The WIDWWA Magazine | Issue 11 (Cutdown)

INTRODUCTION | PAGE 3 GALLIFREYAN GUARDIAN | PAGE 4 PUBLIC IMAGE | PAGE 6 THE RESTORATION TRAILER | PAGE 9 MERCHANDISE RELEASES | PAGE 10 ADVENTURES GO FOURTH | PAGE 12 THROUGH TIME AND SPADE | PAGE 14 MATT MOIR | PAGE 20 AFTER AFTER WHO | PAGE 28 ENDGAME RETROSPECTIVE | PAGE 32 REWIND TO 1990 | PAGE 35

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SEPTEMBER 2022

mEETING MATT...

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ack in October, I have the brillaint experience of travelling down to London and meeting, my former co-writer on WIDWWA, Matt Moir. Now you might ask where the logic of travelling south for three hours, when Matt lives seven hours north of me, but it was because we were both headed to the same event, the BFI's screening of The Time Meddler. It was a great day and after me and Matt sat down to talk about WIDWWA in a hotel room for 90 minutes. I had intended this interview to be video on the DDWF channel however the video and sound quality didn't come out quite as intended, so I decided to keep the recording for a time when the Magazine wasn't as busy and then publish a transcribed version there. I decided that Issue 11 and 12 would do the job, as there wasn't much going on apart from an episode of Adventures.

Now considering this issue is 54 pages long... perhaps I made an error of judgement.

However, considering Matt is plastered across the cover, I couldn't exactly renege on this promsie, especially as I announced it in the last issue. So please, enjoy this huge edition of the WIDWWA Magazine and to all the podcast listeners... maybe think about doing this one in a few sittings.

I do also want to give an update on the Elyisum book's second edition that I announced a couple of months ago. I'm just finishing off the final cast lists for Season 5 and after that it should be pretty much good to go so keep a look out for that!

We've also got a great new poster for the Restoration, which you'll see more of in the Gallifreyan Guardian, so you can have a good guess at what the front cover of next month's issue will feature most promimently.

If you haven't remember, next month is October in the WIDWWA-verse so we will be covering the Centenary episode, The Restoration!

So look forward to that, it's

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a big one!

Unfourtantly due to the size of this issue, Issuu, the usual provider for the magazine, has rejected its publication, due to the fact that its free plan only allows Magazines of 50 pages or less and this magazine originally ran to 54 pages. So if you're reading this, then you are reading a cut-down version of the Magazine, removing 4-pages. The first is WIDWWA News and WIDWWA Views which is gone. This section was rather bare this week and made the most sense to be cut. The second is a lovely, but late addition to this edition, by WIDWWA fan, Jamie Smith, who wrote about an article about Finding Ian Fraser.

This is a really wonderful feature but sadly it couldn't be included here. If you want to read the full version of the magazine, there's a Google Drive link on the WIDWWA Twitter Page.

WIDWWA

gallifreyan Trailer for Doctor Who: The Restoration Released!

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he Official Trailer for Doctor Who’s, so called, “BBC Centenary Special”, which is actually the 7th episode of its full 13-episode 56th season, has been released.

The trailer lasted for 1 minute and 51 seconds in total and was released on the Official Doctor Who YouTube Channel at 7pm on 23 September 2022.

At the same time, on BBC One, just prior to the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 Launch Show, a shortened 60-second edit of the trailer aired.

Outside of the UK, as has

become standard practice, Paramount+ uploaded a version of the trailer that swapped out BBC branding for their own and changed the date from “23 October'' to “October 23”. A full transcript of this trailer can be read on Page 11.

The trailer itself contained a number of reveals: firstly, the fact that Sandra Armstrong and Lou Madison, former companions of the Ninth and Tenth Doctors, would be making a surprise return in the special.

Both Sandra and Lou died in the series, so their resurrection, as a result of the Restoration, which took place in the closing moments of the prePAGE 4

vious story, The Daleks’ Master Plan, makes a lot of sense. The trailer also revealed the fact that the Cybermen are to be the main villains of the episode.

Prior to this trailer, it had been announced that Shelley King as Sally Brennen, Daniel Adegboyega as Pete Fletcher, Jane Wymark as Annie Downes, Bill Nighy as Andark and Ronan Summers as The Intendant were returning, and indeed this trailer showed quite a bit of footage of each of them reprising their much-loved Doctor Who characters.

Finally, the release date of the episode was revealed to be Sunday 23 October 2022, exactly one month following the release of this trailer, and 133 days after the conclusion of The Daleks’ Master Plan in June.

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guardian Poster for The Restoration Released

Principal Photography begins on 60th Anniversary

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n addition to the trailer for The Restoration, the BBC & Paramount have released a poster for the episode.

The poster features all three Doctors appearing in the special together, with Samantha Bond's 14th Doctor receiving the most promimence appearing in the top centre, with the 16th and 11th Doctors below her.

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fter many delays and setbacks, principal photography has finally begun on Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary film, currently known as Doctor Who VIII. The film, which recently acquired a new screenwriter, in the form of Adrian Hodges, is ic Con and released on Youbeing directed by Mick Jackson, Tube back in July. It's expected who directed Doctor Who stoone will be released soon. ries, Friends on a Train, God's WIDWWA Familiars, Homeland & Vajahnari's Curse, and also has an incredibly successful film career. aramount+ have anThe film is being shot mainly, nounced the start date for at WhoStudios' Lambert CenDoctor Who: The New Renetre, and is the first major progade - Season 3 as 6 November n surprising news, Doctor duction to be produced there, 2022.

Who: Adventures Series 5 following the lower-budget DocOriginally, the season was anand Series 6, which like with tor Who: The Time Meddlers in nounced as airing in September Series 3 and Series 4, are being June. Shooting for the film will 2022, before being pushed back produced as one big production also take place elsewhere, into October. Now the season block of 20 episodes, and then cluding in North America and will be released from 6 Novemaired in two separate runs, are around the world. ber, for six episodes, until 11 in fact, being merged and will All that is known about the December 2022 before taking just air as Series 5. film's cast is that Ace Bhatti will a mid-season break and then Mal Young says: "After taking star as the Doctor. It is very likereturning in February 2023 for on board viewer feedback, we've ly that more will be announced, the final four episodes of the taken this decision to stream- very soon, as filming moves season. It is currently unknown line the show's output." onto location. why Paramount+ have drastiSeries 5 was announced as air- The film is a co-production cally changed plans in such a ing in January 2023 and Series between Paramount Pictures, manner.

6 in September 2023... it is un- BBC Film and WhoStudios and A full trailer has yet to be reknown when this new 20-epi- is set for release on 24 Novemleased for the season, however a sode run will start, but it's likely ber 2023. short 20-second Teaser Trailer going to be later than January.

WIDWWA was screened at San Diego ComWIDWWA

The New Renegade announces Premiere Date

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Doctor Who: Adventures Series 5 & 6 to be merged

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PUBLIC IMAGE Toffa reports on the UK television viewing figures for DOCTOR WHO: SEASON 35

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fter observing Season 30’s ratings based upon newspapers from 1993 showing the top 30 from each of the four channels, we’re going to get more accuracy now, as we take a look at Season 35’s viewing figures courtesy of BARB. We’ll continue going through the viewing figures for Doctor Who and most of its spinoffs up to the present day (aside from any that have already been reported, or in the case of Adventures and The Time Meddlers, due to few reported ratings for most other channels since 2018, will unfortunately be skipped).

To Season 35 now, as we explore how Doctor Who fared in a different television landscape almost 25 years ago, between November 1998 and February 1999: where linear television was king, the internet relied on dial-up, and digital television had just launched in the UK. We’ll again go through the consolidated figures, how it ranked for Saturday and across the week for BBC One, and overall across all channels for the week as well as what competition was on ITV.

sion ratings have started to decline. This puts Doctor Who in a good light to kick this season off. But considering that this was meant to be the beginning of a new era, it seems relatively underwhelming compared to how Season 34 started out with 9.7 million. Perhaps viewers were scared about how different Doctor Who would be under the leadership of David Renwick, and with financial support from Paramount with the razmataz of changes behind the scenes.

It could also be due to the season starting relatively later than normal, with viewers not aware of the season starting in November, which is usually the beginning of a peak time for television where the biggest ratings start to draw in. Fortunately, these fears were put aside as ratings managed to go up as the serial went on, and viewers began to warm to the new format.

Competition on ITV was Gladiators for all three parts, which managed roughly 6.5 million for the first two parts, but grew to seven million for part three. A far cry from almost double what 3rd 31st 9.08m 16th 1 it managed in its heyday 3rd 29th 9.22m 15th as we’ve seen from last 2 4th 30th 9.39m 15th time. Surprising when you 3 consider that when Doctor We initially saw statistics Who returned to Saturdays similar to these earlier with in 1992, such figures as seven Season 30 when it began during to eight million were seen as the summer. Only this time, it relatively poor (though not as appears to be in the Autumn, bad as the four to five million so even five years on, televiit achieved when last on SatThe Hail Mary

Ep

Date

Ranking

Rating

Day

BBC1 7-Day

Consolidated

21 November 1998 10 July 1993 17 July 1993

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"[The] competition was Gladiators...

A far cry from almost double what it managed in its heyday as we’ve seen from last time..." urdays in 1986). Similarly, Noel’s House Party, which was the BBC’s biggest Saturday night show and followed Doctor Who, had undergone a similar fate. Big in 1993, bust in 1998, and some news about the show comes out during Season 35’s airing, which we’ll uncover later.

The Hail Mary averages out at figures of 9.23 million, and 30th in consolidated terms.

Let’s see if things get better as we travel into the future, whether by a week, or a few billion years.

The End of the World

Date

12 December 1998

Ranking

Rating

9.13m

Day

BBC1 7-Day

Consolidated

3rd

15th

31st

Whilst we have a small slip, there hasn’t been as much of a major change to the rankings, placing just outside the top 30. Gladiators fought against the Doctor on ITV for the final of what would be its penultimate series, but the Time Lord was the true winner in the ratings. Average figures are down by 100k and

one consolidated placement down for the rankings.

The Robots of Time

Ep

Date

GodEngine

Ranking

Rating

but still the same consolithis momentum be kept for dating ranking. Doctor Who the rest of the season? appeared to bow out of 1998 on a pretty good footing.

How will it fare into 1999, as 33rd 10.02m 3rd 9th 1 perhaps the most anticipated 3rd 35th 9.91m 14th 2 serial in its history airs?

Day

BBC1 7-Day

Ep

Consolidated

1

19 December 1998

9.21m

2nd

13th

24th

2

26 December 1998

8.87m

4th

23rd

37th

With Gladiators over, Doctor Who faced some new competition. The majority of the episode was up against the first Record of the Year, an annual live show where viewers vote to determine which chart single was the best of the year, with a voting process similar to Eurovision, with points determined from ITV regions across the UK. This ran until 2005, at least on television. Ratings for it were very slightly up against the Gladiators final, but was still nearly two million behind Doctor Who. The last few minutes were against Blind Date which provided stiffer competition, but narrowly lost out.

The second part did face somewhat of an uphill battle, especially as the episode went out on Boxing Day. It wasn’t really a festive special, and many popular shows aired during the Christmas period, which explains the dip in ratings and rankings. Furthermore, it also aired in the show’s latest timeslot at the time: 7:45pm, up against a showing of James Bond film, A View to A Kill, watched by two million less than Who, likely since it had aired multiple times over the last decade at that point and many more in the years to come. In spite of these factors, Part Two still held up relatively well.

The Robots of Time averaged at 9.04 million and 31st for the week, dipping slightly by 90k with the viewing figures,

Date

Ranking

Rating

Day

BBC1 7-Day

Consolidated

9 January 1999 16 January 1999

At first, the ratings tell us that it does, but not quite with the rankings. So what 19th 10.46m 2nd 9th happened? Well on ITV’s To any sci-fi fan at the part, they took advantage of time, this was a big deal; entering 1999 with a second two of the biggest sci-fi series of Millionaire which titans coming together for a achieved strong ratings and special crossover, and clearly helped some shows which the spike in ratings prove aired around it increase this. For the first time since their ratings, whether in Revenge of the Master’s first anticipation, or staying put. part in Season 33, Michael From BBC One alone, Doctor French’s debut episode as Who was the most watched the Doctor, it’s the first time show of the evening behind that Doctor Who has been Millionaire, and clip show TV able to crack 10 million. Even Nightmares which preceded better was the fact that the it on ITV. episode made it into BBC It was somewhat the One’s top 10 for the week, opposite story with Part placing ninth, and also made Two. Millionaire’s run had it into the top 20 overall, at finished, giving BBC One the 19th. It was even the most chance to strike back, and watched show on BBC One they proved so, with Casualty that evening, but still second back on top, followed by for the night. Blind Date was comedy-drama Sunburn the competition again, with a placing second for the night, near two million viewers be- and Doctor Who beating hind Who. The most watched everything else on ITV, show that evening was ITV’s placing third. Competition hit gameshow Who Wants to wise, Blind Date remained its Be A Millionaire?, which was rival, airing in Who’s last 15 watched by over 12 million minutes; not quite managing at 8pm for its second series, to win over the charm of the with the show itself peaking viewing public. The other 30 going into the new millenminutes, were against the nium. last 25 minutes of the 1991 A Case for the Blue Box’s film Father of the Bride, and ratings are up 1.42 million a five minute news update. from The Robots of Time’s Both missed out on ITV’s top average. It has also jumped 30 with less than 8.9 million. up 12 places in its overall GodEngine’s averages were rankings. With such an 9.97 million and 34th in the increase in figures and pubrankings. They’re down by licity for Doctor Who, can 0.51 million viewers and A Case for the Blue Box

Date

Ranking

Rating

Day

BBC1 7-Day

2 January 1999

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Consolidated

15 chart placements. These statistics aren’t that bad when considering it follows on from A Case for the Blue Box, and the ratings are still higher than what the season started out with.

Don't Blink

Date

23 January 1999

Ranking

Rating

9.9m

Day

BBC1 7-Day

Consolidated

2nd

13th

28th

Steady going for one of the most critically acclaimed stories in Who’s history; going up seven places in the consolidated charts and placing second for the night in spite of a tiny drop of 90,000 viewers from GodEngine’s average. It’s competition for the first ten minutes was the gameshow Don’t Try This at Home, which failed to make it into ITV’s top 30 with less than 6.8 million, with the rest also winning out against Blind Date, albeit in a closer match.

Damaged Goods

Ep

Date

1

30 January 1999

2 3

Ranking

Rating Day

BBC1 7-Day

9.12m

3rd

15th

Consolidated

34th

6 February 1999

9.23m

3rd

13th

29th

13 February 1999

9.56m

2nd

10th

22nd

Now for the finale, and a slip to start with. This could be put down to the afterglow of A Case for the Blue Box fading out, but the likely answer is the timeslot, as Doctor Who moved earlier to 6:25pm for Part One; again scheduled against Don’t Try This at Home. This was a minor setback, as the show moved back to 6:55pm for the other two parts, and we can see this as a benefit with viewers being drawn back in as Season 35 reached its conclusion.

Earlier, I said that a bit of news is announced regarding Noel’s House Party, which

"For 1998 /1999, this was pretty good going and proves to an extent that the revamp has been a success." follows Doctor Who. Well, in the week of Part One’s broadcast, the BBC announced they have axed the show after declining ratings. In fact, after Don’t Blink aired, a paltry 5.9 million stayed tuned to see what car crash of a show Noel Edmonds had planned. That’s almost four million viewers gone in an instant and below BBC One’s top 30!

