Watching Classic Who

[James from London]

The Tardis is witnessed by the only tourist who unintentionally stays behind - as it would happen to themselves - and he thinks they're Hollywood actors.
The poor man from Alabama has to do it again when the Daleks arrive, and it's all very energetic and over the top. Possibly my favourite scene in these episodes.

The poor man from Alabama evidently made such an impression on the programme makers that by the end of the story they'd recast him as ...

human astronaut Steven Taylor

I grew up knowing him as Peter Purves, one of the kindly presenters on kids' show Blue Peter. Here's a clip of him confessing his sci-fi past to the boys and girls at home:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=935116247015803

It's always a bittersweet moment when a companion departs, but compared to what I've seen in NuWho this goodbye is rather low-key.

Ian and Barbara's farewell is great and, as you say, bittersweet. William Hartnell didn't want them to go any more than the Doctor did, which adds another level of poignancy. I've always thought that if the same thing happened in NuWho, Ian and Barbara might face some awkward questions from the authorities on their return about how and why they disappeared with one of their pupils two years earlier and where she is now ...

 

[Willie Oleson]

The poor man from Alabama evidently made such an impression on the programme makers that by the end of the story they'd recast him as ...

Gosh!
While most supporting DW actors are good - or as good as they can be, strapped in their alien make-over - I did notice that Steven Taylor seemed particularly lively for such a seemingly limited role. Not that it's unusual for an actor to give his very best no matter how small the part is.
Of course I didn't think they had flown in American actors for the Empire State Building scene, but even without the Alabama accent I would not have made the connection.

Here's a clip of him confessing his sci-fi past to the boys and girls at home:

Thanks for posting this. Apparently Steven survived the catastrophe on planet Mechanus but it's possible that he returns in those "incomplete" stories.
And if Blue Peter viewers wanted the return of the Daleks at the time of the Third Doctor then I suspect that the stories of the Second Doctor are Daleks-lite.
I've only got 9 adventures of the Second Doctor so maybe I'll watch them all this weekend.

William Hartnell didn't want them to go anymore than the Doctor did, which adds another level of poignancy.

Yes, that's lovely. Incidentally, I noticed that it was often Ian who came up with the good ideas which kinda shows that it was not impossible to cast a younger actor as the Doctor.

 

[James from London]

I suspect that the stories of the Second Doctor are Daleks-lite

There are a couple of really, really good Second Doctor Dalek stories, The Power of ... and The Evil of ... , but they only exist as cartoons which I realise are strictly against the Willie-Who-watch policy.

it was often Ian who came up with the good ideas which kinda shows that it was not impossible to cast a younger actor as the Doctor.

Yeah, Ian was definitely the hero of the early years. You could say that through it's his example that the Doctor learns to become a hero.

I might have recommended this before, but if you ever get a chance to see Adventures in Space and Time, a 2013 drama based on the real behind-the-scenes story of Doctor Who's early years, then I think you'd really enjoy it. It's great.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Adventures in Space and Time, a 2013 drama based on the real behind-the-scenes story of Doctor Who's early years

Youtube only has some snippets but amazon's selling it for £7. I could combine it with another DVD purchase.
And of course I need to re-watch the extensive Doctor Who youtube documentary (he's done one for all the Doctors).

update: the other DVD is going to be VIVARIUM. Awesome movie, have you seen it, James?

 

[James from London]

the other DVD is going to be VIVARIUM. Awesome movie, have you seen it, James?

Never heard of it!

 

[Willie Oleson]

Spearhead From Space (3-1 / 24-1-1970)



The Time Lords have exiled the Doctor to earth, but what does that mean for the series? Are they going to follow that rule or forget about it and continue to travel in the Tardis?
The first coloured episode looks like a major revamp in many ways, and perhaps it could be argued that this is the first New Doctor Who (as if the breakdown of Doctors, seasons, stories and episodes isn't complicated enough!).
It all looks distinctively more cinematic regarding sets and stunts, and the build-up to the story and the regenerated Doctor is almost bafflingly ambitious.
Dozens of characters in various situations are introduced all at the same time, and the Doctor is known by an earthling who is not a companion. Very strange indeed, hmm?
A quick search on wiki reveals that the dashing Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart has already met the Doctor in a 1968 episode I haven't watched, so that explains it.

When I watched this scene I thought, is it really necessary for a cleaner to be there, and to be in the way?

Actually, the cleaner overhears peculiar information and informs the press.
Except for the meteorites I think Spearhead is somewhat similar to the last First Doctor story I've seen: The War Machines.
The clunky and super-slow War Machines don't look very threatening (they could only produce a puff of smoke), but it has that same vibe of different ranks being involved and the British nation under siege. Spearhead also features an innocent human being who's coerced into collaboration via alien hypnosis.

