I thought last night's special on the 1st Dr, William Hartnell, was fun. Nothing too deep - but nice to see - and an easy intro to people who didn't know about the 1st Dr. Looking forward to more of these. They mentioned the one for the 2nd Dr is next month. I guess the plan is to have one of these a month through November, in time for the 50th Anniversary of the show.
I'm excited about the 50th anniversary. I'm just hoping they can get an older Doctor and /or companion or two ( that make sense appearance wise). The Sarah Jane meeting with Rose a few years back and the issues it raised is an all time favorite Doctor Who moment.
I'm actually going to be disappointed if they don't bring any past Doctors or companions, since if it doesn't happen now, I don't foresee it ever happening. The announcement that the anniversary special is only an hour long worries me, as I don't see how they can fit all that in an hour.
And I'm bummed I missed that Hartnell special. For some reason I thought it was only on in the UK, but I just searched and saw it was on BBC America, with no rerun scheduled, apparently.
@shroud68 & @chrisw - totally agree - I want as many older Dr's as they can muster - I loved the 3, 5, and 2 Dr's eps. And I loved the little 7 minute short between the 5th & 10th Dr. Plus, as @shroud68 mentioned, that Sarah Jane ep w/the 10th Dr was great.
I'm hoping these specials are a way for them to use the older Dr's in a modern episode by educating the viewers about them. AFAIK, Dr's 4 up are all alive and in good health (although Tom Baker, #4, is looking pretty old last I saw him. He'd be #1 on my want list (b/c he was my original Dr. - you never forget your original Dr!). Would also love to see more of Peter Davison, #5 - and he's been involved in Who stuff over the past few years (including that short, Time Crash, that I mentioned). The only Dr I've heard said he wouldn't be interested in such a thing was Chris Eccleston, #9 - and that was a few years ago, so perhaps he's reconsidered (I hope so, b/c he's one of my favorites!).
Tom Baker looks much older, as does Colin Baker. Davison looked older when he returned, but not as alarmingly different as they look. Still, they explained it for Davison, so they can do the same for any of them if they choose so.
At the very least, it seems crazy to not bring back Tom Baker at some point, since he seems open to doing it, and for the longest time he pretty much represented what most people think of when they think of the show.
I don't really need any explanation - or a token one about being aged in the time vortex or some silliness like that would do fine (I forgot what they said in Time Crash - but it was fine). Just get them in the episode and give them lines and I'll be happy! :^)
I guess I'm curious now what some companions look like but maybe I'd rather not see people I was sweet on as 12 year old 30 years later. My History teacher did not hold up, will Nysaa?
I guess I'm curious now what some companions look like but maybe I'd rather not see people I was sweet on as 12 year old 30 years later. My History teacher did not hold up, will Nysaa?
I was able to get autographs from Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) and Mark Strickston (Turlough) WAAAAY back in 1986 and Ian Marter (Harry Sullivan) just before he passed away.
I guess I'm curious now what some companions look like but maybe I'd rather not see people I was sweet on as 12 year old 30 years later. My History teacher did not hold up, will Nysaa?
Nyssa then:
Nyssa Now:
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That was thinking aloud man! You did not have to do that! No snarky comment towards Ms. Sutton. Loved her then!
The more I think about it, the more I'd like to see the companions sprinkled in. Their appearance does not have to be so epic. That is one of my few complaints with this new Doctor Who series of the past few years: Everything is at stake, all the time. I long for one Sontarran in Medieval England or "Eldrad Must Live". Not universe ending paradoxes each and every episode.
I'd be totally fine with the occasional "protecting a base from a monster" style of episode as opposed to constantly throwing in some kind of cleverness just for the sake of it. Even when they do a more traditional plot, it inevitably ends up tying into something bigger, making the story seem like an afterthought. One of the great things about classic Who was the way you felt like you were diving into a different science-fiction plot with each new story, with the Doctor's presence adding a new twist to it. I guess the shorter story lengths make that a little more difficult, but they could probably find a way.
Interesting assortment here - the books for 1 through 6 are reissues of BBC's Past Doctor Adventures than ran concurrently with their 8th Doctor books, the 8th Doctor book is from that latter line, 9 and 10 are (I think) from those small hardback series they've been putting out, and 11 is a new edition of the Dan Abnett novel from a year or two back.
Weirdly the 7th Doctor book is a reissue of one of the Target episode novelizations, not a BBC Past Doctor Adventure or, as I'm sure a lot of people would hope, one of the New Adventures series that Virgin put out. It's a good Target novelization, as I recall, one that fleshes out the TV script quite nicely, but still, odd choice compared to the rest.
