Doctor Who: Season 32 (1996)

Introduction

Season 32 of Doctor Who. The first season of a brand new era for the show. And the biggest change up in the format of the season since the beginning of the Jon Pertwee era.

This season would be the first approached by the BBC and the production staff to make the show appealable to an American market. As the BBC was starting talks with big name networks in America. With this, Controller of BBC One, about to be made Head of Drama at the BBC Alan Yentob, ordered incoming producer Diana Barton and script editor Colin Brake to add some American elements to the show.

This came in several things. Including moving from a 20x25 minute production schedule to a 13x45 minute production schedule, a proper main cast and not just a Doctor/Companion duo, push the boundaries of what kind of storytelling could happen, recurring themes and elements throughout a season and not have it just be a group of serials and finally add in some elements that seem like it could come out of some of the most popular American science fiction shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5.

The new main cast would contain the TARDIS team that the previous season had ended. With the new Doctor, Simon Shepherd and Season 31 companion, Time Lady politician Reiven, played by Susannah Harker. Joining the main cast of the season. Would be Season 31 recurring characters Roiyden (played by Paul McGann), Azmana (played by Chloe Annett), Higgiof (played by Nicholas Farrell), Diewp (played by Harriet Thorpe) and finally, former companion Romana (played by Lalla Ward).

With a main cast being built during the writing process of Season 31, it was decided to make Gallifrey be a regular setting during the season. With the story of the season being Romana, back as Lady President of Gallifrey, forcing the Doctor to remain in the year 4535 and work as a special member of her government. However, the Doctor would still be allowed to travel in space in the TARDIS, but only for diplomatic missions for Romana.

The title sequence would go over a major overhaul. From 1963-1995. The title sequence was made with it taking place in either the time vortex or a starfield. The title sequence for this season was a slow moving titles with the first time, the cast being credited on the opening titles with slow panning shots of Gallifrey and it's neighboring planets.

With all of this, let's dive into this new season of the show.

Serial One (Ep. 1-2): THE PLAGUE

Written by David A. McIntee
Directed by Richard Standeven
Air Dates: 17-24 February 1996

The opening serial to the season would take place several months after the finale of the previous season. With the Doctor now being forced to live in a flat with Reiven in the region of the Capitol. We learn that ever since the Doctor had regenerated. His and Reiven's dynamic has become... troubled. With the two of them bickering all the time.

The plot for the episode focuses on a factory explosion and releases an anti-regeneration virus into the air of the Capitol. Leaving Romana to quarantine the region while the Doctor figures out a cure.

Intercutted between that is the main characters talking about the mortality of the Time Lords and on how they rely on regeneration too much sometimes.

Serial Two (Ep. 3): BANQUET FOR THE IMMORTAL

Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Sam Miller
Air Date: 2 March 1996

For the very first time since 1965, (and what will become a regular occurrence going forward), where a plot is told in a single episode. With the 45 minutes telling a whole story.

In this episode, the Doctor is dragged by Romana and Reiven to sit at a banquet being held for the Sisterhood of Karn to re-strengthen alliances following the Master acting as the puppet master to Roiyden. Cutting off support for Karn and other planets in the Gallifreyan Empire (which is the show's second allegory for the European Union).

Throughout the episode. The leader of the Sisterhood wants to completely withdraw the support of Karn from the Empire and go at it all alone. The Doctor, Reiven and Higgiof work with the leadership of the Sisterhood to hash out a deal. One that Romana is personally against as it means lifting some anti-religious practices on Gallifrey. But, she sees the long term gain for Gallifrey and signs the new deal with the leader at the end of the episode.

Serial Three (Ep. 4-5): THE DEAL OF MARS

Written by Mark Gatiss
Directed by Nigel Douglas
Air Dates: 9-16 March 1996

For this serial, Romana sends the Doctor, Reiven and Higgiof to Mars to work out a new trade deal with the new ruling empress. However, at the last minute, Azmana joins them on the trip. Talking to Higgiof and saying, "I thought that joining you to Mars would be nice. Since we've been apart lately."

