Bernice Summerfield
Encyclopedia
Bernice Surprise Summerfield (later Professor Bernice Summerfield or just Benny) is a fictional character
created by author Paul Cornell
as a new companion
of the Seventh Doctor
in Virgin Publishing's range of original full-length Doctor Who
novels, the New Adventures
. The New Adventures were authorized novels carrying on from where the Doctor Who television series had left off, and Summerfield was introduced in Cornell's novel Love and War
in 1992.
but returned a few times thereafter, including the last Virgin New Adventure, The Dying Days
. That year, Virgin had lost the licence to publish Doctor Who fiction, which was not renewed by the BBC. However, range editors Peter Darvill-Evans
and Rebecca Levene
decided to continue the series with Summerfield as the new lead and without the Doctor Who name, the Doctor or any other BBC
copyright characters featuring.
These Bernice-led New Adventures continued until 1999, when the Virgin fiction department closed down. The previous year, however, audio production company Big Finish Productions
begun issuing full-cast, officially licensed professional audio dramas starring the character on CD, and they continue to do so. The character is played in all Big Finish's productions by actress Lisa Bowerman
. After they gained the license to produce Doctor Who audio dramas in 1999, Big Finish thrice featured Bernice in Doctor Who stories set during and after the run of the New Adventures novels.
As of 2011, Big Finish are still regularly producing Bernice Summerfield audio dramas and the company has also published various novels and short story collections featuring the character.
Bernice also appeared in several comic strips in Doctor Who Magazine
, with Virgin and the magazine co-operating on her visual depiction. This depiction, which was also applied to novel cover art, was of a slim, statuesque build, with short dark hair, usually shown wearing a catsuit or some similar outfit. Over time, the character's appearance has been modified and among recent changes include a longer hairstyle.
The Doctor first meets Benny in Love and War - she is a 30 year old archaeologist. She was born in 2540 and is the daughter of Admiral Isaac Douglas Summerfield - a high ranking Spacefleet officer. Her mother, Claire Summerfield, died when Daleks attacked their homeworld of Beta Caprisis, an Earth colony. She has not seen her father for many years and has spent much of her life searching for him.
At times she falsely claims to have a degree from Heidelberg University. She published an archaeological book called Down Among the Dead Men in the year 2566.
Theatre of War features the first encounter between Bernice and Irving Braxiatel
(from her perspective). He later becomes a regular character in the Bernice Summerfield-only New Adventures.
In Sanctuary
Bernice falls in love with Guy de Carnac, a former Knight Templar
. Unfortunately he is killed later in the novel.
In Death and Diplomacy
she meets her future husband Jason Kane, who she marries in the very next novel, Happy Endings. Happy Endings is set on the occasion of Bernice's wedding to Jason Kane. Bernice leaves the TARDIS after this novel having been given Time Rings by the Doctor, but she appears in certain subsequent Doctor Who novels.
In Return of the Living Dad
, Bernice finally resolves the mystery of what happened to her father.
Virgin had long considered a non-Doctor Who spin-off series, but plans were moved forwards when they lost the license from the BBC. A number of preparations were made for the transition to Bernice-led New Adventures (see below). As Virgin felt Bernice would make a better lead as a single woman, her marriage to Jason Kane was split up. Thus, she appears again in Eternity Weeps
, a novel which describes the breakdown of her marriage and is also focused on her more than the Doctor as a prototype for the Doctor-free novels to come. Likewise, the last New Adventure, The Dying Days, is again focused on Bernice more than the Doctor, with the Doctor absent from a substantial portion of the book. The Dying Days also features an ambiguous epilogue which can be taken to imply that the Doctor and Bernice have sex.
This same epilogue also has the Doctor indicating that Benny is his longest-serving companion, although exactly how long she travelled with the Doctor has never been firmly established.
Originally published monthly, the New Adventures went bimonthly after The Sword of Forever.
The New Adventures continued with Bernice generally in the leading role. Oh No It Isn't!
provides the set-up for subsequent stories, with Bernice becoming Professor of Archaeology at St Oscar's University on the planet Dellah. She has now put her failed marriage to Jason Kane behind her. Oh No It Isn't! also re-introduces the People, a highly advanced alien race from the Doctor Who New Adventures. In Ghost Devices
, we meet Clarence (named after the angel in It's a Wonderful Life
). Clarence appears in the form of an angel, but is an artificial intelligence from the People who is eventually (in Tears of the Oracle
) revealed to be a character from The Also People
. In Dragons' Wrath
, Bernice meets Irving Braxiatel
for the first time (from his perspective). Beyond the Sun
introduces another recurring character, Emile Mars-Smith. Emile, Clarence and the People appear in a number of subsequent New Adventures, while Braxiatel appears in both further New Adventures and Benny stories from Big Finish.
Where Angels Fear
starts the Gods arc, a loose overarching story that finishes in Twilight of the Gods
. Along the way, Dellah is destroyed and Bernice is uprooted and loses her memory. Twilight of the Gods finishes with a new set-up for subsequent stories involving Bernice, Emile and others, but this was not used as Virgin stopped publishing the series.
As well as continuing the New Adventures after losing the Doctor Who license, Virgin also continued with their Decalog series. These had been Doctor Who short story anthologies, but Decalog 5: Wonders featured a Benny short story (The Judgement of Solomon) by Lawrence Miles
alongside other shorts not set in the New Adventures continuity.
Big Finish licensed the character of Bernice Summerfield from Paul Cornell, Irving Braxiatel from Justin Richards and Jason Kane from Dave Stone
, but other elements of the Virgin New Adventures' fictional universe were not obtained. Instead, Gary Russell
, Jac Rayner
and Cornell developed a new background and character ensemble, introduced in the anthology The Dead Men Diaries
and developed in the initial run of paperbacks.
The most notable development in Big Finish's paperback novels was Bernice's pregnancy and the birth of her son in The Glass Prison.
The paperback novels proved uneconomic and Big Finish stopped publishing them, subsequently re-launching their Benny books in hardback with the anthology A Life of Surprises
.
The first season of Bernice Summerfield audio plays
are all adaptations of New Adventures novels originally published by Virgin Publishing. Each of the plays spans two CDs, except for Dragon's Wrath, which was issued on a single CD.
The plays deviate from the original novels, in terms of plot and characters, to varying degrees. This is particularly evident with the productions of Birthright and Just War, both of which were originally Doctor Who novels. These changes were necessary because, at the time of their production, Big Finish Productions
weren't licensed to produce Doctor Who audio plays.
Actor and photographer Lisa Bowerman
was cast in the role of Bernice Summerfield. Bowerman had previously appeared in the Doctor Who story Survival
(1989). The first series also co-starred Stephen Fewell
as Jason Kane. A variety of actors familiar to Doctor Who fans played guest roles in many of the plays, including Colin Baker
, Sophie Aldred
, Nicholas Courtney
, Elisabeth Sladen
, Anneke Wills
and Richard Franklin
.
For the second season of Bernice Summerfield audio plays, Big Finish Productions experimented by developing ongoing character arcs that alternated between two different mediums — the audio plays and novels. Fans who did not collect the novels were initially confused to discover that Benny was pregnant during the final audio play of the season, The Skymines of Karthos. The pregnancy was explained in the novel The Squire's Crystal by Jacqueline Rayner
.
The run of plays from the second season onwards take part in what has become known as the Collection continuity, as they are set primarily on the Braxiatel Collection, a combined museum and university located on the planetoid KS-159. A number of regular characters are introduced for the first time, most notably Irving Braxiatel. First referenced in the 1979 Doctor Who story City of Death
(written by Douglas Adams
and Graham Williams), Braxiatel first appeared in person in the New Adventures novel Theatre of War.
Whereas the previous seasons had focused primarily on the character of Bernice Summerfield, Big Finish used the third season as an opportunity to introduce an ensemble
feel to the productions. This is most evident in The Green-Eyed Monsters and The Mirror Effect where the characters Jason Kane, Adrian Wall and Irving Braxiatel are significantly developed. The latter, in particular, suggests that Braxiatel has a darker, more mysterious past than the audience has previously been led to believe.
The other two plays that comprise the third season focus more specifically on Bernice. The Greatest Shop in the Galaxy remains the most light-hearted play of the season, while The Dance of the Dead reintroduces the Ice Warrior
s from Doctor Who.
