Come with us to Fantasy Island as we explore what could, potentially, be the greatest Doctor Who spin off of all time: a Duggan TV series.
Now, you may be wondering who exactly Duggan is, and why he’s deserving of his own Doctor Who spin off. He first appeared in the 1979 TV story ‘City of Death‘ written by the non-existent David Agnew (more on that here) and was a private detective who was assisting the Fourth Doctor and Romana in their fight against the last of the Jagaroth.
‘City of Death’ has gone on to become one of the most highly-regarded Doctor Who stories of all time, and certainly the highest-rated; a strike at ITV meant that this Season 17 serial saw some 16 million viewers tune into its final episode, but that’s not to say that it wouldn’t have done well anyway. Indeed, ‘City of Death’ was penned by Douglas Adams of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fame, and boasted some gorgeous location work on the streets of Paris.
In the adventure, the private detective Duggan became something of a guest companion. Not known for his subtlety, Duggan’s philosophy of ‘hitting anything that moves and asking questions later’ made him one of the story’s most dynamic, comedic and loveable characters, and the perfect foil for the more logical, decorous Romana.
And whilst it’s always a plus to be a highly-regarded character in Doctor Who fandom, Duggan’s role as a private detective also opens up some intriguing story possibilities for a Doctor Who spin off.
For a start, there is Duggan’s endlessly curious nature – a staple trait for any character hoping to make their mark in the Whoniverse. This is what led Gwen Cooper into the world of Torchwood (one of the very first Doctor Who spin offs) and indeed was the raison d’être for companion Sarah Jane Smith, an investigative journalist who went on to star in two Doctor Who spin off series: K9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures.
So Duggan’s endless curiosity could land him in a suitable amount of a danger for a Doctor Who spin off. In much the same way that Sarah Jane was enticed by the Bubbleshock soft drink, Duggan could have his eye on a suspicious Caffè Nero at Paddington Station (or Roma Termini if Big Finish takes up the mantle and dispenses with the need for a location budget.)
(C) BBC
This could then lead our hero into two different types of adventure – the gritty, Torchwood-style story in which he uncovers an alien-funded conspiracy on a Children of Earth scale, or a more comedic tale where he believes he’s on the tail of alien invaders but has actually stumbled into a fiery dispute about Christmas lights at Handforth Parish Council.
And for anyone who’s ever seen Hot Fuzz, you will see the story possibilities for a traditional, hard-boiled detective like Duggan. In this 2007 movie, a London police officer uncovers what he thinks is a string of targeted murders by a jealous supermarket manager, only to discover that the reality is much stranger. It’s a whole-village conspiracy, led by the Neighbourhood Watch Alliance who are hell bent on winning the Best Village Award, and who bloodily dispatch anyone who doesn’t live up to their impeccable standards.
Imagine what it would be like if Duggan infiltrated what he thought was a cabal of alien conspirators only to discover it was a regional branch of LINDA…
On the flip side, this Doctor Who spin off could take the Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) approach, where clients drop into the private detective agency and hire the protagonists to look into various suspicious matters. For this Doctor Who spin off, it could be the discovery of a bizarre alien artefact that’s about to be sold at auction, or a string of bizarre deaths that seem to have no earthly explanation.
The Duggan series could even draw from other classic shows like Crime Traveller, where it transpires that the murderer is committing the perfect crime by using a time machine to give himself the perfect alibi. Or it could adopt the Jonathan Creek model, where the crimes have been committed in a way that seemingly defies logic and reality; for example, the ‘Jack in the Box’ episode (starring Maureen O’Brien, no less) revolves around a man who is found murdered in a room which has been locked from the inside. How did the killer get out?
(C) BBC
At the same time, one has to remember that the actor who plays Duggan – the estimable Tom Chadbon – is now 77, so the character will have accrued some 44 years of detective experience since ‘City of Death.’ Will the private detective have become wiser and more careful in the time that’s passed? Or has he grown bitter and twisted, frustrated that the Doctor never returned for him? Has he become obsessed with all-things alien since the events of ‘City of Death,’ or has he gone into a state of complete denial, desperately trying to ignore the slightest whiff of alien activity?
Certainly, organisations like UNIT and Torchwood could cross his path in this Doctor Who spin off, given his previous contact with the Doctor, so there would also be the possibility of them trying to recruit him for various missions (the Black Archive, anyone?) Indeed, it would be entertaining to witness a maverick detective like Duggan trying to operate within the stringent code of a military outfit like UNIT.
(C) BBC
Either way, no Doctor Who spin off would be complete without a strong cast of supporting characters, and Duggan would certainly need a side-kick. In this instance, it could be someone much younger than him – a character for him to mentor, a la Sergeant Lewis and Inspector Morse. Perhaps it is a student from the University of Cambridge, who abandons their studies after a life-changing alien encounter which brings them into contact with Duggan? Conversely, a more senior ‘maternal’ character like Amelia Ducat from ‘The Seeds of Doom’ could be fun to watch – it would be a bit like James Bond meets Miss Marple.
And whilst these ideas are just speculation and a bit of fun, there must be a large number of fans who would love to see a Doctor Who spin off starring the Whoniverse’s most famous detective. Disney+, give us a call.
In the meantime, what would you most like to see from a Doctor Who spin off? Let me know in the comments below.
This is the box set (with the Fourth Doctor and Romana 2) waiting to happen though probably rights to the Duggan character have prevented Big Finish from doing so. All of the leads have worked with Big Finish and have chemistry together so it is a pity there isn’t more mileage for the trio and it remains a great ‘what if?’ Otherwise the character could appear on the trial of Lady Christina.