Top 20 Favourite Stories
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codywillis1
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Tony! Losing Mr Sherwin, well, I reckon It is one of the worst things that could have happen `quality` wise! Derrick Sherwin really got the show on a tremendous footing in the way he changed it. Media critical response was just superb; even the `Times` reviewed it - and very positively indeed!
Both `Spearhead From Space` and `The Silurians` garned reviews `to die for` just about everywhere! Even on `Points of View` (the `adult` one) I personally recall the praise the show got via viewers letters read out! Host Robert Robinson didn't seem to know what programme the letters were praising in my recollection!
The viewing figures did fall during April & May, but the overwhelming positive feedback certainly influenced those in charge at the BBC.
As Barry Letts has very honestly stated, that though he was given Producer credits from `The Silurians` onward in reality he was only overseeing what was Derrick Sherwins season until the `Yea/Nay` from the `powers that be` at the Beeb came through! When the -very late - "Yea!" was given, Barry planned for Season Eight which was where he really felt that he began on `Dr Who`
Both `Spearhead From Space` and `The Silurians` garned reviews `to die for` just about everywhere! Even on `Points of View` (the `adult` one) I personally recall the praise the show got via viewers letters read out! Host Robert Robinson didn't seem to know what programme the letters were praising in my recollection!
The viewing figures did fall during April & May, but the overwhelming positive feedback certainly influenced those in charge at the BBC.
As Barry Letts has very honestly stated, that though he was given Producer credits from `The Silurians` onward in reality he was only overseeing what was Derrick Sherwins season until the `Yea/Nay` from the `powers that be` at the Beeb came through! When the -very late - "Yea!" was given, Barry planned for Season Eight which was where he really felt that he began on `Dr Who`
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
The Pertwee era would probably rank a helluva lot higher with me if Sherwin had been in charge longer. A pity.
It's also a shame that despite everyone and their dog loving season 7, Sherwin rarely seems to get the credit for it he deserves.
It's also a shame that despite everyone and their dog loving season 7, Sherwin rarely seems to get the credit for it he deserves.
codywillis1- Posts : 386
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Quite right Cody! Derrick Sherwin was only Producer on `Dr Who` for a short time but his influence was vital for its survival. Barry Letts has always been fair in pointing out that he had very little to do with how Season Seven was set up- which was very honest of him and to his credit.
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Just to add that I got a copy of the special edition of `Spearhead From Space` very good interview with Derrick Sherwin on there!
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Why does Doctor Who no longer do 'stereotypically thick comedy yokel' as a standard part of its supporting cast? There was a grand tradition of them in stories like Spearhead from Space (Sam Seeley), Image of the Fendahl (Ted Moss), Ernie Clements (Pyramids of Mars), and who could forget the immortal Pigbin Josh from The Claws of Axos, with his stirring cry of 'eh? Aaar?'
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
It might be seen as cultural `stereotyping` in todays PC media climate Tony! Wouldn't worry me but the BBC get very sensetive about such things!
The `Spearhead` DVD I got has a great interview With Derrick Sherwin and a very illuminating audio commentry extra re Caroline John and (The sadly now late) Nicholas Courtney. It becomes `very` obvious that Caroline really doesn't know much about Dr Who outside of her own time on the show.
The `Spearhead` DVD I got has a great interview With Derrick Sherwin and a very illuminating audio commentry extra re Caroline John and (The sadly now late) Nicholas Courtney. It becomes `very` obvious that Caroline really doesn't know much about Dr Who outside of her own time on the show.
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Doesn't surprise me. She's never really engaged with fandom as a lot of the others have...
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Can't fault her for that lol.
codywillis1- Posts : 386
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Yeah, most actors want to act a part, not become the demigod of a fanatical religioncodywillis1 wrote:Can't fault her for that lol.
Lucy Ingram- Posts : 2447
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
I don't think Caroline was ever in danger of becomin g a demigod. More a temple handmaiden...
tony ingram- Admin
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Since I got myself a DVD player i've managed to get hold of DVD's for `Spearhead` `Silurians` & `Inferno` of Season 7. However, `Ambassadors` -no sign of! Does anyone know please if it ever came out on DVD , or is it one Dr story not on DVD yet?
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
There are a few Pertwee's not yet out, and Ambassadors is one of them. It was released on VHS, though.
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
I used to have it on VHS Tony-but hope it will be on DVD soon! I recently got the DVD of `Inferno` This also has many good `extra's`
The most interesting was a docu about the early `Unit` stories! Most revealing was Caroline John telling how Barry Letts delivered the bad news to her (looking for a new Companion)
What I didn't agree with one bit was (In the Audio section) both Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks maintaining that the show needed a `simpler` companion so that the audience could follow it!
Now! I'm someone who has trouble following today's show-but I wouldn't advocate `dumbing down` in such a way as Messrs Letts & Dicks did! Barry mentioned the `Flak` he got from `Who` fans for doing such!
Listening to the audio voiceovers was strange! Some very `retrogressive` attitudes on displat there in my view! As for John Levene! Goodness me!! What was he thinking of? Just kept going into strange `musings` that had little to do with the show! very puzzling!! Anyhow-despite this, the DVD was great enjoyment!
The most interesting was a docu about the early `Unit` stories! Most revealing was Caroline John telling how Barry Letts delivered the bad news to her (looking for a new Companion)
What I didn't agree with one bit was (In the Audio section) both Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks maintaining that the show needed a `simpler` companion so that the audience could follow it!
