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{{Infobox Documentary
{{Infobox Documentary
|image                = Trials and Tribulations.jpg
|image                = Trials and Tribulations.jpg
|subject              =[[Sixth Doctor]] era
|subject              = [[Sixth Doctor]] era
|original to DVD      = The Ultimate Foe (TV story)
|original to DVD      = The Ultimate Foe (TV story)
|original to VHS      =
|original to VHS      =
Line 27: Line 27:
|interviewee8          = Jonathan Powell
|interviewee8          = Jonathan Powell
|interviewee9          = Ian Levine
|interviewee9          = Ian Levine
|interviewee10         = Gary Leigh
|interviewee10         = Gary Leigh
|uncredited narrator  =
|uncredited narrator  =
|director              =
|director              =
Line 34: Line 34:
|broadcast date        =
|broadcast date        =
|release date          = [[29 September (releases)|29 September]] [[2008 (releases)|2008]]
|release date          = [[29 September (releases)|29 September]] [[2008 (releases)|2008]]
|runtime              = 55 minutes
|runtime              = 55'05"
}}'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a documentary released as a special feature on the [[DVD]] release of ''[[The Ultimate Foe (TV story)|The Ultimate Foe]]''. It covered the behind-the-scenes issues during tenure of the [[Sixth Doctor]], from [[Colin Baker|Colin Baker's]] casting to his departure.
}}
 
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a documentary released as a special feature on the [[DVD]] release of ''[[The Ultimate Foe (TV story)|The Ultimate Foe]]''. It covered the behind-the-scenes issues during tenure of the [[Sixth Doctor]], from [[Colin Baker|Colin Baker's]] casting to his departure.
== Sixth Doctor era ==
=== Baker's casting ===
According to [[Colin Baker]], after appearing as [[Maxil]] in three of [[Arc of Infinity (TV story)|Arc of Infinity's]] four episodes, he and his wife were invited to the wedding of an assistant floor manager a few weeks later. [[Eric Saward]], [[John Nathan-Turner]] and [[Gary Downie]] also attended.
 
Nathan-Turner would later tell Baker that he'd based his decision to cast him as the [[Sixth Doctor]] on the characteristics he'd shown during that party. Indeed, Nathan-Turner admitted that he would often advise actors playing [[the Doctor]] that "the clue to how you play it, is how you are at a party - it's just all your characteristics, one notch up."
 
Both [[Eric Saward]] and [[Ian Levine]] would later admit that they doubted the wisdom of casting Baker based on how he acted at a party.
 
=== Costume ===
[[Pat Godfrey]] was asked to design a costume that was "totally tasteless", in line with how Nathan-Turner imagined this Doctor. [[Eric Saward]] offered the idea, in his interview, that Nathan-Turner wanted to see his own style of dress reflected in this Doctor - a nod to his penchant for Hawaiian shirts. Godfrey struggled to meet the brief, with many of her designs being rejected by Nathan-Turner. Saward puts this down to her years of experience leading her to instinctively make the costume less tasteless, with more complementary colours. Eventually, according to Baker, Godfrey would create a design so tasteless that she did not expect Nathan-Turner to accept it but, to her surprise, he did.


== Topics covered ==
== Topics covered ==
* The events leading to Colin Baker's casting as the Sixth Doctor
* The events leading to Colin Baker's casting as the Sixth Doctor
* The costume design for the Sixth Doctor
* The costume design for the Sixth Doctor
*The Sixth Doctor's erratic behaviour and Peri's attitudes towards it
* The Sixth Doctor's erratic behaviour and Peri's attitudes towards it
*Commissioning writers to write for the Sixth Doctor era and [[John Nathan-Turner]]'s reluctance to preciously-used Doctor Who writers. This included the recruitment of [[Philip Martin]]
* Commissioning writers to write for the Sixth Doctor era and [[John Nathan-Turner]]'s reluctance to preciously-used Doctor Who writers. This included the recruitment of [[Philip Martin]]
*The launch and transmission of [[Season 22]], including a positive attitude between cast and crew
* The launch and transmission of [[Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 22]], including a positive attitude between cast and crew
*The controversial announcement of the 18-month hiatus
* The controversial announcement of the 18-month hiatus
*The protest/charity single ''Doctor in Distress''
* The protest/charity single ''Doctor in Distress''
*[[John Nathan-Turner]] and [[Eric Saward]]'s regrets to not leave ''Doctor Who'' following the 18-month hiatus
* [[John Nathan-Turner]] and [[Eric Saward]]'s regrets to not leave ''Doctor Who'' following the 18-month hiatus
*The radio adventure ''[[Slipback (audio story)|Slipback]]''
* The radio adventure ''[[Slipback (audio story)|Slipback]]''
*Relaunching ''Doctor Who'' as 14 episodes, 25 minutes each. This included pre-production, promotion and untransmitted footage from ''[[Season 23|The Trial of a Time Lord]]''
* Relaunching ''Doctor Who'' as 14 episodes, 25 minutes each. This included pre-production, promotion and untransmitted footage from ''[[Season 23 (Doctor Who 1963)|The Trial of a Time Lord]]''
*The departure of Peri Brown
* The departure of Peri Brown
*The casting of [[Bonnie Langford]] as new companion [[Melanie Bush]], which included unfavourable views of her casting
* The casting of [[Bonnie Langford]] as new companion [[Melanie Bush]], which included unfavourable views of her casting
*The unfavourable views of ''The Trial of a Time Lord'', including a negative view from future ''Doctor Who'' writer and producer [[Chris Chibnall]]
* The unfavourable views of ''The Trial of a Time Lord'', including a negative view from future ''Doctor Who'' writer and producer [[Chris Chibnall]]
*The death of [[Robert Holmes]], which led to the fallout between Eric Saward and John Nathan-Turner over the conclusion of ''The Trial of a Time Lord'' and the fourteenth episode's rushed rewrite
* The death of [[Robert Holmes]], which led to the fallout between Eric Saward and John Nathan-Turner over the conclusion of ''The Trial of a Time Lord'' and the fourteenth episode's rushed rewrite
*Eric Saward's controversial interview which led to him falling out with Colin Baker and John Nathan-Turner
* Eric Saward's controversial interview with ''Stardust'', which led to him falling out with Colin Baker and John Nathan-Turner
* John Nathan-Turner being forced to axe Colin Baker as the Doctor and Colin's pledge to then-BBC bosses to extend his contract in order to give him time to record a regeneration story, which ultimately never happened.
* The regrets of the Sixth Doctor's choice of clothing.
* Defending Colin Baker over the outcome of ''Doctor Who'''<nowiki/>s troubled era.
 
