Spiral Mutterings are a bit like buses at the moment. Don't see one for ages, and then 2 pop up in rapid succession. OK, so its not often that the gap between buses is 8 years, but there you go. Anyway, as we are 1 and a bit seasons into the tenure of the Eleventh Doctor, I thought it a timely moment to ruminate on the subject of regenerations.
So - RTD mischief in the Sarah Jane Adventures aside (Clyde asks the Doctor how many times he can regenerate, and the Doctor replies 507 in Death of the Doctor) - it has been firmly established in the series that Time Lords can regenerate 12 times - giving us 13 incarnations. Of course, there are certain caveats - if a Time Lord is killed again before a regeneration cycle completes, he is properly dead. Also, it appears that a Time Lord can start a partial regeneration to heal an injury.
So should we be worried that the Doctor only (apparently) has 2 bodies left to go? Possibly not. First of all, we already know that the producers of the new series are not averse to a reboot or two. Secondly, incidents in the series past have hinted that it is possible for a Time Lord to survive beyond the 13th incarnation (eg: The Master), and even be given a whole new regenerative cycle (The Five Doctors). Of course the latter may only be possible if granted by the Time Lords, who don't exist in the current Doctor Who universe. However, there may still be hope. What follows may, at times, seem whackier than a whacky thing at the World Whacky Championships, but it may be a less convoluted solution than current producers may be looking at.
When we first see the Doctor change, in The Tenth Planet, he complains that his body is old, and wearing out. Once in the TARDIS, he collapses and begins to change. This process is referred to as "rejuvenation" on-screen. Now, we do know that the TARDIS can have positive effects on the regenerative process, so is it possible that when a regeneration takes place in the TARDIS, it is more akin to the partial processs that heals the body, rather than a full regeneration? If this is the case, and you haven't dismissed me as a lunatic yet, then read on.
So, William Hartnell "rejuvenates", and becomes Patrick Troughton. So, Patrick Troughton is still the first Doctor - just a younger, healthier version. At the end of The War Games, Patrick Troughton's Doctor is put on trial by the Time Lords - and exiled to Earth. It is decided that his appearance will be changed. As there is no evidence of the Time Lords using capital punishment on the Doctor, i.e killing him to force a regeneration, it is possible to assume that they used some form of advanced Gallifreyan plastic surgery. So, Jon Pertwee is STILL the first Doctor.
So, our first full regeneration comes at the end of Planet of the Spiders. The Doctor, exposed to a lethal dose of radiation, returns to Earth, collapses, and changes. The process is nudged by a fellow Time Lord, but otherwise, this is a full-on regeneration. Therefore, Tom Baker is now the Second Doctor.
This second Doctor unfortunately becomes a relatively early regeneratee. Following his fall from the Pharos radio telescope, the Doctor lays on the floor and, again, outside the TARDIS, regenerates. A slight deviation, with the introduction of a "intermediate stage" called the Watcher, but a regeneration nonetheless. So, Peter Davison becomes the Third Doctor.
Our dashing Third Doctor succumbs to Spectrox Toxaemia poisoning, and with only enough antidote for Peri, he changes. INSIDE the TARDIS. So its feasible that this is only a partial process - enough to cleanse the toxin from his body, and indeed, change his form - but its feasible its not a full regeneration. So, the man in the garish coat is still the Third Doctor.
Suffering a severe knock to the head, inside the TARDIS (I mean, come on! The Doctor has survived much worse than that!), I think we can safely assume more of a healing, partial regeneration at the start of Time And The Rani.So our last regular TV Doctor from the classic series is still the Third Doctor.
Of course, being shot several times in a San Francisco back alley, being rushed to hospital, and dying in the operating theatre during open heart surgery, AND waking up in a mortuary, means that Paul McGann becomes the Fourth Doctor.
Of course, between McGann and Ecclestone, any attempt to formulate a history for the Doctor is purely conjecture. We know there was a huge Time War, and a massive event that led to the Time Lords and Daleks being destroyed, so I think its safe to assume that somewhere in that lot, there was a full on regeneration. So 2005 started with the first televised adventure of the Fifth Doctor.
Now, both Ecclestone and Tennant had regenerations that took place inside the TARDIS, so we can (based on my initial premise) state that Matt Smith is, in fact, still the Fifth Doctor.
