Caroline John: 1940-2012

                             I just heard the news a few moments ago that actress Caroline John passed away on June 5'th,2012 at the age of 72. To Doctor Who admirers she is known for the late Jon Pertwee's third doctor's assistant Liz Shaw. Shaw was immeasurable in using her scientific knowledge and curiosity to assist the doctor in his encounters with the Autons,the Silurians and even in a parallel universe version of herself wound up doing the same thing. Now that's devotion isn't it?
                     
                    Training at the Central School of Speech And Drama, John worked for many years in the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theater before getting the role of Shaw in 'Doctor Who'. This was a role she only played for the short eighth season of of the show. She did however appear as Shaw in many 'Who'-related BBC Radio broadcasts over the years. She was even married to Geoffrey Beevers who portrayed The Master in the 1981 'Doctor Who' serial 'The Keepers Of Trakken".
                        
                      Personally Liz Shaw is one of my favorite companions of the doctor on the classic series next to the also late Elizabeth Sladen's Sarah-Jane Smith. Caroline John portrayed Shaw as a very capable scientist who quickly learned to understand the doctors unusual theories  and therefore was able to be of genuine assistance to him in very touch situations.  John was an talented actress who portrayed Shaw with a complex personality and unspoken understanding of worlds beyond our own. She will be missed on my end and I wish my most heartfelt condolences to her family and closest friends.

DOCTOR WHO & THE COMPANIONS

           Since Doctor Who first premiered in 1963,he has always been accompanied by one or more assistants. They are often referred to as companions. Their main function in the show is to serve as a human presence to ask some of the questions that audience might have of him or a situation in any given story. Each of them are as important to the story as the doctor himself. And each one has their own unique qualities. During the past year or so Character Options as been issuing various Doctor Who paraphernalia,including this exactingly crafted set of action figures represented every regeneration of the doctor this far. They've also done gift sets featuring many adversaries from Daleks,Cybermen to autons.  However very few companions from the classic series are represented by this figures. Noted is that there's some overlap in companions between many of the doctors so I'll take that into account as well. Here's a possible suggestion list for a possible 'Doctor's Companion Gift Sets":


FIRST DOCTOR SET: Including Susan Foreman,Barbara Wright,Ian Chesterton,Vicki,Steven Taylor and Dodo Chaplet 
SECOND DOCTOR SET: Including Polly,Ben Jackson,Jamie McCrimmon,Victoria Waterfield and Zoe Hariet
THIRD DOCTOR SET: Including Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart,Liz Shaw,Jo Grant,Sergeant Benton,Mike Yates
FOURTH DOCTOR SET: Including Sarah Jane Smith,Harry Sullivan,Leela,K-9,Romana,Romana II
FIFTH DOCTOR SET: Including Adric,Nyssa,Tegan Jovanka,Vislor Turlough and Kamelion
THE LAST THREE DOCTORS SET: Including Peri Brown,Melanie Bush,Ace and Grace Holloway
*Also note in the case of the sixth,seventh and eighth doctors I merged their companions into one single set due to the fact they either had one or very few.


     Since the re-launch era doctors have their companions very well represented in terms of paraphernalia I decided to stick tot he classic doctors. Thank you!

Doctor Who-The Trial Of A Time Lord

                       By this point the fate of Doctor Who in the 1980's had been sealed. The program was cancelled by the BBC in 1985,cancelling a second series staring Colin Baker in the title role. So the controversy over the aggressive nature of the new doctor,censorship  and even the suitability of Colin Baker himself resulted in this taking a whole year  to emerge. Actually representing an entire series,this is not actually one long serial but in fact four separate serials with a wraparound story. That wraparound was the "trial" itself. Within the cannon of the show,the trial was by the time lords over the doctors meddling in the affairs of other life forms. In reality Doctor Who itself was on trial on just about every conceivable level. So this big,sweeping epic was created for what turned out to by Colin Baker's swansong as the doctor.


                        The doctor finds his TARDIS whisked out of time for him to stand trial before the time lords. The prosecution is someone addressing themselves as the Valeyard. And from the beginning all of his evidence against the doctor is entirely circumstantial.  In his first piece of evidence the doctor and Peri are on Ravalox,which turns out to be Earth after a cosmic shift which rendered it nearly uninhabitable and vulnerable to con artists such as Sadalom Glitz,who makes his debut on the series in this episode. With the time lords still not quite convinced ,another story is presented where on Thoros Beta the doctor seems to ally himself with his enemy Sil whose using the planets population for biological experimentation. The doctor is lead to believe this resulted in the death of his companion Peri.


