Doctor Who: The One Doctor (2003)

Introduction

The One Doctor would be the 40th anniversary of the Doctor Who franchise and aired on the 23rd of November 2003. This would be a ninety minute television movie. That would have been co-produced with HBO Films in collaboration with HBO Television Studios and BBC Wales.

The television movie would be written by Russell T Davies and directed by recurring director Graeme Harper. With Anthony Head starring as the Eleventh Doctor and Lesley Sharp guest-starring as Depel, a one-off guest companion for the special. Along with Head and Sharp. Several of the regulars from the upcoming fifth series of Gallifrey would star in it. With it including Michelle Collins as Romana, Ace Bhatti as Roiyden, Naoko Mori as Azmana and Anna Maxwell Martin and Reiven.

Due to all previous alive Doctor's appearing in the 40th anniversary season. It was decided that the 40th anniversary special would only feature the incumbent Eleventh Doctor as the sole Doctor.

With this, let's go into the 40th anniversary special of Doctor Who.

THE ONE DOCTOR

Written by Russell T Davies
Directed by Graeme Harper
Air Date: 23 November 2003

For the very first time since HBO had became a co-producer in the franchise. We do not start with a cold open. We go straight into the opening credits. Which remain the same from seasons 38 and 39. But after Anthony Head's name. The names of Lesley Sharp, Michelle Collins, Ace Bhatti, Naoko Mori and Anna Maxwell Martin are all added in.

After the title sequence. We start on Depel. Who is walking through the newly re-built Capitol. She enters the Presidential building and enters a lift and heads towards the top floor. She reaches the top floor and enters the main office. Where Romana greets her. We hear that Depel is Romana's new personal bodyguard as her previous one died during the Earth-Gallifrey War.

Roiyden then enters greeting himself and flirts with Depel. He goes over several projects about rebuilding Gallifrey and it's interests after the Master had taken over. With them almost destroying Gallifrey. Depel offers her two cents and says, "I'm surprised it took as long as it did to take her down." Romana dismisses Depel and tells her to wait at her desk while Romana is in her office.

As Depel walks out, Azmana and Reiven walk towards Romana's office with Azmana talking and Reiven staring out into the distance. As soon as they disappear behind the door, Depel sits down and then a montage ensues of Depel and her boring day of doing absolutely nothing. Until, all of a sudden, alarms start blaring. Romana runs out of her office and takes an emergency teleport. She tells Depel, "Don't follow me. I know what I am doing." And then teleports away and we see the scene from the Season 39 finale. But, it continues after that with Depel teleporting inside the TARDIS.

Depel approaches Romana and says, "Lady President. We need to get you to safety." Romana says, "I'm trying to stop what is happening." The Doctor, still completely clueless asks what is going on. Depel then realizes who the Doctor is and then salutes him. Saying, "It's an honour sir." The Doctor simply laughs, thanks her and then asks her to put her hand down.

The TARDIS arrives in Romana's office. The Doctor gleefully welcomes Azmana and Reiven with him and Roiyden just acting on nodding terms. The Doctor asks what is going on. The five of them debrief him. Due to the Master ruling Gallifrey for several years. The protections for the Eye of Harmony have degraded over time. And now, the Eye of Harmony is in danger of becoming a supernova, destroying Gallifrey and rippling throughout the universe. The Doctor realizing the disastrous consequences that can occur. He agrees to help out.

We get another montage of the Doctor and co. doing research on the Eye of Harmony. The Doctor comes to a conclusion. The Eye is... beyond their comprehension. The Doctor is worried about what to do. He speaks very fast to himself. He then comes to a realization. He runs back into his TARDIS, with Romana ordering Depel to go with him.

The Doctor dematerializes the TARDIS. Depel thinks that he doesn't realize that she is there. The Doctor then says, "So you are a loyal lady to Romana. Aren't you?" Depel shocked responds with, "Yes. I am." The Doctor looks over at her and says, "Romana is one of my closest friends. I'm usually a standard Time Lord renegade. But, Romana convinced me to stay on Gallifrey for a few years after the 4534 crises. She... had changed my mind about what Gallifrey is supposed to represent." Depel says, "I mean. You aren't a renegade sir. You are the Doctor. You are seen as a war hero to the Gallifreyan public. You've fought against the Master, the Vardans, Omega, Lord President Borusa, the very last Time Lord High Council. You're a defender of the ones who cannot defend themselves." The Doctor looks at her and says, "I am not a war hero. I just try to help out where and when I can. I'm not some... figure to look up to. I'm just some guy with a blue box."

The TARDIS materializes at it's destination. The Doctor and Depel step out and he tells Depel that they are still on Gallifrey. But eons into the past. And they need the help of the one man who can help them repair the Eye of Harmony.

We then cut to a laboratory. A single man is writing and drawing on several pieces of paper. The Doctor and Depel enter the room. The Doctor with a smile says, "We need your help. You are the only one who save this planet." The man's face is shown and it is Omega. (played by Donald Sumpter, reprising the role from Season 39). Omega goes on a ramble about not being able to complete his major experiment. The Doctor, confused, asks about the Eye of Harmony. Omega laughs and says, "As if that was possible." Omega mourns saying that he had tried over and over again to complete the Eye. But, he can never be able to complete it. The only one who wants him to complete it is his only remaining friend after Rassilon was sealed inside his tomb.

The Doctor and Depel try to encourage Omega. But, it is futile. Eventually. Another man (dressed in Prydonian robes) enters the laboratory. The man walks over to Omega, the Doctor and Depel. He says, "Omega. You need to listen to him." The Doctor looks up with shock. He walks over to the man and the Doctor says, "I assume you are... the Other?" And we then see the Other (played by Anthony Head). The Other laughs and says, "Well. Who else would I be." Omega says, "You don't recognize the man opposing the current government? The one led by Rexusfellix?" Depel shocked and says, "Rexusfellix?" Omega nods. Depel whispers to the Doctor, "Sorry. It's just... history. I never knew that we'd be at the beginning of the Fellix dynasty." The Doctor admits that he is confused. Depel says, "Rexus is Roiyden's ancestor." The Doctor is understanding, but then says they need to get back on topic.

