Fire-Breathing Dragon Guards Treasure on a Ice-Cold Planet: DRAGONFIRE

The Dragonfire is a legendary treasure supposedly guarded by a fire-breathing dragon: are the legends true, or is it a fantastical story? When The Doctor and Mel arrive on Iceworld, they soon find themselves embroiled in a game of treasure seeking, but there is someone else who is also looking for the treasure, who will stop at nothing to claim the Dragonfire first.

Cast

Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Bonnie Langford (Melanie), Tony Selby (Glitz), Edward Peel (Kane)

Patricia Quinn (Belazs), Tony Osoba (Kracauer), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Shirin Taylor (Customer)

Ian Mackenzie (Anderson), Stephanie Fayerman (McLuhan), Stuart Organ (Bazin), Sean Blower (Zed)

As one companion leaves, another one arrive

Daphne Oxenford (Archivist)

Chris MacDonnell (Arnhheim)

Nigel Miles-Thomas (Pudovkin)

Leslie Meadows (The Creature)

Lynn Gardner (Announcer)

Miranda Bowman (Stellar)

UNCREDITED CAST: Chris Andrews, John Baker, Simon Brown, Keith Harvie (Guards)

Ian Bodenham, Ross Murray, Ray Knight, Sue Somerset (Glitz's Crew), Larry Bishop (Sculptor)

Ian Johns, Christian Fletcher, Noel Drennan, Barbara Russell, Penny Cole, Chris Andrew, John Baker

Simon Brown, Keith Harvie (Customers), Miles Ambrose, Olwyn Atkinson, Carolyn Christie

Julie Ann Wood, Linda Kent, Harry Klein, Eric Lindsay, Maggie Lynton, Bill Malin, Stuart Myers

Denise Powell (Refreshment Bar Customers), Andrew Hunter, Gloria McGuire (Customers at Freezer Centre), Belinda Lee (Xana), Douglas Stark, Len Bond, Patrick Edwards, Rick Florio, Nick Florio, Patrick Shepherd (Mercenaries), Mike Tucker (Double for The Doctor's Legs)

Crew

Ian Briggs (Writer), Ron Grainer (Theme Music), Keff McCulloch (Theme Arrangement)

Dominic Glynn (Incidental Music), Dick Mills (Special Sound), Gary Downie (Production Manager)

Ann Faggetter (Production Associate), Rosemary Parsons, Karen King (Production Assistants)

Christopher Sandeman (Assistant Floor Manager), Andy McVean (Visual Effects Designer)

Dave Chapman (Video Effects), Richard Wilson (Technical Co-ordinator)

Alec Wheal (Camera Supervisor), Shirley Coward (Vision Mixer), Hugh Parson (Video-Tape Editor)

William Dudman (Film Cameraman), Don Babbage (Lighting Director), Brian Clark (Sound)

Richard Croft (Costume Designer), Gillian Thomas (Make-Up Designer)

Andrew Cartmel (Script Editor), Oliver Elmes (Graphic Designer), CAL Video (Computer Animation)

John Asbridge (Designer), John Nathan-Turner (Producer), Chris Clough (Director)

UNCREDITED CREW: Tony Redston (Production Manager)

Kim Wilcock, Val McCrimmon (Assistant Floor Managers), Jes Nightingale (Floor Assistant)

Arthur Stacey, Dicky Wickes, Dave Rogers, Barry Du Piles (Production Operatives)

Norman Fuggle, Geoff Allen (Lighting Chargehands), Mike Weavers (Deputy Sound Supervisor)

Keith Johnson (Graphic Assistant), Mike Tucker, Paul Mann, Jonathan Clarke, Paul McGuinness

Lindsay McGowan, Alan Marshall (Visual Effects Assistants)

The Doctor and Mel meet an old friend and make a new one in this very interest cafe.

