An Adventure in Space and Time

Not to be confused with Adventures in Time and Space.
An Adventure in Space and Time
Written by Mark Gatiss
Directed by Terry McDonough
Starring
Theme music composer Edmund Butt
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
Production
Producer(s) Matt Strevens
Cinematography John Pardue
Editor(s) Philip Kloss
Running time 83 minutes[1]
Release
Original network BBC Two
BBC Two HD
Original release 21 November 2013 (2013-11-21)[2]

An Adventure in Space and Time is a British television drama produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the science fiction series Doctor Who. It tells the story of the show's creation with emphasis on the actor William Hartnell who portrayed the First Doctor. It is written by the Doctor Who and Sherlock writer Mark Gatiss. Details of the film were announced by the BBC on 9 August 2012, with the programme airing on BBC Two in the United Kingdom on 21 November 2013,[3] on BBC America in the United States and Space in Canada on 22 November 2013,[4] on UKTV in New Zealand on 22 November 2013[5] and on ABC1 in Australia on 24 November 2013.[6] The TV programme was shown in a pre-screening at the British Film Institute's Southbank centre on 12 November 2013.[7]

Synopsis

In 1966, William Hartnell (David Bradley) is in his dressing room at the BBC. He insults a stagehand who calls him to the set, where the delay caused by his absence is noticed. Hartnell enters in costume, ready to film his last moments as the First Doctor and stands in front of the TARDIS console.

Three years earlier, BBC executive Sydney Newman (Brian Cox) is asked to create a show that will fill the gap between Grandstand and Juke Box Jury. He has an idea for a science-fiction series with the central character being a "doctor", although he does not know of what. When he tells his colleague Verity Lambert (Jessica Raine) she is hesitant to join the project. She changes her mind when Newman asks her to be the producer, not his assistant. Lambert and the show's director, Waris Hussein (Sacha Dhawan), meet William Hartnell to offer him the lead role in what will eventually be titled Doctor Who and, despite some trepidation, he accepts.

During rehearsal, Hartnell is dissatisfied that the TARDIS lacks an interior set. Newman then compliments Hartnell's acting ability to save his producer from a troublesome conversation. However, Newman has misgivings about Lambert's handling of her job. This inspires Lambert to become more assertive and she forces the set designer to finally create the TARDIS interior. He does so effortlessly, impressing Lambert. The recording of the pilot episode is beset with difficulties; Newman dislikes the result and orders a re-shoot. Following this, he is finally contented and schedules a transmission date.

Lambert and Hussein are nervous as the broadcast of the first episode occurs the day after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and its potential audience is diminished. Newman summons Lambert and tells her of Controller of BBC1 Donald Baverstock's (Mark Eden) decision to cancel the show, but Lambert emphasises her belief in it and demands he repeat the first episode before the second is screened. For the next serial, Newman expresses his concern about the Daleks, referring to them as "bug-eyed monsters", which he refused to allow on the show since its creation. However, Lambert eventually convinces him. Following the transmission of the first Dalek story, Lambert realises its popularity when she spots children impersonating the creatures' catchphrase, "Exterminate". Newman is pleased to tell her that the programme achieved a viewership of 10 million and continued production is now assured.

As most of the original cast and crew (including Hussein and Lambert) gradually move on to other projects, Hartnell's health declines, leading him to forget lines and require scenes to be re-shot — something the BBC can ill-afford. Hartnell meets with Newman and asks for a reduced workload, but the decision has already been taken to replace him. Hartnell has grown to embrace playing the Doctor and struggles with his emotional attachment to the character; with little choice, he reluctantly accepts the situation. He breaks into tears as he informs his wife Heather (Lesley Manville) of the news, admitting that he doesn't want to leave the role.

Before his final scene, Hartnell shares a brief exchange with his successor, Patrick Troughton (Reece Shearsmith). As the cameras are about to record, Hartnell looks across the main console and sees Matt Smith, who will play the same role nearly 50 years later. Smith silently acknowledges Hartnell's legacy before disappearing as Hartnell begins the scene.

