A Quick Guide to Big Finish Classic Who- Intro to 6.

Brief Summary

This video serves as an introduction to the Sixth Doctor's era in Big Finish audio dramas. It highlights the companions, both from the original TV series and those created specifically for the audio adventures, and the various series and stories where the Sixth Doctor appears. The video emphasizes the Sixth Doctor's redemption through Big Finish, driven by Colin Baker's desire to explore the character's potential for growth and the significant role of his companions, particularly Evelyn Smythe, in shaping his development.

  • The Sixth Doctor's era in Big Finish is marked by significant character redemption and exploration.
  • Original companions like Evelyn Smythe, Charlie Pollard, Flip Jackson, Constance Clarke, and Hebe Harrison play crucial roles in the Sixth Doctor's stories.
  • The Sixth Doctor appears in various Big Finish series, including the Main Range, Lost Stories, and crossovers with other characters like River Song and Captain Jack.

Introduction

The video introduces the Sixth Doctor's Big Finish adventures, noting that this video will focus on providing an overview of the Sixth Doctor's companions and the main series where he appears. The Sixth Doctor was one of the original actors involved in Big Finish, and his character has been significantly redeemed through these audio dramas. While still retaining his overbearing and brash personality, the Sixth Doctor has been tempered by experience and improved writing.

Evelyn Smythe

Evelyn Smythe is introduced as the first original Big Finish companion and a key figure in the Sixth Doctor's character development. Unlike typical companions, Evelyn is a divorced, 55-year-old history lecturer who challenges the Doctor and becomes his best friend. Their relationship is highlighted by a quote from "Arrangements for War," where the Doctor acknowledges Evelyn as both an emotional and intellectual equal. Evelyn's introduction occurs in "The Marian Conspiracy," where she is discovered to be a temporal anomaly. Together, she and the Sixth Doctor experience numerous adventures, including meeting Charles Darwin, fighting vampires, and even facing Evelyn's transformation into a Cyberman.

Charlie Pollard

Charlie Pollard is the second original Big Finish companion, whose story is intertwined with the Eighth Doctor. Originally saved by the Eighth Doctor from the R101 blimp disaster in 1930, she eventually joins the Sixth Doctor after a series of events. Charlie spends her time with the Sixth Doctor trying to avoid disrupting the timeline by revealing information about the Eighth Doctor. Her adventures with the Sixth Doctor include encountering reverse werewolves, Dalek communists, and narrowly escaping an origami Terminator.

Flip Jackson

Flip Jackson, also known as Philippa, is described as a Rose Tyler-like character but without the negative aspects. She is a mouthy, working-class woman from London who means well. Flip's introduction to the TARDIS was not initially planned; she was a minor character in "The Crimes of Thomas Brewster" but was brought back due to the production team's positive reaction to her performance. Flip's adventures include meeting the Warren, encountering Sill, and falling into a coma after being attacked by a space monster.

Constance Clarke

Constance Clarke is the fourth Big Finish companion, a member of the Women's Royal Naval Service during World War II who works at Bletchley Park. She begins traveling with the Doctor after he takes up residence as one of the Bletchley codebreakers. Constance's travels involve meeting Iranians, being turned into a cyborg cockroach, and encountering various historical and fictional figures. The dynamic between Constance, Flip, and the Sixth Doctor is highlighted as a "Dream Team," with their contrasting personalities creating compelling conflicts and resolutions.

Hebe Harrison

Hebe Harrison is the most recent original Big Finish companion, a wheelchair-bound marine biologist. She represents a blend of old and new companion tropes, with her marine biology skills reminiscent of 80s companions and her disability being a significant aspect of her character. The video emphasizes the effort to portray Hebe's experiences authentically, working with wheelchair-bound actress Ruth Madeley. Hebe's stories address issues of ableism and the misconceptions surrounding wheelchair users.

Other Companions and Series

Besides the main original companions, the Sixth Doctor also travels with Perry and Mel. Perry is similar to her TV counterpart, while Mel is given more depth in Big Finish. The Sixth Doctor also had short-lived companions like Jago and Lightfoot, who have their own series. Additionally, the Sixth Doctor appears in Lost Stories, which are adaptations of unmade TV scripts, and in crossover series like "The Diary of River Song" and "The Lives of Captain Jack." The video concludes by mentioning upcoming videos that will focus on individual companions and special releases like "The Last Adventure" and anniversary specials.

