Farewell, Great Macedon
William Russell (Ian Chesterton ), Carole Ann Ford (Susan Foreman), John Dorney (a href=”/alexander-the-great” title=”Alexander the Great”>Alexander the Great)
The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance
William Russell (Ian Chesterton), Carole Ann Ford (Susan Foreman), John Dorney (Rhythm), Helen Goldwyn (Melody/Harmony)
Farewell, Great Macedon
“Seeing history unfold itself before my very eyes. I was once told one should look upon history objectively. But now, I find myself emotionally involved — and it makes me very unhappy…” – Barbara Wright
When the TARDIS arrives outside the gates of Babylon the First Doctor and his friends find themselves in the presence of Alexander the Great. But there is treachery at work as generals plot to overthrow the king and his men. When the travellers stand accused The Doctor and Ian must face trials while still trying to uncover the real murderers.
This volume is rounded off with background on the real historical figures and reviews from several Doctor Who historians, plus a special edition of the DWM Time Team.
Included is a bonus opening script for anotherearly submission from Moris Farhi – The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance, and a brief history of Moris’ distinguished career.
The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance
Fragrance is a paradise world – a utopia that the travellers are loathe to leave after a relaxing stay. But the way of life is different here.
And so is the way of love – as Barbara discovers when the Fragile Yellow Arc is broken…
coming soon
Farewell, Great Macedon
- Farewell Great Macedon is an unproduced six-episode First Doctor serial by Moris Farhi which was commissioned by David Whitaker for the first season of Doctor Who in 1964.
- Ian would later tell Pendolin that it was Alexander who taught him how to ride a horse. (The Time Museum)
- Immediately after his third regeneration, Fourth Doctorrecalled his encounter with Alexander the Great. Temporary memory loss caused him to refer to Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart as “Alexander.” (Robot)
- At the banquet scene, Cleitus accuses Alexander of Hubris and is upset with him for now incorporating worship of Ammon (an Egyptian god) and Ishtar (a Persian goddess) as if he has not done so before. In reality, Alexander had been associating himself with Ammon, even possibly claiming ancestry from him, since his visit to the temple at Siwa in 332 BC, nine years previously.
- Unusually for a Doctor Who story, Seleucus‘ status as one of the story’s principal villains is never revealed to either The Doctor and his companions or Alexander.
The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance
- The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance is a First Doctor story by Moris Farhi which was submitted to David Whitaker during the first season of Doctor Who.
- The author intended the story be one episode. Though this is a highly unusual length for the original version of Doctor Who, it was written before the show had actually evolved “standard” lengths. The Daleks was just beginning its run as Moris Farhi wrote this episode, so it was by no means clear that all stories were going to be the same length as An Unearthly Child, which was itself arguably a one-part story followed by a three-part one.
- Though released by Big Finish Productions as a “lost story”, it was really never a serious candidate for production and thus only as “lost” as any story idea that gets turned down after the initial pitch. The difference was that Farhi made his pitch in the form of a completed script, which made it easier to convert into an audio play.
- The sapient species of Fragrance is never named. No noun or adjective for “of or relating to Fragrance” is given by the author or adapter. Thus an “inhabitant” or “native” of Fragrance is the closest the text comes to naming the resident species.
- This story contains an in-depth explanation of how The Doctor actually flies the TARDIS – far more substantial than any given on television.
