"Where Are We Going This Time": The Golden Age of Science Fiction

[Ogrebear]

Nice update.

You touched on some alt band lineups - does the whole 'boy band' thing still happen?

USSR in Eurovison? Why the heck not! Hope they win one year.

Does New Statesman still happen cos without it we might have got Blackadder 5 with Blackadder as a (in)competent Tory MP...

 

[Timelordtoe]

Supplemental: Diversity and Science Fiction​

The genre of science fiction had long since established itself as a place for the minorities of the world to be represented. Perhaps most notably, the presence of the characters of Uhura and Sulu in Star Trek: The Original Series was clear proof of this. In the case of Uhura, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. had in fact convinced Nichelle Nichols to stay on the show when she was considering leaving, as there were almost no black characters on television that were not stereotypes, or whose skin colour was not their defining characteristic.


With the resurgence of mainstream science fiction on television, networks were keen to be inclusive in their programs. In the lead-up to the release of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gene Roddenberry announced that the show would feature a homosexual character. However, as of early 1990, no such character had appeared. This, unsurprisingly, did not earn the show many favours amongst minority groups. [1]

As casting went, Doctor Who was by far the less inclusive of the two shows. All three of the main cast members were white, and though many guest stars were persons of colour, fans agreed that it would be good to see one of the future cast members be from a minority group. [2]

Doctor Who had however made itself an ally of the LGBT community. Most notably, the stigma surrounding the community during the AIDS epidemic had been tackled in the story “Blood and Fire”, a script originally written for Star Trek. While the story did have its intended effect of increasing the number of blood donors, even if the effect had been small, the main consequence was to take a big step towards breaking the stigma of having LGBT characters in mainstream television. [3]


Unfortunately, wherever there was diversity, there were those intent on removing it. NBC and the BBC both reported a large increase in hate mail directed at Doctor Who following the airing of “Blood and Fire”. Some conservative groups in both the US and UK supported boycotts of the show in the following weeks. The publicity in fact resulted in an increase in viewership of the show, as the story became sensationalised. [4]

Fundamentally, both of the “Big Two” science fiction shows had their issues, and both intended to fix them in the near future. No show was without its sins, but it was the belief of the producers of both that they could, at the very least, try to commit as few as possible.


And as a result, 1990 would prove to be an important year for inclusivity in science fiction. [5]


[1] This is, in part my fault for not writing one in by this point. A fair bit of this update is me admitting a problem with this timeline thus far. It's pretty straight-white dominated. That wasn't the plan, but the increase in diversity in the coming few years is something that had been in the plan for as long as I've been writing.
[2] No piece of work is without sin. This timeline included. I've tried to make the media a bit more inclusive where I can, but I've not done it as much as I might like.
[3] Things are a little better for the LGBT community here. The underlying issues with society aren't going to go away for a long time, but the decision to make "Blood and Fire" has caused some people to change their points of view. No one piece of work is going to change all of the people who watch it, but it will change a few every time. The best we can hope for is that every time someone does something like tackle an issue like the horrible way many homosexual people were trated during the AIDS epidemic, that a few people see the light.
[4] Boycotts often have this effect.
[5] A little hint for the future. I'm not going to try to shoehorn people in because they're from a minority though. I cast people because I think they'd be good for the role.

Alright, an update that I had planned for a while, and one that I felt I needed to make. I'm sure that my stance on certain issues is crystal clear, which shouldn't be surprising. I've done my best to avoid being preachy in this update. I might come across as a little critical of the shows, but that's not my intention. There's almost always room for improvement, and there definitely is for the two main franchises of this timeline. Things will, as they tend to, get better with time.

Definitely not my best update, and one that I doubt will be remebered as a particularly important part of the timeline, but one that I felt I ought to make. I'm going to put a little RL update up in a few minutes, as I've changed some stuff in the running order coming up.

 

[Timelordtoe]

Right, so much for daily updates.
I'm about to lie to you again, in that I plan on putting the next update up tonight. But again, it's a Friday, so I can't guarantee anything.

Regardless, there's been a little change to the running order. Last time I did one of these little updates, I had a plan for the next (at the time) nine updates. The one that just went up was update four of that list. You may recall that the five that followed were three about Doctor Who, one that was so spoiler-laden I wouldn't even tell you what it was about, and a Traveling Wilburys update. I've changed that slightly, so the next five updates will be as follows:

• Wilburys update
• Production of the next season of Doctor Who
• Release of the next season of Doctor Who
• Plot summaries of the next season of Doctor Who
• The spoilery update.

Just a little moving around, but the next update will be quite important for the next 10+ years of the timeline.
Also, the next season of Doctor Who (24 I think?) will be the first to include story ideas from my "sounding board" group. They're a group of four my four closest friends, and I use them as my sounding board for ideas. They have access to the document with the plans for the future of the timeline, and they submit ideas for stories (primarily Doctor Who) every now and then. I'm using a couple in the next season, and will give them credit where it's due.

