Last Classic Who Story you watched

Discussion in 'Doctor Who' started by Pindar, Aug 29, 2012.

  1. Starkers

    Starkers Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2001
    Location:
    Behind Enemy Lines
    Cyberman, evil emotionless killing machine two blokes in Varos? Two blokes doing their jobs!
     
  2. Timewalker

    Timewalker Cat-lovin', Star Trekkin' Time Lady Premium Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2007
    Location:
    In many different universes, simultaneously.
    Indeed, shame! Brigadier Winifred Bambera was a wonderful character!

    The issue of the Doctor, mass genocide, and the Daleks has been explored ever since Genesis of the Daleks, when the Doctor has it in his power to completely and forever destroy the Daleks before they ever really become Daleks. He hesitates, torn by the question "Do I have that right?"

    It's a powerful scene, and in my opinion is one of THE defining moments of the Tom Baker era.


    The last story I watched was The Robots of Death, on Netflix. However, I've been buying some of my favorites on Amazon - all 6 Key to Time stories in one set; ditto the E-Space stories, and the Keeper of Traken/Logopolis/Castrovalva arc... :D
     
  3. Aldo

    Aldo Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2003
    Location:
    Hyrule Castle
    ^^^Thanks for the info. I'm slowly working my way into the Doctor's past, but it's slow going. Fun, but slow going :)

    I haven't watched it yet, but I just picked up Doctor Who: The Beginning, DVD set which collects the first three stories of the first Doctor. I'm so excited this is the first time I'll be watching the First Doctor (not counting The Five Doctors which as we know wasn't even Hartnell). I can't wait.
     
  4. Timewalker

    Timewalker Cat-lovin', Star Trekkin' Time Lady Premium Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2007
    Location:
    In many different universes, simultaneously.
    You're welcome. :) Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor, and I am co-admin of a forum called Who On Earth Is Tom Baker. But the Hartnell stories were wonderful, too - especially the historical ones. I highly recommend The Aztecs, in which the Doctor nearly finds himself getting married! (seems he didn't realize that offering a lady a cup of cocoa isn't quite so innocent in some cultures... :D)

    Richard Hurndall did a good job in The Five Doctors. I read somewhere that he played another role in a Doctor Who story previously, but don't recall which one.
     
  5. Aldo

    Aldo Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2003
    Location:
    Hyrule Castle
    I've only seen two Tom Baker stories: The Keeper of Traken and Logopolis. They were my first foray into classic Who so I probably didn't enjoy them on the same level I would now. Back then it was a huge change (at least for me) from nuWho. I should revisit them now that I have a better appreciation of the classic show and can appreciate the stories despite the low production values.
     
  6. Timewalker

    Timewalker Cat-lovin', Star Trekkin' Time Lady Premium Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2007
    Location:
    In many different universes, simultaneously.
    Low production values???! Okay, some Tom Baker-era stories are lamentably low-production (The Power of Kroll comes to mind; that was ludicrous), but the ones you named are really not "low." Trust me, you need to see something as silly as some of the early Hartnell-era stories to reach the epitome of "low."

    But I'm assuming you're not too impressed with the visuals of the planet Logopolis? I wasn't either, but the important thing about that story is that it was Anthony Ainley's first full story playing the Master, introduced Tegan as a Companion, and was Tom Baker's final story. I bawled like a baby throughout the regeneration scene.
     
  7. Aldo

    Aldo Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2003
    Location:
    Hyrule Castle
    I would wager it's been a good seven or eight years since I watched the Baker serials I have. So my impressions of them back then would most certainly not be my impressions of them now. And don't forget I've been going through the McCoy stories, and a few of his stories (especially "Delta and the Bannerman") have a very low rent quality to them, especially compared to some of the earlier stuff.
     
  8. Lowdarzz

    Lowdarzz Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2008
    I don't know, that cyberman in Earthshock seemed pretty emotional to me.

    Besides, the Doctor did actually kill either of those workers. One tripped and fell in and then proceeded to pull in the other. Then again it does beg the question, if the Doctor values life so much in other incarnations, how does the Sixth shrug it off so easily?
     
  9. Timewalker

    Timewalker Cat-lovin', Star Trekkin' Time Lady Premium Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2007
    Location:
    In many different universes, simultaneously.
    Ugh. I really don't care for the majority of the Sylvester McCoy stuff. The actor himself is an interesting, personable man (I met him in Spokane back when he was doing a publicity tour of the PBS stations right after taking over as the Doctor; a friend and I took a fast trip down from Calgary and spent the weekend in Spokane)... but his stories were not very good. I'm one of the few people I know who actually enjoyed Paradise Towers, and Battlefield was terrific.

    The Doctor can be forgiven for his actions in Earthshock, in my opinion. Considering that it was an extremely violent and stressful situation, as Surak said: "The cause was more than sufficient."

    (to mix fandoms for a moment ;))

    The Sixth Doctor's personality was ascerbic, self-centered, and a bit crass at times. He was the Doctor who sometimes deliberately set out to shock people - by his choice of clothes, his rude manner, and his lack of sensitivity. So it wasn't wrong, necessarily - it was just another part of the Doctor's psyche that happened to manifest more strongly in that incarnation.
     
  10. Green Lantern

    Green Lantern Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2012
    Location:
    The bed of whoever pays for the night.
    The Trial of a Timelord: The Ultimate Foe

    A seriously underated chapter of ATOATL, was enjoyable. I then watched pretty much every special feature on the disc, I wish that Colin returned for the final regeneration episode offered to him.
     
