In 1985, the BBC announced that Doctor Who was to be put on an 18-month hiatus….and it looked like it might be cancelled.
Taking a page from Band Aid, a group of musicians (including members of The Moody Blues and Ultravox, as well as several dozen others I’ve never heard of, before or since), joined by The Doctor (Colin Baker), Peri (Nicola Bryant), Brigadier Lethbridge Steward (Nicolas Courtney) and The Master (Anthony Ainley) recorded a benefit single, called “Doctor In Distress.” Proceeds went to Cancer research, but the song was primarily aimed at the BBC:
“Doctor In Distress — Bring him back now, we won’t take less.”
The song failed to move….well, anyone, really. There was an 18-month hiatus, the show came back, limped along for a few more years, before finally being cancelled in 1989, where, aside from a 1996 TV movie, it remained until its much-lauded return in 2005.
But that song. Eeesh.
Oh Dear God In Heaven, There’s a Video….
EDIT: I just watched it again. Oh dear. I’m so, so sorry.
My favorite part is how half of them are looking down at what is obviously the lyric page. Who cares? Not all of them!
LOL That was hysterically awful!
Be nice, or I’ll have to send you a copy of “Turkish Star Wars”….
Turkish Star Wars should be classified as a WMD.
Hee!
I used to run NU’s 24-hour B-Fest. I own copies of “Night of the Lepus”, “Zombies on Broadway”, and “Invasion of the Bee Girls”…
Which are f*cking art house films compared to TSW!
*stares blankly at screen*
*opens mouth*
*closes mouth*
*opens mouth*
*frowns*
Um…uh…fuck, dude…what did I ever do to you?
D.
That is quite possibly the worst thing I’ve ever seen. It makes me ashamed to be British.
Although you do realise you’ve spoilt the season 2 finale now don’t you? That song is unleashed on the world by the Daleks AND the Cybermen as the ultimate doomsday device …
I somehow was conned by to sit through this. The WTF meter was pegging pretty badly that night. I think it caused permanent damage to both my DVD player and my psyche.
You fiend! That was just wrong. Wrong.
WRONG!
Uh…
I’ve seen the Star Wars Christmas Special and the Turkish Wizard of Oz, and I still had no defenses built up against that.
There should be an immunity to ‘bad’ at some point, shouldn’t there?
Love,
Rowan
And I put up those pictures of the Thunder Child diorama for you, you bastard!
Thanks, that’s going to be another twenty years of therapy to forget all about it.
Near heart attack experience.
I glossed over the two first words in your post and so I read
“the BBC announced that Doctor Who was to be put on an 18-month hiatus….and it lookes like it might be cancelled.”
Only after seeing the video I realised you were referring to a 1985 decission.. Phew!
Oh well, tonight I’ll watch ‘Army of Ghosts’ on the BBC.
Cheers,
Marc