Season 27

Season 27, the alternate timeline.

The improvement in public and fan reception means the show hangs on by the skin of its teeth.

The end of Survival is different, and becomes a celebration of genuine survival. JNT leaves. You're now in charge with a muchly-increased budget and instructed to add at least 2m new viewers to the show, otherwise it's getting the chop.

Just what do you do? Continue the Fartsmell Masterplan? Or go big, bold and new, with a new TARDIS crew and a more up-to-date look that's more in line with 90s sci-fi films and TV shows?

Would you include any canonical references or old monsters? And just how would you get 2m permanent viewers back on board? How would you market the show? And what about merchandise?

Lastly, what new elements would you bring to the show? This could be filming techniques, post-production effects, genre switching, method acting, shooting on film, romance, anything really.

I'd definitely have to bring the Daleks back if I wanted to boost the ratings.

I'd also be tempted to recruit some of the Big Finish writers like Nick Briggs, Gary Russell and Jim Mortimore (well, back then they were still just the Audio Visuals writers). I think they always had a far better clue of how to write the show than the JNT/Saward staple ever did.

But if we're talking about what would make the show popular again in 1990, I think I'd want to work with game developers of the time, and base the new season around some computer game tie-in. Ideally then I'd want to produce a live-action version of Dalek Attack two years ahead of its time. It would boost the game sales and hopefully get the gamers interested in the show again.

I'd continue doing stories in the same vain as Ghost Light and The Curse of Fenric. Maybe do another "giant killing" story where a major foe gets completely wiped out as well. I wouldn't make it too dissimilar from the other McCoy seasons. I'd keep Keff, Mark and Dominic doing the music and also make sure that everything was shot on videotape. I would bring back The Sontarans, Brigadier Bambera and Alison Williams. Alison would eventually replace Ace as the companion midway through the season.

I would've thought you'd replace her with Elisabeth Shue.

Tanmann wrote:I would've thought you'd replace her with Elisabeth Shue.

I knew someone would say something like that


My Season 27 would be a celebration of the McCoy era. I think fans would probably appreciate the return of a fairly popular character from the era's defining story. I would make sure that I got at least two seasons to wrap up all the elements that were introduced in the Cartmel era. I certainly wouldn't bring back the Daleks because as far as I'm concerned they all perished in Remembrance. Same with the Cybermen in Silver Nemesis.

Keep the title sequence. Different, more 90s style theme.

Try and go big and wrap the McCoy era in style. Bring back Marc Platt, Cartmel and see if Aaronovitch can recreate his Remembrance magic.

Keep the all videotape filming.

Keep the 1987-89 musicians but at the same time, try and see if the Radiophonic Workshop could make the odd appearance.

As for the villains, I'd leave the Daleks. Remembrance was a perfect swan song for them. The Cybermen on the other hand, deserved a better send off. Have their final hurrah see a return to exploring the cyborg elements of the race rather and treat them with more respect than Silver Nemesis and over-all, just have them go out in style. The Master (Or at least Ainley's Master) should've been left after Survival. Those three aside, I'd try and land some of the old favorites like the Sontarans or maybe even the Nestenes. But mostly focus on introducing some new creations.

Tone wise, I would continue with 26's more mature, darker tone as well as not completely ditching the humor and zany charm of 24 and 25. I'd further explore the cosmic horror elements of Ghost Light and Fenric as well as seeing if we could get some more old school horror elements ala Hinchcliffe.

I certainly wouldn't bring back the Daleks, as I think almost any story would probably compare poorly to Remembrance. I'd like to stay away from the "big" enemies like the Daleks, the Cybermen, or the Master for a while - but still include characters from previous seasons, particularly ones that were created more recently (like the Rani and Glitz). I'd also stick with just McCoy and Ace for now.

Overall, I'd do a mixture of bringing back old characters and enemies, and creating new ones. Also, have some stories on Earth, and some not. Assuming 4 stories per season, the stories would be something like as follows:

1. A Unit story that would bring back the Yeti and the Great Intelligence (maybe something along the lines of what they did in Downtime), but with 7 and Ace included. Get the new Unit characters from Battlefield, but somehow get the original Brig involved in it too. Ace blows up some Yeti with nitro-9.

2. A story set on another planet (that also revisits Glitz and Mel), but it's on a planet that we've never been to before with an advanced space-faring civilization we don't yet know about. Glitz caused some sort of catastrophic problem and the Doctor has to sort it out. Mel pushes carrot juice on everybody. (A lighter season 24-style story like Dragonfire)

3. A sort of pseudo-historical: It takes place in Earth's past, but involves some alien causing trouble (like in the Visitation). A 19th century setting might be nice for a change - Maybe the Doctor finally gets to the Great Exhibition of 1851 like he was trying to in Time-Flight. Create a new enemy for this one. (A spookier Hinchcliffe-era style story like Talons)

4. A story set on Galifrey: something along the lines of the Deadly Assassin, but with the Rani as the bad guy instead of the Master. The Rani tries to use the latest "something-of-Rassilon" as part of her evil plan to conquer the universe...

I've never understood the obsession with film. Videotape is so much nicer to look at especially if it's being used outside.

Nah.

Film made the show look atmospheric, and even cinematic.

Videotape just made it look like Eastenders with space monsters.

Film is more grainy more white dots with film videotape does not have that videotape looks more live but I like film too

Tanmann wrote:Nah.

Film made the show look atmospheric, and even cinematic.

Videotape just made it look like Eastenders with space monsters.

I can understand that. I just enjoy how clear and vibrant videotaped footage looks outside. It also never really gives away its age like film does. Some of those McCoy stories look like they could have been filmed at any time really.

That is certainly true.