Evelyn Smythe

Evelyn
Doctor Who character
Dr. Evelyn Smythe, modelled after Maggie Stables
First appearance	The Marian Conspiracy
Last appearance	A Death in the Family
Portrayed by	Maggie Stables (voice)
Information
Affiliated	Sixth Doctor Seventh Doctor
Species	Human
Home planet	Earth
Home era	20th century

Dr. Evelyn Smythe is a fictional character played by Maggie Stables in a series of audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A professor of history from the 20th century with a fondness for chocolate, she is a companion of the Sixth Doctor, and encounters the Seventh Doctor as well.

Evelyn first appeared in the play The Marian Conspiracy (2000), when the Sixth Doctor found her while searching for a temporal nexus point. Traveling with the Doctor back to 1554, she became involved with the turmoil surrounding the reign of Queen Mary, which soon gave way to that of her half-sister Elizabeth. At the end of that adventure, Evelyn insisted on accompanying the Doctor further, because as a historian, she saw the chance to travel in a time machine as irresistible.

Evelyn was fifty-five when she began her travels with the Doctor. Being more mature than most of the Doctor's other companions, she was more than a match for the more abrasive Sixth Doctor, often questioning his decisions and counselling him. In turn, the Sixth Doctor recognized Evelyn's wisdom and ability and respected her advice.

Their relationship was not always smooth. Evelyn had a heart condition which she kept from the Doctor, fearing that he would return her home if he found out. She also blamed the Doctor for his inability to save a young woman named Cassie in Project: Lazarus (2003), something the Seventh Doctor said she never forgave him for, even when she parted ways with him.

While visiting the planet Világ and helping repel an alien invasion by an aggressive humanoid canid species known as the Killorans, Evelyn met and fell in love with Governor Rossiter, who eventually became the political head of the union of three nations (Arrangements for War, 2004). When she and the Doctor returned a year later, Evelyn decided to stay and marry Rossiter. She subsequently became involved in the politics of Világ and underwent surgery for her heart. The surgery, however, did not correct her heart condition; without her knowledge, she was injected with blood extracted from Killoran prisoners. The infusion disguised Evelyn's heart condition but also caused her to suffer from headaches, increased aggressiveness, and irritability.