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A Guide to Big Finish Doctor Who

OCD Geek

OCD Geek

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The sheer amount of Big Finish's Doctor Who audio plays can seem extremely daunting at first, but just like how you don't need to watch all 155 serials of Classic Who (just the great and/or important ones, so somewhere in the 43ish range) you don't have to listen to all of Big Finish Who.

Going by the ratings at both The Times Scales and Goodreads, here are the serials, episodes and arcs that are considered the cream of the crop. All are presented in chronological order as theorized by Tardis.wikia's Doctor timelines. Links to purchase them at Big Finish's website are provided, as are links to any stories that Big Finish provides for free on their Spotify. Big Finish has a lot of their older stuff (including the first 100 serials in their main Monthly Range) permanently marked down at $2.99 US. They also provide discounts via "bundles" and have sales all the freaking time.

I've noted whenever a celebrity made a guest appearance. Same for major Doctor Who stars making a guest appearance, except I didn't note it in any of the instances where they guested as their character from the show to avoid spoilers. Granted 99% of the time they're shown and/or listed on the cover anyway, but I know a lot of people are more averse to spoilers than I am, so I erred on the side of caution.

Here are the showrunners of Big Finish's main Monthly Range. I was going to include them with their respective serials, but that quickly became far too unwieldy. Keep it simple, stupid.

Series 1-8 (1999-2006)
Gary Russell (producer/script editor)​
Series 9-16.0 (2007-June 2014)
Nicholas Briggs (producer) & Alan Barnes (script editor)​
Series 16.5-19 (July 2014-2017)
David Richardson (producer) & Alan Barnes (script editor)​
Series 20.0 (January 2018-March 2018)
David Richardson (producer) & Guy Adams (script editor)​

Starting a few months into Series 20, each Doctor received their own showrunners.

Series 20.5+: The Fifth Doctor (April 2018-present)
Scott Handcock (producer) & Alan Barnes (script editor)​
Series 20.5+: The Sixth Doctor (April 2018-present)
John Ainsworth (producer) & Alan Barnes (script editor)​
Series 20.5+: The Seventh Doctor (April 2018-present)
Nicholas Briggs (producer) & Guy Adams and Alan Barnes (script editors)​

Note: Given that 90% of The Companion Chronicles are narrated audio books rather than full on audio plays, I'm only including the ones that experimented with the 2-3 person audio play format. Sorry Doctors 1 & 2.


First Doctor ("Enhanced audio books" featuring narration as well as spoken dialogue)
Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles
Series 3-8: David Richardson (producer) & Jacqueline Rayner (script editor)


Third Doctor (2-3 person plays based around his companions)
Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles
Series 3-8: David Richardson (producer) & Jacqueline Rayner (script editor)


Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker)
Doctor Who: The Lost Stories
David Richardson (producer) & Jonathan Morris (script editor)​
  • The Foe from the Future (2012) John Dorney Leela collected in The Fourth Doctor Box Set Free on Spotify --- $45.00 US at Big Finish
    • Based on the unused teleplays by Robert Banks Stewart (Co-starring Dan Starkey)
Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures
David Richardson (producer) & John Dorney (script editor)​


Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison)
 
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Unlike the sometimes creatively stifling situation of fitting new stories in between already existing episodes like the Fourth and Fifth Doctors find themselves in, the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Doctors' Big Finish adventures enjoy a ton of creative freedom. Seven has the massive gap between the Classic Series's 1989 finale and the 1996 FOX TV movie. Eight has the massive gap between the TV movie and the 2013 short film "The Night of the Doctor". Even Six enjoys this too, thanks to the gap provided by Colin Baker's final episode before his firing and his contextless (and Bakerless) regeneration the following year. Thanks to these gaps, Doctors 6-8 enjoy rich proto-NuWho runs filled with new companions, new adventures and a ton of character development.

Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker)
Davros (2003) Lance Parkin Companionless Free on Spotify --- $2.99 US at Big Finish

The Companion Chronicles: Peri and the Piscon Paradox (2011) Nev Fountain (See below for link and details)
  • David Richardson (producer) & Jacqueline Rayner (script editor)


The Evelyn Smythe Arc Gary Russell (producer/script editor) Highlights in bold


Trial of the Valeyard (Special; 2013) Alan Barnes and Mike Maddox (See below for link and details)



The Holy Terror (2000) Robert Shearman Frobisher Free on Spotify --- $2.99 US at Big Finish



Urgent Calls (2007) Eddie Robson collected in I.D. Free on SoundCloud --- $2.99 US at Big Finish


The Widow's Assassin (2014) Nev Fountain (See below for link and details)
Masters of Earth (2014) Cavan Scott & Mark Wright (See below for link and details)
The Rani Elite (2014) Justin Richards (See below for link and details)


The Middle (2017) Chris Chapman Constance and Flip $12.99 US at Big Finish


Static (2017) Jonathan Morris Constance and Flip $12.99 US at Big Finish


The One Doctor (2001) Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman Mel (Co-starring Matt Lucas) Free on Spotify --- $2.99 US at Big Finish


Currently Unplaced Stories

The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure (Regeneration Special; 2015) (see below for link and details)


