Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures

The First Doctor Adventures

Big Finish Productions audio drama
Series| Doctor Who
Featuring|

* First Doctor
* Susan Foreman
* Ian Chesterton
* Barbara Wright
* Dodo Chaplet
* Vicki

Written by| various
Directed by| Nicholas Briggs
Executive producer(s)|

* Jason Haigh-Ellery
* Nicholas Briggs

Release date| December 2017 (2017-12) \- present

The First Doctor Adventures is a Big Finish Productions audio play series based on the British television programme Doctor Who. It sees David Bradley and Stephen Noonan as the First Doctor, a role originated by William Hartnell from 1963 to 1966, as well as by Bradley on television in the episodes "The Doctor Falls", "Twice Upon a Time", and "The Power of the Doctor".

## History

[edit]

Beginning in 2017, it was announced that actor, David Bradley would portray the First Doctor, a role originated by William Hartnell from 1963 to 1966, as well as by Bradley on television in the episodes "The Doctor Falls" and "Twice Upon a Time". David Bradley also portrayed William Hartnell in the BBC bio-drama, An Adventure in Space and Time.[1][2]

Also appearing are Claudia Grant as Susan Foreman, Jemma Powell as Barbara Wright and Jamie Glover as Ian Chesterton.[1] These three actors also appeared alongside Bradley in the aforementioned BBC bio-drama.[2] James Dreyfus joins the cast as an earlier incarnation of The Master prior to Roger Delgado.[1][2]

Announced in September 2017, the first pair of stories was released on 25 December 2017, with a second pair released in July 2018.[1][2] Confirmed in July 2018, a third duo was released in January 2019.[3] The fourth and fifth volumes were announced in 2019 and 2021 respectively.[4][5]

In May 2020, Big Finish announced that the Main Range would conclude with in March 2021, to be replaced with regular releases of each Doctor in their own boxsets throughout the year in 2022.[6] A single boxset for the First Doctor was announced in May 2021, set for release in April 2022.[7] Executive Producer, Nicholas Briggs in response to a fan letter stated in the February 2022 issue of Vortex Magazine, "the new First Doctor range will feature an actor new to the role of the Doctor and he is, I assure you, amazing!".[8] On 11 February 2022, Big Finish announced that Stephen Noonan will be portraying the First Doctor alongside Lauren Cornelius.[9]

## Cast

[edit]

List indicator(s)

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in at least one season.

* A green cell indicates the actor is a main cast member.

* A red cell indicates the actor is a recurring cast member.

* A light blue cell indicates the actor is a guest or special guest cast member.

Actor  | Character  | Appearances

|
|

David Bradley  | Stephen Noonan
V1  | V2  | V3  | V4  | V5  | S1  | S2  | S3  | S4
David Bradley | The Doctor | ✓ | Does not appear
Stephen Noonan  | Does not appear | ✓
Claudia Grant  | Susan Foreman | ✓ | Does not appear
Carole Ann Ford | Does not appear | ✓ | Does not appear
Jemma Powell | Barbara Wright | ✓ | Does not appear
Jamie Glover | Ian Chesterton | ✓ | Does not appear
James Dreyfus | The Master | ✓ | Does not appear
Lauren Cornellius  | Dodo Chaplet | Does not appear | ✓
Maureen O'Brien | Vicki | Does not appear | ✓ | Does not appear
Peter Purves | Steven Taylor | Does not appear | ✓
Rufus Hound | The Monk | Does not appear | ✓ | Does not appear
Nicholas Briggs | The Daleks | Does not appear | ✓ | Does not appear | ✓ | Does not appear

## Episodes

[edit]

Individual episodes have titles, reflecting the practice of the programme in the 1960s when William Hartnell played the First Doctor.

### Adventures starring David Bradley (2017-2021)

[edit]

These stories are set somewhere after the Season 1 story The Reign of Terror and before the Season 2 story Planet of Giants.

#### Volume 1 (2017)

[edit]

No.| Serial title| Episode title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|
|

1| The Destination Wars| "Journey to the Future"| Nicholas Briggs| Matt Fitton| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara, The Master| December 2017 (2017-12)
"The Father of Invention"
"The Destination Wars"
"Prisoners of Time"

Arriving on the distant planet Destination, the TARDIS crew learn that the humanoid colonists on this planet are at war with the lizard-like locals, this conflict being manipulated by the mysterious 'Inventor'. While the Doctor researches the history of the conflict, Ian and Susan meet the Inventor, who Susan recognizes as an old friend of her grandfather's...

