‘A FIX WITH SONTARANS’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
The Sixth Doctor reunites with Tegan and meets Gareth with the Sontarans
When I purchased ‘The Two Doctors’ 2-disc DVD edition back in March 2007, the mini-episode called ‘A Fix with Sontarans’ was included. It starred Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor, Janet Fielding as Tegan and Gareth Jenkins as himself. This mini-episode was specifically recorded for the ‘Jim’ll Fix It’ TV show.
In 2012, when the Jimmy Saville scandal happened, the mini-episode was removed from certain DVD releases of ‘The Two Doctors’. I found this a shame, as I like ‘A Fix with Sontarans’, especially when little Gareth Jenkins met his hero – Colin Baker as the Doctor – and they with Tegan fought Sontarans. 🙂
Thankfully, in the Season 22 Blu-ray box set, ‘A Fix with Sontarans’ has been updated with a brand-new edit, as the JS moments at the beginning and at the end of the mini-episode have been removed. I’d like to think the makers of ‘The Collection’ Blu-ray box set took my suggestion to heart. 🙂
It’s interesting to revisit ‘A Fix with Sontarans’ on Blu-ray, especially in terms of how the new edit is presented. It’s also interesting to find Tegan in the episode instead of Peri. For some reason, Nicola Bryant wasn’t available to play Peri in the mini-episode. I’m not entirely sure what the reason was. 😐
Although, I did read that Nicola wasn’t allowed to take part after refusing to take part in one of John Nathan-Turner’s pantomimes. A bit petty if you ask me, but whatever. Anyway, Janet Fielding is back as Tegan and it’s interesting to see how she interacted with Colin Baker’s Doctor in the mini-episode.
I think Tegan works well with Colin Baker’s Doctor compared to Peri and compared to how she interacted with Peter Davison’s Doctor. I’m not sure why she’s in her purple air stewardess uniform though. Did Air Australia say, “All is forgiven” since ‘The Waters of Amsterdam’ and she soon got her job back? 😀
I’m not a fan of Tegan’s 1980s mullet hairstyle in this episode either. I quite like Gareth Jenkins in his very impressive Sixth Doctor costume, which his grandmother made for him. Apparently, his grandfather made him the cat brooch for his costume, according to the Blu-ray audio commentary. 🙂
According to Colin Baker, Gareth Jenkins had learnt his lines whilst making this mini-episode. Colin struggled to remember his lines whilst making this mini-episode. Therefore, he had to say the lines that matched Gareth’s lines in the mini-episode. I can only imagine how hilarious that must’ve been.
The Sontarans that appear in the story are played by Clinton Greyn and Tim Raynham. These were the two actors who played the Sontarans in ‘The Two Doctors’, which is nice. 🙂 Mind you, I’m not sure I care for the Sontarans’ names in the mini-episode, as Clinton Greyn plays Group Marshal Nathan.
Yeah! Bit of an odd name for a Sontaran. I believe the Sontaran that Tim Raynham played is called Turner. Hmm. Judging by how Eric Saward wrote this mini-episode, I’m guessing he based the Sontarans’ names on producer John Nathan-Turner. I would have named the Sontarans differently. 🙂
This leads me to a debate I have regarding ‘A Fix with Sontarans’ in ‘Doctor Who’s continuity. I initially assumed that ‘A Fix with Sontarans’ was a dream or a nightmare, especially with the JS moments intact. On the DVD version, the ‘Jim’ll Fix It’ host appeared at the end to greet the TARDIS trio. 😐
I’ve also been informed by Wolfie that the Sixth Doctor had a nightmare about the Sontarans in ‘A Fix’ in ‘Business Unusual’, the BBC Books adventure, which is Melanie Bush’s first ‘Doctor Who’ story. I’ve yet to read that story, but it doesn’t reflect how the new Blu-ray version presents ‘A Fix’.
In the Blu-ray version of the story, there’s a new ending where CGI Sontarans ships are about to attack the TARDIS and a voiceover from Colin Baker’s Doctor says that ‘this was just the beginning’. I’d be very willing to accept ‘Fix’ as cannon in ‘Doctor Who’s continuity based on the Blu-ray version.
But it does raise questions I have regarding the entire context of the mini-episode. For example, how come Tegan doesn’t know what Sontarans are, as she met them before in ‘Prisoners of Time’ and ‘Heroes of Sontar’? Then again, ‘Doctor Who’ hasn’t been known for being consistent with continuity throughout all medias. 😦
I’m also wondering if Tegan is going to remember meeting Colin Baker’s Doctor in this as well as ‘The Gathering’ when it comes to her return in the 2022 BBC Centenary Special of ‘Doctor Who’. Also, does this take place before the audio story ‘Davros’ and before Sixy reunites with Peri in ‘Timelash’?
Apparently, there’s a Short Trip story called ‘Fixing a Hole’, which you could argue is a sequel to ‘A Fix with Sontarans’, but it only features the Sixth Doctor and Tegan in it. I’ve not read that Short Trip yet, but are we to consider that as canon now as well as ‘Fix’? I would have to read it to find out more.
Going back to the DVD version, Gareth Jenkins was given a Sontaran Mezon-gun-rifle by Colin Baker and the BBC as a souvenir. That was nice of them. Gareth Jenkin looked very happy when he received them. 🙂 I’m very happy that this mini-episode made him happy when he got to appear in it.
