Whovian Update: Travels with the Doctor Panel at Gally
This is very late, but I thought it may be of interest to some folks.
I was at the Gallifrey One Con in February -- it's something of a tradition with myself and some of my friends. This was my ... 7th in a row? Can't remember.
Anyway, there was typical con stuff, panels, cosplay, lots of opportunities for disposable spending in the dealers room.
The best panel I attended this year was called "Travels with the Doctor" and had in it 2 former cast members from each decade that the show has been on. The 60s were represented by Frazier Hines and Deborah Watling (Jaime and Victoria); the 70's by Katy Manning and Richard Franklin (Jo Grant and Captain Mike Yates). For the 80's there was Nicola Bryant and Mathew Waterhouse (Peri and Adric), and finally rounding out the panel were Billie Piper and Arthur Darvill. Who should need no introduction.
And yes, Gally is an amazing con!
The con report never really happened, but the notes survive. So below I wrote my impressions of, and the most memorable comments from each of the panelists:
Katy Manning - While filming "The Death of the Doctor" SJA, she asked Matt 'What's it like running around a rock quarry with on old lady? One who is still saying, "But Doctor...?" I don't remember Matt's reply, but he was certainly very gracious. Liz Sladen had said that one of the great things about Sarah Jane and Jo being together was that it gave her character (Sarah) a chance to relax.. and giggle.
Katy said that she never misses an episode of the new series.
Richard Franklin (Captain Mike Yates) - Was good friends with Nicholas Courtney and when he'd phone Nick, Nick would be in character as the Brigadier and call Richard 'Captain', and their exchange would always end with: "Can I get you anything Brigadier?" "Gin and tonic, Captain."
Deborah Watling (Victoria)- Really set the stage by saying at one point that going to conventions etc. allowed them all to keep 'the ones who are no longer with us alive'. Which set up a lot of great conversation in particular about Lis and Nick.
Nicola Bryant (Peri) - Said that when she was cast as Peri she asked JNT to have a conversation about Peri's background, and he said, 'no'. So she went home and basically wrote Peri's background so that she would have somewhere to go.
Was extremely complimentary to Billie and loved that the new series companions have backstory, and lives, and "Of COURSE their family would be worried and want to know where they were when they ran off!" She was also pleased that the new companions are able to wear a bikini and actually change out of it!
Part of the reason that Doctor Who has endured -- and why all of them from 1960's on are able to sit here and still talk about it: Just when you fall in love with the Doctor, he gets ripped away from you. And there's this new guy and you're like, 'no, that won't work.' then, 'Huh.' and then, 'Wow!'.
Mathew Waterhouse (Adric)- When he was on Doctor Who, it wasn't considered 'cool' to be a fan of the show and working on it. Which of course has all changed now, and he's glad for it.
Said that Tom Baker was famously difficult to work with and the tension on set was common. When Peter came, everything just relaxed.
Regarding Adric's background, he remembered that given the same character description, every writer would write a different character. But Matthew didn't really mind because he just thought that added depth. Of course he was very naive at the time.
Frazer Hines (Jaime McCrimmon) - While working on the Two Doctors, he and Colin Baker got along very well and conspired to play pranks on Patrick Troughton. To which Nicola Bryant added that they ganged up against her too, you monsters!
Explaining Jaime's accent change from Highland to -- well I don't know what it's called -- to a different Scottish accent, he tried to give some of his famous lines "Look at the size of that thing, Doctor" in Highland, and said didn't didn't work well.
To which Arthur Darvill pointed out, that's Karen's accent and Frazer did a great Karen impression.
Arthur Darvill: (Rory) Considering how many times Rory died, when he read it in a script he knew he'd be back, but always was relieved when he saw the next script and he was still in it.
Since the ladies on the panel had to do a lot of screaming, the conversation went to asking Arthur what it was like to be the screaming one. And he said that it's true that Amy wore the trousers in that relationship, which was actually fun. But he got to be a hero, too. So the range was great. Gary Russell said, 'You enjoyed your emancipation!' and Arthur said, "Yes!"
Billie Piper: (Rose Tyler, in case you didn't know) On working with John Hurt: he's a wonderful man, and they spent a lot of time at the bar together!
She loves Rose, who is a part of her, and always enjoys revisiting the character. Even when she' not really playing Rose. Because Rose in the 50th anniversary was... well, Billie didn't know exactly who she was playing! She was intimidated by coming back for the special, because so much had changed. But once she got there it was wonderful. She said she would always return to play Rose.
Hope you found that interesting! This was really a great panel.
