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Trials and Tribulations (documentary)

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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.
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