Doctor Who - Spoilers!

[N2k-swb]

I downloaded 'The Ribos Operation' last night on Itunes, they have some classic episodes available but not a great amount skipping Hartnells, Troughtons era and only having one episode Colins eras together 'The Mark of the Rani'. I thought the 'Ribos' episodes were great and i enjoyed Tom in them greatly, laughing out loud when he gets slapped by the glove makes a shocked face and slaps the king back, also i like mary Tamm as Romana she was quite good looking back then, googled her and time hasnt been kind! how many episodes make up the 'Key of Time' arc? if Itunes doesnt have the rest of the episodes il have to find another way of getting them.

 

[bcm77]

I downloaded 'The Ribos Operation' last night on Itunes, they have some classic episodes available but not a great amount skipping Hartnells, Troughtons era and only having one episode Colins eras together 'The Mark of the Rani'. I thought the 'Ribos' episodes were great and i enjoyed Tom in them greatly, laughing out loud when he gets slapped by the glove makes a shocked face and slaps the king back, also i like mary Tamm as Romana she was quite good looking back then, googled her and time hasnt been kind! how many episodes make up the 'Key of Time' arc? if Itunes doesnt have the rest of the episodes il have to find another way of getting them.

That moment in "The Ribos Operation" was almost certainly one of Tom's infamous ad libs. They didn't always work and he infuriated numerous directors and writers when he did it but that one was hilarious.

That story is a great example of the writing of Robert Holmes. There's a strong bad guy in the Graff Vynda K, a great comedy double act with the con men Garron & Unstoffe and the Doctor, Romana & K9 get plenty to do and I think it's the pick of that particular series.

For some reason Mary Tamm seems to be the forgotten one of Tom's companions but I thought she was way better than her eventual replacement.

"The Key To Time" was a rare example of a Classic series that had a story arc and it lasted 26 episodes split into 6 stories,

"The Ribos Operation"
"The Pirate Planet"
"The Stones of Blood"
"The Androids of Tara"
"The Power of Kroll"
"The Armageddon Factor"

To be honest the quality goes downhill after the first 2 stories but I also like "The Androids of Tara" quite a bit as it has a great performance from the guy playing the villain.

 

[Kabukiman]

"The Key To Time" was a rare example of a Classic series that had a story arc and it lasted 26 episodes split into 6 stories,

"The Pirate Planet" is up there as one of my favorite classic stories.

By the great parrot of Hades, you shall pay with the last drop of your blood.

Love that line!

I was pretty disappointed by "The Key to Time" as a whole. The whole arc really felt like an afterthought tacked on to the end of every story. It's especially apparent in the 6-part "The Armageddon Factor" where everything wraps up after 4 episodes and then they're like "Oh yeah, what about that key to time business?"

 

[bcm77]

"The Pirate Planet" is up there as one of my favorite classic stories.


Love that line!

I was pretty disappointed by "The Key to Time" as a whole. The whole arc really felt like an afterthought tacked on to the end of every story. It's especially apparent in the 6-part "The Armageddon Factor" where everything wraps up after 4 episodes and then they're like "Oh yeah, what about that key to time business?"

I really like "The Pirate Planet" too, Douglas Adams & Who = magic!

A whole wave of figures from that series each coming with a piece of the Key would be awesome but I'll settle for a figure of the Pirate Captain & his parrot.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

For some reason Mary Tamm seems to be the forgotten one of Tom's companions but I thought she was way better than her eventual replacement.

Yeah, I don't get that. I guess following the 1,2 punch of Sarah Jane and Leela was a tall order, but I thought she was great. It's a shame she only stayed for one series. Personally, I find the fascination with Romana II baffling. I have no idea why she's so popular.

 

[pixletwin]

I am one of those who prefers Romana 2. I think it's because Lalla and Tom had better chemistry than Tom and Mary.

 

[Kabukiman]

Personally, I find the fascination with Romana II baffling. I have no idea why she's so popular.

There are some images I could post here, but I'm too lazy to do so.

Really, any image of Lalla Ward would do.

 

[N2k-swb]

"The Key To Time" was a rare example of a Classic series that had a story arc and it lasted 26 episodes split into 6 stories,

"The Ribos Operation"
"The Pirate Planet"
"The Stones of Blood"
"The Androids of Tara"
"The Power of Kroll"
"The Armageddon Factor"
.

