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November 4th, 2013 73 comments

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An Adventure In Space And Time Thurs 21st 9.00PM

An Adventure In Space And Time

Thursday 21st November 9.00PM BBC2

This special one-off drama travels back in time to 1963 to see how the beloved Doctor Who was first brought to the screen.

Actor William Hartnell felt trapped by a succession of hard-man roles. Wannabe producer Verity Lambert was frustrated by the TV industry’s glass ceiling. Both of them were to find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday tea-time drama, time travel and monsters!

Allied with a team of brilliant people, they went on to create the longest-running science fiction series ever, now celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Written by Mark Gatiss

Executive produced by Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner

Directed by Terry McDonough

Starring David Bradley (William Hartnell); Jessica Raine (Verity Lambert); Sacha Dhawan (Waris Hussein); Lesley Manville (Heather Hartnell) and Brian Cox (Sydney Newman).

David Bradley plays William Hartnell

Acclaimed actor David Bradley talks here about taking on the portrayal of an actor he greatly admired and transforming himself into the Doctor.

A popular screen star, well regarded by his peers, William Hartnell was born in St Pancras, London in 1908. He appeared in numerous plays, films and TV shows, often playing the ‘tough guy’ role as typified by his character in the comedy ‘The Army Game’, which ran from 1957 to 1961, just prior to Doctor Who.

When he was first approached, Hartnell was widely reported to have been unconvinced by the role of Doctor.

“It has to be said”, explains David, “after some initial reluctance to do something for children’s TV, I think he was quickly convinced that it was the right thing for him to do. He felt quite insecure about it as it was new territory for him, but once he started he embraced the whole idea of the part.”

An Adventure In Space And Time tells the story behind the beginnings of Doctor Who and the team of personalities behind it. Known as a perfectionist, Hartnell was widely regarded as cantankerous by colleagues. But as David explains the script for ‘Space And Time’ reveals a full picture of Bill, including the good and the bad.

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73 comments

  • Scott’s TARDIS

    November 21st, 2013 - 10:27pm

    I thought this was EXTREMELY good. I genuinely felt upset near the end when they told William Hartnell that he had to go. 🙁

    Reply
  • the 13th doctor

    November 5th, 2013 - 4:25pm

    I’d like to watch this at the time, but my family currently lack any means of recording it, and my dad wants to watch “person of interest” which is on at the same time 🙁

    Reply
    • MasterKasterborous

      November 5th, 2013 - 7:48pm

      What about iPlayer?

    • the 13th doctor

      November 6th, 2013 - 7:53am

      I don’t currently posess easy access to it unfortunately 🙁

    • Scott’s TARDIS

      November 6th, 2013 - 8:04am

      Buy if you’re online, just type it in on google?

    • the 13th doctor

      November 6th, 2013 - 4:36pm

      Using my phone and it doesn’t posses the ability to use iplayer
      I don’t own a computer 🙁

    • the 13th doctor

      November 6th, 2013 - 4:37pm

      But thanks for trying to help 🙂

    • MasterKasterborous

      November 6th, 2013 - 5:14pm

      You can go to your nearest Library to watch it on iPlayer there. Though you cannot stream live TV at a library you can watch old programs.

    • the 13th doctor

      November 6th, 2013 - 6:33pm

      Nice suggestion, thanks! 🙂

    • Scott’s TARDIS

      November 6th, 2013 - 8:54pm

      Get the BBC iPlayer app?

  • crazy guy

    November 4th, 2013 - 4:08pm

    how long is this because its on a school night?

    Reply
    • the 13th doctor

      November 4th, 2013 - 4:18pm

      I was just talking about that (see below)
      I’d rather they’d stick to showing it on the 23rd as rumoured OR earlier in the evening

    • UnitedGamers2013

      November 4th, 2013 - 4:48pm

      it is on until 10:30pm

    • UnitedGamers2013

      November 4th, 2013 - 4:50pm

      It should be on primetime really

    • Some bloke

      November 4th, 2013 - 5:12pm

      yeah it’s on for an hour and a half

    • UnitedGamers2013

      November 4th, 2013 - 5:33pm

      primetime means a time when everybody can watch it

    • Scott’s TARDIS

      November 4th, 2013 - 7:27pm

      Anybody can watch it.

