Doctor Who executive producer Phil Collinson recently shared insights into why the classic storyline “The War Games,”featuring Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor, was chosen for colorization. Originally aired from April to June 1969, this ten-part narrative follows the TARDIS’s arrival in a peculiar world, where its inhabitants conspired to abduct soldiers from different epochs to create an invincible army. This story notably marks the forced regeneration of Troughton’s Doctor, culminating his influential era.
In a recent interview with Doctor Who Magazine, Collinson articulated the motivation behind selecting this particular story for a remaster. He emphasized that classic episodes hold a cherished place within the franchise, aiming not to replace the originals but to present them alongside modern adaptations. The overarching ambition is to make these cherished tales more accessible to today’s audiences. Below is his compelling statement:
“I love those stories. I grew up with them. We would never take them away. They are all there for people to watch. It’s just that some viewers, especially younger ones, find it difficult to sit down and watch hours and hours of black-and-white material. I love it and lots of people do. These stories are great. They are as good as anything we’re transmitting now. It’s just that sometimes they need a bit of help to sing to people. That’s what we are doing, and we’re doing it with so much love…”
Collinson expressed enthusiasm about using colorization to create a definitive link between Troughton’s Doctor and his successor, the Third Doctor played by Jon Pertwee. He felt that this connection was a previously missing element in the Doctor Who lore. In his words:
“I was really excited about regenerating Patrick Troughton into Jon Pertwee. It was exciting, because the regeneration was missing from the original, and I really hope it becomes canon now. Whenever they do those montages of all the regenerations, I want this to be in there, because I always felt it was like a missing bit of Doctor Who.”
Implications of Collinson’s Comments on Future Doctor Who Remasters
Viewer Reactions: Divisive Choices
The remastering of classic stories, beginning with the First Doctor’s tale “The Daleks”during the franchise’s 60th anniversary, has been largely embraced by fans, yet it has not been free from criticism. Concerns have been raised regarding some edits that truncate episodes into feature-length formats, with debates about the significance of certain deleted scenes.
Particularly controversial among fans is the implication in “The War Games”that the character War Chief (Edward Brayshaw) may be an earlier version of The Master. Collinson defended this reinterpretation, reiterating his intention not to undermine the existing narrative canon. This clarification is likely to reshape the perspectives of viewers who were previously skeptical about the remastered editions.
Our Perspective on Doctor Who’s Remastered Episodes
Revitalizing Classic Stories
While the remastering of classic Doctor Who episodes is not a new endeavor—numerous episodes have received updated visual effects over the years—the recent colorized versions, especially of stories featuring the First and Second Doctors, have garnered exceptional attention. This particular surge in interest aligns with current showrunner Russell T Davies’ hints at making these remasters an annual event.
The colorization of “The War Games,”which provides a definitive regeneration between the Second and Third Doctors, has left fans eager to see if other narrative gaps in the vast Doctor Who universe might be explored. As viewers speculate on future classic episodes that could receive the same treatment, Collinson’s comments provide clarity on the placement and connectivity of these stories within the broader Whoniverse.
For more details, refer to the original article on Doctor Who Magazine.
For additional insights and visuals, visit Source & Images.
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