Revisiting The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Series 1: Respond to All Calls

Feature by Gustaff Behr.

2021 was the year of the Flux. At a press event in October, 2021, it was announced that the main series of Doctor Who would consist of a single story arc, spanning six episodes or “chapters.” This format would allow for characters and monsters to appear across multiple episodes, altering the traditional episodic structure.

And after coming back from another long break in-between seasons, this time due to COVID-19, I still have vivid memories of how disappointing the Flux event turned out to be. The storyline was overly complicated and difficult to follow, the pacing was inconsistent, Chris Chibnall decided to go all in on the Timeless Child storyline, the focus on the overarching plot left little room for adequate character development (Yaz needed a lot), some characters were underdeveloped like Dan…basically it was a mess. Thankfully, around the same time, we got the next batch of episodes in Christopher Eccleston’s new run as the Ninth Doctor: Respond to All Calls.

Released in August 2021, these next three stories ended up setting the standard for what to expect in future installments: a strong opener, followed by a decent middle entry, and concluding with a powerhouse third installment that rivalled the best Doctor Who has to offer. Let’s take a look…

GIRL, DECONSTRUCTED

The overarching theme in these stories is ‘responding to all calls.’ “Girl, Deconstructed” is a quieter, more intimate adventure that stands out due to its lack of a traditional villain or antagonist.

The story follows the Doctor as he investigates an alien migration pattern that has gone astray, leading to the mysterious disappearances of children across Scotland. One of these children is Marnie. Her father, Kurt McDonald, is grief-stricken, especially because they had a terrible fight before her disappearance. The twist is, Marnie isn’t dead or kidnapped—she’s very much still in the house.

Although the plot has elements of a traditional haunted house mystery, it firmly maintains its sci-fi roots. The Doctor’s characterization is on point, with Nine displaying his no-nonsense attitude and sharp energy, reminiscent of his debut in “Rose.” The rest of the cast is surprisingly compact, but I found each character really memorable. Notable performances from Mirren Mack and Forbes Masson, who play Marnie and her father, Kurt, deserve praise for their highly emotional and believable portrayals. Mirren’s innocent-sounding voice easily garners sympathy from the audience, complemented by Kurt’s raw and palpable depiction of a father dealing with the very real fear of a parent losing a child. Liza McMullin is one hell of a Doctor Who writer.

Lastly, DC Jana Lee serves as the audience surrogate, providing plucky humor and a few amusing lines, though her backstory is barely touched on. I will say that as far as the script is concerned, she is probably the character who ends up losing the most here. Her connection to another missing child from twenty years ago, Douglas, serves as the emotional anchor in this episode.

While the fear of losing a child is the central theme, the script also cleverly uses athazagoraphobia (the fear of being forgotten or ignored) to traumatize the audience. Liza McMullin uses this fear in a very Steven Moffat-y way to add a powerful anxiety to the story. Did we mention…hell of a writer?

I really like how straightforward the premise is: Reuniting a father and daughter after a separation is refreshingly down-to-earth. It showcases that Doctor Who can excel without grandiose threats to the universe, focusing instead on raw, intimate human experiences. The energy and excitement of the Doctor combined with the enormously remarkable supporting characters make “Girl, Deconstructed” one of the best Ninth Doctor stories out there.

FRIGHT MOTIF

I’ve only listened to this story twice, and the first time, it didn’t leave much of an impression on me. It’s not that the script is poorly written; it just didn’t align with my tastes in Doctor Who stories. However, on my second listen, I’m determined to reassess my opinion because I suspect there were elements I either overlooked or didn’t fully appreciate at the time.

The story follows the Doctor’s investigation of a sound creature in 1940s Paris, knotted with his efforts to help Artie Berger, a struggling jazz musician who has lost his musicality. Alongside them is Maurice Le Bon, the concierge of the Hôtel Le Prestige, and Zazie, a friend of Artie.

Despite the limited cast of characters, the narrative doesn’t feel lacking in depth. Each character is not only distinct, but also possesses a backstory that adds layers to their character. For instance, Maurice losing a lover in WWII fuels his belief in Artie’s potential as piano player, creating tension with Zazie, who may or may not have romantic feelings for Artie and wants him to pursue a jazz career instead. The script also gives the Doctor a lot of wonderfully witty dialogue, which got more than a couple of chuckles out of me.

While the sound creature itself may not stand out as a memorable villain, the episode effectively explores the menace of a being composed of soundwaves. The soundscape is also wonderfully brought to life, something that creates obstacles like cold or cover depending on the moment.

PLANET OF THE END

“Planet of the End” is easily one of the best scripts in Christopher Eccleston’s entire run as the Ninth Doctor (I’m counting future stories too). This time around, the episode delves into the pitfalls of responding to an SOS, particularly when said SOS is a trap. This is an effective subversion of expectations that allows for a gripping and intense adventure that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

The Doctor arrives on a Graveyard Planet hoping to save people, but falls victim to one of the most effective traps set by a villain in Doctor Who history. This pivotal moment lasts for most of Act 2 (25 minutes) but Act 1 sets the stage beautifully when the Doctor meets an artificial intelligence he names ‘Fred’, a lovely callback to Romana.

Fred really stands out as a character, achieving so much character development within an hour, arguably more than a lot of companions do in a single season. Her evolution from a simple AI to a fully developed personality is a testament to the strength of the script and the chemistry she shares with the Doctor despite them sharing very little actual time together, even during her more robotic beginnings. Fred’s nurturing of the Doctor over the ninety-nine years of being tortured elevates the story to new heights, creating a compelling dynamic.

Yes, you read that right.

The plot revolves around the Doctor being continuously tortured, on the cusp of regeneration, but holding it back every step of the way for almost a century. At first glance, this might sound like a continuity error since it’s commonly believed that the Ninth Doctor only lived for one year, but this story actually plugs a plot hole accidentally introduced in “The Day of the Doctor” when the War Doctor gives his age as 800 on the last day of his life. So yeah, the Ninth Doctor had a lifespan of 100 years, 99 of which he spent being mercilessly tortured by the Incorporation, the antagonists of this episode.

In fact, one of the more profound moments in the story occurs when the Doctor’s psyche manifests to talk to him, leading to the first contemplation of suicide in the character’s history. Not a heroic self-sacrifice but rather a flat-out consideration of ending his own life to prevent The Incorporation from using him to wreak havoc on the universe.

The Incorporation, a race of capitalist antagonists, are portrayed with a love-to-hate quality. Their drive for profit for the sake of profit provides a satirical but not overly heavy-handed anti-capitalist message. The performances of the actors portraying The Incorporation help sell it.

Ultimately, “Planet of the End” is an unusual story, taking place over a span of 100 years, intercut between the Doctor’s torture and Fred’s journey toward humanity while tending to the first friend she ever made, who now cannot even reply to her. The end of the story is tremendously satisfying, although there is a moment where the Doctor and Fred are a bit too thick to see the obvious solution to the plot. Nevertheless, it works out well, and the only real disappointment is that Fred is a one-off character.