Tales of the Tardis

[Rich Watson]

So I've seen two of these now and will catch up with the rest tonight but these are something really special.

About 6-8 minutes of new material, which probably won't work for new viewers but it's nice to have one thing for us old fogeys.

Unless you're a Cyberman you'll probably need some tissues handy. I kind of wish I hadn't looked at the Three Doctors one on the train into work, as there's a couple of real life gut punches built into it.

I would never condone piracy, obviously (wink) but if you're an Old School fan anywhere in the world you need to see these.

 

[Rich Watson]

And hilariously the 7th Doctor one gives Ace yet another version of how she stopped travelling with him. Nick Briggs must be delighted.

It also has an unsubtle hint that we'll be seeing her again elsewhere in the Whoniverse.

 

[Pindar]

So I've seen two of these now and will catch up with the rest tonight but these are something really special.

About 6-8 minutes of new material, which probably won't work for new viewers but it's nice to have one thing for us old fogeys.

Unless you're a Cyberman you'll probably need some tissues handy. I kind of wish I hadn't looked at the 3 Doctors one on the train into work, as there's a couple of real life gut punches built into it.

I would never condone piracy, obviously (wink) but if you're an Old School fan anywhere in the world you need to see these.

Started watching the Earthshock one this morning and started getting misty eyed when Tegan turned up.

These are a real treat for the 60th.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Yeah, watching The Three Doctors one right now- a few minutes of nostalgia with characters in the present, then a movie compilation of the story. Not bad, nothing Amazing. Most looking forward to the animated episodes I have't seen- Macra Terror, Faceless Ones, this version of Shada.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Here's the link to the videos page for Doctor WhoTube

8 videos dropped this morning. I watched the 7/Ace one first. Why do I not see a "Three Doctors" ?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Here's the link to the videos page for Doctor WhoTube

8 videos dropped this morning. I watched the 7/Ace one first. Why do I not see a "Three Doctors" ?

Ah, good, thank you for the heads up.! I'm relieved they've started sharing them on YouTube and hopefully all of them will appear in short order.

 

[Rich Watson]

Here's the link to the videos page for Doctor WhoTube

8 videos dropped this morning. I watched the 7/Ace one first. Why do I not see a "Three Doctors" ?

Not an offical channel so I'd suggest watching them quickly before the inevitable copyright strike.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Here's the link to the videos page for Doctor WhoTube

8 videos dropped this morning. I watched the 7/Ace one first. Why do I not see a "Three Doctors" ?

Dunno- on iPlayer I see Time Meddler, Mind Robber, Three Doctors, Earthshock, Varos, Fenric. There are only six omnibus stories in the Tales, so those Whotube vids are just clips from longer intro and outro sequences.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Ah, 2 more just popped up there, Jamie & Zoe shorts. I was beginning to think there was some alternate reality shenanigans going on.

Not an offical channel so I'd suggest watching them quickly before the inevitable copyright strike.

Could it be an unofficial official channel?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Either way, I'm grateful they're there, although there does appear to be some clipping of a few them, either at the beginning or the end.

I love all of those that are up so far, but I especially love the touching tribute to Deborah Watling.

 

[Christopher]

Hm. "Memory TARDIS," huh? Kind of a contrived and awkward way to do it, but I guess they're working with what they have. It is nice to give the characters a chance for some closure and followup, but it raises all sorts of questions if this is meant to be canonical in some way. Sometimes it sounds like this is some shared dream or mental space, with the old versions of past Doctors manifesting just as alternate possibilities or facets of the current Doctor like in Thirteen's finale, yet sometimes they talk as though they can physically go places with it and have new adventures in their current form.

 

[Turbo]

I'm sure the TARDIS Wiki will have eleven different interpretations of how this is actually canon in about a week.

 

[Rich Watson]

From Russell's interview in SFX: "There are bigger plans behind this that we can't talk about yet. Eventually "Tales Of The TARDIS" will begin to make more sense as the series next year unfolds, you will see."

So more than just a bit of nostalgic fun.

I mean when you think about it they do have some big effects. Six and present day Peri and Seven and present day Ace are travelling together again, and Jamie & Zoe get their memories back.

 

[Christopher]

I'm sure the TARDIS Wiki will have eleven different interpretations of how this is actually canon in about a week.

Seven did say something about there being many timelines, some in which he regenerated and some in which he didn't. Which sounds like an oblique nod to the novels, comics, and audios.