On Disc 5 of the Season 22 Blu-ray box set, there’s a Blu-ray audio commentary on ‘A Fix with Sontarans’ with Colin Baker, Janet Fielding and Gareth Jenkins, moderated by Toby Hadoke. I enjoyed the audio commentary track. It was good to hear Colin, Janet and Gareth share their memories of making the mini-episode as a trio.
I’m also pleased that Gareth Jenkins is currently part of the ‘Malaria No More’ charity. ‘A Fix with Sontarans’ is an enjoyable mini-episode with Colin Baker’s Doctor, Janet Fielding’s Tegan and Gareth Jenkins. I enjoyed the mini-episode on DVD and I enjoyed the newly edited mini-episode on Blu-ray.
‘A Fix with Sontarans’ rating – 9/10
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Bradley's Basement 
There is a special feature on the season 22 set where Nicola Bryant talks in-depth about how she was bullied by JNT. 😔
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Hi germanembassy2015.
Thanks for letting me know. I believe that would be Nicola’s ‘In Conversation’ interview with Matthew Sweet on the ‘Timelash’ Blu-ray disc. I haven’t seen the entire interview, but I get that Nicola felt she was being controlled by JNT, especially when she couldn’t reveal she wasn’t American and she was married, which is odd in my opinion.
Many thanks for dropping a line.
Tim 🙂
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Bill Baggs seemed to treat Nicola a lot better for The Stranger series and The Airzone Solution and, as a fan of Nicola at the time, I was very pleased about that. I did know from DVD interviews that John Nathan-Turner became difficult which led to the very abrupt departure of Eric Saward. As for A Fix With Sontarans, I liked it for being the return of the Sontarans that The Two Doctors couldn’t be. So I was glad that they did the re-edit without Jimmy Saville, which I saw on YouTube years ago, and I liked how they could add a Rutan. Thank you, Tim, for your review.
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Hi scifimike,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on ‘A Fix with Sontarans’. I’m pleased they released the mini-episode on Blu-ray in a brand-new edit, especially as I enjoyed it on DVD, despite the Jimmy Saville scenes. I didn’t think much of JS until the 2012 scandal happened, so it was shock to discover it unravelled over the years. I’m pleased ‘A Fix with Sontarans’ is open to speculation on whether it fits in with the main ‘Doctor Who’ continuity, and I’d like to think it does fit in with the continuity, thanks to the Blu-ray edit.
It’s a shame that producer JNT wasn’t the easiest person to work with. I know Nicola Bryant and Sophie Aldred found it a challenge to work with him at times and I can sympathise with Eric Saward on why he fell out with him due to the upheaval of making ‘The Trial’ season and the tragic death of Robert Holmes. I’m glad Nicola Bryant was better treated during the BBV productions she took part in and I certainly enjoyed her performances in ‘The Stranger’ episodes she was in as well as ‘The Airzone Solution’.
Many thanks for your comments.
Tim 🙂
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Hi Tim, and great review.
I’m glad I finally got around to watching ‘A Fix with Sontarans’. I’d like to think it was a dream that the Doctor had, but I still enjoyed it. Colin Baker, Janet Fielding and Gareth Jenkins all did really well.
I too am glad of the edits made. Jimmy Saville was undoubtedly a cruel and stone-hearted man. That being said, I’ve heard a lot of claims that the BBC should be dissolved because of his actions. I don’t think it’s really fair to say that. 😔
As for Nicola Bryant and John-Nathan Turner, I’d have to watch her interview to hear her thoughts on the matter. Interesting about her working with Bill Baggs, because I’ve heard claims that he himself wasn’t all that nice a person.
Xavier
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Claims about the dark sides of certain people in the entertainment industry I might choose to disbelieve to some extent. I know that a great deal is still coming out that can indeed be true, as well we all know. But it might become something of a witch hunt.
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When did I say I believed it? I only said I’d heard. I don’t know anything about Bill Baggs as a person. Please don’t twist my words and make claims about a so-called ‘witch hunt’.
Xavier
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I assure you that I wasn’t. I do think though, based on the impressions I had from some of his interviews, that Bill Baggs is a basically good soul.
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I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spread misinformation. I haven’t seen any interviews of Bill Baggs speaking , although I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to watching them or any BBV productions as they’re rather pricey.
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I understand. I remember how hard it was back in the 90s to get a hold of BBV videos. All I could get at the time were The Airzone Solution and The Zero Imperative. I had to wait until many years later to see more, interviews included, thanks to YouTube (Bill Baggs has a documentary clips and trailers channel there) and assorted video sites like Dailymotion and Vimeo.
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Hi Xavier,
Glad you enjoyed my review on ‘A Fix with Sontarans’. I found this a fun mini-episode to check out before and after the Jimmy Saville scandal, and Colin Baker, Janet Fielding and Gareth Jenkins are highlights throughout for me. I can’t make certain comments about Nicola Bryant and John Nathan-Turner, though I know Sophie Aldred intially found JNT a challenge to work with, according to her ‘In Conversation’ interview with Matthew Sweet. As for Bill Baggs, I don’t know that much about him as a person, even though I’ve enjoyed his BBV content over the years. He seems nice enough from watching him being interviewed. Not sure if he and Colin Baker get on with each other nowadays, since Colin stated he wasn’t happy about not being paid when ‘The Airzone Solution’ was re-released on DVD, according to chats I’ve had with him at conventions. 😐
Many thanks for your comments.
Tim 🙂
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