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Transcript

Full transcript of “A Quick Guide to Big Finish Classic Who- Intro to 6.”. Click a timestamp to open the video at that moment. Need another video? Use the YouTube transcript generator.

0:00 foreign [Music] thank you hello and welcome to my first sixth

0:45 doctor big finish video this is my overview of six and big finish I'll be starting with the actual reviews of individual stories next video I realize it's a bit weird to go from one introduction to another more specialized introduction but as I established before big finish is huge and there's a lot to explain in this video I'll be talking about six's companions both TV and big finish originals and letting you know about the main places you can find is Adventures because doctors will turn up in random places the sixth doctor was one of the original big finished actors along with a fifth and the seventh and like I said in my last video has undoubtedly been the one most Redeemed by ad he's still overbearing Brash and in love with the sound of his own voice but he's been tampered by experience and even more importantly by a marked

1:32 improvement in writing and hey I love his costume but I'm sure not having to look at it made a difference for a lot of people too the change was driven by Colin Baker himself he'd find on six to change and soften with time and actively wanted to put a doctor for longer than Tom Baker it was an approach to the character and TV as a whole that was decades ahead of its time and a big finish she got the chance to do that in Universe the reason for this change was down to one person in particular his first original big finished companion and the first original big finish companion overall evil and Smythe Evelyn was not the usual companion mold she was a divorced 55 year old history lecturer who steadfastly refused to let six go away with his and over time she

2:18 broke him in six was generally a mentor or father figure to most of the companions but Evelyn was his best friend the relationship was best summed up in the story arrangements for war when close to a breakdown six said that he'd had companions who were his emotional batters and his intellectual equals but she was the first to be both it's a challenge for me in some ways to travel with you you know even I mean I'm so terribly terribly fond of all my companions each of them has been special to me unique it's not just anyone I let into the Tardis and it's not just anyone who could put up with your mood swings indeed indeed but they've all been well I suppose I have to say

3:06 younger thank you no no no no no perhaps I mean less experienced less well-rounded well I've traveled with my intellectual equals with my emotional betters but no one other than you Evelyn has been well I traveled with an American for some time recently and I'm sure she would have told me the phrase I was looking for utter it it was the whole kitten caboodle come here Dr smad I think we both need a cup she's introduced to the Marion conspiracy just the sixth big finish release in the main range the original

3:51 home for their Doctor Who stories it ended with number 275 and was renamed the monthly Adventures the Marian conspiracy with six's second appearance after the pilot the siren to time so Evelyn was there from practically day one she was lecturing at Sheffield Hallam University when the doctor interrupted her class and discovered that she was a walking temporal a normal a because her family history had been altered and she was about to become non-existent you know how it is so she put in a cardigan picked up her handbag grabbed some cocoa and marched into the Tardis against the doctor's wishes and stayed there for the next few years her time like I said big finish like to jump around with companions together they met Charles Darwin and the sailorians fought vampires let from a speeding train she helped six get through his own Time Lord

4:37 Victorious moment five years before the Waters of Mars did a musical involving pirates she became a Cyberman maybe she fell in love with the handsome widower and met seven before dying defeating an evil word Lord basically a Time Lord but for language they're from an alternate reality it's a whole thing even in stories will be my first video after this one because Maggie Stables he played or died some years ago so unlike the other videos it won't go to date with new releases six a second original big finish companion was Charlie Pollard and strapping because this is where it gets confusing so much so that I'm probably gonna have to go over this again when I do her video Charlie was a rich young woman who died in the r101 blimp disaster in 1930 but history was

5:22 changed when she was saved by the doctor but probably not the one you expected yes eight saved her she then became his first audio companion and arguably his definitive one then after years of stories there was a whole thing and the upshot was that Charlie was left alone and she thought it was dead and then to get rescued by sex and then she spends some more years desperately trying not to up the timeline further by telling six about eight it all gets explained pretty clearly by the end it's basically a variation of 12 for getting Clara but better and was done years beforehand Charlie would meet some reverse werewolves discovered Dalek communism become a Highwayman attempt to save the day by yelling her life story at the doctor in an effort to create a paradox large enough to break the plot

