British Science Fiction Series

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

Definite realignment of the series to be sure but then Dr Who has always done that. I didn't get all that antimilitary nonsense from the Doctor either. I was watching the Horror channel the other day and it had 'The Robots of Death' from 1977. Now there was a Dr Who story, the absolute business!

Haven't seen that one. I think the Doctor should have been more anti-military, not less.

 

My word, you Brits certainly are passionate about the show!

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

I know it will never happen for commercial reasons, but I'd love a "back to basics" approach with a lot more historical adventures with no SF elements, like an updated version of the Hartnell era.

[Dr. Zorders 1,271]

Definite realignment of the series to be sure but then Dr Who has always done that. I didn't get all that antimilitary nonsense from the Doctor either. I was watching the Horror channel the other day and it had 'The Robots of Death' from 1977. Now there was a Dr Who story, the absolute business!

Haven't seen that one. I think the Doctor should have been more anti-military, not less.

 

My word, some of you Brits certainly are passionate about the show!

 

Please... don't paint all Brits with such a broad brush, we're not all the same. I don't stereotype about you kangaroo fuckers do I?

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

Definite realignment of the series to be sure but then Dr Who has always done that. I didn't get all that antimilitary nonsense from the Doctor either. I was watching the Horror channel the other day and it had 'The Robots of Death' from 1977. Now there was a Dr Who story, the absolute business!

Haven't seen that one. I think the Doctor should have been more anti-military, not less.

 

My word, some of you Brits certainly are passionate about the show!

 

Please... don't paint all Brits with such a broad brush, we're not all the same. I don't stereotype about you kangaroo fuckers do I?

But we are!

[Bibliogryphon 9,581]

Why is it Aussies are always so harsh about Dr Who? They never seem to have a good word for it! Same with American fans. I've always thought they were more picky than UK fans, perhaps we're biased seeing as we make the show. I thought the last series was more consistent than series 7 but it certainly wasn't crap.

The first victim of the Mummy in Saturday's Doctor Who episode was an old lady played by Janet Henfrey (b.1935) but when I checked out where I recognised her from it was from the 1989 DW episode The Curse of Fenric where she played - an old lady so she should join the ranks of Peter Sallis, Warren Mitchell and Stephanie Cole in being nominated for the Clive Dunn eternal pensioner award.

I wish Steven Moffatt would hurry up and die after that last season. That was absolutely atrocious. I know he had his critics in his first few seasons but I liked some of his early work but that season just gone has completely alienated me from the show. It felt like he was undermining everything good about Dr Who and committing mass character assassination. Unwatchable dreck.

The last series was the first for a few years that I've watched every episode; there were a couple of duff episodes but overall I didn't think it too bad - certainly better than some of the crap Russell T Davies served up. I think part of the problem is trying to get a complete story into 45-50 minutes.

 

This is what I have been saying quite a lot. The format does very little for the storytelling that Doctor Who used to do so well.

 

However as someone who gave up during the Tennant/RTD era I have to say that I find it hard to understand the vitriol aimed at Moffatt. Admittedly his writing has faults but he has cut through RTD crap and his Doctor, in persona, is more aligned to those from the Classic era. I think he may be spread to thin but I don't want to oust him and we need to have a quality replacement lined up.

 

Also we die hard fans (not to be confused with fans of Die Hard) are only a minority of the audience the programme has to appeal to the casual viewer who has just finished watching Strictly Come Dancing or has turned off X-Factor.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

A bloke named Ian Fairbairn, who appeared in a bunch of Dr Who episodes I have never seen, has died: http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2014/12/ian-fairbairn.html

[msc 18,446]

A bloke named Ian Fairbairn, who appeared in a bunch of Dr Who episodes I have never seen, has died: http://www.doctorwho...-fairbairn.html

 

That's a shame. He was very good in The Invasion as Gregory, a rather panicky scientist who realizes he's been working for both a James Bond style super villain AND the Cybermen. That goes about as well as you can imagine for him.

 

The other roles were more small extra parts iirc.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

As mentioned in the Bellingham thread, I have just started watching Trial of a Timelord for the first time. I had no idea she was in it and I actually thought the Inquisitor was Jacqui Pearce at first.

 

I am up to Terror of the Vervoids, written by Pip and the also-recently-deceased Jane Baker and to my surprise:

 

1. The script doesn't totally suck (so far, at any rate)

2. Mel isn't a screaming abomination yet in her first appearance. In fact, she's almost a relief after Peri's whining.

[msc 18,446]

As mentioned in the Bellingham thread, I have just started watching Trial of a Timelord for the first time. I had no idea she was in it and I actually thought the Inquisitor was Jacqui Pearce at first.

