Was it hard for people to get used to Patrick Troughton in 1966

David_H_93 · 30/09/14 - 19:33

Regeneration is part of the show we are used to the actor changing every few years but the idea of regeneration didn't exist until William Hartnell left and since Troughton was the first Regenerated Doctor viewers wasn't used to the idea at the time and may not have accepted him at first

Corwin · 30/09/14 - 19:49

4. More often viewers in the sample reported a very moderate degree of enjoyment, and a number were scarcely interested at all. Quite a few said they did not care for the new-style 'doctor'; he 'didn't seem right somehow', and they now liked the series less than before. 'Once a brilliant but eccentric scientist, he now comes over as a half-witted clown', a Teacher maintained, another viewer writing: 'The family have really "gone off" Dr. Who since the change. They do not understand the new one at all, and his character is peculiar in an unappealing way'. Then some of the sample said they were tired of the Daleks who were no longer a novelty ('they have made their impact, served their usefulness, now they just seem hackneyed and more unreal than usual'). The series in general was not as good as it used to be, in quite a few opinions - 'At one time we used to hate to miss it; now we are quite indifferent'. However, some of those who got little entertainment out of the episode themselves were willing to admit that the children liked it, although criticisms were also made by several to the effect that it was rather complicated for them, and a bit frightening as well.

From the Audience Research Report on Power of the Daleks.

This is an interesting one. A Memo on what the new Doctor would be like written before Troughton was cast in the role.

Seems the regeneration process was originally meant to last 500 years and be a bad LSD trip.

The metaphysical change which takes place over 500 or so years is a horrifying experience - an experience in which he re-lives some of the most unendurable moments of his long life, including the galactic war. It is as if he has had the L.S.D. drug and instead of experiencing the kicks, he has the hell and dank horror which can be its effect.

CD93 · 30/09/14 - 19:59

...and jumping ahead to Tom Baker's report for kicks:

At this early stage, many did not know whether they were going to like him or not; viewers often said he would 'take some getting used to'. First impressions among those who volunteered an opinion were seldom entirely favourable. Some considered the new personality too clownish and eccentric (occasionally, 'too stupid for words') or too unlike the previous Doctor. Also, Jon Pertwee had been a favourite with some viewers, and they missed him. On the other hand, a small group seem to have been instantly attracted, or won over by the end of the episode.

Same old story

Talma · 30/09/14 - 20:03

From memory, it wasn't a problem, young kids can accept their hero has a new face and acts differently quite easily (if I'm anything to go by):)

Remember there was a fair bit of SF on the TV and radio at the time (my parents used to watch Quatermass and listen to Journey into Space among other things) and there were very popular films and animations as well, and then there was early Gerry Anderson around the same time...Who wasn't completely out on a limb.

David_H_93 · 30/09/14 - 20:05

Talma wrote: »

From memory, it wasn't a problem, young kids can accept their hero has a new face and acts differently quite easily (if I'm anything to go by):)

So it's different compare to now when they say "I am not watching the show anymore". Just because their favourite Doctor Left

Corwin · 30/09/14 - 20:09

CD93 wrote: »

...and jumping ahead to

Same old story

Indeed

Letter to the Radio Times.

What on earth, I ask, is happening to Doctor Who (BBC1)? I thought it a little strange at the time when a relatively well-known face was chosen to play the Doctor in the person of Peter Capaldi; and now the actual programme itself has been moved from the traditional Saturday teatime to a late Saturday Evening slot!

The success of Doctor Who in my opinion stemmed not only from the time at which it used to be shown, which had a certain appeal about it (as borne out by the ratings) but also from the character of the Doctor himself. Messrs Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee and Baker were excellent choices at the time because they had not already been well exposed to television in other roles.

Peter Capaldi is already a very well known face. The result is that we think of Peter Capaldi as another character in another programme before we regard him as Doctor Who. This somehow detracts from the very character and feel of this once unique science fiction programme...

Original

Talma · 30/09/14 - 20:11

David_H_93 wrote: »

So it's different compare to now when they say "I am not watching the show anymore". Just because their favourite Doctor Left

I don't know, some may have, but it seemed fair enough that there was a new actor playing the same person. I think people had a capacity to suspend disbelief maybe more than now, let's face it you had to because of the nature of TV production at the time, but you accepted what was in front of you, it seemed to make sense and also Pat Troughton was popular in his own right.

andy1231 · 30/09/14 - 20:23

Not hard at all for me and I was only aged 8 at the time I just accepted it as part of the magic of Dr Who.

doormouse1 · 30/09/14 - 21:22

The difference is that Troughton wasn't replacing an actor plaiyng the Doctor who had attracted a large female fanbase during his tenure ...
Also remember there was no Twiitter or Facebook for such aggrieved fans to share their collective woes.

I remember the complaints to Points of View when Tom Baker took over. He was 'too young', his 'hair was too long' and he 'looked like a student.'

Tom Tit · 30/09/14 - 21:25

David_H_93 wrote: »

So it's different compare to now when they say "I am not watching the show anymore". Just because their favourite Doctor Left

I love how you prioritize the comment of one random person on an Internet forum over the evidence of an historical document presented by someone else.

