Doctor Who: The Lost Stories (C·D) A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ? Jump: D The Castle Of Doom Writer: David Fisher Notes: Fisher submitted this storyline to producer John Nathan-Turner on November 7th, 1979. Nathan-Turner rejected it in favour of developing The Leisure Hive. Characters: The Fourth Doctor, Romana, K·9 Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Eighteen Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #9 Cat's Cradle Writer: Marc Platt Notes: In 1984, this unsolicited idea was submitted to script editor Eric Saward, who rejected it as being too complex. When Andrew Cartmel became Doctor Who's script editor in early 1987, Platt offered him a reworked version of “Cat's Cradle”. Cartmel felt that the concept could not be achieved on the programme's budget, but encouraged Platt to continue pitching story ideas; the result was 1989's Ghost Light. Platt later redeveloped the storyline as the basis for his Doctor Who: The New Adventures novel Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible, released in February 1992 by Virgin Publishing. Characters: The Sixth Doctor (original submission; the revised version featured the Seventh Doctor) Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Seasons Twenty-Two and Twenty-Five Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: The TARDIS is turned inside-out, forcing the Doctor to navigate through an alien landscape in order to restore his time machine. References: Doctor Who Magazine #190 The Celestial Toymaker Writer: John Leekley Notes: This was one of several storylines which appeared in Leekley's series bible for Philip David Segal's version of Doctor Who, released on March 21st, 1994. It was based on Brian Hayles' 1966 serial The Celestial Toymaker. Characters: A reimagined version of the First Doctor Episodes: 1 (45 minutes) Planned For: 1995 series Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: In the year 2525, the Doctor is kidnapped by a malevolent entity called the Toymaker. Acting at the behest of the Master, the Toymaker forces the Doctor to play a mind game or face eternal imprisonment. References: Doctor Who: Regeneration Century House Writer: Tom MacRae Notes: After scripting Rise Of The Cybermen / The Age Of Steel for Season Twenty-Eight, MacRae was commissioned to write “Century House”. It wound up not fitting into the schedule for Season Twenty-Nine, and so it was deferred to the following year. Because of its almost exclusive focus on the Doctor, it was intended that “Century House” would be made as part of Season Thirty's sixth production block, double-banked with Turn Left (Block Seven), which shone the spotlight firmly on Donna Noble. However, executive producer Russell T Davies grew unsatisfied with the premise that he had given MacRae, and he worried about the season having two comedy-oriented episodes in “Century House” and The Unicorn And The Wasp. Finally, in mid-October 2007, it was decided to replace “Century House” with Davies' own script, Midnight. Characters: The Tenth Doctor, Martha (original version), Donna (revised version) Episodes: 1 (45-minute) Planned For: Season Twenty-Nine (original version), eighth episode of Season Thirty (revised version) Stage Reached: Complete script Synopsis: While Donna watches with Sylvia at home, the Doctor joins a live broadcast of paranormal reality show Most Haunted. Their target is an old house purportedly haunted by the “Red Widow”. The climax would have involved the house catching fire. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #20, Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale The Cerebroids Writers: Charlotte and Dennis Plimmer Notes: Scripts for “The Cerebroids” were commissioned on June 24th, 1970. On the 29th, however, the serial was abruptly abandoned. Characters: The Third Doctor (with Jo and UNIT?) Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Eight Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #2 Child Prodigy Writers: Alistair Beaton and Sarah Dunant Notes: Beaton -- a colleague of script editor Douglas Adams from his days as a comedy writer -- and Dunant were commissioned on December 12th, 1978. On January 9th, 1979, however, their scripts were rejected as being unacceptable. Characters: The Fourth Doctor, Romana Episodes: 4 Planned For: Season Seventeen Stage Reached: Complete script Synopsis: Concerned time loops or freezes. