The War Doctor (audio drama series)

For the character, see War Doctor.

The War Doctor, announced in October 2015, is a Big Finish Productions audio play series based on the TV show Doctor Who. It sees the return of Sir John Hurt as the War Doctor, a role he previously portrayed in the TV story "The Name of the Doctor" as well as more prominently in the 50th Anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor". The series consists of four box sets, each made up of three hour-long episodes, the first released in December 2015, the remaining three volumes followed across 2016 and into 2017.^[1][2]

The War Doctor
Big Finish Productions audio drama
Series	Doctor Who
Featuring	War Doctor
Produced by	David Richardson
Executive producer(s)	Jason Haigh-Ellery Nicholas Briggs
Starring	Sir John Hurt (2015–2017) Jonathon Carley (2021–present)
Music	Howard Carter
Release date	December 2015 (2015-12) – present

Big Finish Productions announced October 2020 that the War Doctor would return portrayed by actor Jonathon Carley, stepping in for the late John Hurt. Nicholas Briggs stated in relation to the recast: "I can confidently say that what Jonathon is doing here will be a fitting tribute to John, in honour of his great work in the role".. Four volumes were announced to be released beginning June 2021.^[3][4]

Cast

List indicator

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

•   A green cell indicates the actor is a main cast member.
•   A red cell indicates the actor is a recurring cast member.
•   A light blue cell indicates the actor is a guest or special guest cast member.

Actor	Character	Appearances
		The War Doctor				The War Doctor Begins						The War Doctor Rises
		S1	S2	S3	S4	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	S1	S2
Sir John Hurt	The War Doctor	✓				Does not appear
Jonathon Carley		Does not appear				✓
Paul McGann	The Doctor	Does not appear									✓	Does not appear
Jacqueline Pearce	Cardinal Ollistra	✓				Does not appear
Nicholas Briggs	The Daleks	✓				✓	✓						TBA
	Dalek Time Strategist	Does not appear		✓		✓	Does not appear			✓	✓	Does not appear
Louise Jameson	Leela	Does not appear			✓	Does not appear			✓	Does not appear
Veronica Roberts	Ohila	Does not appear				✓	Does not appear
Lucy Briggs-Owen	Rejoice	✓	Does not appear
Carolyn Seymour		✓	Does not appear
Beth Chalmers	Veklin	✓	Does not appear		✓	Does not appear	✓	Does not appear		✓	Does not appear
Honeysuckle Weeks	Heleyna	Does not appear		✓	Does not appear
Dan Starkey	General Fesk / The Sontarans	Does not appear		✓	Does not appear
Adèle Anderson	Tamasan	Does not appear				✓			Does not appear		✓	Does not appear
Chris Jarman	Rasmus	Does not appear				✓	Does not appear
John Dorney	Biroc	Does not appear				✓	Does not appear
Ajjaz Awad	Case	Does not appear					✓	Does not appear		✓		Does not appear
Angela Bruce	Andarta	Does not appear					✓	Does not appear
Stephen Frost	Rondig	Does not appear					✓	Does not appear
Ken Bones	The General	Does not appear							✓	Does not appear
Nicholas Le Prevost	The Barber-Surgeon	Does not appear							✓	Does not appear
Samuel West	Morbius	Does not appear										✓	Does not appear

Episodes

The War Doctor faces the Daleks in four seasons of the Time War.

The War Doctor

Series 1: Only the Monstrous (2015)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"The Innocent"	Nicholas Briggs	Nicholas Briggs	War Doctor, Rejoice, Ollistra, Daleks	December 2015 (2015-12)
The Doctor is discovered injured on the planet Keska and is nursed back to health by Rejoice. The planet comes under attack from an enemy and the Doctor assists with the defence.
2	"The Thousand Worlds"	Nicholas Briggs	Nicholas Briggs	War Doctor, Rejoice, Ollistra, Daleks	December 2015 (2015-12)
The Doctor is sent to retrieve a lost Time Lord strategist from Dalek-controlled space.
3	"The Heart of the Battle"	Nicholas Briggs	Nicholas Briggs	War Doctor, Rejoice, Ollistra, Daleks	December 2015 (2015-12)
The Doctor is shocked to learn that a Time Lord strategist is attempting to negotiate peace with the Daleks

