Did the New ‘Doctor Who’ Trailer Reveal the Return of Kamelion?
There’s a new Doctor Who trailer out courtesy of Eurovision 2023. And it’s possible that an unexpected familiar face turns up in it–Kamelion.
Every week a little something new in the world of Doctor Who appears. For the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen these teeny teases which, when played backward, lead us toward what we just got–a new trailer.
There are a lot of things in that trailer worth discussing. Beep the Meep, the Wrarth Warriors, Donna Noble, Rose, and what seems to be a new UNIT HQ. And we have the names of all three special episodes: “The Star Beast,” “Wild Blue Yonder,” and “The Giggle”. But there’s something else in that trailer no one is talking about and we think thought should be.
At the start of the trailer, we see a storefront for the clothing shop “Cyberdog“. The very real place features two robotic-looking creatures at its entrance. Most people see this as a simple misdirect. And we agree–to an extent. We don’t think this is Cyberman related.
However, just because a place/object is real doesn’t mean it can’t be repurposed for Doctor Who. After all, in Russell T Davies’ first ever episode “Rose”, the London Eye is repurposed as the Autons transmitter.
Similarly, we think one of those robots is a little too familiar to be nothing. So, let’s talk about a classic(ish) Doctor Who companion from the 1980s: Kamelion!
Courtesy of BBC Worldwide
Who is Kamelion?
Kamelion is a shape-changing robot. They first appear in the Fifth Doctor story “The King’s Demons” where they are under the control of the Master. The Master reveals that he finds Kamelion on the planet Xeriphas during his exile there in the episode “Time-Flight”.
Supposedly the Kamelions were created as weapons of war by the Gelsandorans. This seems to be corroborated in “Day of the Doctor” where, in UNIT’s Black Archive, there is a photo of Kamelion. The image includes the text, “Companion of the fifth Doctor. Metamorphic shape-shifting android. Creation of the Galsandorans”.
As for their on-screen appearances, Kamelion is capable of turning into anyone while also taking on their memories and personalities. However, Kamelion seems to be deeply susceptible to psychic control which is why they find themselves under the control of the Master in both “The King’s Demons” and “Planet of Fire”.
In “Planet of Fire” Kamelion asks the Doctor to destroy them. The Doctor agrees. However, there’s a lot more to the story of Kamelion for a number of reasons.
Courtesy of BBC Worldwide
Behind the Scenes
Kamelion is not CGI or a human actor (at least not all the time). They are not only a robot in fiction, Kamelion is also a robot in real life. Unfortunately, robots are more a neat idea in the 1980s rather than a reality. Basically, Kamelion never quite works right on the series. In fact, Kamelion’s software programmer Mike Power died after the filming of “The King’s Demons”. Mike Power was the only person who knew how to use Kamelion. So that’s a major tragedy and a huge problem!
Kamelion was going to be a major companion for the Doctor. Obviously, that never happens in canon. However, the character does appear in a number of novels, audio dramas, and comics. And, now, possibly for the 60th-anniversary specials.
Courtesy of BBC Worldwide
Is David Tennant Still the Doctor?
From the moment Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor regenerates into David Tennant, the question of this Doctor’s legitimacy has been hanging in the air. The Doctor has never regenerated into an older incarnation before. And the Doctor never regenerates new clothing–both of which happen for this latest regeneration. And while Davies insists that the clothing issue was one of practicality, there’s no reason to assume he’s being honest.
We know Kamelion is capable of taking on any appearance. We know that the change in appearance also gives Kamelion all that person’s memories. In fact, we also know that Kamelion isn’t always clear on their own identity. So, is David Tennant playing the 14th Doctor, or is he playing a Kamelion who thinks they are the 14th Doctor?
Hear me out. Kamelion changes clothes and personalities. They don’t always know they are Kamelion. And if the character Neil Patrick Harris plays is actually the Celestial Toymaker whose whole deal is ensnaring sentient beings and tricking them into playing his games, wouldn’t it make sense for him to have a toy like Kamelion?
“Why would the Toymaker do this?” you may ask. Good question. Maybe he needs Donna Noble and wants to trick her using the one Doctor’s face she could potentially be familiar with. And if that doesn’t satisfy you…
Courtesy of BBC Worldwide
Kamelion Doesn’t Have to Be the Doctor
Throw out the idea that the 14th Doctor is actually Kamelion. Go on! Put it in the trash! Even if that’s not what’s going on, Kamelion can easily be a part of the 60th anniversary. Rumors are flying everywhere that guest stars will be in abundance in these episodes. It’s entirely possible that characters who cannot be there, who are not even alive, could appear–if Kamelion is involved.
Consider history: in “The Five Doctors” (Doctor Who‘s 20th-anniversary special), there’s a whole segment where the Doctor is nearly tricked into believing that his old companions Jamie and Zoe are there. But, if you’re a big nerd, you know that those two companions have their memories erased in “The War Games” so they can’t be there. Memories erased. Huh. That sounds familiar. Didn’t the Doctor erase Donna’s memories at the close of “Journey’s End”?
In fact, consider that Donna Noble is not supposed to be able to see the Doctor without her brain literally exploding. But we see her in these specials. What if we aren’t seeing Donna? What if we’re seeing Kamelion posing as Donna?
Courtesy of BBC Worldwide
The Curse
There is only one reason why Kamelion may not be in the 60th specials and that is the curse. Yes, Doctor Who has a curse, and Kamelion is it. Remember how Mike Power died after the filming of “The King’s Demons”? He isn’t the only Kamelion-adjacent person to die.
The two primary actors to play Kamelion, Gerald Flood and Dallas Adams, are also both deceased. Terence Dudley and Peter Grimwade, Kamelion’s writers are both dead. In fact, even Robert Holmes who penned “The Caves of Androzani” (which features a fake Kamelion) is also gone.
If you believe in curses, that may keep you from writing Kamelion. Does Russell T Davies believe in curses? Unknown! However, it feels unlikely that something as tenuous as this will inhibit Davies from doing whatever he wants to do.
In fact, that’s really the only argument against a Kamelion story for the 60th Doctor Who specials–Russell T Davies may simply have no interest.