Right, RL update over.

Nice update.

You touched on some alt band lineups - does the whole 'boy band' thing still happen?

USSR in Eurovison? Why the heck not! Hope they win one year.

Does New Statesman still happen cos without it we might have got Blackadder 5 with Blackadder as a (in)competent Tory MP...

Having done a little research, I think that the rise of the boy band may be somewhat inevitable. We'll likely see a few alternate lineups, but some might not change.

I was surprised to see that the USSR considered entering Eurovision back in '87, and thought it too good an idea to waste. As far as them winning, there's only two years until their OTL collapse, but it's not impossible for it to occur in that time. I shan't reveal my future plans.

For British sitcoms, I'm probably going to give them their own update soon, especially as Blackadder Goes Forth will be different with no Hugh Laurie involved. I've a few ideas for filling the hole though.

 

[Ogrebear]

As it is only season 3 of TNG and we don't know that much about all the characters it is not too late for Geordi to be gay, or even Riker to be bi. I also cannot imagine Data particularly caring even after Yar.

Or hell if the management don't like that at least have some male or female crew wandering the corridors hand in hand or Picard officiate a wedding of two chaps (not interrupted by red alert obviously!)

They brought in the Skant as a unisex uniform after all...

 

[Timelordtoe]

As it is only season 3 of TNG and we don't know that much about all the characters it is not too late for Geordi to be gay, or even Riker to be bi. I also cannot imagine Data particularly caring even after Yar.

Or hell if the management don't like that at least have some male or female crew wandering the corridors hand in hand or Picard officiate a wedding of two chaps (not interrupted by red alert obviously!)

They brought in the Skant as a unisex uniform after all...

I've always been a fan of the skant, even if it does sound like a dissapointing brand of potato chips. You've brought up some good possibilities, though I shan't reveal if I had any of them planned.

On a more personal note, I thank you all for a continued interest in this timeline.

 

[Timelordtoe]

Part II, Chapter XIV: "A Wilbury Twist"​

“That first album, and the formation of the Wilburys, may have been one of the most important events in my life. At the time, we knew it was going to be a lot of fun. It wasn’t anything any of us were doing for our own egos, if anything, we were doing it to help each other. I think that that’s why it worked so well, we were just five mates making some music. And it led to the revivals of all of our careers.”​

- Jeff Lynne, speaking about his career in 2017.


The success of the first Traveling Wilburys album had spurred the group on to do more collaborations. Two years later, in late 1990, their second album, The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 2 would be released. The original intention had been for an earlier release, but Roy Orbison’s recovery from his heart attack led to the recording taking more time. [1]

All five Wilburys would use Orbison’s recovery time to pursue other projects that they had been working on.



Tom Petty would finish his first solo album, following the breakup of his group “Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers”. While a solo album in name, many of his former bandmates from the Heartbreakers would appear on the album, as would all other Wilburys, barring Dylan. A critical and commercial success, the album went 5xPlatinum in the United States.


Bob Dylan would focus on his own solo efforts, collaborating less with the other Wilburys. 1989 would see his album Oh Mercy released to critical acclaim. Following a string of less than successful albums, Oh Mercy marked a turning point in Dylan’s career outside of the Wilburys. Although his follow-up album Under the Red Sky would be less successful, Dylan’s career had gained a great amount of steam by the close of 1990.


The late 1980s had proved to be a critical point in Roy Orbison’s career. He had regained his success, and was now working on a solo album, Mystery Girl, with Lynne producing. The release of Mystery Girl would be a success, with it charting higher than any of Orbison’s other solo albums had.

Following his near-death experience from a heart attack, Orbison began writing an autobiography during his recovery. Orbison had, in his mind, been given a rare second shot at stardom, and he was determined to not let it pass by. In this time, he also began working with Johnny Cash on a potential collaboration. While no such project would be in place by 1990, the two were both interested. [2]


Jeff Lynne was, like the other Wilburys, working on a solo album. Titled Armchair Theatre, the album was a success in his home country of the UK, and would chart in the US. In addition to this, Lynne would continue to find work as a prolific producer, working on both Petty and Orbison’s solo albums.

In late 1988, Lynne would be approached by Bev Bevan about the possibility of making another ELO album. Lynne declined, so Bevan created “ELO Part II” after a dispute over the name. Legally, both Lynne and Bevan owned ELO equally, so the approval of both was required to do anything with regards to it.

