Doctor Who

[HarMGM]

Hartnell: An Unearthly Child Episode 1

Troughton: The War Games

Pertwee: The Time Warrior

Tom Baker: Robot, haven't seen enough yet though.

Davison: Not enough data. Castrovalva I found 'okay'.

Colin Baker: Not enough data.

Sylvester McCoy: Not enough data.

McGann: The TV Movie. I liked it!

Eccleston: Father's Day.

Tennant: Human Nature / Family of Blood

Smith: The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang. By far the best series finale of New Who for my taste.

[Sprite Machine]

Not Pyramids of Mars? I must say I enjoyed that so much on my recent re-watch that it's up there in my top 10 Baker stories at least now. Maybe top 5.

Possibly, it was very good too. Tough call.

[Bluejam]

Revelation of the Daleks has some cool stuff in it (transparent Stengos Dalek, Orcini shooting Davros's hand off), but some of the plot points (like the weird polystyrene Doctor statue) are just weird, and the overall tone is very off.

I'll give you that, the polystyrene statue is odd!

I dunno, there's something about the whole serial that I really like and it's quite, how can I put it, 'unsettling' and it's very dark which suited the sixth doctor.

[NEG]

IS IT SATURDAY YET?

[sweetdaddyg]

how come the leaked finale isn't online????? lol

[Creamstick]

Hartnell: An Unearthly Child

Troughton: The War Games

Pertwee: The Green Death

Tom Baker: Genesis Of The Daleks

Davison: Black Orchid

Colin Baker: Caves of Androzani/Twin Dilemma

Sylvester McCoy: The Happiness Patrol (for Bertie Bassett!)

McGann: TV Movie - haven't read any of the 8th Doctor books or listened to any of the audiobooks

Eccleston: Empty Child/Doctor Dances

Tennant: Blink

Smith: The Doctor's Wife

[Davros sock drawer]

Black Orchid?!

[womblingfree]

I just read a massive spoiler about the 50th anniversary.

Here's hoping it's just someone having a guess.

[Fireproofradiator]

I've gone a bit mad and included runners up and honorable mentions (and comics, sorry) but stuck them in spoilers so as not to annoy too much.

Hartnell – The Dalek Invasion of Earth.

Atmospheric, gloomy Daleks = nazis epic set in an occupied London. 22^nd century mind control helmets look rather tiring to wear.

Troughton – The Invasion

Cyberman in sewer. Utterly terrifying.

Pertwee – The Ambassadors of Death

Doctor Who has always wanted to be Quatermass (Nigel Kneale was invited to write for Who several times). Ambassadors of Death was one of its most successful mimics. Astronaut motif later reused by Moffat.

Runners up - The Three Doctors, The Claws of Axos

Hon mentions – The Planet of the Daleks, The Zeron Invasion, A Stitch in Time

T Baker – City of Death

The most lovely piece of Doctor Who ever. Written by Douglas Adams while locked in a study by his producer, set in Paris, and smart as a button with a monster reveal that was the most frightening thing I’d ever seen when I was four. Tom Baker has best lines of his career and his approach is Fred Astaire-like. As the Discontinuity Guide says ‘Just when you think things can’t get any better John Cleese shows up…’

Runners up - State of Decay, Image of the Fendahl

Hon mentions - The Seeds of Doom, The Invisible Enemy, Face of Evil, Shada, The Power, The Android Invasion.

Davison – Circular Time.

Doctor Who meets Kit Williams and Nick Drake by a river and they all fall asleep to the sound of a game of cricket. Lyrical, haunting, features Davison as doomed romantic hero. Written by Paul Cornell, who did Family of Blood.

Runners up - Kinda, Time Crash

Hon mentions - Four to Doomsday, Spare Parts, Stars Fell on Stockbridge/The Stockbridge Horror.

C Baker – Voyager

Doctor Who Comic/Monthly’s comic strips were my sixth doctor. Colin Baker’s Big Finish audios have shown how great he would have been with a different showrunner but we didn’t have them at the time. Voyager captures the whimsical, absurdist approach DWM took to the timelord and it’s full of amazing imagery and a doctor whose forte is wonder rather than pushing people into vats of acid. I like the bit where he asks the shapeshifter to turn into a cup of hot cocoa.

Runners up – Revelation of the Daleks, Leviathan

Hon mentions - The Holy Terror, The One Doctor, Jubilee.

McCoy – Ghost Light

I think I’ve seen it three or four times now but I’ve never finished it. Weirdly that doesn’t really reduce it in my eyes. The best thing about puzzles isn’t solving them and Ghost Light is full of fusty, recondite Victoriana that leave you scratching your head, guided by a Doctor cut from the same cloth.

Runners up - Lungbarrow, Cold Fusion

Withnail and I - (McGann – The Chimes of Midnight, Invaders from Mars), Grant – Scream of the Shalka, The Feast of Stone)

Eccleston – Father's Day

I’m a sucker for stories about Dads. I thought it was a misstep to bring Rose’s back in that rubbish Cyberman one.

