Swapping existing for non existing episodes

[Greg H]

Mar 13, 2012 20:49:21 GMT Richard Develyn said:

That first angel story of the new series was as good as any classic Doctor Who story has ever been

I was of that opinion as well for a while, but after a few more watches I noticed a few dodgy bits, which can likely be attributed to Davies mucking around with Moffat's writing. I can't prove that but I find it very likely.

I haven't seen the newly recovered underwater menace yet so I can't in honesty say if I would swap it for a macra episode. Macra terror has always been on of the stories that I suspect would be a very enjoyable watch, dodgy monsters and all. The audio stands up well and the surviving photos of the sets look very interesting.

[Deleted]

When I made my choices early on in this thread it was on the basis of being the early 70's and having to pick episodes to junk or keep before then. However... I'm in complete agreement with Greg H about the Noughties reboot of the show... I'd gladly see every second of it trashed for just one "new" find from the 60's. I detest it for all the reasons Greg has stated. Eccleston's a great actor but I thought he was sleepwalking through DW to the degree I found it embarrassing. David Tennant? Him and Russell T.Davies should be deposited into Room 101 along with every DW episode featuring Bonnie Langford. This is not the place to go into detail about my feelings and thoughts about Tennant other than I think he's over-rated and awful as an actor as much as Davies is as bad a writer and producer.

Either way, just wanted to say I agree with Greg and would merrily wipe every trace of the 21st Century version in an instant if it were possible.

[John Wall]

I have difficulty getting "into" the new series. I liked both Christopher Eccleston (a thug in a suit !) and Matt Smith (a young fogey !) but, if there isn't anything on TV nowadays (i.e. most of the time !), I'll go for a classic series DVD. I grew up with Pertwee and Baker and stories from that period, even with the dodgy special effects and slower pace (a six part story - shock !, horror !), still entrance me. I'm clearly a sad case Anybody here with me ?

[Richard Develyn]

Mar 13, 2012 20:56:15 GMT Greg H said:

[quote author=rdevelyn board=who thread=7009 post=69352 time=1331671761I haven't seen the newly recovered underwater menace yet so I can't in honesty say if I would swap it for a macra episode.

I wouldn't swap that one - I think part 2 is great. It's part 3 (the one we've had for ages) that I'd swap for Macra 2.

I tend to prefer the episodes which show Patrick Troughton's Doctor in all it's humanity (if I can use that term on a time-lord) the most. It's strange that he had this reputation as some sort of clown, to me his portrayal is by far the least caricatured and the most appealing, particularly in the way he balances reason and emotion when he deals with people. I actually find it quite inspiring.

Richard

[Greg H]

Mar 13, 2012 22:58:57 GMT John Wall said:

I have difficulty getting "into" the new series. I liked both Christopher Eccleston (a thug in a suit !) and Matt Smith (a young fogey !) but, if there isn't anything on TV nowadays (i.e. most of the time !), I'll go for a classic series DVD. I grew up with Pertwee and Baker and stories from that period, even with the dodgy special effects and slower pace (a six part story - shock !, horror !), still entrance me. I'm clearly a sad case Anybody here with me ?

In agreement here. I would take the slow and well thought out pace of inferno, for example, any day over the new stuff.
Tbh I find more rewarding television from America at the moment. I think the UK has truly lost the plot when it comes to making decent television. I honestly don't think we have anything that vaguely competes with breaking bad or even Grimm, which whilst not exactly deep is certainly fun and not annoying.

[telos]

Oh don't get me started on the new series!

I lost interest on the cliff-hanger of episode 12 of series one. I think the stories are too short and rushed, badly thought out, the musical scoring is some of the worst in television and I hate the series long story arks.

I don't consider the new series Doctor Who at all. For me it ended in 1989.

[Greg H]

Mar 13, 2012 23:05:05 GMT Richard Develyn said:

Mar 13, 2012 20:56:15 GMT Greg H said:

[quote author=rdevelyn board=who thread=7009 post=69352 time=1331671761I haven't seen the newly recovered underwater menace yet so I can't in honesty say if I would swap it for a macra episode.

I wouldn't swap that one - I think part 2 is great. It's part 3 (the one we've had for ages) that I'd swap for Macra 2.

I tend to prefer the episodes which show Patrick Troughton's Doctor in all it's humanity (if I can use that term on a time-lord) the most. It's strange that he had this reputation as some sort of clown, to me his portrayal is by far the least caricatured and the most appealing, particularly in the way he balances reason and emotion when he deals with people. I actually find it quite inspiring.

Richard

Ah, I see! Underwater menace 3 isn't really doctor who's finest hour; I found it something of a drag when I first got a bootleg VHS, but over the years I have gained an appreciation for it. Probably amongst the very weakest of the Troughtons but I still quite like it.
To be honest I could happily watch pretty much anything Troughton is in; theres just something fundamentaly likeable about him

[John Wall]

Mar 13, 2012 23:35:03 GMT Greg H said:

Mar 13, 2012 22:58:57 GMT John Wall said:

I have difficulty getting "into" the new series. I liked both Christopher Eccleston (a thug in a suit !) and Matt Smith (a young fogey !) but, if there isn't anything on TV nowadays (i.e. most of the time !), I'll go for a classic series DVD. I grew up with Pertwee and Baker and stories from that period, even with the dodgy special effects and slower pace (a six part story - shock !, horror !), still entrance me. I'm clearly a sad case Anybody here with me ?

