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Bernice Surprise Summerfield (later Professor Bernice Summerfield or just Benny) is a
fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life perso ...
created by author
Paul Cornell Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) 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 well as ''Docto ...
as a new companion of the
Seventh Doctor The Seventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', and the final incarnation of the original Doctor Who series. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy. ...
in
Virgin Publishing Virgin Books is a British book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Group, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company. History Virgin established its book publishing arm ...
's range of original full-length '' Doctor Who'' novels, the '' New Adventures''. The ''New Adventures'' were authorised 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.


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 Endings'' but returned a few times thereafter, including the last Virgin New Adventure, ''
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 the New Adventures range to feature the Doctor and the only one of that rang ...
''. 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 (born 1954) is an English writer and editor. Early life He was born and lived in Buckinghamshire until he went to university, graduating in 1975 from University College, London with a degree in History. Career In 1976 Darvil ...
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 #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
copyright characters featuring. These ''New Adventures'' starring Bernice continued until 1999, when the Virgin fiction department closed down. The previous year, however, audio production company Big Finish Productions began issuing full-cast, officially licensed professional audio dramas starring the character on CD, and they continue to do so, making her the longest running audio drama series in the world, the longest running science fiction audio drama series, the longest running audio drama series with a female lead, and - together with the books - the longest-running science fiction series with a female lead. The character is played in all Big Finish's productions by actress Lisa Bowerman, who also reprised the role in the live-action fan film ''The Crystal Conundrum'' and a video advertisement for the audio ''The Triumph of Sutekh''. 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. 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.


Books


''Doctor Who – The New Adventures''

