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Post by andyeves on Jul 14, 2014 20:19:36 GMT
I do recall reading many years ago that War Games generally wasn't considered to be a classic. This would have been circa 1980, well before the video or audio was on general sale and well before the Internet. So I guess it must have been said in the Doctor Who Weekly magazine or something similar.
I remember being very surprised to hear that because I'd recently read the Target novel and really enjoyed it. Indeed, I've very recently listened to the novel on audiobook some 25 years later and it is still great.
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Post by johnnyharley on Jul 15, 2014 14:55:22 GMT
I haven't watched The War Games in years but I always remember how sad it was for the end of the Troughton Doctor and his friends. No other Doctor's end was as sad.....
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Post by lousingh on Jul 15, 2014 20:49:34 GMT
I kind of get the less-than-stellar reviews of The War Games - especially here in the US. (For that matter, any of the DW before Tom Baker plus the stories longer than 4 episodes.) In the US, most people only had access to omnibus version of the stories. I love The Dead Planet, but The Ordeal is slow going in spots - especially when you are at the 1:55 mark when it starts. The War Games was the only one split over two movies, so you combine the long sit times with the lack of patience and the extra wait and PRESTO - a legion of bad reviews.
The standard 10 episode version, on the other hand, is great in a few small bites; I just get too restless watching it for hours on end. On the other hand, if I am learning a new language, framework, or utility, it's great having a window open to it because I cam keep working longer. :-)
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Post by johnnyharley on Jul 16, 2014 10:31:41 GMT
You were very lucky to get repeats of Who as we here in the UK virtually got nothing. War Games was screened by the BBC just the once and then 23 years later on BSB's Doctor Who weekend. I know Who was on television every night in Australia but for us poor limeys we only got more one repeat a year of the last series!
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Post by Simon Jailler on Jul 16, 2014 11:50:41 GMT
War Games does have a very sad ending. It looks like the Second Doctor's fun has come to an end and we lose a fantastic Tardis crew. Had I seen it at original transmission time, I would have been completely and utterly devastated about this. Seeing it for the first time on video, I thought 10 episodes would be too long and full of padding but each episode rattles along,the production quality is very good and it is a cracking story so in fact, Troughton's reign ends on a high which is not where his final season appeared to be heading, bearing in mind all the script and production problems, behind the scenes. And out of this came the Third doctor's exile on Earth which got me hooked on Doctor Who in the first place and is another reason why War Games is so highly appreciated by me.
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Post by George D on Jul 16, 2014 14:27:35 GMT
There are some high points in season 6, but sadly I agree with you. Perhaps that could have influenced why they toned down to the 26 episode season.
Its a shame because there was a lot of possiblities to build on a great season 5. However, I guess that's a season that was hard to top.
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Post by Simon Smith on Jul 16, 2014 15:31:35 GMT
I do recall reading many years ago that War Games generally wasn't considered to be a classic. '''This would have been circa 1980''', well before the video or audio was on general sale and well before the Internet. So I guess it must have been said in the Doctor Who Weekly magazine or something similar. I remember being very surprised to hear that because I'd recently read the Target novel and really enjoyed it. Indeed, I've very recently listened to the novel on audiobook '''some 25 years''' later and it is still great. Interesting that. Can you tell the difference between "over 40 years" and "about 30 years"? :-)
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Post by Simon Smith on Jul 16, 2014 15:34:09 GMT
There are some high points in season 6, but sadly I agree with you. Perhaps that could have influenced why they toned down to the 26 episode season. Its a shame because there was a lot of possiblities to build on a great season 5. However, I guess that's a season that was hard to top. The fewer episodes in Season 7 was down to one issue...money. It was rather more expensive in 1969 to make colour television episodes than it was to make b&w television episodes. (And of course, the decrease in total content between Season 22 and Season 23 was also down to BBC budgets.)
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Post by andyeves on Jul 16, 2014 15:44:04 GMT
I do recall reading many years ago that War Games generally wasn't considered to be a classic. '''This would have been circa 1980''', well before the video or audio was on general sale and well before the Internet. So I guess it must have been said in the Doctor Who Weekly magazine or something similar. I remember being very surprised to hear that because I'd recently read the Target novel and really enjoyed it. Indeed, I've very recently listened to the novel on audiobook '''some 25 years''' later and it is still great. Interesting that. Can you tell the difference between "over 40 years" and "about 30 years"? :-) OK, so that should have read "35 years". Doesn't time fly, eh. (Only seems like it was 25 years ago.)
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Post by johnnyharley on Jul 17, 2014 6:31:15 GMT
Funny I don't remember The War Games at all as a child where as I do have great memories of Evil of The Daleks, Tomb of The Cybermen, The Ice Warriors, Enemy, Web, Fury, Dominators, Seeds of Death and The Space Pirates! Funny that...
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Post by George D on Jul 17, 2014 22:53:48 GMT
Maybe it was missed?
As an adult, we appreciate war games. As a child there Are no major monsterous moments to leave an image on a child' s mind.
I think with the recovery of enemy of the world, we are understanding that the evaluation of a child in the 60s is not the same as an adult today
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Post by johnnyharley on Jul 18, 2014 11:34:40 GMT
That is very possible, George! As a child I hated the cliffhangers and the long seven day wait to see what happened!
Shame the new shows don't even have one tenth of the quality!
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Post by shellyharman67 on Jul 19, 2014 7:27:31 GMT
That is very possible, George! As a child I hated the cliffhangers and the long seven day wait to see what happened! Shame the new shows don't even have one tenth of the quality! The show now is not the same ! Only name is the same. And This guy in charge is mucking up all the Myth that ever was in the show ! I hate cliff hangers as well, because you always new he would get out of that situation every time lol.
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Post by johnnyharley on Jul 19, 2014 11:32:19 GMT
These days I love the cliffhangers, Shelly, but not as a little six year old! LoL Moffat has ruined the show and it's too late to change that! poor old Matt Smith whom I've always thought had the eccentricity to be fantastic in the role but was saddled with rubbish material! One thing I've never understood is the people who defend him and his writing it really beats me!
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Post by Richard Marple on Jul 19, 2014 12:10:50 GMT
Why does every other thread on here become a new Who bashing session?
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