Of all the 'Doctors' to follow Tom Baker's epic ( seven year ) run, Peter Davison was for me the most impressive. His boyishly charming, cricket-loving Time Lord made a nice contrast to his grinning, scarf-wearing Bohemian predecessor. Alas the actor was served appalling scripts of the calibre of 'Time Flight' and 'Warriors Of The Deep', and after three seasons beat a hasty retreat to the cosy Sunday evening world of James Herriot.
'Time Crash', written by Steven Moffat before he became producer, was a short ( 8 minutes, to be exact ) episode that went out as part of 'Children In Need' in November 2007. It was not the first 'Doctor Who' to have that honour - the last one was in 2005 when the show still basked in the glory of the Eccleston/Piper combo, and featured David Tennant's debut in the role. Chronologically, it takes after 'Last Of The Time Lords' ( what a horrible season finale that was! ) and before the 'Voyage Of The Damned' Christmas Special.
After seeing Martha off, the Doctor is alone in the Tardis once more. But not quite. A stranger has mysteriously slipped aboard. An older-looking Fifth Doctor, still wearing that Edwardian cricketing costume, and baffled by his predicament. The episode then becomes a two-hander, loaded with continuity references, but still managing to satisfy young viewers not readily acquainted with '80's 'Who'. The exchange was easily the best since the 'dandy and the clown' of 1973's 'The Three Doctors'. I liked the way The Tenth Doctor spoke of his delight at being The Fifth. The line "You were my Doctor!" was delivered with absolute sincerity.
Graeme Harper, who directed the final Davison story 'The Caves Of Androzani', drew from the actor one of his very best performances in the role. Like a fine wine, his Time Lord had mellowed with age. I was touched when he doffed his hat in respect, before vanishing into the ether. They should do a sequel one day.
'Time Crash', written by Steven Moffat before he became producer, was a short ( 8 minutes, to be exact ) episode that went out as part of 'Children In Need' in November 2007. It was not the first 'Doctor Who' to have that honour - the last one was in 2005 when the show still basked in the glory of the Eccleston/Piper combo, and featured David Tennant's debut in the role. Chronologically, it takes after 'Last Of The Time Lords' ( what a horrible season finale that was! ) and before the 'Voyage Of The Damned' Christmas Special.
After seeing Martha off, the Doctor is alone in the Tardis once more. But not quite. A stranger has mysteriously slipped aboard. An older-looking Fifth Doctor, still wearing that Edwardian cricketing costume, and baffled by his predicament. The episode then becomes a two-hander, loaded with continuity references, but still managing to satisfy young viewers not readily acquainted with '80's 'Who'. The exchange was easily the best since the 'dandy and the clown' of 1973's 'The Three Doctors'. I liked the way The Tenth Doctor spoke of his delight at being The Fifth. The line "You were my Doctor!" was delivered with absolute sincerity.
Graeme Harper, who directed the final Davison story 'The Caves Of Androzani', drew from the actor one of his very best performances in the role. Like a fine wine, his Time Lord had mellowed with age. I was touched when he doffed his hat in respect, before vanishing into the ether. They should do a sequel one day.