In Doctor Who, historicals are stories set in Earth's past, without any sci-fi elements.
Wiped Episode Discoveries
- Thread starter Allyn Gibson
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^Uh, yes, we all know that. That's why we've been tossing around the word "historical" in our posts as if we knew what it meant. The point is about whether the first serial fits that category or not.
Wether niggling over "Pre-historical" or "Historical", IMHO, as a Serial, it doesn't qualify because An Unearthly Child brings in all the SciFi elements, The TARDIS, The Time Travel, etc. Now, of course, The Historicals have them traveling in The TARDIS, but, that's after that part is established. With The first episode, since it introduces the whole premise and the SciFi elements and that's mainly what the episode is about, it qualifies as SciFi, IMO. The other 3 episodes are like a different Serial, and yea, they belong in the "Historical" pile, IMHO (wether you want to call them "Historical" or "Pre-historical")
And it does. There's no need to be pedantic about those terms, in my opinion. Or we could argue that, since they're all fictional anyway, there's no point in calling any of these stories "historical".
Good grief, lighten up. I'm just playing with words, because it's fun.
And they're right. History doesn't mean the whole past, it means what's documented about the past. "An Unearthly Child" (or "The Tribe of Gum" or "10,000 BC" or whatever) is set before the dawn of recorded history. So it's not a historical -- it's a prehistorical. "Marco" is the first story set during actual historical (i.e. documented) events.
I don't know, AUC did a great job of depicting 1963 and that's nearly 50 years ago, so that's historical!
Mr Awe
I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were joking.
Neither did I and I had the same reaction as you.
Actually we don't, technically, know for sure that episodes 2-4 of the series are set on Earth, we just assume so.
And, of course, we have no way of knowing when stories with no apparent links to Earth like The Keys of Marinus and The Krotons and so on are set, so they could be before 1963 for all we know! Which would make them non-Earth historicals!
[Sorry, couldn't resist it!]
I'm not joking. I'm just engaged in a light-hearted exploration of ideas because I find it interesting, rather than trying to be "pedantic" or judgmental. It's just an abstract philosophical conversation with nothing at stake. I see that as recreation, not confrontation.
Well, this it the internet.
And, of course, we have no way of knowing when stories with no apparent links to Earth like The Keys of Marinus and The Krotons and so on are set, so they could be before 1963 for all we know! Which would make them non-Earth historicals!
[Sorry, couldn't resist it!]
Those certainly exist in DW - Genesis of the Daleks is a perfect example, set in the past of a planet that had previously been depicted.
I always consider The Enemy of the World a future historical but that's me.
I can see what you mean. It's set in the future, but it's a political thriller rather than something driven by a monster or an alien invasion or a technological threat (although Salamander does have some dangerous technologies at his disposal).
So have I...many times. The only City I've ever visited that just felt like a huge University campus!
The BBC certainly has an interesting marketing strategy: Deny that your product even exists up until the day that you release it!
It seems to work alright for Apple!The BBC certainly has an interesting marketing strategy: Deny that your product even exists up until the day that you release it!
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