Doctor Who: The Cancelled Years | Season 28 (1991)

By the early 1990s, Doctor Who was in a bit of a predicament. After several years of low ratings & audiences losing interest in the show, the show had started to rapidly approach the chopping block yet again. Whilst Season 26 saw the show reaching a new low for viewing figures, Season 27 saw a slight boost, which was enough to guarantee the show for another season.

But this year was going to be different. The tides were turning - and a new cast & crew were about to embark on new journeys. With new leads & a new Producer at the helm, could Doctor Who be saved from the bottom of the barrel?

DOCTOR WHO: SEASON 28 - 1991

Season 28 of Doctor Who would've starred Richard Griffiths as the Eighth Doctor, along with Julia Ormond as Raine Cunningham & Mark Greenstreet as new companion, Higgs. It would also see Ian Fraser acting as Producer, with Ben Aaronovitch as Script Editor.

This season 28 would've marked a soft refresh for Doctor Who, with it being the debut of a new Doctor & a new Production team. After having worked as a Production Manager for 5 years, Ian Fraser was approached about taking over as Producer for Doctor Who, which he eventually agreed to. Fraser & Aaronovitch wished to take Doctor Who in a new direction. Whilst still retaining a few elements from the McCoy era, both wished to return the show to some of its darker & gothic roots, similar to those of the Philip Hinchcliffe era.

This season would see the debut of Richard Griffiths as the Eighth Doctor. The new Doctor would be a throwback to the elder gentleman figure character of the First Doctor but with a more modern take. He would often appear as a grumpy, old man. But he would be more active in the story like all post-Hartnell Doctors & would possess the wonder, curiosity & "twinkle in the eye" quality that the Doctor has always had. The new Doctor's costume would also be a return to the basics, after over a decade of loud, strange clothing choices with question mark collars. The new Doctor would wear a basic white shirt & red tie, with a black jacket, waistcoat, trousers & shoes. Much like Pertwee, it was decided that he would have varied costumes in later seasons, such as swapping out the waistcoat for a jumper as well changing the colour of his clothing, while making sure the Eighth Doctor kept this basic silhouette.

Griffiths' Doctor would be the first Doctor to wear glasses. He would also be the first Doctor to spout facial hair, with the Eighth Doctor initially spouting a goatee. This was due to Griffiths' already existing commitment to The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear. However, Fraser agreed to keep the goatee, as he felt it complimented the look of his Doctor.

One problem that faced the Production team with this new Doctor was the fact that, with Griffiths being a less energetic & mobile Doctor, it meant that action & energetic moments were at risk of taking a backseat in some stories. To fix this issue, Fraser & Aaronovitch devised a plan to introduce a new, male companion that could act as the leading action man, in the vein of Ian Chesterton & Steven Taylor in the Hartnell era. They therefore created the character of Higgs, a soldier from the future, with actor Mark Greenstreet cast in the role.

For the new Season, a brand new title sequence was commissioned, which was accompanied with a new logo & new arrangement of the Doctor Who theme by Mark Ayres. All three were designed to move away from the “tackiness” of those used from the McCoy era & instead harken back to the core of the show, whilst keeping things fresh & original.

SIDE NOTE: I would like to note that, although the titles I present feature Griffiths spouting a beard, which he would do in the show for Season 29 onwards, the actual title sequence would see him with only a goatee. The reason why he’s bearded in the titles is because I couldn't find any good images of Griffiths circa early 90s with a goatee that would work. And i’m not using AI, fuck that shit. So just imagine he has a goatee in the titles.

Season 28 would air between the 4th of September, 1991, and the 4th of December, 1991. It would consist of 14 episodes across 4 stories, with two 3-parters & two 4-parters, and would go out weekly on Wednesday Night.

THE LAST OF THE DALEKS
Written by: Ben Aaronovitch
Directed by: Michael Kerrigan
Parts: 4

This story would be noteworthy for being the first time since An Unearthly Child that a new Doctor's first story isn't a post-regeneration story. However, it would be heavily implied that this story is set not too long after the Doctor's regeneration, with Raine still feeling a little unsure of the new Doctor.

The story sees the Doctor & Raine arriving on a mining vessel named the Wintshore. There, the Doctor & Raine are discovered by the crew & are arrested, believed to be off-world spies. They're taken to the bridge to face the Captain, where, to the Doctor’s horror, he finds his assistant to be a Dalek. The Doctor tries to warn the Captain about the Dalek, but they think he’s mad, saying that the Daleks are their servants, created by their top scientists. He’s then taken to meet with this scientist, who the Doctor discovers is none other than Davros.

