bigfinishforbeginners

[bigfinishforbeginners]

Seventh Doctor, Ace, & Hex

The Seventh Doctors travels with Ace and Hex can are a bit of a mixed bag as far as starting points are concerned. On the one hand, we are introduced to a new companion and we see the continuation of Ace’s travels with the Doctor, however a lot of these stories tie heavily in with the stories featuring the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn, as well as continuing story arcs set up during Season 26, and so a lot of required ‘reading’ is needed. However, I hope to help you with this guide on how to get started listening to the Doctor, Ace, and Hex’s travels together.

Some of the earlier stories featuring Hex reference stories from just before his arrival, namely Colditz and The Rapture. I recommend you listen to these stories before the ones featuring Hex.

So, let’s get started.

Standalone Travels

These stories are not part of any story arcs and do not require any previous listening.

58. The Harvest This is Hex’s introduction story. Listen to this story before you listen to anything else Hex related.

67. Dreamtime

74. LIVE 34

79. Night Thoughts

82. The Settling

89. No Man’s Land

92. Nocturne

106. The Dark Husband

120. The Magic Mousetrap

121. Enemy of the Daleks

226. Shadow Planet / World Apart

245. Muse of Fire

268. The Flying Dutchman / Displaced

The Elder Gods Arc

This arc features Fenric from the Seventh Doctor TV story “The Curse of Fenric” in a key role. While it is not necessary to watch the story before listening to this arc, I would recommend it. Although just a familiarity for who Fenric is and his relationship with the Doctor will suffice.

115. Forty-Five

122. The Angel of Scutari

139. Project: Destiny

(This story features the Forge and Cassie Schofield from the Sixth Doctor’s travels with Evelyn. See my post on the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn stories for a guide on which stories to listen to before this one.)

140. A Death in the Family

(This story features Evelyn after she has left the Sixth Doctor.)

141. Lurkers at Sunlight’s Edge

149. Robophobia

151. The Doomsday Quatrain

152. House of Blue Fire

162. Protect and Survive

163. Black and White

164. Gods and Monsters

The Hector Thomas Arc

This arc follows on directly from the events of the Elder Gods arc. Listen to that arc first before listening to this one.

181. Afterlife

189. Revenge of the Swarm

190. Mask of Tragedy

191. Signs and Wonders

[bigfinishforbeginners]

Sixth Doctor & Evelyn

Evelyn was Big Finish’s first original companion, and so her travels with the Sixth Doctor are a great starting point for any Big Finish newcomers. While starting the Sixth Doctor, no prior knowledge of the Classic Series is needed to listen to these adventures, so they can also act as a starting point for those starting to delve into the Classic Series and the Classic Doctors, and also for those already familiar with Six, as we see great expansions made to his character compared to what we got in the TV series.

The Forge and Cassie Schoefield, who feature in some of these stories, also play a central role in the stories featuring the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex. I would recommend listening to the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn stories before listening to those, whoever if you want to skip the Evelyn stories, you can listen to The Marian Conspiricy, Project: Twilight, and Project: Lazarus, and Arrangements for War. These stories provide all the necessary background information for the Seven, Ace, and Hex stories.

All essential stories that are central to the arc have been marked with an asterisk (*), though I can highly recommend listening to the whole range of stories.

So, let’s get started.

6. The Marian Conspiracy* Evelyn’s introduction story. Start here before you listen to anything else Evelyn-related. 

9. The Spectre of Lanyon Moor

11. The Apocalypse Element*

22. Bloodtide

23. Project: Twilight*

37. The Sandman

40. Jubilee*

43. Doctor Who and the Pirates

45. Project: Lazarus* (A sequel to Project: Twilight. Listen to Project: Twilight before listening to this story.)

57. Arrangements for War* (Follows on directly from the end of Project: Lazarus. Listen to Project: Lazarus before listening to this story.)

60. Medicinal Purposes

78. Pier Pressure

84. The Nowhere Place

100. 100

108. Assassin in the Limelight

The Thomas Brewster Trilogy

143. The Crimes of Thomas Brewster

144. The Feast of Axos

145. Industrial Evolution

[bigfinishforbeginners]

Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough, & Nyssa

These stories feature the Doctor alongside Tegan, Turlough, and an older version of Nyssa after she has spent 50 years away from the TARDIS after her departure in Terminus. The events of Terminus do play a key role in Nyssa’s overall arc over these stories, namely her work with Richter’s Syndrome, so a familiarity with that story is recommended before diving into these stories.

These stories do not contain any story arcs, more they form one long story arc altogether, so I recommend listening to all the audios in this list.