Production

Development

For the thirtieth anniversary of Doctor Who in 1993, filmmaker Kevin Davies pitched an idea called The Legend Begins to the BBC.[8] The Legend Begins would have mixed documentary interviews with those responsible for the creation of Doctor Who with a dramatised strand showing the programme's beginnings.[9] Eventually, the dramatisation idea was abandoned in favour of a standard documentary format looking at the entire history of Doctor Who, which was eventually broadcast on BBC1 as Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS in November 1993.[8] Ten years later, for the fortieth anniversary, writer and executive producer Mark Gatiss pitched the idea for the film to BBC Four, unaware of Davies's previous attempt. However, the proposal was rejected, and Gatiss was told that there was no available slot or budget.[9]

Writing

In order to make the film understandable to a general audience, not all personnel involved in the creation of Doctor Who are represented. For example, the role of original story editor David Whitaker is merged with that of associate producer Mervyn Pinfield; co-creator Donald Wilson and writer C.E. Webber are also excluded.[10]

Part of the production involved the recreation of scenes from the classic series, including missing episodes such as Marco Polo.[11] Gatiss also had ambitions to recreate the death of Sara Kingdom from The Daleks' Master Plan using original actress Jean Marsh to play the increasingly aging Sara, and to use Super 8 footage of a recreation of the Radio Times publicity photo-shoot for The Three Doctors, but the budget did not accommodate these ambitions.[10]

Filming

Principal photography for the film began in February 2013. Filming primarily took place at Wimbledon Studios in London,[12] and the BBC Television Centre;[13] it was the final drama to be recorded at the latter, which closed one month after filming concluded.[14]

Location filming took place on 17 February 2013, on Westminster Bridge in London. This involved replicas of 1960s Dalek props crossing the bridge, in a recreation of a famous scene from The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964).[15] Interior scenes replicating early Doctor Who production at Lime Grove Studios were also filmed, with replicas of early television equipment being used.[16]

Cast

A number of the cast have appeared in Doctor Who at one time or another, most notably William Russell and Carole Ann Ford. David Bradley appeared in the Series 7 episode "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship", while Jessica Raine was in the Series 7 episode "Hide", both alongside Matt Smith as the Doctor; Jeff Rawle was in the Season 21 serial Frontios with Peter Davison; Mark Eden appeared as the title character in the Season 1 serial Marco Polo with William Hartnell; Nicholas Briggs has played the voice of the Daleks since the series was revived in 2005 and Brian Cox voiced the Elder Ood in The End of Time. Jean Marsh and Anneke Wills, who both played companions to Hartnell's First Doctor also appeared during Verity Lambert's leaving party scene.

Doctor Who actors

Behind-the-scenes personnel

Others

Reception

Ratings and reviews

The drama was watched by 2.71 million viewers in the UK.[27] It was generally well received by critics, garnering a 95% "Fresh" rating (based on 14 reviews) at review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes,[28] as well as a 77 out of 100 weighted average score (based on 11 reviews) on Metacritic, indicating "Generally favorable reviews."[29]

Awards and nominations

On Monday 24 March 2014, An Adventure in Space and Time was nominated for three BAFTA Craft Awards; Suzanne Cave for 'Best Costume Design', Philip Kloss for 'Editing - Fiction' and Vickie Lang for 'Make Up and Hair Design'.[30] Lang was successful in her category, with Gemma Chan presenting her the award on Sunday 17 April 2014. Speaking to Jenni Falconer, she described how she 'absolutely loved the project, [and that] it was a hair and make up artist's dream.' [31]

Further nominations for the production from the BAFTA Awards for 'Best Single Drama' and the Hugo Awards for 'Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form' were received on Monday 7th and Saturday 19 April 2014.[32][33] The BAFTA Award was won by Channel 4's Complicit at the ceremony on 18 May.[34] The winner of the Hugo Award was announced on Sunday 17 August 2014. The award went to the Game of Thrones episode "The Rains of Castamere".

Home media

An Adventure in Space and Time was released on DVD on 2 December 2013 in the UK.[35][36] A 3 disc Blu-ray set was released in the US and Canada 27 May 2014. The set includes the feature on Blu-ray, DVD and An Unearthly Child DVD.[37][38] The special was re-released on DVD and Blu-ray on 8 September 2014 as part of a "50th Anniversary Collectors Boxset" alongside "The Name of the Doctor", "The Night of the Doctor", "The Day of the Doctor", "The Time of the Doctor" and "The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot".[39]

Soundtrack release

An Adventure in Space and Time
Soundtrack album by Edmund Butt
Released 3 March 2014
Genre Soundtrack
Length 39:15
Label Silva Screen Records

Edmund Butt's score was released by Silva Screen Records 3 March 2014.[40][41][42]

Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Main Theme – An Adventure in Space and Time"   0:38
2. "The Right Man"   1:17
3. "The First Woman Producer"   1:21
4. "I've Got an Idea..."   1:34
5. "The Daleks"   2:52
6. "Kill Dr. Who"   1:48
7. "What Dimension?"   1:24
8. "This Is My Show"   1:50
9. "Autograph Hunting"   2:31
10. "Sydney Newman"   1:00
11. "Scarlett O’Hara"   1:03
12. "Piss & Vinegar"   1:24
13. "Dressing Room"   1:18
14. "JFK Assassinated"   1:48
15. "The TARDIS"   0:57
16. "Goodbye Susan"   2:37
17. "10 Million Viewers"   0:57
18. "The Fans"   0:41
19. "I’m So Sorry Bill"   2:45
20. "Kiss Goodbye"   1:05
21. "My Successor"   1:06
22. "Isop Galaxy"   0:50
23. "Irreplaceable"   1:19
24. "The New Doctor"   3:55
25. "Time’s Up..."   1:15