While not officially part of the third season (at least as far as the numbering is concerned), the Bernice Summerfield audio play The Plague Herds of Excelis
(the fourth play in Big Finish's Excelis series; the first three plays fall under the Doctor Who umbrella) takes place between The Green-Eyed Monsters and The Dance of the Dead. Chronologically, the short story anthology A Life of Surprises also falls within this gap.
The fourth season was unofficially dubbed the "classic Who monsters" season, with each play featuring an alien adversary that previously appeared in the Doctor Who television series. The Bellotron Incident predominantly features the Rutan Host
(their major enemies, the Sontaran
s, are also referred to but don't actually appear), The Draconian Rage features the Draconians
, The Poison Seas casts a more sympathetic light on the Sea Devils, while Death and the Daleks (the first double CD release in the series since Just War) sees the first appearance of the Dalek
s within the Bernice Summerfield series. Prior to its release, Death and the Daleks was entitled The Axis of Evil
to keep the appearance of the Daleks a secret.
Big Finish also published an anthology of short stories, entitled Life During Wartime
, that was specially written as a prelude to the Death and the Daleks audio play. Paul Cornell
, the anthology's editor, described Life During Wartime as "a novel written by multiple authors". Each of the collection's stories are told in chronological order, detailing events that occur when the Collection is occupied by a powerful alien force. The anthology ends on a cliff-hanger that is resolved in Death and the Daleks.
The previous season's tradition of using classic monsters continues into the fifth season, with the Grel (previously heard in Oh No It Isn't!) returning in The Grel Escape, a knowing pastiche of The Chase
. The Bone of Contention features the Galyari, who appeared in the Doctor Who audio play The Sandman, while the title and plot of The Relics of Jegg-Sau was inspired by a 1970s Doctor Who licensed jigsaw puzzle
that depicted a scene with giant robots identical to the one that appeared in Robot
.
The Masquerade of Death brings the fifth season to a close in a suitably dark and surreal fashion.
By the end of The Crystal of Cantus
, the true dark and manipulative nature of Braxiatel was revealed and he left the Collection. Its future is now uncertain, with the Draconians claiming they own the planetoid it is based on.
The seventh season follows the staff of the Collection as they attempt to keep things running smoothly in Braxiatel's absence. Collected Works
and Old Friends, two books published during this season's run, also develop the running plots that planetoid KS-159 is under threat from the Draconians and Mim, and that the Collection itself is falling apart literally as well as figuratively without Braxiatel at its helm.
In the eighth season, Braxiatel returns to the Collection, which is threatened by crossfire and politics in the war between the Draconians and Mim. The war comes to an unexpected conclusion shortly after his return, and several regular characters pay a heavy price for realising too late that Braxiatel himself is the real threat. The season ends with Benny cutting her ties to the Collection and Braxiatel, and going on the run with her son Peter. The books The Two Jasons
and Nobody's Children
also fit into this season's arc.
The ninth season is a much looser collection of stories, following Bernice and her son Peter as Benny searches for work away from the Collection.
Buried Treasures was a free CD released to early subscribers of the first season of Bernice Summerfield audio plays. The Shadow of the Scourge, The Dark Flame and The Company of Friends were part of Big Finish's ongoing Doctor Who line. The first two are based in the continuity of the Virgin New Adventures and feature Sylvester McCoy
as the Doctor and Sophie Aldred
as Ace. The latter is a set of four one episode stories starring Paul McGann
's Doctor. In Benny's Story he encounters her sometime after having met her in the novels. The Plague Herds of Excelis was the epilogue to the three part Excelis cycle of Doctor Who audios, and features Iris Wildthyme
, a recurring character in the Doctor Who BBC novels and Big Finish audio plays. Silver Lining was an exclusive audio drama featuring the Cybermen
that came free with Doctor Who Magazine
issue 351, and Bernice Summerfield and the Criminal Code is a Companion Chronicle.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by author Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
as a new companion
Companion (Doctor Who)
In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
of the Seventh Doctor
Seventh Doctor
The Seventh Doctor is the seventh incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the actor Sylvester McCoy....
in Virgin Publishing's range of original full-length Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
novels, the New Adventures
Virgin New Adventures
The Virgin New Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
. The New Adventures were authorized novels carrying on from where the Doctor Who television series had left off, and Summerfield was introduced in Cornell's novel Love and War
Love and War (Doctor Who)
Love and War is an original novel written by Paul Cornell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and introduces a new companion, Bernice Summerfield...
in 1992.
Bernice Summerfield history
A 26th century archeologist, Summerfield became a hugely popular character amongst fans of the books, and was present right up until their end in 1997. She officially stopped travelling with the Doctor in Happy EndingsHappy Endings (Doctor Who)
Happy Endings is an original novel written by Paul Cornell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is the fiftieth book in the Virgin New Adventures series...
but returned a few times thereafter, including the last Virgin New Adventure, The Dying Days
The Dying Days
The Dying Days is an original novel written by Lance Parkin and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was last of that range to feature the Doctor and the only one of that range to feature Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor. Thereafter the series centred around...
. That year, Virgin had lost the licence to publish Doctor Who fiction, which was not renewed by the BBC. However, range editors Peter Darvill-Evans
Peter Darvill-Evans
Peter Darvill-Evans is an English writer and editor.He was born and lived in Buckinghamshire until he went to university, graduating in 1975 from University College, London with a degree in History....
and Rebecca Levene
Rebecca Levene
Rebecca Levene is a British author and editor, best known for editing Virgin's New Adventures series of original fiction Doctor Who novels.-Biography:...
decided to continue the series with Summerfield as the new lead and without the Doctor Who name, the Doctor or any other BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
copyright characters featuring.
These Bernice-led New Adventures continued until 1999, when the Virgin fiction department closed down. The previous year, however, audio production company Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
begun issuing full-cast, officially licensed professional audio dramas starring the character on CD, and they continue to do so. The character is played in all Big Finish's productions by actress Lisa Bowerman
Lisa Bowerman
Lisa Bowerman is a British actress.Bowerman trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and was a regular in the first two series of BBC medical drama Casualty playing Sandra Mute, the show's first female paramedic. Her other television work includes: Dodgem, The Count of Solar, Grange Hill, The...
. After they gained the license to produce Doctor Who audio dramas in 1999, Big Finish thrice featured Bernice in Doctor Who stories set during and after the run of the New Adventures novels.
As of 2011, Big Finish are still regularly producing Bernice Summerfield audio dramas and the company has also published various novels and short story collections featuring the character.
Bernice also appeared in several comic strips in Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, with Virgin and the magazine co-operating on her visual depiction. This depiction, which was also applied to novel cover art, was of a slim, statuesque build, with short dark hair, usually shown wearing a catsuit or some similar outfit. Over time, the character's appearance has been modified and among recent changes include a longer hairstyle.
Doctor Who - The New Adventures
- Love and WarLove and War (Doctor Who)Love and War is an original novel written by Paul Cornell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and introduces a new companion, Bernice Summerfield...
- TransitTransit (Doctor Who)Transit is an original novel written by Ben Aaronovitch and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice and the first appearance of Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart...
- The Highest ScienceThe Highest ScienceThe Highest Science is an original novel written by Gareth Roberts and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor and Bernice and the first appearance of the recurring monsters, the Chelonians...
- The PitThe Pit (Doctor Who)The Pit is an original novel written by Neil Penswick and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor and Bernice...
- DeceitDeceit (Doctor Who)Deceit is an original novel written by Peter Darvill-Evans and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. Also included is Doctor Who Magazine comic character Abslom Daak, in his first appearance outside of DWM...
- Lucifer RisingLucifer Rising (Doctor Who)Lucifer Rising is an original Virgin New Adventures novel written by Jim Mortimore and Andy Lane and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Mortimore and Lane, appeared...
- White DarknessWhite DarknessWhite Darkness is an original novel written by David A. McIntee and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice...
- ShadowmindShadowmindShadowmind is an original novel written by Christopher Bulis and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was number 16 in the New Adventures and features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Bulis, appeared in Doctor...
- BirthrightBirthright (Doctor Who)Birthright is a novel by Nigel Robinson from the Virgin New Adventures. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
- Blood HeatBlood HeatBlood Heat is an original novel written by Jim Mortimore and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Mortimore, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #205...
