See, Red Dwarf was never on Chicago PBS. Milwaukee PBS (which I could get fuzzily once in a blue moon) sure, but never Chicago. I didn't get into RD till the 90's, but I'm all in since then.
Chicago had Monty Python, The Two Ronnies or Dave Allen At Large before and/or after DW late Sunday nites.
I was in Louisiana at the time, the Texarkana (Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas) PBS for the area as I was in Bossier city, played 4 Serials of Classic Doctor Who, then followed By 3 Episodes of Red Dwarf, usually Series 1 and 2. Rarely a new one would air, usually 2 seasons behind the actual airings. We also had Faulty Towers, Bob Ross (loved his work), then Black Adder after. It was Pre-BBCA so it was all one could get. Baker was an absolute Fav of mine to be sure. I remember Middle School, and going to spend the night at a friends house. He broke out the 5 Doctors, which I had yet to see, on VHS no less.. Then he showed me the best comic book of the 4th Doctor ever, it was a Marvel version, but the art, the quirky story and style was such a draw, it is still held up as the best Doctor Who comic in my entire collection to this day. The beginning scene alone was enough to make me even more a fan of Baker and his portrayal.
This is the HOLY Grail of My Doctor Who Comic Collection! My most Favourite Book of all time.
I think what I like about the comic is it's art, the story is fun, and the Cyberman looks like a Troughton Version with a Tenth Planet head.. It's a great book overall, and the nostalgia factor is pretty up there. If you are a Baker Fan, hunt your local back issues. Find all the original issues of the Marvel Baker Run. They are like Mining and finding Bit coin Gold! LOL
By the time of the 6th Doctor's debut on PBS, I was a little older and had such a HUGE crush on Peri (Nichola Bryant) who was just absolutely HOT, tho I did have a thing for Jo Grant as well. I remember making my own Dalek from a Plastic Milk Carton, and Plastic parts I cannibalised from various Model kits and things around the house. Plastic Ball Beads were used for the base of the figure. I took a GI Joe action figure, and converted it into the 4th Doctor. LOL
Doctor Who Magazine at that time was an obsession to try to find to read the latest Stories. I remember while watching the Davison era, the DWM had the 6th Doctor featured in the comics section. For me, I was like Damn.. a New Doctor and I can't see it?? We had to wait two years for the latest episodes to start trickling in. It was a bit of a drag, but fun to cobble the scraps we could get together to collect something.. anything Whovian. I spent a lot of my childhood trying to design a TARDIS interior, the engines and so on.. A passion I seem to have held onto, it harkens me back to those fun and enjoyable times. I even cannibalised other models and created a pretty good facsimile of the RED DWARF ship! I loved that show and together with Baker, Pertwee, Davison, and Baker it made the perfect night time viewing before bed. We did also have Monty Python at times, but not as often. I wasn't really a fan of it that much. I remember Showtime would air Benny Hill..LMAO!
Red Dwarf also came on late Saturdays, and after Saturday morning cartoons were over and the Snorks began, I would then go play outside with my latest Transformers, or Star Trek Megos my mum would get from Garage Sales. even then in the mid 80s I felt like those Megos were older and knew they were probably from the 70s. I did have the entire Doctor Who set one time. I also had the Wizard of OZ set including the cardboard and plastic covered Emerald City, complete with cardboard fold out yellow brick road. After playing with my friends, and supper time, I would turn on the PBS channel and watch Doctor Who until around 9pm, then Red Dwarf to 11pm, and they would end the night's programming with Are You being Served yet..(loved that show too)
Anyhow back on Topic. I think that the BBC finally making the Classic series into a Season collection for sale is what many people have wanted to see for a long time now. I dreaded having to buy DVDs individually. Tho I have a Bluray and DVD all in one, I still prefer DVD to the Bluray. HD is great in DVD, Bluray is better yes to some extent, but I just can't justify the cost of Bluray with Doctor Who because the DVD cost is so much more cost effective for me. I want the episode, yes.. But I don't need to get a slightly better version, because I have other things I like to spend my money on, and sometimes it comes down to necessity or luxury. For me, I will take necessity over luxury any day. Owning a Classic Doctor Who DVD is a Necessity, because let's face it, there are no more PBS showings of it, I have seen, and BBCA only focuses on contemporary shows. It's not like in the UK where BBC3 would show classic episodes back when RTD's run was airing.
anyhow, the Baker years do bring back fond memories for us across the pond, in a slightly different way then in the UK, but we share that fondness none the less.
