Wacky Theory about the TV Movie
As I've watched the TV Movie (over and over again), my English major senses have begun tingling...I suddenly sensed that perhaps this much-maligned film might have a layer of symbolism written into it. The TV Movie may in fact be a giant allegory for the history and future of the Doctor Who series itself, as it stood in 1996!
I know, this might sound SUPER weird, but just hang with me! Check out these plot points and their potential symbolism:
| Possible Movie Symbolism | Real-Life Events |
|---|---|
| Doctor crash-lands in America, dies and regenerates in the morgue | The Doctor Who franchise is projected to be revived in America in 1996 | Most of the plot's action happens at night | Most of the hard work to bring back Doctor Who happens well out of the public eye | The Doctor doesn't regenerate for 3 hours | The show had been off the air for 7 years | The Doctor does not remember who he is upon awakening | Many feared the show had been off the air too long to be revived | Grace has to take care of the Doctor as he struggles to remember who he is | American writers have to try to appeal to both established and new fans | The Master is still marauding around | Many are against the show's revival | Grace's attitude (beginning of movie) | People who are skeptical of the show's revival | Grace's attitude (end of movie) | People who are eager for the show's revival | Lee's attitude (most of movie) | People who don't believe the show should be revived | Lee's attitude (end of movie) | People who once opposed the show's revival but now believe in it | Hospital workers | Potential new fans, oblivious to the struggle behind the new pilot episode | Institute partiers | Established fans, also oblivious | Beryllium chip | The true key to saving Doctor Who as a franchise (funding + belief + marketing + luck) | Struggle to get the chip | Arduous process of getting the project rolling | The Doctor has to fight the Master to keep the rest of his lives | The producers have to fight to get Doctor Who back on the air | The Doctor survives (with help from Grace and Lee); Master is destroyed | Doctor Who triumphantly returns to regular TV, silencing critics |
A Necessary Caveat
I well know that I could be completely off-base with this analysis. I have a feeling this was not intentional for the plot of the story to symbolize the events surrounding Doctor Who's pilot episode/TV Movie. But you have to admit, it's an intriguing theory, and it is at least an excellent example of how creative works are always (ALWAYS) influenced by the environments and events around them!
What do you think? Does the movie make (a little) more sense now, or is it still just a hot mess? LOL!