- The Dimension RidersThe Dimension RidersThe Dimension Riders is an original novel written by Daniel Blythe and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Blythe, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #206...
- The Left-Handed HummingbirdThe Left-Handed HummingbirdThe Left-Handed Hummingbird is an original novel written by Kate Orman and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also written by Orman, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #207...
- ConundrumConundrum (Doctor Who)Conundrum is an original novel written by Steve Lyons and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Lyons, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #208...
- No FutureNo FutureNo Future is an original novel written by Paul Cornell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Cornell, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #209...
- Tragedy DayTragedy DayTragedy Day is an original novel written by Gareth Roberts and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice...
- LegacyLegacy (Doctor Who)Legacy is an original novel written by Gary Russell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace, Bernice, the Ice Warriors and Alpha Centauri and a return for the Doctor to Peladon. A prelude to the novel, also penned by...
- Theatre of War
- All-Consuming FireAll-Consuming FireAll-Consuming Fire is an original novel written by Andy Lane and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The novel is a crossover with Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes featuring the characters of both Holmes and Doctor Watson, and also...
- Blood HarvestBlood HarvestBlood Harvest is an original novel written by Terrance Dicks and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features vampires in common with Dicks' 1980 television serial State of Decay and makes reference to that story's events as well as to those of The...
- Strange EnglandStrange EnglandStrange England is an original novel written by Simon Messingham and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Messingham, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #215....
- First FrontierFirst FrontierFirst Frontier is an original novel written by David A. McIntee and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice...
- St Anthony's FireSt Anthony's Fire (Doctor Who)St Anthony's Fire is an original novel written by Mark Gatiss and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Gatiss, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #217....
- Falls the Shadow
- ParasiteParasite (Doctor Who)Parasite is an original novel written by Jim Mortimore and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Mortimore, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #220....
- WarlockWarlock (Doctor Who)Warlock is an original novel written by Andrew Cartmel and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice. The book is the middle novel in the "War trilogy", following on from Cat's Cradle: Warhead and concluding in...
- Set PieceSet Piece (Doctor Who)Set Piece is an original novel written by Kate Orman and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace, Bernice and Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart. It is the last New Adventure to feature Ace as a regular character, although she...
- Infinite RequiemInfinite RequiemInfinite Requiem is an original novel written by Daniel Blythe and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by Blythe, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #223.-External links:**...
- SanctuarySanctuary (Doctor Who)Sanctuary is an original novel written by David A. McIntee and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by McIntee, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #225...
- Human Nature
- Original SinOriginal Sin (Doctor Who)Original Sin is an original novel written by Andy Lane and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It introduces the Seventh Doctor's new companions Roz Forrester and Chris Cwej.-Plot:...
- Sky Pirates!Sky Pirates!Sky Pirates! is an original novel written by Dave Stone and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris and Roz. The novel was unusual for being written in a humorous style similar to that of Terry Pratchett and...
- ZamperZamperZamper is an original novel written by Gareth Roberts and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris and Roz.-Synopsis:...
- Toy SoldiersToy Soldiers (Doctor Who)Toy Soldiers is an original novel written by Paul Leonard and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris and Roz.-Synopsis:...
- Head GamesHead Games (Doctor Who)Head Games is an original novel written by Steve Lyons and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
- The Also PeopleThe Also PeopleThe Also People is an original novel written by Ben Aaronovitch and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris, Roz and Kadiatu.-Plot:...
- ShakedownShakedown: Return of the SontaransShakedown: Return of the Sontarans is a film spin-off of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was released direct-to-video in 1995 and was produced by the independent production company Dreamwatch Media, a division of Dreamwatch magazine...
- Just WarJust War (Doctor Who)Just War is a novel by Lance Parkin from the Virgin New Adventures. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
- WarchildWarchild (Doctor Who)Warchild is an original novel written by Andrew Cartmel and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris, and Roz. This novel marks the conclusion of the "War trilogy" begun in Cat's Cradle: Warhead and Warlock, both...
- SLEEPYSLEEPYSLEEPY is an original novel written by Kate Orman and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris and Roz. It is part of the "Psi Powers series".-Synopsis:...
- Death and DiplomacyDeath and DiplomacyDeath and Diplomacy is an original novel written by Dave Stone and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris, Roz and the first appearance of Jason....
- Happy EndingsHappy Endings (Doctor Who)Happy Endings is an original novel written by Paul Cornell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is the fiftieth book in the Virgin New Adventures series...
- Return of the Living DadReturn of the Living DadReturn of the Living Dad is an original novel written by Kate Orman and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Chris and Roz, Bernice and Jason....
- Eternity WeepsEternity WeepsEternity Weeps is an original novel written by Jim Mortimore and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Chris, Bernice, Jason and Liz....
- The Dying DaysThe Dying DaysThe Dying Days is an original novel written by Lance Parkin and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was last of that range to feature the Doctor and the only one of that range to feature Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor. Thereafter the series centred around...
The Doctor first meets Benny in Love and War - she is a 30 year old archaeologist. She was born in 2540 and is the daughter of Admiral Isaac Douglas Summerfield - a high ranking Spacefleet officer. Her mother, Claire Summerfield, died when Daleks attacked their homeworld of Beta Caprisis, an Earth colony. She has not seen her father for many years and has spent much of her life searching for him.
At times she falsely claims to have a degree from Heidelberg University. She published an archaeological book called Down Among the Dead Men in the year 2566.
Theatre of War features the first encounter between Bernice and Irving Braxiatel
Irving Braxiatel
Irving Braxiatel or Cardinal Braxiatel is a fictional character from the Virgin New Adventures—spin-off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. He subsequently became a regular character in novels and audio dramas in the Bernice Summerfield universe...
(from her perspective). He later becomes a regular character in the Bernice Summerfield-only New Adventures.
In Sanctuary
Sanctuary (Doctor Who)
Sanctuary is an original novel written by David A. McIntee and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor and Bernice. A prelude to the novel, also penned by McIntee, appeared in Doctor Who Magazine #225...
Bernice falls in love with Guy de Carnac, a former Knight Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
. Unfortunately he is killed later in the novel.
In Death and Diplomacy
Death and Diplomacy
Death and Diplomacy is an original novel written by Dave Stone and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris, Roz and the first appearance of Jason....
she meets her future husband Jason Kane, who she marries in the very next novel, Happy Endings. Happy Endings is set on the occasion of Bernice's wedding to Jason Kane. Bernice leaves the TARDIS after this novel having been given Time Rings by the Doctor, but she appears in certain subsequent Doctor Who novels.
In Return of the Living Dad
Return of the Living Dad
Return of the Living Dad is an original novel written by Kate Orman and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Chris and Roz, Bernice and Jason....
, Bernice finally resolves the mystery of what happened to her father.
Virgin had long considered a non-Doctor Who spin-off series, but plans were moved forwards when they lost the license from the BBC. A number of preparations were made for the transition to Bernice-led New Adventures (see below). As Virgin felt Bernice would make a better lead as a single woman, her marriage to Jason Kane was split up. Thus, she appears again in Eternity Weeps
Eternity Weeps
Eternity Weeps is an original novel written by Jim Mortimore and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Chris, Bernice, Jason and Liz....
, a novel which describes the breakdown of her marriage and is also focused on her more than the Doctor as a prototype for the Doctor-free novels to come. Likewise, the last New Adventure, The Dying Days, is again focused on Bernice more than the Doctor, with the Doctor absent from a substantial portion of the book. The Dying Days also features an ambiguous epilogue which can be taken to imply that the Doctor and Bernice have sex.
This same epilogue also has the Doctor indicating that Benny is his longest-serving companion, although exactly how long she travelled with the Doctor has never been firmly established.
Short Trips
Bernice also appears in a number of Doctor Who short stories, mostly set during her travels with the Doctor.- "Virgin Lands" by Sarah Groenewegen (Short Trips: ZodiacShort Trips: ZodiacShort Trips: Zodiac is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Jacqueline Rayner and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:-External links:*Reviews...
) - "Of the Mermaid and Jupiter" by Ian Mond & Danny Heap (Short Trips: Past TenseShort Trips: Past TenseShort Trips: Past Tense is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Ian Farrington and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The collection's theme is history with each story being set before the year 2000...
