Dr Who

[redsturgeon]

OK, allow me a little self indulgence here.

As a seven year old I remember clearly the first episode of Dr Who, although I cannot recall the shooting of JFK that happened the previous day.

I was glued to the screen at Saturday teatime for many years following that momentous day through William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and John Pertwee even into the Tom Baker era.

After that I left it alone until the relaunch with Chris Ecclestone and on through David Tennant (the best) and Matt Smith and being able to pretend that I was watching it with my children was a bonus.

So through all this time what is my favourite episode? It's this one

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... 3-10-blink

which is a bit of an odd one since it does not really feature the Doctor in the main role but has the character of Sally Sparrow, played by the excellent Carey Mulligan and introduces the weeping angels to the series.

It is an excellent stand alone watch even for non Dr Who fans and anyone who like plots that play with the intricacies of time travel should love this one.

Does anyone else care to name their favourite Dr and/or episode?

John

[absolutezero]

Pertwee. Without doubt or question. Despite my not existing in the 70s.
"Inferno" is a master piece.

One of the best stand alone episodes from the reboot was a Tennant episode called "Midnight". Set on a bus.

[mike]

For me, I enjoyed Pertwee as a child, and Tennant and Smith as an adult. Stopped watching at Capaldi and Whittaker as did not like their characters.

Favourite episode would have to be the Van Gogh one, maybe even just for this extract. Just put yourself in Van Gogh's shoes when he sees and hears this (3-1/2 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubTJI_UphPk

[GrahamPlatt]

For me, I enjoyed Pertwee as a child, and Tennant and Smith as an adult. Stopped watching at Capaldi and Whittaker as did not like their characters.

Favourite episode would have to be the Van Gogh one, maybe even just for this extract. Just put yourself in Van Gogh's shoes when he sees and hears this (3-1/2 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubTJI_UphPk

Oh! Hadn’t seen that one before. Lovely. And Bill Nighy too!

[redsturgeon]

For me, I enjoyed Pertwee as a child, and Tennant and Smith as an adult. Stopped watching at Capaldi and Whittaker as did not like their characters.

Favourite episode would have to be the Van Gogh one, maybe even just for this extract. Just put yourself in Van Gogh's shoes when he sees and hears this (3-1/2 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubTJI_UphPk

One of my favourites too. I must rewatch it soon since my daughter has just moved to Arles and I'm visiting here in April!

John

[Redmires]

I'm from the Pertwee & Tom Baker generation. The one episode that I've never forgotten is one where the Dr (Pertwee ?) found a very small object in a churchyard that was said to be quite heavy, over a million tons or similar. I've no idea what the episode was called and I've never searched for it, as to do so would surely shatter the illusion. I couldn't believe it when my younger self discovered that this was actually scientifically sound, as in the super dense matter formed in neutron stars.

[absolutezero]

I'm from the Pertwee & Tom Baker generation. The one episode that I've never forgotten is one where the Dr (Pertwee ?) found a very small object in a churchyard that was said to be quite heavy, over a million tons or similar. I've no idea what the episode was called and I've never searched for it, as to do so would surely shatter the illusion. I couldn't believe it when my younger self discovered that this was actually scientifically sound, as in the super dense matter formed in neutron stars.

The Daemons, Pertwee, 1971.
Lots of Black Magic and witchcraft.
Cracking story. Even as an adult.

[AJC5001]

I recently came across the following when reading News articles :-
"The 10 Best Doctor Who Episodes, Ranked
By Mick Joest published June 30, 2022"
https://www.cinemablend.com/television/ ... des-ranked

This has "Blink" (also my favourite) as No.1 and "Vincent and the Doctor" as No.8.

I watched No.2 a week or so ago ("Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead") as it was the first encounter between the Doctor and River Song. I always thought the idea of them meeting in reverse chronological order was fascinating and it was a repeating thread in following episodes when they meet.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silence_in_the_Library
I know I must have watched it when originally first broadcast, and I must also have seen all the following encounters. It was entertaining to see it again knowing how their relationship played out and being able to understand all the subtle comments being made by River Song. It reminded me of similar programs/films I've watched where a second viewing gives a totally different viewpoint to the first - The Sixth Sense is similar, watching from the start when you know the end.

I also find it interesting that Steven Moffat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Moffatwrote this episode as well as the other River Song episodes with Matt Smith as the Doctor, and introduced Amy Pond as Smith's companion, an integral part of the River Song story.

Incidentally, Moffat also wrote "Blink"; No. 4 "The Eleventh Hour"; No.5 "Listen" and No.9 "The Day of the Doctor" making five of this "Top Ten.

As all the "revival" series of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer, I have often thought of viewing the River Song series from her timeline sequence. Other sequences I've considered are all the Captain Jack Harkness episodes and all the Moffat episodes. Perhaps I would need a TARDIS of my own to give me the necessary time.

Adrian

[servodude]

For me, I enjoyed Pertwee as a child, and Tennant and Smith as an adult. Stopped watching at Capaldi and Whittaker as did not like their characters.