*'' Love and War'' by
Paul Cornell Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) 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 well as ''Docto ...
*'' Transit'' by
Ben Aaronovitch Ben Dylan Aaronovitch (born 22 February 1964) is an English author and screenwriter. He is the author of the ''Rivers of London'' series of novels. He also wrote two ''Doctor Who'' serials in the late 1980s and spin-off novels from ''Doctor Who' ...
*''
The Highest Science ''The 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 ...
'' by Gareth Roberts *'' The Pit'' by Neil Penswick *''
Deceit Deception or falsehood is an act or statement that misleads, hides the truth, or promotes a belief, concept, or idea that is not true. It is often done for personal gain or advantage. Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda and sleight o ...
'' by
Peter Darvill-Evans Peter Darvill-Evans (born 1954) is an English writer and editor. Early life He was born and lived in Buckinghamshire until he went to university, graduating in 1975 from University College, London with a degree in History. Career In 1976 Darvil ...
*'' Lucifer Rising'' by
Andy Lane Andrew Lane (born 17 April 1963), as Andy Lane, is a British author and journalist best known for the Young Sherlock Holmes series of Young Adult novels. He has written novels in the Virgin New Adventures range and audio dramas for Big Fin ...
and
Jim Mortimore Jim Mortimore is a British science fiction writer, who has written several spin-off novels for popular television series, principally ''Doctor Who'', but also ''Farscape'' and ''Babylon 5''. When BBC Books cancelled his ''Doctor Who'' novel ''Cam ...
*'' White Darkness'' by
David A McIntee David A. McIntee (born 31 December 1968) is a British writer. Career McIntee has written many spin-off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', as well as one each based on '' Final Destination'' and '' Space: ...
*'' Shadowmind'' by
Christopher Bulis Christopher Bulis is a writer best known for his work on various Doctor Who spin-offs. He is one of the most prolific authors to write for the various ranges of Spin-off (media), spin-offs from the BBC Television series ''Doctor Who'', with twelve ...
*'' Birthright'' by Nigel Robinson *'' Blood Heat'' by Jim Mortimore *'' The Dimension Riders'' by Daniel Blythe *'' The Left-Handed Hummingbird'' by
Kate Orman Kate Orman (born 1968 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian author, best known for her books connected to the British science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Biography Orman was born in Sydney, but grew up in Canberr ...
*'' Conundrum'' by Steve Lyons *'' No Future'' by Paul Cornell *'' Tragedy Day'' by Gareth Roberts *'' Legacy'' by
Gary Russell Gary Russell (born 18 September 1963) is a British freelance writer, producer 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. As an a ...
*''
Theatre of War In warfare, a theater or theatre is an area in which important military events occur or are in progress. A theater can include the entirety of the airspace, land and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations. T ...
'' by
Justin Richards Justin Richards (born 14 September 1961) 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. He has written ...
*''
All-Consuming Fire ''All-Consuming Fire'' is a novel written by Andy Lane and the 27th entry in the ''Virgin New Adventures'', a series based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The novel is a crossover with Arthur Co ...
'' by Andy Lane *'' Blood Harvest'' by
Terrance Dicks Terrance William Dicks (14 April 1935 – 29 August 2019) was an English author and television screenwriter, script editor and producer. In television, he had a long association with the BBC science-fiction series ''Doctor Who'', working a ...
*'' Strange England'' by Simon Messingham *'' First Frontier'' by David A McIntee *'' St Anthony's Fire'' by
Mark Gatiss Mark Gatiss (; born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist. His work includes writing for and acting in the television series ''Doctor Who'', ''Sherlock (TV series), Sherlock'', and ''Dracu ...
*'' Falls the Shadow'' by Daniel O'Mahony *''
Parasite Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...
'' by Jim Mortimore *''
Warlock A warlock is a male practitioner of witchcraft. Etymology and terminology The most commonly accepted etymology derives '' warlock'' from the Old English '' wǣrloga'', which meant "breaker of oaths" or "deceiver" and was given special applicati ...
'' by
Andrew Cartmel Andrew J. Cartmel (born 6 April 1958) is a British author and journalist. He was the script editor of ''Doctor Who'' during the Sylvester McCoy era of the show between 1987 and 1989. He has also worked as a script editor on other television serie ...
*''
Set Piece In film production, a set piece is a scene or sequence of scenes whose execution requires complex logistical planning and considerable expenditure of money. The term is often also used more broadly to describe a sequence in which the film-maker's ...
'' by Kate Orman *'' Infinite Requiem'' by Daniel Blythe *''
Sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a sa ...
'' by David A McIntee *''
Human Nature Human nature is a concept that denotes the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting—that humans are said to have naturally. The term is often used to denote the essence of humankind, or ...
'' by Paul Cornell *'' Original Sin'' by Andy Lane *''
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 ...
'' by
Dave Stone Dave Stone (born 12 June 1964) is a British science fiction writer. 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 c ...
*''
Zamper ''Zamper'' 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 Chris is a short form of various names includ ...
'' by Gareth Roberts *''
Toy Soldiers A toy soldier is a miniature figurine that represents a soldier. The term applies to depictions of uniformed military personnel from all eras, and includes knights, cowboys, American Indians, pirates, samurai, and other subjects that involve ...
'' by Paul Leonard *'' Head Games'' by Steve Lyons *'' The Also People'' by Ben Aaronovitch *'' Shakedown'' by Terrance Dicks *''
Just War The just war theory ( la, bellum iustum) is a doctrine, also referred to as a tradition, of military ethics which is studied by military leaders, theologians, ethicists and policy makers. The purpose of the doctrine is to ensure that a war i ...
'' by
Lance Parkin Lance Parkin is a British author. He is best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular ''Doctor Who'' (and spin-offs including the Virgin New Adventures and Faction Paradox) and as a storyliner on ''Emmerda ...
*'' Warchild'' by Andrew Cartmel *'' Sleepy'' by Kate Orman *'' Death and Diplomacy'' by Dave Stone *'' Happy Endings'' by Paul Cornell *''
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. Plot Bernice Sum ...
'' by Kate Orman *'' Eternity Weeps'' by Jim Mortimore *''
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 the New Adventures range to feature the Doctor and the only one of that rang ...
'' by Lance Parkin 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 In warfare, a theater or theatre is an area in which important military events occur or are in progress. A theater can include the entirety of the airspace, land and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations. T ...
'' 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 A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a sa ...
'' Bernice falls in love with Guy de Carnac, a former
Knight Templar , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...
. 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 ''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. Plot Bernice Sum ...
'', 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.


