News Chris Boucher has passed away

[The Nth Doctor]

Just saw this news thanks to Big Finish. Here's their tribute to him.

He may have written "only" three serials but they are three of my favorite stories during my favorite era of Doctor Who. Yes, even Image of the Fendahl. Clearly it's time for a Leela marathon.

Outside of Doctor Who, I loved his extensive work with Blake's 7, which is inarguably his greatest legacy outside of creating Leela.

Rest in peace, Chris.

 

[Starkers]

I'd agree that for me it's his work on Blakes 7 that I most admire him for, but damn Robots of Death is one of my favourite Baker stories.

From a B7 perspective he wrote some great episodes, but in particular Rumours of Death which is my favourite episode of the show.

RIP, Chris.

 

[Mr Awe]

Sad day. I especially love Robots of Death. Absolutely amazing how he encapsulated an entire society on that sandminer. And, of course, I love his work on Blake's 7.

 

[diankra]

He was going to write a fourth, but the head of drama said he couldn't work on B7 and Who at the same time. His idea for the unmade story derived from a classic sf story where a dormant alien influences an entire civilisation to build it a spaceship.

 

[Robin Bland]

Ah, this sucks. I didn't know. Certainly one of the "auteurs" of the classic show, even though he wrote only three serials (wildly influential though they were. The first two, anyway). I really enjoyed his work, especially on Blake's 7, and The Robots of Death remains one of my all-time fave Doctor Who stories.

A very intelligent and inventive writer. Godspeed and RIP, sir.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

From a B7 perspective he wrote some great episodes, but in particular Rumours of Death which is my favourite episode of the show.

Not just "Rumours of Death" but just two episodes earlier, also "City at the Edge of the World." And, of course. "Blake."

He was going to write a fourth, but the head of drama said he couldn't work on B7 and Who at the same time. His idea for the unmade story derived from a classic sf story where a dormant alien influences an entire civilisation to build it a spaceship.

Curious, I don't think I knew about that. I'm surprised Big Finish didn't adapt it as one of their Lost Stories audio plays. Unless they did and I missed it? I'm rather behind and I know they've recent returned to that series.

 

[John Clark]

RIP

I tend to remember him for Starcops though.

 

[Robin Bland]

RIP

I tend to remember him for Starcops though.

I've never seen Star Cops.

Maybe it's time to remedy that...

 

[Mr Awe]

I've seen Starcops. It's ok. Personally, I wouldn't rush to see it.

 

[Marc]

I've never seen Star Cops.

Maybe it's time to remedy that...

Took me a couple of goes to get into but enjoy it.

Big Finish have done some audios with most of the original cast (one of the actors has passed away) and expanded the concept in line with what would have happened if there had been a second season.

Boucher absolutely hated the theme song by Justin Hayward though

 

[Qonundrum]

Boucher's work on B7 started in series 1, doing more and more script rewrites while Terry was finishing his scripts. The later in the season you get, the more starts to feel as if Boucher actually penned them.

He had a real knack for so many character archetypes and dialogue, and nowhere better does it show than in B7. Having the right actors who really understood their characters helped. And, of course, Leela - the best companion of the 70s IMHO...

His work on DW was fantastic and memorable for sure, but B7 is where he really got more free reign. He excelled with both shows, though.

 

[diankra]

Not just "Rumours of Death" but just two episodes earlier, also "City at the Edge of the World." And, of course. "Blake."


Curious, I don't think I knew about that. I'm surprised Big Finish didn't adapt it as one of their Lost Stories audio plays. Unless they did and I missed it? I'm rather behind and I know they've recent returned to that series.

Talking to him in 92.
I don't think there was a script or outline, just an idea.

 

[diankra]

Boucher's work on B7 started in series 1, doing more and more script rewrites while Terry was finishing his scripts. The later in the season you get, the more starts to feel as if Boucher actually penned them.

He had a real knack for so many character archetypes and dialogue, and nowhere better does it show than in B7. Having the right actors who really understood their characters helped. And, of course, Leela - the best companion of the 70s IMHO...

