If you are unfamiliar with 'Doctor-Lite' it is where we don't have an extensive appearance by the doctor. In other words the doctor doesn't appear very much in the story or contribute very much to the story. Instead the focus is on the companion or a new character altogether. One of the most famous examples of Doctor-Lite is the title card opposite - "Love and Monsters" but there is also the highly praised "Blink". So in this article I will be reviewing each Doctor-Lite story and suggesting what worked and what didn't. Enjoy! Love and monsters: The rather infamous episode that is always the first to be knocked in New who - unnecessarily I think, but compared to other stories this is somewhat of a failure... but a good failure. As I've said this story in my opinion was an experiment; it was the first Doctor-Lite story, the main monster was designed by an eight year old, low budget etc... all these risks didn't really pay off sadly but it allowed doctor who to learn from these mistakes. So our first Doctor-Lite story wasn't too successful - things like the relatively weak ‘love’ story between Elton and Ursula, the mediocre monster all may have been improved if the doctor had been involved, if they wanted it to work, they needed a good enough story to kind of pull us away from the fact our favourite time lord is nowhere to be seen - rather than the odd, weak love story between the two main characters. Human Nature: This story may come as a surprise to some people being a Doctor-Lite story but in this we didn't have our doctor - we got the same actor but a completely different personality. Our doctor was of course tucked away in a Fob watch while a human doctor took his place with no memories of his travels in time and space (played excellently by David Tennant). Since some people may not have even realised this was Doctor-Lite - with the same actor playing a different character, the fact the real doctor isn't there doesn't really have a negative impact, the story kind of wants you to want the doctor back just like Martha and considering how well it did in the latest Doctor who poll, we can consider this Doctor-Lite a success. Blink: Oddly enough this story comes straight after the above two part, but this one is easily one of the most memorable. In this story we have Sally Sparrow and her 'assistant' Larry Nightingale taking on the lead characters and this story is an undeniable success - regularly being praised both in poll's and in reviews and the likeable, independent Sally as well as the actual monster are probably the reason this story is so good. So this story definitely shows that Doctor-Lite can work if written in the right way with as I said what Love and Monsters was missing, people that we can relate to and pull us away from the fact the doctor isn't there as well as being believable. Turn Left: This story unlike the previous ones actually wants you to know the doctor isn't there by having him killed in an alternate timeline where the world is changed from him not being there. So him not being there was probably the main plot. In this episode the focus is on the companions, particularly Donna but with Rose guiding her. Another rather successful story that is incredibly interesting when you think about it: 'what would happen if the doctor wasn't there to save everyone?' It also allowed Donna to once again show what she's capable of and the resolution is particularly fantastic. Within the Matt Smith area there hasn't really been any full on Doctor-Lite stories but as I've seen above, maybe it could have benefited from some Doctor-Lite, in the latest doctor who magazine poll 'Blink' came second behind 'The Day of the doctor', 'Human nature/Family of blood' came 9th so that's two of the above stories in the top 10. Then 'Turn Left' came 39th finally 'Love and Monsters; coming 220th out of 241. Oppertunites of Doctor-Lite in Matt Smith's era were with 'Amy's choice', where we could have just had the Dream Lord tormenting the companions then in and 'The girl who waited' focused more on Amy and her relationship with Rory although The Doctor was quite a big theme in it.
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About this areaThis area will be where I discuss things, give my opinion on things or just tell you about things going on in the whoniverse. Enjoy! Archives
January 2015
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