== Booklet synopsis ==
A documentary looking at Colin Baker's tenure as the Doctor - a particularly turbulent era in the show's history. With actors Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, producer John Nathan-Turner, script editor Eric Saward, writer Philip Martin, Pip and Jane Baker, ex-BBC Heads of Series and Serials David Reid and Jonathan Powell, continuity adviser Ian Levine and publisher Gary Leigh.


== People interviewed ==
== People interviewed ==
Line 78: Line 73:
* [[Gary Leigh]]
* [[Gary Leigh]]


== Home video releases ==
== Crew ==
''to be added''
''to be added''


== Home video releases ==
* The documentary was released on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of ''[[The Ultimate Foe (TV story)|The Ultimate Foe]]''.
{{DVDDOC}}
{{DVDDOC}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}

Latest revision as of 20:12, 22 April 2024

RealWorld.png

Trials and Tribulations was a documentary released as a special feature on the DVD release of The Ultimate Foe. It covered the behind-the-scenes issues during tenure of the Sixth Doctor, from Colin Baker's casting to his departure.

Topics covered[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The events leading to Colin Baker's casting as the Sixth Doctor
  • The costume design for the Sixth Doctor
  • The Sixth Doctor's erratic behaviour and Peri's attitudes towards it
  • Commissioning writers to write for the Sixth Doctor era and John Nathan-Turner's reluctance to preciously-used Doctor Who writers. This included the recruitment of Philip Martin
  • The launch and transmission of Season 22, including a positive attitude between cast and crew
  • The controversial announcement of the 18-month hiatus
  • The protest/charity single Doctor in Distress
  • John Nathan-Turner and Eric Saward's regrets to not leave Doctor Who following the 18-month hiatus
  • The radio adventure Slipback
  • Relaunching Doctor Who as 14 episodes, 25 minutes each. This included pre-production, promotion and untransmitted footage from The Trial of a Time Lord
  • The departure of Peri Brown
  • The casting of Bonnie Langford as new companion Melanie Bush, which included unfavourable views of her casting
  • The unfavourable views of The Trial of a Time Lord, including a negative view from future Doctor Who writer and producer Chris Chibnall
  • The death of Robert Holmes, which led to the fallout between Eric Saward and John Nathan-Turner over the conclusion of The Trial of a Time Lord and the fourteenth episode's rushed rewrite
  • Eric Saward's controversial interview with Stardust, which led to him falling out with Colin Baker and John Nathan-Turner
  • John Nathan-Turner being forced to axe Colin Baker as the Doctor and Colin's pledge to then-BBC bosses to extend his contract in order to give him time to record a regeneration story, which ultimately never happened.
  • The regrets of the Sixth Doctor's choice of clothing.
  • Defending Colin Baker over the outcome of Doctor Who's troubled era.

Booklet synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

A documentary looking at Colin Baker's tenure as the Doctor - a particularly turbulent era in the show's history. With actors Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, producer John Nathan-Turner, script editor Eric Saward, writer Philip Martin, Pip and Jane Baker, ex-BBC Heads of Series and Serials David Reid and Jonathan Powell, continuity adviser Ian Levine and publisher Gary Leigh.

People interviewed[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The documentary was released on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of The Ultimate Foe.