Thamwet · 01/10/14 - 09:04

I'd have thought so, yes. The First Doctor was NOT grumpy and unpleasant for long, he really was a very lovely character for much of his era. And I expect the change was difficult, especially as nobody was at all used to anything like that happening. People probably missed him. But I'm speculating, I wasn't there.

JayDee279 · 02/10/14 - 00:57

I agree with Andy, above. You have to remember that in those days it was a kid's programme, and being a child I accepted it as part of the plot, as did everyone else at school. It wasn't some mad cult thing, like it is now.

Talma · 02/10/14 - 07:05

JayDee279 wrote: »

I agree with Andy, above. You have to remember that in those days it was a kid's programme, and being a child I accepted it as part of the plot, as did everyone else at school. It wasn't some mad cult thing, like it is now.

It wasn't far off being a cult thing among kids though, if you remember the Daleks especially were incredibly popular. Anyone else nag their parents for weeks to go to the 1964 Children's Exhibition at Olympia to see the Daleks close up?

:

daveyboy7472 · 02/10/14 - 07:25

I always remember how I felt when I heard Peter Davison was leaving and then multiply that tenfold.

It must have been galling for viewers back then unused to the concept of Regeneration, having a different Doctor and no anticipation of a final episode or a debut one either. There was no internet to argue over it, no forum to discuss it and it was apparently not given much publicity either, just a small article in the newspapers to announce Hartnell was leaving and Troughton was taking over. Compare that to Capaldi's announcement last year!

Vopiscus · 02/10/14 - 08:18

andy1231 wrote: »

Not hard at all for me and I was only aged 8 at the time I just accepted it as part of the magic of Dr Who.

It was effectively much the same for me at the same age. ( I think Toyah Wilcox says in More than Thirty Years in the Tardis that she was upset for about a week, and then pretty much forgot about it.)

[Deleted User] · 02/10/14 - 09:34

Corwin wrote: »

From the Audience Research Report on Power of the Daleks.

This is an interesting one. A Memo on what the new Doctor would be like written before Troughton was cast in the role.

Seems the regeneration process was originally meant to last 500 years and be a bad LSD trip.

Then some of the sample said they were tired of the Daleks who were no longer a novelty ('they have made their impact, served their usefulness, now they just seem hackneyed and more unreal than usual').

Nothing changes...

The series in general was not as good as it used to be, in quite a few opinions

Nope, nothing changes...

TheSilentFez · 02/10/14 - 10:00

Spence1115 wrote: »

The series in general was not as good as it used to be, in quite a few opinions

Nope, nothing changes...

The show is DOOOOOMMMED!!!!

:o:o
...oh wait, this was from 48 years ago...
The show was DOOOOOMMMED!

CD93 · 02/10/14 - 10:04

It wouldn't be Doctor Who without a mass popularity decline and ratings crisis every series.

TheSilentFez · 02/10/14 - 11:21

CD93 wrote: »

It wouldn't be Doctor Who without a mass popularity decline and ratings crisis every episode.

Fixed.

Corwin · 02/10/14 - 13:09

Spence1115 wrote: »

Nope, nothing changes...

These two are still doing the rounds as well

1966

However, some of those who got little entertainment out of the episode themselves were willing to admit that the children liked it,

1966

although criticisms were also made by several to the effect that it was rather complicated for them,

adams66 · 02/10/14 - 13:49

Very interesting to see those two 1966 quotes that Corwin posted.
Moaning minnies have been around since the earliest days of Doctor Who, and, it's fair to say, the Doctor Who productions teams have never taken any notice of them. And quite right too.

inspector drake · 02/10/14 - 18:05

In all honesty, Doctor Who is on the decline. It has been since they decided to add aliens, teachers and police boxes to a perfectly interesting programme about a policeman in a junkyard.

Michael_Eve · 02/10/14 - 18:52

inspector drake wrote: »

In all honesty, Doctor Who is on the decline. It has been since they decided to add aliens, teachers and police boxes to a perfectly interesting programme about a policeman in a junkyard.

Yeah, was gripped with all the Coal Hill School stuff with the two teachers and the mysterious girl too; then some geezer in a wig turns up being all enigmatic and darty of eyes. Still interesting. But *then* we had the revelation of the Police Box that is actually a vast spaceship and that was, as the handsome, RP actor playing the male teacher said, was just *ridicululous*. Step too far. Never recovered.

(Seriously, v interesting thread!)

[Deleted User] · 02/10/14 - 19:30

The first regeneration I remember was Pertwee to Tom Baker. I think that I was pretty upset at the end of Planet of the Spiders, but by the end of the first episode of Robot I think that I had pretty much accepted Tom Baker as the new Doctor. I was four at the time it was first broadcast.
Peter Davison took a bit more time to accept, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt as so many people thought that he was rubbish at first.

[Deleted User] · 02/10/14 - 19:48

David_H_93 wrote: »

So it's different compare to now when they say "I am not watching the show anymore". Just because their favourite Doctor Left

Kids don't say that, tedious people on message boards say that.

Zeppelyn56 · 02/10/14 - 20:21

David_H_93 wrote: »

So it's different compare to now when they say "I am not watching the show anymore". Just because their favourite Doctor Left

Well as a ten year old at the time, I remember thinking of it as quite an exciting thing to happen and remember there were about 15/16 of us crammed into our little front room too, cousins and friends. Don't think the I'm not watching any more was an option as usually tosh on ITV anyway.

Hey there!

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