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #9 The Children Of January Writer: Michael Feeney Callan Notes: Callan was commissioned on February 5th, 1985. “The Children Of January” was probably intended to be the sixth and final story of Season Twenty-Three, to be made by Bob Gabriel, a director new to Doctor Who. However, on February 27th, it was announced that production of Doctor Who was being suspended until Spring 1986, with the programme then returning for a season of twenty-five-minute episodes. Callan was asked to rework his storyline for this format. But then, at the end of May, it was decided that Season Twenty-Three would consist of only fourteen episodes, leading to the development of The Trial Of A Time Lord and the abandonment of all of the original Season Twenty-Three serials. Characters: The Sixth Doctor, Peri Episodes: 2 (45-minute) Planned For: Probably the sixth story of Season Twenty-Three Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #3 The Children Of Seth aka May Time, Manpower, Man Watch, Children's Seth Writer: Christopher Bailey Notes: After Bailey completed work on Snakedance, he was commissioned to write a storyline called “May Time” on August 24th, 1982. Full scripts were then requested on September 16th, by which time the adventure was known as “Manpower” or “Man Watch”. Bailey became disillusioned with the project, and had ceased its development by February 1983. On July 17th, however, he was commissioned to revise the scripts for the Sixth Doctor as “The Children Of Seth” (originally given the apparently erroneous title “Children's Seth”). By this time, Doctor Who was in the process of shifting from 25-minute to 45-minute episodes. Bailey had trouble devising a structure for his story, and found himself unable to come up with an appropriate nemesis for the Doctor. Frustrated by the lack of collaboration he was receiving from the Doctor Who production office, Bailey decided to withdraw from the television industry. In December 2011, Big Finish Productions released an audio adaptation of “The Children Of Seth” by Marc Platt. Characters: The Fifth Doctor, presumably with Tegan and Turlough (original submission); the Sixth Doctor and Peri (resubmission) Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Seasons Twenty-One and Twenty-Two Stage Reached: Script Synopsis: Forthcoming References: Doctor Who Magazine #s 227, 327, DWM Special Edition #s 1, 3, Doctor Who: The Complete History #36, Doctor Who: The Eighties Children's Seth see The Children Of Seth The Circles Of Power Writer: Brian Hayles Notes: “The Circles Of Power” was discovered by Mark Hayles amongst his late father's files. Characters: The Third Doctor, Liz, UNIT Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Seven Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: A new communications satellite, designed by Sir Walter Llewellyn, is launched to link computers across Europe and America. However, it has been sabotaged by a radical scientist named Tilverton, who believes his inventions are being suppressed by commercial concerns. This precipitates an escalating number of computer-related incidents across the globe -- including the release of robotic “sensorspheres” which can induce amnesia in any person not wearing a special pendant. The pendant actually denotes membership in the Circles of Power, a secret cabal led by Llewellyn and which has made a pawn of Tilverton. The Doctor discovers that Llewellyn plans to use the global chaos to ignite a third World War, and stops the evacuation of Government officials which would have triggered this stage of the plan. An orbital missile destroys the satellite and, when the Doctor inverts the sensorspheres' programming, the robots wipe the minds of Llewellyn and his co-conspirators. References: Nothing At The End Of The Lane #3 Circus Of Destiny Writer: Ben Steed Notes: Steed delivered his storyline in January 1983, but it was not taken forward. Characters: The Fifth Doctor Episodes: 2 Planned For: Season Twenty-One Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #3 The Claws Of Axos Writer: John Leekley Notes: This was one of several storylines developed for, but dropped from, Leekley's series bible for Philip David Segal's version of Doctor Who, released on March 21st, 1994. It was based on Bob Baker and Dave Martin's 1971 serial The Claws Of Axos. Characters: A reimagined version of the First Doctor Episodes: 1 (45 minutes) Planned For: 1995 series Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: Alien Axons arrive on modern-day Earth, offering a miraculous substance called Axonite in exchange for sanctuary. However, the Doctor discovers that the Axons and Axonite are manifestations of an energy-absorbing parasite called Axos, created by the Master. References: Doctor Who: Regeneration The Clock Writer: David Ellis Notes: “The Clock” was rejected by story editor Gerry Davis on April 4th, 1966. Characters: The First Doctor (with Steven and Dodo?) Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Four Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who: The Handbook: The First Doctor Clone The Drone aka Drone The Clone Writer: Ian Briggs Notes: This was the first concept proposed by Briggs when script editor Andrew Cartmel asked him to develop ideas for Doctor Who. It was rejected as being too steeped in cliche, and Briggs instead wrote Dragonfire. Characters: The Seventh Doctor, Mel Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Twenty-Four Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: The Doctor and Melanie help a group of rebels in their struggle against a tyrant. References: Doctor Who: The Complete History #44 The Count Of Vladimir Writer: Colin Davis Notes: Davis' story idea was rejected on December 21st, 1983 by script editor Eric Saward, who felt that it aped elements of both Hammer Horror films and 1973's The Time Warrior. It was likely conceived with the Fifth Doctor in mind but, had it been accepted, would have been redeveloped for the Sixth Doctor. Davis had submitted at least one previous idea for Doctor Who. Characters: Presumably the Fifth Doctor Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Presumably Season Twenty-Two Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine #575 The Cricketers see The Krikkitmen Crime Of The Century aka Action At A Distance Writer: Ben Aaronovitch Notes: The intended third story of Season Twenty-Seven was meant to be a direct sequel to the second story -- known as “Thin Ice” -- which introduced Raine Cunningham as a baby born in the 1960s. Now she would be seen again as an adult in modern times, and become the Doctor's new companion. Script editor Andrew Cartmel envisaged Raine as an aristocratic graduate of fine finishing schools -- providing a sharp contrast with her streetwise predecessor Ace -- yet very adept at taking care of herself, given her father's career in the London underworld. In particular, Cartmel thought in terms of the classy spy Emma Peel, as played by Diana Rigg in The Avengers from 1965 to 1967. Only the first scene -- in which Raine stole away from a dinner party at a country house and cracked a safe to find the Doctor inside -- had been mapped out when Doctor Who was cancelled in September 1989. Indeed, it was not a certainty that Aaronovitch would ultimately have written these scripts. The title “Crime Of The Century” was assigned by Doctor Who Magazine in 1997. Cartmel preferred “Action At A Distance”, but hewed to the established name when he created an audio adaptation for Big Finish Productions, released in May 2011. Characters: The Seventh Doctor Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Probably the third story of Season Twenty-Seven Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: In the present day, the Doctor's goddaughter Raine Cunningham has grown up to become a burglar and a safe cracker, even as her father -- once an East End crime boss -- is trying to go straight. References: Doctor Who Magazine #255, DWM #433, DWM Special Edition #10 The Cybs Writer: John Leekley Notes: This was one of several storylines developed for, but dropped from, Leekley's series bible for Philip David Segal's version of Doctor Who, released on March 21st, 1994. Characters: A reimagined version of the First Doctor Episodes: 1 (45 minutes) Planned For: 1995 series Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: The Doctor answers a distress call emanating from an Earth outpost on 21st-century Mars. He finds it under attack by the Cybs -- cybernetic pirates who plan to kidnap the humans and transform them into more Cybs. References: Doctor Who: Regeneration The Daemons Writer: John Leekley Notes: This was one of several storylines developed for, but dropped from, Leekley's series bible for Philip David Segal's version of Doctor Who, released on March 21st, 1994. It was based on Robert Sloman and Barry Letts' 1971 serial The Daemons. Characters: A reimagined version of the First Doctor Episodes: 1 (45 minutes) Planned For: 1995 series Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: When a prehistoric burial mound in witch-haunted Salem, Massachusetts is opened by a team of archaeologists, it unleashes a wave of deadly force. The Doctor discovers that the Master has harnessed the power of an alien Daemon who lay buried in the mound for millennia. References: Doctor Who: Regeneration The Daleks In London Writer: Robert Sloman Notes: For Season Nine, producer Barry Letts decided to bring back the Daleks, who had not starred in a Doctor Who story since The Evil Of The Daleks at the end of Season Four. The original vehicle for their return was to have been “The Daleks In London”, the storyline for which was commissioned from Sloman on May 25th, 1971, but Letts subsequently decided that the Daleks would be more effectively