Top 10 Doctor Who Fan Trailers

Guest contributor Andrew Hunter picks ten of the best.

Doctor Who trailers have always fascinated me. Right from the ‘Next Time’ trailers at the end of the majority of episodes, to the ‘Coming Soon’ ones at the end of most Christmas Specials, right to the BBC One TV trailers for each episode. Whether they be simple, short teaser trailers to let the audience know when the next series is coming, or a full series trailer to show audiences what they can expect in the new series, trailers certainly serve a useful purpose.

Trailers can be a powerful device in media. A trailer can convince potential new viewers to give a television programme a try, bring old viewers back, let casual viewers know when a new episode is on it’s way, or just excite hardcore viewers. Simply put, they are not only incredibly useful in terms of promotion, but a vital part.

For my first article, this list is dedicated to what I believe to be the top ten Doctor Who fan trailers.

Please note that fan trailers that were digitally edited to place characters in new settings to create a new story, such as John Smith’s anniversary fan trailers will not be included, as I feel they are in a league of their own.

10: Ultimate New Who Trailer – Series 1-7 (2005-2013)

For the number ten spot, I opted to choose one of my own trailers. I’m a big fan of modesty, so there was no way I was going to place it anywhere in this list other than the number ten spot and don’t worry, this is the only one of my own trailers on this list. However I simply believe that this trailer deserves to be on this list. When I aimed to create an “Ultimate” trailer of Doctor Who Series 1-7, I meant it, and I think that shows. I created this trailer with the aim of being the perfect introductory guide to any potential new viewer, and to show them why they should watch Doctor Who.

9: ‘Am I A Good Man?’ – A Tribute To The Doctor’s Dark Side

Fan trailers don’t come any more creative than this one. Rather than being a trailer for a particular episode, series or the entire show as most trailers aim to be, this trailer by Mad-Man With A Box Productions instead explores The Doctor’s darker side. Although The Beast’s dialogue from ‘The Satan Pit’ explaining who each of the remaining characters are was not directed solely at The Doctor, it proves that the majority of the summaries can also be applied to The Doctor. While that’s not something that I certainly would have thought to start a trailer with, Mad-Man With A Box Productions deftly uses it as an opening hook to get the viewer intrigued.

Later on, the appropriateness of the chosen track becomes evident. The visual section of the trailer, for the most part, is synced in with every single beat of the track, enhancing an already interesting and intriguing trailer. By the end of it, you’re left wondering if The Doctor really is a hero.

8: “Life with the Doctor” Series 1-8 Ultimate Trailer

I think this trailer, produced by Lyndon Coleman, is brilliant. The audio and visual sections merge together multiple episodes to create one smashing smattering of Doctor Who. The visuals are perfectly edited in time with the track as well, with every single note having a perfect reaction in the visuals with only a couple of exceptions. This trailer showcases how awesome Doctor Who can be, cementing it as an interesting and exciting show in the viewer’s mind.

7: A Good Man’s Soul – BBC One TV Trailer

This fantastic BBC One-style TV trailer by VG934 acts as a window into the soul of The Doctor, through various outlooks of companions and enemies. The track chosen for this trailer is used perfectly along with the visuals, with VG934 editing together fast paced montages whenever the track’s pace increases, and keeping the visuals slow at the start in accordance to the track. I must also comment on the stunning look back on each Doctor that starts at 1:07. With the aged Eleventh Doctor on the left, with the Time Vortex in the middle, and each Doctor in sequence on the right, along with a single line from each Doctor, it seems to be The Doctor himself examining who he is and who he has been throughout all his lives.

6: Series 9: The Magician’s Apprentice ‘Previously’ Trailer

The most recently uploaded fan trailer on this list, again by VG934, is a perfect ‘Previously’ trailer, recapping the recent events and everything the viewer needs to know for the debut of Series 9 to perfection. Although it has a heavy emphasis on Series 8, it also sneaks in clips of the past. VG934 flawlessly gives the viewer all the required information in a concise manner, and I consider this trailer to be the definitive recap of Series 8.

5: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS – Previously TV Trailer

This stunning, breathtaking trailer remains fast paced throughout it’s entirety, only increasing in pace. Grabbing clips across 50 years, this trailer acts as a rough guide to the TARDIS, giving the viewer all the basic knowledge of the TARDIS that they need to know. The visuals are expertly edited in perfect timing to the glorious track, resulting in a magnificent montage of 50 years of travelling in the TARDIS.

4: Series 8 – ‘Deep Breath’ Trailer

This is a very creative and unique trailer by SeanMozzy. Although it acts as a trailer for ‘Deep Breath’, rather than try to give the viewer a hint of what the story will be about, the trailer instead acts as a highlight of the episode’s funny and interesting moments, all edited in perfect synchronous action to a wonderful track from the episode itself. To me, this is a perfect reimagining of ‘Deep Breath’ as a comedy film. I love how synchronous it is, and it shows how much effort was put into editing this trailer.

3: Series 8 Cinema Trailer

If there had been a specifically made cinema trailer for Series 8, this is how it should have been done. From 1:19 the trailer ascends into an adrenaline-inducing, rip-roaring, truly epic look at Series 8 that doesn’t stop the fast pace until the end. The trailer uses pace expertly to promote the series as both having emotional depth, as well as being one epic series full of stunning sights and storylines. I feel that if someone were to watch this trailer and not come out of it considering to give Series 8 a try, they would be mad.

2: How Far We’ve Come – BBC One TV Trailer

Some trailers on this list have been deep, thought-provoking trailers, intriguing the viewer. However the trailer chosen for the runner up spot is simply just a ball of fun. Even when looking at The Doctor’s enemies, it does not lose it’s sense of fun at all. This fast paced trailer, expertly edited in synchronous action to the upbeat accompanying track proves to be a perfect look at just how much fun and excitement there is to be had when watching Doctor Who. And that’s not even close to matching the truly breathtaking montage that starts at 1:07 of Doctor Who. In three seconds so many clips are spliced together that it’s near impossible to count them all, and perfectly showcases just how much Doctor Who there is in 50 years.

1: ‘What’s Happened So Far’ Series 1 – 8 The Complete Edition

This trailer by TheFallOfTheEleventh that takes the top spot, acts as a trailer for New Who. One thing that I like about this trailer is the fact that it doesn’t give anything away, but more or less sums up each series in a very short amount of time.

The Series 8 section is without a doubt the highlight of the trailer. The downside being that the audio levels weren’t monitored carefully enough during editing, but if that issue were to be fixed, I would say that the Series 8 section of this trailer is perfect. I particularly love the section beginning at 4:31, using the wonderful ‘Racing To The TARDIS’ track from ‘Death In Heaven’. Again the visuals are in good sync with the audio, proving that time and effort were put into editing this trailer.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this article.