Season 18 (mostly) interior and console...

[vfxart]

Right- one aspect I'm curious about and haven't looked into is whether, if damage or misuse occurred, if the panels are consistent season to season, etc. over the life of the (drop builder name in here).

The implication of being that if the 'xyz-ifier' got a good thump, someone may have come along to remove, re-cut/repair/ re-thingumy and either altered it somewhat, or replaced with 'new and damn good enough'. Which of course could alter proportions if done a bit haphazardly, all that mazy cradness.

To this, it's easier for me to think of season to season, provided that I can at least relax enough to think that console elements (not panel configs, elements) in season x episode the first lived til the end of season x episode the last. Er, can I?

[tony farrell]

The simple answer to that question is "no"!

Confining ourselves to the Sharp Console for a moment - the controls were not consistent either throughout a given season or - in some cases - throughout an individual story. In Claws of Axos for instance, when we first see the console it is covered in wiring (to simulate the Doctor's attempts to repair it and escape from his Earth-bound exile). Careful study of the console's first appearance reveals that it wasn't fitted with the cylindrical de-materialisation circuit housing; yet, later in the same story, this housing has been fitted.

Similarly, shortly before the recording of The Time Monster, the console gained additional meters and graphics and the metal-plated panel gained the 'extreme emergency switch'. The "time ram dial" itself was only fitted part way through this story and first appears in part five.

In The Three Doctors, the extreme emergency switch moves panels and gains a flashing light above it (operated by a stagehand off-camera - you can see the cable for this lamp underneath the console in some shots). In Death to the Daleks, the dematerialisation circuit's housing has been repainted a dark grey and an additional panel of flashing lights has been fitted.

Similarly, if you watch the Key to Time season, you'll find the socket for the Key to Time tracer actually changes panels resulting in two holes being cut in two separate control panels for the same thing! In addition, the larger silver boxes (what you called the monoliths) actually get moved about with some of them being fitted upside-down compared to how they were originally fitted.

I won't even attempt to describe the changes inflicted on the console during the Nathan-Turner era save to say that hardly an adventure goes past without some changes to the console's instrumentation taking place. (In Castrovalva, the console is actually repainted part way through the story!)

So, whether due to damage, artistic preference or due to story requirements, the only thing which is consistent is the almost continuous changes that were made.  

So, referring to the season 'x' console really is a bit of a nonsense because what it looked like at the start of a season isn't how it looked at the end of the season and - indeed - how it looked in episode 'x' of a story isn't necessarily how it looked in episode 'y' of the same story!

"Plus ca change" as the French would say!

T

[Rassilons Rod]

"Plus ca change" as the French would say!

They do seem to have started this game as early on as Edge of Destruction....

[vfxart]

snip!

T

This is what I'd feared... and frankly is part of why I can be slightly choosy as long as I end up largely S18, but can finagle based on whether I think an area needs to be a resting spot, or jazzed up somewhat. All that drives that 'jazzing up' is that it must be accurate, must be an element which was present on that panel, in some config, etc (will make more sense down the road). I won't let myself invent.

Thanks!

Ever onward.