Wednesday 26 September 2012

The Moment Has Been Prepared For, Part Two: From Question Mark Apparel To Half-Human..On My Mother's Side!





Last time, we took a peek at the first four actors to play The Doctor on TV, and appropriately, we ended on Tom Baker, the most popular actor to this day. This week, we shift our focus to the glitzy, superficial 1980's, and we will end off on the era that could have been, the so-called 'American Doctor Who', headed by Paul McGann.

Wednesday 12 September 2012

The Moment Has Been Prepared For: The Inside Stories Of The Casting And Departures Of The Doctors



The casting of the role of The Doctor is, inarguably, the most important decision undertaken by anyone involved in 'Doctor Who', on any level. Stories were commissioned and placed in an early phase of pre-production, first by the show's story editors, and then later, by script editors, the job title being altered to more accurately reflect the individual's duties. But these scripts always featured a vague, undefined 'Doctor' absent the mannerisms, personality traits, even physical descriptions that can only come with an actor cast in the role. Terrance Dicks, former script editor of the show during the early to mid 1970's, reflected that it was only after meeting and speaking with Tom Baker upon his official acceptance of the role did he begin to explore the character possibilities of the Fourth Doctor; prior to that, the stories did not jump off the page.

Wednesday 5 September 2012

'Slippin' Back'




The foggy mists of time always reveal some hidden gem from the expanded Whoniverse, notable for its rarity, its whimsical nature, or sometimes for the guilty pleasure value it holds. Prior to the BBC's attempt at mature and adult-oriented spinoff material, which began in earnest with the 'New Adventures' series of novels, most 'Doctor Who'-themed spinoff and expanded Whoniverse offerings pandered to the lowest common denominator.