I thought it was a cracker. One great story after another.

But I did note something that never occured to me when I was a youngster.

They never sleep.

The Dr, Sarah and Harry go through seven stories (Robot, The Ark In Space, The Sontaran Experiment, Gensis of the Daleks, Revenge of the Cybermen, and Terror of the Zygons) without a wink of sleep or anything to eat; and Harry doesn't even change his clothes.

Two weeks wearing the same clothes (Sarah remarks in the later episodes that two weeks have elapsed).

Totally agree, cracking first series for Tom. I can go without watching Revenge of The Cybermen again, but overall great series.

Revenge of the Cybermen is by far the weakest, yes, and I'm not too keen on some of the padding in Genesis of the Daleks, but the others are excellent, especially The Ark in Space

Watching the Cyberhistory documentary on the Attack DVD made me think: I haven't seen Revenge for yeeeeeeeears. Wouldn't it be appropriate if it was the very last story out on DVD, as it was the very first on VHS?!

Agree that genesis goes on a bit (that's Terry Nation for you), but the first Tom season is generally outstanding.

Tom first season is by far my favourite classic Who series (and I include Zygon's in that as it was filmed as part of S12 but held over).

The chemistry between all three leads is out-standing and IMHO never been matched.

this was the first series i really got into it as a child. during JP's last and this i must have grown up enough to remember more than odd snatches. even having only seen it once i could still remember every cliffhanger years later

revenge was the weakest - also the first target book i bought as a child

I guess that explains why they didn't use the loo either.

I love Harry Sullivan one of my favourite companions but I have never really been a fan of Season 12. The Ark in Space is the only one I really like (and that would be in my all time Top Ten)

I find Robot a real clanger and one of Tom's worse stories, Sontaran Experiment a bit insubstantial, Genesis I find terribly over rated and a bit of a bore (Kudos to Wisher though) and Revenge could have been a lot better but I never felt it really worked, it had potential though.

Its not a terrible season but I think its the weakest out of all of Tom's. I agree with Jeffeld though, The chemistry between the 3 leads is outstanding and lifts the season a lot.

I love everything in this season (yes, even Revenge of the Cybermen! Mind you, I think I'm swayed somewhat by nostalgia there as I loved it as a kid, the Cybermen always being my favourite monsters... Viewing it now, I do agree that it's the weakest story of the season) and I agree that the interplay between the three central characters is excellent but I think Harry always had a limited shelf-life as a character and actually prefer the relationship between the Doctor and Sarah in the following season and a bit - the bond between them really comes into its own once Harry leaves. I still think Baker and Sladen were the best pairing the programme's ever had.


(Puts pedant's hat on) Although Zygons was filmed pretty much immediately after the last story to be recorded for season 12 (Genesis) it wasn't actually filmed as part of season 12. The story was originally intended as a six-parter to close the season but, after the decision was made to bring forward the transmission of season 13 from a winter to an autumn start, it was revamped as a four-parter for the following season and filmed as such.

Mention of Zygons reminds me ... Sister Lamont. The scariest character EVER in Dr Who. Brilliant performance from Lillias Walker.

I hated 'Robot'. I was probably in denial about Jon Pertwee leaving(?).
I got to like Tom Baker in 'Genesis' - but I loved his companions MORE! Sarah-Jane and Harry were great.
I didn't rate much of that first series to be honest. I was sad that there were no TARDIS scenes (I LOVE the Tardis).
I think it got better AFTER this first run for Tom.

I liked Tom Bakers era up to Horror of Fang Rock - after that it all went a bit tits up or perhaps I grew up a bit.
But I still like those same stories today and I thank UK Drama for allowing me to fill all my dvd gaps of that era with their great episodic run last year after a decade of poxy omnibus versions from UK Gold

The only thing I didn't like was "that" tank in Robot. You know what I'm talking about!

I think when us 'oldies' look back at the quality of Tom's stories compared to the 'rubbish' storylines of Tennant's Dr, we appreciate how good the old series was.

I really wanted to like the new Dr Who, but I'm afriad I cannot.