As a result of the Wilburys’ success, and that of the albums he had produced, Jeff Lynne’s work was undergoing something of a revival in the US and the UK at the time. In 1989, Lynne would approach Bevan about touring, but Bevan was busy working on ELO Part II. Lynne still wanted to capitalise on his renewed stardom, so he revived a project that he had had in mind for a while. [3]

Eldorado, ELO’s fourth studio album, was their first concept album, featuring a man’s dreams and his quest to find “the eternal dream”, the Eldorado of the title. In 1978, American filmmaker Kenneth Anger would re-release his 1954 work Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome using the album as a soundtrack. Since then, Lynne had been interested in producing an entire film musical around the album. [4]

However, no studios appeared interested in the project, other than George Harrison’s own HandMade Films. Fresh off of the success of 1987’s Withnail and I, Harrison saw potential in the project, and tentatively greenlit it. [5]

Harrison himself embarked on no solo projects at the time other than a tour, and the release of a compilation album of his later solo efforts.


The release of The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 2 went well, the album being well received, as its predecessor had. Critics noted the seamless combination of the groups musical styles. With two successful albums under their belt, the Wilburys began discussion of a potential third album. [6]



[1] Although Orbison's survived his heart attack, he's still been put out of cervice for a little while.
[2] While Petty and Dylan's careers are OTL, Orbison living longer means we get to see a few things that we didn't in OTL.
[3] As far as I can tell, there were no such plans, but it was an idea I really wanted to use. I'd hinted a little at this in the opener to Part II, albeit very very peripherally.
[4] Bevan and Lynne will have to agree on this, but from what I've seen, Lynne tended to be the less approving one. A potential ELO revival will likely get Bevan's interest.
[5] What's the point in co-owning a film production company if you can't help your mate make a film.
[6] This isn't the last we'll be hearing of the Wilburys.

 

[Ogrebear]

Can't say I know much about the Wilbury's, but nice to read Orbison survived.

Any chance of a Beatles reunion in this?

 

[Timelordtoe]

Part II, Chapter XV: "You Say Goodbye"​

“Our third and final season is either our worst or best, depending on who you ask, really. Some fans really liked the overarching plot of the season, especially having the first half all being one very large story, but others felt that that was a departure from what Doctor Who ‘was supposed to be’. Personally, I’m in the former category, not least because all of the courtroom scenes meant that we got the whole thing filmed a lot quicker.”​

- Denise Crosby speaking about Season 24 of Doctor Who in An Adventure in Space and Time. [1]


Doctor Who had spent two seasons on NBC now, and seemed to be holding steady in ratings. Any fears that the show would be a one hit wonder were allayed, and the production team were gearing up to make Doctor Who’s biggest season yet.

The increased budget over the classic series was not going amiss, with more notable guest stars beginning to appear. Following the main trio’s guest appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation’s third season, some of that show’s main cast would return the favour for Doctor Who’s twenty-fourth. [2]


But while all seemed well from the outside, 1990 was to be a year of large change for Doctor Who. Heeding the advice that had been given to him by Second Doctor actor Patrick Troughton, shortly after production of Season 24 began, Hugh Laurie announced his intention to depart at the end of the season. His contract expired then, and he was keen to avoid being typecast into roles similar to that of the Doctor. [3]

Without Laurie, neither Hanks nor Crosby were overly interested in staying for more time. In addition, veteran producer John Nathan-Turner was growing tired of his role, one that he had only begrudgingly taken. It would seem that season twenty-five would involve great changes for the show. Despite this, production continued on the upcoming season twenty-four. [4]


There had long been a dispute between two factions of the writing and production team over whether to start doing longer story arcs over the course of a season. Up until this point, there had been very few, and the arcs tended to be smaller. A compromise was once again reached. The first half of the season would be comprised of one larger story, split into smaller stories, themselves split into separate episodes, while the second half would consist of stand-alone stories, with the exception of the finale, which would tie into the arc.

The arc was taken from an idea that the late Robert Holmes had proposed, that the Doctor is taken back to his home planet to be punished for breaking the rules of his people. This had somewhat been tackled with the Second Doctor’s final story The War Games, but Holmes wanted to devote an entire season to it. [5]

The season would open with the Doctor’s TARDIS being overridden to take him to Gallifrey, where he would be put on trial. The ‘evidence’ presented at the trial would be the individual stories of the first half of the season. The accuser, named ‘The Valeyard’, would, at the climax of the arc, be revealed as an amalgamation of the Doctor’s darker tendencies that had been promised the Doctor’s remaining regenerations should he be found guilty.


The final episode of the season would feature the Doctor forging an uneasy alliance with the Master to defeat the Valeyard once and for all on the planet Karn, where unbeknownst to any of them, Morbius’ legendary weapons lie forgotten. [6]

Anthony Ainley, the actor portraying the Master, had expressed interest in leaving the role, as it now involved regular flights to the US for filming. He requested that he be written out of the show after the twenty-fourth season, possibly to be replaced by another actor as the Master.