) - "Cold War" by Rebecca LeveneRebecca LeveneRebecca Levene is a British author and editor, best known for editing Virgin's New Adventures series of original fiction Doctor Who novels.-Biography:...
(Short Trips: Steel SkiesShort Trips: Steel SkiesShort Trips: Steel Skies is a Big Finish original anthology edited by John Binns and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The stories are all set in enclosed and artificial environments...
) - "...Be Forgot" by Cavan ScottCavan ScottCavan Scott is a freelance author, journalist and editor best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who...
and Mark Wright (Short Trips: A Christmas TreasuryShort Trips: A Christmas TreasuryShort Trips: A Christmas Treasury is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Paul Cornell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The collection is the first Christmas book in the Short Trips range....
) - set during Big Finish's Bernice audio series - "Too Rich for My Blood" by Rebecca Levene (Short Trips: Seven Deadly SinsShort Trips: Seven Deadly SinsShort Trips: Seven Deadly Sins is a Big Finish original anthology edited by David Bailey and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The collection's theme is the seven deadly sins.-Stories:...
) - "How You Get There" by Simon GuerrierSimon GuerrierSimon Guerrier is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of Doctor Who and its spinoffs...
(Short Trips: A Day in the LifeShort Trips: A Day in the LifeShort Trips: A Day in the Life is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Ian Farrington and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features a collection of stories that, together, are set over a 24-hour period.-Stories:-External links:* * Trevor...
) - "Larkspur" by Mark Stevens (Short Trips: TransmissionsShort Trips: TransmissionsShort Trips: Transmissions is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Richard Salter and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The theme of the collection concerns messages and transmissions, the media in which they're delivered and how they are...
)
The New Adventures
- Oh No It Isn't!Oh No It Isn't!Oh No It Isn't! is a novel published in 1997 by Paul Cornell from the Virgin New Adventures featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield....
- Dragons' WrathDragons' WrathDragons' Wrath is a novel by Justin Richards from the Virgin New Adventures starring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
- Beyond the SunBeyond the Sun (Bernice Summerfield)Beyond the Sun is a novel by Matt Jones featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield, his second for the Virgin New Adventures. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The book is, in part, a coming-of-age story for...
- Ship of FoolsShip of Fools (Bernice Summerfield)Ship of Fools is an original novel by Dave Stone featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-External links:*...
- DownDown (Bernice Summerfield)Down is an original novel by Lawrence Miles featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- DeadfallDeadfall (Bernice Summerfield)Deadfall is an original novel by Gary Russell featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- Ghost DevicesGhost DevicesGhost Devices is an original novel by Simon Bucher-Jones featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- Mean StreetsMean Streets (Bernice Summerfield)Mean Streets is an original novel by Terrance Dicks featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-External links:*...
- TempestTempest (Bernice Summerfield)Tempest is an original novel by Christopher Bulis featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Synopsis:...
- Walking to BabylonWalking to BabylonWalking to Babylon is a 1998 novel by Kate Orman in the Virgin New Adventures series featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield ....
- OblivionOblivion (Bernice Summerfield)Oblivion is an original novel by Dave Stone featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- The Medusa EffectThe Medusa EffectThe Medusa Effect is an original novel by Justin Richards featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- Dry PilgrimageDry PilgrimageDry Pilgrimage is an original novel by Paul Leonard and Nick Walters featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- The Sword of ForeverThe Sword of ForeverThe Sword of Forever is an original novel by Jim Mortimore featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Synopsis:...
- Another Girl, Another PlanetAnother Girl, Another Planet (Bernice Summerfield)Another Girl, Another Planet is an original novel by Len Beech and Martin Day featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield...
- Beige Planet MarsBeige Planet MarsBeige Planet Mars is an original novel by Lance Parkin and Mark Clapham featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- Where Angels FearWhere Angels FearWhere Angels Fear is an original novel by Rebecca Levene and Simon Winstone featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- The Mary-Sue ExtrusionThe Mary-Sue ExtrusionThe Mary-Sue Extrusion is an original novel by Dave Stone featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- Dead RomanceDead RomanceDead Romance is an original novel by Lawrence Miles, originally published as part of the Virgin New Adventures series. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
(Bernice Summerfield does not appear) - Tears of the OracleTears of the OracleTears of the Oracle is an original novel by Justin Richards featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Synopsis:...
- Return to the Fractured PlanetReturn to the Fractured PlanetReturn to the Fractured Planet is an original novel by Dave Stone featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- The Joy DeviceThe Joy DeviceThe Joy Device is an original novel by Justin Richards featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- Twilight of the GodsTwilight of the Gods (Bernice Summerfield)Twilight of the Gods is a novel by Mark Clapham and Jon de Burgh Miller from the Virgin New Adventures with the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield as its main character. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
Originally published monthly, the New Adventures went bimonthly after The Sword of Forever.
The New Adventures continued with Bernice generally in the leading role. Oh No It Isn't!
Oh No It Isn't!
Oh No It Isn't! is a novel published in 1997 by Paul Cornell from the Virgin New Adventures featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield....
provides the set-up for subsequent stories, with Bernice becoming Professor of Archaeology at St Oscar's University on the planet Dellah. She has now put her failed marriage to Jason Kane behind her. Oh No It Isn't! also re-introduces the People, a highly advanced alien race from the Doctor Who New Adventures. In Ghost Devices
Ghost Devices
Ghost Devices is an original novel by Simon Bucher-Jones featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, we meet Clarence (named after the angel in It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern....
). Clarence appears in the form of an angel, but is an artificial intelligence from the People who is eventually (in Tears of the Oracle
Tears of the Oracle
Tears of the Oracle is an original novel by Justin Richards featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Synopsis:...
) revealed to be a character from The Also People
The Also People
The Also People is an original novel written by Ben Aaronovitch and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris, Roz and Kadiatu.-Plot:...
. In Dragons' Wrath
Dragons' Wrath
Dragons' Wrath is a novel by Justin Richards from the Virgin New Adventures starring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, Bernice meets Irving Braxiatel
Irving Braxiatel
Irving Braxiatel or Cardinal Braxiatel is a fictional character from the Virgin New Adventures—spin-off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. He subsequently became a regular character in novels and audio dramas in the Bernice Summerfield universe...
for the first time (from his perspective). Beyond the Sun
Beyond the Sun (Bernice Summerfield)
Beyond the Sun is a novel by Matt Jones featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield, his second for the Virgin New Adventures. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The book is, in part, a coming-of-age story for...
introduces another recurring character, Emile Mars-Smith. Emile, Clarence and the People appear in a number of subsequent New Adventures, while Braxiatel appears in both further New Adventures and Benny stories from Big Finish.
Where Angels Fear
Where Angels Fear
Where Angels Fear is an original novel by Rebecca Levene and Simon Winstone featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
starts the Gods arc, a loose overarching story that finishes in Twilight of the Gods
Twilight of the Gods (Bernice Summerfield)
Twilight of the Gods is a novel by Mark Clapham and Jon de Burgh Miller from the Virgin New Adventures with the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield as its main character. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
. Along the way, Dellah is destroyed and Bernice is uprooted and loses her memory. Twilight of the Gods finishes with a new set-up for subsequent stories involving Bernice, Emile and others, but this was not used as Virgin stopped publishing the series.
As well as continuing the New Adventures after losing the Doctor Who license, Virgin also continued with their Decalog series. These had been Doctor Who short story anthologies, but Decalog 5: Wonders featured a Benny short story (The Judgement of Solomon) by Lawrence Miles
Lawrence Miles
Lawrence Miles is a science fiction author known for his work on original Doctor Who novels and the subsequent spin-off Faction Paradox...
alongside other shorts not set in the New Adventures continuity.
Big Finish paperback novels
- The Doomsday ManuscriptThe Doomsday ManuscriptThe Doomsday Manuscript is a novel by Justin Richards, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-External links:*...
- The Gods of the UnderworldThe Gods of the UnderworldThe Gods of the Underworld is a novel by Stephen Cole, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-External links:*...
- The Squire's CrystalThe Squire's CrystalThe Squire's Crystal is a novel by Jacqueline Rayner, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-External links:*...
- The Infernal NexusThe Infernal NexusThe Infernal Nexus is a novel by Dave Stone, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-External links:*...
