Indeed. The new series was very nearly aborted in 2004. That decision might have gone the other way if the lead role had gone to the actor from a (perceived) failure.
Indeed. The new series was very nearly aborted in 2004. That decision might have gone the other way if the lead role had gone to the actor from a (perceived) failure.
Who perceived it as a failure? The British public seemed to like it but it was the US who didn't seem that fussed.
I can remember series 1 back in 2005 and loving every minute, its easy to look back now and not appreciate CE but not many we're doing that after The empty child first aired.
Who perceived it as a failure? The British public seemed to like it but it was the US who didn't seem that fussed.
Yeah, my understanding was that it's partly because the TV Movie was a hit that the programme came back — it provided hard empirical evidence for those arguing that the late-'80s viewing figures were due to specific issues and not the public's attitude towards the programme as a whole.
If Wikipedia is accurate then "... when shown on BBC One ... it received over 9 million viewers ... (the highest drama ratings in Britain for the whole week)."
Personally I think Moff had Eccleston in mind to be the one fighting in the Time War. He was a lot more grumpy and sullen to start with so it would fit well, and if he was in it then McGann to Eccleston would have been seen.
I honestly don't think he did you know. CE has spoken about turning down a role in the 50th because it was insubstantial (i.e. A quick regeneration?), and I think the main plot twist is that there's this unknown incarnation. It definitely doesn't sound like a quick rewrite as much as it does the basis of the whole story.
Paul McGann is in the lead now! It is bit sad some people have turned against Eccleston but us fans require commitment.
Not all fans, CE only did one series it was great and relaunched the show. I'm thankful for that, in interviews he said he only ever was to do one series.
Not all fans, CE only did one series it was great and relaunched the show. I'm thankful for that, in interviews he said he only ever was to do one series.
I'm thankful too but the show could have been successfully relaunched with Paul McGann. I wouldn't change a thing though because we got Tennant & Smith afterwards (the latter being my favourite Doctor).
Enjoyed McGann's work & would love to see him appear in specials or in place of their current Doctor (during the Doctor-Lite episodes) - but Eccleston was absolutely the right choice to relaunch the show.
As much as 'Hardcore Whoviasns' are loyal to the classic series, amongst the gernetral public, the show was a joke. Casting a perceive chattle of that era would've killed Nu-Who stone dead.
Eccelstone gave the production gravitas. He set a seismic tonal shift in the show - which only since, has been blended to overlap with that of the classic episdodes.
I honestly don't think he did you know. CE has spoken about turning down a role in the 50th because it was insubstantial (i.e. A quick regeneration?), and I think the main plot twist is that there's this unknown incarnation. It definitely doesn't sound like a quick rewrite as much as it does the basis of the whole story.
This.
This never before seen incarnation is at the heart of the story and one of the game changers Moffat has thrown in for the 50th year.
Looking at the fact that only one regeneration was left off screen it's easy to see why that would provide brilliant potential for twists.
The big ending to series 7 and the foundation of the 50th would be lost without the missing Doctor.
But it would have set off lots of different paths. He likely would have wanted a longer run than just a series and Tennant may never have been chosen or written for under russell.
I do feel a series with McGann is now required though. Its like when the fans wanted the series back in 2005. There is something missing from the history of the show and that's a full series of McGann on tv.
There's barely enough money in the pot for a complete season of standard who! I think an idea would be to allow Big Finish the rights for a direct to DVD release but I doubt they would sell well enough to justify it (and quite rightly the beeb wouldn't allow the rights).
No. 8 is my favourite Doctor and McGann is one of my favourite actors, and while I would have enjoyed it, I prefer having so many 8th Doctor audios to listen to. There are loads of them, and they are amazing stories and so well acted by Paul, India, Sheridan etc. So, personally I am happy.
Who perceived it as a failure? The British public seemed to like it but it was the US who didn't seem that fussed.
Just look at any of the speculative press coverage from the late 90s and early 00s. Despite getting good UK viewing figures on the night, the TVM became widely known as America's failed attempt to relaunch the show.
In reality, there may have been all sorts of contractual conditions which prevented the BBC from going it alone on a prompt follow-up. However, the fact remains that the TVM's failure to 'crack America' kept Doctor Who off the air for another 9 years.
I honestly don't think he did you know. CE has spoken about turning down a role in the 50th because it was insubstantial (i.e. A quick regeneration?), and I think the main plot twist is that there's this unknown incarnation. It definitely doesn't sound like a quick rewrite as much as it does the basis of the whole story.
Exactly. The Day of the Doctor is explicitly about a previously unknown incarnation of the Doctor who does all sorts of extremely unDoctory stuff in battle. This role obviously wouldn't fit Christopher Eccleston as we saw an entire season with him as a good guy.
The "last minute rewrite" myth appears to be spread by those who want to portray Chris as a diva who let the production down at short notice. In their fevered imaginations, John Hurt is the sort of actor you throw in as an afterthought.
No. It's a shame we didn't see more McGann, as shown by the minisode he very much is the Doctor, but he already had one shot at trying to restart the series.
I do feel a series with McGann is now required though. Its like when the fans wanted the series back in 2005. There is something missing from the history of the show and that's a full series of McGann on tv.
I would adore this. Even a mini-series with Paul and Sheridan would delight me.
I voted for PM as it's what I would have wanted. However the Ecclescake brought a great hype and momentum and is probably what the series needed (I'd not daft enough to assume I'd get my own way lol).
Yes it's shame that the CE didn't stay for longer as the role i think deserves that commitment but i look back at his episodes fondly.
McCoy has actually gone on record and stated that he feels his being in the TV movie was a mistake. As stated above, it does take up a lot of time, although the failed regeneration aspect of the movie is rather crucial to the story. However, if McCoy hadn't have been in it, I'm not entirely sure they would even count McGann's movie as canon! We'd have no knowledge of how 7 changed into 8, as well as 8 to 9 (in 2005, I mean). Thankfully, both RTD and Moffat have made sure it is canon, and rightly so.
Ermmm... Yes and No. No because, as others have said, RTD wanted to start fresh and new. With a new 9th Doctor, he could easily paint the Time War backstory around him. We hadn't seen the Doctor in a very long time, and there was so much story and character potential with the idea of this awful war having changed him. Plus, there would have been TV movie baggage to deal with at the time, which would have just confused younger viewers. Moffat doesn't have it so hard in this regard. The show is now so massive, and its new fans from 2005 (me among them) have extensively dived into the classic series, so Moff can give us an 8th Doctor mini episode and not have a chunk of the audience scratching their heads, but at the time the new series had to find its feet and make a name for itself on its own. A new Doctor, fresh to the show, was essential for that.
However, despite all that, it would have been awesome to have a McGann series. He knocked it out of the park this week, and I think he could easily sit among my favourite Doctors with someone like Moff writing for him.
Plus... while Eccleston was brilliant as the Doctor, and I loved the 9th Doctor's series, I'm really not a big fan of his attitude post Who, and I feel for McGann in this regard, as he clearly loves the show and rightly feels he was never given a chance to show what he could do, at least until this week. He even offered to film a regeneration scene when they decided not to get him back, which was very good of him in hindsight, showing he does genuinely care for the show and the role of the Doctor. The less said about Eccleston in this regard, the better.
But yeah. I suppose I'd have to go with no, but damn what a good series McGann might have made. We might not see him again on the screen, but never say never. He's not exactly an old man, and DW is going nowhere!
I think since 2005 I have said, that a Classic Who Serial should have been done,
When Tennant only wanted to do the three episodes would have been ideal.
Still think there is no reason it should not be done.
I think it should start with him being a travelling nomad after say, Grace has died or something.
CE seemed very negative towards Rose to begin with.
I never saw in my mind Doctor Grace jumping in a British Police Box, rather McGanns Doctor returning to visit her as she aged.
Maybe losing Grace, going to 'war' gave us the Ecelleston Doctor.l
Comments
Who perceived it as a failure? The British public seemed to like it but it was the US who didn't seem that fussed.
This.
I can remember series 1 back in 2005 and loving every minute, its easy to look back now and not appreciate CE but not many we're doing that after The empty child first aired.
Yeah, my understanding was that it's partly because the TV Movie was a hit that the programme came back — it provided hard empirical evidence for those arguing that the late-'80s viewing figures were due to specific issues and not the public's attitude towards the programme as a whole.
If Wikipedia is accurate then "... when shown on BBC One ... it received over 9 million viewers ... (the highest drama ratings in Britain for the whole week)."
I honestly don't think he did you know. CE has spoken about turning down a role in the 50th because it was insubstantial (i.e. A quick regeneration?), and I think the main plot twist is that there's this unknown incarnation. It definitely doesn't sound like a quick rewrite as much as it does the basis of the whole story.
Guessing McGann would have stayed around for a bit longer
Not any more:)
Paul McGann is in the lead now! It is bit sad some people have turned against Eccleston but us fans require commitment.
Not all fans, CE only did one series it was great and relaunched the show. I'm thankful for that, in interviews he said he only ever was to do one series.
I'm thankful too but the show could have been successfully relaunched with Paul McGann. I wouldn't change a thing though because we got Tennant & Smith afterwards (the latter being my favourite Doctor).
As much as 'Hardcore Whoviasns' are loyal to the classic series, amongst the gernetral public, the show was a joke. Casting a perceive chattle of that era would've killed Nu-Who stone dead.
Eccelstone gave the production gravitas. He set a seismic tonal shift in the show - which only since, has been blended to overlap with that of the classic episdodes.
He was a key factor to the shows success.
This.
This never before seen incarnation is at the heart of the story and one of the game changers Moffat has thrown in for the 50th year.
Looking at the fact that only one regeneration was left off screen it's easy to see why that would provide brilliant potential for twists.
The big ending to series 7 and the foundation of the 50th would be lost without the missing Doctor.
But it would have set off lots of different paths. He likely would have wanted a longer run than just a series and Tennant may never have been chosen or written for under russell.
I do feel a series with McGann is now required though. Its like when the fans wanted the series back in 2005. There is something missing from the history of the show and that's a full series of McGann on tv.
In reality, there may have been all sorts of contractual conditions which prevented the BBC from going it alone on a prompt follow-up. However, the fact remains that the TVM's failure to 'crack America' kept Doctor Who off the air for another 9 years. Exactly. The Day of the Doctor is explicitly about a previously unknown incarnation of the Doctor who does all sorts of extremely unDoctory stuff in battle. This role obviously wouldn't fit Christopher Eccleston as we saw an entire season with him as a good guy.
The "last minute rewrite" myth appears to be spread by those who want to portray Chris as a diva who let the production down at short notice. In their fevered imaginations, John Hurt is the sort of actor you throw in as an afterthought.
I would adore this. Even a mini-series with Paul and Sheridan would delight me.
Yes it's shame that the CE didn't stay for longer as the role i think deserves that commitment but i look back at his episodes fondly.
It was SM that didn't float my boat...
Ermmm... Yes and No. No because, as others have said, RTD wanted to start fresh and new. With a new 9th Doctor, he could easily paint the Time War backstory around him. We hadn't seen the Doctor in a very long time, and there was so much story and character potential with the idea of this awful war having changed him. Plus, there would have been TV movie baggage to deal with at the time, which would have just confused younger viewers. Moffat doesn't have it so hard in this regard. The show is now so massive, and its new fans from 2005 (me among them) have extensively dived into the classic series, so Moff can give us an 8th Doctor mini episode and not have a chunk of the audience scratching their heads, but at the time the new series had to find its feet and make a name for itself on its own. A new Doctor, fresh to the show, was essential for that.
However, despite all that, it would have been awesome to have a McGann series. He knocked it out of the park this week, and I think he could easily sit among my favourite Doctors with someone like Moff writing for him.
Plus... while Eccleston was brilliant as the Doctor, and I loved the 9th Doctor's series, I'm really not a big fan of his attitude post Who, and I feel for McGann in this regard, as he clearly loves the show and rightly feels he was never given a chance to show what he could do, at least until this week. He even offered to film a regeneration scene when they decided not to get him back, which was very good of him in hindsight, showing he does genuinely care for the show and the role of the Doctor. The less said about Eccleston in this regard, the better.
But yeah. I suppose I'd have to go with no, but damn what a good series McGann might have made. We might not see him again on the screen, but never say never. He's not exactly an old man, and DW is going nowhere!
When Tennant only wanted to do the three episodes would have been ideal.
Still think there is no reason it should not be done.
I think it should start with him being a travelling nomad after say, Grace has died or something.
CE seemed very negative towards Rose to begin with.
I never saw in my mind Doctor Grace jumping in a British Police Box, rather McGanns Doctor returning to visit her as she aged.
Maybe losing Grace, going to 'war' gave us the Ecelleston Doctor.l