Oh My Word! Jodie Whittaker, the Doctor; Genesis Who; Sydney Newman, and Regeneration

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Oh my word!

I'll admit, my first reaction to the announcement of a female Doctor was simply "good grief!" It felt like a joke, one big silly prank designed to shake the fanbase until the name of the true Doctor was revealed.

The news, which I first heard through a friend on a social networking app, was broken on Sunday 16th July 2017 following the Men’s Wimbledon Final in the UK. Immediately perusing the Web, I noticed mixed responses from fans. Many were jubilant, others appalled by the decision to cast Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. Some comments were downright nasty. And then there was a press release in which the actor herself said, "I’m beyond excited to begin this epic journey with Chris [Chibnall] and with every Whovian on this planet. It’s more than an honour to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can’t wait".

The hashtag #NotMyDoctor had begun circulating on Twitter and Instagram; the BBC even received complaints from viewers. Eventually the British television corporation issued a statement saying, "The Doctor is an alien from the planet Gallifrey, and it has been established in the show that Time Lords can switch gender". Amusingly #NotMyDoctor is still in use today, and it seems those people against Jodie's appointment wish nothing good for the show - actually hoping it fails so they can feel smug about it all.

Though much positivity and praise for the actor was being generated, I still wasn't convinced, and blamed previous showrunner Steven Moffat for Hell Bent (2015) and the on-screen regeneration of the General: the Time Lord had been shot by the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and, as a consequence, regenerated from male to female. Having been played by English actor Ken Bones for the tenth incarnation of the character, the General (also called Kenossium) was replaced by T'Nia Miller and the life of the eleventh persona began.

And, of course, who can forget Missy, a female incarnation of the Master portrayed by Michelle Gomez? I had persuaded myself that Moffat had ruined the show by introducing such a dreadful concept!

Then I had time to think about it and digest what the change would mean for both myself and the show that I have loved since a young age. Yes, I'm one of those middle-aged men from the classic era - Peter Davison was my Doctor. These past many years - since 2010 - I have had the privilege of chatting with various blog authors of Doctor Who fansites, I adopted an existing blog myself in those early years: Nebula One News. There was no shortage of female fans, and interest in the show had grown enormously as each new Doctor arrived.

Sadly, my own enthusiasm for Doctor Who waned a little and the blog closed. A new site launched in 2012, Regent Times, though its success was short-lived. It seemed that my love of blogging was over.


"I feel like I’ve been handed this amazing world..."

Jump to 2018 and, oh wow, what on Earth is happening? I'm full of ideas and enthusiasm again! I'm actually writing, designing web pages and feeling good about this. I could say that I've reached a moment in my life when everything is coming together. I wish. What has awoken, however, is all thanks to Jodie Whittaker, the Thirteenth Doctor. Though there has been a slow trickle of promotional pictures and trailers for Series 11, I've been awestruck by Whittaker's public appearances and passion: this is someone who wants nothing but the best for both the show and its devoted legion of fans!

I've read Jodie's various online interviews where she's said, "I feel like I’ve been handed this amazing world and they’ve let me be like a kid in a toy shop and go off with it..." and "I’m playing a Time Lord who’s essentially an alien and inhabits different bodies and this one is female (Marie Claire).

I've learned to embrace changes in Doctor Who since the 1980s, as it is the one constant along our journey with the show. The Doctor has been a role model for many, whatever the incarnation, and will continue to play that most important of parts.

As Jodie also shared in the interview, "I hope that as I could be your next-door neighbour – I’m not physically someone who could do extraordinary things – I won’t seem like an unattainable hero to kids. This is someone who loves science, who’s hopeful and who doesn’t look a particular way".


Didn't originally make the grade...

In a letter dated 6th October 1986 and addressed to then BBC Controller Michael Grade, Doctor Who co-creator Sydney Newman had made several suggestions as to how the series could proceed following its then turbulent period facing a possible axe and falling viewing figures. Actor Colin Baker had currently been associated with the role. The Canadian film and television producer was adamant that "The copyright in any ideas expressed will be mine. Should you accept these ideas the fee I would accept would be in the form of my being taken on and paid to be its Executive Producer or similar, to make sure the concept is properly executed".