''The New Adventures''

*'' Oh No It Isn't!'' by
Paul Cornell Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) 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 well as ''Docto ...
*''Dragons' Wrath'' by
Justin Richards Justin Richards (born 14 September 1961) 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. He has written ...
*'' Beyond the Sun'' by Matt Jones *''
Ship of Fools The ship of fools is an allegory, originating from Book VI of Plato's ''Republic'', about a ship with a dysfunctional crew. The allegory is intended to represent the problems of governance prevailing in a political system not based on expert kn ...
'' by
Dave Stone Dave Stone (born 12 June 1964) is a British science fiction writer. 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 c ...
*'' Down'' by
Lawrence Miles Lawrence Miles (born 15 March 1972 in Middlesex) is a science fiction author known for his work on original ''Doctor Who'' novels (for both the Virgin New Adventures and BBC Books series) and the subsequent spin-off Faction Paradox. He is also ...
*'' Deadfall'' by
Gary Russell Gary Russell (born 18 September 1963) is a British freelance writer, producer 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. As an a ...
*''
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''. The ...
'' by
Simon Bucher-Jones Simon Bucher-Jones (born Simon Jones, 6 September 1964) is an author, poet, and amateur actor. He is best known for his Doctor Who novels for Virgin and BBC and as a contributor to the Faction Paradox spin-off series. Between 1988 and Dec 2018, h ...
*'' Mean Streets'' by
Terrance Dicks Terrance William Dicks (14 April 1935 – 29 August 2019) was an English author and television screenwriter, script editor and producer. In television, he had a long association with the BBC science-fiction series ''Doctor Who'', working a ...
*''
Tempest Tempest is a synonym for a storm. '' The Tempest'' is a play by William Shakespeare. Tempest or The Tempest may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''The Tempest'' (1908 film), a British silent film * ''The Tempest'' (1911 film), a ...
'' by
Christopher Bulis Christopher Bulis is a writer best known for his work on various Doctor Who spin-offs. He is one of the most prolific authors to write for the various ranges of Spin-off (media), spin-offs from the BBC Television series ''Doctor Who'', with twelve ...
*''
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 (known as Benny). The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fict ...
'' by
Kate Orman Kate Orman (born 1968 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian author, best known for her books connected to the British science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Biography Orman was born in Sydney, but grew up in Canberr ...
*'' Oblivion'' by Dave Stone *'' The Medusa Effect'' by Justin Richards *'' Dry Pilgrimage'' by Paul Leonard and Nick Walters *'' The Sword of Forever'' by
Jim Mortimore Jim Mortimore is a British science fiction writer, who has written several spin-off novels for popular television series, principally ''Doctor Who'', but also ''Farscape'' and ''Babylon 5''. When BBC Books cancelled his ''Doctor Who'' novel ''Cam ...
*'' Another Girl, Another Planet'' by Martin Day and Len Beech *'' Beige Planet Mars'' by
Lance Parkin Lance Parkin is a British author. He is best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular ''Doctor Who'' (and spin-offs including the Virgin New Adventures and Faction Paradox) and as a storyliner on ''Emmerda ...
and Mark Clapham *'' Where Angels Fear'' by Rebecca Levene and
Simon Winstone Simon Winstone is a British author, screenwriter and script editor, best known for his work on ''Doctor Who'' and on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career Winstone worked for Virgin Books, overseeing their Missing Adventures ''Doctor Who'' s ...
*'' The Mary-Sue Extrusion'' by Dave Stone *''
Dead Romance ''Dead 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''. Though ...
'' by Lawrence Miles (''Bernice Summerfield does not appear'') *'' Tears of the Oracle'' by Justin Richards *''
Return to the Fractured Planet ''Return 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 ...
'' by Dave Stone *'' The Joy Device'' by Justin Richards *'' Twilight of the Gods'' by Mark Clapham and Jon de Burgh Miller 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 ''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''. The ...
'', we meet
Clarence Clarence may refer to: Places Australia * Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division * Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow * Clarence River (New South Wales) * Clarence Strait (Northern Territory) * City of Clarence, a l ...
(named after the angel in ''
It's a Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern self-published in 1943 and is in turn loos ...
''). 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 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 Wh ...
'', 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 Lawrence Miles (born 15 March 1972 in Middlesex) is a science fiction author known for his work on original ''Doctor Who'' novels (for both the Virgin New Adventures and BBC Books series) and the subsequent spin-off Faction Paradox. He is also ...
alongside other shorts not set in the New Adventures continuity.


