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{{Rename|The Pilot Episode (TV story) as it was aired in 1991}} | |||
{{retitle|"The Pilot Episode"}} | {{retitle|"The Pilot Episode"}} | ||
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{{invalid}} | {{invalid}} | ||
{{Infobox Story | {{Infobox Story SMW | ||
|name = "The Pilot Episode" | |name = "The Pilot Episode" | ||
|image = | |image = Pilot Episode title card.jpg | ||
|adapted into = An Unearthly Child (TV story) | |||
|series = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]] | |series = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]] | ||
|doctor = First Doctor | |doctor = First Doctor | ||
|companions = [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] | |companions = [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] | ||
|featuring = [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]], [[Barbara Wright|Barbara]] | |||
|year = [[London]], [[1963]] | |year = [[London]], [[1963]] | ||
|writer = | |writer = Anthony Coburn | ||
|director = [[Waris Hussein]] | |director = [[Waris Hussein]] | ||
|producer = [[Verity Lambert]] | |producer = [[Verity Lambert]] | ||
|broadcast date = | |broadcast date = 26 August 1991 | ||
|network = BBC Two | |||
|format = 1 episode, 25 minutes | |format = 1 episode, 25 minutes | ||
|production code = | |production code = | ||
|made next = An Unearthly Child (TV story) | |||
|made next | |||
}}{{you may|The Pilot (TV story)}} | }}{{you may|The Pilot (TV story)}} | ||
'''"The Pilot Episode"''' is a name used to market the first recording of the individual episode, "[[An Unearthly Child (episode)|An Unearthly Child]]". The term is not strictly accurate, as pilots did not exist in the British television industry in [[1963 (production)|1963]]. It is sometimes imprecisely called "the first episode of ''[[Doctor Who]]''", but this suggests a difference from "An Unearthly Child" which can't fairly be said to exist. It is merely a different version of the first episode of ''Doctor Who'', which was not broadcast because [[Sydney Newman]] thought it had too many technical flaws and misjudged characterisations. | '''"The Pilot Episode"''' is a name used to market the first recording of the individual episode, "[[An Unearthly Child (episode)|An Unearthly Child]]". The term is not strictly accurate, as pilots did not exist in the British television industry in [[1963 (production)|1963]]. It is sometimes imprecisely called "the first episode of ''[[Doctor Who]]''", but this suggests a difference from "An Unearthly Child" which can't fairly be said to exist. It is merely a different version of the first episode of ''Doctor Who'', which was not broadcast because [[Sydney Newman]] thought it had too many technical flaws and misjudged characterisations. | ||
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Five different editions of this initial take on ''"Unearthly"'' have been made available to the public over the years, creating some ambiguity over what is meant by "the pilot". | Five different editions of this initial take on ''"Unearthly"'' have been made available to the public over the years, creating some ambiguity over what is meant by "the pilot". | ||
The actual plots of the two recordings of ''"Unearthly"'' are insignificantly different. Nevertheless, all of "the pilot"'s subsequent editions had obvious differences with "An Unearthly Child" as broadcast, especially in performances and technical recording flaws. Only a handful of lines of dialogue differ in the pilot and ''"Unearthly"'', but they suggest things about the character and | The actual plots of the two recordings of ''"Unearthly"'' are insignificantly different. Nevertheless, all of "the pilot"'s subsequent editions had obvious differences with "An Unearthly Child" as broadcast, especially in performances and technical recording flaws. Only a handful of lines of dialogue differ in the pilot and ''"Unearthly"'', but they suggest things about the character and backstory of [[the Doctor]] which would be hard to reconcile with the general characterisation they later gained. | ||
No edition of "the pilot" was broadcast until 1991 and fans could not easily compare the various editions of "the pilot" until multiple versions were released on a [[The Beginning (DVD box set)|single DVD]] in 2006. | No edition of "the pilot" was broadcast until 1991 and fans could not easily compare the various editions of "the pilot" until multiple versions were released on a [[The Beginning (DVD box set)|single DVD]] in 2006. | ||
== Synopsis == | == Synopsis == | ||
School teachers [[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright]] are curious about their student [[Susan Foreman]]. She is brilliant in many areas of science and history but is ignorant of mundane matters, such as how many [[shilling]]s make a [[ | School teachers [[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright]] are curious about their student [[Susan Foreman]]. She is brilliant in many areas of science and history but is ignorant of mundane matters, such as how many [[shilling]]s make a [[pound sterling]]. They follow her home one evening to discover that she seems to live in a [[police box]] in a [[76 Totter's Lane|junkyard]]. Soon after meeting the girl's irascible [[First Doctor|grandfather]], they find the police box is in fact a fantastic vessel, [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]], capable of travelling through [[space]] and [[time]]. Fearful that the schoolteachers will tell others what they have seen, the mysterious old man, [[the Doctor]], activates the machine's controls and whisks them away from the world they know... | ||
== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
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* [[Associate Producer]] - [[Mervyn Pinfield]] | * [[Associate Producer]] - [[Mervyn Pinfield]] | ||
* [[Story Editor]] - [[David Whitaker]] | * [[Story Editor]] - [[David Whitaker]] | ||
* [[Director]] - [[Waris Hussein]] | * [[Director (crew)|Director]] - [[Waris Hussein]] | ||
* [[Producer]] - [[Verity Lambert]] | * [[Producer]] - [[Verity Lambert]] | ||
== | == Notes == | ||
* A copy of this episode exists on [[16mm telerecordings]]. It was discovered in 1978 in a mislabelled film can and is currently held in the [[BBC's Film and Videotape Library]]. | * A copy of this episode exists on [[16mm telerecordings]]. It was discovered in 1978 in a mislabelled film can and is currently held in the [[BBC's Film and Videotape Library]]. | ||