Runners up - Dalek, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances.

Tennant – School Reunion

My selections are a really sentimental. Sorry about that.

Runners up - Human Nature/The Family of Blood, The Christmas Invasion

Hon mentions – Blink, 42, The End of Time

Smith – The Eleventh Hour

Moffat’s Rosetta Stone.

Runners up – Hide, The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone.

Hon mentions - The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang, The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People.

[Sprite Machine]

The Brain of Morbius

(Blog has pictures)

The last couple of seasons have seen an increase in frightening imagery, grotesque monsters and grisly horror, and this comes to a head (ho-ho!) in The Brain of Morbius, which is basically a classic horror story in sci-fi clothing.

[Picture: "Yesh mashter."]

In an obvious adaptation of Frankenstein, a crazy scientist (Doctor Solon) and his hunchbacked assistant (Condo) are building a creature out of spare body parts in a spooky castle on a misty night. I assume they're in the Cliché District of Parody City, but it doesn't specify (actually, it's planet Karn). An evil Time Lord called Morbius, long thought to be dead, is sitting in a jar in Solon's lab, a floating brain waiting for a new body to be completed.

[Picture: The brain of Morbius, in a jar. For some reason, it glows when it talks.]

This must have been one of the scariest Doctor Who stories at the time. Unfortunately, as an adult, it looks too corny and fake to me, but any kids in 1976 would have been given nightmares at the sight of a headless monster sitting up, not to mention people getting killed, beheaded, shot and burned alive. Even for me, it's decidedly creepy; the moment when Solon is measuring up the Doctor's head makes me wince just a little.

[Picture: Sarah regains her sight moments before the Morbius monster attacks.]

This story also introduces some more Time Lord lore in the Sisterhood who guard an elixir that they use for eternal life, and that the Time Lords have used to prevent failed regenerations. During the final battle of minds, I also enjoyed seeing the many past faces of the Doctor (and, presumably, Morbius?) being displayed on the screen. Having recently seen 'Nightmare in Silver', where a similar scenario occurs, I see a definite homage here!

[Picture: A battle of the minds, the Doctor versus Morbius.]

As for the Sisterhood itself, this small group of cultish space witches did not make for good viewing, particularly with all the irritating chanting they do. The Doctor makes a good point about the futility of life without death, but the words ring hollow when spoken by a 749 year old Time Lord, and the Sisters go on using the elixir at the end anyway.

[Picture: "Sacred fire, sacred flame..." Shut up!]

Overall, as a corny horror story, this was fine. I would have liked to see Morbius fleshed out more, as he comes off as little more than a ravaging monster. Sarah Jane gets to act blind for a while, which she does well, but I am getting tired of the way her hysterical lines are delivered as though she's hyperventilating. I can't stop noticing it now! The Doctor is remarkably watchable and gets some great lines. I love how matter-of-fact and calm he is in ridiculous situations.

[Davros sock drawer]

Poor Condo

[Creamstick]

Black Orchid?!

Yeah, man. The harlequin guy shat me up as a kid. I've never forgotten it.

[Davros sock drawer]

Yes, I can see how that would do it. The story itself is pretty inconsequential though, and Adric is at his most punchable.

[Davros sock drawer]

The Doctor is remarkably watchable and gets some great lines. I love how matter-of-fact and calm he is in ridiculous situations.

This is so true, especially of the era you're currently watching, but throughout the whole of his run. Even when the tone of the show changes (as you'll find out), Tom Baker remains watchable.

As for great lines, I'm just watching The Seeds of Doom now, and he gets some humdingers.

[Sprite Machine]

I liked it when Sarah says "I thought you were-..." and the Doctor replies with something like "Dead? Yes, you're always making that mistake."

It's funny because it's true.

I haven't got time to squeeze in the next six-parter before tomorrow's finale, so I'll leave it until next week.

[Davros sock drawer]

I think that as time went on they could make those knowing winks to the audience more and more. I'm sure you'll pick up on one in particular towards the end of Baker's run.

It's interesting that you mention this Saturday's finale. I don't think I've watched Who on a Saturday evening in quite some time, in fact I tend to watch it on the iPlayer on my phone or iPad. I really think something has been lost here. Millions of families around the UK would have sat down to watch The Brain of Morbius together in 1976, and you got a little 25 minute portion doled out to you a week at a time. Those cliffhangers went an entire week until you got the resolution. Imagine that! And if you missed it, that was it. No video recorders, no repeat. Just tales in the playground about what you missed...

[Ivanho]

I sort of agree with you there (although i mostly read your disapproving posts about new Who whilst picturing a muttering madman raving Ludditestyle about wobbling scenery and feet poking out under Daleks!) as even the 'Next Time' bits give away what's happening, let alone the mountain of spoilers on the Internet if your too weak to look away *raises hand sheepishly*

It's still a great show but they need to stop leaking info about returning characters and monsters and just get the mystery back.

