What If - You Make Season 27

This was attempted in this thread a couple of years ago:

notthebigfinishforum.freeforums.net/thread/831/pretend-wilderness-years-never-happened

Some great ideas (my own was only a little (for a given quantity of little) tongue-in-cheek) that would have made good television.

How many episodes have I got? Same as the last 4 seasons of the regular show? 14? Yeesh. That is not a lot of time to put together a rescue attempt.

First thing I'd try to do is barter that for eight 50 minute episodes on Saturday night either late October-December or in January-February. It's eight adventures all making up one larger story with the universe facing not only being winked out of existence but being winked out of ever having existed. I'm not going into much more detail on that because it's going to see life as an Erimem project at some point... but without the Daleks and Cybermen who I would have used in the 1990 series... though I'd have been looking for a twist that tied each of the big bads into the ongoing 8 episode arc.

At the start, the Seventh Doctor would have already regenerated into ideally Robert Powell (though Ian Holm, Rupert Everett, Derek Jacobi and Neil Pearson would all have been in my thoughts - each for a different kind of 8th Doctor) but the 7th Doctor's final hurrah would have been explained near the end of the season when 8 meets 7 and 7 sacrifices himself so that 8 can continue the mission and keep time on track. Ace would be gone. The Master and Rani would be mentioned in passing as having legged it before Gallifrey could get involved and paint a target on them. The end would have pretty much had the Doctor alone standing in the path of creatures as poweerful as Gods, who have the power to unmake the universe. He's alone, no TARDIS, no companions, no Time Lords and he just says "No." Companion? That's an interesting one... Kate Hodge was never a big name but she had something... Susannah Doyle a definite maybe... and if I saw a role for him I'd have been dragging Sean Pertwee onboard, if only for the PR value - and because he's terrific. But that would all depend on how the chemistry of the actors worked out.

Writers? I'd have been phoning Richard Carpenter, Brian Clemens, Stephen Gallagher, Peter Hammond, Stephen Volk and Iain Banks. Ben Aaronovitch would be invited back as would Douglas Adams (in the knowledge that he'd say no but I'd have to have invited him). My nature is to find young writers and take them on the journey so I'd have looked for someone who could write, who knew Doctor Who and who was innovative. I'd have looked at fanzines, listened to things like Audio Visuals (which had the scope and scale I'd try to achieve) and I think I may have tried Andy Lane to see what he came up with, based on Requiem. Having said that, Gary Russell's Deadfall was very good and there's a good chance I'd have spent an age searching for Erica Galloway on the strength of Endurance - only to discover she was Nick Briggs. I think definitely an invitation to Andy Lane to pitch and quite possibly chats to check the potential of one or two others at Audio Visuals or from fanzines. There was some real talent in there. Directors? Graeme Harper was coming back whether he wanted to or not. Other than that... I'd have tried to woo Martin Campbell to share directing duuties with Graeme Harper - 4 eipsodes each. Campbell was flitting between telly and film at the time. Yeah, I'd have called his agent and asked for a sit-down.

I'd need a longer time to sit and work it out fully.

Fully? What haven't you covered?