Consequently, the Sentinel had not managed on having an extended run. In 1980, the old Sci-Fi series revival--especially with Star Trek and The Twilight Zone--had brought forth paraphenalia consisting of infinite newsletters, magazines and other forms of publications and clubs. In short, the Eighties had brought forth the 'fanzine,' sort of the equivalent of fanblogs you see nowadays on the Internet.
The problem with fanzines was although many studios favored the publicity over their classic works, others weren't so fond of them. For instance, the BBC had first become disturbed by newsletters which permitted readers into submitting alternate-Doctor Who stories. Mainly because they went under the misapprehension these readers were receiving illegal compensation for their submissions. So by the end of 1980, most local newsletters were either suspended indefinitely (until they obtained legal permission), or ultimately shut-down.
Ironically, I had felt the real reason the Beeb got upset with the Sentinel was not because it was like other fanzines. Instead (as I had later discovered) it was probably due to the fact we accidentally liked the wrong Doctor! After all, it had turned out the BBC had never really fancied the cinematic Incarnate of The Doctor. Therefore, the GS Editors had received a prompt cease & desist order from the Beeb. When this had happened, the result had piqued my interest in watching the televised Doctor Who.
Taking all this into account, most people wonder why would we go ga-ga over the films, rather than the better-produced television series. The answer was remarkably simple: Doctor Who was only shown on Late Night TV (pre-Letterman, Leno, or even Arsenio). Of course, I had witnessed snippets from Tom Baker's era, but you couldn't find anything else, and at the time, I rarely could stay up late to watch the show.
The strange reason The Doctor had been shuttled to late-night was this: a private protest made by the public viewers. The BBC had once pulled Sesame Street from British airwaves, claiming it had given off totalitarian views to children. Meaning most kids had never gotten to view Doctor Who. However, if you had a cousin having access to satellite television, that was a completely different story.
Back in the 80's, you didn't have portable satellite television or digital cable, so satellite television was considered a real luxury. Especially since then, dishes were about the size of one's backyard. But on the plus side, one could receive any global broadcast right in your own living room. Remember, folks, in this decade, movie channels--Showtime and HBO--were just coming in.
Nonetheless, while visiting my cousin Rex, one afternoon, his television had recevied a British programme, aptly named Doctor Who. Though the one here I had witnessed had nothing to do with the Tom Baker one on late-night television, I had never suspected I'd get hooked upon the series. Nor would I also be rewriting the Daleks tale and completely reinventing Fanger in the process.
The BBC-TV Doctor Who
1981 - William Hartne
ll (The First Doctor)Although the new Dalek tale possessed the similar theme, this one was based more upon the BBC Television programme. Whereas The Doctor's now a Time Lord, and the TARDIS is considered more than just a Time Machine.
Well, that's not quite accurate, for in Hartnell's Era, the Time Lords were never officially mentioned, nor was Gallifrey. Even though The Doctor did indicate he was not exactly from Earth, it wouldn't be until his Second Incarnation we'd learn about his otherworldly origins.
Now for those who've only witnessed The Doctor's exploits from the Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor) Era, here's a bit of exposition upon the pre-Baker characters:
Susan (Foreman) Campbell - Considered The Doctor's only living relative, Susan is his granddaughter. She left with him from the unknown fate of their homeworld. Despite her young, childhood appearance, Susan possesses a remarkably high intelligence, which naturally caught the attention of her two teachers.
Ian Chesterton - Susan's science master (teacher) at Coal Hill Secondary School, who seemed to be the Indiana Jones of the lot. Ian is always resourceful, and yet, always seems to be the cause of trouble (at least, according to The Doctor).
Barbara Wright - Susan's history teacher, who provides vital info on Earth's History, as well as other cultures. She finds Fanger's work as an Intergalactic Librarian rather interesting, since she can learn more about the Universe. Mainly, Barbara provides a mother-figure towards Fanger and Susan, and also tends to differ with The Doctor on certain subjects pertaining to Time and otherwise.
Anyway, as for Fanger, in this story he was first identified as a survivor from a lost race. One which originated on The Doctor's home, until some unknown horrible fate--which had caused The Doctor and Susan to flee in the TARDIS--had presumably destroyed most of his people. Nonetheless, Fanger began as kind of an information keeper as well as helping The Doctor and Susan maintain the TARDIS. Eliminating the possible overusage of magic, Fanger explained at times he was in training before leaving their unknown realm behind, and at times his spells don't always work as planned.
