Doctor Who-The New Season
- Publication: Starburst
- Date: issue 79 (March 1985)
- Author: Gary Russell
- Page: 24
- Language: English
With Doctor Who once again gracing Britain's TV screens in a new 45 minute time slot Gary Russell gives us the facts behind the 22nd Season.
Exactly how the new Doctor will shape up over the next six stories will make interesting viewing, switching quickly from the manic colourful eccentric to the calm orator with an acid-coating tongue. From a gentle assuring figure to a lout who can deliver as good a thump as he gets, the sixth Doctor deserves to win himself a massive following both in Britain and abroad over the next few years whilst Colin Baker portrays the character.
Nicola Bryant as the Doctor's companion Peri, on the other hand, is somewhat more familiar to viewers. She survived three escapades with the Doctor and was there at the crucial time of change after the Spectrox Tomaemia had taken its toll, at the end of The Caves of Androzani, on the fifth Doctor, played for the last time by Peter Davison.
As well as Nicola Bryant, Colin Baker will be joined by Anthony Ainley again playing the part of the hugely popular Master, last seen writhing in pain after being consumed by the flames of numismaton gas in Planet of Fire.
After the plethora of guest actors last year, it seems the procedure has been kept up with this year's array: Kate O'Mara, Jacqueline Pearce, Maurice Colbourne, Brian Glover, Stephen Yardley, Martin Jarvis, John Stratton, Sarah Greene, are just a few. Other names that crop up include Faith Brown, Sheila Reid, Forbes Collins, Fraser Hines, Terence Alexander, Sarah Berger, James Saxon, Michael Kilgariff and of course, Patrick Troughton, returning to his role for one story as the second incarnation of the Doctor.
Attack of the Cybermen starts off the twenty second season of Doctor Who with a script by a writer new to the series Paula Moore — although a swift peek at the dedication page in Eric Saward's novel The Visitation may indicated a connection of sorts. The story is directed by Matthew Robinson and features a return of the CyberController, the dome-headed leader last seen tottering away from the icy tombs of Telos in Tomb of the Cybermen (1967).
Vengeance on Varos is the second story of the season, written by Philip Martin and directed by Ron Jones. This one is set on the planet Varos and introduces a particularly nasty piece of work called Sit, a grub-like fellow who sits stuffing his face with slime and squeaking angrily at all who disagree with him. Watch out in this story also for Martin Jarvis as the Governor and Forbes Collins as his less than loyal Chief.
The third story is Pip and Jane Baker's Mark of the Rani which sees the Master teamed up with an evil female Time Lord played by Kate O'Mara.
The longest of the season, is The Two Doctors, written by Robert Holmes and directed by Peter Moffatt, It reintroduces us all to the second Doctor and his travelling companion for many years, Jamie McCrimmon, again played by Fraser Hines. This story also reintroduces us to the Sontarans, the evil war mongers who Holmes created in 1974 for The Time Warrior. Whilst the idea that Sontarans are identical clones appears to have been phased out, they are still the ever-military, but ever-honourable, creatures of before, here played by Clynton Greyn and Tim Raynham. The story was filmed on location in Seville in Spain, and is also set on a deep space research station.
The fifth story is by newcomer Glen McCoy and is directed by Pennant Roberts— and is called Time-Lash, set on the planet Keifer. The final story of the season, Revelation of the Daleks, directed by Graeme Harper and written by script editor Eric Seward features the return of Davros and the Daleks, clearly seeking revenge after their defeat last time.
Possibly the most important aspect of this' new season has been the revised format for home broadcasting: it is now going out in 45 minute segments as opposed to the usual 25 minute parts. This means plots can unfold without needing that tedious and frequently cliched 'cliff hanger' every 23 minutes that often broke more tension and drama than it created. Ironically, viewers abroad will still see it in 25 minute slots, which means there will be no 'hook' at the end of an episode to grab the atten tion and encourage them to watch next week.
The season runs as a series of two parters, and one three parter (The Two Doctors) and will be on the air a total of thirteen weeks. Produced once more by John Nathan-Turner, supplemented by script editor Eric Saward, this year's Doctor Who really does look as if it will be the most enjoyable and entertaining for years.
Caption: A selection of scenes from the latest season of Doctor Who, featuring Colin Baker as the Doctor (outside his TARDIS).
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.: Russell, Gary (issue 79 (March 1985)). Doctor Who-The New Season. Starburst p. 24.
- MLA 7th ed.: Russell, Gary. "Doctor Who-The New Season." Starburst [add city] issue 79 (March 1985), 24. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Russell, Gary. "Doctor Who-The New Season." Starburst, edition, sec., issue 79 (March 1985)
- Turabian: Russell, Gary. "Doctor Who-The New Season." Starburst, issue 79 (March 1985), section, 24 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Doctor Who-The New Season | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doctor_Who-The_New_Season | work=Starburst | pages=24 | date=issue 79 (March 1985) | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=3 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Doctor Who-The New Season | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doctor_Who-The_New_Season | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=3 April 2025}}</ref>