For the twnety-fourth season, the producers decided that they wished to focus on primarily making new enemies for the Doctor, rather than relying too heavily on older ones. As a result, the only recurring villains to appear in the season other than the Master would be the Tractators and the Ice Warriors. [7]


Guest stars would be a real selling point of the season, with Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis, Jonathan Frakes and Christian Slater of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame appearing in roles throughout the season. [8]

They would not be alone, as upcoming star Gary Oldman would be cast as the Doctor’s to-be adversary the Valeyard, shortly before his mainstream Hollywood success. In the aftermath of the announcement of Laurie’s departure, there had been speculation that Oldman may be cast as the Eighth Doctor, but this put an end to those rumours. [9]


The release date of Season 24 of Doctor Who was set to be the 13th of May 1990, following the tradition of airing the episodes on a Sunday. This season, like its two predecessors, would consist of 26 episodes, each 45 minutes in length.

Given Doctor Who’s strength in ratings, there had been some discussion about moving the time slot and airing date, but this was stopped, as it might have caused issues with production, and resulted in a truncated or delayed season. [10]



[1] I'd like to specify that the quote refers to her time on the show, not the show on NBC.
[2] What's the point in having Doctor Who in the US at the same time as TNG if you don't have a little cast crossover every now and then?
[3] And this is why I wasn't telling you what that update is about. Three updates' time will cover the casting of Season 25 of Doctor Who and getting a new showrunner.
[4] I don't see either of them sticking around when they've spent so much time with Laurie.
[5] Alright, so it's Trial of a Time Lord. It was poorly executed in OTL, but I think it had real potential.
[6] A plot idea I have my good friend James W to thank for. I won't reveal how Jim and Ace leave until the plots update, but they've both left by now.
[7] I think that this is reasonable. They're taking a similar approach to Series 11, in trying to forge a newer image for themselves.
[8] I didn't want to use the entire TNG cast, so I only used a few. They were pretty much chosen at random.
[9] He's not quite a big star as of yet. He's yet to have a massive breakout role, with JFK, which does get butterflied by this. We may not see much of the Valeyard going forward because of this though.
[10] They've got a slot that works, and they don't want to ruin the show by moving it.

Right, this is an update I've been waiting to write for a while. This is the first of a four part Doctor Who mega-update. Next three updates are: Release of S24, Plots of S24, Casting the Eighth Doctor and their companion(s). I'll do my best to do these three next ones daily.

 

[Ogrebear]

Very interesting look at this series.

A new Doctor, Master and Companions suggests something very disastrous indeed overtakes the Tardis crew.

 

[tornadobusdriver]

This is really good! Oldman as the Valyrad is interesting casting choice. I'm hyped to see more of this season's stories. I really like the twists on trails of the timelord, and tying it into karn and morbus

 

[unclepatrick]

Doctor Who had however made itself an ally of the LGBT community. Most notably, the stigma surrounding the community during the AIDS epidemic had been tackled in the story “Blood and Fire”, a script originally written for Star Trek. While the story did have its intended effect of increasing the number of blood donors, even if the effect had been small, the main consequence was to take a big step towards breaking the stigma of having LGBT characters in mainstream television. [3]

For those who are not familiar with the Story of Blood and Fire, The Fan Film Series "Star Trek Phase 2/New Voyages did a adaption of David Gerold Script as a Star Trek TOS episode.

 

[Unknown]

Wonder how the TV show Beauty and the Beast (with Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton) goes ITTL; maybe they get a happier ending ITTL...

 

[Timelordtoe]

Hey everyone,

As you might be able to tell, it's me. Sorry about the lack of updates I was planning on doing daily, I'm ill with some unknown bug. Long story short, it's taking pretty much all of my energy and I fell constantly on the verge of passing out, which is fun. With any luck, I might get the next update out tomorrow, but I can't make any promises. I don't want to write when I'm not at my best. Believe me, I'm more frustrated than any of you are, as I can't wait to reveal who the Eighth Doctor and their companion(s) are. Anyway, I need some rest now, so I'll get back to you when I'm feeling a bit better.

Timelordtoe

 

[unclepatrick]

Hey everyone,

As you might be able to tell, it's me. Sorry about the lack of updates I was planning on doing daily, I'm ill with some unknown bug. Long story short, it's taking pretty much all of my energy and I fell constantly on the verge of passing out, which is fun. With any luck, I might get the next update out tomorrow, but I can't make any promises. I don't want to write when I'm not at my best. Believe me, I'm more frustrated than any of you are, as I can't wait to reveal who the Eighth Doctor and their companion(s) are. Anyway, I need some rest now, so I'll get back to you when I'm feeling a bit better.

Timelordtoe

Hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[Drorac]

Hey everyone,

As you might be able to tell, it's me. Sorry about the lack of updates I was planning on doing daily, I'm ill with some unknown bug. Long story short, it's taking pretty much all of my energy and I fell constantly on the verge of passing out, which is fun. With any luck, I might get the next update out tomorrow, but I can't make any promises. I don't want to write when I'm not at my best. Believe me, I'm more frustrated than any of you are, as I can't wait to reveal who the Eighth Doctor and their companion(s) are. Anyway, I need some rest now, so I'll get back to you when I'm feeling a bit better.