used in the season opener, Louis Marks' “Years Of Doom”. As such, Marks' story was rewritten as Day Of The Daleks while Sloman was asked to develop a new storyline under his original commission. This became The Time Monster. Characters: The Third Doctor, Jo, UNIT Episodes: 6 Planned For: Final story of Season Nine Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine #268, DWM Special Edition #2 The Dark Dimension aka Lost In The Dark Dimension Writers: Adrian Rigelsford and Joanna McCaul Notes: On June 10th, 1993 BBC Enterprises announced that it was making a direct-to-video special to celebrate Doctor Who's thirtieth anniversary. The script, originally called “Lost In The Dark Dimension” and then simply “The Dark Dimension”, was planned to be written by Rigelsford and McCaul, before Rigelsford became the sole author. He drew links with the Doctor Who: The New Adventures line of original novels from Virgin Publishing: Summerfield was a take on Professor Bernice Summerfield, the Doctor's companion introduced in the 1992 novel Love And War, while Ace's full name had been revealed to be Dorothy McShane in 1993's Set Piece. The producers of “The Dark Dimension” were to be David Jackson and Penny Mills; BBC Drama then decided to become involved with the project and former Head of Series and Serials Peter Cregeen took Jackson's place. “The Dark Dimension” was now intended to air on BBC1 on November 28th. Former producer John Nathan-Turner was invited to participate as a consultant, but declined. Graeme Harper agreed to direct, with filming scheduled to begin on August 24th. It was hoped that either Brian Blessed or David Bowie might be cast as Hawkspur. However, the project's meagre budget meant that not all of the Doctors could play a major role, and so Rigelsford chose to showcase Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor -- who was seen as the most popular -- with a secondary role for Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor. This drew objections from Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison and Colin Baker, who felt that they were being relegated to cameo appearances. At the same time, Philip David Segal was negotiating a co-production agreement with the BBC to bring Doctor Who back to television on a regular basis. He felt that “The Dark Dimension” might be unflatteringly conflated with his proposal, which would eventually bear fruit as Doctor Who (1996). With all of these circumstances working against it, the BBC chose to cancel the special on July 9th. Characters: The Seventh Doctor, the Sixth Doctor, the Fifth Doctor, the Fourth Doctor, the Third Doctor, Ace, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart Episodes: 1 (96 minutes) Planned For: 1993 Special Stage Reached: Full script Synopsis: Professor Oliver Hawkspur is running for Prime Minister, but is in fact trying to push the Earth towards an ecological crisis. Troopers from the future, led by Summerfield, arrive and encounter a schoolteacher named Dorothy McShane and her boyfriend Alex, the son of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. They find the Doctor, who is in his fourth incarnation because a force prevented his regeneration at the Pharos Project. He has been an amnesiac for fifteen years, but Dorothy -- really Ace -- possesses the memories of his future incarnations, which heal his mind. The Doctor now knows that they are trapped in a dark dimension: an alternate reality. Using Summerfield's technology, the Doctor opens a vortex so that he, Ace and the Brigadier can travel through time. They discover that Hawkspur was possessed by an alien entity in 1936, and also encounter the Third, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors. In the present day, Hawkspur is unleashing an army of the Doctor's foes, cloned from the Time Lord's mind; he plans to eliminate humanity so that he can populate the Earth with creatures like the one that has possessed him. This entity is made of chronal energy, and used the Doctor's aborted regeneration to create the dark dimension. Alex is killed as the Doctor draws the creature out of Hawkspur's body and banishes it into the vortex. Time resets, and the Doctor regenerates back into his seventh body. References: Doctor Who: The Nth Doctor, Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #5 Dark Labyrinth Writer: David Banks Notes: Banks, who had played the Cyberleader since 1982's Earthshock, proposed this story idea around the time that he reprised the role for Attack Of The Cybermen. Script editor Eric Saward liked Banks' concept, but felt that it would be too costly to realise. Characters: The Sixth Doctor, Peri Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Twenty-Three Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #3 