 

I am up to Terror of the Vervoids, written by Pip and the also-recently-deceased Jane Baker and to my surprise:

 

1. The script doesn't totally suck (so far, at any rate)

2. Mel isn't a screaming abomination yet in her first appearance. In fact, she's almost a relief after Peri's whining.

 

1. Terror is quite fun. Its got a lot of really daft lines which I shan't spoil, but yeah, Pip and Jane are actually quite fun if you are in the right mood. It's also got a surprisingly strong cast for that era - Honor Blackman, Denys Hawthorne, Malcolm Tierney and Bellingham/Michael Jayston too.

2. Unfortunately, she gets worse.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

As mentioned in the Bellingham thread, I have just started watching Trial of a Timelord for the first time. I had no idea she was in it and I actually thought the Inquisitor was Jacqui Pearce at first.

 

I am up to Terror of the Vervoids, written by Pip and the also-recently-deceased Jane Baker and to my surprise:

 

1. The script doesn't totally suck (so far, at any rate)

2. Mel isn't a screaming abomination yet in her first appearance. In fact, she's almost a relief after Peri's whining.

 

1. Terror is quite fun. Its got a lot of really daft lines which I shan't spoil, but yeah, Pip and Jane are actually quite fun if you are in the right mood. It's also got a surprisingly strong cast for that era - Honor Blackman, Denys Hawthorne, Malcolm Tierney and Bellingham/Michael Jayston too.

2. Unfortunately, she gets worse.

1. I have seen Time and the Rani.

2. I have seen Time and the Rani.

[msc 18,446]

As mentioned in the Bellingham thread, I have just started watching Trial of a Timelord for the first time. I had no idea she was in it and I actually thought the Inquisitor was Jacqui Pearce at first.

 

I am up to Terror of the Vervoids, written by Pip and the also-recently-deceased Jane Baker and to my surprise:

 

1. The script doesn't totally suck (so far, at any rate)

2. Mel isn't a screaming abomination yet in her first appearance. In fact, she's almost a relief after Peri's whining.

 

1. Terror is quite fun. Its got a lot of really daft lines which I shan't spoil, but yeah, Pip and Jane are actually quite fun if you are in the right mood. It's also got a surprisingly strong cast for that era - Honor Blackman, Denys Hawthorne, Malcolm Tierney and Bellingham/Michael Jayston too.

2. Unfortunately, she gets worse.

1. I have seen Time and the Rani.

2. I have seen Time and the Rani.

 

1. A good point, well made!

 

2. A good point, well made!

 

[themaninblack 2,112]

A bloke named Ian Fairbairn, who appeared in a bunch of Dr Who episodes I have never seen, has died: http://www.doctorwho...-fairbairn.html

 

He was in 'Inferno' - a stone cold classic from 1970...

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

As mentioned in the Bellingham thread, I have just started watching Trial of a Timelord for the first time. I had no idea she was in it and I actually thought the Inquisitor was Jacqui Pearce at first.

 

I am up to Terror of the Vervoids, written by Pip and the also-recently-deceased Jane Baker and to my surprise:

 

1. The script doesn't totally suck (so far, at any rate)

2. Mel isn't a screaming abomination yet in her first appearance. In fact, she's almost a relief after Peri's whining.

 

1. Terror is quite fun. Its got a lot of really daft lines which I shan't spoil, but yeah, Pip and Jane are actually quite fun if you are in the right mood. It's also got a surprisingly strong cast for that era - Honor Blackman, Denys Hawthorne, Malcolm Tierney and Bellingham/Michael Jayston too.

2. Unfortunately, she gets worse.

1. I have seen Time and the Rani.

2. I have seen Time and the Rani.

 

1. A good point, well made!

 

2. A good point, well made!

 

Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice.

 

I finished Trial last night. I can honestly say that Lynda Bellingham is probably the best person in it.

 

So the Doctor really did commit genocide against the Vervoids and got away with it!

 

I am now watching the "Trials and Tribulations" feature and it is more gripping than the story itself. Whilst all that politics was going on at the BBC, with Saward lashing out, Baker being fired, Grade trying to wrap the show up and so on, Jimmy Savile was fiddling kids down the corridor. What a screwed up organisation.

[msc 18,446]

As mentioned in the Bellingham thread, I have just started watching Trial of a Timelord for the first time. I had no idea she was in it and I actually thought the Inquisitor was Jacqui Pearce at first.

