Just watched 'The Five Doctors' for the first time.

[Skellington]

What does everyone think of Anthony Ainley's performance as the Master in "The Five Doctors?

Panto villain - and I was a big Master fan at the time. I think I like the scene where he meets the high council, though, with Ainley doing a good "well-mannered psychopath".

Seven also used his touch telepathy to heal Ace's leg in "Remembrance of the Daleks" and again to stun Sgt. Patterson in "Survival."

This is good to know. I had spent some time checking it out via Google and hadn't turned up anything definitive relating to the original series.

. His first scene with the Time Lord High Council is great. "I may be seated?"

That sounds amusingly LOLcatish in retrospect.

Theres never been a bad Doctor, just bad writing.

+1.

 

[Mr Awe]

To me there was always just something a little 'off' about most of Six and Sevens stories compared to earlier Doctors, but I've never been quite able to put my finger on. Too many plot-threads? Scenes that just didn't go anywhere? Motivations and villains that were never explained properly?

I hope its not becuase the show tried to tell more complex stories and I was just too dim to appreciate them.

Theres never been a bad Doctor, just bad writing.

I'm not a huge fan of either Six or Seven. However, I'd agree that it was largely due to the poor writing that was rampant in the series then. I do like several stories from Six (Vengeance on Varos) and Seven (Remembrance), so the potential was definitely there. Alas, it was squandered by horrible writing.

It did get better late in the series but too little too late!

Mr Awe

 

[Mr Pointy Ears]

Hurndell was in an hartnell episode called the gunfighters.

 

[VDCNI]

That was William Hurndell, it's not the same actor.

 

[RAMA]

It has Rastan warrior androids...what's not to like? I'd kill to see those things in the new Who.

RAMA

 

[Starkers]

The ultimate killing machines!

We should start a petition to get them back!

 

[Cutter John]

I always loved the stories Cybermen music. Such a shame the only used it the one time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYfXpNTuMAE

Its also one of the few times I actually felt sorry for The Master. Talk about frustrating.

 

[Skellington]

It has Rastan warrior androids...what's not to like? I'd kill to see those things in the new Who.

RAMA

I have to agree. After The Five Doctors I wanted to see a story focusing on them.

 

[Redfern]

Pertwee really sold that scene with the RWR because I've witnessed people ask in what past serial did they first appear. the irony, of course, "The Five Doctors" WAS its debut. Makes one wonder how the current production might depict it.

I am puzzled why the director (or whomever) convinced the actor to leap about like a subpar ballet dancer. I think it might have been more effective if the RWR had leaned into a running position before "vanishing" and then digging in its heels upon reappearing. Someone on YouTube tweaked those shots, giving the figure a kind of "speed blur" just as it disappeared, but a better pose (other than prancing about like a pretty princess) would have helped.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Sindatur]

Pertwee really sold that scene with the RWR because I've witnessed people ask in what past serial did they first appear. the irony, of course, "The Five Doctors" WAS its debut. Makes one wonder how the current production might depict it.

I am puzzled why the director (or whomever) convinced the actor to leap about like a subpar ballet dancer. I think it might have been more effective if the RWR had leaned into a running position before "vanishing" and then digging in its heels upon reappearing. Someone on YouTube tweaked those shots, giving the figure a kind of "speed blur" just as it disappeared, but a better pose (other than prancing about like a pretty princess) would have helped.

Sincerely,

Bill

Weren't they in the tunnels in Earthshock?

 

[Skellington]

^ No, those were large, slowish androids that could zap you into a gooey mush.

 

[Redfern]

The same mask was probably used, leading to the confusion. But those tunnel sentinals were black rather than silver and they projected energy from their palms instead of "spears" and bladed weapons like the RWR.

"Large"? Well, one was larger than th second. One of those tunnel "guards" was played by a slim woman. Didn't notice the narrow waist and supple hips?

