Dimensions in Time - Production

Production

• The Dimensions Of Time and 3-Dimensions Of Time were the working titles for this story. David Roden managed to convince producer John Nathan-Turner not to use either title, and instead settled on Dimensions In Time.
• An original draft of the script featured Seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy, meeting the Brigadier, Nicholas Courtney, en route to a UNIT reunion - and becoming involved in a battle with a crashed spaceship full of Cybermen. The script was entitled Destination: Holocaust, and featured the Seventh Doctor and Brigadier holed up in a burning church, trying to fight off the advancing hordes of damaged Cybermen. This original idea, written by David Roden, was vetoed by Nathan-Turner after it became apparent that Children In Need wished for the story to be a tie-in with EastEnders. Despite loving the originally proposed script, Nathan-Turner also had concerns about the cost, which would have included several lengthy night-shoots and a much larger special effects budget.
• Allegedly Anthony Ainley was initially approached by Nathan-Turner to play the part of the Master in this short story, but he turned it down. Ainley however vehemently denied this, insisting that if he were asked, he would have had no hesitation in appearing. Michael Gough was later approached to re-create the role of The Celestial Toymaker, and again Nathan-Turner was turned down. Finally, Kate O'Mara was asked if she would like to reprise her role of the Rani - a request to which she readily agreed. O'Mara was joined by Sam West, who played her sidekick Cyrian (named after the original intended actor, Sir Ian McKellen).
• The special was one of several special 3D programmes the BBC produced at the time, using a 3D system developed by American inventor Terry D. Beard that made use of the Pulfrich effect. The technology required spectacles with one darkened lens and one transparent one; these were sold in shops to the public, with the proceeds going to Children in Need.
• The Daleks were also supposed to appear, but the segment was pulled after a dispute with Dalek creator Terry Nation over payments, the sequence was not ultimately shot. All actors and crew were working unpaid, with the only stipulation being that it could never be repeated or sold on a home video for profit. The Dalek segment would have seen Peter Davison facing up against them again in the streets seen in the 1984 serial Resurrection of the Daleks.
• David Roden later went on to write and direct several plays for the theatre before directing and writing short films - including Beginners Please (2006) and the Cornwall Film Festival award winning The Resurrectionist (2006), both starring actor Guy Siner.
• David Roden worked for the BBC Drama Department in London on the 'Writers Academy'. During 2007 and 2008 he worked for the BBC Wales Drama Department in Script Development alongside the production team for Season 4 of Russell T Davies' new Doctor Who. He contributed a short story to the 'Doctor Who' novel 'The Story Of Martha' (2008). Roden also wrote the Doctor Who BBC Audio Exclusive "The Nemonite Invasion" (2009) which was read by Catherine Tate. Roden now script edits for the BBC, most recently on Casualty.