The Doctor’s Wedding is the first new story I have written for some time featuring one of the classic Doctors. There have been quite a few flashback stories in among the Ninth and Tenth Doctor stories, and it is nearly twenty years since I wrote the Seventh Doctor story The Wintermen for a creative writing coursework piece. But having decided to write classic stories, this one came into my mind quite easily.

In fact, I was researching a story set on the Orient Express when this storyline presented itself and I abandoned that more complicated plot and wrote this in a couple of days flat. It was always going to be Sixth Doctor story. Of all The Doctor’s who might want to avoid being forced into a marriage of convenience, he just seems the one. Mel Bush is a perfect companion for a storyline like this. Her relationship with the Sixth Doctor is a love/hate one with them sparring over details like The Doctor’s exercise regime, but pulling together when it matters.

Originally, Leela was going to feature alongside Andred. But I found it difficult to write any kind of useful role for her in this story. Then the idea of her visiting her Outlander friends presented itself. It fitted in perfectly. Meanwhile, I was able to introduce another character who well deserves a starring role.

The fact that Colin Baker played a guest role as Maxil in Arc of Infinity before going on to BE the Sixth Doctor is a well documented piece of Doctor Who trivia. His own account of it is familiar enough to fans. But it meant that on Gallifrey there was, for a time, a Doctor Doppelganger. I couldn’t resist introducing him.

Andred and Maxil are both former Commanders of the Chancellery Guard. They both started off as enemies of The Doctor and found themselves respecting him by the end of their storylines. Both, in this story, have left the Guard because of the new Castellan, Madam Borusalan, and have reason to plot her downfall. Of course, sooner or later, there is going to be a switch of characters. Maxil takes The Doctor’s place at the contrived wedding. He is within an inch of being married to the black widow of Gallifrey when the ceremony is stopped and she is exposed as a murderess. It’s a bit of a thin plot, it must be admitted. But I never intended it to be anything else. I wanted a bit of a romp with some funny bits and a nasty predatory woman who wanted to get her claws into The Doctor. And that’s what emerged from this story.

With Eight Doctors to choose from, and writing one story a month, the Sixth Doctor has had his chance for a while. Whether he’ll have a more serious storyline next time, I don’t know. Perhaps he will be the light relief among the darker tales from other Doctors.

Well, we’ll see. Meanwhile, the Eight Doctors series is up and running.

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Mel_Bush
http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Andred
http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Maxil