Season 28 (Doctor Who): Difference between revisions

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It starred Richard Griffiths in his first season as the Doctor, Julia Sawalha as Katie Tollinger and John Banks as Henrick, and although they all appeared in some capacity in the previous season, this became their first full season together.

Ian Fraser and Ben Aaronovitch, took over control of the series, as Producer and Script editor respectively.

Overview

The new Script Editor

As early as 1988, Andrew Cartmel had decided that his successor was going to be Ben Aaronovitch: he hadn't told anyone, especially not John Nathan-Turner, but in his head, he had made that decision. When Ian Fraser took office as Doctor Who's new producer, he began to look for a new Script Editor, Cartmel told him very firmly that it had to be Ben Aaronovitch. With not many alternatives, Fraser agreed to hiring Aaronovitch as the new Script Editor and Michael Wearing cautiously approved of the decision.

Early Script Commissioning

Aaronovitch instantly got to work with Fraser, explaining that they already had two scripts commissioned for the season: Alixion and Night Thoughts. Fraser read through them; both were written with the Seventh Doctor and Ace, and decided that he liked Night Thoughts a lot, but that he wanted Alixion cancelled entirely as he wasn’t fond of the idea. They also agreed to have the three part Night Thoughts be the season opener, but proceeded by an extra episode set largely on the TARDIS: introducing the Eighth Doctor and extending the serial to four parts.

Introducing a second companion

Ian Fraser and Ben Aaronovitch realised that Richard Griffiths, who had been cast as the Eighth Doctor, was not as energetic or as mobile as some of his predecessors, so it was decided that a younger, male companion would be created to handle the action scenes. Instead of creating an entirely new character, Aaronovitch suggested keeping on the character of Sergeant Henrick from Blood and Iron as the new companion, with him accidentally entering the TARDIS in the first few minutes of Night Thoughts.

When it was decided to make Henrick a companion, John Banks was contracted for a season with the option of a second.

Further Script Commissions

Several more scripts were being looked at for commission for the season, but the main one that Aaronovitch was keen on was Marc Platt's script for a serial called Lungbarrow. John Nathan-Turner had vetoed its production back in Season 26, but Ian Fraser was more keen to produce it, and so, Aaronovitch commissioned it as the four part closer to the season.

A script idea by Tony Etchells, centred around the First World War was commissioned, as Fraser was very keen to do a proper historical in the season.that had a lot of real world weight to it. Finally, a script by Neil Penswick was commissioned, which had been sent back and forth through Andrew Cartmel's office over the past few years, but one that Aaronovitch was confident could be made.

Aaronovitch decided to not continue Cartmel's tradition of using a holdover script for the next season as he didn’t want to make promises to writers that he perhaps couldn’t keep, especially after what had happened to Robin Mukherjee's Alixion script.

Possible Time Slot Change

During the commissioning process, Fraser visited Jonathan Powell to see about a time slot change for the show, but Powell refused; saying that Doctor Who was better than ever in its Wednesday tea time slot. Fraser put this excuse down to Powell's well known dislike of the show and hoped that it wouldn't be long before he moved on from his role as controller of BBC1.

Cast

Regular

Recurring

Guest

Major Dickens - Bernard Kay
The Bursar - Joanna McCallam
Dr O' Neil - Andrew Forbes
Sue - Holly Aird
The Deacon - Ann Beach
Joe Hartley - Rory Bremmer
James Black - Ben Chandler
Captain Lawrence Jones - Chris Barrie
Mr. Protecue - John Cleese
Otto Muller - Paul Harman Elliott
Oliver Richards - Martin Neil
Ian Solventson - Anthony Andrews
The Warden - Michael Kitchen
Kopyion Liall a Mahajetsu - Christopher Ryan
Butler - Steve Punt
Swarf - Hugh Dennis
Archon - Jack Docherty
Spike - Roger Blake
Thomas - Gordon Kennedy
Marilyn - Cindy Shelley
Chaney - Nicholas Ball
Major John Carlson - Robert McCulley
Bulbir Singh Mann - Art Malik
Academian Brown - Richard Willis
Jarak Romer - Adam Woodyay
Ell Romer - Martina Berne
Melanie Carson - Geraldine Alexander
Glospin - Stephen Fry
Innocent - Frances de la Tour
Satthralope - Margot Van der Burgh
Arkhew - Andrew Sachs
Quences - Darren Nesbitt
Badger - David John Pope
The Other - Richard Griffiths