 

[marillion]

Thank God they didn't make Colin wear the damn coat. LOL

 

[Christopher]

Thank God they didn't make Colin wear the damn coat. LOL

Might've been nice to see him in the blue coat they gave him in some of the tie-ins.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Might've been nice to see him in the blue coat they gave him in some of the tie-ins.

As much as I've grown to like his original outfit, I do love the blue version.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Seven did say something about there being many timelines, some in which he regenerated and some in which he didn't. Which sounds like an oblique nod to the novels, comics, and audios.

It also fits with MCU's timeline shenanigans in Loki. These Doctors and companions are variants
Next thing you know, the Doctor will meet Thor.

I'd like to see this sort of thing continuing. I liked the idea of the "companion encounter group" from POTD. Star Trek Short Treks were always fun.

 

[Christopher]

I'd like to see this sort of thing continuing. I liked the idea of the "companion encounter group" from POTD.

Yeah, and Kate organizing the ex-companions into UNIT consultants. I want to see more of that. I mean, I get annoyed at the extent to which modern franchises rely too much on revisiting past continuity rather than adding new continuity, but I also don't like it when past continuity just gets dropped, or ramifications are left unexplored. With so many ex-companions around, the idea of them seeking each other out, whether just to reminisce or to work together, is something that logically should've happened much sooner.

Though I'm also still hoping that one of the spinoff series RTD has plans to make is The Rani and Clyde Adventures. The Jo/Clyde material here could conceivably be a setup for something like that.

 

[Qonundrum]

So I've seen two of these now and will catch up with the rest tonight but these are something really special.

About 6-8 minutes of new material, which probably won't work for new viewers but it's nice to have one thing for us old fogeys.

Unless you're a Cyberman you'll probably need some tissues handy. I kind of wish I hadn't looked at the Three Doctors one on the train into work, as there's a couple of real life gut punches built into it.

I would never condone piracy, obviously (wink) but if you're an Old School fan anywhere in the world you need to see these.

YouTube has snippets of all of them already up and, amazingly, they're all still up.

Spoiler: Mild spoilers

The tone and style is clearly aimed at the new fans with the overdone schmaltz and corny muzak to get us to laugh or cry on cue. That's been the style of many shows over the last 20 years, so it's just how they're made. If I had a nitpick, it'd be over how many of everyone kept saying "love" as if they all came from a cheap soap opera.

The content of these mini episodes/minisodes/whocares is another new take on celebrating as anniversary as big as the 60th. Definitely watch for the dialogue the actors put out; I'm not spoiling what's genuinely great and there's more than you'd think. Signed, the loveable cynical nerd who doesn't buy into the modern age's so-called 'nerd chic'. But I digress.

Definitely worth watching.

Spoiler: AND NOW FOR THE REAL FUN -- THE BIG-BLEEPIN' SPOILERS

"a memory tardis" is a new low for the show straying from sci-fi into fairy tale fantasy fluff (along the lines of how the ship takes the Doctor to where the Doctor is needed, et al.) But, again, modern day sci-fi is closer to all-out fantasy so it's easier just to roll with it.

Seven apologizes for how cruel he was to Ace. In a couple stories, it was relevant to the plot (e.g. Fenric) and poignant. Other times (Ghost Light and arguably Survival) he's just being a manipulative self-serving jackass. Seven apologizing for those moments was rather a poignant moment.

Six and Peri get some great stuff. As with the blu-ray minisode and all, they took the corny "Peri is not dead" shtick and built something better out of it. Much respect, for both.

Tom is probably too old but seeing him with Adric would have been lovely.

It's lovely to see Zoe and Jamie back, though the glossing over of how they got their memories just cheapens the deserved dramatic impact that "The War Games" gave their fate. "Oh hey, we're back and we remember it all, lovey dovey doo". Oh well. At least the same shlock was accorded Rose when she came back out of nowhere, despite the plotting sealing her fate for a good cry, for the sake of a good cry. What next, Donna gets the same memory restored treatment but won't die? Also, why not just hand out crack while they're at it as if this is all audiences want - cheap and constant cries on cue...

Davison and Tegan are also top-notch. Say what you want about the storytelling format and plotting back then, but JNT nailed it with the casting during the 80s and time and time again it shows.

Haven't seen the others. I need a day to recharge before delving into corny muzak and generic schmaltzy fluff where I'd bet real money the characters say "love" again, where even a synonym would be mildly refreshing at this point.

Still worth watching, but are they forcing it on a bit thick at times, even more than the most forced times from ~17 years ago.