1996. A year which might've changed the face of the science fiction television series Doctor Who, in more ways than one. Seven years after being 'unofficially' cancelled by BBC One, Doctor Who returned for a feature length television movie co-produced by BBC Worldwide, Universal Studios and FOX written by Matthew Jacobs and directed by Geoffrey Sax and produced by Phillip Segal. The Movie made its debut on CITV in Canada on May 12th, May 14th on FOX in the United States and two weeks later on the 27th on BBC One in the UK.
The Movie, sometimes referred to as 'The Enemy Within' was originally pitched as a feature length pilot for a full series produced in Vancouver, British Columbia that would've acted as a soft reboot of the original British series that had run for 26 years on BBC One. Returning to the role of the Seventh Doctor (credited as 'The Old Doctor') was Sylvester McCoy for the first time in a live action capacity since 1993 Children In Need special 'Dimensions In Time' which celebrated three decades of Doctor Who and featured several former Doctors, companions and villain actors crossing over with British soap opera 'Eastenders'.
McCoy had played the Seventh and final Doctor of the original BBC One run from 1987-1989 making him technically the longest serving Doctor to date, having an entire nine years from his debut to his regeneration which occurred early on in the events of The Movie with the TARDIS having materialised in the middle of a gang shootout in the backstreets of San Francisco, leading to the Seventh Doctor being 'killed' by multiple gunshot wounds.
When it came to casting the new, Eighth Doctor, a number of actors were considered and approached for the role including the man who would go on to be the Ninth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston and the Twelfth Doctor himself, Peter Capaldi. Among others actors approached were Game Of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham (who would appear in Doctor Who in 2013) and Buffy alum Anthony Head (who also appeared in Doctor Who in 2006). In the end, the role was given to Paul McGann. McGann had appeared in a number of relatively known films, having starred alongside Richard E Grant in a popular classic movie - 'Withnail & I'. Coincidentally Grant would become the next 'Doctor' TWICE in Comic Relief special 'The Curse Of Fatal Death' and non canon animation 'Scream Of The Shalka'.
Every other role in the TV Movie was entirely new casting of american and canadian actors. As companions Grace Holloway and Chang Lee were Daphne Ashbrook and Yee Jee Tso, respectively. Taking over the role of The Master from Anthony Ainley was Eric Roberts (though Gordon Tipple appeared as the renegade time lord for the opening moments of the movie but since his face is not seen, his canonicity as the character is up for debate).
What Happened?
Ultimately, despite being a ratings success in the UK with over 9 million viewers on BBC One, it under performed in the US receiving an audience of only 5.6 million viewers, equalling approximately a 9% audience share but it should be noted that this was 1996, Doctor Who was still very new in the US and the same night had competition from ABC with an episode of 'Roseanne' that featured a significant plot point (David and Darlene's wedding for any fans out there). Doctor Who's TV Movie simply failed to engage the necessary audience for FOX to order the pilot to series and so Doctor Who was laid to rest once more, having failed to regenerate for a US revival. The Eighth Doctor's era was over before it was even started.
Where might it have gone?
Its difficult to determine where a full series with Paul McGann's Doctor might have ventured to, given the time that has passed since the TV Movie. Paul McGann revealed in 2013 at a Q&A event at BFI London that at the time he had signed a contract for a significant time span and had been looking at potential long term accommodation in Vancouver so it wouldn't be a far stretch to say that if the TV Movie had seen success in the states, it may have led to multiple seasons of an 'americanised' Doctor Who in the vision of Phillip Segal (and Jo Wright for the BBC). Details remain somewhat scarce on long term potential plans made in advance of 1996 but one of the most consistent rumours was that episodes that had been junked in the 1970's and were now 'missing' were to be adapted/remade with the Eighth Doctor and companions.
Paul McGann was the only cast member that had signed on for a potential continuation post TV Movie. To the best of my knowledge, its not known if Daphne nor Yee Jee would have returned as Grace and Chang Lee and both seemed to have their stories wrapped up by the end of the TV Movie but there's every possibility that The Doctor could've run into his friends again. Given that a new TARDIS set and exterior prop were designed by Richard Hudolin for the TV Movie, they would almost certainly have continued to be part of a continuation alongside Hudolin himself (who is also the production designer on The CW's 'Arrow' and also shoots in Vancouver). The series would almost definitely have continued its production in Vancouver though whether it would have continued to double only as San Francisco is anyone's guess.
For all the lack of continuation that the Eighth Doctor was given in a television format (save for the 2013 minisode 'Night Of The Doctor' which finally gave Paul McGann his televised regeneration after 17 years), its not as if the Eigthth Doctor was abandoned altogether. His incarnation was given a new lease of life through BBC Books Novelisations, comic strips, an animated webcast adaptation 'Shada' - the famous lost story from the Tom Baker era and Big Finish audios where McGann's talents continue to shine to this day in boxsets like Dark Eyes, Ravenous and Time War. So whilst the Eighth Doctor wasn't a TV success, he's overall one of the more successful Doctors in expanded media.
You can find Big Finish wide range of Eighth Doctor adventures here.
No comments:
Post a Comment