Russell T. Davies Considered Star Trek Pastiche For 2009 Doctor Who Easter Special

In 2005 Russell T. Davies successfully re-invented the classic BBC sci-fi series the Doctor Who for a whole new generation. A newly updated book by Davies about his time with the series reveals all sorts of interesting tidbits, one of which is that he considered making the 2009 Easter Special a ‘Star Trek pastiche’, and that isn’t the only Trek link discussed. Details below. 

 

Davies and his almost Trek – Who connections
"Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale", written by Davies and Benjamin Cook, was first published in 2008, but a newly expanded version comes out on January 21st (January 15th in the UK). The new edition covers Davies entire tenure now that he has moved on from the Who-verse. Our friends at the UK SFX magazine have a preview of "20 things they learned" from the book, which includes these little tidbits:

4. Yet another [idea for the 2009 Easter Special] was a kind of Star Trek pastiche – essentially “the Doctor on board the Enterprise, puncturing all that Starfleet pomposity with this sheer Doctor-ness”.

5. Speaking of which, back in 2004, a Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover was seriously on their list of plans, until Enterprise was axed.

Davies spoke more about the possible Who/Trek crossover with the UK Times in 2009. When asked what things about what things ‘he never got around to’ the writer/producer said:

I would have loved to have done a Star Trek crossover. The very first year, we talked about it. Then Star Trek finally went off air. Landing the Tardis on board the Enterprise would have been magnificent. Can you imagine what their script department would have wanted, and what I would have wanted? It would have been the biggest battle

Based on the timing it is clear Davies is talking about a crossover with Star Trek Enterprise. Although the idea of a pastiche sounds interesting, it is pretty unlikely that Paramount would have a full crossover. Although there has been a crossover in the comics (Marvel Star Trek meet X-Men), Trek has kept the TV and film franchise pure, although there have been plenty of references to other franchises, including a number of Doctor Who refs.

Of course the reverse is also true and over the years there have been a number of Star Trek references on Doctor Who (see the Doctor Who Wiki for a full list). One of the funnier ones was from Davies first season on the show, when The Doctor is referred to as Mr. Spock (see below, go to 1:15 in the clip below).

The revised edition of "Doctor Who: The Writer’s Take" can be pre-ordered at Amazon.

 

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The tone of the two show is so different, its hard to imagine a crossover or pastiche working but it is fun to think about.

Cool. Although, “Star Trek” is owned by CBS while “Doctor Who” is owned by the BBC. Let’s hope CBS would revive “Star Trek: Enterprise” in either 2010 or 2011 the way the Fox network revived “Family Guy” back in 2005.

Both properties are owned by two different studios so it was never going to happen. Same reasons why there was never going to be the much anticipated and hoped for cross-over between “Star Wars” and “Star Trek”.

I was surprised though, to hear that Davies wanted to do a crossover with “Enterprise”.

Yes but in 2004/2005 Star Trek was owned by Paramount, CBS got it after the Viacom Split

“…5. Speaking of which, back in 2004, a Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover was seriously on their list of plans, until Enterprise was axed….”

Yet another reason I continue to hold a grudge against the people who decided that Enterprise needed to end after four very short seasons… The list seems to be growing every day for me. How ’bout that?

But, at least I still have new Doctor Who to watch every Saturday night. And at least Enterprise still shows repeats. :3

#5 At least “Enterprise” lasted 4 seasons. 1 season longer than “The Original Series”. “These Are The Voyages….” aside, it also went out on a high note creatively. Also, a lot of shows don’t make it past 1or 2 episodes, nevermind 1 season. A couple of points for you to take at least some comfort in. :-)

Trek is simply not expansive and weird enough to embrace the extravagantly entertaining wonderfulness of Davies version of “Doctor Who.”

The Trek refs in “The Empty Child” were marvelous, though.

“Gimme some Spock!”

We did get it of sorts thanks to Kelvington.

Trek Through Time

Part I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JhAPkkLgtI
Part II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y4I0fT6SU0
Part III http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERhu7LUxprs
Conclusion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M47diM41nA

Enjoy!!

-cs™

Tom Baker’s Doctor appeared on the Enterprise – at least, in a novel. Diane Duane’s “My Enemy, My Ally,” if I’m not mistaken — though it’s as a hologram of sorts, as someone is converting old videos into 3-D versions on the Rec Deck. Great scene.

#6 :: Yeah… Well… I dunno. It just makes me mad. For the spinoff Star Trek series, I’ve noticed that even DS9 and TNG (maybe VOY) didn’t get their bearings until the 3rd or 4th season, like Enterprise.

I just get annoyed. It’s happened to a LOT of my favourite TV shows. I can’t say my feelings about TOS, since I wasn’t born until about… 23 years later, but it was kind of the opposite. Season 3 isn’t regarded as that great, with the exception of just a few episodes. It’s a shame, but it is what it is.

