Devious (home video): Difference between revisions

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'''''Devious''''' is the title of an as-yet-unfinished fan-made film starring [[Tony Garner]] as an interim incarnation, the "Second-and-a-Halfth Doctor". Production began not long before [[Jon Pertwee]]'s death in [[1996]] and constituted his final known performance as the [[Third Doctor]] - possibly his final acting performance altogether, though he may have filmed his final widely-seen performance (a TV commercial) afterwards. Pertwee's scenes were videotaped in April 1995.
'''''Devious''''' is the title of an as-yet-unfinished fan-made film starring [[Tony Garner]] as an interim incarnation, the "Second-and-a-Halfth Doctor". Production began not long before [[Jon Pertwee]]'s death in [[1996]] and constituted his next-to-last performance as the [[Third Doctor]] and in acting altogether, doing his final widely-seen performance (a TV commercial for Vodaphone) afterwards. Pertwee's scenes were videotaped in April 1995.


According to the [http://www.doctorwho-devious.com official website] of the production, the film is near completion with editing and special effects left to be done. The footage has been divided into six episodes, possibly in imitation of the classic series' 25-minute length.
According to the [http://www.doctorwho-devious.com official website] of the production, the film is near completion with editing and special effects left to be done. The footage has been divided into six episodes, possibly in imitation of the classic series' 25-minute length.
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The writers posted in 2011 that they hoped to finally finish the production that year.
The writers posted in 2011 that they hoped to finally finish the production that year.


== Plot Summary ==
==Plot Summary==
''According to an official news report on the film, ''the story features The Second-and-a-half Doctor, along with his companions, attemting to stop the Daleks, who possess a machinism whitch makes time jump around. ''(Thus why in some scenes they appear older.)''
''According to an official news report on the film'', the story features The Second-and-a-Half Doctor, along with his companions, attempting to stop the Daleks, who possess a machinism whitch makes time jump around. ''(Thus why in some scenes they appear older.)''


== Cast ==
==Cast==
* "Second-and-a-Halfth Doctor" - [[Tony Garner]]
* "Second-and-a-Halfth Doctor" - [[Tony Garner]]
* [[Second Doctor]] - [[Patrick Troughton]] (via archive footage)
* [[Second Doctor]] - [[Patrick Troughton]] (via archive footage)
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* Stunt Double for Pertwee - [[Tim Pieraccini]]
* Stunt Double for Pertwee - [[Tim Pieraccini]]


== Background ==
==Background==
During the 1990s, a large number of fan-made audio, film, and video productions were undertaken to keep the ''Doctor Who'' brand alive during the so-called "wilderness years" between [[1989]] and [[2005]]. Many of these productions featured either characters who were effectively the Doctor in all but name (such as ''The Stranger'' and ''The Time Travellers''), or non-BBC-owned characters and monsters from the TV series that had been licensed direct from their creators (such as ''[[P.R.O.B.E.]]'', ''[[Downtime]]'', and ''[[Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans]]'').
During the 1990s, a large number of fan-made audio, film, and video productions were undertaken to keep the ''Doctor Who'' brand alive during the so-called "wilderness years" between [[1989]] and [[2005]]. Many of these productions featured either characters who were effectively the Doctor in all but name (such as ''The Stranger'' and ''The Time Travellers''), or non-BBC-owned characters and monsters from the TV series that had been licensed direct from their creators (such as ''[[P.R.O.B.E.]]'', ''[[Downtime]]'', and ''[[Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans]]'').


With the exception of [[Tom Baker]], all surviving Doctor actors, including Pertwee, had participated in at least one of these productions. Among fan-films, only ''Devious'' and one other (''Gene Genius'' with [[Sylvester McCoy]]) are known to have featured one of these actors playing his incarnation of the Doctor...although there is no indication that the character had been licensed from the BBC.
With the exception of [[Tom Baker]], all surviving Doctor actors, including Pertwee, had participated in at least one of these productions. Among fan-films, only ''Devious'' and one other (''Gene Genius'' with [[Sylvester McCoy]]) are known to have featured one of these actors playing his incarnation of the Doctor...although there is no indication that the character had been licensed from the BBC.


=== Release ===
===Release===
Following Pertwee's death, [[Big Finish Productions]] utilised audio of him from ''Devious'' in the 40th-anniversary audio drama, ''[[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]''.
Following Pertwee's death, [[Big Finish Productions]] utilised audio of him from ''Devious'' in the 40th-anniversary audio drama, ''[[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]''.


