mom@sfmag.UUCP (M.Modig) (09/27/85)
OK, to settle once and for all, the question about the Dr. Who pilot episode, I have looked in the two Peter Haining books, "Dr. Who- A Celebration" and "Dr. Who- The Key to Time." There was only one pilot episode, but it was reshot twice. The first pilot, which was never shown, does still exist. The second pilot became the first Dr. Who episode ever shown. In the first reference mentioned above, there is some commentary on how the two shots differed: --the sound effects were different-- the title music was punctuated by thunderclaps, the TARDIS has a high pitched whine instead of the background hum we are more used to, and their was a buzzing sound effect added to the operation of the TARDIS doors. The dematerialisation of the TARDIS was done to oscillating bleeps woven in with bits and pieces of the now-familiar wheeze. --at one point the TARDIS doors refuse to shut, and stage hands have to try to shut them while remaining hidden as the actors continue with the dialogue --the Doctor (William Hartnell) is fairly nasty to Ian and Barbara (even more so than in the version finally shown) --Susan changes into futuristic garments and claims to have been born in the 49th century. In the version shown, she stays in her school clothes and she now claims memely to have been "born in another time, another world". --when the Doctor tries to dematerialise the TARDIS, all three, Susan, Ian and Barbara, try to stop him. In the version we see, only Susan tries to stop him, while Barbara and Ian, rather confused at this point, don't really catch on until it is too late. According to the second source above, "An Unearthly Child" was shot for the first time on September 27, 1963 at Lime Grove Studios, on a budget of 2000 pounds. (Between $4000 and $5000 US at the time). According to source 1, six sets were constructed: the school classroom and hallway, Ian's lab at the school, Totter's lane, the interior of the junkyard, and the TARDIS control room. Source 1 also credits the script writer, Antony Coburn, with making Susan the Doctor's granddaughter, rather than just another companion. After seeing the pilot on October 4, the BBC executives (Sydney Newman and Donald Wilson) were not happy with the Doctor's characterisation, since the show was to be on in the early even and was supposed to appeal to children. The producer, Verity Lambert, was asked to change the Doctor to be more "condescending" rather than plain malicious and downright hostile. These changes were made, along with those listed above. The story was reworked by a BBC staff writer, C.E. Webber, and the whole thing re-recorded on October 18, according to source 2, the whole go taking just three-quarters of an hour. This second recording became the first Dcotor Who episode broadcast by the BBC. Mark Modig ihnp4!sfmag!mom