Inside the TARDIS: The Return (1996, 2005-current)
By Dan Toland
21 November 2008 — After 27 years, Doctor Who was put on indefinite hiatus. For a year, the production team continued to report to work, preparing for the remotest chance that the BBC might order a new season of episodes. Eventually, producer John Nathan-Turner officially resigned, and with that, the Doctor Who office was quietly closed down.
Shortly after, in 1991, the BBC sold the original novel rights to Virgin Publishing, the company which had bought out WH Allen, a publisher which had spent years novelizing each and every Doctor Who story transmitted (with the exception of three which had been written by Douglas Adams, who wanted to write the adaptations himself but had priced himself out of Allen's range). In so doing, the BBC had officially handed the keys to the franchise over to the people simultaneously best- and least-equipped to handle it: the fans.
Initially, the new line of novels, called the New Adventures (or NAs) kept closely to the format of the recently cancelled series. The Seventh Doctor and Ace traveled through time and space, fighting monsters and mad scientists. But slowly, the tone of the novels began to change. Much like modern comics, Doctor Who fans were growing up, and they wanted the Doctor to grow up with them. And the writers of the books, which evolved into a dense and hideously complex continuity, were these same fans. The depiction of the Doctor as a master manipulator was carried out to its extreme; in the pages of some of the NAs, he became an omniscient, undefeatable, all-powerful god.
The NAs began to feature more and more mature themes: sex, violence, drugs, politics and liberal adult language sprinkled throughout. The Doctor was not allowed to swear or get too caught up in the adult themes, but Ace and later companions were under no such limitations. In and of itself, this is not a bad thing. Some of these books stand as the best Doctor Who stories in any medium. And some of them are unreadable teenage wish-fulfillment fanfic.
The best of the New Adventures writers, however, were distinctly above the rest. They were names that would turn up later: Paul Cornell, Mark Gatiss, Matt Jones, Gareth Roberts, Gary Russell and Russell T Davies. These went on for several years, and were, for all intents and purposes, the only official source for new Doctor Who material.
Meanwhile, several producers had been lobbying the BBC for the rights to produce new visual material. There were numerous stalled projects from, among many others, Steven Spielberg's production company. Eventually the BBC sold the TV movie rights to a British producer named Philip David Segal (1958-), who had overseen the Doctor Who project at Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and then struck out on his own. As a co-production between the BBC, Universal Television and the Fox Network, Segal treated the TV movie as a backdoor pilot, reasoning that if the film did well enough in America, he could get a series moving.
After an extensive casting search (Anthony Head was among the actors who auditioned), the role of the Eighth Doctor went to Paul John McGann (1959-), a Liverpudlian actor who was at the time best known for his role in the cult film Withnail & I. It's difficult to judge his performance on this one movie (needless to say, there was no subsequent series), but he is easily the best thing happening here. Really, Doctor Who: The Movie (there's no official name for the story, although Segal suggested Enemy Within) is a mess. There's so much continuity from the old show shoehorned in, that the story itself is given short shrift. The full first quarter is actually devoted to the Seventh Doctor, who eventually regenerates into McGann's Doctor about 20 minutes in. Much of the casting is weak (although Daphne Ashbrook as companion Grace Holloway isn't bad), with Eric Roberts playing the new Master with a "what the hell am I doing here?" expression at all times (although he does get some good lines). McGann, however, is wonderful. (It's also funny to note in hindsight, with the new series, that when the Eighth Doctor actually kissed a girl, fandom went totally nuts!)
"The sky above us... dancing with lights! Purple, green, brilliant yellow... yes! These shoes! They fit perfectly!"
— (a completely manic) Eighth Doctor, Doctor Who: The Movie
While the television movie tanked in America (it was up against the NBA Finals, which in the 1990s was basically like leaving your signal blank for a couple of hours), it scored monster numbers in the UK. When this happened, the BBC pulled the novels license away from Virgin, and began publishing new Doctor Who novels themselves with the range now focusing on the new Eighth Doctor. This range seemed to be a little more tightly reined than the Virgin NAs, and although it never seemed to reach the depths of the worst excesses of the old line, it never really seemed to hit those heights, either.
Meanwhile, an audio production company called Big Finish successfully negotiated for the rights to produce Doctor Who audio dramas. In so doing, they secured the services of Doctors Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy, as well as many of the actors to have played companions on the series. The appearance of actual actors from the series lent an immediate air of legitimacy to this project, and the Big Finish audios took off. Listeners found that without the shackles of a TV budget, the stories could be appreciated on their own without the distraction of a wobbly set or a goofy rubber monster costume. And when Paul McGann joined the fold within a couple of years, we now had "seasons" of stories for a Doctor who had never been able to have them.
