Trivia / Doctor Who S15 E1 "Horror of Fang Rock"

---

• Creator Backlash: Director Paddy Russell didn't like her experience working on this story, largely because she much preferred Dicks' original script and didn't think much of the hastily-written replacement, but was contractually obligated to still direct the new story. Filming also wasn't a particularly happy experience for her, in part due to constantly clashing with Baker and Louise Jameson, and also because the facilities at the BBC's Birmingham studios (where they had to move production of the story to, due to scheduling conflicts at the BBC Television Centre) weren't up to scratch. This resulted in her deciding not to direct for the show again.
• Creator Breakdown: While making the serial, Tom Baker was unhappy and angry with the direction the show was going in (partly due to Executive Meddling getting Philip Hinchcliffe sacked and partly because he didn't like sharing the main character spotlight with anyone else) and reportedly spent much of production bullying his co-stars and making himself unpopular. His performance is severe, broody and temperamental, giving the impression he is losing his mind between the claustrophobia and fear, and all the other actors regard him with visible wariness — lifting an already scary story to Nightmare Fuel.
• Enforced Method Acting: In the scene where Leela slaps Adelaide to stop her screaming, Louise Jameson did indeed slap Annette Woollett quite hard. Jameson stated in the DVD Commentary that Woollett insisted that she not hold anything back when doing the slap.
• Hostility on the Set: Director Paddy Russell claimed that Tom Baker so infuriated the crew that they tried to swing a pair of mole cranes at his head, until she saw what they were doing and ordered them to stop.
  Tom Baker was easy to deal with at first, but the part went to his head completely. By the time I did "Horror of Fang Rock", he was desperately difficult to work with. His input got totally out of hand. His attitude to his fellow actors was extremely difficult, his attitude to his director was extremely difficult, and his attitude to the crew was extremely difficult. For instance, it was always everybody else’s fault, and never Tom’s. His idea was to have that show to himself. He didn’t want an assistant, and he made their lives hell. Louise Jameson went through hell on that show, and that lady is a very good actress. Fortunately, she’s very tough, and she got a lot of support from everyone else. I found her excellent to work with, but Tom hardly spoke to her, and when he did it was usually something nasty.
• Inspiration for the Work: Dicks was inspired by Wilfred Gibson's 1912 poem Flannan Isle, which was based on a true story. In 1900, a supply ship discovered a lighthouse crew on the Flannan Isles off the coast of Scotland had completely disappeared.
• Romance on the Set: Tom Baker began an on-off relationship with Sue Gerrard, who was working as an editor on this serial. He broke it off to marry Lalla Ward, and then, after divorcing Lalla, rekindled his relationship with Sue and married her. They've been married ever since.
• What Could Have Been:
  • In the original script, Col. Skinsale's wife Veronica appeared. She was ultimately removed.
  • The original script for this production slot was the story that would eventually become "State of Decay" several years later. However, the BBC higher-ups ordered that it be dropped, as they didn't want viewers comparing it to the then-upcoming Count Dracula (1977), forcing Terrance Dicks to hastily write this story as a replacement.
  • Adelaide and Skinsale were supposed to survive, but this was changed so it would capture more of the vibe of its inspiration, the poem Flannan Isle.
• Word of God: While never explained in-story, the reason why Vince burns Lord Palmerdale's bribe money after his death is because he fears he’ll be suspected for murdering Palmerdale for the money. This had to be elaborated on by Terrance Dicks in both the novelization and the DVD Commentary.
• Working Title: Rocks of Doom, The Monster of Fang Rock and The Beast of Fang Rock.
• Written-In Infirmity: Louise Jameson hated the contact lenses she had to wear as part of playing Leela and begged the producers to spare her from them. This was accomplished in a nicely symbolic scene in which light from an explosion temporarily blinds her and permanently fries her eyes blue.
• You Look Familiar:
  • Alan Rowe (Colonel Skinsale) had previously played Dr. Evans and provided the voice from Space Control in "The Moonbase", as well as Edward of Wessex.
  • Ralph Watson (Ben) had previously played Captain Knight, as well as Ettis.
  • Colin Douglas (Reuben/Rutan voice) had previously played Donald Bruce.

---