Last Classic Who Story you watched

[JD]

Since my last post I finished up The Monster of Peladon, and I pretty happy with how it ended. The one thing that did kind of shock me though, was The Doctor using the fake Agador and the weapon to kill the Ice Warriors, it's pretty rare to just see him blatantly kill like that.
I've now started the next serial, Planet of the Spiders, which is off to a pretty start after two episodes. I was a little surprised to see Mike Yates again, I figured Invasion of the Dinosaurs was the last we were ever going to see him.
I do have a bit of a problem with them having what is obviously a white guy squinting and doing a really offensive bad accent playing the Tibetan monk. The big chase car/helicopter chase in episode 2 was pretty fun.

 

[26138]

Yeah that entire episode is just Pertwee playing around in vehicles.

 

[Pindar]

Just finished Genesis again. I want to re-watch all the Harry/Sarah episodes before getting into the Big Finish Sarah/Harry stories.

 

[jaime]

Since my last post I finished up The Monster of Peladon, and I pretty happy with how it ended. The one thing that did kind of shock me though, was The Doctor using the fake Agador and the weapon to kill the Ice Warriors, it's pretty rare to just see him blatantly kill like that.
I've now started the next serial, Planet of the Spiders, which is off to a pretty start after two episodes. I was a little surprised to see Mike Yates again, I figured Invasion of the Dinosaurs was the last we were ever going to see him.
I do have a bit of a problem with them having what is obviously a white guy squinting and doing a really offensive bad accent playing the Tibetan monk. The big chase car/helicopter chase in episode 2 was pretty fun.

I’m never quite sure if it helps that the Tibetan Monk isn’t really a Tibetan Monk in the end or not, nor indeed if it helps that at the top of the production team is a practicing Buddhist.
I suppose there’s also pigbin Josh, sundry other bit parts, Glitz, and many many years later we would have an actual Doctor putting on a voice to play a sort of cheeky-chappy cockney Essex stereotype, proving that Who is at least equal opportunities in it’s attitudes.
(Some or indeed all of this statement is decidedly tongue in cheek.)

 

[Starkers]

and one actor who would later go on Blake's 7, and two actors who would appear again later (Michael Collings, - Mawdryn Undead) and Pamela Salem (Remberance of the Daleks), plus reprising their characters in what would would be final roles for both with Big Finish's Robots series.

I believe there's five Blakes 7 connections in the cast of Robots of Death.

Brian Croucher - As Travis
Pamela Salem - In Cygnus alpha
David Collings - In Blake
David Bailie in Project Avalon
Miles Fothergill - In The Web

Robots of Death is one of my favourite Classic Who stories.

 

[26138]

The Time Monster

Episode 1 is good. It goes downhill from there. Kronos is basically a guy in a chicken costume. I did like the bit where the TARDISes are inside eachother. I don't think I've watched this one since seeing it on PBS way back in the day. I remembered the TARDIS inside the TARDIS and the V1 bomb bit.

Funny quote:
MASTER [on scanner]: I'm sorry about your coccyx too, Miss Grant. How very sociable of you both to drop in.

 

[Qonundrum]

"Frontier in Space". Some say it's slow and padded. Others say it's juggling a lot of characters double-crossing. I say it's meant to be watched one episode at a time, take a break whenever, and just enjoy the story in its own flow (elapsed or realtime in the story). In any case, I forgot how the Master could be written intelligently. Quite a change compared to the last two to four decades, give or take, where he just runs around like a first grader during lunch break recess. Loved the Draconians and their complexity as well (their name being allegorical, based on the Athenian statesman known for imposing stern laws) and the Doctor relating a previous experience, even if the scenes between the Doctor, Master and Draconian Emperor hark back to a cookie cutter trope* where each claims the other is full of it. The makeup is really good for the time as well. It's easy to see how they could be a possible influence on the TNG Klingons. Not sure what ther saddest bit it, either when we first know it's the Ogrons since the Daleks would be an easy guess as to the real baddies... or how the inevitable Dalek plot twist at the end was needlessly campy and unnecessary (yes, even the Master cracks a quip as if nobody else does, and given the story that follows this one ditching this one completely and instead focusing on being a retread of previous Dalek stories, this plot twist is an utter waste.)

