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Regeneration based on LSD trips!

DimesDan

DimesDan

No longer living the Irish dream.
Premium Member
Yep, you read right, the BBC have released papers from the sixties that claims the producers of the time based The Doctors Regenerations on bad LSD trips.

Link

Doctor Who's regenerations were modelled on bad LSD trips, internal BBC memos have revealed.
The Doctor's transformations were meant to convey the "hell and dank horror" of the hallucinogenic drug, according to papers published on the BBC Archive.

Regenerations were introduced in 1966 to allow writers to replace the lead actor. New Doctor Matt Smith is the 11th Time Lord.

The papers also reveal the difficulties of bedding in a new Doctor.

In an internal memo dating from 1966, producers outlined how the original Doctor, William Hartnell, would be transformed for his successor Patrick Troughton.

It also tackled the "horrifying experience" of the regeneration.
"The metaphysical change... is a horrifying experience - an experience in which he relives some of the most unendurable moments of his long life, including the galactic war," it said.
"It is as if he has had the LSD drug and instead of experiencing the kicks, he has the hell and dank horror which can be its effect," the memo added.

Discussing his appearance, the document stated: "His hair is wild and his clothes look rather worse for wear (this is a legacy from the metaphysical change which took place in the Tardis)."

'Half-witted'

The documents also reveal how new Doctors have faced hostility from viewers.

Some members of the audience felt Troughton "exaggerated the part".

"Once a brilliant but eccentric scientist, he now comes over as a half-witted clown," said one viewer.

Another told the BBC's Audience Research Department: "I'm not sure that I really like his portrayal - I feel the part is exaggerated - whimsical even - I keep expecting him to take a great watch out of his pocket and mutter about being late like Alice's White Rabbit."

His successor Jon Pertwee fared a little better in 1970, although a research report following his first appearance declared: "Reaction to this first episode of the new Dr Who series can hardly be described as enthusiastic."

Tom Baker's debut also drew much criticism.

"General opinion was that the new Doctor Who is a loony - he is an eccentric always, but the way it was presented made him stupid," said one viewer.

Approval rating

And in 1984, Colin Baker proved to be a turn-off, with one viewer finding him "too stern" and another "too aggressive".

Reaction to Sylvester McCoy's debut in 1987 was even worse. His "approval rating" was considerably lower Colin Baker's, although the reception given to his sidekick Mel, played by Bonnie Langford, was worse.

Roly Keating, the BBC's director for archive content, said: "The whole idea of regenerating the Doctor was a flash of genius that's kept Doctor Who fresh and exciting for 47 years now.

"As we welcome Matt Smith and Karen Gillan into the Tardis, it's the perfect moment to remember his predecessors and also to celebrate the work of the BBC Archive in preserving these documents and photographs for future generations."
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Meh. Not that big a deal. You find all sorts of odd comments like that in production notes.

The fan comments are pretty interesting though. Thats why I don't get upset when people bag on RTD or Tennant. I'm more interested in what people have to say after the dust has had a chance to settle for a few years.
 
to be honest I find it hard to believe, that any fandom in any time, has reacted well to any change. I extend that to ALL fandom, not just Doctor Who fandom, or even sci-fi fandom.
 
What I find intruiging in that report is the reference to a 'galactic war' that the Doctor is still recovering emotionally from.

I wonder if Davies drew his inspiration for the Time War from such an idea..
 
I'm looking forward to the documents that detail all the actors who apparently turned the role down...
 
And in 1984, Colin Baker proved to be a turn-off, with one viewer finding him "too stern" and another "too aggressive".
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I can understand this particular reaction somewhat, given that one of the first actions of Colin's Doctor was to try to strangle Peri. Then again having watched a bunch of Peter Davidson/Colin Baker episodes, i can completely understand The Doctors decision to try to throttle her.
 
Actually I'd have prefered it if Peri throttled him...then throttled herself! :devil:

Love the list of almost Doctors. Of all of them I think Ron Moody could have made a fantastic Doctor. A few seem very odd though, Michael Bentine?
 
Cutter John said:
Meh. Not that big a deal. You find all sorts of odd comments like that in production notes.

The fan comments are pretty interesting though. Thats why I don't get upset when people bag on RTD or Tennant. I'm more interested in what people have to say after the dust has had a chance to settle for a few years.
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Indeed. If the 1988 document had been taken letter of the law, the show would have been cancelled in 1987.

Hindsight does tend to be kinder towards the series. Note how the response to Troughton was decidedly mixed, and neither Pertwee nor Tom Baker's introductions really set the world on fire. And some of the complaints ("too childish", for example) persist to this day.

Yet you now find many people calling Troughton their favorite Doctor (including Matt Smith!), and Colin Baker is now a well-respected, almost beloved member of the DW fraternity, having now had a decade of performing quality audio dramas that have done a lot to undo the damage done by The Twin Dilemma. You'd never have imagined it back in 1985.

Heck, just as some of Tom Baker's lesser stories - like Robot - are considered classics today, I'm willing to bet some of revival's lesser-regarded episodes (i.e. Fear Her, Love & Monsters) will be considered vintage classics 20 years from now!

Alex
 
23skidoo said:
I'm willing to bet some of revival's lesser-regarded episodes (i.e. Fear Her, Love & Monsters) will be considered vintage classics 20 years from now!
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You're getting a wee bit carried away there!! Otherwise, I agree with your overall sentiment.

Mr Awe
 
It's not new info: that memo was quoted in either the Second Doctor Handbook, or Doctor Who - The Sixties, during the mid-1990s. Probably before in some fanzine.
 
Cutter John said:
Mr Awe said:
23skidoo said:
I'm willing to bet some of revival's lesser-regarded episodes (i.e. Fear Her, Love & Monsters) will be considered vintage classics 20 years from now!
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You're getting a wee bit carried away there!! Otherwise, I agree with your overall sentiment.

Mr Awe
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Lets talk again in 2030. ;)
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Sure, I'll mark it on my calender. Pretty sure I still will detest both Fear Her and Love & Monsters though! :)

Mr Awe
 
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