I remember watching Doctor Who as a kid in the 70s – it was amazing and hugely popular! But, honestly, some people complained that it got a bit too scary and violent at times, especially when Philip Hinchcliffe was producing. It was a bit controversial, but I still loved it!
The conservative activist Mary Whitehouse frequently criticized the show, and once received an apology from the BBC’s Director-General. This apology stemmed from a 1976 episode of “The Deadly Assassin” where the Doctor (played by Tom Baker) seemingly drowned at the hands of a villain.
At a BFI Southbank event celebrating the release of the Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 13 Blu-ray, producer Philip Hinchcliffe explained he sympathized with Nicola Whitehouse’s reasons for her criticism, but didn’t always agree with her points about the show.
He said he understands her goals, adding that he feels the BBC can sometimes come across as arrogant and doesn’t always pay attention to what viewers want.
I believe her mistake was confusing violence – of which there wasn’t much – with feelings of horror and suspense.
Hinchcliffe explained that he and script editor Robert Holmes were aiming to create Doctor Who for bright 12- and 13-year-olds, while also making it enjoyable for their parents. They believed it was the parents’ responsibility to ensure the show was appropriate for their children.
Whitehouse famously claimed that the 1976 Doctor Who story, The Brain of Morbius, featured some of the most disturbing and frightening content ever shown on TV aimed at children.
In this story, the Doctor and Sarah Jane encountered a deranged scientist on the planet Karn who was attempting to revive the defeated Time Lord Morbius. The four-part adventure, reminiscent of Frankenstein, received criticism for a scene where Doctor Solon shoots his assistant, Condo, resulting in a visible display of blood.
In retrospect, Hinchcliffe conceded that ‘The Brain of Morbius’ might have been an instance where his time on the show went a bit too far.
He admitted he’d always felt a little uneasy about Morbius, describing it as somewhat disturbing.
“I think I would’ve liked to pull that back a bit. Otherwise, I think we pretty much got it right.”
“The Brain of Morbius” is a popular story from the time Martin Hinchcliffe was producing Doctor Who, and it’s been completely restored and included in the Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 13 Blu-ray set.
This boxset contains all six stories from Tom Baker’s second season as the Doctor, featuring popular episodes like Terror of the Zygons, Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, and The Seeds of Doom.
In addition to the remastered episodes, viewers can enjoy plenty of bonus content, including new documentaries about the making of the show, behind-the-scenes clips, and interviews with the actors and crew who worked on what many consider to be one of Doctor Who’s best seasons.
As a huge Doctor Who fan, I’m thrilled to share that Season 13 is available for pre-order right now! It’s officially coming out on October 20th, and I’ve already put my order in. Can’t wait!
Read More
- “Sadly you don’t know how to launch in India”: OpenAI debuts ChatGPT Go at under $5/month to promote affordability, but reactions are mixed
- Eve Teschmacher’s Secret: How She REALLY Saved Superman!
- Skate 4 – How to Christ Air | Redemption Air
- Silver Rate Forecast
- Dandadan Has Bad News for Fans Waiting for Season 3
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Mantis (2025) Movie Review
- Minecraft’s next game drop has already been revealed as the Mounts of Mayhem — it’s bringing an awesome new weapon, watery mob, and more
- BREAKING: Paramount Prepares Bid to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in Massive Media Earthquake
- Frozen 3’s Official Plot Synopsis Teases a Mysterious New Member
2025-09-29 13:06