Back to competition, the earlier timeslot may have slightly hurt Part Two’s performance, as Blind Date managed to pull ahead in the ratings. The last episode surge managed to prevent this for Part Three, as the season also ended on a high with it hitting BBC One’s top ten. Damaged Goods averaged 9.30 million, down 0.58 million viewers, and 28th chart-wise, a non-mover.

Given Season 35’s ambition to be the beginning of a new era of Who, has this done good for the overall ratings?

Well, I can reveal that with an average of 9.47 million throughout the season, this is up from Season 34’s 9.17 million; a 300,000 increase. It’s

"That’s almost four million viewers gone in an instant and below BBC One’s Top 30!"

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average consolidated ranking was 29th. If we compare this to how Season 30 fared, ratings are up by 1.15m, and rankings up by eleven places.

For 1998/99, this was pretty good going and proves to an extent that the revamp has been a success. As you may have noticed, compared to 1993, Doctor Who usually being third for Saturday, and winning the timeslot most of the time as opposed to tenth at worst, proves that not only was the revamp successful, but Saturday night television in the UK, and also ratings in general, were declining in the face of further competition from digital channels and the rising use of the internet.

This is a key point which we’ll continue looking at in the seasons to come, with Season 36’s ratings upcoming, as we find out if it holds up from Season 35’s momentum to see Doctor Who out of the 20th century and the 1990s. In the meantime, if you’d like to discuss more on Doctor Who’s ratings so far in these articles, there is a Public Image discussion forum on the WIDWWA Discord server which you can join, which may include some additional ratings data exclusively on there.

WIDWWA

A TRANSCRIPT OF THE OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR DOCTOR WHO'S CENTENARY SPECIAL, AS RELEASED ON YOUTUBE ON 23 SEPTEMBER 2022 1:12 - “THREE DOCTORS” 0:00 - Sara Kingdom: crawling on the The Intendant: "The Restoration..."

1:14 - The Sixteenth Doctor talks to his floor, looks up and sees the Sixteenth 0:45 - Sandra faces the Eleventh Doctor other two selves…

Doctor... on Gallifrey.

Sixteenth Doctor: "The universe is Sixteenth Doctor: "The Restoration has Sandra Armstrong: "How dare you stand fundamentally broken..." happened, but it will only happen once, a there and try and justify killing me..."

1:16 - The Fourteenth and Eleventh single event..."

Sandra Armstrong: "Twice."

Doctors stand ahead of him.

0:02 - The Sixteenth Doctor stumbles 0:49 - The Sixteenth Doctor stands in Eleventh Doctor: "We do seem to make forward, visibly ageing… the empty Panopticon… a habit of letting that happen..."

0:03 - The Sixteenth Doctor holds a Sixteenth Doctor: "You shouldn't be 1:19 - “ONE MISSION” dying Sara Kingdom in his arms. back... This is wrong!"

1:21 - The Fourteenth Doctor stands 0:05 - The TARDIS dematerialises....

0:52 - The Sixteenth Doctor stands in over a cliff…

Sixteenth Doctor: "Every solution Panopticon now full of Time Lords in Fourteenth Doctor: "It's a one-in-a-milcreates another problem..." ceremonial dress... lion shot..."

0:07 - The Sixteenth Doctor stands in 0:55 - A shot of an overcrowded alien 1:23 - The Eleventh Doctor winks at the TARDIS. city.

Sixteenth Doctor: "Anyone and everyone Andark: "This has to be reversed. People her…

Eleventh Doctor: "Would you have it any who has ever lived is now alive." are suffering!" other way?"

0:11 - An overcrowded refugee camp on 0:56 - Wide Shot of Sandra's refugee 1:25 - The Sixteenth Doctor smiles, an alien planet… camp. widely…

0:13 - Inside the refugee camp, we 0:56 - Andark speaks to the Sixteenth Sixteenth Doctor: "Let's go!" reveal… Sandra Armstrong - dressed in Doctor.

1:26 - “ACE BHATTI” rags...

0:59 - The Sixteenth Doctor angrily 1:28 - “ANTHONY HEAD” 0:15 - Pete and Sally stand in the points…

1:29 - “SAMANTHA BOND” TARDIS… Eleventh Doctor: "I have lost so many...

1:30 - The Sixteenth Doctor kneels…

Sally Brennen: "This shouldn't be..." maybe there's a compromise here?"

Sixteenth Doctor: "For Sara..."

Pete Fletcher: "Did I die for nothing?"

0:59 - The Fourteenth Doctor rests his 1:32 - “BILL NIGHY” 0:21 - On Earth, Lou Madison runs head in her hands.

1:32 - “SHELLEY KING” down a 40th Century street dressed in 1:00 - The Eleventh Doctor pleads with 1:33 - “DANIEL ADEGBOYEGA” 16th Century clothing… the other two.

1:33 - “JANE WYMARK” Lou Madison: “There is only one person 1:02 - An army of Cybermen invade a 1:33 - “ANNA HOPE” who can help..." planet.

1:34 - “GILLIAN KEARNEY” 0:23 - Protests and Riots: Signs reading Cyber-Controller: "We shall take advan1:34 - “RONAN SUMMERS” "No Zombies" etc… tage of this opportunity to rid the universe 1:36 - A deepfake shot of Katarina Lou Madison: "His name is the of pain..."

Doctor..."

1:03 - A Cyberman touches a civilian as floating in space…

Sixteenth Doctor: "There have been so 0:23 - Another shot of different protests they scream. and riots on an alien planet.

1:03 - Cyber-mites embed into the skin. many that I have lost..."

1:36 - Remastered archive footage of 0:24 - An unknown fleet of spaceships 1:03 - Cybermen walk out of a CyAdric dying… hangs in space… ber-Factory.

1:37 - Remastered archive footage of 0:26 - The Sixteenth Doctor looks wor1:04 - Cybermen invade Sandra's Katie dying… riedly at the scanner in the control room. refugee camp.

1:37 - Remastered archive footage of 0:28 - The Cyber-Controller stands in 1:05 - On Sandra: Scared… the middle of a Cyber-Ship surrounded by Sandra Armstrong: "I shall live as I have Henrick dying…

1:38 - Remastered archive footage of an army Cybermen. always lived... as a Bellonsion!"

Cyber-Controller: "The Restoration shall 1:06 - Sandra stands firm in front of the Bernice dying…

1:38 - Archive footage of Lizzie dying… last forever!"

Cyber-Controller.

1:39 - Archive footage of Chris dying…

0:32 - The Eleventh Doctor stands in 1:08 - The Fourteenth Doctor hangs Sixteenth Doctor: "But they can't live front of his TARDIS. out of the TARDIS as it flies through the again..."

Eleventh Doctor: "You asked for my vortex...

1:39 - Archive footage of Gemma dying… help?"

Fourteenth Doctor: "If only Erin could 1:39 - Archive footage of old Zenla 0:35 - The Fourteenth Doctor stands in see me now..." dying… front of her TARDIS next to him.

1:09 - The Eleventh Doctor talks to the 1:40 - The three Doctors walk toward Fourteenth Doctor: "Our help..." others on his scanner. the camera on a fiery battlefield, surroundEleventh Doctor: "Same difference..."

Eleventh Doctor: "I must be going ed by Cybermen 0:37 - The Sixteenth Doctor stands in through a midlife crisis..."

1:43 - “DOCTOR WHO: THE RESfront of his TARDIS. 1:10 - The Fourteenth Doctor climbs TORATION” 0:41 - “ON 23 OCTOBER” back into her TARDIS control room.

1:43 - “23 OCTOBER” 0:43 - The Intendant stands on the soil Fourteenth Doctor: "Where was my of Gallifrey… sense of fun, honestly... Politicians!"

WIDWWA

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MERCHANDISE RELEASES MERCHANDISE RELEASED IN THE WIDWWA UNIVERSE DURING SEPTEMBER

1 SEP

BBC AUDIO

C

ontinuing their Doctor Who range, BBC Audio have put out two more releases this month. The first is Doctor Who: The Second Earth Adventures Collection, a collection of hectic 'Earth' adventures, which includes Planet of Giants by Terrance Dicks - read

by Carole Ann Ford; The Massacre by John Lucarotti - Peter Purves; The Invasion by Ian Marter - read by David Troughton; The Horror of Fang Rock by Terrance Dicks - read by Louise Jameson and Delta and the Bannermen by Malcolm Kohll - read by Bonnie Langford.

The second release is an audiobook version of The Keys of Marinus read by Jamie Glover.

1 SEP

THE ANNUAL

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nce again, The Official Doctor Who Annual range publishes another annual edition. Yes, it's in September. Does this make any sense? Nope... but that's when it's out, just like all the others before it. The Annual is mainly aimed as a stocking filler for children at Christmas and is largely bosught in December. Only collectors tend to buy it from its September release date.

This particular edition is special because it's the 60th Anniversary Edition and features all the Doctors on the front cover. Inside it contains a whole bunch of features about the history of the show but primarily focuses on the Sixteenth Doctor era and especially, The Daleks' Master Plan. No information about The Restoration is included.

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8 SEP

NEW TARGETS

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hree Target Novelisations have been released together

by BBC Books, each filling out the first three stories of Season 55, broadcast in 2021. The first is Rebirth by Jenny T. Colgan, originally penned by Adrian Hodges; the second The Highland Beast by Sarah Dollard, who also wrote the original, and the third The Diaries of Time by Una McCormack, which was originally penned by Chris Chibnall and Adrian Hodges.

These novelisations are the second in a wave of novelisations that are being released together in bundles by BBC Books. The first were the two Paterson Joseph movies in July and the final being the last three stories in Season 55.

A press launch for these books was held in London, a week before publication, with all the writers and several members of the Doctor Who cast and crew attending.

TOYMAKER VINYL

30 SEP

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resented across 2 x 140g ‘King & Queen’ red & blue coloured vinyl discs, this 1966 TV adventure is narrated by Peter Purves, who also plays Steven. It stars Michael Gough as the Toymaker, with Jackie Lane as Dodo and a supporting cast including Carmen Silvera, Campbell Singer and Peter Stephens. Incidental music is composed by Dudley Simpson, and the familiar strains of the Doctor Who theme are courtesy of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. The LPs are presented in a fully illustrated gatefold sleeve showing cast and credits, and inner bags featuring complete episode billings.

SOUNDTRACK

30 SEP

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he complete three-disc (45-track) album of Doctor Who: Season 55's Original Television Soundtrack, composed by Ruth Barrett, has been released. The album has been released on CD, Collectors' Vinyl and on Digital Platforms. It covers all 8 episodes of Season 55 from Rebirth, Part One to Journey into the Unknown, Part Two. Like previous releases, the physical editions include a booklet breaking down the writing of the score, penned by composer, Ruth Barrett.

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ADVENTURES GO

FOURTH T

his adventure sees a culmination of the Dalek arc and the Revoc arc as the Doctor, Erin and Kyle encounter them both again, this time together and on Earth.

The episode is actually very simple and sees the Daleks and the Revoc attacking Earth in 1978 and using the combined forces of Erin, Kyle, Danielle, Roger and UNIT, they fight the Daleks and the Revoc and are (nearly) successful in chasing them away from the Earth.

However, at the very last minute, the Master (played

by Murray Melvin) appears and tells the Daleks that here's there to help and soon the Doctor will perish. The

Doctor makes a small joke about the Master's latest disco-based scheme but the Master isn't in the mood for jokes and shrinks the Doctor with his Tissue Compression Eliminator.

The rest of the episode sees everyone continuing to fight the Daleks and the Revoc while the tiny-little Doctor finds her way onto the Dalek ship, undectected and discovers that the Daleks hold a superweapon called the Abomination that could wipe out all life in the universe, and it's set to distruct in one-minute.

Thinking fast, the Doctor uses her entire body to defuse it in time and then recodes it to centre itself on just the Dalek ship. She activates the Abomination before slipTHE ABOMINATION ping out of WRITTEN BY PHIL FORD the ship, DIRECTED BY DAVID O'MAHONY through an The Daleks and the Revoc return to Earth to have their ultimate vengeance on humanity, but the Doctor has help waste port, from her friends! as the ship THE DOCTOR JOHN LEVENE implodes.

SAMANTHA BOND DANIELLE ERIN STEVENSON SUSANNAH HARKER Erin then MONTSERRAT LOMBARD ROGER KYLE HARRISON TREVOR COOPER manages WILLIAM MOSELEY WARREN BROWN to catch THE MASTER TREVOR COOPER MURRAY MELVIN VOICE OF THE DALEKS the Doctor, JO JONES NICHOLAS BRIGGS unbelievaKATY MANNING VOICE OF THE REVOC BENTON NICHOLAS BRIGGS bly, in her 5 September 2022 at 17:00 on CBBC hands and

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takes her into the TARDIS where she's restored to normal size.

The episode ends with everyone celebrating the victory and saying that Earth is safe forever.

WIDWWA

READ EVERY ISSUE OF THE WIDWWA MAGAZINE AND THE WIDWWA NEWSLETTER ON ISSUU AVALIABLE to order in print at widwwa.co.uk

WHAT IF DOCTOR WHO WASN'T AXED? THE MAGAZINE - THE PODCAST all episodes avaliable to listen to on the ddwf youtube channel as well as wherever you get your podcasts

THE THIRD SEASON OF DOCTOR WHO: THROUGH TIME AND SPACE BEGINS HERE! LEARN ALL ABOUT THE FIRST FOUR EPISODES OF THE SEASON EXCLUSIVELY!

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he third season of Doc- Time And Space fanbase. After Polish culture and references tor Who: Through Time almost a month of high tension completely alien to foreign and Space had been and vocal protest from Amerviewer, they took them to heart. in TVN’s plans at least since ican business and administra- And so, around January 2022, Tomasz Szafrański was hired tion, the bill has been vetoed by while scripts for Season 3 were as showrunner, if not longer, President Andrzej Duda in early still in development, Tomasz however the actual, early January 2022, leaving TVN as Szafrański and production team works on it began in Novemproperty of Discovery. at ATM Group received letters ber 2021, when Szafrański got This whole controversy ended from TVN Discovery group’s his well-deserved break after up having no impact on the programming department, finishing work on Receptura actual show, unlike its Christ- discussing creative accomplishand Eve. Despite not facing mas Special, Eve, which was ments of Eve and featuring logistical difficulties similar to aired on 25th December 2022, numerous "recommendations” those from Season 2, it ended on both TVN and BBC Two. regarding development of up being involved with even The reception of Eve in Poland Season 3: more drama, both external and was overwhelmingly positive, behind the scenes. even earning the show some "TVN [...] saw the The first of it was "Lex TVN”, new fans; however abroad, the rejection of the media bill passed by Polish episode attracted only mediocre legislative, Sejm, in December attention, gathering disappoint- their content by 2021. The bill forbade any ing viewing figures and mixed foreign market business entity not based in reviews. Because of that, Maggy as personal European Economic Area from Chan decided to permanently owning majority share in any discontinue bilingual format of failure" Polish media outlet, which the show. This upset both the according to its proponents fans and the crew working on - TVN argued that on-thewas a mean to prevent capital it, but they understood that this nose references to properties from Russia or other undemis a logical business move and like Mr Blot and Matołek The ocratic regimes to influence not a showcase of ill intent or a Billy-Goat ended up as mostly Polish public opinion. However, commentary on quality of the pointless addition that only in practice the only business show, so everyone moved on. confused non-Polish audience affected would be TVN, owned Everyone, that is, except for and harmed the episode’s perby American Discovery and TVN. formance. While not opposed to well-known to be in heavy ideo- Most of TVN Discovery featuring pop-culture referlogical opposition to incumbent Group executives in charge ences, which proved beneficial Polish government. Under the of programming were Poles, to many works in the sci-fi new law, Discovery would have working for this broadcaster genre, they suggested that these to sell TVN, and opposition sus- since its inception in 1997. should come from either TVNpected that government affiliate TVN’s aim was always living owned properties, to strenghten or company financed from state up to the standards of Western the brand, or the internationalbudget may buy it out. This in media, including BBC, and so ly recognized works, so they’re turn could have influenced the they saw the rejection of their familiar to both Polish and shape of Season 3 or even pre- content by foreign market as foreign audience. The "most vent it from happening, which personal failure. Having come welcome” would be references briefly brought the subject to across opinions criticizing to Warner Bros. content due attention of foreign Through Eve for too much emphasis on to its ongoing merger with PAGE 14

In addition to that, another Discovery.

