Old Doctor Who - Part 3

[Alberon]

And there would probably be a heated argument over deleting the N-word too.

[FredNurke]

They'll just leave that bit out and say it's too hard to animate.

[Norton Canes]

I don't know about missing episodes, the one story I'd love to see animated is Warriors Of The Deep.

[purlieu]

Timewyrm: Exodus is great fun. A real Indiana Jones feel, plus some interesting use of old continuity.

Oh yes, I enjoyed that a lot. Far better than Terry's PDAs. A fun romp through Nazi-occupied Britain and pre-war Nazi Germany. Seven and Ace feel like their screen versions, thankfully. Some good characters all-round, and a generally vivid backdrop in all the settings. The Timewyrm link is still pretty bloody vague, little more than a bookend to the story, but at least it was tied in quite well. And the main story had me fooled: I was predicting a return of the Monk, rather than the War Lords. Good stuff.

Timewyrm: Apocalypse is up next. With one of the lowest scores on Goodreads of all the NAs, I'm already setting my expectations low.

[Alberon]

Bloody hell, you're racing ahead. I'll have to crack on to keep up.

[purlieu]

Yes, been burning through these lately. Will probably be done with Apocalypse tomorrow, as it's barely longer than a Target.

Rumour has it the next BluRay release is confirmed and will be announced soon. From what I gather, it might be 17.

[Peru]

Didn't HMV inadvertently reveal it as 23?

[purlieu]

Not sure. I think we're expected to get 26 at the end of the year, and I've seen rumours of both Colin series being lined up at some point. If you had the choice, you'd go with 22 over 23 first though, wouldn't you?


Timewyrm: Apocalypse
This might be the closest to an actual TV story in feel of all the books I've read. The relatively small-scale alien world, universe-ending consequences told as a story of a few rebels brought together by The Doctor and Ace. Quite cute in that way, but a fairly forgettable story with a nonsense ending. I'm hoping Timewyrm: Revelation actually makes proper use of the titular character, rather than being another "oh so the villain was the Timewyrm all along!" reveal near the end. I have a feeling it will...

[Alberon]

Of the four books I seem to remember liking the fourth the best, being written by Paul Cornell is probably why. I skipped through the rest of the first and I'm onto Tewwy's book now which is such a step up even though it's just the standard runaround.

[purlieu]

Yeah, it's pacey, with properly fleshed out characters, which makes it kind of the opposite of Genesys.

[Weeping Prophet]

Not sure. I think we're expected to get 26 at the end of the year, and I've seen rumours of both Colin series being lined up at some point. If you had the choice, you'd go with 22 over 23 first though, wouldn't you?


Timewyrm: Apocalypse
This might be the closest to an actual TV story in feel of all the books I've read. The relatively small-scale alien world, universe-ending consequences told as a story of a few rebels brought together by The Doctor and Ace. Quite cute in that way, but a fairly forgettable story with a nonsense ending. I'm hoping Timewyrm: Revelation actually makes proper use of the titular character, rather than being another "oh so the villain was the Timewyrm all along!" reveal near the end. I have a feeling it will...

I remember seeing this on shelves in 1991 and since I grew up in the states and didn't even know the show had been canceled, I thought this was an actual televised episode and I was impressed with the direction they'd taken.

[Norton Canes]

Hi everyone! Just wanted to remind you - as if you needed reminding! - that today is International Hold Your Pen Like Mavic Chen Day, the day all fans of the lovable Guardian of the Solar System tuck their writing devices under their index fingers and pinkies whenever they write. Letters, notes, signatures, treaties of alliance with evil galactic powers - whatever you write today, make sure you Hold Your Pen Like Mavic Chen!

In case anyone needs a reminder, here's the man himself to demonstrate:



So come on, let us know what you've written today with your pen held like Mavic Chen. Photos, anecdotes, scans of what you've written - everything's welcome! And why not post photos of any celebrities you've seen holding their pen like Mavic Chen? Let's make this the best Hold Your Pen Like Mavic Chen Day ever!!

[Bad Ambassador]

The Trial of a Time Lord on Blu-ray. What an age we live in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-hWKv9ExtY

[Norton Canes]

Well I don't know about you guys but I had a fantastic International Hold Your Pen Like Mavic Chen Day! Spent the whole day writing everything while I held my pen like Mavic Chen - stock orders, memos, delivery permits, brilliant fun, shame none of it was in the slightest bit legible! Sorry to the 1,200 primary school kids in St Helens who didn't get their school meals! Pretty sure I saw Andrea McLean on Loose Women scrawling away with her pen held exactly like Mavic Chen! And that feature on The One Show was fantastic, not sure Giles Brandreth will ever get the hang though.

