Hi there! Today is Sunday which is Doctor Who day here on
the blog thing called I’m So Glad My Suffering Amuses You.
For the last four weeks, I’ve been posting a Doctor Who fan fiction script
called Lifetime Companion. Feel free to click on the links below to catch up or
revisit the story so far.
I’m taking a break from the script this week but it
will return next Sunday with Episode Five.
Today, I’m going to kick back a bit and prattle on about
some Doctor Who related things ‘n’ stuff with a look back at the past and some speculation about the future.
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This past Friday marked the 20th anniversary of
the Doctor Who movie’s debut on UK television on May 27th. 1996. The
special actually premiered on American TV first two days prior. The Doctor Who
movie began with the 7th Doctor played by Sylvester McCoy who
regenerates into the 8th Doctor as portrayed by Paul McGann.
The movie is, on the whole, not very good. Well, when you
pay good money to have Eric Roberts play the Master, you take your chances.
Still, most of the flaws come from trying to shove too much of Doctor Who
mythology into one package, giving everything a rushed, almost perfunctory
feeling.
In a way, it’s hard not to blame the producers from trying
to do too much. New Doctor Who had not been seen on TV screens since 1989 and
was sorely missed. And there are some really good bits such as a fully realized
TARDIS interior, fast paced action sequences and a modern Doctor as a romantic
adventurer.
Paul McGann’s take on our favorite Time Lord has to fight
against weak material and too little time yet it’s a testament to Paul’s talent
and the strong appeal of his take on the Doctor that McGann’s time on screen as
the Doctor, measured in mere minutes, is so well regarded. And it was all we
had to hold us over unto Doctor Who was revived in 2005.
If we didn’t get to see Paul McGann as the Doctor, we at
least got to hear him as McGann brought the 8th Doctor to life
through Big Finish audio adventures. McGann’s warm, textured voice made him
perfect for keeping the Doctor alive through sound alone. Still, it was a treat
to see McGann on screen once more for the 50th anniversary
mini-episode, Night of the Doctor and it would be awesome if there was some way
to see more such appearances in Doctor Who’s future.
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Recently, rumors
began swirling around the internet about the possible return of John
Barrowman as Capt. Jack Harkness to Doctor Who, possibly for the 2016 Christmas
special. The impetus for such rumors? Barrowman himself who Tweeted he was in
Cardiff earlier this month (May) and we could make of that what we will.
May is when the Doctor Who Christmas special was scheduled
to go into production. And with Doctor Who gone from our screens for a whole
year (A whole year? We classic Who fans scoff at waiting a whole year), the return
of the much beloved Captain Jack would be a big boost to get audiences back to
Doctor Who after 12 months away. And last year’s return of River Song was such
a crowd pleaser, why not bring back Jack for one more go around in the TARDIS?
Then this past week, there was a quick teaser released on
line, heralding the news that “JACK IS BACK!”.
Except it appears the teaser was not legit. Which is
disconcerting because it looked real slick like something that would come out of the
BBC. But John Barrowman went online to assert that he’s not back on Doctor Who.
He insisted he has not filmed anything and he’s not been asked to.
Which really sucks.
Unless...
Remember in the tumultuous days before Doctor Who’s 50th
anniversary special when David Tennant insisted he knew nothing about the
special and had not been asked to return.
And it turned out, yeah he did know and yes he
had been asked to return.
So maybe there’s some of that going on?
I guess we should take John Barrowman’s statement at face
value. But I really hope that before producer Steven Moffat closes the door
behind him on his way out from the Doctor Who offices, the Moff can find a way to
have Captain Jack make some kind of a return appearance.
If only to say hello.
And we all like the way Jack says hello.
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Next week...
Toby Parker is surrounded by
familiar faces but his life is a new and different place than we’ve seen him
before. But is it different enough to keep the Doctor from taking Toby into
deep space? The Doctor and Toby confront the warrior race known as the Mire, A
warrior race now armed with a terrible weapon… powered by a chronovirus.
My Doctor Who fan fiction serial will return next Sunday with the script for Episode Five of Lifetime Companion.
Meanwhile there’s a new post
here every day in between Sundays and I hope you check back in for whatever’s
coming up next on my blog. It’ll be a surprise for both of us because I
seriously have no idea.
Until next time, remember to be good to one another.
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