Used to have the 4th Doctor choice, Festival of Death, but foolishly got rid of it and regretted it ever since, so I'll definitely be picking that up because it's awesome and I want to read it again. I've heard good things about the 3rd and 6th Doctor novels here, too. We'll have to see with the rest.
I'd be totally fine with the occasional "protecting a base from a monster" style of episode as opposed to constantly throwing in some kind of cleverness just for the sake of it. Even when they do a more traditional plot, it inevitably ends up tying into something bigger, making the story seem like an afterthought. One of the great things about classic Who was the way you felt like you were diving into a different science-fiction plot with each new story, with the Doctor's presence adding a new twist to it. I guess the shorter story lengths make that a little more difficult, but they could probably find a way.
I dunno...isn't that exactly what we got in the 1st part of the current season? 5 standalone eps in different types of sci fi situations? I think this was in direct response to "event exhaustion" type pushback they were getting after last season. Not sure what's planned for the back part of the current season.
I'd be totally fine with the occasional "protecting a base from a monster" style of episode as opposed to constantly throwing in some kind of cleverness just for the sake of it. Even when they do a more traditional plot, it inevitably ends up tying into something bigger, making the story seem like an afterthought. One of the great things about classic Who was the way you felt like you were diving into a different science-fiction plot with each new story, with the Doctor's presence adding a new twist to it. I guess the shorter story lengths make that a little more difficult, but they could probably find a way.
I dunno...isn't that exactly what we got in the 1st part of the current season? 5 standalone eps in different types of sci fi situations? I think this was in direct response to "event exhaustion" type pushback they were getting after last season. Not sure what's planned for the back part of the current season.
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They still felt like segments leading up to the Pond's farewell, at least to me. But you're right, several of them did feel detached from a big event, at least.
They still felt like segments leading up to the Pond's farewell, at least to me. But you're right, several of them did feel detached from a big event, at least.
They did lead up to the Pond departure, and also they dealt with the mini-theme of the Dr getting detached and avoiding moral responsibility for his actions. I didn't mind the thematic connections between eps. I don't think we'll ever get back to a point like the old days where you had true standalone eps. that are utterly unconnected to previous eps. And I don't think that's a bad thing.
Plus, you had developing themes in the old Who eps, as well. Aside from the more obvious ones, like the Key To Time Season or the Trial of a timelord Season, you also had developing characterization - like Adric's clashes with the Dr after he regenerated into #5.
Just listened to the second Sixth Doctor/Jago & Litefoot crossover special from Big Finish, Voyage to the New World, and sadly I think it's the first BF audio I've been disappointed in.
The cast is great (Colin Baker's Doctor works so well with such broad characters as Jago & Litefoot, who are just as fun as they were way back in The Talons of Weng-Chiang), there are some good ideas at play, and it's cool when Doctor Who actually wanders into American historical territory (here it's the fate of the failed Roanoke colony). But some of the plot points aren't explored or explained as well as they could be, the timeframe in which the story takes place is hard to nail down, and the conclusion is far too quick & easy, and requires a pretty huge leap of logic that doesn't jibe well with established Who tradition (even by the standards of a property that has always had a weird relationship with its own canon).
It wasn't awful, and it only cost me $1 so I don't feel ripped off or anything, but based on the other BF audios I've heard thus far, I found it wanting. The first special, Voyage to Venus, was a lot better.
i'm really happy that Colin really got the chance to develop his iteration of the Doctor through the audios
Agreed. I liked him on the show, but it was often in spite of everything else going on around him (scripts, costumes, other actors' performances, etc.). But with the audios, the stories are better, he's had more time to develop his characterization, and he's had some wonderful additional companions - Evelyn Smythe is the perfect companion for 6, and I don't care what anyone says, Frobisher is awesome. I think even Nicola Bryant's performances have been better, to boot. Big Finish has managed to move Colin Baker from the middle-to-lower part of my favorite Doctors list to right up near the top of it.
They still felt like segments leading up to the Pond's farewell, at least to me. But you're right, several of them did feel detached from a big event, at least.
They did lead up to the Pond departure, and also they dealt with the mini-theme of the Dr getting detached and avoiding moral responsibility for his actions. I didn't mind the thematic connections between eps. I don't think we'll ever get back to a point like the old days where you had true standalone eps. that are utterly unconnected to previous eps. And I don't think that's a bad thing.