The Doctor, the Other and Depel talk to Omega. And he eventually agrees to finish his work on the Eye of Harmony. He says that he would need help though. The Doctor smiles and says, "You have three people here willing to help."

The next twenty-minutes is a four-hander between the Doctor, the Other, Depel and Omega as they assemble the Eye of Harmony. And perform Omega's experiment and it is a success. Omega flips another switch and then the Eye pulls him into it. The Other is shocked but the Doctor and Depel says not to worry. He is going where he is needed. The Doctor and Depel grab the necessary items they need. And then head back to the TARDIS.

The TARDIS then lands back inside Romana's office as Depel orders several CIA officers to take the items they need to repair the Eye. Meanwhile, the Doctor being curious says that there is something he needs to take care of. And he slips away from Romana's office and enters the lift and takes it to the ground floor. With him then exiting the building.

The Doctor wanders the streets of Gallifrey and eventually goes into the countryside. He approaches a countryside estate and enters. He looks into a study like area where there are several portraits (with the faces of the writers from Season 39) of people with the sub-name of "Fellix". One of them being Rexus (as he was shown in Season 39). Roiyden enters and says, "I could have you shot for breaking and entering." The Doctor smiles and says, "Do you know?" Roiyden nods. The Doctor smirks and says, "You're welcome." Roiyden says, "It would have happened without your intervention. Rexus, my ancestor would have became Lord President and the Fellix dynasty would still have risen." The Doctor laughs, he says that Rexus, a good man, had no political backbone. Roiyden smirks and says, "Maybe... but, between me and you. I think I win over." The Doctor confused. Reiven then awkwardly walks in. Reiven then goes to stand by Roiyden. The Doctor asks Reiven why she is acting the way she is. Reiven says, "It's hard to be in the same room with your ex... and your husband." The Doctor is shocked and says, "Oh Rei-." But they are interrupted as Romana bursts in and says that they have a problem.

The four of them head back into the Capitol and we see that while the provisions are helping. The Eye of Harmony needs a sacrifice. The Doctor comes to a realization. He says that Omega had been forced into a universe of anti-matter. He was only able to survive as he was a brilliant scientist. And no one on Gallifrey, nor the universe, has his brain. Whoever sacrifices themself to the Eye. They will die.

The Doctor then goes to sit alone out in a corridor of the building that has the Eye. He sits on the floor. Staring into nothing. Reiven walks out into the corridor. She says she apologizes and that it is a long story. The Doctor says, "It's not that. I think this could be the end." Reiven comforts him. She says, "You have sacrificed so much for the universe. You... you are the greatest thing this planet has ever produced." The Doctor smiles and says, "You always have been able to uplift my feelings." The Doctor stands up and says, "It's time."

The Doctor walks back into the room. And steps up onto a platform. And starts walking towards the Eye. He slowly starts feeling aches. And eventually. He is frozen in place. He is then pulled back by Depel. The Doctor, wounded is unable to do anything. Depel looks at Romana, salutes, and says, "It's been an honour ma'am. But. I must resign... for the universe." Depel then runs towards the Eye and she is eventually pulled in, evaporating her body. And all of a sudden, the Eye is stable.

We cut to a few hours later. The Doctor is sitting in a hospital bed. Reiven and Azmana sitting at his bed side. Reiven says that his body is fine. And that he doesn't need to regenerate. The Doctor solemnly just lays there. He said that he liked Depel and was planning on asking her to travel with him once the situation was over. Reiven says, "You know the right people. You always bring them with you." The Doctor chuckles. He thanks her for that.

We cut to a few days later and it is Depel's funeral. A small scale one where the Doctor attends standing far away. He stares solemnly. Romana turns to face him. The two of them nod. And then the Doctor turns around and enters his TARDIS. He walks up to the console. And then pulls the dematerialization lever.

A notice then appears on the TARDIS console. Where it says, "Alert: London, England, Europe, Earth, 2004." The Doctor smiles and says, "Time to get back to work." We then pull out of the TARDIS as we see it fly through the Time Vortex. And as the TARDIS is flying, the end credits play.

Conclusion

So, that was the 40th anniversary special of Doctor Who. Overall. Fans enjoyed the special and due to past-Doctors meeting in the season. The biggest worry about fan backlash over no other Doctor's being in it did not appear.

Russell T Davies was announced as the new executive producer of the franchise. However. It was announced that he would not be the next showrunner for Doctor Who.

But, it will take some time until you readers find out who is next.

Introducing Doctor Who: Beyond 1989 - Seasons

So. You are probably wondering what are "Seasons". This is how we will be releasing future posts of the Beyond 1989 series going forward. And this post concludes "Season 2".

The seasons are the following:

• Season 1 - Seasons 27-31 (1990-1995)
• Season 2 - Seasons 32-40th Anniversary Special (1996-2003)

I can proudly say that we aim for Season 3 to begin releasing later this year. This is to life the burden of us behind the scenes of trying to get things out week by week. (I mean, we had to delay this post by one week because of it.) And also, this will give us a chance to update the Beyond 1989 wiki.

We can confirm that Season 3 will begin with January 2004, which sees the premiere of Anthony Head's third season as the Doctor. 2004 will also see the fifth series of Gallifrey. And finally, a second spin-off will begin in the Autumn of 2004.

Until next time, goodbye for now.

Come Back Next Time, Later this Year, for Doctor Who: Season Forty