This entry was originally posted at http://rangersyl.dreamwidth.org/154128.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
I was at the Gallifrey One Con in February -- it's something of a tradition with myself and some of my friends. This was my ... 7th in a row? Can't remember.
Anyway, there was typical con stuff, panels, cosplay, lots of opportunities for disposable spending in the dealers room.
The best panel I attended this year was called "Travels with the Doctor" and had in it 2 former cast members from each decade that the show has been on. The 60s were represented by Frazier Hines and Deborah Watling (Jaime and Victoria); the 70's by Katy Manning and Richard Franklin (Jo Grant and Captain Mike Yates). For the 80's there was Nicola Bryant and Mathew Waterhouse (Peri and Adric), and finally rounding out the panel were Billie Piper and Arthur Darvill. Who should need no introduction.
And yes, Gally is an amazing con!
The con report never really happened, but the notes survive. So below I wrote my impressions of, and the most memorable comments from each of the panelists:
Katy Manning - While filming "The Death of the Doctor" SJA, she asked Matt 'What's it like running around a rock quarry with on old lady? One who is still saying, "But Doctor...?" I don't remember Matt's reply, but he was certainly very gracious. Liz Sladen had said that one of the great things about Sarah Jane and Jo being together was that it gave her character (Sarah) a chance to relax.. and giggle.
Katy said that she never misses an episode of the new series.
Richard Franklin (Captain Mike Yates) - Was good friends with Nicholas Courtney and when he'd phone Nick, Nick would be in character as the Brigadier and call Richard 'Captain', and their exchange would always end with: "Can I get you anything Brigadier?" "Gin and tonic, Captain."
Deborah Watling (Victoria)- Really set the stage by saying at one point that going to conventions etc. allowed them all to keep 'the ones who are no longer with us alive'. Which set up a lot of great conversation in particular about Lis and Nick.
Nicola Bryant (Peri) - Said that when she was cast as Peri she asked JNT to have a conversation about Peri's background, and he said, 'no'. So she went home and basically wrote Peri's background so that she would have somewhere to go.
Was extremely complimentary to Billie and loved that the new series companions have backstory, and lives, and "Of COURSE their family would be worried and want to know where they were when they ran off!" She was also pleased that the new companions are able to wear a bikini and actually change out of it!
Part of the reason that Doctor Who has endured -- and why all of them from 1960's on are able to sit here and still talk about it: Just when you fall in love with the Doctor, he gets ripped away from you. And there's this new guy and you're like, 'no, that won't work.' then, 'Huh.' and then, 'Wow!'.
Mathew Waterhouse (Adric)- When he was on Doctor Who, it wasn't considered 'cool' to be a fan of the show and working on it. Which of course has all changed now, and he's glad for it.
Said that Tom Baker was famously difficult to work with and the tension on set was common. When Peter came, everything just relaxed.
Regarding Adric's background, he remembered that given the same character description, every writer would write a different character. But Matthew didn't really mind because he just thought that added depth. Of course he was very naive at the time.
Frazer Hines (Jaime McCrimmon) - While working on the Two Doctors, he and Colin Baker got along very well and conspired to play pranks on Patrick Troughton. To which Nicola Bryant added that they ganged up against her too, you monsters!
Explaining Jaime's accent change from Highland to -- well I don't know what it's called -- to a different Scottish accent, he tried to give some of his famous lines "Look at the size of that thing, Doctor" in Highland, and said didn't didn't work well.
To which Arthur Darvill pointed out, that's Karen's accent and Frazer did a great Karen impression.
Arthur Darvill: (Rory) Considering how many times Rory died, when he read it in a script he knew he'd be back, but always was relieved when he saw the next script and he was still in it.
Since the ladies on the panel had to do a lot of screaming, the conversation went to asking Arthur what it was like to be the screaming one. And he said that it's true that Amy wore the trousers in that relationship, which was actually fun. But he got to be a hero, too. So the range was great. Gary Russell said, 'You enjoyed your emancipation!' and Arthur said, "Yes!"
Billie Piper: (Rose Tyler, in case you didn't know) On working with John Hurt: he's a wonderful man, and they spent a lot of time at the bar together!
She loves Rose, who is a part of her, and always enjoys revisiting the character. Even when she' not really playing Rose. Because Rose in the 50th anniversary was... well, Billie didn't know exactly who she was playing! She was intimidated by coming back for the special, because so much had changed. But once she got there it was wonderful. She said she would always return to play Rose.
Hope you found that interesting! This was really a great panel.
This entry was originally posted at http://rangersyl.dreamwidth.org/154128.html. Please comment there using OpenID.