- The Glass PrisonThe Glass Prison (Bernice Summerfield)The Glass Prison is a novel by Jacqueline Rayner, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Trivia:...
Big Finish licensed the character of Bernice Summerfield from Paul Cornell, Irving Braxiatel from Justin Richards and Jason Kane from Dave Stone
Dave Stone
-Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse...
, but other elements of the Virgin New Adventures' fictional universe were not obtained. Instead, Gary Russell
Gary Russell
Gary James Russell is a freelance writer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs in other media...
, Jac Rayner
Jacqueline Rayner
Jacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
and Cornell developed a new background and character ensemble, introduced in the anthology The Dead Men Diaries
The Dead Men Diaries
The Dead Men Diaries is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Paul Cornell, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:...
and developed in the initial run of paperbacks.
The most notable development in Big Finish's paperback novels was Bernice's pregnancy and the birth of her son in The Glass Prison.
The paperback novels proved uneconomic and Big Finish stopped publishing them, subsequently re-launching their Benny books in hardback with the anthology A Life of Surprises
A Life of Surprises
A Life of Surprises is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Paul Cornell, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:...
.
Big Finish hardcover novels
- The Big HuntThe Big HuntThe Big Hunt is a novel by Lance Parkin, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Synopsis:...
- The Tree of LifeThe Tree of Life (Bernice Summerfield)The Tree of Life is a novel by Mark Michalowski, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-External links:*...
- Genius LociGenius Loci (Bernice Summerfield)Genius Loci is a novel by Ben Aaronovitch, focusing on the early career of Bernice "Benny" Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
- The Two JasonsThe Two JasonsThe Two Jasons is a novel by Dave Stone, focusing on the life of Jason Kane, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
- Terra Incognita — originally announced in 2007, this novel remains unpublished save for an extract in Missing AdventuresMissing Adventures (Bernice Summerfield book)Missing Adventures is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Rebecca Levene, featuring Bernice "Benny" Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- The Weather on Versimmon
Big Finish novellas
- A Life In PiecesA Life In PiecesA Life in Pieces is a Big Finish original novella collection, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:-External links:*...
— a collection of three novellas in one book - Parallel LivesParallel Lives (Bernice Summerfield)Parallel Lives is a Big Finish original novella collection, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:-External links:*...
— a collection of three novellas in one book - Old Friends — a collection of three novellas in one book
- Nobody's ChildrenNobody's ChildrenNobody's Children is a Big Finish original novella collection, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was published in 2007.-Stories:...
— a collection of three novellas in one book - The Vampire CurseThe Vampire CurseThe Vampire Curse is a Big Finish original novella collection, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, fighting vampires. It was published in 2008.-Stories:-External links:*...
— a collection of three novellas in one book
Big Finish anthologies
- The Dead Men DiariesThe Dead Men DiariesThe Dead Men Diaries is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Paul Cornell, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:...
- A Life of SurprisesA Life of SurprisesA Life of Surprises is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Paul Cornell, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:...
- Life During WartimeLife During Wartime (Bernice Summerfield)Life During Wartime is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Paul Cornell, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:...
- A Life Worth Living
- Something ChangedSomething Changed (Bernice Summerfield)Something Changed is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Simon Guerrier, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:...
- Collected WorksCollected WorksCollected Works is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Nick Wallace, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- Missing AdventuresMissing Adventures (Bernice Summerfield book)Missing Adventures is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Rebecca Levene, featuring Bernice "Benny" Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- Secret HistoriesSecret HistoriesSecret Histories is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Mark Clapham, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:-External links:...
- Present DangerPresent dangerPresent Danger is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Eddie Robson, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:-External links:*...
Big Finish animated mini-film
- Bernice Summerfield: Dead and BuriedDead and Buried (Bernice Summerfield)Dead and Buried is an animated webcast based on the Doctor Who spin-off series Bernice Summerfield. It was released free to watch on the official Big Finish YouTube channel on 31 August 2010...
Season 1
| # | Title | Author | Adapted by | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Oh No It Isn't! Oh No It Isn't! Oh No It Isn't! is a novel published in 1997 by Paul Cornell from the Virgin New Adventures featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield.... |
Paul Cornell Paul Cornell Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield.... |
Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.... |
September 1998 |
| 1.2 | Beyond the Sun Beyond the Sun (Bernice Summerfield) Beyond the Sun is a novel by Matt Jones featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield, his second for the Virgin New Adventures. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The book is, in part, a coming-of-age story for... |
Matt Jones Matt Jones (writer) Matthew David Jones is a British television writer and producer, who has worked on a variety of popular drama programmes for several television networks in the UK.... |
Matt Jones | September 1998 |
| 1.3 | Walking to Babylon Walking to Babylon Walking to Babylon is a 1998 novel by Kate Orman in the Virgin New Adventures series featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield .... |
Kate Orman Kate Orman Kate Orman is an Australian author, best known for her books connected to the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who.-Biography:... |
Jacqueline Rayner | November 1998 |
| 1.4 | Birthright Birthright (Doctor Who) Birthright is a novel by Nigel Robinson from the Virgin New Adventures. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who... |
Nigel Robinson Nigel Robinson Nigel Robinson is an English author, known for such works as the First Contact series.Nigel was born in Preston, Lancashire and attended St Thomas More school.... |
Jacqueline Rayner | February 1999 |
| 1.5 | Just War Just War (Doctor Who) Just War is a novel by Lance Parkin from the Virgin New Adventures. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who... |
Lance Parkin Lance Parkin Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale... |
Jacqueline Rayner | August 1999 |
| 1.6 | Dragons' Wrath Dragons' Wrath Dragons' Wrath is a novel by Justin Richards from the Virgin New Adventures starring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who... |
Justin Richards Justin Richards Justin Richards is a British writer. He has written science fiction and fantasy novels, including series set in Victorian or early-20th-century London, and also adventure stories set in the present day... |
Jacqueline Rayner | September 2000 |
The first season of Bernice Summerfield audio plays
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
are all adaptations of New Adventures novels originally published by Virgin Publishing. Each of the plays spans two CDs, except for Dragon's Wrath, which was issued on a single CD.
The plays deviate from the original novels, in terms of plot and characters, to varying degrees. This is particularly evident with the productions of Birthright and Just War, both of which were originally Doctor Who novels. These changes were necessary because, at the time of their production, Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
weren't licensed to produce Doctor Who audio plays.
Actor and photographer Lisa Bowerman
Lisa Bowerman
Lisa Bowerman is a British actress.Bowerman trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and was a regular in the first two series of BBC medical drama Casualty playing Sandra Mute, the show's first female paramedic. Her other television work includes: Dodgem, The Count of Solar, Grange Hill, The...
was cast in the role of Bernice Summerfield. Bowerman had previously appeared in the Doctor Who story Survival
Survival (Doctor Who)
-Writing:Writer Rona Munro approached script editor Andrew Cartmel at a BBC scriptwriting workshop and said that she'd "kill to write for Doctor Who." The story Munro developed incorporated themes including the morals of hunting...
(1989). The first series also co-starred Stephen Fewell
Stephen Fewell
Stephen Fewell is a British actor who portrays Jason Kane in the audio adventures of Bernice Summerfield. He has also appeared in classical theatre and as several roles in various Doctor Who audio productions...
as Jason Kane. A variety of actors familiar to Doctor Who fans played guest roles in many of the plays, including Colin Baker
Colin Baker
Colin Baker is a British actor who is known for playing Paul Merroney in The Brothers from 1974 to 1976 and as the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986.- Background:Colin Baker was born in London, but moved north to...
, Sophie Aldred
Sophie Aldred
Sophie Aldred is an English actress and television presenter, best known for her portrayal of The Doctor's companion Ace in the television series Doctor Who during the late 1980s.-Early life:...
, Nicholas Courtney
Nicholas Courtney
William Nicholas Stone Courtney was an English television actor, most famous for playing Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
, Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades, both on...
, Anneke Wills
Anneke Wills
Anneke Wills is an English actress, best-known for her role as the Doctor Who's companion Polly in the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Biography:...
and Richard Franklin
Richard Franklin
Richard Franklin is a British actor.He has had various roles in different television programmes including Crossroads and Emmerdale Farm...
.