8/10

* Tropey or not, it's still entertaining as all heck​

 

[26138]

"Frontier in Space". Some say it's slow and padded. Others say it's juggling a lot of characters double-crossing. I say it's meant to be watched one episode at a time, take a break whenever, and just enjoy the story in its own flow (elapsed or realtime in the story). In any case, I forgot how the Master could be written intelligently. Quite a change compared to the last two to four decades, give or take, where he just runs around like a first grader during lunch break recess. Loved the Draconians and their complexity as well (their name being allegorical, based on the Athenian statesman known for imposing stern laws) and the Doctor relating a previous experience, even if the scenes between the Doctor, Master and Draconian Emperor hark back to a cookie cutter trope* where each claims the other is full of it. The makeup is really good for the time as well. It's easy to see how they could be a possible influence on the TNG Klingons. Not sure what ther saddest bit it, either when we first know it's the Ogrons since the Daleks would be an easy guess as to the real baddies... or how the inevitable Dalek plot twist at the end was needlessly campy and unnecessary (yes, even the Master cracks a quip as if nobody else does, and given the story that follows this one ditching this one completely and instead focusing on being a retread of previous Dalek stories, this plot twist is an utter waste.)

8/10

* Tropey or not, it's still entertaining as all heck​

Lots of getting captured and escaping then getting captured again, but yeah... if you don't sit down at watch it all at once, it's not so bad. World-building in this one is good. Draconians are very interesting and look *good* especially for a 70s who serial.

 

[Mr Awe]

"Frontier in Space". Some say it's slow and padded. Others say it's juggling a lot of characters double-crossing. I say it's meant to be watched one episode at a time, take a break whenever, and just enjoy the story in its own flow (elapsed or realtime in the story). In any case, I forgot how the Master could be written intelligently. Quite a change compared to the last two to four decades, give or take, where he just runs around like a first grader during lunch break recess. Loved the Draconians and their complexity as well (their name being allegorical, based on the Athenian statesman known for imposing stern laws) and the Doctor relating a previous experience, even if the scenes between the Doctor, Master and Draconian Emperor hark back to a cookie cutter trope* where each claims the other is full of it. The makeup is really good for the time as well. It's easy to see how they could be a possible influence on the TNG Klingons. Not sure what ther saddest bit it, either when we first know it's the Ogrons since the Daleks would be an easy guess as to the real baddies... or how the inevitable Dalek plot twist at the end was needlessly campy and unnecessary (yes, even the Master cracks a quip as if nobody else does, and given the story that follows this one ditching this one completely and instead focusing on being a retread of previous Dalek stories, this plot twist is an utter waste.)

8/10

* Tropey or not, it's still entertaining as all heck​

I've always enjoyed this one. Creates a nice universe and nice change to have so much set in space. Agree that it's better not to watch all at once! Nice relationship between the characters, including the Master.

 

[JD]

I finished up The Planet of Spiders and despite my issues with the casting, I thought it was really good. The spiders were fun villains, and Lupton and his group were pretty good secondary villains. The whole situation and Metabelis was pretty interesting, and have the whole thing being set off by the Doctor stealing the crystal was nice to show how actions have unexpected repercussions. And having him sacrifice himself in order to fix what he did was a nice to have to the Third Doctor die.

 

[26138]

Paradise Towers

I don't think there is much more i can say about this that hasn't been said earlier in this thread. I believe this was one of the first McCoy serials I saw when I started DVD collecting in the mid 2000s. It feels like McCoy has settled into the role and is adding his own little bits of character to it - such as greeting the metal pipe thing outside the TARDIS. He's a little goofy, but not insanely goofy like in Time and the Rani.

His 'making up rules' escape would probably have been more believable if the rule book was thicker - thus making it plausible that the enemies hadn't memorized it entirely. I think the little character interactions between him and others are good - such as introducing the Kangs to the can dispenser via the coins he grabbed out of the payphone earlier.

Is this the story that shows us the best Mel we get? It might be... It's tough - I think she does pretty good in Dragonfire, but she's got Ace to help her. As a solo outing for Mel, it might be the best. She even helps Pex get a redemption arc.

 

[26138]

The Moonbase

I don't think I've watched this one since getting the DVD animation release back in the day. It's good. The spacesuits are comical, though. You can tell they didn't have anything for Jamie to do [new companion]. It's no wonder the Cybermen showed up so often in the Troughton years.

I should really watch The Wheel in Space recon now. Then The Invasion.

