Arc of Infinity (TV story): Difference between revisions
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== Story notes == | == Story notes == | ||
* [[Peter Davison]] also played Omega in part four when Omega's body becomes a replica of the Doctor's, but was credited on-screen only as "The Doctor". | * The story had the working titles of ''The Time of Neman'' and ''The Time of Omega.'' | ||
*[[Peter Davison]] also played Omega in part four when Omega's body becomes a replica of the Doctor's, but was credited on-screen only as "The Doctor". | |||
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Arnold Sean Arnold] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Stewart Patrick Stewart] were considered for the role of the Castellan; [[Glyn Owen]], [[William Lucas]] and [[Maurice Denham]] were considered for Hedin; [[Peter Cushing]] was considered for Borusa; and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce_Brosnan Pierce Brosnan] was considered for Maxil. [[Colin Baker]] was cast as Maxil after [[assistant floor manager]] [[Lynn Richards]] recalled seeing Baker in ''[[w:c:blakes7:City at the Edge of the World (episode)|City at the Edge of the World]]'', a 1980 episode of ''[[Blake's 7 (series)|Blake's 7]]''. ([[TCH 36]]) | * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Arnold Sean Arnold] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Stewart Patrick Stewart] were considered for the role of the Castellan; [[Glyn Owen]], [[William Lucas]] and [[Maurice Denham]] were considered for Hedin; [[Peter Cushing]] was considered for Borusa; and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce_Brosnan Pierce Brosnan] was considered for Maxil. [[Colin Baker]] was cast as Maxil after [[assistant floor manager]] [[Lynn Richards]] recalled seeing Baker in ''[[w:c:blakes7:City at the Edge of the World (episode)|City at the Edge of the World]]'', a 1980 episode of ''[[Blake's 7 (series)|Blake's 7]]''. ([[TCH 36]]) | ||
* [[Maya Woolfe]] (Hostel Receptionist) is credited as "First Receptionist" in the combined ''[[Radio Times]]'' cast for parts three/four. | * [[Maya Woolfe]] (Hostel Receptionist) is credited as "First Receptionist" in the combined ''[[Radio Times]]'' cast for parts three/four. | ||
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* The Dutch street organ that transfixes Omega for a moment during part four is playing the song "[[Tulips from Amsterdam]]". The same music is heard during the establishing shot of Amsterdam at the start of part one. | * The Dutch street organ that transfixes Omega for a moment during part four is playing the song "[[Tulips from Amsterdam]]". The same music is heard during the establishing shot of Amsterdam at the start of part one. | ||
* [[Ian Collier]] takes on the role of Omega, originally played by [[Stephen Thorne]] in [[TV]]: ''[[The Three Doctors (TV story)|The Three Doctors]]''. To keep the return of Omega a surprise, Collier was billed in the end credits as "The Renegade" for parts one and two, with the billing becoming "Omega" for parts three and four. | * [[Ian Collier]] takes on the role of Omega, originally played by [[Stephen Thorne]] in [[TV]]: ''[[The Three Doctors (TV story)|The Three Doctors]]''. To keep the return of Omega a surprise, Collier was billed in the end credits as "The Renegade" for parts one and two, with the billing becoming "Omega" for parts three and four. | ||
* The ''Radio Times'' programme listing for part one was accompanied by a black-and-white head-and-shoulders photograph of Lord President Borusa and the Doctor labelled "New Season", with the accompanying caption "Summoned to Gallifrey, planet of all time lords — the Lord President tells the Doctor of his future: 6.45". ''(original published text)'' | * The ''[[Radio Times]]'' programme listing for part one was accompanied by a black-and-white head-and-shoulders photograph of Lord President Borusa and the Doctor labelled "New Season", with the accompanying caption "Summoned to Gallifrey, planet of all time lords — the Lord President tells the Doctor of his future: 6.45". ''(original published text)'' | ||
* Every story during [[Season 20]] featured a component of a story from the show's past. For this serial, it was [[Omega]], who last faced the first three incarnations of the Doctor in the tenth-anniversary story, ''[[The Three Doctors (TV story)|The Three Doctors]]''. | * Every story during [[Season 20]] featured a component of a story from the show's past. For this serial, it was [[Omega]], who last faced the first three incarnations of the Doctor in the tenth-anniversary story, ''[[The Three Doctors (TV story)|The Three Doctors]]''. | ||