Television Stories

Serial	#	Title	Writer	Director	Air Date
1	1	Night Thoughts	Edward Young	Chris Clough	4 September 1991
	2				11 September 1991
	3				18 September 1991
	4				25 September 1991
2	5	Glory School	Tony Etchells & Ben Aaronovitch	Alan Wareing	2 October 1991
	6				9 October 1991
	7				16 October 1991
3	8	The Hostage	Neil Penswick	Michael Kerrigan	23 October 1991
	9				30 October 1991
	10				6 November 1991
4	11	Lungbarrow	Marc Platt	Nicholas Mallett	13 November 1991
	12				20 November 1991
	13				27 November 1991
	14				4 December 1991

Production

Crew

To be added.

Shooting blocks

To be added.

Filming

To be added.

Aliens and Enemies

Viewing Figures

To be added.

Home Media

To be added.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Series|caption1 = Title Card|doctor = [[Eighth Doctor]]|companions = [[Katie Tollinger]]
-[[Henrick]]|producer = [[Stephen Garwood]]|script_editor = [[Ben Aaronovitch]]|start_date = 07/09/1991|end_date = 07/12/1991|premier_network = BBC2|typical_episode_length = 14x25 minutes|image1 = Vlcsnap-2019-05-28-12h05m37s249.png|previous_season = [[Season 27 (Doctor Who) | Season 27]]|next_season = [[Season 29 (Doctor Who) | Season 29]]|title1 = Season 28 - 1991|prev = Season 27 (Doctor Who)|next = Season 29 (Doctor Who)|seasondesc = <center><strong> 14 episodes, comprising of 4 serials, starting with <i>[[Night Thoughts]]</i></strong></center>}}{{Realworld}}'''Season 28''' of [[Doctor Who (TV Series)|Doctor Who]], ran between [[7 September (releases)|7 September]] [[1991 (releases)|1991]] and [[7 December (releases)|7 December]] 1991.
+[[Henrick]]|producer = [[Ian Fraser]]|script_editor = [[Ben Aaronovitch]]|start_date = [[4 September (releases)|4 September]] [[1991]]|end_date = [[4 December (releases)|4 December]] 1991|premier_network = BBC1|typical_episode_length = 14x25 minutes|image1 = S28 Main.png|previous_season = |next_season = |title1 = Season 28 - 1991|prev = [[Season 27 (Doctor Who) | Season 27]]|next = [[Season 29 (Doctor Who) | Season 29]]|seasondesc = <center><strong> 14 episodes, comprising of 4 serials, starting with <i>[[Night Thoughts (serial)|Night Thoughts]]</i></strong></center>|chief_executive_producer = [[Ian Fraser]]
+and [[Ben Aaronovitch]]|aka = <i> Chapter Two </i>}}{{Realworld}}'''Season 28''' of [[Doctor Who (TV Series)|Doctor Who]], ran between [[4 September (releases)|4 September 1991]] and [[4 December (releases)|4 December 1991]].
+It starred [[Richard Griffiths]] in his first season as [[Eighth Doctor|the Doctor]], [[Julia Sawalha]] as [[Katie Tollinger]] and [[John Banks]] as [[Henrick|Henrick]], and although they all appeared in some capacity in the previous season, this became their first full season together.
+[[Ian Fraser]] and [[Ben Aaronovitch]], took over control of the series, as Producer and Script editor respectively.
-It starred [[Richard Griffiths]] in his first season as [[Eighth Doctor|the Doctor]], [[Julia Sawalha]] as [[Katie Tollinger]] and [[John Banks]] as [[Henrick|Henrick]], and although the all appeared in some capacity in the previous season, this became their first full season together.
 == Overview ==
-=== Format and chapter details ===
+=== The new Script Editor ===
+As early as 1988, [[Andrew Cartmel]] had decided that his successor was going to be [[Ben Aaronovitch]]: he hadn't told anyone, especially not [[John Nathan-Turner]], but in his head, he had made that decision. When [[Ian Fraser]] took office as Doctor Who's new producer, he began to look for a new Script Editor, Cartmel told him very firmly that it had to be Ben Aaronovitch. With not many alternatives, Fraser agreed to hiring Aaronovitch as the new Script Editor and [[Michael Wearing]] cautiously approved of the decision.
-This season consisted of four stories and twenty-five minute episodes, continuing the format in use since Season 23 in 1986. This was the second season in Chapter Two Part III of Doctor Who.