 

[diankra]

The Time Monster

Episode 1 is good. It goes downhill from there. Kronos is basically a guy in a chicken costume. I did like the bit where the TARDISes are inside eachother. I don't think I've watched this one since seeing it on PBS way back in the day. I remembered the TARDIS inside the TARDIS and the V1 bomb bit.

Funny quote:
MASTER [on scanner]: I'm sorry about your coccyx too, Miss Grant. How very sociable of you both to drop in.

Pigeon of Doom, my sister calls it.

 

[26138]

Well I've finished a first watch of The Ambassadors of Death and...you know I really rather liked that. It's way too long and yet ends rather abruptly, but the Ambassadors themselves are genuinely creepy as fuck, silently wandering around the place. Lots of action and has a definite Quatermass vibe, but also an Avengers feel to it, while being very Dr Who. Pertwee is way less annoying in this than he was in the Daemons and with the greatest respect to Katy Manning, Liz Shaw is on another level to Jo Grant. Nice to see the Brigadier punching and shooting people and yes that is Ronald Allen from Crossroads

I think the thing I liked best about it was the fact that for much of the run time I hadn't a clue where it was going!

Just watched Ambassadors for the first time in ages, and rather enjoyed the first 2 eps. It still managed to keep my attention, but I could tell it started meandering about to hit the 7 episode target. Yes, it ends really abruptly. I do agree it's very "action thriller-y" which makes it a slightly different vibe from other doctor who of the era. Not bad, but just a little different. For 1970 BBC, the helicopter attack on the convoy was pretty good. I do like how they wrote it into the script that they re-used capsule 7 probably so they could reuse the docking SFX shots when Pertwee went up in it!

Most egregious padding: Liz escapes only to be recaptured in the next scene!

Verdict: not as bad as the reputation I've given it over the years from all the doctor who vids I've watched talking about stuff, but I'm afraid I'm probably going to forget about everything that happened in eps 3-7 again.

 

[26138]

The Android Invasion

Creepy vibes to start with. Interesting that this was a Terry Nation script.

 

[Qonundrum]

Paradise Towers

I don't think there is much more i can say about this that hasn't been said earlier in this thread. I believe this was one of the first McCoy serials I saw when I started DVD collecting in the mid 2000s. It feels like McCoy has settled into the role and is adding his own little bits of character to it - such as greeting the metal pipe thing outside the TARDIS. He's a little goofy, but not insanely goofy like in Time and the Rani.

The greeting scene nails the tone. It feels awkward and is supposed to as we'd feel the same in real life, wouldn't we?

Oh, wait, I misread and somehow thought you'd mentioned the Kang how-you-do scene in front of a big metal pipe thing. Yeah, that's another cringeworthy bit of attempted "eccentricity" in season 24. I'd call it insanely goofy, just of a different sort. Most of 7's insane stuff was going OTT with mixed maxims (of which some were decent, but others weren't as much...)

His 'making up rules' escape would probably have been more believable if the rule book was thicker - thus making it plausible that the enemies hadn't memorized it entirely.

Big time. The scene comes off worse than a number of T&TR's more dire moments (but not all). Dumb music, dumb book, dumb over the top dialogue that the dumb caretakers instantly fall for... I think you nailed it with believability and circumstances therein, but season 24 was going out of its way to be intentionally campy and believability of the universe being told was tissue paper thin. Well, okay then, thinner than toilet paper. It's a miracle season 25 got commissioned!

I think the little character interactions between him and others are good - such as introducing the Kangs to the can dispenser via the coins he grabbed out of the payphone earlier.

^^this

Is this the story that shows us the best Mel we get? It might be... It's tough - I think she does pretty good in Dragonfire, but she's got Ace to help her. As a solo outing for Mel, it might be the best. She even helps Pex get a redemption arc.

Hmmm... "Terror of the Vervoids" does her best IMHO, definitely seconded in PT for the reasons you mentioned, and "Dragonfire" third for sure (mostly because there's great screen chemistry with Ace as she's otherwise doing the bog standard screaming routine her character turned into during season 24).

PT is solid, but could have been spectacular had it been made 2 seasons later. Or even in season 25, but then his other tale ("The Greatest Show in the Galaxy") uses some of the same plot points (replace a decaying tower with a decaying circus and Kroagnon with Ragnarok and both wanting to be fed, metaphorically or otherwise... yet both feel eminently original. Wish that he'd done more, and I wish McCoy's era had more stories per season as the cut to episode count really hammered things badly... almost as bad as the campy tone season 24 was to have in order to hide some of the violent aspects because the show was said to be too violent and had to lighten up.)

