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Post by aussiedodger on Sept 27, 2014 22:59:06 GMT -8
I've been slowly chipping away at all the Doctor Who episodes from 1970-present. I started this last year and am currently into 1987. It's getting harder as the stories get shitter and the budget gets lower. Here is my analysis: Jon Pertwee years 1970-1974  For my personal tastes, this was an AMAZING start. I absolutely love this guy. He's snarky, largely fearless and sarcastic. An alien would point a gun at him, and he'd say something like "Never mind that bullshit" or "Pull your head in, Mr Alien". I consider this "my Doctor" as he was the first actor I saw playing this role (via repeat in the 1980s). His era featured some excellent stories and ideas, some cheap effects (e.g a pencil taking off representing a rocket) and general gritty 1970s feel that I'm a fan of. Also when kung-fu got hot the Doctor started comically karate chopping everyone. HEEEE-YYYAAA I liked his companions, they definitely added to the show (especially Sarah-Jane, meeow). The Roger Delgado Master was phenomenal, he was a brilliant heel. Such a shame he died mid-series. Once I get up to 2014 I'll be watching this era again for sure. |
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Post by aussiedodger on Sept 27, 2014 23:25:43 GMT -8
Tom Baker years 1974-81  Before I got to Mr Baker, I would hear people whacking off about how amazing he was and how this was the "peak" of the series. While I found him generally very good, he was a bit spaceman-esque for my liking personality-wise. He also relied on catchphrases a little noticeably e.g "Hel-lew!" "Would you like a jelly baby?" There were some fantastic stories and ideas in the Baker years e.g the origin of the Daleks, and they actually spent a bit of money (a whole story in Paris, using higher-quality outside scene cameras.) His companions were varied: Sarah-Jane (of course *wink*), K-9 was annoying for a start and then became sarcastic and hilarious, Leela was interesting but somehow got stupider as time went on, Romana #1 could have been good but was replaced fairly quickly by Tom Baker's real-life wife. The episode where she left she wore a revealing low-cut top revealing her Monty Burns-esque bony chest. Romana #2 was kinda wrecked for me as I already knew who she was. Overall decent and watch-able, but not my favourite |
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Post by aussiedodger on Sept 27, 2014 23:59:02 GMT -8
Peter Davison years 1981-1984  And here starts the slow, sad downhill slide. Davison is quite ponce-y as the Doctor, but at least he can run fast, right?  He IMMEDIATELY picks up the worst companion of the entire series. Tegan idiot no character hillbilly-accent Jovanka. My god. Every scene with her in it made me want to claw my eyes out. Poor Adric gets blown to smithereens, but Tegan gets jettisoned for a few stories AND COMES BACK. Even the Doctor can't hide his contempt for her. Aside from complaining about that, there wasn't much story-wise to get your teeth into until Davison picks up an evil companion in Turlough, which was probably the one good idea of his tenure. It was amusing to see the '80s fashion start seeping into the show (headbands, massive make-up, haircuts, armpit-level pants) I wouldn't recommend this era at all, aside from the story that introduces Turlough. |
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Post by aussiedodger on Sept 28, 2014 0:26:16 GMT -8
Colin Baker years 1984-1986  Oh dear. Dressed like a clown, initially completely unlike-able as a character. Up against the woeful camp (the bad kind) Anthony Ainley Master and with some crap stories. One tiny glimmer of hope was his SMOKINGLY hot companion Peri.....  .....but in the end she came to a surprisingly '70s demise of being taken over by an alien, then blasted by Brian Blessed. This era reached it's peak of shitness where they actually have the unwatchably terrible Alexei Sayle in a meaningless (and too large) role, then decide instead of the 1986 season being shot in Singapore and other nice places as planned, they're going to cancel that and go as cheap as possible. The sad thing is Baker kind of "got it" in his last season, becoming less dick-like and could have potentially gone somewhere with more time/better stories. Don't bother with this era, but it least there's no Tegan |
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Post by GF14 on Sept 28, 2014 8:35:51 GMT -8
I tried to watch an episode of one of the newer ones to see what the fuss was all about and it was terrible. Turned me off to the franchise for sure.
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Post by aussiedodger on Sept 30, 2014 19:40:38 GMT -8
I tried to watch an episode of one of the newer ones to see what the fuss was all about and it was terrible. Turned me off to the franchise for sure. I'd recommend trying one story from each era to see if you like any of them. They're all very different. I can't comment on the current stuff because I haven't seen it yet |
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