Wait a minute. This is the structure of every Doctor Who story on earth!


Oh, this was funny. There's a lot of quasi-abstract talk about alien collective intelligence, but at the end of the day it's still a big green monster.
Having said that, I had a retro-futuristic experience when I heard the sound of the meteorites for the first time - I thought it was my phone!
This episode was sufficiently spooky and I prefer Doctor Who with a bit of horror in it. I think that's what I missed the most in the stories of the first two doctors.
There was psychological terror in the short story The Edge Of Destruction, and it's still one my favourites of the black & white episodes.
Next up is The Silurians and the name sounds vaguely familiar.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Doctor Who And The Silurians (31-1 / 14-3-1970)



Whereas the longer 1960s stories sometimes suffered from padding, and often of the repetitive kind, the first 7 part story of the seventies unravels its mystery in smaller doses. It also helps that they keep adding new characters which, at the very least, gives the impression of new twists and turns.
Actually, The Silurians doesn't just continue, it expands the story.
"If it's not one thing it's another" doesn't even begin to describe the catastrophic tone of this adventure.
Another advantage is that the actors get more opportunity to act, and with much improved dialogue. This gives it a very "series" feel, and to enjoy spending time with characters is essential to the series format.
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart always seems to be entering a room, or he's on the phone asking for more man power. There's something Terry Gilliam-esque about him.

The Silurians are more funny than scary because they sound like the Russian version of Bert and Ernie.
Unfortunately, some interesting plot devices are underdeveloped. The Silurians have the power to paralyse or kill, but the mental destruction that results in hysterical fear and compulsive ancient cave drawing is not further explored or explained. I think it's precisely the kind of thing that NuWho would sink his teeth into.
It's almost as if it's replaced with the physical threat of the epidemic that could become a pandemic - which was very well done, btw.
It's also not clear to me what the purpose of the dragon creature is, or how it relates to the Silurian race. Maybe it was just a pet.

NuWho would always come with the solution in an ecstatic and bewildering way, and while the logic is questionable I could still believe in it thanks to the enthusiasm of those Doctor performers. Like a magician explaining but not really explaining his tricks.
The Third Doctor has much more time to examine various problems and paradoxes but the results and solutions are exactly the same: this-or-that works because he says so, and rerouting a certain cable is the simple answer to destroying a hibernative molecuvectular neutronwave dispenser filter (??).
Naturally, since those sci-fi devices don't exist at all it would be impossible to come up with a believably scientific solution, unless it's been established from the beginning why it works the way it does.
But I never rule out the possibility that I fail to notice/process a piece of vital information. After all, a mix of mad science and creature feature is a lot to take in.

Favourite guest characters: Dr. Lawrence, his final scene is more explosive than when the reactor gets overloaded, and also Miss Dawson who wanted all the Silurians to be killed. She's a little bit racist, I think.


Who the soapy window.

 

[Willie Oleson]

The Ambassadors Of Death (21-3 / 2-5-1970)



The word "ambassador" has a Spanish twang to it, I think. Conquistador, matador, por favor ambassador. And if the aliens in this story had spoken in La la la language then I would have interpreted their spaceship as an allegory for Spain.
But first things first, and we get our first look inside the coloured version of the 1970s Tardis.
It pains me to say that it's not very good. The violet wallpaper and cabinet with figurines gives it a very "grandma" look, and that's not appropriate for a sexy scientist in white boots. That's Liz Shaw of course, and they also didn't show her entering the Tardis for the first time.
I don't care how many times I've already seen that reaction, it always works for me, as if I the viewer sees it for the first time.

This story is quite sober and restraint for Doctor Who and yet I found it more addictive than the previous story.

It's full of cloak and dagger espionage and sabotage, mafia-style assassinations and effective cliffhangers.
The Space Centre technobabble is surprisingly digestible, but when it becomes too ambitious it contradicts what I see on screen. It's not quite "Batcave" but nevertheless I had a few good laughs.
The Doctor requires very expensive and very advanced material to build a machine that allows the aliens to communicate with humans.
But when I hear the word "machine" I think of something more impressive than this:

To be fair, it works, and it's more realistic than watching characters pushing big buttons and yanking at levers of alien technology that they're seeing for the first time - not knowing what they're doing and then being surprised that something unexpected happens.
The Ambassadors Of Death is certainly not without a healthy dose of contrivance.
The kidnappery and murderous thugs can effortlessly sabotage space travel technology, and armed forces are consistently inept at reacting to the various criminal attacks. But maybe it's a good reminder that I'm watching a TV series that primarily targets younger audiences.
Speaking of which, I noticed that some scenes are scored with nondescript euro-folksy music, the kind of music I strongly associate with children's TV of the 1970s.
I hope they keep it.
The Doctor's eccentric yellow car - Bessie - is also becoming sort of a character.

