill and Charlie encounter a mysterious intruder prowling around school premises. Worse, they also encounter a Dalek. Their only hope of survival lies with the stranger: a woman who calls herself ‘Ace’…

It's hard for me to form any kind of speculative opinion on Everyone Loves Reagan, due to both the cryptic nature of the synopsis and the supposed (I'm almost certainly wrong about this but for the moment, it's what I think) likeness to Gifted - new kid shows up, something's not right, April tries to get to the bottom of it.

Now You Know... and In Remembrance, on the other hand, I am massively excited. Immensely excited. Monumentally excited. Having wanted more development for both Matteusz and Tanya, and for them to actually have to work together and get to know each other to some degree - presuming they didn't already know each other before Charlie and Quill showed up, of course - it's great that one of the stories will be focusing on them. And it's "a mystery that dates back to the 1960s."! More of an emphasis being placed on time in this boxset (I've always seen it as a missed opportunity, in my opinion, that Series One didn't have any time-centric episodes) which leads us onto... Ace.

Of course, this is the big one. The connections and parallels between Class and Remembrance of the Daleks meant that a team-up between Ace and the Class gang was bound to happen, and from what we know, oh what a crazy story it will be! More details regarding this story will be discussed in an upcoming post though so I'll leave it there...

You can listen to the trailer for Volume Two of Class: The Audio Adventures below.

The two volumes of Class: The Audio Adventures are available for pre-order now at £20 each on CD or £15 each on download from the Big Finish website (They can also be purchased as a bundle together at the price of £38 on CD and £28 on download.) and will remain at this price until the boxsets are released in August - when they will be available for £25 each on CD or £20 each on download.