Dimensions in Time
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Template:Doctorwhobox Dimensions in Time was a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and the soap opera EastEnders that ran in two parts on November 26 and 27, 1993. It was taped on the EastEnders "Albert Square" set, and features several of the stars of that programme at the time. They were the only dramatised episodes to celebrate Doctor Who's 30th anniversary, the show having been cancelled in 1989, and were made in aid of the charity Children in Need.
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Synopsis
The Rani's latest diabolical plan traps the Doctor's various incarnations and companions in the unlikeliest of locations — Albert Square.
Plot
Image:Dimensions in time.jpg The Rani has opened a hole in time, allowing her access to the Doctor's timeline. She uses this to cycle through the Doctor's lives, causing him and his companions to jump back and forth between past and present incarnations. Her intention is to capture the Doctor(s) in a time loop, trapping him in London's East End; she has already captured the First and Second Doctor in the time hole. This causes the Fourth Doctor to send a message to the his remaining selves, warning them of the Rani's plan.
The Seventh Doctor and Ace are confused when the TARDIS lands in Greenwich, near the Cutty Sark, thanks to the Rani's attack on the TARDIS. The Doctor finds a newspaper showing the year to be 1973, but before he can make any more conclusions the Rani causes time to jump. Ace finds herself in Albert Square in 1993 with the Sixth Doctor. Local resident Sanjay tries to give Ace some new clothes from his stall, and when his wife Gita tells the Sixth Doctor that it is going to be all the rage in 1994, the Rani jumps time again.
The Third Doctor and Mel appear from the time jump, and question an old Pauline Fowler and Kathy Beale on when they are. When Pauline and Kathy reply that it is 2013, another time jump occurs. In 1973, Pauline and Kathy remember the assassination of President Kennedy, while Kathy tells off a young Ian Beale. The Sixth Doctor and Susan Foreman appear, but Susan wonders what has happened to her Doctor, the First.
After another time jump, Susan changes into Sarah Jane Smith and the Doctor changes from the Sixth to the Third Doctor. They start to piece together what is happening to them, but the Rani lets loose her menagerie of specimens, including a Cyberman and a Time Lord from Gallifrey in the next time jump.
In 1993, the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Peri are attacked by the Rani's menagerie, and after they tried to warn Pat Butcher of the danger, the Rani stops them outside of the Queen Vic.
The Rani makes the mistake of capturing one companion while she is in the form of Romana. This results in a Time Lord brain imprint being left on the computer inside the Rani's TARDIS, which gives the Doctor the edge needed to rig up a device to overload it. As the Seventh Doctor and Ace leave in the TARDIS, the Doctor observes "I — I mean, we — are difficult to get rid of".
Cast
- The Doctor — Peter Davison, Jon Pertwee, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Tom Baker
- The Rani — Kate O'Mara
- Susan Foreman — Carole Ann Ford
- Sarah Jane Smith — Elizabeth Sladen
- Cyrian — Sam West
- Melanie Bush — Bonnie Langford
- Peri Brown — Nicola Bryant
- Frank Butcher — Mike Reid
- Nyssa — Sarah Sutton
- Liz Shaw — Caroline John
- Mandy Salter — Nicola Stapleton
- Captain Mike Yates — Richard Franklin
- The Brigadier — Nicholas Courtney
- Ian Beale — Adam Woodyatt
- Phil Mitchell — Steve McFadden
- Grant Mitchell — Ross Kemp
- Sharon Watts — Letitia Dean
- Kathy Beale — Gillian Taylforth
- Pat Butcher — Pam St. Clement
- Romana — Lalla Ward
- Victoria — Deborah Watling
- Leela — Louise Jameson
- Voice of K-9 — John Leeson
- K-9 Operator — Matt Irvine
- Ace — Sophie Aldred
Notes
- The special was one of several special 3D programmes the BBC produced at the time, using a 3D system developed by American inventor Terry D. Beard that made use of the Pulfrich effect. The technology required spectacles with one darkened lens and one transparent one; these were sold in shops to the public, with the proceeds going to Children in Need.
- The Daleks were also supposed to appear, but the segment (which was filmed but unused) was pulled after a dispute with Dalek creator Terry Nation over payments. All actors and crew were working unpaid, with the only stipulation being that it could never be repeated or sold on videotape/DVD for profit. The Dalek segment would have seen Peter Davison facing up against them again in the streets seen in the 1984 serial Resurrection of the Daleks.
- The second part was broadcast as part of popular UK programme Noel's House Party. Noel Edmonds, the host of the programme, requested the episode have several key lines and moments cut from broadcast for timing reasons. This contributed to the story's failure to make any real narrative sense.
- Other specially made episodes of Doctor Who include the 2005 Children in Need mini-episode and Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death for Comic Relief.
- Tom Baker returned to the role of the Fourth Doctor on television for the first time since leaving it 12 years previously, though he had recorded links for the video release of the incomplete Shada the year before, apparently in character. No attempt is made at explaining his short, grey hair.
- Placing this story within the continuity of the "Whoniverse" is challenging given its nature and the fact it keeps jumping between Doctors. Some online sources such as the Doctor Who Reference Guide suggest that it actually takes place during the Seventh Doctor's era since it is this Doctor and his companion who begin and ultimately resolve the actual adventure. In addition, McCoy was the reigning Doctor at the time and his era's logo and title sequence were used. The Discontinuity Guide, however, suggests that it is an adventure of the Fourth Doctor, who is first seen on screen, and Romana, who is crucial to the resolution of the plot.
- Ultimately, the canonicity of this spin-off within the Doctor Who universe (or indeed, the EastEnders universe) is unclear. John Nathan-Turner argued for its canonicity at the time, and unsuccessfully lobbied for the serial to be assigned an official production code. Indeed, when production began the story was presented as a legitimate revival of the series. Arguments against canonicity generally center on how preposterous the story is in its ultimate form, the fact that it makes little or no narrative sense, and the disfavour with which fans regard it.
- Dimensions in Time achieved viewing figures of 13.8 million viewers for the first part and 13.6 million for the second part, making them two of the most highly watched episodes of Doctor Who ever produced. The highest single audience figure was for Part Four of City of Death, at 16.1 million viewers.