2| The Great White Hurricane| "The Coming Storm"| Nicholas Briggs| Guy Adams| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara| December 2017 (2017-12)
"The Frozen City"
"The Killer in the Snow"
"River of Doom"

When the TARDIS materializes in New York, the crew are immediately caught up in a gang war when Ian is grazed by a stray bullet and Susan is taken hostage by a fleeing gang member. Barbara accompanies Ian to hospital while the Doctor tries to prompt the police to help him find Susan, but Barbara soon realizes that they are in great danger as they have arrived on the date of the 'Great White Hurricane' that struck New York.

#### Volume 2 (2018)

[edit]

No.| Serial title| Episode title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|
|

1| The Invention of Death| "A World Without Fear"| Nicholas Briggs| John Dorney| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara| July 2018 (2018-07)
"The First"
"The Dying Art"
"The Invention of Life"

The TARDIS arrives on Ashtallah, a world populated by large, sentient single-celled organisms, but their presence unwittingly introduces new concepts to this civilization.

2| The Barbarians and the Samurai| "The Forbidden Land"| Nicholas Briggs| Andrew Smith| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara| July 2018 (2018-07)
"Barbarians Among Us"
"Power Play"
"Fall of the Samurai"

Arriving in nineteenth century Japan, the TARDIS crew are separated and caught up in the political turmoil of the era.

#### Volume 3 (2019)

[edit]

No.| Serial title| Episode title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|
|

1| The Phoenicians| "The Purple and the Gold"| Ken Bentley| Marc Platt| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara| January 2019 (2019-01)
"The Hireling"
"Legends and Lies"
"The Bull's Hide"

The TARDIS crew become caught in the political machinations of the Phoenican Empire after landing in Tyre, to the extent that Ian becomes the new favourite of the princess.

2| Tick-Tock World| "The Graveyard World"| Ken Bentley| Guy Adams| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara, Old Susan| January 2019 (2019-01)
"The Time Ship"
"Death in Time"
"Feast of the Xesto"

Trapped on a world where Time has become twisted and distorted following the destruction of the TARDIS, the crew's only hope of escape is a mysteriously familiar old woman...

#### Volume 4 (2020)

[edit]

No.| Serial title| Episode title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|
|

1| Return to Skaro| "The Towers of Skaro"| Ken Bentley| Andrew Smith| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara, Daleks, Thals| March 2020 (2020-03)
"The Hidden Enemy"
"Friend or Foe?"
"Death to the Thals!"

The Doctor's latest attempt to take Ian and Barbara home takes the TARDIS back to Skaro, but as the crew admire the growth of Thal civilisation, it becomes clear that the Daleks aren't as dead as everyone believes...

2| Last of the Romanovs| "The Shattered Pane"| Ken Bentley| Jonathan Barnes| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara| March 2020 (2020-03)
"The House of Special Purpose"
"The Execution Order"
"The Waiting Cellar"

The TARDIS materialises in Russia in 1917, and the Doctor is forced to face the human consequences of his inability to interfere in history.

#### Volume 5 (2021)

[edit]

No.| Serial title| Episode title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|
|

1| For the Glory of Urth| "For The Glory of Urth"| Ken Bentley| Guy Adams| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara| April 2021 (2021-04)
"A Place of Angels"
"The Toxicity of Dissent"
"Flowers of Iron"
2| The Hollow Crown| "The Winter of Discontent"| Ken Bentley| Sarah Grochala| First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara| April 2021 (2021-04)
"The Play's the Thing"
"The Drums of War"
"The Hollow Crown"

#### Continuation

[edit]

Main article: Doctor_Who_Unbound § The_First_Doctor_Unbound

In April 2022, Executive Producer Nicholas Briggs expressed interest in producing further stories with Bradley.[6] In Issue 167 of Big Finish's magazine Vortex, Briggs teased further stories featuring Bradley's portrayal, saying "We've some very exciting plans afoot for further stories with David Bradley — something quite out of the ordinary and rather delightful.2[10] On 17 April, it was announced Bradley would continue to play a new alternate version of the First Doctor alongside Powell, Glover and Grant as alternate versions of their respective characters but now as part of the Unbound range instead, in a series titled The First Doctor Unbound.[11]

### Adventures starring Stephen Noonan (2022-present)

[edit]

These stories are set between the Season 3 stories The Savages and The War Machines.

