Doctor Who What If: Peter Davison Had Stayed for Season 22?

Hi everyone. Here's another What If video, this time trying to answer the question; What If Peter Davison Had Stayed for Season 22?

[@EsteemedRepresentative]

If only. Peter was in the top of his game during his last season and pairing him up with Peri would have been brilliant. They had immediate chemistry in their first (and last) fully-fledged single-companion story (a formula that had been missing since 1979).

[@theunknowneditor63]

I think in this timeline, Trial of a Time Lord would be a bit different, with The Mysterious Planet being a post regeneration story to fill in that gap

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

His time was too short in DW. I think he had started to really hit his stride as the Doctor in his last season, what with getting stronger stories that reflected what his Doctor was about(fighting against the odds - and sometimes coming up short). I also think that he did have good chemistry with Peri and a slimmed down TARDIS crew was probably going to help in terms of storytelling - it could of probably been as good as the 4th Doctor and Leela and 7th Doctor and Ace. It should also be noted that during Peter's time, the viewing ratings were still very high, and DW was quite popular with the public at the time. I know Peter has said that he regretted going that season now. It's an interesting "what if". I can easily see his Doctor in things like "Vengeance on Varos" and "Revelation of the Daleks" - both quite bleak stories(much like "Earthshock", "Resurrection of the Daleks" and "Caves of Androzani").

[@leebiggs14]

I have decided to put nightmare country and the place where all times meet back in the middle of season 21 because i think it would have been good that Tegan and Turlough to have stayed a bit longer and peri still has a full season with the 5th doctor in this timeline.

[@simonwilliams4514]

The issue I have with how you postulate your alternate timeline unfolding is that you are ignoring the fact that the Michael Grade > Colin Baker animus was personal. When Grade was appointed to his position. he was romantically involved with Colin Baker's ex - If Davison had still been in the role I don't think any of the issues around S21-S22 would have happened - not least because S20's viewing figures were excellent. It's often glossed over how good the viewing figures were for the 1st two Davidson seasons were considering it was pretty much the first time slot change in the show's history

[@BillWhovian]

Unless I'm very much mistaken, that's never been proven by Grade or Colin themselves. I certainly can't remember either of them talking about it in any interviews I've seen anyway

[@AlexMakinau]

The hiatus was effectively a cancellation attempt. If they times the regeneration coincided with the intended hiatus my take is that the show would have been cancelled.

[@leebiggs14]

I have redone my earlier Peter davison staying for 4 season's idea the one with Resurrection of the Daleks being the season 20 final.

[@BillWhovian]

Yeah Resurrection at the end of Season 20 would've worked so much better than what we got

[@flyingrobotduck]

I can see the view that Caves loses something if it isn't a regeneration story, but it would still have been an incredible story without it. So I'd still have season 21 play out like it did perhaps replacing or retooling Dilemma. Season 22 could have been exactly the same except with the 5th Doctor and Peri. Revelation of the Dale's could easily have been a regeneration story. This might be a problem for season 23 since Trial would not make a good intro story, either moving Dilemma there or a new story would be better.

[@mathieuleader8601]

I would have Jek be played by Tim Curry who auditioned for the role of Jek but in this timeline was successful and Jek is a new incarnation of the Master.

[@BillWhovian]

I'm happy for Tim Curry to play Jek, provided that his final words are "I'm going to the one place that hasn't been corrupted by capitalism! SPACE!" 🤣

[@digipeeper]

Originally they wanted Ziggy Stardust himself to play the character!!! Guess the Glass Spider tour wasn’t going to allow it. As history has it Christopher Gable did a awesome job playing the madman.

[@leebiggs14]

I know I have already put my idea of Peter davison staying on for the whole of season's 21 and 22 But I thought i would do a complete list Season 19(1982) Castrovalva(Peter Davison's first story as in our timeline) Four to Doomsday Kinda The visitation Black orchid Earthshock(adrics last story as in our timeline) Time flight Season 20(1983) Arc of infinity Snakedance Mawdryn undead(Turloughs first story as in our timeline) Terminus(Nyssas last story as in our timeline) Enlightenment The kings demons(kamelions first story as in our timeline) The five doctors(20th anniversary special) Season 21(1984) Warriors of the Deep The Awakening Frontios Nightmare country The place where all times meet Resurrection of the Daleks(Tegans last story as in our timeline) Planet of Fire(Turloughs and kamelions last and peri,s first story as in our timeline) Season 22(1985) Attack of the cybermen Vengeance on varos The mark of the rani The two doctors Timelash Revelation of the Daleks The caves of androzani(Peter davisons last story) .