And so the real evil in this story turns out be another blast 'em! human being, although the sense of PTSD makes him a little less evil.
Sergeant, major, colonel, general, brigadier - I can never remember the level of authority of all those ranks, not even in cop shows.
General Carrington - a very hammy and funny character - places the Brigadier under arrest and then five minutes later the Brigadier places the General under arrest. I won't even try to overthink this.
The TV presenter returns in the final scenes, and the intended but unjustified exposure of the aliens gives it an almost epic scope. I even entertained the possibility that the General was The Master in disguise.
Anywayz, I enjoyed this twisty little series very much, but according to wiki The Fanclub disagrees with me.

 

[Daniel Avery]

It all looks distinctively more cinematic regarding sets and stunts, and the build-up to the story and the regenerated Doctor is almost bafflingly ambitious.

Spearhead From Space is the only oldWho story I recall being filmed (on 16mm film) rather than videotaped. Apparently the video cameramen union went on strike around that time but the film cameramen didn't, so they were employed to do this story out of necessity. It is a fortunate situation because it gives the episode an extra "umph" visually as they transitioned to the new, Earth-bound Doctor and to color/colour.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Inferno (9-5 / 20-6-1970)



Bad decisions were made by some characters in the previous story, but it was intentional and motivated.
What happens in Inferno is the complete opposite: a brilliant yet completely incapable scientist with seemingly unlimited authority runs amok in a drilling station that constantly teeters on the brink of disaster.
There is no sense of protocol whatsoever and professor Stahlman persists in choosing the worst and most illogical options.
The main computer (!!) is completely ignored and even sabotaged because all the information they need is in Stahlman's little notebook.
He's not a villain, he's just unfathomably stupid and nobody has the power to stop him.
They have been working on unearthing a super-energy for ten years, but the additional five hours it would take to drill slower and safely is out of the question.

The Doctor accidentally transports himself to a parallel universe that deals with exactly the same situation except that Britain has become a fascist republic, and the parallel characters have been remodelled accordingly.
Initially this seems like an interesting and quintessential Doctor Who thing to do, until it isn't, because now all characters have become stupid and obnoxious and angry and shouty.
I found it relentlessly frustrating and unpleasant, and possibly the worst Doctor Who story so far. Even worse than the Eleventh Doctor playing babysitter buddies with James Corden (or maybe it just feels that way because it's been a while since I watched that episode).
Either way, the Doctor Who critics disagree with me, and the Daily Telegraph has even ranked it as one of the 10 best Doctor Who episodes ever.

 

[Willie Oleson]

The Robot (28-12-1974 / 18-1-1975)



In this first Tom Baker episode it looks as if the Doctor finally comes to life. Everything is more energetic and funny, just like the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctor.
The peace treaty between the three super-powers (America, Russia and China) needs to be supervised by an independent nation, and of course Great Britain is the most competent country to perform that task. Says Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart with a lot of pride in his voice.
The Doctor sarcastically agrees because "the others are just foreigners".
The whole story brims with this kind of charming dialogue, and then it doesn't feel as if everything depends on the success of the story.
Robot has three very entertaining guest characters: the seemingly innocent Professor Kettlewell, ferocious villainess Miss Winters, and the Robot who suffers from an identity crisis.
It starts as Frankenstein and ends as King Kong.

Apart from the Daleks I think it's the best creature design I have seen so far.

Unfortunately, the Brigadier was a little bit too optimistic about Britain's role as world-peace moderator because the fanatic members of the Think Tank (ha!) group almost instigate a global nuclear war.

The Doctor, Sarah Jane and Harry as first-timer board the Tardis so I guess there will be less of UNIT in the future episodes.
I wonder if I'm going to recognise the one episode I have watched on television in the late seventies. I think there was a man with a beard, maybe a high hat, kinda Dickensian, and a big round crystal figure...or maybe that was the Tardis machine? Hmm....