    • UnitedGamers2013

      November 4th, 2013 - 9:22pm

      People doing gcse exams and going to school can’t stay up to 10:30 really

    • MasterKasterborous

      November 5th, 2013 - 12:07am

      Depends; I was always expecting it to be on around 9. As long as you go to bed straight after, for one night I don’t think it will be too much of a problem.

    • the 13th doctor

      November 5th, 2013 - 4:21pm

      UnitedGamers2013 I agree with your point; I am in the middle of my GCSE’s myself, and 10:30 is a bit late during the week for me AT THE MOMENT, so it’s also a bit of bad timing on that side too 🙁

    • the 13th doctor

      November 5th, 2013 - 4:34pm

      But I wouldn’t mind if it was on at 9pm at the weekend btw

    • Scott’s TARDIS

      November 5th, 2013 - 10:16pm

      I go to school and I stay up to 10:45.

    • Robert Taylor

      November 9th, 2013 - 9:29pm

      it goes on for 1 hour and 30 mins

    • Robert Taylo

      November 9th, 2013 - 9:30pm

      it goes on for 1 hour and 30 mins

    • CrazyDoctorWhoGuy

      November 9th, 2013 - 9:32pm

      it goes on for 1 hour and 30 mins

  • th 13th doctor

    November 4th, 2013 - 4:00pm

    I’m starting to see a trend here: the science of doctor who and an adventure in space and time both at 9pm during the school week; hope this doesn’t keep up since I’m in the middle of my GCSE exams! 🙁

    Reply
    • the 13th doctor

      November 4th, 2013 - 4:02pm

      Whoops! My name is supposed to be the 13th doctor, stupid keyboard!

    • the 13th doctor

      November 4th, 2013 - 4:04pm

      Whoops! My name is supposed to be the 13th doctor! 🙂

    • CrazyDoctorWhoGuy

      November 9th, 2013 - 9:33pm

      If you miss it you can do bbc Iplayer cos its on bbc two

    • CrazyDoctorWhoGuy

      November 17th, 2013 - 8:56pm

      by the way in my opinion the science of doctor who is boring and not my style I dont really get it because it doesnt really even talk about the showits supposed to be saying the science about!!

  • Some bloke

    November 4th, 2013 - 3:20pm

    YESSSS! Can’t wait for this!

    Reply
    • Some bloke

      November 4th, 2013 - 3:22pm

      … now that we finally know the air date and time 🙂

  • Anonymous

    November 1st, 2013 - 8:02pm

    why does this look better than the day of the doctor

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 4th, 2013 - 3:53pm

      It doesnt

    • Some bloke

      November 4th, 2013 - 3:58pm

      it looks equally as exciting to me!

    • MasterKasterborous

      November 5th, 2013 - 12:09am

      To be honest; I am more excited for this than DOTD. That may be partially down to the fact we know very little about the latter.

  • DOCTOR WHO ONE

    November 1st, 2013 - 9:41am

    NOVEMBER 2013 IS GONNA BE A TRULY AWESOME TIME TO BE ALIVE !!.

    Happy 50th Anniversary very soon Doctor’s. Splendid fellows, all 11 of you [soon to be 12] !! 😀

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 4th, 2013 - 3:59am

      Technically, there are currently 15, including the Vanguard, the Dream lord, the Watcher, and the John Hurt one (although it is unknown where in the Doctor’s timeline he is from).

    • the 13th doctor

      November 4th, 2013 - 4:07pm

      I think you mean the valeyard, not the vanguard 😛

    • Scott’s TARDIS

      November 4th, 2013 - 7:29pm

      Technically, The Dream Lord and The Watcher are just alternate versions of the Eleventh and Fifth Doctors.

    • MasterKasterborous

      November 5th, 2013 - 12:10am

      The Watcher was more an imbatweenie Doctor wasn’t he?

    • the 13th doctor

      November 5th, 2013 - 4:29pm

      Don’t forget the other doctors’ from the brain of Morbius (although they’re pretty much retconned now) 😉

  • Australia calling

    October 31st, 2013 - 10:56pm

    Have been watching since 1963…some Doctors totally grab my attention some haven’t….but the show has always been my favourite….and I’m 63 !!

    Reply
    • RYCBAR123

      November 6th, 2013 - 9:11pm

      I love reading things like this because it proves that, no matter what age you are, from child to adult, everyone can love Doctor Who! Whovians are the best!

