Doctor Who: Season 37 (2001)

Introduction

Season 37 of Doctor Who aired from the 14th of April to the 7th of July 2001.

This season would have been the last for Andrew Lincoln as the Tenth Doctor as well as the last for Matthew Bird as producer and Paul Cornell as script editor. While Jed Mercurio would have announced early on that he'd be staying on for at least another two seasons as executive producer.

It was also announced very early on that recurring writer Russell T Davies would be taking over as script editor for Paul Cornell in the following season. And would be involved in developing the new companion for the season.

With the departure of both Marg Helgenberger and Angela Griffin at the end of the previous season. Mercurio, Cornell and Davies worked together to create a brand new companion. The companion would be named Taylor Howard, a working-class university student who is introduced in the first serial of the season. After several rounds of casting with Andy Pryor, actress Jo Joyner was casted in the role of Taylor.

While some HBO executives were wanting another American companion to help boost the show. When they saw the casting of the Eleventh Doctor. They saw that they wouldn't need an American companion. As the next Doctor would have brought in the American audience that HBO was targeting.

Serial One (Ep. 1-3): THE CYBER UNIVERSITY

Written by Jed Mercurio
Directed by Jed Mercurio
Air Dates: 14-28 April 2001

The opening serial of the season introduces Taylor as the new companion as odd things are happening at her technology focused university. With the Doctor being introduced partway through the first part of the serial.

It would be revealed in the part one cliffhanger that the people behind the odd goings on is the Cybermen. Which are "mini-converting" both staff and students at the university and invade the planet in a slow invasion. Also because of the mini-converting (and to not make American audiences confused) the design from The Tenth Planet and Spare Parts were kept.

Throughout the serial, Taylor proves herself more and more with the Doctor. And once the Cybermen and their invasion are stopped. He shows her the TARDIS and offers her to join him in his travels of time and space. Which, Taylor agrees to.

Serial Two (Ep. 4): TOOTH AND CLAW

Written by Russell T Davies
Directed by Tim Van Patten
Air Dates: 5 May 2001

This episode would be a pseudo historical featuring Queen Victoria in Aberdeen. With the Doctor and Taylor joining her on a trip to an estate. Which is being haunted by a werewolf.

The werewolf would have the Doctor Who twist of the werewolf actually being an alien from outer-space, which is trying to use the Earth for nefarious methods.

This would be considered the weakest serial in the season and one of the weaker ones in the Andrew Lincoln era. And didn't really hold up to the same quality as compared to the rest of the season.

Serial Three (Ep. 5-6): THE TIME OF THE DALEKS

Written by Justin Richards
Directed by Graeme Harper
Air Dates: 12-19 May 2001

This serial would feature the return of the Daleks after their appearance the previous season.

While Jubilee was meant to introduce the American audience to the Daleks and on how, despite their design. They are a deadly force of nature. This serial would be used to show off the more comedic side to the Daleks. With them invading time and using Shakespeare for an invasion of Earth.

Unlike the previous serial, which was a bit of fluff that didn't go down well. Mostly due to bits like the Daleks quoting Shakespeare, made it a more popular serial.

Serial Four (Ep. 7-8): THE RIVAL OF THE TIME LORD

Written by Paul Abbott
Directed by Joe Ahearne
Air Dates: 26 May-2 June 2001

This serial would have been hyped up in America due to this being a crossover with the spin-off Gallifrey. With Michelle Forbes (Prydonian, Lady President Romana), Matthew MacFadyen (Patrex, Treasury Secretary Roiyden), Bellamy Yong (Cerulean, Foreign Secretary Azmana), Lisa Faulkner (Arcalian, Home Secretary Reiven), Sasha Alexander (Patrex, Roiyden's human wife, Penny Stevenson), Christopher Eccleston (Dromeian, Panopticon Representative), Emily Procter (Human and ex-President of Earth) and Kelly Macdonald all portrayed their Gallifrey characters for the serial. With this also introducing the Master (as played by Kelly Macdonald) to a more wider American audiences.

The serial covers the first week of a new election campaign being fought on Gallifrey. With the Master, going under the fake name of Domina, challenging Romana for the lead. They try their hardest. But, the Master is able to thwart them at every turn.

The Doctor and the Master go back and forth of one-upping the other. With it being the serial's main focus. The rivalry between the Doctor and the Master.

In the end, the Doctor is worried that... Maybe there is nothing he can do. Which horrifies Romana, Roiyden, Reiven and Penny. As, if the Doctor can't beat the Master. How can they? The Doctor gives a rousing speech towards them. About how evil and darkness will always be stopped by good and light. And that is what they are.

That energizes them. And the Doctor and Taylor depart Gallifrey as Romana prepares to fight the election on Gallifrey.

Serial Five (Ep. 9): THE DARNLEY CONSPIRACY

Written by Krista Vernoff
Directed by Tim Van Patten
Air Dates: 9 June 2001

This serial, for the first time since Season 4's The Highlanders would be a pure historical.

This serial has the Doctor and Taylor land in the year 1567. Where they attend the wedding of Bastian Pagez, a servant of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. Where at the wedding, Mary's husband, Lord Darnley is murdered during the festivities.

