Definitely a Big Finish fan, at this point those audios are probably more “my” Doctor Who than the TV series (which I still love.)

The thing about the Sixth Doctor is there was originally a plan to flesh out and rehab him into his more likeable self in the TV series, but that was spoiled by executive meddling, production failures, and ultimately Colin’s dismissal. As I continued to follow spinoff media in the Wilderness Years, the novels began finally fleshing out and maturing his Doctor more, and ultimately when the audios started there was the freedom to finally give Colin the sort of material needed for him to really thrive in the role and make it his own.

The way this all worked out paralleled my own life: in the 1980s when I was watching him on TV I loved his stubbornness and his attitude; I was a kid who loved bright colors and dressing however I wanted despite what other people thought was “normal.” I enjoyed achieving good things, learning new things, and teaching new things. I strove (and often struggled) to do what was right, and often felt frustrated, not listened to, and sure that I could accomplish so many things if only everyone around me weren’t so ignorant or dismissive of me. I was immature and often just wanted to shout at people until they stopped being so obstructive. TV Six felt like who I’d be if I were the Doctor.

As I grew into young adulthood the novels were all the current Who to be had, and the additions to and maturing of Six’s character while not losing that edge mirrored who I was at that point in my life. I was growing up a little, and somehow so was my Doctor.

Then the audios came out and Colin Baker came back to the role with great triumph. His Doctor finally got the benefit of Colin’s performance, and the character growth continued. He was still my old Doctor with the crazy rainbow of clothes and brash attitude, but behind it all he was also the wise, compassionate, fun-loving and justice-seeking Doctor just as all the best Doctors have had as their undertone. And even now, as I’m settling into middle age in my own life, Colin’s Doctor is still achieving new and remarkable things with new wisdom and experience while still maintaining that spark and mischief that made him the best Doctor ever when I was little.

It’s remarkable. When you read, watch, or listen to new Doctor Who featuring the past Doctors, for the most part the character of the Doctor is cast in amber and never changes much; Four will always be grinning madly while traipsing about and offering people jellybabies, Two will always be running away from things and shouting “oh dear oh dear!” at it all, three will always be smug and dashing while messing about with cobbled gadgets and calling everyone “my dear fellow,” etc. The stories are still cool, fun, and enjoyable, but the character doesn’t really grow or change all that much beyond what they managed in their time on-screen. The Sixth Doctor, on the other hand, somehow managed to be the Doctor who grew up with me.