It was his opinion regarding "The Characters" which is interesting, "(4) At a later stage, Dr Who would be metamorphosed into a woman. This requires some considerable thought - mainly because I want to avoid a flashy Hollywood 'Wonder Woman' because this kind of hero(ine) has no flaws - and a character with no flaws is a bore. Given more time than I have now, I can create such a character".

It has also been reported that actor Tom Baker, who played the role of the Time Lord from 1974-81, had said at a press conference in 1980, "I certainly wish my successor luck, whoever he or she might be". From what I can tell both Baker and then showrunner John Nathan-Turner had devised the comment as a piece of mischief, to keep the actual identity of Baker's replacement a compete surprise.

It didn't seem like an impossibility then, and it doesn't now. I've just looked up Regeneration and read, "the process by which Time Lords and others renewed themselves, causing a complete physical and often psychological change". And then there is, "Regeneration released massive amounts of a hormone called lindos in moments of extreme trauma, and it was this hormone which triggered regeneration... During regeneration, a Time Lord experiences a surge of pure regenerative energy, as their entire system was rewritten and their universe moulded into a new shape, with their very biodata being rewritten in the fabric of space-time".

It certainly isn't unfathomable to consider that during this violent and unstable process a being's entire gender could be altered.


Final thoughts

As we approach Sunday 7th October 2018, and the debut of The Woman Who Fell to Earth, I am fully embracing what is to come from Jodie Whittaker. As current showrunner Chris Chibnall says, "New Doctor, new home! Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor is about to burst into Sunday nights - and make the end of the weekend so much more exciting. Get everybody’s homework done, sort out your Monday clothes, then grab some special Sunday night popcorn, and settle down with all of the family for Sunday night adventures across space and time. (Also, move the sofa away from the wall so parents can hide behind it during the scary bits). The Thirteenth Doctor is falling from the sky and it’s going to be a blast."

My childhood used to be homework done and school uniform being ironed as I sat on the sofa to watch Battlestar Galactica, my last weekend treat before school. Now it's the Doctor - who could ask for a better treat than that?

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Doctor Who: Dimensions In Time - TVReview

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Article author: Alwyn Ash

"Mayday, mayday. This is an urgent message for all the Doctors. It's vitally important that you listen to me for once. Our whole existence is being threatened by a renegade Time Lord known only as the Rani..."

I have never understood the dislike for Doctor Who's 1993 two-part charity event "Dimensions In Time", designed as a nod and a celebration of the show's 30th anniversary. According to statements that have been made since, "Dimensions" was to be a rather different affair, with intelligible plot and solid dialogue. However, due to time restraints, cost issues, and other requirements, Doctor Who marked an important occasion with a host of faces old and new, and monsters galore. The Daleks were perhaps absent, due to legal reasons, but this was something quite special - utilizing a 3D method called the "Pulfrich effect" (accompanied by the viewer wearing special spectacles with one darkened lens and one transparent one) to give an extra dimension to the Doctor's adventure. It was not, as some see it, a "final insult" - perhaps proceeds raised going to charity is irrelevant?

I can fully appreciate the fans' longing for something quite special, in line with previous celebrations "The Three Doctors" (1973) and "The Five Doctors" (1983), and I for one wished a grander affair had been approved. But let us not forget that, sadly, the show itself had been cancelled in 1989, and there was not a single sign that Doctor Who would ever return as a drama series every again. Even the originally planned 30th Anniversary feature-length drama "Lost in the Dark Dimension" failed to materialise, which would have starred Tom Baker reprising his role as the Fourth Doctor and joined by companions and fellow Doctors - as various actors and production crew have stated in interviews following the cancellation of "Dark Dimension", the presence of Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy would have been little more than cameos, which was not only a disappoint to the actors but would not have become the true equal gathering of the show's stars that fans would have surely wished for at that time...

