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The Space Museum

A Collection of Doctor Who Oddities

Compiled by Felicity Scoones

[cover of Robot]

Robot by Peter Grimwade
Submitted by Jon Preddle

Disillusioned with the JNT/Saward style of Doctor Who, writer/director Peter Grimwade broke all ties with the show in 1985 and turned his hand to writing a children's novel. In 1987 Robot was published by Star books, a subsidiary of WH Allen. It is evident from the book that Grimwade still retained affection for Doctor Who because of the in-jokes and references within the novel. The story is of a boy genius who builds an army of robots based on instructions from outer space which he receives in his dreams. Young Tolemy lives near Turlow Heath and received these instructions from the Man in Black (the name of a 1950's radio thriller series' host played by Valentine Dyall, the Black Guardian!) The robot warriors are the product of Vardon technology in the war against their enemies the Kosnax (the Vardon/Kosnax war is mentioned in Grimwade's Time-Flight!) Other tenuous links include mention of Lanzarote and Darlington University. Even 'Dr Who' is mentioned on page 45, and cries of 'Exterminate!' are heard from the robots. Character names contain links to Doctor Who with Pip and Jane Attwell, Mr Bidmead and Mrs Courtney-Hocking.

Sale of the Century
Submitted by Cameron Pritchard

On Monday 23 March 1992 the just-married Judith Kirk on Sale of the Century was offering some bins for the 'sale time'. She said how much they were and how they were made and then said 'They look like Daleks from Dr Who!'

Pink Floyd
Submitted by Cameron Pritchard

Has anyone noticed that on the 1988 Pink Floyd live album Delicate Sound of Thunder there's a song called 'One of these Days', which includes the Doctor Who tune. It is fairly noticeable too.

Ben Elton
Submitted by Paul Scoones

On his video The Very Best of Ben Elton (1990), Elton compares a Pekingese dog's insides to 'Dr Who's TARDIS'.

Waiting for God
Submitted by Paul Scoones

In episode two of the British comedy series Waiting for God Graham Crowden's character is referred to as 'Doctor Who' when he talks about not being 'Earthbound.'

[comic frame]

Excalibur
Submitted by Jessica Smiler

From issue 1 of the Marvel comic Excalibur, the same comic which has W.H.O, Brigadier Stuart and Doctor/Professor Stuart! (see The Space Museum column in TSV 26)

Cricketlife
Submitted by Jessica Smiler

This extract is from Cricketlife magazine, issue unknown.

The English-trained psychologist is working with the squad on autogenic training and attaining the alpha state. It sounds like something out of Dr Who but it's a mental technique that has been developed over the last 90 years and used with success to enhance sports performance. The alpha technique, eastern knowledge devised for westerners, disciplines the mind so it doesn't wander or produce negative thoughts.

Juniper
Submitted by Jessica Smiler

The following passage is from the book Juniper by Gene Kemp (1986):

'There are to be no cards or calendars in this classroom before the fifteenth of December or I shall go stark, staring mad and exterminate you all,' said Mr Merchant.
'Like Daleks, you mean.'
'Yes. And you wouldn't care for that, would you?'
'Don't exterminate us, Sir,' cried the girls. 'We don't mind you going mad, though,' Batty muttered.

Tales From Another Now
Submitted by Jessica Smiler

The following passage is from the short story Mist in the New Zealand book Tales From Another Now by Gaelyn Gordon. (An interesting note is that the name of the character Kowaikoe could be read as the Maori 'Ko wai Koe?' meaning 'Who are you?'*).

'Come into the living room,' said Dean, 'and watch TV. Dr Who is on in a couple of minutes.' The twins and Kowaikoe went out.
Dad followed them. 'If he's scared of electric light,' he said, 'I hate to think of what effect the Daleks will have on him.'
On the screen an animated orange kangaroo was singing a happy slogan while it jumped in and out of a packet of talking breakfast cereal.
Kowaikoe squawked and went rigid with astonishment.
Dr Who was a great success. After the shock of the kangaroo, Kowaikoe could take Daleks and tentacled monsters in his stride.

*Though it should also be noted that the character, who is a Patupaiarehe child, calls himself 'Kowaikoe' or 'Who are you?' because Patupaiarehe don't have names (as noted by Keri Hulme).

National Business Review
Submitted by both Leigh Hendry and Graham Howard

Enough to make you call for Dr Who: The dialetics have been exterminated

This is the headline from the Books column by Andrew Adonis in the National Business Review 27 March 1992. (Note that 'dialetic' is a misspelling of 'dialectic', meaning a debate intended to resolve conflict).

Shelley
Submitted by Iain Stewart

From the UK comedy TV series Shelley, in the episode A Happy Event. Phil and Shelley are discussing Carol, a character generally agreed to be totally heartless:

Phil: Well, beneath that exterior of granite beats a heart of, well, sort of soft, quite nice.. .granite.
Shelley: Don't know. Bit hard to take on board, Carol having a tender side. I always pictured her as a Dalek in a dress.

This item appeared in TSV 28 (April 1992).

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