10 Doctor Who Novels That Would Make Great TV Episodes
3. Conundrum
Putting the regulars in a fictional world and poking fun at genre conventions is a staple of SF television series. Think of all those trapped in the holodeck stories that Star Trek The Next Generation has featured for example. When the Seventh Doctor, Bernice and Ace arrive in the seeming quiet English town of Arandale, they think they have to solve a murder mystery involving victims drained of blood. What they dont initially realise is that in this community the inhabitants were all once fictional characters. Yes, shades of Once Upon a Time but Steve Lyons wrote this book in 1994. Its a delicious concept that allows for plenty of funny meta jokes. Theres Norman Power a retired superhero and his similarly retired arch-enemy. The four Adventure Kids and their unlucky dog, who are always exploring caves and spooky houses, uncovering smugglers and thieves. In the book the author often talks directly to the reader and later on the Doctor starts talking to him too, even at one point reading the novel - Conundrum! This kind of humour could easily be translated into the production of a television show, perhaps with appearances by Steven Moffat and other behind the scenes folk. Perhaps the Doctor could even address the audience. After all hes done it several times before in the shows history. Long-time fans may well guess where the TARDIS has really landed and the return of an old enemy is a great moment in itself, when Ace tries to leave Arandale and finds the landscape abruptly cutting off, leaving her staring at a white void