Big Finish paperback novels

*'' The Doomsday Manuscript'' by
Justin Richards Justin Richards (born 14 September 1961) 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. He has written ...
*''
The Gods of the Underworld ''The 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 ''Doctor Who'' is a British sc ...
'' by Stephen Cole *''
The Squire's Crystal ''The 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 ''Doctor Who'' is a British sci ...
'' by
Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner is a British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Biography Her first professional writing credit came when she adapted Pau ...
*''
The Infernal Nexus ''The 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 ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fict ...
'' by
Dave Stone Dave Stone (born 12 June 1964) is a British science fiction writer. 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 c ...
*'' The Glass Prison'' by
Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner is a British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Biography Her first professional writing credit came when she adapted Pau ...
Big Finish licensed the character of Bernice Summerfield from Paul Cornell, Irving Braxiatel from Justin Richards and Jason Kane from
Dave Stone Dave Stone (born 12 June 1964) is a British science fiction writer. 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 c ...
, but other elements of the Virgin New Adventures' fictional universe were not obtained. Instead,
Gary Russell Gary Russell (born 18 September 1963) is a British freelance writer, producer 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. As an a ...
, Jacqueline 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''.


Big Finish hardcover novels

*'' The Big Hunt'' by
Lance Parkin Lance Parkin is a British author. He is best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular ''Doctor Who'' (and spin-offs including the Virgin New Adventures and Faction Paradox) and as a storyliner on ''Emmerda ...
*''The Tree of Life'' by Mark Michalowski *'' Genius Loci'' by
Ben Aaronovitch Ben Dylan Aaronovitch (born 22 February 1964) is an English author and screenwriter. He is the author of the ''Rivers of London'' series of novels. He also wrote two ''Doctor Who'' serials in the late 1980s and spin-off novels from ''Doctor Who' ...
*'' The Two Jasons'' by
Dave Stone Dave Stone (born 12 June 1964) is a British science fiction writer. 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 c ...
*''Terra Incognita'' by Ben Aaronovitch — originally announced in 2007, this novel remains unpublished save for an extract in '' Missing Adventures'' *''The Weather on Versimmon'' by Matthew Griffiths *''The Slender-Fingered Cats of Bubastis'' by Xanna Eve Chown *''Filthy Lucre'' by James Parsons and Andrew Stirling-Brown *''Adorable Illusion'' by
Gary Russell Gary Russell (born 18 September 1963) is a British freelance writer, producer 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. As an a ...


Big Finish novellas

Each volume comprises a collection of three novellas. *''A Life in Pieces'' by
Dave Stone Dave Stone (born 12 June 1964) is a British science fiction writer. 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 c ...
,
Paul Sutton Paul Sutton (May 14, 1910 – January 31, 1970) was an American radio writer and actor who also acted in film. Biography He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is perhaps best known as one of the actors who portrayed Sergeant Willia ...
and Joseph Lidster *'' Parallel Lives'' by Rebecca Levene, Stewart Sheargold and Dave Stone, with linking material by
Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier (born June 1976) is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of '' Doctor Who'' and its spinoffs. Although he has written three ''Doctor Who'' novels, for the BBC Books range, ...
*'' Old Friends'' by
Jonathan Clements Jonathan Michael Clements (born 9 July 1971) is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shi Huang, as well as monthly opinion columns for ''Neo'' magazine. He is also the co-auth ...
, Marc Platt and Pete Kempshall *'' Nobody's Children'' by
Kate Orman Kate Orman (born 1968 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian author, best known for her books connected to the British science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Biography Orman was born in Sydney, but grew up in Canberr ...
, Jonathan Blum and Philip Purser-Hallard *'' The Vampire Curse'' by Mags L Halliday, Kelly Hale and Philip Purser-Hallard


Big Finish anthologies

*'' The Dead Men Diaries'', edited by
Paul Cornell Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) 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 well as ''Docto ...
*'' A Life of Surprises'', edited by
Paul Cornell Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) 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 well as ''Docto ...
*'' Life During Wartime'', edited by
Paul Cornell Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) 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 well as ''Docto ...
*''A Life Worth Living'', edited by
Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier (born June 1976) is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of '' Doctor Who'' and its spinoffs. Although he has written three ''Doctor Who'' novels, for the BBC Books range, ...
*'' Something Changed'', edited by
Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier (born June 1976) is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of '' Doctor Who'' and its spinoffs. Although he has written three ''Doctor Who'' novels, for the BBC Books range, ...
*'' Collected Works'', edited by Nick Wallace *'' Missing Adventures'', edited by Rebecca Levene *'' Secret Histories'', edited by Mark Clapham *'' Present Danger'', edited by
Eddie Robson Eddie Robson (born 20 December 1978) is a British writer and novelist best known for his sitcom '' Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully'' and his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series ''Doctor Who''. He has w ...
*''True Stories'' (2017), edited by Xanna Eve Chown *''In Time'' (2018), edited by Xanna Eve Chown *''The Christmas Collection'' (2020), edited by Xanna Eve Chown


