10 Simple Doctor Who Scenes That Were A NIGHTMARE To Film
2. Kamelion’s Tricky Introduction
Few would describe Doctor Who as “cutting edge” television, but the show has always tried to pioneer new technology where possible, to varying degrees of success.
In 1983, producer John Nathan-Turner learnt of something that had the potential to change the show forever: a fully-automated, and (supposedly) fully-functioning prop robot available for use in TV and film.
Following a demonstration at the BBC Television Centre, JNT was impressed enough to take the robot on – not just as a guest character, but as a fully-fledged companion. He believed that this new character – a shape-shifting android named Kamelion – could prove just as popular as K9.
However, the studio recording for his first story, The King’s Demons, ended up being a complete disaster, with the prop constantly breaking down, and its mouth struggling to stay in sync with the dialogue.
These scenes had to be reshot at a later date, and Kamelion’s involvement in further stories was severely limited. His time on the show was essentially over before it had even begun.
It’s a shame, because Kamelion was one of the most unique Doctor Who companions ever. He had a certain charm about him – and with a little more refinement, he could've complemented the show quite nicely.