Doctor Who: 10 Myths And Legends That Should Be Explored
3. Spring-Heeled Jack
One thing that the BBC and Doctor Who do (and overdo occasionally) exceptionally well is Victoriana. And while the Victorian period is full of different myths and urban legends, one that stands out as being a solid basis for a Doctor Who story is Spring-Heeled Jack. The legend of Spring-Heeled Jack was popularised by magazines and penny dreadfuls of the period but has been traced back to 1837, when the stories of a cloaked supernatural being with metallic claws and eye like red balls of fire that roamed the streets of London attacking young women began. Accounts of Spring-Heeled Jacks appearance and abilities vary (including suggestions that he could breathe fire), but the most consistent part of the legend is that he was capable of leaping over buildings in a single bound. Which would make for an excellent chase scene. Plus, a Spring-Heeled Jack episode would open the doors for a spiritual follow-up to The Talons Of Weng-Chiang (1977) that sees the Doctor turned detective in a gothic Victorian London setting. Also, another part of the legend is that Jack would corner victims by leaping in front of carriages and causing them to crash. Which would be the perfect pre-credits sequence for a Spring-Heeled Jack episode.
JG Moore is a writer and filmmaker from the south of England. He also works as an editor and VFX artist, and has a BA in Media Production from the University Of Winchester.
