Sixth Doctor and the Brigadier

[Doctorwhovian]

It was originally planned in season 23 that the Brigadier would appear in Colin Baker's second season, but the hiatus sort of messed that up and we got Trial Of A Time Lord instead. So we didn't get a Brigadier (or UNIT) story for six years after The Five Doctors, in Battlefield.

If I remember correctly, the story was going to be set in Singapore (Hence continuing the JNT pattern of filming outside England at least once a season) and possibly involve the Master and the Autons teaming up again (With the Rani along for the ride too). I think the intention was for Robert Holmes to write it. Not sure if it, like Mawdryn Undead, would've not featured UNIT but instead have something like the Fifth Doctor stories where he was retired.

But unfortunately the Sixth Doctor 'skipped' Lethbridge Stuart, who appeared again in the final season opener, Battlefield (and indeed this was his last apearence in Doctor Who, old or new, although he did appear in the spinoff Sarah Jane Adventures and was certainly mentioned a few times in the Sontaran episodes-and his death was mentioned in The Wedding Of River Song etc...although we do have Kate)

Of course there were many attempts to rectify this. Dimensions In Time and the Doctor In Distress song both featured Nicholas Courtney briefly with Colin Baker, and of course there were a few novels and audios which united the two.

How do you think a Sixth Doctor UNIT story would have unfolded, if the original plans had gone ahead? I haven't listened to the Sixth/Brigadiar audios yet, but I'm kind of curious as to how things would've gone.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

You're refering to Yellow Fever, right? That was to be Robert Holmes' third Autons story.

I've no idea how it'd have turned out. Its not like the man had written down a script about it or anything - from what I know, a very, very general outlines and setting were mentioned, and not much else.

Although a certain Ian Levine would disagree...

 

[Candlelight]

It's unfortunate as he's the only classic doctor who Courtney didn't appear with.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I always imagined that the Sixth Doctor and the Brigadier would have clashed famously, but it would all be good-natured and maybe even often funny.

 

[Turbo]

They met in Big Finish's "The Spectre of Lanyon Moor" and got on quite well, actually. Definitely a story worth listening to (and it will probably go on sale for £1 at some point during BF's current sale).

 

[ClayinCA]

And if it does go on sale, by all means, get it (actually, get it even if it's not on sale). It's got the mood and feel of a Hinchcliffe/Baker story, a wonderful pairing of the Brigadier and the Sixth Doctor, and quite a good part for Evelyn as well. It's one of my favourite Sixth Doctor audios.

 

[Sindatur]

And if it does go on sale, by all means, get it (actually, get it even if it's not on sale). It's got the mood and feel of a Hinchcliffe/Baker story, a wonderful pairing of the Brigadier and the Sixth Doctor, and quite a good part for Evelyn as well. It's one of my favourite Sixth Doctor audios.

It's in the "First 50", so, the most it should be is $5.00 for CD (If they have any left) or $2.99 for download.

ETA: Yea, 2.99 for download. Apparently CD not available

The Spectre of Lanyon Moor at Big Finish

 

[The Nth Doctor]

They've stopped pressing CDs for the first 50 of the main range awhile back. They've been selling what's left in stock, but each title runs out a different points.

 

[Lonemagpie]

They did actually meet briefly on screen in Dimensions In Time.

They've also met in the audios, as mentioned upthread, and in the novels (Shadow In The Glass, for example)

 

[Timewalker]

It was originally planned in season 23 that the Brigadier would appear in Colin Baker's second season, but the hiatus sort of messed that up and we got Trial Of A Time Lord instead. So we didn't get a Brigadier (or UNIT) story for six years after The Five Doctors, in Battlefield.

If I remember correctly, the story was going to be set in Singapore (Hence continuing the JNT pattern of filming outside England at least once a season) and possibly involve the Master and the Autons teaming up again (With the Rani along for the ride too). I think the intention was for Robert Holmes to write it. Not sure if it, like Mawdryn Undead, would've not featured UNIT but instead have something like the Fifth Doctor stories where he was retired.

But unfortunately the Sixth Doctor 'skipped' Lethbridge Stuart, who appeared again in the final season opener, Battlefield (and indeed this was his last apearence in Doctor Who, old or new, although he did appear in the spinoff Sarah Jane Adventures and was certainly mentioned a few times in the Sontaran episodes-and his death was mentioned in The Wedding Of River Song etc...although we do have Kate)

Of course there were many attempts to rectify this. Dimensions In Time and the Doctor In Distress song both featured Nicholas Courtney briefly with Colin Baker, and of course there were a few novels and audios which united the two.

How do you think a Sixth Doctor UNIT story would have unfolded, if the original plans had gone ahead? I haven't listened to the Sixth/Brigadiar audios yet, but I'm kind of curious as to how things would've gone.

I'd like to know when Kate was born. The Brigadier's wife was Doris, and in Battlefield it's implied that the marriage was fairly recent. I doubt that in their retirement years they would have become parents... so where did Kate come from? Was Doris her mother, or was she the Brigadier's daughter with some other woman?