 

I am up to Terror of the Vervoids, written by Pip and the also-recently-deceased Jane Baker and to my surprise:

 

1. The script doesn't totally suck (so far, at any rate)

2. Mel isn't a screaming abomination yet in her first appearance. In fact, she's almost a relief after Peri's whining.

 

1. Terror is quite fun. Its got a lot of really daft lines which I shan't spoil, but yeah, Pip and Jane are actually quite fun if you are in the right mood. It's also got a surprisingly strong cast for that era - Honor Blackman, Denys Hawthorne, Malcolm Tierney and Bellingham/Michael Jayston too.

2. Unfortunately, she gets worse.

1. I have seen Time and the Rani.

2. I have seen Time and the Rani.

 

1. A good point, well made!

 

2. A good point, well made!

 

Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice.

 

I finished Trial last night. I can honestly say that Lynda Bellingham is probably the best person in it.

 

So the Doctor really did commit genocide against the Vervoids and got away with it!

 

I am now watching the "Trials and Tribulations" feature and it is more gripping than the story itself. Whilst all that politics was going on at the BBC, with Saward lashing out, Baker being fired, Grade trying to wrap the show up and so on, Jimmy Savile was fiddling kids down the corridor. What a screwed up organisation.

 

And...

 

"So, this big 14 part story. Surely we've worked out how we're going to tie it all up?"

"Don't worry, I've set acclaimed writer Bob Holmes on it."

"Thank god."

 

(a day later)

 

"Err, about acclaimed writer Bob Holmes?"

"Yeah?"

"He's dead."

"Bugger."

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

As mentioned in the Bellingham thread, I have just started watching Trial of a Timelord for the first time. I had no idea she was in it and I actually thought the Inquisitor was Jacqui Pearce at first.

 

I am up to Terror of the Vervoids, written by Pip and the also-recently-deceased Jane Baker and to my surprise:

 

1. The script doesn't totally suck (so far, at any rate)

2. Mel isn't a screaming abomination yet in her first appearance. In fact, she's almost a relief after Peri's whining.

 

1. Terror is quite fun. Its got a lot of really daft lines which I shan't spoil, but yeah, Pip and Jane are actually quite fun if you are in the right mood. It's also got a surprisingly strong cast for that era - Honor Blackman, Denys Hawthorne, Malcolm Tierney and Bellingham/Michael Jayston too.

2. Unfortunately, she gets worse.

1. I have seen Time and the Rani.

2. I have seen Time and the Rani.

 

1. A good point, well made!

 

2. A good point, well made!

 

Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice.

 

I finished Trial last night. I can honestly say that Lynda Bellingham is probably the best person in it.

 

So the Doctor really did commit genocide against the Vervoids and got away with it!

 

I am now watching the "Trials and Tribulations" feature and it is more gripping than the story itself. Whilst all that politics was going on at the BBC, with Saward lashing out, Baker being fired, Grade trying to wrap the show up and so on, Jimmy Savile was fiddling kids down the corridor. What a screwed up organisation.

 

And...

 

"So, this big 14 part story. Surely we've worked out how we're going to tie it all up?"

"Don't worry, I've set acclaimed writer Bob Holmes on it."

"Thank god."

 

(a day later)

 

"Err, about acclaimed writer Bob Holmes?"

"Yeah?"

"He's dead."

"Bugger."

My opinion of Pip and Jane Baker has gone up. Only by a tiny half-notch but it has gone up all the same, having to deal with that situation and producing a Vervoids script that was, well, at least workable. They definitely needed to deal with the genocide issue though.

 

Trials and Tribulations shows just how slapdash everything was though: JN-T thought Colin was an amusing raconteur at a wedding, so hires him on the basis of that alone. He then arbitarily decides he wants a redhead so hires Bonnie even though she is unproven as an actress and only begrudginly auditions her. Meanwhile, writers start dropping off the project so they have to hire Pip and Jane whilst bad blood is brewing between JN-T and Saward and there has been no budget increase despite everyone acknowledging how old and shoddy the show looks. Far out.

[Guest Guest]

My opinion of Pip and Jane Baker has gone up. Only by a tiny half-notch but it has gone up all the same, having to deal with that situation and producing a Vervoids script that was, well, at least workable. They definitely needed to deal with the genocide issue though.

 

 

Not to mention they also had to write up their own version of Episode 14 at short noticed after Robert Holmes died after only submitting a brief outline and Eric Saward resigning and withdrawing his script.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

My opinion of Pip and Jane Baker has gone up. Only by a tiny half-notch but it has gone up all the same, having to deal with that situation and producing a Vervoids script that was, well, at least workable. They definitely needed to deal with the genocide issue though.