The new stories are by far too weak, the dialogue poor, and the only use of the special effects are to pad the whole thing out.

The acting in Tennant's stories by all involved is very sub-standard, compared to Tom Baker's era.

Far too many comedians and 'mates' of the director and cast are getting in the modern Dr Who series.

Have to disagree. I appreciate it is your opinion, but in my opinion the Tom Baker era or any old DW and new Doctor who equally have their good and bad moments. I think all the problems you list with the new series can be said equally about the old series.

There is a huge back catalogue of old Doctor Who, so to say the all of the new series is poor in comparison to me is unfair.

For one thing, I am sure the producers of Doctor Who would have loved to include big special effects scenes had the technology been available to them. But they couldn't. Yes, it is used to pad things out in new Who, but seriously many of the old series stories are two or three episodes too long. Pertwee had 7 parters that could have been done in 3. Having watched Seeds of Doom and Hand of Fear recently is is apparent they should have been cut down.

Just look at City of Death, all those drawn out scenes of running around Paris are simply to justify the expense of filming there. They certainly add nothing to the story. The matrix scenes in The Deadly Assassin are ridiculously padded, boring and again add nothing to the pretty weak story.

As for acting, as much as I adore Lis Sladen, watching her act along side the new cast only highlights the fact she isn't that good.

best

I wondered where 24 got their concept from (Though I doubt TB gave the annual 'I know you're tired but there's terrorists out there so deal with it' speech from 24 though, and there aren't any convenient ad breaks for the characters to pop to the loo)

I dunno about the tank, but the whole robot was so amateurish. Why did it have to wave its arms about so much?

Didn't some kid playing with his Action Man tank just stray in front of the camera?

Basically the Brig says something along the lines that he has something to sort the Robot out and then this very badly done shot of an action man tank rolls onto screen in front of what appears to be a picture of thebackground. Shocking!

I bow to your pedantry

I love all of S12 really, warts and all.

Robot - Does the job of introducing a radically new Doctor. The Robot design is (I think) iconic, although it's movements are limited on screen. Shame about the tank, but it isn't the end of the world. I would like to see a NS story with lots of the K1's being used in the way it's creators intended (just to clarify: the story needn't be about the Robot, but seeing loads of these things CGI'd doing something like construction or rescue work might be cool).

Ark - Claustrophobic and terrifing.

Experiment - Nicely done. Was scarred poo-less by the robot as a child and love the sound effect.

Genesis - Overated by some, underated by others but stunning performances by just about the whole cast. Very character and plot driven if a little padded in places. Excellent use of the Daleks; not too much, not too little.

Revenge - Agree it's the weakest of the season, but fun none the less. Again, the idea of the cybermat (and it's look) resulted in much "movement" in child-me.

Zygons - Brilliant story. Excellent supporting characters and a chilling alien race which deserve to be resurrected in the NS.

All of course, just my HO. And always watched through my rose tinted, nostalgic spectacles.

I get annoyed with people who try and make standards comparissons between new and classic Who. What's the point? It's like trying to compare a Ford Focus with a Model T; both great in their day, but what do you expect to achieve by comparing one against another? One was more eco-friendly that the other?

Like you said, it's my opinion.

The guy who played Davros in Genesis of the Daleks also pops up - minus make-up - in Planet of Evil as a space guy. I didn't have to look up the name, you can tell by his voice.

He's also in Terror of the Autons - and quite probably a couple of other stories too

Oh yeah, the action man tank. I know that but for me this pales into significance when I watch a man in a cumbersome obviously restrictive silver suit stumble around the place waving his arms around. I can usually handle this as such characters only play minor roles, but when the robot is the star of the show it gets a bit much and I cannot take the thing seriously at all. And did the producers have to completely rip off King Kong? Sarah Jane does the worst Fay Wray impression I have ever seen complete with scream and left arm raised in front of her. Why is she so prone to falling down at the slightest provocation?

It may have been a fun episode for some, but I really can't see it as something the great Tom Baker deserved as his first full story.