- it was recommended that problem turned out to the - the more subtle references, some, and preferably most like plot patterns from the play of future historical episodes companion. Paulina WalendWesele, were deemed "unhelp- should tackle events from world ziak still had one more season ful and potentially harmful history. TVN claimed that by on her contract, and with Eve for storytelling”. Once again, covering only Polish history, the basically having wrapped up the programming departshow presents Poland abroad as Pola’s arc, Szafrański wanted to ment was of the mind that it "self-obsessed” and "unwelcom- make this her final season and would help the show to draw ing to other cultures”, as well as introduce a new companion, played by his frequent collabomore inspiration from global rator Kamila Bujalska. Howevmainstream, which previous "TVN claimed seasons completely neglected in er, he was alone in this intent; that by covering Walendziak didn’t want to favour of promotion of Polish leave the show until she lands culture – this was quite likely only Polish another prestigious role, and detrimental to its popularity not just abroad, but also among history, the show the castings did not go her way. more cosmopolitan younger presents Poland TVN also wanted her to stay on audience. TVN pointed out abroad as self- board for as long as possible, since Pola was now the only that, as an adaptation of Doctor obsessed” member of original main cast Who, Through Time And left and they weren’t sure how Space should have this show as its primary inspiration, and narrows the horizons of Polish the audience would react to her praised the clever usage of audience. exit. Both parties asked SzaZygons in Eve, encouraging the - at the end, TVN reaffirmed frański not to give conclusive ending to Pola’s story in Season creators to lean on the show’s that all those points are "only 3. This complicated his plans, rich legacy whenever it benefits tips” and that "TVN values, their stories protects and supports creative but on his request Bujalska was - the heavy exposition of freedom of the talents it works signed anyway. The writers’ room attempted to rewrite the Roman Catholic symbols and with”, as well as "sees as its imagery in Eve was severely duty to ensure the high quality Season 3 scripts in order to include both companions – and criticized; according to the ex- of the content it broadcasts ecs, TVN’s audience "supports and produces” and to that end failed. Even though Walendziak separation of Church from "assists and supports creatives and Bujalska actually had gotten along quite well, no version public life” and "celebrates in their endeavours”. of their characters’ long-term Christmas as secular event”.

While Szafrański and ATM dynamic satisfied the creatives.

- TVN singled out the tackling Group were less than thrilled of Generation Z’s mental health with TVN essentially handing Ultimately, Szafrański decided issues and feelings of abandon- them list of criteria to meet, to split the stories between them. ment as Eve’s biggest strength. they decided that they can TVN kept Through Time They noted that TVN’s mission work with that. In February, is "highlighting serious social Szafrański pitched to TVN the And Space on its Sunday spot, problems and helping people scripts for 13 episodes long premiering the first episode on that are excluded or in need” season. While it was positively 4th September 2022, but now at 9:30 pm, meaning that each and praised how Szafrański was received, the execs felt that it able to implement these aims lacks something that would re- episode aired 90 minutes earin his writing. They asserted ally appeal to foreign audience lier in the United Kingdom on that this is a great direction and so, they decided to add one BBC Four. This meant, that for for Through Time And Space more, and commission what the first time, a foreign adaptathat should be continued, and was originally meant to be sea- tion was exclusively premiering encouraged the creators to son finale as another Christmas outside of it's original country speak up about values such as special. They proposed several and technically made the show "self-esteem, pride, tolerance, ideas for an extra episode, out original to BBC Four and not acceptance, empathy, body pos- of which Szafrański picked the TVN...

WIDWWA itivity and freedom of choice”. most workable one.

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he episode starts with Unsurprisingly, this story the view of Warsaw on adapts Invasion of the Dinothe sunny day, slowly moving saurs, but altered quite a bit to towards The Palace of Culture make for a bombastic season and Science. Pola voiceovers opener. The story opens in that for once, the future has medias res with tyrannosaurus started looking quite promisterrorizing Aleje Jerozoliming; she began to get along with skie and disrupting the her family better, their climate happening organized by campaign has gotten traction Pola and Krystian. They and, of course, she still traveled take shelter and call the with Doktor from time to time. Doktor, who arrives around Ever since she changed face, seven minutes in, saving it’s really hard for her to stay them from medieval banin place for five seconds, but dit. JEDNOSTKA lead by at the same time she gained colonel Lubicz-Sługocki this new enthusiasm, joy and arrives right after; from humour. It seems like she got there, the plot follows something off her chest; Pola’s the simplified baseline of technology. The heroes eventuhappy for her. So, yeah, after parts 2, 3 and 6 of origially find their headquarters and the Christmas Eve Pola’s life, nal story. The gang soon stop them at the last minute. aside from occasional trip to the finds out that dinosaur Only then it gets revealed where other galaxy, has become pretty appearances are caused they got the Zygon tech – one of normal. It felt good. by time distortions… the evil scientists, Dr Bielawski, Then the dinosaurs showed similar in nature to these starts congratulating the Dokup, adds Pola, as T-Rex’s head done by Zygon equipment tor and removes the prosthetics appears before the palace and in Eve, mortifying Pola from his face, revealing the acgrowls and we cut to the open- and Krystian. The culprits how- tor Artur Barciś, who introducing titles. ever turn out to be a group of es himself as Doktor’s greatest scientists, elite mem- enemy – but you can call him bers and ecological the Mistrz. He was behind the activists, lead by Sea Devil attack in From The Pola’s superior at Sea, he sponsored the Zygon Youngsters For scheme in Eve and he provided Earth and lieuten- the machine that caused all the ant Kwiatkowski trouble during this episode – of JEDNOSTKA. but that last one was purely a With the equipstunt, he knew it fails, he just ment they took wanted to see Doktor face to hold, they try to face. He tells Doktor that once restore Earth’s his real strike comes, she won’t climate to the see it coming and he’ll have prehistoric age, not his revenge, before teleporting quite aware how away. dangerous is that WIDWWA PAGE 16

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his episode serves a sequel ion – Emma (yes, to previous season’s The Emma) Legato.

Last Wonder, bringing us a 100 She’s the leader years further into the future of Aarchnaughts to Aarchnaughts homeworld, resistance and Rosadyne. The oppressors have daughter of the now become the oppressed, planet’s vice-goveras humanity chased after nor, who abanAarchnaughts’ retreating fleet, doned the life of conquered their planet and luxury ten years enslaved the population. ago to fight for The story takes the the rights simple premise of of the its source mainditerial, Broken Shackles, genuous pop- Emma seems to be its embodiment. Emma in turn takes and conulation. This templates version of the her salty remarks (“saving the world is easy” among oththe cycle of character is violence and slightly older, ers) as the bagatelisation of Aarchnaughts suffering and the abuse more dediof power by cated to her lack of care; then it gets even worse when she learns that adding new cause and…

Pola is from the “bigoted” 21st angles to it. really rubs century. They still save the day However Pola the wrong it is also an way. Still hurt after together, and with her work on Rosadyne done, Emma now introduction of betrayals of last wants to go with the Doktor the new companepisode, Pola got wary of “big words” and learn from her how to activism, defeat oppressive regimes on universal scale. The Doktor’s and inclined to agree, but Pola heavily objects, claiming that she doesn’t deserve it and as long as Pola’s in the TARDIS, she won’t let her aboard. The Doktor yields and departs, bringing Pola back home… and then comes back to Rosadyne. After all, Pola’s not on board right now!

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his first purely original story of the season takes us to Zakopane, where Pola’s family came for a trip. While visiting Kornel Makuszyński Museum, Pola and Krystian unexpectedly find the Doktor’s portrait, which they soon discover hides the short story penned by Kornel. From here the story splits into two plots: the A-plot follows the Doktor, who comes to visit the aforementioned writer in hopes of finding out how could she meet his creation in Eve; however, instead she bumps upon Irena, who’s on the hunt for a group of human-looking aliens that took hold of Time Lord technology. All this rumour on his doorstep soon catches Kornel’s attention as well and soon the unlikely trio investigates the case together. They uncover the plot to steal the moon with

the help of equipment bigger on the inside and the geological properties of Tatry mountains, but the thieves spot them and extract from time, trapping them in the 1950s’ Zakopane. In the B-plot, Pola and Krystian learn all this from Kornel’s script.

With the help thwarting the evil plan. The of clues that episode is filled with references to Kornel Makuszyński’s books it gives, and other works, however they find they’re not necessary to unout the devices left derstand the story. In the end, Doktor’s investigation doesn’t by aliens and disable prove very fruitful, as Kornel assures her that Matołek the them, freeing their Billy-Goat is a fictional character and whoever she met, that friends couldn’t have been him. and WIDWWA

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This episode was dedicated absence, to memory of legendary Polish last episode actor Franciszek Pieczka, who took place played Kan’po Rinpocze in All after The Praise To The Great One. He Liberation sadly passed away two days from Pola’s before the broadcast of Beyond perspective, The Dead Planet. but before Enter The Diriginally Szafrański nosaurs from wanted to adapt The the Doktor’s).

Daleks’ Master Plan as a two- Her role is part story, concluding both the even more Daleks and Mnich trilogies, proactive and but dropped the idea when the involves far news came out about Ronald less shriekD. Moore retelling the story in ing than the main show, which would Sarah Jane’s. obviously make cut-down Pol- Primarily the ish version look ridiculous in content of last comparison. And so, two other two parts is stories were commissioned, the used, with the first one being this adaptation events of first of Death To The Daleks, which two being cut was chosen due to being the down to first least difficult to adapt.

10 minutes, The story still received quite a and the makeover to fit for its new role human exas the first proper adventure pedition being replaced by just Śleszyńska a chance to do what she does best and coin comedy of Emma in the TARDIS (as a single agent. He and Emma you probably figured from her spend the latter part of the sto- gold out of them. For example, the TARDIS model that the Dalry sabotaging the Dalek excavation, eks later use for target practice while Doktor faces accidentally comes from Doktor’s pocket and the mutants the riddles of the living city - this last confiscate it. Good thing that she has more of these! section has been That's it for now, but slightly expandnext time, we'll head into ed. The humorist October as Doctor Who: side of the story Through Time and Space is embraced and Season 3 continues in the most goofs from next issue, with Episodes the original are turned into full-on 5-9... gags, giving Hanna WIDWWA

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IN CONVERSATION WITH

MATT MOIR THE FIRST PART OF AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH FORMER CO-WRITER MATT MOIR

It’s the 29th October 2022 and for the first time, the two biggest creative forces in the history of What if Doctor Who Wasn’t Axed?, creator, Benjamin Windibank and former co-writer, Matt Moir, are meeting in person.

The reason is because the British Film Institute (BFI) are screening the Season 2 story, The Time Meddler, to fans in promotion of Doctor Who: The Collection - Season 2 and both Windibank and Moir decided to go along. Following the

screening, in the late afternoon, and I was… bearable. the two of them retired to a BEN: You were the one that hotel room where they spent 90 succeeded. minutes speaking about Moir’s MATT: I was the one that history on What if Doctor Who succeeded, yeah. Basically, it Wasn’t Axed?. was the case of that I gave off What follows is a transcript of a friendly vibe. I don’t know, I the first half of the interview. gave off a vibe of someone who BEN: So, Matt, you joined the wasn’t weird, just really into it.

What if Doctor Who Wasn’t BEN: So, then, how did you Axed? Series in 2017, to your “find” the series to begin with? best memory, how did that MATT: YouTube. come about?

BEN: Well yes, but elaborate?

MATT: Brute force… Umm, MATT: Well I started the basically, I just kept messaging series from the beginning, with you, like all the WIDWWA fans, Season 27, but the video I think PAGE 20

I did first see was Season 38 or Season 43 was “we’ve got Paul "when you first Cornell, what would he do with Season 39. became creatively Doctor Who” and you made it BEN: So the first thing I remember is obviously seeing very clear to me that you knew involved... It you in the comment section Paul Cornell’s Doctor Who very was a complete well, both on-screen and in a lot, but then I got a Twitter DM from you with some fan art accident, almost." expanded media. I remember which I must say was absolutewriting Season 43 well because ly terrible. we were on a 4-hour call on MATT: I think I kind of MATT: I have gotten better Skype and I was on holiday in realised at the time that they at image manipulation, I’m not weren’t the best but I didn’t Iceland… any Soundsmyth Productions… know what I could have done MATT: I don’t remember you BEN: Friend of the series, differently but now I do know a being in Iceland, but maybe you Caroline, by the way. lot better so… I think after that, just didn’t mention it.

MATT: Who now works for we just ended up talking as fans BEN: Trust me, I mentioned Big Finish, which is the coolest of Doctor Who, as a whole, un- it a lot. thing ever.

MATT: I clearly didn’t pick related to what had opened the BEN: We were one of her up on that or I just forgot, it has original conversation. During testing grounds, I guess, before that time, I think you ended been a while. she made it big time!

BEN: So I was alone in a flat up showing me the Rebel Zero MATT: Well her influence in Iceland for 4-hours and, over title sequence, when it was a was more well known on the work in progress, just to get an Skype, I explained to you the musical side to begin with, then opinion. overall story I had for Season she started doing art, right?

BEN: I was trying to make the 43 and then we “broke” it, BEN: So Caroline did the title sequence work and it just episode by episode, together.

Season 49 theme and she did That was the first time I’d ever wasn’t working. So I thought, the Panopticon Series 4 and done it like that, completely in right I’ll just ask Matt for Series 5 theme, but then she the style used in professional advice because he’s someone did a bunch of posters: Genesis, who exists and knows about writing rooms, and it was a Until the World Ends, Panop- WIDWWA and is worth asking really encouraging creative ticon Series 4, Season 49, 53 & for advice. So I did and that’s process, I think.

54, The New Renegade Season when you first became creative- MATT: It was often the case 1 and finally The Upgrade from ly involved. It was a complete that you had an idea in mind Tomorrow. She had just begun accident, almost. and I’d say “wouldn’t it make her first gig on Big Finish when more sense to do this” and then MATT: I think I just said she delivered The Upgrade something like “brighten up the you’d develop that further. I from Tomorrow’s poster and mean, I’m mainly talking about text” and that worked. the tone was very much like “I’ll BEN: That did work, yeah.

