Series 1 (BFBS): Difference between revisions

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The '''first series''' in the ''[[Big Finish Bernice Summerfield series|Bernice Summerfield]]'' range of audios was released by [[Big Finish Productions]] in [[1998 (releases)|1998]]–[[2000 (releases)|2000]] and marked the first commercially produced audios by Big Finish. The titular character of the range, [[Bernice Summerfield]], was originally created by [[Paul Cornell]] for [[Virgin New Adventures]] novels. In contrast to the following seasons and, indeed, to most of the audios produced by Big Finish, the first series consisted of six adaptations, or "dramatisations" as they were called on the covers, of [[Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures]] and some Virgin New Adventures (in the latter, the character of [[the Doctor]] had to be omitted or replaced). It was on the strength of these adaptations that Big Finish were granted a licence from the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] to produce original ''[[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|Doctor Who]]'' audio dramas in [[1999 (production)|1999]].  
The '''first series''' in the ''[[Big Finish Bernice Summerfield series|Bernice Summerfield]]'' range of audios was released by [[Big Finish Productions]] in [[1998 (releases)|1998]]–[[2000 (releases)|2000]] and marked the first commercially produced audios by Big Finish. The titular character of the range, [[Bernice Summerfield]], was originally created by [[Paul Cornell]] for [[Virgin New Adventures]] novels. In contrast to the following seasons and, indeed, to most of the audios produced by Big Finish, the first series consisted of six adaptations, or "dramatisations" as they were called on the covers, of [[Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures]] and some Virgin New Adventures (in the latter, the character of [[the Doctor]] had to be omitted or replaced). It was on the strength of these adaptations that Big Finish were granted a licence from the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] to produce original ''[[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|Doctor Who]]'' audio dramas in [[1999 (production)|1999]].  


The season included 6 regular releases and one limited-edition bonus release. [[Lisa Bowerman]] was cast for the titular role of Benny and remained the only actress to embody the role for 20 years and counting. For supporting roles, Big Finish were able to secure the talents of several prominent actors of televised ''[[Doctor Who]]'' fame, including [[Colin Baker]] and [[Nicholas Courtney]], best known as the [[Sixth Doctor]] and Brigadier [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|Lethbridge-Stewart]] respectively. The producer [[Gary Russell]] was even more recently involved in writing the novelisation of the [[1996 (releases)|1996]] ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)]]'' TV movie. [[Nicholas Briggs]], who directed several of the adaptations, came into the production with the fresh experience of making unlicensed ''[[Audio Visuals]]'' audios.
The season included 6 regular releases and one limited-edition bonus release. [[Lisa Bowerman]] was cast for the titular role of Benny and remained the only actress to embody the role for 20 years and counting. For supporting roles, Big Finish were able to secure the talents of several prominent actors of televised ''[[Doctor Who]]'' fame, including [[Colin Baker]] and [[Nicholas Courtney]], best known as the [[Sixth Doctor]] and Brigadier [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|Lethbridge-Stewart]] respectively. The producer [[Gary Russell]] had been even more recently involved in writing the [[The Novel of the Film (novelisation)|novelisation]] of the [[1996 (releases)|1996]] ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'' TV movie. [[Nicholas Briggs]], who directed several of the adaptations, came into the production with the fresh experience of making unlicensed ''[[Audio Visuals]]'' ''Doctor Who'' audios.


== Overview ==
== Overview ==
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* [[Stephen Fewell]]
* [[Stephen Fewell]]
* [[Richard Franklin]]
* [[Richard Franklin]]
Aldred, Baker, Courtney, Franklin, Sladen, and Wills were all known for their ''Doctor Who'' roles, which they would all eventually reprise in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]] audio dramas.


== Production ==
== Production ==
{{section stub}}
=== Crew ===
=== Crew ===
==== Producers ====
==== Writers ====
''to be added''
With all six regular stories being adaptations, their original authors were credited alongside [[Jacqueline Rayner]], who "dramatised" all stories but one, ''[[Beyond the Sun (audio story)|Beyond the Sun]]'', which was adapted by its author, [[Matt Fitton]]. The bonus release featured two original short stories by Rayner and [[Paul Cornell]]. These two stories held the distinction of being the first original stories recorded by [[Big Finish Productions]], but were overtaken on the release stage by ''[[The Sirens of Time (audio story)|The Sirens of Time]]''.