The Darkness Writer: Eric Pringle Notes: This idea was submitted in August 1981 alongside The Awakening, but only the latter was developed further. Characters: The Fifth Doctor Episodes: 4 Planned For: Season Twenty-One Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: May have involved the Daleks. References: Doctor Who Magazine #282 The Dark Planet Writer: Brian Hayles Notes: Hayles' storyline was rejected on February 26th, 1965 because story editor Dennis Spooner feared that it hewed too closely to Malcolm Hulke's unused serial “The Hidden Planet”. The intended episode titles were 1. The City Of Silence, 2. The Shadow People, 3. The Doomed Planet, 4. The Caves Of Night, 5. The Sun Bomb, 6. Invasion By Darkness. In September 2013, Big Finish Productions released an audio adaptation of “The Dark Planet” by Matt Fitton. Characters: The First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki Episodes: 6 Planned For: Season Three Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: The TARDIS lands on the planet Numir, whose sun has been extinguished. The people of Numir have become divided into two factions: the surface-dwelling Light people and the subterranean Shadow people. The Doctor, Barbara and the TARDIS are captured by the Shadow people, but rescued by Teelss and the Light people using a powerful laser weapon. However, the time travellers discover that the Light people are fanatics who intend to launch a “sun bomb”: an artificial sun which will eradicate the Shadow people. But the Shadow people have snuck into the city by hiding in the TARDIS; seizing control of the laser weapon, they destroy the sun bomb. The time travellers escape in the TARDIS, even as Numir is destroyed in the conflagration. References: Doctor Who: The Handbook: The First Doctor, Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #7, Nothing At The End Of The Lane #3 The Dark Samurai Writer: Andrew Smith Notes: This was an unsolicited submission to the Doctor Who production office circa 1983 from the writer of Full Circle. Script editor Eric Saward was impressed enough to commission “The First Sontarans”. Characters: The Fifth Doctor Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Probably Season Twenty-One Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Set in Japan in the early nineteenth century. References: Doctor Who Magazine #432 Death To The Doctor Writer: Gareth Roberts Notes: Roberts worked on this story from about September 2008 to July 2009, at which point it was abandoned and The Lodger developed in its place. The character of Skorm was subsequently adapted by executive producer Steven Moffat and became Commander Strax, introduced in A Good Man Goes To War. Characters: The Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond Episodes: 1 Planned For: Season Thirty-One Stage Reached: Full script Synopsis: Involved a Sontaran named Skorm. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #27, DWM Special Edition #30 Destination: Holocaust Writer: David Roden Notes: When former producer John Nathan-Turner agreed to create a short 3-D Doctor Who sketch for the BBC's 1993 Children In Need charity appeal -- which would double as a celebration of Doctor Who's thirtieth anniversary -- he contacted David Roden to help develop a storyline. “Destination: Holocaust” was Roden's first attempt, but it was quickly dismissed on the grounds of cost. Nathan-Turner and Roden would instead write Dimensions In Time. Characters: The Seventh Doctor, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart Episodes: 1 (5 minutes) Planned For: 1993 Special Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: In the English countryside, the Brigadier collects the Doctor for a UNIT reunion. However, the Cybermen have been tracking the Doctor and their ship crashes nearby. The Doctor and the Brigadier take refuge in a church as the Cybermen advance towards them. References: Doctor Who Magazine #324 The Divided Writer: Moris Farhi Notes: Producer Graham Williams commissioned this storyline from Farhi on November 8th, 1977. Characters: The Fourth Doctor Episodes: 4 Planned For: Probably Season Sixteen Stage Reached: Presumably storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Farewell Great Macedon Doctor Who (1995) Writer: John Leekley Notes: Leekley submitted his first storyline for Philip David Segal's Doctor Who telefilm on July 25th, 1994, drawing heavily on the series bible they had co-created and Terry Nation's 1975 serial Genesis Of The Daleks. By July 27th, the Cybs were eliminated and the Master had acquired a henchman in the form of Castellan Kelner (named after the character in 1978's The Invasion Of Time); “Castellan” subsequently became the character's name instead of his title. Later, the return to Gallifrey was eliminated by having Borusa direct the TARDIS to Skaro. The first (partial) draft of Leekley's script was delivered on August 24th. However Segal's boss, Steven Spielberg, felt that Leekley's script wasn't humorous enough, and that it veered too closely to his own Indiana Jones franchise. On September 26th, Segal was asked to replace Leekley. Within days, Robert DeLaurentis became the telefilm's writer; he would heavily revise Leekley's ideas as a new script entitled “Doctor Who?”