Who mania raging on

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• Publication: The Age
• Date: 1983-02-17
• Author: Jill Morris
• Page: 6
• Language: English

NOBODY but the Daleks could have guessed, when Dr Who was first shown by the BBC, in black-and-white in 1963, that 20 years later the good doctor would still be going strong, with thousands of fans around the world shouting for more.

It was probably predictable that sci-fi generally would thrive, in color or monochrome, on TV, and that the smell of success would spread to Who's stablemates, Blake's Seven and Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, both creations of Dr Who writers, Terry Nation and Douglas Adams.

Blake's Seven recently ended (again) on Channel 2, to much criticism and disappointment from the fans, and Hitch-Hiker's Guide finished this week — although the ABC is planning to repeal it In daily episodes In March.

But what about the leader of the peck, Dr Who, forever awaited, forever missed?

Publishing their own newsletters, devouring overseas magazines, breathlessly grasping every whisper of English Who production news, fans are hoping the ABC will stick to its plans and screen the latest season, with Peter Davison as the good Doctor In April. Surely the ABC should be delighted to satisfy so many loyal, if slightly obsessive fans.

Meanwhile, in England, plans are afoot for an early April Dr Who Celebration: 20 years of a Time Lord.

Ten thousand fans are expected to attend daily screenings of old episodes and to snatch up Who merchandise gathered over 20 years.

A 90-minute special featuring all four living "doctors" (Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker and Peter Davison) will be screened by the BBC on the commemorative date, 23 November, 1983. The first actor to play Dr Who, William Hartnell, died in 1976.

Another TV documentary is also planned, to interview writers end crews and explore the whys and wherefores of Who, and the long-awaited video-cassette Dr Who and the Day of the Daleks will be launched.

What do the Daleks think of it? Evidence indicates that they may be striking back. Production of the 20th season of Dr Who episodes, starring Peter Davison, was delayed by a BBC technicians' strike, and The Return, a four-part story about the return of the Dalek monsters. had to be be struck off the list.

So who is in control?

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• APA 6th ed.: Morris, Jill (1983-02-17). Who mania raging on. The Age p. 6.
• MLA 7th ed.: Morris, Jill. "Who mania raging on." The Age [add city] 1983-02-17, 6. Print.
• Chicago 15th ed.: Morris, Jill. "Who mania raging on." The Age, edition, sec., 1983-02-17
• Turabian: Morris, Jill. "Who mania raging on." The Age, 1983-02-17, section, 6 edition.
• Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Who mania raging on | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Who_mania_raging_on | work=The Age | pages=6 | date=1983-02-17 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=23 May 2025 }}</ref>
• Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Who mania raging on | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Who_mania_raging_on | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=23 May 2025}}</ref>