  11. Zeppster

    Zeppster Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2006
    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Very few of the stories were low production. There was a lot of cheesiness in there. But then again that's science fiction for you. It's what made a lot of TOS great also. Maybe looking back now they would be low production values but that's because of technological changes. Logopolis isn't a bad episode for the Baker era it's nowhere near his top episode. If you want good Baker it's basically anything from his first season. City of Death, Talons of Waing Chiang, Pyramid from Mars, Image of Fendahl, Terror of the Zygons, I could go on but there's a good reason he is a popular favorite doctor 40 years later.
     
  12. Green Lantern

    Green Lantern Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2012
    Location:
    The bed of whoever pays for the night.
    I have to disagree, Logopolis is Bakers best. And is actually my favourite doctor who episode ever!

    Meh, I've seen alot of his first season, and I think it's overated. I know this one's a clasic, but I think genisis of the daleks is far from Bakers best. Everone says how wonderfull it is and "it's the best serial ever!", but I didn't really care for it. I ever got the chance to see city of death, but I'd like to, Talons of Waing Chaing is very overated, it's just an average episode in my opinion if that. Pyramin fro Mars was quite boring as I recall, I didn't care for it at all. Image of Fendahl or terror f the Zygons are also both serials I;ve bever had the plessure or displeasure to see it.
     
  13. Aldo

    Aldo Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2003
    Location:
    Hyrule Castle
    I wanted to take a break from the McCoy stories so I ventured out yesterday to find myself another serial. I knew it would be more expensive to purchase one in a store rather than online, but I didn't feel like waiting to get it shipped.

    I first tried to go after "The Twin Dilemma," but I was unable to find it anywhere (though just now I saw the first part is on youtube, I may give it a go there. Anyways, to make a long story short I went ahead and got the DVD set: Doctor Who: The Beginning. I figured it's about time I acquaint myself with the first Doctor:

    An Unearthly Child

    I'm not sure what my expectations were when I fired this one up. I knew it involved the Doctor as an old man travelling with his granddaughter and two school teachers. Well, I enjoyed the hell out of it, the first part of the four part serial kept me hooked as Ian and Barbara attempted to suss out the mystery of Susan (and by accident I watched both the "pilot" and the broadcast version, which actually left me a little disappointed with the broadcast version as some of the ideas put forth in the "pilot" were much more interesting than what we ended up with.

    The second two parts of the serial drug a bit. I really enjoyed the first part because Ian and Barbara (and Susan and the Doctor) were such interesting characters, they seemed to take a back seat as we watched the story of the cavemen. Which in itself was interesting, so I'm not complaining too much about it. It's also nice in a way that I ended up watching this right after Remembrance of the Daleks as that serial had several call backs to this one. It's little touches like that which is the reason I love Doctor Who.

    All in all, this was a strong opener, and I actually really like the First Doctor now. I did see him one other time in The Five Doctors but I'm not sure that completely counts :)

    Up next: The Daleks. I can't wait to see this one, the first appearance of the Daleks should be a real corker. I like to watch these things in one sitting though, so I might have to wait till I can find time to watch all seven episodes of the serial.
     
  14. Saga

    Saga Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2008
    Location:
    VA
    i watched The Green Death yesterday. i'd seen it before but i've been watching a lot of 3rd Doctor stories and decided to see it again. i still think its kinda preachy in parts...especially that first episode. but i enjoy The Green Death. the Brig saying he never thought he'd fire in anger at a caterpillar still cracks me up.

    and of all the 3rd Doctor's outfits his red and black suit in this story is my favorite.
     
  15. Mr. Adventure

    Mr. Adventure Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2001
    Location:
    Mr. Adventure
    I watched The Time Monster. New Who has got to bring back TOMTIT, what a riot, that had to sound funny even at the time of release. The TARDIS inside the TARDIS inside the TARDIS was a lot of fun, the Master is just such a hammy villain. How OTT is it to launch a V2 at UNIT? Looking online, it seems this one is pretty hated but despite its flaws I thought it was entertaining.

    They really didn't know what to make of "women's lib" back then, did they? So embarrassing, I wanted to shoot that wet drip lab assistant guy. Too bad one of the Doctor's stronger companions, Liz, didn't last longer even if that era airhead Katy Manning is cute as a button.
     
  16. Orac Zen

    Orac Zen Mischief Manager Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2000
    Location:
    Land of drought and flooding rain
    Pyramids of Mars.

    It's always been one of my favourite serials ever. It still is.
     
  17. Pindar

    Pindar Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2001
    Location:
    NCC - 1031
    Caves of Androzani.

    It was good then, it's good now.

    I just listened to Mission to Magnus a 6/Peri lost story by the same writer as Caves featuring Sil and the Ice Warriors.

    The two combined made me wonder if any companion was more perved over by the villains than Peri.

    God bless her, may watch the Planet of Fire next - for reasons that have nothing to do with bikini clad American companions.
     
  18. diankra

    diankra Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2005
    Location:
    UK
    Androzani was by Robert Holmes, who did far too many Who stories to mention, starting with The Krotons and ending when he died halfway through writing the end of Trial of a Time Lord. Mission to Magnus was by Phillip Martin, who did the other two Sil stories, and whose crime series Gangsters becomes one of the most bizarrely surreal things ever produced.
     
  19. Pindar

    Pindar Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2001
    Location:
    NCC - 1031
    Weird, I am sure Phillip Martin said he wrote Androzani in one of Toby Hadokes Who's Round podcasts.

    I must have mis-heard him.
     
  20. Davros

    Davros Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Location:
    Kaled bunker, Skaro
    The Three Doctors

    I love the Brigadier's reaction to the interior of the Tardis.