Favourite episode would have to be the Van Gogh one, maybe even just for this extract. Just put yourself in Van Gogh's shoes when he sees and hears this (3-1/2 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubTJI_UphPk

One of my favourites too. I must rewatch it soon since my daughter has just moved to Arles and I'm visiting here in April!

John

In my opinion they are the two most obvious top episodes since the "reboot" - probably down to the casting; Tony Curran and Carey Mulligan as "special guest stars" - how could you co wrong?
Going further back and given my age the "one that stuck with me" was "City of Death" with Tom Baker. Douglas Adams was invoked (though I didn't know this at the time) and it was just chock full of ideas (some reused in the first Dirk Gently book). An alien (Scaroth - who really looked like seaweed with one eye) played by Julian Glover uses his identities spread through time to make DaVinci create multiple Mona Lisas that he'll sell in the present... so he can repair his ship millions of years ago which would stop life starting on earth... and John Cleese mistakes the TARDIS for art in the Louvre.
It really nailed the mix of humour and horror... for someone who was just starting school anyway
-sd

[Hypster]

Tom Baker was my Doctor. I don't remember any storylines but two episodes stuck with me all these years. I haven't looked them up so I'm relying on memories that are around 40 years old.

The first was Tom Baker's regeneration. He was followed around by a ghostly white apparition all through the episode, then at the end he fell off some sort of pylon, then the white ghost merged with him and he turned into Peter Davison. I grieved for Tom Baker and hated Peter Davison for what he had done.

The second memory was when a companion was killed. He was called Adrick or Aldric or something like that, and the Cybermen were involved somehow. I think he was stuck or left behind on a spaceship that blew up. I was so disturbed by this, I rewound the video tape recording and watch the events go backwards until he was alive again.

I've seen most of the new series - Matt Smith was my favourite but I think that was more to do with Amy Pond!

[Alaric]

The second memory was when a companion was killed. He was called Adrick or Aldric or something like that, and the Cybermen were involved somehow. I think he was stuck or left behind on a spaceship that blew up.

Adric, but that was Peter Davison

[pje16]

OK it's fess up time
Those from the 60s era, with the Daleks, did you hide behind the sofa?

[redsturgeon]

OK it's fess up time
Those from the 60s era, with the Daleks, did you hide behind the sofa?

Nah...I just went upstairs where I was safe...until this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK9liYPm7eE

[pje16]

OK it's fess up time
Those from the 60s era, with the Daleks, did you hide behind the sofa?

Nah...I just went upstairs where I was safe...until this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK9liYPm7eE

didn't know they ever did that

[absolutezero]

Tom Baker was my Doctor. I don't remember any storylines but two episodes stuck with me all these years. I haven't looked them up so I'm relying on memories that are around 40 years old.

The first was Tom Baker's regeneration. He was followed around by a ghostly white apparition all through the episode, then at the end he fell off some sort of pylon, then the white ghost merged with him and he turned into Peter Davison. I grieved for Tom Baker and hated Peter Davison for what he had done.

The second memory was when a companion was killed. He was called Adrick or Aldric or something like that, and the Cybermen were involved somehow. I think he was stuck or left behind on a spaceship that blew up. I was so disturbed by this, I rewound the video tape recording and watch the events go backwards until he was alive again.

I've seen most of the new series - Matt Smith was my favourite but I think that was more to do with Amy Pond!

Your memories are perfect.
Logopolis and Earthshock.

[absolutezero]

Nah...I just went upstairs where I was safe...until this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK9liYPm7eE

didn't know they ever did that

They've always been able to do it. It was just not shown until 1986. (Revelation of the Daleks)
In an episode from 1965/66 (The Chase) it was highly implied (but not shown) they flew up the outside of the Empire State Building.

[gvonge]

OK it's fess up time
Those from the 60s era, with the Daleks, did you hide behind the sofa?

No. But the Cybermen got me pretty close.

[Leothebear]

Well it's a good job we all have different tastes. Dr Who, like Star Wars, Game of Thrones and of course Ant and Dec, failed to stimulate my pleasure buds. Star Trek was more my scene.

In Dr Who, the sets always looked to me as if they were put together bt the Blue Peter backroom team - yoghurt pots et al. As for the Daleks - make them use stairs.

Leo

[pje16]

In Dr Who, the sets always looked to me as if they were put together bt the Blue Peter backroom team - yoghurt pots et al. As for the Daleks - make them use stairs.
Leo

try thinking of how kids see things
when you are 5 or and watching Thunderbirds, puppet strings are “invisible”

[redsturgeon]

Well it's a good job we all have different tastes. Dr Who, like Star Wars, Game of Thrones and of course Ant and Dec, failed to stimulate my pleasure buds. Star Trek was more my scene.

In Dr Who, the sets always looked to me as if they were put together bt the Blue Peter backroom team - yoghurt pots et al. As for the Daleks - make them use stairs.

Leo

The reboots are much better regarding production values. I was also a great fan of Star Trek and what about Blake's 7?

John