. Characters: A reimagined version of the First Doctor Episodes: 1 (90 minutes) Planned For: 1995 telefilm Stage Reached: Full script Synopsis: In the midst of a Dalek attack on Gallifrey, Cardinal Borusa dies -- allowing his grandson, the Master, to become President of the Time Lords. The Master's half-human half-brother, the Doctor, flees in his TARDIS, which now houses Borusa's spirit. Searching for his long-lost father Ulysses, the Doctor travels to London during the Second World War, where he meets American WAC Lizzie Travis. Together, the Doctor and Lizzie travel back to Ancient Egypt to find Ulysses, only to be attacked by cybernetic marauders called the Cybs. Ulysses is revealed to be the dead Pharoah Cheops, but he regenerates and draws the Cybs away. The TARDIS is summoned back to Gallifrey, where a suspiciously friendly Master sends the Doctor and Lizzie to Skaro to prevent Davros' creation of the Daleks. In the process, the Master takes control of the Dalek army and Davros is killed, but the Doctor destroys the Dalek incubators. The Doctor escapes and returns Lizzie to Earth, then heads off to continue his search for Ulysses. References: Doctor Who: Regeneration, Doctor Who: The Nth Doctor, Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #5 Doctor Who? Writer: Robert DeLaurentis Notes: Around the start of October 1994, DeLaurentis replaced John Leekley as the scriptwriter for Philip David Segal's Doctor Who telefilm, which was being made for broadcast by the FOX network in the United States. DeLaurentis overhauled Leekley's storyline, with the goal of making it more focussed and fun. He eliminated the notion of Borusa's spirit inhabiting the TARDIS, and the Doctor's father was no longer called Ulysses (with the alias “Doctor John Smith” later applied to the character). DeLaurentis submitted some initial notes on October 5th, a fuller outline on the 7th, and finally a partial script on the 28th. By the time his first full draft was completed on December 17th, Lizzie was renamed Jane McDonald, Winston never left World War II London, the Doctor's father had a family in 1990s America, and the Daleks were shape-shifting humanoids. This last element, in particular, was of concern to the BBC. As such, in DeLaurentis' draft of February 3rd, 1995, the Daleks were renamed the Zenons. Additionally, Borusa was renamed Pandak, and Sherman was replaced by a horned alien called Gog, who was not killed and was instead reunited with the Doctor in the late stages of the adventure. However, Segal had long been uneasy with the direction of DeLaurentis' work, and this discontent was now shared by FOX, who advocated a return to Leekley's last draft. Shortly after turning in his February 3rd script, DeLaurentis left the Doctor Who telefilm. He was replaced by Matthew Jacobs, who would write Doctor Who (1996). Characters: A reimagined version of the First Doctor Episodes: 1 (90 minutes) Planned For: 1995 telefilm Stage Reached: Full script Synopsis: The Doctor and his research assistant, Sherman, are exploring an asteroid when they are teleported to Skaro and discover that the Doctor's half-brother, the Master, has allied himself with the Daleks. Sherman is killed but the Doctor escapes back to Gallifrey, where he learns that his grandfather, Cardinal Borusa, has been killed and the Master has seized power. The Doctor flees Gallifrey in his TARDIS and travels to London during the Second World War in search of his long-lost father. There he meets American WAC Lizzie Travis and her bulldog Winston. Lizzie helps the Doctor discover that his father has regenerated and was captured while leading an American unit which was trying to assassinate Adolf Hitler. The Doctor and Lizzie travel to the United States in the 1990s. There they apparently find his father, who agrees to accompany them back to Gallifrey. However, this is really the Master masquerading as their father, whom he has captured. The Doctor escapes and sabotages the Master's time-travelling warship, but his half-brother gets away. The Doctor returns Lizzie to Earth before he and Winston set off in pursuit of the Master. References: Doctor Who: Regeneration, Doctor Who: The Nth