6:09 and narrowly avoid being stabbed by an origami Terminator Charlie's story with six is a great example of the sort of thing that can't be done in TV who or if it can it has to be planned at meticulously years in advance she said her best with eight and her time with six is a little bit of a gimmick but it's a fine gimmick even if the writing around her trying to keep her secret is really unsubtle in a bad way then what are this about doing here how to guess fighting their blood enemies creatures they shared their birth world with and that birth world was a planet known as Scaro hi Scott yes oh um something to you Charlotte no no it's destroy them failure their replicants designed to infiltrate and kill

6:54 infiltrate and kill it's a well-known Dalek strategy the trouble is they don't have the wit to improvise a response the trouble is you'll not see Daleks in your own shadow I'm Daleks he said Daleks and you didn't even blink I know he said Daleks it's the name of the enemy I'm right on tonight yes have you heard of them before I have that's enough you two six's third big finish original companion was flip Jackson also known as Philippa flipper is basically Rose from new who but with everything I hated about Rose removed she's a young mouthy working class woman from London who's not too bright and means well but unlike Rose she's just a regular person not secretly incredible not crippled by jealousy and there's definitely no romance her flip ended up in the Tardis is interesting because she wasn't

7:41 created to be a companion she was a small part in her debut Story the crimes of Thomas Brewster but the production team fell Novelties agreements performance so the next year she was brought back flip seemingly can't keep away from sex after her initial run-in she meets him again randomly and travels in the Tardis okay normal then she's left home and gets married to her boyfriend Jared becoming flip Ramon I think as kidnapped by aliens exception meet sex again and continues of travels flip met the Warren died and then didn't in the TV show kicked a slave owner in the nuts for proposing marriage met sill went into orbit with the Indian space Association accidentally resurrected another companion via tree and got attacked by space monster and fell into a coma I do love flip but it's probably

8:26 gonna be a long time till we see her again Lisa Greenwood sadly came to it hard with covet and hasn't melted to do any voice works since as a result the last we heard about flip was that she was in that comb after being stung by a space monster six's fourth big finished companion was Constance Clark played with a pretty famous Miranda raison who you might recognize from night Flyers or as the voice of Cassandra in Dragon Age or in Warrior she's a pretty well established actor in both live act and voice act dang and she played chalula in dark's Manhattan but don't hold that against her you're lucky though you got yourself a forward-thinking guy with that hot potato in the sharp suit oh Constance Clark or Mrs Clark was Iran one of the woman's Royal Naval service basically the women's division of the

9:13 British Navy in World War II she worked for British intelligence at Bletchley Park home of Allied code breaking the doctor committed to a life in the story Chris Cross where he took up residence as one of The Bletchley bothans for reasons of plot and she initially thought that he was a German spy she takes up the offer of traveling because her husband is missing an action and she'd like a distraction from everything that comes with that but she insists that she's not deserting she'll be back to see it the rest of the war and I'm not being sarcastic or anything she doesn't want to miss the rest of the war and she's still traveling in her timeline so I assume that's what happened Constance met the Iranian was briefly turned into a cyborg cockroach by her son met some skexus hung out with a 20-foot tall ghost Viking got stuck in a multiversal train station fought

9:58 religious fundamentalist Daleks died and was resurrected thanks to flipping a tree was an impressed by HB Lovecraft and got very confused when the doctor told her that the trans and non-binary omnisexual Calypso Jones from the far future was flirting with her Flippin Constance both traveled to doctors separately and were great but put all three of them together and we get the official sixth doctor Dream Team constance's practical wartime 1940s no-nonsense ways worked perfectly counterpointed by flips irreverent black and white approach to right and wrong there's one story in particular called scorched Earth said in the closing days of World War II that showcases in both brilliant lie it's a French Village just after the German Retreat and the villagers are celebrating and punishing a local Girl Who Fell in Love with a

10:44 German soldier Constance is fine with letting it happen but flip tries to stop at [Music] take a hold of yourself please I can't believe you're saying this we have to do something [Applause] put yourself in their shoes France has been through so much humiliation so much pain and this woman well they say she betrayed them to the love to the nuts I may not agree with the method of their justice but it is still Justice you really believe that I do and I must

