The story of Doctor Who’s inception is an important one. Doctor Who came together through impossible odds in trying to fill the BBC schedule and the creativity and passion of Sydney Newman, Verity Lambert, Waris Hussein, and other creatives who fought for the series. With everything that had to be juggled, it feels like the stars aligned and allowed Doctor Who to thrive and endure for so many years. It was a move of utter insanity to commission it. On the 60th Anniversary of the original episode, I thought it would be appropriate to take a look at the drama written by Mark Gatiss that managed to capture the emotion and passion of the series genesis. Let’s take a look.
The plot of An Adventure in Space and Time largely surrounds Sydney Newman and Verity Lambert, trying to engineer an impossible programme and documents all the struggles that came along with Doctor Who. Trying to fill a gap between Grandstand and Juke Box Jury, Newman comes up with a science fiction series for children and bravely hires Verity Lambert to steer things in the right direction as a producer. Verity has to battle the sexist attitudes of the BBC and prove her worth, whilst trying to make the series a success under tight budget constraints and a lack of faith from the BBC. The series becomes a wonderful success, but the leading actor William Hartnell struggles with his declining health, putting Doctor Who in an uncertain place.
It’s a fairly accurate depiction by Mark Gatiss on the story of Doctor Who; it is dramatised and some moments are given more dramatic weight for storytelling and emotional purposes, but it gets the core details of what happened right which makes it feel both faithful and respectful to the story it is trying to tell. Mark Gatiss does also streamline and simplify the story of Doctor Who’s genesis a fair bit, but I think that is a good thing. He manages to wisely condense a quite lengthy process into a very focused story with moments of drama. An Adventure in Space and Time does not get overly bogged down in production processes. You have key moments from the production which blend into a story, which was a great way to handle things. It makes it feel very natural and gives a sense of movement to the story that works.
What Mark Gatiss expertly does with An Adventure in Space and Time is capture the essence and the atmosphere of the 1960s. Aesthetically and tonally, it manages to evoke that period incredibly naturally. It does not feel forced or contrived but simply through behaviour and attitudes, style, music, and historical events, it has this feeling of 1960s culture in the story. It’s a very distinctive and memorable period of history and I really like the vibe of that time, and the drama recreates the whole thing incredibly. It does it very honestly in showing the positive and negative aspects of that period.
You also have a wonderful balance of tone in magic, humour, and tragedy which feels incredibly fitting and well-judged. It would have been so easy for it to hit in the wrong way. Through the struggles of Verity Lambert and the illness of William Hartnell as well as some of his less forgiving qualities, the whole thing could have become quite depressing to watch if handled wrongly. That would have been a mistake because the story of Doctor Who’s origins should be one of magic, and Mark Gatiss manages to strike a wonderful balance. There is a mythic and legendary status to the way the story is framed with a real sense of care. Yet it manages to detail the struggles of the production with an honesty and emotion to it that still feels like it is not brushing over the ugly aspects of things.
What you get from An Adventure in Space in Time is the sense that the origins of Doctor Who is an interesting enough story in its own right to tell regardless of the series that came out of it. You have compelling themes of change battling against outdated attitudes which is worth reflecting on in current society, with Verity Lambert as the first female producer at the BBC and Waris Hussein as the first Indian director. Mark Gatiss manages to balance the different storylines and characters with great skill, and I like how the story transitions from being Verity Lambert’s story to becoming about William Hartnell by the end.
Verity Lambert is played by Jessica Raine and is just perfect casting for the role, she just nails the elegant confidence of Lambert as a person in her portrayal. You can tell that Jessica Raine has done a lot of work and research, and she is able to transform herself and feels effortlessly convincing in the role. Her voice, the way she moves her body and everything about her just feels like Verity Lambert. I think the key thing about Verity in the story is that she has powerful strength, bravery, and determination which I like, but you can see a crippling anxiety to her underneath. It means you both empathise with Verity’s position and root for her at the same time.
The drama is incredibly upfront about the sexism of the BBC culture of the 1960s and the outdated nature of it. It gives Verity a challenge and frustration, and a compelling uphill battle to face. The BBC clearly has a very old-fashioned and misogynistic mindset, being run by a very elite and classist group with very out-of-touch ideas of what audiences want. It sets things up well for Verity to prove these men wrong in their assumptions and breathe new life into things. I like seeing Verity deal with the judgments of men doubting her ability, trying to look after her and guide her, mansplaining to her, and talking to her in a patronising manner. You root for her in her ability to make her mark and be valued for the genuine assets and talent she brings to the table. You sympathise with her at the start being at a very difficult stage in her career, making little progress forward in the way she wants. Therefore, Doctor Who is the chance she needs; you see bravery and a valuable fiery spirit as she fights for the creative choices she knows are right. It’s very satisfying to see Verity Lambert have everything thrown at her and make it work against impossible odds as everyone doubts her abilities. Yet I like that beneath that front is still a human and relatable anxiety, feeling like she is out of her depth in a world surrounded by men. You feel happy for her in the end that she has been able to find the success she wants.
David Bradley has proven to have been perfect casting for William Hartnell, having gone on to play the First Doctor both on Big Finish and in Twice Upon a Time, and a cameo in the Power of the Doctor. Yet it was An Adventure in Space and Time that paved the way for David Bradley to be able to do that and I think he puts in a superior performance to anything of him as the Doctor. David Bradley, like Jessica Raine as Verity Lambert, is perfect casting and fits into the role brilliantly. He captures the essence and the nature of William Hartnell as a person, but manages to thrive based on his own individual talent and acting. You feel for Bill at the start as an actor who feels angered by being restrained by typecasting and the way audiences perceive him. There is a very harassable, tetchy, unkindly, and unpleasant side to Bill as a person, which is apparent from how he talks to his granddaughter and upsets her. It shows a truly flawed and human side to William Hartnell as a person, which is well-judged.
