A Focus on Fan Fiction

If there’s one thing about Doctor Who fandom that really catches my eye it’s the sheer variety of high-quality fan fiction that’s currently available. In fact, I’m so impressed by this phenomenon that I tend to take every opportunity I can to write about it.

 

The decade-old The Doctor Who Project (www.thedoctorwhoproject.com) is probably one of the best known collections currently doing the rounds on the fan circuit. Helmed by Whotopia’s Senior Editor, Bob Furnell, this series lays claim to an all-new timeline of Who events, stemming from the end of season twenty-six of the television series. Two regenerations and a cartload of companions later and The Doctor Who Project’s Ninth Doctor has just completed his second full season of exciting adventures. Available to download for free, I highly recommend checking out this series.

 

Of course it’s not all text-based stories. For starters, I can’t say enough good things about Whotopia’s splendid comic strip Blossom Core by Kyle Borcz and Jon Wesley Huff (check out the opening instalment in the free-to-download Whotopia Issue 5 at: www.whotopia.ca/downloads.php). As for Malcolm Orr’s brilliant diorama series Time Tales (www.drwho-online.co.uk/timetales) words almost escape me. Orr conjures up a magical mixture of words and model-based images, which are an absolute visual treat. More of Orr’s sterling efforts can be found at his site, Tales from the TARDIS (wwwtalesfromthetardis.co.uk).

                                     

All of which is to say nothing of the simply awesome puppet-based Genesis of the Moleks by Jay Tyson and the team at 99 Acre Woods (www.requiemoftheoutcast.com/99acrewoods/2008/10/13/genesis-of-the-moleks). Combining top-notch CGI with some first-rate puppetry – and a very cool re-working of the Doctor Who theme music to boot – and you have one of the most innovative slices of fan fiction around.

 

Moreover, let’s not forget that fanzines like Whotopia and DWAS’ Celestial Toyroom are always on the look out for new pieces of fan fiction. So, if you’re thinking about putting pen to paper why not take the plunge and give it a go. With no production budget to worry about, actors’ egos to massage or Michael Grade-inspired hiatuses to sidestep, only your imagination’s the limit!

Goodbye Doctor

So David Tennant has decided to leave Doctor Who.  “What!” I hear you say.  “Since when?”  Well, he announced it on the evening of October 29th while accepting his award for Best Drama Actor at the NFT awards.  Naturally this has come as a total shock to the fans and the general public, it doesn’t surprise me to see the announcement come at this time in the show’s history.  Sure I’ll miss him when he does finally turn the role over to a new actor but what the show in a climate of change – RTD and leaving, Stephen Moffat taking over - and having been in the role for close to four years now, in some ways I’m not surprised to see him decide to move on.

I’d be one of the first to admit that he has been brilliant as the tenth Doctor from the moment he first stepped out of the TARDIS, but like most actors, they like to be continually challenged by new projects, new roles and its obvious that David is in that same spot.  This isn’t saying he hasn’t enjoyed the part or wouldn’t want to stay, but he has stated that he wants to move on.  “I think its better to go when there’s a chance that people might miss you, rather than to hang around and outstay your welcome.”

While we as fans would like him to stay, I have to agree by what David has stated.  He quickly became the most popular Doctor of all time in the series and its always best to leave when you’re at the top.  People will want you to stay on, but you don’t.  You move on.  Its a smart move as people will more likely remember your time in the show with great fondness.

As I’ve said earlier, I will miss him when he does finally go.  But, it will be with fond memories of an actor who brought something to a role and embued it with a liveliness that hadn’t been given to the part in quite sometime.  He was brilliant.  Thank you Mr. Tennant for playing the part.