So said Peter Davison in "The Five Doctors".
I am writing this piece after returning from a trip to my native Yorkshire, to see my beloved Leeds Utd play Celtic in a testimonial game for Gary Kelly. As I had two days in God's own country, I took advantage of the time to visit relatives, and reminisce. As I proudly announced that some of my work was being published, albeit on the internet at the moment, it got me to thinking about why Doctor Who has meant so much to me over the years. What follows is a very personal journey through the "Why I am a Doctor Who fan" story.
Mine may be a very particular story, but hopefully, it will touch nerves with others out there. I was born in 1968, the illegitimate son of a civil servant and a divorcee. My maternal grandmother was very Victorian in her outlook on life, and as such, it was deemed the done thing for my mother to stay at home and look after her in her dotage. Whenever it looked as though my mother was going to settle down, Grandma stepped in and threatened to disown her. So it was that when I came on the scene, and my father wanted to settle down with me and mother (and an older brother from my mum's previous marriage), Grandma said that we would never be allowed to darken her door again. So Mum never left, Dad settled down with someone else, and was not allowed to see me.
Now, at the time I was born, doctors discovered a tumour in my mother, and recommended surgery. Unwilling to leave my Grandma alone with me and my 9 year old sibling, the said operation was refused by my mum. As a result, by 1972, she had died, and I was thrown into a custody battle. Times being what they were, a grandma was deemed more suitable than a father to bring up a child. So I was brought up, as the youngest child in a family consisting of grandma, and 2 grandchildren. Needless to say, this was not the world's happiest environment. I am fully convinced that the reason I have not captained an England team in the World Cup is due to the fact that I lacked a father figure to kick a ball around with (that, and a lack of any footballing ability whatsoever - though it never stops Phil Neville being picked!).
But where does "Who" come into this cathartic piece, I hear you ask. Well that was my father figure. To date, I have had 9 fathers. Chronologically, as they affected my life, they are Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, my natural father, Sylvester McCoy, William Hartnell, Pat Troughton, and Paul McGann.You see, the misery of my childhood was escaped, for 25 minutes every Saturday evening. From 5.25pm, I was with the Doctor, and nothing could go wrong. Until that fateful time we visited Metebelis III, and Jon Pertwee collapsed in UNIT HQ.
I was 6 at the time, and openly wept as the radiation from the Great Queen's cave destroyed his cells. For those precious minutes on a Saturday evening, I was transported away from my world, and off to dangerous locations, surrounded by evil monsters such as Daleks, Silurians, Sea Devils, and Axons. But it was okay, as my pseudo-dad, The Doctor, and my big sister (first of all Jo, and then Sarah) would make it alright in the end.In 1979, it was decided by the powers that be that my Grandma was too old to care for me (in truth, this had been the case when she got custody, but watcha gonna do?). I was taken into foster care, and yet my real family still existed in a blue box that was bigger inside. In tribute to the Gearys, Meyricks, Dobsons, and Briggs's that took care of me over the next few years, my false belief in the Doctor being my male parent waned. However, the Doctor's future was somehow tied in with my own....
In 1980, I was adopted. At last I was going to have a family of my own, with a dad, a mum and two lovely sisters. They had a plan of emigrating to New Zealand. Unfortunately, as the Master battled with the Doctor on the gantry of the Pharos project in 1981, this happy future also fell to Earth with a bump. Due to the difficulties we had had, it was decided that the adoption would fall through, rather than let me start being unhappy halfway around the world. I became disillusioned with everything and everyone around me (including the Doctor...for shame!) and when I moved on to the next foster family, I left the Doctor behind as well...
In 1983, however, my interest was briefly piqued again. I discovered Drama, and became involved in a string of school productions. After I passed the audition for the part of Paddy the Chief Engineer in the musical Star Trek spoof DAZZLE, I also discovered that the good Doctor was having a reunion with his previous selves. I watched "THE FIVE FACES OF DOCTOR WHO" season with interest, but was denied watching the UK premiere of "THE FIVE DOCTORS" by an embarrassing case of diarrhoea, which kicked in just after Billy Hartnell's "I shall come back" speech. Unfortunately, I didn't come back from my ablutions until a good 60 minutes in....it would be 1990 before I saw THE FIVE DOCTORS in full.
I missed the entire Colin Baker era, as I concentrated on a new concept. Teachers had discovered I had some intelligence, and they, along with my foster parents, managed to drag me out of academic mediocrity. As I strived to achieve my "O" and "A" levels, I had something other than the Doctor to occupy me. I had also discovered two other new things in the world - pop music, and GIRLS! It was not until I met the girl who would become my wife that I revisited Dr Who. The subject got mentioned in a conversation one night. She had seen the entire first McCoy season, and had been convinced it was rather good. I agreed to watch the 25th season, and was delighted by REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS. So much was I excited by this story, by the time Season 26 came around, we were married, and our first child was on the way. Martin was born just as Survival aired.
The series died. And, as time went by, so I realised that the only thing that my wife and I had in common was "Who". We split in 1994, and I had my son at weekends. There is a theory that babies are particularly susceptible to those sounds that they pick up whilst in the womb, and this was borne out by Martin, who would only go to sleep to the haunting refrain of Ron Grainer's "Dr Who" theme. The last time I saw Martin, was in 1994, and my new partner and I took him to the 21st Anniversary of Longleat's Dr Who exhibition. I still have, to this day, the photo of father and son peering out of the doors of the mock-TARDIS entrance. Other abiding memories include Martin (a very strident 5 year old) getting into a pretend fight with Peter Davison, when at a signing session Martin told Peter "You're not Doctor Who!". The former vet was naturally upset by this and much hilarity ensued. Other fond memories include the two of us sitting in Bessie, meeting JNT, and a Cyberman that impersonated various Doctors. Happy Days......
In 1996, Dr Who's fate was once more inexorably tied up with my own. On the May bank holiday, Dr Who - The Movie aired in the UK. A day later, I achieved a long-standing ambition. I arrived to work at the BBC in London.Now, at the age of 33, I write articles on Doctor Who, and have penned a couple of pieces of short fiction. To me, Doctor Who is more than just a TV show, or a book franchise, or a series of exciting adventures in space and time. Its an old friend. And unlike so many old friends over the years, it is one I have never lost contact with.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person that over the years has contributed to the show that has been my (almost) constant companion. This especially goes out to the late Jon Pertwee, the late JNT, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylv & Sophie, David Banks, and Nic Courtney, whom I was privileged to meet.
Sentimental old sop, aren't I. This article was written in 2002, and I admit I no longer see the Doctor in quite the same fatherly way. After all, Chris Ecclestone's only a few years older than me, and David Tennant is a few years younger. However, the new series has brought with it, yet again, new adventures for me. I am about to embark on a small scale acting career. It would be a dream come true if I could one day appear behind a prosthetic mask, and utter the immortal line "Resistance is useless, Dok-tor".
Monday, June 12, 2006
Spiral Mutterings 10: The Curate's Egg - A Tribute to John Nathan Turner
For those of you who don't know, John Nathan-Turner, the longest serving Doctor Who producer, died on May 1st, 2002 following a brief illness. He was 54.
Villified by some quarters of fandom, worshipped by others, it is undeniable that JNT played a part in Doctor Who's success for nearly 35 years.
Back in 1969, JNT was floor manager on the Space Pirates. This was his first Who credit. He added to it in the Ambassadors of Death, and Colony in Space. Now, contrary to popular belief, the BBC have always rewarded talent and flair. Thus it was that JNT rapidly rose through the ranks during the 1970s, until he became a Production Unit Manager on Dr Who in 1979. The following year, he took over from Graham Williams as Producer.
This is where the Curate's Egg reference comes in. If you are unfamiliar with this reference, the story goes that a young curate was served an egg during a meal that was past its best. Eager not to cause offence, when asked if his egg was off, he replied "Madam, not at all. Parts of it were excellent."
Which sums up JNT's tenure as producer of Doctor Who nicely. On the plus side, he toned down the often over-the-top humour, fought against the constant accusations of violence, and ushered in three very different Doctors. Despite wanting to move on to pastures new, when the BBC insisted year in, year out that he remain on the show, he gave it 100%. On the down side, some of his decisions made Dr Who more like a piece of light entertainment, than a drama series.
He rode the wave of the anti-JNT movement within fandom with a reasonable amount of decorum. And rightly so. Given the recent arguments about certain people being "right" to produce a new series, JNT was that man. He knew the show, probably better than he would have chosen. Every new direction was taken in the belief that it would improve the show's standing. Ironically, as Doctor Who was starting to improve dramatically, with Season 26, the BBC pulled the carpet from under him, axing the show.
Even then, he wasn't deterred, throwing himself whole-heartedly into a variety of Who-related projects both within and outside the BBC. His involvement saw the long-awaited release of the Shada footage, several Dr Who exhibitions, talks with American networks, and the Years series of videotapes. The truth of the matter is that whether you liked or loathed his producership, JNT gave a lot of time and effort to a format others around him thought long-dead. Having been privileged enough to have met him on several occasions, I found him to be personable, and open to the ideas of fans. He LIKED hearing criticism, when delivered in the correct manner. He answered the criticism, giving reasons for certain decisions.
It is rare within the media to find people so open to the people they produce entertainment for. So, on behalf of Doctor Who fans, I'd like to take this opportunity to say Rest In Peace to a man who gave everything he could to the show we all love.
JNT will be sorely missed.
This article was written shortly after the tragic death of JNT. In the wake of Russell T Davies' spectacular new version of Doctor Who, it is easy to forget that without JNT pioneering the post-Survival initiatives of the New Adventures, the BBC Video and Audio lines, and numerous other ventures, there wouldn't have been such a receptive audience. Dr Who's continued existence and success still owes a massive debt to John.
Villified by some quarters of fandom, worshipped by others, it is undeniable that JNT played a part in Doctor Who's success for nearly 35 years.
Back in 1969, JNT was floor manager on the Space Pirates. This was his first Who credit. He added to it in the Ambassadors of Death, and Colony in Space. Now, contrary to popular belief, the BBC have always rewarded talent and flair. Thus it was that JNT rapidly rose through the ranks during the 1970s, until he became a Production Unit Manager on Dr Who in 1979. The following year, he took over from Graham Williams as Producer.
This is where the Curate's Egg reference comes in. If you are unfamiliar with this reference, the story goes that a young curate was served an egg during a meal that was past its best. Eager not to cause offence, when asked if his egg was off, he replied "Madam, not at all. Parts of it were excellent."
Which sums up JNT's tenure as producer of Doctor Who nicely. On the plus side, he toned down the often over-the-top humour, fought against the constant accusations of violence, and ushered in three very different Doctors. Despite wanting to move on to pastures new, when the BBC insisted year in, year out that he remain on the show, he gave it 100%. On the down side, some of his decisions made Dr Who more like a piece of light entertainment, than a drama series.
He rode the wave of the anti-JNT movement within fandom with a reasonable amount of decorum. And rightly so. Given the recent arguments about certain people being "right" to produce a new series, JNT was that man. He knew the show, probably better than he would have chosen. Every new direction was taken in the belief that it would improve the show's standing. Ironically, as Doctor Who was starting to improve dramatically, with Season 26, the BBC pulled the carpet from under him, axing the show.
