The Life And Scandalous Times Of John Nathan-Turner

[DWF]

I admire. Under him the show took a harder science-fiction edge which is preferable to the light, celebrity-orientated entertainment under RTD.

JNT was also critized for bringing in big name guest stars and that hard edged science ficiton ended when Bidmead left teh show IMO.

JNT and RTD both appointed Doctors (rather than audition) cast a former child star/singer as companion, and saw the advantage of stunt casting guest roles. It's weird how it all worked for the later.

The difference being that RTD is a writer while JNT was a mere bean counter. IMO JNT should've left when Peter Davison left after that he really had no vision for the show and he did try to leave.

 

[DalekJim]

I'd like JNT to have had the opportunity to produce more seasons as good as S25/S26 and I wish RTD had left with Eccleston.

 

[Nagisa Furukawa]

I'd like JNT to have had the opportunity to produce more seasons as good as S25/S26

I'm glad the series ended on as much of a high as it did and glad that we got the VNAs, my favorite tie-in novels ever, to continue where S26 left off.

Not that I would complain if someone showed me an amazing S27 from an alt. universe, of course.

and I wish RTD had left with Eccleston.

Agreed.

 

[DalekJim]

The era of S25/S26/Virgin New Adventures is the best I agree but I'm a bit greedy for more TV McCoy. The novels are an excellent series of sci-fi books in their own right but a part of me believes S27 would have been just as awesome as S26. And S26 had Ghost Light and Fenric which is fucking incredible.

 

[Nagisa Furukawa]

The era of S25/S26/Virgin New Adventures is the best I agree but I'm a bit greedy for more TV McCoy. The novels are an excellent series of sci-fi books in their own right but a part of me believes S27 would have been just as awesome as S26. And S26 had Ghost Light and Fenric which is fucking incredible.

Oh, indeed. With JNT, Cartmel, Aaronovitch, Platt, and the like together, I'm sure 27 would've been excellent, but you never know and I'm glad that the last season of televised Who was one that produced such amazing stories and really showed what the show's potential was. Imagine if the series had ended with The Ultimate Foe!

*I do like Trial, but as a last season, S26 is so, so, so much better than S23.

 

[Mr Light]

While I haven't seen a lot of those years, I'd definitely read that!

 

[Marc]

JNT was also critized for bringing in big name guest stars and that hard edged science ficiton ended when Bidmead left teh show IMO.

JNT and RTD both appointed Doctors (rather than audition) cast a former child star/singer as companion, and saw the advantage of stunt casting guest roles. It's weird how it all worked for the later.

The difference being that RTD is a writer while JNT was a mere bean counter. IMO JNT should've left when Peter Davison left after that he really had no vision for the show and he did try to leave.

In the review for the book it mentions the hatred a higher up (Powell?) had for the show and JNT - wonder if the not letting him leave was a screw you to both.

That being said unless there was some iron clad contract, I don't see what would have up and stopped John Nathan-Turner simply up and walking out the door when he'd had enough.

 

[The Wormhole]

Or JNT could have kept his dick in his pants when he was at work. Or is that too radical an idea?

John Barrowman could have too.

Oh, come on. Assuming you're referring to that radio interview where Barrowman pulled his pants down in front of the web cam, he was being egged on by the hosts. Yes, he's a grown adult capable of making his own choices, but let's be honest. Barrowman is an attention-seeker, and he certainly got attention there. Personally, I think everyone overreacted to that one.

To my knowledge there is no evidence that John Barrowman has ever acted inappropriately, sexually or otherwise.

 

[DWF]

JNT and RTD both appointed Doctors (rather than audition) cast a former child star/singer as companion, and saw the advantage of stunt casting guest roles. It's weird how it all worked for the later.

The difference being that RTD is a writer while JNT was a mere bean counter. IMO JNT should've left when Peter Davison left after that he really had no vision for the show and he did try to leave.

In the review for the book it mentions the hatred a higher up (Powell?) had for the show and JNT - wonder if the not letting him leave was a screw you to both.

That being said unless there was some iron clad contract, I don't see what would have up and stopped John Nathan-Turner simply up and walking out the door when he'd had enough.

Unless JNT left the BBC or got fired he was bound by them to do whatever show they wanted him to work on.

 

[sidious618]

This sounds like a rather amazing book. I've always enjoyed (most) of the JNT years so I'm going to have to pick this up. As far as him having sex with fans that doesn't really bother me so long as it was consensual.