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The film also includes several other cameos, including [[Anneke Wills]] reprising her role as [[Polly Wright|Polly]], although she does not appear in the excerpt released to DVD.
The film also includes several other cameos, including [[Anneke Wills]] reprising her role as [[Polly Wright|Polly]], although she does not appear in the excerpt released to DVD.


== Story Notes ==
==Story Notes==
* A major factor that began production of ''Devious'' was the comparison of Garner to both Troughton and Pertwee, looking like a cross of the two. This fueled the idea of "[[Doctor Who Unbound|What if]]...the Second Doctor only regenerated halfway?"
* A major factor that began production of ''Devious'' was the comparison of Garner to both Troughton and Pertwee, looking like a cross of the two. This fueled the idea of "[[Doctor Who Unbound|What if]]...the Second Doctor only regenerated halfway?"
* Anneke Wills does not appear in the excerpt featured on the 2009 DVD release, as rights could not be secured to show the [[Cybermen]] (which appear in Wills' scenes). Similarly, the [[Dalek]]s (which also feature in the production) are not seen.
* Anneke Wills does not appear in the excerpt featured on the 2009 DVD release, as rights could not be secured to show the [[Cybermen]] (which appear in Wills' scenes). Similarly, the [[Dalek]]s (which also feature in the production) are not seen.
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* ''Devious'' and its production team were profiled on the BBC shows ''South Today'' in 2005 (although the show claimed production began in 1990) and ''South East Today'' in July 2009 (to coincide with the DVD release of ''The War Games''). Clips from the production were also seen in the "making-of" feature on the video release of ''The Curse of Fatal Death''.
* ''Devious'' and its production team were profiled on the BBC shows ''South Today'' in 2005 (although the show claimed production began in 1990) and ''South East Today'' in July 2009 (to coincide with the DVD release of ''The War Games''). Clips from the production were also seen in the "making-of" feature on the video release of ''The Curse of Fatal Death''.


=== Continuity ===
===Continuity===
* This story takes place immediately after [[DW]]: ''[[The War Games]]'' and immediately before [[DW]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'', which is at odds with the [[Season 6B]] put forth primarily by [[DW]]: ''[[The Two Doctors]]'' and [[TVC]]: ''[[Action in Exile]]''. (''The group may be unknowingly viewing a recording, and had actually picked the Doctor up during his forced regeneration at the end of [[TVC]]: [[The Night Walkers]].'')
* This story takes place immediately after [[DW]]: ''[[The War Games]]'' and immediately before [[DW]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'', which is at odds with the [[Season 6B]] put forth primarily by [[DW]]: ''[[The Two Doctors]]'' and [[TVC]]: ''[[Action in Exile]]''. (''The group may be unknowingly viewing a recording, and had actually picked the Doctor up during his forced regeneration at the end of [[TVC]]: [[The Night Walkers]].'')
* Although not addressed, the Third Doctor looking considerably older at the start of his lifetime than seen in ''Spearhead from Space'' is not necessarily an error. In [[DW]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'', it is established that a Time Lord can alter his or her body immediately after the regeneration (and is supported by [[Romana I]]'s regeneration in [[DW]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks]]''). [[DW]]: ''[[Time Crash]]'' also establishes that if two incarnations of the same Time Lord interact, it can cause one of them to appear older.
* Although not addressed, the Third Doctor looking considerably older at the start of his lifetime than seen in ''Spearhead from Space'' is not necessarily an error. In [[DW]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'', it is established that a Time Lord can alter his or her body immediately after the regeneration (and is supported by [[Romana I]]'s regeneration in [[DW]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks]]''). [[DW]]: ''[[Time Crash]]'' also establishes that if two incarnations of the same Time Lord interact, it can cause one of them to appear older.
* The Third Doctor would hear the final words he spoke to the Second-and-a-Halfth Doctor at the end of his own life, uttered by [[K'anpo Rimpoche]] to [[Sarah Jane Smith]] and [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] in [[DW]]: ''[[Planet of the Spiders]]''.
* The Third Doctor would hear the final words he spoke to the Second-and-a-Halfth Doctor at the end of his own life, uttered by [[K'anpo Rimpoche]] to [[Sarah Jane Smith]] and [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] in [[DW]]: ''[[Planet of the Spiders]]''.


