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River Song (audio drama series)

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(Redirected from The Diary of River Song)

River Song
Album cover
Big Finish Productions audio drama
SeriesThe Worlds of Doctor Who
FeaturingRiver Song
Directed by
Produced by
  • David Richardson
  • James Goss (S12)
Executive producer(s)
StarringAlex Kingston
MusicHoward Carter
Release dateDecember 2015 (2015-12) – present

River Song is an audio play series from Big Finish Productions based on the character of the same name who appears in the British television series Doctor Who played by Alex Kingston, who reprises the character in the audio series.[1]

Background

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Originally announced in 2015 as The Diary of River Song, the audio series is one of the first from Big Finish Productions to prominently feature elements from the revived era of Doctor Who (2005–). The character of River Song was introduced in the fourth series episode "Silence in the Library" (2008) with the Tenth Doctor as a mysterious figure from his future. She later became a recurring character across the fifth, sixth and seventh series of the programme, during which her true identity is revealed as Melody Pond, daughter to the Eleventh Doctor's companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams, and the Doctor's future wife. River Song's last TV appearance would come in the 2015 Christmas special "The Husbands of River Song" alongside the Twelfth Doctor.

In the first boxset story, The Rulers of the Universe, River cross paths with the Eighth Doctor, a still younger incarnation. She would appear again alongside the Eighth Doctor in the Doom Coalition series. The second series of The Diary of River Song features encounters with both the Sixth and Seventh Doctors.[2][3] The third series, announced September 2017, features an encounter with the Fifth Doctor with Frances Barber reprising her role of Madame Kovarian.[4]

Announced in October 2017, Big Finish confirmed that River Song would return for a fourth and fifth series to be released in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The fourth series features an encounter with the Fourth Doctor;[5][6] whilst the fifth series features encounters with multiple versions of The Master.[7][8]

Big Finish subsequently renewed The Diary of River Song in October 2018, for a further two more series (the sixth and seventh) to be released in 2019 and 2020.[9] In August 2020, the series was confirmed as renewed for its eighth series.[10] Big Finish Productions revealed in July 2021 a ninth series, uniting River with the Third Doctor, UNIT and Liz Shaw, would debut in October 2021. A tenth series was revealed by Big Finish in March 2022 to debut in July 2022.[11] An eleventh series, announced in August 2022, debuted in January 2023;[12] whilst a twelfth and final series was announced in June 2023 for release the following August.[13]

In April 2024, Big Finish announced a sequel series featuring River Song with Kingston reprising the role titled The Death and Life of River Song, which depicts River's post-mortem adventures as a data ghost, as first seen in "The Name of the Doctor" (2013).[14] The series began in August 2024. With the announcement, Big Finish retroactively renamed the entire audio series to simply River Song, with The Diary of River Song and The Death and Life of River Song serving as individual series within the range.

Cast

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List indicator

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in at least two seasons.

  •   A green cell indicates the actor is a main cast member.
  •   A red cell indicates the actor is a recurring cast member.
  •   A light blue cell indicates the actor is a guest or special guest cast member.
Actor Character Appearances
The Diary of River Song The Death and Life of River Song
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S1 S2 S3
Alex Kingston River Song
Paul McGann The Doctor Does not appear
Sylvester McCoy Does not appear Does not appear
Colin Baker Does not appear Does not appear
Peter Davison Does not appear Does not appear
Tom Baker Does not appear Does not appear
Tim Treloar Does not appear Does not appear Does not appear
David Bradley Does not appear Does not appear
David Tennant Does not appear Does not appear
Salome Haertel Rachel Burrows Does not appear Does not appear Does not appear
Nina Toussaint-White Brooke Does not appear Does not appear Does not appear
Timothy Blore Luke Sullieman Does not appear Does not appear Does not appear

Notable guests

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Episodes

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The Diary of River Song

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Series 1 (2015)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"The Boundless Sea"Ken BentleyJenny T ColganBertie PottsDecember 2015 (2015-12)
2"I Went to a Marvellous Party"Ken BentleyJustin RichardsBertie Potts, Mr. SongDecember 2015 (2015-12)
3"Signs"Ken BentleyJames GossMr. SongDecember 2015 (2015-12)
4"The Rulers of the Universe"Ken BentleyMatt FittonEighth Doctor, Bertie PottsDecember 2015 (2015-12)