It plays out as a murder mystery story where the Doctor, Taylor and Bastian try to find out who murdered Lord Darnley. And it turns out that Darnley's murdered was orchestrated by Mary and her lover James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell in a larger conspiracy to remove the destabilizing Darnley.

Taylor wants to expose the murder of Darnley and make Mary and Bothwell pay for their crimes. But, the Doctor stops her from doing so. Saying that they must preserve history. And that they cannot change history, not one line. And with that, they depart in the TARDIS.

This serial would be a popular one among fans as it brought the show back to it's roots and taught real history with a Doctor Who twist in it.

(Before we continue onto the finale of the Andrew Lincoln era. We wish to give a personal thank you to Matt Moir, who gave us allowance to use this serial.)

Serial Six (Ep. 10-13): THE SEASONS OF FEAR

Written by Paul Cornell
Directed by James Strong
Air Dates: 16 June-7 July 2001

The finale of the Lincoln era begins with the TARDIS landing in Singapore in New Years Eve, 1930. The Doctor and Taylor mingle with guests at a party. The Doctor meets a man named Sebastian Grayle (played by special guest star Brent Spiner). Grayle proclaims that he is from the Doctor's future and he had killed the Doctor. The Doctor confronts Grayle but Grayle is cryptic and says that the motion of his death are already in motion.

The Doctor and Taylor then depart in the TARDIS. The Doctor goes through the TARDIS library to find any early mentions of someone like Grayle in history. The Doctor finds the earliest point in history in Roman times where it is revealed that Grayle, going by Graylisle, is working with some "Demon Masters".

They first stop him in Roman times, but he is able to escape with the power to live for centuries. So, the Doctor and Taylor look through the TARDIS archives again and find the next time Grayle appears in history.

They end up going to the court of Edward the Confessor. And the two of them find a radioactive source which is revealed to be plutonium that Grayle is mining to achieve permanent immortality. And after poisoning Taylor long enough to distract the Doctor. He is able to mine most of the plutonium to deliver to his "Demon Masters". But, he is unsuccessful. As after the Doctor cures Taylor. They stop his mining operations. But, they finally learn who Grayle's "Demon Masters" are. And we learn that they are (a now redesign to be less alien looking) the Nimon.

The Nimon and Grayle escape and the Doctor and Taylor once again track them down. They track them down to Buckinghamshire in 1806. Where Grayle is apart of a old-school conservative gentleman's club. And he had taken a wife waiting for the Doctor to arrive and confront him.

The Nimon plan on conquering the Earth with the Doctor being dead. With them planning on enslaving the human race, but cannot do it. As Grayle has not been able to find a crucial piece they needed for their invasion.

The Doctor and Taylor eventually arrive and are captured by Grayle and the Nimon. While the Nimon pillage the TARDIS looking for the missing piece they need to conquer the Earth. The Doctor tries to come up with a plan to stop them. But, before he can. The Nimon got the piece they need. The Doctor realizes that he has no other choice. He agrees to help the Nimon and Grayle with their plan if Taylor is spared.

Taylor is distraught as the Doctor begins working with them. But, Taylor soon comes to a realization. The Doctor is bluffing and is planning on thwarting their plan. The plan works with the Nimon being thrown into the Time Vortex. But, Grayle is able to hold on and grabs onto the Doctor and both of them are thrown into the Time Vortex. The Doctor and Grayle fight as they try to climb back into the rift the Doctor made, while both of them starting to feel the effects of radiation poisoning and being aged to death. The Doctor is able to fully climb out and aged up. The Doctor then blows out some golden dust out of his mouth and goes back to his young body. With help from Taylor. They go back into the TARDIS.

The Doctor sets the ship into flight. He is stumbling all over the place. Taylor tries to help him again. But, he tells her not to. He is dying. Taylor starts crying. But, he smiles and says that he has a way to avoid death. But, he will not be the same again. He is gonna change. It's how his race avoids death. He apologizes to Taylor that she won't see him again. Well, him, but not him. As he is gonna change. He holds out his hand, with a tear. He says, "Thank You." A golden glow then surrounds his body, he collapses to the ground.

Eventually the glow dissipates, the Doctor stands up and we see the face of the Eleventh Doctor, Anthony Head.

The Doctor, with a smile on his face tells Taylor, "Hello my old friend. This is regeneration. This is how I avoid death." Taylor is shocked and then it cuts to the end credits.

Season Conclusion

And that concludes Season 37 of Doctor Who. Apart from Tooth and Claw, the season was a success across both ponds. With The Time of the Daleks and The Seasons of Fear being highlights of the season.

The Tenth Doctor as well as his entire era was seen as the breath of fresh air following the Ninth Doctor and Gallifrey focused serials and episodes. Andrew Lincoln was also praised at the time giving a new, younger and emotional take on the Doctor. With fans feeling that the Tenth Doctor had succeeded in certain parts where the Fifth Doctor in the 80s had failed.

The casting of Anthony Head as the Eleventh Doctor happened a lot earlier than previous castings. And with his casting. Mercurio, Cornell and Davies were able to get a full British TARDIS team for Seasons 37 and 38.

Come Back Next Time for Gallifrey: Series Three