Doctor Who review: Fanfare for the Common Men explores a very similar idea to Yesterday
By James Aggas
In the Doctor Who audio story Fanfare for the Common Men, the Doctor discovers that the Beatles have somehow vanished from history. Sound familiar?
Last month, Yesterday was released into theaters. When I saw the film a couple of weeks ago, (not the previous day, I’m sorry to say,) I rather enjoyed it. The idea of a world without the Beatles was an intriguing one, and the intimate focus on the characters worked very well for the story. But then I suddenly remembered: it’s not the first time that I’ve seen this idea explored. In fact, Doctor Who explored such an idea several years ago in the audio Fanfare for the Common Men.
Released in 2013, Fanfare for the Common Men was part of a trilogy of stories set or focused around 1963. The stories themselves were completely unconnected other than focusing on the year of Doctor Who‘s creation, exploring key aspects of the Sixties. In this story, the focus was on the Beatles. Or rather, on their mysterious disappearance from history.
What I love about Eddie Robson’s script is that, while it often parodies the Beatles’ story with the Common Men, it doesn’t shy away from mentioning the actual band. On the contrary, the lack of the Beatles is something so huge that the Doctor travels across time to investigate what went wrong. Who are the Common Men, and why have they clearly taken the Beatles’ place in history?
A world without the Beatles
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It’s hard not to listen to this story now and not compare it to Yesterday, as both of them have a very similar idea. In some ways, they have very similar themes, too.
Of course, they have completely different approaches. While Yesterday was purely a “what if?” story – one that didn’t need to answer the question of why there was a world without the Beatles, only to explore it – Fanfare for the Common Men is your typical Doctor Who mystery. A mystery that has some truly bonkers answers at the center of it.
Robson usually has two key elements in his stories. One of which is a distinctive mix between the everyday and the extraordinary. This is very common to all of his stories, and Fanfare for the Common Men is no exception. Beneath this world of pop music and fans going wild lies another world, a world of aliens and monsters. It’s a mix that has always worked extremely well for Robson.
The other key element that always works well in his stories is humor, and Fanfare for the Common Men is no exception. This story is full of it, and unsurprisingly, it’s full of references and jokes that Beatles fans are sure to love. (One reference to a long-term and ridiculous rumor especially made me laugh.)
Fanfare for the Common Men is a decent Doctor Who story. But like Yesterday, it’s also a great celebration of the Beatles. One that highlights not just their impact on history, but how that impact was created through random chance, and how that magic is impossible to manufacture. That little bit of commentary, along with the sheer love that this story has for the Beatles, makes Fanfare for the Common Men a fantastic tribute to the Fab Four.
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Are you a Beatles fan? Do you think the TV series should explore similar ideas? Let us know in the comments below.