[Davros sock drawer]

I don't disapprove of New Who per se, I just think it's in a bit of a slump at the moment. Old Who was never any different, and in all honesty I probably dislike as much Old Who as I like, possibly more. Pretty much the entirety of Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy's runs are dreadful (although McCoy's era really did pick up shortly before it was cancelled), and Pertwee and Davison's runs are pretty patchy. I haven't seen all of Hartnell or Troughton's era (as I can't!), but there are plenty of snore-fests in the ones I have seen.

So no, I don't disapprove of New Who as my default position. I really liked some of Ecclestone's stories, and there were some belters in Tennant's run as well. Matt Smith started brilliantly, and he's still one of the best portrayals of the main character.

I do think however, that they have drifted away from certain key tenets of the series. Not enough two parters, so hardly any cliffhangers. The "Next Time" thing should go, it's rubbish and spoils the end credit music. The title music, whilst closer to the original than it's been for a while, is still lacking that eerie, haunting quality. The Doctor never seems to be in any genuine danger. He talks away problems far too much. The sonic screwdriver is now a do-anything magic wand. The current companion is a bit meh. They sort of have a series arc, but only a bit. And so on.

These might sound like small gripes from an Old Who fanboy, but they add up to something very unsatisfying. And it's not frightening. I'm watching The Seeds of Doom at the moment, and it's actually making me feel a bit uneasy. It's...horrible. But in a really good, gothic horror way. In New Who everything just feels inconsequential and lightweight - and then they get to the season finale and suddenly EVERYTHING is at stake, and you're meant to feel invested. It just doesn't work like that.

[JohnC]

Contrary to the ever present rumours (which I never put much stock in anyway), Smith seems to suggest he isn't quitting after this series.

We come back and shoot the Christmas special over the summer, then we go on to the next series, which will either start filming at the end of this year or at the start of 2014.

[Fireproofradiator]

I'm watching Doctor Who - The Movie. It's more uneven than a zygon's knobbly bits, and between the appearance of Sh*t My Dad Say's Will Sasso as a comedy mortuarty attendant, bobbins CGI, the least convincing gang war ever filmed and Stuart Gordon-like horror bits (Eric Roberts spewing acid onto someones arm! Blee!) the first half hour is a bit of a trial [strikeout]of a Timelord[/strikeout].

Then the

Cloister Room

appears and McGann is allowed to be lovely and for a while it's quite promising.

Is 50th Anniversary show confirmed for no old doctors then? Seems like such a waste not to include McGann but I guess they'd need to introduce him and that which might be a bit of a chew.

[El Pibe]

I really, really, really want some McGann action.

If Smith fancies a break, they should do this;

Introduce McGann briefly in the 50th anniversary show.

Have him appear again in the Christmas special.

Then partway through we switch across to McGann's PoV, they split off and we get a couple of McGann seasons!

Smith then picks things up after his break.

[AceAceBaby]

They've used old footage and legerdemain for the 50th haven't they? So some old doctors, in the background, while Clara trolls them from out of original sight.

[Fireproofradiator]

Cor, that'd be great. (EDIT - To Carlos)

We're due another spin off too. I'd love a McGann show to run some other time during the week alongside tea time Matty one. The thing is Moffat's Who can go pretty grim (The Girl Who Waited, Angels) and pretty complicated (Fireplace, lots of other timey-wimey stuff) so it's not as if there'd be much to be gained from doing another after the watershed show, which is the only obvious way to go with Eight...

[JohnC]

They've used old footage and legerdemain for the 50th haven't they? So some old doctors, in the background, while Clara trolls them from out of original sight.

I hope it's not like Brother Cavil hiding behind some barrels.

[Harsin]

Do the BBC own the full rights to the TV Movie? Would they be allowed to use footage from it without ponying up some dough to Fox?

[sweetdaddyg]

Do the BBC own the full rights to the TV Movie? Would they be allowed to use footage from it without ponying up some dough to Fox?

I believe worldwide own it now, so BBC would have to buy it from them, effectively buying it from themselves? I may be wrong. I usually am.

[Lovelyman]

I remember being terrified by an episode where

there was a giant face behind the wall, and the wall was slowly crumbling. Well, it was dark behind the wall but you could see a massive pair of eyes.

Anyone know what it was?

[NEG]

Mind you, if the finale is set at the doctors grave, shouldn't the fan base be slightly peeved that Moffat has essentially written that The Doctor WILL die one day? Rather then go on forever and ever and ever?

I mean it is a logical conclusion sure, ballsy to canon it though.

But I guess they could always wibbly wobbly timely wimey it.

[Davros sock drawer]

I remember being terrified by an episode where

there was a giant face behind the wall, and the wall was slowly crumbling. Well, it was dark behind the wall but you could see a massive pair of eyes.

Anyone know what it was?

The Awakening:

BOO!

[Lovelyman]

Sweet. I will watch it.