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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica.
This month we're talking about women of science fiction.
These women inspire us to imagine impossible worlds, alien creatures, and fantastical inventions, revealing our deepest fears and hopes for the future.
Let's time travel back to 1963.
The BBC had just commissioned a new weekly science fiction program.
The premise? An extraterrestrial travels through time in a police box to explore the universe.
Doctor Who might be a household name now, but who helped shape this iconic TV show?
Let's meet Verity Lambert. Verity was born in 1935, the daughter of a London accountant.
After finishing school, she worked as a secretary at Granada TV, where she developed a love for television.
Shortly thereafter, Verity moved over to ABC Television, where she caught the attention of the head of production, Sydney Newman.
When Sydney was poached by the BBC, he took Verity with him.
Along with a writing partner, Sydney had dreamed up a science fiction show called Doctor Who that he hoped would bridge disparate audiences at the BBC.
Even though at the time most women in television were relegated to secretarial tasks, Verity was brought in as a producer.
As such, she became the BBC's first female TV producer and the youngest person to be in charge of a show.
In those early days, Verity was one of the only people who saw potential in the show's admittedly wacky premise of an alien man moving through space and time in something that looks like a telephone booth to save the world.
The show received very little financial support from the BBC, and Verity fought for every penny.
Sydney remembered Verity as being full of piss and vinegar, ready to argue for what she believed and needed to produce a great show.
When the first episode of Doctor Who aired in 1963, the show became an instant hit.
Over the next two years, Verity produced 86 episodes, navigating the crucial period when a show was first finding its footing. She established the tone of the series, shaped some of its most memorable villains, and managed to keep production values high even though the show's budget remained low.
Doctor Who would stay on the air for another 24 years. Meanwhile, Verity moved on to other projects.
After leaving Doctor Who, Verity produced another sci-fi show called Adam Adamant Lives.
The series followed the adventure of an Edwardian gentleman frozen for decades in ice by his evil nemesis. The protagonist eventually thaws out of his icy prison in contemporary London to fight modern-day villains.
Verity was a versatile producer and worked on a vast slate of shows throughout her career.
A twice-weekly soap opera, a crime anthology series, and a political mini-docu-series, just to name a few.
She moved back and forth between several film companies, climbing the executive ladder. In 1985, she formed her own company, Cinema Verity. There, she continued to produce hits across genres.
In 2002, Verity was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
That same year, she received a BAFTA for Outstanding Creative Contribution to Television.
In 2005, the BBC premiered a modern revival of Doctor Who. Two years later, at the age of 71, Verity passed away from cancer.
She was posthumously honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Film and Television.
The new edition of Doctor Who is still running today. It's the longest-running sci-fi show ever.
All month, we're talking about women in science fiction. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram, at Womanica Podcast.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Talk to you tomorrow!
