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November 21st, 2013 103 comments

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What did You Think of An Adventure In Space And Time ?

What did You Think of An Adventure In Space And Time ?

This special one-off drama travels back in time to 1963 to see how 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.


An Adventure In Space And Time stars David Bradley (William Hartnell); Jessica Raine (Verity Lambert); Sacha Dhawan (Waris Hussein) and Brian Cox (Sydney Newman). It is written by Mark Gatiss and directed by Terry McDonough.

William Russell…

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Nicholas Briggs…

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Carol Ann Ford…

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Jean Marsh and Anneke wills…

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An Adventure in Space and Time (DVD)

Available to order now from www.bbcshop.com or www.amazon.co.uk

This fantastic 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!

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Allied with a team of brilliant people, they went on to create the longest-running science fiction series ever, now celebrating its 50th anniversary.An Adventure in Space and Time is written by Mark Gatiss, executive produced by Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner and directed by Terry McDonough.

David Bradley (Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Broadchurch) plays the lead role of William Hartnell while Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife, The Woman in Black) co-stars as the first ever producer of Doctor Who, Verity Lambert.

The stellar cast is joined by Sacha Dhawan (Waris Hussein), Lesley Manville (Heather Hartnell), and Brian Cox (Sydney Newman). A must see drama for all doctor who and drama fans alike.

DVD extra features include:

• Leaflet featuring programme images and an exclusive foreword by writer and executive producer Mark Gatiss

• William Hartnell: The Original

• The Making of An Adventure – narrated by Carole Ann Ford

• Reconstructions:

– Scenes from An Unearthly Child and the pilot

- Regenerations 

– Farewell to Susan

- Festive Greeting
– The Title Sequences
– Deleted Scenes

- The Radiophonic Workshop

– Verity’s Leaving Party”

Available to order now from www.bbcshop.com or www.amazon.co.uk


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103 comments

  • suttonpotter

    January 7th, 2014 - 5:45pm

    Thought it was brilliant.
    When I was five years old I was heartbroken when I missed the second episode of the second story ( because I HAD to go to a birthday party – due to parental politics I suspect). ‘Adventure’ re-kindled my interest in Dr Who so I decided to buy the William Hartness episodes on DVD. Today I watched the that second episode that I missed 50 years ago and discovered why I was so upset at the time: it was when the daleks first appeared!
    Flippin eck it was pure TV history.

    Reply
  • the astronaut of death

    December 22nd, 2013 - 9:00am

    I think it was fantastic 10/10

    the only bade thing is I think it could have been a bit more focuses on the show it self and a bit less of hartnel

    Reply
  • Banjo

    December 8th, 2013 - 9:10pm

    Prob My Fav 50th Special So Far!

    Reply
  • TheDoctoGallifrey

    November 24th, 2013 - 3:25pm

    I watched it on BBC Iplayer just now and it was BRILLIANT! I am 12 so I didn’t know much about Hartnell, I just thought ‘he’s the 1st Doctor, big deal’ but after watching this, it made me see who he really was. I cried so much my parents got worried! And not just out of sadness, but also out of joy, like seeing how all those kids loved the show. Thank you,Mark Gatiss, for such a wonderful show!

    Reply
    • dalek fan

      November 25th, 2013 - 4:52pm

      sorry.
      i didnt see
      it!

  • Anonymous

    November 24th, 2013 - 3:03am

    Amazing! I laughed and I cried. To me, this was the real 50th anniversary special! 🙂

    Reply
  • Haza14

    November 23rd, 2013 - 5:12pm

    What a magnificent piece of television An Adventure in Time and Space was. Beautifully performed by the entire cast, particularly David Bradley and Jessica Raine. What a performance!

    Wonderfully written by Mark Gatiss and brilliantly brought to life by the entire production crew. It was a story that I only knew tiny snippets off and Matt Smith popping up at the end was totally unexpected.

    Congratulations to everyone involved, it was, not unlike the show that inspired it, a real triumphant piece of television!

    Reply
  • Tim M

    November 23rd, 2013 - 4:10pm

    It was brilliant drama focusing on Hartnell in the role of the Doctor. I loved it from start to end. So then Mark Gatiss…when are you doing the Troughton drama. His story is very interesting on screen and off screen!