[@leebiggs14]

What i did was in my what if idea was to have resurrection of the Daleks has the season 20 finale as it was originally planned and have the three unmade stories nightmare country the place where all times meet and the rogue tardis in season 21.

[@leebiggs14]

I have had a what if idea about Peter davison staying for season 22 Season 19(1982) Castrovalva(Peter Davison's first story) Four to doomsday Kinda The visitation Black orchid Earthshock(Adrics last story) Time flight Season 20(1983) Arc of infinity Snakedance Mawdryn undead(Turloughs first story) Terminus(Nyssas last story) Enlightenment The kings demons(Kamelions first story) Resurrection of the Daleks 20th anniversary special The five doctors Season 21(1984) Warriors of the deep The Awakening Frontios Nightmare country The place where all times meet(Tegans last story) Planet of Fire(Turloughs and kamelions last and peri,s first story) The rogue tardis Season 22(1985) Attack of the cybermen Vengeance on varos The mark of the rani The two doctors Timelash Revelation of the Daleks The caves of androzani(Peter davisons last story).

[@paulsurelynotsmith8179]

It’s disappointing that Peter didn’t hang on for another season and see peri and the 5th Doctor in more adventures this no disrespect to Colin who I feel got a real bad deal and was badly let down linking the Twin right after the awesome caves was a utter disaster not one JNT best moves @ all .

[@the_greenwood551]

Correct me if i wrong but a notorious reason why Grade want to finish with Dr. Who was because he wanted to use the budget for EastEnders, so yeah thanks for some quality soap opera entertainment Mr. Grade...

[@BillWhovian]

That honestly wouldn't surprise me with Michael Grade. Also, I personally think the words "quality" and "soap opera" don't really go together lol 😆

[@alexhenderson1312]

So we CAN blame EastEnders for the decline and eventual cancellation of Doctor Who (+ possibly The Tripods), the forgettable dross that was Dimensions in Time...and the wholesale soap-ification of New Who by RTD! 🙄😕🤔👎

[@the_greenwood551]

@@BillWhovianI was sarcastic if it didn't become clear.

[@the_greenwood551]

@@alexhenderson1312 Besides Marta's family, I like "RTD Family Arcs".

[@MartinJones-lc4vk]

How I wish it was 1984

[@BillWhovian]

Do you mean the alternate one in this video or just in general? 🙂

[@MartinJones-lc4vk]

​@@BillWhovian Just in general.I watched this Season at the time

[@BillWhovian]

@@MartinJones-lc4vk Oh nice! Any particular memories you have of it? :)

[@MartinJones-lc4vk]

@@BillWhovian I liked Frontis and Resurrection.Caves was great too.I recorded. the series on video at the age of 15

[@MartinJones-lc4vk]

@@BillWhovian Great time for The Doctor

[@StuK323]

Here’s my thoughts. If Peter had stayed for another year, I don’t think Colin would have been cast as the 6th Doctor. His casting was always one of right place, right time in regards to the wedding he attended with JNT also being present. I feel someone else would have been cast and we would never had Colin portray the doctor, which would have been a shame because he played the Doctor in an amazing and brilliant way. The writing let him down badly on TV, something I feel we will be saying about Jodie Whittaker’s time on the show in years to come. Big finish has proven beyond any doubt how brilliant a choice Colin was to play the doctor. And I’m so glad he did.

[@the_greenwood551]

Not to mention he could be already committed to some work at this point, so even if he wanted the role he had a contract and work to commit to.

[@ryanlamb2636]

Hi mate, nice video mate, can't wait for the what if colin baker stayed on season 24 when will the video come out on the what if mate.

[@BillWhovian]

As I believe I've told you before, it'll come out next week :)

[@ryanlamb2636]

​@@BillWhovianok mate.

[@David-vd9sb]

​@@BillWhoviankzbin.info/aero/PLm4CPcBRUIPozQALgrircfeveo6SqMTee&si=bbaN2U3oCd13Ixa2 What do you think

[@BillWhovian]

@@David-vd9sb Cool 👍

[@David-vd9sb]

1:43 the twin thing would have certainly caused the thing 1:54 the twin thing is responsible

[@BillWhovian]

What?

