Doctor Who: Top 8 Unmade Stories

4. Untitled Paul Abbott Story

NinthdoctorThe concept: The Ninth Doctor, Rose and Jack, all arrive in Pompeii in the year 79, right around Volcano Day. There, Jack discovers that the Doctor had been manipulating Rose€™s timeline in order to create the ideal companion. Rose as the ideal companion? Perhaps this was proof that even the Doctor can make mistakes when poking about in time. How far along: The episode was at least partly written, and may have been close to completion, but exactly how far long it was, we don€™t know. Why it was never made: Abbott, who was the creator of Shameless, had to drop out due to his commitments to that show. The Russell T Davies story €œBoom Town€ took this episode€™s place. I€™m willing to bet there were probably also money issues, given how much an episode like this would have cost vs one like €œBoom Town€, which was pretty much just filmed, and set, in Cardiff. Why it€™s on the list: Imagine if we had learned that the Doctor had been manipulating time to create Rose! What a twist that would have been. To be honest, it was probably a bit too much of an ask for the series at that early of a stage, but it would have been so interesting to see! The eventual fate: Probably sitting in the same drawer next to Fry€™s script. Maybe someday, the two will team up, and we€™ll get to see both. It€™s not likely, but one can dream.
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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