First Season

30 - frame episodes, colour

1 'Doctor Who and the Time Quest of Fear'

18 May 2003 - 29 May 2003

Writers: Si Hunt and Simon Rayner  Directors: Si Hunt and Simon Rayner

Roots: The Doctor Who Action Figure Theatre Web Site (Doctor Who Magazine featured this just prior to the making of the story), the works of Gerry Anderson, Spice Girls (the opening line 'spinning out in another galaxy' is lifted from the song 'Outer Space Girls'), the Doctor Who Weekly/Monthly/Magazine comic strips ("Vworp vworp"), The Antiques Doctor Who Roadshow ("Doctor Who and Tanni"), Terrance Dicks ('a wheezing, groaning sound'), The Beatles (Ringo Starr is mentioned), Friends (the Monoid being left alone FOREVER recalls Pheobe saying goodbye to Ross FOREVER...), Graham Norton (the Drahvin is called Betty), Billie Piper, Crossroads, Home and Away, Jon Pertwee's Who is the Doctor, Gareth Gates, Hi-De-Hi ("Maplins"), More than 30 Years in the TARDIS (Victoria's dialogue), Birds of a Feather (the Alan Whickers reference), Tom Baker's commentary on the Ark in Space DVD, Bass-o-Matic ("set the controls for the heart of the bass").

Goofs: Lots of blurry shots throughout. Maybe the producers were just getting the hang of the camera? Several backdrops look a little unfinished (Dido just stops beyond the rocket...). Dido looks dark from within the TARDIS when Ian is looking out of the OUTWARDS(!!!) opening doors. Barbara and Ian are conspicuously missing from the TARDIS at the end, although an explanation for this was hastily added to the script when the mistake was realised.

Technobabble: The Doctor eventually finds Barbara when she uses her "center" signal.

Fashion Victims: Doctor Who changes his trousers on more than one occasion. Zoe's "stinking hot pants". 

Double Entendres: Every other line?

Dialogue Triumphs: "Bye then, you wretched horse."

"Miss Wright now needs something far more urgent than just a wee."

"The bird has flown, and Barbara Wright's pants are yellow."

"Beams are bouncing up and down like a tart's knickers"

"'Doctor hurry! I'm on the blob!"

"Quiet you"

Dialogue Disasters: 'Welcome to the Planet Dildo' (aaargh!)

Continuity: Dr Who's policy in this story appears to be to attack any life form that "isn't the same as us". The Monoids appear to have settled on Refusis following the Doctor Who story "The Ark". The TARDIS is heading for the Eiffel Tower at the start and Stella Stora at the end... oh, sod this for a game of Kerplunk. The Doctor is made of cheese in this story. Ian is a lesbian and is seen to have sexual relations with the TARDIS hatstand. Barbara has never seen "Granny Does Dallas" but does know the routine to "Tragedy". Dido is seen to be a dreary planet and an equally dreary pop singer. 

 The Daleks are said to be from Skegness and enjoy "Watercolour Challenge".

Location: Dido, Vortis, Refusis, an unnamed planet most likely the same as the one in Galaxy 4, "Tea-loss", Skaro (the Dalek city of Chipping Sodbury)

Links: The Sontaran (sorry!)

Untelevised Adeventures: The first Doctor, Ian and Barbara have just visited a Nudist Colony on Nippleodeon 4. Barbara has only just recovered...

The Bottom Line:

Si Hunt:

A straight adventure would have seemed poe-faced under the circumstances, but what we have is the most bizarre take on the series yet. Some of the camera and model work is decidedly dodgy, although it gets better as the story progresses (most of Episode 4 plus the odd shot on Telos is, stylistically, amazingly good). The story, of course, shouldn't be thought about too hard, but when it hits its stride the adventure raises more than the odd smile. All told, there is lots here to be proud of, and many mistakes to learn from as well.

Simon Rayner:

What was made in five minutes as a means to display some little figurines actually turned out far better than the producers had hoped. It's a bit wobbly around the edges but it manages to make a little go far and although it has it's faults it has a certain charm...just like the series that inspired it. Hours of fun to be had spotting the quotes from other stories too!