The story then sees the Doctor trying to warn the crew of the ship about Davros & the Daleks, but is unable to convince them. After trying to destroy a Dalek, the Doctor & Raine are thrown in the brig. There, they meet a prisoner named Higgs. Speaking to Higgs, the Doctor & Raine learn that he is a soldier from a Dalek War in the future. However, his craft got shot through a wormhole and was sent back in time by 200 years. Tracking Dalek lifesigns to the mining vessel, he too tried to warn the crew of the Daleks. However, they also didn't believe him & locked him away for trying to kill Davros.

With Higgs agreeing to team up with the Doctor & Raine to stop whatever Davros has planned, the trio work together to overpower the local security & break out of the Brig. They then learn about a sector of the vessel that's closed off for unknown reasons Suspecting that Davros occupies that sector, the trio sneak their way past security & make their way into the out of bounds sector.

There, they discover the Dalek processing factory, where several crew members have been hypnotized by Davros & forced into labour. They see the crew members growing new Dalek mutants by combining old Kalek DNA with specs of rock from a recently mined stone. The new mutants are then placed into new Dalek casings, where they wait for Davros' orders to conquer the vessel.

With viable evidence that Davros is evil, the Doctor proceeds to un-hypnotize one of the workers. The trio then take the worker to the vessel's captain, where the worker warns the Captain about Davros. With enough evidence, he makes an announcement to the crew that Davros & his Daleks are considered a hostile & dangerous threat. Realising that his plans have been exposed, Davros activates his Daleks & orders them to exterminate the crew. We then see the new Daleks rolling out into the corridors & picking off the crew one by one.

We then see the Doctor, Raine, Higgs, Comet & the Captain working together to try & stop Davros. Searching the vessel's logs for anything that could help, the Doctor discovers that one of the asteroids that was mined by the planet contained an element named Varganium, which can be turned into a gas that's deadly to life from Skaro. With that, the group travel to the nearest laboratory, where they begin crushing down Varganium into its gas component.

The Doctor makes contact with Davros over a communications channel, where the two exchange brief conversation, with Davros saying he approves of the Doctor's new face. The Doctor gives Davros an ultimatum: Stand down or else he will die. Davros laughs disgustingly, before telling the Doctor that his threats are empty. The Doctor then tells Davros that he did warn him; he gave him a chance, before telling Raine to activate the ventilation. Raine flicks a switch & we see the Varganium gas being pumped into the ventilation. We see Daleks begin to spew out green liquid, as they spin around frantically.

We then see Davros also beginning to cough up the green liquid, demanding the Doctor to tell him what he’s done. The Doctor reveals his plan, before saying “Goodbye, Davros. & hopefully for the last time too” before switching off the television. We then cut back to Davros, where he slowly makes his way into an escape pod. Davros, with the last of his energy, presses the main button, which shuts the door & launches the escape pod.

We then cut to later, with the Daleks being ejected into a nearby sun. The Captain thanks the Doctor, Raine & Higgs for their help & pardons them of their crimes. We then end with the Doctor & Raine back in the TARDIS, with the Doctor polishing his glasses & Raine admitting that she's starting to get used to this new Doctor. Before the Doctor can dematerialise the TARDIS, he hears a knock at the door. He opens the door & shouts "enter!". Higgs enters the TARDIS & says his goodbyes to the Doctor & Raine, with the latter sharing a hug with him. The Doctor also thanks Higgs for his assistance, before asking what he plans to do now. Higgs says he's not too sure as he's worried he'll somehow break the timeline if he remains in the past. The Doctor then reveals that the TARDIS is a time machine & offers to take Higgs back to his time, before saying "or.... you could come with us? Have a guided tour around the universe & then back home". After some consideration, Higgs accepts his offer, which pleases the Doctor & Raine. The Doctor proceeds to set the TARDIS into flight & we see it dematerialising from the mining vessel.

NIGHT THOUGHTS
Written by: Edward Young
Directed by: Nicholas Mallett
Parts: 3

The story sees the Doctor, Raine & Higgs arriving in a forest at night during a rainstorm, where they're offered shelter by a group of academics in their mansion. There, we’re introduced to the supporting cast, including Major Dickens, the leader of the group, a bursar named Bartholomew, Sue, a seemingly troubled housemaid, who prefers to communicate through a stuffed rabbit toy named Happy, O'Neil, a Doctor in English Literature, The Deacon, a chaplain in the British Army, & Joe Hartley, a taxidermist. At first, everything seems seemingly normal. However, things take a turn for the worst, as the group of academics are slowly killed off by a murderer within the group.

