Periods Nu-Who Hasn't Done Yet You'd Like To See?

[Fricky]

From the first trailer for the next series, we know we're getting a western episode, which is something we've not seen the show do since before it's revival. What other time periods that have been untouched in the modern era would you like to see get a full story?

-Medieval- this one I found the most surprising in it's absence. Possibly unofficially embargoed because of Merlin?
-Cold War Soviet Union- paranoia, totalitarian states, the soviet's research into ESP, someone could make a good story out of that, couldn't they?
-Feudal Japan- Mentioned briefly in "Bad Wolf", I'd love to see the Doctor mixing it up with Samurai and the codes and etiquette of that society.

[FREEFALL]

solviet union would be fantastic.


also has feudal era Japan, ever been done?

[Son of Solo]

The birth of Christ.

[Perdide]

I would totally love to see Feudal Japan in Doctor Who, as far as I know it's never been done. There might be a novel somewhere but TV wise, nope, not been done. We had some Draconians in Pertwee's era which were based on Samurai though.

I know Big Finish have explored it but I'd like to also see on TV ancient Egypt. I'm surprised its not had a proper big story set there, what with all the pyramids and 'alien ancestor' theorists.

Closest we've had is a bit of pyramids in last seasons end episodes and some mummies in 'Pyramids of Mars'. Neither of which were a proper story set actually IN ancient Egypt and ancient Egypt alone.

A Fires of Pompeii style episode with Pharaohs and Egyptians would be great!

[Beaker]

1970's (or should that be 1980's) and involving the original UNIT and Sean Pertwee as his Dad's version of The Doctor.

[hammard]

Originally Posted by Perdide

I would totally love to see Feudal Japan in Doctor Who, as far as I know it's never been done. There might be a novel somewhere but TV wise, nope, not been done.

There are a few spin off stories set in Feudal Japan (TTBOMK) these are:
The Room with No Doors (7th Doctor novel) - weird pod falls from the sky, everyone in the universe wants it, but the Doctor is feeling depressed (okay much more complicated but it would take about a week to summarise)
The Road to Hell (8th Doctor comic) - aliens who wish to understand honour get caught up in a war between families
The Jade Pyramid (11th Doctor audio) - Shinto monks guard a shrine, the shogun wants the pyramid within


Now my history of Japan is imperfect but I've heard from other people that the problem would be that the Doctor and his companions would be arrested and killed due to the isolationist policy in place.

[Perdide]

Originally Posted by hammard

There are a few spin off stories set in Feudal Japan (TTBOMK) these are:
The Room with No Doors (7th Doctor novel) - weird pod falls from the sky, everyone in the universe wants it, but the Doctor is feeling depressed (okay much more complicated but it would take about a week to summarise)
The Road to Hell (8th Doctor comic) - aliens who wish to understand honour get caught up in a war between families
The Jade Pyramid (11th Doctor audio) - Shinto monks guard a shrine, the shogun wants the pyramid within


Now my history of Japan is imperfect but I've heard from other people that the problem would be that the Doctor and his companions would be arrested and killed due to the isolationist policy in place.

Good news about the white text in your first post!

Interesting point about the isolationist policy, I can see why that may be an issue - however as that's a situation that the Doctor has faced countless times before it shouldn't be too hard to write around, for most stories that would be the first act (of the teleplay) before we moved onto the larger story. Classic example, they're about to be executed then big thing happens and everyone gets caught up in it before the Doc proves his usefulness and saves the day.

Plus there's an endless supply of useful-tech which could be employed to get round that situation as a writer wished, like a modified Chamelion-arch, TARDIS mind trickery or some kind of wobbly wobbly necklace of stealth. Y'know the usual get-on-with-the-story tech that gets us past technical difficulties

[ptahotep]

Originally Posted by hammard

Now my history of Japan is imperfect but I've heard from other people that the problem would be that the Doctor and his companions would be arrested and killed due to the isolationist policy in place.

The isolationist policy was only brought in at the beginning of the Tokugawa period at the beginning of the 17th Century. Prior to this Portugese and Dutch had established trading posts in a number of ports. Trade in firearms, particularly by the Dutch, was brisk during the Shogunate wars. However, Portugese Jesuits were actively trying to convert the local populace and this was what led to foreigners being kicked out. The Dutch arms traders returned to Europe and took advantage of the squabble that had broken out in England between the Royalists and Parliamentarians.
Despite the isolationist policy foreign ships were still permitted to take refuge from storms in Japanese ports and take on supplies in certain designated ports. From the end of the 18th century British and French began to trade surreptitiously in Japan. The policy came to an abrupt end when an American fleet under Commodore Perry dropped anchor off the coast and threatened to shell the capital if the Japanese didn't open up for trade and grant the Americans most favoured trading partner status.

That little summary seems to have come out a bit longer I intended. However, the point is that the interesting periods in Japanese history come before and after Japan was closed off and even if you wanted to use that period it is easy to get round the issues.
The Shogunate Wars would be the most interesting period to base a story in. They are a bit later than the medieval period, late Elizabethan in British terms, but it is the period when a large proportion of Japanese films are set.

The other settings that I would like see would be the English Civil War, the Wars of the Roses/Hundred Years War, the Dark Ages or Victorian Colonial India/Africa.

[Boo]

Originally Posted by Fricky

-Medieval- this one I found the most surprising in it's absence. Possibly unofficially embargoed because of Merlin?

Merlin/Who crossover?

[hammard]

For those unaware we are also getting an ancient Egyptian episode, possibly including Nefratiti which I am very excited to see included in the list, plus a return to 1930s new york.

I think it would be cool to visit the largely neglected continents. So my wishlist woulf be:
16th Century Mali - Bringing in local folklore and perhaps exploring the role of the ruling class in the slave trade
Incas- This was apparently planned in the classic era and never came through
The Soviet Union\Communist Bloc - We keep seeing Nazis but never the other big dictatorship of 20th Century Europe. It could be properly dark cold war thriller.
High Khemer Empire - Just because the architecture is so awesome!

I would also like to see a return to the 1st Earth Empire which the 3rd Doctor regularly visited, I always found it fascinating and it gave a sense of a proper future universe.