The concept: Planned for the 1986 season, this story would have featured the Sixth Doctor and Peri visiting Blackpool. There they would have encountered the sinister figure known only as the Celestial Toymaker who, just possibly, would have been played by Michael Gough (best known to many for playing Alfred in the 1980s and 1990s Batman movies), who originated the role in the First Doctors time. How far along: Far enough along that the writer, Graham Williams, was able to turn it into a novel. The scrip was apparently completed, but with the 1986 season being transformed into the Trial of a Time Lord arc, it wasnt needed. Why it was never made: As mentioned, the planned season was instead turned into the Trial of a Time Lord arc, which ran for fourteen episodes. Now it could have been possible to use it during that arc, but the producers instead went another direction, which probably enabled them to better set up the Ravalox and Valeyard concepts. Why its on the list: A meeting between the Doctor and the Toymaker is something old series fans wanted to see again for a long time; or for most of us, see at all. The characters only old series appearance is missing, and it would have been great to see him on screen in full color, especially if Michael Gough had returned to the role. The eventual fate: The script was turned into a novel, and the novel was turned into not one, but two, audio plays. The first was a charity thing back in 2003, and then later into a full-cast audio with Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant as the Sixth Doctor and Peri. It was the inaugural title for the Lost Stories line, and wound up setting a very high bar.
Chris Swanson is a freelance writer and blogger based in Phoenix, Arizona, where winter happens to other people. His blog is at wilybadger.wordpress.com
