Damaged Goods (Davies novel)

''Damaged Goods'' is an original '' Doctor Who'' novel, released by Virgin Publishing in their ''New Adventures'' range of ''Doctor Who'' books in 1996. It was the first piece of full-length prose fiction to have been published by the television scriptwriter Russell T Davies, who later became the chief writer and executive producer of the ''Doctor Who'' television series when it was revived in 2005. Davies's first professionally published fiction, a novelisation of his children's television serial '' Dark Season'', had been released by BBC Books in 1991.

In July 2014 it was announced that Big Finish Productions were to produce an audio drama adaptation of the novel, as part of their licensed ''Doctor Who'' range. The adaptation was released in April 2015, available as a standalone title, or in a special box set with an adaptation of Gareth Roberts's Fourth Doctor novel '' The Well-Mannered War''.

Plot

The novel is set in Britain in 1987, and involves the Seventh Doctor and his companions Chris Cwej and Roz Forrester living on a working-class council estate while attempting to track down an infinitely powerful Gallifreyan weapon before it falls into the wrong hands. A young boy living on the estate, Gabriel Tyler, appears to be the focus of strange powers, and also for the attentions of Eva Jericho, whose own grievously ill young son seems to be linked to Gabriel in some way, through a secret Gabriel's mother Winnie has long tried to hide.

Background

Davies had already established himself as a successful writer of children's television by 1996, having penned well-received serials such as ''Dark Season'' (1991) and ''Century Falls'' (1993), and winning a BAFTA Children's Award for an episode of ''Children's Ward'', a series he both wrote for and produced from 1992 to 1995. A staff scriptwriter at Granada Television, he was beginning to move into adult television, writing for soap operas such as ''Families'' and ''Revelations'', the latter of which he created.

Despite being a professional writer and long-time ''Doctor Who'' fan, Davies had no initial interest in writing for Virgin's ''Doctor Who'' novel series, concentrating instead on his television career. However, in 1995 he was interviewed about ''Dark Season'' and ''Century Falls'' by journalist David Richardson of ''TV Zone'' magazine, who later wrote about their meeting. "When we first spoke back in 1995, Davies's interest in writing for the series was evident. With ''Doctor Who'' out of production, I suggested he'd be an ideal choice to write one of the novels, and gave him a contact at Virgin Publishing."Richardson, David. ''The Man Who''. "TV Zone: ''Doctor Who'' Special". Special 56, spring 2004, page 71. However, Davies's friend and fellow writer Paul Cornell, who had written several novels for the ''New Adventures'' range, later claimed to have been the one responsible for enabling Davies to contribute to the series. "At the time he'd only just started to do '' The Grand'', and we were very much on the same level. We swapped favours — he got me onto ''Children's Ward'', and I introduced him to irgin Books editorRebecca Levene so he could get to do ''Damaged Goods''."Cornell, Paul. ''Script Doctors: Paul Cornell''. " Doctor Who Magazine". Issue 352, cover dated 2 February 2005, page 57.

Davies himself gave his own account of the book's origins in ''Doctor Who Magazines 2002 history of the ''New Adventures'' range. "I first thought of writing a ''New Adventure'' when David Richardson interviewed me for ''TV Zone''... I bashed out the first two chapters in my spare time. I sent in this dead lazy submission, which just said, 'I've got no idea what happens in the end, but trust me. I write'. The arrogance of youth!"Quoted by Howe, David J. ''Tales from the Fiction Factory: Chapter Five — From Cradle to Grave''. "Doctor Who Magazine", issue 317, cover dated May 29, 2002, page 12.

However, Davies found himself commissioned to write for the range by Levene, with his book forming part of the 'Psi-Powers' arc which was overarching the storyline of the novels at the time, although Davies claimed: "I'm not sure I completely understood the Brotherhood arc to be honest! I just kept it vague and hoped someone else would make sense of it."

Themes

There are several aspects of ''Damaged Goods'' which contain elements present throughout much of Davies's other work. The inclusion of a family named Tyler, in particular, is a trademark of the writer — Tylers also appear in ''Revelations'', '' Queer as Folk'', '' The Second Coming'' and the 2005 re-launch of ''Doctor Who'' itself.

The scene in which Mrs Jericho prepares a dinner laced with rat poison for her husband is replicated almost exactly in the concluding episode of Davies's 2003 religious telefantasy drama ''The Second Coming'', where the leading character of Judith prepares a similarly poisoned meal for her lover Steve. There is an even more direct link to ''Dark Season'', with the novel's epilogue featuring a mention of the main character, Marcie, from that serial.

''Damaged Goods'' contains a gay character, David, and homosexuality is a recurring theme explored in much of Davies's writing, as he himself noted in an article for ''The Guardian'' newspaper in 2003. "The first gay character I ever wrote was a Devil-worshipping Nazi lesbian in a Children's BBC thriller, ''Dark Season''. She was too busy taking over the world to do anything particularly lesbian, though she did keep a Teutonic Valkyrie by her side at all times... Once I'd started, I never stopped... I even wrote a ''Doctor Who'' novel in which the six-foot blond, blue-eyed companion interrupts the hunt for an interdimensional Gallifreyan War Machine to get a blowjob in the back of a taxi. Like you do."Davies, Russell
''Transmission was madness. Honestly.''
(Subscription link). "The Guardian". Monday September 15, 2003.

Davies's major breakthrough television series, ''Queer as Folk'' (1999), was centred around the lives of three gay men in Manchester, one of whom, Vince Tyler, is portrayed as a fanatical ''Doctor Who'' fan. Although never clearly seen on screen, part of the set dressing for Vince's bedroom as seen in the first episode of the series was a copy of ''Damaged Goods'', included as an in-joke by the set dressers.Davies, Russell T Audio commentary on the 2003 "Definitive Collector's Edition" DVD boxed set of '' Queer as Folk''. (VCD0308). ''Damaged Goods'' itself contains a reference to '' Why Don't You?'', a BBC
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