Series 2: Infernal Devices (2016)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"Legion of the Lost"	Nicholas Briggs	John Dorney	War Doctor, Ollistra, Daleks	February 2016 (2016-02)[5]
When the Time Lords make a deal with the ancient Technomancers to resurrect their dead soldiers, the Doctor learns that there is more to the Technomancers' agenda.
2	"A Thing of Guile"	Nicholas Briggs	Phil Mulryne	War Doctor, Ollistra, Daleks	February 2016 (2016-02)[5]
Forced to work for Ollistra as a prisoner of war, the Doctor investigates a Dalek research base.
3	"The Neverwhen"	Nicholas Briggs	Matt Fitton	War Doctor, Ollistra, Daleks	February 2016 (2016-02)[5]
The Doctor and Ollistra become caught on different sides of a conflict where Time is shifting to such an extent that their weapons are being constantly adjusted.

Series 3: Agents of Chaos (2016)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"The Shadow Vortex"	Nicholas Briggs	David Llewellyn	War Doctor, Ollistra, Daleks, Dalek Time Strategist	October 2016 (2016-10)
The Doctor tracks a Dalek agent to Berlin in 1961 to try to prevent a plan to change history.
2	"The Eternity Cage"	Nicholas Briggs	Andrew Smith	War Doctor, Heleyna, Ollistra, Daleks, Dalek Time Strategist, Sontarans	October 2016 (2016-10)
The Doctor must assist a Time Lord strike team in retrieving Ollistra after she's captured by a Sontaran strike force trying to take part in the Time War.
3	"Eye of Harmony"	Nicholas Briggs	Ken Bentley	War Doctor, Helayna, Ollistra, Daleks, Dalek Time Strategist	October 2016 (2016-10)
The Doctor and Ollistra are trapped on an out-of-control TARDIS as they are forced to face a traitor in the ranks.

Series 4: Casualties of War (2017)

Sir John Hurt died on 25 January 2017. Recording of the series had been completed and was released posthumously.^[6][7]

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"Pretty Lies"	Nicholas Briggs	Guy Adams	War Doctor, Ollistra, Daleks	February 2017 (2017-02)
Trapped on a distant planet, the Doctor and Ollistra must help defend a small colony while bothered by a time-travelling war correspondent.
2	"The Lady of Obsidian"	Nicholas Briggs	Andrew Smith	War Doctor, Ollistra, Leela, Daleks	February 2017 (2017-02)
The Doctor investigates strange events in the Obsidian Nebula, which reveals that his old companion Leela is still alive despite being presumed dead in the early days of the Time War.
3	"The Enigma Dimension"	Nicholas Briggs	Nicholas Briggs	War Doctor, Ollistra, Leela, the Enigma, Daleks	February 2017 (2017-02)
The Doctor, Leela and Ollistra must protect Gallifrey from an other-dimensional assault organised by the Daleks.

The War Doctor Begins

Series 1: Forged in Fire (2021)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"Light the Flame"[8][9]	Louise Jameson	Matt Fitton	War Doctor, Tamasan, Ohila, Sisterhood of Karn, Rasmus	June 2021 (2021-06)
2	"Lion Hearts"[8][9]	Louise Jameson	Lou Morgan	War Doctor, Tamasan, Tharils	June 2021 (2021-06)
3	"The Shadow Squad"[8][9]	Louise Jameson	Andrew Smith	War Doctor, Tamasan, Daleks	June 2021 (2021-06)

Series 2: Warbringer (2021)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"Consequences"	Louise Jameson	Timothy X Atack	War Doctor, Veklin, Case, Tamasan, Andarta	December 2021 (2021-12)[10]
2	"Destroyer"	Louise Jameson	Andrew Smith	War Doctor, Veklin, Case, Tamasan, Daleks	December 2021 (2021-12)[10]
3	"Saviour"	Louise Jameson	Jonathan Morris	War Doctor, Veklin, Case, Rondig, Daleks	December 2021 (2021-12)[10]

