people usualy seem to love the doctor they spent their first time with. and then depsire the perosn that takes their place. but overtime they grow more use to the changes and accept that the doctor does move on...
Colin Baker's Doctor had a long term plan that wasn't given time to fully develop. It's like only reading Pride and Predudice up to Darcy's first proposal and saying the character is and ass and you hate him.
Yeah, his first proposal wasn't good, unlike the Rev's, which was hilarious.:D
It started with the crappy regeneration sequence, the awful new theme arrangement, coupled with the terrible incidental music, chuck in Bonnie Langford for a companion and some pretty naff stories...
I remember giving up on Dr Who mid way through McCoy's first season, nothing wrong with him or his portrayal. I remember seeing Remembrance of the Daleks and that was probably the last story I ever watched.
I don't recall the 6th Doctor being unpopular at the time - I think his costume raised a few eyebrows but overall I thought he was very well liked. It seems those people who dislike him do so retrospectively.
I do remember there being some negative feedback to the 7th Doctor, however, during his first season. Doctor Who Monthly even printed some critical letters of McCoy (which was pretty much unheard of in those days).
I don't recall the 6th Doctor being unpopular at the time - I think his costume raised a few eyebrows but overall I thought he was very well liked. It seems those people who dislike him do so retrospectively.
I do remember there being some negative feedback to the 7th Doctor, however, during his first season. Doctor Who Monthly even printed some critical letters of McCoy (which was pretty much unheard of in those days).
Yeah, the "Colin Baker was unpopular" idea is only one that's come into existence retrospectively. It didn't seem like that at the time. And I'm not just talking about fans. There was a huge media uproar when the 18 month hiatus was announced.
I also remember some negative feedback about Sylvester McCoy, though. Again, not just among fans. Public support for the programme waned considerably in the late 1980s.
I don't recall the 6th Doctor being unpopular at the time - I think his costume raised a few eyebrows but overall I thought he was very well liked. It seems those people who dislike him do so retrospectively.
I do remember there being some negative feedback to the 7th Doctor, however, during his first season. Doctor Who Monthly even printed some critical letters of McCoy (which was pretty much unheard of in those days).
This is my recollection of the time too! It was unfortunate that, at this time, some truly awful writing and politics was going on behind the scenes!
It started with the crappy regeneration sequence, the awful new theme arrangement, coupled with the terrible incidental music, chuck in Bonnie Langford for a companion and some pretty naff stories...
I remember giving up on Dr Who mid way through McCoy's first season, nothing wrong with him or his portrayal. I remember seeing Remembrance of the Daleks and that was probably the last story I ever watched.
I threw in the towel at Happiness Patrol and as a result missed probably his best season (26). I wonder sometimes at how I managed to get through Time and the Rani, Paradise Towers and Dragonfire, I suppose I was just living in hope!
For me, McCoy was the worst Doctor, it was his Doctor that made me chuck it all in! Not blaming McCoy 'the actor' btw!
Colin Baker's and Sylvester McCoy's Doctors were never popular with the general audience. Maybe that's why certain elements of the fandom are ultra-supportive of them nowadays.
Also, Jon Pertwee's standing within the fandom has noticeably waned over the years.
I started watching in Davidson's time but had seen many T Baker episodes by the time of the regeneration into C Baker so I was used to different actors. I remember that regen feeling weird, 6 was so different to 4 and 5 that it didn't feel quite right but I wouldn't say I disliked C Baker, it was just a difficult change.
I do remember disliking 7 when he started but I was 11 and I remember feeling the Dr Who was getting childish - maybe that was just me growing up and noticing the more childish elements for the first time though. By the end of McCoy's time though I was loving him and was absolutely gutted when it was canned.
I'll probably get crucified for saying this, but I thought Christopher Ecclestone was pretty sh!t.
Hammy, gurning, smug and pointlessly shouty.
I think the quality of RTD's wrting in the first season was pitch-perfect, so anyone playing the role of the Doctor would have been credited for 'bringing the doctor back successfully'. But I always though Ecclestone was the series weak link.