Season 2
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | The Secret of Cassandra The Secret of Cassandra The Secret of Cassandra is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
David Bailey David Bailey (writer) David Bailey is a British editor and author whose published output to date comprises a combination of short stories, audio dramas and magazine articles.... |
18 December 2000 |
| 2.2 | The Stone's Lament The Stone's Lament The Stone's Lament is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Mike Tucker Mike Tucker Mike Tucker is a special effects expert who worked for many years at the BBC Television Visual Effects Department, and now works as an Effects Supervisor for his own company, The Model Unit. He is also the author of a variety of spin-offs relating to the television series Doctor Who and... |
8 May 2001 |
| 2.3 | The Extinction Event The Extinction Event The Extinction Event is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Lance Parkin Lance Parkin Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale... |
9 July 2001 |
| 2.4 | The Skymines of Karthos The Skymines of Karthos The Skymines of Karthos is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
David Bailey | 3 September 2001 |
For the second season of Bernice Summerfield audio plays, Big Finish Productions experimented by developing ongoing character arcs that alternated between two different mediums — the audio plays and novels. Fans who did not collect the novels were initially confused to discover that Benny was pregnant during the final audio play of the season, The Skymines of Karthos. The pregnancy was explained in the novel The Squire's Crystal by Jacqueline Rayner
Jacqueline Rayner
Jacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
.
The run of plays from the second season onwards take part in what has become known as the Collection continuity, as they are set primarily on the Braxiatel Collection, a combined museum and university located on the planetoid KS-159. A number of regular characters are introduced for the first time, most notably Irving Braxiatel. First referenced in the 1979 Doctor Who story City of Death
City of Death
-Pre-production:Writer David Fisher had contributed two scripts to Doctor Whos sixteenth season – The Stones of Blood and The Androids of Tara – and was asked by producer Graham Williams for further story ideas...
(written by Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
and Graham Williams), Braxiatel first appeared in person in the New Adventures novel Theatre of War.
Season 3
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | The Greatest Shop in the Galaxy The Greatest Shop in the Galaxy The Greatest Shop in the Galaxy is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Paul Ebbs | 25 February 2002 |
| 3.2 | The Green-Eyed Monsters The Green-Eyed Monsters The Green-Eyed Monsters is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Dave Stone Dave Stone -Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse... |
20 June 2002 |
| 3.3 | The Dance of the Dead The Dance of the Dead The Dance of the Dead is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Stephen Cole Stephen Cole (writer) Stephen Cole is an author of children's books and science fiction. He was also in charge of BBC Worldwide's merchandising of the BBC Television series Doctor Who between 1997 and 1999: this was a role which found him deciding on which stories should be released on video, commissioning and editing... |
24 October 2002 |
| 3.4 | The Mirror Effect The Mirror Effect The Mirror Effect is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Stewart Sheargold | March 2003 |
Whereas the previous seasons had focused primarily on the character of Bernice Summerfield, Big Finish used the third season as an opportunity to introduce an ensemble
Ensemble cast
An ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
feel to the productions. This is most evident in The Green-Eyed Monsters and The Mirror Effect where the characters Jason Kane, Adrian Wall and Irving Braxiatel are significantly developed. The latter, in particular, suggests that Braxiatel has a darker, more mysterious past than the audience has previously been led to believe.
The other two plays that comprise the third season focus more specifically on Bernice. The Greatest Shop in the Galaxy remains the most light-hearted play of the season, while The Dance of the Dead reintroduces the Ice Warrior
Ice Warrior
The Ice Warriors are a fictional extraterrestrial race of reptilian-like humanoids in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The race originated on Mars, and first appeared in the 1967 serial The Ice Warriors where they encountered the Second Doctor and his...
s from Doctor Who.
While not officially part of the third season (at least as far as the numbering is concerned), the Bernice Summerfield audio play The Plague Herds of Excelis
The Plague Herds of Excelis
The Plague Herds of Excelis is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
(the fourth play in Big Finish's Excelis series; the first three plays fall under the Doctor Who umbrella) takes place between The Green-Eyed Monsters and The Dance of the Dead. Chronologically, the short story anthology A Life of Surprises also falls within this gap.
Season 4
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | The Bellotron Incident The Bellotron Incident The Bellotron Incident is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Mike Tucker Mike Tucker Mike Tucker is a special effects expert who worked for many years at the BBC Television Visual Effects Department, and now works as an Effects Supervisor for his own company, The Model Unit. He is also the author of a variety of spin-offs relating to the television series Doctor Who and... |
April 2003 |
| 4.2 | The Draconian Rage The Draconian Rage The Draconian Rage is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who... |
Trevor Baxendale Trevor Baxendale Trevor Baxendale is a novelist who has penned several Doctor Who tie-in novels and audio dramas.*The Janus Conjunction *Out of the Darkness *Coldheart *Eater of Wasps *Fear of the Dark... |
August 2003 |
| 4.3 | The Poison Seas The Poison Seas The Poison Seas is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
David Bailey David Bailey (writer) David Bailey is a British editor and author whose published output to date comprises a combination of short stories, audio dramas and magazine articles.... |
September 2003 |
| 4.4 | Death and the Daleks Death and the Daleks Death and the Daleks is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Paul Cornell Paul Cornell Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield.... |
January 2004 |
The fourth season was unofficially dubbed the "classic Who monsters" season, with each play featuring an alien adversary that previously appeared in the Doctor Who television series. The Bellotron Incident predominantly features the Rutan Host
Rutan Host
Rutans are a fictional extraterrestrial race from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. They have been at war with the Sontaran Empire for more than 50,000 years, and this war dominates both cultures to the exclusion of all else...
(their major enemies, the Sontaran
Sontaran
The Sontarans are a fictional extraterrestrial race of humanoids from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and also seen in spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures. They were created by writer Robert Holmes.-Culture:...
s, are also referred to but don't actually appear), The Draconian Rage features the Draconians
Draconian (Doctor Who)
The Draconians are a fictional extraterrestrial race from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Their only television appearance to date was in the 1973 serial Frontier in Space. Unlike many "monster" races in Doctor Who, the Draconians were articulate and portrayed as having a...
, The Poison Seas casts a more sympathetic light on the Sea Devils, while Death and the Daleks (the first double CD release in the series since Just War) sees the first appearance of the Dalek
Dalek
The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Within the series, Daleks are cyborgs from the planet Skaro, created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals...
s within the Bernice Summerfield series. Prior to its release, Death and the Daleks was entitled The Axis of Evil
Axis of evil
"Axis of evil" is a term initially used by the former United States President George W. Bush in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002 and often repeated throughout his presidency, describing governments that he accused of helping terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction...
to keep the appearance of the Daleks a secret.
Big Finish also published an anthology of short stories, entitled Life During Wartime
Life During Wartime (Bernice Summerfield)
Life During Wartime is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Paul Cornell, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:...
, that was specially written as a prelude to the Death and the Daleks audio play. Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
, the anthology's editor, described Life During Wartime as "a novel written by multiple authors". Each of the collection's stories are told in chronological order, detailing events that occur when the Collection is occupied by a powerful alien force. The anthology ends on a cliff-hanger that is resolved in Death and the Daleks.
Season 5
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | The Grel Escape The Grel Escape The Grel Escape is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.... |
July 2004 |
| 5.2 | The Bone of Contention The Bone of Contention The Bone of Contention is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Simon A. Forward Simon A. Forward Simon A. Forward is an author and dramatist most famous for his work on a variety of Doctor Who spin-offs. He currently lives and works in Penzance with his wife as a full-time writer.-Work:... |
August 2004 |
| 5.3 | The Relics of Jegg-Sau The Relics of Jegg-Sau The Relics of Jegg-Sau is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Stephen Cole Stephen Cole (writer) Stephen Cole is an author of children's books and science fiction. He was also in charge of BBC Worldwide's merchandising of the BBC Television series Doctor Who between 1997 and 1999: this was a role which found him deciding on which stories should be released on video, commissioning and editing... |
November 2004 |
| 5.4 | The Masquerade of Death The Masquerade of Death The Masquerade of Death is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Stewart Sheargold | March 2005 |
The previous season's tradition of using classic monsters continues into the fifth season, with the Grel (previously heard in Oh No It Isn't!) returning in The Grel Escape, a knowing pastiche of The Chase
The Chase (Doctor Who)
The Chase is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 22 May to 26 June 1965. The story is set on multiple locations including the Mary Celeste, the Empire State Building, and the planet Aridius...
