is The Space Pirates Worth It?

[Krisander T. Weum]

I have been watching Classic Doctor Who since 2018 on and off, now I am almost done with the 60s era.

However, i'm at the 2nd Doctor's 2nd to last Story. "The Space Pirates".

I have watched all existing episodes and watched (and listened) to the missing ones' reconstructions and animations.

I've not heard too much positive "reviews" of the Space Pirates and I think Recons takes a lot more concentrating then a regular episode to follow the story.

So I want to ask those who have watched/listened to it and seen more Doctor Who then me,

is The Space Pirates a good story? Is it worth watching snaps/reconstruction with Audio? or should I skip to the War Games?

[RhysH]

If you have listened to any of the recent podcasts from the missing episodes team (the count down ones in particular), you’ll hear how much Gavin Rymill loves The Space Pirates!
I really hoped for this one to be animated as I think they could do a lot with it. Good fun story!

[robrudderham]

I'm old enough to have watched this first time round, if my memories of that viewing are a bit dim. I don't think Space Pirates is the best story, but neither do I think it's the worst. Loose Cannon did wonders with the reconstruction, in my humble, and that's well worth watching. Perhaps the closest Doctor Who has ever got to good old-fashioned pulp era science fiction.

[mattg]

Of all the then orphan episodes from the old ‘The Hartnell/Troughton Years’ 90’s VHS compilations the sole surviving episode two of the ‘Space Pirates’ was the one that really gripped me as a kid.

After all with the introductory instalment missing the second episode throws you right into the action though it’s still easy enough to pick up what’s going on. Later, cosmic hillbilly, solar toaster abuser and part-time Joseph Stalin lookalike, Milo Clancey, shows up apparently unconnected to the thefts being perpetrated by the nefarious pirates.

But the hapless and dodgy-accented Space Corps aren’t convinced suspecting Clancey of being in league with the pirates - a subplot that really captivated my young self. Unfortunately the episode concluded before his guilt/innocence was established leaving me with a frustrating cliffhanger for years! Thankfully this was belatedly resolved years later upon purchasing the BBC Audio of the story. At least listening to the serial in its entirety for the first time I can say I really enjoyed it.

Overall definitely a far superior effort from Robert Holmes than the execrable ‘Krotons although it feels two episodes too long - a common criticism of ‘Who six parters of course. Nevertheless despite The Space Pirates suffering a poor reputation from fans I’m a proud member of the minority that likes it.

…That said I also rate Delta and the Bannermen and Silver Nemesis as well thus an arbiter of good taste I am clearly not. 

Sadly prospects for animation now seem more unlikely than ever though so hopefully more episodes from the serial will somehow be found at some point. Possibly some are included amongst those fabled six or so missing episodes rumoured to reside with collectors….

[John Wall]

It’s certainly possible that another print could turn up.

[George D]

If you can sit through the highlanders, then you should watch space pirates:)

[TSmith]

It feels like the spiritual predecessor to Frontier in Space and if nothing else is one of the show's truest forms of tackling the 'Space Opera' subgenre.

[nathangeorge]

I listened to the audios while wrapping Christmas presents one year. I just remember the Doctor and co being sidelined by events all the way through, none of them particularly engaging. I have got the Loose Cannon reconstruction that I've never got round to watching but I did see about 10 mins of episode 3 and thought this would be a much better way to enjoy the story. Personally, I think if you're a big enough fan of anything be it a band, a sport, an author, a director, you'll likely glean some enjoyment from even the less successful, memorable bits.

[Krisander T. Weum]

Hm, just listened to the Space Pirates part 1 and watched TSP Part 2. Such a shame as the story was very enjoyable with the footage (specially the old western guy), without footage and only audio its defently harder to follow the story. Hopefully the other 5 episodes gets found one day, episode 2 was very fun and entertaining to watch.

[barneyhall]

I love the space pirates and I think its massively underrated and would have a similar renaissance that enemy of the world enjoyed if it was to be rediscovered. I also think the material would lend itself to animation very well......I'm going to get shot for this next comment but here it goes.