So, its actually less of a problem than we thought. Of course, the producers of Doctor Who may have a master plan in place to take us beyond the 13th incarnation, but if they choose my theory, cheques can be sent to the usual address.
That's it from the Mutterings for now. See you soon-ish.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Spiral Mutterings 12: Silence Has Fallen
Hello, dear Reader.
Its been a long time since the last Spiral Muttering, a good 8 or 9 years, and all I've written since is a few annotations when the Mutterings got re-homed here. Well, that's not strictly true - I've written loads of stuff recently, just not here. But I'm back, and its STILL about Time.
I thought, for my first post back in the blogsphere, I'd take advantage of the mid-season lull, to take a look at the pro's and con's of the new series to date. Its been 6 glorious years since that iconic Police Box materialised onto our screens, and lets face it - its been one hell of a ride. Three Doctors, five companions, new monsters, old monsters, and familiar faces returning to the world of Doctor Who. But has it all been good? Overall, I'd have to say "Yes", but some bits have been better than others. So, its time to make a list of the good, the bad, and the fugly of Doctor Who seasons 27 - 31.5.
PRO's
1. Three excellent new Doctors. Although, in order, I'd have to rate them as Matt Smith, David Tennant, Chris Ecclestone. Now don't get me wrong, Chris and David are both fine actors, but Matt is the one who has most finely balanced the elements of the Doctor. Ecclestone, for me, always looked a bit awkward when handling the comedic elements of the role (and Doctor Who has always had that element - its not some post-modern, RTD/Moffatt new invention). Tennant addressed that, but I felt that sometimes his performances were a little over the top. Indeed, towards the end of his tenure, I was rather put in mind of the later Tom Baker episodes, where the performances rather over-emphasised the Doctor's alien nature. Matt, so far, has been brilliant. Like many, I thought he seemed too young to handle the role. Yet something about him looks really old - in many ways he is the perfect embodiment of the Doctor as described in many a novelisation: a young-old face. Well done, Mr Smith. May you pilot the Tardis for a good long while yet.
2. Special FX. The show now has them! And some of them are REALLY special. Huge Dalek fleets, massive Cyber armies, and monsters that look like so much more than mere men in rubber suits. Now, don't get me wrong, there will always be a special place in my heart for the inflated condoms used in the long shots of The Green Death, and the bubble wrap on Noah's arm on The Ark In Space, but I don't think its a co-incidence that the new show has become established stateside a hell of a lot quicker than old Who did. The most mind-blowing effect I can remember from the classic series was the flyby of the Time Lord spacestation at the beginning of Trial of a Time Lord. Well, the Mill have done excellent work in knocking that into a cocked hat! Sure, there have been low points - the Atraxi eye in Eleventh Hour, the Slitheen, and the Reapers from Father's Day all had a cartoony feel to them, but they're still way ahead of anything we saw previously.
3. Spin-offs. Back in the day, there were often rumours about spin-offs. In the sixties, Terry Nation tried to get a Dalek series off the ground. In the seventies, spin-offs involving both UNIT and the unlikely duo of Jago and Lightfoot (now gloriously brought to life by Big Finish) were mooted. The only one ever to make it off the drawing board, however, was the ill-fated and much-maligned "K-9 and Company". Yes, it was low-budget, and yes - it did have a poor storyline, but it got made, and was - ultimately - a prototype for what was to come later. The new series has had not one, but TWO, hugely successful spin-offs in "Torchwood", and "The Sarah Jane Adventures". Although the latter is now sadly at an end, due to the untimely and saddening death of Elisabeth Sladen, this series allowed a whole new generation of children to be captivated by the plucky investigative journalist we first met in The Time Warrior. And Torchwood, despite the sporadic nature of its appearances, has grown into a huge, multinational co-production, and goes from strength-to-strength.
4. Christmas Specials. When I was growing up, the best we Whovians could look forward to at Christmas was a Boxing Day omnibus of one of the previous season's stories. I'm sure its not the case, but my memory (ailing though it is, these days) is convinced it was always Genesis Of The Daleks, or The Green Death - although I'm sure some guardian of the Radio Times archive can correct me on that. Now though, we get specially commissioned, extended length episodes of Doctor Who on Christmas Day. All shiny and new, like anything on Xmas Day should be. Indeed, when the Tenth Doctor left us, we got Xmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day specials. Oh BBC, you are spoiling us now!