+=== Early Script Commissioning ===
+Aaronovitch instantly got to work with Fraser, explaining that they already had two scripts commissioned for the season: Alixion and [[Night Thoughts (serial)|''Night Thoughts'']]. Fraser read through them; both were written with the Seventh Doctor and Ace, and decided that he liked Night Thoughts a lot, but that he wanted Alixion cancelled entirely as he wasn’t fond of the idea. They also agreed to have the three part Night Thoughts be the season opener, but proceeded by an extra episode set largely on the TARDIS: introducing the Eighth Doctor and extending the serial to four parts.
+=== Introducing a second companion ===
+[[Ian Fraser]] and [[Ben Aaronovitch]] realised that [[Richard Griffiths]], who had been cast as the [[Eighth Doctor]], was not as energetic or as mobile as some of his predecessors, so it was decided that a younger, male companion would be created to handle the action scenes. Instead of creating an entirely new character, Aaronovitch suggested keeping on the character of Sergeant Henrick from [[Blood and Iron (serial)|''Blood and Iron'']] as the new companion, with him accidentally entering the TARDIS in the first few minutes of [[Night Thoughts (serial)|''Night Thoughts'']].
+When it was decided to make Henrick a companion, [[John Banks]] was contracted for a season with the option of a second.
+=== Further Script Commissions ===
+Several more scripts were being looked at for commission for the season, but the main one that Aaronovitch was keen on was [[Marc Platt|Marc Platt's]] script for a serial called [[Lungbarrow (serial)|''Lungbarrow'']]. John Nathan-Turner had vetoed its production back in Season 26, but Ian Fraser was more keen to produce it, and so, Aaronovitch commissioned it as the four part closer to the season.
+A script idea by [[Tony Etchells]], centred around the First World War was commissioned, as Fraser was very keen to do a proper historical in the season.that had a lot of real world weight to it. Finally, a script by [[Neil Penswick]] was commissioned, which had been sent back and forth through Andrew Cartmel's office over the past few years, but one that Aaronovitch was confident could be made.
+Aaronovitch decided to not continue Cartmel's tradition of using a holdover script for the next season as he didn’t want to make promises to writers that he perhaps couldn’t keep, especially after what had happened to Robin Mukherjee's Alixion script.
-=== Wrapping up an arc ===
-This Season also concluded the 'Cartmel Master Plan' which started in Season 25 by exploring the Doctor's backstory, hinted in Remembrance of the Daleks when the [[Seventh Doctor]] claims that he is "far more than just another Time Lord." It would conclude in the last story, where it is revealed that the Doctor was previously known as the Other and founded Time Lord society with [[Omega]] and [[Rassilon]].
-=== New titles(ish) and theme tune... again ===
+=== Possible Time Slot Change ===
+During the commissioning process, Fraser visited [[Jonathan Powell]] to see about a time slot change for the show, but Powell refused; saying that Doctor Who was better than ever in its Wednesday tea time slot. Fraser put this excuse down to Powell's well known dislike of the show and hoped that it wouldn't be long before he moved on from his role as controller of BBC1.
-While many elements remained the same from last season, one of the few changes was the title sequence. Again completely CGI by CAL Video, it retained the style of the previous titles; even managing to use the idea of a brief moment where the Doctor's face is a skull. The idea couldn't be done in the previous titles due to budget, time and technology. A new arrangement of the theme tune also debuted alongside it by Mark Ayres. Garwood's intention of it was to move away from the synth-heavy themes from the 80s and go back to it's roots by using some elements from previous themes, and to slow it down; resulting in a spooky new take on the theme.