References

  1. ↑ "AN ADVENTURE IN SPACE AND TIME [Doctor Who]".
  2. ↑ "An Adventure in Space and Time will air on 21st November at 9pm".
  3. ↑ "Doctor Who drama to mark show's 50th ,birthday". BBC News. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "BBC AMERICA Hosts Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Celebration in November" (Press release). BBC America Press Room. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "An Adventure in Space and Time Confirmed for New Zealand". Doctor Who News.
  6. ↑ Marcus (29 October 2013). "An Adventure in Space and Time confirmed for Australia". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "TV Preview: An Adventure in Space and Time". British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  8. 1 2 Pixley, Andrew (20 August 2003). "DWM Archive Extra: Thirty Years in the TARDIS". Doctor Who Magazine. Panini Comics (333): 26–27.
  9. 1 2 McKail, Anthony K (15 October 2003). "Gentleman's Excuse Me". Doctor Who Magazine. Panini Comics (335): 31–32.
  10. 1 2 Gillatt, Gary. "Ghosts in the Machine". Doctor Who Magazine. Panini Comics (467): 28–35.
  11. ↑ Kelly, Stephen (21 October 2013). "Mark Gatiss drama An Adventure in Space and Time to recreate missing Doctor Who episodes". Radio Times. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  12. ↑ Foster, Chuck (19 January 2013). "An Adventure in Space and Time: producer revealed". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  13. ↑ Mulkern, Patrick (20 November 2013). "Doctor Who: An Adventure in Space and Time - Mark Gatiss takes us behind the scenes". Radio Times. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  14. ↑ Patrick, Seb (18 November 2013). "Spoiler-free An Adventure in Space and Time review". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Daleks' - Invasion of Earth: 2013AD". Doctor Who. BBC. 17 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  16. ↑ Foster, Chuck (21 February 2013). "An Adventure in Space and Time: The Voice of the Daleks". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  17. ↑ "David Bradley to portray William Hartnell in Celebration of Doctor Who". Doctor Who. BBC. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  18. ↑ Foster, Chuck (13 November 2013). "An Adventure in Space and Time: new publicity images". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  19. ↑ http://www.castingcallpro.com/uk/view.php?uid=271256
  20. ↑ Foster, Chuck (22 February 2013). "An Adventure in Space and Time: Jackie Lane cast". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 "An Adventure in Space and Time" on bbc.co.uk
  22. 1 2 3 4 Mulkern, Patrick (18 February 2013). "Doctor Who – Reece Shearsmith cast as Patrick Troughton". Radio Times. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  23. ↑ Foster, Chuck (20 February 2013). "An Adventure in Space and Time: TARDIS designer cast". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 "1963: brought back to life!". Doctor Who Magazine. Panini Comics (458): 7. April 2013.
  25. ↑ Mulkern, Patrick (16–22 February 2013). "First Look". Radio Times. Immediate Media Company. 356 (4630): 17.
  26. ↑ Wiilson, Dan (21 November 2013). "Doctor Who: 17 things for Who fans to spot in An Adventure in Space and Time by Mark Gatiss". Metro. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  27. ↑ "Top 30 Programmes". BARB. 2013-12-08. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  28. ↑ "An Adventure in Space and Time". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  29. ↑ "An Adventure in Space and Time". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  30. ↑ "Television Craft in 2014". BAFTA. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  31. ↑ "Television Craft | Make Up And Hair Design in 2014". BAFTA. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  32. ↑ "Television in 2014". BAFTA. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  33. ↑ "2014 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  34. ↑ "Broadchurch wins three TV Bafta awards". BBC News. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  35. ↑ "An Adventure in Space and Time (DVD)". BBC Shop. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  36. ↑ "Doctor Who: An Adventure in Space and Time". British Video Association. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  37. ↑ "Doctor Who: An Adventure in Space and Time Blu-ray". blu-ray.com. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  38. ↑ Lambert, David (5 March 2014). "Doctor Who - 'An Adventure in Space and Time' Blu-ray/DVD Combo: Date, Cost, BONUS!". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  39. ↑ "Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary DVD Collection". Doctor Who TV. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  40. ↑ Mark Gatiss (12 December 2013). "Twitter / Markgatiss: Very happy to report that Ed". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
  41. ↑ "An Adventure In Space And Time". Doctor Who Music. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  42. ↑ http://www.doctorwhomusic.com/

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