Even then, he wasn't deterred, throwing himself whole-heartedly into a variety of Who-related projects both within and outside the BBC. His involvement saw the long-awaited release of the Shada footage, several Dr Who exhibitions, talks with American networks, and the Years series of videotapes. The truth of the matter is that whether you liked or loathed his producership, JNT gave a lot of time and effort to a format others around him thought long-dead. Having been privileged enough to have met him on several occasions, I found him to be personable, and open to the ideas of fans. He LIKED hearing criticism, when delivered in the correct manner. He answered the criticism, giving reasons for certain decisions.
It is rare within the media to find people so open to the people they produce entertainment for. So, on behalf of Doctor Who fans, I'd like to take this opportunity to say Rest In Peace to a man who gave everything he could to the show we all love.
JNT will be sorely missed.
This article was written shortly after the tragic death of JNT. In the wake of Russell T Davies' spectacular new version of Doctor Who, it is easy to forget that without JNT pioneering the post-Survival initiatives of the New Adventures, the BBC Video and Audio lines, and numerous other ventures, there wouldn't have been such a receptive audience. Dr Who's continued existence and success still owes a massive debt to John.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Spiral Mutterings 9: Oh, Borusa! What happened to you?
Remember the intro to Deadly Assassin? "For millennia, the Time Lords of Gallifrey...", yada, yada, yada "the greatest threat they had ever known." Well, in 2003 we won't be swearing in a new President of Gallifrey, but we WILL be celebrating Dr Who's 40th.
How? Will we be going on holiday to episodes we've not had access to before? Will we be attending parties where Uncle Ixzlyr and Aunty Chessene dance drunkenly, before having a huge spat? Possibly.
However, my cynical, post-material eighties, side says no. We will be enjoying the first episode(s) of The New Adventures of Doctor Who, starring Paul McGann (at least in Ep 1), a BBC Production. Simultaneously released a week early elsewhere, British viewers will be amongst the first (i.e second or third) to see the new look to an old favourite. And when the BBC announce that the 26 episode run, that filled the post-News slot on BBC1 Saturday Evening schedules, failed to justify any more series', we will mourn.
But who will have killed Dr Who? The Daleks? The BBC men in suits who will suspend their socks rather than suspend their disbelief? No. Sad to report, the hangman responsible for this noose is...(cue dramatic music)..........FANDOM!
So, why would the fans, who have kept the good Doctor alive these past 13 years, kill off a show they've hankered after for so long? Well, first of all, let me start by saying it wouldn't be deliberate. They would not be setting out to kill off a character that they have been following for nearly 40 years. The way it will happen is this. If the BBC commission a new show for 2003, they will have two aims.
Firstly, they will be wanting to produce a flagship fantasy series that will attract huge audiences who may never have watched Dr Who before, and something that will sell well on Video and DVD worldwide due to its quality.
Secondly, they will want to retain the loyal fan base, as this guarantees a minimum UK audience of about 4 million. However, the two aims are potentially mutually exclusive. If you make a series that is popular with the fans, it will have to conform, and refer to, established continuity. This means in-jokes, sequels, and the following of precedents set in earlier years. This is something that can alienate potential new viewers. It would be like joining Babylon 5, famed for its 5 year story arc, in the middle of season 3, and thinking "What the hell is going on?". By the same token, a Dr Who show that has to explain Time Lords, Gallifrey, UNIT, the Daleks, etc to a new audience will bore the fans, because its all stuff that we know. So a balance would have to be struck.
A good example is the Fox Telemovie of 1996. In the UK, it achieved an audience of 9 million, almost doubling the audience of Survival in 1989. We have to assume that those 4 or so million who tuned in to season 26 were fans, as the show was scheduled against Coronation Street, a show consistently in the top 3 for 30 years! The Movie also garnered good appreciation figures. Now, although it hinted at the Master's rivalry with the Doctor, and mentioned Skaro, it did so without a) confusing the newcomers, and b) constantly referring to the Doctor's previous encounters with his arch-enemy. In the US, it suffered from poor scheduling, and so no series was made. However, fandom was in uproar: the Doctor kissing a companion, the TARDIS containing an Eye of Harmony...it was all wrong!!!
Of course, what fandom forgot was that the nature of Dr Who is that the show is naturally disposed to change, and to new ideas. Remember, the BBC have used Dr Who as testing grounds for many radical technological advances (first show to use CSO, SceneSynch, Quantel, first show to be made exclusively in colour, first show to have a complete story aired online). As for the history, I wonder how today's fans would have reacted at the end of the Tenth Planet, when William Hartnell became Pat Troughton. "Oh, you can't do that! Billy is the Doctor". Until organised fandom (and the fanctions within it) reared its head in the mid-70s, such changes in the show could occur with little negative comment. The media hailed such innovation. Why such animosity to concepts such as the Doctor being half-human? Silver Nemesis hinted at the fact that the Doctor was not "just a Time Lord". And when the Doctor kisses Grace, it is more an expression of joy that he can remember who he is, than any kind of sexual thing (for him, at least).
If a new series does arrive, it should be viewed by fans as being a new era. You can't, in all honesty, look at An Unearthly Child and Survival and say that they are episodes of the same show. OK, the change was a gradual evolution of 26 years, but its now half that time again since Survival aired. I, for one will view the new series as I would have viewed An Unearthly Child in 1963 - as a new show. If I want the Hinchcliffe years, I'll dig out a copy of Ark In Space...if I want the old Master, I'll watch Terror of the Autons. Come on, my fellow fans, if the show comes back, let's give it support. Don't kill the Golden Goose with petty nostalgia....
Written originally in 2002, in the run up to the 40th Anniversary, this piece was still relevant when new Who did take to the air in 2005. However, I think one reason that organised fandom has been more lenient with this revival is down to the writer. Russel T Davies is not only a gifted TV writer, but also a fan. He's one of us. And he's not done too badly - has he?
How? Will we be going on holiday to episodes we've not had access to before? Will we be attending parties where Uncle Ixzlyr and Aunty Chessene dance drunkenly, before having a huge spat? Possibly.
However, my cynical, post-material eighties, side says no. We will be enjoying the first episode(s) of The New Adventures of Doctor Who, starring Paul McGann (at least in Ep 1), a BBC Production. Simultaneously released a week early elsewhere, British viewers will be amongst the first (i.e second or third) to see the new look to an old favourite. And when the BBC announce that the 26 episode run, that filled the post-News slot on BBC1 Saturday Evening schedules, failed to justify any more series', we will mourn.
But who will have killed Dr Who? The Daleks? The BBC men in suits who will suspend their socks rather than suspend their disbelief? No. Sad to report, the hangman responsible for this noose is...(cue dramatic music)..........FANDOM!
So, why would the fans, who have kept the good Doctor alive these past 13 years, kill off a show they've hankered after for so long? Well, first of all, let me start by saying it wouldn't be deliberate. They would not be setting out to kill off a character that they have been following for nearly 40 years. The way it will happen is this. If the BBC commission a new show for 2003, they will have two aims.
Firstly, they will be wanting to produce a flagship fantasy series that will attract huge audiences who may never have watched Dr Who before, and something that will sell well on Video and DVD worldwide due to its quality.
Secondly, they will want to retain the loyal fan base, as this guarantees a minimum UK audience of about 4 million. However, the two aims are potentially mutually exclusive. If you make a series that is popular with the fans, it will have to conform, and refer to, established continuity. This means in-jokes, sequels, and the following of precedents set in earlier years. This is something that can alienate potential new viewers. It would be like joining Babylon 5, famed for its 5 year story arc, in the middle of season 3, and thinking "What the hell is going on?". By the same token, a Dr Who show that has to explain Time Lords, Gallifrey, UNIT, the Daleks, etc to a new audience will bore the fans, because its all stuff that we know. So a balance would have to be struck.
A good example is the Fox Telemovie of 1996. In the UK, it achieved an audience of 9 million, almost doubling the audience of Survival in 1989. We have to assume that those 4 or so million who tuned in to season 26 were fans, as the show was scheduled against Coronation Street, a show consistently in the top 3 for 30 years! The Movie also garnered good appreciation figures. Now, although it hinted at the Master's rivalry with the Doctor, and mentioned Skaro, it did so without a) confusing the newcomers, and b) constantly referring to the Doctor's previous encounters with his arch-enemy. In the US, it suffered from poor scheduling, and so no series was made. However, fandom was in uproar: the Doctor kissing a companion, the TARDIS containing an Eye of Harmony...it was all wrong!!!
Of course, what fandom forgot was that the nature of Dr Who is that the show is naturally disposed to change, and to new ideas. Remember, the BBC have used Dr Who as testing grounds for many radical technological advances (first show to use CSO, SceneSynch, Quantel, first show to be made exclusively in colour, first show to have a complete story aired online). As for the history, I wonder how today's fans would have reacted at the end of the Tenth Planet, when William Hartnell became Pat Troughton. "Oh, you can't do that! Billy is the Doctor". Until organised fandom (and the fanctions within it) reared its head in the mid-70s, such changes in the show could occur with little negative comment. The media hailed such innovation. Why such animosity to concepts such as the Doctor being half-human? Silver Nemesis hinted at the fact that the Doctor was not "just a Time Lord". And when the Doctor kisses Grace, it is more an expression of joy that he can remember who he is, than any kind of sexual thing (for him, at least).
If a new series does arrive, it should be viewed by fans as being a new era. You can't, in all honesty, look at An Unearthly Child and Survival and say that they are episodes of the same show. OK, the change was a gradual evolution of 26 years, but its now half that time again since Survival aired. I, for one will view the new series as I would have viewed An Unearthly Child in 1963 - as a new show. If I want the Hinchcliffe years, I'll dig out a copy of Ark In Space...if I want the old Master, I'll watch Terror of the Autons. Come on, my fellow fans, if the show comes back, let's give it support. Don't kill the Golden Goose with petty nostalgia....
Written originally in 2002, in the run up to the 40th Anniversary, this piece was still relevant when new Who did take to the air in 2005. However, I think one reason that organised fandom has been more lenient with this revival is down to the writer. Russel T Davies is not only a gifted TV writer, but also a fan. He's one of us. And he's not done too badly - has he?
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Spiral Muttering 8: Canon Fodder
One of the great debates that has raged amongst who fans for the past few decades is that of canon. Which stories, or variations of the TV show, count as the core, "The Gospel According To The Doctor", and which stories aren't.
Many of us have tried to answer this over the years, not least was Lance Parkin's HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE. You see, if we can crack "canonical" Who, then we can start piecing together continuity. So here's a few words on those stories which, IMHO, should and shouldn't count as canon. I place some justification alongside each. I don't think this list is exhaustive, nor should it be deemed the definitive guide; its just my view. I'd be interested to hear others.
