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What classic Who should new fans avoid like the plague?

Actually, that 's how I've tried to explain the classic series to some people. "Forget it's a low budget TV show, think of it as a televised stage play instead."
 
The problem with The Web Planet is that no sane script editor should ever have commissioned it, because the technology to make it just didn't fucking exist... And if it had, it would have cost ten times the season's budget to do right...
It's theater. There. Problem solved.

So would it also be okay if the actors were to always project their lines loudly like in theatre?

And your comparison falls flat. Theatre only does unrealistic scenery and props when it's part of the pre-existing creative conceit of a given production's genre to not be realistic -- for instance, Epic Theatre, examples of which most famously involve the plays of Epic Theatre's creator, Bertolt Brecht (Mother Courage and Her Children, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, etc). Original Series Doctor Who, by contrast, tends to set its episodes up as being part of the Realism/Naturalism genre -- realistic, detailed sets that re-create the appearances of real sets, characters that dress in a manner similar to real people, etc. -- and then to break that conceit by using special and visual effects that utterly violate the creative conceits of Realism/Naturalism, thereby fatally undermining the verisimilitude of the program.

Sorry, but you don't get to apply the creative conceits of one medium or one genre and apply them inconsistently, or to another medium or genre.
 
What's up with all the Sixth Doctor hate? He was the best of the classic era, and he'd tell you so himself. If you want to skip something, try skipping all of Tom Baker's era.
 
Haven't you noticed? They pretty much do.

Even TOS DW managed not to commit that particular blunder. :rolleyes:

Except where Stephen Thorne, the bloke who plays the Pirate Captain, and (by definition) Brian Blessed are concerned

Yeah but Blessed does that normally. He probably bellows when he whiphers. I always thought Bonnie Langford seemed to be trying to project a bit too much, but then isn't most of her background in theatre rather than TV? (Just William excepted)

And Sci, thanks for the theatre lesson for those of us who don't speak luvvie :D
 
The problem with The Web Planet is that no sane script editor should ever have commissioned it, because the technology to make it just didn't fucking exist... And if it had, it would have cost ten times the season's budget to do right...
It's theater. There. Problem solved.

So would it also be okay if the actors were to always project their lines loudly like in theatre?

And your comparison falls flat. Theatre only does unrealistic scenery and props when it's part of the pre-existing creative conceit of a given production's genre to not be realistic -- for instance, Epic Theatre, examples of which most famously involve the plays of Epic Theatre's creator, Bertolt Brecht (Mother Courage and Her Children, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, etc). Original Series Doctor Who, by contrast, tends to set its episodes up as being part of the Realism/Naturalism genre -- realistic, detailed sets that re-create the appearances of real sets, characters that dress in a manner similar to real people, etc. -- and then to break that conceit by using special and visual effects that utterly violate the creative conceits of Realism/Naturalism, thereby fatally undermining the verisimilitude of the program.

Sorry, but you don't get to apply the creative conceits of one medium or one genre and apply them inconsistently, or to another medium or genre.

Only you would come along and take what is clearly an off-hand, joking remark and make it into an issue where you get to lecture us all once again. I can't understand why people crucify Bone for having an intelligent, informed and accurate opinion when yours are amongst the most holier-than-thou, self-righteous, "look at me, I'm so fucking smart" pieces of crap I've ever seen on any forum. Sci, you have the most over-inflated sense of self-importance and self-worth I've ever come across online. Get over yourself.
 
Genesis of the Daleks.

I AM a new fan, and "Genesis" was the second Classic show i ever watched (after "The Five Doctors"), and of what i've seen so far (essentially the whole Davros-stuff) it's one of the best.

Except it turned the Daleks into mindless robots for all subsequent stories (with the exception of maybe Remembrance), hence my dislike for it.

The OP was for 'new' fans, so I would prefer they got used to the classic Dalek treatment before launching into the Davros years.
 
Genesis of the Daleks.

I AM a new fan, and "Genesis" was the second Classic show i ever watched (after "The Five Doctors"), and of what i've seen so far (essentially the whole Davros-stuff) it's one of the best.

Except it turned the Daleks into mindless robots for all subsequent stories (with the exception of maybe Remembrance), hence my dislike for it.

The OP was for 'new' fans, so I would prefer they got used to the classic Dalek treatment before launching into the Davros years.
That was the episode that turned me onto Doctor Who when I saw it at Penulticon in 1979. The problem was not with Genesis but with bringing Davros back to life and using him again.

As for what episode to avoid. None of them. Enjoy every silly rubber suit shambling monster. Each chase though a corridor or battle in a gravel quarry. Even the bad episodes have their own charm.
 
It's theater. There. Problem solved.

So would it also be okay if the actors were to always project their lines loudly like in theatre?

And your comparison falls flat. Theatre only does unrealistic scenery and props when it's part of the pre-existing creative conceit of a given production's genre to not be realistic -- for instance, Epic Theatre, examples of which most famously involve the plays of Epic Theatre's creator, Bertolt Brecht (Mother Courage and Her Children, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, etc). Original Series Doctor Who, by contrast, tends to set its episodes up as being part of the Realism/Naturalism genre -- realistic, detailed sets that re-create the appearances of real sets, characters that dress in a manner similar to real people, etc. -- and then to break that conceit by using special and visual effects that utterly violate the creative conceits of Realism/Naturalism, thereby fatally undermining the verisimilitude of the program.

Sorry, but you don't get to apply the creative conceits of one medium or one genre and apply them inconsistently, or to another medium or genre.

Only you would come along and take what is clearly an off-hand, joking remark and make it into an issue where you get to lecture us all once again. I can't understand why people crucify Bone for having an intelligent, informed and accurate opinion when yours are amongst the most holier-than-thou, self-righteous, "look at me, I'm so fucking smart" pieces of crap I've ever seen on any forum. Sci, you have the most over-inflated sense of self-importance and self-worth I've ever come across online.

And you may just have to deal with it.

If I bug ya that much, put me on ignore.
 
Personally, I liked the Twin Dilemma, but that's just me. I'm a huge Sixth Doctor Fan, so I know I'm in the minority, LOL.

Of course, one could call me a "new fan" as well, in the grand scheme of things. I've seen everything from the 1996 movie up to this moment, but I'm still slowly but surely working my way through Classic Who. The Sixth Doctor's tenure is actually the only Classic Doctor's tenure I've seen the entirety of.

Oh... that reminds me. Avoid Happiness Patrol until you've made it through the best of the show. I was on a roll watching the Seventh Doctor's eps in order until I got to that episode and I just... ugh, lost all interest. I really *must* make myself go back and watch it sometime.

I do highly recommend avoiding Dimensions in Time like the plague. *shudders*
 
Personally, I liked the Twin Dilemma, but that's just me. I'm a huge Sixth Doctor Fan, so I know I'm in the minority, LOL.

My only real problem with Twin Dilemma was the editing. We wanted to see the new Doctor, but they kept switching over to the B-story and those damn twins!

Oh... that reminds me. Avoid Happiness Patrol until you've made it through the best of the show. I was on a roll watching the Seventh Doctor's eps in order until I got to that episode and I just... ugh, lost all interest. I really *must* make myself go back and watch it sometime.

I didn't think it was totally horrible. Just not very re-watchable. I think the set design kinda worked against the premise. They should have gone with bright, happy colors instead of dark and dingy. And of course there was the Candyman. Most wtf villain in DW history.


I do highly recommend avoiding Dimensions in Time like the plague. *shudders*

Well, it was nice to see everyone again. Even if it was cheezy as hell.
 
I think if you can put up with some of the crap nuWho has offered, watching classic Who would be welcome relief.
 
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