 == Cast ==
@@ Line 22: / Line 39: @@
 === Recurring ===
-* [[Ace McShane|Ace]] - [[Sophie Aldred]]
+*[[Leela]] - [[Louise Jameson]]
-* [[Leela]] - [[Louise Jameson]]
+*[[Romana]] - [[Lalla ward|Lalla Ward]]
-* [[Romana]] - [[Lalla Ward]]
+*Voice of [[K-9]] - [[John Leeson]]
-* Voice of [[K-9|K9]] - [[John Leeson]]
+*[[Andred]] - [[Christopher Tranchell]]
+*[[Rodan]] - [[Hillary Ryan]]
+*[[Lord Ferain]] - [[John Franklin-Robbins]]
 === Guest ===
 * [[Major Dickens]] - [[Bernard Kay]]
@@ Line 64: / Line 82: @@
 == Television Stories ==
-{| class="wikitable"
+{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; margin-right:0;"
 !Serial
 !#
@@ Line 74: / Line 92: @@
 ! rowspan="4" |1
 |1
-| rowspan="4" |[[Night Thoughts|''Night Thoughts'']]
+| rowspan="4" |''[[Night Thoughts (serial)|Night Thoughts]]''
 | rowspan="4" |[[Edward Young]]
 | rowspan="4" |[[Chris Clough]]
-|[[7 September (releases)|7 September]] [[1991 (releases)|1991]]
+|[[4 September (releases)|4 September 1991]]
 |-
 |2
-|[[14 September (releases)|14 September]] 1991
+|[[11 September (releases)|11 September 1991]]
 |-
 |3
-|[[21 September (releases)|21 September]] 1991
+|[[18 September (releases)|18 September 1991]]
 |-
 |4
-|[[28 September (releases)|28 September]] 1991
+|[[25 September (releases)|25 September 1991]]
 |-
 ! rowspan="3" |2
 |5
-| rowspan="3" |[[Glory School|''Glory School'']]
+| rowspan="3" |''[[Glory School (serial)|Glory School]]''
 | rowspan="3" |[[Tony Etchells]] & [[Ben Aaronovitch]]
-| rowspan="3" |[[Barry Letts]]
+| rowspan="3" |[[Alan Wareing]]
-|[[5 October (releases)|5 October]] 1991
+|[[2 October (releases)|2 October 1991]]
 |-
 |6
-|[[12 October (releases)|12 October]] 1991
+|[[9 October (releases)|9 October 1991]]
 |-
 |7
-|[[19 October (releases)|19 October]] 1991
+|[[16 October (releases)|16 October 1991]]
 |-
 ! rowspan="3" |3
 |8
-| rowspan="3" |[[The Hostage|''The Hostage'']]
+| rowspan="3" |''[[The Hostage (serial)|The Hostage]]''
 | rowspan="3" |[[Neil Penswick]]
-| rowspan="3" |[[Christopher Barry]]
+| rowspan="3" |[[Michael Kerrigan]]
-|[[26 October (releases)|26 October]] 1991
+|[[23 October (releases)|23 October 1991]]
 |-
 |9
-|[[2 November (releases)|2 November]] 1991
+|[[30 October (releases)|30 October 1991]]
 |-
 |10
-|[[9 November (releases)|9 November]] 1991
+|[[6 November (releases)|6 November 1991]]
 |-
 ! rowspan="4" |4
 |11
-| rowspan="4" |[[Lungbarrow|''Lungbarrow'']]
+| rowspan="4" |''[[Lungbarrow (serial)|Lungbarrow]]''
 | rowspan="4" |[[Marc Platt]]
-| rowspan="4" |[[David Maloney]]
+| rowspan="4" |[[Nicholas Mallett]]
-|[[16 November (releases)|16 November]] 1991
+|[[13 November (releases)|13 November 1991]]
 |-
 |12
-|[[23 November (releases)|23 November]] 1991
+|[[20 November (releases)|20 November 1991]]
 |-
 |13
-|[[30 November (releases)|30 November]] 1991
+|[[27 November (releases)|27 November 1991]]
 |-
 |14
-|[[7 December (releases)|7 December]] 1991
+|[[4 December (releases)|4 December 1991]]
 |}
-== [[Home]] Media ==
+== Production ==
-VHS
-*[[Night Thoughts]] (1992)
+=== Crew ===
-*[[Glory School]] (1992)
+To be added.
-*[[The Hostage]] (1992)
-*[[Lungbarrow]] (1992)
+=== Shooting blocks ===
-DVD
+To be added.
-*This season released as [[the Complete Season 28 Box Set]] in July 2003.
-*The season, along with all other [[Eighth Doctor]] stories was included in [[the Complete Richard Griffiths Era Box Set]].
+=== Filming ===
+To be added.
+== Aliens and Enemies ==
+* [[Dickens (Night Thoughts)|Major Dickens]]
+* [[Buttler (The Hostage)|Buttler]]
+* [[Swarf]]
+* [[Kopyion Liall a Mahajestu|Kopyion Liall Mahajestu]]
+* [[Time Lords]]
+* [[Yssgaroth]]
+* [[Ferain|Lord Ferain]]
+* [[Glospin]]
+== Viewing Figures ==
+To be added.
+== Home Media ==
+=== To be added. ===
+[[Category:Doctor Who seasons]]
 [[Category:Doctor Who seasons]]