All the Latest on Doctor Who’s TV Return, New Series in 1993?

With discussions ongoing both backstage at the BBC and amongst fan groups as to the future of Doctor Who, we give a brief overview of the situation as it currently stands and the prospects of a new series for the programme’s 30th anniversary in 1993.

One of the issues going forward has been the recent license fee increase requests have been turned down by Parliament. With the BBC’s operating income not rising, there is the belief in some quarters that Doctor Who could not be produced by the Beeb to an acceptable standard, one comparable to the likes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. With the BBC now required
by law to move 75% of their broadcast programming to outside production companies, Doctor Who is amongst the shows they want to be made by an independent production company.

With fans becoming disgruntled at the slow pace of proceedings, Jeremy Bentham going as far as beginning to put together a legal case to sue the BBC for incompetence and deception in late 1991, the BBC finally seemed to make a move with the show, broadcasting Resistance is Useless in January followed by the ongoing repeat season.

Earlier this year Doctor Who Magazine revealed that for the prior six months members of staff have been acting as consultants to a new group of prospective producers for the show. The group feel so confident about their bid for the rights that test filming has already taken place, design work on a new TARDIS interior set has been created and both new Cybermen and a new race of monsters have been designed. Should they get the bid, they say that a 90 minute pilot would be filmed and ready for the end of 1992 with a new Doctor, new companion, new TARDIS and Cybermen designs. The plot of the proposed pilot would centre around the Cybermen’s attack on, invasion, and destruction of Gallifrey.

Other rumours heard on the world wide web include Brian Blessed as the Doctor or even a return for Sylvester McCoy prior to the 7th Doctor handing over the reigns to a new leading man.

A full season would follow in 1993 in time for the 30th Anniversary. The series would move in-line with the likes of TNG by comprising of 50 minute episodes and dispensing with the traditional serial format. Amongst the group are a number of directors who’ve worked on the show in the past, rumoured to include Graeme Harper (Caves of Androzani).