By Cookie 'N' Screen
Before I begin, I am fresh to this series. I am seeing it through new eyes and don’t have the detailed and knowledgeable background as some may have. I thought I’d make that clear. Although I have massive love for McGann, it came from a movie basis (and the fact I have a school girl crush on him.)
Before I begin, I am fresh to this series. I am seeing it through new eyes and don’t have the detailed and knowledgeable background as some may have. I thought I’d make that clear. Although I have massive love for McGann, it came from a movie basis (and the fact I have a school girl crush on him.)
That being said, Paul McGann, what a man! Not only appearing in one of the best cult movies of all time (Withnail & I), Paul McGann has been on countless amount of television shows and movies and is pretty much one of our best actors around. But McGann is more famous for playing one iconic space travelling character in the only movie adaptation of the show. McGann was The Eight Doctor in the Doctor Who movie that was imaginatively called Doctor Who.
In the straight to Doctor Who television movie, we saw The Doctor come smashing in from Sylvester McCoy’s seventh. For those out of the loop, (don’t worry, I am just into it myself,) the film was a market to relaunch the Doctor Who series which unfortunately wouldn’t be regenerated until years later. The film starring McGann goes little something like this; The Master has been exterminated and has asked that The Doctor, who in his Seventh generation, to carry his ashes. When violent shaking inside his ashes occurs, sentient ooze trickles out of it and enters the TARDIS’ controls. Doctor crashes to Earth and is shot by San Francisco gangs. He regenerates into The Eighth Doctor with no recollection of who he is. All he knows is that The Master is coming back and there is something special about hospital worker Grace.
In the straight to Doctor Who television movie, we saw The Doctor come smashing in from Sylvester McCoy’s seventh. For those out of the loop, (don’t worry, I am just into it myself,) the film was a market to relaunch the Doctor Who series which unfortunately wouldn’t be regenerated until years later. The film starring McGann goes little something like this; The Master has been exterminated and has asked that The Doctor, who in his Seventh generation, to carry his ashes. When violent shaking inside his ashes occurs, sentient ooze trickles out of it and enters the TARDIS’ controls. Doctor crashes to Earth and is shot by San Francisco gangs. He regenerates into The Eighth Doctor with no recollection of who he is. All he knows is that The Master is coming back and there is something special about hospital worker Grace.
The movie has plenty of flaws within it and by no means is a great one. For example, Bruce (who is the Master in Disguise) is often very cheesy and very bad. Not quite live up to the legendary Master status, he is more Emperor Ming than Hannibal Lecter. And sometimes, it feels less of a Doctor Who film but rather a film that has The Doctor in it. But seeing The Doctor loose in America is pretty fun and McGann has a brilliant interpretation of the Doctor; showing that he could be different and still be The Doctor. It is enjoyable for non Who fans and Who fans alike even if at times it is strained.
Set in 1996, this film about The Doctor is often used as the gap between the older series (7 years before) and the latest incarnations (nine years later. In new Who, there have been much more of a relationship between The Doctor and his companions even choosing the fall in love with some of them. Although this new sexiness and modernisation is often credited with leather wearing Christopher Eccelston who took the role and revitalised. Actually, the first Doctor to get really close with his female friends is the dreamy McGann who copped off with Grace in the show, hinting at a more intimacy and humanity between the Doctor and those who travel with him (or not, in the case of Grace.)
Set in 1996, this film about The Doctor is often used as the gap between the older series (7 years before) and the latest incarnations (nine years later. In new Who, there have been much more of a relationship between The Doctor and his companions even choosing the fall in love with some of them. Although this new sexiness and modernisation is often credited with leather wearing Christopher Eccelston who took the role and revitalised. Actually, the first Doctor to get really close with his female friends is the dreamy McGann who copped off with Grace in the show, hinting at a more intimacy and humanity between the Doctor and those who travel with him (or not, in the case of Grace.)
It is a shame that for a while, McGann only appeared in this television movie and wasn’t used again due to ratings not being fantastic. Marking the end of the whole television show for the good part of a decade, but The Eighth Doctor didn’t die. He actually lived on in novel form. A multitude of novels gave a greater and better depth to number eight. In book form, he had countless amount of travels with companions including Sam. They kicked off explaining that The Doctor suffered amnesia again and he had to visit his pasts selves to regain the memory. Spanning from 1996 to 2005, the books sparked some great enthusiastic fans and kept the memory of eight alive. Added to this were Big Finish Audio Adventures which included famous voices and lead to something stellar happening.
If you are a Who fan and have missed this breaking news, then you can be forgiven. But last week saw the BBC released a short episode The Night of the Doctor returning Eight and McGann. While we all whooped and cheered at his return, what did it mean? What did those eight minutes bring to the series? As The Day of the Doctor looms, we get a clearer picture of exactly who John Hurt’s Doctor is. After the death of a woman, Cass, who despised his race, Eight is now ready for war and ready to fight in the midst of the Time War. Turning to the Sisterhood of Karn, the planet Cass was crashing into when The Doctor arrived. Choosing an elixir that can change a regeneration into whatever you wish, The Doctor becomes the John Hurt we know.
If you are a Who fan and have missed this breaking news, then you can be forgiven. But last week saw the BBC released a short episode The Night of the Doctor returning Eight and McGann. While we all whooped and cheered at his return, what did it mean? What did those eight minutes bring to the series? As The Day of the Doctor looms, we get a clearer picture of exactly who John Hurt’s Doctor is. After the death of a woman, Cass, who despised his race, Eight is now ready for war and ready to fight in the midst of the Time War. Turning to the Sisterhood of Karn, the planet Cass was crashing into when The Doctor arrived. Choosing an elixir that can change a regeneration into whatever you wish, The Doctor becomes the John Hurt we know.
The surprising return of McGann was also a sigh of relief. Not only did McGann act exceedingly well (one line covered me in chills,) he also blew some light into the mysterious 50th Anniversary Epsiode. As a renegade Doctor, Eight has transformed himself into a warrior and it will be interesting to see Hurt take off from that. It also anticipates more information on the Time War and how The Doctor aided the extinction of his own race.
As I said before, I am new to the series and not as well rehearsed as some. But even I can tell that McGann and Eight, after this vignette, are just aching for a spin off series. Perhaps some adaptations of his novel adventures or his own storyline. Either way, it is great to see Eight.
It’s McGann-tastic.
TTFN
As I said before, I am new to the series and not as well rehearsed as some. But even I can tell that McGann and Eight, after this vignette, are just aching for a spin off series. Perhaps some adaptations of his novel adventures or his own storyline. Either way, it is great to see Eight.
It’s McGann-tastic.
TTFN
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