The Peter Davison Era

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  • daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,352
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    gslam2 wrote: »
    Yes some of them do react slightly but then they just carry on as if nothing unusual has happened and it's not as if they need that section as they all get called back to the house anyway. It's the Davison era where the use of the Tardis as a spaceship for all and sundry really kicks in and to me this is part of that annoying trend.

    I like Agatha Christie as well but as limited a writer as she was she usually had great plots and some interesting characters, this has neither. The Hickson Marple's were made around the same time and are vastly superior to this in every way. I'd rather watch them for a Christie fix.

    I don't really count Black Orchid as a historical, it shares more in common with other 80's stories like the Visitation or Awakening in terms of atmosphere and approach than it does with the 60's historicals.

    Well it is classified as a Historical as the only Sci-Fi element in it was the TARDIS. I do agree with you it has a very different feel to the Hartnell ones, that's really understandable considering the difference in production values between the two eras.

    At the end of the day, I guess Black Orchid isn't for everyone, but I love it to bits. It isn't perfect, what story is, but I as I said before, anything longer than a 2-parter and it wouldn't have worked, I feel. For me the story length is absolutely spot on!

    I do see where you're coming from on the TARDIS scenes, guess we get used to just the Doctor and Co being inside it all the time, but it didn't just happen in Davison's time, it happened in Colin Baker's time as well. :)
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    Well it is classified as a Historical as the only Sci-Fi element in it was the TARDIS. I do agree with you it has a very different feel to the Hartnell ones, that's really understandable considering the difference in production values between the two eras.

    At the end of the day, I guess Black Orchid isn't for everyone, but I love it to bits. It isn't perfect, what story is, but I as I said before, anything longer than a 2-parter and it wouldn't have worked, I feel. For me the story length is absolutely spot on!

    I'm down wit dat. It works just right, another episode and it would feel padded. But it does seem to end quite abruptly, could have used another minute or so of dénouement.
  • MeissteMeisste Posts: 233
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    The Davison era is one of the most inconsistent periods in who, you go from greats like Earthshock, Mawdryn and Caves to clangers like Time-Flight, Terminus and Warriors. After much deliberation I voted for season 20 because I think its the most consistent out of the three. Snakedance, Mawdryn Undead, Enlightenment and The Five Doctors are all sollid stories.

    My favourite Davison story is Earthshock though
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    I think it's placing in Season 19 was done well.The Visitation and Earthshock, though styled very differently, do have the whole similar Monster-trying-to-destroy Humanity thing going on and I think Black Orchid is the story that breaks them up nicely and gives a bit of variation to this Season. :)

    I think the other good thing with the placing is that it gives the three young companions a bit of a last fling together before the tragic events of Earthshock.
  • alphonsusalphonsus Posts: 773
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    Though I like The Awakening and Frontios from series 21, I like more of the stories from series 20 - Arc of Infinity (sorry), Snakedance (amongst the best Doctor Who ever), Terminus (I like it) and Enlightenment (simply because for the first episode you've not got the remotest idea what's going on). Then there's The Five Doctors, which I like as well.
    Only Mawdryn Undead (which I didn't understand at the time) and the very naff The King's Demons marr the series - fewer than in other series. And I never did like 'Caves'.
  • alphonsusalphonsus Posts: 773
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    Series 19 winning? Really?
    Castrovalva was boring, Four to Doomsday merely adequate, Kinda plain weird, Earthshock a generic Cybermen gimmick, Timeflight was stupid AND boring, leaving only The Visitation and Black Orchid as very good DW. But not enough to mitigate the rest of the series. IMO, obviously.

    (voted before looking at the results!) :confused:
  • DoctorQuiDoctorQui Posts: 6,428
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    alphonsus wrote: »
    Series 19 winning? Really?
    Castrovalva was boring, Four to Doomsday merely adequate, Kinda plain weird, Earthshock a generic Cybermen gimmick, Timeflight was stupid AND boring, leaving only The Visitation and Black Orchid as very good DW. But not enough to mitigate the rest of the series. IMO, obviously.

    (voted before looking at the results!) :confused:

    Each to their own, but I cant stay silent in the your comment about Earthshock...how can a defining Cyberman story be classed as 'generic'. I think your waters have been muddied by the recent lacklustre use of the Cybermen. Tomb of the Cybermen, The Invasion and Earthshock are DW/Cyber gold imo. Also, in terms of Castrovalva, how on earth is a story that introduces a new Doctor for the first time in 7 years and after an 18 month wait be boring!

    Anyway, as I said, each to their own!
  • daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,352
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    alphonsus wrote: »
    Series 19 winning? Really?
    Castrovalva was boring, Four to Doomsday merely adequate, Kinda plain weird, Earthshock a generic Cybermen gimmick, Timeflight was stupid AND boring, leaving only The Visitation and Black Orchid as very good DW. But not enough to mitigate the rest of the series. IMO, obviously.

    (voted before looking at the results!) :confused:


    As DoctorQui has said, everyone to their own but I totally disagree with your post.

