big finish - my recommended doctor who stories

well, I've gone and done it. fallen down the Big Finish rabbit hole. they are the producers of Doctor Who audio dramas (my main listens), as well as other adaptations and original series.

here are some of my favourite stories.

Urgent Calls

a free, half-hour Doctor Who story that's perfect for audio and features great character interaction.

summary: Earth, 1974. The completely ordinary Lauren accidentally calls the Doctor (lucky for her, as it turns out). And then it happens again. And again...A Sixth Doctor story told entirely through phone calls.

a near-perfect short audio story. wonderful character piece. also a good introduction to Doctor Who. seeing the Doctor through the eyes of someone new (er, hearing the Doctor through...you know what I mean) is always interesting. he and Lauren build up a real relationship over the short runtime. I have listened to this...literally dozens of times.

listen to Urgent Calls on Soundcloud

Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Relaxing Seascapes #4

a stand-alone Torchwood story brilliantly narrated by Sir Michael Palin.

summary: You are listening to a self-help tape. Ah, that voice is soothing, isn't it? Follow these instructions - you are going to change the world...

no, I shan't give too much away. this one's brilliant. I've listened to it four or five times. it's a story designed for audio and it takes you to some wonderfully dark places. no prior knowledge of Torchwood required.

buy Tropical Beach Sounds #4

Spare Parts

the story of the genesis of the Cybermen. perhaps the best Cybermen story of them all.

summary: On a dark frozen planet where no planet should be, in a doomed city with a sky of stone, the last denizens of Earth's long-lost twin will pay any price to survive, even if the laser scalpels cost them their love and hate and humanity. The origin story of the Mondasian Cybermen, featuring the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa.

oh, Spare Parts. I'm almost mad at this story, because it has ruined nearly every other Cybermen story for me! far from being just intergalactic tin soldiers, the cybermen were people once. they had families and lives and dreams. this is a tragedy of quiet desperation and body horror. making small trade-offs to survive until you realize you've given over that last inch of yourself—your humanity.

listen to Spare Parts on Spotify or buy it here

more favourites

updated august 8 2022

I've mostly been listening through the Main Range, though I'm starting to pick and choose a few box sets. So many stories I could write about and recommend! Favourite TARDIS teams so far include: Eight/Charley, Five/Peri/Erimem, Five/Nyssa, Six/Evelyn, Seven/Mel, Seven/Benny/Ace. (I think it's the Fifth Doctor that has surprised me most on audio! I've enjoyed him with most companions and on solo adventures - in contrast to his TV run, which took a long time for me to warm to...)

In any case, it's time to start keeping a running tab of stories to come back here and write about, so: