Introduction
Season 36 of Doctor Who, airing in Spring 2000, would continue on from the previous season. With there being no changes in production team (made up of executive producer Jed Mercurio, producer Matthew Bird and script editor Paul Cornell) and the cast at the end of the previous season. Andrew Lincoln as the Doctor, Marg Helgenberger as Christina Farrell and in her first full season, Angela Griffin as Alison Cheney.
While the previous season was much more contained and was introducing a new show to a new audience and not dragging itself down in canon. This season, Cornell decided to have more of the past of Doctor Who. This included the Daleks as the villains for the first serial of the season as well as references to the show's past throughout the season.
With all of that, let's dive into the season.
Serial One (Ep. 1-2): JUBILEE
Written by Robert Shearman
Directed by Jed Mercurio
Air Dates: 8-15 April 2000
To open up the season, Cornell chose a script submitted by Season 34's The Holy Terror writer, Robert Shearman for the previous season which included the Daleks. However the script was turned down as Mercurio wanted to hold off the Daleks for the second season under HBO. And chose Marc Platt's Spare Parts as he (and Cornell) thought that the Cybermen (and the Sontarans) would be more accessible for an introduction to an American audience.
But, with the second season and with how popular Spare Parts was the previous season, it was decided to make this the opening serial of the season to start it off with a bang both in the US and in the UK with the Daleks being promoted heavily. Especially since they were not shown on screen since Season 32.
This serial would have the TARDIS land in an alternate universe where the Doctor, Christina and Alison saved Earth in the year 1912 against a Dalek invasion and the UK government then adopting Dalek weaponry and conquer the planet and make a second British empire, which encompasses the entire and they have started travelling into the universe and are now conquering other races which include the Ice Warriors as well as the Sontarans and Cybermen (with the later two using their designs from the previous season).
The Doctor, Christina and Alison try throughout the serial to show the British leaders that they are completely in the wrong. With the Doctor saying that they are taking the worse aspects of Dalek culture.
This parallels Christina and Alison who met the last ever Dalek in the universe and the Dalek is taken aback how... nice they are to it. With the Dalek taking Christina and Alison's niceness and forces the 1912 Dalek fleet into modern times and the Lone Dalek as well as Christina and Alison destroying the Dalek fleet, which causes everything to be fixed. And this leads to the serial's massive plot twist. They weren't in an alternate universe, but a timeline which diverged from the main timeline. Which haunts the trio as they see what humanity could become.
Serial Two (Ep. 3): THE UNQUIET DEAD
Written by Mark Gatiss
Directed by Euros Lyn
Air Dates: 22 April 2000
This serial would have the TARDIS land in Cardiff, Wales at Christmas in the year of 1869. And have a historical figure in Charles Dickens, and with it being Doctor Who of course there would be ghosts involved. However, these aliens would be called the Gelth with them trying to invade Cardiff and the Earth via a rift in space and time.
With the help of Dickens and a young woman by the name of Gwyneth. The Doctor, Christina and Alison are able to stop the Gelth's invasion as they seal the rift. And Gwyneth sacrifices herself to fully get rid of the Gelth.
Serial Three (Ep. 4-5): STORM WARNING
Written by Alan Barnes
Directed by Brian Grant
Air Dates: 29 April-6 May 2000
The serial begins with the Doctor, Christina and Alison in the TARDIS library while looking for the TARDIS manual, when the ship gets attacked by creatures called Vortisaurs. Which live in the Time Vortex.
The Doctor is forced to land the TARDIS, however, this traps Christina and Alison in the TARDIS library. While they wait for the TARDIS to repair itself. The Doctor decides to look around where they landed. And much to his surprise, they landed on the British airship the R-101, which is on it's maiden voyage.
The Doctor gets caught up in the events of the ship and meets a young woman by the name of Charlotte Pollard, who snuck on the ship to go on adventure to Singapore after the ship arrives in it's intended destination of India. And coming against a Colonel Rathbone. Who is tasked to get the secrets of an alien race called the Triskele. Which his actions cause the Triskele to declare war on the human race.
The battle between the Humans and the Triskele cause Vortisaurs to emerge out and attack the ship, which despite the Doctor's attempted meddling to save everyone involved to, what he sees as preserving time. Causes the R-101 to crash. And despite his attempts to try and save Charlotte. Everybody aboard the ship dies, with the TARDIS repairing itself just in time for the Doctor to escape back in the TARDIS and he along with Christina and Alison watch the R-101 crash.
After the crash, we play on the Doctor's sadness for awhile as he grew close to Charlotte and was gonna ask her to join them on the TARDIS. The Doctor points out that despite him travelling in time and him accidentally getting involved in time. He can't save everyone.
Serial Four (Ep. 6): THE STONE MONUMENT
Written by Russell T Davies
Directed by Euros Lyn
Air Dates: 13 May 2000
This serial begins with the TARDIS landing at Stone Henge in the year 2000. However, after a couple of minutes of looking around, the Doctor disappears. Christina and Alison try and find the Doctor. But, they notice that several of the stones have changed with writing and drawings. And one of the stones saying only three words, "DO NOT BLINK!".
This serial obviously is a Doctor-lite serial with it acting as the new return of the Weeping Angels. As a group of rogue angels have once again captured the Doctor. But this time, we follow is companions as they have to decipher the writings the Doctor had left so that they can pilot the TARDIS.
Once they are able to pilot the TARDIS (with the Weeping Angels aboard), they arrive with the Doctor and he uses the TARDIS to move the Angels into the Time Vortex where they disintegrate.
Serial Five (Ep. 7): THE GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE
Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Jed Mercurio
Air Dates: 20 May 2000
This serial has the TARDIS land on a spaceship in the year 5037. Which is called the S.S. Madame de Pompadour, and throughout the ship has fireplaces that act as a time portal to the past. Specifically the history of Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, also known as, Madame de Pompadour.
The Doctor gets mixed in the life of Madame de Pompadour, becoming a childhood friend for her and in her 20s, being a romantic interest for her. While Christina and Alison investigate the ship. Which is controlled by robots which uses clockwork robotics and not just the robot, but the entire ship.
The Doctor figures out that the clockwork robots are trying to find the right place in time to take Madame de Pompadour and behead her to take her body for parts. In the end, the Doctor is able to stop them and tries to get Reinette, a nickname for Madame de Pompadour. But, he goes through a different fireplace portal to get her back. And he ends up arriving on the day of the funeral.
The episode ends with the Doctor sitting alone in the TARDIS console room, reading a letter from Reinette that she left him.
Serial Six (Ep. 8-9): THE BATTLE OF FORT SUMTER
Written by René Echevarria
Directed by Tim Van Patten
Air Dates: 27 May-3 June 2000
This serial has the TARDIS land in America in the year 1861. Where they land at Fort Sumter. And the Doctor realizes that it is the day where the American Civil War begins. The trio try and get back to the TARDIS. But, they get caught up in the Confederate invasion of the Fort. And at the halfway point of the serial, an alien force (called the Gantro) comes in and drains the nearest piece of technology. Which is the Perception Watch on Alison's hand.
The second half of the serial has Alison being taken and sent to work as a slave at a plantation which shows the brutality of history. While the Doctor and Christina work to help break her out and help the slave escape. Which they are able to.
At the end of the serial, back in the TARDIS. Alison feels horrified from the brutality she had witnessed that she wishes to go home. The Doctor solemnly agrees to take her home. But, something takes control of the TARDIS and throws them off course as they land somewhere else.
Serial Seven (Ep. 10): DAWN OF THE RED PLANET
Written by Justin Richards
Directed by Tim Van Patten
Air Dates: 10 June 2000
This serial begins with the TARDIS landing on a red planet. With the Doctor and Alison bickering about them not being on Earth. He grabs three spacesuits and tells them to get suited up. As there is no air where they landed at.
The Doctor tells Christina and Alison that they are in the year 2048. And if he is correct, they are going to see history. The team come across a group of civilian space colonists. The Doctor says that this was the first attempt for humans to colonize Mars. The Doctor says that the expedition did collapse and there was never an explanation as to why.
The serial then plays out as essentially a remake of Tomb of the Cybermen. But with the Ice Warriors and that at the end of the serial. All of the colonists end up dying with them ignoring the Doctor's advice. Forcing the Doctor to re-seal the Ice Warrior tomb.
With the Doctor depressed over what has happened. He tries to get Alison home again. But, once again. The TARDIS is thrown off course. As the serial ends. We see the TARDIS crash into an old English manor.
Serial Eight (Ep. 11-13): THE CHIMES OF MIDNIGHT
Written by Robert Shearman & Paul Cornell
Directed by Joe Ahearne
Air Dates: 24 June-8 July 2000
The Doctor and Christina walk up the stairs and they walk into a vibrant setting with their clothes changing as the cellar door shuts out behind them. The Doctor tries opening the door again. But, he cannot open it. The two of them then decide to go and investigate the setting. With them learning that it is Christmas Eve, 1899. And they are at a party hosted by the manor's owner Lord Grove. With everything seemingly normal, until the clock it's 10pm. With that, one of the maids then collapses and dies from drowning herself in the sink. The Doctor and Christina investigates the murder with them pretending to be detectives undercover. And they think they found the murderer. However, the clock turns to 11pm. And the murderer then collapses when he is standing by himself in the middle of an empty room. Like the first murder, it seems like to be a suicide at first. However, it turns out to be a murder. However, when the clock them chimes at 12pm, midnight... The Doctor and Christina are then teleported back to the cellar entrance. With them dressed up differently with them being in swinging 20s attire.
They learn that it is Christmas Eve, 1929. And the same first murder happens again. With the Doctor and Christina attempting to stop the second murder from happening. However, a different party guest is killed at 11pm. And they are wondering what will happen once it turns midnight again. The Doctor puts forward a theory. But, there is only one way to test it out. Wait out until midnight.
Midnight comes and they find themselves back at the beginning of the cellar entrance. Now in 50s attire. Christina tries to re-enter the cellar before it closes. But, she is unsuccessful. The Doctor says that they are in a special kind of time-loop. They are re-living the same two hours, in the same place. But, after every Midnight, they jump forward in time 30 years. They starting mingling with the guests of the 50s party. But, something is different. In the sitting room, a massive throne is a wall. And someone is siting in it. It's Alison.
The Doctor and Christina approach Alison, who has her eyes closed. The Doctor says, "Alison...?". She then opens her eyes and she says, "I am Lady Grove! Offspring of Lord Edward Grove! And they will solve everything, or else they will face the direst of consequences!" The Doctor and Christina try and figure out what has taken over Alison with the two murders going over their head as they try to figure out what has happened to Alison. And, just before the clock strikes midnight. The Doctor says he has figured it out. The clock strikes midnight. And... time does not reset/jump forward. The manor disappears and the Doctor and Christina remain in a massive black void.
Alison reappears in her 50s attire. She asks the Doctor what is happening. The Doctor says that each time, they start off with the two exact same things happening. The cellar door shutting and the same woman dying. He says that things like this only happen when paradoxes occur at a point of time and space where everything is in flux. He says that the woman who died, was never supposed to. However, she committed suicide, but she wasn't meant to according to the web of time.
Ever since that event, the estate of Edward Grove has been feeding off of the death and lives of people. Especially the domestic servers. With this, the Doctor and Christina try to use the energy from the paradox to go back in time and prevent the suicide. Which, they are successful. Once that is done, they go back into the void.
The Doctor says that there is more to this. Lord Grove needed someone to help explain what had happened. And, they reached out to some random person. And that ever since the TARDIS left America in the year 1861. It was the remnants of Lord Grove trying to get control of the TARDIS and bring it and it's passengers to the manor.
But, the Doctor says that it... doesn't feel random. Christina steps forward and says, "Because Lord Grove needed a second link?". The Doctor smiles and says, "You're right." Lord Grove needed a trace of him in the TARDIS to get control of it. And that is why they are inhabiting Alison. She is a descendant of Lord Edward Grove. But, because of the paradoxical shenanigans. She will cease to exist. With only him and Christina remembering who Alison was.
The TARDIS then materializes as a tear slides down Christina's face. She asks the Doctor if it is all possible to find a way to save Alison. The Doctor... puts his head down. He apologizes to Christina and says, "There is no hope. She's already gone Christina." He says that Alison is already dead. And that technically, she has never existed. The Doctor walks over to what remains of Alison and hugs her. Saying goodbye. Christina being an emotional mess. Cannot find it in her to say goodbye to Alison. And she just turns her back and walks away. The TARDIS dematerializes. And Alison and the void disappear into nothingness.
The Doctor pilots the TARDIS, Christina sits in the console room. Quietly saying to herself, "I want to leave." The Doctor hears her. He then pilots the TARDIS to Earth, one and half a year since she left. He says that he understands. After what has happened the last few adventures. He might take a break himself. The two of them hug. And they say their goodbyes. Christina then exits the TARDIS and the Doctor then pilots the TARDIS to Earth's upper-orbit. As he then opens the door and looks above the Earth, in complete silence.
This serial would have gone down as an all time favorite with the critics, fans and general audiences. With several people praising Shearman and Cornell's writing. And some fans have felt that they had their personal choice for script editor once Cornell decides to depart the role.
Season Conclusion
2000 was a massive hit for the franchise. With the successful launch of the first official spin-off and second season receiving praise and higher ratings than the first. The franchise was going into 2001 with it's head held high.
However, HBO executives were worried. Not for 2001, but for 2002. As a month after The Chimes of Midnight finished airing. It was announced by the BBC that Andrew Lincoln's third season will be his last as the Doctor with a new Doctor taking over in 2002.
But, HBO were looking more forward to how Gallifrey would do with it's second series.
Come Back Next Time for Gallifrey: Series Two
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