Series 2 (2016)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"The Unknown"Ken BentleyGuy AdamsSeventh DoctorDecember 2016 (2016-12)
2"Five Twenty-Nine"Ken BentleyJohn DorneyRachel BurrowsDecember 2016 (2016-12)
3"World Enough and Time"Ken BentleyJames GossSixth DoctorDecember 2016 (2016-12)
4"The Eye of the Storm"Ken BentleyMatt FittonSixth Doctor, Seventh Doctor, Rachel BurrowsDecember 2016 (2016-12)

Series 3 (2018)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"The Lady in the Lake"Ken BentleyNev FountainFifth Doctor, BrookeJanuary 2018 (2018-01)
2"A Requiem for the Doctor"Ken BentleyJacqueline RaynerFifth Doctor, BrookeJanuary 2018 (2018-01)
3"My Dinner with Andrew"Ken BentleyJohn DorneyFifth Doctor, Brooke, Madame KovarianJanuary 2018 (2018-01)
4"The Furies"Ken BentleyMatt FittonFifth Doctor, Brooke, Madame KovarianJanuary 2018 (2018-01)

Series 4 (2018)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"Time in a Bottle"Ken BentleyEmma Reeves and Matt FittonSpod, Gammarae, DanteSeptember 2018 (2018-09)
2"Kings of Infinite Space"Ken BentleyDonald McLearySpod, Gammarae, DanteSeptember 2018 (2018-09)
3"Whodunnit?"Ken BentleyMatt FittonDante, Franz KafkaSeptember 2018 (2018-09)
4"Someone I Once Knew"Ken BentleyJohn DorneyFourth Doctor, Dante, GammaraeSeptember 2018 (2018-09)

Series 5 (2019)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"The Bekdel Test"Ken BentleyJonathan MorrisMissyJanuary 2019 (2019-01)
2"Animal Instinct"Ken BentleyRoy GillLuke Sullieman, The Decayed MasterJanuary 2019 (2019-01)
3"The Lifeboat and the Deathboat"Ken Bentley & Jason Haigh-ElleryEddie RobsonThe Morphant MasterJanuary 2019 (2019-01)
4"Concealed Weapon"Ken BentleyScott HandcockThe War MasterJanuary 2019 (2019-01)

Series 6 (2019)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"An Unearthly Woman"Ken BentleyMatt FittonFirst Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright
(An Unearthly Child)
August 2019 (2019-08)
2"The Web of Time"Ken BentleyJohn DorneyCaptain Knight, Yeti, The Great Intelligence
(The Web of Fear)
August 2019 (2019-08)
3"Peepshow"Ken BentleyGuy AdamsThird Doctor, Ogrons, Sontarans, Drashigs
(Carnival of Monsters)
August 2019 (2019-08)
4"The Talents of Greel"Ken BentleyPaul MorrisHenry Gordon Jago, Weng-Chiang
(The Talons of Weng-Chiang)
August 2019 (2019-08)

Series 7 (2020)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"Colony of Strangers"Ken BentleyJames GossJanuary 2020 (2020-01)
2"Abbey of Heretics"Ken BentleyLizbeth MylesJanuary 2020 (2020-01)
3"Barrister to the Stars"Ken BentleyJames KettleJanuary 2020 (2020-01)
4"Carnival of Angels"Ken BentleyRoy GillLuke Sullieman, Weeping AngelsJanuary 2020 (2020-01)

Series 8 (2021)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"Slight Glimpses of Tomorrow"Ken BentleyJames GossRachel BurrowsJanuary 2021 (2021-01)
2"A Brave New World"Ken BentleyTracy Ann BainesTenth Doctor, Rachel BurrowsJanuary 2021 (2021-01)
3"A Forever Home"Ken BentleyAlfie ShawK9January 2021 (2021-01)
4"Queen of the Mechonoids"Ken BentleyJonathan MorrisAnya Kingdom, Mark Seven, MechonoidsJanuary 2021 (2021-01)

Series 9: New Recruit (2021)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"The Blood Woods"Ken BentleyLizbeth MylesThe Brigadier, Liz ShawOctober 2021 (2021-10)
2"Terror of the Suburbs"Ken BentleyJames KettleLiz ShawOctober 2021 (2021-10)
3"Never Alone"Ken BentleyHelen GoldwynLiz ShawOctober 2021 (2021-10)
4"Rivers of Light"Ken BentleyLisa McMullinThird Doctor, The Brigadier, Liz Shaw, The MasterOctober 2021 (2021-10)