But the most important thing that Big Finish has done was to rehabilitate the Sixth Doctor. Colin Baker's theatrical acting style is made for audio, and with writers who, quite frankly, give a shit, Colin Baker now stands in the minds of many fans fortunate enough to hear his efforts as one of the best Doctors — rather than one of the worst. Considering the crappy way he'd been treated and the efforts he put out on behalf of the show regardless, it was a truly good turn to have come around for him.
As BBC Books and Big Finish Productions took fandom into the next century, noises began to be heard at the BBC. The full rights to Doctor Who had reverted to the Beeb, and there were rumors that they were looking into the possibility of exploring the chances of maybe thinking about bringing the Doctor back to the air.
In fact, they were going full steam ahead. In 2003, BBC Controller Lorraine Heggessey handed the reins of a new series over to noted television producers Russell T Davies (born Stephen Russell Davies, 1963-) and Julie Gardner (1969-). Davies, a lifelong fan of Doctor Who who had contributed to Virgin's New Adventures line, was enough of a producer to curb his raving fanboy tendencies, and realized that in order for a new series to work 16 years after the show originally went off the air, there would have to be changes made. Most of these were purely cosmetic changes that reflected the realities of 2005 television; 25-minute episodes with a cliffhanger at the end of each one would not work. A new audience would probably not accept an old man in a Victorian suit. And the companion would have to take a much more active role in things, and not be the shrieking victim of old.
First and foremost, Davies, who was acting as the show runner and head writer, raided professional fandom. From his fellow New Adventures authors, he contracted Mark Gatiss and Paul Cornell to write an episode each ("The Unquiet Dead" and "Father's Day," respectively), and he requested Big Finish writer Robert Shearman to adapt his audio play "Jubilee" into the episode "Dalek." In fact, only one writer in that first season, Steven Moffat, was not involved in either Virgin or Big Finish. Although he was a noted fan who had slipped many references to the series on his sitcom Coupling, and who had written a well-received parody, The Curse of Fatal Death, starring Rowan Atkinson and Jonathan Pryce.
Davies then set about casting his Ninth Doctor. Knowing he was going to need a serious actor to give the new series any credibility, he was surprised when he received an e-mail from someone he'd worked with previously, asking that he be kept in mind. Christopher Eccleston (1964-) was a respected actor in theater and television, known for his intensity, who had already had a star-making role on Cracker and had recently been seen to much acclaim in 28 Days Later. He was not the obvious choice. However, in interviews, his respect for Davies' writing was obvious, and he had indicated a desire to be seen in a role that was unlike the hard, gritty characters he was best known for.
He played the Ninth Doctor in some respects as something that had never been seen on the show before. He kept his native Salford accent (McCoy had a Scottish accent, but it was severely toned down, and McGann's Liverpool accent broke through a few times, but by and large the Doctor spoke very careful Received Pronunciation). He wore a leather jacket (it was a Victorian cut, but that of a worker, not the upper-class styles previous Doctors had favored). Eccleston was amazing in the role. He put every ounce of effort he had into that series, and it showed on the screen.
What was interesting was the not insignificant number of old school fans who decried the new show as being "too silly" or "too kid-friendly." It became obvious that these were fans that had gotten their Who fix via the New Adventures novels, and had become used to a constant barrage of sex and cuss words. Again, they were older, and they wanted their show to be older, too. However, the new series was amazingly faithful to the tone of the original series, and as it worked through some growing pains (the first half of the first season was not as strong as it would later become), it was clear that the audience was responding in a big way. Doctor Who was pulling down American Idol viewing numbers. Clearly something was working.
The Ninth Doctor was straight ahead Hinchcliffe-era Tom Baker, with some of Hartnell's anger added on for good measure. In fact, that anger quickly became the central theme of that first season. Over the course of the season it was revealed that there had been a universe-spanning Time War, which had come down to the Time Lords and the Daleks. It was also revealed that the Doctor was responsible for ending the war, destroying both the Daleks and his own people. It became apparent that the Doctor had been, quite naturally, deeply affected by this, and was slowly allowing his rage at himself to destroy him. Only through his companion, Rose Tyler, was he able to come out the other side of it.
"You know like we were saying, about the Earth revolving? It's like when you're a kid and the first time they tell you that the world's turning, and you just can't quite believe it because everything looks as though it's standing still. I can feel it. The turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling round the sun at sixty seven thousand miles an hour and I can fell it. We're falling through space, you and me. Clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go... that's who I am. Now forget me, Rose Tyler. Go home."
