Why did you decide to pitch a story for Master
Pieces?
I’d never
written for the Master. It’s a character I have fond memories of from the
Pertwee days, but if I’m honest I haven’t been a fan of all of the subsequent
incarnations. Some I have really liked. Some… not so much. But I do like the
concept of the character and Roger Delgado was glorious, and so I thought I’d
have a go. Besides, it’s for a good cause so it would be mean not to.
What are you most proud of about your story?
I like
the characters and personality of the Master I worked with. I also like that he
fits in so comfortably with Erimem, Andy and Ibrahim. This was kind of my test
for a plot idea too. If I can assassinate everyone more likely than me to ever
become Doctor Who showrunner (and that would be a very, very, very long list)
my plan for the show’s 60th would be distilled from part of the idea
in this.
Can you give us a little taster of what the
readers can expect from your piece?
It’s a
heist story. I wanted to do The Thomas Crown Affair but with time travel
shenanigans and the Master… and in 5000 words.
I’ve
never let Erimem and her new chums appear in anything except the books we do
with them. I thought it might be nice to let Erimem and her pals provide the
backdrop for the Master story, just to make it have a different flavour from
the other stories.
How did you find the writing process?
I went
back to basics with him. What is he? Who is he? What is he in comparison with
the Doctor? How does he view the Doctor? What made me like and enjoy the
character in the first place? The challenge for me was making this a story and
a Master I’d like to have seen on the tellybox.
Where else we can find your work?
I’m
writing a noir novel at the moment. Set in the golden age of Hollywood, it’s a
female private eye investigating a really nasty run of crimes. I’ve got three
novels completed but not announced and contracts signed for a couple of novels
which I’ll do after that. I write for Commando war comics regularly and edit
the Erimem novels. I like to write for the series every year or so. But I’ve
written a pile of different things – novels, audios, radio, TV, theatre… if you
want to check out my work, pop over to www.iainmclaughlin.co.uk – I
update it a couple of times a month.
What’s your favourite Master story?
Terror of
the Autons. It just edges The Daemons and The Deadly Assassin. It’s a wonderful
introduction story and really sets him up as the Doctor’s Moriarty, or
something of an anti-Doctor. And it’s a great Robert Holmes script. As is The Deadly Assassin. The Daemons is pretty much perfect too.
Who do you think should play the next Master and
why?
Hugh
Grant. I like the Master to be charming, ruthless and not insane. I really
think Hugh Grant would be smooth, intelligent, utterly amoral and enormous fun.
I would also like Peter Capaldi to play the Master. If the Master really wants
to stick the knife into the Doctor, there’s nothing more insulting than to
actually copy his appearance. Capaldi is also just a fantastic villain.
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