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  • Nu-Who
    • Ncuti Gatwa
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    • John Hurt
    • Paul McGann
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    • Regeneration X
    • The Mystery Guest
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  • Colo(u)r
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Doctor Who's Tragical History Tour
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  • Nu-Who
    1. Ncuti Gatwa
    2. Jodie Whittaker
    3. Peter Capaldi
    4. Matt Smith
    5. David Tennant
    6. Christopher Eccleston
    7. View All

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    The Next-iest of Doctors

    May 29, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (19→24)

    November 10, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    B-Bye Bradley

    October 6, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (13→18)

    November 13, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (31→36)

    October 12, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (37→42)

    October 5, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (12→7)

    November 17, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (19→24)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (25→30)

    October 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    Sometimes the Years Just Fall Away

    November 27, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (12→7)

    November 17, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (13→18)

    November 13, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (19→24)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (19→24)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (37→42)

    October 5, 2023

    The Dark Jacket Dimension

    November 13, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Sometimes the Years Just Fall Away

    November 27, 2023

    Close Enough for Government (Broadcasting) Work

    November 25, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    Vworp-tex Manipulations

    November 20, 2023
  • Tweeners
    1. John Hurt
    2. Paul McGann
    3. The Master List
    4. Regeneration X
    5. The Mystery Guest
    6. The Hand of Fear
    7. View All

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Ten’ll Get You Five

    September 4, 2020

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Fivey at Forty: The First Companion Death of 1982

    March 16, 2022

    Sometimes the Years Just Fall Away

    November 27, 2023

    Close Enough for Government (Broadcasting) Work

    November 25, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    Vworp-tex Manipulations

    November 20, 2023

    Ghost Re-Write

    November 16, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Dup-topia

    January 29, 2020

    The Glue Guy

    June 24, 2018

    Doctor on Doctor ACTION!

    November 19, 2017

    The Wheel in Cheese

    August 10, 2014

    The Hurt Locker

    May 25, 2013

    Sometimes the Years Just Fall Away

    November 27, 2023

    Close Enough for Government (Broadcasting) Work

    November 25, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    Vworp-tex Manipulations

    November 20, 2023

    Sometimes the Years Just Fall Away

    November 27, 2023

    Close Enough for Government (Broadcasting) Work

    November 25, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    Vworp-tex Manipulations

    November 20, 2023
  • Colo(u)r
    1. Sylvester McCoy
    2. Colin Baker
    3. Peter Davison
    4. Tom Baker
    5. Jon Pertwee
    6. View All

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (31→36)

    October 12, 2023

    A Studio Film (or rather a film in the studio)

    June 9, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Fivey at Forty: The First Companion Death of 1982

    March 16, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (25→30)

    October 28, 2023

    Stotz v. Stotz: A Love Story

    October 1, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (12→7)

    November 17, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (13→18)

    November 13, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (25→30)

    October 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (25→30)

    October 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    Sometimes the Years Just Fall Away

    November 27, 2023

    Close Enough for Government (Broadcasting) Work

    November 25, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    Vworp-tex Manipulations

    November 20, 2023
  • Monochrome
    1. Patrick Troughton
    2. William Hartnell
    3. View All

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (13→18)

    November 13, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (19→24)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (31→36)

    October 12, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (31→36)

    October 12, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (37→42)

    October 5, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    Sometimes the Years Just Fall Away

    November 27, 2023

    Close Enough for Government (Broadcasting) Work

    November 25, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    Vworp-tex Manipulations

    November 20, 2023
  • Tour du Jour
    • On This Day
    • The House of Holmes
    • 50 for 50
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Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
Roundel Roundabouts Xmas Marks the Spot William Hartnell

Have a Feast @ Doctor Who’s Tragical History Tour!

By -- DSWDecember 10, 202202 Mins Read
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It’s a Tragical History Tour tradition (and the Matrix Mutterings before that) that stretches all the way back to 1995. Our annual holiday bit of Christmas merriment heralds Doctor Who’s most prominent (at least until 2005) and obvious holiday crossover.

And therein lies a tale (some of it possibly apocryphal!)

Christmas Day in 1965 fell on a Saturday. DOCTOR WHO was well into a successful third season in its by-now-traditional Saturday tea-time slot on the BBC schedules with William Hartnell in the lead and was going all out to appease the rampant Dalekmania that had taken England and the series by storm by unleashing the massive 12-part story The Daleks Master Plan over a three month period. Rather than take a break for more traditional holiday-fare the powers that were in the BBC decided not to break up the Dalek epic halfway through (at episode 7) and continue to run the series. The Producer at the time John Wiles felt the unusual slotting on Christmas day provided an ideal chance to break from the larger story temporarily and try something totally different.

In England the theater tradition of Christmas pantomimes was a well understood and accepted form of entertainment. Thus virtually all links to the story up to that point were forgotten for a week to indulge in the ‘Christmas spirit’ as it were.

In other words nothing less than a full-blown pantomime and send-up as the Doctor and his companions–Steven and Sara–ricocheted from one ridiculous situation to another. As it was viewers at the time didn’t mind the diversion–although the episode was never sold into syndication overseas.

Even so the most infamous feature in this episode was William Hartnell’s closing speech–directly to the audience! Although this closing exists in the scripts that exist today, both script editor Donald Tosh and director Douglas Camfield insisted it was not in the shooting script! Camfield was reportedly so incensed that, according to Heather Hartnell, he gave Hartnell the original print shortly after it was broadcast and in subsequent years the Hartnell family would then gather together after Christmas dinner to watch The Feast of Steven all over again. Ho! Ho! WHO!

Read more about Doctor Who’s original Christmas Celebration, The Feast of Steven here.

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On This Day in Doctor Who History

November 2023

Tuesday November 28

1964: The Dalek Invasion of Earth [2--The Daleks]
Recurs yearly
2015: Heaven Sent
Recurs yearly
2021: Flux - Chapter 5: Survivors of the Flux
Recurs yearly

Wednesday November 29

1975: The Android Invasion [2]
Recurs yearly
1980: State of Decay [2]
Recurs yearly
1986: The Ultimate Foe [1]
Recurs yearly
1989: Survival [2]
Recurs yearly

Thursday November 30

1963: 100,000 BC [2--The Cave of Skulls]
Recurs yearly
1968: The Invasion [5]
Recurs yearly
1987: Dragonfire [2]
Recurs yearly
1988: Silver Nemesis [2]
Recurs yearly

December 2023

Friday December 1

1979: The Nightmare of Eden [2]
Recurs yearly

Saturday December 2

1967: The Ice Warriors [4]
Recurs yearly
1978: The Androids of Tara [2]
Recurs yearly
2018: It Takes You Away
Recurs yearly
Random Thoughts
The Preacher From the Spit
By -- DSWJuly 24, 2016 Tour Updates 2 Mins Read
When Patrick Met Verity
By -- DSWAugust 11, 2023 Tangential Tardis 3 Mins Read
New Year, New Series Trailer
By -- DSWJanuary 1, 2017 Tour Updates 1 Min Read

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