DOCTOR WHO (TV Series, 1963 - 1989, BBC)
Without a doubt, I would have to say that from An Unearthly Child, through to Survival, every tv episode has to count as canon. Hell, there wouldn't be any other sources, were it not for these. Now, I know that due to the nature of TV production the episodes are full of contradictions and discontinuity, but after 38 years, I think you'll find that some fan somewhere has found a way to reconcile most of these. I would even include Shada, as sufficient material is available to constitute the full story.
DR WHO AND THE DALEKS/DALEKS:INVASION EARTH 2150AD (1965,1966 AARU Films)
These two "blockbuster" movies, to my mind, do not count. For a start, they differ wildly from the tv stories that they re-work. In An Unearthly Child, the Doctor hints at being, if not alien, then from an Earth of the far future whose civilisation has advanced far beyond ours. In the 2 Aaru films, he is most definitely a contemporary eccentric inventor, tampering with a time/space machine in his back yard.
DOCTOR WHO (Novelisations 1964 - 1992)
Although based on the TV stories, I don't think we can count these, either. You see there are too many embellishments to give us strict continuity. If you actually read them in the same order as broadcast, then in An Unearthly Child, the Doctor meets Ian & Barbara in the junkyard, just as he does in the TV story. However, in Doctor Who & The Daleks (or "in an exciting adventure with the Daleks"), he meets them in entirely different circumstances (made necessary by the simple expedient of it being the first novelisation). By the time of McCoy's final two seasons as the Doctor, the novelisations so richly enlarge upon their TV originals that they almost become new stories. So because of these embellishments, and also due to the bulk of the material duplicating that of the TV stories, I'm afraid we should rule out Target novelisations as canon.
THE NEW ADVENTURES/MISSING ADVENTURES (Virgin Publishing 1991 - 1997)
For a period, these were the only new Who out there. Continuing directly from the end of Survival, they led us through new companions, new enemies, and familiar faces, through a whole new set of adventures. The final two New Adventures were even commissioned with the 1996 Telemovie in mind, thus we see the final complete McCoy story in Lungbarrow (and the reason why the TARDIS looks so different in the film), and the first post-movie appearance of the Eighth Doctor in The Dying Days. So for no other reason than the fact that there was nothing else, I think they should count.
COMIC STRIPS (Various publishers, 1965 - ?)
The problem with counting comic strip adventures as canonical, is that the licensing surrounding the likenesses of certain characters meant that that the Doctor was effectively travelling with several sets of companions contemporaneously (wooohooo - word of the week!). Also, if we count the Doctor's comic strip adventures, do we also include the Daleks separate sojourn into that medium, along with the Sontarans, the Autons, etc? OK, in one New Adventure, the Doctor and Bernice meet Abslom Daak, but the adventure stands as well on its own, as it does alongside Abslom's appearances in strip form. Basically, there are too many loose ends to tie up to include comic strips.
THE AUDIO ADVENTURES (1999 - ?, Big Finish Productions)
As the writers of these adventures are very careful with their continuity, I think it is safe to count these as canon (although squeezing the Sixth Doctor & Evelyn in is a tad difficult!). They feature the right cast and characters, and are a welcome addition to the adventures of our favourite Time Lord.
DIMENSIONS IN TIME/CURSE OF THE FATAL DEATH (1993/1999 BBC Children In Need/Comic Relief)
Noooooooooooooooo! Dimensions in Time should be consigned to the Dark Scrolls, buried in Rassilon's Tomb, or be used as a less acceptable alternative to the Mind Probe. Its just too AWFUL to be included. Fatal Death however, is a far better spin-off but should be ruled out. This is entirely down to the fact that it leaves in a position whereby the Doctor is a woman, now besotted with the Master, and on to her final regeneration.....
DOCTOR WHO (Books, BBC 1997 - ?)
For similar reasons as given for the New/Missing Adventures, they have to count. Don't they?
DOCTOR WHO (Telemovie, BBC/Fox 1996)
Love it or hate it, this story is definitely canon. The 7th Doctor regenerates, and becomes the 8th. I'm sure if it is decided in future to dispense with this half-human stuff, a suitable plot device can be found. As for this propensity for kissing companions, I'm sure that can be curbed too.......
SLIPBACK/GHOSTS OF N-SPACE/PESCATONS/PARADISE OF DEATH/DEATH COMES TO TIME (1986/1996/1976/1993/2000 BBC/Argo Records)
All audio, and no major departures from established continuity, these stories (with the exception of The Pescatons) were all written in the absence of televised Who. I would count them.
ANY STAGE PLAY (Seven Keys To Doomsday/Recall:UNIT/Curse of the Daleks/The Ultimate Adventure)
Due mainly to the fact that these stories are inaccessible to most people, I would hesitate to use them as canon (plus the appearance of David Banks, and the other stage Doctors would bring the grand total of regenerations to around 18!). And The Ultimate Adventure has singing in it, too!
DOWNTIME/WARTIME/MINDGAME TRILOGY/AUTON (Various Years, Reeltime Pictures/BBV)
Downtime counts as canon as it appears as a Missing Adventure (see above). However, other spin-off dramas (and I'm tempted to count K-9 & Company in this) seem to me to fall into the same category as comic strips. Whilst they are all very good (or the ones I've seen), I would not classify them as core stories.
THE DARK DIMENSIONS (Adrian Rigelsford/BBC, Unreleased)
As it was never made (I've even heard rumours that it wasn't even written!), no one has access to it, and no one seems to be particularly upset about this, I think it is best left as non-canon.There, I think I have given my canon/non-canon views on every aspect of Who storytelling there is (apart from the organo-crystal datacube release of "Doctor Who - Vengeance of the Voord" - but as that isn't due for release until 4254, it's not really an issue). Hope it gives you food for thought. I'm just off to throw on my atmosphere density jacket, and nip to the local shop on Io for a perigosto stick. Bye for now...
Of course we now have some rather crucial additions to this:
DOCTOR WHO (TV Series, 2005 - ????)
He's Back! And about Time. This is definitely canon, as its Dr Who, back where it belongs, on TV.
TARDIS CUTAWAY (Comic Relief 2005)
Well, of course as it sits directly between The Parting of The Ways, and New Earth, does not introduce any issues, or discrepancies, its Canon.
Of course, its now apparent that habit of kissing companions is going to be around a bit longer yet. 'Course, when its Billie Piper, even a Time Lord's gonna turn his head.
Later....
Many of us have tried to answer this over the years, not least was Lance Parkin's HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE. You see, if we can crack "canonical" Who, then we can start piecing together continuity. So here's a few words on those stories which, IMHO, should and shouldn't count as canon. I place some justification alongside each. I don't think this list is exhaustive, nor should it be deemed the definitive guide; its just my view. I'd be interested to hear others.
DOCTOR WHO (TV Series, 1963 - 1989, BBC)
Without a doubt, I would have to say that from An Unearthly Child, through to Survival, every tv episode has to count as canon. Hell, there wouldn't be any other sources, were it not for these. Now, I know that due to the nature of TV production the episodes are full of contradictions and discontinuity, but after 38 years, I think you'll find that some fan somewhere has found a way to reconcile most of these. I would even include Shada, as sufficient material is available to constitute the full story.
DR WHO AND THE DALEKS/DALEKS:INVASION EARTH 2150AD (1965,1966 AARU Films)
These two "blockbuster" movies, to my mind, do not count. For a start, they differ wildly from the tv stories that they re-work. In An Unearthly Child, the Doctor hints at being, if not alien, then from an Earth of the far future whose civilisation has advanced far beyond ours. In the 2 Aaru films, he is most definitely a contemporary eccentric inventor, tampering with a time/space machine in his back yard.
DOCTOR WHO (Novelisations 1964 - 1992)
Although based on the TV stories, I don't think we can count these, either. You see there are too many embellishments to give us strict continuity. If you actually read them in the same order as broadcast, then in An Unearthly Child, the Doctor meets Ian & Barbara in the junkyard, just as he does in the TV story. However, in Doctor Who & The Daleks (or "in an exciting adventure with the Daleks"), he meets them in entirely different circumstances (made necessary by the simple expedient of it being the first novelisation). By the time of McCoy's final two seasons as the Doctor, the novelisations so richly enlarge upon their TV originals that they almost become new stories. So because of these embellishments, and also due to the bulk of the material duplicating that of the TV stories, I'm afraid we should rule out Target novelisations as canon.
THE NEW ADVENTURES/MISSING ADVENTURES (Virgin Publishing 1991 - 1997)
For a period, these were the only new Who out there. Continuing directly from the end of Survival, they led us through new companions, new enemies, and familiar faces, through a whole new set of adventures. The final two New Adventures were even commissioned with the 1996 Telemovie in mind, thus we see the final complete McCoy story in Lungbarrow (and the reason why the TARDIS looks so different in the film), and the first post-movie appearance of the Eighth Doctor in The Dying Days. So for no other reason than the fact that there was nothing else, I think they should count.
COMIC STRIPS (Various publishers, 1965 - ?)
The problem with counting comic strip adventures as canonical, is that the licensing surrounding the likenesses of certain characters meant that that the Doctor was effectively travelling with several sets of companions contemporaneously (wooohooo - word of the week!). Also, if we count the Doctor's comic strip adventures, do we also include the Daleks separate sojourn into that medium, along with the Sontarans, the Autons, etc? OK, in one New Adventure, the Doctor and Bernice meet Abslom Daak, but the adventure stands as well on its own, as it does alongside Abslom's appearances in strip form. Basically, there are too many loose ends to tie up to include comic strips.
THE AUDIO ADVENTURES (1999 - ?, Big Finish Productions)
As the writers of these adventures are very careful with their continuity, I think it is safe to count these as canon (although squeezing the Sixth Doctor & Evelyn in is a tad difficult!). They feature the right cast and characters, and are a welcome addition to the adventures of our favourite Time Lord.
DIMENSIONS IN TIME/CURSE OF THE FATAL DEATH (1993/1999 BBC Children In Need/Comic Relief)
Noooooooooooooooo! Dimensions in Time should be consigned to the Dark Scrolls, buried in Rassilon's Tomb, or be used as a less acceptable alternative to the Mind Probe. Its just too AWFUL to be included. Fatal Death however, is a far better spin-off but should be ruled out. This is entirely down to the fact that it leaves in a position whereby the Doctor is a woman, now besotted with the Master, and on to her final regeneration.....
DOCTOR WHO (Books, BBC 1997 - ?)
For similar reasons as given for the New/Missing Adventures, they have to count. Don't they?
DOCTOR WHO (Telemovie, BBC/Fox 1996)
Love it or hate it, this story is definitely canon. The 7th Doctor regenerates, and becomes the 8th. I'm sure if it is decided in future to dispense with this half-human stuff, a suitable plot device can be found. As for this propensity for kissing companions, I'm sure that can be curbed too.......
SLIPBACK/GHOSTS OF N-SPACE/PESCATONS/PARADISE OF DEATH/DEATH COMES TO TIME (1986/1996/1976/1993/2000 BBC/Argo Records)
All audio, and no major departures from established continuity, these stories (with the exception of The Pescatons) were all written in the absence of televised Who. I would count them.