#### Series 1: The Outlaws (2022)

[edit]

No.| Title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|

1| "The Outlaws"[12]| Nicholas Briggs| Lizbeth Myles| First Doctor, Dodo, The Monk| April 2022 (2022-04)
2| "The Miniaturist"[12]| Lizzie Hopley| First Doctor, Dodo

#### Series 2: The Demon Song (2023)

[edit]

No.| Title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|

1| "The Demon Song"[13]| Nicholas Briggs| Robert Ayres| First Doctor, Dodo| February 2023 (2023-02)
2| "The Incherton Incident"[13]| Nicholas Briggs

#### Series 3: Fugitive of the Daleks (2024)

[edit]

No.| Title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|

1| "Part 1"| Nicholas Briggs| Jonathan Morris| First Doctor, Dodo, Vicki, Daleks| January 2024 (2024-01)
2| "Part 2"
3| "Part 3"
4| "Part 4"
5| "Part 5"
6| "Part 6"

#### Series 4: The Living Darkness

[edit]

On 23 May 2024, Big Finish announced their slate of boxsets for 2025. Nicholas Briggs said: “All our writers, directors, script editors and producers continue to work tirelessly to create exciting new adventures for all our Doctors. The First Doctor continues his strange encounters with past companions, with an absolute corker by Jacqueline Rayner, already recorded and in post-production."[14] The release is set for January 2025.[15]

No.| Title| Directed by| Written by| Featuring| Released

|
|
|
|
|

1| "Part 1"| Helen Goldwyn| Jacqueline Rayner| First Doctor, Dodo, Steven Taylor| January 2024 (2024-01)
2| "Part 2"
3| "Part 3"
4| "Part 4"
5| "Part 5"
6| "Part 6"

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee(s) of the award, and the result of the nomination  Award ceremony  | Year  | Category  | Work(s)  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Scribe Awards  | 2019  | Best Audio  | The Invention of Death | Nominated  | [16]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures". Big Finish Productions. 15 September 2017.
2. ^ a b c d "David Bradley to play First Doctor for Big Finish". Doctor Who News. 15 September 2017.
3. ^ "Third run for First Doctor". Big Finish Productions. 11 July 2018.
4. ^ "Big Finish Takes the First Doctor Back to Skaro". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
5. ^ "Shakespeare and secrets for the First Doctor". Retrieved 22 May 2021.
6. ^ a b "Revamped Doctor Who audio ranges from Big Finish". Big Finish Productions. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
7. ^ "Audio Doctor Who in 2022!". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
8. ^ https://www.bigfinish.com/vortex/pdf/156 [bare URL PDF]
9. ^ "Stephen Noonan is the First Doctor! - News - Big Finish".
10. ^ "Issue 167 - Vortex - Big Finish". www.bigfinish.com. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
11. ^ "The First Doctor enters a new Unbound era - News - Big Finish". www.bigfinish.com. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
12. ^ a b "1. Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures: The Outlaws". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
13. ^ a b "The Demon Song Lures the First Doctor!". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
14. ^ "Save with Classic Doctor Multi-buy Pre-Orders for 2025 - News - Big Finish". www.bigfinish.com. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
15. ^ "4. Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures: 2025 (Title TBA) - Doctor Who - The First Doctor Adventures - Big Finish". www.bigfinish.com. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
16. ^ "Previous Scribe Award Winners". 24 June 2013.

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Big Finish Productions Doctor Who ranges

Doctor Who|

* The Monthly Adventures
* Unbound
* The Companion Chronicles
* Short Trips
* The Lost Stories
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* Philip Hinchcliffe Presents
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* Classic Doctors, New Monsters

Doctor Adventures|

* The First Doctor Adventures
* The Second Doctor Adventures
* The Third Doctor Adventures
* The Fourth Doctor Adventures
* The Fifth Doctor Adventures
* The Sixth Doctor Adventures
* The Seventh Doctor Adventures
* The Eighth Doctor Adventures
* The Ninth Doctor Adventures
* The Tenth Doctor Adventures

Spin-offs|

* Bernice Summerfield / The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield
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