The Doctor Who Thread

[MrBarlow]

Doctor Who: The Twin Dilemma.

After regenerating, the Doctor is confused and memory seems to come and go, Twin boys who are mathematical geniuses have been kidnapped and forced to work for a alien species.

This was the first outing for Colin Baker, and of course there was problems from the start with the writer having problems finishing the script and making excuses, Colin and Nicola having a some what frosty start which was settled due to miss communication between them both. This is the first time I have seen the debut of Colin Baker and feel it is like the first appearance of Sylvester McCoy in Time and The Rani, starts off strong then by episode 3 it begins to plummet downwards. When this debut on television it started off with 7.6 million viewers, by episode 4 there was 6.3 million viewers. Russell T. Davies has said that this season was the start of the decline of Doctor Who, I don't agree with that, IMO the series was still strong.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Twin Dilemma was a pretty weak way to introduce Colin. Certainly they gave him this huge personality but it was hardly one to win over the viewers who loved kindly Peter Davison (That's a myth as all three i've seen on blu of his debut season - The Visitation, Black Orchid, Earthshock, he's been as grumpy as hell) - then we had the really annoying twins Womulus and Wemus, plus a fairly lethargic story with the Gastropods, which i quite liked but they shouldn't have been in the same season as the quite similar Tractators from Frontios.

Had it been me i've had the Doctor settled by the beginning of episode two, certainly the cliffhanger he could have strangled Peri but on seeing his own reflection being the Doctor would have flooded back to him straight away and he could have done his speech to the viewers as seen at the end of part four at the beginning of part two.

A reworked Mark of the Rani would have been the perfect debut story for Colin in my opinion.

[Susan Foreman]

Who: Before And After #458

Name: Peter Howell (1919 - 2015)
Year(s): 1972
Stories: The Mutants episode 6
Character(s): Investigator

Before Who:
Films: The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1952), Always a Bride (1953), Tarzan the Magnificent (1960), Watch Your Stern (1960), Beware of Children (1960), The Hellfire Club* (1961), Roommates (1961), Death and the Sky Above (1961), The Devil-Ship Pirates* (1964), The Gunpowder Plot (1968)

Television: Emergency-Ward 10 [161 episodes as Dr. Peter Harrison (1957-1967)] / Somerset Maugham Hour: A Casual Affair (1960) / Man from Interpol: No Other Way (1960) / Boyd Q.C.: The Dog with the Bad Name (1960) / The Cheaters [2 epiosdes, different characters (1961)] / Somerset Maugham Hour: The Treasure (1962) / The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre: Incident at Midnight (1963) / The Rag Trade: The Budgie (1963) / BBC Sunday-Night Play: The Affair (1963) / Espionage: Festival of Pawns (1963) / Story Parade: A Kiss Before Dying (1964) / R3: A Sudden Change of Programme (1965) / The Avengers: Death at Bargain Prices (1965) / BBC Play of the Month: The Joel Brand Story (1965) / Theatre 625: Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1965) / Dixon of Dock Green: Georgina (1965) / ITV Play of the Week: All My Loving (1966) / Dr. Finlay's Casebook [2 episodes, different characters (1966-1969) / Thirteen Against Fate: The Judge (1966) / Conflict: Ross (1966) / The Power Game: The Side of the Angels (1966) / Theatre 625: Sword of Honour #2 - Officers and Gentlemen (1967) / Who Is Sylvia? [2 episodes (1967)] / No Hiding Place: A Letter from Helga (1967) / The Golden Age: The First Elizabeth (1967) / Trapped: Quest (1967) / The Prisoner: The General* (1967) / Inheritance: Slump (1967) / George and the Dragon: The 10:15 Train (1968) / Journey to the Unknown: Eve (1968) / The Champions: Twelve Hours* (1968) / The Expert: A Family Affair (1969) / The Root of All Evil?: What's in It for Me? (1969) / Thirty-Minute Theatre: The Chief Whip Sends His Compliments (1970) / Rules, Rules, Rules: The Role of Hero (1971) / Elizabeth R [2 episodes as Lord Howard (1971)] / The Ten Commandments: Black Eye on Sunday (1971) / The Guardians [2 episodes as Geoff Hollis (1971)] / Softly Softly - Task Force: It Depends Where You're Standing (1972)

