The right story for THAT Doctor. | The Divergent Universe

fantasticalice
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The right story for THAT Doctor. Jan 24, 2019 13:29:36 GMT barnabaslives and number13 like this

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Post by fantasticalice on Jan 24, 2019 13:29:36 GMT

(This originally started as a response on the Fourth Doctor but it's a discussion of import that I love)

I have been experiencing a Tom renaissance lately because these are just so damn good. Series 6 could not be any more perfectly Tom.

Or basically... Peter is my facourite Doctor and sadly he gets generic Doctor stories more than others(but he is my favourite so I deal with that better)

But not only is Tom so distinct from other Doctors that he needs a unique story I feel cheated if I have a generic Tom story.

Because to be in the mood for Tom is a wonderful thing. And seriez 7 I hope works just as well.

I just listened to Babblesphere and as wonderful as a story as it is you get the feeling that a different Doctor could be involved and it not change much.

But thankfully they put a lot of work into Romana so although its not a perfect 4th Doctor story it has lots of great Romana moments.

BF has come a long way and I think they have really gotten great with how each Doctor's releases should be.

I have a unique perspective as I love all Doctors but even with Peter and Bill I still want to have a story that is distinctly Theirs.

To further this discourse some more and point out the worst offenders are 1-100.. The 1980-1989 period on TV was not always "This Doctor can only be in this story"

JNT Tom and Peter got similar scripts and made their own stamp. As awful as Colin was treated he had the most solid scripts per his Doctor's role. It's why I love even the "bad" ones.

But I feel a lot of times they just were not sure what to do with Peter and Tom in the JNT era.

And this IS from someone who loves Peter and his serials but you can twll when a stellar actor is bringing a stamp to a story versus the writing itself.

I personaly think Colin does the best job of making sure you never forget it is the sixth Doctor's story in his serials

Whether this is always a good thing is up to debate but even though he has grown with BF I don't feel he has ever lost that arrogant self assured pompousness that we all love.

I particularly enjoyed him in December's release which was a cross between Blue Box, Colin's first Tv series and his kind and gentle side we first saw with Evelyn.

Likewise Devil in the Mist was a slightly different example. Devil was more of "Sometimes it is the era, not the Doctor" peter is perfectlt Peter but it is much more of a companion piece with the biggest spotlight on Tegan.

Although there weren't as many comments on her issues with Turlough Janet plays Tegan as someone who is very conflicted. She still doesn't entirely trust Turlough, does not trust Kamelion and plays it as someone who almost feels outnumbered. Peter shines of course but his role is deliberatelg downplayed to surprisingly give Tegan the emotional spotlight. And great performances from all the cast but especially Janet(who surprised me)

As this thread progresses I will try to discuss McCoy and of course Baker more as I want other people's perspectives. I loved Muse of Fire but all I can say is it was brilliantly written and acted and surprisingly well divided. Ace and the Doctor probably had the smallest parts but that was appropriare for the piece. The best part of Muse was after being dubious about Hex, Ace, AND McCoy meeting Iris and Panda Magrs' script showed exactly why Hex was the perfect companion for the story.

And again although Muse(like Devil) wasn't a spotlight on the Doctor Magrs and McCoy managed to shine perfectlt as the sometimes silly but chesspaying and serious 7th Doctor.

I could actually hear "Old Flames" in his characterisation so kudos to Paul and Sylvester for that. Strangely, OF is the ony story available as audio where Doctor Who describes a fondness for Iris as I recall. As it is the fourth Doctor that isn't a huge surprise.

I subsceibed for the first time Last year and was happy to discover the occasional failings of the early 1-99 serials was completely gone. The UNIT trilogy was the best in regards to each story being distinctly that Doctor but honestly not only has every release been thoroughly enjpyable but I feel I can pick anything from 2018-2019 if I am in the mood for a specific Doctor.

(And yes I haven't mentioned Drs 1-3 as I have yet to experience one of the BF tales that doesn't do them justice per era or per Doctor. Although I would say 1/2 Companion Chronicles vol 2 and 3 in "The New Humans" are the best examples of that)

So to open this thread up more what are your picks for not just great Doctor Who stories but stories that fit your need for That particular Doctor?

number13
Chancellor

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The right story for THAT Doctor. Jan 24, 2019 14:08:18 GMT barnabaslives likes this

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Post by number13 on Jan 24, 2019 14:08:18 GMT

Interesting question and for the first four Doctors I found it easy to answer.

In each case there are other stories I could have picked but for me these could have been actual TV stories:

First: EAs 'The Doctor's Tale' or 'The Bounty of Ceres'. Both aspects of the First Doctor's era done perfectly.

Second: EA 'The Isos Network' - really feels like the unmade sequel to 'The Invasion' - with a much bigger budget!

Third: 'The Conquest of Far' - Nick Briggs absolutely nails the Pertwee era in every last detail. Outstanding authenticity and a great story too.