ANY STAGE PLAY (Seven Keys To Doomsday/Recall:UNIT/Curse of the Daleks/The Ultimate Adventure)
Due mainly to the fact that these stories are inaccessible to most people, I would hesitate to use them as canon (plus the appearance of David Banks, and the other stage Doctors would bring the grand total of regenerations to around 18!). And The Ultimate Adventure has singing in it, too!
DOWNTIME/WARTIME/MINDGAME TRILOGY/AUTON (Various Years, Reeltime Pictures/BBV)
Downtime counts as canon as it appears as a Missing Adventure (see above). However, other spin-off dramas (and I'm tempted to count K-9 & Company in this) seem to me to fall into the same category as comic strips. Whilst they are all very good (or the ones I've seen), I would not classify them as core stories.
THE DARK DIMENSIONS (Adrian Rigelsford/BBC, Unreleased)
As it was never made (I've even heard rumours that it wasn't even written!), no one has access to it, and no one seems to be particularly upset about this, I think it is best left as non-canon.There, I think I have given my canon/non-canon views on every aspect of Who storytelling there is (apart from the organo-crystal datacube release of "Doctor Who - Vengeance of the Voord" - but as that isn't due for release until 4254, it's not really an issue). Hope it gives you food for thought. I'm just off to throw on my atmosphere density jacket, and nip to the local shop on Io for a perigosto stick. Bye for now...
Of course we now have some rather crucial additions to this:
DOCTOR WHO (TV Series, 2005 - ????)
He's Back! And about Time. This is definitely canon, as its Dr Who, back where it belongs, on TV.
TARDIS CUTAWAY (Comic Relief 2005)
Well, of course as it sits directly between The Parting of The Ways, and New Earth, does not introduce any issues, or discrepancies, its Canon.
Of course, its now apparent that habit of kissing companions is going to be around a bit longer yet. 'Course, when its Billie Piper, even a Time Lord's gonna turn his head.
Later....
Spiral Muttering 7: Marketing the Doctor
When you have followed the exploits of everyone's favourite Timelord as avidly, and for as long as I have, you dream of the day when, in the company of like-minded folk, you can stand and display your complete collection of Dr Who videos, Target novelisations, New Adventures, Big Finish Audios, BBC Novels, and DVD's.
However, amongst the stalwart legions of media folk who bring us these tasty morsels of adventure in the fourth dimension, there are a few "bad eggs". They are to your Doctor Who collection what Borusa was to the Presidency, Davros to the Kaled race, Kelman to the Nerva Beacon. They seek to destroy from within, that which you hold most dear. They could have their own Dr Who adventure - Dr Who and the Marketing Men.
You see, the problem is if you look at a Star Trek fans video collection, all the spines for the Classic series are the same. So are their Next Generation spines. And DS9. And so on....but no such luxury exists for we Whovians. And its a malaise that has affected us for decades.
Target were the first culprits. They started us off with reprints of the early sixties novelisations, with a bold logo in the William Hartnell style.
As a set of three, divorced from the rest of the range, they look quite a nice set. These 3 classics were published in 1973. But by 1974 the rot had set in. The first three were published in January, the 4th in March, and the Sea Devils in August...each with markedly different designs. already, the Dr Who fan's book collection was suffering an identity crisis.
The following year saw a greater descent into madness. Different coloured spines, and full cover illustrations meant the books had a different feel yet again.
By 1976, the logo had at least settled down, keeping the banner from the "Diamond logo". The spines still varied in colour, though. Things carried on in this vein until 1981, when lo and behold - the logo changed again. Now, I could understand having each Doctor's respective logo on the novelisations of their era, but this was not the case.
I guess it could be argued that such a technique kept the range recognisable with the current TV logo, but wouldn't it be nicer to have a fixed design, to facilitate a nice set of novels?
I thought that just such a happy concept had occurred to Target, now part of Virgin, in the early 90's when their reprint range hit the shelves. Sharing their covers with the corresponding BBC Video release, this looked like it was going to be a really nice, complete looking set of novels. Until....
Yep, you guessed - the novelisations of Seasons 25 and 26 failed to bear the new style.
And Virgin/Target aren't the only culprits. What about BBC Video? At least 3 designs have been used for those. The Virgin New Adventures underwent a revamp at the 50th novel. The BBC Novels have changed once. And even the relatively infant DVD range has a "Five Doctors" that sticks out like a sore thumb. Big Finish have also made changes, albeit slight, to their rang of Audio sleeves. Only the Missing adventures have remained free of this malaise, and as things stand, its one of the few that I have complete....
Maybe this is just a personal gripe, but there you go. There are armies of fans out there who produce replacement covers for DVD/Video sleeves, just so they can all look like they belong to one series. Check out these links for just a few of them....
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quadrant/4626/
http://members.fortunecity.com/masomika/covers/jpcovers/jdvd.html
Of course, now that the series is back on TV, the BBC have appointed a "Brand Manager" to ensure all licensed merchandise is consistent. Oddly, it now feels slightly wrong....Also, I'm slightly peeved that DWM had a similar article in a recent issue - albeit a thinly veiled attack on the old World Distributors annuals. Don't get me STARTED on those....
However, amongst the stalwart legions of media folk who bring us these tasty morsels of adventure in the fourth dimension, there are a few "bad eggs". They are to your Doctor Who collection what Borusa was to the Presidency, Davros to the Kaled race, Kelman to the Nerva Beacon. They seek to destroy from within, that which you hold most dear. They could have their own Dr Who adventure - Dr Who and the Marketing Men.
You see, the problem is if you look at a Star Trek fans video collection, all the spines for the Classic series are the same. So are their Next Generation spines. And DS9. And so on....but no such luxury exists for we Whovians. And its a malaise that has affected us for decades.
Target were the first culprits. They started us off with reprints of the early sixties novelisations, with a bold logo in the William Hartnell style.
As a set of three, divorced from the rest of the range, they look quite a nice set. These 3 classics were published in 1973. But by 1974 the rot had set in. The first three were published in January, the 4th in March, and the Sea Devils in August...each with markedly different designs. already, the Dr Who fan's book collection was suffering an identity crisis.
The following year saw a greater descent into madness. Different coloured spines, and full cover illustrations meant the books had a different feel yet again.
By 1976, the logo had at least settled down, keeping the banner from the "Diamond logo". The spines still varied in colour, though. Things carried on in this vein until 1981, when lo and behold - the logo changed again. Now, I could understand having each Doctor's respective logo on the novelisations of their era, but this was not the case.
I guess it could be argued that such a technique kept the range recognisable with the current TV logo, but wouldn't it be nicer to have a fixed design, to facilitate a nice set of novels?
I thought that just such a happy concept had occurred to Target, now part of Virgin, in the early 90's when their reprint range hit the shelves. Sharing their covers with the corresponding BBC Video release, this looked like it was going to be a really nice, complete looking set of novels. Until....
Yep, you guessed - the novelisations of Seasons 25 and 26 failed to bear the new style.
And Virgin/Target aren't the only culprits. What about BBC Video? At least 3 designs have been used for those. The Virgin New Adventures underwent a revamp at the 50th novel. The BBC Novels have changed once. And even the relatively infant DVD range has a "Five Doctors" that sticks out like a sore thumb. Big Finish have also made changes, albeit slight, to their rang of Audio sleeves. Only the Missing adventures have remained free of this malaise, and as things stand, its one of the few that I have complete....
Maybe this is just a personal gripe, but there you go. There are armies of fans out there who produce replacement covers for DVD/Video sleeves, just so they can all look like they belong to one series. Check out these links for just a few of them....
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quadrant/4626/
http://members.fortunecity.com/masomika/covers/jpcovers/jdvd.html
Of course, now that the series is back on TV, the BBC have appointed a "Brand Manager" to ensure all licensed merchandise is consistent. Oddly, it now feels slightly wrong....Also, I'm slightly peeved that DWM had a similar article in a recent issue - albeit a thinly veiled attack on the old World Distributors annuals. Don't get me STARTED on those....
Spiral Mutterings 5: Doctor Who and The ....
"And with the time at 5.20, its time for a new adventure with Tom Baker as Doctor Who..." (cue the music).
Oh, how I used to yearn for those words, just after the news and sport. Having spent 7 days revelling in the relief that the Doctor and his companion had managed to escape the evil (insert name of monster/villain here), all that remained was to find out what new and thrilling dangers they were going to face this time. Rule number 4 of "Dummies Guide to Writing Dr Who" states that Episode 1 should end with the briefest glimpse of the villain of the piece, just enough to send the viewer scurrying behind the sofa, and living in fear for the Doctor's/Companion's life for a whole week. This simple plot device led to many memorable cliff-hangers; the sucker arm advancing on Barbara in "The Dead Planet", Lynx removing his helmet in "The Time Warrior", and Count Scarlioni revealing his true nature in "City of Death" are just 3 examples. Its a crucial part of what makes any drama series, not just Dr Who, a success. Keep the audience guessing, about who, what, when, where until the next episode. But, and it happens all too often in Dr Who, it don't half spoil it when you get the announcer saying "...and now on BBC 1, Tom Baker is Doctor Who, in part one of a new adventure, Destiny of the Daleks..."Fantastic. Cliff-hanger of episode one is now completely redundant. We don't NEED a taster shot of the monster at the end, because we already know who it is. 25 minutes of the Doctor et al chasing around trying to find out what's going on and who's behind it all is completed wasted.And the producers KNEW about this. That's why the onscreen titles for "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" just reads "Invasion" - to keep that suspense. Perhaps even more annoying is that in the various Episode Guides that are all over the bookshelves and the internet, you discover that a lot of the titles in question had more discreet working titles: for instance "Resurrection of the Daleks" was originally called "Warhead".
Now, I admit, there are some instances where it doesn't matter that much. "Terror of the Zygons", for example, worked fine, because at the time of its transmission, we'd never seen a Zygon, so there was still the suspense factor of "ooh, what must they look like?". Interestingly, the only recurring villains/monsters who have not befallen this fate are The Master, Sil and The Yeti. The Silurians & The Sea Devils actually underwent the reverse, named in their debuts, but not in their subsequent appearance.
"Is it that important?", I hear you ask. Well, possibly not. However, when you watch "Frontier in Space" and the Daleks turn up right at the end, isn't it a bit more of a thrill than when they turn up the first time you watch "Planet of the Daleks"? I think perhaps it is.
(Apologies to anyone who hasn't seen Frontier in Space - I think I may rather have spoilt the ending for you....)
...and still they do not learn. Although to be fair, last year's Dalek, and this year's Rise of the Cybermen, was probably more to do with publicity than spoiling your enjoyment - and of course, with the 45 minute format, the cliffhanger is largely a thing of the past...see you next time.
