QI: TPF

[Quatermass]

I've decided to try a quite interesting thread game: QI: TPF. In other words, a QI (or Quite Interesting) quiz on the Terry Pratchett forum.

Now, no one person gets to be Stephen Fry, but like the film screenshot thread quiz, we take it in turns, on a first come, first serve basis. We have to ask questions that have rather unexpected answers, unusual and interesting.

I dunno whether we can emulate the quite complicated scoring system from the show, though.

Anyway, first question goes to me. And it is a surprisingly hard one.

Who created Doctor Who?

[Penfold]

A rare appearance from me in the Games Thread and one that will likely result in klaxons sounding and a ten point penalty; Just to get it out of the way and take one for the team, I will go with the obvious answer of "Terry Nation".

[Sjoerd3000]

I think the Doctor was created by his parents

[Quatermass]

A rare appearance from me in the Games Thread and one that will likely result in klaxons sounding and a ten point penalty; Just to get it out of the way and take one for the team, I will go with the obvious answer of "Terry Nation".

*Klaxons*

That is the right answer for Trivial Pursuit, but completely wrong in what we like to call real life. Although Terry Nation had a lot to do with the future success of Doctor Who, he had no part at all in its creation. Nation created the Daleks.

I think the Doctor was created by his parents

*Klaxons*

Wrong answer for the question. But on a different note, was the Doctor born? Some continuities make the claim that Time Lords are 'born' adults from genetic engineering 'looms'.


Come on, do we have a fan of the series ready to give the wrong (but generally accepted) answer for my original question?

[Tonyblack]

I think it was actually a collaborative project between Sydney Newman, Cecil Webber and Donald Wilson. But there were a whole bunch of people involved if I remember correctly.

[The Mad Collector]

Like Tony I think it was a collaboration rather than a single person but if anyone could be seen as 'creating' the Doctor and how he should be portrayed it would surely be the first script editor, David Whitaker, as he developed the guide for the script writers to follow which explained the characters to be used and how they related to each other

[Quatermass]

I think it was actually a collaborative project between Sydney Newman, Cecil Webber and Donald Wilson. But there were a whole bunch of people involved if I remember correctly.

Tony has the most correct answer first.

Sydney Newman is the single man generally credited with the creation of Doctor Who, but it was very much a collaborative effort, and not only did Donald Wilson commission the report (on the feasibility of TV science fiction) that led to the creation of Doctor Who in the first place, but it was Cecil Edwin 'Bunny' Webber who wrote up the original settings and character backgrounds of the series. The contribution of producer Verity Lambert shouldn't be discounted either, especially as she managed to overrule Sydney Newman on things like the theme music, or the Daleks, which he didn't like, and David Whitaker had a good contribution too.

Interesting fact: Originally, Webber wanted the Doctor to be a more malignant figure, trying to stop progress, and trying to go back in time to find an ideal past, and then nullify the future. He also suggested that the Doctor's biggest adversaries could be his own people, trying to stop the Doctor from doing this. Newman vetoed these suggestions straight away, preferring that the Doctor become a fatherly figure rather than a reactionary.

Okay, the floor's open.

[Sister Jennifer]

Woot! Good game Quatermass I know a quite interesting fact about about Dr Who. It's the longest running sci fi tv show ever.

Here's one:

What effect does drinking alcohol have on antibiotics?

[Tonyblack]

I'll let someone else have a go if they have something ready, as I'm pretty busy at the moment.

[Willem]

Alcohol has no effect on antibiotics whatsover. Doctors advised not to drink when taking antibiotics, because they were used to treat STDs and you don't want someone carrying an STD running around drunk and spreading the joy around

[Dotsie]

WARNING! Don't drink alcohol when taking metronidazole - you'll be sorry! (It makes you throw up a lot)

[Dotsie]

So, klaxons for Willem

What form of life was the first on Earth (probably)?

[spideyGirl]

So, klaxons for Willem

What form of life was the first on Earth (probably)?

Bruce Forsyth?

[Dotsie]

Yes!

[Quatermass]

Uh, self-replicating nucleic acids?