Keys of Marinus - the first Doctor Who dud?

[Cutter John]

For some reason, whenever I watch The Web Planet, my eyes physically detect the cheap, hokey Menoptera costumes and the goofy Zarbi, but my brain decodes the signal in glorious CGI Technicolor.

I guess, for some reason, I don't see the episode that was filmed, I see the episode that was imagined.

Ah, well said! DW has never been that good at dfoing insect type creatures (see the giant fly in The Green Death or the title creatures in Planet of the Spiders) so I just sort of take the cheap FX's in stride and run with it. What they were basically doing is trying to retell an alien invasion of Normandy. I admire the early writers for even attempting uch a thing. Hell even with millions to spend on CG you'd have a hard time pulling this off convincingly. So I just give credit where credits due, dial back my critical mind and enjoy it for what it is.

 

[Mr. Sin]

The novelization was actually written by Phillip Hinchcliffe, often thought of as the producer of WHO's golden age (The early Tom Baker era). Apparentally he viewed it mainly as a chore and a mediocre story.

The Voord were an attempt to recreate the sucess of the Daleks, but didn't work out too well. Interestingly they bear a minor resemblance to the Cybermen (Which I think some of the comics ran with).

 

[FalTorPan]

Hartnell, Russell, and Wright rose well above this less-than-stellar story.

 

[diankra]

Hartnell, Russell, and Wright rose well above this less-than-stellar story.

It is very definitely the weakest story of the first season. But the eight-year-olds of 1964 loved it, as it was everything they wanted as an adventure - lots of locations and dangers.
I (born 1967) can't stand it despite that. My sister (born 1971), who first encountered it through the book, still loves it despite what's onscreen.

 

[Cutter John]

Shame about the Voord though. They might have actually made good villians if they'd actually been a proper threat. They certainly looked interesting with their wierd headgear and all. But I don't think the show at that stage was quite ready for the whole deadly alien race thing. They might have actually been a success if they'd turned up during one of the Bakers era's.

 

[FallOfFingolfin]

This was actually my favourite Classic Doctor Who I've watched...is this bad?

Obviously, it was all so very B-movie, but I loved the scope! I stayed engaged the entire time.

Shame on me.

 

[Captain Pike]

Have I mentioned yet that I don't mind this story at all?

Anyway, it can't be the first dud, since The Sensorites preceeded it

 

[Pindar]

I quite enjoyed it. Watched it a few months ago.

What's with all the newbies necro'ing threads these days?

 

[23skidoo]

What's with all the newbies necro'ing threads these days?

Good question. I don't even remember starting this thread it was so long ago. Maybe they aren't aware that it's generally considered bad form to do this - unless you have something new to add. In that case, probably better they "necro" an old thread rather than just start a new one.

Alex

 

[Captain Pike]

Anyway, it can't be the first dud, since The Sensorites preceeded it

For some reason I had it in my head that this were true, but it was actually the other way round. Silly me!

 

[DimesDan]

What's with all the newbies necro'ing threads these days?

Good question. I don't even remember starting this thread it was so long ago. Maybe they aren't aware that it's generally considered bad form to do this - unless you have something new to add. In that case, probably better they "necro" an old thread rather than just start a new one.

Alex

Because they can I guess, they see an old thread and want to comment on it. Is there anywhere in the forum rules that a thread over a certain age can't be commented on by someone else after discovering said thread? I personally would rather see a thread resurrected after a while than say, a new thread being created when in a situation like this, the poster in general is making a quick comment and not a whole essay on the story.