 

 

Not to mention they also had to write up their own version of Episode 14 at short noticed after Robert Holmes died after only submitting a brief outline and Eric Saward resigning and withdrawing his script.

yes, that's what I meant. That doesn't excuse their crime against humanity (Time and the Rani) though!

[Bibliogryphon 9,581]

As mentioned in the Bellingham thread, I have just started watching Trial of a Timelord for the first time. I had no idea she was in it and I actually thought the Inquisitor was Jacqui Pearce at first.

 

I am up to Terror of the Vervoids, written by Pip and the also-recently-deceased Jane Baker and to my surprise:

 

1. The script doesn't totally suck (so far, at any rate)

2. Mel isn't a screaming abomination yet in her first appearance. In fact, she's almost a relief after Peri's whining.

 

1. Terror is quite fun. Its got a lot of really daft lines which I shan't spoil, but yeah, Pip and Jane are actually quite fun if you are in the right mood. It's also got a surprisingly strong cast for that era - Honor Blackman, Denys Hawthorne, Malcolm Tierney and Bellingham/Michael Jayston too.

2. Unfortunately, she gets worse.

1. I have seen Time and the Rani.

2. I have seen Time and the Rani.

 

1. A good point, well made!

 

2. A good point, well made!

 

Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice.

 

I finished Trial last night. I can honestly say that Lynda Bellingham is probably the best person in it.

 

So the Doctor really did commit genocide against the Vervoids and got away with it!

 

I am now watching the "Trials and Tribulations" feature and it is more gripping than the story itself. Whilst all that politics was going on at the BBC, with Saward lashing out, Baker being fired, Grade trying to wrap the show up and so on, Jimmy Savile was fiddling kids down the corridor. What a screwed up organisation.

 

And...

 

"So, this big 14 part story. Surely we've worked out how we're going to tie it all up?"

"Don't worry, I've set acclaimed writer Bob Holmes on it."

"Thank god."

 

(a day later)

 

"Err, about acclaimed writer Bob Holmes?"

"Yeah?"

"He's dead."

"Bugger."

My opinion of Pip and Jane Baker has gone up. Only by a tiny half-notch but it has gone up all the same, having to deal with that situation and producing a Vervoids script that was, well, at least workable. They definitely needed to deal with the genocide issue though.

 

Trials and Tribulations shows just how slapdash everything was though: JN-T thought Colin was an amusing raconteur at a wedding, so hires him on the basis of that alone. He then arbitarily decides he wants a redhead so hires Bonnie even though she is unproven as an actress and only begrudginly auditions her. Meanwhile, writers start dropping off the project so they have to hire Pip and Jane whilst bad blood is brewing between JN-T and Saward and there has been no budget increase despite everyone acknowledging how old and shoddy the show looks. Far out.

 

As much as it galls me to defend Bonnie Langford I do not think we can say she was unproven as an actress when she had been in many things from a young age including Just William and The Wombles movie. OK its not Hamlet but there again neither is Trial of a Timelord.

[Guest Guest]

I know the death of actor Bernard Kay has been mentioned elsewhere on the forum but I thought I would post it here s well since he appeared in noless than 4 Doctor Who stories. He was Carl Tyler in the Dalek Invasion of Earth, Saladin in The Crusades,Inspector Crosland in The Faceless Ones and Caldwell in Colony in Space. He was a great actor .Sad start to the year for Doctor Who fans http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a618909/tv-and-film-actor-bernard-kay-dies-aged-86.html#~p08VwaobsAkFCN

[Guest Guest]

Just heard the actress Bridget Turner has died.She played the part of Alice in the 2007 Dr Who story Gridlock http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/announcements/bmdarchive/11698217.BRIDGET_TURNER/

[Vinegar Tits 606]

Fiona Cumming, who directed Castrovalva, Snakedance, Enlightenment and Planet Of Fire, died of cancer on New Year's Day.

[Guest Guest]

The actor Barrie Ingham has died at 83. He played the part of the Thal leader Alyddon in the Peter Cushing film Dr Who and the Daleks .He also appeared in The Myth Makers as Prince Paris http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/events/performing-arts/barrie-ingham-actor-and-voice-of-great-mouse-detec/njwfS/

[msc 18,446]

Original Doctor Who set designer Barry Newbery dead aged 88.

[Guest Guest]

Can I formally request that a Doctor Who thread be created since most of the posts in this one seem to be about DW anyway?

[Magere Hein 1,400]

Can I formally request that a Doctor Who thread be created since most of the posts in this one seem to be about DW anyway?

Yes, you can.

 

I can formally answer that your request is denied for historical reasons.

 

This thread started life as a Doctor Who thread, but at some time it was merged with another 'UK scifi other than Doctor Who' topic.