Big Finish Announces UNIT Audio Series Starring Kate Stewart

[The Nth Doctor]

Big Finish announced today that it will be launching a new UNIT series starring Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart.

Big Finish is delighted to announce that Kate Stewart and her UNIT team from the Doctor Who TV series will be starring in a brand new series of audio dramas, in a licensing deal with BBC Worldwide.

“We’re thrilled that Jemma is on board for our brand new UNIT adventures,” says series producer David Richardson, “and we feel privileged to work within the universe of New Series Doctor Who for the first time. UNIT: Extinction will showcase all the excitement, drama and wit that viewers of Doctor Who love.”

“Having worked with the greatly missed Nicholas Courtney and his magnificent portrayal of the Brigadier since the early days of Big Finish, it is wonderful to see the return of UNIT under the Brig’s daughter,” says executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery. “We are all very excited about bringing UNIT back to Big Finish with the next generation and look forward immensely to working with Jemma again, who appears in this month’s Doctor Who main range release Doctor Who - Mistfall.”

Not only am I excited by this release (Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart is one of the best things to come out of the new series), this seems like a prelude a new series license for Big Finish.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Yeah, this could be the ushering of a new era for Big Finish... Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, I really am curious what they'll do with this UNIT series - will they mix NuWho with OldWho elements?

 

[StCoop]

I guess I must be almost psychic because I'd had a feeling that we might get a spin-off set in current continuity before actual DW stories but given the amount of work Dan Starkey does for them I was expecting a Paternoster Gang series first.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Is this the closest yet to BF being allowed to touch nuWho? Or is it only the current Doctor they're not allowed to feature?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

This is the closest they've come so far. Previously, the new series Daleks appeared on the cover of Gallifrey VI.

 

[StCoop]

Or is it only the current Doctor they're not allowed to feature?

The last time BF had their license renewed it only covered everything up to the TVM.

In the couple of years since then the BBC changed things so that the licenses you can get are (a) the current Doctor and (b) everything prior to the current Doctor.

The fourth UNIT set will come out in 2017, after their old license expires at the end of 2016.

Therefore it does look like the New Series floodgates are about to open. That said as far as Doctors go I think Tennant will have it all to himself unless Smith's Hollywood career crashes.

 

[Ithekro]

Since the Doctor can go were he likes, any Doctor would show up from One onwards.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Or is it only the current Doctor they're not allowed to feature?

The last time BF had their license renewed it only covered everything up to the TVM.

In the couple of years since then the BBC changed things so that the licenses you can get are (a) the current Doctor and (b) everything prior to the current Doctor.

The fourth UNIT set will come out in 2017, after their old license expires at the end of 2016.

Therefore it does look like the New Series floodgates are about to open. That said as far as Doctors go I think Tennant will have it all to himself unless Smith's Hollywood career crashes.

Cool, thanks for clarifying.

 

[DrFrankhamstien]

In the couple of years since then the BBC changed things so that the licenses you can get are (a) the current Doctor and (b) everything prior to the current Doctor.

Um, completely not true. The BBC can give out whatever licence it chooses. It is not limited to only two kinds of licences.

 

[StCoop]

Um, completely not true. The BBC can give out whatever licence it chooses. It is not limited to only two kinds of licences.

And yet Nick Briggs seems to think differently and I'd imagine he'd know.

 

[DrFrankhamstien]

And yet Nick Briggs seems to think differently and I'd imagine he'd know.

Yes, and as someone who is in regular contact with the Beeb over such licenses, so might I.

 

[DrFrankhamstien]

And yet Nick Briggs seems to think differently and I'd imagine he'd know.

Yes, and as someone who is in regular contact with the Beeb over such licenses, so might I.

Also, let me add. These two licenses do, of course exist, since from a marketing pov the Beeb do consider the show prior to 2005 a different beast to that show from 2005, but other licenses do exist and the Beeb are not limited to only offering two options.

 

[Mr Awe]

Well, it makes sense that the BBC can decide for itself what it wants to offer because it owns Doctor Who!

 

[DrFrankhamstien]

Well, it makes sense that the BBC can decide for itself what it wants to offer because it owns Doctor Who!

Well, most of Doctor Who. Plenty within the series that is author owned. Which is a useful loophole.

 

[DS9Continuing]

I realise it's probably impossible to get somebody as high profile as John Hurt in, but this would be a good way to get more War Doctor stories.

For that matter, didn't even Eccleston once grudgingly allow that he might one day do an audio drama?

.

 

[Mark_Nguyen]

I'd imagine having Kate as the lead is permissible as her character existed prior to 2005. I wonder then if Malcolm, Osgood, and the varied minor military types we've seen since 2005 could be featured as well, depending on whatever the license the BBC issued could cover? I mean, they allow Torchwood after all, however I'd imagine they are barred from mentioning Doctor Who directly.

Mark

 

[Taelon]

I wish they'd killer her off instead of Osgood. The woman's a liability. They only kept her because she's the Brigadier's daughter. Nepotism, that's what it is.

*grumble grumble Osgood was the best grumble*

 

[starsuperion]

now this could be fun to hear! I wish they would have a UNIT spin off rather then the lush and provocative Torchwood series.. it had too much adult themed content for me to enjoy with the kids like in WHO... I would watch the UNIT people tackle Alien threats sans the Doctor.. who would occasionally make a guest appearance.. it would be a good alternative to the Sarah Jane Adventures..Maybe they could take it from Sarah's Son's Perspective as a member of the UNIT task force..start at basic training.. and follow him from there, eventually making it to the staff of Kate Stewart! Aliens, dimensional terrors, and adventures galore!

 

[arch101]

I suppose audio stories are nice but they should really consider a live action mini series spin off. I mean, they aren't making SJA or TW any more, so why not some other DW related stuff that can air when DW is off to keep it out there? (and yes, I realize audio is cheaper, but lots of people really aren't interested in audio stories)

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I suppose audio stories are nice but they should really consider a live action mini series spin off. I mean, they aren't making SJA or TW any more, so why not some other DW related stuff that can air when DW is off to keep it out there? (and yes, I realize audio is cheaper, but lots of people really aren't interested in audio stories)

It seems that the BBC itself isn't interested in televised spinoffs at the moment. If they were, we would have them, either from Moffat or another producer if Moffat declined to produce the spinoff.

As a number of people have pointed out, myself included, there's no reason a Paternoster Gang spinoff wouldn't be doable on the cheap-ish; just reuse/share the Ripper Street sets. (I personally don't want a Paternoster Gang spinoff, but I see how it could be done.) Since nothing like this has emerged, it appears that the Beeb wants to put its resources elsewhere.