I thought it might be nice to start a positive thread as there have been too many really negative ones recently and we need to remember our "Doctor Who” love.

So imagine if you were dropped on a desert island and could only chose one story to take with you to watch which story would you choose and why. Can be classic era or nu who.

Well I am a Davison fan on the whole BUT if there is one story I never tire of watching it is 'Robots of Death'. There are so many reasons it feels like the perfect story to me.

The dialogue is absolutely first rate imo. The Doctor: "You know, you're a classic example of the inverse ratio between the size of the mouth and the size of the brain."

You also get a sense of real memorable characters living on the sand liner. Uvanov, the ship captains ready to blame the Doctor for the mysterious deaths, the bitter Zilda who blames the Captain for the death of her brother, the sensible and beautiful Toos, Poul the investigator, who unable to cope with the knowledge of killing robots loses his mind
Tom Baker is suitably serious and Louise Jameson plays a great savage here. I just love this murder mystery story.

So this isn't necessarily your favourite story or it might be but a story you can just watch over and over without noticing any niggles that would spoil your enjoyment.

I'd much rather have a sonic screwdriver on a desert island than any story, it's like a magic wand after all.

But seriously, I'd probably take the Big Bang, becasue I love pretty much every second in it and up to this date it's IMO Matt's best overall performance yet.

I like you're thinking. Bit 'lively' here at present, innit.

So hard to narrow it down to one, but, ummm...

Oh, I'll have to go with 'Enlightenment'. Season 19 had seen my 'conversion' to *fan* , but this story was the one that captivated me so totally and completely that I've still got the video I used to tape it off the telly somewhere...marked '2' cos I only had a couple of tapes at the time. (Pricey in 1983!) Just couldn't bring myself to tape over it, which says a lot.

'My' Doctor (cliché I know) ,Tegan and Turlough. Brilliant writing, direction, design and music...the way Peter delivers the "Parasites! That's what Eternals are...' scene. Great performances by Christopher Brown, et al. (Even Leeeeeee John raises a smile.) It's just a story that makes me happy. So I'll go with that.

I'd go with a long one to pass time: Trial Of A Timelord

I'll take genesis of the daleks - can watch it again and again. I brought the record before video and later DVD were available parts still send a chill of terror down my spine.
The perfect tardis crew with Sarah and the bumbling Harry. Everything is perfect than you get the classic Davros can't get better than that. It's a blueprint of how doctor who should be made in IMO.

The sonic screwdriver could be a distress beacon i guess

All good choices- enlightenment and genesis are great stories. Strong narrative both.
The big Bang has some good moments but a bit sentimental for me at the end with the wishing into existence but actually i like Pandorica opens better for the mystery to get to Stonehenge and Amys death.
TOATL Like Mindwarp and Vervoids very much. Very watch able.

I don't think I'd take my ultimate favourite episode, as that would get less scary after a while (it's Blink). Similarly my 2nd and 3rd favourites would lose their emotional impact after a while (The Girl Who Waited and The Doctor's Wife).

So I think I'd have to go for one that both funny and simply brilliant, and for that I'd probably pick The Eleventh Hour. Matt and Karen were electric together from the off and it was just a wonderful start to a new Doctor's tenure.


If I could cheat and count a two-parter as one episode, then I'd bring The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang

Probably Talons of Weng Chiang for me.

My favourite story is Pyramids of Mars so it could be that or indeed Robots of Death because I agree with everything you said about it. Or for fun stories City of Death or Three Doctors.

Like the thread but on Desert Island discs they're allowed to take 8 and a book and a luxury item. It's really difficult to choose just one.

There is something magical when the Doctor meets little Amy. I think the direction is great too on this story.
you are allowed full stories so 2 parters count as one story

Which story during this season are you reffering to excactly? There are four, making 14 episodes in total: The Mysterious Planet, Mindwarp, Terror of the Vervoids and The Ultimate Foe.

My favourite TOAT one is, Terror of the Vervoids. I just love the cliffhanger to the first part, when Mel (Bonnie Langford), screams, as the Vervoids start 'hatching' out of their pods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC6cFsPG7dE

I'm sure that's the point. It is classed as one story so doctorwhofancal has simply chosen the longest story.

I would take The Key of Time.

One great long story.

Haha yes, not sure that one would count.

If Trial of a Time Lord works (when it is a season long over-arching story crossing over several DVD numbered adventures), then The Key of Time works.

Besides, it is awesome.

Agree on the last bit.

But the final episode of the Key to Time is The Armageddon Factor Part 6.

The final episode of Trial of a Time Lord is Trial of a Time Lord Part 14.

Not the best episodes per say, but what I consider to be enjoyable for me.

Terror of The Vervoids,

Logopolis

The Five Doctors.

Could watch all those over easily.

Hmmm..... you must be in the UK. Here in the US, The Trial of a Time Lord is broken into four parts (all given their own adventure numbers): The Mysterious Planet (144), Mindwarp (145), Terror of the Vervoids (146) and The Ultimate Foe (147).

This format is the same as The Key of Time which has six different adventure names and numbers (each on its own DVD).

If I couldn't take TOATL I'd take either:

Curse Of Peladon
The Mind Robber
Tomb Of The Cybermen
Vengeance On Varos

Logopolis, Earthshock or City of Death.

I'd take The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang.

Well I am in the UK. Put it this way.

as per wiki

The Key to Time is the umbrella title that links all six serials of the sixteenth season of Doctor Who.

The Trial of a Time Lord is a 14-part British science fiction serial of the long-running BBC series Doctor Who. The serial, produced as the twenty-third season of the Doctor Who television series, aired in weekly episodes from 6 September to 6 December 1986. The only Doctor Who presentation of its kind, it contains four mini-adventures, The Mysterious Planet, Mindwarp, Terror of the Vervoids and The Ultimate Foe.

This is the difference.

I see your point. However, since they both are packaged the same here in the US, the different story numbers on the back of the DVDs (six different ones for The Key of Time and four different ones for The Trial of a Time Lord) and since they both come in box sets with all of the discs for their over-arching story arc, there is next to no difference between the two (other than semantically) on this side of the pond. Your mileage (kilometerage?) may vary.

I agree with the OP about 'Robots of Death' - one of my all-time personal favourites: the claustrophobic atmosphere in the sandminer, the elegant and beautifully spoken robots, and supporting characters that are suitably well fleshed out.

There's a real sense of fear once the robots start on their killing spree.

Another two stories that I never tire of watching are 'The Visitation' and 'Earthshock' (I also enjoyed 'Black Orchid'). There's a lovely 'family' feel about the first Davison season, and these are good, tight stories, with a great atmosphere about them.

For me it would be Talons of Weng Chiang.

Thing is, 4th isn't even my favourite Doctor, but Leela, Jago & Lightfoot are spot on & theres always the giant rat for comic relief.

Ok we're all agreed. Brits can take Trial on their hols, but the Yanks can't.

Since the British are an easygoing folk though They propose to turn a blind eye to the breaking of a rule the Americans chose to impose themselves, and disregarding the original production intent of a series, which was in fact produced in the UK anyway.

Did everyone understand that?

Excellent.

I'm bagging Ghost Light on the grounds that no matter how many times I watch it, I still won't understand it.

Now that's value for money.