I think he's personal dissatisfaction with the role (or perhaps moreso, the behinds the scenes fall-outs) comes through loud & clear in his performance. You can tell his hearts not in it - and by the time he left, I think I was every bit as glad to see him out of the role as he was.
Wasn't Patrick Troughton not that popular at the time? It as long before I was born, but I'm sure I remember reading that and the whole regeneration/exile to Earth was an attempt to shake up the show and regain some popularity.
I'm pretty sure any negativity towards Troughton would have mainly been a result of him being the first ever regeneration and people not having accepted the notion of the Doctor changing. What I've seen of him, I always thought he was good in the role. I can only imagine what it must have been like to get a new actor and portrayal of the Doctor, without having the foreknowledge that he can regenerate and this is a normal thing to expect in the role.
Wasn't Patrick Troughton not that popular at the time? It as long before I was born, but I'm sure I remember reading that and the whole regeneration/exile to Earth was an attempt to shake up the show and regain some popularity.
Not sure about regeneration, but I think the exile scenario was more to save money than anything else. Same sets, same cast, that kind of thing.
I think in the classic series most Doctors suffered for the first season or so, until the writers got a handle on what they could bring to the character. Certainly, that seemed to be the case with C. Baker and McCoy. That probably colours a fair few people's view of them.
C Baker and McCoy seem to get a lot of stick, but they were actually decent Doctors. It's just that the direction the show was going in at the time stank.
In your opinion. My personal view is that Colin is a great theatre actor, can deliver radio well, but sucks at tv drama as a lead actor.
The next poster will disagree again.
Sometimes I feel that because Colin is a nice guy we excuse him - and lay all the failings of the time as being about production.
I'm sorry if this upsets some people but there may be a case to be made for a view that he simply was a poor choice of actor for the role of the Doctor, as was McCoy. Neither were of sufficient calibre - as has been suggested by others in the profession (kindly) and by their careers since.
I'll probably get crucified for saying this, but I thought Christopher Ecclestone was pretty sh!t.
Hammy, gurning, smug and pointlessly shouty.
I think the quality of RTD's wrting in the first season was pitch-perfect, so anyone playing the role of the Doctor would have been credited for 'bringing the doctor back successfully'. But I always though Ecclestone was the series weak link.
I think he's personal dissatisfaction with the role (or perhaps moreso, the behinds the scenes fall-outs) comes through loud & clear in his performance. You can tell his hearts not in it - and by the time he left, I think I was every bit as glad to see him out of the role as he was.
Sometimes I feel that because Colin is a nice guy we excuse him - and lay all the failings of the time as being about production.
I'm sorry if this upsets some people but there may be a case to be made for a view that he simply was a poor choice of actor for the role of the Doctor, as was McCoy. Neither were of sufficient calibre - as has been suggested by others in the profession (kindly) and by their careers since.
I'm not upset by your comments but I strongly disagree.
IMO Colin Baker was a good Doctor but people do tend to just think of the stories where he was grumpy and bad tempered as he was mostly in The Twin Dilemma and at times in Timelash and for a while in the first episode of Revelation. Take those episodes out and look at the rest of them and it can be seen he was quite a caring compassionate Doctor who was also extremely funny and witty. Had he continued in the same vein as Season 23 where his interpretation became more humorous, I think he would have gone on to become one of the more popular Doctors. It's a shame people look at the bad side of his Doctor the whole time when it was clearly outweighed by the good.
As for McCoy, I disagree with you again. In his case the situation was opposite to Baker's, who got a bad time for his interpretation but had mostly good stories(imo). McCoy was another potentially good Doctor who was lumbered with the most appalling scripts and it's the stories that people seem to blame him for. However, in the worst stories like Paradise Towers his performances stood out and never wavered for me and his Doctor was never unpleasant at all despite moments of grumpiness.
Comments
Yeah, his first proposal wasn't good, unlike the Rev's, which was hilarious.:D
Tee hee!
It started with the crappy regeneration sequence, the awful new theme arrangement, coupled with the terrible incidental music, chuck in Bonnie Langford for a companion and some pretty naff stories...