This manages to take Bill on a terrific character arc. He is clearly apprehensive about taking on the role of the Doctor given the strain and the challenge of it, but it’s rewarding to see how he relishes that chance later on. He clearly feels freed by the restrictions typecasting had previously placed on him and loves the opportunity of being able to be a hero that children can look up to, which is a lovely progression in Bill as a character. You see a warm-hearted and kind side of Bill with those he is close to. It’s nice to see him develop an emotional and close connection with his granddaughter as she grows to admire him, and they have something to bond over. There is a joyful excitement in Bill, which creates a range in the performance. Yet Bill is incredibly challenged, and you see the strain the heavy workload has on him, especially with his developing illness as he struggles to remember his lines. There is a deep emotional tragedy to this, which is incredibly heart-wrenching. You have a harrowing and very raw performance from David Bradley as William Hartnell, which is sensational. The scene of him crying by the fireplace, not wanting to let go of the part of the Doctor is incredibly upsetting. There is a wonderful heart to the story as Bill must deal with the show moving on without him as there is a meaningful message on how Doctor Who has continued to endure. You feel the journey and legacy of William Hartnell within that.
I do disagree with the use of Matt Smith at the very end though. I understand the intention that it is meant to show Doctor Who’s continuing legacy. Yet I feel An Adventure in Space and Time does such a good job of immersing you into the 60s era that the use of Matt Smith simply feels jarring. It takes me out of the reality of what the drama has created, and I cease to believe in it at that moment. It feels like the truthful nature of the drama has suddenly been diverted and feels very unnatural to me.
Brian Cox plays Sydney Newman, the creator of Doctor Who and the head of drama at the BBC during this period, and he plays a key role in the story. Brian Cox brings an eccentric sense of life and oddity to the part; he is very unconventional and characterful and yet incredibly real and believable. Sydney simply feels like a vivid and creative visionary with a sense of fun, who is willing to think outside the box and do drastic things and take creative risks to shake up the BBC, and you admire his character for that. Yet he is still opinionated, and a strong character of senior authority, and it is entertaining to see him and Verity conflict on the Daleks and then see Verity prove him wrong. Yet Sydney’s role is important for showing the value of taking a chance on something different.
Waris Hussein, the director of the first Doctor Who story, is played by Sacha Dhawan who has since gone on to play the Master. I like the way Sacha Dhawan portrays Waris as an insecure person with a terrific sense of weight and responsibility on his shoulders. There is excellent anger and frustration in his character when we first meet him, as he’s confronted with the impossibility of his task, which is incredibly relatable. He is a very passionate creative director and yet he knows his limits and I like that he is doubtful of his abilities given the resources he has at his disposal. During the directing of An Unearthly Child, you can clearly see a physical and emotional strain and frustration beginning to get to him and I like that. Sacha Dhawan also has good chemistry with Jessica Raine as Verity Lambert, and I like the bond and connection they form. Waris feels alienated in the world of the BBC in the same way Verity does, and they connect with each other through that which I like. Waris also feels more relaxed and happier at the end, clearly content with his work on Doctor Who, which is nice to see.
There are other characters throughout who don’t have a large narrative role but contribute to the overall shape of the story, regardless. Jamie Glover, Jemma Powell, and Claudia Grant as William Russell, Jacqueline Hill, and Carole Ann Ford fit into their roles rather well. They immerse themselves in them and feel very believable. Lesley Manville playing Bill’s wife Heather, has a wonderfully subtle part in this. Bradley and Manville have a fitting sense of history and a warmth and closeness between them. Yet Lesley Manville brings the believable emotional support you need for that role. She does not overplay her part, but her performance fits in perfectly with the drama. I do have a problem with Reece Shearsmith as Patrick Troughton. He feels closer to the oddity of the Second Doctor rather than Patrick Troughton as an actor who in interviews seems much more mellow and relaxed than his character and Shearsmith feels more like a comical impression.
An Adventure in Space and Time is directed by Terry McDonough, who had previously worked on the likes of Breaking Bad, Suits, and Clue and has since gone on to direct Better Call Saul and Killing Eve. The opening shot of the police box surrounded by mist is a fitting way to open things with a sense of conventional mystery. The buildup to the Tardis and the focus on Hartnell’s feet as he steps onto the set is shot in a simply magical way and frames the whole drama in a very majestic manner which works. The movement of the scenes is fittingly gentle which works to focus on characters and relationships, especially in the domestic conversations between Bill and his granddaughter and even with Bill and Verity. The camera naturally moves around the characters to focus on them. Yet certain moments like the reveal of the Tardis or the Daleks, or even the way the BBC Centre is filmed is given a fantastic scale and momentous feel which fits in with the tone.
So, overall, how do I feel about An Adventure in Space and Time? Well, ten years after it originally came out, it’s still just as magical as it was back then. Doctor Who, with everything it had to juggle, was lightning in a bottle back in 1963 and Mark Gatiss expertly manages to capture the brilliance and the difficulty of that. He gives a real sense of magic to the creativity and determination of the creators at the centre of the series. Yet there are emotional stories to be appreciated at the same time with a rewarding story about Verity Lambert having to battle against the sexism and the old guard of the BBC, and William Hartnell struggling with his decreasing health. You have a wonderful and emotional performance from David Bradley as Bill, who is taken on an excellent arc as his career is refreshed and he appreciates the new audience he is opened up to. Doctor Who becomes a legendary creation myth with magic at the centre, and you truly appreciate how against the odds, its success was achieved.
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