Had "Dark Dimension" been both produced and a huge success, perhaps the BBC would have given the green light for a new season, but that is now uncertain. And so, with nothing else on the agenda other than a documentary entitled "Thirty Years in the TARDIS", it was decided to go ahead with "Dimensions In Time". One of the ideas settled upon during the genesis of this "Children In Need" reunion was that Doctor Who must intergrate with another popular BBC drama show at that time, "Eastenders", a soap opera following the residents of Albert Square in London. Not such a strange notion when you take into consideration that this was to be a fundraiser for children, and not a canon-based chapter in a long-running television series...

This is perhaps where I feel slightly amused. It is hard to believe that some members of Doctor Who's fanbase have tried to place or explain "Dimensions In Time" into the canon, as if just accepting that it was nothing more than a charity event is too difficult an idea for them to comprehend. It was a sketch, nothing more. And if it is true that "Dimensions" raised over £101,000 for Children in Need, perhaps just a thank you to everyone who took part is required, instead of criticism? 3-D week, which televised a number of special BBC shows using the Pulfrich 3D technique, included "Dimensions" as part of its one-off programming.

The story. Well, the "plot" focuses on renegade Time Lady the Rani (Kate O'Mara) attempting to trap all of the Doctor's incarnations in a time loop. The First and Second Doctors have already been snared, and the Fourth Doctor (played by Tom Baker) sends out a distress message to his remaining other selves; one can only watch and admire the man who had portrayed the role of the Doctor the longest. Following this scene we meet the Seventh Doctor (McCoy) and companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) who arrive in London, 1973, after the TARDIS is drawn off course - McCoy was, at the time of filming "Dimensions", the current Doctor, having starred in the show's last classic canon serial "Survival" in 1989. Using the method of time jumps, we are introduced to other Doctors and companions as the Time Lord attempts to understand the reason for this phenomenon.

Seeing familiar faces again such as the wonderful Nicola Bryant, Sarah Sutton, and Carole Ann Ford (playing companions Peri Brown, Nyssa and Susan Foreman respectively) is always a delight, and the all-too short scene between Colin Baker and Nicholas Courtney is a reminder of just how good the Sixth Doctor and his old friend Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart would have been together in a televised story had Baker remained for further seasons. Talking of a union between these two fabulous actors, it is always a blessing to hear them perform in Big Finish's audio drama "The Spectre of Lanyon Moor", released in 2000, featuring a Cornish landscape and a haunted moor...

I do find it quite a shame that "Dimensions In Time" may never be available, even as a DVD extra. Due to both cast and crew giving their services free of charge, conditions were laid down unequivocal by Equity, the actors' union, which stipulated that "Dimensions" would be transmitted the once only and should never be "exploited commercially in any way". Though I am sure there are some who would not care if this light-hearted sketch was ever seen again, it does make a nice example of what can be achieved when people are brought together to help those who are less fortunate. Television presenter Noel Edmonds (whose popular UK show "Noel's House party" aired both parts of the Doctor Who charity special) could not have worded it better when, referring to a phone-in to decide the outcome of a moment in the sketch, said, "When you make your call you will be invited to make a pledge for Children In Need. So you'll not just be helping the Doctors, but you'll actually be helping children everywhere..."

Ironically, during the special two-parter, we see Jon Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen visit Albert Square in 2013 - it seems they are with us in spirit for the 50th Anniversary! And a final word from McCoy, who says at the end, "Certainly I, I mean 'we', are difficult to get rid of." Never a truer word said.

Purchase More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS from the Store:
(Included in The Legacy Collection)
DVD - Feature running time: 200 minutes (Includes "Shada")

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Destiny of the Doctor - Babblesphere

Article author: Alwyn Ash


The big celebration to see launch of exciting stories for every Doctor...