It's unfortunate as he's the only classic doctor who Courtney didn't appear with.

He didn't appear with Paul McGann's Doctor, either.

 

[Sindatur]

I think Kate is old enough that she is not a natural birth from the marriage of Alistair and Doris.

I forget what media it was in, but, I recently saw or heard or read something about Kate already being referenced as existing longer than the recent-ness of Doris and Alistair's Marriage (Or perhaps it was a dream creation based upon something that was said somewhere in Classic Who)

 

[Timewalker]

I think Kate is old enough that she is not a natural birth from the marriage of Alistair and Doris.

I forget what media it was in, but, I recently saw or heard or read something about Kate already being referenced as existing longer than the recent-ness of Doris and Alistair's Marriage (Or perhaps it was a dream creation based upon something that was said somewhere in Classic Who)

Unless she was conceived and born decades before the Brigadier and Doris married, which I can't imagine happening. He was living alone in Mawdryn Undead, but had married Doris by the events of Battlefield. In neither case would they have been young enough to be Kate's natural parents if she was conceived in wedlock.

Therefore, I have to conclude that Kate is either illegitimate, adopted, or the Brigadier and Doris were married, divorced, and married again.

 

[Sindatur]

I think Kate is old enough that she is not a natural birth from the marriage of Alistair and Doris.

I forget what media it was in, but, I recently saw or heard or read something about Kate already being referenced as existing longer than the recent-ness of Doris and Alistair's Marriage (Or perhaps it was a dream creation based upon something that was said somewhere in Classic Who)

Unless she was conceived and born decades before the Brigadier and Doris married, which I can't imagine happening. He was living alone in Mawdryn Undead, but had married Doris by the events of Battlefield. In neither case would they have been young enough to be Kate's natural parents if she was conceived in wedlock.

Therefore, I have to conclude that Kate is either illegitimate, adopted, or the Brigadier and Doris were married, divorced, and married again.

I seem to recall mention of a Doris in association with The Brig, in a Pertwee or Troughton episode, so, maybe The Brig and Doris did know each other for a lot of years prior to our meeting her in Battlefield. So, yea, maybe they dated for years on and off before getting married or maybe they got remarried (Or maybe I'm imagining this?)

 

[Lonemagpie]

Doris is mentioned in Planet of the Spiders as having given the Brig his watch some time previously.

 

[Mr Awe]

I'd like to know when Kate was born. The Brigadier's wife was Doris, and in Battlefield it's implied that the marriage was fairly recent. I doubt that in their retirement years they would have become parents... so where did Kate come from? Was Doris her mother, or was she the Brigadier's daughter with some other woman?

I recently watched Battlefield and I didn't get the sense that it was a recent marriage. What made you think it was recent?

Although, you do have to wonder where she was during Mawdryn Undead! However, I think she was mentioned once back in the Pertwee years but never seen. ETA: I see Lonemagpie found the reference!

Mr Awe

 

[Timewalker]

I'd like to know when Kate was born. The Brigadier's wife was Doris, and in Battlefield it's implied that the marriage was fairly recent. I doubt that in their retirement years they would have become parents... so where did Kate come from? Was Doris her mother, or was she the Brigadier's daughter with some other woman?

I recently watched Battlefield and I didn't get the sense that it was a recent marriage. What made you think it was recent?

Although, you do have to wonder where she was during Mawdryn Undead! However, I think she was mentioned once back in the Pertwee years but never seen. ETA: I see Lonemagpie found the reference!

Mr Awe

Battlefield took place well after Mawdryn Undead, both from the Brigadier's pov and the Doctor's pov. In the latter story, the Brigadier was teaching math at the boys' school where Turlough had been stashed by his people during his exile. The Brigadier lived alone, no mention in either time zone (younger vs older Brigadier) that he was married. Therefore, I conclude that in Battlefield, the marriage was recent, likely occurring after the Brigadier finally retired from all work, not just U.N.I.T.

And since the marriage was so recent and the Brigadier and Doris were well up in years, Kate had to have either been illegitimate, adopted, or the Brigadier and Doris had a previous marriage.

 

[Doctorwhovian]

Not 100% sure, but the Brigadier is married during the Pertwee era, and this is the marriage with Kate as the daughter. Doris is actually mentioned in Planet of the Spiders as a sort of ex-girlfriend by the psychic, but between Mawdryn/Five Doctors and Battlefield he marries again, this time to Doris. So I think he got divorced, and remarried an old flame so to speak. Also I think he is widowed before his death (I haven't seen the SJA story yet though).

 

[Timewalker]

It's been a long time since I've seen any Pertwee stories. Which one mentioned him being married?

 

[Lonemagpie]

It's been a long time since I've seen any Pertwee stories. Which one mentioned him being married?

None - Planet of the Spiders mentions Doris, but no mention is made of marriage. There's also a scene cut from The Daemons in which a female hand passed him the phone in bed, but again no mention of marriage (which is partly why they cut it).

 

[diankra]

It's just an assumption by Nick Courtney and then fandom and some books that he had a first marriage that. broke up under the pressures after The Web of Fear took his army career in an unconventional direction.