I'd actually rather see space pirates returned than some of the big hitters like power or evil. Not because I think it's a better story (I don't even as a space pirates lover I'm not that mad) but I think there is far more unseen stuff in apace pirates than those too. When web was returned as excited as I was to see it when I watched it I realised how well represented it was with the telesnaps sound track narration set photos ect.and I feel the same would be true for power (God that animation is good) so for me space pirates is my second most wanted return behind toymaker.....I'm off to fashion a shield as I can already hear the sound of pitch forks being sharpened

[John Wall]

I hope we’re all grown up and tolerant enough to avoid the pitchforks 👍

I’d like to see Space Pirates as it’d complete Season Six.

It’s the second Robert Holmes story and there must’ve been something that got him the commission to write Spearhead.

I don’t think there are Telesnaps for SP? Is there much visual material?

[lousingh]

Jul 13, 2022 16:07:29 GMT John Wall said:

I hope we’re all grown up and tolerant enough to avoid the pitchforks 👍

I’d like to see Space Pirates as it’d complete Season Six.

It’s the second Robert Holmes story and there must’ve been something that got him the commission to write Spearhead.

I don’t think there are Telesnaps for SP? Is there much visual material?

I have seen a recon of The Space Pirates in the last year.

Milo Clancy is one of Holmes's best characters. Also, as someone who actually remembers the moon landing, I will attest that the story is paced realistically for the space shots. I also liked the development of Madeleine Issigri and General Hermack throughout the story. The Space Pirates takes the expansive time scale to build its characters and their relationships. You can see the development of Robert Holmes as a writer after The Krotons.

[Krisander T. Weum]

I finished the Space Pirates yesterday, loved the story and the twist at Episode 5. The cosmic hobo and his old dead assistants dead daughter who hated him for his death.

Loved the story, it was fun. Hopefully it will be found or animated some day.

[Jaspal Cheema]

Jul 5, 2022 21:56:30 GMT mattg said:

Of all the then orphan episodes from the old ‘The Hartnell/Troughton Years’ 90’s VHS compilations the sole surviving episode two of the ‘Space Pirates’ was the one that really gripped me as a kid.

After all with the introductory instalment missing the second episode throws you right into the action though it’s still easy enough to pick up what’s going on. Later, cosmic hillbilly, solar toaster abuser and part-time Joseph Stalin lookalike, Milo Clancey, shows up apparently unconnected to the thefts being perpetrated by the nefarious pirates.

But the hapless and dodgy-accented Space Corps aren’t convinced suspecting Clancey of being in league with the pirates - a subplot that really captivated my young self. Unfortunately the episode concluded before his guilt/innocence was established leaving me with a frustrating cliffhanger for years! Thankfully this was belatedly resolved years later upon purchasing the BBC Audio of the story. At least listening to the serial in its entirety for the first time I can say I really enjoyed it.

Overall definitely a far superior effort from Robert Holmes than the execrable ‘Krotons although it feels two episodes too long - a common criticism of ‘Who six parters of course. Nevertheless despite The Space Pirates suffering a poor reputation from fans I’m a proud member of the minority that likes it.

…That said I also rate Delta and the Bannermen and Silver Nemesis as well thus an arbiter of good taste I am clearly not. 

Sadly prospects for animation now seem more unlikely than ever though so hopefully more episodes from the serial will somehow be found at some point. Possibly some are included amongst those fabled six or so missing episodes rumoured to reside with collectors….

Matt mate,I love the Krotons.OK,the titular monsters are poorly realised but why does it remind me so much of the future Pertwee era-which I also love?It's basic premise is really rooted in hard science and it's been noted that the countercultural Gonds try to overthrow the Goverment of the Krotons with acid-like the hippies tried to in the 60s...

[rebeccajansen]

Isn't this something of a landmark story in that this was the first Doctor Who production John Nathan-Turner had any part in? Other than that it's probably slightly below Mindrobber, The Krotons or The Dominators as a story, but still... Troughton!