                          It is learned through his own revelation that the Valeyard is actually something of the doctors skin of evil created in between his final two incarnations who wishes to see his good side admit the evil within him.  The most damaging evidence is yet to come as the doctor and new companion Mel is depicted in some future time on a 30'th century Earth passenger liner where the peace is being shattered by mad scientists creating a human/plant hybrid who have the potential to cause the extinction of humanity. The doctors destruction of this hybrid race is seemed to be grounds for removal of his remaining regenerations. At this point another old adversary The Master is revealed to be a part of the scheme with the Valeyard. After going through a huge elaborate deception within the time vortex itself,the doctor (with the help of Mel's testifying and Sabalom Glitz's assistance) manages to defeat the Valeyard and return on his missions in the TARDIS with Mel in tow.


                           Each of the stories in these series presents extremely complicated scenarios. Especially when the doctor learns that for all intents and purposes it is himself whose acting as his own prosecution. The doctors behaviors involving both Peri,who the timelords claim was actually married off rather than killed on Thoros Beta as well as his actions on the space liner do in fact indicate the sort of callous behavior that might've led to the creation of the villainous Valeyard sometime later. This was probably a reflection by the serial's writers and producers that Colin Baker's portrayal of the doctor represented some of the characters darker traits. It's also perhaps hinted here that those darker elements of the Valeyard might've been responsible for the sixth doctor's difficult and unstable personality all along. So while opening a new door for the show,as well as being an exit point for companion Peri and an entrance for new companion Mel,played by Bonnie Langford this would be the end for Colin Baker on the show. He was fired shortly after this production,the only doctor ever to have this done to them. So without any hesitation,a new actor to play the seventh doctor would have to be chosen.

Doctor Who-Timelash

                Having almost completed the first series of Colin Baker's tenure as the doctor,endless banter regarding the programs unsuitability for family audiences (in particular in with it's violence) caused a great deal of scuffle within the staff of Doctor Who itself to the point where the PR crusades of producer John Nathan-Turner and different media justifications became almost more significant than the show surrounding them. It was not the easiest time to produce the show. And later on,in a time when the production of a TV show or music became more important than the creative ideas behind it,it would result in a long period of criticism leveled against the show. However when taking cultural standards aside,there was something different to be found.

                  The doctor and Peri find themselves thrown into a time corridor to a planet called Karfel,where the third doctor and than companion Jo Grant had visited in an earlier time. By the time the sixth incarnation of the doctor and Peri arrive they find a corrupt and oppressive society run by a dictator calling himself the Borad,whose face no one ever sees. A rebellion is ensuing because those who don't cooperate with the system are thrown into a one way time machine called a "time lash". Out of the people of Karfel's general trust for the doctor,he manages to unite both sides in helping him. On the other side of the timelash the doctor and Peri find themselves in 19'th century Scotland where they meet a student named Herbet who worms his way into their mission.


                All of this calls the doctor to the attention of the Borad once Peri is kidnapped and menaced by an unknown monster. Well unknown to her. The doctor knows it well. And so does the Borad. The face the Karfel see as their leader is one of his androids as the actual Borad is a mutant hybrid between a human and a reptilian creature from the same world. His intention is to intentionally create the same scenario to make Peri physically mutated as he is. In the end the Doctor uses crystals commandeered from the timelash to deceive the Borad,who uses time as a weapon out of his fear of being scene. In the end Herbert is the hero and remains behind after the doctor explains to Pert that "Herbet" will one day become HG Wells. And that this might be the very source material for all science fiction.


              Despite the naysayers among even the most ardent Doctor Who fans,I feel this is one of the most compelling and enjoyable of Colin Baker's Doctor Who episodes. The pace clips along nicely,the story is well assembled and the characters have this flamboyant in-your-face attitude. There's even an excellent message here for families in the character of the Borad about how low self esteem is at the core of many dictatorships. The crystalline set for the interior of the timelash,although made inexpensively is one of the more clever effects used for Doctor Who in it's original run. The idea of HG Wells' 'The Time Machine' being based on a true story was a clever one. And having him an active participant in this story was a great one. This is an example of something where it's important to let your own opinion guide you and see a great story for what it is.

Doctor Who-The Mark Of The Rani

                           Deciding that it was time to do a Doctor Who story that moved away from some of the intense and often sadistic plot lines of the precious couple of Doctor Who serials,it was decided at this point to do something of an historical episode. Or rather an historical setting. Considering what was happening during this time with miner strikes in England,the setting chosen was during the Luddite Revolution of 19'th century England,at which time George Stephenson would begin the industrial revolution in the UK. This invited the opportunity to introduce a new villain to the program. With The Master,Rassilon,Romana and Omega as the hugely significant time lords portrayed in the program another was introduced to another,another "time lady" in the persona of the Rani.


