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Doctor Who: La película

Name: Doctor Who: La película
Genre: Aventura, Ciencia ficción, Película de TV
Released: 1996-05-12
Duration: 86 min
Rating: 6.174
Cast: Paul McGann, Eric Roberts, Daphne Ashbrook, Sylvester McCoy, Yee Jee Tso

1996686 min

AventuraCiencia ficciónPelícula de TV

Estreno

12 may 1996

Países

United Kingdom, United States of America

Producciones

BBC WorldwideUniversal Television

San Francisco, 1999. Una nave espacial con forma de cabina de teléfono se estrella y de ella surge el Doctor, un alienígena viajero del tiempo que transportaba los restos de su enemigo derrotado, el Amo. Pero en el accidente, la esencia del Amo consigue escapar ocupando un cuerpo moribundo. Ahora planea robar las regeneraciones restantes del Doctor, su nave… y destruir la Tierra en el intento. Sólo el Doctor, recién regenerado, se prepara para salvar el planeta en el borde del nuevo milenio.

About

Quick guide

Doctor Who (1996) – the 1996 TV movie that introduces Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, set in San Francisco, with a battle against the Master to save Earth.

Doctor Who: The Television Movie was a 1996 British television film directed by Geoffrey Sax and written by Matthew Jacobs. The story sees the Seventh Doctor shot by a gang in San Francisco, forced into an emergency TARDIS materialisation, and the Doctor's sudden regeneration into the Eighth Doctor. He is joined by a new companion, Grace Holloway, and together they confront the Master, who has escaped from Skaro and threatens to consume Earth’s time‑space fabric. With the help of a temporal clock and the TARDIS’s Eye of Harmony, the Doctor must prevent an apocalypse that would occur at midnight on New Year’s Eve. The film was intended as a backdoor pilot for a new American‑produced Doctor Who series, but the series never materialised. It was well‑received by fans for its blend of classic Doctor Who elements and modern tone, and it won a Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation in 1996.

What to know

The film marks the first on‑screen appearance of Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor.
The story is set in San Francisco on the night of New Year’s Eve 1999.
The Doctor is suddenly regenerated after a fatal gunshot.
Grace Holloway becomes the Doctor’s new companion and ally.
The Master escapes from Skaro and seeks the Doctor’s body.
The plot centers on stopping a time‑distortion that would end Earth.
An atomic clock and the TARDIS’s Eye of Harmony play key roles.
The film was intended as a backdoor pilot for a new TV series.
It was broadcast on the Fox network in the U.S. and on BBC One in the U.K.
The movie won a Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation.

Watch if

If you enjoy Doctor Who’s blend of classic time‑traveller mystery, a touch of New Century science‑fiction polish, and a thrilling showdown with the Master set in a recognizable San Francisco setting, you’ll find this 1996 TV movie a satisfying glimpse of what could have been

Skip if

If you prefer strictly period‑based Doctor Who stories, dislike the introduction of a new Doctor without a long‑term series, or are looking for the original 1963–1989 serials, this film might feel out of place and underdeveloped.

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Plot Overview

The film opens with the Seventh Doctor being shot by a gang in San Francisco’s Chinatown. He is taken to a hospital where Grace Holloway, a cardiologist, attempts a life‑saving operation. While the Doctor’s body is temporarily held in a morgue, the Master escapes from a containment unit and seeks the Doctor’s remains. A frantic chase ensues as the Doctor, now regenerated as the Eighth Doctor, battles the Master to protect Earth’s time‑space continuum.

Character Dynamics

The regenerated Eighth Doctor brings a more philosophical and introspective tone compared to his predecessor. Grace Holloway, a medical professional with a strong sense of justice, becomes his reluctant companion and ally. The Master, portrayed by Eric Roberts, continues his role as the Doctor’s arch‑nemesis, but this time with a new motive: to gain the Doctor’s life force and wreak havoc on Earth.

Setting and Atmosphere

The story is firmly set in a contemporary San Francisco at the turn of the millennium, using the city’s iconic skyline and nightlife. The film juxtaposes the gritty urban environment with high‑tech time‑travel machinery, creating a contrast that emphasizes the Doctor’s alien origin against human society.

Key Themes

Regeneration and identity are central themes, as the Doctor’s transformation challenges his sense of self. The film also explores the weight of responsibility, the moral implications of time‑manipulation, and the tension between technology and human emotion in a rapidly modernizing world.

Production Notes

Directed by Geoffrey Sax and written by Matthew Jacobs, the film was shot on 35 mm in Vancouver to stand in for San Francisco. It was a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Universal Studios, intended as a backdoor pilot for an American Doctor Who series that never materialised. The movie’s runtime is 85 minutes, and it features a new musical score by John Debney.

Reception

The film was a ratings success in the United Kingdom and received positive reviews for its blend of classic Doctor Who storytelling with contemporary visual effects. In the United States, it underperformed in viewership but earned a Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation. The reception helped to cement the film’s status as a cult favourite among fans.

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