[@David-vd9sb]

@@BillWhovian in my personal opinion The Twin Dilemma was apparently responsibel for the 1985 thing

[@vinniequick]

noice vid hey If you could travel with Any Doctor which would it be? I'd pick Series 4 10th Doctor which as long as I don't die somehow means now he will have a companion in the specials or 8th Doctor near the end of his life so when he goes to save Kass he does give up knowing he can't stay or i'll die also just cause there my favorites, I'd pick the eleventh but then I'm either getting erased, Angel zapped, killed or he just fucks off for ages defeating the point of going with him

[@BillWhovian]

That's a good question. I"d probably go with the Second or Fourth Doctors. Although maybe Ten could be an option as well. 🤔

[@sadako24]

I'm afraid when it comes to Davison's era, it looks to me like he needed less stories, not more. Take Warriors of the Deep and some of the more tedious Master stories out of existence, and his era's already looking a lot more solid, and his Doctor comes off a lot stronger overall. Same with Colin really. Twin Dilemma was an unfortunate fly in the ointment, and without it, his era seems a lot more passable. Sadly unlike Davison he didn't get quite the same great self-sacrifice swansong his Doctor deserved. Of course if the show had been better written then yes I'd have been happy for him to stay, and if the scripts had been stronger throughout he probably would have. But as it is, it just looks like it'd be better if he got out at the right time (and personal mileage may vary on if he got out soon enough).

[@BillWhovian]

I think you've kinda missed the point of this video. It's not about whether Davison "needed" more or less stories. It's simply exploring a hypothetical alternate scenario and seeing whether things would've turned out differently or not

[@daviddickinson4405]

Why do they always call it an 18 month hiatus? The series only aired once a year, so it was only put back 6 months from when it would have aired..

[@BillWhovian]

It was originally going to be completely cancelled in 1985. But because of all the public and fan backlash, Michael Grade compromised with a hiatus instead. It may sound like "only" a few more months to us nowadays, but at the time it was unprecedented in the show’s history. It's only with the revival having a few years off every now and then that long breaks have become more common.

[@digipeeper]

What if John Powell and Michael Grade was never in the Picture in the BBC and Eric Seward just do his Bloody Job!!!!

[@BillWhovian]

So basically What If the Hiatus Never Happened? 🤔

[@digipeeper]

@@BillWhovian It would be Business as usual and even Colin would just get loud and stay irritable. We would have got to see stories like the Nightmare Fair, Mission to Magnus, the Ultimate Evil and Yellow Fever. And yes, like it or hate it, The Trial of a Timelord. BTW: casting Colin Baker is actually a ingenious idea as his actual personality(which Seward masked with the annoying interpretation) is what the Doctor is. And his patchwork outfit would actually matches with Colin Baker’s whimsical nature. Unlike most actors who only want to do the 3 season rule, Colin actually wanted to Challenge both Pertwee and Tom’s 5-7 season and possibly break the 7 seasons. A actor staying over 3 seasons prolonged the legacy of Doctor Who. But Colin was mercifully axes by Grade who is actually married to Colin’s ex wife!?!?. Wonder why the animosity of Doctor Who???

[@BillWhovian]

@@digipeeper I've heard about that whole ex-wife thing, but is there any proof of it? It would certainly be extremely unprofessional of Grade to do if it's true :)

[@digipeeper]

@@BillWhovian there is no proof as it’s too complicated if not personal. And I wouldn’t want to ask Colin of that. Like How Matthew Waterhouse got his job as Adric. It’s all Fan Theories!!!!

[@BillWhovian]

@digipeeper Right I see. That doesn't necessarily mean it's true then does it?

[@jamestoney6108]

Don't forget tom bakers strongest season we're easily his first 3seasons

[@BillWhovian]

I think you may have commented on the wrong video lol 😆 But yes the Hinchcliffe era is one of the best :)

[@richardgadberry8398]

Would the Doctor stiil strangle Peri in this alternative universe?

[@BillWhovian]

Bit of a weird question, but possibly yes. Six would’ve still had a traumatic post-regeneration, regardless of what his first story would’ve been

[@leebiggs14]

What did you think of my latest comment idea.

[@BillWhovian]

Really good. I like how you've had Davison stay on for the whole of Seasons 21 and 22. :)

[@leebiggs14]

What do you think of my latest comment idea.

[@BillWhovian]

@@leebiggs14 Very good 👍

[@David-vd9sb]

I'm so confused

[@BillWhovian]

About what?