    Reply
  • timelord327

    November 23rd, 2013 - 4:08pm

    One of Doctor Who’s best works. Today is a day to be proud of being a whovian!

    Reply
  • the council

    November 23rd, 2013 - 3:40pm

    So good looks so real they did a good job

    Reply
  • Sandra

    November 23rd, 2013 - 2:27pm

    It was very good, but, I live in the US and BBCAmerica destroyed it by breaking with repetitious commercials. It was truly a shame!!!!

    Reply
  • dalek eternal

    November 23rd, 2013 - 1:55pm

    it was such amazing television really want to get it out on dvd as soon as I see it

    Reply
  • dan23uk

    November 23rd, 2013 - 11:08am

    didn’t get why he sew matt smith at the end ?

    Reply
    • The Fishmonger

      November 23rd, 2013 - 11:57am

      It was the current generation of Whovians acknowledging William Hartnell’s brilliance. If Hartnell hadn’t nailed it, the show would probably have fizzled out. Matt Smith would be a talented actor doing other stuff, we wouldn’t be celebrating the 50th. That’s why he was in it.

  • TheExtremeBlueTARDIS

    November 23rd, 2013 - 8:27am

    Watched it on Catch-Up yesterday. AND IT WAS BRILLIANT! 😀

    Reply
  • Loki Jesse

    November 23rd, 2013 - 7:25am

    I love it. I got out of work an hour early, just so I can get home in time to see this. I saw the replay afterwards and was still brought to tears. Amazing story and amazing actors.

    Reply
  • KORSAIR

    November 23rd, 2013 - 12:02am

    Well I watched it and I cried buckets worth, that was an amazing piece of television full marks to Mr G. It won’t have struck the same chord with the younger fans but us oldies will have love it. A few baftas coming I reckon.

    Reply
    • Defender of Trenzalore

      November 28th, 2013 - 10:25pm

      I’m 15 and I got everything that was in it and it “struck that cord” with me too!
      🙂

    • Buy me

      January 26th, 2014 - 10:11am

      I’m ten it strucked the same chord with me too

  • Obsie

    November 22nd, 2013 - 11:04pm

    Saw three of them but didn’t see Carole Ann Ford, where about was she?

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 22nd, 2013 - 11:08pm

      the was in the street with curlers calling in the children

    • Obsie

      November 22nd, 2013 - 11:17pm

      Thank you booboo.

  • Philip

    November 22nd, 2013 - 11:03pm

    I really enjoyed this production.
    Amazing cast including one of the lead actors from
    The Bourne Films !
    I saw the first Dr Who broadcast fifty years ago and it’s amazing to see how it still works today.
    Very well done BBC Cymru/Wales. A credit to Wales

    I recommend watching the classic film The Yangtse Incident and enjoy watching William Hartnell as the gritty bosun of HMS AMETHYST

    Reply
  • ANTHONY

    November 22nd, 2013 - 10:05pm

    Was Peter Cushing, who made two Doctor Who films, at about the same time as when the story was set! Mentioned or seen in it? I watched it and didn’t think he was, while a few friends I know, say, he was!

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 23rd, 2013 - 4:31pm

      Yes it was about the same time but nothing was mentioned in the drama.

  • Proud to be a fan

    November 22nd, 2013 - 9:59pm

    Beautifully written. Brilliant acting by all the cast especially David Bradley. The inclusion of the 10th Doctor’s immortal lines – I don’t want to go was pure genius by Mark Gattiss. Well done.

    Reply
  • Rob Willcocks

    November 22nd, 2013 - 8:58pm

    Excellent production. How close such a wonderful series became to being killed off at birth and just look at it now! Well done to all involved in putting it together. That’s the BBC, brilliant productions and may it long continue,

    Reply
  • 100000BC

    November 22nd, 2013 - 8:57pm

    I spotted William Russell, Carole Ann Ford and Annekke Wills last night and Jean Marsh in the behind the scenes video.

    Reply
    • Obsie

      November 22nd, 2013 - 11:16pm

      Where about was Carole Ann Ford?

    • booboo

      November 22nd, 2013 - 11:29pm

      added some pictures

    • obsie

      November 23rd, 2013 - 12:37am

      I thought that was Mark Gatiss doing the Daleks voices for a second. Thanks again.

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