. The Bone of Contention features the Galyari, who appeared in the Doctor Who audio play The Sandman, while the title and plot of The Relics of Jegg-Sau was inspired by a 1970s Doctor Who licensed jigsaw puzzle
Jigsaw puzzle
A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of numerous small, often oddly shaped, interlocking and tessellating pieces.Each piece usually has a small part of a picture on it; when complete, a jigsaw puzzle produces a complete picture...
that depicted a scene with giant robots identical to the one that appeared in Robot
Robot (Doctor Who)
Robot is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 28 December 1974 to 18 January 1975...
.
The Masquerade of Death brings the fifth season to a close in a suitably dark and surreal fashion.
Season 6
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | The Heart's Desire The Heart's Desire The Heart's Desire is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
David Bailey David Bailey (writer) David Bailey is a British editor and author whose published output to date comprises a combination of short stories, audio dramas and magazine articles.... & Neil Corry |
June 2005 |
| 6.2 | The Kingdom of the Blind The Kingdom of the Blind The Kingdom of the Blind is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.... |
July 2005 |
| 6.3 | The Lost Museum The Lost Museum The Lost Museum is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of Doctor Who and its spinoffs... |
September 2005 |
| 6.4 | The Goddess Quandary The Goddess Quandary The Goddess Quandary is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Andy Russell | February 2006 |
| 6.5 | The Crystal of Cantus The Crystal of Cantus The Crystal of Cantus is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Joseph Lidster Joseph Lidster Joseph Lidster is an English television writer best known for his work on the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Biography:His debut work was the audio play The Rapture for Big Finish Productions in 2002... |
June 2006 |
By the end of The Crystal of Cantus
The Crystal of Cantus
The Crystal of Cantus is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :...
, the true dark and manipulative nature of Braxiatel was revealed and he left the Collection. Its future is now uncertain, with the Draconians claiming they own the planetoid it is based on.
Season 7
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | The Tartarus Gate The Tartarus Gate The Tartarus Gate is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Stewart Sheargold | July 2006 |
| 7.2 | Timeless Passages Timeless Passages (Bernice Summerfield) Timeless Passages is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Daniel O'Mahony Daniel O'Mahony Daniel O'Mahony is a half-British half-Irish author, born in Croydon. He is the oldest of five children, his siblings including Eoin O'Mahony of the band Hamfatter, and Madeleine O'Mahony, who has designed and made hats for Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.-Biography:O'Mahony's first professionally... |
August 2006 |
| 7.3 | The Worst Thing in the World The Worst Thing in the World The Worst Thing in the World is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Dave Stone Dave Stone -Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse... |
September 2006 |
| 7.4 | Summer of Love Summer of Love (Bernice Summerfield) Summer of Love is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of Doctor Who and its spinoffs... |
October 2006 |
| 7.5 | The Oracle of Delphi The Oracle of Delphi The Oracle of Delphi is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Scott Handcock Scott Handcock Scott Handcock is an English writer, director and producer from Birmingham who has involved in a number of audio plays for Big Finish Productions, the audio production company perhaps best associated with the Doctor Who franchise.... |
November 2006 |
| 7.6 | The Empire State The Empire State (audio play) The Empire State is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Cast:... |
Eddie Robson Eddie Robson Eddie Robson is a freelance author best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next. He is also co-owner of and a regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website, as well as a freelance reviewer for various science fiction magazines... |
December 2006 |
The seventh season follows the staff of the Collection as they attempt to keep things running smoothly in Braxiatel's absence. Collected Works
Collected Works
Collected Works is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Nick Wallace, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
and Old Friends, two books published during this season's run, also develop the running plots that planetoid KS-159 is under threat from the Draconians and Mim, and that the Collection itself is falling apart literally as well as figuratively without Braxiatel at its helm.
Season 8
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | The Tub Full of Cats The Tub Full of Cats The Tub Full of Cats is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Daniel O'Mahony Daniel O'Mahony Daniel O'Mahony is a half-British half-Irish author, born in Croydon. He is the oldest of five children, his siblings including Eoin O'Mahony of the band Hamfatter, and Madeleine O'Mahony, who has designed and made hats for Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.-Biography:O'Mahony's first professionally... |
February 2007 |
| 8.2 | The Judas Gift The Judas Gift The Judas Gift is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Nick Wallace Nick Wallace Nick Wallace is a novelist and short story writer based in Tunbridge Wells, best known for his work in Doctor Who spin-offs. He is the author of Fear Itself, the only BBC novel to date featuring solely the Eighth Doctor not to be published as part of the ongoing Eighth Doctor Adventures line;... |
April 2007 |
| 8.3 | Freedom of Information | Eddie Robson Eddie Robson Eddie Robson is a freelance author best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next. He is also co-owner of and a regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website, as well as a freelance reviewer for various science fiction magazines... |
June 2007 |
| 8.4 | The End of the World The End of the World (Bernice Summerfield) The End of the World is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Stephen Fewell as Jason Kane, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Dave Stone Dave Stone -Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse... |
September 2007 |
| 8.5 | The Final Amendment The Final Amendment The Final Amendment is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Cast:... |
Joseph Lidster Joseph Lidster Joseph Lidster is an English television writer best known for his work on the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Biography:His debut work was the audio play The Rapture for Big Finish Productions in 2002... |
October 2007 |
| 8.6 | The Wake The Wake (Bernice Summerfield) The Wake is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of Doctor Who and its spinoffs... |
January 2008 |
In the eighth season, Braxiatel returns to the Collection, which is threatened by crossfire and politics in the war between the Draconians and Mim. The war comes to an unexpected conclusion shortly after his return, and several regular characters pay a heavy price for realising too late that Braxiatel himself is the real threat. The season ends with Benny cutting her ties to the Collection and Braxiatel, and going on the run with her son Peter. The books The Two Jasons
The Two Jasons
The Two Jasons is a novel by Dave Stone, focusing on the life of Jason Kane, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
and Nobody's Children
Nobody's Children
Nobody's Children is a Big Finish original novella collection, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was published in 2007.-Stories:...
also fit into this season's arc.
Season 9
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.1 | Beyond the Sea Beyond the Sea (Bernice Summerfield) Beyond the Sea is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Eddie Robson Eddie Robson Eddie Robson is a freelance author best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next. He is also co-owner of and a regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website, as well as a freelance reviewer for various science fiction magazines... |
June 2008 |
| 9.2 | The Adolescence of Time The Adolescence of Time The Adolescence of Time is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Lawrence Miles Lawrence Miles Lawrence Miles is a science fiction author known for his work on original Doctor Who novels and the subsequent spin-off Faction Paradox... |
July 2008 |
| 9.3 | The Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel The Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel The Adventures of the Diogenes Damsel is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Jim Smith Jim Smith (Writer) James Edward Smith is a writer and critic best known for writing film and television criticism and directorial critical biographies - including studies of George Lucas, Tim Burton and Quentin Tarantino... |
August 2008 |
| 9.4 | The Diet of Worms The Diet of Worms The Diet of Worms is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Matthew Sweet Matthew Sweet (writer) Matthew Sweet is a British writer, journalist, and BBC broadcaster. He holds a doctorate from Oxford University on the sensation fiction of the 19th century, Wilkie Collins in particular... |
September 2008 |
The ninth season is a much looser collection of stories, following Bernice and her son Peter as Benny searches for work away from the Collection.