Ace’s involvement in the season give you this but this has to be What’s interesting is somehow, because I’m a big Ace fan and I the last one, I’m sorry”, which in a turn of events that I really always have been and we kind I was happy with because she don’t remember, you went from of broke the season down into deserved the big break, if not a consulting on Rebel Zero’s title each individual episode, apart little gutted that we’d lost such sequence to fully co-writing from the bookends, focusing a talent on the series.

Season 43 and it happened very around a separate character. I MATT: Yeah she went onto thought that would really suit fast. bigger things and you know the Paul Cornell style and his MATT: I think I did give what, sometimes that’s just life. some ideas for Rebel Zero, as vibe, and thought he’d do that BEN: But anyway, your fan with Ace. well, such as lore around the art was far from that…

BEN: So that certainly Vardans but it wasn’t anywhere MATT: Yes, it was… showed me that this was somenear co-writing.

BEN: At the time, I was sort thing I wanted to continue and BEN: I think it was because of “thanks but no thanks” and I gave a polite reply but it sort of "I know I was heavily involved in the continued from there. casting of Paterson Joseph…"

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IN CONVERSATION WITH

MATT MOIR

BEN: Now, Michael French, I about renewal and a new lease must add, because I’ve become of life for the Doctor.

MATT: So back to Paterson wiser with age… it was Revelation next but I’m MATT: Richard E. Grant benot sure how much involve"Paul Cornell, as cause he just was a key-choice ment you had with that one, I of the era, he’d been flirted with well, has been a think I handled a lot of that on in real life in Curse of Fatal big outspoken my own.

Death and Shalka…

MATT: No, I can’t remember supporter of BEN: It was more like, for doing much on Revelation me: here are the creatives we’ve diversity at all. I know I was heavily got, here are the pool of actors castinG..." involved in the casting of Pater- we’ve got, here are the actors son Joseph… who have shown and expressed BEN: I think that was the Joseph, at the time, I think he interest in Doctor Who, who first major creative choice that makes sense for that? For would’ve been a perfect choice you really made on the series. example with David Suchet, we really. You know, to my knowlYou were heavily involved in needed an older established ac- edge Paul Cornell isn’t a racist the casting of four Doctors: tor who was only ever going to and I mean in “his” version of Paterson Joseph, David Suchet, do it for two years and a movie. Doctor Who, which is Scream Samantha Bond and Adjoa We needed someone who had a of the Shalka, the companion is Andoh. Paterson Joseph was bit of star power and was doing a person of colour. the only one where you initially it on a short contract as, sort BEN: Paul Cornell, as well, originated the idea but all the of, a big ‘guest star’ Doctor who has been a big outspoken rest you had a big involvement was doing it for just two series supporter of diversity casting in. and he’s been one of the biggest and a movie.

MATT: Paterson Joseph was cheerleaders of the Chibnall MATT: Which made sense moreso a thing of that he was for David Suchet. He fit the bill era, especially from that cohort nearly cast as the Eleventh of early Modern Who writers. and there were a few others Doctor in our world and I won- in contention too, who were MATT: Exactly and even with dered if Paul Cornell and Gary similar… the way he handled racism in Russell were making that deciBEN: Another David… David Human Nature, it proved, at sion, instead of Steven Moffat, Warner was in contention. least in my view, that he did obviously a few years earlier, it well and understood what MATT: Yes, he was. that maybe it wouldn’t gone he was doing. Considering BEN: Well, he was even in the other way and he would’ve contention, in the very early Paterson Joseph is “diversity been cast. I thought he would casting”, which by the way, stages for Fourteen as well. wasn’t even a thing for us. We plenty of other options "Richard Griffiths who was the de- had for the Doctor and Paterson facto Eighth Doctor choice; Paul Joseph just won out. The other McGann because you were dumb…" stipulation we really had was “British”. You were, if I rememhave been an interesting choice However, the reason we decid- ber correctly, considering going and it felt without the spirit of ed against it, if you rememdown the old woman route with WIDWWA because the casting ber, was that the Fourteenth Imelda Staunton. choices felt like they were going Doctor needed to be a renewed BEN: Well yes, she was conon a trajectory and a natural sidered a number of times. incarnation of the Doctor, the follow-on from a Richard E. MATT: And of course you first of a new regeneration Grant then Anthony Head won out with an old woman cycle, and although it made casting. Think about it, you had perfect narrative sense for it companion, in the form of Richard Griffiths who was the Angela, and you had this barmy to be David Warner it didn’t de-facto Eighth Doctor choice; fit thematically to go from an idea later on of Judi Dench Paul McGann because you were old man to an even older man, as a cave woman companion. dumb…

As soon as you mentioned the when thematically it was all PAGE 22

Judi Dench idea, I basically just able to say things like “let’s do "we contrasted this Big Finish adaptation” or tried to veto it and I succeeded.

BEN: Well, there just wasn’t “let’s do The Empty Child”… each other any way she was going to do BEN: Well yes, and I had to quite well and work out a way of explaining a “TV show” let's be honest. I think it was the actual case that it worked as a that as “Moffat’s last hurrah” cave woman Judi Dench was to make the story make even partnership." the original idea for Season a slither of behind-the-scenes but I still think Samantha Bond sense.

44, and we then settled on cave woman Jacqueline Pearce would have been far more likely MATT: Well I always wanted before that character, over a lot to have won out anyway. to do Human Nature but you MATT: I mean Imelda of development, evolved into forbid it because you’d done Staunton would’ve been a good Leftover Series 3 based upon it.

Angela.

MATT: I thought it was later. choice, don’t get me wrong. I Which was annoying because mean she was well known in BEN: No, I think it was we had Paul Cornell right here 2007, she was well known in Season 44. and we had 2007 right here.

2017 but now in 2022, she’s MATT: Anyway, Imelda BEN: Yeah we had a few on very very well known. I mean Staunton. We just couldn’t our bucket list that we just she is the Queen. Now, back to couldn’t make work logistically. quite get it to fit, I think.

BEN: No, as far as I remem- Revelation, I brought up the MATT: I realised that with idea that the Master, who was ber, the reason that we didn’t Seasons of Fear. I always Geoffrey Bayldon… go for Imelda Staunton, at thought that be a great story for BEN: Oh yes. I was writing least for the Twelfth Doctor, a Doctor Who movie, but there was simply because… Paterson the script and I went to you Joseph was a better idea. That and said “Matt, there’s one big "I felt there problem I’ve got with Doctor was it. was less and Who: Revelation. I don’t have MATT: Okay. a revelation. I can’t think of a BEN: Because as soon you less I could revelation to stick in Doctor suggested Paterson Joseph, I contribute..."

Who: Revelation…” went “That’s a better idea”. I MATT: So I came up with tried to have Imelda Staunton was no real opportunity for that again for 13, and she fit the bill that and we canonised Trevor because of how WIDWWA was completely, but then I was like Martin as the Master. I mean structured. Oh, jumping back a my mindset with WIDWWA, at bit, Lizzie was originally going “I like David Suchet better”. the time, was a lot more “what to be actually called Alison…

Imelda Staunton then came would be a cool story to do”… her original name from Scream of the Shalka.

"Because as soon BEN: And mine was a lot more “what would they actually BEN: Well yes, I had to fight you suggested do”… hard to get it changed. You Paterson Joseph, MATT: So we contrasted each really didn’t like changing it but other quite well and it worked I just said again and again that I went That’s a as a partnership. we couldn’t have two current better idea" BEN: Yes, you were “what’s companions called Angela and a good story” and mine was Alison… the names were just “what makes sense” and we around for 14, but by that too similar. So, after much point, because we’d mentioned complimented each other in arguing, we decided on Lizzie. that way. the fact she’d been in conMATT: So I came up with MATT: But as the series tention before, her casting as doing Scream of the Shalka drifted more and more into it the Doctor had become a bit and I wanted that as the opener needing to be its own thing, of a meme in the WIDWWA and I wanted to have Lizzie for fandom so I ruled her out fairly give or take a few ideas, I felt Season 44 and introduce Angethere was less and less I could quickly. Maybe if we hadn’t la at the end… and you wanted contribute. Back in the era of disclosed her identity to the the opposite. fandom, she’d had got the role, Season 44, for example, I was BEN:And obviously I won PAGE 23

IN CONVERSATION WITH

MATT MOIR

be fair, that we had neglected why we weren’t on a 13x45 Christmas Specials up until minute episode format and the that point. odd 2-parter… So the Christthat argument.

BEN: If you look at 2008 mas Special that we did do was MATT: Having a new monand the BBC One Christmas The One Doctor. ster as the finale would have roster, everything was getting been a lot more daring for the "New Who’s a Christmas Special. 2008 show, than the opener, which was when BBC One went “you format and tone is why I wanted it to open the get a Christmas Special”, “you was entirely season. get a Christmas Special”, “you BEN: WIDWWA is just more get a Christmas Special” etc… because it was daring than the same formulaic Doctor Who wasn’t having a new show New Who finale structure, I them beforehand because they launching..." guess. just hadn’t been a thing and MATT: So in Season 45, we they hadn’t established any sort did do Seasons of Fear but as of tradition with them. But in MATT: Another Big Finish a whole “Season of Fear” and 2008, it just made sense that adaptation. I suggested this one it was my idea to go for Paul Doctor Who would get one. It I think. It made the most sense.

Darrow as the husband. You’d didn’t become an annual thing It was Big Finish’s Christmas introduced me to Blake’s 7 a though, it was moreso that Special and it was just very easy few months earlier, so I’d reDoctor Who got a Christmas to translate. Gareth Roberts cently become a full-on Blake’s Special when it made sense for was a key member of the Doc7 fan and I think you could just Doctor Who to have one. tor Who team in WIDWWA, at about make them casting Jacthe time, and queline Pearce wrote The "If you look at 2008 and the BBC he and Paul Darrow One Doctor, so as husband and One Christmas roster, everything that made even wife make sense was getting a Christmas Special..." more sense too. and just be like a BEN: I do nod to sci-fi fans.

MATT: Well Doctor Who was want to point out about Gareth We know that Gary Russell a different format… and didn’t Roberts that went the whole and Paul Cornell were fans of always fit the usual Christmas controversy surrounding him Blake’s 7, so it wasn’t hard for Special cycle. kicked off, I thought it was very me to persuade you to do it.

BEN: The thing I always felt important that we wouldn’t BEN: And then we had the was important with WIDWWA remove it and we wouldn’t ultimate Blake’s 7 reunion was that from 2005 onward, change it as a response, beepisode in Storm Warning, it shouldn’t just become New cause in 2008 they didn’t know where we had Gareth Thomas, Who. Gareth Roberts was a massive Jacqueline Pearce and Paul MATT: Well yes, New Who’s transphobe. I think it’s very Darrow in one episode. format and tone was entirely important to stay realistic. AnMATT: Well that was because because it was a new show ything from the point of 2018, Gareth Thomas was in the orig- launching. when everything kicked off, inal Big Finish version, so the BEN: Doctor Who in the he isn’t involved in anything, stars just sort of aligned.

WIDWWA universe had an just like real life, but before BEN: And we only did Storm extra 15 years on New Who, that and, yes he is, because he Warning because it worked so it was a slow development would’ve been. with the story of the season and overtime, which got to similar MATT: Because if you’d just of course… Gary Russell. points, but fundamentally retconned him out of existence, MATT: True. It was also my wasn’t getting to the same place like some people have done idea to stick Scott Bakula into in 2005 that New Who was with these sort of people in Operation: Salvation… starting from, and that was very similar series, then it just deBEN: So then we did a Christ- important. So that’s why things feats the point of the exercise. mas Special. like Christmas Specials didn’t It unfortunately makes sense.

MATT: Yes because we just start in 2005 and that’s BEN: We did make some were insane. It was like, to PAGE 24

changes with The One Doctor though. We changed most of the cast to be a lot more sort of BBC Light Entertainment ‘Christmas Stars’ because that made sense as the sort of thing that they would do. On Big Finish, it’s just sort of whoever they could get hold of…

MATT: We put David Walliams in there. We put Richard Briers instead of Christopher Biggins because we’d already used him.

BEN: Then onto Season 46 and this is the one where I

seasons beforehand.

"WIDWWA MATT: I think he would’ve turned it down if he was to have started as an been offered something similar ideal anyway, in reality, but then again, in WIDWWA, he would’ve been in so the ideal a very different position overall. outcome of BEN: Here he has done a what would’ve lot of Doctor Who TV scripts, whereas in the real world that followed is what just didn’t work out; his jourthis exercise is…" ney with televised is very very different in our universe. WID- because we wanted to do MidWWA is all about cause and night because we realised that effect and decisions leading to we’d done Russell T Davies aldifferent places and I think Rob ready without his best idea and Shearman’s career would’ve that he probably wouldn’t come been extremely different in the back, so we found a complicat"Season 46... universe. Logically, ed way of doing Midnight. this is the one WIDWWA from a production perspective, BEN: Well we thought he where I think whether he would’ve said yes wouldn’t come back. or no, he is who they would’ve MATT: Well, yes, we thought our creative asked based on the circumthat! partnership stances they were in.

BEN: Though the obvious probably worked MATT: What if Doctor Who way to get things wrong is if the best... I think Wasn’t Axed? started as an ide- I suddenly brought Russell al anyway, so the ideal outcome back now and had him become this is where we of what would’ve followed is showrunner. Then I’d be what this exercise is… peaked." able to go “In 2022, Russell BEN: And stuff that I includ- T Davies would’ve done this think our creative partnership ed in the series, as predictions, in Doctor Who” only to be probably worked the best out three or four years ago is well… instantly proved wrong. So yes, of every season. I think this is happening right now in real that would be pretty much the where we peaked. life. The whole Paramount dumbest thing possible that I MATT: The thing that I deal isn’t too dissimilar from could do right now. perhaps regret about Cannon the Disney deal that was MATT: He could bring back Fodder, or A Blast from the announced (as of this interview Richard E Grant as the 17th Past as we originally called it, taking place) just a few days Doctor! is that it probably would’ve ago. That wasn’t just good luck BEN: Let’s not even go there. worked best as a kinda spinoff or a shot in the dark, it was MATT: So… at the end of adventure. because I always knew that log- Season 46, we killed Lizzie.

BEN:If we had Cold Front ically the trajectory of Doctor BEN: Yes. at that point, then it probably Who would go there. It’s just MATT: And it was kind of would’ve been a Cold Front WIDWWA had a much-needed just out of necessity, wasn’t it? episode. head start and got there a hell BEN: The idea was that we MATT: : I think it was far of a lot earlier. didn’t want companions to more Leftover than Cold Front. MATT: You even predicted cross over into a movie that I think Rob Shearman becom- Tegan coming back! weren’t already in a previous ing Script Editor was definitely BEN: Although I had her still movie. We weren’t always going my doing when it came to working in air travel, which to kill her but as soon as we Season 46. wasn’t quite what they went decided to do Turn Left then BEN:It made sense because with and that was probably for the idea was pretty much one of he was essentially the most the best… doing Turn Left but where the prominent writer in the two MATT: Well that was only companion actually dies when PAGE 25

IN CONVERSATION WITH

MATT MOIR they sacrifice themselves.

MATT: We hadn’t had a companion death for a while. Not since Sandra…

BEN: So Lizzie didn’t carry on and we cruelly murdered her… finishing the season and TV Twelfth Doctor.

MATT: So then we did Shada… I don’t know why it was Shada though.

