There are dozens of Eighth Doctor audio dramas available from Big Finish, and for those new to the series it can be hard to know where to begin. Are there any good starting points for first-time listeners?
Big Finish has been producing Eighth Doctor audio dramas since 2001, meaning that there is a 20 year back catalogue to sift through! Of course, if you have a lot of spare time (and disposable gold dust) you could collect everything from the very beginning. In which case, you can go ahead and pick up ‘Storm Warning‘ – the very first Big Finish production starring the Eighth Doctor. It takes place close to the TV movie and introduces a new companion in the form of Charley Pollard, played by India Fisher.
This is the first of what’s known as the Big Finish Main Range, and you can follow it all the way through to 2021’s ‘The End of the Beginning,’ a multi-Doctor adventure co-starring Peter Davison and Colin Baker. Overall, the Main Range is a 36 story collection that fits around the other Eighth Doctor mini series, some of which are good starting points in their own right.
And what of these mini series? Well, there are several; the first kicks off with 2006’s ‘Blood of the Daleks: Part One‘ and introduces new companion Lucie Miller played by Sheridan Smith. Series One contains six stories in all, concluding with ‘Human Resources.’ So you could start your adventure here.
These Eighth Doctor audio dramas continue for a few more seasons, until the Doctor and Lucie part ways in ‘Death in Blackpool.’ So you could start your collection with the following adventure ‘Situation Vacant,’ as this introduces a new companion in the form of Tamsin Drew, played by Niky Wardley. But bear in mind that his former companion Lucie returns during this season, and it could be a bit confusing if aren’t already familiar with her backstory.
But then there are the standalone box sets. Eighth Doctor audio dramas like ‘Dark Eyes‘ could be good jumping-on points, as they launch brand new plot arcs. ‘Dark Eyes’ spans four box sets in all (totalling 16 stories) so you could just focus on these if time is short and you’re on a budget. The first ‘Dark Eyes’ collection is set during the First World War and brings the Doctor into contact with Molly Sullivan, an Irish nurse who has been stationed in France.
However, some of you might be curious to know about the events leading up to the Eighth Doctor’s regeneration in ‘The Night of the Doctor,’ in which case, ‘The Time War‘ box sets are for you. Again, ‘The Time War’ is a self-contained plot arc, and although there are some references to previous Eighth Doctor audio dramas (such as mysterious Time Lord known as The Twelve) you’re unlikely to be thrown into a vortex of confusion.
And finally, if you’re feeling super-casual and just want to dip your toe into the water, you could take a look at the Time Lord Victorious story arc. This encompasses multiple Doctors but there are some standalone Eighth Doctor audio dramas thrown in for good measure, none of which require you to have previous knowledge. So you could check out ‘He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not,’ or ‘The Enemy of My Enemy,’ or even ‘Echoes of Extinction‘ which brings the Eighth Doctor into contact with the Tenth. Oh yes!
So, where will you begin your Eighth Doctor journey? Or if you’ve been following the Eighth Doctor audio dramas for some time, where would you recommend people start? Let me know in the comments below.
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Sooooo many great jumping in points! All of these are great! I personally lean away from Dark Eyes as a jumping in point, just because of how heavy it gets and the really big spoilers it has for the end of The Eighth Doctor Adventures that came before it. Obviously there’s always a risk of being “spoiled” on what came before, but that’s just not the place I’d point my friends to if they didn’t have prior knowledge. You shouldn’t be scared to try it if it’s what’s caught your interest though, especially if you love a good Dalek story!
I’d add Doom Coalition 1 as an excellent jumping in point, especially if you’re eager to enjoy the newest releases as they come out, but want to get to know the Eighth Doctor and his current companions before you do. Awesome new villain, awesome new companion, plus the recurring role of River Song in later boxsets which is great is your main DW experience is the new series.
And hey, you can’t go wrong with jumping right in with Stranded 1! Big Finish has marketed it as a great series for new listeners and with good reason! An absolute blast that I’m eager to hear more of!
I’ll also add, it’s a pretty big investment to buy everything, especially if you’re not sure you’ll like it, but there are a ton of Eighth Doctor (& other Big Finish DW adventures!) that can be listened to 100% free and legally! I don’t personally use Spotify, but the first 11 Eighth Doctor stories in Main Range (Storm Warning to Zagreus) and the first 2 series of The Eighth Doctor Adventures are on there! And for anyone in the US like me (possibly Canada too?), check if your library has Hoopla! Those same stories are available there.
There are also 2 great Eighth Doctor stories for free off Big Finish’s website: Living Legend, a short a very fun little story with Charley and The Eleven, which is the first installment of Doom Coalition 1.
I would personally say to start at the Charley arc with storm warning, I’m currently going through that as it is a good character set up for the eighth doctor and his personality. Also zagreus is a good point to branch off into other doctors too. So in conclusion start with storm warning up to the girl who never was and at that point go into any new companion you want. Personally I will go into the Lucie miller arc.