"The Ultimate Adventure" was originally a 1989 stage play by Terrance Dicks running from March 23 to August 19, performed at first by Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor (occasionally substitued by David Banks as a non-canon Doctor when Pertwee fell ill in the middle of its UK run) and later by Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor. Big Finish has faithfully adapted it into a Sixth Doctor Audio Play with only very minor changes to the script.
Terrance Dicks eventually wrote a sequel for Big Finish, called "Beyond The Ultimate Adventure".
The Doctor and new companion Jason (well, the Marquis de Saint Epiman de Sinee de la Tour, rescued by the Doctor from revolution-era France) are summoned by Margaret Thatcher to prevent the kidnapping of an American envoy. The guy promptly does get kidnapped by a Villain Team-Up of Daleks and Cybermen and assorted mercenaries, and Team TARDIS accidentally drags along up-and-coming Teen Idol Crystal. They follow the lead to an intergalactic Bad Guy Bar, where the Doctor's disguise (pointy helmet and all) fails to fool anyone. They pick up a furry alien named Zog, who's had enough of his job at the bar, and go on a stealth mission to trick the Daleks (including the emperor) and get the envoy back to earth on time. Jason and Crys, who've fallen in love at this point, decide to stick together and become a proper Team TARDIS.
Tropes:
- Bad Guy Bar: With a song and everything.
- Continuity Nod: The Big Finish version has a tremendously sweet moment in which Six fondly thinks about Evelyn. (Nicholas Briggs was aware of the Continuity Snarl implications but couldn't resist, and calls the reference "a bit naughty" in regards to canonicity.)
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": It's never elaborated on how Jason acquired his nickname, though it is much less of a mouthful than Marquis de Saint Epiman de Sinee de la Tour.
- Happiness in Slavery: A variation; Zog's race enjoys cleaning, but Zog finds his job at Madam Delilah's bar too rough and escapes in the TARDIS.
- Nice Guy: Jason is patient, gentle and kind with Crys, even when she is at her most annoying. It makes their relationship that much sweeter to start. He immediately forgives the Doctor for accidentally landing him right back when he was about to be executed, given he was saved just as fast.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Mrs Margeret T is a very thinly-veiled Margaret Thatcher. The Doctor comments that she scares him more than most monsters he faces.
- Not Even Bothering with the Accent: An interesting example; in the original play, Jason was played by an Australian actor who didn't bother with a French accent. Noel Sullivan, on the other hand, gave Jason in the audio a decent French accent in spite of not being French himself.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: Zog.
- That Reminds Me of a Song: There are three songs throughout the play, one performed by Crys, another by Madam Delilah, and a third by Crys and Jason together. Though Crystal's and Delilah's were simply performances in their respective establishments, Crystal and Jason's lovesong doesn't have any real justification beyond showing their growing relationship.
- The Thing That Would Not Leave: How Crys starts out in the TARDIS, though she does gain genuine respect from the others. Zog is this briefly, but he quickly endears himself to the crew with his cuteness.
- Translator Microbes: Zigzagged; for some odd reason that's never explained or even alluded to, Jason and Crys don't understand alien languages at all. However, once back in old France, when Jason is about to be hung, near everyone is speaking English just fine. Jason himself is an aversion, as he was taught English in London.
- Villain Team-Up: Daleks and Cybermen, with some mercenaries in on the side. Naturally, the relationship is strained from the get-go, and continues to unravel the longer it goes on.
- Whip of Dominance: Madame Delilah is a domineering woman who fittingly wields a whip. The Doctor is not impressed
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