Doctor Who Vs. Cracker Specials

After three full seasons, Granada's Cracker

 returned to ITV in 1996 for a feature-length

thriller written by Paul Abbot. Robbie Coltrane

again played the titular criminal psychologist,

Fitz (here on a lecture tour of Hong Kong), and

 was joined by Ricky Tomlinson (as DCI Wise).

An American version launched in late 1997, and

was shown in the UK as Fitz. In 2000, the series

was ranked 39th in the BFI's 100 Greatest British Television Programmes poll.

Coltrane reprised his most famous TV role ten years

later in a final special, set in Manchester again, and

scripted by series creator, Jimmy McGovern. The

two cases featured David Bradley, and a total of eleven Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

White Ghost (UK TX: October 28 1996)

• prolific Big Finish director Barnaby Kay (Philby) was Heidi in The Girl Who Died, and voiced Martin Donaldson for A Life in the Day (2015), Commander Thrakken for The Neverwhen (2016), Gerrard Pulman/ Foreman for Precious Annihilation (2020), Chilton for The Devil's Hoofprints (2021), and Axos for Master! 3 (2024)
• Pik Sen Lim (Wei Wei) was Captain Chin Lee in The Mind of Evil - a role reprised for Open the Box (2019) - she also voiced Dom-Ra for Neon Reign (2018)

Nine Eleven (UK TX: October 1 2006)

• for Barbara Flynn see Series 1
• Anthony Flanagan (Archer) was Orin Scannell in 42
• Nisha Nayar (DS Saleh) made her TV debut as Red Kang in Paradise Towers, was a Programmer in Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways, then voiced Zanzibar Hashtag for Harvest of the Sycorax (2016), Guleraana Arbid for Torchwood One (2017), Coleridge for Spinvision (2020), Kindred for Runtime (2023), and Emily Barnfather for The Stuff of Legend (2024)
• Stephen MacKenna (Robert) was Dennis in The Woman Who Fell to Earth
• effects editor Peter Baldock was an Acolyte in The Face of Evil
• Steve Griffin and Kai Martin were stuntmen on The Idiot's Lantern and Tooth and Claw
• Andy Pryor was also casting director on the revived run, from 2004 to the present
• Andy Brierley was also casting associate on fifty-eight episodes (from The Christmas Invasion to The Big Bang), Music of the Spheres, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures

Doctor Who On This Day #222

 

1932 - Actress Kate O'Mara born

Frances Meredith Carroll in Leicester

1968 - The Dominators, Episode 1

first screened on BBC1

1969 - The Savages, Episodes 3 and 4

and The Smugglers, Episode 2 repeated

and The Tenth Planet, Episode 2 first

screened, all on TV1

1972 - Spearhead from Space, Episode

1 repeated on ABC

1973 - The Curse of Peladon, Episode 4, The Sea

Devils, Episode 6 and The Mutants, Episode 3

repeated and The Time Monster, Episode 2 first

screened, all on ABC

1978 - Planet of the Spiders, Part 3, Robot, Part

4 and Revenge of the Cybermen, Parts 3 and 4 all 

repeated on ABC; and The Sun Makers, Part 1

repeated on BBC1

1981 - The Invasion of Time, Parts 1 to 3 all

repeated on WTTW 11; and The Keeper of

Traken, Part 1 repeated on BBC1

1982 - The Ark in Space, Part 3 repeated on KQED 

Plus; and Terror of the Zygons, Parts 3 and 4 both

repeated on ABC

1983 - The Time Warrior, Parts 3 and 4 both

repeated on ABC; and Image of the Fendahl,

Part 3 repeated on KQED Plus

1984 - Destiny of the Daleks, Part 2 repeated

on KQED Plus

1985 - Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Part 3 and

The Armageddon Factor Omnibus both repeated

on KQED Plus

1986 - Planet of Evil Omnibus repeated

KQED Plus

1987 - Revenge of the Cybermen Omnibus

repeated on WTTW 11; and The Brain of

Morbius, Part 4 first screened on Super

Channel

1988 - The Masque of Mandragora, Part 4 first

screened on TV3 (Spa); The Hand of Fear, Part

3 repeated on Super Channel; and Warriors

of the Deep, Part 1 repeated on KQED Plus

1989 - The Deadly Assassin, Part 3 repeated

on KQED Plus; The Invisible Enemy, Part 3

repeated on ABC; and The Twin Dilemma,

Part 1 first screened on TV2

1990 - The Silurians, Episode 5 repeated on KQED 

Plus; and City of Death, Part 3 repeated on ABC

1991 - Spearhead from Space, Episode 3 repeated

on TV2; and Black Orchid, Part 1 and Silver

Nemesis Omnibus both repeated on KQED Plus

1993 - Frontier in Space, Episode 4 repeated on UK

Gold; and Terror of the Zygons, Part 3 repeated on ABC

1994 - Terminus, Part 2 repeated on UK Gold

1995 - Death to the Daleks, Part 1 repeated

on UK Gold
1996 - Director Rex Tucker died in Oxfordshire,

aged 83; and The Edge of Destruction and Planet

of Giants Omnibuses both repeated on UKTV (Aus)

