TLDR;
This video explores the continuation of Doctor Who beyond the original television series run from 1989 to 2005. It covers various media, including comics, novels, audio dramas, fan films, and webcasts, highlighting key contributors and storylines. The discussion emphasizes the interconnectedness of the creative teams involved and the unique, expansive nature of Doctor Who canon, where multiple interpretations and continuities coexist.
- Doctor Who continued through comics, novels, audio dramas, and fan films after the original TV series ended.
- Many writers and actors from the classic series and the new show contributed to these various media.
- The concept of "canon" in Doctor Who is flexible, allowing for multiple interpretations and continuities.
Doctor Who Comics [0:51]
Doctor Who comics have been around since the show's early days, initially featuring the Doctor with his grandchildren, John and Gillian. Later, the comics aligned more closely with the TV show, though they occasionally introduced companions too outlandish for television, like Frobisher, a shapeshifting penguin detective. In the early '90s, the Seventh Doctor comics had an interesting crossover with Marvel Comics and Transformers, thanks to the character Death's Head. Many famous writers, including Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and Paul Cornell, have worked on the Doctor Who comics, which continue to be produced today.
Doctor Who Novels [2:42]
Doctor Who novels began as adaptations of classic TV stories, published by Target Books. When Virgin acquired Target, they started commissioning new adventures for the Seventh Doctor and lost adventures for previous Doctors. These novels served as early work for future contributors to the new TV series, such as Russell T. Davies and Paul Cornell. The Virgin New Adventures introduced the concept of Time Lord looms. When the BBC regained the rights, they continued publishing novels, maintaining the concept of current and past Doctor adventures, with contributions from classic Who writers and actors. The book ranges continue today.
Big Finish Audio Dramas [4:19]
Big Finish Productions was created to produce new Doctor Who audio dramas with the original actors. While not the first attempt at Doctor Who audio adventures, Big Finish secured the rights to use any material from the classic era. They started with adventures for the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors, then expanded to continuing adventures for the Eighth Doctor with audio-exclusive companions like Charlie Car. Big Finish has released hundreds of audios, featuring new adventures for each Doctor, spin-offs for memorable characters, and alternate takes on the Doctor. They have also adapted stories for the new series, such as "Dalek" and "Age of Steel," from Big Finish audios.
BBV and Real Time Productions [7:49]
BBV and Real Time Productions aimed to create new Doctor Who content for VHS, licensing characters and aliens to produce fan films with actors, writers, and directors from the original show. BBV introduced the Brigadier's daughter, Kate, in their film "Downtime." These productions explored various aliens and concepts from Doctor Who, such as the Sontarans, Zygons, and the Great Intelligence. BBV created "The Stranger" series, starring Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant, due to not having the rights to the Doctor and the TARDIS. Real Time Productions created "Myth Makers," a series of interview documentaries focusing on individuals who worked on Doctor Who.
Animated Webcasts and Other Ventures [10:46]
Before on-demand viewing, the BBC commissioned Flash animation adventures for their Doctor Who website. These included adaptations of "Shada" and "Death Comes to Time," as well as the Sixth Doctor Cyberman epic "Real Time." An official Ninth Doctor webcast, scripted by Paul Cornell and featuring Richard E. Grant, Sophie Okonedo, and David Tennant, was planned but became non-canon when the new TV series was commissioned. Other ventures included a proposed Doctor Who cartoon by Nelvana and the video game "Destiny of the Doctors," which featured Anthony Ainley's final appearance as the Master. Additionally, there were Doctor Who plays, such as "The Ultimate Adventure" and "The Trial of Davros."