Thanks for the answer, iTunes has all 6 episodes which is great because i dont knoiw where else to watch them without buying them on dvd or such.

 

[bcm77]

Personally, I find the fascination with Romana II baffling. I have no idea why she's so popular.

I consider her a prototype of sorts for River Song, a smug know all who is just asking to be on the receiveing end of the galaxy's biggest b****slap.

I think all the other female companions are somewhat lacking compared to Leela & Ace though so it's not like Romana II doesn't have company.

N2k,
Depending on how you feel about downloading stuff, I could point you in the direction of pretty much the entire Classic era.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

I consider her a prototype of sorts for River Song, a smug know all who is just asking to be on the receiveing end of the galaxy's biggest b****slap.

Her best stories were "City of Death" & "Warrior's Gate" but other than that her appearances are the worst of Tom's run.

I think all the other female companions are somewhat lacking compared to Leela & Ace though so it's not like Romana II doesn't have company.

N2k,
Depending on how you feel about downloading stuff, I could point you in the direction of pretty much the entire Classic era.

You and I are of the same mind. Apart from those stories, I equate her with the decline of Tom's run. It wasn't until I started visiting some of the Who forums that I discovered what a following she has, and it came as quite a shock. I guess I had always just assumed she was considered one of the lesser companions. Conversely, I rarely hear any mention of Mary Tamm, good or bad.

All this discussion is making me want to re-watch the Key to Time stories. Time to hit Netflix.

 

[pixletwin]

Same deal Here... sort of... I have always placed Adric as among my favorite companions and I was quite surprised to learn that he has quite a.... erm... lynch mob?

 

[bcm77]

You and I are of the same mind. Apart from those stories, I equate her with the decline of Tom's run. It wasn't until I started visiting some of the Who forums that I discovered what a following she has, and it came as quite a shock. I guess I had always just assumed she was considered one of the lesser companions. Conversely, I rarely hear any mention of Mary Tamm, good or bad.

All this discussion is making me want to re-watch the Key to Time stories. Time to hit Netflix.

I saw "City of Death" first and she was decent in that but as I saw her other stories I found I never felt inclined to rewatch them as often as the earlier years of Tom's run and a couple of them I've still only seen once.

It wasn't like they were the worst Who stories ever, far from it, but compared with the near untouchable quality of Tom's first 3 or 4 series they just didn't have the same appeal and whilst not the sole reason I do think Romana II was a big factor in why.

Part of the fun of the show is wanting the Doctor to always save the companion so if one comes along that the viewer feels totally indifferent about or worse, wants the bad guys to wipe her out, then those stories aren't going to be as memorable.

 

[pixletwin]

She is great in State of Decay too.

 

[bcm77]

She is great in State of Decay too.

I haven't seen that one for a while so maybe I'll give it another go when I've done watching series 26.

 

[tombaker369]

I really love the scene in State of Decay when the Doctor and Romana are locked in a dungeon cell and Romana mentions how Type 40 TARDIS' have information on board that would be useful for them and the Doctor whispers to her that the TARDIS is a Type 40, then afterwards whispers "You *are* wonderful..."
Always thought that was rather sweet tbh. Clearly when the two of them were besotted at the time lol

Gotta love Lalla.

 

[bcm77]

I really love the scene in State of Decay when the Doctor and Romana are locked in a dungeon cell and Romana mentions how Type 40 TARDIS' have information on board that would be useful for them and the Doctor whispers to her that the TARDIS is a Type 40, then afterwards whispers "You *are* wonderful..."
Always thought that was rather sweet tbh. Clearly when the two of them were besotted at the time lol

Gotta love Lalla.

One of the few moments where the Classic show ever hinted at the Doctor's relationship with a companion being more than just friends.

But it was short, sweet and best of all the whole scenario wasn't rammed down viewers throats the way the Doctor & Rose thing was so it was entirely acceptable.

 

[pixletwin]

8th Doctor McGann has a new costume for the Big Finish Audio adventures. Apparently he was tired of seeing images from the TVM recycled over and over again. The only parts in this image that are the new costume are the jacket, shoulder bag, and the new sonic screwdriver (designed by WETA!!!)

 

[pixletwin]

New 8th Doctor sonic:

 

[Kabukiman]

Love the new screwdriver. Not a fan of the new costume at all. He looks like a cross-dresser.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Looks like they threw an Indiana Jones bag on Eccleston. Not very imaginative.

Loooove the steampunk sonic.