1997 - The Stones of Blood Omnibus

repeated on UK Gold

1998 - The Dominators, Episode 1 repeated on
Space; The Five Doctors repeated on KQED;

and Survival, Part 2 repeated on UKTV (Aus)

1999 - The Web Planet, Episode 3: Escape

to Danger repeated on Space; and Doctor

Who TV Movie repeated on UKTV (Aus)

2000 - The War Machines, Episode 2 repeated

on Prime; Colony in Space, Episode 2 repeated

on UKTV (Aus); and Robot, Parts 1 and 2 both

repeated on BBC America

2001 - The Creature from the Pit, Parts

3 and 4 both repeated on NHPTV; and

Logopolis, Part 1 repeated on UKTV (Aus)
2002 - The Sontaran Experiment, Part

2 and The Androids of Tara Omnibus both

repeated on BBC Kids (Can); Planet of Evil

Omnibus repeated on KERA; The Face of Evil

Omnibus repeated on KERA; The Armageddon

Factor Omnibus repeated on UK Gold; The

Curse of Fenric, Part 4 and Survival, Part 1

both repeated on BBC Prime; and Daleks'

Invasion Earth 2150 AD screened on Nine
2003 - The Keys of Marinus, Episodes 1 and 2 both repeated on KBTC; 
Genesis of the Daleks, Part 1 repeated on WCNY; The Masque of 
Mandragora, Part 3 repeated on WSKG; The Deadly Assassin, Parts 3 
and 4 both repeated on Iowa PTV; The Armageddon Factor Omnibus
repeated on UK Gold; The Horns of Nimon, Part 2 repeated on WILL;
The Keeper of Traken Omnibus repeated on BBC Kids (Can); Castrovalva, 
Part 1 repeated on KUED; Four to Doomsday, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated
 on MiND; and Time and the Rani Omnibus repeated on MPT
2004 - The Three Doctors, Episode 4

repeated on ABC

2005 - Castrovalva, Part 1 repeated on ABC
2006 - Dalek repeated on BBC3; and Rise

 of the Cybermen first screened on Prime
2007 - Aliens of London repeated on S Oregon PTV;
World War Three and Doctor Who Confidential: Why 
On Earth? both repeated on Oregon PB; The Empty
Child and The Doctor Dances both repeated on UK
Gold; Bad Wolf first screened on TV3 (RI); and The
Parting of the Ways and Doctor Who Confidential:
The Last Battle both repeated on BBC3

2008 - Full Circle, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on Iowa PTV; The Unquiet Dead repeated on Ozarks PTV; The Christmas Invasion repeated on WXXI
and WTTW 11; Rise of the Cybermen repeated on UK Gold; The Age of 
Steel first screened on UNC-TV and repeated on UK Gold and Idaho PTV;
The Idiot's Lantern and Doctor Who Confidential: The Writer's Tale both
first screened on MPTV; Love & Monsters first screened on ProSieben,
KERA and WTVP and repeated on UK Gold; Evolution of the Daleks first
screened on Jimmy; The Poison Sky first screened on Prime; The Doctor's Daughter and Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: Sins of the Fathers both
 first screened on ABC1; Doctor Who Confidential: The Last Battle repeated 
on KQED Plus; Doctor Who Confidential: From Zero to Hero first screened 
on UNC-TV; and Doctor Who Confidential: The New World of Dr.Who first 
screened on KERA
2009 - School Reunion and The Girl in the

Fireplace both repeated on Syfy (Rus); The

Age of Steel and Doctor Who Confidential:

From Zero to Hero both repeated on BBC3;

Doomsday  and Doctor Who Confidential 

Cutdown: Finale both repeated on ABC2;

and Smith and Jones first screened on

WTTW 11

2010 - The Unquiet Dead and Aliens of London both repeated on AXN

SciFi; School Reunion repeated on Syfy (Rus); Rise of the Cybermen,

Evolution of the Daleks and Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: Making

Manhattan all repeated on UKTV (Aus); Last of the Time Lords first

screened on Space; and The Time of Angels and Doctor Who

Confidential: Eyes Wide Open both repeated on BBC3
2011 - Terror of the Vervoids, Parts 9 and 10 both repeated on MTV3 
SciFi, TV2 and TV4; The Long Game repeated on UKTV (Aus); Father's 
Day repeated on Watch; and Army of Ghosts, The Waters of Mars and
The Eleventh Hour all repeated on BBC America

2012 - Paradise Towers, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on Syfy (Aus);
The Parting of the Ways repeated on UKTV (Aus); The Girl in the 
Fireplace and Rise of the Cybermen both repeated on Watch; The