Disappointed that my penis going away now but can't wait to see you all next International Hold Your Pen Like Mavic Chen Day!!

[Alberon]

Lovely Freudian slip in that last paragraph you dirty old bollocks.

[Small Man Big Horse]

The Trial of a Time Lord on Blu-ray. What an age we live in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-hWKv9ExtY

I can only presume that they're releasing this so that Chibnall's work will suddenly look good in comparison.

It really is a weird choice though, I mean does anyone not feel that it's the show at it's very, very worst?

[daf]

[Weeping Prophet]

hmm

[Replies From View]

It really is a weird choice though, I mean does anyone not feel that it's the show at it's very, very worst?

It's a tie between that and McCoy's first season I guess.

[Norton Canes]

If they eventually want to Blu-ray all the classic era seasons then I suppose it doesn't matter too much if one or two of the worst ones slip through early on. Anyway, though none of the stories are particularly good they're all eminently watchable, even for the wrong reasons.

An option to watch the first three stories without any cutaways to the trial scenes would be nice.

[Bad Ambassador]

does anyone not feel that it's the show at it's very, very worst?

Yes, me.

Vervoids will be viewable as a standalone story, and all episodes will be included in an extended form.

[pigamus]

I can only presume that they're releasing this so that Chibnall's work will suddenly look good in comparison.

It really is a weird choice though, I mean does anyone not feel that it's the show at it's very, very worst?

It can't all be sunshine and buttercups and rainbows, you know.

[Replies From View]

all episodes will be included in an extended form.

Oh good.

[Alberon]

That's just so they can fit all of Colin Baker into the shot.

It's okay. I'm fat so I can make a fatist joke.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Season 23 is bad, but 24 is much worse. Deliberately, prematurely, sloppily drawing a line under a shit era in order to make way for... an even shitter era.

[Deanjam]

Not my favourite series by any means but I'll get it as I don't have it on DVD and the extras are pretty good as usual. Glad the cookbook rumour has proven true.


    Extended edits – of all fourteen episodes
    Terror of the Vervoids – four-part standalone edition with updated Fx
    Immersive 5.1 surround sound & isolated scores – on all 14 broadcast episodes
    Behind the Sofa – new episodes with Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Bonnie Langford, Mark Strickson, Frazer Hines and Matthew Waterhouse
    The Writers' Room – Eric Saward, Philip Martin, Christopher H Bidmead & Waly K Daly discuss the 'Lost' Season 23
    The Doctor Who Cookbook Revisited – brave cast members tackle their original recipes from the 1980s official cookbook
    The Doctor's Table – join Colin Baker and friends for dinner
    In Conversation – Matthew Sweet chats to companion Bonnie Langford
    Unseen studio footage
    Rare archive treats
    Convention footage
    Blu-ray trailer
    HD photo galleries
    Scripts, costume designs & more in the PDF Archive

The six-disc box set also includes hours of extensive special features previously released on DVD.

[Norton Canes]

Season 23 is bad, but 24 is much worse. Deliberately, prematurely, sloppily drawing a line under a shit era in order to make way for... an even shitter era

I'm not going to attempt to defend Time And The Rani but at least the rest of season 24 emerges from the deathly pall of Eric Saward's script editing and tries to serve up some entertaining story concepts. And for the first time in five years the cast and production team look like they're actually enjoying themselves (admittedly a little too much, on occasion).

There's nothing 'premature' about the way they kick Saward's pervasive miserablism into touch.

[Norton Canes]

Vervoids will be viewable as a standalone story

As in, like I speculated, without any of the trial scenes (or at least the most irritating, intrusive ones)?

[purlieu]

Trial presents itself as a professionally made family TV show - just. 24 is amateur hour, barely passes for CBBC level shite. Other than Dragonfire, which recovers it a little.

I can't work out if this is a brave or sensible move. Leading Colin's era on BluRay with this rather than 22 does seem daft, but then I can honestly see sales dropping - a little, at least - as physical sales in general continue to fall, so it's more likely to sell in 2019 than 2014.

[JamesTC]

It really is a weird choice though, I mean does anyone not feel that it's the show at it's very, very worst?

Me. I love it.