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

The Robot (28-12-1974 / 18-1-1975)

View attachment 58340

In this first Tom Baker episode it looks as if the Doctor finally comes to life. Everything is more energetic and funny, just like the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctor.
The peace treaty between the three super-powers (America, Russia and China) needs to be supervised by an independent nation, and of course Great Britain is the most competent country to perform that task. Says Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart with a lot of pride in his voice.
The Doctor sarcastically agrees because "the others are just foreigners".
The whole story brims with this kind of charming dialogue, and then it doesn't feel as if everything depends on the success of the story.
Robot has three very entertaining guest characters: the seemingly innocent Professor Kettlewell, ferocious villainess Miss Winters, and the Robot who suffers from an identity crisis.
It starts as Frankenstein and ends as King Kong.
View attachment 58341
Apart from the Daleks I think it's the best creature design I have seen so far.

Unfortunately, the Brigadier was a little bit too optimistic about Britain's role as world-peace moderator because the fanatic members of the Think Tank (ha!) group almost instigate a global nuclear war.
View attachment 58342
The Doctor, Sarah Jane and Harry as first-timer board the Tardis so I guess there will be less of UNIT in the future episodes.
I wonder if I'm going to recognise the one episode I have watched on television in the late seventies. I think there was a man with a beard, maybe a high hat, kinda Dickensian, and a big round crystal figure...or maybe that was the Tardis machine? Hmm....

You skipped the entire seasons 8,9,10,11, arguably the best era ever. It included Roger Delagado as the Master, still the best ever Master.
Well, maybe you will get to it.

 

[James from London]

If you've watched 'The Green Death' aka The One With the Maggots aka Jo Grant's last adventure, then that's a good time to also watch The Sarah Jane Adventures story that's on the same DVD as an extra.

In this first Tom Baker episode it looks as if the Doctor finally comes to life. Everything is more energetic and funny

Isn't he great?

Harry as first-timer board the Tardis

Isn't he great? I was excited to see Harry in a less posh role in The Brothers as the husband of the woman whose baby Mr and Mrs Edward foster, and then Mrs Edward goes uncharacteristically nuts when they want the baby back.

 

[Willie Oleson]

You skipped the entire seasons 8,9,10,11, arguably the best era ever.

I had hoped to get away with it!

It included Roger Delagado as the Master, still the best ever Master.

He reminded me of a wooden and cartoonish Dark Shadows character. Nicolas...something.
Of course I didn't stop watching the Third Doctor because of a disappointing story or supporting character. Even NuWho had a few duds.
I suddenly realised that I didn't enjoy watching Jon Pertwee as the series' leading man.
I could have forced myself to watch all the other Third Doctor episodes but I know myself too well. I'd come up with excuses "not to watch it today because blabla" and eventually this first watching thread would come to a standstill.

Yes, Master.

It's been a difficult decision and I was very disappointed in myself.
But then I remembered in a flashback that the original plan to watch classic Who was because of all the episodes I could have watched as a child.
In fact, it was suggested to me that this would be the best era for me to start, but then I got ambitious and decided to do it chronologically.
Having said that, I'm glad I've watched most of the First Doctor even if the episodes weren't always super-exciting.

I was excited to see Harry in a less posh role in The Brothers

I'm trying to spot some familiar faces in Doctor Who, but no luck so far. I thought I saw Nigel Davenport but it wasn't him.

and then Mrs Edward goes uncharacteristically nuts when they want the baby back.

Oh...gosh! I wanted to slap her. But there was also something creepy about it.
And she's the predecessor to the 1980s baby-crazy soap divas like Baby On The Rooftop or If I Can't Having Your Baby I Will Jump!

 

[James from London]

But then I remembered in a flashback that the original plan to watch classic Who was because of all the episodes I could have watched as a child.
In fact, it was suggested to me that this would be the best era for me to start, but then I got ambitious and decided to do it chronologically.
Having said that, I'm glad I've watched most of the First Doctor even if the episodes weren't always super-exciting.

When I first decided to delve into Old Who (inspired by watching New Who), I was a bit concerned that I'd find '60s Who a bit hard-going and '80s Who incredibly annoying. ('70s Who was the stuff I'd loved as a kid so I was pretty certain I'd still love it as a grown-up and I was right.)

I think if I'd decided to go chronologically, I might have given up pretty quickly. So instead, I watched one story from each of the Doctors in turn, working my way from each Doctor's most popular adventure to his least popular, according one of those Best Doctor Who Story polls. Some of the '60s ones were a bit boring (though not that many) and a lot of the '80s ones were incredibly annoying (though not always the ones I expected), but it was really interesting jumping from era to era to era and back again. And now I'm watching historically-chronologically, it feels like a whole new experience all over again.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I had hoped to get away with it!