    Castrovalva, far from boring. After seven years of Tom Baker, it was refreshing to see someone new and younger and I thought the first two episodes in the TARDIS were fantastic, since nearly whole episodes inside it were rare, even back then. I guess as this was the first Series I properly ever watched and Castrovalva the first story, it has a sentimental feel for me.

    Four To Doomsday, I actually like this story. I agree it's not one of Davison's better ones, I think as an idea it works. At this point, JNT was not so obsessed with having stories reliant on the show's history so in that respect it was quite an original storyline.

    With Kinda, I like it because it's an out-of-the-box sort of story, not your usual run-of-the mill story but it was different. Yes, it is weird to a degree but that's what gives it it's uniqueness. I think Snakedance works better as a story but Kinda is better in it's ideas.

    Earthshock, I think next to Tomb Of The Cybermen that it is one of the best Cybermen adventures ever. The surprise appearance at the end of Part 1, The pacing, the incidental music, The last episode where The Doctor was helpless for most of it, Adric's Death, the silent titles at the end, I think it makes for a great story, definitely in the top three of Davison best stories.

    Time-Flight, I think suffers from following Earthshock. As I've said previously, it is a good idea poorly executed. It can be seen that not much money was spent on it. I would love to have seen the story made with more money and better effects. Yes, it isn't as strong as some of the other Davison stories but it wasn't a complete washout by any means.

    I think Season 19 probably is popular because it didn't indulge too much in the show's history. It was definitely more original than the other two. Season 20 was totally reliant on it, understandable considering it was the 20th anniversary and Season 21 wasn't much better in that regard.

    :)
  • MiahMiah Posts: 3,230
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    I used to think Catrovalva was a tad dull, but the more I've watched it the more I've come to absolutely love it. :)
  • gslam2gslam2 Posts: 1,503
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    The DWM Mighty 200 poll also put Season 19 as the top Davison season with season 21 next (and they would have been counting Twin Dilemma as part of that) and season 20 third. In fact only seasons 22 & 24 came in below season 20 (The Kings Demons, Arc Of Infinity & Terminus are dragging it down).
  • TheMagic8ballTheMagic8ball Posts: 3,432
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    I realise this is no competition, but I'm oddly pleased that the Baker era got fewer posts.
  • daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,352
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    I realise this is no competition, but I'm oddly pleased that the Baker era got fewer posts.

    That did surprise me actually. I can't be certain, but I think some of it may have been to do with the fact that there was a thread discussing the Hinchcliffe Era last month. As it is the most popular part of TB's Era, people may have felt they didn't need to post again, but it did surprise me it didn't get more reaction.

    Very pleased this one has though! :D
  • TheMagic8ballTheMagic8ball Posts: 3,432
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    That did surprise me actually. I can't be certain, but I think some of it may have been to do with the fact that there was a thread discussing the Hinchcliffe Era last month. As it is the most popular part of TB's Era, people may have felt they didn't need to post again, but it did surprise me it didn't get more reaction.

    Very pleased this one has though! :D

    Yes, that might be something to do with it. I'll be honest though, I fully expected Troughton to get the amount of posts that his era got, but having said that, I also expected Pertwee to top it.
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    alphonsus wrote: »
    Though I like The Awakening and Frontios from series 21, I like more of the stories from series 20 - Arc of Infinity (sorry), Snakedance (amongst the best Doctor Who ever), Terminus (I like it) and Enlightenment (simply because for the first episode you've not got the remotest idea what's going on). Then there's The Five Doctors, which I like as well.
    Only Mawdryn Undead (which I didn't understand at the time) and the very naff The King's Demons marr the series - fewer than in other series. And I never did like 'Caves'.

    Wow, a Terminus fan!

    **snaps photos for posterity**
  • daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,352
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    Yes, that might be something to do with it. I'll be honest though, I fully expected Troughton to get the amount of posts that his era got, but having said that, I also expected Pertwee to top it.

    As you said, it isn't a competition. I think overall, the Hartnell Thread was low, as I expected, the Troughton one exceeded expectations, but the Pertwee and Tom Baker ones really did surprise me as I thought they were both popular Doctors and their Era's well liked. This one I wasn't sure if it would be popular after the previous two but it's pleasing that members on here are so fond of Davison's Era. :)
    Wow, a Terminus fan!

    **snaps photos for posterity**

    There's always one CHJ! :D

    *Places Terminus Fan Club next to The Twin Dilemma's in Book*

    :D
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    As you said, it isn't a competition. I think overall, the Hartnell Thread was low, as I expected, the Troughton one exceeded expectations, but the Pertwee and Tom Baker ones really did surprise me as I thought they were both popular Doctors and their Era's well liked. This one I wasn't sure if it would be popular after the previous two but it's pleasing that members on here are so fond of Davison's Era. :)



    There's always one CHJ! :D

    *Places Terminus Fan Club next to The Twin Dilemma's in Book*

    :D

    I always thought the writer of Terminus might have been hinting at something by naming one of the characters Bor. ;)
  • daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,352
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    I always thought the writer of Terminus might have been hinting at something by naming one of the characters Bor. ;)

    :D:D:D

    Definitely! :D

    Perhaps that's why The Black Guardian didn't appear that much in the story, too busy sleeping! :sleep::sleep::sleep::sleep:


    :D
  • VericaciousVericacious Posts: 1,142
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    Well, I'm pleasantly surprised- after all these years Season 19 wins out easily over Season 21, though I'm surprised that 20 is beating 21.