Now! I'm someone who has trouble following today's show-but I wouldn't advocate `dumbing down` in such a way as Messrs Letts & Dicks did! Barry mentioned the `Flak` he got from `Who` fans for doing such!
Listening to the audio voiceovers was strange! Some very `retrogressive` attitudes on displat there in my view! As for John Levene! Goodness me!! What was he thinking of? Just kept going into strange `musings` that had little to do with the show! very puzzling!! Anyhow-despite this, the DVD was great enjoyment!
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
John Levene seems to get weirder every year. He also appears to believe he's channeling the spirit of Larry Olivier...
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
I did witness a John Levene `episode` at a Birmingham Dr Who convention (In the mid 80's) along with the rest of the audience Tony! John Levene -while on stage-sort of went into a long rambling discourse on his `Psyche` and how bieng in Dr Who sort of `cured` him! Not just the audience, but Jon Pertwee and Nick Courtney also witnessed this `performance`! No one knew what to say once it ended! A really bizarre event indeed!
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
I'm beginning to understand why he's so rarely invited to do commentaries...
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
I just hope that 2 Entertainment don't use him when they finally bring out "Ambassadors".
I just got the DVD of "Mind Robber" Great quality picture and the `extra's` quite superb! I might next go after the talking book of "Fury From the Deep" read by David Troughton (I think?) That's one story I'd dearly love to turn up visually one day!
I just got the DVD of "Mind Robber" Great quality picture and the `extra's` quite superb! I might next go after the talking book of "Fury From the Deep" read by David Troughton (I think?) That's one story I'd dearly love to turn up visually one day!
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
The Mind Robber is my all-time favourite Who story. It's imaginative, surreal, occasionally quite eerie and the regulars are at their best throughout. Love it.
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Have you got the 2 Entertainment DVD Tony? The one featuring the `Making of the Mind Robber` with Derrick Sherwin annd Peter Ling. It also has the `Highlander Chronicles` a nice interview with Frazer Hines.
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
I have. I buy a lot of the DVDs just for the extras, even though i still have all the videos. The classic Who DVDs have some of the best DVD extras going.
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
That's what i'm doing now Tony! Since our VHS machine became `defunct` we changed to DVD; and when I can I get the DVD's with the `extra's. The `Inferno` extra's were very enlightening as Caroline John revealed just how she left the programme. Also, Barry Letts in the audio extra revealed that many `Who` fans blamed him for changing the style of the programme of Season 7 for the seasons following!
Tony! have you ever heard of a series called "Counterstrike" ? I ask as it might have given Derrick Sherwin a pointer towards season 7. It was about an alien exiled to Earth who worked alongsdide an intelligent female assisstant in order to thwart other aliens from Alpha Centauri I think! All aliens looked totally human which saved on make up/costume expences! It ran on the BBC in early Autumn 1969 I think.
Tony! have you ever heard of a series called "Counterstrike" ? I ask as it might have given Derrick Sherwin a pointer towards season 7. It was about an alien exiled to Earth who worked alongsdide an intelligent female assisstant in order to thwart other aliens from Alpha Centauri I think! All aliens looked totally human which saved on make up/costume expences! It ran on the BBC in early Autumn 1969 I think.
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Wow, that's obscure! I only ever saw (I think) two or at most three episodes of Counterstrike, thanks to a collector who was a member of an SF group I belonged to in the eighties (we mostly sat around one evening a month watching fuzzy video copies of Doctor Who, but I also discovered The Omega Factor and Doomwatch through that group). I see from Wiki that they only ever transmitted nine and have apparently lost most of them since...
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
I used to have4 an episode on VHS years ago! I suppose it borrows a bit from the US series "The Invaders" But instead of a lone human trying to thwart the Invasion, the `hero` is himself an Alien! I think he was of a different race to the species Invading if I recall rightly.
Anyhow, there are a few similarities to the style Dr Who season 7 except there wern't creatures like Silurians etc! I always wondered if `Counterstrike` did have a bit of influence on `Dr Who`
Anyhow, there are a few similarities to the style Dr Who season 7 except there wern't creatures like Silurians etc! I always wondered if `Counterstrike` did have a bit of influence on `Dr Who`
alanultron5- Posts : 453
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Possible. There was also an early seventies kids' series called Sky which same some similarities to Counterstrike (Sky is an alien, or rather one of a future breed of humans from another world, being pursued by a hostile force).
tony ingram- Admin
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Re: Top 20 Favourite Stories
Time for an update (though cheating with no order):
The Gunfighters
The War Games
Spearhead from Space
The Silurians
The Ambassadors of Death
Inferno
The Time Warrior
Terror of the Zygons
The Talons of Weng-Chiang
Horror of Fang Rock
The Sun Makers
The Ribos Operation
The Androids of Tara
City of Death
The Horns of Nimon
Attack of the Cybermen
Ghost Light
The Empty Child
The Time of Angels
The Pandorica Opens/Big Bang
The Gunfighters
The War Games
Spearhead from Space
The Silurians
The Ambassadors of Death
Inferno
The Time Warrior
Terror of the Zygons
The Talons of Weng-Chiang
Horror of Fang Rock
The Sun Makers
The Ribos Operation
The Androids of Tara
City of Death
The Horns of Nimon
Attack of the Cybermen
Ghost Light
The Empty Child
The Time of Angels
The Pandorica Opens/Big Bang
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