Alright, so this is a little timeline that's been knocking about my head for a few years now. Figured I'd put it down "on paper", so to speak. By no means is this a completely thorough timeline, but I've tried to make it as plausible as I can.
Anyway, are you all sitting comfortably? Good. Then we'll begin.
Anyway, are you all sitting comfortably? Good. Then we'll begin.
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Chapter One: The Ribos Divergence
Chapter One: The Ribos Divergence
Tom Baker quit Doctor Who on March 3rd, 1978, citing "creative differences". This came as a shock to everyone, but none moreso than the production staff. Baker was due to begin rehearsals for "The Ribos Operation" in only a few weeks, and shooting was scheduled for April 9th. Producer Graham Williams was pulled home from his holiday early for an emergency meeting with his superior, Head of Drama Graeme McDonald. McDonald informed Williams he had two weeks to find a new star, in addition to telling him to tone down the jokiness in the programme - this was especially ironic, as Williams was assigned to the programme to introduce that very element.
The hunt was on for Baker's successor. Assisted by George Spenton-Foster, the director assigned to "Ribos", the pair decided to look for a more serious and agreeable actor than Baker. Possible candidates were tossed around like balls on a tennis court. Ben Kingsley auditioned, but failed to make an impression on Williams and Spenton-Foster. Eventually Richard Griffiths was suggested by Spenton-Foster, who had seen him on a few episodes of ITV Playhouse. Once asked, the actor was stunned; the news of Baker's departure from the program was making headlines all over the country, and no one was quite sure who was up to the task of filling his sizable shoes. Why would they choose him of all people?!
In the production office, script editor Anthony Read and longtime Who stalwart Robert Holmes were left trying to re-write an already-finished script. Eventually, the two elected to explain the sudden change in lead actor as the White Guardian forcing the Doctor to regenerate into a form more suitable for the task at hand (ie. more serious, more to-the-point and on-task). Unfortunately, his head would take a while to readjust, causing the new Doctor to have his previous persona for most of the story until a knock on the head by a falling stone in the catacombs near Part Four's climax settled his new persona.
After much deliberation, Richard Griffiths became the fifth actor to play the part of the infamous peripatetic Time Lord. He was announced to the public on March 22nd, 1978 and began rehearsals immediately. He seemed to get on well with co-star Mary Tamm, and made a good acquaintance with John Leeson, the voice of K9. However, much like Baker, he found the actual prop a nuisance, having to get down on the floor to interact with it which was no small task, given the actor's size.
On the writing front, rewrites were doable on the next two stories ("The Pirate Planet" and "The Stones of Blood"), however, they would still carry echoes of the Fourth Doctor. But the new persona would be more-or-less settled by the story following "Stones". Indeed, by the end of "The Androids of Tara" Part Four, it was clear that the Fifth Doctor was here to stay!
The hunt was on for Baker's successor. Assisted by George Spenton-Foster, the director assigned to "Ribos", the pair decided to look for a more serious and agreeable actor than Baker. Possible candidates were tossed around like balls on a tennis court. Ben Kingsley auditioned, but failed to make an impression on Williams and Spenton-Foster. Eventually Richard Griffiths was suggested by Spenton-Foster, who had seen him on a few episodes of ITV Playhouse. Once asked, the actor was stunned; the news of Baker's departure from the program was making headlines all over the country, and no one was quite sure who was up to the task of filling his sizable shoes. Why would they choose him of all people?!
In the production office, script editor Anthony Read and longtime Who stalwart Robert Holmes were left trying to re-write an already-finished script. Eventually, the two elected to explain the sudden change in lead actor as the White Guardian forcing the Doctor to regenerate into a form more suitable for the task at hand (ie. more serious, more to-the-point and on-task). Unfortunately, his head would take a while to readjust, causing the new Doctor to have his previous persona for most of the story until a knock on the head by a falling stone in the catacombs near Part Four's climax settled his new persona.
After much deliberation, Richard Griffiths became the fifth actor to play the part of the infamous peripatetic Time Lord. He was announced to the public on March 22nd, 1978 and began rehearsals immediately. He seemed to get on well with co-star Mary Tamm, and made a good acquaintance with John Leeson, the voice of K9. However, much like Baker, he found the actual prop a nuisance, having to get down on the floor to interact with it which was no small task, given the actor's size.
On the writing front, rewrites were doable on the next two stories ("The Pirate Planet" and "The Stones of Blood"), however, they would still carry echoes of the Fourth Doctor. But the new persona would be more-or-less settled by the story following "Stones". Indeed, by the end of "The Androids of Tara" Part Four, it was clear that the Fifth Doctor was here to stay!
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Next Time: Tom speaks to the media and Graham Williams's life gets a lot harder...
Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Things you want to see happen? Tell me!
Next Time: Tom speaks to the media and Graham Williams's life gets a lot harder...
Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Things you want to see happen? Tell me!
