Last Classic Who Story you watched

[arch101]

The Dinosaur Invasion- God, the special effects really fall down. Too bad, too because it was obviously a very ambitious show. Relevant plot today- Greenies trying to eliminate the evils of modern society in order to return us to a simpler existence without considering the selfish ramifications. Some of these folks are right out of today's TV viewing. Also like how SO many people ended up being in on it. You really couldn't trust anyone. Thought they revealed Yates' involvement too soon, though. Benton was really great in this one - "I guess you'd better get busy overpowering me. Doc".

Death to the Daleks- a Dalek show where they are ancillary characters and not the main antagonists. How unusual. And it works, too. They obviously recycled the Death Trap maze through the ancient city later for The Five Doctors. More ambitious effects that fall down because of budget but we, of course, appreciate the effort. Good pacing- doesn't drag at all.

The Aztecs- Classic first series story. Dragged a bit as many of the early shows do but was entertaining and interesting. Especially entertaining was the Doc flirting with (and accidentally getting engaged to) a woman. This might be the first show where a companion makes a concerted attempt to change history and learns why it won't work. The Doc's response as to why its impossible is as forcefully delivered by Hartnell as it will be later by Tenant and Smith. Nice consistency over a 45-year span there.

 

[Christopher]

This might be the first show where a companion makes a concerted attempt to change history and learns why it won't work. The Doc's response as to why its impossible is as forcefully delivered by Hartnell as it will be later by Tenant and Smith. Nice consistency over a 45-year span there.

Not really, because a year after "The Aztecs" where the Doctor said changing history was absolutely impossible, we got "The Time Meddler" where the Doctor was all "We have to stop the Monk before he changes history!"

Doctor Who has never done consistency.

 

[Marc]

The Dinosaur Invasion- God, the special effects really fall down. Too bad, too because it was obviously a very ambitious show.

the story goes that some new SFX company did a sales job promising you-beaut looking dinos leading the Invasion of the Dinosaurs being commissioned only for it to be case of over-promise and under-deliver.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I love The Dinosaur Invasion. Probably Pertwee's last solid story before he left.

 

[arch101]

Not really, because a year after "The Aztecs" where the Doctor said changing history was absolutely impossible, we got "The Time Meddler" where the Doctor was all "We have to stop the Monk before he changes history!"

Doctor Who has never done consistency.

I can only assume nuWho covers that sort of thing with their "fixed moment in time" thing. Haven't seen The Monk in 30 years. I'm revisiting Hartnell stories for the first time since they became available in my area back in 1990.

 

[Christopher]

I can only assume nuWho covers that sort of thing with their "fixed moment in time" thing.

Yup, a latter-day handwave to rationalize decades of inconsistency. Funny how those fixed moments only seem to happen in Earth's past, never in the future or on another planet.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Yup, a latter-day handwave to rationalize decades of inconsistency. Funny how those fixed moments only seem to happen in Earth's past, never in the future or on another planet.

That has always annoyed me. Still does. And The Waters of Mars is the only one about a fixed point in time in the future. Why?

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Day of the Daleks(Special edition)......i forgot that on a few occasions the doctor can be quite handy with a gun. lol

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

The Timeless Children -


... and some fans like this?

 

[diankra]

Not really, because a year after "The Aztecs" where the Doctor said changing history was absolutely impossible, we got "The Time Meddler" where the Doctor was all "We have to stop the Monk before he changes history!"

Doctor Who has never done consistency.

Apparently Time Lords can change history. Except when they can't.
There's an interesting contrast between Tenth Planet, where the Doctor seems to treat it as historical events that just needs to play out, and other stories where (at one interpretation) he seems to think he has to intervene to keep history on course despite alien interference, or the Master.

 

[Christopher]

There's an interesting contrast between Tenth Planet, where the Doctor seems to treat it as historical events that just needs to play out, and other stories where (at one interpretation) he seems to think he has to intervene to keep history on course despite alien interference, or the Master.