Season 10
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.1 | Glory Days Glory Days (Bernice Summerfield) Glory Days is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Nick Wallace Nick Wallace Nick Wallace is a novelist and short story writer based in Tunbridge Wells, best known for his work in Doctor Who spin-offs. He is the author of Fear Itself, the only BBC novel to date featuring solely the Eighth Doctor not to be published as part of the ongoing Eighth Doctor Adventures line;... |
June 2009 |
| 10.2 | Absence Absence (Bernice Summerfield) Absence is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Daniel O'Mahony Daniel O'Mahony Daniel O'Mahony is a half-British half-Irish author, born in Croydon. He is the oldest of five children, his siblings including Eoin O'Mahony of the band Hamfatter, and Madeleine O'Mahony, who has designed and made hats for Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.-Biography:O'Mahony's first professionally... |
July 2009 |
| 10.3 | Venus Mantrap Venus Mantrap Venus Mantrap is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Mark Clapham Mark Clapham Mark Clapham is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next.... & Lance Parkin Lance Parkin Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale... |
August 2009 |
| 10.4 | Secret Origins Secret Origins (Bernice Summerfield) Secret Origins is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Eddie Robson Eddie Robson Eddie Robson is a freelance author best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next. He is also co-owner of and a regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website, as well as a freelance reviewer for various science fiction magazines... |
September 2009 |
Season 11
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11.1 | Resurrecting the Past Resurrecting the Past Resurrecting the Past is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Eddie Robson Eddie Robson Eddie Robson is a freelance author best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next. He is also co-owner of and a regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website, as well as a freelance reviewer for various science fiction magazines... |
September 2010 |
| 11.2 | Escaping the Future Escaping the Future Escaping the Future is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Eddie Robson Eddie Robson Eddie Robson is a freelance author best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next. He is also co-owner of and a regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website, as well as a freelance reviewer for various science fiction magazines... |
October 2010 |
| 11.3 | Year Zero Year Zero (Bernice Summerfield) Year Zero is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
Jonathan Clements Jonathan Clements Jonathan Clements is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi , as well as monthly opinion columns for Neo magazine... |
November 2010 |
| 11.4 | Dead Man's Switch Dead Man's Switch (Bernice Summerfield) Dead Man's Switch is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.- Plot :... |
John Dorney John Dorney John Dorney is a British writer and actor best known for stage roles including the National Theatre and his scripts for the Big Finish Doctor Who range... & Richard Dinnick Richard Dinnick Richard Dinnick is a British writer, who has written for many media including novels, audio dramas, short stories and comic strips. He works in the science-fiction, fantasy and thriller genres. He has written for several SF franchises including Doctor Who, Stargate, Sapphire & Steel and Space 1889... |
December 2010 |
Epoch
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | The Kraken's Lament | Mark Wright | September 2011 |
| 1.2 | The Temple of Questions | Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.... |
September 2011 |
| 1.3 | Private Enemy No. 1 | Tony Lee Tony Lee Tony Lee is a British comics writer, screenwriter, audio playwright and novelist.-Early life:Lee was born in Hayes, Middlesex in England... |
September 2011 |
| 1.4 | Judgement Day | Scott Handcock Scott Handcock Scott Handcock is an English writer, director and producer from Birmingham who has involved in a number of audio plays for Big Finish Productions, the audio production company perhaps best associated with the Doctor Who franchise.... |
September 2011 |
Road Trip
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Brand Management | Christopher Cooper | February 2012 |
| 2.2 | Bad Habits | Simon Barnard and Paul Morris | February 2012 |
| 2.3 | Paradise Frost | David Llewellyn David Llewellyn (author) David Llewellyn , is a Welsh novelist. He grew up in Pontypool and graduated from Dartington College of Arts in 2000. His first novel, Eleven, was published by Seren Press in 2006. His second novel, Trace Memory, a spin-off of the BBC drama series Torchwood was published in March 2008. Everything... |
February 2012 |
Legion
| # | Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | TBA | Tony Lee Tony Lee Tony Lee is a British comics writer, screenwriter, audio playwright and novelist.-Early life:Lee was born in Hayes, Middlesex in England... |
September 2012 |
| 3.2 | Shades of Gray | Scott Handcock Scott Handcock Scott Handcock is an English writer, director and producer from Birmingham who has involved in a number of audio plays for Big Finish Productions, the audio production company perhaps best associated with the Doctor Who franchise.... |
September 2012 |
| 3.3 | Everybody Loves Irving | Miles Richardson Miles Richardson Miles Richardson is a British actor.He was born on 15 July 1963 in Battersea, London to parents Ian Richardson and Maroussia Frank , both founder members of the Royal Shakespeare Company... |
September 2012 |
Miscellaneous
| Title | Author | Released |
|---|---|---|
| Buried Treasures | Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.... & Paul Cornell Paul Cornell Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield.... |
August 1999 |
| The Shadow of the Scourge The Shadow of the Scourge The Shadow of the Scourge is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Cast:*The Doctor — Sylvester McCoy*Ace — Sophie Aldred*Bernice Summerfield — Lisa Bowerman... |
Paul Cornell Paul Cornell Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield.... |
October 2000 |
| The Plague Herds of Excelis The Plague Herds of Excelis The Plague Herds of Excelis is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who... |
Stephen Cole Stephen Cole (writer) Stephen Cole is an author of children's books and science fiction. He was also in charge of BBC Worldwide's merchandising of the BBC Television series Doctor Who between 1997 and 1999: this was a role which found him deciding on which stories should be released on video, commissioning and editing... |
1 July 2002 |
| The Dark Flame The Dark Flame The Dark Flame is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Cast:*The Doctor — Sylvester McCoy*Ace — Sophie Aldred*Bernice Summerfield — Lisa Bowerman... |
Trevor Baxendale Trevor Baxendale Trevor Baxendale is a novelist who has penned several Doctor Who tie-in novels and audio dramas.*The Janus Conjunction *Out of the Darkness *Coldheart *Eater of Wasps *Fear of the Dark... |
March 2003 |
| Silver Lining Silver Lining (Bernice Summerfield) Silver Lining is a Big Finish Productions audio drama featuring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Silver Lining was given away free with Doctor Who Magazine #351... |
Colin Brake Colin Brake Colin Brake is an English television writer and script editor best known for his work for the BBC on programs such as Bugs and EastEnders. He has also written spin-offs from the BBC series Doctor Who... |
December 2004 |
| The Company of Friends (Benny's Story) | Lance Parkin Lance Parkin Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale... |
July 2009 |
| Bernice Summerfield and the Criminal Code Bernice Summerfield and the Criminal Code (Doctor Who audio) Bernice Summerfield and the Criminal Code is a Big Finish Productions audiobook based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who... |
Eddie Robson Eddie Robson Eddie Robson is a freelance author best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next. He is also co-owner of and a regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website, as well as a freelance reviewer for various science fiction magazines... |
January 2010 |
| Dead and Buried Dead and Buried (Bernice Summerfield) Dead and Buried is an animated webcast based on the Doctor Who spin-off series Bernice Summerfield. It was released free to watch on the official Big Finish YouTube channel on 31 August 2010... |
Eddie Robson, John Ainsworth & Alex Mallinson | 31 August 2010 |
| Love and War Love and War (Doctor Who) Love and War is an original novel written by Paul Cornell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Ace and introduces a new companion, Bernice Summerfield... (audio adaptation) |
adapted by Jacqueline Rayner | October 2012 |
Buried Treasures was a free CD released to early subscribers of the first season of Bernice Summerfield audio plays. The Shadow of the Scourge, The Dark Flame and The Company of Friends were part of Big Finish's ongoing Doctor Who line. The first two are based in the continuity of the Virgin New Adventures and feature Sylvester McCoy
Sylvester McCoy
Sylvester McCoy is a Scottish actor. As a comic act and busker he appeared regularly on stage and on BBC Children's television in the 1970s and 80s, but is best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1987 to...
as the Doctor and Sophie Aldred
Sophie Aldred
Sophie Aldred is an English actress and television presenter, best known for her portrayal of The Doctor's companion Ace in the television series Doctor Who during the late 1980s.-Early life:...
as Ace. The latter is a set of four one episode stories starring Paul McGann
Paul McGann
Paul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role...
's Doctor. In Benny's Story he encounters her sometime after having met her in the novels. The Plague Herds of Excelis was the epilogue to the three part Excelis cycle of Doctor Who audios, and features Iris Wildthyme
Iris Wildthyme
Iris Wildthyme is a fictional character created by writer Paul Magrs, who has appeared in short stories, novels and audio dramas from numerous publishers...
, a recurring character in the Doctor Who BBC novels and Big Finish audio plays. Silver Lining was an exclusive audio drama featuring the Cybermen
Cyberman
The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of humanoids originating on Earth's twin planet Mondas that began to implant more...
that came free with Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
issue 351, and Bernice Summerfield and the Criminal Code is a Companion Chronicle.
See also
- Doctor Who spin-offsDoctor Who spin-offsDoctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
- List of Bernice Summerfield characters