11:29 say if you'd fought this war if you've lived in this film you'd understand [Applause] well I I am not just gonna stand here phillipa stop everybody just stop right got your attention you ugly seven foot bully hand them over what the pair of scissors oh never mind give them here the young lady who will give them back immediately I won't you know chin up Clementine I'm getting you out of here what are you doing what the doctor would do who are you girl my name is Philip Hart Ramon and I do not appreciate seeing defenseless young women abused by big belly men in front

12:16 of a screaming mob whatever you think she's done she does not deserve this nobody deserves this I'm confused are you not a patriot hey hey stay back all of you stay back today is a day of pass do not obstruct that please stop this girl is my friend she doesn't know what she's saying honey expect she knows exactly what she's saying with the mouth of a traitor oh so I'm a train now I only just got here [Music] I think there may have been a little misunderstanding here

13:02 it's understanding if you're allow us we'll be on our way give me the scissors [Applause] right now I feel like this is very considerable damage yeah just take them I never give up there there take them don't just leave them in the dirt give them back to me where is your respect I've done enough to help you today

13:47 Lucian come on it's a really good example of conflict arising naturally to these two wildly different characters in the situation I also love how neither constants or flip will allow the doctor to use the real names he has to call them Mrs Clark and flap but they're allowed to call each other Constance and Philippa it's small but it's continuing the evil and thing of keeping six broken in one of the mistakes the TV show made was giving companions they could dominate he is such a forceful personality the most interesting thing you can do with them is subjugate them or bad I don't mean for that to sound dodgy but I'm owning it six is the last original big finish companion thus far is Harrison a wheelchair-bound marine biologist she's a good mix of the old and the new her

14:33 marine biology is a callback to 80s who which tend to randomly give companions impressive credentials like edric and his maths or Perry and bottlene but are actually making use of it in the stories is mostly new what's very new though is her wheelchair because is whose first disabled companion and rather than have it just as a gimmick they actually worked with actor with madeley who's also wheelchair-bound to make Heavy's experiences true to life as possible for example in her first story The rotting deep he has to stand up and the other characters accuse her of lying of not needing her chair and she has to yell at them that most wheelchair users can stand or even walk for short periods baby is short-temper doesn't suffer fools and as he is to being belittled and looked down on because of her disability

15:18 ah um I'm in a wheelchair I'm not Vlad the Impaler no of course not you're much if you say prettier I'll kneecap you with my foot rest I was going to say much more agreeable now I'm not so sure I I don't think we need to compare anyone to any historical villains right now hi I'm Melanie Mel and this is the doctor I'm sorry we thought you were something else something else I'm a thing am I Melanie man I'm sorry I didn't mean it I know you didn't don't mind me now this sounds unsubtle and it is but it was only six years ago that the UK got yelled at by the U.N from being to disable

16:04 people sometimes on subtle is Justified and when you listen to The Ark it has a point he be Harrison also doctor don't use it though because who does that well actually um nice to meet you uh do you work here on the rig not exactly don't you know aren't you here to get us all home oh so there are more people here well yeah there's seven of us left oh everyone else has already gone home no there are seven of us Left Alive baby's only been in six stories thus far the others were introduced in the main range they're now finished original run of 275 releases Post Main Range the

16:50 release collections of adventures with each doctor featuring the same companions taking place around the same time which is either for collecting he be debuted in six's first collection water worlds so called because they take heavy to some water worlds and so far she's only traveled alongside Mel at the very tail end of six's life I say so far because Ruth madeley is appearing in the 60th anniversary specials and unless she randomly says that she is not and has never been called then I'm gonna pretend that it's her after a name change heavy was created by Jacqueline Raynor who nearly 20 years ago introduced Evelyn Smythe and habees even an old student of evil ants it's the next best thing to having their girl back anime apart from Evelyn Charlie flip Constance and heavy six also is Perry and meow and Perry again six picks