Stephen Mansfield (Visual Effects Contractors)

Cathy Cosgrove (Properties Buyer)

Dinah Long (Vision Mixer), Petrona Winton,

Anabela Dellot-Seguro, Jayne Buxton (Make-Up Assistants)

Philip Harvey, Hilda Liptrott (Design Assistants)

Bob Springett, Lena Hansen

Tom Reeve, Kate Hirst (Dressers)

Peter Rose (Assistant Production Manager)

Kate Esteal (Production Secretary), Peter Brown, Dan Shaw Dave Murphy, Jim Kernick (Senior Studio Engineers)

Janet Tharby (Costume Designer)

Leah Archer (Costume Assistant), Sarah Bird (Artists Booker), Sheila Hodges (Supporting Artists Booker)

Broadcast

EPISODE	DATE	TIME	VIEWING FIGURE	CHART POSITION	APPRECIATION INDEX
1	23/11/1987	7:35-8:00pm	5.5M	80th	61
2	30/11/1987	7:35-8:00pm	5.0M	96th	61
3	07/12/1987	7:35-8:00pm	4.7M	94th	64

Connections in the Who-Niverse

Shirin Taylor was previously one of the Campers (or Pat) during The Stones of Blood. It wasn't a nice trip, her body was drained of blood. Daphne Oxford did return to modern Doctor Who, to play the elderly Agatha Christie for The Unicorn and the Wasp; but her scenes were cut from the finished programme. Leslie Meadows was previously Adlon for Delta and the Bannermen, and was later an uncredited Cheetah Person for Survival.

Kane buys his new crew. A pretty penny for a mediocre crew. No chances of a refund or profit on his investments.

Uncredited Keith Harvie was a Paramilitary for Silver Nemesis and the Reptile Husk for Ghost Light. Uncredited Bill Malin was a Chimeron for Delta and the Bannermen, an RAF Man for Remembrance of the Daleks and a Cyberman for Silver Nemesis. Uncredited Ian Johns was also an RAF Man for Remembrance of the Daleks and a Member of the Audience for Silver Nemesis. Uncredited Olwyn Atkinson later got a job as part of the Happiness Patrol in The Happiness Patrol. Extra Ross Murray was a Lakertyan for Time and the Rani and an RAF Man (as well) for Remembrance of the Daleks. Series regular uncredited bit-part actor Ross Murray made his final contribution to the show as a Pallbearer for Remembrance of the Daleks. Extra Sue Somerset can be seen lying down on the job during Frontios as a Patient and later got a day job (literally) as a Day Maid during Ghost Light. Refreshment Bar Customer Stuart Myers (a regular extra on the show) made his final appearance with the show, keep an eye open for him during - but not limited to - The Ambassadors of Death, Frontier in Space, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, The Leisure Hive, Black Orchid and Enlightenment.

Death, the Constant Companion

A lot of people meet an icy end. Kane's icy touch bring a grizzy end (but quick ones) for Zed, the Sculptor, Kracauer and Belazs. The dragon kills Pudovkin, McLuhan and Bazin. Anderson, Ace's mean spirtied boss is shot in the chest by one of Kane's mercenaries. The Nosferatu is destroyed by Kane in an explosion which wipes out the Refreshment Bar Customers and Customers - one of them appears to have been an Argolin. Kane seemingly and knowingly(?) kills himself when he returns to his home planet's orbit and melts into nothingness. Kane's Mercenaries all disappear perhaps they too were on the Nosferatu when it explodes?

Episode Cliffhangers

(1) The Doctor emerges, deep within Svartos, at an ice mountain cliff edge bordered by a safety rail. The Doctor climbs over the rail and, hooks his umbrella end onto the safety rail. The Doctor begins to climb down his umbrella but begins to lose his grip. He begins to slide down with nothing but a sheer drop hanging below him.

(2) The dragon’s head opens up revealing a crystal bursting with energy. The crystal is the legendary treasure that the dragon has been guarding. However, Kane who requires the crystal to end his imprisonment on Svartos, has discovered this too. A bugging device has been attached to Glitz’s treasure map; Kane’s 3,000-year imprisonment has come to end.

A literal cliffhanger. Just what was The Doctor doing here? Explain someone, please.

(3) Kane has been defeated, but The Doctor is about to lose someone special. Mel has decided to stay on Iceworld to keep Glitz out of trouble; she convinces The Doctor to take Ace with her. The Doctor agrees, and together he and Ace depart Iceworld. As the TARDIS dematerialises, a little girl called Stellar watches on with glee.

