As we discuss Winter for the Adept in Audio Club, it seems a good time to have thread to discuss the work of it’s writer Andrew Cartmel.
An important, guiding influence as script editor in Doctor Who’s final days in the 80s, Cartmel was - for a long time - defined by his apparent legacy: ‘the Cartmel Masterplan’. Although, nowadays, he denies there were any clear directions he planned on taking the show, his editorship highly influenced the Virgin New Adventures, with Cartmel penning a loose trilogy of them himself - Warhead, Warlock and Warchild.
He also wrote the novella Foreign Devils and contributed three stories to Big Finish’s Lost Stories range - ostensibly from the abandoned Season 27 - Crime of the Century, Animal and Earth Aid.
Of late, Cartmel has been vocal about his time on the show revisiting it quite often on Toby Hadoke’s podcast and also having published a book about his time as script editor on the show - Script Doctor.
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Caramel actually also wrote a fair number of comic stories too.
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I’ve long been a fan of Cartmel’s era as script editor, since the McCoy era is probably forever my favorite TV era (also kinda tied with the Hartnell era), and was consequently looking forward to reading his novels. His first one, Warhead, i think is mostly pretty damn genius. Less so his later two VNAs, especially Warlock, which actively made me uncomfortable on a couple levels despite also having some really good writing in it, and consequently turned some bits in Warhead which I’d taken for typical misguided VNA edginess into things that make me look at Cartmel differently and less favorably as a person.
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Has anyone else read this?
I found it a tricky read as I thought Cartmel came across as rather arrogant in it.
It’s odd because I’ve enjoyed his contributions to Toby Hadoke’s podcast where he seems much more reflective on his time and open to different things being pointed out to him but I found his ‘book persona’ unlikeable (and I didn’t particularly like his prose style either).
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I have read it and would agree that his book persona isn’t that likeable. I met the man himself in the late nineties and had a brief chat. He came across as the complete reverse: quiet, self-effacing and quite likeable.
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Probably worth bumping this thread with Cartmel’s first New Adventure currently featuring in the Book Club.
What are your thoughts on Cartmel as either a script editor or a novelist, audio writer or comic strip wordsmith?
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Andrew Cartmel can be pretty idolised by fandom and it’s easy to see why, having even been caught up in it myself as a teen. Regardless of my general love for seasons 22-24, there was a growing negative perception of the show, in comes Cartmel and the show is shifting to a brand new tone and the glory of 7 and Ace begins. The teases of a darker direction to come is tantalising to latch onto, and the show going out on such a high as season 26 encourages perhaps more than anywhere else asking “what could’ve been?” I think his interview with Matthew Sweet will be a treat for fans when it’s out. But finding out there is no “Cartmel Masterplan” is like finding out there’s no Santa as a kid, and looking at what we do know was maybe going to happen in season 27 it’s a little ehhh?
I’m not confident the show would’ve shone quite the same as seasons 25 and 26, but if there’s one thing I do love it’s the intended exit for Ace. Having her be sent off to become the first human Time Lord is a fitting end for her as the Doctor’s apprentice, but just like the Doctor, Time Lord society is so not Ace’s style, she’d absolutely grow frustrated. It’s my favourite exit for Ace but one I don’t think the show could ever have done justice, especially not then, because when companions leave that’s typically the last you ever see of them and you need to check in on Ace for this.
With McCoy ready to leave at the end of that same season you’d never get that Gallifrey story a couple years down the line where 7 and Ace reunite and see how she’s grown and changed like you’d be dying to see. Would’ve led to some cracking EU material though. Oh what could’ve been?
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