Also the only other notable discrepancy of this Dalek tale came the name of the episode itself:
DALEK INVASION: ASTRODOMIA 2175 AD
Our story unfolds, when The Doctor has Fanger taking inventory and re-issuing the books and periodicals of Earth History. Feeling somewhat put out with The Doctor for giving such a hard task for a little wolf, Barbara, Susan and Ian decide on helping Fanger in the TARDIS Library. With four people doing the job, the errand goes smoothly like clockwork, as Fanger has successfully cataloged each and every written work about the planet Earth and its various cultures. It isn't until Barbara and Ian are finishing up some of the periodicals in the Texas Section. Since neither of them will ever travel to Texas in the near future, Fanger allows the both to handle some of the 1970s newspapers.
Regrettably, the trouble begins due to a major misprint over a prize cattle in the Houston Chronicle and Houston Post, which Barbara and Ian get into a quarrel over who really won. Susan solves the dilemma by logically suggesting they travel to the 1975 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Both agree and head out to the Main Control Room, while Fanger suddenly realizes something important about the console. Instantly, he attempts to stop The Doctor from activating the TARDIS, but is too late. The Doctor has set the TimeSpace vessel on-course to Earth. Consequently, Fanger tells everyone the TARDIS' Chronovector Unit has blown-out, meaning the TimeSpace controls are slightly off, until he can replace the faulty component.
Upon landing, Fanger makes the necessary repairs with The Doctor's help. Now fixed, the TARDIS' Chronodisplay gives off some rather distressing news. Instead of 1975, the ship had ended up in Houston, Texas...2175 AD! To make matters worse, The Doctor points out until the ship's adjusted to the newly-replaced component, the TARDIS' traveling mechanism won't be operational for at least another three hours. Undaltered, Susan decides they should make the best of it and go exploring, wondering how rodeos have changed during two hundred years.
However, when the group exit the police box, they discover themselves within a Texas wasteland, with the Astrodome remaining as the only surviving structure from some forgotten war. The Doctor and his Companions gingerly enter the famous stadium, not certain of what to expect here. They soon learn the once, well-known, sports arena has been transformed into an underground city, Astrodomia. Astrodomia residents are composed from the remaining people of Texas.
Reassuring the inhabitants they are friendly, the group ascertain how everything ended up in this apocalyptic state. Apparently, about eighteen years earlier (2157), an unexpected, nuclear accident occurred (in later episodes of FANGARIUS--the event is referred to as The Great Fall Out) transmogrifing the Earth into an enormously, radioactive playground. Advantageously, due to public fears upon nuclear weapontry, most of the populated cities had already taken the precaution of constructing subterrainan cities. While they retreated safely into their constructs, the Houstonians entered the Astrodome, for the stadium had been totally reconstructed completely out of radioactive-proof material five years before the incident.
Unbeknowest to the Houstonians--or their guests--a Dalek Sentinelcraft patrols the planet and detects the Astrodome, mistaking the unique building for one of their Battle HQs. This news not only disturbs The Doctor and his Companions, but adding the fact the Houstonians are now pacifists doesn't help the situation. Barbara realizes the traumatizing after-effect from the incident has made the Houstonians completely wary of using any type of weapon, nuclear or otherwise. Ian and The Doctor attempt to convince the people when weapons are used in defense, not war, they can play an essential role in survival. The Houstonians are admanant in even considering about using weapons, although, they also don't fancy being invaded by hostile pepperpots from space. Meanwhile, Fanger ponders on why the Daleks have bases set up on Earth, especially around Texas. He fails to see why The Daleks would want to set up shop on a nuclear-ravaged planet until he and Susan start investigating the city itself.
