First words of Doctor Who

[Starkers]

As far as the "change, my dear" thing, I thought that was more about the defensive posture the show assumed at about that time. When you do a whole season in which the Doctor himself is on trial, it's like you've internalized all of the criticism.

And it sort of sounds like they're telling the fans, "Wow, last season sucked. This will be much better." Of course, if the fans really thought it sucked, they wouldn't be watching it.

It was like when a new management team took over a certain casino, and the CEO went on and on about how tacky and awful the place looked. But what about all of the loyal customers who've been coming for years? You're basically telling them they've got no taste. That may or may not be true, but it's hardly the kind of thing you'll go on about.

The irony of the statement is that a lot of people consider "Caves" one of the best episodes of Doctor Who. I have not heard that said about the one that followed it.

Yeah but the trial season was later, after the hiatus...

End of the day there's not a lot of difference between Davison's last season and Baker's first ratings wise...of course when Colin returned for his second season the ratings had really tailed off, how much of that is people tiring of the show/actor is anyone's guess, but it does indicate that once the show was out of sight it quickly got out of mind as well.

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

First Doctor is "What are you doing here?"

 

[Bones2]

As far as the "change, my dear" thing, I thought that was more about the defensive posture the show assumed at about that time. When you do a whole season in which the Doctor himself is on trial, it's like you've internalized all of the criticism.

And it sort of sounds like they're telling the fans, "Wow, last season sucked. This will be much better." Of course, if the fans really thought it sucked, they wouldn't be watching it.

It was like when a new management team took over a certain casino, and the CEO went on and on about how tacky and awful the place looked. But what about all of the loyal customers who've been coming for years? You're basically telling them they've got no taste. That may or may not be true, but it's hardly the kind of thing you'll go on about.

The irony of the statement is that a lot of people consider "Caves" one of the best episodes of Doctor Who. I have not heard that said about the one that followed it.

Yeah but the trial season was later, after the hiatus...

End of the day there's not a lot of difference between Davison's last season and Baker's first ratings wise...of course when Colin returned for his second season the ratings had really tailed off, how much of that is people tiring of the show/actor is anyone's guess, but it does indicate that once the show was out of sight it quickly got out of mind as well.

It's quite clear the reason for the low ratings was the hiatus, and I think there may have been some silly scheduling involved. There was certainly no public dislike of Colin's Doctor the way it seems to exist in many parts of fandom, and the ratings didn't get any better when he was replaced by McCoy. If people had got tired of Colin's Doctor, I'd imagine the ratings would have dropped during season 22.

 

[The]

Michael Grade. End of story.

 

[Shatnertage]

First Doctor is "What are you doing here?"

Great line. Too bad no one else said that over the rest of the show.

 

[Orcus]

"Oh... Stop... Stop...! Concentrate on one thing - one thing! It's over... Mmm-hmmm... It's over."

 

[Orcus]

"Run!"

 

[The]

"Oh... Stop... Stop...! Concentrate on one thing - one thing! It's over... Mmm-hmmm... It's over."

Pat?

 

[Orcus]

"Oh... Stop... Stop...! Concentrate on one thing - one thing! It's over... Mmm-hmmm... It's over."

Pat?

Oh yes. And if one believes the stories: those might also have been his last words as well...

 

[Guartho]

12: "Amy, where are my pants?"

 

[The Blue Savant]

1: "What are you doing here?"*
2: "Oh... Stop... Stop...! Concentrate on one thing - one thing! It's over... Mmm-hmmm... It's over."
3: "Shoes...must have my shoes."*
4: "I tell you, Brigadier, the Brontosaurus is large and placid. And stupid!"*
5: "Ah, you've come to help me find the Zero Room. Welcome Aboard. Hello, I'm the Doctor, or will be if this regeneration works out."*
6: "You were expecting someone else?"
7: "Oh no, Mel. Eh, that was a nice nap. Now, down to business. I'm a bit worried about the temporal flicker in Sector 13. The bizantino refit of the Tardis is broken. I must just pop over to Centuari Seven and then perhaps a quick holiday. Right, that all seems quite clear. Just three small points: Where am I, who am I, and who are you? The Rani! Stay back!"
8: "Who... am... I?"
9: "Run!"*
10: "Hello, I'm... new teeth... that's weird... so where was I? Oh, that's right, Barcelona."
11: "Legs! I've still got legs. Good! Arms, Hands. Oh, fingers. Lots of fingers. Ears, yes! Eyes, two. Nose, I've had worse. Chin, blimey! Hair, I'm a girl! No, no! I'm not a girl and still not ginger! There's something else. Something important... I'm... I'm... I'm... crashing! Ha ha! Ho ho! Oh ho ho! Ha! Geronimo!"

*First words said on screen, not necessarily he first words ever spoken by that doctor prior to regeneration or birth.

 

[Theodore Jay Miller]

First Doctor's very first words (not just on screen):

Either "Mama or "Loom".

 

[Shatnertage]

First Doctor's very first words (not just on screen):

Either "Mama or "Loom".

Or "Carmel Masterplan"