— Ninth Doctor, "Rose"
In retrospect, it was inevitable that the Ninth Doctor would only last a short time. There was a very specific story arc that had to end with him regenerating. There was also the implication of hiring an actor who was notoriously restless when tied down to a project, and who, when appearing on a talk show, was shown his action figure for the first time, and who had a very visible "what the hell am I getting myself into" look on his face. Eccleston was clearly unprepared for the intense public scrutiny that came with the role, and had no idea what he was in for. So when it was announced that Eccleston would be leaving at the end of the season, fandom really shouldn't have been too surprised. (But surprised they were. The outcry was incredible, and got so ugly so fast that Shaun Lyon, the webmaster of the wildly popular Outpost Gallifrey website, had to take his forums offline for two days to get everyone to calm down.)
Davies now says the plan all along was that Eccleston would only do one season. (Interviews at the time make me question the accuracy of this statement; Eccleston clearly said early on he expected to do two or three years, and then the wording became very careful after stories of difficult working conditions became public knowledge. Eccleston was worked like a horse, and his experiences are why there's now a "Doctor-lite" episode every year, so as to give the current actor a little breathing room.) However, it is known that they had a replacement in mind so early on that when "Rose" first aired. The new series was preceded by a special about the history of the classic series, narrated by the actor who was to become the Tenth Doctor.
David Tennant (born David John McDonald, 1971-) was a self-described Doctor Who fanboy from way back. Not in the "Oh, I watched it when I was a kid and I loved Tom Baker" sort of way, but an "I had a long scarf that I wore to conventions and can quote 'The Five Doctors' verbatim " sort of way. He credited the show with inspiring him to become an actor in the first place. He would hang out at Big Finish's studios on the off chance they might have a quick one-line part he could have so that he could be in a Doctor Who audio play with Peter Davison. He had it bad.
An up-and-coming young actor who was getting a lot of TV work, he had previously put his name in the hat when Davies, whom he had worked with before on the series Casanova, was looking for a Ninth Doctor. While Davies knew how talented Tennant was and how much he could bring to the role, he wasn't the name actor that was really needed to launch the series. However, once the show became an immediate hit, it was now able to carry itself on its own merits, and a familiar character actor would be a perfectly acceptable selection for the Tenth Doctor.
Interestingly, Tennant would face a similar problem that Patrick Troughton had dealt with in 1966; namely, that there was a large portion of the viewing audience who had fallen in love with Christopher Eccleston and didn't have any time for this skinny, spastic geek that was wearing his jacket all of a sudden. It took quite some time, but by and large he won the audience over. Whereas the Ninth Doctor was an angry, coiled spring that looked ready to pop at any moment and learned slowly how to be happy again, the Tenth Doctor was unfettered zeal given human form. He was manic, he was funny, he was fascinated by the unknown to a degree unseen before and he had truckloads of charisma. Part of this was probably Billie Piper leaving the series; she had been so closely associated with Eccleston, and was so tied in with the drama of the first season, that when she left, Tennant was free to forge his own way.
One thing that Tennant had that his predecessor didn't, was enthusiasm for the whole deal that came with being Doctor Who. Eccleston wanted to turn up on set, work his ass off, give the very best performance he could possibly give, then be left the hell alone. Tennant knew that, fair or unfair, the Doctor wasn't a costume you put on when you got to the set and took off again when you left. There would be constant appearances on talk shows, interviews with Doctor Who Magazine, autographs at the supermarket and pictures taken with children who look up at you in awe because they're standing next to the Doctor and barely know who David Tennant is. And Tennant smiles and makes all kinds of time, because it wasn't that long ago that he was the guy on the other end of the autograph book.
Both Davies and Gardner announced their intentions to leave the show after the fourth season; Davies is staying on to write and produce a series of four specials to run throughout 2009, after which the reins to the show will be handed over to Steven Moffat (1961-), the writer and producer of such shows as Coupling and Jekyll, and the writer of four of the most well-received stories in the new series: "The Empty Child," "The Girl in the Fireplace," "Blink" and "Silence in the Library." This bodes extremely well for the future of the show, despite the recent announcement that after the 2009 specials David Tennant will be leaving as well. However, while I will personally be sad to see him go — he's quickly become a favorite of mine, and not just because he spent the bulk of the commentary for "Forest of the Dead" arguing quite knowledgably with Moffat and Davies about a Graham Williams-era Tom Baker story called "The Horns of Nimon" — the introduction of a new Doctor is always an exciting time. Doctor Who has been around now for 45 years this Sunday, and it's weathered more than this.
And hopefully, when he leaves, Tennant will no longer be under the constraints of his contract (unlike JNT, who put it in his stars' contracts that they had to make a certain number of convention appearances, Davies has clauses in his stars' contracts expressly forbidding them) and will make an appearance at either the February Los Angeles or November Chicago conventions, as it's rumored the negotiations have already started.
"I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the Constellation of Kasterborous. I'm 903 years old and I'm the man who's gonna save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below. You got a problem with that?"
— Tenth Doctor, "Voyage of the Damned"
Sounds good to me.