He reminded me of a wooden and cartoonish Dark Shadows character. Nicolas...something.
Of course I didn't stop watching the Third Doctor because of a disappointing story or supporting character. Even NuWho had a few duds.
I suddenly realised that I didn't enjoy watching Jon Pertwee as the series' leading man.
I could have forced myself to watch all the other Third Doctor episodes but I know myself too well. I'd come up with excuses "not to watch it today because blabla" and eventually this first watching thread would come to a standstill.

Yes, Master.

It's been a difficult decision and I was very disappointed in myself.
But then I remembered in a flashback that the original plan to watch classic Who was because of all the episodes I could have watched as a child.
In fact, it was suggested to me that this would be the best era for me to start, but then I got ambitious and decided to do it chronologically.
Having said that, I'm glad I've watched most of the First Doctor even if the episodes weren't always super-exciting.

I'm trying to spot some familiar faces in Doctor Who, but no luck so far. I thought I saw Nigel Davenport but it wasn't him.

Oh...gosh! I wanted to slap her. But there was also something creepy about it.
And she's the predecessor to the 1980s baby-crazy soap divas like Baby On The Rooftop or If I Can't Having Your Baby I Will Jump!

Wow

Seasons 8-10 especially are regarded as among the elite years
Jon Pertwee is widely regarded among the top 3, maybe the top 2 Doctors

Roger Delgado set the template for an iconic character. Most longtime fans still regard him as the best Master

To each their own, bit if you skip those seasons, you are missing huge portions of the greatest episodes of the series ever made

 

[James from London]

There’s no wrong way to watch Doccy Who.

 

[Hawkman]

I have the Dutch release of series 1 and I assumed that the second series would follow. That never happened so I decided to buy the UK DVD, but then it was already out of print. The marketplace sellers are selling it for what I call "ransom" prices and I refuse to give in to that kind of blackmail.
I still hope to find those last episodes on youtube some day.

Anyway, "The Fascinating Couple" was one of my favourite episodes.
Oh, and the spiders!

I had hoped to get away with it!

He reminded me of a wooden and cartoonish Dark Shadows character. Nicolas...something.
Of course I didn't stop watching the Third Doctor because of a disappointing story or supporting character. Even NuWho had a few duds.
I suddenly realised that I didn't enjoy watching Jon Pertwee as the series' leading man.
I could have forced myself to watch all the other Third Doctor episodes but I know myself too well. I'd come up with excuses "not to watch it today because blabla" and eventually this first watching thread would come to a standstill.

Yes, Master.

It's been a difficult decision and I was very disappointed in myself.
But then I remembered in a flashback that the original plan to watch classic Who was because of all the episodes I could have watched as a child.
In fact, it was suggested to me that this would be the best era for me to start, but then I got ambitious and decided to do it chronologically.
Having said that, I'm glad I've watched most of the First Doctor even if the episodes weren't always super-exciting.

I'm trying to spot some familiar faces in Doctor Who, but no luck so far. I thought I saw Nigel Davenport but it wasn't him.

Oh...gosh! I wanted to slap her. But there was also something creepy about it.
And she's the predecessor to the 1980s baby-crazy soap divas like Baby On The Rooftop or If I Can't Having Your Baby I Will Jump!

Link below to my Pertwee Episodes thread that I posted 4 years ago. Plenty of images, though some are no longer available, and synopsis of every story. It gives some idea of what you're missing by skipping Pertwee.

Doctor Who - The Jon Pertwee Years Guide-'70-'74

SEASON 7. 1. Spearhead From Space. The newly regenerated Doctor is found by UNIT unconscious in an English wood and taken to hospital. Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart at first refuses to believe that this is the Doctor ,but does come round to the fact that his associate from previous meetings has...

www.tellytalk.net

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Link below to my Pertwee Episodes thread that I posted 4 years ago. Plenty of images, though some are no longer available, and synopsis of every story. It gives some idea of what you're missing by skipping Pertwee.

Doctor Who - The Jon Pertwee Years Guide-'70-'74

SEASON 7. 1. Spearhead From Space. The newly regenerated Doctor is found by UNIT unconscious in an English wood and taken to hospital. Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart at first refuses to believe that this is the Doctor ,but does come round to the fact that his associate from previous meetings has...

www.tellytalk.net

The Pertwee years were indeed top notch

 

[Ray Langton]

Hi I am currently watching The Silurians on the Season 7 blu ray.Of course seen it a number of times since the 90's on UK Gold.Like Inferno I think it manages the epic 7 Episode length well.Though in some ways Episode 6 is more satisfying and dramatic than 7.With all the dramatic scenes around Marylebone Station and other filming in London.Nice we don't see the Silurians complete till the end of Episode 3.Especially as their voices and the way some of them swing their heads around when talking are the least satisfying aspects of the tale for me.