Timelordtoe

Sorry to hear that, take your time! We will wait in anticipation.

 

[Time Enough]

Hey everyone,

As you might be able to tell, it's me. Sorry about the lack of updates I was planning on doing daily, I'm ill with some unknown bug. Long story short, it's taking pretty much all of my energy and I fell constantly on the verge of passing out, which is fun. With any luck, I might get the next update out tomorrow, but I can't make any promises. I don't want to write when I'm not at my best. Believe me, I'm more frustrated than any of you are, as I can't wait to reveal who the Eighth Doctor and their companion(s) are. Anyway, I need some rest now, so I'll get back to you when I'm feeling a bit better.

Timelordtoe

Personal health is more important than us folks, we'll wait. Get well soon.

 

[Timelordtoe]

Part II, Chapter XVI: "A Last Hurrah"​

“Our third season was pretty melancholic for me. It always is when something you love is coming to an end. I considered staying on for more seasons, but it wouldn’t have been the same without Hugh. I’d watched a lot of Doctor Who when I was younger, so I knew that the show would live on. Although we didn’t appear in the same episode, I did get to meet the Eighth Doctor, and I knew that he would be a worthy successor to Hugh.”​

- Tom Hanks, taken from Becoming the Doctor, a 2011 documentary concerning the casting of the Doctor throughout the years. [1]


The release of a season of Doctor Who was increasingly becoming an event for television. It was one of NBC and the BBC’s more popular shows, almost certainly guaranteeing its longevity. The knowledge that the season would build to an explosive finale and the regeneration of the Doctor built a level of hype that many other shows were unable to replicate.

As they had for the previous two seasons, all three main cast members would do publicity, such as interviews, together. As the fandom in the US had grown, conventions based around Doctor Who were becoming more common, and the trio had started to appear as special guests at many of them, partially as publicity for the new seasons, but in some cases, due to their love for the show. [2]


Season 24 of Doctor Who was first aired on Sunday May 13th 1990 and was the third of the revival seasons.


List of Episodes of Season 24 of Doctor Who:

1. The Mysterious Planet (Part 1)
2. The Mysterious Planet (Part 2)
3. Blood and Iron (Part 1) [3]
4. Blood and Iron (Part 2)
5. The Hollows of Time (Part 1)
6. The Hollows of Time (Part 2)
7. A Familiar Face (Part 1) [4]
8. A Familiar Face (Part 2)
9. Terror of the Vervoids (Part 1)
10. Terror of the Vervoids (Part 2)
11. Desertion (Part 1) [5]
12. Desertion (Part 2)
13. The Ultimate Foe
14. Hostage (Part 1)
15. Hostage (Part 2)
16. Hostage (Part 3)
17. Alixion (Part 1)
18. Alixion (Part 2)
19. For Your Consideration (Part 1)
20. For Your Consideration (Part 2)
21. Paradise 5
22. Thin Ice (Part 1)
23. Thin Ice (Part 2)
24. The Valeyard (Part 1) [5]
25. The Valeyard (Part 2)
26. The Valeyard (Part 3)

Cast of Season 24 of Doctor Who:

• The Seventh Doctor – Hugh Laurie
• Ace – Denise Crosby
• Jim Baines – Tom Hanks
• The Master – Anthony Ainley
• The Valeyard – Gary Oldman

Season 24 was received well by critic and fans, though it was noted that the season was, at points, something of a mixed bag. The “Trial of a Time Lord” arc that dominated the first half of the season was praised, especially the reveal of the Valeyard, although some of the stories were considered weaker.

The finale gained special praise, with the Seventh Doctor proving that he did not need his companions, as Ace had departed in Thin Ice and Jim had departed after For Your Consideration. The departure of Hugh Laurie as the Seventh Doctor was described by one critic as “big, yet small, as he potentially saves his entire species, with nobody knowing.”


With the end of season 24, Hugh Laurie’s time as the Doctor came to an end, and the Eighth Doctor was revealed to the world… [6]


[1] This excerpt reveals a little bit about the Eighth Doctor, though not too much.
[2] The fandom in the US is growing, and as happened in the UK, the current and past cast are getting involved.
[3] While similarly titled to Gerrold's Blood and Fire, this script is penned by one Andrew Cartmel, who proposed the story for Doctor Who's unmade Season 27 in OTL.
[4] The premise for this episode comes from a good friend of mine, Martin, and it's only right that I give him credit.
[5] These two stories are the product of my good friend, and now user of this website, @Drorac, who has given me many ideas for stories going forward.
[6] But not quite yet to you, my readers, another update before we find out.

Sorry about the delay, but I've not been at my best, being ill and all. I'm pretty much better now, so I should be able to pose more frequently for the next week or so, until I go back to university.

 

[Ogrebear]

Nice post!

Good to read Hugh goes out on a high. I sorta have Anthony Head pegged as 8.