Oh, how I used to yearn for those words, just after the news and sport. Having spent 7 days revelling in the relief that the Doctor and his companion had managed to escape the evil (insert name of monster/villain here), all that remained was to find out what new and thrilling dangers they were going to face this time. Rule number 4 of "Dummies Guide to Writing Dr Who" states that Episode 1 should end with the briefest glimpse of the villain of the piece, just enough to send the viewer scurrying behind the sofa, and living in fear for the Doctor's/Companion's life for a whole week. This simple plot device led to many memorable cliff-hangers; the sucker arm advancing on Barbara in "The Dead Planet", Lynx removing his helmet in "The Time Warrior", and Count Scarlioni revealing his true nature in "City of Death" are just 3 examples. Its a crucial part of what makes any drama series, not just Dr Who, a success. Keep the audience guessing, about who, what, when, where until the next episode. But, and it happens all too often in Dr Who, it don't half spoil it when you get the announcer saying "...and now on BBC 1, Tom Baker is Doctor Who, in part one of a new adventure, Destiny of the Daleks..."Fantastic. Cliff-hanger of episode one is now completely redundant. We don't NEED a taster shot of the monster at the end, because we already know who it is. 25 minutes of the Doctor et al chasing around trying to find out what's going on and who's behind it all is completed wasted.And the producers KNEW about this. That's why the onscreen titles for "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" just reads "Invasion" - to keep that suspense. Perhaps even more annoying is that in the various Episode Guides that are all over the bookshelves and the internet, you discover that a lot of the titles in question had more discreet working titles: for instance "Resurrection of the Daleks" was originally called "Warhead".
Now, I admit, there are some instances where it doesn't matter that much. "Terror of the Zygons", for example, worked fine, because at the time of its transmission, we'd never seen a Zygon, so there was still the suspense factor of "ooh, what must they look like?". Interestingly, the only recurring villains/monsters who have not befallen this fate are The Master, Sil and The Yeti. The Silurians & The Sea Devils actually underwent the reverse, named in their debuts, but not in their subsequent appearance.
"Is it that important?", I hear you ask. Well, possibly not. However, when you watch "Frontier in Space" and the Daleks turn up right at the end, isn't it a bit more of a thrill than when they turn up the first time you watch "Planet of the Daleks"? I think perhaps it is.
(Apologies to anyone who hasn't seen Frontier in Space - I think I may rather have spoilt the ending for you....)
...and still they do not learn. Although to be fair, last year's Dalek, and this year's Rise of the Cybermen, was probably more to do with publicity than spoiling your enjoyment - and of course, with the 45 minute format, the cliffhanger is largely a thing of the past...see you next time.
Spiral Mutterings 6: Dr Who is Dead - Long Live Doctor Who
It may seem an odd statement, from a fan of nearly 30 years standing, but I am afraid that we must face facts - Dr Who is dead. But we should not despair, for rising from the shattered remains of TV's favourite Time Lord, comes a new series - Doctor Who.
Confused? Well, then, I'll explain. You see, Dr Who was a children's adventure series created in the sixties for kids to watch with their families at tea-time on a Saturday. It had imaginative plots, but they were limited by a 25 minute format, and a reluctance to spend money on a kid's show.
Back then, we lived a simple life. TV was mostly monochrome, man hadn't landed on the moon, and Star Wars was merely a reference to whether the Beatles or the Rolling Stones were the best band.
If you look in old issues of Radio Times, the series is listed as Dr Who. And despite the efforts of a series of producers and production teams, the series never managed to fully shake off the image of a series for kids.
Even the literary side of Dr Who, the novelisations, were lightweight and aimed at a junior audience (I remember when I was 13, a friend got me half a dozen Target Hardbacks from the school library when I was ill. He brought them round at 8pm one evening, and at lunchtime the next day, I'd read them all!). Even when Messrs Nathan Turner and Andrew Cartmel gave the Seventh Doctor a darker side, a more mysterious element, the series was still bogged down with a pantomimic master, a liquorice allsort robot, and guest appearances from the likes of Ken Dodd and the kid who played Adrian Mole.
So although the show was put up against the might of Coronation Street, it still gave the appearance of a Saturday evening light entertainment show. And this is why, in 1989, Dr Who finally died.
However, in 1989 Virgin Books took over the publication of Dr Who books. The novelisations for season 25 and 26 took on a new light. Gone were the days where a Dr Who story finished on page 126 (regardless of the number of Episodes in the TV version - THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT (2 eps) and GENESIS OF THE DALEKS (6 eps) both ran to approximately the same length). Scenes were added, liberties taken with the pre-watershed language, and suddenly - BANG - 300 pages from a 4 part story! The trend was followed by novelisations of "missing books". The Dalek Master Plan was done as a 2 novel epic, as befits the longest story in the shows history. This, ultimately, paved the way for the start of DOCTOR WHO.
When, in 1991, Virgin published "Timewyrm:Genesys", we had full length novels, with adult themes discussed. If DR WHO had covered the reign of Gilgamesh, there would have been no mention of the thirteen year old acolytes, raped by the priests of their society. Ok, so Nero was a bit randy in THE ROMANS, but there was no actual sight of him ravishing anyone. As time wore on, the Seventh Doctor saw his companions having sexual relationships and turning into gun-toting mercenaries, while he himself had to face up to the grim realities of his life, when entire solar systems had to be destroyed to rid the universe of menace.
These novels were not for the easily offended, and it wasn't just the emotional and physical concepts that elevated them from the children's shelves at WH Smiths. I've read Asimov, Bradbury, Anthony and Dick in the past, but the cyberpunk elements of TRANSIT had me re-reading pages at a fair old rate. Over the series, we saw genetic symbiotes, Dyson spheres, dimensional rifts - all explained in proper scientific language. This expansion of themes and complexity carried over into the Missing Adventures series, too. In the aftermath of DOCTOR WHO starring Paul McGann, the publishing of stories based on the character reverted back to the BBC. But if anyone thought that the adult content and increased complexity would be toned down, they were wrong. Torture, sex, temporal paradox - its all in there.
So what's the point of all this? Well, the point is that there are two versions of the show. Up to 1989 the show is a nice show for kids (and grown-ups who don't realise they've grown up), and is called Dr Who. Post-1989, the show has escalated out of the reach of kids, and is now a firmly adult concept called Doctor Who. And with DOCTOR WHO having been around for 15 years now (yes! its fifteen years since TIMEWYRM:GENESYS hit the shops), it will have to be the blueprint for the future - in books, on audio, and on screen.
See you all next time.....
Of course, this article was originally written in 2001, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Virgin's range of books. Since then, Doctor Who has triumphantly returned to our screens. And although Russell T Davies has returned it to its traditional tea-time slot, I have 20-somethings telling me its too much for kids to handle. In the final balance, who cares? Whether its Dr Who, or Doctor Who, its still Fantastic!
Confused? Well, then, I'll explain. You see, Dr Who was a children's adventure series created in the sixties for kids to watch with their families at tea-time on a Saturday. It had imaginative plots, but they were limited by a 25 minute format, and a reluctance to spend money on a kid's show.
Back then, we lived a simple life. TV was mostly monochrome, man hadn't landed on the moon, and Star Wars was merely a reference to whether the Beatles or the Rolling Stones were the best band.
If you look in old issues of Radio Times, the series is listed as Dr Who. And despite the efforts of a series of producers and production teams, the series never managed to fully shake off the image of a series for kids.
Even the literary side of Dr Who, the novelisations, were lightweight and aimed at a junior audience (I remember when I was 13, a friend got me half a dozen Target Hardbacks from the school library when I was ill. He brought them round at 8pm one evening, and at lunchtime the next day, I'd read them all!). Even when Messrs Nathan Turner and Andrew Cartmel gave the Seventh Doctor a darker side, a more mysterious element, the series was still bogged down with a pantomimic master, a liquorice allsort robot, and guest appearances from the likes of Ken Dodd and the kid who played Adrian Mole.
So although the show was put up against the might of Coronation Street, it still gave the appearance of a Saturday evening light entertainment show. And this is why, in 1989, Dr Who finally died.
However, in 1989 Virgin Books took over the publication of Dr Who books. The novelisations for season 25 and 26 took on a new light. Gone were the days where a Dr Who story finished on page 126 (regardless of the number of Episodes in the TV version - THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT (2 eps) and GENESIS OF THE DALEKS (6 eps) both ran to approximately the same length). Scenes were added, liberties taken with the pre-watershed language, and suddenly - BANG - 300 pages from a 4 part story! The trend was followed by novelisations of "missing books". The Dalek Master Plan was done as a 2 novel epic, as befits the longest story in the shows history. This, ultimately, paved the way for the start of DOCTOR WHO.
When, in 1991, Virgin published "Timewyrm:Genesys", we had full length novels, with adult themes discussed. If DR WHO had covered the reign of Gilgamesh, there would have been no mention of the thirteen year old acolytes, raped by the priests of their society. Ok, so Nero was a bit randy in THE ROMANS, but there was no actual sight of him ravishing anyone. As time wore on, the Seventh Doctor saw his companions having sexual relationships and turning into gun-toting mercenaries, while he himself had to face up to the grim realities of his life, when entire solar systems had to be destroyed to rid the universe of menace.
These novels were not for the easily offended, and it wasn't just the emotional and physical concepts that elevated them from the children's shelves at WH Smiths. I've read Asimov, Bradbury, Anthony and Dick in the past, but the cyberpunk elements of TRANSIT had me re-reading pages at a fair old rate. Over the series, we saw genetic symbiotes, Dyson spheres, dimensional rifts - all explained in proper scientific language. This expansion of themes and complexity carried over into the Missing Adventures series, too. In the aftermath of DOCTOR WHO starring Paul McGann, the publishing of stories based on the character reverted back to the BBC. But if anyone thought that the adult content and increased complexity would be toned down, they were wrong. Torture, sex, temporal paradox - its all in there.
So what's the point of all this? Well, the point is that there are two versions of the show. Up to 1989 the show is a nice show for kids (and grown-ups who don't realise they've grown up), and is called Dr Who. Post-1989, the show has escalated out of the reach of kids, and is now a firmly adult concept called Doctor Who. And with DOCTOR WHO having been around for 15 years now (yes! its fifteen years since TIMEWYRM:GENESYS hit the shops), it will have to be the blueprint for the future - in books, on audio, and on screen.
See you all next time.....
Of course, this article was originally written in 2001, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Virgin's range of books. Since then, Doctor Who has triumphantly returned to our screens. And although Russell T Davies has returned it to its traditional tea-time slot, I have 20-somethings telling me its too much for kids to handle. In the final balance, who cares? Whether its Dr Who, or Doctor Who, its still Fantastic!
Monday, June 05, 2006
Spiral Mutterings 4: Just Who Is The 5:15 Hero?
There has long been debate, at clubs, in magazines, in newsgroups and just about everywhere that Who fans gather, as to which Doctor is the best. Normally, you'll find that people over forty say Hartnell, people in their late 30's will say Troughton or Pertwee. Tom Baker has the larger age range, anyone from late 20's to mid 30's, with Davison mainly adored by fans in their mid-20's. Those in their early 20's and below will be found favouring Colin Baker, or Sly McCoy. Paul McGann is a special case, and fans seem to be divided on whether he was a fantastic Doctor not given a fair chance, or whether its best just to ignore the fact that the Fox TVM was ever made.