After Who:
Films: Once Upon a Union (1977), Scum [as the Governor] (1979), John Wycliffe: The Morning Star (1984), Hitler's S.S.: Portrait in Evil (1985), John and Yoko: A Love Story (1985), Bellman and True (1987), The Man Who Cried (1993), Shadowlands (1993), Princess Caraboo (1994), The Last Englishman (1995), The Innocent Sleep (1995), Emma (1996), The Libertine (2004)
Television: The Regiment: Riot (1973) / Freewheelers [5 episodes as Goddard (1973)] / Heil Caesar! [2 episodes as Julius Caesar (1973)] / Late Night Drama: On the Sixth Day (1974) / Thriller: Screamer* (1974) / Churchill's People: A Sprig of Broom (1975) / Edward the King [5 episodes as Francis Knollys (1975)] / The Sweeney: Chalk and Cheese (1975) / The Brothers: A Clean Break (1976) / BBC2 Playhouse: Dad (1976) / Bill Brand [5 episodes as Venables (1976)] / Dickens of London: Success (1976) / The Velvet Glove: Married Love (1977) / BBC2 Play of the Week: Mr. & Ms. Bureaucrat (1978) / Do You Remember?: The File on Harry Jordan (1978) / The Mill on the Floss [6 episodes as Uncle Glegg (1978-1979)] / Thomas and Sarah: Putting on the Ritz (1979) / Pride and Prejudice [2 episodes as Sir William Lucas (1980)] / Play for Today: That Crazy Woman (1980) / Mackenzie: Vacant Possession (1980) / Love in a Cold Climate [3 episodes as the Duke of Paddington (1980)] / ITV Playhouse: Out of Sight, Out of Mind (1981) / Maybury: Trouble at Home (1981) / We'll Meet Again: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back (1982) / Tales of the Unexpected: Who's Got the Lady? (1982) / Yes Minister: Equal Opportunities (1982) / The Professionals: A Man Called Quinn (1983) / The Hard Word: Life Isn't Like Pictures (1983) / Death of an Expert Witness [2 episodes as Sir Charles Freeborn (1983)] / Reilly - Ace of Spies: Anna (1983) / The Old Men at the Zoo: Armageddon (1983) / Rumpole of the Bailey: Rumpole and the Female of the Species (1983) / Crown Court: Mother Figures (1984) / The Last Days of Pompeii [3 episodes as Banquet guest (1984)] / A.D. [2 episodes as Atticus (1985)] / A Sort of Innocence [4 episodes as Neil Carolan (1987)] / Napoleon and Josephine - A Love Story (1987) / The One Game: Friday (1988) / South of the Border (1988) / Screen One: The Mountain and the Molehill (1989) / Poirot: The Adventure of the Cheap Flat (1990) / Blood Rights (1990) / Screen Two: My Sister-Wife (1992) / Witchcraft (1992) / Jeeves and Wooster: Arrested in a Night Club (or, the Delayed Arrival) (1993) / The 10 Percenters: Wedding (1996) / How Do You Want Me?: No-One Can Hear You Scream (1998) / Our Mutual Friend [4 episodes as Fourth Guest (1998)] / Big Women: A Nest of Randy Vipers (1998) / Ruth Rendell Mysteries: Road Rage (1998) / Hippies: Disgusting Hippies (1999) / Perfect Strangers [3 episodes as Ernest (2001)] / Silent Witness: Beyond Guilt (2003)

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

A new pin badge from Hero Collector of Jon Pertwee's third Doctor and the Daemon Azal from the classic 1971 story The Daemons.

[MrBarlow]

Doctor Who: Attack Of The Cybermen.

Slowly recovering from his regeneration, The Doctor and Peri receive a strange signal and the TARDIS lands in London 1985. With 4 men planning a bank heist, one is hiding a secret, in the sewers they are faced with the Cybermen.

I have never been a fan of Cybermen stories, to me they walk like Frankenstein trying to not loose control of their bowels, is it just me or do their voices sound different in this season? Colin and Nicola seem to be getting on better than the previous episodes and he seems a bit more toned down and not very comical or witty, it did have a good build up between earth and Planet Mondas but seemed to have a weak ending.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Doctor Who: Attack Of The Cybermen.

Slowly recovering from his regeneration, The Doctor and Peri receive a strange signal and the TARDIS lands in London 1985. With 4 men planning a bank heist, one is hiding a secret, in the sewers they are faced with the Cybermen.