BEN: Well we had a third movie to do and we just started thinking about whether anything had been done with Shada in the WIDWWA universe, and came to the conclusion that the 1992 VHS only happened because of the Wilderness Years being a thing so Shada was pretty much a hidden gem, only known to only the hardcore fans really.

MATT: It just fit for an epic movie. " The beginning of BEN: And… my thought the end… for me. process was that if they did I didn’t know it at Shada, they could stick Douglas the time though..."

Adams’ name all over it… which, by the way, sells… a lot. Chris as a companion and then For Paramount trying to sell a Zenla who was a newer version sci-fi movie, Douglas Adams’ of Romana really. A lot of what came out of WIDWWA for the "For Paramount next few years came out of the trying to sell decision to do Vengeance as an adaptation of Shada. a sci-fi movie, BEN: It was the pilot of the Douglas Adams’ next few years. name does a lot."

MATT: The beginning of the name does a lot. end… for me. I didn’t know it MATT: Then we came up at the time though. Once we with the idea of replacing brought in Gregori, we very Skagra with Gregori. Obviously quickly decided on Peter CapalPAGE 26

di. Juliet Landau was just out of ease because she’d been Romana on Big Finish and it made sense with Paramount and that.

I think you cast Chris…

BEN: I thought Dougray Scott just a good choice for the role.

Post-grad student at Cambridge University, he just fit the bill.

MATT: I came up with David Arnold and Martin Campbell… because I’m a James Bond fan, but Martin Campbell is a brilliant director when he’s reinventing so it made the most sense.

The rest of this interview will be published in the next month’s issue.

WIDWWA

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AFTER...

AFTER WHO

I

n The WIDWWA being “After The Third Planet, Newsletter Issue 7, Part II”. What followed were we went into detail about multiple different attempts to Doctor Who’s first aftershow, replicate After Who’s success…

After Who, which ran for 202 episodes between 2004 and 2016. In case you didn’t read the original article, to recap, 11 Septeber 2016 - 1 January 2018 the show was a studio based 33 EPISODES aftershow broadcast, for the Narrated by Nicholas Briggs most part, on BBC Three. Each Typical Length: 10-15 minutes Release: BBC iPlayer/CBS All Access episode contained a number of guests, usually cast or crew involved in the making of The first came in September that week’s episode, who’d 2016, coinciding the premiere discuss it - from 2011 they did of The Elysium’s second so in front of a live audience. season. The show was entitled Additionally, from 2006, each Doctor Who Extra and was episode featured multiple exclusive to BBC iPlayer in the pre-recorded featurettes which UK and to CBS All Access in went into depth about an the United States, making Docaspect of production. Over the tor Who Extra the franchise’s years, the series was hosted by first CBS All Access Original Jo Whiley, Zoe Ball and Rufus Series. The format of Doctor Hound.

Who Extra was incredibly Largely due to the decision to stripped down, lasting just 10axe BBC Three as a broadcast 15 minutes an episode. Essenchannel in 2016, but also tially the episodes contained because of declining ratings all the pre-recorded featurettes and overwhelming criticism that you’d find in an After Who with the current format of the episode, linked together by show, the BBC axed After Who narration by Nicholas Briggs. in 2016, with the final episode Doctor Who Extra lasted following the broadcast of latest episode

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for 33 episodes, covering The Elysium: Season 2, The Last Winter, Doctor Who: Season 51, The Elysium: Season 3 and The Martian Equinox. Due to criticism of the format, and a desire to return to something which allowed more interaction with the fandom, the BBC decided to cancel Doctor Who Extra in 2018 and replace it with Doctor Who: The Fan Show for Season 52.

"The format of Doctor Who Extra was incredibly stripped down" Doctor Who: The Fan Show essentially took the format of After Who but did it much cheaper and without any cast or crew from the actual show.

Like Doctor Who Extra it was exclusive to BBC iPlayer in the UK and CBS All Access in

the United States. Episodes typically ran for 20-30 minutes and contained the features that you’d see in Doctor Who Extra, intercut with, the presenter, Rufus Hound interviewing a panel of five Doctor Who fans, usually from the internet, about the episode against a green screen, with the TARDIS behind them. While this format was a lot more popular than Doctor Who Extra, the extreme cheapness in production value was heavily criticised. Rufus Hound, who had previously hosted After Who, was not a popular choice with fans either.

Additionally the USP for The Fan Show was that its studio

18 March 2018 - 25 November 2018 24 EPISODES Hosted by Rufus Hound Typical Length: 20-30 minutes Release: BBC iPlayer/CBS All Access following the broadcast of latest episode

panel featured Doctor Who fans, but the choice and the selection of these fans was always controversial. They were nearly all ‘WhoTubers’ that were popular at the time and were all big fans of the current era of the show and nearly always gave positive feedback and discussion to the episodes.

The series was criticised as feeling staged and like propaganda, especially coming in an era that was constantly losing its popularity. Doctor Who: The Fan Show was even more short lived than Doctor Who Extra, lasting just 24 episodes from the beginning of Season 52 to the end of The Elysium: Season 4, ending in November 2018, within the same year it began. The cancellation had been announced in September, with the BBC promising that a “brand new and exciting” aftershow would be launching in time for the New Year’s Day special.

Following this announcement, speculation went crazy in the fandom, as fans tried to each come up with the format that they felt best for a Doctor Who aftershow. Essentially, the vast majority of people just described a revival of After Who. The BBC became incredibly tight-lipped about the new aftershow and just what the format was. It wasn’t until November, during the final edition of Doctor Who: The Fan Show, that any more details came to light. Rufus

Hound mentioned toward the end that he’d be back on the 3 December, alongside Toby Hadoke & Nicholas Briggs, on the Doctor Who YouTube Channel.

It then wasn’t until 3 December 2018, with the release of the first episode of Doctor Who Weekly, that anything more about the show was known. In the first episode titled “Welcome to Doctor Who Weekly!”, the three presenters, Rufus Hound, Toby Hadoke and Nicholas Briggs explained that the series would be a weekly, all-year-round, YouTube series released on the Official Doctor Who YouTube channel. If an episode from the franchise, whether it was main universe or a foreign adaptation, was broadcast that week, then the episode would focus on that episode, however, if no Doctor Who franchise episodes were broadcast that week, then the episode would focus on something else about Doctor Who, whether it be looking back at an old episode, or tying into a merchandise release, for example.

"Essentially, the vast majority of people just described a revival of After Who." PAGE 29

The three presenters of the series also explained that they’d rotate presenting duties each week, so that the series could easily be made all-yearround. For example, Episode 2 was presented by Nicholas

3 December 2018 - present 150+ EPISODES Hosted by Rufus Hound, Toby Hadoke, Nicholas Briggs, Jenna Russel & Hugh Quarshie Typical Length: 15-30 minutes Release: Doctor Who YouTube Channel Every Monday* (*with the exception of April 2020-May 2021)

Briggs, Episode 3 by Rufus Hound, Episode 4 by Toby Hadoke and then looping back around so that Episode 5 was presented by Nicholas Briggs, and so on. Each episode lasted 15-30 minutes, depending on how much content featured in the episode.

Due to a new TARDIS set having been built for Season 53, the old 2013-2018 set was converted into Doctor Who Weekly’s new set, removing the much-criticised “chairs in front of a green screen” aesthetic from The Fan Show. The TARDIS console had been removed and replaced by a round table and curved LED screens were plastered around the balcony walls of the set (with the book-

AFTER... AFTER WHO cases removed). The roundels at the bottom of the set were each fitted with an LED screen too. The console was safely kept in storage.

The series took on a podcast-like feel with the presenter interviewing different guests, now-once-again cast and crew, around the round table. Featurettes, like all three previous shows, were intercut in, but only if the episode was focusing on a current-day episode, broadcast that week.

Additional Doctor Who Weekly original features would often see that week’s presenter exploring something to do with Doctor Who, such as one episode featured a 5-minute feature of Toby Hadoke exploring the early life of Terrance Dicks, while another featured Nicholas Briggs exploring the BBC Archives and explaining about Missing Episodes.

Each episode of Doctor Who Weekly was released on a Monday at 5pm on the Official Doctor Who YouTube channel.

There was no release on BBC iPlayer or CBS All Access.

Also, unlike After Who, Doctor Who Extra or Doctor Who: The Fan Show, Doctor Who Weekly wasn’t funded by the TV Licence (in conjunction with CBS funding), but instead

by BBC Studios & CBS. This essentially meant that Doctor Who Weekly was being funded by the profits of Home Media releases and streaming deals, meaning that Doctor Who Weekly was almost entirely self-sufficient, with its budget coming from the money that Doctor Who made for the BBC. The series was, as a result, fairly independent from

BBC management and was controlled by Doctor Who’s Franchise Executive.

While the series was instantly very popular with fans, after the first few months, once the novelty had worn off, one persisting criticism with the show kept cropping up: Why is the series being presented by three middle-aged white men? Due to the fact that the series wasn’t conventionally produced by the BBC, the corporation’s diversity and inclusion guidelines had pretty much been overlooked. This wasn’t intentional but it had ended up with an incredible lack of diversity in the series.

Jane Espenson was aware that

fans wanted a younger woman of colour to be introduced, but it took until May 2021 for a fifth presenter to be added, and it was Hugh Quarshie, who had played Michael Apperely… a middle-aged black man.

However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, because a whole pandemic happened first. Apparently, BBC Studios were planning to bring on a new presenter in 2020, but because of the pandemic, they decided against introducing a new presenter. Many fans dismissed this excuse as “lazy” though. All episodes of Doctor Who Weekly had been recorded up until 6 April 2020, by the time production shut down in mid-March. The decision was made, despite the series being called Doctor Who Weekly, to cut the series back to just when the show was on television. Additionally, Nicholas Briggs was brought in as a sole permanent host for most of 2020. The first episode released on 11 May, in conjunction with Vajahnari's Curse, came entirely from Nicholas Briggs’ house, but shot

"Due to the fact that

something had to be done, so the series wasn’t in May 2019, on the 23rd week conventionally of the series, a fourth presenter produced by the BBC, was added to the line-up in the the corporation’s form of Jenna Russell. Russell diversity and had played Val Fletcher in the inclusion guidelines show and had just recorded the English dub for the had pretty much been character of Selina Fernández overlooked." in Doctor Misterio. She had previously featured on Doctor with professional cameras that Who Weekly in March during he had been instructed to set up the run of Doctor Misterio, and send the footage, afterward, which was a big part in getting where he spoke with a number her the job. Russell was still of guests over video call. This a middle-aged white woman, format continued for the next and the criticism continued, episode, on 8 June, which focalling on someone more cused on the entirety of Doctor diverse to get the job. Many Who: Adventures’ first series.

PAGE 30

"in October 2021, social distance guidelines were ended on the set, and episodes pretty much returned to the pre-pandemic format."

The first episode had previously been covered on Doctor Who Weekly but this episode covered the other nine. However, the third episode, released just a times, a member of the cast or week later on 15 June, but shot crew was interviewed in perquite a while after the 8 June son, the larger table was used episode, saw Nicholas Briggs to allow for social-distancing. alone in the Doctor Who Week- The episodes remained for ly set, speaking to each guest on the week’s of episode releases, the LED screens. This was shot with spinoffs still only getting by a scaled-back skeleton crew an overview episode for the filming in socially distanced entire season. conditions. It was the first proHowever, from the 10 May duction shot at BBC Scotland 2021 episode, which focused since the beginning of the pan- on Doctor Who: The Upgrade demic. This format continued from Tomorrow, Doctor Who until the 7 September episode focusing on The Fourth Continent. The series didn’t return until 23 November, which featured all 4 presenters, around a much-bigger, socially-distanced round table, in the usual set celebrating the 57th Anniversary of Doctor Who. Unusually for Doctor Who Weekly, this was the only episode not to feature Weekly went back to being a single guest interview. From weekly. It was still being made 30 November, the usual host rotation returned, with the old in socially distanced conditions, with most of the guests table reinstalled into the set. appearing virtually, but it was However, the virtual interviews were now altered so that again being released once-aweek for the first time in over instead of appearing on LED a year. As previously menscreens, the guests were green tioned, from 31 May 2021, a screened around the round table - this led to a mixed reac- fifth presenter, Hugh Quarshie tion. If on any occasion, which was added to the line-up.

Finally, in October 2021, only happened a handful of PAGE 31

social distance guidelines were ended on the set, and episodes pretty much returned to the pre-pandemic format. The only difference became that some guests, especially ones for foreign adaptation focused episodes, appeared virtually more often than not, due to the fact that the option was now there for virtual interviews if more convenient.

More often, especially more recently, multiple episodes from the franchise clashed with each other, so therefore the most “important” episode was given prominence and then the “secondary” one would feature toward the end in a shorter segment. For example, Dokter Wie: Eindspel clashed with The Daleks’ Master Plan, after its first few episodes, so its nearly exclusive coverage was cut down to about 7 minutes from the beginning of the schedule clash with the main show.

By the time of September 2022, Doctor Who Weekly had released just over 150 episodes since it’s beginning in 2018 and was still going strong.

WIDWWA

Looking Back At...

Doctor Who: Endgame

Jack Murray-Bell looks respectively, from an in-universe perspective, at Doctor Who’s THIRD Movie from 2010

H

ello and welcome back to my retrospective on the Doctor Who movie franchise. This time we'll be taking a look at Doctor Who: Endgame.

As always, I'll start by talking about the title sequence: I really like it. It's simple, but I feel that the simple nature combined with the dull background gives off a foreboding atmosphere and sets up the

tone for the film quite nicely.

Also helping is the use of the sombre music and the logo, which has a more rusted look to it. I also like the red glow that comes in at the end of the sequence, causing a bit of the logo to gain a red tint. Also, I'm only now realising that the red glow is probably meant to be the Eye of Harmony. The titles being darker compared to the previous films fondly reminds

PAGE 32

me of the Harry Potter movies, where the title sequence for each subsequent movie after Chamber of Secrets got progressively darker.

As for the plot of the film: it's okay. I like the concept of the Valeyard trying to use an ancient Gallifreyan machine to become a god, but the plot just devolves into a runaround with the Daleks and the cast trying to gather the crystals. Now, I

"Robert Shearman really knows how to make the Daleks like scavenger hunt type sto- ly available. scary..." ries, and the show has done a Speaking of the Valeyard: couple of really good ones, but what made those stories good was the fact that we saw the TARDIS team traveling to different locations and having to overcome different obstacles.

Here it's just them going to mines, getting chased away by Daleks, which is followed by an admittedly cool museum heist.

Dokter Wie: Eindspel actually improved the story of this movie a lot.

Also one thing that's left as a bit of a mystery is the exact history of the Omega device: what exactly happened to it?

How did the Valeyard get a hold of the exact parts requited to build it? and who originally built the device? It couldn't have been Omega, because he didn't become power hungry and mad until after the creation of time travel?

The Daleks are wasted in this movie: they're threatening; they kill a lot of people, but they're mostly reduced to shouty robots working for the Valeyard. We also don't learn why the Daleks have allied themselves with the Valeyard.

Another problem I had was that I personally think it was really ageist not to bring Michael Jayston back as the Valeyard. I like Charles Dance as an actor, I really do, but it just feels wrong not to bring Jayston back when he was perfect-

when the Supreme Dalek reveals that they've destroyed life on the first planet, the Valeyard seems to be disturbed by this, but nothing is ever done with the concept of him potentially being unhappy with the idea of killing, especially since he later gets a Dalek to kill Chris.