Doctor, Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #5 The Dogs Of Darkness Writer: Jack Gardner Notes: Script editor Christopher H Bidmead commissioned this storyline from Gardner on March 29th, 1980. Subsequently, Gardner was asked to expand “The Dogs Of Darkness” into full scripts, but to replace the Fourth Doctor with the Fifth Doctor, as it was now being viewed as a possible adventure for Season Nineteen. The story was still under consideration by the end of April 1981, but was abandoned sometime thereafter. Characters: The Fourth Doctor (original submission; the revised version featured the Fifth Doctor, presumably with Adric, Nyssa and Tegan) Episodes: 4 Planned For: Seasons Eighteen and Nineteen Stage Reached: Script Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #9 Don't Shoot, I'm The Doctor Writer: John Leekley Notes: Once Leekley had finished preparing the series bible for Philip David Segal's version of Doctor Who, he began to flesh out some of the story ideas proposed therein. “Don't Shoot, I'm The Doctor” was the only one to undergo substantial development, likely because Leekley was a fan of the Wild West period of American history. His storyline was based on Donald Cotton's 1966 serial The Gunfighters, but hewed much more closely to authentic history. Leekley also incorporated a separate legend of the West: that of station agent Lester Moore, owner of the most famous epitaph in the Boothill Graveyard at Tombstone (which Leekley would have revealed was coined by the Doctor). Leekley thought that the feud between the Earps and the Clantons would serve as a parallel for the state of Gallifrey after the rise to power of the Doctor's half-brother, the Master. He suggested the movies Silverado and Back To The Future Part III as the episode's visual inspirations. Leekley's first storyline was delivered on May 10th, 1994, but all of his work was eventually abandoned when Matthew Jacobs was hired to start from scratch and write Doctor Who (1996). Characters: A reimagined version of the First Doctor Episodes: 1 (45 minutes) Planned For: 1995 series Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: The Doctor has a toothache and finds himself in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881. His search for a dentist leads him to Doc Holliday and his wife, Kate Elder, towards whom Holliday is physically abusive. The Doctor and Kate begin to fall for each other, and Kate implores the Doctor to intervene in a growing feud which pits Holliday and the Earp brothers against the Clanton gang. At night, Ike Clanton attacks the sleeping Doctor, mistaking him for Holliday. In the chaos, Ike escapes while Virgil Earp arrests the Doctor and Holliday. Holliday is freed when the Clantons ride into town, and the Doctor decides to intervene when another prisoner, Les Moore, is shot in cold blood. During the shootout at the OK Corral, the Doctor prevents Holliday from killing a helpless Ike Clanton. The Doctor and Holliday brawl; Holliday is knocked unconscious, while the Doctor's bothersome tooth is dislodged in the melee. The Doctor and Kate ride out of Tombstone. She leaves him at the TARDIS, and he reassures her that everything will be all right from now on. References: Doctor Who: Regeneration The Doomsday Contract aka Shylock Writers: John Lloyd and Allan Prior Notes: Lloyd was a frequent collaborator with script editor Douglas Adams, who commissioned him to write “The Doomsday Contract” for Season Seventeen around late October 1978. Lloyd used ideas from an unfinished science-fiction novel called GiGax, and hewed to the comedic style Adams had established in The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. After Lloyd submitted an extensive storyline for “The Doomsday Contract”, he was asked to rein in complex effects sequences and delete the Spondilas Chamber on the grounds that it was irrelevant to the plot. He also had to replace the Children of Pyxis, due to fears that child labour laws would make production difficult. Instead, he came up with a race of desert-nomads-cum-mercenaries called the Wadifalayeen, although producer Graham Williams was worried that these new monsters would offend Muslims. Lloyd also recast the Plenum Trust as an altruistic conservation organisation, while the chairman of Cosmegalon was renamed Skorpios. On January 16th, 1979, however, Lloyd had to abandon “The Doomsday Contract” due to his new commitments as producer of Not The Nine O'Clock News. Still keen on the story, Adams obtained Lloyd's permission for the storyline to be developed into full scripts by another writer. On February 7th he secured the services of Allan Prior, a playwright who had recently written for Blake's 7. Although Prior submitted his scripts on March 