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Dr. Who fans must wait for outcome of favorite Time Lord

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1983-03-06 Southtown Economist.jpg

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Exterminate?

Dr. Who fans must wait for outcome of favorite Time Lord

Will the new Dr. Who please stand up?

Maybe not, ever -- at least on Chicago area television screens. Depending on which source you believe, the new "Dr. Who" season (which stars Peter Davison as the Doctor) is either not being made readily available to WTTW, Channel 11, or WTTW is not interested in accommodating its 250,000 Dr. Who viewers.

John Nathan Turner, producer of the longest-running science fiction series, joined BBC representative Gary Downey recently in reviewing the local production of "This Is Your Life, Dr. Who" at the New Fantasy Shop. 5651 W. Belmont, Chicago.

Later, they addressed the issue of what is rapidly becoming an indignant mob — namely, why fans are unable to see the new season of their favorite Time Lord.

"I don't mean to get heavy with Channel 11," said John Turner. "I wouldn't even know who to get heavy with. But I just can't understand why the show is not being picked up in Chicago — especially in light of the fact that 10,000 fans turned out last year for the Chicago convention and 3,000 had to be turned away."

Richard Turner, director of Information Services for WTTW had a different line of reasoning.

"We have not received the specific numbers on the cost involved in the new episodes," he stated in a telephone interview. "We do plan on bidding on the new series — but with no figures, we can't make a concrete offer. If and when we receive them, then at that time we can make a decision as to economic feasibility." He added that other stations were open to bid on it.

Left dangling are Chicago fans who built a network (not to mention an outlook on life) around the man who travels through time and space with an invariably lovely lady, searching to triumph over evil wherever (and whenever) it may occur — with tongue held firmly in cheek the entire way.

Some fans go so far as to nag their mothers or girlfriends into knitting the 12-foot scarf — one of the Doctor's affectations.

(In Britain, says John Turner, they don't go mad — they go blind from knitting.)

What is it that makes the series so popular around the world? It is seen in 39 countries, attacts 98 million viewers, and is not merely a "kid's show." Dr. Who addicts run the gamut in age.

The series, which premiered Nov. 23, 1963, was initially intended as a limited run of six or seven weeks. But when youths in England were observed walking the streets with arms extended, crying "Exterminate! Exterminate!" (an imitation of one of the series' initial villains) the BBC realized it should change its plans.

The Doctor is now in his fifth "regeneration" in that country, presently being portrayed by the blond Davison. (When the original lead, William Hartnell, became ill in 1966, the producers decided to allow the Doctor to change form.)

John Turner was especially excited after viewing Cheryl Breo's "This Is Your Life, Dr. Who," recently presented at the Capricon 3 Science Fiction Convention at the Radisson Chicago Hotel.

"The enthusiasm is great — it's just terrific," John Turner said. "Just to think that this revue was coordinated in such a short time by non-professionals — it's unbelievable."

Considering the excitement generated by this auspicious event, Turner and Downey both wondered whatever happened to a documentary which they say was filmed at last year's convention by KRMA-TV in Denver titled "Once Upon A Time Lord."

According to them, it was shot at the Chicago convention and although it is interspersed with scenes from the series, it should be of interest to Chicagoans. But Channel 11 didn't buy it.

"It concerns the phenomenon of Dr. Who in the States," Downey said. "It documents the United States' reaction — it's already been sold to 45 stations in this country, and I just can't understand why WTTW rejected it."

Richard Turner of WTTW replied that the documentary focuses on characters and episodes in the new series, and that presently there doesn't seem to be a point in acquiring it pending the outcome of who in Chicago, if anyone, contracts for the new series.

The British series produces seven four-part stories each year with each story taking five weeks to put together from rehearsal time to final edit. New writers are encouraged — a heartening example is that of Andrew Smith, who began submitting scripts at the age of 13 and was consistently rejected, although the powers-that-be took the time to tell him what was wrong with each one and kept a file.

When John Nathan Turner took over as producer 3 years ago he pulled the file and ended up using a script by Smith titled "Full Circle." Smith "quit the university and is now an established writer at the ripe old age of 21," said Turner.

The Doctor, as presently portrayed in the U.S. by Tom Baker, can be seen on Channel 11 at 11 p.m. Sundays, with older episodes shown at 9 a.m. Saturdays. And with any luck at all, we'll be seeing Peter Davison before too long.


Caption: John Nathan Turner (left), producer of the "Dr. Who" series, visits with Cheryl and George Breo, proprietors of The New Fantasy Shop which features "Dr. Who" memorabilia. (Photo by Ken Love)

Caption: Rehearsing on the "Dr. Who" set are (from left) Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, the Doctor's new campanion; Peter Davison as the Doctor, and producer John Nathan Turner. (Photo courtesy of BBC)

Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org

  • APA 6th ed.: Knasiak, Stacie (1983-03-06). Dr. Who fans must wait for outcome of favorite Time Lord. Southtown Economist p. TV Magazine, p. 6.
  • MLA 7th ed.: Knasiak, Stacie. "Dr. Who fans must wait for outcome of favorite Time Lord." Southtown Economist [add city] 1983-03-06, TV Magazine, p. 6. Print.
  • Chicago 15th ed.: Knasiak, Stacie. "Dr. Who fans must wait for outcome of favorite Time Lord." Southtown Economist, edition, sec., 1983-03-06
  • Turabian: Knasiak, Stacie. "Dr. Who fans must wait for outcome of favorite Time Lord." Southtown Economist, 1983-03-06, section, TV Magazine, p. 6 edition.
  • Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Dr. Who fans must wait for outcome of favorite Time Lord | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr._Who_fans_must_wait_for_outcome_of_favorite_Time_Lord | work=Southtown Economist | pages=TV Magazine, p. 6 | date=1983-03-06 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=28 March 2024 }}</ref>
  • Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Dr. Who fans must wait for outcome of favorite Time Lord | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr._Who_fans_must_wait_for_outcome_of_favorite_Time_Lord | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=28 March 2024}}</ref>