Eleven Doctors, eleven months! These magnificent tales continue with Destiny of the Doctor 4 adventure Babblesphere, featuring the Fourth Doctor (as regularly played by actor Tom Baker from 1974-81). Written by Jonathan Morris and directed by John Ainsworth, Babblesphere follows in the footsteps of January's First Doctor story Hunters From Earth, February's Second Doctor adventure Shadow of Death, and this month's Third Doctor offering Vengeance of the Stones. Lalla Ward and Roger Parrott play the roles of Romana and Aurelius respectively.

"The violent, volcanic world of Hephastos is home to a colony of composers, painters, authors and poets, all striving to create the greatest works of art the universe has ever seen. But in pursuit of their goal, artistic collaboration has been taken a stage too far... When the Doctor and Romana arrive, they discover the colonists have neglected their well-being and their once beautiful habitat, which has now succumbed to decay, and they are enslaved to the Babble network which occupies their every waking moment. Every thought, however trivial or insignificant , is shared with everyone else and privacy is now a crime.

"The colonists are being killed and the Doctor and Romana begin to suspect that a malevolent intelligence is at work. With time running out, the two time travellers race to discover the truth before they too are absorbed into the endless trivia of the Babblesphere..."

It has been worked out rather nicely so that the current Doctor (played by Matt Smith in the television series) will appear in his own title in November, the Anniversary month! All stories are produced by Big Finish for AudioGO. Performers for each adventure will be announced through the year.

These audiobooks will be available for download, or on a single CD (RRP £10.20). With music and sound design courtesy of Steve Foxon, what better way to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the greatest sci-fi show on Planet Earth than to add this title to your audio collection...

Jonathan Morris has written for both the BBC Eighth Doctor and Past Doctor Adventures in addition to audio scripts for Big Finish including The Haunting of Thomas Brewster, Bloodtide, and the Judge Dredd range.


Further reading: AudioGO - official website

These adventures can also be purchased via the official Big Finish website.

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Tom Baker reads... A Christmas Carol - AudioReview

Article author: Alwyn Ash


"Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. And Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail."

For me there has always been something quite magical about Ebenezer Scrooge's encounter with spirits (not the drinking variety, I can assure you), one of them his old business partner Jacob Marley. How can one man, so tightfisted and cold that the very winter's air curls up in terror of him, really change from a young and gentle creature, so full of respect and energy, to the loathsome fossil that we encounter in the tale? He had been in love once, the beautiful Belle, a romance long lost.

I first became enchanted with this story as a kid, after being given a copy by an uncle of mine. God Bless him! Unlike most editions, this hardcover had been beautifully put together by illustrators Roger Law and Peter Fluck, using puppet characters. It was photographed by John Lawrence Jones (see: A Christmas Carol).

It is always a delight to discover audio versions, and earlier this year I had relished the thought of hearing Sir David Jason read this fantastic tale in a way that only he knew how, via AudioGO. I am a fan of the various television and film versions, too, even enjoying Disney's interpretation, starring the most famous mouse of them all, in 1983's Mickey's Christmas Carol. So I am a fine connoisseur in all things "Carol". But, following Jason's interpretation, the best was yet to come, as I have discovered...

And so, believe me when I say that the latest release from AudioGO, Tom Baker reads... A Christmas Carol, is astonishing and delicious. The most recognizable voice in the world, other than that of Brian Blessed, takes on this three-course meal of ghosts and geese, warmth and despair, prized turkeys and poverty. As narrator, Baker captures each mood, moment and heart in a way unlike any other, he takes us through Scrooge's life, from the cold and heartless atmosphere of the business known as Scrooge and Marley (a counting-house) to the merry-fabulous joy of Mr. Fezziwig's establishment.

Even if you think you know this story well, think again. Tom Baker's embrace of Charles Dickens' 1843 festive feast will have you smiling, relaxing, and feeling the spirit yourself, as we are taken on this journey through Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.

Known for his most famous of roles, that of the Fourth Doctor in BBC's flagship sci-fi show Doctor Who, the man who traversed time and Space delivers a fine performance, one that will now remain a firm favourite of mine.

Produced by Kate Thomas with sound design by Simon Hunt, this is one spooky tale that must be listened to, and enjoyed. It feels now as if A Christmas Carol was written by Dickens specifically for Tom Baker to read, as he completely owns the story from beginning to end.

