mbt66
Chancellery Guard
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Post by mbt66 on Feb 7, 2021 17:32:16 GMT
A fourth season with Hinchcliffe as producer for the Fourth Doctor
I was just reading an article on The Doctor Who Companion website that wondered what a fourth season of Doctor Who with Phillip Hinchcliffe as producer would look like. Lamenting the fact that we never got one. Of course us Big Finish fans already know what those stories might have been thanks to the Fourth Doctor Lost Stories box set and the PHP sets
In order of Big Finish release they are...
The Foe from the Future
The Valley of Death
The Ghosts of Gralstead
The Devil's Armada
The Genesis Chamber
The Helm of Awe
But if I was structuring them as a season I think I would make a slight change and would go with...
The Foe from the Future
The Valley of Death
The Devil's Armada
The Genesis Chamber
The Helm of Awe
The Ghosts of Gralstead
Does that work for others or would you suggest a better running order?
I think another listen to these as an actual season is now very much on my Big Finish listening to do list!
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Post by shallacatop on Feb 7, 2021 18:39:57 GMT
Do you know, I’d never realised Big Finish had done that many Hinchcliffe Lost Stories / Presents! It really is a brand new season; I’ll have to give listening to them as a season a go, as I’ve not actually heard some of them.
Foe From the Future is one of the best Fourth Doctor stories to have come from Big Finish.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2021 18:41:57 GMT
Do you know, I’d never realised Big Finish had done that many Hinchcliffe Lost Stories / Presents! It really is a brand new season; I’ll have to give them a go, as I’ve not actually heard some of them. Foe From the Future is one of the best Fourth Doctor stories to have come from Big Finish. Love them all tbh but yeah Foe is truly epic |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2021 22:24:41 GMT
So, I thought I had The Genesis Chamber and The Helm of Awe as part of my download backlog... Turns out, it's part of the strange 2017/18 void in my purchases where things just dropped off for a while. Now rectified.  I've just picked up the bundle for the two releases and will be listening to them presently. Thanks mbt66 for the reminder.  They're a very good run of stories from Hinchcliffe, Platt and Morris. |
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Post by number13 on Feb 7, 2021 23:06:16 GMT
'The Ghosts of Gralstead / The Devil's Armada' is still my favourite volume of all BF that I've heard to date, with 'The Foe From the Future' coming in very very close behind. All three are superb in every way!
If we were going by story style related to the TV series, I think I'd place 'The Valley of Death' last in running order because of its lighter S17 style and it was originally pitched for the Doctor/Romana on TV. If I'm remembering correctly, it must come after 'The Helm of Awe' because at the start of that story, the Doctor tells Leela who the Brigadier is and he is referred to in TVoD (as away in Oslo was it?)
But otherwise, and if there isn't any other continuity I've forgotten (which there more than likely is) then just for fun and to break up the historical/futuristic stories I'd order them:
14B.1 The Foe from the Future
14B.2 The Devil's Armada
14B.3 The Genesis Chamber
14B.4 The Helm of Awe
14B.5 The Valley of Death
14B.6 The Ghosts of Gralstead
It does make a brilliant extra 30-episode season doesn't it, with another stunning, 'Talons'-like Victorian thriller to finish! There's even a mention of Jago & Litefoot. 
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Post by doctorkernow on Feb 7, 2021 23:29:33 GMT
Hello again.
I think Phillip Hinchcliffe/Robert Holmes team along with the Barry Letts/Terrance Dicks team made Seventies Doctor Who an unmissable event. Both teams in their different ways had a clear vision for the show. They both had very charismatic leading actors in T. Baker and Pertwee and were able to get the best out of their respective Doctors. The companions for each era from Liz, Jo and the UNIT team to Sarah, Harry and Leela were relatable and believable. For me the biggest thing that both teams gave to Who was consistency. There were the obvious stories that didn't quite work but for me Seasons 7,8 and 9, 12,13 and 14 are superb. I really enjoyed watching all these seasons during my free Britbox extravaganza.
For those who experienced it the first time it must have been wonderful every week wondering what extrordinary adventure would happen.
Foe from the Future was wonderful I enjoyed it immensely and I am looking forward to hearing the Valley of Death and the other adventures when finances permit.
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Post by number13 on Feb 7, 2021 23:52:06 GMT
Hello again. I think Phillip Hinchcliffe/Robert Holmes team along with the Barry Letts/Terrance Dicks team made Seventies Doctor Who an unmissable event. Both teams in their different ways had a clear vision for the show. They both had very charismatic leading actors in T. Baker and Pertwee and were able to get the best out of their respective Doctors. The companions for each era from Liz, Jo and the UNIT team to Sarah, Harry and Leela were relatable and believable. For me the biggest thing that both teams gave to Who was consistency. There were the obvious stories that didn't quite work but for me Seasons 7,8 and 9, 12,13 and 14 are superb. I really enjoyed watching all these seasons during my free Britbox extravaganza. For those who experienced it the first time it must have been wonderful every week wondering what extrordinary adventure would happen.Foe from the Future was wonderful I enjoyed it immensely and I am looking forward to hearing the Valley of Death and the other adventures when finances permit. Agree with every word, and yes, it really was!
