An Adventure in Space and Time

An Adventure in Space and Time is a 2013 television film centered around the creation of the science-fiction television series Doctor Who in 1963, and the subsequent run of the First Doctor, William Hartnell (portrayed by David Bradley) from 1963 to 1966.

William Hartnell

 * Doctor... who?


 * [in 1964, showing Lambert a newspaper] Verity, take a look at this. Take a look at this! General de Gaulle. "Degaullek" - "Non! Non! Non!" [shows picture of de Gaulle as a Dalek] We've really got something here. They love us.


 * You can't have Doctor Who without Doctor Who, can you?


 * [clip of the real Hartnell, from The Dalek Invasion of Earth] I want you to belong somewhere, to have roots of your own. With David you will be able to find those roots and live normally like any woman should do. Believe me, my dear, your future lies with David and not with a silly old buffer like me. One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.

Sydney Newman

 * [catchphrase] Pop-pop-pop!


 * [to Hartnell] "Not blessed"? What the hell are you talking about? Of course you're blessed! You're gonna be "Doctor Who", aren't ya? Perfect choice for my little show - well, my idea, anyway. That's what I do - ideas. One day I came into ITV - "I got an idea," I said. "The Avengers". "What's it about?" they said. "How the hell should I know?" I said. "But what a title!"


 * Be a producer, Verity. Find a way to deal with this stuff. Or are ya out of your depth?


 * [after the premiere of The Daleks] Ten million viewers for your bug-eyed monsters. Ten million. So... what do I know about anythin'? [winks] Well done, kid.

Verity Lambert

 * [to a friend, when asked about finding a job in TV] "You're only a production assistant, dear, it's a bit of a leap." I'm giving myself a year, Jackie - get on in television, or get out.


 * The old curiosity shop, the Roman forum, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, symphonies in pencil and ink... so surely you can turn your hand to my teeny little time machine?

Waris Hussein

 * [on the script for An Unearthly Child] What is this? What are we going to do with this? Stone Age man going "ug"? It's crazy! Cavemen and doctors and disappearing bloody police boxes!


 * Wish I knew what bloody dimension I was in...

Dialogue

 * Narrator: [introduction, using the 1963 BBC intro] This is the BBC. The following program is based on actual events. It is important to remember, however, that you can't rewrite history. Not one line. Except, perhaps, when you embark on an adventure in space and time.




 * Producer: Mr. Hartnell? Mr. Hartnell, sir, they're asking for you. What should I tell them?
 * William Hartnell: Tell them what you like.
 * Producer: I beg your pardon, Mr. Hartnell?
 * William Hartnell: [angrily] Tell them what you bloody well like!
 * Producer: I'm only doing my job.
 * William Hartnell: Sod off, will you?! I'm not ready! [quieter, to himself] I need more time.




 * [Newman has just explained his concept for Doctor Who]
 * Sydney Newman: So, what do you think?
 * Verity Lambert: Look, Sydney, I would love to work with you again, really I would, it's just... I gave myself a year. Get on in TV or get out.
 * Sydney Newman: Hey hey hey hey hey... I don't want you to be my assistant again, kid. I want you to produce it.
 * Verity Lambert: [incredulous] Produce it?
 * Sydney Newman: Sure! They've never had a female producer here. Sit down. [Lambert sits down, looks over the scripts] You're just what this place needs - someone with piss and vinegar in their veins.
 * Verity Lambert: Thanks... I think.




 * [on Lambert's duties as producer]
 * Verity Lambert: Sydney obviously thinks he's got the right person for the job. That's what he wants for Doctor Who, someone with piss and vinegar in their veins.
 * Mervyn Pinfield: Did he say that?
 * Verity Lambert: He's very blunt.
 * Mervyn Pinfield: Yes... look, all I'm saying is, dear la-- [Lambert glances pointedly at him] Verity, all I'm saying is, "experience" is not a dirty word. Don't fight us. Perhaps you could add a few drops of warm beer in with your...
 * Verity Lambert: Piss and--
 * Mervyn Pinfield: Mixture. Just for the time being.