The Trial of a Time Lord Sequel Arc- Highlights in bold
  • The Companion Chronicles: Peri and the Piscon Paradox (2011) Nev Fountain $9.99 US at Big Finish
    • David Richardson (producer) & Jacqueline Rayner (script editor)
  • Trial of the Valeyard (Special; 2013) Alan Barnes and Mike Maddox $7.99 US at Big Finish
  • The Widow's Assassin (2014) Nev Fountain $12.99 US at Big Finish
  • Masters of Earth (2014) Cavan Scott & Mark Wright $12.99 US at Big Finish
  • The Rani Elite (2014) Justin Richards $12.99 US at Big Finish
  • The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure (Regeneration Special; 2015) $30.00 US at Big Finish
    • David Richardson (producer) & Matt Fitton (script editor)
    • The End of the Line Simon Barnard & Paul Morris
    • The Red House Alan Barnes
    • Stage Fright Matt Fitton
    • The Brink of Death Nicholas Briggs
 
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Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy)
The Novel Adaptations Arc- Highlights in bold
Doctor Who: The Novel Adaptations
Love and War: Gary Russell and Scott Handcock (producers/script editors)
All Remaining Adaptations: Cavan Scott (producer/script editor)
  • Love and War (2012) Jacqueline Rayner Ace with Bernice Summerfield
  • All-Consuming Fire (2015) Guy Adams Bernice Summerfield with Ace
  • Original Sin (2016) John Dorney Bernice Summerfield, Chris and Roz
  • Cold Fusion (2016) Lance Parkin, from his own novel Chris and Roz/5 and Adric, Nyssa & Tegan $14.99 US at Big Finish
  • Damaged Goods (2015) Jonathan Morris Chris and Roz


The Ace and Hex Arc- Highlights in bold; Sequel to the 6/Evelyn arc, which should be heard first
"Series 1": Gary Russell (producer/script editor)
"Series 2-4.0": Nicholas Briggs (producer) & Alan Barnes (script editor)
"Series 4.5": David Richardson (producer) & Alan Barnes (script editor)


The Seventh Doctor's Final Companionless Journeys- Highlights in bold
 
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Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann)
Travels with Mary Shelley

The Charley Pollard Arc- Highlights in bold
Series 1-5: Gary Russell (producer/script editor)
Series 6 (Two wrap-up specials): Nicholas Briggs (producer) & Alan Barnes (script editor)

The Lucie Miller/Aunt Pat Arc- Highlights in bold
Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor Adventures
Nicholas Briggs (producer) & Alan Barnes (script editor)
 
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The War Doctor (John Hurt)
Doctor Who: The War Doctor- Highlights in bold
David Richardson (producer) & Matt Fitton (script editor)
  • Only the Monstrous (2015) $25.00 US at Big Finish
    • The Innocent Nicholas Briggs
    • The Thousand Worlds Nicholas Briggs
    • The Heart of Battle Nicholas Briggs
  • Infernal Devices (2016) $25.00 US at Big Finish
    • Legion of the Lost John Dorney (Co-starring David Warner)
    • A Thing of Guile Phil Mulryne
    • The Neverwhen Matt Fitton Considered by far the best episode of the War Doctor series.


Tenth Doctor (David Tennant)
Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures
David Richardson (producer) & Matt Fitton (script editor)


"Unbound" Doctor (David motherfucking Warner) An alternate universe Third Doctor
Doctor Who Unbound (40th Anniversary "What If?" range)
John Ainsworth (producer/script editor)
  • Sympathy for the Devil (2003) Jonathan Clements Alt-Universe Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
  • Masters of War (2008) Eddie Robson Alt-Universe Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart $2.99 US at Big Finish
Doctor Who: The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield
James Goss (producer/script editor)
  • Volume Three: The Unbound Universe (2016) $25.00 US at Big Finish
    • The Library in the Body James Goss
    • Planet X Guy Adams
    • The Very Dark Thing Una McCormack
    • The Emporium at the End Emma Reeves
  • Volume Four: Ruler of the Universe (2017) $25.00 US at Big Finish
    • The City and the Clock Guy Adams
    • Asking for a Friend James Goss
    • Truant Guy Adams
    • The True Saviour of the Universe James Goss
 
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Spin-Offs
Bernice Summerfield
Doctor Who: The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield
James Goss (producer/script editor)
  • Volume Three: The Unbound Universe (2016) $25.00 US at Big Finish
    • The Library in the Body James Goss
    • Planet X Guy Adams
    • The Very Dark Thing Una McCormack
    • The Emporium at the End Emma Reeves
  • Volume Four: Ruler of the Universe (2017) $25.00 US at Big Finish
    • The City and the Clock Guy Adams
    • Asking for a Friend James Goss
    • Truant Guy Adams
    • The True Saviour of the Universe James Goss


Gallifrey Starring Romana II, Leela and (in the revival) Ace
Series 1-6: Gary Russell (producer/script editor/director)
Intervention Earth & Enemy Lines: Scott Handcock (producer/director)
Time War: Scott Handcock (producer) & Matt Fitton (script editor)
 
