The Sixth Doctor

Discussions of the classic british sci-fi show.
User avatar
HStorm
Fright Knight
Fright Knight
Posts: 2838
Joined: 30 Nov 2003, 13:12
Location: Salford, UK
Contact:

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by HStorm »

I'd have to say, yes, Trial Of A Time-Lord is absolutely dire, bar a couple of quite interesting scenes in the last two episodes. The problem was that the writer who was supposed to script it, Bob Holmes, was dying of a severe illness, and so the first draft of what he wrote for it was understandably awful. It needed re-writing, but he was so ill that he simply couldn't continue. He died during production.

Other writers were brought in at short notice to redraft the story, but they all had very different, contradictory ideas about how to interpret what Holmes had done. And of course Holmes was no longer around for anyone to consult him about it, so the final product was a dreadful, confused mish-mash.

It is not helped that some of the production is unbelievably tacky, and the performances of Colin Baker, Anthony Ainley and Bonnie Langford are very stagey and kiddified. But it's not their fault principally that the story was so bad.
Knightmare Audio Plays from The Dunshelm Players.
User avatar
wombstar
Level 3 Dungeoneer
Level 3 Dungeoneer
Posts: 494
Joined: 12 May 2013, 22:25

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by wombstar »

On the surface it sounds like an interesting concept.
I'll have to check out at some point, Colin was never one of the Doctors I watched as a kid ( 5 nad 7 were the ones I used to watch)

I've just been running thought what I call the Davros saga, only one I not seen is Destiny.

Talking of Colin he will be at the Forum in Norwich signing things (as well as many others) Charity event being held.
It's always the cracked ones that let the light in
BBrooks
Level 2 Dungeoneer
Level 2 Dungeoneer
Posts: 148
Joined: 28 Aug 2009, 12:04
Location: Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Contact:

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by BBrooks »

It's nice to see this old thread of mine being revived! :-) I still feel that Colin's sacking was unfair, though it's fair to say he got a fair crack of the whip during his era. He battled the Daleks, the Cybermen, Sontarans, The Master, The Rani and met Past & Alternative versions of himself (The Second Doctor & The Valeyard). Also there was Sil (Nabil Shaban), who was one of the best original monsters to come out of 80's Who.
His tenure saw the introduction of 45 minute long episodes too, which we are now familiar with. People say that this period was a turbulent one for DW, some things worked & other's didn't but I think it was a productive time.
It's just a shame that Colin never got a proper send-off, the BBC fired him and then wanted him to come back for one story just to regenerate. You can understand why he refused!
wombstar wrote:Talking of Colin he will be at the Forum in Norwich signing things (as well as many others) Charity event being held.
He & Ian McNeice were going to appear in my hometown a few months back for a charity event. I was going to go, but sadly due to lack of promotion/ticket sales it was cancelled. :(
TimeMaster
Level 1 Dungeoneer
Level 1 Dungeoneer
Posts: 74
Joined: 21 Sep 2013, 14:46
Location: Lancashire

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by TimeMaster »

The Sixth Doctor? What a mixed bag his time as the Doctor was! I can only agree with those who state that Colin suffered with some poor scripts. "Trial of a Timelord" was pretty poor, and I personally cannot stand The Two Doctors. I always loved multi Doctor stories. The Three Doctors and The Five Doctors were both superb. The Two Doctors just didn't come close. I seem to recall a gruesome figure who liked the taste of human flesh - which put me right off the story.

However, I do like Attack of the Cybermen (possibly because it is full of continuity references and ties in neatly with William Hartnell's "The Tenth Planet". I'm a bit geeky like that!) I also love "Revelation of the Daleks", which in my view is the strongest of all the Colin Baker stories, and features a very gruesome scene that shows a man who is half transformed into a dalek. Still freaks me out even now !

Finally, to be fair to Colin, he did suffer also with some very irritating companions!
"Master, Master I know this place! It's the Place of Choice!"
User avatar
HStorm
Fright Knight
Fright Knight
Posts: 2838
Joined: 30 Nov 2003, 13:12
Location: Salford, UK
Contact:

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by HStorm »

The guy who ate human flesh was called Shockeye, and he was a member of a species called 'Androgum' (anagram of 'gourmand'). There was also another Androgum in the story called Chessene (played by Jacqueline Pearce, who makes the story a bit confusing for me whenever I watch it as I keep thinking "SERVALAN!" whenever she speaks), although her behaviour is completely different.

To be honest, Shockeye's appetites don't seem far removed from a number of other monsters in the history of Who. Even the Vashta Nerada were much the same in that regard.
Knightmare Audio Plays from The Dunshelm Players.
BBrooks
Level 2 Dungeoneer
Level 2 Dungeoneer
Posts: 148
Joined: 28 Aug 2009, 12:04
Location: Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Contact:

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by BBrooks »

BBrooks wrote:It's just a shame that Colin never got a proper send-off, the BBC fired him and then wanted him to come back for one story just to regenerate. You can understand why he refused!


"SPOILER ALERT"
If you're a Whovian, then you probably already know this! Last year Big Finish Productions released a special box-set of audio dramas called Doctor Who: The Last Adventure, it may have took nearly 30 years, but Colin Baker finally got his regeneration scene and it gives The Sixth Doctor a fitting send-off.

https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/th ... nture-1212

The other day I came across this brilliant video from YouTuber Imagine that no door, they created a superb animation sequence to go with the above mentioned regeneration. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC0CaqPUILM
User avatar
EvelynMason
Level 1 Dungeoneer
Level 1 Dungeoneer
Posts: 87
Joined: 06 Mar 2012, 05:18
Location: Hungerford Berkshire

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by EvelynMason »

I remember watching the series in the 1980s and Colin Baker was probably the first Doctor that was I was properly introduced to. Peter Davison I think was the one directly after but he only lasted a season or two. Unfortunately by the time of Sylvester McCoy at the end of the decade I had lost a lot of interest and never really tuned in again up until the present day.

They had the repeats on the Horror Channel recently with all the aforementioned names but while it was nice to recall past experiences, the level of enthusiasm just wasn't the same as before. Sorry ! :(
User avatar
HStorm
Fright Knight
Fright Knight
Posts: 2838
Joined: 30 Nov 2003, 13:12
Location: Salford, UK
Contact:

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by HStorm »

Colin Baker was after Peter Davison. Tom Baker was the one immediately before.

Interesting useless stat; -

As many actors to play the Doctor on TV have had the same surname as have had the same forename i.e. two Doctors called Baker, and two Doctors called Peter. (No, John Hurt doesn't count, because Jon Pertwee dropped the H from his forename.)
Knightmare Audio Plays from The Dunshelm Players.
User avatar
Gretel
Level 2 Dungeoneer
Level 2 Dungeoneer
Posts: 111
Joined: 04 Jan 2014, 22:55
Location: Essex, UK

Re: The Sixth Doctor

Post by Gretel »

I feel like A LOT of Colin's TV serials were kind of shafted by dodgy writing.... and Bonnie Langford for some of Trial. (I like Bonnie... but wow, some of her screams are so aggrivating I find it hard to give a damn).
"you should be able to hear from my voice that I'm terribly pretty, now DO you think I'm pretty?"
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests