Doctor Who has a habit of taking a throwaway line and making it into a big deal.
In 60th anniversary special “Wild Blue Yonder”, Russell T. Davies wrote what seemed like a passing joke about Isaac Newton mishearing the word ″gravity″ as “mavity” before committing to the bit and changing the word in the timeline from that point onwards, making the gag not so inconsequential after all.
Mavity isn’t alone in the show’s history. Throwaway lines have been seized upon and expanded over the years, some by the show’s fandom, but also by its writers. What started as world-building, texture or a dramatic beat has become the foundation for a whole new level of storytelling.
Lines like these…
“The heart of the machine is under the column”
The Edge of Destruction (1964), written by David Whitaker
In this First Doctor story, set almost entirely inside the Tardis, a...
In 60th anniversary special “Wild Blue Yonder”, Russell T. Davies wrote what seemed like a passing joke about Isaac Newton mishearing the word ″gravity″ as “mavity” before committing to the bit and changing the word in the timeline from that point onwards, making the gag not so inconsequential after all.
Mavity isn’t alone in the show’s history. Throwaway lines have been seized upon and expanded over the years, some by the show’s fandom, but also by its writers. What started as world-building, texture or a dramatic beat has become the foundation for a whole new level of storytelling.
Lines like these…
“The heart of the machine is under the column”
The Edge of Destruction (1964), written by David Whitaker
In this First Doctor story, set almost entirely inside the Tardis, a...
- 4/26/2024
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Warning: contains spoilers for all episodes mentioned.
In some respects Doctor Who in the 1960s had an advantage over the rest of the show: it was brand new, it built in the loss of the lead actors into the format, and it was largely free of mythology weighing it down. Indeed, with the reveal of the Doctor’s backstory in the final story of the decade, it stands apart in the Doctor remaining a genuine mystery throughout.
It was also a time of experimentation, when Doctor Who tried different styles and genres to see what it could get away with. Occasionally the show coagulated into a consistent format, but there was also the variety of Season 2, probably the show’s most successful attempt at grimdark storytelling in Season 3, and the occasional subversive or anarchic flourish as Patrick Troughton’s Doctor shone outside a more standardised action/adventure format.
While the...
In some respects Doctor Who in the 1960s had an advantage over the rest of the show: it was brand new, it built in the loss of the lead actors into the format, and it was largely free of mythology weighing it down. Indeed, with the reveal of the Doctor’s backstory in the final story of the decade, it stands apart in the Doctor remaining a genuine mystery throughout.
It was also a time of experimentation, when Doctor Who tried different styles and genres to see what it could get away with. Occasionally the show coagulated into a consistent format, but there was also the variety of Season 2, probably the show’s most successful attempt at grimdark storytelling in Season 3, and the occasional subversive or anarchic flourish as Patrick Troughton’s Doctor shone outside a more standardised action/adventure format.
While the...
- 11/6/2022
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
It’s rare for someone to like all of Doctor Who. A fan may find some of it to have the occasional redeeming feature, but just doesn’t find it entertaining as a whole. On occasion, a run of stories isn’t what they want from Doctor Who. Fortunately the show has a solution to this: Doctor Who changes.
This has been said often enough that it feels like background noise but it’s worth stressing. Different people have made Doctor Who up as they went along, responding to different contexts as best they can. It’s unlikely you’re going to enjoy all of it, but on the bright side, the show always has been and will be different.
Depending on the role played by the BBC, the transition between production teams can be uneven. The change from producer Philip Hinchcliffe to Graham Williams in 1977 wasn’t helped by...
This has been said often enough that it feels like background noise but it’s worth stressing. Different people have made Doctor Who up as they went along, responding to different contexts as best they can. It’s unlikely you’re going to enjoy all of it, but on the bright side, the show always has been and will be different.
Depending on the role played by the BBC, the transition between production teams can be uneven. The change from producer Philip Hinchcliffe to Graham Williams in 1977 wasn’t helped by...
- 5/14/2020
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Feature Andrew Blair 19 Nov 2013 - 06:39
In this week of Doctor Who celebration, Andrew salutes just a few of the individuals whose talent and hard work made the show what it is...
In the history of Doctor Who there are many names in the end credits that always seem to stand out. For some reason, I always look out for Alec Wheal in Eighties Who credits or, since 2005, the Script Editor. Over the years there have been hundreds of unsung contributors behind the scenes, and this article seeks to celebrate a handful of those who put in one helluva slog for our benefit.
Oh, and in researching this article I discovered that Dorka Nieradzik – who worked on Logopolis, Revelation of the Daleks and Silver Nemesis to name but a few – now appears to be Clive Owen's personal Hair and Make Up Artist.
It's not really relevant or anything, but...
In this week of Doctor Who celebration, Andrew salutes just a few of the individuals whose talent and hard work made the show what it is...
In the history of Doctor Who there are many names in the end credits that always seem to stand out. For some reason, I always look out for Alec Wheal in Eighties Who credits or, since 2005, the Script Editor. Over the years there have been hundreds of unsung contributors behind the scenes, and this article seeks to celebrate a handful of those who put in one helluva slog for our benefit.