Sounds like ‘Trial’ was a lot more successful here.

 

[The Jovian]

• The Valeyard – Gary Oldman

I 100% approve of this casting choice.

 

[Timelordtoe]

Overview of Season 24 of Doctor Who​

The Mysterious Planet
The Doctor’s TARDIS is plucked out of time and space. The Seventh Doctor is put on trial by his people, the Time Lords, for breaking the First Law of Time, a law which forbids interference with alien species and galactic affairs. The Valeyard presents the transgressions, recordings depicting the Doctor’s adventures with Ace and Jim, though the Doctor is suspicious that evidence is being censored. In the first recording, the Doctor arrives on the planet Ravalox with Ace and Jim. The Doctor begins to notice similarities between Ravalox and Earth, and investigates to discover why.


Blood and Iron
The Valeyard presents his second piece of evidence. The Doctor arrives in England in 1990, answering a call from UNIT. They are investigating a researcher at Margrave University that is doing cybernetic experimentation of subjects that UNIT believes to be extraterrestrial in origin. Also at the university is a group of students that are planning on stealing the subjects for their own use. With enemies seemingly on all sides, the Doctor must work with UNIT before it is too late.

Guest Star: Marina Sirtis as Brigadier Winifred Bambera


The Hollows of Time
The Valeyard’s third piece of evidence continues directly on from the second. Not long after the events of Blood and Iron, the Doctor, Jim and Ace are seen in the TARDIS trying to recount the events of the past few days, when they travelled to meet Foxwell, an old friend of the Doctor. While there, they discover anachronistic technology, and after being shown Foxwell’s research, the Doctor determines that Foxwell is being manipulated to build a quantum gravity engine, a component necessary for time travel, and sets about stopping whatever is manipulating Foxwell.

Guest Star: Patrick Stewart as Professor Foxwell


A Familiar Face (idea by Martin)
The Valeyard’s final piece of evidence is presented. The TARDIS lands in the House of Commons of 1812 London, shortly before the assassination of Spencer Percival and the beginning of the War of 1812. Upon arrival, the Doctor discovers he bears a striking resemblance to the Prince Regent, as he is mistaken for him by the MPs. When the Doctor is taken away to a private residence, Ace and Jim try to find him, and help him escape. The public and higher ups are suspicious of Ace and Jim due to the tensions between the British Empire and the US at the time, worsened when it is discovered that there now seem to be two Princes Regent. [1]

Guest Star: Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent George


Terror of the Vervoids
The Doctor is allowed to present evidence for his defence. He chooses events from his personal future, in the hopes that it will prove that he has reformed. During the presentation, the events appear different to how they did when the Doctor reviewed them, furthering his suspicions that the evidence has been tampered with. In the year 2986, the Doctor, Ace and Jim respond to a distress call from a ship under attack from Vervoids, a plant species that were genetically engineered to be slaves. Although the Doctor is able to stop the Vervoids, he confirms that none survived the voyage, and the Valeyard charges the Doctor with genocide under Article 7 of Galifreyan law.


Desertion (idea by @Drorac)
The Doctor is able to present another piece of evidence to prove that he works to uphold historical continuity. The TARDIS lands in WWI Belgium, on the eve of the Battle of the Somme. As the battle breaks out, Ace is separated, being captured by the Entente forces, while the Doctor and Jim are captured by the Germans. Ace is believed to be a spy, and is sentenced to execution by firing squad, while the Doctor and Jim are handed to Commander Raven, a fanatically devoted officer who believes the Doctor is actually a time traveller, and threatens to kill Jim unless the Doctor reveals how to win the ongoing battle.


The Ultimate Foe
The Doctor claims that the Matrix has been deliberately altered, and when the Keeper of the Matrix is summoned, the Master appears on the Matrix’s screen. Sabalon Glitz, Ace and Jim are called to the defence, and it is revealed that the secrets on Ravalox were Time Lord in origin, and Earth was moved and ravaged to preserve them. The Doctor was used as a scapegoat, and the Valeyard, revealed to be an amalgamation of the Doctor’s evil personalities between his twelfth and final incarnations, was promised the Doctor’s remaining regenerations if he could get a guilty verdict. The Valeyard tampered with the evidence to assure this. The Doctor tries to stop the Valeyard from killing the High Council, but is stopped by the Master, who wishes to dispose of the Doctor. The Doctor is able to stop the Valeyard by destroying the Matrix’s archives. The Doctor is cleared of all charges, and offered the presidency, but opts to leave. As he leaves, the Inquisitor tasks the Keeper with the repairing of the Matrix. As he turns. The face of the Keeper is revealed to be that of the Valeyard. [2]

Guest Star: Anthony Ainley as the Master


Hostage
Right after his trial, the Doctor lands in a ruined alien compound in the future with Ace and Jim. There they meet a group of elite soldiers, who are tracking down two shapeshifting criminals, named Butler and Swarfe. The soldiers treat them with a great deal of suspicion, but they choose to help catch the criminals. When cornered, Swarfe transforms into a large monster that begins to hunt down the members of the unit. The trio must not only find a way to survive, but also to catch Butler, who remains on the run.