Star Trek Voyager would have been a much better fit for a Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover. I can imagine two Doctors (neither human) and a confused Janeway. LOL

The thing about Doctor Who is, it really, actually, genuinely came back — and then some! Doctor Who on the air on a weekly basis, plus more spinoff and tie-in programming than it’s sane to keep track of: Torchwood, Sarah Jane Adventures, Doctor Who Confidential, Torchwood Declassified, Totally Doctor Who! Plus specials, three regular high-quality magazines, and so on.

That’s what it looks like when a TV show comes back. Just for reference.

Star Trek got a new tie-in movie. [blows tiny leftover New Years Eve noisemaker]

I would die for a Trek / Who crossover!!! Please do that and make my day. I would go for a TOS setting, probably the Doctor arriving in the new timeline, on the new version of the bridge…

Doctor: “What? What? What?…Whaat???”
*Doctor Who opening theme*
Doctor: “That’s not right! That’s just not right! That’s not THE Enterprise I remember! And what are you doing at the com station, Martha Jones?”
Nero: “The wait is over, Doctor!”

and later:

Doctor: “That’s an awesome sonic screwdriver you’ve got there!”
McCoy: “If you are a doctor, can you hold this?”
Doctor: “I’m a Time Lord, not a physician.”

LOL

Actually, I think Doctor Who would fit right in with one of the funnier episodes of Star Trek – say, something with the tone of a Tribble episode, or a Holodeck misadventure. (People don’t give enough credit to Trek being funny, which is too bad, because I think the humor is one of the things that sets it apart from other franchises.)

I would have done the Tenth Doctor in San Francisco 1986, trying to clean up after the crew of the Enterprise saving the Whales. It would be completely madcap and fitting for both series. Though I seriously doubt that Paramount or BBC would front the money for that.

Yet another reason why I and so many others are glad that gob shite writer is gone from Doctor Who now.
This would have been up there alongside Hitler invading Russia in the history of bad ideas destined to fail.
What utter tripe.

It would have been an awesome crossover.

Star Trek is my favourite show of all time and Doctor Who is my second favourite show.

So both shows being my favourites it would be fun to see a crossover.

Thing is new Doctor Who follows on from classic Doctor Who so fits in with the same continuity.

Unfortunatley with Star Trek it has now been shifted into a parallel universe, so its not canon per se but rather new canon.

#17: “Unfortunatley with Star Trek it has now been shifted into a parallel universe, so its not canon per se but rather new canon.”

Well, it’s not like the Trek canon didn’t already _have_ parallel universes in it. The Red Matter Universe is just one more to toss on the pile, really. It’s like the Mirror Universe, but with laxer morals and fewer goatees :)

I know that and I love the Mirror Universe episodes in Trek.

What I meant was that it is a shame that we wont have any movies or TV shows in the Prime Univerese for a while now. But a least there is Star Trek Online and novels.

I am happy for the new Trek to exist alongside the universe we know and love as another paralle universe.

I do treat the new movie as another parallel universe, was just commenting that its a shame there wont be any movies or TV shows in the Prime reality for a while.

Know whatI mean?

I will like the parallel univere in the new movie, no doubt about that.

Just I still love the prime universe. But I am glad they are still running side by side, which it should be doing.

but was stating that because it is a parallel universe its new canon if that makes sense.

John Byrne apparently also pitched an idea for a Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover comic, featuring Gary Seven and The Doctor. But the BBC turned it down.

Rather glad this never happened. Just not my cup of tea at all.

12 – id take a series of big budget movies every few years (like 1979-1986) over all that again thanks

Trek did all that oversaturation stuff from 1993 up til about 2002 and look what happened in the end…CANCELLED

re DR WHO – wasnt the TNG season 5 ep A MATTER OF TIME with Max Headroom supposed to be a Who crossover at first? – but then got worked into what it became (like if a guy killed the Dr and stole his Tardis)..i think i recall reading that somewhere – maybe it was in the TNG Companion?

kinda of suprised it isnt mentioned in the Memory alpha stuff as that the first WHO/Trek thing that came to mind (unless i imagined it)

Try petititon CBS to bring Enterprise, I think it would be mroe of a success of TV now than it did 5 years ago.
Besides a crossover between these two shows would no doubt bring in a lot of money for both CBS and BBC, whether people like the idea or not they will watch it, no doubt.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong (and I know someone will ;) ) but wasn’t Star trek Enterprise more popular in Great Britian than here in the US?
With Scott Bakula on a new show I doubt CBS could get him back for a renewed series but maybe some direct to dvd movies like what is being done with Stargate SG-1.
A TV movie might hurt the feature films with people saying why pay to see Trek when you can watch it on TV for free.

I’ve given Star Trek meets Doctor Who a go with my little amature fan film series. If you keep the plotting and crossovers simple, it works out okay. Then again, in the clip below I changed ‘Gallifrey’ to ‘Iconia’ to make things a but more Trek-y.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahfyGe0-yMw – a recent episode.

