The 'New' Doctor Who – An Animated Series

The 'New' Doctor Who – An Animated Series (REF: VV 5) was a Doctor Who cartoon planned by Nelvana Limited, a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971.

The Doctor and Rowan

John de Klein wrote a six-page bible dated 10 May 1991 that outlined the premise of the animated series. (REF: VV 5)

Development

In 1990, following the cancellation of the live action series, the BBC approached the Canadian animation house Nelvana to propose an animated continuation of the show. The cartoon series was to feature an unspecified Doctor incorporating elements of various BBC series Doctors and was not to be oriented to a younger audience than the live action series. It was intended to be a continuation of the cancelled series in animated form in order to save costs but with design elements that would promote merchandise sales. The show would also feature space battles which the BBC would not have been able to afford for the live action series.

Concept art was drawn by Ted Bastien, but the series was never produced. According to Bastien: "We went through a lot of development on it, then we were scripting and storyboarding it and about 4 scripts had been written. It happened really fast". The series would have been Nelvana's biggest show to date, however, according to Bastien, "it was pulled out from under us" after a British animation studio told the BBC that it could do what Nelvana intended for a much lower price.^[1]

While at least one animation cel was made^[2], the project did not proceed further and no pilot was produced. (REF: The Nth Doctor)^[3]^[4]

The 'New' Doctor Who – An Animated Series

Written: 10 May 1991

The Doctor

Nelvana's Doctor was described being "wild and whimsical" and a cross between Eric Idle of Monty Python and Ichabod Crane. He would have blonde hair, be tall and slim with a large nose and hands. His wardrobe would have been a gentleman's suit from the 1900s, a blue bowler hat, a morning coat and vest, a silk cravat, a butterfly collared shirt with question marks, and brown spats. (REF: VV 5)

Concept art was prepared depicting several possible versions of the Doctor modelled on actors such as Peter O'Toole, Jeff Goldblum and Christopher Lloyd with elements of the wardrobes of previous Doctors.^[1]

Companions

The Doctor's companion was an alien woman named Raven, a freedom fighter planet ravaged by the Daleks. She was inspired by Ace, only "just a little bit hotter!" according to de Klein. (REF: VV 5)

K9 was also planned to return. (REF: VV 5)

The show would also feature female companions from Earth.^[1]

Villains and other characters

The Master, the Cybermen, and the Daleks would all return in the series. The Daleks were going to have evolved into "sleek flying machines that glide effortlessly over any landscape" and would be able to "link with each other" and transform into Super-Daleks. (REF: VV 5)

The Master was to be "half man, half robot with a cybernetic bird accessory and a face modelled after Sean Connery."^[1]

Other characters included in Ted Bastien's concept are where an alien woman named Cellus and a Time Lord named Magnar.