Throughout his many lives, the Master has visited myriad places and planets. Some he has spared, others he has destroyed… but all have felt his presence, however fleeting. 

In the Time War, he helps a soldier save their world from Dalek assault… 

On Earth, he helps a young woman discover the truth about her boyfriend’s abduction… 

At the Sublime Porte, he helps himself to a source of incredible power… 

And as the universe itself comes to an end, a lonely old man tries to help any way he can. But the Master is always waiting. 

In his tenth War Master box set, Sir Derek Jacobi stars as our favourite Time Lord anti-hero in a quartet of new tales, with some familiar faces popping up along the way. The late Murray Melvin guest stars as Torchwood’s Bilis Manger, and the cast also includes Samuel Barnett, Nathaniel Curtis, Damian Lynch, Ayesha Antoine and Nicholas Briggs as the Daleks.  

The War Master: Rogue Encounters is now available to own for just £24.99 (as a collector’s edition 4-disc CD box set + download) or £19.99 (as a download only), exclusively here. 

Below, producer/director Scott Handcock talks us through each of the four fear-filled new episodes:  

Runtime by Tim Foley 

When the Daleks threaten to alter the course of history, the Master has no choice but to save a world – and he only has an hour to do it. 

“It’s always good to have the Master fighting the Daleks – we’ve not had that much of it in The War Master, and this is very much kicking off our series of one-off adventures.” 

Manhunt by Rochana Patel 

After her boyfriend disappears on an American road trip, Alison Walker instantly becomes the prime suspect. But are the abductors from further afield than Earth? 

“I don’t think Doctor Who has made that many alien abduction stories in the traditional sense, so it was nice to tackle it here.” 

The Sublime Porte by James Goss 

Hijacking an archaeological dig, the Master excavates the mythical Sublime Porte. But he also unleashes a far more ancient force with it — and its name is Bilis Manger. 

“I loved working with Murray Melvin. Bilis is wonderfully charming and unknowable – but there’s a sinister malignance at the heart of him, something that no one can understand. That makes him utterly terrifying and the fact he can turn on a sixpence is really eerie, sinister and disturbing.” 

Alone by Scott Handcock 

As the human race dwindles against the encroaching night, one man strives to find a solution to their plight. But can Professor Yana save the future when a dark past threatens his present? 
 
“[Sir Derek Jacobi] expressed an interest in playing someone a little more vulnerable, and we’ve had a few stories where the Master is on the back foot. Because the Master is the Master, however he’s responding, it’s not quite the same thing so the idea of bringing back Professor Yana was borne out of Derek’s desire to do something a little more human.” 

Big Finish listeners can save money by purchasing Rogue Encounters along with the Solitary Confinement (available now) and Future Phantoms (due for release in December 2024) box sets, together in a bundle for just £72 (collector’s edition CD box set + download) or £58 (download only). 

All the above prices include the special pre-order discount and are subject to change after general release.

Please note that Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule. The mail-out of collector’s edition CDs may be delayed due to factors beyond our control, but all purchases of this release unlock a digital copy that can be immediately downloaded or played on the Big Finish app from the release date.