Ah yes, though Adams's tenure as Script Editor was brief, there will be a few connections between the Whoniverse and a certain wholly remarkable book.
When you get to the end of Season 17, will you take a reading break? Or will you watch one of the reconstructions of that story?
(Of course, perhaps because it was technically an unused script, and his other 2 DW stories had never been novelized, the premises of "Shada" and "City of Death" were mashed up and reused in the first Dirk Gently novel. But it was nice to imagine something like the original intent, though I suspect that "The Inverted V of Rassilon" would never have been invoked onscreen in 1980, given Mary Whitehouse (daft old bat)'s constant complaints to the BBC about the programme....)
Oh, right, that one, with an increasing number of production stills as the story went on? I saw that some years ago as well. Since then there have been a few other versions made, including an audio drama with Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor, who has to effectively "repeat" the events owing to... well, spoilers for the 20th Anniversary Special, I guess.
And yes, "City of Death", "Shada", and "The Pirate Planet" are all Douglas Adams scripts. There was also the unused "Doctor Who and the Krikkitmen", which would have made an interesting Fifth Doctor story all things considered (though by that point they were moving well away from the notion that the series title was also the name of the lead character). Instead, its premise became the basis for the third Hitchhiker's Guide Novel "Life, The Universe and Everything".
I can scarcely imagine what Mary Whitehouse would make of the post-relaunch series, but I am happy that the show has "outlasted" her crusade (though the re-relaunch happened four years after her passing, I note that she did depart on the Doctor's premiere day of November 23rd. Someone has a sense of irony.😉)
Anyway, not sure how far along you are in viewing, but this might be a good cap to the Fourth Doctor era(s) (though it would be closer to the beginning, placement-wise). Tom Baker and Ian Marter pitched what would be the first of several unsuccessful attempts to bringing the Doctor back (there were of course two non-canonical retellings of 1960s episodes featuring Peter Cushing) to cinemas, which would become breathlessly circulated amongst the fans in the lead-up to the 1996 TV Movie with the Pertwee logo....
I'm not sure how much of a Whovian rabbit hole I want to go down beyond the broadcast episodes at this point. I'm in the middle of season 18 still. Maybe when I run out I'll be inclined to go on side quests.
Having skimmed (as well as dove in and come back out and certain points) the Timey Wimey Ball that is Who "canon" (although the Beeb seems to feel, among other things, that having a canon policy would violate their charter as a public broadcaster), I can understand that!
And to be honest, most of the Missing Adventures, Big Finish Audio Dramas, comics, etc. aren't really necessary for the portion of saga that you're at. Season 6B does explain nicely some issues with Patrick Troughton's appearances in multi-Doctor stories as well as fill in an apparent gap between "The War Games" and "Spearhead from Space" -- but I wouldn't consider knowledge of it (or even acknowledgement of it) critical. And when you get to the Fifth Doctor, how confusing will it be to note that, oh, at one point he meets [No spoilers!] 😉
"Shada" - the Novel and "Scratchman" I recommend more as standalone reads, but extra material won't start becoming essential or highly desirable until Colin's truncated run a few seasons from "now". McGann only having two televised stories -- The US TV Movie with the Pertwee Logo and "Night of the Doctor" -- also provided a hefty gap that Big Finish moved in to fill. After all, they love stories....
(But Eight's stories will inevitably drag in Faction Paradox , and that's going to be Not For the Timid....)
PS. The title of that Paul Cornell book looks familiar. Well, now you know where I got the phrase to describe drama in our social scene....
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mbarrick
no subject
Date: 2025-01-09 04:10 am (UTC)When you get to the end of Season 17, will you take a reading break? Or will you watch one of the reconstructions of that story?
(Of course, perhaps because it was technically an unused script, and his other 2 DW stories had never been novelized, the premises of "Shada" and "City of Death" were mashed up and reused in the first Dirk Gently novel. But it was nice to imagine something like the original intent, though I suspect that "The Inverted V of Rassilon" would never have been invoked onscreen in 1980, given Mary Whitehouse (daft old bat)'s constant complaints to the BBC about the programme....)
no subject
Date: 2025-01-13 02:34 pm (UTC)My understanding with "City of Death" is that Douglas Adams was not only the script editor, but a co-author under the pseudonym "David Agnew".
I hadn't heard of Mary Whitehouse until this, though not surprised that someone like that existed in Britain at time.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-17 01:49 am (UTC)And yes, "City of Death", "Shada", and "The Pirate Planet" are all Douglas Adams scripts. There was also the unused "Doctor Who and the Krikkitmen", which would have made an interesting Fifth Doctor story all things considered (though by that point they were moving well away from the notion that the series title was also the name of the lead character). Instead, its premise became the basis for the third Hitchhiker's Guide Novel "Life, The Universe and Everything".
I can scarcely imagine what Mary Whitehouse would make of the post-relaunch series, but I am happy that the show has "outlasted" her crusade (though the re-relaunch happened four years after her passing, I note that she did depart on the Doctor's premiere day of November 23rd. Someone has a sense of irony.😉)
Anyway, not sure how far along you are in viewing, but this might be a good cap to the Fourth Doctor era(s) (though it would be closer to the beginning, placement-wise). Tom Baker and Ian Marter pitched what would be the first of several unsuccessful attempts to bringing the Doctor back (there were of course two non-canonical retellings of 1960s episodes featuring Peter Cushing) to cinemas, which would become breathlessly circulated amongst the fans in the lead-up to the 1996 TV Movie with the Pertwee logo....
no subject
Date: 2025-01-17 08:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-25 04:34 am (UTC)And to be honest, most of the Missing Adventures, Big Finish Audio Dramas, comics, etc. aren't really necessary for the portion of saga that you're at. Season 6B does explain nicely some issues with Patrick Troughton's appearances in multi-Doctor stories as well as fill in an apparent gap between "The War Games" and "Spearhead from Space" -- but I wouldn't consider knowledge of it (or even acknowledgement of it) critical. And when you get to the Fifth Doctor, how confusing will it be to note that, oh, at one point he meets [No spoilers!] 😉
"Shada" - the Novel and "Scratchman" I recommend more as standalone reads, but extra material won't start becoming essential or highly desirable until Colin's truncated run a few seasons from "now". McGann only having two televised stories -- The US TV Movie with the Pertwee Logo and "Night of the Doctor" -- also provided a hefty gap that Big Finish moved in to fill. After all, they love stories....
(But Eight's stories will inevitably drag in Faction Paradox , and that's going to be Not For the Timid....)
PS. The title of that Paul Cornell book looks familiar. Well, now you know where I got the phrase to describe drama in our social scene....