* Version 2 of the Pilot was broadcast on [[BBC Two]] on [[26 August (releases)|26 August]] 1991 as part of ''[[The Lime Grove Story]]'', a series of programs marking the closure of [[Lime Grove Studios]] where the episode had first been recorded. It consisted of Section 1 and Section 2 part 1. The documentary also featured a parody sketch with the ''Doctor Who'' policeman. | * Version 2 of the Pilot was broadcast on [[BBC Two]] on [[26 August (releases)|26 August]] 1991 as part of ''[[The Lime Grove Story]]'', a series of programs marking the closure of [[Lime Grove Studios]] where the episode had first been recorded. It consisted of Section 1 and Section 2 part 1. The documentary also featured a parody sketch with the ''Doctor Who'' policeman. | ||
* After viewing the original pilot [[Sydney Newman]] decided that the episode needed to be remade. He even described this version as "...the worst piece of work I've seen in a long time." ([[Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition 12 - In Their Own Words: Volume One 1963-69|In Their Own Words Volume One]]) As well as numerous technical and dialogue problems, changes were also made to the story. These mostly consisted of changing the characters of the [[First Doctor]] and [[Susan Foreman|Susan]]. The Doctor was made more | * After viewing the original pilot, [[Sydney Newman]] decided that the episode needed to be remade. He even described this version as ''"...the worst piece of work I've seen in a long time."'' ([[Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition 12 - In Their Own Words: Volume One 1963-69|In Their Own Words Volume One]]) As well as numerous technical and dialogue problems, changes were also made to the story. These mostly consisted of changing the characters of the [[First Doctor]] and [[Susan Foreman|Susan]]. The Doctor was made more likeable and less confrontational, and Susan less [[alien]], notably her costume, originally very futuristic, was made to look more childlike in the second version. Newman acknowledged Captain [[Nemo]] as a major influence in his original concept for the Doctor's character and personality. | ||
* [[Fred Rawlings]] was the actor who played the policeman in the pilot. He was replaced by Reg Cranfield when the episode was remounted. Otherwise all other noticeable cast members, including the two girls seen gossiping immediately before Barbara's introduction, were retained for the remount. | * [[Fred Rawlings]] was the actor who played the policeman in the pilot. He was replaced by Reg Cranfield when the episode was remounted. Otherwise all other noticeable cast members, including the two girls seen gossiping immediately before Barbara's introduction, were retained for the remount. | ||
=== Deviations from ''An Unearthly Child'' === | |||
The Pilot differs in a few key points from the broadcast episode, "[[An Unearthly Child (episode)|An Unearthly Child]]". As it contains numerous discrepancies from the broadcast version, it is generally not considered valid. | |||
* A slight difference exists in the [[Doctor Who theme|''Doctor Who'' theme]] in the pilot. A thunderclap sound effect was removed for the televised version. | |||
* Rather than becoming engrossed in, and then correcting, the book on the French Revolution, Susan instead draws a mysterious, hexagonal ink blot pattern, then quickly crumples the paper once she realises what she has done. The significance of this is left unexplained, although the pattern does resemble the TARDIS console. | |||
* The Doctor wears an ordinary suit and tie, rather than his [[Edwardian era|Edwardian]] costume. | |||
* In this version, the TARDIS interior is briefly visible as Barbara forces her way through the doors. Curiously, this effect was not used in the final transmitted version. It would not become a standard effect until the series revival in 2005. | * In this version, the TARDIS interior is briefly visible as Barbara forces her way through the doors. Curiously, this effect was not used in the final transmitted version. It would not become a standard effect until the series revival in 2005. | ||
* | * The back wall of the TARDIS interior has a different design, featuring giant roundels and some sort of mechanical equipment. This was replaced by the [[fault locator]] in the broadcast version. | ||
* The | *The TARDIS prop is clean rather than battered, and more design differences are present. The rim around the sign on the telephone door is white rather than blue, the left "POLICE BOX" plaque lacks text, and the [[St John Ambulance]] logo is clearly visible rather than covered in paint. | ||
* The Doctor shows genuine anger towards [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] rather than the affection he showed in the broadcast version. At one point he refers to her as a "stupid child". | |||
* Susan says she was born in the [[49th century]], but, unlike the Doctor, doesn't directly state that they were from another planet. This was removed from the broadcast version and replaced with ''"I was born in another time, another world"'', avoiding giving a specific century and making origins more ambiguous. | |||
* Susan is depicted as being more sensual and adult in appearance and her behaviour. The original script emphasised her [[sexuality]] even more, before things were scaled back to make Susan more identifiable to children in the audience. ([[INFO]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'') | |||
=== Filming locations === | === Filming locations === | ||
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<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true"> | <gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true"> | ||
BBC SPECIAL The Hartnell Years Video.jpg|''[[The Hartnell Years]]'' | BBC SPECIAL The Hartnell Years Video.jpg|''[[The Hartnell Years]]'' | ||
Edge of Destruction Video.jpg|''[[The Edge of Destruction (TV story)|The Edge of Destruction]]'' and | Edge of Destruction Video.jpg|''[[The Edge of Destruction (TV story)|The Edge of Destruction]]'' and The Pilot Episode | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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{{TitleSort}} | {{TitleSort}} | ||
[[Category:Non-DWU television stories]] | |||
[[Category:1991 television stories]] | |||
[[Category:Television stories with unique variations of the Doctor Who theme]] | |||
[[pt:Episódio Piloto]] | [[pt:Episódio Piloto]] | ||