Doctor Who 101: A Viewer's Guide To The Classic Series - Part 2
Following the cancellation of the classic series, British expatriate producer Philip Segal spent years shopping the idea of a U.S. revival of Doctor Who to various American television networks. Most were uninterested, but eventually Fox agreed to a TV movie to test the waters. Co-produced by Fox and the BBC, Doctor Who: The Movie (or The Enemy Within, as it is sometimes called) was broadcast on both sides of the Atlantic in May of 1996. It featured Paul McGann as the freshly regenerated Eighth Doctor and Eric Roberts as the Master. Though the UK viewing figures were strong and the response was largely positive, American audiences didnt tune in, and the potential plan for a series revival fell by the wayside. As such, the TV movie remains the only televised episode of Doctor Who to feature McGanns Eighth Doctor in the lead. Perhaps best known for his roles in Withnail & I and Alien 3, Paul McGann was a respectably employed, if not terribly recognizable actor when he took on the role. While on the page, the Eighth Doctor reads as little more than an aggregate of previous Doctors personality traits and quirks, McGann imbues him with a charming combination of noble, Romantic heroism and playful, wide-eyed wonder. Dressed in an outfit reminiscent of Hartnells First Doctor, he brings something of the dignified, Edwardian gentleman back to the role, but far more warmly and approachably. Technically, not a part of the classic series, the TV movie is not part of the current series, either. It stands on its own, as something of a curiosity and an aberration. McGann, however, has been accepted canonically as the Eighth Doctor, and his lone television adventure is considered a part of the overall Doctor Who mythos, making the TV movie necessary viewing for current Doctor Who fans looking immerse themselves in the series, its lead character and its history. Doctor Who: The Movie aka The Enemy Within (TV Movie) 
So is the TV movie Essential, Exceptional, Expository or Execrable? In a lot of ways, its all of the above. Certainly the production value is better than anything Doctor Who fans had seen in the series up to that point. Visually cinematic and well-paced, it successfully brings Doctor Who into the modern era. Producer Philip Segal should be commended for his determination to make the TV movie a revival, rather than a reboot, despite being pressured by Fox executives to establish a whole new continuity. Just the fact that the movie begins with Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor (though he is quickly and unceremoniously dispatched), communicates up front that efforts were being made to honor and preserve what had come before. Much of the classic series iconography, from the blue, police box TARDIS exterior (yes, they had considered changing it), to the sonic screwdriver, to the seal of Rassilon is reassuringly present, and though the TARDIS interior was considerably different from what it was in classic Doctor Who, seen in retrospect, the design presents a logical bridge between the old series and the new. McGann is a solid actor, and he presents a perfectly acceptable, if not especially winning, Eighth Doctor. Unlike most previous actors who played the role, however, he was not directly involved in the initial conception and creation of his Doctors persona and, as a result of the discrete, composite nature of the Eighth Doctor in the script, there isnt a lot about him thats terribly memorable or unique. One cant help but wish that he had been given the opportunity to make the role more memorably his own. Similarly, Eric Roberts is a fine actor when he wants to be, and hes clearly having a ball, but he also seems terribly miscast as The Master and, more often than not, comes off as little more than a low-level thug in supervillain drag. There are some notoriously problematic continuity issues (the Doctor is half human!?!) that, in large part, the current series has seen fit to ignore. But while theres nothing unforgivably jarring or obscene about the TV movie, its biggest flaw is its inescapable American-ness. The narrative structure, the plot devices, the Doctors relationship to Grace, the metaphysical - almost spiritual - symbols and themes, the particularly American sense of humor After a while, it starts to feel like the Doctor has somehow stumbled his way into an American TV show (which, to be fair, is sort of what happened). An awkward juxtaposition, it throws into stark relief some of the most significant cultural differences between the U.K. and the U.S., and makes it painfully clear that Doctor Who is, was, and always will be a quintessentially British enterprise. In the end, its an entertaining enough way to spend 90 minutes, and it certainly provided a momentary fix and a flash of hope for Doctor Who fans who never gave up on the possibility of the shows return. But for all that it manages to get right, it never quite feels like the real thing A Few Extras: For those who care to seek them out, McGann has been given the chance to deepen and broaden the Eighth Doctor in the Big Finish audioplays, where he seems far more comfortable and at home in the role.