                            The Rani,a time lady exiled from Gallifrey for her unethical practices is on Earth during key periods of it's development using the planet as a template for her scientific experiments. Upon his accidental arrival with Peri during the Luddite revolution he is surprised to find the Luddites acting far more aggressively than expected. And suddenly George Stephenson's presence is suddenly clouded by secrecy. It isn't long before the doctor is captured by the Rani only to find that the Master has been aggravating events,even to the displeasure of the unethical Rani. Using a group of engineered maggots to heighten intelligence but depriving sleep,hostility runs amok until the doctor manages to reprogram the Rani's TARDIS while her and the Master are still inside,staving them off and keeping human history intact for the moment.


                            As it turns out the Rani is an excellent protagonist. Not so much a villain as an unfeeling scientist,she has a complex and domineering personality at odds both with the doctors moralizing and the Master's sadism and megalomania. She has no interest in power or ambition. She just sees no value in life beyond her own outside what they can contribute to her scientific interests. This actually gives a lot more weight to the moral compass of the doctor. And particularly at a time when it seemed the sixth doctor might represent a weakening of that compass with his sometimes confrontation manner,this episode showcased that aspect of his personality was in fact alive and well. It was clear even by the end of this episode,with being such as fascinating character, that the Rani would make another appearance in the show

Doctor Who-Vengeance On Varos

                             During the first months of Colin Baker's tenure as the Doctor various people in the BBC and the British press began complaining very heavily that Doctor Who had become too violent for "a children's program". Not everyone on the staff of the program agreed with this.  After all,labels aside this was science fiction they were dealing with,not drama entirely based in reality. Luckily since the staff of John Nathan-Turner were actually pretty creative in terms of being able to address the shows public reputation from within,they were able to address these issues within the show in this particular serial. Nothing about the show would ever be smooth sailing during Baker's period on the program. And that effect the writing of the show in ways both literal and figurative.


                              After the TARDIS becomes stuck in limbo between time and space the Doctors only recourse is to travel to the planet Varos as a source for Zeiton-7,the only substance that can restore the functions of the TARDIS. Once there they find themselves in the middle of a power struggle between a ruling body who use sadistic video violence that apply to prisoners,guards and leaders alike. Subjected to every illusion and form of mental and physical manipulation after another,turns out this is all masterminded by an outsider named Sil,who is trying to manipulate the supply of Zeiton-7 and is using this fear based control of local media as a cover. When Peri is subjected to cell mutating experiments,the Doctor and a victimized political leader are able to overthrow the corrupt government and in favor for helping their society is given the needed Zeiton 7.


                              There's are very forward thinking concepts bought to the fore in this serial. One is the prediction  of reality television about a decade before it even began. The Fear Factor-To-The-Extreme type televised violence portrayed in this show also served as a slap in the face to those who felt the shows violence had gotten out of hand. People are shown being tortured,thrown into acid baths and subjected to DNA altering experiments. It also has another concept involved of how the horror of violence can be diminished when presented as entertainment. In particular when it's used to control the legitimate media. The character of Sil is one of the most darkly comic villain in Doctor Who,with his distinctive laugh and vulgar manner.  Overall one of the most telling and best produced episodes of Doctor Who.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COLIN BAKER!

                     Just wishing a very happy birthday  to this actor who portrayed Doctor Who's sixth incarnation from 1984 to 1986. He will be turning 69 today. Even though his version of the doctor was the most controversial and generally least popular,he has a small base of people who appreciate his contributions to the show and I am happy to say I include myself among them. His enormous personality and swaggering attitude made him quite a bit different from anyone else who came to play the character.


             Mr.Baker studied acting at the London Academy Of Music And Dramatic Arts after studying to become a solicitor.  Know throughout the BBC television world for playing different sci-fi villains,including Commander Maxil on Doctor Who Baker actually got the role when Peter Davison stepped down from the role,making him the first actor to portray the doctor who'd been in the program as another character. During this time his son died of SIDS and since than Baker has become an advocate of research into the disorder.
   
           Despite the facts BBC politics of the time led the show to be cancelled during his tenure and him being the only actor to be fired from his role as the Doctor,Baker is very devoted to the Whoniverse and his fans. He was voted in by popular demand as the president of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society. He also was a participant in a novelty music video called 'Doctor In Distress' made in 1985,a parody of the 'We Are The World' era benefit singles designed to bring fans back to the show in it's darkest hour. Known for his good nature and wit,Colin has turned out a major asset to Doctor Who's success and I hope he,his friends and family have a great birthday with him!


The Doctor Who Appreciation Society
http://www.dwasonline.co.uk/
"Doctor In Distress" Music Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1yW8FrrXAA