The reason for the bias most people have towards a particular Doctor, is that its a nostalgia trip, to a time when they were kids, and the Doctor that filled their childhood TV screen is the one they associate with that time. Of course, the actual argument is made moot by people like Nic [the webmaster of www.who-central.co.uk], who at the age of 15 (its 4 years since this was written! Apologies Nic!) has not had the benefit of regular, small screen Dr Who since he was 3 years old. When we first got in touch about this series of articles, he cited Pat Troughton as his favourite Doctor. He's had the benefit of viewing video releases and re-runs, with no preconception of a particular era. His viewpoint of Dr Who is not tainted by the rose-tinted lens of his youth. So that's one reason why the debate is so ridiculous in the first place. Another is that part of the longevity of Dr Who has been the concept of regenerating the title character. A believable premise has been laid down, and has created the rationale that the Doctor's appearance AND personality can change beyond recognition (although Davros seems to manage, with alarming regularity, to recognise the Doctor after a regeneration).
There is no character guideline to say who the Doctor is, and so the idea of a "best", or indeed "definitive" portrayal is redundant. It's not like James Bond, where there is a clear blueprint for the character, in the form of Ian Fleming's original novels. Many people agree that Connery is the best Bond, but he has an advantage over his successors in that he is the only Scot to have played the part, which is introduced as a Scot quite early in the original novels.
So can we ever ascertain whether there is a "best" Dr Who? I would say not, because there are no real indicators. Although the show reached its highest regular viewing figures during Tom's tenure, we should remember that more people had TV's than in Billy's day. Conversely, Tom's greatest enemies were the Daleks, whilst Sylvester's was Coronation Street. Tom Baker had scripts written and edited by the late, great Douglas Adams, Colin had scripts written and edited by Eric Saward. This is not meant as an insult to Eric's work, which is as much apart of Who history as Adams, Holmes, and Dicks, but remember that Douglas was responsible for The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. With all due respect, how well-known is Saward outside of Dr Who?
Therefore, I put it to you, dear reader, that to debate whether Sly was better than Paul, or Tom better than Pat, is a pointless argument, and one that will never be resolved satisfactorily. I think all those who want to pursue such a question will have to settle for "Which Doctor do I like best?". If anyone asks me who my favourite Doctor is from now on, I'll refer them to Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, who summed it up succinctly when he said "Splendid chap - all of them!"
Of course, since this article was written in about 2001, we've had another 2 Doctors. Although I would argue that Ecclestone's Doctor was weak when the scene contained humourous elements, both he and David Tennant have followed the tradition of being completely different, but comfortingly familiar. So I think the argument still stands.
The reason for the bias most people have towards a particular Doctor, is that its a nostalgia trip, to a time when they were kids, and the Doctor that filled their childhood TV screen is the one they associate with that time. Of course, the actual argument is made moot by people like Nic [the webmaster of www.who-central.co.uk], who at the age of 15 (its 4 years since this was written! Apologies Nic!) has not had the benefit of regular, small screen Dr Who since he was 3 years old. When we first got in touch about this series of articles, he cited Pat Troughton as his favourite Doctor. He's had the benefit of viewing video releases and re-runs, with no preconception of a particular era. His viewpoint of Dr Who is not tainted by the rose-tinted lens of his youth. So that's one reason why the debate is so ridiculous in the first place. Another is that part of the longevity of Dr Who has been the concept of regenerating the title character. A believable premise has been laid down, and has created the rationale that the Doctor's appearance AND personality can change beyond recognition (although Davros seems to manage, with alarming regularity, to recognise the Doctor after a regeneration).
There is no character guideline to say who the Doctor is, and so the idea of a "best", or indeed "definitive" portrayal is redundant. It's not like James Bond, where there is a clear blueprint for the character, in the form of Ian Fleming's original novels. Many people agree that Connery is the best Bond, but he has an advantage over his successors in that he is the only Scot to have played the part, which is introduced as a Scot quite early in the original novels.
So can we ever ascertain whether there is a "best" Dr Who? I would say not, because there are no real indicators. Although the show reached its highest regular viewing figures during Tom's tenure, we should remember that more people had TV's than in Billy's day. Conversely, Tom's greatest enemies were the Daleks, whilst Sylvester's was Coronation Street. Tom Baker had scripts written and edited by the late, great Douglas Adams, Colin had scripts written and edited by Eric Saward. This is not meant as an insult to Eric's work, which is as much apart of Who history as Adams, Holmes, and Dicks, but remember that Douglas was responsible for The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. With all due respect, how well-known is Saward outside of Dr Who?
Therefore, I put it to you, dear reader, that to debate whether Sly was better than Paul, or Tom better than Pat, is a pointless argument, and one that will never be resolved satisfactorily. I think all those who want to pursue such a question will have to settle for "Which Doctor do I like best?". If anyone asks me who my favourite Doctor is from now on, I'll refer them to Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, who summed it up succinctly when he said "Splendid chap - all of them!"
Of course, since this article was written in about 2001, we've had another 2 Doctors. Although I would argue that Ecclestone's Doctor was weak when the scene contained humourous elements, both he and David Tennant have followed the tradition of being completely different, but comfortingly familiar. So I think the argument still stands.
Spiral Mutterings 3: A New Role For The Doctor
Ok, I admit it. I am a Role-player, and a Doctor Who fan (yet still have friends). But not everyone is. So I thought I’d ease you non-players into the concept. In a role-playing game (RPG), there are several players, and a referee. The Referee is responsible for the creation of the game’s setting, and controlling the events with in it. The players take on alter egos called characters, to explore that setting. Each character has a particular set of skills, values and background, which all have a bearing on the outcome. There is also a random element, usually provided by dice rolls, to keep pulses racing. Sound familiar?
Well, when properly executed, a RPG session is not dissimilar to an episode of a TV show. The players are the actors & the referee is the director. The difference is that the script is not written; the plot evolves, influenced by the reactions of the characters to the situations they encounter. So with a situation so similar to TV, Doctor Who seems a perfect subject for the medium. Unlike TV, RPG’s are not limited by budget. Imagine The Green Death without the need for condoms!!!
The key to a successful RPG adventure is balance. All those involved need to be like-minded. If the referee takes the game seriously, but the players take a more light-hearted approach, or vice-versa, then tempers will fray and the sessions will descend into bickering and tantrums. Equally important is balance within the game world. Imagine Jo Grant, walking into work on Monday morning to find UNIT HQ over-run with Daleks. As she opens the door, 24 pepper pots open fire. She could hardly be expected to survive! By the same token, a lone Cyberman would find it tricky to overcome a group of half a dozen Time Lords, popping out of a Type 102 TARDIS!
In addition to parity between the characters and their adversaries, there should be some level of equality within the party, too. If one player has a character who is very strong, a scientific genius, and useful at picking locks (sound like anyone you know?), then his colleagues are going to spend a lot of time feeling useless. And this is why the two commercial attempts at Doctor Who role-playing have failed. The player who plays the Doctor has far more skills than his companions. As in the series, the companions become ciphers, to be kidnapped, lost, have ankles twisted or otherwise further the plot. This leads to dissatisfaction for the players controlling these characters, and like any game, an RPG is supposed to be fun.
Another problem with Doctor Who as a subject for an RPG is that there is a LOT of continuity, mythology, and other baggage. I remember my attempts to get a group sorted out for running a Doctor Who game. I only knew 3 Role-players who were interested, and two of those were non-Who fans. Since the Doctor is a complex character, he needs to be played by an experienced role-player. If that player is not a Who fan, then you have more chance of finding the Key to Time than having fun.
It appears, then, that there are only two real approaches to bringing Doctor Who to the tabletop. Firstly, a RPG based on UNIT would work. There is the chance of character development through promotion. Even those without the bloodlust of a military mind could be involved – as a scientific advisor. The Doctor, or similar Time Lord character, should only be introduced as a non-player character, controlled by the referee to give hints and advice, and be handed test tubes.
Secondly, a more obvious idea is to have the characters transported in the TARDIS, with the referee playing the Doctor. The drawback with this approach is that there is a constant battle for the referee to come up with feasible ways of separating them. Still, scores of scriptwriters managed okay.
There have been two attempts at commercial Doctor Who RPG’s. In the mid 1980’s, the FASA Corporation released The Doctor Who Role-playing Game. Based heavily on their hugely successful Star Trek RPG, this game was far more attentive to the rules of the game than with the feel of the series. There was a mine of information about the Doctor and his opponents (mostly wrong), but it was too complex for non-RPGing Who fans to embrace.
The second of these commercial attempts was Time Lord, published by Virgin Books in the early 1990s. A single volume, containing rules and background information, its announcement was met with quite a fanfare. Doctor Who Magazine even published an adventure for the game to tie-in with its launch. This was, to my knowledge, the only published adventure for this game. Time Lord was everything that the earlier attempt wasn’t. Edited by Peter Darvill-Evans, it contained accurate background information. Regeneration was given a chapter of its own. Its rules were simple. Too simple. I tried to get six adventures up and running, but gave up on all of them. It seemed that every time I needed guidance on a particular event, there was no section to cover it.
So, FASA’s Doctor Who RPG was good for experienced RPG players, but poor for Who fans, and Time Lord was great for fans, but of no interest to seasoned adventurers. The series can transfer to RPG. However, I would suggest that the scope of pleasing both RPG fans, and Who devotees (both groups can be difficult at the best of times) is too great for one game. The characters from the series could easily be adapted for existing games, and make a welcome change to the regular fare of elves, goblins and dragons. If you want to try Time Lord, or The Doctor Who Role-playing Game, you’ll have to try the second hand market. Time Lord went out of print when Virgin lost the licence, and FASA’s publication was out of publication when I picked up my copy back in 1988. If anyone is interested in proving me wrong, and has the plans for a DWRPG that is easy to play, accurate, and lots of fun, please let me know.
My first ever article, circa 2000, this is an expanded version of an original web article written f0r the then-fledgling Official Doctor Who Website (www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho). A change of editorial team left it in web-limbo, until Nic Hall's Who Central site kindly gave it a home.
Much to my amazement, the article elicited a response from the author of one of the games covered, and we entered into healthy debate about it for several weeks. A bit of a coup for my first effort, I thought...
Well, when properly executed, a RPG session is not dissimilar to an episode of a TV show. The players are the actors & the referee is the director. The difference is that the script is not written; the plot evolves, influenced by the reactions of the characters to the situations they encounter. So with a situation so similar to TV, Doctor Who seems a perfect subject for the medium. Unlike TV, RPG’s are not limited by budget. Imagine The Green Death without the need for condoms!!!
The key to a successful RPG adventure is balance. All those involved need to be like-minded. If the referee takes the game seriously, but the players take a more light-hearted approach, or vice-versa, then tempers will fray and the sessions will descend into bickering and tantrums. Equally important is balance within the game world. Imagine Jo Grant, walking into work on Monday morning to find UNIT HQ over-run with Daleks. As she opens the door, 24 pepper pots open fire. She could hardly be expected to survive! By the same token, a lone Cyberman would find it tricky to overcome a group of half a dozen Time Lords, popping out of a Type 102 TARDIS!