Series 3: Battlegrounds (2022)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"The Keeper of Light"[11]	Louise Jameson	Phil Mulryne	War Doctor, Tamasan, Dorothy, David	May 2022 (2022-05)
2	"Temmosus"[11]	Louise Jameson	Rossa McPhillips	War Doctor, Tamasan, Thals, Daleks	May 2022 (2022-05)
3	"Rewind"[11]	Louise Jameson	Timothy X Atack	War Doctor, Tamasan, Daleks	May 2022 (2022-05)

Series 4: He Who Fights with Monsters (2022)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"The Mission"[12]	Louise Jameson	Robert Valentine	War Doctor, The General, The Barber-Surgeon	December 2022 (2022-12)
2	"The Abyss"[12]	Louise Jameson	Robert Valentine	War Doctor, Leela, The Barber-Surgeon, Daleks	December 2022 (2022-12)
3	"The Horror"[12]	Louise Jameson	Robert Valentine	War Doctor, The Barber-Surgeon, Daleks	December 2022 (2022-12)

Series 5: Comrades-in-Arms (2023)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"Mother's Love"	Barnaby Edwards	Noga Flaishon	War Doctor, Case, Veklin	May 2023 (2023-05)
2	"Berserker"	Barnaby Edwards	Timothy X Atack	War Doctor, Case, Daleks	May 2023 (2023-05)
3	"Memnos"	Barnaby Edwards	Phil Mulryne	War Doctor, Case, Daleks, Dalek Time Strategist	May 2023 (2023-05)

Series 6: Enemy Mine (2023)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"The Hybrid's Choice"	Helen Goldwyn	Ajjaz Awad-Ibrahim	War Doctor, Case, Daleks, Dalek Time Strategist	December 2023 (2023-12)
2	"Fear Nothing"	Helen Goldwyn	Mark Wright	War Doctor, Case, Tamasan, Daleks, Dalek Time Strategist	December 2023 (2023-12)
3	"Exit Strategy"	Helen Goldwyn	Matt Fitton	War Doctor, Eighth Doctor, Case, Daleks, Dalek Time Strategist	December 2023 (2023-12)

The War Doctor Rises

Series 1: Morbius The Mighty

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"Part One"	Bethany Weimers	Tim Foley	War Doctor, Morbius, Daleks	August 2024 (2024-08)
2	"Part Two"
3	"Part Three"

Series 2: Unknown Soldiers (2024)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Featuring	Released
1	"Part One"	Helen Goldwyn	Timothy X Atack	War Doctor, Daleks	December 2024 (2024-12)
2	"Part Two"
3	"Part Three"

Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee(s) of the award, and the result of the nomination

Award ceremony	Year	Category	Work(s)	Result	Ref.
Audie Awards	2017	Best Audio Drama	Only the Monstrous	Nominated	[13]
Scribe Awards	2023	Best Audio Drama	He Who Fights with Monsters	Nominated	[14]

References

1. "Doctor Who: The War Doctor". Big Finish Productions. 5 October 2015.
2. "Doctor Who? John Hurt To Return As The War Doctor In New Stories". Forbes. 5 October 2015. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
3. "Doctor Who's War Doctor to be recast for new prequel series from Big Finish". Radio Times. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
4. "Doctor Who is recasting one of the Doctors for all-new Time War series". Digital Spy. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
5. "John Hurt returns to battle the Daleks in new War Doctor trailer". Radio Times. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
6. "John Hurt's War Doctor Returns in Final Audio Tales". geek.com. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
7. "John Hurt's Final Performance As The War Doctor". Bleeding Cool. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
8. "Back to the beginning of the War Doctor". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
9. "1. Doctor Who: The War Doctor Begins 1". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
10. "2. Doctor Who: The War Doctor Begins 2". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
11. "3. Doctor Who: The War Doctor Begins 3". Big Finish Productions. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
12. "The Time Lord Who Fights Monsters". Big Finish. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
13. "2017 Audie Awards® - APA (En-US)".
14. Hughes Media Internet Limited (13 July 2023). "Big Finish Scribe Award Nominations 2023 - News". Big Finish. Retrieved 13 July 2023.