Guest Star: Christian Slater as Butler


Alixion
The TARDIS lands on a monastic planet inhabited by humans and large beetles. The human inhabitants produce an elixir that increases intelligence, made of secretions the beetles make when they feed on intelligent beings. Upon the arrival of the Doctor, the abbot realises that he could be used to make the most potent elixir yet, and increase his intelligence massively. Jim Is taken hostage by the monks when the Doctor discovers the truth, to prevent him from leaving. The Doctor must then compete with the abbot in a battle of wits to save Jim.


For Your Consideration
The Doctor, Jim, and Ace return to 1988 San Francisco, three days after they left. Although it has been close to three years for Jim and Ace, they are surprised to find that little has changed, and they have difficulty in fitting in to their old lives. Upon the arrival of the trio, the Valor, who tracked the Doctor down in New Beginnings plan to steal the TARDIS once more. Upon returning to his job, Jim discovers that he has been offered a position high up in another soliciting firm, one that would require he end his travels with the Doctor. After helping the Doctor and Ace to defeat the Valor for good, Jim decides to leave, citing his recent near-death experiences. They part amicably, and the Doctor offers Ace the opportunity to go, but she simply says “there’s nothing left here for me”. [3]


Paradise 5
The Doctor investigates the resort of Paradise 5 in the 35th century, while Ace goes undercover as a hostess. People have been disappearing from the resort, including a friend of the Doctor’s. They uncover a plan to steal the minds of the guests and use them to wage a multi-dimensional war, and that the Doctor’s friend has fallen prey to the trap. Fearing that the local authorities have found them out, the manager processes the remaining guests, and sets the station to fall into the local planet. While the Doctor is able to stop the plans to start a war, he is unable to save the guests, and leaves heavy hearted.


Thin Ice
The TARDIS lands in London 1968, where the Doctor and Ace find an Ice Warrior’s armour in the London Dungeons. While investigating strange occurrences, the Doctor meets Anthony Gates, an American ex-pat with underworld connections who helps him out. The Doctor, Ace and Anthony find that two Ice Warriors have reawakened and are continuing a long rivalry. After managing to return them to a post-terraforming Mars, the Doctor and Ace witness the birth of Anthony’s daughter. In thanks for saving Anthony’s life, Anthony’s wife requests that the Doctor name her daughter. He chooses the name Isabella. As they depart, Ace requests that the Doctor take her to Gallifrey, so that she may enrol in the Prydonian Academy, as the Doctor did, and become a Time Lord. The Doctor takes her to Gallifrey, and they share a teary goodbye before a lonely Doctor departs. [4]

Guest Star: Jonathan Frakes as Anthony Gates


The Valeyard (written by @Drorac)

Episode I: The Tale of Three Time Lords.

The Doctor arrives on Karn, having received a call from across the universe. There he is met with the Master, who proposes a truce. The Master reveals that he summoned him because he needs help. The Valeyard has returned and seeks vengeance on the Master. After the Doctor’s trial, the Valeyard has pursued the Master around the universe:

• He narrowly escaped him in Ancient Egypt,
• Sending his Tardis into a collision course with a Cyber Warship,
• Sending three androids to decapitate him on Mars in the 23rd century.

The Doctor rejects this proposal outright and does not understand why he should save the Master from a plan of his own making. Meanwhile, the Sisterhood are holding a meeting about the three Time Lords, and what they should do about this intervention. However ultimately, they remain indecisive, and resolve to watch closely.

Meanwhile the Doctor has followed the path to castle, only to find large proportions of it blown up, with two of the towers in cinders and holes in the wall. The Master reveals this was the Valeyard, who has uncovered a cache of Morbius’s weapons from before his execution, buried on Karn. The Doctor and the Master enter the castle and make their way into the courtyard where suddenly the doors close behind them. Laughter rings in the air as the two Time Lords make their way into the dining hall, where they find the Valeyard sitting on the throne. He is overjoyed to make good on both his aims; to kill both Time Lords. However, as the Time Lords rush towards him, his hologram fades and behind it is a small, but very powerful neutron bomb. With not a lot of time left on the clock!


Episode II: The Agreement

Having successfully defused the bomb by a combination of dexterity, luck and throwing it out the nearest window, the Doctor and the Master continue their search through the castle to find the Valeyard. After walking through the ruins of the old castle they return to the courtyard to find three members of the Sisterhood awaiting them. The Sisterhood tell the Time Lords that the Valeyard’s presence on this planet is disturbing, and the weapons he has uncovered should not be used again due to their destructive capabilities. As the Sisterhood make their leave, one of them presses a blade into the Doctor’s hand, with the promise to use it against whichever Time Lord leaves Karn with any of Morbius’s weapons.

