The Shocking Untold Story Behind Doctor Who's Cancelled 4th Season for the Seventh Doctor
Sylvester McCoy's cancelled 4th season of Doctor Who had the potential to revolutionize the show's lore, altering the origin of the Doctor and introducing groundbreaking storylines
Summary
Doctor Who actor Sylvester McCoy reveals that plans for his Doctor's fourth season were scrapped, which would have delved into the mystery of the Doctor's origins.
The fourth season of the Seventh Doctor would have subtly suggested that he possessed a hidden, formidable identity beyond being a Time Lord.
Despite the show's cancellation, the concept of the Doctor's origins was further explored in alternative formats like novels. McCoy's remarks emphasize the ongoing creative endeavors to maintain the intrigue of Doctor Who amidst challenging circumstances.
Seventh Doctor actor Sylvester McCoy discusses the abandoned plans for the fourth season of Doctor Who, which featured his portrayal of the character. McCoy took on the role after Colin Baker and first appeared in the episode "Time and the Rani" in 1987. He was the final actor to play the Doctor before the original cancellation of the show in 1989. McCoy's portrayal of the Seventh Doctor combines comedy with a hidden manipulative side, as he engages in complex and dark conflicts with the terrors of the universe.
As Doctor Who approaches its 60th anniversary in 2023, McCoy opens up to RadioTimes about his time as the Doctor and the presumed ending of the show in 1989. Although he initially had to be convinced to return for a fourth season that never materialized due to the cancellation, McCoy reveals that the planned season 27 of the classic era would have delved into the mystery of the Doctor's origins. There were hints that he was more than just a Time Lord. For a comprehensive explanation, see McCoy's full statement below.
"When I initially received it, Peter Davison mentioned to me that Patrick Troughton had advised him, 'Just do three years.' Patrick Troughton was the Doctor who left a lasting impression on me, albeit a distant one. Those words resonated with me, so I agreed to commit to three years.
"However, during my second year, John Nathan Turner approached me and expressed, 'We would like you to continue and complete a fourth season,' as they were pleased with my work. I hesitated, but they made it clear that if I declined the fourth season, there would be no third season either. Reluctantly, I succumbed and agreed to a fourth season, feeling a sense of persuasion from them."
"The preparations were underway
How Sylvester MCoy's Fourth Doctor Who Season Plans Would Have Changed The Doctor's Origin
for a fourth season. Our intention was to continue the enigmatic storyline, subtly implying that the Doctor possessed a profound entity beyond just being the Doctor, a superior form of existence – not merely a being, but an extraterrestrial, irrespective of his true nature! Such was the concept we aimed for. However, we were unable to accomplish this ambitious vision due to unforeseen circumstances."
While Doctor Who's cancellation prevented season 27 from being aired, the anticipated stories found their way to audiences through novels and audio dramas. The intriguing revelation, masterminded by then-story editor Andrew Cartmel and writers Ben Aaronovitch and Marc Platt, slowly unfolded throughout McCoy's seasons and eventually reached the viewers. The captivating alternate backstory is thoroughly explored in the Virgin Publishing New Adventures series of novels, particularly in the acclaimed 1997 release titled Lungbarrow.
In an effort to create an air of mystery around the central character of Doctor Who, the Seventh Doctor became part of a plot that uncovered the hidden history of the Time Lords' emergence. This revelation revealed that the Doctor had a secret past before the First Doctor, played by William Hartnell. It was established that the Doctor was a reincarnation of The Other, one of the three founding fathers of Time Lord culture, alongside Rassilon and Omega. The Other devised a plan to rectify his past mistakes, ultimately taking on the form of Hartnell's Doctor and embarking on adventures through the universe with his granddaughter Susan.
McCoy's recent comments shed light on the extensive planning that went into this storyline, even before the original cancellation of the show. Despite the groundwork laid in the completed Seventh Doctor stories, later episodes, such as "The Timeless Children," would alter the Doctor's origins in conflicting ways, casting doubt on the canonicity of Cartmel's original plan. Nonetheless, McCoy's remarks emphasize the innovative measures taken to revive interest in Doctor Who during its most challenging times.
Source: RadioTimes