Not that I do blatant advertising. :P

@8 The Kelvington series is fun, but the story is… “huh?”. In the hands of a good novelist…. perhaps they could clarify what’s going on along the way.

@ #6. ryanhuyton -” “These Are The Voyages….” aside, it also went out on a high note creatively. ”

What is this “These Are The Voyages” you speak of? Enterprise ended with an absolutely superb two parter involving Trip and T’Pol’s child. I know nothing of this “These Are The Voyages”!
;-)

#25: “Trek did all that oversaturation stuff from 1993 up til about 2002 and look what happened in the end…CANCELLED.”

And it’s _still_ canceled. That’s the point. It’s not back.

Yes enterprise was more popular in Britain and as to Scott Bakula doing another TV show it is possible he could also do enterprise again but it is all down to his shooting schedule.

And as its been said yes enterprise has been cancelled but anything is possible it’s just getting the attention of CBS/Paramount, Star Trek’s a hot property for them once again.

Imagine that Future Guy was….The Master! Now that would rock. Who would have fitted perfectly with the Temporal Cold War, especially as New Who regularly references its own Time War. What if they were part of the same sequence of events, connected towards time and space. The Time Lords and the Federation vs. the Suliban, the Daleks and Future Guy (The Master).

It could have worked very well

As much as l love both of the franchises, I am so glad this never happened.

Connected ‘through’ time and space that should read. Got too over-excited. Pardon me.

@33: That idea ROCKS! AWESOME!
And there was that freakin’ TCW 2nd Season Episode with that timeshio that was BIGGER ON THE INSIDE! Another TARDIS?
Oh please, please…that Time War / TCW crossover would actually work!

OMG…Daniels was a TIME LORD! WTF…Daniels was another incarnation of the DOCTOR! I’m losing it…completely! :)
I hadn’t even known Doctor Who when ENT was on. I started with the new show 2006 but that would be so overwhelmingly awesome…totally frecked up timelines and stuff…finally canon would be flushed out of the airlock for good…EPIC!

Love #33’s idea. And although I know there are plenty of folks who don’t care for Russell T. Davies, I think he would be an awesome showrunner if and when Trek returns to TV. His mastery of canon on Doctor Who was brilliant. C’mon – lets see what happens in the prime universe after Romulus is destroyed…

2012 – after the next movie – put it on Showtime – Make 13 60-Minute episodes – TV Gold.

The Time War and Temporal Cold War are two cool time travel phrases I love

Good god, what a ghastly idea. For so many reasons.

i thought the scene towards the end of part 2 of the recent doctor who specials – bernard cribbins (wilf) was outside the radiation booth when the doctor was trapped inside – was very reminiscent of spock’s final scene in wrath of khan

This would have been awsome! It would work it if was on a dr who episode better than on a star trek episode.

If they dont get a chance to do this they should do a dr who/red dwarf cross over (they were both owned by bbc)

28 — guffaw. just guffaw.

Another hair-brained idea from RTD. Good riddance to him.

Rassilon Daniels!

It could work… note also the frequent rumour (on Galifrey Base messageboard) that Sir Patrick might appear on Dr Who.

I would think that Paramount or CBS or whoever the heck owns the ailing franchise would leap at the chance for a crossover with a show that regularly pulls in 40% of a nation’s TV viewers (12.7 million)

Maybe a good villain for the next Trek movie would be the Cybermen. They could be a lost sect of the Borg. Then we could throw the Cylons (the original one’s) into the mix.

@45: So say we all! :)

@45: I think the Dr Who fan base would gladly swap you the Borg for the Cybermen… we’d throw in a Cyberking for free!

A Trek crossover with Dr. Who? Fortunately, the massive legal issues on content ownership and control would have made – and if the Fates are kind always will make – such a thing unlikely.

Having been an observer of the fan scene for a good three decades, I’m still unable to decide which group of fundamentalist diehards is further out of its collective tiny little mind — Trek fans or Who fans.

Call it a draw.

I’ve loved every minute of Russell Davies’ tenure on Doctor Who, and I still can’t grasp the endless nasty, mean-spirited, ungrateful, downright vicious griping about it. Any more than i can grasp the same stuff coming from the Abrams-haters. Without RTD and JJA, your beloved franchises would be still be rotted, stinking corpses. Instead, Doctor Who is — short of Coronation Street — the most successful television series in British pop culture history, and Star Trek is once again a viable, popular, successful entity with a whole new lease on life Do you folks think you could stop grumbling just long enough to show a little gratitude?

No?

Didn’t think so.

a joke concept guys for crying out loud, RTD is full of them and likes to “air” them occasionally just to get the fan-boys into a tissy, and it always works….. Just look at the reactions on this thread, lol.
but seriously,
could you imagine the politics and logistics to try and create an episode like that?

maybe you don’t