Having left the courtyard the two Time Lords descend to the caves beneath the castle and enter, hoping to find any of the weapons that they can use against Morbius. As they enter the cave, an arrow flies past the Doctor’s ear; a Raston Warrior Robot. Admittely a bit cruder than the last one, one of Solon’s failed experiments. The robot chases the Doctor and Master through the caves. The two Time Lords end up separated in the cave system, and the Robot chooses to follow the Doctor. The Doctor continues being chased through the cave, even though the Robot has shot and arrow through his leg. He eventually stops an open box, clearly the cache of weapons although it is half emptied. The Doctor ends up with a second arrow through his arm as he falls to ground and finds what he was looking for; an ultraviolet gun. Firing it at the robot overloads the body with too much radiation causing it to explode, lacerating the Doctor with cuts.

Meanwhile the Master has escaped the robot, and escapes the caves. There he comes face to face with the Valeyard, but the Valeyard offers him a deal; he has one day to dispose of the Doctor and allow the Valeyard access to the TARDIS, in return for his life. The story ends with the two Time Lords shaking hands.


Episode III: The Last Battle

Following the Doctor’s escape from the Raston Warrior Robot, he reaches the daylight outside the cave. There he is joined by the Master, who notices the Doctor’s injuries attempts to persuade him to return to the Tardis to seek medical attention. However the Doctor refuses his request, and continues to wander out into the ruined landscape with the aim of finding himself a weapon capable of stopping the Valeyard. After limping to a nearby spaceship he finds exactly what he wants, a Dalek gun from a crashed spaceship. His injuries have taken a turn for the worst however, and he is finding it more and more difficult to walk because of the damage of his legs. After arming both himself and the Master with a weapon, he realizes he needs to return to the TARDIS, not noticing the Masters pleasure at the idea. However, as he approaches the TARDIS a massive cloud of dust approaches sweeps the Time Lords off their feet and when the dust settles, the Valeyard appears.

The Valeyard congratulates the Master on his success on getting him to the Tardis, before pulling out a laser gun and shooting the Master in one of his hearts. The Doctor is angered at the Master’s betrayal, but the Valeyard reveals he has kept the Master alive to adjudicate the final battle, a Mexican standoff between the two. The two Time Lords stand back to back, and at the count of 10 they turn around. At the count of 10, the Doctor turns around and shoots the Valeyard with the Dalek gun, at the same time, the Valeyard shoots the Doctor with his laser pistol, damaging one of his hearts. Both sink to the floor, the Valeyard dead. The Doctor crawls to the TARDIS, but the Master stands up and walks towards to the Doctor gloating, and squats down to laugh. The Doctor, using every ounce of strength, reaches in his pocket and stabs the Master with his blade. The Master cries out in pain and falls to the floor and dies. The Doctor crawls into the TARDIS, and regenerates.

The TARDIS is sent into space, where it soon crashes on Earth. [5]

A final shot reveals a post-regeneration Doctor turning to the camera, revealing his new face.

Guest Stars: Anthony Ainley as the Master, Gary Oldman as the Valeyard

Siddig El-Fadil as the Eighth Doctor [6]​

[1] I really liked this idea, I was given a concept, and sort of based a story around it. I'm pretty sure that's the plural of Prince Regent, as Regent is a descriptor, not the title.
[2] I kept this largely the same. Also, for every episode up to this point, assume that the Valeyard is in it.
[3] The eternal work-life struggle of being with the Doctor. When you're increasingly becoming the damsel in distress, you might want to leave if you have a good job lined up. Ace is still technically a wanted criminal, so it makes sense that she wouldn't want to stay.
[4] I went with the OTL plan for Ace, as it works, and it's really nice to have a character leave in order to become someone like the Doctor. One of the rare cases where acting like him doesn't end up with you dead.
[5] All of this story, up to here was written by my close friend @Drorac. If you're wondering why it's structured a little different, that's why. Almost all shows have multiple writers, so you get different styles, and I felt he'd do his idea better justice than I.
[6] Surprise! We're doing it now! Our Eighth Doctor revealed. An actor that I often see on "Who should play the Doctor" lists, but I think he'd work better young. In fact, those more observant among you may have noticed his first big role of OTL wasn't until 1992. Well, I shifted that to 1989, and made it a Doctor Who story, from last season. That was his breakout role of TTL, and it's made him a name to remember for the producers of Who here. If that's a little unbelievable, remember that he was the asked to play Benjamin Sisko, but was clearly too young, so they created Bashir for him to have a role. He'd only been in about three things before that, so I don't think it's so unreasonable. Yes, at 25 he'll be one of the youngest people to play the Doctor in TTL, but that's just how things are sometimes.

The next update will cover why Siddig was cast, and who his companion(s) will be for the next season. See you then.