Story: In 1987, he won the coveted part of the Doctor, or as he’s been known to call it, the best role on British television. But in 1990, just after the broadcast of his third season of time travels, Sylvester McCoy found himself out of work when the BBC quietly declined to renew Doctor Who. Six years later, he was reprising the role in a big-budget, British-American coproduction launching a new actor in the part, and now McCoy – who had been “the last Doctor” for the better part of a decade – was due to hand off the keys to the TARDIS on a filming location in Vancouver. In this video journal, shot and narrated largely by McCoy himself, the actor explores Vancouver, pays a visit to former Doctor Who regular Anneke Wills, ruminates on the official closure of his era as the Doctor, hangs around the set, and even has an informal chat with Paul McGann himself.
directed by Bill Baggs
Featuring: Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Daphne Ashbrook, Anneke Wills, Geoffrey Sax
Review: Bidding Adieu is a fascinating barometer of how far fan productions had come in the history of Doctor Who by the time of the 1996 TV movie. In 1987, Wartime was made on a shoestring budget with actors who weren’t necessarily still involved with the show. And just nine years later, we now had Sylvester McCoy touring the TV movie sets with camcorder in hand, on behalf of the fans. In the interim, fan productions had provided him with work, fan writers kept the seventh Doctor’s journeys in motion, and somehow, despite the show being cancelled, fandom grew. (more…)
Story: With the help of cast members John Leeson, Elisabeth Sladen and Louise Jameson, former producer John Nathan-Turner, and such Doctor Who fan experts as David J. Howe, the history of K-9 as concept, companion, and marketing icon is explored, as well as the robot dog’s bright future in his own adventures.