2nd, these were rejected. On August 15th, with his attention now turning to Season Eighteen, Adams again sought authorisation for another writer to be brought onto the project, which was now referred to as “Shylock”; the same permission was granted yet again on September 26th, by which time the title had reverted to “The Doomsday Contract”. However, no further development seems to have been undertaken, and with Adams' departure from Doctor Who at the end of November, it appears that “The Doomsday Contract” was dropped altogether. In March 2021, an audio adaptation by Nev Fountain was released as part of the Doctor Who: The Lost Stories range from Big Finish Productions. Characters: The Fourth Doctor, Romana, K·9 Episodes: 4 Planned For: Seasons Seventeen and Eighteen Stage Reached: Complete script Synopsis: While vacationing on Cimmerian II, the Doctor is summoned before the Altribunal of Coelare Coelum, an intergalactic court. He has been called as a witness in a millennia-old case in which the Plenum Trust Corporation (whose Executive Vice President, Smilax, is an old friend) is opposing the purchase of the Earth by Cosmegalon and its unscrupulous owner, Jugend Bruisa. Plenum had been testing the Spondilas Chamber -- an incredibly powerful device capable of polymorphing matter -- when Cosmegalon bought the Earth via dubious means. Now Smilax fears the Chamber falling into Bruisa's hands. In court, the Doctor gives evidence that the Earth is home to intelligent life, which by law would nullify Cosmegalon's ownership. He is sent to Earth to retrieve a human as proof. Arriving in mediaeval Yorkshire, the Doctor is prevented from completing his task by the monstrous Children of Pyxis, who have been despatched by Cosmegalon. Fortunately, he is saved from death by the timely intervention of Smilax, and manages to spirit away the Spondilas Chamber. Nonetheless, with the Doctor having seemingly failed, the court rules in Cosmegalon's favour. However, the Doctor tricks Bruisa and the Children of Pyxis into travelling to modern-day Earth near a missile base, where their ship is annihilated. References: Doctor Who Magazine #218-219, DWM Special Edition #9 Doomwraiths Writer: Philip Martin Notes: Martin submitted this idea on December 28th, 1983, while awaiting feedback on Season Twenty-Two's Vengeance On Varos. It was inspired by the theories of astronomer and author Sir Fred Hoyle, who posited that the origins of life on Earth lay in outer space. On March 9th, 1984, script editor Eric Saward noted that more development would be needed before he could properly assess “Doomwraiths”; the notion was not pursued further. Characters: The Sixth Doctor, Peri Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Twenty-Three Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: Millennia ago, the Doomwraiths seeded the Earth with their own genetic code in order to save their dying species. Now the Doomwraiths have reemerged to discover that life on Earth did not evolve to their design. The Doctor and Peri must stop the Doomwraiths from recovering their genetic code and destroying the human race. References: Doctor Who Magazine #309 The Doppelgangers see Shield Of Zarak Dragons Of Fear see Erinella The Dream-Spinner Writer: Paul Wheeler Notes: Wheeler originally submitted “The Dream-Spinner” to the Doctor Who production office in early 1966. Although story editor Gerry Davis was impressed with its ideas, he felt that it was not the kind of adventure that the production team was looking for, and it was rejected on June 8th. Wheeler subsequently resubmitted “The Dream-Spinner”, and he was commissioned to write a four-part story breakdown on February 23rd, 1968. The story had been expanded to six episodes by the time the first installment was requested on March 13th. “The Dream-Spinner” was intended to bear the production code Serial WW, making it the second story into production during the sixth recording block (and therefore the fourth story of Season Six). However, Wheeler's script for Episode One was not to the satisfaction of the production office, and it was abandoned on April 9th. The Invasion was extended to eight episodes as a result. Characters: The First Doctor (original submission); the Second Doctor (resubmission) Episodes: 6 (initially 4) Planned For: Season Four (original submission); fourth story of Season Six (resubmission) Stage Reached: Script for episode one Synopsis: Involved a person with the power to make others believe that their dreams are real. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #4, The Doctors: 30 Years Of Time Travel, The Doctor Who Production Diary: The Hartnell Years Drone The Clone see Clone The Drone

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