They usually just ignore the history question except in stories set in Earth's past. "The Tenth Planet" was an interesting exception to that, and something we should have seen more of. It makes sense that the Doctor would see a lot of events from Earth's future as part of known history, but we rarely see that -- "The Waters of Mars" is the one other exception that comes to mind.

 

[diankra]

They usually just ignore the history question except in stories set in Earth's past. "The Tenth Planet" was an interesting exception to that, and something we should have seen more of. It makes sense that the Doctor would see a lot of events from Earth's future as part of known history, but we rarely see that -- "The Waters of Mars" is the one other exception that comes to mind.

Arguably the Master only came to Earth to target the Doctor, so the problem was caused by the Doctor being there. But otherwise there is a major inconsistency over how future events are fluid, but past ones on Earth unchangeable. And has been pointed out, the Doctor's proposal of sharing the planet in Silurians would have been a major change of history (fan work out:season seven Pertwee has a lot of his memory blocked, so doesn't know that).

 

[Lonemagpie]

This week's Dr Who in our Master run-through is Logopolis...

ETA- and it's an unplanned double with Castrovalva, as my wife insists on going straight onto that rather than waiting to next week.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Meanwhile, Revolution of the Daleks. Basically, a nice yarn that is emphatically nostalgic of the RTD era. Which is alright, but it still feels like more could have been done with both the premise and especially the writing. It seems weird to me that there hasn't been a single solo Chibnall story that I can rate as a solid classic, but it is what it is. Anyway, good to see Captain Jack, at least.

***1/2 out of *****

 

[Mr Awe]

Not really, because a year after "The Aztecs" where the Doctor said changing history was absolutely impossible, we got "The Time Meddler" where the Doctor was all "We have to stop the Monk before he changes history!"

Doctor Who has never done consistency.

The Doctor changes history in nearly every story. Every time zone is another time zone's history.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Quickly hammering through Pertwee era, up to The Three Doctors now, and Benton tossing that chewing gum wrapper at the creature and kicking it off again still has me in stitches everytime i see it, silly Benton. lol

 

[diankra]

Of course, if that was a properly done Chekhov's Gun, that chewing gum paper would later have be found on Omega's world and been crucial to some plot point!

 

[publiusr]

That has always annoyed me. Still does. And The Waters of Mars is the only one about a fixed point in time in the future. Why?

That only bugs me because it was John Carpenter’s idea in the second of his Apocalypse Trilogy

 

[arch101]

Watched the Brain of Morbius for the first time in decades. Solid 4-parter Baker story. SJS doesn't twist her ankle this time- she's temporarily blinded. Boy, do I ever feel bad for Liz Sladen having to put up with this stuff. Had completely forgotten about the Sisterhood of Kern being in this (after seeing them in the Paul McGann short which makes more sense now). I know there's a big debate among fandom about the faces seen during the competition at the eps' conclusion regarding which is the Doc and which is Morbius, and does it mean there were earlier Doc's than Hartnell. From what I saw: they showed the previous 3 Doc's at first, then Morbius starts bragging about his power, etc, and they show those other faces. So, I think they were all Morbius' previous regens, not the Doc's. Just my take.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Watched the Brain of Morbius for the first time in decades. Solid 4-parter Baker story. SJS doesn't twist her ankle this time- she's temporarily blinded. Boy, do I ever feel bad for Liz Sladen having to put up with this stuff. Had completely forgotten about the Sisterhood of Kern being in this (after seeing them in the Paul McGann short which makes more sense now). I know there's a big debate among fandom about the faces seen during the competition at the eps' conclusion regarding which is the Doc and which is Morbius, and does it mean there were earlier Doc's than Hartnell. From what I saw: they showed the previous 3 Doc's at first, then Morbius starts bragging about his power, etc, and they show those other faces. So, I think they were all Morbius' previous regens, not the Doc's. Just my take.

That was my impression the first time I watched it, as well. That said, I think Chibnall disagrees with you.