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  • Nu-Who
    • Ncuti Gatwa
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  • Tweeners
    • John Hurt
    • Paul McGann
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    • Regeneration X
    • The Mystery Guest
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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

    Shine of the Beast

    December 1, 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 — (37→42)

    October 5, 2023

    The Dark Jacket Dimension

    November 13, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Shine of the Beast

    December 1, 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
  • 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

    Shine of the Beast

    December 1, 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

    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

    Shine of the Beast

    December 1, 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

    Shine of the Beast

    December 1, 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
  • 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

    Shine of the Beast

    December 1, 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
  • 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

    Shine of the Beast

    December 1, 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
  • Tour du Jour
    • On This Day
    • The House of Holmes
    • 50 for 50
    • The Randomizer
    • THT Rand-o-pix of the Day
    • The Feast of Steven
    • Tour Notz
    • The Watcher
    • Contact the Tour
Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
Roundel Roundabouts Peter Capaldi William Hartnell

The Differences of Minor Narcissism

By -- DSWJune 12, 202002 Mins Read
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It’s not scandalous in the least.  That it should come as something of a surprise should be though.

The Tour Supremos watched a little Doctor Who last night.  Actually it’s more accurate so say it was Doctor Who ‘adjacent’ in that it was one of those wonderful surprises woven into the tapestry of the 50th Anniversary celebration back in 2013.  Mark Gatiss drew the (enviable?) assignment to create a drama about the creation and earliest years of Doctor Who, and had to thread the needle between entertainment, accuracy, honesty, and a certain amount of fan service.

And he succeeded wonderfully … at a price however.  In opting for honesty first, the difficult real-life character of William Hartnell must come forward.  An Adventure in Space and Time is primarily the story of Hartnell from skepticism to appreciation to estrangement as the creative team, including Verity Lambert, who was the other main subject of AST, changed around him.  You can well imagine that for the uninitiated a jolt of discordance between their hazier memories of the Hartnell Doctor and the portrayal of Hartnell here.

For the experienced fan however, especially watching again after a significant amount of time, there are so many delights ranging from the re-creation of iconic scenes from the era down to the superlative casting choices of Jessica Raine (who also appeared in Hide) as Verity Lambert and, in the wake of Series 12, Sacha Dhawan as Waris Hussein.

David Bradley was the obvious choice to portray Hartnell, and in almost every respect, despite being significantly older (by 16 years!) than Hartnell was here, a point which would be re-proven in Peter Capaldi’s finale Twice Upon a Time.  But, as should be expected, the differences between the two are largely superficial.  For the Tour Brain Trust this didn’t bother us so much when Bradley was measured against Capaldi, but in AST, especially given how faithful it was trying to be, you begin to notice how much taller and more imposing he was than Hartnell, and this, for no reason other than pure pedantry, began to nettle at us.

Hartnell was hardly the tallest person in the room, until, that is, he was.

 

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On This Day in Doctor Who History

December 2023

Sunday December 3

1966: The Power of the Daleks [5]
Recurs yearly
1977: The Sunmakers [2]
Recurs yearly

Monday December 4

1965: The Daleks' Master Plan [4--The Traitors]
Recurs yearly

Tuesday December 5

1964: The Dalek Invasion of Earth [3--Day of Reckoning]
Recurs yearly
2015: Hell Bent
Recurs yearly
2021: Flux - Chapter 6: The Vanquishers
Recurs yearly

Wednesday December 6

1975: The Android Invasion [3]
Recurs yearly
1980: State of Decay [3]
Recurs yearly
1986: The Ultimate Foe [2]
Recurs yearly
1989: Survival [3]
Recurs yearly

Thursday December 7

1963: 100,000 BC [3--The Forest of Fear]
Recurs yearly
1968: The Invasion [6]
Recurs yearly
1987: Dragonfire [3]
Recurs yearly
1988: Silver Nemesis [3]
Recurs yearly

Friday December 8

1979: The Nightmare of Eden [3]
Recurs yearly
Random Thoughts
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No Ritual Sacrifice Required
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Prelude to Peladon
By -- DSWJune 11, 2017 Tour Updates 1 Min Read

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  6. ► The Runaway Bride
  7. ► Army of Ghosts
  8. ► The Crusades
  9. ► The Mind of Evil
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