5. Arc-plots. Rich, season long, theme-defining arc-plots are now the order of the day. We've had Bad Wolf, Torchwood, Saxon, the Doctor/Donna, and Silence Falling. Oh, I know it occasionally happened in the classic series - Trial of A Time Lord, and Key to Time spanned entires seasons, and we had the mini-arcs of The Black Guardian, E-Space and Master trilogies, but they were more often than not merely used as loose structures to hang individual stories on, rather than woven into the narrative. As I write, I'm still not convinced that the Silence arc is fully done yet.
There is more - so much more - that is good about the new series, but these are my top 5. But now, in the interest of balance, comes the Cons.
CONS
1. Returning Monsters. "What?" I hear you cry. Well, bear with me. RTD and Stephen Moffatt have both voiced a reluctance to rely too heavily on the series' past. Yet both have used the Autons, Daleks, Sontarans, and Cybermen. RTD also (rather tackily, I thought) brought back the Macra for one story only. Moffatt has also brought back the Silurians. The Daleks are now being rested, at least for a time, we are told. Which is a shame, as we last saw them squawking about being more powerful, more destructive, and more...well, just more, really. All have them have been re-designed for the 21st century, and yet its not been altogether successful. The Silurians, whilst well executed, were too human looking for my taste - and what happened to that distinctive 3rd eye? The Cybus Cybermen appear to wear flares. And the Daleks we saw at the end of Victory were (as described by many) like a Skaroese version of the Power Rangers - all primary colours and shoulder pads. Whilst the strength of Doctor Who has always been that there is something new out there, there is also a lot to be said for bringing back popular, but under-used, enemies of yesteryear. The scope for Ice Warriors is great, and the Zygons (one of the best-executed monsters from the 70s) could be fantastic. And surely, something as powerful as the Great Intelligence would survive a measly Time War. Yeti done by the Mill could be amazing.
2. Reboots. It all started with a reboot - the great Time War had messed up the universe. No Time Lords, no Daleks (or so we thought). A few refugees from time-sensitive species, but that was it. And a lone survivor - the Doctor. Fair enough - a show that's been off the air for 9 years needed something. But then we had the Paradox Machine, then just pulling out of bringing the Time Lords back, then rebooting the entire universe in the Pandorica episodes....seriously...what version of the Time Line are we on?
3. Three Doctors. It has been stated in classic Dr Who that a Time Lord can regenerate 12 times, giving 13 possible Doctors. We are already on to number 11. That means 2 further Doctors and thats it. Two more strikes, and the Doctor is, canonically, out. Reboots (and conspiracies to be found in my next blog) aside, this is worrying news for fans. The Doctor has two more bodies, and then he's at the end of the shelf life. Best before date expired. Doomed to the "Reduced for quick sale" basket.
4. Soap Opera Sci-fi. Honestly, I wasn't one of the ones who went all "This is just plain WRONG" when Paul Mcgann kissed Daphne Ashbrook in the TV Movie. However, the whole Doctor/Rose love thang, the Doctor/Martha unrequited love thing, and the various boyfriend, mother, family subplots were just a bit too Eastenders for me. (Except the stuff with Donna's Grandad, cos you'd have to be dead inside not to love Bernard Cribbins OBE-at-long-last). I honestly don't understand the need to bring such down-to-earth angst into escapist fantasy. It ruined the Spiderman movies, and it marred my enjoyment of new Who. Its why I don't watch soaps - why try to escape the misery and drudgery of everyday life, by watching fictitious people trudge their way through everyday life?
5. 45 minute eps. Of all the hallmarks that made Dr Who great, the one I miss the most is the cliffhanger. Oh, sure, since 2005 we've had the occasional 2 or 3 part story with a cliffhanger - but hell! Back in the day we got between 2 and six episodes, with a cliffhanger in all bar the last one. Of course, in the truly glorious days of yore, Doctor Who was on our screens for a good 6 months of the year.