    Davison's era started so promisingly, not necessarily due to the particular stories- Castrovalva, Four to Doomsday and, even, Kinda, wasn't exactly the strongest start- then lost its way after Christopher H Bidmead's direction for the series (and its lead character) was dropped by Eric Saward and that really showed from Season 20 on.

    Frankly, Season 20 just felt a bit boring, not necessarily due to the lack of monsters, though that didn't help. The production team tried harder with Season 21- and of course it has its moments, not the least of which was The Caves of Androzani, which was on another level from anything else done during John Nathan-Turner's time as producer- but there was a harder, more materialistic edge to the show and some of the previously intrinsic 'magic' wasn't there.
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    :D:D:D

    Definitely! :D

    Perhaps that's why The Black Guardian didn't appear that much in the story, too busy sleeping! :sleep::sleep::sleep::sleep:


    :D

    Too bad for him; he missed Nyssa dropping her skirt :D
  • Mad Man MoonMad Man Moon Posts: 1,087
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    I voted series 20 purely because I loved the Black Guardian trilogy. I quite like Arc of Infinity and Snakedance too. And I presume you can include the 5 Doctors ?
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    With Kinda, I like it because it's an out-of-the-box sort of story, not your usual run-of-the mill story but it was different. Yes, it is weird to a degree but that's what gives it it's uniqueness. I think Snakedance works better as a story but Kinda is better in it's ideas.

    I think Kinda is the best story of the whole 80s, and a contender for best story ever. I love the whole thing. The Mara is a great villain (yes, I know the rubber snake was a bit naff, but the Mara as manifested in Tegan's mind was superb) and Hindle is excellent too - quite a change to have as a threat a man who isn't a monster but has simply became dangerously mentally ill. Nerys Hughes is excellent too.
  • daveyboy7472daveyboy7472 Posts: 16,352
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    Too bad for him; he missed Nyssa dropping her skirt :D

    The highlight of the story....or should that be the lowlight?! :D
    I voted series 20 purely because I loved the Black Guardian trilogy. I quite like Arc of Infinity and Snakedance too. And I presume you can include the 5 Doctors ?

    To be honest, I hadn't thought about The Five Doctors when I did the poll. I don't know about anyone else but I always see it as part of Season 20 even though it actually isn't. To me, it feels like Season 20 was one big anniversary celebration leading upto and culminating in The Five Doctors. :)
    I think Kinda is the best story of the whole 80s, and a contender for best story ever. I love the whole thing. The Mara is a great villain (yes, I know the rubber snake was a bit naff, but the Mara as manifested in Tegan's mind was superb) and Hindle is excellent too - quite a change to have as a threat a man who isn't a monster but has simply became dangerously mentally ill. Nerys Hughes is excellent too.

    Totally agree, I liked watching the CGI snake on the DVD and wishing it had been available for use at the time it was recorded. Even with all the 80's effects it still looks naff but it's only a small quibble in an otherwise entertaining story. It's a shame Tegan wasn't the Mara for longer but that was made up for it Snakedance. :)
  • doublefourdoublefour Posts: 5,977
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    I think Kinda is the best story of the whole 80s, and a contender for best story ever. I love the whole thing. The Mara is a great villain (yes, I know the rubber snake was a bit naff, but the Mara as manifested in Tegan's mind was superb) and Hindle is excellent too - quite a change to have as a threat a man who isn't a monster but has simply became dangerously mentally ill. Nerys Hughes is excellent too.
    Kinda is a superb watch always, it engages you as it has some interesting themes and subjects it tackles. Having said that I love it anyway for the Tegan mind void, with all the manifestations of the Mara. It is thoughtful stuff which hasn't been made overly complicated too follow like some stories, I for one like say Ghost Light but still can't follow it fully.
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    doublefour wrote: »
    Kinda is a superb watch always, it engages you as it has some interesting themes and subjects it tackles. Having said that I love it anyway for the Tegan mind void, with all the manifestations of the Mara. It is thoughtful stuff which hasn't been made overly complicated too follow like some stories, I for one like say Ghost Light but still can't follow it fully.

    I like Ghost Light too, but as you say it's a bit over-complex.
  • DoctorQuiDoctorQui Posts: 6,428
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    I like Ghost Light too, but as you say it's a bit over-complex.

    I'm afraid I had bailed out of DW by the time Ghost Light was on, as a result I also missed The Curse of Fenric. I really should see them really!
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