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Skellington]

Well, ok. It's been a while since I saw Earthshock. I remember them as largeish. Could be the cramped surroundings.

 

[DWF]

I just recently rewatched The Five Doctors(Special Edition) and I think it still holds up rather well, Terrance Dicks wrote something for all four of the active Doctors and he really did a great job with Doctors two and three. I don't like the special edition as much as the original version, the additions to the story weren't needed and really added nothing to the plot, the original time scoop effect was good enough to me, the music additions were OK though.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I am puzzled why the director (or whomever) convinced the actor to leap about like a subpar ballet dancer.

Probably the actor himself (Keith Hodiak) - who was a ballet dancer and instructor IRL.

What *I* want to know about the Raston dude is: if all of its armaments are stored internally, as I believe the Doctor actually pointed out, then why is the nearby cave full of spares? The robot shouldn't need any of that stuff. Of course it's just there so the Doctor and Sarah would conveniently find stuff to use, but come on.

 

[DWF]

I am puzzled why the director (or whomever) convinced the actor to leap about like a subpar ballet dancer.

Probably the actor himself (Keith Hodiak) - who was a ballet dancer and instructor IRL.

What *I* want to know about the Raston dude is: if all of its armaments are stored internally, as I believe the Doctor actually pointed out, then why is the nearby cave full of spares? The robot shouldn't need any of that stuff. Of course it's just there so the Doctor and Sarah would conveniently find stuff to use, but come on.

I'm sure the robot had to rearm itself from time to time, don't know why it needed the wire though but it was usefu l to the Doctor and Sarah Jane.

 

[Sindatur]

I am puzzled why the director (or whomever) convinced the actor to leap about like a subpar ballet dancer.

Probably the actor himself (Keith Hodiak) - who was a ballet dancer and instructor IRL.

What *I* want to know about the Raston dude is: if all of its armaments are stored internally, as I believe the Doctor actually pointed out, then why is the nearby cave full of spares? The robot shouldn't need any of that stuff. Of course it's just there so the Doctor and Sarah would conveniently find stuff to use, but come on.

I'm sure the robot had to rearm itself from time to time, don't know why it needed the wire though but it was usefu l to the Doctor and Sarah Jane.

Yea, that's what I always thought, was that was extra ammo to be loaded, when he ran dry

 

[Relayer1]

Sorry to jump back in the thread, but...

Why has Eccleston said no ? I understood that he was much more well disposed towards Who now RTD is out of the picture.

Doing ALL the Doctors would be a stretch, but would be possible - I don't know about the first Doctor, but David Troughton and Sean Pertwee can both do their fathers rather well. The problem with Tom, Colin and to some extent Peter is that they have rather noticably aged. If they could pull each Doctor from parallel timelines where they hadn't regenerated...

And for the record, Pertwee's my Doctor, but Matt Smith's close.

It's really all about Karen Gillan though...

 

[Professor Zoom]

Sorry to jump back in the thread, but...

Why has Eccleston said no ? I understood that he was much more well disposed towards Who now RTD is out of the picture.

I haven't heard that he's more disposed at all. He has said he doesn't like swimming in the same river twice. Some actors like to do new stuff and not keep doing the same thing over and over.

Doing ALL the Doctors would be a stretch, but would be possible - I don't know about the first Doctor, but David Troughton and Sean Pertwee can both do their fathers rather well. The problem with Tom, Colin and to some extent Peter is that they have rather noticably aged. If they could pull each Doctor from parallel timelines where they hadn't regenerated...

I have a feeling David and Sean wouldn't be interested in performing as their fathers. That would just be weird.

I don't mind that the actors have aged. It's not about continuity for me, it's about seeing the Doctors on screen. And they came up with an excuse in Time Crash, they can just use that.

 

[Christopher]

Heck, in "The Two Doctors," they didn't even bother to come up with an excuse for why the Second Doctor and Jamie looked 16 years older.