What a Tease: DOCTOR WHO
editing promos which convey a show's themes, genre, and content
When Doctor Who regenerated in 2005 (furthermore lovingly referred to as ‘NuWho’), it had aired only specials and a TV movie for over 25 years. The teaser had its work clearly cut out: show an existing audience what to expect, while hooking a new audience wholly unfamiliar with its concept.
NuWho’s first teaser “The Trip of a Lifetime” deployed techniques to both those ends:
Content and Style
The Doctor immediately breaking the fourth wall and asking ‘us’ a direct question feels startling; he continues to ask / warn / challenge if we really want to encounter ghosts, aliens, and the end of worlds.
The content gives a quick overview of what episode plots may contain, but more importantly the style of address makes 'audience identifying as a companion’ the crux of the whole teaser.
This emphasis on us makes even more sense with the opening moments of the first episode “Rose” — the Doctor doesn’t appear for several minutes, NuWho centres Rose as audience surrogate, and constantly discusses the hazards and danger of her choice. Thus the teaser addressing us the way the Doctor would address his companion is not just an opportunity to ‘sum up’ Doctor Who story elements, it’s a strong stylistic choice in keeping with the show’s direction.
This choice also sidesteps a common teaser approach of showing a series of clips. While NuWho wanted to court ClassicWho viewers, it didn’t want to show any clips which may give away the game: Daleks or Slitheen or Charles Dickens; the low-budget special effects of Rose dangling from a dirigible, etc. The show clearly figured it was better everyone discover new or revamped alien and monster designs in context . . .
With one big[ger on the inside] exception.
Show Something Juicy
When you’re hiding nearly everything, you do have to pull out one big gun. It’s a little surprising how much of the TARDIS is shown (considering the first inside-the-Police-Call-Box camera move in “Rose” is designed around it being a Big Introduction) but they absolutely had to show at least some of the series’ most iconic constant element.
The TARDIS reveal isn’t not just a fun, flashy, colourful bit of showpersonship, it gives classic fans something to rave (or rant) at, while clearly showing new viewers a ‘more ridiculous a space-hurtling machine and thus a less serious show than Star Trek’ vibe.
Shots and Edit
The ‘stutter’ ish, echoing edits, which repeat small shots and which technique is repeated throughout the piece — immediately gets across the time travel concept.
The camera keeps moving, which here gives not just a feel of travel but danger (another of Series 1’s themes) and compelling action. (I’ve talked about the many things moving shots can convey elsewhere.)
Other than the basic conceit (rather important!) and new TARDIS interior design, the teaser gives very little away; even Rose, who would lead the opening of the new series, only appears ‘standing and staring mysteriously’ at the end.
There are lots of closeups of feet and mysterious tunnels, and continuing returns to an explosion which gets bigger every time we see it, but with no context as to where it is or what made it. Stylistically, the way it’s sprinkled throughout works to build tension, while it also provides a strong colour and mood contrast with the shots of the Doctor inside the TARDIS.
Takeaways
Perhaps even more importantly because of its limited time, a good teaser is more than what it shows but how it shows.
The Doctor monologue is wrapped in a very-in-vogue orange-and-teal palette and a crowd-pleasing TARDIS reveal. The first is bound not to anger anyone, and for the second, well: if you’ve got a deck of cards you’re going to keep close to your vest, may as well humour the audience by playing a big one!
The teaser has a strong grasp of the show’s history alongside the story engines of the new series. With echoing edits, fourth wall breaking, and moving cameras, the teaser incorporates all that not only in content but style.