* Tegan is the first companion to have rejoined the Doctor on his travels after having departed, although other companions/recurring characters had previously left the Doctor's company then reappeared. | * Tegan is the first companion to have rejoined the Doctor on his travels after having departed, although other companions/recurring characters had previously left the Doctor's company then reappeared. | ||
* Tegan, while playing a significant part in the serial, has no scenes on Gallifrey, thus does not interact with half of the guest cast. | * Tegan, while playing a significant part in the serial, has no scenes on Gallifrey, thus does not interact with half of the guest cast. | ||
* John Nathan-Turner nicknamed Colin Baker "Archie", because he thought he gave "the archest performance he's ever seen in rehearsal". Baker had to remove his elaborate helmet as it kept bumping into doorways and arches on the set, so he spent most of the story with the helmet under his arm, against his hip. He later said it felt like he was carrying a chicken around, and took to calling it "the chicken". | * [[John Nathan-Turner]] nicknamed [[Colin Baker]] "Archie", because he thought he gave "the archest performance he's ever seen in rehearsal". | ||
*[[Colin Baker]] had to remove his elaborate helmet (which he nicknamed Esmerald) as it kept bumping into doorways and arches on the set, so he spent most of the story with the helmet under his arm, against his hip. He later said it felt like he was carrying a chicken around, and took to calling it "the chicken". | |||
* The story was originally set in [[London]]. | * The story was originally set in [[London]]. | ||
* The original storyline involved the Doctor suffering nightmares about his regeneration, which were actually a precursor to the arrival of an entity called the Avatar, who takes on the Doctor's form and goes to Amsterdam. Operating there as Neman, the Avatar begins to take control of human minds, striving to create a form in which it will be able to permanently maintain its existence. The Doctor and Nyssa discover Neman's plot when they land in a future version of Amsterdam, which is populated by robot guards called Sweepers, the elderly Resisters, and barbaric Anarchs. Realising that history has been altered, they travel back in time to present-day Amsterdam. There, the Doctor discovers that Time Lord regeneration is the mechanism by which the Avatar is made manifest. The Avatar is defeated when the Doctor relives his own recent regeneration. | * The original storyline involved the Doctor suffering nightmares about his regeneration, which were actually a precursor to the arrival of an entity called the Avatar, who takes on the Doctor's form and goes to Amsterdam. Operating there as Neman, the Avatar begins to take control of human minds, striving to create a form in which it will be able to permanently maintain its existence. The Doctor and Nyssa discover Neman's plot when they land in a future version of Amsterdam, which is populated by robot guards called Sweepers, the elderly Resisters, and barbaric Anarchs. Realising that history has been altered, they travel back in time to present-day Amsterdam. There, the Doctor discovers that Time Lord regeneration is the mechanism by which the Avatar is made manifest. The Avatar is defeated when the Doctor relives his own recent regeneration. | ||
* Colin Baker was originally considered for the role of the Castellan. | * [[Colin Baker]] was originally considered for the role of the Castellan. | ||
* It was [[Ian Levine]] who suggested the inclusion of Omega. | * It was [[Ian Levine]] who suggested the inclusion of Omega. | ||
* Cardinal Zorac was originally called Zoral. | * Cardinal Zorac was originally called Zoral. | ||
* While visiting Amsterdam's red light district along with the cast and crew one evening, [[Janet Fielding]] was approached by a man who had mistaken her for one of the city's prostitutes. | * While visiting Amsterdam's red light district along with the cast and crew one evening, [[Janet Fielding]] was approached by a man who had mistaken her for one of the city's prostitutes. | ||
* Filming was allowed in Amsterdam so long as the story didn't involve drug smuggling, prostitution or diamond theft. | * Filming was allowed in Amsterdam so long as the story didn't involve drug smuggling, prostitution or diamond or art theft. | ||
* Colin Baker played Maxil not as a guest role, but as someone who thinks he's starring in his own series. As a result, John Nathan-Turner had to tell him that "it's called ''Doctor Who,'' not ''The Bloke Who's a Guard in the Background''". | * [[Colin Baker]] played Maxil not as a guest role, but as someone who thinks he's starring in his own series. As a result, John Nathan-Turner had to tell him that "it's called ''Doctor Who,'' not ''The Bloke Who's a Guard in the Background''". | ||