I came in 50 years ago with Season 8 and hardly missed an episode for the next 15+ years. I think less than 10 episodes in total after 'The Mind of Evil', and two of those were because strikes caused power cuts which blacked out half of each of the last two episodes of 'The Curse of Peladon'! A very 1970s reason and I had to wait almost 20 years to see them on VHS. But it was worth the wait to see my favourite Doctor in action again! |
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
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Post by mbt66 on Feb 8, 2021 7:51:52 GMT
'The Ghosts of Gralstead / The Devil's Armada' is still my favourite volume of all BF that I've heard to date, with 'The Foe From the Future' coming in very very close behind. All three are superb in every way!
If we were going by story style related to the TV series, I think I'd place 'The Valley of Death' last in running order because of its lighter S17 style and it was originally pitched for the Doctor/Romana on TV. If I'm remembering correctly, it must come after 'The Helm of Awe' because at the start of that story, the Doctor tells Leela who the Brigadier is and he is referred to in TVoD (as away in Oslo was it?)
But otherwise, and if there isn't any other continuity I've forgotten (which there more than likely is) then just for fun and to break up the historical/futuristic stories I'd order them:
14B.1 The Foe from the Future
14B.2 The Devil's Armada
14B.3 The Genesis Chamber
14B.4 The Helm of Awe
14B.5 The Valley of Death
14B.6 The Ghosts of Gralstead
It does make a brilliant extra 30-episode season doesn't it, with another stunning, 'Talons'-like Victorian thriller to finish! There's even a mention of Jago & Litefoot.
Thank you for the reasoning. Unless someone comes up with a better order I think I will go with that as it still spaces out the 6 parters and breaks up the historical etc. Looking at it written down like that it really is a great fourth season and thanks to Big Finish we are so lucky to have it. |
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lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
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Post by lidar2 on Feb 8, 2021 8:43:06 GMT
'The Ghosts of Gralstead / The Devil's Armada' is still my favourite volume of all BF that I've heard to date, with 'The Foe From the Future' coming in very very close behind. All three are superb in every way!
If we were going by story style related to the TV series, I think I'd place 'The Valley of Death' last in running order because of its lighter S17 style and it was originally pitched for the Doctor/Romana on TV. If I'm remembering correctly, it must come after 'The Helm of Awe' because at the start of that story, the Doctor tells Leela who the Brigadier is and he is referred to in TVoD (as away in Oslo was it?)
But otherwise, and if there isn't any other continuity I've forgotten (which there more than likely is) then just for fun and to break up the historical/futuristic stories I'd order them:
14B.1 The Foe from the Future
14B.2 The Devil's Armada
14B.3 The Genesis Chamber
14B.4 The Helm of Awe
14B.5 The Valley of Death
14B.6 The Ghosts of Gralstead
It does make a brilliant extra 30-episode season doesn't it, with another stunning, 'Talons'-like Victorian thriller to finish! There's even a mention of Jago & Litefoot.
In terms of forgotten continuity the Dr mentions in 4DA 1.1 Destination Nerva that he has met a butler called Butler - this is a reference to Foe from the Future. As Destination Nerva is set immediately after Talons, this means that Foe has to come before Talons. |
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Post by chronotis on Feb 9, 2021 2:11:27 GMT
'The Ghosts of Gralstead / The Devil's Armada' is still my favourite volume of all BF that I've heard to date, with 'The Foe From the Future' coming in very very close behind. All three are superb in every way!
If we were going by story style related to the TV series, I think I'd place 'The Valley of Death' last in running order because of its lighter S17 style and it was originally pitched for the Doctor/Romana on TV. If I'm remembering correctly, it must come after 'The Helm of Awe' because at the start of that story, the Doctor tells Leela who the Brigadier is and he is referred to in TVoD (as away in Oslo was it?)
But otherwise, and if there isn't any other continuity I've forgotten (which there more than likely is) then just for fun and to break up the historical/futuristic stories I'd order them:
14B.1 The Foe from the Future
14B.2 The Devil's Armada
14B.3 The Genesis Chamber
14B.4 The Helm of Awe
14B.5 The Valley of Death
14B.6 The Ghosts of Gralstead
It does make a brilliant extra 30-episode season doesn't it, with another stunning, 'Talons'-like Victorian thriller to finish! There's even a mention of Jago & Litefoot.
We Dr. Who Big Finish fans really do have a hive mind. I've always considered the Phillip Hinchcliffe to be 14b.
I initially just followed release order, but I really like the idea of having Valley of Death after Helm of Awe.
I've also swapped out The Genesis Chamber and replaced it with The Wrath of the Iceni because a) I really don't like Genesis Chamber- It's the one weak story in the run of 6 & b) The Wrath of the Iceni feels so authentically mid 70s BBC circa I, Claudius that I just had to include it.
