Old Doctor Who - Part 3

[Weeping Prophet]

I've finally picked up a copy of that JNT biography (now that it's been republished as Totally Tasteless). I've needed a fix for 80s Doctor Who gossip ever since the DVD line ended.

[Gurke and Hare]

I assume you've read the Peter Davison autobiog? If not you should, it's excellent.

[Weeping Prophet]

I haven't! Didn't even know he wrote one.

[Replies From View]

I've finally picked up a copy of that JNT biography (now that it's been republished as Totally Tasteless). I've needed a fix for 80s Doctor Who gossip ever since the DVD line ended.

Check out the DWM Specials called 'In Their Own Words' if you haven't already; pdfs of them here:

https://m.vk.com/page-5742320_43960528

3, 4 and 5 cover the 80s period.

[pigamus]

Was I the only fan too thick to recognise Tom Chadbon in that episode of Peep Show he was in?

[Weeping Prophet]

Check out the DWM Specials called 'In Their Own Words' if you haven't already; pdfs of them here:

https://m.vk.com/page-5742320_43960528

3, 4 and 5 cover the 80s period.

Thank you!

Was I the only fan too thick to recognise Tom Chadbon in that episode of Peep Show he was in?

I recognized him but I can't not recognize Tom Chadbon.

[purlieu]

Meanwhile, in amusing Pirated Ebook-Space

[Ambient Sheep]

I just thought I'd flag up that the latest DWM (#510) has a rather good article based on an interview with Richard Curtis (with some stuff from Steven Moffat as well), mainly about The Curse of Fatal Death but also Vincent and the Doctor.

The reason I'm mentioning it is that it's written by a certain Jem Roberts, congratulations!

[Malcy]

I just thought I'd flag up that the latest DWM (#510) has a rather good article based on an interview with Richard Curtis (with some stuff from Steven Moffat as well), mainly about The Curse of Fatal Death but also Vincent and the Doctor.

The reason I'm mentioning it is that it's written by a certain Jem Roberts, congratulations!

I used to buy DWM religiously but havent for a long time. It's never on sale near me so i usually end up reading a scanned pdf on my iPad if i ever see one. That article sounds brilliant, defo going to check it out.

[Ambient Sheep]

Not read even half of it yet, but it seems a good issue overall, with lots of stuff about John Hurt.

[Pranet]

Talking of DWM, if anyone is reading this in Bath, the Oxfam shop has a stack of DWMs in at the moment- recentish (the same box also had the Brilliant Book of Doctor Who, so I assume from about then), and I didn't think to see how much they are actually charging for them, but may be worth having a look if you think you might be interested in that sort of thing.

[Ambient Sheep]

Just found this rather lovely and bloody funny mash-up via the current Goodies thread and a subsequent Youtube suggestion:

Doctor Who meets The Goodies (55 seconds long)

[Straight Faced Customer]

Don't think this has been mentioned - the amazing Whovian comic fanzine Vworp Vworp has its third issue out, which I bought as I know nothing about the comics - http://www.vworpvworp.co.uk/buy/volume3.php

Just came across it by chance on a comics blog as I hadn't heard of it before, but glad I did. My copy arrived today, and it's a big and very slick read. Really impressive stuff.

[purlieu]

Just found this rather lovely and bloody funny mash-up via the current Goodies thread and a subsequent Youtube suggestion:

Doctor Who meets The Goodies (55 seconds long)

Lovely stuff. Particularly the inclusion of Bill Oddie in the cast.

[Ambient Sheep]

Lovely stuff. Particularly the inclusion of Bill Oddie in the cast.

Thanks!  But the Bill Oddie thing is going over my head -- is that just a William (Hartnell)/Bill reference, or have I missed something deeper?

[purlieu]

Frankly I thought it was just whimsy.

[Ambient Sheep]

Heh, so did I, but the way you said it, I thought you meant there was maybe something else! :-)

[Alberon]

Graeme is closest to the Third Doctor and Tim is the Fifth Doctor, but who is Bill's?

