Review The Celestial Toymaker (1966)

Gavin

Member: Rank 6
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I'm glad they didn't go with their original plan to replace William Hartnell in this story. The plan was that after the Toymaker made him invisible, he'd be "reconstructed" with a different face. If they'd done that then they wouldn't have come up with the concept of regeneration and I doubt the show would have lasted as long as it has.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
I'm glad they didn't go with their original plan to replace William Hartnell in this story. The plan was that after the Toymaker made him invisible, he'd be "reconstructed" with a different face. If they'd done that then they wouldn't have come up with the concept of regeneration and I doubt the show would have lasted as long as it has.

The Celestial Toymaker wikipedia

William Hartnell was on holiday during the recordings of Episodes 2 & 3, "The Hall of Dolls" and "The Dancing Floor". Pre-recordings of his voice were heard in episode 2 and Albert Ward was a hand double (sporting the Doctor's ring) for scenes where the mostly invisible Doctor played the Trilogic Game throughout the story. The story was commissioned by producer John Wiles, who left the series before it was recorded after several clashes with William Hartnell. His intention was to replace Hartnell in the role of the Doctor during the story, having the character reappear in a new guise after the invisibility was removed by the Toymaker. The BBC's head of serials, Gerald Savory, vetoed the idea, leading to Wiles quitting in protest.

Totally agree, Gavin. What a dumb way of replacing Hartnell.

And from the way Companions - and even the Doctor himself - were treated as actors, hired and fired with no warning, the BBC sounded an awful place to work.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
There is also that rumour that someone accidentally renewed Hartnell's contract just as they were about to do this Celestial Swap - and that that is the reason Hartnell hung in there.

Not sure how true that is.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
This story is not very highly regarded now, even though it was an all time, conquering classic during the eighties.

It's reputation is not helped nowadays by it being the only story ever that uses the "N" word! :emoji_frowning2:

The author of TARDIS ERUDITORUM advocates that the racism - including "Celestial" in this context meaning Chinese, rather than cosmic - is so abhorrent that it should actually be erased from the canon...... :emoji_astonished:


http://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/the-most-totally-closed-mind-the-celestial-toymaker/

The Ark and The Celestial Toymaker, though? Not canon. Plain and simple. I flatly refuse to let these two into the clubhouse. Doctor Who is not a show in which reactionary imperialist ideology wins the day. It's not a show where the Doctor fights racist caricatures, unless he's fighting someone for producing them. It's not a show about xenophobia and racism. It's just not. And stories that try to make it into one are far, far bigger violations of what the show is about than most of what constitutes a canon debate. The fact that there are far more fans outraged about the fact that the Doctor maybe was in love with Rose than there are about the fact that in 2010 we're still using a racist caricature as a recurring villain is, frankly, disgusting. This is a real and major failing of Doctor Who fandom, and one of the few points over which I feel kind of dirty being associated with it.
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Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
However one views this story, there is no way I am telling Phillip Morris to shove 3 vinegar-stained cans of "THE CELESTIAL TOYROOM", "THE HALL OF DOLLS" and "THE DANCING FLOOR" where the sun don't shine, should he (miraculously) attempt to hand them over!

I would be pre-ordering the dvd immediately! :emoji_neutral_face:
 
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Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
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BRIAN HAYLES....

“I wanted to keep the Toymaker very vague, I didn’t want to explain exactly who he was. At the time, I had grand visions of his becoming like the Daleks, coming back again and again, and then of course something very like that happened a few years later with the Master.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
It's reputation is not helped nowadays by it being the only story ever that uses the "N" word!
12 mins into episode 2 for this.....

The reconstructors have quietened it and muffled it in the sound mix, but it is still audible......




 
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Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
BBC WORLDWIDE: We've found "The Celestial Toymaker" episode 2! :emoji_grinning:

(A beat)

BBC WORLDWIDE: Oh shit! We've found "The Celestial Toymaker" episode 2! :emoji_scream:
 
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