As popular as
“Doctor Who” has been for so many decades and various incarnations, it is
rather difficult to imagine the struggle that the series first faced with the
creation of those defining first episodes. The BBC provides a predictably
heartfelt recreation of these humble origins with An Adventure in Space and Time, strengthened by a solid cast of
performers playing performers. This story may be a work of non-fiction, but it
is sure to attract the many sci-fi fans that have made “Doctor Who” the longest
running series of its kind.
There were many
factors involved in the creation and eventual production of the extremely
low-budget sci-fi serial in the early 1960s, and this 90-minute TV-film touches
on many of them, but the focus of the narrative remains on BBC executive Sydney
Newman (Brian Cox), novice producer Verity Lambert (“Call the Midwife” star
Jessica Raine), director Waris Hussein (Sacha Dhawan), and unlikely star
William Hartnell (David Bradley). The film begins with Newman’s unpopular
decision to appoint a woman as the producer, and it is Lambert’s first
opportunity to be more than an assistant. We follow as each crucial player is
added, and the film ends with the last departure from the show, which would
continue long after without them.
The show has a shoestring budget, but
Lambert plays many roles as she is forced to placate notoriously crotchety
actor Hartnell into believing he is a huge star. Ironically, it did not take
long at all before “Doctor Who” really did make him a huge star. Many actors
would follow, but this film is more interested with the exits of these initial
crucial players, beginning with Hussein and ending with Hartnell. Despite only
having a 90-minute running-time, An Adventure
in Space and Time manages to cram in plenty of historical facts, not to
mention some clever references to the “Doctor Who” world that fans are sure to
enjoy.
The bonus DVD included has the first
“Doctor Who” adventure, as seen in the film. This disc has additional bonus
material, on top of the extras on the Blu-ray disc that are exclusive to the TV
film. There is a making-of feature, which is narrated by actress Carole Ann
Ford. Also included are some deleted scenes, but perhaps the coolest of the extras
are the recreated scenes from the series, shot with the original Marconi
cameras.
Entertainment Value:
6/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
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