Back in 1987, Doctor Who was in a state of decline on television. After 23 years, it was starting to look like maybe BBC Controller Michael Grade had indeed been right in taking it off the air. Viewing figures took a dive after the departure of Peter Davison and that behavior continued into the following two years with the 24th looking quite dire. Despite the doom-laden look of things, there’s a lot to crow about in McCoy’s first year as the Doctor.
The 24th year saw easily the most sophisticated opening sequence in the program’s history, a revamped signature tune and logo along with the first computer generated imagery used in Doctor Who. Incoming actor Sylvester McCoy took over a pair of stories not written for him and Andrew Cartmell attempted to sooth the bruised ego of John Nathan-Turner, a producer forced to stay long after he had wished to. After answering the demands of the BBC to lessen the violence, Doctor Who was softened even more becoming a pastel-colored children’s program.
Moving away from the established house style, Doctor Who in 1987 embarked on an experimental era that combined light comedy with biting satire and classic adventure. That being the case, McCoy was the ideal leading man for this revised incarnation of the program with his infectious energy and flair physical comedy. Paired with Bonnie Langford, the two led Doctor Who into an age that, right or wrong, was entirely new.
The following two years saw a vast improvement over the varied quality seen in series 24, but in 1987 fans were not happy as this vintage TV clip shows.
Did You See? Doctor Who 24th Anniversary Retrospective
It’s interesting to view Classic Doctor Who in the context in which it was transmitted.
Compare the 1987 video to this earlier retrospective clip from 1982. Granted, the program was still in high regard and was about to enter its 20th anniversary, but still there seems to be an air of respect and adoration of a national treasure.
The average viewing figures are pretty vague, so in an attempt to add a point of reference here’s a list of the stories that received the highest and lowest viewing figures in millions broken out by Doctor:
Highest William Hartnell:
The Rescue and The Web Planet- 12.5
Dalek Invasion of Earth- 11.9
Lowest:
The Savages- 4.91
The Smugglers- 4.48
Patrick Troughton’s highest rated:
The Moonbase- 8.33
Macra Terror- 8.20
Lowest:
War Games- 4.94
Jon Pertwee’s highest rated:
The Three Doctors- 10.3
Day of the Daleks, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Death to the Daleks and Curse of Peladon all come in about 9.6/9.4
Lowest:
Inferno: 5.6
Highest rated Tom Baker:
City of Death: 14.5
Destiny of the Dakeks- 13.5
Robots of Death, Deadly Assassin, Android Invasion, Face of Evil and Ark in Space all have 12/11
Lowest:
Meglos- 4.65
Peter Davision’s highest:
Black Orchid (yes, Black Orchid) – 10
The Visitation, Castrovalva, and Earthshock all come in the high 9′s
Lowest:
King’s Demon’s- 6.50
Colin Baker’s highest
Attack of the Cybermen- 8.9
Lowest
Trial of a Time Lord part 4- 3.7
(in comparison the A-Team got 11.8 average viewers around the same time)
Sylvester McCoy’s highest:
1996 movie- 9.08 (the guide includes this as valid for some reason)
Silver Nemesis – 5.50
Lowest
Battlefield- 3.65
The Daily P.O.P. 