Short Trips

Bernice also appears in a number of ''Doctor Who'' short stories, mostly set during her travels with the Doctor. *"The Trials of Tara" by
Paul Cornell Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) 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 well as ''Docto ...
('' Decalog 2: Lost Property'') *"Continuity Errors" by
Steven Moffat Steven William Moffat (; born 18 November 1961) is a Scottish television writer, television producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work as showrunner, writer and executive producer of the science fiction television series ''Doct ...
('' Decalog 3: Consequences'') *"The Judgement of Soloman" by
Lawrence Miles Lawrence Miles (born 15 March 1972 in Middlesex) is a science fiction author known for his work on original ''Doctor Who'' novels (for both the Virgin New Adventures and BBC Books series) and the subsequent spin-off Faction Paradox. He is also ...
('' Decalog 5: Wonders'') *"Virgin Lands" by Sarah Groenewegen ('' Short Trips: Zodiac'') *"Of the Mermaid and Jupiter" by Ian Mond & Danny Heap ('' Short Trips: Past Tense'') *"Cold War" by Rebecca Levene ('' Short Trips: Steel Skies'') *"...Be Forgot" by
Cavan Scott Cavan Scott (born 18 April 1973), is a New York Times bestselling comic writer and author. He is best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from both ''Doctor Who'' and ''Star Wars'', as well as comics and novels for ''Teen Titans'', ''Bla ...
and Mark Wright ('' Short Trips: A Christmas Treasury'') - set during Big Finish's Bernice audio series *"Too Rich for My Blood" by Rebecca Levene ('' Short Trips: Seven Deadly Sins'') *"How You Get There" by
Simon Guerrier Simon Guerrier (born June 1976) is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of '' Doctor Who'' and its spinoffs. Although he has written three ''Doctor Who'' novels, for the BBC Books range, ...
('' Short Trips: A Day in the Life'') *"Larkspur" by Mark Stevens ('' Short Trips: Transmissions'')


''New Series Adventures''

Bernice appears in one of the '' New Series Adventures'' with the
Twelfth Doctor The Twelfth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Peter Capaldi in three series as well as four specials. As with previous incar ...
(the novel was originally planned for River Song, but plans for the 2015 Christmas special '' The Husbands of River Song'' prompted Russell to use Benny instead). *'' Big Bang Generation'' by
Gary Russell Gary Russell (born 18 September 1963) is a British freelance writer, producer 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. As an a ...


Audio plays


Cast and characters


''Bernice Summerfield''


Season 1 (1998–2000)

The first season of Bernice Summerfield
audio plays Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine t ...
are all adaptations of New Adventures novels originally published by
Virgin Publishing Virgin Books is a British book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Group, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company. History Virgin established its book publishing arm ...
. 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 Survival, or the act of surviving, is the propensity of something to continue existing, particularly when this is done despite conditions that might kill or destroy it. The concept can be applied to humans and other living things (or, hypotheti ...
'' (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 Colin Baker (born 8 June 1943) is an English actor who played Paul Merroney in the BBC drama series '' The Brothers'' from 1974 to 1976 and the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series ''Docto ...
,
Sophie Aldred Sophie Aldred (born 20 August 1962) is an English actress and television presenter. She has worked extensively in children's television as a presenter and voice artist. She played the Seventh Doctor's companion, Ace, in the television series ''D ...
,
Nicholas Courtney William Nicholas Stone Courtney (16 December 1929 – 22 February 2011) was an Egyptian-born British actor. He was known for his long-running role as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Ea ...
,
Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen (1 February 1946 – 19 April 2011) was an English actress. She became best known as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series ''Doctor Who'', appearing as a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside ...
,
Anneke Wills Anneke Wills (; born Anna Katarina Willys, 20 October 1941) is an English actress, best known for her role as the Doctor Who companion Polly in the long-running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Biography Wills's father, ...
and Richard Franklin.


Season 2 (2000–01)

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 is a British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Biography Her first professional writing credit came when she adapted Pau ...
. 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, most notably Irving Braxiatel. First referenced in the 1979 ''Doctor Who'' story '' City of Death'' (written by
Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series), BBC radio comedy, ''The H ...
and Graham Williams), Braxiatel first appeared in person in the New Adventures novel ''Theatre of War''.