17:38 her up again after Philip leaves the first time but before she comes back like I said previously the exact order isn't always obvious at least you can sometimes tell when a Perry story is happening because of earliest travels we'll use the Peter Davidson theme like Series 22 and her later travels she's a travel time lord theme Perry is basically the same as she was on TV Nicola Brighton's voice hasn't even changed that much if anything or accidents just got slightly better the biggest difference is she's now allowed depth Beyond yelling back at the doctor and once she rejoins the doctor post trial of a Time Lord she's five years old or much less naive but male male is different Mel is scripted in TV as a one-dimensional fitness Enthusiast who really enjoyed Street Chang at least not until

18:23 foreign [Applause] big finish his depth character and in one alternate reality with a valyard one she's a badass she's still terribly nice though which works well as a counter bastard sinister's arm six Souls who had several short-lived companions who will be getting their own video most notably Jacob and light fat the haramf and victorians from the towns of Wang Chiang jaego is a hard drinking theater guy in light if it is a straight laced doctor together they start in their own series until actor Trevor Baxter's death battled the Paranormal and occasionally got visited by the good friend that actor and even once or twice got taken in Tardis traps beyond the regular Adventure Six also had a lot of lost stories a series made of stories

19:09 that were never made for TV summer commissioned and scripted but fell through like the entire original series 23 and others were just rejected with a short the time most interesting of six's lost stories is probably the mind of the hodiak which was written by a teenage Russell the Davies back in the late 80s but I'll be covering the loss so stories along with the other stories featuring that companion apart from Diego Lightfoot 6 also appeared in series is like the Diary of River Song peladon and the lies of Captain Jack where Jack had to pretend to be him and many beyond that but since he's not the main character I'm not going to be covering them in this crais and I I think that's enough to be going on with I'm planning on doing separate videos in Evelyn's Adventures Charlie's flips constances constants and flips parries males and

19:56 melon heebies but if any of these end up unusually short I'll unite some of them after all that I'll be doing another video on other companion stories like Jago and light foot strips Thomas Brewster Maori Matthew sharp Joe carnaby Jamie frobisher and any more I forgotten off the top of my head but finally another video in the dark Chris trips alone I realize this is a lot of videos but there are a lot of stories and at some point in all this madness I'll probably do a video covering special releases like the last adventure sixes epic regeneration Arc that covers 4 stories throughout his life and features Constance Charlie flip Jago and Lightfoot and mail but not all at the same time I'll also cover crisis crossovers like the legacy of time which featured a whopping nine doctors in

20:42 classic a new Who ramala Doctor but I understand you require a bit of assistance naturally you called me who wouldn't this from the man who had me sit next to him on a sacrificial bonfire within minutes of my arriving the natives of balivar 4 can be a trifle parochial it is good to see you doctor but it hardly helps that still only makes two of us who can fly this thing unless you also happen to be a gallifreya dear Lord no the fact that helps me sleep at night on a regular basis however I know a man who is might I be of assistance hello Romana hello Leela hello doctor yes your doctor I'm here not just is

21:30 trying to become literally it's not all about you you know don't worry we'll soon have this sorted older and and wiser heads will prevail hello I think about it some of us do begin to lose our marbles as the years take their toll I'm sorry I I didn't hear what you said of course if you could turn the volume down on your trousers that might help three of them I'm not sure I can stand it three wish [Music] questions lovely seeing you both do unhand me doctor we really don't have time always time for a hug between old friends

22:15 possibly but in this case time is very much of the essence I'd say a good point doctor let's get on with it shall we time to assume our positions at the console gentlemen after you no no please after you we still need two more I know I know oh so sorry oh Chad no no no it's quite all right um first after you wouldn't dream of it age before Beauty hmm they are all the doctor I know confusing isn't it could you deal with that please are more doctors coming to assist dad must have got out is that not help yet another child is here and now will

23:00 blow us apart before we even take off Leela Benny hello another one of you that enjoys a hug oh yes Benny oh come here giving around the place manhandling women I'm giving serious considerations and never regenerating Earth don't be such a grump oh hello you two I have absolutely no idea who you are but uh well any friend of his uh without wanting to be rude we really don't have time for this your arrival is threatening to ruin everything oh they all say that just you wait we'll soon have it sorted it's sort of what we do you see there's also the 50th Anniversary Special the light at the end and the main range is final hurray at the end of the beginning anyway I'm pretty sure I've forgotten

23:46 some stuff but that's enough to be going on with [Music] it I need a dream please remember to like And subscribe to the Doctor Who YouTube channel

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