In addition to parity between the characters and their adversaries, there should be some level of equality within the party, too. If one player has a character who is very strong, a scientific genius, and useful at picking locks (sound like anyone you know?), then his colleagues are going to spend a lot of time feeling useless. And this is why the two commercial attempts at Doctor Who role-playing have failed. The player who plays the Doctor has far more skills than his companions. As in the series, the companions become ciphers, to be kidnapped, lost, have ankles twisted or otherwise further the plot. This leads to dissatisfaction for the players controlling these characters, and like any game, an RPG is supposed to be fun.
Another problem with Doctor Who as a subject for an RPG is that there is a LOT of continuity, mythology, and other baggage. I remember my attempts to get a group sorted out for running a Doctor Who game. I only knew 3 Role-players who were interested, and two of those were non-Who fans. Since the Doctor is a complex character, he needs to be played by an experienced role-player. If that player is not a Who fan, then you have more chance of finding the Key to Time than having fun.
It appears, then, that there are only two real approaches to bringing Doctor Who to the tabletop. Firstly, a RPG based on UNIT would work. There is the chance of character development through promotion. Even those without the bloodlust of a military mind could be involved – as a scientific advisor. The Doctor, or similar Time Lord character, should only be introduced as a non-player character, controlled by the referee to give hints and advice, and be handed test tubes.
Secondly, a more obvious idea is to have the characters transported in the TARDIS, with the referee playing the Doctor. The drawback with this approach is that there is a constant battle for the referee to come up with feasible ways of separating them. Still, scores of scriptwriters managed okay.
There have been two attempts at commercial Doctor Who RPG’s. In the mid 1980’s, the FASA Corporation released The Doctor Who Role-playing Game. Based heavily on their hugely successful Star Trek RPG, this game was far more attentive to the rules of the game than with the feel of the series. There was a mine of information about the Doctor and his opponents (mostly wrong), but it was too complex for non-RPGing Who fans to embrace.
The second of these commercial attempts was Time Lord, published by Virgin Books in the early 1990s. A single volume, containing rules and background information, its announcement was met with quite a fanfare. Doctor Who Magazine even published an adventure for the game to tie-in with its launch. This was, to my knowledge, the only published adventure for this game. Time Lord was everything that the earlier attempt wasn’t. Edited by Peter Darvill-Evans, it contained accurate background information. Regeneration was given a chapter of its own. Its rules were simple. Too simple. I tried to get six adventures up and running, but gave up on all of them. It seemed that every time I needed guidance on a particular event, there was no section to cover it.
So, FASA’s Doctor Who RPG was good for experienced RPG players, but poor for Who fans, and Time Lord was great for fans, but of no interest to seasoned adventurers. The series can transfer to RPG. However, I would suggest that the scope of pleasing both RPG fans, and Who devotees (both groups can be difficult at the best of times) is too great for one game. The characters from the series could easily be adapted for existing games, and make a welcome change to the regular fare of elves, goblins and dragons. If you want to try Time Lord, or The Doctor Who Role-playing Game, you’ll have to try the second hand market. Time Lord went out of print when Virgin lost the licence, and FASA’s publication was out of publication when I picked up my copy back in 1988. If anyone is interested in proving me wrong, and has the plans for a DWRPG that is easy to play, accurate, and lots of fun, please let me know.
My first ever article, circa 2000, this is an expanded version of an original web article written f0r the then-fledgling Official Doctor Who Website (www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho). A change of editorial team left it in web-limbo, until Nic Hall's Who Central site kindly gave it a home.
Much to my amazement, the article elicited a response from the author of one of the games covered, and we entered into healthy debate about it for several weeks. A bit of a coup for my first effort, I thought...
Spiral Mutterings 2: One Good Solid Hope...
"...is worth a cartload of certainties", said the Doctor. And, it would appear, this adage has held true for his fans, with the recent announcement from the BBC that Doctor Who will return in 2005. Now, I believe all the contributors to this site have made their hopes and fears known about what a new series may, should, can be, etc, so I won't revisit familiar ground. Nor, like the rest of the media, will I attempt to second-guess the production team on who the Doctor will be, what creatures will return, etc. And finally, I also refuse to comment on whether, this being a Russell T. Davies production, the Doctor will be camper than ever before.
For the record, however, my feelings are that McGann should return, at least for one season, Daleks and Cybermen should be held in reserve, possibly for use in cliffhanger epic stories that bridge seasons (like "Best of Both Worlds" did on ST:TNG), and that Russell T. Davies is a talented and experienced TV writer, who wouldn't have got the gig if he was the one trick pony the media seem to perceive him as.
Instead, I'd like to look at the timing of the announcement. Obviously, in this 40th anniversary year, it is a source of great excitement, and a cause for much speculation. But with 2 years to go before any episodes appear on screen, I'm afraid the cynic in me feels the Beeb may just be trying to raise awareness of the show to cash in on a certain 900 yr old's birthday....
Lets face it, its a huge gap between an announcement, and any actual product for the world of TV. Normally, announcements don't get made until a project at least enters pre-production: a cast is waiting, crew assigned, locations are being sought, and scripts finalised. This is normally no more than a year prior to transmission, even for the most ambitious costume drama.
I am also wary that from about 1991, we kept hearing rumours of the 30th Anniversary story - The Dark Dimensions. We knew that a script was written (more than is currently true of Who2K5), cast approached, crew assembled, etc. And what did we get? 10 minutes of substandard, 3d, nonsense. By all accounts, it was a blessing in disguise that Dark Dimensions never happened, but even then, season 27 was long overdue!
Between now and 2005, anything could happen - Davies could be wooed away to work on something else; the BBC could undergo another of its "restructuring" exercises, leaving Who-friendly executives out in the cold again; someone may write a pilot for a new SF show that blows the minds of the commissioning bods to the same extent as Sidney Newman's idea did 40 years ago.
I'd like to believe in Who2K5, I really would. But then I used to like believing in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and Leprechauns. I have a terrible feeling that somewhere down the line, interest will dwindle from the non-Who community, and this new Doctor will be able to slip quietly through the door at TV Centre marked "Dormant Formats". Until I see new Who on my screen, I'm going to have to rely on my good solid hope.....
This article was written in late 2003, shortly after the announcement that Doctor Who would return in 2005. Of course, my fears were unfounded, and what transpired was nothing short of FANTASTIC!
For the record, however, my feelings are that McGann should return, at least for one season, Daleks and Cybermen should be held in reserve, possibly for use in cliffhanger epic stories that bridge seasons (like "Best of Both Worlds" did on ST:TNG), and that Russell T. Davies is a talented and experienced TV writer, who wouldn't have got the gig if he was the one trick pony the media seem to perceive him as.
Instead, I'd like to look at the timing of the announcement. Obviously, in this 40th anniversary year, it is a source of great excitement, and a cause for much speculation. But with 2 years to go before any episodes appear on screen, I'm afraid the cynic in me feels the Beeb may just be trying to raise awareness of the show to cash in on a certain 900 yr old's birthday....
Lets face it, its a huge gap between an announcement, and any actual product for the world of TV. Normally, announcements don't get made until a project at least enters pre-production: a cast is waiting, crew assigned, locations are being sought, and scripts finalised. This is normally no more than a year prior to transmission, even for the most ambitious costume drama.
I am also wary that from about 1991, we kept hearing rumours of the 30th Anniversary story - The Dark Dimensions. We knew that a script was written (more than is currently true of Who2K5), cast approached, crew assembled, etc. And what did we get? 10 minutes of substandard, 3d, nonsense. By all accounts, it was a blessing in disguise that Dark Dimensions never happened, but even then, season 27 was long overdue!
Between now and 2005, anything could happen - Davies could be wooed away to work on something else; the BBC could undergo another of its "restructuring" exercises, leaving Who-friendly executives out in the cold again; someone may write a pilot for a new SF show that blows the minds of the commissioning bods to the same extent as Sidney Newman's idea did 40 years ago.
I'd like to believe in Who2K5, I really would. But then I used to like believing in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and Leprechauns. I have a terrible feeling that somewhere down the line, interest will dwindle from the non-Who community, and this new Doctor will be able to slip quietly through the door at TV Centre marked "Dormant Formats". Until I see new Who on my screen, I'm going to have to rely on my good solid hope.....
This article was written in late 2003, shortly after the announcement that Doctor Who would return in 2005. Of course, my fears were unfounded, and what transpired was nothing short of FANTASTIC!
Spiral Mutterings 1: The Nth Doctors
Unlike the Virgin book release of the same name, this is not an examination of all the different Doctor Who projects that, for one reason or another, failed to appear between 1989 and 1996. What would be the point? Those interested will have bought at the time, and in any case, it was paraphrased in "Regenerations" - the Philip Segal/Gary Russell co-production.
No, instead this article looks at the pretenders to the Doctor's throne. You see, since the end of Survival, despite re-iterating constantly that the Doctor represented a "tired format", and had no place in modern TV schedules, the BBC never really stopped trying. You see, in direct contradiction to the armies of fans, TV critics, and notable TV professionals, there isn't really any need to tip Alan Davies as the next Doctor - he's already done it. Along with others, even (hushed silence) - A WOMAN! Yet none of them have been at a Big Finish: Unbound recording session.
Have I gone mad? No, not quite, not yet. But as I take you on my journey through the BBC's prime time offerings of the last few years, you may find familiar elements....
1. THE CRIME TRAVELLER (1997 - 8 episodes) Chloe Annett (formerly best known as Clare Grogan's replacement on Red Dwarf as Kochanski) plays Holly Turner, the scientific officer (hmmm...familiar job title?) at a local police station. One of her colleague's, Detective Jeff Slade, gets fired when a stakeout goes wrong. After work, Turner goes home, where she has a functioning Time Machine. She uses it to go back in time, find evidence, and return it promptly enough to save Slade's job. When he questions her about how she did it, she reluctantly leads him back to her home (ah - a reluctance to reveal the time machine installed at your abode....hmmm....interesting), and shows him the machine. Oh, and certain Rules of Time have to be obeyed (rules...or laws? You decide!).
2. JONATHAN CREEK (1997 - 2003) An investigative journalist, played by Caroline Quentin, looking into sinister, inexplicable deaths and disappearances (now, has anyone seen Lis Sladen...?), turns to an eccentric, reclusive, incredibly intelligent individual (Alan Davies), who thinks about things in a slightly unorthodox manner. He manages to explain the inexplicable, in a thoroughly convincing way - making the more mundane authority figures around him appear as bumbling amateurs. I'm sure something similar has happened, down at UNIT HQ.
3. TED AND ALICE (2002) An alien, Stephen Tompkinson, exiled from his home planet to Earth. A gentle soul, he falls in love with an Earth woman, whilst being ruthlessly hunted down by his enemies. I don't want to be the one to mention a certain TVM set in San Francisco, but...