  • Aspire

    October 31st, 2013 - 8:14pm

    I got my tickets booked for the 50th today!
    Im SOOOOOOO happy.

    Reply
  • DOCTOR WHO ONE

    October 31st, 2013 - 7:52am

    Don’t know if anyone else knows this, but I’ve just learned from the newspaper website ‘The Independent’ that this documentary drama is going to be broadcast 1 week before the 50th Anniversary.

    I’d rather see it the day before, not a week before.

    Reply
  • MasterKasterborous

    October 30th, 2013 - 3:26pm

    Just got tickets from the competition!

    Reply
  • david nulty

    October 30th, 2013 - 7:40am

    i saw the league of gentlemen live show and am convinced shearsmith will be an awesome troughton!

    Reply
  • Kim

    October 30th, 2013 - 6:59am

    Where can i buy the posters ????

    Reply
    • DOCTOR WHO ONE

      October 30th, 2013 - 4:52pm

      I’d imagine they might come free with the Radio Times sooner or later.

      Would make for some interesting bedroom posters 🙂

  • Tardis’nt

    October 29th, 2013 - 5:49pm

    i’m really excited for this!

    Reply
  • DOCTOR WHO ONE

    October 29th, 2013 - 5:27pm

    Can’t wait to see this.

    Shame I was not in London when they filmed the Daleks going over the bridge back in February earlier this year.

    Reply
  • doctor who whovian fan no 1

    October 29th, 2013 - 4:34pm

    who is the other doctors

    Reply
    • Some bloke

      October 29th, 2013 - 5:07pm

      Bradley is Hartnell and Reece Shearsmith will appear briefly as Troughton

    • MasterKasterborous

      October 29th, 2013 - 6:01pm

      And Mark Gattis, I believe, plays Pertwee in the section covering The Three Doctors.

    • Some bloke

      October 29th, 2013 - 10:24pm

      That should be interesting!

    • the 13th doctor

      November 5th, 2013 - 4:32pm

      How far are they going then? I thought it was just the beginning; as in the first series or to the end of hartnel at the most

  • cyberman2

    October 29th, 2013 - 4:21pm

    why does it look like in picture 3 he using susan as a human shield

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 1st, 2013 - 8:01pm

      time lord shield

  • greyzinychimp

    October 29th, 2013 - 3:36pm

    exciting

    Reply
  • Neil

    October 29th, 2013 - 1:55pm

    I thought it was always planned to go out on the actual anniversary, Nov. 23

    Reply
    • Neil

      October 29th, 2013 - 1:58pm

      Sorry, this was meant as a reply to itdalek 🙁

  • Dalek The Supreme

    October 29th, 2013 - 1:15pm

    The poster is amazing! I do wonder though if we’ll be seeing those Dalek props in the actual show in the future?

    Reply
  • “The Cosmologist”

    October 29th, 2013 - 12:45pm

    I for one, am looking forward to this televised programme. Very pleased that it will be made available on DVD format the same release day of “The Day of the Doctor”. This upcoming future of Doctor Who will be absolutely smashing! 50 years of amazing adventures through space and time! It has brought me joy over the years(16 to be exact) and I have collected over 500+ Doctor Who novels, novellas and fan fictions and 20 classic series seasons and the complete new series as well. SO looking forward to the future of Doctor Who. So much AMAZING happening!

    Reply
  • 11matt

    October 29th, 2013 - 11:38am

    so excited for this

    Reply
  • Itdalek

    October 29th, 2013 - 11:12am

    Trailer? Airing time?

    Reply
    • booboo

      October 29th, 2013 - 11:15am

      not given yet

    • Neil

      October 29th, 2013 - 1:57pm

      I thought it was always planned to go out on the actual anniversary, Nov. 23

    • booboo

      October 29th, 2013 - 1:58pm

      its down for the week ending the 22nd but no date and time

  • Some bloke

    October 29th, 2013 - 11:12am

    Those posters are GORGEOUS! I assume they were made by Lee Binding, who AGAIN has done a wondeful job! Do we know the release date yet? And do we know if it will be on dvd?

    Reply
    • booboo

      October 29th, 2013 - 11:15am

      its supposed to be on DVD with the day of the doctor, seems remarkable value to me

    • Some bloke

      October 29th, 2013 - 11:20am

      BONUS!

  • Professor When

    October 29th, 2013 - 11:11am

    Awesome! 😀

    Reply

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