#yes he apparently regrets it nowadays

[ninjapotatohead]

This is why you Cite Your Sources, people!

My Sources (Aside from, well, the obvious):

Sonic Retro

MyAnimeList

AnimeNewsNetwork

[rachelbethhines]

60 Years of Doctor Who Anniversary Marathon - C. Baker 3rd Review

Doctor In Distress - Behind the Scenes

Really, there was never any other choice for this category, was there?

So during 1985 the BBC placed Doctor Who under 'hiatus' for 18 months, derailing plans for season 23 that were already in pre-production. Citing falling ratings as their excuse.

In reality, Michael Grade, then head of BBC drama, personally hated the show and science fiction in general, and wanted to cancel the series outright.

This was met with massive backlash.

We're talking petitions, media coverage, and a even a protest song!

Fans, cast, and crew banded together to make a charity album in protest of the hiatus. Sales were donated to cancer research, and Reeltime productions recorded the music video using an abridged version of the song.

Neither the song nor the video did very well.

The BBC refused to play it on the radio and critics panned the album. Nowadays those involved express regret and cringe over the whole ordeal, but honestly, it's not a bad song.

Listen to the instrumental B-side here.

The bones of a good electric pop song are there.

Hans Zimmer, yes that Hans Zimmer, the Oscar winning composer, was involved in the arrangement. And he apparently played the keyboard/synth parts of the song himself.

The chorus is also catchy as heck and I dare you not to be humming it to yourself as you go about your day.

What problems the song does have are hard to ignore though.

While I like the chorus just fine, the versus are, well, stilted. Granted, I don't know how you could make a song detailing the history of the series and it's current corporate politics without making it sound lame, but nevertheless it's not the song's high point.

Second, the guest performers are decent, but it's clear that the none of the Doctor Who cast are professional singers themselves. Some of them are little pitchy, or speak-sings their lines, and I'm not sure why another take wasn't recorded or used.

Despite the protest's lukewarm response, Grade did relent and allowed the show to return... Albeit with reduced episodes and several 'notes' on how to improve the series.... more on that later.

The consequence of this was a complete rewrite if season 23, and the eventual firing of Colin Baker at the end of that season. (Rumor also has it that Grade was dating Colin's ex-wife at the time... so make of that what you will)

I'll no doubt will be talking about the behind the scene's troubles a little more as we go along, but for now I'm putting the instrumental version of Doctor in Distress in my playlist. ;)