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I, Davros (2006) Gary Russell (producer/script editor/director)


Iris Wildthyme Starring Katy Manning as the eponymous Time Lady created by novelist Paul Magrs


Jago & Litefoot Starring the duo from the Fourth Doctor serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang
David Richardson (producer) & Justin Richards (script editor)​
  • The Companion Chronicles: The Mahogany Murderers (2009) Andy Lane $7.99 US at Big Finish
    • David Richardson (producer) & Jacqueline Rayner (script editor)
  • Encore of the Scorchies (2014) James Goss collected in Series 8 $30.00 US at Big Finish
  • Jago & Litefoot & Strax: The Haunting (Special; 2015) Justin Richards; Steven Moffat (creative consultant) $12.99 US at Big Finish
The Confessions of Dorian Gray
Scott Handcock (producer/script editor)
 
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Torchwood
The Committee Arc- Mostly standalones, but with a smidge of an arc.
James Goss (producer) & Steve Tribe (script editor)

Believe (miniseries; 2018) Takes place during Series 2
James Goss (producer) & Steve Tribe (script editor) (Co-starring Arthur Darvill) $25.00 US at Big Finish


torchwood_cascade_CDRIP.tor (2017) Scott Handcock Tosh $7.99 US at Big Finish
James Goss (producer) & David Llewellyn (script editor)


Outbreak (miniseries; 2016) Takes place between Series 2 and Children of Earth
James Goss (producer) & Scott Handcock (script editor/director) $25.00 US at Big Finish
  • Stage 1- Incubation: Know Guy Adams
  • Stage 2- Prodromal: Love Emma Reeves
  • Stage 3- Invasion: Kill AK Benedict

Series 5: Aliens Among Us (2017-2018)
James Goss (producer) & Scott Handcock (script editor/director);
Russell T Davies (creative consultant)
  • Volume One $30.00 US at Big Finish
    • Changes Everything James Goss
    • Aliens & Sex & Chips & Gravy James Goss
    • Orr Juno Dawson
    • Superiority Complex AK Benedict
  • Volume Two $30.00 US at Big Finish
    • Love Rat Christopher Cooper
    • A Kill to a View Mac Rogers
    • Zero Hour Janine H. Jones
    • The Empty Hand Tim Foley
  • Volume Three $30.00 US at Big Finish
    • Poker Face Tim Foley
    • Tagged Joseph Lidster
    • Escape Room Helen Goldwyn
    • Herald of the Dawn James Goss


Currently Unplaced Stories
James Goss (producer) & David Llewellyn (script editor)
 
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UNIT Starring Kate Stewart and Osgood
  • Extinction (2015) David Richardson (producer) & Ken Bentley (script editor) $25.00 US at Big Finish
    • Part I: Vanguard Matt Fitton
    • Part II: Earthfall Andrew Smith
    • Part III: Bridgehead Andrew Smith
    • Part IV: Armageddon Matt Fitton
  • Silenced (2016) David Richardson (producer) and Matt Fitton & John Dorney (script editors) $25.00 US at Big Finish
    • Part I: House of Silents Matt Fitton
    • Part II: Square One John Dorney
    • Part III: Silent Majority John Dorney
    • Epilogue: In Memory Alone Matt Fitton


The War Master Starring Derek Jacobi's Master from Utopia during The Time War
  • Only the Good (2017) Scott Handcock (producer/director) & Nicholas Briggs (script editor) $30.00 US at Big Finish
    • Beneath the Viscoid Nicholas Briggs (Co-starring Jacqueline King)
    • The Good Master Janine H. Jones
    • The Sky Man James Goss
    • The Heavenly Paradigm Guy Adams


The Diary of River Song Starring, well, River Song. Series 3 is a sequel to NuWho Series 6's Silence Arc
  • Series 3 (2018) David Richardson (producer) and Matt Fitton & John Dorney (script editors) $30.00 US at Big Finish
    • The Lady in the Lake Nev Fountain
    • A Requiem for the Doctor Jacqueline Rayner
    • My Dinner with Andrew John Dorney
    • The Furies Matt Fitton
I'll flesh this out further later. I'll be adding links for any of the above that are available for free on Big Finish's Spotify too.
 
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The best thing about the Eighth Doctor is just how straight forward it is to get to this adventures. With very, very few exceptions, the releases have all followed one after the other, chronologically. Which is great, quite honestly.
 
Sorry this wasn't updated for a while. My grandmother just had knee surgery, so things were a little hectic here at home. This guide now has 90% more links to free stories on Big Finish's Spotify and purchase links on their website. I'll be finishing the rest of the links soon enough, as well as fleshing out the actual "guide" portion so it isn't just a massive series of contextless lists. I'm going to get the Sixth Doctor's stories in chronological order too. I came up with a way to do it that won't make that section a cluttered mess.
 
Sorry again. Work's been crazy the last couple weeks. I added links to Big Finish's Spotify for Series 1-3 of The Confessions of Dorian Gray. I'm (finally) off Friday and Saturday, so I'll (hopefully) finish fleshing out the actual guide portion this weekend. And finish the Spotify links for the 8th Doctor's Lucie Miller stories.
 
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