Now, let's get into stuff from the movie that I actually enjoyed.

As said, the Daleks are threatening, even if they mostly just serve the function of being henchman: Robert Shearman really knows how to make the Daleks scary. Chris's death was handled really well and I liked the funeral scene and its aftermath. While Chris's death is very sudden, I think it helps to show just how dangerous the Valeyard is, since he can pretty much get the Daleks to kill whoever he wants. The final fight between the Doctor and the Valeyard was awesome.

As for the ening to the movie, it serves as a good emotional gut punch. I'm embarrassed to admit that I hated the ending when I first saw the movie because I had this silly belief that protagonists shouldn't die, and that the movie was bad if they did; I had a similar reaction to the final Artemis Fowl book. I've since moved past that childish belief. I also love the Rogue's eulogy and the PAGE 33

sombre rendition of the Doctor Who theme in the end credits.

Coincidentally, the final ever episode of Holby City used a sombre rendition of its theme song for its end credits ten years after Endgame's release; though Endgame was never intended as the final ever Doctor Who story, and I'm sure other shows have done a sombre rendition of their theme for the end credits, but Holby City's ending is what sprang to mind when preparing to write this retrospective.

As usual, David Suchet, Dougary Scott and Juliet Landau are on top form, Timothy Dalton is also great as the Rogue, who provides some much needed comic relief with the highlight being him being cut off mid-F-bomb. The final fight between the Doctor and the Valeyard was also really enjoyable.

Martin Campbell returns to direct and is great as always, as is Murray Gold, who returned to compose the score. His pieces suit the mood of whatever scene they're being used in.

Overall: Doctor Who: Endgame was quite decent, but definitely a downgrade from Vengeance. Join me next time when I'll be taking a look at the 50th anniversary movie, Doctor Who: Genesis.

WIDWWA

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On their way out of the house but during this, an alarm is triggered. Soon, security begins n the present day, a young chasing after them, with several woman in an expensive German Shepards. The two designer dress, Katie, walks manage to make it out of the up an illuminated driveway house and shake off the security toward a mansion. She exudes guards. Katie tells the Doctor confidence as she rings the bell that she'll bring her car round and is swiftly let through into to him. We then see Katie a lavish party. Katie moves getting the car... thinking for a through the crowd, with ease, moment and then driving off finding her way to the staircase in it. The Doctor waits for her, and making her way upstairs. checking his watch, before realInside the master bedroom, she ising she's not coming. He then puts on a pair of long leather whistles softly and crosses the gloves, before removing an street toward a police box. expensive painting off the wall, The following night, Katie revealing an industrial safe. She stands in an alleyway, dressed smiles and sets about cracking in all black holding a large it, which she does in a matter duffel bag of items. She opens the one she's been waiting for. of seconds. Upon opening the the bag and checks it, pulling Katie says she has no idea who safe she says that inside... is out a very familiar sword. The he is, and the Doctor suggests, the Doctor, sitting in the safe, Doctor appears behind her, not so subtly, that Katie use the waiting for her. asking what possible reason she sword. Katie does so and nearly The Doctor holds up a metal has for having that sword in her kills the man, only stopping at box and tells Katie that the possession. Katie asks how he just rendering him unconscious, back pearl necklace, that she knows what it is but the Doctor because the Doctor stops her. was trying to steal, is inside it. is vague, just mentioning Soon after, another man comes She asks the Doctor to hand it something about it being from from the shadows, the man over and he obliges. She then Mars. Katie begins to apologise Katie was expecting... an older removes the necklace from the for abandoning the Doctor the Sam Tollinger, who is surprised box, before placing the empty previous night, but she sudbut overjoyed at seeing the back into the safe. She then denly feels the barrel of a gun Doctor and quickly explains helps the Doctor get out of the aimed at the back of her head that Katie is his daughter. safe, as he's a little stuck, before and looks around to see a very Sam explains to Katie that she slams the door shut, locks imposing man holding it. The the Doctor is... the Doctor, the it, and places the painting back Doctor tries to talk him down man whom he's always told over it. and asks Katie if this man is her about. Katie is surprised to

PART ONE

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realise that he's a real person, them some idea of where the UNIT, back when he was Sciand the Doctor just elusively government is holding the jew- entific Advisor, and lists off a responds by claiming that he elled egg. The Doctor conducts bunch of events from the era. could be entirely fictional. Sam a scan and manages to locate He then admits to the Doctor explains that since he last saw traces of it at a military base in that he’s breaking several dozthe Doctor, most of his stranger Scotland. He then dematerien rules letting him through possessions were seized from alises the TARDIS... to Katie’s security and he’s only doing it him by UNIT, to which he shock. because he trusts him. The Docwas highly compensated, but Soon after, the TARDIS tor thanks Salter but asks why… over the years, they became arrives inside the military base. what is so important about the declassified and most of them The Doctor, Katie and Sam compound. Salter says that this managed to find their way to step out, only to see a series of compound was set up privately the black market. Most of them lasers appear in front of them by the government to hold the were bought by members of and an alarm sound. Then, to most dangerous extraterrestrial the aristocracy and that's what make matters worse, a group of weapons, taking them out of the Katie's been stealing back, ever armed guards appears beyond hands of organisations such as since. However, one item, the the lasers. The Doctor clutches UNIT. He then explains, howjewelled egg was taken off UNIT his umbrella and says "Ahhever, that he believes the govby the Government and they've hh..." ernment are up to something, been unable to track it down. as he’s noticed items vanishing Sam asks for the Doctor's help from time to time with all record in getting his property back, that they were ever at the faciland the Doctor agrees. The Docity also gone. The Doctor holds tor then looks in the duffel bag he Doctor, Katie and Sam his umbrella up, showing off the and pulls out the necklace. He are taken by the security question mark, while thinking. hands it to Katie and tells her guards to an office, where they The two then come to the place that it belonged to her mother, are told to wait. During this where the jewelled egg should and she should have it. Katie time, Katie tries to formulate be… only to find it gone. cries, upon seeing it, and hugs a plan to override security and In the office, Katie picks at the the Doctor thanking him. continue into the compound. lock, trying to force it open. Sam The trio then roam through Sam says it’s far too dangerous tells her to be gentle with it and the backstreets, as Sam catches and she’s being foolish. Katie that picking a lock is a delicate up with the Doctor about their remarks, “Foolish is my middle art. Katie snaps at him saying family history, since they last name, Daddy” to which he says, that she is capable of doing met. The Doctor takes a keen “No it’s not, it’s Raine”. Soon things on her own. Katie, still interest and says that he's there after, a small man in an army having no luck, stops for a mobecause he noticed that they'd uniform with a cockney accent, ment, smiles, and then proceeds been a series of thefts all relat- Corporal Salter, enters the room to pick it differently, and more ing to items in Sam's possesand sits down in front of them. calmly. The lock suddenly clicks sion, and decided to investigate. He says that he’s checked the and the door opens to which Sam asks about how he is now records and that he’s now fully Sam smiles and tells her to folAce is gone and the Doctor is aware of exactly who the Doctor low him. cagey about the issue, refusing is and that he’d be delighted to Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor to give Sam a proper answer. give him a tour of the facility. and Salter scan for the whereaThey eventually reach the The Doctor jumps up and says bouts of the jewelled egg. SaltTARDIS and the Doctor smiles that’s excellent and tells Katie er says that it was only there a before opening it... revealing and Sam to come along. Salter few hours ago and that he saw the new interior to the audience stops them and says that they it himself. Salter asks the Docfor the first time too. stay there, as they have no au- tor what’s so special about the Katie steps in and is amazed thorisation. jewelled egg, to which the Docas she looks around in disbeThe Doctor and Salter leave tor says that he’s the governor lief... The Doctor chuckles as the office as they begin a tour of a high-classified governthe two enter and says that the of the compound. Salter ex- ment security compound and TARDIS should be able to give plains that he used to work for he doesn’t know… The Doctor

PART TWO

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then explains that the jewelled Hans de Flores. The Doctor exegg, or as it’s really known the plains that he encountered them Virumun, is a very ancient and a couple of years ago, during a very deadly weapon… it has the run-in with the Cybermen, and power to remove things, objects, that they must’ve remobilised people or even entire planets and found some sort of “in” with from existence. Salter looks the government. Salter says that terrified and says, “and that’s this is indeed very troubling inwhat’s been stolen!”. The Doc- formation and that the entire tor then explains that it’s pow- government could be comproerless without a microfilament mised. transponder wave generator, Katie and Sam conclude that but that even the Ice Warriors the jewelled egg isn’t in the couldn’t invent one of those. compound and that the DocThe Doctor then exclaims that tor and Salter seem to be gone. he’s found a match and it seems They quickly discuss what to do to be in Birmingham. He then before they decide on breaking sets the TARDIS into flight and out, with their stolen items, and it dematerialises. making their way back home.

Katie and Sam sneak through Elsewhere we see a group of sethe compound, avoiding the curity guards checking a list of guards, as they search for the items and looking at the shelves, form to reveal that he, and the jewelled egg. Along the way, seeing that (the ones Katie and other guards at the compound, they spot a number of other Sam stole) are gone. They sound are wearing brownshirts and are very expensive looking items the alarms, causing a chase se- working for the Fourth Reich. and quietly steal them, because quence to ensue, as the guards Salter steps forward, to which “they might as well”. They try and catch Katie and Sam. the Doctor asks what he’s doing, search and search but can’t find Salter tells the Doctor that it’s before he turns around joining the jewelled egg. of vital national importance that the guards, taking off his army The TARDIS lands in a back- they get inside the club and the uniform, to reveal a similar, street in Birmingham out- Doctor agrees. He says that he more senior, SA uniform below. side an incredibly anarchistic should be able to materialise He then speaks loudly, in a Gerposh-looking private members the TARDIS inside, as long as man accent, telling the Doctor club. The Doctor and Salter walk he can get a better lock on the that the Virumun was just a lure and that now the Fourth Reich in, to which the receptionist asks Virumun. their names. Salter says that he’s Katie and Sam just about make have in their possession… the “Corporal Anthony Salter” and it out of the compound when a greatest weapon of all. The camthe Doctor jumps in and says guard, Sergeant Becker, springs era zooms in on the TARDIS his name is, in a very thick exag- out in front of them. He holds as Salter says: “We now posses gerated Scottish accent, “Doctor out a gun and tells them to drop time travel!”

Fergus Ansley McCarthy-Frazi- the bag. They do so and more er”. The receptionist smiles and guards join them. Becker grabs checks the members list saying the bag and looks through it, that she doesn’t have any re- saying its remarkable how they nside the compound, Becker cord of their membership. The managed to choose about every and his brownshirts conDoctor then looks around and item he had on his list. notices something unusual… a The TARDIS lands inside the tinue to aim their guns at Katie portrait of the club’s founder… club, as a group of men dressed and Sam. After a moment of Hans de Flores. The Doctor and in SA brownshirt uniforms, pause, Katie shouts out in GerSalter leave the club and go back grabs their guns and surround man (subtitled in English) “you into the TARDIS. The Doctor the TARDIS. The Doctor and boys have been doing a really then tells Salter that he knows Salter step out of the TARDIS. great job, but now it’s time for the professionals to take over”… who stole the jewelled egg... A Salter then smiles.

Neo-Nazi group, founded by one Becker unzips his guard uni- before turning sharply on her

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heel and telling Becker that the Virumun. The Doctor then that she’s been asked to steal it. she’s Unterführerin Tollinger reminds Salter that without Salter says that if she goes with and she’s been sent there, along a microfilament transponder Becker and his men, then she, of with her assistant, to retrieve wave generator, the Virumun is course, can do so. Katie tells him items directly for the Führer. useless. Salter tells the Doctor that it needs to be just Becker, as Becker tells her that her German that he thanks him for that in- they need to stay incognito. is excellent but he’s well aware formation and soon he’ll have Sometime later, Katie, dressed that she’s not a member of their an entire compound of alien once again in an expensive deranks raises arms once again. artefacts at his disposal to build signer dress, down a path with Katie says that it was worth a try one for them. Salter also tells Becker, dressed in a designer to which Sam asks, in confusion, the Doctor that there’s no point suit, pretending to be a cou“since when did you speak Ger- playing the fool, he really was at ple… it’s slowly revealed that the man?”. Katie says, “You sent me UNIT, and he knows just how building they’re walking into is to a bording school in Switzer- skilled the Doctor is at this kind Balmoral Castle and a party is land, try to keep up, Dad…” of thing. taking place. Katie asks BeckInside the TARDIS, Salter tells The TARDIS lands in the com- er “how is your RP?” to which the Doctor to take him and his pound, just saving Katie and Becker responds in an RP acmen back to the compound. The Sam in the nick of time. Beck- cent saying it’s “absolutely spiffDoctor says the whole plan is a er salutes Salter as he exits the ing”. They get to the door of the pointless exercise because they TARDIS, his gun pointed in castle and Katie says that she’s can’t just go back in time and the Doctor’s back. Salter tells Katie Tollinger, daughter of Sir just quietly change the course his men that the Doctor will be Samuel Tollinger, friend of the of history so that the Nazis won building them the final missing Princess Royal, and Becker is the Second World War. He says part of the Virumun. Katie tells her Plus One. The guard says that it’s not as simple as that. the Doctor that he can’t, and “of course” and let’s her right in.

