As Season Four of Doctor Who continues to develop, so do the rumors and speculation. Perhaps the strangest news is that the program will be taking a ‘rest’ for some time only to return as a series of ‘Specials.’
The reasoning for this move is that the current production team and star David Tennant want some freedom to work on other projects while continuing the work that they have started. It seems very unlikely that this rumor is true as producer Russell T Davies has built quite a reputation for himself to develop other properties, including the Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood which always struck me as a series that is more fitting to his strengths.
The rumor has been circulating for about a month now but was recently given more emphasis. It could just be a misunderstanding about the role that the Christmas Specials will play as the program prepares to shift into a new era. Perhaps RTD and Tennant plan to return for a multi-Doctor story next year? Or there may be some friction on who will be taking over the reigns of the program from the current crew.
While I wager this rumor will be dispelled in the coming months, it isn’t the first time the series has been threatened with a hiatus… though it is a very different situation in comparison to the state of things in 1985.
With the most radical change in the series since Jon Pertwee’s first season stuck on Earth, Colin Baker’s Doctor emerged as being a coward, murderer and egocentric buffoon. A drastic change to the altruistic and gentlemanly portrayal of the Doctor by Peter Davison, this version was not readily accepted by either the public or fandom.
Compounding the problem, the series script editor Eric Saward and producer John Nathan Turner were at odds with each other with their goals in the new series.
Eric Saward was a great fan of former script editor and writer Robert Holmes (Talons of Weng Chiang) and wanted a bloodier more cynical program full of gore and violence (as we had already seen in Season 21 with stories like Resurrection of the Daleks which was a shoot ‘em up and Frontios which featured drilling machines made from corpses).
John Nathan Turner, on the other hand, seemed more directed toward pantomime, as evidenced by the fable-like quality of Colin Baker’s debut story, The Twin Dilemma. The two styles clashed in what could be called one of the more unique eras in the program’s history, but BBC Controller Michael Grade was watching the viewing figures dwindle along with the quality of the program.
Doctor Who was put on hold for 18 months while JNT and his crew worked on a way to make the BBC and the viewing public accept the program that had become a British institution.
For the first time, the series that had ruled the airwaves for generations was in trouble. It lead to an appeal from the fans, the ‘Doctor In Distress’ album and a comical sketch by Kevin Davies and Mark Ayres about Colin’s search for work.
Auf Wiedersehen Doc
The entire affair deeply stained Colin Baker’s enthusiasm about the series. He entered the program as a man who wanted to break Tom Baker’s 7-year stint in the role and instead became the ’shortest running’ Doctor… until 1996’s TV Movie with Paul McGann.
Colin Baker on Wogan-1986
While dismayed by his treatment by the BBC who blamed him for the decline in Doctor Who’s viewing figures, Colin has continued to portray his bombastic character on Big Finish audio adventures. He also continues to act as an ambassador for Doctor Who by appearing at conventions where many a fan has enjoyed meeting the actor who is also a fan.
He has even visited the filming of the new BBC Wales 2007 Doctor Who Christmas Special with David Tennant, claiming to love the new show while remaining jealous of the increase in budget and star companions.
Whatever the future of Doctor Who, fans will be both enthused and crushed. This has been the most successful and popular era of the program since the series first arrived on television. The current production team has returned Doctor Who to its place as an institution and it’s future is no doubt assured. To see another crew enter the program with their own agenda and their own Doctor to replace the current star David Tennant will certainly crush some fans’ hearts.
Even Colin Baker himself was quoted as saying that each era has elements of joy mixed with sadness. Sadness at what is lost, but excitement about what is to come.
Suggested reading/viewing:
Doctor Who – The Colin Baker Years
Doctor Who – The Caves of Androzani (Episode 136)
Doctor Who – Vengeance on Varos (Episode 139)
Doctor Who – The Mark of the Rani (Episode 140)
Doctor Who – Revelation of the Daleks (Episode 143)
Blue Box (Doctor Who)