I must also pay tribute to the eye catching cover, designed by the marvelous Nick Spender, which captures Baker in perfect Scrooge-style, appearing from behind a curtain, no doubt wondering what the night has further in store for him...


Further reading: AudioGO - Official website

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Doctor Who: Destiny of the Daleks (full cast) - AudioReview

Article author: Alwyn Ash


"Robert Ayres's linking narration couldn't have been better, allowing for a smooth and intruiging transaction that compliments the original script..."

Season Twelve's Genesis of the Daleks had been a sharp, fully imagined story of birth and death, conspiracy and campaign, war and degradation. It was always going to be a hard act to follow. And yet in 1979 Destiny of the Daleks did just that, though with far less clarity and strength. The Key To Time quest now over, the Doctor and Romana (short for Romanadvoratrelundar) are travelling once more. And, of course, the Time Lord's companion wishes to have a change. And so we observe as she tries on different "bodies", a self-inflicted regeneration. Following this the time travellers arrive on an inhospitable dusty planet, a world the Doctor is quite sure he has visited before. What follows is seperation due to underground explosions, the Doctor trapped and Romana going for help.

Unlike its 1975 counterpart, the first in the Dalek adventures to star actor Tom Baker, Destiny is a much lighter experience than its predecessor. Reaching deadlock in a war against humanoid enemies the Movellans, the Daleks seek out their creator Davros, believing that the genius Kaled will help them to overcome the stalemate. This was to be Terry Nation's last script for Doctor Who.

I have to admit, there had been high expectations that this adventure would be released as a classic novel audiobook, featuring the eye-catching cover as designed by artist Andrew Skilleter. So of course the cover that we end up with is a little disappointing. However, like the Horror of Fang Rock there is much to admire about this release. Firstly Robert Ayres's linking narration couldn't have been better, allowing for a smooth and intruiging transaction that compliments the original script, polished by actress Lalla Ward's own delivery. And though this reviewer had been hoping for Tom Baker himself to have lent his vocal talents (as he did in 1979 for Genesis), there is no doubting Ward's ability. Included in this 2-CD package is both a PDF of the original camera scripts and an interview with Lalla Ward, recorded on 21st August 2012 by David Darlington, who also produced the soundtrack.

And so back to the story. If original Davros Michael Wisher gave menace to the character, a performance that Terry Molloy also delivered later on in the series, then sadly British actor David Gooderson missed out. His only contribution to Doctor Who, Gooderson failed to recapture the magic that had made the Kaled scientist such an iconic villain. Of course, he had suffered problems including a laytex mask that didn't fit too well - the decision had been made to re-use Wisher's after the actor had been unable to reprise the role.

There is something subdued about Destiny. That said however, in context with the plot we engage in a story where the Daleks are struggling in a war against an equal force, unable to triumph and exterminate. This in itself is alien to the Daleks, who are far more used to conquering worlds and enslaving races. They are also seeking help from the one being who had been left for dead by his own creations, although Davros' vision outreaches theirs, "Errors of the past will be rectified..."

No matter its weakness, this is a Dalek adventure and one that explores their need for outside assistance, no matter how powerful their race has become. Their logic can also be their Achilles' heel. Davros' independant thought - and the Doctor's, as the Movellans realise - lacks no such defect. As an addition to AudioGO's catalogue of TV soundtracks, this deserves a listen. Engage in the fun. The Daleks are back...

You can purchase Doctor Who TV Soundtracks at AudioGO Ltd: UK website • US website

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Big Finish: Energy of the Daleks - AudioReview

Article author: Alwyn Ash


Doctor Who: Fourth Doctor Adventures 1.04.

Founded in 1998, it was a relief for fans of Doctor Who when a license to produce official audio plays was awarded to Big Finish, their first story to be produced in this new range: The Sirens of Time (1999), a multi-Doctor adventure bringing together actors Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy. It was to be the perfect alternative to a series that had been brought to an end in 1989 after twenty-six years on television.

