Doctor Who Survival talk

[Mikey]

Was just watching Survival ....

I have a question ... when it was filmed and aired did they know it was going to be the last Classic Series story ?

[bobws]

No, if i remember correctly it wasn't even the last story flimed. JN-T the producer was already lining up stories for the next season. When he didn't get the usaul go ahead call he started worrying!

[Boris71]

I don't think they did, I know it was the last story of the series but I think it was believed that they would be back for another series, but I think a lot of negative responses to the series by fans and high cost compared to other shows killed it

[ctc]

>I think it was believed that they would be back for another series

Yeah. I remember reading that they already had a bunch of stories on the go; and intended to bring back a bunch of older enemies. (Like the Ice Warriors and Daemons.)

Don C.

[jds1911a1]

It was not a planned final story, there was another season in development (the scripts are soon to be released as audio adpatations from Big finish)

BUt really I am glad they didn't know the build up in who towards departures was always tedious and planned final episodes usually stink (excluding the final episdoe of MASH and NEWHART I can't think of a good one)

imagine how much of a corner they'd have painted themselves into (the current show has a hard enough time finding it's way around the block RTD put in with the 2005 season)

[Bruce Banner]

Supposedly, JNT got the script-writer to write an extra piece of dialogue for the end of the last episode of Survival when they realized it was going to be the final story. The extra dialogue was recorded after the first episode was broadcast.

[bobws]

I don't think they did, I know it was the last story of the series but I think it was believed that they would be back for another series, but I think a lot of negative responses to the series by fans and high cost compared to other shows killed it

BBC Controller at the time Jonathan Powell didn't like Doctor Who and wanted it GONE! He had it shortened to 14 episodes instead of 26, he had it moved off it's cosy saturday tyea time slot and moved to weekdays and when that would kill the show he had it put up against ratings powerhouse and still is to this day Corination Street and the ratings sank giving him the excuse to cancel it. yes some fans were way too vocal in thier complaints but powell was the reason it was gone!

[Gorn Captain]

Great timing, Mike.
I'm just watching that DVD now.
It was in 1989, and during the filming, JNT knew the end was near. They specifically filmed the last scene (Doc and Ace walking off into the sunset), to "wave goodbye" to the fans. An unusual story to end with, very dark.
In the interviews, they said that Ainley was even stranger and scarier in person than as The Master.
McCoy is also great in the interviews. He said that one of the Cheetah People girls was so fed up with the bulky, sweaty costumes, that she stripped it off, leaving just a g-string on, and walked off the set. McCoy's eyes go dreamy with the memory "what a lovely sight"....

[johnmiic]

I read or heard that Sophie Aldred had said the next season/series, after Survival, she was going to ask for an exit story as the Doctor's companion. She felt one more year would have been enough for her. So she thought the show was coming back.

BBC Controller at the time Jonathan Powell didn't like Doctor Who and wanted it GONE! He had it shortened to 14 episodes instead of 26, he had it moved off it's cosy saturday tyea time slot and moved to weekdays and when that would kill the show he had it put up against ratings powerhouse and still is to this day Corination Street and the ratings sank giving him the excuse to cancel it. yes some fans were way too vocal in thier complaints but powell was the reason it was gone!

The middle 1980's were a strange time for DW. The BBC controller didn't want it, it's alleged he gave the budget away to The Tripods thinking people would go for that show instead, JNT wouldn't leave-was he in on destroying it or did he just have no-where else to go?, the fans entered into a civil war over it & American SF mags ignored the whole thing, (this happened on Starlog's watch and they were afraid to act as a true journalistic entity and report on things as they happened. Instead they preferred to kiss JNT's BUM to get interviews), so our reports came from Doctor Who Bulletin, aka Dream Watch Bulletin which I felt were quite good at reporting things. Doctor Who Magazine reported some things but tried to stay above the mud. Were the fans too vocal? I don't think so.

Does anyone have the BBC News Invetigative Report where JNT was put on the spot? I recall a piece was done where he was asked tough questions.

[bobws]

JN-T did want out, i read his interviews in DWM and as other producers of the show he was ready to move on after just a few years. but none of his ideas were devloped so he could move on. after awhile he realized he was the gaurdian of the show and one of it's few benefactors. if he left it wwas implied the show would end. so he stayed.
Sophie only had 8 more episode on her contract and knew she would be going halfway through the next season and Sylvester had only another year on his contract and they did have an idea of how to introduce the next companion.

[Gorn Captain]

On disc two, there's a 45min explanation on the end of DW, what eps were slated for the next series (Ice Warriors!). We would have seen a darker McCoy, and Ace ending up on Gallifrey "studying to become a Time Lord"????
The next companion would have been an aristocratic lady cat burglar, like the one in the Tennant special.

Everything you always wanted to know about that period is on the double disc. Well worth the money....

[palitoy]

Read an interview with JNT about his future plans, the lady catburglar was mentioned as was his desire to cast Richard Griffiths as the Doctor (!)

[Mikey]

He would have been good

I know him mostly from Naked Gun 2 and King Ralph

[DC_Guy]

He's also well-known as Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter films, and appeared alongside Eighth and Animated Doctors Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant in the classic Withnail and I.

[Gorn Captain]

He'd never fit in the Tardis, bigger on the inside or not....