*Colin Baker was a fan of the show and delighted to play a guest role, but was also disappointed that this seemingly meant that he could never play the Doctor. | *[[Colin Baker]] was a fan of the show and delighted to play a guest role, but was also disappointed that this seemingly meant that he could never play the Doctor. | ||
*When Colin Baker was offered the role of Maxil, he was doing a play in [[Brighton]]. | *When [[Colin Baker]] was offered the role of Maxil, he was doing a play in [[Brighton]]. | ||
*Colin Baker jokes that while filming the scene where Commander Maxil shoots the Doctor, he was gunning for Peter Davison's part. Davison claimed that Baker enjoyed the scene a bit too much. | *Colin Baker jokes that while filming the scene where Commander Maxil shoots the Doctor, he was gunning for Peter Davison's part. Davison claimed that Baker enjoyed the scene a bit too much. | ||
*[[Sarah Sutton]] ripped her trousers during the crypt scene. | *[[Sarah Sutton]] ripped her trousers during the crypt scene. | ||
*Ian Collier described Omega's costume as one of the most uncomfortable experiences of his life. | *Ian Collier described Omega's costume as one of the most uncomfortable experiences of his life. | ||
*Ian Collier got burned filming the explosives scenes. They used metal plates to cover the charges. | *Ian Collier got burned filming the explosives scenes. They used metal plates to cover the charges. | ||
*Peter Davison claimed that he was planning to use a dildo he purchased in Amsterdam as a weapon to kill Omega, but because they were running behind schedule, he didn't get a chance. | *[[Peter Davison]] claimed that he was planning to use a dildo he purchased in Amsterdam as a weapon to kill Omega, but because they were running behind schedule, he didn't get a chance. | ||
*The cast found the Ergon costume laughable. [[Eric Saward]] claimed it was never described in the script and thought it was "lunatic" when he saw it. [[Johnny Byrne]] claimed it was a legitimate, "less successful attempt" at biosynthesis. | *The cast found the Ergon costume laughable. [[Eric Saward]] claimed it was never described in the script and thought it was "lunatic" when he saw it. [[Johnny Byrne]] claimed it was a legitimate, "less successful attempt" at biosynthesis. | ||
*John Nathan-Turner never explained why he wanted Tegan back or left her behind. Eric Saward thought it was contrived, while Peter Davison thought it was a "ludicrous coincidence". | *[[John Nathan-Turner]] never explained why he wanted Tegan back or left her behind. [[Eric Saward]] thought it was contrived, while [[Peter Davison]] thought it was a "ludicrous coincidence". | ||
*Sarah Sutton grew to dislike running around in Amsterdam, especially after three days of it. | *[[Sarah Sutton]] grew to dislike running around in Amsterdam, especially after three days of it. | ||
*Eric Saward claimed that John Nathan-Turner wanted to film in Amsterdam for no rhyme or reason and that all you could do is run around the streets. | *[[Eric Saward]] claimed that [[John Nathan-Turner]] wanted to film in Amsterdam for no rhyme or reason and that all you could do is run around the streets. | ||
*[[Leela]] had been written into the script, but [[Louise Jameson]] was unavailable to reprise her role. A few of Leela's actions critical to the plot were therefore given to Nyssa, resulting in a slightly unusually aggressive role for the character. | *[[Leela]] had been written into the script, but [[Louise Jameson]] was unavailable to reprise her role. A few of Leela's actions critical to the plot were therefore given to Nyssa, resulting in a slightly unusually aggressive role for the character. | ||
*The Ergon was envisaged as an assemblage of bones, inspired by the eponymous creature in ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]''. Sadly, this effect, particuarly the inclusion of a pterodactyl skull (which [[Malcolm Harvey]] wore as a hat), did not come off as intended. With no time available to modify or replace it, the costume was judged a failure. | |||
*Although [[Richard Gregory]] of [[Imagineering]] was so happy with the Omega design that he wove his initials into the design on the chestplate, this costume proved problematic. Imagineering had incorporated servos to move the flaps covering Omega's mouth, but these proved to be so loud that they could not be used. | |||
=== Influences === | === Influences === | ||
*''[[Frankenstein]]'' - ''The scene of Omega at the Punch and Judy show and interacting with a child was inspired by the 1931 film, as well as | *''[[Frankenstein]]'' - ''The scene of Omega at the Punch and Judy show and interacting with a child was inspired by the 1931 film, as well as [[The Bride of Frankenstein]].'' | ||
=== Ratings === | === Ratings === | ||