On balance, I have to say that the return of Doctor Who has been nothing short of a triumph. You, dear reader, are welcome to add your comments, thoughts and musings to your hearts desire. Who knows? I may even read them....
Its been a long time since the last Spiral Muttering, a good 8 or 9 years, and all I've written since is a few annotations when the Mutterings got re-homed here. Well, that's not strictly true - I've written loads of stuff recently, just not here. But I'm back, and its STILL about Time.
I thought, for my first post back in the blogsphere, I'd take advantage of the mid-season lull, to take a look at the pro's and con's of the new series to date. Its been 6 glorious years since that iconic Police Box materialised onto our screens, and lets face it - its been one hell of a ride. Three Doctors, five companions, new monsters, old monsters, and familiar faces returning to the world of Doctor Who. But has it all been good? Overall, I'd have to say "Yes", but some bits have been better than others. So, its time to make a list of the good, the bad, and the fugly of Doctor Who seasons 27 - 31.5.
PRO's
1. Three excellent new Doctors. Although, in order, I'd have to rate them as Matt Smith, David Tennant, Chris Ecclestone. Now don't get me wrong, Chris and David are both fine actors, but Matt is the one who has most finely balanced the elements of the Doctor. Ecclestone, for me, always looked a bit awkward when handling the comedic elements of the role (and Doctor Who has always had that element - its not some post-modern, RTD/Moffatt new invention). Tennant addressed that, but I felt that sometimes his performances were a little over the top. Indeed, towards the end of his tenure, I was rather put in mind of the later Tom Baker episodes, where the performances rather over-emphasised the Doctor's alien nature. Matt, so far, has been brilliant. Like many, I thought he seemed too young to handle the role. Yet something about him looks really old - in many ways he is the perfect embodiment of the Doctor as described in many a novelisation: a young-old face. Well done, Mr Smith. May you pilot the Tardis for a good long while yet.
2. Special FX. The show now has them! And some of them are REALLY special. Huge Dalek fleets, massive Cyber armies, and monsters that look like so much more than mere men in rubber suits. Now, don't get me wrong, there will always be a special place in my heart for the inflated condoms used in the long shots of The Green Death, and the bubble wrap on Noah's arm on The Ark In Space, but I don't think its a co-incidence that the new show has become established stateside a hell of a lot quicker than old Who did. The most mind-blowing effect I can remember from the classic series was the flyby of the Time Lord spacestation at the beginning of Trial of a Time Lord. Well, the Mill have done excellent work in knocking that into a cocked hat! Sure, there have been low points - the Atraxi eye in Eleventh Hour, the Slitheen, and the Reapers from Father's Day all had a cartoony feel to them, but they're still way ahead of anything we saw previously.
3. Spin-offs. Back in the day, there were often rumours about spin-offs. In the sixties, Terry Nation tried to get a Dalek series off the ground. In the seventies, spin-offs involving both UNIT and the unlikely duo of Jago and Lightfoot (now gloriously brought to life by Big Finish) were mooted. The only one ever to make it off the drawing board, however, was the ill-fated and much-maligned "K-9 and Company". Yes, it was low-budget, and yes - it did have a poor storyline, but it got made, and was - ultimately - a prototype for what was to come later. The new series has had not one, but TWO, hugely successful spin-offs in "Torchwood", and "The Sarah Jane Adventures". Although the latter is now sadly at an end, due to the untimely and saddening death of Elisabeth Sladen, this series allowed a whole new generation of children to be captivated by the plucky investigative journalist we first met in The Time Warrior. And Torchwood, despite the sporadic nature of its appearances, has grown into a huge, multinational co-production, and goes from strength-to-strength.
4. Christmas Specials. When I was growing up, the best we Whovians could look forward to at Christmas was a Boxing Day omnibus of one of the previous season's stories. I'm sure its not the case, but my memory (ailing though it is, these days) is convinced it was always Genesis Of The Daleks, or The Green Death - although I'm sure some guardian of the Radio Times archive can correct me on that. Now though, we get specially commissioned, extended length episodes of Doctor Who on Christmas Day. All shiny and new, like anything on Xmas Day should be. Indeed, when the Tenth Doctor left us, we got Xmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day specials. Oh BBC, you are spoiling us now!
