Resistance (audio story)

Resistance was a 2009 Big Finish audio play in the Companion Chronicles range. Though it was not the first Big Finish release to feature the vocal talents of Anneke Wills, it was the first time she had performed the character of Polly Wright since 1967's The Faceless Ones. It was further notable for being a so-called "pure historical" — a story that occurred in Earth's past and involved no other alien but the Doctor.

Because of its setting in 1944, soon after Polly's birth, it was also able to also explore details about Polly's personal past. Amongst other things, it was the first piece of performed Doctor Who in which Polly's last name was definitively confirmed to be "Wright".

Publisher's summary
February, 1944: France is occupied by the Third Reich, the French Gestapo has an iron grip and the native resistance attempts to overthrow the invaders. On one quiet winter's night, a British plane crashes to the ground, leaving a flying officer desperate to escape via the evasion lines.

Separated from the TARDIS, Ben and Jamie, the Doctor and Polly find themselves with enemies on all sides. Trapped in one of the darkest times in history, Polly discovers that humanity can be just as dangerous as any threat from outer space. She resolves to make a difference - even if it means leaving the Doctor forever...

Cast

 * Polly Wright - Anneke Wills
 * The Pilot and other voices - John Sackville

Continuity

 * Polly says she'd rather fight Daleks and Cybermen than confront the evils on her own planet — in particular, the Nazis and their allies.
 * Polly was not given a last name by televised Doctor Who. This story's liberal use of the "Wright" surname is a confirmation of Gary Russell's usage in the novel, Invasion of the Cat-People.
 * The Doctor hints at the events surrounding his regeneration in The Power of the Daleks, and acknowledges her faithfulness during that period, saying, ". . . without your help, I wouldn't be the man I am."
 * This story introduces Polly's uncle, Randolph Wright, and gives more details about Polly's family than any other story, as of 2010.

Timeline
Resistance gives us precious few pieces of evidence to judge when it takes place in the Doctor's timeline. All we know is that Jamie is aboard the TARDIS, and that Polly knows about Daleks. This means the story must be set after The Highlanders. However, due to the cliffhangers between serials in Season 4, it can only occur between DW: The Macra Terror and The Faceless Ones — the traditional spot for non-televised Jamie/Ben/Polly stories. Some claim that it comes after PDA: The Roundheads, but there's no actual evidence of that in the play itself. Given the dearth of continuity references, it can really go anywhere in the gap between Macra and Faceless.