Plus, you had developing themes in the old Who eps, as well. Aside from the more obvious ones, like the Key To Time Season or the Trial of a timelord Season, you also had developing characterization - like Adric's clashes with the Dr after he regenerated into #5.
e L nny
Agreed, I wouldn't want to go back to the days of all plot and no character development. One of the things that always frustrated about me about the classic era was how disposable the companions almost seemed to be. When someone like Jo Grant or Sarah Jane got a decent send-off, it stood in stark contrast to the many times we saw them unceremoniously dumped on a random planet for no reason. Seriously, the producers knew when contracts were up, they couldn't do a little bit of prep for the farewell?
I guess I just often feel like the story is there not so much because it's a great story, but because it does something to reflect the ongoing themes of the season, or to further along an overall plot usually involving the companions. Many times I felt like the stories, locations, and characters in the classic series were interesting enough that they felt like stories that were already good before the inclusion of the Doctor. He was just the random element introduced to put a different spin on them and make them a Doctor Who story.
Comments
:@)
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/or companion or two ( that make sense appearance wise). The Sarah Jane meeting with Rose a few years back and the issues it raised is an all time favorite Doctor Who moment.
And I'm bummed I missed that Hartnell special. For some reason I thought it was only on in the UK, but I just searched and saw it was on BBC America, with no rerun scheduled, apparently.
I'm hoping these specials are a way for them to use the older Dr's in a modern episode by educating the viewers about them. AFAIK, Dr's 4 up are all alive and in good health (although Tom Baker, #4, is looking pretty old last I saw him. He'd be #1 on my want list (b/c he was my original Dr. - you never forget your original Dr!). Would also love to see more of Peter Davison, #5 - and he's been involved in Who stuff over the past few years (including that short, Time Crash, that I mentioned). The only Dr I've heard said he wouldn't be interested in such a thing was Chris Eccleston, #9 - and that was a few years ago, so perhaps he's reconsidered (I hope so, b/c he's one of my favorites!).
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At the very least, it seems crazy to not bring back Tom Baker at some point, since he seems open to doing it, and for the longest time he pretty much represented what most people think of when they think of the show.
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Tom Baker looks like the controller at my last job.
Nyssa Now:
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Tegan then:
Tegan now:
Adric then:
Adric now:
Turlough then:
Turlough now:
Kamelion then:
Kamelion now:
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"Kamelion no good..."
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Interesting assortment here - the books for 1 through 6 are reissues of BBC's Past Doctor Adventures than ran concurrently with their 8th Doctor books, the 8th Doctor book is from that latter line, 9 and 10 are (I think) from those small hardback series they've been putting out, and 11 is a new edition of the Dan Abnett novel from a year or two back.
Weirdly the 7th Doctor book is a reissue of one of the Target episode novelizations, not a BBC Past Doctor Adventure or, as I'm sure a lot of people would hope, one of the New Adventures series that Virgin put out. It's a good Target novelization, as I recall, one that fleshes out the TV script quite nicely, but still, odd choice compared to the rest.
Used to have the 4th Doctor choice, Festival of Death, but foolishly got rid of it and regretted it ever since, so I'll definitely be picking that up because it's awesome and I want to read it again. I've heard good things about the 3rd and 6th Doctor novels here, too. We'll have to see with the rest.
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L nny
Plus, you had developing themes in the old Who eps, as well. Aside from the more obvious ones, like the Key To Time Season or the Trial of a timelord Season, you also had developing characterization - like Adric's clashes with the Dr after he regenerated into #5.
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The cast is great (Colin Baker's Doctor works so well with such broad characters as Jago & Litefoot, who are just as fun as they were way back in The Talons of Weng-Chiang), there are some good ideas at play, and it's cool when Doctor Who actually wanders into American historical territory (here it's the fate of the failed Roanoke colony). But some of the plot points aren't explored or explained as well as they could be, the timeframe in which the story takes place is hard to nail down, and the conclusion is far too quick & easy, and requires a pretty huge leap of logic that doesn't jibe well with established Who tradition (even by the standards of a property that has always had a weird relationship with its own canon).
It wasn't awful, and it only cost me $1 so I don't feel ripped off or anything, but based on the other BF audios I've heard thus far, I found it wanting. The first special, Voyage to Venus, was a lot better.
I guess I just often feel like the story is there not so much because it's a great story, but because it does something to reflect the ongoing themes of the season, or to further along an overall plot usually involving the companions. Many times I felt like the stories, locations, and characters in the classic series were interesting enough that they felt like stories that were already good before the inclusion of the Doctor. He was just the random element introduced to put a different spin on them and make them a Doctor Who story.