Doctor Who Club of Australia

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4565

Between the airing of the TVM in 1996 and the arrival of the 2005 series Paul McGann was the "current" Doctor.
Although I do count him as the Eighth Doctor, I did not really embrace him as the "current" Doctor for most of that period. This is because what I considered to be the current Doctors are those in the complete TV stories that I have not yet seen. Paul only had the TVM in 1996 and therefore I was officially done with him (I consider the books and audios unofficial just to make things easier).
In December 2002 I finally seen all the complete TV serials therefore I decide to try to think of Paul as the current Doctor since there was no other direction but forward. Then seven months later in July 2003 came news of the Scream of the Shalka webcast announcing Richard E Grant as the "Ninth Doctor". Then two months later in September came news of the new TV series which eventually made Chris Eccleston the definite Ninth Doctor.
Therefore The Scream of the Shalka & the new series announcements meant that Paul's significance as the the current Doctor faded strongly in the background. It certainly didn't help that I'm behind on the Big Finish releases since at the moment I'm listening to The Natural History of Fear originally released in February 2004. (Obviously BF made an erroneous assumption in thinking that everyone was going to keep up with their releases which is made all the more difficult by having concurrent releases of series taking place within the Whoniverse).
In retrospect I am glad that Paul did not star in the 2005 series because I do not think he would have carried it the same way that Chris did. Somehow it just didn't feel right for Paul to do the 2005 season, the mood and atmosphere just wasn't there for him.
As great as the past is, Doctor Who now should be about the future and Chris successfully did that by showing that Doctor Who can and will move forward.

Greg · Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 3:47 pm Post subject:

It's really an imponderable question. I have no doubt the Russell Davies wrote and script-edited the episodes to lend themselves to the strengths of the actors in the series, so had it been commissioned with Paul McGann in the title role (assuming Paul would have been interested - according to an interview in DWM he says he wouldn't have been), the scripts would have taken Paul's talents as an actor into account.

It's rather bizzare to say:

Tom N. · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 144 Location: Sydney, NSW

As good as Paul was in the TVM, I am glad he wasn't cast in the new series. Imagine if Sylvester McCoy starred in the TVM just because he was the current Doctor (at the time). It wouldn't have had the freshness of a completely new series because people already knew McCoy as the Doctor and already formed opinions on his character. By the same token, if McGann was the Doctor in the new series, the much-needed fresh start would have been hampered by the public's "been there, done that" attitude towards a character they had seen before.

So despite Paul's great turn as the Doctor (he was far and away the best thing about the TVM), I think the decision to have a new Doctor for a new series was the right one.

Ickabod · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 592 Location: far far away

the TVM was excellant and just what we dr.who starved fans needed.....but Chris is excellant but l have only one complaint..........paul changing into chris............

Beatly · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 375 Location: London

I agree absolutely with what others have written in response to this - the series wouldn't have been what it was had there been anyone other than Christopher Eccleston in the role, the character of the Doctor wouldn't have been what it was had it been Paul McGann still, and so on.

Are you glad it wasn't Peter Davison starring in The Twin Dilemma? That story's focus would have been lost had it been the 5th Doctor rather than the 6th - it would have been a really crappy end-of-season story doing nothing in particular, instead of being a really crappy end-of-season story introducing a new Doctor.
Smile

Kerr Avon · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 478

I would like for there to eventually be an "official" telling of what came before Rose. I want to know about the Time War and I want to hear the circumstances of the Doctor's 8th regeneration. I'd be quite happy for this to be in print or audio drama - if the latter I'd like to hear McGann reprising his role pre-regeneration.

of course it will probably never happen.

as for whether the books and audios are "official" - I guess they are if they were authorised by the BBC Smile

StitchInTime · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 34

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4565

When I said official I meant the TV episodes which are much easier to get hold of then with books and audios. I mean I don't think it is likely eveyone is going to get every single story outside of the TV series. My definition (not the universal definition among fans) of unofficial doesn't necessarily mean non-canon: I buy what I can get.

Greg, it is not bizarre at all that Paul would not have fitted in with the new series because his time to reprise the role had long since passed just as Sylvester's time had long passed. This is given the fact that before the announcement of the new series in 2003, there were still many people who wanted Sylvester to come back to TV Who simply because they weren't happy with the TVM.
Not a reflection on Sylvester but the idea of him doing the 2005 season doesn't seem right.

Kerr Avon · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 478

McCoy doing the new series as it was written would not have been right, because it wasn't written for McCoy.

as for McGann's "time to reprise the role" being dead - for those who choose to accept and enjoy the Big Finish audios he is still playing the role, so no reprisal is necessary Smile

finally, I find the audios and books much easier to get hold of than the TV episodes, many of which have been destroyed and most of which are not available on DVD (I refuse to buy perishable VHS releases.) I have a complete set of BF audios, NAs, MAs, EDAs & PDAs which took me less than a year to collect from online retailers, second-hand bookstores and eBay.

having said that I do think Eccleston was well cast - I've seen ten of the thirteen episodes he made and enjoyed them all - as posted above I just want to know what happened prior to Rose including the circumstances of a McGann/Eccleston regeneration.

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4565

Greg · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 1:31 pm Post subject:

Tom N. · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 144 Location: Sydney, NSW

Theta Sigma · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 4565

Greg · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:34 pm Post subject:

rundoctoritsthegatherer · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 10:22 pm Post subject:

In retrospect, I am glad that Paul McGann wasn't in the new series, but I will admit that before CE was officially announced I was hoping he'd get the nod.

After thinking about it with a level head and not just a fans excitement of having the show coming back, I came to the conclusion that while I loved Paul McGann in an otherwise fairly ordinary production, casting him in the new series would've reminded a lot of people of the TVM, which whether you liked it or not was officially a failure. Let's not forget that the new series was written in a way that was supposed to gain interest from NEW viewers, and not just pander to long time fans. Deliberately starting fresh with NO regen, NO people reprising their roles from previous outings and NO links to books or audios or anything else that new viewers (and quite a few fans as well... not everyone reads the books or listens to the audios) wouldn't understand.

I don't deny that I'd still love to see Paul McGann given another go at the role on TV, but at the same time, if it doesn't happen (which is the likely scenario) I won't lose any sleep over it.

SharazJek · Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 932 Location: Hobart, Tasmania

I can't forget that I was very disappointed that Paul didn't get a chance for more screen time. He was a very competant Doctor and is a great actor.

So I voted no I am not glad that Paul was not in the new series.

However I am still very happy with CE and what he and RTD acheived for season 1.

Beatly · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 375 Location: London

StitchInTime · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 34

StitchInTime · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 34

Kerr Avon · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 478

as I understand it the TVM was a big rating success in England but it didn't lead to bigger things because of the poor response in America.

the New Series was a big ratings succcess in England and hasn't even been broadcast in America. fortunately it isn't dependant on US backing so that isn't a big deal, but I can't see that on those grounds it makes the TVM any less "successful"

whether or not people like the TVM is a different question. it doesn't have to be liked by fans to be a ratings success, just as a show made to cater to fans isn't a sure-fire guaranteed ratings hit.

I believe the "success" or "failure" of the TVM should be judged by the UK response to it, as has been the case with the new series.