Alpha Centauri (Doctor Who): Difference between revisions

{{short description|Fictional character in the TV series Doctor Who}}

{{Multiple issues|

{{Notability|date=May 2022}}

{{More citations needed|date=May 2022}}

{{Primary sources|date=May 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Alpha Centauri (''Doctor Who'')}}

{{Infobox character

| name = Alpha Centauri

| series = [[Doctor Who]]

| image = [[Image:Alpha Centauri (Doctor Who) character appearance.jpg|200px]] <br/> <small>Alpha Centauri watching a [[surveillance|surveillance monitor]] in ''[[The Monster of Peladon]]''</small>

| first = ''[[The Curse of Peladon]]'' (1972)

| last = "[[Empress of Mars]]" (2017)

| portrayer = [[Stuart Fell]]

| voice = [[Ysanne Churchman]]

| species = Unknown

| affiliation = The Galactic Federation

| home = A planet within [[Alpha Centauri]] and Peladon

}}

'''Alpha Centauri''', played on-camera by [[Stuart Fell]] and voiced by [[Ysanne Churchman]], is a fictional [[Extraterrestrial life|alien]] delegate for the Galactic Federation in the [[BBC One]] television series ''[[Doctor Who]]''. The character appeared in two serials during the [[Third Doctor]] era in the early 1970s, before making a surprise cameo towards the end of "[[Empress of Mars]]" in 2017.

==Character traits==

Alpha Centauri is a [[hermaphroditic]] hexapod from [[Alpha Centauri]] and, being effectively genderless is referred to as "it" as opposed to "he" or "she". It is tall, green, has one large blue/green/hazel/brown eye, six arms and a high-pitched voice, wears a long yellow [[cape]] and walks with a nervous [[Gait (human)|gait]]. It is prone to cowardice and hysterics. It has a low opinion of Earth, describing it as a "'remote and unattractive" planet,<ref name="The Curse of Peladon">{{cite serial|title=The Curse of Peladon|episode-link=The Curse of Peladon|series=Doctor Who|series-link=Doctor Who|credits= Writer [[Brian Hayles]] and [[Terrance Dicks]] (uncredited), Director Lennie Mayne, Producer [[Barry Letts]]|network=[[BBC]]|location=London|date=29 January {{ndash}} 19 February 1972}}</ref> but regrets that its appearance can frighten [[humans]]. It regards females as unimportant.<ref name="The Monster of Peladon">{{cite serial|title=The Monster of Peladon|episode-link=The Monster of Peladon|series=Doctor Who|series-link=Doctor Who|credits= Writer [[Brian Hayles]], Director Lennie Mayne, Producer [[Barry Letts]]|network=[[BBC]]|location=London|date=23 March {{ndash}} 27 April 1974}}</ref>

'''Alpha Centauri''' is also the name of Alpha Centauri's native [[star system]].<ref name="BBC Episode Guide">{{cite web

| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/curseofpeladon/detail.shtml

| title = The Curse of Peladon

| publisher = [[BBC]]

| year = 2003

| access-date = 17 August 2007}}</ref> The Alpha Centauri binary star system is second only to [[Proxima Centauri]] in proximity to the [[Solar System]], home to the [[Earth]].

==Character history==

Alpha Centauri arrives on Peladon in ''[[The Curse of Peladon]]'' (1972) as a delegate overseeing Peladon's admission to the Galactic Federation. Half a century later, Alpha Centauri is on Peladon during the events of ''[[The Monster of Peladon]]'' (1974) now as Galactic Federation Ambassador to Peladon. Alpha Centauri makes a small cameo in ''[[Empress of Mars]]'' (2017) as an ambassador for the Galactic Federation welcoming the newly-awakened Ice Warriors to the universe, again voiced by [[Ysanne Churchman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-06-10/doctor-who-just-brought-back-a-classic-series-character-in-the-perfect-way|title=Doctor Who just brought back a classic series character in the perfect way|publisher=[[Radio Times]]|access-date=10 June 2017}}</ref>

==Production==

Ysanne Churchman was instructed by director Lennie Mayne to make the creature sound like a "[[homosexual|gay]] [[civil servant]]".<ref name="BBC Episode GuideB">{{cite web

| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/curseofpeladon/detail.shtml

| title = Analysis - from Doctor Who, the Television Companion

| publisher = [[BBC]]

| year = 2003

| access-date = 17 August 2007}}</ref> The same costume was worn by Stuart Fell for both appearances as the character (albeit with two different cape designs). The character reappeared in ''The Monster of Peladon'' in order to help recreate the atmosphere of Peladon depicted in the earlier serial ''The Curse of Peladon''.<ref name="BBC Episode Guide2">{{cite web

| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/monsterofpeladon/detail.shtml

| title = The Monster of Peladon

| publisher = [[BBC]]

| year = 2003

| access-date = 17 August 2007}}</ref>

==Other appearances==

Alpha Centauri appears in ''[[Legacy (Russell novel)|Legacy]]'', a ''[[Virgin New Adventures|Virgin New Adventure]]'' [[spin-off (media)|spin-off]] novel set on Peladon, meeting the [[Seventh Doctor]] and [[Bernice Summerfield|Benny]]. Alpha Centauri and Benny appeal against the Doctor's death sentence for the murder of Lady Lianna, former handmaiden to Queen Thalira, to no avail, although the Doctor is later saved.<ref name="Legacy">{{cite web

|url=http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_na25.htm

|title=Legacy by Gary Russell

|publisher=Dominique Boies

|access-date=17 August 2007

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070826213303/http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_na25.htm

|archive-date=26 August 2007

|url-status=dead

}}</ref> Alpha Centauri also features in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]] audio dramas ''[[The Bride of Peladon]]'' (2008), ''[[The Prisoner of Peladon]]'' (2009) and the audio boxset ''Peladon '' (2022), this time voiced by Jane Goddard.

==References==

{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:Alpha Centauri in fiction]]

[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1972]]

[[Category:Recurring characters in Doctor Who|Alpha Centauri]]

[[Category:Fictional androgynes]]

[[Category:Doctor Who aliens]]

[[Category:Fictional cyclopes]]