Season 3 (2002–03)

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 may refer to: Art * Architectural ensemble * Ensemble (album), ''Ensemble'' (album), Kendji Girac 2015 album * Ensemble (band), a project of Olivier Alary * Ensemble cast (drama, comedy) * Ensemble (musical theatre), also known as the ...
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 The Ice Warriors are a fictional Extraterrestrials in fiction, extraterrestrial race of List of reptilian humanoids, reptilian humanoids in the long-running British science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' ...
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.


Season 4 (2003–04)

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 Sontarans, 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 The Daleks ( ) are a fictional extraterrestrials in fiction, extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. They were conceived by write ...
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 Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) 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 well as ''Docto ...
, 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 (2004–05)

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 A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of often irregularly shaped interlocking and mosaiced pieces, each of which typically has a portion of a picture. When assembled, the puzzle pieces produce a complete picture. In t ...
that depicted a scene with giant robots identical to the one that appeared in ''
Robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may ...
''. ''The Masquerade of Death'' brings the fifth season to a close in a suitably dark and surreal fashion.


Season 6 (2005–06)

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 on what it is based. The entire series was directed by
Gary Russell Gary Russell (born 18 September 1963) is a British freelance writer, producer 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. As an a ...
.


Season 7 (2006)

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.


Season 8 (2007–08)

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.


Season 9 (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 (2009)

The entire series was directed by John Ainsworth.


Season 11 (2010)

The entire series was again directed by John Ainsworth. The animated short ''Dead and Buried'', released online for free, acted as a prelude to this series.


Boxset 1: ''Epoch'' (2011)


Boxset 2: ''Road Trip'' (2012)


Boxset 3: ''Legion'' (2012)


Boxset 4: ''New Frontiers'' (2013)


Boxset 5: ''Missing Persons'' (2013)


Boxset 6: ''The Story So Far'' (2018)


Specials


''The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield''

Following the conclusion of the Bernice Summerfield box set range, a new range starring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield alongside
Sylvester McCoy Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the lon ...
as the Doctor entitled ''The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield'' was launched.


Volume 1 (2014)


Volume 2: ''The Triumph of Sutekh'' (2015)


Volume 3: ''The Unbound Universe'' (2016)

Bernice Summerfield in a series of adventures with a version of the Doctor from the '' Unbound'' series. Mark Gatiss returns as a version of the Master from the same series, appearing in ''The Emporium at the End'' and ''The True Savior of the Universe'', as well as a brief appearance in a flashback in ''The Library in the Body''.


Volume 4: ''Ruler of the Universe'' (2017)


Volume 5: ''Buried Memories'' (2019)


Volume 6: ''Lost in Translation'' (2020)


Volume 7: ''Blood & Steel'' (2022)

David Warner David or Dave Warner may refer to: Sports * Dave Warner (strongman) (born 1969), Northern Ireland strongman competitor * David Bruce Warner (born 1970), South African alpine skier * David Warner (cricketer) (born 1986), Australian cricketer Oth ...
died on 24 July 2022. Recording of the series had been completed and was released posthumously.


Other audio play appearances

* " The Shadow of the Scourge" * " The Dark Flame" * ''The Company of Friends'': "Benny's Story" * "
Bernice Summerfield and the Criminal Code ''The Companion Chronicles'' is a sci-fi audio series produced by Big Finish, detailing adventures usually featuring the Doctor, as told by various former companions of his, with only one further voice actor taking part in the narration. It b ...
" * " Love and War" * "
The Highest Science ''The 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 ...
" * "
Theatre of War In warfare, a theater or theatre is an area in which important military events occur or are in progress. A theater can include the entirety of the airspace, land and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations. T ...
" * "
All-Consuming Fire ''All-Consuming Fire'' is a novel written by Andy Lane and the 27th entry in the ''Virgin New Adventures'', a series based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The novel is a crossover with Arthur Co ...
" * " Original Sin" * " Short Trips: The Hesitation Deviation" * " The Worlds of Big Finish: The Phantom Wreck" * " The Eighth of March: The Big Blue Book"


See also

* ''Doctor Who'' spin-offs * List of Bernice Summerfield characters


References


External links


Big Finish Productions - Benny Summerfield
{{DEFAULTSORT:Summerfield, Bernice Literary characters introduced in 1992 Doctor Who spin-off companions Doctor Who audio characters Doctor Who book characters Female characters in literature Fictional archaeologists Fictional professors