5. Arc-plots. Rich, season long, theme-defining arc-plots are now the order of the day. We've had Bad Wolf, Torchwood, Saxon, the Doctor/Donna, and Silence Falling. Oh, I know it occasionally happened in the classic series - Trial of A Time Lord, and Key to Time spanned entires seasons, and we had the mini-arcs of The Black Guardian, E-Space and Master trilogies, but they were more often than not merely used as loose structures to hang individual stories on, rather than woven into the narrative. As I write, I'm still not convinced that the Silence arc is fully done yet.
There is more - so much more - that is good about the new series, but these are my top 5. But now, in the interest of balance, comes the Cons.
CONS
1. Returning Monsters. "What?" I hear you cry. Well, bear with me. RTD and Stephen Moffatt have both voiced a reluctance to rely too heavily on the series' past. Yet both have used the Autons, Daleks, Sontarans, and Cybermen. RTD also (rather tackily, I thought) brought back the Macra for one story only. Moffatt has also brought back the Silurians. The Daleks are now being rested, at least for a time, we are told. Which is a shame, as we last saw them squawking about being more powerful, more destructive, and more...well, just more, really. All have them have been re-designed for the 21st century, and yet its not been altogether successful. The Silurians, whilst well executed, were too human looking for my taste - and what happened to that distinctive 3rd eye? The Cybus Cybermen appear to wear flares. And the Daleks we saw at the end of Victory were (as described by many) like a Skaroese version of the Power Rangers - all primary colours and shoulder pads. Whilst the strength of Doctor Who has always been that there is something new out there, there is also a lot to be said for bringing back popular, but under-used, enemies of yesteryear. The scope for Ice Warriors is great, and the Zygons (one of the best-executed monsters from the 70s) could be fantastic. And surely, something as powerful as the Great Intelligence would survive a measly Time War. Yeti done by the Mill could be amazing.
2. Reboots. It all started with a reboot - the great Time War had messed up the universe. No Time Lords, no Daleks (or so we thought). A few refugees from time-sensitive species, but that was it. And a lone survivor - the Doctor. Fair enough - a show that's been off the air for 9 years needed something. But then we had the Paradox Machine, then just pulling out of bringing the Time Lords back, then rebooting the entire universe in the Pandorica episodes....seriously...what version of the Time Line are we on?
3. Three Doctors. It has been stated in classic Dr Who that a Time Lord can regenerate 12 times, giving 13 possible Doctors. We are already on to number 11. That means 2 further Doctors and thats it. Two more strikes, and the Doctor is, canonically, out. Reboots (and conspiracies to be found in my next blog) aside, this is worrying news for fans. The Doctor has two more bodies, and then he's at the end of the shelf life. Best before date expired. Doomed to the "Reduced for quick sale" basket.
4. Soap Opera Sci-fi. Honestly, I wasn't one of the ones who went all "This is just plain WRONG" when Paul Mcgann kissed Daphne Ashbrook in the TV Movie. However, the whole Doctor/Rose love thang, the Doctor/Martha unrequited love thing, and the various boyfriend, mother, family subplots were just a bit too Eastenders for me. (Except the stuff with Donna's Grandad, cos you'd have to be dead inside not to love Bernard Cribbins OBE-at-long-last). I honestly don't understand the need to bring such down-to-earth angst into escapist fantasy. It ruined the Spiderman movies, and it marred my enjoyment of new Who. Its why I don't watch soaps - why try to escape the misery and drudgery of everyday life, by watching fictitious people trudge their way through everyday life?
5. 45 minute eps. Of all the hallmarks that made Dr Who great, the one I miss the most is the cliffhanger. Oh, sure, since 2005 we've had the occasional 2 or 3 part story with a cliffhanger - but hell! Back in the day we got between 2 and six episodes, with a cliffhanger in all bar the last one. Of course, in the truly glorious days of yore, Doctor Who was on our screens for a good 6 months of the year.
On balance, I have to say that the return of Doctor Who has been nothing short of a triumph. You, dear reader, are welcome to add your comments, thoughts and musings to your hearts desire. Who knows? I may even read them....
SPIRAL MUTTERINGS WILL RETURN IN
The Regeneration Game
Monday, June 12, 2006
Spiral Mutterings 11: A Man is the Sum of his Memories...
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".
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".
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?
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