Fourth: PHP1 'The Ghosts of Gralstead' and 'The Devil's Armada'. Double perfection from the classic team and Marc Platt. My favourite BF of all.

'Number 13' is a classic ghost story by M.R.James, known to his many fans as - The Master!

fantasticalice
Senior Member

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The right story for THAT Doctor. Jan 24, 2019 23:55:26 GMT barnabaslives, theotherjosh, and 2 more like this

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Post by fantasticalice on Jan 24, 2019 23:55:26 GMT

Yes the Hincliffe boxes were surprisingly perfect. They captured a less silly Tom Baker but still captured him perfectly as well as stellar work on Leela. I can't remember hlw much they cost when I finally got them but I still felt lucky with the final product!

And Bounty of Ceres I concur. It felt really claustrophobic and boundlessly imaginative.

One of the things I like about the 1960s storiez is BF seems to remember they arent just recreating Doctor Who but the boundless potential of 1960s scifi.

There are a lot of amazimg stories from 40s-60s that cant be done anymore due to cynics. The closest we have come since is the lightsaber. Which is still 100% scientificaly impossible but who cares?

People atill play SWTOR and downlaod KOTOR on android so they can play with one.

I also had to say Serial 1 from Troughton CC really captured the era. I was dubuous for a moment when they mentioned feathered dinosdinos because well 1966. But.... If the production staff had kmown about the theories of feathered dinos(which were about in the 60s but small due to fossil rwcords at the time) it wojld have featured.

It became my favourite story of the set because it exemplifoed that unlimited story potential of the era. Also the story had(maybe unintentionally) trappings tahat would have allowed production staff to argue the science of the theory and the setting.

And of course Deborah Watling's posthumous story. It didn't star her but it was clearly a tribute to her and was really really good. What I like about the companion chronicle series is they are a little more experimental. They still feel solidly of the era but will use special effects that are much better on audio.

Although I feel the special effects in 1963-69 were always better for the most part then 1970-76. I think using the autons for Pertwee's debut was a brilliant idea as the effects still hold up 49 years later.

Even if they were obssessed with CSO I feel the effects staff were a little more aware of the hit to effects realism colour would bring them. I constantly see effort to do more with angles and Green Death is anpther serial with really effective visuals despite the era.

Although I don't expect 8th Doctor to show up as much in this thread as nobody wanta to recreate the tv movie I have to mention the Silver Turk. Although Paul doesn't have an era he is emuating this was Classic Who through and Through. From the Doctor trying to explain a seemingly harmless monster to his companion to the menagerie of toy creatures and clones it felt like a croas between a Pertwee and a Troughton. Also I really wish they would bring Julie Cox back as Mary. I read Frankenstein in 2018 and I felt like I knew the author and could see from the type of person she was why she made certain choices in her book.

I think she is the best historical figure BF has taken on.

That's always been a bit of a favourite of mine though is seeinf a more modern who and realizing how in line it is with something from the Classic era.

Deleted
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The right story for THAT Doctor. Jan 25, 2019 12:41:12 GMT whiskeybrewer and number13 like this

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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2019 12:41:12 GMT

Can I also say, serious props to The Ghosts of Gralstead for finally bringing Carolyn Seymour into the Whovian fold. She's one of my favourite sci-fi actresses, so to hear her in the role of Mordrega pitted against Tom was something really special. A worthy foil for his Doctor.

I think there's still hope for some of the more Raygun Gothic ideas of the 40s and 60s, though. People thought Flash Gordon (essentially The Prisoner of Zenda in space) wouldn't work in the 1970s, but then Star Wars appeared. A deft hand with the right emphasis on giving the tropes substance could make it work. A lightsaber is more than just an energy sword, after all; there are crystals, specialised components, its connection to the wielder, and so on. There's an element of Rule of Cool to it, but the depth of the idea helps greatly to give it credibility.

For the First Doctor, The Doctor's Tale made me forget a few times I was listening to an audio recreation. Particularly that final scene of Arundel in "purgatory" where the Doctor cements his status as the Lord of Misrule. It was all there in black-and-white, I could see all the familiar faces in unfamiliar sets. It brought to mind happy memories of The Lion in Winter. It's a beautiful story.

I was blown away by The Tyrants of Logic, for the Third Doctor, as well. A touch of a few spy fiction tropes (the driven, almost frenzied Cyber-hunter and the Doctor's brainwashing) alongside a fantastically realised cast and setting. It's not difficult to see Jon and Katy trudging about in a blustering styrofoam tundra, trying to uncover the dark secret at the heart of this scarred world.

Sir Wearer of Hats
Chancellery Guard

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The right story for THAT Doctor. Jan 27, 2019 0:40:42 GMT number13 likes this

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Post by Sir Wearer of Hats on Jan 27, 2019 0:40:42 GMT

Time in Office wouldn’t have worked with a Doctor with a more forceful or truculent personality (as much as the idea of say the tenth Doctor ending up as President on Pre-War Gallifrey appeals).