News on the Latest Doctor Who Spinoff
K9, Gets a New Look and Abilities in his Own Show.
Apr 10, 2009
In the conclusion of the 1977 Doctor Who TV serial The Invisible Enemy the time travelling Doctor picked up a new assistant. Joining the 4th Doctor (Tom Baker) and his warrior maiden ally, Leela (Louise Jameson), was a robotic dog named K9. Zapping bad guys with his nose laser and tossing out his catch phrase “Affirmative” K9 was a valuable addition to the Doctor’s time machine, the TARDIS.
In two almost identical incarnations, the K-9 Mark I and K-9 Mark II, the cybernetic sidekick would remain with Tom Baker’s Doctor until his January 1981 departure in the serial Warriors Gate. More recently, K-9 has appeared in three episodes each of the current run of Doctor Who with Tenth Doctor David Tennant and the Sarah Jane Adventures. In the case of the latter, K-9 will also be part of six epidsdes of its upcoming third series.
With all that supporting role time under his belt, K-9 is now ready to fly, and yes he does fly, in his own TV vehicle beginning fall ’09. There was a previous attempt to spin off the character but the broadcast in 1981 pilot for K-9 and Company was not picked up as a series by the BBC.
Limitations of the Original K-9
In the 1991 video release Doctor Who: The Tom Baker Years. The title performer provides anecdotes and opinions regarding his seven year run as British T V’s most famous time traveler. At one point Baker confesses to not being much of a fan of K-9 or as he continually refers to him “The Tin Dog.”
“I thought K-9 never realized his potential.” Baker confesses before later adding, “The trouble with K-9 is one couldn’t get a two shot without me turning into a dwarf.” The actor refers to his need to crouch whenever his character had a face-to-face conversation with the squat, floor bound K-9.
Stealth was not the original K-9’s strong point. The loud whirring noises the cybernetic pooch made as it rolled along rendered it impossible for him to sneak up on anyone. He also didn’t have the best power supply. He ran out of juice more than a couple of times in the midst of a crisis involving the Fourth Doctor.
The New and Improved K-9
You can get a first look at the redesigned K-9 in action here on YouTube. The first thing you’ll notice about K-9's new look are his large, floppy mechanical ears which can move forward and back and droop to the side to help convey emotion.
The trailer also show the cyber pup whizzing about the sky getting off several bursts from his new and improved nose laser. That’s an impressive airborne offensive capacity the original, earthbound K-9 lacked.
Ramping up to the K-9 Premiere
Posted on April 8, 2009, the Doctor Who News Page at gallifreyone.com reports, “Filming for K-9 continues in Australia through April; the BBC is not involved in the series' production. K-9 is expected to air on Australia's Network Ten and UK digital channel Jetix/Disney XD in the autumn.” The News Page story includes no details on a possible North American broadcast home for the show.
The lack of BBC involvement in K-9 means no guest appearances by the Docotor or any of his assistants. What you’ll get instead is that famous tin dog teaming up with plucky teenagers and a whacky scientist. K9's show is a dog of another colour. It isn't the sophisticated science fiction we have come to expect from the contemporary Doctor Who and it's grimly themed spinoff, Torchwood. K-9 is for the kids.
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