I have never been a fan of Cybermen stories, to me they walk like Frankenstein trying to not loose control of their bowels, is it just me or do their voices sound different in this season? Colin and Nicola seem to be getting on better than the previous episodes and he seems a bit more toned down and not very comical or witty, it did have a good build up between earth and Planet Mondas but seemed to have a weak ending.

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Yeah, part one is by far the best. Don't you think so, Mr Lytton?

[Susan Foreman]

Who: Before And After #459a

Name: Wanda Moore (? - )
Year(s): 1972
Stories: The Time Monster episode 1 – The Time Monster episode 4, The Time Monster episode 6
Character(s): Dr. Ruth Ingram

Before Who:
Films: The Body Stealers* (1969)

Television: R3: Witch Doctor (1965) / The Jazz Age: Broadway (1968) / Kate [2 episodes as Joan Lacey (1970-1971)]

After Who:
Films: Going Dutch (1973)
Television: Freewheelers [7 episodes as Helga Lindstrom (1972)] / ITV Sunday Night Theatre: The Death of Adolf Hitler (1973) / Van der Valk: A Man of No Importance (1973) / Within These Walls: To Reason Why (1975) / Lillie [3 episodes as Lady Georgiana Dudley (1978)] / Triangle [20 episodes as Susan Porter (1981)] / Emmerdale Farm [8 episodes as Virginia Lattimore (1981)] / Howards' Way [2 episodes as Jo Penhaligon (1985)] / Jake and the Fatman: You Took Advantage of Me (1990) / Father Dowling Mysteries: The Legacy Mystery (1990)

Who: Before And After #459b

Name: John Wyse (1904 - 1989)
Year(s): 1972
Stories: The Time Monster episode 1 – The Time Monster episode 3
Character(s): Dr. Charles Percival

Before Who:
Films: The Importance of Being Earnest (1938), Cyrano de Bergerac (1938), The Fourpenny Box (1956)

Television: Theatre Parade [3 episodes, different characters (1937)] / Puck of Pook's Hill [2 episodes as Sir Richard (1951)] / Danger Man: The Contessa* (1961) / They Met in a City: The Spanish Waiter (1961) / Boyd Q.C.: Messing About in Boats (1961) / BBC Sunday-Night Play: The Rivals (1962) / Thirty Minute Theatre: Dare to Be a Daniel (1962) / Jury Room [2 episodes, different characters (1965)] / Mr. John Jorrocks: Now That We Are Worshipful, It Becomes Us to Be Grave and Respectable Looking (1966) / Blackmail: The Haunting of Aubrey Hopkiss (1966) / The Informer: A Mouthful of Silver Spoons (1967) / Justice: A Duty to the Court (1972) / Clouds of Witness [3 episodes as Mr. Murbles (1972)]

After Who:
Films: None
Television: None

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Thea Ransome (Wanda Ventham) possessed by the skull of the Fendahl in Image of the Fendahl (1977)

[MrBarlow]

Doctor Who: Vengeance On Varos.

The TARDIS lands on the planet Varos a old penal colony, mistaken for being rebels The Doctor and Peri discover Sil a delegate from a mining planet wants to rule and the TARDIS has a fuel source he requires.

The third outing for Colin Baker as the time traveler from Gallifrey and this was a decent entry for him, it's not knuckle gripping but seems like the producers put in a bit more money in to it especially with the make up effects for Sil (who later returned in Trial Of The Time lord). Like the previous episodes I was expecting the second part to be disappointing but it seemed to go a bit darker than normal with the story line which made it a bit more exciting, and seeing The Doctor a bit violent with two guards being pushed into acid.

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[MrBarlow]

Doctor Who: The Mark Of The Rani.

19th century a English mining village is besieged by a gas that turns the locals mad and beserk, The Doctor and Peri discover a renegade Time Lord known as The Rani is behind it and The Master who plans to coerce her in to helping him be rid of The Doctor.

For this two episode of science-fiction we get three time lords for the price of one, Kate O' Mara makes her debut as the female renegade The Rani who has her own TARDIS, which The Doctor seems to know how to adjust a few things. Anthony Ainley returns as The Master who somehow needs help to destroy The Doctor, how many times has he lost against him...wave a white flag man!

This one was a not too bad of a story line written by Pip and Jane Baker who wrote the Doctor Who series up to Time And The Rani, in some parts it seems to go up and down as it becomes interesting then goes off track and then back on track again, this is one I would happily re-watch again.

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