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Survival (Doctor Who)Survival was the final story to be transmitted on BBC One in the UK as part of the original twenty-six year run of the science-fiction television series Doctor Who, although it was not in fact the last to have been produced: this was Ghost Light, transmitted some weeks earlier. The three twenty-five minute episodes were broadcast at 7.35pm on Wednesday evenings from November 22 to December 6 1989, the final three episodes of the programme's twenty-sixth season to air. The story was the last to feature Anthony Ainley as the Doctor's popular enemy The Master and Sophie Aldred as his companion Ace. The actor who had portrayed the Seventh Doctor since 1987, Sylvester McCoy, returned briefly to the role at the beginning of the American TV movie continuation of the series, Doctor Who, in 1996. The serial was written by Rona Munro and directed by Alan Wareing. Synopsis End Of Doctor Who Although there was no public indication that this was to be the final regular instalment of Doctor Who, unlike previous season-ending stories there was no voice-over on the closing credits of the final episode to tell viewers that the programme would return for a new series for following year. The programme's popularity and public profile had, however, been dwindling for some time, and Controller of BBC One Jonathan Powell took the decision to rest the programme. The intention was that although the BBC would cease producing the programme in-house, an independent production company would be sought to produce new episodes and re-launch the series. The BBC had in fact already been approached for such a venture by Philip Segal, a British ex-patriat working for Columbia Pictures' television arm in the United States. His protracted negotiations eventually resulted in the 1996 TV movie venture, but did not lead to a series. Having already surmised that episode three of Survival was likely to at least be the last episode of Doctor Who for some time, and possibly the last ever, the programme's producer John Nathan-Turner decided close to transmission that a more suitable conclusion should be given to the final episode. To this end, script editor Andrew Cartmel wrote a short, melancholic closing monologue for actor Sylvester McCoy, which McCoy recorded on November 23 1989 - by coincidence, the show's twenty-sixth anniversary. This was dubbed over the closing scene as the Doctor and Ace walked off into the distance, apparently to further adventures. The Doctor Who production office at the BBC finally closed down, for the first time since 1963, in August 1990. The gap between Survival and Doctor Who was filled by British publisher Virgin Publishing, who from 1991 onwards produced a range of novels entitled the New Adventures, which carried on the story of the Doctor and Ace from the end of Survival. Survival was released on VHS by BBC Worldwide in 1995, and has frequently been repeated on the satellite television channel UK Gold. Doctor Who eventually returned to production as a BBC series in 2004, produced by BBC Wales. Rose, the first episode of the new series, aired on March 26, 2005. External Links
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