Susan and Fanger's inspection of Astrodomia sends them down into the murky depths of the sub-basement, where they notice strange giant tubes heading towards the city above them. A forgotten worker identifies the tubes as a connection to Texas' new Petrolonite source. Fanger realizes the newly-made element was caused when the nuclear incident had occurred. Susan agrees noting the remaining fossil fuel deposits underground must have fused with some type of silicon-based oil. The result produced an extremely powerful (and mysteriously renewable) energy source. It then becomes clear why the Daleks are now here on Earth. Fanger and Susan rush back to inform The Doctor about their remarkable discovery, when they abruptly discover the Daleks have taken the old man, Ian and Barbara prisoner. The Dalek Leader issues an ultimatium to the Houstonians: either surrender the city and the Petrolonite to them, or be exterminated.
Knowing the Daleks for their treacherous ways, Fanger and Susan rally the Houstonians into forming a rescue party, but to no avail. Completely fed up with their non-aggressiveness, Fanger and Susan start formulating a rescue plan of their own. Meanwhile, The Doctor himself realizes the Daleks might have been the cause of the nuclear incident of 2157. Barbara becomes disgusted with the fact these aliens would endanger innocent lives as a means for creating a whole new energy source. The Dalek Leader berates her, saying they are providing the Houstonians a great service, since Man has always had the nasty habit of exhausting power sources. Apparently Petrolonite seems to be more effective than their Dalekanium. Because of this fact, the Daleks plane on supplementing this element into their plans of Universal domination. While Barbara and The Doctor keep the Dalek Leader distracted, Ian cleverly escapes and manages to return to the Houstonians. Upon discovering Fanger and Susan's rescue attempt, he becomes cross with the people for allowing children to go out and fight these horrible creatures.
Elsewhere, Fanger and Susan take the underground route, in an effort to surprise the Daleks long enough to rescue their friends. Along the way, Fanger becomes rather intrigued with one curious detail: why didn't the Daleks simply invade the city outright, rather than give the Houstonians the option for surrender? Susan understands Fanger's bewilderment with war-beings' uncharacteristic behavior, until she accidentally shocks herself by touching an old electriplate. As the answer comes to him, Fanger has Susan round up some neglected powerlamps while he decides upon how they'll rescue The Doctor, Barbara and Ian.
Acknowledging Ian's escape, the Daleks send The Doctor and Barbara to a more confining place on the other side of Astrodomia. Fortunately, the trip is short-lived when Fanger and Susan hurl the mystically-charged lamps at the Dalek captors. The mystical force electrifies the Daleks, shorting out their systems, which frees The Doctor and Barbara. But as with standard Doctor Who procedures, a group of Daleks chase them throughout Astrodomia and into a dead-end. Just when everything seems bleak, a metallic column comes crashing down upon the Dalek Patrol. Much to everyone's surprise, Ian has led a group of Houstonians to rescue them.
Back within the city, Fanger explains to The Doctor, what he and Susan had learned about Astrodomia, and why the Daleks can't venture into the main complex of the building. The Houstonian Leader comprehends the discovery and realizes how they can expel these invaders without harming his people in the process. Using the stadium's ancient, electrical system, Fanger and The Doctor rig up the metallic areas of the building, producing a harmless, lightning storm.
Although the storm is ineffective upon people, the intense electrical force plays severe havoc upon the Daleks' motor circuits and functions. The result causes the intruders to instantaneously self-destruct along with their Sentinelcraft. Fanger astutely transmits a falsified message to the Daleks' Homeworld, Skaro. This ensures the Houstonians won't be receiving any more unexpected guests.
Before departing, Fanger informs the Leader why the Daleks had come to Texas in the first place, only to receive a mild chuckle from the man. While confusing the time travelers, the Leader explains the problem with Petrolonite is it becomes extremely combustable when exposed to any forms of oxygen. Meaning the Daleks would've ended up destroying themselves if they had made any attempts extracting the substance from the earth itself. Afterwards, the group leaves the future world of Astrodomia, heading back into the TARDIS.
The BBC version had proven more successful with my audience, since this episode was more logical and well-written than its predecessors. Also given the fact, I had a more flexible-deadline, meaning I could develop the characters a bit better now that I knew what I was working with than just grasping at straws.
Regrettably about 1981, I had to move to Alief. In all retrospect, I had believed I'd been better off on the planet Skaro. Mainly because one of my naive delusions was about to be shattered. Going under the misassumption you can be friendly towards anyone, I had expediently discovered this was not so with the Aliefians.
Coincidentally, the same origins behind bringing Fanger to life would be the same cause for reinventing him for Doctor Who.
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