Oh, and in researching this article I discovered that Dorka Nieradzik – who worked on Logopolis, Revelation of the Daleks and Silver Nemesis to name but a few – now appears to be Clive Owen's personal Hair and Make Up Artist.
It's not really relevant or anything, but...
- 11/19/2013
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Cybermen in The Invasion
Kieran Kinsella
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, we’re taking a stroll down memory lane with some of the actors, directors, script editors and writers who worked on the show. In part one, we get a behind-the-scenes insight into the Cybermen!
Peter Hawkins (Cybermen voice Tenth Planet)
“When we did voices for the Cybermen we had to rely on this strange contraption that was made by a dentist who specialized in helping people after throat operations. It consisted of a buzzer and a hearing aid. The buzzer was mounted on a palate between your jaws and a lead ran out of your mouth. It was rather like being on the end of a fishing line. Saliva kept clogging up the buzzer. You silently mouthed words but you couldn’t use your soft palate. All the consonants sounded the same and it was very...
Kieran Kinsella
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, we’re taking a stroll down memory lane with some of the actors, directors, script editors and writers who worked on the show. In part one, we get a behind-the-scenes insight into the Cybermen!
Peter Hawkins (Cybermen voice Tenth Planet)
“When we did voices for the Cybermen we had to rely on this strange contraption that was made by a dentist who specialized in helping people after throat operations. It consisted of a buzzer and a hearing aid. The buzzer was mounted on a palate between your jaws and a lead ran out of your mouth. It was rather like being on the end of a fishing line. Saliva kept clogging up the buzzer. You silently mouthed words but you couldn’t use your soft palate. All the consonants sounded the same and it was very...
- 7/31/2013
- by Edited by K Kinsella
N Campion
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter.
This weekend 48 years ago, the people of Britain and the rest of the world were still coming to terms with the death of JFK when the BBC One announcer introduced a new kids show about an elderly man and his mysterious granddaughter. It was called Doctor Who and was only supposed to last for a few months but 48 years later Doctor Who is still going strong. We have been lucky enough to have interviewed many of the people who helped make the show great during the past five decades and you can read those interviews by clicking on the links below. Also, you probably have your own views about the best Doctor Who stories but you can click the video links below to see which stories we regard as the best of the Whoniverse.
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter.
This weekend 48 years ago, the people of Britain and the rest of the world were still coming to terms with the death of JFK when the BBC One announcer introduced a new kids show about an elderly man and his mysterious granddaughter. It was called Doctor Who and was only supposed to last for a few months but 48 years later Doctor Who is still going strong. We have been lucky enough to have interviewed many of the people who helped make the show great during the past five decades and you can read those interviews by clicking on the links below. Also, you probably have your own views about the best Doctor Who stories but you can click the video links below to see which stories we regard as the best of the Whoniverse.
- 11/18/2011
- by admin
Hit List is a handful of items that we find noteworthy, shared with you daily on our homepage. Enjoy!
Mireille Enos Discusses “The Killing” from EW.com
David Simon Plays the NPR Game “Not My Job” from NPR.org
47 Years of “Doctor Who” History in 6 Minutes from Collider.com
Reality Show Cliches We Never Want to See Again from AVClub.com
A Guide to Horror Sequels Worth Screaming About from The Playlist
Your Mission: Write, Shoot and Edit a Short Film in Under 48 Hours from 48Gfc.com (Suggested by james_knake)
10 Cinematic Technologies I’d Like to Have from GetYourFilmFix.com (Suggested by Goodfella222)
“Buffy” Characters That Deserved More Episodes from ToplessRobot.com (Suggested by katygrass)
Have an item you’d like to see featured on Hit List? Submit it here.
Mireille Enos Discusses “The Killing” from EW.com
David Simon Plays the NPR Game “Not My Job” from NPR.org
47 Years of “Doctor Who” History in 6 Minutes from Collider.com
Reality Show Cliches We Never Want to See Again from AVClub.com
A Guide to Horror Sequels Worth Screaming About from The Playlist
Your Mission: Write, Shoot and Edit a Short Film in Under 48 Hours from 48Gfc.com (Suggested by james_knake)
10 Cinematic Technologies I’d Like to Have from GetYourFilmFix.com (Suggested by Goodfella222)
“Buffy” Characters That Deserved More Episodes from ToplessRobot.com (Suggested by katygrass)
Have an item you’d like to see featured on Hit List? Submit it here.
- 4/19/2011
- by heatherc
- IMDb Blog - All the Latest
As you may have heard already this weekend, influential former Doctor Who director, producer and writer Barry Letts has sadly passed away. Barry Letts - whose association with Doctor Who began with 1967's The Enemy of the World - began his career as an actor in the 1950s before moving behind the camera to work as a director. Taking over the role of Doctor Who producer from Derrick Sherwin in 1969, Letts was in charge for the entire Jon Pertwee era of the show, as well as overseeing the...
- 10/10/2009
- by Christian Cawley info@kasterborous.com
- Kasterborous.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.