The Doctor is forced to investigate the murders. However, during his investigation, he uncovers a device named the Bartholomew transactor. Confronting the remaining academics, the Doctor discovers that the group are experimenting with time with the Bartholomew transactor in order to send a message back in time to their past selves, to warn them about a girl named Edie O'Neil who, several years ago, they misdiagnosed with Gravonax poisoning & accidentally killed in that very house.

Their plan works & they’re successfully able to communicate with their younger selves. However, the interference with the timeline causes Edie to be transformed into a zombie-like state of limbo. This causes the Doctor to realise that the misdiagnosis had never been genuine, & that the whole series of events were part of a time experiment conducted by Dickens, as he wanted to be famous for bringing someone back to life.

Intending to correct the academics' mistake, the Doctor travels back in time to undo the damage & expose Dickens. However, he is unable to bring himself to kill Edie & continues to allow the Zombie-Edie to exist in the present. Then, Returning to the present, the Doctor discovers that most of the academics, bar O’Neil & Sue, are now all dead. The Doctor also notices that Edie’s body has now collapsed. He then theories that the zombie-Edie was responsible for the deaths & was keeping herself "alive" through her own use of the transactor. We then end with O’Neil & Sue heading off together, before the trio also leave.

ILLEGAL ALIEN
Written by: Mike Tucker & Robert Perry
Directed by: Nicholas Mallett
Parts: 3

The story would've been set in London in 1940, where we see the Doctor, Raine & Higgs meeting a private detective Cody McBride. The trio work with him to track down a serial killer known as the 'Limehouse Lurker'. After some investigating, the Doctor discovers a Cybermat, which leads him to suspect the Timehouse Lurker to be a time-travelling Cyberman that has been damaged by a bomb from the Blitz & is seeking blood plasma to heal its damaged organic components. Whilst the Doctor & Higgs tinker with the Cybermat, as this Cybermat is a design the Doctor has never seen before, Raine & McBridge investigate the factory of Dr Peddler, a murdered businessman. There, they discover a small group of Cybermen, who go after the two of them. Raine & McBride split up, & we see Raine being pursued by the Cybermen.

She then takes shelter in a bar, however she’s attacked by a swarm of Cybermats, which she’s able to fend off, before she takes shelter in a house belonging to George Limb, a politician. This would be intercut with the Doctor, Higgs & McBride continuing to investigate, where they eventually discover that the factory is being used to create Cybermen & Cybermats. They also discover that Wall, Dr. Peddler's assistant, has partially converted himself into a Cyberman. It turns out Peddler & Wall found a group of dormant Cybermen & began research into them at the factory, but Peddler became horrified when he discovered the Cybermen's true nature, & so he was killed by a Cybermat. We also learn that it was the murder of Peddler that McBride is investigating.

Meanwhile, Raine discovers that Limb has been sheltering the Lurker, before it attacks her. Then suddenly, Captain Hartmann, a Nazi officer, turns up & destroys the Lurker, while also kidnapping Raine & takes her to his Nazi base in Jersey. It’s here that George Limb is revealed to be the mastermind of the cyber-operation, having given cybertechnology to both the British & the Nazis to kick-start a technology race. We then see the Doctor recover the Lurker's cyber command unit, a mobile computer that directs the Cybermen. He then travels to Jersey & uses the command unit to seize control of the Cybermen & sets them against Limb & his Nazi allies.

A Nazi captain damages the control unit, & all hell breaks loose, as the Cybermen can no longer be controlled. Limb flees the area using the Cybermen's time capsule, however the primitive device can't cope & time is slowed down. The Doctor & Higgs are then able to resist the effect & pulls Raine free. The trio are able to escape the factory, with the cyber control unit exploding & destroying the factory. The Doctor assumes Limb to have been shredded through time & space, before the trio leave in the TARDIS.

LUNGBARROW
Written by: Marc Platt
Directed by: Chris Clough
Parts: 4

This story sees the TARDIS arriving in an old, cavernous house filled with giant furniture. Upon arriving, the Doctor is struck with a sense of dread & is unnerved - seemingly knowing exactly where he is. Meanwhile, we see Raine experiencing visions - visions which, we see, involve a familiar white haired man killing another man.