In agreement here. I would take the slow and well thought out pace of inferno, for example, any day over the new stuff.
Tbh I find more rewarding television from America at the moment. I think the UK has truly lost the plot when it comes to making decent television. I honestly don't think we have anything that vaguely competes with breaking bad or even Grimm, which whilst not exactly deep is certainly fun and not annoying.

Inferno is brilliant Should be rated as an all time classic imho. For a story that was expanded beyond what should have been its natural length with the parallel universe stuff it doesn't drag. Pertwee escapes from the parallel universe but then has to do it all again. Difficult to beat - I don't know how many times I've watched it since I got the DVD but it never wanes.

Can you recommend anything good from the US at the moment ? Happy to buy DVDs.

[John F Brayshaw]

Mar 14, 2012 0:12:12 GMT John Wall said:

Mar 13, 2012 23:35:03 GMT Greg H said:

In agreement here. I would take the slow and well thought out pace of inferno, for example, any day over the new stuff.
Tbh I find more rewarding television from America at the moment. I think the UK has truly lost the plot when it comes to making decent television. I honestly don't think we have anything that vaguely competes with breaking bad or even Grimm, which whilst not exactly deep is certainly fun and not annoying.

Inferno is brilliant Should be rated as an all time classic imho. For a story that was expanded beyond what should have been its natural length with the parallel universe stuff it doesn't drag. Pertwee escapes from the parallel universe but then has to do it all again. Difficult to beat - I don't know how many times I've watched it since I got the DVD but it never wanes.

Can you recommend anything good from the US at the moment ? Happy to buy DVDs.

As an American I can tell you US TV has and always has been Crap! Can I make a US recomdation - No. OK Family Guy or Big Bang Theory but not much more. I usually just watch sports given the choice as for classic TV maybe Dark Shadows...

[Greg H]

Its strictly dependent on your personal tastes; I think 'breaking bad' is probably the best peice of drama currently being made anywhere on the globe. For me this series ticks all the boxes, but might not appeal to everyone. Also, Grimm is a well made bit of fun that you could probably watch with your kids (monsters and a bit of violence, but nothing excessive.)
on a different tip I would recomend the comedy series 'death comes to town' from Canada and 'the night shift' from Iceland, both series remind me why I used to be so enthusiastic about my black and white portable TV
TBH, a lot of the HBO stuff stands up very well compared to the generaly weak stuff the UK is sadly making at the moment.

[George D]

While it wasnt my intention in getting into a new series/old series debate. I tend to agree with the posts here.

The new series appears rushed and fast paced while the original was carefully thought out epics that spanned several weeks. I like the original better but the new series is aimed to appeal more to the younger generation than us. They appear wanting more romance, divorced people, fast paced instant gratification stories with lots of formula spfx and Wrestling show type characterizations.

Its not my Dr who, and I dont think its quality writing, and I dont think the Torchwood crossover is appropriate for a family show yet TV in the past 20-30 years has been trying to appeal to the youth rather than a quality story that all ages could appreciate . In fact most TV is aimed toward the adolecense because they are the ones most easily trained to be a consumer of the advertiser's product for life where adults are more discrimating. Also the adolescence has more disposable income while the adult has to pay the rent insurance food etc. Even the Doctor is getting younger and younger.(is his final regeneration going to be an infant? But this is what will keep Dr Who franchise alive to the next generation and also some will go back and appreciate the original series.

As a side note I like what exists in Invasion.. While 1 and 4 are good episodes, 5-8 are primarily the cyberman story and while i think the story ends too rapidly, we got some classic cyberman scenes at the end.

[Jaspal Cheema]

Yes,all well and dandy,you don't like this,you don't like that but you all seem to be missing the point! In 20 years when the nostalgia boom for the 'dreadnoughts' kicks in,the episodes for new Who will still BE THERE,not missing,wiped or junked.

[John Wall]

If there had been lots of satellite/cable channels some decades ago very little would have been junked. I can't see much from today being junked as it can be endlessly recycled.

[Richard Develyn]

Mar 14, 2012 10:34:50 GMT Jaspal Cheema said:

Yes,all well and dandy,you don't like this,you don't like that but you all seem to be missing the point! In 20 years when the nostalgia boom for the 'dreadnoughts' kicks in,the episodes for new Who will still BE THERE,not missing,wiped or junked.

It surprised me to see there is stuff missing from the BSB broadcasts (just looking at Kaleidoscope's web site). I used to have BSB (that lovely squarial - all I recorded was Doctor Who, though) Makes you wonder whether even relatively recent stuff goes missing.

Richard

[Jaspal Cheema]

I stand corrected,this is the BBC we're dealing with here...!