Stolen Earth, Cold Blood and Vincent and the Doctor all repeated

on BBC America; and The Pandorica Opens and Doctor Who

Confidential Cutdown: Alien Abduction both repeated on ABC2

2013 - Rose, The End of the World, The Unquiet Dead and Aliens of 
London all repeated on France 4; The Sontaran Stratagem, Flesh and 
Stone and The Vampires of Venice all repeated on BBC Entertainment
LA; Day of the Moon repeated on BBC Nordic HD and BBC
Polska HD; Let's Kill Hitler and Night Terrors both repeated on

BBC Entertainment EU; Cold War first screened on DR3; Doctor Who 
Confidential: Blinded by the Light repeated on BBC Entertainment
AP; and Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: Heartbreak Hotel 
repeated on UKTV (Aus)

2014 - The Power of Kroll, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on KBTC; The 
Unquiet Dead repeated on WILL; The Doctor Dances and Boom Town 
both repeated on UKTV (NZ); New Earth and Doctor Who Confidential: 
New New Doctor both repeated on Iowa PTV; The End of Time, Parts 1
and 2 both repeated on BBC Entertainment LA HD, CBeebies LA
and TV3 (Spa); The Eleventh Hour repeated on RAI4; The Beast 
Below repeated on BBC Entertainment LA and RAI4; Victory of the 
Daleks, The Pandorica Opens, Let's Kill Hitler and Dinosaurs

on a Spaceship all repeated on BBC Entertainment LA; Flesh

and Stone and
Doctor Who Confidential: Blinded by the Light both repeated on BBC 

Entertainment AP; The Curse of the Black Spot, The Rebel Flesh 
and The Almost People all repeated on Syfy (Spa); The Doctor's

Wife repeated on Karusel; Nightmare in Silver repeated on Idaho

PTV; and The Name of the Doctor repeated on WVPB

2015 - The Stones of Blood, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on Horror;
 Terminus, Part 1, The Vampires of Venice and Amy's Choice all
repeated on Syfy (Aus); Love & Monsters and Fear Her both repeated
on BBC America; Doomsday repeated on Disney XD (US); The Sontaran Stratagem and The Poison Sky both repeated on EBRU; The End of Time,
Part 4 (of 4) first screened on FX (Ind); The Curse of the Black Spot 
repeated on BBC Nordic HD and BBC Polska HD; A Town Called Mercy 
repeated on TV Cultura; The Power of Three repeated on UKTV (NZ);
The Rings of Akhaten repeated on ABC2; The Crimson Horror repeated
on Prime and WPT; and Into the Dalek repeated on BBC Entertainment
AP

2016 - The Mind Robber, Episodes 1 and 2 both repeated on Retro 
TV; The Runaway Bride and Smith and Jones both repeated on BBC
America; The Parting of the Ways repeated on The Zone; The Family 
of Blood and Into the Dalek both repeated on Syfy (Aus); Cold Blood 
and Let's Kill Hitler both repeated on Syfy (LA); The Big Bang
 repeated on BBC Entertainment AP; The Power of Three
 repeated on BBC Polska HD; Cold War repeated on Einsfestival;
The Caretaker repeated on WTTW Prime; In the Forest of the Night
repeated on TV Cultura; Last Christmas repeated on BBC First 

(Ben); Face the Raven repeated on Space; and Doctor Who

Explained repeated on ABC2
2017 - Colony in Space, Episodes 4 and 5 both repeated on Retro 
TV; The Ark in Space, Part 1 repeated on Jones! too; Planet of the 
Ood repeated on Syfy (Aus); Kill the Moon repeated on BBC First
 (ME); Flatline, In the Forest of the Night, Dark Water,
Death in Heaven, The Magician's Apprentice and The Witch's
Familiar all repeated on BBC America; and The Zygon Invasion
 and The Zygon Inversion both repeated on RAI4
2018 - Death to the Daleks, Parts 2 and 3 both
repeated on Retro TV; Frontios Omnibus repeated
on Jones! too; and Flesh and Stone repeated on BBC
Polska HD
2019 - The Ambassadors of Death, Episodes 4
to 7 and The Invisible Enemy, Parts 3 and 4 all
repeated on Retro TV; Warriors

 of the Deep Omnibus repeated on RSU PTV; Last Christmas and 

Behind the Lens: The Day of the Doctor both repeated on BBC

Polska HD; The Magician's Apprentice repeated on BBC Polska HD

and RAI4; The Witch's Familiar repeated on RAI4; The Zygon 

Invasion, The Zygon Inversion, Sleep No More, Face the Raven, 

Heaven Sent and Hell Bent all repeated on Fox (FRG); Knock 

Knock repeated on Syfy (Aus); and The Doctor Falls repeated

on One ARD
2020 - Cold Blood and Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror
both repeated on BBC Polska HD; Day of the Moon,
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and A Town Called Mercy
all repeated on NRJ12; Deep Breath, Into the Dalek,
Robot of Sherwood, Listen and The Caretaker all

repeated on BBC First Turkey; and Twice Upon a

Time repeated on BBC America

2021 - Orphan 55 repeated on ABC2