Doctor Who Ready to Begin 25th Season
- Publication: The Salt Lake Tribune
- Date: 1987-08-31
- Author: Ben Ling
- Page: B3
- Language: English
John Nathan-Turner has controlled the destiny of a British institution for eight years now and his work is regularly viewed by millions of people in 60 countries.
He is the producer of "Doctor Who", the BBC science fiction television program that just recently completed its 24th season. The show has been on the air since 1963.
"I suppose it's an institution. Everybody in the U.K. knows about 'Doctor Who' and I guess that's what makes an institution," he said.
A quick grin flashes across his face when he describes the worldwide cult following of "Doctor Who."
"They've a 'Doctor Who' Club in Italy, yet we've never shown in Italy," he said.
"Doctor Who" is seen in Utah on KUED Channel 7 weekday nights at 10 p.m. The show chronicles the adventures of a character called "the Doctor," who travels through space and time as he battles evil.
Mr. Nathan-Turner has spent the last two and half weeks traveling across the U.S. on a "Doctor Who" promotion tour for the Public Broadcasting System, which airs the show in 170 television markets. Salt Lake City is his last stop before returning to London to kickoff the new television season on Wednesday.
Part of the promotion included a traveling trailer of "Doctor Who" artifacts loaded on a 48-foot semi-trailer.
"This is for the American fans who said, 'We have nothing,'" Mr. Nathan- Turner explained. British fans have two permanent "Doctor Who" exhibits.
The entrance of the trailer looked just like the doctor's time machine — an old English police call box which is bigger inside than outside. The craft is called a TARDIS for Time And Relative Dimensions in Space. It's supposed to disguise itself in any shape, got its circuits stuck as the police call box.
The traveling trailer opens into a space-age TARDIS interior with monster costumes from the show on display. Monsters have always been a major part of the program as the doctor flies to distant planets and meets all sorts of life-forms.
Mr. Nathan-Turner has been the guiding force for Doctor Who's universe longer than any other person. He has out-lasted three lead actors portraying the doctor (The changes are explained by "re-generation." The doctor is not a human, but a Time Lord from a distant planet. Time Lords occasionally regenerate into different bodies).
Time, however, may soon be ending for Mr. Nathan-Turner's tenure as producer. The main attraction for him now is the upcoming 25th Anniversary of "Doctor Who." It's undecided what sort of celebration will be held, but he wants to be part of it. If money is available, the show may film an episode in the U.S.
After "Doctor Who", Mr. Nathan-Turner plans to start a new project which he won't reveal except to say that it is a twice weekly serial and it is not science fiction.
But until then, he'll be guiding the doctor's adventures.
Next season, the 8th actor to play the doctor, Sylvester McCoy, will be introduced and his regeneration will be explained New monsters will also introduced
The last episode of the season will be the 150th "Doctor Who" story.
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- APA 6th ed.: Ling, Ben (1987-08-31). Doctor Who Ready to Begin 25th Season. The Salt Lake Tribune p. B3.
- MLA 7th ed.: Ling, Ben. "Doctor Who Ready to Begin 25th Season." The Salt Lake Tribune [add city] 1987-08-31, B3. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Ling, Ben. "Doctor Who Ready to Begin 25th Season." The Salt Lake Tribune, edition, sec., 1987-08-31
- Turabian: Ling, Ben. "Doctor Who Ready to Begin 25th Season." The Salt Lake Tribune, 1987-08-31, section, B3 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Doctor Who Ready to Begin 25th Season | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doctor_Who_Ready_to_Begin_25th_Season | work=The Salt Lake Tribune | pages=B3 | date=1987-08-31 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=4 May 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Doctor Who Ready to Begin 25th Season | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doctor_Who_Ready_to_Begin_25th_Season | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=4 May 2025}}</ref>