In the serial, we see the return of the Ice Warriors with them being a crucial partner for Romana on the intergalactic stage. The Doctor (after previously dealing with the Ice Warriors) is untrusting of them. Whilst Reiven, Azmana and Higgiof embrace them and the new empress with open arms.

The Doctor being the one who is unsure about whether or not Romana is in the right to work with the Ice Warriors. Tries to make sure the deal isn't a foolproof deal. But, Reiven notices what he is doing and challenges him on his ideas and bigotry towards races who used have certain beliefs but don't anymore.

Reiven in the end becomes the hero and saves the trade deal and improves relations with Gallifrey and Mars even better than what they were before. After everything is done. Azmana takes Higgiof back to Gallifrey. Meanwhile, Reiven forces the Doctor to head to Earth. As their work is not fully done. As they need to work with another one of Romana's allies.

Serial Four (Ep. 6): THE CORRUPTION OF EARTH

Written by Gareth Roberts
Directed by Jim Gillespie
Air Date: 23 March 1996

The serial follows up on the previous one as the Doctor and Reiven travel to Earth. As Romana wants them to help out an old time ally. The President of Earth, who is trying to root out corruption in their government.

The Doctor takes the lime-light with him working out that Romana's friend is actually the corrupt one in government. With her selling off government institutions to corrupt businessmen for profit that she can have when she retires at the end of her term as President of Earth.

The Doctor and Reiven end up exposing them to the public and they are forced to resign as President. Something that Reiven does reluctantly. But, understands that it was the right thing to do.

On the ship going back to Gallifrey. The Doctor and Reiven continue to bicker about how Reiven has been acting since he regenerated. Reiven mostly saying that it is the Doctor not being the man who she thought he was.

Serial Five (Ep. 7): THE INCIDENT

Written by Steve Lyons
Directed by Sam Miller
Air Dates: 30 March 1996

This would be the first of a new type of episodes, known as "Doctor-lite episodes" which would not feature the Doctor much throughout the episode. With this episode focusing on the Gallifrey regulars (excluding Reiven as she is with the Doctor during the events of the episode).

The episode begins with the main characters in different places. Romana and Diewp are in Romana's office discussing the recent government's budget surplus, Higgiof is sitting alone at a bar and Roiyden and Azmana are at a country estate, which we learn we learn is a family estate that he inherited from his father when he became of age at 125. And we see hints of Roiyden and Azmana being... intimate.

An alarm rings out in Romana's office and she looks at her scanner and says, "It finally happened. They did it." She then walks up to her her computer and types something in. Diewp says, "Cedin?" Romana nods her head. Diewp then tells her that she'll be heading to the bunker then.

Several minutes later. Several Gallifreyan's are brought into underground bunkers. Roiyden and Azmana are brought back into the city and brought into the Inner Cabinet Bunker where them as well as Romana, Higgiof and Diewp are at.

Throughout the rest of the episode. We learn that Gallifrey has been in a cold war with one of it's colonies since the Master took power. And that it has launched a nuclear warhead towards Gallifrey. And at the end of the episode, the nuke ends up going into a blackhole and missing Gallifrey completely.

Throughout the episode. The plot takes a backseat and the characters are at the fore-front as we develop Roiyden, Azmana, Higgiof and Diewp more and add onto Romana's life between leaving E-Space and becoming President.

At the end of the episode, everyone leaves the bunker. Romana goes back into her office to see the Doctor and Reiven sitting in her office asking her what had happened.

Serial Six (Ep. 8-9): THE INTERGALACTIC CONFERENCE

Written by Paul Cornell
Directed by Audrey Cooke
Air Dates: 6-13 April 1996

The serial would begin with the Doctor and Reiven sitting in the cabinet office with the TARDIS standing in the corner of the room. Romana enters the office and sits down with them. She says that she needs them to head to a political conference on Peladon in her stead. Reiven asks why she needs them there. Romana says, "I'm gonna need you two off world for a few weeks." The Doctor laughs and says, "We are being put in a time out." Reiven rolls her eyes at the Doctor's statement. Which Romana says, "You two need to get along better."

With this the two of them enter the TARDIS. And we see the TARDIS has redesigned itself. Giving it a more colder, metallic and futuristic look and feel to it.

The TARDIS lands on Peladon and the Doctor and Reiven are given a state greeting with the leaders then escorting them to a shared bedroom.

Throughout the serial, the plot then splits into two different sections that are intercutted between each other. To tell the story in a better fashion, I'll be covering them separately.

The main political plot of the episode is an Ice Warrior being poisoned during a banquet for all of the guests. The Doctor intervenes and is able to save the Ice Warrior's life. And several different assassination attempts on different members of specifically, the Galactic Federation. The Doctor and Reiven find out that a group of interplanetary extremists are trying to use assassination methods to destabilize the Galactic Federation. In the end, the terrorists are stopped and arrested by the authorities on Peladon.

The other main plot of the episode focuses on the Doctor and Reiven's relationship. With the two of them being at each other's throat's since the Doctor's regeneration. The two of them try and talk about how they now feel. And we learn that Reiven has always had a hard time accepting regenerations in her life. As almost everyone close to her has regenerated at least once in their life. But, she has not. She is still in her first body.

At the end of the second episode, the two of them finish their talk. And she thinks that her feelings about the Doctor are... completely different to what it used to be.

Serial Seven (Ep. 10): SIEGE OF THE SHIP

Written by Colin Brake
Directed by Jim Gillespie
Air Dates: 20 April 1996

The episode/serial begins with the TARDIS in-flight as the Doctor and Reiven head back to Gallifrey after the events of the previous serial. The two of them are silent. Not sure on what to say after the events that had just happened. All of a sudden, the TARDIS cloisters start ringing. And the ship starts shaking. The Doctor checks the console scanner and we see that the TARDIS has been boarded by pirates that live in the Time Vortex.

The episode/serial shows the Doctor and Reiven fighting off the pirates and getting control back of the TARDIS. Which because of the incident, the TARDIS gets stranded in space for several months due to the effects put on it by the Vortex Pirates.

While all of this is going on, the Doctor and Reiven are forced to sit down and talk about each other with the Doctor's new body. And the Doctor says that he is younger, slightly less mature. But, the Doctor wonders why Reiven would look at him differently because of it. Reiven says that. She's having a hard time... looking at him in nothing but a romantic way.

At the end of the episode, once the Vortex Pirates are defeated. The Doctor and Reiven talk. And the Doctor makes a confession. He... has kind of been looking at her in a very similar way. Which leads to the two of them kissing. And as soon as the TARDIS lands, they step outside and sees Romana, Roiyden, Azmana, Higgiof and Diewp standing in front of them. Asking where the hell they have been. The Doctor is confused. Before he hears in the background, "Exterminate the Time Lords!" The Doctor takes a step back and says to himself, "Daleks". As the episode/serial ends.

Serial Eight (Ep. 11-13): THE DALEK INVASION OF GALLIFREY

Written by Russell T Davies
Directed by David Hayman
Air Dates: 27 April-11 May 1996

To finish off the first season for the new Doctor, we get a big action packed Dalek finale with the Daleks invading Gallifrey. With the serial playing out as a big action blockbuster with tons of explosions and model and CGI shots all throughout.

This story would also conclude a small story-arc woven throughout the decades with the Dalek's invasion of Gallifrey being fallout from the Time Lord's actions in Genesis of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks, the Daleks had decided to get revenge and take out the Time Lords. Which they are unable to as the Doctor is able to put a stop to them.

Also, as a B-plot, we conclude the Doctor and Reiven's arc of the season. Where they finally accept their romantic feelings for each other and decide to... do something minimal at least going forward.

Season Conclusion

So that was Season 32 and the first season for a new format of the show. General audiences and critics gave the season high praise with the new style. But, the fandom's initial reaction was one of mixed feelings, but overtime did improve and have a positive look on the season.

The fandom's biggest complaint at the time was that there was not enough of Doctor Who style episodes. In October 1996, Diana Barton confirmed in a interview with DWM. That Season 32 was made to be like Season 7. And that Season 33 onwards would be more like other seasons of the Jon Pertwee era. Where it would be a mixture of Doctor Who-centric stories and Gallifrey based stories.

Come Back Next Time for Doctor Who: Season Thirty-Three