Doctor Who director reveals alternative ending pitched for Paul McGann TV movie

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Geoffrey Sax, who directed the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie starring Paul McGann, has shared a different ending that was once suggested for the film.

During a recent screening of the restored TV movie, director Joe Sax shared that the original script by Matthew Jacobs didn’t have a clear plan for the final confrontation between the Eighth Doctor and the Master, played by Eric Roberts.

Sax shared that Matthew described the upcoming fight between the Master and the Doctor as ‘cool and interesting’.

Sax and producer Philip Segal then began figuring out the details of how the final battle would be shown in the movie.

Sax recalled being in the production office with Phil Segal, and they both asked Matthew what a particular thing meant. Matthew responded that he would figure it out and come up with an explanation.

So, the final scene of that TV movie has the Doctor and the Master battling it out inside the TARDIS, and eventually the Master gets sucked into the Eye of Harmony. But apparently, the writer, Philip Martin (Sax is his pseudonym), had a much weirder idea for that moment at one point – a version that thankfully didn’t make the final cut, as far as we know!

“At one point they were in pods, and floating around… it would’ve been so wonderful to do that.”

The initial plan didn’t work out due to budget constraints, so they decided to have a standard, physical fight instead.

As a huge Doctor Who fan, I was so excited when Paul McGann finally got a proper debut in the 1996 TV movie! It was a fresh start after Sylvester McCoy, and it showed us a Doctor who was a bit more of a romantic – a really interesting take on the character.

Despite not launching a complete series, Sylvester McCoy’s portrayal of the Doctor quickly became popular with fans. He later reprised the role in a special mini-episode called ‘The Night of the Doctor’ to celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary.

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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of its first showing, a newly restored version of the Doctor Who movie will be released. This version has been carefully recreated using the original 35mm film.

Fans can now purchase a special Limited Edition Steelbook of the 90-minute adventure, available on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray, as well as separate 4K and Blu-ray versions. This release includes both the original, uncensored UK version and the US broadcast cut, plus brand new bonus content featuring interviews with cast members Daphne Ashbrook, Eric Roberts, Yee Jee Tso, Sylvester McCoy, and Janet Fielding.

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You can now watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer. For a complete guide to the show – including reviews of every episode from 1963 to the present, information on the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes details, and exclusive content from the TopMob archive – check out our Doctor Who story guide.

Don’t miss Doctor Who! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV suggestions, articles, and more.

Authors

Morgan JefferyDigital Editor

Morgan Jeffery leads the editorial content for TopMob across all its digital platforms as Digital Editor. Before joining TopMob, he worked as TV Editor at Digital Spy and has appeared as a television expert on programs like BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live, and Sky Atlantic.

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2026-05-18 18:06