He then asks what they suppose these people are “literally Na- Katie then remarks that somethey’ll do… seriously. What is zis”. The Doctor tells her that he times having a rich dad really their “big” plan to change the has no choice but to do what the makes all the difference. outcome of the war? Salter Corporal says. Salter corrects The Doctor and Sam continue laughs and then says it’s called the Doctor and asks to be called to build the device, while they Führer Salter. The Doctor tells discuss Katie. Sam says that he Salter that if he’s going to do struggles to connect with her, he this, he’ll need Katie and Sam’s says that she’s so independent help. Salter agrees before tell- and just wants more constanting the Doctor that he has three ly. The Doctor says that she rehours and leaving. minds him an awful lot of someLeft alone, but aware that they one else… Sam soulfully nods have guns trained on them, the saying that it makes it even the Doctor catches Katie and Sam more painful. up with everything and says Upstairs in Balmoral, Katie that he thinks Salter is plan- and Sam come to a heavily forning to erase significant figures tified door, which Katie easily on the Allies’ side, during the picks the lock of, and inside they Second World War, to change find a glass case and a crown the course of the war, using the inside. Katie says that it’s the Virumun. The Doctor says not Queen Mother’s crown and what to worry because he has a plan. they need is the Koh-i-Noor diHe asks Katie whether she could amond that’s sat on it. Becker open “one more safe” for him. proceeds to grab the cage but Katie cheekily smiles. suddenly lasers appear around Katie approaches Salter and it. Katie rolls her eyes and says tells him that there’s another and he needs to just leave her device the Doctor needs in or- to it. der to complete the weapon and The Doctor just about comPAGE 39

pletes the device and says they Salter steps out with the Viru- hand saying of course and drags only need to Koh-i-Noor and mun. He sets it on the ground, her into the TARDIS. He then it’ll be done. Salter impatiently just in front of him, and tells the pops his head out of the door comes toward them and asks Doctor to hand him the micro- and says goodbye to Sam, before when it’ll be ready. The Doctor filament transponder wave gen- closes it again as the TARDIS repeats to him that it’s done and erator. The Doctor says that he’s dematerialises. they’re just awaiting the dia- making a mistake and Salter mond. Salter looks unhappy and exclaims that he was right about says that Becker better hurry. the Koh-i-Noor being a diverKatie intricately tries to get sion and that the device works the Crown out of the case, with- just fine without it, considering he story for Crime of the out tripping any more alarms the Doctor is so worried about Century began as an idea but she struggles with Becker him activating it. The Doctor for a sequel, by Kevin Clarke, watching over her. She says that and Sam step back into the TAR- to his first (and only) Doctor he just needs to stand outside DIS, slowly, as Salter combines Who story, Silver Nemesis. The and guard or something because the two devices. He then acti- idea was about the remnants of she can’t do it properly with him vates it, and it engulfs him as he de Florres' Fourth Reich using there. He argues but Katie asks screams. Slowly, Salter vanish- an ancient weapon in UNIT's if he really thinks she can escape es… from existence. Sam looks vaults to change the course of him from the top of Balmoral at the Doctor and says that was the Second World War. The Castle in its most secure room. horrific. The Doctor explains idea, while briefly considered by Becker says that’s a good point that without the Koh-i-Noor, or Cartmel, was dropped very earand then proceeds to leave and just some sort of stabilising re- ly on and it was only after other wait outside. After a moment, ceptor, which he chuckles and plans fell through that CartKatie smiles before purposely says could’ve simply been the mel revisited it, with the (now) tripping every alarm she can. In graphite in a pencil, the micro- added stipulation that it had to seconds, guards rush and arrest filament transponder wave gen- introduce a new companion, in Katie and Becker and it’s not erator was only a microfilament the form of Katie Tollinger, be long until they find a swastika wave generator, thus causes it to set in a mansion and include an on Becker’s person. backfire on Salter. opening scene of the Doctor in a Salter is told by a brownshirt Some time later, the Doctor, safe, which Cartmel had already that Katie and Becker have been Katie and Sam sit down drink- come up with. arrested. He looks furious and ing tea in the sitting room of Following the first draft, Cartstomps over to the Doctor and Sam’s mansion. They are watch- mel suddenly hit on the idea of grabs the device. He points a ing the news where there’s a linking up Crime of the Century, gun at the Doctor and Sam and report about a secret Neo-Nazi and it's predecesor, Ice Time, then herds them into the TAR- group being apprehended after into a psuedo 7-part adventure, DIS. He tells the Doctor that he they attempted to steal the Koh- with the Katie's father becomwants to go to England in 1943. i-Noor diamond from Balmoral ing Sam from Ice Time (and his The Doctor obliges and demate- Castle. Katie comments that she surname changing to Tollinger rialises the TARDIS. was in that cell for hours with accordingly) and the primary Katie and Becker sit in a po- Becker before UNIT came to her plot mcguffin being linked to Ice lice interview room, as Becker rescue. The Doctor apologises Time as well. gives her the evils the entire but says it was the only way to time. Once a police officer walks bring down the whole operain, Katie explains to him that tion. The Doctor and Katie have Becker is a Neo-Nazi and that a good laugh about it before Sam she’s working with her father, looks over at Katie giving her a he most significant aspect Sir Samuel Tollinger, and a staff bit of a nudge. Katie then asks of Crime of the Century's member at UNIT to bring them the Doctor, rather uncharacterdown and this was all a trap. The istically shyly, if she could join production was that it intropolice officer just laughs in her him on his adventures. The Doc- duced a brand new TARDIS inface. tor jumps up out of his chair, terior for the series. By the end The TARDIS lands in 1943 and spilling his tea, and grabs her of Season 25, the TARDIS set

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“David Jason was required to play a loveable cockney army officer and then transform into a Nazi with a German accent.” had practically fallen apart, so in the height of the console could a loveable cockney army officer Season 26, due to a lack of mon- be adjusted based on who was and then transform into a Nazi ey, the inside of the TARDIS using it, future-proofing it for with a German accent. Jason indidn't really feature. For Season the next actor to play the Doc- deed rose to the challenge but he certainly didn't play it straight, 27, John Nathan-Turner man- tor.. aged to organise things so that The actual story itself became instead sending up the role, a new TARDIS interior could be prone to John Nathan-Turn- chewing the sceneary at every built, debuting in Crime of the er's often desire to stunt cast turn and, on set, spent most of Century but shot as part of the guest roles. From Beryl Reid it messing about with Sylvester studio shoot for the following in Earthshock to Nicholas Par- McCoy. serial, Blood and Iron, as Crime sons in The Curse of Fenric, Although only in one scene, of the Century was designated and everything in between, the set for the Tollinger's sitting to be all-location. Originally, Nathan-Turner loved casting room had a lot of money spent Blood and Iron was going to famous faces, especially to the on it due to the fact that Cartmel feature the debut of the interior, BBC One Light-Entertainment intended the Tollinger's house but Cartmel wished to be able to viewer, in rather unexpected to be a recurring set, from the show Katie's first reaction to the Doctor Who roles. This time ac- next season, becoming a "base TARDIS, so it was moved a story tor and comedian David Jason, of operations" for the Doctor earlier. best known for his roles in, sit- and Katie, a bit like the Doctor's The set was designed by Mike coms, Open All Hours & Only lab back in the Pertwee years.

Tucker and featured the unique Fools and Horses, was cast as Cartmel wasn't to know that feature of the TARDIS' central Corporal/Führer Anthony Salt- perhaps the incoming produccolumn suspended from the er, the main villain for the sto- tion team had different plans... ceiling. The set was built so that ry. Jason was required to play WIDWWA PAGE 41

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The Eighth Doctor

he casting process for Fraser, through this period, Wearing and Powell the confithe Eighth Doctor began as they worked out what sort dence that if anyone could bring fairly soon after Michael of character their new Doctor more viewers to Doctor Who, Wearing appointed Ian Fraser would be. This brief was handed into the 1990s, it was going to be as Doctor Who's new Producer. out to the neccessary agents and Richard Griffiths.

Fraser had yet to formally take the interested ones, with actors, Richard Griffiths was formally over and still working as a Pro- who they represented, in mind, contracted as the Doctor during duction Manager on Season 27, replied and auditions were set the production of Crime of the most notably on Blood and Iron up.

Century and a photocall with which allowed him to oversee Following a rigiorous audition Julia Sawahla took place within the transition to his premiership process, which also had to be the following days. On 13 August with ease. overseen by Michael Wearing 1990, just under a month before Previously, the incumbent and Jonathan Powell, Richard the beginning of Season 27 airproducer had always cast a new Griffiths was awarded the role. ing, Griffiths was announced as Doctor, even if they knew that Griffiths had initally been con- the Eighth Doctor. At this time, another would be producing sidered for the role of the Fifth Blood and Iron was wrapping up the show by the time they'd be- Doctor, a decade earlier, but Na- production, and Griffiths travgin working with them for a full than-Turner just preferred Peter elled to BBC Television Centre season. Nathan-Turner decided, Davison when it came down to to film his end of the regeneraafter having cast three Doctors, it. Griffiths, in the intervening tion. himself, that it wasn't his place decade, had vastly expanded Following this, it'd be anothto cast a fourth and enthuasti- his career with apperances in er six months before Griffiths cally granted Fraser permission "Chariots of Fire" (1981), "Gan- would step into the role full to use the Doctor Who Produc- dhi" (1982) and "Withnail & I" time, when production on Seation Office to begin the process (1987), as well as earning a BAF- son 28 began... of casting the next Doctor.

TA nomination for TV Series, "A WIDWWA Without a new script editor Kind of Living" (1987). Griffiths appointed, Cartmel liased with impressive CV certainly gave PAGE 42

their help: 2001, Margrave University. Katie suddenly becomes very excited about the prospect n a jungle, Brigadier Wini- of travelling 11 years into the fred Bambera and a group future. of UNIT soldiers enter an alien The TARDIS lands at Marspacecraft. They pan out and grave University, which has search it, finding absolutely dozens of portacabins, with nothing inside… it’s deserted. the UNIT logo, set up outside Bambera then looks around the it. Bambera comes to greet edge of the ship and notices sev- the Doctor and thanks him for eral strange plants. One of the answering her call, especially UNIT soldiers touches it and because she only sent it a few is instantly turned into a skele- seconds ago. The Doctor takes ton. Bambera tells everyone to off his hat and pats the TARDIS stay clear and they have a “code saying that she’s behaving at the nine”. moment. Bambera chuckles and In the TARDIS, the Doctor tells them to follow her. tells Katie all the amazing places Bambera takes the Doctor and they could go, but Katie seems Katie to a greenhouse at the rather unimpressed instead ask- university, but before entering ing about the facilities on the tells them they need to get into TARDIS. The Doctor is rather hasmat suits for their own safetaken aback when Katie asks ty. They do so and go inside. for details such as whether he Bambera explains that the plant the Doctor says that he’s seen has a shower or bath, how big is in there was found by an alien enough and asks to continue the her bedroom, how many clothes spacecraft in the middle of the conversation elsewhere. can she get into her wardrobe. jungle and it has the most terri- In one of the portacabins, He tries to explain to her that fying properties. She then takes Bambera explains that UNIT the TARDIS is a dimension of out a small metal case, opens it have partnered with Margrave infinite space and that her hu- and pulls a mouse out by it’s tail. University to find a way of conman mind just can’t wrap her Katie looks nervously at her be- trolling the plants to be used head around it. Katie is offend- fore she chucks it at one of the for good. The Doctor questions ed by this and says that “she’ll plants… instantly the mouse what “for good” means and Kasee about that!”. An alarm then becomes a skeleton. Bambera tie asks if “for good” includes goes off in the TARDIS, which says that initially they only purposefully “skeleifying” mice. startles Katie, but the Doctor found this out because one of Bambera comments that she says it’s nothing to worry about their own soldiers was reduced sounds like “one of Scobie’s lot” and it’s just that UNIT need to bones. Katie is horrified and before she has an idea. She radi-

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os “Sergeant Henrick” and asks sity is investigating. him to come to the portacabin. The Doctor and Bambera reSoon a fresh-faced UNIT sol- turn to the greenhouse where dier bursts in and salutes Bam- the Doctor inspects the plants bera. Bambera explains that she for himself. He says that he thinks it would be a good idea doesn’t recognise the species at for Katie to go undercover at all, and he thinks there’s a good the university, as she’s worried chance that the species has been about something compromis- significantly genetically moding taking place there, and says ified by a group of alien scienthat Sergeant Henrick will join tists. Bambera says that UNIT her. Katie says that surely the have come to the same conclustudents will recognise Henrick, sion and that they think if the but Henrick assures her that as plants have already been genetilong as he’s out of uniform they cally modified by scientists, then won’t even realise he’s been the same can happen again. there for weeks. Katie is weary Katie and Henrick arrive at the about agreeing but the Doctor meeting in a hall and see Willa says she’ll fit right in, and she’ll with her boyfriend, Ray Scobie. have fun. As Katie leaves the He’s telling all the 10-ish people portacabin with Henrick, she there about an aerial that he has comments that it’s “hardly Ox- built which might be able to conford” … tact the people that they need. but that she has a lot of symThe Doctor continues his con- Willa sees Katie and Henrick pathy for his cause. She doesn’t versation with Bambera, alone, and comes to greet them, telling agree with turning the plants where he tells her that he’s se- them to sit down. They watch into weapons and she certainly riously concerned about the and see that Ray is an animal doesn’t like the animal testing. ethics that UNIT are employing rights activist and thinks that The Doctor takes Bambera into here. Bambera tells him that it’s the plants were made to kill any the TARDIS where he shows her “orders from above” and these animal that eats another animal. his analysis of the plants. He plants could be a golden bullet… After the meeting, Ray and says that they seem to be mainThe Doctor nods and says that Willa approach Katie and Hen- ly converting the blood of the he knows and that’s what wor- rick and ask them to follow creature it kills into some sort ries him. them. They do so and enter a of iron and then absorbing rest, Some time later, Katie and series of underground tunnels. but the skeleton. Bambera asks Henrick enter a seminar, Ray explains that they’re fairly if the plant lives off iron, but the dressed in casual clothing. A secret and even the “UNIT buf- Doctor looks at the readings and girl called Willa comes up and foons” don’t know they exist. says that’s the bizarre thing… it introduces herself to them, ask- Katie and Henrick laugh along just disposes of the iron right ing where they’ve been all term. but he then turns around with away. He says that it’s purposely Thinking fast, Katie responds in a gun and says “Well, I suppose collecting something just to imher German accent, that she and the UNIT buffoons do now I’ve mediately dispense of it.

Henrick are exchange students told them, but not for long”… With guns on Katie and Henand are joining them for a few And all the joy quickly disap- rick, Ray tells them to plant exweeks. Willa quickly accepts peared from Katie and Henrick’s plosives underneath the UNIT this and invites them along to faces. portacabins to prove their loya meeting that evening that her alty. Henrick says that he won’t boyfriend, Ray, is running. Kaand there’ll just be killing innotie politely declines, but Henrick cent people for no reason. He jumps in (with a far less conquestions why Ray stands up vincing accent) and says that atie drops the German ac- so much for animal rights when they’d love to go. The seminar cent and explains to Ray he’s prepared to kill humans. He begins, which is about the car- and Willa that she and Henrick responds by telling Henrick that nivorous plants that the univer- are indeed working for UNIT those who torture, kill and con-

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sume animals don’t deserve any weapon on. Henrick then reiter- Bambera says that it is still in mercy. He then reloads his gun ates that Ray is planning to blow the jungle. The Doctor offers to and insists that they plant the up the portacabins that they’re accompany the Numlocks inexplosives… but just then Willa in and maybe, just maybe, they specting it and tells Katie to join whacks Ray around the head, have enough evidence to arrest him. The two of them board the from behind, knocking him un- him now.

Numlock ship which travels to conscious. She tells Katie and Henrick leads a group of UNIT the location of the crash site.

Henrick to run and she’ll deal soldiers to find Ray Scobie and On the ground, Bambera has with him. arrest with, with the Doctor, UNIT soldiers dress in hasmat Katie and Henrick burst into Katie and Bambera following suits and arrest Scobie, who’s a portacabin to find Bambera shortly behind. been sheltering amongst the and the Doctor continuing to Ray activates the aerial which plants thus far. He’s taken to investigate the plants. They emits a signal out into the stars. an interrogation room where bring the two of them up to He smiles and tells Willa that fi- Bambera questions him. She speed and they take special in- nally humanity will evolve past essentially manages to summaterest at Ray’s theory about only the need to consume animals… rise that Scobie is just a mad meat-eaters being killed. The and any that do will be rendered scientist who has ideologically Doctor then proposes that per- into skeletons. He then tells aligned himself to a cause. haps the plants are a method Willa to follow him as he heads On the Numlock ship, the of creating some sort of meat to the greenhouse.