Exploring the house some more, the group discovers a man, who the Doctor instantly recognises. He then reveals to Raine & Higgs that they - he - is home. Gallifrey. The House of Lungbarrow. Home to his family - his cousins, identifying this man as his Cousin Glospin, who never liked the Doctor.

Exploring more of the house, the Doctor encounters more of his cousins, including Innocet (a friend turned enemy), Satthralope (the current housekeeper of Lungbarrow), and Owis, who the Doctor seems uncomfortable around. Upon seeing the Doctor, Satthralope tries to have the Doctor captured by the Drudges - giant wooden-like creatures who serve the house's occupants.

It turns out that the vision Raine had experienced was an event from Gallifrey's past - 637 years ago - where the First Doctor killed a man named Quences; something which the Doctor claims to be untrue.

We learn that Quences was once the head of the Family of the House of Lungbarrow, and was something of a father figure to the Doctor. However, Quences was eventually forced to banish the Doctor from the House as he refused to enter politics.

The story would then see the Doctor, Raine & Higgs working with Innocet, as well as the Doctor's old robotic friend named Badger, to try & clear the Doctor's name, as well as find the real killer & dealing with Raine's visions. The latter is eventually explained to be the Doctor's subconscious being rerouted by the TARDIS to Raine, as the Doctor's mind cannot contain all of his memories anymore.

Attempting to clear the Doctor's name, Innocet telepathically connects with Raine in order to access his memories. There, she sees that the First Doctor did indeed kill Quences. However, she also sees that the Doctor was also somewhere else on Gallifrey at the time.

As the group continues to investigate, we'd naturally learn a lot more about the House of Lungbarrow, as well as some of Gallifrey's history. We learn that, after the Doctor was banished, the Doctor's cousins illegally loomed another Cousin named Owis, which resulted in Lungbarrow being disavowed from the Prydonian Chapter & slowly dragging itself into the cliff it stood on - the house itself being sentient.

It's also explained that Time Lords aren't born, but are created via devices known as Looms, with everybody in a house being cousins to each other.

We also learn a bit about the creator of the House of Lungbarrow - one of Gallifrey's founding fathers, alongside Rassilon & Omega, known as the Other. It's revealed that he threw himself into the Prime Distributor of the Looms, with his entire DNA and Genetic Code being torn apart and unravelled to await his eventual reconstitution. And whilst it's never confirmed, we see hints that the Doctor may be connected to the Other in some way.

After overcoming some difficulties, such as the Doctor nearly dying, helping Raine before she is driven insane, Badger accidentally killing Innocet (resulting in her regenerating), and encountering an experiment-gone-wrong left by the Doctor over 637 years ago, It's eventually revealed that the real killer was actually Glospin.

It turns out Glospin forced himself to regenerate into looking exactly like the First Doctor in order to frame him for the murder. We learn that Glospin killed Quences before he could reveal his will, which he predicted would name the Doctor as his successor as head of the family. It's also revealed that Quences' actually transferred his mind into Badger, revealing that his murder had been foretold. He also reveals that he did indeed plan to name the Doctor as his successor.

The story then ends with the house beginning to collapse over the cliff. Innocet & Badger escape the house, whilst the Doctor, Raine, Higgs escape in the TARDIS, with Glospin & Satthralope being left behind as they plummet to their death.

The story then ends in a Gallifrey city, with the Doctor giving the House keys and loom data to Innocet & proclaiming her as the new Housekeeper. Innocet tells the Doctor that the Lord President had promised that Lungbarrow will be reinstated as a Prydonian House and that a new House will be grown from the original template. Negotiations are also underway with the Sisterhood of Karn in hopes of bringing the end of "the Curse"...

CONCLUSION

Season 28 was overall better received than the past few seasons. Viewing figures, whilst still not reaching the heights they used to be, were noticeably more healthier than they had been in more recent seasons. Although Lungbarrow was a hard pill for casual viewers to swallow, it went down pretty well with the die-hards, with most casual viewers liking the rest of the season though. Griffiths’ Doctor, Raine & Higgs proved to be popular with fans & casual viewers who tuned in to see the new Doctor in action. It was generally agreed that the new direction the show was heading down was the right call. Seeing the success of the new Doctor & production team, the BBC higherups decided to greenlight the show for another season in 1992...