Fun Facts

(1) Glitz was not originally slated to appear in the adventure. A character Razorback (or Swordfish) was created, until producer John Nathan-Turner noted Razorback was similiar to Glitz who had previously appeared during the Trial of a Time Lord Season; (2) Kane was originally called Hess, but the name was changed when Nazi war criminal Rudolf Hess was being 'granted' a prison release. Hess eventually took his own life; (3) Some of the badges sown on Ace's bomber jacket were Space Shuttle mission; (4) For the first time since The Invasion of Time, a companion (Mel) leaves the TARDIS at the end of the series finale; (5) The interior of the Nosferatu ship was the same ship that Delta stole from the Bannermen during Delta and the Bannermen; (6) The costumes seen during the cafeteria scenes came from stock, whilst the Customer's outfit came from Terry Nation's show Blake's 7; some of the masks were original designs from Sue Moore and Stephen Mansfield; (7) Visual Effects Assistant Paul McGuinness was set to wear The Creature costume, just who he had done with Drathro for The Mysterious Planet; but he had to drop out of the project; (8) There was originally a scene where Kane emerged from an ice-cold refrigerator; this was dropped as it was feared young viewers would copy Kane

Down to business, Kane takes his gloves off, just don't shake hands with him

(9) Two characters who were dropped from the inital storyline were Fatboy, a fourteen year old genius, and his sidekick Mr Spewey. Both character were to go searching for a treasure hidden in the depths of the planet; (10) Sophie Aldred origianlly wore black and yellow striped tights, but these caused problems with the camera, so they were substituted for red ones; (11) Studio sessions were slightly due to Tony Selby returning to the show. Selby had to have his sideburns measured to ensure they were the same length from the previous season; (12) Part of the scripts were written by Andrew Cartmel. The speech The Doctor 'recited' after Mel announced her decision to leave was actually used during the audition process for the Seventh Doctor. McCoy had already delivered the lines.

Recording Days

Recording took 5 days to complete at Television Centre between Tuesday 28 July - Thursday 13 August 1987. The first sessions took place within Studio 1 between 28-30 July, and then again between 12-13 August within Studio 3. A couple of days were devoted to capture all of the model shots after the initial production block wrapped. Thursday 13 August 1987 marked the final production day for Bonnie Langford; a wrap party for the series and the departing Bonnie Langford, was held the following day.

Verdict

Refreshing in its writing, visual effects, style, and overall story structure, Dragonfire is (and was) the type of Doctor Who serial that had been missing for several years. Strong scripts from newcomer Ian Briggs sees a return to the basics that founded the fundamentals of the show during its early years. The Doctor once more becomes a space explorer longing for adventure, but he’s still a scientist at heart wishing to explore the universe and unlock its secrets for his own curiosity. There’s also a return to the gothic overtones that shaped the renaissance era during the show’s highest peaks: the undead frozen zombies and the Nosferatu-type villain Kane, superbly played by Edward Peel: the show was in desperate need of a great villain for years. There are also unique takes on classic fantasy narratives: Briggs gives them a science-fiction edge which in turn creates a whole new subgenre, and it’s nice to see young writers coming onto an old, dignified show and creating narratives that had never been heard before. It’s a talent that will be seen time and time again by other equally talented young writers who will later work on the show; it’s a shift in the right direction.

The Dragon opens ups its head, revealing the titular dragonfire held within

Overall, there is a 1960s feel to the production which is by no means a disservice, the writing and setup feel like a First Doctor adventure but there is enough substance and stylistic choices to make it one of the better latter-day 1980s productions; these had been missing for the better part of three years. Strong direction from Chris Clough, who’s back on top form, creates a very exceptional alien world that echoes popular film franchises and other BBC shows that were taking audiences by storm at the time. The sets are also very minimalistic but grand in design, which create various worlds, within a central singular location, which are all effectively created in small studio spaces compared to other serials which tried and failed to do the same thing. Dragonfire is not flawless: the narrative does slip into a running back and forth towards the climax, and some performances are not that convincing. Nonetheless, Dragonfire is a gem in its own right, it’s riveting to see Doctor Who, in its dying days turn out something so unique, and something which plays a very significant part in a much wider story arc. Dragonfire will not be melting away any time soon.

… but just what was The Doctor trying to do at the end of part 1? ****