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| The Zorbosian Invasion of Mars | |
| Season Number: | 1 |
| Story Number: | 1 |
| Doctor: | Chris Tracy Doctor |
| Companions: | Lieutenant Kantasion |
| Writer: | Steve Mollmann |
| Producer: | Sigma Phi Kappa |
| Release Date: | unknown |
| Running Time: | 40 mins |
| No. Episodes: | 4 episodes |
| Previous Story: | The Moons of Zorbos |
| Following Story: | Destiny of Zorbos |
Story[]
Synopsis[]
Mars, December 1999.
Earth's National Aeronautic and Space Administration has lost two unmanned probes to the Red Planet within the past few months. Explanations have been given to the public... but not even NASA knows the truth.
The truth is that Mars is host to intelligent life once more. The Zorbosians have returned and set up a forward military base on the planet. But the planet's native species objects. Yet again, the Ice Warriors are awake. And they'll stop at nothing to "purify" their world.
Naturally, immediately following their harrowing escape from Zorbos in 4226, the Doctor and Kantasion stumble into this mess. And as they are drawn into events, they learn this is far from a simple invasion...
Plot[]
to be added
Continuity[]
This story takes place between the Doctor Who TV Movie and the Big Finish audio "Storm Warning", immediately following "The Moons of Zorbos".
Production[]
"The entire cast had fallen in love with the character of the Overlord, and decided he ought to come back. The first idea involved the Doctor meeting up with the Overlord and Commander O before the events of "The Moons of Zorbos," along with a Commander O from after "The Moons of Zorbos." This idea was deemed to confusing and dropped.
A second idea ("The Return of the Overlord") sprung up, about the Overlord pulling a Master-type resurrection - a small little "deathworm" would take a host (See: The Eight Doctors by Terrance Dicks), who would capture the TARDIS, and take it to Deep Past Sanctuary and transfer to a clone body. The stranded Eighth Doctor would be rescued by the Ninth Doctor. You can see why this one was dropped: the whole plot was just an excuse to resurrect the Overlord, and the multi-Doctor element was rather foolish.
Steve jokingly suggested "The Overlord Strikes Back." Here is an excerpt:
Scene: above a pit.
OVERLORD: Lord Borusa never told you what happened to you father.
DOCTOR: He told me enough. He told me you killed him.
OVERLORD: No, Doctor, I am your father.
The Doctor then fell down the pit and smashed on the surface of the planet beneath, dying and regenerating into a swearing, drinking, womanizing, gun-toting Doctor on a new series owned by Fox Network.
Eventually, Steve developed a decent idea, which came to form the second and third installments in what he calls The Zorbos Trilogy. In addition to return appearances by most of the cast of "The Moons of Zorbos", "The Zorbosian Invasion of Mars" adds Ice Warriors to the mix, while "Destiny of Zorbos" promises to provide temporal conundrums galore!
"The Zorbosian Invasion of Mars" was recorded sometime in Spring 2002, and featured two additions to the Sigma Phi Kappa cast: James Ficker as the Ice Warrior Major Zzos and Josh Donaman as the NASA Director, who kindly forwent being credited for such a small role. The story debuted a shorter version of the Telemovie theme as well as several new sound effects for the Ice Warriors taken from the computer game Alpha Centauri. The music was borrowed from the soundtrack for the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Bride of Chaotica!", courtesy the CD "The Best of Star Trek, Volume 2".
The cover (just like the "Foundation and Imperium" one) was kindly done for Sigma Phi Kappa by Todd "Scavenger" Kogutt in the style of the Big Finish "Season 27" releases." - taken from the original Sigma Phi Kappa website.
Cast[]
STARRING
Chris Tracy as the Doctor
David Poon as Lieutenant Kantasion
GUEST STARS
Steve Mollmann as Commander O
Adam Johnson as the Overlord
Stephen Poon as Lord Xtoyun
Harrison Sand as the Zorbosian officer
James Sand as the guards
Josh Donaman as the NASA director (uncredited)
INTRODUCING
James Ficker as Major Zzos
Crew[]
Written, directed, sound-edited, and produced by Steve Mollmann
Cover by Todd Kogutt
Special thanks to the Mollmann Family
Production Notes[]
Production Code: SPK3DW2