14B.1 The Foe from the Future
14B.2 The Helm of Awe 14B.3 The Wrath of the Iceni 14B.4 The Ghosts of Gralstead 14B.5 The Devil's Armada
14B.6 The Valley of Death
This puts the "subtler" Helm of Awe early on and the Phillip Hinchcliffe era gets to go out in a big bombastic adventure romp involving BBC Television Centre. How very apt and very 70s.
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Post by chronotis on Feb 9, 2021 2:52:52 GMT
Also huge thanks to mbt66 for creating this thread.
Do we have a more general thread for best of Big Finish seasons? If not, we should. I've a few more I'd love to share.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2021 2:53:41 GMT
Question for those with season lists, if these stories were produced back in 1977/78 who would you have chosen to direct each serial?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2021 2:59:05 GMT
Also huge thanks to mbt66 for creating this thread.
Do we have a more general thread for best of Big Finish seasons? If not, we should. I've a few more I'd love to share.
Thats an excellent idea, i can’t be the only one who sorts big finish's stories into seasons in a fun kind of way. |
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Post by chronotis on Feb 9, 2021 3:12:02 GMT
Question for those with season lists, if these stories were produced back in 1977/78 who would you have chosen to direct each serial? What a brilliant question.
For me, based on my ideal season, it would probably be: 14B.1 The Foe from the Future - Michael E. Briant - Based on his directing of Revenge of the Cybermen & Robots of Death. He's one of the best directors of stories set in the future. 14B.2 The Helm of Awe - Douglas Camfield - The best action director of the 1970s. 14B.3 The Wrath of the Iceni - Paddy Russell - Great with slower paced history stories. 14B.4 The Ghosts of Gralstead - David Maloney - He directed Talons. Need I say more. 14B.5 The Devil's Armada - Rodney Bennett. The director of Masque of Mandragora would have been perfect for this one. 14B.6 The Valley of Death - Oh give it to Phillip. Let him direct his last one. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2021 6:03:00 GMT
Also huge thanks to mbt66 for creating this thread.
Do we have a more general thread for best of Big Finish seasons? If not, we should. I've a few more I'd love to share.
I don't think we do, but you know what? Rectified for all interested. |
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Post by J.A. Prentice on Feb 9, 2021 9:37:23 GMT
It makes for a good season, but Foe from the Future wouldn’t have been part of a fourth season for Hinchcliffe since it was a rejected story that morphed into Talons. I believe Valley was also a declined story from earlier in his tenure. (I can see why. It’s wonderful, but tonally distinct from the era and would be nearly impossible to do justice on a BBC budget even today.)
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Post by number13 on Feb 9, 2021 13:05:07 GMT
It makes for a good season, but Foe from the Future wouldn’t have been part of a fourth season for Hinchcliffe since it was a rejected story that morphed into Talons. I believe Valley was also a declined story from earlier in his tenure. (I can see why. It’s wonderful, but tonally distinct from the era and would be nearly impossible to do justice on a BBC budget even today.) Agree, realistically it would have been impossible to make 'The Valley of Death' back then - but 10+ years earlier they'd have looked at the storyline, said 'yes great idea' and gone for it regardless! In evidence, I present: 'The Web Planet'.
But 'The Foe From the Future' wasn't a rejected story, just an unlucky one. Robert Banks Stewart had been asked (informally by Robert Holmes) to write another season-ending six-parter and had written the storyline for the first five episodes. But then he was offered a job as a script editor on an ITV series before he'd been formally commissioned to write the scripts for TFFTF. So that was that. But yes, we got 'Talons' instead!
And decades later, John Dorney produced a similarly brilliant result for TFFTF, so we happy fans won all round in the end.
(This is a chance for me to credit and once again recommend the excellent book 'Robert Holmes: A Life in Words'.)
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
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Post by mbt66 on Feb 10, 2021 11:18:13 GMT
I have been trying to imagine what the Blu-ray collection set would look like for this lost season.
I would love to be able to slot such a set between the other Fourth Doctor sets.
So a limited run of say 500 units at £100 per set. That’s £50,000 income with the only costs being the artwork and packaging. Do you think Big Finish would consider it?
The structure of the set would have to be different to normal collection packs as that would be a lot of disks to house....but a man can dream.
Whilst I was writing this I have looked at the prices on the website, perhaps that might have to be £150 a set...hmm I am beginning to waiver, but if I saw it I am fairly sure I would have to get it!
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mbt66
Chancellery Guard
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Post by mbt66 on Feb 24, 2021 10:51:55 GMT
I think Big Finish have missed a marketing trick with their latest offers on these releases.
But now is a great opportunity to experience this lost season.
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I've just picked up the bundle for the two releases and will be listening to them presently. Thanks 
They're a very good run of stories from Hinchcliffe, Platt and Morris.