 * [after the premiere of The Daleks]
 * Waris Hussein: A bus. What were you doing on a bus?
 * Verity Lambert: Getting in touch with our audience... [jubilantly] Our great, big, fat, enormous bloody audience!




 * [on Carole Ann Ford leaving the show]
 * William Hartnell: It's not too late, you know.
 * Carole Ann Ford: No, I've made up my mind.
 * William Hartnell: They could rewrite this stuff in the shop.
 * Carole Ann Ford: It's time to move on, Bill. There's lots of other things I want to do.
 * William Hartnell: Well, of course.
 * Carole Ann Ford: And there's more to life than screaming at nasty monsters.
 * William Hartnell: [jokingly indignant] That's no way to talk about me.




 * [in the TARDIS console room set, after Lambert leaves Doctor Who]
 * William Hartnell: The, uh, glass cylinder should be going up and down. The ship is in flight.
 * Director: Right, yes, sorry.
 * William Hartnell: [waits for a moment, then, impatiently] Well?
 * Director: Yes, sorry, be right with you.
 * [A technician comes out and opens the wiring for the TARDIS console, but nothing works]
 * Director: Anybody know how to make it go?
 * William Hartnell: Oh, for Christ's sake, does anyone know how to do anything?! [shoos off the technician] Out, out you go! I'll sort it myself!




 * [The BBC has decided to replace Hartnell as the Doctor]
 * Sydney Newman: Oh, hell, Bill, there's no easy way of saying this. We want Doctor Who to go on.
 * William Hartnell: Yes.
 * Sydney Newman: But not with you. Like you said, things have gotta change.
 * William Hartnell: [quietly] I see. Who... who've you got in mind?
 * Sydney Newman: You're a hard act to follow, Bill.
 * William Hartnell: No need for soft-serve, Sydney, you know me better. Who?
 * Sydney Newman: [shows Hartnell a photograph] Do you approve?
 * William Hartnell: Oh yes, yes... quite. Patrick Troughton. Excellent choice.
 * Sydney Newman: I'm so sorry, Bill.
 * William Hartnell: [waves a hand at that] "Fortune, good night; smile once more; turn thy wheel."
 * Sydney Newman: Huh?
 * William Hartnell: King Lear. I did it once, carried a spear. Long time ago. Long... long time ago.




 * William Hartnell: Well, it's, uh, been agreed by mutual consent that I should... pack it in.
 * Heather Hartnell: Oh...oh, right.
 * William Hartnell: Give it up.
 * Heather Hartnell: I see. Well, then... [sniffs a bit] I think it's for the best. Truly, I do. You can't go on like this.
 * William Hartnell: And I've made my mark, showed everyone I can do it. I'm sure it will lead to lots more... interesting stuff, hmm?
 * Heather Hartnell: [long pause] Well, I'll make us a nice cup of tea.
 * William Hartnell: I... [voice breaking] I don't want to go. [breaks into tears] I don't want to go.




 * [on the set of The Tenth Planet, Hartnell's last episode]
 * Patrick Troughton: [clears throat] Well then, who's Who? [chuckles, shakes Hartnell's hand] I won't lie to you, I'm scared stiff.
 * William Hartnell: Oh, you'll be fine. In fact, you'll be wonderful. I told them, you know, "there's only one man in England who can take over".
 * Patrick Troughton: Oh, couldn't they get him? [chuckling from the cast and crew]

Cast

 * David Bradley as William Hartnell/The First Doctor
 * Brian Cox as Sydney Newman, creator
 * Jessica Raine as Verity Lambert, original producer
 * Sacha Dhawan as Waris Hussein, original director
 * Jeff Rawle as Mervyn Pinfield, associate director
 * Reece Shearsmith as Patrick Troughton/The Second Doctor
 * Lesley Manville as Heather Hartnell, William Hartnell's wife
 * Claudia Grant as Carole Ann Ford/Susan Foreman