Written by Chelsea Jenkins. Media by Austin Stephens.
So you’re a ‘Whovian,’ the Doctor Who enthusiast’s equivalent to Star Trek’s ‘Trekkies,’ but are you aware of the many audio recordings and radio broadcasts, both official and unofficial, starring the beloved Doctor? Through podcasts and downloads, in addition to the original physical recordings, it’s never been easier to get your hands on these Doctor Who audio serials.
Since the 1960s, the British Broadcasting Company has released abridged audio versions of several Doctor Who serials, including ‘lost episodes,’ such as the early “The Power of the Daleks” and “Marco Polo.” The recordings often feature the vocal talents of the actors from the original TV episodes. These have been released on vinyl, cassette, and reissued on CD, many of which are still widely available for purchase on eBay and the like. In addition to these, many original and official audio dramas have been produced for radio and internet radio broadcasts, the most recent being the five-part Serpent Crest series in 2011. Other companies like Big Finish and BBV have produced official and licensed original audio serials of Doctor Who. These include Doctor Who audio story spinoffs like Torchwood, Kaldor City, and Faction Paradox. There’s quite literally hours and hours of bonus Whovian entertainment in these audio adventures.
Don’t want to hit up Amazon and eBay for Doctor Who audio that you can hold in your hand? No problem, my instant-gratification-requiring friend. All of the Doctor Who audio serials are available online through a variety of legal outlets. Audiogo.com is “the home of BBC Audiobooks,” so all of the BBC serials can be purchased for download from the US version of the site. Bigfinish.com features all of the Big Finish-produced audio stories for purchase with the option to download, and features Doctor Who podcasts. There’s also a wide selection of these available for download on iTunes, along with many related audiobooks.
It’s never a dull moment in the ‘Who-niverse.’ With these audio serials on your hard drive, in your CD player, or even on your record player (if you’re a hipster ‘Whovian’), you’ll be the ultimate Doctor Who diehard. What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary than with a Doctor Who audio marathon?
