Silver Nemesis
Encyclopedia
Silver Nemesis was the 25th anniversary serial of the British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
. It was first broadcast in the UK in three weekly parts from 23 November 1988, (the 25th anniversary) to 7 December 1988.
Featuring Sylvester McCoy
as the Seventh incarnation of the Doctor
, Silver Nemesis reflected a darker turn in Doctor Who storylines, with the intention being to reveal the secrets of the Doctor. It is the 150th story of the series.
), being shown as part of a compilation broadcast of the story on New Zealand
's TVNZ, after part one had shown in the UK but prior to the other two being transmitted there.
, was published by Target Books
in November 1989.
Target novelisation
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. It was first broadcast in the UK in three weekly parts from 23 November 1988, (the 25th anniversary) to 7 December 1988.
Featuring Sylvester McCoy
Sylvester McCoy
Sylvester McCoy is a Scottish actor. As a comic act and busker he appeared regularly on stage and on BBC Children's television in the 1970s and 80s, but is best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1987 to...
as the Seventh incarnation of the Doctor
Seventh Doctor
The Seventh Doctor is the seventh incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the actor Sylvester McCoy....
, Silver Nemesis reflected a darker turn in Doctor Who storylines, with the intention being to reveal the secrets of the Doctor. It is the 150th story of the series.
Synopsis
The Doctor and Ace visit England in 1988, where three rival factions—the Cybermen, a group of Neo-Nazis and a 17th century sorceress named Lady Peinforte—are attempting to gain control of a statue made of a living metal, validium, that was created by Rassilon as the ultimate defence for Gallifrey.Production
- The working titles for this story included The Harbinger and Nemesis.
- Writer Kevin ClarkeKevin ClarkeKevin Clarke grew up in Birkenhead, Merseyside. Originally a guitarist, he wrote and directed his first play The Jackpot at the Finborough Theatre in 1987; as a result he was invited to join the first BBC Television Writers training course and commissioned to write for a new series called Casualty...
discusses the development of the plot on the DVD. He points out that he had seen very little of Doctor Who and that he met the production team without any idea of what his proposed story would be about. He made up a story on the spot in front of producer John Nathan-TurnerJohn Nathan-TurnerJohn Nathan-Turner was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, from 1980 until it was effectively cancelled in 1989...
that the Doctor is literally GodGodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, though this was not realised on-screen. Clarke also appears twice in the serial itself, playing a tourist at Windsor. The Cybermen were added later at the request of Nathan-Turner, to tie in with the programme's silver anniversary.
Locations
- Permission was refused for filming at Windsor CastleWindsor CastleWindsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
so scenes set there were instead shot at Arundel CastleArundel CastleArundel Castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England is a restored medieval castle. It was founded by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror...
. According to the DVD commentary several scenes were shot in woodland areas around Arundel CastleArundel CastleArundel Castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England is a restored medieval castle. It was founded by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror...
, notably the climax of Part Two, when the Doctor and Ace discuss the Cyber-threat while sitting near a fallen tree. The damaged and fallen trees, which can often be seen in these shots, were a result of the recent storm of 1987Great Storm of 1987The Great Storm of 1987 occurred on the night of 15/16 October 1987, when an unusually strong weather system caused winds to hit much of southern England and northern France...
that had caused widespread damage throughout southern England. - Scenes at the Gas Works where The Doctor and Ace meet and combat the Cybermen were filmed on the site that later became The O2The O2 (London)The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants...
(formerly the Millennium DomeMillennium DomeThe Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome or even The O2 Arena, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium...
).
Cast notes
- Fiona WalkerFiona WalkerFiona Walker is an English actress, known for numerous theatre and television roles between the 1960s and 1990s.Her best remembered TV part is poaaibly the role of Agrippina in the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius , directed by Herbert Wise...
had appeared in The Keys of MarinusThe Keys of MarinusThe Keys of Marinus is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in 6 weekly parts from April 11 to May 16, 1964...
in 1964 as Kala. - Leslie French, who plays the Mathematician, had turned down the role of "The Doctor" in 1963. Thus his casting was another nod to the series beginnings in this Silver Anniversary story. Anton DiffringAnton DiffringAnton Diffring , born Alfred Pollack, was a German actor.-Biography:Diffring was born in Koblenz...
took the role so that he could travel from his home in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to watch the Wimbledon tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
tournament. Silver Nemesis was his last work as an actor before his death in 1989. - The production team tried to get Prince EdwardPrince Edward, Earl of WessexPrince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
involved in the show, but his office politely declined. The programme eventually went out with an Elizabeth II look-alike standing in for the prince instead.
Broadcast
Episodes two and three were the second and third respectively of the series ever to be premiered outside of the United Kingdom (the first being The Five DoctorsThe Five Doctors
The Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
), being shown as part of a compilation broadcast of the story on New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's TVNZ, after part one had shown in the UK but prior to the other two being transmitted there.
In print
A novelisation of this serial, written by Kevin ClarkeKevin Clarke
Kevin Clarke grew up in Birkenhead, Merseyside. Originally a guitarist, he wrote and directed his first play The Jackpot at the Finborough Theatre in 1987; as a result he was invited to join the first BBC Television Writers training course and commissioned to write for a new series called Casualty...
, was published by Target Books
Target Books
Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. The imprint was established as a children's imprint to complement the adult Tandem imprint, and became well known for their highly successful range of...
in November 1989.
VHS and DVD releases
- On 3 May 1993 an extended version of this three-part serial was released on VHSVHSThe Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
. Apart from featuring footage not shown in the original broadcast, the video included a documentary looking back at the production of the adventure. This documentary is not included on the 2010 DVD release. - The broadcast version of this serial was released on DVD as part of a Box Set with Revenge of the CybermenRevenge of the CybermenRevenge of the Cybermen is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 19 April to 10 May 1975.-Synopsis:...
on 9 August 2010.
External links
Fan reviewsTarget novelisation