It is sad to think that actor Jon Pertwee had only died three years earlier, and there is absolutely no doubt, in this reviewer's mind at least, that this great man would have contributed to the birth of this new venture for the Doctor and his companions, there is no doubt about that.

Another Doctor who could have embraced the role further was actor Tom Baker; however, it looked as if the man who had played the Time Lord the longest would not find, or wish to find, a place in this long line of tales brought magically to life by a company that would go on to produce other works including Sapphire and Steel, Dark Shadows, Sarah Jane Smith, Bernice Summerfield, and, more recently, a revival of Blake's 7 for audio.

Storm Warning (a tale of His Majesty's Airship, the R101) would signal a return to Doctor Who for Paul McGann, the man who had been tasked with the portrayal of the Eighth Doctor for the 1996 television movie.

And so back to Tom Baker, and the news that was to be announced in 2011. Though not the first to be released, Energy of the Daleks was the first to be recorded by the Big Finish team, which included Louise Jameson (reprising her role as Leela), Alex Lowe, Mark Benton (no relation to Sergeant Benton, I can assure you!), Caroline Keiff, Dan Starkey, John Dorney; and the voice of Skaro's finest, Nicholas Briggs. Was it a sensible choice to bring back the Daleks alongside Baker's first audio adventure for Big Finish? Simple answer: Yes, absolutely! It almost evokes the exact same shivers that I experienced with McCoys The Genocide Machine - almost, if it had only been that little bit longer... (Energy comes in at approx 60 minutes compared to Genocide's 120 minutes)

That aside, there is much to admire about Nick Briggs' tale of the Kaled creatures plotting Mankind's downfall - yes, another fiendish plot - aided by Andy Hardwick's excellent music score and sound design. And, honestly, there will always be a place in this reviewer's heart for both Baker and Jameson, together as the Fourth Doctor and Leela. For the latter, it is indeed a thrill to see (or in this case, hear and imagine...) how the Doctor's companion takes on the might of the Daleks, a psychological battle in which Leela refuses to submit her will to the enemy. Knife at hand, she has always been one of the strongest to accompany the Doctor and it is a pleasure to rejoin the lovely Jameson for further travels.

It is also remarkable to note that Jameson had never featured in a Dalek story before, during her time on television, and so it feels only right that that mistake be rectified.

The tale of energy, friendship, and potential genocide (did I mention The Genocide Machine earlier?) has the correct balance to play with, enhanced by nostalgia and a feeling that this is a lost adventure, one of those that had been written during Baker's original occupation of the TARDIS in his seven-year run and had not, for whatever reason, been filmed. The Earth-Moon setting also inspires thoughts of the Patrick Troughton era and Cybermen. This has "Classic" written all over it - and yes, I do differentiate between Classic and Nu-Who!

Though short in length, Energy takes bold brisk steps, never pausing for breath and making the most of its use with both scene and character. The re-introduction of Robomen nicely reflects the magic of William Hartnell's The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964) while permitting a brief recollection of Mark Gatiss's Roboman as heard in The Mutant Phase, another Big Finish production from 2000.

This outing for Baker and Co. has enough energy of its own to pack a punch and will surely be a favourite with fans for many years to come? Though it has some negatives and faults - yes, even Energy - it is unfair to criticize, as where would we be without our Fourth Doctor and Leela in audio? There are already plenty of possibilities for this pairing - including what will be Mary Tamm's last appearance as Time Lady Romanadvoratrelundar in another season of stories!

It is indeed sad that Elisabeth Sladen never had the opportunity to once more share in this pleasurable journey with co-star Tom Baker. I only hope that the Daleks aren't overused during Baker's time with Big Finish, although it will be an honour to experience the magic of Baker and Tamm in The Dalek Contract (featuring K9), expected for release in 2013.

It had been a long wait. But, in the end, the result of a Doctor at his best - marvellously acted by an equally marvellous actor - makes this a moment that all fans should experience. Further reading: Big Finish

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