The Ambassadors of Death (Pertwee)

[Mr Light]

I just saw this serial for the first time. I did watch Pertwee and Tom Baker as a kid and loved them, but I really did not like this one. I just couldn't care about the story at all. It was incredibly slow and drawn out and the baddies were extremely boring as well. This really should not have been a seven episode serial!!!

Is this a popular or unpopular story?

 

[diankra]

Well, personally it's one of my favourite Pertwees. I like the really down to WEarth feel of season seven.

If you don't know, it does meander a bit because of the troubled writing history: it might be credited to David Whitaker, but only the first three episodes retain any of his material, and it's mainly written by Malcolm Hulke (with some work on the early episodes by Trevor Ray).

 

[Cutter John]

I was never all that keen on the stories in Pertwee's first season for some reason. Maybe it was the fact that the series took a more serious note that year (same problem I had with most of Davisons stories) coupled with their length, and the fact that most were broadcast in black and white, and my first exposure to them was at ten o'clock at night on PBS when I was struggling a bit to stay awake.

 

[Mr Light]

Yeah actually I'm watching all the Pertwees in a row right now and I'm halfway through "Inferno". And they're all pretty slow and mundane. I still love the 3rd Doctor and I recall his later stories being better. I guess "The Silurians" was the best of his first season; at least it had memorable villains. Also, Liz Shaw isn't the greatest Companion. I recall enjoying Jo Grant a lot more.

It's funny, the recent Silurian two parter was almost the exact same story as their first appearance. Human drilling/explosion awakens sleeping Silurians, belligerent humans and Silurians kick off a war that the Doctor and the open-minded Silurian leader are against, the peaceful Silurian leader is killed by the military guy, etc, etc.

 

[Cutter John]

No argument here. For me Pertwee's era really started once Jo and the Master arrived on the scene.

 

[DWF]

Inferno is usually hailed as the best of the season is a favorite among alot of fans. The Ambassadors Of Death though is pretty boring for me as well, but the three seven parters were done to save some money, the next season was much better overall.

 

[Stevil2001]

It's been a long time, but I do remember thinking that this story was rad.

 

[EJA]

Never seen Ambassadors of Death, but I understand it's pretty much been retconned out of continuity now, with NuWho stating in some episodes that humans have never sent any manned missions to Mars as of the early 21st century. Which is a shame, IMO.

Inferno may be a bit overlong in parts, but it's still one of my favourite Pertwee stories. I love the whole twisted alternate universe thing, and the apocalyptic vibe running through it.

 

[Stevil2001]

I don't think Doctor Who does "retconned out of continuity." You must be confusing it with something that cares about its continuity to an obnoxious degree, like superhero comic books.

 

[EJA]

Since when did caring about continuity become a bad thing?

 

[Captain Pike]

Ambassadors = teh awesome..

If you don't get it though, I guess you don't get it..

 

[VDCNI]

Since when did caring about continuity become a bad thing?

Well it's not in general but there's a limit to how much continuity can be followed over the course of a show that has now been running almost 50 years.

The relaunch has stuck to the core continuity of the show for the most part - Galifrey, previous doctors, previous companions, UNIT etc which is surely the most important part.

And even if AOD has been contridicted by later stories it's still there to be watched and enjoyed so what does it matter?

 

[Stevil2001]

Since when did caring about continuity become a bad thing?

When it causes people to claim that perfectly good stories "don't count" thanks to a couple throwaway lines.

 

[Steve67]

As one of the few who actually loves Liz Shaw and first-season Pertwee, Ambassadors of Death is the one remaining story we're waiting for. Liz, while not "conventionally" beautiful, is IMO quite attractive and the best actress the Pertwee era had--and I LOVE Lis Sladen. I liked Liz's banter with the Brigadier and how she was actually competent, unlike the "three steps backward" Jo Grant, whom I like a lot, as well.

 

[VDCNI]

I always thought season 7 was extremely popular. It came 3rd in the most recent DWM poll.

AOD tends to be the overlooked and least popular story of the 4 though - even so it still managed a top half position in the DWM poll.

 

[Stevil2001]

As one of the few who actually loves Liz Shaw and first-season Pertwee, Ambassadors of Death is the one remaining story we're waiting for. Liz, while not "conventionally" beautiful, is IMO quite attractive and the best actress the Pertwee era had--and I LOVE Lis Sladen. I liked Liz's banter with the Brigadier and how she was actually competent, unlike the "three steps backward" Jo Grant, whom I like a lot, as well.

Not conventionally beautiful! Have you seen those legs!?

 

[Mr Light]

I just finished "Inferno". Way too drawn out but the ending was pretty bleak and cool. The Doctor is caught on a parallel Earth that is being destroyed! Dark stuff for a children's programme The mutated scientists were terribly silly though.

Onto "Terror of the Autons"! I'm looking forward to this one.

 

[Bones2]

Season Seven's Perter's best by a mile. Liz Shaw's wonderful, especially compared to the fuckwit who followed her, and it's the one season where Jon really seems to be trying. Ambassadors gets a 3* from me; seven parts works brilliantly for The Silurians where there's quite a lot going on, but Ambassadors feels a bit drawn out. Good music though.

 

[Steve67]

Not conventionally beautiful! Have you seen those legs!?

I'm on record as adoring Liz Shaw...note that "conventionally" is in quotes.

 

[Mr Light]

Just saw "Terror of the Autons". Wow, what a difference! The introduction of the Master and Jo Grant, but more than that, the story is tighter, faster, more action packed, more interesting... Also the production values looked a lot better too, not as embarrassing as Pertwee's first season. This is the kind of 3rd Doctor story I remember as a kid!