I remember giving up on Dr Who mid way through McCoy's first season, nothing wrong with him or his portrayal. I remember seeing Remembrance of the Daleks and that was probably the last story I ever watched.
I do remember there being some negative feedback to the 7th Doctor, however, during his first season. Doctor Who Monthly even printed some critical letters of McCoy (which was pretty much unheard of in those days).
Yeah, the "Colin Baker was unpopular" idea is only one that's come into existence retrospectively. It didn't seem like that at the time. And I'm not just talking about fans. There was a huge media uproar when the 18 month hiatus was announced.
I also remember some negative feedback about Sylvester McCoy, though. Again, not just among fans. Public support for the programme waned considerably in the late 1980s.
I've met him on more than one occasion and he is a wonderful man, so good to the fans, a very friendly man!
This is my recollection of the time too! It was unfortunate that, at this time, some truly awful writing and politics was going on behind the scenes!
Damn you Grade and Pip & Jane!
I threw in the towel at Happiness Patrol and as a result missed probably his best season (26). I wonder sometimes at how I managed to get through Time and the Rani, Paradise Towers and Dragonfire, I suppose I was just living in hope!
For me, McCoy was the worst Doctor, it was his Doctor that made me chuck it all in! Not blaming McCoy 'the actor' btw!
Also, Jon Pertwee's standing within the fandom has noticeably waned over the years.
I do remember disliking 7 when he started but I was 11 and I remember feeling the Dr Who was getting childish - maybe that was just me growing up and noticing the more childish elements for the first time though. By the end of McCoy's time though I was loving him and was absolutely gutted when it was canned.
Hammy, gurning, smug and pointlessly shouty.
I think the quality of RTD's wrting in the first season was pitch-perfect, so anyone playing the role of the Doctor would have been credited for 'bringing the doctor back successfully'. But I always though Ecclestone was the series weak link.
I think he's personal dissatisfaction with the role (or perhaps moreso, the behinds the scenes fall-outs) comes through loud & clear in his performance. You can tell his hearts not in it - and by the time he left, I think I was every bit as glad to see him out of the role as he was.
I'm pretty sure any negativity towards Troughton would have mainly been a result of him being the first ever regeneration and people not having accepted the notion of the Doctor changing. What I've seen of him, I always thought he was good in the role. I can only imagine what it must have been like to get a new actor and portrayal of the Doctor, without having the foreknowledge that he can regenerate and this is a normal thing to expect in the role.
Not sure about regeneration, but I think the exile scenario was more to save money than anything else. Same sets, same cast, that kind of thing.
Just people seem to moan when one was leaving.
I did loose interest a bit after Tom Baker left, for a while.
In your opinion. My personal view is that Colin is a great theatre actor, can deliver radio well, but sucks at tv drama as a lead actor.
The next poster will disagree again.
Sometimes I feel that because Colin is a nice guy we excuse him - and lay all the failings of the time as being about production.
I'm sorry if this upsets some people but there may be a case to be made for a view that he simply was a poor choice of actor for the role of the Doctor, as was McCoy. Neither were of sufficient calibre - as has been suggested by others in the profession (kindly) and by their careers since.
I'm not upset by your comments but I strongly disagree.
IMO Colin Baker was a good Doctor but people do tend to just think of the stories where he was grumpy and bad tempered as he was mostly in The Twin Dilemma and at times in Timelash and for a while in the first episode of Revelation. Take those episodes out and look at the rest of them and it can be seen he was quite a caring compassionate Doctor who was also extremely funny and witty. Had he continued in the same vein as Season 23 where his interpretation became more humorous, I think he would have gone on to become one of the more popular Doctors. It's a shame people look at the bad side of his Doctor the whole time when it was clearly outweighed by the good.
As for McCoy, I disagree with you again. In his case the situation was opposite to Baker's, who got a bad time for his interpretation but had mostly good stories(imo). McCoy was another potentially good Doctor who was lumbered with the most appalling scripts and it's the stories that people seem to blame him for. However, in the worst stories like Paradise Towers his performances stood out and never wavered for me and his Doctor was never unpleasant at all despite moments of grumpiness.
No, if it had been Grade, he wouldn't have lived to tell the tale! :mad::D