His work on DW was fantastic and memorable for sure, but B7 is where he really got more free reign. He excelled with both shows, though.

Yep, Terry was used to writing for film series, where the line "They fight" could mean five minutes of carefully choreographed shooting. On video it was 20 seconds of scuffle, so the scripts needed padding with good lines.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Talking to him in 92.

Ah, very cool. Thank you for sharing that tidbit.

I don't think there was a script or outline, just an idea.

At least a couple of the Lost Stories were just story ideas. At least one of the Hinchcliffe's for certain.

 

[Starkers]

Not just "Rumours of Death" but just two episodes earlier, also "City at the Edge of the World." And, of course. "Blake."

Absolutely, but Rumours is hands down my favourite episode of B7 ever that's all

 

[diankra]

Ah, very cool. Thank you for sharing that tidbit.


At least a couple of the Lost Stories were just story ideas. At least one of the Hinchcliffe's for certain.

Interview is in dwb, think three issues (Who, B7 and Star Cops). Later, as reviews editor on sfx got him to do lots of book reviews.

 

[Qonundrum]

Yep, Terry was used to writing for film series, where the line "They fight" could mean five minutes of carefully choreographed shooting. On video it was 20 seconds of scuffle, so the scripts needed padding with good lines.

Ah yes. Makes sense.

It's not unlike in 60s Doctor Who, with "The Daleks" and set designers and others asked him what he meant by "empty room". I'd be tempted to opine that Terry got too much credit at times, or rather, the others involved getting too little.

"The Keys of Marinus" had the epitome of "empty room" as well, when the brainwashed Doctor goes into a room ostensibly filled with advanced scientific equipment but what's on screen is only a table and a mug. Not even large boxes with magnetic tape spool drives drawn on them, which would be something more akin to what a sketch show doing a spoof would do, and did. After "The Daleks", I do wonder how upset Ray Cusick and others really got. Even the Mechnoids, intended to be the next big thing like the Daleks, look more underwhelming than they should... but that's just observation; making-of documentaries where the people involved are allowed to be candid would be the best route to confirm.

 

[Robin Bland]

Took me a couple of goes to get into but enjoy it.

Big Finish have done some audios with most of the original cast (one of the actors has passed away) and expanded the concept in line with what would have happened if there had been a second season.

Boucher absolutely hated the theme song by Justin Hayward though

Most eps seem to be up on YouTube if you have a prime account, so I'll give it a go.

See what you mean about the theme tune though... it's er, down there with the opening titles of Enterprise. Enterprise's titles are, if anything, actually rather better! Intriguingly, the incidental music is both by Hayward and Tony Visconti, no less...!

Makes you wonder what the behind-the-scenes decisions were that led to that theme being chosen. Before the day of the "showrunner," even a head writer of the calibre of Boucher seemed to have little control over the overall image of his own TV show. ("His," in the sense that it was his brainchild.)

 

[diankra]

Most eps seem to be up on YouTube if you have a prime account, so I'll give it a go.

See what you mean about the theme tune though... it's er, down there with the opening titles of Enterprise. Enterprise's titles are, if anything, actually rather better! Intriguingly, the incidental music is both by Hayward and Tony Visconti, no less...!

Makes you wonder what the behind-the-scenes decisions were that led to that theme being chosen. Before the day of the "showrunner," even a head writer of the calibre of Boucher seemed to have little control over the overall image of his own TV show. ("His," in the sense that it was his brainchild.)

The producer was responsible. Chris didn't get on with him (one brilliant tale he told was that the producer thought they could shoot in NASA's weightless room - the one they used to train astronauts).

 

[Robin Bland]

The producer was responsible. Chris didn't get on with him (one brilliant tale he told was that the producer thought they could shoot in NASA's weightless room - the one they used to train astronauts).

Ha. Ahahaha. [Mirthless] Oboy.

It would be great to just turn on those localised anti-grav devices, wouldn't it?

Clearly, I've missed a whole chapter of Chris Boucher's life story here...