So, let’s get started

136. Cobwebs

(This is the older Nyssa’s introduction to the TARDIS team. Listen to this story before any other releases featuring this TARDIS team.)

137. The Whispering Forest

138. The Cradle of the Snake

(This story is a sequel to the Fifth Doctor TV stories Kinda and Snakedance. I would recommend watching these stories before listening to this one as their events play a key role in the narrative.)

146. Heroes of Sontar

147. Kiss of Death

148. Rat Trap

159. The Emerald Tiger

(Nyssa returns to her youthful appearance in this story. Listen to this story before listening to any others featuring the rejuvenated Nyssa.)

160. The Jupiter Conjunction

161. The Butcher of Brisbane

172. Eldrad Must Die!

173. The Lady of Mercia

174. Prisoners of Fate

195. Mistfall

196. Equillibrium

197. The Entropy Plague

[bigfinishforbeginners]

Fifth Doctor & Nyssa

These stories cover the Fifth Doctor’s travels with his companion Nyssa from the Classic Series. For this reason, I’d recommend having a familiarity with Nyssa and her backstory going into these audios, though a quick browse through her character profile on TARDIS wiki or any other similar source will suffice.

These stories can be more accessible to newcomers to Big Finish as most of the stories don’t form an overarching story, and so most of them can be listened to separately and out of order. However, there are some groups of stories which take place within trilogies, which all tell one overarching story.

Because of this, I will be listing the Standlone Travels, which are stories that can be listened to in any order or skipped completely, and the trilogy arcs separately, making it easier for you to pick and choose which stories to listen to.

So, let’s get started.

Standalone Travels

4. The Land of the Dead

10. Winter for the Adept

15. The Mutant Phase

26. Primeval

34. Spare Parts

44. Creatures of Beauty

66. The Game

91. Circular Time

93. Renaissance of the Daleks

143. The Demons of Red Lodge and Other Stories

168. 1001 Nights

178. 1963: Fanfare for the Common Men

224. Alien Heart / Dalek Soul

The Thomas Brewster Trilogy

107. The Haunting of Thomas Brewster

110. The Boy That Time Forgot

113. Time Reef / A Perfect World

The Stockbridge Trilogy

127. Castle of Fear

128. The Eternal Summer

129. Plague of the Daleks

The Hannah Bartholomew Trilogy

185. Moonflesh

186. Tomb Ship

187. Masquerade

[bigfinishforbeginners]

Eighth Doctor & Charley

When introducing the Eighth Doctor to their range of stories, Big Finish decided to give him a completely fresh start with a new run of stories for him to solidify his place among the other Doctors forever. This makes his stories in the Monthly Range a perfect starting point for any newcomers to Big Finish, as it not only provides a fresh jumping-on point for those not to familiar with the Classic Doctors, but also lays the groundwork for the majority of 8s later stories, which all come together to form one overarching story for him.

For anyone interested in the Eighth Doctor but feels daunted by the length of the Monthly Range stories, or would feel more comfortable with a format similar to New Who, I can highly recommend the Eighth Doctor Adventures range. It follows a 50mins-1hour episodic structure sepereted into series, reflecting the stucture of New Who, so they can act as a great jumping-on point for anyone tentative about dipping into Big Finish’s more lengthy stories.

All essential stories that are necessary to listen to have been marked with an asterisk (*), though I can highly recommend listening to the whole range of stories.

!!SPOILERS!!

After this range, Charley leaves the Eighth Doctor and spends a brief period travelling with the Sixth Doctor. See my post Sixth Doctor and Charley for a guide to these stories.

!!END SPOILERS!!!

So, let’s get started.

The Web of Time Arc

16. Storm Warning* This is Charley’s introduction story. Listen to this story before you listen to anything else Charley related. 

17. Sword of Orion

18. The Stones of Venice

19. Minuet in Hell

28. Invaders from Mars*

29. The Chimes of Midnight*

30. Seasons of Fear*

31. Embrace the Darkness

32. The Time of the Daleks*

33. Neverland*

50. Zagreus*

Divergent Universe Arc

52. Scherzo*

53. The Creed of the Kromon* This story introduces C’rizz, another companion who joins the Doctor and Charley until Absolution. 

54. The Natural History of Fear

55. The Twilight Kingdom

61. Faith Stealer

62. The Last*

63. Caedroia*

64. The Next Life*

Travels with C’rizz

72. Terror Firma*

75. Scaredy Cat

77. Other Lives*

80. Time Works

83. Something Inside

88. Memory Lane

101. Absolution*

103. The Girl Who Never Was*