Alternative Soundtracks – Time and the Rani

And last, but by no means least, we come to Time and the Rani. As the Doctor was played by a Scotsman in the original, it was up to Andrew to weave his usual magic with the voice, and I leapt at the chance of playing both the Rani and Mel. I actually managed to make Mel far more annoying than she ever was in the real Doctor Who – if that’s physically possible – and the Doctor ends up not being quite as patient with her as he should be.

We had great fun with the early scenes featuring the Doctor and the Kate O’Mara version of Mel, and the conversation between them managed to get onto the subject of Andrew rather than anything to do with the programme at all. Andrew obviously tried to steer the conversation away from himself but I was having none of it. These scenes revolved around the fact that Mel was hungry and that she wanted fish and chips from the fish & chip machine (the pyramid thing that the Doctor is trying to repair). When they’re in the TARDIS and the Doctor choosing some new clothes, the Rani/Mel gives him a right hook and he smashes into the mirror. She then says, ‘I’m sorry, but you’ve got such a punchable face!’

Everyone kept telling Mel how ugly she is throughout the entire story, and even the Doctor was ecstatic when he realised she was a hologram when she walked straight through him, though his joy at this realisation didn’t really fit in with him throwing his hat to the ground and looking grumpy. Never mind, eh? Mel wasn’t exactly complimentary towards the Doctor, either, constantly telling him how fat his predecessor was.

Faroon spent the entire story complaining that because of all the commotion with the Rani being on Lakertya, the roast dinner that she’d put in the oven has burnt. There is a sequence towards the end of the story where the Rani and Urak are framed in shot through the Loyhargil ‘conveyor belt’ mechanism, and the Rani says, ‘Can you get one of us both together?’ as if they are posing for photographs at a wedding. Urak was re-named Chris, and Andrew thought up some new names for his fellow Tetraps such as Tetrap Door and Tetrap Eze. I also changed the word ‘Loyhargil’ to ‘Roy Scargill’, but please don’t ask me to explain that one…..

Next Episode: Alternative Soundtracks – Looking Back!