Doctor speaks to their leader substitute, from the blood of Outside the greenhouse, UNIT and asks what the purpose of meat-eaters and then convert- catch up with them and tell the plants is. The Numlock leading them for herbivorous crea- Ray that he’s under arrest. Ray, er explains that they are herbitures. Bambera says that surely, however, without a hasmat suit vores and on their home world by definition, they’re carnivores steps into the greenhouse… and there’s a large amount of uninif they’re killing humans to eat. UNIT can’t follow him. They all telligent insect and rodent life The Doctor agrees that some- look terrified, but Ray is fine. He that are carnivores. In order to thing isn’t adding up here. touches all the plants and is un- supplement their diet, they deRay wakes up in the universi- harmed. He exclaims that he is veloped the plants to grow in the ty, with Willa at his side. He asks a herbivore and will not be hurt, wild and collect the necessary her what happened, and Willa unlike the others before mani- supplements from the insect explains that Katie and Henrick cally laughing. and rodent life and transfer it overpowered him. He then says Then suddenly the glass of the into the wider population. They that they have no time to waste greenhouse shatters, as a space- explain that the plants were nevand must activate the antenna ship enters the atmosphere. The er meant to come to Earth, and then. Willa asks if that’s such plants begin to move out of the they don’t know why their ship a good idea as he doesn’t know greenhouse, escaping into the crashed. who’ll be at the other end of it, rest of the grounds. The space- Willa speaks to Scobie in the but Ray insists that he does, and ship comes down from the sky interrogation room and he tries it’ll be some very like-minded and lands next to the antenna. to persuade her to let him free. people.

The door opens and the Num- She tells him that she can’t do Katie explains to Bambera that locks step out. that and she agrees with UNIT Ray is unhinged and plans to that he went too far. She agrees blow up the portacabins. He isn’t that animal testing needs to be happy with UNIT using mice to stopped and she says that she’s test the plants and frankly neia vegetarian but killing people ther is she. Bambera then has an he Numlocks introduce who have a different view is not idea and suggests using a spethemselves to UNIT and the answer. She says it’s tantacies of omnivores, such as milli- Bambera asks them to stop mount to genocide. pedes or beetles, and see if they their plants from leaving the Henrick helps Bambera and are killed. Katie interjects and greenhouse. They oblige and the the other soldiers with patching says that defeats the purpose plants retreat back inside. The up the greenhouse and keeping and says that UNIT need to stop Numlocks ask to examine their the plants closed in. Henrick using animals to test this deadly ship… the one that crashed. notices that they’re behaviour

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ings. They then say that in ex- people have already had samchange for not declaring war on ples of their blood taken. The Earth, for shooting down their Doctor tells Henrick that the ship, they have a few demands. Numlocks are up to something.

Firstly, they say that they want At that moment the lead Numall laboratory animals freed. lock turns around and tells the Bambera says that planet wide Doctor “yes we are” and laughs that couldn’t happen straight before saying “did we say that away, but they can make a the humans would come to start at Margrave University, to no harm, well we meant they which the Numlocks agree. Sec- would come to… know… harm!”. ondly, they say that they want They then activate a machine their plants returned to them, and suddenly dozens of people which Bambera agrees to easily. around the campus turn into Finally, they say that they are a skeletons and the Numlocks race of scientists and they’d like feed and feed…. And they laugh. to study human physiology and ask to study a sample of humans at the university, for the pursuit of science. Bambera is cautious but ways up allowing this or facThe Doctor tells them that ing war with the Numlocks and what they’ve just done is mass seems different now and that agrees but says that Henrick will murder. They say that they will supervise the process and the they’re more at ease. continue this “mass murder” on The Numlock ship lands in the lead Numlock assures him that a planet wide scale and the Docjungle and the Numlocks, along- the humans will “come to no tor will help them. The proclaim side the Doctor and Katie, in- harm”. that Earth will become their new vestigate the crashed ship. The Bambera and the UNIT sol- breeding world. The Doctor says Numlock leader comments that diers set about fulfilling the that Earth is protected and that the plants were rooted out with Numlocks demands, while the won’t happen on his watch. The force and says that it’s rather Doctor and Katie return to the Numlock then smiles and offers upsetting the way they were TARDIS to discuss matters. The the Doctor a syringe saying that treated. The Doctor sympathises Doctor asks Katie if she’s think- maybe instead he’ll offer them and makes a comment about the ing what he is and they both some of his blood. The Doctor brutality of humanity. They in- say that remnants of the Fourth politely declines and leaves the spect the ship and the Numlocks Reich might still be within the ship. ascertain that it was shot down government and they were the Bambera and the rest of the and they suddenly become very ones who shot down the Num- soldiers all have their guns at angry. The Doctor tries to calm lock ship. The Doctor says they the ready, having just seen all them saying that he, himself, should investigate and Katie those people turn to skeletons. isn’t human and that they can suggests Downing Street might The Doctor says that they have trust him. The Numlocks say be a good place to start… and to find a way of disabling these they were transport the rem- wonders who the Prime Minis- plants because the Numlocks nants of the ship into their cargo ter is now. The Doctor sets the almost certainly have the means bay and then return to the Uni- TARDIS to dematerialise and it to distribute them across the versity, where they’ll be making begins to… but then it fails. The entire planet causing mass genDoctor tries again and again but significant demands. ocide. Bambera says that the The Numlock ship lands at it keeps failing. He then looks Numlocks have taken the plants Margrave University again, at the scanner and sees that off UNIT now and they can’t shattering the newly repaired the Numlocks have imposed a continue to analyse them but greenhouse, once more. Bam- forcefield around the university. Katie remarks that they could bera and Henrick come out of The Doctor and Katie run out try asking a certain someone’s the portacabin to meet them and of the TARDIS and into the help. the Numlocks explain their find- Numlock ship, where dozens of Katie, alone, enters Scobie’s

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cell. She tells Scobie the situ- the 1990s which support this sample on the table. He then ation and Scobie just laughs theory. He asks Bambera and asks Katie to touch it. She is saying that if most of humanity Henrick to investigate this while nervous and says that maybe it’s is killed for eating animals then he deals with the Numlocks. better to just test it on a mouse. “it serves them right”. Katie Willa enters Scobie’s cell, be- Scobie shouts out “over my dead tries and tries to appeal to him ing sent by Katie, and appeals body” but Katie says the trouble telling him that she knows deep to Scobie personally telling him is that it can’t be his and instead down he is a good person. She that if he won’t do it for UNIT its hers. Nervously, Katie does says that the Numlocks could’ve then do it for her. She tells so and she’s fine. The plant has taken him with them, as an ally, him about all their loved ones been nullified. But simultanebut they chose not to because who eat meat, who they don’t ously, the Doctor’s face flickers they don’t see him as important. agree with, but they do love and to a skeleton for a moment but He isn’t really one of them and whether he’ll let them be killed then returns to normal. The he isn’t edible. She says that and just turned into nutrients Doctor says that it’s as he feared they think he’s useless whereas for a bunch of aliens. Scobie and if they use that formula to UNIT see him as the most use- eventually breaks and hugs Wil- nullify the plants worldwide, ful person on the planet at the la telling her that she’s right. then he will die. Katie tells him moment. Scobie looks at her Scobie and Willa join the Doc- that he can’t, but the Doctor says and considers this deeply. He tor and Katie in the portacab- that it’s a worthy sacrifice and is flattered by the attention but in as they set to work trying to explains that he, as a Time Lord, still doesn’t know if he can help nullify the plants. Scobie hands has the ability to do something UNIT. Katie leaves and tells him over a sample of the plant, called regeneration. Katie is into think about it. which is place in the middle of credibly upset but understands.

The Doctor speaks to Bambera the table, that Scobie explains In London, Bambera and Henand Henrick about his theory of he kept in his pocket. Using his rick search some records at MI5, deep corruption rooted in the knowledge and testing on the and they notice a pattern in cergovernment and that the Fourth plant, they develop a working tain names making certain orReich are somehow operating theory. However, to enact they ders. They make a list and issue from within. Bambera is scep- would need blood genetically it to the Head of MI5. He is very tical but points her to several modified in a way that regener- concerned to hear of such a con(fictional) incidents throughout ates itself fast. The Doctor says spiracy and agrees to their arthat his blood does that already, rest. They also see evidence that as he is a Time Lord. one of these names did order Bambera and Henrick drive to the shooting down of the Numthe edge of the University cam- lock ship. The names on the list pus in a jeep and then come to are arrested and with the inforthe forcefield. Henrick takes out mation now highly classified, a device from the back of the Bambera and Henrick return to jeep and activates it which cre- Margrave. ates a small temporary hole in In the portacabin, Scobie the forcefield enabling them to takes several pints of the Docleave. tor’s blood and treats it with The Numlocks set their ship the same chemicals as before. into flight and hover it above Meanwhile they’re informed of England, before releasing thou- reports coming in that people sands of seeds out of the bottom are starting to be killed by the of the ship and then landing at plants, nationwide. The Doctor the university again. Quickly, tells Scobie that it’s imperative their plants begin to grow all he works fast. over the country.

Bambera and Henrick arrive Scobie takes a sample of the back at the University and speak Doctor’s blood and adds multi- to the group. They inform them ple chemicals to it in a test tube of the situation and show them before squirting it over the plant the antidote. Bambera tells ScPAGE 47

obie that he’s done a good job to write a Doctor Who story, of Graham was cast as Willa and and she’s prepared to drop all his own, after four years of being Dexter Fletcher, the most estabcharges. script editor and not getting the lished of the three, having been Bambera and Henrick then opportunity, and departing with a former child actor, was cast in head to the Numlock ship and both McCoy and Nathan-Turn- the role of, villain, Ray Scobie. speak to them and explain that er.

John Nathan-Turner, wanting the people that ordered their The story was developed out to include one last stunt cast, ship to be shot down and or- of Cartmel's interest in animal managed to persaude, comedidered UNIT to experiment on testing activism and the strange an, Ronnie Corbett to appear in their plants to be used as a and dangerous plant life that's the final part as the Head of MI5 weapon, have been apprehend- found in the jungle. The script in a very small but memorable ed and beg for them to stop. The wasn't intended to be a criticism role. Nathan-Turner had been Numlocks thank them but say of activism around the issue but trying to persuade Corbett to that they won’t stop, not when instead around morality and the appear in Doctor Who for years they are so hungry and have all use of terrorism when fighting and he finally had the opportuthe food in the world. The lead for a cause. Not all interpreted it nity here, in his last story.

Numlock then says that it’s time that way and many did criticise The Numlocks were created by for phase two and to pollenate the stories' politics. the Visual Effects department the world! The ship begins to Cartmel did also have the idea using many of the same methmove, with Bambera and Hen- of including the Metatraxi, from ods used for the Metatraxi in rick still onboard, and it rises Earth Aid, in this story, as well, Earth Aid, and the Destroyer in and rises before dropping the to fight the Numlocks off howev- Battlefield. Peter Tuddenham, seeds all over the planet. er he ultimately decided against once again, provided the voices.

However, it’s revealed that it as he wanted the focus of the The regeneration scene was Bambera and Henrick secretly final part to be on the Doctor, as originally going to feature Bonswapped the seeds out for the it was his regeneration episode. nie Langford and Sophie Aldred antidote and all the plants are to Additionally, Nathan-Turner appearing as visions, but due be nullified. had advised that a battle be- to budgetary and scheduling The Doctor screams out in tween the Metatraxi and the constraints, this was altered pain as his skin flickers between Numlocks might have been hard to be just their ghostly voices. himself and a skeleton and to realise.

The effect used for the regenslowly the life is drained from eration was simillar to the one him. Not long after, however, employed in Time and the Rani, the Doctor stabilises, looking but needed to cover more of the normal, but he says he’s dying, Doctor's body to convingly make despite appearances. He looks The production for this seri- the transformation into Richard around and here’s the voices of al was fairly smooth and took Griffiths, who was much larger, Ace and Mel thanking him, be- place, like Ice Time, over a believable. Ben Aaronovitch, fore looking at Katie who does mixture of studio and location who was a big fan of the Target the same… thanking him for his filming. As described before, the novelisation range, suggested sacrifices. Then in a slow beam TARDIS scenes from Crime of using the "golden regeneration of light the Doctor transforms the Century, were shot as part glow" that Terrance Dicks had into another man.. of the studio shoot for this story, once described, to engulf the which added some time pres- Doctor during it. Richard Grifsures, but wasn't too much of an fiths had a special, much larger, version of Sylvester McCoy's issue.

Casting wise, as three of the costume made for him to wear, Blood and Iron came about, new characters needed to be post regeneration, which caused as a whole, because John Na- university age, several new and quite a lot of amusesment on than-Turner wanted a grounded upcoming actors were cast in set.

Earth-based UNIT story to end these roles. John Banks, who WIDWWA his era as Producer. It also came Graeme Harper cast after a suinto existence because Andrew perb audtion, was cast in the Cartmel wanted the opportunity role of Sergeant Henrick; Julie

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Measuring the Curtains

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s early as January 1988, entirely, as he really wasn't fond in Season 26 but Ian Fraser Andrew Cartmel had of the idea. They also agreed was more willing to produce it decided that he knew to have the three-part Night and so Aaronovitch managed to his successor was going to be Thoughts be the season opener comission it as the 4-part closer Ben Aaronovitch. He hadn't told but proceeded by an extra sin- to the season. anyone, certainly not John Na- gle-part episode, set largely on A script idea by Tony Etchells, than-Turner, but in his head he the TARDIS, introducing the centred around the First World had made that decision. Aaro- Eighth Doctor, extending the se- War, was comisisoned, as Fraser novitvh had first found his way rial to four parts. was very keen to do a proper histo Doctor Who after he submit- During this time, Fraser and torical in the season that had a ted an unsolicited script called Aaronovitch realised that Rich- lot of real world weight to it.

Knight Falls, without a return ard Griffiths' casting led them Finally, a script by Neil Penaddress or contact information, to an issue of the Doctor not swick was comisisoned, as well, which led to Cartmel searching being able to be anywhere near which had been back and forth through every Aaronovitch in as energetic or mobile as before through Andrew Cartmel's office the phone book and tracking which led them to the same con- dozens of times over the last few him down, in order to get him clusion that he been reached years but one that Aaronovitch on board the show's writing many times in the past and that was now confident could be staff. Andrew Cartmel saw Aar- was introducing a younger male made. onovtich's talent immediately, companion, alongside the exist- Aaronovitch decided not to so when in mid-1990, Ian Fraser ing TARDIS team, to handle this continue Cartmel's tradition of took office as Doctor Who's new aspect. Instead of coming up comissioning a holdover script producer and began searching with a new character, Aarono- for the next season as he didn't for a new script editor, Cartmel vitch suggested keeping on the want to make promises to writsaid very firmly that it had to be character of Sergeant Henrick, ers that he perhaps couldn't Ben Aaronovitch. from Blood and Iron, as the new keep, especially seeing what had With not many alternatives, companion, with him joining just happened to Robin MukIan Fraser agreed to hiring Ben the TARDIS, accidentally, in herjee and Alixion.

Aaronovitch as the new script the first few minutes of Night During this period, Ian Fraser editor and Michael Wearing Thoughts. Fraser thought this did make a visit to Jonathan cautiously approved the deci- was a great idea and John Banks Powell to see about a time slot sion. Aaronovitch instantly got was soon contracted for a sea- change for the show, but Powto work with Fraser explaining son, with the option of a second. ell refused and said that Doctor that they had two scripts already Several more scripts were be- Who is "better than ever" in his comissioned for the season. ing looked at for comisisoning Wednesday tea-time slot. Fraser Alixion and Night Thoughts. for the season, but the main put this excuse down to Powell's Fraser read through them, both one that Aaronovitch was really well known dislike of the show written with the Seventh Doc- keen on making was Marc Platt's and hoped that it wouldn't be tor and Ace, and decided that script for a serial called Lung- long before he moved on from he liked Night Thoughts a lot barrow. John Nathan-Turner BBC One Controller. but he wanted Alixion cancelled had vetoed it's production back WIDWWA PAGE 49

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