 

[Starkers]

I'm a fan of the later McCoy era too, but I think that owes more to Andrew Cartmel than JNT

Well, JNT hired Cartmel and cast McCoy and Aldred.

(I'm with RTD in calling Colin Baker's coat “the greatest mistake in the history of television”)

That would be Voyage of the Damned.

I think you need to watch more TV

Or JNT could have kept his dick in his pants when he was at work. Or is that too radical an idea?

John Barrowman could have too.

Oh, come on. Assuming you're referring to that radio interview where Barrowman pulled his pants down in front of the web cam, he was being egged on by the hosts. Yes, he's a grown adult capable of making his own choices, but let's be honest. Barrowman is an attention-seeker, and he certainly got attention there. Personally, I think everyone overreacted to that one.

To my knowledge there is no evidence that John Barrowman has ever acted inappropriately, sexually or otherwise.

Yeah, the trouble is people start lumping varuious acts together and before you know if disquieting rumours start. Barrowman will, apparenly, get his willy out at the drop of a hat, but like you say that's very different to anything predatory, juvinile, yes, but that's about it.

 

[Sindatur]

Eh, As stated Previously, Gene Roddenberry is famous for his casting couch escapades. (And Berman or Braga apparently continued the tradition)

JNT didn't mess with the kiddies.

Doctor Who apparently has many stories of making Female companions feel uncomfortable at the very least, getting grabbed, leered at and who knows what else.

The only thing that makes JNT stand out is being Gay.

 

[Christopher]

Doctor Who apparently has many stories of making Female companions feel uncomfortable at the very least, getting grabbed, leered at and who knows what else.

Yeah... what we define today as sexual harrassment was treated by an earlier generation (or at least by the men in that generation) as normative, playful behavior. There are stories of Patrick Troughton pulling Deborah Watling's or Wendy Padbury's skirt down before a take, that sort of thing, and it was seen as just a silly prank. (Not saying that was right, just that things were seen differently then.)

 

[The Wormhole]

Doctor Who apparently has many stories of making Female companions feel uncomfortable at the very least, getting grabbed, leered at and who knows what else.

Reminds me of the story of the stunt man who had to dress up in Louise Jameson's costume in The Talons of Weng-Chiang claiming that nearly every guy who walked by him while he was dressed like that slapped him on the ass.

 

[The Badger]

IMO JNT should've left when Peter Davison left after that he really had no vision for the show and he did try to leave.

I vaguely recall an interview with someone, I think Gary Downie, who claimed JNT requested several times to be assigned to other jobs. He was apparently told in no uncertain terms that if he left Doctor Who, that would mean the end of the series there and then.

 

[Tom]

Eh, As stated Previously, Gene Roddenberry is famous for his casting couch escapades. (And Berman or Braga apparently continued the tradition)

Braga was a big womanizer that backfired on him when he tried to go after Jolene, so he was pretty much forced to work at home mostly for Season 4 of Enterprise. Berman was ok but he had to help keep Braga's activities under wraps.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Eh, As stated Previously, Gene Roddenberry is famous for his casting couch escapades. (And Berman or Braga apparently continued the tradition)

Braga was a big womanizer that backfired on him when he tried to go after Jolene, so he was pretty much forced to work at home mostly for Season 4 of Enterprise. Berman was ok but he had to help keep Braga's activities under wraps.

Jeff Greenwald's book on Star Trek, Future Perfect: How Star Trek Conquered Planet Earth, has a chapter that describes one of Braga's orgiastic sex parties. Come to think of it, I think that's how the book opens.

 

[Mr Light]

Seriously?! Wow. Didn't Braga marry Seven of Nine? Did they get divorced? What's this story with T'Pol?

 

[Starkers]

Eh, As stated Previously, Gene Roddenberry is famous for his casting couch escapades. (And Berman or Braga apparently continued the tradition)

JNT didn't mess with the kiddies.

Doctor Who apparently has many stories of making Female companions feel uncomfortable at the very least, getting grabbed, leered at and who knows what else.

The only thing that makes JNT stand out is being Gay.

I think you'll find what made him stand out was the shirts...

 

[Christopher]

Didn't Braga marry Seven of Nine?

No, because she's a fictional character. He did, however, date Jeri Ryan for a while.