==== Writers ====
''to be added''


==== Directors ====
==== Directors ====
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== Stories ==
== Stories ==
''to be added''
=== Regular releases ===
{| {{prettytable}}
! # || Title || Author || Published
|-
|1
|| ''[[Oh No It Isn't! (audio story)|Oh No It Isn't!]]''
|| {{il|[[Paul Cornell]] and|[[Jacqueline Rayner]]}} 
| September [[1998 (releases)|1998]]
|-
|2
|| ''[[Beyond the Sun (audio story)|Beyond the Sun]]''
|| [[Matt Jones]] |
|  September 1998
|-
|3
|| ''[[Walking to Babylon (audio story)|Walking to Babylon]]''
|| {{il|[[Kate Orman]] and|[[Jacqueline Rayner]]}}
|| January [[1999 (releases)|1999]]
|-
|4
|| ''[[Birthright (audio story)|Birthright]]''
|| {{il|[[Nigel Robinson]] and|[[Jacqueline Rayner]]}}
||  February 1999
|-
|5
|| ''[[Just War (audio story)|Just War]]''
|| {{il|[[Lance Parkin]] and|[[Jacqueline Rayner]]}}
||  August 1999
|-
|6
|| ''[[Dragons' Wrath (audio story)|Dragons' Wrath]]''
|| {{il|[[Justin Richards]] and|[[Jacqueline Rayner]]}}
|| September [[2000 (releases)|2000]]
|}
<!--
|-
|rowspan="2"|''[[Buried Treasures (audio anthology)|Buried Treasures]]''  || ''[[Making Myths (audio story)|Making Myths]]'' || [[Jacqueline Rayner]] ||  rowspan="2"|August 1999
|-
|| ''[[Closure (audio story)|Closure]]'' || [[Paul Cornell]]  -->
 


== Cover art ==
== Cover art ==

Revision as of 23:46, 11 December 2017

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The first series in the Bernice Summerfield range of audios was released by Big Finish Productions in 19982000 and marked the first commercially produced audios by Big Finish. The titular character of the range, Bernice Summerfield, was originally created by Paul Cornell for Virgin New Adventures novels. In contrast to the following seasons and, indeed, to most of the audios produced by Big Finish, the first series consisted of six adaptations, or "dramatisations" as they were called on the covers, of Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures and some Virgin New Adventures (in the latter, the character of the Doctor had to be omitted or replaced). It was on the strength of these adaptations that Big Finish were granted a licence from the BBC to produce original Doctor Who audio dramas in 1999.

The season included 6 regular releases and one limited-edition bonus release. Lisa Bowerman was cast for the titular role of Benny and remained the only actress to embody the role for 20 years and counting. For supporting roles, Big Finish were able to secure the talents of several prominent actors of televised Doctor Who fame, including Colin Baker and Nicholas Courtney, best known as the Sixth Doctor and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart respectively. The producer Gary Russell had been even more recently involved in writing the novelisation of the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie. Nicholas Briggs, who directed several of the adaptations, came into the production with the fresh experience of making unlicensed Audio Visuals Doctor Who audios.

Overview

to be added

Featured actors

Aldred, Baker, Courtney, Franklin, Sladen, and Wills were all known for their Doctor Who roles, which they would all eventually reprise in Big Finish audio dramas.

Production

Crew

Writers

With all six regular stories being adaptations, their original authors were credited alongside Jacqueline Rayner, who "dramatised" all stories but one, Beyond the Sun, which was adapted by its author, Matt Fitton. The bonus release featured two original short stories by Rayner and Paul Cornell. These two stories held the distinction of being the first original stories recorded by Big Finish Productions, but were overtaken on the release stage by The Sirens of Time.


Directors

to be added


Stories

Regular releases

# Title Author Published
1 Oh No It Isn't! September 1998
2 Beyond the Sun Matt Jones | September 1998
3 Walking to Babylon January 1999
4 Birthright February 1999
5 Just War August 1999
6 Dragons' Wrath September 2000


Cover art

The cover art for the season was heavily based on the book cover art of the adapted novels. The only exception was the cover for Walking to Babylon, which still represents the same scene as the book cover but drawn anew from a different angle.

Despite this uniform basic idea, the covers went through several styles during the season. The first two releases added the image of reclining Bernice Summerfield as drawn by Lee Sullivan overlayed in the bottom right corner of the cropped book cover. This image also formed the cover of the subscriber-only special release Buried Treasures.

For the releases 3–5, which form the "Time Ring Trilogy", the cover style was modified to include a ring motif. In addition to several typographical changes, photos of featured actors were placed on the cover.

Finally, the last, sixth regular release of the season saw the introduction of "Professor Bernice Summerfield" logo designed by Paul Vyse. It has become a standard fixture for the range and was even applied retroactively when the first five regular stories were rereleased. The placement of the logo in the top left corner required using mirror images for some of the covers. The Time Ring Trilogy retained its ring motif, but Sullivan's Benny was gone. With the hindsight of Jason Kane's role in the range, Stephen Fewell, the actor portraying him, was added as "starring" on the covers of stories he appeared in, whereas the authors of the original novels were removed.

Notes

to be added

External links

Footnotes