Now, I know that these series' similarities to Doctor Who are, in the main, only superficial, but it does show, I think, that the BBC have been desperate to look for a new hero figure. Between Holly the scientist in Crime Traveller, the hapless Ted, and the ever so bohemian Creek, we have elements of that hero who "is never cowardly or cruel", who never resorts to violence if possible, and who will always do what is right. They haven't found him yet. But I suspect they might, in about 2005, when Russell T Davies's first episodes of the new Doctor Who are aired on BBC TV. Lets hope its all we have dared to dream of these past 14 years.
The "Spiral Mutterings" started life as occasional articles for the website www.who-central.co.uk, now sadly on hiatus (a word most feared in Dr Who circles!). I humbly publish them here again, in the hope that some may enjoy them. Where applicable, I shall annotate them with updated info, reflections on things that have happened since, or just general comments on my own abilities as an article writer.
No, instead this article looks at the pretenders to the Doctor's throne. You see, since the end of Survival, despite re-iterating constantly that the Doctor represented a "tired format", and had no place in modern TV schedules, the BBC never really stopped trying. You see, in direct contradiction to the armies of fans, TV critics, and notable TV professionals, there isn't really any need to tip Alan Davies as the next Doctor - he's already done it. Along with others, even (hushed silence) - A WOMAN! Yet none of them have been at a Big Finish: Unbound recording session.
Have I gone mad? No, not quite, not yet. But as I take you on my journey through the BBC's prime time offerings of the last few years, you may find familiar elements....
1. THE CRIME TRAVELLER (1997 - 8 episodes) Chloe Annett (formerly best known as Clare Grogan's replacement on Red Dwarf as Kochanski) plays Holly Turner, the scientific officer (hmmm...familiar job title?) at a local police station. One of her colleague's, Detective Jeff Slade, gets fired when a stakeout goes wrong. After work, Turner goes home, where she has a functioning Time Machine. She uses it to go back in time, find evidence, and return it promptly enough to save Slade's job. When he questions her about how she did it, she reluctantly leads him back to her home (ah - a reluctance to reveal the time machine installed at your abode....hmmm....interesting), and shows him the machine. Oh, and certain Rules of Time have to be obeyed (rules...or laws? You decide!).
2. JONATHAN CREEK (1997 - 2003) An investigative journalist, played by Caroline Quentin, looking into sinister, inexplicable deaths and disappearances (now, has anyone seen Lis Sladen...?), turns to an eccentric, reclusive, incredibly intelligent individual (Alan Davies), who thinks about things in a slightly unorthodox manner. He manages to explain the inexplicable, in a thoroughly convincing way - making the more mundane authority figures around him appear as bumbling amateurs. I'm sure something similar has happened, down at UNIT HQ.
3. TED AND ALICE (2002) An alien, Stephen Tompkinson, exiled from his home planet to Earth. A gentle soul, he falls in love with an Earth woman, whilst being ruthlessly hunted down by his enemies. I don't want to be the one to mention a certain TVM set in San Francisco, but...
Now, I know that these series' similarities to Doctor Who are, in the main, only superficial, but it does show, I think, that the BBC have been desperate to look for a new hero figure. Between Holly the scientist in Crime Traveller, the hapless Ted, and the ever so bohemian Creek, we have elements of that hero who "is never cowardly or cruel", who never resorts to violence if possible, and who will always do what is right. They haven't found him yet. But I suspect they might, in about 2005, when Russell T Davies's first episodes of the new Doctor Who are aired on BBC TV. Lets hope its all we have dared to dream of these past 14 years.
The "Spiral Mutterings" started life as occasional articles for the website www.who-central.co.uk, now sadly on hiatus (a word most feared in Dr Who circles!). I humbly publish them here again, in the hope that some may enjoy them. Where applicable, I shall annotate them with updated info, reflections on things that have happened since, or just general comments on my own abilities as an article writer.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Enclosure 1: "Come On, Darlings! Let's make magic!"
Well, had this blogspot set up for a while, now, so I thought I'd better put some word type things on it.
I've just been accepted for my first acting role (well, the first one in twenty years - back when I was an arty pseud who called local am-dram and panto acting).
But this is a proper role, in a film, with cameras and stuff.
So for the next few months, the blog will consist of updates on how the project is progressing.
How did this come about? Well, I've always been interested in acting, and the production side of things as well. All my experience has been stage-based. Also, as further posts in this blog will show, I'm a huge SF fan. Anyway, my fiancee found out about this website for extras (sorry, that should read "Supporting Artistes"), and saw a listing for an SF film being shot in my home city of Leeds. They were after corpses, and she thought it would be a great kudos thing for me to say to my SF mates, "I was in a Sci-Fi film". Of course, Leeds is the home of so many SF classics, such as the original "Star T'rek", "War O' T' Worlds", and the 1979 Classic, "Have You Seen T'Bloody Teeth on That", released under the catchier title "Alien".
So I applied - but being a bloke, and having been given a new toy, applied for several other projects. An invitation to audition for "Corpse in SF Film" never came through. I did get asked to play an office worker in a short feature called "Propane", of which more in a future post. One particular listing was for a couple of films being but together in Batley, an old stomping ground, and the scene of my early forages into the world of paid performance.
Again, my details were posted, and the long wait started. The deadline for entries passed, as did the audition date, and I thought "Ho hum". Then, about a fortnight ago, the director, Pete, emailed me to say that due to some trouble with emails, a lot of people had missed the first round of auditions, and would I like to come to another round of open auditions at the end of May. As they were being held in a pub, I thought at least I could drown my sorrows after the wholly expected "Thanks, but no thanks".
I was asked to read 3 parts from two films. In "First Love", Alex is a man dying of a brain tumour who meets his eponymous first love, Karen, who then risks her marriage to stay with him. In "Enclosure", Martin and Julie inherit a large house, which is costly to run. As a way of dealing with the costs, a lodger (John) comes in, who contrives to make the couple the main characters of a book he wrote some years previously.
To read the parts of Karen and Julie, a young lady called Nix arrived. To describe her as bubbly and energetic is like calling the surface of the sun a bit warm. After some legal stuff (form-filling and the like), and Nix and I exchanging about six words, we were whisked upstairs to film our pieces.
It was bizarre! It's been a long time since I had to read a script, but I seemed to pick it up like it was yesterday. In the first excerpt (Alex with Karen), there's some hugging, and hand-holding, and as I rapidly approach 38 years old, it's always edifying when young attractive blondes say "Do you mind if I grab you?" - these opportunities come along so infrequently! Ever the consummate professional, I say back, gratefully, "Grab away!"
We read the excerpt, and Peter, the Director, seems quite pleased. He then asks for the Martin/Julie piece. We do this, and there seems to be an instant bond between Nix and I - a sense of each other's timing which is strange after knowing each other for about 10 minutes.
At the end of the second piece, the director asks me not to bother reading for John. "Oh god", thought I, "here we go - thanks, but no thanks". But to my utter surprise, he says "I think we know what part you're playing"...
So, once we've retired to the bar, and the Force of Nature which is Nix has blown out of the door, I drink my beer in a slightly stunned manner. People are enthusing about my work (as an IT Manager by day, this NEVER HAPPENS!)
A few days later, I'm asked if I can travel down again, and read the same excerpts again, but with a different "Julie" opposite my "Martin". Sara is just as young, just as attractive - but a little less frenetic. The string of beautiful young women auditioning to be my wife is fantastic - its how Sean Connery must've felt when seeing the various Bond girls.
Anyway, without wishing to reveal Pete's decision, I'll leave you guessing the outcome. Some work is being done on the screenplay, and some casting is still to be done, but work should hopefully start in a couple of weeks. Watch this space...
I've just been accepted for my first acting role (well, the first one in twenty years - back when I was an arty pseud who called local am-dram and panto acting).
But this is a proper role, in a film, with cameras and stuff.
So for the next few months, the blog will consist of updates on how the project is progressing.
How did this come about? Well, I've always been interested in acting, and the production side of things as well. All my experience has been stage-based. Also, as further posts in this blog will show, I'm a huge SF fan. Anyway, my fiancee found out about this website for extras (sorry, that should read "Supporting Artistes"), and saw a listing for an SF film being shot in my home city of Leeds. They were after corpses, and she thought it would be a great kudos thing for me to say to my SF mates, "I was in a Sci-Fi film". Of course, Leeds is the home of so many SF classics, such as the original "Star T'rek", "War O' T' Worlds", and the 1979 Classic, "Have You Seen T'Bloody Teeth on That", released under the catchier title "Alien".
So I applied - but being a bloke, and having been given a new toy, applied for several other projects. An invitation to audition for "Corpse in SF Film" never came through. I did get asked to play an office worker in a short feature called "Propane", of which more in a future post. One particular listing was for a couple of films being but together in Batley, an old stomping ground, and the scene of my early forages into the world of paid performance.
Again, my details were posted, and the long wait started. The deadline for entries passed, as did the audition date, and I thought "Ho hum". Then, about a fortnight ago, the director, Pete, emailed me to say that due to some trouble with emails, a lot of people had missed the first round of auditions, and would I like to come to another round of open auditions at the end of May. As they were being held in a pub, I thought at least I could drown my sorrows after the wholly expected "Thanks, but no thanks".
I was asked to read 3 parts from two films. In "First Love", Alex is a man dying of a brain tumour who meets his eponymous first love, Karen, who then risks her marriage to stay with him. In "Enclosure", Martin and Julie inherit a large house, which is costly to run. As a way of dealing with the costs, a lodger (John) comes in, who contrives to make the couple the main characters of a book he wrote some years previously.
To read the parts of Karen and Julie, a young lady called Nix arrived. To describe her as bubbly and energetic is like calling the surface of the sun a bit warm. After some legal stuff (form-filling and the like), and Nix and I exchanging about six words, we were whisked upstairs to film our pieces.
It was bizarre! It's been a long time since I had to read a script, but I seemed to pick it up like it was yesterday. In the first excerpt (Alex with Karen), there's some hugging, and hand-holding, and as I rapidly approach 38 years old, it's always edifying when young attractive blondes say "Do you mind if I grab you?" - these opportunities come along so infrequently! Ever the consummate professional, I say back, gratefully, "Grab away!"
We read the excerpt, and Peter, the Director, seems quite pleased. He then asks for the Martin/Julie piece. We do this, and there seems to be an instant bond between Nix and I - a sense of each other's timing which is strange after knowing each other for about 10 minutes.
At the end of the second piece, the director asks me not to bother reading for John. "Oh god", thought I, "here we go - thanks, but no thanks". But to my utter surprise, he says "I think we know what part you're playing"...
So, once we've retired to the bar, and the Force of Nature which is Nix has blown out of the door, I drink my beer in a slightly stunned manner. People are enthusing about my work (as an IT Manager by day, this NEVER HAPPENS!)
A few days later, I'm asked if I can travel down again, and read the same excerpts again, but with a different "Julie" opposite my "Martin". Sara is just as young, just as attractive - but a little less frenetic. The string of beautiful young women auditioning to be my wife is fantastic - its how Sean Connery must've felt when seeing the various Bond girls.
Anyway, without wishing to reveal Pete's decision, I'll leave you guessing the outcome. Some work is being done on the screenplay, and some casting is still to be done, but work should hopefully start in a couple of weeks. Watch this space...
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