Doctor Who: Protecting State Secrets with Code Names
By David Hill
Typically, one would associate the idea of code names with James Bond and clandestine spy agencies. However, there is quite an interesting history of their usage on Doctor Who.
Doctor Who is a show with a lot of secrets. With the constantly changing cast, different companions and new incarnations of the Doctor every few years, it may be difficult to keep track of who is doing what. Then, they also have the issue of those of us who want to know what is going on behind the scenes, and who the next actors on the show will be.
One can imagine that to protect these secrets and changes, keeping details from reaching the public before the BBC is ready to release that information, they would need to be creative. That has been the case since 1965, as the BBC has been using code names for different companions, episodes, writers, and even the return of the show. The latest of these to be revealed is “Mean Town,” which is Pearl Mackie’s. Sometimes, these code names have even been used to fool other BBC employees.
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In a way, the usage of code names and misdirection makes sense. After all, Doctor Who has a rich history, and making sure that different details are not leaked out to the media is a part of that. Yet, having a level of misdirection to the point where people in your own company cannot know what is happening seems a bit absurd.
Besides, while Doctor Who is an institution and a major part of the history of science fiction, it is not as though they are protecting nuclear launch codes here. Peter Capaldi is not about to infiltrate a terrorist organization and bring it down from the inside. Steven Moffat is not trying to determine if other television programs pose a credible threat to the sanctity of Doctor Who, liberty, and country. Let’s be a bit realistic here.
It turns out that, along with the rich and vibrant history of the show, Doctor Who also has quite the history with codenames and misdirection. Who would have known?