== Timeline ==
==Timeline==
* This story occurs after: [[DW]]: ''[[The War Games]]'' (or [[TVC]]: ''[[The Night Walkers]]'')
* This story occurs after: [[DW]]: ''[[The War Games]]'' (or [[TVC]]: ''[[The Night Walkers]]'')
* This story occurs before: [[DW]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]''
* This story occurs before: [[DW]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]''


== External links ==
==External links==
* [http://www.doctorwho-devious.com Official ''Devious'' website]
* [http://www.doctorwho-devious.com Official ''Devious'' website]



Revision as of 18:28, 30 November 2011

Template:Nc

Devious is the title of an as-yet-unfinished fan-made film starring Tony Garner as an interim incarnation, the "Second-and-a-Halfth Doctor". Production began not long before Jon Pertwee's death in 1996 and constituted his next-to-last performance as the Third Doctor and in acting altogether, doing his final widely-seen performance (a TV commercial for Vodaphone) afterwards. Pertwee's scenes were videotaped in April 1995.

According to the official website of the production, the film is near completion with editing and special effects left to be done. The footage has been divided into six episodes, possibly in imitation of the classic series' 25-minute length.

The writers posted in 2011 that they hoped to finally finish the production that year.

Plot Summary

According to an official news report on the film, the story features The Second-and-a-Half Doctor, along with his companions, attempting to stop the Daleks, who possess a machinism whitch makes time jump around. (Thus why in some scenes they appear older.)

Cast

Background

During the 1990s, a large number of fan-made audio, film, and video productions were undertaken to keep the Doctor Who brand alive during the so-called "wilderness years" between 1989 and 2005. Many of these productions featured either characters who were effectively the Doctor in all but name (such as The Stranger and The Time Travellers), or non-BBC-owned characters and monsters from the TV series that had been licensed direct from their creators (such as P.R.O.B.E., Downtime, and Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans).

With the exception of Tom Baker, all surviving Doctor actors, including Pertwee, had participated in at least one of these productions. Among fan-films, only Devious and one other (Gene Genius with Sylvester McCoy) are known to have featured one of these actors playing his incarnation of the Doctor...although there is no indication that the character had been licensed from the BBC.

Release

Following Pertwee's death, Big Finish Productions utilised audio of him from Devious in the 40th-anniversary audio drama, Zagreus.

In 2009, BBC Video released a 12-minute excerpt from Devious as a bonus feature on the UK and North American DVD releases of the final Troughton serial, DW: The War Games; the story of Devious takes place between it and Pertwee's first televised story, DW: Spearhead from Space. This marked the first time the BBC has released a fan film of this nature, although it is uncertain whether its inclusion on the DVD means it is accepted as canon and, if so, what it overrides of Season 6B.

The film also includes several other cameos, including Anneke Wills reprising her role as Polly, although she does not appear in the excerpt released to DVD.

Story Notes

  • A major factor that began production of Devious was the comparison of Garner to both Troughton and Pertwee, looking like a cross of the two. This fueled the idea of "What if...the Second Doctor only regenerated halfway?"
  • Anneke Wills does not appear in the excerpt featured on the 2009 DVD release, as rights could not be secured to show the Cybermen (which appear in Wills' scenes). Similarly, the Daleks (which also feature in the production) are not seen.
  • The TARDIS console and walls, along with the Dalek props, were borrowed in 1999 for use in The Curse of Fatal Death. In 2004, the TARDIS set was borrowed for use in a four-part news report on the history of Doctor Who. The TARDIS exterior (not seen in Curse), complete with Yale key-and-lock, has also appeared in a few retrospectives.
  • When Jon Pertwee agreed to reprise his role in 1995, the console room was overhauled – the walls were upgraded from simply having photocopied roundels on cardboard to using cut-out roundels on hardboard, while the console itself was upgraded from a small foot-long model to a full-sized one. Most scenes that had been filmed up to that point using the old console room were reshot using the new console/walls. However, a few brief shots using the original walls can be seen in the 2009 excerpt.
  • For at least the excerpt, the open and close are from the Second and Third Doctor eras, respectively.
  • The website claims that Devious was "something only intended for our friends to see and enjoy - the website being the documenting of the film-making experience - hence you may see images, not clips from the production", implying that the finished product will not see mass release.
  • Devious and its production team were profiled on the BBC shows South Today in 2005 (although the show claimed production began in 1990) and South East Today in July 2009 (to coincide with the DVD release of The War Games). Clips from the production were also seen in the "making-of" feature on the video release of The Curse of Fatal Death.

Continuity

Timeline

External links