Bill Oddie is probably closest to Bill Hartnell (but with less racism) but not that close to the First Doctor.

[pigamus]

Graeme is closest to the Third Doctor and Tim is the Fifth Doctor, but who is Bill's?

Bill Oddie is probably closest to Bill Hartnell (but with less racism) but not that close to the First Doctor.

In that people feel sorry for him but don't generally dislike him, in Who terms he's probably McGann.

[Serge]

Not sure if it counts as old Doctor Who, but it's 12 years ago today that 'Rose' was first shown. Weirdly, this doesn't really seem that long ago, though it may be because I've also just found out that 'Original Pirate Material' by The Streets is 15 years old, which makes me feel ancient.

[purlieu]

Bloody hell. Both of those make me feel old.

[Norton Canes]

Watched Genesis of the Daleks over the past few nights, along with Master Canes (aged 13). It's the first time I've seen it in years - the DVD disc has been missing, so I finally downloaded it. Holy shit, it's good. Obviously many of the Hinchcliffe stories were grim and gritty but this utterly surpasses them all. Bar 30 seconds of Ian Marter pretending to have his foot chewed by a giant clam, it's nothing short of perfect. Perhaps uniquely for any Doctor Who story the Daleks are actually scary - it's chilling that they're always on hand to act as executioners for Davros, and it's so brilliant that after spending most of the story basically saying "I obey", at the conclusion they suddenly display devastating intelligence of their own. And as for Michael Wisher as Davros - were the BAFTAs around in 1975? I can't believe that no-one even considered putting him up for some kind of award. Peter Miles as Nyder is exceptional too.

Required viewing, not just for Who fans that haven't seen it but for anyone who enjoys brilliantly conceived and performed TV drama.

[maett]

Sort of take it for granted a bit, but had it been a one off 6 episode science fiction drama, with the daleks and Doctor substituted with similar alternatives I really think it would be regarded, by more than just fans of the show, as a near legendary mid 70s BBC production.
Agreed Michael Wisher is phenomenal.

[Norton Canes]

And I was really pleased that my son enjoyed it so much. It's the first classic era 'Who he's watched (except for a few monstery ones I showed him when he was really small ) and I was worried he'd find it too talky, and the pace a bit leisurely; but that's one good thing about him having seen The Walking Dead and some of the recent Netflix series - he's used to long, dialogue-heavy scenes and stretches where there's little action.

Not sure what to show him next. Hinchliffe again I'm sure, but he loved the grittiness of Genesis, and as I said up-thread, 'gothic' as they are, none of the other Hinchcliffes are quite this grim.

[maett]

Seeds of Doom? I always thought that was pretty nasty with the body horror, Scorby drowning, Harrison Chase copping it in his own compost maker, and the treatment of Keeler after infection is disturbingly clinical even after all these years.
Though of course everyone dies in The Horror of Fang Rock

[pigamus]

Give him some lesbians worshipping a gas ring. You know it'll do him good.

[Deanjam]

Give him some lesbians worshipping a gas ring. You know it'll do him good.

Also a nice blood splatter from the stomach.

[Deanjam]

The Hinchcliffe years were truly glorious. The best Who has ever been. Recently rewatched Pyramids of Mars for the hundreth time. It's just perfect.

[purlieu]

Harrison Chase copping it in his own compost maker

First time I watched Seeds of Doom I saw it coming as soon as the machine was introduced, and thus spent the bulk of those episodes tensely waiting for the hideous inevitability to happen. One of the few Who moments to genuinely unsettle me as an adult.

The Hinchcliffe years are my least favourite era from the first five Doctors, just seems to do everything I don't want with the show, but I'd agree that Seeds is a good choice as a follow-up to Genesis. I mean I can't fathom the idea of watching it out of order in the slightest, but if you're going down that route then definitely that.

[Norton Canes]

It probably would be Seeds of Doom next, except I haven't got that one on DVD. Planet of Evil has plenty of horror movie tropes, he might like that. Ark in Space is pretty gruesome too but the effects aren't really up to showing it convincingly.