Series 10: Two Rivers and a Firewall (2022)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"The Two Rivers"Ken BentleyTim FoleyAugust 2022 (2022-08)
2"Beauty on the Inside"Ken BentleyLizzie HopleyAugust 2022 (2022-08)
3"Black Friday"Ken BentleyLauren Mooney and Stewart PringleAutonsAugust 2022 (2022-08)
4"Firewall"Ken BentleyBarnaby KayProper DaveAugust 2022 (2022-08)

Series 11: Friend of the Family (2023)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"The Rules of the House"[12]Ken BentleyTim FoleyJanuary 2023 (2023-01)
2"The Key to the Door"[12]Ken BentleyTim FoleyJanuary 2023 (2023-01)
3"The Bird from the Nest"[12]Ken BentleyTim FoleyJanuary 2023 (2023-01)
4"The Isle on the Shore"[12]Ken BentleyTim FoleyJanuary 2023 (2023-01)

Series 12: The Orphan Quartet (2023)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"The Excise Men"[13]David O'MahonyLou MorganAugust 2023 (2023-08)
2"Harvest of the Krotons"[13]David O'MahonyJames GossJackie Tyler, KrotonsAugust 2023 (2023-08)
3"Dead Man Talking"[13]David O'MahonyTim FoleyAugust 2023 (2023-08)
4"The Wife of River Song"[13]David O'MahonyLizzie HopleyBrookeAugust 2023 (2023-08)

The Death and Life of River Song

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Series 1: Last Words (2024)

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1"Apokalypsis"Ken BentleyRobert Valentine-August 2024 (2024-08)
2"Fate and Fatality"Ken BentleyRobert Valentine-August 2024 (2024-08)
3"The Black Hours"Ken BentleyRobert Valentine-August 2024 (2024-08)
4"Book of the Dead"Ken BentleyRobert Valentine-August 2024 (2024-08)

Series 2

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1TBAKen BentleyTBDTBAJanuary 2025 (2025-01)[14]
2TBAKen BentleyTBDTBAJanuary 2025 (2025-01)[14]
3TBAKen BentleyTBDTBAJanuary 2025 (2025-01)[14]
4TBAKen BentleyTBDTBAJanuary 2025 (2025-01)[14]

Series 3

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byFeaturingReleased
1TBAKen BentleyTBDTBAAugust 2025 (2025-08)[14]
2TBAKen BentleyTBDTBAAugust 2025 (2025-08)[14]
3TBAKen BentleyTBDTBAAugust 2025 (2025-08)[14]
4TBAKen BentleyTBDTBAAugust 2025 (2025-08)[14]

Awards and nominations

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Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee(s) of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Work(s) Result Ref.
Scribe Awards 2020 Best Audio Concealed Weapon Nominated [15]

References

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  1. ^ Hughes Media Internet Limited. "1. The Diary of River Song Series 01 - The Diary of River Song". Big Finish. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  2. ^ Hughes Media Internet Limited (29 February 2016). "The Diary of River Song: Series 2 - Coming January 2017! - News". Big Finish. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  3. ^ Wickline, Dan (10 January 2017). "River Song Meets The Sixth And Seventh Doctors". Bleedingcool.com. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  4. ^ Hughes Media Internet Limited (21 September 2017). "Alex Kingston is back in The Diary of River Song Series Three - News". Big Finish. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  5. ^ Hughes Media Internet Limited (30 October 2017). "River Song is back! - News". Big Finish. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  6. ^ Fullerton, Huw (31 October 2017). "Doctor Who Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor and River Song team up for Big Finish series". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  7. ^ Hughes Media Internet Limited (3 May 2018). "River Song 5 - News". Big Finish. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  8. ^ Fullerton, Huw (3 May 2018). "Doctor Who: Michelle Gomez and Eric Roberts return as the Master to take on River Song". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  9. ^ Hughes Media Internet Limited (11 October 2018). "River Song Series 6 and 7 - News". Big Finish. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  10. ^ "The Diary of River Song Series 08". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  11. ^ Hughes Media Internet Limited (11 March 2022). "The Data Ghost of River Song". Big Finish. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  12. ^ a b c d e "11. Diary of River Song Series 11: Friend of the Family". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  13. ^ a b c d e Hughes Media Internet Limited (23 June 2023). "River Song and Jackie Tyler v the Krotons". Big Finish. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i "River Song returns from the dead". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Previous Scribe Award Winners". 24 June 2013.