 

[Qonundrum]

The Moonbase

I don't think I've watched this one since getting the DVD animation release back in the day. It's good. The spacesuits are comical, though. You can tell they didn't have anything for Jamie to do [new companion]. It's no wonder the Cybermen showed up so often in the Troughton years.

I should really watch The Wheel in Space recon now. Then The Invasion.

"Moonbase" has moments, but using bags to hide tunnel entrance with (just as long as they remembered to put in a proper airlock in the middle of their freshly-dug tunnel to prevent pressure from whizzing away completely), a Cyberman using its arm to level its gun on while it makes a stance, dialogue such as "only stupid human brains like yours" and "clever clever clever"-- are these baddies really Cybermen, given how many emotions they exude...

Spoilers for the other two stories you'd mentioned follow, if you've not seen Moonbase or Invasion yet:




Wheel in Space is pretty solid. Hopefully more episodes are out there. It's a lighter story, padded too much, has the overly long checklist made by the Cyber planner, but it's not unworthy.

I'd rewatched "The Invasion". It's a Tobias Vaughn story that morphs into a Cybermen one at the end of part 4, leaving the rest to deal with the cyborg meanies but with enough of Tobias sprinkled in that it doesn't get too stale... Though they mostly trundle around, redo the standby crowd-pleasing moment of waddling around landmarks like how the Daleks did in 1964, and have big offscreen battles.

Kevin Stoney really props this story up.

The Cyber voices remind me somewhat of "The Tenth Planet", but at least with Tenth Planet you can actually hear what's being said. Did the voice modulator malfunction? Good cyber scream, though.

Shame pts 1 and 4 were wiped, or rather not recovered. If a choice were given, I'd trade 1 and 4 for the truly plodding episodes 6 and 7.

 

[jaime]

The greeting scene nails the tone. It feels awkward and is supposed to as we'd feel the same in real life, wouldn't we?

Oh, wait, I misread and somehow thought you'd mentioned the Kang how-you-do scene in front of a big metal pipe thing. Yeah, that's another cringeworthy bit of attempted "eccentricity" in season 24. I'd call it insanely goofy, just of a different sort. Most of 7's insane stuff was going OTT with mixed maxims (of which some were decent, but others weren't as much...)




Big time. The scene comes off worse than a number of T&TR's more dire moments (but not all). Dumb music, dumb book, dumb over the top dialogue that the dumb caretakers instantly fall for... I think you nailed it with believability and circumstances therein, but season 24 was going out of its way to be intentionally campy and believability of the universe being told was tissue paper thin. Well, okay then, thinner than toilet paper. It's a miracle season 25 got commissioned!



^^this







Hmmm... "Terror of the Vervoids" does her best IMHO, definitely seconded in PT for the reasons you mentioned, and "Dragonfire" third for sure (mostly because there's great screen chemistry with Ace as she's otherwise doing the bog standard screaming routine her character turned into during season 24).

PT is solid, but could have been spectacular had it been made 2 seasons later. Or even in season 25, but then his other tale ("The Greatest Show in the Galaxy") uses some of the same plot points (replace a decaying tower with a decaying circus and Kroagnon with Ragnarok and both wanting to be fed, metaphorically or otherwise... yet both feel eminently original. Wish that he'd done more, and I wish McCoy's era had more stories per season as the cut to episode count really hammered things badly... almost as bad as the campy tone season 24 was to have in order to hide some of the violent aspects because the show was said to be too violent and had to lighten up.)

The mixed maxims were supposed to be post+regeneration amnesia type thing because quotes and the like were a sixth Doctor thing.

 

[Qonundrum]

The mixed maxims were supposed to be post+regeneration amnesia type thing because quotes and the like were a sixth Doctor thing.

True, but some of those did linger into later stories in season 24. It did feel as if there was an idea that 7 would have continued to say them. (McCoy did say he wanted to play the character more seriously, which is probably a big reason why their use were curtailed... as post-regenerative trauma, amplified by the Rani drugging him up, it could and did linger. Better that than the Doctor running around strangling everyone due to the post-regeneration trauma induced by alien substance toxicity (Spectrox Toxemia) that nearly killed him and thankfully that was kept to just "The Twin Dilemma"...!)

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Just about to start the Aztecs, a cracking serial.